the fellowship of the ring-第76部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


and　Frodo　remembered　little　of　it；　save　the　wind。　For　many　sunless　days　an　icyblast　came　from　the　Mountains　in　the　east；　and　no　garment　seemed　able　to　keepout　its　searching　fingers。　Though　the　pany　was　well　clad；　they　seldom　feltwarm；　either　moving　or　at　rest。　They　slept　uneasily　during　the　middle　of　theday；　in　some　hollow　of　the　land；　or　hidden　under　the　tangled　thorn…bushes　thatgrew　in　thickets　in　many　places。　In　the　late　afternoon　they　were　roused　by　thewatch；　and　took　their　chief　meal：　cold　and　cheerless　as　a　rule；　for　they　couldseldom　risk　the　lighting　of　a　fire。　In　the　evening　they　went　on　again；　alwaysas　nearly　southward　as　they　could　find　a　way。　
At　first　it　seemed　to　the　hobbits　that　although　they　walked　and　stumbleduntil　they　were　weary；　they　were　creeping　forward　like　snails；　and　gettingnowhere。　Each　day　the　land　looked　much　the　same　as　it　had　the　day　before。　Yet　　
　
steadily　the　mountains　were　drawing　nearer。　South　of　Rivendell　they　rose　everhigher；　and　bent　westwards；　and　about　the　feet　of　the　main　range　there　wastumbled　an　ever　wider　land　of　bleak　hills；　and　deep　valleys　filled　withturbulent　waters。　Paths　were　few　and　winding；　and　led　them　often　only　to　theedge　of　some　sheer　fall；　or　down　into　treacherous　swamps。　　
They　had　been　a　fortnight　on　the　way　when　the　weather　changed。　The　windsuddenly　fell　and　then　veered　round　to　the　south。　The　swift…flowing　cloudslifted　and　melted　away；　and　the　sun　came　out；　pale　and　bright。　There　came　acold　clear　dawn　at　the　end　of　a　long　stumbling　night…march。　The　travellersreached　a　low　ridge　crowned　with　ancient　holly…trees　whose　grey…green　trunksseemed　to　have　been　built　out　of　the　very　stone　of　the　hills。　Their　darkleaves　shone　and　their　berries　glowed　red　in　the　light　of　the　rising　sun。　
Away　in　the　south　Frodo　could　see　the　dim　shapes　of　lofty　mountains　thatseemed　now　to　stand　across　the　path　that　the　pany　was　taking。　At　the　leftof　this　high　range　rose　three　peaks；　the　tallest　and　nearest　stood　up　like　atooth　tipped　with　snow；　its　great；　bare；　northern　precipice　was　still　largelyin　the　shadow；　but　where　the　sunlight　slanted　upon　it；　it　glowed　red。　
Gandalf　stood　at　Frodo's　side　and　looked　out　under　his　hand。　‘We　have　　
done　well；'　he　said。　‘We　have　reached　the　borders　of　the　country　that　Men　callHollin；　many　Elves　lived　here　in　happier　days；　when　Eregion　was　its　name。　
Five…and…forty　leagues　as　the　crow　flies　we　have　e；　though　many　long　milesfurther　our　feet　have　walked。　The　land　and　the　weather　will　be　milder　now；　butperhaps　all　the　more　dangerous。'　
‘Dangerous　or　not；　a　real　sunrise　is　mighty　wele；'　said　Frodo；　
throwing　back　his　hood　and　letting　the　morning　light　fall　on　his　face。　
'But　the　mountains　are　ahead　of　us；'　said　Pippin。　‘We　must　have　turnedeastwards　in　the　night。'　
'No；'　said　Gandalf。　'But　you　see　further　ahead　in　the　clear　light。　Beyondthose　peaks　the　range　bends　round　south…west。　There　are　many　maps　in　Elrond'shouse；　but　I　suppose　you　never　thought　to　look　at　them？'　
‘Yes　I　did；　sometimes；'　said　Pippin；　‘but　I　don't　remember　them。　Frodohas　a　better　head　for　that　sort　of　thing。'　
‘I　need　no　map；'　said　Gimli；　who　had　e　up　with　Legolas；　and　was　gazingout　before　him　with　a　strange　light　in　his　deep　eyes。　‘There　is　the　land　whereour　fathers　worked　of　old；　and　we　have　wrought　the　image　of　those　mountainsinto　many　works　of　metal　and　of　stone；　and　into　many　songs　and　tales。　Theystand　tall　in　our　dreams：　Baraz；　Zirak；　Shath。r。　
‘Only　once　before　have　I　seen　them　from　afar　in　waking　life；　but　I　knowthem　and　their　names；　for　under　them　lies　Khazad…d。m；　the　Dwarrowdelf；　that　isnow　called　the　Black　Pit；　Moria　in　the　Elvish　tongue。　Yonder　standsBarazinbar；　the　Redhorn；　cruel　Caradhras；　and　beyond　him　are　Silvertine　andCloudyhead：　Celebdil　the　White；　and　Fanuidhol　the　Grey；　that　we　call　Zirakzigil　　
and　Bundushath。r。　
‘There　the　Misty　Mountains　divide；　and　between　their　arms　lies　the　deep…　
shadowed　valley　which　we　cannot　forget：　Azanulbizar；　the　Dimrill　Dale；　whichthe　Elves　call　Nanduhirion。'　　
‘It　is　for　the　Dimrill　Dale　that　we　are　making；'　said　Gandalf。　‘If　weclimb　the　pass　that　is　called　the　Redhorn　Gate；　under　the　far　side　ofCaradhras；　we　shall　e　down　by　the　Dimrill　Stair　into　the　deep　vale　of　theDwarves。　There　lies　the　Mirrormere；　and　there　the　River　Silverlode　rises　inits　icy　springs。'　
‘Dark　is　the　water　of　Kheled…zaram；'　said　Gimli；　‘and　cold　are　thesprings　of　Kibil…nala。　My　heart　trembles　at　the　thought　that　I　may　see　themsoon。'　　
‘May　you　have　joy　of　the　sight；　my　good　dwarf　l'　said　Gandalf。　'Butwhatever　you　may　do；　we　at　least　cannot　stay　in　that　valley。　We　must　go　downthe　Silverlode　into　the　secret　woods；　and　so　to　the　Great　River；　and　then　…'　
He　paused。　
'Yes；　and　where　then？'　asked　Merry。　　
　
'To　the　end　of　the　journey　–　in　the　end；'　said　Gandalf。　'We　cannot　looktoo　far　ahead。　Let　us　be　glad　that　the　first　stage　is　safely　over。　I　think　wewill　rest　here；　not　only　today　but　tonight　as　well。　There　is　a　wholesome　airabout　Hollin。　Much　evil　must　befall　a　country　before　it　wholly　forgets　theElves；　if　once　they　dwelt　there。'　
'That　is　true；'　said　Legolas。　‘But　the　Elves　of　this　land　were　of　a　racestrange　to　us　of　the　silvan　folk；　and　the　trees　and　the　grass　do　not　nowremember　them：　Only　I　hear　the　stones　lament　them：　_deep　they　delved　us；　fairthey　wrought　us；　high　they　builded　us；　but　they　are　gone_。　They　are　gone。　Theysought　the　Havens　long　ago。'　　
That　morning　they　lit　a　fire　in　a　deep　hollow　shrouded　by　great　bushes　ofholly；　and　their　supper…breakfast　was　merrier　than　it　had　been　since　they　setout。　They　did　not　hurry　to　bed　afterwards；　for　they　expected　to　have　all　thenight　to　sleep　in；　and　they　did　not　mean　to　go　on　again　until　the　evening　ofthe　next　day。　Only　Aragorn　was　silent　and　restless。　After　a　while　he　left　thepany　and　wandered　on　to　the　ridge；　there　he　stood　in　the　shadow　of　a　tree；　
looking　out　southwards　and　westwards；　with　his　head　posed　as　if　he　waslistening。　Then　he　returned　to　the　brink　of　the　dell　and　looked　down　at　theothers　laughing　and　talking。　
‘What　is　the　matter；　Strider？'　Merry　called　up。　'What　are　you　lookingfor？　Do　you　miss　the　East　Wind？'　
'No　indeed；'　he　answered。　‘But　I　miss　something。　I　have　been　in　thecountry　of　Hollin　in　many　seasons。　No　folk　dwell　here　now；　but　many　othercreatures　live　here　at　all　times；　especially　birds。　Yet　now　all　things　but　youare　silent。　I　can　feel　it。　There　is　no　sound　for　miles　about　us；　and　yourvoices　seem　to　make　the　ground　echo。　I　do　not　understand　it。'　
Gandalf　looked　up　with　sudden　interest。　‘But　what　do　you　guess　is　thereason？'　he　asked。　‘Is　there　more　in　it　than　surprise　at　seeing　four　hobbits；　
not　to　mention　the　rest　of　us；　where　people　are　so　seldom　seen　or　heard？'　
‘I　hope　that　is　it；'　answered　Aragorn。　‘But　I　have　a　sense　ofwatchfulness；　and　of　fear；　that　I　have　never　had　here　before。'　
〃Then　we　must　be　more　careful；'　said　Gandalf。　'If　you　bring　a　Ranger　withyou；　it　is　well　to　pay　attention　to　him；　especially　if　the　Ranger　is　Aragorn。　
We　must　stop　talking　aloud；　rest　quietly；　and　set　the　watch。'　　
It　was　Sam's　turn　that　day　to　take　the　first　watch；　but　Aragorn　joinedhim。　The　others　fell　asleep。　Then　the　silence　grew　until　even　Sam　felt　it。　Thebreathing　of　the　sleepers　could　be　plainly　heard。　The　swish　of　the　pony's　tailand　the　occasional　movements　of　his　feet　became　loud　noises。　Sam　could　hear　　
his　own　joints　creaking；　if　he　stirred。　Dead　silence　was　around　him；　and　overall　hung　a　clear　blue　sky；　as　the　Sun　rode　up　from　the　East。　Away　in　the　Southa　dark　patch　appeared；　and　grew；　and　drove　north　like　flying　smoke　in　thewind。　　
‘What's　that；　Strider？　It　don't　look　like　a　cloud；'　said　Sam　in　a　whisperto　Aragorn。　He　made　no　answer；　he　was　gazing　intently　at　the　sky；　but　beforelong　Sam　could　see　for　himself　what　was　approaching。　Flocks　of　birds；　flyingat　great　speed；　were　wheeling　and　circling；　and　traversing　all　the　land　as　ifthey　were　searching　for　something；　and　they　were　steadily　drawing　nearer。　
‘Lie　flat　and　still！'　hissed　Aragorn；　pulling　Sam　down　into　the　shade　ofa　holly…bush；　for　a　whole　regiment　of　birds　had　broken　away　suddenly　from　themain　host；　and　came；　flying　low；　straight　towards　the　ridge。　Sam　thought　theywere　a　kind　of　crow　of　large　size。　As　they　passed　overhead；　in　so　dense　athrong　that　their　shadow　followed　them　darkly　over　the　ground　below；　one　harshcroak　was　heard。　　
Not　until　they　had　dwindled　into　the　distance；　north　and　west；　and　thesky　was　again　clear　would　Aragorn　rise。　Then　he　sprang　up　and　went　and　wakenedGandalf。　　
‘Regiments　of　black　crows　are　flying　over　all　the　land　between　theMountains　and　the　Greyflood；'　he　said；　‘and　they　have　passed　over　Hollin。　They　　
　
are　not　natives　here；　they　are　_crebain_　out　of　Fangorn　and　Dunland。　I　do　notknow　what　they　are　about：　possibly　there　is　some　trouble　away　south　from　whichthey　are　fleeing；　but　I　think　they　are　spying　out　the　land。　I　have　alsoglimpsed　many　hawks　flying　high　up　in　the　sky。　I　think　we　ought　to　move　againthis　evening。　Hollin　is　no　longer　wholesome　for　us：　it　is　being　watched。'　
‘And　in　that　case　so　is　the　Redhorn　Gate；'　said　Gandalf；　‘and　how　we　canget　over　that　without　being　seen；　I　cannot　imagine。　But　we　will　think　of　thatwhen　we　must。　As　for　moving　as　soon　as　it　is　dark；　I　am　afrai