jrt.the hobbit-第31部分

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Bombur　was　a　poor　exchange　for　packs　filled　with　food　however　heavy。　In　a　few　days　a　time　came　when　there　was　practically　nothing　left　to　eat　or　to　drink。　Nothing　wholesome　could　they　see　growing　in　the　woods；　only　funguses　and　herbs　with　pale　leaves　and　unpleasant　smell。
　About　four　days　from　the　enchanted　stream　they　came　to　a　part　where　most　of　the　trees　were　beeches。　They　were　at　first　inclined　to　be　cheered　by　the　change；　for　here　there　was　no　undergrowth　and　the　shadow　was　not　so　deep。　　There　was　a　greenish　light　about　them；　and　in　places　they　could　see　some　distance　to　either　side　of　the　path。　Yet　the　light　only　showed　them　endless　lines　of　straight　grey　trunks　like　the　pillars　of　some　huge　twilight　hall。　　There　was　a　breath　of　air　and　a　noise　of　wind；　but　it　had　a　sad　sound。　A　few　leaves　came　rustling　down　to　remind　them　that　outside　autumn　was　ing　on。　　Their　feet　ruffled　among　the　dead　leaves　of　countless　other　autumns　that　drifted　over　the　banks　of　the　path　from　the　deep　red　carpets　of　the　forest。　　Still　Bombur　slept　and　they　grew　very　weary。　At　times　they　heard　disquieting　laughter。　Sometimes　there　was　singing　in　the　distance　too。　The　laughter　was　the　laughter　of　fair　voices　not　of　goblins；　and　the　singing　was　beautiful；　but　it　sounded　eerie　and　strange；　and　they　were　not　forted；　rather　they　hurried　on　from　those　parts　with　what　strength　they　had　left。　　Two　days　later　they　found　their　path　going　downwards　and　before　long　they　were　in　a　valley　filled　almost　entirely　with　a　mighty　growth　of　oaks。　　〃Is　there　no　end　to　this　accursed　forest？〃　said　Thorin。　　〃Somebody　must　climb　a　tree　and　see　if　he　can　get　his　head　above　the　roof　and　have　a　look　round。　The　only　way　is　to　choose　the　tallest　tree　that　overhangs　the　path。〃
　Of　course　〃somebody〃　meant　Bilbo。　They　chose　him　because　to　be　of　any　use　the　climber　must　get　his　head　above　the　topmost　leaves；　and　so　he　must　be　light　enough　for　the　highest　and　slenderest　branches　to　bear　him。　Poor　Mr。　　Baggins　had　never　had　much　practice　in　climbing　trees；　but　they　hoisted　him　up　into　the　lowest　branches　of　an　enormous　oak　that　grew　right　out　into　the　path；　and　up　he　had　to　go　as　best　he　could。　He　pushed　his　way　through　the　tangled　twigs　with　many　a　slap　in　the　eye；　he　was　greened　and　grimed　from　the　old　bark　of　the　greater　boughs；　more　than　once　he　slipped　and　caught　himself　just　in　time；　and　at　last；　after　a　dreadful　struggle　in　a　difficult　place　where　there　seemed　to　be　no　convenient　branches　at　all；　he　got　near　the　top。　All　the　time　he　was　wondering　whether　there　were　spiders　in　the　tree；　and　how　he　was　going　to　get　down　again　（except　by　falling）。
　In　the　end　he　poked　his　head　above　the　roof　of　leaves；　and　then　he　found　spiders　all　right。　But　they　were　only　small　ones　of　ordinary　size；　and　they　were　after　the　butterflies。　Bilbo's　eyes　were　nearly　blinded　by　the　light。　He　could　hear　the　dwarves　shouting　up　at　him　from　far　below；　but　he　could　not　answer；　only　hold　on　and　blink。　The　sun　was　shining　brilliantly；　and　it　was　a　long　while　before　he　could　bear　it。　When　he　could；　he　saw　all　round　him　a　sea　of　dark　green；　ruffled　here　and　there　by　the　breeze；　and　there　were　everywhere　hundreds　of　butterflies。　I　expect　they　were　a　kind　of　'purple　emperor；'　a　butterfly　that　loves　the　tops　of　oak…woods；　but　these　were　not　purple　at　all；　they　were　a　dark　dark　velvety　black　without　any　markings　to　be　seen。　　He　looked　at　the　'black　emperors'　for　a　long　time；　and　enjoyed　the　feel　of　the　breeze　in　his　hair　and　on　his　face；　but　at　length　the　cries　of　the　dwarves；　who　were　now　simply　stamping　with　impatience　down　below；　reminded　him　of　his　real　business。　It　was　no　good。　Gaze　as　much　as　he　might；　he　could　see　no　end　to　the　trees　and　the　leaves　in　any　direction。　His　heart；　that　had　been　lightened　by　the　sight　of　the　sun　and　the　feel　of　the　wind；　sank　back　into　his　toes：　there　was　no　food　to　go　back　to　down　below。
　Actually；　as　I　have　told　you；　they　were　not　far　off　the　edge　of　the　forest；　and　if　Bilbo　had　had　the　sense　to　see　it；　the　tree　that　he　had　climbed；　though　it　was　tall　in　itself；　was　standing　near　the　bottom　of　a　wide　valley；　so　that　from　its　top　the　trees　seemed　to　swell　up　all　round　like　the　edges　of　a　great　bowl；　and　he　could　not　expect　to　see　how　far　the　forest　lasted。　Still　he　did　not　see　this；　and　he　climbed　down　full　of　despair。　He　got　to　the　bottom　again　at　last　scratched；　hot；　and　miserable；　and　he　could　not　see　anything　in　the　gloom　below　when　he　got　there。　His　report　soon　made　the　others　as　miserable　as　he　was。
　〃The　forest　goes　on　for　ever　and　ever　and　ever　in　all　directions！　　Whatever　shall　we　do？　And　what　is　the　use　of　sending　a　hobbit！〃　they　cried；　as　if　it　was　his　fault。　They　did　not　care　tuppence　about　the　butterflies；　and　were　only　made　more　angry　when　he　told　them　of　the　beautiful　breeze；　which　they　were　too　heavy　to　climb　up　and　feel。
　That　night　they　ate　their　very　last　scraps　and　crumbs　of　food；　and　next　morning　when　they　woke　the　first　thing　they　noticed　was　that　they　were　still　gnawingly　hungry；　and　the　next　thing　was　that　it　was　raining　and　that　here　and　there　the　drip　of　it　was　dropping　heavily　on　the　forest　floor。　That　only　reminded　them　that　they　were　also　parchingly　thirsty；　without　doing　anything　to　relieve　them：　you　cannot　quench　a　terrible　thirst　by　standing　under　giant　oaks　and　waiting　for　a　chance　drip　to　fall　on　your　tongue。　The　only　scrap　of　fort　there　was；　came　unexpectedly　from　Bombur。　　He　woke　up　suddenly　and　sat　up　scratching　his　head。　He　could　not　make　out　where　he　was　at　all；　nor　why　he　felt　so　hungry；　for　he　had　forgotten　everything　that　had　happened　since　they　started　their　journey　that　May　morning　long　ago。　The　last　thing　that　he　remembered　was　the　party　at　the　hobbit's　house；　and　they　had　great　difficulty　in　making　him　believe　their　tale　of　all　the　many　adventures　they　had　had　since。
　When　he　heard　that　there　was　nothing　to　eat；　he　sat　down　and　wept；　for　he　felt　very　weak　and　wobbly　in　the　legs。　〃Why　ever　did　I　wake　up！〃　he　cried。　〃I　was　having　such　beautiful　dreams。　I　dreamed　I　was　walking　in　a　forest　rather　like　this　one；　only　lit　with　torches　on　the　trees　and　lamps　swinging　from　the　branches　and　fires　burning　on　the　ground；　and　there　was　a　great　feast　going　on；　going　on　for　ever。　A　woodland　king　was　there　with　a　crown　of　leaves；　and　there　was　a　merry　singing；　and　I　could　not　count　or　describe　the　things　there　were　to　eat　and　drink。〃
　〃You　need　not　try；〃　said　Thorin。　〃In　fact　if　you　can't　talk　about　something　else；　you　had　better　be　silent。　We　are　quite　annoyed　enough　with　you　as　it　is。　If　you　hadn't　waked　up；　we　should　have　left　you　to　your　idiotic　dreams　in　the　forest；　you　are　no　joke　to　carry　even　after　weeks　of　short　mons。〃
　There　was　nothing　now　to　be　done　but　to　tighten　the　belts　round　their　empty　stomachs；　and　hoist　their　empty　sacks　and　packs；　and　trudge　along　the　track　without　any　great　hope　of　ever　getting　to　the　end　before　they　lay　down　and　died　of　starvation。　This　they　did　all　that　day；　going　very　slowly　and　wearily；　while　Bombur　kept　on　wailing　that　his　legs　would　not　carry　him　and　that　he　wanted　to　lie　down　and　sleep。
　〃No　you　don't！〃　they　said。　〃Let　your　legs　take　their　share；　we　have　carried　you　far　enough。〃
　All　the　same　he　suddenly　refused　to　go　a　step　further　and　flung　himself　on　the　ground。　〃Go　on；　if　you　must；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　just　going　to　lie　here　and　sleep　and　dream　of　food；　if　I　can't　get　it　any　other　way。　I　hope　I　never　wake　up　again。〃
　At　that　very　moment　Balin；　who　was　a　little　way　ahead；　called　out：　〃What　was　that？　I　thought　I　saw　a　twinkle　of　light　in　the　forest。〃　They　all　looked；　and　a　longish　way　off；　it　seemed；　they　saw　a　red　twinkle　in　the　dark；　then　another　and　another　sprang　out　beside　it。　Even　Bombur　got　up；　and　they　hurried　along　then；　not　caring　if　it　was　trolls　or　goblins。　The　light　was　in　front　of　them　and　to　the　left　of　the　path；　and　when　at　last　they　had　drawn　level　with　it；　it　seemed　plain　that　torches　and　fires　were　burning　under　the　trees；　but　a　good　way　off　their　track。
　〃It　looks　as　if　my　dreams　were　ing　true；〃　gasped　Bombur　puffing　up　behind。　He　wanted　to　rush　straight　off　into　the　wood　after　the　lights。　But　the　others　remembered　only　too　well　the　warnings　of　the　wizard　and　of　Beor