The Lord of the Rings-指环王(英文版)-第99章

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'I　can't　abide　fog；'　said　Sam；　'but　this　seems　to　be　a　lucky　one。　Now　perhaps　we　can　get　away　without　those　cursed　goblins　seeing　us。'

'Perhaps　so；'　said　Aragorn。　'But　it　will　be　hard　to　find　the　path　unless　the　fog　lifts　a　little　later　on。　And　we　must　find　the　path；　if　we　are　to　pass　Sarn　Gebir　and　e　to　the　Emyn　Muil。'

'I　do　not　see　why　we　should　pass　the　Rapids　or　follow　the　River　any　further；'　said　Boromir。　'If　the　Emyn　Muil　lie　before　us；　then　we　can　abandon　these　cockleboats；　and　strike　westward　and　southward；　until　we　e　to　the　Entwash　and　cross　into　my　own　land。'

'We　can；　if　we　are　making　for　Minas　Tirith；'　said　Aragorn；　'but　that　is　not　yet　agreed。　And　such　a　course　may　be　more　perilous　than　it　sounds。　The　vale　of　Entwash　is　flat　and　fenny；　and　fog　is　a　deadly　peril　there　for　those　on　foot　and　laden。　I　would　not　abandon　our　boats　until　we　must。　The　River　is　at　least　a　path　that　cannot　be　missed。'

'But　the　Enemy　holds　the　eastern　bank；'　objected　Boromir。　'And　even　if　you　pass　the　Gates　of　Argonath　and　e　unmolested　to　the　Tindrock；　what　will　you　do　then？　Leap　down　the　Falls　and　land　in　the　marshes？　'

'No！'　answered　Aragorn。　'Say　rather　that　we　will　bear　our　boats　by　the　ancient　way　to　Raurosfoot；　and　there　take　to　the　water　again。　Do　you　not　know；　Boromir；　or　do　you　choose　to　fet　the　North　Stair；　and　the　high　seat　upon　Amon　Hen；　that　were　made　in　the　days　of　the　great　kings？　I　at　least　have　a　mind　to　stand　in　that　high　place　again；　before　I　decide　my　further　course。　There；　maybe；　we　shall　see　some　sign　that　will　guide　us。'

Boromir　held　out　long　against　this　choice；　but　when　it　became　plain　that　Frodo　would　follow　Aragorn；　wherever　he　went；　he　gave　in。　'It　is　not　the　way　of　the　Men　of　Minas　Tirith　to　desert　their　friends　at　need；'　he　said；　'and　you　will　need　my　strength；　if　ever　you　are　to　reach　the　Tindrock。　To　the　tall　isle　I　will　go；　but　no　further。　There　I　shall　turn　to　my　home；　alone　if　my　help　has　not　earned　the　reward　of　any　panionship。'

The　day　was　now　growing；　and　the　fog　had　lifted　a　little。　It　was　decided　that　Aragorn　and　Legolas　should　at　once　go　forward　along　the　shore；　while　the　others　remained　by　the　boats。　Aragorn　hoped　to　find　some　way　by　which　they　could　carry　both　their　boats　and　their　baggage　to　the　smoother　water　beyond　the　Rapids。

'Boats　of　the　Elves　would　not　sink；　maybe；'　he　said；　'but　that　does　not　say　that　we　should　e　through　Sarn　Gebir　alive。　None　have　ever　done　so　yet。　No　road　was　made　by　the　Men　of　Gondor　in　this　region；　for　even　in　their　great　days　their　realm　did　not　reach　up　Anduin　beyond　the　Emyn　Muil；　but　there　is　a　portageway　somewhere　on　the　western　shore；　if　I　can　find　it。　It　cannot　yet　have　perished；　for　light　boats　used　to　journey　out　of　Wilderland　down　to　Osgiliath；　and　still　did　so　until　a　few　years　ago；　when　the　Orcs　of　Mordor　began　to　multiply。'

'Seldom　in　my　life　has　any　boat　e　out　of　the　North；　and　the　Orcs　prowl　on　the　eastshore；'　said　Boromir。　'If　you　go　forward；　peril　will　grow　with　every　mile；　even　if　you　find　a　path。'

'Peril　lies　ahead　on　every　southward　road；'　answered　Aragorn。　'Wait　for　us　one　day。　If　we　do　not　return　in　that　time；　you　will　know　that　evil　has　indeed　befallen　us。　Then　you　must　take　a　new　leader　and　follow　him　as　best　you　can。'

It　was　with　a　heavy　heart　that　Frodo　saw　Aragorn　and　Legolas　climb　the　steep　bank　and　vanish　into　the　mists；　but　his　fears　proved　groundless。　Only　two　or　three　hours　had　passed；　and　it　was　barely　midday；　when　the　shadowy　shapes　of　the　explorers　appeared　again。

'All　is　well；'　said　Aragorn；　as　he　clambered　down　the　bank。　'There　is　a　track；　and　it　leads　to　a　good　landing　that　is　still　serviceable。　The　distance　is　not　great：　the　head　of　the　Rapids　is　but　half　a　mile　below　us；　and　they　are　little　more　than　a　mile　long。　Not　far　beyond　them　the　stream　bees　clear　and　smooth　again；　though　it　runs　swiftly。　Our　hardest　task　will　be　to　get　our　boats　and　baggage　to　the　old　portageway。　We　have　found　it；　but　it　lies　well　back　from　the　waterside　here；　and　runs　under　the　lee　of　a　rockwall；　a　furlong　or　more　from　the　shore。　We　did　not　find　where　the　northward　landing　lies。　If　it　still　remains；　we　must　have　passed　it　yesterday　night。　We　might　labour　far　upstream　and　yet　miss　it　in　the　fog。　I　fear　we　must　leave　the　River　now；　and　make　for　the　portageway　as　best　we　can　from　here。'

'That　would　not　be　easy；　even　if　we　were　all　Men；'　said　Boromir。

'Yet　such　as　we　are　we　will　try　it；'　said　Aragorn。

'Aye；　we　will；'　said　Gimli。　'The　legs　of　Men　will　lag　on　a　rough　road；　while　a　Dwarf　goes　on；　be　the　burden　twice　his　own　weight；　Master　Boromir！'

The　task　proved　hard　indeed；　yet　in　the　end　it　was　done。　The　goods　were　taken　out　of　the　boats　and　brought　to　the　top　of　the　bank；　where　there　was　a　level　space。　Then　the　boats　were　drawn　out　of　the　water　and　carried　up。　They　were　far　less　heavy　than　any　had　expected。　Of　what　tree　growing　in　the　elvish　country　they　were　made　not　even　Legolas　knew；　but　the　wood　was　tough　and　yet　strangely　light。　Merry　and　Pippin　alone　could　carry　their　boat　with　ease　along　the　flat。　Noheless　it　needed　the　strength　of　the　two　Men　to　lift　and　haul　them　over　the　ground　that　the　pany　now　had　to　cross。　It　sloped　up　away　from　the　River；　a　tumbled　waste　of　grey　limestoneboulders；　with　many　hidden　holes　shrouded　with　weeds　and　bushes；　there　were　thickets　of　brambles；　and　sheer　dells；　and　here　and　there　boggy　pools　fed　by　waters　trickling　from　the　terraces　further　inland。

One　by　one　Boromir　and　Aragorn　carried　the　boats；　while　the　others　toiled　and　scrambled　after　them　with　the　baggage。　At　last　all　was　removed　and　laid　on　the　portageway。　Then　with　little　further　hindrance；　save　from　sprawling　briars　and　many　fallen　stones；　they　moved　forward　all　together。　Fog　still　hung　in　veils　upon　the　crumbling　rockwall；　and　to　their　left　mist　shrouded　the　River：　they　could　hear　it　rushing　and　foaming　over　the　sharp　shelves　and　stony　teeth　of　Sarn　Gebir；　but　they　could　not　see　it。　Twice　they　made　the　journey；　before　all　was　brought　safe　to　the　southern　landing。

There　the　portageway；　turning　back　to　the　waterside；　ran　gently　down　to　the　shallow　edge　of　a　little　pool。　It　seemed　to　have　been　scooped　in　the　riverside；　not　by　hand；　but　by　the　water　swirling　down　from　Sarn　Gebir　against　a　low　pier　of　rock　that　jutted　out　some　way　into　the　stream。　Beyond　it　the　shore　rose　sheer　into　a　grey　cliff；　and　there　was　no　further　passage　for　those　on　foot。

Already　the　short　afternoon　was　past；　and　a　dim　cloudy　dusk　was　closing　in。　They　sat　beside　the　water　listening　to　the　confused　rush　and　roar　of　the　Rapids　hidden　in　the　mist；　they　were　tired　and　sleepy；　and　their　hearts　were　as　gloomy　as　the　dying　day。

'Well；　here　we　are；　and　here　we　must　pass　another　night；'　said　Boromir。　'We　need　sleep；　and　even　if　Aragorn　had　a　mind　to　pass　the　Gates　of　Argonath　by　night；　we　are　all　too　tiredexcept；　no　doubt；　our　sturdy　dwarf。'

Gimli　made　no　reply：　he　was　nodding　as　he　sat。

'Let　us　rest　as　much　as　we　can　now；'　said　Aragorn。　'Tomorrow　we　must　journey　by　day　again。　Unless　the　weather　changes　once　more　and　cheats　us；　we　shall　have　a　good　chance　of　slipping　through；　unseen　by　any　eyes　on　the　eastern　shore。　But　tonight　two　must　watch　together　in　turns：　three　hours　off　and　one　on　guard。'

Nothing　happened　that　night　worse　than　a　brief　drizzle　of　rain　an　hour　before　dawn。　As　soon　as　it　was　fully　light　they　started。　Already　the　fog　was　thinning。　They　kept　as　close　as　they　could　to　the　western　side；　and　they　could　see　the　dim　shapes　of　the　low　cliffs　rising　ever　higher；　shadowy　walls　with　their　feet　in　the　hurrying　river。　In　the　midmorning　the　clouds　drew　down　lower；　and　it　began　to　rain　heavily。　They　drew　the　skincovers　over　their　boats　to　prevent　them　from　being　flooded；　and　drifted　on：　little　could　be　seen　before　them　or　about　them　through　the　grey　falling　curtains。

The　rain；　however；　did　not　last　long。　Slowly　the　sky　above　grew　lighter；　and　then　suddenly　the　clouds　broke；　and　their　draggled　fringes　trailed　away　northward　up　the　River。　The　fogs　and　mists　were　gone。　Before　the　travellers　lay　a　wide　ravine；　with　great　rocky　sides　to　which　clung；　upon　shelves　and　in　narrow　crevices；　a　few　thrawn　trees。　The　channel　grew　narrower　and　the　River　swifter。　Now　they　were　speeding　along　with　little　hope　of　stopping　or　turning；　whatever　they　might　meet　ahead。　Over　them　was　a　lane　of　paleblue　sky；　around　them　the　dark　overshadowed　River；　and　before　them　black；　shutting　out　the　sun；　the　hills　of　Emyn　Muil；　in　which　no　opening　could　be　seen。

Frodo　peering　forward　saw　in　the　distance　two　great　rocks　approaching：　like　great　pinnacles　or　pillars　of　stone　they　seemed。　Tall　and　sheer　and　ominous　they　stood　upon　either　side　of　the　stream。　A　narrow　gap　appeared　between　them；　and　the　River　swept　the　boats　towards　it。

'Behold　the　Argonath；　the　Pillars　of　the　Kings！'　cried　Aragorn。　'We　shall　pass　them　soon。　Keep　the　boats　in　line；　and　as　far　apart　as　you　can！　Hold　the　middle　of　the　stream！'

As　Frodo　was　borne　towards　them　the　great　pillars　rose　like　towers　to　meet　him。　Giants　they　seemed　to　him；　vast　grey　figures　silent　but　threatening。　Then　he　saw　that　they　were　indeed　shaped　and　fashioned：　the　craft　and　power　of　old　had　wrought　upon　them；　and　sti