the fellowship of the ring-第73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！


　fewmiles　southwards　from　their　start。　　
The　morning　was　passing　towards　noon；　and　still　the　pany　wandered　andscrambled　in　a　barren　country　of　red　stones。　Nowhere　could　they　see　any　gleamof　water　or　hear　any　sound　of　it。　All　was　bleak　and　dry。　Their　hearts　sank。　
They　saw　no　living　thing；　and　not　a　bird　was　in　the　sky；　but　what　the　nightwould　bring；　if　it　caught　them　in　that　lost　land；　none　of　them　cared　to　think。　
Suddenly　Gimli；　who　had　pressed　on　ahead；　called　back　to　them。　He　wasstanding　on　a　knoll　and　pointing　to　the　right。　Hurrying　up　they　saw　below　thema　deep　and　narrow　channel。　It　was　empty　and　silent；　and　hardly　a　trickle　ofwater　flowed　among　the　brown　and　red…stained　stones　of　its　bed；　but　on　thenear　side　there　was　a　path；　much　broken　and　decayed；　that　wound　its　way　amongthe　ruined　walls　and　paving…stones　of　an　ancient　highroad。　
'Ah！　Here　it　is　at　last！　'　said　Gandalf。　‘This　is　where　the　stream　ran：　　
Sirannon；　the　Gate…stream；　they　used　to　call　it。　But　what　has　happened　to　thewater；　I　cannot　guess；　it　used　to　be　swift　and　noisy。　e！　We　must　hurry　on。　
We　are　late。'　　
The　pany　were　footsore　and　tired；　but　they　trudged　doggedly　along　therough　and　winding　track　for　many　miles。　The　sun　turned　from　the　noon　and　began　　
　
to　go　west。　After　a　brief　halt　and　a　hasty　meal　they　went　on　again。　Beforethem　the　mountains　frowned；　but　their　path　lay　in　a　deep　trough　of　land　andthey　could　see　only　the　higher　shoulders　and　the　far　eastward　peaks。　
At　length　they　came　to　a　sharp　bend。　There　the　road；　which　had　beenveering　southwards　between　the　brink　of　the　channel　and　a　steep　fall　of　theland　to　the　left；　turned　and　went　due　east　again。　Rounding　the　corner　they　sawbefore　them　a　low　cliff；　some　five　fathoms　high；　with　a　broken　and　jagged　top。　
Over　it　a　trickling　water　dripped；　through　a　wide　cleft　that　seemed　to　havebeen　carved　out　by　a　fall　that　had　once　been　strong　and　full。　
‘Indeed　things　have　changed！　'　said　Gandalf。　‘But　there　is　no　mistakingthe　place。　There　is　all　that　remains　of　the　Stair　Falls。　If　I　remember　right；　
there　was　a　flight　of　steps　cut　in　the　rock　at　their　side；　but　the　main　roadwound　away　left　and　climbed　with　several　loops　up　to　the　level　ground　at　thetop。　There　used　to　be　a　shallow　valley　beyond　the　falls　right　up　to　the　Wallsof　Moria；　and　the　Sirannon　flowed　through　it　with　the　road　beside　it。　Let　usgo　and　see　what　things　are　like　now！　'　
They　found　the　stone　steps　without　difficulty；　and　Gimli　sprang　swiftlyup　them；　followed　by　Gandalf　and　Frodo。　When　they　reached　the　top　they　sawthat　they　could　go　no　further　that　way；　and　the　reason　for　the　drying　up　ofthe　Gate…stream　was　revealed。　Behind　them　the　sinking　Sun　filled　the　coolwestern　sky　with　glimmering　gold。　Before　them　stretched　a　dark　still　lake。　
Neither　sky　nor　sunset　was　reflected　on　its　sullen　surface。　The　Sirannon　hadbeen　dammed　and　had　filled　all　the　valley。　Beyond　the　ominous　water　werereared　vast　cliffs；　their　stern　faces　pallid　in　the　fading　light：　final　andimpassable。　No　sign　of　gate　or　entrance；　not　a　fissure　or　crack　could　Frodosee　in　the　frowning　stone。　
‘There　are　the　Walls　of　Moria；'　said　Gandalf；　pointing　across　the　water。　
‘And　there　the　Gate　stood　once　upon　a　time；　the　Elven　Door　at　the　end　of　theroad　from　Hollin　by　which　we　have　e。　But　this　way　is　blocked。　None　of　thepany；　I　guess；　will　wish　to　swim　this　gloomy　water　at　the　end　of　the　day。　
It　has　an　unwholesome　look。'　　
‘We　must　find　a　way　round　the　northern　edge；'　said　Gimli。　‘The　firstthing　for　the　pany　to　do　is　to　climb　up　by　the　main　path　and　see　where　thatwill　lead　us。　Even　if　there　were　no　lake；　we　could　not　get　our　baggage…pony　upthis　stair。'　　
‘But　in　any　case　we　cannot　take　the　poor　beast　into　the　Mines；'　saidGandalf。　‘The　road　under　the　mountains　is　a　dark　road；　and　there　are　placesnarrow　and　steep　which　he　cannot　tread；　even　if　we　can。'　
‘Poor　old　Bill！　'　said　Frodo。　‘I　had　not　thought　of　that。　And　poor　Sam！　Iwonder　what　he　will　say？　'　
‘I　am　sorry；'　said　Gandalf。　‘Poor　Bill　has　been　a　useful　panion　and　itgoes　to　my　heart　to　turn　him　adrift　now。　I　would　have　travelled　lighter　andbrought　no　animal；　least　of　all　this　one　that　Sam　is　fond　of；　if　I　had　had　myway。　I　feared　all　along　that　we　should　be　obliged　to　take　this　road。'　
The　day　was　drawing　to　its　end；　and　cold　stars　were　glinting　in　the　skyhigh　above　the　sunset；　when　the　pany；　with　all　the　speed　they　could；　
climbed　up　the　slopes　and　reached　the　side　of　the　lake。　In　breadth　it　lookedto　be　no　more　than　two　or　three　furlongs　at　the　widest　point。　How　far　itstretched　away　southward　they　could　not　see　in　the　failing　light；　but　itsnorthern　end　was　no　more　than　half　a　mile　from　where　they　stood；　and　betweenthe　stony　ridges　that　enclosed　the　valley　and　the　water's　edge　there　was　a　rimof　open　ground。　They　hurried　forward；　for　they　had　still　a　mile　or　two　to　gobefore　they　could　reach　the　point　on　the　far　shore　that　Gandalf　was　makingfor；　and　then　he　had　still　to　find　the　doors。　
When　they　came　to　the　northernmost　corner　of　the　lake　they　found　a　narrowcreek　that　barred　their　way。　It　was　green　and　stagnant；　thrust　out　like　aslimy　arm　towards　the　enclosing　hills。　Gimli　strode　forward　undeterred；　andfound　that　the　water　was　shallow；　no　more　than　ankle…deep　at　the　edge。　Behindhim　they　walked　in　file；　threading　their　way　with　care；　for　under　the　weedypools　were　sliding　and　greasy　stones；　and　footing　was　treacherous。　Frodo　　
　
shuddered　with　disgust　at　the　touch　of　the　dark　unclean　water　on　his　feet。　
As　Sam；　the　last　of　the　pany；　led　Bill　up　on　to　the　dry　ground　on　thefar　side；　there　came　a　soft　sound：　a　swish；　followed　by　a　plop；　as　if　a　fishhad　disturbed　the　still　surface　of　the　water。　Turning　quickly　they　sawripples；　black…edged　with　shadow　in　the　waning　light：　great　rings　werewidening　outwards　from　a　point　far　out　in　the　lake。　There　was　a　bubblingnoise；　and　then　silence。　The　dusk　deepened；　and　the　last　gleams　of　the　sunsetwere　veiled　in　cloud。　　
Gandalf　now　pressed　on　at　a　great　pace；　and　the　others　followed　asquickly　as　they　could。　They　reached　the　strip　of　dry　land　between　the　lake　andthe　cliffs：　it　was　narrow；　often　hardly　a　dozen　yards　across；　and　encumberedwith　fallen　rock　and　stones；　but　they　found　a　way；　hugging　the　cliff；　andkeeping　as　far　from　the　dark　water　as　they　might。　A　mile　southwards　along　theshore　they　came　upon　holly　trees。　Stumps　and　dead　boughs　were　rotting　in　theshallows；　the　remains　it　seemed　of　old　thickets；　or　of　a　hedge　that　had　oncelined　the　road　across　the　drowned　valley。　But　close　under　the　cliff　therestood；　still　strong　and　living；　。　two　tall　trees；　larger　than　any　trees　ofholly　that　Frodo　had　ever　seen　or　imagined。　Their　great　roots　spread　from　thewall　to　the　water。　Under　the　looming　cliffs　they　had　looked　like　mere　bushes；　
when　seen　far　off　from　the　top　of　the　Stair；　but　now　they　towered　overhead；　
stiff；　dark；　and　silent；　throwing　deep　night…shadows　about　their　feet；　
standing　like　sentinel　pillars　at　the　end　of　the　road。　
‘Well；　here　we　are　at　last！　'　said　Gandalf。　'Here　the　Elven…way　fromHollin　ended。　Holly　was　the　token　of　the　people　of　that　land；　and　they　plantedit　here　to　mark　the　end　of　their　domain；　for　the　West…door　was　made　chieflyfor　their　use　in　their　traffic　with　the　Lords　of　Moria。　Those　were　happierdays；　when　there　was　still　close　friendship　at　times　between　folk　of　differentrace；　even　between　Dwarves　and　Elves。'　
'It　was　not　the　fault　of　the　Dwarves　that　the　friendship　waned；'　saidGimli。　　
'I　have　not　heard　that　it　was　the　fault　of　the　Elves；'　said　Legolas。　
'I　have　heard　both；'　said　Gandalf；　'and　I　will　not　give　judgement　now。　
But　I　beg　you　two；　Legolas　and　Gimli；　at　least　to　be　friends；　and　to　help　me。　
I　need　you　both。　The　doors　are　shut　and　hidden；　and　the　sooner　we　find　themthe　better。　Night　is　at　hand！　'　
Turning　to　the　others　he　said：　'While　I　am　searching；　will　you　each　makeready　to　enter　the　Mines？　For　here　I　fear　we　must　say　farewell　to　our　goodbeast　of　burden。　You　must　lay　aside　much　of　the　stuff　that　we　brought　againstbitter　weather：　you　will　not　need　it　inside；　nor；　I　hope；　when　we　e　throughand　journey　on　down　into　the　South。　Instead　each　of　us　must　take　a　share　ofwhat　the　pony　carried；　especially　the　food　and　the　water…skins。'　
'But　you　can't　leave　poor　old　Bill　behind　in　this　forsaken　place；　Mr。　
Gandalf！　'　cried　Sam；　angry　and　distressed。　‘I　won't　have　it；　and　that's　flat。　
After　he　has　e　so　far　and　all！　'　　
'I　am　sorry；　Sam；'　said　the　wizard。　‘But　when　the　Door　opens　I　do　notthink　you　will　be　able　to　drag　your　Bill　inside；　into　the　long　dark　of　Moria。　
You　will　have　to　choose　between　Bill　and　your　master。'　
'He'd　follow　Mr。　Frodo　into　a　dragon's　den；　if　I　led　him；'　protested　Sam。　
‘It'd　be　nothing　short　of　murder　to　turn　him　loose　with　all　these　wolvesabout。'　　
'It　will　be　short　of　murder；　I　hope；'　said　Gandalf。　He　laid　his　hand　onthe　pony's　head；　and　spoke　in　a　low　voice。　‘Go　with　words　of　guard　and　guidingon　you；'　he　said。　‘You　are　a　wise　beast；　and　have　learned　much　in　Rivendell。　
Make　your　ways　to　places　where　you　can　find　grass；　and　so　e　in　time　toElrond's　house；　or　wherever　you　wish　to　go。　
‘There；　Sam！　He　will　have　quite　as　much　chance　of　escaping　wolves　andgetting　home　as　we　have。'　
Sam　stood　sullenly　by　the　pony　and　returned　no　answer。　Bill；　seeming　tounderstand　well　what　was　going　on；　nuzzled　up　to　him；　putting　his　nose　toSam's　ear。　Sam　burst　into　tears；　and　fumbled　with　the　straps；　unlading　all　the　　
　
pony's　packs　and　throwing　them　on　the　ground。　The　others　sorted　out　the　goods；　
making　a　pile　of　all　that　could　be　left　behind；　and　dividing　up　the　rest。　
When　this　was　done　they　turned　to　watch　Gandalf。　He　appeared　to　have　donenothing。　He　was　standing　between　the　two　trees　gazing　at　the　blank　wall　of　thecliff；　as　if　he　would　bore　a　hole　into　it　with　his　eyes。　Gimli　was　wanderingabout；　tapping　the　stone　here　and　there　with　his　axe。　Legolas　was　pressedagainst　the　rock；　as　if　listening。　
'Well；　here　we　are　and　all　ready；'　said　Merry；　‘but　where　are　the　Doors？　
I　can't　see　any　sign　of　them。'　
'Dwarf…doors　are　not　made　to　be　seen　when　shut；'　said　Gimli。　‘They　areinvisible；　and　their　own　masters　cannot　find　them　or　open　them；　if　theirsecret　is　forgotten。'　
'But　this　Door　was　not　made　to　be　a　secret　known　only　to　Dwarves；'　s