The Lord of the Rings-指环王(英文版)-第17章

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A　Short　Cut　to　Mushrooms
　

In　the　morning　Frodo　woke　refreshed。　He　was　lying　in　a　bower　made　by　a　living　tree　with　branches　laced　and　drooping　to　the　ground；　his　bed　was　of　fern　and　grass；　deep　and　soft　and　strangely　fragrant。　The　sun　was　shining　through　the　fluttering　leaves；　which　were　still　green　upon　the　tree。　He　jumped　up　and　went　out。

Sam　was　sitting　on　the　grass　near　the　edge　of　the　wood。　Pippin　was　standing　studying　the　sky　and　weather。　There　was　no　sign　of　the　Elves。

'They　have　left　us　fruit　and　drink；　and　bread；'　said　Pippin。　'e　and　have　your　breakfast。　The　bread　tastes　almost　as　good　as　it　did　last　night。　I　did　not　want　to　leave　you　any；　but　Sam　insisted。'

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。

'Do　you　think　we　shall　see　anything　of　those　Riders？'　asked　Pippin　cheerfully。　Under　the　morning　sun　the　prospect　of　seeing　a　whole　troop　of　them　did　not　seem　very　alarming　to　him。

'Yes；　probably；'　said　Frodo；　not　liking　the　reminder。　'But　I　hope　to　get　across　the　river　without　their　seeing　us。'

'Did　you　find　out　anything　about　them　from　Gildor？'

'Not　much　。　only　hints　and　riddles；'　said　Frodo　evasively。　'Did　you　ask　about　the　sniffing？'

'We　didn't　discuss　it；'　said　Frodo　with　his　mouth　full。

'You　should　have。　I　am　sure　it　is　very　important。'

'In　that　case　I　am　sure　Gildor　would　have　refused　to　explain　it；'　said　Frodo　sharply。　'And　now　leave　me　in　peace　for　a　bit！　I　don't　want　to　ans　eating。　I　want　to　think！'

'Good　heavens！'　said　Pippin。　'At　breakfast？'　He　walked　away　towards　the　edge　of　the　green。

From　Frodo's　mind　the　bright　morning　。　treacherously　bright；　he　thought　。　had　not　banished　the　fear　of　pursuit；　and　he　pondered　the　words　of　Gildor。　The　merry　voice　of　Pippin　came　to　him。　He　was　running　on　the　green　turf　and　singing。

'No！　I　could　not！'　he　said　to　himself。　'It　is　one　thing　to　take　my　young　friends　walking　over　the　Shire　with　me；　until　we　are　hungry　and　weary；　and　food　and　bed　are　sweet。　To　take　them　into　exile；　where　hunger　and　weariness　may　have　no　cure；　is　quite　another　。　even　if　they　are　willing　to　e。　The　inheritance　is　mine　alone。　I　don't　think　I　ought　even　to　take　Sam。'　He　looked　at　Sam　Gamgee；　and　discovered　that　Sam　was　watching　him。

'Well；　Sam！'　he　said。　'What　about　it？　I　am　leaving　the　Shire　as　soon　as　ever　I　can　。　in　fact　I　have　made　up　my　mind　now　not　even　to　wait　a　day　at　Crickhollow；　if　it　can　be　helped。'

'Very　good；　sir！'

'You　still　mean　to　e　with　me？'

'I　do。'

'It　is　going　to　be　very　dangerous；　Sam。　'It　is　already　dangerous。　Most　likely　neither　of　us　will　e　back。'

'If　you　don't　e　back；　sir；　then　I　shan't；　that's　certain；'　said　Sam。　'Don't　you　leave　him！　they　said　to　me。　Leave　him！　I　said。　I　never　mean　to。　I　am　going　with　him；　if　he　climbs　to　the　Moon；　and　if　any　of　those　Black　Rulers　try　to　stop　him；　they'll　have　Sam　Gamgee　to　reckon　with；　I　said。　They　laughed。'

'Who　are　they；　and　what　are　you　talking　about？'

'The　Elves；　sir。　We　had　some　talk　last　night；　and　they　seemed　to　know　you　were　going　away；　so　I　didn't　see　the　use　of　denying　it。　Wonderful　folk；　Elves；　sir！　Wonderful！'

'They　are；'　said　Frodo。　'Do　you　like　them　still；　now　you　have　had　a　closer　view？'

'They　seem　a　bit　above　my　likes　and　dislikes；　so　to　speak；'　answered　Sam　slowly。　'It　don't　seem　to　matter　what　I　think　about　them。　They　are　quite　different　from　what　I　expected　。　so　old　and　young；　and　so　gay　and　sad；　as　it　were。'

Frodo　looked　at　Sam　rather　startled；　half　expecting　to　see　some　outward　sign　of　the　odd　change　that　seemed　to　have　e　over　him。　It　did　not　sound　like　the　voice　of　the　old　Sam　Gamgee　that　he　thought　he　knew。　But　it　looked　like　the　old　Sam　Gamgee　sitting　there；　except　that　his　face　was　unusually　thoughtful。

'Do　you　feel　any　need　to　leave　the　Shire　now　。　now　that　your　wish　to　see　them　has　e　true　already？'　he　asked。

'Yes；　sir。　I　don't　know　how　to　say　it；　but　after　last　night　I　feel　different。　I　seem　to　see　ahead；　in　a　kind　of　way。　I　know　we　are　going　to　take　a　very　long　road；　into　darkness；　but　I　know　I　can't　turn　back。　It　isn't　to　see　Elves　now；　nor　dragons；　nor　mountains；　that　I　want　。　I　don't　rightly　know　what　I　want：　but　I　have　something　to　do　before　the　end；　and　it　lies　ahead；　not　in　the　Shire。　I　must　see　it　through；　sir；　if　you　understand　me。'

'I　don't　altogether。　But　I　understand　that　Gandalf　chose　me　a　good　panion。　I　am　content。　We　will　go　together。'

Frodo　finished　his　breakfast　in　silence。　Then　standing　up　he　looked　over　the　land　ahead；　and　called　to　Pippin。

'All　ready　to　start？'　he　said　as　Pippin　ran　up。　'We　must　be　getting　off　at　once。　We　slept　late；　and　there　are　a　good　many　miles　to　go。'

'You　slept　late；　you　mean；'　said　Pippin。　'I　was　up　long　before；　and　we　are　only　waiting　for　you　to　finish　eating　and　thinking。'

'I　have　finished　both　now。　And　I　am　going　to　make　for　Bucklebury　Ferry　as　quickly　as　possible。　I　am　not　going　out　of　the　way；　back　to　the　road　we　left　last　night：　I　am　going　to　cut　straight　across　country　from　here。'

'Then　you　are　going　to　fly；'　said　Pippin。　'You　won't　cut　straight　on　foot　anywhere　in　this　country。'

'We　can　cut　straighter　than　the　road　anyway；'　answered　Frodo。　'The　Ferry　is　east　from　Woodhall；　but　the　hard　road　curves　away　to　the　left　you　can　see　a　bend　of　it　away　north　over　there。　It　goes　round　the　north　end　of　the　Marish　so　as　to　strike　the　causeway　from　the　Bridge　above　Stock。　But　that　is　miles　out　of　the　way。　We　could　save　a　quarter　of　the　distance　if　we　made　a　line　for　the　Ferry　from　where　we　stand。'

'Short　cuts　make　long　delays；'　argued　Pippin。　'The　country　is　rough　round　here；　and　there　are　bogs　and　all　kinds　of　difficulties　down　in　the　Marish　I　know　the　land　in　these　parts。　And　if　you　are　worrying　about　Black　Riders；　I　can't　see　that　it　is　any　worse　meeting　them　on　a　road　than　in　a　wood　or　a　field。'

'It　is　less　easy　to　find　people　in　the　woods　and　fields；'　answered　Frodo。　'And　if　you　are　supposed　to　be　on　the　road；　there　is　some　chance　that　you　will　be　looked　for　on　the　road　and　not　off　it。'

'All　right！'　said　Pippin。　'I　will　follow　you　into　every　bog　and　ditch。　But　it　is　hard！　I　had　counted　on　passing　the　Golden　Perch　at　Stock　before　sundown。　The　best　beer　in　the　Eastfarthing；　or　used　to　be：　it　is　a　long　time　since　I　tasted　it。'

'That　settles　it！'　said　Frodo。　'Short　cuts　make　delays；　but　inns　make　longer　ones。　At　all　costs　we　must　keep　you　away　from　the　Golden　Perch。　We　want　to　get　to　Bucklebury　before　dark。　What　do　you　say；　Sam？'

'I　will　go　along　with　you；　Mr。　Frodo；'　said　Sam　（in　spite　of　private　misgiving　and　a　deep　regret　for　the　best　beer　in　the　Eastfarthing）。

'Then　if　we　are　going　to　toil　through　bog　and　briar；　let's　go　now！'　said　Pippin。

It　was　already　nearly　as　hot　as　it　had　been　the　day　before；　but　clouds　were　beginning　to　e　up　from　the　West。　It　looked　likely　to　turn　to　rain。　The　hobbits　scrambled　down　a　steep　green　bank　and　plunged　into　the　thick　trees　below。　Their　course　had　been　chosen　to　leave　Woodhall　to　their　left；　and　to　cut　slanting　through　the　woods　that　clustered　along　the　eastern　side　of　the　hills；　until　they　reached　the　flats　beyond。　Then　they　could　make　straight　for　the　Ferry　over　country　that　was　open；　except　for　a　few　ditches　and　fences。　Frodo　reckoned　they　had　eighteen　miles　to　go　in　a　straight　line。

He　soon　found　that　the　thicket　was　closer　and　more　tangled　than　it　had　appeared。　There　were　no　paths　in　the　undergrowth；　and　they　did　not　get　on　very　fast。　When　they　had　struggled　to　the　bottom　of　the　bank；　they　found　a　stream　running　down　from　the　hills　behind　in　a　deeply　dug　bed　with　steep　slippery　sides　overhung　with　brambles。　Most　inconveniently　it　cut　across　the　line　they　had　chosen。　They　could　not　jump　over　it；　nor　indeed　get　across　it　at　all　without　getting　wet；　scratched；　and　muddy。　They　halted；　wondering　what　to　do。　'First　check！'　said　Pippin；　smiling　grimly。

Sam　Gamgee　looked　back。　Through　an　opening　in　the　trees　he　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　top　of　the　green　bank　from　which　they　had　climbed　down。

'Look！'　he　said；　clutching　Frodo　by　the　arm。　They　all　looked；　and　on　the　edge　high　above　them　they　saw　against　the　sky　a　horse　standing。　Beside　it　stooped　a　black　figure。

They　at　once　gave　up　any　idea　of　going　back。　Frodo　led　the　way；　and　plunged　quickly　into　the　thick　bushes　beside　the　stream。　'Whew！'　he　said　to　Pippin。　'We　were　both　right！　The　short　cut　has　gone　crooked　already；　but　we　got　under　cover　only　just　in　time。　You've　got　sharp　ears；　Sam：　can　you　hear　anything　ing？'

They　stood　still；　almost　holding　their　breath　as　they　listened；　but　there　was　no　sound　of　pursuit。　'I　don't　fancy　he　would　try　bringing　his　horse　down　that　bank；'　said　Sam。　'But　I　guess　he　knows　we　came　down　it。　We　had　better　be　going　on。'

Going　on　was　not　altogether　easy。　They　had　packs　to　carry；　and　the　bushes　and　brambles　were　reluctant　to　let　them　through。　They　were　cut　off　from　the　wind　by　the　ridge　behind；　and　the　air　was　still　and　stuffy。　When　they　forced　their　way　at　last　into　more　open　ground；　they　were　hot　and　tired　and　very　scratched；　and　they　were　also　no　longer　certain　of　the　direction　in　which　they　were　going。　The　banks　of　the　stream　sank；　as　it　reached　the　levels　and　became　broader　and　shallower；　wandering　off　towards　the　Marish　and　the　River。

'Why；　this　is　the　Stockbrook！'　said　Pippin。　'If　we　are　going　to　try　and　get　back　on　to　our　course；　we　must　cross　at　once　and　bear　right。'

They　waded　the　stream；　and　hurried　over　a　wide　open　space；　rushgrown　and　treeless；　on　the　further　side。　Beyond　that　they　came　again　to　a　belt　of　trees：　tall　oaks；　for　the　most　part；　with　here　and　there　an　elm　tree　or　an　ash。　The　ground　was　fairly　level；　and　there　was　little　undergrowth；　but　the　trees　were　loo　close　for　them　to　see　far　ahead。　The　leaves　blew　upwards　in　sudden　gusts　of　wind；　and　spots　of　rain　began　to　fall　from　the　overcast　sky。　Then　the　wind　died　away　and　the　rain　came　streaming　down。　They　trudged　along　as　fast　as　they　could；　over　patches　of　grass；　and　through　thick　drifts　of　old　leaves；　and　all　about　them　the　rain　pattered　and　trickled。　They　did　not　talk；　but　kept　glancing　back；　and　from　side　to　side。