jrt.the hobbit-第34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！


fer　shall　be　yours；　and　we　trust　to　your　gratitude　when　your　kingdom　is　regained。〃　So　one　day；　although　autumn　was　now　getting　far　on；　and　winds　were　cold；　and　leaves　were　falling　fast；　three　large　boats　left　Lake…town；　laden　with　rowers；　dwarves；　Mr。　Baggins；　and　many　provisions。　Horses　and　ponies　had　been　sent　round　by　circuitous　paths　to　meet　them　at　their　appointed　landing…place。　　The　Master　and　his　councillors　bade　them　farewell　from　the　great　steps　of　the　town…hall　that　went　down　to　the　lake。　People　sang　on　the　quays　and　out　of　windows。　The　white　oars　dipped　and　splashed；　and　off　they　went　north　up　the　lake　on　the　last　stage　of　their　long　journey。　The　only　person　thoroughly　unhappy　was　Bilbo。
　
　Chapter　11
　On　the　Doorstep
　
　In　two　days　going　they　rowed　right　up　the　Long　Lake　and　passed　out　into　the　River　Running；　and　now　they　could　all　see　the　Lonely　Mountain　towering　grim　and　tall　before　them。　The　stream　was　strong　and　their　going　slow。　At　the；　end　of　the　third　day；　some　miles　up　the　river；　they　drew　in　to　the　left　or　western　bank　and　disembarked。　Here　they　were　joined　by　the　horses　with　other　provisions　and　necessaries　and　the　ponies　for　their　own　use　that　had　been　sent　to　meet　them。　They　packed　what　they　could　on　the　ponies　and　the　rest　was　made　into　a　store　under　a　tent；　but　none　of　the　men　of　the　town　would　stay　with　them　even　for　the　night　so　near　the　shadow　of　the　Mountain。　　〃Not　at　any　rate　until　the　songs　have　e　true！〃　said　they。　It　was　easier　to　believe　in　the　Dragon　and　less　easy　to　believe　in　Thorin　in　these　wild　parts。　Indeed　their　stores　had　no　need　of　any　guard；　for　all　the　land　was　desolate　and　empty。　So　their　escort　left　them；　making　off　swiftly　down　the　river　and　the　shoreward　paths；　although　the　night　was　already　drawing　on。　　They　spent　a　cold　and　lonely　night　and　their　spirits　fell。　The　next　day　they　set　out　again。　Balin　and　Bilbo　rode　behind；　each　leading　another　pony　heavily　laden　beside　him；　the　others　were　some　way　ahead　picking　out　a　slow　road；　for　there　were　no　paths。　They　made　north…west；　slanting　away　from　the　River　Running；　and　drawing　ever　nearer　and　nearer　to　a　great　spur　of　the　Mountain　that　was　flung　out　southwards　towards　them。
　It　was　a　weary　journey；　and　a　quiet　and　stealthy　one。　There　was　no　laughter　or　song　or　sound　of　harps；　and　the　pride　and　hopes　which　had　stirred　in　their　hearts　at　the　singing　of　old　songs　by　the　lake　died　away　to　a　plodding　gloom。　They　knew　that　they　were　drawing　near　to　the　end　of　their　journey；　and　that　it　might　be　a　very　horrible　end。　The　land　about　them　grew　bleak　and　barren；　though　once；　as　Thorin　told　them；　it　had　been　green　and　fair。　There　was　little　grass；　and　before　long　there　was　neither　bush　nor　tree；　and　only　broken　and　blackened　stumps　to　speak　of　ones　long　vanished。　They　were　e　to　the　Desolation　of　the　Dragon；　and　they　were　e　at　the　waning　of　the　year。
　They　reached　the　skirts　of　the　Mountain　all　the　same　without　meeting　any　danger　or　any　sign　of　the　Dragon　other　than　the　wilderness　he　had　made　about　his　lair。　The　Mountain　lay　dark　and　silent　before　them　and　ever　higher　above　them。　They　made　their　first　camp　on　the　western　side　of　the　great　southern　spur；　which　ended　in　a　height　called　Ravenhill。　On　this　there　had　been　an　old　watch…post；　but　they　dared　not　climb　it　yet；　it　was　too　exposed。　　Before　setting　out　to　search　the　western　spurs　of　the　Mountain　for　the　hidden　door；　on　which　all　their　hopes　rested；　Thorin　sent　out　a　scouting　expedition　to　spy　out　the　land　to　the　South　where　the　Front　Gate　stood。　For　this　purpose　he　chose　Balin　and　Fili　and　Kili；　and　with　them　went　Bilbo。　They　marched　under　the　grey　and　silent　cliffs　to　the　feet　of　Ravenhill。　There　the　river；　after　winding　a　wide　loop　over　the　valley　of　Dale；　turned　from　the　Mountain　on　its　road　to　the　Lake；　flowing　swift　and　noisily。　Its　bank　was　bare　and　rocky；　tall　and　steep　above　the　stream；　and　gazing　out　from　it　over　the　narrow　water；　foaming　and　splashing　among　many　boulders；　they　could　see　in　the　wide　valley　shadowed　by　the　Mountain's　arms　the　grey　ruins　of　ancient　houses；　towers；　and　walls。
　〃There　lies　all　that　is　left　of　Dale；〃　said　Balin。　〃The　mountain's　sides　were　green　with　woods　and　all　the　sheltered　valley　rich　and　pleasant　in　the　days　when　the　bells　rang　in　that　town。〃　He　looked　both　sad　and　grim　as　he　said　this：　he　had　been　one　of　Thorin's　panions　on　the　day　the　Dragon　came。　　They　did　not　dare　to　follow　the　river　much　further　to。　wards　the　Gate；　but　they　went　on　beyond　the　end　of　the　southern　spur；　until　lying　hidden　behind　a　rock　they　could　look　out　and　see　the　dark　cavernous　opening　in　a　great　cliff…wall　between　the　arms　of　the　Mountain。　Out　of　it　the　waters　of　the　Running　River　sprang；　and　out　of　it　too　there　came　a　steam　and　a　dark　smoke。　　Nothing　moved　in　the　waste；　save　the　vapour　and　the　water；　and　every　now　and　again　a　black　and　ominous　crow。　The　only　sound　was　the　sound　of　the　stony　water；　and　every　now　and　again　the　harsh　croak　of　a　bird。　Balin　shuddered。　　〃Let　us　return！〃　he　said。　〃We　can　do　no　good　here！…　And　I　don't　like　these　dark　birds；　they　look　like　spies　of　evil。〃
　〃The　dragon　is　still　alive　and　in　the　halls　under　the　Mountain　then…or　I　imagine　so　from　the　smoke；〃　said　the　hobbit。
　〃That　does　not　prove　it；〃　said　Balin；　〃though　I　don't　doubt　you　are　right。　But　he　might　be　gone　away　some　time；　or　he　might　be　lying　out　on　the　mountain…side　keeping　watch；　and　still　I　expect　smokes　and　steams　would　e　out　of　the　gates：　all　the　halls　within　must　be　filled　with　his　foul　reek。〃　With　such　gloomy　thoughts；　followed　ever　by　croaking　crows　above　them；　they　made　their　weary　way　back　to　the　camp。　Only　in　June　they　had　been　guests　in　the　fair　house　of　Elrond；　and　though　autumn　was　now　crawling　towards　winter　that　pleasant　time　now　seemed　years　ago。　They　were　alone　in　the　perilous　waste　without　hope　of　further　help。　They　were　at　the　end　of　their　journey；　but　as　far　as　ever；　it　seemed；　from　the　end　of　their　quest。　None　of　them　had　much　spirit　left。
　Now　strange　to　say　Mr。　Baggins　had　more　than　the　others。　He　would　often　borrow　Thorin's　map　and　gaze　at　it；　pondering　over　the　runes　and　the　message　of　the　moon…letters　Elrond　had　read。　It　was　he　that　made　the　dwarves　begin　the　dangerous　search　on　the　western　slopes　for　the　secret　door。　They　moved　their　camp　then　to　a　long　valley；　narrower　than　the　great　dale　in　the　South　where　the　Gates　of　the　river　stood；　and　walled　with　lower　spurs　of　the　Mountain。　Two　of　these　here　thrust　forward　west　from　the　main　mass　in　long　steep…sided　ridges　that　fell　ever　downwards　towards　the　plain。　On　this　western　side　there　were　fewer　signs　of　the　dragon's　marauding　feet；　and　there　was　some　grass　for　their　ponies。　From　this　western　camp；　shadowed　all　day　by　cliff　and　wall　until　the　sun　began　to　sink　towards　the　forest；　day　by　day　they　toiled　in　parties　searching　for　paths　up　the　mountain…side。　If　the　map　was　true；　somewhere　high　above　the　cliff　at　the　valley's　head　must　stand　the　secret　door。　Day　by　day　they　came　back　to　their　camp　without　success。
　But　at　last　unexpectedly　they　found　what　they　were　seeking。　Fili　and　Kili　and　the　hobbit　went　back　one　day　down　the　valley　and　scrambled　among　the　tumbled　rocks　at　its　southern　corner。　About　midday；　creeping　behind　a　great　stone　that　stood　alone　like　a　pillar；　Bilbo　came　on　what　looked　like　rough　steps　going　upwards。　Following　these　excitedly　he　and　the　dwarves　found　traces　of　a　narrow　track；　often　lost；　often　rediscovered；　that　wandered　on　to　the　top　of　the　southern　ridge　and　brought　them　at　last　to　a　still　narrower　ledge；　which　turned　north　across　the　face　of　the　Mountain。　Looking　down　they　saw　that　they　were　at　the　top　of　the　cliff　at　the　valley's　head　and　were　gazing　down　on　to　their　own　camp　below。　Silently；　clinging　to　the　rocky　wall　on　their　right；　they　went　in　single　file　along　the　ledge；　till　the　wall　opened　and　they　turned　into　a　little　steep…walled　bay；　grassy…floored；　still　and　quiet。　Its　entrance　which　they　had　found　could　not　be　seen　from　below　because　of　the　overhang　of　the　cliff；　nor　from　further　off　because　it　was　so　small　that　it　looked　like　a　dark　crack　and　no　more。　It　was　not　a　cave　and　was　open　to　the　sky　above；　but　at　its　inner　end　a　flat　wall　rose　up　that　in　the　lower　I　part；　close　to　the　ground；　was　as　smooth　and　upright　as　mason's　work；　but　without　a　joint　or　crevice　to　be　seen。
　〃No　sign　was　there　of　post　or　lintel　or　threshold；　nor　any　sign　of　bar　or　bolt　or　key…hole；　yet　they　did　not　doubt　that　they　had　found　the　door　at　last。　　They　beat　on　it；　they　thrust　and　pushed　at　it；　they　implored　it　to　move；　they　spoke　fragments　of　broken　spells　of　opening；　and　nothing　stirred。　At　last　tired　out　they。　rested　on　the　grass　at　its　feet；　and　then　at　evening　began；　their　long　climb　down。
　There　was　excitement　in　the　camp　that　night。　In　the　morning　they　prepared　to　move　once　more。　Only　Bofur　and　Bombur　were　left　behind　to　guard　the　ponies　and　such　stores　as　they　had　brought　with　them　from　the　river。　The　others　went　down　the　valley　and　up　the　newly　found　path；　and　so　to　the　narrow　ledge。　Along　this　they　could　carry　no　bundles　or　packs；　so　narrow　and　breathless　was　it；　with　a　fall　of　a　hundred　and　fifty　feet　beside　them　on　to　sharp　rocks　below；　but　each　of　them　took　a　good　coil　of　rope　wound　tight　about　his　waist；　and　so　at　last　without　mishap　they　reached　the　little　grassy　bay。　　There　they　made　their　third　camp；　hauling　up　what　they　needed　from　below　with　their　ropes。　Down　the　same　way　they　were　able　occasionally　to　lower　one　of　the　more　active　dwarves；　such　as　Kili；　to　exchange　such　news　as　there　was；　or　to　take　a　share　in　the　guard　below；　while　Bofur　was　hauled　up　to　the　higher　camp。　Bombur　would　not　e　up　either　the　rope　or　the　path。　　〃I　am　too　fat　for　such　fly…walks；〃　he　said。　〃I　should　turn　dizzy　and　tread　on　my　beard；　and　then　you　would　be　thirteen　again。　And　the　knotted　ropes　are　too　slender　for　my　weight。〃　Luckily　for　him　that　was　not　true；　as　you　will　see。
　In　the　meanwhile　some　of　them　explored　the　ledge　beyond　the　opening　and　found　a　path　that　led　higher　and　higher　on　to　the　mountain；　but　they　did　not　dare　to　venture　very　far　that　way；　nor　was　there　much　use　in　it。　Out　up　there　a　silence　reigned；　broken　by　no　bird　or　sound　except　that　of　the　wind　in　the　crannies　of　st