jrt.the hobbit-第40部分

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ition。　They　had　changed　even　in　recent　years；　and　since　the　last　news　that　Gandalf　had　had　of　them。　Great　floods　and　rains　had　swollen　the　waters　that　flowed　east；　and　there　had　been　an　earthquake　or　two　（which　some　were　inclined　to　attribute　to　the　dragon…alluding　to　him　chiefly　with　a　curse　and　an　ominous　nod　in　the　direction　of　the　Mountain）。　The　marshes　and　bogs　had　spread　wider　and　wider　on　either　side。　Paths　had　vanished；　and　many　a　rider　and　wanderer　too；　if　they　had　tried　to　find　the　lost　ways　across。　The　elf…road　through　the　wood　which　the　dwarves　had　followed　on　the　advice　of　Beorn　now　came　to　a　doubtful　and　little　used　end　at　the　eastern　edge　of　the　forest；　only　the　river　offered　any　longer　a　safe　way　from　the　skirts　of　Mirkwood　in　the　North　to　the　mountain…shadowed　plains　beyond；　and　the　river　was　guarded　by　the　Wood…elves'　king。
　So　you　see　Bilbo　had　e　in　the　end　by　the　only　road　that　was　any　good。　　It　might　have　been　some　fort　to　Mr。　Baggins　shivering　on　the　barrels；　if　he　had　known　that　news　of　this　had　reached　Gandalf　far　away　and　given　him　great　anxiety；　and　that　he　was　in　fact　finishing　his　other　business　（which　does　not　e　into　this　tale）　and　getting　ready　to　e　in　search　of　Thorin's　pany。　　But　Bilbo　did　not　know　it。
　All　he　knew　was　that　the　river　seemed　to　go　on　and　on　and　on　for　ever；　and　he　was　hungry；　and　had　a　nasty　cold　in　the　nose；　and　did　not　like　the　way　the　Mountain　seemed　to　frown　at　him　and　threaten　him　as　it　drew　ever　nearer。　　After　a　while；　however；　the　river　took　a　more　southerly　course　and　the　Mountain　receded　again；　and　at　last；　late　in　the　day　the　shores　grew　rocky；　the　river　gathered　all　its　wandering　waters　together　into　a　deep　and　rapid　flood；　and　they　swept　along　at　great　speed。
　The　sun　had　set　when　turning　with　another　sweep　towards　the　East　the　forest…river　rushed　into　the　Long　Lake。　There　it　had　a　wide　mouth　with　stony　clifflike　gates　at　either　side　whose　feet　were　piled　with　shingles。　The　Long　Lake！　Bilbo　had　never　imagined　that　any　water　that　was　not　the　sea　could　look　so　big。　It　was　so　wide　that　the　opposite　shores　looked　small　and　far；　but　it　was　so　long　that　its　northerly　end；　which　pointed　towards　the　Mountain；　could　not　be　seen　at　all。　Only　from　the　map　did　Bilbo　know　that　away　up　there；　where　the　stars　of　the　Wain　were　already　twinkling；　the　Running　River　came　down　into　the　lake　from　Dale　and　with　the　Forest　River　filled　with　deep　waters　what　must　once　have　been　a　great　deep　rocky　valley。　At　the　southern　end　the　doubled　waters　poured　out　again　over　high　waterfalls　and　ran　away　hurriedly　to　unknown　lands。　In　the　still　evening　air　the　noise　of　the　falls　could　be　heard　like　a　distant　roar。
　Not　far　from　the　mouth　of　the　Forest　River　was　the　strange　town　he　heard　the　elves　speak　of　in　the　king's　cellars。　It　was　not　built　on　the　shore；　though　there　were　a　few　huts　and　buildings　there；　but　right　out　on　the　surface　of　the　lake；　protected　from　the　swirl　of　the　entering　river　by　a　promontory　of　rock　which　formed　a　calm　bay。　A　great　。　bridge　made　of　wood　ran　out　to　where　on　huge　piles　made　of　forest　trees　was　built　a　busy　wooden　town；　not　a　town　of　elves　but　of　Men；　who　still　dared　to　dwell　here　under　the　shadow　of　the　distant　dragon…mountain。　They　still　throve　on　the　trade　that　came　up　the　great　river　from　the　South　and　was　carted　past　the　falls　to　their　town；　but　in　the　great　days　of　old；　when　Dale　in　the　North　was　rich　and　prosperous；　they　had　been　wealthy　and　powerful；　and　there　had　been　fleets　of　boats　on　the　waters；　and　some　were　filled　with　gold　and　some　with　warriors　in　armour；　and　there　had　been　wars　and　deeds　which　were　now　only　a　legend。　The　rotting　piles　of　a　greater　town　could　still　be　seen　along　the　shores　when　the　waters　sank　in　a　drought。
　But　men　remembered　little　of　all　that；　though　some　still　sang　old　songs　of　the　dwarf…kings　of　the　Mountain；　Thror　and　Thrain　of　the　race　of　Durin；　and　of　the　ing　of　the　Dragon；　and　the　fall　of　the　lords　of　Dale。　Some　sang　too　that　Thror　and　Thrain　would　e　back　one　day　and　gold　would　flow　in　rivers　through　the　mountain…gates；　and　all　that　land　would　be　filled　with　new　song　and　new　laughter。　But　this　pleasant　legend　did　not　much　affect　their　daily　business。
　As　soon　as　the　raft　of　barrels　came　in　sight　boats　rowed　out　from　the　piles　of　the　town；　and　voices　hailed　the　raft…steerers。　Then　ropes　were　cast　and　oars　were　pulled；　and　soon　the　raft　was　drawn　out　of　the　current　of　the　Forest　River　and　towed　away　round　the　high　shoulder　of　rock　into　the　little　bay　of　Lake…town。　There　it　was　moored　not　far　from　the　shoreward　head　of　the　great　bridge。　Soon　men　would　e　up　from　the　South　and　take　some　of　the　casks　away；　and　others　they　would　fill　with　goods　they　had　brought　to　be　taken　back　up　the　stream　to　the　Wood…elves'　home。　In　the　meanwhile　the　barrels　were　left　afloat　while　the　elves　of　the　raft　and　the　boatmen　went　to　feast　in　Lake…town。
　They　would　have　been　surprised；　if　they　could　have　seen　what　happened　down　by　the　shore；　after　they　had　gone　and　the　shades　of　night　had　fallen。　　First　of　all　a　barrel　was　cut　loose　by　Bilbo　and　pushed　to　the　shore　and　opened。　Groans　came　from　inside；　and　out　crept　a　most　unhappy　dwarf。　Wet　straw　was　in　his　draggled　beard；　he　was　so　sore　and　stiff；　so　bruised　and　buffeted　he　could　hardly　stand　or　stumble　through　the　shallow　water　to　lie　groaning　on　the　shore。　He　had　a　famished　and　a　savage　look　like　a　dog　that　has　been　chained　and　forgotten　in　a　kennel　for　a　week。　It　was　Thorin；　but　you　could　only　have　told　it　by　his　golden　chain；　and　by　the　colour　of　his　now　dirty　and　tattered　sky…blue　hood　with　its　tarnished　silver　tassel。　It　was　some　time　before　he　would　be　even　polite　to　the　hobbit。
　〃Well；　are　you　alive　or　are　you　dead？〃　asked　Bilbo　quite　crossly。　Perhaps　he　had　forgotten　that　he　had　had　at　least　one　good　meal　more　than　the　dwarves；　and　also　the　use　of　his　arms　and　legs；　not　to　speak　of　a　greater　allowance　of　air。　〃Are　you　still　in　prison；　or　are　you　free？　If　you　want　food；　and　if　you　want　to　go　on　with　this　silly　adventure…　it's　yours　after　all　and　not　mine…you　had　better　slap　your　arms　and　rub　your　legs　and　try　and　help　me　get　the　others　out　while　there　is　a　chance！〃
　Thorin　of　course　saw　the　sense　of　this；　so　after　a　few　more　groans　he　got　up　and　helped　the　hobbit　as　well　as　he　could。　In　the　darkness　floundering　in　the　cold　water　they　had　a　difficult　and　very　nasty　job　finding　which　were　the　right　barrels。　Knocking　outside　and　calling　only　discovered　about　six　dwarves　that　could　answer。　They　were　unpacked　and　helped　ashore　where　they　sat　or　lay　muttering　and　moaning；　they　were　so　soaked　and　bruised　and　cramped　that　they　could　hardly　yet　realize　their　release　or　be　properly　thankful　for　it。　　Dwalin　and　Balin　were　two　of　the　most　unhappy；　and　it　was　no　good　asking　them　to　help。　Bifur　and　Bofur　were　less　knocked　about　and　drier；　but　they　lay　down　and　would　do　nothing。　Fili　and　Kili；　however；　who　were　young　（for　dwarves）　and　had　also　been　packed　more　neatly　with　plenty　of　straw　into　smaller　casks；　came　out　more　or　less　smiling；　with　only　a　bruise　or　two　and　a　stiffness　that　soon　wore　off。
　〃I　hope　I　never　smell　the　smell　of　apples　again！〃　said　Fili。　〃My　tub　was　full　of　it。　To　smell　apples　everlastingly　when　you　can　scarcely　move　and　are　cold　and　sick　with　hunger　is　maddening。　I　could　eat　anything　in　the　wide　world　now；　for　hours　on　end…but　not　an　apple！〃
　With　the　willing　help　of　Fili　and　Kili；　Thorin　and　Bilbo　at　last　discovered　the　remainder　of　the　pany　and　got　them　out。　Poor　fat　Bombur　was　asleep　or　senseless；　Dori；　Nori；　Ori；　Oin　and　Gloin　were　waterlogged　and　seemed　only　half　alive；　they　all　had　to　be　carried　one　by　one　and　laid　helpless　on　the　shore。
　〃Well！　Here　we　are！〃　said　Thorin。　〃And　I　suppose　we　ought　to　thank　our　stars　and　Mr。　Baggins。　I　am　sure　he　has　a　right　to　expect　it；　though　I　wish　he　could　have　arranged　a　more　fortable　journey。　Still…all　very　much　at　your　service　once　more；　Mr。　Baggins。　No　doubt　we　shall　feel　properly　grateful；　when　we　are　fed　and　recovered。　In　the　meanwhile　what　next？〃　〃I　suggest　Lake…town；〃　said　Bilbo；　〃What　else　is　there？〃　Nothing　else　could；　of　course；　be　suggested；　so　leaving　the　others　Thorin　and　Fili　and　Kili　and　the　hobbit　went　along　the　shore