jrt.the hobbit-第37节

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　Then　the　Master　hesitated　and　looked　from　one　to　the　other。　The　Elvenking　was　very　powerful　in　those　parts　and　the　Master　wished　for　no　enmity　with　him；　nor　did　he　think　much　of　old　songs；　giving　his　mind　to　。trade　and　tolls；　to　cargoes　and　gold；　to　which　habit　he　owed　his　position。　Others　were　of　different　mind；　however；　and　quickly　the　matter　was　settled　without　him。　The　news　had　spread　from　the　doors　of　the　hall　like　fire　through　all　the　town。　　People　were　shouting　inside　the　hall　and　outside　it。　The　quays　were　thronged　with　hurrying　feet。　Some　began　to　sing　snatches　of　old　songs　concerning　the　return　of　the　King　under　the　Mountain；　that　it　was　Thror's　grandson　not　Thror　himself　that　had　e　back　did　not　bother　them　at　all。　Others　took　up　the　song　and　it　rolled　loud　and　high　over　the　lake。
　〃The　King　beneath　the　mountains；
　The　King　of　carven　stone；
　The　lord　of　silver　fountains
　Shall　e　into　his　own！
　His　crown　shall　be　upholden；
　His　harp　shall　be　restrung；
　His　halls　shall　echo　golden
　To　songs　of　yore　re…sung。
　The　woods　shall　wave　on　mountains
　And　grass　beneath　the　sun；
　His　wealth　shall　flow　in　fountains
　And　the　rivers　golden　run。
　The　streams　shall　run　in　gladness；
　The　lakes　shall　shine　and　burn；
　And　sorrow　fail　and　sadness
　At　the　Mountain…king's　return！〃
　So　they　sang；　or　very　like　that；　only　there　was　a　great　deal　more　of　it；　and　there　was　much　shouting　as　well　as　the　music　of　harps　and　of　fiddles　mixed　up　with　it。　Indeed　such　excitement　had　not　been　known　in　the　town　in　the　memory　of　the　oldest　grandfather。　The　Wood…elves　themselves　began　to　wonder　greatly　and　even　to　be　afraid。　They　did　not　know　of　course　how　Thorin　had　escaped；　and　they　began　to　think　their　king　might　have　made　a　serious　mistake。　　As　for　the　Master　he　saw　there　was　nothing　else　for　it　but　to　obey　the　general　clamour；　for　the　moment　at　any　rate；　and　to　pretend　to　believe　that　Thorin　was　what　he　said。　So　he　gave　up　to　him　his　own　great　chair　and　set　Fili　and　Kili　beside　him　in　places　of　honour。　Even　Bilbo　was　given　a　seat　at　the　high　table；　and　no　explanation　of　where　he　came　in…no　songs　had　alluded　to　him　even　in　the　obscurest　way…was　asked　for　in　the　general　bustle。
　Soon　afterwards　the　other　dwarves　were　brought　into　the　town　amid　scenes　of　astonishing　enthusiasm。　They　were　all　doctored　and　fed　and　housed　and　pampered　in　the　most　delightful　and　satisfactory　fashion。　A　large　house　was　given　up　to　Thorin　and　his　pany；　boats　and　rowers　were　put　at　their　service；　and　crowds　sat　outside　and　sang　songs　all　day；　or　cheered　if　any　dwarf　showed　so　much　as　his　nose。
　Some　of　the　songs　were　old　ones；　but　some　of　them　were　quite　new　and　spoke　confidently　of　the　sudden　death　of　the　dragon　and　of　cargoes　of　rich　presents　ing　down　the　river　to　Lake…town。　These　were　inspired　largely　by　the　Master　and　they　did　not　particularly　please　the　dwarves；　but　in　the　meantime　they　were　well　contented　and　they　quickly　grew　fat　and　strong　again。　　Indeed　within　a　week　they　were　quite　recovered；　fitted　out　in　fine　cloth　of　their　proper　colours；　with　beards　bed　and　trimmed；　and　proud　steps。　Thorin　looked　and　walked　as　if　his　kingdom　was　already　regained　and　Smaug　chopped　up　into　little　pieces。
　Then；　as　he　had　said；　the　dwarves'　good　feeling　towards　the　little　hobbit　grew　stronger　every　day。　There　were　no　more　groans　or　grumbles。　They　drank　his　health；　and　they　patted　him　on　the　back；　and　they　made　a　great　fuss　of　him；　which　was　just　as　well；　for　he　was　not　feeling　particularly　cheerful。　He　had　not　forgotten　the　look　of　the　Mountain；　nor　the　thought　of　the　dragon；　and　he　had　besides　a　shocking　cold。　For　three　days　he　sneezed　and　coughed；　and　he　could　not　go　out；　and　even　after　that　his　speeches　at　banquets　were　limited　to　〃Thag　you　very　buch。〃
　In　the　meanwhile　the　Wood…elves　had　gone　back　up　the　Forest　River　with　their　cargoes；　and　there　was　great　excitement　in　the　king's　palace。　I　have　never　heard　what　happened　to　the　chief　of　the　guards　and　the　butler。　Nothing　of　course　was　ever　said　about　keys　or　barrels　while　the　dwarves　stayed　in　Lake…town；　and　Bilbo　was　careful　never　to　bee　invisible。　Still；　I　daresay；　more　was　guessed　than　was　known；　though　doubtless　Mr。　Baggins　remained　a　bit　of　a　mystery。　In　any　case　the　king　knew　now　the　dwarves'　errand；　or　thought　he　did；　and　he　said　to　himself：
　〃Very　well！　We'll　see！　No　treasure　will　e　back　through　Mirkwood　without　my　having　something　to　say　in　the　matter。　But　I　expect　they　will　all　e　to　a　bad　end；　and　serve　them　right！〃　He　at　any　rate　did　not　believe　in　dwarves　fighting　and　killing　dragons　like　Smaug；　and　he　strongly　suspected　attempted　burglary　or　something　like　it　which　shows　he　was　a　wise　elf　and　wiser　than　the　men　of　the　town；　though　not　quite　right；　as　we　shall　see　in　the　end。　He　sent　out　his　spies　about　the　shores　of　the　lake　and　as　far　northward　towards　the　Mountains　as　they　would　go；　and　waited。　　At　the　end　of　a　fortnight　Thorin　began　to　think　of　departure。　While　the　enthusiasm　still　lasted　in　the　town　was　the　time　to　get　help。　It　would　not　do　to　let　everything　cool　down　with　delay。　So　he　spoke　to　the　Master　and　his　councillors　and　said　that　soon　he　and　his　pany　must　go　on　towards　the　Mountain。
　Then　for　the　first　time　the　Master　was　surprised　and　a　little　frightened；　and　he　wondered　if　Thorin　was　after　all　really　a　descendant　of　the　old　kings。　　He　had　never　thought　that　the　dwarves　would　actually　dare　to　approach　Smaug；　but　believed　they　were　frauds　who　would　sooner　or　later　be　discovered　and　be　turned　out。　He　was　wrong。　Thorin；　of　course；　was　really　the　grandson　of　the　King　under　the　Mountain；　and　there　is　no　knowing　what　a　dwarf　will　not　dare　and　do　for　revenge　or　the　recovery　of　his　own。　But　the　Master　was　not　sorry　at　all　to　let　them　go。　They　were　expensive　to　keep；　and　their　arrival　had　turned　things　into　a　long　holiday　in　which　business　was　at　a　standstill。　　〃Let　them　go　and　bother　Smaug；　and　see　how　he　weles　them！〃　he　thought。　　〃Certainly；　O　Thorin　Thrain's　son　Thror's　son！〃　was　what　he　said。　〃You　must　claim　your　own。　The　hour　is　at　hand；　spoken　of　old。　What　help　we　can　offer　shall　be　yours；　and　we　trust　to　your　gratitude　when　your　kingdom　is　regained。〃　So　one　day；　although　autumn　was　now　getting　far　on；　and　winds　were　cold；　and　leaves　were　falling　fast；　three　large　boats　left　Lake…town；　laden　with　rowers；　dwarves；　Mr。　Baggins；　and　many　provisions。　Horses　and　ponies　had　been　sent　round　by　circuitous　paths　to　meet　them　at　their　appointed　landing…place。　　The　Master　and　his　councillors　bade　them　farewell　from　the　great　steps　of　the　town…hall　that　went　down　to　the　lake。　People　sang　on　the　quays　and　out　of　windows。　The　white　oars　dipped　and　splashed；　and　off　they　went　north　up　the　lake　on　the　last　stage　of　their　long　journey。　The　only　person　thoroughly　unhappy　was　Bilbo。
　
　Chapter　11
　On　the　Doorstep
　
　In　two　days　going　they　rowed　right　up　the　Long　Lake　and　passed　out　into　the　River　Running；　and　now　they　could　all　see　the　Lonely　Mountain　towering　grim　and　tall　before　them。　The　stream　was　strong　and　their　going　slow。　At　the；　end　of　the　third　day；　some　miles　up　the　river；　they　drew　in　to　the　left　or　western　bank　and　disembarked。　Here　they　were　joined　by　the　horses　with　other　provisions　and　necessaries　and　the　ponies　for　their　own　use　that　had　been　sent　to　meet　them。　They　packed　what　they　could　on　the　ponies　and　the　rest　was　made　into　a　store　under　a　tent；　but　none　of　the　men　of　the　town　would　stay　with　them　even　for　the　night　so　near　the　shadow　of　the　Mountain。　　〃Not　at　any　rate　until　the　songs　have　e　true！〃　said　they。　It　was　easier　to　believe　in　the　Dragon　and　less　easy　to　believe　in　Thorin　in　these　wild　parts。　Indeed　their　stores　had　no　need　of　any　guard；　for　all　the　land　was　desolate　and　empty。　So　their　escort　left　them；　making　off　swiftly　down　the　river　and　the　shoreward　paths；　although　the　night　was　already　drawing　on。　　They　spent　a　cold　and　lonely　night　and　their　spirits　fell。　The　next　day　they　set　out　again。　Balin　and　Bilbo　rode　behind；　each　leading　another　pony　heavily　laden　beside　him；　the　others　were　some　way　ahead　picking　out　a　slow　road；　for　there　were　no　paths。　They　made　north…west；　slanting　away　from　the　River　Running；　and　drawing　ever　nearer　and　nearer　to　a　great　spur　of　the　Mountain　that　was　flung　out　southwards　towards　them。
　It　was　a　weary　journey；　and　a　quiet　and　stealthy　one。　There　was　no　laughter　or　song　or　sound　of　harps；　and　the　pride　and　hopes　which　had　stirred　in　their　hearts　at　the　singing　of　old　songs　by　the　lake　died　away　to　a　plodding　gloom。　They　knew　that　they　were　drawing　near　to　the　end　of　their　journey；　and　that　it　might　be　a　very　horrible　end。　The　land　about　them　grew　bleak　and　barren；　though　once；　as　Thorin　told　them；　it　had　been　green　and　fair。　There　was　little　grass；　and　before　long　there　was　neither　bush　nor　tree；　and　only　broken　and　blackened　stumps　to　speak　of　ones　long　vanished。　They　were　e　to　the　Desolation　of　the　Dragon；　and　they　were　e　at　the　waning　of　the　year。
　They　reached　the　skirts　of　the　Mountain　all　the　same　without　meeting　any　danger　or　any　sign　of　the　Dragon　other　than　the　wilderness　he　had　made　about　his　lair。　The　Mountain　lay　dark　and　silent　before　them　and　ever　higher　above　them。　They　made　their　first　camp　on