FLIES AND SPIDERS
苍蝇与蜘蛛
They walked in single file. The entrance to the path was like a sort of arch leading into a gloomy tunnel made by two great trees that leant together, too old and strangled with ivy and hung with lichen to bear more than a few blackened leaves. The path itself was narrow and wound in and out among the trunks. Soon the light at the gate was like a little bright hole far behind, and the quiet was so deep that their feet seemed to thump along while all the trees leaned over them and listened.
他们排成一路纵队行进着。小径的入口是两棵彼此靠向一起的大树，看起来像是通往某个黑暗隧道的拱门。两棵树老态龙钟，又缠满了藤蔓，附满了苔藓，因此只剩了寥寥几片黑黢黢的树叶。小径本身十分狭窄，在树木之间穿来绕去。很快，入口的亮光就变成了身后远处的一个小亮洞，四周一片死寂，让他们的脚步声成了沉重的鼓声，似乎所有的树木都朝着他们凑了过来，凝神倾听。
There were black squirrels in the wood. As Bilbo’s sharp inquisitive eyes got used to seeing things he could catch glimpses of them whisking off the path and scuttling behind tree-trunks. There were queer noises too, grunts, scufflings, and hurryings in the undergrowth, and among the leaves that lay piled endlessly thick in places on the forest-floor; but what made the noises he could not see. The nastiest things they saw were the cobwebs: dark dense cobwebs with threads extraordinarily thick, often stretched from tree to tree, or tangled in the lower branches on either side of them. There were none stretched across the path, but whether because some magic kept it clear, or for what other reason they could not guess.
森林中有黑色的松鼠，在比尔博锐利的双眼经过适应能看清东西之后，他可以瞥见它们飞快地掠过小径，慌慌张张地躲到了树干后面。在矮树丛中还有许多奇怪的声响，闷哼声、搔抓声以及快速跑动的声音。这类声响也会出现在地上堆得厚厚的腐叶堆中，但是究竟是什么生物弄出这些声响来的他却看不见。他们见到的最恶心的东西就是蜘蛛网了：这些黑暗浓密的网由特别粗的蛛丝织成，往往从一棵树延伸到另一棵树，或是悬挂在道路两侧的低矮树枝上。没有哪张蛛网是拦在道路中央的，但究竟是由于某种魔法还是其他原因才使得道路保持清通的，他们想不出来。
As their eyes became used to the dimness they could see a little way to either side in a sort of darkened green glimmer. Occasionally a slender beam of sun that had the luck to slip in through some opening in the leaves far above, and still more luck in not being caught in the tangled boughs and matted twigs beneath, stabbed down thin and bright before them. But this was seldom, and it soon ceased altogether.
随着眼睛渐渐适应了昏暗，他们看见所走道路的两旁各有一条小路，散发着有点像是墨绿色的暗光。有时，会有一缕细细的阳光通过最上方浓密树叶间的某个缺口，幸运地溜了进来，又凭着更大的幸运没有被下面交错的树枝给拦截，在他们面前刺下一道极细的光线。但这样的情况很罕见，而且马上就完全消失了。
The nights were the worst. It then became pitch-dark-not what you call pitch-dark, but really pitch: so black that you really could see nothing. Bilbo tried flapping his hand in front of his nose, but he could not see it at all. Well, perhaps it is not true to say that they could see nothing: they could see eyes. They slept all closely huddled together, and took it in turns to watch; and when it was Bilbo’s turn he would see gleams in the darkness round them, and sometimes pairs of yellow or red or green eyes would stare at him from a little distance, and then slowly fade and disappear and slowly shine out again in another place. And sometimes they would gleam down from the branches just above him; and that was most terrifying. But the eyes that he liked the least were horrible pale bulbous sort of eyes. “Insect eyes,” he thought, “not animal eyes, only they are much too big.”
夜晚是最糟糕的时段，森林中会变得漆黑一团——这可不是一般人所谓的漆黑，而是真的黑到了极致：黑得你连任何东西都看不见。比尔博试着在鼻子前摆了摆手，根本什么都看不见。不过，也许说什么都看不见不能算是很精确，因为他们可以看见眼睛。他们睡觉的时候全都挤在一起，然后大家轮流守夜。在轮到比尔博值班的时候，他会看见四周的黑暗中有许多微光闪烁，有时候，一双双黄色、红色或是绿色的眼睛，会从不远的地方瞪着他们，然后，那些光芒会慢慢地黯淡并消失，然后又慢慢地在另一个地方再度亮起。有时候，这些光芒会在他们头顶的树枝间向下闪着光，这是最让人害怕的景象。不过，比尔博最讨厌的是那种可怕的、苍白而又突出的眼睛。“那是昆虫的眼睛，”他想，“不是小动物的眼睛，只是稍微有点嫌太大了。”
It was not long before they grew to hate the forest as heartily as they had hated the tunnels of the goblins, and it seemed to offer even less hope of any ending. But they had to go on and on, long after they were sick for a sight of the sun and of the sky, and longed for the feel of wind on their faces. There was no movement of air down under the forest-roof, and it was everlastingly still and dark and stuffy. Even the dwarves felt it, who were used to tunnelling, and lived at times for long whiles without the light of the sun; but the hobbit, who liked holes to make a house in but not to spend summer days in, felt that he was being slowly suffocated.
不久之后，他们就对这座森林产生了厌恶感，其强烈与真挚，一如他们讨厌半兽人的隧道。而且，森林比隧道还更让人盼不到头。他们早就极度渴望能见到阳光和天空的景象，向往凉风拂过脸庞的感觉，但是没办法，他们只能不停地走啊走。在森林的穹盖之下空气没有任何流动，似乎永远就是那么静止、黑暗与窒闷。即使是习惯了长期在地底挖隧道，经常会有很长一段时间见不到日光的矮人，也感受到了这种压迫感。霍比特人虽然喜欢把家安在地底的洞里，但到了夏天也喜欢离家到外面透气，所以这会儿他觉得自己正在慢慢地窒息而死。
Although it was not yet very cold, they tried lighting watch-fires at night, but they soon gave that up. It seemed to bring hundreds and hundreds of eyes all round them, though the creatures, whatever they were, were careful never to let their bodies show in the little flicker of the flames. Worse still it brought thousands of dark-grey and black moths, some nearly as big as your hand, flapping and whirring round their ears. They could not stand that, nor the huge bats, black as a top-hat, either; so they gave up fires and sat at night and dozed in the enormous uncanny darkness.
虽然天气还不是很冷，他们还是试着想在晚上生起警戒用的篝火，不过他们很快就放弃了。火焰似乎会把成百上千的眼睛吸引到他们的身边来，尽管这些神秘的生物，不管它们到底是什么，总是小心翼翼地不让自己的身躯曝露在微弱火光的照耀之下。更糟糕的是，它会吸引来成千上万深灰色和黑色的蛾子，有些几乎有人的手掌那么大，在他们的耳边不停飞舞，让他们难以忍受。同样让他们受不了的还有那些漆黑得如同高筒礼帽的巨型蝙蝠。于是他们只好放弃了生火，整晚都坐着，在巨大而又诡异的黑暗中渐渐睡去。
All this went on for what seemed to the hobbit ages upon ages; and he was always hungry, for they were extremely careful with their provisions. Even so, as days followed days, and still the forest seemed just the same, they began to get anxious. The food would not last for ever: it was in fact already beginning to get low. They tried shooting at the squirrels, and they wasted many arrows before they managed to bring one down on the path. But when they roasted it, it proved horrible to taste, and they shot no more squirrels.
对霍比特人来说，这一切仿佛有好几年那么久；由于他们一直严格执行食物定额制，所以他总是觉得饿。即便如此，随着时间慢慢流逝，而森林依然一成不变，他们开始感到紧张起来。食物不会永远吃不完，实际上，已经开始有点不够了。他们试着射杀松鼠，在浪费了许多支箭之后好不容易在小径上射到一只。但等他们烤来一吃，发现味道糟糕得简直难以入口，于是他们便再也不射松鼠了。
Bilbo kneeling on the brink and peering forward cried: “There is a boat against the far bank! Now why couldn’t it have been this side!”
比尔博跪在河岸边，朝前方望去，然后叫了起来：“对岸有条船！为什么它不是在我们这边呢！”
“Not at all far. I shouldn’t think above twelve yards.”
“不算太远，我估计不会超过十二码。”
“How far away do you think it is?” asked Thorin, for by now they knew Bilbo had the sharpest eyes among them.
“你看看那条船离我们有多远？”索林问道，因为现在大家都知道比尔博的眼力是他们之中最好的。
They were thirsty too, for they had none too much water, and in all the time they had seen neither spring nor stream. This was their state when one day they found their path blocked by a running water. It flowed fast and strong but not very wide right across the way, and it was black, or looked it in the gloom. It was well that Beorn had warned them against it, or they would have drunk from it, whatever its colour, and filled some of their emptied skins at its bank. As it was they only thought of how to cross it without wetting themselves in its water. There had been a bridge of wood across, but it had rotted and fallen leaving only the broken posts near the bank.
他们也十分口渴，因为他们没有多少水了，而在这一段时间内，他们既没见到过泉水，也没见到过溪流。处在这种境况下的某一天，他们发现一道流水横贯小径。那道河水流得又急又猛，但拦掉的道路却没有多宽，河水的颜色是黑的，至少在晦暗的森林中看起来如此。幸好贝奥恩之前警告过他们，否则他们一定会不管河水是什么颜色趴上去就喝，而且还会把那些空了的水囊装满。现在，他们满脑子只想到要怎么样不弄湿手脚而渡过这条河。河上本来有座木桥，但已经烂掉落入水中了，只留下两边岸上断折的桥柱。
“Twelve yards! I should have thought it was thirty at least, but my eyes don’t see as well as they used a hundred years ago. Still twelve yards is as good as a mile. We can’t jump it, and we daren’t try to wade or swim.”
“十二码！我觉得至少有三十码吧，不过，我的眼睛已经不像一百年前那么管用了。不过就算只有十二码也和一哩一样够不着。我们跳不过去，也不敢趟水或是游过去。”
“I don’t believe it is tied,” said Bilbo, “though of course I can’t be sure in this light; but it looks to me as if it was just drawn up on the bank, which is low just there where the path goes down into the water.”
“我倒不认为它是拴住的，”比尔博说，“虽然我在这种光线下不能确定，但在我看来，它似乎只是靠在岸边。那边的岸特别低矮，刚好是道路和河流汇合的地方。”
“What’s the good of that? The boat is sure to be tied up, even if we could hook it, which I doubt.”
“那又有什么用？船一定是拴住的，就算我们能钩住也没用，更何况钩不钩得中还成问题呢。”
“Can any of you throw a rope?”
“你们有谁能扔绳套过去吗？”
“Dori is the strongest, but Fili is the youngest and still has the best sight,” said Thorin. “Come here Fili, and see if you can see the boat Mr. Baggins is talking about.”
“多瑞是力气最大的，菲力则是最年轻、视力最好的。”索林说，“过来，菲力，试试看能不能看见巴金斯先生说的那条船。”
Splash it fell in the water! “Not far enough!” said Bilbo who was peering forward. “A couple of feet and you would have dropped it on to the boat. Try again. I don’t suppose the magic is strong enough to hurt you, if you just touch a bit of wet rope.”
“扑通——”钩子掉进了水里！“不够远！”比尔博看着对岸说，“再多扔个两三呎就能掉进小船里去了，再试一次。如果你只是碰到一点湿绳子，我想河水的魔法还没强到能伤害你。”
Fili thought he could; so when he had stared a long while to get an idea of the direction, the others brought him a rope. They had several with them, and on the end of the longest they fastened one of the large iron hooks they had used for catching their packs to the straps about their shoulders. Fili took this in his hand, balanced it for a moment, and then flung it across the stream.
菲力认为他能看得见，因此，当他盯着看了很久，在脑子里形成了方向感之后，旁边的人给他拿来了一条粗绳。他们带着好几条绳子，现在在最长的一条上绑了一个原先用来固定背包的大铁钩。菲力握住铁钩，在手中稍微平衡了一下重量，然后将它朝着河对岸抛了过去。
Fili picked up the hook when he had drawn it back, rather doubtfully all the same. This time he threw it with great strength.
菲力小心翼翼地将钩子拉回来，当他拿起钩子的时候，还是有点将信将疑。这次，他用了更大的力气把钩子抛了出去。
“Steady!” said Bilbo, “you have thrown it right into the wood on the other side now. Draw it back gently.” Fili hauled the rope back slowly, and after a while Bilbo said: “Carefully! It is lying on the boat; let’s hope the hook will catch.”
“稳着点儿！”比尔博说，“这次你已经把它抛到另一边的树林里了。把它轻轻拉回来。”菲力慢慢地将绳子往后拉，过了一儿之后，比尔博说：“小心，！钩子就在船上了，希望能把船钩住。”
“It was tied after all,” said he, looking at the snapped painter that was still dangling from it. “That was a good pull, my lads; and a good job that our rope was the stronger.”
“原来它还是拴住的！”他看着手中扯断的船缆说道，“大伙儿的力气可真是大，也幸好我们的绳子比它的更结实。”
“Who’ll cross first?” asked Bilbo.
“谁先过？”比尔博问道。
It did. The rope went taut, and Fili pulled in vain. Kili came to his help, and then Oin and Gloin. They tugged and tugged, and suddenly they all fell over on their backs. Bilbo was on the look out, however, caught the rope, and with a piece of stick fended off the little black boat as it came rushing across the stream. “Help!” he shouted, and Balin was just in time to seize the boat before it floated off down the current.
钩子的确把船钩住了，菲力使劲一拉，小舟却纹丝没动。奇力赶过来帮忙，接着是欧因和格罗因。他们拉呀拉呀，突然全都仰天摔倒在地上。比尔博是在旁边察看的，正好抓住了落下的绳子。对岸的小船顺着众人用力的余势冲了过来，比尔博连忙用一根棍子把船挡开。“快帮忙！”他大喊着，巴林及时赶到，一把抓住了小船，不然小小船又要顺流漂走了。
“I shall,” said Thorin, “and you will come with me, and Fili and Balin. That’s as many as the boat will hold at a time. After that Kili and Oin and Gloin and Dori; next Ori and Nori, Bifur and Bofur; and last Dwalin and Bombur.”
“我先吧，”索林说，“你和我一起过，还有菲力和巴林。这船一次就只能装这么些人了。在那之后是奇力、欧因、格罗因和多瑞；再下一批是欧瑞、诺瑞、比弗和波弗；最后是杜瓦林和邦伯。”
“I’m always last and I don’t like it,” said Bombur. “It’s somebody else’s turn today.”
“我讨厌每次都殿后，”邦伯说，“也该换换人了吧。”
“You should not be so fat. As you are, you must be with the last and lightest boatload. Don’t start grumbling against orders, or something bad will happen to you.”
“谁叫你长这么胖呢。既然你这么胖，你就应该最后过来，在船载重最少的时候。不要有对命令嘀嘀咕咕的苗头，否则你会遇上厄运的。”
“There aren’t any oars. How are you going to push the boat back to the far bank?” asked the hobbit.
“可是没有桨啊，我们要怎样才能把船送回对岸呢？”霍比特人问道。
“Give me another length of rope and another hook,” said Fili, and when they had got it ready, he cast it into the darkness ahead and as high as he could throw it. Since it did not fall down again, they saw that it must have stuck in the branches. “Get in now,” said Fili, “and one of you haul on the rope that is stuck in a tree on the other side. One of the others must keep hold of the hook we used at first, and when we are safe on the other side he can hook it on, and you can draw the boat back.”
“再给我一段绳子和另一个铁钩，”菲力说，等大家都准备好的时候，他就将绳子往前方的黑暗中用力朝高处一扔。由于绳子和钩子没有再落下来，大家认为它一定已经挂在树枝上了。“上船吧！”菲力说，“你们要有—个人用力拉这根卡在对岸树上的绳子，还得有一个人必须抓住我们先前用过的铁钩，等我们都安全地到达对岸时，就可以把钩子钩上，让这边的人再把船拉回去。”
In this way they were all soon on the far bank safe across the enchanted stream. Dwalin had just scrambled out with the coiled rope on his arm, and Bombur (still grumbling) was getting ready to follow, when something bad did happen. There was a flying sound of hooves on the path ahead. Out of the gloom came suddenly the shape of a flying deer. It charged into the dwarves and bowled them over, then gathered itself for a leap. High it sprang and cleared the water with a mighty jump. But it did not reach the other side in safety. Thorin was the only one who had kept his feet and his wits. As soon as they had landed he had bent his bow and fitted an arrow in case any hidden guardian of the boat appeared. Now he sent a swift and sure shot into the leaping beast. As it reached the further bank it stumbled. The shadows swallowed it up, but they heard the sound of hooves quickly falter and then go still.
凭借着这个方法，他们很快就都安全地渡过了这条被施了魔法的小溪。杜瓦林胳膊上卷着绳子，刚刚爬出小船，邦伯（嘴里依旧在嘟囔着）正准备要跟上去，就在此时，糟糕的事情发生了。前方的路上传来一阵飞驰的蹄声，接着，从黑暗中突然蹿出一个像是飞奔着的野鹿的身影，只见它冲进矮人群中，将大家撞开，然后奋力跃向对岸。它蹦得很高，以有力的一跃掠过水面，然而它却没能安然抵达对岸。在野鹿一撞之下，索林是惟一站稳了脚步又保持了冷静头脑的人。一踏上对岸，他便立刻弯弓搭箭，以防有任何隐藏着的看守小船的生物出现。这时，他迅捷而又稳准地向那纵跃的野兽射出了一箭。当它跳落到对岸的时候，脚步变得蹒跚了。黑暗吞没了它的身影，但大家可以听出蹄声马上踉跄起来，然后就归于安静了。
They were still standing over him, cursing their ill luck, and Bombur’s clumsiness, and lamenting the loss of the boat which made it impossible for them to go back and look for the hart, when they became aware of the dim blowing of horns in the wood and the sound as of dogs baying far off. Then they all fell silent; and as they sat it seemed they could hear the noise of a great hunt going by to the north of the path, though they saw no sign of it.
大家依旧围在他身边，骂骂咧咧地抱怨着他们的霉运，怪邦伯笨手笨脚，又为小船漂走了而感到惋惜，因为这下他们没办法回到对岸去找那只被射中的野鹿了。这时，他们听见林子里隐约传来了号角之声，还有似乎是猎犬在远处的吠叫。大家全都不作声了，在地上坐了下来，他们似乎听见小径北方传来了大规模狩猎的声音，但却看不见任何的迹象。
Before they could shout in praise of the shot, however, a dreadful wail from Bilbo put all thoughts of venison out of their minds. “Bombur has fallen in! Bombur is drowning!” he cried. It was only too true. Bombur had only one foot on the land when the hart bore down on him, and sprang over him. He had stumbled, thrusting the boat away from the bank, and then toppled back into the dark water, his hands slipping off the slimy roots at the edge, while the boat span slowly off and disappeared.
还没等他们来得及大声赞美索林这精准的一射，比尔博的一声尖叫就把大家脑子里关于吃鹿肉的想头给赶没影儿了。“邦伯落水啦！邦伯要淹死啦！”他一点都没开玩笑，邦伯刚才只有一只脚踏上地面，就被那头鹿一头撞倒，还从他身上跳了过去。他踉跄倒地的时候，手一搭船帮，把小船推离了岸边，于是就跌进了黑暗的水中。他的手慌乱地去抓岸边滑溜溜的草根，结果怎么也抓不住，而小船又慢慢地打着转消失在了黑暗之中。
They could still see his hood above the water when they ran to the bank. Quickly, they flung a rope with a hook towards him. His hand caught it, and they pulled him to the shore. He was drenched from hair to boots, of course, but that was not the worst. When they laid him on the bank he was already fast asleep, with one hand clutching the rope so tight that they could not get it from his grasp; and fast asleep he remained in spite of all they could do.
大家跑到河边的时候，还可以看见他的帽子漂在水面上。他们赶紧朝着那方向扔去了带着钩子的粗绳。邦伯伸手抓住了绳子，大伙儿合力把他拉到了岸上。他当然从头到脚都湿透了，但这还不是最糟糕的。大伙儿把他放到岸上时，他已经沉沉地睡了过去，一只手还死抓着绳子不放，大家怎么拽都拽不下来。大伙儿使出了各种招数想把他弄醒，可他还是睡得跟死猪一样。
“Stop! stop!” shouted Thorin; but it was too late, the excited dwarves had wasted their last arrows, and now the bows that Beorn had given them were useless.
“住手！住手！”索林大喊道，但一切都太迟了，兴奋的矮人们已经浪费掉了最后一些箭矢，使得贝奥恩送给他们的弓箭变得毫无用处了。
There they sat for a long while and did not dare to make a move. Bombur slept on with a smile on his fat face, as if he no longer cared for all the troubles that vexed them. Suddenly on the path ahead appeared some white deer, a hind and fawns as snowy white as the hart had been dark. They glimmered in the shadows. Before Thorin could cry out three of the dwarves had leaped to their feet and loosed off arrows from their bows. None seemed to find their mark. The deer turned and vanished in the trees as silently as they had come, and in vain the dwarves shot their arrows after them.
他们在那儿坐了好久，不敢轻举妄动。邦伯的胖脸上挂着微笑，甜甜地睡着，似乎对困扰着大家的麻烦再也不在乎了。突然，前方的小径上出现了几只白色的野鹿，有一只高大的雌鹿和几只幼鹿，它们毛皮的纯白和之前那只雄鹿的漆黑恰成强烈的对比。它们在暗影中放出微微的光芒。还没等索林发声阻止，就有三个矮人一跃而起，张弓搭箭向白鹿射去，但似乎无一命中。群鹿掉过头去，就像来时一样无声无息地消失在了森林中，矮人们又追着射出一蓬箭矢，但全都是徒劳。
They were a gloomy party that night, and the gloom gathered still deeper on them in the following days. They had crossed the enchanted stream; but beyond it the path seemed to straggle on just as before, and in the forest they could see no change. Yet if they had known more about it and considered the meaning of the hunt and the white deer that had appeared upon their path, they would have known that they were at last drawing towards the eastern edge, and would soon have come, if they could have kept up their courage and their hope, to thinner trees and places where the sunlight came again.
那天晚上，大家情绪低落，而在稍后几天中情绪更是一路走低。他们虽然已经越过了被施了魔法的小溪，但那之后的小径似乎依然漫无尽头，而森林也看不出有任何变化。然而如果对黑森林能有更多一点的了解，并且思考一下那场狩猎和白鹿出现的意义，他们就会知道终于靠近了森林的东部边缘了。要不了多久，只要他们继续保有勇气和希望，就能来到树木越来越稀疏的地方，重新见到阳光。
But they did not know this, and they were burdened with the heavy body of Bombur, which they had to carry along with them as best they could, taking the wearisome task in turns of four each while the others shared their packs. If these had not become all too light in the last few days, they would never have managed it; but a slumbering and smiling Bombur was a poor exchange for packs filled with food however heavy. In a few days a time came when there was practically nothing left to eat or to drink. Nothing wholesome could they see growing in the wood, only funguses and herbs with pale leaves and unpleasant smell.
可惜他们并不知道，而且他们还必须带着邦伯那沉重的身体一起前进。他们为此使出了全力，由四个人一组轮流承担这项累人的工作，其他人则分担了那四个人携带的背包。如果不是因为背包的重量到了最后几天已经大幅减轻的话，他们根本无法完成这个任务。然而相对于一个沉睡中露着傻笑的大胖子邦伯来说，可能人们还宁愿去背装得满满的食物背包呢。又过了几天，这样的一刻终于来临了，他们完全陷入了没有粮食和饮水的窘境。森林中放眼望去，他们看不到任何可以让人放心吃的食物，只有蕈类和长着苍白叶子发出难闻味道的野草。
About four days from the enchanted stream they came to a part where most of the trees were beeches. They were at first inclined to be cheered by the change, for here there was no undergrowth and the shadow was not so deep. There was a greenish light about them, and in places they could see some distance to either side of the path. Yet the light only showed them endless lines of straight grey trunks like the pillars of some huge twilight hall. There was a breath of air and a noise of wind, but it had a sad sound. A few leaves came rustling down to remind them that outside autumn was coming on. Their feet ruffled among the dead leaves of countless other autumns that drifted over the banks of the path from the deep red carpets of the forest.
在越过魔法小溪四天之后，他们来到了森林中一片大都是山毛榉的区域。一开始，他们对于这改变有点感到高兴，因为脚底下不再有灌木丛，阴影也变得不那么浓了。他们四周有了些绿莹莹的光，在某些地方，甚至可以看见小径两边一定距离内的东西。但是，借着这种绿光他们能看见的还是一排排永无止尽的树木，它们灰色的树干全都笔直，宛如熹微晨光中某个巨型大厅里的柱子。这里有了空气的流动和风的声响，但这声响听在耳朵里却给人带来忧伤的感觉。一些树叶簌簌地掉落下来，提醒他们外面已是秋意渐浓了。他们的脚踩踏着无数个过往的秋天累积下的落叶，这些枯叶已经为森林铺上了一层深红色的地毯，还越过小径的边缘，漂泊到了小径之上。
Two days later they found their path going downwards, and before long they were in a valley filled almost entirely with a mighty growth of oaks.
两天之后，他们发现小径开始往下倾斜，不久之后，他们就来到了一座长满了橡树的山谷。
“Is there no end to this accursed forest?” said Thorin. “Somebody must climb a tree and see if he can get his head above the roof and have a look round. The only way is to choose the tallest tree that overhangs the path.”
“这该死的森林难道永远都没有尽头吗？”索林说，“得找某个人爬到树上，看看能不能把脑袋从树顶伸出去，看看周围的情况。惟一的办法是挑一棵长在小径边的最高的树。”
Of course “somebody” meant Bilbo. They chose him, because to be of any use the climber must get his head above the topmost leaves, and so he must be light enough for the highest and slenderest branches to bear him. Poor Mr. Baggins had never had much practice in climbing trees, but they hoisted him up into the lowest branches of an enormous oak that grew right out into the path, and up he had to go as best he could. He pushed his way through the tangled twigs with many a slap in the eye; he was greened and grimed from the old bark of the greater boughs; more than once he slipped and caught himself just in time; and at last, after a dreadful struggle in a difficult place where there seemed to be no convenient branches at all, he got near the top. All the time he was wondering whether there were spiders in the tree, and how he was going to get down again (except by falling).
这“某个人”当然指的就是比尔博了。他们之所以选择他，是因为如果要达到侦察的目的，爬树的人一定得把头伸出最高处的树叶才行，所以他必须要足够轻，能让最高处的最细的树枝承受得起他的重量。可怜的巴金斯先生以前根本没怎么爬过树，但大家不由分说地将他托上了路边一棵大橡树最下面的树枝，接下来他只能好自为之了。他在拨开交错的树枝奋力上行的过程中，眼睛周围好几次都被树枝弹到；老橡树上那些大一点的树枝很快就把他搞得浑身又黑又绿；他还不止一次从树上滑落，于千钧一发之际才抓住了下面的树枝；最后，在一个似乎没有合适的树枝可供踩踏的不上不下的地方，他经过了一番令人心惊胆寒的拼搏，终于接近了树顶。在这一路上，他不停地在担心树上会不会有蝴蛛，以及过会儿他该怎么原路下去（除了掉下去）。
Still Bombur slept and they grew very weary. At times they heard disquieting laughter. Sometimes there was singing in the distance too. The laughter was the laughter of fair voices not of goblins, and the singing was beautiful, but it sounded eerie and strange, and they were not comforted, rather they hurried on from those parts with what strength they had left.
邦伯依旧沉睡着，而大伙儿已经无比疲惫了。有时，他们会听见让人不安的笑声，有时还能听到远方传来唱歌的声音。那笑声是由相当悦耳的声音发出的，绝不是半兽人；那唱歌声很优美，但听起来却有些诡异陌生，一点也不让他们觉得安心。他们积聚起所剩的最后一点力气，只想尽快远离这个地方。
He looked at the “black emperors” for a long time, and enjoyed the feel of the breeze in his hair and on his face; but at length the cries of the dwarves, who were now simply stamping with impatience down below, reminded him of his real business. It was no good. Gaze as much as he might, he could see no end to the trees and the leaves in any direction. His heart, that had been lightened by the sight of the sun and the feel of the wind, sank back into his toes: there was no food to go back to down below.
他盯着这些“黑色帝王蝶”看了很久，同时享受着微风吹过发梢和脸庞的怡人感觉。不过到头来，还是底下开始跺脚咆哮的矮人，才让他想起了自己还有正事要办。情况不妙。他向四周极目望去，都看不到树与叶的尽头。他因为阳光与微风的怡人感觉而变得轻快起来的心情，重新又往下沉到了脚趾头：没有什么喜讯可以回去报给下面的人听。
In the end he poked his head above the roof of leaves, and then he found spiders all right. But they were only small ones of ordinary size, and they were after the butterflies. Bilbo’s eyes were nearly blinded by the light. He could hear the dwarves shouting up at him from far below, but he could not answer, only hold on and blink. The sun was shining brilliantly, and it was a long while before he could bear it. When he could, he saw all round him a sea of dark green, ruffled here and there by the breeze; and there were everywhere hundreds of butterflies. I expect they were a kind of “purple emperor”, a butterfly that loves the tops of oak-woods, but these were not purple at all, they were a dark dark velvety black without any markings to be seen.
最后，他终于把头伸出了树叶的冠顶，也的确发现了蜘蛛。不过这些都是普通大小的蜘蛛，它们想抓的也只是蝴蝶而已。比尔博的眼睛差点被阳光给炫盲了，他可以听见矮人在底下性急地叫喊，但他没办法回答，只能拼命眨眼睛，把这段适应期给熬过去。阳光异常明亮，他过了好一阵子才能够渐渐忍受。等他能睁开眼之后，他发现四周是一片深绿色的树海，微风过处，在“海面”上弄出星星点点的褶皱。满天都是飞舞的蝴蝶。我想，它们多半是一种叫作“紫色帝王蝶”的蝴蝶，那是种喜欢在橡树顶端栖息的蝴蝶，不过，这些可不是紫色的，它们身上是一种极深极深的紫黑色，看不到任何的斑纹。
That night they ate their very last scraps and crumbs of food; and next morning when they woke the first thing they noticed was that they were still gnawingly hungry, and the next thing was that it was raining and that here and there the drip of it was dropping heavily on the forest floor. That only reminded them that they were also parchingly thirsty, without doing anything to relieve them: you cannot quench a terrible thirst by standing under giant oaks and waiting for a chance drip to fall on your tongue. The only scrap of comfort there was came unexpectedly from Bombur.
那天晚上，他们吃完了最后一点点食物的碎屑，第二天早晨一醒来，他们注意到的第一件事就是他们依旧饥饿难耐。他们接下来注意到的是天上正在下着大雨，雨滴这里那里地密密地滴落到地面上来。然而这除了提醒他们不仅腹中空空，连口唇也是干得要命之外，却并不能帮他们解渴：要想浇灭他们如火烧般的干渴，可不能站在橡树下，呆呆地等着有哪滴水碰巧滴落到舌头上。结果惟一的一小点安慰竟然出人意料地来自于邦伯。
“The forest goes on for ever and ever and ever in all directions! Whatever shall we do? And what is the use of sending a hobbit!” they cried, as if it was his fault. They did not care tuppence about the butterflies, and were only made more angry when he told them of the beautiful breeze, which they were too heavy to climb up and feel.
“这座森林往所有的方向都没有尽头！我们到底该怎么办啊？派个霍比特人来又有什么用！”他们嚷嚷着，仿佛这是他的错。他们根本不在乎蝴蝶这种无关紧要的小东西，而当比尔博跟他们描述怡人的轻风时，他们就更来气了，因为矮人们身体都太笨重，根本没办法爬到那么高去感受轻风。
Actually, as I have told you, they were not far off the edge of the forest; and if Bilbo had had the sense to see it, the tree that he had climbed, though it was tall in itself, was standing near the bottom of a wide valley, so that from its top the trees seemed to swell up all round like the edges of a great bowl, and he could not expect to see how far the forest lasted. Still he did not see this, and he climbed down full of despair. He got to the bottom again at last, scratched, hot, and miserable, and he could not see anything in the gloom below when he got there. His report soon made the others as miserable as he was.
其实，如我之前告诉过你们的，他们离森林的边缘并不远。如果比尔博有眼光的话，他会发现自己所在的树木虽然本身很高，其实是位于一个宽阔山谷的底部，因此，从这棵树的树顶看去，周围的树都像一只大碗的碗边一样在向外延伸，所以他根本就看不见森林的尽头究竟在哪里。但他并不明白这一点，所以他满怀失望地爬下树来。等他好不容易回到地面上时，身上多处擦伤，热得一头是汗，一副惨兮兮的模样，而且乍一回到底下幽暗的环境中，他又什么都看不见了。等他把所见报告完，大伙儿也都变得跟他同样沮丧起来。
He woke up suddenly and sat up scratching his head. He could not make out where he was at all, nor why he felt so hungry; for he had forgotten everything that had happened since they started their journey that May morning long ago. The last thing that he remembered was the party at the hobbit’s house, and they had great difficulty in making him believe their tale of all the many adventures they had had since.
他突然间醒了过来，坐起身子，用手搔着脑袋。他不知道自己身在何处，或是为什么会觉得这么饥饿，因为他已经把从许久以前那个五月早晨出发以来的所有事情都给忘记了。他记得的最后一件事情，就是在霍比特人家中所举行的派对。大伙儿费了好一番口舌，才让他相信了他们自那以后的种种冒险经历。
When he heard that there was nothing to eat, he sat down and wept, for he felt very weak and wobbly in the legs. “Why ever did I wake up!” he cried. “I was having such beautiful dreams. I dreamed I was walking in a forest rather like this one, only lit with torches on the trees and lamps swinging from the branches and fires burning on the ground; and there was a great feast going on, going on for ever. A woodland king was there with a crown of leaves, and there was a merry singing, and I could not count or describe the things there were to eat and drink.”
当他听说已经没东西可吃了之后，不禁坐在地上哭了起来，因为他觉得自己非常虚弱，双腿软得直打颤。“我干吗要醒过来啊！”他嚎道，“我刚刚正在做着美梦呢。我梦到我走在一个和这里挺像的森林里，不过那儿可亮堂啦，树上有火把，树枝上挂着油灯，地上还点着篝火。那儿正在办一场大宴会，永远不停的盛大宴会。一个森林之王戴着树叶缀成的皇冠，大家都在快乐地唱着歌，那儿吃喝的东西多得我数不过来，好吃得我都说不明白！”
“You need not try,” said Thorin. “In fact if you can’t talk about something else, you had better be silent. We are quite annoyed enough with you as it is. If you hadn’t waked up, we should have left you to your idiotic dreams in the forest; you are no joke to carry even after weeks of short commons.”
“说不明白就别说！”索林没好气儿地说道，“如果你没别的好说的话，干脆就给我闭嘴。我们之前就已经受够你了，你要是再不醒过来，我们就准备把你扔在森林里发你的白痴梦去了。你这家伙，就算好几个礼拜不吃不喝，扛起来也重得要命。”
“No you don’t!” they said. “Let your legs take their share, we have carried you far enough.”
“不行，不可以！”大家都说，“你的腿也该走它们那份路了，我们抬你抬得够远了。”
All the same he suddenly refused to go a step further and flung himself on the ground. “Go on, if you must,” he said. “I’m just going to lie here and sleep and dream of food, if I can’t get it any other way. I hope I never wake up again.”
可他把大伙儿的话当做了耳旁风，突然一步也不肯走了，一屁股坐到了地上。“你们要走你们走，”他说，“反正也没办法弄到吃的，我宁愿躺在这里睡一觉，在梦里多吃点儿。我真希望自己永远也不要再醒来了。”
There was nothing now to be done but to tighten the belts round their empty stomachs, and hoist their empty sacks and packs, and trudge along the track without any great hope of ever getting to the end before they lay down and died of starvation. This they did all that day, going very slowly and wearily; while Bombur kept on wailing that his legs would not carry him and that he wanted to lie down and sleep.
除了勒紧裤带之外，大伙儿也别无对策。他们扛着空荡荡的背包和袋子，迈着沉重的脚步在小径上走着，心中甚是绝望，觉得自己不等走到头就会先倒下饿死了。他们就这样走了一整天，走得又慢又累，邦伯还一个劲儿地哭闹，说他的两条腿再也撑不住了，他想要躺倒睡觉。
They all looked, and a longish way off, it seemed, they saw a red twinkle in the dark; then another and another sprang out beside it. Even Bombur got up, and they hurried along then, not caring if it was trolls or goblins. The light was in front of them and to the left of the path, and when at last they had drawn level with it, it seemed plain that torches and fires were burning under the trees, but a good way off their track.
大家全都朝前看去，在挺远的地方，好像能看见黑暗中有一点红光在闪动，接着，在它旁边又冒出了另一点火花，然后是另一点。连邦伯都爬了起来，大家全都快步往前飞奔，根本不在乎那是食人妖或是半兽人。那点光亮在他们前方，位于小径的左边，当他们终于与那点火光齐平的时候，可以很明显地看到那是在树下燃烧着的火把和篝火，只是离他们的小径还颇有一段距离。
At that very moment Balin, who was a little way ahead, called out: “What was that? I thought I saw a twinkle of light in the forest.”
就在这时，走在稍微前面一点的巴林喊了起来：“那是什么？我想我看见森林里面有火光在闪。”
After a good deal of creeping and crawling they peered round the trunks and looked into a clearing where some trees had been felled and the ground levelled. There were many people there, elvish-looking folk, all dressed in green and brown and sitting on sawn rings of the felled trees in a great circle. There was a fire in their midst and there were torches fastened to some of the trees round about; but most splendid sight of all: they were eating and drinking and laughing merrily.
在经过了好一番的匍匐前进之后，他们终于摸到了火光附近。从树干后面探出脑袋望去，他们看见一块树木被砍倒、土地被铲平后清理出来的空地。空地上有许多人，看起来像是精灵，全都穿着绿色和褐色的衣物，坐在锯倒的圆木墩子上，围成了一个大圈。圈子正中有一团营火，四周的树上则插着许多火把，但最令人心动不已的景象却是，他们正在大吃大喝，一边发出欢快的笑声。
“A feast would be no good, if we never got back alive from it,” said Thorin.
“如果得把命搭上的话，宴席再好吃都没用。”索林说。
“It looks as if my dreams were coming true,” gasped Bombur puffing up behind. He wanted to rush straight off into the wood after the lights. But the others remembered only too well the warnings of the wizard and of Beorn.
“看来我的梦想要成真了！”邦伯呼哧呼哧地从后面赶了上来，一边上气不接下气地说道。他直接就想要冲到林子里去追逐那些火光，但其他人对于巫师和贝奥恩的警告却谨记在心。
“But without a feast we shan’t remain alive much longer anyway,” said Bombur, and Bilbo heartily agreed with him. They argued about it backwards and forwards for a long while, until they agreed at length to send out a couple of spies, to creep near the lights and find out more about them. But then they could not agree on who was to be sent: no one seemed anxious to run the chance of being lost and never finding his friends again. In the end, in spite of warnings, hunger decided them, because Bombur kept on describing all the good things that were being eaten, according to his dream, in the woodland feast; so they all left the path and plunged into the forest together.
“可如果没东西吃，我们不也快没命了吗！”邦伯说，这话可说到比尔博的心坎儿里去了。他们翻来覆去地争了半天，最后同意派出几名探子，悄悄地靠近那些光亮，把那里的情况给摸清楚。但接下来大家又为该派谁去而争执不休了，因为似乎没谁热衷于去冒迷失方向，再也见不到朋友们的危险。最后，饥饿压倒了警告，由于邦伯一直不停地描述他在梦里的林中宴会上吃到的种种美食，矮人们全部离开小径，冲向了森林深处。
There was nothing for it but to settle down for the night where they were; they did not even dare to search on the ground for scraps of food for fear of becoming separated again. But they had not been lying long, and Bilbo was only just getting drowsy, when Dori, whose turn it was to watch first, said in a loud whisper:
他们在黑暗中无事可做，只能就地坐下。他们甚至不敢到地上去摸索食物的碎屑，惟恐互相间又走散了。但他们没躺多久，比尔博刚开始觉得瞌睡上来的时候，排第一个值夜的多瑞就用大家都能听见的声音低声道：
The smell of the roast meats was so enchanting that, without waiting to consult one another, every one of them got up and scrambled forwards into the ring with the one idea of begging for some food. No sooner had the first stepped into the clearing than all the lights went out as if by magic. Somebody kicked the fire and it went up in rockets of glittering sparks and vanished. They were lost in a completely lightless dark and they could not even find one another, not for a long time at any rate. After blundering frantically in the gloom, falling over logs, bumping crash into trees, and shouting and calling till they must have waked everything in the forest for miles, at last they managed to gather themselves in a bundle and count themselves by touch. By that time they had, of course, quite forgotten in what direction the path lay, and they were all hopelessly lost, at least till morning.
烤肉的香气是如此诱人，众人等不及相互商量一下便从树后走了出来，争先恐后地朝圈子里跑去，一心想着问人讨点酒肉吃。然而第一个人的脚刚一踏上空地，所有的火光就仿佛被施了魔法一样同时熄灭。有人对着篝火踢了一脚，它就炸成无数个火花，然后便消失无踪了。他们陷入彻底的黑暗中，连彼此都找不见，好在时间还不算太长。他们在黑暗中跌跌撞撞，被圆木绊倒，迎头撞上树干，又是吼又是叫的，几乎吵醒了森林中方圆几哩内所有的生物，最后大家终于又聚拢在一起，通过触摸清点了人数。到这时，他们当然早就已经忘记了小径的方向，彻彻底底地迷了路，至少到天亮前是如此。
Up they all jumped. There, sure enough, not far away were scores of twinkling lights, and they heard the voices and the laughter quite plainly. They crept slowly towards them, in a single line, each touching the back of the one in front. When they got near Thorin said: “No rushing forward this time! No one is to stir from hiding till I say. I shall send Mr. Baggins alone first to talk to them. They won’t be frightened of him –(‘What about me of them?’ thought Bilbo) — and any way I hope they won’t do anything nasty to him.”
大家全都跳了起来。没锚儿，在不远的地方有几十点闪烁的火光，他们清楚地听见了笑语声。大家又悄悄地朝火光摸过去，这次大家学乖了，排成了一路纵队，每个人都摸着前面人的背。等他们走近的时候，索林说：“这次别再急着冲过去了！我没说话，谁也别从隐蔽的地方跳出来。我先派巴金斯先生一个人过去和他们谈谈，他们不会被他吓到的——（“那我被他们吓到了怎么办？”比尔博心想）——我希望他们不会对他怎么样。”
If it had been difficult collecting themselves before, it was far worse this time. And they simply could not find the hobbit. Every time they counted themselves it only made thirteen. They shouted and called: “Bilbo Baggins! Hobbit! You dratted hobbit! Hi! hobbit, confusticate you, where are you?” and other things of that sort, but there was no answer.
如果说之前在黑暗中集合已经算得上困难了，那么这次的情况还要糟糕得多。他们怎么找也找不到霍比特人，每次点数都只有十三个。他们大声喊着：“比尔博·巴金斯！霍比特人！你这个该死的霍比特人！喂！霍比特人，你这个该挨棍子的家伙，你在哪里啊？”以及诸如此类的东西，只是得不到一点回音。
“The lights are coming out again over there, and there are more than ever of them.”
“火光又在那边出现了，这次数量比刚才还多！”
When they got to the edge of the circle of lights they pushed Bilbo suddenly from behind. Before he had time to slip on his ring, he stumbled forward into the full blaze of the fire and torches. It was no good. Out went all the lights again and complete darkness fell.
当他们来到火光构成的圆圈边缘时，众人猛然从背后推了比尔博一把。他还没来得及戴上戒指，就跌跌撞撞地冲进了明晃晃的火光之中。结果还是没用——所有的光亮全都熄灭，四周重又变得一团漆黑。
“Good heavens! he has gone like Bombur,” they said. “Don’t tell us about dreams. Dream-dinners aren’t any good, and we can’t share them.”
“老天爷啊！他变得和邦伯一样了，”他们说，“不用跟我们说你梦见什么了，梦里边吃得再好也没用，我们又分享不到。”
They were just giving up hope, when Dori stumbled across him by sheer luck. In the dark he fell over what he thought was a log, and he found it was the hobbit curled up fast asleep. It took a deal of shaking to wake him, and when he was awake he was not pleased at all.
就在他们快要放弃希望时，多瑞却意外地绊到了他。他在黑暗中摔了一跤，还以为自己绊到了一根木头，结果却发现那是蜷成一团、陷入熟睡的霍比特人。他们一通猛摇才把他摇醒，而他在醒来之后还满心的不高兴。
“There’s a regular blaze of light begun not far away-hundreds of torches and many fires must have been lit suddenly and by magic. And hark to the singing and the harps!”
“跟刚才一样的亮光又在不远的地方亮起来了，有几百支火把和好多堆营火，肯定是被魔法突然点着的。听，那是他们唱歌和弹竖琴的声音！”
“They are the best I am likely to get in this beastly place,” he muttered, as he lay down beside the dwarves and tried to go back to sleep and find his dream again. But that was not the last of the lights in the forest. Later when the night must have been getting old, Kili who was watching then, came and roused them all again, saying:
“在这种鬼地方，我恐怕只有靠做梦来填肚子了。”他咕哝着在矮人身边躺下，想把刚才的美梦再续下去。但是，森林中的怪光还没完呢。又过了一阵，夜半的天气转冷之后，当值的奇力又把所有的人给叫醒了：
After lying and listening for a while, they found they could not resist the desire to go nearer and try once more to get help. Up they got again; and this time the result was disastrous. The feast that they now saw was greater and more magnificent than before; and at the head of a long 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 gleaming 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 in to their midst.
在躺下去仔细聆听了一会儿之后，他们发现自己无法抵御走近去再作一次求救尝试的诱惑。于是他们又爬了起来，没想到这次的结果更加灾难性。这次他们看到的宴会比之前的更盛大、更诱人，在一长列宴饮者的上首坐着一名森林之王，金黄的头发上戴着树叶缀成的皇冠，活脱脱就是邦伯描述过的梦中人物。这些像是精灵的生物彼此递着大碗，有些弹着竖琴，许多人都在唱着歌。他们闪亮的头发中都点缀着鲜花，领口和腰带上闪耀着绿色和白色宝石的光华，他们的表情和歌声都充满了欢乐。他们唱的歌响亮、清晰而又悦耳，听得索林不由得又踏人他们之中。
“I was having such a lovely dream,” he grumbled, “all about having a most gorgeous dinner.”
“我正在做一个好梦，”他嘟囔道，“梦见我在吃一顿超级丰盛的大餐。”
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.
这是他这辈子最悲惨的时刻之一，但他很快就拿定主意，直到天亮了有一点点微光之前都不要轻举妄动，而且，因为不会有早餐来补充体力，他丝毫不想在黑暗中摸来摸去，徒然消耗体力。于是他靠着一棵树坐了下来，再次思念起遥远故乡那拥有美丽餐点室的霍比特洞府来。他正想到火腿、鸡蛋、吐司面包和黄油时，忽然感到有什么东西在碰他。有种又黏又韧的线缠住了他的左手，当他想要站起身来的时候，发现，自己的双腿已经被同样的东西给裹住了，因此他刚一站起来就倒了下来。
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 complete silence and darkness.
比尔博发现自己是在绕着圈子跑（他这样以为），口中不停地喊着：“多瑞、诺瑞、欧瑞、欧因、格罗因、菲力、奇力、邦伯、比弗、波弗、杜瓦林、巴林，索林·橡木盾。”而他看不见也摸不着的人，也在他身边做着同样的事情（冷不丁会有人喊上一声“比尔博！”）。但其他人的叫喊声变得越来越远，虽然过了一阵之后，他觉得那些声音变成了遥远的呼救声，所有的声音最终都归于了沉寂，只留下他一个人孤单地处在一片寂静与黑暗中。
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.
一瞬间，森林又陷入死寂，所有的光芒全都消失，火焰化成黑烟，矮人的眼中只能看见余烬和灰屑，森林中再度充斥着他们的喧哗与喊叫。
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 thing’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 come 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 stuck 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.
然后，那只趁着他发呆时一直在忙着把他缠起来的大蜘蛛从他身后现身，冲他跑了过来。他只能看见那东西的双眼，却能在蜘蛛拼命用恶心的蛛丝一圈又一圈地往他身上缠时，感受到它那些毛茸茸的腿。算他运气，总算还能及时回过神来，再晚一些的话，他就根本不能动了。他进行了一番名副其实的殊死搏斗才得以脱身。他一开始只是不停地用手赶开蜘蛛——而它正像小蜘蛛对付苍蝇一样，想要在他身上注入毒液让他消停下来——打了半天才想起来自己还带着剑，马上将它拔了出来。蜘蛛立刻往后跳开，他赶紧趁此机会挥剑令蜘蛛松开了腿。接下来就轮到他反攻了。蜘蛛显然很不习惯对付这种身边带着刺的生物，否则它逃得还会更快些。比尔博不等它逃开就冲了上去，拔剑正刺中它的眼睛。它开始发狂般地跳跃、扭动，所有的脚都可怕地抽搐着，直到比尔博给它补了一剑才一命呜呼。比尔博经过这番折腾后也一头栽倒，好长时间都不省人事。
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.
在那之后，他开始了对周围的探索。森林中阴冷而又静谧，但显然他必须先去寻找自己的朋友们，他们应该离得不会太远，除非他们已经落入了精灵（或是更糟糕的东西）之手。比尔博觉得大喊大叫并不安全，因此他呆立了好一阵子，思考着小径到底在何方，他又应该先往哪个方向去寻找矮人们。
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.
当他醒来的时候，身边已落满森林中白天常见的黯淡灰光，死蜘蛛躺在它身边，宝剑剑刃上沾染了黑血。对巴金斯先生来说，不靠巫师或是矮人们或是任何人的帮助，全凭自己一己之力在黑暗中杀死了巨型蜘蛛，这件事使他发生了巨大的变化。当他在草地上擦拭宝剑，归剑人鞘时，他觉得自己脱胎换骨，变成了另外一个人，比过去更为凶猛，更为勇敢，尽管腹中依然空空。
“I will give you a name,” he said to it, “and I shall call you Sting.”
“我帮你取个名字，”他对着宝剑说，“就叫你刺叮好了！”
“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.”
“唉！我们为什么不牢记甘道夫和贝奥恩的忠告！”他懊悔地叹道，“看看我们现在落到了怎样的窘境啊！我们？！我真希望现在还能说我们：孤单一人实在是好恐怖啊。”
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!
他蹑手蹑脚地走了一段距离后，注意到前方有块地方的黑影特别黑，即便在黑森林里也算黑了，仿佛一团不曾褪去过的夜色。他走到近前，发现那里层层叠叠、纵横交错的全都是蜘蛛网。突然间，他还看见了体型巨大、样貌狰狞的蜘蛛盘踞在他头顶的树枝上。不管戴没戴着戒指，他都因恐惧而发起抖来，生怕被蜘蛛们发现。他躲在树后面，盯着一伙蜘蛛看了会儿，然后，在森林中极度静谧的衬托下，他意识到这些讨厌的怪物原来正在相互交谈。它们的声音乍一听像是微弱的嘶声和摩擦声，但细听之下他可以听清楚它们说的大部分内容。它们居然正在谈论矮人！
In the end he made as good a guess as he could at the direction from which the cries for help had come in the night-and by luck (he was born with a good share of it) he 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 I have already told you; also Bilbo had slipped on his ring before he started. That is why the spiders neither saw nor heard him coming.
到了最后，他勉强猜了一个昨天晚上传来呼救声的方向，凭着运气（他生来就有很多好运），他居然猜了个八九不离十，这一点大家到时候就知道了。下定决心后，他便迈着机敏的步伐走了起来。霍比特人擅长于无声无息地行动，特别是在森林中，关于这一点之前跟大家提到过，而且比尔博在出发前已经戴上了戒指，这也是为什么蜘蛛们完全没看见也没听见他的到来。
“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.”
“真是好一场挣扎啊，不过相当值得，”一只说，“他们的外皮肯定又脏又厚，不过我敢打赌里面一定有甜美的汁液！”
“Aye, they’ll make fine eating, when they’ve hung a bit,” said another.
“啊，把他们挂一阵子之后就会好吃多了！”另一只说道。
That they are not. I saw one a-struggling just now. Just coming round again, I should say, after a bee-autiful sleep. I’ll show you.”
“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.”
“别挂太久了，”第三只说，“他们不像应该有的那么胖，我猜多半是最近没吃啥东西。”
“They’re dead now, I’ll warrant,” said the first. “
“我敢保证他们现在已经死了。”第一只说。
“Kill ’em, I say,” hissed a fourth; “kill ’em now and hang ’em dead for a while.”
“叫我说杀了算了，”第四只蜘蛛嘶嘶地说道，“现在把他们杀了，然后把死的挂上一会儿。”
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.
蜘蛛走到最大的一捆旁边——“我打赌那一定是可怜的老邦伯。”比尔博想——然后，对着凸在外面的鼻子狠狠咬了一口。蛛丝捆里传来了闷声惨叫，一只脚趾头猛地伸了出来，重重地踢在了蜘蛛身上。看来邦伯还活着。随着一声踢在瘪掉的足球上的声音，恼羞成怒的蜘蛛从树枝上摔了下去，幸亏它及时放出自己的蛛丝，才没有直接摔到地上。
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.
话一说完，一只肥大的蜘蛛就沿着蛛丝跑了下去，来到一根髙处树枝上并排挂着的十几捆东西边。比尔博现在才注意到树上挂着这些东西，不禁觉得非常害怕。他看见有些蛛丝捆的底部伸出了一只矮人的脚，还有些蛛丝捆里这儿那儿地露出一只鼻子，一撮胡子或是兜帽的一角。
Bilbo saw that the moment had come 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.
比尔博见此情景，就知道是该他做些什么的时候了。他没办法与这些怪物正面对抗，手上也没有东西可以投掷。不过，在经过一番搜寻之后，他发现附近有条似乎已干涸了的水道，那里有许多小石头。比尔博在扔石头方面可是个高手，他没有花多少时间就找到了一颗鸡蛋大小、十分称手的石头。小时候，他曾经练过扔石头，练到后来，兔子、松鼠，甚至是飞鸟，只要一看见他弯下腰来，就会迅速地逃之夭夭。即便是他长大以后，他依然在掷铁环、扔飞镖、射箭、滚木球、九柱地滚球等需要瞄准和投掷的、不太剧烈的游戏上花费不少时间。事实上，除了吐烟圈、猜谜语和烹饪之外，他还有很多拿手的事情，只是之前没时间详细告诉大家罢了。现在也没时间。在他捡石头的当口，蜘蛛已经来到了邦伯跟前，邦伯的性命已经危在旦夕。正在这千钧一发之际，比尔博出手了，他扔出的石头咚的一声正中蜘蛛的脑袋，蜘蛛应声便从树上落下，扑通坠地，八条腿全都蜷缩了起来。
“I’ll soon put an end to that,” hissed the angry spider climbing back onto the branch.
“我马上就会让他蹦跶不起来了！”那只恼怒的蜘蛛发着嘶嘶的声音重新又爬回到了树枝上。
The others laughed. “You were quite right,” they said, “the meat’s alive and kicking!”
其他的蜘蛛都哈哈大笑起来。“你说得很对！”他们说，“咱们的嘴边肉还活蹦乱跳着呢！”
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.
不过，比尔博早就溜到别的地方去了。他灵机一动，想要把这些愤怒的蜘蛛引得离矮人越远越好，要让它们既好奇、激动，同时又愤怒。等大约有五十只蜘蛛冲到他之前所站的位置时，他又朝它们扔了几颗石头，还朝后面那些停下了脚步的其他蜘蛛也丢了几颗石头。接着，他一边在树林间跳着舞步，一边还唱起歌来，为的是要激怒这些蜘蛛，让它们全都跟过来追自己，同时，也让矮人们能够听见他的声音。
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 commotion 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 coming. 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.
第二颗石头嗖的一声穿过一张大蛛网，扯断了蛛丝，把盘踞在蛛网中央的蜘蛛带了下来，啪嗒掉在地上，一命呜呼。接下来，蜘蛛们的领地内掀起了一场大骚乱，让它们暂时有点顾不上矮人们了。它们虽然看不见比尔博，却大致能猜测到石头飞来的方向。于是它们立刻以闪电般的速度摇摇晃晃地冲向霍比特人，并将蛛丝撒向四面八方，使得天空中似乎到处都是舞动的罗网。
Old fat spider can’t see me!
它看不见我呀，它又老又胖！
Old Tomnoddy, all big body,
老笨蜘蛛胖又胖。
Down you drop!
快从树上下来吧！
Stop your spinning and look for me?
别再织你的破网啦！
This is what he sang:
他唱道：
Won’t you stop,
快停下，来找我吧，
Attercop! Attercop!
笨蜘蛛啊！笨蜘蛛！
Old Tomnoddy can’t spy me!
想找我，没方向！
Attercop! Attercop!
笨蜘蛛啊！笨蜘蛛！
You’ll never catch me up your tree!
在树上可没法把我抓！
Old fat spider spinning in a tree!
老胖蜘蛛在树上织网！
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.
这首歌听起来也许不怎么样，不过大家得知道，那可是他在火烧眉毛的情势下现编的，而且再怎么说，它也的确达到了目的。他一边唱一边扔出了更多的石头，还用力跺脚，几乎把附近所有的蜘蛛都引出来追他了：有些蜘蛛拽着蛛丝垂到地上，有些在树枝上快跑，从一棵树摆荡到另一棵树上，或是对着黑暗的空间抛出新的蛛丝。它们辨认他声音方向的速度比他想像的快多了，这些蜘蛛生起气来是非常可怕的。除了被扔石头之外，蜘蛛也从来不喜欢有人骂它们长得胖，而“笨”更是对所有人来说都是一种侮辱。
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:
比尔博又动作敏捷地来到了一个新的藏身之处，不过，这时有几只蜘蛛已经分别冲到了林中空地（这里平时就是它们生活的地方）的各处，开始在树干与树干之间织起网来。要不了多久，霍比特人就会被密密的蛛网给团团包围住了——至少蜘蛛是这么打算的。比尔博站在这群正忙于织网围捕的昆虫之间，鼓起勇气，唱起了又一首歌：
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 legs waving, nippers and spinners snapping, eyes popping, full of froth and rage. They followed him into the forest until Bilbo had gone as far as he dared. Then quieter than a mouse he stole back.
蜘蛛们看得见宝剑（不过我估计它们并不知道那是什么东西），立刻便全体分地面和树枝上两路，杀气腾腾地朝着霍比特人奔来。它们毛茸茸的脚上下舞动，螯爪与丝囊啪啪作响，眼珠突出着，口边冒着白色的泡沫，一副怒气冲冲的样子。它们跟着比尔博一路追进森林，比尔博一直走到不敢走了为止，然后，他又用比老鼠更加无声无息的脚步偷偷溜了回来。
you are fat and lazy.
你们真是胖又懒！
You cannot trap me, though you try,
别看网儿织得欢，
Here am I, naughty little fly;
我在这儿，顽皮小苍蝇；
Lazy Lob and crazy Cob
懒罗伯，疯卡伯，
but still they cannot find me!
可惜你们没口福！
are weaving webs to wind me.
织起网子想缠我。
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.
唱到这儿他一转身，就发现两棵大树之间最后的空间被蛛网给封闭了，幸好那还不是已经完工的蛛网，只是仓促在树干与树干之间用双股的蛛丝来回扯出的几大条。他拔出短剑，将蛛网砍成碎片，唱着歌儿走出了包围圈。
I am far more sweet than other meat,
我的肉儿香又甜，
in your cobwebs crazy.
休想让我往里钻。
He had precious little time, he knew, before the spiders were disgusted and came back to their trees where the dwarves were hung. In the meanwhile he had to rescue them. The worst part of the job was getting up on to the long branch where the bundles were dangling. I don’t suppose he would have managed it, if a spider had not luckily left a rope hanging down; with its help, though it stuck to his hand and hurt him, he scrambled up-only to meet an old slow wicked fat-bodied spider who had remained behind to guard the prisoners, and had been busy pinching them to see which was the juiciest to eat. It had thought of starting the feast while the others were away, but Mr. Baggins was in a hurry, and before the spider knew what was happening it felt his sting and rolled off the branch dead.
他知道，在蜘蛛们追烦了，回到悬挂矮人的树这里来之前，他只有非常宝贵的一点点时间，他必须在这点时间里把矮人们救出来。这个任务中最令人头痛的部分，就是要爬到那挂着许多矮人蛛丝捆的长长的树枝上去。如果不是有个蝴蛛碰巧留了一条蛛丝垂落下来，他可能根本就上不去。尽管蛛丝粘在了他的手上，还把他的手勒得生疼，他还是凭借着蛛丝的帮助，勉强爬了上去。可上去之后才发现，上面竟然有一只老态龙钟、体态肥胖的恶蜘蛛，它是被留下来看守这些俘虏的，此刻它正忙碌地东按按西戳戳，看看哪个俘虏最汁多味美，准备趁其他蜘蛛都不在的时候好好抢先一步享受美味大餐。不过比尔博急着办正事，没空与它多纠缠，因此，它还没回过神来，便觉得身上一记刺痛，随即掉落树枝丧了命。
“Fili or Kili,” he thought by the tip of a blue hood sticking out at the top. “Most likely Fili,” he thought by the tip of a long nose poking out of the winding threads. He managed by leaning over to cut most of the strong sticky threads that bound him round, and then, sure enough, with a kick and a struggle most of Fili emerged. I am afraid Bilbo actually laughed at the sight of him jerking his stiff arms and legs as he danced on the spider-string under his armpits, just like one of those funny toys bobbing on a wire.
“不是菲力就是奇力。”他从蛛网边缘冒出来的蓝色帽尖推测。接着，根据从错综的蛛丝间伸出的长鼻子，他进一步判断道：“应该是菲力吧！”他把身子凑了上去，把缠住他的大部分又黏又韧的蛛丝割断，然后，果然，一踢一挣之后，菲力从蛛丝捆里探出了大半个身子。菲力伸展蹬动着麻木的双臂与双腿，拼命从胳肢窝下的蛛丝中挣脱着，估计比尔博看见这番景象一定笑了出来，因为这实在是太像用线提着的木偶娃娃在跳滑稽舞了。
Bilbo’s next job was to loose a dwarf. What was he to do? If he cut the string which hung him up, the wretched dwarf would tumble thump to the ground a good way below. Wriggling along the branch (which made all the poor dwarves dance and dangle like ripe fruit) he reached the first bundle.
比尔博接下来要做的是先松开一个矮人的束缚。他该怎么做呢？如果他切断蛛丝，可怜的矮人一定会扑通一声摔落到下面的地面去。他小心翼翼地在树枝上爬着（这让所有可怜的矮人像成熟的果实一样晃动起来），来到了第一个蛛丝捆的跟前。
Somehow or other Fili was got on to the branch, and then he did his best to help the hobbit, although he was feeling very sick and ill from spider-poison, and from hanging most of the night and the next day wound round and round with only his nose to breathe through. It took him ages to get the beastly stuff out of his eyes and eyebrows, and as for his beard, he had to cut most of it off. Well, between them they started to haul up first one dwarf and then another and slash them free. None of them were better off than Fili, and some of them were worse. Some had hardly been able to breathe at all (long noses are sometimes useful you see) and some had been more poisoned.
经过一番折腾后，菲力终于爬上了树枝，然后尽力协助霍比特人解救伙伴，尽管他的身体状况其实很不好。他身上还残留着蜘蛛的毒液，昨晚一晚上和今天一天都被挂在树枝上，身体被蛛丝缠得密密匝匝，只露出一个鼻子呼吸，因此这会儿感到有点头晕目眩。他花了好一会儿才把那些恶心的蛛丝从眼睛和眉毛上弄掉，至于胡子，则只能大部分都割掉了。两人开始携手把矮人们一个个拽上来，砍断蛛丝，将他们解救出来。这些人当中没有一个情况好过菲力的，有些甚至相当糟糕。有些人几乎连呼吸都停止了（大家看到了吧，长鼻子有时还是很有用的），有些人则是毒中得比较深。
While this was going on, the other dwarves were working at the rest of the captives, and cutting at the threads with their knives. Soon all would be free, though it was not clear what would happen after that. The spiders had caught them pretty easily the night before, but that had been unawares and in the dark. This time there looked like being a horrible battle.
这边战斗在进行的过程中，那边其他的矮人正在用小刀割断蛛丝，解救其余的俘虏。过不了多久，大家就能重获自由了，只是还不知道在那之后又会怎样。昨天晚上，蜘蛛们很轻易地就抓住了他们，但那是因为他们没有防备，而且又是在一片黑暗中，而这次看来双方要有一场恶战了。
In this way they rescued Kili, Bifur, Bofur, Dori and Nori. Poor old Bombur was so exhausted-he was the fattest and had been constantly pinched and poked-that he just rolled off the branch and fell plop on to the ground, fortunately on to leaves, and lay there. But there were still five dwarves hanging at the end of the branch when the spiders began to come back, more full of rage than ever.
他们就以这种方式救出了奇力、比弗、波弗、多瑞和诺瑞。可怜的老邦伯体虚乏力——因为他是矮人中最胖的一个，所以一直都被蜘蛛们按来戳去的——他只能一滚从树枝上滚了下去，扑通落到地上，躺倒不动了。所幸地上有厚厚的树叶，他并没有性命危险。可是，当蜘蛛们比之前更加怒火中烧地陆续回来时，树上还挂着五名矮人没来得及救下来。
Bilbo immediately went to the end of the branch nearest the tree-trunk and kept back those that crawled up. He had taken off his ring when he rescued Fili and forgotten to put it on again, so now they all began to splutter and hiss:”Now we see you, you nasty little creature! We will eat you and leave your bones and skin hanging on a tree. Ugh! he’s got a sting has he? Well, we’ll get him all the same, and then we’ll hang him head downwards for a day or two.”
比尔博立刻冲到最靠近主干的树枝旁，抵挡那些向上爬来的蜘蛛。他在救菲力的时候把戒指取了下来，后来就忘记再戴上了，所以蜘蛛们开始带着嘶嘶声恶狠狠地对着他说道：“现在我们可看见你了，你这个可恶的小家伙！我们会吃掉你，把你的骨头和皮挂在树上。啊！他还有根刺哪，对不对？没问题，我们一样能抓到他的，到时候我们要把他脑袋冲下好好挂个一两天。”
“Come down! Come down!” he shouted to the dwarves on the branch. “Don’t stay up there and be netted!” For he saw spiders swarming up all the neighbouring trees, and crawling along the boughs above the heads of the dwarves.
“快下来！快下来！”他对着树枝上的矮人们喊道，“不要停在上面，再陷入蛛网！”因为他发现有许多蜘蛛聚集到了所有周边的树上，然后沿着树枝爬到了矮人们的头上。
Suddenly Bilbo noticed that some of the spiders had gathered round old Bombur on the floor, and had tied him up again and were dragging him away. He gave a shout and slashed at the spiders in front of him. They quickly gave way, and he scrambled and fell down the tree right into the middle of those on the ground. His little sword was something new in the way of stings for them. How it darted to and fro! It shone with delight as he stabbed at them. Half a dozen were killed before the rest drew off and left Bombur to Bilbo.
突然间，比尔博注意到有些蜘蛛聚拢到了躺在地上的邦伯身边，又将他捆了起来，准备把他拖走。他大喝一声，对着眼前的蜘蛛挥剑砍去。它们快速向后退去，他趁机连爬带跌地下了树，正好落在那群蜘蛛的中间。他的宝剑对它们来说是一种以前从没见到过的刺，只见宝剑上下翻飞，当刺到蜘蛛们的时候，它发出了兴奋的闪光。片刻工夫，便有五六只蜘蛛在剑下丧命，其他的蜘蛛仓皇逃遁，把邦伯留给了比尔博。
Down the dwarves scrambled or jumped or dropped, eleven all in a heap, most of them very shaky and little use on their legs. There they were at last, twelve of them counting poor old Bombur, who was being propped up on either side by his cousin Bifur, and his brother Bofur; and Bilbo was dancing about and waving his Sting; and hundreds of angry spiders were goggling at them all round and about and above. It looked pretty hopeless.
矮人们或爬、或跳、或掉地从树上下来了，十一个人凑到了一堆，大多数人都摇摇欲坠的，两条腿派不上什么用场。算上可怜的老邦伯的话，十二名矮人终于团聚到了一起。老邦伯一边一个被人扶着，左边的是他的表弟比弗，右边的是他的亲弟弟波弗。比尔博在他们身边绕来绕去，挥舞着宝剑不停地砍杀，数百只愤怒的蜘蛛从四面八方瞪着他们，形势实在让人感到相当绝望。
“I am going to disappear,” he said. “I shall draw the spiders off, if I can; and you must keep together and make in the opposite direction. To the left there, that is more or less the way towards the place where we last saw the elf-fires.”
“我马上就要消失了，”他说，“我会尽力把蜘蛛引开的，你们必须要聚在一起，朝相反的方向跑。最好是往那里的左边跑，那里大约能通向我们最后一次看到精灵营火的地方。”
Then the battle began. Some of the dwarves had knives, and some had sticks, and all of them could get at stones; and Bilbo had his elvish dagger. Again and again the spiders were beaten off, and many of them were killed. But it could not go on for long. Bilbo was nearly tired out; only four of the dwarves were able to stand firmly, and soon they would all be overpowered like weary flies. Already the spiders were beginning to weave their webs all round them again from tree to tree.
厮杀开始了。有些矮人有刀，有些手里有棍子，所有的人都能拿得到石块，比尔博的手上则是精灵宝剑。蜘蛛们的攻击被一次次地打退，留下了许多尸体。但这样的局面维持不了多久了，比尔博已经几乎精疲力竭，而矮人之中只有四个能勉强站稳，不用多久他们就会像垂死挣扎的苍蝇一样因气力不支而被杀。蜘蛛们已经又开始在一棵棵树之间织起了天罗地网。
In the end Bilbo could think of no plan except to let the dwarves into the secret of his ring. He was rather sorry about it, but it could not be helped.
最后，比尔博别无选择，只能与矮人们分享有关他戒指的秘密。他对此觉得心有不甘，但这已经是形势所迫了。
It was difficult to get them to understand, what with their dizzy heads, and the shouts, and the whacking of sticks and the throwing of stones; but at last Bilbo felt he could delay no longer-the spiders were drawing their circle ever closer. He suddenly slipped on his ring, and to the great astonishment of the dwarves he vanished.
矮人们的脑袋晕晕乎乎的，周围是一片叫喊声、棍棒挥舞声和投掷石头的声音，在这样的一团混乱中，实在是很难让矮人们理解他说的话。但比尔博觉得再也不能拖延下去了——蜘蛛们步步紧逼，不断缩小着包围圈。他突然戴上了戒指，在矮人们惊讶的目光中消失了。
Hoping desperately that Bilbo had not been caught the dwarves went on. Not fast enough, though. They were sick and weary, and they could not go much better than a hobble and a wobble, though many of the spiders were close behind. Every now and then they had to turn and fight the creatures that were overtaking them; and already some spiders were in the trees above them and throwing down their long clinging threads.
矮人们一边热切地希望比尔博没有被蜘蛛们给抓住，一边脚下不停地继续前进。不过他们走得可不够快。他们的身体又累又难过，所以即使背后有许多蜘蛛穷追不舍，他们也只能是一瘸一拐，蹒跚而行。时不时地，他们必须要回过身来，与追上来的蜘蛛搏斗一番。有一些蜘蛛已经来到了他们头顶的树上，把又长又黏的蛛丝抛了下来。
Soon there came the sound of “Lazy Lob” and “Attercop” from among the trees away on the right. That upset the spiders greatly. They stopped advancing, and some went off in the direction of the voice. “Attercop” made them so angry that they lost their wits. Then Balin, who had grasped Bilbo’s plan better than the rest, led an attack. The dwarves huddled together in a knot, and sending a shower of stones they drove at the spiders on the left, and burst through the ring. Away behind them now the shouting and singing suddenly stopped.
很快，在右边的树林里面传来了“懒蜘蛛”和“笨蜘蛛”的喊声，这使得蜘蛛们很是惊惶。它们停下了前进的脚步，有些朝着声音传来的方向冲了过去。“笨蝴蛛”的称呼让他们在愤怒之下失去了理智。这时，比其他人多领会了一点比尔博计策的巴林，带着其他人发起了一次反攻。矮人们聚拢成一团，朝着左边的蜘蛛送出一蓬石头的弹雨，然后趁势冲出了包围圈。这时，他们身后比尔博的喊叫声和歌唱声突然停了下来。
Things were looking pretty bad again, when suddenly Bilbo reappeared, and charged into the astonished spiders unexpectedly from the side.
就在形势再度陷入危急的时候，比尔博突然现身，从斜刺里出其不意地杀入到蜘蛛们的包围圈中。
The dwarves then noticed that they had come to the edge of a ring where elf-fires had been. Whether it was one of those they had seen the night before, they could not tell. But it seemed that some good magic lingered in such spots, which the spiders did not like. At any rate here the light was greener, and the boughs less thick and threatening, and they had a chance to rest and draw breath.
矮人们这才注意到，他们已经来到了一个圈子的边缘，这里就是精灵营火曾经出现过的地方。不过，他们不能确定这是否就是他们昨晚见到的营火。不管怎样，这些地方似乎残留着一些善良的魔法，令蝴蛛们颇有忌惮。这里的天光更显翠绿，树枝也不那么浓密，少了些威胁的意味。他们终于有机会可以坐下来喘口气了。
“Go on! Go on!” he shouted. “I will do the stinging!”
“快走！快走！”他大喊道，“我来断后！”
And he did. He darted backwards and forwards, slashing at spider-threads, hacking at their legs, and stabbing at their fat bodies if they came too near. The spiders swelled with rage, and spluttered and frothed, and hissed out horrible curses; but they had become mortally afraid of Sting, and dared not come very near, now that it had come back. So curse as they would, their prey moved slowly but steadily away. It was a most terrible business, and seemed to take hours. But at last, just when Bilbo felt that he could not lift his hand for a single stroke more, the spiders suddenly gave it up, and followed them no more, but went back disappointed to their dark colony.
他也真的做到了，只见他前冲后突，割蛛丝，砍蛛腿，如果有蜘蛛逼近，他就刺穿它们肥胖的身体。蜘蛛们满腔怒火，发出噼里啪啦的声音，口角吐着白沫，用嘶嘶声恶毒地咒骂着。但是，它们已经知道了刺叮的厉害，因此当它重现战团之后，就不敢逼得太近。因此，不管它们再怎么咒骂，它们的猎物还是缓慢而又持续地朝包围圈外溜走。这实在是一个让人感到无比煎熬的过程，持续了似乎有几个小时之久。但到最后，正当比尔博觉得再也抬不起手来作一下劈刺的时候，蜘蛛们突然放弃了，不再紧追不舍，而是满怀失望地回它们黑暗的领地去了。
There they lay for some time, puffing and panting. But very soon they began to ask questions. They had to have the whole vanishing business carefully explained, and the finding of the ring interested them so much that for a while they forgot their own troubles. Balin in particular insisted on having the Gollum story, riddles and all, told all over again, with the ring in its proper place. But after a time the light began to fail, and then other questions were asked. Where were they, and where was their path, and where was there any food, and what were they going to do next? These questions they asked over and over again, and it was from little Bilbo that they seemed to expect to get the answers. From which you can see that they had changed their opinion of Mr. Baggins very much, and had begun to have a great respect for him (as Gandalf had said they would). Indeed they really expected him to think of some wonderful plan for helping them, and were not merely grumbling. They knew only too well that they would soon all have been dead, if it had not been for the hobbit; and they thanked him many times. Some of them even got up and bowed right to the ground before him, though they fell over with the effort, and could not get on their legs again for some time. Knowing the truth about the vanishing did not lessen their opinion of Bilbo at all; for they saw that he had some wits, as well as luck and a magic ring-and all three are very useful possessions. In fact they praised him so much that Bilbo began to feel there really was something of a bold adventurer about himself after all, though he would have felt a lot bolder still, if there had been anything to eat.
他们在那里躺了一会儿，呼哧呼哧地喘着大气。但他们马上就开始好奇地提问了。他们让比尔博详细解释凭空消失是怎么回事，他找到戒指的经过让他们非常感兴趣，以至于让他们一时间忘记了自己的麻烦。巴林对此尤其有兴趣，缠着比尔博要他把咕噜的故事，包括猜谜语的详情和关于戒指的细节都再讲一遍。但过了一会儿之后，身边的绿光开始转暗，这时他们才想起问一些别的问题：这里到底是哪儿？原先的小径在何处？该到哪里去找些食物？接下来又该怎么办？他们一遍遍地问着这些问题，似乎期待着能从小比尔博那里得到回答。从这一点上你们就可以看出来，矮人们对于巴金斯先生的看法已经完全改变了，开始对他表现出了极大的尊敬（甘道夫早就说过会有这一天的）。他们真的认为他会想出好的计划来帮他们脱离困境，而不是窝在这里一味抱怨。他们心里明白得很，要不是霍比特人舍命相救，他们撑不了多久就没命了。他们对他谢了又谢，有几个矮人甚至站起身来，要给他来个九十度的鞠躬，结果因为腿软而倒在地上，一时之间爬不起来。尽管他们知道了神秘消失的真相，却一点也没有减少对比尔博的敬意，因为他们都明白，比尔博不仅有好运气和一枚魔法戒指，还相当有急智——这三样可都是非常有用的东西。事实上，他们对于比尔博的称赞，让他也开始觉得自己真是个伟大的冒险者，尽管如果能有点东西吃的话，他还能变得更勇敢些。
All of a sudden Dwalin opened an eye, and looked round at them. “Where is Thorin?” he asked.
突然间，杜瓦林睁开了一只眼睛，朝周围的伙伴们扫了一圈。“索林到哪儿去了？”他问道。
It was a terrible shock. Of course there were only thirteen of them, twelve dwarves and the hobbit. Where indeed was Thorin? They wondered what evil fate had befallen him, magic or dark monsters; and shuddered as they lay lost in the forest. There they dropped off one by one into uncomfortable sleep full of horrible dreams, as evening wore to black night; and there we must leave them for the present, too sick and weary to set guards or to take turns at watching.
大伙儿感到无比震惊。对啊，这里只有十三个人：十二名矮人和霍比特人。索林到底跑哪儿去了？他们开始幻想着索林到底遭遇到什么样的厄运，究竟是着了魔法，还是遇上了邪恶的怪物呢？大家失神地躺在树林里打着寒战。随着傍晚渐渐变成黑夜，他们就这样一个接一个地睡着了。他们睡得都很不好，每个人都噩梦连篇的。由于病痛和疲惫，他们根本无力设置哨兵或是轮班守夜。我们暂时把他们放到一边，先来看看另一边的情形吧。
“Gollum! Well I’m blest! So that’s how he sneaked past me, is it? Now I know! Just crept quietly along did you, Mr. Baggins? Buttons all over the doorstep! Good old Bilbo-Bilbo-Bilbo-bo-bo-bo –” And then he fell asleep, and there was complete silence for a long while.
“咕噜！我的个乖乖！原来他是这样偷偷从我身边溜过去的？我总算知道了！巴金斯先生，你是戴着隐身戒指悄悄溜进来的？纽扣在门前的台阶上撒了一地！可爱的老比尔博——比尔博——比尔博——博——博——博——”然后他就睡着了，四周陷入了长长的死寂。
But there was nothing, nothing at all; and none of them were fit to go and look for anything, or to search for the lost path. The lost path! No other idea would come into Bilbo’s tired head. He just sat staring in front of him at the endless trees; and after a while they all fell silent again. All except Balin. Long after the others had stopped talking and shut their eyes, he kept on muttering and chuckling to himself.
可吃的东西真的没有，一点点都没有。众人之中没有一个适合去找食物，或是探路的。唉，那迷失的小径啊！比尔博疲倦的脑子里只想着这几个字。他坐在地上，望着眼前无穷无尽的树木发呆。没过多久，大家都不出声了，只有巴林例外。在其他人都已经停止了说话，闭上眼睛休息之后，他还在自言自语，自得其乐地笑着。
The feasting people were Wood-elves, of course. These are not wicked folk. If they have a fault it is distrust of strangers. Though their magic was strong, even in those days they were wary. They differed from the High Elves of the West, and were more dangerous and less wise. For most of them (together with their scattered relations in the hills and mountains) were descended from the ancient tribes that never went to Faerie in the West. There the Light-elves and the Deep-elves and the Sea-elves went and lived for ages, and grew fairer and wiser and more learned, and invented their magic and their cunning craft in the making of beautiful and marvellous things, before some came back into the Wide World. In the Wide World the Wood-elves lingered in the twilight of our Sun and Moon, but loved best the stars; and they wandered in the great forests that grew tall in lands that are now lost. They dwelt most often by the edges of the woods, from which they could escape at times to hunt, or to ride and run over the open lands by moonlight or starlight; and after the coming of Men they took ever more and more to the gloaming and the dusk. Still elves they were and remain, and that is Good People.
当然，在林中宴饮的正是这些精灵。他们并不是什么坏家伙，如果说他们有什么缺点的话，那就是不信任陌生人。即便拥有很强的魔法，可在这些日子里他们还是非常小心翼翼。他们和西方的高等精灵不同，更具危险性，也没那么聪明。他们之中的大多数（加上他们散居于大小山脉间的亲族），都是从没有去过西方圣土的那些古老部族传承下来的。那些光明精灵、渊博精灵和海洋精灵，都去过西方圣土，并在那儿住了很多年，变得更美丽、更智慧、更博学，并且发明出他们自己的魔法，研究出如何制造美丽和神奇东西的技术，然后他们之中的一部分才重新回到这个世界来。在这个世界中，森林精灵在太阳和月亮的光华间游走，但他们最爱的还是星辰。他们会在今日早已绝迹的壮阔森林中漫游，且大多数居住在森林的边缘，在那里，他们有时进入森林狩猎，有时则在月光或是星光下驰骋于平原之上。在人类到来之后，他们越来越不喜欢光天化日了，不过，他们依旧是精灵，是善良的种族。
Thorin had been caught much faster than they had. You remember Bilbo falling like a log into sleep, as he stepped into a circle of light? The next time it had been Thorin who stepped forward, and as the lights went out he fell like a stone enchanted. All the noise of the dwarves lost in the night, their cries as the spiders caught them and bound them, and all the sounds of the battle next day, had passed over him unheard. Then the Wood-elves had come to him, and bound him, and carried him away.
索林被抓其实要比他们早得多。大家还记得比尔博在踏进精灵营火圈后倒头死睡的那一次吧？在接下来的那一次，轮到索林第一个冲进去，因此在火光熄灭后，他也着了魔法，陷入了死睡。飘散在夜色中的矮人们的喧闹声，他们被蜘蛛抓住并捆起来时发出的叫喊，第二天战斗中的厮杀声，所有这一切他全都没有听见。然后，森林精灵们便找到了他，把他捆起来带走了。
In a great cave some miles within the edge of Mirkwood on its eastern side there lived at this time their greatest king. Before his huge doors of stone a river ran out of the heights of the forest and flowed on and out into the marshes at the feet of the high wooded lands. This great cave, from which countless smaller ones opened out on every side, wound far underground and had many passages and wide halls; but it was lighter and more wholesome than any goblin-dwelling, and neither so deep nor so dangerous. In fact the subjects of the king mostly lived and hunted in the open woods, and had houses or huts on the ground and in the branches. The beeches were their favourite trees. The king’s cave was his palace, and the strong place of his treasure, and the fortress of his people against their enemies.
在距黑森林的东部边缘几哩之处有一座巨大的洞穴，此时里面居住着他们最伟大的国王。在他巨大的石门前，一道来自森林高地的河流蜿蜒而下，流进林木葱茏的平原旁的湿地。这个巨大的洞穴，在其每一边都有着数不尽的小洞穴，一直绵延到远处的地下，里面有许多通道和宽阔的厅堂。这地底世界远比半兽人居住的地方要亮堂、干净，没有那么幽深，也没那么危险。事实上，国王的臣民大多在森林中居住狩猎，他们居住的屋子多半在地面上或树枝间。山毛榉是他们最喜欢的树。国王的洞穴是他的宫殿，也是他收藏宝物的地方，更是他的同胞们对抗外敌的堡垒。
It was also the dungeon of his prisoners. So to the cave they dragged Thorin-not too gently, for they did not love dwarves, and thought he was an enemy. In ancient days they had had wars with some of the dwarves, whom they accused of stealing their treasure. It is only fair to say that the dwarves gave a different account, and said that they only took what was their due, for the elf-king had bargained with them to shape his raw gold and silver, and had afterwards refused to give them their pay. If the elf-king had a weakness it was for treasure, especially for silver and white gems; and though his hoard was rich, he was ever eager for more, since he had not yet as great a treasure as other elf-lords of old. His people neither mined nor worked metals or jewels, nor did they bother much with trade or with tilling the earth. All this was well known to every dwarf, though Thorin’s family had had nothing to do with the old quarrel I have spoken of. Consequently Thorin was angry at their treatment of him, when they took their spell off him and he came to his senses; and also he was determined that no word of gold or jewels should be dragged out of him.
这里也是他们关押囚犯的地牢。因此，他们将索林拖来了此处——态度不算太客气，因为他们不喜欢矮人，并且认为他是敌人。在古代，他们曾经指控有些矮人偷盗他们的宝藏，并且与他们进行了战争。不过这事儿要是不听听矮人们给出的不同说法便算不上公平。据他们的说法他们只是拿回了他们应得的东西，因为精灵国王和他们谈好了工钱，要求他们帮他打造金银器，可过后却拒绝付给他们报酬。如果说精灵国王有什么弱点的话，那一定是对财宝的贪恋，尤其是对白银和白色的宝石。虽然他已经收藏了许多的宝物，但他还是永不满足，因为他的宝藏还比不上其他远古精灵贵族那样丰富。他的子民不会开矿，也不会铸造金属或是打造珠宝，更懒得花工夫去做买卖或是种地。每个矮人都知道精灵与矮人的这段过节，虽然索林的祖先与之一点关系也没有。因此，当身上的魔法被解除，索林苏醒过来之后，他对于精灵们的态度很是气愤，他拿定主意，他们休想从他口中获得关于金子或珠宝的一个字儿。
“What were you doing in the forest?”
“你们在森林里面干什么？”
“I don’t know, but I expect starving in the forest.”
“我不知道，不过我估计他们大概还在森林里挨饿呢。”
“Where are your friends now, and what are they doing?”
“你的朋友们到哪儿去了，现在在干什么？”
“But what brought you into the forest at all?” asked the king angrily.
“可你们当初为什么会进森林？”国王愤怒地问道。
“Why did you and your folk three times try to attack my people at their merrymaking?” asked the king.
“我的同胞们在欢宴时，你和你的同伙为何三次试图发起攻击？”国王问。
The king looked sternly on Thorin, when he was brought before him, and asked him many questions. But Thorin would only say that he was starving.
在索林被带到国王面前之后，国王严肃地看着他，问了他许多问题，但索林只是一个劲儿地说他饿得要死。
At that Thorin shut his mouth and would not say another word.
对于这个问题，索林闭上嘴，一个字也不愿回答了。
“Looking for food and drink, because we were starving.”
“找食物和饮水，因为我们饿了很久。”
“Very well!” said the king. “Take him away and keep him safe, until he feels inclined to tell the truth, even if he waits a hundred years.”
“好极了！”国王说，“把他带走，好好看管，等他到愿意说实话为止，哪怕等上一百年。”
“We did not attack them,” answered Thorin; “we came to beg, because we were starving.”
“我们没有攻击他们，”索林回答，“我们是想来讨点吃的，因为我们饿了很久。”
Then the elves put thongs on him, and shut him in one of the inmost caves with strong wooden doors, and left him. They gave him food and drink, plenty of both, if not very fine; for Wood-elves were not goblins, and were reasonably well-behaved even to their worst enemies, when they captured them. The giant spiders were the only living things that they had no mercy upon.
精灵们用皮带将他绑起，把他关进了装有结实木门的最幽深的洞穴之一，然后就走了。他们留给了他很多吃的喝的，虽然不见得有多好，但数量却很多。森林精灵们毕竟不是半兽人，即便是对待成为阶下囚的死敌，也还保持得体的举止。惟一会让他们毫不留情的就只有那些大蜘蛛了。
There in the king’s dungeon poor Thorin lay; and after he had got over his thankfulness for bread and meat and water, he began to wonder what had become of his unfortunate friends. It was not very long before he discovered; but that belongs to the next chapter and the beginning of another adventure in which the hobbit again showed his usefulness.
索林就这么躺在国王的地牢中。在他心存感谢地用过了面包、肉和水之后，他开始担心起那些不幸的朋友们的处境来。过不了多久，他就能知道了，不过，这是发生在下一章的事情，那是又一场冒险的开端，霍比特人将再次让人领略到他的大用处。
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