jrt.the hobbit-第24章
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line of feasters sat a woodland king with a crown of leaves upon his golden hair； very much as Bombur had described the figure in his dream。 The elvish folk were passing bowls from hand to hand and across the fires； and some were harping and many were singing。 Their gloaming hair was twined with flowers； green and white gems glinted on their collars and their belts； and their faces and their songs were filled with mirth。 Loud and clear and fair were those songs； and out stepped Thorin into their midst。
Dead silence fell in the middle of a word。 Out went all light。 The fires leaped up in black smokes。 Ashes and cinders were in the eyes of the dwarves； and the wood was filled again with their clamour and their cries。 Bilbo found himself running round and round （as he thought） and calling and calling：
〃Dori； Nori； Ori； Oin； Gloin； Fili； Kili； Bombur； Bifur； Bofur； Dwalin； Balin； Thorin Oakenshield；〃 while people he could not see or feel were doing the same all round him （with an occasional 〃Bilbo！〃 thrown in）。 But the cries of the others got steadily further and fainter； and though after a while it seemed to him they changed to yells and cries for help in the far distance； all noise at last died right away； and he was left alone in plete silence and darkness。 That was one of his most miserable moments。 But he soon made up his mind that it was no good trying to do anything till day came with some little light； and quite useless to go blundering about tiring himself out with no hope of any breakfast to revive him。 So he sat himself down with his back to a tree； and not for the last time fell to thinking of his far…distant hobbit…hole with its beautiful pantries。 He was deep in thoughts of bacon and eggs and toast and butter when he felt something touch him。 Something like a strong sticky string was against his left hand； and when he tried to move he found that his legs were already wrapped in the same stuff； so that when he got up he fell over。
Then the great spider； who had been busy tying him up while he dozed； came from behind him and came at him。 He could only see the things's eyes； but he could feel its hairy legs as it struggled to wind its abominable threads round and round him。 It was lucky that he had e to his senses in time。 Soon he would not have been able to move at all。 As it was； he had a desperate fight before he got free。 He beat the creature off with his hands…it was trying to poison him to keep him quiet； as small spiders do to flies…until he remembered his sword and drew it out。 Then the spider jumped back； and he had time to cut his legs loose。 After that it was his turn to attack。 The spider evidently was not used to things that carried such stings at their sides； or it would have hurried away quicker。 Bilbo came at it before it could disappear and struck it with his sword right in the eyes。 Then it went mad and leaped and danced and flung out its legs in horrible jerks； until he killed it with another stroke； and then he fell down and remembered nothing more for a long while。
There was the usual dim grey light of the forest…day about him when he came to his senses。 The spider lay dead beside him； and his sword…blade was stained black。 Somehow the killing of the giant spider； all alone by himself in the dark without the help of the wizard or the dwarves or of anyone else； made a great difference to Mr。 Baggins。 He felt a different person； and much fiercer and bolder in spite of an empty stomach； as he wiped his sword on the grass and put it back into its sheath。
〃I will give you a name；〃 he said to it； 〃and I shall call you Sting。〃 After that he set out to explore。 The forest was grim and silent； but obviously he had first of all to look for his friends； who were not likely to be very far off； unless they had been made prisoners by the elves （or worse things）。
Bilbo felt that it was unsafe to shout； and he stood a long while wondering in what direction the path lay； and in what direction he should go first to look for the dwarves。 〃O！ why did we not remember Beorn's advice； and Gandalf's！〃 he lamented。 〃What a mess we are in now！ We！ I only wish it was we： it is horrible being all alone。〃
In the end he made as good a guess as he could at the direction from which the cries for help had e in the night … and by luck （he was born with a good share of it） be guessed more or less right； as you will see。 Having made up his mind he crept along as cleverly as he could。 Hobbits are clever at quietness； especially in woods； as 1。 have already told you； also Bilbo had slipped on his ring before he started。 That is why the spiders neither saw nor heard him ing。
He had picked his way stealthily 'for some distance； when he noticed a place of dense black shadow ahead of him black even for that forest； like a patch of midnight that had never been cleared away。 As he drew nearer； he saw that it was made by spider…webs one behind and over and tangled with another。
Suddenly he saw； too； that there were spiders huge and horrible sitting in the branches above him； and ring or no ring he trembled with fear lest they should discover him。 Standing behind a tree he watched a group of them for some time； and then in the silence and stillness of the wood he realised that these loathsome creatures were speaking one to another。 Their voices were a sort of thin creaking and hissing； but he could make out many of the words that they said。 They were talking about the dwarves！
〃It was a sharp struggle； but worth it；〃 said one。 〃What nasty thick skins they have to be sure； but I'll wager there is good juice inside。〃 〃Aye； they'll make fine eating； when they've hung a bit；〃 said another。 〃Don't hang 'em too long；〃 said a third。 〃They're not as fat as they might be。 Been feeding none too well of late； I should guess。〃 〃Kill'em； I say；〃 hissed a fourth； 〃kill 'em now and hang 'em dead for a while。〃
〃They're dead now； I'll warrant；〃 said the first。
〃That they are not。 I saw one a…struggling just now。 Just ing round again； I should say； after a bee…autiful sleep。 I'll show you。〃 With that one of the fat spiders ran along a rope； till it came to a dozen bundles hanging in a row from a high branch。 Bilbo was horrified； now that he noticed them for the first time dangling in the shadows； to see a dwarvish foot sticking out of the bottoms of some of the bundles； or here and there the tip of a nose； or a bit of beard or of a hood。
To the fattest of these bundles the spider went…〃It is poor old Bombur； I'll bet；〃 thought Bilbo … and nipped hard at the nose that stuck out。 There was a muffled yelp inside； and a toe shot up and kicked the spider straight and hard。 There was life in Bombur still。 There was a noise like the kicking of a flabby football； and the enraged spider fell off the branch； only catching itself with its own thread just in time。
The others laughed。 〃You were quite right；〃 they said； 〃the meat's alive and kicking！〃 〃 〃I'll soon put an end to that；〃 hissed the angry spider climbing back onto the branch。
Bilbo saw that the moment had e when he must do something。 He could not get up at the brutes and he had nothing to shoot with； but looking about he saw that in this place there were many stones lying in what appeared to be a now dry little watercourse。 Bilbo was a pretty fair shot with a stone； and it did not take him long to find a nice smooth egg…shaped one that fitted his hand cosily。
As a boy he used to practise throwing stones at things； until rabbits and squirrels； and even birds； got out of his way as quick as lightning if they saw him stoop； and even grownup he had still spent a deal of his time at quoits； dart…throwing； shooting at the wand； bowls； ninepins and other quiet games of the aiming and throwing sort…indeed he could do lots of things； besides blowing smoke…rings； asking riddles and cooking； that I haven't had time to tell you about。 There is no time now。 While he was picking up stones； the spider had reached Bombur； and soon he would have been dead。 At that moment Bilbo threw。 The stone struck the spider plunk on the head； and it dropped senseless off the tree； flop to the ground； with all its legs curled up。
The next stone went whizzing through a big web； snapping its cords； and taking off the spider sitting in the middle of it； whack； dead。 After that there was a deal of motion in the spider…colony； and they forgot the dwarves for a bit； I can tell you。 They could not see Bilbo； but they could make a good guess at the direction from which the stones were ing。 As quick as lightning they came running and swinging towards the hobbit； flinging out their long threads in all directions； till the air seemed full of waving snares。 Bilbo； however； soon slipped away to a different place。 The idea came to him to lead the furious spiders further and further away from the dwarves； if he could； to make them curious； excited and angry all at once。 When about fifty had gone off to the place where he had stood before； he threw some more stones at these； and at others that had stopped behind； then dancing among the trees he began to sing a song to infuriate them and bring them all after him；and also to let the dwarves hear his voice。
This is what he sang：
〃Old fat spider spinning in a tree！
Old fat spider can't see me！
Attercop！ Attercop！
Won't you stop；
Stop your spinning and look for me！
Old Tomnoddy； all big body；
Old Tomnoddy can't spy me！
Attercop！ Attercop！
Down you drop！
You'll never catch me up your tree！〃
Not very good perhaps； but then you must remember that he had to make it up himself； on the spur of a very awkward moment。 It did what he wanted any way。 As he sang he threw some more stones and stamped。 Practically all the spiders in the place came after him： some dropped to the ground； others raced along the branches； swung from tree to tree； or cast new ropes across the dark spaces。 They made for his noise far quicker than he had expected。 They were frightfully angry。 Quite apart from the stones no spider has ever liked being called Attercop； and Tomnoddy of course is insulting to anybody。 Off Bilbo scuttled to a fresh place； but several of the spiders had run now to different points in the glade where they lived； and were busy spinning webs across all the spaces between the tree…stems。 Very soon the hobbit would be caught in a thick fence of them all round him…that at least was the spiders' idea。 Standing now in the middle of the hunting and spinning insects Bilbo plucked up his courage and began a new song：
〃Lazy Lob and crazy Cob
are weaving webs to wind me。
I am far more sweet than other meat；
but still they cannot find me！
Here am I； naughty little fly；
you are fat and lazy。
You cannot trap me； though you try；
in your cobwebs crazy。〃
With that he turned and found that the last space between two tall trees had been closed with a web…but luckily not a proper web； only great strands of double…thick spider…rope run hastily backwards and forwards from trunk to trunk。 Out came his little' sword。 He slashed the threads to pieces and went off singing。
The spiders saw the sword； though I don't suppose they knew what it was； and at once the whole lot of them came hurrying after the hobbit along the ground and the branches； hairy leg
