jrt.the hobbit-第30部分

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ng　in　or　out　that　way。　But　the　portcullis　was　often　open；　for　a　good　deal　of　traffic　went　out　and　in　by　the　water…gate。　If　anyone　had　e　in　that　way；　he　would　have　found　himself　in　a　dark　rough　tunnel　leading　deep　into　the　heart　of　the　hill；　but　at　one　point　where　it　passed　under　the　caves　the　roof　had　been　cut　away　and　covered　with　great　oaken　trapdoors。　These　opened　upwards　into　the　king's　cellars。　There　stood　barrels；　and　barrels；　and　barrels；　for　the　Wood…elves；　and　especially　their　king；　were　very　fond　of　wine；　though　no　vines　grew　in　those　parts。　The　wine；　and　other　goods；　were　brought　from　far　away；　from　their　kinsfolk　in　the　South；　or　from　the　vineyards　of　Men　in　distant　lands。
　Hiding　behind　one　of　the　largest　barrels　Bilbo　discovered　the　trapdoors　and　their　use；　and　lurking　there；　listening　to　the　talk　of　the　king's　servants；　he　learned　how　the　wine　and　other　goods　came　up　the　rivers；　or　over　land；　to　the　Long　Lake。　It　seemed　a　town　of　Men　still　throve　there；　built　out　on　bridges　far　into　the　water　as　a　protection　against　enemies　of　all　sorts；　and　especially　against　the　dragon　of　the　Mountain。　From　Lake…town　the　barrels　were　brought　up　the　Forest　River。　Often　they　were　just　tied　together　like　big　rafts　and　poled　or　rowed　up　the　stream；　sometimes　they　were　loaded　on　to　flat　boats。
　When　the　barrels　were　empty　the　elves　cast　them　through　the　trapdoors；　opened　the　water…gate；　and　out　the　barrels　floated　on　the　stream；　bobbing　along；　until　they　were　carried　by　the　current　to　a　place　far　down　the　river　where　the　bank　jutted　out；　near　to　the　very　eastern　edge　of　Mirkwood。　There　they　were　collected　and　tied　together　and　floated　back　to　Lake…town；　which　stood　close　to　the　point　where　the　Forest　River　flowed　into　the　Long　Lake。　　For　some　time　Bilbo　sat　and　thought　about　this　water…gate；　and　wondered　if　it　could　be　used　for　the　escape　of　his　friends；　and　at　last　he　had　the　desperate　beginnings　of　a　plan。
　The　evening　meal　had　been　taken　to　the　prisoners。　The　guards　were　tramping　away　down　the　passages　taking　the　torch…light　with　them　and　leaving　everything　in　darkness。　Then　Bilbo　heard　the　king's　butler　bidding　the　chief　of　the　guards　good…night。
　〃Now　e　with　me；〃　he　said；　〃and　taste　the　new　wine　that　has　just　e　in。　I　shall　be　hard　at　work　tonight　clearing　the　cellars　of　the　empty　wood；　so　let　us　have　a　drink　first　to　help　the　labour。〃
　〃Very　good；〃　laughed　the　chief　of　the　guards。　〃I'll　taste　with　you；　and　see　if　it　is　fit　for　the　king's　table。　There　is　a　feast　tonight　and　it　would　not　do　to　send　up　poor　stuff！〃
　When　he　heard　this　Bilbo　was　all　in　a　flutter；　for　he　saw　that　luck　was　with　him　and　he　had　a　chance　at　once　to　try　his　desperate　plan。　He　followed　the　two　elves；　until　they　entered　a　small　cellar　and　sat　down　at　a　table　on　which　two　large　flagons　were　set。　Soon　they　began　to　drink　and　laugh　merrily。　　Luck　of　an　unusual　kind　was　with　Bilbo　then。　It　must　be　potent　wine　to　make　a　wood…elf　drowsy；　but　this　wine；　it　would　seem；　was　the　heady　vintage　of　the　great　gardens　of　Dorwinion；　not　meant　for　his　soldiers　or　his　servants；　but　for　the　king's　feasts　only；　and　for　smaller　bowls；　not　for　the　butler's　great　flagons。
　Very　soon　the　chief　guard　nodded　his　head；　then　he　laid　it　on　the　table　and　fell　fast　asleep。　The　butler　went　on　talking　and　laughing　to　himself　for　a　while　without　seeming　to　notice；　but　soon　his　head　too　nodded　to　the　table；　and　he　fell　asleep　and　snored　beside　his　friend。　Then　in　crept　the　hobbit。
　Very　soon　the　chief　guard　had　no　keys；　but　Bilbo　was　trotting　as　fast　as　he　could　along　the　passage　towards　the　cells。　The　great　bunch　seemed　very　heavy　to　his　arms；　and　his　heart　was　often　in　his　mouth；　in　spite　of　his　ring；　for　he　could　not　prevent　the　keys　from　making　every　now　and　then　a　loud　clink　and　clank；　which　put　him　all　in　a　tremble。
　First　he　unlocked　Balin's　door；　and　locked　it　again　carefully　as　soon　as　the　dwarf　was　outside。　Balin　was　most　surprised；　as　you　can　imagine；　but　glad　as　he　was　to　get　out　of　his　wearisome　little　stone　room；　he　wanted　to　stop　and　ask　questions；　and　know　what　Bilbo　was　going　to　do；　and　all　about　it。　　〃No　time　now！〃　said　the　hobbit。　〃You　must　follow　me！　We　must　all　keep　together　and　not　risk　getting　separated。　All　of　us　must　escape　or　none；　and　this　is　our　last　chance。　If　this　is　found　out；　goodness　knows　where　the　king　will　put　you　next；　with　chains　on　your　hands　and　feet　too；　I　expect。　Don't　argue；　there's　a　good　fellow！〃
　Then　off　he　went　from　door　to　door；　until　his　following　had　grown　to　twelve…none　of　them　any　too　nimble；　what　with　the　dark；　and　what　with　their　long　imprisonment。　Bilbo's　heart　thumped　every　time　one　of　them　bumped　into　another；　or　grunted　or　whispered　in　the　dark。　〃Drat　this　dwarvish　racket！〃　he　said　to　himself。　But　all　went　well；　and　they　met　no　guards。　As　a　matter　of　fact　there　was　a　great　autumn　feast　in　the　woods　that　night；　and　in　the　halls　above。　Nearly　all　the　king's　folks　were　merrymaking。　At　last　after　much　blundering　they　came　to　Thorin's　dungeon；　far　down　in　a　deep　place　and　fortunately　not　far　from　the　cellars。
　〃Upon　my　word！〃　said　Thorin；　when　Bilbo　whispered　to　him　to　e　out　and　join　his　friends；　〃Gandalf　spoke　true；　as　usual。　A　pretty　fine　burglar　you　make；　it　seems；　when　the　time　es。　I　am　sure　we　are　all　for　ever　at　your　service；　whatever　happens　after　this。　But　what　es　next？〃　Bilbo　saw　that　the　time　had　e　to　explain　his　idea；　as　far　as　he　could；　but　he　did　not　feel　at　all　sure　bow　the　dwarves　would　take　it。　His　fears　were　quite　justified；　for　they　did　not　like　it　a　bit；　and　started　grumbling　loudly　in　spite　of　their　danger。
　〃We　shall　be　bruised　and　battered　to　pieces；　and　drowned　too；　for　certain！〃　they　muttered。　〃We　thought　you　had　got　some　sensible　notion；　when　you　managed　to　get　hold　of　the　keys。　This　is　a　mad　idea！〃　〃Very　well！〃　said　Bilbo　very　downcast；　and　also　rather　annoyed。　〃e　along　back　to　your　nice　cells；　and　I　will　lock　you　all　in　again；　and　you　can　sit　there　fortably　and　think　of　a　better　plan…but　I　don't　suppose　I　shall　ever　get　hold　of　the　keys　again；　even　if　I　feel　inclined　to　try。〃　〃That　was　too　much　for　them；　and　they　calmed　down。　In　the　end；　of　course；　they　had　to　do　just　what　Bilbo　suggested；　because　it　was　obviously　impossible　for　them　to　try　and　find　their　way　into　the　upper　halls；　or　to　fight　their　way　out　of　gates　that　closed　by　magic；　and　it　was　no　good　grumbling　in　the　passages　until　they　were　caught　again。　So　following　the　hobbit；　down　into　the　lowest　cellars　they　crept。　They　passed　a　door　through　which　the　chief　guard　and　the　butler　could　be　seen　still　happily　snoring　with　smiles　upon　their　faces。　The　wine　of　Dorwinion　brings　deep　and　pleasant　dreams。　There　would　be　a　different　expression　on　the　face　of　the　chief　guard　next　day；　even　though　Bilbo；　before　they　went　on；　stole　in　and　kindheartedly　put　the　keys　back　on　his　belt。
　〃That　will　save　him　some　of　the　trouble　he　is　in　for；〃　said　Mr。　Baggins　to　himself。　〃He　wasn't　a　bad　fellow；　and　quite　decent　to　the　prisoners。　It　will　puzzle　them　all　too。　They　will　think　we　had　a　very　strong　magic　to　pass　through　all　those　locked　doors　and　disappear。　Disappear！　We　have　got　to　get　busy　very　quick；　if　that　is　to　happen！〃
　Balin　was　told　off　to　watch　the　guard　and　the　butler　and　give　warning　if　they　stirred。　The　rest　went　into　the　adjoining　cellar　with　the　trapdoors。
　There　was　little　time　to　lose。　Before　long；　as　Bilbo　knew；　some　elves　were　under　orders　to　e　down　and　help　the　butler　get　the　empty　barrels　through　the　doors　into　the　stream。　These　were　in　fact　already　standing　in　rows　in　the　middle　of　the　floor　waiting　to　be　pushed　off。　Some　of　them　were　wine…barrels；　and　these　were　not　much　use；　as　they　could　not　easily　be　opened　at　the　end　without　a　deal　of　noise；　nor　could　they　easily　be　secured　again。　But　among　them　were　several　others　which　had　been　used　for　bringing　other　stuffs；　butter；　apples；　and　all　sorts　of　things；　to　the　king's　palace。　　They　soon　found　thirteen　with　room　enough　for　a　dwarf　in　each。　In　fact　some　were　too　roomy；　and　as　they　climbed　in　the　dwarves　thought　anxiously　of　the　shaking　and　the　bumping　they　would　get　inside；　though　Bilbo　did　his　best　to　find　straw　and　other　stuff　to　pack　them　in　as　cosily　as　could　be　managed　in　a　short　time。　At　last　twelve　dwarves　were　stowed。　Thorin　had　given　a　lot　of　trouble；　and　turned　and　twisted　in　his　tub　and　grumbled　like　a　large　dog　in　a　small　kennel；　while　Balin；　who　came　last；　made　a　great　fuss　about　his　air…holes　and　said　he　was　stifling；　even　before　his　lid　was　on。　Bilbo　had　done　what　he　could　to　close　holes　in　the　sides　of　the　barrels；　and　to　fix　on　all　the　lids　as　safely　as　could　be　managed；　and　now　he　was　left　alone　again；　running　round　putting　the　finishing　touches…to　the　packing；　and　hoping　against　hope　that　his　plan　would　e　off。
　It　had　not　been　a…bit　too　soon。　Only　a　minute　or　two　after　Balin's　lid　had　been　fitted　on　there　came　the　sound　of　voices　and　the　flicker　of　lights。　A　number　of　elves　came　laughing　and　talking　into　the　cellars　and　singing　snatches　of　song。　They　had　left　a　merry　feast　in　one　of　the　halls　and　were　bent　on　returning　as　soon　as　they　could。　〃Where's　old　Galion；　the　butler？〃　said　one。　〃I　haven't　seen　him　at　the　tables　tonight。　He　ought　to　be　here　now　to　show　us　what　is　to　be　done。〃
　〃I　shall　be　angry　if　the　old　slowcoach　is　late；〃　said　another。　〃I　have　no　wish　to　waste　time　down　here　while　the　song　is　up！〃
　〃Ha；　ha！〃　came　a　cry。　〃Here's　the　old　villain　with　his　head　on　a　jug！
　He's　been　having　a　little　feast　all　to　himself　and　his　friend　the　captain。〃　〃Shake　him！　Wake　him！〃　shouted　the　others　impatiently。　Gallon　was　not　at　all　pleased　at　being　shaken　or　wakened；　and　still　less　at　being　laughed　at。　　〃You're　all　late；〃　he　grumbled。　〃Here　am　I　waiting　and　waiting　down　here；　while　you　fellows　drink　and　make　merry　and　forget　your　tasks。　Small　wonder　if　I　fall　asleep　from　weariness！〃
　〃Small　wonder；〃　said　they；　〃when　the　explanation　stands　close　at　hand　in　a　jug！　e　give　us　a　taste　of　your　sleeping…draught　before　we　fall　to！　No　need　to　wake　the　turnkey　yonder。　He　has　had　his　share　by　the　looks　of　it。〃　Then　they　drank　once　round　and　became　mighty　merry　all　of　a　sudden。　But　they　did　not　quite　lose　their　wits。　〃Save　us；　Galion！〃　cried　some；　〃you　began　your　feasting　ea