The Lord of the Rings-指环王(英文版)-第76章

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　only　a　few　miles　from　the　Gates。　Already　the　sun　was　westering。

While　Gimli　and　the　two　younger　hobbits　kindled　a　fire　of　brush　and　fir　wood；　and　drew　water；　Aragorn　tended　Sam　and　Frodo。　Sam's　wound　was　not　deep；　but　it　looked　ugly；　and　Aragorn's　face　was　grave　as　he　examined　it。　After　a　moment　he　looked　up　with　relief。

'Good　luck；　Sam！　'　he　said。　'Many　have　received　worse　than　this　in　payment　for　the　slaying　of　their　first　orc。　The　cut　is　not　poisoned；　as　the　wounds　of　orcblades　too　often　are。　It　should　heal　well　when　I　have　tended　it。　Bathe　it　when　Gimli　has　heated　water。'

He　opened　his　pouch　and　drew　out　some　withered　leaves。　'They　are　dry　and　some　of　their　virtue　has　one；　he　said；　but　here　I　have　still　some　of　the　leaves　of　athelas　that　I　gathered　near　Weathertop。　Crush　one　in　the　water；　and　wash　the　wound　clean；　and　I　will　bind　it。　Now　it　is　your　turn。　Frodo！　'

'I　am　all　right；'　said　Frodo；　reluctant　to　have　his　garments　touched。　'AII　I　needed　was　some　food　and　a　little　rest。'

'No！　'　said　Aragorn。　'We　must　have　a　look　and　see　what　the　hammer　and　the　anvil　have　done　to　you。　I　still　marvel　that　you　are　alive　at　all。'　Gently　he　stripped　off　Frodo's　old　jacket　and　worn　tunic；　and　gave　a　gasp　of　wonder。　Then　he　laughed。　The　silver　corslet　shimmered　before　his　eyes　like　the　light　upon　a　rippling　sea。　Carefully　he　took　it　off　and　held　it　up；　and　the　gems　on　it　glittered　like　stars。　and　the　sound　of　the　shaken　rings　was　like　the　tinkle　of　rain　in　a　pool。

'Look；　my　friends！'　he　called。　'Here's　a　pretty　hobbitskin　to　wrap　an　elvenprinceling　in！　If　it　were　known　that　hobbits　had　such　hides；　all　the　hunters　of　Middleearth　would　be　riding　to　the　Shire。'

'And　all　the　arrows　of　all　the　hunters　in　the　world　would　be　in　vain；'　said　Gimli；　gazing　at　the　mail　in　wonder。　'It　is　a　mithrilcoat。　Mithril！　I　have　never　seen　or　heard　tell　of　one　so　fair。　Is　this　the　coat　that　Gandalf　spoke　of？　Then　he　undervalued　it。　But　it　was　well　given！　'

'I　have　often　wondered　what　you　and　Bilbo　were　doing；　so　close　in　his　little　room；'　said　Merry。　'Bless　the　old　hobbit！　I　love　him　more　than　ever。　I　hope　we　get　a　chance　of　telling　him　about　it！　'

There　was　a　dark　and　blackened　bruise　on　Frodo's　right　side　and　breast。　Under　the　mail　there　was　a　shirt　of　soft　leather；　but　at　one　point　the　rings　had　been　driven　through　it　into　the　flesh。　Frodo's　left　side　also　was　scored　and　bruised　where　he　had　been　hurled　against　the　wall。　While　the　others　set　the　food　ready。　Aragorn　bathed　the　hurts　with　water　in　which　athelas　was　steeped。　The　pungent　fragrance　filled　the　dell；　and　all　those　who　stooped　over　the　steaming　water　felt　refreshed　and　strengthened。　Soon　Frodo　felt　the　pain　leave　him；　and　his　breath　grew　easy：　though　he　was　stiff　and　sore　to　the　touch　for　many　days。　Aragorn　bound　some　soft　pads　of　cloth　at　his　side。

'The　mail　is　marvellously　light；'　he　said。　'Put　it　on　again；　if　you　can　bear　it。　My　heart　is　glad　to　know　that　you　have　such　a　coat。　Do　not　lay　it　aside；　even　in　sleep；　unless　fortune　brings　you　where　you　are　safe　for　a　while；　and　that　will　seldom　chance　while　your　quest　lasts。'

When　they　had　eaten；　the　pany　got　ready　to　go　on。　They　put　out　the　fire　and　hid　all　traces　of　it。　Then　climbing　out　of　the　dell　they　took　to　the　road　again。　They　had　not　gone　far　before　the　sun　sank　behind　the　westward　heights　and　great　shadows　crept　down　the　mountainsides。　Dusk　veiled　their　feet；　and　mist　rose　in　the　hollows。　Away　in　the　east　the　evening　light　lay　pale　upon　the　dim　lands　of　distant　plain　and　wood。　Sam　and　Frodo　now　feeling　eased　and　greatly　refreshed　were　able　to　go　at　a　fair　pace；　and　with　only　one　brief　halt　Aragorn　led　the　pany　on　for　nearly　three　more　hours。

It　was　dark。　Deep　night　had　fallen。　There　were　many　clear　stars；　hut　the　fastwaning　moon　would　not　be　seen　till　late。　Gimli　and　Frodo　were　at　the　rear；　walking　softly　and　not　speaking；　listening　for　any　sound　upon　the　road　behind。　At　length　Gimli　broke　the　silence。

'Not　a　sound　but　the　wind；'　he　said。　'There　are　no　goblins　near；　or　my　ears　are　made　of　wood。　It　is　to　be　hoped　that　the　Orcs　will　be　content　with　driving　us　from　Moria。　And　maybe　that　was　all　their　purpose；　and　they　had　nothing　else　to　do　with　uswith　the　Ring。　Though　Orcs　will　often　pursue　foes　for　many　leagues　into　the　plain；　if　they　have　a　fallen　captain　to　avenge。'

Frodo　did　not　answer。　He　looked　at　Sting；　and　the　blade　was　dull。　Yet　he　had　heard　something；　or　thought　he　had。　As　soon　as　the　shadows　had　fallen　about　them　and　the　road　behind　was　dim；　he　had　heard　again　the　quick　patter　of　feet。　Even　now　he　heard　it。　He　turned　swiftly。　There　were　two　tiny　gleams　of　light　behind；　or　for　a　moment　he　thought　he　saw　them；　but　at　once　they　slipped　aside　and　vanished。

'What　is　it？　'　said　the　dwarf。

'I　don't　know。'　answered　Frodo。　'I　thought　I　heard　feet；　and　I　thought　I　saw　a　lightlike　eyes。　I　have　thought　so　often；　since　we　first　entered　Moria。'

Gimli　halted　and　stooped　to　the　ground。　'I　hear　nothing　but　the　night　speech　of　plant　and　stone；'　he　said。　'e！　Let　us　hurry！　The　others　are　out　of　sight。'

The　nightwind　blew　chill　up　the　valley　to　meet　them。　Before　them　a　wide　grey　shadow　loomed；　and　they　heard　an　endless　rustle　of　leaves　like　poplars　in　the　breeze。

'Lothlórien！　'　cried　Legolas。　'Lothlórien！　We　have　e　to　the　eaves　of　the　Golden　Wood。　Alas　that　it　is　winter！　'

Under　the　night　the　trees　stood　tall　before　them；　arched　over　the　road　and　stream　that　ran　suddenly　beneath　their　spreading　boughs。　In　the　dim　light　of　the　stars　their　stems　were　grey；　and　their　quivering　leaves　a　hint　of　fallow　gold。

'Lothlórien！　'　said　Aragorn。　'Glad　I　am　to　hear　again　the　wind　in　the　trees！　We　are　still　little　more　than　five　leagues　from　the　Gates；　but　we　can　go　no　further。　Here　let　us　hope　that　the　virtue　of　the　Elves　will　keep　us　tonight　from　the　peril　that　es　behind。'

'If　Elves　indeed　still　dwell　here　in　the　darkening　world；'　said　Gimli。

'It　is　long　since　any　of　my　own　folk　journeyed　hither　back　to　the　land　whence　we　wandered　in　ages　long　ago；'　said　Legolas；　'but　we　hear　that　Lórien　is　not　yet　deserted；　for　there　is　a　secret　power　here　that　holds　evil　from　the　land。　Nevertheless　its　folk　are　seldom　seen；　and　maybe　they　dwell　now　deep　in　the　woods　and　far　from　the　northern　border。'

'Indeed　deep　in　the　wood　they　dwell；'　said　Aragorn；　and　sighed　as　if　some　memory　stirred　in　him。　'We　must　fend　for　ourselves　tonight。　We　will　go　forward　a　short　way；　until　the　trees　are　all　about　us；　and　then　we　will　turn　aside　from　the　path　and　seek　a　place　to　rest　in。'

He　stepped　forward；　but　Boromir　stood　irresolute　and　did　not　follow。　'Is　there　no　other　way？　'　he　said。

'What　other　fairer　way　would　you　desire？　'　said　Aragorn。

'A　plain　road；　though　it　led　through　a　hedge　of　swords；'　said　Boromir。　'By　strange　paths　has　this　pany　been　led；　and　so　far　to　evil　fortune。　Against　my　will　we　passed　under　the　shades　of　Moria；　to　our　loss。　And　now　we　must　enter　the　Golden　Wood；　you　say。　But　of　that　perilous　land　we　have　heard　in　Gondor；　and　it　is　said　that　few　e　out　who　once　go　in；　and　of　that　few　none　have　escaped　unscathed。'

'Say　not　unscathed；　but　if　you　say　unchanged；　then　maybe　you　will　speak　the　truth　said　Aragorn。　But　lore　wanes　in　Gondor；　Boromir；　if　in　the　city　of　those　who　once　were　wise　they　now　speak　evil　of　Lothlórien。　Believe　what　you　will；　there　is　no　other　way　for　us　。　unless　you　would　go　back　to　Moriagate；　or　scale　the　pathless　mountains；　or　swim　the　Great　River　all　alone。'

'Then　lead　on！　'　said　Boromir。　'But　it　is　perilous。'

'Perilous　indeed；'　said　Aragorn；　'fair　and　perilous；　but　only　evil　need　fear　it；　or　those　who　bring　some　evil　with　them。　Follow　me！　'

They　had　gone　little　more　than　a　mile　into　the　forest　when　they　came　upon　another　stream　flowing　down　swiftly　from　the　treeclad　slopes　that　climbed　back　westward　towards　the　mountains。　They　heard　it　splashing　over　a　fall　away　among　the　shadows　on　their　right。　Its　dark　hurrying　waters　ran　across　the　path　before　them；　and　joined　the　Silverlode　in　a　swirl　of　dim　pools　among　the　roots　of　trees。

'Here　is　Nimrodel！　'　said　Legolas。　'Of　this　stream　the　Silvan　Elves　made　many　songs　long　ago；　and　still　we　sing　them　in　the　North；　remembering　the　rainbow　on　its　falls；　and　the　golden　flowers　that　floated　in　its　foam。　All　is　dark　now　and　the　Bridge　of　Nimrodel　is　broken　down。　I　will　bathe　my　feet；　for　it　is　said　that　the　water　is　healing　to　the　weary。'　He　went　forward　and　climbed　down　the　deepcloven　bank　and　stepped　into　the　stream。

'Follow　me！'　he　cried。　'The　water　is　not　deep。　Let　us　wade　across！　On　the　further　bank　we　can　rest。　and　the　sound　of　the　falling　water　may　bring　us　sleep　and　fetfulness　of　grief。'

One　by　one　they　climbed　down　and　followed　Legolas。　For　a　moment　Frodo　stood　near　the　brink　and　let　the　water　flow　over　his　tired　feet。　It　was　cold　but　its　touch　was　clean；　and　as　he　went　on　and　it　mounted　to　his　knees；　he　felt　that　the　stain　of　travel　and　all　weariness　was　washed　from　his　limbs。

When　all　the　pany　had　crossed；　they　sat　and　rested　and　ate　a　little　food；　and　Legolas　told　them　tales　of　Lothlórien　that　the　Elves　of　Mirkwood　still　kept　in　their　hearts；　of　sunlight　and　starlight　upon　the　meadows　by　the　Great　River　before　the　world　was　grey。

At　length　a　silence　fell；　and　they　heard　the　music　of　the　waterfall　running　sweetly　in　the　shadows。　Almost　Frodo　fancied　that　he　could　hear　a　voice　singing；　mingled　with　the　sound　of　the　water。

'Do　you　hear　the　voice　of　Nimrodel？　'　asked　Legolas。　'I　will　sing　you　a　song　of　the　maiden　Nimrodel；　who　bore　the　same　name　as　the　stream　beside　which　she　lived　lung　ago。　It　is　a　fair　song　in　our　woodland　tongue；　but　this　is　how　it　runs　in　the　Westron　Speech；　as　some　in　Rivendell　now　sing　it。'　In　a　soft　voice　hardly　to　be　heard　amid　the　rustle　of　the　leaves　above　them　he　began：

An　Elvenmaid　there　was　of　old；
A　shining　star　by　day：
Her　mantle　white　was　hemmed　with　gold；
Her　shoes　of　silvergrey。

A　star　was　bound　upon　her　brows；
A　light　was　on　her　hair
As　sun　upon　the　golden　boughs
In　Lórien　the　fair。

Her　hair　was　long；　her　limbs　were　white；
And　fair　she　was　and　free；
And　in　the　wind　she　went　as　light
As　leaf　of　lindentree。

Beside　the　falls　of　Nimrodel；
By　water　clear　and　cool