jrt.the hobbit-第18部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


y　took　any　notice　of　them　at　all　（which　was　seldom；　for　they　did　not　eat　such　creatures　）；　they　swooped　on　them　and　drove　them　shrieking　back　to　their　caves；　and　stopped　whatever　wickedness　they　were　doing。　The　goblins　hated　the　eagles　and　feared　them；　but　could　not　reach　their　lofty　seats；　or　drive　them　from　the　mountains。
　Tonight　the　Lord　of　the　Eagles　was　filled　with　curiosity　to　know　what　was　afoot；　so　he　summoned　many　other　eagles　to　him；　and　they　flew　away　from　the　mountains；　and　slowly　circling　ever　round　and　round　they　came　down；　down；　down　towards　the　ring　of　the　wolves　and　the　meeting…place　of　the　goblins。　　A　very　good　thing　too！　Dreadful　things　had　been　going　on　down　there。　The　wolves　that　had　caught　fire　and　fled　into　the　forest　had　set　it　alight　in　several　places。　It　was　high　summer；　and　on　this　eastern　side　of　the　mountains　there　had　been　little　rain　for　some　time。　Yellowing　bracken；　fallen　branches；　deep…piled　pine…needles；　and　here　and　there　dead　trees；　were　soon　in　flames。　　All　round　the　clearing　of　the　Wargs　fire　was　leaping。　But　the　wolf…guards　did　not　leave　the　trees。　Maddened　and　angry　they　were　leaping　and　howling　round　the　trunks；　and　cursing　the　dwarves　in　their　horrible　language；　with　their　tongues　hanging　out；　and　their　eyes　shining　as　red　and　fierce　as　the　flames。　　Then　suddenly　goblins　came　running　up　yelling。　They　thought　a　battle　with　the　woodmen　was　going　on；　but　they　goon　learned　what　had　really　happened。　Some　of　them　actually　sat　down　and　laughed。　Others　waved　their　spears　and　clashed　the　shafts　against　their　shields。　Goblins　are　not　afraid　of　fire；　and　they　soon　had　a　plan　which　seemed　to　them　most　amusing。　　Some　got　all　the　wolves　together　in　a　pack。　Some　stacked　fern　and　brushwood　round　the　tree…trunks。　Others　rushed　round　and　stamped　and　beat；　and　beat　and　stamped；　until　nearly　all　the　flames　were　put　out…but　they　did　not　put　out　the　fire　nearest　to　the　trees　where　the　dwarves　were。　That　fire　they　fed　with　leaves　and　dead　branches　and　bracken。　Soon　they　had　a　ring　of　smoke　and　flame　all　round　the　dwarves；　a　ring　which　they　kept　from　spreading　outwards；　but　it　closed　slowly　in；　till　the　running　fire　was　licking　the　fuel　piled　under　the　trees。　Smoke　was　in　Bilbo's　eyes；　he　could　feel　the　heat　of　the　flames；　and　through　the　reek　he　could　see　the　goblins　dancing　round　and　round　in　a　circle　like　people　round　a　midsummer　bonfire。　Outside　the　ring　of　dancing　warriors　with　spears　and　axes　stood　the　wolves　at　a　respectful　distance；　watching　and　waiting。
　He　could　hear　the　goblins　beginning　a　horrible　song：
　〃Fifteen　birds　in　five　firtrees；　their　feathers　were　fanned　in　a　fiery　breeze！
　But；　funny　little　birds；　they　had　no　wings！
　

　O　what　shall　we　do　with　the　funny　little　things？
　Roast　'em　alive；　or　stew　them　in　a　pot；fry　them；　boil　them　and　eat　them　hot？〃
　Then　they　stopped　and　shouted　out：　〃Fly　away　little　birds！　Fly　away　if　you　can！　e　down　little　birds；　or　you　will　get　roasted　in　your　nests！　Sing；　sing　little　birds！　Why　don't　you　sing？〃
　〃Go　away！　little　boys！〃　shouted　Gandalf　in　answer。　〃It　isn't　bird…nesting　time。　Also　naughty　little　boys　that　play　with　fire　get　punished。〃　He　said　it　to　make　them　angry；　and　to　show　them　he　was　not　frightened　of　them…though　of　course　he　was；　wizard　though　he　was。　But　they　took　no　notice；　and　they　went　on　singing。
　〃Burn；　burn　tree　and　fern！
　Shrivel　and　scorch！　A　fizzling　torch
　To　light　the　night　for　our　delight；
　Ya　hey！
　Bake　and　toast　'em；　fry　and　roast　'em
　till　beards　blaze；　and　eyes　glaze；
　till　hair　smells　and　skins　crack；
　fat　melts；　and　bones　black
　in　cinders　lie
　beneath　the　sky！
　So　dwarves　shall　die；
　and　light　the　night　for　our　delight；
　Ya　hey！
　Ya…harri…heyl
　Ya　hoy！〃
　And　with　that　Ya　hoy！　the　flames　were　under　Gandalf's　tree。　In　a　moment　it　spread　to　the　others。　The　bark　caught　fire；　the　lower　branches　cracked。　　Then　Gandalf　climbed　to　the　top　of　his　tree。　The　sudden　splendour　flashed　from　his　wand　like　lightning；　as　he　got　ready　to　spring　down　from　on　high　right　among　the　spears　of　the　goblins。　That　would　have　been　the　end　of　him；　though　he　would　probably　have　killed　many　of　them　as　he　came　hurtling　down　like　a　thunderbolt。　But　he　never　leaped。
　Just　at　that　moment　the　Lord　of　the　Eagles　swept　down　from　above；　seized　him　in　his　talons；　and　was　gone。
　There　was　a　howl　of　anger　and　surprise　from　the　goblins。　Loud　cried　the　Lord　of　the　Eagles；　to　whom　Gandalf　had　now　spoken。　Back　swept　the　great　birds　that　were　with　him；　and　down　they　came　like　huge　black　shadows。　The　wolves　yammered　and　gnashed　their　teeth；　the　goblins　yelled　and　stamped　with　rage；　and　flung　their　heavy　spears　in　the　air　in　vain。　Over　them　swooped　the　eagles；　the　dark　rush　of　their　beating　wings　smote　them　to　the　floor　or　drove　them　far　away；　their　talons　tore　at　goblin　faces。　Other　birds　flew　to　the　tree…tops　and　seized　the　dwarves；　who　were　scrambling　up　now　as　far　as　ever　they　dared　to　go。
　Poor　little　Bilbo　was　very　nearly　left　behind　again！　He　just　managed　to　catch　hold　of　Dori's　legs；　as　Dori　was　borne　off　last　of　all；　and　they　went　together　above　the　tumult　and　the　burning；　Bilbo　swinging　in　the　air　with　his　arms　nearly　breaking。
　Now　far　below　the　goblins　and　the　wolves　were　scattering　far　and　wide　in　the　woods。　A　few　eagles　were　still　circling　and　sweeping　above　the　battle…ground。　The　flames　about　the　trees　sprang　suddenly　up　above　the　highest　branches。　They　went　up　in　crackling　fire。　There　was　a　sudden　flurry　of　sparks　and　smoke。　Bilbo　had　escaped　only　just　in　time！
　Soon　the　light　of　the　burning　was　faint　below；　a　red　twinkle　on　the　black　floor；　and　they　were　high　up　in　the　sky；　rising　all　the　time　in　strong　sweeping　circles。　Bilbo　never　forgot　that　flight；　clinging　onto　Dori's　ankles。
　He　moaned　〃my　arms；　my　arms！〃；　but　Dori　groaned　〃my　poor　legs；　my　poor　legs！〃　At　the　best　of　times　heights　made　Bilbo　giddy。　He　used　to　turn　queer　if　he　looked　over　the　edge　of　quite　a　little　cliff；　and　he　had　never　liked　ladders；　let　alone　trees　（never　having　had　to　escape　from　wolves　before）。　So　you　can　imagine　how　his　head　swam　now；　when　he　looked　down　between　his　dangling　toes　and　saw　the　dark　lands　opening　wide　underneath　him；　touched　here　and　there　with　the　light　of　the　moon　on　a　hill…side　rock　or　a　stream　in　the　plains。
　The　pale　peaks　of　the　mountains　were　ing　nearer；　moonlit　spikes　of　rock　sticking　out　of　black　shadows。　Summer　or　not；　it　seemed　very　cold。　He　shut　his　eyes　and　wondered　if　he　could　hold　on　any　longer。　Then　he　imagined　what　would　happen　if　he　did　not。　He　felt　sick。　The　flight　ended　only　just　in　time　for　him；　just　before　his　arms　gave　way。　He　loosed　Dori's　ankles　with　a　gasp　and　fell　onto　the　rough　platform　of　an　eagle's　eyrie。　There　he　lay　without　speaking；　and　his　thoughts　were　a　mixture　of　surprise　at　being　saved　from　the　fire；　and　fear　lest　he　fell　off　that　narrow　place　into　the　deep　shadows　on　either　side。　He　was　feeling　very　queer　indeed　in　his　head　by　this　time　after　the　dreadful　adventures　of　the　last　three　days　with　next　to　nothing　to　eat；　and　he　found　himself　saying　aloud：　〃Now　I　know　what　a　piece　of　bacon　feels　like　when　it　is　suddenly　picked　out　of　the　pan　on　a　fork　and　put　back　on　the　shelf！〃
　〃No　you　don't！〃　be　heard　Dori　answering；　〃because　the　bacon　knows　that　it　will　get　back　in　the　pan　sooner　or　later；　and　it　is　to　be　hoped　we　shan't。　　Also　eagles　aren't　forks！〃
　〃O　no！　Not　a　bit　like　storks…forks；　I　mean；〃　said　Bilbo　sitting　up　and　looking　anxiously　at　the　eagle　who　was　perched　close　by。　He　wondered　what　other　nonsense　he　had　been　saying；　and　if　the　eagle　would　think　it　rude。　You　ought　not　to　be　rude　to　an　eagle；　when　you　are　only　the　size　of　a　hobbit；　and　are　up　in　his　eyrie　at　night！
　The　eagle　only　sharpened　his　beak　on　a　stone　and　trimmed　his　feathers　and　took　no　notice。
　Soon　another　eagle　flew　up。　〃The　Lord　of　the　Eagles　bids　you　to　bring　your　prisoners　to　the　Great　Shelf；〃　he　cried　and　was　off　again。　The　other　seized　Dori　in　his　claws　and　flew　away　with　him　into　the　night　leaving　Bilbo　all　alone。　He　had　just　strength　to　wonder　what　the　messenger　had　meant　by　'prisoners；'　and　to　begin　to　think　of　being　torn　up　for　supper　like　a　rabbit；　when　his　own　turn　came。　The　eagle　came　back；　seized　him　in　his　talons　by　the　back　of　his　coat；　and　swooped　off。　This　time　he　flew　only　a　short　way。　Very　soon　Bilbo　was　laid　down；　trembling　with　fear；　on　a　wide　shelf　of　rock　on　the　mountain…side。　There　was　no　path　down　on　to　it　save　by　flying；　and　no　path　down　off　it　except　by　jumping　over　a　precipice。　There　he　found　all　the　others　sitting　with　their　backs　to　the　mountain　wall。　The　Lord　of　the　Eagles　also　was　there　and　was　speaking　to　Gandalf。
　It　seemed　that　Bilbo　was　not　going　to　be　eaten　after　all。　The　wizard　and　the　eagle…lord　appeared　to　know　one　another　slightly；　and　even　to　be　on　friendly　terms。　As　a　matter　of　fact　Gandalf；　who　had　often　been　in　the　mountains；　had　once　rendered　a　service　to　the　eagles　and　healed　their　lord　from　an　arrow…wound。　So　you　see　'prisoners'　had　meant　'prisoners　rescued　from　the　goblins'　only；　and　not　captives　of　the　eagles。　As　Bilbo　listened　to　the　talk　of　Gandalf　he　realized　that　at　last　they　were　going　to　escape　really　and　truly　from　the　dreadful　mountains。　He　was　discussing　plans　with　the　Great　Eagle　for　carrying　the　dwarves　and　himself　and　Bilbo　far　away　and　setting　them　down　well　on　their　journey　across　the　plains　below。
　The　Lord　of　the　Eagles　would　not　take　them　anywhere　near　where　men　lived。　　〃They　would　shoot　at　us　with　their　great　bows　of　yew；〃　he　said；　〃for　they　would　think　we　were　after　their　sheep。　And　at　other　times　they　would　be　right。　　No！　we　are　glad　to　cheat　the　goblins　of　their　sport；　and　glad　to　repay　our　thanks　to　you；　but　we　will　not　risk　ourselves　for　dwarves　in　the　southward　plains。〃
　〃Very　well；〃　said　Gandalf。　〃Take　us　where　and　as　far　as　you　will！　We　are　already　deeply　obliged　to　you。　But　in　the　meantime　we　are　famished　with　hunger。〃
　〃I　am　nearly　dead　of　it；〃　said　Bilbo　in　a　weak　little　voice　that　nobody　heard。
　〃That　can　perhaps　be　mended；〃　said　the　Lord　of　the　Eagles。　　Later　on　you　might　have　seen　a　bright　fire　on　the　shelf　of　rock　and　the　figures　of　the　dwarves　round　it　cooking　and　making　a　fine　roasting　smell。　The　eagles　had　b