the fellowship of the ring-第46部分

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e。　I　hope　the　thinning　process　will　not　go　onindefinitely；　or　I　shall　bee　a　wraith。'　
'Do　not　speak　of　such　things！'　said　Strider　quickly；　and　with　surprisingearnestness。　　
The　hills　drew　nearer。　They　made　an　undulating　ridge；　often　rising　almostto　a　thousand　feet；　and　here　and　there　falling　again　to　low　clefts　or　passesleading　into　the　eastern　land　beyond。　Along　the　crest　of　the　ridge　the　hobbitscould　see　what　looked　to　be　the　remains　of　green…grown　walls　and　dikes；　and　inthe　clefts　there　still　stood　the　ruins　of　old　works　of　stone。　By　night　theyhad　reached　the　feet　of　the　westward　slopes；　and　there　they　camped。　It　was　thenight　of　the　fifth　of　October；　and　they　were　six　days　out　from　Bree。　
In　the　morning　they　found；　for　the　first　time　since　they　had　left　theChetwood；　a　track　plain　to　see。　They　turned　right　and　followed　it　southwards。　
It　ran　cunningly；　taking　a　line　that　seemed　chosen　so　as　to　keep　as　muchhidden　as　possible　from　the　view；　both　of　the　hill…tops　above　and　of　the　flatsto　the　west。　It　dived　into　dells；　and　hugged　steep　banks；　and　where　it　passedover　flatter　and　more　open　ground　on　either　side　of　it　there　were　lines　oflarge　boulders　and　hewn　stones　that　screened　the　travellers　almost　like　ahedge。　
'I　wonder　who　made　this　path；　and　what　for；'　said　Merry；　as　they　walkedalong　one　of　these　avenues；　where　the　stones　were　unusually　large　and　closelyset。　'I　am　not　sure　that　I　like　it：　it　has　a　–　well；　rather　a　barrow…wightishlook。　Is　there　any　barrow　on　Weathertop？'　
'No。　There　is　no　barrow　on　Weathertop；　nor　on　any　of　these　hills；'　
answered　Strider。　'The　Men　of　the　West　did　not　live　here；　though　in　theirlatter　days　they　defended　the　hills　for　a　while　against　the　evil　that　came　outof　Angmar。　This　path　was　made　to　serve　the　forts　along　the　walls。　But　longbefore；　in　the　first　days　of　the　North　Kingdom；　they　built　a　great　watch…toweron　Weathertop；　Amon　S。l　they　called　it。　It　was　burned　and　broken；　and　nothing　　
　
remains　of　it　now　but　a　tumbled　ring；　like　a　rough　crown　on　the　old　hill'shead。　Yet　once　it　was　tall　and　fair。　It　is　told　that　Elendil　stood　there　　
watching　for　the　ing　of　Gil…galad　out　of　the　West；　in　the　days　of　the　LastAlliance。'　　
The　hobbits　gazed　at　Strider。　It　seemed　that　he　was　learned　in　old　lore；　
as　well　as　in　the　ways　of　the　wild。　'Who　was　Gil…galad？'　asked　Merry；　butStrider　did　not　answer；　and　seemed　to　be　lost　in　thought。　Suddenly　a　low　voicemurmured：　　
Gil…galad　was　an　Elven…king。　
Of　him　the　harpers　sadly　sing：　
the　last　whose　realm　was　fair　and　free　　
between　the　Mountains　and　the　Sea。　　
His　sword　was　long；　his　lance　was　keen；　
his　shining　helm　afar　was　seen；　
the　countless　stars　of　heaven's　field　　
were　mirrored　in　his　silver　shield。　　
But　long　ago　he　rode　away；　
and　where　he　dwelleth　none　can　say；　
for　into　darkness　fell　his　star　　
in　Mordor　where　the　shadows　are。　　
The　others　turned　in　amazement；　for　the　voice　was　Sam's。　
'Don't　stop！'　said　Merry。　
'That's　all　I　know；'　stammered　Sam；　blushing。　'I　learned　it　from　Mr。　
Bilbo　when　I　was　a　lad。　He　used　to　tell　me　tales　like　that；　knowing　how　I　wasalways　one　for　hearing　about　Elves。　It　was　Mr。　Bilbo　as　taught　me　my　letters。　
He　was　mighty　book…learned　was　dear　old　Mr。　Bilbo。　And　he　wrote　_poetry。_　Hewrote　what　I　have　just　said。'　
'He　did　not　make　it　up；'　said　Strider。　'It　is　pan　of　the　lay　that　iscalled　_The　Fall　of　Gil…galad；_　which　is　in　an　ancient　tongue。　Bilbo　must　havetranslated　it。　I　never　knew　that。'　　
'There　was　a　lot　more；'　said　Sam；　'all　about　Mordor。　I　didn't　learn　thatpart；　it　gave　me　the　shivers　I　never　thought　I　should　be　going　that　waymyself！'　
'Going　to　Mordor！'　cried　Pippin。　'I　hope　it　won't　e　to　that！'　
'Do　not　speak　that　name　so　loudly！'　said　Strider。　　
It　was　already　mid…day　when　they　drew　near　the　southern　end　of　the　path；　
and　saw　before　them；　in　the　pale　clear　light　of　the　October　sun；　a　grey…greenbank；　leading　up　like　a　bridge　on　to　the　northward　slope　of　the　hill　Theydecided　to　make　for　the　top　at　once；　while　the　daylight　was　broad　Concealmentwas　no　longer　possible；　and　they　could　only　hope　that　no　enemy　or　spy　wasobserving　them。　Nothing　was　to　be　seen　moving　on　the　hill。　If　Gandalf　wasanywhere　about；　there　was　no　sign　of　him。　
On　the　western　flank　of　Weathertop　they　found　a　sheltered　hollow；　at　thebottom　of　which　there　was　a　bowl…shaped　dell　with　grassy　sides。　There　theyleft　Sam　and　Pippin　with　the　pony　and　their　packs　and　luggage。　The　other　threewent　on。　After　half　an　hour's　plodding　climb　Strider　reached　the　crown　of　thehill；　Frodo　and　Merry　followed；　tired　and　breathless。　The　last　slope　had　beensteep　and　rocky。　
On　the　top　they　found；　as　Strider　had　said；　a　wide　ring　of　ancientstonework；　now　crumbling　or　covered　with　age…long　grass。　But　in　the　centre　acairn　of　broken　stones　had　been　piled。　They　were　blackened　as　if　with　fire。　
About　them　the　turf　was　burned　to　the　roots　and　all　within　the　ring　the　grasswas　scorched　and　shrivelled；　as　if　flames　had　swept　the　hill…top；　but　therewas　no　sign　of　any　living　thing。　
Standing　upon　the　rim　of　the　ruined　circle；　they　saw　all　round　below　them　　
　
a　wide　prospect；　for　the　most　pan　of　lands　empty　and　featureless；　except　forpatches　of　woodland　away　to　the　south；　beyond　which　they　caught　here　and　therethe　glint　of　distant　water。　Beneath　them　on　this　southern　side　there　ran　likea　ribbon　the　Old　Road；　ing　out　of　the　West　and　winding　up　and　down；　untilit　faded　behind　a　ridge　of　dark　land　to　the　east。　Nothing　was　moving　on　it。　
Following　its　line　eastward　with　their　eyes　they　saw　the　Mountains：　the　nearerfoothills　were　brown　and　sombre；　
behind　them　stood　taller　shapes　of　grey；　and　behind　those　again　were　highwhite　peaks　glimmering　among　the　clouds。　
'Well；　here　we　are！'　said　Merry。　'And　very　cheerless　and　uninviting　itlooks！　There　is　no　water　and　no　shelter。　And　no　sign　of　Gandalf。　But　I　don'tblame　him　for　not　waiting　–　if　he　ever　came　here。'　
'I　wonder；'　said　Strider；　looking　round　thoughtfully。　'Even　if　he　was　aday　or　two　behind　us　at　Bree；　he　could　have　arrived　here　first。　He　can　ridevery　swiftly　when　need　presses。'　Suddenly　he　stooped　and　looked　at　the　stoneon　the　top　of　the　cairn；　it　was　flatter　than　the　others；　and　whiter；　as　if　ithad　escaped　the　fire。　He　picked　it　up　and　examined　it；　turning　it　in　hisfingers。　〃This　has　been　handled　recently；'　he　said。　'What　do　you　think　ofthese　marks？'　　
On　the　flat　under…side　Frodo　saw　some　scratches：　'There　seems　to　he　a　　
stroke；　a　dot；　and　three　more　strokes；'　he　said。　
'The　stroke　on　the　left　might　be　a　G…rune　with　thin　branches；'　saidStrider。　'It　might　be　a　sign　left　by　Gandalf；　though　one　cannot　be　sure。　Thescratches　are　fine；　and　they　certainly　look　fresh。　But　the　marks　might　meansomething　quite　different；　and　have　nothing　to　do　with　us。　Rangers　use　runes；　
and　they　e　here　sometimes。'　
'What　could　they　mean；　even　if　Gandalf　made　them？'　asked　Merry　
'I　should　say；'　answered　Strider；　'that　they　stood　for　G3；　and　were　asign　that　Gandalf　was　here　on　October　the　third：　that　is　three　days　ago　now。　
It　would　also　show　that　he　was　in　a　hurry　and　danger　was　at　hand；　so　that　hehad　no　time　or　did　not　dare　to　write　anything　longer　or　plainer。　If　that　isso；　we　must　be　wary。'　
'I　wish　we　could　feel　sure　that　he　made　the　marks；　whatever　they　maymean；'　said　Frodo　'It　would　be　a　great　fort　to　know　that　he　was　on　the　way；　
in　front　of　us　or　behind　us。'　　
'Perhaps；'　said　Strider。　'For　myself；　I　believe　that　he　was　here；　and　wasin　danger。　There　have　been　scorching　flames　here；　and　now　the　light　that　wesaw　three　nights　ago　in　the　eastern　sky　es　back　to　my　mind。　I　guess　that　hewas　attacked　on　this　hill…top；　but　with　what　result　I　cannot　tell。　He　is　hereno　longer；　and　we　must　now　look　after　ourselves　and　make　our　own　way　toRivendell；　as　best　we　can　'　
'How　far　is　Rivendell？'　asked　Merry；　gazing　round　wearily。　The　worldlooked　wild　and　wide　from　Weathertop。　
'I　don't　know　if　the　Road　has　ever　been　measured　in　miles　beyond　the_Forsaken　Inn；_　a　day's　journey　east　of　Bree；'　answered　Strider。　'Some　say　itis　so　far；　and　some　say　otherwise。　It　is　a　strange　road；　and　folk　are　glad　toreach　their　journey's　end；　whether　the　time　is　long　or　short。　But　I　know　howlong　it　would　take　me　on　my　own　feet；　with　fair　weather　and　no　ill　fortunetwelve　days　from　here　to　the　Ford　of　Bruinen；　where　the　Road　crosses　theLoudwater　that　runs　out　of　Rivendell。　We　have　at　least　a　fortnight's　journeybefore　us；　for　I　do　not　think　we　shall　be　able　to　use　the　Road。'　
'A　fortnight！'　said　Frodo。　'A　lot　may　happen　in　that　time。'　
'It　may；'　said　Strider。　
They　stood　for　a　while　silent　on　the　hill…top；　near　its　southward　edge。　
In　that　lonely　place　Frodo　for　the　first　time　fully　realized　his　homelessnessand　danger。　He　wished　bitterly　that　his　fortune　had　left　him　in　the　quiet　andbeloved　Shire。　He　stared　down　at　the　hateful　Road；　leading　back　westward　–　tohis　home。　Suddenly　he　was　aware　that　two　black　specks　were　moving　slowly　alongit；　going　westward；　and　looking　again　he　saw　that　three　others　were　creepingeastward　to　meet　them。　He　gave　a　cry　and　clutched　Strider's　arm。　　
　
'Look；'　he　said；　pointing　downwards。　
At　once　Strider　flung　himself　on　the　ground　behind　the　ruined　circle；　
pulling　Frodo　down　beside　him。　Merry　threw　himself　alongside。　
'What　is　it？'　he　whispered。　
'I　do　not　know；　but　I　fear　the　worst；'　answered　Strider。　
Slowly　they　crawled　up　to　the　edge　of　the　ring　again；　and　peered　througha　cleft　between　two　jagged　stones。　The　light　was　no　longer　bright；　for　theclear　morning　had　faded；　and　clouds　creeping　out　of　the　East　had　now　overtakenthe　sun；　as　it　began　to　go　down。　They　could　all　see　the　black　specks；　butneither　Frodo　nor　Merry　could　make　out　their　shapes　for　certain；　yet　somethingtold　them　that　there；　far　below；　were　Black　Riders　assembling　on　the　Roadbeyond　the　foot　of　the　hill。　
'Yes；'　said　Strider；　whose　keener　sight　left　him　in　no　doubt。　'The　enemyis　here！'　　
Hastily　they　crept　away　and　slipped　down　the　north　side　of　the　hill　tofind　their　panions。　　
Sam　and　Peregrin　had　not　been　idle。　They　had　explored　the　small　dell　andthe　surrounding　slopes。　Not　far　away　they　found　a　spring　of　clear　water　in　thehillside；　and　near　it　footprints　not　more　than　a　day　or　two　old。　In　the　dellitself　they　found　recent　traces　of　a　fire；　and　other　sig