jrt.the hobbit-第50部分

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　of　their　journey。　This　was　much　as　it　had　been　before；　except　that　the　pany　was　smaller；　and　more　silent；　also　this　time　there　were　no　trolls。　　At　each　point　on　the　road　Bilbo　recalled　the　happenings　and　the　words　of　a　year　ago…it　seemed　to　him　more　like　ten…so　that；　of　course；　he　quickly　noted　the　place　where　the　pony　had　fallen　in　the　river；　and　they　had　turned　aside　for　their　nasty　adventure　with　Tom　and　Bert　and　Bill。　Not　far　from　the　road　they　found　the　gold　of　the　trolls；　which　they　had　buried；　still　hidden　and　untouched。　〃I　have　enough　to　last　me　my　time；〃　said　Bilbo；　when　they　had　dug　it　up。　〃You　had　better　take　this；　Gandalf。　I　daresay　you　can　find　a　use　for　it。〃
　
　〃Indeed　I　can！〃　said　the　wizard。　〃But　share　and　share　alike！　You　may　find　you　have　more　needs　than　you　expect。〃
　So　they　put　the　gold　in　bags　and　slung　them　on　the　ponies；　who　were　not　at　all　pleased　about　it。　After　that　their　going　was　slower；　for　most　of　the　time　they　walked。　But　the　land　was　green　and　there　was　much　grass　through　which　the　hobbit　strolled　along　contentedly。　He　mopped　his　face　with　a　red　silk　handkerchief…no！　not　a　single　one　of　his　own　had　survived；　he　had　borrowed　this　one　from　Elrond　…for　now　June　had　brought　summer；　and　the　weather　was　bright　and　hot　again。
　As　all　things　e　to　an　end；　even　this　story；　a　day　came　at　last　when　they　were　in　sight　of　the　country　where　Bilbo　had　been　born　and　bred；　where　the　shapes　of　the　land　and　of　the　trees　were　as　well　known　to　him　as　his　hands　and　toes。　ing　to　a　rise　he　could　see　his　own　Hill　in　the　distance；　and　he　stopped　suddenly　and　said：
　〃Roads　go　ever　ever　on；
　Over　rock　and　under　tree；
　By　caves　where　never　sun　has　shone；
　By　streams　that　never　find　the　sea；
　Over　snow　by　winter　sown；
　And　through　the　merry　flowers　of　June；
　Over　grass　and　over　stone；
　And　under　mountains　in　the　moon。
　Roads　go　ever　ever　on
　Under　cloud　and　under　star；
　Yet　feet　that　wandering　have　gone
　Turn　at　last　to　home　afar。
　Eyes　that　fire　and　sword　have　seen
　And　horror　in　the　halls　of　stone
　Look　at　last　on　meadows　green
　And　trees　and　hills　they　long　have　known。〃
　Gandalf　looked　at　him。　〃My　dear　Bilbo！〃　he　said。　〃Something　is　the　matter　with　you！　You　are　not　the　hobbit　that　you　were。〃
　And　so　they　crossed　the　bridge　and　passed　the　mill　by　the　river　and　came　right　back　to　Bilbo's　own　door。　〃Bless　me！　What's　going　on？〃　he　cried。　There　was　a　great　motion；　and　people　of　all　sorts；　respectable　and　unrespectable；　were　thick　round　the　door；　and　many　were　going　in　and　out…not　even　wiping　their　feet　on　the　mat；　as　Bilbo　noticed　with　annoyance。　　If　he　was　surprised；　they　were　more　surprised　still。　He　had　arrived　back　in　the　middle　of　an　auction！　There　was　a　large　notice　in　black　and　red　hung　on　the　gate；　stating　that　on　June　the　Twenty…second　Messrs。　Grubb；　Grubb；　and　Bun…owes　would　sell　by　auction　the　effects　of　the　late　Bilbo　Baggins　Esquire；　of　Bag…End；　Underhill；　Hobbiton。　Sale　to　mence　at　ten　o'clock　sharp。　It　was　now　nearly　lunch…time；　and　most　of　the　things　had　already　been　sold；　for　various　prices　from　next　to　nothing　to　old　songs　（as　is　not　unusual　at　auctions）。　Bilbo's　cousins　the　Sackville…Bagginses　were；　in　fact；　busy　measuring　his　rooms　to　see　if　their　own　furniture　would　fit。　In　short　Bilbo　was　〃Presumed　Dead；〃　and　not　everybody　that　said　so　was　sorry　to　find　the　presumption　wrong。
　The　return　of　Mr。　Bilbo　Baggins　created　quite　a　disturbance；　both　under　the　Hill　and　over　the　Hill；　and　across　the　Water；　it　was　a　great　deal　more　than　a　nine　days'　wonder。　The　legal　bother；　indeed；　lasted　for　years。　It　was　quite　a　long　time　before　Mr。　Baggins　was　in　fact　admitted　to　be　alive　again。
　The　people　who　had　got　specially　good　bargains　at　the　Sale　took　a　deal　of　convincing；　and　in　the　end　to　sav6　time　Bilbo　had　to　buy　back　quite　a　lot　of　his　own　furniture。　Many　of　his　silver　spoons　mysteriously　disappeared　and　were　never　accounted　for。　Personally　he　suspected　the　Sackville…Bagginses。　On　their　side　they　never　admitted　that　the　returned　Baggins　was　genuine；　and　they　were　not　on　friendly　terms　with　Bilbo　ever　after。　They　really　had　wanted　to　live　inhis　nice　hobbit…hole　so　very　much。
　Indeed　Bilbo　found　he　had　lost　more　than　spoons　…　he　had　lost　his　reputation。　It　is　true　that　for　ever　after　he　remained　an　elf…friend；　and　had　the　honour　of　dwarves；　wizards；　and　all　such　folk　as　ever　passed　that　way；　but　he　was　no　longer　quite　respectable。　He　was　in　fact　held　by　all　the　hobbits　of　the　neighbourhood　to　be　'queer'…except　by　his　nephews　and　nieces　on　the　Took　side；　but　even　they　were　not　encouraged　in　their　friendship　by　their　elders。　I　am　sorry　to　say　he　did　not　mind。　He　was　quite　content；　and　the　sound　of　the　kettle　on　his　hearth　was　ever　after　more　musical　than　it　had　been　even　in　the　quiet　days　before　the　Unexpected　Party。　His　sword　he　hung　over　the　mantelpiece。　His　coat　of　mail　was　arranged　on　a　stand　in　the　hall　（until　he　lent　it　to　a　Museum）。　His　gold　and　silver　was　largely　spent　in　presents；　both　useful　and　extravagant　…　which　to　a　certain　extent　accounts　for　the　affection　of　his　nephews　and　his　nieces。　His　magic　ring　he　kept　a　great　secret；　for　he　chiefly　used　it　when　unpleasant　callers　came。　He　took　to　writing　poetry　and　visiting　the　elves；　and　though　many　shook　their　heads　and　touched　their　foreheads　and　said　〃Poor　old　Baggins！〃　and　though　few　believed　any　of　his　tales；　he　remained　very　happy　to　the　end　of　his　days；　and　those　were　extraordinarily　long。
　One　autumn　evening　some　years　afterwards　Bilbo　was　sitting　in　his　study　writing　his　memoirs　…　he　thought　of　calling　them　〃There　and　Back　Again；　a　Hobbit's　Holiday〃　…　when　there　was　a　ring　at　the　door。　It　was　Gandalf　and　a　dwarf；　and　the　dwarf　was　actually　Balin。
　〃e　in！　e　in！〃　said　Bilbo；　and　soon　they　were　settled　in　chairs　by　the　fire。　If　Balin　noticed　that　Mr。　Baggins'　waistcoat　was　more　extensive　（and　had　real　gold　buttons）；　Bilbo　also　noticed　that　Balm's　beard　was　several　inches　longer；　and　his　jewelled　belt　was　of　great　magnificence。　　They　fell　to　talking　of　their　times　together；　of　course；　and　Bilbo　asked　how　things　were　going　in　the　lands　of　the　Mountain。　It　seemed　they　were　going　very　well。　Bard　had　rebuilt　the　town　in　Dale　and　men　had　gathered　to　him　from　the　Lake　and　from　South　and　West；　and　all　the　valley　had　bee　tilled　again　and　rich；　and　the　desolation　was　now　filled　with　birds　and　blossoms　in　spring　and　fruit　and　feasting　in　autumn。　And　Lake…town　was　refounded　and　was　more　prosperous　than　ever；　and　much　wealth　went　up　and　down　the　Running　River；　and　there　was　friendship　in　those　parts　between　elves　and　dwarves　and　men。　　The　old　Master　had　e　to　a　bad　end。　Bard　had　given　him　much　gold　for　the　help　of　the　Lake…people；　but　being　of　the　kind　that　easily　catches　such　disease　he　fell　under　the　dragon…sickness；　and　took　most　of　the　gold　and　fled　with　it；　and　died　of　starvation　in　the　Waste；　deserted　by　his　panions。　　〃The　new　Master　is　of　wiser　kind；〃　said　Balin；　〃and　very　popular；　for；　of　course；　he　gets　most　of　the　credit　for　the　present　prosperity。　They　are　making　songs　which　say　that　in　his　day　the　rivers　run　with　gold。〃　〃Then　the　prophecies　of　the　old　songs　have　turned　out　to　be　true；　after　a　fashion！〃　said　Bilbo。
　〃Of　course！〃　said　Gandalf。　〃And　why　should　not　they　prove　true？　Surely　you　don't　disbelieve　the　prophecies；　because　you　had　a　hand　in　bringing　them　about　yourself？　You　don't　really　suppose；　do　you；　that　all　your　adventures　and　escapes　were　managed　by　mere　luck；　just　for　your　sole　benefit？　You　are　a　very　fine　person；　Mr。　Baggins；　and　I　am　very　fond　of　you；　but　you　are　only　quite　a　little　fellow　in　a　wide　world　after　all！〃
　〃Thank　goodness！〃　said　Bilbo　laughing；　and　handed　him　the　tobacco…jar。
　

　
　
　
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