霍比特人：乘桶而逃 Barrels Out of Bond

BARRELS OUT OF BOND

乘桶而逃

The day after the battle with the spiders Bilbo and the dwarves made one last despairing effort to find a way out before they died of hunger and thirst. They got up and staggered on in the direction which eight out of the thirteen of them guessed to be the one in which the path lay; but they never found out if they were right. Such day as there ever was in the forest was fading once more into the blackness of night, when suddenly out sprang the light of many torches all round them, like hundreds of red stars. Out leaped Wood-elves with their bows and spears and called the dwarves to halt.

在與蜘蛛大戰(zhàn)的第二天，比爾博和矮人們決定拼盡最后的力氣，在餓死或渴死之前，再探一次出去的路。他們爬起身來，朝著以八票對五票被認定是小徑的方向踉踉蹌蹌地前進，但是他們一直也沒能發(fā)現(xiàn)自己是不是走對了。森林中一如既往的那種昏暗的白天又緩緩地蛻變成了漆黑的黑夜，然而正在此時，許多火把的光突然出現(xiàn)在他們周圍，如同幾百顆紅色的星星。森林精靈們拿著弓箭和長矛跳了出來，命令矮人們停下。

There was no thought of a fight. Even if the dwarves had not been in such a state that they were actually glad to be captured, their small knives, the only weapons they had, would have been of no use against the arrows of the elves that could hit a bird’s eye in the dark. So they simply stopped dead and sat down and waited—all except Bilbo, who popped on his ring and slipped quickly to one side. That is why, when the elves bound the dwarves in a long line, one behind the other, and counted them, they never found or counted the hobbit.

他們根本就沒想過要抵抗。即使矮人們不是身處這種筋疲力盡的狀態(tài)，他們其實也很高興被抓，因為，他們身上惟一的武器就是小刀，這和精靈們能在黑暗里射中小鳥眼睛的弓箭根本無法對抗。于是他們老老實實地停了下來，坐在地上等著——只有比爾博是例外，他飛快地戴上戒指，躲到了一邊。也正是因為這樣，當精靈們將矮人們綁成一長串，一個挨一個，整隊清點的時候，他們沒有發(fā)現(xiàn)，也沒有點到霍比特人。

Nor did they hear or feel him trotting along well behind their torch-light as they led off their prisoners into the forest. Each dwarf was blindfold, but that did not make much difference, for even Bilbo with the use of his eyes could not see where they were going, and neither he nor the others knew where they had started from anyway. Bilbo had all he could do to keep up with the torches, for the elves were making the dwarves go as fast as ever they could, sick and weary as they were. The king had ordered them to make haste. Suddenly the torches stopped, and the hobbit had just time to catch them up before they began to cross the bridge. This was the bridge that led across the river to the king’s doors. The water flowed dark and swift and strong beneath; and at the far end were gates before the mouth of a huge cave that ran into the side of a steep slope covered with trees. There the great beeches came right down to the bank, till their feet were in the stream.

精靈們擎著火把，領著他們的俘虜在森林中行進，一點也沒有聽見或感到比爾博隨著火光跟在他們的身后。每個矮人都被蒙住了眼睛，不過其實蒙不蒙也沒什么兩樣，因為即使是睜著眼睛的比爾博也弄不清他們是在朝什么方向行走，況且，他和矮人們連出發(fā)地點的方位也還一無所知呢。比爾博使盡全力方能勉強跟著火把前進。矮人們雖然又病又累，但精靈們還是毫不客氣地趕著他們用最快的速度前進，因為國王命令過他們要盡快趕回。突然，火把停了下來，霍比特人在他們開始過橋之前剛好趕上了他們。這就是越過宮殿門口河流的橋梁，橋下的水又黑又深又急，橋對面是幾道門，門后是一個巨大洞穴的入口，洞穴直通向一面覆滿蒼翠樹木的山坡。坡上的山毛櫸一直延伸到河岸邊，直到把樹根伸進河水中。

Across the bridge the elves thrust their prisoners, but Bilbo hesitated in the rear. He did not at all like the look of the cavern-mouth, and he only made up his mind not to desert his friends just in time to scuttle over at the heels of the last elves, before the great gates of the king closed behind them with a clang.

精靈們推著俘虜走過橋，跟在后面的比爾博卻遲疑了。他一點兒也不喜歡山洞洞口的樣子。他在心中掙扎了好久，才決定不能拋下朋友們，并趕在最后一名精靈身后走進洞去。他剛一進洞，大門就當?shù)囊宦曣P上了。

Inside the passages were lit with red torch-light, and the elf-guards sang as they marched along the twisting, crossing, and echoing paths. These were not like those of the goblin-cities; they were smaller, less deep underground, and filled with a cleaner air. In a great hall with pillars hewn out of the living stone sat the Elvenking on a chair of carven wood. On his head was a crown of berries and red leaves, for the autumn was come again. In the spring he wore a crown of woodland flowers. In his hand he held a carven staff of oak.

洞穴里的通道點著紅紅的火把，精靈衛(wèi)兵們邊走邊唱，通道蜿蜒曲折，回響著衛(wèi)兵們的歌聲。這些通道和半獸人城市中的不同，比他們的要小，沒有那么深入地下，空氣也清新一些。精靈國王坐在大廳中，大廳的廊柱都是從石頭中砍削出來的，國王的寶座是一把雕花的木椅。由于時序已來到秋天，所以國王頭頂戴的是一頂野莓和紅葉編成的王冠。在春天，他會戴由林中花朵編成的花冠。他手中拿著的是一根橡木雕成的權杖。

The Elvenking's Gate.

俘虜們被帶到國王面前。

The prisoners were brought before him; and though he looked grimly at them, he told his men to unbind them, for they were ragged and weary. “Besides they need no ropes in here,” said he. “There is no escape from my magic doors for those who are once brought inside.”

雖然他板起臉來望著他們，但看見他們衣衫襤褸，身心疲憊，還是命令手下給他們松了綁。“反正在這里也不需要繩索，”他說，“人只要帶了進來，就絕對無法從我的魔法大門逃脫。”

Long and searchingly he questioned the dwarves about their doings, and where they were going to, and where they were coming from; but he got little more news out of them than out of Thorin. They were surly and angry and did not even pretend to be polite.

他花了很長時間，仔仔細細地盤問了矮人們，問他們在做什么，要到哪兒去，又是從哪兒來的，不過并沒有能得到多過從索林那里得來的信息。矮人們個個犟頭倔腦、怒氣沖沖，連面子上的禮貌都不想裝。

“What have we done, O king?” said Balin, who was the eldest left. “Is it a crime to be lost in the forest, to be hungry and thirsty, to be trapped by spiders? Are the spiders your tame beasts or your pets, if killing them makes you angry?”

“國王啊，我們到底做了什么?”剩下這些人中最年長的巴林問道，“在森林中迷路，又饑又渴，還墮入了蜘蛛的陷阱，這難道犯了罪嗎?這些蜘蛛難道是您豢養(yǎng)的野獸或寵物，殺死它們便觸怒了您嗎?”

Such a question of course made the king angrier than ever, and he answered: “It is a crime to wander in my realm without leave. Do you forget that you were in my kingdom, using the road that my people made? Did you not three times pursue and trouble my people in the forest and rouse the spiders with your riot and clamour? After all the disturbance you have made I have a right to know what brings you here, and if you will not tell me now, I will keep you all in prison until you have learned sense and manners!”

這樣的質問當然使國王惱怒無比，他回答道：“未經(jīng)許可在我的領地里閑逛就是犯了法。你難道忘記了，你們是在我的國度里，使用我的同胞所鋪設的道路嗎?你們難道不是三次在森林中追逐、騷擾我的同胞，并以你們的騷動與喧嘩驚醒了森林中的蜘蛛嗎?在你們惹下這么多麻煩之后，我自然有權知道你們的來意，如果你們現(xiàn)在不愿意說，我就把你們關進牢里，一直關到你們學會講道理和禮貌為止!”

Then he ordered the dwarves each to be put in a separate cell and to be given food and drink, but not to be allowed to pass the doors of their little prisons, until one at least of them was willing to tell him all he wanted to know. But he did not tell them that Thorin was also a prisoner with him. It was Bilbo who found that out.

然后，他就命令將每個矮人都關進單獨的牢房，給他們食物和飲水，但嚴禁他們走出牢門一步，直到他們之中至少有一個肯告訴他他想要知道的事情為止。不過，他并沒有告訴眾人索林也被他關了起來，這是稍后才由比爾博發(fā)現(xiàn)的。

Poor Mr. Baggins—it was a weary long time that he lived in that place all alone, and always in hiding, never daring to take off his ring, hardly daring to sleep, even tucked away in the darkest and remotest corners he could find. For something to do he took to wandering about the Elvenking’s palace. Magic shut the gates, but he could sometimes get out, if he was quick. Companies of the Wood-elves, sometimes with the king at their head, would from time to time ride out to hunt, or to other business in the woods and in the lands to the East. Then if Bilbo was very nimble, he could slip out just behind them; though it was a dangerous thing to do. More than once he was nearly caught in the doors, as they clashed together when the last elf passed; yet he did not dare to march among them because of his shadow (altogether thin and wobbly as it was in torchlight), or for fear of being bumped into and discovered. And when he did go out, which was not very often, he did no good. He did not wish to desert the dwarves, and indeed he did not know where in the world to go without them. He could not keep up with the hunting elves all the time they were out, so he never discovered the ways out of the wood, and was left to wander miserably in the forest, terrified of losing himself, until a chance came of returning. He was hungry too outside, for he was no hunter; but inside the caves he could pick up a living of some sort by stealing food from store or table when no one was at hand.

可憐的巴金斯先生——這可真是一段漫長而又難熬的時間啊!他獨自一人住在那個洞穴中，躲躲藏藏,一直不敢拿下戒指，即使是躲在最黑暗、最偏遠的角落時，也幾乎不敢睡覺。為了打發(fā)時間，他開始在精靈國王的宮殿中到處轉悠。大門雖然被魔法封鎖了，但只要他速度夠快，有時候還是能出得去的。大群的森林精靈，有時在國王的帶領下，會騎馬出去打獵，或是去森林中和東方的平原那里辦事。只要比爾博身手夠靈活，他可以跟在他們身后偷溜出去，盡管這是很危險的。不止一次，他差點在最后一名精靈走出去的時候被大門夾住。但他不敢走到精靈們中間，因為他的影子(雖然在火把照耀下顯得很細，而且搖擺不定)會在光線下現(xiàn)形。而且，他也害怕因為被撞而遭發(fā)現(xiàn)。在不多幾次的出門經(jīng)驗中，他也沒有什么新發(fā)現(xiàn)。他不愿意舍棄這些矮人，事實上，如果沒有他們，他也不知道該往何處去。他不可能徒步跟上狩獵的精靈，因此從來也沒能找到離開森林的路。每當他偷溜出洞穴的時候，都只能孤苦無依地在森林里面來回轉悠，擔心會迷路，苦苦地守候回去的機會。他不會狩獵;因此在洞外只能挨餓，而在洞里倒還能趁人不注意，靠著從倉庫或桌上偷來的食物維生。

“I am like a burglar that can’t get away, but must go on miserably burgling the same house day after day,” he thought. “This is the dreariest and dullest part of all this wretched, tiresome, uncomfortable adventure! I wish I was back in my hobbit-hole by my own warm fireside with the lamp shining!” He often wished, too, that he could get a message for help sent to the wizard, but that of course was quite impossible; and he soon realized that if anything was to be done, it would have to be done by Mr. Baggins, alone and unaided.

“我就像一名永遠逃不走的飛賊，只能日復一日地在同一間屋子里面偷東西!”他想，“在這場倒霉、疲憊而又難過的冒險中，這真是最無聊、最難熬的一段了!我真希望能回到自己的霍比特洞府，坐在溫暖的爐邊，沐浴在油燈的光芒里!”他也經(jīng)常希望能想辦法給巫師送去求救的信息，但這當然是完全不可能的。他不久就意識到，如果必須要做點什么的話，只能靠巴金斯先生自己來做，而且是單槍匹馬、獨立無援地來做。

Eventually, after a week or two of this sneaking sort of life, by watching and following the guards and taking what chances he could, he managed to find out where each dwarf was kept. He found all their twelve cells in different parts of the palace, and after a time he got to know his way about very well. What was his surprise one day to overhear some of the guards talking and to learn that there was another dwarf in prison too, in a specially deep dark place. He guessed at once, of course, that that was Thorin; and after a while he found that his guess was right. At last after many difficulties he managed to find the place when no one was about, and to have a word with the chief of the dwarves.

最后，在過了一兩個星期偷偷摸摸的日子之后，他通過對衛(wèi)兵的監(jiān)視與跟蹤，利用一切能得到的機會，終于查出了所有矮人被囚禁的地方。他發(fā)現(xiàn)了位于宮殿中十二處不同地點的關押他們的牢房，而且在經(jīng)過一段時間之后，也摸熟了整個宮殿的地形與方位。出乎他意料的是，有一天，他從偷聽守衛(wèi)之間的交談發(fā)現(xiàn)，還有另外一個矮人被關在一處特別幽深、特別黑暗的牢房里，他當然立刻就猜到這個矮人是索林，而且不久就發(fā)現(xiàn)自己的猜測是正確的。最后，在經(jīng)歷了許多困難之后，他終于在四下無人的時候找到了那處地方，和矮人首領說上了話。

Thorin was too wretched to be angry any longer at his misfortunes, and was even beginning to think of telling the king all about his treasure and his quest (which shows how low-spirited he had become), when he heard Bilbo’s little voice at his keyhole. He could hardly believe his ears. Soon however he made up his mind that he could not be mistaken, and he came to the door and had a long whispered talk with the hobbit on the other side.

索林情緒沮喪，已經(jīng)連對自己的不幸發(fā)怒的勁頭兒都沒有了，甚至已經(jīng)開始考慮要把寶藏和探險的事對國王和盤托出了(由此可見他的情緒有多低落)，而就在這時，他從鑰匙孔里聽見了比爾博細小的聲音。他簡直不敢相信自己的耳朵，然而沒過多久他就確定了自己沒有弄錯。他走到門口，用壓低的聲音與門另一邊的霍比特人說了半天的話。

So it was that Bilbo was able to take secretly Thorin’s message to each of the other imprisoned dwarves, telling them that Thorin their chief was also in prison close at hand, and that no one was to reveal their errand to the king, not yet, nor before Thorin gave the word. For Thorin had taken heart again hearing how the hobbit had rescued his companions from the spiders, and was determined once more not to ransom himself with promises to the king of a share in the treasure, until all hope of escaping in any other way had disappeared; until in fact the remarkable Mr. Invisible Baggins (of whom he began to have a very high opinion indeed) had altogether failed to think of something clever.

比爾博秘密地把索林的訊息傳遞給了每個被單獨囚禁的矮人，告訴他們索林也被囚禁在附近，叫大家不要把他們此行的目的告訴國王，而大家在索林的訊息傳到之前，也沒有一個人招供的。這是因為，索林在聽了霍比特人是如何從蜘蛛手中救出他的伙伴之后，重新振作了起來，決定頂住壓力，不靠許諾給國王分一份財寶來換取自己的自由，除非所有逃跑的希望都已破滅，或是了不起的隱形人巴金斯先生(此時他已經(jīng)對霍比特人敬佩有加了)徹底想不出聰明的計劃來了。

The other dwarves quite agreed when they got the message. They all thought their own shares in the treasure (which they quite regarded as theirs, in spite of their plight and the still unconquered dragon) would suffer seriously if the Wood-elves claimed part of it, and they all trusted Bilbo. Just what Gandalf had said would happen, you see. Perhaps that was part of his reason for going off and leaving them.

其他的矮人在接到訊息后都對此表示同意。他們都覺得，如果被森林精靈占去一部分的話，自己的那一份寶藏(雖然他們此時身處困境，而且還有惡龍等著要征服，但他們已經(jīng)認定寶藏是屬于自己的了)一定會大幅縮水，再說他們全都十分信任比爾博。瞧，甘道夫所預言的果然發(fā)生了吧!或許這也正是他離開他們的原因所在。

Bilbo, however, did not feel nearly so hopeful as they did. He did not like being depended on by everyone, and he wished he had the wizard at hand. But that was no use: probably all the dark distance of Mirkwood lay between them. He sat and thought and thought, until his head nearly burst, but no bright idea would come. One invisible ring was a very fine thing, but it was not much good among fourteen. But of course, as you have guessed, he did rescue his friends in the end, and this is how it happened.

比爾博呢，他一點兒也沒有矮人們那樣對未來充滿希望。他并不喜歡被所有人倚賴的感覺，他希望巫師能在身邊。不過，這樣想是沒用的，他們之間說不定隔了有一整片黑森林呢!他坐下來想了又想，腦袋都快想爆了也沒想出什么好主意來。一枚隱形戒指的確是件不錯的寶物，但要靠它救出十四個人就有點不夠用了。不過話又說回來了，你們肯定已經(jīng)猜到了，他最后肯定救出了所有的同伴。沒錯，下面就是他怎么辦到的過程。

One day, nosing and wandering about, Bilbo discovered a very interesting thing: the great gates were not the only entrance to the caves. A stream flowed under part of the lowest regions of the palace, and joined the Forest River some way further to the east, beyond the steep slope out of which the main mouth opened. Where this underground watercourse came forth from the hillside there was a water-gate. There the rocky roof came down close to the surface of the stream, and from it a portcullis could be dropped right to the bed of the river to prevent anyone coming in or out that way. But the portcullis was often open, for a good deal of traffic went out and in by the water-gate. If anyone had come in that way, he would have found himself in a dark rough tunnel leading deep into the heart of the hill; but at one point where it passed under the caves the roof had been cut away and covered with great oaken trapdoors. These opened upwards into the king’s cellars. There stood barrels, and barrels, and barrels; for the Wood-elves, and especially their king, were very fond of wine, though no vines grew in those parts. The wine, and other goods, were brought from far away, from their kinsfolk in the South, or from the vineyards of Men in distant lands.

有一天，比爾博正在四處探看的時候，發(fā)現(xiàn)了一件非常有趣的事情：施了魔法的大門并非是洞穴的惟一入口。在宮殿地勢最低的地方有一條河流流過，最后越過入口處的斜坡，在東方和密林河匯流，而在這道地下水流出洞穴的地方有個水門。那里的洞頂十分低矮，和水面挨得很近，在那兒裝了可以直落河床的鐵閘門，以防有任何人從這里進出宮殿。不過，這道鐵閘門經(jīng)常是開著的，因為這里是他們的交通要道。如果有任何人從這一邊進來，他會發(fā)現(xiàn)自己身處在一段黑暗粗糙、直通地底的隧道。不過在隧道經(jīng)過洞穴下方的某處，隧道的頂上被鑿開，裝了結實的橡木活板門，一直向上通到國王的酒窖，那里放的除了酒桶還是酒桶。因為森林精靈們，尤其是他們的國王非常喜歡喝葡萄酒，而他們住的這一地區(qū)沒有種植任何葡萄，葡萄酒和其他的貨物，都是從很遠的地方運來的，來自他們南方的同胞，或是遙遠平原上的人類酒莊。

Hiding behind one of the largest barrels Bilbo discovered the trapdoors and their use, and lurking there, listening to the talk of the king’s servants, he learned how the wine and other goods came up the rivers, or over land, to the Long Lake. It seemed a town of Men still throve there, built out on bridges far into the water as a protection against enemies of all sorts, and especially against the dragon of the Mountain. From Lake-town the barrels were brought up the Forest River. Often they were just tied together like big rafts and poled or rowed up the stream; sometimes they were loaded on to flat boats.

比爾博躲在一個最大號的桶后面，發(fā)現(xiàn)了這些活板門的存在和它們的用處。從國王仆人們之間的交談，他知道了葡萄酒等貨物，都是從長湖沿著河流逆流而上或是走陸路運過來的。聽起來，那里還有一座相當繁華的人類城鎮(zhèn)，這座城鎮(zhèn)建在湖中，靠著橋梁對外交通，以此保護小鎮(zhèn)免受各種敵人(尤其是來自山中的惡龍)的攻擊。這些桶子就是從長湖沿著密林河運上來的。這些桶子常常被綁在一起組成大木筏，用篙或槳劃上來;有時則裝在平底船上運來。

When the barrels were empty the elves cast them through the trapdoors, opened the water-gate, and out the barrels floated on the stream, bobbing along, until they were carried by the current to a place far down the river where the bank jutted out, near to the very eastern edge of Mirkwood. There they were collected and tied together and floated back to Lake-town, which stood close to the point where the Forest River flowed into the Long Lake.

等桶子卸空以后，精靈們會將其從活板門丟下來，打開水門，桶子就會浮在水面上，沿河水一直流到下游一個河岸突出之處，靠近黑森林的最東緣。那里，有人會把桶子收攏，將它們綁到一起，漂回湖心小鎮(zhèn)，即靠近密林河流入長湖的入口。

For some time Bilbo sat and thought about this water-gate, and wondered if it could be used for the escape of his friends, and at last he had the desperate beginnings of a plan.

比爾博坐在地上，盤算著這道水門是否能用來供他的朋友們逃脫。最后，他腦子里漸漸有了一個鋌而走險的計策的雛形。

The evening meal had been taken to the prisoners. The guards were tramping away down the passages taking the torchlight with them and leaving everything in darkness. Then Bilbo heard the king’s butler bidding the chief of the guards good-night.

晚餐已經(jīng)送到了囚犯們那里，守衛(wèi)們沿著隧道離開，把火把的光芒也一起帶走，把一切都重新拋回到黑暗中。比爾博聽見國王的總管在向守衛(wèi)隊長道晚安。

“Now come with me,” he said, “and taste the new wine that has just come in. I shall be hard at work tonight clearing the cellars of the empty wood, so let us have a drink first to help the labour.”

“跟我來吧，”他說，“嘗嘗剛送來的新酒。今天晚上我有得忙了，要把酒窖里的空木桶都清理掉，所以我們倆先喝一杯，好有力氣干活兒。”

“Very good,” laughed the chief of the guards. “I’ll taste with you, and see if it is fit for the king’s table. There is a feast tonight and it would not do to send up poor stuff!”

“好嘞!”守衛(wèi)隊長笑著答應道，“我和你一起去嘗嘗，看看這酒夠不夠格上國王的餐桌。今晚上有場宴會，要是送上的是爛酒可不行!”

When he heard this Bilbo was all in a flutter, for he saw that luck was with him and he had a chance at once to try his desperate plan. He followed the two elves, until they entered a small cellar and sat down at a table on which two large flagons were set. Soon they began to drink and laugh merrily. Luck of an unusual kind was with Bilbo then. It must be potent wine to make a wood-elf drowsy; but this wine, it would seem, was the heady vintage of the great gardens of Dorwinion, not meant for his soldiers or his servants, but for the king’s feasts only, and for smaller bowls not for the butler’s great flagons.

聞聽此言，比爾博不由得心頭一陣猛跳，因為他發(fā)現(xiàn)好運果然還是跟著他的，他馬上就有機會來試一試他那個鋌而走險的計劃了。他跟著這兩名精靈，看到他們走進一個地窖，在桌邊坐了下來，桌上放著兩個大杯子。很快，兩個人就有說有笑地喝起酒來。當時跟著比爾博的運氣還不是一般的好，因為只有非常有勁的酒才能夠讓森林精靈喝醉，而這桶酒看來是產自多溫尼安大酒莊的葡萄酒，很容易上頭，不是平常給仆人和士兵喝的淡酒，而是專供國王宴會上用的，需用小杯啜飲，不能用總管的大杯牛飲。

Very soon the chief guard nodded his head, then he laid it on the table and fell fast asleep. The butler went on talking and laughing to himself for a while without seeming to notice, but soon his head too nodded to the table, and he fell asleep and snored beside his friend. Then in crept the hobbit. Very soon the chief guard had no keys, but Bilbo was trotting as fast as he could along the passages towards the cells. The great bunch seemed very heavy to his arms, and his heart was often in his mouth, in spite of his ring, for he could not prevent the keys from making every now and then a loud clink and clank, which put him all in a tremble.

沒過多久，守衛(wèi)隊長就開始耷頭耷腦了，最后趴在桌上睡死過去了。總管根本沒注意到對方，繼續(xù)在那里說著笑著，但不久他的腦袋也聾拉到了桌上，后來他也睡著了，靠在他朋友身邊打起鼾來?；舯忍厝饲那牧锪诉M去，隊長身上的鑰匙立刻就到了他手里，比爾博沿著過道飛快地朝各處牢房奔去。這一大堆鑰匙墜得他胳膊沉甸甸的，即使比爾博戴著戒指，他還是感到提心吊膽的，因為鑰匙時不時地會不可避免地互相撞擊，發(fā)出“叮鈴當啷”的聲響，每次都把比爾博嚇得渾身一震。

First he unlocked Balin’s door, and locked it again carefully as soon as the dwarf was outside. Balin was most surprised, as you can imagine; but glad as he was to get out of his wearisome little stone room, he wanted to stop and ask questions, and know what Bilbo was going to do, and all about it.

他首先打開了巴林的門，等矮人一出來，他又小心翼翼地把門重新鎖好。巴林有多吃驚你完全可以想像得到，但得以離開狹小而又令人厭倦的石牢讓他很是高興。他想要停下來問些問題，了解一下比爾博想做什么，以及整個的計劃。

“No time now!” said the hobbit. “You just follow me! We must all keep together and not risk getting separated. All of us must escape or none, and this is our last chance. If this is found out, goodness knows where the king will put you next, with chains on your hands and feet too, I expect. Don’t argue, there’s a good fellow!”

“現(xiàn)在沒時間!”霍比特人說，“你只管跟著我就行了!我們一定要集合在一起，絕對不能冒險分散。要么不走，要走就得大家一起逃出去，這是我們最后的機會了。如果我們被發(fā)現(xiàn)了，天知道國王接下來會把你們關到哪里去，而且我估計還得給你們戴上手銬腳鐐。別爭了，聽話!”

Then off he went from door to door, until his following had grown to twelve—none of them any too nimble, what with the dark, and what with their long imprisonment. Bilbo’s heart thumped every time one of them bumped into another, or grunted or whispered in the dark. “Drat this dwarvish racket!” he said to himself. But all went well, and they met no guards. As a matter of fact there was a great autumn feast in the woods that night, and in the halls above. Nearly all the king’s folk were merrymaking.

然后，他就一個接一個地把伙伴們救了出來，最后，他的身后聚齊了十二個人——大家的動作都有點木，那是因為他們置身黑暗，長期處于監(jiān)禁之中。每當他們之中有人在黑暗中撞到了別人，或是咕噥和小聲說話，比爾博的心就評評直跳。“這些愛吵吵的死矮人!”他自言自語道。不過一切進行順利，一路上沒有遇到任何守衛(wèi)。事實上，那天晚上在外面的森林和上面的大廳里都在舉行盛大的宴會，國王幾乎所有的手下都在飲酒作樂。

At last after much blundering they came to Thorin’s dungeon, far down in a deep place and fortunately not far from the cellars.

踉踉蹌蹌地走了好一陣之后，他們終于來到了索林的牢房，它位于宮殿的最深處，幸好離酒窖還不算太遠。

“Upon my word!” said Thorin, when Bilbo whispered to him to come out and join his friends, “Gandalf spoke true, as usual! A pretty fine burglar you make, it seems, when the time comes. I am sure we are all for ever at your service, whatever happens after this. But what comes next?”

“真的!”當比爾博低聲請他離開牢房與伙伴們會合時，索林說，“甘道夫果然又說對了，在時機到來的時候，你的確成為了一個出色的飛賊。不管今后會發(fā)生什么事，我們永遠都會樂意為你效勞的。接下來要怎么做?”

Bilbo saw that the time had come to explain his idea, as far as he could; but he did not feel at all sure how the dwarves would take it. His fears were quite justified, for they did not like it a bit, and started grumbling loudly in spite of their danger.

比爾博認為到了該向大家說明計劃的時候了，但他吃不準矮人們是否能接受這個計劃。他的擔心不是沒有道理的，矮人們果然一點也不喜歡這個計劃，開始大聲抱怨起來，也不管此刻正身處險地。

“We shall be bruised and battered to pieces, and drowned too, for certain!” they muttered. “We thought you had got some sensible notion, when you managed to get hold of the keys. This is a mad idea!”

“我們一定會碰撞得全身散架，還會淹死，一定的!”他們嘀咕道，“看你拿到了鑰匙，我們還以為你想出了理智的計劃來呢。這個主意實在太瘋狂了!”

“Very well!” said Bilbo very downcast, and also rather annoyed. “Come along back to your nice cells, and I will lock you all in again, and you can sit there comfortably and think of a better plan—but I don’t suppose I shall ever get hold of the keys again, even if I feel inclined to try.”

“好吧!”比爾博覺得非常喪氣和惱怒，“全都給我回到你們舒適的牢房里去吧，我會替你們鎖上門，你們就舒舒服服地坐在那里，慢慢想一個更好的計劃吧——不過我覺得我可不一定能再拿到鑰匙了，就算我還愿意再嘗試的話。”

That was too much for them, and they calmed down. In the end, of course, they had to do just what Bilbo suggested, because it was obviously impossible for them to try and find their way into the upper halls, or to fight their way out of gates that closed by magic; and it was no good grumbling in the passages until they were caught again. So following the hobbit, down into the lowest cellars they crept. They passed a door through which the chief guard and the butler could be seen still happily snoring with smiles upon their faces. The wine of Dorwinion brings deep and pleasant dreams. There would be a different expression on the face of the chief guard next day, even though Bilbo, before they went on, stole in and kind-heartedly put the keys back on his belt.

這可是他們所不能接受的，因此他們全都冷靜了下來。最后，他們當然還是只能遵照比爾博的建議去做，因為要想從上面的宮殿里逃脫顯然是不可能的，從用魔法封印的大門殺出去也不可能。在通道里抱怨個不停，然后被人再抓回去，這對誰都沒好處。所以，他們就跟著霍比特人，悄悄地潛入最底下的酒窖。他們經(jīng)過一扇門，從門縫朝里看去，依舊可以看見總管和隊長掛著微笑，開心地打著鼾熟睡著。多溫尼安的葡萄酒給他們帶來了深深的好夢。不過估計守衛(wèi)隊長的臉上到了第二天就會掛上截然不同的表情了，盡管比爾博在離開之前好心地偷溜回去，把鑰匙掛回了隊長的腰帶。

“That will save him some of the trouble he is in for,” said Mr. Baggins to himself. “He wasn’t a bad fellow, and quite decent to the prisoners. It will puzzle them all too. They will think we had a very strong magic to pass through all those locked doors and disappear. Disappear! We have got to get busy very quick, if that is to happen!”

“這至少會讓他陷入的麻煩稍微減少一些。”巴金斯先生自言自語道，“他不是個壞人，對囚犯也很過得去。這會讓他們摸不著頭腦的。他們會以為我們擁有極強的魔法，能夠穿過那些緊鎖的大門而消失。消失!要真想消失的話，我們可必須要加緊了!”

Balin was told off to watch the guard and the butler and give warning if they stirred. The rest went into the adjoining cellar with the trapdoors. There was little time to lose. Before long, as Bilbo knew, some elves were under orders to come down and help the butler get the empty barrels through the doors into the stream. These were in fact already standing in rows in the middle of the floor waiting to be pushed off. Some of them were wine-barrels, and these were not much use, as they could not easily be opened at the end without a deal of noise, nor could they easily be secured again. But among them were several others, which had been used for bringing other stuffs, butter, apples, and all sorts of things, to the king’s palace.

巴林被安排盯著守衛(wèi)隊長和總管，如果對方醒過來了，就向大家發(fā)出警報。其他人則進入裝有活板門的酒窖內。時間非常緊，比爾博知道，過不了多久就會有精靈奉命下來，協(xié)助總管把空木桶通過活板門丟入河水中。這些木桶其實已經(jīng)排成排放在了地板中央，就等人來將它們推下去了。有些桶是裝葡萄酒的，這些桶沒多大用處，因為要想從兩頭打開的話非得折騰上半天，還得弄出很大的響動，而且也很難再關上。不過，這些桶當中還有一些是用來裝運送往王宮的其他貨物的，比如奶油、蘋果之類的。

They soon found thirteen with room enough for a dwarf in each. In fact some were too roomy, and as they climbed in the dwarves thought anxiously of the shaking and the bumping they would get inside, though Bilbo did his best to find straw and other stuff to pack them in as cosily as could be managed in a short time. At last twelve dwarves were stowed. Thorin had given a lot of trouble, and turned and twisted in his tub and grumbled like a large dog in a small kennel; while Balin, who came last, made a great fuss about his air-holes and said he was stifling, even before his lid was on. Bilbo had done what he could to close holes in the sides of the barrels, and to fix on all the lids as safely as could be managed, and now he was left alone again, running round putting the finishing touches to the packing, and hoping against hope that his plan would come off.

他們很快就找到了十三個能裝得下矮人的木桶。事實上，有些桶還稍嫌大了些，矮人們爬進去之后就開始擔心接下來要承受的晃蕩與撞擊。因此，比爾博還費盡心思找來了稻草之類的東西填進去，讓他們在短時間里盡可能的舒服一點。最后，十二名矮人都裝進了桶里。索林的麻煩最多，他在木桶里扭來轉去，抱怨個不停，就像是被關在小籠子里面的大狗。最后一個進來的巴林為通風孔的事煩了半天，蓋子都還沒關上，就開始說他透不過氣來了。比爾博盡自己所能地幫大家塞好木桶邊上的洞，確保所有的蓋子安全地蓋緊?，F(xiàn)在他又只有一個人了，跑過來跑過去地進行著掃尾工作，希望自己的計劃能夠成功實施。

It had not been done a bit too soon. Only a minute or two after Balin’s lid had been fitted on there came the sound of voices and the flicker of lights. A number of elves came laughing and talking into the cellars and singing snatches of song. They had left a merry feast in one of the halls and were bent on returning as soon as they could.

他的工作完成得剛好及時。在巴林的蓋子蓋上僅僅一兩分鐘之后，就傳來了精靈們的說話聲和火把的光芒。幾個精靈說笑著走進酒窖，哼著斷斷續(xù)續(xù)的歌。他們是從上面的歡宴中走出來的，一心想著要快點回去。

“Where’s old Galion, the butler?” said one. “I haven’t seen him at the tables tonight. He ought to be here now to show us what is to be done.”

“總管老加理安到哪兒去了?”一個人說，“今晚我沒在餐桌上看到他。他應該到這兒來指點我們該干些什么才對。”

“I shall be angry if the old slowcoach is late,” said another. “I have no wish to waste time down here while the song is up!”

“如果那個老磨蹭鬼遲到的話，我可要生氣的。”另一個人說，“我可不想在歌兒唱得歡的時候，跑到下邊來浪費時間!”

“Ha, ha!” came a cry. “Here’s the old villain with his head on a jug! He’s been having a little feast all to himself and his friend the captain.”

“哈哈!”有人大喊道，“老混蛋在這兒呢，枕著酒壺睡著啦!看來他和他的朋友隊長兩個在這兒舉辦自己的小宴會呢。”

“Shake him! Wake him!” shouted the others impatiently.

“搖他!把他弄醒!”其他人不耐煩地喊道。

Galion was not at all pleased at being shaken or wakened, and still less at being laughed at. “You’re all late,” he grumbled. “Here am I waiting and waiting down here, while you fellows drink and make merry and forget your tasks. Small wonder if I fall asleep from weariness!”

被搖醒的加理安很不高興，而被人嘲笑更是讓他受不了。“你們都來遲了，”他嘀咕著，“我在這邊等了又等，你們在上面又吃又喝，只顧玩樂，把要干的活兒都給忘了，我因為太累而睡著了，這不是很正常嗎!”“正常，”他們調侃道，“看你手邊有個酒杯就知道有多正常了!在我們開始干活兒之前讓我們也嘗嘗那讓你睡著的東西吧!不用叫醒那邊的那個看守啦，看他那樣子，準是也喝了不少。”

“Small wonder,” said they, “when the explanation stands close at hand in a jug! Come give us a taste of your sleeping-draught before we fall to! No need to wake the turnkey yonder. He has had his share by the looks of it.” Then they drank once round and became mighty merry all of a sudden. But they did not quite lose their wits. “Save us, Galion!” cried some, “you began your feasting early and muddled your wits! You have stacked some full casks here instead of the empty ones, if there is anything in weight.”

于是他們全都喝了一輪，情緒也突然變得高亢起來。不過，他們還沒醉到失去理智的程度。“拜托啊，加理安!”有些人大喊道，“你大概早就開始喝了吧，都喝糊涂了!你怎么把滿桶當成空桶給堆在這兒啦，這么沉。”

“Get on with the work!” growled the butler. “There is nothing in the feeling of weight in an idle toss-pot’s arms. These are the ones to go and no others. Do as I say!”

“老老實實給我干!”總管吼道，“愛偷懶的醉鬼搬什么都覺得重。就是這些木桶，不會有錯的，照我說的做!”

“Very well, very well,” they answered rolling the barrels to the opening. “On your head be it, if the king’s full buttertubs and his best wine is pushed into the river for the Lake-men to feast on for nothing!”

“好吧，好吧，”他們邊說邊把木桶滾進活板門的開口，“如果國王裝黃油的滿桶和他最好的酒都給推到了河里，讓那些住在湖里的人不花錢就能美餐，國王怪罪下來，反正掉的是你的腦袋!”

Roll—roll—roll—roll,

滾——滾——滾——滾，

roll-roll-rolling down the hole!

桶子往洞里滾!

Heave ho! Splash plump!

用力推!撲通掉!

Down they go, down they bump!

掉下水，沿河一路往下跑!

So they sang as first one barrel and then another rumbled to the dark opening and was pushed over into the cold water some feet below. Some were barrels really empty, some were tubs neatly packed with a dwarf each; but down they all went, one after another, with many a clash and a bump, thudding on top of ones below, smacking into the water, jostling against the walls of the tunnel, knocking into one another, and bobbing away down the current.

隨著他們的歌聲，第一個桶，接著又是一個桶滾過活板門，掉進了幾呎下面冰冷的水中。有些木桶真是空的，而有些則巧妙地裝了矮人。它們全都一個接一個地落到下面，發(fā)出撲通撲通的聲音，砸出一朵朵的水花，掉落到水里，與隧道的壁碰擦著，彼此撞擊著，順著水流上下起伏著朝下游漂去。

It was just at this moment that Bilbo suddenly discovered the weak point in his plan. Most likely you saw it some time ago and have been laughing at him; but I don’t suppose you would have done half as well yourselves in his place. Of course he was not in a barrel himself, nor was there anyone to pack him in, even if there had been a chance! It looked as if he would certainly lose his friends this time (nearly all of them had already disappeared through the dark trap-door), and get utterly left behind and have to stay lurking as a permanent burglar in the elf-caves for ever. For even if he could have escaped through the upper gates at once, he had precious small chance of ever finding the dwarves again. He did not know the way by land to the place where the barrels were collected. He wondered what on earth would happen to them without him; for he had not had time to tell the dwarves all that he had learned, or what he had meant to do, once they were out of the wood.

就在此時，比爾博突然發(fā)現(xiàn)了自己計劃中的缺陷。大家很可能在更早一點之前就已經(jīng)發(fā)現(xiàn)了，并且一直在笑他，不過，如果大家換到他的處境，只怕還做不到他一半那么好。這個缺陷就是他自己不在桶里，而且即使有機會，也沒有人來把他裝進桶里去?？磥磉@次他真的要失去所有的朋友了(大部分的木桶已經(jīng)穿過漆黑的活板門消失了)，他被孤零零地撇了下來，以后只能東躲西藏，成為精靈洞穴中永遠的飛賊。即使他現(xiàn)在能夠馬上從大門逃出去，再找到矮人們的機會也十分渺茫。他不知道要怎樣才能從陸路前往收集桶子的地方，也不知道這些家伙少了他之后會發(fā)生什么樣的事情厄運，因為他還沒來得及告訴矮人們他所發(fā)現(xiàn)的情報，以及等他們出了森林之后他計劃要做的事。

While all these thoughts were passing through his mind, the elves being very merry began to sing a song round the river-door. Some had already gone to haul on the ropes which pulled up the portcullis at the water-gate so as to let out the barrels as soon as they were all afloat below.

在所有這些想法閃過他腦際時，心情愉快的精靈們已經(jīng)來到了通往河水的門邊，開始唱起歌來。早就有人拉起了水門的鐵閘，好讓木桶漂下來的時候直接出洞。

Down the swift dark stream you go

朝著那片曾經(jīng)熟悉的土地

Back to lands you once did know!

沿著湍急的黑水一路漂!

Leave the halls and caverns deep,

離開深山中的廳堂和洞穴，

Leave the northern mountains steep,

離開北方的山脈陡如刀削，

Where the forest wide and dim

那里的森林寬廣昏晦，

Stoops in shadow grey and grim!

整曰被陰冷的暗影籠罩!

Float beyond the world of trees

漂啊漂，漂過樹的世界，

Out into the whispering breeze,

漂進微風，聽它低聲絮叨，

Past the rushes, past the reeds,

越過燈芯草，越過蘆葦，

Past the marsh’s waving weeds,

越過濕地中搖曳的野草，

Through the mist that riseth white

穿過迷離的白霧，

Up from mere and pool at night!

升起自那夜晚的池沼!

Follow, follow stars that leap

緊緊跟隨那躍上天際的星辰，

Up the heavens cold and steep;

夜空如此清冷，如此陡峭;

Turn when dawn comes over land,

在曙色降臨大地時轉彎，

Over rapid, over sand,

越過急流，再把沙洲身后拋，

South away! and South away!

一路向南，一路向南!

Seek the sunlight and the day,

要把太陽和白晝來尋找，

Back to pasture, back to mead,

回到牧場，回到綠原，

Where the kine and oxen feed!

去看牛群安詳?shù)爻圆?

Back to gardens on the hills

回到山坡上的花園，

Where the berry swells and fills

漿果正在膨脹，把漿汁灌飽，

Under sunlight, under day!

可愛的陽光啊，可愛的白晝，

South away! and South away!

我們向著南方漂，向著南方漂!

Down the swift dark stream you go

朝著那片曾經(jīng)熟悉的土地

Back to lands you once did know!

沿著湍急的黑水一路漂!

Now the very last barrel was being rolled to the doors! In despair and not knowing what else to do, poor little Bilbo caught hold of it and was pushed over the edge with it. Down into the water he fell, splash! into the cold dark water with the barrel on top of him.

現(xiàn)在，最后一個桶也已經(jīng)滾到活板門口!可憐的比爾博在絕望和無奈之下抓住了木桶，和木桶一起被推下了活板門。撲通一聲，他掉進了冰冷而又黑暗的水中，木桶一轉，變成壓在了他身上。

He came up again spluttering and clinging to the wood like a rat, but for all his efforts he could not scramble on top. Every time he tried, the barrel rolled round and ducked him under again. It was really empty, and floated light as a cork. Though his ears were full of water, he could hear the elves still singing in the cellar above. Then suddenly the trap-doors fell to with a boom and their voices faded away. He was in the dark tunnel floating in icy water, all alone—for you cannot count friends that are all packed up in barrels.

一通折騰后他又冒出頭來，像老鼠一樣攀住了木桶，可不管他怎么努力，就是無法爬到桶上面去。每次他剛一開始用力，木桶就滾動起來，又把他壓到了水里。這只桶真的是空的，因此像只軟木塞一樣浮在水面上。雖然他的耳朵里都是水，但還是可以聽見精靈們在上面的酒窖中唱著歌。接著，那門轟的一聲朝下打開，歌聲隨即消失。他置身黑暗的隧道之中，漂浮在冰冷的河水中，孤單單的一個人——之所以沒把他的朋友們算在內，是因為他們全都是待在桶里的，比他要好過許多。

Very soon a grey patch came in the darkness ahead. He heard the creak of the water-gate being hauled up, and he found that he was in the midst of a bobbing and bumping mass of casks and tubs all pressing together to pass under the arch and get out into the open stream. He had as much as he could do to prevent himself from being hustled and battered to bits; but at last the jostling crowd began to break up and swing off, one by one, under the stony arch and away. Then he saw that it would have been no good even if he had managed to get astride his barrel, for there was no room to spare, not even for a hobbit, between its top and the suddenly stooping roof where the gate was.

不久，前方的黑暗中出現(xiàn)了一塊灰色的亮光，他聽見水門吱吱嘎嘎升起的聲音，同時也發(fā)現(xiàn)自己正身處在一大堆翻滾跳躍著的各式木桶之間，這些木桶擠在一起，要經(jīng)過出口處的拱形門，這樣才能來到外面露天的河面上。他竭盡全力地躲閃著，不讓自己被這些桶給撞成碎片。但到最后，擁擠的一大堆開始散開，一個一個地經(jīng)過石頭拱門朝外漂去。這時，他才發(fā)現(xiàn)，即使自己剛剛爬上了木桶也只是白費力氣，因為隧道的高度到了拱門處突然降得很低，在它和木桶的頂端之間根本沒有多少空間，哪怕是身材瘦小的霍比特人也過不去。

Out they went under the overhanging branches of the trees on either bank. Bilbo wondered what the dwarves were feeling and whether a lot of water was getting into their tubs. Some of those that bobbed along by him in the gloom seemed pretty low in the water, and he guessed that these had dwarves inside.

出了拱門之后，他們在兩岸低拂的樹枝底下漂流。比爾博不知道其他的矮人此刻感覺如何，是不是有很多水滲進他們的木桶里頭?有些漂近他身邊的木桶看來吃水相當深，他猜這多半是裝著矮人的桶。

“I do hope I put the lids on tight enough!” he thought, but before long he was worrying too much about himself to remember the dwarves. He managed to keep his head above the water, but he was shivering with the cold, and he wondered if he would die of it before the luck turned, and how much longer he would be able to hang on, and whether he should risk the chance of letting go and trying to swim to the bank.

“希望我把蓋子蓋得夠牢!”他想，但不久之后，他就自身難保，沒空再去顧及這些矮人了。他勉強把頭保持在水面上，但冰涼的河水讓他全身發(fā)抖。他不知道在運氣轉好之前自己是否就會被凍死，自己還能像這樣再支撐多久，又應不應該冒險放掉木桶，然后游到岸上去。

The luck turned all right before long: the eddying current carried several barrels close ashore at one point and there for a while they stuck against some hidden root. Then Bilbo took the opportunity of scrambling up the side of his barrel while it was held steady against another. Up he crawled like a drowned rat, and lay on the top spread out to keep the balance as best he could. The breeze was cold but better than the water, and he hoped he would not suddenly roll off again when they started off once more.

運氣沒過多久就轉好了：打著旋的水流在某個點上把幾個木桶沖到靠近岸邊的地方，有那么一會兒它們被藏在水下的樹根給抵住了。這時，比爾博瞅準機會，趁著木桶互相頂在一起比較穩(wěn)定的時候，爬到了木桶上面。他渾身濕透地趴在桶上，手腳伸開，盡力保持著平衡。微風雖然也有點凜冽，但總比河水好多了。他希望自己在木桶重新開始航程的時候，不會突然又滾下去。

Before long the barrels broke free again and turned and twisted off down the stream, and out into the main current. Then he found it quite as difficult to stick on as he had feared; but he managed it somehow, though it was miserably uncomfortable. Luckily he was very light, and the barrel was a good big one and being rather leaky had now shipped a small amount of water. All the same it was like trying to ride, without bridle or stirrups, a round-bellied pony that was always thinking of rolling on the grass.

不一會兒，木桶相互散開，打了幾個轉以后，又開始沿河而下，并且進入了主流之中。這時比爾博發(fā)現(xiàn)，要保持身體的平衡果然和他所想的一樣困難，但他還是勉強辦到了，只是身體姿勢相當不舒服。幸運的是，他身體很輕，而木桶也夠大，再加上有點漏，里面已經(jīng)裝了一點水，因此重心還算穩(wěn)。這種感覺就像是在騎一匹沒有馬鞍和馬鐙又肚皮滾圓的小馬，而小馬還時時刻刻想要在草地上打滾兒。

In this way at last Mr. Baggins came to a place where the trees on either hand grew thinner. He could see the paler sky between them. The dark river opened suddenly wide, and there it was joined to the main water of the Forest River flowing down in haste from the king’s great doors. There was a dim sheet of water no longer overshadowed, and on its sliding surface there were dancing and broken reflections of clouds and of stars. Then the hurrying water of the Forest River swept all the company of casks and tubs away to the north bank, in which it had eaten out a wide bay. This had a shingly shore under hanging banks and was walled at the eastern end by a little jutting cape of hard rock. On the shallow shore most of the barrels ran aground, though a few went on to bump against the stony pier.

就這樣，巴金斯先生終于來到了一處兩旁樹木都比較稀疏的地方，他看見樹木之間的天空比在森林里時要蒼白了許多，黑暗的河流突然間變得開闊了，并且和國王洞穴大門前流出的密林河交匯到了一起。這里的河面雖然還有點黯淡，但已經(jīng)不再為陰影所籠罩，光滑的水面上居然躍動著云朵和星光殘缺的倒影。然后，密林河的急流又將所有木桶沖到了北岸，在那里有一整片沖積出來的沙洲，東邊則是由一整塊巖石作為屏障，阻擋了河水的流動。大部分木桶都被沖上了這個沙灘，只有幾只繼續(xù)向著巨巖撞去。

There were people on the look-out on the banks. They quickly poled and pushed all the barrels together into the shallows, and when they had counted them they roped them together and left them till the morning. Poor dwarves! Bilbo was not badly off now. He slipped from his barrel and waded ashore, and then sneaked along to some huts that he could see near the water’s edge. He no longer thought twice about picking up a supper uninvited if he got the chance, he had been obliged to do it for so long, and he knew now only too well what it was to be really hungry, not merely politely interested in the dainties of a well-filled larder. Also he had caught a glimpse of a fire through the trees, and that appealed to him with his dripping and ragged clothes clinging to him cold and clammy.

兩邊岸上都有人在守望，他們很快用桿子將木桶收攏到一處，點完數(shù)后用繩子扎起來，然后等明天早上再來處理。可憐的矮人們啊!比爾博現(xiàn)在的境況已經(jīng)比之前好多了。他從木桶上溜下來，涉水來到岸上，又偷偷來到了岸邊的屋子，那是他在水邊就能看到的。只要有機會，他會毫不猶豫、不邀自來地吃上一頓晚餐。他處于這種難以忍受的狀態(tài)已經(jīng)很久了，徹底地領教了饑餓的滋味。所以現(xiàn)在的他已是饑不擇食，不會對食品儲藏室中裝得滿滿的美味僅僅表示出禮貌的興趣。透過一片小樹林他還發(fā)現(xiàn)了一堆營火，這對于穿著破衣爛衫，渾身濕答答的他來說，真是十分誘人。

There is no need to tell you much of his adventures that night, for now we are drawing near the end of the eastward journey and coming to the last and greatest adventure, so we must hurry on. Of course helped by his magic ring he got on very well at first, but he was given away in the end by his wet footsteps and the trail of drippings that he left wherever he went or sat; and also he began to snivel, and wherever he tried to hide he was found out by the terrific explosions of his suppressed sneezes. Very soon there was a fine commotion in the village by the riverside; but Bilbo escaped into the woods carrying a loaf and a leather bottle of wine and a pie that did not belong to him. The rest of the night he had to pass wet as he was and far from a fire, but the bottle helped him to do that, and he actually dozed a little on some dry leaves, even though the year was getting late and the air was chilly.

這里就不需要再跟大家詳細描述他當晚的經(jīng)歷了，因為東行的旅程已經(jīng)接近尾聲，冒險來到了最后也是最刺激的部分，所以我們必須加快一點講故事的進度才行。當然，憑著戒指的幫助，他一開始進展順利，但到了最后，由于他無論走到哪里或坐在哪里都會留下水滴和濕濕的腳印，所以他被這些印跡給出賣了。何況他又開始打噴嚏了，不管他躲到哪里，最后都會因為他那捂著的噴嚏聲像爆炸一樣響而被人發(fā)現(xiàn)。很快，這座河邊的村莊就陷入了一場騷動，不過，比爾博還是帶著不屬于他的一條面包、一皮囊的酒和一個派逃進了森林。在夜晚剩下的時間里，他都無法再靠近任何火堆，只能濕答答地度過，不過那瓶酒幫他渡過了難關。事實上，他那晚還躺在一些干樹葉上打了個瞌睡呢，盡管季節(jié)已經(jīng)快來到了冬季，晚上的天氣已經(jīng)頗有些寒意了。

He woke again with a specially loud sneeze. It was already grey morning, and there was a merry racket down by the river. They were making up a raft of barrels, and the raft-elves would soon be steering it off down the stream to Lake-town. Bilbo sneezed again. He was no longer dripping but he felt cold all over. He scrambled down as fast as his stiff legs would take him and managed just in time to get on to the mass of casks without being noticed in the general bustle. Luckily there was no sun at the time to cast an awkward shadow, and for a mercy he did not sneeze again for a good while.

他醒過來的時候打了個超大的噴嚏。天色已經(jīng)蒙蒙亮了，河邊已經(jīng)人聲嘈雜起來。精靈們開始將木桶整理好，扎成木筏，而木筏精靈馬上就會駕著它們順流而下前往湖中的城鎮(zhèn)。比爾博又打了個噴嚏。他身上不再濕答答了，但他覺得渾身發(fā)冷。他用凍僵的雙腳拼命地奔跑，總算在出發(fā)前的一團混亂中，神不知鬼不覺地混上了木筏。所幸的是當時還沒有什么太陽，不會在他身后拖下一道尷尬的影子，而且老天可憐他，讓他有好一會兒沒有再打噴嚏。

There was a mighty pushing of poles. The elves that were standing in the shallow water heaved and shoved. The barrels now all lashed together creaked and fretted.

站在木筏上的精靈用長篙使勁撐著，而站在淺水中的精靈們則有的推有的拽，將木筏推離岸邊。木桶現(xiàn)在全都被捆扎在一起，磨來蹭去，吱嘎作響。

“This is a heavy load!” some grumbled. “They float too deep—some of these are never empty. If they had come ashore in the daylight, we might have had a look inside,” they said.

“這次的木筏可真重啊!”有人抱怨道，“它們吃水太深了，有些木桶肯定不是空的。如果是白天漂過來的話，我們說不定還能有空打開看看。”他們說。

“No time now!” cried the raftman. “Shove off!”

“現(xiàn)在反正沒時間啦!”撐篙的人說，“快推吧!”

And off they went at last, slowly at first, until they had passed the point of rock where other elves stood to fend them off with poles, and then quicker and quicker as they caught the main stream and went sailing away down, down towards the Lake.

木筏終于漂離了岸邊，一開始很慢，直到來到那塊巨巖旁，站在那里的精靈們用長竿將木筏推開，然后木筏就進入了主航道，越走越快，向著河下游的長湖漂去。

They had escaped the dungeons of the king and were through the wood, but whether alive or dead still remains to be seen.

他們終于逃出了國王的地牢，也走出了森林，但他們的生死究竟如何，還得接著往下看才能知道。