The Lord of the Rings-指环王(英文版)- 第92部分

Horsemen　were　galloping　on　the　grass　of　Rohan；　wolves　poured　from　Isengard。　From　the　havens　of　Harad　ships　of　war　put　out　to　sea；　and　out　of　the　East　Men　were　moving　endlessly：　swordsmen；　spearmen；　bowmen　upon　horses；　chariots　of　chieftains　and　laden　wains。　All　the　power　of　the　Dark　Lord　was　in　motion。　Then　turning　south　again　he　beheld　Minas　Tirith。　Far　away　it　seemed。　and　beautiful：　whitewalled；　manytowered；　proud　and　fair　upon　its　mountain　seat；　its　battlements　glittered　with　steel；　and　its　turrets　were　bright　with　many　banners。　Hope　leaped　in　his　heart。　But　against　Minas　Tirith　was　set　another　fortress；　greater　and　more　strong。　Thither；　eastward；　unwilling　his　eye　was　drawn。　It　passed　the　ruined　bridges　of　Osgiliath；　the　grinning　gates　of　Minas　Mul。　and　the　haunted　Mountains；　and　it　looked　upon　Goroth；　the　valley　of　terror　in　the　Land　of　Mordor。　Darkness　lay　there　under　the　Sun。　Fire　glowed　amid　the　smoke。　Mount　Doom　was　burning；　and　a　great　reek　rising。　Then　at　last　his　gaze　was　held：　wall　upon　wall；　battlement　upon　battlement；　black；　immeasurably　strong；　mountain　of　iron；　gate　of　steel；　tower　of　adamant；　he　saw　it：　Baradd？r；　Fortress　of　Sauron。　All　hope　left　him。

And　suddenly　he　felt　the　Eye。　There　was　an　eye　in　the　Dark　Tower　that　did　not　sleep。　He　knew　that　it　had　bee　aware　of　his　gaze。　A　fierce　eager　will　was　there。　It　leaped　towards　him；　almost　like　a　finger　he　felt　it；　searching　for　him。　Very　soon　it　would　nail　him　down；　know　just　exactly　where　he　was。　Amon　Lhaw　it　touched。　It　glanced　upon　Tol　Brandir　he　threw　himself　from　the　seat；　crouching；　covering　his　head　with　his　grey　hood。

He　heard　himself　crying　out：　Never；　never！　Or　was　it：　Verily　I　e；　I　e　to　you？　He　could　not　tell。　Then　as　a　flash　from　some　other　point　of　power　there　came　to　his　mind　another　thought：　Take　it　off！　Take　it　off！　Fool；　take　it　off！　Take　off　the　Ring！

The　two　powers　strove　in　him。　For　a　moment；　perfectly　balanced　between　their　piercing　points；　he　writhed；　tormented。　Suddenly　he　was　aware　of　himself　again。　Frodo；　neither　the　Voice　nor　the　Eye：　free　to　choose；　and　with　one　remaining　instant　in　which　to　do　so。　He　took　the　Ring　off　his　finger。　He　was　kneeling　in　clear　sunlight　before　the　high　seat。　A　black　shadow　seemed　to　pass　like　an　arm　above　him；　it　missed　Amon　Hen　and　groped　out　west；　and　faded。　Then　all　the　sky　was　clean　and　blue　and　birds　sang　in　every　tree。

Frodo　rose　to　his　feet。　A　great　weariness　was　on　him；　but　his　will　was　firm　and　his　heart　lighter。　He　spoke　aloud　to　himself。　'I　will　do　now　what　I　must；'　he　said。　'This　at　least　is　plain：　the　evil　of　the　Ring　is　already　at　work　even　in　the　pany；　and　the　Ring　must　leave　them　before　it　does　more　harm。　I　will　go　alone。　Some　I　cannot　trust；　and　those　I　can　trust　are　too　dear　to　me：　poor　old　Sam；　and　Merry　and　Pippin。　Strider；　too：　his　heart　yearns　for　Minas　Tirith；　and　he　will　be　needed　there；　now　Boromir　has　fallen　into　evil。　I　will　go　alone。　At　once。'

He　went　quickly　down　the　path　and　came　back　to　the　lawn　where　Boromir　had　found　him。　Then　he　halted；　listening。　He　thought　he　could　hear　cries　and　calls　from　the　woods　near　the　shore　below。

'They'll　be　hunting　for　me；'　he　said。　'I　wonder　how　long　I　have　been　away。　Hours；　I　should　think。'　He　hesitated。　'What　can　I　do？　'　he　muttered。　'I　must　go　now　or　I　shall　never　go。　I　shan't　get　a　chance　again。　I　hate　leaving　them；　and　like　this　without　any　explanation。　But　surely　they　will　understand。　Sam　will。　And　what　else　can　I　do？'

Slowly　he　drew　out　the　Ring　and　put　it　on　once　more。　He　vanished　and　passed　down　the　hill；　less　than　a　rustle　of　the　wind。

The　others　remained　long　by　the　riverside。　For　some　time　they　had　been　silent；　moving　restlessly　about；　but　now　they　were　sitting　in　a　circle；　and　they　were　talking。　Every　now　and　again　they　made　efforts　to　speak　of　other　things；　of　their　long　road　and　many　adventures；　they　questioned　Aragorn　concerning　the　realm　of　Gondor　and　its　ancient　history；　and　the　remnants　of　its　great　works　that　could　still　be　seen　in　this　strange　borderland　of　the　Emyn　Muil：　the　stone　kings　and　the　seats　of　Lhaw　and　Hen；　and　the　great　Stair　beside　the　falls　of　Rauros。　But　always　their　thoughts　and　words　strayed　back　to　Frodo　and　the　Ring。　What　would　Frodo　choose　to　do？　Why　was　he　hesitating？

'He　is　debating　which　course　is　the　most　desperate；　I　think；'　said　Aragorn。　'And　well　he　may。　It　is　now　more　hopeless　than　ever　for　the　pany　to　go　east；　since　we　have　been　tracked　by　Gollum；　and　must　fear　that　the　secret　of　our　journey　is　already　betrayed。　But　Minas　Tirith　is　no　nearer　to　the　Fire　and　the　destruction　of　the　Burden。

'We　may　remain　there　for　a　while　and　make　a　brave　stand；　but　the　Lord　Dehor　and　all　his　men　cannot　hope　to　do　what　even　Elrond　said　was　beyond　his　power：　either　to　keep　the　Burden　secret。　or　to　hold　off　the　full　might　of　the　Enemy　when　he　es　to　take　it。　Which　way　would　any　of　us　choose　in　Frodo's　place？　I　do　not　know。　Now　indeed　we　miss　Gandalf　most。'

'Grievous　is　our　loss；'　said　Legolas。　'Yet　we　must　needs　make　up　our　minds　without　his　aid。　Why　cannot　we　decide；　and　so　help　Frodo？　Let　us　call　him　back　and　then　vote！　I　should　vote　for　Minas　Tirith。'

'And　so　should　I；'　said　Gimli。　'We；　of　course；　were　only　sent　to　help　the　Bearer　along　the　road；　to　go　no　further　than　we　wished；　and　none　of　us　is　under　any　oath　or　mand　to　seek　Mount　Doom。　Hard　was　my　parting　from　Lothlórien。　Yet　I　have　e　so　far；　and　I　say　this：　now　we　have　reached　the　last　choice；　it　is　clear　to　me　that　I　cannot　leave　Frodo。　I　would　choose　Minas　Tirith；　but　if　he　does　not；　then　I　follow　him。'

'And　I　too　will　go　with　him；'　said　Legolas。　'It　would　be　faithless　now　to　say　farewell。'

'It　would　indeed　be　a　betrayal；　if　we　all　left　him；'　said　Aragorn。　'But　if　he　goes　east；　then　all　need　not　go　with　him；　nor　do　I　think　that　all　should。　That　venture　is　desperate：　as　much　so　for　eight　as　for　three　or　two；　or　one　alone。　If　you　would　let　me　choose；　then　I　should　appoint　three　panions：　Sam；　who　could　not　bear　it　otherwise；　and　Gimli；　and　myself。　Boromir　will　return　to　his　own　city；　where　his　father　and　his　people　need　him；　and　with　him　the　others　should　go；　or　at　least　Meriadoc　and　Peregrin；　if　Legolas　is　not　willing　to　leave　us。'

'That　won't　do　at　all！'　cried　Merry。　'We　can't　leave　Frodo！　Pippin　and　I　always　intended　to　go　wherever　he　went；　and　we　still　do。　But　we　did　not　realize　what　that　would　mean。　It　seemed　different　so　far　away；　in　the　Shire　or　in　Rivendell。　It　would　be　mad　and　cruel　to　let　Frodo　go　to　Mordor。　Why　can't　we　stop　him？'

'We　must　stop　him；'　said　Pippin。　'And　that　is　what　he　is　worrying　about；　I　am　sure。　He　knows　we　shan't　agree　to　his　going　east。　And　he　doesn't　like　to　ask　anyone　to　go　with　him；　poor　old　fellow。　Imagine　it：　going　off　to　Mordor　alone！'　Pippin　shuddered。　'But　the　dear　silly　old　hobbit；　he　ought　to　know　that　he　hasn't　got　to　ask。　He　ought　to　know　that　if　we　can't　stop　him；　we　shan't　leave　him。'

'Begging　your　pardon；'　said　Sam。　'I　don't　think　you　understand　my　master　at　all。　He　isn't　hesitating　about　which　way　to　go。　Of　course　not！　What's　the　good　of　Minas　Tirith　anyway？　To　him；　I　mean；　begging　your　pardon；　Master　Boromir；'　he　added；　and　turned。　It　was　then　that　they　discovered　that　Boromir；　who　at　first　had　been　sitting　silent　on　the　outside　of　the　circle；　was　no　longer　there。

'Now　where's　he　got　to？　'　cried　Sam；　looking　worried。　'He's　been　a　bit　queer　lately；　to　my　mind。　But　anyway　he's　not　in　this　business。　He's　off　to　his　home；　as　he　always　said；　and　no　blame　to　him。　But　Mr。　Frodo；　he　knows　he's　got　to　find　the　Cracks　of　Doom；　if　he　can。　But　he's　afraid。　Now　it's　e　to　the　point；　he's　just　plain　terrified。　That's　what　his　trouble　is。　Of　course　he's　had　a　bit　of　schooling；　so　to　speakwe　all　havesince　we　left　home；　or　he'd　be　so　terrified　he'd　just　fling　the　Ring　in　the　River　and　bolt。　But　he's　still　too　frightened　to　start。　And　he　isn't　worrying　about　us　either：　whether　we'll　go　along　with　him　or　no。　He　knows　we　mean　to。　That's　another　thing　that's　bothering　him。　If　he　screws　himself　up　to　go；　he'll　want　to　go　alone。　Mark　my　words！　We're　going　to　have　trouble　when　he　es　back。　For　he'll　screw　himself　up　all　right；　as　sure　as　his　name's　Baggins。'

'I　believe　you　speak　more　wisely　than　any　of　us；　Sam；'　said　Aragorn。　'And　what　shall　we　do；　if　you　prove　right？　'

'Stop　him！　Don't　let　him　go！'　cried　Pippin。

'I　wonder？　'　said　Aragorn。　'He　is　the　Bearer；　and　the　fate　of　the　Burden　is　on　him。　I　do　not　think　that　it　is　our　part　to　drive　him　one　way　or　the　other。　Nor　do　I　think　that　we　should　succeed；　if　we　tried。　There　are　other　powers　at　work　far　stronger。'

'Well；　I　wish　Frodo　would　〃screw　himself　up〃　and　e　back。　and　let　us　get　it　over；'　said　Pippin。　'This　waiting　is　horrible！　Surely　the　time　is　up？　'

'Yes；'　said　Aragorn。　'The　hour　is　long　passed。　The　morning　is　wearing　away。　We　must　call　for　him。'

At　that　moment　Boromir　reappeared。　He　came　out　from　the　trees　and　walked　towards　them　without　speaking。　His　face　looked　grim　and　sad。　He　paused　as　if　counting　those　that　were　present；　and　then　sat　down　aloof；　with　his　eyes　on　the　ground。

'Where　have　you　been；　Boromir？　'　asked　Aragorn。　'Have　you　seen　Frodo？　'

Boromir　hesitated　for　a　second。　'Yes；　and　no；'　he　answered　slowly。　'Yes：　I　found　him　some　way　up　the　hill；　and　I　spoke　to　him。　I　urged　him　to　e　to　Minas　Tirith　and　not　to　go　east。　I　grew　angry　and　he　left　me。　He　vanished。　I　have　never　seen　such　a　thing　happen　before。　though　I　have　heard　of　it　in　tales。　He　must　have　put　the　Ring　on。　I　could　not　find　him　again。　I　thought　he　would　return　to　you。'

'Is　that　all　that　you　have　to　say？　'　said　Aragorn；　looking　hard　and　not　too　kindly　at　Boromir。

'Yes；'　he　answered。　'I　will　say　no　more　yet。'

'This　is　bad！'　cried　Sam；　jumping　up。　'I　don't　know　what　this　Man　has　been　up　to。　Why　should　Mr。　Frodo　put　the　thing　on？　He　didn't　ought　to　have；　and　if　he　has；　goodness　knows　what　may　have　happened！'

'But　he　wouldn't　keep　it　on’'　said　Merry。　'Not　when　he　had　escaped　the　unwele　visitor；　like　Bilbo　used　to。'

'But　where　did　he　go？　Where　is　he？　'　cried　Pippin。　'He's　been　away　ages　now。'

'How　long　is　it　since　you　saw　Frodo　last；　Boromir？　'　asked　Aragorn。

'Half　an　hour；　maybe；'　he　answered。　'Or　it　might　be　an　hour。　I　have　wandered