Chapter 7 HOMEWARD BOUND At last the hobbits had their faces turned towards home. They were eager now to see the Shire again; but at first they rode only slowly, for Frodo had been ill at ease. When they came to the Ford of Bruinen, he had halted, and seemed loth to ride into the stream; and they noted that for a while his eyes appeared not to see them or things about him. All that day he was silent. It was the sixth of October. ‘Are you in pain, Frodo?’ said Gandalf quietly as he rode by Frodo’s side. ‘Well, yes Iam,’ said Frodo. ‘It is my shoulder. The wound aches, and the memory of darkness is heavy on me. It was a year ago today.’ ‘Alas! there are some wounds that cannot be wholly cured,’ said Gandalf. ‘I fear it may be so with mine,’ said Frodo. “There is no real going back. Though I may come to the Shire, it will not seem the same; for I shall not be the same. I am wounded with knife, sting, and tooth, and a long burden. Where shall I find rest?’ Gandalf did not answer. By the end of the next day the pain and unease had passed, and Frodo was merry again, as merry as if he did not remember the blackness of the day before. After that the journey went well, and the days went quickly by; for they rode at leisure, and often they lingered in the fair woodlands where the leaves were red and yellow in the autumn sun. At length they came to Weathertop; and it was then drawing towards evening and the shadow of the hill lay dark on the road. Then Frodo begged them to hasten, and he would not look towards the hill, but rode through its shadow with head bowed and cloak drawn close about him. That night the weather changed, and a wind came from the West laden with rain, and it blew loud and chill, and the yellow leaves whirled like birds in the air. When they came to the Chetwood already the boughs were almost bare, and a great curtain of rain veiled Bree-hill from their sight. So it was that near the end of a wild and wet evening in the last days of October the five travellers rode up the climbing road and came to the South-gate of Bree. It was locked fast; and the rain blew in their faces, and in the darkening sky low clouds went hurrying by, and their hearts sank a little, for they had expected more welcome.
第七章 歸途 哈比人終於踏上了歸途。他們現在渴望再次見到夏爾；但起初他們騎得很慢，因為佛羅多一直感到不安。當他們來到布魯伊南渡口時，他停了下來，似乎不情願涉水而過；他們注意到，有一段時間，他的眼睛似乎看不見他們或周遭的事物。那天他一直沉默不語。那是十月六日。「你很痛苦嗎，佛羅多？」甘道夫騎在佛羅多身旁，輕聲問道。「嗯，是的，我很痛苦。」佛羅多說。「是我的肩膀。傷口疼痛，黑暗的記憶沉重地壓在我心頭。就在一年前的今天。」「唉！有些傷口是無法完全治癒的。」甘道夫說。「我恐怕我的也是如此。」佛羅多說。「沒有真正的回頭路。即使我能回到夏爾，它也不會是原來的樣子；因為我也不會是原來的我了。我被刀、毒刺和牙齒所傷，還背負著沉重的負擔。我該到哪裡尋找安寧呢？」甘道夫沒有回答。到了第二天結束時，疼痛和不安都已消退，佛羅多又恢復了歡樂，彷彿他已不記得前一天的黑暗。之後旅程順利，日子也過得很快；因為他們悠閒地騎行，並經常在美麗的林地中逗留，那裡的樹葉在秋日陽光下呈現紅黃色。最後他們來到了風雲頂；當時已漸近黃昏，山丘的陰影籠罩在路上。佛羅多懇求他們加快速度，他不願望向那座山丘，而是低著頭，斗篷緊緊裹著身體，穿過它的陰影。那天晚上天氣變了，一陣載滿雨水的西風吹來，風聲呼嘯，寒意襲人，黃葉像鳥兒一樣在空中盤旋。當他們來到契特森林時，樹枝已幾乎光禿，一道巨大的雨幕遮蔽了布理山，使他們看不見。就這樣，在十月下旬一個狂野潮濕的傍晚，五位旅人騎上蜿蜒的道路，來到了布理的南門。門被牢牢鎖住；雨水打在他們臉上，昏暗的天空中低垂的雲朵快速飄過，他們的心頭不禁一沉，因為他們本期待著更熱情的歡迎。
990 THE LORD OF THE RINGS When they had called many times, at last the Gate-keeper came out, and they saw that he carried a great cudgel. He looked at them with fear and suspicion; but when he saw that Gandalf was there, and that his companions were hobbits, in spite of their strange gear, then he brightened and wished them welcome. ‘Come in!’ he said, unlocking the gate. ‘We won’t stay for news out here in the cold and the wet, a ruffianly evening. But old Barley will no doubt give you a welcome at The Pony, and there you'll hear all there is to hear.’ ‘And there you’ll hear later all that we say, and more,’ laughed Gandalf. ‘How is Harry?’ The Gate-keeper scowled. ‘Gone,’ he said. ‘But you’d best ask Barliman. Good evening!’ ‘Good evening to you!’ they said, and passed through; and then they noticed that behind the hedge at the road-side a long low hut had been built, and a number of men had come out and were staring at them over the fence. When they came to Bill Ferny’s house they saw that the hedge there was tattered and unkempt, and the windows were all boarded up. ‘Do you think you killed him with that apple, Sam?’ said Pippin. ‘I’m not so hopeful, Mr. Pippin,’ said Sam. ‘But Id like to know what became of that poor pony. He’s been on my mind many a time, and the wolves howling and all.’ At last they came to The Prancing Pony, and that at least looked outwardly unchanged; and there were lights behind the red curtains in the lower windows. They rang the bell, and Nob came to the door, and opened it a crack and peeped through; and when he saw them standing under the lamp he gave a cry of surprise. ‘Mr. Butterbur! Master!’ he shouted. “They’ve come back!’ ‘Oh have they? Pll learn them,’ came Butterbur’s voice, and out he came with a rush, and he had a club in his hand. But when he saw who they were he stopped short, and the black scowl on his face changed to wonder and delight. ‘Nob, you woolly-pated ninny!’ he cried. ‘Can’t you give old friends their names? You shouldn’t go scaring me like that, with times as they are. Well, well! And where have you come from? I never expected to see any of you folk again, and that’s a fact: going off into the Wild with that Strider, and all those Black Men about. But I’m right glad to see you, and none more than Gandalf. Come in! Come in! The same rooms as before? They’re free. Indeed most rooms are empty these days, as I’ll not hide from you, for you’ll find it out soon enough. And Ill see what can be done about supper, as soon as may be; but I’m short-handed at present. Hey, Nob you slowcoach! Tell
990 《魔戒》 他們叫喚了許多次，守門人終於出來了，他們看到他手裡拿著一根大棍子。他帶著恐懼和懷疑的眼神看著他們；但當他看到甘道夫在場，而且他的同伴是哈比人，儘管他們穿著奇特的裝束，他便高興起來，並歡迎他們。「進來吧！」他一邊說，一邊打開了門。「我們不會在這裡的寒冷潮濕中等著聽消息，這是一個惡劣的夜晚。不過老巴利無疑會在『小馬駒』歡迎你們，在那裡你們會聽到所有該聽到的。」「而你們稍後也會聽到我們說的一切，甚至更多。」甘道夫笑道。「哈利怎麼樣了？」守門人皺起了眉頭。「走了。」他說。「不過你最好去問巴力曼。晚安！」「你們也晚安！」他們說，然後走了進去；接著他們注意到路邊的樹籬後面建了一座低矮的長屋，許多人從裡面出來，隔著籬笆盯著他們。當他們來到比爾·佛尼的家時，他們看到那裡的樹籬破爛不堪，窗戶都被木板釘死了。「山姆，你覺得你用那個蘋果殺了他嗎？」皮聘說。「我沒那麼樂觀，皮聘先生。」山姆說。「不過我想知道那匹可憐的小馬怎麼樣了。我常常想起牠，還有狼群的嚎叫等等。」他們終於來到了「躍馬客棧」，至少從外表看來沒有變化；下層窗戶的紅色窗簾後面透出燈光。他們按了鈴，諾布來開門，他把門開了一條縫，往外窺視；當他看到他們站在燈下時，他驚訝地叫了一聲。「巴特伯先生！主人！」他喊道。「他們回來了！」「哦，是嗎？我會好好教訓他們。」巴特伯的聲音傳來，他衝了出來，手裡拿著一根棍子。但當他看到是誰時，他突然停住了，臉上的黑臉變成了驚訝和喜悅。「諾布，你這個笨蛋！」他喊道。「你難道認不出老朋友嗎？你不該這樣嚇我，尤其是在這種時候。哎呀，哎呀！你們是從哪裡來的？我從沒想過會再見到你們這些人，這是真的：跟著那個『大步佬』去了荒野，周圍還有那些黑衣人。但我很高興見到你們，尤其高興見到甘道夫。進來！進來！還是以前的房間嗎？它們是空的。事實上，這些天大部分房間都空著，我不會瞞你們，因為你們很快就會發現的。我會盡快看看晚餐能做些什麼；不過我現在人手不足。嘿，諾布你這個慢吞吞的傢伙！去告訴
HOMEWARD BOUND 991 Bob! Ah, but there I’m forgetting, Bob’s gone: goes home to his folk at nightfall now. Well, take the guests’ ponies to the stables, Nob! And you’ll be taking your horse to his stable yourself, Gandalf, I don’t doubt. A fine beast, as I said when I first set eyes on him. Well, come in! Make yourselves at home!’ Mr. Butterbur had at any rate not changed his manner of talking, and still seemed to live in his old breathless bustle. And yet there was hardly anybody about, and all was quiet; from the Common Room there came a low murmur of no more than two or three voices. And seen closer in the light of two candles that he lit and carried before them the landlord’s face looked rather wrinkled and careworn. He led them down the passage to the parlour that they had used on that strange night more than a year ago; and they followed him, a little disquieted, for it seemed plain to them that old Barliman was putting a brave face on some trouble. Things were not what they had been. But they said nothing, and waited. As they expected Mr. Butterbur came to the parlour after supper to see if all had been to their liking. As indeed it had: no change for the worse had yet come upon the beer or the victuals at The Pony, at any rate. ‘Now I won’t make so bold as to suggest you should come to the Common Room tonight,’ said Butterbur. ‘You’ll be tired; and there isn’t many folk there this evening, anyway. But if you could spare me half an hour before you go to your beds, I would dearly like to have some talk with you, quiet-like by ourselves.’ “That is just what we should like, too,’ said Gandalf. ‘We are not tired. We have been taking things easy. We were wet, cold and hungry, but all that you have cured. Come, sit down! And if you have any pipe-weed, we’ll bless you.’ ‘Well, if you’d called for anything else, ’'d have been happier,’ said Butterbur. “That’s just a thing that we’re short of, seeing how we’ve only got what we grow ourselves, and that’s not enough. There’s none to be had from the Shire these days. But P’ll do what I can.’ When he came back he brought them enough to last them for a day or two, a wad of uncut leaf. ‘Southlinch,’ he said, ‘and the best we have; but not the match of Southfarthing, as I’ve always said, though I’m all for Bree in most matters, begging your pardon.’ They put him in a large chair by the wood-fire, and Gandalf sat on the other side of the hearth, and the hobbits in low chairs between them; and then they talked for many times half an hour, and exchanged all such news as Mr. Butterbur wished to hear or give. Most of the things which they had to tell were a mere wonder and bewilderment to their host, and far beyond his vision; and they brought forth few comments other than: ‘You don’t say,’ often
「回家了，鮑伯！啊，但我忘了，鮑伯已經走了：他現在每晚都回家找他的家人了。好了，諾伯，把客人的小馬牽到馬廄去！甘道夫，你也會親自把你的馬牽到馬廄的，我毫不懷疑。一匹好馬，我第一次見到牠時就這麼說了。好了，進來吧！別客氣，就像在家一樣！」巴利曼先生的說話方式至少沒有改變，他似乎仍然活在他那老樣子、氣喘吁吁的忙碌中。然而，周圍幾乎沒有人，一切都很安靜；從交誼廳傳來低低的耳語，不過兩三個人的聲音。在兩支他點燃並提在他們面前的蠟燭光下，仔細一看，這位店主的面容顯得相當皺紋密佈，飽經風霜。他領著他們穿過走廊，來到一年多前那個奇異的夜晚他們曾用過的客廳；他們跟在他身後，有些不安，因為他們清楚地看出，老巴利曼正在故作鎮定，掩飾著一些麻煩。情況已不如從前。但他們什麼也沒說，只是等待。正如他們所料，巴利曼先生在晚餐後來到客廳，詢問他們是否一切都滿意。確實如此：至少在小馬駒旅館，啤酒或食物都還沒有變差。「今晚我不敢冒昧建議你們去交誼廳，」巴利曼說。「你們會累的；而且今晚那裡也沒什麼人。但如果你們能在睡前撥冗半小時給我，我會非常樂意和你們私下聊聊。」「那正是我們也想要的，」甘道夫說。「我們不累。我們一直都很輕鬆。我們之前又濕又冷又餓，但你都治好了。來，坐下！如果你有任何菸草，我們會感謝你的。」「嗯，如果你們要的是別的東西，我會更高興，」巴利曼說。「那正是我們所缺乏的，因為我們只有自己種的，而且那不夠。這些日子以來，夏爾也沒有菸草可買。但我會盡力而為。」他回來時，帶給他們足夠用一兩天的菸草，一團未經切割的菸葉。「南林奇，」他說，「這是我們最好的；但比不上南區的，我一直都這麼說，儘管在大多數事情上我都是支持布理的，請原諒我。」他們把他安置在壁爐旁的寬大椅子上，甘道夫坐在爐火的另一邊，哈比人則坐在他們之間的矮椅上；然後他們聊了許多個半小時，交換了巴利曼先生想聽或想說的所有消息。他們所講的大部分事情，對他們的主人來說，簡直是奇蹟和困惑，遠超乎他的想像；他們幾乎沒有發表其他評論，除了經常說：『你別說了。』
992 THE LORD OF THE RINGS repeated in defiance of the evidence of Mr. Butterbur’s own ears. “You don’t say, Mr. Baggins, or is it Mr. Underhill? I’m getting so mixed up. You don’t say, Master Gandalf! Well I never! Who’d have thought it in our times!’ But he did say much on his own account. Things were far from well, he would say. Business was not even fair, it was downright bad. “No one comes nigh Bree now from Outside,’ he said. ‘And the inside folks, they stay at home mostly and keep their doors barred. It all comes of those newcomers and gangrels that began coming up the Greenway last year, as you may remember; but more came later. Some were just poor bodies running away from trouble; but most were bad men, full 0’ thievery and mischief. And there was trouble right here in Bree, bad trouble. Why, we had a real set-to, and there were some folk killed, killed dead! If you'll believe me.’ ‘I will indeed,’ said Gandalf. ‘How many?’ “Three and two,’ said Butterbur, referring to the big folk and the little. “There was poor Mat Heathertoes, and Rowlie Appledore, and little Tom Pickthorn from over the Hill; and Willie Banks from upaway, and one of the Underhills from Staddle: all good fellows, and they’re missed. And Harry Goatleaf that used to be on the West-gate, and that Bill Ferny, they came in on the strangers’ side, and they’ve gone off with them; and it’s my belief they let them in. On the night of the fight, I mean. And that was after we showed them the gates and pushed them out: before the year’s end, that was; and the fight was early in the New Year, after the heavy snow we had. ‘And now they’re gone for robbers and live outside, hiding in the woods beyond Archet, and out in the wilds north-away. It’s like a bit of the bad old times tales tell of, I say. It isn’t safe on the road and nobody goes far, and folk lock up early. We have to keep watchers all round the fence and put a lot of men on the gates at nights.’ ‘Well, no one troubled us,’ said Pippin, ‘and we came along slowly, and kept no watch. We thought we’d left all trouble behind us.’ ‘Ah, that you haven’t, Master, more’s the pity,’ said Butterbur. ‘But it’s no wonder they left you alone. They wouldn’t go for armed folk, with swords and helmets and shields and all. Make them think twice, that would. And I must say it put me aback a bit when I saw you.’ Then the hobbits suddenly realized that people had looked at them with amazement not out of surprise at their return so much as in wonder at their gear. They themselves had become so used to warfare and to riding in well-arrayed companies that they had quite forgotten that the bright mail peeping from under their cloaks, and the helms of Gondor and the Mark, and the fair devices on their shields, would seem outlandish in their own country. And Gandalf, too, was now
「992 魔戒之主！」巴特伯先生不顧自己耳朵聽到的事實，重複道。「你沒說啊，巴金斯先生，還是說你是安德希爾先生？我真是搞糊塗了。你沒說啊，甘道夫大師！天哪！誰會想到在我們這個時代會發生這種事！」但他自己確實說了很多。他說，事情遠遠不順利。生意甚至稱不上公平，簡直是糟糕透頂。「現在沒有外人會靠近布理了，」他說。「而本地人呢，他們大多待在家裡，把門閂得緊緊的。這一切都源於去年那些沿著綠道而來的新來者和流浪漢，你們可能還記得；但後來又來了更多。有些只是為了逃避麻煩的可憐人；但大多數都是壞人，滿腦子都是偷竊和惡作劇。布理這裡也出了麻煩，大麻煩。哎呀，我們真的打了一架，還有人被殺了，死透了！如果你相信我的話。」「我當然相信。」甘道夫說。「多少人？」「三個和兩個。」巴特伯說，指的是大人和小孩。「有可憐的馬特·希瑟托斯，羅利·阿普爾多爾，還有山那邊的小湯姆·皮克索恩；還有來自遠方的威利·班克斯，以及來自斯塔德爾的一個安德希爾家族的人：他們都是好人，我們都很想念他們。還有以前守西門的哈利·戈特利夫，以及那個比爾·費爾尼，他們都站在陌生人那邊，並且跟他們一起走了；我相信是他們放那些人進來的。我是說，在打鬥的那晚。那是在我們把他們趕出門外之後：那是在年底之前；而打鬥則是在新年伊始，在我們經歷了大雪之後。現在他們都成了強盜，住在外面，躲在阿切特之外的樹林裡，以及北方的荒野中。我說，這就像是傳說中那些糟糕的舊時代的一小部分。路上不安全，沒人敢走遠，人們早早就把門鎖上了。我們必須在柵欄周圍安排守衛，晚上還要在大門口安排很多人。」「嗯，沒人找我們麻煩。」皮聘說，「我們慢慢地走過來，也沒放哨。我們以為已經把所有麻煩都拋在腦後了。」「啊，大師，你還沒有呢，真是可惜。」巴特伯說。「但他們沒找你麻煩也不奇怪。他們不會去招惹全副武裝的人，帶著劍、頭盔和盾牌什麼的。那會讓他們三思而後行。我必須說，我看到你們的時候確實有點吃驚。」然後哈比人突然意識到，人們看著他們時的驚訝，並非因為他們歸來，更多的是對他們裝備的驚奇。他們自己已經習慣了戰爭，習慣了在整齊的隊伍中騎行，以至於完全忘記了，從斗篷下露出的閃亮鎖子甲，以及剛鐸和洛汗的頭盔，還有盾牌上精美的圖案，在他們自己的國家會顯得多麼格格不入。而甘道夫，也在此時
HOMEWARD BOUND 993 riding on his tall grey horse, all clad in white with a great mantle of blue and silver over all, and the long sword Glamdring at his side. Gandalf laughed. ‘Well, well,’ he said, ‘if they are afraid of just five of us, then we have met worse enemies on our travels. But at any rate they will give you peace at night while we stay.’ ‘How long will that be?’ said Butterbur. ‘I'll not deny we should be glad to have you about for a bit. You see, we’re not used to such troubles; and the Rangers have all gone away, folk tell me. I don’t think we’ve rightly understood till now what they did for us. For there’s been worse than robbers about. Wolves were howling round the fences last winter. And there’s dark shapes in the woods, dreadful things that it makes the blood run cold to think of. It’s been very disturbing, if you understand me.’ ‘I expect it has,’ said Gandalf. ‘Nearly all lands have been disturbed these days, very disturbed. But cheer up, Barliman! You have been on the edge of very great troubles, and I am only glad to hear that you have not been deeper in. But better times are coming. Maybe, better than any you remember. The Rangers have returned. We came back with them. And there is a king again, Barliman. He will soon be turning his mind this way. “Then the Greenway will be opened again, and his messengers will come north, and there will be comings and goings, and the evil things will be driven out of the waste-lands. Indeed the waste in time will be waste no longer, and there will be people and fields where once there was wilderness.’ Mr. Butterbur shook his head. ‘If there’s a few decent respectable folk on the roads, that won’t do no harm,’ he said. ‘But we don’t want no more rabble and ruffians. And we don’t want no outsiders at Bree, nor near Bree at all. We want to be let alone. I don’t want a whole crowd o’ strangers camping here and settling there and tearing up the wild country.’ ‘You will be let alone, Barliman,’ said Gandalf. “There is room enough for realms between Isen and Greyflood, or along the shorelands south of the Brandywine, without anyone living within many days’ ride of Bree. And many folk used to dwell away north, a hundred miles or more from here, at the far end of the Greenway: on the North Downs or by Lake Evendim.’ ‘Up away by Deadmen’s Dike?’ said Butterbur, looking even more dubious. “That’s haunted land, they say. None but a robber would go there.’ “The Rangers go there,’ said Gandalf. ‘Deadmen’s Dike, you say. So it has been called for long years; but its right name, Barliman, is Fornost Erain, Norbury of the Kings. And the King will come there again one day; and then you’ll have some fair folk riding through.’
歸途 993 他騎著高大的灰馬，全身披著白衣，外面罩著一件巨大的藍銀色斗篷，腰間佩戴著長劍格蘭瑞。甘道夫笑了。「嗯，嗯，」他說，「如果他們連我們五個人都害怕，那麼我們在旅途中也遇到過更糟糕的敵人。但無論如何，在我們停留期間，他們會讓你們夜晚安寧。」「那會是多久呢？」巴力曼說。「我不會否認，我們很高興能有你們在身邊一陣子。你看，我們不習慣這種麻煩；而且遊俠們都走了，人們告訴我。我想我們直到現在才真正明白他們為我們做了什麼。因為這裡發生的事情比強盜還要糟糕。去年冬天，狼群在籬笆周圍嚎叫。樹林裡有黑暗的形體，想到那些可怕的東西就讓人毛骨悚然。這一直非常令人不安，如果你明白我的意思。」「我想是的，」甘道夫說，「這些日子以來，幾乎所有地方都受到了很大的騷擾，非常不安。但振作起來，巴力曼！你一直處於巨大麻煩的邊緣，我很高興聽到你沒有更深陷其中。但更好的時光即將到來。也許，比你記憶中任何時候都好。遊俠們已經回來了。我們和他們一起回來了。巴力曼，又有一位國王了。他很快就會把心思轉向這裡。『那麼綠道將會再次開放，他的使者將會北上，將會有來來往往的人群，邪惡的東西將會被趕出荒地。事實上，荒地最終將不再是荒地，曾經的荒野將會有人居住，有田地耕種。』巴力曼先生搖了搖頭。「如果路上有一些正派體面的人，那不會有什麼壞處，」他說，「但我們不想要更多的烏合之眾和惡棍。我們也不想要任何外來者在布理，或根本就不想在布理附近。我們只想被獨自留下。我不想有一大群陌生人在這裡紮營，在那裡定居，破壞這片荒野。」「你會被獨自留下，巴力曼，」甘道夫說，「在艾森河和灰水河之間，或在白蘭地河以南的海岸地區，有足夠的空間容納王國，沒有人會住在布理數日路程之內。而且許多人以前住在北方，離這裡一百英里或更遠的地方，在綠道的盡頭：在北崗或伊文丁湖畔。」「在死人堤那邊嗎？」巴力曼說，看起來更加懷疑。「那裡是鬧鬼之地，他們說。除了強盜，沒有人會去那裡。」「遊俠們會去那裡，」甘道夫說，「你說死人堤。它被這樣稱呼了許多年；但它的真名，巴力曼，是佛諾斯特·伊萊恩，國王之北堡。國王有一天會再次來到那裡；到那時你就會看到一些高貴的人騎馬經過。」
994 THE LORD OF THE RINGS ‘Well, that sounds more hopeful, I'll allow,’ said Butterbur. ‘And it will be good for business, no doubt. So long as he lets Bree alone.’ ‘He will,’ said Gandalf. ‘He knows it and loves it.’ ‘Does he now?’ said Butterbur looking puzzled. “Though I’m sure I don’t know why he should, sitting in his big chair up in his great castle, hundreds of miles away. And drinking wine out of a golden cup, I shouldn’t wonder. What’s The Pony to him, or mugs 0’ beer? Not but what my beer’s good, Gandalf. It’s been uncommon good, since you came in the autumn of last year and put a good word on it. And that’s been a comfort in trouble, I will say.’ ‘Ah!’ said Sam. ‘But he says your beer is always good.’ ‘He says?’ ‘Of course he does. He’s Strider. The chief of the Rangers. Haven’t you got that into your head yet?’ It went in at last, and Butterbur’s face was a study in wonder. The eyes in his broad face grew round, and his mouth opened wide, and he gasped. ‘Strider!’ he exclaimed when he got back his breath. ‘Him with a crown and all and a golden cup! Well, what are we coming tor’ ‘Better times, for Bree at any rate,’ said Gandalf. ‘I hope so, I’m sure,’ said Butterbur. ‘Well, this has been the nicest chat I’ve had in a month of Mondays. And I'll not deny that I'll sleep easier tonight and with a lighter heart. You’ve given me a powerful lot to think over, but Pll put that off until tomorrow. I’m for bed, and I’ve no doubt you'll be glad of your beds too. Hey, Nob!’ he called, going to the door. ‘Nob, you slowcoach!’ ‘Nob!’ he said to himself, slapping his forehead. ‘Now what does that remind me of?’ ‘Not another letter you’ve forgotten, I hope, Mr. Butterbur?’ said Merry. ‘Now, now, Mr. Brandybuck, don’t go reminding me of that! But there, you’ve broken my thought. Now where was I? Nob, stables, ah! that was it. I’ve something that belongs to you. If you recollect Bill Ferny and the horsethieving: his pony as you bought, well, it’s here. Come back all of itself, it did. But where it had been to you know better than me. It was as shaggy as an old dog and as lean as a clothes-rail, but it was alive. Nob’s looked after it.’ ‘What! My Bill?’ cried Sam. ‘Well, I was born lucky, whatever my gaffer may say. There’s another wish come true! Where is he?’ Sam would not go to bed until he had visited Bill in his stable. The travellers stayed in Bree all the next day, and Mr. Butterbur could not complain of his business next evening at any rate. Curiosity overcame all fears, and his house was crowded. For a while out of
994 《魔戒》 「嗯，那聽起來比較有希望，我承認。」巴特伯說。「而且對生意肯定有幫助，毫無疑問。只要他別來打擾布理就好。」 「他會的。」甘道夫說。「他了解它，也愛它。」 「他會嗎？」巴特伯困惑地問。「雖然我實在不明白他為什麼會，他坐在他那大城堡裡的大椅子上，遠在幾百英里之外。而且還用金杯喝酒，我一點也不會感到奇怪。小馬客棧對他來說算什麼，或者幾杯啤酒？不過我的啤酒確實不錯，甘道夫。自從你去年秋天來，替它說了幾句好話之後，它就一直特別好。那在困境中是一種慰藉，我得說。」 「啊！」山姆說。「可是他說你的啤酒一直都很好喝。」 「他說？」 「他當然說了。他是亞拉岡。遊俠的首領。你還沒把這件事弄清楚嗎？」 這話總算讓他明白了，巴特伯的臉上寫滿了驚訝。他那寬闊的臉龐上的眼睛睜得圓圓的，嘴巴張得大大的，他喘著氣。「亞拉岡！」他喘過氣來後驚呼道。「他戴著王冠，還有金杯！嗯，我們這是要迎來什麼？」 「至少對布理來說，是更好的時代。」甘道夫說。「我當然希望如此。」巴特伯說。「嗯，這是我一個月來最愉快的談話了。我不會否認今晚我會睡得更安穩，心情也更輕鬆。你給了我很多值得思考的事情，但我會把它們留到明天再想。我要去睡了，我相信你們也會很高興能睡覺的。嘿，諾布！」他走向門口喊道。「諾布，你這個慢吞吞的傢伙！」 「諾布！」他拍了拍額頭，自言自語道。「這讓我想起了什麼？」 「你該不會又忘了什麼信吧，巴特伯先生？」梅里說。「哎呀，哎呀，白蘭地鹿先生，別再提醒我那件事了！但是，你打斷了我的思緒。我剛才說到哪了？諾布，馬廄，啊！就是那個。我有樣東西是你的。如果你還記得比爾·費爾尼和偷馬的事：你買的那匹小馬，嗯，它在這裡。它自己跑回來了。但它去過哪裡，你比我更清楚。它像一隻老狗一樣毛茸茸的，像衣架一樣瘦，但它還活著。諾布一直在照顧它。」 「什麼！我的比爾？」山姆喊道。「嗯，我生來就幸運，不管我老爹怎麼說。又一個願望實現了！他在哪裡？」山姆直到去馬廄看過比爾才肯上床睡覺。旅行者們在布理又待了一整天，而巴特伯先生至少在第二天晚上無法抱怨他的生意。好奇心戰勝了所有恐懼，他的客棧擠滿了人。有一段時間，
HOMEWARD BOUND 995 politeness the hobbits visited the Common Room in the evening and answered a good many questions. Bree memories being retentive, Frodo was asked many times if he had written his book. ‘Not yet,’ he answered. ‘I am going home now to put my notes in order.’ He promised to deal with the amazing events at Bree, and so give a bit of interest to a book that appeared likely to treat mostly of the remote and less important affairs ‘away south’. Then one of the younger folk called for a song. But at that a hush fell, and he was frowned down, and the call was not repeated. Evidently there was no wish for any uncanny events in the Common Room again. No trouble by day, nor any sound by night, disturbed the peace of Bree while the travellers remained there; but the next morning they got up early, for as the weather was still rainy they wished to reach the Shire before night, and it was a long ride. The Bree folk were all out to see them off, and were in merrier mood than they had been for a year; and those who had not seen the strangers in all their gear before gaped with wonder at them: at Gandalf with his white beard, and the light that seemed to gleam from him, as if his blue mantle was only a cloud over sunshine; and at the four hobbits like riders upon errantry out of almost forgotten tales. Even those who had laughed at all the talk about the King began to think there might be some truth in it. ‘Well, good luck on your road, and good luck to your homecoming!’ said Mr. Butterbur. ‘I should have warned you before that all’s not well in the Shire neither, if what we hear is true. Funny goings on, they say. But one thing drives out another, and I was full of my own troubles. But if I may be so bold, you’ve come back changed from your travels, and you look now like folk as can deal with troubles out of hand. I don’t doubt you’ll soon set all to rights. Good luck to you! And the oftener you come back the better Ill be pleased.’ They wished him farewell and rode away, and passed through the West-gate and on towards the Shire. Bill the pony was with them, and as before he had a good deal of baggage, but he trotted along beside Sam and seemed well content. ‘I wonder what old Barliman was hinting at,’ said Frodo. ‘I can guess some of it,’ said Sam gloomily. ‘What I saw in the Mirror: trees cut down and all, and my old gaffer turned out of the Row. I ought to have hurried back quicker.’ ‘And something’s wrong with the Southfarthing evidently,’ said Merry. “There’s a general shortage of pipe-weed.’ ‘Whatever it is,’ said Pippin, ‘Lotho will be at the bottom of it: you can be sure of that.’
返鄉之路 995 禮節 哈比人傍晚時分造訪了交誼廳，回答了許多問題。布理人的記憶力很好，佛羅多被問了好幾次他是否寫完了他的書。「還沒，」他回答。「我現在要回家整理我的筆記。」他承諾會處理布理發生的驚人事件，為這本看來主要講述「南方」遙遠且較不重要事務的書增添一些趣味。接著，一個年輕人要求唱首歌。但此時一片寂靜，他被大家皺眉制止，歌聲的要求也沒再重複。顯然大家不希望交誼廳再次發生任何怪異事件。旅者們待在那裡的時候，布理的和平日夜都未受到任何麻煩或聲響的打擾；但第二天早上他們很早就起床了，因為天氣仍然下雨，他們希望在天黑前抵達夏爾，而且路途遙遠。布理的居民都出來為他們送行，他們的心情比一年來任何時候都更愉快；那些以前沒見過這些陌生人全副武裝的人，都驚奇地張大了嘴巴：看著甘道夫的白鬍子，以及他身上似乎散發出的光芒，彷彿他的藍色斗篷只是陽光上的一片雲；還有那四個哈比人，就像是來自幾乎被遺忘的傳說中的遊俠騎士。甚至那些曾經嘲笑所有關於國王傳聞的人，也開始覺得其中可能有些真實性。「祝你們一路順風，也祝你們返鄉順利！」巴力曼·奶油伯先生說。「我本該早點警告你們，如果我們聽到的消息是真的，夏爾那邊也不太平靜。他們說有奇怪的事情發生。但一件事會取代另一件事，而我當時正為自己的麻煩煩惱。但如果我斗膽直言，你們這次旅行回來後變了，現在看起來就像是能立刻處理麻煩的人。我毫不懷疑你們很快就能把一切都處理妥當。祝你們好運！你們回來得越頻繁，我就會越開心。」他們向他告別，然後騎馬離開，穿過西門，朝著夏爾前進。小馬比爾也和他們在一起，和以前一樣，牠馱著不少行李，但牠跟在山姆旁邊小跑著，看起來很滿足。「我不知道老巴力曼在暗示什麼，」佛羅多說。「我能猜到一些，」山姆沮喪地說。「我在魔鏡裡看到的：樹木被砍伐，還有我老爹被趕出小徑。我真該早點趕回來。」「而且南區顯然出了問題，」梅里說。「煙草普遍短缺。」「不管是什麼事，」皮聘說，「洛索肯定脫不了干係：你可以肯定這一點。」
996 THE LORD OF THE RINGS ‘Deep in, but not at the bottom,’ said Gandalf. ‘You have forgotten Saruman. He began to take an interest in the Shire before Mordor did.’ ‘Well, we’ve got you with us,’ said Merry, ‘so things will soon be cleared up.’ ‘I am with you at present,’ said Gandalf, ‘but soon I shall not be. I am not coming to the Shire. You must settle its affairs yourselves; that is what you have been trained for. Do you not yet understand? My time is over: it is no longer my task to set things to rights, nor to help folk to do so. And as for you, my dear friends, you will need no help. You are grown up now. Grown indeed very high; among the great you are, and I have no longer any fear at all for any of you. ‘But if you would know, I am turning aside soon. I am going to have a long talk with Bombadil: such a talk as I have not had in all my time. He is a moss-gatherer, and I have been a stone doomed to rolling. But my rolling days are ending, and now we shall have much to say to one another.’ In a little while they came to the point on the East Road where they had taken leave of Bombadil; and they hoped and half expected to see him standing there to greet them as they went by. But there was no sign of him; and there was a grey mist on the Barrow-downs southwards, and a deep veil over the Old Forest far away. They halted and Frodo looked south wistfully. ‘I should dearly like to see the old fellow again,’ he said. ‘I wonder how he is getting on?’ ‘As well as ever, you may be sure,’ said Gandalf. ‘Quite untroubled; and I should guess, not much interested in anything that we have done or seen, unless perhaps in our visits to the Ents. There may be a time later for you to go and see him. But if I were you, I should press on now for home, or you will not come to the Brandywine Bridge before the gates are locked.’ ‘But there aren’t any gates,’ said Merry, ‘not on the Road; you know that quite well. There’s the Buckland Gate, of course; but they'll let me through that at any time.’ “There weren’t any gates, you mean,’ said Gandalf. ‘I think you will find some now. And you might have more trouble even at the Buckland Gate than you think. But you’!l manage all right. Good-bye, dear friends! Not for the last time, not yet. Good-bye!’ He turned Shadowfax off the Road, and the great horse leaped the green dike that here ran beside it; and then at a cry from Gandalf he was gone, racing towards the Barrow-downs like a wind from the North.
「深入其中，但並非最底層。」甘道夫說。「你忘了薩魯曼。在魔多之前，他就開始對夏爾產生興趣了。」 「嗯，有您和我們在一起。」梅里說，「所以事情很快就會水落石出。」 「我目前是和你們在一起。」甘道夫說，「但很快我就不會了。我不會去夏爾。你們必須自己處理那裡的事務；這就是你們受訓的目的。你們還不明白嗎？我的時代已經結束了：撥亂反正，幫助人們這樣做，不再是我的任務。至於你們，我親愛的朋友們，你們將不再需要任何幫助。你們現在已經長大了。確實長得很高；你們已身處偉人之列，我對你們任何人都不再有任何恐懼了。」 「但如果你們想知道，我很快就要轉向了。我將和湯姆·邦巴迪爾好好談談：那會是我一生中從未有過的談話。他是一個採苔者，而我則是一塊註定要滾動的石頭。但我的滾動歲月即將結束，現在我們將有很多話要對彼此說。」 過了一會兒，他們來到東路與邦巴迪爾告別的地方；他們希望，也半預期會看到他站在那裡，在他們經過時向他們打招呼。但沒有他的蹤影；巴羅土丘以南籠罩著一層灰濛濛的薄霧，遠處的老林則被一層濃厚的面紗遮蔽。他們停了下來，佛羅多惆悵地向南望去。 「我真想再見見那位老先生。」他說，「不知道他過得怎麼樣？」 「一如既往地好，你可以放心。」甘道夫說，「他完全無憂無慮；我猜，他對我們所做或所見的任何事情都不太感興趣，除非是我們拜訪樹人。也許以後會有時間讓你們去見他。但如果我是你們，我現在就會趕回家，否則在城門上鎖之前，你們就到不了白蘭地河橋了。」 「可是沒有城門啊。」梅里說，「路上沒有；你很清楚。當然有巴克蘭門；但他們隨時都會讓我通過的。」 「『沒有城門』，你是這個意思嗎？」甘道夫說，「我想你們現在會發現一些的。而且即使在巴克蘭門，你們遇到的麻煩可能比你們想像的還要多。不過你們會應付得來的。再見，親愛的朋友們！還沒到最後一次，還沒呢。再見！」 他讓影疾離開了道路，這匹駿馬躍過了旁邊的綠色堤壩；然後隨著甘道夫的一聲呼喚，牠便消失了，像一陣北風般朝巴羅土丘奔去。
HOMEWARD BOUND 997 ‘Well here we are, just the four of us that started out together,’ said Merry. ‘We have left all the rest behind, one after another. It seems almost like a dream that has slowly faded.’ ‘Not to me,’ said Frodo. “To me it feels more like falling asleep again.’
歸途 997 「瞧，我們到了，就我們四個當初一起出發的人。」梅里說。「我們把所有其他人一個接一個地拋在身後了。這幾乎就像一場緩緩消逝的夢。」 「對我來說不是這樣。」佛羅多說。「對我來說，這更像是再次入睡。」