The Lord of the Rings-指环王(英文版)-第72章

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g　Mathom　house；　I　suppose。'

'What？　'　cried　Gimli；　startled　out　of　his　silence。　'A　corslet　of　Moria　silver？　That　was　a　kingly　gift！　'

'Yes；'　said　Gandalf。　'I　never　told　him；　but　its　worth　was　greater　than　the　value　of　the　whole　Shire　and　everything　in　it。'

Frodo　said　nothing；　but　he　put　his　hand　under　his　tunic　and　touched　the　rings　of　his　mailshirt。　He　felt　staggered　to　think　that　he　had　been　walking　about　with　the　price　of　the　Shire　under　his　jacket。　Had　Bilbo　known？　He　felt　no　doubt　that　Bilbo　knew　quite　well。　It　was　indeed　a　kingly　gift。　But　now　his　thoughts　had　been　carried　away　from　the　dark　Mines；　to　Rivendell；　to　Bilbo；　and　to　Bag　End　in　the　days　while　Bilbo　was　still　there。　He　wished　with　all　his　heart　that　he　was　back　there；　and　in　those　days；　mowing　the　lawn；　or　pottering　among　the　flowers；　and　that　he　had　never　heard　of　Moria；　or　mithril　　or　the　Ring。

A　deep　silence　fell。　One　by　one　the　others　fell　asleep。　Frodo　was　on　guard。　As　if　it　were　a　breath　that　came　in　through　unseen　doors　out　of　deep　places；　dread　came　over　him。　His　hands　were　cold　and　his　brow　damp。　He　listened。　All　his　mind　was　given　to　listening　and　nothing　else　for　two　slow　hours；　but　he　heard　no　sound；　not　even　the　imagined　echo　of　a　footfall。

His　watch　was　nearly　over；　when；　far　off　where　he　guessed　that　the　western　archway　stood；　he　fancied　that　he　could　see　two　pale　points　of　light；　almost　like　luminous　eyes。　He　started。　His　head　had　nodded。　'I　must　have　nearly　fallen　asleep　on　guard；'　he　thought。　'I　was　on　the　edge　of　a　dream。'　He　stood　up　and　rubbed　his　eyes；　and　remained　standing；　peering　into　the　dark；　until　he　was　relieved　by　Legolas。

When　he　lay　down　he　quickly　went　to　sleep；　but　it　seemed　to　him　that　the　dream　went　on：　he　heard　whispers；　and　saw　the　two　pale　points　of　light　approaching；　slowly。　He　woke　and　found　that　the　others　were　speaking　softly　near　him；　and　that　a　dim　light　was　falling　on　his　face。　High　up　above　the　eastern　archway　through　a　shaft　near　the　roof　came　a　long　pale　gleam；　and　across　the　hall　through　the　northern　arch　light　also　glimmered　faint　and　distantly。

Frodo　sat　up。　'Good　morning！　'　said　Gandalf：　'For　morning　it　is　again　at　last。　I　was　right；　you　see。　We　are　high　up　on　the　east　side　of　Moria。　Before　today　is　over　we　ought　to　find　the　Great　Gates　and　see　the　waters　of　Mirrormere　lying　in　the　Dimrill　Dale　before　us。'

'I　shall　be　glad；'　said　Gimli。　'I　have　looked　on　Moria；　and　it　is　very　great；　but　it　has　bee　dark　and　dreadful；　and　we　have　found　no　sign　of　my　kindred。　I　doubt　now　that　Balin　ever　came　here。'

After　they　had　breakfasted　Gandalf　decided　to　go　on　again　at　once。　'We　are　tired；　but　we　shall　rest　better　when　we　are　outside；'　he　said。　'I　think　that　none　of　us　will　wish　to　spend　another　night　in　Moria。'

'No　indeed！　'　said　Boromir。　'Which　way　shall　we　take？　Yonder　eastward　arch？　'

'Maybe；'　said　Gandalf。　'But　I　du　not　know　yet　exactly　where　we　are。　Unless　I　am　quite　astray；　I　guess　that　we　are　above　and　to　the　north　of　the　Great　Gates；　and　it　may　not　be　easy　to　find　the　right　road　down　to　them。　The　eastern　arch　will　probably　prove　to　be　the　way　that　we　must　take；　but　before　we　make　up　our　minds　we　ought　to　look　about　us。　Let　us　go　towards　that　light　in　the　north　door。　If　we　could　find　a　window　it　would　help；　but　I　fear　that　the　light　es　only　down　deep　shafts。'

Following　his　lead　the　pany　passed　under　the　northern　arch。　They　found　themselves　in　a　wide　corridor。　As　they　went　along　it　the　glimmer　grew　stronger；　and　they　saw　that　it　came　through　a　doorway　on　their　right。　It　was　high　and　flattopped；　and　the　stone　door　was　still　upon　its　hinges；　standing　half　open。　Beyond　it　ber。　It　was　dimly　lit；　but　to　their　eyes；　after　so　long　a　time　in　the　dark；　it　seemed　dazzlingly　bright；　and　they　blinked　as　they　entered。

Their　feet　disturbed　a　deep　dust　upon　the　floor；　and　stumbled　among　things　lying　in　the　doorway　whose　shapes　they　could　not　at　first　make　out。　The　chamber　was　lit　by　a　wide　shaft　high　in　the　further　eastern　wall；　it　slanted　upwards　and；　far　above；　a　small　square　patch　of　blue　sky　could　be　seen。　The　light　of　the　shaft　fell　directly　on　a　table　in　the　middle　of　the　room：　a　single　oblong　block；　about　two　feet　high；　upon　which　was　laid　a　great　slab　of　white　stone。

'It　looks　like　a　tomb；'　muttered　Frodo；　and　bent　forwards　with　a　curious　sense　of　foreboding；　to　look　more　closely　at　it。　Gandalf　came　quickly　to　his　side。　On　the　slab　runes　were　deeply　graven：

'These　are　Daeron's　Runes；　such　as　were　used　of　old　in　Moria；'　said　Gandalf。　'Here　is　written　in　the　tongues　of　Men　and　Dwarves：

　BALIN　SON　OF　FUNDIN

　LORD　OF　MORIA。'

'He　is　dead　then；'　said　Frodo。　'I　feared　it　was　so。'　Gimli　cast　his　hood　over　his　face。

Chapter　5
The　Bridge　of　Khazadd？m
　

The　pany　of　the　Ring　stood　silent　beside　the　tomb　of　Balin。　Frodo　thought　of　Bilbo　and　his　long　friendship　with　the　dwarf；　and　of　Balin's　visit　to　the　Shire　long　ago。　In　that　dusty　chamber　in　the　mountains　it　seemed　a　thousand　years　ago　and　on　the　other　side　of　the　world。

At　length　they　stirred　and　looked　up；　and　began　to　search　for　anything　that　would　give　them　tidings　of　Balin's　fate；　or　show　what　had　bee　of　his　folk。　There　was　another　smaller　door　on　the　other　side　of　the　chamber；　under　the　shaft。　By　both　the　doors　they　could　now　see　that　many　bones　were　lying；　and　among　them　were　broken　swords　and　axeheads；　and　cloven　shields　and　helms。

　Some　of　the　swords　were　crooked：　orcscimitars　with　blackened　blades。

There　were　many　recesses　cut　in　the　rock　of　the　walls；　and　in　them　were　large　ironbound　chests　of　wood。　All　had　been　broken　and　plundered；　but　beside　the　shattered　lid　of　one　there　lay　the　remains　of　a　book。　It　had　been　slashed　and　stabbed　and　partly　burned；　and　it　was　so　stained　with　black　and　other　dark　marks　like　old　blood　that　little　of　it　could　be　read。　Gandalf　lifted　it　carefully；　but　the　leaves　crackled　and　broke　as　he　laid　it　on　the　slab。　He　pored　over　it　for　some　time　without　speaking。　Frodo　and　Gimli　standing　at　his　side　could　see；　as　he　gingerly　turned　the　leaves；　that　they　were　written　by　many　different　hands；　in　runes；　both　of　Moria　and　of　Dale；　and　here　and　there　in　Elvish　script。

At　last　Gandalf　looked　up。　'It　seems　to　be　a　record　of　the　fortunes　of　Balin's　folk；'　he　said。　'I　guess　that　it　began　with　their　ing　to　Dimrill　Dale　nigh　on　thirty　years　ago：　the　pages　seem　to　have　numbers　referring　to　the　years　after　their　arrival。　The　top　page　is　marked　one；　three；　so　at　least　two　are　missing　from　the　beginning。　Listen　to　this！

'We　drove　out　orcs　from　the　great　gate　and　guard。　I　think；　the　next　word　is　blurred　and　burned；　probably　room；　we　slew　many　in　the　bright。　I　think。　sun　in　the　dale。　Flói　was　killed　by　an　arrow。　He　slew　the　great。　Then　there　is　a　blur　followed　by　Flói　under　grass　near　Mirror　mere。　The　next　line　or　two　I　cannot　read。　Then　es　We　have　taken　the　twentyfirst　hall　of　North　end　to　dwell　in。　There　is　I　cannot　read　what。　A　shaft　is　mentioned。　Then　Balin　has　set　up　his　seat　in　the　Chamber　of　Mazarbul。'

'The　Chamber　of　Records；'　said　Gimli。　'I　guess　that　is　where　we　now　stand。'

'Well；　I　can　read　no　more　for　a　long　way；'　said　Gandalf；　'except　the　word　gold；　and　Durin's　Axe　and　something　helm。　Then　Balin　is　now　lord　of　Moria。　That　seems　to　end　a　chapter。　After　some　stars　another　hand　begins；　and　I　can　see　we　found　truesilver；　and　later　the　word　wellfed　and　then　something；　I　have　it！　mithril；　and　the　last　two　lines　óin　to　seek　for　the　upper　armouries　of　Third　Deep；　something　go　westwards；　a　blur；　to　Hollin　gate。'

Gandalf　paused　and　set　a　few　leaves　aside。　'There　are　several　pages　of　the　same　sort；　rather　hastily　written　and　much　damaged；　he　said；　'but　I　can　make　little　of　them　in　this　light。　Now　there　must　be　a　number　of　leaves　missing；　because　they　begin　to　be　numbered　five；　the　fifth　year　of　the　colony；　I　suppose。　Let　me　see！　No；　they　are　too　cut　and　stained；　I　cannot　read　them。　We　might　do　better　in　the　sunlight。　Wait！　Here　is　something：　a　large　bold　hand　using　an　Elvish　script。'

'That　would　be　Ori's　hand；'　said　Gimli；　looking　over　the　wizard's　arm。　'He　could　write　well　and　speedily；　and　often　used　the　Elvish　characters。'

'I　fear　he　had　ill　tidings　to　record　in　a　fair　hand；'　said　Gandalf。　'The　first　clear　word　is　sorrow；　but　the　rest　of　the　line　is　lost；　unless　it　ends　in　estre。　Yes；　it　must　be　yestre　followed　by　day　being　the　tenth　of　novembre　Balin　lord　of　Moria　fell　in　Dimrill　Dale。　He　went　alone　to　look　in　Mirror　mere。　an　orc　shot　him　from　behind　a　stone。　we　slew　the　orc；　hut　many　more　。。。　up　from　east　up　the　Silverlode。　The　remainder　of　the　page　is　so　blurred　that　I　can　hardly　make　anything　out；　but　I　think　I　can　read　we　have　barred　the　gates；　and　then　can　hold　them　long　if；　and　then　perhaps　horrible　and　suffer。　Poor　Balin！　He　seems　to　have　kept　the　title　that　he　took　for　less　than　five　years。　I　wonder　what　happened　afterwards；　but　there　is　no　time　to　puzzle　out　the　last　few　pages。　Here　is　the　last　page　of　all。'　He　paused　and　sighed。

'It　is　grim　reading；'　he　said。　'I　fear　their　end　was　cruel。　Listen！　We　cannot　get　out。　We　cannot　get　out。　They　have　taken　the　Bridge　and　second　hall。　Frár　and　Lóni　and　Náli　fell　there。　Then　there　are　four　lines　smeared　so　that　I　can　only　read　went　5　days　ago。　The　last　lines　run　the　pool　is　up　to　the　wall　at　Westgate。　The　Watcher　in　the　Water　took　óin。　We　cannot　get　out。　The　end　es；　and　then　drums；　drums　in　the　deep。　I　wonder　what　that　means。　The　last　thing　written　is　in　a　trailing　scrawl　of　elfletters：　they　are　ing。　There　is　nothing　more。'　Gandalf　paused　and　stood　in　silent　thought。

A　sudden　dread　and　a　horror　of　the　chamber　fell　on　the　pany。　'We　cannot　get　out；'　muttered　Gimli。　'It　was　well　for　us　that　the　pool　had　sunk　a　little；　and　that　the　Watcher　was　sleeping　down　at　the　southern　end。'

Gandalf　raised　his　head　and　looked　round。　'They　seem　to　have　made　a　last　stand　by　both　doors；'　he　said；　'but　there　were　not　many　left　by　that　time。　So　ended　the　attempt　to　retake　Moria！　It　was　valiant　but　foolish。　The　time　is　not　e　yet。　Now；　I　fear；　we　must　say　farewell　to　Balin　son　of　Fundin。　Here　he　must　lie　in　the　halls　of　his　fathers。　We　will　take　this　book；　the　Book　of　Mazarbul；　and　look　at　it　more　closely　later。　You　had　better　keep　it；　Gimli