第一章: 不速之客 | 魔戒前传: 霍比特人 1 / 34
In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.
在地底的洞府中住着一个霍比特人。这不是那种让人恶心的洞，脏兮兮湿乎乎的，长满虫子，透着一股子泥腥味儿；也不是那种满是沙子的洞，干巴巴光秃秃的，没地方好坐，也没东西好吃。这是一个霍比特人的洞，而霍比特人的洞就意味着舒适。
It had a perfectly round door like a porthole, painted green, with a shiny yellow brass knob in the exact middle. The door opened on to a tube-shaped hall like a tunnel: a very comfortable tunnel without smoke, with panelled walls, and floors tiled and carpeted, provided with polished chairs, and lots and lots of pegs for hats and coats the hobbit was fond of visitors. The tunnel wound on and on, going fairly but not quite straight into the side of the hill-The Hill, as all the people for many miles round called it-and many little round doors opened out of it, first on one side and then on another. No going upstairs for the hobbit: bedrooms, bathrooms, cellars, pantries (lots of these), wardrobes (he had whole rooms devoted to clothes), kitchens, dining-rooms, all were on the same floor, and indeed on the same passage. The best rooms were all on the left-hand side (going in), for these were the only ones to have windows, deep-set round windows looking over his garden, and meadows beyond, sloping down to the river.
这座洞穴有个像是舷窗般浑圆、漆成绿色的大门，在正中央有个黄色的闪亮门把。大门打开之后，是一个圆管状像是隧道的客厅：这是个没有烟雾的舒适客厅，有着精心装饰的墙壁，地板上铺着地毯和磁砖，四处还摆着许多打磨光亮的椅子。由于哈比人超爱客人来访，因此这里还有很多很多的衣帽架。隧道继续延伸，蜿蜒地深入山丘中，附近许多哩的人们都叫这座山丘为“小丘”，小丘各个方向还盖了许多圆形的小门。哈比人可是不爬楼梯的：卧室、浴室、酒窖、餐点室（超多的呢！）、更衣室（他有一整间房间都是用来放衣服的）、厨房、饭厅，全部都在同一层楼，也都在同一条走廊上。最好的房间都是在左手边（继续往里面走也一样），因为只有这方向的房间才有窗户，这些浑圆的窗户可以俯瞰他美丽的花园，和一路延伸向河边的翠绿草地。
第一章: 不速之客 | 魔戒前传: 霍比特人 2 / 34
This hobbit was a very well-to-do hobbit, and his name was Baggins. The Bagginses had lived in the neighbourhood of The Hill for time out of mind, and people considered them very respectable, not only because most of them were rich, but also because they never had any adventures or did anything unexpected: you could tell what a Baggins would say on any question without the bother of asking him. This is a story of how a Baggins had an adventure, and found himself doing and saying things altogether unexpected. He may have lost the neighbours' respect, but he gained-well, you will see whether he gained anything in the end.
这名哈比人生活相当富裕，他姓巴金斯。巴金斯一家人自古以来，就居住在小丘这一带，附近的邻居都很尊敬他们；不单只是因为他们大部分都很有钱，也是因为他们从来不冒险，不会做任何出人意料之外的事情：你在问巴金斯一家人任何问题之前，就可以先预料到他们的答案，根本不必要浪费这个力气。这个故事就是关于一名巴金斯家人如何意外地卷入冒险之中，并且做出和说出许多出人意料之外的事情来。他或许失去了邻居们的尊敬，但是至少获得了──算啦！到最后你就会知道他获得了什么东西。
The mother of our particular hobbit-what is a hobbit? I suppose hobbits need some description nowadays, since they have become rare and shy of the Big People, as they call us. They are (or were) a little people, about half our height, and smaller than the bearded Dwarves. Hobbits have no beards. There is little or no magic about them, except the ordinary everyday sort which helps them to disappear quietly and quickly when large stupid folk like you and me come blundering along, making a noise like elephants which they can hear a mile off. They are inclined to be fat in the stomach; they dress in bright colours (chiefly green and yellow); wear no shoes, because their feet grow natural leathery soles and thick warm brown hair like the stuff on their heads (which is curly); have long clever brown fingers, good-natured faces, and laugh deep fruity laughs (especially after dinner, which they have twice a day when they can get it). Now you know enough to go on with. As I was saying, the mother of this hobbit-of Bilbo Baggins, that is-was the famous Belladonna Took, one of the three remarkable daughters of the Old Took, head of the hobbits who lived across The Water, the small river that ran at the foot of The Hill. It was often said (in other families) that long ago one of the Took ancestors must have taken a fairy wife. That was, of course, absurd, but certainly there was still something not entirely hobbitlike about them, and once in a while members of the Took-clan would go and have adventures. They discreetly disappeared, and the family hushed it up; but the fact remained that the Tooks were not as respectable as the Bagginses, though they were undoubtedly richer.
有关于我们这个哈比人的母亲──对啦，到底什么是哈比人？我想，时至今日，的确需要更进一步地描述哈比人；因为他们已经变得比较罕见，也比较畏惧我们这些大家伙（这是他们称呼我们的方式）。他们是相当矮小的种族，大概只有我们身体的一半高度，也比长了大胡子的矮人要矮，哈比人不留胡子。他们没有法力（或者仅有一点点），只有当我们这些笨重的大家伙，莽莽撞撞地像大象一般靠近他们的时候，他们才会使出凭空消失的把戏来。通常他们的肚子上都会有不少肥肉，喜欢穿着鲜艳的衣服（多半都是绿色和黄色），不穿鞋子，因为他们的小脚会长出天然的肉垫来，也会冒出和他们头发一样浓密的卷毛。哈比人拥有灵巧的褐色手指、开朗的面孔，笑起来更是十分爽朗（特别是在他们吃完晚饭之后，大笑更是必备的节目之一；而只要他们有机会，一天通常都会有两顿晚餐）。现在，你对他们大概已经有了粗浅的了解了。我之前刚说到，这个比尔博·巴金斯的母亲，就是鼎鼎大名的贝拉多娜·图克，是老图克大人三名出类拔萃的女儿之一。老图克大人则是住在“小河”边哈比人的领袖，这条河就是绕过小丘脚边的一条小河。大家常常说（其他家族的人常常说啦……）图克家族的远祖一定有人娶了个妖精当老婆；当然，这可信度并不高，只不过，他们一家人的确有点与众不同，偶尔会有成员离家出外冒险。他们会神秘地消失，家里的人则是三缄其口，不露任何口风。也就是因为这样，虽然图克家人比较有钱，但大伙还是比较尊敬巴金斯一家人。
第一章: 不速之客 | 魔戒前传: 霍比特人 3 / 34
Not that Belladonna Took ever had any adventures after she became Mrs. Bungo Baggins. Bungo, that was Bilbo's father, built the most luxurious hobbit-hole for her (and partly with her money) that was to be found either under The Hill or over The Hill or across The Water, and there they remained to the end of their days. Still it is probable that Bilbo, her only son, although he looked and behaved exactly like a second edition of his solid and comfortable father, got something a bit queer in his make-up from the Took side, something that only waited for a chance to come out. The chance never arrived, until Bilbo Baggins was grown up, being about fifty years old or so, and living in the beautiful hobbit-hole built by his father, which I have just described for you, until he had in fact apparently settled down immovably.
当然，在贝拉多娜成了邦哥·巴金斯的妻子之后，她就没有什么惊人之举了。邦哥是比尔博的老爸，对他妻子可说是呵护备至，他为她建造了（一部分是用她的财产）在小丘邻近和小河流域一带最豪华的地洞。不过，她唯一的儿子比尔博，虽然看起来和他老爸一样老实可靠，但可能继承了图克家族的诡异血统，只是在等待适当的时机爆发而已。直到比尔博成年，甚至到了五十岁左右，这时机还是没有到来。在这段时间中，他就这么安安稳稳地居住在老爹留下来的地洞中，可说是与世无争。不过，奇妙的机缘就这么突如其来地降临了。那时，这世界比现在还要翠绿，也不那么吵杂，哈比人们依旧繁衍兴盛……
By some curious chance one morning long ago in the quiet of the world, when there was less noise and more green, and the hobbits were still numerous and prosperous, and Bilbo Baggins was standing at his door after breakfast smoking an enormous long wooden pipe that reached nearly down to his woolly toes (neatly brushed) -- Gandalf came by. Gandalf! If you had heard only a quarter of what I have heard about him, and I have only heard very little of all there is to hear, you would be prepared for any sort of remarkable tale. Tales and adventures sprouted up all over the place wherever he went, in the most extraordinary fashion. He had not been down that way under The Hill for ages and ages, not since his friend the Old Took died, in fact, and the hobbits had almost forgotten what he looked like. He had been away over The Hill and across The Water on businesses of his own since they were all small hobbit-boys and hobbit-girls.
比尔博·巴金斯刚用完早餐，正站在门口抽着一根极长的烟斗，长得几乎都快碰到他刚梳理过的毛毛脚上了，甘道夫就在这时出现了。说到甘道夫啊！如果你对他的了解有我的一半──而我所听说的故事不过是九牛一毛，那么你就可以预料到将会有难以想像的奇妙故事发生。他所到之处，冒险和传奇都会如同雨后春笋一般冒出来，而且还是以最出人意料的形式发生。他已经有很多很多年没有经过小丘这一带了，自从他的好友老图克过世之后他也跟着销声匿迹，大伙几乎已忘记他的长相了。在他们还是小孩的时候，甘道夫还常常在小丘和小河一带忙碌地奔波。
第一章: 不速之客 | 魔戒前传: 霍比特人 4 / 34
All that the unsuspecting Bilbo saw that morning was an old man with a staff. He had a tall pointed blue hat, a long grey cloak, a silver scarf over which his long white beard hung down below his waist, and immense black boots.
不过，无辜的比尔博当天早上所见的，只是一名拿着拐杖的老人。他戴着蓝色的尖顶帽，披着灰色的斗篷，围着银色的围巾，白色的胡须直达他的腰际，脚上还穿着笨重的黑靴子。
"Good Morning!" said Bilbo, and he meant it. The sun was shining, and the grass was very green. But Gandalf looked at him from under long bushy eyebrows that stuck out further than the brim of his shady hat.
“早上好啊！”比尔博真诚地说。太阳暖呼呼，草地又无比的翠绿。不过，甘道夫挑起又长又浓密的眉毛打量着他。
"What do you mean?" he said. "Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not; or that you feel good this morning; or that it is a morning to be good on?"
“你是什么意思？”甘道夫问：“你是要问候我早上可好，还是说不管我怎么做，早上天气都很好？还是说你觉得今天早上很好，或者今天是个应该拥有很好心情的早晨？”
"All of them at once," said Bilbo. "And a very fine morning for a pipe of tobacco out of doors, into the bargain. If you have a pipe about you, sit down and have a fill of mine! There's no hurry, we have all the day before us!" Then Bilbo sat down on a seat by his door, crossed his legs, and blew out a beautiful grey ring of smoke that sailed up into the air without breaking and floated away over The Hill.
“你说的都对！”比尔博说：“而且，还非常适合在门外抽烟斗。如果你身上有带烟斗，不妨坐在我身边，尽管用我的菸叶！没什么好急的嘛！今天还有一整天可以过呢！”话一说完，比尔博就在门口的凳子上坐了下来，翘起二郎腿，吐出一个美丽的灰色烟圈；烟圈就这么完好如初飘啊飘，一直越过小丘顶。
第一章: 不速之客 | 魔戒前传: 霍比特人 5 / 34
"Very pretty!" said Gandalf. "But I have no time to blow smoke-rings this morning. I am looking for someone to share in an adventure that I am arranging, and it's very difficult to find anyone."
“真漂亮！”甘道夫说：“可惜我今早没时间在这边吐烟圈，我正想要找人和我一起参加未来的一场冒险，但在这里都找不到什么伙伴！”
"I should think so-in these parts! We are plain quiet folk and have no use for adventures. Nasty disturbing uncomfortable things! Make you late for dinner! I can't think what anybody sees in them," said our Mr. Baggins, and stuck one thumb behind his braces, and blew out another even bigger smokering. Then he took out his morning letters, and began to read, pretending to take no more notice of the old man. He had decided that he was not quite his sort, and wanted him to go away. But the old man did not move. He stood leaning on his stick and gazing at the hobbit without saying anything, till Bilbo got quite uncomfortable and even a little cross.
“在这一带？那当然罗！我们可是老老实实过活的普通人，不需要什么冒险。这是很让人头痛、又不舒服的东西，会让你来不及吃晚饭！我实在搞不懂，冒险到底有什么好玩的？”比尔博将拇指插进腰带，又吐出另一个更大的烟圈。然后他拿出了早上收到的信，开始念诵，假装没时间理会这个老人。他已经暗自决定了，这家伙和他合不来，希望他赶快离开。但那老家伙还是不打算离开，他倚着拐杖，一言不发地打量着眼前的哈比人，直到比尔博觉得浑身不对劲，甚至有些不高兴了。
"Good morning!" he said at last. "We don't want any adventures here, thank you! You might try over The Hill or across The Water." By this he meant that the conversation was at an end.
“早上好啦！”他最后终于忍不住说：“多谢你好心，我们这边可不需要任何的冒险！你可以去小丘另一边或是小河附近打听看看。”他这句话的意思，就是请对方赶快滚蛋，不要再烦人。
第一章: 不速之客 | 魔戒前传: 霍比特人 6 / 34
"What a lot of things you do use Good morning for!" said Gandalf. "Now you mean that you want to get rid of me, and that it won't be good till I move off."
“你的早上好还真是有很多用处哪！”甘道夫说：“这次你的意思，是想叫我赶快滚蛋，如果我不走，早上就不会好，对吧？”
"Not at all, not at all, my dear sir! Let me see, I don't think I know your name?"
“亲爱的先生，我没有这个意思！让我想想，我好像不认识你，对吧？”
"Yes, yes, my dear sir-and I do know your name, Mr. Bilbo Baggins. And you do know my name, though you don't remember that I belong to it. I am Gandalf, and Gandalf means me! To think that I should have lived to be good-morninged by Belladonna Took's son, as if I was selling buttons at the door!"
“不，你有这个意思、你有这个意思！亲爱的先生，我却知道你的名字，比尔博·巴金斯先生，你也应该知道我的名字，只是你没办法把我和它联想在一起。我是甘道夫，甘道夫就是在下！真没想到有朝一日，贝拉多娜的儿子竟然会用这种口气对我说话，好像我是卖钮扣的推销员！”
"Gandalf, Gandalf! Good gracious me! Not the wandering wizard that gave Old Took a pair of magic diamond studs that fastened themselves and never came undone till ordered? Not the fellow who used to tell such wonderful tales at parties, about dragons and goblins and giants and the rescue of princesses and the unexpected luck of widows' sons? Not the man that used to make such particularly excellent fireworks! I remember those! Old Took used to have them on Midsummer's Eve. Splendid! They used to go up like great lilies and snapdragons and laburnums of fire and hang in the twilight all evening!" You will notice already that Mr. Baggins was not quite so prosy as he liked to believe, also that he was very fond of flowers. "Dear me!" he went on. "Not the Gandalf who was responsible for so many quiet lads and lasses going off into the Blue for mad adventures? Anything from climbing trees to visiting elves-or sailing in ships, sailing to other shores! Bless me, life used to be quite inter-I mean, you used to upset things badly in these parts once upon a time. I beg your pardon, but I had no idea you were still in business."
“甘道夫，甘道夫──天哪！你该不会就是那个给了老图克一对魔法钻石耳环的人吧？那对钻石耳环除非接到主人的命令，否则永远不会掉下来！我还记得这个家伙，也会在宴会上说出许多许多精彩万分的故事，有恶龙、有半兽人、巨人，以及幸运的寡妇之子拯救公主的故事！更别提这个家伙还会制造棒得不得了的烟火！我还记得那华丽的烟火大会！老图克会在夏至那天晚上施放它们！让我一辈子都忘不掉！它们会像是火树银花一般地飞窜上天空，更会像空中楼阁一样整晚挂在天上！我还记得天上挂着莲花、龙嘴花和金链花的样子……”各位看官应该已经注意到，其实巴金斯先生并不像他自己认为的那么无趣，而且他还很喜欢花朵。“妈呀！天哪！”他继续兴奋地说：“这个甘道夫还影响了好多沉默寡言的少年、少女发梦去冒险哪！他们有的去爬树找精灵，有的驾船想要到对岸去！妈呀，这里以前本来是很安祥──喔喔，我是说你以前让这一带起过不小的骚动。实在很抱歉，但我没想到阁下目前还在营业哇！”
第一章: 不速之客 | 魔戒前传: 霍比特人 7 / 34
"Where else should I be?" said the wizard. "All the same I am pleased to find you remember something about me. You seem to remember my fireworks kindly, at any rate, and that is not without hope. Indeed for your old grandfather Took's sake, and for the sake of poor Belladonna, I will give you what you asked for."
“不然我还能去哪里？”巫师说：“不过，我还是很高兴你记得我那么多事迹，至少，你似乎对我的烟火印象很好，看来你还有救。是啊，看在你外祖父的份上，还有那可怜的贝拉多娜，我将让你如愿以偿。”
"I beg your pardon, I haven't asked for anything!"
“拜托，帮帮忙，我又没有许什么愿望！”
"Yes, you have! Twice now. My pardon. I give it you. In fact I will go so far as to send you on this adventure. Very amusing for me, very good for you-and profitable too, very likely, if you ever get over it."
“错，你有！而且还说了两次。我会原谅你的，事实上，我甚至还会亲自送你参加这次的冒险。对我来说会很有趣，对你来说会很有利──甚至，只要你能够完成这次冒险，还会有不错的收入。”
"Sorry! I don't want any adventures, thank you. Not today. Good morning! But please come to tea-any time you like! Why not tomorrow? Come tomorrow! Good bye!" With that the hobbit turned and scuttled inside his round green door, and shut it as quickly as he dared, not to seem rude. Wizards after all are wizards.
“失礼了失礼了！多谢你的好意，但我真的不想要任何冒险，至少今天不想。我们说过早安了吧！记得有空来喝茶！对啦，明天怎么样？明天再来，再见！”话一说完，这名哈比人就匆匆忙忙地钻进屋内，在不失礼的限制下尽快关上大门。毕竟，巫师还是巫师，最好不要得罪他们。
"What on earth did I ask him to tea for!" he said to himself, as he went to the pantry. He had only just had breakfast, but he thought a cake or two and a drink of something would do him good after his fright.
“搞什么鬼，我请他喝什么茶呀！”他一头冲进餐点室，责备着自己。他才刚吃过早餐，但在经过这一场惊吓后，或许一两块蛋糕和一些饮料，有助于平复他的情绪。
第一章: 不速之客 | 魔戒前传: 霍比特人 8 / 34
Gandalf in the meantime was still standing outside the door, and laughing long but quietly. After a while he stepped up, and with the spike on his staff scratched a queer sign on the hobbit's beautiful green front-door. Then he strode away, just about the time when Bilbo was finishing his second cake and beginning to think that he had escaped adventures very well.
在此同时，甘道夫依旧站在门外，露出慈祥的笑容。笑了一阵子之后，他退了几步，用手杖的尖端在比尔博可爱的大门上，刻了个奇怪的记号，然后就大剌剌地转身离开，此时比尔博正好吞下第二块蛋糕，庆幸自己用高明的手段躲开了一次可怕的冒险。
The next day he had almost forgotten about Gandalf. He did not remember things very well, unless he put them down on his Engagement Tablet: like this: Gandalf Tea Wednesday. Yesterday he had been too flustered to do anything of the kind.
到了第二天，这家伙酒足饭饱，几乎完全忘记了甘道夫。除非他把事情写在约会记事簿上，否则他的记性实在不怎么好。一般来说，他会这样写：甘道夫周三用茶；昨天他手忙脚乱之下，根本忘记了这件事情。
Just before tea-time there came a tremendous ring on the front-door bell, and then he remembered! He rushed and put on the kettle, and put out another cup and saucer, and an extra cake or two, and ran to the door.
距离下午茶的时间不久之前，前门传来了震耳的门铃声，他这才想了起来！他慌乱地煮起开水，准备了另一个茶杯和碟子和几块蛋糕，飞快地跑向门口。
"I am so sorry to keep you waiting!" he was going to say, when he saw that it was not Gandalf at all. It was a dwarf with a blue beard tucked into a golden belt, and very bright eyes under his dark-green hood. As soon as the door was opened, he pushed inside, just as if he had been expected.
“抱歉让你久等了！”他本来准备这样说，却发现眼前的并不是甘道夫。对方是一名将蓝胡子塞进金腰带中的矮人，他戴着深绿色的帽子，拥有一双非常明亮的眼睛。门一打开，他就闯了进来，彷佛主人和他是换帖的好兄弟一般。
第一章: 不速之客 | 魔戒前传: 霍比特人 9 / 34
He hung his hooded cloak on the nearest peg, and "Dwalin at your service!" he said with a low bow.
他将连着兜帽的斗篷，找了个最靠近的衣帽架挂了起来，接着说：“德瓦林听候差遣！”他深深一鞠躬说。
"Bilbo Baggins at yours!" said the hobbit, too surprised to ask any questions for the moment. When the silence that followed had become uncomfortable, he added: "I am just about to take tea; pray come and have some with me." A little stiff perhaps, but he meant it kindly. And what would you do, if an uninvited dwarf came and hung his things up in your hall without a word of explanation?
“比尔博·巴金斯听您差遣！”哈比人惊讶地忘记该问什么问题。当随之而来的沉默变得让人尴尬的时候，他补充道：“我正准备要喝茶，请来和我一起用。”或许转得有些生硬，但他的确是真心诚意的；而且，如果有个矮人不请自来的杀进你家，一句解释的话也没有，你又能怎么办呢？
They had not been at table long, in fact they had hardly reached the third cake, when there came another even louder ring at the bell.
他们在桌边坐了没多久，事实上，也才刚吃到第三块蛋糕，比前次更大声的门铃又响了起来。
"Excuse me!" said the hobbit, and off he went to the door.
“我先告退！”哈比人又再度冲到门口。
"So you have got here at last!" That was what he was going to say to Gandalf this time. But it was not Gandalf. Instead there was a very old-looking dwarf on the step with a white beard and a scarlet hood; and he too hopped inside as soon as the door was open, just as if he had been invited.
“你可终于来了！”他本来准备对甘道夫这样说，但出现在眼前的又不是甘道夫。对方是名看起来非常苍老的矮人，一脸白色胡须，戴着红色帽子；同样的，他也是门一开就跳了进来，彷佛早八百年就接到邀请函一样。
"I see they have begun to arrive already," he said when he caught sight of Dwalin's green hood hanging up. He hung his red one next to it, and "Balin at your service!" he said with his hand on his breast.
“大家都开始报到了！”当他看见德瓦林的衣帽挂在架上时，这么说。他也把自己的红帽子挂在旁边：“巴林听候你的差遣！”他以手触胸说道。
第一章: 不速之客 | 魔戒前传: 霍比特人 10 / 34
"Thank you!" said Bilbo with a gasp. It was not the correct thing to say, but they have begun to arrive had flustered him badly. He liked visitors, but he liked to know them before they arrived, and he preferred to ask them himself. He had a horrible thought that the cakes might run short, and then he-as the host: he knew his duty and stuck to it however painful-he might have to go without.
“多谢！”比尔博吃了一惊，照礼数来说不该这么说的，但“大家都开始报到了”这句话让他乱了方寸。他喜欢访客，但他偏爱安排好的客人，而且更偏好由自己亲自邀请他们。他突然间有种不祥的预感──蛋糕可能会不够。而身为主人，他有个不管如何痛苦都必须遵守的礼数：必须先请客人吃，而他自己可能吃不到。
"Come along in, and have some tea!" he managed to say after taking a deep breath.
“快进来，先喝茶吧！”在深吸了一口气之后，他终于勉强说道。
"A little beer would suit me better, if it is all the same to you, my good sir," said Balin with the white beard. "But I don't mind some cake-seed-cake, if you have any."
“好心的先生，如果你不麻烦的话，来些啤酒会更好！”满脸白胡子的巴林说：“如果先生您有些香籽蛋糕的话，我也更不介意。”
"Lots!" Bilbo found himself answering, to his own surprise; and he found himself scuttling off, too, to the cellar to fill a pint beer-mug, and then to a pantry to fetch two beautiful round seed-cakes which he had baked that afternoon for his after-supper morsel.
“当然当然，我有很多！”比尔博意外地发现自己竟然这样回答，而且自己的双脚就这么自顾自地忙了起来。他先到酒窖装了一大壶的啤酒，然后又去餐点间拿了两个香喷喷的圆形香籽蛋糕──这还是他下午刚烤的，准备拿来当作晚餐之后的宵点。
When he got back Balin and Dwalin were talking at the table like old friends (as a matter of fact they were brothers). Bilbo plumped down the beer and the cake in front of them, when loud came a ring at the bell again, and then another ring.
当他回来之后，巴林和德瓦林已经像是个老友般地交谈起来（事实上，他们根本是兄弟）。比尔博才把啤酒和蛋糕放在桌上，门铃又大声响了起来，而且还连响两次！
第一章: 不速之客 | 魔戒前传: 霍比特人 11 / 34
"Gandalf for certain this time," he thought as he puffed along the passage. But it was not. It was two more dwarves, both with blue hoods, silver belts, and yellow beards; and each of them carried a bag of tools and a spade. In they hopped, as soon as the door began to open-Bilbo was hardly surprised at all.
“这次一定是甘道夫了！”他气喘吁吁地跑过走廊时心中猜测，但这次依旧不是。又来了两名矮人，两个都戴蓝色兜帽、银色腰带、蓄着黄色胡子，而且都背着一袋工具和一柄铲子。门一开，他们就老实不客气地冲了进来，不过这次可吓不倒比尔博了。
"What can I do for you, my dwarves?" he said.
“亲爱的矮人们，有什么我可以帮忙的地方吗？”他说。
"Kili at your service!" said the one. "And Fili!" added the other; and they both swept off their blue hoods and bowed.
“奇力听候您的差遣！”其中一个说。“还有菲力也是！”另一个人补充道。两人都很快地脱下帽子，深深一鞠躬。
"At yours and your family's!" replied Bilbo, remembering his manners this time.
“在下听候您和您家人的差遣！”比尔博这次才终于照着礼数回答了他们。
"Dwalin and Balin here already, I see," said Kili. "Let us join the throng!"
“原来德瓦林和巴林都已经先到了，”奇力说：“我们一起乐一乐吧！”
"Throng!" thought Mr. Baggins. "I don't like the sound of that. I really must sit down for a minute and collect my wits, and have a drink." He had only just had a sip-in the corner, while the four dwarves sat round the table, and talked about mines and gold and troubles with the goblins, and the depredations of dragons, and lots of other things which he did not understand, and did not want to, for they sounded much too adventurous-when, ding-dong-a-ling-dang, his bell rang again, as if some naughty little hobbit-boy was trying to pull the handle off.
“乐一乐！”巴金斯先生心中想：“这听起来可不妙，我得先坐下来喝口茶，好好想一想应对之策才行。”他躲在角落喝了一口，其他四名矮人则是豪迈地坐在桌边，大声谈笑着矿坑、黄金和半兽人所惹的麻烦，恶龙的劫掠，还有很多其他事物是他不了解、也不想多听的，因为这些事情听起来都太具冒险性了。这时，叮咚铃当，他的门铃又响了，好像是某个顽皮的哈比小孩，使尽全身力气想把门铃扯掉一样。
第一章: 不速之客 | 魔戒前传: 霍比特人 12 / 34
"Someone at the door!" he said, blinking.
“又有人来了！”他眨着眼睛说。
"Some four, I should say by the sound," said Fili. "Besides, we saw them coming along behind us in the distance."
“从那声音听起来，我猜应该是四个人，”菲力说：“而且，我们来之前就看到他们跟在我后面。”
The poor little hobbit sat down in the hall and put his head in his hands, and wondered what had happened, and what was going to happen, and whether they would all stay to supper. Then the bell rang again louder than ever, and he had to run to the door. It was not four after all, it was five. Another dwarf had come along while he was wondering in the hall. He had hardly turned the knob, before they were all inside, bowing and saying "at your service" one after another. Dori, Nori, Ori, Oin, and Gloin were their names; and very soon two purple hoods, a grey hood, a brown hood, and a white hood were hanging on the pegs, and off they marched with their broad hands stuck in their gold and silver belts to join the others. Already it had almost become a throng. Some called for ale, and some for porter, and one for coffee, and all of them for cakes; so the hobbit was kept very busy for a while.
可怜的哈比人就这么坐在客厅，双手捧着脑袋，不知道到底是怎么一回事，也不知道这些恶客究竟会不会留下来吃晚餐。然后，门铃又肆无忌惮地大吵大闹起来，他只得拼了老命跑去开门。开门之后他才发现，这根本不是四个人，而是五个人！当他在客厅里面发呆的时候，又有另一名矮人凑了上来；他才刚转了门把，所有的人就一涌而入，都鞠躬说着：“听候您差遣”！他们是朵力、诺力、欧力、欧音和葛罗音，很快的，两顶紫帽子、一顶灰帽子，一顶褐帽子，还有一顶白帽子都被挂在衣帽架上，这些矮人都把大手插在黄金或是白银的腰带中，大摇大摆地加入同伴的行列。这些人的确看来已经有了乐一乐的实力。有些人要喝麦酒，有些人想喝黑啤酒，有一个则是想喝咖啡，但每个人都要吃蛋糕。因此，这个劳碌命的哈比人，就这样忙进忙出了好一回儿。
第一章: 不速之客 | 魔戒前传: 霍比特人 13 / 34
A big jug of coffee had just been set in the hearth, the seed-cakes were gone, and the dwarves were starting on a round of buttered scones, when there came-a loud knock. Not a ring, but a hard rat-tat on the hobbit's beautiful green door. Somebody was banging with a stick!
炉上正在煮着一大壶咖啡，香籽蛋糕全部阵亡，矮人们正开始进攻涂了奶油的麦饼，这时，门上又传来了大声的敲门声。这次不是门铃，而是在哈比人漂亮的绿门上敲打的声音──有人用木棍在槌打门！
Bilbo rushed along the passage, very angry, and altogether bewildered and bewuthered-this was the most awkward Wednesday he ever remembered. He pulled open the door with a jerk, and they all fell in, one on top of the other. More dwarves, four more! And there was Gandalf behind, leaning on his staff and laughing. He had made quite a dent on the beautiful door; he had also, by the way, knocked out the secret mark that he had put there the morning before.
比尔博非常生气地冲过走廊，脑袋中一团混乱，什么也搞不清楚，这是他这辈子最混乱的一个星期三。他猛地一拉门，门外的人全都跌了进来，一个接一个地摔在地板上。更多的矮人，又来了四个！甘道夫就站在后面，倚着手杖哈哈大笑。他在门上敲出了不少痕迹，而且，他也顺便把昨天做的那个秘密记号给磨掉了。
"Carefully! Carefully!" he said. "It is not like you, Bilbo, to keep friends waiting on the mat, and then open the door like a pop-gun! Let me introduce Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, and especially Thorin!"
“小心点！小心点！”他说。“我说比尔博啊，让朋友在门口苦等，又冷不防地猛然打开门，这可不像是你的风格啊！请容我介绍毕佛、波佛和庞伯，还有这位索林！”
"At your service!" said Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur standing in a row. Then they hung up two yellow hoods and a pale green one; and also a sky-blue one with a long silver tassel. This last belonged to Thorin, an enormously important dwarf, in fact no other than the great Thorin Oakenshield himself, who was not at all pleased at falling flat on Bilbo's mat with Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur on top of him. For one thing Bombur was immensely fat and heavy. Thorin indeed was very haughty, and said nothing about service; but poor Mr. Baggins said he was sorry so many times, that at last he grunted "pray don't mention it," and stopped frowning.
“听候您的差遣！”毕佛、波佛和庞伯排成一列说。然后，他们又挂起了两顶黄色的帽子和一顶淡绿色的帽子，另外还有一顶是天蓝色的帽子，上面还有长长的银穗。最后一顶帽子是索林的，他是名非常重要的矮人，事实上，他是索林·橡木盾。此刻他对于自己摔在地板上，身上还压着毕佛、波佛和庞伯并不很高兴。因为，浑身肥肉的庞伯重的惊人。索林相当的高傲，他没说什么听候差遣的话；不过，可怜的比尔博已经道了很多次歉，最后，哼了一句“别再说了”，紧锁的双眉好不容易舒展开来。
第一章: 不速之客 | 魔戒前传: 霍比特人 14 / 34
"Now we are all here!" said Gandalf, looking at the row of thirteen hoods-the best detachable party hoods-and his own hat hanging on the pegs. "Quite a merry gathering! I hope there is something left for the late-comers to eat and drink! What's that? Tea! No thank you! A little red wine, I think for me."
“大家都到齐了！”甘道夫看着那十三顶适合宴会的鲜艳帽子和他自己的尖顶帽挂在帽架上，说：“这可真是难得啊！希望迟到的人还有东西可以吃喝啊！那是啥？茶！不，谢了！我想喝点红酒。”
"And for me," said Thorin.
“我也是，”索林说。
"And raspberry jam and apple-tart," said Bifur.
“还有蓝莓果酱和苹果塔，”毕佛说。
"And mince-pies and cheese," said Bofur.
“还有碎肉派和乳酪，”波佛说。
"And pork-pie and salad," said Bombur.
“还有猪肉派和沙拉，”庞伯说。
"And more cakes-and ale-and coffee, if you don't mind," called the other dwarves through the door.
“如果您不介意的话，请再来点蛋糕、麦酒和咖啡！”其他矮人隔着门大喊。
"Put on a few eggs, there's a good fellow!" Gandalf called after him, as the hobbit stumped off to the pantries. "And just bring out the cold chicken and pickles!"
“还有几颗水煮蛋啊，您真是个好人！”比尔博连滚带爬地冲向餐点室的时候，他们又补了一句：“也别忘了熏鸡肉和腌黄瓜！”
"Seems to know as much about the inside of my larders as I do myself!" thought Mr. Baggins, who was feeling positively flummoxed, and was beginning to wonder whether a most wretched adventure had not come right into his house. By the time he had got all the bottles and dishes and knives and forks and glasses and plates and spoons and things piled up on big trays, he was getting very hot, and red in the face, and annoyed.
“这家伙怎么对我的食物柜这么清楚！”巴金斯先生觉得脑中一团混乱，开始怀疑这次是不是一场最让人担心的冒险杀进了他的家门？等到他把所有的杯碗瓢盆刀叉瓶碟都用大托盘装好之后，已经汗如雨下、满脸通红，还觉得相当地不高兴。
第一章: 不速之客 | 魔戒前传: 霍比特人 15 / 34
"Confusticate and bebother these dwarves!" he said aloud. "Why don't they come and lend a hand?" Lo and behold! there stood Balin and Dwalin at the door of the kitchen, and Fili and Kili behind them, and before he could say knife they had whisked the trays and a couple of small tables into the parlour and set out everything afresh.
“这些矮人真是太没礼貌了！”他大声说：“为什么他们不来帮帮忙呢？”天哪，巴林和德瓦林不就正站在门口吗？身后还站着菲力和奇力，在他来得及说第二个字之前，他们就把托盘和几张小桌子都搬了出去，把外面重新给安排了一次。
Gandalf sat at the head of the party with the thirteen dwarves all round: and Bilbo sat on a stool at the fireside, nibbling at a biscuit (his appetite was quite taken away), and trying to look as if this was all perfectly ordinary and not in the least an adventure. The dwarves ate and ate, and talked and talked, and time got on. At last they pushed their chairs back, and Bilbo made a move to collect the plates and glasses.
甘道夫的身边围绕着十三名矮人，比尔博坐在壁炉边的小凳子上，啃着一块小饼干（他的食欲已经暂时消失了），试着强自镇定，表现出一切都是稀松平常、对他来说这绝不是什么冒险的态势。矮人们吃了又吃，聊了又聊，时间不停的流逝，最后，他们把椅子一推，比尔博正准备去收拾所有的餐具。
"I suppose you will all stay to supper?" he said in his politest unpressing tones.
“诸位应该都会留下来用晚餐吧？”他用最镇定、最有礼貌的口气问道。
"Of course!" said Thorin. "And after. We shan't get through the business till late, and we must have some music first. Now to clear up!"
“当然罗！”索林说：“我们还会再待久一点，这么晚了不方便办事，而且我们也应该享受一些音乐才对。快把东西收干净！”
Thereupon the twelve dwarves-not Thorin, he was too important, and stayed talking to Gandalf-jumped to their feet, and made tall piles of all the things. Off they went, not waiting for trays, balancing columns of plates, each with a bottle on the top, with one hand, while the hobbit ran after them almost squeaking with fright: "please be careful!" and "please, don't trouble! I can manage." But the dwarves only started to sing:
十二名矮人（不包括索林，他地位太高了，必须继续和甘道夫谈天）立刻弹了起来，把所有东西都堆得高高的。他们不等托盘，就立刻把如山的餐具用单手扛了起来，上面还都放着一个瓶子。比尔博惊慌莫名地跟在后面紧张兮兮大叫：“请小心点！”、“求求你们，不要麻烦了！我自己来就好！”但矮人照旧扯开喉咙唱了起来：
第一章: 不速之客 | 魔戒前传: 霍比特人 16 / 34
Chip the glasses and crack the plates!
弄碎杯子打碎盘子！
Blunt the knives and bend the forks!
磨钝刀子折弯叉子！
That's what Bilbo Baggins hates --
这就是比尔博·巴金斯最恨的样子──
Smash the bottles and burn the corks!
打烂瓶子烧掉塞子！
Cut the cloth and tread on the fat!
割碎桌布乱丢奶油！
Pour the milk on the pantry floor!
还把牛奶倒在地板！
Leave the bones on the bedroom mat!
卧室的地毯上留下骨头！
Splash the wine on every door!
更把酒泼上每个门板！
Dump the crocks in a boiling bawl;
这些全都丢进煮汤大锅里；
Pound them up with a thumping pole;
用根棍子猛力地敲打出气，
And when you've finished, if any are whole,
弄完如果还有完整的容器，
Send them down the hall to roll!
就把它们滚到客厅里！
That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!
比尔博·巴金斯最恨这样子！
So, carefully! carefully with the plates!
我们一定得小心！小心拿这些盘子！
And of course they did none of these dreadful things, and everything was cleaned and put away safe as quick as lightning, while the hobbit was turning round and round in the middle of the kitchen trying to see what they were doing. Then they went back, and found Thorin with his feet on the fender smoking a pipe. He was blowing the most enormous smoke-rings, and wherever he told one to go, it went-up the chimney, or behind the clock on the mantelpiece, or under the table, or round and round the ceiling; but wherever it went it was not quick enough to escape Gandalf. Pop! he sent a smaller smoke-ring from his short clay-pipe straight through each one of Thorin's. Then Gandalf's smoke-ring would go green and come back to hover over the wizard's head. He had a cloud of them about him already, and in the dim light it made him look strange and sorcerous. Bilbo stood still and watched-he loved smoke-rings-and then he blushed to think how proud he had been yesterday morning of the smoke-rings he had sent up the wind over The Hill.
当然，他们并没有做出像歌词内容这么可怕的事情，所有的东西都被快如闪电地清理好、收到柜子里去。哈比人则是在厨房里面急得团团转，想要看清楚他们在做些什么。然后，一伙人又走了回来，他们这才看到索林正把脚翘在桌上，好整以暇地抽着烟斗。他吐出来的烟圈更是史无前例的巨大，不管他叫这些烟圈往哪儿飘，它们都乖乖地听话。这些烟圈会钻进烟囱、躲进壁炉上的时钟、绕着天花板舞动；不过，不管这些烟圈飘到哪里，都躲不过甘道夫的瞄准。噗！他会从短柄陶烟斗中喷出更小的烟圈，穿过索林的每一个烟圈，然后，甘道夫的烟圈会变成绿色的，飘回巫师的头上。他的脑袋上这时已经飘了很多烟圈，在微弱的光线中看来有种神秘的气质。比尔博张大了嘴看着眼前的景象，因为他最喜欢烟圈了；然后，他想起自己昨天的班门弄斧，不禁涨红了脸。
第一章: 不速之客 | 魔戒前传: 霍比特人 17 / 34
"Now for some music!" said Thorin. "Bring out the instruments!"
“来点音乐吧！”索林说：“拿出乐器来！”
Kili and Fili rushed for their bags and brought back little fiddles; Dori, Nori, and Ori brought out flutes from somewhere inside their coats; Bombur produced a drum from the hall; Bifur and Bofur went out too, and came back with clarinets that they had left among the walking-sticks. Dwalin and Balin said: "Excuse me, I left mine in the porch!" "Just bring mine in with you!" said Thorin. They came back with viols as big as themselves, and with Thorin's harp wrapped in a green cloth. It was a beautiful golden harp, and when Thorin struck it the music began all at once, so sudden and sweet that Bilbo forgot everything else, and was swept away into dark lands under strange moons, far over The Water and very far from his hobbit-hole under The Hill.
奇力和菲力立刻跑到他们的背包旁边，拿回来两把小提琴，朵力、诺力和欧力则是从衣服里面掏出横笛，庞伯从客厅里面变出一个鼓，毕佛和波佛也走了出去，从放置手杖的地方拿回来几把竖笛。德瓦林和巴林则是说：“抱歉，我们把乐器放在门口了！”“把我的也一起拿进来，”索林说。他们拿回来和自己一样高的六弦琴，索林的竖琴则是用布包着。那是把美丽的黄金竖琴，索林一拨琴弦，甜美的音乐立刻流泄而出，让比尔博忘却了身边的一切烦恼，飘向遥远的黑暗大地，看着天上的陌生月光，远离了附近的小河和山丘。
The dark came into the room from the little window that opened in the side of The Hill; the firelight flickered-it was April-and still they played on, while the shadow of Gandalf's beard wagged against the wall.
夜色从面对着小山那边的窗户飘流进来，壁炉的火跟着闪动（现在还是四月），他们依旧继续演奏着，甘道夫的胡子则是在墙壁上投下奇怪的阴影。
第一章: 不速之客 | 魔戒前传: 霍比特人 18 / 34
The dark filled all the room, and the fire died down, and the shadows were lost, and still they played on. And suddenly first one and then another began to sing as they played, deep-throated singing of the dwarves in the deep places of their ancient homes; and this is like a fragment of their song:
黑暗笼罩了整座屋子，炉火也慢慢熄灭了，影子跟着消失，但他们依旧继续演奏着，一个接一个的，边演奏乐器，边歌唱，低沉的声音吟颂着古代的地底故乡。底下就是他们歌谣的一部分，只是，没有音乐的伴奏，不知道这首歌是否还是同样的动听。
Far over the misty mountains cold
越过冰冷而又雾蒙蒙的大山，
To dungeons deep and caverns old
在那深深地下洞穴已有千年，
We must away ere break of day
我们一定要赶在天亮前出发，
To seek the pale enchanted gold.
寻找那迷人的黄金颜色浅浅。
The dwarves of yore made mighty spells,
往昔的矮人们念下强大咒语，
While hammers fell like ringing bells
伴着那铁锤砸出的叮当乐曲，
In places deep, where dark things sleep,
幽深之处有黑暗的生物沉睡，
In hollow halls beneath the fells.
在山石下的空穴深不知几许。
For ancient king and elvish lord
精灵的贵族们和远古的国王，
There many a gleaming golden hoard
拥有着闪闪发光的黄金宝藏，
They shaped and wrought, and light they caught
他们锤锻黄金又将光芒捕捉，
To hide in gems on hilt of sword.
在剑柄的宝石之间将其敛藏！
On silver necklaces they strung
在银项链上他们串起了一行
The flowering stars, on crowns they hung
星辰，如鲜花那般美丽绽放，
The dragon-fire, in twisted wire
在皇冠上他们缀以龙的火焰，
They meshed the light of moon and sun.
扭曲的线条间透出日月华光。
Far over the misty mountains cold
越过冰冷而又雾蒙蒙的大山，
To dungeons deep and caverns old
在那深深地下洞穴已有千年，
We must away, ere break of day,
我们一定要赶在天亮前出发，
To claim our long-forgotten gold.
把久已忘却的黄金寻回眼前。
第一章: 不速之客 | 魔戒前传: 霍比特人 19 / 34
Goblets they carved there for themselves
他们为自己打造了美丽酒杯，
And harps of gold; where no man delves
黄金的竖琴，在从无人得窥
There lay they long, and many a song
之地宝藏长久静躺，许多歌
Was sung unheard by men or elves.
人类和精灵都无缘聆赏其味。
The pines were roaring on the height,
松树在那高峻之地放声咆哮，
The winds were moaning in the night.
强风在那夜半之时凄厉哀号。
The fire was red, it flaming spread;
火焰红红，火苗在迅猛蔓延，
The trees like torches blazed with light.
树木如同火把将天都快点着。
The bells were ringing in the dale
山谷之中，钟声在阵阵鸣响，
And men looked up with faces pale;
人类抬头张望脸色写满惊惶；
The dragon's ire more fierce than fire
恶龙的怒火比那火焰更猛烈，
Laid low their towers and houses frail.
摧毁了巍巍高塔和柔弱屋房。
The mountain smoked beneath the moon;
山脉在月光下升起腾腾烟雾；
The dwarves, they heard the tramp of doom.
矮人们听见末日的沉沉脚步。
They fled their hall to dying fall
他们逃离厅堂却倒在它脚下，
Beneath his feet, beneath the moon.
在月光下奄奄一息难逃劫数。
Far over the misty mountains grim
越过冰冷而又阴森森的大山，
To dungeons deep and caverns dim
在那深深地下洞穴分外昏暗，
We must away, ere break of day,
我们一定要赶在天亮前出发，
To win our harps and gold from him!
为夺回竖琴和黄金与它开战！
As they sang the hobbit felt the love of beautiful things made by hands and by cunning and by magic moving through him, a fierce and a jealous love, the desire of the hearts of dwarves. Then something Tookish woke up inside him, and he wished to go and see the great mountains, and hear the pine-trees and the waterfalls, and explore the caves, and wear a sword instead of a walking-stick. He looked out of the window. The stars were out in a dark sky above the trees. He thought of the jewels of the dwarves shining in dark caverns. Suddenly in the wood beyond The Water a flame leapt up-probably somebody lighting a wood-fire-and he thought of plundering dragons settling on his quiet Hill and kindling it all to flames. He shuddered; and very quickly he was plain Mr. Baggins of Bag-End, Under-Hill, again.
随着他们的歌声，霍比特人在心中升腾起一股对美好事物的挚爱来，那些美好的东西是由灵巧的双手、智慧与魔法共同创造出来的，所以这种爱变得强烈而充满嫉妒，矮人心中的欲望被点燃了。这时，他身体内某种图克家族所特有的东西被唤醒了，他想去看看那巍峨的山脉，想聆听松树的歌吟和瀑布的轰鸣，想探索一下那些洞穴，想要随身配上一把宝剑而不只是一根手杖。他把目光投向窗外，黑暗的天空中星星已经升起在了树梢。他不禁联想到了矮人的宝藏在黑暗的洞穴中闪光。突然间，小河对岸的林子里亮起了一团火光——也许是谁点燃了营火——这让他想起了四处劫掠的恶龙盘踞在他的宁静小丘上，将它变成了一片火海。想到这里，他不由得打了个寒战，然后立刻恢复了清醒，又变回到与世无争的袋底洞的巴金斯先生。
第一章: 不速之客 | 魔戒前传: 霍比特人 20 / 34
He got up trembling. He had less than half a mind to fetch the lamp, and more than half a mind to pretend to, and go and hide behind the beer-barrels in the cellar, and not come out again until all the dwarves had gone away. Suddenly he found that the music and the singing had stopped, and they were all looking at him with eyes shining in the dark.
他颤抖着站起身来，有点装模作样地要去拿油灯，其实他真正想做的是跑去躲在酒窖中的啤酒桶后面，等到矮人们全走光以后才出来。突然间，他发现音乐和唱歌声全都停了下来，所有矮人都在看着他，他们的眼睛在黑暗中闪着光。
"Where are you going?" said Thorin, in a tone that seemed to show that he guessed both halves of the hobbit's mind.
“你要去哪儿？”从索林讲话的口气来判断，他似乎对霍比特人明里暗里的心思都猜到了。
"What about a little light?" said Bilbo apologetically.
“来点亮光怎么样？”比尔博满怀歉意地问道。
"We like the dark," said all the dwarves. "Dark for dark business! There are many hours before dawn."
“我们喜欢黑暗。”全体矮人说， “不想告诉人的事情就得在黑暗里谈！离天亮还有很长的时间呢。”
"Of course!" said Bilbo, and sat down in a hurry. He missed the stool and sat in the fender, knocking over the poker and shovel with a crash.
“当然，当然！”比尔博一边说着一边急忙坐了下来，孰料匆忙间没坐上板凳，却坐上了壁炉挡板，把壁炉旁边的火钳和铲子给撞倒了。
"Hush!" said Gandalf. "Let Thorin speak!" And this is how Thorin began.
“嘘！小声点！”甘道夫说，“大家听索林讲！”索林于是就开始了：
"Gandalf, dwarves and Mr. Baggins! We are met together in the house of our friend and fellow conspirator, this most excellent and audacious hobbit-may the hair on his toes never fall out! all praise to his wine and ale! --" He paused for breath and for a polite remark from the hobbit, but the compliments were quite lost on poor Bilbo Baggins, who was wagging his mouth in protest at being called audacious and worst of all fellow conspirator, though no noise came out, he was so flummoxed. So Thorin went on:
“甘道夫、诸位矮人和巴金斯先生！今天我们聚会在我们的朋友和同谋者的家中，他是最最出色、最最具有冒险精神的霍比特人——愿他脚上的毛永不脱落！让我们赞美他的葡萄酒和麦芽酒！——”他停下来喘了口气，顺便希望从霍比特人那里获得礼貌的回应，可这些赞美之词在可怜的比尔博·巴金斯身上没有激起什么反应。只见他嘴巴动了动，想要抗议被称作“具有冒险精神的”，尤其要命的是被称作“同谋者”。虽然他心里已经乱得没了主张，可嘴巴动了几下也没有发出声音。索林见状继续说道：
第一章: 不速之客 | 魔戒前传: 霍比特人 21 / 34
"We are met to discuss our plans, our ways, means, policy and devices. We shall soon before the break of day start on our long journey, a journey from which some of us, or perhaps all of us (except our friend and counsellor, the ingenious wizard Gandalf) may never return. It is a solemn moment. Our object is, I take it, well known to us all. To the estimable Mr. Baggins, and perhaps to one or two of the younger dwarves (I think I should be right in naming Kili and Fili, for instance), the exact situation at the moment may require a little brief explanation --"
“我们在此聚会是为了讨论我们的计划、方法、措施、方针和手段。我们在天亮之前马上就必须踏上漫长的旅途。这次的旅程，我们之中的一些人，甚至是我们所有人（除了我们的朋友和顾问，充满智慧的巫师甘道夫以外）都可能再也回不来了。这是严肃的一刻。至于我们的目标，我想大家已经都很清楚。对于可敬的巴金斯先生，或许还有一两位比较年轻的矮人（我想我点点奇力和菲力的名应该不会有问题吧），他们可能会需要我们就目前的确切状况进行一下简短的解释──”
This was Thorin's style. He was an important dwarf. If he had been allowed, he would probably have gone on like this until he was out of breath, without telling any one there anything that was not known already. But he was rudely interrupted. Poor Bilbo couldn't bear it any longer. At may never return he began to feel a shriek coming up inside, and very soon it burst out like the whistle of an engine coming out of a tunnel. All the dwarves sprang up, knocking over the table. Gandalf struck a blue light on the end of his magic staff, and in its firework glare the poor little hobbit could be seen kneeling on the hearth-rug, shaking like a jelly that was melting. Then he fell flat on the floor, and kept on calling out "struck by lightning, struck by lightning!" over and over again; and that was all they could get out of him for a long time. So they took him and laid him out of the way on the drawing-room sofa with a drink at his elbow, and they went back to their dark business.
这就是索林的讲话风格。他是个地位很重要的矮人，如果没人拦着他，他可以这样一直滔滔不绝地说下去，直到他喘不过气来为止，而且这些话里还没有哪点内容是有人不知道的。不过，这次他被粗鲁地打断了，因为可怜的比尔博再也听不下去了。一听见“可能再也回不来了”这几个字，他就感到有一声尖叫在他体内蹿起，没多久这声尖叫就冲了出来，像是冲出隧道的火车头拉响的汽笛。所有的矮人都腾地跳了起来，把桌子都给碰翻了。甘道夫立刻用魔杖点出一道蓝光，在耀眼的光芒中，大家看见可怜的霍比特人跪在地上，像正在融化的果冻那样打着颤。然后他颓然跌倒在地上，口中不停喊着“我被雷劈了，我被雷劈了”，一遍又一遍，好长时间都从他嘴里掏不出别的话来。大家伙儿于是抓住他，把他抱到客厅的沙发上，在他手边放了杯喝的，又继续回去讨论他们不想告诉人的事情去了。
第一章: 不速之客 | 魔戒前传: 霍比特人 22 / 34
"Excitable little fellow," said Gandalf, as they sat down again. "Gets funny queer fits, but he is one of the best, one of the best-as fierce as a dragon in a pinch."
“这小家伙太容易激动了。”甘道夫待众人重新坐下后说道，“他有时候会像这样发发癫，可人倒是最好的，最好的——凶起来像被戳痛的恶龙一样。”
If you have ever seen a dragon in a pinch, you will realize that this was only poetical exaggeration applied to any hobbit, even to Old Took's great-grand-uncle Bullroarer, who was so huge (for a hobbit) that he could ride a horse. He charged the ranks of the goblins of Mount Gram in the Battle of the Green Fields, and knocked their king Golfimbul's head clean off with a wooden club. It sailed a hundred yards through the air and went down a rabbit-hole, and in this way the battle was won and the game of Golf invented at the same moment.
如果你真的看到过被戳痛的恶龙，那么你就会知道，用这种说法来形容任何一个霍比特人，都太诗意、太夸张了，即便是用来形容老图克的曾叔祖“吼牛”也仍是太过分了些。吼牛身形庞大（相对霍比特人而言），可以骑上一匹马。在绿野之战中，他一马当先地冲向格拉姆山半兽人的阵中，用一根木棒就干净利落地敲掉了他们的国王高尔夫酋的脑袋。他的脑袋在空中飞了有一百码，然后掉进一个兔子洞中。吼牛不仅以这种方式赢得了这场战斗，还捎带着发明了高尔夫球游戏。
In the meanwhile, however, Bullroarer's gentler descendant was reviving in the drawing-room. After a while and a drink he crept nervously to the door of the parlour. This is what he heard, Gloin speaking: "Humph!" (or some snort more or less like that). "Will he do, do you think? It is all very well for Gandalf to talk about this hobbit being fierce, but one shriek like that in a moment of excitement would be enough to wake the dragon and all his relatives, and kill the lot of us. I think it sounded more like fright than excitement! In fact, if it had not been for the sign on the door, I should have been sure we had come to the wrong house. As soon as I clapped eyes on the little fellow bobbing and puffing on the mat, I had my doubts. He looks more like a grocer than a burglar!"
不过此时此刻，吼牛的那个温和柔弱得多的后代正躺在起居室中尚未完全苏醒。又过了一阵子，喝了一点酒之后，他才鬼头鬼脑、蹑手蹑脚地回到客厅门边。他正好听到格罗因说：“哼！”（或者某种与此多少类似的哼哼声）。“你们认为他能行吗？甘道夫说这个霍比特人很凶猛，这固然不错，可他如果稍微感到点兴奋就像这样尖叫，那可足以把恶龙一家老小都给叫醒，会害我们很多人送命的。我觉得他的尖叫听起来与其说是兴奋，倒还不如说是害怕呢！事实上，要不是因为门上有记号，我肯定会觉得我们来错了人家。我一看到那个胖家伙气喘吁吁地跑来跑去，心里就觉得不对劲。他看起来一点不像飞贼，倒更像是杂货店老板！”
第一章: 不速之客 | 魔戒前传: 霍比特人 23 / 34
Then Mr. Baggins turned the handle and went in. The Took side had won. He suddenly felt he would go without bed and breakfast to be thought fierce. As for little fellow bobbing on the mat it almost made him really fierce. Many a time afterwards the Baggins part regretted what he did now, and he said to himself: "Bilbo, you were a fool; you walked right in and put your foot in it."
这时，巴金斯先生一扭门把走了进来。他身上属于图克家族的那部分占了上风。他突然觉得自己情愿没有床睡，没有早餐吃，也要让人觉得自己是个凶猛的家伙。当他听见“那个胖家伙气喘吁吁跑来跑去”的时候，他差点要真的生气了。以后有许多次，他身上属于巴金斯的那部分会为他此刻的行为懊悔不已，他会对自己说：“比尔博，你可真是个蠢货，谁叫你当时走了进去，自己跳进了火坑呢？”
"Pardon me," he said, "if I have overheard words that you were saying. I don't pretend to understand what you are talking about, or your reference to burglars, but I think I am right in believing" (this is what he called being on his dignity) "that you think I am no good. I will show you. I have no signs on my door-it was painted a week ago --, and I am quite sure you have come to the wrong house. As soon as I saw your funny faces on the door-step, I had my doubts. But treat it as the right one. Tell me what you want done, and I will try it, if I have to walk from here to the East of East and fight the wild Were-worms in the Last Desert. I had a great-great-great-grand-uncle once, Bullroarer Took, and --"
“如果我不小心听到了你们在说的话，”他说，“那么敬请原谅。我并不想假装了解你们在讨论什么，或是你们提到的飞贼什么的，但我敢确信──（他认为此事关乎自己的尊严）你们认为我不够好。我会让你们知道我究竟好不好的。我的门上根本没什么记号——我的门上礼拜才刚刷过油漆——我很肯定你们一定找错人家了。一打开门看见你们这些可笑的面孔时，我还觉得不对劲来着呢。但我招待你们可没有短了一点礼数。告诉我你们想要干什么，我会努力去做的，哪怕是叫我从这里徒步跋涉前往极东的沙漠，去和狂野的恶龙奋战也行。嘿嘿，我祖上有个曾曾曾叔祖叫‘吼牛图克’，他──”
第一章: 不速之客 | 魔戒前传: 霍比特人 24 / 34
"Yes, yes, but that was long ago," said Gloin. "I was talking about you. And I assure you there is a mark on this door-the usual one in the trade, or used to be. Burglar wants a good job, plenty of Excitement and reasonable Reward, that's how it is usually read. You can say Expert Treasure-hunter instead of Burglar if you like. Some of them do. It's all the same to us. Gandalf told us that there was a man of the sort in these parts looking for a Job at once, and that he had arranged for a meeting here this Wednesday tea-time."
“对，对，你说得没错，可那已经是很久以前的事了。”格罗因说，“我正在说你呢。我可以向你保证，你家门上有记号，就是我们这一行通常用的记号，或者说过去常用的。‘飞贼想要好工作，寻求刺激和合理的报酬’这就是那个记号通常的意思。当然，如果你喜欢的话，也可以用‘职业寻宝猎人’来代替‘飞贼’，有些人就喜欢这么遮遮掩掩的，可对我们来说其实都一样。甘道夫告诉我们，说这一带有人急着想要找份工作，他已经安排好这个星期三下午茶的时间会面。”
"Of course there is a mark," said Gandalf. "I put it there myself. For very good reasons. You asked me to find the fourteenth man for your expedition, and I chose Mr. Baggins. Just let any one say I chose the wrong man or the wrong house, and you can stop at thirteen and have all the bad luck you like, or go back to digging coal."
“门上当然有记号，”甘道夫说，“是我亲手留的，而且我有非常充分的理由。你们要我替你们的探险找到第十四个伙伴，我选择了巴金斯先生。你们只管说我挑错人或是找错房子吧，那你们就守着‘十三’这个数字，好好享受你们自找的厄运，或者索性回去挖你们的煤吧！”
He scowled so angrily at Gloin that the dwarf huddled back in his chair; and when Bilbo tried to open his mouth to ask a question, he turned and frowned at him and stuck out his bushy eyebrows, till Bilbo shut his mouth tight with a snap. "That's right," said Gandalf. "Let's have no more argument. I have chosen Mr. Baggins and that ought to be enough for all of you. If I say he is a Burglar, a Burglar he is, or will be when the time comes. There is a lot more in him than you guess, and a deal more than he has any idea of himself. You may (possibly) all live to thank me yet. Now Bilbo, my boy, fetch the lamp, and let's have a little light on this!"
他怒气冲冲地瞪着格罗因，把矮人看得又缩回到了椅子上。而当比尔博张开嘴想要提一个问题时，甘道夫又转过身来瞪着他，浓密的眉毛高高挑起，直到比尔博啪嗒一声牢牢闭上了嘴。“这才对！”甘道夫说，“不要再吵了，我已经选中了巴金斯先生，对你们来说这就够了。如果我说他是飞贼，那他就是飞贼，或者时候到了自然会是。你们别小看他，他这人不可貌相，有多大能耐连他自己都不太清楚。你们或许都能有可以活下来感谢我的那天。对了，比尔博，我的孩子，去把油灯拿来吧，让这儿有点光亮！”
第一章: 不速之客 | 魔戒前传: 霍比特人 25 / 34
On the table in the light of a big lamp with a red shade he spread a piece of parchment rather like a map.
桌上，在一盏大油灯投下的带着红晕的光亮下，他摊开一张像是地图的羊皮纸。
"This was made by Thror, your grandfather, Thorin," he said in answer to the dwarves' excited questions. "It is a plan of the Mountain."
“这张地图是你的祖父瑟罗尔制作的，索林。”他既是在对巴金斯介绍，也顺便回答了矮人们兴奋的提问，“这是通往大山的道路示意图。”
"I don't see that this will help us much," said Thorin disappointedly after a glance. "I remember the Mountain well enough and the lands about it. And I know where Mirkwood is, and the Withered Heath where the great dragons bred."
“我看不出这对我们有多大帮助。”索林瞥了一眼之后失望地说道，“我对那座山和四周的景物都记得很清楚，知道黑森林在哪儿，也认得巨龙们生养后代的荒野。”
"There is a dragon marked in red on the Mountain," said Balin, "but it will be easy enough to find him without that, if ever we arrive there."
“山里面有个红色的恶龙标志，”巴林说，“可如果我们能到那儿的话，要找到龙还不容易？”
"There is one point that you haven't noticed," said the wizard, "and that is the secret entrance. You see that rune on the West side, and the hand pointing to it from the other runes? That marks a hidden passage to the Lower Halls." (Look at the map at the beginning of this book, and you will see there the runes.)
“有个地方你们都没有注意到，”巫师说，“就是秘密入口。你们看到西边的如尼文了吗？还有从其他如尼文上指着它的那只手吗？这标示的是通往地底大厅的一条密道。”（翻到本书最前面的地图，就可以看见那些如尼文。）
"It may have been secret once," said Thorin, "but how do we know that it is secret any longer? Old Smaug has lived there long enough now to find out anything there is to know about those caves."
“这在以前或许是个秘密，”索林说，“可我们怎么知道它现在还是一个秘密呢？老斯毛格已经在那边住了很久了，关于那些洞穴还会有什么他不知道的呢？”
第一章: 不速之客 | 魔戒前传: 霍比特人 26 / 34
"He may-but he can't have used it for years and years."
“他也许知道，但他肯定有好多年没有用过那条秘道了。”
"Why?"
“为什么？”
"Because it is too small. 'Five feet high the door and three may walk abreast' say the runes, but Smaug could not creep into a hole that size, not even when he was a young dragon, certainly not after devouring so many of the dwarves and men of Dale."
“因为秘道太小了。如尼文上面写的是‘大门五呎高，三人并肩行’，但斯毛格可爬不进这种尺寸的洞穴，就算在他还是一条年轻的龙时也钻不进，而在吃掉了那么多矮人和河谷城中的人类之后就更别想了。”
"It seems a great big hole to me," squeaked Bilbo (who had no experience of dragons and only of hobbit-holes). He was getting excited and interested again, so that he forgot to keep his mouth shut. He loved maps, and in his hall there hung a large one of the Country Round with all his favourite walks marked on it in red ink. "How could such a large door be kept secret from everybody outside, apart from the dragon?" he asked. He was only a little hobbit you must remember.
“我倒觉得那是个很大的洞。”比尔博低声地说（他对于恶龙完全没有任何经验，只知道霍比特人的洞府）。他重新变得兴致高昂起来，因此忘了要闭上自己的嘴。他喜欢地图，客厅里面就挂着一幅大大的邻近地区详图，他在那上面把他爱走的路径都用红墨水做了标记。“姑且先不提那头龙，这么大个门又怎么就能躲过所有外来人的眼睛呢？”他问道。大家别忘了，他只是个个子十分矮小的霍比特人。
"In lots of ways," said Gandalf. "But in what way this one has been hidden we don't know without going to see. From what it says on the map I should guess there is a closed door which has been made to look exactly like the side of the Mountain. That is the usual dwarves' method-I think that is right, isn't it?"
“有很多办法可以把门掩藏起来。”甘道夫说，“但这扇门用的是什么方法，我们得去看了才能知道。从地图上的记载来看，我猜这扇门只要关起来就一定和山壁一模一样。矮人通常都是这么做的，我说得没错吧？”
第一章: 不速之客 | 魔戒前传: 霍比特人 27 / 34
"Quite right," said Thorin.
“的确没错。”索林说。
"Also," went on Gandalf, "I forgot to mention that with the map went a key, a small and curious key. Here it is!" he said, and handed to Thorin a key with a long barrel and intricate wards, made of silver. "Keep it safe!"
“而且，”甘道夫继续说道，“我也忘了提到，这张地图还附有一把钥匙，一把小小的、有点古怪的钥匙。就在这里！”他递给索林一把有着长柄和非常复杂齿凹的银钥匙。“好好保管！”
"Indeed I will," said Thorin, and he fastened it upon a fine chain that hung about his neck and under his jacket. "Now things begin to look more hopeful. This news alters them much for the better. So far we have had no clear idea what to do. We thought of going East, as quiet and careful as we could, as far as the Long Lake. After that the trouble would begin --."
“我一定会的。”索林边说边用一条挂在脖子上的细链子将钥匙拴好，藏进了外衣里面，“现在我们成功的希望更大了。钥匙的出现让情况朝好的方面有了很大进展。到目前为止，我们还不太清楚该做些什么。我们想过先尽可能小心隐蔽地往东走，一直走到长湖边。在那之后麻烦就会开始了──”
"A long time before that, if I know anything about the roads East," interrupted Gandalf.
“麻烦来得要比那早得多，我对往东的路可是一无所知啊。”甘道夫打断道。
"We might go from there up along the River Running," went on Thorin taking no notice, "and so to the ruins of Dale-the old town in the valley there, under the shadow of the Mountain. But we none of us liked the idea of the Front Gate. The river runs right out of it through the great cliff at the South of the Mountain, and out of it comes the dragon too-far too often, unless he has changed his habits."
“我们可以从那里沿着奔流河一路往上走。”索林没有在意甘道夫的话，径自说了下去，“这样就可以来到河谷城的废墟，也就是原先在大山附近的那个旧城镇。不过，我们谁都不想要从正门进去。河流从正门流出，在大山南边的悬崖落下。恶龙也会从那儿出来——极有可能，除非恶龙改变了习惯。”
第一章: 不速之客 | 魔戒前传: 霍比特人 28 / 34
"That would be no good," said the wizard, "not without a mighty Warrior, even a Hero. I tried to find one; but warriors are busy fighting one another in distant lands, and in this neighbourhood heroes are scarce, or simply not to be found. Swords in these parts are mostly blunt, and axes are used for trees, and shields as cradles or dish-covers; and dragons are comfortably far-off (and therefore legendary). That is why I settled on burglary-especially when I remembered the existence of a Side-door. And here is our little Bilbo Baggins, the burglar, the chosen and selected burglar. So now let's get on and make some plans."
“这样可不行，”巫师说，“除非我们有个很厉害的战士，甚至得是个大英雄才行。我找过，但远方的战士们都在忙着彼此征战，而这附近的英雄则寥寥无几，根本就找不到。这一带的刀剑大都已经钝了，斧子都是用来砍树的，盾牌也改成了摇篮或是盖饭菜用的东西。恶龙远在天边，对人们的生活无扰（因此退化成了传说），所以我才退而求其次，只想要找飞贼了──尤其是当我想起有这么个密门之后。就这样，我找到了我们的小比尔博·巴金斯，那个飞贼，那个百里挑一选中的飞贼。好了，让我们继续制订计划吧。”
"Very well then," said Thorin, "supposing the burglar-expert gives us some ideas or suggestions." He turned with mock-politeness to Bilbo.
“好的，”索林说，“或许这位专业飞贼可以给我们一些点子或建议吧。”他假装客气地转向比尔博。
"First I should like to know a bit more about things," said he, feeling all confused and a bit shaky inside, but so far still Tookishly determined to go on with things. "I mean about the gold and the dragon, and all that, and how it got there, and who it belongs to, and so on and further."
“首先，我得对情况多些了解。”他脑子里一团乱麻，心中抖抖索索，但仍然因了图克家的血统决定继续要撑下去。“我是说那些黄金啊，恶龙啊，诸如此类，怎么能到那边去？这些东西又是谁的？等等等等。”
第一章: 不速之客 | 魔戒前传: 霍比特人 29 / 34
"Bless me!" said Thorin, "haven't you got a map? and didn't you hear our song? and haven't we been talking about all this for hours?"
“天哪！”索林说，“你不是有地图了吗？你难道没听见我们唱的歌吗？我们刚才难道不是对此已经讨论了好几小时了吗？”
"All the same, I should like it all plain and clear," said he obstinately, putting on his business manner (usually reserved for people who tried to borrow money off him), and doing his best to appear wise and prudent and professional and live up to Gandalf's recommendation. "Also I should like to know about risks, out-of-pocket expenses, time required and remuneration, and so forth" -- by which he meant: "What am I going to get out of it? and am I going to come back alive?"
“尽管如此，我还是希望你们能彻底解释清楚。”他固执地坚持道，一边换上了一副办正事的样子（这副样子通常是留给那些想要问他借钱的人的）。他竭尽全力让自己显得睿智、审慎、专业，能够配得上甘道夫向众人推荐他时的那些溢美之词。“我还想要知道风险、需要掏现钱的支出、所需的时间以及报酬，等等”——他的意思其实是：“这件事我能得到什么好处？我还能活着回来吗？”
"O very well," said Thorin. "Long ago in my grandfather Thror's time our family was driven out of the far North, and came back with all their wealth and their tools to this Mountain on the map. It had been discovered by my far ancestor, Thrain the Old, but now they mined and they tunnelled and they made huger halls and greater workshops-and in addition I believe they found a good deal of gold and a great many jewels too. Anyway they grew immensely rich and famous, and my grandfather was King under the Mountain again, and treated with great reverence by the mortal men, who lived to the South, and were gradually spreading up the Running River as far as the valley overshadowed by the Mountain. They built the merry town of Dale there in those days. Kings used to send for our smiths, and reward even the least skillful most richly. Fathers would beg us to take their sons as apprentices, and pay us handsomely, especially in food-supplies, which we never bothered to grow or find for ourselves. Altogether those were good days for us, and the poorest of us had money to spend and to lend, and leisure to make beautiful things just for the fun of it, not to speak of the most marvellous and magical toys, the like of which is not to be found in the world now-a-days. So my grandfather's halls became full of armour and jewels and carvings and cups, and the toy market of Dale was the wonder of the North.
“好吧，”索林说，“很久以前，在我祖父瑟罗尔那一代，我们的家族从北方被赶了出来，带着他们所有的财富和工具来到地图上的这条山脉。这地方是我很久远的一位先祖老瑟莱因发现的，现在他们已经在里面挖矿，修了许多隧道，建起了巨大的厅堂和大型的作坊——而且我相信他们也在这里找到了许多的黄金和大量的珠宝。反正他们变得极度富有，声名远播，我的祖父再度成为了山下之王，那些居住在南方的人类都非常尊敬他，他们沿着奔流河慢慢向上迁徙，一直来到了大山附近的谷地中，在那边兴建了一座被称为河谷城的快乐小城。历代国王曾到那里去聘请匠人，即使是手艺再差的也会获得丰厚的奖赏。许多父亲会哀求我们把他们的儿子带去做学徒，并为此给予我们许多的东西，尤其是粮食，所以我们从来不需要自己动手去种或者四处筹集。总之，那段时间是我们的好日子，即使最贫穷的同胞也都有钱花，还能借给别人，有闲暇时间可以纯粹出于兴趣而制作美丽的东西，更别提那些美妙而又神奇的玩具了，这样的东西现在世上已经找不到了。所以，我祖父的宫殿里装满了铠甲、珠宝、雕刻工艺品和精美的酒杯，河谷城的玩具市场成了大陆北方的一大奇观。
第一章: 不速之客 | 魔戒前传: 霍比特人 30 / 34
"Undoubtedly that was what brought the dragon. Dragons steal gold and jewels, you know, from men and elves and dwarves, wherever they can find them; and they guard their plunder as long as they live (which is practically for ever, unless they are killed), and never enjoy a brass ring of it. Indeed they hardly know a good bit of work from a bad, though they usually have a good notion of the current market value; and they can't make a thing for themselves, not even mend a little loose scale of their armour. There were lots of dragons in the North in those days, and gold was probably getting scarce up there, with the dwarves flying south or getting killed, and all the general waste and destruction that dragons make going from bad to worse. There was a most specially greedy, strong and wicked worm called Smaug. One day he flew up into the air and came south. The first we heard of it was a noise like a hurricane coming from the North, and the pine-trees on the Mountain creaking and cracking in the wind. Some of the dwarves who happened to be outside (I was one luckily-a fine adventurous lad in those days, always wandering about, and it saved my life that day) -- well, from a good way off we saw the dragon settle on our mountain in a spout of flame. Then he came down the slopes and when he reached the woods they all went up in fire. By that time all the bells were ringing in Dale and the warriors were arming. The dwarves rushed out of their great gate; but there was the dragon waiting for them. None escaped that way. The river rushed up in steam and a fog fell on Dale, and in the fog the dragon came on them and destroyed most of the warriors-the usual unhappy story, it was only too common in those days. Then he went back and crept in through the Front Gate and routed out all the halls, and lanes, and tunnels, alleys, cellars, mansions and passages. After that there were no dwarves left alive inside, and he took all their wealth for himself. Probably, for that is the dragons' way, he has piled it all up in a great heap far inside, and sleeps on it for a bed. Later he used to crawl out of the great gate and come by night to Dale, and carry away people, especially maidens, to eat, until Dale was ruined, and all the people dead or gone. What goes on there now I don't know for certain, but I don't suppose any one lives nearer to the Mountain than the far edge of the Long Lake now-a-days.
“毫无疑问，正是这把恶龙给招来了。恶龙会从人类、精灵和矮人手中抢夺黄金和珠宝，这你们知道，找到多少就抢走多少。只要它们活着（它们几乎能永远活下去，除非被杀），就会牢牢地看守着这些抢来的赃物，却哪怕连一个不值钱的黄铜戒指也不会拿来享受享受。尽管它们对宝物当下的市值常常知道得很清楚，可其实它们根本分不清做工的好坏。它们自己什么东西也做不来，哪怕是自己身上的鳞甲，就算有一小片松动了，也不懂该怎么修。那时候在大陆北方有许多的恶龙，由于矮人大多被杀或是往南逃，那里的黄金可能越来越少了，恶龙四处破坏，让情况变得越来越糟。这其中有一只特别贪婪、强壮与邪恶的大虫，叫作斯毛格。有一天，他腾身飞上天际，就朝着南方来了。我们最早听到的动静，仿佛是一阵来自北方的旋风，山上的松树在强风中发出吱吱嘎嘎的哀嚎。有些矮人正巧在外面（我有幸是其中的一个——那会儿我是个爱冒险的好孩子，经常到处乱跑，谁料那天却因此逃过一劫）——于是我们从很远的地方，看到恶龙口中喷出火焰落到了我们的山头上。然后他又顺着斜坡冲下来，等它到达树林的时候，树林变成了一片火海。那时，河谷城所有的警钟都响了起来，战士们纷纷拿起武器准备迎战。矮人们从大门里冲了出来，但恶龙就在门口等着他们。一个矮人也没有逃掉啊！河流化成蒸汽，浓雾笼罩谷地，恶龙在浓雾中扑向他们，杀死了大多数的战士——这是个寻常的悲惨故事，那时候这样的事简直太多了。然后他掉头从前门钻进山里，把所有厅堂、巷弄、隧道、地窖、房屋和走廊都转了个遍，打败了所有遇到的人。那之后，山里面一个活的矮人也没剩，斯毛格把他们所有的财富都掠为己有。按照恶龙的行事风格，他多半把这些宝藏收成一大堆，藏在洞穴深处，当床睡在上面。后来，它习惯了在晚上从大门出来，冲进谷地，把人类，尤其是少女掳去吃掉，直到河谷城化为废墟，居民们死的死、逃的逃。现在那里发生什么事我不是很清楚，但我想住得离山脉最靠近的也不会超过长湖的远端。
第一章: 不速之客 | 魔戒前传: 霍比特人 31 / 34
"The few of us that were well outside sat and wept in hiding, and cursed Smaug; and there we were unexpectedly joined by my father and my grandfather with singed beards. They looked very grim but they said very little. When I asked how they had got away, they told me to hold my tongue, and said that one day in the proper time I should know. After that we went away, and we have had to earn our livings as best we could up and down the lands, often enough sinking as low as blacksmith-work or even coalmining. But we have never forgotten our stolen treasure. And even now, when I will allow we have a good bit laid by and are not so badly off" -- here Thorin stroked the gold chain round his neck --"we still mean to get it back, and to bring our curses home to Smaug-if we can.
“当时我们屈指可数的几个正巧身在洞外的人坐在藏身之处哭泣不已，诅咒着斯毛格。出乎我们意料，我父亲和祖父须发焦黑地与我们会合了。他们脸色凝重，却不太愿意说话。我问他们是怎么逃出来的，他们叫我不要多话，说等时机到了的那天自会让我知道。在那之后，我们就离开了那里，在大陆四处漂泊，拼命挣钱糊口，有时甚至必须去做打铁或是挖煤的工作。但我们从未忘记过我们被抢夺走的宝藏。即使是现在，我得承认我们已经存下了不少钱，日子不像过去那样紧巴巴了，”说到这里，索林轻轻摸了摸脖子上的金链子，“可我们还是想着要夺回属于我们的宝藏，让诅咒降临到斯毛格身上——如果能做到的话。
"I have often wondered about my father's and my grandfather's escape. I see now they must have had a private Side-door which only they knew about. But apparently they made a map, and I should like to know how Gandalf got hold of it, and why it did not come down to me, the rightful heir."
“我经常会琢磨我父亲和祖父是怎么逃出来的，现在我知道他们一定有一条只有他们才知道的密道。不过，很显然，他们画过一张地图，我很想知道甘道夫是怎么弄到手的，为什么它没有传到我这个合法继承者的手里。”
第一章: 不速之客 | 魔戒前传: 霍比特人 32 / 34
"I did not 'get hold of it,' I was given it," said the wizard. "Your grandfather Thror was killed, you remember, in the mines of Moria by Azog the Goblin."
“我可不是‘弄到手’的，是别人给我的。”巫师说，“你的祖父瑟罗尔是在墨瑞亚矿坑中被半兽人阿佐格所杀，这你还记得吧？”
"Curse his name, yes," said Thorin.
“诅咒那个名字！是的，我记得。”索林说。
"And Thrain your father went away on the twenty-first of April, a hundred years ago last Thursday, and has never been seen by you since-"
“你父亲瑟莱因（Thrain）是在距离上周四的一百年前，也就是四月二十一号离开你的，之后你就再也不曾见过他──”
"True, true," said Thorin.
“是的，是的。”索林说。
"Well, your father gave me this to give to you; and if I have chosen my own time and way for handing it over, you can hardly blame me, considering the trouble I had to find you. Your father could not remember his own name when he gave me the paper, and he never told me yours; so on the whole I think I ought to be praised and thanked! Here it is," said he handing the map to Thorin.
“这东西是你父亲给我，请我转交你的。如果我选择我认为合适的时机和地点来转交，谅你也不会怪我，更何况我花了多少功夫才找到你啊。你父亲把这张纸给我的时候，连自己的名字都不记得了，当然也从来没跟我提起过你的名字。所以总的来说，我觉得自己应该受到赞美和感谢才对！给！”说着他把地图递给了索林。
"I don't understand," said Thorin, and Bilbo felt he would have liked to say the same. The explanation did not seem to explain.
“我还是不明白。”索林说。比尔博觉得自己也想说同样的话。甘道夫的解释似乎没有把一切解释清楚。
"Your grandfather," said the wizard slowly and grimly, "gave the map to his son for safety before he went to the mines of Moria. Your father went away to try his luck with the map after your grandfather was killed; and lots of adventures of a most unpleasant sort he had, but he never got near the Mountain. How he got there I don't know, but I found him a prisoner in the dungeons of the Necromancer."
“你的祖父，”巫师慢慢地，神情凝重地说，“在他前往墨瑞亚矿坑之前，将这张地图托给自己的儿子保管。你祖父被杀后，你父亲带着这张地图出发去试试他的运气。他经历了许多很不愉快的冒险，但是却连这座山的边儿也没摸着。虽然我不知道他是怎么沦落到那地方的，但我发现他的时候，他被关在死灵法师的地牢中。”
第一章: 不速之客 | 魔戒前传: 霍比特人 33 / 34
"Whatever were you doing there?" asked Thorin with a shudder, and all the dwarves shivered.
“你到那儿去又是干什么呢？”索林打了个寒战道，所有的矮人也都浑身一哆嗦。
"Never you mind. I was finding things out, as usual; and a nasty dangerous business it was. Even I, Gandalf, only just escaped. I tried to save your father, but it was too late. He was witless and wandering, and had forgotten almost everything except the map and the key."
“这你就别管了。像平常一样，我去查点事情，那次可真是险过剃头，即便是我甘道夫，也只能堪堪保住性命。我努力过，想要救出你父亲，但已经太迟了，他变得痴呆，只知道到处瞎逛，除了这张地图和这把钥匙之外，几乎什么都不记得了。”
"We have long ago paid the goblins of Moria," said Thorin; "we must give a thought to the Necromancer."
“很久以前，我们已经报复了墨瑞亚的半兽人，”索林说，“接下来我们得算计一下这个死灵法师了。”
"Don't be absurd! He is an enemy far beyond the powers of all the dwarves put together, if they could all be collected again from the four corners of the world. The one thing your father wished was for his son to read the map and use the key. The dragon and the Mountain are more than big enough tasks for you!"
“别不自量力了！他的力量远远超过所有矮人之和，就算你真的能够把所有的矮人从世界的四个角落召集来，也打不过这个恐怖的敌人。你父亲惟一想要的，就是让他的儿子能够看到这张地图，使用这把钥匙。单是恶龙与大山就足够你对付了！”
"Hear, hear!" said Bilbo, and accidentally said it aloud.
“听着，听着！”比尔博冷不丁地大声说道。
"Hear what?" they all said turning suddenly towards him, and he was so flustered that he answered "Hear what I have got to say!"
“听什么？”大家都突然转向他说道，而他慌乱之下竟然回答，“听我要说的话！”
"What's that?" they asked.
“你要说什么？”他们问。
"Well, I should say that you ought to go East and have a look round. After all there is the Side-door, and dragons must sleep sometimes, I suppose. If you sit on the door-step long enough, I daresay you will think of something. And well, don't you know, I think we have talked long enough for one night, if you see what I mean. What about bed, and an early start, and all that? I will give you a good breakfast before you go."
“嗯，我想说的是你们应该往东走，去仔细看看。再怎么说那儿也有条密道，而且我想恶龙肯定偶尔也会睡觉。只要你们在门口守得够久，我敢说你们一定可以想出点办法来。而且，知道吗，我觉得我们今儿晚上已经说得够多了。不如先睡个觉，然后明天早上早点动身，怎么样？在你们出门之前，我会让你们好好吃一顿早餐的。”
第一章: 不速之客 | 魔戒前传: 霍比特人 34 / 34
"Before we go, I suppose you mean," said Thorin. "Aren't you the burglar? And isn't sitting on the door-step your job, not to speak of getting inside the door? But I agree about bed and breakfast. I like six eggs with my ham, when starting on a journey: fried not poached, and mind you don't break 'em."
“你想说的是‘我们’出门之前吧？”索林说，“你难道不是飞贼吗？守在大门口难道不是你的活儿吗？更别说混进门里去了！不过，我同意先睡觉，明天好好吃一顿早餐。在远行之前，我喜欢给火腿配上六个鸡蛋：要煎的，不要煮的，注意别把蛋黄弄破。”
After all the others had ordered their breakfasts without so much as a please (which annoyed Bilbo very much), they all got up. The hobbit had to find room for them all, and filled all his spare-rooms and made beds on chairs and sofas, before he got them all stowed and went to his own little bed very tired and not altogether happy. One thing he did make his mind up about was not to bother to get up very early and cook everybody else's wretched breakfast. The Tookishness was wearing off, and he was not now quite so sure that he was going on any journey in the morning.
在纷纷点完早餐而且连声“请”也没说之后（这让比尔博觉得相当不爽），大家就起身准备睡了。霍比特人还得替所有人找到睡觉的地方。所有空房间都住了人，此外还得在椅子和沙发上铺床。把他们都安顿完之后，霍比特人才筋疲力尽、闷闷不乐地回到自己的小床上。他心中暗暗打定了主意，明天早上绝对不会起个大早，给大家做该死的早餐。图克家的热血已经渐渐冷却了，他实在不确定明早会不会和大家一起踏上冒险的征程。
As he lay in bed he could hear Thorin still humming to himself in the best bedroom next to him:
躺在床上时，他听见索林依旧在隔壁最好的卧室中轻轻哼着：
Far over the misty mountains cold
越过冰冷而又雾蒙蒙的大山，
To dungeons deep and caverns old
在那深深地下洞穴已有千年，
We must away, ere break of day,
我们一定要赶在天亮前出发，
To find our long-forgotten gold.
把久已忘却的黄金寻回眼前。
Bilbo went to sleep with that in his ears, and it gave him very uncomfortable dreams. It was long after the break of day, when he woke up.
比尔博就在这萦绕耳畔的歌声中睡去了，这歌让他做了一串很不舒服的梦。待他醒来时，天已经亮了很久了。