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The Lord of the Rings-指环王(英文版)-第2章

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 Bilbo has learned him his letters 。 meaning no harm; mark you; and I hope no harm will e of it。

'Elves and Dragons' I says to him。 'Cabbages and potatoes are better for me and you。 Don't go getting mixed up in the business of your betters; or you'll land in trouble too big for you;' I says to him。 And I might say it to others;' he added with a look at the stranger and the miller。

But the Gaffer did not convince his audience。 The legend of Bilbo's wealth was now too firmly fixed in the minds of the younger generation of hobbits。

'Ah; but he has likely enough been adding to what he brought at first;' argued the miller; voicing mon opinion。 'He's often away from home。 And look at the outlandish folk that visit him: dwarves ing at night; and that old wandering conjuror; Gandalf; and all。 You can say what you like; Gaffer; but Bag End's a queer place; and its folk are queerer。'

'And you can say what you like; about what you know no more of than you do of boating; Mr。 Sandyman;' retorted the Gaffer; disliking the miller even more than usual。 If that's being queer; then we could do with a bit more queerness in these parts。 There's some not far away that wouldn't offer a pint of beer to a friend; if they lived in a hole with golden walls。 But they do things proper at Bag End。 Our Sam says that everyone's going to be invited to the party; and there's going to be presents; mark you; presents for all—this very month as is。'

That very month was September; and as fine as you could ask。 A day or two later a rumour (probably started by the knowledgeable Sam) was spread about that there were going to be fireworks 。 fireworks; what is more; such as had not been seen in the Shire for nigh on a century; not indeed since the Old Took died。

Days passed and The Day drew nearer。 An oddlooking waggon laden with oddlooking packages rolled into Hobbiton one evening and toiled up the Hill to Bag End。 The startled hobbits peered out of lamplit doors to gape at it。 It was driven by outlandish folk; singing strange songs: dwarves with long beards and deep hoods。 A few of them remained at Bag End。 At the end of the second week in September a cart came in through Bywater from the direction of the Brandywine Bridge in broad daylight。 An old man was driving it all alone。 He wore a tall pointed blue hat; a long grey cloak; and a silver scarf。 He had a long white beard and bushy eyebrows that stuck out beyond the brim of his hat。 Small hobbitchildren ran after the cart all through Hobbiton and right up the hill。 It had a cargo of fireworks; as they rightly guessed。 At Bilbo's front door the old man began to unload: there were great bundles of fireworks of all sorts and shapes; each labelled with a large red G and the elfrune; 。

That was Gandalf's mark; of course; and the old man was Gandalf the Wizard; whose fame in the Shire was due mainly to his skill with fires; smokes; and lights。 His real business was far more difficult and dangerous; but the Shirefolk knew nothing about it。 To them he was just one of the 'attractions' at the Party。 Hence the excitement of the hobbitchildren。 'G for Grand!' they shouted; and the old man smiled。 They knew him by sight; though he only appeared in Hobbiton occasionally and never stopped long; but neither they nor any but the oldest of their elders had seen one of his firework displays 。 they now belonged to the legendary past。

When the old man; helped by Bilbo and some dwarves; had finished unloading; Bilbo gave a few pennies away; but not a single squib or cracker was forthing; to the disappointment of the onlookers。

'Run away now!' said Gandalf。 'You will get plenty when the time es。' Then he disappeared inside with Bilbo; and the door was shut。 The young hobbits stared at the door in vain for a while; and then made off; feeling that the day of the party would never e。

Inside Bag End; Bilbo and Gandalf were sitting at the open window of a small room looking out west on to the garden。 The late afternoon was bright and peaceful。 The flowers glowed red and golden: snapdragons and sunflowers; and nasturtiums trailing all over the turf walls and peeping in at the round windows。

'How bright your garden looks!' said Gandalf。

'Yes;' said Bilbo。 I am very fond indeed of it; and of all the dear old Shire; but I think I need a holiday。'

'You mean to go on with your plan then?'

'I do。 I made up my mind months ago; and I haven't changed it。'

'Very well。 It is no good saying any more。 Stick to your plan; your whole plan; mind; and I hope it will turn out for the best; for you; and for all of us。'

'I hope so。 Anyway I mean to enjoy myself on Thursday; and have my little joke。'

'Who will laugh; I wonder?' said Gandalf; shaking his head。

'We shall see;' said Bilbo。

The next day more carts rolled up the Hill; and still more carts。 There might have been some grumbling about 'dealing locally'; but that very week orders began to pour out of Bag End for every kind of provision; modity; or luxury that could be obtained in Hobbiton or Bywater or anywhere in the neighbourhood。 People became enthusiastic; and they began to tick off the days on the calendar; and they watched eagerly for the postman; hoping for invitations。

Before long the invitations began pouring out; and the Hobbiton post office was blocked; and the Bywater postoffice was snowed under; and voluntary assistant postmen were called for。 There was a constant stream of them going up the Hill; carrying hundreds of polite variations on Thank you; I shall certainly e。

A notice appeared on the gate at Bag End: NO ADMITTANCE EXCEPT ON PARTY BUSINESS。 Even those who had; or pretended to have Party Business were seldom allowed inside。 Bilbo was busy: writing invitations; ticking off answers; packing up presents; and making some private preparations of his own。 From the time of Gandalf's arrival he remained hidden from view。

One morning the hobbits woke to find the large field; south of Bilbo's front door; covered with ropes and poles for tents and pavilions。 A special entrance was cut into the bank leading to the road; and wide steps and a large white gate were built there。 The three hobbitfamilies of Bagshot Row; adjoining the field; were intensely interested and generally envied。 Old Gaffer Gamgee stopped even pretending to work in his garden。

The tents began to go up。 There was a specially large pavilion; so big that the tree that grew in the field was right inside it; and stood proudly near one end; at the head of the chief table。 Lanterns were hung on all its branches。 More promising still (to the hobbits' mind): an enormous openair kitchen was erected in the north corner of the field。 A draught of cooks; from every inn and eatinghouse for miles around; arrived to supplement the dwarves and other odd folk that were quartered at Bag End。 Excitement rose to its height。

Then the weather clouded over。 That was on Wednesday the eve of the Party。 Anxiety was intense。 Then Thursday; September the 22nd; actually dawned。 The sun got up; the clouds vanished; flags were unfurled and the fun began。

Bilbo Baggins called it a party; but it was really a variety of entertainments rolled into one。 Practically everybody living near was invited。 A very few were overlooked by accident; but as they turned up all the same; that did not matter。 Many people from other parts of the Shire were also asked; and there were even a few from outside the borders。 Bilbo met the guests (and additions) at the new white gate in person。 He gave away presents to all and sundry 。 the latter were those who went out again by a back way and came in again by the gate。 Hobbits give presents to other people on their own birthdays。 Not very expensive ones; as a rule; and not so lavishly as on this occasion; but it was not a bad system。 Actually in Hobbiton and Bywater every day in the year it was somebody's birthday; so that every hobbit in those parts had a fair chance of at least one present at least once a week。 But they never got tired of them。

On this occasion the presents were unusually good。 The hobbitchildren were so excited that for a while they almost fot about eating。 There were toys the like of which they had never seen before; all beautiful and some ob
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