the fellowship of the ring-第72部分

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likely　and　unlikely。　In　that　case　to　enter　Moria　would　be　to　walk　into　a　trap；　
hardly　better　than　knocking　at　the　gates　of　the　Dark　Tower　itself。　The　name　ofMoria　is　black。'　　
‘You　speak　of　what　you　do　not　know；　when　you　liken　Moria　to　thestronghold　of　Sauron；'　answered　Gandalf。　‘I　alone　of　you　have　ever　been　in　thedungeons　of　the　Dark　Lord；　and　only　in　his　older　and　lesser　dwelling　in　DolGuldur。　Those　who　pass　the　gates　of　Barad…d。r　do　not　return。　But　I　would　notlead　you　into　Moria　if　there　were　no　hope　of　ing　out　again。　If　there　areOrcs　there；　it　may　prove　ill　for　us；　that　is　true。　But　most　of　the　Orcs　of　theMisty　Mountains　were　scattered　or　destroyed　in　the　Battle　of　Five　Armies。　TheEagles　report　that　Orcs　are　gathering　again　from　afar；　but　there　is　a　hopethat　Moria　is　still　free。　　
‘There　is　even　a　chance　that　Dwarves　are　there；　and　that　in　some　deephall　of　his　fathers；　Balin　son　of　Fundin　may　be　found。　However　it　may　prove；　
one　must　tread　the　path　that　need　chooses！'　
'I　will　tread　the　path　with　you；　Gandalf！　'　said　Gimli。　'I　will　go　andlook　on　the　halls　of　Durin；　whatever　may　wait　there…if　you　can　find　the　doorsthat　are　shut。'　　
'Good；　Gimli！　'　said　Gandalf。　‘You　encourage　me。　We　will　seek　the　hiddendoors　together。　And　we　will　e　through。　In　the　ruins　of　the　Dwarves；　adwarf's　head　will　be　less　easy　to　bewilder　than　Elves　or　Men　or　Hobbits。　Yetit　will　not　be　the　first　time　that　I　have　been　to　Moria。　I　sought　there　longfor　Thráin　son　of　Thrór　after　he　was　lost。　I　passed　through；　and　I　came　outagain　alive！　'　
‘I　too　once　passed　the　Dimrill　Gate；'　said　Aragorn　quietly；　'but　though　Ialso　came　out　again；　the　memory　is　very　evil。　I　do　not　wish　to　enter　Moria　asecond　time。'　　
'And　I　don't　wish　to　enter　it　even　once；'　said　Pippin。　
'Nor　me；'　muttered　Sam。　
‘Of　course　not！　'　said　Gandalf。　'Who　would？　But　the　question　is：　who　willfollow　me；　if　I　lead　you　there？　'　
'I　will；'　said　Gimli　eagerly。　
'I　will；'　said　Aragorn　heavily。　‘You　followed　my　lead　almost　to　disasterin　the　snow；　and　have　said　no　word　of　blame。　I　will　follow　your　lead　now　–　ifthis　last　warning　does　not　move　you。　It　is　not　of　the　Ring；　nor　of　us　othersthat　I　am　thinking　now；　but　of　you；　Gandalf。　And　I　say　to　you：　if　you　pass　thedoors　of　Moria；　beware！　'　
‘I　will　_not_　go；'　said　Boromir；　'not　unless　the　vote　of　the　wholepany　is　against　me。　What　do　Legolas　and　the　little　folk　say？　The　Ring…　
bearer's　voice　surely　should　be　heard？　'　
'I　do　not　wish　to　go　to　Moria；'　said　Legolas。　
The　hobbits　said　nothing。　Sam　looked　at　Frodo。　At　last　Frodo　spoke。　‘I　donot　wish　to　go；'　he　said；　‘but　neither　do　I　wish　to　refuse　the　advice　ofGandalf。　I　beg　that　there　should　be　no　vote；　until　we　have　slept　on　it。　
Gandalf　will　get　votes　easier　in　the　light　of　the　morning　than　in　this　coldgloom。　How　the　wind　howls！　'　
At　these　words　all　fell　into　silent　thought。　They　heard　the　wind　hissingamong　the　rocks　and　trees；　and　there　was　a　howling　and　wailing　round　them　inthe　empty　spaces　of　the　night。　
Suddenly　Aragorn　leapt　to　his　feet。　'How　the　wind　howls！　'　he　cried。　'Itis　howling　with　wolf…voices。　The　Wargs　have　e　west　of　the　Mountains！　'　
'Need　we　wait　until　morning　then？　'　said　Gandalf。　‘It　is　as　I　said。　Thehunt　is　up！　Even　if　we　live　to　see　the　dawn；　who　now　will　wish　to　journeysouth　by　night　with　the　wild　wolves　on　his　trail？　'　
'How　far　is　Moria？　'　asked　Boromir。　　
　
‘There　was　a　door　south…west　of　Caradhras；　some　fifteen　miles　as　the　crowflies；　and　maybe　twenty　as　the　wolf　runs；'　answered　Gandalf　grimly。　
'Then　let　us　start　as　soon　as　it　is　light　tomorrow；　if　we　can；'　saidBoromir。　'The　wolf　that　one　hears　is　worse　than　the　orc　that　one　fears。'　　
‘True！'　said　Aragorn；　loosening　his　sword　in　its　sheath。　‘But　where　thewarg　howls；　there　also　the　orc　prowls。'　
‘I　wish　I　had　taken　Elrond's　advice；'　muttered　Pippin　to　Sam。　‘I　am　nogood　after　all。　There　is　not　enough　of　the　breed　of　Bandobras　the　Bullroarerin　me：　these　howls　freeze　my　blood。　I　don't　ever　remember　feeling　sowretched。'　　
'My　heart's　right　down　in　my　toes；　Mr。　Pippin；'　said　Sam。　'But　we　aren'tetten　yet；　and　there　are　some　stout　folk　here　with　us。　Whatever　may　be　instore　for　old　Gandalf；　I'll　wager　it　isn't　a　wolf's　belly。'　
For　their　defence　in　the　night　the　pany　climbed　to　the　top　of　thesmall　hill　under　which　they　had　been　sheltering。　it　was　crowned　with　a　knot　ofold　and　twisted　trees；　about　which　lay　a　broken　circle　of　boulder　stones。　Inthe　midst　of　this　they　lit　a　fire；　for　there　was　no　hope　that　darkness　andsilence　would　keep　their　trail　from　discovery　by　the　hunting　packs。　
Round　the　fire　they　sat；　and　those　that　were　not　on　guard　dozed　uneasily。　
Poor　Bill　the　pony　trembled　and　sweated　where　he　stood。　The　howling　of　thewolves　was　now　all　round　them；　sometimes　nearer　and　sometimes　further　off。　Inthe　dead　of　the　night　many　shining　eyes　were　seen　peering　over　the　brow　of　thehill。　Some　advanced　almost　to　the　ring　of　stones。　At　a　gap　in　the　circle　agreat　dark　wolf…shape　could　be　seen　halted；　gazing　at　them。　A　shuddering　howlbroke　from　him；　as　if　he　were　a　captain　summoning　his　pack　to　the　assault。　
Gandalf　stood　up　and　strode　forward；　holding　his　staff　aloft。　'Listen；　
Hound　of　Sauron！　'　he　cried。　‘Gandalf　is　here。　Fly；　if　you　value　your　foulskin！　I　will　shrivel　you　from　tail　to　snout；　if　you　e　within　this　ring。'　
The　wolf　snarled　and　sprang　towards　them　with　a　great　leap。　At　thatmoment　there　was　a　sharp　twang。　Legolas　had　loosed　his　bow。　There　was　ahideous　yell；　and　the　leaping　shape　thudded　to　the　ground；　the　elvish　arrowhad　pierced　its　throat。　The　watching　eyes　were　suddenly　extinguished。　Gandalfand　Aragorn　strode　forward；　but　the　hill　was　deserted；　the　hunting　packs　hadfled。　All　about　them　the　darkness　grew　silent；　and　no　cry　came　on　the　sighingwind。　　
The　night　was　old；　and　westward　the　waning　moon　was　setting。　gleamingfitfully　through　the　breaking　clouds。　Suddenly　Frodo　started　from　sleep。　
Without　warning　a　storm　of　howls　broke　out　fierce　and　wild　all　about　the　camp。　
A　great　host　of　Wargs　had　gathered　silently　and　was　now　attacking　them　fromevery　side　at　once。　
‘Fling　fuel　on　the　fire！'　cried　Gandalf　to　the　hobbits。　‘Draw　yourblades；　and　stand　back　to　back！'　
In　the　leaping　light；　as　the　fresh　wood　blazed　up；　Frodo　saw　many　greyshapes　spring　over　the　ring　of　stones。　More　and　more　followed。　Through　thethroat　of　one　huge　leader　Aragorn　passed　his　sword　with　a　thrust；　with　a　greatsweep　Boromir　hewed　the　head　off　another。　Beside　them　Gimli　stood　with　hisstout　legs　apart；　wielding　his　dwarf…axe。　The　bow　of　Legolas　was　singing。　
In　the　wavering　firelight　Gandalf　seemed　suddenly　to　grow：　he　rose　up；　agreat　menacing　shape　like　the　monument　of　some　ancient　king　of　stone　set　upona　hill。　Stooping　like　a　cloud；　he　lifted　a　burning　branch　and　strode　to　meetthe　wolves。　They　gave　back　before　him。　High　in　the　air　he　tossed　the　blazingbrand。　It　flared　with　a　sudden　white　radiance　like　lightning；　and　his　voicerolled　like　thunder。　　
‘_Naur　an　edraith　ammen！　Naur　dan　i　ngaurhoth！_'　he　cried。　
There　was　a　roar　and　a　crackle；　and　the　tree　above　him　burst　into　a　leafand　bloom　of　blinding　flame。　The　fire　leapt　from　tree…top　to　tree…top。　Thewhole　hill　was　crowned　with　dazzling　light。　The　swords　and　knives　of　thedefenders　shone　and　flickered。　The　last　arrow　of　Legolas　kindled　in　the　air　asit　flew；　and　plunged　burning　into　the　heart　of　a　great　wolf…chieftain。　All　theothers　fled。　　
　
Slowly　the　fire　died　till　nothing　was　left　but　falling　ash　and　sparks；　abitter　smoke　curled　above　the　burned　tree…stumps；　and　blew　darkly　from　thehill；　as　the　first　light　of　dawn　came　dimly　in　the　sky。　Their　enemies　wererouted　and　did　not　return。　　
‘What　did　I　tell　you；　Mr。　Pippin？　'　said　Sam；　she/thing　his　sword。　
‘Wolves　won't　get　him。　That　was　an　eye…opener；　and　no　mistake！　Nearly　singedthe　hair　off　my　head！'　
When　the　full　light　of　the　morning　came　no　signs　of　the　wolves　were　to　befound；　and　they　looked　in　vain　for　the　bodies　of　the　dead。　No　trace　of　thefight　remained　but　the　charred　trees　and　the　arrows　of　Legolas　lying　on　thehill…top。　All　were　undamaged　save　one　of　which　only　the　point　was　left。　
‘It　is　as　I　feared；'　said　Gandalf。　‘These　were　no　ordinary　wolves　huntingfor　food　in　the　wilderness。　Let　us　eat　quickly　and　go！'　
That　day　the　weather　changed　again；　almost　as　if　it　was　at　the　mand　ofsome　power　that　had　no　longer　any　use　for　snow；　since　they　had　retreated　fromthe　pass；　a　power　that　wished　now　to　have　a　clear　light　in　which　things　thatmoved　in　the　wild　could　be　seen　from　far　away。　The　wind　had　been　turningthrough　north　to　north…west　during　the　night；　and　now　it　failed。　The　cloudsvanished　southwards　and　the　sky　was　opened；　high　and　blue。　As　they　stood　uponthe　hill…side；　ready　to　depart；　a　pale　sunlight　gleamed　over　the　mountaintops。　
‘We　must　reach　the　doors　before　sunset；'　said　Gandalf；　'or　I　fear　weshall　not　reach　them　at　all。　It　is　not　far；　but　our　path　may　be　winding；　forhere　Aragorn　cannot　guide　us；　he　has　seldom　walked　in　this　country；　and　onlyonce　have　I　been　under　the　west　wall　of　Moria；　and　that　was　long　ago。　
‘There　it　lies；'　he　said；　pointing　away　south…eastwards　to　where　themountains'　sides　fell　sheer　into　the　shadows　at　their　feet。　In　the　distance　　
could　be　dimly　seen　a　line　of　bare　cliffs；　and　in　their　midst；　taller　than　therest；　one　great　grey　wall。　‘When　we　left　the　pass　I　led　you　southwards；　andnot　back　to　our　starting　point；　as　some　of　you　may　have　noticed。　It　is　wellthat　I　did　so；　for　now　we　have　several　miles　less　to　cross；　and　haste　isneeded。　Let　us　go！　'　
‘I　do　not　know　which　to　hope；'　said　Boromir　grimly：　‘that　Gandalf　willfind　what　he　seeks；　or　that　ing　to　the　cliff　we　shall　find　the　gates　lostfor　ever。　All　choices　seem　ill；　and　to　be　caught　between　wolves　and　the　wallthe　likeliest　chance。　Lead　on！'　　
Gimli　now　walked　ahead　by　the　wizard's　side；　so　eager　was　he　to　e　toMoria。　Together　they　led　the　pany　back　towards　the　mountains。　The　only　roadof　old　to　Moria　from　the　west　had　lain　along　the　course　of　a　stream；　theSirannon；　that　ran　out　from　the　feet　of　the　cliffs　near　where　the　doors　hadstood。　But　either　Gandalf　was　astray；　or　else　the　land　had　changed　in　recentyears；　for　he　did　not　strike　the　stream　where　he　looked　to　find　it；　only　a　fewmiles　southwards　from　their　start。　　
The　morning　was　passin