友情提示：如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整，请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页！
two towers-第46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！
for mastery。 What w ill bee of him？ I cannot say。 I grieve that so much
that was good now festers in the tower。 Still for us things have not gone
badly。 Strange are the turns of fortune！ Often does hatred hurt itself！ I
guess that； even if we had entered in； we could have found few treasures in
Orthanc more precious than the thing which Wormtongue threw down at us。'
A shrill shriek； suddenly cut off； came from an open window high above。
'It seems that Saruman thinks so too；' said Gandalf。 'Let us leave
them！'
They returned now to the ruins of the gate。 Hardly had they passed out
under the arch； when； from among the shadows of the piled stones where they
had stood； Treebeard and a dozen other Ents came striding up。 Aragorn； Gimli
and Legolas gazed at them in wonder。
'Here are three of my panions； Treebeard；' said Gandalf。 'I have
spoken of them； but you have not yet seen them。' He named them one by one。
The Old Ent looked at them long and searchingly； and spoke to them in
turn。 Last he turned to Legolas。 'So you have e all the way from
Mirkwood； my good Elf？ A very great forest it used to be！'
'And still is；' said Legolas。 'But not so great that we who dwell there
ever tire of seeing new trees。 I should dearly love to journey in Fangorn's
Wood。 I scarcely passed beyond the eaves of it； and I did not wish to turn
back。'
Treebeard's eyes gleamed with pleasure。 'I hope you may have your wish；
ere the hills be much older；' he said。
'I will e； if I have the fortune；' said Legolas。 'I have made a
bargain with my friend that； if all goes well； we will visit Fangorn
together by your leave。'
'Any Elf that es with you will be wele；' said Treebeard。
'The friend I speak of is not an Elf；' said Legolas； 'I mean Gimli；
Gluin's son here。' Gimli bowed low； and the axe slipped from his belt and
clattered on the ground。
'Hoom； hm！ Ah now；' said Treebeard； looking dark…eyed at him。 'A dwarf
and an axe…bearer！ Hoom！ I have good will to Elves； but you ask much。 This
is a strange friendship！' 'Strange it may seem；' said Legolas； 'but while
Gimli lives I shall not e to Fangorn alone。 His axe is not for trees； but
for orc…necks； O Fangorn； Master of Fangorn's Wood。 Forty…two he hewed in
the battle。'
'Hoo！ e now！' said Treebeard。 'That is a better story！ Well； well；
things will go as they will； and there is no need to hurry to meet them。 But
now we must part for a while。 Day is drawing to an end； yet Gandalf says you
must go ere nightfall； and the Lord of the Mark is eager for his own house。'
'Yes； we must go； and go now；' said Gandalf。 'I fear that I must take
your gatekeepers from you。 But you will manage well enough without them。'
'Maybe I shall；' said Treebeard。 'But I shall miss them。 We have bee
friends in so short a while that I think I must be getting hasty growing
backwards towards youth； perhaps。 But there； they are the first new thing
under Sun or Moon that I have seen for many a long； long day。 I shall not
forget them。 I have put their names into the Long List。 Ents will remember
it。
Ents the earthborn； old as mountains；
the wide…walkers； water drinking；
and hungry as hunters； the Hobbit children；
the laughing…folk； the little people；
they shall remain friends as long as leaves are renewed。 Fare you well！
But if you hear news up in your pleasant land； in the Shire； send me word！
You know what I mean： word or sight of the Entwives。 e yourselves if you
can！'
'We will！' said Merry and Pippin together； and they turned away
hastily。 Treebeard looked at them； and was silent for a while； shaking his
head thoughtfully。 Then he turned to Gandalf。
'So Saruman would not leave？' he said。 'I did not think he would。 His
heart is as rotten as a black Huorn's。 Still； if I were overe and all my
trees destroyed； I would not e while I had one dark hole left to hide
in。'
'No；' said Gandalf。 'But you have not plotted to cover all the world
with your trees and choke all other living things。 But there it is； Saruman
remains to nurse his hatred and weave again such webs as he can。 He has the
Key of Orthanc。 But he must not be allowed to escape。'
'Indeed no！ Ents will see to that；' said Treebeard。 'Saruman shall not
set foot beyond the rock； without my leave。 Ents will watch over him。'
'Good！' said Gandalf。 'That is what I hoped。 Now I can go and turn to
other matters with one care the less。 But you must be wary。 The waters have
gone down。 It will not be enough to put sentinels round the tower； I fear。 I
do not doubt that there were deep ways delved under Orthanc； and that
Saruman hopes to go and e unmarked； before long。 If you will undertake
the labour； I beg you to pour in the waters again； and do so； until Isengard
remains a standing pool； or you discover the outlets。 When all the
underground places are drowned； and the outlets blocked； then Saruman must
stay upstairs and look out of the windows。'
'Leave it to the Ents！' said Treebeard。 'We shall search the valley
from head to foot and peer under every pebble。 Trees are ing back to live
here； old trees； wild trees。 The Watchwood we will call it。 Not a squirrel
will go here； but I shall know of it。 Leave it to Ents！ Until seven times
the years in which he tormented us have passed； we shall not tire of
watching him。'
Chapter 11。 The Palantnr
The sun was sinking behind the long western arm of the mountains when
Gandalf and his panions； and the king with his Riders； set out again from
Isengard。 Gandalf took Merry behind him； and Aragorn took Pippin。 Two of the
king's men went on ahead； riding swiftly； and passed soon out of sight down
into the valley。 The others followed at an easy pace。
Ents in a solemn row stood like statues at the gate； with their long
arms uplifted； but they made no sound。 Merry and Pippin looked back； when
they had passed some way down the winding road。 Sunlight was still shining
in the sky； but long shadows reached over Isengard： grey ruins falling into
darkness。 Treebeard stood alone there now； like the distant stump of an old
tree： the hobbits thought of their first meeting； upon the sunny ledge far
away on the borders of Fangorn。
They came to the pillar of the White Hand。 The pillar was still
standing； but the graven hand had been thrown down and broken into small
pieces。 Right in the middle of the road the long forefinger lay； white in
the dusk； its red nail darkening to black。
'The Ents pay attention to every detail！' said Gandalf。
They rode on； and evening deepened in the valley。
'Are we riding far tonight； Gandalf？' asked Merry after a while。 'I
don't know how you feel with small rag…tag dangling behind you； but the
rag…tag is tired and will be glad to stop dangling and lie down。'
'So you heard that？' said Gandalf。 'Don't let it rankle！ Be thankful no
longer words were aimed at you。 He had his eyes on you。 If it is any fort
to your pride； I should say that； at the moment； you and Pippin are more in
his thoughts than all the rest of us。 Who you are； how you came there； and
why； what you know； whether you were captured； and if so； how you escaped
when all the Orcs perished it is with those little riddles that the great
mind Saruman is troubled。 A sneer from him； Meriadoc； is a pliment； if
you feel honoured by his concern。'
'Thank you！' said Merry。 'But it is a greater honour to dangle at your
tail； Gandalf。 For one thing； in that position one has a chance of putting a
question a second time。 Are we riding far tonight？'
Gandalf laughed。 'A most unquenchable hobbit！ All Wizards should have a
hobbit or two in their care to teach them the meaning of the word； and to
correct them。 I beg your pardon。 But I have given thought even to these
simple matters。 We will ride for a few hours； gently； until we e to the
end of the valley。 Tomorrow we must ride faster。
'When we came； we meant to go straight from Isengard back to the king's
house at Edoras over the plains； a ride of some days。 But we have taken
thought and changed the plan。 Messengers have gone ahead to Helm's Deep； to
warn them that the king is returning tomorrow。 He will ride from there with
many men to Dunharrow by paths among the hills。 From now on no more than two
or three together are to go openly over the land； by day or night； when it
can be avoided。'
'Nothing or a double helping is your way！' said Merry。 'I am afraid I
was not looking beyond tonight's bed。 Where and what are Helm's Deep and all
the rest of it？ I don't know anything about this country。'
'Then you'd best learn something； if you wish to understand what is
happening。 But not just now； and not from me： I have too many pressing
things to think about。'
'All right； I'll tackle Strider by the camp…fire： he's less testy。 But
why all this secrecy？ I thought we'd won the battle！'
Yes； we have won； but only the first victor and that in itself
increases our danger。 There was some link between Isengard and Mordor； which
I have not yet fathomed。 How they exchanged news I am not sure； but they did
so。 The Eye of Barad…dyr will be looking impatiently towards the Wizard's
Vale； I think； and towards Rohan。 The less it sees the better。'
The road passed slowly； winding down the valley。 Now further； and now
nearer Isen flowed in its stony bed。 Night came down from the mountains。 All
the mists were gone。 A chill wind blew。 The moon； now waxing round； filled
the eastern sky with a pale cold sheen。 The shoulders of the mountain to
their right sloped down to bare hills。 The wide plains opened grey before
them。
At last they halted。 Then they turned aside； leaving the highway and
taking to the sweet upland turf again。 Going westward a mile or so they came
to
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!
温馨提示： 温看小说的同时发表评论，说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦！发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励，认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦！