Chapter 12 FLIGHT TO THE FORD When Frodo came to himself he was still clutching the Ring desperately. He was lying by the fire, which was now piled high and burning brightly. His three companions were bending over him. ‘What has happened? Where is the pale king?’ he asked wildly. They were too overjoyed to hear him speak to answer for a while; nor did they understand his question. At length he gathered from Sam that they had seen nothing but the vague shadowy shapes coming towards them. Suddenly to his horror Sam found that his master had vanished; and at that moment a black shadow rushed past him, and he fell. He heard Frodo’s voice, but it seemed to come from a great distance, or from under the earth, crying out strange words. They saw nothing more, until they stumbled over the body of Frodo, lying as if dead, face downwards on the grass with his sword beneath him. Strider ordered them to pick him up and lay him near the fire, and then he disappeared. That was now a good while ago. Sam plainly was beginning to have doubts again about Strider; but while they were talking he returned, appearing suddenly out of the shadows. They started, and Sam drew his sword and stood over Frodo; but Strider knelt down swiftly at his side. ‘I am not a Black Rider, Sam,’ he said gently, ‘nor in league with them. I have been trying to discover something of their movements; but I have found nothing. I cannot think why they have gone and do not attack again. But there is no feeling of their presence anywhere at hand.’ When he heard what Frodo had to tell, he became full of concern, and shook his head and sighed. Then he ordered Pippin and Merry to heat as much water as they could in their small kettles, and to bathe the wound with it. ‘Keep the fire going well, and keep Frodo warm!’ he said. Then he got up and walked away, and called Sam to him. ‘I think I understand things better now,’ he said in a low voice. “There seem only to have been five of the enemy. Why they were not all here, I don’t know; but I don’t think they expected to be resisted. They have drawn off for the time being. But not far, I fear. They will come again another night, if we cannot escape. They are only waiting, because they think that their purpose is almost accomplished, and that the Ring cannot fly much further. I fear, Sam, that they believe your master has a deadly wound that will subdue him to their will. We shall see!’
第十二章 飛奔渡口 佛羅多甦醒過來時，仍緊緊地抓著魔戒。他躺在火堆旁，火堆現在堆得很高，燃燒得十分明亮。他的三位同伴正彎腰看著他。「發生了什麼事？那個蒼白的國王在哪裡？」他狂亂地問道。他們太過高興聽到他開口說話，以至於一時無法回答；他們也不明白他的問題。過了許久，他才從山姆那裡得知，他們什麼也沒看見，只有一些模糊的陰影朝他們靠近。突然，令山姆驚恐的是，他發現他的主人消失了；就在那一刻，一道黑影從他身邊衝過，他便倒下了。他聽見佛羅多的聲音，但那聲音似乎來自很遠的地方，或者來自地底，喊著奇怪的詞語。他們再也沒看到什麼，直到他們絆倒了佛羅多的身體，他面朝下躺在草地上，劍壓在他身下，彷彿已經死去。神行客命令他們把他扶起來，放在火堆旁，然後他就消失了。那已經是很久以前的事了。山姆顯然又開始對神行客產生懷疑；但就在他們談話的時候，他回來了，突然從陰影中現身。他們嚇了一跳，山姆拔出劍，站在佛羅多身邊；但神行客迅速跪在他身旁。「我不是戒靈，山姆，」他溫和地說，「也沒有與他們結盟。我一直在試圖查明他們的動向；但我一無所獲。我不明白他們為什麼離開了，沒有再次攻擊。但附近感覺不到他們的存在。」當他聽到佛羅多所說的一切後，他變得憂心忡忡，搖了搖頭，嘆了口氣。然後他命令皮聘和梅里用他們的小水壺盡可能多地燒水，並用熱水清洗傷口。「讓火燒旺，讓佛羅多保持溫暖！」他說。然後他站起來走開，叫山姆過去。「我想我現在更了解情況了，」他低聲說，「敵人似乎只有五個。我不知道他們為什麼沒有全部在這裡；但我想他們沒料到會遇到抵抗。他們暫時撤退了。但我擔心他們沒有走遠。如果我們無法逃脫，他們會在另一個夜晚再次到來。他們只是在等待，因為他們認為他們的目標幾乎已經達成，而且魔戒無法再飛得更遠了。山姆，我擔心他們相信你的主人受了致命傷，這會使他屈服於他們的意志。我們走著瞧吧！」
198 THE LORD OF THE RINGS Sam choked with tears. ‘Don’t despair!’ said Strider. “You must trust me now. Your Frodo is made of sterner stuff than I had guessed, though Gandalf hinted that it might prove so. He is not slain, and I think he will resist the evil power of the wound longer than his enemies expect. I will do all I can to help and heal him. Guard him well, while I am away!’ He hurried off and disappeared again into the darkness. Frodo dozed, though the pain of his wound was slowly growing, and a deadly chill was spreading from his shoulder to his arm and side. His friends watched over him, warming him, and bathing his wound. The night passed slowly and wearily. Dawn was growing in the sky, and the dell was filling with grey light, when Strider at last returned. ‘Look!’ he cried; and stooping he lifted from the ground a black cloak that had lain there hidden by the darkness. A foot above the lower hem there was a slash. “This was the stroke of Frodo’s sword,’ he said. “The only hurt that it did to his enemy, I fear; for it is unharmed, but all blades perish that pierce that dreadful King. More deadly to him was the name of Elbereth.’ ‘And more deadly to Frodo was this!’ He stooped again and lifted up a long thin knife. There was a cold gleam in it. As Strider raised it they saw that near the end its edge was notched and the point was broken off. But even as he held it up in the growing light, they gazed in astonishment, for the blade seemed to melt, and vanished like a smoke in the air, leaving only the hilt in Strider’s hand. ‘Alas!’ he cried. ‘It was this accursed knife that gave the wound. Few now have the skill in healing to match such evil weapons. But I will do what I can.’ He sat down on the ground, and taking the dagger-hilt laid it on his knees, and he sang over it a slow song in a strange tongue. Then setting it aside, he turned to Frodo and in a soft tone spoke words the others could not catch. From the pouch at his belt he drew out the long leaves of a plant. “These leaves,’ he said, ‘I have walked far to find; for this plant does not grow in the bare hills; but in the thickets away south of the Road I found it in the dark by the scent of its leaves.” He crushed a leaf in his fingers, and it gave out a sweet and pungent fragrance. ‘It is fortunate that I could find it, for it is a healing plant that the Men of the West brought to Middle-earth. Athelas they named it, and it grows now sparsely and only near places where they dwelt or camped of old; and it is not known in the North, except to some of those who wander in the Wild. It has great virtues, but over such a wound as this its healing powers may be small.’ He threw the leaves into boiling water and bathed Frodo’s shoulder. The fragrance of the steam was refreshing, and those that were
198 《魔戒》山姆淚水哽咽。亞拉岡說：「別絕望！你現在必須相信我。你的佛羅多比我原先猜想的還要堅韌，儘管甘道夫曾暗示過可能如此。他沒有被殺死，我想他抵抗傷口邪惡力量的時間會比他的敵人預期的更久。我會盡我所能幫助並治癒他。我不在的時候，好好守護他！」他匆匆離去，再次消失在黑暗中。佛羅多打著盹，儘管他傷口的疼痛正緩慢加劇，一股致命的寒意也從他的肩膀蔓延到手臂和身體側面。他的朋友們守在他身邊，為他取暖，並清洗他的傷口。夜晚緩慢而疲憊地過去了。當亞拉岡終於回來時，黎明正在天空中顯現，山谷也充滿了灰色的光芒。「看！」他喊道；他彎下腰，從地上撿起一件被黑暗隱藏的黑色斗篷。在斗篷下擺上方一英尺處，有一道裂口。「這是佛羅多寶劍的一擊，」他說。「恐怕這是它對敵人造成的唯一傷害；因為它毫髮無損，但所有刺穿那位可怖之王的刀刃都會毀壞。對他來說，埃爾貝瑞絲之名更為致命。」「而對佛羅多來說，這個更致命！」他再次彎下腰，拿起一把細長的刀。刀身閃爍著寒光。當亞拉岡舉起它時，他們看到刀刃末端有缺口，刀尖也斷裂了。但就在他將它舉到漸亮的光線中時，他們驚訝地凝視著，因為刀刃似乎融化了，像煙霧一樣消失在空氣中，只剩下刀柄留在亞拉岡手中。「唉！」他喊道。「就是這把被詛咒的刀造成了傷口。現在很少有人擁有能與這種邪惡武器匹敵的治療技能。但我會盡我所能。」他坐在地上，拿起匕首的刀柄放在膝上，並用一種奇特的語言對著它唱起緩慢的歌。然後他將其放在一旁，轉向佛羅多，用輕柔的語氣說了一些其他人聽不懂的話。他從腰間的袋子裡掏出幾片長長的植物葉子。「這些葉子，」他說，「我走了很遠才找到；因為這種植物不在貧瘠的山丘上生長；而是在大路以南的灌木叢中，我在黑暗中憑藉葉子的氣味找到了它。」他用手指揉碎了一片葉子，它散發出甜美而刺鼻的芬芳。「我很幸運能找到它，因為這是一種治療植物，是西方人帶到中土世界的。他們稱它為『阿夕拉斯』，現在它稀疏地生長，只在他們過去居住或紮營的地方附近；在北方並不為人所知，除了那些在荒野中遊蕩的人。它有很大的功效，但對於這樣的傷口，它的治療能力可能很小。」他將葉子扔進沸水中，並清洗佛羅多的肩膀。蒸汽的芬芳令人心曠神怡，而那些
FLIGHT TO THE FORD 199 unhurt felt their minds calmed and cleared. The herb had also some power over the wound, for Frodo felt the pain and also the sense of frozen cold lessen in his side; but the life did not return to his arm, and he could not raise or use his hand. He bitterly regretted his foolishness, and reproached himself for weakness of will; for he now perceived that in putting on the Ring he obeyed not his own desire but the commanding wish of his enemies. He wondered if he would remain maimed for life, and how they would now manage to continue their journey. He felt too weak to stand. The others were discussing this very question. They quickly decided to leave Weathertop as soon as possible. ‘I think now,’ said Strider, ‘that the enemy has been watching this place for some days. If Gandalf ever came here, then he must have been forced to ride away, and he will not return. In any case we are in great peril here after dark, since the attack of last night, and we can hardly meet greater danger wherever we go.’ As soon as the daylight was full, they had some hurried food and packed. It was impossible for Frodo to walk, so they divided the greater part of their baggage among the four of them, and put Frodo on the pony. In the last few days the poor beast had improved wonderfully; it already seemed fatter and stronger, and had begun to show an affection for its new masters, especially for Sam. Bill Ferny’s treatment must have been very hard for the journey in the wild to seem so much better than its former life. They started off in a southerly direction. This would mean crossing the Road, but it was the quickest way to more wooded country. And they needed fuel; for Strider said that Frodo must be kept warm, especially at night, while fire would be some protection for them all. It was also his plan to shorten their journey by cutting across another great loop of the Road: east beyond Weathertop it changed its course and took a wide bend northwards. They made their way slowly and cautiously round the southwestern slopes of the hill, and came in a little while to the edge of the Road. There was no sign of the Riders. But even as they were hurrying across they heard far away two cries: a cold voice calling and a cold voice answering. Trembling they sprang forward, and made for the thickets that lay ahead. The land before them sloped away southwards, but it was wild and pathless; bushes and stunted trees grew in dense patches with wide barren spaces in between. The grass was scanty, coarse, and grey; and the leaves in the thickets were faded and falling. It was a cheerless land, and their journey was slow and gloomy. They spoke little as they trudged along. Frodo’s heart was grieved as he watched them walking beside him with their heads
飛向渡口 毫髮無傷的人們感到心神平靜而清明。那草藥對傷口也有些效用，因為佛羅多感到疼痛和冰冷的感覺在他身側減輕了；但他的手臂卻沒有恢復生機，他也無法抬起或使用他的手。他為自己的愚蠢深感後悔，並自責意志薄弱；因為他現在明白，戴上魔戒並非出於自己的意願，而是服從了敵人的命令。他想知道自己是否會終生殘廢，以及他們現在該如何繼續旅程。他感到虛弱得無法站立。其他人正在討論這個問題。他們很快決定盡快離開風雲頂。 「我現在認為，」亞拉岡說，「敵人已經監視這個地方好幾天了。如果甘道夫曾來過這裡，那麼他一定是被迫騎馬離開了，而且他不會回來。無論如何，自從昨晚的襲擊之後，我們在天黑之後這裡就處於極大的危險之中，而且我們無論走到哪裡，都難以遇到更大的危險了。」 天色完全亮起來後，他們匆匆吃了些東西，然後收拾行囊。佛羅多無法行走，所以他們將大部分行李分給了四個人，然後把佛羅多放在小馬上。在過去的幾天裡，這匹可憐的牲畜奇蹟般地好轉了；牠看起來已經更胖更強壯，並開始對牠的新主人，尤其是山姆，表現出好感。比爾·弗尼的對待一定非常苛刻，以至於在野外的旅程都比牠以前的生活好得多。 他們朝南方出發。這意味著要穿越大路，但這是通往更多林地最快的路。他們需要燃料；因為亞拉岡說佛羅多必須保持溫暖，尤其是在晚上，而火對他們所有人來說也是一種保護。這也是他的計劃，通過抄近路穿過大路的另一個大彎來縮短他們的旅程：風雲頂以東，大路改變了方向，向北彎曲。他們緩慢而謹慎地繞過山丘的西南坡，不久便來到了大路的邊緣。沒有看到戒靈的蹤影。但就在他們匆忙穿過時，他們遠遠地聽到了兩聲呼喊：一個冰冷的聲音在呼喚，另一個冰冷的聲音在回應。他們顫抖著向前衝去，奔向前方的灌木叢。 他們前方的土地向南傾斜，但那裡荒涼而沒有路徑；灌木叢和矮小的樹木密密麻麻地生長著，中間夾雜著大片貧瘠的空地。草地稀疏、粗糙而灰暗；灌木叢中的葉子枯萎凋零。這是一片荒涼的土地，他們的旅程緩慢而陰鬱。他們默默地跋涉著。佛羅多看著他們低著頭走在他身旁，心裡很難過。
200 THE LORD OF THE RINGS down, and their backs bowed under their burdens. Even Strider seemed tired and heavy-hearted. Before the first day’s march was over Frodo’s pain began to grow again, but he did not speak of it for a long time. Four days passed, without the ground or the scene changing much, except that behind them Weathertop slowly sank, and before them the distant mountains loomed a little nearer. Yet since that far cry they had seen and heard no sign that the enemy had marked their flight or followed them. They dreaded the dark hours, and kept watch in pairs by night, expecting at any time to see black shapes stalking in the grey night, dimly lit by the cloud-veiled moon; but they saw nothing, and heard no sound but the sigh of withered leaves and grass. Not once did they feel the sense of present evil that had assailed them before the attack in the dell. It seemed too much to hope that the Riders had already lost their trail again. Perhaps they were waiting to make some ambush in a narrow place? At the end of the fifth day the ground began once more to rise slowly out of the wide shallow valley into which they had descended. Strider now turned their course again north-eastwards, and on the sixth day they reached the top of a long slow-climbing slope, and saw far ahead a huddle of wooded hills. Away below them they could see the Road sweeping round the feet of the hills; and to their right a grey river gleamed pale in the thin sunshine. In the distance they glimpsed yet another river in a stony valley half-veiled in mist. ‘I am afraid we must go back to the Road here for a while,’ said Strider. ‘We have now come to the River Hoarwell, that the Elves call Mitheithel. It flows down out of the Ettenmoors, the troll-fells north of Rivendell, and joins the Loudwater away in the South. Some call it the Greyflood after that. It is a great water before it finds the Sea. There is no way over it below its sources in the Ettenmoors, except by the Last Bridge on which the Road crosses.’ ‘What is that other river we can see far away there?’ asked Merry. “That is Loudwater, the Bruinen of Rivendell,’ answered Strider. “The Road runs along the edge of the hills for many miles from the Bridge to the Ford of Bruinen. But I have not yet thought how we shall cross that water. One river at a time! We shall be fortunate indeed if we do not find the Last Bridge held against us.’ Next day, early in the morning, they came down again to the borders of the Road. Sam and Strider went forward, but they found no sign of any travellers or riders. Here under the shadow of the hills there had been some rain. Strider judged that it had fallen two days before, and had washed away all footprints. No horseman had passed since then, as far as he could see.
200 《魔戒》 他們彎著腰，背上駝著重擔。連亞拉岡也顯得疲憊而心情沉重。在第一天的行軍結束前，佛羅多的疼痛又開始加劇，但他很久都沒有提及。四天過去了，地面和景色沒有太大變化，只是身後的風雲頂緩緩下沉，而前方的遠山則顯得更近了一些。然而，自從那聲遙遠的呼喊之後，他們沒有看到也沒有聽到任何跡象表明敵人已經察覺到他們的逃亡或追蹤他們。他們害怕黑暗的時光，夜間兩人一組輪流守夜，隨時準備看到黑影在灰暗的夜色中潛行，被雲層遮蔽的月光微弱地照亮；但他們什麼也沒看到，除了枯葉和草的嘆息聲，什麼也沒聽到。他們再也沒有感受到在山谷遇襲前那種迫在眉睫的邪惡感。希望騎士們已經再次失去他們的蹤跡，這似乎是奢望。也許他們正在等待在某個狹窄的地方設下埋伏？ 第五天結束時，地面再次開始緩緩上升，脫離了他們之前下降的寬闊淺谷。亞拉岡現在再次將他們的路線轉向東北方，第六天，他們到達了一條漫長緩坡的頂部，遠遠地看到了一片樹木繁茂的山丘。在他們下方，可以看到大路蜿蜒繞過山腳；在他們右邊，一條灰色的河流在微弱的陽光下閃爍著蒼白的光芒。在遠處，他們瞥見了另一條河流，在一個半隱於薄霧中的多石山谷裡。「恐怕我們必須在這裡回到大路上走一段路了，」亞拉岡說。「我們現在來到了灰水河，精靈稱之為米西爾河。它從埃滕荒原，也就是瑞文戴爾以北的食人妖山地流下來，然後在南方與喧水河匯合。有些人因此稱它為灰洪河。在它匯入大海之前，它是一條大河。除了大路經過的最後之橋，沒有任何地方可以越過它，除非是在埃滕荒原的源頭。」「我們遠處看到的那條河是什麼？」梅里問道。「那是喧水河，瑞文戴爾的布魯南河，」亞拉岡回答。「大路從橋到布魯南渡口沿著山邊延伸許多英里。但我還沒想好我們該如何渡過那條河。一次一條河！如果我們沒有發現最後之橋被敵人佔據，那將是萬幸。」 第二天清晨，他們再次來到大路的邊緣。山姆和亞拉岡向前走去，但他們沒有發現任何旅行者或騎士的蹤跡。在山丘的陰影下，這裡下過一些雨。亞拉岡判斷那是兩天前下的，已經沖刷掉了所有的腳印。據他所見，此後沒有任何騎馬的人經過。
FLIGHT TO THE FORD 201 They hurried along with all the speed they could make, and after a mile or two they saw the Last Bridge ahead, at the bottom of a short steep slope. They dreaded to see black figures waiting there, but they saw none. Strider made them take cover in a thicket at the side of the Road, while he went forward to explore. Before long he came hurrying back. ‘I can see no sign of the enemy,’ he said, ‘and I wonder very much what that means. But I have found something very strange.’ He held out his hand, and showed a single pale-green jewel. ‘I found it in the mud in the middle of the Bridge,’ he said. ‘It is a beryl, an elf-stone. Whether it was set there, or let fall by chance, I cannot say; but it brings hope to me. I will take it as a sign that we may pass the Bridge; but beyond that I dare not keep to the Road, without some clearer token.’ At once they went on again. They crossed the Bridge in safety, hearing no sound but the water swirling against its three great arches. A mile further on they came to a narrow ravine that led away northwards through the steep lands on the left of the Road. Here Strider turned aside, and soon they were lost in a sombre country of dark trees winding among the feet of sullen hills. The hobbits were glad to leave the cheerless lands and the perilous Road behind them; but this new country seemed threatening and unfriendly. As they went forward the hills about them steadily rose. Here and there upon heights and ridges they caught glimpses of ancient walls of stone, and the ruins of towers: they had an ominous look. Frodo, who was not walking, had time to gaze ahead and to think. He recalled Bilbo’s account of his journey and the threatening towers on the hills north of the Road, in the country near the Trolls’ wood where his first serious adventure had happened. Frodo guessed that they were now in the same region, and wondered if by chance they would pass near the spot. ‘Who lives in this land?’ he asked. ‘And who built these towers? Is this troll-country?’ ‘No!’ said Strider. “Trolls do not build. No one lives in this land. Men once dwelt here, ages ago; but none remain now. They became an evil people, as legends tell, for they fell under the shadow of Angmar. But all were destroyed in the war that brought the North Kingdom to its end. But that is now so long ago that the hills have forgotten them, though a shadow still lies on the land.’ ‘Where did you learn such tales, if all the land is empty and forgetful?’ asked Peregrin. “The birds and beasts do not tell tales of that sort.’ ‘The heirs of Elendil do not forget all things past,’ said Strider;
飛向淺灘 201 他們盡其所能地快速趕路，走了一兩英里後，便看到前方的「最後之橋」，位於一段短而陡峭的斜坡底部。他們害怕看到有黑影在那裡等候，但什麼也沒看到。亞拉岡讓他們在路邊的一叢灌木中躲藏起來，自己則上前去探查。不久後，他匆匆跑回來。「我沒看到任何敵人的蹤跡，」他說，「我很想知道這代表什麼。但我發現了一件非常奇怪的東西。」他伸出手，展示了一顆淡綠色的寶石。「我在橋中央的泥巴裡發現的，」他說，「這是一顆綠柱石，一顆精靈石。我不知道它是被特意放在那裡，還是偶然掉落的；但它帶給我希望。我會將它視為我們可以通過這座橋的徵兆；但過了橋之後，如果沒有更明確的指示，我不敢再沿著大路走了。」他們立刻又繼續前進。他們安全地過了橋，除了水流拍打著三座巨大拱門的聲音外，什麼也沒聽到。再往前走一英里，他們來到一條狹窄的峽谷，這條峽谷向北延伸，穿過大路左側的陡峭山地。亞拉岡在這裡轉了個彎，很快地，他們便迷失在一個陰沉的國度裡，那裡有著蜿蜒於陰鬱山腳下的黑暗樹林。哈比人們很高興能將這片荒涼的土地和危險的大路拋在身後；但這個新的國度看起來卻充滿威脅且不友善。他們繼續前行時，周圍的山脈穩步升高。在一些高地和山脊上，他們不時瞥見古老的石牆和塔樓的廢墟：它們看起來很不祥。佛羅多沒有走路，他有時間凝視前方並思考。他回想起比爾博旅途的經歷，以及大路以北、靠近食人妖森林（他第一次嚴峻冒險發生的地方）的山上那些充滿威脅的塔樓。佛羅多猜測他們現在就在同一區域，並想知道他們是否會偶然經過那個地點。「誰住在這片土地上？」他問道。「這些塔樓又是誰建造的？這是食人妖的國度嗎？」「不！」亞拉岡說。「食人妖不會建造東西。這片土地上沒有人居住。很久很久以前，人類曾在這裡居住；但現在沒有人留下了。他們變成了一群邪惡的人，正如傳說所說，因為他們落入了安格瑪的陰影之下。但所有人都毀於那場導致北方王國滅亡的戰爭。然而，那已是如此久遠的事，連群山都已將他們遺忘，儘管一片陰影仍籠罩著這片土地。」「如果這片土地空無一人且遺忘了一切，你是在哪裡學到這些故事的？」皮聘問道。「鳥獸可不會講那種故事。」「埃蘭迪爾的後裔不會忘記所有過去的事物，」亞拉岡說；
202 THE LORD OF THE RINGS ‘and many more things than I can tell are remembered in Rivendell.’ ‘Have you often been to Rivendell?’ said Frodo. ‘I have,’ said Strider. ‘I dwelt there once, and still I return when I may. There my heart is; but it is not my fate to sit in peace, even in the fair house of Elrond.’ The hills now began to shut them in. The Road behind held on its way to the River Bruinen, but both were now hidden from view. The travellers came into a long valley; narrow, deeply cloven, dark and silent. Trees with old and twisted roots hung over cliffs, and piled up behind into mounting slopes of pine-wood. The hobbits grew very weary. They advanced slowly, for they had to pick their way through a pathless country, encumbered by fallen trees and tumbled rocks. As long as they could they avoided climbing for Frodo’s sake, and because it was in fact difficult to find any way up out of the narrow dales. They had been two days in this country when the weather turned wet. The wind began to blow steadily out of the West and pour the water of the distant seas on the dark heads of the hills in fine drenching rain. By nightfall they were all soaked, and their camp was cheerless, for they could not get any fire to burn. The next day the hills rose still higher and steeper before them, and they were forced to turn away northwards out of their course. Strider seemed to be getting anxious: they were nearly ten days out from Weathertop, and their stock of provisions was beginning to run low. It went on raining. That night they camped on a stony shelf with a rock-wall behind them, in which there was a shallow cave, a mere scoop in the cliff. Frodo was restless. The cold and wet had made his wound more painful than ever, and the ache and sense of deadly chill took away all sleep. He lay tossing and turning and listening fearfully to the stealthy night-noises: wind in chinks of rock, water dripping, a crack, the sudden rattling fall of a loosened stone. He felt that black shapes were advancing to smother him; but when he sat up he saw nothing but the back of Strider sitting hunched up, smoking his pipe, and watching. He lay down again and passed into an uneasy dream, in which he walked on the grass in his garden in the Shire, but it seemed faint and dim, less clear than the tall black shadows that stood looking over the hedge. In the morning he woke to find that the rain had stopped. The clouds were still thick, but they were breaking, and pale strips of blue appeared between them. The wind was shifting again. They did not start early. Immediately after their cold and comfortless breakfast Strider went off alone, telling the others to remain under the shelter
《魔戒》202頁 「還有許多我無法盡述的事情，都銘記在瑞文戴爾。」佛羅多說：「你常去瑞文戴爾嗎？」 「我常去。」亞拉岡說，「我曾在那裡住過，只要有機會，我還是會回去。我的心在那裡；但我的命運並非安坐度日，即使是在愛隆的華美居所也不行。」群山此刻開始將他們圍困。身後的道路一直通往布魯伊南河，但兩者此刻都已從視野中消失。旅人們進入了一條狹長的山谷；它狹窄、深邃、幽暗而寂靜。古老而盤根錯節的樹木懸垂於峭壁之上，後方則層層疊疊地堆積成松木林立的山坡。哈比人變得非常疲憊。他們緩慢前進，因為他們必須在沒有道路的鄉野中小心翼翼地摸索前行，沿途還有倒下的樹木和滾落的岩石阻礙。只要可能，他們就為了佛羅多而避免攀爬，也因為事實上很難從這些狹窄的山谷中找到任何向上攀登的路。他們在這片鄉野待了兩天後，天氣轉濕。風開始穩定地從西方吹來，將遠方海域的水傾瀉在山頂的暗色山頭上，化作細密而濕透的雨。夜幕降臨時，他們全都濕透了，營地也毫無生氣，因為他們無法生火。隔天，群山在他們面前變得更高更陡峭，他們被迫偏離原定路線，轉向北方。亞拉岡似乎開始焦慮：他們離開風雲頂已將近十天，而他們的糧食儲備也開始不足。雨一直下著。那天晚上，他們在一處背靠岩壁的石架上紮營，岩壁中有一個淺淺的洞穴，不過是懸崖上的一個凹陷。佛羅多輾轉難安。寒冷和潮濕使他的傷口比以往任何時候都更加疼痛，那種劇痛和致命的寒意讓他徹夜難眠。他翻來覆去，恐懼地聆聽著夜間悄無聲息的聲響：風吹過岩石縫隙的聲音、水滴聲、一聲裂響，以及一顆鬆動的石頭突然滾落的聲音。他感覺有黑影正在逼近，要將他窒息；但當他坐起身時，卻只看到亞拉岡的背影，他蜷縮著身子，抽著菸斗，默默守望。他再次躺下，進入了一個不安的夢境，夢中他在夏爾的自家花園草地上行走，但一切都顯得模糊而黯淡，不如那些站在籬笆邊窺視的高大黑影清晰。早上他醒來時，發現雨已經停了。雲層依然厚重，但正在散開，其間露出了幾抹淡藍色的天空。風又開始轉向。他們沒有提早出發。在他們吃完冰冷而不舒服的早餐後，亞拉岡立刻獨自離開，吩咐其他人留在遮蔽處。
FLIGHT TO THE FORD 203 of the cliff, until he came back. He was going to climb up, if he could, and get a look at the lie of the land. When he returned he was not reassuring. ‘We have come too far to the north,’ he said, ‘and we must find some way to turn back southwards again. If we keep on as we are going we shall get up into the Ettendales far north of Rivendell. That is troll-country, and little known to me. We could perhaps find our way through and come round to Rivendell from the north; but it would take too long, for I do not know the way, and our food would not last. So somehow or other we must find the Ford of Bruinen.’ The rest of that day they spent scrambling over rocky ground. They found a passage between two hills that led them into a valley running south-east, the direction that they wished to take; but towards the end of the day they found their road again barred by a ridge of high land; its dark edge against the sky was broken into many bare points like teeth of a blunted saw. They had a choice between going back or climbing over it. They decided to attempt the climb, but it proved very difficult. Before long Frodo was obliged to dismount and struggle along on foot. Even so they often despaired of getting their pony up, or indeed of finding a path for themselves, burdened as they were. The light was nearly gone, and they were all exhausted, when at last they reached the top. They had climbed on to a narrow saddle between two higher points, and the land fell steeply away again, only a short distance ahead. Frodo threw himself down, and lay on the ground shivering. His left arm was lifeless, and his side and shoulder felt as if icy claws were laid upon them. The trees and rocks about him seemed shadowy and dim. ‘We cannot go any further,’ said Merry to Strider. ‘I am afraid this has been too much for Frodo. I am dreadfully anxious about him. What are we to do? Do you think they will be able to cure him in Rivendell, if we ever get there?’ ‘We shall see,’ answered Strider. “There is nothing more that I can do in the wilderness; and it is chiefly because of his wound that I am so anxious to press on. But I agree that we can go no further tonight.’ ‘What is the matter with my master?’ asked Sam in a low voice, looking appealingly at Strider. ‘His wound was small, and it is already closed. There’s nothing to be seen but a cold white mark on his shoulder.’ ‘Frodo has been touched by the weapons of the Enemy,’ said Strider, ‘and there is some poison or evil at work that is beyond my skill to drive out. But do not give up hope, Sam!’ ok PS
飛向渡口 203 他去了懸崖邊，直到他回來。他打算，如果可能的話，爬上去看看地形。當他回來時，他的消息並不令人安心。「我們往北走得太遠了，」他說，「我們必須想辦法再往南走。如果我們繼續這樣走下去，我們就會進入埃滕谷，那裡遠在瑞文戴爾以北。那是食人妖的國度，我對那裡知之甚少。我們或許可以穿過那裡，從北方繞到瑞文戴爾；但那會花費太長時間，因為我不知道路，而且我們的食物也不夠。所以我們無論如何都必須找到布魯伊南渡口。」那天剩下的時間他們都在崎嶇的地面上攀爬。他們找到了一條介於兩座山之間的通道，引導他們進入一個向東南方延伸的山谷，正是他們希望前往的方向；但在一天結束時，他們發現道路再次被一道高地山脊所阻擋；它在天際線上的黑暗邊緣，破碎成許多光禿禿的尖點，就像一把鈍鋸的鋸齒。他們面臨著兩個選擇：要麼回頭，要麼爬過去。他們決定嘗試攀爬，但這證明非常困難。不久之後，佛羅多被迫下馬，徒步掙扎前行。即便如此，他們也常常對如何讓小馬上去感到絕望，或者說，對自己能否找到一條路感到絕望，因為他們身負重擔。天色將晚，他們都精疲力盡，終於到達了頂峰。他們爬上了一個介於兩個更高點之間的狹窄山坳，而地面又陡峭地向下延伸，前方不遠處就是。佛羅多倒在地上，渾身發抖。他的左臂毫無生氣，他的肋部和肩膀感覺就像被冰冷的爪子抓住了一樣。他周圍的樹木和岩石顯得陰暗模糊。「我們不能再往前走了，」梅里對亞拉岡說。「我恐怕這對佛羅多來說太吃力了。我非常擔心他。我們該怎麼辦？你認為如果我們能到達瑞文戴爾，他們能治好他嗎？」「我們會知道的，」亞拉岡回答。「在荒野中我已經無能為力了；我之所以如此急於前進，主要是因為他的傷口。但我同意我們今晚不能再走了。」「我的主人怎麼了？」山姆低聲問道，懇求地看著亞拉岡。「他的傷口很小，而且已經癒合了。除了他肩膀上一個冰冷的白色印記，什麼也看不見。」「佛羅多被敵人的武器所傷，」亞拉岡說，「而且有某種毒素或邪惡在起作用，超出了我的能力範圍。但不要放棄希望，山姆！」
204 THE LORD OF THE RINGS Night was cold up on the high ridge. They lit a small fire down under the gnarled roots of an old pine, that hung over a shallow pit: it looked as if stone had once been quarried there. They sat huddled together. The wind blew chill through the pass, and they heard the tree-tops lower down moaning and sighing. Frodo lay half in a dream, imagining that endless dark wings were sweeping by above him, and that on the wings rode pursuers that sought him in all the hollows of the hills. The morning dawned bright and fair; the air was clean, and the light pale and clear in a rain-washed sky. Their hearts were encouraged, but they longed for the sun to warm their cold stiff limbs. As soon as it was light, Strider took Merry with him and went to survey the country from the height to the east of the pass. The sun had risen and was shining brightly when he returned with more comforting news. They were now going more or less in the right direction. If they went on, down the further side of the ridge, they would have the Mountains on their left. Some way ahead Strider had caught a glimpse of the Loudwater again, and he knew that, though it was hidden from view, the Road to the Ford was not far from the River and lay on the side nearest to them. ‘We must make for the Road again,’ he said. ‘We cannot hope to find a path through these hills. Whatever danger may beset it, the Road is our only way to the Ford.’ As soon as they had eaten they set out again. They climbed slowly down the southern side of the ridge; but the way was much easier than they had expected, for the slope was far less steep on this side, and before long Frodo was able to ride again. Bill Ferny’s poor old pony was developing an unexpected talent for picking out a path, and for sparing its rider as many jolts as possible. The spirits of the party rose again. Even Frodo felt better in the morning light, but every now and again a mist seemed to obscure his sight, and he passed his hands over his eyes. Pippin was a little ahead of the others. Suddenly he turned round and called to them. ‘There is a path here!’ he cried. When they came up with him, they saw that he had made no mistake: there were clearly the beginnings of a path, that climbed with many windings out of the woods below and faded away on the hill-top behind. In places it was now faint and overgrown, or choked with fallen stones and trees; but at one time it seemed to have been much used. It was a path made by strong arms and heavy feet. Here and there old trees had been cut or broken down, and large rocks cloven or heaved aside to make a way. They followed the track for some while, for it offered much the
204 《魔戒》 高高的山脊上，夜晚寒冷。他們在老松樹盤根錯節的根部下生了一小堆火，那裡懸空著一個淺坑：看起來那裡曾經開採過石頭。他們擠在一起坐著。寒風吹過山口，他們聽到下方樹梢發出嗚咽和嘆息聲。佛羅多半夢半醒地躺著，想像著無盡的黑色翅膀在他上方掠過，翅膀上騎著追捕者，在山丘的所有窪地中搜尋他。早晨破曉，陽光燦爛；空氣清新，雨洗過的天空下光線蒼白而清澈。他們的心情振奮起來，但他們渴望陽光溫暖他們冰冷僵硬的四肢。天一亮，亞拉岡就帶著梅里去勘察山口東邊高處的地形。當他帶著更令人欣慰的消息回來時，太陽已經升起，陽光普照。他們現在或多或少走在正確的方向上。如果他們繼續前進，沿著山脊的另一側下去，山脈就會在他們的左邊。前方不遠處，亞拉岡又瞥見了響水河，他知道，儘管它被遮蔽了視線，但通往渡口的道路離河不遠，並且在離他們最近的一側。「我們必須再次朝著那條路走。」他說。「我們不能指望在這些山丘中找到一條路。無論會遇到什麼危險，那條路是我們通往渡口的唯一途徑。」他們一吃完飯就再次出發。他們緩緩地爬下山脊的南側；但這條路比他們預期的容易得多，因為這一側的坡度平緩得多，不久佛羅多就能再次騎馬了。比爾·費爾尼那匹可憐的老小馬正在展現出意想不到的才能，它能選出路徑，並盡可能地讓騎手少受顛簸。隊伍的士氣再次高漲。即使佛羅多在晨光中感覺好些了，但每隔一段時間，一陣薄霧似乎就會遮蔽他的視線，他便用手揉了揉眼睛。皮聘稍微走在其他人前面。突然他轉過身來，叫喚他們。「這裡有條路！」他喊道。當他們趕上他時，他們看到他沒有弄錯：那裡顯然是一條路的開端，它蜿蜒曲折地從下方的樹林中向上延伸，然後在後方的山頂上消失了。有些地方現在已經模糊不清，雜草叢生，或者被落石和樹木堵塞；但曾經它似乎被大量使用過。這是一條由強壯的手臂和沉重的腳步開闢出來的路。這裡那裡，老樹被砍伐或折斷，大塊岩石被劈開或搬開，以開闢出一條路。他們沿著這條小徑走了一會兒，因為它提供了許多便利。
FLIGHT TO THE FORD 205 easiest way down, but they went cautiously, and their anxiety increased as they came into the dark woods, and the path grew plainer and broader. Suddenly coming out of a belt of fir-trees it ran steeply down a slope, and turned sharply to the left round the corner of a rocky shoulder of the hill. When they came to the corner they looked round and saw that the path ran on over a level strip under the face of a low cliff overhung with trees. In the stony wall there was a door hanging crookedly ajar upon one great hinge. Outside the door they all halted. There was a cave or rock-chamber behind, but in the gloom inside nothing could be seen. Strider, Sam, and Merry pushing with all their strength managed to open the door a little wider, and then Strider and Merry went in. They did not go far, for on the floor lay many old bones, and nothing else was to be seen near the entrance except some great empty jars and broken pots. ‘Surely this is a troll-hole, if ever there was one!’ said Pippin. ‘Come out, you two, and let us get away. Now we know who made the path — and we had better get off it quick.’ ‘There is no need, I think,’ said Strider, coming out. ‘It is certainly a troll-hole, but it seems to have been long forsaken. I don’t think we need be afraid. But let us go on down warily, and we shall see.’ The path went on again from the door, and turning to the right again across the level space plunged down a thick wooded slope. Pippin, not liking to show Strider that he was still afraid, went on ahead with Merry. Sam and Strider came behind, one on each side of Frodo’s pony, for the path was now broad enough for four or five hobbits to walk abreast. But they had not gone very far before Pippin came running back, followed by Merry. They both looked terrified. ‘There are trolls!’ Pippin panted. ‘Down in a clearing in the woods not far below. We got a sight of them through the tree-trunks. They are very large!’ ‘We will come and look at them,’ said Strider, picking up a stick. Frodo said nothing, but Sam looked scared. The sun was now high, and it shone down through the halfstripped branches of the trees, and lit the clearing with bright patches of light. They halted suddenly on the edge, and peered through the tree-trunks, holding their breath. There stood the trolls: three large trolls. One was stooping, and the other two stood staring at him. Strider walked forward unconcernedly. ‘Get up, old stone!’ he said, and broke his stick upon the stooping troll. Nothing happened. There was a gasp of astonishment from the hobbits, and then even Frodo laughed. ‘Well!’ he said. ‘We are forgetting our family history! These must be the very three that were caught
飛向渡口 205 是最容易下山的路，但他們小心翼翼地走著，當他們進入黑暗的樹林時，他們的焦慮感增加了，因為小徑變得更清晰寬闊。突然，它從一片冷杉林中穿出，陡峭地向下延伸，然後在山丘岩石肩部的拐角處急轉向左。當他們來到拐角處時，他們環顧四周，看到小徑繼續延伸，穿過一片低矮懸崖下方的平坦地帶，懸崖上樹木叢生。在石牆上，有一扇門歪斜地半開著，只靠著一個巨大的鉸鏈。在門外，他們都停了下來。後面是一個洞穴或石室，但在裡面的黑暗中什麼也看不見。亞拉岡、山姆和梅里用盡全力推開門，讓它開得更寬一些，然後亞拉岡和梅里走了進去。他們沒有走遠，因為地板上散落著許多舊骨頭，入口附近除了幾個巨大的空罐子和破碎的陶器外，什麼也看不見。「這肯定是食人妖的巢穴，如果世上真有這種東西的話！」皮聘說。「你們兩個快出來，我們趕快離開。現在我們知道是誰開闢了這條路——我們最好趕快離開這裡。」「我想沒必要。」亞拉岡邊說邊走了出來。「這確實是個食人妖的巢穴，但它似乎已經被遺棄很久了。我想我們不必害怕。但我們還是小心翼翼地往下走，看看情況。」小徑從門口再次延伸，然後再次向右轉，穿過平坦的空地，陡峭地向下進入一片茂密的樹林斜坡。皮聘不願讓亞拉岡看出他仍然害怕，便和梅里走在前面。山姆和亞拉岡跟在後面，一人一邊護著佛羅多的矮種馬，因為小徑現在夠寬，可以讓四五個哈比人並排走。但他們沒走多遠，皮聘就跑了回來，梅里緊隨其後。他們兩個都嚇壞了。「有食人妖！」皮聘氣喘吁吁地說。「就在下面不遠處樹林裡的一片空地上。我們透過樹幹看到了它們。它們非常巨大！」 「我們去看看。」亞拉岡說著，撿起一根棍子。佛羅多什麼也沒說，但山姆看起來很害怕。太陽此刻高懸空中，陽光穿過半禿的樹枝灑落下來，用明亮的光斑照亮了空地。他們突然停在邊緣，屏住呼吸，透過樹幹窺視。食人妖就站在那裡：三隻巨大的食人妖。一隻彎著腰，另外兩隻則盯著牠。亞拉岡毫不在意地走了過去。「起來，老石頭！」他說著，把棍子打在彎腰的食人妖身上。什麼也沒發生。哈比人們發出了一聲驚訝的喘息，然後連佛羅多也笑了起來。「啊！」他說。「我們都忘了我們的家族歷史了！這些肯定就是那三隻被抓住的...
206 THE LORD OF THE RINGS by Gandalf, quarrelling over the right way to cook thirteen dwarves and one hobbit.’ ‘I had no idea we were anywhere near the place!’ said Pippin. He knew the story well. Bilbo and Frodo had told it often; but as a matter of fact he had never more than half believed it. Even now he looked at the stone trolls with suspicion, wondering if some magic might not suddenly bring them to life again. “You are forgetting not only your family history, but all you ever knew about trolls,’ said Strider. ‘It is broad daylight with a bright sun, and yet you come back trying to scare me with a tale of live trolls waiting for us in this glade! In any case you might have noticed that one of them has an old bird’s nest behind his ear. That would be a most unusual ornament for a live troll!’ They all laughed. Frodo felt his spirits reviving: the reminder of Bilbo’s first successful adventure was heartening. The sun, too, was warm and comforting, and the mist before his eyes seemed to be lifting a little. They rested for some time in the glade, and took their mid-day meal right under the shadow of the trolls’ large legs. ‘Won’t somebody give us a bit of a song, while the sun is high?’ said Merry, when they had finished. ‘We haven’t had a song or a tale for days.’ ‘Not since Weathertop,’ said Frodo. The others looked at him. ‘Don’t worry about me!’ he added. ‘I feel much better, but I don’t think I could sing. Perhaps Sam could dig something out of his memory.’ ‘Come on, Sam!’ said Merry. “There’s more stored in your head than you let on about.’ ‘I don’t know about that,’ said Sam. ‘But how would this suit? It ain’t what I call proper poetry, if you understand me: just a bit of nonsense. But these old images here brought it to my mind.’ Standing up, with his hands behind his back, as if he was at school, he began to sing to an old tune. Troll sat alone on his seat of stone, And munched and mumbled a bare old bone; For many a year he had gnawed it near, For meat was hard to come by. Done by! Gum by! In a cave in the hills he dwelt alone, And meat was hard to come by. Up came Tom with his big boots on. Said he to Troll: ‘Pray, what ts yon? For it looks like the shin 0? my nuncle Tim,
206 《魔戒》 甘道夫，他們正在爭論如何烹煮十三個矮人和一個哈比人。「我根本不知道我們離那地方這麼近！」皮聘說。他很清楚這個故事。比爾博和佛羅多經常提起；但事實上，他從未完全相信過。即使是現在，他仍懷疑地看著那些石巨怪，心想會不會有什麼魔法突然讓牠們再次活過來。「你不但忘了你的家族歷史，也忘了你對食人妖的所有了解，」亞拉岡說。「現在可是陽光普照的大白天，你卻跑回來想用一個關於活食人妖在林間空地等著我們的故事來嚇我！無論如何，你或許已經注意到其中一隻的耳後有個舊鳥巢。那對活食人妖來說會是個非常不尋常的裝飾！」他們都笑了。佛羅多感到精神為之一振：比爾博第一次成功冒險的提醒令人振奮。陽光也溫暖而舒適，他眼前的薄霧似乎也消散了一些。他們在林間空地休息了一段時間，並在食人妖巨大雙腿的陰影下享用午餐。「太陽這麼高，有沒有人能唱首歌給我們聽？」梅里在他們吃完後說。「我們已經好幾天沒聽過歌或故事了。」「自從風雲頂之後就沒有了，」佛羅多說。其他人看著他。「別擔心我！」他補充道。「我感覺好多了，但我想我唱不了。也許山姆能從他的記憶中挖出點什麼。」「來吧，山姆！」梅里說。「你腦子裡藏的東西可比你說的還多呢。」「我可不確定，」山姆說。「但這個怎麼樣？如果你懂我的意思，這可不是我所謂的『正經詩歌』：只是一點胡言亂語。但這些眼前的舊景象讓我想起了它。」他站起來，雙手背在身後，彷彿在學校裡一樣，開始用一首老調子唱起來。食人妖獨自坐在石座上，啃著、嘟囔著一根光禿禿的老骨頭；多年來他一直啃著它，因為肉很難弄到手。完啦！嚼啦！他在山洞裡獨自居住，肉很難弄到手。湯姆穿著他的大靴子走過來。他對食人妖說：「請問，那是什麼？因為它看起來像我叔叔提姆的小腿骨，
FLIGHT TO THE FORD As should be a-lyin’ in graveyard. Caveyard! Paveyard! This many a year has Tim been gone, And I thought he were lyin’ in graveyard.’ “My lad,’ said Troll, ‘this bone I stole. But what be bones that lie in a hole? Thy nuncle was dead as a lump o” lead, Afore I found his shinbone. Tinbone! Thinbone! He can spare a share for a poor old troll, For he don’t need his shinbone.’ Said Tom: T don’t see why the likes o’ thee Without axin’ leave should go makin’ free With the shank or the shin 0’ my father’s kin; So hand the old bone over! Rover! Trover! Though dead he be, it belongs to he; So hand the old bone over!” ‘For a couple o’ pins,’ says Troll, and grins, Tl eat thee too, and gnaw thy shins. A bit o’ fresh meat will go down sweet! Ill try my teeth on thee now. Hee now! See now! I’m tired 0” gnawing old bones and skins; I’ve a mind to dine on thee now.’ But just as he thought his dinner was caught, He found his hands had hold of naught. Before he could mind, Tom slipped behind And gave him the boot to larn him. Warn him! Darn him! A bump o’ the boot on the seat, Tom thought, Would be the way to larn him. But harder than stone is the flesh and bone Of a troll that sits in the hills alone. As well set your boot to the mountain’s root, For the seat of a troll don’t feel it. Peel it! Heal it! Old Troll laughed, when he heard Tom groan, And he knew his toes could feel it. 207
飛往淺灘 應該躺在墓地裡。墓園！石園！提姆已經走了這麼多年，我還以為他一直躺在墓地裡呢。 「我的小夥子啊，」巨魔說，「這根骨頭是我偷來的。但躺在洞裡的骨頭算什麼呢？你那舅舅死得像塊鉛一樣，在我找到他的脛骨之前。脛骨！瘦骨！他可以分一點給可憐的老巨魔，因為他不需要他的脛骨了。」 湯姆說：「我不明白像你這樣的人，未經允許就擅自取用我父親親屬的脛骨或小腿骨；所以把那根老骨頭交出來！交出來！交出來！雖然他死了，但它屬於他；所以把那根老骨頭交出來！」 「為了區區小事，」巨魔咧嘴一笑說，「我也要把你吃了，啃你的脛骨。一點新鮮的肉吃起來會很甜美！我現在就要拿你來磨牙了。嘿！看啊！我厭倦了啃老骨頭和皮；我現在想把你當晚餐。」 但就在他以為晚餐到手時，他發現手裡什麼也沒抓到。在他反應過來之前，湯姆溜到他身後，踢了他一腳，給他個教訓。警告他！詛咒他！湯姆心想，屁股上的一腳，會是教訓他的好方法。但獨自坐在山丘上的巨魔，其血肉骨骼比石頭還硬。你不如去踢山根，因為巨魔的屁股感覺不到。剝皮！治癒！老巨魔聽到湯姆的呻吟時笑了，他知道自己的腳趾感受到了。207
208 THE LORD OF THE RINGS Tom’s leg 1s game, since home he came, And his bootless foot is lasting lame; But Troll don’t care, and he’s still there With the bone he boned from its owner. Doner! Boner! Troll’s old seat 1s still the same, And the bone he boned from its owner! ‘Well, that’s a warning to us all!’ laughed Merry. ‘It is as well you used a stick, and not your hand, Strider!’ ‘Where did you come by that, Sam?’ asked Pippin. ‘I’ve never heard those words before.’ Sam muttered something inaudible. ‘It’s out of his own head, of course,’ said Frodo. ‘I am learning a lot about Sam Gamgee on this journey. First he was a conspirator, now he’s a jester. He’ll end up by becoming a wizard — or a warrior!’ ‘I hope not,’ said Sam. ‘I don’t want to be neither!’ In the afternoon they went on down the woods. They were probably following the very track that Gandalf, Bilbo, and the dwarves had used many years before. After a few miles they came out on the top of a high bank above the Road. At this point the Road had left the Hoarwell far behind in its narrow valley, and now clung close to the feet of the hills, rolling and winding eastward among woods and heather-covered slopes towards the Ford and the Mountains. Not far down the bank Strider pointed out a stone in the grass. On it roughly cut and now much weathered could still be seen dwarf-runes and secret marks. ‘There!’ said Merry. “That must be the stone that marked the place where the trolls’ gold was hidden. How much is left of Bilbo’s share, I wonder, Frodo?’ Frodo looked at the stone, and wished that Bilbo had brought home no treasure more perilous, nor less easy to part with. ‘None at all,’ he said. ‘Bilbo gave it all away. He told me he did not feel it was really his, as it came from robbers.’ The Road lay quiet under the long shadows of early evening. There was no sign of any other travellers to be seen. As there was now no other possible course for them to take, they climbed down the bank, and turning left went off as fast as they could. Soon a shoulder of the hills cut off the light of the fast westering sun. A cold wind flowed down to meet them from the mountains ahead. They were beginning to look out for a place off the Road, where they could camp for the night, when they heard a sound that brought
208 《魔戒》 湯姆的腿跛了，自從他回家後，他那光著的腳就一直瘸著；但食人妖不在乎，牠還在那裡，拿著從主人那裡偷來的骨頭。多納！波納！食人妖的老位子還是一樣，拿著從主人那裡偷來的骨頭！「嗯，這對我們所有人都是個警告！」梅里笑道。「幸好你用的是棍子，而不是手，亞拉岡！」 「山姆，你從哪兒弄來這個的？」皮聘問道。「我從沒聽過這些詞。」山姆咕噥了幾句聽不清的話。「當然是從他自己腦袋裡想出來的。」佛羅多說。「這次旅程我對山姆·詹吉了解了很多。他先是個密謀者，現在是個小丑。他最終會變成巫師——或者戰士！」 「我可不希望這樣。」山姆說。「我什麼都不想當！」 下午他們繼續沿著樹林走。他們很可能正沿著甘道夫、比爾博和矮人們多年前走過的那條路。走了幾英里後，他們來到路旁高高的河岸頂部。此處，路已將灰水河遠遠拋在狹窄的山谷裡，現在緊貼著山腳，蜿蜒向東，穿過樹林和長滿石楠花的斜坡，朝著渡口和群山而去。 在河岸不遠處，亞拉岡指著草叢中的一塊石頭。石頭上粗糙的刻痕，如今雖已風化嚴重，但仍能看見矮人符文和秘密標記。「看！」梅里說。「那一定是標記著食人妖黃金藏匿地點的石頭。佛羅多，我想知道比爾博的那份還剩下多少？」 佛羅多看著石頭，心想比爾博帶回家的寶藏，如果不是那麼危險，也不是那麼難以割捨就好了。「一點都沒有了。」他說。「比爾博都送人了。他告訴我，他覺得那不真是他的東西，因為那是從強盜那裡來的。」 傍晚時分，路在長長的陰影下靜靜地延伸。沒有看到任何其他旅行者的蹤跡。由於現在沒有其他可行的路線，他們爬下河岸，然後左轉，盡可能快地離開。很快，山巒的肩部遮住了快速西沉的太陽的光芒。一股冷風從前方的山脈吹下來迎接他們。他們正開始尋找一個遠離大路的地方，以便在那裡露營過夜，這時他們聽到了一種聲音，那聲音帶來了...
FLIGHT TO THE FORD 209 sudden fear back into their hearts: the noise of hoofs behind them. They looked back, but they could not see far because of the many windings and rollings of the Road. As quickly as they could they scrambled off the beaten way and up into the deep heather and bilberry brushwood on the slopes above, until they came to a small patch of thick-growing hazels. As they peered out from among the bushes, they could see the Road, faint and grey in the failing light, some thirty feet below them. The sound of hoofs drew nearer. They were going fast, with a light clippety-clippety-clip. Then faintly, as if it was blown away from them by the breeze, they seemed to catch a dim ringing, as of small bells tinkling. “That does not sound like a Black Rider’s horse!’ said Frodo, listening intently. The other hobbits agreed hopefully that it did not, but they all remained full of suspicion. They had been in fear of pursuit for so long that any sound from behind seemed ominous and unfriendly. But Strider was now leaning forward, stooped to the ground, with a hand to his ear, and a look of joy on his face. The light faded, and the leaves on the bushes rustled softly. Clearer and nearer now the bells jingled, and clippety-clip came the quick trotting feet. Suddenly into view below came a white horse, gleaming in the shadows, running swiftly. In the dusk its headstall flickered and flashed, as if it were studded with gems like living stars. The rider’s cloak streamed behind him, and his hood was thrown back; his golden hair flowed shimmering in the wind of his speed. To Frodo it appeared that a white light was shining through the form and raiment of the rider, as if through a thin veil. Strider sprang from hiding and dashed down towards the Road, leaping with a cry through the heather; but even before he had moved or called, the rider had reined in his horse and halted, looking up towards the thicket where they stood. When he saw Strider, he dismounted and ran to meet him calling out: Ai na vedui Dunadan! Mae govannen! His speech and clear ringing voice left no doubt in their hearts: the rider was of the Elven-folk. No others that dwelt in the wide world had voices so fair to hear. But there seemed to be a note of haste or fear in his call, and they saw that he was now speaking quickly and urgently to Strider. Soon Strider beckoned to them, and the hobbits left the bushes and hurried down to the Road. ‘This is Glorfindel, who dwells in the house of Elrond,’ said Strider. ‘Hail, and well met at last!’ said the Elf-lord to Frodo. ‘I was sent from Rivendell to look for you. We feared that you were in danger upon the road.’ “Then Gandalf has reached Rivendell?’ cried Frodo joyfully. ‘No. He had not when I departed; but that was nine days ago,’
飛向渡口 209 突然的恐懼再次湧上他們心頭：身後傳來蹄聲。他們回頭望去，但由於道路蜿蜒起伏，無法看得很遠。他們盡可能快地離開了被踩踏的小徑，爬上上方斜坡上茂密的石楠和越橘灌木叢，直到來到一小片濃密生長的榛樹林。當他們從灌木叢中向外窺視時，他們看到了道路，在漸暗的光線中顯得模糊而灰暗，在他們下方約三十英尺處。蹄聲越來越近。它們快速奔馳，發出輕快的「噠噠噠」聲。接著，微弱地，彷彿被微風從他們身邊吹走，他們似乎聽到了一陣模糊的鈴聲，像是小鈴鐺的叮噹聲。「那聽起來不像黑騎士的馬！」佛羅多專注地聽著說。其他哈比人抱著希望同意了，但他們都仍然充滿疑慮。他們被追趕的恐懼困擾了這麼久，以至於任何來自後方的聲音都顯得不祥和不友善。但亞拉岡此刻正向前傾，彎腰貼近地面，一手摀著耳朵，臉上露出喜悅的神情。光線漸暗，灌木叢上的葉子輕輕沙沙作響。鈴聲現在更清晰、更近了，輕快的「噠噠」聲是小跑的腳步聲。突然，下方視野中出現一匹白馬，在陰影中閃耀，快速奔跑。在暮色中，牠的頭絡閃爍發光，彷彿鑲嵌著像活星星般的寶石。騎士的斗篷在他身後飄揚，兜帽向後翻去；他的金色頭髮在奔馳的風中閃爍流動。在佛羅多看來，一道白光正透過騎士的身形和衣著閃耀，彷彿穿透一層薄紗。亞拉岡從藏身處跳出來，衝向道路，帶著一聲呼喊跳過石楠叢；但甚至在他移動或呼喊之前，騎士已經勒住馬匹停了下來，抬頭望向他們所在的灌木叢。當他看到亞拉岡時，他下馬跑上前去迎接，並喊道：「Ai na vedui Dunadan! Mae govannen!」他的話語和清晰響亮的聲音讓他們心中不再有疑慮：這位騎士是精靈族。在這廣闊的世界中，沒有其他生物的聲音如此悅耳。但他的呼喚中似乎帶著一絲急促或恐懼，他們看到他正在快速而緊急地對亞拉岡說話。很快，亞拉岡向他們招手，哈比人離開灌木叢，匆匆下到道路上。「這位是葛羅芬戴爾，他住在愛隆的家中。」亞拉岡說。「萬歲，終於相見了！」精靈領主對佛羅多說。「我奉命從瑞文戴爾來找你們。我們擔心你們在路上有危險。」「那麼甘道夫已經抵達瑞文戴爾了嗎？」佛羅多高興地喊道。「不。我離開時他還沒有；但那是九天前的事了。」
210 THE LORD OF THE RINGS answered Glorfindel. ‘Elrond received news that troubled him. Some of my kindred, journeying in your land beyond the Baranduin,* learned that things were amiss, and sent messages as swiftly as they could. They said that the Nine were abroad, and that you were astray bearing a great burden without guidance, for Gandalf had not returned. There are few even in Rivendell that can ride openly against the Nine; but such as there were, Elrond sent out north, west, and south. It was thought that you might turn far aside to avoid pursuit, and become lost in the Wilderness. ‘It was my lot to take the Road, and I came to the Bridge of Mitheithel, and left a token there, nigh on seven days ago. Three of the servants of Sauron were upon the Bridge, but they withdrew and I pursued them westward. I came also upon two others, but they turned away southward. Since then I have searched for your trail. Two days ago I found it, and followed it over the Bridge; and today I marked where you descended from the hills again. But come! There is no time for further news. Since you are here we must risk the peril of the Road and go. There are five behind us, and when they find your trail upon the Road they will ride after us like the wind. And they are not all. Where the other four may be, I do not know. I fear that we may find the Ford is already held against us.’ While Glorfindel was speaking the shades of evening deepened. Frodo felt a great weariness come over him. Ever since the sun began to sink the mist before his eyes had darkened, and he felt that a shadow was coming between him and the faces of his friends. Now pain assailed him, and he felt cold. He swayed, clutching at Sam’s arm. ‘My master is sick and wounded,’ said Sam angrily. ‘He can’t go on riding after nightfall. He needs rest.’ Glorfindel caught Frodo as he sank to the ground, and taking him gently in his arms he looked in his face with grave anxiety. Briefly Strider told of the attack on their camp under Weathertop, and of the deadly knife. He drew out the hilt, which he had kept, and handed it to the Elf. Glorfindel shuddered as he took it, but he looked intently at it. ‘There are evil things written on this hilt,’ he said; ‘though maybe your eyes cannot see them. Keep it, Aragorn, till we reach the house of Elrond! But be wary, and handle it as little as you may! Alas! the wounds of this weapon are beyond my skill to heal. I will do what I can — but all the more do I urge you now to go on without rest.’ He searched the wound on Frodo’s shoulder with his fingers, and * The Brandywine River.
「210 魔戒」葛羅芬戴爾回答道：「愛隆收到了一些令他不安的消息。我的一些親族，在你們的土地上，越過巴蘭度因河*旅行時，發現情況不對勁，便盡快傳遞了訊息。他們說戒靈九人已經出動，而你身負重擔，卻沒有指引，因為甘道夫尚未歸來，所以迷失了方向。即使在瑞文戴爾，也沒幾個人能公開對抗戒靈九人；但愛隆還是派出了那些能辦到的人，往北、往西、往南去了。他認為你可能會為了躲避追捕而繞遠路，迷失在荒野之中。我的任務是走這條路，我來到了米西爾橋，並在那裡留下了一個記號，那是在大約七天前。索倫的三名僕役當時在橋上，但他們撤退了，我便往西追趕。我還遇到了另外兩人，但他們轉向南方。從那以後，我一直在尋找你的蹤跡。兩天前我找到了，並沿著它越過了橋；今天我標記了你再次從山上下來的地方。但是，快走吧！沒有時間再說更多了。既然你已經在這裡，我們就必須冒著大路的危險前進。我們身後有五個追兵，當他們在路上發現你的蹤跡時，他們會像風一樣追趕我們。而且他們還不是全部。另外四個在哪裡，我不知道。我擔心我們可能會發現渡口已經被他們佔據了。」葛羅芬戴爾說話時，夜幕漸深。佛羅多感到一陣巨大的疲憊襲來。自從太陽開始下沉以來，他眼前的迷霧就變得更黑了，他感覺一道陰影正在他和朋友們的臉龐之間降臨。現在疼痛襲擊了他，他感到寒冷。他搖晃著，抓住山姆的手臂。「我的主人又病又傷！」山姆憤怒地說：「他不能在天黑後繼續騎馬了。他需要休息。」葛羅芬戴爾在佛羅多倒地時接住了他，輕輕地將他抱在懷裡，臉上帶著嚴峻的憂慮看著他。亞拉岡簡要地講述了他們在風雲頂下營地遇襲以及那把致命的刀。他拿出他一直保管著的刀柄，遞給了精靈。葛羅芬戴爾接過時顫抖了一下，但他仔細地看著它。「這刀柄上刻著邪惡的東西。」他說：「雖然你的眼睛可能看不見。亞拉岡，保管好它，直到我們到達愛隆的家！但要小心，盡量少碰它！唉！這武器造成的傷口，我的醫術也無法治癒。我會盡力而為——但我現在更要敦促你毫不休息地繼續前進。」他用手指檢查了佛羅多肩膀上的傷口，*白蘭地酒河。
FLIGHT TO THE FORD 211 his face grew graver, as if what he learned disquieted him. But Frodo felt the chill lessen in his side and arm; a little warmth crept down from his shoulder to his hand, and the pain grew easier. The dusk of evening seemed to grow lighter about him, as if a cloud had been withdrawn. He saw his friends’ faces more clearly again, and a measure of new hope and strength returned. “You shall ride my horse,’ said Glorfindel. ‘I will shorten the stirrups up to the saddle-skirts, and you must sit as tight as you can. But you need not fear: my horse will not let any rider fall that I command him to bear. His pace is light and smooth; and if danger presses too near, he will bear you away with a speed that even the black steeds of the enemy cannot rival.’ ‘No, he will not!’ said Frodo. ‘I shall not ride him, if I am to be carried off to Rivendell or anywhere else, leaving my friends behind in danger.’ Glorfindel smiled. ‘I doubt very much,’ he said, ‘if your friends would be in danger if you were not with them! The pursuit would follow you and leave us in peace, I think. It is you, Frodo, and that which you bear that brings us all in peril.’ To that Frodo had no answer, and he was persuaded to mount Glorfindel’s white horse. The pony was laden instead with a great part of the others’ burdens, so that they now marched lighter, and for a time made good speed; but the hobbits began to find it hard to keep up with the swift tireless feet of the Elf. On he led them, into the mouth of darkness, and still on under the deep clouded night. There was neither star nor moon. Not until the grey of dawn did he allow them to halt. Pippin, Merry, and Sam were by that time nearly asleep on their stumbling legs; and even Strider seemed by the sag of his shoulders to be weary. Frodo sat upon the horse in a dark dream. They cast themselves down in the heather a few yards from the road-side, and fell asleep immediately. They seemed hardly to have closed their eyes when Glorfindel, who had set himself to watch while they slept, awoke them again. The sun had now climbed far into the morning, and the clouds and mists of the night were gone. ‘Drink this!’ said Glorfindel to them, pouring for each in turn a little liquor from his silver-studded flask of leather. It was clear as spring water and had no taste, and it did not feel either cool or warm in the mouth; but strength and vigour seemed to flow into all their limbs as they drank it. Eaten after that draught the stale bread and dried fruit (which was now all that they had left) seemed to satisfy their hunger better than many a good breakfast in the Shire had done. ok
飛向渡口 211 他的臉色變得更嚴肅了，彷彿他所學到的東西讓他感到不安。但佛羅多感到他身體側面和手臂的寒意減輕了；一絲暖意從他的肩膀蔓延到手上，疼痛也變得更容易忍受了。傍晚的暮色在他周圍似乎變得更亮了，彷彿一片烏雲被撥開了。他又更清楚地看到了朋友們的臉，一股新的希望和力量也隨之而來。「你騎我的馬吧，」葛羅芬戴爾說。「我會把馬鐙縮短到馬鞍裙邊，你必須盡可能地坐穩。但你不必害怕：我的馬不會讓任何我命令牠載的騎手摔下來。牠的步伐輕盈平穩；如果危險逼近，牠會以敵人黑馬都無法匹敵的速度把你帶走。」「不，他不會的！」佛羅多說。「如果我被帶到瑞文戴爾或其他任何地方，把我的朋友們留在危險之中，我不會騎牠的。」葛羅芬戴爾笑了。「我非常懷疑，」他說，「如果你們不在他們身邊，你的朋友們會不會有危險！追兵會跟著你，讓我們得以安寧，我想。是你，佛羅多，以及你所攜帶的東西，把我們所有人都置於危險之中。」對此佛羅多無言以對，他被說服騎上了葛羅芬戴爾的白馬。小馬則被馱上了其他人大部分的負擔，這樣他們現在行進得更輕快了，並且一度保持了良好的速度；但哈比人開始覺得很難跟上精靈那迅捷不知疲倦的腳步。他帶領他們繼續前進，進入黑暗的深淵，在濃密的烏雲籠罩的夜晚下繼續前行。既沒有星星也沒有月亮。直到黎明破曉時分，他才允許他們停下來。皮聘、梅里和山姆那時幾乎都已經在他們踉蹌的雙腿上睡著了；甚至亞拉岡也從他下垂的肩膀看出他很疲憊。佛羅多在馬背上陷入了黑暗的夢境。他們在路邊幾碼外的石楠叢中倒下，立刻睡著了。他們似乎才剛閉上眼睛，葛羅芬戴爾——他在他們睡覺時負責守夜——又把他們叫醒了。太陽此時已經高高掛在空中，夜晚的雲霧都已散去。「喝下這個！」葛羅芬戴爾對他們說，輪流為每個人從他鑲銀的皮製酒壺中倒出一些液體。它像泉水一樣清澈，沒有味道，在口中既不涼也不熱；但當他們喝下它時，力量和活力似乎流入了他們所有的四肢。喝下那一口之後，吃下的陳舊麵包和乾果（那是他們現在僅剩的食物）似乎比在夏爾吃過的許多豐盛早餐更能滿足他們的飢餓。
212 THE LORD OF THE RINGS They had rested rather less than five hours when they took to the Road again. Glorfindel still urged them on, and only allowed two brief halts during the day’s march. In this way they covered almost twenty miles before nightfall, and came to a point where the Road bent right and ran down towards the bottom of the valley, now making straight for the Bruinen. So far there had been no sign or sound of pursuit that the hobbits could see or hear; but often Glorfindel would halt and listen for a moment, if they lagged behind, and a look of anxiety clouded his face. Once or twice he spoke to Strider in the elf-tongue. But however anxious their guides might be, it was plain that the hobbits could go no further that night. They were stumbling along dizzy with weariness, and unable to think of anything but their feet and legs. Frodo’s pain had redoubled, and during the day things about him faded to shadows of ghostly grey. He almost welcomed the coming of night, for then the world seemed less pale and empty. The hobbits were still weary, when they set out again early next morning. There were many miles yet to go between them and the Ford, and they hobbled forward at the best pace they could manage. ‘Our peril will be greatest just ere we reach the river,’ said Glorfindel; ‘for my heart warns me that the pursuit is now swift behind us, and other danger may be waiting by the Ford.’ The Road was still running steadily downhill, and there was now in places much grass at either side, in which the hobbits walked when they could, to ease their tired feet. In the late afternoon they came to a place where the Road went suddenly under the dark shadow of tall pine-trees, and then plunged into a deep cutting with steep moist walls of red stone. Echoes ran along as they hurried forward; and there seemed to be a sound of many footfalls following their own. All at once, as if through a gate of light, the Road ran out again from the end of the tunnel into the open. There at the bottom of a sharp incline they saw before them a long flat mile, and beyond that the Ford of Rivendell. On the further side was a steep brown bank, threaded by a winding path; and behind that the tall mountains climbed, shoulder above shoulder, and peak beyond peak, into the fading sky. There was still an echo as of following feet in the cutting behind them; a rushing noise as if a wind were rising and pouring through the branches of the pines. One moment Glorfindel turned and listened, then he sprang forward with a loud cry. ‘Fly!’ he called. ‘Fly! The enemy is upon us!’ The white horse leaped forward. The hobbits ran down the slope. Glorfindel and Strider followed as rearguard. They were only half
212 魔戒 他們休息了不到五小時，便再次踏上大道。葛羅芬戴爾仍舊催促著他們前進，白天行軍中只允許了兩次短暫的停歇。就這樣，他們在夜幕降臨前走了將近二十英里，來到一個大道向右彎曲，然後向下通往山谷底部的地方，現在正筆直地朝著布魯南河而去。到目前為止，哈比人沒有看到或聽到任何追兵的跡象或聲音；但葛羅芬戴爾常常會停下來聽一會兒，如果他們落後了，他的臉上就會蒙上一層焦慮的神色。他曾一兩次用精靈語對亞拉岡說話。然而，無論他們的嚮導多麼焦慮，很明顯哈比人當晚已無法再前進了。他們疲憊不堪，步履蹣跚，除了自己的雙腳和雙腿，什麼也想不了。佛羅多的疼痛加劇了，白天時，他周圍的一切都褪色成了幽靈般的灰色陰影。他幾乎歡迎夜晚的降臨，因為那時世界似乎不那麼蒼白和空虛。第二天清晨，當他們再次出發時，哈比人仍然很疲憊。他們與渡口之間還有許多英里路要走，他們盡可能地加快腳步，蹣跚前行。「我們最大的危險就在我們到達河邊之前，」葛羅芬戴爾說道：「因為我的心警告我，追兵現在就在我們身後迅速逼近，而且渡口可能還有其他危險在等著。」大道仍然穩定地向下延伸，現在有些地方兩旁長滿了草，哈比人盡可能地走在草地上，以緩解疲憊的雙腳。傍晚時分，他們來到一個地方，大道突然進入高大松樹的陰影下，然後一頭扎進一個深邃的切口，兩側是陡峭潮濕的紅色石壁。他們匆匆前進時，迴聲在其中迴盪；似乎有許多腳步聲跟隨著他們。突然間，彷彿穿過一道光門，大道又從隧道的盡頭跑出來，進入開闊地。在一個陡峭的斜坡底部，他們看到前方有一段漫長而平坦的一英里路，再往前就是瑞文戴爾的渡口。對岸是一個陡峭的棕色河岸，一條蜿蜒的小徑穿梭其間；而在那後面，高山層巒疊嶂，一座座山峰疊加，沒入漸漸暗淡的天空。在他們身後的切口中，仍然有腳步聲的迴聲；一陣急促的聲音，彷彿風正在升起，穿過松樹的樹枝。葛羅芬戴爾轉身聽了一會兒，然後他大聲喊道：「快跑！」他叫道：「快跑！敵人就在我們身後！」白馬向前躍去。哈比人跑下斜坡。葛羅芬戴爾和亞拉岡作為後衛跟隨。他們只走了半
FLIGHT TO THE FORD 213 way across the flat, when suddenly there was a noise of horses galloping. Out of the gate in the trees that they had just left rode a Black Rider. He reined his horse in, and halted, swaying in his saddle. Another followed him, and then another; then again two more. ‘Ride forward! Ride!’ cried Glorfindel to Frodo. He did not obey at once, for a strange reluctance seized him. Checking the horse to a walk, he turned and looked back. The Riders seemed to sit upon their great steeds like threatening statues upon a hill, dark and solid, while all the woods and land about them receded as if into a mist. Suddenly he knew in his heart that they were silently commanding him to wait. Then at once fear and hatred awoke in him. His hand left the bridle and gripped the hilt of his sword, and with a red flash he drew it. ‘Ride on! Ride on!’ cried Glorfindel, and then loud and clear he called to the horse in the elf-tongue: noro lim, noro lim, Asfaloth! At once the white horse sprang away and sped like the wind along the last lap of the Road. At the same moment the black horses leaped down the hill in pursuit, and from the Riders came a terrible cry, such as Frodo had heard filling the woods with horror in the Eastfarthing far away. It was answered; and to the dismay of Frodo and his friends out from the trees and rocks away on the left four other Riders came flying. Two rode towards Frodo; two galloped madly towards the Ford to cut off his escape. They seemed to him to run like the wind and to grow swiftly larger and darker, as their courses converged with his. Frodo looked back for a moment over his shoulder. He could no longer see his friends. The Riders behind were falling back: even their great steeds were no match in speed for the white elf-horse of Glorfindel. He looked forward again, and hope faded. There seemed no chance of reaching the Ford before he was cut off by the others that had lain in ambush. He could see them clearly now: they appeared to have cast aside their hoods and black cloaks, and they were robed in white and grey. Swords were naked in their pale hands; helms were on their heads. Their cold eyes glittered, and they called to him with fell voices. Fear now filled all Frodo’s mind. He thought no longer of his sword. No cry came from him. He shut his eyes and clung to the horse’s mane. The wind whistled in his ears, and the bells upon the harness rang wild and shrill. A breath of deadly cold pierced him like a spear, as with a last spurt, like a flash of white fire, the elf-horse speeding as if on wings, passed right before the face of the foremost Rider. Frodo heard the splash of water. It foamed about his feet. He felt the quick heave and surge as the horse left the river and struggled
飛向渡口 213 穿過平坦的地面，突然傳來一陣馬蹄聲。他們剛離開的樹林中的大門裡，衝出了一名黑騎士。他勒住馬，停了下來，在馬鞍上搖晃著。接著又有一名騎士跟上，然後又一名；然後又是兩名。「向前衝！快衝！」葛羅芬戴爾對佛羅多喊道。佛羅多沒有立刻服從，因為一股奇怪的抗拒感攫住了他。他讓馬放慢腳步，轉身回望。那些騎士們騎在他們高大的駿馬上，彷彿山頂上威脅的雕像，黑暗而堅實，而他們周圍的樹林和土地則像退入迷霧中一般。他突然心知肚明，他們正在無聲地命令他等待。恐懼與憎恨立刻在他心中甦醒。他的手離開韁繩，握住劍柄，一道紅光閃過，他拔出了劍。「快衝！快衝！」葛羅芬戴爾喊道，然後他用精靈語大聲清晰地呼喚著馬：「noro lim, noro lim, 亞斯法洛斯！」白馬立刻躍起，像風一樣沿著道路的最後一段疾馳而去。與此同時，黑馬們也從山上跳下追趕，騎士們發出了一聲可怕的尖叫，那聲音佛羅多曾聽過，遠在東區的樹林裡，它曾充滿了恐怖。那尖叫得到了回應；令佛羅多和他的朋友們沮喪的是，左邊樹林和岩石後方又衝出了四名騎士。兩名朝佛羅多衝來；另外兩名則瘋狂地奔向渡口，企圖截斷他的去路。在他看來，他們像風一樣奔跑，並迅速變得更大更黑，因為他們的路線與他的匯合了。佛羅多回頭看了一眼。他已經看不到他的朋友們了。後方的騎士們正在落後：即使他們高大的駿馬也無法與葛羅芬戴爾的白色精靈馬匹敵。他再次向前看，希望消逝了。他似乎沒有機會在被那些埋伏的騎士截斷之前到達渡口。他現在能清楚地看到他們：他們似乎已經拋開了兜帽和黑斗篷，身上穿著白色和灰色的長袍。他們的蒼白手中握著出鞘的劍；頭上戴著頭盔。他們冰冷的眼睛閃爍著，用惡毒的聲音呼喚他。恐懼此刻充滿了佛羅多的心。他不再想起他的劍。他沒有發出任何叫喊。他閉上眼睛，緊緊抓住馬鬃。風在他耳邊呼嘯，馬具上的鈴鐺狂野而尖銳地響著。一股致命的寒意像長矛一樣刺穿了他，就在精靈馬匹像一道白色火焰般，以最後的衝刺，彷彿插上翅膀般疾馳，從最前方的騎士面前掠過。佛羅多聽到了水花濺起的聲音。水在他的腳邊翻騰。他感覺到馬匹離開河流時的快速起伏和衝力，以及牠掙扎著...
214 THE LORD OF THE RINGS up the stony path. He was climbing the steep bank. He was across the Ford. But the pursuers were close behind. At the top of the bank the horse halted and turned about neighing fiercely. There were Nine Riders at the water’s edge below, and Frodo’s spirit quailed before the threat of their uplifted faces. He knew of nothing that would prevent them from crossing as easily as he had done; and he felt that it was useless to try to escape over the long uncertain path from the Ford to the edge of Rivendell, if once the Riders crossed. In any case he felt that he was commanded urgently to halt. Hatred again stirred in him, but he had no longer the strength to refuse. Suddenly the foremost Rider spurred his horse forward. It checked at the water and reared up. With a great effort Frodo sat upright and brandished his sword. ‘Go back! he cried. ‘Go back to the Land of Mordor, and follow me no more!’ His voice sounded thin and shrill in his own ears. The Riders halted, but Frodo had not the power of Bombadil. His enemies laughed at him with a harsh and chilling laughter. ‘Come back! Come back!’ they called. “To Mordor we will take you!’ ‘Go back!’ he whispered. “The Ring! The Ring!’ they cried with deadly voices; and immediately their leader urged his horse forward into the water, followed closely by two others. ‘By Elbereth and Luthien the Fair,’ said Frodo with a last effort, lifting up his sword, ‘you shall have neither the Ring nor me!’ Then the leader, who was now half across the Ford, stood up menacing in his stirrups, and raised up his hand. Frodo was stricken dumb. He felt his tongue cleave to his mouth, and his heart labouring. His sword broke and fell out of his shaking hand. The elf-horse reared and snorted. The foremost of the black horses had almost set foot upon the shore. At that moment there came a roaring and a rushing: a noise of loud waters rolling many stones. Dimly Frodo saw the river below him rise, and down along its course there came a plumed cavalry of waves. White flames seemed to Frodo to flicker on their crests, and he half fancied that he saw amid the water white riders upon white horses with frothing manes. The three Riders that were still in the midst of the Ford were overwhelmed: they disappeared, buried suddenly under angry foam. Those that were behind drew back in dismay. With his last failing senses Frodo heard cries, and it seemed to him that he saw, beyond the Riders that hesitated on the shore, a shining figure of white light; and behind it ran small shadowy forms waving flames, that flared red in the grey mist that was falling over the world.
214 《魔戒》沿著崎嶇的石徑向上。他正爬上陡峭的河岸。他已經渡過了淺灘。但追兵緊隨其後。在河岸頂端，馬匹停下，轉身發出兇猛的嘶鳴。下方水邊有九名戒靈，佛羅多面對他們高舉的臉龐所帶來的威脅，心生畏懼。他知道沒有什麼能阻止他們像他一樣輕易渡河；他覺得，如果戒靈一旦渡河，試圖沿著從淺灘到瑞文戴爾邊緣那漫長而充滿不確定性的道路逃跑是徒勞的。無論如何，他感覺到自己被緊急命令停下。仇恨再次在他心中激盪，但他已沒有力量拒絕。突然，領頭的戒靈策馬向前。馬匹在水邊停下並後仰。佛羅多費力地坐直身子，揮舞著他的劍。「回去！」他喊道。「回到魔多之地，別再跟著我了！」他的聲音在他自己耳中聽來又細又尖。戒靈們停下了，但佛羅多沒有湯姆·邦巴迪爾的力量。他的敵人發出刺耳而令人心寒的笑聲嘲笑他。「回來！回來！」他們叫道。「我們會把你帶到魔多去！」 「回去！」他低聲說。「魔戒！魔戒！」他們用致命的聲音喊道；他們的領隊立刻策馬衝入水中，緊隨其後的是另外兩名戒靈。「憑藉埃爾貝雷絲和美麗的露西安之名！」佛羅多用盡最後的力氣，舉起劍說道，「你休想得到魔戒，也休想得到我！」然後，那個已經渡過淺灘一半的領隊，威脅性地站立在馬鐙上，舉起了手。佛羅多嚇得說不出話來。他感覺舌頭黏在嘴裡，心臟劇烈跳動。他的劍斷了，從他顫抖的手中落下。精靈馬後仰並噴著鼻息。那匹領頭的黑馬幾乎已經踏上岸邊。就在那一刻，一陣轟鳴和奔騰傳來：那是巨浪滾動許多石塊的聲音。佛羅多模糊地看到他下方的河流上漲，沿著河道湧來了一支羽飾浪花騎兵。白色的火焰似乎在浪尖上閃爍，他半信半疑地看到水中白色的騎士騎著白色的馬，馬鬃上泡沫飛濺。仍在淺灘中央的三名戒靈被吞沒了：他們消失了，突然被憤怒的泡沫掩埋。那些在後方的戒靈驚慌失措地退了回去。在最後的微弱意識中，佛羅多聽到了哭喊聲，他似乎看到，在岸邊猶豫不決的戒靈之外，一個閃耀著白光的形體；而在它後面，跑著一些揮舞著火焰的微小陰影，在籠罩世界的灰色薄霧中，火焰閃爍著紅色。
FLIGHT TO THE FORD 215 The black horses were filled with madness, and leaping forward in terror they bore their riders into the rushing flood. Their piercing cries were drowned in the roaring of the river as it carried them away. Then Frodo felt himself falling, and the roaring and confusion seemed to rise and engulf him together with his enemies. He heard and saw no more.
奔向淺灘 215 那些黑馬陷入狂亂，在恐懼中向前猛衝，將牠們的騎手載入奔騰的洪流。牠們刺耳的嘶鳴聲被河水的咆哮聲淹沒，河水將牠們沖走。接著佛羅多感覺自己正在墜落，那咆哮聲和混亂似乎一同升起，將他連同他的敵人一起吞噬。他再也聽不見、看不見任何東西了。