Chapter 3 THE URUK-HAI Pippin lay in a dark and troubled dream: it seemed that he could hear his own small voice echoing in black tunnels, calling Frodo, Frodo! But instead of Frodo hundreds of hideous orc-faces grinned at him out of the shadows, hundreds of hideous arms grasped at him from every side. Where was Merry? He woke. Cold air blew on his face. He was lying on his back. Evening was coming and the sky above was growing dim. He turned and found that the dream was little worse than the waking. His wrists, legs, and ankles were tied with cords. Beside him Merry lay, white-faced, with a dirty rag bound across his brows. All about them sat or stood a great company of Orcs. Slowly in Pippin’s aching head memory pieced itself together and became separated from dream-shadows. Of course: he and Merry had run off into the woods. What had come over them? Why had they dashed off like that, taking no notice of old Strider? They had run a long way shouting — he could not remember how far or how long; and then suddenly they had crashed right into a group of Orcs: they were standing listening, and they did not appear to see Merry and Pippin until they were almost in their arms. Then they yelled and dozens of other goblins had sprung out of the trees. Merry and he had drawn their swords, but the Orcs did not wish to fight, and had tried only to lay hold of them, even when Merry had cut off several of their arms and hands. Good old Merry! Then Boromir had come leaping through the trees. He had made them fight. He slew many of them and the rest fled. But they had not gone far on the way back when they were attacked again, by a hundred Orcs at least, some of them very large, and they shot a rain of arrows: always at Boromir. Boromir had blown his great horn till the woods rang, and at first the Orcs had been dismayed and had drawn back; but when no answer but the echoes came, they had attacked more fiercely than ever. Pippin did not remember much more. His last memory was of Boromir leaning against a tree, plucking out an arrow; then darkness fell suddenly. ‘I suppose I was knocked on the head,’ he said to himself. ‘I wonder if poor Merry is much hurt. What has happened to Boromir? Why didn’t the Orcs kill us? Where are we, and where are we going?’ He could not answer the questions. He felt cold and sick. ‘I wish Gandalf had never persuaded Elrond to let us come,’ he thought.
第三章 強獸人（Uruk-hai） 皮聘躺在一個黑暗而混亂的夢境中：他似乎能聽見自己微弱的聲音在漆黑的隧道裡迴盪，呼喊著：佛羅多，佛羅多！然而，回應他的不是佛羅多，而是數百張猙獰的半獸人臉孔從陰影中對他獰笑，數百隻醜惡的手臂從四面八方向他抓來。梅里在哪裡？他醒了過來。冷風吹拂著他的臉。他正仰躺著。傍晚即將來臨，上方的天空漸漸變得昏暗。他轉過頭，發現現實幾乎不比夢境好到哪裡去。他的手腕、雙腿和腳踝都被繩索捆綁著。在他身旁，梅里躺著，臉色蒼白，一塊髒布綁在他的額頭上。他們周圍或坐或站，圍著一大群半獸人。在皮聘疼痛的腦袋裡，記憶慢慢地拼湊起來，與夢中的陰影分開。當然了：他和梅里跑進了樹林裡。他們是中了什麼邪？為什麼他們要那樣猛衝出去，完全沒理會老神行客？他們邊跑邊喊，跑了好長一段路——他不記得有多遠或多久了；然後他們突然一頭撞進了一群半獸人之中：那些半獸人正站著聆聽，似乎直到梅里和皮聘幾乎要撞進他們懷裡時才看見他們。接著他們大吼，數十個其他哥布林從樹林裡跳了出來。他和梅里拔出了劍，但半獸人並不想戰鬥，只想抓住他們，即便梅里砍斷了其中幾個半獸人的手臂和手掌也一樣。好樣的，老梅里！然後波羅莫穿過樹林跳了出來。他逼得他們不得不打。他殺了許多半獸人，其餘的都逃跑了。但他們在返回的路上沒走多遠，就再次遭到攻擊，至少有一百個半獸人，其中一些體型非常巨大，他們射出了一陣箭雨：目標始終是波羅莫。波羅莫吹響了他宏亮的號角，聲震林木，起初半獸人被嚇住了，往後退去；但當除了回音之外沒有任何回應時，他們便發動了比以往更猛烈的攻擊。皮聘記不得更多了。他最後的記憶是波羅莫倚靠著一棵樹，拔出一支箭；然後黑暗突然降臨。「我猜我大概是頭被敲了一下，」他對自己說。「不知道可憐的梅里傷得重不重。波羅莫怎麼樣了？為什麼半獸人沒有殺了我們？我們在哪裡，又要被帶去哪裡？」他無法回答這些問題。他又冷又想吐。「我真希望甘道夫從未說服愛隆讓我們來，」他想。
THE URUK-HAI 445 ‘What good have I been? Just a nuisance: a passenger, a piece of luggage. And now I have been stolen and I am just a piece of luggage for the Orcs. I hope Strider or someone will come and claim us! But ought I to hope for it? Won’t that throw out all the plans? I wish I could get free!’ He struggled a little, quite uselessly. One of the Orcs sitting near laughed and said something to a companion in their abominable tongue. ‘Rest while you can, little fool!’ he said then to Pippin, in the Common Speech, which he made almost as hideous as his own language. ‘Rest while you can! We’ll find a use for your legs before long. You'll wish you had got none before we get home.’ ‘If I had my way, you’d wish you were dead now,’ said the other. ‘I'd make you squeak, you miserable rat.’ He stooped over Pippin, bringing his yellow fangs close to his face. He had a black knife with a long jagged blade in his hand. ‘Lie quiet, or I'll tickle you with this,’ he hissed. ‘Don’t draw attention to yourself, or I may forget my orders. Curse the Isengarders! Uglik u bagronk sha pushdug Saruman-glob bubhosh skav’: he passed into a long angry speech in his own tongue that slowly died away into muttering and snarling. Terrified Pippin lay still, though the pain at his wrists and ankles was growing, and the stones beneath him were boring into his back. To take his mind off himself he listened intently to all that he could hear. There were many voices round about, and though orc-speech sounded at all times full of hate and anger, it seemed plain that something like a quarrel had begun, and was getting hotter. To Pippin’s surprise he found that much of the talk was intelligible; many of the Orcs were using ordinary language. Apparently the members of two or three quite different tribes were present, and they could not understand one another’s orc-speech. There was an angry debate concerning what they were to do now: which way they were to take and what should be done with the prisoners. “There’s no time to kill them properly,’ said one. ‘No time for play on this trip.’ “That can’t be helped,’ said another. ‘But why not kill them quick, kill them now? They’re a cursed nuisance, and we’re in a hurry. Evening’s coming on, and we ought to get a move on.’ ‘Orders,’ said a third voice in a deep growl. ‘Kill all but NOT the Halflings; they are to be brought back ALIVE as quickly as possible. That’s my orders.’ ‘What are they wanted for?’ asked several voices. ‘Why alive? Do they give good sport?’ ‘No! I heard that one of them has got something, something that’s
446 THE LORD OF THE RINGS wanted for the War, some Elvish plot or other. Anyway they’ll both be questioned.’ ‘Is that all you know? Why don’t we search them and find out? We might find something that we could use ourselves.’ “That is a very interesting remark,’ sneered a voice, softer than the others but more evil. ‘I may have to report that. The prisoners are NOT to be searched or plundered: those are my orders.’ ‘And mine too,’ said the deep voice. ‘Alive and as captured; no spoiling. That’s my orders.’ ‘Not our orders!’ said one of the earlier voices. “We have come all the way from the Mines to kill, and avenge our folk. I wish to kill, and then go back north.’ “Then you can wish again,’ said the growling voice. ‘I am Ugluk. I command. I return to Isengard by the shortest road.’ ‘Is Saruman the master or the Great Eye?’ said the evil voice. ‘We should go back at once to Lugburz.’ ‘If we could cross the Great River, we might,’ said another voice. ‘But there are not enough of us to venture down to the bridges.’ ‘I came across,’ said the evil voice. ‘A winged Nazgtl awaits us northward on the east-bank.’ ‘Maybe, maybe! Then you’ll fly off with our prisoners, and get all the pay and praise in Lugburz, and leave us to foot it as best we can through the Horse-country. No, we must stick together. These lands are dangerous: full of foul rebels and brigands.’ ‘Aye, we must stick together,’ growled Ugluk. ‘I don’t trust you little swine. You’ve no guts outside your own sties. But for us you’d all have run away. We are the fighting Uruk-hai! We slew the great warrior. We took the prisoners. We are the servants of Saruman the Wise, the White Hand: the Hand that gives us man’s-flesh to eat. We came out of Isengard, and led you here, and we shall lead you back by the way we choose. I am Ugluk. I have spoken.’ “You have spoken more than enough, Ugluk,’ sneered the evil voice. ‘I wonder how they would like it in Lugbtrz. They might think that Uglik’s shoulders needed relieving of a swollen head. They might ask where his strange ideas came from. Did they come from Saruman, perhaps? Who does he think he is, setting up on his own with his filthy white badges? They might agree with me, with Grishnakh their trusted messenger; and I Grishnakh say this: Saruman is a fool, and a dirty treacherous fool. But the Great Eye is on him. ‘Swine is it? How do you folk like being called swine by the muckrakers of a dirty little wizard? It’s orc-flesh they eat, Pll warrant.’ Many loud yells in orc-speech answered him, and the ringing clash of weapons being drawn. Cautiously Pippin rolled over, hoping to see what would happen. His guards had gone to join in the fray. In
「為了戰爭需要，可能是些精靈的陰謀之類的。總之他們兩個都得接受審問。」「你就只知道這些？我們何不搜搜他們的身，看看能發現什麼？說不定能找到些我們自己用得上的東西。」「這話倒真有意思，」一個比其他聲音更輕柔、卻更邪惡的聲音冷笑道。「我可能得回報這件事。囚犯不准搜查，也不准劫掠：這是我的命令。」「也是我的命令，」那個低沉的聲音說。「活捉，保持原樣；不准損壞。這是我的命令。」「可不是我們的命令！」先前的一個聲音說。「我們大老遠從礦坑來，就是為了殺戮，為我們的族人復仇。我想殺了他們，然後回北方去。」「那你只能再想想了，」那咆哮的聲音說。「我是烏骨陸。我說了算。我要走最短的路回艾辛格。」「薩魯曼是主人，還是巨眼是主人？」那邪惡的聲音說。「我們應該立刻回路格柏茲去。」「如果我們能渡過大河，或許可以，」另一個聲音說。「但我們人手不夠，不敢冒險去橋邊。」「我就是渡河過來的，」那邪惡的聲音說。「東岸北方有個帶翼的戒靈在等我們。」「也許吧，也許！然後你就會帶著我們的囚犯飛走，在路格柏茲獨吞所有的酬勞和讚賞，丟下我們在馬之國裡自己想辦法用腳走。不，我們必須團結一致。這些地方很危險：到處是卑鄙的叛徒和強盜。」「沒錯，我們必須團結一致，」烏骨陸咆哮道。「我可不信任你們這些小豬玀。你們離開自己的豬圈就沒膽了。要不是我們，你們早就全跑光了。我們是善戰的強獸人！我們宰了那個偉大的戰士。我們抓了囚犯。我們是白袍智者薩魯曼的僕人，是白掌的僕人：那隻賜予我們人肉吃的手。我們從艾辛格出來，帶你們到這裡，我們也將循我們選擇的道路帶你們回去。我是烏骨陸。我說完了。」「你說得太多了，烏骨陸，」那邪惡的聲音冷笑道。「我倒想知道路格柏茲那邊會怎麼想。他們可能會覺得烏骨陸那顆自大的腦袋該輕鬆一下了。他們可能會問他那些奇怪的想法是從哪來的。或許是從薩魯曼那裡來的？他以為他是誰，憑著他那些骯髒的白色徽章就想自立門戶？他們可能會同意我，同意我——葛力斯那克，他們信賴的信使；而我葛力斯那克要說：薩魯曼是個傻瓜，一個骯髒又奸詐的傻瓜。但巨眼正盯著他呢。」「是豬玀嗎？你們這些傢伙被一個骯髒小巫師手下的耙糞人叫做豬玀，感覺如何？我敢保證，他們吃的是半獸人肉。」許多半獸人語的尖叫聲回應了他，伴隨著武器出鞘的清脆鏗鏘聲。皮聘小心翼翼地翻過身，希望能看到接下來會發生什麼。他的守衛已經跑去加入那場混戰了。
THE URUK-HAI 447 the twilight he saw a large black Orc, probably Ugluk, standing facing Grishnakh, a short crook-legged creature, very broad and with long arms that hung almost to the ground. Round them were many smaller goblins. Pippin supposed that these were the ones from the North. They had drawn their knives and swords, but hesitated to attack Ugluk. Ugluk shouted, and a number of other Orcs of nearly his own size ran up. Then suddenly, without warning, Ugluk sprang forwards, and with two swift strokes swept the heads off two of his opponents. Grishnakh stepped aside and vanished into the shadows. The others gave way, and one stepped backwards and fell over Merry’s prostrate form with a curse. Yet that probably saved his life, for Ugluk’s followers leaped over him and cut down another with their broad-bladed swords. It was the yellow-fanged guard. His body fell right on top of Pippin, still clutching its long saw-edged knife. ‘Put up your weapons!’ shouted Ugluk. ‘And let’s have no more nonsense! We go straight west from here, and down the stair. From there straight to the downs, then along the river to the forest. And we march day and night. That clear?’ ‘Now,’ thought Pippin, ‘if only it takes that ugly fellow a little while to get his troop under control, I’ve got a chance.’ A gleam of hope had come to him. The edge of the black knife had snicked his arm, and then slid down to his wrist. He felt the blood trickling on to his hand, but he also felt the cold touch of steel against his skin. The Orcs were getting ready to march again, but some of the Northerners were still unwilling, and the Isengarders slew two more before the rest were cowed. There was much cursing and confusion. For the moment Pippin was unwatched. His legs were securely bound, but his arms were only tied about the wrists, and his hands were in front of him. He could move them both together, though the bonds were cruelly tight. He pushed the dead Orc to one side, then hardly daring to breathe, he drew the knot of the wrist-cord up and down against the blade of the knife. It was sharp and the dead hand held it fast. The cord was cut! Quickly Pippin took it in his fingers and knotted it again into a loose bracelet of two loops and slipped it over his hands. Then he lay very still. ‘Pick up those prisoners!’ shouted Ugluk. ‘Don’t play any tricks with them! If they are not alive when we get back, someone else will die too.’ An Orc seized Pippin like a sack, put its head between his tied hands, grabbed his arms and dragged them down, until Pippin’s face was crushed against its neck; then it jolted off with him. Another
在暮色中，他看到一個高大的黑色半獸人，大概是烏骨陸，正對著葛力斯那克站著。葛力斯那克是個身材矮小、腿部彎曲的生物，身形極寬，長臂幾乎垂到地面。他們周圍有許多體型較小的哥布林。皮聘猜想這些就是從北方來的那些傢伙。他們已拔出刀劍，卻猶豫著不敢攻擊烏骨陸。烏骨陸大吼一聲，又有幾個和他差不多體型的半獸人跑了上來。然後，烏骨陸突然毫无預警地向前撲去，迅速揮出兩劍，砍掉了兩個對手的頭顱。葛力斯那克閃到一旁，消失在陰影中。其他人紛紛退讓，其中一個向後退時絆到梅里俯臥的身體，咒罵了一聲。然而，這可能救了他一命，因為烏骨陸的追隨者從他身上跳過，用寬刃劍砍倒了另一個。那是那個黃牙守衛。他的屍體正好倒在皮聘身上，手中還緊抓著那把長長的鋸齒刀。「把武器收起來！」烏骨陸吼道。「別再胡鬧了！我們從這裡直接向西，走下階梯。再從那裡直奔丘陵，然後沿著河到森林。我們日夜兼程。清楚了嗎？」「現在，」皮聘想，「只要那個醜傢伙多花點時間管束他的部隊，我就有機會了。」一線希望在他心中亮起。黑刀的刀鋒劃過他的手臂，然後滑到他的手腕。他感覺到血滴到手上，但也感覺到冰冷的鋼鐵貼著他的皮膚。半獸人們準備再次出發，但一些北方哥布林仍不情願，埃辛加德的半獸人又殺了兩個，其餘的才被嚇住。現場一片咒罵與混亂。暫時沒人看管皮聘。他的腿被牢牢綁住，但手臂只在手腕處被綁著，雙手在身前。他可以同時移動雙手，儘管繩子綁得極緊。他把死去的半獸人推到一邊，然後幾乎不敢呼吸，將手腕上的繩結靠著刀刃上下摩擦。刀很鋒利，而那隻死人手緊緊握著它。繩子斷了！皮聘迅速用手指拿起繩子，重新打成一個有兩個環的鬆手環，套過雙手。然後他一動不動地躺著。「把囚犯撿起來！」烏骨陸喊道。「別跟他們耍花樣！如果我們回去時他們不是活的，別人也得死。」一個半獸人像抓麻布袋一樣抓住皮聘，把頭伸進他被綁的雙手之間，抓住他的手臂往下拉，直到皮聘的臉被壓在它的脖子上；然後它顛簸地帶著他走了。另一個
448 THE LORD OF THE RINGS treated Merry in the same way. The Orc’s clawlike hand gripped Pippin’s arms like iron; the nails bit into him. He shut his eyes and slipped back into evil dreams. Suddenly he was thrown on to the stony floor again. It was early night, but the slim moon was already falling westward. They were on the edge of a cliff that seemed to look out over a sea of pale mist. There was a sound of water falling nearby. “The scouts have come back at last,’ said an Orc close at hand. ‘Well, what did you discover?’ growled the voice of Ugluk. ‘Only a single horseman, and he made off westwards. All’s clear now.’ ‘Now, I daresay. But how long? You fools! You should have shot him. He’ll raise the alarm. The cursed horsebreeders will hear of us by morning. Now we’ll have to leg it double quick.’ A shadow bent over Pippin. It was Ugluk. ‘Sit up!’ said the Orc. ‘My lads are tired of lugging you about. We have got to climb down, and you must use your legs. Be helpful now. No crying out, no trying to escape. We have ways of paying for tricks that you won’t like, though they won’t spoil your usefulness for the Master.’ He cut the thongs round Pippin’s legs and ankles, picked him up by his hair and stood him on his feet. Pippin fell down, and Uglik dragged him up by his hair again. Several Orcs laughed. Ugluk thrust a flask between his teeth and poured some burning liquid down his throat: he felt a hot fierce glow flow through him. The pain in his legs and ankles vanished. He could stand. ‘Now for the other!’ said Ugluk. Pippin saw him go to Merry, who was lying close by, and kick him. Merry groaned. Seizing him roughly Ugluk pulled him into a sitting position, and tore the bandage off his head. Then he smeared the wound with some dark stuff out of a small wooden box. Merry cried out and struggled wildly. The Orcs clapped and hooted. ‘Can’t take his medicine,’ they jeered. ‘Doesn’t know what’s good for him. Ai! We shall have some fun later.’ But at the moment Ugluk was not engaged in sport. He needed speed and had to humour unwilling followers. He was healing Merry in orc-fashion; and his treatment worked swiftly. When he had forced a drink from his flask down the hobbit’s throat, cut his leg-bonds, and dragged him to his feet, Merry stood up, looking pale but grim and defiant, and very much alive. The gash in his forehead gave him no more trouble, but he bore a brown scar to the end of his days. ‘Hullo, Pippin!’ he said. ‘So you’ve come on this little expedition, too? Where do we get bed and breakfast?’ ‘Now then!’ said Ugluk. ‘None of that! Hold your tongues. No
梅里也受到了同樣的待遇。半獸人那爪子般的手像鐵鉗一樣緊緊抓住皮聘的手臂，指甲都嵌進了他的肉裡。他閉上眼睛，又滑入了邪惡的夢境。突然，他又被扔到石頭地板上。當時已是傍晚，一彎細月正向西沉。他們身處一處懸崖邊緣，底下似乎是一片蒼白的霧海。附近傳來了流水聲。「斥候總算回來了，」一個身旁的半獸人說。「嗯，你們發現了什麼？」烏骨陸的聲音咆哮道。「只有一個騎馬的，他往西邊跑了。現在一切安全。」「現在，我敢說。但能安全多久？你們這群笨蛋！你們本該射殺他的。他會去報警的。那些該死的馬夫天亮前就會聽到我們的消息。現在我們得加倍快地跑了。」一個影子彎下身籠罩著皮聘。是烏骨陸。「坐起來！」那半獸人說。「我的弟兄們已經厭倦了拖著你走。我們得爬下去，你必須用你自己的腿。識相點。不准叫，也別想逃。我們有的是辦法對付耍花招的人，那些辦法你不會喜歡的，不過它們不會讓你對主人失去用處。」他割斷了皮聘腿上和腳踝上的皮繩，揪著他的頭髮把他拎起來，讓他站著。皮聘摔倒了，烏骨陸又揪著他的頭髮把他拉了起來。幾個半獸人笑了起來。烏骨陸把一個瓶子塞進他牙縫裡，將一些灼熱的液體灌進他喉嚨：他感覺一股熾熱的暖流傳遍全身。腿上和腳踝的疼痛消失了。他能站起來了。「現在輪到另一個！」烏骨陸說。皮聘看見他走向躺在附近的梅里，並踢了他一腳。梅里呻吟了一聲。烏骨陸粗暴地抓住他，把他拉成坐姿，並扯下他頭上的繃帶。然後他從一個小木盒裡拿出一些黑色的東西塗抹在傷口上。梅里大叫一聲，瘋狂地掙扎。半獸人們拍手叫好，大聲嘲笑。「吃不了藥嘛，」他們譏諷道。「不知道什麼對他好。哎！我們待會兒可有得玩了。」但此刻烏骨陸並不是在玩樂。他需要速度，而且必須安撫不情願的追隨者。他正用半獸人的方式治療梅里；而他的治療方法見效很快。當他強行將瓶中的飲料灌進哈比人的喉嚨，割斷他腿上的束縛，並把他拉起來站著時，梅里站了起來，臉色蒼白，但表情嚴峻而挑釁，而且充滿了活力。他額頭上的傷口不再困擾他，但他餘生都帶著一道褐色的疤痕。「哈囉，皮聘！」他說。「原來你也來參加這次小小的遠征啦？我們去哪裡找民宿？」「好了！」烏骨陸說。「不准說那些！管好你們的舌頭。不准……」
THE URUK-HAI 449 talk to one another. Any trouble will be reported at the other end, and He’ll know how to pay you. You’ll get bed and breakfast all right: more than you can stomach.’ The orc-band began to descend a narrow ravine leading down into the misty plain below. Merry and Pippin, separated by a dozen Orcs or more, climbed down with them. At the bottom they stepped on to grass, and the hearts of the hobbits rose. ‘Now straight on!’ shouted Ugluk. ‘West and a little north. Follow Lugdush.’ ‘But what are we going to do at sunrise?’ said some of the Northerners. ‘Go on running,’ said Ugluk. ‘What do you think? Sit on the grass and wait for the Whiteskins to join the picnic?’ ‘But we can’t run in the sunlight.’ “You’ll run with me behind you,’ said Ugluk. ‘Run! Or you’ll never see your beloved holes again. By the White Hand! What’s the use of sending out mountain-maggots on a trip, only half trained. Run, curse you! Run while night lasts!’ Then the whole company began to run with the long loping strides of Orcs. They kept no order, thrusting, jostling, and cursing; yet their speed was very great. Each hobbit had a guard of three. Pippin was far back in the line. He wondered how long he would be able to go on at this pace: he had had no food since the morning. One of his guards had a whip. But at present the orc-liquor was still hot in him. His wits, too, were wide-awake. Every now and again there came into his mind unbidden a vision of the keen face of Strider bending over a dark trail, and running, running behind. But what could even a Ranger see except a confused trail of orc-feet? His own little prints and Merry’s were overwhelmed by the trampling of the iron-shod shoes before them and behind them and about them. They had gone only a mile or so from the cliff when the land sloped down into a wide shallow depression, where the ground was soft and wet. Mist lay there, pale-glimmering in the last rays of the sickle moon. The dark shapes of the Orcs in front grew dim, and then were swallowed up. ‘Ai! Steady now!’ shouted Ugluk from the rear. A sudden thought leaped into Pippin’s mind, and he acted on it at once. He swerved aside to the right, and dived out of the reach of his clutching guard, headfirst into the mist; he landed sprawling on the grass. ‘Halt!’ yelled Ugluk. There was for a moment turmoil and confusion. Pippin sprang up
450 THE LORD OF THE RINGS and ran. But the Orcs were after him. Some suddenly loomed up right in front of him. ‘No hope of escape!’ thought Pippin. ‘But there is a hope that I have left some of my own marks unspoilt on the wet ground.’ He groped with his two tied hands at his throat, and unclasped the brooch of his cloak. Just as long arms and hard claws seized him, he let it fall. “There I suppose it will lie until the end of time,’ he thought. ‘I don’t know why I did it. If the others have escaped, they’ve probably all gone with Frodo.’ A whip-thong curled round his legs, and he stifled a cry. ‘Enough!’ shouted Ugluk running up. ‘He’s still got to run a long way yet. Make ’em both run! Just use the whip as a reminder.’ ‘But that’s not all,’ he snarled, turning to Pippin. ‘I shan’t forget. Payment is only put off. Leg it!’ Neither Pippin nor Merry remembered much of the later part of the journey. Evil dreams and evil waking were blended into a long tunnel of misery, with hope growing ever fainter behind. They ran, and they ran, striving to keep up the pace set by the Orcs, licked every now and again with a cruel thong cunningly handled. If they halted or stumbled, they were seized and dragged for some distance. The warmth of the orc-draught had gone. Pippin felt cold and sick again. Suddenly he fell face downward on the turf. Hard hands with rending nails gripped and lifted him. He was carried like a sack once more, and darkness grew about him: whether the darkness of another night, or a blindness of his eyes, he could not tell. Dimly he became aware of voices clamouring: it seemed that many of the Orcs were demanding a halt. Ugluk was shouting. He felt himself flung to the ground, and he lay as he fell, till black dreams took him. But he did not long escape from pain; soon the iron grip of merciless hands was on him again. For a long time he was tossed and shaken, and then slowly the darkness gave way, and he came back to the waking world and found that it was morning. Orders were shouted and he was thrown roughly on the grass. There he lay for a while, fighting with despair. His head swam, but from the heat in his body he guessed that he had been given another draught. An Orc stooped over him, and flung him some bread and a strip of raw dried flesh. He ate the stale grey bread hungrily, but not the meat. He was famished but not yet so famished as to eat flesh flung to him by an Orc, the flesh of he dared not guess what creature. He sat up and looked about. Merry was not far away. They were by the banks of a swift narrow river. Ahead mountains loomed: a tall peak was catching the first rays of the sun. A dark smudge of forest lay on the lower slopes before them.
THE URUK-HAI 451 There was much shouting and debating among the Orcs; a quarrel seemed on the point of breaking out again between the Northerners and the Isengarders. Some were pointing back away south, and some were pointing eastward. ‘Very well,’ said Ugluk. ‘Leave them to me then! No killing, as I’ve told you before; but if you want to throw away what we’ve come all the way to get, throw it away! Ill look after it. Let the fighting Uruk-hai do the work, as usual. If you’re afraid of the Whiteskins, run! Run! There’s the forest,’ he shouted, pointing ahead. ‘Get to it! It’s your best hope. Off you go! And quick, before I knock a few more heads off, to put some sense into the others.’ There was some cursing and scuffling, and then most of the Northerners broke away and dashed off, over a hundred of them, running wildly along the river towards the mountains. The hobbits were left with the Isengarders: a grim dark band, four score at least of large, swart, slant-eyed Orcs with great bows and short broad-bladed swords. A few of the larger and bolder Northerners remained with them. ‘Now we’ll deal with Grishnakh,’ said Ugluk; but some even of his own followers were looking uneasily southwards. ‘I know,’ growled Ugluk. “The cursed horse-boys have got wind of us. But that’s all your fault, Snaga. You and the other scouts ought to have your ears cut off. But we are the fighters. We’ll feast on horseflesh yet, or something better.’ At that moment Pippin saw why some of the troop had been pointing eastward. From that direction there now came hoarse cries, and there was Grishnakh again, and at his back a couple of score of others like him: long-armed crook-legged Orcs. They had a red eye painted on their shields. Uglik stepped forward to meet them. ‘So you’ve come back?’ he said. “Thought better of it, eh?’ ‘I’ve returned to see that Orders are carried out and the prisoners safe,’ answered Grishnakh. ‘Indeed!’ said Ugluk. ‘Waste of effort. I’ll see that orders are carried out in my command. And what else did you come back for? You went in a hurry. Did you leave anything behind?’ ‘T left a fool,’ snarled Grishnakh. ‘But there were some stout fellows with him that are too good to lose. I knew you’d lead them into a mess. Pve come to help them.’ ‘Splendid!’ laughed Ugluk. ‘But unless you’ve got some guts for fighting, you’ve taken the wrong way. Lugburz was your road. The Whiteskins are coming. What’s happened to your precious Nazgtl? Has he had another mount shot under him? Now, if you’d brought him along, that might have been useful — if these Nazgul are all they make out.’
452 THE LORD OF THE RINGS ‘Nazgiil, Nazgiil,’ said Grishnakh, shivering and licking his lips, as if the word had a foul taste that he savoured painfully. “You speak of what is deep beyond the reach of your muddy dreams, Ugluk,’ he said. ‘Nazgil! Ah! All that they make out! One day you’ll wish that you had not said that. Ape!’ he snarled fiercely. “You ought to know that they’re the apple of the Great Eye. But the winged Nazgil: not yet, not yet. He won’t let them show themselves across the Great River yet, not too soon. They’re for the War — and other purposes.’ “You seem to know a lot,’ said Ugluk. ‘More than is good for you, I guess. Perhaps those in Lugburz might wonder how, and why. But in the meantime the Uruk-hai of Isengard can do the dirty work, as usual. Don’t stand slavering there! Get your rabble together! The other swine are legging it to the forest. You’d better follow. You wouldn’t get back to the Great River alive. Right off the mark! Now! I'll be on your heels.’ The Isengarders seized Merry and Pippin again and slung them on their backs. Then the troop started off. Hour after hour they ran, pausing now and again only to sling the hobbits to fresh carriers. Either because they were quicker and hardier, or because of some plan of Grishnakh’s, the Isengarders gradually passed through the Orcs of Mordor, and Grishnakh’s folk closed in behind. Soon they were gaining also on the Northerners ahead. The forest began to draw nearer. Pippin was bruised and torn, his aching head was grated by the filthy jowl and hairy ear of the Orc that held him. Immediately in front were bowed backs, and tough thick legs going up and down, up and down, unresting, as if they were made of wire and horn, beating out the nightmare seconds of an endless time. In the afternoon Ugluk’s troop overtook the Northerners. They were flagging in the rays of the bright sun, winter sun shining in a pale cool sky though it was; their heads were down and their tongues lolling out. ‘Maggots!’ jeered the Isengarders. ‘You’re cooked. The Whiteskins will catch you and eat you. They’re coming!’ A cry from Grishnakh showed that this was not mere jest. Horsemen, riding very swiftly, had indeed been sighted: still far behind but gaining on the Orcs, gaining on them like a tide over the flats on folk straying in a quicksand. The Isengarders began to run with a redoubled pace that astonished Pippin, a terrific spurt it seemed for the end of a race. Then he saw that the sun was sinking, falling behind the Misty Mountains; shadows reached over the land. The soldiers of Mordor lifted their
「『戒靈，戒靈，』格利斯那赫說道，他渾身顫抖，舔著嘴唇，彷彿這詞嚐起來有股他痛苦地品味的惡臭。『你說的東西，遠超出你那骯髒夢境所能觸及的深處，烏骨陸，』他說。『戒靈！啊！他們所能理解的就這些！總有一天你會後悔說過這話。你這猿猴！』他兇惡地咆哮。『你該知道他們是「大眼」的掌上明珠。但有翼的戒靈：還沒，還沒。他還不會讓他們在大河對岸現身，不會那麼快。他們是為戰爭——以及其他目的準備的。』『你看來知道得很多，』烏骨陸說。『我猜，多到對你沒好處。路格柏茲的那些傢伙或許會好奇是怎麼回事，又為什麼。但在此同時，艾辛格的烏魯克族一如往常可以做那些髒活。別站在那兒流口水了！把你的烏合之眾集合起來！其他那群豬玀正往森林裡跑。你最好跟上。你回不到大河那兒的，活不了。立刻出發！現在！我會跟在你們後頭。』艾辛格的半獸人再次抓住梅里和皮聘，將他們甩到背上。隊伍隨即出發。他們一連跑了好幾個小時，偶爾才停下來把哈比人換到新的背負者身上。或許是因為他們速度更快、更耐操，也或許是格利斯那赫另有盤算，艾辛格的半獸人逐漸穿過了魔多的半獸人隊伍，而格利斯那赫的手下則在後方收攏。很快地，他們也追上了前方的北方部隊。森林開始越來越近了。皮聘渾身瘀傷、皮膚被劃破，他疼痛的頭被抓著他的半獸人那骯髒的下顎和毛茸茸的耳朵磨得難受。正前方是一片彎曲的背脊，以及粗壯結實的雙腿不停地上下擺動、上下擺動，永不歇息，彷彿它們是由鋼絲和獸角製成，敲打出無盡時光中那夢魘般的每一秒。下午時分，烏骨陸的部隊追上了北方部隊。他們在明亮的陽光下顯得筋疲力盡，儘管那只是冬日蒼白涼爽天空中的陽光；他們個個垂頭喪氣，舌頭都伸了出來。『蛆蟲！』艾辛格的半獸人嘲笑道。『你們完蛋了。白皮傢伙會抓到你們，把你們吃掉。他們來了！』格利斯那赫的一聲喊叫表明這不只是玩笑。騎兵，騎得飛快的騎兵，確實已經被看到了：雖然還在遠後方，但正不斷追近半獸人，像漲潮淹沒沙灘上誤入流沙的人們一般，迅速逼近。艾辛格的半獸人開始以加倍的速度奔跑，讓皮聘大為驚訝，那速度就像是比賽終點前的猛烈衝刺。接著他看到太陽正在下沉，落入迷霧山脈之後；陰影籠罩了大地。魔多的士兵們抬起了他們的
THE URUK-HAI 453 heads and also began to put on speed. The forest was dark and close. Already they had passed a few outlying trees. The land was beginning to slope upwards, ever more steeply; but the Orcs did not halt. Both Uglik and Grishnakh shouted, spurring them on to a last effort. “They will make it yet. They will escape,’ thought Pippin. And then he managed to twist his neck, so as to glance back with one eye over his shoulder. He saw that riders away eastward were already level with the Orcs, galloping over the plain. The sunset gilded their spears and helmets, and glinted in their pale flowing hair. They were hemming the Orcs in, preventing them from scattering, and driving them along the line of the river. He wondered very much what kind of folk they were. He wished now that he had learned more in Rivendell, and looked more at maps and things; but in those days the plans for the journey seemed to be in more competent hands, and he had never reckoned with being cut off from Gandalf, or from Strider, and even from Frodo. All that he could remember about Rohan was that Gandalf’s horse, Shadowfax, had come from that land. That sounded hopeful, as far as it went. ‘But how will they know that we are not Orcs?’ he thought. ‘I don’t suppose they’ve ever heard of hobbits down here. I suppose I ought to be glad that the beastly Orcs look like being destroyed, but I would rather be saved myself.’ The chances were that he and Merry would be killed together with their captors, before ever the Men of Rohan were aware of them. A few of the riders appeared to be bowmen, skilled at shooting from a running horse. Riding swiftly into range they shot arrows at the Orcs that straggled behind, and several of them fell; then the riders wheeled away out of the range of the answering bows of their enemies, who shot wildly, not daring to halt. This happened many times, and on one occasion arrows fell among the Isengarders. One of them, just in front of Pippin, stumbled and did not get up again. Night came down without the Riders closing in for battle. Many Orcs had fallen, but fully two hundred remained. In the early darkness the Orcs came to a hillock. The eaves of the forest were very near, probably no more than three furlongs away, but they could go no further. The horsemen had encircled them. A small band disobeyed Ugluk’s command, and ran on towards the forest: only three returned. ‘Well, here we are,’ sneered Grishnakh. ‘Fine leadership! I hope the great Ugluk will lead us out again.’ ‘Put those Halflings down!’ ordered Ugluk, taking no notice of Grishnakh. ‘You, Lugdush, get two others and stand guard over them! They’re not to be killed, unless the filthy Whiteskins break
強獸人……也開始加速。森林幽暗而茂密。他們已經經過了幾棵零星的樹木。地勢開始向上傾斜，越來越陡峭；但半獸人並未停下。烏骨陸和葛力斯那克都大聲喊叫，催促他們做最後的努力。「他們還是會成功的。他們會逃掉的，」皮聘想。然後他設法扭過脖子，用一隻眼睛越過肩膀向後瞥。他看到東邊遠處的騎士們已經與半獸人並駕齊驅，在平原上奔馳。夕陽為他們的長矛和頭盔鍍上金色，並在他們飄逸的淡色頭髮中閃爍。他們正將半獸人包圍起來，防止他們四散，並將他們沿著河岸驅趕。他非常好奇他們是什麼樣的人。他現在真希望自己在瑞文戴爾時能多學一點，多看看地圖之類的東西；但在那些日子裡，旅程的計畫似乎掌握在更有能力的人手中，他從未料到會與甘道夫、或與神行客，甚至與佛羅多失散。他所能記得關於洛汗的一切，就是甘道夫的馬，影疾，來自那片土地。就目前而言，這聽起來還算有希望。「但他們怎麼會知道我們不是半獸人呢？」他想。「我想他們在這裡從未聽說過哈比人。我想我應該為這些可惡的半獸人看來要被消滅而高興，但我更希望自己能得救。」很有可能，他和梅里會在洛汗人發現他們之前，就與俘虜他們的人一同被殺。有幾名騎士似乎是弓箭手，擅長在奔馳的馬背上射箭。他們迅速馳入射程，向落在後方的半獸人射箭，好幾個半獸人應聲倒下；然後騎士們又轉身離開敵方回擊弓箭的射程，那些敵人胡亂射擊，不敢停下。這種情況發生了很多次，有一次箭矢落在了艾辛格部隊之中。其中一個，就在皮聘正前方，絆倒後就再也沒起來。夜幕降臨，但騎士們並未逼近決戰。許多半獸人已經倒下，但仍有整整兩百名存活。在初臨的黑暗中，半獸人來到一座小山丘。森林的邊緣非常近，大概不超過三個弗隆遠，但他們無法再前進了。騎兵們已經包圍了他們。一小隊人馬違背了烏骨陸的命令，朝森林跑去：只有三個回來。「好了，我們到這地步了，」葛力斯那克譏諷道。「真是好領導！我希望偉大的烏骨陸能再帶我們殺出去。」「把那些半身人放下！」烏骨陸命令道，完全不理會葛力斯那克。「你，路格杜什，再找兩個人看守他們！他們不能被殺，除非那些骯髒的白皮鬼攻破
454 THE LORD OF THE RINGS through. Understand? As long as I’m alive, I want ’em. But they’re not to cry out, and they’re not to be rescued. Bind their legs!’ The last part of the order was carried out mercilessly. But Pippin found that for the first time he was close to Merry. The Orcs were making a great deal of noise, shouting and clashing their weapons, and the hobbits managed to whisper together for a while. ‘I don’t think much of this,’ said Merry. ‘I feel nearly done in. Don’t think I could crawl away far, even if I was free.’ ‘Lembas!’ whispered Pippin. ‘Lembas: P’ve got some. Have you? I don’t think they’ve taken anything but our swords.’ “Yes, I had a packet in my pocket,’ answered Merry, ‘but it must be battered to crumbs. Anyway I can’t put my mouth in my pocket!’ “You won’t have to. I’ve ’; but just then a savage kick warned Pippin that the noise had died down, and the guards were watchful. The night was cold and still. All round the knoll on which the Orcs were gathered little watch-fires sprang up, golden-red in the darkness, a complete ring of them. They were within a long bowshot, but the riders did not show themselves against the light, and the Orcs wasted many arrows shooting at the fires, until Uglik stopped them. The riders made no sound. Later in the night when the moon came out of the mist, then occasionally they could be seen, shadowy shapes that glinted now and again in the white light, as they moved in ceaseless patrol. “They'll wait for the Sun, curse them!’ growled one of the guards. ‘Why don’t we get together and charge through? What’s old Uglik think he’s doing, I should like to know?’ ‘I daresay you would,’ snarled Ugluk stepping up from behind. ‘Meaning I don’t think at all, eh? Curse you! You’re as bad as the other rabble: the maggots and the apes of Lugburz. No good trying to charge with them. They’d just squeal and bolt, and there are more than enough of these filthy horse-boys to mop up our lot on the flat. “There’s only one thing those maggots can do: they can see like gimlets in the dark. But these Whiteskins have better night-eyes than most Men, from all I’ve heard; and don’t forget their horses! They can see the night-breeze, or so it’s said. Still there’s one thing the fine fellows don’t know: Mauhur and his lads are in the forest, and they should turn up any time now.’ Ugluk’s words were enough, apparently, to satisfy the Isengarders; but the other Orcs were both dispirited and rebellious. They posted a few watchers, but most of them lay on the ground, resting in the pleasant darkness. It did indeed become very dark again; for the moon passed westward into thick cloud, and Pippin could not see
「他們會等到太陽出來，可惡的傢伙！」一個守衛咆哮道。「我們為什麼不集結起來衝過去？我很想知道，老烏骨陸到底在想什麼？」「我想你當然想知道，」烏骨陸從後面走上來，咆哮道。「意思是說我根本沒在動腦筋，是嗎？該死的東西！你跟那群烏合之眾一樣糟糕：路格柏茲來的那些蛆蟲和猿猴。想跟他們一起衝鋒是沒用的。他們只會尖叫逃跑，而且平地上那些骯髒的馬僮子多得足以收拾我們這批人。『那些蛆蟲只有一件事做得來：他們在黑暗中看得像錐子一樣清楚。但我聽說，這些白皮的夜視能力比大多數人類都好；而且別忘了他們的馬！據說牠們能看見夜晚的微風。不過，那些好傢伙有一件事不知道：毛赫和他的手下在森林裡，隨時都可能出現。』」烏骨陸的話顯然足以安撫艾辛格的獸人；但其他獸人卻既沮喪又叛逆。他們派了幾個哨兵，但大多數都躺在地上，在宜人的黑暗中休息。天色確實又變得非常黑；因為月亮向西沒入厚厚的雲層，皮聘什麼也看不見
THE URUK-HAI 455 anything a few feet away. The fires brought no light to the hillock. The riders were not, however, content merely to wait for the dawn and let their enemies rest. A sudden outcry on the east side of the knoll showed that something was wrong. It seemed that some of the Men had ridden in close, slipped off their horses, crawled to the edge of the camp and killed several Orcs, and then had faded away again. Ugluk dashed off to stop a stampede. Pippin and Merry sat up. Their guards, Isengarders, had gone with Ugluk. But if the hobbits had any thought of escape, it was soon dashed. A long hairy arm took each of them by the neck and drew them close together. Dimly they were aware of Grishnakh’s great head and hideous face between them; his foul breath was on their cheeks. He began to paw them and feel them. Pippin shuddered as hard cold fingers groped down his back. ‘Well, my little ones!’ said Grishnakh in a soft whisper. ‘Enjoying your nice rest? Or not? A little awkwardly placed perhaps: swords and whips on one side, and nasty spears on the other! Little people should not meddle in affairs that are too big for them.’ His fingers continued to grope. There was a light like a pale but hot fire behind his eyes. The thought came suddenly into Pippin’s mind, as if caught direct from the urgent thought of his enemy: ‘Grishnakh knows about the Ring! He’s looking for it, while Ugluk is busy: he probably wants it for himself.’ Cold fear was in Pippin’s heart, yet at the same time he was wondering what use he could make of Grishnakh’s desire. ‘I don’t think you will find it that way,’ he whispered. ‘It isn’t easy to find.’ ‘Find it?’ said Grishnakh: his fingers stopped crawling and gripped Pippin’s shoulder. ‘Find what? What are you talking about, little one?’ For a moment Pippin was silent. Then suddenly in the darkness he made a noise in his throat: gollum, gollum. ‘Nothing, my precious,’ he added. The hobbits felt Grishnakh’s fingers twitch. ‘O ho!’ hissed the goblin softly. “That’s what he means, is it? O ho! Very ve-ry dangerous, my little ones.’ ‘Perhaps,’ said Merry, now alert and aware of Pippin’s guess. ‘Perhaps; and not only for us. Still you know your own business best. Do you want it, or not? And what would you give for it?’ ‘Do I want it? Do I want it?’ said Grishnakh, as if puzzled; but his arms were trembling. ‘What would I give for it? What do you mean?’ ‘We mean,’ said Pippin, choosing his words carefully, ‘that it’s no good groping in the dark. We could save you time and trouble. But
強獸人 455 幾呎外的任何東西。火光並未照亮小丘。然而，騎士們並不滿足於僅僅等待黎明，讓他們的敵人休息。小丘東側突然傳來一陣吶喊，顯示出了問題。看來有些人騎馬靠近，滑下馬背，爬到營地邊緣殺了幾個半獸人，然後又消失了。烏骨陸衝出去阻止一場騷亂。皮聘和梅里坐了起來。他們的守衛，那些艾辛格來的半獸人，跟著烏骨陸走了。但如果哈比人有任何逃跑的念頭，那念頭也很快就破滅了。一隻長滿毛的長臂抓住了他們倆的脖子，把他們拉近。他們隱約意識到格力斯那的巨頭和醜陋的臉在他們之間；他惡臭的氣息噴在他們臉頰上。他開始用爪子摸索他們、感覺他們。當冰冷堅硬的手指在他背上摸索時，皮聘打了個寒顫。「嗯，我的小傢伙們！」格力斯那輕聲細語地說。「好好享受你們美好的休息了嗎？還是沒有？處境可能有點尷尬：一邊是劍和鞭子，另一邊是討厭的長矛！小人物不該插手對他們來說太大的事情。」他的手指繼續摸索。他眼後有一道光，像蒼白卻熾熱的火焰。一個念頭突然閃進皮聘的腦海，彷彿直接捕捉到他敵人的急切思想：「格力斯那知道魔戒的事！他在找它，趁烏骨陸正忙的時候：他可能想自己要。」冰冷的恐懼佔據了皮聘的心，但同時他也在想，他能如何利用格力斯那的慾望。「我想你那樣是找不到的，」他低聲說。「那東西不容易找到。」「找到它？」格力斯那說：他的手指停止爬行，抓住了皮聘的肩膀。「找什麼？你在說什麼，小傢伙？」皮聘沉默了一會兒。然後突然在黑暗中，他喉嚨裡發出一個聲音：咕嚕，咕嚕。「沒什麼，我的寶貝，」他補充道。哈比人感覺到格力斯那的手指抽動了一下。「喔嗬！」那哥布林輕柔地嘶嘶說。「他就是這個意思，是嗎？喔嗬！非常非常危險，我的小傢伙們。」「也許吧，」梅里說，他現在警覺起來，意識到了皮聘的猜測。「也許；而且不只對我們危險。不過你最清楚自己的事。你想要它嗎？還是不要？你願意用什麼來換？」「我想要它嗎？我想要它嗎？」格力斯那說，彷彿很困惑；但他的手臂在顫抖。「我會用什麼來換？你什麼意思？」「我們的意思是，」皮聘小心翼翼地選擇用詞，「在黑暗中摸索是沒有用的。我們可以為你節省時間和麻煩。但是
456 THE LORD OF THE RINGS you must untie our legs first, or we’ll do nothing, and say nothing.’ ‘My dear tender little fools,’ hissed Grishnakh, ‘everything you have, and everything you know, will be got out of you in due time: everything! You’ll wish there was more that you could tell to satisfy the Questioner, indeed you will: quite soon. We shan’t hurry the enquiry. Oh dear no! What do you think you’ve been kept alive for? My dear little fellows, please believe me when I say that it was not out of kindness: that’s not even one of Ugluk’s faults.’ ‘I find it quite easy to believe,’ said Merry. ‘But you haven’t got your prey home yet. And it doesn’t seem to be going your way, whatever happens. If we come to Isengard, it won’t be the great Grishnakh that benefits: Saruman will take all that he can find. If you want anything for yourself, now’s the time to do a deal.’ Grishnakh began to lose his temper. The name of Sar'uman seemed specially to enrage him. Time was passing and the disturbance was dying down. Ugluk or the Isengarders might return at any minute. ‘Have you got it — either of your’ he snarled. ‘Gollum, gollum! said Pippin. ‘Untie our legs!’ said Merry. They felt the Orc’s arms trembling violently. ‘Curse you, you filthy little vermin!’ he hissed. ‘Untie your legs? I'll untie every string in your bodies. Do you think I can’t search you to the bones? Search you! Pll cut you both to quivering shreds. I don’t need the help of your legs to get you away — and have you all to myself!’ Suddenly he seized them. The strength in his long arms and shoulders was terrifying. He tucked them one under each armpit, and crushed them fiercely to his sides; a great stifling hand was clapped over each of their mouths. Then he sprang forward, stooping low. Quickly and silently he went, until he came to the edge of the knoll. There, choosing a gap between the watchers, he passed like an evil shadow out into the night, down the slope and away westward towards the river that flowed out of the forest. In that direction there was a wide open space with only one fire. After going a dozen yards he halted, peering and listening. Nothing could be seen or heard. He crept slowly on, bent almost double. Then he squatted and listened again. Then he stood up, as if to risk a sudden dash. At that very moment the dark form of a rider loomed up right in front of him. A horse snorted and reared. A man called out. Grishnakh flung himself on the ground flat, dragging the hobbits under him; then he drew his sword. No doubt he meant to kill his captives, rather than allow them to escape or to be rescued; but it was his undoing. The sword rang faintly, and glinted a little in the light of the fire away to his left. An arrow came whistling out of the
「你得先解開我們的腿，不然我們什麼也不做，什麼也不說。」「我親愛的溫柔小傻瓜，」葛力斯那克嘶聲說，「你們所有的一切，以及你們所知的一切，時候到了都會從你們身上被榨出來：所有的一切！你們到時會希望自己能多說點什麼來滿足那位『審問官』，真的，很快就會了。我們不會急著審問的。喔，當然不！你們以為留你們活口是為了什麼？我親愛的小傢伙們，請相信我，這絕不是出於仁慈：那甚至不算是烏格魯克的缺點之一。」「這點我完全相信，」梅里說。「但你還沒把你的獵物帶回家。而且不管怎樣，事情看來都不順你的意。如果我們到了艾辛格，獲益的也不會是偉大的葛力斯那克：薩魯曼會拿走他能找到的一切。如果你想為自己撈點好處，現在就是做交易的時候。」葛力斯那克開始發脾氣了。薩魯曼的名字似乎特別能激怒他。時間分秒流逝，騷動正漸漸平息。烏格魯克或那些艾辛格獸人隨時都可能回來。「你們身上有嗎——你們其中一個有嗎？」他咆哮道。「咕嚕，咕嚕！」皮聘說。「解開我們的腿！」梅里說。他們感覺到那半獸人的手臂劇烈地顫抖著。「詛咒你們，你們這些骯髒的小害蟲！」他嘶聲道。「解開你們的腿？我會解開你們身體裡的每一根筋。你以為我沒辦法把你們搜個徹底嗎？搜查你們！我會把你們兩個都切成顫抖的碎肉。我不需要你們的腿也能帶你們走——然後把你們完全獨佔！」突然，他抓住了他們。他長臂與肩膀的力量相當駭人。他將他們一人一邊夾在腋下，兇猛地將他們擠向自己的身側；一隻巨大而令人窒息的手分別摀住了他們的嘴。然後他向前一躍，壓低身子。他迅速而無聲地前進，直到來到小丘的邊緣。在那裡，他挑了一個看守者之間的空隙，如邪惡的影子般溜入黑夜，順著斜坡往下，朝西邊那條從森林流出的大河而去。那個方向有一片寬闊的空地，只有一處營火。走了十幾碼後，他停下來，窺探並傾聽著。什麼也看不見，什麼也聽不見。他彎著腰，幾乎對折，緩緩地匍匐前進。然後他蹲下再次傾聽。接著他站起身，似乎準備冒險衝刺。就在那一刻，一個騎士的黑色身影在他正前方赫然出現。一匹馬發出鼻息並揚起前蹄。一個人高喊出聲。葛力斯那克猛地撲倒在地，將哈比人拖到身下；然後他拔出了劍。無疑地，他寧願殺死他的俘虜，也不願讓他們逃脫或被解救；但這卻成了他的敗亡之因。劍發出微弱的鏗鏘聲，並在他左邊遠處的火光中閃爍了一下。一支箭呼嘯著從
THE URUK-HAI 457 gloom: it was aimed with skill, or guided by fate, and it pierced his right hand. He dropped the sword and shrieked. There was a quick beat of hoofs, and even as Grishnakh leaped up and ran, he was ridden down and a spear passed through him. He gave a hideous shivering cry and lay still. The hobbits remained flat on the ground, as Grishnakh had left them. Another horseman came riding swiftly to his comrade’s aid. Whether because of some special keenness of sight, or because of some other sense, the horse lifted and sprang lightly over them; but its rider did not see them, lying covered in their elven-cloaks, too crushed for the moment, and too afraid to move. At last Merry stirred and whispered softly: ‘So far so good; but how are we to avoid being spitted?’ The answer came almost immediately. The cries of Grishnakh had roused the Orcs. From the yells and screeches that came from the knoll the hobbits guessed that their disappearance had been discovered: Ugluk was probably knocking off a few more heads. Then suddenly the answering cries of orc-voices came from the right, outside the circle of watch-fires, from the direction of the forest and the mountains. Mauhtr had apparently arrived and was attacking the besiegers. There was the sound of galloping horses. The Riders were drawing in their ring close round the knoll, risking the orc-arrows, so as to prevent any sortie, while a company rode off to deal with the newcomers. Suddenly Merry and Pippin realized that without moving they were now outside the circle: there was nothing between them and escape. ‘Now,’ said Merry, ‘if only we had our legs and hands free, we might get away. But I can’t touch the knots, and I can’t bite them.’ ‘No need to try,’ said Pippin. ‘I was going to tell you: I’ve managed to free my hands. These loops are only left for show. You’d better have a bit of /embas first.’ He slipped the cords off his wrists, and fished out a packet. The cakes were broken, but good, still in their leaf-wrappings. The hobbits each ate two or three pieces. The taste brought back to them the memory of fair faces, and laughter, and wholesome food in quiet days now far away. For a while they ate thoughtfully, sitting in the dark, heedless of the cries and sounds of battle nearby. Pippin was the first to come back to the present. ‘We must be off,’ he said. ‘Half a moment!’ Grishnakh’s sword was lying close at hand, but it was too heavy and clumsy for him to use; so he crawled forward, and finding the body of the goblin he drew from its sheath a long sharp knife. With this he quickly cut their bonds.
黑暗中：那支箭射得極其精準，或許是命運使然，它刺穿了他的右手。他丟下劍，發出尖叫。一陣急促的蹄聲響起，葛力斯那克剛跳起來逃跑，就被一匹馬撞倒，一根長矛穿過了他的身體。他發出一聲可怕的顫抖哭號，隨後便靜止不動了。哈比人們依舊平躺在地上，就像葛力斯那克離開他們時那樣。另一名騎士迅速馳來，援助他的同伴。不知是因為視力特別敏銳，還是出於其他感官，那匹馬抬起前蹄，輕巧地從他們身上躍過；但騎士並沒有看見他們，他們裹著精靈斗篷，一時間嚇得魂飛魄散，動也不敢動。終於，梅里動了一下，輕聲說：『到目前為止還算順利；但我們要怎麼避免被串起來？』答案幾乎是立刻就來了。葛力斯那克的哭喊驚動了半獸人。從山丘上傳來的吼叫和尖叫聲中，哈比人們猜到他們失蹤的事已經被發現了：烏骨陸大概又在砍掉幾個腦袋了。接著，右方突然傳來半獸人的回應聲，那聲音來自營火圈外，從森林和山脈的方向傳來。顯然是毛赫的部隊抵達了，正在攻擊圍城的敵人。傳來了馬匹奔馳的聲音。騎士們冒著半獸人的箭矢，將包圍圈向山丘收緊，以防止任何突圍，同時一隊人馬分頭去對付新來的敵人。突然間，梅里和皮聘意識到，他們一動也沒動，現在卻身處包圍圈之外了：在他們與逃脫之間，已無任何阻礙。『現在，』梅里說，『只要我們手腳能自由活動，我們或許就能逃走。但我碰不到繩結，也咬不斷它們。』『不用試了，』皮聘說。『我正要告訴你：我已經把手弄自由了。這些繩圈只是做做樣子。你最好先吃點蘭巴斯。』他從手腕上滑下繩索，摸出一個小包。裡面的餅乾碎了，但還能吃，依舊用葉子包著。兩個哈比人各吃了兩三片。那滋味讓他們回憶起美麗的臉龐、笑聲，以及那些早已遠去的寧靜日子裡健康美味的食物。有一會兒，他們若有所思地吃著，坐在黑暗中，對附近戰鬥的哭喊與聲響充耳不聞。皮聘是第一個回到現實的人。『我們得走了，』他說。『等一下！』葛力斯那克的劍就在手邊，但對他來說太重太笨拙了，無法使用；於是他向前爬去，找到那哥布林的屍體，從他的刀鞘中拔出了一把又長又鋒利的刀。他用這把刀迅速割斷了他們的繩索。
458 THE LORD OF THE RINGS ‘Now for it!’ he said. ‘When we’ve warmed up a bit, perhaps we shall be able to stand again, and walk. But in any case we had better start by crawling.’ They crawled. The turf was deep and yielding, and that helped them; but it seemed a long slow business. They gave the watch-fire a wide berth, and wormed their way forward bit by bit, until they came to the edge of the river, gurgling away in the black shadows under its deep banks. Then they looked back. The sounds had died away. Evidently Mauhur and his ‘lads’ had been killed or driven off. The Riders had returned to their silent ominous vigil. It would not last very much longer. Already the night was old. In the East, which had remained unclouded, the sky was beginning to grow pale. ‘We must get under cover,’ said Pippin, ‘or we shall be seen. It will not be any comfort to us, if these riders discover that we are not Orcs after we are dead.’ He got up and stamped his feet. “Those cords have cut me like wires; but my feet are getting warm again. I could stagger on now. What about you, Merry?’ Merry got up. ‘Yes,’ he said, ‘I can manage it. Lembas does put heart into you! A more wholesome sort of feeling, too, than the heat of that orc-draught. I wonder what it was made of. Better not to know, I expect. Let’s get a drink of water to wash away the thought of it! ‘Not here, the banks are too steep,’ said Pippin. ‘Forward now!’ They turned and walked side by side slowly along the line of the river. Behind them the light grew in the East. As they walked they compared notes, talking lightly in hobbit-fashion of the things that had happened since their capture. No listener would have guessed from their words that they had suffered cruelly, and been in dire peril, going without hope towards torment and death; or that even now, as they knew well, they had little chance of ever finding friend or safety again. “You seem to have been doing well, Master Took,’ said Merry. “You will get almost a chapter in old Bilbo’s book, if ever I get a chance to report to him. Good work: especially guessing that hairy villain’s little game, and playing up to him. But I wonder if anyone will ever pick up your trail and find that brooch. I should hate to lose mine, but I am afraid yours is gone for good. ‘I shall have to brush up my toes, if I am to get level with you. Indeed Cousin Brandybuck is going in front now. This is where he comes in. I don’t suppose you have much notion where we are; but I spent my time at Rivendell rather better. We are walking west along the Entwash. The butt-end of the Misty Mountains is in front, and Fangorn Forest.’
「就是現在！」他說。「等我們暖和一點，也許就能再站起來走路了。但無論如何，我們最好先從爬行開始。」他們爬了起來。草皮又深又軟，這對他們有幫助；但這似乎是個漫長而緩慢的過程。他們遠遠繞過營火，一點一點地像蟲一樣向前蠕動，直到來到河邊，河水在深邃的河岸下的黑色陰影中潺潺流淌。然後他們回頭看。聲音已經消失了。顯然，毛胡爾和他的「小夥子們」已經被殺或被趕走了。騎士們回到了他們沉默而不祥的守望中。這不會持續太久了。夜已深沉。在東方，那裡一直沒有雲，天空開始泛白。「我們必須躲起來，」皮聘說，「否則會被看見。如果這些騎士在我們死後才發現我們不是半獸人，那對我們來說可沒什麼安慰。」他站起來跺了跺腳。「那些繩子像鐵絲一樣割我；但我的腳又暖和起來了。我現在可以蹣跚前進了。你呢，梅里？」梅里站了起來。「是的，」他說，「我應付得來。蘭巴斯真的能振奮人心！而且那種感覺比半獸人藥水帶來的熱度更健康。我好奇那是什麼做的。我想還是不知道的好。我們喝點水，把那念頭沖掉吧！」「這裡不行，河岸太陡了，」皮聘說。「現在往前走！」他們轉身，沿著河岸線並肩緩緩前行。他們身後，東方的光亮漸增。他們邊走邊交換心得，用哈比人特有的輕鬆方式談論著自被俘以來發生的事。任何聽者都無法從他們的言談中猜到，他們曾遭受殘酷的折磨，身處極度危險之中，絕望地走向苦刑與死亡；也猜不到即使是現在，他們心知肚明，能再次找到朋友或安全的機會也微乎其微。「你看起來表現得不錯嘛，圖克少爺，」梅里說。「如果我有機會向老比爾博報告，你幾乎可以在他的書裡佔一整個章節了。幹得好：特別是猜透了那個毛茸茸惡棍的小把戲，還將計就計。但我不知道會不會有人找到你的蹤跡，發現那枚胸針。我很不願意弄丟我的，但恐怕你的已經永遠失去了。」「如果我要跟你平起平坐，我得好好磨練一下我的腳趾了。事實上，烈酒鹿表哥現在要領先了。這正是他派上用場的時候。我猜你對我們在哪裡沒什麼概念；但我在瑞文戴爾的時間可沒白費。我們正沿著恩特沃許河往西走。迷霧山脈的尾端就在前方，還有法貢森林。」
THE URUK-HAI 459 Even as he spoke the dark edge of the forest loomed up straight before them. Night seemed to have taken refuge under its great trees, creeping away from the coming Dawn. ‘Lead on, Master Brandybuck!’ said Pippin. ‘Or lead back! We have been warned against Fangorn. But one so knowing will not have forgotten that.’ ‘I have not,’ answered Merry; ‘but the forest seems better to me, all the same, than turning back into the middle of a battle.’ He led the way in under the huge branches of the trees. Old beyond guessing, they seemed. Great trailing beards of lichen hung from them, blowing and swaying in the breeze. Out of the shadows the hobbits peeped, gazing back down the slope: little furtive figures that in the dim light looked like elf-children in the deeps of time peering out of the Wild Wood in wonder at their first Dawn. Far over the Great River, and the Brown Lands, leagues upon grey leagues away, the Dawn came, red as flame. Loud rang the hunting-horns to greet it. The Riders of Rohan sprang suddenly to life. Horn answered horn again. Merry and Pippin heard, clear in the cold air, the neighing of war-horses, and the sudden singing of many men. The Sun’s limb was lifted, an arc of fire, above the margin of the world. Then with a great cry the Riders charged from the East; the red light gleamed on mail and spear. The Orcs yelled and shot all the arrows that remained to them. The hobbits saw several horsemen fall; but their line held on up the hill and over it, and wheeled round and charged again. Most of the raiders that were left alive then broke and fled, this way and that, pursued one by one to the death. But one band, holding together in a black wedge, drove forward resolutely in the direction of the forest. Straight up the slope they charged towards the watchers. Now they were drawing near, and it seemed certain that they would escape: they had already hewn down three Riders that barred their way. ‘We have watched too long,’ said Merry. “There’s Ugluk! I don’t want to meet him again.’ The hobbits turned and fled deep into the shadows of the wood. So it was that they did not see the last stand, when Ugluk was overtaken and brought to bay at the very edge of Fangorn. There he was slain at last by Eomer, the Third Marshal of the Mark, who dismounted and fought him sword to sword. And over the wide fields the keen-eyed Riders hunted down the few Orcs that had escaped and still had strength to fly. Then when they had laid their fallen comrades in a mound and had sung their praises, the Riders made a great fire and scattered the
強獸人 459 他話音剛落，森林的黑影便赫然聳現在他們面前。夜色似乎已在巨樹之下尋得庇護，躲避著即將到來的黎明。「帶路吧，烈酒鹿主人！」皮聘說。「或者帶我們回去！我們早就被警告過別進法貢森林。不過像你這麼有見識的人，想必沒有忘記吧。」「我沒忘，」梅里回答；「不過，我覺得森林總比轉身回到戰場中央要好。」他領著路，走進了巨大樹木的枝幹下。那些樹木看似古老得無法猜測。長長的苔蘚鬍鬚從枝幹上垂下，在微風中吹拂搖曳。哈比人從陰影中偷偷探出頭，回望著下方的山坡：在昏暗的光線中，他們那鬼鬼祟祟的小身影，就像是時間深處的精靈孩童，正好奇地從野林中窺看他們的第一個黎明。遠在大河與褐地之外，在灰色連綿的好幾里格之外，黎明來臨，紅如火焰。響亮的狩獵號角聲響起，迎接它的到來。洛汗國的騎士們突然間活躍起來。號角聲此起彼落。梅里和皮聘在冰冷的空氣中清晰地聽見戰馬的嘶鳴，以及許多人突然唱起的歌聲。太陽的弧邊被舉起，像一道火弧，高於世界的邊緣。接著，騎士們伴隨著一聲大喊從東方發起衝鋒；紅光在鎧甲和長矛上閃爍。半獸人尖叫著，射出了他們所有剩餘的箭。哈比人看見幾名騎手倒下；但他們的陣線依然堅守著衝上山丘，越過山頂，然後轉過身來再次衝鋒。大多數倖存的襲擊者於是潰不成軍，四散奔逃，一個個被追殺至死。但有一隊人馬，緊密地聚集成一個黑色楔形隊伍，堅決地朝森林方向推進。他們直衝上坡，朝著窺看者而來。他們越來越近，看來肯定能逃脫了：他們已經砍倒了三名擋路的騎士。「我們看太久了，」梅里說。「是烏格路克！我可不想再見到他。」哈比人轉身逃入森林深處的陰影中。因此，他們沒有看到最後的抵抗，當時烏格路克在法貢森林的邊緣被追上並逼入絕境。他最終在那裡被伊歐墨，洛汗國的第三驃騎王所殺，伊歐墨下馬與他持劍對決。而在廣闊的田野上，目光銳利的騎士們追捕著少數逃脫且尚有體力飛奔的半獸人。然後，當他們將倒下的同袍安葬於土塚並頌揚他們的功績後，騎士們生起一堆大火，將
460 THE LORD OF THE RINGS ashes of their enemies. So ended the raid, and no news of it came ever back either to Mordor or to Isengard; but the smoke of the burning rose high to heaven and was seen by many watchful eyes.
敵人的骨灰。這次突襲就這樣結束了，消息從未傳回魔多或艾辛格；但燃燒的濃煙直衝天際，被許多警覺的眼睛看見了。