霍比特人：最后一幕 The Last Stage

THE LAST STAGE

最后一幕

It was on May the First that the two came back at last to the brink of the valley of Rivendell, where stood the Last (or the First) Homely House. Again it was evening, their ponies were tired, especially the one that carried the baggage; and they all felt in need of rest. As they rode down the steep path, Bilbo heard the elves still singing in the trees, as if they had not stopped since he left; and as soon as the riders came down into the lower glades of the wood they burst into a song of much the same kind as before. This is something like it:

五月一號(hào)的時(shí)候，兩人終于來(lái)到了幽谷谷口，最后家園(或毋寧說(shuō)是最初的)就矗立在那里。時(shí)間和他們當(dāng)初來(lái)時(shí)同樣是晚上，小馬已經(jīng)跑累了，尤其是馱行李的那匹，他們也都覺(jué)得需要休息一下。兩人沿著陡峭的斜坡往下騎行，比爾博聽(tīng)見(jiàn)精靈們依舊在森林里面唱著歌，仿佛從他離開(kāi)之后就沒(méi)有停過(guò)似的。當(dāng)他們騎到林間低處的草地上時(shí)，精靈們唱起了與之前相似的歌曲，歌曲內(nèi)容大致如下：

The dragon is withered,

惡龍已經(jīng)完蛋，

His bones are now crumbled;

尸骨已成碎渣;

His armour is shivered,

盔甲碎成破片，

His splendour is humbled!

顯赫淪為卑下!

Though sword shall be rusted,

刀劍終將生滿銹，

And throne and crown perish

皇冠寶座難長(zhǎng)久，

With strength that men trusted

愚夫依舊信強(qiáng)力，

And wealth that they cherish,

金銀財(cái)寶迷不夠。

Here grass is still growing,

惟有青草依然綠，

And leaves are yet swinging,

惟有樹(shù)葉顫悠悠，

The white water flowing,

惟有清溪日日流，

And elves are yet singing

惟有精靈歌不休，

Come! Tra-la-la-lally!

來(lái)吧!嘩啦啦啦哩!

Come back to the valley!

來(lái)吧，且回山谷里!

The stars are far brighter

星辰更加耀眼，

Than gems without measure,

遠(yuǎn)勝珠寶美鉆，

The moon is far whiter

月色益發(fā)皎潔，

Than silver in treasure;

比那白銀燦爛：

The fire is more shining

黃昏灶中爐火，

On hearth in the gloaming

釋放陣陣暖意，

Than gold won by mining,

地底黃金難比，

So why go a-roaming?

何須追逐不息?

O! Tra-la-la-lally

來(lái)吧!嘩啦啦啦哩!

Come back to the Valley.

來(lái)吧，且回山谷里!

O! Where are you going,

哦!你去了哪里，

So late in returning?

回來(lái)得如此晚?

The river is flowing,

小河還在流啊，

The stars are all burning!

星辰依舊燦爛!

O! Whither so laden,

哦!游子，你要去向何方?

So sad and so dreary?

背著沉重行囊，神情疲倦而憂傷?

Here elf and elf-maiden

這里的精靈和精靈姑娘，

Now welcome the weary

歡迎你暫把這里當(dāng)故鄉(xiāng)。

With Tra-la-la-lally

讓我們唱起嘩啦啦啦哩，

Come back to the Valley,

來(lái)吧，且回山谷里，

Tra-la-la-lally

淅瀝瀝瀝嘩，

Fa-la-la-lally

嘩啦啦啦哩，

Fa-la!

嘩啦!

Then the elves of the valley came out and greeted them and led them across the water to the house of Elrond. There a warm welcome was made them, and there were many eager ears that evening to hear the tale of their adventures. Gandalf it was who spoke, for Bilbo was fallen quiet and drowsy. Most of the tale he knew, for he had been in it, and had himself told much of it to the wizard on their homeward way or in the house of Beorn; but every now and again he would open one eye, and listen, when a part of the story which he did not yet know came in.

唱到這里，山谷中的精靈們紛紛走出來(lái)招呼他們，領(lǐng)著他們?cè)竭^(guò)小河，來(lái)到埃爾隆德的住所。大家十分熱烈地歡迎他們，到了晚上有許多人迫切地想要聆聽(tīng)他們的冒險(xiǎn)故事。后來(lái)給大家講的人是甘道夫，因?yàn)楸葼柌┎怀雎暤刈?，已?jīng)頗有些昏昏欲睡了。這些故事他大多數(shù)都知道，因?yàn)槟鞘撬约河H身經(jīng)歷了的事情，而且在回來(lái)的路上他把大多數(shù)故事都跟巫師講過(guò)，后來(lái)到了貝奧恩的家中又講過(guò)一遍。不過(guò)，每當(dāng)甘道夫講到整個(gè)冒險(xiǎn)經(jīng)歷中他不知道的部分時(shí)，他會(huì)時(shí)不時(shí)地睜開(kāi)一只眼來(lái)，聽(tīng)上一會(huì)兒。

It was in this way that he learned where Gandalf had been to; for he overheard the words of the wizard to Elrond. It appeared that Gandalf had been to a great council of the white wizards, masters of lore and good magic; and that they had at last driven the Necromancer from his dark hold in the south of Mirkwood.

就這樣一會(huì)兒睡一會(huì)兒醒的，他了解到了甘道夫和他們分手后的去向，因?yàn)樗?tīng)到了巫師和埃爾隆德的對(duì)話。看來(lái)，甘道夫似乎去參加了一場(chǎng)白巫師的大會(huì)。所謂白巫師，就是專(zhuān)門(mén)研究口頭傳說(shuō)和善良魔法的巫師。通過(guò)這次大會(huì)，他們終于將死靈法師趕走，結(jié)束了其對(duì)黑森林南部的黑暗控制。

“Ere long now,” Gandalf was saying, “the Forest will grow somewhat more wholesome. The North will be freed from that horror for many long years, I hope. Yet I wish he were banished from the world!”

“過(guò)不了多久，”甘道夫正在說(shuō)，“森林就會(huì)恢復(fù)之前的正常狀況了。我希望北方能有許多年可以擺脫那種恐懼。不過(guò)我真希望能夠徹底將死靈法師從這世界上驅(qū)逐出去!”

“It would be well indeed,” said Elrond; “but I fear that will not come about in this age of the world, or for many after.”

“肯定會(huì)好起來(lái)的，”埃爾隆德說(shuō)，“但恐怕不會(huì)是在我們這個(gè)時(shí)代，此后很多年里也暫時(shí)還不會(huì)太平。”

When the tale of their journeyings was told, there were other tales, and yet more tales, tales of long ago, and tales of new things, and tales of no time at all, till Bilbo’s head fell forward on his chest, and he snored comfortably in a corner.

在講完了他們的冒險(xiǎn)旅程之后，大家又講了其他的故事，接著還是故事，有許多年前發(fā)生的故事，有最近發(fā)生的新故事，有不知何年何月的故事，一直講得比爾博的腦袋耷拉到了胸口，縮在角落里舒舒服服地打起鼾來(lái)。

He woke to find himself in a white bed, and the moon shining through an open window. Below it many elves were singing loud and clear on the banks of the stream.

等他醒來(lái)時(shí)，發(fā)現(xiàn)自己躺在一張白色的床上，月光從開(kāi)著的窗戶照進(jìn)來(lái)，在月下的河岸邊許多精靈正在高聲歡唱。

Sing all ye joyful, now sing all together!

歡樂(lè)的人們唱起來(lái)吧，大家一起來(lái)唱!

The wind’s in the tree-top, the wind’s in the heather;

風(fēng)兒吹過(guò)樹(shù)梢，拂過(guò)石南叢生的蠻荒;

The stars are in blossom, the moon is in flower,

星光綻放，月光落在花上，

And bright are the windows of Night in her tower.

夜之高塔窗戶多么明亮。

Dance all ye joyful, now dance all together!

歡樂(lè)的人們跳起來(lái)吧，大家一起來(lái)跳!

Soft is the grass, and let foot be like feather!

草地柔軟，讓雙足如羽毛般輕盈舞蹈!

The river is silver, the shadows are fleeting;

河水銀閃閃，影子在飛逝;

Merry is May-time, and merry our meeting.

五月好時(shí)光，我們的聚會(huì)多逍遙!

Sing we now softly, and dreams let us weave him!

我們?nèi)崧曒p唱，為他編織好夢(mèng)!

Wind him in slumber and there let us leave him!

將沉睡的他輕輕搖動(dòng)，然后留他一人在夢(mèng)中!

The wanderer sleepeth. Now soft be his pillow! Lullaby!

游子熟睡，枕頭柔軟蓬松!

Lullaby! Alder and Willow!

睡吧!睡吧!赤楊和柳樹(shù)款款擺動(dòng)!

Sigh no more Pine, till the wind of the morn!

松樹(shù)不要嘆息，直到早晨的風(fēng)吹起!

Fall Moon! Dark be the land!

月亮落下!黑暗籠罩大地!

Hush! Hush! Oak, Ash, and Thorn!

噓!噓!橡樹(shù)、梣樹(shù)與荊棘

Hushed be all water, till dawn is at hand!

所有的水流請(qǐng)安靜，直到黎明帶來(lái)晨曦!

“Well, Merry People!” said Bilbo looking out. “What time by the moon is this? Your lullaby would waken a drunken goblin! Yet I thank you.”

“好啊，快樂(lè)的人們!”比爾博探出頭去說(shuō)，“看這月亮，現(xiàn)在都什么時(shí)候了?你們的催眠曲連喝醉的半獸人都能吵醒啦!不過(guò)，還是謝謝你們!”

“And your snores would waken a stone dragon—yet we thank you,” they answered with laughter. “It is drawing towards dawn, and you have slept now since the night’s beginning. Tomorrow, perhaps, you will be cured of weariness.”

“你的鼾聲都可以把石頭雕的龍給吵醒了——不過(guò)，我們還是謝謝你，”他們哈哈大笑地回答，“天已經(jīng)快亮了，你從昨晚天剛黑就開(kāi)始睡了?；蛟S，明天你就不會(huì)這么累了。”

“A little sleep does a great cure in the house of Elrond,” said he; “but I will take all the cure I can get. A second good night, fair friends!” And with that he went back to bed and slept till late morning.

“在埃爾隆德的居所只要睡上一小會(huì)兒，就對(duì)治好疲倦很管用。”他說(shuō)，“不過(guò)我想把身體好好養(yǎng)一下。再次祝大家晚安，我可愛(ài)的朋友們!”說(shuō)完他又回到床上，一覺(jué)睡到第二天大中午。

Weariness fell from him soon in that house, and he had many a merry jest and dance, early and late, with the elves of the valley. Yet even that place could not long delay him now, and he thought always of his own home. After a week, therefore, he said farewell to Elrond, and giving him such small gifts as he would accept, he rode away with Gandalf.

在那間屋子里，他的疲倦很快就消失了，從早到晚，他都和山谷精靈們說(shuō)笑唱歌。不過(guò)，即使這里充滿歡樂(lè)，也不能長(zhǎng)久拖住他回家的腳步，他整天都想著自己的家。因此，一周之后，他和埃爾隆德告別，送了一些他愿意接受的小禮物，然后比爾博就和甘道夫一起騎馬離開(kāi)了。

Even as they left the valley the sky darkened in the West before them, and wind and rain came up to meet them.

就在他們離開(kāi)山谷的時(shí)候，西方的天空黑了下來(lái)，風(fēng)雨跑來(lái)與他們?cè)拕e了。

“Merry is May-time!” said Bilbo, as the rain beat into his face. “But our back is to legends and we are coming home. I suppose this is the first taste of it.”

“可真是五月好時(shí)光啊!”雨點(diǎn)打在比爾博臉上時(shí)，他調(diào)侃道，“但我們已經(jīng)告別了傳奇，踏上回家路了。我想，老天這是要讓我們嘗嘗鄉(xiāng)愁的滋味吧!”

“There is a long road yet,” said Gandalf.

“還有一長(zhǎng)段路要走呢。”甘道夫說(shuō)。

“But it is the last road,” said Bilbo.

“可畢竟是最后一段了。”比爾博回答。

They came to the river that marked the very edge of the borderland of the Wild, and to the ford beneath the steep bank, which you may remember. The water was swollen both with the melting of the snows at the approach of summer, and with the daylong rain; but they crossed with some difficulty, and pressed forward, as evening fell, on the last stage of their journey.

他們來(lái)到了標(biāo)示著野地邊界的那條河，越過(guò)了陡峭河岸下面的渡口，或許大家還記得。由于夏天將近，雪水融化，加上下了一天的大雨，河水漲了起來(lái)，但他們還是有驚無(wú)險(xiǎn)地走了過(guò)去。隨著夜晚的降臨，他們踏上了旅程的最后一段。

This was much as it had been before, except that the company was smaller, and more silent; also this time there were no trolls. At each point on the road Bilbo recalled the happenings and the words of a year ago—it seemed to him more like ten—so that, of course, he quickly noted the place where the pony had fallen in the river, and they had turned aside for their nasty adventure with Tom and Bert and Bill.

旅程和來(lái)的時(shí)候差不多，除了伙伴少了，一路更安靜了些，當(dāng)然，也碰不到食人妖了。路上每走到一處，比爾博都會(huì)回想起一年前——對(duì)他來(lái)說(shuō)似乎更像是十年前——發(fā)生的事和大家說(shuō)過(guò)的話，因此，他當(dāng)然很快便注意到了小馬落進(jìn)河里的地方，當(dāng)時(shí)他們朝邊上一拐，結(jié)果就遭遇了三個(gè)食人妖——湯姆、伯特和威爾。

Not far from the road they found the gold of the trolls, which they had buried, still hidden and untouched. “I have enough to last me my time,” said Bilbo, when they had dug it up. “You had better take this, Gandalf. I daresay you can find a use for it.”

在距離道路不遠(yuǎn)的地方，他們找到了食人妖的黃金，那是他們之前所埋下的，依舊藏得好好的，沒(méi)被人發(fā)現(xiàn)。“我這輩子花銷(xiāo)的錢(qián)已經(jīng)夠了，”比爾博在他們挖出黃金的時(shí)候說(shuō)，“甘道夫，你最好還是拿上吧，我敢說(shuō)你會(huì)派到用場(chǎng)的。”

“Indeed I can!” said the wizard. “But share and share alike! You may find you have more needs than you expect.”

“這話倒不假!”巫師說(shuō)，“不過(guò)，這話擱你身上也一樣!錢(qián)等用起來(lái)會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)不夠的!”

So they put the gold in bags and slung them on the ponies, who were not at all pleased about it. After that their going was slower, for most of the time they walked. But the land was green and there was much grass through which the hobbit strolled along contentedly. He mopped his face with a red silk handkerchief—no! not a single one of his own had survived, he had borrowed this one from Elrond—for now June had brought summer, and the weather was bright and hot again.

于是他們把黃金放進(jìn)袋子，掛到小馬背上，小馬對(duì)此可一點(diǎn)兒都不覺(jué)得高興。在那之后，他們前進(jìn)得更慢了，因?yàn)榇蠖鄶?shù)時(shí)候他們都在走路。但是大地一片翠綠，霍比特人在大片的草地上走得心曠神怡。他用一塊紅色的絲手帕抹了抹臉——手帕當(dāng)然不是他自己的!他自己的連一條都不剩了，這條是從埃爾隆德那邊借來(lái)的。這時(shí)已是六月初夏，天氣重又變得晴朗炎熱。

As all things come to an end, even this story, a day came at last when they were in sight of the country where Bilbo had been born and bred, where the shapes of the land and of the trees were as well known to him as his hands and toes. Coming to a rise he could see his own Hill in the distance, and he stopped suddenly and said:

萬(wàn)事萬(wàn)物都會(huì)有結(jié)尾，這個(gè)故事也不例外。終于有一天，比爾博出生與成長(zhǎng)的故鄉(xiāng)出現(xiàn)在了他們眼前，這里的風(fēng)土地貌、一草一木對(duì)他來(lái)說(shuō)，熟悉得就像是自己的手指和腳趾。當(dāng)他走到一個(gè)山坡上，看見(jiàn)了遠(yuǎn)處他自己的小丘，禁不住停下腳步，吟誦起來(lái)：

Roads go ever ever on,

道路不停向前走，

Over rock and under tree,

越過(guò)巖石上，經(jīng)過(guò)樹(shù)下頭，

By caves where never sun has shone,

繞過(guò)陽(yáng)光從未照到過(guò)的山洞，

By streams that never find the sea;

經(jīng)過(guò)從未入過(guò)大海的溪流：

Over snow by winter sown,

越過(guò)冬日撒下的白雪，

And through the merry flowers of June,

穿過(guò)六月歡快的花海，

Over grass and over stone,

越過(guò)青草，越過(guò)石頭，

And under mountains in the moon.

沿著月光籠罩下的山脈。

Roads go ever ever on

道路不停延伸，

Under cloud and under star,

頂著一天的云朵和星辰，

Yet feet that wandering have gone

漫游的雙腳踏過(guò)四海紅塵，

Turn at last to home afar.

而今終于朝著故鄉(xiāng)奔。

Eyes that fire and sword have seen

游子的眼曾見(jiàn)過(guò)烈火與刀劍，

And horror in the halls of stone

也曾把地底石廳中的恐怖發(fā)現(xiàn)，

Look at last on meadows green

而今終于見(jiàn)到綠色草地，

And trees and hills they long have known.

還有那熟悉的樹(shù)木與小山。

Gandalf looked at him. “My dear Bilbo!” he said. “Something is the matter with you! You are not the hobbit that you were.”

甘道夫略帶詫異地望著他。“親愛(ài)的比爾博!”他說(shuō)，“我怎么覺(jué)得有點(diǎn)兒不對(duì)勁兒啊!你不再是以前的那個(gè)霍比特人了。”

And so they crossed the bridge and passed the mill by the river and came right back to Bilbo’s own door.

他們?cè)竭^(guò)了小橋，經(jīng)過(guò)了河邊的磨坊，終于站在了比爾博自家的門(mén)前。

“Bless me! What’s going on?” he cried. There was a great commotion, and people of all sorts, respectable and unrespectable, were thick round the door, and many were going in and out—not even wiping their feet on the mat, as Bilbo noticed with annoyance.

“老天爺呀!這是怎么回事?”他驚呼道。只見(jiàn)亂哄哄一大群各色各樣的人，不管地位高低，在門(mén)前圍了一大堆，許多人還進(jìn)進(jìn)出出——比爾博惱怒地發(fā)現(xiàn)，他們進(jìn)出時(shí)甚至都不在門(mén)墊上擦一擦腳。

If he was surprised, they were more surprised still. He had arrived back in the middle of an auction! There was a large notice in black and red hung on the gate, stating that on June the Twenty-second Messrs Grubb, Grubb, and Burrowes would sell by auction the effects of the late Bilbo Baggins Esquire, of Bag-End, Underhill, Hobbiton. Sale to commence at ten o’clock sharp. It was now nearly lunchtime, and most of the things had already been sold, for various prices from next to nothing to old songs (as is not unusual at auctions). Bilbo’s cousins the Sackville-Bagginses were, in fact, busy measuring his rooms to see if their own furniture would fit. In short Bilbo was “Presumed Dead”, and not everybody that said so was sorry to find the presumption wrong.

如果說(shuō)他見(jiàn)到大家吃了一驚的話，那么大家見(jiàn)到他就更是吃驚了。他竟然正趕上了一場(chǎng)拍賣(mài)會(huì)!門(mén)上掛著黑底紅字的大招牌，上面寫(xiě)著：六月二十二日，挖伯兄弟和掘洞先生將會(huì)主持拍賣(mài)霍比特屯山下袋底洞已故的比爾博·巴金斯先生所有的財(cái)產(chǎn)。拍賣(mài)將于十點(diǎn)準(zhǔn)時(shí)開(kāi)始。此時(shí)已經(jīng)幾乎是午餐時(shí)間，大多數(shù)東西都賣(mài)掉了，價(jià)格從幾乎白送到驚人天價(jià)都有(這種事兒在拍賣(mài)會(huì)中經(jīng)常有)。事實(shí)上，比爾博的表親薩克維爾-巴金斯一家正在忙碌地丈量他的房間，看看他們的家具是否擺得下。簡(jiǎn)而言之，比爾博已經(jīng)被“宣告死亡”了，而且也不是所有被如此宣告的人在發(fā)現(xiàn)宣告錯(cuò)誤時(shí)都會(huì)感到難過(guò)。

The return of Mr. Bilbo Baggins created quite a disturbance, both under the Hill and over the Hill, and across the Water; it was a great deal more than a nine days’ wonder. The legal bother, indeed, lasted for years. It was quite a long time before Mr. Baggins was in fact admitted to be alive again. The people who had got specially good bargains at the Sale took a deal of convincing; and in the end to save time Bilbo had to buy back quite a lot of his own furniture. Many of his silver spoons mysteriously disappeared and were never accounted for. Personally he suspected the Sackville-Bagginses. On their side they never admitted that the returned Baggins was genuine, and they were not on friendly terms with Bilbo ever after. They really had wanted to live in his nice hobbit-hole so very much.

比爾博·巴金斯先生的歸來(lái)在小丘下邊、小丘那邊和小河對(duì)面都造成了相當(dāng)大的騷動(dòng)。這可不光是一場(chǎng)為期九天的轟動(dòng)，法律上的爭(zhēng)議甚至持續(xù)了好幾年。事實(shí)上，巴金斯先生又過(guò)了好久才重新被承認(rèn)還活著。對(duì)于那些在拍賣(mài)中買(mǎi)到了便宜貨的人們，比爾博花了不少口舌讓他們把東西退回來(lái)，到后來(lái)為了節(jié)省時(shí)間，比爾博只能掏錢(qián)買(mǎi)回了許多他自己的家具。好多銀湯匙都神秘失蹤，也沒(méi)人對(duì)此作出解釋。比爾博個(gè)人懷疑這是薩克維爾-巴金斯一家干的。他們一直也沒(méi)有承認(rèn)歸來(lái)的比爾博是貨真價(jià)實(shí)的，從那之后也一直和比爾博處得不太融洽，這都是因?yàn)樗麄兲胍∵M(jìn)比爾博的洞府的緣故。

Indeed Bilbo found he had lost more than spoons—he had lost his reputation. It is true that for ever after he remained an elf-friend, and had the honour of dwarves, wizards, and all such folk as ever passed that way; but he was no longer quite respectable. He was in fact held by all the hobbits of the neighbourhood to be ‘queer’—except by his nephews and nieces on the Took side, but even they were not encouraged in their friendship by their elders.

可比爾博失落的還不只是湯匙呢，他連好名聲都弄丟了。在那之后，他的確一直是精靈之友，而且凡是從那里經(jīng)過(guò)的矮人與巫師之類(lèi)都對(duì)他敬仰有加，但他在當(dāng)?shù)氐拇_不再那么受人尊敬了。住在附近的霍比特人都認(rèn)為他“古怪”——除了他圖克家那邊的外甥和外甥女們，不過(guò)，就連他們，家中的長(zhǎng)輩也都勸他們要對(duì)這位舅舅敬而遠(yuǎn)之。

I am sorry to say he did not mind. He was quite content; and the sound of the kettle on his hearth was ever after more musical than it had been even in the quiet days before the Unexpected Party. His sword he hung over the mantelpiece. His coat of mail was arranged on a stand in the hall (until he lent it to a Museum). His gold and silver was largely spent in presents, both useful and extravagant—which to a certain extent accounts for the affection of his nephews and his nieces. His magic ring he kept a great secret, for he chiefly used it when unpleasant callers came.

不過(guò)他對(duì)此并不在乎。他對(duì)自己的生活相當(dāng)滿意，他家爐子上水壺發(fā)出的燒水聲，甚至比當(dāng)年那群不速之客來(lái)造訪前他過(guò)著平靜生活時(shí)的更加悅耳動(dòng)聽(tīng)。他的寶劍掛在壁爐上，盔甲則掛在廳里的一個(gè)架子上(后來(lái)借給了一家博物館)。他通過(guò)冒險(xiǎn)得來(lái)的金銀大都花在購(gòu)買(mǎi)禮物上，這些禮物既有很實(shí)用的，也有很奢侈的——這在一定程度上也能解釋他的外甥和外甥女們?yōu)槭裁催@么喜歡他。他的魔戒他對(duì)誰(shuí)都瞞著，他主要用它來(lái)躲開(kāi)那些不愿意見(jiàn)的客人。

He took to writing poetry and visiting the elves; and though many shook their heads and touched their foreheads and said “Poor old Baggins!” and though few believed any of his tales, he remained very happy to the end of his days, and those were extraordinarily long.

他開(kāi)始寫(xiě)起了詩(shī)歌，還不時(shí)拜訪精靈。雖然許多人提到他的時(shí)候，都會(huì)搖著頭，拍拍腦門(mén)兒，嘆一聲“可憐的老巴金斯”，而且也沒(méi)有多少人相信他的故事，可他還是一輩子都活得快快樂(lè)樂(lè)，而且還是特別長(zhǎng)的一輩子。

One autumn evening some years afterwards Bilbo was sitting in his study writing his memoirs—he thought of calling them “There and Back Again, a Hobbit’s Holiday”—when there was a ring at the door. It was Gandalf and a dwarf; and the dwarf was actually Balin.

幾年后，一個(gè)秋天的晚上，比爾博正坐在書(shū)房里寫(xiě)回憶錄(他想將其命名為《去而復(fù)返一個(gè)霍比特人的假期》)，突然門(mén)口傳來(lái)了門(mén)鈴聲。來(lái)訪者是甘道夫和一位矮人，實(shí)際上那位矮人正是巴林。

“Come in! Come in!” said Bilbo, and soon they were settled in chairs by the fire. If Balin noticed that Mr. Baggins’ waistcoat was more extensive (and had real gold buttons), Bilbo also noticed that Balin’s beard was several inches longer, and his jewelled belt was of great magnificence.

“快進(jìn)來(lái)!快進(jìn)來(lái)!”比爾博熱情招呼道，沒(méi)多久他們就在壁爐邊落座。如果說(shuō)巴林注意到了巴金斯先生的背心顯得更寬大了(還有真金扣子)，那么比爾博也注意到巴林的胡子又長(zhǎng)了好幾寸，而他那鑲著珠寶的腰帶也無(wú)比耀眼。

They fell to talking of their times together, of course, and Bilbo asked how things were going in the lands of the Mountain. It seemed they were going very well. Bard had rebuilt the town in Dale and men had gathered to him from the Lake and from South and West, and all the valley had become tilled again and rich, and the desolation was now filled with birds and blossoms in spring and fruit and feasting in autumn. And Lake-town was refounded and was more prosperous than ever, and much wealth went up and down the Running River; and there was friendship in those parts between elves and dwarves and men.

談著談著，話題便自然落到了過(guò)去共度的時(shí)光，比爾博又問(wèn)起孤山周邊的地區(qū)近況如何，從巴林的回答聽(tīng)來(lái)一切似乎都發(fā)展得很順利：巴德已經(jīng)重建了河谷城，人們從長(zhǎng)湖鎮(zhèn)，以及南方和西方來(lái)跟隨他，整座山谷又得到了耕作，重新變得興旺起來(lái)，原先的荒地現(xiàn)在到了春天便充滿鳥(niǎo)語(yǔ)花香，到了秋天便瓜果飄香。長(zhǎng)湖鎮(zhèn)也完成了重建，繁華更勝往昔，奔流河上往來(lái)著大量的財(cái)貨，那些地方的精靈、矮人和人類(lèi)都建立起了真誠(chéng)的友誼。

The old Master had come to a bad end. Bard had given him much gold for the help of the Lake-people, but being of the kind that easily catches such disease he fell under the dragon-sickness, and took most of the gold and fled with it, and died of starvation in the Waste, deserted by his companions.

老鎮(zhèn)長(zhǎng)的下場(chǎng)很不好，巴德給了他很多的黃金，請(qǐng)他用來(lái)幫助長(zhǎng)湖鎮(zhèn)的人民，但是，由于他是很容易疑神疑鬼的人，住在那里他總是害怕惡龍會(huì)作祟，于是便卷了大部分金子潛逃了，最后被與他同行的人拋棄，活活餓死在了荒野中。

“The new Master is of wiser kind,” said Balin, “and very popular, for, of course, he gets most of the credit for the present prosperity. They are making songs which say that in his day the rivers run with gold.”

“新的鎮(zhèn)長(zhǎng)比他要聰明得多，”巴林說(shuō)，“也更受歡迎，因?yàn)殚L(zhǎng)湖鎮(zhèn)現(xiàn)在的繁榮大部分是他的功勞。人們編出了歌謠，歌頌在他的治理下，河中黃金奔流。”

“Then the prophecies of the old songs have turned out to be true, after a fashion!” said Bilbo.

“這么說(shuō)來(lái)，古代歌謠中的預(yù)言，算是以某種形式成真了!”比爾博說(shuō)。

“Of course!” said Gandalf. “And why should not they prove true? Surely you don’t disbelieve the prophecies, because you had a hand in bringing them about yourself? You don’t really suppose, do you, that all your adventures and escapes were managed by mere luck, just for your sole bene-fit? You are a very fine person, Mr. Baggins, and I am very fond of you; but you are only quite a little fellow in a wide world after all!”

“當(dāng)然!”甘道夫說(shuō)，“為什么它們不會(huì)成真呢?難道因?yàn)槟阌H身參與，為促成它們出了力你就不相信它嗎?你該不會(huì)以為你所有的冒險(xiǎn)和逃脫，都只是因?yàn)槟氵\(yùn)氣好，只是事關(guān)你個(gè)人的安危吧?你是個(gè)好人，巴金斯先生，我也很喜歡你，但你畢竟只是廣闊天地中的一個(gè)小人物而已啊!”

“Thank goodness!” said Bilbo laughing, and handed him the tobacco-jar.

“真是謝天謝地!”比爾博聽(tīng)了這話大笑起來(lái)，一邊將煙草罐遞給了甘道夫。