The Lord of the Rings-指环王(英文版)-第75章

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'Gondor！　'　cried　Boromir　and　leaped　after　him。

At　that　moment　Gandalf　lifted　his　staff；　and　crying　aloud　he　smote　the　bridge　before　him。　The　staff　broke　asunder　and　fell　from　his　hand。　A　blinding　sheet　of　white　flame　sprang　up。　The　bridge　cracked。　Right　at　the　Balrog's　feet　it　broke；　and　the　stone　upon　which　it　stood　crashed　into　the　gulf；　while　the　rest　remained；　poised；　quivering　like　a　tongue　of　rock　thrust　out　into　emptiness。

With　a　terrible　cry　the　Balrog　fell　forward；　and　its　shadow　plunged　down　and　vanished。　But　even　as　it　fell　it　swung　its　whip；　and　the　thongs　lashed　and　curled　about　the　wizard's　knees；　dragging　him　to　the　brink。　He　staggered　and　fell；　grasped　vainly　at　the　stone；　and　slid　into　the　abyss。　'Fly；　you　fools！　'　he　cried；　and　was　gone。

The　fires　went　out；　and　blank　darkness　fell。　The　pany　stood　rooted　with　horror　staring　into　the　pit。　Even　as　Aragorn　and　Boromir　came　flying　back；　the　rest　of　the　bridge　cracked　and　fell。　With　a　cry　Aragorn　roused　them。

'e！　I　will　lead　you　now！　'　he　called。　'We　must　obey　his　last　mand。　Follow　me！　'

They　stumbled　wildly　up　the　great　stairs　beyond　the　door。　Aragorn　leading；　Boromir　at　the　rear。　At　the　top　was　a　wide　echoing　passage。　Along　this　they　fled。　Frodo　heard　Sam　at　his　side　weeping；　and　then　he　found　that　he　himself　was　weeping　as　he　ran。　Doom；　doom；　doom　the　drumbeats　rolled　behind；　mournful　now　and　slow；　doom！

They　ran　on。　The　light　grew　before　them；　great　shafts　pierced　the　roof。　They　ran　swifter。　They　passed　into　a　hall；　bright　with　daylight　from　its　high　windows　in　the　east。　They　fled　across　it。　Through　its　huge　broken　doors　they　passed；　and　suddenly　before　them　the　Great　Gates　opened；　an　arch　of　blazing　light。

There　was　a　guard　of　orcs　crouching　in　the　shadows　behind　the　great　door　posts　towering　on　either　side；　but　the　gates　were　shattered　and　cast　down。　Aragorn　smote　to　the　ground　the　captain　that　stood　in　his　path；　and　the　rest　fled　in　terror　of　his　wrath。　The　pany　swept　past　them　and　took　no　heed　of　them。　Out　of　the　Gates　they　ran　and　sprang　down　the　huge　and　ageworn　steps；　the　threshold　of　Moria。

Thus；　at　last；　they　came　beyond　hope　under　the　sky　and　felt　the　wind　on　their　faces。

They　did　not　halt　until　they　were　out　of　bowshot　from　the　walls。　Dimrill　Dale　lay　about　them。　The　shadow　of　the　Misty　Mountains　lay　upon　it；　but　eastwards　there　was　a　golden　light　on　the　land。　It　was　but　one　hour　after　noon。　The　sun　was　shining；　the　clouds　were　white　and　high。

They　looked　back。　Dark　yawned　the　archway　of　the　Gates　under　the　mountainshadow。　Faint　and　far　beneath　the　earth　rolled　the　slow　drumbeats：　doom。　A　thin　black　smoke　trailed　out。　Nothing　else　was　to　be　seen；　the　dale　all　around　was　empty。　Doom。　Grief　at　last　wholly　overcame　them；　and　they　wept　long：　some　standing　and　silent；　some　cast　upon　the　ground。　Doom；　doom。　The　drumbeats　faded。

Chapter　6
Lothlórien
　

'Alas！　I　Fear　we　cannot　stay　here　longer；'　said　Aragorn。　He　looked　towards　the　mountains　and　held　up　his　sword。　'Farewell；　Gandalf！　'　he　cried。　'Did　I　not　say　to　you：　if　you　pass　the　doors　of　Moria；　beware？　Alas　that　I　spoke　true！　What　hope　have　we　without　you？　'

He　turned　to　the　pany。　'We　must　do　without　hope；'　he　said。　'At　least　we　may　yet　be　avenged。　Let　us　gird　ourselves　and　weep　no　more！　e！　We　have　a　long　road；　and　much　to　do。'

They　rose　and　looked　about　them。　Northward　the　dale　ran　up　into　a　glen　of　shadows　between　two　great　arms　of　the　mountains；　above　which　three　white　peaks　were　shining：　Celebdil；　Fanuidhol；　Caradhras。　the　Mountains　of　Moria。　At　the　head　of　the　glen　a　torrent　flowed　like　a　white　lace　over　an　endless　ladder　of　short　falls；　and　a　mist　of　foam　hung　in　the　air　about　the　mountains'　feet。

'Yonder　is　the　Dimrill　Stair；'　said　Aragorn；　pointing　to　the　falls。　'Down　the　deepcloven　way　that　climbs　beside　the　torrent　we　should　have　e；　if　fortune　had　been　kinder。'

'Or　Caradhras　less　cruel；'　said　Gimli。　'There　he　stands　smiling　in　the　sun！　'　He　shook　his　fist　at　the　furthest　of　the　snowcapped　peaks　and　turned　away。

To　the　east　the　outflung　arm　of　the　mountains　marched　to　a　sudden　end；　and　far　lands　could　be　descried　beyond　them；　wide　and　vague。　To　the　south　the　Misty　Mountains　receded　endlessly　as　far　as　sight　could　reach。　Less　than　a　mile　away；　and　a　little　below　them；　for　they　still　stood　high　up　on　the　west　side　of　the　dale；　there　lay　a　mere。　It　was　long　and　oval；　shaped　like　a　great　spearhead　thrust　deep　into　the　northern　glen；　but　its　southern　end　was　beyond　the　shadows　under　the　sunlit　sky。　Yet　its　waters　were　dark：　a　deep　blue　like　clear　evening　sky　seen　from　a　lamplit　room。　Its　face　was　still　and　unruffled。　About　it　lay　a　smooth　sward；　shelving　down　on　all　sides　to　its　bare　unbroken　rim。

'There　lies　the　Mirrormere；　deep　Kheledzaram！　'　said　Gimli　sadly。　'I　remember　that　he　said：　〃May　you　have　joy　of　the　sight！　But　we　cannot　linger　there。〃　Now　long　shall　I　journey　ere　I　have　joy　again。　It　is　I　that　must　hasten　away；　and　he　that　must　remain。'

The　pany　now　went　down　the　road　from　the　Gates。　It　was　rough　and　broken；　fading　to　a　winding　track　between　heather　and　whin　that　thrust　amid　the　cracking　stones。　But　still　it　could　be　seen　that　once　long　ago　a　great　paved　way　had　wound　upwards　from　the　lowlands　of　the　Dwarfkingdom。　In　places　there　were　ruined　works　of　stone　beside　the　path；　and　mounds　of　green　topped　with　slender　birches；　or　firtrees　sighing　in　the　wind。　An　eastward　bend　led　them　hard　by　the　sward　of　Mirrormere；　and　there　not　far　from　the　roadside　stood　a　single　column　broken　at　the　top。

'That　is　Durin's　Stone！　'　cried　Gimli。　'I　cannot　pass　without　turning　aside　for　a　moment　to　look　at　the　wonder　of　the　dale！　'

'Be　swift　then！　'　said　Aragorn；　looking　back　towards　the　Gates。　'The　Sun　sinks　early。　The　Orcs　will　not；　maybe；　e　out　till　after　dusk；　but　we　must　be　far　away　before　nightfall。　The　Moon　is　almost　spent；　and　it　will　be　dark　tonight。'

'e　with　me；　Frodo！　'　cried　the　dwarf；　springing　from　the　road。　'I　would　not　have　you　go　without　seeing　Kheledzaram。'　He　ran　down　the　long　green　slope。　Frodo　followed　slowly；　drawn　by　the　still　blue　water　in　spite　of　hurt　and　weariness；　Sam　came　up　behind。

Beside　the　standing　stone　Gimli　halted　and　looked　up。　It　was　cracked　and　weatherworn；　and　the　faint　runes　upon　its　side　could　not　be　read。　'This　pillar　marks　the　spot　where　Durin　first　looked　in　the　Mirrormere；'　said　the　dwarf。　'Let　us　look　ourselves　once；　ere　we　go！'

They　stooped　over　the　dark　water。　At　first　they　could　see　nothing。　Then　slowly　they　saw　the　forms　of　the　encircling　mountains　mirrored　in　a　profound　blue；　and　the　peaks　were　like　plumes　of　white　flame　above　them；　beyond　there　was　a　space　of　sky。　There　like　jewels　sunk　in　the　deep　shone　glinting　stars；　though　sunlight　was　in　the　sky　above。　Of　their　own　stooping　forms　no　shadow　could　be　seen。

'O　Kheledzaram　fair　and　wonderful！　'　said　Gimli。　'There　lies　the　Crown　of　Durin　till　he　wakes。　Farewell！　'　He　bowed；　and　turned　away；　and　hastened　back　up　the　greensward　to　the　road　again。

'What　did　you　see？　'　said　Pippin　to　Sam；　but　Sam　was　too　deep　in　thought　to　answer。

The　road　now　turned　south　and　went　quickly　downwards；　running　out　from　between　the　arms　of　the　dale。　Some　way　below　the　mere　they　came　on　a　deep　well　of　water；　clear　as　crystal；　from　which　a　freshet　fell　over　a　stone　lip　and　ran　glistening　and　gurgling　down　a　steep　rocky　channel。

'Here　is　the　spring　from　which　the　Silverlode　rises。'　said　Gimli。　'Do　not　drink　of　it！　It　is　icy　cold。'

'Soon　it　bees　a　swift　river；　and　it　gathers　water　from　many　other　mountainstreams；'　said　Aragorn。　'Our　road　leads　beside　it　for　many　miles。　For　I　shall　take　you　by　the　road　that　Gandalf　chose；　and　first　I　hope　to　e　to　the　woods　where　the　Silverlode　flows　into　the　Great　Riverout　yonder。'　They　looked　as　he　pointed；　and　before　them　they　could　see　the　stream　leaping　down　to　the　trough　of　the　valley；　and　then　running　on　and　away　into　the　lower　lands；　until　it　was　lost　in　a　golden　haze。

'There　lie　the　woods　of　Lothlórien！　'　said　Legolas。　'That　is　the　fairest　of　all　the　dwellings　of　my　people。　There　are　no　trees　like　the　trees　of　that　land。　For　in　the　autumn　their　leaves　fall　not；　but　turn　to　gold。　Not　till　the　spring　es　and　the　new　green　opens　do　they　fall；　and　then　the　boughs　are　laden　with　yellow　flowers；　and　the　floor　of　the　wood　is　golden；　and　golden　is　the　roof；　and　its　pillars　are　of　silver；　for　the　bark　of　the　trees　is　smooth　and　grey。　So　still　our　songs　in　Mirkwood　say。　My　heart　would　be　glad　if　I　were　beneath　the　eaves　of　that　wood；　and　it　were　springtime！　'

'My　heart　will　be　glad；　even　in　the　winter；'　said　Aragorn。　'But　it　lies　many　miles　away。　Let　us　hasten！　'

For　some　time　Frodo　and　Sam　managed　to　keep　up　with　the　others；　but　Aragorn　was　leading　them　at　a　great　pace；　and　after　a　while　they　lagged　behind。　They　had　eaten　nothing　since　the　early　morning。　Sam's　cut　was　burning　like　fire；　and　his　head　felt　light。　In　spite　of　the　shining　sun　the　wind　seemed　chill　after　the　warm　darkness　of　Moria。　He　shivered。　Frodo　felt　every　step　more　painful　and　he　gasped　for　breath。

At　last　Legolas　turned；　and　seeing　them　now　far　behind；　he　spoke　to　Aragorn。　The　others　halted；　and　Aragorn　ran　back；　calling　to　Boromir　to　e　with　him。

'I　am　sorry；　Frodo！　'　he　cried；　full　of　concern。　'So　much　has　happened　this　day　and　we　have　such　need　of　haste；　that　I　have　fotten　that　you　were　hurt；　and　Sam　too。　You　should　have　spoken。　We　have　done　nothing　to　ease　you；　as　we　ought；　though　all　the　orcs　of　Moria　were　after　us。　e　now！　A　little　further　on　there　is　a　place　where　we　can　rest　for　a　little。　There　I　will　do　what　I　can　for　you。　e；　Boromir！　We　will　carry　them。'

Soon　afterwards　they　came　upon　another　stream　that　ran　down　from　the　west；　and　joined　its　bubbling　water　with　the　hurrying　Silverlode。　Together　they　plunged　over　a　fall　of　greenhued　stone；　and　foamed　down　into　a　dell。　About　it　stood　firtrees；　short　and　bent；　and　its　sides　were　steep　and　clothed　with　hartstongue　and　shrubs　of　whortleberry。　At　the　bottom　there　was　a　level　space　through　which　the　stream　flowed　noisily　over　shining　pebbles。　Here　they　rested。　It　was　now　nearly　three　hours　after　noon；　and　they　had　e　only　a　few　miles　from　the　Gates。　Already　the　sun　was　westering。

While　Gi