jrt.fellowshipofring-第81节

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　from　tree…top　to　tree…top。　The　whole　hill　was　crowned　with　dazzling　light。　The　swords　and　knives　of　the　defenders　shone　and　flickered。　The　last　arrow　of　Legolas　kindled　in　the　air　as　it　flew；　and　plunged　burning　into　the　heart　of　a　great　wolf…chieftain。　All　the　others　fled。
　　　Slowly　the　fire　died　till　nothing　was　left　but　falling　ash　and　sparks；　a　bitter　smoke　curled　above　the　burned　tree…stumps；　and　blew　darkly　from　the　hill；　as　the　first　light　of　dawn　came　dimly　in　the　sky。　Their　enemies　were　routed　and　did　not　return。
　　　‘What　did　I　tell　you；　Mr。　Pippin？　'　said　Sam；　she/thing　his　sword。　‘Wolves　won't　get　him。　That　was　an　eye…opener；　and　no　mistake！　Nearly　singed　the　hair　off　my　head！'
　　　When　the　full　light　of　the　morning　came　no　signs　of　the　wolves　were　to　be　found；　and　they　looked　in　vain　for　the　bodies　of　the　dead。　No　trace　of　the　fight　remained　but　the　charred　trees　and　the　arrows　of　Legolas　lying　on　the　hill…top。　All　were　undamaged　save　one　of　which　only　the　point　was　left。
　　　‘It　is　as　I　feared；'　said　Gandalf。　‘These　were　no　ordinary　wolves　hunting　for　food　in　the　wilderness。　Let　us　eat　quickly　and　go！'
　　　That　day　the　weather　changed　again；　almost　as　if　it　was　at　the　mand　of　some　power　that　had　no　longer　any　use　for　snow；　since　they　had　retreated　from　the　pass；　a　power　that　wished　now　to　have　a　clear　light　in　which　things　that　moved　in　the　wild　could　be　seen　from　far　away。　The　wind　had　been　turning　through　north　to　north…west　during　the　night；　and　now　it　failed。　The　clouds　vanished　southwards　and　the　sky　was　opened；　high　and　blue。　As　they　stood　upon　the　hill…side；　ready　to　depart；　a　pale　sunlight　gleamed　over　the　mountain…tops。
　　　‘We　must　reach　the　doors　before　sunset；'　said　Gandalf；　'or　I　fear　we　shall　not　reach　them　at　all。　It　is　not　far；　but　our　path　may　be　winding；　for　here　Aragorn　cannot　guide　us；　he　has　seldom　walked　in　this　country；　and　only　once　have　I　been　under　the　west　wall　of　Moria；　and　that　was　long　ago。
　　　‘There　it　lies；'　he　said；　pointing　away　south…eastwards　to　where　the　mountains'　sides　fell　sheer　into　the　shadows　at　their　feet。　In　the　distance　could　be　dimly　seen　a　line　of　bare　cliffs；　and　in　their　midst；　taller　than　the　rest；　one　great　grey　wall。　‘When　we　left　the　pass　I　led　you　southwards；　and　not　back　to　our　starting　point；　as　some　of　you　may　have　noticed。　It　is　well　that　I　did　so；　for　now　we　have　several　miles　less　to　cross；　and　haste　is　needed。　Let　us　go！　'
　　　‘I　do　not　know　which　to　hope；'　said　Boromir　grimly：　‘that　Gandalf　will　find　what　he　seeks；　or　that　ing　to　the　cliff　we　shall　find　the　gates　lost　for　ever。　All　choices　seem　ill；　and　to　be　caught　between　wolves　and　the　wall　the　likeliest　chance。　Lead　on！'
　　　Gimli　now　walked　ahead　by　the　wizard's　side；　so　eager　was　he　to　e　to　Moria。　Together　they　led　the　pany　back　towards　the　mountains。　The　only　road　of　old　to　Moria　from　the　west　had　lain　along　the　course　of　a　stream；　the　Sirannon；　that　ran　out　from　the　feet　of　the　cliffs　near　where　the　doors　had　stood。　But　either　Gandalf　was　astray；　or　else　the　land　had　changed　in　recent　years；　for　he　did　not　strike　the　stream　where　he　looked　to　find　it；　only　a　few　miles　southwards　from　their　start。
　　　The　morning　was　passing　towards　noon；　and　still　the　pany　wandered　and　scrambled　in　a　barren　country　of　red　stones。　Nowhere　could　they　see　any　gleam　of　water　or　hear　any　sound　of　it。　All　was　bleak　and　dry。　Their　hearts　sank。　They　saw　no　living　thing；　and　not　a　bird　was　in　the　sky；　but　what　the　night　would　bring；　if　it　caught　them　in　that　lost　land；　none　of　them　cared　to　think。
　　　Suddenly　Gimli；　who　had　pressed　on　ahead；　called　back　to　them。　He　was　standing　on　a　knoll　and　pointing　to　the　right。　Hurrying　up　they　saw　below　them　a　deep　and　narrow　channel。　It　was　empty　and　silent；　and　hardly　a　trickle　of　water　flowed　among　the　brown　and　red…stained　stones　of　its　bed；　but　on　the　near　side　there　was　a　path；　much　broken　and　decayed；　that　wound　its　way　among　the　ruined　walls　and　paving…stones　of　an　ancient　highroad。
　　　'Ah！　Here　it　is　at　last！　'　said　Gandalf。　‘This　is　where　the　stream　ran：　Sirannon；　the　Gate…stream；　they　used　to　call　it。　But　what　has　happened　to　the　water；　I　cannot　guess；　it　used　to　be　swift　and　noisy。　e！　We　must　hurry　on。　We　are　late。'
　　　The　pany　were　footsore　and　tired；　but　they　trudged　doggedly　along　the　rough　and　winding　track　for　many　miles。　The　sun　turned　from　the　noon　and　began　to　go　west。　After　a　brief　halt　and　a　hasty　meal　they　went　on　again。　Before　them　the　mountains　frowned；　but　their　path　lay　in　a　deep　trough　of　land　and　they　could　see　only　the　higher　shoulders　and　the　far　eastward　peaks。
　　　At　length　they　came　to　a　sharp　bend。　There　the　road；　which　had　been　veering　southwards　between　the　brink　of　the　channel　and　a　steep　fall　of　the　land　to　the　left；　turned　and　went　due　east　again。　Rounding　the　corner　they　saw　before　them　a　low　cliff；　some　five　fathoms　high；　with　a　broken　and　jagged　top。　Over　it　a　trickling　water　dripped；　through　a　wide　cleft　that　seemed　to　have　been　carved　out　by　a　fall　that　had　once　been　strong　and　full。
　　　‘Indeed　things　have　changed！　'　said　Gandalf。　‘But　there　is　no　mistaking　the　place。　There　is　all　that　remains　of　the　Stair　Falls。　If　I　remember　right；　there　was　a　flight　of　steps　cut　in　the　rock　at　their　side；　but　the　main　road　wound　away　left　and　climbed　with　several　loops　up　to　the　level　ground　at　the　top。　There　used　to　be　a　shallow　valley　beyond　the　falls　right　up　to　the　Walls　of　Moria；　and　the　Sirannon　flowed　through　it　with　the　road　beside　it。　Let　us　go　and　see　what　things　are　like　now！　'
　　　They　found　the　stone　steps　without　difficulty；　and　Gimli　sprang　swiftly　up　them；　followed　by　Gandalf　and　Frodo。　When　they　reached　the　top　they　saw　that　they　could　go　no　further　that　way；　and　the　reason　for　the　drying　up　of　the　Gate…stream　was　revealed。　Behind　them　the　sinking　Sun　filled　the　cool　western　sky　with　glimmering　gold。　Before　them　stretched　a　dark　still　lake。　Neither　sky　nor　sunset　was　reflected　on　its　sullen　surface。　The　Sirannon　had　been　dammed　and　had　filled　all　the　valley。　Beyond　the　ominous　water　were　reared　vast　cliffs；　their　stern　faces　pallid　in　the　fading　light：　final　and　impassable。　No　sign　of　gate　or　entrance；　not　a　fissure　or　crack　could　Frodo　see　in　the　frowning　stone。
　　　‘There　are　the　Walls　of　Moria；'　said　Gandalf；　pointing　across　the　water。　‘And　there　the　Gate　stood　once　upon　a　time；　the　Elven　Door　at　the　end　of　the　road　from　Hollin　by　which　we　have　e。　But　this　way　is　blocked。　None　of　the　pany；　I　guess；　will　wish　to　swim　this　gloomy　water　at　the　end　of　the　day。　It　has　an　unwholesome　look。'
　　　‘We　must　find　a　way　round　the　northern　edge；'　said　Gimli。　‘The　first　thing　for　the　pany　to　do　is　to　climb　up　by　the　main　path　and　see　where　that　will　lead　us。　Even　if　there　were　no　lake；　we　could　not　get　our　baggage…pony　up　this　stair。'
　　　‘But　in　any　case　we　cannot　take　the　poor　beast　into　the　Mines；'　said　Gandalf。　‘The　road　under　the　mountains　is　a　dark　road；　and　there　are　places　narrow　and　steep　which　he　cannot　tread；　even　if　we　can。'
　　　‘Poor　old　Bill！　'　said　Frodo。　‘I　had　not　thought　of　that。　And　poor　Sam！　I　wonder　what　he　will　say？　'
　　　‘I　am　sorry；'　said　Gandalf。　‘Poor　Bill　has　been　a　useful　panion　and　it　goes　to　my　heart　to　turn　him　adrift　now。　I　would　have　travelled　lighter　and　brought　no　animal；　least　of　all　this　one　that　Sam　is　fond　of；　if　I　had　had　my　way。　I　feared　all　along　that　we　should　be　obliged　to　take　this　road。'
　　　The　day　was　drawing　to　its　end；　and　cold　stars　were　glinting　in　the　sky　high　above　the　sunset；　when　the　pany；　with　all　the　speed　they　could；　climbed　up　the　slopes　and　reached　the　side　of　the　lake。　In　breadth　it　looked　to　be　no　more　than　two　or　three　furlongs　at　the　widest　point。　How　far　it　stretched　away　southward　they　could　not　see　in　the　failing　light；　but　its　northern　end　was　no　more　than　half　a　mile　from　where　they　stood；　and　between　the　stony　ridges　that　enclosed　the　valley　and　the　water's　edge　there　was　a　rim　of　open　ground。　They　hurried　forward；　for　they　had　still　a　mile　or　two　to　go　before　they　could　reach　the　point　on　the　far　shore　that　Gandalf　was　making　for；　and　then　he　had　still　to　find　the　doors。
　　　When　they　came　to　the　northernmost　corner　of　the　lake　they　found　a　narrow　creek　that　barred　their　way。　It　was　green　and　stagnant；　thrust　out　like　a　slimy　arm　towards　the　enclosing　hills。　Gimli　strode　forward　undeterred；　and　found　that　the　water　was　shallow；　no　more　than　ankle…deep　at　the　edge。　Behind　him　they　walked　in　file；　threading　their　way　with　care；　for　under　the　weedy　pools　were　sliding　and　greasy　stones；　and　footing　was　treacherous。　Frodo　shuddered　with　disgust　at　the　touch　of　the　dark　unclean　water　on　his　feet。
　　　As　Sam；　the　last　of　the　pany；　led　Bill　up　on　to　the　dry　ground　on　the　far　side；　there　came　a　soft　sound：　a　swish；　followed　by　a　plop；　as　if　a　fish　had　disturbed　the　still　surface　of　the　water。　Turning　quickly　they　saw　ripples；　black…edged　with　shadow　in　the　waning　light：　great　rings　were　widening　outwards　from　a　point　far　out　in　the　lake。　There　was　a　bubbling　noise；　and　then　silence。　The　dusk　deepened；　and　the　last　gleams　of　the　sunset　were　veiled　in　cloud。
　　　Gandalf　now　pressed　on　at　a　great　pace；　and　the　others　followed　as　quickly　as　they　could。　They　reached　the　strip　of　dry　land　betw