jrt.fellowshipofring-第108节

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adness　took　me；　but　it　has　passed。　e　back！　'
　　　There　was　no　answer。　Frodo　did　not　even　hear　his　cries。　He　was　already　far　away；　leaping　blindly　up　the　path　to　the　hill…top。　Terror　and　grief　shook　him；　seeing　in　his　thought　the　mad　fierce　face　of　Boromir；　and　his　burning　eyes。
　　　Soon　he　came　out　alone　on　the　summit　of　Amon　Hen；　and　halted；　gasping　for　breath。　He　saw　as　through　a　mist　a　wide　flat　circle；　paved　with　mighty　flags；　and　surrounded　with　a　crumbling　battlement；　and　in　the　middle；　set　upon　four　carven　pillars；　was　a　high　seat；　reached　by　a　stair　of　many　steps。　Up　he　went　and　sat　upon　the　ancient　chair；　feeling　like　a　lost　child　that　had　clambered　upon　the　throne　of　mountain…kings。
　　　At　first　he　could　see　little。　He　seemed　to　be　in　a　world　of　mist　in　which　there　were　only　shadows：　the　Ring　was　upon　him。　Then　here　and　there　the　mist　gave　way　and　he　saw　many　visions：　small　and　clear　as　if　they　were　under　his　eyes　upon　a　table；　and　yet　remote。　There　was　no　sound；　only　bright　living　images。　The　world　seemed　to　have　shrunk　and　fallen　silent。　He　was　sitting　upon　the　Seat　of　Seeing；　on　Amon　Hen；　the　Hill　of　the　Eye　of　the　Men　of　Númenor。　Eastward　he　looked　into　wide　uncharted　lands；　nameless　plains；　and　forests　unexplored。　Northward　he　looked；　and　the　Great　River　lay　like　a　ribbon　beneath　him；　and　the　Misty　Mountains　stood　small　and　hard　as　broken　teeth。　Westward　he　looked　and　saw　the　broad　pastures　of　Rohan；　and　Orthanc；　the　pinnacle　of　Isengard；　like　a　black　spike。　Southward　he　looked；　and　below　his　very　feet　the　Great　River　curled　like　a　toppling　wave　and　plunged　over　the　falls　of　Rauros　into　a　foaming　pit；　a　glimmering　rainbow　played　upon　the　fume。　And　Ethir　Anduin　he　saw；　the　mighty　delta　of　the　River；　and　myriads　of　sea…birds　whirling　like　a　white　dust　in　the　sun；　and　beneath　them　a　green　and　silver　sea；　rippling　in　endless　lines。
　　　But　everywhere　he　looked　he　saw　the　signs　of　war。　The　Misty　Mountains　were　crawling　like　anthills：　orcs　were　issuing　out　of　a　thousand　holes。　Under　the　boughs　of　Mirkwood　there　was　deadly　strife　of　Elves　and　Men　and　fell　beasts。　The　land　of　the　Beornings　was　aflame；　a　cloud　was　over　Moria；　smoke　rose　on　the　borders　of　Lórien。
　　　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：　white…walled；　many…towered；　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　Morgul。　and　the　haunted　Mountains；　and　it　looked　upon　Gorgoroth；　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：　Barad…d？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　river…side。　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　border…land　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　Denethor　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　he