jrt.fellowshipofring-第102节

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　the　West；　beneath　the　blue　vaults　of　Varda　wherein　the　stars　tremble　in　the　song　of　her　voice；　holy　and　queenly。　Who　now　shall　refill　the　cup　for　me？　For　now　the　Kindler；　Varda；　the　Queen　of　the　Stars；　from　Mount　Everwhite　has　uplifted　her　hands　like　clouds；　and　all　paths　are　drowned　deep　in　shadow；　and　out　of　a　grey　country　darkness　lies　on　the　foaming　waves　between　us；　and　mist　covers　the　jewels　of　Calacirya　for　ever。　Now　lost；　lost　to　those　from　the　East　is　Valimar！　Farewell！　Maybe　thou　shalt　find　Valimar。　Maybe　even　thou　shalt　find　it。　Farewell！　'　Varda　is　the　name　of　that　Lady　whom　the　Elves　in　these　lands　of　exile　name　Elbereth。
　　　Suddenly　the　River　swept　round　a　bend；　and　the　banks　rose　upon　either　side；　and　the　light　of　Lórien　was　hidden。　To　that　fair　land　Frodo　never　came　again。
　　　The　travellers　now　turned　their　faces　to　the　journey；　the　sun　was　before　them；　and　their　eyes　were　dazzled；　for　all　were　filled　with　tears。　Gimli　wept　openly。
　　　‘I　have　looked　the　last　upon　that　which　was　fairest；'　he　said　to　Legolas　his　panion。　‘Henceforward　I　will　call　nothing　fair；　unless　it　be　her　gift。'　He　put　his　hand　to　his　breast。
　　　‘Tell　me；　Legolas；　why　did　I　e　on　this　Quest？　Little　did　I　know　where　the　chief　peril　lay！　Truly　Elrond　spoke；　saying　that　we　could　not　foresee　what　we　might　meet　upon　our　road。　Torment　in　the　dark　was　the　danger　that　I　feared；　and　it　did　not　hold　me　back。　But　I　would　not　have　e；　had　I　known　the　danger　of　light　and　joy。　Now　I　have　taken　my　worst　wound　in　this　parting；　even　if　I　were　to　go　this　night　straight　to　the　Dark　Lord。　Alas　for　Gimli　son　of　Glóin！　'
　　　‘Nay！　'　said　Legolas。　‘Alas　for　us　all！　And　for　all　that　walk　the　world　in　these　after…days。　For　such　is　the　way　of　it：　to　find　and　lose；　as　it　seems　to　those　whose　boat　is　on　the　running　stream。　But　I　count　you　blessed；　Gimli　son　of　Glóin：　for　your　loss　you　suffer　of　your　own　free　will；　and　you　might　have　chosen　otherwise。　But　you　have　not　forsaken　your　panions；　and　the　least　reward　that　you　shall　have　is　that　the　memory　of　Lothlórien　shall　remain　ever　clear　and　unstained　in　your　heart；　and　shall　neither　fade　nor　grow　stale。'
　　　‘Maybe；'　said　Gimli；　‘and　I　thank　you　for　your　words。　True　words　doubtless；　yet　all　such　fort　is　cold。　Memory　is　not　what　the　heart　desires。　That　is　only　a　mirror；　be　it　clear　as　Kheled…zaram。　Or　so　says　the　heart　of　Gimli　the　Dwarf。　Elves　may　see　things　otherwise。　Indeed　I　have　heard　that　for　them　memory　is　more　like　to　the　waking　world　than　to　a　dream。　Not　so　for　Dwarves。
　　　'But　let　us　talk　no　more　of　it。　Look　to　the　boat！　She　is　too　low　in　the　water　with　all　this　baggage；　and　the　Great　River　is　swift。　I　do　not　wish　to　drown　my　grief　in　cold　water。'　He　took　up　a　paddle；　and　steered　towards　the　western　bank；　following　Aragorn's　boat　ahead；　which　had　already　moved　out　of　the　middle　stream。
　　　So　the　pany　went　on　their　long　way；　down　the　wide　hurrying　waters；　borne　ever　southwards。　Bare　woods　stalked　along　either　bank；　and　they　could　not　see　any　glimpse　of　the　lands　behind。　The　breeze　died　away　and　the　River　flowed　without　a　sound。　No　voice　of　bird　broke　the　silence。　The　sun　grew　misty　as　the　day　grew　old；　until　it　gleamed　in　a　pale　sky　like　a　high　white　pearl。　Then　it　faded　into　the　West；　and　dusk　came　early；　followed　by　a　grey　and　starless　night。　Far　into　the　dark　quiet　hours　they　floated　on；　guiding　their　boats　under　the　overhanging　shadows　of　the　western　woods。　Great　trees　passed　by　like　ghosts；　thrusting　their　twisted　thirsty　roots　through　the　mist　down　into　the　water。　It　was　dreary　and　cold。　Frodo　sat　and　listened　to　the　faint　lap　and　gurgle　of　the　River　fretting　among　the　tree…roots　and　driftwood　near　the　shore；　until　his　head　nodded　and　he　fell　into　an　uneasy　sleep。
　　　
　　　Chapter　9
The　Great　River
　　　Frodo　was　roused　by　Sam。　He　found　that　he　was　lying；　well　wrapped；　under　tall　grey…skinned　trees　in　a　quiet　corner　of　the　woodlands　on　the　west　bank　of　the　Great　River；　Anduin。　He　had　slept　the　night　away；　and　the　grey　of　morning　was　dim　among　the　bare　branches。　Gimli　was　busy　with　a　small　fire　near　at　hand。
　　　They　started　again　before　the　day　was　broad。　Not　that　most　of　the　pany　were　eager　to　hurry　southwards：　they　were　content　that　the　decision；　which　they　must　make　at　latest　when　they　came　to　Rauros　and　the　Tindrock　Isle；　still　lay　some　days　ahead；　and　they　let　the　River　bear　them　on　at　its　own　pace；　having　no　desire　to　hasten　towards　the　perils　that　lay　beyond；　whichever　course　they　took　in　the　end。　Aragorn　let　them　drift　with　the　stream　as　they　wished；　husbanding　their　strength　against　weariness　to　e。　But　he　insisted　that　at　least　they　should　start　early　each　day　and　journey　on　far　into　the　evening；　for　he　felt　in　his　heart　that　time　was　pressing；　and　he　feared　that　the　Dark　Lord　had　not　been　idle　while　they　lingered　in　Lórien。
　　　Nonetheless　they　saw　no　sign　of　an　enemy　that　day；　nor　the　next。　The　dull　grey　hours　passed　without　event。　As　the　third　day　of　their　voyage　wore　on　the　lands　changed　slowly：　the　trees　thinned　and　then　failed　altogether。　On　the　eastern　bank　to　their　left　they　saw　long　formless　slopes　stretching　up　and　away　toward　the　sky；　brown　and　withered　they　looked；　as　if　fire　had　passed　over　them；　leaving　no　living　blade　of　green：　an　unfriendly　waste　without　even　a　broken　tree　or　a　bold　stone　to　relieve　the　emptiness。　They　had　e　to　the　Brown　Lands　that　lay；　vast　and　desolate；　between　Southern　Mirkwood　and　the　hills　of　the　Emyn　Muil。　What　pestilence　or　war　or　evil　deed　of　the　Enemy　had　so　blasted　all　that　region　even　Aragorn　could　not　tell。
　　　Upon　the　west　to　their　right　the　land　was　treeless　also；　but　it　was　flat；　and　in　many　places　green　with　wide　plains　of　grass。　On　this　side　of　the　River　they　passed　forests　of　great　reeds；　so　tall　that　they　shut　out　all　view　to　the　west；　as　the　little　boats　went　rustling　by　along　their　fluttering　borders。　Their　dark　withered　plumes　bent　and　tossed　in　the　light　cold　airs；　hissing　softly　and　sadly。　Here　and　there　through　openings　Frodo　could　catch　sudden　glimpses　of　rolling　meads；　and　far　beyond　them　hills　in　the　sunset；　and　away　on　the　edge　of　sight　a　dark　line；　where　marched　the　southernmost　ranks　of　the　Misty　Mountains。
　　　There　was　no　sign　of　living　moving　things；　save　birds。　Of　these　there　were　many：　small　fowl　whistling　and　piping　in　the　reeds；　but　they　were　seldom　seen。　Once　or　twice　the　travellers　heard　the　rush　and　whine　of　swan…wings；　and　looking　up　they　saw　a　great　phalanx　streaming　along　the　sky。
　　　‘Swans！　'　said　Sam。　‘And　mighty　big　ones　too！　'
　　　‘Yes；'　said　Aragorn；　'and　they　are　black　swans。'
　　　‘How　wide　and　empty　and　mournful　all　this　country　looks！　'　said　Frodo。　‘I　always　imagined　that　as　one　journeyed　south　it　got　warmer　and　merrier；　until　winter　was　left　behind　for　ever。'
　　　'But　we　have　not　journeyed　far　south　yet；'　answered　Aragorn。　‘It　is　still　winter；　and　we　are　far　from　the　sea。　Here　the　world　is　cold　until　the　sudden　spring；　and　we　may　yet　have　snow　again。　Far　away　down　in　the　Bay　of　Belfalas；　to　which　Anduin　runs；　it　is　warm　and　merry；　maybe；　or　would　be　but　for　the　Enemy。　But　here　we　are　not　above　sixty　leagues；　I　guess；　south　of　the　Southfarthing　away　in　your　Shire；　hundreds　of　long　miles　yonder。　You　are　looking　now　south…west　across　the　north　plains　of　the　Riddermark；　Rohan　the　land　of　the　Horse…lords。　Ere　long　we　shall　e　to　the　mouth　of　the　Limlight　that　runs　down　from　Fangorn　to　join　the　Great　River。　That　is　the　north　boundary　of　Rohan；　and　of　old　all　that　lay　between　Limlight　and　the　White　Mountains　belonged　to　the　Rohirrim。　It　is　a　rich　and　pleasant　land；　and　its　grass　has　no　rival；　but　in　these　evil　days　folk　do　not　dwell　by　the　River　or　ride　often　to　its　shores。　Anduin　is　wide；　yet　the　orcs　can　shoot　their　arrows　far　across　the　stream；　and　of　late；　it　is　said；　they　have　dared　to　cross　the　water　and　raid　the　herds　and　studs　of　Rohan。'
　　　Sam　looked　from　bank　to　bank　uneasily。　The　trees　had　seemed　hostile　before；　as　if　they　harboured　secret　eyes　and　lurking　dangers；　now　he　wished　that　the　trees　were　still　there。　He　felt　that　the　pany　was　too　naked；　afloat　in　little　open　boats　in　the　midst　of　shelterless　lands；　and　on　a　river　that　was　the　frontier　of　war。
　　　In　the　next　day　or　two；　as　they　went　on；　borne　steadily　southwards；　this　feeling　of　insecurity　grew　on　all　the　pany。　For　a　whole　day　they　took　to　their　paddles　and　hastened　forward。　The　banks　slid　by。　Soon　the　River　broadened　and　grew　more　shallow；　long　stony　beaches　lay　upon　the　east；　and　there　were　gravel…shoals　in　the　water；　so　that　careful　steering　was　needed。　The　Brown　Lands　rose　into　bleak　wolds；　over　which　flowed　a　chill　air　from　the　East。　On　the　other　side　the　meads　had　bee　rolling　downs　of　withered　grass　amidst　a　land　of　fen　and　tussock。　Frodo　shivered；　thinking　of　the　lawns　and　fountains；　the　clear　sun　and　gentle　rains　of　Lothlórien。　There　was　little　speech　and　no　laughter　in　any　of　the　boats。　Each　member　of　the　pany　was　busy　with　his　own　thoughts。
　　　The　heart　of　Legolas　was　running　under　the　stars　of　a　summer　night　in　some　northern　glade　amid　the　beech…woods；　Gimli　was　fingering　gold　in　his　mind；　and　wondering　if　it　were　fit　to　be　wrought　into　the　housing　of　the　Lady's　gift。　Merry　and　Pippin　in　the　middle　boat　were　ill　at　ease；　for　Boromir　sat