Джон Толкин - The Hobbit / Хоббит. 10 класс

Ознакомительная версия.

“We are sent from Dain son of Nain,” the dwarves said. “We are going to our relatives in the Mountain.”

Bard, of course, refused to allow the dwarves to go straight on to the Mountain. He was going to wait until Thorin had brought the gold and silver in exchange for the Arkenstone. The dwarves had brought with them a great store of supplies. So they could stand a siege for weeks.

This was, in fact, Thorin’s plan; but for the moment the way was blocked, so after angry words the dwarf-messengers retired. Bard then sent messengers at once to the Gate; but they found no gold or payment.

Suddenly darkness came! A black cloud hurried over the sky.

“Halt!” cried Gandalf, who appeared suddenly, and stood alone, with arms uplifted, between the advancing dwarves and the men and elves awaiting them. “Halt!” he called in a voice like thunder. “The Goblins are coming! Bolg of the North is coming. O Dain! You killed his father in Moria. Look! The bats are above his army like a black sea. They ride on wolves and Wargs are in their train!” Amazement and confusion fell upon them all. The darkness grew. The dwarves gazed at the sky. The elves cried.

“Come!” called Gandalf. “There is yet time for council. Let Dain son of Nain come swiftly to us!”

So began a battle that none had expected; and it was called the Battle of Five Armies, and it was very terrible. Upon one side were the Goblins and the wild Wolves, and upon the other were Elves and Men and Dwarves.

Gandalf together with the Elvenking, Bard, and Dain realized that the Goblins were the foes of all, and at their coming all other quarrels were forgotten. Now it was necessary to lure the goblins into the valley between the arms of the Mountain.

Soon the bat-cloud came, flying lower, and whirled above them.

“To the Mountain!” called Bard. “To the Mountain! Let us take our places while there is yet time!”

On the Southern spur the Elves were set; on the Eastern spur were men and dwarves. But Bard and some of the nimblest of men and elves climbed to the height of the Eastern shoulder to get a view to the North. Soon they could see the lands before the Mountain’s feet black with a hurrying mass. Soon the goblin army rushed into Dale. Their banners were countless, black and red.

It was a terrible battle, and it was the most dreadful of all Bilbo’s experiences. Actually I must say he put on his ring and vanished from sight. But a magic ring is not a complete protection in a battle, it can’t stop flying arrows and wild spears; but it helps in getting out of the way.

The elves were the first to attack the goblin army. Their hatred for the goblins is cold and bitter. As soon as their enemies were in the valley, they sent against them a shower of arrows and spears. Then with cries of “Moria!” and “Dain, Dain!” the dwarves of the Iron Hills attacked the goblins; and beside them came the men of the Lake with long swords. Panic came upon the goblins. Already many of them were flying back down the river to escape from the trap. Just then another big group of goblins appeared from the other side of the Mountain and already many of them were on the slopes above the Gate. The goblins gathered again in the valley.

Soon actual darkness was coming into a stormy sky; while still the great bats whirled about the heads and ears of elves and men. Now Bard was fighting to defend the Eastern spur; and the elf-lords were at bay[120] about their king upon the southern arm. Suddenly there was a great shout, and from the Gate came a trumpet call. They had forgotten Thorin! Part of the wall fell outward with a crash into the pool. The King under the Mountain leaped out, and his companions followed him. They were in shining armour. Then the goblins who were higher on the Mountain started dropping stones onto them.

Thorin brandished his axe with mighty strokes.

“To me! To me! Elves and Men! To me!” he cried.

Down rushed all the dwarves of Dain to his help. Down too came many of the Lake-men, for Bard could not restrain them; and out upon the other side came many of the spearmen of the elves. Once again the goblins were stricken in the valley. But soon the attackers were attacked again.

On all this Bilbo looked with sadness from Ravenhill. He was among the elves because he preferred to defend the Elvenking. Gandalf, too, was there, sitting on the ground, preparing, I suppose, some last blast of magic before the end. “It will be soon,” thought Bilbo. But suddenly he gave a great cry: he had seen a sight that made his heart leap.

“The Eagles! The Eagles!” he shouted. “The Eagles are coming!” Bilbo’s eyes were seldom wrong. The eagles were coming line after line, and there were a lot of them.

“The Eagles! The Eagles!” Bilbo cried, dancing and waving his arms. If the elves could not see him they could hear him.

“The Eagles!” cried Bilbo once more, but at that moment a stone hit him on the head and he fell with a crash.

When Bilbo opened his eyes, he was lying on the flat stones of Ravenhill, and no one was near. It was a cloudless but cold day. He was shaking, and his head burned with fire.

He sat up painfully. Looking into the valley he could see no living goblins. “Victory after all, I suppose!” he said, feeling his aching head.

Suddenly he was aware of a man climbing up and coming towards him.

“Hullo there!” he called with a trembling voice. “Hullo there! What’s the news?”

“What voice is it that speaks among the stones?” said the man.

Then Bilbo remembered his ring!

“It’s me, Bilbo Baggins, companion of Thorin!” he cried, hurriedly taking off the ring.

“It is good that I have found you!” said the man. “You are needed and we have looked for you long. We thought you were dead. How are you?”

“I feel sick and my legs are like straws,” said Bilbo.

“I will carry you down to the camp in the valley,” said the man, and picked him lightly up.

The man was swift, and soon Bilbo was before a tent in Dale; and there stood Gandalf, with his arm in a sling. Even the wizard had not escaped without a wound.

When Gandalf saw Bilbo, he was delighted. “Baggins!” he exclaimed. “You are alive after all – I am glad! Come!” he said. “You are needed,” he added and took the hobbit within the tent.

“Hail! Thorin,” Gandalf said as he entered. “I have brought him.” There lay Thorin Oakenshield, wounded with many wounds. He looked up as Bilbo came beside him.

“Farewell,[121] good thief,” he said. “I go now to my fathers. I wish to part in friendship from you, and I would like to take back my words and deeds at the Gate.”

“Farewell, King under the Mountain!” answered Bilbo. “This is a bitter adventure, if it must end so. Yet I am glad that I have been with you.”

“There is more in you of good than you know, child of the West. You have courage and wisdom. If more of us valued food and cheer and song above gold, it would be a merrier world. But sad or merry, I must leave it now. Farewell!”

Then Bilbo turned away, and he went by himself, and sat alone wrapped in a blanket, and wept until his eyes were red. He was a kind little soul. “I am glad that we parted in kindness,” he said at last to himself. “You are a fool, Bilbo Baggins, and you made a great mess of that business with the stone; and there was a battle, in spite of all your efforts to buy peace and quiet.”

Now I will tell you what happened after the Eagles had come. They drove the goblins away from the mountain-slopes. And then Beorn himself appeared – no one knew how or from where. He came alone, and in bear’s shape. The roar of his voice was like drums; and he threw wolves and goblins from his path like straws and feathers. Then Beorn lifted Thorin, who had fallen pierced with spears, and carried him out of the battle. Swiftly he returned and pulled down Bolg himself and crushed him. So the goblins ran away in all directions.

“Where are the Eagles?” Bilbo asked Gandalf that evening, as he lay wrapped in many warm blankets.

“They departed with the first light of morning. Dain has crowned their chief with gold, and sworn friendship with them for ever,” said the wizard.

“I would like to see them again,” said Bilbo sleepily; “perhaps I will see them on the way home. I suppose I will go home soon.”

“As soon as you like,” said the wizard.

Then they buried Thorin deep beneath the Mountain, and Bard put the Arkenstone on his breast.

“There it will lie till the Mountain falls!” he said. Upon his tomb the Elvenking then put Orcrist, the elvish sword that had been taken from Thorin in captivity. Dain son of Nain became King under the Mountain. Of the twelve companions of Thorin, ten remained. Fili and Kili had died defending him with shield and body,[122] because he was their mother’s elder brother. The others remained with Dain. A fourteenth share of all the silver and gold was given to Bard.

Even a fourteenth share was a great wealth. From that treasure Bard sent much gold to the Master of Lake-town; and he rewarded his followers and friends generously. To the Elvenking he gave the emeralds of Girion. To Bilbo he said: “This treasure is as much yours as it is mine; I would like to reward you most richly of all.”

“That’s very kind of you,” said Bilbo. “But really it is better in your hands.” In the end he agreed to take two small chests, one filled with silver, and the other with gold, such as one strong pony could carry.

At last the time came for him to say good-bye to his friends. “Farewell, Balin!” he said; “and farewell, Dwalin; and farewell Dori, Nori, Ori, Oin, Gloin, Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur!” And turning towards the Mountain he added: “Farewell Thorin Oakenshield! And Fili and Kili!”

Then the dwarves bowed low before their Gate. “Good-bye and good luck, Bilbo!” said Balin. “If ever you visit us again, when our halls are beautiful once more, then the feast will be splendid!”

“If ever you are passing my way,” said Bilbo, “don’t wait to knock! Tea is at four; but any of you are welcome at any time!”

Then he turned away.

The elves were on the march. Gandalf and Bilbo rode behind the Elvenking, and beside them was Beorn, once again in man’s shape. So they went on until they approached the borders of Mirkwood, to the north of the place where the Forest River ran out.

Then they stopped. The wizard and Bilbo intended to go along the edge of the forest. It was a long and cheerless road, but now that the goblins were crushed, it seemed safer to them than the dreadful pathways under the trees. Moreover Beorn was going that way too.

“Farewell! O Elvenking!” said Gandalf. “Merry be the greenwood! And merry be all your folk!”[123]

“Farewell! O Gandalf!” said the king. “May you ever appear where you are most needed and least expected![124] I will be happy to see you in my halls!”

“Please,” said Bilbo, “accept this gift!” and he brought out a necklace of silver and pearls that Dain had given him at their parting.

“How have I earned such a gift?” said the king.

“Well,” said Bilbo rather confused, “some little return[125] should be made for your hospitality. I mean even a burglar has his feelings. I have drunk much of your wine and eaten much of your bread.”

“I will take your gift, O Bilbo the Magnificent!” said the king seriously. “And I name you elf-friend and blessed. Farewell!”

Then the elves turned towards the Forest, and Bilbo started on his long road home.

It was spring when Bilbo and Gandalf left Beorn. At last they reached the very pass where the goblins had captured them before. Behind there was Mirkwood, blue in the distance. And far away there was the Lonely Mountain. On its highest peak snow was gleaming pale. “So comes snow after fire and even dragons have their ending!” said Bilbo. “I wish now only to be in my own arm-chair!” he said.

On May the First Bilbo and Gandalf came back at last to the Last (or the First) Homely House.

Again it was evening, their ponies were tired, especially the one that carried the baggage; and they all felt in need of rest. As they rode down the steep path, Bilbo heard the elves still singing in the trees; and as soon as their riders came down into the lower glades of the wood they burst into a song.

This is something like it:

Then the elves of the valley came out and greeted them and led them across the water to the house of Elrond. There were many elves that evening who wanted to hear the tale of their adventures. Gandalf was speaking, because Bilbo was sleepy. But sometimes he opened one eye, and listened. And so he learned that Gandalf had been to a great council of the white wizards, masters of good magic; and that they had at last driven the Necromancer from his dark hold in the south of Mirkwood.

“Soon,” Gandalf was saying, “The Forest will be safer. The North will be freed from that horror for many long years, I hope.”

Bilbo woke in a white bed, and the moon was shining through an open window. Below it many elves were singing on the banks of the stream.

“Well, Merry People!” said Bilbo looking out. “What time is this?”

“It is drawing towards dawn, and you have slept now since the night’s beginning.”

“I would like to sleep some more,” said he; “A second good night, fair friends!” And with that he went back to bed and slept till late morning.

Soon Bilbo said farewell to Elrond and rode away with Gandalf.

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

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

At each point on the road Bilbo recalled the events of a year ago. So he quickly noted the place where the pony had fallen in the river, and they had turned aside for their nasty adventure with Tom and Bert and Bill. Not far from the road they found the gold of the trolls, which they had buried, still hidden and untouched. “Take this, Gandalf,” said Bilbo, when they had dug it up. “You can find a use for it.”

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

So they shared the gold and put it in bags on the ponies. After that they went slower, for most of the time they walked.

As all things come to an end, even this story, a day came at last when they were in sight of the country where Bilbo had been born. Finally he could see his own Hill in the distance.

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

“Bless me! What’s going on?” he cried.

Ознакомительная версия.