the fellowship of the ring-第85部分

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dy　inflowof　chill　air　through　the　eastern　archway。　All　about　them　as　they　lay　hung　thedarkness；　hollow　and　immense；　and　they　were　oppressed　by　the　loneliness　andvastness　of　the　dolven　halls　and　endlessly　branching　stairs　and　passages。　Thewildest　imaginings　that　dark　rumour　had　ever　suggested　to　the　hobbits　fellaltogether　short　of　the　actual　dread　and　wonder　of　Moria。　
‘There　must　have　been　a　mighty　crowd　of　dwarves　here　at　one　time　'　saidSam；　‘and　every　one　of　them　busier　than　badgers　for　five　hundred　years　to　make　　
　
all　this；　and　most　in　hard　rock　too！　What　did　they　do　it　all　for？　They　didn'tlive　in　these　darksome　holes　surely？　'　
‘These　are　not　holes；'　said　Gimli。　‘This　is　the　great　realm　and　city　ofthe　Dwarrowdelf。　And　of　old　it　was　not　darksome；　but　full　of　light　andsplendour；　as　is　still　remembered　in　our　songs。'　
He　rose　and　standing　in　the　dark　he　began　to　chant　in　a　deep　voice；　whilethe　echoes　ran　away　into　the　roof。　　
The　world　was　young；　the　mountains　green；　
No　stain　yet　on　the　Moon　was　seen；　
No　words　were　laid　on　stream　or　stone　　
When　Durin　woke　and　walked　alone。　　
He　named　the　nameless　hills　and　dells；　
He　drank　from　yet　untasted　wells；　
He　stooped　and　looked　in　Mirrormere；　
And　saw　a　crown　of　stars　appear；　
As　gems　upon　a　silver　thread；　
Above　the　shadow　of　his　head。　　
The　world　was　fair；　the　mountains　tall；　
In　Elder　Days　before　the　fall　
Of　mighty　kings　in　Nargothrond　
And　Gondolin；　who　now　beyond　
The　Western　Seas　have　passed　away：　
The　world　was　fair　in　Durin's　Day。　　
A　king　he　was　on　carven　throne　
In　many…pillared　halls　of　stone　
With　golden　roof　and　silver　floor；　
And　runes　of　power　upon　the　door。　
The　light　of　sun　and　star　and　moon　
In　shining　lamps　of　crystal　hewn　
Undimmed　by　cloud　or　shade　of　night　
There　shone　for　ever　fair　and　bright。　　
There　hammer　on　the　anvil　smote；　
There　chisel　clove；　and　graver　wrote；　
There　forged　was　blade；　and　bound　was　hilt；　
The　delver　mined；　the　mason　built。　
There　beryl；　pearl；　and　opal　pale；　
And　metal　wrought　like　fishes'　mail；　
Buckler　and　corslet；　axe　and　sword；　
And　shining　spears　were　laid　in　hoard。　　
Unwearied　then　were　Durin's　folk　　
Beneath　the　mountains　music　woke：　　
The　harpers　harped；　the　minstrels　sang；　
And　at　the　gates　the　trumpets　rang。　　
The　world　is　grey；　the　mountains　old；　
The　forge's　fire　is　ashen…cold　
No　harp　is　wrung；　no　hammer　falls：　
The　darkness　dwells　in　Durin's　halls　　
The　shadow　lies　upon　his　tomb　
In　Moria；　in　Khazad…d。m。　
But　still　the　sunken　stars　appear　
In　dark　and　windless　Mirrormere；　
There　lies　his　crown　in　water　deep；　
Till　Durin　wakes　again　from　sleep。　
　
‘I　like　that！　'　said　Sam。　‘I　should　like　to　learn　it。　_In　Moria；　inKhazad…d。m！_　But　it　makes　the　darkness　seem　heavier；　thinking　of　all　thoselamps。　Are　there　piles　of　jewels　and　gold　lying　about　here　still？　'　
Gimli　was　silent。　Having　sung　his　song　he　would　say　no　more。　
‘Piles　of　jewels？　'　said　Gandalf。　‘No。　The　Orcs　have　often　plunderedMoria；　there　is　nothing　left　in　the　upper　halls。　And　since　the　dwarves　fled；　
no　one　dares　to　seek　the　shafts　and　treasuries　down　in　the　deep　places：　theyare　drowned　in　water–or　in　a　shadow　of　fear。'　　
‘Then　what　do　the　dwarves　want　to　e　back　for？　'　asked　Sam。　　
'For　_mithril_；'　answered　Gandalf。　‘The　wealth　of　Moria　was　not　in　goldand　jewels；　the　toys　of　the　Dwarves；　nor　in　iron；　their　servant。　Such　thingsthey　found　here；　it　is　true；　especially　iron；　but　they　did　not　need　to　delvefor　them：　all　things　that　they　desired　they　could　obtain　in　traffic。　For　herealone　in　the　world　was　found　Moria…silver；　or　true…silver　as　some　have　calledit：　_mithril_　is　the　Elvish　name。　The　Dwarves　have　a　name　which　they　do　nottell。　Its　worth　was　ten　times　that　of　gold；　and　now　it　is　beyond　price；　forlittle　is　left　above　ground；　and　even　the　Orcs　dare　not　delve　here　for　it。　Thelodes　lead　away　north　towards　Caradhras；　and　down　to　darkness。　The　Dwarvestell　no　tale；　but　even　as　_mithril_　was　the　foundation　of　their　wealth；　soalso　it　was　their　destruction：　they　delved　too　greedily　and　too　deep；　anddisturbed　that　from　which　they　fled；　Durin's　Bane。　Of　what　they　brought　tolight　the　Orcs　have　gathered　nearly　all；　and　given　it　in　tribute　to　Sauron；　
who　covets　it。　　
‘_Mithril！_　All　folk　desired　it。　It　could　be　beaten　like　copper；　andpolished　like　glass；　and　the　Dwarves　could　make　of　it　a　metal；　light　and　yetharder　than　tempered　steel。　Its　beauty　was　like　to　that　of　mon　silver；　butthe　beauty　of　_mithril_　did　not　tarnish　or　grow　dim。　The　Elves　dearly　lovedit；　and　among　many　uses　they　made　of　it　_ithildin_；　starmoon；　which　you　sawupon　the　doors。　Bilbo　had　a　corslet　of　mithril…rings　that　Thorin　gave　him。　Iwonder　what　has　bee　of　it？　Gathering　dust　still　in　Michel　Delving　Mathomhouse；　　
I　suppose。'　
‘What？　'　cried　Gimli；　startled　out　of　his　silence。　‘A　corslet　of　Moria…　
silver？　That　was　a　kingly　gift！　'　
'Yes；'　said　Gandalf。　‘I　never　told　him；　but　its　worth　was　greater　thanthe　value　of　the　whole　Shire　and　everything　in　it。'　
Frodo　said　nothing；　but　he　put　his　hand　under　his　tunic　and　touched　therings　of　his　mail…shirt。　He　felt　staggered　to　think　that　he　had　been　walkingabout　with　the　price　of　the　Shire　under　his　jacket。　Had　Bilbo　known？　He　feltno　doubt　that　Bilbo　knew　quite　well。　It　was　indeed　a　kingly　gift。　But　now　histhoughts　had　been　carried　away　from　the　dark　Mines；　to　Rivendell；　to　Bilbo；　
and　to　Bag　End　in　the　days　while　Bilbo　was　still　there。　He　wished　with　all　hisheart　that　he　was　back　there；　and　in　those　days；　mowing　the　lawn；　or　potteringamong　the　flowers；　and　that　he　had　never　heard　of　Moria；　or　_mithril　…_or　theRing。　
A　deep　silence　fell。　One　by　one　the　others　fell　asleep。　Frodo　was　onguard。　As　if　it　were　a　breath　that　came　in　through　unseen　doors　out　of　deepplaces；　dread　came　over　him。　His　hands　were　cold　and　his　brow　damp。　Helistened。　All　his　mind　was　given　to　listening　and　nothing　else　for　two　slowhours；　but　he　heard　no　sound；　not　even　the　imagined　echo　of　a　footfall。　
His　watch　was　nearly　over；　when；　far　off　where　he　guessed　that　thewestern　archway　stood；　he　fancied　that　he　could　see　two　pale　points　of　light；　
almost　like　luminous　eyes。　He　started。　His　head　had　nodded。　‘I　must　havenearly　fallen　asleep　on　guard；'　he　thought。　‘I　was　on　the　edge　of　a　dream。'　Hestood　up　and　rubbed　his　eyes；　and　remained　standing；　peering　into　the　dark；　
until　he　was　relieved　by　Legolas。　
When　he　lay　down　he　quickly　went　to　sleep；　but　it　seemed　to　him　that　thedream　went　on：　he　heard　whispers；　and　saw　the　two　pale　points　of　lightapproaching；　slowly。　He　woke　and　found　that　the　others　were　speaking　softlynear　him；　and　that　a　dim　light　was　falling　on　his　face。　High　up　above　theeastern　archway　through　a　shaft　near　the　roof　came　a　long　pale　gleam；　and　　
　
across　the　hall　through　the　northern　arch　light　also　glimmered　faint　anddistantly。　
Frodo　sat　up。　‘Good　morning！　'　said　Gandalf：　‘For　morning　it　is　again　atlast。　I　was　right；　you　see。　We　are　high　up　on　the　east　side　of　Moria。　Beforetoday　is　over　we　ought　to　find　the　Great　Gates　and　see　the　waters　ofMirrormere　lying　in　the　Dimrill　Dale　before　us。'　
'I　shall　be　glad；'　said　Gimli。　‘I　have　looked　on　Moria；　and　it　is　verygreat；　but　it　has　bee　dark　and　dreadful；　and　we　have　found　no　sign　of　mykindred。　I　doubt　now　that　Balin　ever　came　here。'　　
After　they　had　breakfasted　Gandalf　decided　to　go　on　again　at　once。　‘Weare　tired；　but　we　shall　rest　better　when　we　are　outside；'　he　said。　‘I　thinkthat　none　of　us　will　wish　to　spend　another　night　in　Moria。'　
‘No　indeed！　'　said　Boromir。　‘Which　way　shall　we　take？　Yonder　eastwardarch？　'　　
'Maybe；'　said　Gandalf。　‘But　I　du　not　know　yet　exactly　where　we　are。　
Unless　I　am　quite　astray；　I　guess　that　we　are　above　and　to　the　north　of　theGreat　Gates；　and　it　may　not　be　easy　to　find　the　right　road　down　to　them。　Theeastern　arch　will　probably　prove　to　be　the　way　that　we　must　take；　but　beforewe　make　up　our　minds　we　ought　to　look　about　us。　Let　us　go　towards　that　lightin　the　north　door。　If　we　could　find　a　window　it　would　help；　but　I　fear　thatthe　light　es　only　down　deep　shafts。'　
Following　his　lead　the　pany　passed　under　the　northern　arch。　They　foundthemselves　in　a　wide　corridor。　As　they　went　along　it　the　glimmer　grewstronger；　and　they　saw　that　it　came　through　a　doorway　on　their　right。　It　washigh　and　flat…topped；　and　the　stone　door　was　still　upon　its　hinges；　standinghalf　open。　Beyond　it　was　a　large　square　chamber。　It　was　dimly　lit；　but　totheir　eyes；　after　so　long　a　time　in　the　dark；　it　seemed　dazzlingly　bright；　andthey　blinked　as　they　entered。　
Their　feet　disturbed　a　deep　dust　upon　the　floor；　and　stumbled　amongthings　lying　in　the　doorway　whose　shapes　they　could　not　at　first　make　out。　Thechamber　was　lit　by　a　wide　shaft　high　in　the　further　eastern　wall；　it　slantedupwards　and；　far　above；　a　small　square　patch　of　blue　sky　could　be　seen。　Thelight　of　the　shaft　fell　directly　on　a　table　in　the　middle　of　the　room：　asingle　oblong　block；　about　two　feet　high；　upon　which　was　laid　a　great　slab　ofwhite　stone。　　
‘It　looks　like　a　tomb；'　muttered　Frodo；　and　bent　forwards　with　a　curioussense　of　foreboding；　to　look　more　closely　at　it。　Gandalf　came　quickly　to　hisside。　On　the　slab　runes　were　deeply　graven：　　
'These　are　Daeron's　Runes；　such　as　were　used　of　old　in　Moria；'　saidGanda