the return of the king-第78部分

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　　　　　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　wele。
　　　　　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　panions　were　hobbits；　in　spite　of　their　strange　gear；　then　he　brightened　and　wished　
them　wele。
　　　　　'e　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　wele　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　e　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　I'd　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　e　back！'
　　　　　'Oh　have　they？　I'll　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　e　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。　e　in！　
e　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　I'll　see　what　can　be　done　about　supper；　
as　soon　as　may　be；　but　I'm　short…handed　at　present。　Hey；　Nob　you　slowcoach！　Tell　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；　e　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　
mon　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　e　upon　the　beer　or　the　victuals　at　_The　
Pony_　at　any　rate。　'Now　I　won't　make　so　bold　as　to　suggest　you　should　e　to　the　mon　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。　e；　sit　down！　And　if　
you　have　any　pipe…weed；　we'll　bless　you。'
　　　　　'Well；　if　you'd　called　for　anything　else；　I'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　I'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　ments　other　than：　'You　don't　say；　often　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　es　nigh　Bree　now　from　Outside；'　he　said。　'And　
the　inside　folks；　they　stay　at　home　mostly　and　keep　their　doors　barred。　It　all　es　of　those　
newers　and　gangrels　that　began　ing　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　o'　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　up…away；　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