the fellowship of the ring-第98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！


‘An　hour　since　he　vanished！　'　shouted　Sam。　‘We　must　try　and　find　him　atonce。　e　on！　'　　
‘Wait　a　moment！　'　cried　Aragorn。　‘We　must　divide　up　into　pairs；　andarrange…here；　hold　on！　Wait！　'　
It　was　no　good。　They　took　no　notice　of　him。　Sam　had　dashed　off　first。　
Merry　and　Pippin　had　followed；　and　were　already　disappearing　westward　into　thetrees　by　the　shore；　shouting：　_Frodo！　Frodo！_　in　their　clear；　high　hobbit…　
voices。　Legolas　and　Gimli　were　running。　A　sudden　panic　or　madness　seemed　tohave　fallen　on　the　pany。　
‘We　shall　all　be　scattered　and　lost；'　groaned　Aragorn。　‘Boromir！　I　do　notknow　what　part　you　have　played　in　this　mischief；　but　help　now！　Go　after　thosetwo　young　hobbits；　and　guard　them　at　the　least；　even　if　you　cannot　find　Frodo。　
e　back　to　this　spot；　if　you　find　him；　or　any　traces　of　him。　I　shall　returnsoon。'　　
Aragorn　sprang　swiftly　away　and　went　in　pursuit　of　Sam。　Just　as　hereached　the　little　lawn　among　the　rowans　he　overtook　him；　toiling　uphill；　
panting　and　calling；　_Frodo！_　
‘e　with　me；　Sam！　'　he　said。　‘None　of　us　should　be　alone。　There　ismischief　about。　I　feel　it。　I　am　going　to　the　top；　to　the　Seat　of　Amon　Hen；　tosee　what　may　be　seen。　And　look！　It　is　as　my　heart　guessed；　Frodo　went　thisway。　Follow　me；　and　keep　your　eyes　open！　'　He　sped　up　the　path。　
Sam　did　his　best；　but　he　could　not　keep　up　with　Strider　the　Ranger；　andsoon　fell　behind。　He　had　not　gone　far　before　Aragorn　was　out　of　sight　ahead。　
Sam　stopped　and　puffed。　Suddenly　he　clapped　his　hand　to　his　head。　
‘Whoa；　Sam　Gamgee！　'　he　said　aloud。　‘Your　legs　are　too　short；　so　use　yourhead！　Let　me　see　now！　Boromir　isn't　lying；　that's　not　his　way；　but　he　hasn'ttold　us　everything。　Something　scared　Mr。　Frodo　badly。　He　screwed　himself　up　tothe　point；　sudden。　He　made　up　his　mind　at　last　to　go。　Where　to？　Off　East。　Notwithout　Sam？　Yes；　without　even　his　Sam。　That's　hard；　cruel　hard。'　
Sam　passed　his　hand　over　his　eyes；　brushing　away　the　tears。　'Steady；　
Gamgee！　'　he　said。　‘Think；　if　you　can！　He　can't　fly　across　rivers；　and　hecan't　jump　waterfalls。　He's　got　no　gear。　So　he's　got　to　get　back　to　the　boats。　
Back　to　the　boats！　Back　to　the　boats；　Sam；　like　lightning！　'　
Sam　turned　and　bolted　back　down　the　path。　He　fell　and　cut　his　knees。　Uphe　got　and　ran　on。　He　came　to　the　edge　of　the　lawn　of　Parth　Galen　by　the　　
　
shore；　where　the　boats　were　drawn　up　out　of　the　water。　No　one　was　there。　Thereseemed　to　be　cries　in　the　woods　behind；　but　he　did　not　heed　them。　He　stoodgazing　for　a　moment。　stock…still；　gaping。　A　boat　was　sliding　down　the　bank　allby　itself。　With　a　shout　Sam　raced　across　the　grass。　The　boat　slipped　into　thewater。　　
‘ing；　Mr。　Frodo！　ing！　'　called　Sam；　and　flung　himself　from　thebank；　clutching　at　the　departing　boat。　He　missed　it　by　a　yard。　With　a　cry　anda　splash　he　fell　face　downward　into　deep　swift　water。　Gurgling　he　went　under；　
and　the　River　closed　over　his　curly　head。　
An　exclamation　of　dismay　came　from　the　empty　boat。　A　paddle　swirled　andthe　boat　put　about。　Frodo　was　just　in　time　to　grasp　Sam　by　the　hair　as　he　cameup；　bubbling　and　struggling。　Fear　was　staring　in　his　round　brown　eyes。　
‘Up　you　e；　Sam　my　lad！　'　said　Frodo。　‘Now　take　my　hand！　'　
‘Save　me；　Mr。　Frodo！　'　gasped　Sam。　‘I'm　drownded。　I　can't　see　your　hand。'　
‘Here　it　is。　Don't　pinch；　lad！　I　won't　let　you　go。　Tread　water　and　don'tflounder；　or　you'll　upset　the　boat。　There　now；　get　hold　of　the　side；　and　letme　use　the　paddle！　'　
With　a　few　strokes　Frodo　brought　the　boat　back　to　the　bank。　and　Sam　wasable　to　scramble　out；　wet　as　a　water…rat。　Frodo　took　off　the　Ring　and　steppedashore　again。　
‘Of　all　the　confounded　nuisances　you　are　the　worst；　Sam！　'　he　said。　
'Oh；　Mr。　Frodo；　that's　hard！　'　said　Sam　shivering。　‘That's　hard；　tryingto　go　without　me　and　all。　If　I　hadn't　a　guessed　right；　where　would　you　be　now？　
'　　
‘Safely　on　my　way。'　
‘Safely！　'　said　Sam。　‘All　alone　and　without　me　to　help　you？　I　couldn'thave　a　borne　it；　it'd　have　been　the　death　of　me。'　
'It　would　be　the　death　of　you　to　e　with　me；　Sam；'　said　Frodo　and　Icould　not　have　borne　that。'　　
‘Not　as　certain　as　being　left　behind；'　said　Sam。　
‘But　I　am　going　to　Mordor。'　
‘I　know　that　well　enough；　Mr。　Frodo。　Of　course　you　are。　And　I'm　ingwith　you。'　
‘Now；　Sam；'　said　Frodo；　‘don't　hinder　me！　The　others　will　be　ing　backat　any　minute。　If　they　catch　me　here。　I　shall　have　to　argue　and　explain；　and　Ishall　never　have　the　heart　or　the　chance　to　get　off。　But　I　must　go　at　once。　
It's　the　only　way。'　
‘Of　course　it　is；'　answered　Sam。　'But　not　alone。　I'm　ing　too；　orneither　of　us　isn't　going。　I'll　knock　holes　in　all　the　boats　first。'　
Frodo　actually　laughed。　A　sudden　warmth　and　gladness　touched　his　heart。　
‘Leave　one！　'he　said。　‘We'll　need　it。　But　you　can't　e　like　this　withoutyour　gear　or　food　or　anything。'　
'Just　hold　on　a　moment；　and　I'll　get　my　stuff！'　cried　Sam　eagerly。　'It'sall　ready。　I　thought　we　should　be　off　today。'　He　rushed　to　the　camping　place；　
fished　out　his　pack　from　the　pile　where　Frodo　had　laid　it　when　he　emptied　theboat　of　his　panions'　goods　grabbed　a　spare　blanket；　and　some　extra　packagesof　food；　and　ran　back。　
‘So　all　my　plan　is　spoilt！　'　said　Frodo。　‘It　is　no　good　trying　to　escapeyou。　But　I'm　glad；　Sam。　I　cannot　tell　you　how　glad。　e　along！　It　is　plainthat　we　were　meant　to　go　together。　We　will　go；　and　may　the　others　find　a　saferoad！　Strider　will　look　after　them。　I　don't　suppose　we　shall　see　them　again。'　
‘Yet　we　may；　Mr　Frodo。　We　may；'　said　Sam。　　
So　Frodo　and　Sam　set　off　on　the　last　stage　of　the　Quest　together。　Frodopaddled　away　from　the　shore；　and　the　River　bore　them　swiftly　away。　down　thewestern　arm；　and　past　the　frowning　cliffs　of　Tol　Brandir。　The　roar　of　thegreat　falls　drew　nearer。　Even　with　such　help　as　Sam　could　give；　it　was　hardwork　to　pass　across　the　current　at　the　southward　end　of　the　island　and　drivethe　boat　eastward　towards　the　far　shore。　　
At　length　they　came　to　land　again　upon　the　southern　slopes　of　Amon　Lhaw。　　
　
There　they　found　a　shelving　shore；　and　they　drew　the　boat　out；　high　above　thewater；　and　hid　it　as　well　as　they　could　behind　a　great　boulder。　Thenshouldering　their　burdens；　they　set　off；　seeking　a　path　that　would　bring　themover　the　grey　hills　of　the　Emyn　Muil；　and　down　into　the　Land　of　Shadow。　　
_Here　ends　the　first　part　of　the　history　of　the　War　of　the　Ring。_　
_The　second　part　is　called_THE　TWO　TOWERS_；　since　the　events　recounted　init　are　dominated　by_ORTHANC_；　the　citadel　of　Saruman；　and　the　fortressof_MINAS　MORGUL_　that　guards　the　secret　entrance　to　Mordor；　it　tells　of　thedeeds　and　perils　of　all　the　members　of　the　now　sundered　fellowship；　until　theing　of　the　Great　Darkness。_　
_The　third　part　tells　of　the　last　defence　against　the　Shadow；　and　the　endof　the　mission　of　the　Ring…bearer　in_THE　RETURN　OF　THE　KING。　　
=