the fellowship of the ring-第8部分

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folding　in　a　moment；　and　their　shining　branchesdropped　glowing　flowers　down　upon　the　astonished　hobbits；　disappearing　with　asweet　scent　just　before　they　touched　their　upturned　faces。　There　werefountains　of　butterflies　that　flew　glittering　into　the　trees；　there　werepillars　of　coloured　fires　that　rose　and　turned　into　eagles；　or　sailing　ships；　
or　a　phalanx　of　flying　swans；　there　was　a　red　thunderstorm　and　a　shower　ofyellow　rain；　there　was　a　forest　of　silver　spears　that　sprang　suddenly　into　theair　with　a　yell　like　an　embattled　army；　and　came　down　again　into　the　Waterwith　a　hiss　like　a　hundred　hot　snakes。　And　there　was　also　one　last　surprise；　
in　honour　of　Bilbo；　and　it　startled　the　hobbits　exceedingly；　as　Gandalfintended。　The　lights　went　out。　A　great　smoke　went　up。　It　shaped　itself　like　amountain　seen　in　the　distance；　and　began　to　glow　at　the　summit。　It　spoutedgreen　and　scarlet　flames。　Out　flew　a　red…golden　dragon　–　not　life…size；　butterribly　life…like：　fire　came　from　his　jaws；　his　eyes　glared　down；　there　was　aroar；　and　he　whizzed　three　times　over　the　heads　of　the　crowd。　They　all　ducked；　
and　many　fell　flat　on　their　faces。　The　dragon　passed　like　an　express　train；　
turned　a　somersault；　and　burst　over　Bywater　with　a　deafening　explosion。　
'That　is　the　signal　for　supper！'　said　Bilbo。　The　pain　and　alarm　vanishedat　once；　and　the　prostrate　hobbits　leaped　to　their　feet。　There　was　a　splendidsupper　for　everyone；　for　everyone；　that　is；　except　those　invited　to　the　　
　
special　family　dinner…party。　This　was　held　in　the　great　pavilion　with　thetree。　The　invitations　were　limited　to　twelve　dozen　（a　number　also　called　bythe　hobbits　one　Gross；　though　the　word　was　not　considered　proper　to　use　ofpeople）；　and　the　guests　were　selected　from　all　the　families　to　which　Bilbo　andFrodo　were　related；　with　the　addition　of　a　few　special　unrelated　friends　（suchas　Gandalf）。　Many　young　hobbits　were　included；　and　present　by　parentalpermission；　for　hobbits　were　easy…going　with　their　children　in　the　matter　ofsitting　up　late；　especially　when　there　was　a　chance　of　getting　them　a　freemeal。　Bringing　up　young　hobbits　took　a　lot　of　provender。　
There　were　many　Bagginses　and　Boffins；　and　also　many　Tooks　andBrandybucks；　there　were　various　Grubbs　（relations　of　Bilbo　Baggins'grandmother）；　and　various　Chubbs　（connexions　of　his　Took　grandfather）；　and　aselection　of　Burrowses；　Bolgers；　Bracegirdles；　Brockhouses；　Goodbodies；　
Hornblowers　and　Proudfoots。　Some　of　these　were　only　very　distantly　connectedwith　Bilbo；　and　some　of　them　had　hardly　ever　been　in　Hobbiton　before；　as　theylived　in　remote　corners　of　the　Shire。　The　Sackville…Bagginses　were　notforgotten。　Otho　and　his　wife　Lobelia　were　present。　They　disliked　Bilbo　anddetested　Frodo；　but　so　magnificent　was　the　invitation　card；　written　in　goldenink；　that　they　had　felt　it　was　impossible　to　refuse。　Besides；　their　cousin；　
Bilbo；　had　been　specializing　in　food　for　many　years　and　his　table　had　a　highreputation。　
All　the　one　hundred　and　forty…four　guests　expected　a　pleasant　feast；　
though　they　rather　dreaded　the　after…dinner　speech　of　their　host　（aninevitable　item）。　He　was　liable　to　drag　in　bits　of　what　he　called　poetry；　andsometimes；　after　a　glass　or　two；　would　allude　to　the　absurd　adventures　of　hismysterious　journey。　The　guests　were　not　disappointed：　they　had　a　_very_　
pleasant　feast；　in　fact　an　engrossing　entertainment：　rich；　abundant；　varied；　
and　prolonged。　The　purchase　of　provisions　fell　almost　to　nothing　throughoutthe　district　in　the　ensuing　weeks；　but　as　Bilbo's　catering　had　depleted　thestocks　of　most　stores；　cellars　and　warehouses　for　miles　around；　that　did　notmatter　much。　　
After　the　feast　（more　or　less）　came　the　Speech。　Most　of　the　pany　were；　
however；　now　in　a　tolerant　mood；　at　that　delightful　stage　which　they　called'filling　up　the　corners'。　They　were　sipping　their　favourite　drinks；　andnibbling　at　their　favourite　dainties；　and　their　fears　were　forgotten。　Theywere　prepared　to　listen　to　anything；　and　to　cheer　at　every　full　stop。　
_My　dear　People；_　began　Bilbo；　rising　in　his　place。　'Hear！　Hear！　Hear！'　
they　shouted；　and　kept　on　repeating　it　in　chorus；　seeming　reluctant　to　followtheir　own　advice。　Bilbo　left　his　place　and　went　and　stood　on　a　chair　under　theilluminated　tree。　The　light　of　the　lanterns　fell　on　his　beaming　face；　thegolden　buttons　shone　on　his　embroidered　silk　waistcoat。　They　could　all　see　himstanding；　waving　one　hand　in　the　air；　the　other　was　in　his　trouser…pocket。　
_My　dear　Bagginses　and　Boffins；_　he　began　again；　_and　my　dear　Tooks　andBrandybucks；　and　Grubbs；　and　Chubbs；　and　Burrowses；　and　Hornblowers；　andBolgers；　Bracegirdles；　Goodbodies；　Brockhouses　and　Proudfoots。_　'ProudFEET！'　
shouted　an　elderly　hobbit　from　the　back　of　the　pavilion。　His　name；　of　course；　
was　Proudfoot；　and　well　merited；　his　feet　were　large；　exceptionally　furry；　andboth　were　on　the　table。　　
_Proudfoots；_　repeated　Bilbo。　_Also　my　good　Sackville…Bagginses　that　Iwele　back　at　last　to　Bag　End。　Today　is　my　one　hundred　and　eleventhbirthday：　I　am　eleventy…one　today！_　'Hurray！　Hurray！　Many　Happy　Returns！'　theyshouted；　and　they　hammered　joyously　on　the　tables。　Bilbo　was　doing　splendidly。　
This　was　the　sort　of　stuff　they　liked：　short　and　obvious。　
_I　hope　you　are　all　enjoying　yourselves　as　much　as　I　am。_　Deafeningcheers。　Cries　of　_Yes_　（and　_No）。_　Noises　of　trumpets　and　horns；　pipes　andflutes；　and　other　musical　instruments。　There　were；　as　has　been　said；　manyyoung　hobbits　present。　Hundreds　of　musical　crackers　had　been　pulled。　Most　ofthem　bore　the　mark　DALE　on　them；　which　did　not　convey　much　to　most　of　thehobbits；　but　they　all　agreed　they　were　marvellous　crackers。　They　containedinstruments；　small；　but　of　perfect　make　and　enchanting　tones。　Indeed；　in　one　　
　
corner　some　of　the　young　Tooks　and　Brandybucks；　supposing　Uncle　Bilbo　to　havefinished　（since　he　had　plainly　said　all　that　was　necessary）；　now　got　up　animpromptu　orchestra；　and　began　a　merry　dance…tune。　Master　Everard　Took　andMiss　Melilot　Brandybuck　got　on　a　table　and　with　bells　in　their　hands　began　todance　the　Springle…ring：　a　pretty　dance；　but　rather　vigorous。　
But　Bilbo　had　not　finished。　Seizing　a　horn　from　a　youngster　near　by；　heblew　three　loud　hoots。　The　noise　subsided。　_I　shall　not　keep　you　long；_　hecried。　Cheers　from　all　the　assembly。　_I　have　called　you　all　together　for　aPurpose。_　Something　in　the　way　that　he　said　this　made　an　impression。　There　wasalmost　silence；　and　one　or　two　of　the　Tooks　pricked　up　their　ears。　
_Indeed；　for　Three　Purposes！　First　of　all；　to　tell　you　that　I　amimmensely　fond　of　you　all；　and　that　eleventy…one　years　is　too　short　a　time　tolive　among　such　excellent　and　admirable　hobbits。_　Tremendous　outburst　ofapproval。　
_I　don't　know　half　of　you　half　as　well　as　I　should　like；　and　I　like　lessthan　half　of　you　half　as　well　as　you　deserve。_　This　was　unexpected　and　ratherdifficult。　There　was　some　scattered　clapping；　but　most　of　them　were　trying　towork　it　out　and　see　if　it　came　to　a　pliment。　
_Secondly；　to　celebrate　my　birthday。_　Cheers　again。　_I　should　say：　OURbirthday。　For　it　is；　of　course；　also　the　birthday　of　my　heir　and　nephew；　
Frodo。　He　es　of　age　and　into　his　inheritance　today。_　Some　perfunctoryclapping　by　the　elders；　and　some　loud　shouts　of　'Frodo！　Frodo！　Jolly　oldFrodo；'　from　the　juniors。　The　Sackville…Bagginses　scowled；　and　wondered　whatwas　meant　by　'ing　into　his　inheritance'。　_Together　we　score　one　hundred　andforty…four。　Your　numbers　were　chosen　to　fit　this　remarkable　total：　One　Gross；　
if　I　may　use　the　expression。_　No　cheers。　This　was　ridiculous。　Many　of　hisguests；　and　especially　the　Sackville…Bagginses；　were　insulted；　feeling　surethey　had　only　been　asked　to　fill　up　the　required　number；　like　goods　in　apackage。　'One　Gross；　indeed！　Vulgar　expression。'　
_It　is　also；　if　I　may　be　allowed　to　refer　to　ancient　history；　theanniversary　of　my　arrival　by　barrel　at　Esgaroth　on　the　Long　Lake；　though　thefact　that　it　was_　my　_birthday　slipped　my　memory　on　that　occasion。　I　was　onlyfifty…one　then；　and　birthdays　did　not　seem　so　important。　The　banquet　was　verysplendid；　however；　though　I　had　a　bad　cold　at　the　time；　I　remember；　and　couldonly　say　'thag　you　very　buch'。　I　now　repeat　it　more　correctly：　Thank　you　verymuch　for　ing　to　my　little　party。_　Obstinate　silence。　They　all　feared　that　asong　or　some　poetry　was　now　imminent；　and　they　were　getting　bored。　Whycouldn't　he　stop　talking　and　let　them　drink　his　health？　But　Bilbo　did　not　singor　recite。　He　paused　for　a　moment。　
_Thirdly　and　finally；_　he　said；　_I　wish　to　make　an　ANNOUNCEMENT_。　Hespoke　this　last　word　so　loudly　and　suddenly　that　everyone　sat　up　who　stillcould。　_I　regret　to　announce　that　–　though；　as　I　said；　eleventy…one　years　isfar　too　short　a　time　to　spend　among　you　–　this　is　the　END。　I　am　going。　I　amleaving　NOW。　GOOD…BYE！_　
He　stepped　down　and　vanished。　There　was　a　blinding　flash　of　light；　andthe　guests　all　blinked。　When　they　opened　their　eyes　Bilbo　was　nowhere　to　beseen。　One　hundred　and　forty…four　flabbergasted　hobbits　sat　back　speechless。　
Old　Odo　Proudfoot　removed　his　feet　from　the　table　and　stamped。　Then　there　wasa　dead　silence；　until　suddenly；　after　several　deep　breaths；　every　Baggins；　
Boffin；　Took；　Brandybuck；　Grubb；　Chubb；　Burrows；　Bolger；　Bracegirdle；　
Brockhouse；　Goodbody；　Hornblower；　and　Proudfoot　began　to　talk　at　once。　
It　was　generally　agreed　that　the　joke　was　in　very　bad　taste；　and　morefood　and　drink　were　needed　to　cure　the　guests　of　shock　and　annoyance。　'He'smad。　I　always　said　so；'　was　probably　the　most　popular　ment。　Even　the　Tooks（with　a　few　exceptions）　thought　Bilbo's　behaviour　was　absurd。　For　the　momentmost　of　them　took　it　for　granted　that　his　disappearance　was　nothing　more　thana　ridiculous　prank。　
But　old　Rory　Brandybuck　was　not　so　sure。　Neither　age　nor　an　enormousdinner　had　clouded　his　wits；　and　he　said　to　his　daughter…in…law；　Esmeralda：　
'There's　something　fishy　in　this；　my　dear！　I　believe　that　mad　Baggins　is　off　　
　
again。　Silly　old　fool。　But　why　worry？　He　hasn't　taken　the　vittles　with　him。'　
He　called　loudly　to　Frodo　to　send　the　wine　round　again。　
Frodo　was　the　only　one　present　who　had　said　nothing。　For　some　time　he　hadsat　silent　beside　Bilbo's　empty　chair；　and　ignored　all　remarks　and　questions。　
He　had　enjoyed　the　joke；　of　course；　even　though　he　had　been　in　the　know。　Hehad　difficulty　in　keeping　f