The Lord of the Rings-指环王(英文版)-第91章

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ince　then。'

'I　have　indeed！'　said　Sam。　'And　I　reckon　there's　Elves　and　Elves。　They're　all　elvish　enough；　but　they're　not　all　the　same。　Now　these　folk　aren't　wanderers　or　homeless；　and　seem　a　bit　nearer　to　the　likes　of　us：　they　seem　to　belong　here；　more　even　than　Hobbits　do　in　the　Shire。　Whether　they've　made　the　land；　or　the　land's　made　them；　it's　hard　to　say；　if　you　take　my　meaning。　It's　wonderfully　quiet　here。　Nothing　seems　to　be　going　on；　and　nobody　seems　to　want　it　to。　If　there's　any　magic　about；　it's　right　down　deep；　where　I　can't　lay　my　hands　on　it；　in　a　manner　of　speaking。'

'You　can　see　and　feel　it　everywhere；'　said　Frodo。

'Well；'　said　Sam；　'you　can't　see　nobody　working　it。　No　fireworks　like　poor　Gandalf　used　to　show。　I　wonder　we　don't　see　nothing　of　the　Lord　and　Lady　in　all　these　days。　I　fancy　now　that　she　could　do　some　wonderful　things；　if　she　had　a　mind。　I'd　dearly　love　to　see　some　Elfmagic；　Mr。　Frodo！'

'I　wouldn't；'　said　Frodo。　'I　am　content。　And　I　don't　miss　Gandalf's　fireworks；　but　his　bushy　eyebroper；　and　his　voice。'

'You're　right；'　said　Sam。　'And　don't　think　I'm　finding　fault。　I've　often　wanted　to　see　a　bit　of　magic　like　what　it　tells　of　in　old　tales；　but　I've　never　heard　of　a　better　land　than　this。　It's　like　being　at　home　and　on　a　holiday　at　the　same　time；　if　you　understand　me。　I　don't　want　to　leave。　All　the　same；　I'm　beginning　to　feel　that　if　we've　got　to　go　on；　then　we'd　best　get　it　over。

'It's　the　job　that's　never　started　as　takes　longest　to　finish；　as　my　old　gaffer　used　to　say。　And　I　don't　reckon　that　these　folk　can　do　much　more　to　help　us；　magic　or　no。　It's　when　we　leave　this　land　that　we　shall　miss　Gandalf　worse；　I'm　thinking。'

'I　am　afraid　that's　only　too　true；　Sam；'　said　Frodo。　'Yet　I　hope　very　much　that　before　we　leave　we　shall　see　the　Lady　of　the　Elves　again。'

Even　as　he　spoke；　they　saw；　as　if　she　came　in　answer　to　their　words；　the　Lady　Galadriel　approaching。　Tall　and　white　and　fair　she　walked　beneath　the　trees。　She　spoke　no　word；　but　beckoned　to　them。

Turning　aside；　she　led　them　toward　the　southern　slopes　of　the　hill　of　Caras　Galadhon；　and　passing　through　a　high　green　hedge　they　came　into　an　enclosed　garden。　No　trees　grew　there；　and　it　lay　open　to　the　sky。　The　evening　star　had　risen　and　was　shining　with　white　fire　above　the　western　woods。　Down　a　long　flight　of　steps　the　Lady　went　into　a　deep　green　hollow；　through　which　ran　murmuring　the　silver　stream　that　issued　from　the　fountain　on　the　hill。　At　the　bottom；　upon　a　low　pedestal　carved　like　a　branching　tree；　stood　a　basin　of　silver。　wide　and　shallow；　and　beside　it　stood　a　silver　ewer。

With　water　from　the　stream　Galadriel　filled　the　basin　to　the　brim；　and　breathed　on　it；　and　when　the　water　was　still　again　she　spoke。　'Here　is　the　Mirror　of　Galadriel；'　she　said。　'I　have　brought　you　here　so　that　you　may　look　in　it；　if　you　will。'

The　air　was　very　still；　and　the　dell　was　dark；　and　the　Elflady　beside　him　was　tall　and　pale。　'What　shall　we　look　for；　and　what　shall　we　see？　'　asked　Frodo；　filled　with　awe。

'Many　things　I　can　mand　the　Mirror　to　reveal；'　she　answered；　'and　to　some　I　can　show　what　they　desire　to　see。　But　the　Mirror　will　also　show　things　unbidden；　and　those　are　often　stranger　and　more　profitable　than　things　which　we　wish　to　behold。　What　you　will　see；　if　you　leave　the　Mirror　free　to　work；　I　cannot　tell。　For　it　shows　things　that　were；　and　things　that　are；　things　that　yet　may　be。　But　which　it　is　that　he　sees；　even　the　wisest　cannot　always　tell。　Do　you　wish　to　look？　'

Frodo　did　not　answer。

'And　you？　'　she　said；　turning　to　Sam。　'For　this　is　what　your　folk　would　call　magic。　I　believe；　though　I　do　not　understand　clearly　what　they　mean；　and　they　seem　also　to　use　the　same　word　of　the　deceits　of　the　Enemy。　But　this；　if　you　will；　is　the　magic　of　Galadriel。　Did　you　not　say　that　you　wished　to　see　Elfmagic？　'

'I　did；'　said　Sam；　trembling　a　little　between　fear　and　curiosity。　'I'll　have　a　peep；　Lady；　if　you're　willing。'

'And　I'd　not　mind　a　glimpse　of　what's　going　on　at　home；'　he　said　in　an　aside　to　Frodo。　'It　seems　a　terrible　long　time　that　I've　been　away。　But　there；　like　as　not　I'll　only　see　the　stars；　or　something　that　I　won't　understand。'

'Like　as　not；'　said　the　Lady　with　a　gentle　laugh。　'But　e；　you　shall　look　and　see　what　you　may。　Do　not　touch　the　water！'

Sam　climbed　up　on　the　foot　of　the　pedestal　and　leaned　over　the　basin。　The　water　looked　hard　and　dark。　Stars　were　reflected　in　it。

'There's　only　stars；　as　I　thought；'　he　said。　Then　he　gave　a　low　gasp；　for　the　stars　went　out。　As　if　a　dark　veil　had　been　withdrawn；　the　Mirror　grew　grey；　and　then　clear。　There　was　sun　shining；　and　the　branches　of　trees　were　waving　and　tossing　in　the　wind。　But　before　Sam　could　make　up　his　mind　what　it　was　that　he　saw；　the　light　faded；　and　now　he　thought　he　saw　Frodo　with　a　pale　face　lying　fast　asleep　under　a　great　dark　cliff。　Then　he　seemed　to　see　himself　going　along　a　dim　passage；　and　climbing　an　endless　winding　stair。　It　came　to　him　suddenly　that　he　was　looking　urgently　for　something；　but　what　it　was　he　did　not　know。　Like　a　dream　the　vision　shifted　and　went　back；　and　he　saw　the　trees　again。　But　this　time　they　were　not　so　close；　and　he　could　see　what　was　going　on：　they　were　not　waving　in　the　wind；　they　were　falling；　crashing　to　the　ground。

'Hi！'　cried　Sam　in　an　outraged　voice。　'There's　that　Ted　Sandyman　a　cutting　down　trees　as　he　shouldn't。　They　didn't　ought　to　be　felled：　it's　that　avenue　beyond　the　Mill　that　shades　the　road　to　Bywater。　I　wish　I　could　get　at　Ted；　and　I'd　fell　him！'

But　now　Sam　noticed　that　the　Old　Mill　had　vanished；　and　a　large　redbrick　building　was　being　put　up　where　it　had　stood。　Lots　of　folk　were　busily　at　work。　There　was　a　tall　red　chimney　nearby。　Black　smoke　seemed　to　cloud　the　surface　of　the　Mirror。

'There's　some　devilry　at　work　in　the　Shire；'　he　said。　'Elrond　knew　what　he　was　about　when　he　wanted　to　send　Mr。　Merry　back。'　Then　suddenly　Sam　gave　a　cry　and　sprang　away。　'I　can't　stay　here；'　he　said　wildly。　'I　must　go　home。　They've　dug　up　Bagshot　Row；　and　there's　the　poor　old　gaffer　going　down　the　Hill　with　his　bits　of　things　on　a　barrow。　I　must　go　home！'

'You　cannot　go　home　alone；'　said　the　Lady。　'You　did　not　wish　to　go　home　without　your　master　before　you　looked　in　the　Mirror；　and　yet　you　knew　that　evil　things　might　well　be　happening　in　the　Shire。　Remember　that　the　Mirror　shows　many　things；　and　not　all　have　yet　e　to　pass。　Some　never　e　to　be；　unless　those　that　behold　the　visions　turn　aside　from　their　path　to　prevent　them。　The　Mirror　is　dangerous　as　a　guide　of　deeds。'

Sam　sat　on　the　ground　and　put　his　head　in　his　hands。　'I　wish　I　had　never　e　here；　and　I　don't　want　to　see　no　more　magic；'　he　said　and　fell　silent。　After　a　moment　he　spoke　again　thickly；　as　if　struggling　with　tears。　'No；　I'll　go　home　by　the　long　road　with　Mr。　Frodo；　or　not　at　all；'　he　said。　'But　I　hope　I　do　get　back　some　day。　If　what　I've　seen　turns　out　true；　somebody's　going　to　catch　it　hot！'

'Do　you　now　wish　to　look；　Frodo？　'　said　the　Lady　Galadriel。　'You　did　not　wish　to　see　Elfmagic　and　were　content。'

'Do　you　advise　me　to　look？　'　asked　Frodo。

'No；'　she　said。　'I　do　not　counsel　you　one　way　or　the　other。　I　am　not　a　counsellor。　You　may　learn　something；　and　whether　what　you　see　be　fair　or　evil；　that　may　be　profitable；　and　yet　it　may　not。　Seeing　is　both　good　and　perilous。　Yet　I　think；　Frodo；　that　you　have　courage　and　wisdom　enough　for　the　venture；　or　I　would　not　have　brought　you　here。　Do　as　you　will！'

'I　will　look；'　said　Frodo；　and　he　climbed　on　the　pedestal　and　bent　over　the　dark　water。　At　once　the　Mirror　cleared　and　he　saw　a　twilit　land。　Mountains　loomed　dark　in　the　distance　against　a　pale　sky。　A　long　grey　road　wound　back　out　of　sight。　Far　away　a　figure　came　slowly　down　the　road；　faint　and　small　at　first；　but　growing　larger　and　clearer　as　it　approached。　Suddenly　Frodo　realized　that　it　reminded　him　of　Gandalf。　He　almost　called　aloud　the　wizard's　name；　and　then　he　saw　that　the　figure　was　clothed　not　in　grey　but　in　white；　in　a　white　that　shone　faintly　in　the　dusk；　and　in　its　hand　there　was　a　white　staff。　The　head　was　so　bowed　that　he　could　see　no　face；　and　presently　the　figure　turned　aside　round　a　bend　in　the　road　and　went　out　of　the　Mirror's　view。　Doubt　came　into　Frodo's　mind：　was　this　a　vision　of　Gandalf　on　one　of　his　many　lonely　journeys　long　ago；　or　was　it　Saruman？

The　vision　now　changed。　Brief　and　small　but　very　vivid　he　caught　a　glimpse　of　Bilbo　walking　restlessly　about　his　room。　The　table　was　littered　with　disordered　papers；　rain　was　beating　on　the　windows。

Then　there　was　a　pause；　and　after　it　many　swift　scenes　followed　that　Frodo　in　some　way　knew　to　be　parts　of　a　great　history　in　which　he　had　bee　involved。　The　mist　cleared　and　he　saw　a　sight　which　he　had　never　seen　before　but　knew　at　once：　the　Sea。　Darkness　fell。　The　sea　rose　and　raged　in　a　great　storm。　Then　he　saw　against　the　Sun；　sinking　bloodred　into　a　wrack　of　clouds；　the　black　outline　of　a　tall　ship　with　torn　sails　riding　up　out　of　the　West。　Then　a　wide　river　flowing　through　a　populous　city。　Then　a　white　fortress　with　seven　towers。　And　then　again　a　ship　with　black　sails；　but　now　it　was　morning　again；　and　the　water　rippled　with　light；　and　a　banner　bearing　the　emblem　of　a