the fellowship of the ring-第22部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


The　choice　is　yours：　to　go　or　wait。'　
'And　it　is　also　said；'　answered　Frodo：　'Go　_not　to　the　Elves　for　counsel；　
for　they　will　say　both　no　and　yes。'_　
'Is　it　indeed？'　laughed　Gildor。　'Elves　seldom　give　unguarded　advice；　foradvice　is　a　dangerous　gift；　even　from　the　wise　to　the　wise；　and　all　coursesmay　run　ill。　But　what　would　you？　You　have　not　told　me　all　concerning　yourself；　
and　how　then　shall　I　choose　better　than　you？　But　if　you　demand　advice；　I　willfor　friendship's　sake　give　it。　I　think　you　should　now　go　at　once；　withoutdelay；　and　if　Gandalf　does　not　e　before　you　set　out；　then　I　also　advisethis：　do　not　go　alone。　Take　such　friends　as　are　trusty　and　willing。　Now　youshould　be　grateful；　for　I　do　not　give　this　counsel　gladly。　The　Elves　havetheir　own　labours　and　their　own　sorrows；　and　they　are　little　concerned　withthe　ways　of　hobbits；　or　of　any　other　creatures　upon　earth。　Our　paths　crosstheirs　seldom；　by　chance　or　purpose。　In　this　meeting　there　may　be　more　thanchance；　but　the　purpose　is　not　clear　to　me；　and　I　fear　to　say　too　much。'　
'I　am　deeply　grateful；'　said　Frodo；　'but　I　wish　you　would　tell　me　plainlywhat　the　Black　Riders　are。　If　I　take　your　advice　I　may　not　see　Gandalf　for　along　while；　and　I　ought　to　know　what　is　the　danger　that　pursues　me。'　
'Is　it　not　enough　to　know　that　they　are　servants　of　the　Enemy？'　answeredGildor。　'Flee　them！　Speak　no　words　to　them！　They　are　deadly。　Ask　no　more　ofme！　But　my　heart　forbodes　that；　ere　all　is　ended；　you；　Frodo　son　of　Drogo；　
will　know　more　of　these　fell　things　than　Gildor　Inglorion。　May　Elberethprotect　you！'　
'But　where　shall　I　find　courage？'　asked　Frodo。　'That　is　what　I　chieflyneed。'　　
'Courage　is　found　in　unlikely　places；'　said　Gildor。　'Be　of　good　hope！　
Sleep　now！　In　the　morning　we　shall　have　gone；　but　we　will　send　our　messagesthrough　the　lands。　The　Wandering　panies　shall　know　of　your　journey；　andthose　that　have　power　for　good　shall　be　on　the　watch。　I　name　you　Elf…friend；　
and　may　the　stars　shine　upon　the　end　of　your　road！　Seldom　have　we　had　suchdelight　in　strangers；　and　it　is　fair　to　hear　words　of　the　Ancient　Speech　fromthe　lips　of　other　wanderers　in　the　world。'　
Frodo　felt　sleep　ing　upon　him；　even　as　Gildor　finished　speaking。　'Iwill　sleep　now；'　he　said；　and　the　Elf　led　him　to　a　bower　beside　Pippin；　and　he　　
　
threw　himself　upon　a　bed　and　fell　at　once　into　a　dreamless　slumber。　　
_Chapter　4_　
A　Short　Cut　to　Mushrooms　　
In　the　morning　Frodo　woke　refreshed。　He　was　lying　in　a　bower　made　by　aliving　tree　with　branches　laced　and　drooping　to　the　ground；　his　bed　was　offern　and　grass；　deep　and　soft　and　strangely　fragrant。　The　sun　was　shiningthrough　the　fluttering　leaves；　which　were　still　green　upon　the　tree。　He　jumpedup　and　went　out。　
Sam　was　sitting　on　the　grass　near　the　edge　of　the　wood。　Pippin　wasstanding　studying　the　sky　and　weather。　There　was　no　sign　of　the　Elves。　
'They　have　left　us　fruit　and　drink；　and　bread；'　said　Pippin。　'e　andhave　your　breakfast。　The　bread　tastes　almost　as　good　as　it　did　last　night。　Idid　not　want　to　leave　you　any；　but　Sam　insisted。'　
Frodo　sat　down　beside　Sam　and　began　to　eat。　'What　is　the　plan　fortoday？'　asked　Pippin。　
'To　walk　to　Bucklebury　as　quickly　as　possible；'　answered　Frodo；　and　gavehis　attention　to　the　food。　　
'Do　you　think　we　shall　see　anything　of　those　Riders？'　asked　Pippincheerfully。　Under　the　morning　sun　the　prospect　of　seeing　a　whole　troop　of　themdid　not　seem　very　alarming　to　him。　
'Yes；　probably；'　said　Frodo；　not　liking　the　reminder。　'But　I　hope　to　getacross　the　river　without　their　seeing　us。'　
'Did　you　find　out　anything　about　them　from　Gildor？'　
'Not　much　–　only　hints　and　riddles；'　said　Frodo　evasively。　'Did　you　askabout　the　sniffing？'　
'We　didn't　discuss　it；'　said　Frodo　with　his　mouth　full。　
'You　should　have。　I　am　sure　it　is　very　important。'　
'In　that　case　I　am　sure　Gildor　would　have　refused　to　explain　it；'　saidFrodo　sharply。　'And　now　leave　me　in　peace　for　a　bit！　I　don't　want　to　answer　astring　of　questions　while　I　am　eating。　I　want　to　think！'　
'Good　heavens！'　said　Pippin。　'At　breakfast？'　He　walked　away　towards　theedge　of　the　green。　
From　Frodo's　mind　the　bright　morning　–　treacherously　bright；　he　thought　–　
had　not　banished　the　fear　of　pursuit；　and　he　pondered　the　words　of　Gildor。　Themerry　voice　of　Pippin　came　to　him。　He　was　running　on　the　green　turf　andsinging。　
'No！　I　could　not！'　he　said　to　himself。　'It　is　one　thing　to　take　my　youngfriends　walking　over　the　Shire　with　me；　until　we　are　hungry　and　weary；　andfood　and　bed　are　sweet。　To　take　them　into　exile；　where　hunger　and　wearinessmay　have　no　cure；　is　quite　another　–　even　if　they　are　willing　to　e。　Theinheritance　is　mine　alone。　I　don't　think　I　ought　even　to　take　Sam。'　He　lookedat　Sam　Gamgee；　and　discovered　that　Sam　was　watching　him。　
'Well；　Sam！'　he　said。　'What　about　it？　I　am　leaving　the　Shire　as　soon　asever　I　can　–　in　fact　I　have　made　up　my　mind　now　not　even　to　wait　a　day　atCrickhollow；　if　it　can　be　helped。'　
'Very　good；　sir！'　
'You　still　mean　to　e　with　me？'　　
'I　do。'　　
'It　is　going　to　be　very　dangerous；　Sam。　'It　is　already　dangerous。　Mostlikely　neither　of　us　will　e　back。'　
'If　you　don't　e　back；　sir；　then　I　shan't；　that's　certain；'　said　Sam。　
_'Don't　you　leave　him！_　they　said　to　me。　_Leave　him！_　I　said。　_I　never　meanto。　I　am　going　with　him；　if　he　climbs　to　the　Moon；　and　if　any　of　those　BlackRulers　try　to　stop　him；　they'll　have　Sam　Gamgee　to　reckon　with；_　I　said。　Theylaughed。'　
'Who　are　_they；_　and　what　are　you　talking　about？'　
'The　Elves；　sir。　We　had　some　talk　last　night；　and　they　seemed　to　know　you　　
　
were　going　away；　so　I　didn't　see　the　use　of　denying　it。　Wonderful　folk；　Elves；　
sir！　Wonderful！'　　
'They　are；'　said　Frodo。　'Do　you　like　them　still；　now　you　have　had　acloser　view？'　　
'They　seem　a　bit　above　my　likes　and　dislikes；　so　to　speak；'　answered　Samslowly。　'It　don't　seem　to　matter　what　I　think　about　them。　They　are　quitedifferent　from　what　I　expected　–　so　old　and　young；　and　so　gay　and　sad；　as　itwere。'　　
Frodo　looked　at　Sam　rather　startled；　half　expecting　to　see　some　outwardsign　of　the　odd　change　that　seemed　to　have　e　over　him。　It　did　not　soundlike　the　voice　of　the　old　Sam　Gamgee　that　he　thought　he　knew。　But　it　lookedlike　the　old　Sam　Gamgee　sitting　there；　except　that　his　face　was　unusuallythoughtful。　
'Do　you　feel　any　need　to　leave　the　Shire　now　–　now　that　your　wish　to　seethem　has　e　true　already？'　he　asked。　
'Yes；　sir。　I　don't　know　how　to　say　it；　but　after　last　night　I　feeldifferent。　I　seem　to　see　ahead；　in　a　kind　of　way。　I　know　we　are　going　to　takea　very　long　road；　into　darkness；　but　I　know　I　can't　turn　back。　It　isn't　to　seeElves　now；　nor　dragons；　nor　mountains；　that　I　want　–　I　don't　rightly　know　whatI　want：　but　I　have　something　to　do　before　the　end；　and　it　lies　ahead；　not　inthe　Shire。　I　must　see　it　through；　sir；　if　you　understand　me。'　
'I　don't　altogether。　But　I　understand　that　Gandalf　chose　me　a　goodpanion。　I　am　content。　We　will　go　together。'　
Frodo　finished　his　breakfast　in　silence。　Then　standing　up　he　looked　overthe　land　ahead；　and　called　to　Pippin。　
'All　ready　to　start？'　he　said　as　Pippin　ran　up。　'We　must　be　getting　offat　once。　We　slept　late；　and　there　are　a　good　many　miles　to　go。'　
_'You_　slept　late；　you　mean；'　said　Pippin。　'I　was　up　long　before；　and　weare　only　waiting　for　you　to　finish　eating　and　thinking。'　
'I　have　finished　both　now。　And　I　am　going　to　make　for　Bucklebury　Ferry　asquickly　as　possible。　I　am　not　going　out　of　the　way；　back　to　the　road　we　leftlast　night：　I　am　going　to　cut　straight　across　country　from　here。'　
'Then　you　are　going　to　fly；'　said　Pippin。　'You　won't　cut　straight　on　footanywhere　in　this　country。'　
'We　can　cut　straighter　than　the　road　anyway；'　answered　Frodo。　'The　Ferryis　east　from　Woodhall；　but　the　hard　road　curves　away　to　the　left　…you　can　seea　bend　of　it　away　north　over　there。　It　goes　round　the　north　end　of　the　Marishso　as　to　strike　the　causeway　from　the　Bridge　above　Stock。　But　that　is　milesout　of　the　way。　We　could　save　a　quarter　of　the　distance　if　we　made　a　line　forthe　Ferry　from　where　we　stand。'　
_'Short　cuts　make　long　delays；'_　argued　Pippin。　'The　country　is　roughround　here；　and　there　are　bogs　and　all　kinds　of　difficulties　down　in　theMarish　…I　know　the　land　in　these　parts。　And　if　you　are　worrying　about　BlackRiders；　I　can't　see　that　it　is　any　worse　meeting　them　on　a　road　than　in　a　woodor　a　field。'　　
'It　is　less　easy　to　find　people　in　the　woods　and　fields；'　answered　Frodo。　
'And　if　you　are　supposed　to　be　on　the　road；　there　is　some　chance　that　you　willbe　looked　for　on　the　road　and　not　off　it。'　　
'All　right！'　said　Pippin。　'I　will　follow　you　into　every　bog　and　ditch。　
But　it　is　hard！　I　had　counted　on　passing　the　_Golden　Perch_　at　Stock　beforesundown。　The　best　beer　in　the　Eastfarthing；　or　used　to　be：　it　is　a　long　timesince　I　tasted　it。'　　
'That　settles　it！'　said　Frodo。　'Short　cuts　make　delays；　but　inns　makelonger　ones。　At　all　costs　we　must　keep　you　away　from　the　_Golden　Perch_。　Wewant　to　get　to　Bucklebury　before　dark。　What　do　you　say；　Sam？'　
'I　will　go　along　with　you；　Mr。　Frodo；'　said　Sam　（in　spite　of　privatemisgiving　and　a　deep　regret　for　the　best　beer　in　the　Eastfarthing）。　
'Then　if　we　are　going　to　toil　through　bog　and　briar；　let's　go　now！'　saidPippin。　
It　was　already　nearly　as　hot　as　it　had　been　the　day　before；　but　clouds　　
　
were　beginning　to　e　up　from　the　West。　It　looked　likely　to　turn　to　rain。　Thehobbits　scrambled　down　a　steep　green　bank　and　plunged　into　the　thick　treesbelow。　Their　course　had　been　chosen　to　leave　Woodhall　to　their　left；　and　tocut　slanting　through　the　woods　that　clustered　along　the　eastern　side　of　thehills；　until　they　reached　the　flats　beyond。　Then　they　could　make　straight　forthe　Ferry　over　country　that　was　open；　except　for　a　few　ditches　and　fences。　
Frodo　reckoned　they　had　eighteen　miles　to　go　in　a　straight　line。　
He　soon　found　that　the　thicket　was　closer　and　more　tangled　than　it　hadappeared。　There　were　no　paths　in　the　undergrowth；　and　they　did　not　get　on　veryfast。　When　they　had　struggled　to　the　bottom　of　the　bank；　they　found　a　streamrunning　down　from　the　hills　behind　in　a　deeply　dug　bed　with　steep　slipperysides　overhung　with　brambles。　Most　inconveniently　it　cut　across　the　line　theyhad　chosen。　They　could　not　jump　over　it；　nor　indeed　get　across　it　at　allwithout　getting　wet；　scratched；　and　mud