Chapter 4 A SHORT CUT TO MUSHROOMS In the morning Frodo woke refreshed. He was lying in a bower made by a living tree with branches laced and drooping to the ground; his bed was of fern and grass, deep and soft and strangely fragrant. The sun was shining through the fluttering leaves, which were still green upon the tree. He jumped up and went out. Sam was sitting on the grass near the edge of the wood. Pippin was standing studying the sky and weather. There was no sign of the Elves. “They have left us fruit and drink, and bread,’ said Pippin. ‘Come and have your breakfast. The bread tastes almost as good as it did last night. I did not want to leave you any, but Sam insisted.’ Frodo sat down beside Sam and began to eat. ‘What is the plan for today?’ asked Pippin. “To walk to Bucklebury as quickly as possible,’ answered Frodo, and gave his attention to the food. ‘Do you think we shall see anything of those Riders?’ asked Pippin cheerfully. Under the morning sun the prospect of seeing a whole troop of them did not seem very alarming to him. “Yes, probably,’ said Frodo, not liking the reminder. ‘But I hope to get across the river without their seeing us.’ ‘Did you find out anything about them from Gildor?’ ‘Not much — only hints and riddles,’ said Frodo evasively. ‘Did you ask about the sniffing?’ ‘We didn’t discuss it,’ said Frodo with his mouth full. “You should have. I am sure it is very important.’ ‘In that case Iam sure Gildor would have refused to explain it,’ said Frodo sharply. ‘And now leave me in peace for a bit! I don’t want to answer a string of questions while I am eating. I want to think!’ ‘Good heavens!’ said Pippin. ‘At breakfast?? He walked away towards the edge of the green. From Frodo’s mind the bright morning — treacherously bright, he thought — had not banished the fear of pursuit; and he pondered the words of Gildor. The merry voice of Pippin came to him. He was running on the green turf and singing. ‘No! I could not!’ he said to himself. ‘It is one thing to take my young friends walking over the Shire with me, until we are hungry and weary, and food and bed are sweet. To take them into exile, where hunger and weariness may have no cure, is quite another —
隔天早上，佛羅多醒來時神清氣爽。他躺在一個由活生生的樹木形成的天然涼亭裡，樹枝交織下垂至地面；他的床是用蕨類和青草鋪成的，又深又軟，還散發著奇特的芬芳。陽光穿過仍在樹上、隨風搖曳的綠葉灑下。他跳起來走了出去。山姆正坐在草地上，靠近樹林的邊緣。皮聘則站著，研究著天空和天氣。精靈們已不見蹤影。「他們給我們留下了水果、飲料和麵包，」皮聘說。「快來吃早餐吧。麵包嚐起來跟昨晚一樣好吃。我本來不想留給你，但山姆堅持要留。」佛羅多在山姆旁邊坐下，開始吃東西。「今天的計畫是什麼？」皮聘問。「盡快走到布克蘭去。」佛羅多回答，然後專心吃他的食物。「你覺得我們會看到那些騎士嗎？」皮聘愉快地問。在晨光下，看到一整隊騎士的前景對他來說似乎並不太嚇人。「是的，很有可能。」佛羅多說，不喜歡被提醒這件事。「但我希望能在不被他們發現的情況下渡過那條河。」「你從吉爾多那裡問出關於他們的什麼事了嗎？」「不多——只有一些暗示和謎語。」佛羅多含糊地說。「你問了關於那킁킁聲的事嗎？」「我們沒討論那個。」佛羅多滿嘴食物地說。「你本該問的。我確定那很重要。」「那樣的話，我敢肯定吉爾多也會拒絕解釋的。」佛羅多尖銳地說。「現在讓我安靜一會兒！我不想在吃東西的時候回答一連串的問題。我想思考！」「天啊！」皮聘說。「在吃早餐的時候？？」他朝著草地的邊緣走去。對於佛羅多來說，明亮的早晨——他心想，是明亮得具有欺騙性的——並未驅散他對追捕的恐懼；他思索著吉爾多的話語。皮聘愉快的聲音傳來。他正在綠色的草地上奔跑歌唱。「不！我不能！」他對自己說。「帶著我的年輕朋友們在夏爾漫步，直到我們又餓又累，那時食物和床鋪都顯得甜美，這是一回事。但帶他們走上流亡之路，在那裡飢餓和疲憊可能無藥可醫，那完全是另一回事——
A SHORT CUT TO MUSHROOMS 87 even if they are willing to come. The inheritance is mine alone. I don’t think I ought even to take Sam.’ He looked at Sam Gamgee, and discovered that Sam was watching him. ‘Well, Sam!’ he said. ‘What about it? I am leaving the Shire as soon as ever I can — in fact I have made up my mind now not even to wait a day at Crickhollow, if it can be helped.’ ‘Very good, sir!’ “You still mean to come with me?’ ‘I do.’ ‘It is going to be very dangerous, Sam. It is already dangerous. Most likely neither of us will come back.’ ‘If you don’t come back, sir, then I shan’t, that’s certain,’ said Sam. ‘Don’t you leave him! they said to me. Leave him! I said. I never mean to. I am going with him, tf he climbs to the Moon; and if any of those Black Riders try to stop him, they'll have Sam Gamgee to reckon with, I said. They laughed.’ ‘Who are they, and what are you talking about?’ “The Elves, sir. We had some talk last night; and they seemed to know you were going away, so I didn’t see the use of denying it. Wonderful folk, Elves, sir! Wonderful!’ “They are,’ said Frodo. ‘Do you like them still, now you have had a closer view?’ “They seem a bit above my likes and dislikes, so to speak,’ answered Sam slowly. ‘It don’t seem to matter what I think about them. They are quite different from what I expected — so old and young, and so gay and sad, as it were.’ Frodo looked at Sam rather startled, half expecting to see some outward sign of the odd change that seemed to have come over him. It did not sound like the voice of the old Sam Gamgee that he thought he knew. But it looked like the old Sam Gamgee sitting there, except that his face was unusually thoughtful. ‘Do you feel any need to leave the Shire now — now that your wish to see them has come true already?’ he asked. “Yes, sir. I don’t know how to say it, but after last night I feel different. I seem to see ahead, in a kind of way. I know we are going to take a very long road, into darkness; but I know I can’t turn back. It isn’t to see Elves now, nor dragons, nor mountains, that I want — I don’t rightly know what I want: but I have something to do before the end, and it lies ahead, not in the Shire. I must see it through, sir, if you understand me.’ ‘I don’t altogether. But I understand that Gandalf chose me a good companion. I am content. We will go together.’ Frodo finished his breakfast in silence. Then standing up he looked over the land ahead, and called to Pippin.
88 THE LORD OF THE RINGS ‘All ready to start?’ he said as Pippin ran up. ‘We must be getting off at once. We slept late; and there are a good many miles to go.’ ‘You slept late, you mean,’ said Pippin. ‘I was up long before; and we are only waiting for you to finish eating and thinking.’ ‘I have finished both now. And I am going to make for Bucklebury Ferry as quickly as possible. I am not going out of the way, back to the road we left last night: I am going to cut straight across country from here.’ ‘Then you are going to fly,’ said Pippin. ‘You won’t cut straight on foot anywhere in this country.’ ‘We can cut straighter than the road anyway,’ answered Frodo. “The Ferry is east from Woodhall; but the hard road curves away to the left — you can see a bend of it away north over there. It goes round the north end of the Marish so as to strike the causeway from the Bridge above Stock. But that is miles out of the way. We could save a quarter of the distance if we made a line for the Ferry from where we stand.’ ‘Short cuts make long delays,’ argued Pippin. “The country is rough round here, and there are bogs and all kinds of difficulties down in the Marish — I know the land in these parts. And if you are worrying about Black Riders, I can’t see that it is any worse meeting them on a road than in a wood or a field.’ ‘It is less easy to find people in the woods and fields,’ answered Frodo. ‘And if you are supposed to be on the road, there is some chance that you will be looked for on the road and not off it.’ ‘All right!’ said Pippin. ‘TI will follow you into every bog and ditch. But it is hard! I had counted on passing the Golden Perch at Stock before sundown. The best beer in the Eastfarthing, or used to be: it is a long time since I tasted it.’ “That settles it!’ said Frodo. ‘Short cuts make delays, but inns make longer ones. At all costs we must keep you away from the Golden Perch. We want to get to Bucklebury before dark. What do you say, Sam?’ ‘I will go along with you, Mr. Frodo,’ said Sam (in spite of private misgivings and a deep regret for the best beer in the Eastfarthing). “Then if we are going to toil through bog and briar, let’s go now!’ said Pippin. It was already nearly as hot as it had been the day before; but clouds were beginning to come up from the West. It looked likely to turn to rain. The hobbits scrambled down a steep green bank and plunged into the thick trees below. Their course had been chosen to leave Woodhall to their left, and to cut slanting through the woods that clustered along the eastern side of the hills, until they reached
「都準備好出發了嗎？」皮聘跑過來時，他說。「我們得馬上動身了。我們睡過頭了，而且還有好長一段路要走。」「你是說你睡過頭了吧，」皮聘說。「我早就起來了，我們只是在等你吃完東西、想完事情。」「我兩樣都完成了。我現在要盡快趕往布克蘭渡口。我不打算繞路，走回我們昨晚離開的那條路：我要從這裡直接穿越鄉間。」「那你是打算用飛的囉，」皮聘說。「在這鄉下地方，你用走的哪裡也沒辦法走直線。」「無論如何，總比大路直，」佛羅多回答。「渡口在伍德霍爾的東邊；但那條硬路往左邊彎過去了——你可以看到它的一個彎道在那邊的北面。它繞過沼澤地的北端，以便接上斯托克上方那座橋的堤道。但那樣要繞好幾哩路。如果我們從現在站的地方畫一條直線往渡口走，可以省下四分之一的路程。」「抄捷徑反而會耽擱更久，」皮聘爭辯道。「這附近的鄉間地勢崎嶇，沼澤地裡有泥沼和各種困難——我對這一帶的地形很熟。而且如果你擔心黑騎士，我看不出在路上遇到他們會比在樹林或田野裡遇到更糟。」「在樹林和田野裡比較不容易找到人，」佛羅多回答。「而且如果他們以為你在路上，那他們就有可能只在路上找你，而不會偏離道路。」「好吧！」皮聘說。「我會跟著你跳進每一個泥沼和溝渠。但這太難了！我本來還指望能在日落前經過斯托克的金鱸客棧。那是東區最好的啤酒，或者曾經是：我已經很久沒嚐過了。」「那就這麼定了！」佛羅多說。「抄捷徑會耽擱，但客棧會耽擱更久。我們無論如何都得讓你遠離金鱸客棧。我們想在天黑前抵達布克蘭。你說呢，山姆？」「我會跟您一起走，佛羅多先生，」山姆說（儘管他私下裡有些疑慮，並對東區最好的啤酒深感遺憾）。「那如果我們注定要辛苦跋涉過泥沼和荊棘，現在就走吧！」皮聘說。天氣已經差不多跟前一天一樣熱了；但雲層開始從西方湧現，看來快要下雨了。哈比人們手腳並用地爬下一道陡峭的綠色堤岸，一頭栽進下方茂密的樹林裡。他們選擇的路線是將伍德霍爾留在左手邊，斜切穿過聚集在山丘東側的樹林，直到他們抵達
A SHORT CUT TO MUSHROOMS 89 the flats beyond. Then they could make straight for the Ferry over country that was open, except for a few ditches and fences. Frodo reckoned they had eighteen miles to go in a straight line. He soon found that the thicket was closer and more tangled than it had appeared. There were no paths in the undergrowth, and they did not get on very fast. When they had struggled to the bottom of the bank, they found a stream running down from the hills behind in a deeply dug bed with steep slippery sides overhung with brambles. Most inconveniently it cut across the line they had chosen. They could not jump over it, nor indeed get across it at all without getting wet, scratched, and muddy. They halted, wondering what to do. ‘First check!’ said Pippin, smiling grimly. Sam Gamgee looked back. Through an opening in the trees he caught a glimpse of the top of the green bank from which they had climbed down. ‘Look!’ he said, clutching Frodo by the arm. They all looked, and on the edge high above them they saw against the sky a horse standing. Beside it stooped a black figure. They at once gave up any idea of going back. Frodo led the way, and plunged quickly into the thick bushes beside the stream. ‘Whew!’ he said to Pippin. ‘We were both right! The short cut has gone crooked already; but we got under cover only just in time. You’ve got sharp ears, Sam: can you hear anything coming?’ They stood still, almost holding their breath as they listened; but there was no sound of pursuit. ‘I don’t fancy he would try bringing his horse down that bank,’ said Sam. ‘But I guess he knows we came down it. We had better be going on.’ Going on was not altogether easy. They had packs to carry, and the bushes and brambles were reluctant to let them through. They were cut off from the wind by the ridge behind, and the air was still and stuffy. When they forced their way at last into more open ground, they were hot and tired and very scratched, and they were also no longer certain of the direction in which they were going. The banks of the stream sank, as it reached the levels and became broader and shallower, wandering off towards the Marish and the River. ‘Why, this is the Stock-brook!’ said Pippin. ‘If we are going to try and get back on to our course, we must cross at once and bear right.’ They waded the stream, and hurried over a wide open space, rush-grown and treeless, on the further side. Beyond that they came again to a belt of trees: tall oaks, for the most part, with here and there an elm tree or an ash. The ground was fairly level, and there was little undergrowth; but the trees were too close for them to see far ahead. The leaves blew upwards in sudden gusts of wind, and spots of rain began to fall from the overcast sky. Then the wind died
然後他們就可以穿過那片開闊地，直奔渡口，那裡除了一些溝渠和柵欄外，沒有什麼遮蔽。佛羅多估計他們要走的直線距離有十八英里。他很快發現，那片灌木叢比看起來的更近、更密、更糾結。林下灌木中沒有路，他們走得非常慢。當他們掙扎著走到河岸底部時，發現一條從後方山丘流下的小溪，河床深陷，兩岸陡峭濕滑，長滿了懸垂的荊棘。最不方便的是，它正好切斷了他們選擇的路線。他們跳不過去，而且不弄得又濕又髒、滿身刮痕的話，根本過不去。他們停下來，不知道該怎麼辦。『第一個麻煩！』皮聘苦笑著說。山姆·詹吉回頭望去。透過樹木的間隙，他瞥見了他們爬下來的那個綠色河岸的頂端。『看！』他抓住佛羅多的手臂說。他們都抬頭看，只見在高高的岸邊，他們看到一匹馬佇立在天際線下。馬旁邊，一個黑色的身影彎著腰。他們立刻打消了任何回去的念頭。佛羅多帶頭，迅速鑽進溪邊濃密的灌木叢裡。『呼！』他對皮聘說。『我們倆都說對了！捷徑已經走歪了；但我們剛好及時躲起來。山姆，你耳朵真尖：有聽到什麼追來的聲音嗎？』他們靜靜地站著，幾乎屏住呼吸聆聽；但沒有任何追趕的聲音。『我不認為他會試著把馬牽下那道河岸，』山姆說。『但我猜他知道我們是從那裡下來的。我們最好繼續走。』繼續前行並不容易。他們背著行囊，而灌木和荊棘彷彿不情願讓他們通過。後面的山脊擋住了風，空氣靜止而悶熱。當他們終於奮力走到一片較為開闊的地面時，他們又熱又累，滿身是傷，而且也不再確定自己走的方向。隨著小溪流至平地，它變得更寬更淺，河岸也隨之降低，蜿蜒地流向沼澤地和河流。『哎呀，這不是史托克溪嗎！』皮聘說。『如果我們要回到原來的路線，就必須立刻過河，然後往右走。』他們涉水過溪，匆匆穿過對岸一片長滿燈心草而無樹木的廣闊空地。在那之後，他們又來到一片林帶：大多是高大的橡樹，間或有幾棵榆樹或白蠟樹。地面相當平坦，林下灌木很少；但樹木太密，讓他們看不遠。一陣突來的狂風將樹葉向上吹起，雨點開始從陰沉的天空落下。然後風又停了。
90 THE LORD OF THE RINGS away and the rain came streaming down. They trudged along as fast as they could, over patches of grass, and through thick drifts of old leaves; and all about them the rain pattered and trickled. They did not talk, but kept glancing back, and from side to side. After half an hour Pippin said: ‘I hope we have not turned too much towards the south, and are not walking longwise through this wood! It is not a very broad belt — I should have said no more than a mile at the widest — and we ought to have been through it by now.’ ‘It is no good our starting to go in zig-zags,’ said Frodo. “That won’t mend matters. Let us keep on as we are going! I am not sure that I want to come out into the open yet.’ They went on for perhaps another couple of miles. Then the sun gleamed out of ragged clouds again and the rain lessened. It was now past mid-day, and they felt it was high time for lunch. They halted under an elm tree: its leaves though fast turning yellow were still thick, and the ground at its feet was fairly dry and sheltered. When they came to make their meal, they found that the Elves had filled their bottles with a clear drink, pale golden in colour: it had the scent of a honey made of many flowers, and was wonderfully refreshing. Very soon they were laughing, and snapping their fingers at rain, and at Black Riders. The last few miles, they felt, would soon be behind them. Frodo propped his back against the tree-trunk, and closed his eyes. Sam and Pippin sat near, and they began to hum, and then to sing softly: Ho! Ho! Ho! to the bottle I go To heal my heart and drown my woe. Rain may fall and wind may blow, And many miles be still to go, But under a tall tree I will lie, And let the clouds go sailing by. Ho! Ho! Ho! they began again louder. They stopped short suddenly. Frodo sprang to his feet. A long-drawn wail came down the wind, like the cry of some evil and lonely creature. It rose and fell, and ended on a high piercing note. Even as they sat and stood, as if suddenly frozen, it was answered by another cry, fainter and further off, but no less chilling to the blood. There was then a silence, broken only by the sound of the wind in the leaves. ‘And what do you think that was?’ Pippin asked at last, trying to speak lightly, but quavering a little. ‘If it was a bird, it was one that I never heard in the Shire before.’
雨水傾瀉而下。他們盡可能快地跋涉，越過一片片草地，穿過厚厚的舊葉堆；雨水在他們周圍啪嗒作響、潺潺流淌。他們沒有交談，只是不斷地回頭看，並向兩側張望。半小時後，皮聘說：『我希望我們沒有太偏南邊，不是在縱向穿越這片樹林！這片林帶不是很寬——我本以為最寬處也不超過一英里——我們現在應該已經穿過去了。』『我們開始走之字形也沒用，』佛羅多說。『那樣於事無補。我們還是照原路走吧！我還不確定自己想不想走到開闊地去。』他們又走了大約兩英里。接著，太陽再次從破碎的雲層中透出光芒，雨勢也減弱了。此時已過正午，他們覺得早就該吃午餐了。他們在一棵榆樹下停了下來：樹葉雖然已迅速轉黃，但依然茂密，樹下的地面相當乾燥且有遮蔽。當他們準備用餐時，發現精靈們在他們的瓶子裡裝滿了一種清澈的飲料，呈淡金色：它有著百花蜜的香氣，而且提神效果奇佳。很快地，他們便笑了起來，對雨水和黑騎士不屑一顧。他們覺得，最後幾英里路很快就會被拋在身後了。佛羅多背靠著樹幹，閉上了眼睛。山姆和皮聘坐在附近，開始哼起歌，然後輕聲唱道：『嗬！嗬！嗬！我走向酒瓶，療癒我心，淹沒我愁。任憑風吹雨打，路途尚遙遠，我且躺臥高樹下，看浮雲飄過。』『嗬！嗬！嗬！』他們又開始唱，聲音更大了。他們突然停了下來。佛羅多一躍而起。一陣悠長的哀嚎順風傳來，像某種邪惡而孤獨的生物的哭喊。聲音忽高忽低，最後結束在一個高亢刺耳的音符上。就在他們或坐或站，彷彿突然凍結之時，另一個哭聲回應了它，更微弱、更遙遠，但同樣令人毛骨悚然。接著是一片寂靜，只有風吹樹葉的沙沙聲。『你們覺得那是什麼？』皮聘終於問道，他試圖讓語氣輕鬆些，但聲音卻有點顫抖。『如果那是鳥叫，那肯定是我在夏爾從沒聽過的一種。』
A SHORT CUT TO MUSHROOMS OI ‘It was not bird or beast,’ said Frodo. ‘It was a call, or a signal — there were words in that cry, though I could not catch them. But no hobbit has such a voice.’ No more was said about it. They were all thinking of the Riders, but no one spoke of them. They were now reluctant either to stay or go on; but sooner or later they had got to get across the open country to the Ferry, and it was best to go sooner and in daylight. In a few moments they had shouldered their packs again and were off. Before long the wood came to a sudden end. Wide grass-lands stretched before them. They now saw that they had, in fact, turned too much to the south. Away over the flats they could glimpse the low hill of Bucklebury across the River, but it was now to their left. Creeping cautiously out from the edge of the trees, they set off across the open as quickly as they could. At first they felt afraid, away from the shelter of the wood. Far back behind them stood the high place where they had breakfasted. Frodo half expected to see the small distant figure of a horseman on the ridge dark against the sky; but there was no sign of one. The sun escaping from the breaking clouds, as it sank towards the hills they had left, was now shining brightly again. Their fear left them, though they still felt uneasy. But the land became steadily more tame and well-ordered. Soon they came into well-tended fields and meadows: there were hedges and gates and dikes for drainage. Everything seemed quiet and peaceful, just an ordinary corner of the Shire. Their spirits rose with every step. The line of the River grew nearer; and the Black Riders began to seem like phantoms of the woods now left far behind. They passed along the edge of a huge turnip-field, and came to a stout gate. Beyond it a rutted lane ran between low well-laid hedges towards a distant clump of trees. Pippin stopped. ‘I know these fields and this gate!’ he said. “This is Bamfurlong, old Farmer Maggot’s land. That’s his farm away there in the trees.’ ‘One trouble after another!’ said Frodo, looking nearly as much alarmed as if Pippin had declared the lane was the slot leading to a dragon’s den. The others looked at him in surprise. ‘What’s wrong with old Maggot?’ asked Pippin. ‘He’s a good friend to all the Brandybucks. Of course he’s a terror to trespassers, and keeps ferocious dogs — but after all, folk down here are near the border and have to be more on their guard.’ ‘I know,’ said Frodo. ‘But all the same,’ he added with a shamefaced laugh, ‘I am terrified of him and his dogs. I have avoided his farm for years and years. He caught me several times trespassing after
「那不是鳥也不是野獸，」佛羅多說。「那是一種呼喊，或是一種信號——那聲叫喊裡有話語，雖然我聽不清楚。但沒有哈比人有那樣的嗓音。」關於這件事，他們沒再多說。他們都在想著那些騎士，但誰也沒提。他們現在既不願留下，也不想繼續前進；但他們遲早都得穿過這片開闊地去渡口，而最好是趁早、趁著白天走。幾分鐘後，他們又背上行囊出發了。不久，樹林戛然而止。寬闊的草原在他們面前展開。他們這才發現，自己其實太偏南了。越過平地，他們可以瞥見河對岸巴克圍的低矮山丘，但現在它在他們的左邊。他們小心翼翼地從樹林邊緣溜出來，盡快地穿過開闊地。起初，遠離了樹林的庇護，他們感到害怕。在他們身後遠處，是他們吃早餐的那個高地。佛羅多半是預期會看到一個騎士的渺小身影，在山脊上襯著天空，顯得漆黑；但那裡沒有任何跡象。太陽從散開的雲層中鑽出，正朝著他們剛離開的山丘沉下，此刻又明亮地照耀著。他們的恐懼消失了，儘管仍感不安。但土地變得越來越馴化、井然有序。很快，他們走進了照料得很好的田野和草地：有籬笆、大門和排水用的溝渠。一切似乎都安靜祥和，就像夏爾一個普通的角落。他們每走一步，精神就振奮一分。河流的輪廓越來越近；而黑騎士們開始變得像是被遠遠拋在身後的森林魅影。他們沿著一大片蕪菁田的邊緣走過，來到一扇堅固的大門前。門後，一條有車轍的小路在兩排修剪整齊的低矮籬笆之間，朝遠處一叢樹木延伸。皮聘停下腳步。「我認得這些田地和這扇門！」他說。「這是邦弗隆，老農夫麥哥的地。那邊樹叢裡就是他的農莊。」「真是一波未平，一波又起！」佛羅多說，看起來幾乎和皮聘宣布這條小路是通往龍穴的入口時一樣驚慌。其他人驚訝地看著他。「老麥哥有什麼問題？」皮聘問。「他對所有白蘭地鹿家的人都很好。當然，他對擅自闖入的人來說是個恐怖人物，還養了幾隻兇猛的狗——但畢竟，這裡的人靠近邊界，得多加提防。」「我知道，」佛羅多說。「但即便如此，」他帶著一絲羞愧的笑補充道，「我還是怕死他跟他的狗了。我已經好多年都避開他的農莊。他好幾次抓到我擅自闖入……」
92 THE LORD OF THE RINGS mushrooms, when I was a youngster at Brandy Hall. On the last occasion he beat me, and then took me and showed me to his dogs. “See, lads,” he said, “next time this young varmint sets foot on my land, you can eat him. Now see him off!’’ They chased me all the way to the Ferry. I have never got over the fright — though I daresay the beasts knew their business and would not really have touched me.’ Pippin laughed. ‘Well, it’s time you made it up. Especially if you are coming back to live in Buckland. Old Maggot is really a stout fellow — if you leave his mushrooms alone. Let’s get into the lane and then we shan’t be trespassing. If we meet him, I'll do the talking. He is a friend of Merry’s, and I used to come here with him a good deal at one time.’ They went along the lane, until they saw the thatched roofs of a large house and farm-buildings peeping out among the trees ahead. The Maggots, and the Puddifoots of Stock, and most of the inhabitants of the Marish, were house-dwellers; and this farm was stoutly built of brick and had a high wall all round it. There was a wide wooden gate opening out of the wall into the lane. Suddenly as they drew nearer a terrific baying and barking broke out, and a loud voice was heard shouting: ‘Grip! Fang! Wolf! Come on, lads!’ Frodo and Sam stopped dead, but Pippin walked on a few paces. The gate opened and three huge dogs came pelting out into the lane, and dashed towards the travellers, barking fiercely. They took no notice of Pippin; but Sam shrank against the wall, while two wolvishlooking dogs sniffed at him suspiciously, and snarled if he moved. The largest and most ferocious of the three halted in front of Frodo, bristling and growling. Through the gate there now appeared a broad thick-set hobbit with a round red face. ‘Hallo! Hallo! And who may you be, and what may you be wanting?’ he asked. ‘Good afternoon, Mr. Maggot!’ said Pippin. The farmer looked at him closely. ‘Well, if it isn’t Master Pippin — Mr. Peregrin Took, I should say!’ he cried, changing from a scowl to a grin. ‘It’s a long time since I saw you round here. It’s lucky for you that I know you. I was just going out to set my dogs on any strangers. There are some funny things going on today. Of course, we do get queer folk wandering in these parts at times. Too near the River,’ he said, shaking his head. ‘But this fellow was the most outlandish I have ever set eyes on. He won’t cross my land without leave a second time, not if I can stop it.’ ‘What fellow do you mean?’ asked Pippin.
「嗯，如果這不是皮聘少爺——喔，我該說是皮瑞格林・圖克先生才對！」他大聲說道，臉上的愁容轉為笑容。「好久沒見到你在這一帶出現了。算你運氣好我還認得你。我正準備放狗去對付任何陌生人呢。今天發生了一些怪事。當然，我們這地方有時候是會有些怪人逛蕩進來。離河太近了，」他搖著頭說。「但這傢伙是我這輩子見過最古怪的了。他休想再未經許可踏上我的土地第二次，只要我能阻止他。」 「你說的是哪個傢伙？」皮聘問道。
A SHORT CUT TO MUSHROOMS 93 “Then you haven’t seen him?’ said the farmer. ‘He went up the lane towards the causeway not a long while back. He was a funny customer and asking funny questions. But perhaps you’ll come along inside, and we’ll pass the news more comfortable. I’ve a drop of good ale on tap, if you and your friends are willing, Mr. Took.’ It seemed plain that the farmer would tell them more, if allowed to do it in his own time and fashion, so they all accepted the invitation. ‘What about the dogs?’ asked Frodo anxiously. The farmer laughed. “They won’t harm you — not unless I tell em to. Here, Grip! Fang! Heel!’ he cried. ‘Heel, Wolf!’ To the relief of Frodo and Sam, the dogs walked away and let them go free. Pippin introduced the other two to the farmer. ‘Mr. Frodo Baggins,’ he said. ‘You may not remember him, but he used to live at Brandy Hall.’ At the name Baggins the farmer started, and gave Frodo a sharp glance. For a moment Frodo thought that the memory of stolen mushrooms had been aroused, and that the dogs would be told to see him off. But Farmer Maggot took him by the arm. ‘Well, if that isn’t queerer than ever!’ he exclaimed. ‘Mr. Baggins is it? Come inside! We must have a talk.’ They went into the farmer’s kitchen, and sat by the wide fire-place. Mrs. Maggot brought out beer in a huge jug, and filled four large mugs. It was a good brew, and Pippin found himself more than compensated for missing the Golden Perch. Sam sipped his beer suspiciously. He had a natural mistrust of the inhabitants of other parts of the Shire; and also he was not disposed to be quick friends with anyone who had beaten his master, however long ago. After a few remarks about the weather and the agricultural prospects (which were no worse than usual), Farmer Maggot put down his mug and looked at them all in turn. ‘Now, Mr. Peregrin,’ he said, ‘where might you be coming from, and where might you be going to? Were you coming to visit me? For, if so, you had gone past my gate without my seeing you.’ ‘Well, no,’ answered Pippin. “To tell you the truth, since you have guessed it, we got into the lane from the other end: we had come over your fields. But that was quite by accident. We lost our way in the woods, back near Woodhall, trying to take a short cut to the Ferry.’ ‘If you were in a hurry, the road would have served you better,’ said the farmer. ‘But I wasn’t worrying about that. You have leave to walk over my land, if you have a mind, Mr. Peregrin. And you, Mr. Baggins — though I daresay you still like mushrooms.’ He laughed. ‘Ah yes, I recognized the name. I recollect the time when young Frodo Baggins was one of the worst young rascals of Buckland. But it wasn’t mushrooms I was thinking of. I had just heard the name
「那麼，你沒見過他？」農夫問。「不久前，他才沿著小路往堤道那邊去了。他是個古怪的傢伙，問的問題也古怪。不過，也許你們願意進來坐坐，我們可以更舒服地聊聊。我這兒有桶裝的好啤酒，如果你和你的朋友們願意的話，圖克先生。」看來很明顯，只要順著農夫自己的時間和方式，他會告訴他們更多事情，所以他們都接受了邀請。「那些狗怎麼辦？」佛羅多焦急地問。農夫笑了。「牠們不會傷你們的——除非我叫牠們那麼做。來，『攫握』！『尖牙』！跟上！」他喊道。「跟上，『野狼』！」讓佛羅多和山姆鬆了一口氣的是，那些狗走開了，讓他們自由通行。皮聘把另外兩位介紹給農夫。「這位是佛羅多·巴金斯先生，」他說。「您可能不記得了，但他以前住在白蘭地廳。」聽到「巴金斯」這個姓氏，農夫吃了一驚，並銳利地看了佛羅多一眼。有那麼一瞬間，佛羅多以為農夫想起了偷蘑菇的往事，準備叫狗來把他趕走。但麥哥農夫卻抓住他的手臂。「哎呀，這可真是奇上加奇了！」他驚呼道。「是巴金斯先生？快請進！我們得好好聊聊。」他們走進農夫的廚房，在寬大的壁爐旁坐下。麥哥太太端出一個巨大的壺，裡面裝滿了啤酒，並倒滿了四個大杯子。那是上等的佳釀，皮聘覺得這足以彌補錯過金鱸客棧的遺憾了。山姆則懷疑地啜飲著他的啤酒。他對夏爾其他地區的居民有著天生的不信任；而且，他也不願意和任何曾經打過他主人的人迅速交上朋友，無論那是多久以前的事。在談論了幾句關於天氣和農作前景（情況並不比平時差）之後，麥哥農夫放下他的杯子，輪流看著他們每一個人。「那麼，培瑞格林先生，」他說，「你們是從哪裡來的，又要往哪裡去？是來拜訪我的嗎？如果是的話，你們經過我家門口時我可沒看見你們。」「嗯，不是的，」皮聘回答。「說實話，既然您已經猜到了，我們是從路的另一頭進來的：我們穿過了您的田地。但那完全是個意外。我們在樹林裡迷路了，就在伍德廳附近，本想抄近路去渡口。」「如果你們趕時間，走大路會更好，」農夫說。「不過我不是在擔心那個。你們有權利走過我的地，如果你們想的話，培瑞g林先生。還有你，巴金斯先生——雖然我敢說你還是喜歡蘑菇。」他笑了。「啊，是的，我認出這個姓氏了。我記得年輕的佛羅多·巴金斯曾是布克蘭最壞的小淘氣鬼之一。但我剛才想的不是蘑菇的事。我才剛聽到這個姓氏呢。」
94 THE LORD OF THE RINGS Baggins before you turned up. What do you think that funny customer asked me?’ They waited anxiously for him to go on. ‘Well,’ the farmer continued, approaching his point with slow relish, ‘he came riding on a big black horse in at the gate, which happened to be open, and right up to my door. All black he was himself, too, and cloaked and hooded up, as if he did not want to be known. ‘‘Now what in the Shire can he want?” I thought to myself. We don’t see many of the Big Folk over the border; and anyway I had never heard of any like this black fellow. “**Good-day to you!’ I says, going out to him. ‘This lane don’t lead anywhere, and wherever you may be going, your quickest way will be back to the road.” I didn’t like the looks of him; and when Grip came out, he took one sniff and let out a yelp as if he had been stung: he put down his tail and bolted off howling. The black fellow sat quite still. “*T come from yonder,” he said, slow and stiff-like, pointing back west, over my fields, if you please. “Have you seen Baggins?’ he asked in a queer voice, and bent down towards me. I could not see any face, for his hood fell down so low; and I felt a sort of shiver down my back. But I did not see why he should come riding over my land so bold. ““Be off!’ I said. ‘““There are no Bagginses here. You’re in the wrong part of the Shire. You had better go back west to Hobbiton — but you can go by road this time.”’ ‘*‘Baggins has left,”” he answered in a whisper. “‘He is coming. He is not far away. I wish to find him. If he passes will you tell me? I will come back with gold.” ‘*“Nlo you won't,” I said. ““You’ll go back where you belong, double quick. I give you one minute before I call all my dogs.” ‘He gave a sort of hiss. It might have been laughing, and it might not. Then he spurred his great horse right at me, and I jumped out of the way only just in time. I called the dogs, but he swung off, and rode through the gate and up the lane towards the causeway like a bolt of thunder. What do you think of that?’ Frodo sat for a moment looking at the fire, but his only thought was how on earth would they reach the Ferry. ‘I don’t know what to think,’ he said at last. “Then [ll tell you what to think,’ said Maggot. “You should never have gone mixing yourself up with Hobbiton folk, Mr. Frodo. Folk are queer up there.’ Sam stirred in his chair, and looked at the farmer with an unfriendly eye. ‘But you were always a reckless lad. When I heard you had left the Brandybucks and gone off to that old Mr. Bilbo, I said that you were going to find trouble. Mark my words,
在你出現之前，巴金斯家的人。你覺得那個奇怪的傢伙問了我什麼？』他們焦急地等著他說下去。『嗯，』農夫繼續說，慢條斯理、津津有味地講到重點：『他騎著一匹高大的黑馬，從剛好開著的大門進來，一路騎到我的門口。他自己也是一身黑，穿著斗篷，戴著兜帽，好像不想被人認出來。「他來夏爾到底想幹嘛？」我心裡想。我們很少看到有大個兒跨過邊界來；而且我從來沒聽說過有像這個黑衣傢伙一樣的人。「日安啊！」我走出去對他說。「這條小路哪兒也去不了，不管你要去哪，最快的方法是回到大路上。」我不喜歡他的樣子；當我的狗「鉗仔」跑出來，牠聞了一下就尖叫一聲，好像被螫到一樣：牠夾著尾巴，嚎叫著逃跑了。那個黑衣傢伙一動也不動地坐著。「我從那邊來的。」他說，語氣緩慢而僵硬，指著西邊，指過我的田地，你說這像話嗎。「你看見巴金斯了嗎？」他用一種古怪的聲音問道，並朝我彎下身。我看不見他的臉，因為他的兜帽垂得太低了；我感覺到背脊一陣發涼。但我看不出他有什麼理由可以這麼大膽地騎馬橫越我的土地。「滾開！」我說。「這裡沒有姓巴金斯的。你走錯地方了。你最好回西邊的哈比屯去——但這次你可以走大路。」「巴金斯已經離開了，」他輕聲回答。「他要來了。他不遠了。我想找到他。如果他經過，你願意告訴我嗎？我會帶金子回來。」「不，你不會的，」我說。「你會回到你該去的地方，而且要快。我給你一分鐘，不然我就要叫我所有的狗了。」他發出嘶嘶的聲音。可能是在笑，也可能不是。然後他策動他的大馬直衝我而來，我及時跳開才沒被撞到。我叫了狗，但他已經轉身，像一道響雷般衝出大門，沿著小路朝堤道騎去。你們覺得怎麼樣？』佛羅多坐著看了一會兒火，但他心裡只想著他們到底要怎麼才能到達渡口。『我不知道該怎麼想。』他最後說。『那我來告訴你該怎麼想，』麥哥說。『佛羅多先生，你一開始就不該跟哈比屯那些人混在一起。那裡的人都很古怪。』山姆在椅子上動了動，不友善地看著農夫。『但你一直都是個魯莽的小子。當我聽說你離開了白蘭地鹿家，跑去跟那個老比爾博先生住，我就說你一定會惹上麻煩。記住我的話，』
A SHORT CUT TO MUSHROOMS 95 this all comes of those strange doings of Mr. Bilbo’s. His money was got in some strange fashion in foreign parts, they say. Maybe there is some that want to know what has become of the gold and jewels that he buried in the hill of Hobbiton, as I hear?’ Frodo said nothing: the shrewd guesses of the farmer were rather disconcerting. ‘Well, Mr. Frodo,’ Maggot went on, ‘I’m glad that you’ve had the sense to come back to Buckland. My advice is: stay there! And don’t get mixed up with these outlandish folk. You’ll have friends in these parts. If any of these black fellows come after you again, Ill deal with them. Ill say you’re dead, or have left the Shire, or anything you like. And that might be true enough; for as like as not it is old Mr. Bilbo they want news of.’ ‘Maybe you’re right,’ said Frodo, avoiding the farmer’s eye and staring at the fire. Maggot looked at him thoughtfully. ‘Well, I see you have ideas of your own,’ he said. ‘It is as plain as my nose that no accident brought you and that rider here on the same afternoon; and maybe my news was no great news to you, after all. I am not asking you to tell me anything you have a mind to keep to yourself; but I see you are in some kind of trouble. Perhaps you are thinking it won’t be too easy to get to the Ferry without being caught?’ ‘I was thinking so,’ said Frodo. ‘But we have got to try and get there; and it won’t be done by sitting and thinking. So I am afraid we must be going. Thank you very much indeed for your kindness! I’ve been in terror of you and your dogs for over thirty years, Farmer Maggot, though you may laugh to hear it. It’s a pity: for ’ve missed a good friend. And now I’m sorry to leave so soon. But Ill come back, perhaps, one day — if I get a chance.’ “You’ll be welcome when you come,’ said Maggot. ‘But now I’ve a notion. It’s near sundown already, and we are going to have our supper; for we mostly go to bed soon after the Sun. If you and Mr. Peregrin and all could stay and have a bite with us, we would be pleased!’ ‘And so should we!’ said Frodo. ‘But we must be going at once, I’m afraid. Even now it will be dark before we can reach the Ferry.’ ‘Ah! but wait a minute! I was going to say: after a bit of supper, I'll get out a small waggon, and I’ll drive you all to the Ferry. That will save you a good step, and it might also save you trouble of another sort.’ Frodo now accepted the invitation gratefully, to the relief of Pippin and Sam. The sun was already behind the western hills, and the light was failing. Two of Maggot’s sons and his three daughters came in, and a generous supper was laid on the large table. The kitchen was
「這一切都是比爾博先生那些古怪行徑惹出來的。他們說，他的錢是在外地用些奇怪的法子弄來的。也許有人想知道他埋在哈比屯山丘下的那些黃金珠寶後來怎麼樣了，我聽說是這樣，沒錯吧？」佛羅多什麼也沒說：這位農夫精明的猜測讓他相當不安。「嗯，佛羅多先生，」馬嘎特繼續說，「我很高興你夠聰明，回到布克蘭來。我的建議是：就待在那裡！別跟那些古怪的傢伙攪和在一起。你在這一帶會有朋友的。如果那些黑衣傢伙再追著你，我會對付他們。我會說你死了，或離開了夏爾，或任何你希望我說的話。而且那很可能也是實話；因為他們八成是想打聽老比爾博先生的消息。」「也許你說得對，」佛羅多說，避開農夫的目光，凝視著爐火。馬嘎特若有所思地看著他。「嗯，我看得出來你有自己的打算，」他說。「你和那個騎士在同一個下午出現在這裡，絕非偶然，這簡直是明擺著的事；而且說到底，我的消息對你來說或許也不是什麼新聞了。我不是要你把不想說的事情告訴我；但我看得出你遇上了麻煩。也許你正在想，要不被抓住就抵達渡口，恐怕不太容易？」「我正是這麼想的，」佛羅多說。「但我們必須試著到那裡去；光是坐著想是沒用的。所以我恐怕我們得走了。真的非常感謝您的好意！馬嘎特農夫，我對您和您的狗已經怕了三十多年了，雖然您聽到可能會笑。這真是可惜：因為我錯過了一位好朋友。現在我很遺憾這麼快就要離開。但我會回來的，也許有一天——如果我有機會的話。」「你什麼時候來都歡迎，」馬嘎特說。「不過我現在有個主意。太陽就快下山了，我們正要吃晚餐；因為我們通常太陽下山後不久就睡了。如果你和皮瑞格林先生還有大家能留下來跟我們吃點東西，我們會很高興的！」「我們也會很高興的！」佛羅多說。「但我恐怕我們必須立刻出發。即使是現在，我們恐怕也要天黑了才能到達渡口。」「啊！不過等一下！我正想說：吃點晚飯後，我會弄一輛小馬車出來，載你們大家到渡口去。那能為你們省下一大段路，而且或許還能省去另一種麻煩。」佛羅多現在感激地接受了邀請，讓皮聘和山姆都鬆了一口氣。太陽已經落到西邊山丘的後面，光線漸漸暗去。馬嘎特的兩個兒子和三個女兒走了進來，豐盛的晚餐擺上了大餐桌。廚房裡
96 THE LORD OF THE RINGS lit with candles and the fire was mended. Mrs. Maggot bustled in and out. One or two other hobbits belonging to the farm-household came in. In a short while fourteen sat down to eat. There was beer in plenty, and a mighty dish of mushrooms and bacon, besides much other solid farmhouse fare. The dogs lay by the fire and gnawed rinds and cracked bones. When they had finished, the farmer and his sons went out with a lantern and got the waggon ready. It was dark in the yard, when the guests came out. They threw their packs on board and climbed in. The farmer sat in the driving-seat, and whipped up his two stout ponies. His wife stood in the light of the open door. “You be careful of yourself, Maggot!’ she called. ‘Don’t go arguing with any foreigners, and come straight back!’ ‘I will!’ said he, and drove out of the gate. There was now no breath of wind stirring; the night was still and quiet, and a chill was in the air. They went without lights and took it slowly. After a mile or two the lane came to an end, crossing a deep dike, and climbing a short slope up on to the high-banked causeway. Maggot got down and took a good look either way, north and south, but nothing could be seen in the darkness, and there was not a sound in the still air. Thin strands of river-mist were hanging above the dikes, and crawling over the fields. ‘It’s going to be thick,’ said Maggot; ‘but I’ll not light my lanterns till I turn for home. We'll hear anything on the road long before we Meet it tonight.’ It was five miles or more from Maggot’s lane to the Ferry. The hobbits wrapped themselves up, but their ears were strained for any sound above the creak of the wheels and the slow clop of the ponies’ hoofs. The waggon seemed slower than a snail to Frodo. Beside him Pippin was nodding towards sleep; but Sam was staring forwards into the rising fog. They reached the entrance to the Ferry lane at last. It was marked by two tall white posts that suddenly loomed up on their right. Farmer Maggot drew in his ponies and the waggon creaked to a halt. They were just beginning to scramble out, when suddenly they heard what they had all been dreading: hoofs on the road ahead. The sound was coming towards them. Maggot jumped down and stood holding the ponies’ heads, and peering forward into the gloom. Clip-clop, clip-clop came the approaching rider. The fall of the hoofs sounded loud in the still, foggy air. ‘You'd better be hidden, Mr. Frodo,’ said Sam anxiously. ‘You get down in the waggon and cover up with blankets, and we’ll send this rider to the rightabouts!’ He climbed out and went to the farmer’s
蠟燭點亮了，爐火也添好了。馬嘎太太忙進忙出。一兩個農莊裡的其他哈比人也走了進來。不一會兒，十四個人坐下來吃飯。啤酒管夠，還有一大盤豐盛的蘑菇和培根，此外還有許多其他紮實的農家菜。狗兒們躺在火邊，啃著肉皮，咬著碎骨。他們吃完後，農夫和他的兒子們提著燈籠出去準備馬車。當客人们出來時，院子裡一片漆黑。他們把背包扔上車，然後爬了上去。農夫坐在駕駛座上，鞭策著他那兩匹健壯的小馬。他的妻子站在敞開的門口光亮處。「你可要小心點，馬嘎！」她喊道。「別跟任何外地人爭吵，然後直接回來！」「我會的！」他說，然後駕車駛出了大門。此時一絲風也沒有；夜晚寂靜無聲，空氣中帶著一絲寒意。他們沒有點燈，緩緩前行。走了一兩英里後，小路到了盡頭，穿過一道深溝，爬上一小段斜坡，上到了一條兩旁高築的堤道。馬嘎跳下車，朝南北兩邊仔細看了看，但黑暗中什麼也看不見，寂靜的空氣中沒有一絲聲響。一縷縷薄薄的河霧懸在溝渠上方，蔓延過田野。「霧要變濃了，」馬嘎說，「不過我得等到回家路上才點燈。今晚路上有什麼動靜，我們在遇到之前很久就會聽見了。」從馬嘎家的小路到渡口有五英里或更遠。哈比人們把自己裹得緊緊的，但耳朵卻豎得直直的，想在車輪的嘎吱聲和馬蹄緩慢的嗒嗒聲之外，捕捉任何聲響。對佛羅多來說，馬車似乎比蝸牛還慢。他身旁的皮聘正打著瞌睡；但山姆卻凝視著前方漸濃的霧氣。他們終於到達了渡口小路的入口。路口有兩根高大的白色柱子作為標記，突然在他們右邊赫然出現。馬嘎農夫勒住小馬，馬車嘎吱一聲停了下來。他們正要手忙腳亂地爬下車，突然聽到了他們一直所恐懼的聲音：前方路上的馬蹄聲。聲音正朝他們而來。馬嘎跳下車，抓住小馬的頭，凝視著前方的黑暗。嗒—嗒、嗒—嗒，是漸近的騎馬聲。在寂靜多霧的空氣中，馬蹄落地聲顯得格外響亮。「您最好躲起來，佛羅多先生，」山姆焦急地說。「您鑽到車裡用毯子蓋好，我們來把這個騎馬的打發走！」他爬出車外，走向農夫那邊。
A SHORT CUT TO MUSHROOMS 97 side. Black Riders would have to ride over him to get near the waggon. Clop-clop, clop-clop. The rider was nearly on them. ‘Hallo there!’ called Farmer Maggot. The advancing hoofs stopped short. They thought they could dimly guess a dark cloaked shape in the mist, a yard or two ahead. ‘Now then!’ said the farmer, throwing the reins to Sam and striding forward. ‘Don’t you come a step nearer! What do you want, and where are you going?’ ‘I want Mr. Baggins. Have you seen him?’ said a muffled voice — but the voice was the voice of Merry Brandybuck. A dark lantern was uncovered, and its light fell on the astonished face of the farmer. ‘Mr. Merry!’ he cried. “Yes, of course! Who did you think it was?’ said Merry coming forward. As he came out of the mist and their fears subsided, he seemed suddenly to diminish to ordinary hobbit-size. He was riding a pony, and a scarf was swathed round his neck and over his chin to keep out the fog. Frodo sprang out of the waggon to greet him. ‘So there you are at last!’ said Merry. ‘I was beginning to wonder if you would turn up at all today, and I was just going back to supper. When it grew foggy I came across and rode up towards Stock to see if you had fallen in any ditches. But I’m blest if I know which way you have come. Where did you find them, Mr. Maggot? In your duck-pond?’ ‘No, I caught ’em trespassing,’ said the farmer, ‘and nearly set my dogs on ’em; but they’ll tell you all the story, I’ve no doubt. Now, if youll excuse me, Mr. Merry and Mr. Frodo and all, I’d best be turning for home. Mrs. Maggot will be worriting with the night getting thick.’ He backed the waggon into the lane and turned it. ‘Well, good night to you all,’ he said. ‘It’s been a queer day, and no mistake. But all’s well as ends well; though perhaps we should not say that until we reach our own doors. Pll not deny that P’ll be glad now when I do.’ He lit his lanterns, and got up. Suddenly he produced a large basket from under the seat. ‘I was nearly forgetting,’ he said. ‘Mrs. Maggot put this up for Mr. Baggins, with her compliments.’ He handed it down and moved off, followed by a chorus of thanks and good-nights. They watched the pale rings of light round his lanterns as they dwindled into the foggy night. Suddenly Frodo laughed: from the covered basket he held, the scent of mushrooms was rising.
黑騎士得從他身上踩過去才能靠近馬車。蹄聲叩叩、叩叩。騎士就快到他們跟前了。「喂，那邊的！」麥哥農夫喊道。前進的蹄聲戛然而止。他們覺得自己隱約能猜到前方一兩碼的霧氣中，有個披著斗篷的黑暗身影。「喂！」農夫說著，把韁繩扔給山姆，大步向前。「不准再靠近一步！你想幹嘛？要去哪裡？」「我找巴金斯先生。你看見他了嗎？」一個悶悶的聲音說道——但那聲音卻是梅里雅達克·烈酒鹿的。一盞遮光提燈被揭開，燈光照在農夫驚訝的臉上。「梅里先生！」他喊道。「是啊，當然！你以為是誰？」梅里走上前說。當他從霧中走出，他們的恐懼也隨之消退，他彷彿突然縮小回了普通的哈比人尺寸。他騎著一匹小馬，脖子和下巴上裹著一條圍巾以抵禦濃霧。佛羅多從馬車上跳下來迎接他。「你總算來了！」梅里說。「我剛才還在想你今天到底會不會出現，正準備回去吃晚餐呢。起霧之後，我就過來了，騎馬往斯托克方向去，看看你們是不是掉進什麼溝裡了。但我可真不知道你們是從哪條路來的。你在哪裡找到他們的，麥哥先生？在你的鴨池裡嗎？」「不，我逮到他們非法闖入，」農夫說，「還差點放狗咬他們；不過他們會把整件事告訴你的，我毫不懷疑。那麼，恕我失陪了，梅里先生、佛羅多先生還有各位，我最好該回家了。天色越來越黑，麥哥太太會擔心的。」他把馬車倒進小徑，然後轉了個彎。「那麼，祝各位晚安，」他說。「今天真是奇怪的一天，一點也沒錯。不過，結果好一切都好；雖然或許我們在回到家門前不該這麼說。我也不否認，等我回到家時，我會很高興的。」他點亮提燈，上了車。突然，他從座位底下拿出一個大籃子。「我差點忘了，」他說。「麥哥太太為巴金斯先生準備了這個，並致上她的問候。」他把籃子遞下來，然後離開了，身後跟著一片道謝和道晚安的聲音。他們望著他提燈周圍蒼白的光圈，漸漸消失在霧濛濛的夜色中。突然，佛羅多笑了：從他抱著的蓋著的籃子裡，飄出了蘑菇的香氣。