霍比特人：An Unexpected Party 不速之客 （上）

AN UNEXPECTED PARTY

一個(gè)意外的派對(duì)

In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.

在地底的洞府中住著一個(gè)霍比特人。這不是那種讓人惡心的洞，臟兮兮濕乎乎的，長(zhǎng)滿蟲(chóng)子，透著一股子泥腥味兒;也不是那種滿是沙子的洞，干巴巴光禿禿的，沒(méi)好地方坐，也沒(méi)好東西吃。這是一個(gè)霍比特人的洞，而霍比特人的洞就意味著舒適。

It had a perfectly round door like a porthole, painted green, with a shiny yellow brass knob in the exact middle. The door opened on to a tube-shaped hall like a tunnel: a very comfortable tunnel without smoke, with panelled walls, and floors tiled and carpeted, provided with polished chairs, and lots and lots of pegs for hats and coats—the hobbit was fond of visitors. The tunnel wound on and on, going fairly but not quite straight into the side of the hill—The Hill, as all the people for many miles round called it—and many little round doors opened out of it, first on one side and then on another. No going upstairs for the hobbit: bedrooms, bathrooms, cellars, pantries (lots of these), wardrobes (he had whole rooms devoted to clothes), kitchens, dining-rooms, all were on the same floor, and indeed on the same passage. The best rooms were all on the left-hand side (going in), for these were the only ones to have windows, deep-set round windows looking over his garden, and meadows beyond, sloping down to the river.

這座洞穴有個(gè)像是舷窗般渾圓、漆成綠色的大門，在正中央有個(gè)黃色的閃亮門把。大門打開(kāi)之后，是一個(gè)圓管狀像是隧道的客廳：這是個(gè)沒(méi)有煙霧的舒適客廳，有著精心裝飾的墻壁，地板上鋪著地毯和磁磚，四處還擺著許多打磨光亮的椅子。由于哈比人超愛(ài)客人來(lái)訪，因此這里還有很多很多的衣帽架。隧道繼續(xù)延伸，蜿蜒地深入山丘中，附近許多哩的人們都叫這座山丘為“小丘”，小丘各個(gè)方向還蓋了許多圓形的小門。哈比人可是不爬樓梯的：臥室、浴室、酒窖、餐點(diǎn)室(超多的呢!)、更衣室(他有一整間房間都是用來(lái)放衣服的)、廚房、飯廳，全部都在同一層樓，也都在同一條走廊上。最好的房間都是在左手邊(繼續(xù)往里面走也一樣)，因?yàn)橹挥羞@方向的房間才有窗戶，這些渾圓的窗戶可以俯瞰他美麗的花園，和一路延伸向河邊的翠綠草地。

This hobbit was a very well-to-do hobbit, and his name was Baggins. The Bagginses had lived in the neighbourhood of The Hill for time out of mind, and people considered them very respectable, not only because most of them were rich, but also because they never had any adventures or did anything unexpected: you could tell what a Baggins would say on any question without the bother of asking him. This is a story of how a Baggins had an adventure, and found himself doing and saying things altogether unexpected. He may have lost the neighbours’ respect, but he gained—well, you will see whether he gained anything in the end.

這名哈比人生活相當(dāng)富裕，他姓巴金斯。巴金斯一家人自古以來(lái)，就居住在小丘這一帶，附近的鄰居都很尊敬他們;不單只是因?yàn)樗麄兇蟛糠侄己苡绣X，也是因?yàn)樗麄儚膩?lái)不冒險(xiǎn)，不會(huì)做任何出人意料之外的事情：你在問(wèn)巴金斯一家人任何問(wèn)題之前，就可以先預(yù)料到他們的答案，根本不必要浪費(fèi)這個(gè)力氣。這個(gè)故事就是關(guān)于一名巴金斯家人如何意外地卷入冒險(xiǎn)之中，并且做出和說(shuō)出許多出人意料之外的事情來(lái)。他或許失去了鄰居們的尊敬，但是至少獲得了──算啦!到最后你就會(huì)知道他獲得了什么東西。

The mother of our particular hobbit—what is a hobbit? I suppose hobbits need some description nowadays, since they have become rare and shy of the Big People, as they call us. They are (or were) a little people, about half our height, and smaller than the bearded Dwarves. Hobbits have no beards. There is little or no magic about them, except the ordinary everyday sort which helps them to disappear quietly and quickly when large stupid folk like you and me come blundering along, making a noise like elephants which they can hear a mile off. They are inclined to be fat in the stomach; they dress in bright colours (chiefly green and yellow); wear no shoes, because their feet grow natural leathery soles and thick warm brown hair like the stuff on their heads (which is curly); have long clever brown fingers, good-natured faces, and laugh deep fruity laughs (especially after dinner, which they have twice a day when they can get it). Now you know enough to go on with. As I was saying, the mother of this hobbit—of Bilbo Baggins, that is—was the famous Belladonna Took, one of the three remarkable daughters of the Old Took, head of the hobbits who lived across The Water, the small river that ran at the foot of The Hill. It was often said (in other families) that long ago one of the Took ancestors must have taken a fairy wife. That was, of course, absurd, but certainly there was still something not entirely hobbitlike about them, and once in a while members of the Took-clan would go and have adventures. They discreetly disappeared, and the family hushed it up; but the fact remained that the Tooks were not as respectable as the Bagginses, though they were undoubtedly richer.

有關(guān)于我們這個(gè)哈比人的母親──對(duì)啦，到底什么是哈比人?我想，時(shí)至今日，的確需要更進(jìn)一步地描述哈比人;因?yàn)樗麄円呀?jīng)變得比較罕見(jiàn)，也比較畏懼我們這些大家伙(這是他們稱呼我們的方式)。他們是相當(dāng)矮小的種族，大概只有我們身體的一半高度，也比長(zhǎng)了大胡子的矮人要矮，哈比人不留胡子。他們沒(méi)有法力(或者僅有一點(diǎn)點(diǎn))，只有當(dāng)我們這些笨重的大家伙，莽莽撞撞地像大象一般靠近他們的時(shí)候，他們才會(huì)使出憑空消失的把戲來(lái)。通常他們的肚子上都會(huì)有不少肥肉，喜歡穿著鮮艷的衣服(多半都是綠色和黃色)，不穿鞋子，因?yàn)樗麄兊男∧_會(huì)長(zhǎng)出天然的肉墊來(lái)，也會(huì)冒出和他們頭發(fā)一樣濃密的卷毛。哈比人擁有靈巧的褐色手指、開(kāi)朗的面孔，笑起來(lái)更是十分爽朗(特別是在他們吃完晚飯之后，大笑更是必備的節(jié)目之一;而只要他們有機(jī)會(huì)，一天通常都會(huì)有兩頓晚餐)。現(xiàn)在，你對(duì)他們大概已經(jīng)有了粗淺的了解了。我之前剛說(shuō)到，這個(gè)比爾博·巴金斯的母親，就是鼎鼎大名的貝拉多娜·圖克，是老圖克大人三名出類拔萃的女兒之一。老圖克大人則是住在“小河”邊哈比人的領(lǐng)袖，這條河就是繞過(guò)小丘腳邊的一條小河。大家常常說(shuō)(其他家族的人常常說(shuō)啦……)圖克家族的遠(yuǎn)祖一定有人娶了個(gè)妖精當(dāng)老婆;當(dāng)然，這可信度并不高，只不過(guò)，他們一家人的確有點(diǎn)與眾不同，偶爾會(huì)有成員離家出外冒險(xiǎn)。他們會(huì)神秘地消失，家里的人則是三緘其口，不露任何口風(fēng)。也就是因?yàn)檫@樣，雖然圖克家人比較有錢，但大伙還是比較尊敬巴金斯一家人。

Not that Belladonna Took ever had any adventures after she became Mrs. Bungo Baggins. Bungo, that was Bilbo’s father, built the most luxurious hobbit-hole for her (and partly with her money) that was to be found either under The Hill or over The Hill or across The Water, and there they remained to the end of their days. Still it is probable that Bilbo, her only son, although he looked and behaved exactly like a second edition of his solid and comfortable father, got something a bit queer in his make-up from the Took side, something that only waited for a chance to come out. The chance never arrived, until Bilbo Baggins was grown up, being about fifty years old or so, and living in the beautiful hobbit-hole built by his father, which I have just described for you, until he had in fact apparently settled down immovably.

當(dāng)然，在貝拉多娜成了邦哥·巴金斯的妻子之后，她就沒(méi)有什么驚人之舉了。邦哥是比爾博的老爸，對(duì)他妻子可說(shuō)是呵護(hù)備至，他為她建造了(一部分是用她的財(cái)產(chǎn))在小丘鄰近和小河流域一帶最豪華的地洞。不過(guò)，她唯一的兒子比爾博，雖然看起來(lái)和他老爸一樣老實(shí)可靠，但可能繼承了圖克家族的詭異血統(tǒng)，只是在等待適當(dāng)?shù)臅r(shí)機(jī)爆發(fā)而已。直到比爾博成年，甚至到了五十歲左右，這時(shí)機(jī)還是沒(méi)有到來(lái)。在這段時(shí)間中，他就這么安安穩(wěn)穩(wěn)地居住在老爹留下來(lái)的地洞中，可說(shuō)是與世無(wú)爭(zhēng)。不過(guò)，奇妙的機(jī)緣就這么突如其來(lái)地降臨了。那時(shí)，這世界比現(xiàn)在還要翠綠，也不那么吵雜，哈比人們依舊繁衍興盛……

By some curious chance one morning long ago in the quiet of the world, when there was less noise and more green, and the hobbits were still numerous and prosperous, and Bilbo Baggins was standing at his door after breakfast smoking an enormous long wooden pipe that reached nearly down to his woolly toes (neatly brushed)—Gandalf came by. Gandalf! If you had heard only a quarter of what I have heard about him, and I have only heard very little of all there is to hear, you would be prepared for any sort of remarkable tale. Tales and adventures sprouted up all over the place wherever he went, in the most extraordinary fashion. He had not been down that way under The Hill for ages and ages, not since his friend the Old Took died, in fact, and the hobbits had almost forgotten what he looked like. He had been away over The Hill and across The Water on businesses of his own since they were all small hobbit-boys and hobbit-girls.

比爾博·巴金斯剛用完早餐，正站在門口抽著一根極長(zhǎng)的煙斗，長(zhǎng)得幾乎都快碰到他剛梳理過(guò)的毛毛腳上了，甘道夫就在這時(shí)出現(xiàn)了。說(shuō)到甘道夫啊!如果你對(duì)他的了解有我的一半──而我所聽(tīng)說(shuō)的故事不過(guò)是九牛一毛，那么你就可以預(yù)料到將會(huì)有難以想像的奇妙故事發(fā)生。他所到之處，冒險(xiǎn)和傳奇都會(huì)如同雨后春筍一般冒出來(lái)，而且還是以最出人意料的形式發(fā)生。他已經(jīng)有很多很多年沒(méi)有經(jīng)過(guò)小丘這一帶了，自從他的好友老圖克過(guò)世之后他也跟著銷聲匿跡，大伙幾乎已忘記他的長(zhǎng)相了。在他們還是小孩的時(shí)候，甘道夫還常常在小丘和小河一帶忙碌地奔波。

All that the unsuspecting Bilbo saw that morning was an old man with a staff. He had a tall pointed blue hat, a long grey cloak, a silver scarf over which his long white beard hung down below his waist, and immense black boots.

不過(guò)，無(wú)辜的比爾博當(dāng)天早上所見(jiàn)的，只是一名拿著拐杖的老人。他戴著藍(lán)色的尖頂帽，披著灰色的斗篷，圍著銀色的圍巾，白色的胡須直達(dá)他的腰際，腳上還穿著笨重的黑靴子。

“Good Morning!” said Bilbo, and he meant it. The sun was shining, and the grass was very green. But Gandalf looked at him from under long bushy eyebrows that stuck out further than the brim of his shady hat.

“早上好啊!”比爾博真誠(chéng)地說(shuō)。太陽(yáng)暖呼呼，草地又無(wú)比的翠綠。不過(guò)，甘道夫挑起又長(zhǎng)又濃密的眉毛打量著他。

“What do you mean?” he said. “Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not; or that you feel good this morning; or that it is a morning to be good on?”

“你是什么意思?”甘道夫問(wèn)：“你是要問(wèn)候我早上可好，還是說(shuō)不管我怎么做，早上天氣都很好?還是說(shuō)你覺(jué)得今天早上很好，或者今天是個(gè)應(yīng)該擁有很好心情的早晨?”

“All of them at once,” said Bilbo. “And a very fine morning for a pipe of tobacco out of doors, into the bargain. If you have a pipe about you, sit down and have a fill of mine! There’s no hurry, we have all the day before us!” Then Bilbo sat down on a seat by his door, crossed his legs, and blew out a beautiful grey ring of smoke that sailed up into the air without breaking and floated away over The Hill.

“你說(shuō)的都對(duì)!”比爾博說(shuō)：“而且，還非常適合在門外抽煙斗。如果你身上有帶煙斗，不妨坐在我身邊，盡管用我的菸葉!沒(méi)什么好急的嘛!今天還有一整天可以過(guò)呢!”話一說(shuō)完，比爾博就在門口的凳子上坐了下來(lái)，翹起二郎腿，吐出一個(gè)美麗的灰色煙圈;煙圈就這么完好如初飄啊飄，一直越過(guò)小丘頂。

“Very pretty!” said Gandalf. “But I have no time to blow smoke-rings this morning. I am looking for someone to share in an adventure that I am arranging, and it’s very difficult to find anyone.”

“真漂亮!”甘道夫說(shuō)：“可惜我今早沒(méi)時(shí)間在這邊吐煙圈，我正想要找人和我一起參加未來(lái)的一場(chǎng)冒險(xiǎn)，但在這里都找不到什么伙伴!”

“I should think so—in these parts! We are plain quiet folk and have no use for adventures. Nasty disturbing uncomfortable things! Make you late for dinner! I can’t think what anybody sees in them,” said our Mr. Baggins, and stuck one thumb behind his braces, and blew out another even bigger smokering. Then he took out his morning letters, and began to read, pretending to take no more notice of the old man. He had decided that he was not quite his sort, and wanted him to go away. But the old man did not move. He stood leaning on his stick and gazing at the hobbit without saying anything, till Bilbo got quite uncomfortable and even a little cross.

“在這一帶?那當(dāng)然羅!我們可是老老實(shí)實(shí)過(guò)活的普通人，不需要什么冒險(xiǎn)。這是很讓人頭痛、又不舒服的東西，會(huì)讓你來(lái)不及吃晚飯!我實(shí)在搞不懂，冒險(xiǎn)到底有什么好玩的?”比爾博將拇指插進(jìn)腰帶，又吐出另一個(gè)更大的煙圈。然后他拿出了早上收到的信，開(kāi)始念誦，假裝沒(méi)時(shí)間理會(huì)這個(gè)老人。他已經(jīng)暗自決定了，這家伙和他合不來(lái)，希望他趕快離開(kāi)。但那老家伙還是不打算離開(kāi)，他倚著拐杖，一言不發(fā)地打量著眼前的哈比人，直到比爾博覺(jué)得渾身不對(duì)勁，甚至有些不高興了。

“Good morning!” he said at last. “We don’t want any adventures here, thank you! You might try over The Hill or across The Water.” By this he meant that the conversation was at an end.

“早上好啦!”他最后終于忍不住說(shuō)：“多謝你好心，我們這邊可不需要任何的冒險(xiǎn)!你可以去小丘另一邊或是小河附近打聽(tīng)看看。”他這句話的意思，就是請(qǐng)對(duì)方趕快滾蛋，不要再煩人。

“What a lot of things you do use Good morning for!” said Gandalf. “Now you mean that you want to get rid of me, and that it won’t be good till I move off.”

“你的早上好還真是有很多用處哪!”甘道夫說(shuō)：“這次你的意思，是想叫我趕快滾蛋，如果我不走，早上就不會(huì)好，對(duì)吧?”

“Not at all, not at all, my dear sir! Let me see, I don’t think I know your name?”

“親愛(ài)的先生，我沒(méi)有這個(gè)意思!讓我想想，我好像不認(rèn)識(shí)你，對(duì)吧?”

“Yes, yes, my dear sir—and I do know your name, Mr. Bilbo Baggins. And you do know my name, though you don’t remember that I belong to it. I am Gandalf, and Gandalf means me! To think that I should have lived to be good-morninged by Belladonna Took’s son, as if I was selling buttons at the door!”

“不，你有這個(gè)意思、你有這個(gè)意思!親愛(ài)的先生，我卻知道你的名字，比爾博·巴金斯先生，你也應(yīng)該知道我的名字，只是你沒(méi)辦法把我和它聯(lián)想在一起。我是甘道夫，甘道夫就是在下!真沒(méi)想到有朝一日，貝拉多娜的兒子竟然會(huì)用這種口氣對(duì)我說(shuō)話，好像我是賣鈕扣的推銷員!”

“Gandalf, Gandalf! Good gracious me! Not the wandering wizard that gave Old Took a pair of magic diamond studs that fastened themselves and never came undone till ordered? Not the fellow who used to tell such wonderful tales at parties, about dragons and goblins and giants and the rescue of princesses and the unexpected luck of widows’ sons? Not the man that used to make such particularly excellent fireworks! I remember those! Old Took used to have them on Midsummer’s Eve. Splendid! They used to go up like great lilies and snapdragons and laburnums of fire and hang in the twilight all evening!” You will notice already that Mr. Baggins was not quite so prosy as he liked to believe, also that he was very fond of flowers. “Dear me!” he went on. “Not the Gandalf who was responsible for so many quiet lads and lasses going off into the Blue for mad adventures? Anything from climbing trees to visiting elves—or sailing in ships, sailing to other shores! Bless me, life used to be quite inter—I mean, you used to upset things badly in these parts once upon a time. I beg your pardon, but I had no idea you were still in business.”

“甘道夫，甘道夫──天哪!你該不會(huì)就是那個(gè)給了老圖克一對(duì)魔法鉆石耳環(huán)的人吧?那對(duì)鉆石耳環(huán)除非接到主人的命令，否則永遠(yuǎn)不會(huì)掉下來(lái)!我還記得這個(gè)家伙，也會(huì)在宴會(huì)上說(shuō)出許多許多精彩萬(wàn)分的故事，有惡龍、有半獸人、巨人，以及幸運(yùn)的寡婦之子拯救公主的故事!更別提這個(gè)家伙還會(huì)制造棒得不得了的煙火!我還記得那華麗的煙火大會(huì)!老圖克會(huì)在夏至那天晚上施放它們!讓我一輩子都忘不掉!它們會(huì)像是火樹(shù)銀花一般地飛竄上天空，更會(huì)像空中樓閣一樣整晚掛在天上!我還記得天上掛著蓮花、龍嘴花和金鏈花的樣子……”各位看官應(yīng)該已經(jīng)注意到，其實(shí)巴金斯先生并不像他自己認(rèn)為的那么無(wú)趣，而且他還很喜歡花朵。“媽呀!天哪!”他繼續(xù)興奮地說(shuō)：“這個(gè)甘道夫還影響了好多沉默寡言的少年、少女發(fā)夢(mèng)去冒險(xiǎn)哪!他們有的去爬樹(shù)找精靈，有的駕船想要到對(duì)岸去!媽呀，這里以前本來(lái)是很安祥──喔喔，我是說(shuō)你以前讓這一帶起過(guò)不小的騷動(dòng)。實(shí)在很抱歉，但我沒(méi)想到閣下目前還在營(yíng)業(yè)哇!”

“Where else should I be?” said the wizard. “All the same I am pleased to find you remember something about me. You seem to remember my fireworks kindly, at any rate, and that is not without hope. Indeed for your old grandfather Took’s sake, and for the sake of poor Belladonna, I will give you what you asked for.”

“不然我還能去哪里?”巫師說(shuō)：“不過(guò)，我還是很高興你記得我那么多事跡，至少，你似乎對(duì)我的煙火印象很好，看來(lái)你還有救。是啊，看在你外祖父的份上，還有那可憐的貝拉多娜，我將讓你如愿以償。”

“I beg your pardon, I haven’t asked for anything!”

“拜托，幫幫忙，我又沒(méi)有許什么愿望!”

“Yes, you have! Twice now. My pardon. I give it you. In fact I will go so far as to send you on this adventure. Very amusing for me, very good for you—and profitable too, very likely, if you ever get over it.”

“錯(cuò)，你有!而且還說(shuō)了兩次。我會(huì)原諒你的，事實(shí)上，我甚至還會(huì)親自送你參加這次的冒險(xiǎn)。對(duì)我來(lái)說(shuō)會(huì)很有趣，對(duì)你來(lái)說(shuō)會(huì)很有利──甚至，只要你能夠完成這次冒險(xiǎn)，還會(huì)有不錯(cuò)的收入。”

“Sorry! I don’t want any adventures, thank you. Not today. Good morning! But please come to tea—any time you like! Why not tomorrow? Come tomorrow! Good bye!” With that the hobbit turned and scuttled inside his round green door, and shut it as quickly as he dared, not to seem rude. Wizards after all are wizards.

“失禮了失禮了!多謝你的好意，但我真的不想要任何冒險(xiǎn)，至少今天不想。我們說(shuō)過(guò)早安了吧!記得有空來(lái)喝茶!對(duì)啦，明天怎么樣?明天再來(lái)，再見(jiàn)!”話一說(shuō)完，這名哈比人就匆匆忙忙地鉆進(jìn)屋內(nèi)，在不失禮的限制下盡快關(guān)上大門。畢竟，巫師還是巫師，最好不要得罪他們。

“What on earth did I ask him to tea for!” he said to himself, as he went to the pantry. He had only just had breakfast, but he thought a cake or two and a drink of something would do him good after his fright.

“搞什么鬼，我請(qǐng)他喝什么茶呀!”他一頭沖進(jìn)餐點(diǎn)室，責(zé)備著自己。他才剛吃過(guò)早餐，但在經(jīng)過(guò)這一場(chǎng)驚嚇后，或許一兩塊蛋糕和一些飲料，有助于平復(fù)他的情緒。

Gandalf in the meantime was still standing outside the door, and laughing long but quietly. After a while he stepped up, and with the spike on his staff scratched a queer sign on the hobbit’s beautiful green front-door. Then he strode away, just about the time when Bilbo was finishing his second cake and beginning to think that he had escaped adventures very well.

在此同時(shí)，甘道夫依舊站在門外，露出慈祥的笑容。笑了一陣子之后，他退了幾步，用手杖的尖端在比爾博可愛(ài)的大門上，刻了個(gè)奇怪的記號(hào)，然后就大剌剌地轉(zhuǎn)身離開(kāi)，此時(shí)比爾博正好吞下第二塊蛋糕，慶幸自己用高明的手段躲開(kāi)了一次可怕的冒險(xiǎn)。

The next day he had almost forgotten about Gandalf. He did not remember things very well, unless he put them down on his Engagement Tablet: like this: Gandalf Tea Wednesday. Yesterday he had been too flustered to do anything of the kind.

到了第二天，這家伙酒足飯飽，幾乎完全忘記了甘道夫。除非他把事情寫在約會(huì)記事簿上，否則他的記性實(shí)在不怎么好。一般來(lái)說(shuō)，他會(huì)這樣寫：甘道夫周三用茶;昨天他手忙腳亂之下，根本忘記了這件事情。

Just before tea-time there came a tremendous ring on the front-door bell, and then he remembered! He rushed and put on the kettle, and put out another cup and saucer, and an extra cake or two, and ran to the door.

距離下午茶的時(shí)間不久之前，前門傳來(lái)了震耳的門鈴聲，他這才想了起來(lái)!他慌亂地煮起開(kāi)水，準(zhǔn)備了另一個(gè)茶杯和碟子和幾塊蛋糕，飛快地跑向門口。

“I am so sorry to keep you waiting!” he was going to say, when he saw that it was not Gandalf at all. It was a dwarf with a blue beard tucked into a golden belt, and very bright eyes under his dark-green hood. As soon as the door was opened, he pushed inside, just as if he had been expected.

“抱歉讓你久等了!”他本來(lái)準(zhǔn)備這樣說(shuō)，卻發(fā)現(xiàn)眼前的并不是甘道夫。對(duì)方是一名將藍(lán)胡子塞進(jìn)金腰帶中的矮人，他戴著深綠色的帽子，擁有一雙非常明亮的眼睛。門一打開(kāi)，他就闖了進(jìn)來(lái)，彷佛主人和他是換帖的好兄弟一般。

He hung his hooded cloak on the nearest peg, and “Dwalin at your service!” he said with a low bow.

他將連著兜帽的斗篷，找了個(gè)最靠近的衣帽架掛了起來(lái)，接著說(shuō)：“德瓦林聽(tīng)候差遣!”他深深一鞠躬說(shuō)。

“Bilbo Baggins at yours!” said the hobbit, too surprised to ask any questions for the moment. When the silence that followed had become uncomfortable, he added: “I am just about to take tea; pray come and have some with me.” A little stiff perhaps, but he meant it kindly. And what would you do, if an uninvited dwarf came and hung his things up in your hall without a word of explanation?

“比爾博·巴金斯聽(tīng)您差遣!”哈比人驚訝地忘記該問(wèn)什么問(wèn)題。當(dāng)隨之而來(lái)的沉默變得讓人尷尬的時(shí)候，他補(bǔ)充道：“我正準(zhǔn)備要喝茶，請(qǐng)來(lái)和我一起用。”或許轉(zhuǎn)得有些生硬，但他的確是真心誠(chéng)意的;而且，如果有個(gè)矮人不請(qǐng)自來(lái)的殺進(jìn)你家，一句解釋的話也沒(méi)有，你又能怎么辦呢?

They had not been at table long, in fact they had hardly reached the third cake, when there came another even louder ring at the bell.

他們?cè)谧肋呑藳](méi)多久，事實(shí)上，也才剛吃到第三塊蛋糕，比前次更大聲的門鈴又響了起來(lái)。

“Excuse me!” said the hobbit, and off he went to the door.

“我先告退!”哈比人又再度沖到門口。

“So you have got here at last!” That was what he was going to say to Gandalf this time. But it was not Gandalf. Instead there was a very old-looking dwarf on the step with a white beard and a scarlet hood; and he too hopped inside as soon as the door was open, just as if he had been invited.

“你可終于來(lái)了!”他本來(lái)準(zhǔn)備對(duì)甘道夫這樣說(shuō)，但出現(xiàn)在眼前的又不是甘道夫。對(duì)方是名看起來(lái)非常蒼老的矮人，一臉白色胡須，戴著紅色帽子;同樣的，他也是門一開(kāi)就跳了進(jìn)來(lái)，彷佛早八百年就接到邀請(qǐng)函一樣。

“I see they have begun to arrive already,” he said when he caught sight of Dwalin’s green hood hanging up. He hung his red one next to it, and “Balin at your service!” he said with his hand on his breast.

“大家都開(kāi)始報(bào)到了!”當(dāng)他看見(jiàn)德瓦林的衣帽掛在架上時(shí)，這么說(shuō)。他也把自己的紅帽子掛在旁邊：“巴林聽(tīng)候你的差遣!”他以手觸胸說(shuō)道。

“Thank you!” said Bilbo with a gasp. It was not the correct thing to say, but they have begun to arrive had flustered him badly. He liked visitors, but he liked to know them before they arrived, and he preferred to ask them himself. He had a horrible thought that the cakes might run short, and then he—as the host: he knew his duty and stuck to it however painful—he might have to go without.

“多謝!”比爾博吃了一驚，照禮數(shù)來(lái)說(shuō)不該這么說(shuō)的，但“大家都開(kāi)始報(bào)到了”這句話讓他亂了方寸。他喜歡訪客，但他偏愛(ài)安排好的客人，而且更偏好由自己親自邀請(qǐng)他們。他突然間有種不祥的預(yù)感──蛋糕可能會(huì)不夠。而身為主人，他有個(gè)不管如何痛苦都必須遵守的禮數(shù)：必須先請(qǐng)客人吃，而他自己可能吃不到。

“Come along in, and have some tea!” he managed to say after taking a deep breath.

“快進(jìn)來(lái)，先喝茶吧!”在深吸了一口氣之后，他終于勉強(qiáng)說(shuō)道。

“A little beer would suit me better, if it is all the same to you, my good sir,” said Balin with the white beard. “But I don’t mind some cake—seed-cake, if you have any.”

“好心的先生，如果你不麻煩的話，來(lái)些啤酒會(huì)更好!”滿臉白胡子的巴林說(shuō)：“如果先生您有些香籽蛋糕的話，我也更不介意。”

“Lots!” Bilbo found himself answering, to his own surprise; and he found himself scuttling off, too, to the cellar to fill a pint beer-mug, and then to a pantry to fetch two beautiful round seed-cakes which he had baked that afternoon for his after-supper morsel.

“當(dāng)然當(dāng)然，我有很多!”比爾博意外地發(fā)現(xiàn)自己竟然這樣回答，而且自己的雙腳就這么自顧自地忙了起來(lái)。他先到酒窖裝了一大壺的啤酒，然后又去餐點(diǎn)間拿了兩個(gè)香噴噴的圓形香籽蛋糕──這還是他下午剛烤的，準(zhǔn)備拿來(lái)當(dāng)作晚餐之后的宵點(diǎn)。

When he got back Balin and Dwalin were talking at the table like old friends (as a matter of fact they were brothers). Bilbo plumped down the beer and the cake in front of them, when loud came a ring at the bell again, and then another ring.

當(dāng)他回來(lái)之后，巴林和德瓦林已經(jīng)像是個(gè)老友般地交談起來(lái)(事實(shí)上，他們根本是兄弟)。比爾博才把啤酒和蛋糕放在桌上，門鈴又大聲響了起來(lái)，而且還連響兩次!

“Gandalf for certain this time,” he thought as he puffed along the passage. But it was not. It was two more dwarves, both with blue hoods, silver belts, and yellow beards; and each of them carried a bag of tools and a spade. In they hopped, as soon as the door began to open—Bilbo was hardly surprised at all.

“這次一定是甘道夫了!”他氣喘吁吁地跑過(guò)走廊時(shí)心中猜測(cè)，但這次依舊不是。又來(lái)了兩名矮人，兩個(gè)都戴藍(lán)色兜帽、銀色腰帶、蓄著黃色胡子，而且都背著一袋工具和一柄鏟子。門一開(kāi)，他們就老實(shí)不客氣地沖了進(jìn)來(lái)，不過(guò)這次可嚇不倒比爾博了。

“What can I do for you, my dwarves?” he said.

“親愛(ài)的矮人們，有什么我可以幫忙的地方嗎?”他說(shuō)。

“Kili at your service!” said the one. “And Fili!” added the other; and they both swept off their blue hoods and bowed.

“奇力聽(tīng)候您的差遣!”其中一個(gè)說(shuō)。“還有菲力也是!”另一個(gè)人補(bǔ)充道。兩人都很快地脫下帽子，深深一鞠躬。

“At yours and your family’s!” replied Bilbo, remembering his manners this time.

“在下聽(tīng)候您和您家人的差遣!”比爾博這次才終于照著禮數(shù)回答了他們。

“Dwalin and Balin here already, I see,” said Kili. “Let us join the throng!”

“原來(lái)德瓦林和巴林都已經(jīng)先到了，”奇力說(shuō)：“我們一起樂(lè)一樂(lè)吧!”

“Throng!” thought Mr. Baggins. “I don’t like the sound of that. I really must sit down for a minute and collect my wits, and have a drink.” He had only just had a sip—in the corner, while the four dwarves sat round the table, and talked about mines and gold and troubles with the goblins, and the depredations of dragons, and lots of other things which he did not understand, and did not want to, for they sounded much too adventurous—when, ding-dong-a-ling-dang, his bell rang again, as if some naughty little hobbit-boy was trying to pull the handle off.

“樂(lè)一樂(lè)!”巴金斯先生心中想：“這聽(tīng)起來(lái)可不妙，我得先坐下來(lái)喝口茶，好好想一想應(yīng)對(duì)之策才行。”他躲在角落喝了一口，其他四名矮人則是豪邁地坐在桌邊，大聲談笑著礦坑、黃金和半獸人所惹的麻煩，惡龍的劫掠，還有很多其他事物是他不了解、也不想多聽(tīng)的，因?yàn)檫@些事情聽(tīng)起來(lái)都太具冒險(xiǎn)性了。這時(shí)，叮咚鈴當(dāng)，他的門鈴又響了，好像是某個(gè)頑皮的哈比小孩，使盡全身力氣想把門鈴扯掉一樣。

“Someone at the door!” he said, blinking.

“又有人來(lái)了!”他眨著眼睛說(shuō)。

“Some four, I should say by the sound,” said Fili. “Besides, we saw them coming along behind us in the distance.”

“從那聲音聽(tīng)起來(lái)，我猜應(yīng)該是四個(gè)人，”菲力說(shuō)：“而且，我們來(lái)之前就看到他們跟在我后面。”

The poor little hobbit sat down in the hall and put his head in his hands, and wondered what had happened, and what was going to happen, and whether they would all stay to supper. Then the bell rang again louder than ever, and he had to run to the door. It was not four after all, it was five. Another dwarf had come along while he was wondering in the hall. He had hardly turned the knob, before they were all inside, bowing and saying “at your service” one after another. Dori, Nori, Ori, Oin, and Gloin were their names; and very soon two purple hoods, a grey hood, a brown hood, and a white hood were hanging on the pegs, and off they marched with their broad hands stuck in their gold and silver belts to join the others. Already it had almost become a throng. Some called for ale, and some for porter, and one for coffee, and all of them for cakes; so the hobbit was kept very busy for a while.

可憐的哈比人就這么坐在客廳，雙手捧著腦袋，不知道到底是怎么一回事，也不知道這些惡客究竟會(huì)不會(huì)留下來(lái)吃晚餐。然后，門鈴又肆無(wú)忌憚地大吵大鬧起來(lái)，他只得拼了老命跑去開(kāi)門。開(kāi)門之后他才發(fā)現(xiàn)，這根本不是四個(gè)人，而是五個(gè)人!當(dāng)他在客廳里面發(fā)呆的時(shí)候，又有另一名矮人湊了上來(lái);他才剛轉(zhuǎn)了門把，所有的人就一涌而入，都鞠躬說(shuō)著：“聽(tīng)候您差遣”!他們是朵力、諾力、歐力、歐音和葛羅音，很快的，兩頂紫帽子、一頂灰帽子，一頂褐帽子，還有一頂白帽子都被掛在衣帽架上，這些矮人都把大手插在黃金或是白銀的腰帶中，大搖大擺地加入同伴的行列。這些人的確看來(lái)已經(jīng)有了樂(lè)一樂(lè)的實(shí)力。有些人要喝麥酒，有些人想喝黑啤酒，有一個(gè)則是想喝咖啡，但每個(gè)人都要吃蛋糕。因此，這個(gè)勞碌命的哈比人，就這樣忙進(jìn)忙出了好一回兒。

A big jug of coffee had just been set in the hearth, the seed-cakes were gone, and the dwarves were starting on a round of buttered scones, when there came—a loud knock. Not a ring, but a hard rat-tat on the hobbit’s beautiful green door. Somebody was banging with a stick!

爐上正在煮著一大壺咖啡，香籽蛋糕全部陣亡，矮人們正開(kāi)始進(jìn)攻涂了奶油的麥餅，這時(shí)，門上又傳來(lái)了大聲的敲門聲。這次不是門鈴，而是在哈比人漂亮的綠門上敲打的聲音──有人用木棍在槌打門!

Bilbo rushed along the passage, very angry, and altogether bewildered and bewuthered—this was the most awkward Wednesday he ever remembered. He pulled open the door with a jerk, and they all fell in, one on top of the other. More dwarves, four more! And there was Gandalf behind, leaning on his staff and laughing. He had made quite a dent on the beautiful door; he had also, by the way, knocked out the secret mark that he had put there the morning before.

比爾博非常生氣地沖過(guò)走廊，腦袋中一團(tuán)混亂，什么也搞不清楚，這是他這輩子最混亂的一個(gè)星期三。他猛地一拉門，門外的人全都跌了進(jìn)來(lái)，一個(gè)接一個(gè)地摔在地板上。更多的矮人，又來(lái)了四個(gè)!甘道夫就站在后面，倚著手杖哈哈大笑。他在門上敲出了不少痕跡，而且，他也順便把昨天做的那個(gè)秘密記號(hào)給磨掉了。

“Carefully! Carefully!” he said. “It is not like you, Bilbo, to keep friends waiting on the mat, and then open the door like a pop-gun! Let me introduce Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, and especially Thorin!”

“小心點(diǎn)!小心點(diǎn)!”他說(shuō)。“我說(shuō)比爾博啊，讓朋友在門口苦等，又冷不防地猛然打開(kāi)門，這可不像是你的風(fēng)格啊!請(qǐng)容我介紹畢佛、波佛和龐伯，還有這位索林!”

“At your service!” said Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur standing in a row. Then they hung up two yellow hoods and a pale green one; and also a sky-blue one with a long silver tassel. This last belonged to Thorin, an enormously important dwarf, in fact no other than the great Thorin Oakenshield himself, who was not at all pleased at falling flat on Bilbo’s mat with Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur on top of him. For one thing Bombur was immensely fat and heavy. Thorin indeed was very haughty, and said nothing about service; but poor Mr. Baggins said he was sorry so many times, that at last he grunted “pray don’t mention it,” and stopped frowning.

“聽(tīng)候您的差遣!”畢佛、波佛和龐伯排成一列說(shuō)。然后，他們又掛起了兩頂黃色的帽子和一頂?shù)G色的帽子，另外還有一頂是天藍(lán)色的帽子，上面還有長(zhǎng)長(zhǎng)的銀穗。最后一頂帽子是索林的，他是名非常重要的矮人，事實(shí)上，他是索林·橡木盾。此刻他對(duì)于自己摔在地板上，身上還壓著畢佛、波佛和龐伯并不很高興。因?yàn)?，渾身肥肉的龐伯重的驚人。索林相當(dāng)?shù)母甙粒麤](méi)說(shuō)什么聽(tīng)候差遣的話;不過(guò)，可憐的比爾博已經(jīng)道了很多次歉，最后，哼了一句“別再說(shuō)了”，緊鎖的雙眉好不容易舒展開(kāi)來(lái)。

“Now we are all here!” said Gandalf, looking at the row of thirteen hoods—the best detachable party hoods—and his own hat hanging on the pegs. “Quite a merry gathering! I hope there is something left for the late-comers to eat and drink! What’s that? Tea! No thank you! A little red wine, I think for me.”

“大家都到齊了!”甘道夫看著那十三頂適合宴會(huì)的鮮艷帽子和他自己的尖頂帽掛在帽架上，說(shuō)：“這可真是難得啊!希望遲到的人還有東西可以吃喝啊!那是啥?茶!不，謝了!我想喝點(diǎn)紅酒。”

“And for me,” said Thorin.

“我也是，”索林說(shuō)。

“And raspberry jam and apple-tart,” said Bifur.

“還有藍(lán)莓果醬和蘋果塔，”畢佛說(shuō)。

“And mince-pies and cheese,” said Bofur.

“還有碎肉派和乳酪，”波佛說(shuō)。

“And pork-pie and salad,” said Bombur.

“還有豬肉派和沙拉，”龐伯說(shuō)。

“And more cakes—and ale—and coffee, if you don’t mind,” called the other dwarves through the door.

“如果您不介意的話，請(qǐng)?jiān)賮?lái)點(diǎn)蛋糕、麥酒和咖啡!”其他矮人隔著門大喊。

“Put on a few eggs, there’s a good fellow!” Gandalf called after him, as the hobbit stumped off to the pantries. “And just bring out the cold chicken and pickles!”

“還有幾顆水煮蛋啊，您真是個(gè)好人!”比爾博連滾帶爬地沖向餐點(diǎn)室的時(shí)候，他們又補(bǔ)了一句：“也別忘了熏雞肉和腌黃瓜!”

“Seems to know as much about the inside of my larders as I do myself!” thought Mr. Baggins, who was feeling positively flummoxed, and was beginning to wonder whether a most wretched adventure had not come right into his house. By the time he had got all the bottles and dishes and knives and forks and glasses and plates and spoons and things piled up on big trays, he was getting very hot, and red in the face, and annoyed.

“這家伙怎么對(duì)我的食物柜這么清楚!”巴金斯先生覺(jué)得腦中一團(tuán)混亂，開(kāi)始懷疑這次是不是一場(chǎng)最讓人擔(dān)心的冒險(xiǎn)殺進(jìn)了他的家門?等到他把所有的杯碗瓢盆刀叉瓶碟都用大托盤裝好之后，已經(jīng)汗如雨下、滿臉通紅，還覺(jué)得相當(dāng)?shù)夭桓吲d。

“Confusticate and bebother these dwarves!” he said aloud. “Why don’t they come and lend a hand?” Lo and behold! there stood Balin and Dwalin at the door of the kitchen, and Fili and Kili behind them, and before he could say knife they had whisked the trays and a couple of small tables into the parlour and set out everything afresh.

“這些矮人真是太沒(méi)禮貌了!”他大聲說(shuō)：“為什么他們不來(lái)幫幫忙呢?”天哪，巴林和德瓦林不就正站在門口嗎?身后還站著菲力和奇力，在他來(lái)得及說(shuō)第二個(gè)字之前，他們就把托盤和幾張小桌子都搬了出去，把外面重新給安排了一次。

Gandalf sat at the head of the party with the thirteen dwarves all round: and Bilbo sat on a stool at the fireside, nibbling at a biscuit (his appetite was quite taken away), and trying to look as if this was all perfectly ordinary and not in the least an adventure. The dwarves ate and ate, and talked and talked, and time got on. At last they pushed their chairs back, and Bilbo made a move to collect the plates and glasses.

甘道夫的身邊圍繞著十三名矮人，比爾博坐在壁爐邊的小凳子上，啃著一塊小餅干(他的食欲已經(jīng)暫時(shí)消失了)，試著強(qiáng)自鎮(zhèn)定，表現(xiàn)出一切都是稀松平常、對(duì)他來(lái)說(shuō)這絕不是什么冒險(xiǎn)的態(tài)勢(shì)。矮人們吃了又吃，聊了又聊，時(shí)間不停的流逝，最后，他們把椅子一推，比爾博正準(zhǔn)備去收拾所有的餐具。

“I suppose you will all stay to supper?” he said in his politest unpressing tones.

“諸位應(yīng)該都會(huì)留下來(lái)用晚餐吧?”他用最鎮(zhèn)定、最有禮貌的口氣問(wèn)道。

“Of course!” said Thorin. “And after. We shan’t get through the business till late, and we must have some music first. Now to clear up!”

“當(dāng)然羅!”索林說(shuō)：“我們還會(huì)再待久一點(diǎn)，這么晚了不方便辦事，而且我們也應(yīng)該享受一些音樂(lè)才對(duì)?？彀褨|西收干凈!”

Thereupon the twelve dwarves—not Thorin, he was too important, and stayed talking to Gandalf—jumped to their feet, and made tall piles of all the things. Off they went, not waiting for trays, balancing columns of plates, each with a bottle on the top, with one hand, while the hobbit ran after them almost squeaking with fright: “please be careful!” and “please, don’t trouble! I can manage.” But the dwarves only started to sing:

十二名矮人(不包括索林，他地位太高了，必須繼續(xù)和甘道夫談天)立刻彈了起來(lái)，把所有東西都堆得高高的。他們不等托盤，就立刻把如山的餐具用單手扛了起來(lái)，上面還都放著一個(gè)瓶子。比爾博驚慌莫名地跟在后面緊張兮兮大叫：“請(qǐng)小心點(diǎn)!”、“求求你們，不要麻煩了!我自己來(lái)就好!”但矮人照舊扯開(kāi)喉嚨唱了起來(lái)：

And of course they did none of these dreadful things, and everything was cleaned and put away safe as quick as lightning, while the hobbit was turning round and round in the middle of the kitchen trying to see what they were doing. Then they went back, and found Thorin with his feet on the fender smoking a pipe. He was blowing the most enormous smoke-rings, and wherever he told one to go, it went—up the chimney, or behind the clock on the mantelpiece, or under the table, or round and round the ceiling; but wherever it went it was not quick enough to escape Gandalf. Pop! he sent a smaller smoke-ring from his short clay-pipe straight through each one of Thorin’s. Then Gandalf’s smoke-ring would go green and come back to hover over the wizard’s head. He had a cloud of them about him already, and in the dim light it made him look strange and sorcerous. Bilbo stood still and watched—he loved smoke-rings—and then he blushed to think how proud he had been yesterday morning of the smoke-rings he had sent up the wind over The Hill.

當(dāng)然，他們并沒(méi)有做出像歌詞內(nèi)容這么可怕的事情，所有的東西都被快如閃電地清理好、收到柜子里去。哈比人則是在廚房里面急得團(tuán)團(tuán)轉(zhuǎn)，想要看清楚他們?cè)谧鲂┦裁?。然后，一伙人又走了回?lái)，他們這才看到索林正把腳翹在桌上，好整以暇地抽著煙斗。他吐出來(lái)的煙圈更是史無(wú)前例的巨大，不管他叫這些煙圈往哪兒飄，它們都乖乖地聽(tīng)話。這些煙圈會(huì)鉆進(jìn)煙囪、躲進(jìn)壁爐上的時(shí)鐘、繞著天花板舞動(dòng);不過(guò)，不管這些煙圈飄到哪里，都躲不過(guò)甘道夫的瞄準(zhǔn)。噗!他會(huì)從短柄陶煙斗中噴出更小的煙圈，穿過(guò)索林的每一個(gè)煙圈，然后，甘道夫的煙圈會(huì)變成綠色的，飄回巫師的頭上。他的腦袋上這時(shí)已經(jīng)飄了很多煙圈，在微弱的光線中看來(lái)有種神秘的氣質(zhì)。比爾博張大了嘴看著眼前的景象，因?yàn)樗钕矚g煙圈了;然后，他想起自己昨天的班門弄斧，不禁漲紅了臉。

“Now for some music!” said Thorin. “Bring out the instruments!”

“來(lái)點(diǎn)音樂(lè)吧!”索林說(shuō)：“拿出樂(lè)器來(lái)!”

Kili and Fili rushed for their bags and brought back little fiddles; Dori, Nori, and Ori brought out flutes from somewhere inside their coats; Bombur produced a drum from the hall; Bifur and Bofur went out too, and came back with clarinets that they had left among the walking-sticks. Dwalin and Balin said: “Excuse me, I left mine in the porch!” “Just bring mine in with you!” said Thorin. They came back with viols as big as themselves, and with Thorin’s harp wrapped in a green cloth. It was a beautiful golden harp, and when Thorin struck it the music began all at once, so sudden and sweet that Bilbo forgot everything else, and was swept away into dark lands under strange moons, far over The Water and very far from his hobbit-hole under The Hill.

奇力和菲力立刻跑到他們的背包旁邊，拿回來(lái)兩把小提琴，朵力、諾力和歐力則是從衣服里面掏出橫笛，龐伯從客廳里面變出一個(gè)鼓，畢佛和波佛也走了出去，從放置手杖的地方拿回來(lái)幾把豎笛。德瓦林和巴林則是說(shuō)：“抱歉，我們把樂(lè)器放在門口了!”“把我的也一起拿進(jìn)來(lái)，”索林說(shuō)。他們拿回來(lái)和自己一樣高的六弦琴，索林的豎琴則是用布包著。那是把美麗的黃金豎琴，索林一撥琴弦，甜美的音樂(lè)立刻流泄而出，讓比爾博忘卻了身邊的一切煩惱，飄向遙遠(yuǎn)的黑暗大地，看著天上的陌生月光，遠(yuǎn)離了附近的小河和山丘。

The dark came into the room from the little window that opened in the side of The Hill; the firelight flickered—it was April—and still they played on, while the shadow of Gandalf’s beard wagged against the wall.

夜色從面對(duì)著小山那邊的窗戶飄流進(jìn)來(lái)，壁爐的火跟著閃動(dòng)(現(xiàn)在還是四月)，他們依舊繼續(xù)演奏著，甘道夫的胡子則是在墻壁上投下奇怪的陰影。

The dark filled all the room, and the fire died down, and the shadows were lost, and still they played on. And suddenly first one and then another began to sing as they played, deep-throated singing of the dwarves in the deep places of their ancient homes; and this is like a fragment of their song:

黑暗籠罩了整座屋子，爐火也慢慢熄滅了，影子跟著消失，但他們依舊繼續(xù)演奏著，一個(gè)接一個(gè)的，邊演奏樂(lè)器，邊歌唱，低沉的聲音吟頌著古代的地底故鄉(xiāng)。底下就是他們歌謠的一部分，只是，沒(méi)有音樂(lè)的伴奏，不知道這首歌是否還是同樣的動(dòng)聽(tīng)。

AN UNEXPECTED PARTY

In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.

It had a perfectly round door like a porthole, painted green, with a shiny yellow brass knob in the exact middle. The door opened on to a tube-shaped hall like a tunnel: a very comfortable tunnel without smoke, with panelled walls, and floors tiled and carpeted, provided with polished chairs, and lots and lots of pegs for hats and coats—the hobbit was fond of visitors. The tunnel wound on and on, going fairly but not quite straight into the side of the hill—The Hill, as all the people for many miles round called it—and many little round doors opened out of it, first on one side and then on another. No going upstairs for the hobbit: bedrooms, bathrooms, cellars, pantries (lots of these), wardrobes (he had whole rooms devoted to clothes), kitchens, dining-rooms, all were on the same floor, and indeed on the same passage. The best rooms were all on the left-hand side (going in), for these were the only ones to have windows, deep-set round windows looking over his garden, and meadows beyond, sloping down to the river.

This hobbit was a very well-to-do hobbit, and his name was Baggins. The Bagginses had lived in the neighbourhood of The Hill for time out of mind, and people considered them very respectable, not only because most of them were rich, but also because they never had any adventures or did anything unexpected: you could tell what a Baggins would say on any question without the bother of asking him. This is a story of how a Baggins had an adventure, and found himself doing and saying things altogether unexpected. He may have lost the neighbours’ respect, but he gained—well, you will see whether he gained anything in the end.

The mother of our particular hobbit—what is a hobbit? I suppose hobbits need some description nowadays, since they have become rare and shy of the Big People, as they call us. They are (or were) a little people, about half our height, and smaller than the bearded Dwarves. Hobbits have no beards. There is little or no magic about them, except the ordinary everyday sort which helps them to disappear quietly and quickly when large stupid folk like you and me come blundering along, making a noise like elephants which they can hear a mile off. They are inclined to be fat in the stomach; they dress in bright colours (chiefly green and yellow); wear no shoes, because their feet grow natural leathery soles and thick warm brown hair like the stuff on their heads (which is curly); have long clever brown fingers, good-natured faces, and laugh deep fruity laughs (especially after dinner, which they have twice a day when they can get it). Now you know enough to go on with. As I was saying, the mother of this hobbit—of Bilbo Baggins, that is—was the famous Belladonna Took, one of the three remarkable daughters of the Old Took, head of the hobbits who lived across The Water, the small river that ran at the foot of The Hill. It was often said (in other families) that long ago one of the Took ancestors must have taken a fairy wife. That was, of course, absurd, but certainly there was still something not entirely hobbitlike about them, and once in a while members of the Took-clan would go and have adventures. They discreetly disappeared, and the family hushed it up; but the fact remained that the Tooks were not as respectable as the Bagginses, though they were undoubtedly richer.

Not that Belladonna Took ever had any adventures after she became Mrs. Bungo Baggins. Bungo, that was Bilbo’s father, built the most luxurious hobbit-hole for her (and partly with her money) that was to be found either under The Hill or over The Hill or across The Water, and there they remained to the end of their days. Still it is probable that Bilbo, her only son, although he looked and behaved exactly like a second edition of his solid and comfortable father, got something a bit queer in his make-up from the Took side, something that only waited for a chance to come out. The chance never arrived, until Bilbo Baggins was grown up, being about fifty years old or so, and living in the beautiful hobbit-hole built by his father, which I have just described for you, until he had in fact apparently settled down immovably.

By some curious chance one morning long ago in the quiet of the world, when there was less noise and more green, and the hobbits were still numerous and prosperous, and Bilbo Baggins was standing at his door after breakfast smoking an enormous long wooden pipe that reached nearly down to his woolly toes (neatly brushed)—Gandalf came by. Gandalf! If you had heard only a quarter of what I have heard about him, and I have only heard very little of all there is to hear, you would be prepared for any sort of remarkable tale. Tales and adventures sprouted up all over the place wherever he went, in the most extraordinary fashion. He had not been down that way under The Hill for ages and ages, not since his friend the Old Took died, in fact, and the hobbits had almost forgotten what he looked like. He had been away over The Hill and across The Water on businesses of his own since they were all small hobbit-boys and hobbit-girls.

All that the unsuspecting Bilbo saw that morning was an old man with a staff. He had a tall pointed blue hat, a long grey cloak, a silver scarf over which his long white beard hung down below his waist, and immense black boots.

“Good Morning!” said Bilbo, and he meant it. The sun was shining, and the grass was very green. But Gandalf looked at him from under long bushy eyebrows that stuck out further than the brim of his shady hat.

“What do you mean?” he said. “Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not; or that you feel good this morning; or that it is a morning to be good on?”

“All of them at once,” said Bilbo. “And a very fine morning for a pipe of tobacco out of doors, into the bargain. If you have a pipe about you, sit down and have a fill of mine! There’s no hurry, we have all the day before us!” Then Bilbo sat down on a seat by his door, crossed his legs, and blew out a beautiful grey ring of smoke that sailed up into the air without breaking and floated away over The Hill.

“Very pretty!” said Gandalf. “But I have no time to blow smoke-rings this morning. I am looking for someone to share in an adventure that I am arranging, and it’s very difficult to find anyone.”

“I should think so—in these parts! We are plain quiet folk and have no use for adventures. Nasty disturbing uncomfortable things! Make you late for dinner! I can’t think what anybody sees in them,” said our Mr. Baggins, and stuck one thumb behind his braces, and blew out another even bigger smokering. Then he took out his morning letters, and began to read, pretending to take no more notice of the old man. He had decided that he was not quite his sort, and wanted him to go away. But the old man did not move. He stood leaning on his stick and gazing at the hobbit without saying anything, till Bilbo got quite uncomfortable and even a little cross.

“Good morning!” he said at last. “We don’t want any adventures here, thank you! You might try over The Hill or across The Water.” By this he meant that the conversation was at an end.

“What a lot of things you do use Good morning for!” said Gandalf. “Now you mean that you want to get rid of me, and that it won’t be good till I move off.”

“Not at all, not at all, my dear sir! Let me see, I don’t think I know your name?”

“Yes, yes, my dear sir—and I do know your name, Mr. Bilbo Baggins. And you do know my name, though you don’t remember that I belong to it. I am Gandalf, and Gandalf means me! To think that I should have lived to be good-morninged by Belladonna Took’s son, as if I was selling buttons at the door!”

“Gandalf, Gandalf! Good gracious me! Not the wandering wizard that gave Old Took a pair of magic diamond studs that fastened themselves and never came undone till ordered? Not the fellow who used to tell such wonderful tales at parties, about dragons and goblins and giants and the rescue of princesses and the unexpected luck of widows’ sons? Not the man that used to make such particularly excellent fireworks! I remember those! Old Took used to have them on Midsummer’s Eve. Splendid! They used to go up like great lilies and snapdragons and laburnums of fire and hang in the twilight all evening!” You will notice already that Mr. Baggins was not quite so prosy as he liked to believe, also that he was very fond of flowers. “Dear me!” he went on. “Not the Gandalf who was responsible for so many quiet lads and lasses going off into the Blue for mad adventures? Anything from climbing trees to visiting elves—or sailing in ships, sailing to other shores! Bless me, life used to be quite inter—I mean, you used to upset things badly in these parts once upon a time. I beg your pardon, but I had no idea you were still in business.”

“Where else should I be?” said the wizard. “All the same I am pleased to find you remember something about me. You seem to remember my fireworks kindly, at any rate, and that is not without hope. Indeed for your old grandfather Took’s sake, and for the sake of poor Belladonna, I will give you what you asked for.”

“I beg your pardon, I haven’t asked for anything!”

“Yes, you have! Twice now. My pardon. I give it you. In fact I will go so far as to send you on this adventure. Very amusing for me, very good for you—and profitable too, very likely, if you ever get over it.”

“Sorry! I don’t want any adventures, thank you. Not today. Good morning! But please come to tea—any time you like! Why not tomorrow? Come tomorrow! Good bye!” With that the hobbit turned and scuttled inside his round green door, and shut it as quickly as he dared, not to seem rude. Wizards after all are wizards.

“What on earth did I ask him to tea for!” he said to himself, as he went to the pantry. He had only just had breakfast, but he thought a cake or two and a drink of something would do him good after his fright.

Gandalf in the meantime was still standing outside the door, and laughing long but quietly. After a while he stepped up, and with the spike on his staff scratched a queer sign on the hobbit’s beautiful green front-door. Then he strode away, just about the time when Bilbo was finishing his second cake and beginning to think that he had escaped adventures very well.

The next day he had almost forgotten about Gandalf. He did not remember things very well, unless he put them down on his Engagement Tablet: like this: Gandalf Tea Wednesday. Yesterday he had been too flustered to do anything of the kind.

Just before tea-time there came a tremendous ring on the front-door bell, and then he remembered! He rushed and put on the kettle, and put out another cup and saucer, and an extra cake or two, and ran to the door.

“I am so sorry to keep you waiting!” he was going to say, when he saw that it was not Gandalf at all. It was a dwarf with a blue beard tucked into a golden belt, and very bright eyes under his dark-green hood. As soon as the door was opened, he pushed inside, just as if he had been expected.

He hung his hooded cloak on the nearest peg, and “Dwalin at your service!” he said with a low bow.

“Bilbo Baggins at yours!” said the hobbit, too surprised to ask any questions for the moment. When the silence that followed had become uncomfortable, he added: “I am just about to take tea; pray come and have some with me.” A little stiff perhaps, but he meant it kindly. And what would you do, if an uninvited dwarf came and hung his things up in your hall without a word of explanation?

They had not been at table long, in fact they had hardly reached the third cake, when there came another even louder ring at the bell.

“Excuse me!” said the hobbit, and off he went to the door.

“So you have got here at last!” That was what he was going to say to Gandalf this time. But it was not Gandalf. Instead there was a very old-looking dwarf on the step with a white beard and a scarlet hood; and he too hopped inside as soon as the door was open, just as if he had been invited.

“I see they have begun to arrive already,” he said when he caught sight of Dwalin’s green hood hanging up. He hung his red one next to it, and “Balin at your service!” he said with his hand on his breast.

“Thank you!” said Bilbo with a gasp. It was not the correct thing to say, but they have begun to arrive had flustered him badly. He liked visitors, but he liked to know them before they arrived, and he preferred to ask them himself. He had a horrible thought that the cakes might run short, and then he—as the host: he knew his duty and stuck to it however painful—he might have to go without.

“Come along in, and have some tea!” he managed to say after taking a deep breath.

“A little beer would suit me better, if it is all the same to you, my good sir,” said Balin with the white beard. “But I don’t mind some cake—seed-cake, if you have any.”

“Lots!” Bilbo found himself answering, to his own surprise; and he found himself scuttling off, too, to the cellar to fill a pint beer-mug, and then to a pantry to fetch two beautiful round seed-cakes which he had baked that afternoon for his after-supper morsel.

When he got back Balin and Dwalin were talking at the table like old friends (as a matter of fact they were brothers). Bilbo plumped down the beer and the cake in front of them, when loud came a ring at the bell again, and then another ring.

“Gandalf for certain this time,” he thought as he puffed along the passage. But it was not. It was two more dwarves, both with blue hoods, silver belts, and yellow beards; and each of them carried a bag of tools and a spade. In they hopped, as soon as the door began to open—Bilbo was hardly surprised at all.

“What can I do for you, my dwarves?” he said.

“Kili at your service!” said the one. “And Fili!” added the other; and they both swept off their blue hoods and bowed.

“At yours and your family’s!” replied Bilbo, remembering his manners this time.

“Dwalin and Balin here already, I see,” said Kili. “Let us join the throng!”

“Throng!” thought Mr. Baggins. “I don’t like the sound of that. I really must sit down for a minute and collect my wits, and have a drink.” He had only just had a sip—in the corner, while the four dwarves sat round the table, and talked about mines and gold and troubles with the goblins, and the depredations of dragons, and lots of other things which he did not understand, and did not want to, for they sounded much too adventurous—when, ding-dong-a-ling-dang, his bell rang again, as if some naughty little hobbit-boy was trying to pull the handle off.

“Someone at the door!” he said, blinking.

“Some four, I should say by the sound,” said Fili. “Besides, we saw them coming along behind us in the distance.”

The poor little hobbit sat down in the hall and put his head in his hands, and wondered what had happened, and what was going to happen, and whether they would all stay to supper. Then the bell rang again louder than ever, and he had to run to the door. It was not four after all, it was five. Another dwarf had come along while he was wondering in the hall. He had hardly turned the knob, before they were all inside, bowing and saying “at your service” one after another. Dori, Nori, Ori, Oin, and Gloin were their names; and very soon two purple hoods, a grey hood, a brown hood, and a white hood were hanging on the pegs, and off they marched with their broad hands stuck in their gold and silver belts to join the others. Already it had almost become a throng. Some called for ale, and some for porter, and one for coffee, and all of them for cakes; so the hobbit was kept very busy for a while.

A big jug of coffee had just been set in the hearth, the seed-cakes were gone, and the dwarves were starting on a round of buttered scones, when there came—a loud knock. Not a ring, but a hard rat-tat on the hobbit’s beautiful green door. Somebody was banging with a stick!

Bilbo rushed along the passage, very angry, and altogether bewildered and bewuthered—this was the most awkward Wednesday he ever remembered. He pulled open the door with a jerk, and they all fell in, one on top of the other. More dwarves, four more! And there was Gandalf behind, leaning on his staff and laughing. He had made quite a dent on the beautiful door; he had also, by the way, knocked out the secret mark that he had put there the morning before.

“Carefully! Carefully!” he said. “It is not like you, Bilbo, to keep friends waiting on the mat, and then open the door like a pop-gun! Let me introduce Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, and especially Thorin!”

“At your service!” said Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur standing in a row. Then they hung up two yellow hoods and a pale green one; and also a sky-blue one with a long silver tassel. This last belonged to Thorin, an enormously important dwarf, in fact no other than the great Thorin Oakenshield himself, who was not at all pleased at falling flat on Bilbo’s mat with Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur on top of him. For one thing Bombur was immensely fat and heavy. Thorin indeed was very haughty, and said nothing about service; but poor Mr. Baggins said he was sorry so many times, that at last he grunted “pray don’t mention it,” and stopped frowning.

“Now we are all here!” said Gandalf, looking at the row of thirteen hoods—the best detachable party hoods—and his own hat hanging on the pegs. “Quite a merry gathering! I hope there is something left for the late-comers to eat and drink! What’s that? Tea! No thank you! A little red wine, I think for me.”

“And for me,” said Thorin.

“And raspberry jam and apple-tart,” said Bifur.

“And mince-pies and cheese,” said Bofur.

“And pork-pie and salad,” said Bombur.

“And more cakes—and ale—and coffee, if you don’t mind,” called the other dwarves through the door.

“Put on a few eggs, there’s a good fellow!” Gandalf called after him, as the hobbit stumped off to the pantries. “And just bring out the cold chicken and pickles!”

“Seems to know as much about the inside of my larders as I do myself!” thought Mr. Baggins, who was feeling positively flummoxed, and was beginning to wonder whether a most wretched adventure had not come right into his house. By the time he had got all the bottles and dishes and knives and forks and glasses and plates and spoons and things piled up on big trays, he was getting very hot, and red in the face, and annoyed.

“Confusticate and bebother these dwarves!” he said aloud. “Why don’t they come and lend a hand?” Lo and behold! there stood Balin and Dwalin at the door of the kitchen, and Fili and Kili behind them, and before he could say knife they had whisked the trays and a couple of small tables into the parlour and set out everything afresh.

Gandalf sat at the head of the party with the thirteen dwarves all round: and Bilbo sat on a stool at the fireside, nibbling at a biscuit (his appetite was quite taken away), and trying to look as if this was all perfectly ordinary and not in the least an adventure. The dwarves ate and ate, and talked and talked, and time got on. At last they pushed their chairs back, and Bilbo made a move to collect the plates and glasses.

“I suppose you will all stay to supper?” he said in his politest unpressing tones.

“Of course!” said Thorin. “And after. We shan’t get through the business till late, and we must have some music first. Now to clear up!”

Thereupon the twelve dwarves—not Thorin, he was too important, and stayed talking to Gandalf—jumped to their feet, and made tall piles of all the things. Off they went, not waiting for trays, balancing columns of plates, each with a bottle on the top, with one hand, while the hobbit ran after them almost squeaking with fright: “please be careful!” and “please, don’t trouble! I can manage.” But the dwarves only started to sing:

And of course they did none of these dreadful things, and everything was cleaned and put away safe as quick as lightning, while the hobbit was turning round and round in the middle of the kitchen trying to see what they were doing. Then they went back, and found Thorin with his feet on the fender smoking a pipe. He was blowing the most enormous smoke-rings, and wherever he told one to go, it went—up the chimney, or behind the clock on the mantelpiece, or under the table, or round and round the ceiling; but wherever it went it was not quick enough to escape Gandalf. Pop! he sent a smaller smoke-ring from his short clay-pipe straight through each one of Thorin’s. Then Gandalf’s smoke-ring would go green and come back to hover over the wizard’s head. He had a cloud of them about him already, and in the dim light it made him look strange and sorcerous. Bilbo stood still and watched—he loved smoke-rings—and then he blushed to think how proud he had been yesterday morning of the smoke-rings he had sent up the wind over The Hill.

“Now for some music!” said Thorin. “Bring out the instruments!”

Kili and Fili rushed for their bags and brought back little fiddles; Dori, Nori, and Ori brought out flutes from somewhere inside their coats; Bombur produced a drum from the hall; Bifur and Bofur went out too, and came back with clarinets that they had left among the walking-sticks. Dwalin and Balin said: “Excuse me, I left mine in the porch!” “Just bring mine in with you!” said Thorin. They came back with viols as big as themselves, and with Thorin’s harp wrapped in a green cloth. It was a beautiful golden harp, and when Thorin struck it the music began all at once, so sudden and sweet that Bilbo forgot everything else, and was swept away into dark lands under strange moons, far over The Water and very far from his hobbit-hole under The Hill.

The dark came into the room from the little window that opened in the side of The Hill; the firelight flickered—it was April—and still they played on, while the shadow of Gandalf’s beard wagged against the wall.

The dark filled all the room, and the fire died down, and the shadows were lost, and still they played on. And suddenly first one and then another began to sing as they played, deep-throated singing of the dwarves in the deep places of their ancient homes; and this is like a fragment of their song:

一個(gè)意外的派對(duì)

在地底的洞府中住著一個(gè)霍比特人。這不是那種讓人惡心的洞，臟兮兮濕乎乎的，長(zhǎng)滿蟲(chóng)子，透著一股子泥腥味兒;也不是那種滿是沙子的洞，干巴巴光禿禿的，沒(méi)好地方坐，也沒(méi)好東西吃。這是一個(gè)霍比特人的洞，而霍比特人的洞就意味著舒適。

這座洞穴有個(gè)像是舷窗般渾圓、漆成綠色的大門，在正中央有個(gè)黃色的閃亮門把。大門打開(kāi)之后，是一個(gè)圓管狀像是隧道的客廳：這是個(gè)沒(méi)有煙霧的舒適客廳，有著精心裝飾的墻壁，地板上鋪著地毯和磁磚，四處還擺著許多打磨光亮的椅子。由于哈比人超愛(ài)客人來(lái)訪，因此這里還有很多很多的衣帽架。隧道繼續(xù)延伸，蜿蜒地深入山丘中，附近許多哩的人們都叫這座山丘為“小丘”，小丘各個(gè)方向還蓋了許多圓形的小門。哈比人可是不爬樓梯的：臥室、浴室、酒窖、餐點(diǎn)室(超多的呢!)、更衣室(他有一整間房間都是用來(lái)放衣服的)、廚房、飯廳，全部都在同一層樓，也都在同一條走廊上。最好的房間都是在左手邊(繼續(xù)往里面走也一樣)，因?yàn)橹挥羞@方向的房間才有窗戶，這些渾圓的窗戶可以俯瞰他美麗的花園，和一路延伸向河邊的翠綠草地。

這名哈比人生活相當(dāng)富裕，他姓巴金斯。巴金斯一家人自古以來(lái)，就居住在小丘這一帶，附近的鄰居都很尊敬他們;不單只是因?yàn)樗麄兇蟛糠侄己苡绣X，也是因?yàn)樗麄儚膩?lái)不冒險(xiǎn)，不會(huì)做任何出人意料之外的事情：你在問(wèn)巴金斯一家人任何問(wèn)題之前，就可以先預(yù)料到他們的答案，根本不必要浪費(fèi)這個(gè)力氣。這個(gè)故事就是關(guān)于一名巴金斯家人如何意外地卷入冒險(xiǎn)之中，并且做出和說(shuō)出許多出人意料之外的事情來(lái)。他或許失去了鄰居們的尊敬，但是至少獲得了──算啦!到最后你就會(huì)知道他獲得了什么東西。

有關(guān)于我們這個(gè)哈比人的母親──對(duì)啦，到底什么是哈比人?我想，時(shí)至今日，的確需要更進(jìn)一步地描述哈比人;因?yàn)樗麄円呀?jīng)變得比較罕見(jiàn)，也比較畏懼我們這些大家伙(這是他們稱呼我們的方式)。他們是相當(dāng)矮小的種族，大概只有我們身體的一半高度，也比長(zhǎng)了大胡子的矮人要矮，哈比人不留胡子。他們沒(méi)有法力(或者僅有一點(diǎn)點(diǎn))，只有當(dāng)我們這些笨重的大家伙，莽莽撞撞地像大象一般靠近他們的時(shí)候，他們才會(huì)使出憑空消失的把戲來(lái)。通常他們的肚子上都會(huì)有不少肥肉，喜歡穿著鮮艷的衣服(多半都是綠色和黃色)，不穿鞋子，因?yàn)樗麄兊男∧_會(huì)長(zhǎng)出天然的肉墊來(lái)，也會(huì)冒出和他們頭發(fā)一樣濃密的卷毛。哈比人擁有靈巧的褐色手指、開(kāi)朗的面孔，笑起來(lái)更是十分爽朗(特別是在他們吃完晚飯之后，大笑更是必備的節(jié)目之一;而只要他們有機(jī)會(huì)，一天通常都會(huì)有兩頓晚餐)?，F(xiàn)在，你對(duì)他們大概已經(jīng)有了粗淺的了解了。我之前剛說(shuō)到，這個(gè)比爾博·巴金斯的母親，就是鼎鼎大名的貝拉多娜·圖克，是老圖克大人三名出類拔萃的女兒之一。老圖克大人則是住在“小河”邊哈比人的領(lǐng)袖，這條河就是繞過(guò)小丘腳邊的一條小河。大家常常說(shuō)(其他家族的人常常說(shuō)啦……)圖克家族的遠(yuǎn)祖一定有人娶了個(gè)妖精當(dāng)老婆;當(dāng)然，這可信度并不高，只不過(guò)，他們一家人的確有點(diǎn)與眾不同，偶爾會(huì)有成員離家出外冒險(xiǎn)。他們會(huì)神秘地消失，家里的人則是三緘其口，不露任何口風(fēng)。也就是因?yàn)檫@樣，雖然圖克家人比較有錢，但大伙還是比較尊敬巴金斯一家人。

當(dāng)然，在貝拉多娜成了邦哥·巴金斯的妻子之后，她就沒(méi)有什么驚人之舉了。邦哥是比爾博的老爸，對(duì)他妻子可說(shuō)是呵護(hù)備至，他為她建造了(一部分是用她的財(cái)產(chǎn))在小丘鄰近和小河流域一帶最豪華的地洞。不過(guò)，她唯一的兒子比爾博，雖然看起來(lái)和他老爸一樣老實(shí)可靠，但可能繼承了圖克家族的詭異血統(tǒng)，只是在等待適當(dāng)?shù)臅r(shí)機(jī)爆發(fā)而已。直到比爾博成年，甚至到了五十歲左右，這時(shí)機(jī)還是沒(méi)有到來(lái)。在這段時(shí)間中，他就這么安安穩(wěn)穩(wěn)地居住在老爹留下來(lái)的地洞中，可說(shuō)是與世無(wú)爭(zhēng)。不過(guò)，奇妙的機(jī)緣就這么突如其來(lái)地降臨了。那時(shí)，這世界比現(xiàn)在還要翠綠，也不那么吵雜，哈比人們依舊繁衍興盛……

比爾博·巴金斯剛用完早餐，正站在門口抽著一根極長(zhǎng)的煙斗，長(zhǎng)得幾乎都快碰到他剛梳理過(guò)的毛毛腳上了，甘道夫就在這時(shí)出現(xiàn)了。說(shuō)到甘道夫啊!如果你對(duì)他的了解有我的一半──而我所聽(tīng)說(shuō)的故事不過(guò)是九牛一毛，那么你就可以預(yù)料到將會(huì)有難以想像的奇妙故事發(fā)生。他所到之處，冒險(xiǎn)和傳奇都會(huì)如同雨后春筍一般冒出來(lái)，而且還是以最出人意料的形式發(fā)生。他已經(jīng)有很多很多年沒(méi)有經(jīng)過(guò)小丘這一帶了，自從他的好友老圖克過(guò)世之后他也跟著銷聲匿跡，大伙幾乎已忘記他的長(zhǎng)相了。在他們還是小孩的時(shí)候，甘道夫還常常在小丘和小河一帶忙碌地奔波。

不過(guò)，無(wú)辜的比爾博當(dāng)天早上所見(jiàn)的，只是一名拿著拐杖的老人。他戴著藍(lán)色的尖頂帽，披著灰色的斗篷，圍著銀色的圍巾，白色的胡須直達(dá)他的腰際，腳上還穿著笨重的黑靴子。

“早上好啊!”比爾博真誠(chéng)地說(shuō)。太陽(yáng)暖呼呼，草地又無(wú)比的翠綠。不過(guò)，甘道夫挑起又長(zhǎng)又濃密的眉毛打量著他。

“你是什么意思?”甘道夫問(wèn)：“你是要問(wèn)候我早上可好，還是說(shuō)不管我怎么做，早上天氣都很好?還是說(shuō)你覺(jué)得今天早上很好，或者今天是個(gè)應(yīng)該擁有很好心情的早晨?”

“你說(shuō)的都對(duì)!”比爾博說(shuō)：“而且，還非常適合在門外抽煙斗。如果你身上有帶煙斗，不妨坐在我身邊，盡管用我的菸葉!沒(méi)什么好急的嘛!今天還有一整天可以過(guò)呢!”話一說(shuō)完，比爾博就在門口的凳子上坐了下來(lái)，翹起二郎腿，吐出一個(gè)美麗的灰色煙圈;煙圈就這么完好如初飄啊飄，一直越過(guò)小丘頂。

“真漂亮!”甘道夫說(shuō)：“可惜我今早沒(méi)時(shí)間在這邊吐煙圈，我正想要找人和我一起參加未來(lái)的一場(chǎng)冒險(xiǎn)，但在這里都找不到什么伙伴!”

“在這一帶?那當(dāng)然羅!我們可是老老實(shí)實(shí)過(guò)活的普通人，不需要什么冒險(xiǎn)。這是很讓人頭痛、又不舒服的東西，會(huì)讓你來(lái)不及吃晚飯!我實(shí)在搞不懂，冒險(xiǎn)到底有什么好玩的?”比爾博將拇指插進(jìn)腰帶，又吐出另一個(gè)更大的煙圈。然后他拿出了早上收到的信，開(kāi)始念誦，假裝沒(méi)時(shí)間理會(huì)這個(gè)老人。他已經(jīng)暗自決定了，這家伙和他合不來(lái)，希望他趕快離開(kāi)。但那老家伙還是不打算離開(kāi)，他倚著拐杖，一言不發(fā)地打量著眼前的哈比人，直到比爾博覺(jué)得渾身不對(duì)勁，甚至有些不高興了。

“早上好啦!”他最后終于忍不住說(shuō)：“多謝你好心，我們這邊可不需要任何的冒險(xiǎn)!你可以去小丘另一邊或是小河附近打聽(tīng)看看。”他這句話的意思，就是請(qǐng)對(duì)方趕快滾蛋，不要再煩人。

“你的早上好還真是有很多用處哪!”甘道夫說(shuō)：“這次你的意思，是想叫我趕快滾蛋，如果我不走，早上就不會(huì)好，對(duì)吧?”

“親愛(ài)的先生，我沒(méi)有這個(gè)意思!讓我想想，我好像不認(rèn)識(shí)你，對(duì)吧?”

“不，你有這個(gè)意思、你有這個(gè)意思!親愛(ài)的先生，我卻知道你的名字，比爾博·巴金斯先生，你也應(yīng)該知道我的名字，只是你沒(méi)辦法把我和它聯(lián)想在一起。我是甘道夫，甘道夫就是在下!真沒(méi)想到有朝一日，貝拉多娜的兒子竟然會(huì)用這種口氣對(duì)我說(shuō)話，好像我是賣鈕扣的推銷員!”

“甘道夫，甘道夫──天哪!你該不會(huì)就是那個(gè)給了老圖克一對(duì)魔法鉆石耳環(huán)的人吧?那對(duì)鉆石耳環(huán)除非接到主人的命令，否則永遠(yuǎn)不會(huì)掉下來(lái)!我還記得這個(gè)家伙，也會(huì)在宴會(huì)上說(shuō)出許多許多精彩萬(wàn)分的故事，有惡龍、有半獸人、巨人，以及幸運(yùn)的寡婦之子拯救公主的故事!更別提這個(gè)家伙還會(huì)制造棒得不得了的煙火!我還記得那華麗的煙火大會(huì)!老圖克會(huì)在夏至那天晚上施放它們!讓我一輩子都忘不掉!它們會(huì)像是火樹(shù)銀花一般地飛竄上天空，更會(huì)像空中樓閣一樣整晚掛在天上!我還記得天上掛著蓮花、龍嘴花和金鏈花的樣子……”各位看官應(yīng)該已經(jīng)注意到，其實(shí)巴金斯先生并不像他自己認(rèn)為的那么無(wú)趣，而且他還很喜歡花朵。“媽呀!天哪!”他繼續(xù)興奮地說(shuō)：“這個(gè)甘道夫還影響了好多沉默寡言的少年、少女發(fā)夢(mèng)去冒險(xiǎn)哪!他們有的去爬樹(shù)找精靈，有的駕船想要到對(duì)岸去!媽呀，這里以前本來(lái)是很安祥──喔喔，我是說(shuō)你以前讓這一帶起過(guò)不小的騷動(dòng)。實(shí)在很抱歉，但我沒(méi)想到閣下目前還在營(yíng)業(yè)哇!”

“不然我還能去哪里?”巫師說(shuō)：“不過(guò)，我還是很高興你記得我那么多事跡，至少，你似乎對(duì)我的煙火印象很好，看來(lái)你還有救。是啊，看在你外祖父的份上，還有那可憐的貝拉多娜，我將讓你如愿以償。”

“拜托，幫幫忙，我又沒(méi)有許什么愿望!”

“錯(cuò)，你有!而且還說(shuō)了兩次。我會(huì)原諒你的，事實(shí)上，我甚至還會(huì)親自送你參加這次的冒險(xiǎn)。對(duì)我來(lái)說(shuō)會(huì)很有趣，對(duì)你來(lái)說(shuō)會(huì)很有利──甚至，只要你能夠完成這次冒險(xiǎn)，還會(huì)有不錯(cuò)的收入。”

“失禮了失禮了!多謝你的好意，但我真的不想要任何冒險(xiǎn)，至少今天不想。我們說(shuō)過(guò)早安了吧!記得有空來(lái)喝茶!對(duì)啦，明天怎么樣?明天再來(lái)，再見(jiàn)!”話一說(shuō)完，這名哈比人就匆匆忙忙地鉆進(jìn)屋內(nèi)，在不失禮的限制下盡快關(guān)上大門。畢竟，巫師還是巫師，最好不要得罪他們。

“搞什么鬼，我請(qǐng)他喝什么茶呀!”他一頭沖進(jìn)餐點(diǎn)室，責(zé)備著自己。他才剛吃過(guò)早餐，但在經(jīng)過(guò)這一場(chǎng)驚嚇后，或許一兩塊蛋糕和一些飲料，有助于平復(fù)他的情緒。

在此同時(shí)，甘道夫依舊站在門外，露出慈祥的笑容。笑了一陣子之后，他退了幾步，用手杖的尖端在比爾博可愛(ài)的大門上，刻了個(gè)奇怪的記號(hào)，然后就大剌剌地轉(zhuǎn)身離開(kāi)，此時(shí)比爾博正好吞下第二塊蛋糕，慶幸自己用高明的手段躲開(kāi)了一次可怕的冒險(xiǎn)。

到了第二天，這家伙酒足飯飽，幾乎完全忘記了甘道夫。除非他把事情寫在約會(huì)記事簿上，否則他的記性實(shí)在不怎么好。一般來(lái)說(shuō)，他會(huì)這樣寫：甘道夫周三用茶;昨天他手忙腳亂之下，根本忘記了這件事情。

距離下午茶的時(shí)間不久之前，前門傳來(lái)了震耳的門鈴聲，他這才想了起來(lái)!他慌亂地煮起開(kāi)水，準(zhǔn)備了另一個(gè)茶杯和碟子和幾塊蛋糕，飛快地跑向門口。

“抱歉讓你久等了!”他本來(lái)準(zhǔn)備這樣說(shuō)，卻發(fā)現(xiàn)眼前的并不是甘道夫。對(duì)方是一名將藍(lán)胡子塞進(jìn)金腰帶中的矮人，他戴著深綠色的帽子，擁有一雙非常明亮的眼睛。門一打開(kāi)，他就闖了進(jìn)來(lái)，彷佛主人和他是換帖的好兄弟一般。

他將連著兜帽的斗篷，找了個(gè)最靠近的衣帽架掛了起來(lái)，接著說(shuō)：“德瓦林聽(tīng)候差遣!”他深深一鞠躬說(shuō)。

“比爾博·巴金斯聽(tīng)您差遣!”哈比人驚訝地忘記該問(wèn)什么問(wèn)題。當(dāng)隨之而來(lái)的沉默變得讓人尷尬的時(shí)候，他補(bǔ)充道：“我正準(zhǔn)備要喝茶，請(qǐng)來(lái)和我一起用。”或許轉(zhuǎn)得有些生硬，但他的確是真心誠(chéng)意的;而且，如果有個(gè)矮人不請(qǐng)自來(lái)的殺進(jìn)你家，一句解釋的話也沒(méi)有，你又能怎么辦呢?

他們?cè)谧肋呑藳](méi)多久，事實(shí)上，也才剛吃到第三塊蛋糕，比前次更大聲的門鈴又響了起來(lái)。

“我先告退!”哈比人又再度沖到門口。

“你可終于來(lái)了!”他本來(lái)準(zhǔn)備對(duì)甘道夫這樣說(shuō)，但出現(xiàn)在眼前的又不是甘道夫。對(duì)方是名看起來(lái)非常蒼老的矮人，一臉白色胡須，戴著紅色帽子;同樣的，他也是門一開(kāi)就跳了進(jìn)來(lái)，彷佛早八百年就接到邀請(qǐng)函一樣。

“大家都開(kāi)始報(bào)到了!”當(dāng)他看見(jiàn)德瓦林的衣帽掛在架上時(shí)，這么說(shuō)。他也把自己的紅帽子掛在旁邊：“巴林聽(tīng)候你的差遣!”他以手觸胸說(shuō)道。

“多謝!”比爾博吃了一驚，照禮數(shù)來(lái)說(shuō)不該這么說(shuō)的，但“大家都開(kāi)始報(bào)到了”這句話讓他亂了方寸。他喜歡訪客，但他偏愛(ài)安排好的客人，而且更偏好由自己親自邀請(qǐng)他們。他突然間有種不祥的預(yù)感──蛋糕可能會(huì)不夠。而身為主人，他有個(gè)不管如何痛苦都必須遵守的禮數(shù)：必須先請(qǐng)客人吃，而他自己可能吃不到。

“快進(jìn)來(lái)，先喝茶吧!”在深吸了一口氣之后，他終于勉強(qiáng)說(shuō)道。

“好心的先生，如果你不麻煩的話，來(lái)些啤酒會(huì)更好!”滿臉白胡子的巴林說(shuō)：“如果先生您有些香籽蛋糕的話，我也更不介意。”

“當(dāng)然當(dāng)然，我有很多!”比爾博意外地發(fā)現(xiàn)自己竟然這樣回答，而且自己的雙腳就這么自顧自地忙了起來(lái)。他先到酒窖裝了一大壺的啤酒，然后又去餐點(diǎn)間拿了兩個(gè)香噴噴的圓形香籽蛋糕──這還是他下午剛烤的，準(zhǔn)備拿來(lái)當(dāng)作晚餐之后的宵點(diǎn)。

當(dāng)他回來(lái)之后，巴林和德瓦林已經(jīng)像是個(gè)老友般地交談起來(lái)(事實(shí)上，他們根本是兄弟)。比爾博才把啤酒和蛋糕放在桌上，門鈴又大聲響了起來(lái)，而且還連響兩次!

“這次一定是甘道夫了!”他氣喘吁吁地跑過(guò)走廊時(shí)心中猜測(cè)，但這次依舊不是。又來(lái)了兩名矮人，兩個(gè)都戴藍(lán)色兜帽、銀色腰帶、蓄著黃色胡子，而且都背著一袋工具和一柄鏟子。門一開(kāi)，他們就老實(shí)不客氣地沖了進(jìn)來(lái)，不過(guò)這次可嚇不倒比爾博了。

“親愛(ài)的矮人們，有什么我可以幫忙的地方嗎?”他說(shuō)。

“奇力聽(tīng)候您的差遣!”其中一個(gè)說(shuō)。“還有菲力也是!”另一個(gè)人補(bǔ)充道。兩人都很快地脫下帽子，深深一鞠躬。

“在下聽(tīng)候您和您家人的差遣!”比爾博這次才終于照著禮數(shù)回答了他們。

“原來(lái)德瓦林和巴林都已經(jīng)先到了，”奇力說(shuō)：“我們一起樂(lè)一樂(lè)吧!”

“樂(lè)一樂(lè)!”巴金斯先生心中想：“這聽(tīng)起來(lái)可不妙，我得先坐下來(lái)喝口茶，好好想一想應(yīng)對(duì)之策才行。”他躲在角落喝了一口，其他四名矮人則是豪邁地坐在桌邊，大聲談笑著礦坑、黃金和半獸人所惹的麻煩，惡龍的劫掠，還有很多其他事物是他不了解、也不想多聽(tīng)的，因?yàn)檫@些事情聽(tīng)起來(lái)都太具冒險(xiǎn)性了。這時(shí)，叮咚鈴當(dāng)，他的門鈴又響了，好像是某個(gè)頑皮的哈比小孩，使盡全身力氣想把門鈴扯掉一樣。

“又有人來(lái)了!”他眨著眼睛說(shuō)。

“從那聲音聽(tīng)起來(lái)，我猜應(yīng)該是四個(gè)人，”菲力說(shuō)：“而且，我們來(lái)之前就看到他們跟在我后面。”

可憐的哈比人就這么坐在客廳，雙手捧著腦袋，不知道到底是怎么一回事，也不知道這些惡客究竟會(huì)不會(huì)留下來(lái)吃晚餐。然后，門鈴又肆無(wú)忌憚地大吵大鬧起來(lái)，他只得拼了老命跑去開(kāi)門。開(kāi)門之后他才發(fā)現(xiàn)，這根本不是四個(gè)人，而是五個(gè)人!當(dāng)他在客廳里面發(fā)呆的時(shí)候，又有另一名矮人湊了上來(lái);他才剛轉(zhuǎn)了門把，所有的人就一涌而入，都鞠躬說(shuō)著：“聽(tīng)候您差遣”!他們是朵力、諾力、歐力、歐音和葛羅音，很快的，兩頂紫帽子、一頂灰帽子，一頂褐帽子，還有一頂白帽子都被掛在衣帽架上，這些矮人都把大手插在黃金或是白銀的腰帶中，大搖大擺地加入同伴的行列。這些人的確看來(lái)已經(jīng)有了樂(lè)一樂(lè)的實(shí)力。有些人要喝麥酒，有些人想喝黑啤酒，有一個(gè)則是想喝咖啡，但每個(gè)人都要吃蛋糕。因此，這個(gè)勞碌命的哈比人，就這樣忙進(jìn)忙出了好一回兒。

爐上正在煮著一大壺咖啡，香籽蛋糕全部陣亡，矮人們正開(kāi)始進(jìn)攻涂了奶油的麥餅，這時(shí)，門上又傳來(lái)了大聲的敲門聲。這次不是門鈴，而是在哈比人漂亮的綠門上敲打的聲音──有人用木棍在槌打門!

比爾博非常生氣地沖過(guò)走廊，腦袋中一團(tuán)混亂，什么也搞不清楚，這是他這輩子最混亂的一個(gè)星期三。他猛地一拉門，門外的人全都跌了進(jìn)來(lái)，一個(gè)接一個(gè)地摔在地板上。更多的矮人，又來(lái)了四個(gè)!甘道夫就站在后面，倚著手杖哈哈大笑。他在門上敲出了不少痕跡，而且，他也順便把昨天做的那個(gè)秘密記號(hào)給磨掉了。

“小心點(diǎn)!小心點(diǎn)!”他說(shuō)。“我說(shuō)比爾博啊，讓朋友在門口苦等，又冷不防地猛然打開(kāi)門，這可不像是你的風(fēng)格啊!請(qǐng)容我介紹畢佛、波佛和龐伯，還有這位索林!”

“聽(tīng)候您的差遣!”畢佛、波佛和龐伯排成一列說(shuō)。然后，他們又掛起了兩頂黃色的帽子和一頂?shù)G色的帽子，另外還有一頂是天藍(lán)色的帽子，上面還有長(zhǎng)長(zhǎng)的銀穗。最后一頂帽子是索林的，他是名非常重要的矮人，事實(shí)上，他是索林·橡木盾。此刻他對(duì)于自己摔在地板上，身上還壓著畢佛、波佛和龐伯并不很高興。因?yàn)?，渾身肥肉的龐伯重的驚人。索林相當(dāng)?shù)母甙?，他沒(méi)說(shuō)什么聽(tīng)候差遣的話;不過(guò)，可憐的比爾博已經(jīng)道了很多次歉，最后，哼了一句“別再說(shuō)了”，緊鎖的雙眉好不容易舒展開(kāi)來(lái)。

“大家都到齊了!”甘道夫看著那十三頂適合宴會(huì)的鮮艷帽子和他自己的尖頂帽掛在帽架上，說(shuō)：“這可真是難得啊!希望遲到的人還有東西可以吃喝啊!那是啥?茶!不，謝了!我想喝點(diǎn)紅酒。”

“我也是，”索林說(shuō)。

“還有藍(lán)莓果醬和蘋果塔，”畢佛說(shuō)。

“還有碎肉派和乳酪，”波佛說(shuō)。

“還有豬肉派和沙拉，”龐伯說(shuō)。

“如果您不介意的話，請(qǐng)?jiān)賮?lái)點(diǎn)蛋糕、麥酒和咖啡!”其他矮人隔著門大喊。

“還有幾顆水煮蛋啊，您真是個(gè)好人!”比爾博連滾帶爬地沖向餐點(diǎn)室的時(shí)候，他們又補(bǔ)了一句：“也別忘了熏雞肉和腌黃瓜!”

“這家伙怎么對(duì)我的食物柜這么清楚!”巴金斯先生覺(jué)得腦中一團(tuán)混亂，開(kāi)始懷疑這次是不是一場(chǎng)最讓人擔(dān)心的冒險(xiǎn)殺進(jìn)了他的家門?等到他把所有的杯碗瓢盆刀叉瓶碟都用大托盤裝好之后，已經(jīng)汗如雨下、滿臉通紅，還覺(jué)得相當(dāng)?shù)夭桓吲d。

“這些矮人真是太沒(méi)禮貌了!”他大聲說(shuō)：“為什么他們不來(lái)幫幫忙呢?”天哪，巴林和德瓦林不就正站在門口嗎?身后還站著菲力和奇力，在他來(lái)得及說(shuō)第二個(gè)字之前，他們就把托盤和幾張小桌子都搬了出去，把外面重新給安排了一次。

甘道夫的身邊圍繞著十三名矮人，比爾博坐在壁爐邊的小凳子上，啃著一塊小餅干(他的食欲已經(jīng)暫時(shí)消失了)，試著強(qiáng)自鎮(zhèn)定，表現(xiàn)出一切都是稀松平常、對(duì)他來(lái)說(shuō)這絕不是什么冒險(xiǎn)的態(tài)勢(shì)。矮人們吃了又吃，聊了又聊，時(shí)間不停的流逝，最后，他們把椅子一推，比爾博正準(zhǔn)備去收拾所有的餐具。

“諸位應(yīng)該都會(huì)留下來(lái)用晚餐吧?”他用最鎮(zhèn)定、最有禮貌的口氣問(wèn)道。

“當(dāng)然羅!”索林說(shuō)：“我們還會(huì)再待久一點(diǎn)，這么晚了不方便辦事，而且我們也應(yīng)該享受一些音樂(lè)才對(duì)?？彀褨|西收干凈!”

十二名矮人(不包括索林，他地位太高了，必須繼續(xù)和甘道夫談天)立刻彈了起來(lái)，把所有東西都堆得高高的。他們不等托盤，就立刻把如山的餐具用單手扛了起來(lái)，上面還都放著一個(gè)瓶子。比爾博驚慌莫名地跟在后面緊張兮兮大叫：“請(qǐng)小心點(diǎn)!”、“求求你們，不要麻煩了!我自己來(lái)就好!”但矮人照舊扯開(kāi)喉嚨唱了起來(lái)：

當(dāng)然，他們并沒(méi)有做出像歌詞內(nèi)容這么可怕的事情，所有的東西都被快如閃電地清理好、收到柜子里去。哈比人則是在廚房里面急得團(tuán)團(tuán)轉(zhuǎn)，想要看清楚他們?cè)谧鲂┦裁?。然后，一伙人又走了回?lái)，他們這才看到索林正把腳翹在桌上，好整以暇地抽著煙斗。他吐出來(lái)的煙圈更是史無(wú)前例的巨大，不管他叫這些煙圈往哪兒飄，它們都乖乖地聽(tīng)話。這些煙圈會(huì)鉆進(jìn)煙囪、躲進(jìn)壁爐上的時(shí)鐘、繞著天花板舞動(dòng);不過(guò)，不管這些煙圈飄到哪里，都躲不過(guò)甘道夫的瞄準(zhǔn)。噗!他會(huì)從短柄陶煙斗中噴出更小的煙圈，穿過(guò)索林的每一個(gè)煙圈，然后，甘道夫的煙圈會(huì)變成綠色的，飄回巫師的頭上。他的腦袋上這時(shí)已經(jīng)飄了很多煙圈，在微弱的光線中看來(lái)有種神秘的氣質(zhì)。比爾博張大了嘴看著眼前的景象，因?yàn)樗钕矚g煙圈了;然后，他想起自己昨天的班門弄斧，不禁漲紅了臉。

“來(lái)點(diǎn)音樂(lè)吧!”索林說(shuō)：“拿出樂(lè)器來(lái)!”

奇力和菲力立刻跑到他們的背包旁邊，拿回來(lái)兩把小提琴，朵力、諾力和歐力則是從衣服里面掏出橫笛，龐伯從客廳里面變出一個(gè)鼓，畢佛和波佛也走了出去，從放置手杖的地方拿回來(lái)幾把豎笛。德瓦林和巴林則是說(shuō)：“抱歉，我們把樂(lè)器放在門口了!”“把我的也一起拿進(jìn)來(lái)，”索林說(shuō)。他們拿回來(lái)和自己一樣高的六弦琴，索林的豎琴則是用布包著。那是把美麗的黃金豎琴，索林一撥琴弦，甜美的音樂(lè)立刻流泄而出，讓比爾博忘卻了身邊的一切煩惱，飄向遙遠(yuǎn)的黑暗大地，看著天上的陌生月光，遠(yuǎn)離了附近的小河和山丘。

夜色從面對(duì)著小山那邊的窗戶飄流進(jìn)來(lái)，壁爐的火跟著閃動(dòng)(現(xiàn)在還是四月)，他們依舊繼續(xù)演奏著，甘道夫的胡子則是在墻壁上投下奇怪的陰影。

黑暗籠罩了整座屋子，爐火也慢慢熄滅了，影子跟著消失，但他們依舊繼續(xù)演奏著，一個(gè)接一個(gè)的，邊演奏樂(lè)器，邊歌唱，低沉的聲音吟頌著古代的地底故鄉(xiāng)。底下就是他們歌謠的一部分，只是，沒(méi)有音樂(lè)的伴奏，不知道這首歌是否還是同樣的動(dòng)聽(tīng)。