jrt.fellowshipofring-第31节

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d…bye！'　they　cried；　and　rode　down　the　slope　and　disappeared　from　Fredegar's　sight　into　the　tunnel。
　　　It　was　dark　and　damp。　At　the　far　end　it　was　closed　by　a　gate　of　thick…set　iron　bars。　Merry　got　down　and　unlocked　the　gate；　and　when　they　had　all　passed　through　he　pushed　it　to　again。　It　shut　with　a　clang；　and　the　lock　clicked。　The　sound　was　ominous。
　　　'There！'　said　Merry。　'You　have　left　the　Shire；　and　are　now　outside；　and　on　the　edge　of　the　Old　Forest。'
　　　'Are　the　stories　about　it　true？'　asked　Pippin。
　　　'I　don't　know　what　stories　you　mean；'　Merry　answered。　'If　you　mean　the　old　bogey…stories　Fatty's　nurses　used　to　tell　him；　about　goblins　and　wolves　and　things　of　that　sort；　I　should　say　no。　At　any　rate　I　don't　believe　them。　But　the　Forest　is　queer。　Everything　in　it　is　very　much　more　alive；　more　aware　of　what　is　going　on；　so　to　speak；　than　things　are　in　the　Shire。　And　the　trees　do　not　like　strangers。　They　watch　you。　They　are　usually　content　merely　to　watch　you；　as　long　as　daylight　lasts；　and　don't　do　much。　Occasionally　the　most　unfriendly　ones　may　drop　a　branch；　or　stick　a　root　out；　or　grasp　at　you　with　a　long　trailer。　But　at　night　things　can　be　most　alarming；　or　so　I　am　told。　I　have　only　once　or　twice　been　in　here　after　dark；　and　then　only　near　the　hedge。　I　thought　all　the　trees　were　whispering　to　each　other；　passing　news　and　plots　along　in　an　unintelligible　language；　and　the　branches　swayed　and　groped　without　any　wind。　They　do　say　the　trees　do　actually　move；　and　can　surround　strangers　and　hem　them　in。　In　fact　long　ago　they　attacked　the　Hedge：　they　came　and　planted　themselves　right　by　it；　and　leaned　over　it。　But　the　hobbits　came　and　cut　down　hundreds　of　trees；　and　made　a　great　bonfire　in　the　Forest；　and　burned　all　the　ground　in　a　long　strip　east　of　the　Hedge。　After　that　the　trees　gave　up　the　attack；　but　they　became　very　unfriendly。　There　is　still　a　wide　bare　space　not　far　inside　where　the　bonfire　was　made。'
　　　'Is　it　only　the　trees　that　are　dangerous？'　asked　Pippin。
　　　'There　are　various　queer　things　living　deep　in　the　Forest；　and　on　the　far　side；'　said　Merry；　'or　at　least　I　have　heard　so；　but　I　have　never　seen　any　of　them。　But　something　makes　paths。　Whenever　one　es　inside　one　finds　open　tracks；　but　they　seem　to　shift　and　change　from　time　to　time　in　a　queer　fashion。　Not　far　from　this　tunnel　there　is；　or　was　for　a　long　time；　the　beginning　of　quite　a　broad　path　leading　to　the　Bonfire　Glade；　and　then　on　more　or　less　in　our　direction；　east　and　a　little　north。　That　is　the　path　I　am　going　to　try　and　find。'
　　　The　hobbits　now　left　the　tunnel…gate　and　rode　across　the　wide　hollow。　On　the　far　side　was　a　faint　path　leading　up　on　to　the　floor　of　the　Forest；　a　hundred　yards　and　more　beyond　the　Hedge；　but　it　vanished　as　soon　as　it　brought　them　under　the　trees。　Looking　back　they　could　see　the　dark　line　of　the　Hedge　through　the　stems　of　trees　that　were　already　thick　about　them。　Looking　ahead　they　could　see　only　tree…trunks　of　innumerable　sizes　and　shapes：　straight　or　bent；　twisted；　leaning；　squat　or　slender；　smooth　or　gnarled　and　branched；　and　all　the　stems　were　green　or　grey　with　moss　and　slimy；　shaggy　growths。
　　　Merry　alone　seemed　fairly　cheerful。　'You　had　better　lead　on　and　find　that　path；'　Frodo　said　to　him。　'Don't　let　us　lose　one　another；　or　forget　which　way　the　Hedge　lies！'
　　　They　picked　a　way　among　the　trees；　and　their　ponies　plodded　along；　carefully　avoiding　the　many　writhing　and　interlacing　roots。　There　was　no　undergrowth。　The　ground　was　rising　steadily；　and　as　they　went　forward　it　seemed　that　the　trees　became　taller；　darker；　and　thicker。　There　was　no　sound；　except　an　occasional　drip　of　moisture　falling　through　the　still　leaves。　For　the　moment　there　was　no　whispering　or　movement　among　the　branches；　but　they　all　got　an　unfortable　feeling　that　they　were　being　watched　with　disapproval；　deepening　to　dislike　and　even　enmity。　The　feeling　steadily　grew；　until　they　found　themselves　looking　up　quickly；　or　glancing　back　over　their　shoulders；　as　if　they　expected　a　sudden　blow。
　　　There　was　not　as　yet　any　sign　of　a　path；　and　the　trees　seemed　constantly　to　bar　their　way。　Pippin　suddenly　felt　that　he　could　not　bear　it　any　longer；　and　without　warning　let　out　a　shout。　'Oi！　Oi！'　he　cried。　'I　am　not　going　to　do　anything。　Just　let　me　pass　through；　will　you！'
　　　The　others　halted　startled；　but　the　cry　fell　as　if　muffled　by　a　heavy　curtain。　There　was　no　echo　or　answer　though　the　wood　seemed　to　bee　more　crowded　and　more　watchful　than　before。
　　　'I　should　not　shout；　if　I　were　you；'　said　Merry。　It　does　more　harm　than　good。'
　　　Frodo　began　to　wonder　if　it　were　possible　to　find　a　way　through；　and　if　he　had　been　right　to　make　the　others　e　into　this　abominable　wood。　Merry　was　looking　from　side　to　side；　and　seemed　already　uncertain　which　way　to　go。　Pippin　noticed　it。　'It　has　not　taken　you　long　to　lose　us；'　he　said。　But　at　that　moment　Merry　gave　a　whistle　of　relief　and　pointed　ahead。
　　　'Well；　well！'　he　said。　'These　trees　do　shift。　There　is　the　Bonfire　Glade　in　front　of　us　（or　I　hope　so）；　but　the　path　to　it　seems　to　have　moved　away！'
　　　The　light　grew　clearer　as　they　went　forward。　Suddenly　they　came　out　of　the　trees　and　found　themselves　in　a　wide　circular　space。　There　was　sky　above　them；　blue　and　clear　to　their　surprise；　for　down　under　the　Forest…roof　they　had　not　been　able　to　see　the　rising　morning　and　the　lifting　of　the　mist。　The　sun　was　not；　however；　high　enough　yet　to　shine　down　into　the　clearing；　though　its　light　was　on　the　tree…tops。　The　leaves　were　all　thicker　and　greener　about　the　edges　of　the　glade；　enclosing　it　with　an　almost　solid　wall。　No　tree　grew　there；　only　rough　grass　and　many　tall　plants：　stalky　and　faded　hemlocks　and　wood…parsley；　fire…weed　seeding　into　fluffy　ashes；　and　rampant　nettles　and　thistles。　A　dreary　place：　but　it　seemed　a　charming　and　cheerful　garden　after　the　close　Forest。
　　　The　hobbits　felt　encouraged；　and　looked　up　hopefully　at　the　broadening　daylight　in　the　sky。　At　the　far　side　of　the　glade　there　was　a　break　in　the　wall　of　trees；　and　a　clear　path　beyond　it。　They　could　see　it　running　on　into　the　wood；　wide　in　places　and　open　above；　though　every　now　and　again　the　trees　drew　in　and　overshadowed　it　with　their　dark　boughs。　Up　this　path　they　rode。　They　were　still　climbing　gently；　but　they　now　went　much　quicker；　and　with　better　heart；　for　it　seemed　to　them　that　the　Forest　had　relented；　and　was　going　to　let　them　pass　unhindered　after　all。
　　　But　after　a　while　the　air　began　to　get　hot　and　stuffy。　The　trees　drew　close　again　on　either　side；　and　they　could　no　longer　see　far　ahead。　Now　stronger　than　ever　they　felt　again　the　ill　will　of　the　wood　pressing　on　them。　So　silent　was　it　that　the　fall　of　their　ponies'　hoofs；　rustling　on　dead　leaves　and　occasionally　stumbling　on　hidden　roots；　seemed　to　thud　in　their　ears。　Frodo　tried　to　sing　a　song　to　encourage　them；　but　his　voice　sank　to　a　murmur。
　　　O！　Wanderers　in　the　shadowed　land
despair　not！　For　though　dark　they　stand；
all　woods　there　be　must　end　at　last；
and　see　the　open　sun　go　past：
the　setting　sun；　the　rising　sun；
the　day's　end；　or　the　day　begun。
For　east　or　west　all　woods　must　fail。。。
　　　Fail　…　even　as　he　said　the　word　his　voice　faded　into　silence。　The　air　seemed　heavy　and　the　making　of　words　wearisome。　Just　behind　them　a　large　branch　fell　from　an　old　overhanging　tree　with　a　crash　into　the　path。　The　trees　seemed　to　close　in　before　them。
　　　'They　do　not　like　all　that　about　ending　and　failing；'　said　Merry。　'I　should　not　sing　any　more　at　present。　Wait　till　we　do　get　to　the　edge；　and　then　we'll　turn　and　give　them　a　rousing　chorus！'
　　　He　spoke　cheerfully；　and　if　he　felt　any　great　anxiety；　he　did　not　show　it。　The　others　did　not　answer。　They　were　depressed。　A　heavy　weight　was　settling　steadily　on　Frodo's　heart；　and　he　regretted　now　with　every　step　forward　that　he　had　ever　thought　of　challenging　the　menace　of　the　trees。　He　was；　indeed；　just　about　to　stop　and　propose　going　back　（if　that　was　still　possible）；　when　things　took　a　new　turn。　The　path　stopped　climbing；　and　became　for　a　while　nearly　level。　The　dark　trees　drew　aside；　and　ahead　they　could　see　the　path　going　almost　straight　forward。　Before　them；　but　some　distance　off；　there　stood　a　green　hill…top；　treeless；　rising　like　a　bald　head　out　of　the　encircling　wood。　The　path　seemed　to　be　making　directly　for　it。
　　　They　now　hurried　forward　again；　delighted　with　the　thought　of　climbing　out　for　a　while　above　the　roof　of　the　Forest。　The　path　dipped；　and　then　again　began　to　climb　upwards；　leading　them　at　last　to　the　foot　of　the　steep　hillside。　There　it　left　the　trees　and　faded　into　the　turf。　The　wood　stood　all　round　the　hill　like　thick　hair　that　ended　sharply　in　a　circle　round　a　shaven　crown。
　　　The　hobbits　led　their　ponies　up；　winding　round　and　round　until　they　reached　the　top。　There　they　stood　and　gazed　about　them。　The　air　was　gleaming　and　sunlit；　but　hazy；　and　they　could　not　see　to　any　great　distance。　Near　at　hand　the　mist　was　now　almost　gone；　though　here　and　there　it　lay　in　hollows　of　the　wood；　and　to　the　south　of　them；　out　of　a　deep　fold　cutting　right　across　the　Forest；　the　fog　still　rose　like　steam　or　wisps　of　white　smoke。
　　　'That；'　said　Merry；　pointing　with　his　hand；　'that　is　the　line　of　the　Withywindle。　It　es　down　out　of　the　Dow