the fellowship of the ring-第34章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


sun；　but　the　Road　was　brown　and　empty。　
'Do　you　think；'　asked　Pippin　hesitatingly；　'do　you　think　we　may　bepursued；　tonight？'　
'No；　I　hope　not　tonight；'　answered　Tom　Bombadil；　'nor　perhaps　the　nextday。　But　do　not　trust　my　guess；　for　I　cannot　tell　for　certain。　Out　east　myknowledge　fails。　Tom　is　not　master　of　Riders　from　the　Black　Land　far　beyondhis　country。'　
All　the　same　the　hobbits　wished　he　was　ing　with　them。　They　felt　thathe　would　know　how　to　deal　with　Black　Riders；　if　anyone　did。　They　would　soonnow　be　going　forward　into　lands　wholly　strange　to　them；　and　beyond　all　but　themost　vague　and　distant　legends　of　the　Shire；　and　in　the　gathering　twilightthey　longed　for　home。　A　deep　loneliness　and　sense　of　loss　was　on　them。　Theystood　silent；　reluctant　to　make　the　final　parting；　and　only　slowly　becameaware　that　Tom　was　wishing　them　farewell；　and　telling　them　to　have　good　heartand　to　ride　on　till　dark　without　halting。　
'Tom　will　give　you　good　advice；　till　this　day　is　over　（after　that　yourown　luck　must　go　with　you　and　guide　you）：　four　miles　along　the　Road　you'lle　upon　a　village；　Bree　under　Bree…hill；　with　doors　looking　westward。　Thereyou'll　find　an　old　inn　that　is　called　_The　Prancing　Pony。_　Barliman　Butterburis　the　worthy　keeper。　There　you　can　stay　the　night；　and　afterwards　the　morningwill　speed　you　upon　your　way。　Be　bold；　but　wary！　Keep　up　your　merry　hearts；　
and　ride　to　meet　your　fortune！'　
They　begged　him　to　e　at　least　as　far　as　the　inn　and　drink　once　morewith　them；　but　he　laughed　and　refused；　saying：　　
　
Tom's　country　ends　here：　he　will　not　pass　the　borders。　
Tom　has　his　house　to　mind；　and　Goldberry　is　waiting！　　
Then　he　turned；　tossed　up　his　hat；　leaped　on　Lumpkin's　back；　and　rode　upover　the　bank　and　away　singing　into　the　dusk。　
The　hobbits　climbed　up　and　watched　him　until　he　was　out　of　sight。　
'I　am　sorry　to　take　leave　of　Master　Bombadil；'　said　Sam。　'He's　a　cautionand　no　mistake。　I　reckon　we　may　go　a　good　deal　further　and　see　naught　better；　
nor　queerer。　But　I　won't　deny　I'll　be　glad　to　see　this　_Prancing　Pony_he　spokeof。　I　hope　it'll　be　like　_The　Green　Dragon_　away　back　home！　What　sort　of　folkare　they　in　Bree？'　
'There　are　hobbits　in　Bree；'　said　Merry；　'as　well　as　Big　Folk。　I　daresayit　will　be　homelike　enough。　_The　Pony_　is　a　good　inn　by　all　accounts。　Mypeople　ride　out　there　now　and　again。'　
'It　may　be　all　we　could　wish；'　said　Frodo；　'but　it　is　outside　the　Shireall　the　same。　Don't　make　yourselves　too　much　at　home！　Please　remember　…all　ofyou　–　that　the　name　of　Baggins　must　NOT　be　mentioned。　I　am　Mr。　Underhill；　ifany　name　must　be　given。'　
They　now　mounted　their　ponies　and　rode　off　silently　into　the　evening。　
Darkness　came　down　quickly；　as　they　plodded　slowly　downhill　and　up　again；　
until　at　last　they　saw　lights　twinkling　some　distance　ahead。　
Before　them　rose　Bree…hill　barring　the　way；　a　dark　mass　against　mistystars；　and　under　its　western　flank　nestled　a　large　village。　Towards　it　theynow　hurried　desiring　only　to　find　a　fire；　and　a　door　between　them　and　thenight。　　
At　the　Sign　of　　
_Chapter　9_　　
The　Prancing　Pony_　　
Bree　was　the　chief　village　of　the　Bree…land；　a　small　inhabited　region；　
like　an　island　in　the　empty　lands　round　about。　Besides　Bree　itself；　there　wasStaddle　on　the　other　side　of　the　hill；　be　in　a　deep　valley　a　little　furthereastward；　and　Archet　on　the　edge　of　the　Chetwood。　Lying　round　Bree…hill　andthe　villages　was　a　small　country　of　fields　and　tamed　woodland　only　a　few　milesbroad。　　
The　Men　of　Bree　were　brown…haired；　broad；　and　rather　short；　cheerful　andindependent：　they　belonged　to　nobody　but　themselves；　but　they　were　morefriendly　and　familiar　with　Hobbits；　Dwarves；　Elves；　and　other　inhabitants　ofthe　world　about　them　than　was　（or　is）　usual　with　Big　People。　According　totheir　own　tales　they　were　the　original　inhabitants　and　were　the　descendants　ofthe　first　Men　that　ever　wandered　into　the　West　of　the　middle…world。　Few　had　　
survived　the　turmoils　of　the　Elder　Days；　but　when　the　Kings　returned　againover　the　Great　Sea　they　had　found　the　Bree…men　still　there；　and　they　werestill　there　now；　when　the　memory　of　the　old　Kings　had　faded　into　the　grass。　
In　those　days　no　other　Men　had　settled　dwellings　so　far　west；　or　within　ahundred　leagues　of　the　Shire。　But　in　the　wild　lands　beyond　Bree　there　weremysterious　wanderers。　The　Bree…folk　called　them　Rangers；　and　knew　nothing　oftheir　origin。　They　were　taller　and　darker　than　the　Men　of　Bree　and　werebelieved　to　have　strange　powers　of　sight　and　hearing；　and　to　understand　thelanguages　of　beasts　and　birds。　They　roamed　at　will　southwards；　and　eastwardseven　as　far　as　the　Misty　Mountains；　but　they　were　now　few　and　rarely　seen。　
When　they　appeared　they　brought　news　from　afar；　and　told　strange　forgottentales　which　were　eagerly　listened　to；　but　the　Bree…folk　did　not　make　friendsof　them。　　
There　were　also　many　families　of　hobbits　in　the　Bree…land　and_they_claimed　to　be　the　oldest　settlement　of　Hobbits　in　the　world；　one　thatwas　founded　long　before　even　the　Brandywine　was　crossed　and　the　Shire　　
　
colonized。　They　lived　mostly　in　Staddle　though　there　were　some　in　Bree　itself；　
especially　on　the　higher　slopes　of　the　hill；　above　the　houses　of　the　Men。　TheBig　Folk　and　the　Little　Folk　（as　they　called　one　another）　were　on　friendlyterms；　minding　their　own　affairs　in　their　own　ways；　but　both　rightly　regardingthemselves　as　necessary　parts　of　the　Bree…folk。　Nowhere　else　in　the　world　wasthis　peculiar　（but　excellent）　arrangement　to　be　found。　
The　Bree…folk；　Big　and　Little；　did　not　themselves　travel　much；　and　theaffairs　of　the　four　villages　were　their　chief　concern。　Occasionally　theHobbits　of　Bree　went　as　far　as　Buckland；　or　the　Eastfarthing；　but　though　theirlink　land　was　not　much　further　than　a　day's　riding　east　of　the　BrandywineBridge；　the　Hobbits　of　the　Shire　now　seldom　visited　it。　An　occasionalBucklander　or　adventurous　Took　would　e　out　to　the　Inn　for　a　night　or　two；　
but　even　that　was　being　less　and　less　usual。　The　Shire…hobbits　referred　tothose　of　Bree；　and　to　any　others　that　lived　beyond　the　borders；　as　Outsiders；　
and　took　very　little　interest　in　them；　considering　them　dull　and　uncouth。　
There　were　probably　many　more　Outsiders　scattered　about　in　the　West　of　theWorld　in　those　days　than　the　people　of　the　Shire　imagined。　Some；　doubtless；　
were　no　better　than　tramps；　ready　to　dig　a　hole　in　any　bank　and　stay　only　aslong　as　it　suited　them。　But　in　the　Bree…land；　at　any　rate；　the　hobbits　weredecent　and　prosperous；　and　no　more　rustic　than　most　of　their　distant　relativesInside。　It　was　not　yet　forgotten　that　there　had　been　a　time　when　there　wasmuch　ing　and　going　between　the　Shire　and　Bree。　There　was　Bree…blood　in　theBrandybucks　by　all　accounts。　　
The　village　of　Bree　had　some　hundred　stone　houses　of　the　Big　Folk；　mostlyabove　the　Road；　nestling　on　the　hillside　with　windows　looking　west。　On　thatside；　running　in　more　than　half　a　circle　from　the　hill　and　back　to　it；　therewas　a　deep　dike　with　a　thick　hedge　on　the　inner　side。　Over　this　the　Roadcrossed　by　a　causeway；　but　where　it　pierced　the　hedge　it　was　barred　by　a　greatgate。　There　was　another　gate　in　the　southern　er　where　the　Road　ran　out　ofthe　village。　The　gates　were　closed　at　nightfall；　but　just　inside　them　weresmall　lodges　for　the　gatekeepers。　
Down　on　the　Road；　where　it　swept　to　the　right　to　go　round　the　foot　of　thehill；　there　was　a　large　inn。　It　had　been　built　long　ago　when　the　traffic　onthe　roads　had　been　far　greater。　For　Bree　stood　at　an　old　meeting　of　ways；　
another　ancient　road　crossed　the　East　Road　just　outside　（he　dike　at　thewestern　end　of　the　village；　and　in　former　days　Men　and　other　folk　of　varioussorts　had　travelled　much　on　it。　_Strange　as　News　from　Bree_　was　still　a　sayingin　the　Eastfarthing；　descending　from　those　days；　when　news　from　North；　South；　
and　East　could　be　heard　in　the　inn；　and　when　the　Shire…hobbits　used　to　go　moreoften　to　hear　it。　But　the　Northern　Lands　had　long　been　desolate；　and　the　NorthRoad　was　now　seldom　used：　it　was　grass…grown；　and　the　Bree…folk　called　it　theGreenway。　
The　Inn　of　Bree　was　still　there；　however；　and　the　innkeeper　was　animportant　person。　His　house　was　a　meeting　place　for　the　idle；　talkative；　andinquisitive　among　the　inhabitants；　large　and　small；　of　the　four　villages；　anda　resort　of　Rangers　and　other　wanderers；　and　for　such　travellers　（mostlydwarves）　as　still　journeyed　on　the　East　Road；　to　and　from　the　Mountains。　　
It　was　dark；　and　white　stars　were　shining；　when　Frodo　and　his　panionscame　at　last　to　the　Greenway…crossing　and　drew　near　the　village。　They　came　tothe　West…gate　and　found　it　shut；　but　at　the　door　of　the　lodge　beyond　it；　therewas　a　man　sitting。　He　jumped　up　and　fetched　a　lantern　and　looked　over　the　gateat　them　in　surprise。　
'What　do　you　want；　and　where　do　you　e　from？'　he　asked　gruffly。　
'We　are　making　for　the　inn　here；'　answered　Frodo。　'We　are　journeying　eastand　cannot　go　further　tonight。'　
'Hobbits！　Four　hobbits！　And　what's　more；　out　of　the　Shire　by　theirtalk；'　said　the　gatekeeper；　softly　as　if　speaking　to　himself。　He　stared　atthem　darkly　for　a　moment；　and　then　slowly　opened　the　gate　and　let　them　ride　　
　
through。　
'We　don't　often　see　Shire…folk　riding　on　the　Road　at　night；'　he　went　on；　
as　they　halted　a　moment　by　his　door。　'You'll　pardon　my　wondering　what　businesstakes　you　away　east　of　Bree！　What　may　your　names　be；　might　I　ask？'　
'Our　names　and　our　business　are　our　own；　and　this　does　not　seem　a　goodplace　to　discuss　them；'　said　Frodo；　not　liking　the　look　of　the　man　or　the　toneof　his　voice。　　
'Your　business　is　your　own；　no　doubt；'　said　the　man；　'but　it's　mybusiness　to　ask　questions　after　nightfall。'　
'We　are　hobbits　from　Buckland；　and　we　have　a　fancy　to　travel　and　to　stayat　the　inn　here；'　put　in　Merry。　'I　am　Mr。　Brandybuck。　Is　that　enough　for　you？　
The　Bree…folk　used　to　be　fair…spoken　to　travellers；　or　so　I　had　heard。'　
'All　right；　all　right！'　said　the　man。　'I　meant　no　offence。　But　you'llfind　maybe　that　more　folk　than　old　Harry　at　the　gate　will　be　asking　youquestions。　There's　queer　folk　about。　If　you　go　on　to　_The　Pony；_　you'll　findyou're　oat　the　only　guests。'　
He　wished　them　good　night；　and　they　said　no　more；　but　Frodo　could　see　inthe　lantern…light　that　the　man　was　still　eyeing　them　curiously。　He　was　glad　tohear　the　gate　clang　to　behind　them；　as　they　rode　forward。　He　wondered　why　theman　was　so　suspicious；　and　whether　any　one　had　been　asking　for　_news　of_　aparty　of　hobbits。　Could　it　have　been　Gandalf？　He　might　have　arrived；　whilethey　were　delayed　in　the　Forest　and　the　Downs。　But　there　was　something　in　thelook　and　the　voice　of　the　gatekeeper　that　made　him　uneasy。　
The　man　stared　after　the　hobbits　for　a　moment；　and　then　he　went　back　tohis　house。　As　soon　as　his　back　was　turned；　a　dark　figure　climbed　quickly　inover　the　gate　and　melted　into　the　shadows　of　the　village　street。　
The　hobbits　rode　on　up　a　gentle　slope；　passing　a　few　detached　houses；　anddrew　up　outside　the　inn。　The　houses　looked　large　and　strange　to　them。　Samstared　up　at　the　inn　with　its　three　storeys　and　many　windows；　and　felt　hisheart　sink。　He　had　imagined　himself　meeting　giants　taller　than　trees；　andother　creatures　even　more　terrifying；　some　time　or　other　in　the　course　of　hisjourney；　but　at　the　moment　he　was　finding　his　first　sight　of　Men　and　theirtall　houses　quite　enough；　indeed　too　much　for　the　dark　end　of　a　tiring　day。