霍比特人：不在家 Not at Home

NOT AT HOME

不在家

In the meanwhile, the dwarves sat in darkness, and utter silence fell about them. Little they ate and little they spoke. They could not count the passing of time; and they scarcely dared to move, for the whisper of their voices echoed and rustled in the tunnel. If they dozed, they woke still to darkness and to silence going on unbroken. At last after days and days of waiting, as it seemed, when they were becoming choked and dazed for want of air, they could bear it no longer. They would almost have welcomed sounds from below of the dragon’s return. In the silence they feared some cunning devilry of his, but they could not sit there for ever.

與此同時(shí)，矮人們坐在黑暗中，陷入了絕對的沉默。他們沒怎么吃東西，也很少說話。黑暗中根本無法計(jì)算時(shí)間的流逝。他們不敢隨便亂動，因?yàn)榧幢闶撬麄兊穆曇粢矔谒淼乐屑て鸷靡魂嚮仨?。就算他們打了會兒瞌睡，醒來時(shí)面對的依舊是一片打不破的黑暗與死寂。最后，在經(jīng)過了似乎好多天的等待后，他們由于缺乏空氣而開始出現(xiàn)了氣悶頭暈的現(xiàn)象，再也無法忍受下去了。他們甚至巴不得能聽到從下面?zhèn)鱽韾糊埢貋淼穆曧?。在一片寂靜中，他們開始擔(dān)心惡龍不知會使出什么詭計(jì)來，可他們又不能一輩子都這樣坐下去。

Thorin spoke: “Let us try the door!” he said. “I must feel the wind on my face soon or die. I think I would rather be smashed by Smaug in the open than suffocate in here!” So several of the dwarves got up and groped back to where the door had been. But they found that the upper end of the tunnel had been shattered and blocked with broken rock. Neither key nor the magic it had once obeyed would ever open that door again.

索林開口了，“我們來試試把門打開吧!”他說，“我如果再不吹點(diǎn)風(fēng)就要悶死了。我想我寧愿在光天化日下被史矛革打死，也不愿意在這里活活憋死!”幾個(gè)矮人聽他這么一說都站了起來，往回摸到了石門原先所在的位置。但他們發(fā)現(xiàn)，隧道的上端已經(jīng)被碎石震坍塞住了。所以，它原先所聽命的魔法或是鑰匙，都再也不能將其打開了。

“We are trapped!” they groaned. “This is the end. We shall die here.”

“我們被困住了!”他們哀嚎道，“這下完蛋了。我們要死在這兒了。

But somehow, just when the dwarves were most despairing, Bilbo felt a strange lightening of the heart, as if a heavy weight had gone from under his waistcoat.

”但是不知怎的，就在矮人們陷入絕望之時(shí)，比爾博的心頭卻奇怪地感到了放松，就好像胸口有塊大石頭被搬走了似的。

“Come, come!” he said. “‘While there’s life there’s hope!’ as my father used to say, and ‘Third time pays for all.’ I am going down the tunnel once again. I have been that way twice, when I knew there was a dragon at the other end, so I will risk a third visit when I am no longer sure. Anyway the only way out is down. And I think this time you had better all come with me.”

“好啦.，好啦!”他說，“‘只要還活著，就有希望。’這是我父親常說的話，他還老說‘事不過三’呢。我準(zhǔn)備再下去一趟。在我知道那里有惡龍的時(shí)候，我都已經(jīng)去了兩次了呢，現(xiàn)在我吃不準(zhǔn)他在不在了，再下去一次又有何妨。再怎么說，惟一的出路也只能是往下了。這次，我想你們最好跟我一起去吧。”

In desperation they agreed, and Thorin was the first to go forward by Bilbo’s side.

絕望中的眾人同意了，索林打頭陣，一馬當(dāng)先地走在比爾博身邊。

“Now do be careful!” whispered the hobbit, “and as quiet as you can be! There may be no Smaug at the bottom, but then again there may be. Don’t let us take any unnecessary risks!”

“小心點(diǎn)!”霍比特人低語道，“盡量不要出聲!史矛革或許不在下面，但它也有可能還在，所以千萬別冒不必要的風(fēng)險(xiǎn)!”

Down, down they went. The dwarves could not, of course, compare with the hobbit in real stealth, and they made a deal of puffing and shuffling which echoes magnified alarmingly; but though every now and again Bilbo in fear stopped and listened, not a sound stirred below. Near the bottom, as well as he could judge, Bilbo slipped on his ring and went ahead. But he did not need it: the darkness was complete, and they were all invisible, ring or no ring. In fact so black was it that the hobbit came to the opening unexpectedly, put his hand on air, stumbled forward, and rolled headlong into the hall!

他們一路往下走著。矮人們在走路不出聲方面當(dāng)然沒法跟霍比特人比，他們的喘氣聲和腳步聲都被隧道里面的回聲放得很大。雖然比爾博時(shí)不時(shí)地因?yàn)閾?dān)心而停下腳步來凝神傾聽，但底下并沒有被激起任何聲響來?？斓阶畹紫碌臅r(shí)候，比爾博根據(jù)自己的判斷戴上了戒指，繼續(xù)走了過去。但其實(shí)他并不需要用到戒指：那里一團(tuán)漆黑，不管戴沒戴戒指，大家誰都看不見誰。事實(shí)上，由于底下實(shí)在太黑了，比爾博竟然沒料到自己已經(jīng)來到了洞口，雙手抓了個(gè)空，一下向前跌倒，從洞口一骨碌滾進(jìn)了大廳!

There he lay face downwards on the floor and did not dare to get up, or hardly even to breathe. But nothing moved. There was not a gleam of light—unless, as it seemed to him, when at last he slowly raised his head, there was a pale white glint, above him and far off in the gloom. But certainly it was not a spark of dragon-fire, though the worm-stench was heavy in the place, and the taste of vapour was on his tongue.

他就那樣臉朝下趴在地上，不敢站起來，甚至不敢呼吸。但什么動靜都沒有。沒有一絲光亮，惟一的例外是當(dāng)他抬起頭來的時(shí)候，在他頭頂?shù)倪h(yuǎn)方，昏暗中似乎有一點(diǎn)微弱的白光。但那當(dāng)然不會是惡龍的火焰，盡管洞里還充滿著惡龍的臭味，比爾博的舌尖上還可以嘗到蒸汽的味道。

At length Mr. Baggins could bear it no longer. “Confound you, Smaug, you worm!” he squeaked aloud. “Stop playing hide-and-seek! Give me a light, and then eat me, if you can catch me!”

到了最后，巴金斯先生終于忍不住了：“我詛咒你，史矛革，你這只臭毛蟲!”他尖聲咒罵道，“別再玩捉迷藏了!給我一點(diǎn)光亮，來吃了我啊，如果你能抓得住我!”

Faint echoes ran round the unseen hall, but there was no answer.

輕微的回聲在看不見的大廳中回響，卻沒有傳出任何回應(yīng)。

Bilbo got up, and found that he did not know in what direction to turn.

比爾博站了起來，發(fā)現(xiàn)自己不知道該轉(zhuǎn)向哪一邊。

“Now I wonder what on earth Smaug is playing at,” he said. “He is not at home today (or tonight, or whatever it is), I do believe. If Oin and Gloin have not lost their tinder-boxes, perhaps we can make a little light, and have a look round before the luck turns.”

“真不知道史矛革在玩兒什么把戲。”他說，“不過我想它今天不在家(或是今晚，誰知道現(xiàn)在是白天還是黑夜呢)。如果歐因和格羅因沒有弄丟火絨盒，或許我們可以弄出一點(diǎn)光來，趁著運(yùn)氣好的時(shí)候趕快四處看看。”

“Light!” he cried. “Can anybody make a light?”

“來點(diǎn)光!”他大喊道，“有人能弄出點(diǎn)光來嗎?”

The dwarves, of course, were very alarmed when Bilbo fell forward down the step with a bump into the hall, and they sat huddled just where he had left them at the end of the tunnel.

比爾博咚的一聲向前跌進(jìn)大廳時(shí)，矮人們自然都大驚失色，他們一起圍坐在比爾博離開他們的地方，也就是隧道的盡頭處，不知如何是好。

“Sh! sh!” they hissed, when they heard his voice; and though that helped the hobbit to find out where they were, it was some time before he could get anything else out of them. But in the end, when Bilbo actually began to stamp on the floor, and screamed out “light!” at the top of his shrill voice, Thorin gave way, and Oin and Gloin were sent back to their bundles at the top of the tunnel.

“噓!噓!”當(dāng)他們聽見比爾博的聲音時(shí)，便發(fā)出這樣的聲音與比爾博聯(lián)絡(luò)。雖然這的確幫助霍比特人得到了他們的位置，比爾博還是花了一點(diǎn)時(shí)間才從他們那里得到了一點(diǎn)別的東西。不過最后，等比爾博真的開始拼命跺腳，扯開他那尖嗓子大喊“來點(diǎn)光!”的時(shí)候，索林終于讓步了，派歐因和格羅因到隧道另一頭去取他們的行李。

After a while a twinkling gleam showed them returning, Oin with a small pine-torch alight in his hand, and Gloin with a bundle of others under his arm. Quickly Bilbo trotted to the door and took the torch; but he could not persuade the dwarves to light the others or to come and join him yet. As Thorin carefully explained, Mr. Baggins was still officially their expert burglar and investigator. If he liked to risk a light, that was his affair. They would wait in the tunnel for his report. So they sat near the door and watched.

又過了一陣子，一道搖曳的微光和他們一起回來了，歐因手里拿著一個(gè)小小的松枝火把，格羅因則在腋下夾著一堆同樣的火把。比爾博趕緊跑到門邊接過火把，但他卻無法說服其他矮人和他一樣點(diǎn)起火把來。索林小心翼翼地解釋說，巴金斯先生依舊是隊(duì)伍中名正言順的飛賊和偵察員，如果他想要冒險(xiǎn)點(diǎn)火，那是他自己的事，他們會等在隧道里面等待他回來報(bào)告。于是他們就在門邊坐了下來，小心翼翼地觀望著。

They saw the little dark shape of the hobbit start across the floor holding his tiny light aloft. Every now and again, while he was still near enough, they caught a glint and a tinkle as he stumbled on some golden thing. The light grew smaller as he wandered away into the vast hall; then it began to rise dancing into the air. Bilbo was climbing the great mound of treasure. Soon he stood upon the top, and still went on. Then they saw him halt and stoop for a moment; but they did not know the reason.

他們看見霍比特人小小的黑色身影高舉著小火把朝大廳深處走去。在他還沒走遠(yuǎn)的時(shí)候，矮人們借著一點(diǎn)微光和一聲“當(dāng)啷”，發(fā)現(xiàn)比爾博不小心踢到了地上某樣金燦燦的東西。隨著他漸漸走進(jìn)幽深的大廳，光點(diǎn)變得越來越小，然后光點(diǎn)開始向上，在半空中舞動，原來比爾博正在往一大堆金銀財(cái)寶上爬去。很快，他就站上了財(cái)寶堆的頂端，接著又繼續(xù)向前。這時(shí)，他們看見他停住了腳步，彎下腰來檢查了片刻，但他們都不知道他這樣做究竟原因何在。

It was the Arkenstone, the Heart of the Mountain. So Bilbo guessed from Thorin’s description; but indeed there could not be two such gems, even in so marvellous a hoard, even in all the world. Ever as he climbed, the same white gleam had shone before him and drawn his feet towards it. Slowly it grew to a little globe of pallid light. Now as he came near, it was tinged with a flickering sparkle of many colours at the surface, reflected and splintered from the wavering light of his torch. At last he looked down upon it, and he caught his breath. The great jewel shone before his feet of its own inner light, and yet, cut and fashioned by the dwarves, who had dug it from the heart of the mountain long ago, it took all light that fell upon it and changed it into ten thousand sparks of white radiance shot with glints of the rainbow.

那是因?yàn)楸葼柌┌l(fā)現(xiàn)了阿肯寶鉆，那顆山之心!他是從索林的描述中作出判斷的，不過事實(shí)上，即便是在這里這么一大堆讓人眼花繚亂的寶藏中，不，即便是在全世界，都不可能存在兩顆符合這般描述的寶石來。他不停地往上爬，一道不變的白色光芒一直在他的前方閃爍，吸引著他的腳步。慢慢地，那光芒化成了一個(gè)純凈白光的小球。他又走近了一點(diǎn)，寶石的表面在他手中火把的映照下，發(fā)散出一道由許多顏色構(gòu)成的光暈。最后，他走到寶石跟前，屏住呼吸，細(xì)細(xì)端詳。這顆無雙的寶石在他的腳下由內(nèi)而外地閃耀著屬于它自己的光芒。但另一方面，在多年前將其從山底下挖出來的矮人們的精雕細(xì)琢下，它又能將所有落到它身上的光亮幻化成千萬道白色的光線，投射出彩虹般的光芒。

Suddenly Bilbo’s arm went towards it drawn by its enchantment. His small hand would not close about it, for it was a large and heavy gem; but he lifted it, shut his eyes, and put it in his deepest pocket.

突然，在它的魅力吸引下，比爾博的手臂不由自主地向它伸去，將它拿了起來。他的小手甚至沒辦法將它完全握住，因?yàn)檫@是一顆碩大而又沉重的寶石，但他還是將它捧了起來，閉上眼睛，然后將其放進(jìn)了最貼身的口袋里。

“Now I am a burglar indeed!” thought he. “But I suppose I must tell the dwarves about it—some time. They did say I could pick and choose my own share; and I think I would choose this, if they took all the rest!” All the same he had an uncomfortable feeling that the picking and choosing had not really been meant to include this marvellous gem, and that trouble would yet come of it.

“我現(xiàn)在可成為一個(gè)真正的飛賊了!”他想，“不過我想我應(yīng)該跟矮人們說一下——等有時(shí)間吧。他們不是說過我那一份可以自己挑嗎，那我就選這個(gè)，讓他們分其余的吧!”不過他也多少有點(diǎn)不安，感到矮人們所說的自行挑選，恐怕不包括這顆璀璨奪目的寶石，自己這么拿了或許會惹上麻煩。.

Now he went on again. Down the other side of the great mound he climbed, and the spark of his torch vanished from the sight of the watching dwarves. But soon they saw it far away in the distance again. Bilbo was crossing the floor of the hall.

他又接著往前走，從寶山的另外一邊爬了下去，手中火把的光亮從矮人們的視野中消失了。不過很快，他們又看到火光出現(xiàn)在更遠(yuǎn)的地方。比爾博正在橫穿整個(gè)大廳。

He went on, until he came to the great doors at the further side, and there a draught of air refreshed him, but it almost puffed out his light. He peeped timidly through, and caught a glimpse of great passages and of the dim beginnings of wide stairs going up into the gloom. And still there was no sight nor sound of Smaug. He was just going to turn and go back, when a black shape swooped at him, and brushed his face. He squeaked and started, stumbled backwards and fell. His torch dropped head downwards and went out!

他繼續(xù)往前走，最后來到了遠(yuǎn)端的大門前，撲面而來的一股新鮮空氣讓他覺得神清氣爽，卻也差點(diǎn)將他的火把弄滅。他小心地朝外張去，看見外面有相當(dāng)寬敞的走廊，還有通往上方昏暗中去的寬闊階梯的最初幾級。到目前為止，史矛革的身影或聲音還是沒有出現(xiàn)。他正準(zhǔn)備轉(zhuǎn)身回去時(shí)，一個(gè)黑影突然向他俯沖過來，擦過他的臉飛了過去。他尖叫一聲，瞪大了眼睛，向后跌倒在地，手中火把頭朝地落了下去，立刻熄滅了!

“Only a bat, I suppose and hope!” he said miserably. “But now what am I to do? Which is East, South, North, or West?”

“只是一只蝙蝠，我想，也希望如此!”他慘兮兮地說道，“可我現(xiàn)在該怎么辦呢?哪里是東南，哪里又是西北啊?”

“Thorin! Balin! Oin! Gloin! Fili! Kili!” he cried as loud as he could—it seemed a thin little noise in the wide blackness. “The light’s gone out! Someone come and find me and help me!” For the moment his courage had failed altogether.

“索林!巴林!歐因!格羅因!菲力!奇力!”他扯開喉嚨拼命喊道——可在這廣闊的黑暗中，他的聲音顯得纖細(xì)而又微弱，“火把滅了!誰過來找我一下，救救我!”他的勇氣瞬間全消失了。

Faintly the dwarves heard his small cries, though the only word they could catch was “help!”

矮人們隱隱約約地聽見了他細(xì)弱的呼喊，盡管他們能聽清的只有“救救我!”

“Now what on earth or under it has happened?” said Thorin. “Certainly not the dragon, or he would not go on squeaking.”

“到底發(fā)生什么了?”索林說，“肯定不是惡龍，否則他不可能一直這樣叫的。”

They waited a moment or two, and still there were no dragon-noises, no sound at all in fact but Bilbo’s distant voice. “Come, one of you, get another light or two!” Thorin ordered. “It seems we have got to go and help our burglar.”

他們等了一小會兒或兩小會兒，外面依舊沒有惡龍的聲音，事實(shí)上，除了比爾博遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)的喊聲外，根本什么聲音也沒有。“來，誰去拿一兩個(gè)火把過來!”索林命令道，“看來我們得去幫幫我們的飛賊了。”

“It is about our turn to help,” said Balin, “and I am quite willing to go. Anyway I expect it is safe for the moment.”

“也該我們出手相助了，”巴林說，“我很愿意去，而且我覺得至少這會兒是安全的。”

Gloin lit several more torches, and then they all crept out, one by one, and went along the wall as hurriedly as they could. It was not long before they met Bilbo himself coming back towards them. His wits had quickly returned as soon as he saw the twinkle of their lights.

格羅因又點(diǎn)亮了幾支火把，然后他們?nèi)家粋€(gè)接一個(gè)躡手躡腳地走了出去，沿著墻壁盡可能地快步趕過去。沒過多久，他們就遇到正往回走的比爾博。他一看見他們手中的火光，很快就恢復(fù)了鎮(zhèn)定。

“Only a bat and a dropped torch, nothing worse!” he said in answer to their questions. Though they were much relieved, they were inclined to be grumpy at being frightened for nothing; but what they would have said, if he had told them at that moment about the Arkenstone, I don’t know. The mere fleeting glimpses of treasure which they had caught as they went along had rekindled all the fire of their dwarvish hearts; and when the heart of a dwarf, even the most respectable, is wakened by gold and by jewels, he grows suddenly bold, and he may become fierce.

“只是一只蝙蝠，火把掉了，沒什么大不了的!”他回答了他們的問踢。雖然他們聽了大大松了口氣，卻也為這一場虛驚而發(fā)了幾句牢騷。我不知道如果他當(dāng)時(shí)就把阿肯寶鉆的事情告訴了矮人們，他們會說些什么。他們向前走著，一路上瞥見的財(cái)寶重新又點(diǎn)燃了矮人們心中的火焰。而當(dāng)矮人們的心思被黃金和珠寶喚醒后，即使原來是一個(gè)最可尊敬的人，也會突然變得膽大包天，甚至是相當(dāng)兇狠起來。

The dwarves indeed no longer needed any urging. All were now eager to explore the hall while they had the chance, and willing to believe that, for the present, Smaug was away from home. Each now gripped a lighted torch; and as they gazed, first on one side and then on another, they forgot fear and even caution. They spoke aloud, and cried out to one another, as they lifted old treasures from the mound or from the wall and held them in the light, caressing and fingering them.

矮人們的確不再需要任何鼓勵(lì)了，每個(gè)人都想趁有機(jī)會好好地探索一下大廳，也都愿意相信史矛革暫時(shí)不在家中。現(xiàn)在，每個(gè)人都抓著一支火把，開始左顧右盼地搜索著，渾然忘卻了恐懼，甚至連謹(jǐn)慎也忘記了。他們大聲說話，互相喊來喊去，從財(cái)寶堆中或墻邊把古代的寶物舉起來，托在光亮中仔細(xì)把玩著。

Fili and Kili were almost in merry mood, and finding still hanging there many golden harps strung with silver they took them and struck them; and being magical (and also untouched by the dragon, who had small interest in music) they were still in tune. The dark hall was filled with a melody that had long been silent. But most of the dwarves were more practical: they gathered gems and stuffed their pockets, and let what they could not carry fall back through their fingers with a sigh. Thorin was not least among these; but always he searched from side to side for something which he could not find. It was the Arkenstone; but he spoke of it yet to no one.

菲力和奇力都有點(diǎn)欣喜若狂了，他們發(fā)現(xiàn)墻上掛著許多以銀線為弦的黃金豎琴，便拿下來彈弄起來。由于這些豎琴本身附有魔法(而且惡龍也沒有碰過這些琴，因?yàn)樗麑σ魳穾缀鹾翢o興趣)，因此音調(diào)都還保持得很準(zhǔn)，黑暗的大廳中立刻充滿了早已沉寂了數(shù)百年的美麗旋律。不過，大多數(shù)矮人都比較實(shí)際，他們四處撿拾著寶石，將口袋塞得滿滿，又隨著一聲嘆息把帶不走的東西從指端戀戀不舍地放回去。索林可一點(diǎn)也不是這樣的做派，他一遍遍地找尋著他想找的東西，卻一直沒找到。對了，那就是山之心，矮人國王的阿肯寶鉆，只是他不愿意跟任何人提起。

Now the dwarves took down mail and weapons from the walls, and armed themselves. Royal indeed did Thorin look, clad in a coat of gold-plated rings, with a silver-hafted axe in a belt crusted with scarlet stones.

現(xiàn)在，矮人們從墻壁上取下盔甲和武器，將自己武裝了起來。索林穿上鑲金的盔甲，腰間插上鑲著紅寶石的斧頭后，看起來果然很有王者氣派。

“Mr. Baggins!” he cried. “Here is the first payment of your reward! Cast off your old coat and put on this!”

“巴金斯先生!”他喊道，“這是你的第一份報(bào)酬!來，把舊衣服脫掉，穿上這個(gè)!”

With that he put on Bilbo a small coat of mail, wrought for some young elf-prince long ago. It was of silver-steel, which the elves call mithril, and with it went a belt of pearls and crystals. A light helm of figured leather, strengthened beneath with hoops of steel, and studded about the brim with white gems, was set upon the hobbit’s head.

說著，他就將二件小盔甲套在比爾博身上，那是多年前替一位年輕的精靈王子打造的。盔甲用銀鋼鑄成，也就是精靈們所稱的秘銀，與之成套的還有一條珍珠與水晶打造的腰帶。霍比特人的頭上則戴著一頂皮制的輕型頭盔，底下有鐵板護(hù)身，邊緣還鑲著白色的寶石。

“I feel magnificent,” he thought; “but I expect I look rather absurd. How they would laugh on the Hill at home! Still I wish there was a looking-glass handy!”

“我覺得棒極了!”他想，“但我看起來可能有點(diǎn)滑稽吧。不知道家鄉(xiāng)那些人會怎么笑話我呢!不過我還是希望這兒能有一面穿衣鏡讓我照一照!”

All the same Mr. Baggins kept his head more clear of the bewitchment of the hoard than the dwarves did. Long before the dwarves were tired of examining the treasures, he became weary of it and sat down on the floor; and he began to wonder nervously what the end of it all would be. “I would give a good many of these precious goblets,” he thought, “for a drink of something cheering out of one of Beorn’s wooden bowls!”

不過，面對這些寶物的誘惑，巴金斯先生依舊比矮人們更能保持頭腦的清醒。在矮人們對翻看寶物覺得厭倦之前，他早就坐了下來，開始擔(dān)心最后會是怎樣的結(jié)局。“我寧愿用好多這樣的珍貴金杯，”他想，“去換貝奧恩的木碗所裝的一點(diǎn)提神醒腦的酒!”

“Thorin!” he cried aloud. “What next? We are armed, but what good has any armour ever been before against Smaug the Dreadful? This treasure is not yet won back. We are not looking for gold yet, but for a way of escape; and we have tempted luck too long!”

“索林!”他大聲喊道，“接下來該怎么辦?我們是全副武裝了，但是面對恐怖的史矛革，任何武裝又有什么用呢?我們還沒有真正搶回這些寶物呢。我們要找的不是黃金，而是一條逃出去的路。我們已經(jīng)依賴運(yùn)氣太久了!”

“You speak the truth!” answered Thorin, recovering his wits. “Let us go! I will guide you. Not in a thousand years should I forget the ways of this palace.” Then he hailed the others, and they gathered together, and holding their torches above their heads they passed through the gaping doors, not without many a backward glance of longing.

“你說得對!”索林也已經(jīng)恢復(fù)了理智，“我們走!我給你帶路。就算過上一千年，我也不會忘記這座宮殿的道路。”然后，他把其他人召喚到一起，高舉著火把走出敞開的大門，許多人一邊還在戀戀不舍地回眸張望著。

Their glittering mail they had covered again with their old cloaks and their bright helms with their tattered hoods, and one by one they walked behind Thorin, a line of little lights in the darkness that halted often, listening in fear once more for any rumour of the dragon’s coming.

他們用破舊的斗篷蓋住了閃亮的盔甲，用褪色的帽子遮住明燦燦的頭盔，一個(gè)一個(gè)地跟在索林后面走著，構(gòu)成一線小亮點(diǎn)。在黑暗中，這些小亮點(diǎn)常常會停下，那是矮人們在駐足傾聽，確認(rèn)他們聽到的不是惡龍歸來的聲音。

Though all the old adornments were long mouldered or destroyed, and though all was befouled and blasted with the comings and goings of the monster, Thorin knew every passage and every turn. They climbed long stairs, and turned and went down wide echoing ways, and turned again and climbed yet more stairs, and yet more stairs again. These were smooth, cut out of the living rock broad and fair; and up, up, the dwarves went, and they met no sign of any living thing, only furtive shadows that fled from the approach of their torches fluttering in the draughts.

雖然這里舊的裝飾大多已經(jīng)腐爛或被摧毀，周圍的一切也因?yàn)楣治飦韥砣トザ兊门K臭與凋敝，但索林還是記得每一條通道和每一個(gè)轉(zhuǎn)角。他們爬上長長的臺階，轉(zhuǎn)過彎后又往下踏上寬闊的有回聲的通道，然后又轉(zhuǎn)彎爬更多的臺階，然后還是更多的臺階。這些臺階十分平滑，都是從寬大平整的原生巖石上切割出來的。矮人們不停地往上，往上，一路上都沒有遇到任何的生物，只有一些鬼祟的黑影，在火把的光芒靠近時(shí)慌忙逃開，翅翼扇出微微的氣流。

The steps were not made, all the same, for hobbit-legs, and Bilbo was just feeling that he could go on no longer, when suddenly the roof sprang high and far beyond the reach of their torch-light. A white glimmer could be seen coming through some opening far above, and the air smelt sweeter. Before them light came dimly through great doors, that hung twisted on their hinges and half burnt.

這些階梯并不是為了霍比特人的小腿所建造的，正當(dāng)比爾博覺得再也走不動的時(shí)候，洞頂突然變高了，超出了火光能照亮的范圍。可以看見頂上的開口中射進(jìn)一道白色的光芒，空氣聞上去也變得更加甜美了些。光線搶在他們前面穿過大門照了進(jìn)去，大門的鉸鏈已經(jīng)扭曲，半被燒毀了。

“This is the great chamber of Thror,” said Thorin; “the hall of feasting and of council. Not far off now is the Front Gate.”

“這里就是瑟羅爾王的大廳，”索林說，“是宴飲和議事的地方。這里離正門已經(jīng)不遠(yuǎn)了。”

They passed through the ruined chamber. Tables were rotting there; chairs and benches were lying there overturned, charred and decaying. Skulls and bones were upon the floor among flagons and bowls and broken drinking-horns and dust. As they came through yet more doors at the further end, a sound of water fell upon their ears, and the grey light grew suddenly more full.

他們走過這已成廢墟的大廳，只見桌子都已朽爛不堪，長短凳椅東倒西歪，有些焦黑，有些腐爛。酒壺、大碗、摔碎的酒角和著塵土鋪滿了一地，其間還散布著骷髏與骸骨。他們又往遠(yuǎn)處走出了幾扇門，一陣淙淙的水聲便落入他們的耳中，朦朧的灰光突然間變得更完整了。

“There is the birth of the Running River,” said Thorin. “From here it hastens to the Gate. Let us follow it!”

“這里就是奔流河的源頭，”索林說，“它從這里流向大門，我們跟著它走吧!”

Out of a dark opening in a wall of rock there issued a boiling water, and it flowed swirling in a narrow channel, carved and made straight and deep by the cunning of ancient hands. Beside it ran a stone-paved road, wide enough for many men abreast. Swiftly along this they ran, and round a wide-sweeping turn—and behold! before them stood the broad light of day. In front there rose a tall arch, still showing the fragments of old carven work within, worn and splintered and blackened though it was. A misty sun sent its pale light between the arms of the Mountain, and beams of gold fell on the pavement at the threshold.

從巖壁上一個(gè)黑暗的開口中冒出一股沸騰的水流，它沿著狹窄的渠道旋轉(zhuǎn)奔流。這條渠道是古人用巧手開鑿，并且弄直弄深的。渠道旁是一條石板路，寬闊得足以讓許多人并排而行。他們沿著這條路飛快地往外跑去，繞過一個(gè)大大的彎角——看哪!出現(xiàn)在他們眼前的是一片遼闊的天光。在他們面前矗立著一道高大的拱門，上面依然有著古老雕刻的遺跡，不過，已經(jīng)磨損、碎裂并被熏得焦黑了。被迷霧包裹的太陽從山嶺間釋放出無力的光芒，金色的光線灑落在門檻前的步道上。

A whirl of bats frightened from slumber by their smoking torches flurried over them; as they sprang forward their feet slithered on stones rubbed smooth and slimed by the passing of the dragon. Now before them the water fell noisily outward and foamed down towards the valley. They flung their pale torches to the ground, and stood gazing out with dazzled eyes. They were come to the Front Gate, and were looking out upon Dale.

一群被冒著煙的火把從睡夢中驚醒的蝙蝠從他們身邊掠過。當(dāng)一行人快步前行時(shí)，感覺腳下直打滑，那是因?yàn)榈孛姹粣糊堖M(jìn)進(jìn)出出而磨得十分平滑，又沾上了它身上的黏液。河水在他們前面喧囂著奔流直下，濺出許多晶瑩的泡沫，墜入下面的山谷。他們將黯淡的火把丟到地上，用被眩迷的雙眼怔怔地望著外面的景色。他們已經(jīng)來到了大門，正俯瞰著河谷。

“Well!” said Bilbo, “I never expected to be looking out of this door. And I never expected to be so pleased to see the sun again, and to feel the wind on my face. But, ow! this wind is cold!”

“好啊!”比爾博說，“我從沒想過自己還能站在這道門里向外看，也從來沒想到過重新看見陽光，感受微風(fēng)吹拂臉龐是這么愉快的事?？墒牵?這風(fēng)還真是冷啊!”

It was. A bitter easterly breeze blew with a threat of oncoming winter. It swirled over and round the arms of the Mountain into the valley, and sighed among the rocks. After their long time in the stewing depths of the dragon-haunted caverns, they shivered in the sun.

的確很冷。從東方吹來的寒冷微風(fēng)暗示了冬季即將到來。它在山嶺間打著轉(zhuǎn)，最后吹進(jìn)山谷中，在巖石間發(fā)出陣陣嘆息。他們于惡龍肆虐的悶熱地底躲了很長一段時(shí)間后驟然出來，一時(shí)難以適應(yīng)，不禁在陽光中也發(fā)起抖來。

Suddenly Bilbo realized that he was not only tired but also very hungry indeed. “It seems to be late morning,” he said, “and so I suppose it is more or less breakfast-time—if there is any breakfast to have. But I don’t feel that Smaug’s front doorstep is the safest place for a meal. Do let’s go somewhere where we can sit quiet for a bit!”

比爾博突然意識到自己不僅很累，而且也餓得不行了。“看樣子現(xiàn)在是上午，”他說，“我想應(yīng)該差不多是吃早餐的時(shí)間——如果我們有早餐的話。不過，我可不覺得史矛革宮殿大門口的臺階上是安全用餐的地方，讓我們找個(gè)可以靜靜坐下來吃點(diǎn)東西的地方吧!”

“Quite right!” said Balin. “And I think I know which way we should go: we ought to make for the old look-out post at the South-West corner of the Mountain.”

“說得對!”巴林附和道，“我想我知道該去哪里，我們應(yīng)該去大山西南角那個(gè)過去的瞭望臺。”

“How far is that?” asked the hobbit.

“那兒有多遠(yuǎn)?”霍比特人問道。

“Five hours march, I should think. It will be rough going. The road from the Gate along the left edge of the stream seems all broken up. But look down there! The river loops suddenly east across Dale in front of the ruined town. At that point there was once a bridge, leading to steep stairs that climbed up the right bank, and so to a road running towards Ravenhill. There is (or was) a path that left the road and climbed up to the post. A hard climb, too, even if the old steps are still there.”

“我記得要走五個(gè)小時(shí)吧，路不太好走，從大門沿河流左邊的道路似乎全都?xì)Я?。不過你們看那邊!河流在城鎮(zhèn)的廢墟之前突然繞了個(gè)彎，那里以前有座橋，通往一條陡峭的階梯，爬上去就是右岸，那兒有一條路直通渡鴉嶺。離開大路有(或者有過)一條小徑，一路向上通往瞭望臺。就算過去的石級還在，爬起來也會很費(fèi)力氣。”

“Dear me!” grumbled the hobbit. “More walking and more climbing without breakfast! I wonder how many breakfasts, and other meals, we have missed inside that nasty clockless, timeless hole?”

“天哪!”霍比特人嘟噥道，“還要餓著肚子走更多路爬更多山呀!我在想，不知道我們在那個(gè)沒有時(shí)間的可惡洞穴里面到底錯(cuò)過了多少早餐，還有中餐和晚餐啊?”

As a matter of fact two nights and the day between had gone by (and not altogether without food) since the dragon smashed the magic door, but Bilbo had quite lost count, and it might have been one night or a week of nights for all he could tell.

事實(shí)上，自從惡龍打碎了魔法門之后，他們在里面一共才度過了一天兩夜而已(中間也不是一點(diǎn)東西都沒吃)，但比爾博完全失去了對時(shí)間的概念，因此對他來說，那有可能是一夜，也有可能是整整一個(gè)星期。

“Come, come!” said Thorin laughing—his spirits had begun to rise again, and he rattled the precious stones in his pockets. “Don’t call my palace a nasty hole! You wait till it has been cleaned and redecorated!”

“走啦，走啦!”索林大笑著說道。他的精神已經(jīng)重新振奮起來，說話的同時(shí)還搖晃著口袋中的寶石。“別把我的宮殿叫做可惡的洞穴!等著看吧，等打掃完裝修好，它可漂亮了!”

“That won’t be till Smaug’s dead,” said Bilbo glumly. “In the meanwhile where is he? I would give a good breakfast to know. I hope he is not up on the Mountain looking down at us!”

“總得等到史矛革死掉才行吧!”比爾博悶悶不樂地說，“可這會兒它到哪兒去了呢?我愿意拿一頓早餐來換答案，希望它不會在山頂俯瞰著我們!”

That idea disturbed the dwarves mightily, and they quickly decided that Bilbo and Balin were right.

這個(gè)想法讓矮人們聽了很不安，他們很快就同意巴林和比爾博說的沒錯(cuò)。

“We must move away from here,” said Dori. “I feel as if his eyes were on the back of my head.”

“我們必須離開這里。”多瑞說，“我總覺得它的目光一直在盯著我的后腦勺。”

“It’s a cold lonesome place,” said Bombur. “There may be drink, but I see no sign of food. A dragon would always be hungry in such parts.”

“這是個(gè)又冷又沒勁的地方，”邦伯說，“這里或許有東西喝，但我看不到有什么能吃的東西，惡龍生活在這一帶應(yīng)該永遠(yuǎn)都吃不飽吧。”

“Come on! Come on!” cried the others. “Let us follow Balin’s path!”

“走啦!走啦!”其他人也跟著喊道，“我們跟著巴林走小路吧!”

Under the rocky wall to the right there was no path, so on they trudged among the stones on the left side of the river, and the emptiness and desolation soon sobered even Thorin again. The bridge that Balin had spoken of they found long fallen, and most of its stones were now only boulders in the shallow noisy stream; but they forded the water without much difficulty, and found the ancient steps, and climbed the high bank. After going a short way they struck the old road, and before long came to a deep dell sheltered among the rocks; there they rested for a while and had such a breakfast as they could, chiefly cram and water. (If you want to know what cram is, I can only say that I don’t know the recipe; but it is biscuitish, keeps good indefinitely, is supposed to be sustaining, and is certainly not entertaining, being in fact very uninteresting except as a chewing exercise. It was made by the Lake-men for long journeys.)

沿著山壁往右邊走是沒有路的，因此，他們是在河流左岸的亂石間腳步沉重地走著?；臎龅?、光禿禿的環(huán)境很快就讓大家嚴(yán)肅起來，即使索林也不例外。他們發(fā)現(xiàn)巴林提到過的那座橋早就已經(jīng)塌了，造橋用的石頭現(xiàn)在成了躺在喧鬧淺溪中的卵石。不過，他們還是沒費(fèi)多少力氣就渡過了河水，順利找到了古老的階梯，爬上了高高的河岸。走了一小段之后，他們踏上了那條古代留下的道路，不久就來到了一處巖石圍成的幽谷。他們在這里休息了一會兒，傾其所有地吃了一頓早餐，主要是克拉姆和水。(如果你想要知道克拉姆是什么東西，我只能告訴你，我也不知道它的配方，不過它吃起來有點(diǎn)餅干的味道，可以保存很長的時(shí)間，吃了很耐饑，味道當(dāng)然不敢恭維，事實(shí)上它吃起來很沒味道，像是一種純粹的口腔咀嚼練習(xí)。長湖邊的人類制作這種干糧是專供長途旅行時(shí)用的。)

After that they went on again; and now the road struck westwards and left the river, and the great shoulder of the south-pointing mountain-spur drew ever nearer. At length they reached the hill path. It scrambled steeply up, and they plodded slowly one behind the other, till at last in the late afternoon they came to the top of the ridge and saw the wintry sun going downwards to the West.

之后，他們又繼續(xù)趕路，道路向西偏轉(zhuǎn)，離開了河邊，與大山的南向支脈越來越靠近。最后，他們終于抵達(dá)了通往山丘的小徑。小徑陡峭地往上延伸，他們一個(gè)接一個(gè)緩步往上爬，臨近傍晚才終于到達(dá)了山脊的頂端，看到冷冷的太陽落向西方。

Here they found a flat place without a wall on three sides, but backed to the North by a rocky face in which there was an opening like a door. From that door there was a wide view East and South and West.

他們在這邊找到了一塊平地，三面都沒有遮擋，只有北面依靠著一塊巨巖，上面有個(gè)像是大門一樣的開口，透過這扇巖石的巨門可以俯瞰東方、西方和南方的遼闊景色。

“Here,” said Balin, “in the old days we used always to keep watchmen, and that door behind leads into a rockhewn chamber that was made here as a guardroom. There were several places like it round the Mountain. But there seemed small need for watching in the days of our prosperity, and the guards were made over comfortable, perhaps—otherwise we might have had longer warning of the coming of the dragon, and things might have been different. Still, here we can now lie hid and sheltered for a while, and can see much without being seen.”

“就是這里，”巴林說，“以前我們一直在這邊安排人瞭望，后面的門則會通往一個(gè)從巖石里面開鑿出來的房間，那是守衛(wèi)住的地方。在大山里像這樣的點(diǎn)還有好幾處。不過，在我們繁榮興盛的時(shí)候，瞭望似乎沒有太大的用處，守衛(wèi)也變得松懈了——不然，我們可以更早發(fā)出惡龍入侵的警報(bào)，一切可能就跟現(xiàn)在不一樣了。不過現(xiàn)在我們還是可以在這里躲一陣子，觀察到外面的情形，而不用擔(dān)心自己被發(fā)現(xiàn)。”

“Not much use, if we have been seen coming here,” said Dori, who was always looking up towards the Mountain’s peak, as if he expected to see Smaug perched there like a bird on a steeple.

“可如果我們被人看見朝這邊來了，那躲在這里也沒多大用處了。”多瑞一路上都不停地看著山頂，似乎在擔(dān)心會看見史矛革像小鳥一樣停在那里。

“We must take our chance of that,” said Thorin. “We can go no further to-day.”

“我們只能賭一把了，”索林說，“今天實(shí)在走不了了。”

“Hear, hear!” cried Bilbo, and flung himself on the ground.

“好嘞，好嘞!”比爾博喊了一聲就攤開四肢躺到了地上。

In the rock-chamber there would have been room for a hundred, and there was a small chamber further in, more removed from the cold outside. It was quite deserted; not even wild animals seemed to have used it in all the days of Smaug’s dominion. There they laid their burdens; and some threw themselves down at once and slept, but the others sat near the outer door and discussed their plans. In all their talk they came perpetually back to one thing: where was Smaug? They looked West and there was nothing, and East there was nothing, and in the South there was no sign of the dragon, but there was a gathering of very many birds. At that they gazed and wondered; but they were no nearer understanding it, when the first cold stars came out.

那座石室夠一百個(gè)人待的，再往里還有一個(gè)更小的房間，更能遮擋住外面的寒風(fēng)。在史矛革統(tǒng)治期間，這里被廢棄了，就連飛禽走獸似乎也沒有用過這個(gè)地方。他們把背著的東西都卸了下來，有些人倒頭就睡著了，另一些人則坐在外間的門邊討論著計(jì)劃。在整個(gè)的談?wù)撨^程中，他們時(shí)時(shí)會回到一件事上來，那就是：史矛革到哪里去了?他們望向西方，西方什么也沒有;望向東方，東方也是一片空空如也;再望向南方，南方也絲毫沒有惡龍的蹤跡，不過倒是有許多飛鳥聚集在一起。他們盯著那一景象看了很久，感到十分好奇，卻直到最早的一批寒星掛上了天際，也一點(diǎn)兒沒弄明白這究竟是怎么回事。