The Lord of the Rings-指环王(英文版)-第14章

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wy　sea。　A　little　below　him　to　the　left　the　road　ran　down　steeply　into　a　hollow　and　disappeared。

When　he　returned　Sam　and　Pippin　had　got　a　good　fire　going。　'Water！'　shouted　Pippin。　'Where's　the　water？'

'I　don't　keep　water　in　my　pockets；'　said　Frodo。　'We　thought　you　had　gone　to　find　some；'　said　Pippin；　busy　setting　out　the　food；　and　cups。　'You　had　better　go　now。'

'You　can　e　too；'　said　Frodo；　'and　bring　all　the　waterbottles。'　There　was　a　stream　at　the　foot　of　the　hill。　They　filled　their　bottles　and　the　small　camping　kettle　at　a　little　fall　where　the　water　fell　a　few　feet　over　an　outcrop　of　grey　stone。　It　was　icy　cold；　and　they　spluttered　and　puffed　as　they　bathed　their　faces　and　hands。

When　their　breakfast　was　over；　and　their　packs　all　trussed　up　again；　it　was　after　ten　o'clock；　and　the　day　was　beginning　to　turn　fine　and　hot。　They　went　down　the　slope；　and　across　the　stream　where　it　dived　under　the　road；　and　up　the　next　slope；　and　up　and　down　another　shoulder　of　the　hills；　and　by　that　time　their　cloaks；　blankets；　water；　food；　and　other　gear　already　seemed　a　heavy　burden。

The　day's　march　promised　to　be　warm　and　tiring　work。　After　some　miles；　however；　the　road　ceased　to　roll　up　and　down：　it　climbed　to　the　top　of　a　steep　bank　in　a　weary　zigzagging　sort　of　way；　and　then　prepared　to　go　down　for　the　last　time。　In　front　of　them　they　saw　the　lower　lands　dotted　with　small　clumps　of　trees　that　melted　away　in　the　distance　to　a　brown　woodland　haze。　They　were　looking　across　the　Woody　End　towards　the　Brandywine　River。　The　road　wound　away　before　them　like　a　piece　of　string。

'The　road　goes　on　for　ever；'　said　Pippin；　'but　I　can't　without　a　rest。　It　is　high　time　for　lunch。'　He　sat　down　on　the　bank　at　the　side　of　the　road　and　looked　away　east　into　the　haze；　beyond　which　lay　the　River；　and　the　end　of　the　Shire　in　which　he　had　spent　all　his　life。　Sam　stood　by　him。　His　round　eyes　were　wide　open　。　for　he　was　looking　across　lands　he　had　never　seen　to　a　new　horizon。

'Do　Elves　live　in　those　woods？'　he　asked。

'Not　that　I　ever　heard；'　said　Pippin。　Frodo　was　silent。　He　too　was　gazing　eastward　along　the　road；　as　if　he　had　never　seen　it　before。　Suddenly　he　spoke；　aloud　but　as　if　to　himself；　saying　slowly：

The　Road　goes　ever　on　and　on
Down　from　the　door　where　it　began。
Now　far　ahead　the　Road　has　gone；
And　I　must　follow；　if　I　can；
Pursuing　it　with　weary　feet；
Until　it　joins　some　larger　way；
Where　many　paths　and　errands　meet。
And　whither　then？　I　cannot　say。

'That　sounds　like　a　bit　of　old　Bilbo's　rhyming；'　said　Pippin。　'Or　is　it　one　of　your　imitations？　It　does　not　sound　altogether　encouraging。'

'I　don't　know；'　said　Frodo。　It　came　to　me　then；　as　if　I　was　making　it　up；　but　I　may　have　heard　it　long　ago。　Certainly　it　reminds　me　very　much　of　Bilbo　in　the　last　years；　before　he　went　away。　He　used　often　to　say　there　was　only　one　Road；　that　it　was　like　a　great　river：　its　springs　were　at　every　doorstep；　and　every　path　was　its　tributary。　〃It's　a　dangerous　business；　Frodo；　going　out　of　your　door；〃　he　used　to　say。　〃You　step　into　the　Road；　and　if　you　don't　keep　your　feet；　there　is　no　knowing　where　you　might　be　swept　off　to。　Do　you　realize　that　this　is　the　very　path　that　goes　through　Mirkwood；　and　that　if　you　let　it；　it　might　take　you　to　the　Lonely　Mountain　or　even　further　and　to　worse　places？〃　He　used　to　say　that　on　the　path　outside　the　front　door　at　Bag　End；　especially　after　he　had　been　out　for　a　long　walk。'

'Well；　the　Road　won't　sweep　me　anywhere　for　an　hour　at　least；'　said　Pippin；　unslinging　his　pack。　The　others　followed　his　example；　putting　their　packs　against　the　bank　and　their　legs　out　into　the　road。　After　a　rest　they　had　a　good　lunch；　and　then　more　rest。

The　sun　was　beginning　to　get　low　and　the　light　of　afternoon　was　on　the　land　as　they　went　down　the　hill。　So　far　they　had　not　met　a　soul　on　the　road。　This　way　was　not　much　used；　being　hardly　fit　for　carts；　and　there　was　little　traffic　to　the　Woody　End。　They　had　been　jogging　along　again　for　an　hour　or　more　when　Sam　stopped　a　moment　as　if　listening。　They　were　now　on　level　ground；　and　the　road　after　much　winding　lay　straight　ahead　through　grassland　sprinkled　with　tall　trees；　outliers　of　the　approaching　woods。

'I　can　hear　a　pony　or　a　horse　ing　along　the　road　behind；'　said　Sam。

They　looked　back；　but　the　turn　of　the　road　prevented　them　from　seeing　far。　'I　wonder　if　that　is　Gandalf　ing　after　us；'　said　Frodo；　but　even　as　he　said　it；　he　had　a　feeling　that　it　was　not　so；　and　a　sudden　desire　to　hide　from　the　view　of　the　rider　came　over　him。

'It　may　not　matter　much；'　he　said　apologetically；　'but　I　would　rather　not　be　seen　on　the　road　。　by　anyone。　I　am　sick　of　my　doings　being　noticed　and　discussed。　And　if　it　is　Gandalf；'　he　added　as　an　afterthought；　'we　can　give　him　a　little　surprise；　to　pay　him　out　for　being　so　late。　Let's　get　out　of　sight！'

The　other　two　ran　quickly　to　the　left　and　down　into　a　little　hollow　not　far　from　the　road。　There　they　lay　flat。　Frodo　hesitated　for　a　second：　curiosity　or　some　other　feeling　was　struggling　with　his　desire　to　hide。　The　sound　of　hoofs　drew　nearer。　Just　in　time　he　threw　himself　down　in　a　patch　of　long　grass　behind　a　tree　that　overshadowed　the　road。　Then　he　lifted　his　head　and　peered　cautiously　above　one　of　the　great　roots。

Round　the　corner　came　a　black　horse；　no　hobbitpony　but　a　fullsized　horse；　and　on　it　sat　a　large　man；　who　seemed　to　crouch　in　the　saddle；　wrapped　in　a　great　black　cloak　and　hood；　so　that　only　his　boots　in　the　high　stirrups　showed　below；　his　face　was　shadowed　and　invisible。

When　it　reached　the　tree　and　was　level　with　Frodo　the　horse　stopped。　The　riding　figure　sat　quite　still　with　its　head　bowed；　as　if　listening。　From　inside　the　hood　came　a　noise　as　of　someone　sniffing　to　catch　an　elusive　scent；　the　head　turned　from　side　to　side　of　the　road。

A　sudden　unreasoning　fear　of　discovery　laid　hold　of　Frodo；　and　he　thought　of　his　Ring。　He　hardly　dared　to　breathe；　and　yet　the　desire　to　get　it　out　of　his　pocket　became　so　strong　that　he　began　slowly　to　move　his　hand。　He　felt　that　he　had　only　to　slip　it　on；　and　then　he　would　be　safe。　The　advice　of　Gandalf　seemed　absurd。　Bilbo　had　used　the　Ring。　'And　I　am　still　in　the　Shire；'　he　thought；　as　his　hand　touched　the　chain　on　which　it　hung。　At　that　moment　the　rider　sat　up；　and　shook　the　reins。　The　horse　stepped　forward；　walking　slowly　at　first；　and　then　breaking　into　a　quick　trot。

Frodo　crawled　to　the　edge　of　the　road　and　watched　the　rider；　until　he　dwindled　into　the　distance。　He　could　not　be　quite　sure；　but　it　seemed　to　him　that　suddenly；　before　it　passed　out　of　sight；　the　horse　turned　aside　and　went　into　the　trees　on　the　right。

'Well；　I　call　that　very　queer；　and　indeed　disturbing；'　said　Frodo　to　himself；　as　he　walked　towards　his　panions。　Pippin　and　Sam　had　remained　flat　in　the　grass；　and　had　seen　nothing；　so　Frodo　described　the　rider　and　his　strange　behaviour。

'I　can't　say　why；　but　I　felt　certain　he　was　looking　or　smelling　for　me；　and　also　I　felt　certain　that　I　did　not　want　him　to　discover　me。　I've　never　seen　or　fell　anything　like　it　in　the　Shire　before。'

'But　what　has　one　of　the　Big　People　got　to　do　with　us？'　said　Pippin。　'And　what　is　he　doing　in　this　part　of　the　world？'

'There　are　some　Men　about；'　said　Frodo。　'Down　in　the　Southfarthing　they　have　had　trouble　with　Big　People；　I　believe。　But　I　have　never　heard　of　anything　like　this　rider。　I　wonder　where　he　es　from。'

'Begging　your　pardon；'　put　in　Sam　suddenly；　'I　know　where　he　es　from。　It's　from　Hobbiton　that　this　here　black　rider　es；　unless　there's　more　than　one。　And　I　know　where　he's　going　to。'

'What　do　you　mean？'　said　Frodo　sharply；　looking　at　him　in　astonishment。　'Why　didn't　you　speak　up　before？'

'I　have　only　just　remembered；　sir。　It　was　like　this：　when　I　got　back　to　our　hole　yesterday　evening　with　the　key；　my　dad；　he　says　to　me：　Hello；　Sam！　he　says。　I　thought　you　were　away　with　Mr。　Frodo　this　morning。　There's　been　a　strange　customer　asking　for　Mr。　Baggins　of　Bag　End；　and　he's　only　just　gone。　I've　sent　him　on　to　Bucklebury。　Not　that　I　liked　the　sound　of　him。　He　seemed　mighty　put　out；　when　I　told　him　Mr。　Baggins　had　left　his　old　home　for　good。　Hissed　at　me；　he　did。　It　gave　me　quite　a　shudder。　What　sort　of　a　fellow　was　he？　says　I　to　the　Gaffer。　I　don't　know；　says　he；　but　he　wasn't　a　hobbit。　He　was　tall　and　blacklike；　and　he　stooped　aver　me。　I　reckon　it　was　one　of　the　Big　Folk　from　foreign　parts。　He　spoke　funny。

'I　couldn't　stay　to　hear　more；　sir；　since　you　were　waiting；　and　I　didn't　give　much　heed　to　it　myself。　The　Gaffer　is　getting　old；　and　more　than　a　bit　blind；　and　it　must　have　been　near　dark　when　this　fellow　e　up　the　Hill　and　found　him　taking　the　air　at　the　end　of　our　Row。　I　hope　he　hasn't　done　no　harm；　sir；　nor　me。'

'The　Gaffer　can't　be　blamed　anyway；'　said　Frodo。　'As　a　matter　of　fact　I　heard　him　talking　to　a　stranger；　e；　and　I　nearly　went　and　asked　him　who　it　was。　I　wish　I　had；　or　you　had　told　me　about　it　before。　I　might　have　been　more　careful　on　the　road。'

'Still；　there　may　be　no　connexion　between　this　rider　and　the　Gaffer's　stranger；'　said　Pippin。　'We　left　Hobbiton　secretly　enough；　and　I　don't　see　how　he　could　have　followed　us。'

'What　about　the　smelling；　sir？'　said　Sam。　'And　the　Gaffer　said　he　was　a　black　chap。'

'I　wish　I　had　waited　for　Gandalf；'　Frodo　muttered。　'But　perhaps　it　would　only　have　made　matters　worse。'

'Then　you　know　or　guess　something　about　this　rider？'　said　Pippin；　who　had　caught　the　muttered　words。

'I　don't　know；　and　I　would　rather　not　guess；'　said　Frodo。　'All　right；　cousin　Frodo！　You　can　keep　your　secret　for　the　present；　if　you　want　to　be　mysterious。　In　the　meanwhile　what　are　we　to　do？　I　should　like　a　bite　and　a　sup；　but　somehow　I　think　we　had　better　move　on　from　here。　Your　talk　of　sniffing　riders　with　invisible　noses　has　unsettled　me。'

'Yes；　I　think　we　will　move　on　now；'　said　Frodo；　'but　not　on　the　road　in　case　that　rider　es　back；　or　another　follows　him。　We　ought　to　do　a　good　step　more　today。　Buckland　is　still　miles　away。'

The　shadows　of　the　trees　were　long　and　thin　on　the　grass；　as　they　started　off　again。　They　now　kept　a　stone's　throw　to　the　left　of　the　road；　and　kept　out　of　sight　of　it　as　much　as　they　could。　But　this　hindered　them；　for　the　grass　was　thick　and　tussocky；　and　the