Chapter 1: A Long-expected Party


When Mr. Bilbo Baggins of Bag End announced that he would shortly be celebrating his eleventy-first birthday with a party of special magnificence, there was much talk and excitement in Hobbiton:	当袋底洞的比尔博·巴金斯先生宣布他即将以一场特别盛大的派对来庆祝他的第一百一十一岁生日时，霍比屯一片议论纷纷、兴奋不已：


'You ought to go quietly, and you ought to go soon;' said Gandalf: Two or three weeks had passed, and still Frodo made no sign of getting ready to go. 'I know. But it is difficult to do both;' Frodo objected. 'If I just vanish like Bilbo, the tale will be all over the Shire in no time.'	‘你应该悄悄地走，而且应该尽快走；’甘道夫说：两三周过去了，弗罗多仍没有准备出发的迹象。‘我知道。但这很难两全；’弗罗多反驳道。‘如果我像比尔博那样直接消失，这个故事会立刻传遍整个夏尔。’


Frodo sat down beside Sam and began to eat. 'What is the plan for today?' asked Pippin: 'To walk to Bucklebury as quickly as possible;' answered Frodo, and gave his attention to the food.	弗罗多在山姆身边坐下，开始吃东西。‘今天的计划是什么？’皮平问道：‘尽快走到鹿境（Bucklebury）；’ 弗罗多回答，并专心于食物。


Here Fatty Bolger halted. 'Good-bye, Frodo!' he said. 'I wish you were not going into the Forest. I only hope you will not need rescuing before the day is out. But good luck to you — today and every day!'	肥迪·博尔杰（Fatty Bolger）在这里停下了。‘再见，弗罗多！’他说。‘我真希望你没有走进森林。我只希望你在天黑之前不会需要人去救你。不过，祝你好运 — 今天和每一天！’


There was not as yet any sign of a path, and the trees seemed constantly to bar their way: Pippin suddenly felt that he could not bear it any longer; and without warning let out a shout: 'Oi! Oi!' he cried 'I am not going to do anything: Just let me pass through, will you!'	还没有任何小径的迹象，树木似乎不断地阻挡着他们的去路：皮平突然觉得他再也受不了了；没有预警地大喊一声：‘喂！喂！’他叫道 ‘我什么也不打算做：就让我通过吧，好吗！’


On either side ahead a darkness began to loom through the mist; and he guessed that they were at last approaching the gap in the hills, the north-gate of the Barrow-downs. If they could pass that, they would be free.	前方的两侧，一片黑暗开始透过迷雾隐现；他猜想，他们终于快要接近山丘中的缺口，即古冢岗的北门了。如果他们能通过那里，他们就将获得自由。


Above the arch there was a lamp; and beneath it swung a large sign board: a fat white pony reared up on its hind legs; Over the door was painted in white letters: THE PRANCING PONY BY BARLIMAN BUTTERBUR. Many of the lower windows showed lights behind thick curtains.	拱门上方有一盏灯；下方悬挂着一块大招牌：一匹肥胖的白色小马用后腿站立着；门上方用白色字母写着：巴利曼·黄油菊的跃马客栈。许多下层窗户在厚厚的窗帘后透出灯光。


Soon there could be no doubt: three or four tall black figures were standing there on the slope, looking down on them. So black they were that they seemed like black holes in the deep shade behind them. Frodo thought that he heard a faint hiss as of venomous breath and felt a thin piercing chill.	很快就没有疑问了：三四个高大的黑色身影站在斜坡上，俯视着他们。他们如此之黑，以至于他们看起来就像身后浓重阴影中的黑洞。弗罗多觉得他听到了一声微弱的、像毒蛇气息一样的嘶嘶声，并感到一阵穿透肌肤的寒意。


With his last failing senses Frodo heard cries, and it seemed to him that he saw, beyond the Riders that hesitated on the shore, a shining figure of white light; and behind it ran small shadowy forms waving flames, that flared red in the grey mist that was falling over the world.	弗罗多用他最后微弱的意识听到了哭喊声，在他看来，他看到，在那些在岸边犹豫不决的骑士之外，一个闪耀的白色光芒身影；在它后面跑着小小的影子形态，挥舞着火焰，火焰在笼罩着世界的灰色迷雾中闪着红光。


'Where am I, and what is the time?' Frodo said aloud to the ceiling: 'In the house of Elrond, and it is ten o'clock in the morning;' said a voice. 'It is the morning of October twenty-fourth; if you want to know:' 'Gandalf!' cried Frodo, sitting up. There was the old wizard sitting in a chair by the open window.	‘我在哪里，现在是什么时间？’弗罗多对着天花板大声说：‘在爱隆的家中，现在是早上十点；’一个声音说。‘今天是十月二十四日的早上；如果你想知道的话：’‘甘道夫！’弗罗多坐起来喊道。那位老巫师正坐在开着的窗户旁的椅子里。


Not all that was spoken and debated in the Council need now be told. Much was said of events in the world outside, especially in the South; and in the wide lands east of the Mountains.	在议会中谈论和辩论的所有事情现在都不需要被告知。很多是关于外面世界发生的事件，尤其是在南方；以及山脉以东广阔土地上的事情。


"Saruman," I said, "I have heard speeches of this kind before, but only in the mouths of emissaries sent from Mordor to deceive the ignorant: I cannot think that you brought me so far only to weary my ears."	“萨鲁曼，”我说，“我以前听过这种言论，但只在魔多派来欺骗无知者的使者口中：我不认为你把我带到这么远只是为了让我的耳朵感到疲倦。”


'The Ring-bearer is setting out on the Quest of Mount Doom: On him alone is any charge laid: neither to cast away the Ring, nor to deliver it to any servant of the Enemy nor indeed to let any handle it, save members of the Company and the Council, and only then in gravest need: The others go with him as free companions, to help him on his way:'	‘魔戒持有者正踏上末日山之旅：只有他一人肩负重任：既不能把魔戒扔掉，也不能把它交给敌人的任何仆人，事实上，除了远征队和议会的成员，他甚至不能让任何人碰它，除非在最危急的情况下：其他人作为自由的同伴与他同行，在他的路上提供帮助：’


'We do not know what he expects,' said Boromir. 'He may watch all roads, likely and unlikely. In that case to enter Moria would be to walk into a trap, hardly better than knocking at the gates of the Dark Tower itself: The name of Moria is black.'	‘我们不知道他在期待什么，’波罗莫说。‘他可能会监视所有道路，无论可能还是不可能。那样的话，进入摩瑞亚就像是走入一个陷阱，简直不比敲响黑塔的大门好多少：摩瑞亚之名是黑暗的。’


The night-wind blew chill up the valley to meet them. Before them a wide grey shadow loomed, and they heard an endless rustle of leaves in the breeze. 'Lothlórien!' cried Legolas. 'Lothlórien! We have come to the eaves of the Golden Wood. Alas that it is winter!'	夜风带着寒意吹上山谷与他们相遇。前方一片宽广的灰色阴影隐现，他们听到风中无休止的树叶沙沙声。‘罗斯洛立安！’莱戈拉斯喊道。‘罗斯洛立安！我们来到了金黄树林的边缘。可惜现在是冬天！’


'Many things I can command the Mirror to reveal,' she answered, 'and to some I can show what they desire to see. But the Mirror will also show things unbidden, and those are often stranger and more profitable than things which we wish to behold. What you will see, if you leave the Mirror free to work, I cannot tell: For it shows things that were, and things that are, and things that may be. But which it is that one sees, even the wisest cannot always tell. Do you wish to look?'	‘我可以命令魔镜显现许多东西，’她回答说，‘对于某些人，我也可以让他们看到他们渴望看到的东西。但魔镜也会显示不请自来的东西，这些往往比我们希望看到的东西更奇怪、更有益。如果你让魔镜自由运作，你会看到什么，我无法告知：因为它显示过去之事、现在之事和未来可能之事。但一个人看到的是哪一种，即使是最睿智的人也无法总是判断。你希望看一看吗？’

'Many things I can command the Mirror to reveal,' she answered, 'and to some I can show what they desire to see. But the Mirror will also show things unbidden, and those are often stranger and more profitable than things which we wish to behold. What you will see, if you leave the Mirror free to work, I cannot tell: For it shows things that were, and things that are, and things that may be. But which it is that one sees, even the wisest cannot always tell. Do you wish to look?'

‘我可以命令魔镜显现许多东西，’她回答说，‘对于某些人，我也可以让他们看到他们渴望看到的东西。但魔镜也会显示不请自来的东西，这些往往比我们希望看到的东西更奇怪、更有益。如果你让魔镜自由运作，你会看到什么，我无法告知：因为它显示过去之事、现在之事和未来可能之事。但一个人看到的是哪一种，即使是最睿智的人也无法总是判断。你希望看一看吗？’

Chapter 1: A Long-expected Party

Chapter 2: A Little Delay in the Shire

Chapter 3: The Ring Sets Out

Chapter 4: Conspiracy in Crickhollow

Chapter 5: The Old Forest

Chapter 6: Fog on the Barrow-downs

Chapter 7: At the Sign of the Prancing Pony

Chapter 8: A Knife in the Dark

Chapter 9: Flight to the Ford

Chapter 10: Recovery in Rivendell

Chapter 11: The Council of Elrond

Chapter 12: Delayed in Isengard

Chapter 13: The Company Goes South

Chapter 14: The Mines of Moria

Chapter 15: The Gates of Lothlórien

Chapter 16: The Mirror of Galadriel

Chapter 17: The Great River

Chapter 18: The Breaking of the Fellowship