jrt.fellowshipofring-第32节

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　　　'That；'　said　Merry；　pointing　with　his　hand；　'that　is　the　line　of　the　Withywindle。　It　es　down　out　of　the　Downs　and　flows　south…west　through　the　midst　of　the　Forest　to　join　the　Brandywine　below　Haysend。　We　don't　want　to　go　that　way！　The　Withywindle　valley　is　said　to　be　the　queerest　part　of　the　whole　wood　…　the　centre　from　which　all　the　queerness　es；　as　it　were。'
　　　The　others　looked　in　the　direction　that　Merry　pointed　out；　but　they　could　see　little　but　mists　over　the　damp　and　deep…cut　valley；　and　beyond　it　the　southern　half　of　the　Forest　faded　from　view。
　　　The　sun　on　the　hill…top　was　now　getting　hot。　It　must　have　been　about　eleven　o'clock；　but　the　autumn　haze　still　prevented　them　from　seeing　much　in　other　directions。　In　the　west　they　could　not　make　out　either　the　line　of　the　Hedge　or　the　valley　of　the　Brandywine　beyond　it。　Northward；　where　they　looked　most　hopefully；　they　could　see　nothing　that　might　be　the　line　of　the　great　East　Road；　for　which　they　were　making。　They　were　on　an　island　in　a　sea　of　trees；　and　the　horizon　was　veiled。
　　　On　the　south…eastern　side　the　ground　fell　very　steeply；　as　if　the　slopes　of　the　hill　were　continued　far　down　under　the　trees；　like　island…shores　that　really　are　the　sides　of　a　mountain　rising　out　of　deep　waters。　They　sat　on　the　green　edge　and　looked　out　over　the　woods　below　them；　while　they　ate　their　mid…day　meal。　As　the　sun　rose　and　passed　noon　they　glimpsed　far　off　in　the　east　the　grey…green　lines　of　the　Downs　that　lay　beyond　the　Old　Forest　on　that　side。　That　cheered　them　greatly；　for　it　was　good　to　see　a　sight　of　anything　beyond　the　wood's　borders；　though　they　did　not　mean　to　go　that　way；　if　they　could　help　it：　the　Barrow…downs　had　as　sinister　a　reputation　in　hobbit…legend　as　the　Forest　itself。
　　　At　length　they　made　up　their　minds　to　go　on　again。　The　path　that　had　brought　them　to　the　hill　reappeared　on　the　northward　side；　but　they　had　not　followed　it　far　before　they　became　aware　that　it　was　bending　steadily　to　the　right。　Soon　it　began　to　descend　rapidly　and　they　guessed　that　it　must　actually　be　heading　towards　the　Withywindle　valley：　not　at　all　the　direction　they　wished　lo　take。　After　some　discussion　they　decided　to　leave　this　misleading　path　and　strike　northward；　for　although　they　had　not　been　able　to　see　it　from　the　hill…top；　the　Road　must　lie　that　way；　and　it　could　not　be　many　miles　off。　Also　northward；　and　to　the　left　of　the　path；　the　land　seemed　lo　be　drier　and　more　open；　climbing　up　to　slopes　where　the　trees　were　thinner；　and　pines　and　firs　replaced　the　oaks　and　ashes　and　other　strange　and　nameless　trees　of　the　denser　wood。
　　　At　first　their　choice　seemed　to　be　good：　they　got　along　at　a　fair　speed；　though　whenever　they　got　a　glimpse　of　the　sun　in　an　open　glade　they　seemed　unaccountably　to　have　veered　eastwards。　But　after　a　time　the　trees　began　to　close　in　again；　just　where　they　had　appeared　from　a　distance　to　be　thinner　and　less　tangled。　Then　deep　folds　in　the　ground　were　discovered　unexpectedly；　like　the　ruts　of　great　giant…wheels　or　wide　moats　and　sunken　roads　long　disused　and　choked　with　brambles。　These　lay　usually　right　across　their　line　of　march；　and　could　only　be　crossed　by　scrambling　down　and　out　again；　which　was　troublesome　and　difficult　with　their　ponies。　Each　time　they　climbed　down　they　found　the　hollow　filled　with　thick　bushes　and　matted　undergrowth；　which　somehow　would　not　yield　to　the　left；　but　only　gave　way　when　they　turned　to　the　right；　and　they　had　to　go　some　distance　along　the　bottom　before　they　could　find　a　way　up　the　further　bank。　Each　time　they　clambered　out；　the　trees　seemed　deeper　and　darker；　and　always　to　the　left　and　upwards　it　was　most　difficult　to　find　a　way；　and　they　were　forced　to　the　right　and　downwards。
　　　After　an　hour　or　two　they　had　lost　all　clear　sense　of　direction；　though　they　knew　well　enough　that　they　had　long　ceased　to　go　northward　at　all。　They　were　being　headed　off；　and　were　simply　following　a　course　chosen　for　them　…　eastwards　and　southwards；　into　the　heart　of　the　Forest　and　not　out　of　it。
　　　The　afternoon　was　wearing　away　when　they　scrambled　and　stumbled　into　a　fold　that　was　wider　and　deeper　than　any　they　had　yet　met。　It　was　so　sleep　and　overhung　that　it　proved　impossible　to　climb　out　of　it　again；　either　forwards　or　backwards；　without　leaving　their　ponies　and　their　baggage　behind。　All　they　could　do　was　to　follow　the　fold　…　downwards。　The　ground　grew　soft；　and　in　places　boggy；　springs　appeared　in　the　banks；　and　soon　they　found　themselves　following　a　brook　that　trickled　and　babbled　through　a　weedy　bed。　Then　the　ground　began　to　fall　rapidly；　and　the　brook　growing　strong　and　noisy；　flowed　and　leaped　swiftly　downhill。　They　were　in　a　deep　dim…lit　gully　over…arched　by　trees　high　above　them。
　　　After　stumbling　along　for　some　way　along　the　stream；　they　came　quite　suddenly　out　of　the　gloom。　As　if　through　a　gate　they　saw　the　sunlight　before　them。　ing　to　the　opening　they　found　that　they　had　made　their　way　down　through　a　cleft　in　a　high　sleep　bank；　almost　a　cliff。　At　its　feet　was　a　wide　space　of　grass　and　reeds；　and　in　the　distance　could　be　glimpsed　another　bank　almost　as　steep。　A　golden　afternoon　of　late　sunshine　lay　warm　and　drowsy　upon　the　hidden　land　between。　In　the　midst　of　it　there　wound　lazily　a　dark　river　of　brown　water；　bordered　with　ancient　willows；　arched　over　with　willows；　blocked　with　fallen　willows；　and　flecked　with　thousands　of　faded　willow…leaves。　The　air　was　thick　with　them；　fluttering　yellow　from　the　branches；　for　there　was　a　warm　and　gentle　breeze　blowing　softly　in　the　valley；　and　the　reeds　were　rustling；　and　the　willow…boughs　were　creaking。
　　　'Well；　now　I　have　at　least　some　notion　of　where　we　are！'　said　Merry。　'We　have　e　almost　in　the　opposite　direction　to　which　we　intended。　This　is　the　River　Withywindle！　I　will　go　on　and　explore。'
　　　He　passed　out　into　the　sunshine　and　disappeared　into　the　long　grasses。　After　a　while　he　reappeared；　and　reported　that　there　was　fairly　solid　ground　between　the　cliff…foot　and　the　river；　in　some　places　firm　turf　went　down　to　the　water's　edge。　'What's　more；'　he　said；　'there　seems　to　be　something　like　a　footpath　winding　along　on　this　side　of　the　river。　If　we　turn　left　and　follow　it；　we　shall　be　bound　to　e　out　on　the　east　side　of　the　Forest　eventually。'
　　　'I　dare　say！'　said　Pippin。　'That　is；　if　the　track　goes　on　so　far；　and　does　not　simply　lead　us　into　a　bog　and　leave　us　there。　Who　made　the　track；　do　you　suppose；　and　why？　I　am　sure　it　was　not　for　our　benefit。　I　am　getting　very　suspicious　of　this　Forest　and　everything　in　it；　and　I　begin　to　believe　all　the　stories　about　it。　And　have　you　any　idea　how　far　eastward　we　should　have　to　go？'
　　　'No；'　said　Merry；　'I　haven't。　I　don't　know　in　the　least　how　far　down　the　Withywindle　we　are；　or　who　could　possibly　e　here　often　enough　to　make　a　path　along　it。　But　there　is　no　other　way　out　that　I　can　see　or　think　of。'
　　　There　being　nothing　else　for　it；　they　filed　out；　and　Merry　led　them　to　the　path　that　he　had　discovered。　Everywhere　the　reeds　and　grasses　were　lush　and　tall；　in　places　far　above　their　heads；　but　once　found；　the　path　was　easy　to　follow；　as　it　turned　and　twisted；　picking　out　the　sounder　ground　among　the　bogs　and　pools。　Here　and　there　it　passed　over　other　rills；　running　down　gullies　into　the　Withywindle　out　of　the　higher　forest…lands；　and　at　these　points　there　were　tree…trunks　or　bundles　of　brushwood　laid　carefully　across。
　　　The　hobbits　began　to　feel　very　hot。　There　were　armies　of　flies　of　all　kinds　buzzing　round　their　ears；　and　the　afternoon　sun　was　burning　on　their　backs。　At　last　they　came　suddenly　into　a　thin　shade；　great　grey　branches　reached　across　the　path。　Each　step　forward　became　more　reluctant　than　the　last。　Sleepiness　seemed　to　be　creeping　out　of　the　ground　and　up　their　legs；　and　falling　softly　out　of　the　air　upon　their　heads　and　eyes。
　　　Frodo　felt　his　chin　go　down　and　his　head　nod。　Just　in　front　of　him　Pippin　fell　forward　on　to　his　knees。　Frodo　halted。　'It's　no　good；'　he　heard　Merry　saying。　'Can't　go　another　step　without　rest。　Must　have　nap。　It's　cool　under　the　willows。　Less　flies！'
　　　Frodo　did　not　like　the　sound　of　this。　'e　on！'　he　cried。　'We　can't　have　a　nap　yet。　We　must　get　clear　of　the　Forest　first。'　But　the　others　were　too　far　gone　to　care。　Beside　them　Sam　stood　yawning　and　blinking　stupidly。
　　　Suddenly　Frodo　himself　felt　sleep　overwhelming　him。　His　head　swam。　There　now　seemed　hardly　a　sound　in　the　air。　The　flies　had　stopped　buzzing。　Only　a　gentle　noise　on　the　edge　of　hearing；　a　soft　fluttering　as　of　a　song　half　whispered；　seemed　to　stir　in　the　boughs　above。　He　lifted　his　heavy　eyes　and　saw　leaning　over　him　a　huge　willow…tree；　old　and　hoary。　Enormous　it　looked；　its　sprawling　branches　going　up　like　reaching　arms　with　many　long…fingered　hands；　its　knotted　and　twisted　trunk　gaping　in　wide　fissures　that　creaked　faintly　as　the　boughs　moved。　The　leaves　fluttering　against　the　bright　sky　dazzled　him；　and　he　toppled　over；　lying　where　he　fell　upon　the　grass。
　　　Merry　and　Pippin　dragged　themselves　forward　and　lay　down　with　their　backs　to　the　willow…trunk。　Behind　them　the　great　cracks　gaped　wide　to　receive　them　as　the　tree　swayed　and　creaked。　They　looked　up　at　the　grey　and　yellow　leaves；　moving　softly　against　the　light；　and　singing。　They　shut　their　e