Chapter 5 THE BRIDGE OF KHAZAD-DUM The Company of the Ring stood silent beside the tomb of Balin. Frodo thought of Bilbo and his long friendship with the dwarf, and of Balin’s visit to the Shire long ago. In that dusty chamber in the mountains it seemed a thousand years ago and on the other side of the world. At length they stirred and looked up, and began to search for anything that would give them tidings of Balin’s fate, or show what had become of his folk. There was another smaller door on the other side of the chamber, under the shaft. By both the doors they could now see that many bones were lying, and among them were broken swords and axe-heads, and cloven shields and helms. Some of the swords were crooked: orc-scimitars with blackened blades. There were many recesses cut in the rock of the walls, and in them were large iron-bound chests of wood. All had been broken and plundered; but beside the shattered lid of one there lay the remains of a book. It had been slashed and stabbed and partly burned, and it was so stained with black and other dark marks like old blood that little of it could be read. Gandalf lifted it carefully, but the leaves cracked and broke as he laid it on the slab. He pored over it for some time without speaking. Frodo and Gimli standing at his side could see, as he gingerly turned the leaves, that they were written by many different hands, in runes, both of Moria and of Dale, and here and there in Elvish script. At last Gandalf looked up. ‘It seems to be a record of the fortunes of Balin’s folk,’ he said. ‘I guess that it began with their coming to Dimrill Dale nigh on thirty years ago: the pages seem to have numbers referring to the years after their arrival. The top page is marked one — three, so at least two are missing from the beginning. Listen to this! ‘We drove out orcs from the great gate and guard — I think; the next word is blurred and burned: probably room — we slew many in the bright — I think — sun in the dale. Floi was killed by an arrow. He slew the great. Then there is a blur followed by Floi under grass near Mirror mere. The next line or two I cannot read. Then comes We have taken the twentyfirst hall of North end to dwell in. There 1s I cannot read what. A shaft is mentioned. Then Balin has set up his seat in the Chamber of Magzarbul.’ “The Chamber of Records,’ said Gimli. ‘I guess that is where we now stand.’
第五章 凱薩督姆之橋 魔戒遠征隊靜默地站在巴林的墓旁。佛羅多想起比爾博與矮人長久的友誼，以及巴林許久以前造訪夏爾的情景。在那山中塵封的廳室裡，這一切彷彿已是千年之前，遠在世界的另一端。他們終於動了起來，抬頭環顧，開始尋找任何能提供巴林命運線索，或顯示他族人遭遇的物品。廳室的另一側，豎井下方，還有一扇較小的門。兩扇門旁都可見許多骨骸散落，其中夾雜著斷裂的劍、斧頭，以及劈裂的盾牌和頭盔。有些劍是彎曲的：那是獸人彎刀，刀刃已發黑。牆壁的岩石上鑿有許多凹室，裡面放著許多鐵箍木箱。所有箱子都已被打破並洗劫一空；但在一個破碎的箱蓋旁，躺著一本書的殘骸。它被砍過、刺過，部分燒焦，且沾滿了黑色和其他深色痕跡，像舊血一樣，以至於幾乎無法辨讀。甘道夫小心翼翼地將它拿起，但當他將書放在石板上時，書頁便裂開碎裂。他俯身仔細研讀了一段時間，沒有說話。佛羅多和金靂站在他身旁，當他小心翼翼地翻動書頁時，他們看到書頁上是用許多不同的筆跡寫成的，有摩瑞亞和戴爾的符文，以及零星的精靈文字。甘道夫終於抬起頭來。「這似乎是巴林族人命運的記錄，」他說。「我猜它始於他們大約三十年前抵達黯溪谷：書頁上的數字似乎是指他們抵達後的年份。最上面一頁標示著一至三，所以開頭至少有兩頁遺失了。聽我說！『我們將獸人從大門和守衛——我想是這樣；下一個詞模糊不清且燒焦了：可能是房間——我們在明亮的——我想——陽光下，在山谷中殺死了許多敵人。弗洛伊被箭殺死了。他殺死了那個巨大的。』然後是一段模糊的文字，接著是『弗洛伊埋在鏡湖附近的草地下。』接下來的一兩行我無法辨讀。然後是『我們佔領了北端第二十一廳作為居所。那裡有——』我無法辨讀是什麼。提到了豎井。然後『巴林已在馬札布爾廳設立了他的座位。』」「記錄廳，」金靂說。「我猜我們現在就在那裡。」
322 THE LORD OF THE RINGS ‘Well, I can read no more for a long way,’ said Gandalf, ‘except the word gold, and Durin’s Axe and something helm. Then Balin is now lord of Moria. That seems to end a chapter. After some stars another hand begins, and I can see we found truesilver, and later the word wellforged, and then something, I have it! muthril; and the last two lines Oin to seek for the upper armouries of Third Deep, something go westwards, a blur, to Hollin gate.’ Gandalf paused and set a few leaves aside. “There are several pages of the same sort, rather hastily written and much damaged,’ he said; ‘but I can make little of them in this light. Now there must be a number of leaves missing, because they begin to be numbered five, the fifth year of the colony, I suppose. Let me see! No, they are too cut and stained; I cannot read them. We might do better in the sunlight. Wait! Here is something: a large bold hand using an Elvish script.’ “That would be Ori’s hand,’ said Gimli, looking over the wizard’s arm. ‘He could write well and speedily, and often used the Elvish characters.’ ‘I fear he had ill tidings to record in a fair hand,’ said Gandalf. “The first clear word is sorrow, but the rest of the line is lost, unless it ends in estre. Yes, it must be yestre followed by day being the tenth of novembre Balin lord of Moria fell in Dimrill Dale. He went alone to look in Mirror mere. an orc shot him from behind a stone. we slew the orc, but many more ... up from east up the Silverlode. The remainder of the page is so blurred that I can hardly make anything out, but I think I can read we have barred the gates, and then can hold them long if, and then perhaps horrible and suffer. Poor Balin! He seems to have kept the title that he took for less than five years. I wonder what happened afterwards; but there is no time to puzzle out the last few pages. Here is the last page of all.’ He paused and sighed. ‘It is grim reading,’ he said. ‘I fear their end was cruel. Listen! We cannot get out. We cannot get out. They have taken the Bridge and second hall. Frar and Loni and Nali fell there. Then there are four lines smeared so that I can only read went 5 days ago. The last lines run the pool is up to the wall at Westgate. The Watcher in the Water took Oin. We cannot get out. The end comes, and then drums, drums in the deep. I wonder what that means. The last thing written is in a trailing scrawl of elf-letters: they are coming. There is nothing more.’ Gandalf paused and stood in silent thought. A sudden dread and a horror of the chamber fell on the Company. ‘We cannot get out,’ muttered Gimli. ‘It was well for us that the pool had sunk a little, and that the Watcher was sleeping down at the southern end.’
322 魔戒之主 「嗯，接下來很長一段我都讀不出來了，」甘道夫說：「除了『黃金』這個詞，還有『都靈之斧』和某個『頭盔』。巴林現在是摩瑞亞之主了。這似乎結束了一個篇章。過了幾顆星號後，另一種筆跡開始了，我能看到我們找到了『真銀』，然後是『精鑄』這個詞，再然後是某個東西，我想起來了！是『秘銀』；最後兩行是『歐音去尋找第三深層的上層軍械庫，某個東西往西走，一片模糊，到冬青谷大門。』」 甘道夫停頓了一下，把幾頁紙放到一旁。「有好幾頁都是這樣，寫得相當倉促，而且損壞嚴重，」他說：「但在這光線下我幾乎讀不出什麼。現在一定有許多頁遺失了，因為它們開始編號是五，我想是殖民的第五年。讓我看看！不，它們被切割和弄髒得太厲害了；我讀不出來。或許在陽光下會好一點。等等！這裡有東西：一種粗大有力的筆跡，使用的是精靈文字。」 「那應該是歐力寫的，」金靂說，他從巫師的臂膀上方望過去。「他寫字又快又好，而且經常使用精靈符文。」「我恐怕他用漂亮的字跡記錄的是壞消息，」甘道夫說。「第一個清晰的詞是『悲傷』，但該行的其餘部分都遺失了，除非它以『estre』結尾。是的，那一定是『yestre』，後面接著『day』，也就是『十一月十日，摩瑞亞之主巴林在黯溪谷殞落。他獨自前往鏡湖查看。一個半獸人從石頭後面射殺了他。我們殺死了那個半獸人，但更多……從東方沿著銀脈河而上。』頁面的其餘部分模糊不清，我幾乎無法辨認出任何東西，但我認為我能讀出『我們已經關閉了城門』，然後是『如果能堅守很久』，再然後可能是『可怕』和『受苦』。可憐的巴林！他似乎只保有那個頭銜不到五年。我想知道後來發生了什麼；但現在沒有時間去費力解讀最後幾頁了。這是最後一頁。」 他停頓了一下，嘆了口氣。「這讀起來令人沮喪，」他說：「我擔心他們的結局很殘酷。聽著！我們出不去了。我們出不去了。他們已經佔領了橋樑和第二大廳。弗拉爾、洛尼和納利都在那裡陣亡了。然後有四行被塗抹得模糊不清，我只能讀出『五天前離開』。最後幾行寫著『水池已漲到西門的牆邊。水中監視者帶走了歐音。我們出不去了。末日來臨，然後是鼓聲，深處的鼓聲。』我想那是什麼意思。最後寫下的是一串潦草的精靈文字：『他們來了。』沒有其他了。」甘道夫停下來，陷入沉思。一股突如其來的恐懼和對這個房間的驚駭籠罩了遠征隊。「我們出不去了。」金靂喃喃自語。「幸好水池水位下降了一點，而且監視者正在南端睡覺。」
THE BRIDGE OF KHAZAD-DUM 323 Gandalf raised his head and looked round. “They seem to have made a last stand by both doors,’ he said; ‘but there were not many left by that time. So ended the attempt to retake Moria! It was valiant but foolish. The time is not come yet. Now, I fear, we must say farewell to Balin son of Fundin. Here he must lie in the halls of his fathers. We will take this book, the Book of Mazarbul, and look at it more closely later. You had better keep it, Gimli, and take it back to Dain, if you get a chance. It will interest him, though it will grieve him deeply. Come, let us go! The morning is passing.’ ‘Which way shall we go?’ asked Boromir. ‘Back to the hall,’ answered Gandalf. ‘But our visit to this room has not been in vain. I now know where we are. This must be, as Gimli says, the Chamber of Mazarbul; and the hall must be the twenty-first of the North-end. Therefore we should leave by the eastern arch of the hall, and bear right and south, and go downwards. The Twenty-first Hall should be on the Seventh Level, that is six above the level of the Gates. Come now! Back to the hall!’ Gandalf had hardly spoken these words, when there came a great noise: a rolling Boom that seemed to come from depths far below, and to tremble in the stone at their feet. They sprang towards the door in alarm. Doom, doom it rolled again, as if huge hands were turning the very caverns of Moria into a vast drum. Then there came an echoing blast: a great horn was blown in the hall, and answering horns and harsh cries were heard further off. There was a hurrying sound of many feet. “They are coming!’ cried Legolas. ‘We cannot get out,’ said Gimli. ‘Trapped!’ cried Gandalf. ‘Why did I delay? Here we are, caught, just as they were before. But I was not here then. We will see what——’ Doom, doom came the drum-beat and the walls shook. ‘Slam the doors and wedge them!’ shouted Aragorn. ‘And keep your packs on as long as you can: we may get a chance to cut our way out yet.’ ‘No!’ said Gandalf. ‘We must not get shut in. Keep the east door ajar! We will go that way, if we get a chance.’ Another harsh horn-call and shrill cries rang out. Feet were coming down the corridor. There was a ring and clatter as the Company drew their swords. Glamdring shone with a pale light, and Sting glinted at the edges. Boromir set his shoulder against the western door. ‘Wait a moment! Do not close it yet!’ said Gandalf. He sprang forward to Boromir’s side and drew himself up to his full height.
凱薩督姆之橋 323 甘道夫抬起頭，環顧四周。「他們似乎在兩扇門邊做了最後的抵抗，」他說，「但那時剩下的人已經不多了。於是，奪回摩瑞亞的嘗試就此結束！那很英勇，卻很愚蠢。時機尚未成熟。現在，我恐怕我們必須向方丁之子巴林告別了。他必須安息在他先祖的殿堂裡。我們會帶走這本書，馬薩布爾之書，稍後再仔細查看。金靂，你最好保管好它，如果有機會，就把它帶回給丹恩。這會讓他感興趣，儘管也會讓他深感悲痛。來，我們走吧！清晨時光正在流逝。」「我們該往哪裡走？」波羅莫問道。「回到大廳，」甘道夫回答，「但我們這次來這個房間並非徒勞。我現在知道我們在哪裡了。這裡一定是，正如金靂所說，馬薩布爾廳；而大廳一定是北端第二十一廳。因此，我們應該從大廳的東拱門離開，然後向右轉向南，往下走。第二十一廳應該在第七層，也就是比大門高六層。現在走！回到大廳！」甘道夫話音剛落，就傳來一陣巨響：一聲滾動的「轟隆」聲，似乎來自深淵之下，並讓他們腳下的石頭顫抖。他們驚恐地跳向門邊。「咚，咚」聲再次滾動而來，彷彿有巨手將摩瑞亞的洞穴變成了一面巨大的鼓。接著傳來一聲迴盪的號角聲：大廳裡吹響了一支巨大的號角，遠處也傳來了回應的號角聲和刺耳的叫喊聲。傳來了許多腳步匆忙的聲音。「他們來了！」勒苟拉斯喊道。「我們出不去了，」金靂說。「被困住了！」甘道夫喊道，「我為什麼要耽擱？我們被困在這裡了，就像他們之前一樣。但我那時不在這裡。我們會看看會發生什麼——」「咚，咚」的鼓聲傳來，牆壁震動。「把門猛地關上並楔住！」亞拉岡喊道，「盡可能地背好你們的背包：我們或許還有機會殺出一條血路。」「不！」甘道夫說，「我們絕不能被關在裡面。讓東門半開著！如果有機會，我們就從那裡走。」又一聲刺耳的號角聲和尖銳的叫喊聲響起。走廊裡傳來了腳步聲。當遠征隊拔出他們的劍時，傳來了金屬的鏗鏘聲。葛蘭德林發出蒼白的光芒，刺針的邊緣閃爍著寒光。波羅莫用肩膀抵住西門。「等一下！還不要關上！」甘道夫說。他跳到波羅莫身邊，挺直了身子。
324 THE LORD OF THE RINGS ‘Who comes hither to disturb the rest of Balin Lord of Moria?’ he cried in a loud voice. There was a rush of hoarse laughter, like the fall of sliding stones into a pit; amid the clamour a deep voice was raised in command. Doom, boom, doom went the drums in the deep. With a quick movement Gandalf stepped before the narrow opening of the door and thrust forward his staff. There was a dazzling flash that lit the chamber and the passage outside. For an instant the wizard looked out. Arrows whined and whistled down the corridor as he sprang back. “There are Orcs, very many of them,’ he said. ‘And some are large and evil: black Uruks of Mordor. For the moment they are hanging back, but there is something else there. A great cave-troll, I think, or more than one. There is no hope of escape that way.’ ‘And no hope at all, if they come at the other door as well,’ said Boromir. “There is no sound outside here yet,’ said Aragorn, who was standing by the eastern door listening. “The passage on this side plunges straight down a stair: it plainly does not lead back towards the hall. But it is no good flying blindly this way with the pursuit just behind. We cannot block the door. Its key is gone and the lock is broken, and it opens inwards. We must do something to delay the enemy first. We will make them fear the Chamber of Mazarbul!’ he said grimly, feeling the edge of his sword, Anduril. Heavy feet were heard in the corridor. Boromir flung himself against the door and heaved it to; then he wedged it with broken sword-blades and splinters of wood. The Company retreated to the other side of the chamber. But they had no chance to fly yet. There was a blow on the door that made it quiver; and then it began to grind slowly open, driving back the wedges. A huge arm and shoulder, with a dark skin of greenish scales, was thrust through the widening gap. Then a great, flat, toeless foot was forced through below. There was a dead silence outside. Boromir leaped forward and hewed at the arm with all his might; but his sword rang, glanced aside, and fell from his shaken hand. The blade was notched. Suddenly, and to his own surprise, Frodo felt a hot wrath blaze up in his heart. “The Shire!’ he cried, and springing beside Boromir, he stooped, and stabbed with Sting at the hideous foot. There was a bellow, and the foot jerked back, nearly wrenching Sting from Frodo’s arm. Black drops dripped from the blade and smoked on the floor. Boromir hurled himself against the door and slammed it again.
324 魔戒之主 「是誰膽敢打擾摩瑞亞領主巴林安息？」他大聲喊道。一陣沙啞的笑聲響起，像石頭滑落深坑般，在喧囂中，一個低沉的聲音發出號令。咚、轟、咚，深處的鼓聲響起。甘道夫迅速上前，擋在狹窄的門口前，並向前伸出他的法杖。一道耀眼的光芒照亮了房間和外面的通道。巫師瞬間向外看了一眼。當他跳回時，箭矢在他身後的走廊裡呼嘯而過。「是半獸人，數量非常多。」他說。「有些又大又邪惡：是魔多來的黑烏魯克。他們暫時還在猶豫，但那裡還有別的東西。我想是一隻巨大的洞穴食人妖，或者不止一隻。這條路是沒有希望逃脫的。」「如果他們也從另一扇門進來，那就完全沒有希望了。」波羅莫說。「這裡外面還沒有聲音。」亞拉岡說，他正站在東門旁傾聽。「這邊的通道直接通向一道樓梯：顯然不會通回大廳。但這樣盲目地飛奔，而追兵就在身後，是沒有用的。我們無法堵住門。它的鑰匙丟了，鎖也壞了，而且它是向內開的。我們必須先做些什麼來拖延敵人。我們要讓他們害怕馬薩布爾廳！」他嚴峻地說，摸著他的劍「安都瑞爾」的劍刃。走廊裡傳來沉重的腳步聲。波羅莫猛地撞向門，用力將它關上；然後他用斷裂的劍刃和木屑將它楔住。隊伍退到房間的另一邊。但他們還沒有機會逃走。門上傳來一聲撞擊，讓它顫抖起來；然後它開始緩慢地磨開，將楔子頂了回去。一隻巨大的手臂和肩膀，覆蓋著綠色鱗片的黑皮膚，從逐漸擴大的縫隙中伸了進來。接著，一隻巨大、扁平、沒有腳趾的腳被強行塞了進來。外面一片死寂。波羅莫向前躍起，用盡全力砍向那隻手臂；但他的劍發出鏗鏘聲，滑開了，從他顫抖的手中落下。劍刃已經缺口。突然，令他自己也感到驚訝的是，佛羅多感到一股熾熱的怒火在他心中燃燒。「夏爾！」他喊道，跳到波羅莫身旁，彎下腰，用「刺針」刺向那隻醜陋的腳。一聲咆哮響起，那隻腳猛地縮回，幾乎將「刺針」從佛羅多手中奪走。黑色的液滴從劍刃上滴落，在地板上冒煙。波羅莫再次猛地撞向門，將它關上。
THE BRIDGE OF KHAZAD-DUM 325 ‘One for the Shire!’ cried Aragorn. “The hobbit’s bite is deep! You have a good blade, Frodo son of Drogo!’ There was a crash on the door, followed by crash after crash. Rams and hammers were beating against it. It cracked and staggered back, and the opening grew suddenly wide. Arrows came whistling in, but struck the northern wall, and fell harmlessly to the floor. There was a horn-blast and a rush of feet, and orcs one after another leaped into the chamber. How many there were the Company could not count. The affray was sharp, but the orcs were dismayed by the fierceness of the defence. Legolas shot two through the throat. Gimli hewed the legs from under another that had sprung up on Balin’s tomb. Boromir and Aragorn slew many. When thirteen had fallen the rest fled shrieking, leaving the defenders unharmed, except for Sam who had a scratch along the scalp. A quick duck had saved him; and he had felled his ore: a sturdy thrust with his Barrow-blade. A fire was smouldering in his brown eyes that would have made Ted Sandyman step backwards, if he had seen it. ‘Now is the time!’ cried Gandalf. ‘Let us go, before the troll returns!’ But even as they retreated, and before Pippin and Merry had reached the stair outside, a huge orc-chieftain, almost man-high, clad in black mail from head to foot, leaped into the chamber; behind him his followers clustered in the doorway. His broad flat face was swart, his eyes were like coals, and his tongue was red; he wielded a great spear. With a thrust of his huge hide shield he turned Boromir’s sword and bore him backwards, throwing him to the ground. Diving under Aragorn’s blow with the speed of a striking snake he charged into the Company and thrust with his spear straight at Frodo. The blow caught him on the right side, and Frodo was hurled against the wall and pinned. Sam, with a cry, hacked at the spear-shaft, and it broke. But even as the orc flung down the truncheon and swept out his scimitar, Anduril came down upon his helm. There was a flash like flame and the helm burst asunder. The orc fell with cloven head. His followers fled howling, as Boromir and Aragorn sprang at them. Doom, doom went the drums in the deep. The great voice rolled out again. ‘Now!’ shouted Gandalf. ‘Now is the last chance. Run for it!’ Aragorn picked up Frodo where he lay by the wall and made for the stair, pushing Merry and Pippin in front of him. The others followed; but Gimli had to be dragged away by Legolas: in spite of the peril he lingered by Balin’s tomb with his head bowed. Boromir
凱薩督姆之橋 325 「為了夏爾！」亞拉岡喊道。「哈比人的咬勁真深！你有一把好劍，佛羅多，德羅哥之子！」門上傳來一聲巨響，接著是接連不斷的撞擊聲。撞錘和鐵鎚正猛烈地敲打著門。門裂開了，向後踉蹌，開口突然變寬。箭矢呼嘯而入，但射中了北牆，無害地落在地上。一聲號角響起，接著是急促的腳步聲，獸人一個接一個地跳進了廳堂。遠征隊數不清有多少獸人。這場衝突很激烈，但獸人被防禦的兇猛嚇退了。勒苟拉斯射穿了兩隻獸人的喉嚨。金靂砍斷了另一隻跳上巴林墓碑的獸人的腿。波羅莫和亞拉岡殺死了許多獸人。當十三隻獸人倒下後，其餘的尖叫著逃走了，防禦者毫髮無傷，除了山姆頭皮上有一道抓痕。一次迅速的閃避救了他；他還擊倒了他的敵人：用他的古墓劍有力地刺了一擊。他褐色的眼睛裡燃燒著一團火，如果泰德·桑迪曼看見了，肯定會嚇得後退。「就是現在！」甘道夫喊道。「我們快走，在食人妖回來之前！」但就在他們撤退之際，在皮聘和梅里還沒到達外面的樓梯前，一個巨大的獸人酋長，幾乎有人那麼高，從頭到腳披著黑色的鎖子甲，跳進了廳堂；在他身後，他的追隨者們擠在門口。他寬闊扁平的臉龐黝黑，眼睛像炭火，舌頭是紅色的；他揮舞著一柄巨大的長矛。他用巨大的皮革盾牌一推，撥開了波羅莫的劍，將他逼退，摔倒在地。他以毒蛇出擊般的速度，潛身躲過亞拉岡的攻擊，衝進遠征隊，用長矛直刺佛羅多。這一擊擊中了他的右側，佛羅多被撞到牆上，動彈不得。山姆大叫一聲，猛砍長矛的矛桿，矛桿斷裂了。但就在獸人扔下斷矛，拔出他的彎刀之際，安都瑞爾劈向了他的頭盔。一道火光閃過，頭盔應聲裂開。獸人頭顱被劈開，倒了下去。他的追隨者們嚎叫著逃竄，波羅莫和亞拉岡則撲向他們。深處傳來「咚、咚」的鼓聲。那洪亮的聲音再次響起。「就是現在！」甘道夫大喊。「這是最後的機會了。快跑！」亞拉岡抱起躺在牆邊的佛羅多，朝樓梯跑去，將梅里和皮聘推到前面。其他人跟在後面；但金靂不得不被勒苟拉斯拖走：儘管危險重重，他仍低著頭，在巴林墓碑旁徘徊。波羅莫
326 THE LORD OF THE RINGS hauled the eastern door to, grinding upon its hinges: it had great iron rings on either side, but could not be fastened. ‘I am all right,’ gasped Frodo. ‘I can walk. Put me down!’ Aragorn nearly dropped him in his amazement. ‘I thought you were dead!’ he cried. ‘Not yet!’ said Gandalf. ‘But there is no time for wonder. Off you go, all of you, down the stairs! Wait a few minutes for me at the bottom, but if I do not come soon, go on! Go quickly and choose paths leading right and downwards.’ ‘We cannot leave you to hold the door alone!’ said Aragorn. ‘Do as I say!’ said Gandalf fiercely. ‘Swords are no more use here. Go!’ The passage was lit by no shaft and was utterly dark. They groped their way down a long flight of steps, and then looked back; but they could see nothing, except high above them the faint glimmer of the wizard’s staff. He seemed to be still standing on guard by the closed door. Frodo breathed heavily and leaned against Sam, who put his arms about him. They stood peering up the stairs into the darkness. Frodo thought he could hear the voice of Gandalf above, muttering words that ran down the sloping roof with a sighing echo. He could not catch what was said. The walls seemed to be trembling. Every now and again the drum-beats throbbed and rolled: doom, doom. Suddenly at the top of the stair there was a stab of white light. Then there was a dull rumble and a heavy thud. The drum-beats broke out wildly: doom-boom, doom-boom, and then stopped. Gandalf came flying down the steps and fell to the ground in the midst of the Company. ‘Well, well! That’s over!’ said the wizard struggling to his feet. ‘I have done all that I could. But I have met my match, and have nearly been destroyed. But don’t stand here! Go on! You will have to do without light for a while: I am rather shaken. Go on! Go on! Where are you, Gimli? Come ahead with me! Keep close behind, all of you!’ They stumbled after him wondering what had happened. Doom, doom went the drum-beats again: they now sounded muffled and far away, but they were following. There was no other sound of pursuit, neither tramp of feet, nor any voice. Gandalf took no turns, right or left, for the passage seemed to be going in the direction that he desired. Every now and again it descended a flight of steps, fifty or more, to a lower level. At the moment that was their chief danger; for in the dark they could not see a descent, until they came on it and put their feet out into emptiness. Gandalf felt the ground with his staff like a blind man.
326 《魔戒》 東邊的門被拉上，門軸發出刺耳的摩擦聲：門的兩側都有巨大的鐵環，但無法鎖上。「我沒事，」佛羅多喘著氣說。「我能走。放我下來！」亞拉岡驚訝得差點把他摔在地上。「我以為你死了！」他喊道。「還沒！」甘道夫說。「但現在沒時間驚訝了。你們所有人，快下去，沿著樓梯走！在底部等我幾分鐘，但如果我沒有很快下來，就繼續走！快走，選擇向右向下延伸的路徑。」「我們不能讓你一個人守著門！」亞拉岡說。「照我說的做！」甘道夫厲聲說。「劍在這裡已經沒用了。走！」通道裡沒有光線，一片漆黑。他們摸索著走下一長串階梯，然後回頭看；但除了上方巫師法杖微弱的光芒外，什麼也看不見。他似乎仍守在緊閉的門邊。佛羅多大口喘氣，靠在山姆身上，山姆環抱著他。他們站在那裡，凝視著樓梯上方的黑暗。佛羅多覺得他能聽到甘道夫在上方說話的聲音，低語聲沿著傾斜的屋頂迴盪著嘆息般的餘音。他聽不清說了什麼。牆壁似乎在顫抖。鼓聲不時地隆隆作響：厄運，厄運。突然，樓梯頂端閃過一道白光。接著是一聲沉悶的轟鳴和重重的撞擊聲。鼓聲狂亂地爆發：咚隆，咚隆，然後停止了。甘道夫飛奔下階梯，跌落在隊伍中央。「好了，好了！結束了！」巫師掙扎著站起來說。「我已經盡力了。但我遇到了對手，差點被毀滅。別站在這裡！繼續走！你們暫時得沒有光線了：我有點虛弱。走！走！金靂，你在哪裡？跟我來！你們所有人，緊跟在後面！」他們跌跌撞撞地跟在他身後，想知道發生了什麼事。鼓聲再次響起：厄運，厄運；現在聽起來沉悶而遙遠，但它們仍在追趕。沒有其他追逐的聲音，既沒有腳步聲，也沒有任何說話聲。甘道夫沒有轉彎，無論是向右還是向左，因為通道似乎正朝著他想要的方向延伸。它不時地下降一長串階梯，五十級或更多，通往更低的層次。那一刻是他們最大的危險；因為在黑暗中，他們看不到下降的階梯，直到他們踩到它，腳下懸空。甘道夫像盲人一樣用他的法杖探測地面。
THE BRIDGE OF KHAZAD-DUM 327 At the end of an hour they had gone a mile, or maybe a little more, and had descended many flights of stairs. There was still no sound of pursuit. Almost they began to hope that they would escape. At the bottom of the seventh flight Gandalf halted. ‘It is getting hot!’ he gasped. ‘We ought to be down at least to the level of the Gates now. Soon I think we should look for a left-hand turn to take us east. I hope it is not far. I am very weary. I must rest here a moment, even if all the orcs ever spawned are after us.’ Gimli took his arm and helped him down to a seat on the step. ‘What happened away up there at the door?’ he asked. ‘Did you meet the beater of the drums?’ ‘I do not know,’ answered Gandalf. ‘But I found myself suddenly faced by something that I have not met before. I could think of nothing to do but to try and put a shutting-spell on the door. I know many; but to do things of that kind rightly requires time, and even then the door can be broken by strength. ‘As I stood there I could hear orc-voices on the other side: at any moment I thought they would burst it open. I could not hear what was said; they seemed to be talking in their own hideous language. All I caught was ghdsh: that is “‘fire’’. Then something came into the chamber — I felt it through the door, and the orcs themselves were afraid and fell silent. It laid hold of the iron ring, and then it perceived me and my spell. ‘What it was I cannot guess, but I have never felt such a challenge. The counter-spell was terrible. It nearly broke me. For an instant the door left my control and began to open! I had to speak a word of Command. That proved too great a strain. The door burst in pieces. Something dark as a cloud was blocking out all the light inside, and I was thrown backwards down the stairs. All the wall gave way, and the roof of the chamber as well, I think. ‘I am afraid Balin is buried deep, and maybe something else is buried there too. I cannot say. But at least the passage behind us was completely blocked. Ah! I have never felt so spent, but it is passing. And now what about you, Frodo? There was not time to say so, but I have never been more delighted in my life than when you spoke. I feared that it was a brave but dead hobbit that Aragorn was carrying.’ ‘What about me?’ said Frodo. ‘I am alive, and whole I think. I am bruised and in pain, but it is not too bad.’ ‘Well,’ said Aragorn, ‘I can only say that hobbits are made of a stuff so tough that I have never met the like of it. Had I known, I would have spoken softer in the Inn at Bree! That spear-thrust would have skewered a wild boar!’ ‘Well, it did not skewer me, I am glad to say,’ said Frodo; ‘though
卡扎督姆之橋 327 過了一小時，他們走了一英里，或許還多一點，並下降了許多層階梯。追兵的聲音依然沒有傳來。他們幾乎開始希望能夠逃脫。在第七層階梯的底部，甘道夫停了下來。「越來越熱了！」他喘息著說。「我們現在至少應該已經到達了『大門』的水平高度。我想我們很快就應該尋找一個左轉的路口，帶我們向東走。我希望它不遠。我非常疲憊。我必須在這裡休息片刻，即使所有曾被孵化的半獸人都追在我們後面。」金靂扶著他的手臂，幫助他坐到階梯上。「上面門口那裡發生了什麼事？」他問道。「你遇到擊鼓者了嗎？」「我不知道，」甘道夫回答。「但我發現自己突然面對著某種我從未遇見過的東西。我除了嘗試對門施加一個封閉咒語之外，想不出任何辦法。我會很多咒語；但要正確地施展那類咒語需要時間，即使如此，門也可能被蠻力打破。」 「當我站在那裡時，我能聽到另一邊半獸人的聲音：我以為他們隨時都會猛力撞開門。我聽不清他們說了什麼；他們似乎在用他們自己可怕的語言說話。我只聽到『ghdsh』：那是『火』的意思。然後有什麼東西進入了房間——我透過門感覺到了它，半獸人自己也害怕得鴉雀無聲。它抓住了鐵環，然後它察覺到了我和我的咒語。」 「我無法猜測那是什麼，但我從未感受過如此的挑戰。那個反咒語太可怕了。它幾乎讓我崩潰。有一瞬間，門脫離了我的控制，開始打開！我不得不說出一個號令之語。那證明負荷過重了。門碎裂開來。有什麼東西像一團烏雲般遮蔽了裡面所有的光線，我被向後拋下樓梯。所有的牆壁都坍塌了，我想，房間的屋頂也一樣。」 「我恐怕巴林被深埋了，也許還有別的東西也埋在那裡。我說不準。但至少我們身後的通道完全被堵住了。啊！我從未感到如此筋疲力盡，但它正在消退。那麼你呢，佛羅多？當時沒有時間說，但我一生中從未像你說話時那樣高興。我擔心亞拉岡背著的是一個勇敢卻已逝的哈比人。」 「我怎麼了？」佛羅多說。「我還活著，而且我想我完好無損。我瘀傷疼痛，但還不算太糟。」 「嗯，」亞拉岡說，「我只能說哈比人是由如此堅韌的材料製成的，我從未見過像這樣的。如果我早知道，我在布理的客棧裡說話就會更輕柔了！那一矛刺足以刺穿一頭野豬！」 「嗯，它沒有刺穿我，我很高興這麼說，」佛羅多說；「儘管
328 THE LORD OF THE RINGS I feel as if I had been caught between a hammer and an anvil.’ He said no more. He found breathing painful. “You take after Bilbo,’ said Gandalf. “There is more about you than meets the eye, as I said of him long ago.’ Frodo wondered if the remark meant more than it said. They now went on again. Before long Gimli spoke. He had keen eyes in the dark. ‘I think,’ he said, ‘that there is a light ahead. But it is not daylight. It is red. What can it be?’ ‘GhashP? muttered Gandalf. ‘I wonder if that is what they meant: that the lower levels are on fire? Still, we can only go on.’ Soon the light became unmistakable, and could be seen by all. It was flickering and glowing on the walls away down the passage before them. They could now see their way: in front the road sloped down swiftly, and some way ahead there stood a low archway; through it the growing light came. The air became very hot. When they came to the arch Gandalf went through, signing to them to wait. As he stood just beyond the opening they saw his face lit by a red glow. Quickly he stepped back. “There is some new devilry here,’ he said, ‘devised for our welcome, no doubt. But I know now where we are: we have reached the First Deep, the level immediately below the Gates. This is the Second Hall of Old Moria; and the Gates are near: away beyond the eastern end, on the left, not more than a quarter of a mile. Across the Bridge, up a broad stair, along a wide road, through the First Hall, and out! But come and look!’ They peered out. Before them was another cavernous hall. It was loftier and far longer than the one in which they had slept. They were near its eastern end; westward it ran away into darkness. Down the centre stalked a double line of towering pillars. They were carved like boles of mighty trees whose boughs upheld the roof with a branching tracery of stone. Their stems were smooth and black, but a red glow was darkly mirrored in their sides. Right across the floor, close to the feet of two huge pillars a great fissure had opened. Out of it a fierce red light came, and now and again flames licked at the brink and curled about the bases of the columns. Wisps of dark smoke wavered in the hot air. ‘If we had come by the main road down from the upper halls, we should have been trapped here,’ said Gandalf. ‘Let us hope that the fire now lies between us and pursuit. Come! There is no time to lose.’ Even as he spoke they heard again the pursuing drum-beat: Doom, doom, doom. Away beyond the shadows at the western end of the hall there came cries and horn-calls. Doom, doom: the pillars seemed to tremble and the flames to quiver.
328 《魔戒》 「我覺得自己就像被夾在鐵鎚和鐵砧之間。」他沒有再說話。他覺得呼吸很痛苦。「你很像比爾博，」甘道夫說，「你比表面看起來更有內涵，我很久以前就這麼說過他了。」佛羅多想知道這句話是否言外有義。他們現在又繼續前進。不久，金靂開口了。他在黑暗中有一雙銳利的眼睛。「我想，」他說，「前面有光。但那不是日光。它是紅色的。那會是什麼？」 「嘎什P？」甘道夫喃喃自語，「我不知道他們是不是這個意思：下層著火了？不過，我們只能繼續前進。」很快，那光芒變得清晰可辨，所有人都看到了。它在他們前方通道深處的牆壁上閃爍發光。他們現在能看清道路了：前方道路迅速向下傾斜，前面不遠處有一個低矮的拱門；光線從那裡透了出來。空氣變得非常炎熱。當他們來到拱門時，甘道夫穿過，示意他們等待。當他站在開口處的另一邊時，他們看到他的臉被紅光照亮。他迅速退了回來。「這裡有新的邪惡伎倆，」他說，「毫無疑問，這是為『歡迎』我們而設的。但我現在知道我們在哪裡了：我們已經到達了第一深層，就在大門正下方。這是古老摩瑞亞的第二大廳；大門就在附近：在東端之外，左邊，不到四分之一英里。穿過橋，爬上寬闊的樓梯，沿著寬闊的道路，穿過第一大廳，然後出去！但過來看看！」他們探頭向外望去。他們面前是另一個巨大的洞穴大廳。它比他們睡過的大廳更高大、更長。他們靠近它的東端；向西它延伸入黑暗中。大廳中央矗立著兩排高聳的柱子。它們被雕刻成參天大樹的樹幹，樹枝般的石雕支撐著屋頂。它們的柱身光滑漆黑，但紅光卻在它們的側面幽暗地反射。就在地板上，靠近兩根巨大柱子的腳下，一道巨大的裂縫裂開了。一道熾熱的紅光從中射出，不時有火焰舔舐著裂縫邊緣，並盤繞在柱子底部。縷縷黑煙在熱空氣中搖曳。「如果我們是從上層大廳的主路下來，我們就會被困在這裡了，」甘道夫說，「希望這火現在能把我們和追兵隔開。來吧！沒有時間可以浪費了。」就在他說話的時候，他們又聽到了追擊的鼓聲：咚，咚，咚。在大廳西端陰影之外，傳來了叫喊聲和號角聲。咚，咚：柱子似乎在顫抖，火焰也在搖曳。
THE BRIDGE OF KHAZAD-DUM 329 ‘Now for the last race!’ said Gandalf. ‘If the sun is shining outside, we may still escape. After me!’ He turned left and sped across the smooth floor of the hall. The distance was greater than it had looked. As they ran they heard the beat and echo of many hurrying feet behind. A shrill yell went up: they had been seen. There was a ring and clash of steel. An arrow whistled over Frodo’s head. Boromir laughed. ‘They did not expect this,’ he said. “The fire has cut them off. We are on the wrong side!’ ‘Look ahead!’ called Gandalf. “The Bridge is near. It is dangerous and narrow.’ Suddenly Frodo saw before him a black chasm. At the end of the hall the floor vanished and fell to an unknown depth. The outer door could only be reached by a slender bridge of stone, without kerb or rail, that spanned the chasm with one curving spring of fifty feet. It was an ancient defence of the Dwarves against any enemy that might capture the First Hall and the outer passages. They could only pass across it in single file. At the brink Gandalf halted and the others came up in a pack behind. ‘Lead the way, Gimli!’ he said. ‘Pippin and Merry next. Straight on, and up the stair beyond the door!’ Arrows fell among them. One struck Frodo and sprang back. Another pierced Gandalf’s hat and stuck there like a black feather. Frodo looked behind. Beyond the fire he saw swarming black figures: there seemed to be hundreds of orcs. They brandished spears and scimitars which shone red as blood in the firelight. Doom, doom rolled the drum-beats, growing louder and louder, doom, doom. Legolas turned and set an arrow to the string, though it was a long shot for his small bow. He drew, but his hand fell, and the arrow slipped to the ground. He gave a cry of dismay and fear. Two great trolls appeared; they bore great slabs of stone, and flung them down to serve as gangways over the fire. But it was not the trolls that had filled the Elf with terror. The ranks of the orcs had opened, and they crowded away, as if they themselves were afraid. Something was coming up behind them. What it was could not be seen: it was like a great shadow, in the middle of which was a dark form, of man-shape maybe, yet greater; and a power and terror seemed to be in it and to go before it. It came to the edge of the fire and the light faded as if a cloud had bent over it. Then with a rush it leaped across the fissure. The flames roared up to greet it, and wreathed about it; and a black smoke swirled in the air. Its streaming mane kindled, and blazed behind it. In its right hand was a blade like a stabbing tongue of fire; in its left it held a whip of many thongs.
凱薩督姆之橋 329 「現在是最後一搏了！」甘道夫說。「如果外面陽光普照，我們或許還能逃脫。跟著我！」他轉向左邊，迅速穿過大廳光滑的地板。距離比看起來要遠。當他們奔跑時，聽到身後許多急促腳步的聲響和迴音。一聲尖銳的叫喊響起：他們被發現了。響起了金屬的撞擊聲和鏗鏘聲。一支箭從佛羅多頭上呼嘯而過。波羅莫笑了。「他們沒料到這個。」他說。「大火把他們隔開了。我們在錯誤的一邊！」 「看前面！」甘道夫喊道。「橋就在附近。它既危險又狹窄。」佛羅多突然看到眼前一道漆黑的深淵。大廳的盡頭，地板消失了，墜入未知的深處。外門只能透過一座細長的石橋才能到達，這座橋沒有路緣或欄杆，以一道五十英尺的弧形跨越深淵。這是矮人古老的防禦工事，用來抵禦任何可能佔領第一大廳和外圍通道的敵人。他們只能單行通過。在邊緣，甘道夫停了下來，其他人則緊隨其後。 「吉姆利，帶路！」他說。「皮聘和梅里跟上。一直往前，然後穿過門，上樓梯！」箭矢落在他們中間。一支射中佛羅多，然後彈開。另一支則刺穿了甘道夫的帽子，像一根黑色的羽毛一樣插在那裡。佛羅多回頭看。在火光之外，他看到密密麻麻的黑色身影：似乎有數百隻半獸人。他們揮舞著長矛和彎刀，在火光中紅得像血一樣。咚，咚，鼓聲滾動，越來越響，咚，咚。勒苟拉斯轉過身，將箭搭在弓弦上，儘管對於他的小弓來說，這是一次遠距離射擊。他拉弓，但手卻垂了下來，箭也滑落到地上。他發出了一聲驚恐和恐懼的叫喊。 兩隻巨大的食人妖出現了；牠們扛著巨大的石板，將它們扔下，作為跨越火焰的通道。但讓精靈充滿恐懼的並不是食人妖。半獸人的隊伍散開了，牠們擠向兩旁，彷彿牠們自己也感到害怕。有什麼東西正從牠們身後逼近。看不清那是什麼：它像一個巨大的陰影，中間有一個黑暗的形體，或許是人形，但卻更巨大；一股力量和恐懼似乎存在於其中，並走在它前面。它來到火邊，光線黯淡下來，彷彿一朵烏雲籠罩在它上方。接著，它猛地一躍，跳過了裂縫。火焰咆哮著向上迎接它，並環繞著它；一股黑煙在空中盤旋。它那飄動的鬃毛燃燒起來，在它身後熊熊燃燒。在它的右手中是一把像刺穿的火焰舌頭般的刀刃；在它的左手則握著一條多股鞭子。
330 THE LORD OF THE RINGS ‘Ai! ai!’ wailed Legolas. ‘A Balrog! A Balrog is come!’ Gimli stared with wide eyes. ‘Durin’s Bane!’ he cried, and letting his axe fall he covered his face. ‘A Balrog,’ muttered Gandalf. ‘Now I understand.’ He faltered and leaned heavily on his staff. ‘What an evil fortune! And I am already weary.’ The dark figure streaming with fire raced towards them. The orcs yelled and poured over the stone gangways. Then Boromir raised his horn and blew. Loud the challenge rang and bellowed, like the shout of many throats under the cavernous roof. For a moment the orcs quailed and the fiery shadow halted. Then the echoes died as suddenly as a flame blown out by a dark wind, and the enemy advanced again. ‘Over the bridge!’ cried Gandalf, recalling his strength. ‘Fly! This is a foe beyond any of you. I must hold the narrow way. Fly!’ Aragorn and Boromir did not heed the command, but still held their ground, side by side, behind Gandalf at the far end of the bridge. The others halted just within the doorway at the hall’s end, and turned, unable to leave their leader to face the enemy alone. The Balrog reached the bridge. Gandalf stood in the middle of the span, leaning on the staff in his left hand, but in his other hand Glamdring gleamed, cold and white. His enemy halted again, facing him, and the shadow about it reached out like two vast wings. It raised the whip, and the thongs whined and cracked. Fire came from its nostrils. But Gandalf stood firm. “You cannot pass,’ he said. The orcs stood still, and a dead silence fell. ‘I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. You cannot pass. The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udtn. Go back to the Shadow! You cannot pass.’ The Balrog made no answer. The fire in it seemed to die, but the darkness grew. It stepped forward slowly on to the bridge, and suddenly it drew itself up to a great height, and its wings were spread from wall to wall; but still Gandalf could be seen, glimmering in the gloom; he seemed small, and altogether alone: grey and bent, like a wizened tree before the onset of a storm. From out of the shadow a red sword leaped flaming. Glamdring glittered white in answer. There was a ringing clash and a stab of white fire. The Balrog fell back, and its sword flew up in molten fragments. The wizard swayed on the bridge, stepped back a pace, and then again stood still. “You cannot pass!’ he said. With a bound the Balrog leaped full upon the bridge. Its whip whirled and hissed.
330 魔戒 「唉！唉！」勒苟拉斯哭喊著。「是炎魔！炎魔來了！」金靂睜大眼睛凝視著。「都靈的剋星！」他大叫，放下斧頭，掩住了臉。「炎魔。」甘道夫喃喃地說。「我現在明白了。」他踉蹌了一下，重重地倚在法杖上。「多麼惡毒的命運！而我已經疲憊不堪了。」那道火光閃爍的黑暗身影朝他們衝來。半獸人尖叫著，湧過石製的走道。接著波羅莫舉起號角，吹響了它。挑戰的號角聲響亮地迴盪，咆哮著，如同許多喉嚨在洞穴般的穹頂下發出的吼聲。一時間，半獸人畏縮了，那道火焰般的陰影也停了下來。然後，迴聲像被一陣黑風吹滅的火焰般突然消失，敵人再次前進。「過橋！」甘道夫喊道，重新振作起來。「快逃！這是你們無法匹敵的敵人。我必須守住這條狹窄的通道。快逃！」亞拉岡和波羅莫沒有聽從命令，但仍然堅守陣地，肩並肩地站在甘道夫身後，位於橋的遠端。其他人則停在大廳盡頭的門口內，轉過身來，不願讓他們的領袖獨自面對敵人。炎魔抵達了橋上。甘道夫站在橋中央，左手倚著法杖，但他的另一隻手裡，葛蘭德林劍閃爍著寒冷的白光。他的敵人再次停下，面對著他，周圍的陰影像兩隻巨大的翅膀般伸展開來。它舉起鞭子，鞭梢發出嗚咽和劈啪聲。火焰從它的鼻孔中噴出。但甘道夫堅定地站著。「你不能通過！」他說。半獸人靜止不動，一片死寂降臨。「我是秘火的僕人，安諾之焰的持有者。你不能通過。這黑暗之火對你無益，烏頓之焰。回到陰影中去！你不能通過！」炎魔沒有回答。它體內的火焰似乎熄滅了，但黑暗卻越來越濃。它緩緩地踏上橋，突然間，它將自己撐到一個巨大的高度，翅膀從牆壁延伸到牆壁；但甘道夫仍然可見，在黑暗中閃爍著微光；他顯得渺小，完全孤獨：灰白而彎曲，像暴風雨來臨前一棵枯萎的樹。一道紅色的劍從陰影中躍出，燃燒著火焰。葛蘭德林劍閃爍著白光作為回應。一聲清脆的撞擊和一道白色火焰的刺擊。炎魔後退了，它的劍碎裂成熔化的碎片飛散。巫師在橋上搖晃了一下，後退一步，然後再次站穩。「你不能通過！」他說。炎魔猛地一躍，完全跳上了橋。它的鞭子呼嘯著，發出嘶嘶聲。
THE BRIDGE OF KHAZAD-DUM 331 ‘He cannot stand alone!’ cried Aragorn suddenly and ran back along the bridge. ‘Elendil!’ he shouted. ‘I am with you, Gandalf!’ ‘Gondor!’ cried Boromir and leaped after him. At that moment Gandalf lifted his staff, and crying aloud he smote the bridge before him. The staff broke asunder and fell from his hand. A blinding sheet of white flame sprang up. The bridge cracked. Right at the Balrog’s feet it broke, and the stone upon which it stood crashed into the gulf, while the rest remained, poised, quivering like a tongue of rock thrust out into emptiness. With a terrible cry the Balrog fell forward, and its shadow plunged down and vanished. But even as it fell it swung its whip, and the thongs lashed and curled about the wizard’s knees, dragging him to the brink. He staggered and fell, grasped vainly at the stone, and slid into the abyss. ‘Fly, you fools!’ he cried, and was gone. The fires went out, and blank darkness fell. The Company stood rooted with horror staring into the pit. Even as Aragorn and Boromir came flying back, the rest of the bridge cracked and fell. With a cry Aragorn roused them. ‘Come! I will lead you now!’ he called. “We must obey his last command. Follow me!’ They stumbled wildly up the great stairs beyond the door, Aragorn leading, Boromir at the rear. At the top was a wide echoing passage. Along this they fled. Frodo heard Sam at his side weeping, and then he found that he himself was weeping as he ran. Doom, doom, doom the drum-beats rolled behind, mournful now and slow; doom! They ran on. The light grew before them; great shafts pierced the roof. They ran swifter. They passed into a hall, bright with daylight from its high windows in the east. They fled across it. Through its huge broken doors they passed, and suddenly before them the Great Gates opened, an arch of blazing light. There was a guard of orcs crouching in the shadows behind the great door-posts towering on either side, but the gates were shattered and cast down. Aragorn smote to the ground the captain that stood in his path, and the rest fled in terror of his wrath. The Company swept past them and took no heed of them. Out of the Gates they ran and sprang down the huge and age-worn steps, the threshold of Moria. Thus, at last, they came beyond hope under the sky and felt the wind on their faces. They did not halt until they were out of bowshot from the walls. Dimrill Dale lay about them. The shadow of the Misty Mountains lay upon it, but eastwards there was a golden light on the land. It was but one hour after noon. The sun was shining; the clouds were white and high.
凱薩督姆之橋 331 「他不能獨自一人！」亞拉岡突然大喊，然後跑回橋上。「埃蘭迪爾！」他高聲喊道。「我與你同在，甘道夫！」「剛鐸！」波羅莫大喊，躍身跟上。就在那一刻，甘道夫舉起他的法杖，大聲喊叫著，擊打他面前的橋面。法杖斷裂成兩半，從他手中落下。一道炫目的白色火焰竄起。橋面裂開了。就在炎魔腳下，橋面斷裂，它所站立的石頭墜入深淵，而其餘部分則懸空、顫抖，像一條伸向虛空的岩石舌頭。炎魔發出一聲可怕的叫喊，向前倒下，它的影子墜落並消失。但就在它墜落之際，它揮舞著鞭子，鞭梢纏繞並捲住巫師的膝蓋，將他拖到邊緣。他踉蹌倒地，徒勞地抓住石頭，滑入深淵。「快逃，你們這些傻瓜！」他喊道，然後消失了。火焰熄滅，一片漆黑降臨。遠征隊嚇得呆若木雞，凝視著深坑。就在亞拉岡和波羅莫飛奔回來之際，橋的其餘部分也裂開並墜落。亞拉岡一聲大喊喚醒了他們。「來！現在我來帶路！」他喊道。「我們必須服從他最後的命令。跟著我！」他們跌跌撞撞地衝上門後的大階梯，亞拉岡領頭，波羅莫殿後。頂端是一條寬闊而迴盪的通道。他們沿著這條通道逃跑。佛羅多聽到山姆在他身旁哭泣，然後他發現自己也在奔跑中哭泣。咚、咚、咚，鼓聲從後方滾滾而來，現在變得悲傷而緩慢；咚！他們繼續跑。光線在他們前方漸漸增強；巨大的光束穿透屋頂。他們跑得更快。他們進入一個大廳，東邊高窗透進的日光使其明亮。他們穿過大廳。他們穿過巨大破損的門，突然，他們面前的大門敞開，一道熾熱的光拱。有一群半獸人衛兵蹲伏在兩側高聳的門柱後方的陰影中，但大門已被擊碎並倒塌。亞拉岡將擋路的隊長擊倒在地，其餘的半獸人因他的怒火而倉皇逃竄。遠征隊從他們身邊掃過，沒有理會他們。他們衝出大門，跳下巨大而飽經風霜的階梯，那是摩瑞亞的門檻。就這樣，他們終於出乎意料地來到天空之下，感受著風拂過臉龐。他們直到離開城牆的弓箭射程之外才停下。鏡影湖谷環繞著他們。迷霧山脈的陰影籠罩著它，但東方，金色的光芒灑在地面上。那時剛過中午一個小時。陽光普照；白雲高懸。
332 THE LORD OF THE RINGS They looked back. Dark yawned the archway of the Gates under the mountain-shadow. Faint and far beneath the earth rolled the slow drum-beats: doom. A thin black smoke trailed out. Nothing else was to be seen; the dale all around was empty. Doom. Grief at last wholly overcame them, and they wept long: some standing and silent, some cast upon the ground. Doom, doom. The drum-beats faded.
332 魔戒 他們回頭望去。在山影之下，城門的拱道黑洞洞地張開著。微弱而遙遠的鼓聲，在地下緩緩地響起：厄運。一縷黑煙裊裊冒出。再沒有別的東西可見；周圍的山谷空無一人。厄運。悲傷終於完全壓倒了他們，他們痛哭良久：有些人站著默默無語，有些人則倒在地上。厄運，厄運。鼓聲漸漸消失了。