the fellowship of the ring-第37部分

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g　them　very　awkward；　andwondering　if　they　would　be　of　any　use。　Fighting　had　not　before　occurred　to　anyof　them　as　one　of　the　adventures　in　which　their　flight　would　land　them。　
At　last　they　set　off。　They　led　their　ponies　down　the　hill；　and　thenmounting　they　trotted　quickly　along　the　valley。　They　looked　back　and　saw　thetop　of　the　old　mound　on　the　hill；　and　from　it　the　sunlight　on　the　gold　went　uplike　a　yellow　flame。　Then　they　turned　a　shoulder　of　the　Downs　and　it　was　　
　
hidden　from　view。　　
Though　Frodo　looked　about　him　on　every　side　he　saw　no　sign　of　the　greatstones　standing　like　a　gate；　and　before　long　they　came　to　the　northern　gap　androde　swiftly　through；　and　the　land　fell　away　before　them。　It　was　a　merryjourney　with　Tom　Bombadil　trotting　gaily　beside　them；　or　before　them；　on　FattyLumpkin；　who　could　move　much　faster　than　his　girth　promised。　Tom　sang　most　ofthe　time；　but　it　was　chiefly　nonsense；　or　else　perhaps　a　strange　languageunknown　to　the　hobbits；　an　ancient　language　whose　words　were　mainly　those　ofwonder　and　delight。　
They　went　forward　steadily；　but　they　soon　saw　that　the　Road　was　furtheraway　than　they　had　imagined。　Even　without　a　fog；　their　sleep　at　mid…day　wouldhave　prevented　them　from　reaching　it　until　after　nightfall　on　the　day　before。　
The　dark　line　they　had　seen　was　not　a　line　of　trees　but　a　line　of　bushesgrowing　on　the　edge　of　a　deep　dike　with　a　steep　wall　on　the　further　side。　Tomsaid　that　it　had　once　been　the　boundary　of　a　kingdom；　but　a　very　long　limeago。　He　seemed　to　remember　something　sad　about　it；　and　would　not　say　much。　
They　climbed　down　and　out　of　the　dike　and　through　a　gap　in　the　wall；　andthen　Tom　turned　due　north；　for　they　had　been　bearing　somewhat　to　the　west。　Theland　was　now　open　and　fairly　level；　and　they　quickened　their　pace；　but　the　sunwas　already　sinking　low　when　at　last　they　saw　a　line　of　tall　trees　ahead；　andthey　knew　that　they　had　e　back　to　the　Road　after　many　unexpectedadventures。　They　galloped　their　ponies　over　the　last　furlongs；　and　haltedunder　the　long　shadows　of　the　trees。　They　were　on　the　top　of　a　sloping　bank；　
and　the　Road；　now　dim　as　evening　drew　on；　wound　away　below　them。　At　this　pointit　ran　nearly　from　South…west　to　North…east；　and　on　their　right　it　fellquickly　down　into　a　wide　hollow。　It　was　rutted　and　bore　many　signs　of　therecent　heavy　rain；　there　were　pools　and　pot…holes　full　of　water。　They　rodedown　the　bank　and　looked　up　and　down。　There　was　nothing　to　be　seen。　'Well；　
here　we　are　again　at　last！'　said　Frodo。　'I　suppose　we　haven't　lost　more　thantwo　days　by　my　short　cut　through　the　Forest！　But　perhaps　the　delay　will　proveuseful　–　it　may　have　put　them　off　our　trail。'　
The　others　looked　at　him。　The　shadow　of　the　fear　of　the　Black　Riders　came　　
suddenly　over　them　again。　Ever　since　they　had　entered　the　Forest　they　hadthought　chiefly　of　getting　back　to　the　Road；　only　now　when　it　lay　beneaththeir　feet　did　they　remember　the　danger　which　pursued　them；　and　was　more　thanlikely　to　be　lying　in　wait　for　them　upon　the　Road　itself。　They　lookedanxiously　back　towards　the　setting　sun；　but　the　Road　was　brown　and　empty。　
'Do　you　think；'　asked　Pippin　hesitatingly；　'do　you　think　we　may　bepursued；　tonight？'　
'No；　I　hope　not　tonight；'　answered　Tom　Bombadil；　'nor　perhaps　the　nextday。　But　do　not　trust　my　guess；　for　I　cannot　tell　for　certain。　Out　east　myknowledge　fails。　Tom　is　not　master　of　Riders　from　the　Black　Land　far　beyondhis　country。'　
All　the　same　the　hobbits　wished　he　was　ing　with　them。　They　felt　thathe　would　know　how　to　deal　with　Black　Riders；　if　anyone　did。　They　would　soonnow　be　going　forward　into　lands　wholly　strange　to　them；　and　beyond　all　but　themost　vague　and　distant　legends　of　the　Shire；　and　in　the　gathering　twilightthey　longed　for　home。　A　deep　loneliness　and　sense　of　loss　was　on　them。　Theystood　silent；　reluctant　to　make　the　final　parting；　and　only　slowly　becameaware　that　Tom　was　wishing　them　farewell；　and　telling　them　to　have　good　heartand　to　ride　on　till　dark　without　halting。　
'Tom　will　give　you　good　advice；　till　this　day　is　over　（after　that　yourown　luck　must　go　with　you　and　guide　you）：　four　miles　along　the　Road　you'lle　upon　a　village；　Bree　under　Bree…hill；　with　doors　looking　westward。　Thereyou'll　find　an　old　inn　that　is　called　_The　Prancing　Pony。_　Barliman　Butterburis　the　worthy　keeper。　There　you　can　stay　the　night；　and　afterwards　the　morningwill　speed　you　upon　your　way。　Be　bold；　but　wary！　Keep　up　your　merry　hearts；　
and　ride　to　meet　your　fortune！'　
They　begged　him　to　e　at　least　as　far　as　the　inn　and　drink　once　morewith　them；　but　he　laughed　and　refused；　saying：　　
　
Tom's　country　ends　here：　he　will　not　pass　the　borders。　
Tom　has　his　house　to　mind；　and　Goldberry　is　waiting！　　
Then　he　turned；　tossed　up　his　hat；　leaped　on　Lumpkin's　back；　and　rode　upover　the　bank　and　away　singing　into　the　dusk。　
The　hobbits　climbed　up　and　watched　him　until　he　was　out　of　sight。　
'I　am　sorry　to　take　leave　of　Master　Bombadil；'　said　Sam。　'He's　a　cautionand　no　mistake。　I　reckon　we　may　go　a　good　deal　further　and　see　naught　better；　
nor　queerer。　But　I　won't　deny　I'll　be　glad　to　see　this　_Prancing　Pony_he　spokeof。　I　hope　it'll　be　like　_The　Green　Dragon_　away　back　home！　What　sort　of　folkare　they　in　Bree？'　
'There　are　hobbits　in　Bree；'　said　Merry；　'as　well　as　Big　Folk。　I　daresayit　will　be　homelike　enough。　_The　Pony_　is　a　good　inn　by　all　accounts。　Mypeople　ride　out　there　now　and　again。'　
'It　may　be　all　we　could　wish；'　said　Frodo；　'but　it　is　outside　the　Shireall　the　same。　Don't　make　yourselves　too　much　at　home！　Please　remember　…all　ofyou　–　that　the　name　of　Baggins　must　NOT　be　mentioned。　I　am　Mr。　Underhill；　ifany　name　must　be　given。'　
They　now　mounted　their　ponies　and　rode　off　silently　into　the　evening。　
Darkness　came　down　quickly；　as　they　plodded　slowly　downhill　and　up　again；　
until　at　last　they　saw　lights　twinkling　some　distance　ahead。　
Before　them　rose　Bree…hill　barring　the　way；　a　dark　mass　against　mistystars；　and　under　its　western　flank　nestled　a　large　village。　Towards　it　theynow　hurried　desiring　only　to　find　a　fire；　and　a　door　between　them　and　thenight。　　
At　the　Sign　of　　
_Chapter　9_　　
The　Prancing　Pony_　　
Bree　was　the　chief　village　of　the　Bree…land；　a　small　inhabited　region；　
like　an　island　in　the　empty　lands　round　about。　Besides　Bree　itself；　there　wasStaddle　on　the　other　side　of　the　hill；　be　in　a　deep　valley　a　little　furthereastward；　and　Archet　on　the　edge　of　the　Chetwood。　Lying　round　Bree…hill　andthe　villages　was　a　small　country　of　fields　and　tamed　woodland　only　a　few　milesbroad。　　
The　Men　of　Bree　were　brown…haired；　broad；　and　rather　short；　cheerful　andindependent：　they　belonged　to　nobody　but　themselves；　but　they　were　morefriendly　and　familiar　with　Hobbits；　Dwarves；　Elves；　and　other　inhabitants　ofthe　world　about　them　than　was　（or　is）　usual　with　Big　People。　According　totheir　own　tales　they　were　the　original　inhabitants　and　were　the　descendants　ofthe　first　Men　that　ever　wandered　into　the　West　of　the　middle…world。　Few　had　　
survived　the　turmoils　of　the　Elder　Days；　but　when　the　Kings　returned　againover　the　Great　Sea　they　had　found　the　Bree…men　still　there；　and　they　werestill　there　now；　when　the　memory　of　the　old　Kings　had　faded　into　the　grass。　
In　those　days　no　other　Men　had　settled　dwellings　so　far　west；　or　within　ahundred　leagues　of　the　Shire。　But　in　the　wild　lands　beyond　Bree　there　weremysterious　wanderers。　The　Bree…folk　called　them　Rangers；　and　knew　nothing　oftheir　origin。　They　were　taller　and　darker　than　the　Men　of　Bree　and　werebelieved　to　have　strange　powers　of　sight　and　hearing；　and　to　understand　thelanguages　of　beasts　and　birds。　They　roamed　at　will　southwards；　and　eastwardseven　as　far　as　the　Misty　Mountains；　but　they　were　now　few　and　rarely　seen。　
When　they　appeared　they　brought　news　from　afar；　and　told　strange　forgottentales　which　were　eagerly　listened　to；　but　the　Bree…folk　did　not　make　friendsof　them。　　
There　were　also　many　families　of　hobbits　in　the　Bree…land　and_they_claimed　to　be　the　oldest　settlement　of　Hobbits　in　the　world；　one　thatwas　founded　long　before　even　the　Brandywine　was　crossed　and　the　Shire　　
　
colonized。　They　lived　mostly　in　Staddle　though　there　were　some　in　Bree　itself；　
especially　on　the　higher　slopes　of　the　hill；　above　the　houses　of　the　Men。　TheBig　Folk　and　the　Little　Folk　（as　they　called　one　another）　were　on　friendlyterms；　minding　their　own　affairs　in　their　own　ways；　but　both　rightly　regardingthemselves　as　necessary　parts　of　the　Bree…folk。　Nowhere　else　in　the　world　wasthis　peculiar　（but　excellent）　arrangement　to　be　found。　
The　Bree…folk；　Big　and　Little；　did　not　themselves　travel　much；　and　theaffairs　of　the　four　villages　were　their　chief　concern。　Occasionally　theHobbits　of　Bree　went　as　far　as　Buckland；　or　the　Eastfarthing；　but　though　theirlink　land　was　not　much　further　than　a　day's　riding　east　of　the　BrandywineBridge；　the　Hobbits　of　the　Shire　now　seldom　visited　it。　An　occasionalBucklander　or　adventurous　Took　would　e　out　to　the　Inn　for　a　night　or　two；　
but　even　that　was　being　less　and　less　usual。　The　Shire…hobbits　referred　tothose　of　Bree；　and　to　any　others　that　lived　beyond　the　borders；　as　Outsiders；　
and　took　very　little　interest　in　them；　considering　them　dull　and　uncouth。　
There　were　probably　many　more　Outsiders　scattered　about　in　the　West　of　theWorld　in　those　days　than　the　people　of　the　Shire　imagined。　Some；　doubtless；　
were　no　better　than　tramps；　ready　to　dig　a　hole　in　any　bank　and　stay　only　aslong　as　it　suited　them。　But　in　the　Bree…land；　at　any　rate；　the　hobbits　weredecent　and　prosperous；　and　no　more　rustic　than　most　of　their　distant　relativesInside。　It　was　not　yet　forgotten　that　there　had　been　a　time　when　there　wasmuch　ing　and　going　between　the　Shire　and　Bree。　There　was　Bree…blood　in　theBrandybucks　by　all　accounts。　　
The　village　of　Bree　had　some　hundred　stone　houses　of　the　Big　Folk；　mostlyabove　the　Road；　nestling　on　the　hillside　with　windows　looking　west。　On　thatside；　running　in　more　than　half　a　circle　from　the　hill　and　back　to　it；　therewas　a　deep　dike　with　a　thick　hedge　on　the　inner　side。　Over　this　the　Roadcrossed　by　a　causeway；　but　where　it　pierced　the　hedge　it　was　barred　by　a　greatgate。　There　was　another　gate　in　the　southern　er　where　the　Road　ran　out　ofthe　village。　The　gates　were　closed　at　nightfall；　but　just　inside　them　weresmall　lodges　for　the　gateke