Chapter 4: A Journey In The Dark

Chapter 4 A JOURNEY IN THE DARK It was evening, and the grey light was again waning fast, when they halted for the night. They were very weary. The mountains were veiled in deepening dusk, and the wind was cold. Gandalf spared them one more mouthful each of the miruvor of Rivendell. When they had eaten some food he called a council. ‘We cannot, of course, go on again tonight,’ he said. “The attack on the Redhorn Gate has tired us out, and we must rest here for a while.’ ‘And then where are we to go?’ asked Frodo. ‘We still have our journey and our errand before us,’ answered Gandalf. ‘We have no choice but to go on, or to return to Rivendell.’ Pippin’s face brightened visibly at the mere mention of return to Rivendell; Merry and Sam looked up hopefully. But Aragorn and Boromir made no sign. Frodo looked troubled. ‘I wish I was back there,’ he said. ‘But how can I return without shame — unless there is indeed no other way, and we are already defeated?’ “You are right, Frodo,’ said Gandalf: ‘to go back is to admit defeat, and face worse defeat to come. If we go back now, then the Ring must remain there: we shall not be able to set out again. Then sooner or later Rivendell will be besieged, and after a brief and bitter time it will be destroyed. The Ringwraiths are deadly enemies, but they are only shadows yet of the power and terror they would possess if the Ruling Ring was on their master’s hand again.’ “Then we must go on, if there is a way,’ said Frodo with a sigh. Sam sank back into gloom. “There is a way that we may attempt,’ said Gandalf. ‘I thought from the beginning, when first I considered this journey, that we should try it. But it is not a pleasant way, and I have not spoken of it to the Company before. Aragorn was against it, until the pass over the mountains had at least been tried.’ ‘If it is a worse road than the Redhorn Gate, then it must be evil indeed,’ said Merry. ‘But you had better tell us about it, and let us know the worst at once.’ ‘The road that I speak of leads to the Mines of Moria,’ said Gandalf. Only Gimli lifted up his head; a smouldering fire was in his eyes. On all the others a dread fell at the mention of that name. Even to the hobbits it was a legend of vague fear.

第四章 黑暗中的旅程 傍晚時分，灰濛濛的天光再次迅速消逝，他們停下來準備過夜。他們非常疲憊。群山籠罩在漸濃的暮色中，寒風刺骨。甘道夫省下瑞文戴爾的秘泉，讓每人再喝一口。吃過一些食物後，他召集了一場會議。「我們今晚當然不能再繼續前進了，」他說。「紅角門隘口的襲擊讓我們筋疲力盡，我們必須在這裡休息一會兒。」「那接下來我們要去哪裡？」佛羅多問道。「我們的旅程和使命還在前方，」甘道夫回答。「我們別無選擇，只能繼續前進，或者返回瑞文戴爾。」皮聘一聽到返回瑞文戴爾，臉上立刻亮了起來；梅里和山姆也滿懷希望地抬起頭。但亞拉岡和波羅莫沒有任何表示。佛羅多看起來很困擾。「我真希望我能回到那裡，」他說。「但我怎麼能不帶羞愧地回去呢——除非真的別無他法，而我們已經被打敗了？」「你說得對，佛羅多，」甘道夫說：「回去就等於承認失敗，而且將面臨更糟的失敗。如果我們現在回去，魔戒就必須留在那裡：我們將無法再次出發。然後，瑞文戴爾遲早會被圍困，經過短暫而痛苦的時期後，它將被摧毀。戒靈是致命的敵人，但如果至尊魔戒再次回到他們主人的手中，他們現在的力量和恐怖，還只是未來將擁有的威力的影子而已。」「那麼，如果有路可走，我們就必須繼續前進，」佛羅多嘆了口氣說。山姆又陷入了沮喪之中。「有一條路我們可以嘗試，」甘道夫說。「從一開始，當我初次考慮這趟旅程時，我就想過我們應該試試看。但那不是一條愉快的路，我也從未向遠征隊提過。亞拉岡反對這個提議，直到我們至少嘗試過翻越山脈的隘口。」「如果那條路比紅角門隘口還糟，那肯定真的很邪惡了，」梅里說。「但你最好還是告訴我們，讓我們立刻知道最壞的情況。」「我說的那條路，通往摩瑞亞礦坑，」甘道夫說。只有金靂抬起了頭；他眼中燃燒著悶燒的火焰。其他人一聽到這個名字，心中都籠罩上一層恐懼。即使對哈比人來說，那也是一個帶來模糊恐懼的傳說。

296 THE LORD OF THE RINGS “The road may lead to Moria, but how can we hope that it will lead through Moria?’ said Aragorn darkly. ‘It is a name of ill omen,’ said Boromir. ‘Nor do I see the need to go there. If we cannot cross the mountains, let us journey southwards, until we come to the Gap of Rohan, where men are friendly to my people, taking the road that I followed on my way hither. Or we might pass by and cross the Isen into Langstrand and Lebennin, and so come to Gondor from the regions nigh to the sea.’ “Things have changed since you came north, Boromir,’ answered Gandalf. ‘Did you not hear what I told you of Saruman? With him I may have business of my own ere all is over. But the Ring must not come near Isengard, if that can by any means be prevented. The Gap of Rohan is closed to us while we go with the Bearer. ‘As for the longer road: we cannot afford the time. We might spend a year in such a journey, and we should pass through many lands that are empty and harbourless. Yet they would not be safe. The watchful eyes both of Saruman and of the Enemy are on them. When you came north, Boromir, you were in the Enemy’s eyes only one stray wanderer from the South and a matter of small concern to him: his mind was busy with the pursuit of the Ring. But you return now as a member of the Ring’s Company, and you are in peril as long as you remain with us. The danger will increase with every league that we go south under the naked sky. ‘Since our open attempt on the mountain-pass our plight has become more desperate, I fear. I see now little hope, if we do not soon vanish from sight for a while, and cover our trail. Therefore I advise that we should go neither over the mountains, nor round them, but under them. That is a road at any rate that the Enemy will least expect us to take.’ ‘We do not know what he expects,’ said Boromir. ‘He may watch all roads, likely and unlikely. In that case to enter Moria would be to walk into a trap, hardly better than knocking at the gates of the Dark Tower itself. The name of Moria is black.’ “You speak of what you do not know, when you liken Moria to the stronghold of Sauron,’ answered Gandalf. ‘I alone of you have ever been in the dungeons of the Dark Lord, and only in his older and lesser dwelling in Dol Guldur. Those who pass the gates of Barad-dtr do not return. But I would not lead you into Moria if there were no hope of coming out again. If there are Orcs there, it may prove ill for us, that is true. But most of the Orcs of the Misty Mountains were scattered or destroyed in the Battle of Five Armies. The Eagles report that Orcs are gathering again from afar; but there is a hope that Moria is still free. “There is even a chance that Dwarves are there, and that in some

「這條路或許通往摩瑞亞，但我們怎能指望它會帶我們穿越摩瑞亞呢？」亞拉岡語氣陰沉地說。「那是一個不祥的名字，」波羅莫說。「我也不認為有必要去那裡。如果我們無法翻越山脈，就讓我們往南走，直到抵達羅翰隘口，那裡的人對我的人民很友善，就走我來時的那條路。或者我們可以繞過去，渡過艾辛河，進入長灘和萊貝寧，然後從靠近海邊的地區抵達剛鐸。」「自從你北上以來，情況已經變了，波羅莫，」甘道夫回答。「你沒聽見我告訴你關於薩魯曼的事嗎？在一切結束之前，我可能還有自己的事要跟他了結。但魔戒絕不能靠近艾辛格，只要有任何辦法可以避免。只要我們與持戒人同行，羅翰隘口對我們就是關閉的。「至於那條更長的路：我們耗不起那個時間。那樣的旅程可能會花上我們一整年，而且我們會經過許多空曠無庇護的土地。然而那些地方並不安全。薩魯曼和敵人的警覺目光都盯著它們。波羅莫，當你北上時，在敵人眼中，你只不過是個從南方來的迷途浪人，對他來說無關緊要：他的心思全在追尋魔戒上。但你現在是以魔戒遠征隊一員的身份回去，只要你和我們在一起，你就身處險境。我們在光天化日之下往南走的每一里路，危險都會增加。「恐怕自從我們公然嘗試翻越山隘之後，我們的處境已變得更加絕望。我現在看不到什麼希望，除非我們能暫時消失無蹤，並掩蓋我們的蹤跡。因此我建議，我們既不翻越山脈，也不繞過它們，而是從山底下穿過去。無論如何，那是一條敵人最意想不到我們會走的路。」「我們不知道他預期什麼，」波羅莫說。「他可能監視著所有道路，無論可能或不可能。那樣的話，進入摩瑞亞就等於是走進一個陷阱，跟親自去敲黑暗塔的大門差不了多少。摩瑞亞這個名字是黑色的。」「當你把摩瑞亞比作索倫的要塞時，你是在說一些你根本不了解的事，」甘道夫回答。「你們之中只有我曾經進過黑暗魔君的地牢，而且還只是在他那座較古老、次要的居所多爾哥多。凡是通過巴拉多大門的人，沒有一個能回來。但如果沒有希望能再出來，我絕不會帶你們進入摩瑞亞。如果那裡有半獸人，結果可能對我們不利，這是真的。但迷霧山脈大部分的半獸人都在五軍之戰中被驅散或消滅了。巨鷹回報說半獸人正從遠方重新集結；但我們仍有希望摩瑞亞還是自由的。「甚至還有可能矮人也在那裡，而且在某些…

A JOURNEY IN THE DARK 297 deep hall of his fathers, Balin son of Fundin may be found. However it may prove, one must tread the path that need chooses!’ ‘I will tread the path with you, Gandalf!’ said Gimli. ‘I will go and look on the halls of Durin, whatever may wait there — if you can find the doors that are shut.’ ‘Good, Gimli!’ said Gandalf. “You encourage me. We will seek the hidden doors together. And we will come through. In the ruins of the Dwarves, a dwarf’s head will be less easy to bewilder than Elves or Men or Hobbits. Yet it will not be the first time that I have been to Moria. I sought there long for Thrain son of Thror after he was lost. I passed through, and I came out again alive!’ ‘I too once passed the Dimrill Gate,’ said Aragorn quietly; ‘but though I also came out again, the memory is very evil. I do not wish to enter Moria a second time.’ ‘And I don’t wish to enter it even once,’ said Pippin. ‘Nor me,’ muttered Sam. ‘Of course not!’ said Gandalf. ‘Who would? But the question is: who will follow me, if I lead you there?’ ‘T will,’ said Gimli eagerly. ‘I will,’ said Aragorn heavily. ‘You followed my lead almost to disaster in the snow, and have said no word of blame. I will follow your lead now -— if this last warning does not move you. It is not of the Ring, nor of us others that I am thinking now, but of you, Gandalf. And I say to you: if you pass the doors of Moria, beware!’ ‘I will not go,’ said Boromir; ‘not unless the vote of the whole Company is against me. What do Legolas and the little folk say? The Ring-bearer’s voice surely should be heard?’ ‘I do not wish to go to Moria,’ said Legolas. The hobbits said nothing. Sam looked at Frodo. At last Frodo spoke. ‘I do not wish to go,’ he said; ‘but neither do I wish to refuse the advice of Gandalf. I beg that there should be no vote, until we have slept on it. Gandalf will get votes easier in the light of the morning than in this cold gloom. How the wind howls!’ At these words all fell into silent thought. They heard the wind hissing among the rocks and trees, and there was a howling and wailing round them in the empty spaces of the night. Suddenly Aragorn leapt to his feet. ‘How the wind howls!’ he cried. ‘It is howling with wolf-voices. The Wargs have come west of the Mountains!’ ‘Need we wait until morning then?’ said Gandalf. ‘It is as I said. The hunt is up! Even if we live to see the dawn, who now will wish to journey south by night with the wild wolves on his trail?’ ‘How far is Moria?’ asked Boromir.

「在他先祖的深邃廳堂中，或許能找到方丁之子巴林。無論結果如何，人必須走上命運所選的道路！」 「甘道夫，我會與你一同踏上那條路！」金靂說。「我要去親眼看看都靈的廳堂，無論那裡有什麼等著——只要你能找到那扇緊閉的大門。」 「好，金靂！」甘道夫說。「你鼓舞了我。我們將一同尋找那扇隱藏的門。而且我們會成功通過。在矮人的廢墟中，矮人的腦袋可不像精靈、人類或哈比人那麼容易迷糊。不過，這也不是我第一次去摩瑞亞了。索爾之子索恩失蹤後，我曾在那裡尋找他許久。我穿過了那裡，並且活著出來了！」 「我也曾一度經過暗影谷之門，」亞拉岡輕聲說；「但儘管我也活著出來了，那段記憶卻非常邪惡。我不想再進摩瑞亞第二次。」 「我連一次都不想進去，」皮聘說。 「我也是，」山姆咕噥道。 「當然不想！」甘道夫說。「誰會想呢？但問題是：如果我帶你們去那裡，誰會跟隨我？」 「我會，」金靂熱切地說。 「我會，」亞拉岡沉重地說。「你在雪地裡跟隨我的領導，差點陷入災難，卻沒有一句責備的話。我現在會跟隨你的領導——如果你不為這最後的警告所動。我現在想的不是魔戒，也不是我們其他人，而是你，甘道夫。我對你說：如果你通過摩瑞亞之門，當心！」 「我不會去，」波羅莫說；「除非整個遠征隊的投票都反對我。勒苟拉斯和小個子們怎麼說？持戒人的聲音肯定該被聽見吧？」 「我不想去摩瑞亞，」勒苟拉斯說。 哈比人們什麼也沒說。山姆看著佛羅多。最後佛羅多開口了。「我不想去，」他說；「但我也不想拒絕甘道夫的建議。我請求在我們睡一覺想清楚之前，不要投票。在清晨的陽光下，甘道夫會比在這寒冷的陰鬱中更容易得到選票。風吼得真厲害！」 聽了這些話，所有人都陷入了沉思。他們聽見風在岩石和樹木間嘶嘶作響，夜裡的空曠處傳來陣陣嚎叫和哀鳴。 突然，亞拉岡跳了起來。「風吼得真厲害！」他喊道。「那是狼的嚎叫聲。座狼已經越過西邊的山脈了！」 「那我們還需要等到早上嗎？」甘道夫說。「正如我所說的。追捕開始了！即使我們能活到黎明，現在誰還願意在野狼追蹤的情況下，連夜向南行進？」 「摩瑞亞有多遠？」波羅莫問。

298 THE LORD OF THE RINGS “There was a door south-west of Caradhras, some fifteen miles as the crow flies, and maybe twenty as the wolf runs,’ answered Gandalf grimly. “Then let us start as soon as it is light tomorrow, if we can,’ said Boromir. “The wolf that one hears is worse than the orc that one fears.’ ‘True!’ said Aragorn, loosening his sword in its sheath. ‘But where the warg howls, there also the orc prowls.’ ‘I wish I had taken Elrond’s advice,’ muttered Pippin to Sam. ‘I am no good after all. There is not enough of the breed of Bandobras the Bullroarer in me: these howls freeze my blood. I don’t ever remember feeling so wretched.’ ‘My heart’s right down in my toes, Mr. Pippin,’ said Sam. ‘But we aren’t etten yet, and there are some stout folk here with us. Whatever may be in store for old Gandalf, I'll wager it isn’t a wolf’s belly.’ For their defence in the night the Company climbed to the top of the small hill under which they had been sheltering. It was crowned with a knot of old and twisted trees, about which lay a broken circle of boulder-stones. In the midst of this they lit a fire, for there was no hope that darkness and silence would keep their trail from discovery by the hunting packs. Round the fire they sat, and those that were not on guard dozed uneasily. Poor Bill the pony trembled and sweated where he stood. The howling of the wolves was now all round them, sometimes nearer and sometimes further off. In the dead of night many shining eyes were seen peering over the brow of the hill. Some advanced almost to the ring of stones. At a gap in the circle a great dark wolf-shape could be seen halted, gazing at them. A shuddering howl broke from him, as if he were a captain summoning his pack to the assault. Gandalf stood up and strode forward, holding his staff aloft. ‘Listen, Hound of Sauron!’ he cried. ‘Gandalf is here. Fly, if you value your foul skin! I will shrivel you from tail to snout, if you come within this ring.’ The wolf snarled and sprang towards them with a great leap. At that moment there was a sharp twang. Legolas had loosed his bow. There was a hideous yell, and the leaping shape thudded to the ground; the Elvish arrow had pierced its throat. The watching eyes were suddenly extinguished. Gandalf and Aragorn strode forward, but the hill was deserted; the hunting packs had fled. All about them the darkness grew silent, and no cry came on the sighing wind. The night was old, and westward the waning moon was setting, gleaming fitfully through the breaking clouds. Suddenly Frodo started

「卡蘭拉斯山(Caradhras)西南方有個隘口，直線距離大約十五英里，但若是狼跑的路徑，或許有二十英里遠。」甘道夫語氣嚴峻地回答。「那麼，如果可以，我們明天天一亮就出發。」波羅莫說。「聽得見的狼，比怕得著的半獸人更糟。」「沒錯！」亞拉岡說，一邊鬆了鬆鞘中的劍。「但是座狼(warg)嚎叫之處，必有半獸人潛行。」「真希望我當初聽了愛隆的建議，」皮聘對山姆咕噥道。「我終究是派不上用場。我體內沒有足夠的『牛吼者』班多布拉斯的血脈：這些嚎叫聲讓我的血液都凍結了。我從不記得自己有這麼難受過。」「我的心都沉到腳趾頭裡了，皮聘先生，」山姆說。「但我們還沒被吃掉(etten)，而且我們身邊還有一些勇敢的夥伴。不管有什麼在等著老甘道夫，我敢打賭那絕不會是狼的肚子。」為了在夜間防禦，遠征隊爬上了他們先前躲藏的小山丘頂部。山頂上有一叢糾結的老樹，周圍散落著一圈破碎的巨石。他們在中間點燃了火，因為他們不指望黑暗和寂靜能讓他們躲過狩獵狼群的追蹤。他們圍著火坐下，沒有守夜的人則不安地打著瞌睡。可憐的小馬比爾顫抖著，站在原地汗流浹背。狼嚎聲現在已將他們團團包圍，時遠時近。在深夜裡，許多閃亮的眼睛被看見正從山丘的頂緣窺視著。有些幾乎前進到石圈旁。在石圈的一個缺口處，可以看到一個巨大的黑色狼影停了下來，凝視著他們。一聲令人戰慄的嚎叫從牠口中迸發，彷彿一位首領在召集牠的狼群發動攻擊。甘道夫站起來，大步向前，高舉著他的法杖。「聽著，索倫的獵犬！」他喊道。「甘道夫在此。如果你珍惜你那骯髒的皮，就快滾！你若敢踏入這個石圈一步，我就把你從頭到尾燒成灰燼。」那頭狼咆哮一聲，縱身一躍朝他們撲來。就在那時，傳來一聲清脆的弓弦聲。勒苟拉斯已射出他的弓。一聲可怕的尖叫響起，那跳躍的身影重重地摔在地上；精靈的箭矢刺穿了牠的喉嚨。那些窺視的眼睛突然間都熄滅了。甘道夫和亞拉岡向前走去，但山丘上已空無一人；狩獵的狼群已經逃走了。他們四周的黑暗變得寂靜，嘆息的風中再也沒有傳來任何哭嚎。夜已深，西邊，殘月正緩緩落下，從破碎的雲層間斷斷續續地閃著光。突然，佛羅多一驚。

A JOURNEY IN THE DARK 299 from sleep. Without warning a storm of howls broke out fierce and wild all about the camp. A great host of Wargs had gathered silently and was now attacking them from every side at once. ‘Fling fuel on the fire!’ cried Gandalf to the hobbits. ‘Draw your blades, and stand back to back!’ In the leaping light, as the fresh wood blazed up, Frodo saw many grey shapes spring over the ring of stones. More and more followed. Through the throat of one huge leader Aragorn passed his sword with a thrust; with a great sweep Boromir hewed the head off another. Beside them Gimli stood with his stout legs apart, wielding his dwarfaxe. The bow of Legolas was singing. In the wavering firelight Gandalf seemed suddenly to grow: he rose up, a great menacing shape like the monument of some ancient king of stone set upon a hill. Stooping like a cloud, he lifted a burning branch and strode to meet the wolves. They gave back before him. High in the air he tossed the blazing brand. It flared with a sudden white radiance like lightning; and his voice rolled like thunder. ‘Naur an edraith ammen! Naur dan i ngaurhoth! he cried. There was a roar and a crackle, and the tree above him burst into a leaf and bloom of blinding flame. The fire leapt 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, sheathing 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 command 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

從睡夢中驚醒。毫無預警地，一陣猛烈而狂野的嚎叫聲在營地四周爆發。一大群座狼已悄然聚集，此刻正從四面八方同時攻擊他們。「快把燃料丟進火裡！」甘道夫對哈比人喊道。「拔出你們的劍，背靠背站好！」隨著新添的木柴燃起熊熊烈火，在跳動的光線中，佛羅多看見許多灰色的身影躍過石圈。越來越多的身影跟著撲上來。亞拉岡一劍刺穿了一隻巨大首領的喉嚨；波羅莫奮力一揮，砍下了另一隻的頭顱。他們身旁，金靂雙腿穩穩地分開站著，揮舞著他的矮人斧。勒苟拉斯的弓正在歌唱。在搖曳的火光中，甘道夫的身影彷彿突然變高了：他拔地而起，像一座立於山丘上的古代石王紀念碑，巨大而充滿威脅。他如雲朵般彎下身，舉起一根燃燒的樹枝，大步迎向狼群。牠們在他面前退縮了。他將燃燒的火把高高拋向空中。火把如閃電般突然迸發出白色的光芒；他的聲音如雷鳴般滾滾而來。「Naur an edraith ammen! Naur dan i ngaurhoth!」他呼喊道。一陣轟鳴與爆裂聲響起，他頭頂上的樹木瞬間綻放出令人目眩的火焰之葉與花朵。火焰從一棵樹梢躍至另一棵樹梢。整座山丘都被耀眼的光芒加冕。守護者們的刀劍閃爍不定。勒苟拉斯的最後一箭在飛行中於空中點燃，燃燒著射入一隻巨大狼酋長的心臟。所有其他的狼都逃走了。火焰慢慢熄滅，直到只剩下飄落的灰燼和火花；一股苦澀的濃煙從燒焦的樹樁上繚繞升起，並在黎明第一道微光黯淡地出現在天際時，陰沉地從山丘上吹散。他們的敵人被擊潰了，沒有再回來。「我跟您說了什麼，皮聘先生？」山姆邊說邊將劍歸鞘。「狼群傷不了他。那可真是開了眼界，一點不假！差點把我的頭髮都燒焦了！」當清晨的陽光普照時，已找不到任何狼的蹤跡，他們徒勞地尋找著屍體。除了燒焦的樹木和勒苟拉斯遺留在山頂的箭矢外，戰鬥沒有留下任何痕跡。所有的箭矢都完好無損，只有一支僅剩下箭頭。「正如我所擔心的，」甘道夫說。「這些不是在荒野中覓食的普通野狼。我們趕快吃點東西就走吧！」那天，天氣又變了，幾乎像是在某個力量的命令之下——那個力量既然已讓他們從隘口撤退，便不再需要雪了，而現在希望有清晰的光線，以便能從遠處看見在野外移動的東西。風向已從北方轉變。

300 THE LORD OF THE RINGS 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 hillside, 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 coming 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 come to Moria. Together they led the Company 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 Company 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

三百頁《魔戒》 夜間從西北方吹來的風，現在停了。雲朵向南散去，天空豁然開朗，既高且藍。當他們站在山腰上，準備出發時，一抹蒼白的陽光從山頂上閃耀而下。「我們必須在日落前到達大門，」甘道夫說，「否則我怕我們根本到不了。路不遠，但我們的路徑可能會很曲折，因為在這裡亞拉岡無法引導我們；他很少在這片土地上行走，而我只到過摩瑞亞的西牆下一次，那也是很久以前的事了。」「它就在那裡，」他指著東南方說道，那裡的山脈側面陡峭地落入腳下的陰影中。遠處可以模糊地看到一排光禿禿的懸崖，在它們中間，有一堵比其他都高的巨大灰色牆壁。「當我們離開隘口時，我帶你們往南走，而不是回到我們的出發點，你們有些人可能已經注意到了。我這麼做是明智的，因為現在我們要橫越的距離少了幾英里，而我們需要趕時間。我們走吧！」「我不知道該希望什麼，」波羅莫嚴峻地說：「是希望甘道夫找到他要找的東西，還是希望我們到了懸崖邊發現大門已永遠失落。所有選擇似乎都不好，而最有可能的機會是被困在狼群與高牆之間。帶路吧！」金靂現在走在巫師身邊的前頭，他是如此渴望到達摩瑞亞。他們一起帶領遠征隊返回山脈。從前從西方通往摩瑞亞的唯一道路是沿著一條名為西拉農的溪流，它從靠近大門所在地的懸崖腳下流出。但要不是甘道夫迷了路，就是這片土地近年來改變了；因為他沒有在他預期找到溪流的地方發現它，那裡離他們的起點只有幾英里遠。早晨漸漸接近中午，遠征隊仍然在一片由紅色石頭構成的貧瘠土地上徘徊、攀爬。他們看不到任何水的反光，也聽不到任何水聲。一切都荒涼而乾燥。他們的心沉了下去。他們沒有看到任何生物，天空中也沒有一隻鳥；但如果黑夜在這片迷失的土地上降臨，會帶來什麼，他們誰也不敢去想。突然，一直走在前面的金靂回頭呼喊他們。他正站在一個小圓丘上，指向右邊。他們趕忙上去，看到下方有一條又深又窄的水道。它空無一物，寂靜無聲，在其棕色和紅色斑駁的石頭河床上幾乎沒有一絲水流；但在近側有一條小徑，破損不堪，蜿蜒穿行在一條古老公路的斷垣殘壁和鋪路石之間。「啊！終於找到了！」甘道夫說。「這就是那條溪流過的地方：西拉農，他們過去稱之為門之溪。但是發生了什麼事……」

A JOURNEY IN THE DARK 301 happened to the water, I cannot guess; it used to be swift and noisy. Come! We must hurry on. We are late.’ The Company 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 come. But this way is blocked. None of the Company, 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 Company 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.’

「我猜不到這水發生了什麼事；它過去又急又響。來吧！我們得趕路了。我們遲了。」遠征隊員們腳痛腿乏，但他們仍頑強地沿著崎嶇蜿蜒的小路跋涉了好幾英里。太陽過了正午，開始西沉。短暫停歇、匆匆吃過一餐後，他們又繼續前行。前方的山脈面露不悅，但他們的道路位於一處深長的谷地，只能看見較高的山肩和遠方的東邊山峰。他們終於來到一個急轉彎處。那條路先前一直在河道邊緣和左側的陡坡之間向南偏斜，此時轉向，再次筆直朝東而去。轉過彎角，他們看見前方有一座低矮的懸崖，約有五英尋高，頂部破碎崎嶇。一道涓涓細流從崖上滴下，流經一道寬闊的裂縫，那裂縫看來是由一度強勁豐沛的瀑布沖刷而成。「情況確實變了！」甘道夫說。「但這地方錯不了。這就是階梯瀑布僅存的遺跡。如果我沒記錯，旁邊的岩石上曾鑿有一段階梯，但主路向左蜿蜒，繞了幾個彎爬升到頂部的平地。瀑布後面曾經有一片淺谷，一直延伸到摩瑞亞之牆，銀光河從中流過，路就在河邊。我們去看看現在是什麼樣子吧！」他們毫不費力地找到了石階，金靂迅速地跳了上去，甘道夫和佛羅多緊隨其後。當他們到達頂部時，發現那條路已無法再走，而大門溪流乾涸的原因也揭曉了。在他們身後，下沉的太陽將清冷的西天染上閃爍的金黃。在他們面前，橫亙著一片幽暗死寂的湖泊。天空和日落都未映照在它陰沉的湖面上。銀光河被築了壩，填滿了整個山谷。在那不祥的水域彼岸，聳立著巨大的懸崖，它們嚴峻的面容在漸逝的光線中顯得蒼白：那是最終的、無法逾越的障礙。佛羅多在那令人望而生畏的岩石上看不到任何大門或入口的跡象，連一道裂縫或縫隙都沒有。「那就是摩瑞亞之牆，」甘道夫指著水對岸說。「那裡曾一度矗立著大門，就是我們從冬青郡一路走來的路盡頭的精靈之門。但這條路被堵住了。我猜，遠征隊裡沒有人想在一天結束時游過這片陰森的湖水。它看起來很不祥。」「我們必須找到繞過北邊的路，」金靂說。「遠征隊首先要做的，是沿著主路爬上去，看看那會帶我們到哪裡。就算沒有湖，我們也沒法把載行李的小馬牽上這段階梯。」

302 THE LORD OF THE RINGS ‘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 companion, 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 Company, 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 Company, 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 between the lake and the cliffs: it was narrow, often hardly a dozen yards across, and encumbered with fallen rock and stones; but they found a way, hugging the cliff, and keeping as far from the dark water as they might. A mile southwards along the shore they came upon holly trees. Stumps and dead boughs were rotting in the shallows, the

「但無論如何，我們不能把這可憐的牲口帶進礦坑裡，」甘道夫說。「山底下的路是一條黑暗的路，有些地方又窄又陡，就算我們能走，牠也踩不過去。」「可憐的老比爾！」佛羅多說。「我倒沒想到這點。還有可憐的山姆！不知道他會說什麼？」「我很遺憾，」甘道夫說。「老比爾是個很有用的夥伴，現在要拋下牠，我心裡很難受。要是我能作主，我會輕裝簡行，不帶任何動物，更別說是山姆這麼喜歡的這一隻了。我一路上都擔心我們將被迫走這條路。」當遠征隊盡其所能地爬上斜坡，來到湖邊時，天色已近黃昏，日落餘暉之上的高空中，冰冷的星辰正閃爍著光芒。湖最寬處看起來不過兩三個弗隆。在漸逝的光線中，他們看不清湖水向南延伸多遠；但湖的北端離他們站立之處不過半英里，而在環繞山谷的石脊與水邊之間，有一圈開闊的地面。他們趕緊向前走，因為他們還得走上一兩英里，才能到達甘道夫正要前往的對岸那點；然後他還得找到大門。當他們來到湖的最北角時，發現一條狹窄的小溪擋住了去路。溪水呈綠色，停滯不動，像一隻黏滑的手臂伸向環抱的群山。金靂毫不畏縮地大步向前，發現水很淺，岸邊只到腳踝深。他們在他身後排成一列，小心翼翼地穿行，因為長滿水草的水池下是滑膩的石頭，腳下很容易滑倒。佛羅多一接觸到那黑暗污濁的溪水，便厭惡地打了個哆嗦。當遠征隊最後一員山姆，把比爾牽上對岸的乾地時，傳來一陣輕微的聲響：一聲唰，接著一聲噗通，彷彿有條魚驚擾了平靜的水面。他們迅速轉身，看見在漸弱的光線下，一圈圈鑲著黑影的漣漪：巨大的環狀波紋從湖心遠處擴散開來。一陣冒泡聲響起，然後歸於寂靜。暮色加深，最後一絲落日餘暉也被雲層遮蔽。甘道夫現在加快了腳步，其他人也盡快跟上。他們到達了湖與懸崖之間那片狹長的乾地：它很窄，寬度時常不到十二碼，還堆滿了落石；但他們貼著崖壁，盡可能遠離那片黑水，找到了一條路。沿著岸邊向南走了一英里，他們看到了一些冬青樹。殘幹枯枝在淺水中腐爛，

A JOURNEY IN THE DARK 303 remains it seemed of old thickets, or of a hedge that had once lined the road across the drowned valley. But close under the cliff there stood, still strong and living, two tall trees, larger than any trees of holly that Frodo had ever seen or imagined. Their great roots spread from the wall to the water. Under the looming cliffs they had looked like mere bushes, when seen far off from the top of the Stair; but now they towered overhead, stiff, dark, and silent, throwing deep night-shadows about their feet, standing like sentinel pillars at the end of the road. ‘Well, here we are at last!’ said Gandalf. ‘Here the Elven-way from Hollin ended. Holly was the token of the people of that land, and they planted it here to mark the end of their domain; for the West-door was made chiefly for their use in their traffic with the Lords of Moria. Those were happier days, when there was still close friendship at times between folk of different race, even between Dwarves and Elves.’ ‘It was not the fault of the Dwarves that the friendship waned,’ said Gimli. ‘I have not heard that it was the fault of the Elves,’ said Legolas. ‘I have heard both,’ said Gandalf; ‘and I will not give judgement now. But I beg you two, Legolas and Gimli, at least to be friends, and to help me. I need you both. The doors are shut and hidden, and the sooner we find them the better. Night is at hand!’ Turning to the others he said: ‘While I am searching, will you each make ready to enter the Mines? For here I fear we must say farewell to our good beast of burden. You must lay aside much of the stuff that we brought against bitter weather: you will not need it inside, nor, I hope, when we come through and journey on down into the South. Instead each of us must take a share of what the pony carried, especially the food and the water-skins.’ ‘But you can’t leave poor old Bill behind in this forsaken place, Mr. Gandalf!’ cried Sam, angry and distressed. ‘I won’t have it, and that’s flat. After he has come so far and all!’ ‘I am sorry, Sam,’ said the wizard. ‘But when the Door opens I do not think you will be able to drag your Bill inside, into the long dark of Moria. You will have to choose between Bill and your master.’ ‘He’d follow Mr. Frodo into a dragon’s den, if I led him,’ protested Sam. ‘It’d be nothing short of murder to turn him loose with all these wolves about.’ ‘It will be short of murder, I hope,’ said Gandalf. He laid his hand on the pony’s head, and spoke in a low voice. ‘Go with words of guard and guiding on you,’ he said. ‘You are a wise beast, and have learned much in Rivendell. Make your ways to places where you can find grass, and so come in time to Elrond’s house, or wherever you wish to go.

在黑暗中的旅程 303 頁，那裡似乎有古老灌木叢的殘跡，或是一道曾經沿著被淹沒的山谷劃過路邊的樹籬。但在懸崖正下方，矗立著兩棵高大的樹，依然強壯而充滿生機，比佛羅多見過或想像過的任何冬青樹都還要巨大。牠們巨大的根從岩壁延伸到水中。從階梯頂端遠眺時，在若隱若現的懸崖下，牠們看起來只不過是些灌木叢；但現在牠們高聳於頭頂，挺拔、黝黑而靜默，在腳下投下深沉的夜影，像哨兵石柱般矗立在路的盡頭。 『唉，我們總算到了！』甘道夫說。『從伊瑞詹來的精靈之道到此為止。冬青是那片土地人民的標記，他們將它種在這裡，標示他們疆域的終點；因為西門主要是為了他們與摩瑞亞之王的貿易往來而建的。那曾是更快樂的時光，那時不同種族的子民之間，甚至矮人與精靈之間，仍時有深厚的友誼。』 『友誼的消退並不是矮人的錯。』金靂說。 『我也沒聽說是精靈的錯。』勒苟拉斯說。 『兩種說法我都聽過，』甘道夫說；『而我現在不打算做出評判。但我懇求你們兩位，勒苟拉斯和金靂，至少成為朋友，並幫助我。我需要你們倆。門被關閉並隱藏了起來，我們越快找到越好。夜晚就快來了！』 他轉向其他人說：『在我尋找的時候，你們各位能否準備好進入礦坑？因為恐怕我們必須在這裡告別我們的好馱獸了。你們必須捨棄許多我們為抵禦嚴寒天氣帶來的東西：你們在裡面用不到，我也希望，當我們穿過礦坑，繼續向南旅行時也用不到。相反地，我們每個人都必須分擔一些小馬背負的東西，特別是食物和水袋。』 『可是你不能把可憐的老比爾丟在這個鳥不生蛋的地方啊，甘道夫先生！』山姆又氣又心疼地喊道。『我絕不答應，這事沒得商量。牠跟著我們走了這麼遠的路！』 『我很抱歉，山姆，』巫師說。『但當門打開時，我想你沒辦法把你的比爾拖進去，拖進摩瑞亞漫長的黑暗中。你必須在比爾和你的主人之間做出選擇。』 『只要我牽著牠，牠會跟著佛羅多先生進龍穴的。』山姆抗議道。『把牠放走，周圍都是狼，這簡直就是謀殺。』 『我希望不至於到謀殺的地步。』甘道夫說。他把手放在小馬的頭上，低聲說道。『願守護與指引的話語伴隨著你。』他說。『你是一頭聰明的牲口，在瑞文戴爾學到了很多。自己想辦法去有草的地方，然後及時回到愛隆的家，或任何你想去的地方。

304 THE LORD OF THE RINGS “There, Sam! He will have quite as much chance of escaping wolves and getting home as we have.’ Sam stood sullenly by the pony and returned no answer. Bill, seeming to understand well what was going on, nuzzled up to him, putting his nose to Sam’s ear. Sam burst into tears, and fumbled with the straps, unlading all the pony’s packs and throwing them on the ground. The others sorted out the goods, making a pile of all that could be left behind, and dividing up the rest. When this was done they turned to watch Gandalf. He appeared to have done nothing. He was standing between the two trees gazing at the blank wall of the cliff, as if he would bore a hole into it with his eyes. Gimli was wandering about, tapping the stone here and there with his axe. Legolas was pressed against the rock, as if listening. ‘Well, here we are and all ready,’ said Merry; ‘but where are the Doors? I can’t see any sign of them.’ ‘Dwarf-doors are not made to be seen when shut,’ said Gimli. “They are invisible, and their own makers cannot find them or open them, if their secret is forgotten.’ ‘But this Door was not made to be a secret known only to Dwarves,’ said Gandalf, coming suddenly to life and turning round. ‘Unless things are altogether changed, eyes that know what to look for may discover the signs.’ He walked forward to the wall. Right between the shadow of the trees there was a smooth space, and over this he passed his hands to and fro, muttering words under his breath. Then he stepped back. ‘Look!’ he said. ‘Can you see anything now?’ The Moon now shone upon the grey face of the rock; but they could see nothing else for a while. Then slowly on the surface, where the wizard’s hands had passed, faint lines appeared, like slender veins of silver running in the stone. At first they were no more than pale gossamer-threads, so fine that they only twinkled fitfully where the Moon caught them, but steadily they grew broader and clearer, until their design could be guessed. At the top, as high as Gandalf could reach, was an arch of interlacing letters in an Elvish character. Below, though the threads were in places blurred or broken, the outline could be seen of an anvil and a hammer surmounted by a crown with seven stars. Beneath these again were two trees, each bearing crescent moons. More clearly than all else there shone forth in the middle of the door a single star with many rays. “There are the emblems of Durin!’ cried Gimli. ‘And there is the Tree of the High Elves!’ said Legolas. ‘And the Star of the House of Féanor,’ said Gandalf. “They are wrought of ithildin that mirrors only starlight and moonlight, and

「好了，山姆！牠逃離狼群平安回家的機會，跟我們一樣大。」山姆悶悶不樂地站在小馬旁邊，沒有回答。比爾似乎很懂發生了什麼事，挨近他，把鼻子湊到山姆耳邊。山姆突然哭了出來，笨手笨腳地解開皮帶，把小馬身上所有的行李都卸下來，扔在地上。其他人整理了貨物，把所有可以留下的東西堆成一堆，其餘的則分給大家。做完這些後，他們轉頭看著甘道夫。他似乎什麼也沒做。他站在兩棵樹之間，凝視著光禿禿的崖壁，彷彿要用眼神在上面鑽出一個洞來。金靂在四處走動，用斧頭這裡敲敲、那裡敲敲石頭。勒苟拉斯則貼著岩石，像是在傾聽。「好了，我們都準備好了，」梅里說，「可是門在哪裡？我完全看不到任何跡象。」「矮人門在關閉時是看不見的，」金靂說。「它們是隱形的，如果秘密被遺忘，就連製造者自己也找不到或打不開。」「但這扇門並不是只為矮人所知的秘密，」甘道夫突然活躍起來，轉過身說。「除非情況完全改變，否則知道要找什麼的眼睛，就能發現那些標記。」他走向牆壁。就在兩棵樹的陰影之間，有一片光滑的區域，他用手在上面來回撫摸，口中低聲念著咒語。然後他退後一步。「看！」他說。「現在你們能看到什麼嗎？」月光此刻照在灰色的岩面上；但一時之間他們什麼也沒看到。然後，在巫師雙手撫過的地方，表面慢慢浮現出淡淡的線條，像是石頭中細細的銀色紋路。起初，它們不過是蒼白的蛛絲，細得只有在月光照到時才會斷斷續續地閃爍，但它們穩定地變得更寬、更清晰，直到能猜出它們的圖案。在頂部，甘道夫伸手可及的高度，是一個由精靈文字交織成的拱門。下方，雖然線條在某些地方模糊或斷裂，但仍可看出一個鐵砧和一把錘子的輪廓，上面頂著一頂有七顆星的皇冠。再往下是兩棵樹，每棵樹上都掛著新月。比其他所有圖案都更清晰的，是門中央閃耀著一顆光芒四射的單星。「那是都靈的徽記！」金靂喊道。「還有高等精靈的聖樹！」勒苟拉斯說。「以及費諾家族的星辰，」甘道夫說。「它們是用『伊希爾丁』打造的，這種物質只會反射星光和月光，而且⋯⋯

Rere’is written in the Feinorian characters agcordto the mode’of Beleriand: Ennyn Durin Aran oria: pedo mellon aminno.}m arvi hainec ant: Celebrimboro Ereaion teithant i thiwhi

此處以費艾諾文字、依循貝爾蘭模式書寫著：都靈之門，摩瑞亞之王。說聲『朋友』，然後進來。我，那維，造了它們。伊瑞詹的凱勒布理鵬繪製了這些符號。

306 THE LORD OF THE RINGS sleeps until it is touched by one who speaks words now long forgotten in Middle-earth. It is long since I heard them, and I thought deeply before I could recall them to my mind.’ ‘What does the writing say?’ asked Frodo, who was trying to decipher the inscription on the arch. ‘I thought I knew the elf-letters, but I cannot read these.’ “The words are in the elven-tongue of the West of Middle-earth in the Elder Days,’ answered Gandalf. ‘But they do not say anything of importance to us. They say only: The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter. And underneath small and faint is written: I, Narvi, made them. Celebrimbor of Hollin drew these signs.’ ‘What does it mean by speak, friend, and enter?’ asked Merry. “That is plain enough,’ said Gimli. ‘If you are a friend, speak the password, and the doors will open, and you can enter.’ “Yes,” said Gandalf, ‘these doors are probably governed by words. Some dwarf-gates will open only at special times, or for particular persons; and some have locks and keys that are still needed when all necessary times and words are known. These doors have no key. In the days of Durin they were not secret. They usually stood open and doorwards sat here. But if they were shut, any who knew the opening word could speak it and pass in. At least so it is recorded, is it not, Gimli?’ ‘It is,’ said the dwarf. ‘But what the word was is not remembered. Narvi and his craft and all his kindred have vanished from the earth.’ “But do not you know the word, Gandalf?’ asked Boromir in surprise. ‘No!’ said the wizard. The others looked dismayed; only Aragorn, who knew Gandalf well, remained silent and unmoved. “Then what was the use of bringing us to this accursed spot?’ cried Boromir, glancing back with a shudder at the dark water. ‘You told us that you had once passed through the Mines. How could that be, if you did not know how to enter?’ ‘The answer to your first question, Boromir,’ said the wizard, ‘is that I do not know the word — yet. But we shall soon see. And,’ he added, with a glint in his eyes under their bristling brows, ‘you may ask what is the use of my deeds when they are proved useless. As for your other question: do you doubt my tale? Or have you no wits left? I did not enter this way. I came from the East. ‘If you wish to know, I will tell you that these doors open outwards. From the inside you may thrust them open with your hands. From the outside nothing will move them save the spell of command. They cannot be forced inwards.’ ‘What are you going to do then?’ asked Pippin, undaunted by the wizard’s bristling brows.

……直到被一個說著中土世界早已遺忘的詞語的人觸碰才會甦醒。我已經很久沒聽到那些詞了，我深思了許久才把它們回憶起來。」 「那段文字說了什麼？」佛羅多問，他正試圖破解拱門上的銘文。「我以為我認識精靈字母，但我讀不懂這些。」 「這些詞語是上古時代中土大陸西方的精靈語，」甘道夫回答。「但它們說的內容對我們來說並不重要。它們只寫著：『都靈之門，摩瑞亞之王。說吧，朋友，然後進入。』而在底下，用微小模糊的字跡寫著：『我，納維，建造此門。伊瑞詹的凱勒布理鵬繪製這些符號。』」 「『說吧，朋友，然後進入』是什麼意思？」梅里問。 「那很清楚，」金靂說。「如果你是朋友，說出密語，門就會打開，你就可以進去。」 「是的，」甘道夫說，「這些門很可能是由詞語控制的。有些矮人門只在特定時間、或為特定的人開啟；有些則在所有必要的時間和詞語都已知的情況下，仍需要鎖和鑰匙。這扇門沒有鑰匙。在都靈的時代，它們不是秘密。它們通常是敞開的，門口有守衛坐鎮。但如果關上了，任何知道開門詞語的人都可以說出來然後進入。至少記錄是這麼說的，對吧，金靂？」 「是的，」矮人說。「但那個詞是什麼已經沒人記得了。納維和他的技藝以及他所有的族人都已從世上消失。」 「但你也不知道那個詞嗎，甘道夫？」波羅莫驚訝地問。 「不知道！」巫師說。 其他人看起來很沮喪；只有亞拉岡，他很了解甘道夫，保持沉默，不動聲色。 「那你帶我們來這個該死的地方有什麼用？」波羅莫大喊，他顫抖地回頭看著那片黑色的水。「你告訴我們你曾經穿過礦坑。如果你不知道怎麼進去，那怎麼可能？」 「對於你的第一個問題，波羅莫，」巫師說，「答案是我還不知道那個詞——但我們很快就會知道了。而且，」他補充道，在他豎起的眉毛下，眼中閃過一絲光芒，「當我的行為被證明是無用之時，你再來問我有什麼用。至於你的另一個問題：你懷疑我的故事嗎？還是你已經沒有腦子了？我不是從這邊進來的。我是從東方來的。」 「如果你想知道，我告訴你，這些門是向外開的。從裡面，你可以用手把它們推開。從外面，除了命令的咒語，沒有任何東西能移動它們。它們無法被向內強行推開。」 「那你接下來打算怎麼做？」皮聘問，他並未被巫師豎起的眉毛嚇倒。

A JOURNEY IN THE DARK 307 ‘Knock on the doors with your head, Peregrin Took,’ said Gandalf. ‘But if that does not shatter them, and I am allowed a little peace from foolish questions, I will seek for the opening words. ‘I once knew every spell in all the tongues of Elves or Men or Orcs, that was ever used for such a purpose. I can still remember ten score of them without searching in my mind. But only a few trials, I think, will be needed; and I shall not have to call on Gimli for words of the secret dwarf-tongue that they teach to none. The opening words were Elvish, like the writing on the arch: that seems certain.’ He stepped up to the rock again, and lightly touched with his staff the silver star in the middle beneath the sign of the anvil. Annon edhellen, edro hi ammen! Fennas nogothrim, lasto beth lammen! he said in a commanding voice. The silver lines faded, but the blank grey stone did not stir. Many times he repeated these words in different order, or varied them. Then he tried other spells, one after another, speaking now faster and louder, now soft and slow. Then he spoke many single words of Elvish speech. Nothing happened. The cliff towered into the night, the countless stars were kindled, the wind blew cold, and the doors stood fast. Again Gandalf approached the wall, and lifting up his arms he spoke in tones of command and rising wrath. Edro, edro! he cried, and struck the rock with his staff. Open, open! he shouted, and followed it with the same command in every language that had ever been spoken in the West of Middle-earth. Then he threw his staff on the ground, and sat down in silence. At that moment from far off the wind bore to their listening ears the howling of wolves. Bill the pony started in fear, and Sam sprang to his side and whispered softly to him. ‘Do not let him run away!’ said Boromir. ‘It seems that we shall need him still, if the wolves do not find us. How I hate this foul pool!’ He stooped and picking up a large stone he cast it far into the dark water. The stone vanished with a soft slap; but at the same instant there was a swish and a bubble. Great rippling rings formed on the surface out beyond where the stone had fallen, and they moved slowly towards the foot of the cliff. ‘Why did you do that, Boromir?’ said Frodo. ‘I hate this place, too, and I am afraid. I don’t know of what: not of wolves, or the

「黑暗中的旅程 307 『用你的頭去敲門吧，皮瑞格林・圖克，』甘道夫說。『但如果那樣還敲不碎它們，而我也能從愚蠢的問題中得到一點安寧，我就會去尋找開門的咒語。』『我曾經知道所有精靈、人類或半獸人語中，曾用於此類目的的每一個咒語。我現在不費吹灰之力就能記起兩百個。但我想只需要試幾次就夠了；我也不必去向金靂求教他們從不外傳的秘密矮人語。開門的咒語是精靈語，就像門拱上的文字一樣：這點看來是肯定的。』他又走近岩石，用他的法杖輕輕觸碰鐵砧標誌下方中央的銀星。『Annon edhellen, edro hi ammen! Fennas nogothrim, lasto beth lammen!』他用命令的口吻說道。銀色的線條褪去了，但空白的灰色岩石卻紋風不動。他多次以不同的順序重複這些詞語，或加以變化。然後他嘗試了其他的咒語，一個接一個，時而說得又快又大聲，時而又輕又慢。接著他又說了許多單一的精靈語詞彙。什麼也沒發生。懸崖高聳入夜，無數的星辰被點燃，冷風吹拂，而大門依然緊閉。甘道夫再次走近石壁，舉起雙臂，用命令和漸增怒氣的語氣說話。『Edro, edro!』他喊道，並用法杖敲打岩石。『開門，開門！』他大叫，接著用中土大陸西部曾說過的每一種語言重複了同樣的命令。然後他把法杖扔在地上，默默地坐了下來。就在那時，遠處的風將狼嚎聲傳到他們聆聽的耳中。小馬比爾嚇得一驚，山姆跳到牠身邊，輕聲對牠耳語。『別讓牠跑了！』波羅莫說。『看來如果狼沒找上我們，我們還需要牠。我真討厭這個骯髒的水池！』他彎下腰，撿起一顆大石頭，遠遠地扔進黑水裡。石頭消失時發出輕微的拍擊聲；但同一瞬間，傳來一陣嗖嗖聲和冒泡聲。巨大的漣漪在石頭落水處之外的水面形成，並緩緩地向崖腳移動。『你為什麼要那麼做，波羅莫？』佛羅多說。『我也討厭這個地方，而且我很害怕。我不知道怕什麼：不是怕狼，也不是怕……』

308 THE LORD OF THE RINGS dark behind the doors, but of something else. I am afraid of the pool. Don’t disturb it!’ ‘I wish we could get away!’ said Merry. ‘Why doesn’t Gandalf do something quick?’ said Pippin. Gandalf took no notice of them. He sat with his head bowed, either in despair or in anxious thought. The mournful howling of the wolves was heard again. The ripples on the water grew and came closer; some were already lapping on the shore. With a suddenness that startled them all the wizard sprang to his feet. He was laughing! ‘I have it!’ he cried. ‘Of course, of course! Absurdly simple, like most riddles when you see the answer.’ Picking up his staff he stood before the rock and said in a clear voice: Mellon! The star shone out briefly and faded again. Then silently a great doorway was outlined, though not a crack or joint had been visible before. Slowly it divided in the middle and swung outwards inch by inch, until both doors lay back against the wall. Through the opening a shadowy stair could be seen climbing steeply up; but beyond the lower steps the darkness was deeper than the night. The Company stared in wonder. ‘I was wrong after all,’ said Gandalf, ‘and Gimli too. Merry, of all people, was on the right track. The opening word was inscribed on the archway all the time! The translation should have been: Say “Friend”? and enter. I had only to speak the Elvish word for friend and the doors opened. Quite simple. Too simple for a learned loremaster in these suspicious days. Those were happier times. Now let us go!’ He strode forward and set his foot on the lowest step. But at that moment several things happened. Frodo felt something seize him by the ankle, and he fell with a cry. Bill the pony gave a wild neigh of fear, and turned tail and dashed away along the lakeside into the darkness. Sam leaped after him, and then hearing Frodo’s cry he ran back again, weeping and cursing. The others swung round and saw the waters of the lake seething, as if a host of snakes were swimming up from the southern end. Out from the water a long sinuous tentacle had crawled; it was pale-green and luminous and wet. Its fingered end had hold of Frodo’s foot, and was dragging him into the water. Sam on his knees was now slashing at it with a knife. The arm let go of Frodo, and Sam pulled him away, crying out for help. Twenty other arms came rippling out. The dark water boiled, and there was a hideous stench. ‘Into the gateway! Up the stairs! Quick!’ shouted Gandalf leaping

門後不是黑暗，而是別的東西。我怕那個水池。別驚動它！」 「真希望我們能離開這裡！」梅里說。 「甘道夫為什麼不快點想個辦法？」皮聘說。 甘道夫沒有理會他們。他低著頭坐著，不知是出於絕望，還是焦慮地思索著。遠處又傳來狼群哀戚的嚎叫。水面上的漣漪越來越大，也越來越近；有些已經拍打到岸邊了。 巫師突然一躍而起，把所有人都嚇了一跳。他竟然在笑！ 「我想到了！」他喊道。「當然，當然！簡單得荒謬，就像大多數謎語，一旦你知道答案就覺得很簡單。」 他拿起法杖，站在岩石前，用清晰的聲音說道：Mellon！ 那顆星短暫地亮了一下，又黯淡下去。接著，一道巨大的門廊輪廓悄然浮現，儘管之前連一絲裂縫或接縫都看不見。它緩緩地從中間分開，一寸寸地向外打開，直到兩扇門都靠在牆上。從門口望進去，可以看到一道陰暗的階梯陡峭地向上延伸；但在最下幾級台階之上，是比黑夜更深的黑暗。 遠征隊員們驚奇地凝視著。 「我終究是錯了，」甘道夫說，「金靂也是。所有人當中，反倒是梅里走對了方向。開門的詞一直都刻在拱門上！那段銘文應該翻譯成：說出『朋友』然後進入。我只需要說出精靈語中『朋友』這個詞，門就開了。很簡單。對於一個在這種多疑時代學識淵博的智者來說，實在太簡單了。那時是更快樂的年代。現在我們走吧！」 他大步向前，把腳踏上最低一級台階。但就在那一刻，好幾件事情同時發生了。佛羅多感覺有東西抓住了他的腳踝，他驚叫一聲摔倒在地。小馬比爾發出驚恐的狂嘶，轉身沿著湖邊衝入黑暗中。山姆追著牠跳了過去，但聽到佛羅多的哭喊後，又哭著咒罵著跑了回來。其他人轉過身，看見湖水正劇烈翻騰，彷彿有一大群蛇從南端游了上來。 一條長而彎曲的觸手從水中爬出；它是淺綠色的，發著光，濕漉漉的。它那指狀的末端抓住了佛羅多的腳，正把他拖進水裡。山姆跪在地上，正用小刀猛砍那隻觸手。 那隻手臂放開了佛羅多，山姆把他拉開，大聲呼救。另外二十隻手臂也如波浪般伸了出來。黑色的湖水沸騰著，散發出一股可怕的惡臭。 「進門！上樓梯！快！」甘道夫大喊著，縱身一躍。

A JOURNEY IN THE DARK 309 back. Rousing them from the horror that seemed to have rooted all but Sam to the ground where they stood, he drove them forward. They were just in time. Sam and Frodo were only a few steps up, and Gandalf had just begun to climb, when the groping tentacles writhed across the narrow shore and fingered the cliff-wall and the doors. One came wriggling over the threshold, glistening in the starlight. Gandalf turned and paused. If he was considering what word would close the gate again from within, there was no need. Many coiling arms seized the doors on either side, and with horrible strength, swung them round. With a shattering echo they slammed, and all light was lost. A noise of rending and crashing came dully through the ponderous stone. Sam, clinging to Frodo’s arm, collapsed on a step in the black darkness. ‘Poor old Bill!’ he said in a choking voice. ‘Poor old Bill! Wolves and snakes! But the snakes were too much for him. I had to choose, Mr. Frodo. I had to come with you.’ They heard Gandalf go back down the steps and thrust his staff against the doors. There was a quiver in the stone and the stairs trembled, but the doors did not open. ‘Well, well!’ said the wizard. ‘The passage is blocked behind us now, and there is only one way out — on the other side of the mountains. I fear from the sounds that boulders have been piled up, and the trees uprooted and thrown across the gate. I am sorry; for the trees were beautiful, and had stood so long.’ ‘I felt that something horrible was near from the moment that my foot first touched the water,’ said Frodo. ‘What was the thing, or were there many of them?’ ‘I do not know,’ answered Gandalf; ‘but the arms were all guided by one purpose. Something has crept, or has been driven out of dark waters under the mountains. There are older and fouler things than Orcs in the deep places of the world.’ He did not speak aloud his thought that whatever it was that dwelt in the lake, it had seized on Frodo first among all the Company. Boromir muttered under his breath, but the echoing stone magnified the sound to a hoarse whisper that all could hear: ‘In the deep places of the world! And thither we are going against my wish. Who will lead us now in this deadly dark?’ ‘I will,’ said Gandalf, ‘and Gimli shall walk with me. Follow my staff!’ As the wizard passed on ahead up the great steps, he held his staff aloft, and from its tip there came a faint radiance. The wide stairway was sound and undamaged. Two hundred steps they counted, broad

他將他們從那似乎已將除了山姆以外所有人都釘在原地的恐懼中喚醒，驅使他們前進。他們正好趕上。山姆和佛羅多才往上走了幾步，甘道夫也剛開始攀爬，這時，那些摸索的觸手就在狹窄的岸邊扭動，撫過崖壁和門。一隻觸手蠕動著越過門檻，在星光下閃著濕滑的光。甘道夫轉身停下。如果他正在考慮該用什麼話語從內部再次關上大門，那已經沒有必要了。許多盤繞的手臂從兩側抓住了門，用可怕的力量將它們甩了回來。隨著一聲震耳欲聾的回響，門砰地關上，所有的光線都消失了。撕裂和撞擊的聲音沉悶地穿過厚重的石門傳來。山姆緊抓著佛羅多手臂，在漆黑中癱倒在一級台階上。『可憐的老比爾！』他用哽咽的聲音說。『可憐的老比爾！狼和蛇！但那些蛇對牠來說太可怕了。我必須做選擇，佛羅多先生。我必須跟您走。』他們聽到甘道夫走下台階，用他的法杖抵住門。石頭顫動了一下，階梯也跟著搖晃，但門沒有打開。『好吧，好吧！』巫師說。『我們身後的通道現在被堵住了，只有一條出路——在山的另一邊。從聲音聽來，我擔心有巨石被堆起來，樹木被連根拔起，扔到了門口。我很抱歉；因為那些樹很美，而且已經矗立了那麼久。』『從我腳一碰到水的那一刻起，我就感覺到有可怕的東西在附近，』佛羅多說。『那是什麼東西？還是一大群？』『我不知道，』甘道夫回答；『但那些手臂都受同一個意志引導。有東西從山下的黑暗水域爬了出來，或是被驅趕出來。在這世界深處，有比半獸人更古老、更污穢的東西。』他沒有把心裡的想法說出來：無論湖裡住的是什麼，它在整個遠征隊中第一個抓住的是佛羅多。波羅莫低聲咕噥著，但回響的石頭將聲音放大成所有人都聽得見的沙啞耳語：『在世界的深處！而我們正違背我的意願往那裡去。在這致命的黑暗中，現在誰來帶領我們？』『我來，』甘道夫說，『金靂將與我同行。跟著我的法杖！』巫師走上巨大的階梯，走在最前面，他高舉法杖，杖頭散發出微弱的光芒。寬闊的階梯完好無損。他們數了兩百階，寬闊

310 THE LORD OF THE RINGS and shallow; and at the top they found an arched passage with a level floor leading on into the dark. ‘Let us sit and rest and have something to eat, here on the landing, since we can’t find a dining-room!’ said Frodo. He had begun to shake off the terror of the clutching arm, and suddenly he felt extremely hungry. The proposal was welcomed by all; and they sat down on the upper steps, dim figures in the gloom. After they had eaten, Gandalf gave them each a third sip of the miruvor of Rivendell. ‘It will not last much longer, I am afraid,’ he said; ‘but I think we need it after that horror at the gate. And unless we have great luck, we shall need all that is left before we see the other side! Go carefully with the water, too! There are many streams and wells in the Mines, but they should not be touched. We may not have a chance of filling our skins and bottles till we come down into Dimrill Dale.’ ‘How long is that going to take us?’ asked Frodo. ‘I cannot say,’ answered Gandalf. ‘It depends on many chances. But going straight, without mishap or losing our way, we shall take three or four marches, I expect. It cannot be less than forty miles from Westdoor to East-gate in a direct line, and the road may wind much.’ After only a brief rest they started on their way again. All were eager to get the journey over as quickly as possible, and were willing, tired as they were, to go on marching still for several hours. Gandalf walked in front as before. In his left hand he held up his glimmering staff, the light of which just showed the ground before his feet; in his right he held his sword Glamdring. Behind him came Gimli, his eyes glinting in the dim light as he turned his head from side to side. Behind the dwarf walked Frodo, and he had drawn the short sword, Sting. No gleam came from the blades of Sting or of Glamdring; and that was some comfort, for being the work of Elvish smiths in the Elder Days these swords shone with a cold light, if any Orcs were near at hand. Behind Frodo went Sam, and after him Legolas, and the young hobbits, and Boromir. In the dark at the rear, grim and silent, walked Aragorn. The passage twisted round a few turns, and then began to descend. It went steadily down for a long while before it became level once again. The air grew hot and stifling, but it was not foul, and at times they felt currents of cooler air upon their faces, issuing from half-guessed openings in the walls. There were many of these. In the pale ray of the wizard’s staff, Frodo caught glimpses of stairs and arches, and of other passages and tunnels, sloping up, or running steeply down, or opening blankly dark on either side. It was bewildering beyond hope of remembering.

A JOURNEY IN THE DARK 311 Gimli aided Gandalf very little, except by his stout courage. At least he was not, as were most of the others, troubled by the mere darkness in itself. Often the wizard consulted him at points where the choice of way was doubtful; but it was always Gandalf who had the final word. The Mines of Moria were vast and intricate beyond the imagination of Gimli, Gloin’s son, dwarf of the mountain-race though he was. To Gandalf the far-off memories of a journey long before were now of little help, but even in the gloom and despite all windings of the road he knew whither he wished to go, and he did not falter, as long as there was a path that led towards his goal. ‘Do not be afraid!’ said Aragorn. There was a pause longer than usual, and Gandalf and Gimli were whispering together; the others were crowded behind, waiting anxiously. ‘Do not be afraid! I have been with him on many a journey, if never on one so dark; and there are tales in Rivendell of greater deeds of his than any that I have seen. He will not go astray — if there is any path to find. He has led us in here against our fears, but he will lead us out again, at whatever cost to himself. He is surer of finding the way home in a blind night than the cats of Queen Bertthiel.’ It was well for the Company that they had such a guide. They had no fuel nor any means of making torches; in the desperate scramble at the doors many things had been left behind. But without any light they would soon have come to grief. There were not only many roads to choose from, there were also in many places holes and pitfalls, and dark wells beside the path in which their passing feet echoed. There were fissures and chasms in the walls and floor, and every now and then a crack would open right before their feet. The widest was more than seven feet across, and it was long before Pippin could summon enough courage to leap over the dreadful gap. The noise of churning water came up from far below, as if some great mill-wheel was turning in the depths. ‘Rope!’ muttered Sam. ‘I knew I’d want it, if I hadn’t got it!’ As these dangers became more frequent their march became slower. Already they seemed to have been tramping on, on, endlessly to the mountains’ roots. They were more than weary, and yet there seemed no comfort in the thought of halting anywhere. Frodo’s spirits had risen for a while after his escape, and after food and a draught of the cordial; but now a deep uneasiness, growing to dread, crept over him again. Though he had been healed in Rivendell of the knife-stroke, that grim wound had not been without effect. His senses were sharper and more aware of things that could not be seen. One sign of change that he soon had noticed was that he could see more

金靂對甘道夫的幫助甚微，除了他堅定不移的勇氣。至少他不像其他人那樣，單單因為黑暗本身而感到困擾。在選擇道路有所懷疑之處，巫師時常會諮詢他；但總是甘道夫擁有最終的決定權。摩瑞亞礦坑的廣闊與複雜，遠超出葛羅音之子金靂的想像，儘管他身為山中矮人一族。對甘道夫而言，許久之前一次旅程的遙遠記憶如今已無甚幫助，但即使在幽暗之中，儘管道路百轉千迴，他仍清楚自己想往何處去，而且只要有路通往他的目標，他便毫不遲疑。「別害怕！」亞拉岡說。一陣比平時更長的停頓，甘道夫和金靂正低聲交談；其他人焦急地擠在後頭等待。「別害怕！我曾與他共度許多旅程，雖然從未有過如此黑暗的一次；而且瑞文戴爾流傳著他更偉大的事蹟，遠勝我所親見。他不會迷路的——只要有路可尋。他違背我們的恐懼帶我們進來，但也必會帶我們出去，無論自己要付出何等代价。他在漆黑的夜裡找到回家的路，比貝露希爾女王的貓還穩當。」遠征隊有這樣一位嚮導，實屬萬幸。他們沒有燃料，也沒有任何製作火把的方法；在門口那場絕望的混亂中，許多東西都遺落了。但若沒有任何光亮，他們很快就會陷入困境。不僅有許多道路可選，許多地方還有坑洞與陷阱，路旁更有深不見底的黑井，他們走過的腳步聲在其中迴響。牆壁與地面上有裂縫與深淵，時不時就有裂口在他們腳前敞開。最寬的一道裂縫超過七呎，皮聘過了許久才鼓足勇氣跳過那可怕的間隙。下方遠處傳來翻騰的水聲，彷彿有巨大的水車輪在深處轉動。「繩子！」山姆咕噥道。「我就知道我沒帶的時候就會需要它！」隨著這些危險變得越來越頻繁，他們的行進速度也慢了下來。他們彷彿已經不停地、不停地跋涉，走向山脈的根基。他們已不僅是疲憊，但一想到要在任何地方停歇，似乎都得不到安慰。佛羅多在逃脫後，又吃了些食物、喝了一口提神的 cordial，精神曾一度振作；但現在，一股深深的不安，逐漸轉為恐懼，再度籠罩著他。雖然他在瑞文戴爾治癒了那刀傷，但那可怕的創傷並非沒有留下影響。他的感官變得更敏銳，更能察覺到看不見的事物。他很快注意到的一個變化跡象是，他能看見更多

312 THE LORD OF THE RINGS in the dark than any of his companions, save perhaps Gandalf. And he was in any case the bearer of the Ring: it hung upon its chain against his breast, and at whiles it seemed a heavy weight. He felt the certainty of evil ahead and of evil following; but he said nothing. He gripped tighter on the hilt of his sword and went on doggedly. The Company behind him spoke seldom, and then only in hurried whispers. There was no sound but the sound of their own feet: the dull stump of Gimli’s dwarf-boots; the heavy tread of Boromir; the light step of Legolas; the soft, scarce-heard patter of hobbit-feet; and in the rear the slow firm footfalls of Aragorn with his long stride. When they halted for a moment they heard nothing at all, unless it were occasionally a faint trickle and drip of unseen water. Yet Frodo began to hear, or to imagine that he heard, something else: like the faint fall of soft bare feet. It was never loud enough, or near enough, for him to feel certain that he heard it; but once it had started it never stopped, while the Company was moving. But it was not an echo, for when they halted it pattered on for a little all by itself, and then grew still. It was after nightfall when they had entered the Mines. They had been going for several hours with only brief halts, when Gandalf came to his first serious check. Before him stood a wide dark arch opening into three passages: all led in the same general direction, eastwards; but the left-hand passage plunged down, while the righthand climbed up, and the middle way seemed to run on, smooth and level but very narrow. ‘I have no memory of this place at all!’ said Gandalf, standing uncertainly under the arch. He held up his staff in the hope of finding some marks or inscription that might help his choice; but nothing of the kind was to be seen. ‘I am too weary to decide,’ he said, shaking his head. ‘And I expect that you are all as weary as I am, or wearier. We had better halt here for what is left of the night. You know what I mean! In here it is ever dark; but outside the late Moon is riding westward and the middle-night has passed.’ ‘Poor old Bill!’ said Sam. ‘I wonder where he is. I hope those wolves haven’t got him yet.’ To the left of the great arch they found a stone door: it was half closed, but swung back easily to a gentle thrust. Beyond there seemed to lie a wide chamber cut in the rock. ‘Steady! Steady!’ cried Gandalf, as Merry and Pippin pushed forward, glad to find a place where they could rest with at least more feeling of shelter than in the open passage. ‘Steady! You do not know what is inside yet. I will go first.’ He went in cautiously, and the others filed behind. ‘There!’ he said, pointing with his staff to the middle of the floor. Before his feet

……在黑暗中比任何同伴都看得清楚，甘道夫或許除外。無論如何，他畢竟是魔戒的持有者：它掛在鍊子上，垂在他胸前，時不時地，他感覺它沉重無比。他確信前方有邪惡，身後亦然；但他什麼也沒說。他更緊地握住劍柄，頑強地繼續前行。他身後的遠征隊員們很少說話，即便開口也只是匆匆低語。四周寂靜無聲，只聽得見他們自己的腳步聲：金靂矮人靴子沉悶的跺步聲；波羅莫沉重的腳步聲；勒苟拉斯輕盈的步伐；哈比人幾乎聽不見的輕柔吧嗒聲；以及殿後的亞拉岡邁著大步，緩慢而穩健的足音。當他們短暫停下時，便萬籟俱寂，除非偶爾能聽到看不見的水源傳來微弱的滴答聲。然而，佛羅多開始聽到，或自以為聽到，別的聲音：像是柔軟赤腳的微弱落地聲。那聲音從未大到或近到讓他能確信自己聽見了；可一旦開始，只要遠征隊還在移動，它就從未停止。但那不是回音，因為當他們停下時，那吧嗒聲還會獨自持續一小會兒，然後才靜止下來。他們進入礦坑時已是入夜之後。他們只稍作短暫休息，已走了好幾個小時，這時甘道夫遇到了第一個真正的難題。他面前矗立著一座寬闊的黑暗拱門，通往三條通道：全都朝著同一個大方向，東方；但左邊的通道陡然向下，右邊的則向上攀升，而中間那條路似乎平坦順暢地延伸，卻非常狹窄。「我對這個地方一點印象也沒有！」甘道夫說，不確定地站在拱門下。他舉起法杖，希望能找到一些記號或銘文來幫助他選擇；但什麼也沒看見。「我太累了，無法決定，」他搖著頭說。「而且我猜你們都跟我一樣累，甚至更累。我們最好在這裡停下，度過這晚剩下的時間。你們懂我的意思！在這裡面永遠是黑的；但外面，殘月正西沉，午夜已過。」「可憐的老比爾！」山姆說。「不知道牠在哪裡。希望那些狼還沒抓到牠。」在大拱門的左邊，他們找到一扇石門：門半掩著，輕輕一推便輕易地向後敞開。門後似乎是一個在岩石中開鑿出的寬敞房間。「穩住！穩住！」甘道夫喊道，因為梅里和皮聘正往前擠，很高興找到一個地方，至少比在開放的通道裡更有遮蔽感，可以休息。「穩住！你們還不知道裡面有什麼。我先進去。」他小心翼翼地走進去，其他人排成一列跟在後面。「那裡！」他說，用法杖指著地板中央。在他腳前

A JOURNEY IN THE DARK 313 they saw a large round hole like the mouth of a well. Broken and rusty chains lay at the edge and trailed down into the black pit. Fragments of stone lay near. ‘One of you might have fallen in and still be wondering when you were going to strike the bottom,’ said Aragorn to Merry. ‘Let the guide go first while you have one.’ “This seems to have been a guardroom, made for the watching of the three passages,’ said Gimli. “That hole was plainly a well for the guards’ use, covered with a stone lid. But the lid is broken, and we must all take care in the dark.’ Pippin felt curiously attracted by the well. While the others were unrolling blankets and making beds against the walls of the chamber, as far as possible from the hole in the floor, he crept to the edge and peered over. A chill air seemed to strike his face, rising from invisible depths. Moved by a sudden impulse he groped for a loose stone, and let it drop. He felt his heart beat many times before there was any sound. Then far below, as if the stone had fallen into deep water in some cavernous place, there came a plunk, very distant, but magnified and repeated in the hollow shaft. ‘What’s that?’ cried Gandalf. He was relieved when Pippin confessed what he had done; but he was angry, and Pippin could see his eye glinting. ‘Fool of a Took!’ he growled. “This is a serious journey, not a hobbit walking-party. Throw yourself in next time, and then you will be no further nuisance. Now be quiet!’ Nothing more was heard for several minutes; but then there came out of the depths faint knocks: tom-tap, tap-tom. They stopped, and when the echoes had died away, they were repeated: tap-tom, tom-tap, tap-tap, tom. They sounded disquietingly like signals of some sort; but after a while the knocking died away and was not heard again. “That was the sound of a hammer, or I have never heard one,’ said Gimli. “Yes,” said Gandalf, ‘and I do not like it. It may have nothing to do with Peregrin’s foolish stone; but probably something has been disturbed that would have been better left quiet. Pray, do nothing of the kind again! Let us hope we shall get some rest without further trouble. You, Pippin, can go on the first watch, as a reward,’ he growled, as he rolled himself in a blanket. Pippin sat miserably by the door in the pitch dark; but he kept on turning round, fearing that some unknown thing would crawl up out of the well. He wished he could cover the hole, if only with a blanket, but he dared not move or go near it, even though Gandalf seemed to be asleep. Actually Gandalf was awake, though lying still and silent. He was deep in thought, trying to recall every memory of his former journey

他們看到一個像井口一樣的大圓洞。斷裂生鏽的鐵鍊散落在井邊，垂入漆黑的深坑中。附近散落著石頭碎片。「你們其中一人剛才可能就掉下去了，然後還在想著何時才會到底呢，」亞拉岡對梅里說。「趁著還有嚮導，讓他先走。」「這看來曾是個警衛室，用來監視那三條通道，」金靂說。「那個洞顯然是給警衛用的水井，上面蓋著石蓋。但蓋子破了，我們在黑暗中都得小心。」皮聘對那口井感到一股奇異的吸引力。當其他人正攤開毯子，靠著室內牆壁、盡可能遠離地上的洞口鋪床時，他悄悄爬到井邊，探頭往下看。一股寒氣似乎從看不見的深處升起，撲上他的臉。一時衝動之下，他摸索到一顆鬆動的石頭，讓它掉了下去。在聽到任何聲音之前，他感覺自己的心跳了好幾下。接著，從遙遠的下方，傳來一聲撲通，彷彿石頭掉進了某個洞穴深處的水裡；聲音雖然遙遠，卻在空洞的井道中被放大和重複。「那是什麼聲音？」甘道夫大喊。當皮聘承認是他做的之後，甘道夫鬆了口氣；但他很生氣，皮聘能看見他眼中閃著光芒。「你這個圖克家的傻瓜！」他咆哮道。「這是一趟嚴肅的旅程，不是哈比人的健行派對。下次你自己跳下去，就不會再惹麻煩了。現在，安靜！」接下來幾分鐘都沒再聽到任何聲音；但接著，從深處傳來了微弱的敲擊聲：咚—嗒，嗒—咚。聲音停了下來，待回音消失後，又重複響起：嗒—咚，咚—嗒，嗒—嗒，咚。這些聲音聽起來像某種信號，令人不安；但過了一會兒，敲擊聲漸漸消失，再也沒聽到了。「那是錘子的聲音，不然我就是從沒聽過錘子聲，」金靂說。「是的，」甘道夫說，「而且我不喜歡這聲音。它可能跟皮瑞格林那顆愚蠢的石頭無關；但很可能，有什麼本該安靜待著的東西被驚動了。拜託，別再做這種事了！希望我們能安穩休息，別再有麻煩了。你，皮聘，可以守第一班夜，作為獎勵，」他咆哮著，一面將自己裹進毯子裡。皮聘悲慘地坐在門邊，四周一片漆黑；但他不停轉頭，害怕有什麼未知之物會從井裡爬出來。他希望自己能把洞口蓋住，哪怕只用一條毯子也好，但他不敢動，也不敢靠近，即使甘道夫似乎睡著了。事實上，甘道夫醒著，只是靜靜地躺著不動。他陷入沉思，試圖回憶起他上一次旅程的每個記憶

314 THE LORD OF THE RINGS in the Mines, and considering anxiously the next course that he should take; a false turn now might be disastrous. After an hour he rose up and came over to Pippin. ‘Get into a corner and have a sleep, my lad,’ he said in a kindly tone. ‘You want to sleep, I expect. I cannot get a wink, so I may as well do the watching.’ ‘I know what is the matter with me,’ he muttered, as he sat down by the door. ‘I need smoke! I have not tasted it since the morning before the snowstorm.’ The last thing that Pippin saw, as sleep took him, was a dark glimpse of the old wizard huddled on the floor, shielding a glowing chip in his gnarled hands between his knees. The flicker for a moment showed his sharp nose, and the puff of smoke. It was Gandalf who roused them all from sleep. He had sat and watched all alone for about six hours, and had let the others rest. ‘And in the watches I have made up my mind,’ he said. ‘I do not like the feel of the middle way; and I do not like the smell of the left-hand way: there is foul air down there, or I am no guide. I shall take the right-hand passage. It is time we began to climb up again.’ For eight dark hours, not counting two brief halts, they marched on; and they met no danger, and heard nothing, and saw nothing but the faint gleam of the wizard’s light, bobbing like a will-o’-the-wisp in front of them. The passage they had chosen wound steadily upwards. As far as they could judge it went in great mounting curves, and as it rose it grew loftier and wider. There were now no openings to other galleries or tunnels on either side, and the floor was level and sound, without pits or cracks. Evidently they had struck what once had been an important road; and they went forward quicker than they had done on their first march. In this way they advanced some fifteen miles, measured in a direct line east, though they must have actually walked twenty miles or more. As the road climbed upwards, Frodo’s spirits rose a little; but he still felt oppressed, and still at times he heard, or thought he heard, away behind the Company and beyond the fall and patter of their feet, a following footstep that was not an echo. They had marched as far as the hobbits could endure without a rest, and all were thinking of a place where they could sleep, when suddenly the walls to right and left vanished. They seemed to have passed through some arched doorway into a black and empty space. There was a great draught of warmer air behind them, and before them the darkness was cold on their faces. They halted and crowded anxiously together.

在礦坑中，他焦慮地思索著下一步該怎麼走；此刻一個錯誤的轉彎都可能帶來災難。一小時後，他站起身，走到皮聘身邊。「到角落裡睡一會兒吧，我的孩子，」他用親切的語氣說。「我想你很想睡覺。我是一點也睡不著，所以不如由我來守夜。」「我知道我哪裡不對勁了，」他坐在門邊喃喃自語。「我需要煙草！從暴風雪前那個早晨起，我就沒再嚐過那滋味了。」皮聘被睡意席捲前，最後看到的是老巫師蜷縮在地板上的模糊身影，用他那佈滿骨節的雙手護著膝間一塊發光的木炭。火光一閃，瞬間照亮了他尖尖的鼻子，以及那口噴出的煙。是甘道夫把大家從睡夢中喚醒。他獨自守望了大約六個小時，讓其他人休息。「在守夜的時候，我已經下定決心了，」他說。「我不喜歡中間那條路的感覺；我也不喜歡左邊那條路的氣味：那下面有污濁的空氣，不然我就是個不稱職的嚮導。我將走右邊的通道。我們該開始往上爬了。」在黑暗中，他們行軍了八個小時，中間只短暫休息了兩次；他們沒有遇到任何危險，什麼也沒聽到，只看見巫師法杖微弱的光芒在前方像鬼火一樣跳動。他們選擇的通道穩定地向上蜿蜒。據他們判斷，通道呈巨大的弧形盤旋上升，越往上走，空間變得越高闊。現在兩側再也沒有通往其他坑道或隧道的開口，地板平坦而堅固，沒有坑洞或裂縫。顯然，他們走到了一條曾經是重要道路的地方；他們前進的速度比第一次行軍時快多了。就這樣，他們往東直線前進了約十五英里，儘管他們實際走的路程肯定有二十英里或更多。隨著道路向上攀升，佛羅多的精神稍微振作了些；但他仍然感到壓抑，而且時不時地，他聽到、或以為自己聽到，在遠征隊身後、在他們腳步的起落聲之外，有一個跟隨的腳步聲，那並不是回音。他們已經走到哈比人所能忍受的極限，正想著找個地方睡覺時，左右兩邊的牆壁突然消失了。他們似乎穿過了一道拱門，進入一個黑暗而空曠的空間。身後吹來一股較為暖和的氣流，而前方的黑暗則冷冷地撲在他們臉上。他們停下腳步，焦慮地擠在一起。

A JOURNEY IN THE DARK 315 Gandalf seemed pleased. ‘I chose the right way,’ he said. ‘At last we are coming to the habitable parts, and I guess that we are not far now from the eastern side. But we are high up, a good deal higher than the Dimrill Gate, unless I am mistaken. From the feeling of the air we must be in a wide hall. I will now risk a little real light.’ He raised his staff, and for a brief instant there was a blaze like a flash of lightning. Great shadows sprang up and fled, and for a second they saw a vast roof far above their heads upheld by many mighty pillars hewn of stone. Before them and on either side stretched a huge empty hall; its black walls, polished and smooth as glass, flashed and glittered. Three other entrances they saw, dark black arches: one straight before them eastwards, and one on either side. Then the light went out. “That is all that I shall venture on for the present,’ said Gandalf. “There used to be great windows on the mountain-side, and shafts leading out to the light in the upper reaches of the Mines. I think we have reached them now, but it is night outside again, and we cannot tell until morning. If I am right, tomorrow we may actually see the morning peeping in. But in the meanwhile we had better go no further. Let us rest, if we can. Things have gone well so far, and the greater part of the dark road is over. But we are not through yet, and it is a long way down to the Gates that open on the world.’ The Company spent that night in the great cavernous hall, huddled close together in a corner to escape the draught: there seemed to be a steady inflow of chill air through the eastern archway. All about them as they lay hung the darkness, hollow and immense, and they were oppressed by the loneliness and vastness of the dolven halls and endlessly branching stairs and passages. The wildest imaginings that dark rumour had ever suggested to the hobbits fell altogether short of the actual dread and wonder of Moria. “There must have been a mighty crowd of dwarves here at one time,’ said Sam; ‘and every one of them busier than badgers for five hundred years to make all this, and most in hard rock too! What did they do it all for? They didn’t live in these darksome holes surely?’ “These are not holes,’ said Gimli. “This is the great realm and city of the Dwarrowdelf. And of old it was not darksome, but full of light and splendour, as is still remembered in our songs.’ He rose and standing in the dark he began to chant in a deep voice, while the echoes ran away into the roof. The world was young, the mountains green, No stain yet on the Moon was seen, No words were laid on stream or stone When Durin woke and walked alone.

甘道夫似乎很高興。「我選對路了，」他說。「我們總算來到可以居住的區域了，我猜我們現在離東邊不遠了。但我們在很高的地方，除非我弄錯了，不然比丁瑞爾山谷大門高出不少。從空氣的感覺來看，我們一定是在一個寬敞的大廳裡。我現在要冒險用一點真正的光了。」他舉起法杖，一道如閃電般的光芒短暫地迸發出來。巨大的陰影躍起又逃離，一瞬間，他們看到遠在頭頂的宏偉穹頂，由許多用石頭鑿成的巨大柱子支撐著。在他們前方和兩側，延伸著一個巨大空曠的大廳；它烏黑的牆壁，像玻璃一樣光滑，閃爍著光芒。他們看到另外三個入口，是漆黑的拱門：一個在他們正前方的東邊，兩側各一個。然後光就熄滅了。「目前我只敢冒這個險，」甘道夫說。「以前山腰上曾有大窗戶，還有通往礦坑上層光線的豎井。我想我們現在已經到了那裡，但外面又是晚上了，要到早上才能知道。如果我沒說錯，明天我們或許真的能看到晨光窺探進來。但在此期間，我們最好不要再前進了。如果可以的話，讓我們休息一下。到目前為止一切順利，黑暗之路的大部分已經走完了。但我們還沒走完，要下到通往外面世界的門口還有很長一段路。」那一夜，隊伍就在這個巨大的洞穴大廳裡度過，他們擠在一個角落裡以躲避氣流：似乎有一股穩定的冷空氣從東邊的拱門流進來。當他們躺下時，四周籠罩著空洞而巨大的黑暗，他們被這些挖掘出來的大廳和無盡分岔的樓梯與通道的孤寂和浩瀚所壓迫。哈比人聽過的任何黑暗謠言中最瘋狂的想像，都遠遠不及摩瑞亞實際的恐懼與奇觀。「這裡以前一定住過一大群矮人，」山姆說；「他們每個人都比獾還忙碌地工作了五百年才造出這一切，而且大部分還是在堅硬的岩石裡！他們到底是為了什麼？他們肯定不是住在這些陰暗的洞裡吧？」「這些不是洞，」金靂說。「這裡是偉大的都靈深淵王國與城市。而且在古代，這裡並不陰暗，而是充滿光明與輝煌，我們的歌謠中依然記得。」他站起身，在黑暗中開始用低沉的聲音吟唱，回音奔向屋頂。 世界尚年輕，山脈仍青綠， 月亮上未見任何污跡， 溪流或石頭上未刻下任何言語， 當都靈醒來，獨自漫步。

316 THE LORD OF THE RINGS He named the nameless hills and dells; He drank from yet untasted wells; He stooped and looked in Mirrormere, And saw a crown of stars appear, As gems upon a silver thread, Above the shadow of his head. The world was fair, the mountains tall, In Elder Days before the fall Of mighty kings in Nargothrond And Gondolin, who now beyond The Western Seas have passed away: The world was fair in Durin’s Day. A king he was on carven throne In many-pillared halls of stone With golden roof and silver floor, And runes of power upon the door. The light of sun and star and moon In shining lamps of crystal hewn Undimmed by cloud or shade of night There shone for ever fair and bright. There hammer on the anvil smote, There chisel clove, and graver wrote; There forged was blade, and bound was hilt; The delver mined, the mason built. There beryl, pearl, and opal pale, And metal wrought like fishes’ mail, Buckler and corslet, axe and sword, And shining spears were laid in hoard. Unwearied then were Durin’s folk; Beneath the mountains music woke: The harpers harped, the minstrels sang, And at the gates the trumpets rang. The world is grey, the mountains old, The forge’s fire is ashen-cold; No harp ts wrung, no hammer falls: The darkness dwells in Durin’s halls; The shadow hes upon his tomb In Moria, in Khazad-dim.

他為無名山丘與幽谷命名；他飲下來自未嘗之井的泉水；他俯身凝望鏡影湖，看見一頂星辰之冠顯現，如銀線上串起的寶石，在他頭影的上方。世界曾如此美麗，山脈曾如此高聳，在納國斯隆德與貢多林的偉大君王殞落前的古昔。他們如今已遠渡西方大海，一去不返：在都靈之日，世界曾如此美麗。他曾是位國王，端坐於雕刻的王座上，在石造的多柱廳堂裡，有著黃金為頂、白銀為地，門上刻著力量的盧恩文字。日光、星光與月光，在水晶鑿成的璀璨燈盞中，不受雲朵或夜影遮蔽，永遠明亮美麗地照耀著。那裡，鐵鎚敲擊著鐵砧，鑿子劈開石塊，雕刻刀寫下文字；那裡，劍刃被鍛造，劍柄被纏繞；探鑽者開採，石匠建造。那裡，綠柱石、珍珠與蒼白的蛋白石，以及如魚鱗般鍛造的金屬，圓盾與胸甲，斧頭與利劍，還有閃亮的長矛，都被儲藏起來。那時，都靈的子民不知疲倦；山脈之下，音樂甦醒：豎琴手彈奏著豎琴，吟遊詩人歌唱，城門處，號角齊鳴。如今，世界已灰暗，山脈已蒼老，熔爐之火已成冰冷灰燼；再無豎琴被撥響，再無鐵鎚落下：黑暗盤踞在都靈的廳堂；陰影籠罩著他在摩瑞亞，在凱薩督姆的墳墓。

A JOURNEY IN THE DARK 317 But still the sunken stars appear In dark and windless Mirrormere; There lies his crown in water deep, Till Durin wakes again from sleep. ‘I like that!’ said Sam. ‘I should like to learn it. In Moria, in Khazad-dim! But it makes the darkness seem heavier, thinking of all those lamps. Are there piles of jewels and gold lying about here still?’ Gimli was silent. Having sung his song he would say no more. ‘Piles of jewels?’ said Gandalf. ‘No. The Orcs have often plundered Moria; there is nothing left in the upper halls. And since the dwarves fled, no one dares to seek the shafts and treasuries down in the deep places: they are drowned in water — or in a shadow of fear.’ “Then what do the dwarves want to come back for?’ asked Sam. ‘For mithril,’ answered Gandalf. “The wealth of Moria was not in gold and jewels, the toys of the Dwarves; nor in iron, their servant. Such things they found here, it is true, especially iron; but they did not need to delve for them: all things that they desired they could obtain in traffic. For here alone in the world was found Moria-silver, or true-silver as some have called it: mithril is the Elvish name. The Dwarves have a name which they do not tell. Its worth was ten times that of gold, and now it is beyond price; for little is left above ground, and even the Orcs dare not delve here for it. The lodes lead away north towards Caradhras, and down to darkness. The Dwarves tell no tale; but even as muithril was the foundation of their wealth, so also it was their destruction: they delved too greedily and too deep, and disturbed that from which they fled, Durin’s Bane. Of what they brought to light the Orcs have gathered nearly all, and given it in tribute to Sauron, who covets it. ‘Mithril! All folk desired it. It could be beaten like copper, and polished like glass; and the Dwarves could make of it a metal, light and yet harder than tempered steel. Its beauty was like to that of common silver, but the beauty of mthril did not tarnish or grow dim. The Elves dearly loved it, and among many uses they made of it ithildin, starmoon, which you saw upon the doors. Bilbo had a corslet of mithril-rings that Thorin gave him. I wonder what has become of it? Gathering dust still in Michel Delving Mathom-house, I suppose.’ ‘What?’ cried Gimli, startled out of his silence. ‘A corslet of Moriasilver? That was a kingly gift!’ ‘Yes,’ said Gandalf. ‘I never told him, but its worth was greater than the value of the whole Shire and everything in it.’ Frodo said nothing, but he put his hand under his tunic and touched the rings of his mail-shirt. He felt staggered to think that he had been walking about with the price of the Shire under his jacket.

黑暗中的旅程 317 沉落的星辰依舊顯現 在無風的幽暗鏡之湖； 他的王冠深臥水底， 直到都靈再從睡夢中甦醒。 「我喜歡這首詩！」山姆說。「我真想學起來。在摩瑞亞，在凱薩督姆！不過，想到那些燈火，這黑暗似乎更沉重了。這裡到現在還到處都堆滿了珠寶和黃金嗎？」 金靂沉默不語。唱完他的歌后，他便不想再多說什麼。 「堆滿了珠寶？」甘道夫說。「不。半獸人時常洗劫摩瑞亞；上層的廳堂裡什麼也沒剩下。而且自從矮人逃離後，就沒人敢去尋找深處的礦井和寶庫了：它們不是淹在水裡——就是淹沒在恐懼的陰影裡。」 「那矮人們為什麼還想回來？」山姆問。 「為了秘銀。」甘道夫回答。「摩瑞亞的財富並非黃金和珠寶，那些只是矮人的玩物；也不是鐵，那是他們的僕役。誠然，他們在這裡找到了這些東西，尤其是鐵；但他們無需費力挖掘：所有他們想要的東西，都可以透過交易獲得。因為全世界只有這裡能找到摩瑞亞銀，有些人稱之為真銀：秘銀是精靈語的稱呼。矮人自己有個名字，但他們從不外傳。它的價值曾是黃金的十倍，而今已是無價之寶；因為地表上所剩無幾，就連半獸人也不敢在此為它挖掘。礦脈朝北向卡蘭拉斯山延伸，直入黑暗深處。矮人們沒有流傳任何故事；但正如秘銀是他們財富的基礎，它也同樣是他們的毀滅之源：他們挖得太貪、太深，驚擾了那個他們倉皇逃離的東西，都靈的剋星。他們帶到地面上的東西，幾乎全被半獸人搜刮殆盡，作為貢品獻給了覬覦它的索倫。」 「秘銀！所有人都渴望它。它可以像銅一樣被敲打，像玻璃一樣被拋光；矮人能用它製成一種輕盈卻比鋼鐵更堅硬的金屬。它的美麗有如尋常的銀，但秘銀之美不會失去光澤，也不會變得黯淡。精靈們極其喜愛它，在眾多用途中，他們用它製作了伊希爾丁，也就是星月晶，就是你們在門上看到的那種。比爾博有一件索林送他的秘銀環鎖子甲背心。不知它現在怎麼樣了？我猜還在麥克戴爾文的古物陳列館裡積灰塵吧。」 「什麼？」金靂從沉默中驚醒，大喊道。「一件摩瑞亞銀製的鎖子甲背心？那可是王者等級的贈禮啊！」 「是的。」甘道夫說。「我從沒告訴過他，但它的價值超過了整個夏爾及其中一切的總和。」 佛羅多什麼也沒說，只是把手伸進外衣底下，觸摸他那件鎖子甲衫的環扣。一想到自己一直穿著價值整個夏爾的寶物四處走動，他就感到震驚不已。

318 THE LORD OF THE RINGS Had Bilbo known? He felt no doubt that Bilbo knew quite well. It was indeed a kingly gift. But now his thoughts had been carried away from the dark Mines, to Rivendell, to Bilbo, and to Bag End in the days while Bilbo was still there. He wished with all his heart that he was back there, and in those days, mowing the lawn, or pottering among the flowers, and that he had never heard of Moria, or mithril — or the Ring. A deep silence fell. One by one the others fell asleep. Frodo was on guard. As if it were a breath that came in through unseen doors out of deep places, dread came over him. His hands were cold and his brow damp. He listened. All his mind was given to listening and nothing else for two slow hours; but he heard no sound, not even the imagined echo of a footfall. His watch was nearly over, when, far off where he guessed that the western archway stood, he fancied that he could see two pale points of light, almost like luminous eyes. He started. His head had nodded. ‘I must have nearly fallen asleep on guard,’ he thought. ‘I was on the edge of a dream.’ He stood up and rubbed his eyes, and remained standing, peering into the dark, until he was relieved by Legolas. When he lay down he quickly went to sleep, but it seemed to him that the dream went on: he heard whispers, and saw the two pale points of light approaching, slowly. He woke and found that the others were speaking softly near him, and that a dim light was falling on his face. High up above the eastern archway through a shaft near the roof came a long pale gleam; and across the hall through the northern arch light also glimmered faint and distantly. Frodo sat up. ‘Good morning!’ said Gandalf. ‘For morning it is again at last. I was right, you see. We are high up on the east side of Moria. Before today is over we ought to find the Great Gates and see the waters of Mirrormere lying in the Dimrill Dale before us.’ ‘I shall be glad,’ said Gimli. ‘I have looked on Moria, and it is very great, but it has become dark and dreadful; and we have found no sign of my kindred. I doubt now that Balin ever came here.’ After they had breakfasted Gandalf decided to go on again at once. ‘We are tired, but we shall rest better when we are outside,’ he said. ‘I think that none of us will wish to spend another night in Moria.’ ‘No indeed!’ said Boromir. ‘Which way shall we take? Yonder eastward arch?’ ‘Maybe,’ said Gandalf. ‘But I do not know yet exactly where we are. Unless I am quite astray, I guess that we are above and to the

比爾博知道嗎？佛羅多毫不懷疑比爾博非常清楚。那確實是一份王者之禮。但現在，他的思緒已從黑暗的礦坑飄走，飄向瑞文戴爾，飄向比爾博，飄向比爾博還在袋底洞的那些日子。他全心全意地希望自己能回到那裡，回到那些日子，修剪草坪，或是在花叢間悠閒地忙活，希望自己從未聽說過摩瑞亞、秘銀——或是魔戒。一片沉寂降臨。其他人一個接一個地睡著了。佛羅多負責守夜。恐懼籠罩了他，彷彿是從深處看不見的門戶吹來的一口氣。他的雙手冰冷，額頭濕潤。他傾聽著。在緩慢的兩個小時裡，他全神貫注地傾聽，除此之外別無他想；但他沒有聽到任何聲音，連想像中的腳步回音都沒有。他的守夜時間快結束時，在遠處他猜測是西邊拱門的地方，他彷彿看見兩個蒼白的光點，幾乎就像發光的眼睛。他嚇了一跳。他剛才一直在打瞌睡。「我守夜時一定差點睡著了，」他想。「我當時正在夢的邊緣。」他站起來，揉了揉眼睛，然後一直站著，凝視著黑暗，直到勒苟拉斯來接替他。他躺下後很快就睡著了，但對他來說，夢似乎還在繼續：他聽到低語聲，看到那兩個蒼白的光點緩緩靠近。他醒來時發現其他人正在他身邊輕聲說話，一道昏暗的光線照在他的臉上。東邊拱門上方高處，一道長長的蒼白光芒從靠近屋頂的一個天井射進來；大廳對面，北邊拱門的光線也微弱而遙遠地閃爍著。佛羅多坐了起來。「早安！」甘道夫說。「因為終究又是早晨了。你看，我說得對。我們在摩瑞亞東側的高處。今天結束前，我們應該能找到巨門，看見鏡影湖的水躺在我們前方的暗影谷中。」「那我就高興了，」金靂說。「我見識過摩瑞亞了，它非常宏偉，但已變得黑暗而可怕；我們沒有找到任何我族人的跡象。我現在懷疑巴林是否真的來過這裡。」他們吃過早餐後，甘道夫決定立即再次出發。「我們很累，但在外面休息會更好，」他說。「我想我們誰也不想在摩瑞亞再待一晚。」「確實不想！」波羅莫說。「我們該走哪條路？那邊東邊的拱門嗎？」「或許吧，」甘道夫說。「但我還不完全確定我們在哪裡。除非我完全搞錯了方向，我猜我們在上方，並且偏向……

A JOURNEY IN THE DARK 319 north of the Great Gates; and it may not be easy to find the right road down to them. The eastern arch will probably prove to be the way that we must take; but before we make up our minds we ought to look about us. Let us go towards that light in the north door. If we could find a window it would help, but I fear that the light comes only down deep shafts.’ Following his lead the Company passed under the northern arch. They found themselves in a wide corridor. As they went along it the glimmer grew stronger, and they saw that it came through a doorway on their right. It was high and flat-topped, and the stone door was still upon its hinges, standing half open. Beyond it was a large square chamber. It was dimly lit, but to their eyes, after so long a time in the dark, it seemed dazzlingly bright, and they blinked as they entered. Their feet disturbed a deep dust upon the floor, and stumbled among things lying in the doorway whose shapes they could not at first make out. The chamber was lit by a wide shaft high in the further eastern wall; it slanted upwards and, far above, a small square patch of blue sky could be seen. The light of the shaft fell directly on a table in the middle of the room: a single oblong block, about two feet high, upon which was laid a great slab of white stone. ‘It looks like a tomb,’ muttered Frodo, and bent forwards with a curious sense of foreboding, to look more closely at it. Gandalf came quickly to his side. On the slab runes were deeply graven: RNAIY’ IRKINRY RARNEBNANBERBR RIENEAYANRKIVAPRASBAM

「大門以北；要找到通往那裡的正確道路可能不容易。東邊的拱門很可能就是我們必須走的路；但在我們下定決心之前，我們應該先觀察一下四周。讓我們朝著北邊門口那道光走去。如果能找到一扇窗戶會有幫助，但我擔心那光線只是從深邃的豎井裡照下來的。」 在甘道夫的帶領下，一行人穿過了北邊的拱門。他們發現自己身處一條寬闊的走廊。隨著他們前行，那微光變得越來越強，他們看到光是從右邊一個門口透進來的。那門口又高又平，石門還在鉸鏈上，半開著。門後是一個巨大的方形房間。房間裡光線昏暗，但對於在黑暗中待了這麼久的他們來說，卻顯得刺眼地明亮，他們進門時都眨了眨眼。他們的腳步驚動了地板上厚厚的灰塵，並在門口被一些一開始看不清形狀的東西絆到。房間被遠處東牆高處的一道寬闊光井照亮；光井向上傾斜，遠遠的上方，可以看到一小塊方形的藍天。光井的光線直接落到房間中央的一張桌子上：那是一塊約兩英尺高的長方形石塊，上面放著一塊巨大的白色石板。「這看起來像一座墳墓，」佛羅多喃喃自語，帶著一種奇特的不祥預感，向前彎下腰去細看。甘道夫迅速來到他身邊。石板上深深地刻著盧恩文字：RNAIY’ IRKINRY RARNEBNANBERBR RIENEAYANRKIVAPRASBAM

320 THE LORD OF THE RINGS “These are Daeron’s Runes, such as were used of old in Moria,’ said Gandalf. ‘Here is written in the tongues of Men and Dwarves: BALIN SON OF FUNDIN LORD OF MORIA.’ ‘He is dead then,’ said Frodo. ‘I feared it was so.’ Gimli cast his hood over his face.

「這些是戴朗的盧恩文字，是古時候在摩瑞亞使用的那種。」甘道夫說。「這裡用人類和矮人的語言寫著：『方登之子巴林，摩瑞亞之王』。」「那他就是死了。」佛羅多說。「我早擔心會是這樣。」金靂將他的兜帽拉下，蓋住了臉。