The Lord of the Rings-指环王(英文版)-第91章

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ty　roaring　mingled　with　a　deep　throbbing　boom。

He　sat　down　upon　the　stone　and　cupped　his　chin　in　his　hands；　staring　eastwards　but　seeing　little　with　his　eyes。　All　that　had　happened　since　Bilbo　left　the　Shire　was　passing　through　his　mind；　and　he　recalled　and　pondered　everything　that　he　could　remember　of　Gandalf's　words。　Time　went　on；　and　still　he　was　no　nearer　to　a　choice。

Suddenly　he　awoke　from　his　thoughts：　a　strange　feeling　came　to　him　that　something　was　behind　him；　that　unfriendly　eyes　were　upon　him。　He　sprang　up　and　turned；　but　all　that　he　saw　to　his　surprise　was　Boromir；　and　his　face　was　smiling　and　kind。

'I　was　afraid　for　you；　Frodo；'　he　said；　ing　forward。　'If　Aragorn　is　right　and　Orcs　are　near；　then　none　of　us　should　wander　alone；　and　you　least　of　all：　so　much　depends　on　you。　And　my　heart　too　is　heavy。　May　I　stay　now　and　talk　for　a　while；　since　I　have　found　you？　It　would　fort　me。　Where　there　are　so　many；　all　speech　bees　a　debate　without　end。　But　two　together　may　perhaps　find　wisdom。'

'You　are　kind；'　answered　Frodo。　'But　I　do　not　think　that　any　speech　will　help　me。　For　I　know　what　I　should　do；　but　I　am　afraid　of　doing　it；　Boromir：　afraid。'

Boromir　stood　silent。　Rauros　roared　endlessly　on。　The　wind　murmured　in　the　branches　of　the　trees。　Frodo　shivered。

Suddenly　Boromir　came　and　sat　beside　him。　'Are　you　sure　that　you　do　not　suffer　needlessly？　'　he　said。　'I　wish　to　help　you。　You　need　counsel　in　your　hard　choice。　Will　you　not　take　mine？　'

'I　think　I　know　already　what　counsel　you　would　give；　Boromir；'　said　Frodo。　'And　it　would　seem　like　wisdom　but　for　the　warning　of　my　heart。'

'Warning？　Warning　against　what？　'　said　Boromir　sharply。

'Against　delay。　Against　the　way　that　seems　easier。　Against　refusal　of　the　burden　that　is　laid　on　me。　Againstwell；　if　it　must　be　said；　against　trust　in　the　strength　and　truth　of　Men。'

'Yet　that　strength　has　long　protected　you　far　away　in　your　little　country；　though　you　knew　it　not。'

'I　do　not　doubt　the　valour　of　your　people。　But　the　world　is　changing。　The　walls　of　Minas　Tirith　may　be　strong；　but　they　are　not　strong　enough。　If　they　fail；　what　then？　'

'We　shall　fall　in　battle　valiantly。　Yet　there　is　still　hope　that　they　will　not　fail。'

'No　hope　while　the　Ring　lasts；'　said　Frodo。

'Ah！　The　Ring！'　said　Boromir；　his　eyes　lighting。　'The　Ring！　Is　it　not　a　strange　fate　that　we　should　suffer　so　much　fear　and　doubt　for　so　small　a　thing？　So　small　a　thing！　And　I　have　seen　it　only　for　an　instant　in　the　House　of　Elrond。　Could　I　not　have　a　sight　of　it　again？　'

Frodo　looked　up。　His　heart　went　suddenly　cold。　He　caught　the　strange　gleam　in　Boromir's　eyes；　yet　his　face　was　still　kind　and　friendly。　'It　is　best　that　it　should　lie　hidden；'　he　answered。

'As　you　wish。　I　care　not；'　said　Boromir。　'Yet　may　I　not　even　speak　of　it？　For　you　seem　ever　to　think　only　of　its　power　in　the　hands　of　the　Enemy：　of　its　evil　uses　not　of　its　good。　The　world　is　changing；　you　say。　Minas　Tirith　will　fall；　if　the　Ring　lasts。　But　why？　Certainly；　if　the　Ring　were　with　the　Enemy。　But　why；　if　it　were　with　us？　'

'Were　you　not　at　the　Council？　'　answered　Frodo。　'Because　we　cannot　use　it；　and　what　is　done　with　it　turns　to　evil。'

Boromir　got　up　and　walked　about　impatiently。　'So　you　go　on；'　he　cried。　'Gandalf；　Elrond　。　all　these　folk　have　taught　you　to　say　so。　For　themselves　they　may　be　right。　These　elves　and　halfelves　and　wizards；　they　would　e　to　grief　perhaps。　Yet　often　I　doubt　if　they　are　wise　and　not　merely　timid。　But　each　to　his　own　kind。　Truehearted　Men；　they　will　not　be　corrupted。　We　of　Minas　Tirith　have　been　staunch　through　long　years　of　trial。　We　do　not　desire　the　power　of　wizardlords；　only　strength　to　defend　ourselves；　strength　in　a　just　cause。　And　behold！　in　our　need　chance　brings　to　light　the　Ring　of　Power。　It　is　a　gift；　I　say；　a　gift　to　the　foes　of　Mordor。　It　is　mad　not　to　use　it；　to　use　the　power　of　the　Enemy　against　him。　The　fearless；　the　ruthless；　these　alone　will　achieve　victory。　What　could　not　a　warrior　do　in　this　hour；　a　great　leader？　What　could　not　Aragorn　do？　Or　if　he　refuses；　why　not　Boromir？　The　Ring　would　give　me　power　of　mand。　How　I　would　drive　the　hosts　of　Mordor；　and　all　men　would　flock　to　my　banner！'

Boromir　strode　up　and　down；　speaking　ever　more　loudly：　Almost　he　seemed　to　have　fotten　Frodo；　while　his　talk　dwelt　on　walls　and　weapons；　and　the　mustering　of　men；　and　he　drew　plans　for　great　alliances　and　glorious　victories　to　be；　and　he　cast　down　Mordor；　and　became　himself　a　mighty　king；　benevolent　and　wise。　Suddenly　he　stopped　and　waved　his　arms。

'And　they　tell　us　to　throw　it　away！'　he　cried。　'I　do　not　say　destroy　it。　That　might　be　well；　if　reason　could　show　any　hope　of　doing　so。　It　does　not。　The　only　plan　that　is　proposed　to　us　is　that　a　halfling　should　walk　blindly　into　Mordor　and　offer　the　Enemy　every　chance　of　recapturing　it　for　himself。　Folly！

'Surely　you　see　it；　my　friend？'　he　said；　turning　now　suddenly　to　Frodo　again。　'You　say　that　you　are　afraid。　If　it　is　so；　the　boldest　should　pardon　you。　But　is　it　not　really　your　good　sense　that　revolts？'

'No；　I　am　afraid；'　said　Frodo。　'Simply　afraid。　But　I　am　glad　to　have　heard　you　speak　so　fully。　My　mind　is　clearer　now。'

'Then　you　will　e　to　Minas　Tirith？　'　cried　Boromir。　His　eyes　were　shining　and　his　face　eager。

'You　misunderstand　me；'　said　Frodo。

'But　you　will　e；　at　least　for　a　while？　'　Boromir　persisted。　'My　city　is　not　far　now；　and　it　is　little　further　from　there　to　Mordor　than　from　here。　We　have　been　long　in　the　wilderness；　and　you　need　news　of　what　the　Enemy　is　doing　before　you　make　a　move。　e　with　me；　Frodo；'　he　said。　'You　need　rest　before　your　venture。　if　go　you　must。'　He　laid　his　hand　on　the　hobbit's　shoulder　in　friendly　fashion；　but　Frodo　felt　the　hand　trembling　with　suppressed　excitement。　He　stepped　quickly　away；　and　eyed　with　alarm　the　tall　Man；　nearly　twice　his　height　and　many　times　his　match　in　strength。

'Why　are　you　so　unfriendly？　'　said　Boromir。　'I　am　a　true　man；　neither　thief　nor　tracker。　I　need　your　Ring：　that　you　know　now；　but　I　give　you　my　word　that　I　do　not　desire　to　keep　it。　Will　you　not　at　least　let　me　make　trial　of　my　plan？　Lend　me　the　Ring！'

'No！　no！'　cried　Frodo。　'The　Council　laid　it　upon　me　to　bear　it。'

'It　is　by　our　own　folly　that　the　Enemy　will　defeat　us；'　cried　Boromir。　'How　it　angers　me！　Fool！　Obstinate　fool！　Running　wilfully　to　death　and　ruining　our　cause。　If　any　mortals　have　claim　to　the　Ring；　it　is　the　men　of　Númenor；　and　not　Halflings。　It　is　not　yours　save　by　unhappy　chance。　It　might　have　been　mine。　It　should　be　mine。　Give　it　to　me！'

Frodo　did　not　answer；　but　moved　away　till　the　great　flat　stone　stood　between　them。　'e；　e；　my　friend！'　said　Boromir　in　a　softer　voice。　'Why　not　get　rid　of　it？　Why　not　be　free　of　your　doubt　and　fear？　You　can　lay　the　blame　on　me；　if　you　will。　You　can　say　that　I　was　too　strong　and　took　it　by　force。　For　I　am　too　strong　for　you；　halfling；'　he　cried；　and　suddenly　he　sprang　over　the　stone　and　leaped　at　Frodo。　His　fair　and　pleasant　face　was　hideously　changed；　a　raging　fire　was　in　his　eyes。

Frodo　dodged　aside　and　again　put　the　stone　between　them。　There　was　only　one　thing　he　could　do：　trembling　he　pulled　out　the　Ring　upon　its　chain　and　quickly　slipped　it　on　his　finger；　even　as　Boromir　sprang　at　him　again。　The　Man　gasped；　stared　for　a　moment　amazed；　and　then　ran　wildly　about；　seeking　here　and　there　among　the　rocks　and　trees。

'Miserable　trickster！'　he　shouted。　'Let　me　get　my　hands　on　you！　Now　I　see　your　mind。　You　will　take　the　Ring　to　Sauron　and　sell　us　all。　You　have　only　waited　your　chance　to　leave　us　in　the　lurch。　Curse　you　and　all　halflings　to　death　and　darkness！'　Then；　catching　his　foot　on　a　stone；　he　fell　sprawling　and　lay　upon　his　face。　For　a　while　he　was　as　still　as　if　his　own　curse　had　struck　him　down；　then　suddenly　he　wept。

He　rose　and　passed　his　hand　over　his　eyes；　dashing　away　the　tears。　'What　have　I　said？　'　he　cried。　'What　have　I　done？　Frodo；　Frodo！'　he　called。　'e　back！　A　madness　took　me；　but　it　has　passed。　e　back！'

There　was　no　answer。　Frodo　did　not　even　hear　his　cries。　He　was　already　far　away；　leaping　blindly　up　the　path　to　the　hilltop。　Terror　and　grief　shook　him；　seeing　in　his　thought　the　mad　fierce　face　of　Boromir；　and　his　burning　eyes。

Soon　he　came　out　alone　on　the　summit　of　Amon　Hen；　and　halted；　gasping　for　breath。　He　saw　as　through　a　mist　a　wide　flat　circle；　paved　with　mighty　flags；　and　surrounded　with　a　crumbling　battlement；　and　in　the　middle；　set　upon　four　carven　pillars；　was　a　high　seat；　reached　by　a　stair　of　many　steps。　Up　he　went　and　sat　upon　the　ancient　chair；　feeling　like　a　lost　child　that　had　clambered　upon　the　throne　of　mountainkings。

At　first　he　could　see　little。　He　seemed　to　be　in　a　world　of　mist　in　which　there　were　only　shadows：　the　Ring　was　upon　him。　Then　here　and　there　the　mist　gave　way　and　he　saw　many　visions：　small　and　clear　as　if　they　were　under　his　eyes　upon　a　table；　and　yet　remote。　There　was　no　sound；　only　bright　living　images。　The　world　seemed　to　have　shrunk　and　fallen　silent。　He　was　sitting　upon　the　Seat　of　Seeing；　on　Amon　Hen；　the　Hill　of　the　Eye　of　the　Men　of　Númenor。　Eastward　he　looked　into　wide　uncharted　lands；　nameless　plains；　and　forests　unexplored。　Northward　he　looked；　and　the　Great　River　lay　like　a　ribbon　beneath　him；　and　the　Misty　Mountains　stood　small　and　hard　as　broken　teeth。　Westward　he　looked　and　saw　the　broad　pastures　of　Rohan；　and　Orthanc；　the　pinnacle　of　Isengard；　like　a　black　spike。　Southward　he　looked；　and　below　his　very　feet　the　Great　River　curled　like　a　toppling　wave　and　plunged　over　the　falls　of　Rauros　into　a　foaming　pit；　a　glimmering　rainbow　played　upon　the　fume。　And　Ethir　Anduin　he　saw；　the　mighty　delta　of　the　River；　and　myriads　of　seabirds　whirling　like　a　white　dust　in　the　sun；　and　beneath　them　a　green　and　silver　sea；　rippling　in　endless　lines。

But　everywhere　he　looked　he　saw　the　signs　of　war。　The　Misty　Mountains　were　crawling　like　anthills：　orcs　were　issuing　out　of　a　thousand　holes。　Under　the　boughs　of　Mirkwood　there　was　deadly　strife　of　Elves　and　Men　and　fell　beasts。　The　land　of　the　Beornings　was　aflame；　a　cloud　was　over　Moria；　smoke　rose　on　the　borders　of　Lórien。

Horsemen　were　galloping　on　the　grass　of　Rohan；　wolves　poured　from　Isengard。　From　the　havens　of　Harad　ships　of　w