Chapter 2 THE LAND OF SHADOW Sam had just wits enough left to thrust the phial back into his breast. ‘Run, Mr. Frodo!’ he cried. ‘No, not that way! There’s a sheer drop over the wall. Follow me!’ Down the road from the gate they fled. In fifty paces, with a swift bend round a jutting bastion of the cliff, it took them out of sight from the Tower. They had escaped for the moment. Cowering back against the rock they drew breath, and then they clutched at their hearts. Perching now on the wall beside the ruined gate the Nazgil sent out its deadly cries. All the cliffs echoed. In terror they stumbled on. Soon the road bent sharply eastward again and exposed them for a dreadful moment to view from the Tower. As they flitted across they glanced back and saw the great black shape upon the battlement; then they plunged down between high rock-walls in a cutting that fell steeply to join the Morgul-road. They came to the way-meeting. There was still no sign of orcs, nor of an answer to the cry of the Nazgtil; but they knew that the silence would not last long. At any moment now the hunt would begin. ‘This won’t do, Sam,’ said Frodo. ‘If we were real orcs, we ought to be dashing back to the Tower, not running away. The first enemy we meet will know us. We must get off this road somehow.’ ‘But we can’t,’ said Sam, ‘not without wings.’ The eastern faces of the Ephel Duath were sheer, falling in cliff and precipice to the black trough that lay between them and the inner ridge. A short way beyond the way-meeting, after another steep incline, a flying bridge of stone leapt over the chasm and bore the road across into the tumbled slopes and glens of the Morgai. With a desperate spurt Frodo and Sam dashed along the bridge; but they had hardly reached its further end when they heard the hue and cry begin. Away behind them, now high above on the mountain-side, loomed the Tower of Cirith Ungol, its stones glowing dully. Suddenly its harsh bell clanged again, and then broke into a shattering peal. Horns sounded. And now from beyond the bridge-end came answering cries. Down in the dark trough, cut off from the dying glare of Orodruin, Frodo and Sam could not see ahead, but already they heard the tramp of ironshod feet, and upon the road there rang the swift clatter of hoofs. ‘Quick, Sam! Over we go!’ cried Frodo. They scrambled on to the low parapet of the bridge. Fortunately there was no longer any dread
第二章 陰影之地。山姆僅存的理智讓他把聖水瓶塞回胸口。「快跑，佛羅多先生！」他喊道。「不，不是那邊！牆外就是萬丈深淵。跟我來！」他們沿著大門外的路逃跑。走了五十步，繞過懸崖上一座突出的堡壘，一個急轉彎便讓他們脫離了高塔的視線。他們暫時逃脫了。他們蜷縮在岩石後喘息，然後緊緊抓住自己的心口。此時，戒靈棲息在殘破大門旁的牆上，發出致命的尖嘯。所有的懸崖都迴盪著。他們在恐懼中踉蹌前行。很快，道路又急轉向東，讓他們在可怕的一瞬間暴露在高塔的視野中。當他們匆匆穿過時，回頭看見城垛上那個巨大的黑色身影；然後他們一頭栽進兩側高聳岩壁之間的一條切道，那條切道陡峭地下降，與魔窟道匯合。他們來到岔路口。仍然沒有半獸人的蹤影，也沒有戒靈尖嘯的回應；但他們知道，這份寂靜不會持續太久。隨時，追捕就會開始。「這樣不行，山姆，」佛羅多說。「如果我們真的是半獸人，我們應該是衝回高塔，而不是逃跑。我們遇到的第一個敵人就會識破我們。我們必須想辦法離開這條路。」「可是我們辦不到，」山姆說，「除非我們有翅膀。」埃菲爾杜阿斯山脈的東面是陡峭的，懸崖峭壁直落到一道黑色的深谷，那深谷介於它們與內脊之間。岔路口再往前不遠，經過另一段陡峭的上坡後，一座飛橋般的石橋橫跨過深淵，將道路引向莫爾蓋山脈起伏的山坡和幽谷。佛羅多和山姆拼命衝刺，沿著橋飛奔；但他們還沒跑到橋的另一端，就聽見了追捕的喧囂聲。在他們身後，高高的山腰上，西力斯昂哥塔赫然聳立，它的石塊發出黯淡的光芒。突然，它那刺耳的鐘聲再次敲響，隨後爆發出震耳欲聾的巨響。號角響起。而此時，從橋的另一端傳來了回應的喊聲。在黑暗的深谷中，與末日火山垂死的餘暉隔絕，佛羅多和山姆看不清前方，但他們已經聽見了鐵蹄的踐踏聲，路上響起了急促的馬蹄聲。「快，山姆！我們過去！」佛羅多喊道。他們爬上了橋的低矮護牆。幸運的是，恐懼已不復存在。
THE LAND OF SHADOW QI7 ful drop into the gulf, for the slopes of the Morgai had already risen almost to the level of the road; but it was too dark for them to guess the depth of the fall. ‘Well, here goes, Mr. Frodo,’ said Sam. ‘Good-bye!’ He let go. Frodo followed. And even as they fell they heard the rush of horsemen sweeping over the bridge and the rattle of orc-feet running up behind. But Sam would have laughed, if he had dared. Half fearing a breaking plunge down on to unseen rocks the hobbits landed, in a drop of no more than a dozen feet, with a thud and a crunch into the last thing that they had expected: a tangle of thorny bushes. There Sam lay still, softly sucking a scratched hand. When the sound of hoof and foot had passed he ventured a whisper. ‘Bless me, Mr. Frodo, but I didn’t know as anything grew in Mordor! But if I had a’known, this is just what I’d have looked for. These thorns must be a foot long by the feel of them; they’ve stuck through everything I’ve got on. Wish Id a’put that mailshirt on!’ ‘Orc-mail doesn’t keep these thorns out,’ said Frodo. ‘Not even a leather jerkin is any good.’ They had a struggle to get out of the thicket. The thorns and briars were as tough as wire and as clinging as claws. Their cloaks were rent and tattered before they broke free at last. ‘Now down we go, Sam,’ Frodo whispered. ‘Down into the valley quick, and then turn northward, as soon as ever we can.’ Day was coming again in the world outside, and far beyond the glooms of Mordor the Sun was climbing over the eastern rim of Middle-earth; but here all was still dark as night. The Mountain smouldered and its fires went out. The glare faded from the cliffs. The easterly wind that had been blowing ever since they left Ithilien now seemed dead. Slowly and painfully they clambered down, groping, stumbling, scrambling among rock and briar and dead wood in the blind shadows, down and down until they could go no further. At length they stopped, and sat side by side, their backs against a boulder. Both were sweating. ‘If Shagrat himself was to offer me a glass of water, I’d shake his hand,’ said Sam. ‘Don’t say such things!’ said Frodo. ‘It only makes it worse.’ Then he stretched himself out, dizzy and weary, and he spoke no more for a while. At last with a struggle he got up again. To his amazement he found that Sam was asleep. ‘Wake up, Sam!’ he said. ‘Come on! It’s time we made another effort.’ Sam scrambled to his feet. ‘Well I never!’ he said. ‘I must have dropped off. It’s a long time, Mr. Frodo, since I had a proper sleep, and my eyes just closed down on their own.’
闇影之地 QI7 墜入深淵，因為摩爾蓋山坡已幾乎與路面齊平；但天色太暗，他們無法判斷墜落的深度。「好吧，豁出去了，佛羅多先生。」山姆說。「再見！」他鬆了手。佛羅多跟著跳下。就在他們墜落之際，他們聽見騎兵奔馳過橋的聲響，以及半獸人腳步聲從後方追來的喀噠聲。但如果山姆敢的話，他會大笑出來。半獸人擔心會猛烈墜落到看不見的岩石上，結果哈比人只墜落了不到十二英尺，便砰地一聲，嘎吱作響地落到了他們最意想不到的東西上：一叢糾結的荊棘。山姆躺在那裡，輕輕吸吮著被刮傷的手。當蹄聲和腳步聲遠去後，他冒險低聲說：「天啊，佛羅多先生，我真不知道魔多還有什麼東西能生長！但如果我早知道，這正是我會尋找的東西。這些荊棘摸起來一定有一英尺長；它們刺穿了我身上所有的東西。真希望我當時穿上了那件鎖子甲！」佛羅多說：「半獸人鎖子甲也擋不住這些荊棘。即使是皮背心也沒用。」他們費力地掙扎著爬出灌木叢。荊棘和刺藤像鐵絲一樣堅韌，像爪子一樣纏繞。他們的斗篷被撕裂得破爛不堪，才終於掙脫。佛羅多低聲說：「山姆，我們現在下去。快點下到山谷，然後盡快往北走。」外面的世界天色又亮了，遠在魔多的陰影之外，太陽正從中土世界的東方邊緣升起；但這裡依然漆黑如夜。山脈悶燒著，火焰熄滅了。懸崖上的眩光也消退了。自從他們離開伊西力安以來一直吹拂的東風，此刻似乎也停歇了。他們緩慢而痛苦地攀爬下去，在盲目的陰影中摸索、跌跌撞撞、手腳並用地在岩石、荊棘和枯木間穿行，一直往下，直到無法再前進。最後他們停了下來，肩並肩坐著，背靠著一塊巨石。兩人都在流汗。「如果沙格拉特親自給我一杯水，我都會跟他握手。」山姆說。「別說這種話！」佛羅多說。「那只會讓事情更糟。」然後他伸展身體，頭暈目眩，疲憊不堪，一時半會兒沒再說話。最後，他掙扎著又站了起來。令他驚訝的是，他發現山姆睡著了。「山姆，醒醒！」他說。「快點！是時候我們再努力一次了。」山姆手腳並用地站了起來。「天哪，我從沒這樣過！」他說。「我一定是睡著了。佛羅多先生，我很久沒有好好睡一覺了，我的眼睛就這樣自己閉上了。
918 THE LORD OF THE RINGS Frodo now led the way, northward as near as he could guess, among the stones and boulders lying thick at the bottom of the great ravine. But presently he stopped again. ‘It’s no good, Sam,” he said. ‘I can’t manage it. This mail-shirt, I mean. Not in my present state. Even my mithril-coat seemed heavy when I was tired. This is far heavier. And what’s the use of it? We shan’t win through by fighting.’ ‘But we may have some to do,’ said Sam. ‘And there’s knives and stray arrows. That Gollum isn’t dead, for one thing. I don’t like to think of you with naught but a bit of leather between you and a stab in the dark.’ ‘Look here, Sam dear lad,’ said Frodo: ‘I am tired, weary, I haven’t a hope left. But I have to go on trying to get to the Mountain, as long as I can move. The Ring is enough. This extra weight is killing me. It must go. But don’t think I’m ungrateful. I hate to think of the foul work you must have had among the bodies to find it for me.’ ‘Don’t talk about it, Mr. Frodo. Bless you! ’d carry you on my back, if I could. Let it go then!’ Frodo laid aside his cloak and took off the orc-mail and flung it away. He shivered a little. ‘What I really need is something warm,’ he said. ‘It’s gone cold, or else I’ve caught a chill.’ “You can have my cloak, Mr. Frodo,’ said Sam. He unslung his pack and took out the elven-cloak. ‘How’s this, Mr. Frodo?’ he said. “You wrap that orc-rag close round you, and put the belt outside it. Then this can go over all. It don’t look quite orc-fashion, but it’ll keep you warmer; and I daresay it’ll keep you from harm better than any other gear. It was made by the Lady.’ Frodo took the cloak and fastened the brooch. ‘That’s better!’ he said. ‘I feel much lighter. I can go on now. But this blind dark seems to be getting into my heart. As I lay in prison, Sam, I tried to remember the Brandywine, and Woody End, and The Water running through the mill at Hobbiton. But I can’t see them now.’ “There now, Mr. Frodo, it’s you that’s talking of water this time!’ said Sam. ‘If only the Lady could see us or hear us, I’d say to her: *“Your Ladyship, all we want is light and water: just clean water and plain daylight, better than any jewels, begging your pardon.” But it’s a long way to Lorien.’ Sam sighed and waved his hand towards the heights of the Ephel Duath, now only to be guessed as a deeper blackness against the black sky. They started off again. They had not gone far when Frodo paused. “There’s a Black Rider over us,’ he said. ‘I can feel it. We had better keep still for a while.’ Crouched under a great boulder they sat facing back westward
918 《魔戒》佛羅多現在領路，盡他所能地朝北走，穿過大峽谷底部密佈的石頭和巨石。但他很快又停了下來。「山姆，這沒用。」他說。「我應付不來。我是說這件鎖子甲。我現在的狀況不行。即使是我的秘銀甲，在我疲憊時也顯得沉重。這件遠比那更重。而且有什麼用呢？我們不會靠戰鬥取勝的。」「但我們可能還是有些事要做。」山姆說。「而且還有刀子和流箭。哥魯姆還沒死，這是一點。我不喜歡想著你身上除了那點皮革之外，就沒有什麼能擋住黑暗中的一刀了。」「聽著，親愛的山姆小夥子。」佛羅多說：「我很累，筋疲力盡，一點希望都沒有了。但我必須繼續努力前往那座山，只要我還能動。魔戒已經夠了。這額外的重量快把我壓垮了。它必須脫掉。但別以為我不感激。我討厭想到你為了替我找到它，在那些屍體堆裡做了多麼骯髒的工作。」「別提了，佛羅多先生。願你平安！如果可以，我會背著你走。那就把它脫了吧！」佛羅多放下斗篷，脫下獸人鎖子甲，把它扔掉了。他輕輕顫抖了一下。「我真正需要的是一些溫暖的東西。」他說。「天氣變冷了，不然就是我著涼了。」「你可以穿我的斗篷，佛羅多先生。」山姆說。他解下背包，拿出精靈斗篷。「佛羅多先生，這樣如何？」他說。「你把那件獸人破布緊緊裹在身上，然後把腰帶繫在外面。這樣這件斗篷就可以蓋在上面了。它看起來不太像獸人的風格，但它會讓你更暖和；而且我敢說它會比任何其他裝備更能保護你免受傷害。這是那位女士做的。」佛羅多接過斗篷，扣上胸針。「這樣好多了！」他說。「我感覺輕多了。我現在可以繼續走了。但這片盲目的黑暗似乎正在滲入我的心。山姆，當我躺在監獄裡時，我試圖回憶起白蘭地河、林地盡頭，以及哈比屯磨坊裡流過的水。但我現在什麼也看不見了。」「現在，佛羅多先生，這次是你自己在談論水了！」山姆說。「如果那位女士能看見或聽見我們，我會對她說：『夫人，我們只想要光和水：只是乾淨的水和普通的日光，比任何珠寶都好，請您原諒。』但到羅瑞安還有很長的路。」山姆嘆了口氣，朝著伊菲爾杜阿斯山脈的高處揮了揮手，那裡現在只能被猜測為黑夜中更深沉的黑暗。他們又出發了。他們沒走多遠，佛羅多就停了下來。「我們頭上有個黑騎士。」他說。「我能感覺到。我們最好保持不動一會兒。」他們蜷縮在一塊大石頭下，背對西方坐著。
THE LAND OF SHADOW 919 and did not speak for some time. Then Frodo breathed a sigh of relief. ‘It’s passed,’ he said. They stood up, and then they both stared in wonder. Away to their left, southward, against a sky that was turning grey, the peaks and high ridges of the great range began to appear dark and black, visible shapes. Light was growing behind them. Slowly it crept towards the North. There was battle far above in the high spaces of the air. The billowing clouds of Mordor were being driven back, their edges tattering as a wind out of the living world came up and swept the fumes and smokes towards the dark land of their home. Under the lifting skirts of the dreary canopy dim light leaked into Mordor like pale morning through the grimed window of a prison. ‘Look at it, Mr. Frodo!’ said Sam. ‘Look at it! The wind’s changed. Something’s happening. He’s not having it all his own way. His darkness is breaking up out in the world there. I wish I could see what is going on!’ It was the morning of the fifteenth of March, and over the Vale of Anduin the Sun was rising above the eastern shadow, and the south-west wind was blowing. Theoden lay dying on the Pelennor Fields. As Frodo and Sam stood and gazed, the rim of light spread all along the line of the Ephel Duath, and then they saw a shape, moving at a great speed out of the West, at first only a black speck against the glimmering strip above the mountain-tops, but growing, until it plunged like a bolt into the dark canopy and passed high above them. As it went it sent out a long shrill cry, the voice of a Nazgtl; but this cry no longer held any terror for them: it was a cry of woe and dismay, ill tidings for the Dark Tower. The Lord of the Ringwraiths had met his doom. ‘What did I tell you? Something’s happening!’ cried Sam. ‘‘““The war’s going well,”’ said Shagrat; but Gorbag he wasn’t so sure. And he was right there too. Things are looking up, Mr. Frodo. Haven’t you got some hope now?” ‘Well no, not much, Sam,’ Frodo sighed. “That’s away beyond the mountains. We’re going east not west. And I’m so tired. And the Ring is so heavy, Sam. And I begin to see it in my mind all the time, like a great wheel of fire.’ Sam’s quick spirits sank again at once. He looked at his master anxiously, and he took his hand. ‘Come, Mr. Frodo!’ he said. ‘I’ve got one thing I wanted: a bit of light. Enough to help us, and yet I guess it’s dangerous too. Try a bit further, and then we’ll lie close and have a rest. But take a morsel to eat now, a bit of the Elves’ food; it may hearten you.’
幽影之地 919 他們沉默了一會兒。然後佛羅多鬆了一口氣。「過去了。」他說。他們站起身，然後兩人驚訝地凝視著。在他們左邊，向南，對著一片漸漸變灰的天空，那巨大山脈的峰頂和高脊開始顯現出黑暗、漆黑的輪廓。光線在他們身後漸漸增強。它緩緩地向北方蔓延。高空中正進行著一場戰鬥。魔多的滾滾烏雲正被驅散，邊緣被撕裂，因為一股來自生者世界的風吹了起來，將煙霧吹向他們黑暗的家園。在陰沉天幕掀起的邊緣下，微弱的光線滲入魔多，就像清晨透過監獄骯髒的窗戶灑進來的蒼白光芒。「看啊，佛羅多先生！」山姆說。「看啊！風向變了。有事情正在發生。他並非事事如意。他的黑暗正在那世界中瓦解。我真希望我能看到正在發生什麼！」那是三月十五日的早晨，在安都因河谷上空，太陽正從東方的陰影中升起，西南風正吹拂著。希優頓正躺在佩蘭諾平原上垂死。當佛羅多和山姆站著凝視時，光線的邊緣沿著魔影山脈的線條蔓延開來，然後他們看到一個形影，以極快的速度從西方飛來，起初只是山頂上方閃爍光帶上的一個黑點，但漸漸變大，直到它像一道閃電般衝入黑暗的天幕，從他們頭頂高處掠過。當它飛過時，發出了一聲長而尖銳的叫聲，那是戒靈的聲音；但這叫聲對他們來說不再帶有任何恐懼：那是一個悲傷和沮喪的哭喊，對黑暗塔來說是個壞消息。戒靈之王已經大限已到。「我說什麼來著？有事情正在發生！」山姆喊道。「『『『戰況良好，』』』夏格拉特說；但戈巴格卻不那麼確定。而他也是對的。佛羅多先生，情況正在好轉。你現在不是有些希望了嗎？」 「嗯，沒有，不多，山姆。」佛羅多嘆了口氣。「那是在山脈之外。我們正往東走，而不是往西。我太累了。而且魔戒太重了，山姆。我開始一直在我腦海中看到它，像一個巨大的火輪。」山姆的興奮情緒立刻又低落了下來。他焦慮地看著他的主人，並握住了他的手。「來吧，佛羅多先生！」他說。「我得到了一樣我想要的東西：一點光。足夠幫助我們，但我猜它也很危險。再走遠一點，然後我們就躺下來休息。但現在吃點東西吧，一點精靈的食物；它可能會讓你振作起來。
920 THE LORD OF THE RINGS Sharing a wafer of Jembas, and munching it as best they could with their parched mouths, Frodo and Sam plodded on. The light, though no more than a grey dusk, was now enough for them to see that they were deep in the valley between the mountains. It sloped up gently northward, and at its bottom went the bed of a now dry and withered stream. Beyond its stony course they saw a beaten path that wound its way under the feet of the westward cliffs. Had they known, they could have reached it quicker, for it was a track that left the main Morgul-road at the western bridge-end and went down by a long stair cut in the rock to the valley’s bottom. It was used by patrols or by messengers going swiftly to lesser posts and strongholds north-away, between Cirith Ungol and the narrows of Isenmouthe, the iron jaws of Carach Angren. It was perilous for the hobbits to use such a path, but they needed speed, and Frodo felt that he could not face the toil of scrambling among the boulders or in the trackless glens of the Morgai. And he judged that northward was, maybe, the way that their hunters would least expect them to take. The road east to the plain, or the pass back westward, those they would first search most thoroughly. Only when he was well north of the Tower did he mean to turn and seek for some way to take him east, east on the last desperate stage of his journey. So now they crossed the stony bed and took to the orc-path, and for some time they marched along it. The cliffs at their left were overhung, and they could not be seen from above; but the path made many bends, and at each bend they gripped their sword-hilts and went forward cautiously. The light grew no stronger, for Orodruin was still belching forth a great fume that, beaten upwards by the opposing airs, mounted higher and higher, until it reached a region above the wind and spread in an immeasurable roof, whose central pillar rose out of the shadows beyond their view. They had trudged for more than an hour when they heard a sound that brought them to a halt. Unbelievable, but unmistakable. Water trickling. Out of a gully on the left, so sharp and narrow that it looked as if the black cliff had been cloven by some huge axe, water came dripping down: the last remains, maybe, of some sweet rain gathered from sunlit seas, but ill-fated to fall at last upon the walls of the Black Land and wander fruitless down into the dust. Here it came out of the rock in a little falling streamlet, and flowed across the path, and turning south ran away swiftly to be lost among the dead stones. Sam sprang towards it. ‘If ever I see the Lady again, I will tell her!’ he cried. ‘Light and now water!’ Then he stopped. ‘Let me drink first, Mr. Frodo,’ he said. ‘All right, but there’s room enough for two.’
920 《魔戒》 佛羅多和山姆分食著一塊蘭巴斯，用他們乾渴的嘴巴盡力咀嚼著，然後繼續艱難地前行。光線雖然不過是灰濛濛的薄暮，但已足以讓他們看清自己正身處群山之間的深谷之中。山谷向北緩緩傾斜，谷底是一條如今已乾涸枯萎的河床。越過那佈滿石塊的河道，他們看到一條被踩踏出來的小徑，蜿蜒地伸向西邊懸崖的腳下。如果他們早知道，本可以更快到達那裡，因為那是一條從魔窟大道西邊橋頭分岔出來的小徑，沿著鑿在岩石中的長階梯一直通往谷底。這條路是巡邏隊或信使快速前往北方較小的哨站和據點所使用的，位於西力斯昂哥和伊森茅斯峽谷之間，也就是卡拉赫安格倫的鐵顎。霍比特人使用這樣的小徑是危險的，但他們需要速度，而且佛羅多覺得他無法忍受在巨石之間攀爬或在莫蓋的無路峽谷中跋涉的辛勞。他判斷向北走，或許是他們的追捕者最意想不到的路線。東邊通往平原的路，或是西邊的隘口，這些地方他們會首先徹底搜查。只有當他遠離高塔向北行進後，他才打算轉向，尋找一條能帶他向東的路，踏上他旅程最後絕望的階段。於是他們現在越過佈滿石塊的河床，走上了獸人小徑，並沿著它行進了一段時間。他們左側的懸崖峭壁向外突出，使他們無法從上方被看見；但小徑彎彎曲曲，每到一個轉彎處，他們都會緊握劍柄，小心翼翼地前行。光線沒有變得更亮，因為末日火山仍在噴吐著大量的濃煙，這些濃煙被逆向的氣流向上推動，越升越高，直到到達風層之上，然後像一片無邊無際的屋頂般擴散開來，其中心支柱從他們視野之外的陰影中升起。他們艱難地走了超過一個小時，突然聽到一個聲音，讓他們停下了腳步。難以置信，卻又如此清晰。水流潺潺。左邊一道又窄又深的溝壑中，窄得彷彿黑色的懸崖被巨斧劈開一般，水滴滴答答地流下來：這或許是從陽光普照的海洋中匯聚而來的甘甜雨水的最後殘餘，卻不幸地最終落在了黑土的牆壁上，徒勞無功地流向塵埃。在這裡，它從岩石中流出，形成一條細流，然後流過小徑，轉向南方，迅速消失在死寂的石塊之間。山姆朝它撲過去。「如果我再見到那位女士，我一定會告訴她！」他喊道。「光線，現在又有水了！」然後他停了下來。「讓我先喝，佛羅多先生。」他說。「好吧，但這裡足夠兩個人喝。」
THE LAND OF SHADOW 921 ‘I didn’t mean that,’ said Sam. ‘I mean: if it’s poisonous, or something that will show its badness quick, well, better me than you, master, if you understand me.’ ‘I do. But I think we’ll trust our luck together, Sam; or our blessing. Still, be careful now, if it’s very cold!’ The water was cool but not icy, and it had an unpleasant taste, at once bitter and oily, or so they would have said at home. Here it seemed beyond all praise, and beyond fear or prudence. They drank their fill, and Sam replenished his water-bottle. After that Frodo felt easier, and they went on for several miles, until the broadening of the road and the beginnings of a rough wall along its edge warned them that they were drawing near to another orc-hold. “This is where we turn aside, Sam,’ said Frodo. ‘And we must turn east.’ He sighed as he looked at the gloomy ridges across the valley. ‘I have just about enough strength left to find some hole away up there. And then I must rest a little.’ The river-bed was now some way below the path. They scrambled down to it, and began to cross it. To their surprise they came upon dark pools fed by threads of water trickling down from some source higher up the valley. Upon its outer marges under the westward mountains Mordor was a dying land, but it was not yet dead. And here things still grew, harsh, twisted, bitter, struggling for life. In the glens of the Morgai on the other side of the valley low scrubby trees lurked and clung, coarse grey grass-tussocks fought with the stones, and withered mosses crawled on them; and everywhere great writhing, tangled brambles sprawled. Some had long stabbing thorns, some hooked barbs that rent like knives. The sullen shrivelled leaves of a past year hung on them, grating and rattling in the sad airs, but their maggot-ridden buds were only just opening. Flies, dun or grey, or black, marked like orcs with a red eye-shaped blotch, buzzed and stung; and above the briar-thickets clouds of hungry midges danced and reeled. ‘Orc-gear’s no good,’ said Sam waving his arms. ‘I wish I’d got an orc’s hide!’ At last Frodo could go no further. They had climbed up a narrow shelving ravine, but they still had a long way to go before they could even come in sight of the last craggy ridge. ‘I must rest now, Sam, and sleep if I can,’ said Frodo. He looked about, but there seemed nowhere even for an animal to crawl into in this dismal country. At length, tired out, they slunk under a curtain of brambles that hung down like a mat over a low rock-face. There they sat and made such a meal as they could. Keeping back the precious /embas for the evil days ahead, they ate the half of what
陰影之地 921 「我不是那個意思，」山姆說。「我的意思是：如果它有毒，或是會很快顯現出它的惡劣，那麼，主人，與其是你，不如是我，如果你明白我的意思。」「我明白。但我認為我們會一起碰運氣，山姆；或者說，是我們的福氣。不過，如果它很冷，現在還是要小心！」水是涼的，但不冰，而且味道不佳，既苦又油，如果在家裡，他們會這麼說。在這裡，它似乎超越了所有讚美，也超越了恐懼或謹慎。他們喝了個飽，山姆也重新裝滿了他的水壺。之後佛羅多感覺輕鬆了些，他們又走了好幾英里，直到道路變寬，路邊出現一道粗糙的牆壁，才提醒他們正接近另一個半獸人據點。「山姆，我們要在這裡轉向，」佛羅多說。「我們必須往東走。」他看著山谷對面陰沉的山脊，嘆了口氣。「我只剩下足夠的力氣去那上面找個藏身之處了。然後我必須休息一下。」河床現在在小徑下方一段距離。他們手腳並用地爬下去，開始渡河。令他們驚訝的是，他們發現了一些黑色的水池，由山谷上方某處涓涓細流的水線所滋養。在它西邊山脈下的外緣，魔多是一片垂死的土地，但它尚未完全死去。而在這裡，萬物仍在生長，嚴酷、扭曲、苦澀，掙扎求生。在山谷另一側的魔蓋峽谷中，低矮的灌木叢潛伏著並緊抓不放，粗糙的灰色草叢與石頭搏鬥，枯萎的苔蘚在上面蔓延；到處都是巨大扭曲、糾結的荊棘叢。有些長著長長的刺，有些則有像刀一樣撕裂的倒鉤。去年枯萎的葉子陰沉地掛在上面，在悲傷的空氣中摩擦作響，但它們被蛆蟲侵蝕的花苞才剛開始綻放。蒼蠅，土黃色、灰色或黑色，像半獸人一樣有著紅色的眼形斑點，嗡嗡作響並叮咬；在荊棘叢上方，成群飢餓的蚋蟲飛舞盤旋。「半獸人的裝備沒用！」山姆揮舞著手臂說。「我真希望我有一張半獸人的皮！」最後佛羅多再也走不動了。他們爬上了一條狹窄傾斜的峽谷，但距離能看到最後一道崎嶇的山脊還有很長的路要走。「山姆，我現在必須休息，如果可以的話，睡一會兒，」佛羅多說。他環顧四周，但在這片陰森的土地上，似乎連動物都找不到可以鑽進去的地方。最後，他們精疲力盡，鑽進了一片像墊子一樣垂掛在低矮岩壁上的荊棘叢下。他們在那裡坐下，盡可能地吃了一頓。他們把珍貴的蘭巴斯留給未來的艱難日子，吃掉了剩下的一半。
922 THE LORD OF THE RINGS remained in Sam’s bag of Faramir’s provision: some dried fruit, and a small slip of cured meat; and they sipped some water. They had drunk again from the pools in the valley, but they were very thirsty again. There was a bitter tang in the air of Mordor that dried the mouth. When Sam thought of water even his hopeful spirit quailed. Beyond the Morgai there was the dreadful plain of Gorgoroth to cross. ‘Now you go to sleep first, Mr. Frodo,’ he said. ‘It’s getting dark again. I reckon this day is nearly over.’ Frodo sighed and was asleep almost before the words were spoken. Sam struggled with his own weariness, and he took Frodo’s hand; and there he sat silent till deep night fell. Then at last, to keep himself awake, he crawled from the hiding-place and looked out. The land seemed full of creaking and cracking and sly noises, but there was no sound of voice or of foot. Far above the Ephel Duath in the West the night-sky was still dim and pale. There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach. His song in the Tower had been defiance rather than hope; for then he was thinking of himself. Now, for a moment, his own fate, and even his master’s, ceased to trouble him. He crawled back into the brambles and laid himself by Frodo’s side, and putting away all fear he cast himself into a deep untroubled sleep. They woke together, hand in hand. Sam was almost fresh, ready for another day; but Frodo sighed. His sleep had been uneasy, full of dreams of fire, and waking brought him no comfort. Still his sleep had not been without all healing virtue: he was stronger, more able to bear his burden one stage further. They did not know the time, nor how long they had slept; but after a morsel of food and a sip of water they went on up the ravine, until it ended in a sharp slope of screes and sliding stones. There the last living things gave up their struggle; the tops of the Morgai were grassless, bare, jagged, barren as a slate. After much wandering and search they found a way that they could climb, and with a last hundred feet of clawing scramble they were up. They came to a cleft between two dark crags, and passing through found themselves on the very edge of the last fence of Mordor. Below them, at the bottom of a fall of some fifteen hundred feet, lay the inner plain stretching away into a formless gloom beyond their sight.
《魔戒》922頁 山姆的袋子裡還留著法拉墨給的補給品：一些果乾，一小片醃肉；他們啜飲了一些水。他們在山谷的水池裡又喝過水，但又感到非常口渴。魔多空氣中瀰漫著一股苦澀的氣味，令人喉嚨發乾。當山姆想到水的時候，連他那充滿希望的精神也為之沮喪。越過莫蓋山脈，就是那可怕的戈哥洛斯平原，他們必須穿越。「佛羅多先生，你先睡吧。」他說。「天又快黑了。我想這一天也差不多要結束了。」佛羅多嘆了口氣，話還沒說完就幾乎睡著了。山姆與自己的疲憊搏鬥著，他握著佛羅多的手；就這樣靜靜地坐著，直到深夜降臨。最後，為了保持清醒，他爬出了藏身處，向外張望。這片土地似乎充滿了吱嘎作響、劈啪作響和鬼鬼祟祟的聲音，卻沒有人聲或腳步聲。在西方，遠高於伊菲爾杜阿斯山脈的夜空依然昏暗蒼白。在那裡，高山上一座黑暗的孤峰上方，雲層裂隙中，山姆看到一顆白色的星星閃爍了一會兒。當他從這片被遺棄的土地上仰望時，那份美麗觸動了他的心弦，希望重新回到了他身上。因為一個念頭像一道清晰而冰冷的箭矢般刺穿了他：最終，陰影只是一個渺小而短暫的存在；光明與崇高的美麗永遠超越其所及。他在塔樓裡的歌聲是反抗而非希望；因為那時他只顧著自己。此刻，他的命運，甚至他主人的命運，暫時不再困擾他。他爬回荊棘叢中，躺在佛羅多身旁，拋開所有恐懼，沉入了一片深沉而安穩的睡眠。他們手牽手一起醒來。山姆幾乎精神抖擻，準備好迎接新的一天；但佛羅多卻嘆了口氣。他的睡眠不安穩，充滿了火焰的夢境，醒來也沒帶來任何慰藉。然而，他的睡眠也並非毫無療癒之效：他變得更強壯了，更能再多承受一段路程的重擔。他們不知道時間，也不知道睡了多久；但在吃了一小口食物、喝了一口水後，他們繼續沿著峽谷往上走，直到峽谷盡頭是一片陡峭的碎石坡和滑動的石塊。在那裡，最後的生物也放棄了掙扎；莫蓋山脈的山頂沒有草，光禿禿的，崎嶇不平，貧瘠得像一塊石板。經過一番漫長的摸索和尋找，他們找到了一條可以攀爬的路，又經過最後一百英尺的奮力攀爬，他們終於上去了。他們來到兩座黑暗峭壁之間的一道裂縫，穿過之後，發現自己身處魔多最後一道防線的邊緣。在他們下方，約一千五百英尺深的谷底，是一片內陸平原，延伸至他們視線之外的無形黑暗中。
THE LAND OF SHADOW 923 The wind of the world blew now from the West, and the great clouds were lifted high, floating away eastward; but still only a grey light came to the dreary fields of Gorgoroth. There smokes trailed on the ground and lurked in hollows, and fumes leaked from fissures in the earth. Still far away, forty miles at least, they saw Mount Doom, its feet founded in ashen ruin, its huge cone rising to a great height, where its reeking head was swathed in cloud. Its fires were now dimmed, and it stood in smouldering slumber, as threatening and dangerous as a sleeping beast. Behind it there hung a vast shadow, ominous as a thunder-cloud, the veils of Barad-dir that was reared far away upon a long spur of the Ashen Mountains thrust down from the North. The Dark Power was deep in thought, and the Eye turned inward, pondering tidings of doubt and danger: a bright sword, and a stern and kingly face it saw, and for a while it gave little thought to other things; and all its great stronghold, gate on gate, and tower on tower, was wrapped in a brooding gloom. Frodo and Sam gazed out in mingled loathing and wonder on this hateful land. Between them and the smoking mountain, and about it north and south, all seemed ruinous and dead, a desert burned and choked. They wondered how the Lord of this realm maintained and fed his slaves and his armies. Yet armies he had. As far as their eyes could reach, along the skirts of the Morgai and away southward, there were camps, some of tents, some ordered like small towns. One of the largest of these was right below them. Barely a mile out into the plain it clustered like some huge nest of insects, with straight dreary streets of huts and long low drab buildings. About it the ground was busy with folk going to and fro; a wide road ran from it south-east to join the Morgul-way, and along it many lines of small black shapes were hurrying. ‘I don’t like the look of things at all,’ said Sam. ‘Pretty hopeless, I call it — saving that where there’s such a lot of folk there must be wells or water, not to mention food. And these are Men not Orcs, or my eyes are all wrong.’ Neither he nor Frodo knew anything of the great slave-worked fields away south in this wide realm, beyond the fumes of the Mountain by the dark sad waters of Lake Nurnen; nor of the great roads that ran away east and south to tributary lands, from which the soldiers of the Tower brought long waggon-trains of goods and booty and fresh slaves. Here in the northward regions were the mines and forges, and the musterings of long-planned war; and here the Dark Power, moving its armies like pieces on the board, was gathering them together. Its first moves, the first feelers of its strength, had been checked upon its western line, southward and northward. For
陰影之地 923 世界之風此刻從西方吹來，巨大的雲朵被高高托起，向東方飄去；然而，只有一線灰暗的光線照到了戈哥洛斯那片荒涼的田野。那裡煙霧在地面上拖曳，潛伏在窪地裡，地縫中滲出陣陣毒氣。遠在至少四十英里之外，他們看到了末日火山，它的山腳深埋在灰燼般的廢墟中，巨大的錐體高聳入雲，散發著惡臭的山頂被雲霧繚繞。它的火焰此刻已然黯淡，它矗立在那裡，在悶燒的沉睡中，如同沉睡的野獸般充滿威脅與危險。在它身後，懸掛著一片巨大的陰影，如同雷暴雲般不祥，那是巴拉多要塞的帷幕，它遠遠地矗立在從北方延伸下來的灰燼山脈的一條長長的山脊上。黑暗魔君正深思熟慮，魔眼轉向內心，沉思著疑慮與危險的消息：它看到了一把明亮的劍，一張嚴肅而威嚴的王者面孔，一時之間，它對其他事物鮮少顧及；而它所有巨大的要塞，門樓疊門樓，高塔連高塔，都籠罩在一片沉鬱的黑暗中。佛羅多和山姆懷著厭惡與驚奇交織的心情，凝視著這片可憎的土地。在他們與那座冒煙的山之間，以及山的南北兩側，一切都顯得殘破而死寂，一片被焚燒和窒息的荒漠。他們疑惑，這片領地的魔君是如何維持並供養他的奴隸和軍隊的。然而，他確實擁有軍隊。遠至他們目光所及之處，沿著摩爾蓋山脈的邊緣向南延伸，到處都是營地，有些是帳篷，有些則像小城鎮般排列整齊。其中一個最大的營地就在他們下方。僅僅一英里外，它就如同一座巨大的昆蟲巢穴般聚集在平原上，有著筆直而荒涼的棚屋街道和低矮單調的建築。周圍的地面上，人們來來往往，一片繁忙；一條寬闊的道路從那裡向東南延伸，與魔窟道匯合，路上許多小小的黑色身影正匆匆趕路。「我一點也不喜歡這裡的景象。」山姆說。「我說這真是毫無希望——除非有這麼多人的地方，就一定有水井或水源，更別提食物了。而且這些是人類，不是半獸人，否則我的眼睛就看錯了。」他和佛羅多都不知道，在這個廣闊的領地南部，在末日火山的毒氣之外，努爾能湖那片陰暗悲傷的水域旁，有著巨大的奴隸耕作的田地；也不知道那些向東向南延伸至附庸之地的寬闊道路，塔樓的士兵就是從那裡運來一列列滿載貨物、戰利品和新奴隸的馬車。在北方的這些地區，有著礦山和熔爐，以及為長期戰爭而進行的集結；黑暗魔君在這裡，像棋盤上的棋子一樣調動著他的軍隊，將它們聚集起來。它的第一步行動，它力量的首次試探，已經在其西線，無論是南方還是北方，都受到了阻礙。因為
924 THE LORD OF THE RINGS the moment it withdrew them, and brought up new forces, massing them about Cirith Gorgor for an avenging stroke. And if it had also been its purpose to defend the Mountain against all approach, it could scarcely have done more. ‘Well!’ Sam went on. ‘Whatever they have to eat and drink, we can’t get it. There’s no way down that I can see. And we couldn’t cross all that open country crawling with enemies, even if we did get down.’ ‘Still we shall have to try,’ said Frodo. ‘It’s no worse than I expected. I never hoped to get across. I can’t see any hope of it now. But I’ve still got to do the best I can. At present that is to avoid being captured as long as possible. So we must still go northwards, I think, and see what it is like where the open plain is narrower.’ ‘I guess what it’ll be like,’ said Sam. ‘Where it’s narrower the Orcs and Men will just be packed closer. You’ll see, Mr. Frodo.’ ‘I dare say I shall, if we ever get so far,’ said Frodo and turned away. They soon found that it was impossible to make their way along the crest of the Morgai, or anywhere along its higher levels, pathless as they were and scored with deep ghylls. In the end they were forced to go back down the ravine that they had climbed and seek for a way along the valley. It was rough going, for they dared not cross over to the path on the westward side. After a mile or more they saw, huddled in a hollow at the cliff’s foot, the orc-hold that they had guessed was near at hand: a wall and a cluster of stone huts set about the dark mouth of a cave. There was no movement to be seen, but the hobbits crept by cautiously, keeping as much as they could to the thorn-brakes that grew thickly at this point along both sides of the old water-course. They went two or three miles further, and the orc-hold was hidden from sight behind them; but they had hardly begun to breathe more freely again when harsh and loud they heard orc-voices. Quickly they slunk out of sight behind a brown and stunted bush. The voices drew nearer. Presently two orcs came into view. One was clad in ragged brown and was armed with a bow of horn; it was of a small breed, black-skinned, with wide and snuffling nostrils: evidently a tracker of some kind. The other was a big fighting-orc, like those of Shagrat’s company, bearing the token of the Eye. He also had a bow at his back and carried a short broad-headed spear. As usual they were quarrelling, and being of different breeds they used the Common Speech after their fashion. Hardly twenty paces from where the hobbits lurked the small orc stopped. ‘Nar!’ it snarled. ‘’'m going home.’ It pointed across the valley to the orc-hold. ‘No good wearing my nose out on stones any
924 《魔戒》 它一撤回那些部隊，立刻又調集了新的兵力，將它們集結在西力斯哥哥周圍，準備進行報復性打擊。如果它的目的也是為了防禦山脈，阻止一切靠近，那它也幾乎不可能做得更好了。「嗯！」山姆接著說，「不管他們有什麼吃的喝的，我們都拿不到。我看不到任何下去的路。而且就算我們下去了，也無法穿越那片爬滿敵人的開闊地。」「我們還是得試試看。」佛羅多說，「這不比我預期的更糟。我從未奢望能穿越過去。我現在也看不到任何希望。但我還是必須盡力而為。目前就是要盡可能避免被俘虜。所以我想我們還是得往北走，看看那片開闊平原較窄的地方會是什麼樣子。」「我猜那會是什麼樣子。」山姆說，「越窄的地方，半獸人和人類就會擠得越密。你會看到的，佛羅多先生。」「如果我們真能走到那裡，我想我會看到的。」佛羅多說完便轉過身去。他們很快發現，根本不可能沿著魔蓋山脊或其任何較高的地方前進，因為那裡沒有路，而且佈滿了深深的峽谷。最後他們被迫回到他們爬上來的那個峽谷，沿著山谷尋找一條路。這是一段艱難的旅程，因為他們不敢越過到西邊的小徑。走了一英里多後，他們看到，在懸崖腳下的一個凹陷處，擠著他們猜測就在附近的半獸人據點：一道牆和一簇石屋圍繞著一個黑暗的洞口。沒有看到任何動靜，但哈比人小心翼翼地爬過去，盡可能地躲在沿著古老水道兩旁茂密生長的荊棘叢中。他們又走了兩三英里，半獸人據點就被他們拋在身後，看不見了；但他們還沒來得及更自由地呼吸，就聽到刺耳而響亮的半獸人聲音。他們迅速躲到一叢棕色矮小的灌木叢後面。聲音越來越近。很快，兩隻半獸人映入眼簾。一隻穿著破爛的棕色衣服，帶著一張角弓；它屬於一個小型品種，黑皮膚，有著寬大而抽動的鼻孔：顯然是某種追蹤者。另一隻是一隻大型戰鬥半獸人，就像沙格拉特手下的那些，帶著魔眼標誌。它背上也有一張弓，手裡拿著一根短而寬頭的長矛。像往常一樣，它們正在爭吵，由於品種不同，它們按照自己的方式使用通用語。離哈比人潛伏的地方不到二十步，那隻小半獸人停了下來。「哼！」它咆哮道，「我要回家。」它指著山谷對面的半獸人據點。「在石頭上磨壞我的鼻子可沒什麼好處。」
THE LAND OF SHADOW 925 more. There’s not a trace left, I say. P’ve lost the scent through giving way to you. It went up into the hills, not along the valley, I tell you.’ ‘Not much use are you, you little snufflers?’ said the big orc. ‘I reckon eyes are better than your snotty noses.’ “Then what have you seen with them?’ snarled the other. ‘Garn! You don’t even know what you’re looking for.’ ‘Whose blame’s that?’ said the soldier. ‘Not mine. That comes from Higher Up. First they say it’s a great Elf in bright armour, then it’s a sort of small dwarf-man, then it must be a pack of rebel Urukhai; or maybe it’s all the lot together.’ ‘Ar!’ said the tracker. “They’ve lost their heads, that’s what it is. And some of the bosses are going to lose their skins too, I guess, if what I hear is true: Tower raided and all, and hundreds of your lads done in, and prisoner got away. If that’s the way you fighters go on, small wonder there’s bad news from the battles.’ ‘Who says there’s bad news?’ shouted the soldier. ‘Ar! Who says there isn’t?’ “That’s cursed rebel-talk, and Pll stick you, if you don’t shut it down, see?’ ‘All right, all right!’ said the tracker. ‘’ll say no more and go on thinking. But what’s the black sneak got to do with it all? That gobbler with the flapping hands?’ ‘I don’t know. Nothing, maybe. But he’s up to no good, nosing around, I'll wager. Curse him! No sooner had he slipped us and run off than word came he’s wanted alive, wanted quick.’ ‘Well, I hope they get him and put him through it,’ growled the tracker. ‘He messed up the scent back there, pinching that cast-off mail-shirt that he found, and paddling all round the place before I could get there.’ ‘It saved his life anyhow,’ said the soldier. ‘Why, before I knew he was wanted I shot him, as neat as neat, at fifty paces right in the back; but he ran on.’ ‘Garn! You missed him,’ said the tracker. ‘First you shoot wild, then you run too slow, and then you send for the poor trackers. P’ve had enough of you.’ He loped off. “You come back,’ shouted the soldier, ‘or I'll report you!’ ‘Who to? Not to your precious Shagrat. He won’t be captain any more.’ ‘T’ll give your name and number to the Nazgul,’ said the soldier lowering his voice to a hiss. ‘One of them’s in charge at the Tower now.’ The other halted, and his voice was full of fear and rage. ‘You cursed peaching sneakthief!’ he yelled. “You can’t do your job, and you can’t even stick by your own folk. Go to your filthy Shriekers,
影之國。我說，一點痕跡都沒了。我因為讓了你，所以追丟了氣味。我告訴你，牠往山上去了，沒沿著山谷走。」「你們這些小嗅探犬，有什麼用？」那隻大半獸人說。「我看眼睛比你們那些流著鼻涕的鼻子好用多了。」「那你用眼睛看到了什麼？」另一個咆哮道。「呸！你連自己在找什麼都不知道。」「那該怪誰？」那士兵說。「不怪我。那是『上頭』的命令。他們先是說那是一個穿著亮甲的偉大精靈，然後又說是一種矮小的矮人，接著又說是成群的叛變強獸人；或許是所有這些東西加在一起。」「啊！」追蹤者說。「他們都瘋了，就是這樣。而且我猜，如果我聽到的消息是真的，有些頭目也要沒命了：塔被突襲了，你們幾百個小夥子被幹掉了，囚犯也跑了。如果你們這些戰士都這樣搞，戰場上傳來壞消息也就不足為奇了。」「誰說有壞消息？」士兵大喊。「啊！誰說沒有？」「那是該死的叛徒言論，如果你不閉嘴，我就捅死你，懂嗎？」「好了，好了！」追蹤者說。「我什麼都不說了，繼續想。但那個黑鬼鬼祟祟的傢伙跟這一切有什麼關係？那個揮舞著雙手的吞食者？」「我不知道。或許沒關係。但我敢打賭，他鬼鬼祟祟地到處亂嗅，沒安好心。詛咒他！他剛從我們手裡溜走跑掉，消息就來了，說要活捉他，而且要快。」「嗯，我希望他們能抓住他，讓他吃點苦頭。」追蹤者咆哮道。「他在那邊把氣味搞亂了，偷走了他找到的那件廢棄鎖子甲，然後在我趕到之前到處亂晃。」「反正那救了他一命。」士兵說。「嘿，在我知道他被通緝之前，我朝他背後開了一槍，五十步外，打得準準的；但他還是跑了。」「呸！你沒打中他。」追蹤者說。「你先是亂開槍，然後跑得太慢，接著又叫我們這些可憐的追蹤者來。我受夠你了。」他小跑著離開了。「你回來！」士兵大喊，「不然我就向上級告發你！」「告發給誰？不是你那寶貝夏格拉特。他再也不是隊長了。」「我會把你的名字和編號告訴戒靈。」士兵壓低聲音，發出嘶嘶聲說。「他們其中一個現在負責那座塔。」另一個人停了下來，聲音充滿了恐懼和憤怒。「你這該死的告密小偷！」他大喊。「你連自己的工作都做不好，甚至不能忠於自己人。去你的那些骯髒尖叫者那裡吧，
926 THE LORD OF THE RINGS and may they freeze the flesh off you! If the enemy doesn’t get them first. They’ve done in Number One, I’ve heard, and I hope it’s true!’ The big orc, spear in hand, leapt after him. But the tracker, springing behind a stone, put an arrow in his eye as he ran up, and he fell with a crash. The other ran off across the valley and disappeared. For a while the hobbits sat in silence. At length Sam stirred. ‘Well, I call that neat as neat,’ he said. ‘If this nice friendliness would spread about in Mordor, half our trouble would be over.’ ‘Quietly, Sam,’ Frodo whispered. “There may be others about. We have evidently had a very narrow escape, and the hunt was hotter on our tracks than we guessed. But that zs the spirit of Mordor, Sam; and it has spread to every corner of it. Orcs have always behaved like that, or so all tales say, when they are on their own. But you can’t get much hope out of it. They hate us far more, altogether and all the time. If those two had seen us, they would have dropped all their quarrel until we were dead.’ There was another long silence. Sam broke it again, but with a whisper this time. ‘Did you hear what they said about that gobbler, Mr. Frodo? I told you Gollum wasn’t dead yet, didn’t I?’ “Yes, I remember. And I wondered how you knew,’ said Frodo. ‘Well, come now! I think we had better not move out from here again, until it has gone quite dark. So you shall tell me how you know, and all about what happened. If you can do it quietly.’ ‘Tl try,’ said Sam, ‘but when I think of that Stinker I get so hot I could shout.’ There the hobbits sat under the cover of the thorny bush, while the drear light of Mordor faded slowly into a deep and starless night; and Sam spoke into Frodo’s ear all that he could find words for of Gollum’s treacherous attack, the horror of Shelob, and his own adventures with the orcs. When he had finished, Frodo said nothing but took Sam’s hand and pressed it. At length he stirred. ‘Well, I suppose we must be going on again,’ he said. ‘I wonder how long it will be before we really are caught and all the toiling and the slinking will be over, and in vain.’ He stood up. ‘It’s dark, and we cannot use the Lady’s glass. Keep it safe for me, Sam. I have nowhere to keep it now, except in my hand, and I shall need both hands in the blind night. But Sting I give to you. I have got an orc-blade, but I do not think it will be my part to strike any blow again.’ It was difficult and dangerous moving in the night in the pathless land; but slowly and with much stumbling the two hobbits toiled on hour by hour northward along the eastern edge of the stony valley.
926 魔戒 「願他們把你凍得皮開肉綻！如果敵人沒有先解決他們的話。我聽說他們已經把『頭號人物』給幹掉了，我希望這是真的！」那隻大半獸人手持長矛，朝他撲去。但追蹤者迅速跳到一塊石頭後面，在他跑過來時一箭射中了他的眼睛，他便轟然倒地。另一隻半獸人跑過山谷，消失了。霍比特人沉默地坐了一會兒。過了一會兒，山姆動了動。「嗯，我稱之為『非常整潔』。」他說。「如果這種友善的態度能在魔多蔓延開來，我們一半的麻煩就解決了。」「小聲點，山姆。」佛羅多低聲說。「可能還有其他人在附近。我們顯然是死裡逃生，而且追捕我們的行動比我們想像的還要激烈。但這就是魔多的精神，山姆；它已經蔓延到魔多的每一個角落。半獸人一直都是這樣表現的，至少所有故事都這麼說，當他們獨自行動的時候。但你不能從中得到太多希望。他們更恨我們，總是如此，無時無刻。如果那兩隻半獸人看到我們，他們會放下所有的爭吵，直到我們死了為止。」又是一陣漫長的沉默。山姆再次打破了沉默，但這次是低聲說道：「佛羅多先生，你聽到他們說那個『吞噬者』的事了嗎？我告訴過你咕嚕還沒死，不是嗎？」「是的，我記得。我還在想你是怎麼知道的。」佛羅多說。「好吧，現在！我想我們最好不要再從這裡出去，直到天完全黑下來。所以你得告訴我你是怎麼知道的，以及所有發生的事情。如果你能小聲點說的話。」「我會盡力的。」山姆說，「但當我想到那個『臭傢伙』，我就氣得想大喊。」霍比特人坐在荊棘叢的掩護下，魔多那陰沉的光線慢慢地消逝在一片深沉無星的夜色中；山姆在佛羅多耳邊低聲講述了他所能找到詞彙來形容的一切：咕嚕的背叛襲擊、屍羅的恐怖，以及他自己與半獸人的冒險經歷。當他講完後，佛羅多什麼也沒說，只是握住山姆的手，緊緊地按了按。過了一會兒，他動了動。「嗯，我想我們必須繼續前進了。」他說。「我不知道我們多久會被真正抓住，所有的辛勞和潛行都會結束，而且是徒勞無功。」他站了起來。「天黑了，我們不能使用『女士之光』。替我保管好它，山姆。我現在除了手裡，沒有地方可以放它了，而且在這漆黑的夜晚我需要雙手。但『刺針』我給你。我有一把半獸人刀，但我不認為我還會再揮動它。」在沒有道路的土地上夜間行進既困難又危險；但兩個霍比特人緩慢而跌跌撞撞地，一小時又一小時地沿著石谷的東緣向北艱難前行。
THE LAND OF SHADOW 927 When a grey light crept back over the western heights, long after day had opened in the lands beyond, they went into hiding again and slept a little, turn by turn. In his times of waking Sam was busy with thoughts of food. At last when Frodo roused himself and spoke of eating and making ready for yet another effort, he asked the question that was troubling him most. ‘Begging your pardon, Mr. Frodo,’ he said, ‘but have you any notion how far there is still to go?’ ‘No, not any clear notion, Sam,’ Frodo answered. ‘In Rivendell before I set out I was shown a map of Mordor that was made before the Enemy came back here; but I only remember it vaguely. I remember clearest that there was a place in the north where the western range and the northern range send out spurs that nearly meet. That must be twenty leagues at least from the bridge back by the Tower. It might be a good point at which to cross. But of course, if we get there, we shall be further than we were from the Mountain, sixty miles from it, I should think. I guess that we have gone about twelve leagues north from the bridge now. Even if all goes well, I could hardly reach the Mountain in a week. I am afraid, Sam, that the burden will get very heavy, and I shall go still slower as we get nearer.’ Sam sighed. “That’s just as I feared,’ he said. ‘Well, to say nothing of water, we’ve got to eat less, Mr. Frodo, or else move a bit quicker, at any rate while we’re still in this valley. One more bite and all the food’s ended, save the Elves’ waybread.’ ‘T'll try and be a bit quicker, Sam,’ said Frodo, drawing a deep breath. ‘Come on then! Let’s start another march!’ It was not yet quite dark again. They plodded along, on into the night. The hours passed in a weary stumbling trudge with a few brief halts. At the first hint of grey light under the skirts of the canopy of shadow they hid themselves again in a dark hollow under an overhanging stone. Slowly the light grew, until it was clearer than it yet had been. A strong wind from the West was now driving the fumes of Mordor from the upper airs. Before long the hobbits could make out the shape of the land for some miles about them. The trough between the mountains and the Morgai had steadily dwindled as it climbed upwards, and the inner ridge was now no more than a shelf in the steep faces of the Ephel Duath; but to the east it fell as sheerly as ever down into Gorgoroth. Ahead the water-course came to an end in broken steps of rock; for out from the main range there sprang a high barren spur, thrusting eastward like a wall. To meet it there stretched out from the grey and misty northern range of Ered Lithui a long jutting arm; and between the ends there was a narrow gap:
陰影之地 927 當遠方大地天光已亮許久之後，一道灰光悄悄爬回西方高地時，他們再次躲藏起來，輪流小憩。在山姆清醒的時候，他滿腦子想著食物。最後，當佛羅多醒來，談到進食並準備再次努力時，他問出了那個最困擾他的問題。「恕我冒昧，佛羅多先生，」他說，「但您對我們還有多遠的路要走，有任何概念嗎？」「不，山姆，沒有任何明確的概念，」佛羅多回答。「在瑞文戴爾，在我出發之前，有人給我看過一張魔多的地圖，那是在敵人回到這裡之前製作的；但我只記得模糊的輪廓。我最清楚地記得，在北方有一個地方，那裡西方山脈和北方山脈伸出的支脈幾乎會合。那裡離塔樓後方的橋至少有二十里格。那或許是個適合穿越的好地點。但當然，如果我們到達那裡，我們離山會比現在更遠，我想大概有六十英里。我猜我們現在已經從橋往北走了大約十二里格。即使一切順利，我一週內也幾乎不可能到達那座山。山姆，我擔心這個負擔會變得非常沉重，而且我們越靠近，我就會走得越慢。」山姆嘆了口氣。「正如我所擔心的那樣，」他說。「嗯，更不用說水了，佛羅多先生，我們必須吃少一點，不然就得走快一點，無論如何，當我們還在這山谷裡的時候。再吃一口，所有食物就吃完了，除了精靈的行路糧。」「山姆，我會試著走快一點的，」佛羅多深吸一口氣說。「那麼，走吧！我們開始另一段行軍！」天還沒有完全黑下來。他們緩慢前行，走入夜色中。時間在疲憊蹣跚的跋涉和幾次短暫的停歇中流逝。在陰影華蓋邊緣下，當灰色晨光初現時，他們再次躲藏在一塊懸垂石頭下的黑暗窪地裡。光線緩慢增強，直到比以往任何時候都更清晰。一股強勁的西風現在正將魔多的煙霧從高空吹散。不久之後，哈比人就能辨認出周圍數英里內的地形。山脈與莫爾蓋之間的低谷隨著向上攀升而逐漸縮小，內側山脊現在不過是埃菲爾杜亞斯陡峭山壁上的一個平台；但向東，它像往常一樣陡峭地墜入戈爾戈羅斯。前方，水道在破碎的岩石階梯處終止；因為從主山脈突出一道高聳貧瘠的支脈，像一道牆般向東延伸。為了與之會合，埃瑞德利蘇伊灰濛濛的北方山脈伸出了一條長長的突出臂；而在兩端之間，有一個狹窄的缺口：
928 THE LORD OF THE RINGS Carach Angren, the Isenmouthe, beyond which lay the deep dale of Udain. In that dale behind the Morannon were the tunnels and deep armouries that the servants of Mordor had made for the defence of the Black Gate of their land; and there now their Lord was gathering in haste great forces to meet the onslaught of the Captains of the West. Upon the out-thrust spurs forts and towers were built, and watch-fires burned; and all across the gap an earth-wall had been raised, and a deep trench delved that could be crossed only by a single bridge. A few miles north, high up in the angle where the western spur branched away from the main range, stood the old castle of Durthang, now one of the many orc-holds that clustered about the dale of Udtn. A road, already visible in the growing light, came winding down from it, until only a mile or two from where the hobbits lay it turned east and ran along a shelf cut in the side of the spur, and so went down into the plain, and on to the Isenmouthe. To the hobbits as they looked out it seemed that all their journey north had been useless. The plain to their right was dim and smoky, and they could see there neither camps nor troops moving; but all that region was under the vigilance of the forts of Carach Angren. ‘We have come to a dead end, Sam,’ said Frodo. ‘If we go on, we shall only come up to that orc-tower, but the only road to take is that road that comes down from it — unless we go back. We can’t climb up westward, or climb down eastward.’ “Then we must take the road, Mr. Frodo,’ said Sam. ‘We must take it and chance our luck, if there is any luck in Mordor. We might as well give ourselves up as wander about any more, or try to go back. Our food won’t last. We’ve got to make a dash for it!’ ‘All right, Sam,’ said Frodo. ‘Lead me! As long as you’ve got any hope left. Mine is gone. But I can’t dash, Sam. [ll just plod along after you.’ ‘Before you start any more plodding, you need sleep and food, Mr. Frodo. Come and take what you can get of them!’ He gave Frodo water and an additional wafer of the waybread, and he made a pillow of his cloak for his master’s head. Frodo was too weary to debate the matter, and Sam did not tell him that he had drunk the last drop of their water, and eaten Sam’s share of the food as well as his own. When Frodo was asleep Sam bent over him and listened to his breathing and scanned his face. It was lined and thin, and yet in sleep it looked content and unafraid. ‘Well, here goes, Master!’ Sam muttered to himself. ‘T’ll have to leave you for a bit and trust to luck. Water we must have, or we’ll get no further.’ Sam crept out, and flitting from stone to stone with more than hobbit-care, he went down to the water-course, and then followed it
928 《魔戒》 卡拉赫安格林，也就是伊森茅斯，其後方是烏丹深谷。在魔窟谷後方的那個山谷裡，有著魔多僕役為防禦他們國土的黑門而建造的隧道和深層軍械庫；如今，他們的主人正匆忙集結大軍，以應對西方將領們的猛攻。在向外突出的山脊上，建有堡壘和高塔，烽火燃燒；整個隘口都築起了土牆，並挖了一條深溝，只能通過一座獨木橋跨越。幾英里以北，在西側山脊從主山脈分支出來的那個高處，矗立著古老的杜爾桑城堡，如今它是烏丹谷周圍眾多半獸人據點之一。一條在漸亮的天色中已清晰可見的道路，蜿蜒而下，直到距離哈比人躺臥之處僅一兩英里時，它轉向東方，沿著山脊側邊開鑿出的一條狹道延伸，然後下行至平原，最終通往伊森茅斯。當哈比人向外望去時，他們覺得他們一路向北的旅程都白費了。他們右側的平原昏暗而煙霧瀰漫，他們既看不到營地也看不到部隊移動；但整個區域都處於卡拉赫安格林堡壘的嚴密監視之下。「我們走投無路了，山姆。」佛羅多說。「如果我們繼續前進，只會走到那個半獸人高塔，但唯一的路就是從那裡下來的路——除非我們回頭。我們不能向西爬上去，也不能向東爬下去。」「那麼我們必須走那條路，佛羅多先生。」山姆說。「我們必須走，然後碰碰運氣，如果魔多還有運氣可言的話。我們不如投降，而不是再四處遊蕩，或者試圖回去。我們的食物撐不了多久了。我們必須衝過去！」 「好吧，山姆。」佛羅多說。「帶路吧！只要你還有希望。我的希望已經沒了。但我跑不動了，山姆。我會在你後面慢慢走。」 「在你再繼續慢吞吞地走之前，你需要睡眠和食物，佛羅多先生。來，盡量吃點吧！」他給了佛羅多水和額外一片行路糧，並用自己的斗篷為主人做了個枕頭。佛羅多太疲憊了，無法爭辯此事，山姆也沒有告訴他，他已經喝光了他們最後一滴水，並且吃掉了山姆自己那份食物以及佛羅多那份。佛羅多睡著後，山姆彎下身子，聽著他的呼吸，掃視著他的臉。那張臉佈滿皺紋，瘦削，但在睡夢中卻顯得滿足而無懼。「好吧，就這樣了，主人！」山姆喃喃自語。「我得離開你一會兒，然後碰碰運氣。我們必須找到水，否則我們就走不遠了。」山姆悄悄溜出去，比哈比人更小心翼翼地從石頭跳到石頭，他下到水流處，然後沿著它走。
THE LAND OF SHADOW 929 for some way as it climbed north, until he came to the rock-steps where long ago, no doubt, its spring had come gushing down in a little waterfall. All now seemed dry and silent; but refusing to despair Sam stooped and listened, and to his delight he caught the sound of trickling. Clambering a few steps up he found a tiny stream of dark water that came out from the hill-side and filled a little bare pool, from which again it spilled, and vanished then under the barren stones. Sam tasted the water, and it seemed good enough. Then he drank deeply, refilled the bottle, and turned to go back. At that moment he caught a glimpse of a black form or shadow flitting among the rocks away near Frodo’s hiding-place. Biting back a cry, he leapt down from the spring and ran, jumping from stone to stone. It was a wary creature, difficult to see, but Sam had little doubt about it: he longed to get his hands on its neck. But it heard him coming and slipped quickly away. Sam thought he saw a last fleeting glimpse of it, peering back over the edge of the eastward precipice, before it ducked and disappeared. ‘Well, luck did not let me down,’ muttered Sam, ‘but that was a near thing! Isn’t it enough to have orcs by the thousand without that stinking villain coming nosing round? I wish he had been shot!’ He sat down by Frodo and did not rouse him; but he did not dare to go to sleep himself. At last when he felt his eyes closing and knew that his struggle to keep awake could not go on much longer, he wakened Frodo gently. ‘That Gollum’s about again, I’m afraid, Mr. Frodo,’ he said. ‘Leastways, if it wasn’t him, then there’s two of him. I went away to find some water and spied him nosing round just as I turned back. I reckon it isn’t safe for us both to sleep together, and begging your pardon, but I can’t hold up my lids much longer.’ ‘Bless you, Sam!’ said Frodo. ‘Lie down and take your proper turn! But I’d rather have Gollum than orcs. At any rate he won’t give us away to them — not unless he’s caught himself.’ ‘But he might do a bit of robbery and murder on his own,’ growled Sam. ‘Keep your eyes open, Mr. Frodo! There’s a bottle full of water. Drink up. We can fill it again when we go on.’ With that Sam plunged into sleep. Light was fading again when he woke. Frodo sat propped against the rock behind, but he had fallen asleep. The water-bottle was empty. There was no sign of Gollum. Mordor-dark had returned, and the watch-fires on the heights burned fierce and red, when the hobbits set out again on the most dangerous stage of all their journey. They went first to the little
幽影之地 929 沿著它向北攀爬了一段路，直到他來到岩石階梯處，那裡很久以前，毫無疑問，泉水曾奔湧而下，形成一道小瀑布。現在一切都顯得乾燥而寂靜；但山姆不願絕望，他彎下身子傾聽，令他欣喜的是，他聽到了潺潺水聲。他攀爬了幾步，發現了一股細小的黑水流，從山坡上湧出，注入一個小小的光禿禿的水池，然後又從池中溢出，消失在貧瘠的石頭下。山姆嚐了嚐水，覺得還不錯。然後他大口喝水，重新裝滿水瓶，轉身準備回去。就在那時，他瞥見一個黑色的形體或影子，在遠處佛羅多藏身處附近的岩石間閃爍。他強忍住一聲驚呼，從泉水邊跳下，奔跑起來，在石頭間跳躍。那是一個警惕的生物，難以看清，但山姆對此幾乎沒有疑問：他渴望抓住它的脖子。但它聽到了他的動靜，迅速溜走了。山姆以為他看到了它最後一瞥，它從東邊懸崖邊緣探頭回望，然後迅速蹲下消失了。「嗯，運氣沒讓我失望，」山姆咕噥道，「但那真是千鈞一髮！難道有成千上萬的半獸人還不夠嗎，還要那個臭惡棍跑來窺探？我真希望他被射殺！」他坐在佛羅多身邊，沒有叫醒他；但他自己也不敢入睡。最後，當他感到眼皮沉重，知道自己再也無法堅持清醒時，他輕輕地喚醒了佛羅多。「咕嚕又在附近了，佛羅多先生，」他說，「我恐怕是這樣。」「至少，如果不是他，那就有兩個他了。我去找水，剛轉身就看到他在附近鬼鬼祟祟地窺探。我想我們倆一起睡不安全，恕我直言，但我真的撐不住了。」「山姆，謝謝你！」佛羅多說，「躺下好好休息吧！但我寧願遇到咕嚕也不願遇到半獸人。無論如何，他不會把我們出賣給他們——除非他自己被抓住了。」「但他可能會自己幹些搶劫和謀殺的勾當，」山姆咆哮道。「佛羅多先生，保持警惕！這裡有一瓶水。喝吧。我們走的時候可以再裝滿。」說完，山姆便沉沉睡去。當他醒來時，光線又在消退。佛羅多靠在身後的岩石上，但他已經睡著了。水瓶空了。沒有咕嚕的蹤影。魔多之夜再次降臨，高地上的烽火熊熊燃燒，紅光閃爍，此時哈比人再次踏上他們旅程中最危險的階段。他們首先前往那個小小的
930 THE LORD OF THE RINGS spring, and then climbing warily up they came to the road at the point where it swung east towards the Isenmouthe twenty miles away. It was not a broad road, and it had no wall or parapet along the edge, and as it ran on the sheer drop from its brink became deeper and deeper. The hobbits could hear no movements, and after listening for a while they set off eastward at a steady pace. After doing some twelve miles, they halted. A short way back the road had bent a little northward and the stretch that they had passed over was now screened from sight. This proved disastrous. They rested for some minutes and then went on; but they had not taken many steps when suddenly in the stillness of the night they heard the sound that all along they had secretly dreaded: the noise of marching feet. It was still some way behind them, but looking back they could see the twinkle of torches coming round the bend less than a mile away, and they were moving fast: too fast for Frodo to escape by flight along the road ahead. ‘I feared it, Sam,’ said Frodo. ‘We’ve trusted to luck, and it has failed us. We’re trapped.’ He looked wildly up at the frowning wall, where the road-builders of old had cut the rock sheer for many fathoms above their heads. He ran to the other side and looked over the brink into a dark pit of gloom. ‘We’re trapped at last!’ he said. He sank to the ground beneath the wall of rock and bowed his head. ‘Seems so,’ said Sam. ‘Well, we can but wait and see.’ And with that he sat down beside Frodo under the shadow of the cliff. They did not have to wait long. The orcs were going at a great pace. Those in the foremost files bore torches. On they came, red flames in the dark, swiftly growing. Now Sam too bowed his head, hoping that it would hide his face when the torches reached them; and he set their shields before their knees to hide their feet. ‘If only they are in a hurry and will let a couple of tired soldiers alone and pass on!’ he thought. And so it seemed that they would. The leading orcs came loping along, panting, holding their heads down. They were a gang of the smaller breeds being driven unwilling to their Dark Lord’s wars; all they cared for was to get the march over and escape the whip. Beside them, running up and down the line, went two of the large fierce uruks, cracking lashes and shouting. File after file passed, and the tell-tale torchlight was already some way ahead. Sam held his breath. Now more than half the line had gone by. Then suddenly one of the slave-drivers spied the two figures by the road-side. He flicked a whip at them and yelled: ‘Hi, you! Get up!’ They did not answer, and with a shout he halted the whole company. ‘Come on, you slugs!’ he cried. “This is no time for slouching.’ He took a step towards them, and even in the gloom he recognized
930 《魔戒》春天，他們小心翼翼地爬上去，來到路上，那裡正是道路向東轉向二十英里外的艾森茅斯的地方。這條路不寬，路邊沒有牆壁或矮牆，隨著道路的延伸，路緣的陡峭落差越來越深。哈比人聽不到任何動靜，聽了一會兒後，他們便以穩定的步伐向東走去。走了大約十二英里後，他們停了下來。往回走一小段路，道路稍微向北彎曲，他們剛才經過的那段路現在已經被遮蔽了視線。這被證明是災難性的。他們休息了幾分鐘，然後繼續前進；但他們沒走幾步，突然在寂靜的夜晚中，他們聽到了他們一直暗自恐懼的聲音：行軍的腳步聲。那聲音離他們還有一段距離，但回頭看去，他們可以看到火把的光芒從不到一英里外的彎道處閃爍而來，而且他們移動得很快：快到佛羅多無法沿著前方的道路逃跑。「我早料到了，山姆。」佛羅多說。「我們一直依賴運氣，但它辜負了我們。我們被困住了。」他狂亂地抬頭望著那道陰沉的石牆，那是古老的築路者在他們頭頂上方數十噚處將岩石鑿成峭壁的地方。他跑到另一邊，從邊緣望向一片黑暗的深淵。「我們終於被困住了！」他說。他癱坐在石牆下，低下頭。「看來是這樣。」山姆說。「好吧，我們只能等著瞧了。」說完，他便坐在佛羅多身旁，在懸崖的陰影下。他們不必等太久。半獸人正以極快的速度前進。走在最前面的隊伍舉著火把。他們來了，黑暗中紅色的火焰，迅速逼近。現在山姆也低下頭，希望這樣能在他臉上被火把照到時遮住它；他把盾牌放在膝前，以遮住他們的腳。「要是他們只是趕時間，會放過兩個疲憊的士兵，然後繼續前進就好了！」他想。看起來他們似乎會這樣做。領頭的半獸人喘著氣，低著頭，大步跑來。他們是一群較小的半獸人，不情願地被驅趕去參加他們黑暗魔君的戰爭；他們唯一關心的就是趕快結束行軍，逃脫鞭打。在他們旁邊，有兩隻高大兇猛的烏魯克獸人來回奔跑，揮舞著鞭子，大聲叫喊。一隊又一隊地過去了，那洩露行蹤的火把光芒已經遠遠地領先了。山姆屏住呼吸。現在超過一半的隊伍已經過去了。然後突然，其中一個奴隸監工發現了路邊的兩個人影。他用鞭子抽向他們，大喊：「嘿，你們！起來！」他們沒有回答，他便大喊一聲，讓整個隊伍停了下來。「快點，你們這些懶蟲！」他喊道。「現在不是偷懶的時候。」他向他們走近一步，即使在昏暗中，他也認出了他們。
THE LAND OF SHADOW 931 the devices on their shields. ‘Deserting, eh?’ he snarled. ‘Or thinking of it? All your folk should have been inside Udtn before yesterday evening. You know that. Up you get and fall in, or Pll have your numbers and report you.’ They struggled to their feet, and keeping bent, limping like footsore soldiers, they shuffled back towards the rear of the line. ‘No, not at the rear!’ the slave-driver shouted. “Three files up. And stay there, or you'll know it, when I come down the line!’ He sent his long whip-lash cracking over their heads; then with another crack and a yell he started the company off again at a brisk trot. It was hard enough for poor Sam, tired as he was; but for Frodo it was a torment, and soon a nightmare. He set his teeth and tried to stop his mind from thinking, and he struggled on. The stench of the sweating orcs about him was stifling, and he began to gasp with thirst. On, on they went, and he bent all his will to draw his breath and to make his legs keep going; and yet to what evil end he toiled and endured he did not dare to think. There was no hope of falling out unseen. Now and again the orc-driver fell back and jeered at them. “There now!’ he laughed, flicking at their legs. ‘Where there’s a whip there’s a will, my slugs. Hold up! I’d give you a nice freshener now, only you’ll get as much lash as your skins will carry when you come in late to your camp. Do you good. Don’t you know we’re at war?’ They had gone some miles, and the road was at last running down a long slope into the plain, when Frodo’s strength began to give out and his will wavered. He lurched and stumbled. Desperately Sam tried to help him and hold him up, though he felt that he could himself hardly stay the pace much longer. At any moment now he knew that the end would come: his master would faint or fall, and all would be discovered, and their bitter efforts be in vain. ‘I'll have that big slave-driving devil anyway,’ he thought. Then just as he was putting his hand to the hilt of his sword, there came an unexpected relief. They were out on the plain now and drawing near the entrance to Udtin. Some way in front of it, before the gate at the bridge-end, the road from the west converged with others coming from the south, and from Barad-dtr. Along all the roads troops were moving; for the Captains of the West were advancing and the Dark Lord was speeding his forces north. So it chanced that several companies came together at the road-meeting, in the dark beyond the light of the watch-fires on the wall. At once there was great jostling and cursing as each troop tried to get first to the gate and the ending of their march. Though the drivers yelled and
「陰影之地 931」他們盾牌上的圖案。「想開小差，嗯？」他咆哮道。「還是正在想？你們所有人都應該在昨天傍晚前就進了烏頓。你們知道的。起來，歸隊，不然我就記下你們的號碼，向上級報告。」他們掙扎著站起來，彎著腰，像腳痛的士兵一樣跛行著，拖著腳步回到隊伍的後方。「不，不是在後面！」奴隸監工大喊。「往前三排。待在那裡，不然等我巡視隊伍時，你們就知道厲害了！」他揮動長長的鞭子，在他們頭上發出劈啪聲；接著又是一聲鞭響和一聲叫喊，他讓隊伍再次以輕快的步伐前進。這對可憐的山姆來說已經夠艱難了，他疲憊不堪；但對佛羅多來說，這簡直是折磨，很快就成了惡夢。他咬緊牙關，努力阻止自己胡思亂想，並繼續掙扎前行。周圍獸人身上的汗臭令人窒息，他開始因口渴而喘息。他們不斷前進，他竭盡全力地呼吸，讓雙腿不停地走；然而，他不敢去想自己如此辛勞忍受，究竟會走向怎樣的邪惡結局。根本沒有希望能夠不被發現地脫隊。獸人監工不時地退到後面，嘲笑他們。「看吧！」他笑著，鞭子輕輕抽打著他們的腿。「有鞭子就有意志，我的懶蟲們。撐住！我現在本想給你們一點提神劑，但你們遲到營地時，皮膚能承受多少鞭打，就會得到多少。這對你們有好處。難道你們不知道我們正在打仗嗎？」他們走了幾英里，道路終於沿著長長的斜坡下到平原，這時佛羅多的力氣開始耗盡，意志也動搖了。他搖搖晃晃，跌跌撞撞。山姆拼命想幫助他，扶住他，儘管他自己也覺得快要撐不住這個速度了。他知道，隨時都可能走到盡頭：他的主人會昏倒或跌倒，一切都會被發現，他們痛苦的努力都將白費。「我反正要幹掉那個奴役人的惡魔。」他心想。就在他把手伸向劍柄時，意想不到的解脫來了。他們現在已經在平原上，正接近烏丁的入口。在它前面不遠處，在橋頭的門前，從西方來的道路與從南方和巴拉多來的其他道路匯合。所有道路上都有部隊在移動；因為西方將領們正在推進，而黑暗魔君正在加速向北調動他的部隊。因此，幾支隊伍恰好在道路交匯處會合，在城牆上瞭望火光之外的黑暗中。頓時，一陣巨大的推擠和咒罵聲響起，因為每支隊伍都想搶先到達大門，結束他們的行軍。儘管監工們大喊大叫，
932 THE LORD OF THE RINGS plied their whips, scuffles broke out and some blades were drawn. A troop of heavy-armed uruks from Barad-dtir charged into the Durthang line and threw them into confusion. Dazed as he was with pain and weariness, Sam woke up, grasped quickly at his chance, and threw himself to the ground, dragging Frodo down with him. Orcs fell over them, snarling and cursing. Slowly on hand and knee the hobbits crawled away out of the turmoil, until at last unnoticed they dropped over the further edge of the road. It had a high kerb by which troop-leaders could guide themselves in black night or fog, and it was banked up some feet above the level of the open land. They lay still for a while. It was too dark to seek for cover, if indeed there was any to find; but Sam felt that they ought at least to get further away from the highways and out of the range of torchlight. ‘Come on, Mr. Frodo!’ he whispered. ‘One more crawl, and then you can lie still.’ With a last despairing effort Frodo raised himself on his hands, and struggled on for maybe twenty yards. Then he pitched down into a shallow pit that opened unexpectedly before them, and there he lay like a dead thing.
932 《魔戒》 他們揮舞著鞭子，衝突爆發，刀劍出鞘。一隊來自巴拉督提爾（Barad-dtir）的重裝烏魯克衝入杜爾桑（Durthang）的陣線，將他們攪得一團混亂。儘管山姆因疼痛和疲憊而頭昏眼花，他還是清醒過來，迅速抓住機會，將自己撲倒在地，同時也把佛羅多拖了下來。半獸人跌倒在他們身上，咆哮著咒罵。霍比特人慢慢地手腳並用地爬離了混亂，直到最後，他們在無人察覺的情況下，翻過了路邊的另一側。路邊有一道高高的路緣石，供部隊領袖在漆黑的夜晚或濃霧中辨別方向，而且路面比開闊的地面高出幾英尺。他們靜靜地躺了一會兒。天色太暗，無法尋找掩蔽，如果真有什麼可找的話；但山姆覺得他們至少應該離大路更遠一些，並遠離火把的光線範圍。「加油，佛羅多先生！」他低聲說道，「再爬一段，你就可以躺下了。」佛羅多用盡最後一絲絕望的力氣，用手撐起身體，又掙扎著爬了約二十碼。接著他一頭栽進了一個意外出現在他們面前的淺坑，像個死物般躺在那裡。