The Lord of the Rings-指环王(英文版)-第37部分

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In　a　moment　he　was　out　again；　wiping　his　hands　on　his　apron。

'Good　evening；　little　master！'　he　said；　bending　down。　'What　may　you　be　wanting？'

'Beds　for　four；　and　stabling　for　five　ponies；　if　that　can　be　managed。　Are　you　Mr。　Butterbur？'

'That's　right！　Barliman　is　my　name。　Barliman　Butterbur　at　your　service！　You're　from　the　Shire；　eh？'　he　said；　and　then　suddenly　he　clapped　his　hand　to　his　forehead；　as　if　trying　to　remember　something。　'Hobbits！'　he　cried。　'Now　what　does　that　remind　me　of？　Might　I　ask　your　names；　sir？'

'Mr。　Took　and　Mr。　Brandybuck；'　said　Frodo；　'and　this　is　Sam　Gamgee。　My　name　is　Underhill。'

'There　now！'　said　Mr。　Butterbur；　snapping　his　fingers。　'It's　gone　again！　But　it'll　e　back；　when　I　have　time　to　think。　I'm　run　off　my　feet；　but　I'll　see　what　I　can　do　for　you。　We　don't　often　get　a　party　out　of　the　Shire　nowadays；　and　I　should　be　sorry　not　to　make　you　wele。　But　there　is　such　a　crowd　already　in　the　house　tonight　as　there　hasn't　been　for　long　enough。　It　never　rains　but　it　pours；　we　say　in　Bree。

'Hi！　Nob！'　he　shouted。　'Where　are　you；　you　woollyfooted　slowcoach？　Nob！'

'ing；　sir！　ing！'　A　cheerylooking　hobbit　bobbed　out　of　a　door；　and　seeing　the　travellers；　stopped　short　and　stared　at　them　with　great　interest。

'Where's　Bob？'　asked　the　landlord。　'You　don't　know？　Well　find　him！　Double　sharp！　I　haven't　got　six　legs；　nor　six　eyes　neither！　Tell　Bob　there's　five　ponies　that　have　to　be　stabled。　He　must　find　room　somehow。'　Nob　trotted　off　with　a　grin　and　a　wink。

'Well；　now；　what　was　I　going　to　say？'　said　Mr。　Butterbur；　tapping　his　forehead。　'One　thing　drives　out　another；　so　to　speak。　I'm　that　busy　tonight；　my　head　is　going　round。　There's　a　party　that　came　up　the　Greenway　from　down　South　last　night　。　and　that　was　strange　enough　to　begin　with。　Then　there's　a　travelling　pany　of　dwarves　going　West　e　in　this　evening。　And　now　there's　you。　If　you　weren't　hobbits；　I　doubt　if　we　could　house　you。　But　we've　got　a　room　or　two　in　the　north　wing　that　were　made　special　for　hobbits；　when　this　place　was　built。　On　the　ground　floor　as　they　usually　prefer；　round　windows　and　all　as　they　like　it。　I　hope　you'll　be　fortable。　You'll　be　wanting　supper；　I　don't　doubt。　As　soon　as　may　be。　This　way　now！'

He　led　them　a　short　way　down　a　passage；　and　opened　a　door。　'Here　is　a　nice　little　parlour！'　he　said。　'I　hope　it　will　suit。　Excuse　me　now。　I'm　that　busy。　No　time　for　talking。　I　must　be　trotting。　It's　hard　work　for　two　legs；　but　I　don't　get　thinner。　I'll　look　in　again　later。　If　you　want　anything；　ring　the　handbell；　and　Nob　will　e。　If　he　don't　e；　ring　and　shout！'

Off　he　went　at　last；　and　left　them　feeling　rather　breathless。　He　seemed　capable　of　an　endless　stream　of　talk；　however　busy　he　might　be。　They　found　themselves　in　a　small　and　cosy　room。　There　was　a　bit　of　bright　fire　burning　on　the　hearth；　and　in　front　of　it　were　some　low　and　fortable　chairs。　There　was　a　round　table；　already　spread　with　a　white　cloth；　and　on　it　was　a　large　hand　bell。　But　Nob；　the　hobbit　servant；　came　bustling　in　long　before　they　thought　of　ringing。　He　brought　candles　and　a　tray　full　of　plates。

'Will　you　be　wanting　anything　to　drink；　masters？'　he　asked。　'And　shall　I　show　you　the　bedrooms；　while　your　supper　is　got　ready？'

They　were　washed　and　in　the　middle　of　good　deep　mugs　of　beer　when　Mr。　Butterbur　and　Nob　came　in　again。　In　a　twinkling　the　table　was　laid。　There　was　hot　soup；　cold　meats；　a　blackberry　tart；　new　loaves；　slabs　of　butter；　and　half　a　ripe　cheese：　good　plain　food；　as　good　as　the　Shire　could　show；　and　homelike　enough　to　dispel　the　last　of　Sam's　misgivings　（already　much　relieved　by　the　excellence　of　the　beer）。

The　landlord　hovered　round　for　a　link；　and　then　prepared　to　leave　them。　'I　don't　know　whether　you　would　care　to　join　the　pany；　when　you　have　supped；'　he　said；　standing　at　the　door。　'Perhaps　you　would　rather　go　to　your　beds。　Still　the　pany　would　be　very　pleased　to　wele　you；　if　you　had　a　mind。　We　don't　get　Outsiders　。　travellers　from　the　Shire；　I　should　say；　begging　your　pardon　。　often；　and　we　like　to　hear　a　bit　of　news；　or　any　story　or　song　you　may　have　in　mind。　But　as　you　please！　Ring　the　bell；　if　you　lack　anything！'

So　refreshed　and　encouraged　did　they　feel　at　the　end　of　their　supper　（about　three　quarters　of　an　hour's　steady　going；　not　hindered　by　unnecessary　talk）　that　Frodo；　Pippin；　and　Sam　decided　to　join　the　pany。　Merry　said　it　would　be　too　stuffy。　'I　shall　sit　here　quietly　by　the　fire　for　a　bit；　and　perhaps　go　out　later　for　a　sniff　of　the　air。　Mind　your　Ps　and　Qs；　and　don't　fet　that　you　are　supposed　to　be　escaping　in　secret；　and　are　still　on　the　highroad　and　not　very　far　from　the　Shire！'

'All　right！'　said　Pippin。　'Mind　yourself！　Don't　get　lost；　and　don't　fet　that　it　is　safer　indoors！'

The　pany　was　in　the　big　monroom　of　the　inn。　The　gathering　was　large　and　mixed；　as　Frodo　discovered；　when　his　eyes　got　used　to　the　light。　This　came　chiefly　from　a　blazing　logfire；　for　the　three　lamps　hanging　from　the　beams　were　dim；　and　half　veiled　in　smoke。　Barliman　Butterbur　was　standing　near　the　fire；　talking　to　a　couple　of　dwarves　and　one　or　two　strangelooking　men。　On　the　benches　were　various　folk：　men　of　Bree；　a　collection　of　local　hobbits　（sitting　chattering　together）；　a　few　more　dwarves；　and　other　vague　figures　difficult　to　make　out　away　in　the　shadows　and　ers。

As　soon　as　the　Shirehobbits　entered；　there　was　a　chorus　of　wele　from　the　Breelanders。　The　strangers；　especially　those　that　had　e　up　the　Greenway；　stared　at　them　curiously。　The　landlord　introduced　the　newers　to　the　Breefolk；　so　quickly　that；　though　they　caught　many　names；　they　were　seldom　sure　who　the　names　belonged　to。　The　Men　of　Bree　seemed　all　to　have　rather　botanical　（and　to　the　Shirefolk　rather　odd）　names；　like　Rushlight；　Goatleaf；　Heathertoes；　Appledore；　Thistlewool　and　Ferny　（not　to　mention　Butterbur）。　Some　of　the　hobbits　had　similar　names。　The　Mugworts；　for　instance；　seemed　numerous。　But　most　of　them　had　natural　names；　such　as　Banks；　Brockhouse；　Longholes；　Sandheaver；　and　Tunnelly；　many　of　which　were　used　in　the　Shire。　There　were　several　Underhills　from　Saddle；　and　as　they　could　not　imagine　sharing　a　name　without　being　related；　they　took　Frodo　to　their　hearts　as　a　longlost　cousin。

The　Breehobbits　were；　in　fact；　friendly　and　inquisitive；　and　Frodo　soon　found　that　some　explanation　of　what　he　was　doing　would　have　to　be　given。　He　gave　out　that　he　was　interested　in　history　and　geography　（at　which　there　was　much　wagging　of　heads；　although　neither　of　these　words　were　much　used　in　the　Breedialect）。　He　said　he　was　thinking　of　writing　a　book　（at　which　there　was　silent　astonishment）；　and　that　he　and　his　friends　wanted　to　collect　information　about　hobbits　living　outside　the　Shire；　especially　in　the　eastern　lands。

At　this　a　chorus　of　voices　broke　out。　If　Frodo　had　really　wanted　to　write　a　book；　and　had　had　many　ears；　he　would　have　learned　enough　for　several　chapters　in　a　few　minutes。　And　if　that　was　not　enough；　he　was　given　a　whole　list　of　names；　beginning　with　'Old　Barliman　here'；　to　whom　he　could　go　for　further　information。　But　after　a　time；　as　Frodo　did　not　show　any　sign　of　writing　a　book　on　the　spot；　the　hobbits　returned　to　their　questions　about　doings　in　the　Shire。　Frodo　did　not　prove　very　municative；　and　he　soon　found　himself　sitting　alone　in　a　er；　listening　and　looking　around。

The　Men　and　Dwarves　were　mostly　talking　of　distant　events　and　telling　flews　of　a　kind　that　was　being　only　too　familiar。　There　was　trouble　away　in　the　South；　and　it　seemed　that　the　Men　who　had　e　up　the　Greenway　were　on　the　move；　looking　for　lands　where　they　could　find　some　peace。　The　Breefolk　were　sympathetic；　but　plainly　not　very　ready　to　take　a　large　number　of　strangers　into　their　little　land。　One　of　the　travellers；　a　squinteyed　illfavoured　fellow；　was　foretelling　that　more　and　more　people　would　be　ing　north　in　the　near　future。　'If　room　isn't　found　for　them；　they'll　find　it　for　themselves。

They've　a　right　to　live；　same　as　other　folk；'　he　said　loudly。　The　local　inhabitants　did　not　look　pleased　at　the　prospect。

The　hobbits　did　not　pay　much　attention　to　all　this；　and　it　did　not　at　the　moment　seem　to　concern　hobbits。　Big　Folk　could　hardly　beg　for　lodgings　in　hobbitholes。　They　were　more　interested　in　Sam　and　Pippin；　e；　and　were　chatting　gaily　about　events　in　the　Shire。　Pippin　roused　a　good　deal　of　laughter　with　an　account　of　the　collapse　of　the　roof　of　the　Town　Hole　in　Michel　Delving：　Will　Whitfoot；　the　Mayor；　and　the　fattest　hobbit　in　the　Westfarthing；　had　been　buried　in　chalk；　and　came　out　like　a　floured　dumpling。　But　there　ade　Frodo　a　little　uneasy。　One　of　the　Breelanders；　who　seemed　to　have　been　in　the　Shire　several　times；　wanted　to　know　where　the　Underhills　lived　and　who　they　were　related　to。

Suddenly　Frodo　noticed　that　a　strangelooking　weatherbeaten　man；　sitting　in　the　shadows　near　the　wall；　was　also　listening　intently　to　the　hobbittalk。　He　had　a　tall　tankard　in　front　of　him；　and　was　smoking　a　longstemmed　pipe　curiously　carved。　His　legs　were　stretched　out　before　him；　showing　high　boots　of　supple　leather　that　fitted　him　well；　but　had　seen　much　wear　and　were　now　caked　with　mud。　A　travelstained　cloak　of　heavy　darkgreen　cloth　was　drawn　close　about　him；　and　in　spite　of　the　heat　of　the　room　he