jrt.the hobbit-第4部分

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ep；　I　had　my　doubts。　But　treat　it　as　the　right　one。　Tell　me　what　you　want　done；　and　I　will　try　it；　if　I　have　to　walk　from　here　to　the　East　of　East　and　fight　the　wild　Were…worms　in　the　Last　Desert。　I　bad　a　great…great…great…granduncle　once；　Bullroarer　Took；　and　…〃　〃Yes；　yes；　but　that　was　long　ago；〃　said　Gloin。　〃I　was　talking　about　you。　　And　I　assure　you　there　is　a　mark　on　this　door…the　usual　one　in　the　trade；　or　used　to　be。　Burglar　wants　a　good　job；　plenty　of　Excitement　and　reasonable　Reward；　that's　how　it　is　usually　read。　You　^an　say　Expert　Treasure…hunter　instead　of　Burglar　if　you　like。　Some　of　them　do。　It's　all　the　same　to　us。　　Gandalf　told　us　that　there　was　a　man　of　the　sort　in　these　parts　looking　for　a　Job　at　once；　and　that　he　had　arranged　for　a　meeting　here　this　Wednesday　tea…time。〃
　〃Of　course　there　is　a　mark；〃　said　Gandalf。　〃I　put　it　there　myself。　For　very　good　reasons。　You　asked　me　to　find　the　fourteenth　man　for　your　expedition；　and　I　chose　Mr。　Baggins。　Just　let　any　one　say　I　chose　the　wrong　man　or　the　wrong　house；　and　you　can　stop　at　thirteen　and　have　all　the　bad　luck　you　like；　or　go　back　to　digging　coal。〃
　He　scowled　so　angrily　at　Gloin　that　the　dwarf　huddled　back　in　his　chair；　and　when　Bilbo　tried　to　open　his　mouth　to　ask　a　question；　he　turned　and　frowned　at　him　and　stuck　oat　his　bushy　eyebrows；　till　Bilbo　shut　his　mouth　tight　with　a　snap。　〃That's　right；〃　said　Gandalf。　〃Let's　have　no　more　argument。　　I　have　chosen　Mr。　Baggins　and　that　ought　to　！6te　enough　for　all　of　you。　If　I　say　he　is　a　Burglar；　a　Burglar　he　is；　or　will　be　when　the　time　es。　There　is　a　lot　more　in　him　than　you　guess；　and　a　deal　more　than　he　has　any　idea　of　himself。　You　may　（possibly）　all　live　to　thank　me　yet。　Now　Bilbo；　my　boy；　fetch　the　lamp；　and　let's　have　little　light　on　this！〃
　On　the　table　in　the　light　of　a　big　lamp　with　a　red　shad　he　spread　a　piece　of　parchment　rather　like　a　map。
　〃This　was　made　by　Thror；　your　grandfather；　Thorin；　he　said　in　answer　to　the　dwarves'　excited　questions。　〃It　is　a　plan　of　the　Mountain。〃　〃I　don't　see　that　this　will　help　us　much；〃　said　Thorin　disappointedly　after　a　glance。　〃I　remember　the　Mountain　well　enough　and　the　lands　about　it。　　And　I　know　where　Mirkwood　is；　and　the　Withered　Heath　where　the　great　dragons　bred。〃
　〃There　is　a　dragon　marked　in　red　on　the　Mountain；　said　Balin；　〃but　it　will　be　easy　enough　to　find　him　without　that；　if　ever　we　arrive　there。〃　〃There　is　one　point　that　you　haven't　noticed；〃　said　the　wizard；　〃and　that　is　the　secret　entrance。　You　see　that　rune　on　the　West　side；　and　the　hand　pointing　to　it　from　the　other　runes？　That　marks　a　hidden　passage　to　the　Lower　Halls。
　〃It　may　have　been　secret　once；〃　said　Thorin；　〃but　how　do　we　know　that　it　is　secret　any　longer？　Old　Smaug　had　lived　there　long　enough　now　to　find　out　anything　there　is　to　know　about　those　caves。〃
　〃He　may…but　he　can't　have　used　it　for　years　and　years。　〃Why？〃　〃Because　it　is　too　small。　'Five　feet　high　the　door　and　three　may　walk　abreast'　say　the　runes；　but　Smaug　could　not　creep　into　a　hole　that　size；　not　even　when　he　was　a　young　dragon；　certainly　not　after　devouring　so　many　of　the　dwarves　and　men　of　Dale。〃
　〃It　seems　a　great　big　hole　to　me；〃　squeaked　Bilbo　（who　had　no　experience　of　dragons　and　only　of　hobbit…holes）　He　was　getting　excited　and　interested　again；　so　that　he　forgot　to　keep　his　mouth　shut。　He　loved　maps；　and　in　his　hall　there　hung　a　large　one　of　the　Country　Round　with　all　his　favourite　walks　marked　on　it　in　red　ink。　〃How　could　such　a　large　door　be　kept　secret　from　everybody　outside；　apart　from　the　dragon？〃　he　asked。　He　was　only　a　little　hobbit　you　must　remember。
　〃In　lots　of　ways；〃　said　Gandalf。　〃But　in　what　way　this　one　has　been　hidden　we　don't　know　without　going　to　see。　From　what　it　says　on　the　map　I　should　guess　there　is　a　closed　door　which　has　been　made　to　look　exactly　like　the　side　of　the　Mountain。　That　is　the　usual　dwarves'　method…　I　think　that　is　right；　isn't　it？〃　〃Quite　right；〃　said　Thorin。
　〃Also；〃　went　on　Gandalf；　〃I　forgot　to　mention　that　with　the　map　went　a　key；　a　small　and　curious　key。　Here　it　is！〃　he　said；　and　handed　to　Thorin　a　key　with　a　long　barrel　and　intricate　wards；　made　of　silver。　〃Keep　it　safe！〃　〃Indeed　I　will；〃　said　Thorin；　and　he　fastened　it　upon　a　fine　chain　that　hung　about　his　neck　and　under　his　jacket。　〃Now　things　begin　to　look　more　hopeful。　This　news　alters　them　much　for…the　better。　So　far　we　have　had　no　clear　idea　what　to　do。　We　thought　of　going　East；　as　quiet　and　careful　as　we　could；　as　far　as　the　Long　Lake。　After　that　the　trouble　would　begin。〃　〃A　long　time　before　that；　if　I　know　anything　about　the　loads　East；〃　interrupted　Gandalf。
　〃We　might　go　from　there　up　along　the　River　Running；〃　went　on　Thorin　taking　no　notice；　〃and　so　to　the　ruins　of　Dale…the　old　town　in　the　valley　there；　under　the　shadow　of　the　Mountain。　But　we　none　of　us　liked　the　idea　of　the　Front　Gate。　The　river　runs　right　out　of　it　through　the　great　cliff　at　the　South　of　the　Mountain；　and　out　of　it　es　the　dragon　too…far　too　often；　unless　he　has　changed。〃
　〃That　would　be　no　good；〃　said　the　wizard；　〃not　without　a　mighty　Warrior；　even　a　Hero。　I　tried　to　find　one；　but　warriors　are　busy　fighting　one　another　in　distant　lands；　and　in　this　neighbourhood　heroes　are　scarce；　or　simply　lot　to　be　found。　Swords　in　these　parts　are　mostly　blunt；　and　axes　are　used　for　trees；　and　shields　as　cradles　or　dish…covers；　and　dragons　are　fortably　far…off　（and　therefore　legendary）。　That　is　why　I　settled　on　burglary…especially　when　I　remembered　the　existence　of　a　Side…door。　And　here　is　our　little　Bilbo　Baggins；　the　burglar；　the　chosen　and　selected　burglar。　So　now　let's　get　on　and　make　some　plans。〃
　〃Very　well　then；〃　said　Thorin；　〃supposing　the　burglar…expert　gives　us　some　ideas　or　suggestions。〃　He　turned　with　mock…politeness　to　Bilbo。　　〃First　I　should　like　to　know　a　bit　more　about　things；〃　said　he；　feeling　all　confused　and　a　bit　shaky　inside；　but　so　far　still　lookishly　determined　to　go　on　with　things。　〃I　mean　about　the　gold　and　the　dragon；　and　all　that；　and　how　it　got　there；　and　who　it　belongs　to；　and　so　on　and　further。〃　〃Bless　me！〃　said　Thorin；　〃haven't　you　got　a　map？　and　didn't　you　hear　our　song？　and　haven't　we　been　talking　about　all　this　for　hours？〃
　〃All　the　same；　I　should　like　it　all　plain　and　clear；〃　said　he
　obstinately；　putting　on　his　business　manner　（usually　reserved　for　people　who　tried　to　borrow　money　off　him）；　and　doing　his　best　to　appear　wise　and　prudent　and　professional　and　live　up　to　Gandalf's　remendation。　〃Also　I　should　like　to　know　about　risks；　out…of…pocket　expenses；　time　required　and　remuneration；　and　so　forth〃…by　which　he　meant：　〃What　am　I　going　to　get　out　of　it？　and　am　I　going　to　e　back　alive？〃
　〃O　very　well；〃　said　Thorin。　〃Long　ago　in　my　grandfather　Thror's　time　our　family　was　driven　out　of　the　far　North；　and　came　back　with　all　their　wealth　and　their　tools　to　this　Mountain　on　the　map。　It　had　been　discovered　by　my　far　ancestor；　Thrain　the　Old；　but　now　they　mined　and　they　tunnelled　and　they　made　huger　halls　and　greater　workshops　…and　in　addition　I　believe　they　found　a　good　deal　of　gold　and　a　great　many　jewels　too。　Anyway　they　grew　immensely　rich　and　famous；　and　my　grandfather　was　King　under　the　Mountain　again　and　treated　with　great　reverence　by　the　mortal　men；　who　lived　to　the　South；　and　were　gradually　spreading　up　the　Running　River　as　far　as　the　valley　overshadowed　by　the　Mountain。　They　built　the　merry　town　of　Dale　there　in　those　days。　Kings　used　to　send　for　our　smiths；　and　reward　even　the　least　skilful　most　richly。　Fathers　would　beg　us　to　take　their　sons　as　apprentices；　and　pay　us　handsomely；　especially　in　food…supplies；　which　we　never　bothered　to　grow　or　find　for　ourselves。　Altogether　those　were　good　days　for　us；　and　the　poorest　of　us　had　money　to　spend　and　to　lend；　and　leisure　to　make　beautiful　things　just　for　the。　　fun　of　it；　not　to　speak　of　the　most　marvellous　and　magical　toys；　the　like　of　which　is　not　to　be　found　in　the　world　now…a…days。　So　my　grandfather's　halls　became　full　of　armour　and　jewels　and　carvings　and　cups；　and　the　toy…market　of　Dale　was　the　wonder　of　the　North。
　〃Undoubtedly　that　was　what　brought　the　dragon。　Dragons　steal　gold　and　jewels；　you　know；　from　men　and　elves　and　dwarves；　wherever　they　can　find　them；　and　they　guard　their　plunder　as　long　as　they　live　（which　is　practically　forever；　unless　they　are　killed）；　and　never　enjoy　a　brass　ring　of　it。　Indeed　they　hardly　know　a　good　bit　of　work　from　a　bad；　though　they　usually　have　a　good　notion　of　the　current　market　value；　and　they　can't　make　a　thing　for　themselves；　not　even　mend　a　little　loose　scale　of　their　armour。　There　were　lots　of　dragons　in　the　North　in　those　days；　and　gold　was　probably　getting　scarce　up　there；　with　the　dwarves　flying　south　or　getting　killed；　and　all　the　general　waste　and　destruction　that　dragons　make　going　from　bad　to　worse。　There　was　a　most　specially　greedy；　strong　and　wicked　worm　called　Smaug。　One　day　he　flew　up　into　the　air　and　came　south。　The　first　we　heard　of　it　was　a　noise　like　a　hurricane　ing　from　the　North；　and　the　pine…trees　on　the　Mountain　creaking　and　cracking　in　the　wind。　Some　of　the　dwarves　who　happened　to　be　outside　（I　was　one　luckily　…a　fine　adventurous　lad　in　those　days；　always　wandering　about；　and　it　saved　my　life　that　day）…well；　from　a　good　way　off　we　saw　the　dragon　settle　on　our　mountain　in　a　spout　of　flame。　Then　he　came　down　the　slopes　and　when　he　reached　the　woods　they　all　went　up　in　fire。　By　that　time　all　the　bells　were　ringing　in　Dale　and　the　warriors　were　arming。　The　dwarves　rushed　out　of　their　great　gate；　but　there　was　the　dragon　waiting　for　them。　None　escaped　that　way。　The　river　rushed　up　in　steam　and　a　fog　fell　on　Dale；　and　in　the　fog　the　dragon　came　on　them　and　destroyed　most　of　the　warriors…the　usual　unhappy　story；　it　was　only　too　mon　in　those　days。　Then　he　went　back　and　crept　in　through　the　Front　Gate　and　routed　out　all　the　halls；　and　lanes；　and　tunnels；　alleys；　cellars；　mansions　and　passages。　After　that　there　were　no　dwarves　left　alive　inside；　and　he　took　all　their　wealth　for　himself。　Probably；　for　that　is　the　dragons'　way；　he　has　piled　it　all　up　in　a　great　heap　far　inside；　and　sleeps　on　it　for　a　bed。　Later　he　used　to　crawl　out　of　the　great　gate　and　e　by　night　to　Dale；　and　carry　away　people；　especially　maidens；