Chapter 3 THE MUSTER OF ROHAN Now all roads were running together to the East to meet the coming of war and the onset of the Shadow. And even as Pippin stood at the Great Gate of the City and saw the Prince of Dol Amroth ride in with his banners, the King of Rohan came down out of the hills. Day was waning. In the last rays of the sun the Riders cast long pointed shadows that went on before them. Darkness had already crept beneath the murmuring fir-woods that clothed the steep mountain-sides. The king rode now slowly at the end of the day. Presently the path turned round a huge bare shoulder of rock and plunged into the gloom of soft-sighing trees. Down, down they went in a long winding file. When at last they came to the bottom of the gorge they found that evening had fallen in the deep places. The sun was gone. Twilight lay upon the waterfalls. All day far below them a leaping stream had run down from the high pass behind, cleaving its narrow way between pine-clad walls; and now through a stony gate it flowed out and passed into a wider vale. The Riders followed it, and suddenly Harrowdale lay before them, loud with the noise of waters in the evening. There the white Snowbourn, joined by the lesser stream, went rushing, fuming on the stones, down to Edoras and the green hills and the plains. Away to the right at the head of the great dale the mighty Starkhorn loomed up above its vast buttresses swathed in cloud; but its jagged peak, clothed in everlasting snow, gleamed far above the world, blue-shadowed upon the East, red-stained by the sunset in the West. Merry looked out in wonder upon this strange country, of which he had heard many tales upon their long road. It was a skyless world, in which his eye, through dim gulfs of shadowy air, saw only evermounting slopes, great walls of stone behind great walls, and frowning precipices wreathed with mist. He sat for a moment half dreaming, listening to the noise of water, the whisper of dark trees, the crack of stone, and the vast waiting silence that brooded behind all sound. He loved mountains, or he had loved the thought of them marching on the edge of stories brought from far away; but now he was borne down by the insupportable weight of Middle-earth. He longed to shut out the immensity in a quiet room by a fire. He was very tired, for though they had ridden slowly, they had ridden with very little rest. Hour after hour for nearly three weary
第三章 羅翰集結 如今，所有的道路都向東方匯集，迎接即將到來的戰爭與黑影的降臨。就在皮聘站在大城門口，看著多爾安羅斯親王帶著他的旗幟騎馬入城之時，羅翰王也正從山丘上馳下。白晝漸逝。在最後的陽光下，騎士們投下長長的尖影，延伸在他們前方。黑暗早已悄悄爬上覆蓋著陡峭山坡、颯颯作響的冷杉林下。在日暮時分，國王緩緩騎行。不久，小路繞過一塊巨大的裸露岩肩，沒入輕聲嘆息的林間幽暗中。他們排成一條蜿蜒的長隊，一路向下。當他們終於到達峽谷底部時，發現夜色已降臨在這深邃之處。太陽已下山。暮光籠罩著瀑布。一整天，在他們下方遠處，一條跳躍的溪流從後方的高山隘口奔流而下，在松林覆蓋的峭壁間劈開一條狹窄的水道；如今，它穿過一道石門，流出並匯入一個更寬闊的山谷。騎士們跟隨著它，哈洛谷豁然出現在眼前，傍晚時分水聲喧騰。在那裡，白色的雪河與較小的溪流匯合，衝擊著岩石，激起陣陣水氣，奔騰而下，流向伊多拉斯、翠綠的丘陵和平原。往右邊看去，在巨大谷地的盡頭，雄偉的斯塔克號角山聳立在它被雲霧繚繞的巨大支脈之上；但它那鋸齒狀的山峰，覆蓋著永恆的積雪，在塵世之上遠遠地閃耀著，東面映著藍色的陰影，西面被日落染成血紅。梅里驚奇地望著這片奇特的土地，在他們漫長的旅途中，他已聽過許多關於這裡的傳說。這是一個沒有天空的世界，他的雙眼穿過幽暗氣流形成的模糊深淵，只看到不斷攀升的斜坡，巨牆之後還有巨牆，以及被薄霧繚繞、愁眉不展的懸崖。他半夢半醒地坐了一會兒，聆聽著水聲、黑樹的低語、岩石的裂響，以及那潛藏在所有聲響之後、沉思著的巨大、等待中的寂靜。他喜愛山脈，或者說，他曾喜愛那些來自遠方故事邊緣、行軍般壯闊的山脈意象；但現在，他被中土大陸無法承受的重量壓得喘不過氣來。他渴望能躲進一間有壁爐的安靜房間，將這無垠的浩瀚關在門外。他非常疲憊，因為儘管他們騎得不快，卻幾乎沒有休息。一個小時又一個小時，將近三個疲憊的……
792 THE LORD OF THE RINGS days he had jogged up and down, over passes, and through long dales, and across many streams. Sometimes where the way was broader he had ridden at the king’s side, not noticing that many of the Riders smiled to see the two together: the hobbit on his little shaggy grey pony, and the Lord of Rohan on his great white horse. Then he had talked to Théoden, telling him about his home and the doings of the Shire-folk, or listening in turn to tales of the Mark and its mighty men of old. But most of the time, especially on this last day, Merry had ridden by himself just behind the king, saying nothing, and trying to understand the slow sonorous speech of Rohan that he heard the men behind him using. It was a language in which there seemed to be many words that he knew, though spoken more richly and strongly than in the Shire, yet he could not piece the words together. At times some Rider would lift up his clear voice in stirring song, and Merry felt his heart leap, though he did not know what it was about. All the same he had been lonely, and never more so than now at the day’s end. He wondered where in all this strange world Pippin had got to; and what would become of Aragorn and Legolas and Gimli. Then suddenly like a cold touch on his heart he thought of Frodo and Sam. ‘I am forgetting them!’ he said to himself reproachfully. ‘And yet they are more important than all the rest of us. And I came to help them; but now they must be hundreds of miles away, if they are still alive.’ He shivered. ‘Harrowdale at last!’ said Eomer. ‘Our journey is almost at an end.’ They halted. The paths out of the narrow gorge fell steeply. Only a glimpse, as through a tall window, could be seen of the great valley in the gloaming below. A single small light could be seen twinkling by the river. ‘This journey is over, maybe,’ said Théoden, ‘but I have far yet to go. Two nights ago the moon was full, and in the morning I shall ride to Edoras to the gathering of the Mark.’ ‘But if you would take my counsel,’ said Eomer in a low voice, ‘you would then return hither, until the war is over, lost or won.’ Theoden smiled. ‘Nay, my son, for so I will call you, speak not the soft words of Wormtongue in my old ears!’ He drew himself up and looked back at the long line of his men fading into the dusk behind. ‘Long years in the space of days it seems since I rode west; but never will I lean on a staff again. If the war is lost, what good will be my hiding in the hills? And if it is won, what grief will it be, even if I fall, spending my last strength? But we will leave this now. Tonight I will lie in the Hold of Dunharrow. One evening of peace at least is left us. Let us ride on!’ BS
792天來，他奔波上下，翻山越嶺，穿過長長的谷地，渡過許多溪流。有時路面較寬，他便與國王並駕齊驅，沒注意到許多驃騎兵看到這一大一小的組合都笑了：哈比人騎著他毛茸茸的灰色小馬，而洛汗國王則騎著他高大的白馬。那時，他會和希優頓交談，告訴他關於自己家鄉和夏爾民風的事情，或是反過來聽國王講述驃騎國及其古代英雄的故事。但大多數時候，尤其是在最後這一天，梅里都獨自騎在國王身後，一言不發，試圖理解身後士兵們所說的那種緩慢而宏亮的洛汗語。那種語言中似乎有許多他認識的詞，儘管說起來比在夏爾時更豐富、更有力，但他卻無法將這些詞語拼湊起來。有時，某個驃騎兵會用清亮的嗓音唱起激昂的歌曲，梅里便感到心潮澎湃，雖然他並不知道歌曲的內容。儘管如此，他一直感到孤單，尤其是在這一天結束之際，感覺更是強烈。他想著，在這陌生的世界裡，皮聘到底去了哪裡；亞拉岡、勒苟拉斯和金靂又會怎麼樣。然後，他突然想起了佛羅多和山姆，心頭掠過一陣冰冷的觸動。「我竟然忘了他們！」他自責地對自己說。「但他們比我們所有人都重要。我本是來幫助他們的；但現在，如果他們還活著，也一定在幾百英里之外了。」他打了個寒顫。「終於到哈ロウ谷了！」伊歐墨說。「我們的旅程差不多到終點了。」他們停了下來。從狹窄峽谷出來的路陡峭地向下延伸。從下方薄暮中的大山谷，只能像透過一扇高窗般瞥見一角。河邊可以看到一盞微弱的燈火在閃爍。「這段旅程或許結束了，」希優頓說，「但我還有很長的路要走。兩天前是滿月，明天早上我將騎馬前往伊多拉斯，參加驃騎國的集結。」「但如果您願意聽我的建議，」伊歐墨低聲說，「您應該回到這裡，直到戰爭結束，不論勝敗。」希優頓笑了。「不，我的孩子，我就這樣稱呼你了，別在我這老頭子耳邊說些巧言令色的話！」他挺直身子，回望著身後在暮色中逐漸模糊的長長隊伍。「這幾天彷彿像好幾年那麼長，自從我向西騎行以來；但我再也不會倚賴拐杖了。如果戰爭輸了，我躲在山裡又有什麼用？如果贏了，就算我戰死沙場，耗盡最後一分力氣，又有什麼可悲傷的呢？但我們現在先不談這個。今晚我將在登哈洛的堡壘過夜。至少我們還剩下一個平靜的夜晚。我們繼續前進吧！」
THE MUSTER OF ROHAN 793 In the deepening dusk they came down into the valley. Here the Snowbourn flowed near to the western walls of the dale, and soon the path led them to a ford where the shallow waters murmured loudly on the stones. The ford was guarded. As the king approached many men sprang up out of the shadow of the rocks; and when they saw the king they cried with glad voices: “Théoden King! Théoden King! The King of the Mark returns!’ Then one blew a long call on a horn. It echoed in the valley. Other horns answered it, and lights shone out across the river. And suddenly there rose a great chorus of trumpets from high above, sounding from some hollow place, as it seemed, that gathered their notes into one voice and sent it rolling and beating on the walls of stone. So the King of the Mark came back victorious out of the West to Dunharrow beneath the feet of the White Mountains. There he found the remaining strength of his people already assembled; for as soon as his coming was known captains rode to meet him at the ford, bearing messages from Gandalf. Dunhere, chieftain of the folk of Harrowdale, was at their head. ‘At dawn three days ago, lord,’ he said, ‘Shadowfax came like a wind out of the West to Edoras, and Gandalf brought tidings of your victory to gladden our hearts. But he brought also word from you to hasten the gathering of the Riders. And then came the winged Shadow.’ “The winged Shadow?’ said Théoden. ‘We saw it also, but that was in the dead of night before Gandalf left us.’ ‘Maybe, lord,’ said Dunhere. ‘Yet the same, or another like to it, a flying darkness in the shape of a monstrous bird, passed over Edoras that morning, and all men were shaken with fear. For it stooped upon Meduseld, and as it came low, almost to the gable, there came a cry that stopped our hearts. Then it was that Gandalf counselled us not to assemble in the fields, but to meet you here in the valley under the mountains. And he bade us to kindle no more lights or fires than barest need asked. So it has been done. Gandalf spoke with great authority. We trust that it is as you would wish. Naught has been seen in Harrowdale of these evil things.’ ‘Tt is well,’ said Théoden. ‘I will ride now to the Hold, and there before I go to rest I will meet the marshals and captains. Let them come to me as soon as may be!’ The road now led eastward straight across the valley, which was at that point little more than half a mile in width. Flats and meads of rough grass, grey now in the falling night, lay all about, but in front on the far side of the dale Merry saw a frowning wall, a last outlier
在漸深的暮色中，他們來到山谷。雪河在此處貼近谷地的西壁流淌，小徑很快便引領他們到了一處淺灘，潺潺的溪水在石頭上喧響。淺灘有衛兵看守。國王一靠近，許多人便從岩石的陰影中躍出；當他們看見國王時，便用喜悅的聲音高喊：「希優頓王！希優頓王！馬克之王回來了！」接著，一人吹響了長長的號角。號聲在山谷中迴盪。其他的號角也應聲而起，河對岸亮起了燈火。突然，高處傳來一陣宏亮的喇叭合奏，彷彿來自某個中空之處，將所有音符匯成一個聲音，在石壁上滾動、敲擊。就這樣，馬克之王從西方凱旋，回到了白山山腳下的督哈洛。他在那裡發現他人民剩餘的兵力已經集結完畢；因為他的到來消息一傳開，就有隊長們騎馬到淺灘迎接他，並帶來甘道夫的訊息。哈洛谷人民的酋長督赫爾是他們的領頭。「領主，三天前的黎明，」他說，「影疾如風一般從西方來到伊多拉斯，甘道夫帶來您勝利的消息，讓我們心中充滿喜悅。但他也帶來您的話，要我們加快集結騎士。然後，那帶翼的陰影來了。」「帶翼的陰影？」希優頓說。「我們也看見了，但那是在甘道夫離開我們之前的深夜。」「或許吧，領主，」督赫爾說。「然而，同一個，或另一個相似的，一個形如巨鳥的飛行黑暗，在那個早晨飛過了伊多拉斯，所有人都嚇得發抖。因為牠朝梅杜西金殿俯衝下來，當牠飛得很低，幾乎碰到山牆時，傳來一聲讓我們心跳停止的尖叫。就在那時，甘道夫建議我們不要在平原上集結，而是在山下的這個山谷裡與您會合。他吩咐我們，除了最基本的需求外，不要再點燃任何燈火。我們都照辦了。甘道夫說話極具權威。我們相信這會是您所希望的。在哈洛谷沒有見到這些邪惡之物。」「很好，」希優頓說。「我現在要騎馬去堡壘，在我休息之前，我會在那裡會見元帥和隊長們。讓他們盡快來見我！」此時的道路筆直地向東橫跨山谷，那裡的寬度不過半英里多一點。一片片長著粗草的平地和草甸，在降臨的夜色中呈現灰色，環繞四周，但在前方谷地的遠側，梅里看到一道壁壘，像是最後一座孤立的山丘，面露不悅之色。
794 THE LORD OF THE RINGS of the great roots of the Starkhorn, cloven by the river in ages past. On all the level spaces there was great concourse of men. Some thronged to the roadside, hailing the king and the riders from the West with glad cries; but stretching away into the distance behind there were ordered rows of tents and booths, and lines of picketed horses, and great store of arms, and piled spears bristling like thickets of newplanted trees. Now all the great assembly was falling into shadow, and yet, though the night-chill blew cold from the heights, no lanterns glowed, no fires were lit. Watchmen heavily cloaked paced to and fro. Merry wondered how many Riders there were. He could not guess their number in the gathering gloom, but it looked to him like a great army, many thousands strong. While he was peering from side to side the king’s party came up under the looming cliff on the eastern side of the valley; and there suddenly the path began to climb, and Merry looked up in amazement. He was on a road the like of which he had never seen before, a great work of men’s hands in years beyond the reach of song. Upwards it wound, coiling like a snake, boring its way across the sheer slope of rock. Steep as a stair, it looped backwards and forwards as it climbed. Up it horses could walk, and wains could be slowly hauled; but no enemy could come that way, except out of the air, if it was defended from above. At each turn of the road there were great standing stones that had been carved in the likeness of men, huge and clumsy-limbed, squatting cross-legged with their stumpy arms folded on fat bellies. Some in the wearing of the years had lost all features save the dark holes of their eyes that still stared sadly at the passers-by. The Riders hardly glanced at them. The Pukel-men they called them, and heeded them little: no power or terror was left in them; but Merry gazed at them with wonder and a feeling almost of pity, as they loomed up mournfully in the dusk. After a while he looked back and found that he had already climbed some hundreds of feet above the valley, but still far below he could dimly see a winding line of Riders crossing the ford and filing along the road towards the camp prepared for them. Only the king and his guard were going up into the Hold. At last the king’s company came to a sharp brink, and the climbing road passed into a cutting between walls of rock, and so went up a short slope and out on to a wide upland. The Firienfeld men called it, a green mountain-field of grass and heath, high above the deep-delved courses of the Snowbourn, laid upon the lap of the great mountains behind: the Starkhorn southwards, and northwards the saw-toothed mass of Irensaga, between which there faced the riders, the grim black wall of the Dwimorberg, the Haunted Mountain rising out of steep slopes of sombre pines. Dividing the upland into two there marched a double line of unshaped standing stones that dwindled
《魔戒》794頁，史塔克號角山巨大的山根，在遠古時代被河流劈開。所有平坦之處都聚集了大量人潮。有些人湧向路邊，以歡快的呼喊聲向國王和來自西方的騎士們致意；但在遠處，延伸開去的是一排排整齊的帳篷和棚屋，一列列拴好的馬匹，大量的武器儲備，以及堆積如山的長矛，像新種的樹叢般林立。此刻，整個龐大的集會都籠罩在陰影之中，然而，儘管夜晚的寒氣從高處吹來，卻沒有燈籠發光，也沒有點燃營火。身披厚重斗篷的守望者來回踱步。梅里心想，這裡到底有多少騎士。在漸濃的暮色中，他無法猜出他們的數量，但在他看來，這像是一支龐大的軍隊，有數千人之眾。正當他左顧右盼時，國王的隊伍來到了山谷東側那座赫然聳現的懸崖下；就在那裡，小路突然開始攀升，梅里驚訝地抬頭仰望。他正走在一條他前所未見的道路上，那是遠古時代人類的偉大工程，古老到無歌謠傳頌。它向上蜿蜒，如蛇盤繞，鑿穿了陡峭的岩坡。它像樓梯一樣陡峭，在攀升時來回曲折。馬匹可以走上去，貨車可以被緩慢地拖上去；但若有上方防守，除了從空中，沒有敵人能從這條路上來。在路的每個轉彎處，都有巨大的立石，被雕刻成人的模樣，巨大而笨拙，盤腿而坐，粗短的手臂交叉放在肥胖的肚子上。有些在歲月的磨損中失去了所有特徵，只剩下眼睛的黑洞，仍然悲傷地凝視著路人。騎士們幾乎沒看它們一眼。他們稱之為普克爾人，對他們毫不在意：它們身上已沒有任何力量或恐怖可言；但梅里卻帶著驚奇和近乎憐憫的感覺凝視著它們，看著它們在黃昏中悲傷地赫然出現。過了一會兒，他回頭看，發現自己已經爬到了山谷上方數百英尺的地方，但仍能隱約看到遠在下方的騎士們蜿蜒的隊伍正渡過淺灘，列隊走向為他們準備的營地。只有國王和他的衛隊正往要塞上去。國王的隊伍終於來到一處陡峭的懸崖邊，攀升的道路穿入兩側岩壁之間的隘口，接著又上了一小段斜坡，來到一片寬闊的高地。人們稱之為費理安草原，那是一片長滿青草和石楠的綠色山地，高高地位於雪河深掘的河道之上，坐落於其後方巨大山脈的懷抱中：南邊是史塔克號角山，北邊是鋸齒狀的艾倫薩加山脈，而在兩者之間，騎士們面對著德維莫伯格山——那座鬧鬼之山——的陰森黑牆，它從長滿陰鬱松樹的陡坡中拔地而起。將這片高地一分為二的，是一條由不成形的立石組成的雙排石陣，逐漸遠去。
THE MUSTER OF ROHAN 795 into the dusk and vanished in the trees. Those who dared to follow that road came soon to the black Dimholt under Dwimorberg, and the menace of the pillar of stone, and the yawning shadow of the forbidden door. Such was the dark Dunharrow, the work of long-forgotten men. Their name was lost and no song or legend remembered it. For what purpose they had made this place, as a town or secret temple or a tomb of kings, none in Rohan could say. Here they laboured in the Dark Years, before ever a ship came to the western shores, or Gondor of the Dunedain was built; and now they had vanished, and only the old Pukel-men were left, still sitting at the turnings of the road. Merry stared at the lines of marching stones: they were worn and black; some were leaning, some were fallen, some cracked or broken; they looked like rows of old and hungry teeth. He wondered what they could be, and he hoped that the king was not going to follow them into the darkness beyond. Then he saw that there were clusters of tents and booths on either side of the stony way; but these were not set near the trees, and seemed rather to huddle away from them towards the brink of the cliff. The greater number were on the right, where the Firienfeld was wider; and on the left there was a smaller camp, in the midst of which stood a tall pavilion. From this side a rider now came out to meet them, and they turned from the road. As they drew near Merry saw that the rider was a woman with long braided hair gleaming in the twilight, yet she wore a helm and was clad to the waist like a warrior and girded with a sword. ‘Hail, Lord of the Mark!’ she cried. ‘My heart is glad at your returning.’ ‘And you, Eowyn,’ said Théoden, ‘is all well with you?’ ‘All is well,’ she answered; yet it seemed to Merry that her voice belied her, and he would have thought that she had been weeping, if that could be believed of one so stern of face. ‘All is well. It was a weary road for the people to take, torn suddenly from their homes. There were hard words, for it is long since war has driven us from the green fields; but there have been no evil deeds. All is now ordered, as you see. And your lodging is prepared for you; for I have had full tidings of you and knew the hour of your coming.’ ‘So Aragorn has come then,’ said Eomer. ‘Is he still here?’ ‘No, he is gone,’ said Eowyn turning away and looking at the mountains dark against the East and South. ‘Whither did he go?’ asked Eomer. ‘I do not know,’ she answered. ‘He came at night, and rode away yestermorn, ere the Sun had climbed over the mountain-tops. He is gone.’ “You are grieved, daughter,’ said Theoden. ‘What has happened?
敢於沿著那條路走的人，很快就會來到丁默山下的黑色丁默特森林，面對那石柱的威脅，以及禁門那彷彿張著大口的陰影。這就是黑暗的登哈洛，是早已被遺忘的先民的傑作。他們的名字已失傳，沒有任何歌曲或傳說記得他們。至於他們建造此地的目的，是作為城鎮、秘密神殿，還是君王陵墓，洛汗無人能說分明。他們在黑暗年代裡於此勞作，那時還沒有任何船隻駛抵西方海岸，登丹人的剛鐸也尚未建立；如今他們已消失無蹤，只剩下古老的普克爾人，依然坐在路旁的轉彎處。梅里凝視著那一列列行進般的石頭：它們飽經風霜、色澤黝黑；有的傾斜，有的倒塌，有的龜裂或破碎；看起來就像一排排又老又餓的牙齒。他想知道這些石頭究竟是什麼，並希望國王不打算跟著它們走進前方的黑暗之中。接著他看見石道兩旁有一叢叢的帳篷和棚屋；但它們沒有搭在樹木附近，反而像是為了躲避樹林而蜷縮在懸崖邊緣。大多數營帳在右側，那裡的費理安菲爾德草地較為寬闊；左側則是一個較小的營地，中央矗立著一座高大的營帳。此時，一名騎士從這邊出來迎接他們，於是他們便轉離了道路。走近時，梅里看見騎士是位女子，長長的辮子在暮色中閃閃發光，但她頭戴戰盔，上半身穿著戰士的服裝，腰間佩著劍。「驃騎王國的國王，向您致敬！」她喊道。「您能回來，我心中甚是歡喜。」「妳好嗎，伊歐玟？」希優頓說，「一切都好嗎？」「一切都好。」她回答；然而在梅里看來，她的聲音似乎與話語不符，他甚至會以為她一直在哭泣，如果這能發生在一個面容如此嚴肅的人身上的話。「一切都好。對於突然被迫離開家園的人民來說，這是一段疲憊的旅程。有些人說了些難聽的話，畢竟戰爭將我們趕離綠色田野已是很久以前的事了；但沒有發生任何惡行。如您所見，一切都已安排妥當。您的住處也為您準備好了；因為我已收到關於您的完整消息，也知道您抵達的時辰。」「那麼亞拉岡來過了。」伊歐墨說。「他還在這裡嗎？」「不，他走了。」伊歐玟轉過身，望著東邊和南邊映襯下顯得黝黑的山脈。「他往哪裡去了？」伊歐墨問。「我不知道。」她回答。「他趁夜而來，昨天早晨，在太陽越過山頂之前就騎馬離開了。他走了。」「妳很悲傷，孩子。」希優頓說。「發生了什麼事？
796 THE LORD OF THE RINGS Tell me, did he speak of that road?’ He pointed away along the darkening lines of stones towards the Dwimorberg. ‘Of the Paths of the Dead?’ ‘Yes, lord,’ said Eowyn. ‘And he has passed into the shadow from which none have returned. I could not dissuade him. He is gone.’ “Then our paths are sundered,’ said Eomer. ‘He is lost. We must ride without him, and our hope dwindles.’ Slowly they passed through the short heath and upland grass, speaking no more, until they came to the king’s pavilion. There Merry found that everything was made ready, and that he himself was not forgotten. A little tent had been pitched for him beside the king’s lodging; and there he sat alone, while men passed to and fro, going in to the king and taking counsel with him. Night came on and the half-seen heads of the mountains westward were crowned with stars, but the East was dark and blank. The marching stones faded slowly from sight, but still beyond them, blacker than the gloom, brooded the vast crouching shadow of the Dwimorberg. “The Paths of the Dead,’ he muttered to himself. “The Paths of the Dead? What does all this mean? They have all left me now. They have all gone to some doom: Gandalf and Pippin to war in the East; and Sam and Frodo to Mordor; and Strider and Legolas and Gimli to the Paths of the Dead. But my turn will come soon enough, I suppose. I wonder what they are all talking about, and what the king means to do. For I must go where he goes now.’ In the midst of these gloomy thoughts he suddenly remembered that he was very hungry, and he got up to go and see if anyone else in this strange camp felt the same. But at that very moment a trumpet sounded, and a man came summoning him, the king’s esquire, to wait at the king’s board. In the inner part of the pavilion was a small space, curtained off with broidered hangings, and strewn with skins; and there at a small table sat Théoden with Eomer and Eowyn, and Dunhere, lord of Harrowdale. Merry stood beside the king’s stool and waited on him, till presently the old man, coming out of deep thought, turned to him and smiled. ‘Come, Master Meriadoc!’ he said. ‘You shall not stand. You shall sit beside me, as long as I remain in my own lands, and lighten my heart with tales.’ Room was made for the hobbit at the king’s left hand, but no one called for any tale. There was indeed little speech, and they ate and drank for the most part in silence, until at last, plucking up courage, Merry asked the question that was tormenting him.
「告訴我，他有提到那條路嗎？」他指著遠方沿著逐漸變暗的石陣、通往丁摩山的方向。「亡者之道嗎？」「是的，吾主，」伊歐玟說。「他已經走入了那無人能歸來的陰影之中。我勸不動他。他走了。」「那麼我們就此分道揚鑣了，」伊歐墨說。「他迷失了。我們必須在沒有他的情況下前進，我們的希望也愈發渺茫。」他們緩緩地穿過低矮的石楠叢和高地草原，再也沒有交談，直到抵達國王的營帳。在那裡，梅里發現一切都已準備就緒，而他自己也沒被遺忘。一頂小帳篷已為他搭在國王的住所旁；他獨自坐在那裡，看著人們來來去去，進去向國王報告並與他商議。夜幕降臨，西邊半隱半現的山峰頂上點綴著星辰，但東方卻是一片漆黑空洞。行軍石陣緩緩從視線中消失，但在它們之外，比幽暗更為漆黑的，是丁摩山那龐大如蹲伏般的陰影，沉沉地籠罩著。「亡者之道，」他對自己喃喃自語。「亡者之道？這一切到底是什麼意思？他們現在全都離開我了。他們都走向了某種末日：甘道夫和皮聘去東方作戰；山姆和佛羅多去了魔多；而亞拉岡、勒苟拉斯和金靂則去了亡者之道。我想，很快就輪到我了。不知道他們都在談些什麼，國王又打算做什麼。因為現在他去哪裡，我就必須跟到哪裡。」在這些陰鬱的思緒中，他突然想起自己非常餓，便起身想去看看這個陌生的營地裡是否有人和自己一樣。但就在那時，號角響起，一個人前來召喚他，這位國王的侍從，要去國王的餐桌旁侍候。營帳的內部有一個小空間，用繡花的掛毯隔開，地上鋪著獸皮；希優頓、伊歐墨、伊歐玟，以及哈羅谷的領主鄧赫爾，正圍坐在一張小桌旁。梅里站在國王的凳子邊侍候他，直到不久後，這位老人從沉思中回過神來，轉向他微笑。「來，梅里雅達大人！」他說。「你不用站著。只要我還在自己的土地上，你就坐在我身邊，用故事來讓我心情愉快些吧。」人們在國王的左手邊為哈比人騰出了一個位子，但沒有人要求他說故事。席間確實沒什麼話語，他們大多在沉默中吃喝，直到最後，梅里鼓起勇氣，問出了那個一直折磨著他的問題。
THE MUSTER OF ROHAN 797 “Twice now, lord, I have heard of the Paths of the Dead,’ he said. ‘What are they? And where has Strider, I mean the Lord Aragorn, where has he gone?’ The king sighed, but no one answered, until at last Eomer spoke. ‘We do not know, and our hearts are heavy,’ he said. ‘But as for the Paths of the Dead, you have yourself walked on their first steps. Nay, I speak no words of ill omen! The road that we have climbed is the approach to the Door, yonder in the Dimholt. But what lies beyond no man knows.’ ‘No man knows,’ said Théoden: ‘yet ancient legend, now seldom spoken, has somewhat to report. If these old tales speak true that have come down from father to son in the House of Eorl, then the Door under Dwimorberg leads to a secret way that goes beneath the mountain to some forgotten end. But none have ever ventured in to search its secrets, since Baldor, son of Brego, passed the Door and was never seen among men again. A rash vow he spoke, as he drained the horn at that feast which Brego made to hallow new-built Meduseld, and he came never to the high seat of which he was the heir. ‘Folk say that Dead Men out of the Dark Years guard the way and will suffer no living man to come to their hidden halls; but at whiles they may themselves be seen passing out of the door like shadows and down the stony road. Then the people of Harrowdale shut fast their doors and shroud their windows and are afraid. But the Dead come seldom forth and only at times of great unquiet and coming death.’ ‘Yet it is said in Harrowdale,’ said Eowyn in a low voice, ‘that in the moonless nights but little while ago a great host in strange array passed by. Whence they came none knew, but they went up the stony road and vanished into the hill, as if they went to keep a tryst.’ “Then why has Aragorn gone that way?’ asked Merry. ‘Don’t you know anything that would explain it?’ ‘Unless he has spoken words to you as his friend that we have not heard,’ said Eomer, ‘none now in the land of the living can tell his purpose.’ ‘Greatly changed he seemed to me since I saw him first in the king’s house,’ said Eowyn: ‘grimmer, older. Fey I thought him, and like one whom the Dead call.’ ‘Maybe he was called,’ said Théoden; ‘and my heart tells me that I shall not see him again. Yet he is a kingly man of high destiny. And take comfort in this, daughter, since comfort you seem to need in your grief for this guest. It is said that when the Eorlingas came out of the North and passed at length up the Snowbourn, seeking strong places of refuge in time of need, Brego and his son Baldor climbed the Stair of the Hold and so came before the Door. On the threshold
「陛下，我已經兩次聽說亡者之道了，」他說。「那是什麼？神行客，我是說亞拉岡王，他去哪裡了？」國王嘆了口氣，但沒人回答，直到最後伊歐墨開口了。「我們不知道，我們的心情很沉重，」他說。「但說到亡者之道，你已經踏上了它的第一步。不，我不是在說不祥的話！我們爬上來的這條路，就是通往那扇門的入口，就在那邊的丁默特。但門後有什麼，沒有人知道。」「沒有人知道，」希優頓說：「然而，古老的傳說，雖然現在很少有人提起，但還是有些記載。如果這些在伊歐家族中父子相傳的古老故事是真的，那麼德維莫伯格山下的那扇門通往一條秘密通道，穿過山底，到達某個被遺忘的終點。但自從布理哥的兒子巴多穿過那扇門，再也沒在人間出現後，就再也沒有人敢進去探尋它的秘密了。他在布理哥為慶祝新建的梅杜西廳而舉行的宴會上，飲盡號角中的酒時，發下了一個魯莽的誓言，結果再也沒能登上他本應繼承的王座。」「人們說，黑暗年代的亡者守護著那條路，不允許任何活人進入他們隱藏的廳堂；但有時，人們會看到他們自己像影子一樣從門裡出來，走下那條石路。那時，哈洛谷的居民會緊鎖門戶，遮蔽窗戶，心中充滿恐懼。但亡者很少出來，只有在極度動盪和死亡將至時才會現身。」「然而，哈洛谷有人說，」伊歐玟低聲說道，「就在不久前的無月之夜，有一支穿著奇異服裝的大軍經過。沒人知道他們從哪裡來，但他們走上石路，消失在山丘裡，彷彿要去赴一個約會。」「那亞拉岡為什麼要走那條路？」梅里問道。「你們就不知道有什麼能解釋這件事嗎？」「除非他以朋友的身份對你說了些我們沒聽過的話，」伊歐墨說，「否則現在活在世上的人，沒有人能說出他的目的。」「自從我第一次在國王宮殿裡見到他以來，我覺得他變了很多，」伊歐玟說：「更嚴峻，也更蒼老了。我覺得他有些異樣，像是被亡者召喚的人。」「也許他真的被召喚了，」希優頓說；「我的心告訴我，我再也見不到他了。然而，他是一位具有崇高天命的王者。女兒，妳就從這點得到安慰吧，既然妳似乎因這位客人的離去而悲傷，需要安慰。據說，當伊歐子嗣從北方南下，最終沿著雪河而上，尋找危難時的避難所時，布理哥和他的兒子巴多爬上了堡壘階梯，來到了那扇門前。在門檻上
798 THE LORD OF THE RINGS sat an old man, aged beyond guess of years; tall and kingly he had been, but now he was withered as an old stone. Indeed for stone they took him, for he moved not, and he said no word, until they sought to pass him by and enter. And then a voice came out of him, as it were out of the ground, and to their amaze it spoke in the western tongue: The way ts shut. “Then they halted and looked at him and saw that he lived still; but he did not look at them. The way is shut, his voice said again. It was made by those who are Dead, and the Dead keep it, until the time comes. The way 1s shut. ‘And when will that time be? said Baldor. But no answer did he ever get. For the old man died in that hour and fell upon his face; and no other tidings of the ancient dwellers in the mountains have our folk ever learned. Yet maybe at last the time foretold has come, and Aragorn may pass.’ ‘But how shall a man discover whether that time be come or no, save by daring the Door?’ said Eomer. ‘And that way I would not go though all the hosts of Mordor stood before me, and I were alone and had no other refuge. Alas that a fey mood should fall on a man so greathearted in this hour of need! Are there not evil things enough abroad without seeking them under the earth? War is at hand.’ He paused, for at that moment there was a noise outside, a man’s voice crying the name of Théoden, and the challenge of the guard. Presently the captain of the Guard thrust aside the curtain. ‘A man is here, lord,’ he said, ‘an errand-rider of Gondor. He wishes to come before you at once.’ ‘Let him come!’ said Theoden. A tall man entered, and Merry choked back a cry; for a moment it seemed to him that Boromir was alive again and had returned. Then he saw that it was not so; the man was a stranger, though as like to Boromir as if he were one of his kin, tall and grey-eyed and proud. He was clad as a rider with a cloak of dark green over a coat of fine mail; on the front of his helm was wrought a small silver star. In his hand he bore a single arrow, black-feathered and barbed with steel, but the point was painted red. He sank on one knee and presented the arrow to Theoden. ‘Hail, Lord of the Rohirrim, friend of Gondor!’ he said. ‘Hirgon I am, errand-rider of Denethor, who bring you this token of war. Gondor is in great need. Often the Rohirrim have aided us, but now the Lord Denethor asks for all your strength and all your speed, lest Gondor fall at last.’ “The Red Arrow!’ said Théoden, holding it, as one who receives a summons long expected and yet dreadful when it comes. His hand
坐著一位老人，年紀老到無法猜測；他曾經高大而有王者之風，但現在卻像一顆老石頭般枯萎。他們確實把他當成了石頭，因為他一動也不動，一句話也不說，直到他們想從他身邊經過進去時。這時，一個聲音從他體內發出，彷彿來自地底，而且令他們驚訝的是，這聲音說的是西方通用語：此路不通。「於是他們停下腳步，看著他，發現他還活著；但他沒有看他們。此路不通，他的聲音又說了一遍。此路由亡者所造，由亡者看守，直到時機來臨。此路不通。‘那時機何時會到來？’巴爾多問道。但他始終沒有得到任何回答。因為那老人在那一刻死去，臉朝下倒去；從此，我們的人民再也沒有得到任何關於山中古代居民的音訊。不過，或許預言的時刻終於到來，亞拉岡可以通過了。’‘可是，除了大膽闖門之外，一個人要如何發現那時機是否已到來呢？’伊歐墨說。‘那條路我是不會走的，即使魔多的所有大軍都站在我面前，而我孤身一人，無處可避。唉，在這危急時刻，如此心胸寬大之人竟會陷入一種不祥的、彷彿受命運感召的情緒！難道地面上的邪惡還不夠多，非要到地下去尋找嗎？戰爭即將來臨。’他停了下來，因為就在那時，外面傳來一陣嘈雜聲，一個男人的聲音呼喊著希優頓的名字，以及衛兵的喝問聲。不一會兒，衛隊長推開門簾。‘陛下，有個人在這裡，’他說，‘一位剛鐸的傳令騎士。他希望能立刻見您。’‘讓他進來！’希優頓說。一個高大的男人走了進來，梅里倒抽一口氣，忍住驚呼；有那麼一瞬間，他覺得波羅莫又活了過來，回來了。然後他才看清並非如此；這個人是個陌生人，雖然他和波羅莫極為神似，彷彿是他的親人，同樣高大、灰眼、神情驕傲。他身穿騎士裝束，一件精良的鎖子甲外罩著一件深綠色斗篷；頭盔前方打造了一顆小小的銀星。他手裡拿著一支箭，黑色的羽毛，鋼製的倒鉤，但箭頭被漆成了紅色。他單膝跪下，將箭呈給希優頓。‘向您致敬，洛汗國王，剛鐸之友！’他說。‘我是赫岡，迪耐瑟的傳令騎士，為您帶來這戰爭的信物。剛鐸正處於極大的危難之中。洛汗人曾多次援助我們，但現在迪耐瑟大人請求您動用全部的兵力和最快的速度，以免剛鐸最終陷落。’‘紅箭！’希優頓說道，手裡握著它，像一個人收到一個期待已久、卻在到來時令人恐懼的召喚。他的手
THE MUSTER OF ROHAN 799 trembled. “The Red Arrow has not been seen in the Mark in all my years! Has it indeed come to that? And what does the Lord Denethor reckon that all my strength and all my speed may be?’ “That is best known to yourself, lord,’ said Hirgon. ‘But ere long it may well come to pass that Minas Tirith is surrounded, and unless you have the strength to break a siege of many powers, the Lord Denethor bids me say that he judges that the strong arms of the Rohirrim would be better within his walls than without.’ ‘But he knows that we are a people who fight rather upon horseback and in the open, and that we are also a scattered people and time is needed for the gathering of our Riders. Is it not true, Hirgon, that the Lord of Minas Tirith knows more than he sets in his message? For we are already at war, as you may have seen, and you do not find us all unprepared. Gandalf the Grey has been among us, and even now we are mustering for battle in the East.’ ‘What the Lord Denethor may know or guess of all these things I cannot say,’ answered Hirgon. ‘But indeed our case is desperate. My lord does not issue any command to you, he begs you only to remember old friendship and oaths long spoken, and for your own good to do all that you may. It is reported to us that many kings have ridden in from the East to the service of Mordor. From the North to the field of Dagorlad there is skirmish and rumour of war. In the South the Haradrim are moving, and fear has fallen on all our coastlands, so that little help will come to us thence. Make haste! For it is before the walls of Minas Tirith that the doom of our time will be decided, and if the tide be not stemmed there, then it will flow over all the fair fields of Rohan, and even in this Hold among the hills there shall be no refuge.’ ‘Dark tidings,’ said Théoden, ‘yet not all unguessed. But say to Denethor that even if Rohan itself felt no peril, still we would come to his aid. But we have suffered much loss in our battles with Saruman the traitor, and we must still think of our frontier to the north and east, as his own tidings make clear. So great a power as the Dark Lord seems now to wield might well contain us in battle before the City and yet strike with great force across the River away beyond the Gate of Kings. ‘But we will speak no longer counsels of prudence. We will come. The weapontake was set for the morrow. When all is ordered we will set out. Ten thousand spears I might have sent riding over the plain to the dismay of your foes. It will be less now, I fear; for I will not leave my strongholds all unguarded. Yet six thousands at the least shall ride behind me. For say to Denethor that in this hour the King of the Mark himself will come down to the land of Gondor, though maybe he will not ride back. But it is a long road, and man and beast
希優頓顫抖著。「在我有生之年，還從未在洛汗國見過這紅色箭矢！事情真的到了這一步嗎？迪耐瑟王認為我全部的兵力和速度能有多少？」「大人，這點您自己最清楚，」赫貢說。「但恐怕不久之後，米那斯提力斯就會被團團包圍。除非您有能力突破多方勢力的圍城，否則迪耐瑟王囑咐我轉告，他認為洛汗人強壯的臂膀在他的城牆之內，會比在城牆之外更有用。」「但他明知我們是個習慣在開闊地帶騎馬作戰的民族，也知道我們人口分散，集結騎士需要時間。赫貢，米那斯提力斯之主在他的訊息之外，是否還知道些什麼，不是嗎？因為我們早已處於戰爭狀態，如你所見，我們並非毫無準備。灰袍甘道夫曾到訪我們這裡，而此刻我們也正在集結兵力，準備東征。」「迪耐瑟王對這些事可能知道或猜測到什麼，我無法奉告，」赫貢回答。「但我們的處境確實岌岌可危。我的主人並非對您下達任何命令，他只懇求您念及舊日情誼與許久前立下的誓言，並為了您自身的利益，竭盡所能。我們接獲報告，東方已有許多國王前來為魔多效力。從北方到達哥拉平原，處處都有小規模戰鬥和戰爭的謠言。在南方，哈拉德林人正在行動，恐懼籠罩了我們所有的沿海地區，因此我們從那裡得不到什麼援助。請速行動！因為我們這個時代的命運，將在米那斯提力斯的城牆前決定；如果無法在那裡擋住浪潮，那它將淹沒洛汗所有美麗的田野，即使在這山中的堡壘也將無處可躲。」「真是黑暗的消息，」希優頓說，「但並非完全沒有料到。不過，請告訴迪耐瑟，即使洛汗自身未感危險，我們仍會前去援助。但我們在與叛徒薩魯曼的戰鬥中損失慘重，而且我們還必須考慮到北方和東方的邊境，這點從他的消息中也很清楚。黑暗魔君如今似乎掌握著如此強大的力量，他很可能在主城前牽制我們的同時，還能以重兵越過大河，直擊王者之門的後方。」「但我們不再談論審慎的計策了。我們會去。軍隊集結定在明日。一切就緒後我們就出發。我本可派遣一萬名長矛手馳騁平原，讓你們的敵人聞風喪膽。恐怕現在會少一些；因為我不能讓我的堡壘全無防備。但至少會有六千人跟隨我。請告訴迪耐瑟，在此時刻，洛汗國王本人將親赴剛鐸之地，儘管他或許有去無回。但這是一條漫長的路，無論人與牲口……
800 THE LORD OF THE RINGS must reach the end with strength to fight. A week it may be from tomorrow’s morn ere you hear the cry of the Sons of Eorl coming from the North.’ ‘A week!’ said Hirgon. ‘If it must be so, it must. But you are like to find only ruined walls in seven days from now, unless other help unlooked-for comes. Still, you may at the least disturb the Orcs and Swarthy Men from their feasting in the White Tower.’ ‘At the least we will do that,’ said Theoden. ‘But I myself am new-come from battle and long journey, and I will now go to rest. Tarry here this night. Then you shall look on the muster of Rohan and ride away the gladder for the sight, and the swifter for the rest. In the morning counsels are best, and night changes many thoughts.’ With that the king stood up, and they all rose. ‘Go now each to your rest,’ he said, ‘and sleep well. And you, Master Meriadoc, I need no more tonight. But be ready to my call as soon as the Sun is risen.’ ‘I will be ready,’ said Merry, ‘even if you bid me ride with you on the Paths of the Dead.’ ‘Speak not words of omen!’ said the king. ‘For there may be more roads than one that could bear that name. But I did not say that I would bid you ride with me on any road. Good night!’ ‘I won’t be left behind, to be called for on return!’ said Merry. ‘I won’t be left, I won’t.’ And repeating this over and over again to himself he fell asleep at last in his tent. He was wakened by a man shaking him. ‘Wake up, wake up, Master Holbytla!’ he cried; and at length Merry came out of deep dreams and sat up with a start. It still seemed very dark, he thought. ‘What is the matter?’ he asked. “The king calls for you.’ ‘But the Sun has not risen, yet,’ said Merry. ‘No, and will not rise today, Master Holbytla. Nor ever again, one would think under this cloud. But time does not stand still, though the Sun be lost. Make haste!’ Flinging on some clothes, Merry looked outside. The world was darkling. The very air seemed brown, and all things about were black and grey and shadowless; there was a great stillness. No shape of cloud could be seen, unless it were far away westward, where the furthest groping fingers of the great gloom still crawled onwards and a little light leaked through them. Overhead there hung a heavy roof, sombre and featureless, and light seemed rather to be failing than growing. Merry saw many folk standing, looking up and muttering; all their faces were grey and sad, and some were afraid. With a sinking heart
「……必須在抵達終點時仍有戰鬥的力氣。從明天早晨算起，可能要一個星期，你們才會聽到伊歐之子從北方傳來的吶喊聲。」「一個星期！」希爾剛說。「如果非得如此，那就這樣吧。但七天後，你們恐怕只會找到斷垣殘壁，除非有其他意想不到的援助到來。不過，至少你們可以打擾那些半獸人和黝黑人類在白塔裡的盛宴。」「至少我們會做到那點。」希優頓說。「但我自己剛從戰鬥和長途跋涉中歸來，現在要去休息了。今晚就待在這裡吧。然後你們將會看到洛汗大軍的集結，因眼見此景而更欣喜地離去，也因得到休息而更迅速地馳騁。早晨的建議總是最好的，而一夜之間許多想法都會改變。」說完，國王站了起來，其他人也隨之起身。「現在各自去休息吧，」他說，「好好睡一覺。還有你，梅里雅達克大人，今晚我不再需要你了。但太陽一升起，就要準備好聽候我的召喚。」「我會準備好的，」梅里說，「即使您命令我與您一同踏上亡者之道。」「別說不吉利的話！」國王說。「因為可能不止一條路可以被稱為那樣的名字。但我並沒有說要命令你與我同行任何一條路。晚安！」「我才不要被留下，等你們回來時才被叫到！」梅里說。「我不要被留下，我不要。」他對自己一遍又一遍地重複這句話，最後終於在帳篷裡睡著了。他被一個搖晃他的人叫醒。「醒醒，醒醒，哈比人大人！」那人喊道。過了半晌，梅里才從沉睡的夢中驚醒坐起。他心想，天色似乎還很暗。「怎麼了？」他問。「國王召見您。」「可是太陽還沒升起啊。」梅里說。「是的，哈比人大人，今天太陽不會升起了。在這片烏雲下，恐怕永遠也不會再升起了。但即使太陽消失了，時間也不會停止。快點！」梅里匆匆套上幾件衣服，朝外看去。世界一片昏暗。空氣本身似乎都呈棕色，周遭萬物非黑即灰，沒有影子；一片死寂。看不見任何雲的形狀，除非是在遙遠的西方，那裡巨大的陰霾最遠的摸索指尖仍在向前爬行，一絲微光從縫隙中滲透出來。頭頂上懸著沉重、陰鬱而無特徵的屋頂，光線似乎在消逝而非增強。梅里看到許多人站著，抬頭仰望，喃喃自語；他們的面容都灰暗而悲傷，有些人還心懷恐懼。他的心一沉。
THE MUSTER OF ROHAN 801 he made his way to the king. Hirgon the rider of Gondor was there before him, and beside him stood now another man, like him and dressed alike, but shorter and broader. As Merry entered he was speaking to the king. ‘It comes from Mordor, lord,’ he said. ‘It began last night at sunset. From the hills in the Eastfold of your realm I saw it rise and creep across the sky, and all night as I rode it came behind eating up the stars. Now the great cloud hangs over all the land between here and the Mountains of Shadow; and it is deepening. War has already begun.’ For a while the king sat silent. At last he spoke. ‘So we come to it in the end,’ he said: ‘the great battle of our time, in which many things shall pass away. But at least there is no longer need for hiding. We will ride the straight way and the open road and with all our speed. The muster shall begin at once, and wait for none that tarry. Have you good store in Minas Tirith? For if we must ride now in all haste, then we must ride light, with but meal and water enough to last us into battle.’ ‘We have very great store long prepared,’ answered Hirgon. ‘Ride now as light and as swift as you may!’ ‘Then call the heralds, Eomer,’ said Théoden. ‘Let the Riders be marshalled!’ Eomer went out, and presently the trumpets rang in the Hold and were answered by many others from below; but their voices no longer sounded clear and brave as they had seemed to Merry the night before. Dull they seemed and harsh in the heavy air, braying ominously. The king turned to Merry. ‘I am going to war, Master Meriadoc,’ he said. ‘In a little while I shall take the road. I release you from my service, but not from my friendship. You shall abide here, and if you will, you shall serve the Lady Eowyn, who will govern the folk in my stead.’ ‘But, but, lord,’ Merry stammered, ‘I offered you my sword. I do not want to be parted from you like this, Théoden King. And as all my friends have gone to the battle, I should be ashamed to stay behind.’ ‘But we ride on horses tall and swift,’ said Théoden; ‘and great though your heart be, you cannot ride on such beasts.’ “Then tie me on to the back of one, or let me hang on a stirrup, or something,’ said Merry. ‘It is a long way to run; but run I shall, if I cannot ride, even if I wear my feet off and arrive weeks too late.’ Theoden smiled. ‘Rather than that I would bear you with me on
他走向國王。剛鐸的信使希爾剛已在他之前抵達，身旁站著另一名男子，樣貌與穿著都與他相似，但身材較為矮壯。梅里進來時，他正在對國王說話。「領主，那來自魔多，」他說。「從昨晚日落時開始的。我從您國度東邊的東折谷山丘上，看見它升起並爬滿天空，我策馬奔馳整夜，它就在後方追趕，吞噬了星辰。現在，那片巨大的烏雲籠罩著此地與陰影山脈之間的所有土地；而且它還在加深。戰爭已經開始了。」國王沉默了一會兒。最後他開口了。「所以我們終究走到這一步了，」他說：「我們這個時代的偉大戰役，許多事物將隨之消逝。但至少我們不再需要躲藏。我們將走上直路與開闊的大道，以我們最快的速度前進。集結將立即開始，遲到者一概不候。米那斯提力斯有充足的儲備嗎？因為如果我們現在必須全速馳援，我們就得輕裝上陣，只帶足夠我們撐到戰場的糧水。」「我們早已準備了非常充足的儲備，」希爾剛回答。「請盡您所能地輕裝快馬！」「伊歐墨，去召集傳令官，」希優頓說。「讓騎士們整隊！」伊歐墨走了出去，不一會兒，堡壘中響起了號角聲，下方也傳來許多回應的號角聲；但它們的聲音不再像前一晚梅里聽到的那樣清晰而英勇。在沉重的空氣中，它們聽起來沉悶而刺耳，不祥地嘶鳴著。國王轉向梅里。「我要上戰場了，梅里雅達克先生，」他說。「我很快就要出發。我解除你對我的效忠，但我們的友誼不變。你將留在這裡，如果你願意，可以為伊歐玟女士效力，她將代我治理人民。」「可是，可是，領主，」梅里結結巴巴地說：「我曾向您獻上我的劍。我不想就這樣與您分離，希優頓王。而且我所有的朋友都上了戰場，我若留下會感到羞愧。」「但我們騎的是高大而迅速的馬，」希優頓說：「你的心志雖然偉大，卻無法騎乘這樣的坐騎。」「那就把我綁在其中一匹的背上，或讓我抓著馬鐙，或做點什麼，」梅里說。「路途很遠，需要奔跑；但如果我不能騎馬，我就用跑的，即便磨破雙腳、晚到好幾個星期也在所不惜。」希優頓笑了。「與其那樣，我還不如把你帶在我…
802 THE LORD OF THE RINGS Snowmane,’ he said. ‘But at the least you shall ride with me to Edoras and look on Meduseld; for that way I shall go. So far Stybba can bear you: the great race will not begin till we reach the plains.’ Then Eowyn rose up. ‘Come now, Meriadoc!’ she said. ‘I will show you the gear that I have prepared for you.’ They went out together. “This request only did Aragorn make to me,’ said Eowyn, as they passed among the tents, ‘that you should be armed for battle. I have granted it, as I could. For my heart tells me that you will need such gear ere the end.’ Now she led Merry to a booth among the lodges of the king’s guard; and there an armourer brought out to her a small helm, and a round shield, and other gear. ‘No mail have we to fit you,’ said Eowyn, ‘nor any time for the forging of such a hauberk; but here is also a stout jerkin of leather, a belt, and a knife. A sword you have.’ Merry bowed, and the lady showed him the shield, which was like the shield that had been given to Gimli, and it bore on it the device of the white horse. “Take all these things,’ she said, ‘and bear them to good fortune! Farewell now, Master Meriadoc! Yet maybe we shall Meet again, you and I.’ So it was that amid a gathering gloom the King of the Mark made ready to lead all his Riders on the eastward road. Hearts were heavy and many quailed in the shadow. But they were a stern people, loyal to their lord, and little weeping or murmuring was heard, even in the camp in the Hold where the exiles from Edoras were housed, women and children and old men. Doom hung over them, but they faced it silently. Two swift hours passed, and now the king sat upon his white horse, glimmering in the half-light. Proud and tall he seemed, though the hair that flowed beneath his high helm was like snow; and many marvelled at him and took heart to see him unbent and unafraid. There on the wide flats beside the noisy river were marshalled in many companies well nigh five and fifty hundreds of Riders fully armed, and many hundreds of other men with spare horses lightly burdened. A single trumpet sounded. The king raised his hand, and then silently the host of the Mark began to move. Foremost went twelve of the king’s household-men, Riders of renown. Then the king followed with Eomer on his right. He had said farewell to Eowyn above in the Hold, and the memory was grievous; but now he turned his mind to the road that lay ahead. Behind him Merry rode on Stybba with the errand riders of Gondor, and behind them again twelve more of the king’s household. They passed down the long ranks of waiting men with stern and unmoved faces. But when they
「雪鬃，」他說。「但你至少可以跟我一起騎到伊多拉斯，看看梅杜西廳；因為我會走那條路。斯迪拔可以載你到那裡：真正的大長征要到我們抵達平原後才開始。」然後伊歐玟站起身。「來吧，梅里雅達！」她說。「我帶你去看我為你準備的裝備。」他們一同走了出去。「亞拉岡只向我提了這個請求，」當他們走過帳篷之間時，伊歐玟說，「就是你應該為戰鬥武裝起來。我已盡我所能地答應了。因為我的心告訴我，在一切結束之前，你會需要這些裝備。」現在她帶著梅里來到國王衛隊營地中的一個棚子；在那裡，一位甲冑師為她拿來一頂小頭盔、一面圓盾及其他裝備。「我們沒有合你尺寸的鎖子甲，」伊歐玟說，「也沒有時間鍛造那樣的鎖子甲衣；不過這裡還有一件堅固的皮背心、一條腰帶和一把小刀。你已經有劍了。」梅里鞠躬致意，女士向他展示了那面盾牌，它和給金靂的那面很像，上面有白馬的紋章。「把這些東西都帶上，」她說，「願它們為你帶來好運！再會了，梅里雅達主人！不過，或許我們還會再見面的，你和我。」就這樣，在漸濃的暮色中，驃騎王準備好率領他所有的騎士踏上東行之路。人們心情沉重，許多人在陰影中畏縮。但他們是個堅毅的民族，忠於他們的君主，即使在堡壘的營地裡——那裡住著從伊多拉斯來的流亡者，有婦女、兒童和老人——也幾乎聽不到哭泣或怨言。末日的陰雲籠罩著他們，但他們默默地面對。飛快地過了兩個小時，現在國王坐在他的白馬上，在微光中閃爍。他看起來高大而驕傲，儘管高頂頭盔下流瀉的頭髮已如白雪；許多人對他讚嘆不已，看到他毫不屈服、無所畏懼的樣子而重拾勇氣。在那裡，喧鬧的河邊寬闊的平地上，集結了將近五千五百名全副武裝的騎士，分成許多連隊，還有數百名帶著輕裝備用馬匹的其他人。一聲號角響起。國王舉起手，然後驃騎國的大軍開始默默地移動。走在最前面的是十二名國王的近衛，他們是聲名顯赫的騎士。接著是國王，伊歐墨在他右側。他已在上面的堡壘向伊歐玟告別，那段記憶令人悲痛；但現在他把心思轉向了前方的道路。在他身後，梅里騎著斯迪拔，與剛鐸的傳訊騎士們同行，他們後面又是十二名國王的近衛。他們經過一排排等候的士兵，士兵們面容嚴肅，無動於衷。但是當他們
THE MUSTER OF ROHAN 803 had come almost to the end of the line one looked up glancing keenly at the hobbit. A young man, Merry thought as he returned the glance, less in height and girth than most. He caught the glint of clear grey eyes; and then he shivered, for it came suddenly to him that it was the face of one without hope who goes in search of death. On down the grey road they went beside the Snowbourn rushing on its stones; through the hamlets of Underharrow and Upbourn, where many sad faces of women looked out from dark doors; and so without horn or harp or music of men’s voices the great ride into the East began with which the songs of Rohan were busy for many long lives of men thereafter. From dark Dunharrow in the dim morning with thane and captain rode Thengel’s son: to Edoras he came, the ancient halls of the Mark-wardens mist-enshrouded; golden timbers were in gloom mantled. Farewell he bade to his free people, hearth and high-seat, and the hallowed places, where long he had feasted ere the light faded. Forth rode the king, fear behind him, fate before him. Fealty kept he; oaths he had taken, all fulfilled them. Forth rode Théoden. Five nights and days east and onward rode the Eorlingas through Folde and Fenmarch and the Firienwood, six thousand spears to Sunlending, Mundburg the mighty under Mindolluin, Sea-kings’ city in the South-kingdom foe-beleaguered, fire-encircled. Doom drove them on. Darkness took them, horse and horseman; hoofbeats afar sank into silence: so the songs tell us. It was indeed in deepening gloom that the king came to Edoras, although it was then but noon by the hour. There he halted only a short while and strengthened his host by some three score of Riders that came late to the weapontake. Now having eaten he made ready to set out again, and he wished his esquire a kindly farewell. But Merry begged for the last time not to be parted from him. “This is no journey for such steeds as Stybba, as I have told you,’ said Theoden. ‘And in such a battle as we think to make on the fields of Gondor what would you do, Master Meriadoc, swordthain though you be, and greater of heart than of stature?’
他幾乎來到隊伍的盡頭，一人抬頭銳利地瞥了哈比人一眼。梅里回望時心想，是個年輕人，比多數人都要矮小瘦削。他瞥見了清澈灰眼中閃爍的光芒；接著他打了個寒顫，因為他突然明白，那是一張絕望之人的臉，一張踏上尋死之旅的臉。他們沿著灰色的道路前行，身旁是雪界河在石頭上奔流；穿過奧德哈洛和艾普堡的小村莊，許多悲傷的婦女面孔從黑暗的門後望出；就這樣，沒有號角，沒有豎琴，沒有人聲歌唱，向東方的偉大遠征開始了，此後的漫長歲月裡，洛汗的歌謠將為此傳唱不休。在昏暗的晨光中，塞格爾之子與親衛和將領們一同自幽暗的登哈洛出發；他來到伊多拉斯，驃騎國守護者們古老的廳堂籠罩在迷霧之中；金色的樑木披上了陰鬱的斗篷。他告別了他自由的人民、爐火與高座，以及他曾在光明褪去前長久宴飲的神聖之地。國王向前馳騁，恐懼拋諸身後，命運橫亙在前。他信守忠誠；他所立下的誓言，皆已履行。希優頓向前馳騁。五天五夜，伊歐子孫向東疾馳，穿過佛德、芬馬克與費理安森林，六千長矛奔赴桑蘭丁，那位於明多陸安山下的雄偉蒙德堡，南方王國中被敵人圍困、被戰火環繞的航海君王之城。宿命驅使他們前行。黑暗吞噬了他們，騎士與馬匹；遠方的蹄聲沉入寂靜：歌謠如此傳唱。國王抵達伊多拉斯時，確實是在漸深的昏暗之中，儘管當時才剛過正午。他在那裡只稍作停留，讓約六十名遲到、前來參與點兵的騎士加入，增強了兵力。用過餐後，他準備再次出發，並親切地向他的侍從告別。但梅里最後一次懇求不要與他分開。「正如我告訴過你的，這段旅程不適合像斯蒂巴這樣的小馬。」希優頓說。「而且，在我們預計將於剛鐸戰場上進行的這般戰役中，你能做什麼呢，梅里雅達大人，即便你是持劍親衛，心志遠超你的身材？」
804 THE LORD OF THE RINGS ‘As for that, who can tell?’ answered Merry. ‘But why, lord, did you receive me as swordthain, if not to stay by your side? And I would not have it said of me in song only that I was always left behind!’ ‘I received you for your safe-keeping,’ answered Théoden; ‘and also to do as I might bid. None of my Riders can bear you as burden. If the battle were before my gates, maybe your deeds would be remembered by the minstrels; but it is a hundred leagues and two to Mundburg where Denethor is lord. I will say no more.’ Merry bowed and went away unhappily, and stared at the lines of horsemen. Already the companies were preparing to start: men were tightening girths, looking to saddles, caressing their horses; some gazed uneasily at the lowering sky. Unnoticed a Rider came up and spoke softly in the hobbit’s ear. ‘Where will wants not, a way opens, so we say,’ he whispered; ‘and so I have found myself.’ Merry looked up and saw that it was the young Rider whom he had noticed in the morning. ‘You wish to go whither the Lord of the Mark goes: I see it in your face.’ ‘I do,’ said Merry. “Then you shall go with me,’ said the Rider. ‘I will bear you before me, under my cloak until we are far afield, and this darkness is yet darker. Such good will should not be denied. Say no more to any man, but come!’ “Thank you indeed!’ said Merry. “Thank you, sir, though I do not know your name.’ ‘Do you not?’ said the Rider softly. “Then call me Dernhelm.’ Thus it came to pass that when the king set out, before Dernhelm sat Meriadoc the hobbit, and the great grey steed Windfola made little of the burden; for Dernhelm was less in weight than many men, though lithe and well-knit in frame. On into the shadow they rode. In the willow-thickets where Snowbourn flowed into Entwash, twelve leagues east of Edoras, they camped that night. And then on again through the Folde; and through the Fenmarch, where to their right great oakwoods climbed on the skirts of the hills under the shades of dark Halifirien by the borders of Gondor; but away to their left the mists lay on the marshes fed by the mouths of Entwash. And as they rode rumour came of war in the North. Lone men, riding wild, brought word of foes assailing their east-borders, of orc-hosts marching in the Wold of Rohan. ‘Ride on! Ride on!’ cried Eomer. ‘Too late now to turn aside. The fens of Entwash must guard our flank. Haste now we need. Ride on!’ And so King Théoden departed from his own realm, and mile by mile the long road wound away, and the beacon hills marched
「那可說不準，」梅里回答。「可是，王啊，如果您不是要我待在您身邊，當初為何接受我作您的持劍家臣呢？我可不希望將來的歌謠只傳唱我總是被人拋在後頭！」「我接受你，是為了保護你的安全，」希優頓回答；「也是為了讓你聽我號令。我的騎士們沒有人能載你當作負擔。如果戰場就在我的城門前，或許吟遊詩人還會記住你的功績；但迪耐瑟所在的蒙德堡，遠在一百零二里格之外。我言盡於此。」梅里鞠了個躬，怏怏不樂地走開，凝視著一排排的騎兵。隊伍已經在準備出發了：人們正在勒緊肚帶、檢查馬鞍、撫摸他們的馬匹；有些人不安地望著漸趨陰沉的天空。一名騎士悄悄來到他身邊，在哈比人耳邊輕聲說話，無人察覺。「我們常說，『有志者，路自開』，」他低語道；「而我自己也找到了路。」梅里抬頭一看，發現正是早上他注意到的那位年輕騎士。「你想去馬克國之王要去的地方：我從你臉上看出來了。」「是的，我想去，」梅里說。「那你就跟我一起走，」騎士說。「我會把你載在身前，用我的斗篷蓋住，直到我們遠離營地，天色也更暗。這樣的好意不該被拒絕。別再跟任何人說，來吧！」「真的太感謝您了！」梅里說。「謝謝您，先生，雖然我不知道您的名字。」「你不知道嗎？」騎士輕聲說。「那就叫我德海姆吧。」就這樣，當國王出發時，哈比人梅里雅達就坐在德海姆的身前，而那匹名為疾風的灰色駿馬似乎不覺得增加了多少負擔；因為德海姆雖然身手輕盈且骨架勻稱，體重卻比許多男人要輕。他們就這樣馳入了暗影之中。他們在伊多拉斯以東十二里格處，雪河流入樹沐河的柳樹叢中紮營過夜。然後又繼續前行，穿過佛德；再穿過芬馬克，在他們右邊，巨大的橡樹林攀附在山麓上，籠罩在剛鐸邊境黑暗的哈利菲理安山影之下；而在他們左邊，迷霧籠罩著由樹沐河口灌溉的沼澤。他們騎行途中，傳來了北方戰事的消息。單獨的騎士瘋狂奔馳而來，帶來敵人攻擊東部邊境、半獸人大軍正在洛汗的沃德草原進軍的消息。「繼續前進！繼續前進！」伊歐墨大喊。「現在轉向已經太遲了。樹沐河的沼澤必須保護我們的側翼。我們現在需要速度。前進！」於是，希優頓國王離開了自己的國度，漫長的道路一里一里地蜿蜒而去，烽火連綿的山丘也隨行在側。
THE MUSTER OF ROHAN 805 past: Calenhad, Min-Rimmon, Erelas, Nardol. But their fires were quenched. All the lands were grey and still; and ever the shadow deepened before them, and hope waned in every heart.
他們經過了：卡蘭哈德、敏-力蒙、埃瑞拉斯、納多。但烽火已滅。所有土地都灰濛而寂靜；陰影在他們面前不斷加深，希望在每個人心中逐漸消逝。