jrt.the hobbit-第43部分

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　ever　after　they　had　a　dread　of　the　water　where　the　dragon　lay。　He　would　never　again　return　to　his　golden　bed；　but　was　stretched　cold　as　stone；　twisted　upon　the　floor　of　the　shallows。　There　for　ages　his　huge　bones　could　be　seen　in　calm　weather　amid　the　ruined　piles　of　the　old　town。　But　few　dared　to　cross　the　cursed　spot；　and　none　dared　to　dive　into　the　shivering　water　or　recover　the　precious　stones　that　fell　from　his　rotting　carcass。　　But　all　the　men　of　arms　who　were　still　able；　and　the　most　of　the　Elvenking's　array；　got　ready　to　march　north　to　the　Mountain。　It　was　thus　that　in　eleven　days　from　the　ruin　of　the　town　the　head　of　their　host　passed　the　rock…gates　at　the　end　of　the　lake　and　came　into　the　desolate　lands。
　
　Chapter　15
　The　Gathering　of　the　Clouds
　
　Now　we　will　return　to　Bilbo　and　the　dwarves。　All　night　one　of　them　had　watched；　but　when　morning　came　they　had　not　heard　or　seen　any　sign　of　danger。　　But　ever　more　thickly　the　birds　were　gathering。　Their　panies　came　flying　from　the　South；　and　the　crows　that　still　lived　about　the　Mountain　were　wheeling　and　crying　unceasingly　above。
　〃Something　strange　is　happening；〃　said　Thorin。　〃The　time　has　gone　for　the　autumn　wanderings；　and　these　are　birds　that　dwell　always　in　the　land；　there　are　starlings　and　flocks　of　finches；　and　far　off　there　are　many　carrion　birds　as　if　a　battle　were　afoot！〃
　Suddenly　Bilbo　pointed：　〃There　is　that　old　thrush　again！〃　he　cried。　〃He　seems　to　have　escaped；　when　Smaug　smashed　the　mountain…side；　but　I　don't　suppose　the　snails　have！〃
　Sure　enough　the　old　thrush　was　there；　and　as　Bilbo　pointed；　he　flew　towards　them　and　perched　on　a　stone　near　by。　Then　he　fluttered　his　wings　and　sang；　then　he　cocked　his　head　on　one　side；　as　if　to　listen；　and　again　he　sang；　and　again　he　listened。
　〃I　believe　he　is　trying　to　tell　us　something；〃　said　Balin；　〃but　I　cannot　follow　the　speech　of　such　birds；　it　is　very　quick　and　difficult。　Can　you　make　it　out　Baggins？〃
　〃Not　very　well；〃　said　Bilbo　（as　a　matter　of　fact；　he　could　make　nothing　of　it　at　all）；　〃but　the　old　fellow　seems　。very　excited。〃
　〃I　only　wish　he　was　a　raven！〃　said　Balin。
　〃I　thought　you　did　not　like　them！　You　seemed　very　shy　of　them；　when　we　came　this　way　before。〃
　〃Those　were　crows！　And　nasty　suspicious…looking　creatures　at　that；　and　rude　as　well。　You　must　have　heard　the　ugly　names　they　were　calling　after　us。　　But　the　ravens　are　different。　There　used　to　be　great　friendship　between　them　and　the　people　of　Thror；　and　they　often　brought　us　secret　news；　and　were　rewarded　with　such　bright　things　as　they　coveted　to　hide　in　their　dwellings。　　〃They　live　many　a　year；　and　their　memories　are　long；　and　they　hand　on　their　wisdom　to　their　children。　I　knew　many　among　the　ravens　of　the　rocks　when　I　was　a　dwarf…　lad。　This　very　height　was　once　named　Ravenhill；　because　there　was　a　wise　and　famous　pair；　old　Care　and　his　wife；　that　lived　here　above　the　guard…chamber。　But　I　don't　suppose　that　any　of　that　ancient　breed　linger　here　now。〃
　No　sooner　had　he　finished　speaking　than　the　old　thrush　gave　a　loud　call；　and　immediately　flew　away。
　〃We　may　not　understand　him；　but　that　old　bird　understands　us；　I　am　sure；〃　said　Balin。　〃Keep　watch　now；　and　see　what　happens！〃　Before　long　there　was　a　fluttering　of　wings；　and　back　came　the　thrush；　and　with　him　came　a　most　decrepit　old　bird。　He　was　getting　blind；　he　could　hardly　fly；　and　the　top　of　his　head　was　bald。　He　was　an　aged　raven　of　great　size。　He　alighted　stiffly　on　the　ground　before　them；　slowly　flapped　his　wings；　and　bobbed　towards　Thorin。
　〃O　Thorin　son　of　Thrain；　and　Balin　son　of　Fundin；〃　he　croaked　（and　Bilbo　could　understand　what　he　said；　for　he　used　ordinary　language　and　not　bird…speech）。　〃I　am　Rac　son　of　Carc。　Carc　is　dead；　but　he　was　well　known　to　you　once。　It　is　a　hundred　years　and　three　and　fifty　since　I　came　out　of　the　egg；　but　I　do　not　forget　what　my　father　told　me。　Now　I　am　the　chief　of　the　great　ravens　of　the　Mountain。　We　are　few；　but　we　remember　still　the　king　that　was　of　old。　Most　of　my　people　are　abroad；　for　there　are　great　tidings　in　the　South　…　some　are　tidings　of　joy　to　you；　and　some　you　will　not　think　so　good。　　〃Behold！　the　birds　are　gathering　back　again　to　the　Mountain　and　to　Dale　from　South　and　East　and　West；　for　word　has　gone　out　that　Smaug　is　dead！〃　〃Dead！　Dead？〃　shouted　the　dwarves。　〃Dead！　Then　we　have　been　in　needless　fear…and　the　treasure　is　ours！〃
　They　all　sprang　up　and　began　to　caper　about　for　joy。
　〃Yes；　dead；〃　said　Rac。　〃The　thrush；　may　his　feathers　never　fall；　saw　him　die；　and　we　may　trust　his　words。　He　saw　him　fall　in　battle　with　the　men　of　Esgaroth　the　third　night　back　from　now　at　the　rising　of　the　moon。〃　It　was　some　time　before　Thorin　could　bring　the　dwarves　to　be　silent　and　listen　to　the　raven's　news。　At　length　when　he　had　told　all　the　tale　of　the　battle　he　went　on：
　〃So　much　for　joy；　Thorin　Oakenshield。　You　may　go　back　to　your　halls　in　safety；　all　the　treasure　is　yours…for　the　moment。　But　many　are　gathering　hither　beside　the　birds。　The　news　of　the　death　of　the　guardian　has　already　gone　far　and　wide；　and　the　legend　of　the　wealth　of　Thror　has　not　lost　in　the　telling　during　many　years；　many　are　eager　for　a　share　of　the　spoil。　Already　a　host　of　the　elves　is　on　the　way；　and　carrion　birds　are　with　them　hoping　for　battle　and　slaughter。　By　the　lake　men　murmur　that　their　sorrows　are　due　to　the　dwarves；　for　they　are　homeless　and　many　have　died；　and　Smaug　has　destroyed　their　town。　They　too　think　to　find　amends　from　your　treasure；　whether　you　are　alive　or　dead。
　〃Your　own　wisdom　must　decide　your　course；　but　thirteen　is　small　remnant　of　the　great　folk　of　Durin　that　once　dwelt　here；　and　now　are　scattered　far。　If　you　will　listen　to　my　counsel；　you　will　not　trust　the　Master　of　the　Lake…men；　but　rather　him　that　shot　the　dragon　with　his　bow。　Bard　is　he；　of　the　race　of　Dale；　of　the　line　of　Girion；　he　is　a　grim　man　but　true。　We　would　see　peace　once　more　among　dwarves　and　men　and　elves　after　the　long　desolation；　but　it　may　cost　you　dear　in　gold。　I　have　spoken。〃
　Then　Thorin　burst　forth　in　anger：　〃Our　thanks；　Rac　Carc's　son。　You　and　your　people　shall　not　be　forgotten。　But　none　of　our　gold　shall　thieves　take　or　the　violent　carry　off　while　we　are　alive。　If　you　would　earn　our　thanks　still　more；　bring　us　news　of　any　that　draw　near。　Also　I　would　beg　of　you；　if　any　of　you　are　still　young　and　strong　of　wing；　that　you　would　send　messengers　to　our　kin　in　the　mountains　of　the　North；　both　west　from　here　and　east；　and　tell　them　of　our　plight。　But　go　specially　to　my　cousin　Dain　in　the　Iron　Hills；　for　he　has　many　people　well…armed；　and　dwells　nearest　to　this　place。　Bid　him　hasten！〃　〃I　will　not　say　if　this　counsel　be　good　or　bad；〃　croaked　Rac；　〃but　I　will　do　what　can　be　done。〃　Then　off　he　slowly　flew。
　〃Back　now　to　the　Mountain！〃　cried　Thorin。　〃We　have　little　time　to　lose。〃
　〃And　little　food　to　use！〃　cried　Bilbo；　always　practical　on　such　points。　　In　any　case　he　felt　that　the　adventure　was；　properly　speaking；　over　。with　the　death　of　the　dragon…in　which　he　was　much　mistaken…and　he　would　have　given　most　of　his　share　of　the　profits　for　the　peaceful　winding　up　of　these　affairs。　　〃Back　to　the　Mountain！〃　cried　the　dwarves　as　if　they　had　not　heard　him；　so　back　he　had　to　go　with　them。　As　you　have　heard　some　of　the　events　already；　you　will　see　that　the　dwarves　still　had　some　days　before　them。　They　explored　the　caverns　once　more；　and　found；　as　they　expected；　that　only　the　Front　Gate　remained　open；　all　the　other　gates　（except；　of　course；　the　small　secret　door）　had　long　ago　been　broken　and　blocked　by　Smaug；　and　no　sign　of　them　remained。　　So　now　they　began　to　labour　hard　in　fortifying　the　main　entrance；　and　in　remaking　the　road　that　led　from　it。　Tools　were　to　be　found　in　plenty　that　the　miners　and　quarriers　and　builders　of　old　had　used；　and　at　such　work　the　dwarves　were　still　very　skilled。
　As　they　worked　the　ravens　brought　them　constant　tidings。　In　this　way　they　learned　that　the　Elvenking　had　turned　aside　to　the　Lake；　and　they　still　had　a　breathing　space。　Better　still；　they　heard　that　three　of　their　ponies　had　escaped　and　were　wandering　wild　far　down　the　banks　of　the　Running　River；　not　far　from　where　the　rest　of　their　stores　had　been　left。　So　while　the　others　went　on　with　their　work；　Fili　and　Kili　were　sent；　guided　by　a　raven；　to　find　the　ponies　and　bring　back　all　they　could。
　They　were　four　days　gone；　and　by　that　time　they　knew　that　the　joined　armies　of　the　Lake…men　and　the　Elves　were　hurrying　towards　the　Mountain。　But　now　their　hopes　were　higher；　for　they　had　food　for　some　weeks　with　care…chiefly　cram；　of　course；　and　they　were　very　tired　of　it；　but　cram　is　much　better　than　nothing…and　already　the　gate　was　blocked　with　a　wall　of　squared　stones　laid　dry；　but　very　thick　and　high　across　the　opening。　There　were　holes　in　the　wall　through　which　they　could　see　（or　shoot）　but　no　entrance。　They　climbed　in　or　out　with　ladders；　and　hauled　stuff　up　with　ropes。　For　the　issuing　of　the　stream　they　had　contrived　a　small　low　arch　under　the　new　wall；　but　near　the　entrance　they　had　so　altered　the　narrow　bed　that　a　wide　pool　stretched　from　the　mountain…wall　to　the　head　of　the　fall　over　which　the　stream　went　towards　Dale。　Approach　to　the　Gate　was　now　only　possible；　without　swimming；　along　a　narrow　ledge　of　the　cliff；　to　the　right　as　one　looked　outwards　from　the　wall。　The　ponies　they　had　brought　only　to　the　head　of　the　steps　above　the　old　bridge；　and　unloading　them　there　had　bidden　them　return　to　their　masters　and　sent　them　back　riderless　to　the　South。　　There　came　a　night　when　suddenly　there　were　many　lights　as　of　fires　and　torches　away　south　in　Dale　before　them。
　〃They　have　e！〃　called　Balin。　〃And　their　camp　is　very　great。　They　must　have　e　into　the　valley　under　the　cover　of　dusk　along　both　banks　of　the　river。〃
　That　night　the　dwarves　slept　little。　The　morning　was　still　pale　when　they　saw　a　pany　approaching。　From　behind　their　wall　they　watched　them　e　up　to　the　valley's　head　and　climb　slowly　up。　Before　long　they　could　see　that　both　men　of　the　lake　armed　as　if　for　war　and　elvish　bowmen　were　among　them。　At　length　the　foremost　of　these　climbed　the　tumbled　rocks　and　appeared　at　the　top　of　the　falls；　and　very　great　was　their　surprise　to　see　the　pool　before　them　and　the　Gate　blocked　with　a　wall