jrt.the hobbit-第10部分

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any　years；　but　Gandalf　had；　and　he　knew　how　evil　and　danger　had　grown　and　thriven　in　the　Wild；　since　the　dragons　had　driven　men　from　the　lands；　and　the　goblins　had　spread　in　secret　after　the　battle　of　the　Mines　of　Moria。　Even　the　good　plans　of　wise　wizards　like　Gandalf　and　of　good　friends　like　Elrond　go　astray　sometimes　when　you　are　off　on　dangerous　adventures　over　the　Edge　of　the　Wild；　and　Gandalf　was　a　wise　enough　wizard　to　know　it。
　He　knew　that　something　unexpected　might　happen；　and　he　hardly　dared　to　hope　that　they　would　pass　without　fearful　adventure　over　those　great　tall　mountains　with　lonely　peaks　and　valleys　where　no　king　ruled。　They　did　not。　All　was　well；　until　one　day　they　met　a　thunderstorm　…　more　than　a　thunderstorm；　a　thunder…battle。　You　know　how　terrific　a　really　big　thunderstorm　can　be　down　in　the　land　and　in　a　river…valley；　especially　at　times　when　two　great　thunderstorms　meet　and　clash。　More　terrible　still　are　thunder　and　lightning　in　the　mountains　at　night；　when　storms　e　up　from　East　and　West　and　make　war。　　The　lightning　splinters　on　the　peaks；　and　rocks　shiver；　and　great　crashes　split　the　air　and　go　rolling　and　tumbling　into　every　cave　and　hollow；　and　the　darkness　is　filled　with　overwhelming　noise　and　sudden　light。　　Bilbo　had　never　seen　or　imagined　anything　of　the　kind。　They　were　high　up　in　a　narrow　place；　with　a　dreadful　fall　into　a　dim　valley　at　one　side　of　them。　　There　they　were　sheltering　under　a　hanging　rock　for　the　night；　and　he　lay　beneath　a　blanket　and　shook　from　head　to　toe。　When　he　peeped　out　in　the　lightning…flashes；　he　saw　that　across　the　valley　the　stone…giants　were　out　and　were　hurling　rocks　at　one　another　for　a。　game；　and　catching　them；　and　tossing　them　down　into　the　darkness　where　they　smashed　among　the　trees　far　below；　or　splintered　into　little　bits　with　a　bang。　Then　came　a　wind　and　a　rain；　and　the　wind　whipped　the　rain　and　the　hail　about　in　every　direction；　so　that　an　overhanging　rock　was　no　protection　at　all。　Soon　they　were　getting　drenched　and　their　ponies　were　standing　with　their　heads　down　and　their　tails　between　their　legs；　and　some　of　them　were　whinnying　with　fright。　They　could　hear　the　giants　guffawing　and　shouting　all　over　the　mountainsides。
　〃This　won't　do　at　all！〃　said　Thorin。　〃If　we　don't　get　blown　off　or　drowned；　or　struck　by　lightning；　we　shall　be　picked　up　by　some　giant　and　kicked　sky…high　for　a　football。〃
　〃Well；　if　you　know　of　anywhere　better；　take　us　there！〃　said　Gandalf；　who　was　feeling　very　grumpy；　and　was　far　from　happy　about　the　giants　himself。　　The　end　of　their　argument　was　that　they　sent　Fill　and　Kili　to　look　for　a　better　shelter。　They　had　very　sharp　eyes；　and　being　the　youngest　of　the　dwarves　by　some　fifty　years　they　usually　got　these　sort　of　jobs　（when　everybody　could　see　that　it　was　absolutely　no　use　sending　Bilbo）。　There　is　nothing　like　looking；　if　you　want　to　find　something　（or　so　Thorin　said　to　the　young　dwarves）。　You　certainly　usually　find　something；　if　you　look；　but　it　is　not　always　quite　the　something　you　were　after。　So　it　proved　on　this　occasion。
　Soon　Fili　and　Kili　came　crawling　back；　holding　on　to　the　rocks　in　the　wind。　〃We　have　found　a　dry　cave；〃　they　said；　〃not　far　round　the　next　corner；　and　ponies　and　all　could　get　inside。〃
　〃Have　you　thoroughly　explored　it？〃　said　the　wizard；　who　knew　that　caves　up　in　the　mountains　were　seldom　unoccupied。
　〃Yes；　yes！〃　they　said；　though　everybody　knew　they　could　not　have　been　long　about　it；　they　had　e　back　too　quick。　〃It　isn't　all　that　big；　and　it　does　not　go　far　back。〃
　That；　of　course；　is　the　dangerous　part　about　caves：　you　don't　know　how　far　they　go　back；　sometimes；　or　where　a　passage　behind　may　lead　to；　or　what　is　waiting　for　you　inside。　But　now　Fili　and　Kill's　news　seemed　good　enough。　So　they　all　got　up　and　prepared　to　move。　The　wind　was　howling　and　the　thunder　still　growling；　and　they　had　a　business　getting　themselves　and　their　ponies　along。　Still　it　was　not　very　far　to　go；　and　before　long　they　came　to　a　big　rock　standing　out　into　the　path。　If　you　stepped　behind；　you　found　a　low　arch　in　the　side　of　the　mountain。　There　was　just　room　to　get　the　ponies　through　with　a　squeeze；　when　they　had　been　unpacked　and　unsaddled。　As　they　passed　under　the　arch；　it　was　good　to　hear　the　wind　and　the　rain　outside　instead　of　all　about　them；　and　to　feel　safe　from　the　giants　and　their　rocks。　But　the　wizard　was　taking　no　risks。　He　lit　up　his　wand　…　as　he　did　that　day　in　Bilbo's　dining…room　that　seemed　so　long　ago；　if　you　remember…；　and　by　its　light　they　explored　the　cave　from　end　to　end。
　It　seemed　quite　a　fair　size；　but　not　too　large　and　mysterious。　It　had　a　dry　floor　and　some　fortable　nooks。　At　one　end　there　was　room　for　the　ponies；　and　there　they　stood　（mighty　glad　of　the　change）　steaming；　and　champing　in　their　nosebags。　Oin　and　Gloin　wanted　to　light　a　fire　at　the　door　to　dry　their　clothes；　but　Gandalf　would　not　hear　of　it。　So　they　spread　out　their　wet　things　on　the　floor；　and　got　dry　ones　out　of　their　bundles；　then　they　made　their　blankets　fortable；　got　out　their　pipes　and　blew　smoke　rings；　which　Gandalf　turned　into　different　colours　and　set　dancing　up　by　the　roof　to　amuse　them。　They　talked　and　talked；　and　forgot　about　the　storm；　and　discussed　what　each　would　do　with　his　share　of　the　treasure　（when　they　got　it；　which　at　the　moment　did　not　seem　so　impossible）；　and　so　they　dropped　off　to　sleep　one　by　one。　And　that　was　the　last　time　that　they　used　the　ponies；　packages；　baggages；　tools　and　paraphernalia　that　they　had　brought　with　them。　　It　turned　out　a　good　thing　that　night　that　they　had　brought　little　Bilbo　with　them；　after　all。　For　somehow；　he　could　not　go　to　sleep　for　a　long　while；　and　when　he　did　sleep；　he　had　very　nasty　dreams。　He　dreamed　that　a　crack　in　the　wall　at　the　back　of　the　cave　got　bigger　and　bigger；　and　opened　wider　and　wider；　and　he　was　very　afraid　but　could　not　call　out　or　do　anything　but　lie　and　look。　Then　he　dreamed　that　the　floor　of　the　cave　was　giving　way；　and　he　was　slipping…beginning　to　fall　down；　down；　goodness　knows　where　to。　　At　that　he　woke　up　with　a　horrible　start；　and　found　that　part　of　his　dream　was　true。　A　crack　had　opened　at　the　back　of　the　cave；　and　was　already　a　wide　passage。　He　was　just　in　time　to　see　the　last　of　the　ponies'　tails　disappearing　into　it。　Of　course　he　gave　a　very　loud　yell；　as　loud　a　yell　as　a　hobbit　can　give；　which　is　surprising　for　their　size。
　Out　jumped　the　goblins；　big　goblins；　great　ugly…looking　goblins；　lots　of　goblins；　before　you　could　say　rocks　and　blocks。　There　were　six　to　each　dwarf；　at　least；　and　two　even　for　Bilbo；　and　they　were　all　grabbed　and　carried　through　the　crack；　before　you　could　say　tinder　and　flint。　But　not　Gandalf。　　Bilbo's　yell　had　done　that　much　good。　It　had　wakened　him　up　wide　in　a　splintered　second；　and　when　goblins　came　to　grab　him；　there　was　a　terrible　flash　like　lightning　in　the　cave；　a　smell　like　gunpowder；　and　several　of　them　fell　dead。
　The　crack　closed　with　a　snap；　and　Bilbo　and　the　dwarves　were　on　the　wrong　side　of　it！　Where　was　Gandalf？　Of　that　neither　they　nor　the　goblins　had　any　idea；　and　the　goblins　did　not　wait　to　find　out。　It　was　deep；　deep；　dark；　such　as　only　goblins　that　have　taken　to　living　in　the　heart　of　the　mountains　can　see　through。　The　passages　there　were　crossed　and　tangled　in　all　directions；　but　the　goblins　knew　their　way；　as　well　as　you　do　to　the　nearest　post…office　and　the　way　went　down　and　down；　and　it　was　most　horribly　stuffy。　The　goblins　were　very　rough；　and　pinched　unmercifully；　and　chuckled　and　laughed　in　their　horrible　stony　voices；　and　Bilbo　was　more　unhappy　even　than　when　the　troll　had　picked　him　up　by　his　toes。　He　wished　again　and　again　for　his　nice　bright　hobbit…hole。　Not　for　the　last　time。
　Now　there　came　a　glimmer　of　a　red　light　before　them。　The　goblins　began　to　sing；　or　croak；　keeping　time　with　the　flap　of　their　flat　feet　on　the　stone；　and　shaking　their　prisoners　as　well。
　〃Clap！　Snap！　the　black　crack！
　Grip；　grab！　Pinch；　nab！
　And　down　down　to　Goblin…town
　You　go；　my　lad！
　Clash；　crash！　Crush；　smash！
　Hammer　and　tongs！　Knocker　and　gongs！
　Pound；　pound；　far　underground！
　Ho；　ho！　my　lad！
　Swish；　smack！　Whip　crack！
　Batter　and　beat！　Yammer　and　bleat！
　Work；　work！　Nor　dare　to　shirk；
　While　Goblins　quaff；　and　Goblins　laugh；
　Round　and　round　far　underground
　Below；　my　lad！〃
　It　sounded　truly　terrifying。　The　walls　echoed　to　the　clap；　snap！　and　the　crush；　smash！　and　to　the　ugly　laughter　of　their　ho；　ho！　my　lad！　The　general　meaning　of　the　song　was　only　too　plain；　for　now　the　goblins　took　out　whips　and　whipped　them　with　a　swish；　smack！；　and　set　them　running　as　fast　as　they　could　in　front　of　them；　and　more　than　one　of　the　dwarves　were　already　yammering　and　bleating　like　anything；　when　they　stumbled　into　a　big　cavern。　　It　was　lit　by　a　great　red　fire　in　the　middle；　and　by　torches　along　the　walls；　and　it　was　full　of　goblins。　They　all　laughed　and　stamped　and　clapped　their　hands；　when　the　dwarves　（with　poor　little　Bilbo　at　the　back　and　nearest　to　the　whips）　came　running　in；　while　the　goblin…drivers　whooped　and　cracked　their　whips　behind。　The　ponies　were　already　there　huddled　in　a　corner；　and　there　were　all　the　baggages　and　packages　lying　broken　open；　and　being　rummaged　by　goblins；　and　smelt　by　goblins；　and　fingered　by　goblins；　and　quarreled　over　by　goblins。
　I　am　afraid　that　was　the　last　they　ever　saw　of　those　excellent　little　ponies；　including　a　jolly　sturdy　little　white　fellow　that　Elrond　had　lent　to　Gandalf；　since　his　horse　was　not　suitable　for　the　mountain…paths。　For　goblins　eat　horses　and　ponies　and　donkeys　（and　other　much　more　dreadful　things）；　and　they　are　always　hungry。　Just　now　however　the　prisoners　were　thinking　only　of　themselves。　The　goblins　chained　their　hands　behind　their　backs　and　linked　them　all　together　in　a　line　and　dragged　them　to　the　far　end　of　the　cavern　with　little　Bilbo　tugging　at　the　end　of　the　row。
　There　in　the　shadows　on　a　large　flat　stone　sat　a　tremendous　goblin　with　a　huge　head；　and　armed　goblins　were　standing　round　him　carrying　the　axes　and　the　bent　swords　that　they　use。　Now　goblins　are　cruel；　wicked；　and　bad…hearted。
　They　make　no　beautiful　things；　but　they　make　many　clever　ones。　They　can　tunnel　and　mine　as　well　as　any　but　the　most　skilled　dwarves；　when　they　take　th