jrt.the hobbit-第35部分

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up　there　a　silence　reigned；　broken　by　no　bird　or　sound　except　that　of　the　wind　in　the　crannies　of　stone。　They　spoke　low　and　never　called　or　sang；　for　danger　brooded　in　every　rock。
　The　others　who　were　busy　with　the　secret　of　the　door　had　no　more　success。
　They　were　too　eager　to　trouble　about　the　runes　or　the　moon…letters；　but　tried　without　resting　to　discover　where　exactly　in　the　smooth　face　of　the　rock　the　door　was　hidden。　They　had　brought　picks　and　tools　of　many　sorts　from　Lake…town；　and　at　first　they　tried　to　use　these。　But　when　they　struck　the　stone　the　handles　splintered　and　jarred　their　arms　cruelly；　and　the　steel　heads　broke　or　bent　like　lead。　Mining　work；　they　saw　clearly　was　no　good　against　the　magic　that　had　shut　this　door；　and　they　grew　terrified；　too；　of　the　echoing　noise。　　Bilbo　found　sitting　on　the　doorstep　lonesome　and　wearisome…there　was　not　a　doorstep；　of　course；　really；　but　they　used　to　call　the　little　grassy　space　between　the　wall　and　the　opening　the　〃doorstep〃　in　fun；　remembering　Bilbo's　words　long　ago　at　the　unexpected　party　in　his　hobbit…hole；　when　he　said　they　could　sit　on　the　doorstep　till　they　thought　of　something。　And　sit　and　think　they　did；　or　wandered　aimlessly　about；　and　glummer　and　glummer　they　became。　　Their　spirits　had　risen　a　little　at　the　discovery　of　the　path；　but　now　they　sank　into　their　boots；　and　yet　they　would　not　give　it　up　and　go　away。　The　hobbit　was　no　longer　much　brighter　than　the　dwarves。　He　would　do　nothing　but　sit　with　his　back　to　the　rock…face　and　stare　away　west　through　the　opening；　over　the　cliff；　over　the　wide　lands　to　the　black　wall　of　Mirkwood；　and　to　the　distances　beyond；　in　which　he　sometimes　thought　he　could　catch　glimpses　of　the　Misty　Mountains　small　and　far。　If　the　dwarves　asked　him　what　he　was　doing　he　answered：
　〃You　said　sitting　on　the　doorstep　and　thinking　would　be　my　job；　not　to　mention　getting　inside；　so　I　am　sitting　and　thinking。〃　But　I　am　afraid　he　was　not　thinking　much　of　the　job；　but　of　what　lay　beyond　the　blue　distance；　the　quiet　Western　Land　and　the　Hill　and　his　hobbit…hole　under　it。　A　large　grey　stone　lay　in　the　centre　of　the　grass　and　he　stared　moodily　at　it　or　watched　the　great　snails。　They　seemed　to　love　the　little　shut…in　bay　with　its　walls　of　cool　rock；　and　there　were　many　of　them　of　huge　size　crawling　slowly　and　stickily　along　its　sides。
　〃Tomorrow　begins　the　last　week　of　Autumn；〃　said　Thorin　one　day。
　〃And　winter　es　after　autumn；〃　said　Bifur。
　〃And　next　year　after　that；〃　said　Dwalin；　〃and　our　beards　will　grow　till　they　hang　down　the　cliff　to　the　valley　before　anything　happens　here。　What　is　our　burglar　doing　for　us？
　Since　he　has　got　an　invisible　ring；　and　ought　to　be　a　specially　excellent　performer　now；　I　am　beginning　to　think　he　might　go　through　the　Front　Gate　and　spy　things　out　a　bit！〃
　Bilbo　heard　this…the　dwarves　were　on　the　rocks　just　：　above　the　enclosure　where　he　was　sitting…and　〃Good　Gracious！〃　he　thought；　〃so　that　is　what　they　are　beginning　to　think；　is　it？　It　is　always　poor　me　that　has　to　get　them　out　：　of　their　difficulties；　at　least　since　the　wizard　left。　Whatever　am　I　going　to　do？　I　might　have　known　that　something　dreadful　would　happen　to　me　in　the　end。　　I　don't　think　I　could　bear　to　see　the　unhappy　valley　of　Dale　again；　and　as　for　that　steaming　gate！　！　！〃
　That　night　he　was　very　miserable　and　hardly　slept。　Next　day　the　dwarves　all　went　wandering　off　in　various　directions；　some　were　exercising　the　ponies　down　below；　some　were　roving　about　the　mountain…side。　All　day　Bilbo　sat　gloomily　in　the　grassy　bay　gazing　at　the　stone；　or　out　west　through　the　narrow　opening。　He　had　a　queer　feeling　that　he　was　waiting　for　something。　〃Perhaps　the　wizard　will　suddenly　e　back　today；〃　he　thought。　　If　he　lifted　his　head　he　could　see　a　glimpse　of　the　distant　forest。　As　the　sun　turned　west　there　was　a　gleam　of　yellow　upon　its　far　roof；　as　if　the　light　caught　the　last　pale　leaves。　Soon　he　saw　the　orange　ball　of　the　sun　sinking　towards　the　level　of　his　eyes。　He　went　to　the　opening　and　there　pale　and　faint　was　a　thin　new　moon　above　the　rim　of　Earth。　At　that　very　moment　he　heard　a　sharp　crack　behind　him。　There　on　the　grey　stone　in　the　grass　was　an　enormous　thrush；　nearly　coal　black；　its　pale　yellow　breast　freckled　dark　spots。　Crack！　It　had　caught　a　snail　and　was　knocking　it　on　the　stone。　Crack！　　Crack！
　Suddenly　Bilbo　understood。　Forgetting　all　danger　he　stood　on　the　ledge　and　hailed　the　dwarves；　shouting　and　paying。　Those　that　were　nearest　came　tumbling　over　the　rocks　and　as　fast　as　they　could　along　the　ledge　to　him；　wondering　what　on　earth　was　the　matter；　the　others　shouted　to　be　hauled　up　the　ropes　（except　Bombur；　of　course：　he　was　asleep）。
　Quickly　Bilbo　explained。　They　all　fell　silent：　the　hobbit　standing　by　the　grey　stone；　and　the　dwarves　with　wagging　beards　watching　impatiently。　The　sun　sank　lower　and　lower；　and　their　hopes　fell。　It　sank　into　a　belt　of　reddened　cloud　and　disappeared。　The　dwarves　groaned；　but　still　Bilbo　stood　almost　without　moving。　The　little　moon　was　dipping　to　the　horizon。　Evening　was　ing　on。　Then　suddenly　when　their　hope　was　lowest　a　red　ray　of　the　sun　escaped　like　a　finger　through　a　rent　in　the　cloud。　A　gleam　of　light　came　straight　through　the　opening　into　the　bay　and　fell　on　the　smooth　rock…face。　The　old　thrush；　who　had　been　watching　from　a　high　perch　with　beady　eyes　and　head　cocked　on　one　side；　gave　a　sudden　trill。　There　was　a　loud　attack。　A　flake　of　rock　split　from　the　wall　and　fell。　A　hole　appeared　suddenly　about　three　feet　from　the　ground。　　Quickly；　trembling　lest　the　chance　should　fade；　the　dwarves　rushed　to　the　rock　and　pushed…in　vain。
　〃The　key！　The　key！〃　cried　Bilbo。　〃Where　is　Thorin？〃
　Thorin　hurried　up。
　〃The　key！〃　shouted　Bilbo。　〃The　key　that　went　with　the　map！　Try　it　now　while　there　is　still　time！〃
　Then　Thorin　stepped　up　and　drew　the　key　on　its　chain　from　round　his　neck。　　He　put　it　to　the　hole。　It　fitted　and　it　turned！　Snap！　The　gleam　went　out；　the　sun　sank；　the　moon　was　gone；　and　evening　sprang　into　the　sky。　　Now　they　all　pushed　together；　and　slowly　a　part　of　the　rock…wall　gave　way。　Long　straight　cracks　appeared　and　widened。　A　door　five　feet　high　and　three　broad　was　out…　lined；　and　slowly　without　a　sound　swung　inwards。　It　seemed　as　if　darkness　flowed　out　like　a　vapour　from　the　hole　in　the　mountain…side；　and　deep　darkness　in　which　nothing　could　be　seen　lay　before　their　eyes　mouth　leading　in　and　down。
　
　Chapter　12
　Inside　Information
　
　For　a　long　time　the　dwarves　stood　in　the　dark　before　the　door　and　debated；　until　at　last　Thorin　spoke：
　〃Now　is　the　time　for　our　esteemed　Mr。　Baggins；　who　has　proved　himself　a　good　panion　on　our　long　road；　and　a　hobbit　full　of　courage　and　resource　far　exceeding　his　size；　and　if　I　may　say　so　possessed　of　good　luck　far　exceeding　the　usual　allowance…now　is　the　time　for　him　to　perform　the　service　for　which　he　was　included　in　our　pany；　now　is　the　time　for　him　to　earn　his　Reward。〃　You　are　familiar　with　Thorin's　style　on　important　occasions；　so　I　will　not　give　you　any　more　of　it；　though　he　went　on　a　good　deal　longer　than　this。　　It　certainly　was　an　important　occasion；　but　Bilbo　felt　impatient。　By　now　he　was　quite　familiar　with　Thorin　too；　and　he　knew　what　be　was　driving　at。　　〃If　you　mean　you　think　it　is　my　job　to　go　into　the　secret　passage　first；　O　Thorin　Thrain's　son　Oakenshield；　may　your　beard　grow　ever　longer；〃　he　said　crossly；　〃say　so　at　once　and　have　done！　I　might　refuse。　I　have　got　you　out　of　two　messes　already；　which　were　hardly　in　the　original　bargain；　so　that　I　am；　I　think；　already　owed　some　reward。　But　'third　time　pays　for　all'　as　my　father　used　to　say；　and　somehow　I　don't　think　I　shall　refuse。　Perhaps　I　have　begun　to　trust　my　luck　more　than　I　used　to　in　the　old　days〃　…　he　meant　last　spring　before　he　left　his　own　house；　but　it　seemed　centuries　ago　…　〃but　anyway　I　think　I　will　go　and　have　a　peep　at　once　and　get　it　over。　Now　who　is　ing　with　me？〃
　He　did　not　expect　a　chorus　of　volunteers；　so　he　was　not　disappointed。　　Fili　and　Kili　looked　unfortable　and　stood　on　One　leg；　but　the　others　made　no　pretence　of　offering　…　except　old　Balin。　the　look…out　man；　who　was　rather　fond　the　hobbit。　He　said　he　would　e　inside　at　least　and　perhaps　a　bit　of　the　way　too；　really　to　call　for　help　if　necessary。
　The　most　that　can　be　said　for　the　dwarves　is　this：　they　intended　to　pay　Bilbo　really　handsomely　for　his　services；　they　had　brought　him　to　do　a　nasty　job　for　them；　and　they　did　not　mind　the　poor　little　fellow　doing　it　if　he　would；　but　they　would　all　have　done　their　best　to　get　him　out　of　trouble；　if　he　got　into　it；　as　they　did　in　the　case　of　the　trolls　at　the　beginning　of　their　adventures　before　they　had　any　particular　reasons　for　being　grateful　to　him。　There　it　is：　dwarves　are　not　heroes；　but　calculating　folk　with　a　great　idea　of　the　value　of　money；　some　are　tricky　and　treacherous　and　pretty　bad　lots；　some　are　not；　but　are　decent　enough　people　like　Thorin　and　pany；　if　you　don't　expect　too　much。
　The　stars　were　ing　out　behind　him　in　a　pale　sky　barred　with　black　when　the　hobbit　crept　through　the　enchanted　door　and　stole　into　the　Mountain。　It　was　far　easier　going　than　he　expected。　This　was　no　goblin　entrance；　or　rough　wood…elves'　cave。　It　was　a　passage　made　by　dwarves；　at　the　height　of　their　wealth　and　skill：　straight　as　a　ruler；　smooth…floored　and　smooth…sided；　going　with　a　gentle　never…varying　slope　direct…to　some　distant　end　in　the　blackness　below。
　After　a　while　Balin　bade　Bilbo　〃Good　luck！〃　and　stopped　where　he　could　still　see　the　faint　outline　of　the　door；　and　by　a　trick　of；　the　echoes　of　the　tunnel　hear　the　rustle　of　the　whispering　voices　of　the　others　just　outside。　　Then　the　hobbit　slipped　on　his　ring；　and　warned　by　the　echoes　to　take　more　than　hobbit's　care　to　make　no　sound；　he　crept　noiselessly　down；　down；　down　into　the　dark。　He　was　trembling　with　fear；　but　his　little　face　was　set　and　grim。　Already　he　was　a　very　different　hobbit　from　the　one　that　had　run　out　without　a　pocket…handkerchief　from　Bag…End　long　ago。　He　had　not　had　a　pocket…handkerchief　for　ages。　He　loosened　his　dagger　in　its　sheath；　tightened　his　belt；　and　went　on。
　〃Now　you　are　in　for　it　at　last；　Bilbo　Baggins；〃　he　said　to　himself。　〃You　went　and　put　your　foot　right　in　it　that　night　of　the　party；　and　now