The Lord of the Rings-指环王(英文版)-第45章

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sted；　and　there　are　other　spies　more　evil　than　they　are。'

The　hobbits　looked　anxiously　at　the　distant　hills。　Sam　looked　up　into　the　pale　sky；　fearing　to　see　hawks　or　eagles　hovering　over　them　with　bright　unfriendly　eyes。　'You　do　make　me　feel　unfortable　and　lonesome；　Strider！'　he　said。

'What　do　you　advise　us　to　do？'　asked　Frodo。

'I　think；'　answered　Strider　slowly；　as　if　he　was　not　quite　sure；　'I　think　the　best　thing　is　to　go　as　straight　eastward　from　here　as　we　can；　to　make　for　the　line　of　hills；　not　for　Weathertop。　There　we　can　strike　a　path　I　know　that　runs　at　their　feet；　it　will　bring　us　to　Weathertop　from　the　north　and　less　openly。　Then　we　shall　see　what　we　shall　see。'

All　that　day　they　plodded　along；　until　the　cold　and　early　evening　came　down。　The　land　became　drier　and　more　barren；　but　mists　and　vapours　lay　behind　them　on　the　marshes。　A　few　melancholy　birds　were　piping　and　wailing；　until　the　round　red　sun　sank　slowly　into　the　western　shadows；　then　an　empty　silence　fell。　The　hobbits　thought　of　the　soft　light　of　sunset　glancing　through　the　cheerful　windows　of　Bag　End　far　away。

At　the　day's　end　they　came　to　a　stream　that　wandered　down　from　the　hills　to　lose　itself　in　the　stagnant　marshland；　and　they　went　up　along　its　banks　while　the　light　lasted。　It　was　already　night　when　at　last　they　halted　and　made　their　camp　under　some　stunted　aldertrees　by　the　shores　of　the　stream。　Ahead　there　loomed　now　against　the　dusky　sky　the　bleak　and　treeless　backs　of　the　hills。　That　night　they　set　a　watch；　and　Strider；　it　seemed；　did　not　sleep　at　all。　The　moon　was　waxing；　and　in　the　early　nighthours　a　cold　grey　light　lay　on　the　land。

Next　morning　they　set　out　again　soon　after　sunrise。　There　was　a　frost　in　the　air；　and　the　sky　was　a　pale　clear　blue。　The　hobbits　felt　refreshed；　as　if　they　had　had　a　night　of　unbroken　sleep。　Already　they　were　getting　used　to　much　walking　on　short　mons　。　shorter　at　any　rate　than　what　in　the　Shire　they　would　have　thought　barely　enough　to　keep　them　on　their　legs。　Pippin　declared　that　Frodo　was　looking　twice　the　hobbit　that　he　had　been。

'Very　odd；'　said　Frodo；　tightening　his　belt；　'considering　that　there　is　actually　a　good　deal　less　of　me。　I　hope　the　thinning　process　will　not　go　on　indefinitely；　or　I　shall　bee　a　wraith。'

'Do　not　speak　of　such　things！'　said　Strider　quickly；　and　with　surprising　earnestness。

The　hills　drew　nearer。　They　made　an　undulating　ridge；　often　rising　almost　to　a　thousand　feet；　and　here　and　there　falling　again　to　low　clefts　or　passes　leading　into　the　eastern　land　beyond。　Along　the　crest　of　the　ridge　the　hobbits　could　see　what　looked　to　be　the　remains　of　greengrown　walls　and　dikes；　and　in　the　clefts　there　still　stood　the　ruins　of　old　works　of　stone。　By　night　they　had　reached　the　feet　of　the　westward　slopes；　and　there　they　camped。　It　was　the　night　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　the　Chetwood；　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　much　hidden　as　possible　from　the　view；　both　of　the　hilltops　above　and　of　the　flats　to　the　west。　It　dived　into　dells；　and　hugged　steep　banks；　and　where　it　passed　over　flatter　and　more　open　ground　on　either　side　of　it　there　were　lines　of　large　boulders　and　hewn　stones　that　screened　the　travellers　almost　like　a　hedge。

'I　wonder　who　made　this　path；　and　what　for；'　said　Merry；　as　they　walked　along　one　of　these　avenues；　where　the　stones　were　unusually　large　and　closely　set。　'I　am　not　sure　that　I　like　it：　it　has　a　。　well；　rather　a　barrowwightish　look。　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　their　latter　days　they　defended　the　hills　for　a　while　against　the　evil　that　came　out　of　Angmar。　This　path　was　made　to　serve　the　forts　along　the　walls。　But　long　before；　in　the　first　days　of　the　North　Kingdom；　they　built　a　great　watchtower　on　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's　head。　Yet　once　it　was　tall　and　fair。　It　is　told　that　Elendil　stood　there　watching　for　the　ing　of　Gilgalad　out　of　the　West；　in　the　days　of　the　Last　Alliance。'

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　Gilgalad？'　asked　Merry；　but　Strider　did　not　answer；　and　seemed　to　be　lost　in　thought。　Suddenly　a　low　voice　murmured：

Gilgalad　was　an　Elvenking。
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　was　always　one　for　hearing　about　Elves。　It　was　Mr。　Bilbo　as　taught　me　my　letters。　He　was　mighty　booklearned　was　dear　old　Mr。　Bilbo。　And　he　wrote　poetry。　He　wrote　what　I　have　just　said。'

'He　did　not　make　it　up；'　said　Strider。　'It　is　pan　of　the　lay　that　is　called　The　Fall　of　Gilgalad；　which　is　in　an　ancient　tongue。　Bilbo　must　have　translated　it。　I　never　knew　that。'

'There　was　a　lot　more；'　said　Sam；　'all　about　Mordor。　I　didn't　learn　that　part；　it　gave　me　the　shivers　I　never　thought　I　should　be　going　that　way　myself！'

'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　midday　when　they　drew　near　the　southern　end　of　the　path；　and　saw　before　them；　in　the　pale　clear　light　of　the　October　sun；　a　greygreen　bank；　leading　up　like　a　bridge　on　to　the　northward　slope　of　the　hill　They　decided　to　make　for　the　top　at　once；　while　the　daylight　was　broad　Concealment　was　no　longer　possible；　and　they　could　only　hope　that　no　enemy　or　spy　was　observing　them。　Nothing　was　to　be　seen　moving　on　the　hill。　If　Gandalf　was　anywhere　about；　there　was　no　sign　of　him。

On　the　western　flank　of　Weathertop　they　found　a　sheltered　hollow；　at　the　bottom　of　which　there　was　a　bowlshaped　dell　with　grassy　sides。　There　they　left　Sam　and　Pippin　with　the　pony　and　their　packs　and　luggage。　The　other　three　went　on。　After　half　an　hour's　plodding　climb　Strider　reached　the　crown　of　the　hill；　Frodo　and　Merry　followed；　tired　and　breathless。　The　last　slope　had　been　steep　and　rocky。

On　the　top　they　found；　as　Strider　had　said；　a　wide　ring　of　ancient　stonework；　now　crumbling　or　covered　with　agelong　grass。　But　in　the　centre　a　cairn　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　grass　was　scorched　and　shrivelled；　as　if　flames　had　swept　the　hilltop；　but　there　was　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　for　patches　of　woodland　away　to　the　south；　beyond　which　they　caught　here　and　there　the　glint　of　distant　water。　Beneath　them　on　this　southern　side　there　ran　like　a　ribbon　the　Old　Road；　ing　out　of　the　West　and　winding　up　and　down；　until　it　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　nearer　foothills　were　brown　and　sombre；

behind　them　stood　taller　shapes　of　grey；　and　behind　those　again　were　high　white　peaks　glimmering　among　the　clouds。

'Well；　here　we　are！'　said　Merry。　'And　very　cheerless　and　uninviting　it　looks！　There　is　no　water　and　no　shelter。　And　no　sign　of　Gandalf。　But　I　don't　blame　him　for　not　waiting　。　if　he　ever　came　here。'

'I　wonder；'　said　Strider；　looking　round　thoughtfully。　'Even　if　he　was　a　day　or　two　behind　us　at　Bree；　he　could　have　arrived　here　first。　He　can　ride　very　swiftly　when　need　presses。'　Suddenly　he　stooped　and　looked　at　the　stone　on　the　top　of　the　cairn；　it　was　flatter　than　the　others；　and　whiter；　as　if　it　had　escaped　the　fire。　He　picked　it　up　and　examined　it；　turning　it　in　his　fingers。　〃This　has　been　handled　recently；'　he　said。　'What　do　you　think　of　these　marks？'

On　the　flat　underside　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　Grune　with　thin　branches；'　said　Strider。　'It　might　be　a　sign　left　by　Gandalf；　though　one　cannot　be　sure。　The　scratches　are　fine；　and　they　certainly　look　fresh。　But　the　marks　might　mean　something　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　a　sign　that　Gandalf　was　here　on　October　the　third：　that　is　three　days　ago　now。　It　would　also　show　that　he　was　in　a　hur