Chapter 9 THE GREAT RIVER Frodo was roused by Sam. He found that he was lying, well wrapped, under tall grey-skinned trees in a quiet corner of the woodlands on the west bank of the Great River, Anduin. He had slept the night away, and the grey of morning was dim among the bare branches. Gimli was busy with a small fire near at hand. They started again before the day was broad. Not that most of the Company were eager to hurry southwards: they were content that the decision, which they must make at latest when they came to Rauros and the Tindrock Isle, still lay some days ahead; and they let the River bear them on at its own pace, having no desire to hasten towards the perils that lay beyond, whichever course they took in the end. Aragorn let them drift with the stream as they wished, husbanding their strength against weariness to come. But he insisted that at least they should start early each day and journey on far into the evening; for he felt in his heart that time was pressing, and he feared that the Dark Lord had not been idle while they lingered in Lorien. Nonetheless they saw no sign of any enemy that day, nor the next. The dull grey hours passed without event. As the third day of their voyage wore on the lands changed slowly: the trees thinned and then failed altogether. On the eastern bank to their left they saw long formless slopes stretching up and away towards the sky; brown and withered they looked, as if fire had passed over them, leaving no living blade of green: an unfriendly waste without even a broken tree or a bold stone to relieve the emptiness. They had come to the Brown Lands that lay, vast and desolate, between Southern Mirkwood and the hills of the Emyn Muil. What pestilence or war or evil deed of the Enemy had so blasted all that region even Aragorn could not tell. Upon the west to their right the land was treeless also, but it was flat, and in many places green with wide plains of grass. On this side of the River they passed forests of great reeds, so tall that they shut out all view to the west, as the little boats went rustling by along their fluttering borders. Their dark withered plumes bent and tossed in the light cold airs, hissing softly and sadly. Here and there through openings Frodo could catch sudden glimpses of rolling meads, and far beyond them hills in the sunset, and away on the edge of sight a dark line, where marched the southernmost ranks of the Misty Mountains.
佛羅多被山姆喚醒。他發現自己躺在安都因大河西岸林地的一個僻靜角落，被裹得嚴嚴實實，身旁是高大的灰皮樹。他睡了一整夜，清晨的灰光在光禿禿的樹枝間顯得昏暗。金靂正在附近忙著生一小堆火。他們在天色大亮之前再次啟程。並非隊伍中的大多數人都急於向南趕路：他們很滿意，因為那個必須在最遲抵達勞洛斯和汀卓克島時做出的決定，還有幾天的時間才到；他們讓河流以自己的速度載著他們前行，沒有急於奔向前方潛藏的危險，無論他們最終選擇哪條路線。亞拉岡讓他們隨波逐流，順其自然，為即將到來的疲憊積蓄體力。但他堅持他們至少每天都要早早出發，並一直走到深夜；因為他心裡覺得時間緊迫，而且他擔心黑暗魔君在他們逗留在羅瑞安期間並沒有閒著。然而，那天和第二天他們都沒有看到任何敵人的蹤跡。沉悶的灰色時光平靜地流逝。他們航行的第三天過去了，兩岸的景色緩慢變化：樹木變得稀疏，然後完全消失。在他們左側的東岸，他們看到長長的、無形的斜坡向上延伸，直至天際；它們看起來棕色而枯萎，彷彿被大火燒過，沒有留下任何一片綠色的生機：一片不友善的荒地，甚至沒有一棵斷裂的樹或一塊突兀的石頭來緩解那份空曠。他們來到了布朗蘭，那裡廣闊而荒涼，介於南幽暗密林和埃敏莫爾山脈之間。究竟是何種瘟疫、戰爭或敵人的邪惡行徑，竟將整個地區摧毀至此，連亞拉岡也說不上來。在他們右側的西岸，土地同樣沒有樹木，但卻平坦，許多地方綠草如茵，遍布廣闊的草原。在這條河岸邊，他們經過了高大的蘆葦林，蘆葦高得遮蔽了西邊的所有視野，小船沿著它們搖曳的邊緣沙沙作響地駛過。它們枯黃的深色蘆葦穗在輕柔的冷風中彎曲搖曳，發出輕柔而悲傷的嘶嘶聲。佛羅多不時透過空隙，瞥見起伏的草地，遠處是夕陽下的山丘，而在視線的盡頭，有一條黑線，那是迷霧山脈最南端的山脊。
THE GREAT RIVER 381 There was no sign of living moving things, save birds. Of these there were many: small fowl whistling and piping in the reeds, but they were seldom seen. Once or twice the travellers heard the rush and whine of swan-wings, and looking up they saw a great phalanx streaming along the sky. ‘Swans!’ said Sam. ‘And mighty big ones too!’ “Yes,” said Aragorn, ‘and they are black swans.’ ‘How wide and empty and mournful all this country looks!’ said Frodo. ‘I always imagined that as one journeyed south it got warmer and merrier, until winter was left behind for ever.’ ‘But we have not journeyed far south yet,’ answered Aragorn. ‘It is still winter, and we are far from the sea. Here the world is cold until the sudden spring, and we may yet have snow again. Far away down in the Bay of Belfalas, to which Anduin runs, it is warm and merry, maybe, or would be but for the Enemy. But here we are not above sixty leagues, I guess, south of the Southfarthing away in your Shire, hundreds of long miles yonder. You are looking now southwest across the north plains of the Riddermark, Rohan the land of the Horse-lords. Ere long we shall come to the mouth of the Limlight that runs down from Fangorn to join the Great River. That is the north boundary of Rohan; and of old all that lay between Limlight and the White Mountains belonged to the Rohirrim. It is a rich and pleasant land, and its grass has no rival; but in these evil days folk do not dwell by the River or ride often to its shores. Anduin is wide, yet the orcs can shoot their arrows far across the stream; and of late, it is said, they have dared to cross the water and raid the herds and studs of Rohan.’ Sam looked from bank to bank uneasily. The trees had seemed hostile before, as if they harboured secret eyes and lurking dangers; now he wished that the trees were still there. He felt that the Company was too naked, afloat in little open boats in the midst of shelterless lands, and on a river that was the frontier of war. In the next day or two, as they went on, borne steadily southwards, this feeling of insecurity grew on all the Company. For a whole day they took to their paddles and hastened forward. The banks slid by. Soon the River broadened and grew more shallow; long stony beaches lay upon the east, and there were gravel-shoals in the water, so that careful steering was needed. The Brown Lands rose into bleak wolds, over which flowed a chill air from the East. On the other side the meads had become rolling downs of withered grass amidst a land of fen and tussock. Frodo shivered, thinking of the lawns and fountains, the clear sun and gentle rains of Lothlorien. There was little speech and no laughter in any of the boats. Each member of the Company was busy with his own thoughts.
大河 381 除了鳥類，沒有任何活物移動的跡象。鳥兒倒是很多：小鳥在蘆葦叢中鳴叫、啁啾，但牠們很少被看見。旅人們一兩次聽到天鵝振翅的呼嘯聲，抬頭望去，只見一大群天鵝排成整齊的隊形劃過天際。「天鵝！」山姆說。「而且牠們可真大！」 「是的，」亞拉岡說，「而且牠們是黑天鵝。」 「這片土地看起來多麼廣闊、空曠而哀傷啊！」佛羅多說。「我總以為往南走會越來越暖和、越來越歡樂，直到冬天永遠拋諸腦後。」 「但我們還沒往南走多遠呢，」亞拉岡回答。「現在還是冬天，我們離大海還很遠。這裡的世界在突然的春天來臨前都是寒冷的，我們可能還會再下雪。遠在安都因河注入的貝爾法拉斯灣，或許會溫暖而歡樂，如果不是因為敵人作祟的話。但這裡離你們夏爾的南區，我猜，不過六十里格，數百英里之遙。你們現在正向西南方望去，越過瑞德馬克，也就是馬夫人的國度洛汗的北部平原。不久之後，我們將會來到林萊特河的河口，它從法貢森林流下，匯入大河。那是洛汗的北部邊界；昔日，林萊特河與白山之間的所有土地都屬於洛希爾人。那是一片富饒而宜人的土地，它的牧草無可匹敵；但在這些邪惡的時日裡，人們不再沿河居住，也不常騎馬到河岸邊。安都因河很寬闊，但半獸人可以將箭矢射得很遠，越過河面；而且據說，最近牠們甚至膽敢渡河，劫掠洛汗的牛群和馬匹。」 山姆不安地從河岸望向對岸。樹木之前似乎充滿敵意，彷彿藏匿著秘密的眼睛和潛伏的危險；現在他卻希望樹木還在那裡。他覺得隊伍太過赤裸，乘坐著小小的敞篷船，漂浮在毫無遮蔽的土地中央，而這條河正是戰爭的邊界。接下來的一兩天，當他們繼續穩步南行時，這種不安全感籠罩著整個隊伍。他們整整一天都拿起船槳，加速前進。河岸從旁滑過。很快，河面變寬，水也變淺了；東岸出現了長長的砂石淺灘，河裡也有砂石淺灘，因此需要小心掌舵。褐地升起成荒涼的丘陵，東方吹來的寒冷空氣掠過其上。另一邊的草地則變成了枯黃的草地起伏成丘，夾雜著沼澤和草叢。佛羅多打了個寒顫，想起了羅斯洛立安的草坪和噴泉，明媚的陽光和溫和的雨水。船上幾乎沒有說話聲，也沒有笑聲。隊伍中的每個人都沉浸在自己的思緒中。
382 THE LORD OF THE RINGS The heart of Legolas was running under the stars of a summer night in some northern glade amid the beech-woods; Gimli was fingering gold in his mind, and wondering if it were fit to be wrought into the housing of the Lady’s gift. Merry and Pippin in the middle boat were ill at ease, for Boromir sat muttering to himself, sometimes biting his nails, as if some restlessness or doubt consumed him, sometimes seizing a paddle and driving the boat close behind Aragorn’s. Then Pippin, who sat in the bow looking back, caught a queer gleam in his eye, as he peered forward gazing at Frodo. Sam had long ago made up his mind that, though boats were maybe not as dangerous as he had been brought up to believe, they were far more uncomfortable than even he had imagined. He was cramped and miserable, having nothing to do but stare at the winter-lands crawling by and the grey water on either side of him. Even when the paddles were in use they did not trust Sam with one. As dusk drew down on the fourth day, he was looking back over the bowed heads of Frodo and Aragorn and the following boats; he was drowsy and longed for camp and the feel of earth under his toes. Suddenly something caught his sight: at first he stared at it listlessly, then he sat up and rubbed his eyes; but when he looked again he could not see it any more. That night they camped on a small eyot close to the western bank. Sam lay rolled in blankets beside Frodo. ‘I had a funny dream an hour or two before we stopped, Mr. Frodo,’ he said. ‘Or maybe it wasn’t a dream. Funny it was anyway.’ ‘Well, what was it?’ said Frodo, knowing that Sam would not settle down until he had told his tale, whatever it was. ‘I haven’t seen or thought of anything to make me smile since we left Lothlorien.’ ‘It wasn’t funny that way, Mr. Frodo. It was queer. All wrong, if it wasn’t a dream. And you had best hear it. It was like this: I saw a log with eyes!’ “The log’s all right,’ said Frodo. ‘There are many in the River. But leave out the eyes!’ “That I won’t,’ said Sam. “T'was the eyes as made me sit up, so to speak. I saw what I took to be a log floating along in the half-light behind Gimli’s boat; but I didn’t give much heed to it. Then it seemed as if the log was slowly catching us up. And that was peculiar, as you might say, seeing as we were all floating on the stream together. Just then I saw the eyes: two pale sort of points, shiny-like, on a hump at the near end of the log. What’s more, it wasn’t a log, for it had paddle-feet, like a swan’s almost, only they seemed bigger, and kept dipping in and out of the water. “That’s when I sat right up and rubbed my eyes, meaning to give
382 《魔戒》 勒苟拉斯的心神正馳騁於夏夜星空下，北方山毛櫸林中的某處林間空地；金靂則在心中盤算著黃金，思忖著它是否適合被鍛造成夫人贈禮的鑲嵌物。坐在中間船上的梅里和皮聘感到不安，因為波羅莫獨自喃喃自語，有時咬著指甲，彷彿某種焦躁或疑慮吞噬了他，有時又抓起船槳，將船划到亞拉岡的船後方。這時，坐在船頭回望的皮聘，當他向前凝視佛羅多時，眼中閃過一絲奇異的光芒。山姆早就下定決心，儘管船隻或許不像他從小被教導的那樣危險，但它們遠比他想像的還要不舒服。他感到侷促不安又痛苦，除了凝視兩旁緩緩掠過的冬季景觀和灰濛濛的水面外，無事可做。即使在使用船槳時，他們也不信任山姆能划好。第四天黃昏降臨之際，他回頭望著佛羅多和亞拉岡低垂的頭顱以及後方的船隻；他感到昏昏欲睡，渴望著營地和腳趾下泥土的觸感。突然間，有什麼東西映入他的眼簾：起初他無精打采地凝視著，然後他坐起身揉了揉眼睛；但當他再次看去時，卻什麼也看不見了。那晚他們在一座靠近西岸的小島上紮營。山姆裹著毯子躺在佛羅多身旁。「佛羅多先生，我們停下來前一兩個小時，我做了一個奇怪的夢，」他說。「或許那不是夢。總之，它很奇怪。」「嗯，是什麼夢？」佛羅多說，他知道山姆不把他的故事說出來是不會安靜的，無論那是什麼。「自從我們離開羅斯洛立安後，我還沒見過或想過任何能讓我微笑的事。」「佛羅多先生，那不是那種好笑。它很怪異。如果不是夢，那一切都錯了。你最好聽聽。它是這樣的：我看到一根有眼睛的圓木！」「那根圓木沒什麼，」佛羅多說。「河裡有很多。但別提眼睛！」「我才不呢，」山姆說。「可以這麼說，是那雙眼睛讓我坐起來的。我看到一個我以為是圓木的東西，在金靂的船後方半明半暗中漂浮；但我沒怎麼留意它。然後那根圓木似乎慢慢追上了我們。那很奇怪，你可能會這麼說，因為我們都一起在水流上漂浮。就在那時我看到了眼睛：兩點蒼白的、閃閃發光的東西，在圓木靠近船頭的一端的一個隆起處。更重要的是，那不是一根圓木，因為它有像天鵝腳蹼一樣的划水腳，只是它們看起來更大，而且不斷地在水中進出。」「那時我才真正坐起來揉了揉眼睛，打算再仔細看個
THE GREAT RIVER 383 a shout, if it was still there when I had rubbed the drowse out of my head. For the whatever-it-was was coming along fast now and getting close behind Gimli. But whether those two lamps spotted me moving and staring, or whether I came to my senses, I don’t know. When I looked again, it wasn’t there. Yet I think I caught a glimpse, with the tail of my eye, as the saying is, of something dark shooting under the shadow of the bank. I couldn’t see no more eyes, though. ‘I said to myself: “‘dreaming again, Sam Gamgee,”’ I said; and I said no more just then. But I’ve been thinking since, and now ’m not so sure. What do you make of it, Mr. Frodo?’ ‘I should make nothing of it but a log and the dusk and sleep in your eyes, Sam,’ said Frodo, ‘if this was the first time that those eyes had been seen. But it isn’t. I saw them away back north before we reached Lorien. And I saw a strange creature with eyes climbing to the flet that night. Haldir saw it too. And do you remember the report of the Elves that went after the orc-band?’ ‘Ah,’ said Sam, ‘I do; and I remember more too. I don’t like my thoughts; but thinking of one thing and another, and Mr. Bilbo’s stories and all, I fancy I could put a name on the creature, at a guess. A nasty name. Gollum, maybe?’ ‘Yes, that is what I have feared for some time,’ said Frodo. ‘Ever since the night on the flet. I suppose he was lurking in Moria, and picked up our trail then; but I hoped that our stay in Lorien would throw him off the scent again. The miserable creature must have been hiding in the woods by the Silverlode, watching us start off!’ “That’s about it,’ said Sam. ‘And we’d better be a bit more watchful ourselves, or we'll feel some nasty fingers round our necks one of these nights, if we ever wake up to feel anything. And that’s what I was leading up to. No need to trouble Strider or the others tonight. T’ll keep watch. I can sleep tomorrow, being no more than luggage in a boat, as you might say.’ ‘I might,’ said Frodo, ‘and I might say “luggage with eyes”. You shall watch; but only if you promise to wake me half-way towards morning, if nothing happens before then.’ In the dead hours Frodo came out of a deep dark sleep to find Sam shaking him. ‘It’s a shame to wake you,’ whispered Sam, ‘but that’s what you said. There’s nothing to tell, or not much. I thought I heard some soft plashing and a sniffing noise, a while back; but you hear a lot of such queer sounds by a river at night.’ He lay down, and Frodo sat up, huddled in his blankets, and fought off his sleep. Minutes or hours passed slowly, and nothing happened. Frodo was just yielding to the temptation to lie down again when a dark shape, hardly visible, floated close to one of the
大河 383 一聲叫喊，如果我揉去睡意後它還在那裡的話。因為那個不知是什麼的東西現在正快速靠近，並緊跟在金靂身後。但我不知道是那兩盞燈發現了我移動和凝視，還是我自己清醒過來。當我再次看時，它已經不在了。然而，我想我用眼角餘光瞥見了，就像俗話說的，有什麼黑色的東西從河岸的陰影下疾馳而過。不過，我再也沒看到眼睛了。「我對自己說：『山姆·詹吉，你又在做夢了，』我說；然後我就沒再說什麼了。但我一直在思考，現在我不太確定了。佛羅多先生，你怎麼看？」佛羅多說：「山姆，如果這不是第一次看到那些眼睛，我會認為那不過是一根木頭、黃昏和你眼中的睡意。但事實並非如此。早在我們到達羅瑞安之前，我就在北方看到了它們。那天晚上，我還看到一個奇怪的生物，帶著眼睛爬上樹屋。哈爾迪爾也看到了。你還記得追蹤半獸人隊伍的精靈們的報告嗎？」山姆說：「啊，我記得；而且我還記得更多。我不喜歡我的想法；但想到這一切，還有比爾博先生的故事等等，我猜我能給那個生物起個名字，大概是。一個討厭的名字。也許是咕嚕？」佛羅多說：「是的，這就是我擔心了一段時間的事情。自從那天晚上在樹屋上。我想他當時正潛伏在摩瑞亞，然後發現了我們的蹤跡；但我希望我們在羅瑞安的停留能再次甩掉他。那個可憐的生物一定一直躲在銀流河畔的樹林裡，看著我們出發！」山姆說：「差不多就是這樣。我們最好自己也警惕一點，否則我們這些晚上之一，如果我們還能醒來感覺到什麼的話，就會感覺到一些討厭的手指纏繞在我們的脖子上。這就是我一直想說的。今晚沒必要麻煩亞拉岡或其他人。我會守夜。我明天可以睡覺，就像你說的，不過是船上的行李罷了。」佛羅多說：「我可能會這麼說，我也可能會說『長著眼睛的行李』。你會守夜；但前提是你答應，如果在那之前什麼都沒發生，就在快天亮的時候把我叫醒。」在深夜時分，佛羅多從沉沉的黑夢中醒來，發現山姆正在搖他。山姆低聲說：「把你叫醒真不好意思，但那是你說的。沒什麼可說的，或者說沒多少。我剛才好像聽到一些輕微的濺水聲和嗅聞聲；但你在河邊的夜晚會聽到很多這種奇怪的聲音。」他躺下，佛羅多坐起來，蜷縮在毯子裡，努力擺脫睡意。幾分鐘或幾個小時緩慢地過去了，什麼也沒發生。佛羅多正要屈服於再次躺下的誘惑時，一個幾乎看不見的黑色形狀，漂浮到其中一個
384 THE LORD OF THE RINGS moored boats. A long whitish hand could be dimly seen as it shot out and grabbed the gunwale; two pale lamplike eyes shone coldly as they peered inside, and then they lifted and gazed up at Frodo on the eyot. They were not more than a yard or two away, and Frodo heard the soft hiss of intaken breath. He stood up, drawing Sting from its sheath, and faced the eyes. Immediately their light was shut off. There was another hiss and a splash, and the dark log-shape shot away downstream into the night. Aragorn stirred in his sleep, turned over, and sat up. ‘What is it?’ he whispered, springing up and coming to Frodo. ‘I felt something in my sleep. Why have you drawn your sword?’ ‘Gollum,’ answered Frodo. ‘Or at least, so I guess.’ ‘Ah!’ said Aragorn. ‘So you know about our little footpad, do you? He padded after us all through Moria and right down to Nimrodel. Since we took to boats, he has been lying on a log and paddling with hands and feet. I have tried to catch him once or twice at night; but he is slier than a fox, and as slippery as a fish. I hoped the river-voyage would beat him, but he is too clever a waterman. ‘We shall have to try going faster tomorrow. You lie down now, and I will keep watch for what is left of the night. I wish I could lay my hands on the wretch. We might make him useful. But if I cannot, we shall have to try and lose him. He is very dangerous. Quite apart from murder by night on his own account, he may put any enemy that is about on our track.’ The night passed without Gollum showing so much as a shadow again. After that the Company kept a sharp look-out, but they saw no more of Gollum while the voyage lasted. If he was still following, he was very wary and cunning. At Aragorn’s bidding they paddled now for long spells, and the banks went swiftly by. But they saw little of the country, for they journeyed mostly by night and twilight, resting by day, and lying as hidden as the land allowed. In this way the time passed without event until the seventh day. The weather was still grey and overcast, with wind from the East, but as evening drew into night the sky away westward cleared, and pools of faint light, yellow and pale green, opened under the grey shores of cloud. There the white rind of the new Moon could be seen glimmering in the remote lakes. Sam looked at it and puckered his brows. The next day the country on either side began to change rapidly. The banks began to rise and grow stony. Soon they were passing through a hilly rocky land, and on both shores there were steep slopes buried in deep brakes of thorn and sloe, tangled with brambles and creepers. Behind them stood low crumbling cliffs, and chimneys of
384 《魔戒》 停泊的船隻。一隻蒼白細長的手臂隱約可見，它猛地伸出，抓住了船舷；兩隻蒼白如燈的眼睛冷冷地閃爍著，向船內窺視，然後抬起頭，凝視著小島上的佛羅多。它們離佛羅多不過一兩碼遠，佛羅多聽見一聲輕微的吸氣聲。他站起身，將「刺針」從劍鞘中拔出，面對著那雙眼睛。那雙眼睛的光芒立刻熄滅了。又是一聲嘶嘶聲和一聲水花響，那黑色的木頭狀身影迅速向下游衝去，消失在夜色中。亞拉岡在睡夢中動了一下，翻了個身，然後坐了起來。「怎麼了？」他低聲問道，跳起身來到佛羅多身邊。「我睡夢中感覺到什麼。你為什麼拔劍？」「是咕嚕，」佛羅多回答。「至少，我是這麼猜的。」「啊！」亞拉岡說。「所以你知道我們這個小跟蹤狂了？他一路從摩瑞亞跟著我們，直到寧若戴爾。自從我們乘船以來，他就一直趴在一根圓木上，用手腳划水。我曾試圖在夜裡抓他一兩次；但他比狐狸還狡猾，像魚一樣滑溜。我本以為這趟水路旅行能甩掉他，但他卻是個太過聰明的水手。「我們明天得試著走快一點。你現在躺下休息，我來守後半夜。我真希望我能抓住這個可憐蟲。我們或許能讓他派上用場。但如果抓不到，我們就得設法甩掉他。他非常危險。除了他自己可能會在夜裡殺人之外，他還可能把任何敵人引到我們的蹤跡上。」那一夜過去了，咕嚕再也沒有露出哪怕一絲影子。此後，遠征隊保持著高度警惕，但在航程中再也沒有看到咕嚕的蹤影。如果他還在跟蹤，那他一定非常謹慎和狡猾。在亞拉岡的吩咐下，他們現在長時間地划槳，兩岸的景色迅速掠過。但他們很少看到沿途的景色，因為他們大多在夜間和黃昏時趕路，白天休息，並盡可能地隱藏起來。就這樣，時間平靜地過去了，直到第七天。天氣依然灰濛濛、陰沉沉的，東風吹拂，但隨著黃昏漸入夜色，西方的天空放晴了，在灰色的雲岸下，出現了一片片微弱的光斑，黃色和淡綠色交織。新月的白色邊緣在遙遠的湖泊中閃爍著。山姆看著它，皺起了眉頭。第二天，兩岸的景色開始迅速變化。河岸開始升高，變得多石。很快，他們穿過一片丘陵多岩的土地，兩岸都是陡峭的山坡，覆蓋著濃密的荊棘和黑刺李叢，與野莓和藤蔓糾纏在一起。在他們身後，矗立著低矮的、正在崩塌的懸崖，以及煙囪狀的
THE GREAT RIVER 385 grey weathered stone dark with ivy; and beyond these again there rose high ridges crowned with wind-writhen firs. They were drawing near to the grey hill-country of the Emyn Muil, the southern march of Wilderland. There were many birds about the cliffs and the rock-chimneys, and all day high in the air flocks of birds had been circling, black against the pale sky. As they lay in their camp that day Aragorn watched the flights doubtfully, wondering if Gollum had been doing some mischief and the news of their voyage was now moving in the wilderness. Later as the sun was setting, and the Company was stirring and getting ready to start again, he descried a dark spot against the fading light: a great bird high and far off, now wheeling, now flying on slowly southwards. ‘What is that, Legolas?’ he asked, pointing to the northern sky. ‘Is it, as I think, an eagle?’ “Yes,” said Legolas. ‘It is an eagle, a hunting eagle. I wonder what that forebodes. It is far from the mountains.’ ‘We will not start until it is fully dark,’ said Aragorn. The eighth night of their journey came. It was silent and windless; the grey east wind had passed away. The thin crescent of the Moon had fallen early into the pale sunset, but the sky was clear above, and though far away in the South there were great ranges of cloud that still shone faintly, in the West stars glinted bright. ‘Come!’ said Aragorn. ‘We will venture one more journey by night. We are coming to reaches of the River that I do not know well; for I have never journeyed by water in these parts before, not between here and the rapids of Sarn Gebir. But if I am right in my reckoning, those are still many miles ahead. Still there are dangerous places even before we come there: rocks and stony eyots in the stream. We must keep a sharp watch and not try to paddle swiftly.’ To Sam in the leading boat was given the task of watchman. He lay forward peering into the gloom. The night grew dark, but the stars above were strangely bright, and there was a glimmer on the face of the River. It was close on midnight, and they had been drifting for some while, hardly using the paddles, when suddenly Sam cried out. Only a few yards ahead dark shapes loomed up in the stream and he heard the swirl of racing water. There was a swift current which swung left, towards the eastern shore where the channel was clear. As they were swept aside the travellers could see, now very close, the pale foam of the River lashing against sharp rocks that were thrust out far into the stream like a ridge of teeth. The boats were all huddled together. ‘Hoy there, Aragorn!’ shouted Boromir, as his boat bumped into
大河 385 灰色的風化石塊上爬滿了深色的常春藤；再往後，高聳的山脊上，頂端長滿了被風扭曲的冷杉。他們正逐漸靠近艾明莫爾的灰色丘陵地帶，那是荒野之地的南境。懸崖和岩石煙囪周圍有許多鳥兒，整天都有鳥群在高空中盤旋，在蒼白的天空中顯得漆黑一片。那天他們在營地裡休息時，亞拉岡懷疑地觀察著鳥兒的飛行，心想咕嚕是否又在搗亂，而他們航行的消息是否已在荒野中傳開。稍後，當夕陽西下，遠征隊開始騷動並準備再次啟程時，他看到漸暗的光線中有一點黑影：一隻巨大而遙遠的鳥，時而盤旋，時而緩緩向南飛去。「那是什麼，勒苟拉斯？」他指著北方的天空問道。「是不是，如我所想，一隻老鷹？」「是的，」勒苟拉斯說。「那是一隻老鷹，一隻獵鷹。我不知道那預示著什麼。它離山區很遠。」「我們等到天完全黑了才出發，」亞拉岡說。 他們旅程的第八個夜晚來臨了。夜色寂靜無風；灰色的東風已經消散。纖細的新月早早地沉入了蒼白的落日餘暉中，但上方的天空卻一片清澈，儘管遙遠的南方有大片雲層仍在微弱地閃爍，西方的星星卻閃耀著明亮的光芒。「來吧！」亞拉岡說。「我們再冒險夜行一次。我們正要進入大河我不太熟悉的水域；因為我從未在這片區域水路旅行過，從這裡到薩恩蓋比爾急流之間都沒有。但如果我的判斷沒錯，那些地方還在數英里之外。不過，即使在到達那裡之前，也有危險的地方：河道中的岩石和多石的小島。我們必須保持警惕，不要試圖快速划槳。」走在最前面的山姆被賦予了瞭望的任務。他俯身向前，凝視著黑暗。夜色漸濃，但上方的星星卻異常明亮，河面上也泛著微光。快到午夜了，他們已經漂流了一段時間，幾乎沒有划槳，這時山姆突然大喊起來。前方幾碼處，黑暗的形狀在河水中隱約浮現，他聽到了湍急水流的漩渦聲。一股急流向左轉，流向河道暢通的東岸。當他們被水流沖開時，旅行者們看到，近在咫尺，河水蒼白的泡沫拍打著尖銳的岩石，這些岩石像一排牙齒般伸入河中。船隻都擠在一起。「嘿，亞拉岡！」波羅莫喊道，他的船撞上了
386 THE LORD OF THE RINGS the leader. “This is madness! We cannot dare the Rapids by night! But no boat can live in Sarn Gebir, be it night or day.’ ‘Back, back!’ cried Aragorn. ‘Turn! Turn if you can!’ He drove his paddle into the water, trying to hold the boat and bring it round. ‘I am out of my reckoning,’ he said to Frodo. ‘I did not know that we had come so far: Anduin flows faster than I thought. Sarn Gebir must be close at hand already.’ With great efforts they checked the boats and slowly brought them about; but at first they could make only small headway against the current, and all the time they were carried nearer and nearer to the eastern bank. Now dark and ominous it loomed up in the night. ‘All together, paddle!’ shouted Boromir. ‘Paddle! Or we shall be driven on the shoals.’ Even as he spoke Frodo felt the keel beneath him grate upon stone. At that moment there was a twang of bowstrings: several arrows whistled over them, and some fell among them. One smote Frodo between the shoulders and he lurched forward with a cry, letting go his paddle: but the arrow fell back, foiled by his hidden coat of mail. Another passed through Aragorn’s hood; and a third stood fast in the gunwale of the second boat, close by Merry’s hand. Sam thought he could glimpse black figures running to and fro upon the long shingle-banks that lay under the eastern shore. They seemed very near. ‘Yrch!’ said Legolas, falling into his own tongue. ‘Orcs!’ cried Gimli. ‘Gollum’s doing, Pll be bound,’ said Sam to Frodo. ‘And a nice place to choose, too. The River seems set on taking us right into their arms!’ They all leaned forward straining at the paddles: even Sam took a hand. Every moment they expected to feel the bite of black-feathered arrows. Many whined overhead or struck the water nearby; but there were no more hits. It was dark, but not too dark for the night-eyes of Orcs, and in the star-glimmer they must have offered their cunning foes some mark, unless it was that the grey cloaks of Lorien and the grey timber of the elf-wrought boats defeated the malice of the archers of Mordor. Stroke by stroke they laboured on. In the darkness it was hard to be sure that they were indeed moving at all; but slowly the swirl of the water grew less, and the shadow of the eastern bank faded back into the night. At last, as far as they could judge, they had reached the middle of the stream again and had driven their boats back some distance above the jutting rocks. Then half turning they thrust them with all their strength towards the western shore. Under the
386 《魔戒》的領袖。「這太瘋狂了！我們不能在夜間冒險闖過急流！但沒有船能在薩恩吉比爾活下來，無論白天還是黑夜。」「回去，回去！」亞拉岡喊道。「轉彎！如果能轉就轉！」他將槳插入水中，試圖穩住船並使其轉向。「我迷失了方向，」他對佛羅多說。「我不知道我們已經走了這麼遠：安都因河比我想像的流速更快。薩恩吉比爾一定已經近在眼前了。」他們費了很大的力氣才穩住船隻，並緩慢地將它們調轉方向；但起初他們只能逆流緩慢前進，而且一直被水流帶得越來越靠近東岸。現在，它在夜色中顯得黑暗而險惡。「大家一起划槳！」波羅莫喊道。「划槳！否則我們就會被衝上淺灘。」就在他說話的時候，佛羅多感到船底的龍骨刮擦到了石頭。就在那一刻，弓弦發出「嘣」的一聲：幾支箭從他們頭上呼嘯而過，有些落在他們中間。一支箭射中佛羅多雙肩之間，他大叫一聲向前踉蹌，放開了手中的槳：但箭被他隱藏的鎖子甲擋了回去。另一支箭穿過了亞拉岡的兜帽；第三支則牢牢地釘在第二艘船的舷牆上，就在梅里手邊。山姆覺得他似乎瞥見了黑影在東岸下方的長礫石灘上來回奔跑。他們似乎非常近。「獸人！」勒苟拉斯用自己的語言說道。「半獸人！」金靂喊道。「肯定是咕嚕搞的鬼，我敢打賭，」山姆對佛羅多說。「而且還選了個好地方。這條河似乎決意要把我們直接送進他們懷裡！」他們都向前傾身，奮力划槳：連山姆也搭了把手。他們每時每刻都預料會感受到黑羽箭的襲擊。許多箭在頭頂呼嘯而過或射入附近的水中；但再也沒有箭射中他們。天色很暗，但對於半獸人的夜視眼來說並不算太暗，在星光閃爍中，他們一定為狡猾的敵人提供了一些目標，除非是羅瑞安的灰色斗篷和精靈打造的灰色木船挫敗了魔多弓箭手的惡意。他們一槳一槳地奮力前行。在黑暗中很難確定他們是否真的在移動；但水流的漩渦慢慢減弱，東岸的陰影也漸漸淡入夜色。最後，據他們判斷，他們再次到達了河流中央，並將船隻駛回了突出岩石上方的一段距離。然後他們半轉身，用盡全力將船推向西岸。在
THE GREAT RIVER 387 shadow of bushes leaning out over the water they halted and drew breath. Legolas laid down his paddle and took up the bow that he had brought from Lorien. Then he sprang ashore and climbed a few paces up the bank. Stringing the bow and fitting an arrow he turned, peering back over the River into the darkness. Across the water there were shrill cries, but nothing could be seen. Frodo looked up at the Elf standing tall above him, as he gazed into the night, seeking a mark to shoot at. His head was dark, crowned with sharp white stars that glittered in the black pools of the sky behind. But now rising and sailing up from the South the great clouds advanced, sending out dark outriders into the starry fields. A sudden dread fell on the Company. ‘Elbereth Gilthoniel!’ sighed Legolas as he looked up. Even as he did so, a dark shape, like a cloud and yet not a cloud, for it moved far more swiftly, came out of the blackness in the South, and sped towards the Company, blotting out all light as it approached. Soon it appeared as a great winged creature, blacker than the pits in the night. Fierce voices rose up to greet it from across the water. Frodo felt a sudden chill running through him and clutching at his heart; there was a deadly cold, like the memory of an old wound, in his shoulder. He crouched down, as if to hide. Suddenly the great bow of Lorien sang. Shrill went the arrow from the elven-string. Frodo looked up. Almost above him the winged shape swerved. There was a harsh croaking scream, as it fell out of the air, vanishing down into the gloom of the eastern shore. The sky was clean again. There was a tumult of many voices far away, cursing and wailing in the darkness, and then silence. Neither shaft nor cry came again from the east that night. After a while Aragorn led the boats back upstream. They felt their way along the water’s edge for some distance, until they found a small shallow bay. A few low trees grew there close to the water, and behind them rose a steep rocky bank. Here the Company decided to stay and await the dawn: it was useless to attempt to move further by night. They made no camp and lit no fire, but lay huddled in the boats, moored close together. ‘Praised be the bow of Galadriel, and the hand and eye of Legolas!’ said Gimli, as he munched a wafer of /embas. “That was a mighty shot in the dark, my friend!’ ‘But who can say what it hit?’ said Legolas. ‘I cannot,’ said Gimli. ‘But I am glad that the shadow came no nearer. I liked it not at all. Too much it reminded me of the shadow in Moria — the shadow of the Balrog,’ he ended in a whisper.
大河 387 叢叢灌木的陰影傾斜在水面上，他們停了下來，喘了口氣。勒苟拉斯放下槳，拿起他從羅瑞安帶來的弓。然後他跳上岸，沿著河岸爬了幾步。他給弓上弦，搭上箭，然後轉身，朝著大河的黑暗中望去。水對岸傳來尖銳的叫聲，但什麼也看不見。佛羅多抬頭看著高高站在他上方的精靈，他凝視著夜色，尋找射擊的目標。他的頭部籠罩在黑暗中，頭頂上是閃爍在身後漆黑天空中如池塘般的銳利白星。但此刻，巨大的雲團從南方升起，緩緩飄來，將黑暗的先鋒送入星光點點的田野。一股突如其來的恐懼籠罩了隊伍。「埃爾貝瑞絲·吉爾松尼爾！」勒苟拉斯抬頭嘆道。就在他嘆息之際，一個黑暗的形體，像雲又不像雲，因為它移動得更快，從南方的黑暗中出現，疾速朝隊伍飛來，所到之處遮蔽了所有光線。很快，它顯現為一個巨大的有翼生物，比夜色中的深淵還要漆黑。水對岸傳來兇猛的叫聲，似乎在迎接它。佛羅多感到一股寒意突然貫穿全身，緊緊攫住他的心；他的肩膀上傳來一股致命的冰冷，就像舊傷的記憶。他蹲了下來，彷彿要躲藏起來。突然，羅瑞安的巨弓發出聲響。箭矢從精靈的弓弦上尖嘯而出。佛羅多抬頭。幾乎就在他上方，那有翼的形體猛然轉向。一聲刺耳的嘎嘎尖叫響起，它從空中墜落，消失在東岸的陰影中。天空再次清朗。遠處傳來許多嘈雜的聲音，在黑暗中咒罵和哀嚎，然後歸於沉寂。那天晚上，再也沒有箭矢或叫聲從東方傳來。過了一會兒，亞拉岡帶領船隻逆流而上。他們沿著水邊摸索了一段距離，直到找到一個淺淺的小海灣。幾棵低矮的樹木在水邊生長，它們後面是一道陡峭的岩岸。隊伍決定在這裡停留，等待黎明：在夜間繼續前進是徒勞的。他們沒有紮營，也沒有生火，只是擠在緊密停泊的船隻裡。「讚美凱蘭崔爾的弓，以及勒苟拉斯的手和眼！」金靂嚼著一片蘭巴斯餅說道。「我的朋友，那真是黑暗中的一記妙射！」「但誰能說它擊中了什麼呢？」勒苟拉斯說。「我不能說，」金靂說。「但我很高興那陰影沒有再靠近。我一點也不喜歡它。它讓我想起了摩瑞亞的陰影——炎魔的陰影。」他低聲說道。
388 THE LORD OF THE RINGS ‘It was not a Balrog,’ said Frodo, still shivering with the chill that had come upon him. ‘It was something colder. I think it was : Then he paused and fell silent. ‘What do you think?’ asked Boromir eagerly, leaning from his boat, as if he was trying to catch a glimpse of Frodo’s face. ‘I think—No, I will not say,’ answered Frodo. ‘Whatever it was, its fall has dismayed our enemies.’ ‘So it seems,’ said Aragorn. ‘Yet where they are, and how many, and what they will do next, we do not know. This night we must all be sleepless! Dark hides us now. But what the day will show who can tell? Have your weapons close to hand!’ Sam sat tapping the hilt of his sword as if he were counting on his fingers, and looking up at the sky. ‘It’s very strange,’ he murmured. “The Moon’s the same in the Shire and in Wilderland, or it ought to be. But either it’s out of its running, or I’m all wrong in my reckoning. You’ll remember, Mr. Frodo, the Moon was waning as we lay on the flet up in that tree: a week from the full, I reckon. And we'd been a week on the way last night, when up pops a New Moon as thin as a nail-paring, as if we had never stayed no time in the Elvish country. ‘Well, I can remember three nights there for certain, and I seem to remember several more, but I would take my oath it was never a whole month. Anyone would think that time did not count in there!’ ‘And perhaps that was the way of it,’ said Frodo. ‘In that land, maybe, we were in a time that has elsewhere long gone by. It was not, I think, until Silverlode bore us back to Anduin that we returned to the time that flows through mortal lands to the Great Sea. And I don’t remember any moon, either new or old, in Caras Galadhon: only stars by night and sun by day.’ Legolas stirred in his boat. ‘Nay, time does not tarry ever,’ he said; ‘but change and growth is not in all things and places alike. For the Elves the world moves, and it moves both very swift and very slow. Swift, because they themselves change little, and all else fleets by: it is a grief to them. Slow, because they need not count the running years, not for themselves. The passing seasons are but ripples ever repeated in the long long stream. Yet beneath the Sun all things must wear to an end at last.’ ‘But the wearing is slow in Lorien,’ said Frodo. “The power of the Lady is on it. Rich are the hours, though short they seem, in Caras Galadhon, where Galadriel wields the Elven-ring.’ “That should not have been said outside Lorien, not even to me,’ said Aragorn. ‘Speak no more of it! But so it is, Sam: in that land you lost your count. There time flowed swiftly by us, as for the Elves.
388 魔戒 「那不是炎魔，」佛羅多說，他仍然因為那股襲上他的寒意而顫抖著。「那是更冰冷的東西。我想那是……」然後他停頓下來，陷入沉默。 「你覺得是什麼？」波羅莫急切地問，他從船上探出身子，彷彿想瞥見佛羅多的臉。 「我想——不，我不會說。」佛羅多回答。「無論那是什麼，它的墜落已經讓我們的敵人感到沮喪。」 「看來是這樣。」亞拉岡說。「然而他們在哪裡，有多少人，以及他們下一步會做什麼，我們都不知道。今晚我們都必須保持清醒！黑暗現在掩護著我們。但天亮後會揭示什麼，誰能說得準？把你們的武器放在手邊！」 山姆坐著，輕敲著劍柄，彷彿在數手指，同時仰望天空。 「這真是太奇怪了，」他低聲說。「月亮在夏爾和荒野應該是一樣的，或者說它應該是一樣的。但要麼是它運行失常了，要麼就是我算錯了。佛羅多先生，您會記得，我們躺在那棵樹上的樹屋時，月亮正在虧缺：我估計離滿月還有一個星期。而我們昨晚已經在路上走了一個星期，結果卻突然冒出一個像指甲屑一樣薄的新月，就好像我們從未在精靈國度待過一樣。嗯，我確定記得在那裡待了三個晚上，而且我似乎還記得更多，但我敢發誓那絕不是整整一個月。任何人大概都會覺得時間在那裡不算數！」 「或許就是那樣吧，」佛羅多說。「在那片土地上，或許我們身處於一個在其他地方早已逝去的時光。我想，直到銀流河將我們帶回安都因河，我們才回到了流經凡人之地，通往大海的時光。而且我記得在卡拉斯加拉頓沒有任何月亮，無論新月還是舊月：只有夜晚的星辰和白天的太陽。」 勒苟拉斯在他的船上動了動。「不，時間從不遲延，」他說；「但變化和成長並非在所有事物和地方都一樣。對精靈而言，世界運行著，它既非常迅速又非常緩慢。迅速，因為他們自己變化甚少，而其他一切都飛逝而過：這對他們來說是一種悲傷。緩慢，因為他們不需要計算流逝的歲月，不是為了他們自己。流逝的季節不過是長長河流中不斷重複的漣漪。然而在太陽之下，萬物終將磨損殆盡。」 「但在羅斯洛立安，磨損是緩慢的，」佛羅多說。「夫人的力量籠罩著它。在卡拉斯加拉頓，時光是豐饒的，儘管它們看似短暫，那裡是凱蘭崔爾夫人揮舞著精靈戒指的地方。」 「那不應該在羅斯洛立安之外說出來，即使是對我也不行，」亞拉岡說。「別再提了！但事實就是如此，山姆：在那片土地上你失去了你的時間感。在那裡，時間對我們來說，就像對精靈一樣，迅速流逝。」
THE GREAT RIVER 389 The old moon passed, and a new moon waxed and waned in the world outside, while we tarried there. And yestereve a new moon came again. Winter is nearly gone. Time flows on to a spring of little hope.’ The night passed silently. No voice or call was heard again across the water. The travellers huddled in their boats felt the changing of the weather. The air grew warm and very still under the great moist clouds that had floated up from the South and the distant seas. The rushing of the River over the rocks of the rapids seemed to grow louder and closer. The twigs of the trees above them began to drip. When the day came the mood of the world about them had become soft and sad. Slowly the dawn grew to a pale light, diffused and shadowless. There was mist on the River, and white fog swathed the shore; the far bank could not be seen. ‘I can’t abide fog,’ said Sam; “but this seems to be a lucky one. Now perhaps we can get away without those cursed goblins seeing us.’ ‘Perhaps so,’ said Aragorn. ‘But it will be hard to find the path unless the fog lifts a little later on. And we must find the path, if we are to pass Sarn Gebir and come to the Emyn Muil.’ ‘I do not see why we should pass the Rapids or follow the River any further,’ said Boromir. ‘If the Emyn Muil lie before us, then we can abandon these cockle-boats, and strike westward and southward, until we come to the Entwash and cross into my own land.’ ‘We can, if we are making for Minas Tirith,’ said Aragorn, ‘but that is not yet agreed. And such a course may be more perilous than it sounds. The vale of Entwash is flat and fenny, and fog is a deadly peril there for those on foot and laden. I would not abandon our boats until we must. The River is at least a path that cannot be missed.’ ‘But the Enemy holds the eastern bank,’ objected Boromir. ‘And even if you pass the Gates of Argonath and come unmolested to the Tindrock, what will you do then? Leap down the Falls and land in the marshes?’ ‘No!’ answered Aragorn. ‘Say rather that we will bear our boats by the ancient way to Rauros-foot, and there take to the water again. Do you not know, Boromir, or do you choose to forget the North Stair, and the high seat upon Amon Hen, that were made in the days of the great kings? I at least have a mind to stand in that high place again, before I decide my further course. There, maybe, we shall see some sign that will guide us.’ Boromir held out long against this choice; but when it became plain that Frodo would follow Aragorn, wherever he went, he gave
大河 389 舊月已逝，新月在外界盈虧，而我們則逗留於此。昨夜，新月又再升起。冬天即將過去。時光流逝，迎來一個希望渺茫的春天。夜晚悄然過去。水面上再無聲響或呼喚。旅者們蜷縮在船中，感受著天氣的變化。空氣變得溫暖而寂靜，籠罩在從南方和遙遠海洋飄來的巨大濕潤雲層之下。河水衝過急流岩石的聲音似乎變得更響更近。他們頭頂樹枝上的水珠開始滴落。白晝降臨時，周遭世界的氣氛變得柔和而憂傷。黎明緩緩升起，化作一片蒼白的光芒，瀰漫開來，了無陰影。河上瀰漫著薄霧，白色的濃霧籠罩著河岸；對岸已不可見。 「我受不了霧。」山姆說，「但這似乎是個好運的霧。或許我們現在可以趁那些該死的哥布林沒看見我們的時候溜走。」 「或許吧。」亞拉岡說，「但除非霧稍後散去一些，否則很難找到路。如果我們要經過薩恩蓋比爾並抵達埃敏莫爾，我們就必須找到路。」 「我不明白我們為何要經過急流或繼續沿河而下。」波羅莫說，「如果埃敏莫爾就在我們前方，那麼我們可以拋棄這些小船，向西向南進發，直到抵達安都因河並進入我的故鄉。」 「如果我們是要前往米那斯提力斯，那就可以。」亞拉岡說，「但這尚未達成共識。而且這樣的路線可能比聽起來更危險。安都因河谷地勢平坦且沼澤遍布，對於徒步且負重的人來說，霧在那裡是致命的危險。我不到萬不得已不會放棄我們的船。至少河水是一條不會迷失的路。」 「但敵人佔據著東岸。」波羅莫反駁道，「即使你們通過了阿剛那斯之門，毫髮無損地抵達廷德洛克，那你們又打算怎麼辦？跳下瀑布，落在沼澤裡嗎？」 「不！」亞拉岡回答，「不如說，我們會循著古道將船運到勞洛斯瀑布腳下，然後再下水。波羅莫，你難道不知道，還是你選擇忘記了北方階梯，以及亞蒙漢山頂上那座在高王時代建造的高座？我至少想再次站在那個高處，然後再決定我接下來的路線。或許在那裡，我們會看到一些能引導我們的徵兆。」 波羅莫長期反對這個選擇；但當佛羅多無論亞拉岡去哪裡都會跟隨他這一點變得顯而易見時，他便放棄了。
390 THE LORD OF THE RINGS in. ‘It is not the way of the Men of Minas Tirith to desert their friends at need,’ he said, ‘and you will need my strength, if ever you are to reach the Tindrock. To the tall isle I will go, but no further. There I shall turn to my home, alone if my help has not earned the reward of any companionship.’ The day was now growing, and the fog had lifted a little. It was decided that Aragorn and Legolas should at once go forward along the shore, while the others remained by the boats. Aragorn hoped to find some way by which they could carry both their boats and their baggage to the smoother water beyond the Rapids. ‘Boats of the Elves would not sink, maybe,’ he said, ‘but that does not say that we should come through Sarn Gebir alive. None have ever done so yet. No road was made by the Men of Gondor in this region, for even in their great days their realm did not reach up Anduin beyond the Emyn Muil; but there is a portage-way somewhere on the western shore, if I can find it. It cannot yet have perished; for light boats used to journey out of Wilderland down to Osgiliath, and still did so until a few years ago, when the Orcs of Mordor began to multiply.’ ‘Seldom in my life has any boat come out of the North, and the Orcs prowl on the east-shore,’ said Boromir. ‘If you go forward, peril will grow with every mile, even if you find a path.’ ‘Peril lies ahead on every southward road,’ answered Aragorn. ‘Wait for us one day. If we do not return in that time, you will know that evil has indeed befallen us. Then you must take a new leader and follow him as best you can.’ It was with a heavy heart that Frodo saw Aragorn and Legolas climb the steep bank and vanish into the mists; but his fears proved groundless. Only two or three hours had passed, and it was barely mid-day, when the shadowy shapes of the explorers appeared again. ‘All is well,’ said Aragorn, as he clambered down the bank. “There is a track, and it leads to a good landing that is still serviceable. The distance is not great: the head of the Rapids is but half a mile below us, and they are little more than a mile long. Not far beyond them the stream becomes clear and smooth again, though it runs swiftly. Our hardest task will be to get our boats and baggage to the old portage-way. We have found it, but it lies well back from the waterside here, and runs under the lee of a rock-wall, a furlong or more from the shore. We did not find where the northward landing lies. If it still remains, we must have passed it yesterday night. We might labour far upstream and yet miss it in the fog. I fear we must leave the River now, and make for the portage-way as best we can from here.’
390 魔戒。 「米那斯提力斯的人民不會在朋友需要時拋棄他們。」他說，「如果你們要抵達汀德洛克，你們會需要我的力量。我會去那座高島，但不會再往前。如果我的幫助未能贏得任何友誼的回報，我就會獨自返回家園。」天色漸亮，霧氣也稍稍散去。眾人決定亞拉岡和勒苟拉斯應立即沿岸前行，而其他人則留在船邊。亞拉岡希望能找到一條路，讓他們能將船隻和行李都運到急流之外較平靜的水域。「精靈的船或許不會沉沒，」他說，「但這不代表我們能活著穿過薩恩蓋比爾。從未有人成功過。剛鐸的人民在這地區沒有修建道路，因為即使在他們鼎盛時期，他們的領土也未曾延伸到安都因河上游，越過埃敏穆爾；但西岸某處有一條搬運道，如果我能找到的話。它不可能已經消失；因為輕型船隻過去常從荒野之地順流而下前往奧斯吉力亞斯，直到幾年前魔多的半獸人開始大量繁殖時才停止。」「我一生中很少有船隻從北方而來，而且半獸人正在東岸徘徊。」波羅莫說，「如果你們繼續前進，每走一哩路，危險就會增加，即使你們找到了一條路。」「每條南行的路上都潛藏著危險。」亞拉岡回答，「等我們一天。如果我們沒有在那段時間內回來，你們就會知道我們確實遭遇了不幸。那時你們必須選出一位新領袖，並盡力跟隨他。」佛羅多懷著沉重的心情看著亞拉岡和勒苟拉斯爬上陡峭的河岸，消失在迷霧中；但他的恐懼證明是多餘的。僅僅過了兩三個小時，還不到中午，探險者們的模糊身影再次出現。「一切都好。」亞拉岡爬下河岸時說，「有一條小徑，通往一個仍然可用的良好登陸點。距離不遠：急流的源頭就在我們下方半哩處，它們的長度也只不過一哩多一點。再往前不遠，河流又變得清澈平穩，儘管水流湍急。我們最艱鉅的任務是將船隻和行李運到舊的搬運道。我們已經找到了它，但它離這裡的水邊很遠，並且在岩壁的遮蔽下延伸，距離岸邊一弗隆或更遠。我們沒有找到北方的登陸點在哪裡。如果它仍然存在，我們昨晚一定錯過了。我們可能逆流而上很遠，卻仍在霧中錯過它。我擔心我們現在必須離開河流，盡力從這裡前往搬運道。」
THE GREAT RIVER 391 “That would not be easy, even if we were all Men,’ said Boromir. “Yet such as we are we will try it,’ said Aragorn. ‘Aye, we will,’ said Gimli. “The legs of Men will lag on a rough road, while a Dwarf goes on, be the burden twice his own weight, Master Boromir!’ The task proved hard indeed, yet in the end it was done. The goods were taken out of the boats and brought to the top of the bank, where there was a level space. Then the boats were drawn out of the water and carried up. They were far less heavy than any had expected. Of what tree growing in the Elvish country they were made not even Legolas knew; but the wood was tough and yet strangely light. Merry and Pippin alone could carry their boat with ease along the flat. Nonetheless it needed the strength of the two Men to lift and haul them over the ground that the Company now had to cross. It sloped up away from the River, a tumbled waste of grey limestone-boulders, with many hidden holes shrouded with weeds and bushes; there were thickets of brambles, and sheer dells; and here and there boggy pools fed by waters trickling from the terraces further inland. One by one Boromir and Aragorn carried the boats, while the others toiled and scrambled after them with the baggage. At last all was removed and laid on the portage-way. Then with little further hindrance, save from sprawling briars and many fallen stones, they moved forward all together. Fog still hung in veils upon the crumbling rock-wall, and to their left mist shrouded the River: they could hear it rushing and foaming over the sharp shelves and stony teeth of Sarn Gebir, but they could not see it. Twice they made the journey, before all was brought safe to the southern landing. There the portage-way, turning back to the water-side, ran gently down to the shallow edge of a little pool. It seemed to have been scooped in the river-side, not by hand, but by the water swirling down from Sarn Gebir against a low pier of rock that jutted out some way into the stream. Beyond it the shore rose sheer into a grey cliff, and there was no further passage for those on foot. Already the short afternoon was past, and a dim cloudy dusk was closing in. They sat beside the water listening to the confused rush and roar of the Rapids hidden in the mist; they were tired and sleepy, and their hearts were as gloomy as the dying day. ‘Well, here we are, and here we must pass another night,’ said Boromir. ‘We need sleep, and even if Aragorn had a mind to pass the Gates of Argonath by night, we are all too tired — except, no doubt, our sturdy dwarf.’ Gimli made no reply: he was nodding as he sat. ‘Let us rest as much as we can now,’ said Aragorn. “Tomorrow
大河 391 「那可不容易，即使我們都是人類。」波羅莫說。「然而，既然我們在這裡，我們就試試看。」亞拉岡說。「是的，我們會的。」金靂說。「人類的腿在崎嶇的道路上會拖後腿，而矮人卻能繼續前進，即使負擔是他體重的兩倍，波羅莫大人！」這項任務確實很艱鉅，但最終還是完成了。貨物從船上卸下，運到河岸頂部的一片平坦空地。然後船隻被拖出水面，抬了上去。它們遠比任何人預期的要輕。它們是用精靈國度裡哪種樹木製成的，連勒苟拉斯也不知道；但木材堅韌卻又異常輕盈。梅里和皮聘兩人就能輕易地在平地上搬運他們的船。儘管如此，仍然需要兩個人類的力量才能將它們抬起並拖過遠征隊現在必須穿越的地面。地面從河邊向上傾斜，是一片亂石堆積的灰色石灰岩巨石荒地，許多隱藏的洞穴被雜草和灌木叢遮蔽；有荊棘叢生的灌木叢，還有陡峭的山谷；這裡那裡還有一些沼澤水窪，由內陸梯田滲出的水滋養著。波羅莫和亞拉岡一個接一個地搬運船隻，而其他人則帶著行李在後面辛苦地攀爬。最後，所有東西都被搬走並放在了搬運道上。然後，除了蔓生的荊棘和許多落石之外，他們幾乎沒有遇到其他阻礙，一起向前移動。霧氣仍然像面紗般籠罩著崩塌的岩壁，在他們左邊，薄霧遮蔽了河流：他們能聽到它在薩恩蓋比爾的鋒利岩架和石齒上奔騰咆哮，但卻看不見它。他們來回走了兩趟，才將所有東西安全運到南邊的登陸點。在那裡，搬運道轉向水邊，輕緩地向下延伸到一個小水池的淺灘。它似乎不是人手挖出來的，而是薩恩蓋比爾的旋渦水流沖刷著一塊伸入溪流的低矮岩石碼頭而形成的。水池之外，河岸陡峭地升起，形成一道灰色的懸崖，步行者再也無法前進。短暫的下午已經過去，昏暗多雲的黃昏正在降臨。他們坐在水邊，聽著隱藏在薄霧中的急流發出混亂的奔騰和咆哮聲；他們又累又睏，心情像垂死的白晝一樣陰鬱。「好吧，我們到了，今晚我們必須在這裡過夜。」波羅莫說。「我們需要睡眠，即使亞拉岡有心想在夜間通過亞苟納斯之門，我們也都太累了——除了，毫無疑問，我們結實的矮人。」金靂沒有回答：他坐著打瞌睡。「我們現在盡可能地休息吧。」亞拉岡說。「明天
392 THE LORD OF THE RINGS we must journey by day again. Unless the weather changes once more and cheats us, we shall have a good chance of slipping through, unseen by any eyes on the eastern shore. But tonight two must watch together in turns: three hours off and one on guard.’ Nothing happened that night worse than a brief drizzle of rain an hour before dawn. As soon as it was fully light they started. Already the fog was thinning. They kept as close as they could to the western side, and they could see the dim shapes of the low cliffs rising ever higher, shadowy walls with their feet in the hurrying river. In the mid-morning the clouds drew down lower, and it began to rain heavily. They drew the skin-covers over their boats to prevent them from being flooded, and drifted on; little could be seen before them or about them through the grey falling curtains. The rain, however, did not last long. Slowly the sky above grew lighter, and then suddenly the clouds broke, and their draggled fringes trailed away northward up the River. The fogs and mists were gone. Before the travellers lay a wide ravine, with great rocky sides to which clung, upon shelves and in narrow crevices, a few thrawn trees. The channel grew narrower and the River swifter. Now they were speeding along with little hope of stopping or turning, whatever they might meet ahead. Over them was a lane of pale-blue sky, around them the dark overshadowed River, and before them black, shutting out the sun, the hills of Emyn Muil, in which no opening could be seen. Frodo peering forward saw in the distance two great rocks approaching: like great pinnacles or pillars of stone they seemed. Tall and sheer and ominous they stood upon either side of the stream. A narrow gap appeared between them, and the River swept the boats towards it. ‘Behold the Argonath, the Pillars of the Kings!’ cried Aragorn. ‘We shall pass them soon. Keep the boats in line, and as far apart as you can! Hold the middle of the stream!’ As Frodo was borne towards them the great pillars rose like towers to meet him. Giants they seemed to him, vast grey figures silent but threatening. Then he saw that they were indeed shaped and fashioned: the craft and power of old had wrought upon them, and still they preserved through the suns and rains of forgotten years the mighty likenesses in which they had been hewn. Upon great pedestals founded in the deep waters stood two great kings of stone: still with blurred eyes and crannied brows they frowned upon the North. The left hand of each was raised palm outwards in gesture of warning; in each right hand there was an axe; upon each head there was a crumbling helm and crown. Great power and majesty they still wore, the silent wardens of a long-vanished kingdom. Awe and fear fell upon
392 《魔戒》我們必須再次在白天趕路。除非天氣再次變化並欺騙我們，否則我們很有機會悄無聲息地穿過，不被東岸的任何眼睛看見。但今晚必須兩人輪流守夜：休息三小時，站崗一小時。那天晚上沒有發生比黎明前一小時的短暫細雨更糟糕的事。天一完全亮，他們就出發了。霧氣已經在變薄。他們盡可能地靠近西岸，可以看到低矮的懸崖模糊的形狀不斷升高，陰影般的牆壁腳下是湍急的河流。上午中段，雲層壓得更低，開始下大雨。他們把船上的皮套拉上，以防船被淹沒，然後繼續漂流；透過灰濛濛的雨幕，他們幾乎看不到前方或周圍。然而，雨沒有持續多久。上方的天空慢慢變亮，然後雲層突然破開，它們濕漉漉的邊緣向北沿著河流飄散而去。霧氣和薄霧都消失了。旅行者面前是一條寬闊的峽谷，兩側是巨大的岩石，岩石的架子和狹窄的裂縫中攀附著幾棵扭曲的樹。河道變窄，河流變得更加湍急。現在他們快速前進，幾乎沒有希望停下或轉向，無論前方會遇到什麼。他們頭頂是一條淡藍色的天空，周圍是陰暗的河流，前方是黑色的、遮蔽了陽光的伊敏穆爾山丘，看不到任何開口。佛羅多向前凝視，看到遠處有兩塊巨石正在靠近：它們看起來像巨大的尖塔或石柱。它們高聳、陡峭而險惡地矗立在河流兩岸。它們之間出現了一道狹窄的縫隙，河流將船隻沖向那裡。「看哪，亞苟納斯，王者之柱！」亞拉岡喊道。「我們很快就會經過它們。讓船隻排成一線，並盡可能地保持距離！保持在河流中央！」當佛羅多被沖向它們時，那些巨大的石柱像高塔般升起，迎接他。它們在他看來像是巨人，巨大灰色的身影，沉默卻充滿威脅。然後他看到它們確實是經過塑造和雕琢的：古老的技藝和力量在它們身上留下了痕跡，它們仍然在被遺忘的歲月裡，歷經風吹日曬，保存著它們被雕刻時的雄偉形象。在深水中築基的巨大基座上，矗立著兩位巨大的石像王者：它們的眼睛依然模糊，眉頭佈滿裂紋，對著北方皺眉。每尊石像的左手都手掌朝外，做出警告的手勢；每尊石像的右手都握著一把斧頭；每尊石像的頭上都戴著一頂殘破的頭盔和王冠。它們依然散發著巨大的力量和威嚴，是早已消失王國的沉默守護者。敬畏和恐懼籠罩著
THE GREAT RIVER 393 Frodo, and he cowered down, shutting his eyes and not daring to look up as the boat drew near. Even Boromir bowed his head as the boats whirled by, frail and fleeting as little leaves, under the enduring shadow of the sentinels of Numenor. So they passed into the dark chasm of the Gates. Sheer rose the dreadful cliffs to unguessed heights on either side. Far off was the dim sky. The black waters roared and echoed, and a wind screamed over them. Frodo crouching over his knees heard Sam in front muttering and groaning: ‘What a place! What a horrible place! Just let me get out of this boat, and I'll never wet my toes in a puddle again, let alone a river!’ ‘Fear not!’ said a strange voice behind him. Frodo turned and saw Strider, and yet not Strider; for the weatherworn Ranger was no longer there. In the stern sat Aragorn son of Arathorn, proud and erect, guiding the boat with skilful strokes; his hood was cast back, and his dark hair was blowing in the wind, a light was in his eyes: a king returning from exile to his own land. ‘Fear not!’ he said. ‘Long have I desired to look upon the likenesses of Isildur and Anarion, my sires of old. Under their shadow Elessar, the Elfstone son of Arathorn of the House of Valandil Isildur’s son, heir of Elendil, has naught to dread!’ Then the light of his eyes faded, and he spoke to himself: “Would that Gandalf were here! How my heart yearns for Minas Anor and the walls of my own city! But whither now shall I go?’ The chasm was long and dark, and filled with the noise of wind and rushing water and echoing stone. It bent somewhat towards the west so that at first all was dark ahead; but soon Frodo saw a tall gap of light before him, ever growing. Swiftly it drew near, and suddenly the boats shot through, out into a wide clear light. The sun, already long fallen from the noon, was shining in a windy sky. The pent waters spread out into a long oval lake, pale Nen Hithoel, fenced by steep grey hills whose sides were clad with trees, but their heads were bare, cold-gleaming in the sunlight. At the far southern end rose three peaks. The midmost stood somewhat forward from the others and sundered from them, an island in the waters, about which the flowing River flung pale shimmering arms. Distant but deep there came up on the wind a roaring sound like the roll of thunder heard far away. ‘Behold Tol Brandir!’ said Aragorn, pointing south to the tall peak. ‘Upon the left stands Amon Lhaw, and upon the right is Amon Hen, the Hills of Hearing and of Sight. In the days of the great kings there were high seats upon them, and watch was kept there. But it is said that no foot of man or beast has ever been set upon Tol Brandir.
大河 393 佛羅多，他蜷縮著身子，閉上眼睛，不敢抬頭看船隻駛近。即使是波羅莫也低下頭，看著船隻在努曼諾爾守衛的永恆陰影下，如小葉般脆弱而飛逝地旋轉而過。他們就這樣駛入了群門的黑暗峽谷。兩側陡峭的懸崖高聳入雲，達到難以想像的高度。遠處是昏暗的天空。黑色的水面咆哮迴盪，狂風在他們頭頂尖嘯。佛羅多蜷縮著雙膝，聽到前面的山姆喃喃抱怨著：「這是什麼鬼地方！多麼可怕的地方！只要讓我離開這艘船，我再也不會把腳趾弄濕在水窪裡了，更別說河流了！」 「別害怕！」身後傳來一個陌生的聲音。佛羅多轉過身，看到了亞拉岡，卻又不是亞拉岡；因為那個飽經風霜的遊俠已經不在了。船尾坐著亞拉岡，亞拉松之子，他驕傲而挺拔，熟練地划著船槳；他的兜帽向後掀開，黑髮在風中飄揚，眼中閃爍著光芒：一位從流亡中歸來的國王，回到了自己的土地。「別害怕！」他說。「我長久以來一直渴望瞻仰伊西鐸和安那瑞安的雕像，我古老的先祖。在他們的陰影下，亞拉松之子、瓦蘭迪爾（伊西鐸之子）家族的精靈石埃萊薩，伊蘭迪爾的繼承人，無所畏懼！」 隨後他眼中的光芒消逝了，他自言自語道：「但願甘道夫在這裡！我的心多麼渴望米那斯亞諾和我自己城市的城牆啊！但我現在該去哪裡呢？」峽谷又長又暗，充滿了風聲、奔騰的水聲和迴盪的石壁聲。它略微向西彎曲，所以起初前方一片漆黑；但很快佛羅多看到前方有一道高高的光隙，而且越來越大。它迅速靠近，船隻突然衝出，進入一片廣闊明亮的光線中。太陽早已過了正午，在多風的天空中閃耀。被圍困的水域擴散成一個長長的橢圓形湖泊，蒼白的尼恩希索爾，四周被陡峭的灰色山丘環繞，山坡上覆蓋著樹木，但山頂光禿禿的，在陽光下泛著冷光。在遙遠的南端，三座山峰拔地而起。中間那座略微突出於其他山峰，與它們分離，成為水中的一座島嶼，奔流的大河環繞著它，伸展出蒼白閃爍的臂膀。遠處卻深沉地，風中傳來一陣咆哮聲，如同遠方傳來的雷鳴。「看啊，托爾布蘭迪爾！」亞拉岡說，指向南方那座高聳的山峰。「左邊是阿蒙羅，右邊是阿蒙漢，即聽覺之山和視覺之山。」在偉大君王的時代，山上有高座，並設有瞭望哨。但據說，從未有人或野獸的腳踏上過托爾布蘭迪爾。
394 THE LORD OF THE RINGS Ere the shade of night falls we shall come to them. I hear the endless voice of Rauros calling.’ The Company rested now for a while, drifting south on the current that flowed through the middle of the lake. They ate some food, and then they took to their paddles and hastened on their way. The sides of the westward hills fell into shadow, and the Sun grew round and red. Here and there a misty star peered out. The three peaks loomed before them, darkling in the twilight. Rauros was roaring with a great voice. Already night was laid on the flowing waters when the travellers came at last under the shadow of the hills. The tenth day of their journey was over. Wilderland was behind them. They could go no further without choice between the east-way and the west. The last stage of the Quest was before them.
394 魔戒 在夜幕降臨之前，我們就會到達他們那裡。我聽到拉洛斯瀑布永無止盡的呼喚聲。」隊伍現在休息了一會兒，順著湖中央的水流向南漂去。他們吃了一些食物，然後拿起槳，加快了行程。西邊山坡的兩側陷入陰影，太陽變得又圓又紅。零星的星光朦朧地探出頭來。三座山峰在他們前方若隱若現，在暮色中漸漸變暗。拉洛斯瀑布發出巨大的轟鳴聲。當旅行者們最終來到山影之下時，夜幕已經籠罩在流動的水面上。他們旅程的第十天結束了。荒野已經在他們身後。他們別無選擇，只能在東路和西路之間做出抉擇，無法再前進。遠征的最後階段就在他們眼前。