The Lord of the Rings-指环王(英文版)-第63章

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s　head　bowed　to　his　knees；　only　Elrond　knew　fully　what　this　hour　meant　to　him。　The　others　could　be　seen　as　grey　shapes　in　the　darkness。

Sam　was　standing　by　the　pony；　sucking　his　teeth；　and　staring　moodily　into　the　gloom　where　the　river　roared　stonily　below；　his　desire　for　adventure　was　at　its　lowest　ebb。

'Bill；　my　lad；'　he　said；　'you　oughtn't　to　have　took　up　with　us。　You　could　have　stayed　here　and　et　the　best　hay　till　the　new　grass　es。'　Bill　swished　his　tail　and　said　nothing。

Sam　eased　the　pack　on　his　shoulders；　and　went　over　anxiously　in　his　mind　all　the　things　that　he　had　stowed　in　it；　wondering　if　he　had　fotten　anything：　his　chief　treasure；　his　cooking　gear；　and　the　little　box　of　salt　that　he　always　carried　and　refilled　when　he　could；　a　good　supply　of　pipeweed　（but　not　near　enough；　I'll　warrant）；　flint　and　tinder；　woollen　hose：　linen；　various　small　belongings　of　his　master's　that　Frodo　had　fotten　and　Sam　had　stowed　to　bring　them　out　in　triumph　when　they　were　called　for。　He　went　through　them　all。

'Rope！'　he　muttered。　'No　rope！　And　only　last　night　you　said　to　yourself：　〃Sam；　what　about　a　bit　of　rope？　You'll　want　it；　if　you　haven't　got　it：〃　Well；　I'll　want　it。　I　can't　get　it　now。'

At　that　moment　Elrond　came　out　with　Gandalf；　and　he　called　the　pany　to　him。　'This　is　my　last　word；'　he　said　in　a　low　voice。　'The　Ringbearer　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　pany　and　the　Council；　and　only　then　in　gravest　need。　The　others　go　with　him　as　free　panions；　to　help　him　on　his　way。　You　may　tarry；　or　e　back；　or　turn　aside　into　other　paths；　as　chance　allows。　The　further　you　go；　the　less　easy　will　it　be　to　withdraw；　yet　no　oath　or　bond　is　laid　on　you　to　go　further　than　you　will。　For　you　do　not　yet　know　the　strength　of　your　hearts；　and　you　cannot　foresee　what　each　may　meet　upon　the　road。'

'Faithless　is　he　that　says　farewell　when　the　road　darkens；'　said　Gimli。

'Maybe；'　said　Elrond；　'but　let　him　not　vow　to　walk　in　the　dark；　who　has　not　seen　the　nightfall。'

'Yet　sworn　word　may　strengthen　quaking　heart；'　said　Gimli。

'Or　break　it；'　said　Elrond。　'Look　not　too　far　ahead！　But　go　now　with　good　hearts！　Farewell；　and　may　the　blessing　of　Elves　and　Men　and　all　Free　Folk　go　with　you。　May　the　stars　shine　upon　your　faces！'

'Good　。　。　。　good　luck！'　cried　Bilbo；　stuttering　with　the　cold。　'I　don't　suppose　you　will　be　able　to　keep　a　diary；　Frodo　my　lad；　but　I　shall　expect　a　full　account　when　you　get　back。　And　don't　be　too　long！　Farewell！'

Many　others　of　Elrond's　household　stood　in　the　shadows　and　watched　them　go；　bidding　them　farewell　with　soft　voices。　There　was　no　laughter；　and　no　song　or　music。　At　last　they　turned　away　and　faded　silently　into　the　dusk。

They　crossed　the　bridge　and　wound　slowly　up　the　long　steep　paths　that　led　out　of　the　cloven　vale　of　Rivendell；　and　they　came　at　length　to　the　high　moor　where　the　wind　hissed　through　the　heather。　Then　with　one　glance　at　the　Last　Homely　House　twinkling　below　them　they　strode　away　far　into　the　night。

At　the　Ford　of　Bruinen　they　left　the　Road　and　turning　southwards　went　on　by　narrow　paths　among　the　folded　lands。　Their　purpose　was　to　hold　this　course　west　of　the　Mountains　for　many　miles　and　days。　The　country　was　much　rougher　and　more　barren　than　in　the　green　vale　of　the　Great　River　in　Wilderland　on　the　other　side　of　the　range；　and　their　going　would　be　slow；　but　they　hoped　in　this　way　to　escape　the　notice　of　unfriendly　eyes。　The　spies　of　Sauron　had　hitherto　seldom　been　seen　in　this　empty　country；　and　the　paths　were　little　known　except　to　the　people　of　Rivendell。

Gandalf　walked　in　front；　and　with　him　went　Aragorn；　who　knew　this　land　even　in　the　dark。　The　others　were　in　file　behind；　and　Legolas　whose　eyes　were　keen　was　the　rearguard。　The　first　part　of　their　journey　was　hard　and　dreary；　and　Frodo　remembered　little　of　it；　save　the　wind。　For　many　sunless　days　an　icy　blast　came　from　the　Mountains　in　the　east；　and　no　garment　seemed　able　to　keep　out　its　searching　fingers。　Though　the　pany　was　well　clad；　they　seldom　felt　warm；　either　moving　or　at　rest。　They　slept　uneasily　during　the　middle　of　the　day；　in　some　hollow　of　the　land；　or　hidden　under　the　tangled　thornbushes　that　grew　in　thickets　in　many　places。　In　the　late　afternoon　they　were　roused　by　the　watch；　and　took　their　chief　meal：　cold　and　cheerless　as　a　rule；　for　they　could　seldom　risk　the　lighting　of　a　fire。　In　the　evening　they　went　on　again；　always　as　nearly　southward　as　they　could　find　a　way。

At　first　it　seemed　to　the　hobbits　that　although　they　walked　and　stumbled　until　they　were　weary；　they　were　creeping　forward　like　snails；　and　getting　nowhere。　Each　day　the　land　looked　much　the　same　as　it　had　the　day　before。　Yet　steadily　the　mountains　were　drawing　nearer。　South　of　Rivendell　they　rose　ever　higher；　and　bent　westwards；　and　about　the　feet　of　the　main　range　there　was　tumbled　an　ever　wider　land　of　bleak　hills；　and　deep　valleys　filled　with　turbulent　waters。　Paths　were　few　and　winding；　and　led　them　often　only　to　the　edge　of　some　sheer　fall；　or　down　into　treacherous　swamps。

They　had　been　a　fortnight　on　the　way　when　the　weather　changed。　The　wind　suddenly　fell　and　then　veered　round　to　the　south。　The　swiftflowing　clouds　lifted　and　melted　away；　and　the　sun　came　out；　pale　and　bright。　There　came　a　cold　clear　dawn　at　the　end　of　a　long　stumbling　nightmarch。　The　travellers　reached　a　low　ridge　crowned　with　ancient　hollytrees　whose　greygreen　trunks　seemed　to　have　been　built　out　of　the　very　stone　of　the　hills。　Their　dark　leaves　shone　and　their　berries　glowed　red　in　the　light　of　the　rising　sun。

Away　in　the　south　Frodo　could　see　the　dim　shapes　of　lofty　mountains　that　seemed　now　to　stand　across　the　path　that　the　pany　was　taking。　At　the　left　of　this　high　range　rose　three　peaks；　the　tallest　and　nearest　stood　up　like　a　tooth　tipped　with　snow；　its　great；　bare；　northern　precipice　was　still　largely　in　the　shadow；　but　where　the　sunlight　slanted　upon　it；　it　glowed　red。

Gandalf　stood　at　Frodo's　side　and　looked　out　under　his　hand。　'We　have　done　well；'　he　said。　'We　have　reached　the　borders　of　the　country　that　Men　call　Hollin；　many　Elves　lived　here　in　happier　days；　when　Eregion　was　its　name。　Fiveandforty　leagues　as　the　crow　flies　we　have　e；　though　many　long　miles　further　our　feet　have　walked。　The　land　and　the　weather　will　be　milder　now；　but　perhaps　all　the　more　dangerous。'

'Dangerous　or　not；　a　real　sunrise　is　mighty　wele；'　said　Frodo；　throwing　back　his　hood　and　letting　the　morning　light　fall　on　his　face。

'But　the　mountains　are　ahead　of　us；'　said　Pippin。　'We　must　have　turned　eastwards　in　the　night。'

'No；'　said　Gandalf。　'But　you　see　further　ahead　in　the　clear　light。　Beyond　those　peaks　the　range　bends　round　southwest。　There　are　many　maps　in　Elrond's　house；　but　I　suppose　you　never　thought　to　look　at　them？'

'Yes　I　did；　sometimes；'　said　Pippin；　'but　I　don't　remember　them。　Frodo　has　a　better　head　for　that　sort　of　thing。'

'I　need　no　map；'　said　Gimli；　who　had　e　up　with　Legolas；　and　was　gazing　out　before　him　with　a　strange　light　in　his　deep　eyes。　'There　is　the　land　where　our　fathers　worked　of　old；　and　we　have　wrought　the　image　of　those　mountains　into　many　works　of　metal　and　of　stone；　and　into　many　songs　and　tales。　They　stand　tall　in　our　dreams：　Baraz；　Zirak；　Shath。r。

'Only　once　before　have　I　seen　them　from　afar　in　waking　life；　but　I　know　them　and　their　names；　for　under　them　lies　Khazadd？m；　the　Dwarrowdelf；　that　is　now　called　the　Black　Pit；　Moria　in　the　Elvish　tongue。　Yonder　stands　Barazinbar；　the　Redhorn；　cruel　Caradhras；　and　beyond　him　are　Silvertine　and　Cloudyhead：　Celebdil　the　White；　and　Fanuidhol　the　Grey；　that　we　call　Zirak　zigil　and　Bundushath。r。

'There　the　Misty　Mountains　divide；　and　between　their　arms　lies　the　deep　shadowed　valley　which　we　cannot　fet：　Azanulbizar；　the　Dimrill　Dale；　which　the　Elves　call　Nanduhirion。'

'It　is　for　the　Dimrill　Dale　that　we　are　making；'　said　Gandalf。　'If　we　climb　the　pass　that　is　called　the　Redhorn　Gate；　under　the　far　side　of　Caradhras；　we　shall　e　down　by　the　Dimrill　Stair　into　the　deep　vale　of　the　Dwarves。　There　lies　the　Mirrormere；　and　there　the　River　Silverlode　rises　in　its　icy　springs。'

'Dark　is　the　water　of　Kheledzaram；'　said　Gimli；　'and　cold　are　the　springs　of　Kibilnala。　My　heart　trembles　at　the　thought　that　I　may　see　them　soon。'

'May　you　have　joy　of　the　sight；　my　good　dwarf　l'　said　Gandalf。　'But　whatever　you　may　do；　we　at　least　cannot　stay　in　that　valley。　We　must　go　down　the　Silverlode　into　the　secret　woods；　and　so　to　the　Great　River；　and　then—'

He　paused。

'Yes；　and　where　then？'　asked　Merry。

'To　the　end　of　the　journey　。　in　the　end；'　said　Gandalf。　'We　cannot　look　too　far　ahead。　Let　us　be　glad　that　the　first　stage　is　safely　over。　I　think　we　will　rest　here；　not　only　today　but　tonight　as　well。　There　is　a　wholesome　air　about　Hollin。　Much　evil　must　befall　a　country　before　it　wholly　fets　the　Elves；　if　once　they　dwelt　there。'

'That　is　true；'　said　Legolas。　'But　the　Elves　of　this　land　were　of　a　race　strange　to　us　of　the　silvan　folk；　and　the　trees　and　the　grass　do　not　now　remember　them：　Only　I　hear　the　stones　lament　them：　deep　they　delved　us；　fair　they　wrought　us；　high　they　builded　us；　but　they　are　gone。　They　are　gone。　They　sought　the　Havens　long　ago。'

That　morning　they　lit　a　fire　in　a　deep　hollow　shrouded　by　great　bushes　of　holly；　and　their　supperbreakfast　was　merrier　than　it　had　been　since　they　set　out。　They　did　not　hurry　to　bed　afterwards；　for　they　expected　to　have　all　the　night　to　sleep　in；　and　they　did　not　mean　to　go　on　again　until　the　evening　of　the　next　day。　Only　Aragorn　was　silent　and　restless。　After　a　while　he　left　the　pany　and　wandered　on　to　the　ridge；　there　he　stood　in　the　shadow　of　a　tree；　looking　out　southwards　and　westwards；　with　his　head　posed　as　if　he　was　listening。　Then　he　returned　to　the　brink　of　the　dell　and　looked　down　at　the　others　laughing　and　talking。

'What　is　the　matter；　Strider？'　Merry　called　up。　'What　are　you　looking　for？　Do　you　miss　the　East　Wind？'

'No　indeed；'　he　answered。　'But　I　miss　something。　I　have　been　in　the　country　of　Hollin　in　many　seasons。　No　folk　dwell　here　now；　but　many　other　creatures　live　h