the fellowship of the ring-第27部分

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；　before　he　was　finally　caught。　After　which；　I　may　say；　he　seemedto　regard　himself　as　on　parole；　and　dried　up。'　
'Sam！'　cried　Frodo；　feeling　that　amazement　could　go　no　further；　and　quiteunable　to　decide　whether　he　felt　angry；　amused；　relieved；　or　merely　foolish。　
'Yes；　sir！'　said　Sam。　'Begging　your　pardon；　sir！　But　I　meant　no　wrong　toyou；　Mr。　Frodo；　nor　to　Mr。　Gandalf　for　that　matter。　_He_　has　some　sense；　mindyou；　and　when　you　said　_go　alone；_　he　said　_no！　lake　someone　as　you　cantrust。'_　　
'But　it　does　not　seem　that　I　can　trust　anyone；'　said　Frodo。　Sam　looked　athim　unhappily。　'It　all　depends　on　what　you　want；'　put　in　Merry。　'You　can　trustus　to　stick　to　you　through　thick　and　thin　–　to　the　bitter　end。　And　you　cantrust　us　to　keep　any　secret　of　yours　–　closer　than　you　keep　it　yourself。　Butyou　cannot　trust　us　to　let　you　face　trouble　alone；　and　go　off　without　a　word。　
We　are　your　friends；　Frodo。　Anyway：　there　it　is。　We　know　most　of　what　Gandalf　　
　
has　told　you。　We　know　a　good　deal　about　the　Ring。　We　are　horribly　afraid　–　butwe　are　ing　with　you；　or　following　you　like　hounds。'　
'And　after　all；　sir；'　added　Sam；　'you　did　ought　to　take　the　Elves'advice。　Gildor　said　you　should　take　them　as　was　willing；　and　you　can't　denyit。'　　
'I　don't　deny　it；'　said　Frodo；　looking　at　Sam；　who　was　now　grinning。　'Idon't　deny　it；　but　I'll　never　believe　you　are　sleeping　again；　whether　yousnore　or　not。　I　shall　kick　you　hard　to　make　sure。　
'You　are　a　set　of　deceitful　scoundrels！'　he　said；　turning　to　the　others。　
'But　bless　you！'　he　laughed；　getting　up　and　waving　his　arms；　'I　give　in。　Iwill　take　Gildor's　advice。　If　the　danger　were　not　so　dark；　I　should　dance　forjoy。　Even　so；　I　cannot　help　feeling　happy；　happier　than　I　have　felt　for　a　longtime。　I　had　dreaded　this　evening。'　
'Good！　That's　settled。　Three　cheers　for　Captain　Frodo　and　pany！'　theyshouted；　and　they　danced　round　him。　Merry　and　Pippin　began　a　song；　which　theyhad　apparently　got　ready　for　the　occasion。　
It　was　made　on　the　model　of　the　dwarf…song　that　started　Bilbo　on　hisadventure　long　ago；　and　went　to　the　same　tune：　　
Farewell　we　call　to　hearth　and　hall！　　
Though　wind　may　blow　and　rain　may　fall；　
We　must　away　ere　break　of　day　
Far　over　wood　and　mountain　tall。　　
To　Rivendell；　where　Elves　yet　dwell　
In　glades　beneath　the　misty　fell；　
Through　moor　and　waste　we　ride　in　haste；　
And　whither　then　we　cannot　tell。　　
With　foes　ahead；　behind　us　dread；　
Beneath　the　sky　shall　be　our　bed；　
Until　at　last　our　toil　be　passed；　
Our　journey　done；　our　errand　sped。　　
We　must　away！　We　must　away！　
We　ride　before　the　break　of　day！　　
'Very　good！'　said　Frodo。　'But　in　that　case　there　are　a　lot　of　things　todo　before　we　go　to　bed　–　under　a　roof；　for　tonight　at　any　rate。'　
'Oh！　That　was　poetry！'　said　Pippin。　'Do　you　really　mean　to　start　beforethe　break　of　day？'　
'I　don't　know；'　answered　Frodo。　'I　fear　those　Black　Riders；　and　I　am　sureit　is　unsafe　to　stay　in　one　place　long；　especially　in　a　place　to　which　it　isknown　I　was　going。　Also　Gildor　advised　me　not　to　wait。　But　I　should　very　muchlike　to　see　Gandalf。　I　could　see　that　even　Gildor　was　disturbed　when　he　heard　　
that　Gandalf　had　never　appeared。　It　really　depends　on　two　things。　How　sooncould　the　Riders　get　to　Bucklebury？　And　how　soon　could　we　get　off？　It　willtake　a　good　deal　of　preparation。'　
'The　answer　to　the　second　question；'　said　Merry；　'is　that　we　could　getoff　in　an　hour。　I　have　prepared　practically　everything。　There　are　six　poniesin　a　stable　across　the　fields；　stores　and　tackle　are　all　packed；　except　for　afew　extra　clothes；　and　the　perishable　food。'　
'It　seems　to　have　been　a　very　efficient　conspiracy；'　said　Frodo。　'Butwhat　about　the　Black　Riders？　Would　it　be　safe　to　wait　one　day　for　Gandalf？'　
'That　all　depends　on　what　you　think　the　Riders　would　do；　if　they　foundyou　here；'　answered　Merry。　'They　_could_　have　reached　here　by　now；　of　course；　
if　they　were　not　stopped　at　the　North…gate；　where　the　Hedge　runs　down　to　theriver…bank；　just　this　side　of　the　Bridge。　The　gate…guards　would　not　let　themthrough　by　night；　though　they　might　break　through。　Even　in　the　daylight　they　　
　
would　try　to　keep　them　out；　I　think；　at　any　rate　until　they　got　a　messagethrough　to　the　Master　of　the　Hall　–　for　they　would　not　like　the　look　of　theRiders；　and　would　certainly　be　frightened　by　them。　But；　of　course；　Bucklandcannot　resist　a　determined　attack　for　long。　And　it　is　possible　that　in　themorning　even　a　Black　Rider　that　rode　up　and　asked　for　Mr。　Baggins　would　be　letthrough。　It　is　pretty　generally　known　that　you　are　ing　back　to　live　atCrickhollow。'　　
Frodo　sat　for　a　while　in　thought。　'I　have　made　up　my　mind；'　he　saidfinally。　'I　am　starting　tomorrow；　as　soon　as　it　is　light。　But　I　am　not　goingby　road：　it　would　be　safer　to　wait　here　than　that。　If　I　go　through　the　North…　
gate　my　departure　from　Buckland　will　be　known　at　once；　instead　of　being　secretfor　several　days　at　least；　as　it　might　be。　And　what　is　more；　the　Bridge　andthe　East　Road　near　the　borders　will　certainly　be　watched；　whether　any　Ridergets　into　Buckland　or　not。　We　don't　know　how　many　there　are；　but　there　are　atleast　two；　and　possibly　more。　The　only　thing　to　do　is　to　go　off　in　a　quiteunexpected　direction。'　
'But　that　can　only　mean　going　into　the　Old　Forest！'　said　Fredegarhorrified。　'You　can't　be　thinking　of　doing　that。　It　is　quite　as　dangerous　asBlack　Riders。'　　
'Not　quite；'　said　Merry。　It　sounds　very　desperate；　but　I　believe　Frodo　isright。　It　is　the　only　way　of　getting　off　without　being　followed　at　once。　Withluck　we　might　gel　a　considerable　start。'　
'But　you　won't　have　any　luck　in　the　Old　Forest；'　objected　Fredegar。　'Noone　ever　has　luck　in　there。　You'll　gel　lost。　People　don't　go　in　there。'　
'Oh　yes　they　do！'　said　Merry。　'The　Brandybucks　go　in　–　occasionally　whenthe　fit　takes　them。　We　have　a　private　entrance。　Frodo　went　in　once；　long　ago。　
I　have　been　in　several　times：　usually　in　daylight；　of　course；　when　the　treesare　sleepy　and　fairly　quiet。'　
'Well；　do　as　you　think　best！'　said　Fredegar。　'I　am　more　afraid　of　the　OldForest　than　of　anything　I　know　about：　the　stories　about　it　are　a　nightmare；　
but　my　vote　hardly　counts；　as　I　am　not　going　on　the　journey。　Still；　I　am　veryglad　someone　is　stopping　behind；　who　can　tell　Gandalf　what　you　have　done；　whenhe　turns　up；　as　I　am　sure　he　will　before　long。'　
Fond　as　he　was　of　Frodo；　Fatty　Bolger　had　no　desire　to　leave　the　Shire；　
nor　to　see　what　lay　outside　it。　His　family　came　from　the　Eastfarthing；　fromBudgeford　in　Bridgefields　in　fact；　but　he　had　never　been　over　the　BrandywineBridge。　His　task；　according　to　the　original　plans　of　the　conspirators；　was　tostay　behind　and　deal　with　inquisitive　folk；　and　to　keep　up　as　long　as　possiblethe　pretence　that　Mr。　Baggins　was　still　living　at　Crickhollow。　He　had　evenbrought　along　some　old　clothes　of　Frodo's　to　help　him　in　playing　the　part。　
They　little　thought　how　dangerous　that　part　might　prove。　
'Excellent！'　said　Frodo；　when　he　understood　the　plan。　'We　could　not　haveleft　any　message　behind　for　Gandalf　otherwise。　I　don't　know　whether　theseRiders　can　read　or　not；　of　course；　but　I　should　not　have　dared　to　risk　awritten　message；　in　case　they　got　in　and　searched　the　house。　But　if　Fatty　iswilling　to　hold　the　fort；　and　I　can　be　sure　of　Gandalf　knowing　the　way　we　havegone；　that　decides　me。　I　am　going　into　the　Old　Forest　first　thing　tomorrow。'　
'Well；　that's　that；'　said　Pippin。　'On　the　whole　I　would　rather　have　ourjob　than　Fatty's　–　waiting　here　till　Black　Riders　e。'　
'You　wait　till　you　are　well　inside　the　Forest；'　said　Fredegar。　'You'llwish　you　were　back　here　with　me　before　this　time　tomorrow。'　
'It's　no　good　arguing　about　it　any　more；'　said　Merry。　'We　have　still　gotto　tidy　up　and　put　the　finishing　touches　to　the　packing；　before　we　get　to　bed。　
I　shall　call　you　all　before　the　break　of　day。'　
When　at　last　he　had　got　to　bed；　Frodo　could　not　sleep　for　some　time。　Hislegs　ached。　He。　was　glad　that　he　was　riding　in　the　morning。　Eventually　he　fellinto　a　vague　dream；　in　which　he　seemed　to　be　looking　out　of　a　high　window　overa　dark　sea　of　tangled　trees。　Down　below　among　the　roots　there　was　the　sound　ofcreatures　crawling　and　snuffling。　He　felt　sure　they　would　smell　him　out　sooneror　later。　　
　
Then　he　heard　a　noise　in　the　distance。　At　first　he　thought　it　was　a　greatwind　ing　over　the　leaves　of　the　forest。　Then　he　knew　that　it　was　notleaves；　but　the　sound　of　the　Sea　far…off；　a　sound　he　had　never　heard　in　wakinglife；　though　it　had　often　troubled　his　dreams。　Suddenly　he　found　he　was　out　inthe　open。　There　were　no　trees　after　all。　He　was　on　a　dark　heath；　and　there　wasa　strange　salt　smell　in　the　air。　Looking　up　he　saw　before　him　a　tall　whitetower；　standing　alone　on　a　high　ridge。　A　great　desire　came　over　him　to　climbthe　tower　and　see　the　Sea。　He　started　to　struggle　up　the　ridge　towards　thetower：　but　suddenly　a　light　came　in　the　sky；　and　there　was　a　noise　of　thunder。　　
The　Old　Forest　　
_Chapter　6_　　
Frodo　woke　suddenly。　It　was　still　dark　in　the　room。　Merry　was　standingthere　with　a　candle　in　one　hand；　and　banging　on　the　door　with　the　other。　'Allright！　What　is　it？'　said　Frodo；　still　shaken　and　bewildered。　
'What　is　it！'　cried　Merry。　'It　is　time　to　get　up。　It　is　half　past　fourand　very　foggy。　e　on！　Sam　is　already　getting　breakfast　ready。　Even　Pippinis　up。　I　am　just　going　to　saddle　the　ponies；　and　fetch　the　one　that　is　to　bethe　baggage…carrier。　Wake　that　sluggard　Fatty！　At　least　he　must　get　up　and　seeus　off。'　　
Soon　after　six　o'clock　the　five　hobbits　were　ready　to　start。　Fatty　Bolgerwas　still　yawning。　They　stole　quietly　out　of　the　house。　Merry　went　in　frontleading　a　laden　pony；　and　took　his　way　along　a　path　that　went　through　aspinney　behind　the　house；　and　then　cut　across　several　fields。　The　leaves　oftrees　were　glistening；　and　every　twig　was　dripping；　the　grass　was　grey　withcold　dew。　Everything　was　still；　and　far…away　noises　seemed　near　and　clear：　
fowls　chattering　in　a　yard；　someone　closing　a　door　of　a　distant　house。　
In　their　shed　they　found　the　ponies；　sturdy　little　beasts　of　the　kindloved　by　hobbits；　not　speedy；　but　good　for　a　long　day's　work。　They　mounted；　
and　soon　they　were　riding　off　into　the　mist；　which　seemed　to　open　reluctantlybefore　them　and　close　forbiddingly　behind　them。　After　riding　for　about　anhour；　slowly　and　without　talking；　they　saw　the　Hedge