the fellowship of the ring-第25部分

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'Hallo　there！'　called　Farmer　Maggot。　The　advancing　hoofs　stopped　short。　
They　thought　they　could　dimly　guess　a　dark　cloaked　shape　in　the　mist；　a　yardor　two　ahead。　'Now　then！'　said　the　farmer；　throwing　the　reins　to　Sam　andstriding　forward。　'Don't　you　e　a　step　nearer！　What　do　you　want；　and　whereare　you　going？'　
'I　want　Mr。　Baggins。　Have　you　seen　him？'　said　a　muffled　voice　–　but　thevoice　was　the　voice　of　Merry　Brandybuck。　A　dark　lantern　was　uncovered；　and　itslight　fell　on　the　astonished　face　of　the　farmer。　
'Mr。　Merry！'　he　cried。　
'Yes；　of　course！　Who　did　you　think　it　was？'　said　Merry　ing　forward。　Ashe　came　out　of　the　mist　and　their　fears　subsided；　he　seemed　suddenly　todiminish　to　ordinary　hobbit…size。　He　was　riding　a　pony；　and　a　scarf　wasswathed　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；　andI　was　just　going　back　to　supper。　When　it　grew　foggy　I　came　across　and　rode　uptowards　Stock　to　see　if　you　had　fallen　in　any　ditches。　But　I'm　blest　if　I　knowwhich　way　you　have　e。　Where　did　you　find　them；　Mr。　Maggot？　In　your　duck…　
pond？'　
'No；　I　caught　'em　trespassing；'　said　the　farmer；　'and　nearly　set　my　dogson　'em；　but　they'll　tell　you　all　the　story；　I've　no　doubt。　Now；　if　you'llexcuse　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　toyou　all；'　he　said。　'It's　been　a　queer　day；　and　no　mistake。　But　all's　well　asends　well；　though　perhaps　we　should　not　say　that　until　we　reach　our　own　doors。　
I'll　not　deny　that　I'll　be　glad　now　when　I　do。'　He　lit　his　lanterns；　and　gotup。　Suddenly　he　produced　a　large　basket　from　under　the　seat。　'I　was　nearlyforgetting；'　he　said。　'Mrs。　Maggot　put　this　up　for　Mr。　Baggins；　with　herpliments。'　He　handed　it　down　and　moved　off；　followed　by　a　chorus　of　thanksand　good…nights。　
They　watched　the　pale　rings　of　light　round　his　lanterns　as　they　dwindledinto　the　foggy　night。　Suddenly　Frodo　laughed：　from　the　covered　basket　he　held；　
the　scent　of　mushrooms　was　rising。　　
_Chapter　5_　
A　Conspiracy　Unmasked　　
'Now　we　had　better　get　home　ourselves；'　said　Merry。　There's　something　　
　
funny　about　all　this；　I　see；　but　it　must　wait　till　we　get　in。'　
They　turned　down　the　Ferry　lane；　which　was　straight　and　well…kept　andedged　with　large　white…washed　stones。　In　a　hundred　yards　or　so　it　brought　themto　the　river…bank；　where　there　was　a　broad　wooden　landing…stage。　A　large　flatferry…boat　was　moored　beside　it。　The　white　bollards　near　the　water's　edgeglimmered　in　the　light　of　two　lamps　on　high　posts。　Behind　them　the　mists　inthe　flat　fields　were　now　above　the　hedges；　but　the　water　before　them　was　dark；　
with　only　a　few　curling　wisps　like　steam　among　the　reeds　by　the　bank。　Thereseemed　to　be　less　fog　on　the　further　side。　
Merry　led　the　pony　over　a　gangway　on　to　the　ferry；　and　the　othersfollowed。　Merry　then　pushed　slowly　off　with　a　long　pole。　The　Brandywine　flowedslow　and　broad　before　them。　On　the　other　side　the　bank　was　steep；　and　up　it　awinding　path　climbed　from　the　further　landing。　Lamps　were　twinkling　there。　
Behind　loomed　up　the　Buck　Hill；　and　out　of　it；　through　stray　shrouds　of　mist；　
shone　many　round　windows；　yellow　and　red。　They　were　the　windows　of　BrandyHall；　the　ancient　home　of　the　Brandybucks。　
Long　ago　Gorhendad　Oldbuck；　head　of　the　Oldbuck　family；　one　of　the　oldestin　the　Marish　or　indeed　in　the　Shire；　had　crossed　the　river；　which　was　theoriginal　boundary　of　the　land　eastwards。　He　built　（and　excavated）　Brandy　Hall；　
changed　his　name　to　Brandybuck；　and　settled　down　to　bee　master　of　what　wasvirtually　a　small　independent　country。　His　family　grew　and　grew；　and　after　hisdays　continued　to　grow；　until　Brandy　Hall　occupied　the　whole　of　the　low　hill；　
and　had　three　large　front…doors；　many　side…doors；　and　about　a　hundred　windows。　
The　Brandybucks　and　their　numerous　dependants　then　began　to　burrow；　and　laterto　build；　all　round　about。　That　was　the　origin　of　Buckland；　a　thicklyinhabited　strip　between　the　river　and　the　Old　Forest；　a　sort　of　colony　fromthe　Shire。　Its　chief　village　was　Bucklebury；　clustering　in　the　banks　andslopes　behind　Brandy　Hall。　
The　people　in　the　Marish　were　friendly　with　the　Bucklanders；　and　theauthority　of　the　Master　of　the　Hall　（as　the　head　of　the　Brandybuck　family　wascalled）　was　still　acknowledged　by　the　farmers　between　Stock　and　Rushey。　Butmost　of　the　folk　of　the　old　Shire　regarded　the　Bucklanders　as　peculiar；　halfforeigners　as　it　were。　Though；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　they　were　not　verydifferent　from　the　other　hobbits　of　the　Four　Farthings。　Except　in　one　point：　
they　were　fond　of　boats；　and　some　of　them　could　swim。　
Their　land　was　originally　unprotected　from　the　East；　but　on　that　sidethey　had　built　a　hedge：　the　High　Hay。　It　had　been　planted　many　generationsago；　and　was　now　thick　and　tail；　for　it　was　constantly　tended。　It　ran　all　theway　from　Brandywine　Bridge；　in　a　big　loop　curving　away　from　the　river；　toHaysend　（where　the　Withywindle　flowed　out　of　the　Forest　into　the　Brandywine）：　
well　over　twenty　miles　from　end　to　end。　But；　of　course；　it　was　not　a　pleteprotection。　The　Forest　drew　close　to　the　hedge　in　many　places。　The　Bucklanderskept　their　doors　locked　after　dark；　and　that　also　was　not　usual　in　the　Shire。　
The　ferry…boat　moved　slowly　across　the　water。　The　Buckland　shore　drewnearer。　Sam　was　the　only　member　of　the　party　who　had　not　been　over　the　riverbefore。　He　had　a　strange　feeling　as　the　slow　gurgling　stream　slipped　by：　hisold　life　lay　behind　in　the　mists；　dark　adventure　lay　in　front。　He　scratchedhis　head；　and　for　a　moment　had　a　passing　wish　that　Mr。　Frodo　could　have　goneon　living　quietly　at　Bag　End。　
The　four　hobbits　stepped　off　the　ferry。　Merry　was　tying　it　up；　and　Pippinwas　already　leading　the　pony　up　the　path；　when　Sam　（who　had　been　looking　back；　
as　if　to　take　farewell　of　the　Shire）　said　in　a　hoarse　whisper：　
'Look　back；　Mr。　Frodo！　Do　you　see　anything？'　
On　the　far　stage；　under　the　distant　lamps；　they　could　just　make　out　afigure：　it　looked　like　a　dark　black　bundle　left　behind。　But　as　they　looked　itseemed　to　move　and　sway　this　way　and　that；　as　if　searching　the　ground。　It　thencrawled；　or　went　crouching；　back　into　the　gloom　beyond　the　lamps。　
'What　in　the　Shire　is　that？'　exclaimed　Merry。　
'Something　that　is　following　us；'　said　Frodo。　'But　don't　ask　any　morenow！　Let's　get　away　at　once！'　They　hurried　up　the　path　to　the　top　of　the　bank；　　
　
but　when　they　looked　back　the　far　shore　was　shrouded　in　mist；　and　nothingcould　be　seen。　　
'Thank　goodness　you　don't　keep　any　boats　on　the　west…bank！'　said　Frodo。　
'Can　horses　cross　the　river？'　　
'They　can　go　twenty　miles　north　to　Brandywine　Bridge　–　or　they　mightswim；'　answered　Merry。　'Though　I　never　heard　of　any　horse　swimming　theBrandywine。　But　what　have　horses　to　do　with　it？'　I'll　tell　you　later。　Let'sget　indoors　and　then　we　can　talk。'　
'All　right！　You　and　Pippin　know　your　way；　so　I'll　just　ride　on　and　tellFatty　Bolger　that　you　are　ing。　We'll　see　about　supper　and　things。'　
'We　had　our　supper　early　with　Farmer　Maggot；'　said　Frodo；　'but　we　coulddo　with　another。'　　
'You　shall　have　it！　Give　me　that　basket！'　said　Merry；　and　rode　ahead　intothe　darkness。　　
It　was　some　distance　from　the　Brandywine　to　Frodo's　new　house　atCrickhollow。　They　passed　Buck　Hill　and　Brandy　Hall　on　their　left；　and　on　theoutskirts　of　Bucklebury　struck　the　main　road　of　Buckland　that　ran　south　fromthe　Bridge。　Half　a　mile　northward　along　this　they　came　to　a　lane　opening　ontheir　right。　This　they　followed　for　a　couple　of　miles　as　it　climbed　up　anddown　into　the　country。　
At　last　they　came　to　a　narrow　gate　in　a　thick　hedge。　Nothing　could　beseen　of　the　house　in　the　dark：　it　stood　back　from　the　lane　in　the　middle　of　a　　
wide　circle　of　lawn　surrounded　by　a　belt　of　low　trees　inside　the　outer　hedge。　
Frodo　had　chosen　it；　because　it　stood　in　an　out…of…the…way　corner　of　thecountry；　and　there　were　no　other　dwellings　close　by。　You　could　get　in　and　outwithout　being　noticed。　It　had　been　built　a　long　while　before　by　theBrandybucks；　for　the　use　of　guests；　or　members　of　the　family　that　wished　toescape　from　the　crowded　life　of　Brandy　Hall　for　a　time。　It　was　an　old…　
fashioned　countrified　house；　as　much　like　a　hobbit…hole　as　possible：　it　waslong　and　low；　with　no　upper　storey；　and　it　had　a　roof　of　turf；　round　windows；　
and　a　large　round　door。　
As　they　walked　lip　the　green　path　from　the　gate　no　light　was　visible；　thewindows　were　dark　and　shuttered。　Frodo　knocked　on　the　door；　and　Fatty　Bolgeropened　it。　A　friendly　light　streamed　out。　They　slipped　in　quickly　and　shutthemselves　and　the　light　inside。　They　were　in　a　wide　hall　with　doors　on　eitherside；　in　front　of　them　a　passage　ran　back　down　the　middle　of　the　house。　
'Well；　what　do　you　think　of　it？'　asked　Merry　ing　up　the　passage。　'Wehave　done　our　best　in　a　short　time　to　make　it　look　like　home。　After　all　Fattyand　I　only　got　here　with　the　last　cart…load　yesterday。'　
Frodo　looked　round。　It　did　look　like　home。　Many　of　his　own　favouritethings　–　or　Bilbo's　things　（they　reminded　him　sharply　of　him　in　their　newselling）　–　were　arranged　as　nearly　as　possible　as　they　had　been　at　Bag　End。　Itwas　a　pleasant；　fortable；　weling　place；　and　he　found　himself　wishingthat　he　was　really　ing　here　to　settle　down　in　quiet　retirement。　It　seemedunfair　to　have　put　his　friends　to　all　this　trouble；　and　he　wondered　again　howhe　was　going　to　break　the　news　to　them　that　he　must　leave　them　so　soon；　indeedat　once。　Yet　that　would　have　to　be　done　that　very　night；　before　they　all　wentto　bed。　　
'It's　delightful！'　he　said　with　an　effort。　'I　hardly　feel　that　I　havemoved　at　all。'　　
The　travellers　hung　up　their　cloaks；　and　piled　their　packs　on　the　floor。　
Merry　led　them　down　the　passage　and　threw　open　a　door　at　the　far　end。　
Firelight　came　out；　and　a　puff　of　steam。　
'A　bath！'　cried　Pippin。　'O　blessed　Meriadoc！'　
'Which　order　shall　we　go　in？'　said　Frodo。　'Eldest　first；　or　quickestfirst？　You'll　be　last　either　way；　Master　Peregrin。'　
'Trust　me　to　arrange　things　better　than　that！'　said　Merry。　'We　can'tbegin　life　at　Crickhollow　with　a　quarrel　over　baths。　In　that　room　there　are_three_　tubs；　and　a　copper