the fellowship of the ring-第92部分

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olas　will　guard　him；　and　answer　for　him；　
he　shall　pass；　but　he　must　go　blindfold　through　Lothlórien。　
‘But　now　we　must　debate　no　longer。　Your　folk　must　not　remain　on　theground。　We　have　been　keeping　watch　on　the　rivers；　ever　since　we　saw　a　greattroop　of　Orcs　going　north　toward　Moria；　along　the　skirts　of　the　mountains；　
many　days　ago。　Wolves　are　howling　on　the　wood's　borders。　If　you　have　indeede　from　Moria；　the　peril　cannot　be　far　behind。　Tomorrow　early　you　must　goon。　　
'The　four　hobbits　shall　climb　up　here　and　stay　with　us…we　do　not　fearthem！　There　is　another　_talan_　in　the　next　tree。　There　the　others　must　take　　
refuge。　You；　Legolas；　must　answer　to　us　for　them。　Call　us；　if　anything　isamiss！　And　have　an　eye　on　that　dwarf！'　　
Legolas　at　once　went　down　the　ladder　to　take　Haldir's　message；　and　soonafterwards　Merry　and　Pippin　clambered　up　on　to　the　high　flet。　They　were　out　ofbreath　and　seemed　rather　scared。　　
‘There！'　said　Merry　panting。　‘We　have　lugged　up　your　blankets　as　well　asour　own。　Strider　has　hidden　all　the　rest　of　the　baggage　in　a　deep　drift　ofleaves。'　　
‘You　had　no　need　of　your　burdens；'　said　Haldir。　‘It　is　cold　in　the　treetops　　
in　winter；　though　the　wind　tonight　is　in　the　South；　but　we　have　food　anddrink　to　give　you　that　will　drive　away　the　night…chill；　and　we　have　skins　andcloaks　to　spare。'　
The　hobbits　accepted　this　second　（and　far　better）　supper　very　gladly。　
Then　they　wrapped　themselves　warmly；　not　only　in　the　fur…cloaks　of　the　Elves；　
but　in　their　own　blankets　as　well；　and　tried　to　go　to　sleep。　But　weary　as　theywere　only　Sam　found　that　easy　to　do。　Hobbits　do　not　like　heights；　and　do　notsleep　upstairs；　even　when　they　have　any　stairs。　The　flet　was　not　at　all　totheir　liking　as　a　bedroom。　It　had　no　walls。　not　even　a　rail；　only　on　one　sidewas　there　a　light　plaited　screen；　which　could　be　moved　and　fixed　in　different　　
　
places　according　to　the　wind。　
Pippin　went　on　talking　for　a　while。　‘I　hope；　if　I　do　go　to　sleep　in　thisbed…loft；　that　I　shan't　roll　off；'　he　said。　
‘Once　I　do　get　to　sleep；'　said　Sam；　'i　shall　go　on　sleeping；　whether　Iroll　off　or　no。　And　the　less　said；　the　sooner　I'll　drop　off；　if　you　take　mymeaning。'　
Frodo　lay　for　some　time　awake；　and　looked　up　at　the　stars　glintingthrough　the　pale　roof　of　quivering　leaves。　Sam　was　snoring　at　his　side　longbefore　he　himself　closed　his　eyes。　He　could　dimly　see　the　grey　forms　of　twoelves　sitting　motionless　with　their　arms　about　their　knees；　speaking　inwhispers。　The　other　had　gone　down　to　take　up　his　watch　on　one　of　the　lowerbranches。　At　last　lulled　by　the　wind　in　the　boughs　above；　and　the　sweet　murmurof　the　falls　of　Nimrodel　below；　Frodo　fell　asleep　with　the　song　of　Legolasrunning　in　his　mind。　
Late　in　the　night　he　awoke。　The　other　hobbits　were　asleep。　The　Elves　weregone。　The　sickle　Moon　was　gleaming　dimly　among　the　leaves。　The　wind　was　still。　
A　little　way　off　he　heard　a　harsh　laugh　and　the　tread　of　many　feet　on　theground　below。　There　was　a　ring　of　metal。　The　sounds　died　slowly　away；　andseemed　to　go　southward；　on　into　the　wood。　
A　head　appeared　suddenly　through　the　hole　in　the　flet。　Frodo　sat　up　inalarm　and　saw　that　it　was　a　grey…hooded　Elf。　He　looked　towards　the　hobbits。　
‘What　is　it？　'　said　Frodo。　　
‘_Yrch！_'　said　the　Elf　in　a　hissing　whisper；　and　cast　on　to　the　flet　therope…ladder　rolled　up。　
'Orcs！　'　said　Frodo。　‘What　are　they　doing？　'　But　the　Elf　had　gone。　
There　were　no　more　sounds。　Even　the　leaves　were　silent；　and　the　veryfalls　seemed　to　be　hushed。　Frodo　sat　and　shivered　in　his　wraps。　He　wasthankful　that　they　had　not　been　caught　on　the　ground；　but　he　felt　that　thetrees　offered　little　protection；　except　concealment。　Orcs　were　as　keen　ashounds　on　a　scent；　it　was　said；　but　they　could　also　climb。　He　drew　out　Sting：　
it　flashed　and　glittered　like　a　blue　flame　and　then　slowly　faded　again　andgrew　dull。　In　spite　of　the　fading　of　his　sword　the　feeling　of　immediate　dangerdid　not　leave　Frodo；　rather　it　grew　stronger。　He　got　up　and　crawled　to　theopening　and　peered　down。　He　was　almost　certain　that　he　could　hear　stealthymovements　at　the　tree's　foot　far　below。　　
Not　Elves；　for　the　woodland　folk　were　altogether　noiseless　in　theirmovements。　Then　he　heard　faintly　a　sound　like　sniffing：　and　something　seemedto　be　scrabbling　on　the　bark　of　the　tree…trunk。　He　stared　down　into　the　dark；　
holding　his　breath。　
Something　was　now　climbing　slowly；　and　its　breath　came　like　a　softhissing　through　closed　teeth。　Then　ing　up；　close　to　the　stem；　Frodo　saw　twopale　eyes。　They　stopped　and　gazed　upward　unwinking。　Suddenly　they　turned　away；　
and　a　shadowy　figure　slipped　round　the　trunk　of　the　tree　and　vanished。　
Immediately　afterwards　Haldir　came　climbing　swiftly　up　through　thebranches。　‘There　was　something　in　this　tree　that　I　have　never　seen　before；'　hesaid。　‘It　was　not　an　orc。　It　fled　as　soon　as　I　touched　the　tree…stem。　It　　
seemed　to　be　wary；　and　to　have　some　skill　in　trees；　or　I　might　have　thoughtthat　it　was　one　of　you　hobbits。　
'I　did　not　shoot；　for　I　dared　not　arouse　any　cries：　we　cannot　riskbattle。　A　strong　pany　of　Orcs　has　passed。　They　crossed　the　Nimrodel…cursetheir　foul　feet　in　its　clean　water！…and　went　on　down　the　old　road　beside　the　　
river。　They　seemed　to　pick　up　some　scent；　and　they　searched　the　ground　for　awhile　near　the　place　where　you　halted。　The　three　of　us　could　not　challenge　ahundred；　so　we　went　ahead　and　spoke　with　feigned　voices；　leading　them　on　intothe　wood。　　
‘Orophin　has　now　gone　in　haste　back　to　our　dwellings　to　warn　our　people。　
None　of　the　Orcs　will　ever　return　out　of　Lórien。　And　there　will　be　many　Elveshidden　on　the　northern　border　before　another　night　falls。　But　you　must　takethe　road　south　as　soon　as　it　is　fully　light。'　　
　
Day　came　pale　from　the　East。　As　the　light　grew　it　filtered　through　theyellow　leaves　of　the　mallorn；　and　it　seemed　to　the　hobbits　that　the　early　sunof　a　cool　summer's　morning　was　shining。　Pale…blue　sky　peeped　among　the　movingbranches。　Looking　through　an　opening　on　the　south　side　of　the　flet　Frodo　sawall　the　valley　of　the　Silverlode　lying　like　a　sea　of　fallow　gold　tossinggently　in　the　breeze。　
The　morning　was　still　young　and　cold　when　the　pany　set　out　again；　
guided　now　by　Haldir　and　his　brother　Rúmil。　‘Farewell；　sweet　Nimrodel！　'　criedLegolas。　Frodo　looked　back　and　caught　a　gleam　of　white　foam　among　the　greytree…stems。　‘Farewell；'　he　said。　It　seemed　to　him　that　he　would　never　hearagain　a　running　water　so　beautiful；　for　ever　blending　its　innumerable　notes　inan　endless　changeful　music。　
They　went　back　to　the　path　that　still　went　on　along　the　west　side　of　theSilverlode；　and　for　some　way　they　followed　it　southward。　There　were　the　printsof　orc…feet　in　the　earth。　But　soon　Haldir　turned　aside　into　the　trees　and　　
halted　on　the　bank　of　the　river　under　their　shadows。　　
‘There　is　one　of　my　people　yonder　across　the　stream；'　he　said　‘though　youmay　not　see　him。'　He　gave　a　call　like　the　low　whistle　of　a　bird；　and　out　of　athicket　of　young　trees　an　Elf　stepped；　clad　in　grey；　but　with　his　hood　thrownback；　his　hair　glinted　like　gold　in　the　morning　sun。　Haldir　skilfully　castover　the　stream　a　coil　of　grey　rope；　and　he　caught　it　and　bound　the　end　abouta　tree　near　the　bank。　　
‘Celebrant　is　already　a　strong　stream　here；　as　you　see；'　said　Haldir　'andit　runs　both　swift　and　deep；　and　is　very　cold。　We　do　not　set　foot　in　it　so　farnorth；　unless　we　must。　But　in　these　days　of　watchfulness　we　do　not　makebridges。　This　is　how　we　cross！　Follow　me！'　He　made　his　end　of　the　rope　fastabout　another　tree；　and　then　ran　lightly　along　it；　over　the　river　and　backagain；　as　if　he　were　on　a　road。　
‘I　can　walk　this　path；'　said　Legolas；　‘but　the　others　have　not　thisskill。　Must　they　swim？'　
‘No！'　said　Haldir。　‘We　have　two　more　ropes。　We　will　fasten　them　above　theother；　one　shoulder…high；　and　another　half…high；　and　holding　these　thestrangers　should　be　able　to　cross　with　care。'　
When　this　slender　bridge　had　been　made；　the　pany　passed　over；　somecautiously　and　slowly；　others　more　easily。　Of　the　hobbits　Pippin　proved　thebest　for　he　was　sure…footed；　and　he　walked　over　quickly；　holding　only　with　onehand；　but　he　kept　his　eyes　on　the　bank　ahead　and　did　not　look　down。　Samshuffled　along；　clutching　hard；　and　looking　down　into　the　pale　eddying　wateras　if　it　was　a　chasm　in　the　mountains。　　
He　breathed　with　relief　when　he　was　safely　across。　‘Live　and　learn！　as　mygaffer　used　to　say。　Though　he　was　thinking　of　gardening；　not　of　roosting　likea　bird；　nor　of　trying　to　walk　like　a　spider。　Not　even　my　uncle　Andy　ever　did　atrick　like　that！　'　　
When　at　length　all　the　pany　was　gathered　on　the　east　bank　of　theSilverlode；　the　Elves　untied　the　ropes　and　coiled　two　of　them。　Rúmil；　who　hadremained　on　the　other　side；　drew　back　the　last　one；　slung　it　on　his　shoulder；　
and　with　a　wave　of　his　hand　went　away；　back　to　Nimrodel　to　keep　watch。　
‘Now；　friends；'　said　Haldir；　‘you　have　entered　the　Naith　of　Lórien　or　theGore；　as　you　would　say；　for　it　is　the　land　that　lies　like　a　spear…head　betweenthe　arms　of　Silverlode　and　Anduin　the　Great。　We　allow　no　strangers　to　spy　outthe　secrets　of　the　Naith。　Few　indeed　are　permitted　even　to　set　foot　there。　
‘As　was　agreed；　I　shall　here　blindfold　the　eyes　of　Gimli　the　Dwarf。　Theother　may　walk　free　for　a　while；　until　we　e　nearer　to　our　dwellings；　downin　Egladil；　in　t