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 —
第四章 蘑菇捷徑 早晨，佛羅多醒來時精神煥發。他躺在一個由活樹形成的樹蔭下，樹枝交織下垂至地面；他的床鋪由蕨類和青草構成，又深又軟，散發著奇異的芬芳。陽光透過顫動的樹葉灑落，樹葉在樹上依然翠綠。他跳起來走了出去。山姆坐在林邊的草地上。皮聘站著，觀察著天空和天氣。精靈們不見蹤影。「他們給我們留下了水果、飲料和麵包，」皮聘說。「過來吃早餐吧。這麵包的味道幾乎和昨晚一樣好。我本來不想給你留的，但是山姆堅持。」佛羅多在山姆身旁坐下，開始吃東西。「今天的計畫是什麼？」皮聘問道。「盡快走到雄鹿地，」佛羅多回答，然後專心吃起食物。「你覺得我們會看到那些騎手嗎？」皮聘愉快地問道。在晨光下，看到一大群騎手的可能性對他來說似乎並不那麼令人擔憂。「是的，很可能，」佛羅多說，他並不喜歡這個提醒。「但我希望能不被他們發現就渡過河。」「你從吉爾多那裡打聽到什麼關於他們的事了嗎？」「不多——只有些暗示和謎語，」佛羅多含糊其辭地說。「你有問關於嗅探的事嗎？」「我們沒討論那個，」佛羅多嘴裡塞滿食物地說。「你應該問的。我確信那很重要。」「既然如此，我確信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吧！我不想在吃飯的時候回答一連串的問題。我想思考！」「天哪！」皮聘說。「在早餐的時候嗎？」他走向草地的邊緣。在佛羅多心中，明亮的早晨——他認為是「詭詐的明亮」——並未驅散被追捕的恐懼；他沉思著吉爾多的話語。皮聘歡快的聲音傳到他耳邊。他正在綠草地上奔跑歌唱。「不！我不能！」他自言自語道。「帶著我的年輕朋友們在夏爾漫步，直到我們又餓又累，食物和床鋪都變得甜美，這是一回事。但要帶他們流亡，那裡飢餓和疲憊可能無藥可醫，那又是另一回事了——
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.
蘑菇捷徑 87 即使他們願意來。這份遺產只屬於我。我想我甚至不應該帶山姆去。」他看著山姆·詹吉，發現山姆正在看他。「嗯，山姆！」他說。「你覺得怎麼樣？我會盡快離開夏爾——事實上，我現在已經下定決心，如果可以的話，連在溪谷鎮一天都不會等。」「好的，先生！」「你還是打算跟我一起去嗎？」「是的。」「山姆，這會非常危險。現在就已經很危險了。我們倆很可能都回不來。」「先生，如果你回不來，那我肯定也回不來。」山姆說。「他們對我說：『你別離開他！』我說：『離開他？我從沒想過。他就算爬到月亮上，我也會跟著他；如果那些黑騎士膽敢阻止他，他們就得跟山姆·詹吉算帳了。』我說。他們笑了。」「他們是誰？你在說什麼？」「是精靈，先生。我們昨晚聊了一下；他們似乎知道你要離開，所以我認為否認也沒用。精靈真是奇妙的民族，先生！奇妙！」「他們確實如此。」佛羅多說。「現在你近距離接觸過他們了，還喜歡他們嗎？」「他們似乎有點超乎我的好惡，可以這麼說。」山姆緩緩答道。「我怎麼想他們似乎都不重要。他們跟我預期的完全不同——既古老又年輕，既歡樂又悲傷，可以這麼說。」佛羅多有些吃驚地看著山姆，半是期待能看到他身上那種奇特變化的外在跡象。這聽起來不像他所認識的老山姆·詹吉的聲音。但坐在那裡的確實是老山姆·詹吉，只是他的臉異常沉思。「現在你還覺得有必要離開夏爾嗎——既然你見到他們的願望已經實現了？」他問。「是的，先生。我不知道該怎麼說，但昨晚之後我感覺不同了。我似乎能預見未來，某種程度上。我知道我們要走一條很長的路，進入黑暗；但我知道我不能回頭。我現在想看的不是精靈，也不是龍，也不是山——我不知道自己到底想要什麼：但在結束之前，我還有一些事情要做，而且它就在前方，不在夏爾。先生，如果你明白我的意思，我必須堅持到底。」「我並不完全明白。但我知道甘道夫為我選了一個好夥伴。我很滿意。我們會一起走。」佛羅多默默地吃完了早餐。然後他站起來，望向前方的土地，並呼喚皮聘。
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
88 魔戒 「都準備好出發了嗎？」他問，皮聘跑了過來。「我們必須立刻動身。我們睡晚了；還有很長的路要走。」「是你睡晚了，我是說，」皮聘說。「我早就起來了；我們只是在等你吃完東西和思考。」「我現在兩件事都做完了。我打算盡快趕往巴克蘭渡口。我不會繞路，回到我們昨晚離開的那條路：我打算從這裡直接橫越鄉野。」「那你打算飛過去嗎？」皮聘說。「你不可能在這片鄉野的任何地方徒步直走。」「無論如何，我們總能比走大路更直一些，」佛羅多回答。「渡口在伍德霍爾的東邊；但那條硬路卻向左彎曲——你可以看到它在北邊的彎道。它繞過沼澤區的北端，以便連接從斯托克上方橋樑過來的堤道。但那會繞很遠的路。如果我們從這裡直接前往渡口，可以省下四分之一的路程。」「抄捷徑會耽誤更久，」皮聘爭辯道。「這裡的鄉野很崎嶇，沼澤區裡有泥沼和各種困難——我熟悉這些地方的土地。如果你擔心黑騎士，我不覺得在路上遇到他們會比在樹林或田野裡更糟。」「在樹林和田野裡更難找到人，」佛羅多回答。「如果你應該在路上，那麼他們很可能會在路上找你，而不是在路外。」「好吧！」皮聘說。「我會跟著你走進每一個泥沼和溝渠。但這很難！我本來指望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：我很久沒嚐過了。」「那就這麼定了！」佛羅多說。「抄捷徑會耽誤，但客棧會耽誤更久。無論如何，我們必須讓你遠離金鱸客棧。我們想在天黑前到達巴克蘭。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）。「那麼，如果我們必須在泥沼和荊棘中艱難跋涉，那就現在走吧！」皮聘說。天氣已經幾乎和前一天一樣熱了；但雲層開始從西方升起。看起來很可能會下雨。哈比人爬下一個陡峭的綠色河岸，一頭鑽進下面的密林。他們選擇的路線是將伍德霍爾留在左邊，然後斜穿過沿著山丘東側叢生的樹林，直到他們到達
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
蘑菇捷徑 89 越過那片平坦的土地。然後他們就可以直接前往渡口，穿過一片除了幾條溝渠和籬笆外都開闊的鄉野。佛羅多估計他們直線距離還有十八英里。他很快發現那片灌木叢比看起來更密、更糾結。底層灌木叢中沒有路徑，他們走得不快。當他們好不容易掙扎到河岸底部時，發現一條小溪從後面的山丘流下，溪床挖得很深，兩岸陡峭濕滑，長滿了懸垂的荊棘。最不巧的是，它正好橫切過他們選定的路線。他們無法跳過去，事實上，根本不可能不弄濕、不被刮傷、不沾泥地越過它。他們停了下來，不知道該怎麼辦。「第一次受挫！」皮聘說，苦笑著。山姆·詹吉回頭看。透過樹林中的一個空隙，他瞥見了他們剛才爬下來的那片綠色河岸頂部。「看！」他說，緊抓著佛羅多的手臂。他們都望過去，在高高的河岸邊緣，他們看到一匹馬映襯著天空站立著。旁邊彎著腰站著一個黑色的身影。他們立刻放棄了回去的念頭。佛羅多帶頭，迅速鑽進小溪旁的茂密灌木叢中。「呼！」他對皮聘說。「我們都說對了！這條捷徑已經走歪了；但我們剛好及時躲了起來。山姆，你耳朵很靈：你有沒有聽到什麼聲音？」他們靜靜地站著，幾乎屏住呼吸傾聽；但沒有追趕的聲音。「我不覺得他會試圖把馬帶下那個河岸，」山姆說。「但我猜他知道我們是從那裡下來的。我們最好還是繼續走吧。」繼續前行並不容易。他們背著行囊，灌木叢和荊棘不情願地讓他們通過。他們被後面的山脊擋住了風，空氣靜止而悶熱。當他們最終費力地進入更開闊的地面時，他們又熱又累，渾身是傷，而且也不再確定自己前進的方向。小溪的兩岸逐漸低矮，當它到達平地時變得更寬更淺，蜿蜒流向沼澤區和河流。「哎呀，這就是斯托克溪！」皮聘說。「如果我們要試著回到我們的路線上，我們必須立刻過河並向右轉。」他們涉水過溪，然後匆匆穿過對岸一片寬闊、長滿燈心草且沒有樹木的開闊地。越過那片地，他們又來到一片樹林：大部分是高大的橡樹，其間夾雜著幾棵榆樹或白蠟樹。地面相當平坦，底層灌木叢很少；但樹木太過密集，他們無法看清前方。樹葉在突如其來的陣風中向上翻飛，陰沉的天空中開始飄下雨點。然後風停了
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.’
90 《魔戒》 雨水傾瀉而下。他們盡可能快地跋涉前行，穿過一片片草地，又穿過厚厚的枯葉堆；雨水在他們周圍淅瀝作響，滴滴答答。他們沒有說話，只是不斷地回頭張望，又向兩邊看。半小時後，皮聘說：「我希望我們沒有轉向南方太多，也沒有在這片樹林裡順著長度走！這不是一條很寬的林帶——我本來以為最寬也不過一英里——我們現在應該已經穿過它了。」「我們開始走之字形是沒有用的，」佛羅多說。「那樣也無濟於事。我們還是照原路走吧！我還不確定是否想這麼快就走到開闊地。」他們又走了大約兩英里。接著，太陽再次從破爛的雲層中透出光芒，雨勢也減弱了。此時已過中午，他們覺得是時候吃午餐了。他們在一棵榆樹下停了下來：儘管樹葉正迅速變黃，但依然茂密，樹腳下的地面也相當乾燥且遮蔽良好。當他們準備用餐時，發現精靈們已經把他們的瓶子裝滿了清澈、淡金色的飲料：它散發著百花蜜的香氣，喝起來令人精神一振。很快地，他們便笑逐顏開，對著雨水和黑騎士們彈指一揮，毫不在意。他們覺得，最後幾英里很快就會被拋在腦後了。佛羅多靠著樹幹，閉上了眼睛。山姆和皮聘坐在附近，他們開始哼唱，然後輕聲唱道：「嘿！嘿！嘿！我走向酒瓶，療癒我心，淹沒我愁。雨可能下，風可能吹，還有漫漫長路要走，但在高大的樹下我將躺臥，任雲朵飄過。嘿！嘿！嘿！」他們又更大聲地唱了起來。他們突然戛然而止。佛羅多猛地站了起來。一聲長長的哀嚎隨風而來，像是某種邪惡而孤獨的生物的哭聲。它時高時低，最後以一個高亢刺耳的音符結束。就在他們或坐或站，彷彿突然被凍結的時候，另一聲哭喊回應了它，聲音更微弱、更遙遠，但同樣令人毛骨悚然。隨後是一片寂靜，只有風吹樹葉的聲音打破了它。「你覺得那是什麼？」皮聘終於問道，他試圖輕鬆地說話，但聲音卻有些顫抖。「如果那是一隻鳥，那是我在夏爾從未聽過的。」
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
蘑菇捷徑 喂 「那不是鳥也不是野獸，」佛羅多說。「那是一個呼喚，或者一個訊號——那叫聲裡有字句，雖然我聽不清楚。但沒有任何哈比人有那樣的嗓音。」他們沒有再談論這件事。他們都在想著那些騎士，但沒有人提起他們。他們現在既不願留下也不願前進；但遲早他們都得穿過開闊的鄉野到達渡口，而最好是趁早並在白天動身。沒過多久，他們又重新背起行囊，出發了。不久之後，樹林突然到了盡頭。廣闊的草地在他們面前延伸。他們這才發現，他們實際上已經轉得太偏南了。越過平坦的土地，他們可以瞥見河對岸巴克蘭的低矮山丘，但它現在卻在他們的左手邊。他們小心翼翼地從樹林邊緣爬出來，盡可能快地穿過開闊地。起初，離開了樹林的庇護，他們感到害怕。在他們身後很遠的地方，是他們吃早餐的高地。佛羅多半預期會看到一個遙遠的騎士身影，在天際線的稜線上顯得漆黑；但卻沒有任何跡象。太陽從破開的雲層中掙脫出來，當它朝著他們離開的山丘沉落時，又再次明亮地照耀著。他們的恐懼消散了，儘管他們仍然感到不安。但土地變得越來越溫馴且井然有序。很快他們就進入了照料良好的田地和草地：那裡有樹籬、大門和用於排水的溝渠。一切看起來安靜祥和，只是夏爾一個普通的角落。他們的士氣隨著每一步而高漲。河流的線條越來越近；而黑騎士們現在似乎成了遠遠拋在身後的樹林幻影。他們沿著一大片蕪菁田的邊緣走過，來到了一扇堅固的大門。門後一條滿是車轍的小徑，在低矮整齊的樹籬之間延伸，通向遠處的一叢樹木。皮聘停了下來。「我認識這些田地和這扇門！」他說。「這是班佛隆，老馬各農夫的地。他的農場就在那邊樹林裡。」「一個麻煩接著一個麻煩！」佛羅多說，他看起來幾乎和皮聘宣稱那條小徑是通往龍穴的通道一樣驚慌。其他人驚訝地看著他。「老馬各農夫怎麼了？」皮聘問。「他是所有白蘭地鹿家族的好朋友。當然，他對闖入者來說是個恐怖的存在，而且養著兇猛的狗——但畢竟，這裡的人們靠近邊境，必須更加警惕。」「我知道，」佛羅多說。「但儘管如此，」他帶著一絲羞愧的笑聲補充道，「我還是很怕他和他的狗。我已經避開他的農場好多年了。他曾好幾次抓到我闖入，在...
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.
《魔戒》92頁 蘑菇，那是我小時候在白蘭地廳的時候。上一次他揍了我一頓，然後把我帶到他的狗面前。「看啊，小夥子們，」他說，「下次這小壞蛋膽敢踏上我的土地，你們就可以把他吃了。現在，把他趕走！」他們一路追著我到了渡口。我從未從那次驚嚇中恢復過來——儘管我敢說那些野獸知道分寸，並不會真的碰我。」皮聘笑了。「嗯，是時候你該跟他和解了。特別是如果你要回來住在鹿境的話。老馬格特真是個可靠的傢伙——只要你不動他的蘑菇。我們走小徑吧，這樣就不會是擅闖了。如果遇到他，我來應付。他是梅里的一個朋友，我以前經常和他一起來這裡。」他們沿著小徑走，直到看見前方樹林中露出一座大房子和農舍的茅草屋頂。馬格特一家、斯托克的布丁腳一家，以及沼澤地的大部分居民都是住在房子裡的人；這座農場是用磚塊堅固地建造的，周圍還有一道高牆。牆上開著一道寬闊的木門，通向小徑。突然，當他們走近時，一陣可怕的犬吠聲爆發出來，一個響亮的聲音喊道：「格里普！方！沃爾夫！上啊，小夥子們！」佛羅多和山姆立刻停住了腳步，但皮聘又向前走了幾步。大門打開，三隻巨犬衝出小徑，朝著旅行者們猛撲過來，兇猛地吠叫著。牠們沒有理會皮聘；但山姆卻緊貼著牆壁縮成一團，而兩隻狼狗模樣的狗則可疑地嗅著他，如果他一動就發出咆哮。三隻狗中最大最兇猛的那隻停在佛羅多面前，毛髮豎起，發出低吼。這時，門口出現了一個身材魁梧、臉龐圓潤紅潤的哈比人。「哈囉！哈囉！你們是誰，想做什麼？」他問道。「午安，馬格特先生！」皮聘說。農夫仔細地看著他。「哦，這不是皮聘少爺——我應該說，是佩瑞格林·圖克先生！」他喊道，臉上的怒容轉為笑容。「好久沒在這裡見到你了。你很幸運我認識你。我剛才正要出去放狗咬陌生人呢。今天發生了一些奇怪的事情。當然，我們這裡有時也會有怪人閒逛。離河太近了。」他搖著頭說。「但這個傢伙是我見過最古怪的。他不會再未經允許就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
蘑菇捷徑 93 「那麼你沒見過他？」農夫說。「他不久前沿著小徑往堤道方向去了。他真是個奇怪的客人，問的問題也很奇怪。不過，或許你們可以進來坐坐，我們就能更舒服地聊聊了。要是你和你的朋友們願意，圖克先生，我這裡有桶好麥酒。」農夫似乎很樂意在自己的時間和方式下多說一些，所以他們都接受了邀請。「那狗呢？」佛羅多焦慮地問。農夫笑了。「牠們不會傷害你們——除非我命令牠們。來，格里普！方！坐下！」他喊道。「坐下，沃爾夫！」讓佛羅多和山姆鬆了口氣的是，狗兒們走開了，讓他們自由。皮聘把另外兩人介紹給農夫。「佛羅多·巴金斯先生，」他說，「您可能不記得他了，但他以前住在白蘭地廳。」聽到「巴金斯」這個名字，農夫嚇了一跳，銳利地看了佛羅多一眼。佛羅多一時以為是偷蘑菇的記憶被喚醒了，狗兒們會被命令把他趕走。但馬戈特農夫拉住他的手臂。「噢，這可比以前更奇怪了！」他驚呼道。「是巴金斯先生嗎？進來吧！我們得好好談談。」他們走進農夫的廚房，坐在寬大的壁爐旁。馬戈特太太端來一大壺啤酒，倒滿了四個大杯子。那是上好的釀酒，皮聘覺得自己錯過金鱸客棧的損失得到了充分補償。山姆懷疑地啜飲著啤酒。他天生就不信任夏爾其他地方的居民；而且，對於任何曾經毆打過他主人的人，無論是多久以前的事，他都不願意輕易與之為友。在聊了幾句天氣和農業前景（並沒有比往常更糟）之後，馬戈特農夫放下杯子，依次看了看他們。「那麼，佩里格林先生，」他說，「你們是從哪裡來的，又要去哪裡呢？是來拜訪我的嗎？如果是，你們已經經過我的大門，而我卻沒看見你們。」「嗯，不是的，」皮聘回答，「老實說，既然您已經猜到了，我們是從另一頭進入這條小徑的：我們是從您的田地裡過來的。但那完全是意外。我們在伍德霍爾附近的樹林裡迷了路，想走捷徑去渡口。」「如果你們趕時間，走大路會更好，」農夫說，「但我不是在擔心那個。佩里格林先生，如果你們願意，你們可以走過我的土地。還有你，巴金斯先生——雖然我敢說你仍然喜歡蘑菇。」他笑了。「啊，是的，我認出了這個名字。我記得年輕的佛羅多·巴金斯是巴克蘭最頑皮的年輕惡棍之一。但我當時想的不是蘑菇。我剛才聽到了這個名字
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,
94 《魔戒》 在你出現之前，巴金斯就已經走了。你猜那個古怪的傢伙問了我什麼？』他們焦急地等著他繼續說下去。『嗯，』農夫慢條斯理地、津津有味地說著，『他騎著一匹高大的黑馬，從剛好開著的門口進來，一直來到我家門前。他自己也全身黑漆漆的，披著斗篷，戴著兜帽，彷彿不想被人認出來。「他到底想在夏爾做什麼？」我心想。我們很少看到大人物越過邊界；而且我從沒聽說過有像這個黑傢伙一樣的。「日安！」我對他說，然後走了出去。「這條小路哪兒也去不了，無論你要去哪裡，最快的路就是回到大路上。」我不喜歡他的樣子；當格里普出來時，牠聞了一下，就發出了一聲尖叫，彷彿被蜇了一樣：牠夾著尾巴，嚎叫著跑開了。那個黑傢伙一動也不動。「我從那邊來的，」他慢吞吞地、僵硬地說，指著西邊，越過我的田地，如果你不介意的話。「你見過巴金斯嗎？」他用一種奇怪的聲音問道，然後彎下腰靠近我。我看不見他的臉，因為他的兜帽拉得很低；我感到一陣寒意從背脊升起。但我不知道他為什麼敢如此大膽地騎過我的土地。「滾開！」我說。「這裡沒有巴金斯家族的人。你來錯了夏爾的地方。你最好回到西邊的哈比屯去——不過這次你可以走大路。」「巴金斯已經走了，」他低聲回答。「他正在趕來。他不遠了。我想找到他。如果他經過，你會告訴我嗎？我會帶著黃金回來。」「不，你不會的，」我說。「你會立刻回到你該去的地方。我給你一分鐘，否則我就叫我的狗出來。」他發出了一種嘶嘶聲。那可能是笑聲，也可能不是。然後他猛地策動他的大馬朝我衝來，我只是勉強及時跳開。我叫了狗，但他卻猛地轉身，穿過大門，沿著小路朝著堤道飛馳而去，像一道閃電。你覺得怎麼樣？』佛羅多坐了一會兒，看著爐火，但他唯一的念頭是他們到底要怎麼才能到達渡口。『我不知道該怎麼想，』他終於說道。『那我來告訴你該怎麼想，』馬格特說。『你根本就不該和哈比屯的人混在一起，佛羅多先生。那裡的人都很古怪。』山姆在椅子上動了動，用不友善的眼神看著農夫。『但你一直都是個魯莽的小伙子。當我聽說你離開了白蘭地白克家族，跑去跟那個老比爾博先生在一起時，我就說你會惹麻煩的。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
蘑菇捷徑 95 這一切都源於比爾博先生那些奇怪的行徑。他們說，他的錢是在異鄉以某種奇特的方式得來的。或許有人想知道他埋在哈比屯山丘裡的黃金和珠寶下落如何，我聽說了這些事？佛羅多沒有說話：農夫精明的猜測讓他感到相當不安。「嗯，佛羅多先生，」馬各接著說，「我很高興你明智地回到了巴克蘭。我的建議是：待在那裡！別和這些古怪的外來者混在一起。你在這裡會有朋友的。如果這些黑衣人再追來，我會對付他們的。我會說你死了，或者已經離開夏爾了，或者任何你喜歡的說法。而且這很可能是真的；因為他們多半是想打聽老比爾博先生的消息。」「或許你是對的，」佛羅多說，他避開農夫的目光，凝視著爐火。馬各若有所思地看著他。「嗯，我看你心裡有自己的主意，」他說。「很明顯，你和那個騎馬的人在同一個下午來到這裡絕非偶然；或許我的消息對你來說，根本就不是什麼大新聞。我不是要你說出任何你想保守的秘密；但我看得出來你遇到了麻煩。或許你在想，要不被抓到就到達渡口並不容易吧？」 「我確實是這麼想的，」佛羅多說。「但我們必須設法到達那裡；光是坐著思考是辦不到的。所以我恐怕我們必須走了。非常感謝您的好意！馬各農夫，我害怕你和你的狗已經三十多年了，雖然你聽到可能會笑。真可惜：我錯過了一個好朋友。現在我很抱歉這麼快就要離開。但我或許有一天會回來——如果我有機會的話。」「你來的時候會受到歡迎的，」馬各說。「但我現在有個主意。天快黑了，我們正準備吃晚餐；因為我們通常太陽下山後不久就睡覺了。如果你和皮瑞格林先生以及所有人都願意留下來和我們一起吃點東西，我們會很高興的！」 「我們也是！」佛羅多說。「但我恐怕我們必須立刻走了。即使現在出發，在我們到達渡口之前天也會黑的。」「啊！等一下！我剛才想說：吃完晚飯後，我會牽出一輛小馬車，載你們所有人去渡口。那會省下你們一大段路，也可能省去你們另一種麻煩。」佛羅多現在感激地接受了邀請，這讓皮聘和山姆鬆了一口氣。太陽已經落在西山之後，天色漸暗。馬各的兩個兒子和三個女兒走了進來，豐盛的晚餐擺滿了大桌子。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
點上蠟燭，火也重新生旺。瑪格特太太忙進忙出。一兩個屬於農家的小哈比人也進來了。不一會兒，十四個人圍坐下來用餐。啤酒管夠，還有一大盤蘑菇培根，以及許多其他紮實的農家菜。狗兒們躺在火邊，啃著肉皮和碎骨頭。他們吃完後，農夫和他的兒子們提著燈籠出去，準備好馬車。客人們出來時，院子裡一片漆黑。他們把行囊扔上車，然後爬了進去。農夫坐在駕駛座上，揮鞭趕著他的兩匹壯實小馬。他的妻子站在敞開的門口燈光下。「你可要小心啊，瑪格特！」她喊道。「別跟任何外地人爭吵，然後直接回來！」「我會的！」他說，然後駕車駛出大門。此刻，一絲風也沒有，夜色靜謐，空氣中帶著寒意。他們沒有點燈，緩緩前行。走了一兩英里後，小徑到了盡頭，穿過一道深溝，然後爬上一小段斜坡，來到高堤上。瑪格特下車，仔細地向南北兩邊張望，但在黑暗中什麼也看不見，靜謐的空氣中也沒有一絲聲響。稀薄的河霧懸浮在溝渠上方，並在田野上蔓延。「霧會很濃的，」瑪格特說；「但我回家前不會點燈。今晚我們在路上會聽到任何聲音，遠在我們遇到它之前。」從瑪格特的小徑到渡口有五英里或更遠。哈比人們把自己裹得嚴嚴實實，但他們的耳朵卻豎起來，仔細聆聽著車輪的吱呀聲和小馬蹄的緩慢嗒嗒聲之外的任何聲音。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徑的入口。那裡有兩根高大的白色柱子，突然在他們右側顯現出來。農夫瑪格特勒住他的小馬，馬車吱呀一聲停了下來。他們剛要手忙腳亂地爬下車，突然聽到了他們一直害怕的聲音：前方道路上的馬蹄聲。那聲音正朝他們而來。瑪格特跳下車，站著拉住小馬的頭，凝視著前方的黑暗。噠噠、噠噠，傳來了接近的騎馬聲。馬蹄聲在靜謐、霧氣瀰漫的空氣中顯得格外響亮。「你最好躲起來，佛羅多先生，」山姆焦急地說。「你快到馬車裡躲好，用毯子蓋住，我們會把這個騎馬的人打發走的！」他爬下車，走向農夫。
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.
蘑菇捷徑 97頁。黑騎士必須從他身上騎過去才能靠近馬車。叩答、叩答。騎士幾乎已經來到他們面前。「哈囉！」馬格特農夫喊道。前進的馬蹄聲戛然而止。他們覺得在霧中，前方一兩碼處，似乎隱約能辨認出一個披著斗篷的黑暗身影。「現在！」農夫說，把韁繩丟給山姆，然後大步向前。「別再靠近一步！你們想幹什麼，要去哪裡？」 「我找巴金斯先生。你見過他嗎？」一個低沉的聲音說——但那聲音是梅里．白蘭地鹿的聲音。一盞暗燈被揭開，燈光照亮了農夫驚訝的臉。「梅里先生！」他喊道。「是的，當然！你以為是誰呢？」梅里走上前說。當他走出迷霧，他們的恐懼消退後，他似乎突然縮小到普通的哈比人體型。他騎著一匹小馬，脖子上和下巴上都圍著一條圍巾，以抵禦濃霧。佛羅多跳下馬車迎接他。「你總算來了！」梅里說。「我開始懷疑你今天會不會出現，我正準備回去吃晚餐。當霧變濃時，我便過來，騎向史塔克，看看你們有沒有掉進溝裡。但我真不知道你們是從哪條路來的。馬格特先生，你在哪裡找到他們的？在你的鴨池裡嗎？」 「不，我抓到他們闖入禁地了，」農夫說，「差點就放狗咬他們；但他們會把所有故事告訴你，我毫不懷疑。現在，如果各位不介意，梅里先生、佛羅多先生和各位，我最好回家了。天色漸濃，馬格特太太會擔心的。」他把馬車倒進小徑，然後轉彎。「那麼，各位晚安了，」他說。「這是個奇怪的一天，毫無疑問。但結局好就一切都好；儘管或許我們不該在抵達家門前就這麼說。我不會否認，我現在會很高興的。」他點亮了燈籠，然後起身。他突然從座位下拿出一個大籃子。「我差點忘了，」他說，「馬格特太太為巴金斯先生準備了這個，並致以她的問候。」他把籃子遞下來，然後離開，身後響起一陣道謝和晚安聲。他們看著他燈籠周圍蒼白的光圈，漸漸消失在濃霧的夜色中。佛羅多突然笑了：從他手中蓋著的籃子裡，蘑菇的香氣正飄散出來。