the fellowship of the ring-第104部分

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blotting　out　all　light　as　it　approached。　Soon　it　appeared　as　a　great　wingedcreature；　blacker　than　the　pits　in　the　night。　Fierce　voices　rose　up　to　greetit　from　across　the　water。　Frodo　felt　a　sudden　chill　running　through　him　andclutching　at　his　heart；　there　was　a　deadly　cold；　like　the　memory　of　an　oldwound；　in　his　shoulder。　He　crouched　down；　as　if　to　hide。　
Suddenly　the　great　bow　of　Lórien　sang。　Shrill　went　the　arrow　from　theelven…string。　Frodo　looked　up。　Almost　above　him　the　winged　shape　swerved。　
There　was　a　harsh　croaking　scream；　as　it　fell　out　of　the　air；　vanishing　downinto　the　gloom　of　the　eastern　shore。　The　sky　was　clean　again。　There　was　atumult　of　many　voices　far　away；　cursing　and　wailing　in　the　darkness；　and　thensilence。　Neither　shaft　nor　cry　came　again　from　the　east　that　night。　
After　a　while　Aragorn　led　the　boats　back　upstream。　They　felt　their　wayalong　the　water's　edge　for　some　distance；　until　they　found　a　small　shallowbay。　A　few　low　trees　grew　there　close　to　the　water；　and　behind　them　rose　asteep　rocky　bank。　Here　the　pany　decided　to　stay　and　await　the　dawn：　it　wasuseless　to　attempt　to　move　further　by　night。　They　made　no　camp　and　lit　nofire；　but　lay　huddled　in　the　boats；　moored　close　together。　
'Praised　be　the　bow　of　Galadriel；　and　the　hand　and　eye　of　Legolas！　'　saidGimli；　as　he　munched　a　wafer　of　_lembas_。　'That　was　a　mighty　shot　in　the　dark；　
my　friend！'　
'But　who　can　say　what　it　hit？'　said　Legolas。　
'I　cannot；'　said　Gimli。　‘But　I　am　glad　that　the　shadow　came　no　nearer。　Iliked　it　not　at　all。　Too　much　it　reminded　me　of　the　shadow　in　Moria　–　the　　
shadow　of　the　Balrog；'　he　ended　in　a　whisper。　
'It　was　not　a　Balrog；'　said　Frodo；　still　shivering　with　the　chill　thathad　e　upon　him。　'It　was　something　colder。　I　think　it　was　…'　Then　he　pausedand　fell　silent。　　
'What　do　you　think？　'　asked　Boromir　eagerly；　leaning　from　his　boat；　as　ifhe　was　trying　to　catch　a　glimpse　of　Frodo's　face。　
‘I　think　–　No；　I　will　not　say；'　answered　Frodo。　‘Whatever　it　was；　itsfall　has　dismayed　our　enemies。'　
‘So　it　seems；'　said　Aragorn。　‘Yet　where　they　are；　and　how　many；　and　whatthey　will　do　next；　we　do　not　know。　This　night　we　must　all　be　sleepless！　Darkhides　us　now。　But　what　the　day　will　show　who　can　tell？　Have　your　weapons　close　　
　
to　hand！　'　　
Sam　sat　tapping　the　hilt　of　his　sword　as　if　he　were　counting　on　hisfingers；　and　looking　up　at　the　sky。　‘It's　very　strange；'　he　murmured。　‘TheMoon's　the　same　in　the　Shire　and　in　Wilderland；　or　it　ought　to　be。　But　eitherit's　out　of　its　running；　or　I'm　all　wrong　in　my　reckoning。　You'll　remember；　
Mr。　Frodo；　the　Moon　was　waning　as　we　lay　on　the　flet　up　in　that　tree：　a　weekfrom　the　full；　I　reckon。　And　we'd　been　a　week　on　the　way　last　night；　when　uppops　a　New　Moon　as　thin　as　a　nail…paring；　as　if　we　had　never　stayed　no　time　inthe　Elvish　country。　
‘Well；　I　can　remember　three　nights　there　for　certain；　and　I　seem　toremember　several　more；　but　I　would　take　my　oath　it　was　never　a　whole　month。　
Anyone　would　think　that　time　did　not　count　in　there！　'　
‘And　perhaps　that　was　the　way　of　it；'　said　Frodo。　‘In　that　land；　maybe；　
we　were　in　a　time　that　has　elsewhere　long　gone　by。　It　was　not；　I　think；　untilSilverlode　bore　us　back　to　Anduin　that　we　returned　to　the　time　that　flows　　
through　mortal　lands　to　the　Great　Sea。　And　I　don't　remember　any　moon；　eithernew　or　old；　in　Caras　Galadhon：　only　stars　by　night　and　sun　by　day。'　
Legolas　stirred　in　his　boat。　‘Nay；　time　does　not　tarry　ever；'　he　said；　
‘but　change　and　growth　is　not　in　all　things　and　places　alike。　For　the　Elvesthe　world　moves；　and　it　moves　both　very　swift　and　very　slow。　Swift；　becausethey　themselves　change　little；　and　all　else　fleets　by：　it　is　a　grief　to　them。　
Slow；　because　they　do　not　count　the　running　years；　not　for　themselves。　Thepassing　seasons　are　but　ripples　ever　repeated　in　the　long　long　stream。　Yetbeneath　the　Sun　all　things　must　wear　to　an　end　at　last。'　
‘But　the　wearing　is　slow　in　Lórien；'　said　Frodo。　‘The　power　of　the　Ladyis　on　it。　Rich　are　the　hours；　though　short　they　seem；　in　Caras　Galadhon；　whereGaladriel　wields　the　Elven…ring。'　
'That　should　not　have　been　said　outside　Lórien；　not　even　to　me；'　saidAragorn。　‘Speak　no　more　of　it！　But　so　it　is；　Sam：　in　that　land　you　lost　yourcount。　There　time　flowed　swiftly　by　us；　as　for　the　Elves。　The　old　moon　passed；　
and　a　new　moon　waxed　and　waned　in　the　world　outside；　while　we　tarried　there。　
And　yestereve　a　new　moon　came　again。　Winter　is　nearly　gone。　Time　flows　on　to　aspring　of　little　hope。'　
The　night　passed　silently。　No　voice　or　call　was　heard　again　across　thewater。　The　travellers　huddled　in　their　boats　felt　the　changing　of　the　weather。　
The　air　grew　warm　and　very　still　under　the　great　moist　clouds　that　had　floatedup　from　the　South　and　the　distant　seas。　The　rushing　of　the　River　over　therocks　of　the　rapids　seemed　to　grow　louder　and　closer。　The　twigs　of　the　treesabove　them　began　to　drip。　
When　the　day　came　the　mood　of　the　world　about　them　had　bee　soft　andsad。　Slowly　the　dawn　grew　to　a　pale　light；　diffused　and　shadowless。　There　wasmist　on　the　River；　and　white　fog　swathed　the　shore；　the　far　bank　could　not　beseen。　　
‘I　can't　abide　fog；'　said　Sam；　‘but　this　seems　to　be　a　lucky　one。　Nowperhaps　we　can　get　away　without　those　cursed　goblins　seeing　us。'　
‘Perhaps　so；'　said　Aragorn。　‘But　it　will　be　hard　to　find　the　path　unlessthe　fog　lifts　a　little　later　on。　And　we　must　find　the　path；　if　we　are　to　passSarn　Gebir　and　e　to　the　Emyn　Muil。'　
'I　do　not　see　why　we　should　pass　the　Rapids　or　follow　the　River　anyfurther；'　said　Boromir。　‘If　the　Emyn　Muil　lie　before　us；　then　we　can　abandonthese　cockle…boats；　and　strike　westward　and　southward；　until　we　e　to　theEntwash　and　cross　into　my　own　land。'　
‘We　can；　if　we　are　making　for　Minas　Tirith；'　said　Aragorn；　‘but　that　isnot　yet　agreed。　And　such　a　course　may　be　more　perilous　than　it　sounds。　Thevale　of　Entwash　is　flat　and　fenny；　and　fog　is　a　deadly　peril　there　for　thoseon　foot　and　laden。　I　would　not　abandon　our　boats　until　we　must。　The　River　is　　
at　least　a　path　that　cannot　be　missed。'　
‘But　the　Enemy　holds　the　eastern　bank；'　objected　Boromir。　‘And　even　ifyou　pass　the　Gates　of　Argonath　and　e　unmolested　to　the　Tindrock；　what　willyou　do　then？　Leap　down　the　Falls　and　land　in　the　marshes？　'　　
　
‘No！　'　answered　Aragorn。　‘Say　rather　that　we　will　bear　our　boats　by　theancient　way　to　Rauros…foot；　and　there　take　to　the　water　again。　Do　you　notknow；　Boromir；　or　do　you　choose　to　forget　the　North　Stair；　and　the　high　seatupon　Amon　Hen；　that　were　made　in　the　days　of　the　great　kings？　I　at　least　havea　mind　to　stand　in　that　high　place　again；　before　I　decide　my　further　course。　
There；　maybe；　we　shall　see　some　sign　that　will　guide　us。'　
Boromir　held　out　long　against　this　choice；　but　when　it　became　plain　thatFrodo　would　follow　Aragorn；　wherever　he　went；　he　gave　in。　'It　is　not　the　wayof　the　Men　of　Minas　Tirith　to　desert　their　friends　at　need；'　he　said；　‘and　youwill　need　my　strength；　if　ever　you　are　to　reach　the　Tindrock。　To　the　tall　isleI　will　go；　but　no　further。　There　I　shall　turn　to　my　home；　alone　if　my　help　hasnot　earned　the　reward　of　any　panionship。'　
The　day　was　now　growing；　and　the　fog　had　lifted　a　little。　It　was　decidedthat　Aragorn　and　Legolas　should　at　once　go　forward　along　the　shore；　while　theothers　remained　by　the　boats。　Aragorn　hoped　to　find　some　way　by　which　theycould　carry　both　their　boats　and　their　baggage　to　the　smoother　water　beyondthe　Rapids。　
‘Boats　of　the　Elves　would　not　sink；　maybe；'　he　said；　‘but　that　does　notsay　that　we　should　e　through　Sarn　Gebir　alive。　None　have　ever　done　so　yet。　
No　road　was　made　by　the　Men　of　Gondor　in　this　region；　for　even　in　their　greatdays　their　realm　did　not　reach　up　Anduin　beyond　the　Emyn　Muil；　but　there　is　aportage…way　somewhere　on　the　western　shore；　if　I　can　find　it。　It　cannot　yethave　perished；　for　light　boats　used　to　journey　out　of　Wilderland　down　toOsgiliath；　and　still　did　so　until　a　few　years　ago；　when　the　Orcs　of　Mordorbegan　to　multiply。'　
'Seldom　in　my　life　has　any　boat　e　out　of　the　North；　and　the　Orcs　prowlon　the　east…shore；'　said　Boromir。　‘If　you　go　forward；　peril　will　grow　withevery　mile；　even　if　you　find　a　path。'　
‘Peril　lies　ahead　on　every　southward　road；'　answered　Aragorn。　‘Wait　forus　one　day。　If　we　do　not　return　in　that　time；　you　will　know　that　evil　hasindeed　befallen　us。　Then　you　must　take　a　new　leader　and　follow　him　as　best　youcan。'　　
It　was　with　a　heavy　heart　that　Frodo　saw　Aragorn　and　Legolas　climb　thesteep　bank　and　vanish　into　the　mists；　but　his　fears　proved　groundless。　Onlytwo　or　three　hours　had　passed；　and　it　was　barely　mid…day；　when　the　shadowyshapes　of　the　explorers　appeared　again。　
‘All　is　well；'　said　Aragorn；　as　he　clambered　down　the　bank。　'There　is　atrack；　and　it　leads　to　a　good　landing　that　is　still　serviceable。　The　distanceis　not　great：　the　head　of　the　Rapids　is　but　half　a　mile　below　us；　and　they　arelittle　more　than　a　mile　long。　Not　far　beyond　them　the　stream　bees　clear　andsmooth　again；　though　it　runs　swiftly。　Our　hardest　task　will　be　to　get　ourboats　and　baggage　to　the　old　portage…way。　We　have　found　it；　but　it　lies　wellback　from　the　water…side　here；　and　runs　under　the　lee　of　a　rock…wall；　afurlong　or　more　from　the　shore。　We　did　not　find　where　the　northward　landinglies。　If　it　still　remains；　we　must　have　passed　it