jrt.the hobbit-第15节

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　〃Ask　us！　ask　us！〃　said　Gollum。
　Bilbo　pinched　himself　and　slapped　himself；　he　gripped　on　his　little　sword；　he　even　felt　in　his　pocket　with　his　other　hand。　There　he　found　the　ring　he　had　picked　up　in　the　passage　and　forgotten　about。　　〃What　have　I　got　in　my　pocket？〃　he　said　aloud。　He　was　talking　to　himself；　but　Gollum　thought　it　was　a　riddle；　and　he　was　frightfully　upset。　　〃Not　fair！　not　fair！〃　he　hissed。　〃It　isn't　fair；　my　precious；　is　it；　to　ask　us　what　it's　got　in　its　nassty　little　pocketses？〃
　Bilbo　seeing　what　had　happened　and　having　nothing　better　to　ask　stuck　to　his　question。　〃What　have　I　got　in　my　pocket？〃　he　said　louder。　　〃S…s…s…s…s；〃　hissed　Gollum。　〃It　must　give　us　three　guesseses；　my　preciouss；　three　guesseses。〃
　〃Very　well！　Guess　away！〃　said　Bilbo。
　〃Handses！〃　said　Gollum。
　〃Wrong；〃　said　Bilbo；　who　had　luckily　just　taken　his　hand　out　again。　〃Guess　again！〃
　〃S…s…s…s…s；〃　said　Gollum　more　upset　than　ever。　He　thought　of　all　the　things　he　kept　in　his　own　pockets：　fishbones；　goblins'　teeth；　wet　shells；　a　bit　of　bat…wing；　a　sharp　stone　to　sharpen　his　fangs　on；　and　other　nasty　things。　He　tried　to　think　what　other　people　kept　in　their　pockets。　　〃Knife！〃　he　said　at　last。
　〃Wrong！〃　said　Bilbo；　who　had　lost　his　some　time　ago。　〃Last　guess！〃　Now　Gollum　was　in　a　much　worse　state　than　when　Bilbo　had　asked　him　the　egg…question。　He　hissed　and　spluttered　and　rocked　himself　backwards　and　forwards；　and　slapped　his　feet　on　the　floor；　and　wriggled　and　squirmed；　but　still　he　did　not　dare　to　waste　his　last　guess。
　〃e　on！〃　said　Bilbo。　〃I　am　waiting！〃　He　tried　to　sound　bold　and　cheerful；　but　he　did　not　feel　at　all　sure　how　the　game　was　going　to　end；　whether　Gollum　guessed　right　or　not。
　〃Time's　up！〃　he　said。
　〃String；　or　nothing！〃　shrieked　Gollum；　which　was　not　quite　fair…working　in　two　guesses　at　once。
　〃Both　wrong；〃　cried　Bilbo　very　much　relieved；　and　he　jumped　at　once　to　his　feet；　put　his　back　to　the　nearest　wall；　and　held　out　his　little　sword。　He　knew；　of　course；　that　the　riddle…game　was　sacred　and　of　immense　antiquity；　and　even　wicked　creatures　were　afraid　to　cheat　when　they　played　at　it。　But　he　felt　he　could　not　trust　this　slimy　thing　to　keep　any　promise　at　a　pinch。　Any　excuse　would　do　for　him　to　slide　out　of　it。　And　after　all　that　last　question　had　not　been　a　genuine　riddle　according　to　the　ancient　laws。
　But　at　any　rate　Gollum　did　not　at　once　attack　him。　He　could　see　the　sword　in　Bilbo's　hand。　He　sat　still；　shivering　and　whispering。　At　last　Bilbo　could　wait　no　longer。
　〃Well？〃　he　said。　〃What　about　your　promise？　I　want　to　go。　You　must　show　me　the　way。〃
　〃Did　we　say　so；　precious？　Show　the　nassty　little　Baggins　the　way　out；　yes；　yes。　But　what　has　it　got　in　its　pocketses；　eh？　Not　string；　precious；　but　not　nothing。　Oh　no！　gollum！〃
　〃Never　you　mind；〃　said　Bilbo。　〃A　promise　is　a　promise。〃　〃Cross　it　is；　impatient；　precious；〃　hissed　Gollum。　〃But　it　must　wait；　yes　it　must。　We　can't　go　up　the　tunnels　so　hasty。　We　must　go　and　get　some　things　first；　yes；　things　to　help　us。〃
　〃Well；　hurry　up！〃　said　Bilbo；　relieved　to　think　of　Gollum　going　away。　He
　thought　he　was　just　making　an　excuse　and　did　not　mean　to　e　back。　What　was　Gollum　talking　about？　What　useful　thing　could　he　keep　out　on　the　dark　lake？
　But　he　was　wrong。　Gollum　did　mean　to　e　back。　He　was　angry　now　and　hungry。
　And　he　was　a　miserable　wicked　creature；　and　already　he　had　a　plan。　　Not　far　away　was　his　island；　of　which　Bilbo　knew　nothing；　and　there　in　his　hiding…place　he　kept　a　few　wretched　oddments；　and　one　very　beautiful　thing；　very　beautiful；　very　wonderful。　He　had　a　ring；　a　golden　ring；　a　precious　ring。
　〃My　birthday…present！〃　he　whispered　to　himself；　as　he　had　often　done　in　the　endless　dark　days。　〃That's　what　we　wants　now；　yes；　we　wants　it！〃　He　wanted　it　because　it　was　a　ring　of　power；　and　if　you　slipped　that　ring　on　your　finger；　you　were　invisible；　only　in　the　full　sunlight　could　you　be　seen；　and　then　only　by　your　shadow；　and　that　would　be　shaky　and　faint。　　〃My　birthday…present！　It　came　to　me　on　my　birthday；　my　precious；〃　So　he　had　always　said　to　himself。　But　who　knows　how　Gollum　came　by　that　present；　ages　ago　in　the　old　days　when　such　rings　were　still　at　large　in　the　world？　　Perhaps　even　the　Master　who　ruled　them　could　not　have　said。　Gollum　used　to　wear　it　at　first；　till　it　tired　him；　and　then　he　kept　it　in　a　pouch　next　his　skin；　till　it　galled　him；　and　now　usually　he　hid　it　in　a　hole　in　the　rock　on　his　island；　and　was　always　going　back　to　look　at　it。　And　still　sometimes　he　put　it　on；　when　he　could　not　bear　to　be　parted　from　it　any　longer；　or　when　he　was　very；　very；　hungry；　and　tired　of　fish。　Then　he　would　creep　along　dark　passages　looking　for　stray　goblins。　He　might　even　venture　into　places　where　the　torches　were　lit　and　made　his　eyes　blink　and　smart；　for　he　would　be　safe。　　Oh　yes；　quite　safe。　No　one　would　see　him；　no　one　would　notice　him；　till　he　had　his　fingers　on　their　throat。　Only　a　few　hours　ago　he　had　worn　it；　and　caught　a　small　goblin…imp。　How　it　squeaked！　He　still　had　a　bone　or　two　left　to　gnaw；　but　he　wanted　something　softer。
　〃Quite　safe；　yes；〃　he　whispered　to　himself。　〃It　won't　see　us；　will　it；　my　precious？　No。　It　won't　see　us；　and　its　nassty　little　sword　will　be　useless；　yes　quite。〃
　That　is　what　was　in　his　wicked　little　mind；　as　he　slipped　suddenly　from　Bilbo's　side；　and　flapped　back　to　his　boat；　and　went　off　into　the　dark。　Bilbo　thought　he　had　heard　the　last　of　him。　Still　he　waited　a　while；　for　he　had　no　idea　how　to　find　his　way　out　alone。
　Suddenly　he　heard　a　screech。　It　sent　a　shiver　down　his　back。　Gollum　was　cursing　and　wailing　away　in　the　gloom；　not　very　far　off　by　the　sound　of　it。　He　was　on　his　island；　scrabbling　here　and　there；　searching　and　seeking　in　vain。　　〃Where　is　it？　Where　iss　it？〃　Bilbo　heard　him　crying。　〃Losst　it　is；　my　precious；　lost；　lost！　Curse　us　and　crush　us；　my　precious　is　lost！〃　〃What's　the　matter？〃　Bilbo　called。　〃What　have　you　lost？〃　〃It　mustn't　ask　us；〃　shrieked　Gollum。　〃Not　its　business；　no；　gollum！　It's　losst；　gollum；　gollum；　gollum。〃
　〃Well；　so　am　I；〃　cried　Bilbo；　〃and　I　want　to　get　unlost。　And　I　won　the　game；　and　you　promised。　So　e　along！　e　and　let　me　out；　and　then　go　on　with　your　looking！〃
　Utterly　miserable　as　Gollum　sounded；　Bilbo　could　not　find　much　pity　in　his　heart；　and　he　had　a　feeling　that　anything　Gollum　wanted　so　much　could　hardly　be　something　good。
　〃e　along！〃　he　shouted。
　〃No；　not　yet；　precious！〃　Gollum　answered。　〃We　must　search　for　it；　it's　lost；　gollum。〃
　〃But　you　never　guessed　my　last　question；　and　you　promised；〃　said　Bilbo。　　〃Never　guessed！〃　said　Gollum。　Then　suddenly　out　of　the　gloom　came　a　sharp　hiss。　〃What　has　it　got　in　its　pocketses？　Tell　us　that。　It　must　tell　first。〃　As　far　as　Bilbo　knew；　there　was　no　particular　reason　why　he　should　not　tell。　Gollum's　mind　had　jumped　to　a　guess　quicker　than　his；　naturally；　for　Gollum　had　brooded　for　ages　on　this　one　thing；　and　he　was　always　afraid　of　its　being　stolen。　But　Bilbo　was　annoyed　at　the　delay。　After　all；　he　had　won　the　game；　pretty　fairly；　at　a　horrible　risk。　〃Answers　were　to　be　guessed　not　given；〃　he　said。
　〃But　it　wasn't　a　fair　question；〃　said　Gollum。　〃Not　a　riddle；　precious；　no。〃
　〃Oh　well；　if　it's　a　matter　of　ordinary　questions；〃　Bilbo　replied；　〃then　I　asked　one　first。　What　have　you　lost？　Tell　me　that！〃
　〃What　has　it　got　in　its　pocketses？〃　The　sound　came　hissing　louder　and　sharper；　and　as　he　looked　towards　it；　to　his　alarm　Bilbo　now　saw　two　small　points　of　light　peering　at　him。　As　suspicion　grew　in　Gollum's　mind；　the　light　of　his　eyes　burned　with　a　pale　flame。
　〃What　have　you　lost？〃　Bilbo　persisted。　But　now　the　light　in　Gollum's　eyes　had　bee　a　green　fire；　and　it　was　ing　swiftly　nearer。　Gollum　was　in　his　boat　again；　paddling　wildly　back　to　the　dark　shore；　and　such　a　rage　of　loss　and　suspicion　was　in　his　heart　that　no　sword　had　any　more　terror　for　him。　　Bilbo　could　not　guess　what　had　maddened　the　wretched　creature；　but　he　saw　that　all　was　up；　and　that　Gollum　meant　to　murder　him　at　any　rate。　Just　in　time　he　turned　and　ran　blindly　back　up　the　dark　passage　down　which　he　had　e；　keeping　close　to　the　wall　and　feeling　it　with　his　left　hand。　　〃What　has　it　got　in　its　pocketses？〃　he　heard　the　hiss　loud　behind　him；　and　the　splash　as　Gollum　leapt　from　his　boat。
　〃What　have　I；　I　wonder？〃　he　said　to　himself；　as　he　panted　and　stumbled　along。　He　put　his　left　hand　in　his　pocket。　The　ring　felt　very　cold　as　it　quietly　slipped　on　to　his　groping　forefinger。
　The　hiss　was　close　behind　him。　He　turned　now　and　saw　Gollum's　eyes　like　small　green　lamps　ing　up　the　slope。　Terrified　he　tried　to　run　faster；　but　suddenly　he　struck　his　toes　on　a　snag　in　the　floor；　and　fell　flat　with　his　little　sword　under　him。
　In　a　moment　Gollum　was　on　him。　But　before　Bilbo　could　do　anything；　recover　his　breath；　pick　himself　up；　or　wave　his　sword；　Gollum　passed　by；　taking　no　notice　of　him；　cursing　and　whispering　as　he　ran。　　What　could　it　mean？　Gollum　could　see　in　the　dark。　Bilbo　could　see　the　light　of　his　eyes　palely　shining　even　from　behind。　Painfully　he　got　up；　and　sheathed　his　sword；　which　was　now　glowing　faintly　again；　then　very　cautiously　he　followed。　There　seemed　nothing　else　to　do。　It　was　no　good　crawling　back　down　to　Gollum's　water。　Perhaps　if　he　followed　him；　G