jrt.the hobbit-第28部分

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　suddenly　slipped　on　his　ring；　and　to　the　great　astonishment　of　the　dwarves　he　vanished。
　Soon　there　came　the　sound　of　〃Lazy　Lob〃　and　〃Attercop〃　from　among　the　trees　away　on　the　right。　That　upset　the　spiders　greatly。　They　stopped　advancing；　and　some；　went　off　in　the　direction　of　the　voice。　〃Attercop〃　made　them　so　angry　that　they　lost　their　wits。　Then　Balin；　who　had　grasped　Bilbo's　plan　better　than　the　rest；　led　an　attack。　The　dwarves　huddled　together　in　a　knot；　and　sending　a　shower　of　stones　they　drove　at　the　spiders　on　the　left；　and　burst　through　the　ring。　Away　behind　them　now　the　shouting　and　singing　suddenly　stopped。
　Hoping　desperately　that　Bilbo　had　not　been　caught　the　dwarves　went　on。　　Not　fast　enough；　though。　They　were　sick　and　weary；　and　they　could　not　go　much　better　than　a　hobble　and　a　wobble；　though　many　of　the　spiders　were　close　behind。　Every　now　and　then　they　had　to　turn　and　fight　the　creatures　that　were　overtaking　them　and　already　some　spiders　were　in　the　trees　above　them　and　throwing　down　their　long　clinging　threads。
　Things　were　looking　pretty　bad　again；　when　suddenly　Bilbo　appeared　and　charged　into　the　astonished　spiders　unexpectedly　from　the　side。　　〃Go　on！　Go　on！〃　he　shouted。　〃I　will　do　the　stinging！〃　And　he　did。　He　darted　backwards　and　forwards；　slashing　at　spider…threads；　hacking　at　their　legs；　and　stabbing　at　their　fat　bodies　if　they　came　too　near。　The　spiders　swelled　with　rage；　and　spluttered　and　frothed；　and　hissed　out　horrible　curses；　but　they　had　bee　mortally　afraid　of　Sting；　and　dared　not　e　very　near；　now　that　it　had　e　back。　So　curse　as　they　would；　their　prey　moved　slowly　but　steadily　away。　It　was　a　most　terrible　business；　and　seemed　to　take　hours。　But　at　last；　just　when　Bilbo　felt　that　he　could　not　lift　his　hand　for　a　single　stroke　more；　the　spiders　suddenly　gave　it　up；　and　followed　them　no　more；　but　went　back　disappointed　to　their　dark　colony。
　The　dwarves　then　noticed　that　they　had　e　to　the　edge　of　a　ring　where　elf…fires　had　been。　Whether　it　was　one　of　those　they　had　seen　the　night　before；　they　could　not　tell。　But　it　seemed　that　some　good　magic　lingered　in　such　spots；　which　the　spiders　did　not　like。　At　any　rate　here　the　light　was　greener；　and　the　boughs　less　thick　and　threatening；　and　they　had　a　chance　to　rest　and　draw　breath。
　There　they　lay　for　some　time；　puffing　and　panting。　put　very　soon　they　began　to　ask　questions。　They　had　to　have　the　whole　vanishing　business　carefully　explained；　and　the　finding　of　the　ring　interested　them　so　much　that　for　a　while　they　forgot　their　own　troubles。　Balin　in　particular　insisted　on　having　the　Gollum　story；　riddles　and　all；　told　all　over　again；　with　the　ring　in　its　proper　place。　But　after　a　time　the　light　began　to　fail；　and　then　other　questions　were　asked。　Where　were　they；　and　where　was　their　path；　and　where　was　there　any　food；　and　what　were　they　going　to　do　next？　These　questions　they　asked　over　and　over　again；　and　it　was　from　little　Bilbo　that　they　seemed　to　expect　to　get　the　answers。　From　which　you　can　see　that　they　had　changed　their　opinion　of　Mr。　Baggins　very　much；　and　had　begun　to　have　a　great　respect　for　him　（as　Gandalf　had　said　they　would）。　Indeed　they　really　expected　him　to　think　of　some　wonderful　plan　for　helping　them；　and　were　not　merely　grumbling。　They　knew　only　too　well　that　they　would　soon　all　have　been　dead；　if　it　had　not　been　for　the　hobbit；　and　they　thanked　him　many　times。　Some　of　them　even　got　up　and　bowed　right　to　the　ground　before　him；　though　they　fell　over　with　the　effort；　and　could　not　get　on　their　legs　again　for　some　time。　Knowing　the　truth　about　the　vanishing　did　not　lessen　their　opinion　of　Bilbo　at　all；　for　they　saw　that　he　had　some　wits；　as　well　as　luck　and　a　magic　ring…and　all　three　are　very　useful　possessions。　In　fact　they　praised　him　so　much　that　Bilbo　began　to　feel　there　really　was　something　of　a　bold　adventurer　about　himself　after　all；　though　he　I　would　have　felt　a　lot　bolder　still；　if　there　had　been　anything　to　eat。
　But　there　was　nothing；　nothing　at　all；　and　none　of　them　Were　fit　to　go　and　look　for　anything；　or　to　search　for　the　lost　path。　The　lost　path！　No　other　idea　would　e　into　Bilbo's　tired　head。　He　just　sat　staring　in　front　of　him　at　the　endless　trees；　and　after　a　while　they　all　fell　silent　again。　All　except　Balin。　Long　after　the　others　had　stopped　talking　and　shut　their　eyes；　he　kept　on　muttering　and　chuckling　to　himself。
　〃Gollum！　Well　I'm　blest！　So　that's　how　he　sneaked　past　me　is　it？　Now　I　know！　Just　crept　quietly　along　did　you；　Mr。　Baggins？　Buttons　all　over　the　doorstep？　Good　old　Bilbo…Bilbo…Bilbo…bo…bo…bo…〃　And　then　he　fell　asleep；　and　there　was　plete　silence　for　a　long　time。
　All　of　a　sudden　Dwalin　opened　an　eye；　and　looked　round　at　them。　〃Where　is　Thorin？〃　he　asked。　It　was　a　terrible　shock。　Of　course　there　were　only　thirteen　of　them；　twelve　dwarves　and　the　hobbit。　Where　indeed　was　Thorin？　They　wondered　what　evil　fate　had　befallen　him；　magic　or　dark　monsters；　and　shuddered　as　they　lay　lost　in　the　forest。　There　they　dropped　off　one　by　one　into　unfortable　sleep　full　of　horrible　dreams；　as　evening　wore　to　black　night；　and　there　we　must　leave　them　for　the　present；　too　sick　and　weary　to　set　guards　or　take　turns　watching。
　Thorin　had　been　caught　much　faster　than　they　had。　You　remember　Bilbo　falling　like　a　log　into　sleep；　as　he　stepped　into　a　circle　of　light？　The　next　time　it　had　been　Thorin　who　stepped　forward；　and　as　the　lights　went　out　he　fell　like　a　stone　enchanted。　All　the　noise　of　the　dwarves　lost　in　the　night；　their　cries　as　the　spiders　caught　them　and　bound　them；　and　all　the　sounds　of　the　battle　next　day；　had　passed　over　him　unheard。　Then　the　Wood…elves　had　e　to　him；　and　bound　him；　and　carried　him　away。　The　feasting　people　were　Wood…elves；　of　course。　These　are　not　wicked　folk。　If　they　have　a　fault　it　is　distrust　of　strangers。　Though　their　magic　was　strong；　even　in　those　days　they　were　wary。　They　differed　from　the　High　Elves　of　the　West；　and　were　more　dangerous　and　less　wise。　For　most　of　them　（together　with　their　scattered　relations　in　the　hills　and　mountains）　were　descended　from　the　ancient　tribes　that　never　went　to　Faerie　in　the　West。　There　the　Light…elves　and　the　Deep…elves　and　the　Sea…elves　went　and　lived　for　ages；　and　grew　fairer　and　wiser　and　more　learned；　and　invented　their　magic　and　their　cunning　craft；　in　the　making　of　beautiful　and　marvellous　things；　before　some　came　back　into　the　Wide　World。　　In　the　Wide　World　the　Wood…elves　lingered　in　the　twilight　of　our　Sun　and　Moon　but　loved　best　the　stars；　and　they　wandered　in　the　great　forests　that　grew　tall　in　lands　that　are　now　lost。　They　dwelt　most　often　by　the　edges　of　the　woods；　from　which　they　could　escape　at　times　to　hunt；　or　to　ride　and　run　over　the　open　lands　by　moonlight　or　starlight；　and　after　the　ing　of　Men　they　took　ever　more　and　more　to　the　gloaming　and　the　dusk。　Still　elves　they　were　and　remain；　and　that　is　Good　People。
　In　a　great　cave　some　miles　within　the　edge　of　Mirkwood　on　its　eastern　side　there　lived　at　this　time　their　greatest　king。　Before　his　huge　doors　of　stone　a　river　ran　out　of　the　heights　of　the　forest　and　flowed　on　and　out　into　the　marshes　at　the　feet　of　the　high　wooded　lands。　This　great　cave；　from　which　countless　smaller　ones　opened　out　on　every　side；　wound　far　underground　and　had　many　passages　and　wide　halls；　but　it　was　lighter　and　more　wholesome　than　any　goblin…dwelling；　and　neither　so　deep　nor　so　dangerous。　In　fact　the　subjects　of　the　king　mostly　lived　and　hunted　in　the　open　woods；　and　had　houses　or　huts　on　the　ground　and　in　the　branches。　The　beeches　were　their　favourite　trees。　The　king's　cave　was　his　palace；　and　the　strong　place　of　his　treasure；　and　the　fortress　of　his　people　against　their　enemies。
　It　was　also　the　dungeon　of　his　prisoners。　So　to　the　cave　they　dragged　Thorin…not　too　gently；　for　they　did　not　love　dwarves；　and　thought　he　was　an　enemy。　In　ancient　days　they　had　had　wars　with　some　of　the　dwarves；　whom　they　accused　of　stealing　their　treasure。　It　is　only　fair　to　say　that　the　dwarves　gave　a　different　account；　and　said　that　they　only　took　what　was　their　due；　for　the　elf…king　had　bar…　gained　with　them　to　shape　his　raw　gold　and　silver；　and　had　afterwards　refused　to　give　them　their　pay。　If　the　elf…king　had　a　weakness　it　was　for　treasure；　especially　for　silver　and　white　gems；　and　though　his　hoard　was　rich；　he　was　ever　eager　for　more；　since　he　had　not　yet　as　great　a　treasure　as　other　elf…lords　of　old。　His　people　neither　mined　nor　worked　metals　or　jewels；　nor　did　they　bother　much　with　trade　or　with　tilling　the　earth。　All　this　was　well　known　to　every　dwarf；　though　Thorin's　family　had　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　old　quarrel　I　have　spoken　of。　Consequently　Thorin　was　angry　at　their　treatment　of　him；　when　they　took　their　spell　off　him　and　he　came　to　his　senses；　and　also　he　was　determined　that　no　word　of　gold　or　jewels　should　be　dragged　out　of　him。
　The　king　looked　sternly　on　Thorin；　when　he　was　brought　before　him；　and　asked　him　many　questions。　But　Thorin　would　only　say　that　he　was　starving。　　〃Why　did　you　and　your　folk　three　times　try　to　attack　my　people　at　their　merrymaking？〃　asked　the　king。
　〃We　did　not　attack　them；〃　answered　Thorin；　〃we　came　to　beg；　because　we　were　starving。〃
　〃Where　are　your　friends　now；　and　what　are　they　doing？〃
　〃I　don't　know；　but　I　expect　starving　in　the　forest。〃
　〃What　were　you　doing　in　the　forest？〃
　〃Looking　for　food　and　drink；　because　we　were　starving。〃
　〃But　what　brought　you　into　the　forest　at　all？〃　asked　the　king　angrily。
　At　that　Thorin　shut　his　mouth　and　would　not　say　another　word。　　〃Very　well！〃　said　the　king。　〃Take　him　away　and　keep　him　safe；　until　he　feels　inclined　to　tell　the　truth；　even　if　he　waits　a　hundred　years。'〃　Then　the　elves　put　thongs　on　him；　and　shut　him　in　one　of　the　inmost　caves　with　strong　wooden　doors；　and　left　him。　They　gave　him　food　and　drink；　plenty　of　both；　if　not　very　fine；　for　Wood…elves　were　not　goblins；　and　were　reasonably　well…behaved　even　to　their　worst　enemies；　when　they　captured　them。　　The　giant　spiders　were　the　only　living　things　that　they　had　no　mercy　upon。　　There　in　the　king's　dungeon　poor　Thorin　lay；　and　after　he　had　got　over　his　thankfulness　for　bread　and　meat　and　water；　he　began　to　wonder　what　had　bee　of　his　unfortunate　friends。　It　was　not　very　long　before　he