The Lord of the Rings-指环王(英文版)-第15章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


t　of　it　as　much　as　they　could。　But　this　hindered　them；　for　the　grass　was　thick　and　tussocky；　and　the　ground　uneven；　and　the　trees　began　to　draw　together　into　thickets。

The　sun　had　gone　down　red　behind　the　hills　at　their　backs；　and　evening　was　ing　on　before　they　came　back　to　the　road　at　the　end　of　the　long　level　over　which　it　had　run　straight　for　some　miles。　At　that　point　it　bent　left　and　went　down　into　the　lowlands　of　the　Yale　making　for　Stock；　but　a　lane　branched　right；　winding　through　a　wood　of　ancient　oaktrees　on　its　way　to　Woodhall。　'That　is　the　way　for　us；'　said　Frodo。

Not　far　from　the　roadmeeting　they　came　on　the　huge　hulk　of　a　tree：　it　was　still　alive　and　had　leaves　on　the　small　branches　that　it　had　put　out　round　the　broken　stumps　of　its　longfallen　limbs；　but　it　was　hollow；　and　could　be　entered　by　a　great　crack　on　the　side　away　from　the　road。　The　hobbits　crept　inside；　and　sat　there　upon　a　floor　of　old　leaves　and　decayed　wood。　They　rested　and　had　a　light　meal；　talking　quietly　and　listening　from　time　to　time。

Twilight　was　about　them　as　they　crept　back　to　the　lane。　The　West　wind　was　sighing　in　the　branches。　Leaves　were　whispering。　Soon　the　road　began　to　fall　gently　but　steadily　into　the　dusk。　A　star　came　out　above　the　trees　in　the　darkening　East　before　them。　They　went　abreast　and　in　step；　to　keep　up　their　spirits。　After　a　time；　as　the　stars　grew　thicker　and　brighter；　the　feeling　of　disquiet　left　them；　and　they　no　longer　listened　for　the　sound　of　hoofs。　They　began　to　hum　softly；　as　hobbits　have　a　way　of　doing　as　they　walk　along；　especially　when　they　are　drawing　near　to　home　at　night。　With　most　hobbits　it　is　a　suppersong　or　a　bedsong；　but　these　hobbits　hummed　a　walkingsong　（though　not；　of　course；　without　any　mention　of　supper　and　bed）。　Bilbo　Baggins　had　made　the　words；　to　a　tune　that　was　as　old　as　the　hills；　and　taught　it　to　Frodo　as　they　walked　in　the　lanes　of　the　Watervalley　and　talked　about　Adventure。

Upon　the　hearth　the　fire　is　red；
Beneath　the　roof　there　is　a　bed；
But　not　yet　weary　are　our　feet；
Still　round　the　corner　we　may　meet
A　sudden　tree　or　standing　stone
That　none　have　seen　but　we　alone。
Tree　and　flower　and　leaf　and　grass；
Let　them　pass！　Let　them　pass！
Hill　and　water　under　sky；
Pass　them　by！　Pass　them　by！

Still　round　the　corner　there　may　wait
A　new　road　or　a　secret　gate；
And　though　we　pass　them　by　today；
Tomorrow　we　may　e　this　way
And　take　the　hidden　paths　that　run
Towards　the　Moon　or　to　the　Sun。
Apple；　thorn；　and　nut　and　sloe；
Let　them　go！　Let　them　go！
Sand　and　stone　and　pool　and　dell；
Fare　you　well！　Fare　you　well！

Home　is　behind；　the　world　ahead；
And　there　are　many　paths　to　tread
Through　shadows　to　the　edge　of　night；
Until　the　stars　are　all　alight。
Then　world　behind　and　home　ahead；
We'll　wander　back　to　home　and　bed。
Mist　and　twilight；　cloud　and　shade；
Away　shall　fade！　Away　shall　fade！
Fire　and　lamp；　and　meat　and　bread；
And　then　to　bed！　And　then　to　bed！

The　song　ended。　'And　now　to　bed！　And　now　to　bed！'　sang　Pippin　in　a　high　voice。

'Hush！'　said　Frodo。　'I　think　I　hear　hoofs　again。'

They　slopped　suddenly　and　stood　as　silent　as　treeshadows；　listening。　There　was　a　sound　of　hoofs　in　the　lane；　some　way　behind；　but　ing　slow　and　clear　down　the　wind。　Quickly　and　quietly　they　slipped　off　the　path；　and　ran　into　the　deeper　shade　under　the　oaktrees。

'Don't　let　us　go　too　far！'　said　Frodo。　'I　don't　want　to　be　seen；　but　I　want　to　see　if　it　is　another　Black　Rider。'

'Very　well！'　said　Pippin。　'But　don't　fet　the　sniffing！'

The　hoofs　drew　nearer。　They　had　no　time　to　find　any　hidingplace　better　than　the　general　darkness　under　the　trees；　Sam　and　Pippin　crouched　behind　a　large　treebole；　while　Frodo　crept　back　a　few　yards　towards　the　lane。　It　showed　grey　and　pale；　a　line　of　fading　light　through　the　wood。　Above　it　the　stars　were　thick　in　the　dim　sky；　but　there　was　no　moon。

The　sound　of　hoofs　stopped。　As　Frodo　watched　he　saw　something　dark　pass　across　the　lighter　space　between　two　trees；　and　then　halt。　It　looked　like　the　black　shade　of　a　horse　led　by　a　smaller　black　shadow。　The　black　shadow　stood　close　to　the　point　where　they　had　left　the　path；　and　it　swayed　from　side　to　side。　Frodo　thought　he　heard　the　sound　of　snuffling。　The　shadow　bent　to　the　ground；　and　then　began　to　crawl　towards　him。

Once　more　the　desire　to　slip　on　the　Ring　came　over　Frodo；　but　this　time　it　was　stronger　than　before。　So　strong　that；　almost　before　he　realized　what　he　was　doing；　his　hand　was　groping　in　his　pocket。　But　at　that　moment　there　came　a　sound　like　mingled　song　and　laughter。　Clear　voices　rose　and　fell　in　the　starlit　air。　The　black　shadow　straightened　up　and　retreated。　It　climbed　on　to　the　shadowy　horse　and　seemed　to　vanish　across　the　lane　into　the　darkness　on　the　other　side。　Frodo　breathed　again。

'Elves！'　exclaimed　Sam　in　a　hoarse　whisper。　'Elves；　sir！'　He　would　have　burst　out　of　the　trees　and　dashed　off　towards　the　voices；　if　they　had　not　pulled　him　back。

'Yes；　it　is　Elves；'　said　Frodo。　'One　can　meet　them　sometimes　in　the　Woody　End。　They　don't　live　in　the　Shire；　but　they　wander　into　it　in　Spring　and　Autumn；　out　of　their　own　lands　away　beyond　the　Tower　Hills。　I　am　thankful　that　they　do！　You　did　not　see；　but　that　Black　Rider　stopped　just　here　and　was　actually　crawling　towards　us　when　the　song　began。　As　soon　as　he　heard　the　voices　he　slipped　away。'

'What　about　the　Elves？'　said　Sam；　too　excited　to　trouble　about　the　rider。　'Can't　we　go　and　see　them？'

'Listen！　They　are　ing　this　way；'　said　Frodo。　'We　have　only　to　wait。'　The　singing　drew　nearer。　One　clear　voice　rose　now　above　the　others。　It　was　singing　in　the　fair　elventongue；　of　which　Frodo　knew　only　a　little；　and　the　others　knew　nothing。　Yet　the　sound　blending　with　the　melody　seemed　to　shape　itself　in　their　thought　into　words　which　they　only　partly　understood。　This　was　the　song　as　Frodo　heard　it：

Snowwhite！　Snowwhite！　O　Lady　clear！
O　Queen　beyond　the　Western　Seas！
O　Light　to　us　that　wander　here
Amid　the　world　of　woven　trees！

Gilthoniel！　O　Elbereth！
Clear　are　thy　eyes　and　bright　thy　breath！
Snowwhite！　Snowwhite！　We　sing　to　thee
In　a　far　land　beyond　the　Sea。

O　stars　that　in　the　Sunless　Year
With　shining　hand　by　her　were　sawn；
In　windy　fields　now　bright　and　clear
We　see　your　silver　blossom　blown！

O　Elbereth！　Gilthoniel！
We　still　remember；　we　who　dwell
In　this　far　land　beneath　the　trees；
Thy　starlight　on　the　Western　Seas。

The　song　ended。　'These　are　High　Elves！　They　spoke　the　name　of　Elbereth！'　said　Frodo　in　amazement；　'Few　of　that　fairest　folk　are　ever　seen　in　the　Shire。　Not　many　now　remain　in　Middleearth；　east　of　the　Great　Sea。　This　is　indeed　a　strange　chance！'

The　hobbits　sat　in　shadow　by　the　wayside。　Before　long　the　Elves　came　down　the　lane　towards　the　valley。　They　passed　slowly；　and　the　hobbits　could　see　the　starlight　glimmering　on　their　hair　and　in　their　eyes。　They　bore　no　lights；　yet　as　they　walked　a　shimmer；　like　the　light　of　the　moon　above　the　rim　of　the　hills　before　it　rises；　seemed　to　fall　about　their　feet。　They　were　now　silent；　and　as　the　last　Elf　passed　he　turned　and　looked　towards　the　hobbits　and　laughed。

'Hail；　Frodo！'　he　cried。　'You　are　abroad　late。　Or　are　you　perhaps　lost？'　Then　he　called　aloud　to　the　others；　and　all　the　pany　stopped　and　gathered　round。

'This　is　indeed　wonderful！'　they　said。　'Three　hobbits　in　a　wood　at　night！　We　have　not　seen　such　a　thing　since　Bilbo　went　away。　What　is　the　meaning　of　it？'

'The　meaning　of　it；　fair　people；'　said　Frodo；　'is　simply　that　we　seem　to　be　going　the　same　way　as　you　are。　I　like　walking　under　the　stars。　But　I　would　wele　your　pany。'

'But　we　have　no　need　of　other　pany；　and　hobbits　are　so　dull；'　they　laughed。　'And　how　do　you　know　that　we　go　the　same　way　as　you；　for　you　do　not　know　whither　we　are　going？'

'And　how　do　you　know　my　name？'　asked　Frodo　in　return。

'We　know　many　things；'　they　said。　'We　have　seen　you　often　before　with　Bilbo；　though　you　may　not　have　seen　us。'

'Who　are　you；　and　who　is　your　lord？'　asked　Frodo。

'I　am　Gildor；'　answered　their　leader；　the　Elf　who　had　first　hailed　him。　'Gildor　Inglorion　of　the　House　of　Finrod。　We　are　Exiles；　and　most　of　our　kindred　have　long　ago　departed　and　we　too　are　now　only　tarrying　here　a　while；　ere　we　return　over　the　Great　Sea。　But　some　of　our　kinsfolk　dwell　still　in　peace　in　Rivendell。　e　now；　Frodo；　tell　us　what　you　are　doing？　For　we　see　that　there　is　some　shadow　of　fear　upon　you。'

'O　Wise　People！'　interrupted　Pippin　eagerly。　'Tell　us　about　the　Black　Riders！'

'Black　Riders？'　they　said　in　low　voices。　'Why　do　you　ask　about　Black　Riders？'

'Because　two　Black　Riders　have　overtaken　us　today；　or　one　has　done　so　twice；'　said　Pippin；　'only　a　little　while　ago　he　slipped　away　as　you　drew　near。'

The　Elves　did　not　answer　at　once；　but　spoke　together　softly　in　their　own　tongue。　At　length　Gildor　turned　to　the　hobbits。　'We　will　not　speak　of　this　here；'　he　said。　'We　think　you　had　best　e　now　with　us。　It　is　not　our　custom；　but　for　this　time　we　will　lake　you　on　our　road；　and　you　shall　lodge　with　us　tonight；　if　you　will。'

'O　Fair　Folk！　This　is　good　fortune　beyond　my　hope；'　said　Pippin。　Sam　was　speechless。　'I　thank　you　indeed；　Gildor　Inglorion；'　said　Frodo　bowing。　'Elen　síla　lúmenn'　omentielvo；　a　star　shines　on　the　hour　of　our　meeting；'　he　added　in　the　highelven　speech。

'Be　careful；　friends！'　cried　Gildor　laughing。　'Speak　no　secrets！　Here　is　a　scholar　in　the　Ancient　Tongue。　Bilbo　was　a　good　master。　Hail；　Elffriend！'　he　said；　bowing　to　Frodo。　'e　now　with　your　friends　and　join　our　pany！　You　had　best　walk　in　the　middle　so　that　you　may　not　stray。　You　may　be　weary　before　we　halt。'

'Why？　Where　are　you　going？'　asked　Frodo。

'For　tonight　we　go　to　the　woods　on　the　hills　above　Woodhall。　It　is　some　miles；　but　you　shall　have　rest　at　the　end　of　it；　and　it　will　shorten　your　journey　tomorrow。'

They　now　marched　on　again　in　silence；　and　passed　like　shadows　and　faint　lights：　for　Elves　（even　more　than　hobbits）　could　walk　when　they　wished　without　sound　or　footfall。　Pippin　soon　began　to　feel　sleepy；　and　staggered　once　or　twice；　but　each　time　a　tall　Elf　at　his　side　put　out　his　arm　and　saved　him　from　a　fall。　Sam　walked　along　at　Frodo's　side；　as　if　in　a　dream；　with　an　expression　on　his　face　half　of　fear　and　half　of　astonished　joy。