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！
pear。 Disappear！ We have got to get busy very quick； if that is to happen！〃
Balin was told off to watch the guard and the butler and give warning if they stirred。 The rest went into the adjoining cellar with the trapdoors。
There was little time to lose。 Before long； as Bilbo knew； some elves were under orders to e down and help the butler get the empty barrels through the doors into the stream。 These were in fact already standing in rows in the middle of the floor waiting to be pushed off。 Some of them were wine…barrels； and these were not much use； as they could not easily be opened at the end without a deal of noise； nor could they easily be secured again。 But among them were several others which had been used for bringing other stuffs； butter； apples； and all sorts of things； to the king's palace。 They soon found thirteen with room enough for a dwarf in each。 In fact some were too roomy； and as they climbed in the dwarves thought anxiously of the shaking and the bumping they would get inside； though Bilbo did his best to find straw and other stuff to pack them in as cosily as could be managed in a short time。 At last twelve dwarves were stowed。 Thorin had given a lot of trouble； and turned and twisted in his tub and grumbled like a large dog in a small kennel； while Balin； who came last； made a great fuss about his air…holes and said he was stifling； even before his lid was on。 Bilbo had done what he could to close holes in the sides of the barrels； and to fix on all the lids as safely as could be managed； and now he was left alone again； running round putting the finishing touches…to the packing； and hoping against hope that his plan would e off。
It had not been a…bit too soon。 Only a minute or two after Balin's lid had been fitted on there came the sound of voices and the flicker of lights。 A number of elves came laughing and talking into the cellars and singing snatches of song。 They had left a merry feast in one of the halls and were bent on returning as soon as they could。 〃Where's old Galion； the butler？〃 said one。 〃I haven't seen him at the tables tonight。 He ought to be here now to show us what is to be done。〃
〃I shall be angry if the old slowcoach is late；〃 said another。 〃I have no wish to waste time down here while the song is up！〃
〃Ha； ha！〃 came a cry。 〃Here's the old villain with his head on a jug！
He's been having a little feast all to himself and his friend the captain。〃 〃Shake him！ Wake him！〃 shouted the others impatiently。 Gallon was not at all pleased at being shaken or wakened； and still less at being laughed at。 〃You're all late；〃 he grumbled。 〃Here am I waiting and waiting down here； while you fellows drink and make merry and forget your tasks。 Small wonder if I fall asleep from weariness！〃
〃Small wonder；〃 said they； 〃when the explanation stands close at hand in a jug！ e give us a taste of your sleeping…draught before we fall to！ No need to wake the turnkey yonder。 He has had his share by the looks of it。〃 Then they drank once round and became mighty merry all of a sudden。 But they did not quite lose their wits。 〃Save us； Galion！〃 cried some； 〃you began your feasting early and muddled your wits！ You have stacked some full casks here instead of the empty ones； if there is anything in weight。〃 〃Get on with the work！〃 growled the butler。 〃There is nothing in the feeling of weight in an idle toss…pot's arms。 These are the ones to go and no others。 Do as I say！〃
〃Very well； very well；〃 they answered rolling the barrels to the opening。 〃On your head be it； if the king's full buttertubs and his best wine is pushed into the river for the Lake…men to feast on for nothing！〃
〃Roll…roll…roll…roll；
roll…roll…rolling down the hole I
Heave ho！ Splash plump ！
Down they go； down they bump！〃
So they sang as first one barrel and then another rumbled to the dark opening and was pushed over into the cold water some feet below。 Some were barrels really empty； some were tubs neatly packed with a dwarf each； but down they all went； one after another； with many a clash and a bump； thudding on top of ones below； smacking into the water； jostling against the walls of the tunnel； knocking into one another； and bobbing away down the current。
It was just at this moment that Bilbo suddenly discovered the weak point in his plan。 Most likely you saw it some time ago and have been laughing at him； but I don't suppose you would have done half as well yourselves in his place。 Of course he was not in a barrel himself； nor was there anyone to pack him in； even if there had been a chance！ It looked as if he would certainly lose his friends this time （nearly all of them had already disappeared through the dark trap…door）； and get utterly left behind and have to stay lurking as a permanent burglar in the elf…caves for ever。 For even if he could have escaped through the upper gates at once； he had precious small chance of ever finding the dwarves again。 He did not know the way by land to the place where the barrels were collected。 He wondered what on earth would happen to them without him； for he had not had time to tell the dwarves all that he had learned； or what he had meant to do； once they were out of the wood。 While all these thoughts were passing through his mind； the elves being very merry began to sing a song round the river…door。 Some had already gone to haul on the ropes which pulled up the portcullis at the water…gate so as to let out the barrels as soon as they were all afloat below。
〃Down the swift dark stream you go
Back to lands you once did know！
Leave the halls and caverns deep；
Leave the northern mountains steep；
Where the forest wide and dim
Stoops in shadow grey and grim！
Float beyond the world of trees
Out into the whispering breeze；
Past the rushes； past the reeds；
Past the marsh's waving weeds；
Through the mist that riseth white
Up from mere and pool at night！
Follow； follow stars that leap
Up the heavens cold and steep；
Turn when dawn es over land；
Over rapid； over sand；
South away！ and South away！
Seek the sunlight and the day；
Back to pasture； back to mead；
Where the kine and oxen feed！
Back to gardens on the hills
Where the berry swells and fills
Under sunlight； under day！
South away！ and South away！
Down the swift dark stream you go
Back to lands you once did know！〃
Now the very last barrel was being rolled to the doors！ In despair and not knowing what else to do； poor little Bilbo caught hold of it and was pushed over the edge with it。 Down into the water he fell； splash！ into the cold dark water with the barrel on top of him。 He came up again spluttering and clinging to the wood like a rat； but for all his efforts he could not scramble on top。 Every time he tried； the barrel rolled round and ducked him under again。 It was really empty； and floated light as a cork。 Though his ears were full of water； he could hear the elves still singing in the cellar above。 Then suddenly the trapdoors fell to with a boom and their voices faded away。 He was in the dark tunnel； floating in icy water； all alone…for you cannot count friends that are all packed up in barrels。
Very soon a grey patch came up in the darkness ahead。 He heard the creak of the water…gate being hauled up； and he found that he was in the midst of a bobbing and bumping mass of casks and tubs all pressing together to pass under the arch and get out into the open stream。 He had as much as he could do to prevent himself from being hustled and battered to bits； but at last the jostling crowd began to break up and swing off； one by one； under the stone arch and away。 Then he saw that it would have been no good even if he had managed to get astride his barrel； for there was no room to spare； not even for a hobbit； between its top and the suddenly stooping roof where the gate was。
Out they went under the overhanging branches of the trees on either bank。 Bilbo wondered what the dwarves were feeling and whether a lot of water was getting into their tubs。 Some of those that bobbed along by him in the gloom seemed pretty low in the water； and he guessed that these had dwarves inside。 〃I do hope I put the lids on tight enough！〃 he thought； but before long he was worrying too much about himself to remember the dwarves。 He managed to keep his head above the water； but he was shivering with the cold； and he wondered if he would die of it before the luck turned； and how much longer he would be able to hang on； and whether he should risk the chance of letting go and trying to swim to the bank。
The luck turned all right before long： the eddying current carried several barrels close ashore at one point and there for a while they stuck against some hidden root。 Then Bilbo took the opportunity of scrambling up the side of his barrel while it was held steady against another。 Up he crawled like a drowned rat； and lay on the top spread out to keep the balance as best he could。 The breeze was cold but better than the water； and he hoped he would not suddenly roll off again when they started off once more。 Before long the barrels broke free again and turned and twisted off down the stream； and out into the main current Then he found it quite as difficult to stick