jrt.fellowshipofring-第38节

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he　valley　of　the　Brandywine。　To　the　South；　over　the　line　of　the　Withywindle；　there　was　a　distant　glint　like　pale　glass　where　the　Brandywine　River　made　a　great　loop　in　the　lowlands　and　flowed　away　out　of　the　knowledge　of　the　hobbits。　Northward　beyond　the　dwindling　downs　the　land　ran　away　in　flats　and　swellings　of　grey　and　green　and　pale　earth…colours；　until　it　faded　into　a　featureless　and　shadowy　distance。　Eastward　the　Barrow…downs　rose；　ridge　behind　ridge　into　the　morning；　and　vanished　out　of　eyesight　into　a　guess：　it　was　no　more　than　a　guess　of　blue　and　a　remote　white　glimmer　blending　with　the　hem　of　the　sky；　but　it　spoke　to　them；　out　of　memory　and　old　tales；　of　the　high　and　distant　mountains。
　　　They　took　a　deep　draught　of　the　air；　and　felt　that　a　skip　and　a　few　stout　strides　would　bear　them　wherever　they　wished。　It　seemed　fainthearted　to　go　jogging　aside　over　the　crumpled　skirts　of　the　downs　towards　the　Road；　when　they　should　be　leaping；　as　lusty　as　Tom；　over　the　stepping　stones　of　the　hills　straight　towards　the　Mountains。
　　　Goldberry　spoke　to　them　and　recalled　their　eyes　and　thoughts。　'Speed　now；　fair　guests！'　she　said。　'And　hold　to　your　purpose！　North　with　the　wind　in　the　left　eye　and　a　blessing　on　your　footsteps！　Make　haste　while　the　Sun　shines！'　And　to　Frodo　she　said：　'Farewell；　Elf…friend；　it　was　a　merry　meeting！'
　　　But　Frodo　found　no　words　to　answer。　He　bowed　low；　and　mounted　his　pony；　and　followed　by　his　friends　jogged　slowly　down　the　gentle　slope　behind　the　hill。　Tom　Bombadil's　house　and　the　valley；　and　the　Forest　were　lost　to　view。　The　air　grew　warmer　between　the　green　walls　of　hillside　and　hillside；　and　the　scent　of　turf　rose　strong　and　sweet　as　they　breathed。　Turning　back；　when　they　reached　the　bottom　of　the　green　hollow；　they　saw　Goldberry；　now　small　and　slender　like　a　sunlit　flower　against　the　sky：　she　was　standing　still　watching　them；　and　her　hands　were　stretched　out　towards　them。　As　they　looked　she　gave　a　clear　call；　and　lifting　up　her　hand　she　turned　and　vanished　behind　the　hill。
　　　Their　way　wound　along　the　floor　of　the　hollow；　and　round　the　green　feet　of　a　steep　hill　into　another　deeper　and　broader　valley；　and　then　over　the　shoulder　of　further　hills；　and　down　their　long　limbs；　and　up　their　smooth　sides　again；　up　on　to　new　hill…tops　and　down　into　new　valleys。　There　was　no　tree　nor　any　visible　water：　it　was　a　country　of　grass　and　short　springy　turf；　silent　except　for　the　whisper　of　the　air　over　the　edges　of　the　land；　and　high　lonely　cries　of　strange　birds。　As　they　journeyed　the　sun　mounted；　and　grew　hot。　Each　time　they　climbed　a　ridge　the　breeze　seemed　to　have　grown　less。　When　they　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　country　westward　the　distant　Forest　seemed　to　be　smoking；　as　if　the　fallen　rain　was　steaming　up　again　from　leaf　and　root　and　mould。　A　shadow　now　lay　round　the　edge　of　sight；　a　dark　haze　above　which　the　upper　sky　was　like　a　blue　cap；　hot　and　heavy。
　　　About　mid…day　they　came　to　a　hill　whose　top　was　wide　and　flattened；　like　a　shallow　saucer　with　a　green　mounded　rim。　Inside　there　was　no　air　stirring；　and　the　sky　seemed　near　their　heads。　They　rode　across　and　looked　northwards。　Then　their　hearts　rose；　for　it　seemed　plain　that　they　had　e　further　already　than　they　had　expected。　Certainly　the　distances　had　now　all　bee　hazy　and　deceptive；　but　there　could　be　no　doubt　that　the　Downs　were　ing　to　an　end。　A　long　valley　lay　below　them　winding　away　northwards；　until　it　came　to　an　opening　between　two　steep　shoulders。　Beyond；　there　seemed　to　be　no　more　hills。　Due　north　they　faintly　glimpsed　a　long　dark　line。　That　is　a　line　of　trees；'　said　Merry；　'and　that　must　mark　the　Road。　All　along　it　for　many　leagues　east　of　the　Bridge　there　are　trees　growing。　Some　say　they　were　planted　in　the　old　days。'
　　　'Splendid！'　said　Frodo。　'If　we　make　as　good　going　this　afternoon　as　we　have　done　this　morning；　we　shall　have　left　the　Downs　before　the　Sun　sets　and　be　jogging　on　in　search　of　a　camping　place。'　But　even　as　he　spoke　he　turned　his　glance　eastwards；　and　he　saw　that　on　that　side　the　hills　were　higher　and　looked　down　upon　them；　and　all　those　hills　were　crowned　with　green　mounds；　and　on　some　were　standing　stones；　pointing　upwards　like　jagged　teeth　out　of　green　gums。
　　　That　view　was　somehow　disquieting；　so　they　turned　from　the　sight　and　went　down　into　the　hollow　circle。　In　the　midst　of　it　there　stood　a　single　stone；　standing　tall　under　the　sun　above；　and　at　this　hour　casting　no　shadow。　It　was　shapeless　and　yet　significant：　like　a　landmark；　or　a　guarding　finger；　or　more　like　a　warning。　But　they　were　now　hungry；　and　the　sun　was　still　at　the　fearless　noon；　so　they　set　their　backs　against　the　east　side　of　the　stone。　It　was　cool；　as　if　the　sun　had　had　no　power　to　warm　it；　but　at　that　time　this　seemed　pleasant。　There　they　took　food　and　drink；　and　made　as　good　a　noon…meal　under　the　open　sky　as　anyone　could　wish；　for　the　food　came　from　'down　under　Hill'。　Tom　had　provided　them　with　plenty　for　the　fort　of　the　day。　Their　ponies　unburdened　strayed　upon　the　grass。
　　　Riding　over　the　hills；　and　eating　their　fill；　the　warm　sun　and　the　scent　of　turf；　lying　a　little　too　long；　stretching　out　their　legs　and　looking　at　the　sky　above　their　noses：　these　things　are；　perhaps；　enough　to　explain　what　happened。　However；　that　may　be：　they　woke　suddenly　and　unfortably　from　a　sleep　they　had　never　meant　to　take。　The　standing　stone　was　cold；　and　it　cast　a　long　pale　shadow　that　stretched　eastward　over　them。　The　sun；　a　pale　and　watery　yellow；　was　gleaming　through　the　mist　just　above　the　west　wall　of　the　hollow　in　which　they　lay；　north；　south；　and　east；　beyond　the　wall　the　fog　was　thick；　cold　and　white。　The　air　was　silent；　heavy　and　chill。　Their　ponies　were　standing　crowded　together　with　their　heads　down。
　　　The　hobbits　sprang　to　their　feet　in　alarm；　and　ran　to　the　western　rim。　They　found　that　they　were　upon　an　island　in　the　fog。　Even　as　they　looked　out　in　dismay　towards　the　setting　sun；　it　sank　before　their　eyes　into　a　white　sea；　and　a　cold　grey　shadow　sprang　up　in　the　East　behind。　The　fog　rolled　up　to　the　walls　and　rose　above　them；　and　as　it　mounted　it　bent　over　their　heads　until　it　became　a　roof：　they　were　shut　in　a　hall　of　mist　whose　central　pillar　was　the　standing　stone。
　　　They　felt　as　if　a　trap　was　closing　about　them；　but　they　did　not　quite　lose　heart。　They　still　remembered　the　hopeful　view　they　had　had　of　the　line　of　the　Road　ahead；　and　they　still　knew　in　which　direction　it　lay。　In　any　case；　they　now　had　so　great　a　dislike　for　that　hollow　place　about　the　stone　that　no　thought　of　remaining　there　was　in　their　minds。　They　packed　up　as　quickly　as　their　chilled　fingers　would　work。
　　　Soon　they　were　leading　their　ponies　in　single　file　over　the　rim　and　down　the　long　northward　slope　of　the　hill；　down　into　a　foggy　sea。　As　they　went　down　the　mist　became　colder　and　damper；　and　their　hair　hung　lank　and　dripping　on　their　foreheads。　When　they　reached　the　bottom　it　was　so　cold　that　they　halted　and　got　out　cloaks　and　hoods；　which　soon　became　bedewed　with　grey　drops。　Then；　mounting　their　ponies；　they　went　slowly　on　again；　feeling　their　way　by　the　rise　and　fall　of　the　ground。　They　were　steering；　as　well　as　they　could　guess；　for　the　gate…like　opening　at　the　far　northward　end　of　the　long　valley　which　they　had　seen　in　the　morning。　Once　they　were　through　the　gap；　they　had　only　lo　keep　on　in　anything　like　a　straight　line　and　they　were　bound　in　the　end　to　strike　the　Road。　Their　thoughts　did　not　go　beyond　that；　except　for　a　vague　hope　that　perhaps　away　beyond　the　Downs　there　might　be　no　fog。
　　　Their　going　was　very　slow。　To　prevent　their　getting　separated　and　wandering　in　different　directions　they　went　in　file；　with　Frodo　leading。　Sam　was　behind　him；　and　after　him　came　Pippin；　and　then　Merry。　The　valley　seemed　to　stretch　on　endlessly。　Suddenly　Frodo　saw　a　hopeful　sign。　On　either　side　ahead　a　darkness　began　to　loom　through　the　mist；　and　he　guessed　that　they　were　at　last　approaching　the　gap　in　the　hills；　the　north…gate　of　the　Barrow…downs。　If　they　could　pass　that；　they　would　be　free。
　　　'e　on！　Follow　me！'　he　called　back　over　his　shoulder；　and　he　hurried　forward。　But　his　hope　soon　changed　to　bewilderment　and　alarm。　The　dark　patches　grew　darker；　but　they　shrank；　and　suddenly　he　saw；　towering　ominous　before　him　and　leaning　slightly　towards　one　another　like　the　pillars　of　a　headless　door；　two　huge　standing　stones。　He　could　not　remember　having　seen　any　sign　of　these　in　the　valley；　when　he　looked　out　from　the　hill　in　the　morning。　He　had　passed　between　them　almost　before　he　was　aware：　and　even　as　he　did　so　darkness　seemed　to　fall　round　him。　His　pony　reared　and　snorted；　and　he　fell　off。　When　he　looked　back　he　found　that　he　was　alone：　the　others　had　not　followed　him。　'Sam！'　he　called。　'Pippin！　Merry！　e　along！　Why　don't　you　keep　up？'
　　　There　was　no　answer。　Fear　took　him；　and　he　ran　back　past　the　stones　shouting　wildly：　'Sam！　Sam！　Merry！　Pippin！'　The　pony　bolted　into　the　mist　and　vanished。　From　some　way　off；　or　so　it　seemed；　he　thought　he　heard　a　cry：　'Hoy！　Frodo！　Hoy！'　It　was　away　eastward；　on　his　left　as　he　stood　under　the　great　stones；　staring　and　straining　into　the　gloom。　He　plunged　off　in　the　direction　of　the　call；　and　found　himself　going　steeply　uphill。
　　　As　he　struggled　on　he　called　again；　a