Chapter 1 A LONG-EXPECTED PARTY When Mr. Bilbo Baggins of Bag End announced that he would shortly be celebrating his eleventy-first birthday with a party of special magnificence, there was much talk and excitement in Hobbiton. Bilbo was very rich and very peculiar, and had been the wonder of the Shire for sixty years, ever since his remarkable disappearance and unexpected return. The riches he had brought back from his travels had now become a local legend, and it was popularly believed, whatever the old folk might say, that the Hill at Bag End was full of tunnels stuffed with treasure. And if that was not enough for fame, there was also his prolonged vigour to marvel at. Time wore on, but it seemed to have little effect on Mr. Baggins. At ninety he was much the same as at fifty. At ninety-nine they began to call him well-preserved; but unchanged would have been nearer the mark. There were some that shook their heads and thought this was too much of a good thing; it seemed unfair that anyone should possess (apparently) perpetual youth as well as (reputedly) inexhaustible wealth. ‘It will have to be paid for,’ they said. ‘It isn’t natural, and trouble will come of it!’ But so far trouble had not come; and as Mr. Baggins was generous with his money, most people were willing to forgive him his oddities and his good fortune. He remained on visiting terms with his relatives (except, of course, the Sackville-Bagginses), and he had many devoted admirers among the hobbits of poor and unimportant families. But he had no close friends, until some of his younger cousins began to grow up. The eldest of these, and Bilbo’s favourite, was young Frodo Baggins. When Bilbo was ninety-nine he adopted Frodo as his heir, and brought him to live at Bag End; and the hopes of the SackvilleBagginses were finally dashed. Bilbo and Frodo happened to have the same birthday, September 22nd. ‘You had better come and live here, Frodo my lad,’ said Bilbo one day; ‘and then we can celebrate our birthday-parties comfortably together.’ At that time Frodo was still in his tweens, as the hobbits called the irresponsible twenties between childhood and coming of age at thirty-three. Twelve more years passed. Each year the Bagginses had given very lively combined birthday-parties at Bag End; but now it was
第一章 期待已久的宴會 當袋底洞的比爾博·巴金斯先生宣布他即將舉辦一場盛大的宴會來慶祝他的一百一十一歲生日時，哈比屯裡一片議論紛紛，興奮不已。比爾博非常富有，也十分古怪，六十年來一直是夏爾的奇蹟，自從他那次非凡的失蹤和意外的歸來之後。他從旅行中帶回來的財富如今已成為當地傳說，人們普遍相信，無論那些老人家怎麼說，袋底洞的山丘裡都塞滿了寶藏的隧道。如果這還不足以讓他聲名遠播，那他那持久的活力也令人稱奇。時光流逝，但似乎對巴金斯先生沒有什麼影響。九十歲的他和五十歲時幾乎一模一樣。九十九歲時，人們開始稱他「保養得宜」；但「毫無變化」或許更接近事實。有些人搖頭嘆息，認為這實在是太過分了；任何人竟然能（表面上）擁有永恆的青春，又（據說）擁有取之不盡的財富，這似乎很不公平。「這遲早要付出代價的，」他們說。「這不自然，而且會招來麻煩！」但到目前為止，麻煩並未降臨；而且巴金斯先生對金錢慷慨大方，大多數人也樂意原諒他的古怪和好運。他與親戚們保持著往來（當然，除了薩克維爾-巴金斯家族），並且在貧窮和不重要的哈比人家庭中擁有許多忠實的仰慕者。但他沒有親近的朋友，直到他的一些年輕表親開始長大。其中最年長的，也是比爾博最喜歡的，是年輕的佛羅多·巴金斯。比爾博九十九歲時，收養佛羅多為繼承人，並帶他到袋底洞居住；薩克維爾-巴金斯家族的希望也因此徹底破滅。比爾博和佛羅多碰巧是同一天生日，九月二十二日。「你最好搬來這裡住，佛羅多，我的孩子，」比爾博有一天說道；「這樣我們就能舒服地一起慶祝我們的生日派對了。」那時佛羅多還在「青少年期」，哈比人稱之為介於童年和三十三歲成年之間的「不負責任的二十歲」。又過了十二年。每年巴金斯家族都在袋底洞舉辦非常熱鬧的聯合生日派對；但現在卻是
22 THE LORD OF THE RINGS understood that something quite exceptional was being planned for that autumn. Bilbo was going to be eleventy-one, 111, a rather curious number, and a very respectable age for a hobbit (the Old Took himself had only reached 130); and Frodo was going to be thirty-three, 33, an important number: the date of his ‘coming of age’. Tongues began to wag in Hobbiton and Bywater; and rumour of the coming event travelled all over the Shire. The history and character of Mr. Bilbo Baggins became once again the chief topic of conversation; and the older folk suddenly found their reminiscences in welcome demand. No one had a more attentive audience than old Ham Gamgee, commonly known as the Gaffer. He held forth at The Ivy Bush, a small inn on the Bywater road; and he spoke with some authority, for he had tended the garden at Bag End for forty years, and had helped old Holman in the same job before that. Now that he was himself growing old and stiff in the joints, the job was mainly carried on by his youngest son, Sam Gamgee. Both father and son were on very friendly terms with Bilbo and Frodo. They lived on the Hill itself, in Number 3 Bagshot Row just below Bag End. ‘A very nice well-spoken gentlehobbit is Mr. Bilbo, as I’ve always said,’ the Gaffer declared. With perfect truth: for Bilbo was very polite to him, calling him ‘Master Hamfast’, and consulting him constantly upon the growing of vegetables — in the matter of ‘roots’, especially potatoes, the Gaffer was recognized as the leading authority by all in the neighbourhood (including himself). ‘But what about this Frodo that lives with him?’ asked Old Noakes of Bywater. ‘Baggins is his name, but he’s more than half a Brandybuck, they say. It beats me why any Baggins of Hobbiton should go looking for a wife away there in Buckland, where folks are so queer.’ ‘And no wonder they’re queer,’ put in Daddy Twofoot (the Gaffer’s next-door neighbour), ‘if they live on the wrong side of the Brandywine River, and right agin the Old Forest. That’s a dark bad place, if half the tales be true.’ ‘You’re right, Dad!’ said the Gaffer. ‘Not that the Brandybucks of Buckland live in the Old Forest; but they’re a queer breed, seemingly. They fool about with boats on that big river — and that isn’t natural. Small wonder that trouble came of it, I say. But be that as it may, Mr. Frodo is as nice a young hobbit as you could wish to meet. Very much like Mr. Bilbo, and in more than looks. After all his father was a Baggins. A decent respectable hobbit was Mr. Drogo Baggins; there was never much to tell of him, till he was drownded.’ ‘Drownded?’ said several voices. They had heard this and other darker rumours before, of course; but hobbits have a passion for family history, and they were ready to hear it again.
《魔戒》的作者明白，那個秋天將會有一場非同尋常的慶典。比爾博將滿一百一十一歲，一個相當奇特的數字，對於哈比人來說，這是一個非常受人尊敬的年齡（老圖克本人也只活到一百三十歲）；而佛羅多將滿三十三歲，這是一個重要的數字：是他「成年」的日期。流言蜚語開始在哈比屯和水邊村傳開；關於即將到來的盛事的謠言傳遍了整個夏爾。比爾博·巴金斯先生的生平和性格再次成為人們談論的主要話題；而那些年長的人們突然發現他們的舊事重提受到了熱烈的歡迎。沒有人比老漢姆·甘吉（通常被稱為「老爹」）擁有更專注的聽眾了。他在水邊村路旁的小酒館「常春藤叢」裡高談闊論；他說話帶著幾分權威，因為他已經在袋底洞照料花園四十年了，在此之前還曾協助老霍爾曼做同樣的工作。現在他自己也年事已高，關節僵硬，這份工作主要由他最小的兒子山姆·甘吉接手。父子倆都與比爾博和佛羅多關係非常友好。他們住在山丘上，就在袋底洞下方第三號袋畔街。 「比爾博先生是個非常和藹、談吐得體的紳士哈比人，我一直這麼說，」老爹宣稱。這話千真萬確：因為比爾博對他非常客氣，稱他為「漢姆法斯特大師」，並經常就蔬菜種植問題徵求他的意見——尤其是在「根莖類」作物方面，老爹被附近所有人（包括他自己）公認為是權威。 「但是那個和他住在一起的佛羅多呢？」水邊村的老諾克斯問道。 「他姓巴金斯，但他們說他有一半以上的白蘭地鹿家族血統。我不明白為什麼哈比屯的任何巴金斯會跑到白蘭地河對岸的布克蘭去尋找妻子，那裡的人都那麼古怪。」 「他們古怪也不足為奇，」兩足老爹（老爹的隔壁鄰居）插嘴說，「如果他們住在白蘭地河的錯誤一邊，而且緊鄰著老林。如果那些傳說有一半是真的，那可是一個黑暗又糟糕的地方。」 「你說得對，老爸！」老爹說。 「不是說布克蘭的白蘭地鹿家族住在老林裡；但他們似乎是一個古怪的品種。他們在那條大河上玩弄船隻——那不自然。難怪會惹出麻煩，我說。但無論如何，佛羅多先生是你能遇到的最可愛的年輕哈比人。非常像比爾博先生，不只是外貌。畢竟他的父親是個巴金斯。德羅戈·巴金斯先生是個正派受人尊敬的哈比人；關於他沒什麼好說的，直到他『淹死了』。」 「淹死了？」幾個人問道。當然，他們以前也聽過這個以及其他更黑暗的謠言；但哈比人對家族歷史有著濃厚的興趣，他們準備再次聽一遍。
A LONG-EXPECTED PARTY 23 ‘Well, so they say,’ said the Gaffer. “You see: Mr. Drogo, he married poor Miss Primula Brandybuck. She was our Mr. Bilbo’s first cousin on the mother’s side (her mother being the youngest of the Old Took’s daughters); and Mr. Drogo was his second cousin. So Mr. Frodo is his first and second cousin, once removed either way, as the saying is, if you follow me. And Mr. Drogo was staying at Brandy Hall with his father-in-law, old Master Gorbadoc, as he often did after his marriage (him being partial to his vittles, and old Gorbadoc keeping a mighty generous table); and he went out boating on the Brandywine River; and he and his wife were drownded, and poor Mr. Frodo only a child and all.’ ‘I’ve heard they went on the water after dinner in the moonlight,’ said Old Noakes; ‘and it was Drogo’s weight as sunk the boat.’ ‘And I heard she pushed him in, and he pulled her in after him,’ said Sandyman, the Hobbiton miller. “You shouldn’t listen to all you hear, Sandyman,’ said the Gaffer, who did not much like the miller. “There isn’t no call to go talking of pushing and pulling. Boats are quite tricky enough for those that sit still without looking further for the cause of trouble. Anyway: there was this Mr. Frodo left an orphan and stranded, as you might say, among those queer Bucklanders, being brought up anyhow in Brandy Hall. A regular warren, by all accounts. Old Master Gorbadoc never had fewer than a couple of hundred relations in the place. Mr. Bilbo never did a kinder deed than when he brought the lad back to live among decent folk. ‘But I reckon it was a nasty knock for those Sackville-Bagginses. They thought they were going to get Bag End, that time when he went off and was thought to be dead. And then he comes back and orders them off; and he goes on living and living, and never looking a day older, bless him! And suddenly he produces an heir, and has all the papers made out proper. The Sackville-Bagginses won’t never see the inside of Bag End now, or it is to be hoped not.’ “There’s a tidy bit of money tucked away up there, I hear tell,’ said a stranger, a visitor on business from Michel Delving in the Westfarthing. ‘All the top of your hill is full of tunnels packed with chests of gold and silver, and jools, by what I’ve heard.’ ‘Then you’ve heard more than I can speak to,’ answered the Gaffer. ‘I know nothing about jools. Mr. Bilbo is free with his money, and there seems no lack of it; but I know of no tunnel-making. I saw Mr. Bilbo when he came back, a matter of sixty years ago, when I was a lad. I’d not long come prentice to old Holman (him being my dad’s cousin), but he had me up at Bag End helping him to keep folks from trampling and trapessing all over the garden while the sale was on. And in the middle of it all Mr. Bilbo comes up the Hill with
期待已久的宴會 23 「嗯，他們是這麼說的，」老頭兒說。「你看：德羅戈先生，他娶了可憐的普里穆拉·白蘭地鹿小姐。她是我們比爾博先生的表姊妹（她母親是老圖克最小的女兒）；而德羅戈先生是他的堂表叔。所以佛羅多先生是他的表侄，或者說，隔了一代的堂表親，如果你明白我的意思的話。德羅戈先生婚後常住在白蘭地廳，和他岳父，老戈巴多克主人住在一起（他很喜歡那裡的食物，而老戈巴多克總是擺著豐盛的餐桌）；他到白蘭地河上划船；結果他和妻子都淹死了，可憐的佛羅多先生那時還只是個孩子。」「我聽說他們是晚飯後在月光下划船的，」老諾克斯說；「是德羅戈的體重把船弄沉的。」「我還聽說她把他推下去，然後他把她也拉下去了，」哈比屯的磨坊主沙迪曼說。「沙迪曼，你別什麼都聽信，」老頭兒說，他不太喜歡這個磨坊主。「沒必要去談論什麼推來拉去的。船本身就夠不穩的了，就算不動也一樣，沒必要再去找麻煩的原因。總之：佛羅多先生就這樣成了孤兒，可以說是被那些古怪的巴克蘭人困住了，在白蘭地廳裡隨便地長大。據說那裡就像個兔子窩一樣擁擠。老戈巴多克主人在那裡總是有至少兩百個親戚。比爾博先生做過最仁慈的事，就是把那孩子帶回來，讓他和正派人一起生活。「但我認為這對薩克維爾-巴金斯家族來說是個沉重的打擊。他們以為他那次離開被認為死了之後，就能得到袋底洞了。結果他回來了，還把他們趕走；他一直活著，而且一點也沒變老，願他蒙福！然後他突然冒出一個繼承人，還把所有文件都辦妥了。薩克維爾-巴金斯家族現在永遠也別想踏進袋底洞了，或者說，希望他們永遠別想。」「我聽說那裡藏著一大筆錢，」一個陌生人說，他是來自西區米歇爾淺灘的生意人。「我聽說你們山頂上到處都是隧道，裡面塞滿了金銀珠寶。」「那你聽說的比我能說的還要多，」老頭兒回答。「我對珠寶一無所知。比爾博先生花錢大方，而且錢似乎也花不完；但我不知道有什麼隧道。我見過比爾博先生回來，那是大約六十年前的事了，那時我還是個小夥子。我剛跟著老霍爾曼學徒沒多久（他是我爸爸的表兄弟），他就讓我在袋底洞幫忙，在拍賣會期間阻止人們踐踏和亂闖花園。就在這一切進行的時候，比爾博先生走上山丘，帶著
24 THE LORD OF THE RINGS a pony and some mighty big bags and a couple of chests. I don’t doubt they were mostly full of treasure he had picked up in foreign parts, where there be mountains of gold, they say; but there wasn’t enough to fill tunnels. But my lad Sam will know more about that. He’s in and out of Bag End. Crazy about stories of the old days, he is, and he listens to all Mr. Bilbo’s tales. Mr. Bilbo has learned him his letters — meaning no harm, mark you, and I hope no harm will come of it. ‘Elves and Dragons! I says to him. Cabbages and potatoes are better for me and you. Don’t go getting mixed up in the business of your betters, or you'll land in trouble too big for you, I says to him. And I might say it to others,’ he added with a look at the stranger and the miller. But the Gaffer did not convince his audience. The legend of Bilbo’s wealth was now too firmly fixed in the minds of the younger generation of hobbits. ‘Ah, but he has likely enough been adding to what he brought at first,’ argued the miller, voicing common opinion. ‘He’s often away from home. And look at the outlandish folk that visit him: dwarves coming at night, and that old wandering conjuror, Gandalf, and all. You can say what you like, Gaffer, but Bag End’s a queer place, and its folk are queerer.’ ‘And you can say what you like, about what you know no more of than you do of boating, Mr. Sandyman,’ retorted the Gaffer, disliking the miller even more than usual. ‘If that’s being queer, then we could do with a bit more queerness in these parts. There’s some not far away that wouldn’t offer a pint of beer to a friend, if they lived in a hole with golden walls. But they do things proper at Bag End. Our Sam says that everyone’s going to be invited to the party, and there’s going to be presents, mark you, presents for all — this very month as is.’ That very month was September, and as fine as you could ask. A day or two later a rumour (probably started by the knowledgeable Sam) was spread about that there were going to be fireworks — fireworks, what is more, such as had not been seen in the Shire for nigh on a century, not indeed since the Old Took died. Days passed and The Day drew nearer. An odd-looking waggon laden with odd-looking packages rolled into Hobbiton one evening and toiled up the Hill to Bag End. The startled hobbits peered out of lamplit doors to gape at it. It was driven by outlandish folk, singing strange songs: dwarves with long beards and deep hoods. A few of them remained at Bag End. At the end of the second week in September a cart came in through Bywater from the direction of Brandywine Bridge in broad daylight. An old man was driving it all alone.
24 《魔戒》 一匹小馬，一些大大的袋子和幾個箱子。我毫不懷疑它們大部分裝滿了他從異國他鄉帶回來的寶藏，據說那裡有金山；但這些寶藏還不足以填滿隧道。不過我的小夥子山姆會知道更多。他經常進出袋底洞。他對舊日的故事著迷，而且他會聽比爾博先生所有的故事。比爾博先生教他識字——你得明白，這並無惡意，我希望也不會因此惹出什麼麻煩。「精靈和惡龍！我對他說。白菜和馬鈴薯對你我來說更好。別去插手比你地位高的人的事情，否則你會惹上大麻煩，我對他說。我或許也會對其他人這麼說，」他看了一眼陌生人和磨坊主，補充道。但老爹並沒有說服他的聽眾。比爾博財富的傳說，如今已牢牢地紮根於年輕一代哈比人的心中。「啊，但他很可能一直在增加他最初帶回來的東西，」磨坊主爭辯道，說出了普遍的看法。「他經常不在家。看看那些拜訪他的奇異人物：晚上來的矮人，還有那個四處遊蕩的巫師甘道夫，等等。老爹，你愛怎麼說就怎麼說吧，但袋底洞是個奇怪的地方，那裡的人更奇怪。」「桑迪曼先生，你愛怎麼說就怎麼說吧，但你對這件事的了解，不比你對划船的了解多多少，」老爹反駁道，他比平時更不喜歡磨坊主。「如果這就是奇怪，那麼我們這裡倒是可以多一點這樣的奇怪。不遠處有些人，即使住在金碧輝煌的洞穴裡，也不會請朋友喝一杯啤酒。但他們在袋底洞做事很得體。我們的山姆說，每個人都會被邀請參加派對，而且會有禮物，你得記住，人人有份的禮物——就在這個月。」那個月正是九月，天氣好得無可挑剔。一兩天後，一個謠言（很可能是見多識廣的山姆傳開的）散佈開來，說將會有煙火——而且是那種夏爾近百年來從未見過的煙火，自老圖克去世以來就沒有了。日子一天天過去，「大日子」越來越近。一個裝載著奇形怪狀包裹的奇特馬車，一天傍晚駛入哈比屯，吃力地爬上山坡，來到袋底洞。受驚的哈比人從燈火通明的門裡探出頭來，瞪大眼睛看著它。馬車是由奇異的人駕駛的，他們唱著奇怪的歌：留著長鬍子、戴著深兜帽的矮人。其中一些人留在了袋底洞。九月第二週結束時，一輛馬車在光天化化日之下，從白水鎮經白蘭地河橋方向駛入。一個老人獨自駕駛著它。
A LONG-EXPECTED PARTY 25 He wore a tall pointed blue hat, a long grey cloak, and a silver scarf. He had a long white beard and bushy eyebrows that stuck out beyond the brim of his hat. Small hobbit-children ran after the cart all through Hobbiton and right up the hill. It had a cargo of fireworks, as they rightly guessed. At Bilbo’s front door the old man began to unload: there were great bundles of fireworks of all sorts and shapes, each labelled with a large red G & and the elf-rune, P” That was Gandalf’s mark, of course, and the old man was Gandalf the Wizard, whose fame in the Shire was due mainly to his skill with fires, smokes, and lights. His real business was far more difficult and dangerous, but the Shire-folk knew nothing about it. To them he was just one of the ‘attractions’ at the Party. Hence the excitement of the hobbit-children. ‘G for Grand!’ they shouted, and the old man smiled. They knew him by sight, though he only appeared in Hobbiton occasionally and never stopped long; but neither they nor any but the oldest of their elders had seen one of his firework displays — they now belonged to a legendary past. When the old man, helped by Bilbo and some dwarves, had finished unloading, Bilbo gave a few pennies away; but not a single squib or cracker was forthcoming, to the disappointment of the onlookers. ‘Run away now!’ said Gandalf. ‘You will get plenty when the time comes.’ Then he disappeared inside with Bilbo, and the door was shut. The young hobbits stared at the door in vain for a while, and then made off, feeling that the day of the party would never come. Inside Bag End, Bilbo and Gandalf were sitting at the open window of a small room looking out west on to the garden. The late afternoon was bright and peaceful. The flowers glowed red and golden: snapdragons and sunflowers, and nasturtians trailing all over the turf walls and peeping in at the round windows. ‘How bright your garden looks!’ said Gandalf. ‘Yes,’ said Bilbo. ‘I am very fond indeed of it, and of all the dear old Shire; but I think I need a holiday.’ “You mean to go on with your plan then?’ ‘I do. I made up my mind months ago, and I haven’t changed it.’ ‘Very well. It is no good saying any more. Stick to your plan — your whole plan, mind — and I hope it will turn out for the best, for you, and for all of us.’ ‘I hope so. Anyway I mean to enjoy myself on Thursday, and have my little joke.’ ‘Who will laugh, I wonder?’ said Gandalf, shaking his head. ‘We shall see,’ said Bilbo. * * *
期待已久的派對 25 他戴著一頂高高的藍色尖帽，披著一件長長的灰色斗篷，圍著一條銀色圍巾。他留著長長的白鬍子和濃密的眉毛，眉毛從帽沿下伸出來。小哈比人孩子們跟著馬車跑遍了哈比屯，一直跑到山頂。馬車上載滿了煙火，正如他們猜測的那樣。 在比爾博家門口，老人開始卸貨：有各式各樣、形狀不一的大捆煙火，每捆都貼著一個大大的紅色「G」字和精靈符文「P」。那當然是甘道夫的標記，而這位老人就是巫師甘道夫，他在夏爾的名聲主要歸功於他玩火、煙和光的技巧。他真正的事業遠比這更困難、更危險，但夏爾的居民對此一無所知。對他們來說，他只是派對上的「餘興節目」之一。因此，哈比人孩子們才會如此興奮。 他們大喊：「G代表Grand（宏偉）！」老人笑了。他們認得他，儘管他只偶爾出現在哈比屯，從不停留太久；但除了他們最年長的長輩之外，他們之中沒有人見過他的煙火表演——那些表演如今已屬於傳說中的過去。 當老人在比爾博和一些矮人的幫助下卸完貨後，比爾博分發了一些便士；但卻沒有任何小煙花或爆竹發放出來，令圍觀者大失所望。甘道夫說：「現在快走開！時候到了你們就會得到很多。」然後他與比爾博一同消失在屋內，門關上了。年輕的哈比人徒勞地盯著門看了一會兒，然後就走開了，覺得派對的日子永遠不會到來。 在袋底洞裡，比爾博和甘道夫坐在一間小房間的開著的窗戶旁，向西眺望花園。傍晚時分，陽光燦爛，一片寧靜。花朵閃耀著紅與金的光芒：金魚草、向日葵和旱金蓮攀爬在草皮牆上，並從圓窗探頭進來。 甘道夫說：「你的花園看起來多麼明亮啊！」比爾博說：「是的，我確實非常喜歡它，也喜歡所有親愛的夏爾；但我認為我需要一個假期。」 「那麼你打算繼續你的計畫嗎？」 「是的。我幾個月前就下定決心了，而且我沒有改變。」 「很好。再說也沒用了。堅持你的計畫——你的整個計畫，記住——我希望這對你和我們所有人來說都會是最好的結果。」 「我希望如此。無論如何，我打算在星期四好好享受，並開個小玩笑。」 甘道夫搖了搖頭說：「我不知道誰會笑呢？」 比爾博說：「我們拭目以待。」
26 THE LORD OF THE RINGS The next day more carts rolled up the Hill, and still more carts. There might have been some grumbling about ‘dealing locally’, but that very week orders began to pour out of Bag End for every kind of provision, commodity, or luxury that could be obtained in Hobbiton or Bywater or anywhere in the neighbourhood. People became enthusiastic; and they began to tick off the days on the calendar; and they watched eagerly for the postman, hoping for invitations. Before long the invitations began pouring out, and the Hobbiton post-office was blocked, and the Bywater post-office was snowed under, and voluntary assistant postmen were called for. There was a constant stream of them going up the Hill, carrying hundreds of polite variations on Thank you, I shall certainly come. A notice appeared on the gate at Bag End: NO ADMITTANCE EXCEPT ON PARTY BUSINESS. Even those who had, or pretended to have Party Business were seldom allowed inside. Bilbo was busy: writing invitations, ticking off answers, packing up presents, and making some private preparations of his own. From the time of Gandalf’s arrival he remained hidden from view. One morning the hobbits woke to find the large field, south of Bilbo’s front door, covered with ropes and poles for tents and pavilions. A special entrance was cut into the bank leading to the road, and wide steps and a large white gate were built there. The three hobbit-families of Bagshot Row, adjoining the field, were intensely interested and generally envied. Old Gaffer Gamgee stopped even pretending to work in his garden. The tents began to go up. There was a specially large pavilion, so big that the tree that grew in the field was right inside it, and stood proudly near one end, at the head of the chief table. Lanterns were hung on all its branches. More promising still (to the hobbits’ mind): an enormous open-air kitchen was erected in the north corner of the field. A draught of cooks, from every inn and eating-house for miles around, arrived to supplement the dwarves and other odd folk that were quartered at Bag End. Excitement rose to its height. Then the weather clouded over. That was on Wednesday the eve of the Party. Anxiety was intense. Then Thursday, September the 22nd, actually dawned. The sun got up, the clouds vanished, flags were unfurled and the fun began. Bilbo Baggins called it a party, but it was really a variety of entertainments rolled into one. Practically everybody living near was invited. A very few were overlooked by accident, but as they turned up all the same, that did not matter. Many people from other parts of the Shire were also asked; and there were even a few from outside the borders. Bilbo met the guests (and additions) at the new white gate in person. He gave away presents to all and sundry — the latter
26 《魔戒》 隔天，更多的馬車駛上山丘，而且還有更多。也許有人抱怨「就地採購」，但就在那一週，袋底洞開始湧出各種訂單，訂購哈比屯、水邊鎮或附近任何地方能買到的所有物資、商品或奢侈品。人們變得熱情起來；他們開始在日曆上劃掉日子；他們熱切地等候郵差，希望能收到邀請函。不久之後，邀請函開始大量寄出，哈比屯的郵局被塞爆了，水邊鎮的郵局也應接不暇，於是徵召了志願助理郵差。他們絡繹不絕地走上山丘，帶著數百種「謝謝，我一定會來」的禮貌回覆。袋底洞的門口貼出了一張告示：「非派對事務，謝絕入內。」即使是那些確實有，或假裝有派對事務的人，也鮮少被允許進入。比爾博忙碌著：寫邀請函、核對回覆、打包禮物，並做一些自己的私人準備。自甘道夫抵達後，他便一直隱身不見。一天早上，哈比人醒來時發現，比爾博前門南邊的大片田地，已經搭滿了帳篷和涼亭的繩索和支柱。一條通往道路的特殊入口被鑿開在堤岸上，那裡還建造了寬闊的階梯和一道巨大的白色大門。緊鄰田地的袋畔街三戶哈比人家庭，都表現出極大的興趣，並且普遍受到羨慕。老甘吉老爹甚至不再假裝在花園裡工作了。帳篷開始搭建起來。有一個特別大的涼亭，大到田地裡生長的那棵樹就在涼亭裡面，驕傲地矗立在涼亭的一端，主桌的盡頭。燈籠掛滿了它所有的樹枝。更令人期待的是（在哈比人看來）：田地北角搭建了一個巨大的露天廚房。來自方圓數英里內所有旅館和餐館的一批廚師抵達了，以補充那些住在袋底洞的矮人和其他奇特人物。興奮之情達到了頂點。然後天氣陰沉下來。那是派對前夕的星期三。焦慮感非常強烈。接著，9月22日星期四，終於來臨了。太陽升起，雲霧消散，旗幟飄揚，歡樂開始了。比爾博·巴金斯稱之為派對，但它實際上是多種娛樂活動的集合。幾乎所有住在附近的人都被邀請了。很少數人被意外遺漏了，但既然他們還是都來了，那也就不打緊了。許多來自夏爾其他地方的人也被邀請了；甚至還有一些來自邊界之外的人。比爾博親自在新的白色大門迎接客人（和額外來賓）。他向所有來賓——包括那些額外來賓——贈送禮物。
A LONG-EXPECTED PARTY 27 were those who went out again by a back way and came in again by the gate. Hobbits give presents to other people on their own birthdays. Not very expensive ones, as a rule, and not so lavishly as on this occasion; but it was not a bad system. Actually in Hobbiton and Bywater every day in the year was somebody’s birthday, so that every hobbit in those parts had a fair chance of at least one present at least once a week. But they never got tired of them. On this occasion the presents were unusually good. The hobbitchildren were so excited that for a while they almost forgot about eating. There were toys the like of which they had never seen before, all beautiful and some obviously magical. Many of them had indeed been ordered a year before, and had come all the way from the Mountain and from Dale, and were of real dwarf-make. When every guest had been welcomed and was finally inside the gate, there were songs, dances, music, games, and, of course, food and drink. There were three official meals: lunch, tea, and dinner (or supper). But lunch and tea were marked chiefly by the fact that at those times all the guests were sitting down and eating together. At other times there were merely lots of people eating and drinking —continuously from elevenses until six-thirty, when the fireworks started. The fireworks were by Gandalf: they were not only brought by him, but designed and made by him; and the special effects, set pieces, and flights of rockets were let off by him. But there was also a generous distribution of squibs, crackers, backarappers, sparklers, torches, dwarf-candles, elf-fountains, goblin-barkers and thunderclaps. They were all superb. The art of Gandalf improved with age. There were rockets like a flight of scintillating birds singing with sweet voices. There were green trees with trunks of dark smoke: their leaves opened like a whole spring unfolding in a moment, and their shining branches dropped glowing flowers down upon the astonished hobbits, disappearing with a sweet scent just before they touched their upturned faces. There were fountains of butterflies that flew glittering into the trees; there were pillars of coloured fires that rose and turned into eagles, or sailing ships, or a phalanx of flying swans; there was a red thunderstorm and a shower of yellow rain; there was a forest of silver spears that sprang suddenly into the air with a yell like an embattled army, and came down again into the Water with a hiss like a hundred hot snakes. And there was also one last surprise, in honour of Bilbo, and it startled the hobbits exceedingly, as Gandalf intended. The lights went out. A great smoke went up. It shaped itself like a mountain seen in the distance, and began to glow at the summit. It spouted green and scarlet flames. Out flew a red-golden dragon — not life-size, but terribly life-like: fire came from his jaws,
期待已久的派對 27 那些從後門出去又從大門進來的人。霍比特人會在自己的生日那天送禮物給別人。通常不會很昂貴，也不像這次這樣奢華；但這並不是個壞制度。實際上，在霍比特村和水邊，一年中的每一天都是某人的生日，因此那些地方的每個霍比特人每週至少有一次收到一份禮物的機會。但他們從未厭倦。這次的禮物特別好。霍比特小孩們興奮得一時之間幾乎忘了吃飯。有些玩具是他們從未見過的，全都很漂亮，有些顯然帶有魔法。其中許多確實是一年前就訂購的，一路從山脈和河谷運來，是真正的矮人製品。當每位客人都受到歡迎並最終進入大門後，便有歌聲、舞蹈、音樂、遊戲，當然還有食物和飲料。有三頓正式餐點：午餐、下午茶和晚餐（或晚飯）。但午餐和下午茶的主要特點是，在這些時候所有客人都會坐下來一起用餐。其他時間則只是有許多人不停地吃喝——從上午茶時間一直到六點半，煙火開始燃放。煙火是甘道夫準備的：不僅是他帶來的，也是他設計和製作的；而那些特效、佈景煙火和火箭升空都是由他點燃的。但也有大量分發的爆竹、鞭炮、回音炮、仙女棒、火把、矮人蠟燭、精靈噴泉、哥布林吠聲和雷鳴彈。它們都非常棒。甘道夫的技藝隨著年齡增長而精進。有些火箭像一群閃爍的鳥兒，唱著甜美的歌聲。有些是樹幹由黑煙構成的綠樹：它們的葉子像整個春天瞬間綻放，閃亮的樹枝將發光的鮮花灑落在驚訝的霍比特人身上，在觸及他們仰起的臉龐前，帶著甜美的香氣消失了。有些是蝴蝶噴泉，閃閃發光地飛入樹林；有些是彩色火焰的柱子，升起後變成老鷹、帆船，或是一隊飛翔的天鵝；有紅色的雷暴和一場黃色的雨；還有一片銀矛之林，像一支嚴陣以待的軍隊般突然帶著一聲吶喊衝向空中，然後又像一百條熾熱的蛇一樣發出嘶嘶聲落入水中。最後還有一個驚喜，是為了紀念比爾博，它極大地驚嚇了霍比特人，正如甘道夫所預料的那樣。燈光熄滅了。一股濃煙升起。它形狀像遠處的山脈，山頂開始發光。它噴出綠色和猩紅色的火焰。一條紅金色的龍飛了出來——不是真實大小，但栩栩如生得可怕：火焰從牠的口中噴出，
28 THE LORD OF THE RINGS his eyes glared down; there was a roar, and he whizzed three times over the heads of the crowd. They all ducked, and many fell flat on their faces. The dragon passed like an express train, turned a somersault, and burst over Bywater with a deafening explosion. “That is the signal for supper!’ said Bilbo. The pain and alarm vanished at once, and the prostrate hobbits leaped to their feet. There was a splendid supper for everyone; for everyone, that is, except those invited to the special family dinner-party. This was held in the great pavilion with the tree. The invitations were limited to twelve dozen (a number also called by the hobbits one Gross, though the word was not considered proper to use of people); and the guests were selected from all the families to which Bilbo and Frodo were related, with the addition of a few special unrelated friends (such as Gandalf). Many young hobbits were included, and present by parental permission; for hobbits were easy-going with their children in the matter of sitting up late, especially when there was a chance of getting them a free meal. Bringing up young hobbits took a lot of provender. There were many Bagginses and Boffins, and also many Tooks and Brandybucks; there were various Grubbs (relations of Bilbo Baggins’ grandmother), and various Chubbs (connexions of his Took grandfather); and a selection of Burrowses, Bolgers, Bracegirdles, Brockhouses, Goodbodies, Hornblowers and Proudfoots. Some of these were only very distantly connected with Bilbo, and some had hardly ever been in Hobbiton before, as they lived in remote corners of the Shire. The Sackville-Bagginses were not forgotten. Otho and his wife Lobelia were present. They disliked Bilbo and detested Frodo, but so magnificent was the invitation card, written in golden ink, that they had felt it was impossible to refuse. Besides, their cousin, Bilbo, had been specializing in food for many years and his table had a high reputation. All the one hundred and forty-four guests expected a pleasant feast; though they rather dreaded the after-dinner speech of their host (an inevitable item). He was liable to drag in bits of what he called poetry; and sometimes, after a glass or two, would allude to the absurd adventures of his mysterious journey. The guests were not disappointed: they had a very pleasant feast, in fact an engrossing entertainment: rich, abundant, varied, and prolonged. The purchase of provisions fell almost to nothing throughout the district in the ensuing weeks; but as Bilbo’s catering had depleted the stocks of most of the stores, cellars and warehouses for miles around, that did not matter much. After the feast (more or less) came the Speech. Most of the company were, however, now in a tolerant mood, at that delightful stage which they called ‘filling up the corners’. They were sipping their
28 魔戒 他的眼睛向下怒視；一聲巨響，他三次從人群頭頂呼嘯而過。他們都低下頭，許多人臉朝下摔倒在地。那條龍像特快列車一樣飛過，翻了個筋斗，然後在水邊村上空伴隨著震耳欲聾的爆炸聲炸開。「那是晚餐的信號！」比爾博說。疼痛和警報立刻消失了，那些趴在地上的哈比人跳了起來。每個人都有一頓豐盛的晚餐；也就是說，除了那些受邀參加特別家庭晚宴的人。這場晚宴在有樹的大帳篷裡舉行。邀請函僅限於十二打（哈比人也稱這個數字為「一籮」，儘管這個詞被認為不適合用來形容人）；賓客是從所有與比爾博和佛羅多有親戚關係的家庭中挑選出來的，此外還有一些特別的非親屬朋友（例如甘道夫）。許多年輕的哈比人也被包括在內，並經父母允許出席；因為哈比人對待孩子熬夜這件事很隨和，尤其是當有機會讓他們免費飽餐一頓的時候。養育年輕的哈比人需要大量的食物。有許多巴金斯家族和博芬家族，還有許多圖克家族和白蘭地鹿家族；有各種格拉布家族（比爾博·巴金斯祖母的親戚），以及各種查布家族（他圖克祖父的親戚）；還有一些伯羅斯家族、博爾傑家族、布雷斯吉德爾家族、布羅克豪斯家族、古德巴迪家族、霍恩布洛爾家族和普魯德富特家族。其中一些人與比爾博的關係非常遙遠，有些甚至以前從未到過哈比屯，因為他們住在夏爾的偏遠角落。薩克維爾-巴金斯家族沒有被遺忘。奧托和他的妻子洛貝利亞出席了。他們不喜歡比爾博，厭惡佛羅多，但邀請函寫得如此華麗，用金墨水書寫，讓他們覺得無法拒絕。此外，他們的表親比爾博多年來一直專注於美食，他的餐桌享有盛譽。所有一百四十四位賓客都期待著一場愉快的盛宴；儘管他們相當害怕主人在晚宴後的演講（這是不可避免的項目）。他很可能會拖入一些他所謂的詩歌；有時，喝了一兩杯之後，他會提及他神秘旅程的荒謬冒險。賓客們沒有失望：他們確實享用了一場非常愉快的盛宴，事實上是一場引人入勝的娛樂：豐富、充足、多樣且持久。在接下來的幾週裡，整個地區的物資採購幾乎降到了零；但由於比爾博的餐飲服務耗盡了數英里範圍內大多數商店、地窖和倉庫的庫存，所以這並沒有什麼大不了的。盛宴之後（或多或少）是演講。然而，大多數賓客現在都處於一種寬容的心情，在他們稱之為「填補空隙」的愉快階段。他們正在小口啜飲他們的
A LONG-EXPECTED PARTY 29 favourite drinks, and nibbling at their favourite dainties, and their fears were forgotten. They were prepared to listen to anything, and to cheer at every full stop. My dear People, began Bilbo, rising in his place. ‘Hear! Hear! Hear!’ they shouted, and kept on repeating it in chorus, seeming reluctant to follow their own advice. Bilbo left his place and went and stood on a chair under the illuminated tree. The light of the lanterns fell on his beaming face; the golden buttons shone on his embroidered silk waistcoat. They could all see him standing, waving one hand in the air, the other was in his trouser-pocket. My dear Bagginses and Boffins, he began again; and my dear Tooks and Brandybucks, and Grubbs, and Chubbs, and Burrowses, and Hornblowers, and Bolgers, Bracegirdles, Goodbodies, Brockhouses and Proudfoots. ‘ProudFEET!’ shouted an elderly hobbit from the back of the pavilion. His name, of course, was Proudfoot, and well merited; his feet were large, exceptionally furry, and both were on the table. Proudfoots, repeated Bilbo. Also my good Sackville-Bagginses that I welcome back at last to Bag End. Today is my one hundred and eleventh birthday: I am eleventy-one today! ‘Hurray! Hurray! Many Happy Returns!’ they shouted, and they hammered joyously on the tables. Bilbo was doing splendidly. This was the sort of stuff they liked: short and obvious. I hope you are all enjoying yourselves as much as I am. Deafening cheers. Cries of Yes (and No). Noises of trumpets and horns, pipes and flutes, and other musical instruments. There were, as has been said, many young hobbits present. Hundreds of musical crackers had been pulled. Most of them bore the mark DALE on them; which did not convey much to most of the hobbits, but they all agreed they were marvellous crackers. They contained instruments, small, but of perfect make and enchanting tones. Indeed, in one corner some of the young Tooks and Brandybucks, supposing Uncle Bilbo to have finished (since he had plainly said all that was necessary), now got up an impromptu orchestra, and began a merry dance-tune. Master Everard Took and Miss Melilot Brandybuck got on a table and with bells in their hands began to dance the Springle-ring: a pretty dance, but rather vigorous. But Bilbo had not finished. Seizing a horn from a youngster nearby, he blew three loud hoots. The noise subsided. I shall not keep you long, he cried. Cheers from all the assembly. I have called you all together for a Purpose. Something in the way that he said this made an impression. There was almost silence, and one or two of the Tooks pricked up their ears. Indeed, for Three Purposes! First of all, to tell you that I am immensely fond of you all, and that eleventy-one years is too short a time to live
期待已久的派對 29 他們喝著最喜歡的飲料，品嚐著最喜歡的點心，恐懼早已煙消雲散。他們準備好聆聽任何事情，並在每個句號處歡呼。比爾博站起身來，開口說道：「我親愛的人們啊！」。「聽啊！聽啊！聽啊！」他們大聲喊道，並齊聲重複著，似乎不願聽從自己的建議。比爾博離開座位，走到發光的樹下，站在一把椅子上。燈籠的光線照在他的容光煥發的臉上；金色的鈕扣在他繡花的絲質背心上閃閃發光。他們都能看到他站著，一隻手在空中揮舞，另一隻手插在褲子口袋裡。「我親愛的巴金斯家族和博芬家族，」他又開口說道；「還有我親愛的圖克家族和白蘭地鹿家族，以及格魯布家族、丘布家族、布羅斯家族、號角手家族、博爾格家族、布雷斯吉德爾家族、古德巴迪家族、布羅克豪斯家族和普魯德富特家族。」「普魯德菲特！」一位年長的哈比人從涼亭後方大喊。他的名字，當然，就是普魯德富特，而且名副其實；他的腳很大，毛髮異常濃密，而且兩隻腳都放在桌子上。「普魯德富特家族，」比爾博重複道。「還有我親愛的薩克維爾-巴金斯家族，我終於歡迎你們回到袋底洞。」「今天是我一百一十一歲的生日：我今天一百一十一歲了！」。「萬歲！萬歲！生日快樂！」他們大聲喊道，並歡快地敲打著桌子。比爾博表現得非常出色。這正是他們喜歡的那種內容：簡短而明顯。「我希望你們都和我一樣玩得開心。」震耳欲聾的歡呼聲。有「是」（和「否」）的喊聲。小號、號角、風笛和長笛以及其他樂器的聲音。正如之前所說，現場有許多年輕的哈比人。數百個音樂爆竹已經被拉響。其中大部分都印有「DALE」的標誌；這對大多數哈比人來說意義不大，但他們都同意這些爆竹非常棒。它們裡面裝著小巧但製作精良、音色迷人的樂器。事實上，在一個角落裡，一些年輕的圖克家族和白蘭地鹿家族，以為比爾博叔叔已經講完了（因為他已經清楚地說了所有必要的話），現在組建了一個即興樂隊，開始演奏一支歡快的舞曲。埃弗拉德·圖克少爺和梅莉洛特·白蘭地鹿小姐爬上桌子，手持鈴鐺，開始跳起「春環舞」：一種優美但相當活潑的舞蹈。但比爾博還沒講完。他從附近的一個年輕人手中奪過一個號角，吹響了三聲響亮的鳴叫。喧鬧聲平息下來。「我不會讓你們久等，」他喊道。全體與會者發出歡呼。「我把你們大家召集起來，是為了某個目的。」他這樣說的方式給人留下了深刻印象。現場幾乎一片寂靜，一兩個圖克家族的人豎起了耳朵。事實上，是為了三個目的！首先，是想告訴你們，我非常喜歡你們所有人，而一百一十一年的歲月對於生命來說實在太短了。
30 THE LORD OF THE RINGS among such excellent and admirable hobbits. Tremendous outburst of approval. I don’t know half of you half as well as I should like; and I ltke less than half of you half as well as you deserve. This was unexpected and rather difficult. There was some scattered clapping, but most of them were trying to work it out and see if it came to a compliment. Secondly, to celebrate my birthday. Cheers again. I should say: OUR birthday. For it is, of course, also the birthday of my heir and nephew, Frodo. He comes of age and into his inheritance today. Some perfunctory clapping by the elders; and some loud shouts of ‘Frodo! Frodo! Jolly old Frodo,’ from the juniors. The Sackville-Bagginses scowled, and wondered what was meant by ‘coming into his inheritance’. Together we score one hundred and forty-four. Your numbers were chosen to fit this remarkable total: One Gross, if I may use the expression. No cheers. This was ridiculous. Many of the guests, and especially the Sackville-Bagginses, were insulted, feeling sure they had only been asked to fill up the required number, like goods in a package. ‘One Gross, indeed! Vulgar expression.’ It is also, if I may be allowed to refer to ancient history, the anniversary of my arrival by barrel at Esgaroth on the Long Lake; though the fact that it was my birthday slipped my memory on that occasion. I was only fifty-one then, and birthdays did not seem so important. The banquet was very splendid, however, though I had a bad cold at the time, I remember, and could only say ‘thag you very buch’. I now repeat it more correctly: Thank you very much for coming to my little party. Obstinate silence. They all feared that a song or some poetry was now imminent; and they were getting bored. Why couldn’t he stop talking and let them drink his health? But Bilbo did not sing or recite. He paused for a moment. Thirdly and finally, he said, I wish to make an ANNOUNCEMENT. He spoke this last word so loudly and suddenly that everyone sat up who still could. I regret to announce that — though, as I said, eleventy-one years 1s far too short a time to spend among you — this 1s the END. I am going. I am leaving NOW. GOOD-BYE! He stepped down and vanished. There was a blinding flash of light, and the guests all blinked. When they opened their eyes Bilbo was nowhere to be seen. One hundred and forty-four flabbergasted hobbits sat back speechless. Old Odo Proudfoot removed his feet from the table and stamped. Then there was a dead silence, until suddenly, after several deep breaths, every Baggins, Boffin, Took, Brandybuck, Grubb, Chubb, Burrows, Bolger, Bracegirdle, Brockhouse, Goodbody, Hornblower, and Proudfoot began to talk at once. It was generally agreed that the joke was in very bad taste, and more
30 《魔戒》 在這些如此優秀又令人欽佩的哈比人之中。爆發出雷鳴般的掌聲。我對你們中的一半人，了解得還不及我所希望的一半；而對你們中的不到一半人，我喜歡得還不及你們所應得的一半。這出乎意料，也相當難以理解。響起了一些零星的掌聲，但大多數人都在努力琢磨這句話，想弄清楚這究竟是不是一句恭維話。第二，是為了慶祝我的生日。再次歡呼。我應該說：是「我們」的生日。因為，當然，這也是我的繼承人兼侄子佛羅多的生日。他今天成年並繼承了遺產。長輩們敷衍地鼓了幾下掌；而年輕人則大聲喊著：「佛羅多！佛羅多！親愛的佛羅多！」薩克維爾-巴金斯家族的人們皺起了眉頭，想知道「繼承遺產」究竟是什麼意思。我們倆加起來是一百四十四歲。你們的人數是特意挑選來符合這個非凡的總數的：一羅，如果我可以用這個詞的話。沒有歡呼聲。這太荒謬了。許多賓客，尤其是薩克維爾-巴金斯家族的人，感到受了侮辱，他們確信自己只是被叫來湊數的，就像包裹裡的貨物一樣。「一羅，真是的！粗俗的說法。」這也是，如果我獲准提及古老的歷史，我乘坐木桶抵達長湖鎮埃斯加洛斯的周年紀念日；儘管那時我忘了那天也是我的生日。那時我才五十一歲，生日似乎沒那麼重要。不過，那場宴會非常盛大，雖然我記得當時我得了重感冒，只能說「謝謝你，非常多」。我現在更正一下：非常感謝各位光臨我的小派對。頑固的沉默。他們都擔心一首歌或一些詩歌即將到來；他們已經感到厭煩了。他為什麼不能停止說話，讓他們為他敬酒呢？但比爾博沒有唱歌或朗誦。他停頓了一下。第三，也是最後，他說，我希望做一個「公告」。他說最後這個詞時聲音如此響亮而突然，以至於所有還能坐直的人都坐了起來。我很遺憾地宣布——儘管，正如我所說，一百一十一年在你們中間度過的時間實在太短了——這就是「結束」。我要走了。我現在就走。再見！他走下台階，消失了。一道耀眼的光芒閃過，所有賓客都眨了眨眼。當他們睜開眼睛時，比爾博已不見蹤影。一百四十四個目瞪口呆的哈比人無言地坐了回去。老奧多·驕足把腳從桌子上拿下來，跺了跺。接著是一片死寂，直到突然間，在幾次深呼吸之後，每個巴金斯、博芬、圖克、白蘭地鹿、格拉布、查布、伯羅斯、博爾傑、布雷斯吉德爾、布羅克豪斯、古德巴迪、霍恩布洛爾和驕足家族的人都同時開始說話。大家普遍認為這個玩笑非常低級，而且更
A LONG-EXPECTED PARTY 31 food and drink were needed to cure the guests of shock and annoyance. ‘He’s mad. I always said so,’ was probably the most popular comment. Even the Tooks (with a few exceptions) thought Bilbo’s behaviour was absurd. For the moment most of them took it for granted that his disappearance was nothing more than a ridiculous prank. But old Rory Brandybuck was not so sure. Neither age nor an enormous dinner had clouded his wits, and he said to his daughter-inlaw, Esmeralda: “There’s something fishy in this, my dear! I believe that mad Baggins is off again. Silly old fool. But why worry? He hasn’t taken the vittles with him.’ He called loudly to Frodo to send the wine round again. Frodo was the only one present who had said nothing. For some time he had sat silent beside Bilbo’s empty chair, and ignored all remarks and questions. He had enjoyed the joke, of course, even though he had been in the know. He had difficulty in keeping from laughter at the indignant surprise of the guests. But at the same time he felt deeply troubled: he realized suddenly that he loved the old hobbit dearly. Most of the guests went on eating and drinking and discussing Bilbo Baggins’ oddities, past and present; but the Sackville-Bagginses had already departed in wrath. Frodo did not want to have any more to do with the party. He gave orders for more wine to be served; then he got up and drained his own glass silently to the health of Bilbo, and slipped out of the pavilion. As for Bilbo Baggins, even while he was making his speech, he had been fingering the golden ring in his pocket: his magic ring that he had kept secret for so many years. As he stepped down he slipped it on his finger, and he was never seen by any hobbit in Hobbiton again. He walked briskly back to his hole, and stood for a moment listening with a smile to the din in the pavilion, and to the sounds of merrymaking in other parts of the field. Then he went in. He took off his party clothes, folded up and wrapped in tissue-paper his embroidered silk waistcoat, and put it away. Then he put on quickly some old untidy garments, and fastened round his waist a worn leather belt. On it he hung a short sword in a battered black-leather scabbard. From a locked drawer, smelling of moth-balls, he took out an old cloak and hood. They had been locked up as if they were very precious, but they were so patched and weatherstained that their original colour could hardly be guessed: it might have been dark green. They were rather too large for him. He then went into his study, and from a large strong-box took out a bundle wrapped in old cloths, and a leather-bound manuscript; and also a large bulky envelope. The book and bundle he stuffed into the top of a heavy
期待已久的派對 31 為了讓賓客們從震驚和不悅中恢復過來，需要食物和飲料。「他瘋了。我早就這麼說了。」這大概是最受歡迎的評論。就連圖克家族（少數人除外）也認為比爾博的行為荒謬至極。當時，他們大多數人都理所當然地認為他的消失不過是個荒唐的惡作劇。但老羅瑞·白蘭地鹿卻不這麼認為。無論是年齡還是豐盛的晚餐都沒能讓他頭腦不清，他對他的媳婦艾絲梅拉達說：「親愛的，這事有蹊蹺！我相信那個瘋狂的巴金斯又跑了。這個傻老頭。但有什麼好擔心的？他沒把食物帶走啊。」他大聲叫佛羅多再把酒傳一圈。佛羅多是唯一在場卻一言不發的人。他默默地坐在比爾博的空椅子旁好一陣子，對所有的評論和問題都置之不理。他當然很享受這個玩笑，儘管他早就知情。面對賓客們憤怒的驚訝，他很難忍住不笑。但同時他也感到深深的困擾：他突然意識到他非常深愛這位老哈比人。大多數賓客繼續吃喝，討論著比爾博·巴金斯過去和現在的怪癖；但薩克維爾-巴金斯家族已經怒氣沖沖地離開了。佛羅多不想再跟這個派對有任何瓜葛。他下令再上些酒；然後他起身，默默地將自己的酒杯一飲而盡，為比爾博的健康祝願，隨後悄悄地溜出了帳篷。至於比爾博·巴金斯，即使在他發表演說時，他的手指也一直在口袋裡摩挲著那枚金戒指：那枚他保守了多年秘密的魔法戒指。當他走下台時，他將戒指戴在手指上，從此霍比特村的任何哈比人再也沒有見過他。他輕快地走回自己的洞府，站了一會兒，帶著微笑聆聽帳篷裡的喧鬧聲，以及田野其他地方的歡慶聲。然後他走了進去。他脫下派對服裝，將他那件繡花絲綢背心疊好，用薄紙包起來，然後收好。接著他迅速穿上一些舊而凌亂的衣服，並在腰間繫上一條磨損的皮帶。皮帶上掛著一把短劍，裝在一個破舊的黑色皮鞘裡。他從一個散發著樟腦丸氣味的鎖著的抽屜裡，拿出了一件舊斗篷和兜帽。它們被鎖起來，彷彿非常珍貴，但它們卻如此破舊且飽經風霜，以至於幾乎無法猜測其原來的顏色：可能曾是深綠色。它們對他來說相當大。然後他走進書房，從一個大保險箱裡取出一個用舊布包裹的包裹，一本皮革裝訂的手稿；還有一封大而笨重的信封。他把書和包裹塞進一個沉重的
32 THE LORD OF THE RINGS bag that was standing there, already nearly full. Into the envelope he slipped his golden ring, and its fine chain, and then sealed it, and addressed it to Frodo. At first he put it on the mantelpiece, but suddenly he removed it and stuck it in his pocket. At that moment the door opened and Gandalf came quickly in. ‘Hullo!’ said Bilbo. ‘I wondered if you would turn up.’ ‘I am glad to find you visible,’ replied the wizard, sitting down in a chair, ‘I wanted to catch you and have a few final words. I suppose you feel that everything has gone off splendidly and according to plan?’ “Yes, I do,’ said Bilbo. “Though that flash was surprising: it quite startled me, let alone the others. A little addition of your own, I suppose?’ ‘It was. You have wisely kept that ring secret all these years, and it seemed to me necessary to give your guests something else that would seem to explain your sudden vanishment.’ ‘And would spoil my joke. You are an interfering old busybody,’ laughed Bilbo, ‘but I expect you know best, as usual.’ ‘I do — when I know anything. But I don’t feel too sure about this whole affair. It has now come to the final point. You have had your joke, and alarmed or offended most of your relations, and given the whole Shire something to talk about for nine days, or ninety-nine more likely. Are you going any further?’ “Yes, I am. I feel I need a holiday, a very long holiday, as I have told you before. Probably a permanent holiday: I don’t expect I shall return. In fact, I don’t mean to, and I have made all arrangements. ‘I am old, Gandalf. I don’t look it, but I am beginning to feel it in my heart of hearts. Well-preserved indeed!’ he snorted. ‘Why, I feel all thin, sort of stretched, if you know what I mean: like butter that has been scraped over too much bread. That can’t be right. I need a change, or something.’ Gandalf looked curiously and closely at him. ‘No, it does not seem right,’ he said thoughtfully. ‘No, after all I believe your plan is probably the best.’ ‘Well, ’'ve made up my mind, anyway. I want to see mountains again, Gandalf — mountains; and then find somewhere where I can rest. In peace and quiet, without a lot of relatives prying around, and a string of confounded visitors hanging on the bell. I might find somewhere where I can finish my book. I have thought of a nice ending for it: and he lived happily ever after to the end of his days.’ Gandalf laughed. ‘I hope he will. But nobody will read the book, however it ends.’ ‘Oh, they may, in years to come. Frodo has read some already, as far as it has gone. You'll keep an eye on Frodo, won’t you?’ “Yes, I will — two eyes, as often as I can spare them.’
32 魔戒 放在那裡的袋子，已經差不多滿了。他把金戒指和細鍊子塞進信封，然後封好，寫上佛羅多的名字。起初他把它放在壁爐架上，但突然又拿下來塞進口袋。就在這時，門開了，甘道夫快步走了進來。「哈囉！」比爾博說，「我還在想你會不會來呢。」「很高興看到你還在這裡。」巫師說著，坐到椅子上，「我想趕上你，再說幾句最後的話。我想你覺得一切都進行得很順利，完全按照計畫？」 「是的，我確實這麼覺得。」比爾博說，「雖然那道閃光很令人驚訝：它把我嚇了一跳，更別提其他人了。我想那是你額外加的吧？」 「是的。這些年來你明智地保守了戒指的秘密，在我看來，有必要給你的客人一些別的東西，好解釋你突然消失的原因。」 「那會破壞我的玩笑。你真是個愛管閒事的老傢伙。」比爾博笑了，「但我猜你一如既往地最懂。」 「是的，當我知道的時候。但我對這整件事不太確定。現在已經到了最後關頭。你開了玩笑，嚇到或冒犯了大多數親戚，讓整個夏爾有了九天，或者更可能是九十九天的談資。你還要繼續嗎？」 「是的，我要。我覺得我需要一個假期，一個很長的假期，就像我之前告訴你的那樣。可能是一個永久的假期：我不指望我會回來。事實上，我也不打算回來，我已經做好了所有安排。」 「我老了，甘道夫。我看起來不像，但我心底深處開始感覺到了。保養得真好啊！」他哼了一聲，「為什麼，我覺得自己瘦弱，有點被拉長了，如果你明白我的意思：就像黃油被刮得太薄塗在太多麵包上。這不對勁。我需要改變，或者什麼的。」 甘道夫好奇而仔細地看著他。「不，這看起來確實不對勁。」他若有所思地說，「不，畢竟我相信你的計畫可能是最好的。」 「好吧，反正我已經下定決心了。我想再看看山，甘道夫——山；然後找個地方我可以休息。在寧靜中，沒有一大堆親戚到處窺探，也沒有一串煩人的訪客按門鈴。我可能會找到一個地方可以完成我的書。我已經想好了它的一個好結局：從此他過著幸福快樂的日子，直到生命的盡頭。」 甘道夫笑了。「我希望他會。但無論結局如何，都沒有人會讀那本書。」 「哦，他們可能會，在未來的歲月裡。佛羅多已經讀了一些，就目前而言。你會照顧佛羅多的，對嗎？」 「是的，我會——用兩隻眼睛，只要我能抽得出空。」
A LONG-EXPECTED PARTY 33 ‘He would come with me, of course, if I asked him. In fact he offered to once, just before the party. But he does not really want to, yet. I want to see the wild country again before I die, and the Mountains; but he is still in love with the Shire, with woods and fields and little rivers. He ought to be comfortable here. I am leaving everything to him, of course, except a few oddments. I hope he will be happy, when he gets used to being on his own. It’s time he was his own master now.’ ‘Everything?’ said Gandalf. “The ring as well? You agreed to that, you remember.’ ‘Well, er, yes, I suppose so,’ stammered Bilbo. ‘Where is it?’ ‘In an envelope, if you must know,’ said Bilbo impatiently. “There on the mantelpiece. Well, no! Here it is in my pocket!’ He hesitated. ‘Isn’t that odd now?’ he said softly to himself. ‘Yet after all, why not? Why shouldn’t it stay there?’ Gandalf looked again very hard at Bilbo, and there was a gleam in his eyes.‘I think, Bilbo,’ he said quietly, ‘I should leave it behind. Don’t you want to?’ ‘Well yes — and no. Now it comes to it, I don’t like parting with it at all, I may say. And I don’t really see why I should. Why do you want me to?’ he asked, and a curious change came over his voice. It was sharp with suspicion and annoyance. ‘You are always badgering me about my ring; but you have never bothered me about the other things that I got on my journey.’ ‘No, but I had to badger you,’ said Gandalf. ‘I wanted the truth. It was important. Magic rings are — well, magical; and they are rare and curious. I was professionally interested in your ring, you may say; and I still am. I should like to know where it is, if you go wandering again. Also I think you have had it quite long enough. You won’t need it any more, Bilbo, unless I am quite mistaken.’ Bilbo flushed, and there was an angry light in his eyes. His kindly face grew hard. ‘Why not?’ he cried. ‘And what business is it of yours, anyway, to know what I do with my own things? It is my own. I found it. It came to me.’ “Yes, yes,’ said Gandalf. ‘But there is no need to get angry.’ ‘If I am it is your fault,’ said Bilbo. ‘It is mine, I tell you. My own. My Precious. Yes, my Precious.’ The wizard’s face remained grave and attentive, and only a flicker in his deep eyes showed that he was startled and indeed alarmed. ‘It has been called that before,’ he said, ‘but not by you.’ ‘But I say it now. And why not? Even if Gollum said the same once. It’s not his now, but mine. And I shall keep it, I say.’ Gandalf stood up. He spoke sternly. ‘You will be a fool if you do,
期待已久的宴會 33 「如果我開口，他當然會跟我一起去。事實上，他就在宴會前曾主動提過一次。但他其實還不想去。我想在死前再看看那片荒野和群山；但他仍然深愛著夏爾，那裡的樹林、田野和小河流。他應該會在這裡過得很舒服。當然，除了幾件零碎小物，我會把所有東西都留給他。我希望他習慣獨自生活後會快樂。現在是他該獨立自主的時候了。」 「所有東西？」甘道夫說。「包括那枚戒指？你記得你同意了的。」 「嗯，呃，是的，我想是吧。」比爾博結結巴巴地說。 「它在哪裡？」「如果你非要知道，就在一個信封裡。」比爾博不耐煩地說。「就在壁爐架上。不對！它在我口袋裡！」他猶豫了一下。「這不是很奇怪嗎？」他輕聲自語。「但話說回來，為什麼不呢？為什麼它不該待在那裡呢？」 甘道夫再次嚴厲地盯著比爾博，眼中閃爍著光芒。 「我想，比爾博，」他輕聲說，「你應該把它留下。你不想嗎？」 「嗯，想——也不想。話說回來，我一點也不想跟它分開，我可以這麼說。而且我真的不明白我為什麼要這麼做。你為什麼要我這麼做？」他問道，語氣發生了奇怪的變化。語氣中充滿了懷疑和惱怒。 「你總是纏著我問我的戒指；但你從來沒有為我旅途中得到的其他東西而煩我。」 「不，但我必須纏著你。」甘道夫說。「我想要真相。這很重要。魔法戒指——嗯，就是魔法的；它們稀有又奇特。你可以說，我對你的戒指有專業上的興趣；我現在仍然如此。如果你再次去流浪，我想知道它在哪裡。而且我想你擁有它已經夠久了。你不會再需要它了，比爾博，除非我完全搞錯了。」 比爾博臉紅了，眼中閃爍著怒火。他那和藹的臉變得僵硬。 「為什麼不？」他喊道。「而且，無論如何，你知道我怎麼處理我的東西，關你什麼事？它是我的。我找到的。它屬於我。」 「是，是。」甘道夫說。「但沒必要生氣。」 「如果我生氣，那是你的錯。」比爾博說。「它是我的，我告訴你。我自己的。我的寶貝。是的，我的寶貝。」 巫師的臉依然嚴肅而專注，只有他深邃的眼中一絲閃爍，顯示他確實感到驚訝和警惕。 「它以前就被這麼稱呼過。」他說，「但不是你。」 「但我現在這麼說。為什麼不呢？即使咕嚕以前也這麼說過。它現在不是他的，是我的。我會留下它，我說。」 甘道夫站了起來。他嚴厲地說：「如果你這麼做，你就是個傻瓜，
34 THE LORD OF THE RINGS Bilbo,’ he said. ‘You make that clearer with every word you say. It has got far too much hold on you. Let it go! And then you can go yourself, and be free.’ ‘T’ll do as I choose and go as I please,’ said Bilbo obstinately. ‘Now, now, my dear hobbit!’ said Gandalf. ‘All your long life we have been friends, and you owe me something. Come! Do as you promised: give it up!’ ‘Well, if you want my ring yourself, say so!’ cried Bilbo. ‘But you won’t get it. I won’t give my Precious away, I tell you.’ His hand strayed to the hilt of his small sword. Gandalf’s eyes flashed. ‘It will be my turn to get angry soon,’ he said. ‘If you say that again, I shall. Then you will see Gandalf the Grey uncloaked.’ He took a step towards the hobbit, and he seemed to grow tall and menacing; his shadow filled the little room. Bilbo backed away to the wall, breathing hard, his hand clutching at his pocket. They stood for a while facing one another, and the air of the room tingled. Gandalf’s eyes remained bent on the hobbit. Slowly his hands relaxed, and he began to tremble. ‘I don’t know what has come over you, Gandalf,’ he said. ‘You have never been like this before. What is it all about? It is mine isn’t it? I found it, and Gollum would have killed me, if I hadn’t kept it. I’m not a thief, whatever he said.’ ‘I have never called you one,’ Gandalf answered. ‘And I am not one either. I am not trying to rob you, but to help you. I wish you would trust me, as you used.’ He turned away, and the shadow passed. He seemed to dwindle again to an old grey man, bent and troubled. Bilbo drew his hand over his eyes. ‘I am sorry,’ he said. ‘But I felt so queer. And yet it would be a relief in a way not to be bothered with it any more. It has been so growing on my mind lately. Sometimes I have felt it was like an eye looking at me. And I am always wanting to put it on and disappear, don’t you know; or wondering if it is safe, and pulling it out to make sure. I tried locking it up, but I found I couldn’t rest without it in my pocket. I don’t know why. And I don’t seem able to make up my mind.’ “Then trust mine,’ said Gandalf. ‘It is quite made up. Go away and leave it behind. Stop possessing it. Give it to Frodo, and I will look after him.’ Bilbo stood for a moment tense and undecided. Presently he sighed. ‘All right,’ he said with an effort. ‘I will.’ Then he shrugged his shoulders, and smiled rather ruefully. ‘After all that’s what this party business was all about, really: to give away lots of birthdaypresents, and somehow make it easier to give it away at the same time. It hasn’t made it any easier in the end, but it would be a pity to waste all my preparations. It would quite spoil the joke.’
34 魔戒 比爾博，」他說。「你每說一句話，就讓這點更清楚。它對你的掌控太深了。放手吧！然後你就可以離開，獲得自由。」「我愛怎麼做就怎麼做，愛去哪就去哪，」比爾博固執地說。「哎呀，哎呀，我親愛的哈比人！」甘道夫說。「我們一生都是朋友，你欠我點什麼。來吧！照你承諾的去做：把它交出來！」「好吧，如果你自己想要我的戒指，就直說啊！」比爾博喊道。「但你得不到它。我不會把我的寶貝送走，我告訴你。」他的手摸向小劍的劍柄。甘道夫的眼睛閃爍著。「很快就輪到我生氣了，」他說。「如果你再說一次，我就會。那時你就會看到甘道夫的真面目。」他朝哈比人走近一步，他似乎變得高大而充滿威脅；他的影子充滿了小房間。比爾博退到牆邊，喘著粗氣，手緊抓著口袋。他們面對面站了一會兒，房間裡的空氣彷彿凝固了。甘道夫的目光依然緊盯著哈比人。慢慢地，他的手放鬆了，他開始顫抖。「我不知道你怎麼了，甘道夫，」他說。「你以前從未這樣過。這到底是怎麼回事？它是我的，不是嗎？我找到的，如果我沒有留下它，咕嚕就會殺了我。我不是小偷，不管他說了什麼。」「我從未說過你是小偷，」甘道夫回答。「我也不是。我不是想搶你，而是想幫助你。我希望你能像以前一樣信任我。」他轉過身，影子消失了。他似乎又縮小成一個彎腰駝背、滿懷心事的灰袍老人。比爾博用手抹了抹眼睛。「我很抱歉，」他說。「但我感覺很奇怪。然而，在某種程度上，不再為它煩惱會是一種解脫。最近它一直縈繞在我心頭。有時候我覺得它就像一隻眼睛在看著我。而且我總是想把它戴上然後消失，你懂嗎？或者想知道它是否安全，然後把它拿出來確認。我試過把它鎖起來，但我發現如果它不在我口袋裡，我就無法安寧。我不知道為什麼。而且我似乎無法下定決心。」「那就相信我的決定吧，」甘道夫說。「我的決定已經很明確了。走吧，把它留下。別再佔有它了。把它交給佛羅多，我會照顧他。」比爾博緊張而猶豫地站了一會兒。過了一會兒，他嘆了口氣。「好吧，」他費力地說。「我會的。」然後他聳了聳肩，略帶苦笑。「畢竟，這次派對的真正目的就是這樣：送出許多生日禮物，同時也讓送走它變得更容易。但最終並沒有讓它變得更容易，不過浪費我所有的準備工作就太可惜了。那樣會完全破壞這個玩笑。
A LONG-EXPECTED PARTY 35 ‘Indeed it would take away the only point I ever saw in the affair,’ said Gandalf. ‘Very well,’ said Bilbo, ‘it goes to Frodo with all the rest.’ He drew a deep breath. ‘And now I really must be starting, or somebody else will catch me. I have said good-bye, and I couldn’t bear to do it all over again.’ He picked up his bag and moved to the door. “You have still got the ring in your pocket,’ said the wizard. ‘Well, so I have!’ cried Bilbo. ‘And my will and all the other documents too. You had better take it and deliver it for me. That will be safest.’ ‘No, don’t give the ring to me,’ said Gandalf. ‘Put it on the mantelpiece. It will be safe enough there, till Frodo comes. I shall wait for him.’ Bilbo took out the envelope, but just as he was about to set it by the clock, his hand jerked back, and the packet fell on the floor. Before he could pick it up, the wizard stooped and seized it and set it in its place. A spasm of anger passed swiftly over the hobbit’s face again. Suddenly it gave way to a look of relief and a laugh. ‘Well, that’s that,’ he said. ‘Now I’m off!’ They went out into the hall. Bilbo chose his favourite stick from the stand; then he whistled. Three dwarves came out of different rooms where they had been busy. ‘Is everything ready?’ asked Bilbo. ‘Everything packed and labelled?’ ‘Everything,’ they answered. ‘Well, let’s start then!’ He stepped out of the front-door. It was a fine night, and the black sky was dotted with stars. He looked up, sniffing the air. ‘What fun! What fun to be off again, off on the Road with dwarves! This is what I have really been longing for, for years! Good-bye!’ he said, looking at his old home and bowing to the door. ‘Good-bye, Gandalf!’ ‘Good-bye, for the present, Bilbo. Take care of yourself! You are old enough, and perhaps wise enough.’ “Take care! I don’t care. Don’t you worry about me! I am as happy now as I have ever been, and that is saying a great deal. But the time has come. I am being swept off my feet at last,’ he added, and then in a low voice, as if to himself, he sang softly in the dark: The Road goes ever on and on Down from the door where it began. Now far ahead the Road has gone, And I must follow, if I can, Pursuing it with eager feet, Until it joins some larger way Where many paths and errands meet. And whither then? I cannot say.
期待已久的派對 35 「那確實會讓這件事失去我所看到唯一的意義，」甘道夫說。 「好吧，」比爾博說，「它就跟其他所有東西一起給佛羅多吧。」他深吸了一口氣。「現在我真的得走了，不然會有人來攔我。我已經道過別了，實在受不了再做一次。」他拿起他的袋子，走向門口。「你口袋裡還有那枚戒指呢，」巫師說。「啊，我真的有！」比爾博叫道。「還有我的遺囑和其他所有文件。你最好替我拿著並送過去。那樣最安全。」「不，別把戒指給我，」甘道夫說。「把它放在壁爐架上。在那裡會很安全，直到佛羅多來。我會等他。」比爾博拿出信封，但就在他準備把它放在時鐘旁邊時，他的手猛地縮了回去，包裹掉到了地上。在他來得及撿起來之前，巫師彎下腰，抓起它，把它放回原位。一陣怒氣又迅速地掠過哈比人的臉。突然間，那怒氣轉變為一臉的釋然和一聲笑。「好了，就這樣吧，」他說。「我走了！」他們走到大廳。比爾博從架子上選了他最喜歡的拐杖；然後他吹了聲口哨。三名矮人從他們之前忙碌的房間裡走了出來。「都準備好了嗎？」比爾博問。「都打包貼好標籤了嗎？」「都好了，」他們回答。「那麼，我們就出發吧！」他走出前門。那是一個美好的夜晚，漆黑的夜空點綴著繁星。他抬頭，嗅了嗅空氣。「多麼有趣啊！再次出發，和矮人們一起踏上旅途，多麼有趣啊！這正是我多年來一直渴望的啊！再見了！」他說，看著他的老家，並向門鞠躬。「再見了，甘道夫！」「比爾博，暫時再見了。保重！你已經夠老了，或許也夠聰明了。」「保重！我不在乎。別為我擔心！我現在的快樂是我從未有過的，這可不是說說而已。但時候到了。我終於被徹底迷住了，」他補充道，然後用低沉的聲音，彷彿自言自語般，在黑暗中輕聲唱道： 路途綿延無盡， 從它開始的門前延伸。 如今路已遙遙領先， 若我能，我必追隨， 以熱切的腳步追逐， 直到它匯入更廣闊的道路， 那裡眾多小徑與差事交會。 然後去向何方？我無法言說。
36 THE LORD OF THE RINGS He paused, silent for a moment. Then without another word he turned away from the lights and voices in the field and tents, and followed by his three companions went round into his garden, and trotted down the long sloping path. He jumped over a low place in the hedge at the bottom, and took to the meadows, passing into the night like a rustle of wind in the grass. Gandalf remained for a while staring after him into the darkness. ‘Good-bye, my dear Bilbo — until our next meeting!’ he said softly and went back indoors. Frodo came in soon afterwards, and found him sitting in the dark, deep in thought. ‘Has he gone?’ he asked. ‘Yes,’ answered Gandalf, ‘he has gone at last.’ ‘I wish — I mean, I hoped until this evening that it was only a joke,’ said Frodo. ‘But I knew in my heart that he really meant to go. He always used to joke about serious things. I wish I had come back sooner, just to see him off.’ ‘I think really he preferred slipping off quietly in the end,’ said Gandalf. ‘Don’t be too troubled. He’ll be all right — now. He left a packet for you. There it is!’ Frodo took the envelope from the mantelpiece, and glanced at it, but did not open it. ‘You’ll find his will and all the other documents in there, I think,’ said the wizard. ‘You are the master of Bag End now. And also, I fancy, youll find a golden ring.’ “The ring!’ exclaimed Frodo. ‘Has he left me that? I wonder why. Still, it may be useful.’ ‘It may, and it may not,’ said Gandalf. ‘I should not make use of it, if I were you. But keep it secret, and keep it safe! Now I am going to bed.’ As master of Bag End Frodo felt it his painful duty to say good-bye to the guests. Rumours of strange events had by now spread all over the field, but Frodo would only say no doubt everything will be cleared up in the morning. About midnight carriages came for the important folk. One by one they rolled away, filled with full but very unsatisfied hobbits. Gardeners came by arrangement, and removed in wheelbarrows those that had inadvertently remained behind. Night slowly passed. The sun rose. The hobbits rose rather later. Morning went on. People came and began (by orders) to clear away the pavilions and the tables and the chairs, and the spoons and knives and bottles and plates, and the lanterns, and the flowering shrubs in boxes, and the crumbs and cracker-paper, the forgotten bags and gloves and handkerchiefs, and the uneaten food (a very small item).
36 魔戒 他停頓了一下，沉默了片刻。接著他一句話也沒說，轉身離開了田野和帳篷裡的燈光與人聲，由他的三位同伴跟隨，繞進了他的花園，小跑著走下那條長長的斜坡小徑。他跳過底部樹籬的一個低矮處，然後進入了草地，像一陣風吹過草叢般消失在夜色中。甘道夫在他身後，凝視著黑暗，停留了一會兒。「再見了，我親愛的比爾博——直到我們下次再見！」他輕聲說道，然後回到了屋內。佛羅多不久後也進來了，發現他坐在黑暗中，陷入沉思。「他走了嗎？」他問道。「是的，」甘道夫回答，「他終於走了。」「我希望——我的意思是，我一直希望到今晚為止，這只是一個玩笑，」佛羅多說。「但我心裡明白他真的打算要走。他總是喜歡拿嚴肅的事情開玩笑。我真希望我能早點回來，好為他送行。」「我想他最終還是喜歡悄悄地離開，」甘道夫說。「別太擔心。他會沒事的——現在。他給你留了一個包裹。就在那裡！」佛羅多從壁爐架上拿起信封，看了一眼，但沒有打開。「我想，你會在裡面找到他的遺囑和所有其他文件，」巫師說。「你現在是袋底洞的主人了。而且，我猜，你會找到一枚金戒指。」「戒指！」佛羅多驚呼道。「他把那個留給我了？我不知道為什麼。不過，它可能有用。」「它可能有用，也可能沒用，」甘道夫說。「如果我是你，我就不會使用它。但要保守秘密，並妥善保管！現在我要去睡覺了。」作為袋底洞的主人，佛羅多覺得向客人們道別是他的痛苦職責。關於奇異事件的謠言此時已傳遍了整個田野，但佛羅多只會說，毫無疑問，一切都會在早上澄清。大約午夜時分，馬車來接那些重要人物。他們一輛接一輛地駛離，車上坐滿了吃飽喝足卻非常不滿意的霍比特人。園丁們按約定前來，用獨輪手推車運走了那些不小心留下來的人。夜晚緩緩過去。太陽升起。霍比特人起得比較晚。上午繼續進行。人們陸續前來，並（奉命）開始清理涼亭、桌椅、湯匙、刀叉、瓶子、盤子、燈籠、箱子裡的開花灌木、麵包屑和餅乾紙、被遺忘的袋子、手套和手帕，以及未吃完的食物（數量很少）。
A LONG-EXPECTED PARTY 37 Then a number of other people came (without orders): Bagginses, and Boffins, and Bolgers, and Tooks, and other guests that lived or were staying near. By mid-day, when even the best-fed were out and about again, there was a large crowd at Bag End, uninvited but not unexpected. Frodo was waiting on the step, smiling, but looking rather tired and worried. He welcomed all the callers, but he had not much more to say than before. His reply to all inquiries was simply this: ‘Mr. Bilbo Baggins has gone away; as far as I know, for good.’ Some of the visitors he invited to come inside, as Bilbo had left ‘messages’ for them. Inside in the hall there was piled a large assortment of packages and parcels and small articles of furniture. On every item there was a label tied. There were several labels of this sort: For ADELARD TOOK, for his VERY OWN, from Bilbo; on an umbrella. Adelard had carried off many unlabelled ones. For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large waste-paper basket. Dora was Drogo’s sister and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century. For MILO BURROWS, hoping it will be useful, from B.B.; on a gold pen and ink-bottle. Milo never answered letters. For ANGELICA’S use, from Uncle Bilbo; on a round convex mirror. She was a young Baggins, and too obviously considered her face shapely. For the collection ofp HUGO BRACEGIRDLE, from a contributor; on an (empty) book-case. Hugo was a great borrower of books, and worse than usual at returning them. For LOBELIA SACKVILLE-BAGGINS, as a PRESENT; on a case of silver spoons. Bilbo believed that she had acquired a good many of his spoons, while he was away on his former journey. Lobelia knew that quite well. When she arrived later in the day, she took the point at once, but she also took the spoons. This is only a small selection of the assembled presents. Bilbo’s residence had got rather cluttered up with things in the course of his long life. It was a tendency of hobbit-holes to get cluttered up: for which the custom of giving so many birthday-presents was largely responsible. Not, of course, that the birthday-presents were always new; there were one or two old mathoms of forgotten uses that had circulated all around the district; but Bilbo had usually given new presents, and kept those that he received. The old hole was now being cleared a little.
期待已久的派對 37 接著，許多其他人也來了（沒有受到邀請）：巴金斯家族、波芬家族、波爾傑家族、圖克家族，以及其他住在附近或暫居於此的賓客。到了中午，即使是那些吃得飽飽的人也再次出門活動時，袋底洞已經聚集了大量人群，他們雖然沒有受邀，但卻不是意料之外的。佛羅多站在門階上等候，面帶微笑，但看起來有些疲憊和擔憂。他歡迎所有來訪者，但話語並不多。他對所有詢問的答覆都只有一句話：「比爾博·巴金斯先生已經離開了；據我所知，是永遠離開了。」他邀請了一些訪客進屋，因為比爾博為他們留下了「訊息」。大廳裡堆滿了各式各樣的包裹、小件家具，每件物品上都繫著標籤。有幾張標籤是這樣的：給阿德拉德·圖克，專屬他的，比爾博贈；在一把雨傘上。阿德拉德已經拿走了許多沒有標籤的雨傘。給朵拉·巴金斯，紀念一段漫長的通信，比爾博愛贈；在一個大型廢紙簍上。朵拉是德羅戈的妹妹，也是比爾博和佛羅多最年長的在世女性親戚；她九十九歲了，在半個多世紀以來寫了無數的忠告。給米洛·伯羅斯，希望它有用，B.B.贈；在一支金筆和墨水瓶上。米洛從不回信。給安潔莉卡使用，比爾博叔叔贈；在一個圓形凸面鏡上。她是一個年輕的巴金斯家族成員，顯然過於自認為自己的臉蛋很標緻。給雨果·布雷斯格德爾的收藏，一位捐贈者贈；在一個（空的）書櫃上。雨果是個愛借書的人，而且比平常更不愛還書。給洛貝莉亞·薩克維爾-巴金斯，作為禮物；在一盒銀湯匙上。比爾博認為，在他上次旅行期間，她拿走了他不少湯匙。洛貝莉亞對此心知肚明。當她當天晚些時候抵達時，她立刻明白了，但她也拿走了湯匙。這只是一小部分聚集起來的禮物。比爾博的住所在他漫長的一生中，堆滿了各種東西，變得相當雜亂。哈比人洞穴本來就容易堆滿東西：這主要歸咎於贈送大量生日禮物的習俗。當然，生日禮物不總是新的；有一些是用途已被遺忘的舊「瑪索姆」，曾在整個地區流傳；但比爾博通常會送新禮物，並保留他收到的禮物。這個舊洞穴現在正在被稍微清理一番。
38 THE LORD OF THE RINGS Every one of the various parting gifts had labels, written out personally by Bilbo, and several had some point, or some joke. But, of course, most of the things were given where they would be wanted and welcome. The poorer hobbits, and especially those of Bagshot Row, did very well. Old Gaffer Gamgee got two sacks of potatoes, a new spade, a woollen waistcoat, and a bottle of ointment for creaking joints. Old Rory Brandybuck, in return for much hospitality, got a dozen bottles of Old Winyards: a strong red wine from the Southfarthing, and now quite mature, as it had been laid down by Bilbo’s father. Rory quite forgave Bilbo, and voted him a capital fellow after the first bottle. There was plenty of everything left for Frodo. And, of course, all the chief treasures, as well as the books, pictures, and more than enough furniture, were left in his possession. There was, however, no sign nor mention of money or jewellery: not a penny-piece or a glass bead was given away. Frodo had a very trying time that afternoon. A false rumour that the whole household was being distributed free spread like wildfire; and before long the place was packed with people who had no business there, but could not be kept out. Labels got torn off and mixed, and quarrels broke out. Some people tried to do swaps and deals in the hall; and others tried to make off with minor items not addressed to them, or with anything that seemed unwanted or unwatched. The road to the gate was blocked with barrows and handcarts. In the middle of the commotion the Sackville-Bagginses arrived. Frodo had retired for a while and left his friend Merry Brandybuck to keep an eye on things. When Otho loudly demanded to see Frodo, Merry bowed politely. ‘He is indisposed,’ he said. ‘He is resting.’ ‘Hiding, you mean,’ said Lobelia. ‘Anyway we want to see him and we mean to see him. Just go and tell him so!’ Merry left them a long while in the hall, and they had time to discover their parting gift of spoons. It did not improve their tempers. Eventually they were shown into the study. Frodo was sitting at a table with a lot of papers in front of him. He looked indisposed — to see Sackville-Bagginses at any rate; and he stood up, fidgeting with something in his pocket. But he spoke quite politely. The Sackville-Bagginses were rather offensive. They began by offering him bad bargain-prices (as between friends) for various valuable and unlabelled things. When Frodo replied that only the things specially directed by Bilbo were being given away, they said the whole affair was very fishy.
38 《魔戒》 比爾博親手寫下了每一份臨別贈禮的標籤，其中有些禮物帶有深意，有些則純粹是個玩笑。當然，大部分的禮物都送給了需要它們、會歡迎它們的人。那些較為貧困的哈比人，尤其是袋邊街的居民，都得到了不少好處。老甘姆吉老爹得了兩袋馬鈴薯、一把新鏟子、一件羊毛背心，還有一瓶治療關節痠痛的藥膏。老羅瑞·烈酒鹿為了感謝比爾博的盛情款待，得到了一打老葡萄園酒：這是一種來自南區的烈性紅酒，現在已經相當成熟，因為它是由比爾博的父親窖藏的。羅瑞完全原諒了比爾博，喝完第一瓶酒後就稱讚他真是個了不起的傢伙。佛羅多則留下了充足的各種物品。當然，所有主要的珍寶，以及書籍、畫作和足夠多的家具，都留給了他。然而，卻沒有任何金錢或珠寶的蹤影或提及：沒有一枚銅幣或一顆玻璃珠被送出去。那天下午佛羅多過得非常難熬。一個關於整個家產將被免費分發的假消息像野火一樣傳開；沒過多久，屋子裡就擠滿了不該出現在那裡的人，卻又無法將他們趕走。標籤被撕掉混淆，爭吵也隨之爆發。有些人試圖在大廳裡交換或交易物品；另一些人則試圖偷走那些沒有指定給他們的小物件，或是任何看起來無人需要或無人看管的東西。通往大門的道路被手推車和獨輪車堵住了。在混亂之中，薩克維爾-巴金斯夫婦來了。佛羅多暫時退到一旁，讓他的朋友梅里·烈酒鹿幫忙照看。當奧索大聲要求見佛羅多時，梅里禮貌地鞠了一躬。「他身體不適，」他說，「他正在休息。」「你是說他躲起來了吧，」羅貝莉亞說，「反正我們就是要見他，而且我們一定要見到他。去告訴他！」梅里讓他們在大廳裡等了很久，他們有時間發現了他們那份臨別贈禮——幾把湯匙。這並沒有讓他們的心情好轉。最終他們被帶進了書房。佛羅多正坐在桌旁，面前堆滿了文件。他看起來確實不太想見薩克維爾-巴金斯夫婦；他站起身，手在口袋裡摸索著什麼。但他說話卻很客氣。薩克維爾-巴金斯夫婦相當無禮。他們一開始就以很低的價格（說是朋友之間）向他提出購買各種貴重但沒有標籤的物品。當佛羅多回答說只有比爾博特別指定的東西才會被送出去時，他們說整件事非常可疑。
A LONG-EXPECTED PARTY 39 ‘Only one thing is clear to me,’ said Otho, ‘and that is that you are doing exceedingly well out of it. I insist on seeing the will.’ Otho would have been Bilbo’s heir, but for the adoption of Frodo. He read the will carefully and snorted. It was, unfortunately, very clear and correct (according to the legal customs of hobbits, which demand among other things seven signatures of witnesses in red ink). ‘Foiled again!’ he said to his wife. ‘And after waiting szxty years. Spoons? Fiddlesticks!’ He snapped his fingers under Frodo’s nose and stumped off. But Lobelia was not so easily got rid of. A little later Frodo came out of the study to see how things were going on, and found her still about the place, investigating nooks and corners, and tapping the floors. He escorted her firmly off the premises, after he had relieved her of several small (but rather valuable) articles that had somehow fallen inside her umbrella. Her face looked as if she was in the throes of thinking out a really crushing parting remark; but all she found to say, turning round on the step, was: “You’ll live to regret it, young fellow! Why didn’t you go too? You don’t belong here; you’re no Baggins — you — you’re a Brandybuck!’ ‘Did you hear that, Merry? That was an insult, if you like,’ said Frodo as he shut the door on her. ‘It was a compliment,’ said Merry Brandybuck, ‘and so, of course, not true.’ Then they went round the hole, and evicted three young hobbits (two Boffins and a Bolger) who were knocking holes in the walls of one of the cellars. Frodo also had a tussle with young Sancho Proudfoot (old Odo Proudfoot’s grandson), who had begun an excavation in the larger pantry, where he thought there was an echo. The legend of Bilbo’s gold excited both curiosity and hope; for legendary gold (mysteriously obtained, if not positively ill-gotten), is, as everyone knows, anyone’s for the finding — unless the search is interrupted. When he had overcome Sancho and pushed him out, Frodo collapsed on a chair in the hall. ‘It’s time to close the shop, Merry,’ he said. ‘Lock the door, and don’t open it to anyone today, not even if they bring a battering ram.’ Then he went to revive himself with a belated cup of tea. He had hardly sat down, when there came a soft knock at the front-door. ‘Lobelia again most likely,’ he thought. ‘She must have thought of something really nasty, and have come back again to say it. It can wait.’ He went on with his tea. The knock was repeated, much louder, but he took no notice. Suddenly the wizard’s head appeared at the window.
期待已久的派對 39 「我只清楚一件事，」奧索說，「那就是你從中獲利甚豐。我堅持要看遺囑。」如果不是佛羅多被收養，奧索本該是比爾博的繼承人。他仔細閱讀遺囑，然後哼了一聲。遺囑不幸地非常清晰且正確（根據哈比人的法律習俗，其中要求證人簽名七個，並用紅墨水）。「又被挫敗了！」他對妻子說。「等了六十年了。湯匙？胡說八道！」他在佛羅多鼻子底下彈了個響指，然後氣沖沖地走了。但洛貝莉亞沒那麼容易打發。過了一會兒，佛羅多走出書房，想看看情況如何，卻發現她還在屋裡四處轉悠，探查著各個角落，並敲打著地板。他堅定地將她護送出屋外，此前他已從她手中取回了幾件小巧（但相當貴重）的物品，這些物品不知怎地掉進了她的雨傘裡。她的臉看起來像是在絞盡腦汁想一句真正刻薄的告別語；但當她在門檻上轉身時，她所能說的只有：「你會後悔的，年輕人！你為什麼不也走呢？你不屬於這裡；你不是巴金斯——你——你是個白蘭地鹿！」 「你聽到了嗎，梅里？如果你願意，那簡直是侮辱，」佛羅多關上門時對她說。「那是讚美，」梅里·白蘭地鹿說，「所以，當然，不是真的。」然後他們繞到洞屋後面，趕走了三個年輕的哈比人（兩個波芬和一個波爾格），他們正在其中一個地窖的牆上鑿洞。佛羅多還和年輕的桑喬·普魯德富特（老奧多·普魯德富特的孫子）扭打了一番，桑喬在較大的儲藏室裡開始挖掘，他認為那裡有迴音。比爾博黃金的傳說激發了人們的好奇心和希望；因為傳說中的黃金（如果不是不義之財，也是神秘獲得的），正如眾所周知，任何人都可以找到——除非搜尋被中斷。當他制服桑喬並把他推出門外後，佛羅多癱坐在大廳的椅子上。「是時候打烊了，梅里，」他說。「鎖上門，今天不要給任何人開門，即使他們帶來了攻城槌也不行。」然後他去喝了一杯遲來的茶，恢復精神。他剛坐下，前門就傳來輕輕的敲門聲。「很可能是洛貝莉亞又來了，」他想。「她一定是想到了什麼真正惡毒的話，又回來要說。它可以等。」他繼續喝著茶。敲門聲又響了，這次大聲得多，但他沒有理會。突然，巫師的頭出現在窗戶上。
40 THE LORD OF THE RINGS ‘If you don’t let me in, Frodo, I shall blow your door right down your hole and out through the hill,’ he said. ‘My dear Gandalf! Half a minute!’ cried Frodo, running out of the room to the door. ‘Come in! Come in! I thought it was Lobelia.’ “Then I forgive you. But I saw her some time ago, driving a ponytrap towards Bywater with a face that would have curdled new milk.’ ‘She had already nearly curdled me. Honestly, I nearly tried on Bilbo’s ring. I longed to disappear.’ ‘Don’t do that!’ said Gandalf, sitting down. ‘Do be careful of that ring, Frodo! In fact, it is partly about that that I have come to say a last word.’ ‘Well, what about it?’ ‘What do you know already?’ ‘Only what Bilbo told me. I have heard his story: how he found it, and how he used it: on his journey, I mean.’ ‘Which story, I wonder,’ said Gandalf. ‘Oh, not what he told the dwarves and put in his book,’ said Frodo. ‘He told me the true story soon after I came to live here. He said you had pestered him till he told you, so I had better know too. ‘‘No secrets between us, Frodo,” he said; “‘but they are not to go any further. It’s mine anyway.”’’ “That’s interesting,’ said Gandalf. ‘Well, what did you think of it all?” ‘If you mean, inventing all that about a “‘present”’, well, I thought the true story much more likely, and I couldn’t see the point of altering it at all. It was very unlike Bilbo to do so, anyway; and I thought it rather odd.’ ‘So did I. But odd things may happen to people that have such treasures — if they use them. Let it be a warning to you to be very careful with it. It may have other powers than just making you vanish when you wish to.’ ‘I don’t understand,’ said Frodo. ‘Neither do I,’ answered the wizard. ‘I have merely begun to wonder about the ring, especially since last night. No need to worry. But if you take my advice you will use it very seldom, or not at all. At least I beg you not to use it in any way that will cause talk or rouse suspicion. I say again: keep it safe, and keep it secret!’ “You are very mysterious! What are you afraid of?’ ‘I am not certain, so I will say no more. I may be able to tell you something when I come back. I am going off at once: so this is good-bye for the present.’ He got up. ‘At once!’ cried Frodo. ‘Why, I thought you were staying on for at least a week. I was looking forward to your help.’ ‘I did mean to — but I have had to change my mind. I may be
40 魔戒 ‘佛羅多，如果你不讓我進去，我就會把你的門連同你的洞穴一起炸開，從山丘的另一邊衝出去！’他說。‘我親愛的甘道夫！等一下！’佛羅多喊道，跑出房間來到門口。‘請進！請進！我還以為是羅貝莉亞呢。’ ‘那我原諒你。但我前陣子見過她，她正駕著一輛馬車朝著水邊村去，臉色難看得能讓新鮮牛奶凝固。’ ‘她已經差點把我凝固了。說真的，我差點就試戴了比爾博的戒指。我渴望消失。’ ‘別那樣做！’甘道夫坐下來說。‘佛羅多，務必小心那枚戒指！事實上，我來就是為了那件事，想說最後幾句話。’ ‘嗯，那是什麼事？’ ‘你已經知道些什麼了？’ ‘只知道比爾博告訴我的。我聽過他的故事：他是怎麼找到它的，又是怎麼使用它的：我是說，在他的旅途中。’ ‘我倒想知道是哪個故事，’甘道夫說。 ‘哦，不是他告訴矮人並寫進他書裡的故事，’佛羅多說。‘我搬來這裡住不久後，他就告訴我真實的故事了。他說你一直纏著他，直到他告訴你，所以我最好也知道。他說：「佛羅多，我們之間沒有秘密；但這些話不能再傳出去。反正它是我的。」’ ‘那真有趣，’甘道夫說。‘嗯，你對這一切有何看法？’ ‘如果你是指，編造了所有關於「禮物」的說法，嗯，我認為真實的故事更為可信，而且我看不出有任何必要去改變它。比爾博那樣做很不尋常，反正；而且我覺得這很奇怪。’ ‘我也是。但奇怪的事情可能會發生在擁有這種寶藏的人身上——如果他們使用它們的話。這對你來說是個警告，要非常小心地使用它。它可能不只是讓你隨心所欲地消失而已，還有其他力量。’ ‘我不明白，’佛羅多說。 ‘我也不明白，’巫師回答。‘我只是開始對這枚戒指感到好奇，尤其是昨晚之後。不用擔心。但如果你聽我的建議，你會很少使用它，或者根本不用。至少我懇求你不要以任何會引起議論或招致懷疑的方式使用它。我再說一次：保護好它，保守它的秘密！’ ‘你真是太神秘了！你在害怕什麼？’ ‘我還不確定，所以我不會再多說。等我回來時，也許能告訴你一些事情。我現在馬上就要走了：所以暫時就此告別吧。’他站起身。 ‘馬上！’佛羅多喊道。‘咦，我還以為你會至少再待一個星期呢。我還期待著你的幫助。’ ‘我本來是這麼打算的——但我不得不改變主意。我可能要…
A LONG-EXPECTED PARTY 41 away for a good while; but P’ll come and see you again, as soon as I can. Expect me when you see me! I shall slip in quietly. I shan’t often be visiting the Shire openly again. I find that I have become rather unpopular. They say I am a nuisance and a disturber of the peace. Some people are actually accusing me of spiriting Bilbo away, or worse. If you want to know, there is supposed to be a plot between you and me to get hold of his wealth.’ ‘Some people!’ exclaimed Frodo. ‘You mean Otho and Lobelia. How abominable! I would give them Bag End and everything else, if I could get Bilbo back and go off tramping in the country with him. I love the Shire. But I begin to wish, somehow, that I had gone too. I wonder if I shall ever see him again.’ ‘So do I,’ said Gandalf. ‘And I wonder many other things. Goodbye now! Take care of yourself! Look out for me, especially at unlikely times! Good-bye!’ Frodo saw him to the door. He gave a final wave of his hand, and walked off at a surprising pace; but Frodo thought the old wizard looked unusually bent, almost as if he was carrying a great weight. The evening was closing in, and his cloaked figure quickly vanished into the twilight. Frodo did not see him again for a long time.
期待已久的宴會 41 他離開好一陣子了；但我會盡快再來見你。等你看見我的時候，我就會出現！我會悄悄地溜進來。我不會再經常公開造訪夏爾了。我發現自己變得相當不受歡迎。他們說我是個麻煩製造者，是個破壞和平的人。有些人甚至指責我把比爾博變走了，或者更糟。如果你想知道，他們還說你我之間有個陰謀，要奪取他的財富。』「有些人！」佛羅多驚呼。「你是說奧索和羅貝莉亞。多麼可惡！如果我能讓比爾博回來，然後和他一起去鄉下流浪，我會把袋底洞和所有東西都給他們。我愛夏爾。但我不知怎地，開始希望我也一起去了。我不知道我是否還能再見到他。」「我也是。」甘道夫說。「我還想知道許多其他事情。現在再見了！保重！留意我，尤其是在意想不到的時候！再見！」佛羅多送他到門口。他最後揮了揮手，然後以驚人的速度走開；但佛羅多覺得這位老巫師看起來異常佝僂，幾乎就像是背負著沉重的負擔。夜幕低垂，他那披著斗篷的身影很快就消失在暮色中。佛羅多很久都沒有再見到他了。