Chapter 4 THE FIELD OF CORMALLEN All about the hills the hosts of Mordor raged. The Captains of the West were foundering in a gathering sea. The sun gleamed red, and under the wings of the Nazgil the shadows of death fell dark upon the earth. Aragorn stood beneath his banner, silent and stern, as one lost in thought of things long past or far away; but his eyes gleamed like stars that shine the brighter as the night deepens. Upon the hill-top stood Gandalf, and he was white and cold and no shadow fell on him. The onslaught of Mordor broke like a wave on the beleaguered hills, voices roaring like a tide amid the wreck and crash of arms. As if to his eyes some sudden vision had been given, Gandalf stirred; and he turned, looking back north where the skies were pale and clear. Then he lifted up his hands and cried in a loud voice ringing above the din: The Eagles are coming! And many voices answered crying: The Eagles are coming! The Eagles are coming! The hosts of Mordor looked up and wondered what this sign might mean. There came Gwaihir the Windlord, and Landroval his brother, greatest of all the Eagles of the North, mightiest of the descendants of old Thorondor, who built his eyries in the inaccessible peaks of the Encircling Mountains when Middle-earth was young. Behind them in long swift lines came all their vassals from the northern mountains, speeding on a gathering wind. Straight down upon the Nazgul they bore, stooping suddenly out of the high airs, and the rush of their wide wings as they passed over was like a gale. But the Nazgil turned and fled, and vanished into Mordor’s shadows, hearing a sudden terrible call out of the Dark Tower; and even at that moment all the hosts of Mordor trembled, doubt clutched their hearts, their laughter failed, their hands shook and their limbs were loosed. The Power that drove them on and filled them with hate and fury was wavering, its will was removed from them; and now looking in the eyes of their enemies they saw a deadly light and were afraid. Then all the Captains of the West cried aloud, for their hearts were filled with a new hope in the midst of darkness. Out from the beleaguered hills knights of Gondor, Riders of Rohan, Dunedain of the North, close-serried companies, drove against their wavering foes, piercing the press with the thrust of bitter spears. But Gandalf lifted up his arms and called once more in a clear voice:
第四章 科馬倫平原 群山周圍，魔多的軍隊肆虐。西方將領們在洶湧的洪流中掙扎。太陽血紅地閃耀著，在戒靈的翅膀下，死亡的陰影籠罩大地。亞拉岡站在他的旗幟下，沉默而嚴肅，彷彿沉浸在對往事或遙遠之物的思緒中；但他的眼睛閃爍著，如同夜色越深越亮的星辰。甘道夫站在山頂上，他潔白而冷峻，沒有任何陰影落在他的身上。魔多的猛攻如波濤般拍打著被圍困的山丘，聲音像潮水般在武器的碰撞與毀壞中咆哮。彷彿他的眼睛被賦予了某種突如其來的景象，甘道夫動了；他轉過身，向北望去，那裡的天空蒼白而清澈。然後他舉起雙手，用響徹喧囂的洪亮聲音喊道：「巨鷹來了！」許多聲音也回應著喊道：「巨鷹來了！巨鷹來了！」魔多的軍隊抬頭望去，想知道這預兆可能意味著什麼。風王關赫和他的兄弟蘭楚瓦來了，他們是北方所有巨鷹中最偉大的，是古老索隆多最強大的後裔，索隆多在中土世界尚年輕時，便在環繞山脈的險峻山峰中築巢。他們身後，所有來自北方山脈的附庸們排成迅速的長隊，乘著聚集的風疾馳而來。他們直衝戒靈而去，突然從高空中俯衝而下，他們寬大翅膀掠過時的呼嘯聲如同狂風。但戒靈轉身逃跑，消失在魔多的陰影中，因為他們聽到了來自黑塔的突然而可怕的呼喚；就在那一刻，魔多的所有軍隊都顫抖了，疑慮攫住了他們的心，他們的笑聲消失了，他們的手顫抖著，四肢也變得癱軟無力。驅使他們前進並使他們充滿仇恨與狂怒的力量正在動搖，它的意志已從他們身上抽離；現在，當他們望向敵人的眼睛時，他們看到了一種致命的光芒，並感到恐懼。然後，所有西方將領都大聲呼喊，因為在黑暗之中，他們的心中充滿了新的希望。從被圍困的山丘中，剛鐸的騎士、洛汗的騎兵、北方的登丹人，緊密排列的隊伍，衝向他們動搖的敵人，用苦澀長矛的衝擊刺穿了人群。但甘道夫舉起雙臂，再次用清晰的聲音呼喚道：
THE FIELD OF CORMALLEN 949 ‘Stand, Men of the West! Stand and wait! This is the hour of doom.’ And even as he spoke the earth rocked beneath their feet. Then rising swiftly up, far above the Towers of the Black Gate, high above the mountains, a vast soaring darkness sprang into the sky, flickering with fire. The earth groaned and quaked. The Towers of the Teeth swayed, tottered, and fell down; the mighty rampart crumbled; the Black Gate was hurled in ruin; and from far away, now dim, now growing, now mounting to the clouds, there came a drumming rumble, a roar, a long echoing roll of ruinous noise. “The realm of Sauron is ended!’ said Gandalf. “The Ring-bearer has fulfilled his Quest.’ And as the Captains gazed south to the Land of Mordor, it seemed to them that, black against the pall of cloud, there rose a huge shape of shadow, impenetrable, lightning-crowned, filling all the sky. Enormous it reared above the world, and stretched out towards them a vast threatening hand, terrible but impotent: for even as it leaned over them, a great wind took it, and it was all blown away, and passed; and then a hush fell. The Captains bowed their heads; and when they looked up again, behold! their enemies were flying and the power of Mordor was scattering like dust in the wind. As when death smites the swollen brooding thing that inhabits their crawling hill and holds them all in sway, ants will wander witless and purposeless and then feebly die, so the creatures of Sauron, orc or troll or beast spell-enslaved, ran hither and thither mindless; and some slew themselves, or cast themselves in pits, or fled wailing back to hide in holes and dark lightless places far from hope. But the Men of Rhtn and of Harad, Easterling and Southron, saw the ruin of their war and the great majesty and glory of the Captains of the West. And those that were deepest and longest in evil servitude, hating the West, and yet were men proud and bold, in their turn now gathered themselves for a last stand of desperate battle. But the most part fled eastward as they could; and some cast their weapons down and sued for mercy. Then Gandalf, leaving all such matters of battle and command to Aragorn and the other lords, stood upon the hill-top and called; and down to him came the great eagle, Gwaihir the Windlord, and stood before him. “Twice you have borne me, Gwaihir my friend,’ said Gandalf. “Thrice shall pay for all, if you are willing. You will not find me a burden much greater than when you bore me from Zirakzigil, where my old life burned away.’ ‘I would bear you,’ answered Gwaihir, ‘whither you will, even were you made of stone.’
科馬倫平原 949 「站住，西方人！站住，等待！這是末日之時。」他話音未落，大地就在他們腳下搖晃起來。接著，一道巨大的、騰空而起的黑暗迅速升起，遠遠高過黑門之塔，高過群山，竄入天際，閃爍著火光。大地呻吟著，顫抖著。牙之塔搖晃、傾倒，然後崩塌；雄偉的城牆碎裂；黑門被毀於一旦；從遠方傳來一陣陣鼓聲般的轟鳴，一聲咆哮，一長串迴盪著毀滅的巨響，時而微弱，時而增強，時而直衝雲霄。「索倫的國度終結了！」甘道夫說。「持戒人已完成了他的任務。」當將領們向南凝視魔多之地時，他們看到，在烏雲的籠罩下，一個巨大的陰影形體升起，漆黑一片，不可穿透，頭戴閃電之冠，充斥著整個天空。它龐大地聳立於世間之上，向他們伸出一隻巨大而充滿威脅的手，可怖卻又無力：因為就在它俯身向他們之際，一陣強風將它捲走，它便隨風消散，不復存在；隨後，一片寂靜降臨。將領們低下頭；當他們再次抬頭時，看啊！他們的敵人正在潰逃，魔多的力量如風中塵埃般四散。正如死亡擊中那盤踞在蟻丘上、控制著所有螞蟻的腫脹而陰沉的生物時，螞蟻會漫無目的地亂竄，然後虛弱地死去，索倫的生物，無論是半獸人、食人妖還是被魔法奴役的野獸，也無意識地四處奔逃；有些自相殘殺，有些投身深坑，有些則哭嚎著逃回洞穴和黑暗無光、了無希望的地方躲藏。然而，來自盧恩和哈拉德的人們，東方人和南方人，看到了他們戰爭的毀滅，以及西方將領們的偉大威嚴與榮耀。而那些長期深陷邪惡奴役、憎恨西方、卻又驕傲而勇敢的人們，此時也集結起來，準備進行一場絕望的最後一戰。但大多數人盡可能地向東逃竄；有些人則放下武器，乞求饒恕。隨後，甘道夫將所有戰鬥和指揮事宜交給亞拉岡和其他領主，自己則站在山頂上呼喚；偉大的巨鷹，風王關赫，便降臨到他身邊，停在他面前。「我的朋友關赫，你已載過我兩次了，」甘道夫說。「如果你願意，第三次將償還所有恩情。你不會覺得我比你從奇拉克西吉爾載我下來時重多少，那裡我的舊生命已然消逝。」「我會載你，」關赫回答，「無論你想到哪裡，即使你是由石頭做成的。」
950 THE LORD OF THE RINGS “Then come, and let your brother go with us, and some other of your folk who is most swift! For we have need of speed greater than any wind, outmatching the wings of the Nazgil.’ ‘The North Wind blows, but we shall outfly it,’ said Gwaihir. And he lifted up Gandalf and sped away south, and with him went Landroval, and Meneldor young and swift. And they passed over Uddin and Gorgoroth and saw all the land in ruin and tumult beneath them, and before them Mount Doom blazing, pouring out its fire. ‘I am glad that you are here with me,’ said Frodo. ‘Here at the end of all things, Sam.’ “Yes, I am with you, Master,’ said Sam, laying Frodo’s wounded hand gently to his breast. ‘And you’re with me. And the journey’s finished. But after coming all that way I don’t want to give up yet. It’s not like me, somehow, if you understand.’ ‘Maybe not, Sam,’ said Frodo; ‘but it’s like things are in the world. Hopes fail. An end comes. We have only a little time to wait now. We are lost in ruin and downfall, and there is no escape.’ ‘Well, Master, we could at least go further from this dangerous place here, from this Crack of Doom, if that’s its name. Now couldn’t we? Come, Mr. Frodo, let’s go down the path at any rate!’ ‘Very well, Sam. If you wish to go, Pll come,’ said Frodo; and they rose and went slowly down the winding road; and even as they passed towards the Mountain’s quaking feet, a great smoke and steam belched from the Sammath Naur, and the side of the cone was riven open, and a huge fiery vomit rolled in slow thunderous cascade down the eastern mountain-side. Frodo and Sam could go no further. Their last strength of mind and body was swiftly ebbing. They had reached a low ashen hill piled at the Mountain’s foot; but from it there was no more escape. It was an island now, not long to endure, amid the torment of Orodruin. All about it the earth gaped, and from deep rifts and pits smoke and fumes leaped up. Behind them the Mountain was convulsed. Great rents opened in its side. Slow rivers of fire came down the long slopes towards them. Soon they would be engulfed. A rain of hot ash was falling. They stood now; and Sam still holding his master’s hand caressed it. He sighed. ‘What a tale we have been in, Mr. Frodo, haven’t we?’ he said. ‘I wish I could hear it told! Do you think they’ll say: Now comes the story of Nine-fingered Frodo and the Ring of Doom? And then everyone will hush, like we did, when in Rivendell they told us the tale of Beren One-hand and the Great Jewel. I wish I could hear it! And I wonder how it will go on after our part.’ But even while he spoke so, to keep fear away until the very last,
950 《魔戒》「那麼，來吧，讓你兄弟和我們一起去，還有你族人中最敏捷的幾位！因為我們需要比任何風都快的速度，要超越戒靈的翅膀。」「北風雖烈，我們卻能飛得比它更快。」關海爾說。他載起甘道夫，疾速向南飛去，與他同行的還有蘭楚瓦和年輕敏捷的曼諾多。他們飛越烏頓和葛哥洛斯，看見下方的大地一片廢墟與混亂，而在他們前方，末日火山正熊熊燃燒，噴吐著火焰。「很高興你和我在一起。」佛羅多說。「山姆，就在這一切的終點。」「是的，主人，我與你同在。」山姆說著，輕輕將佛羅多受傷的手放在自己胸口。「而你也在我身邊。旅程結束了。但走了這麼遠的路，我還不想放棄。不知怎的，這不像我的作風，如果你明白的話。」「也許不是吧，山姆。」佛羅多說：「但世事就是如此。希望破滅。終點來臨。我們現在只剩下短暫的等待。我們已迷失在廢墟與毀滅之中，無處可逃。」「嗯，主人，我們至少可以離開這個危險的地方，離開這個『末日裂隙』，如果它真是這個名字的話。我們不能嗎？來吧，佛羅多先生，無論如何我們都走下這條路吧！」「好吧，山姆。如果你想走，我就去。」佛羅多說；他們站起身，緩緩走下蜿蜒的小路；就在他們走向山腳顫抖的地面時，巨大的煙霧和蒸汽從薩馬斯瑙爾噴湧而出，山錐的一側被撕裂開來，一道巨大的火焰嘔吐物以緩慢而雷鳴般的瀑布狀滾下東側山坡。佛羅多和山姆再也走不動了。他們最後一點心力與體力正迅速消逝。他們來到山腳下一個低矮的灰燼堆積的小山丘；但從那裡已無處可逃。它現在就像一座孤島，在奧羅德魯因的折磨中無法久存。周圍的大地裂開，濃煙和毒氣從深邃的裂縫和坑洞中噴湧而出。在他們身後，山脈劇烈顫動。巨大的裂口在山側張開。緩慢的火流沿著長長的斜坡向他們湧來。很快他們就會被吞噬。一場熱灰雨正在落下。他們現在站著；山姆仍然握著主人的手，輕輕撫摸著。他嘆了口氣。「佛羅多先生，我們經歷了多麼一個故事啊，不是嗎？」他說。「我真希望我能聽到它被講述出來！你覺得他們會說：現在來講述九指佛羅多和末日魔戒的故事嗎？然後每個人都會靜下來，就像我們在瑞文戴爾聽到貝倫獨手和偉大寶石的故事時那樣。我真希望我能聽到！而且我想知道我們離開後故事會如何發展。」但他即使這樣說話，也只是為了在最後一刻來臨前驅散恐懼。
THE FIELD OF CORMALLEN 951 his eyes still strayed north, north into the eye of the wind, to where the sky far off was clear, as the cold blast, rising to a gale, drove back the darkness and the ruin of the clouds. And so it was that Gwaihir saw them with his keen far-seeing eyes, as down the wild wind he came, and daring the great peril of the skies he circled in the air: two small dark figures, forlorn, hand in hand upon a little hill, while the world shook under them, and gasped, and rivers of fire drew near. And even as he espied them and came swooping down, he saw them fall, worn out, or choked with fumes and heat, or stricken down by despair at last, hiding their eyes from death. Side by side they lay; and down swept Gwaihir, and down came Landroval and Meneldor the swift; and in a dream, not knowing what fate had befallen them, the wanderers were lifted up and borne far away out of the darkness and the fire. When Sam awoke, he found that he was lying on some soft bed, but over him gently swayed wide beechen boughs, and through their young leaves sunlight glimmered, green and gold. All the air was full of a sweet mingled scent. He remembered that smell: the fragrance of Ithilien. ‘Bless me!’ he mused. ‘How long have I been asleep?’ For the scent had borne him back to the day when he had lit his little fire under the sunny bank; and for the moment all else between was out of waking memory. He stretched and drew a deep breath. ‘Why, what a dream I’ve had!’ he muttered. ‘I am glad to wake!’ He sat up and then he saw that Frodo was lying beside him, and slept peacefully, one hand behind his head, and the other resting upon the coverlet. It was the right hand, and the third finger was missing. Full memory flooded back, and Sam cried aloud: ‘It wasn’t a dream! Then where are we?’ And a voice spoke softly behind him: ‘In the land of Ithilien, and in the keeping of the King; and he awaits you.’ With that Gandalf stood before him, robed in white, his beard now gleaming like pure snow in the twinkling of the leafy sunlight. ‘Well, Master Samwise, how do you feel?’ he said. But Sam lay back, and stared with open mouth, and for a moment, between bewilderment and great joy, he could not answer. At last he gasped: ‘Gandalf! I thought you were dead! But then I thought I was dead myself. Is everything sad going to come untrue? What’s happened to the world?’ ‘A great Shadow has departed,’ said Gandalf, and then he laughed, and the sound was like music, or like water in a parched land; and
科馬倫平原 951 他的目光依然向北，向著風眼的方向，望向遠方天空清澈之處，因為那股寒風，漸漸增強成狂風，驅散了黑暗和烏雲的殘骸。於是，巨鷹之王關赫以他銳利而遠視的雙眼看見了他們，他乘著狂風而下，冒著天空的巨大危險盤旋著：兩個渺小而黑暗的身影，孤寂地，手牽著手站在一座小山上，而世界在他們腳下顫抖，喘息，火河也漸漸逼近。就在他發現他們並俯衝而下時，他看見他們倒下了，筋疲力盡，或是被煙霧和熱氣嗆住，或是最終被絕望擊垮，他們閉上眼睛，不願面對死亡。他們並肩躺著；關赫俯衝而下，蘭德羅瓦爾和敏爾多也迅速降落；在夢中，那些漫遊者不知道自己遭遇了什麼命運，就被抬起，遠離了黑暗和火焰。當山姆醒來時，他發現自己躺在一張柔軟的床上，但頭頂上輕輕搖曳著寬大的山毛櫸樹枝，陽光透過嫩葉閃爍，綠色與金色交織。空氣中瀰漫著一股甜美的混合香氣。他記得那氣味：伊西力安的芬芳。「天啊！」他沉思道。「我睡了多久？」因為那香氣將他帶回了他在陽光普照的河岸下點燃小火的那一天；那一刻，其間的一切都從清醒的記憶中消失了。他伸了個懶腰，深吸一口氣。「哎呀，我做了個什麼夢啊！」他喃喃自語。「我很高興醒來！」他坐起身，然後看到佛羅多躺在他身旁，安詳地睡著，一隻手枕在頭後，另一隻手放在被單上。那是右手，第三根手指不見了。完整的記憶湧上心頭，山姆大聲喊道：「這不是夢！那我們在哪裡？」一個聲音在他身後輕柔地說：「在伊西力安的土地上，在國王的庇護下；他正在等你們。」說話間，甘道夫站在他面前，身披白袍，他的鬍鬚在樹葉間閃爍的陽光下，像純淨的雪一樣閃耀。「嗯，山姆衛斯大師，你感覺如何？」他說。但山姆躺了回去，張著嘴巴凝視著，一時間，在困惑與巨大的喜悅之間，他無法回答。他終於喘息著說：「甘道夫！我以為你死了！但後來我又以為我自己死了。所有悲傷的事情都會變成假的嗎？世界發生了什麼事？」「一個巨大的陰影已經離去。」甘道夫說，然後他笑了，那聲音像音樂，又像乾旱土地上的流水；然後
952 THE LORD OF THE RINGS as he listened the thought came to Sam that he had not heard laughter, the pure sound of merriment, for days upon days without count. It fell upon his ears like the echo of all the joys he had ever known. But he himself burst into tears. Then, as a sweet rain will pass down a wind of spring and the sun will shine out the clearer, his tears ceased, and his laughter welled up, and laughing he sprang from his bed. ‘How do I feel?’ he cried. ‘Well, I don’t know how to say it. I feel, I feel’ — he waved his arms in the air — ‘T feel like spring after winter, and sun on the leaves; and like trumpets and harps and all the songs I have ever heard!’ He stopped and he turned towards his master. ‘But how’s Mr. Frodo?’ he said. ‘Isn’t it a shame about his poor hand? But I hope he’s all right otherwise. He’s had a cruel time.’ “Yes, Iam all right otherwise,’ said Frodo, sitting up and laughing in his turn. ‘I fell asleep again waiting for you, Sam, you sleepy-head. I was awake early this morning, and now it must be nearly noon.’ ‘Noon?’ said Sam, trying to calculate. ‘Noon of what day?’ ‘The fourteenth of the New Year,’ said Gandalf; ‘or if you like, the eighth day of April in the Shire-reckoning.* But in Gondor the New Year will always now begin upon the twenty-fifth of March when Sauron fell, and when you were brought out of the fire to the King. He has tended you, and now he awaits you. You shall eat and drink with him. When you are ready I will lead you to him.’ “The King?’ said Sam. ‘What king, and who is he?’ ‘The King of Gondor and Lord of the Western Lands,’ said Gandalf; ‘and he has taken back all his ancient realm. He will ride soon to his crowning, but he waits for you.’ ‘What shall we wear?’ said Sam; for all he could see was the old and tattered clothes that they had journeyed in, lying folded on the ground beside their beds. “The clothes that you wore on your way to Mordor,’ said Gandalf. ‘Even the orc-rags that you bore in the black land, Frodo, shall be preserved. No silks and linens, nor any armour or heraldry could be more honourable. But later I will find some other clothes, perhaps.’ Then he held out his hands to them, and they saw that one shone with light. ‘What have you got there?’ Frodo cried. ‘Can it be oe “Yes, I have brought your two treasures. They were found on Sam when you were rescued, the Lady Galadriel’s gifts: your glass, Frodo, and your box, Sam. You will be glad to have these safe again.’ When they were washed and clad, and had eaten a light meal, the Hobbits followed Gandalf. They stepped out of the beech-grove in * There were thirty days in March (or Rethe) in the Shire calendar.
952 《魔戒》當他聆聽時，山姆心頭浮現一個念頭：他已經數不清有多少天沒有聽到笑聲，那純粹的歡樂之聲了。那笑聲落入他耳中，如同他所知的一切歡樂的回響。但他自己卻淚如泉湧。接著，就像一場甘霖隨春風而過，陽光會更加明亮地照耀，他的淚水止住了，笑聲湧上心頭，他笑著從床上跳了起來。「我感覺如何？」他喊道。「嗯，我不知道該怎麼說。我感覺，我感覺——」他揮舞著雙臂——「我感覺就像冬去春來，陽光灑在樹葉上；又像號角和豎琴，以及我聽過的所有歌曲！」他停了下來，轉向他的主人。「但是佛羅多先生怎麼樣了？」他說。「他的手真可憐，是不是很可惜？但我希望他其他方面都沒事。他經歷了一段殘酷的時光。」「是的，我其他方面都沒事。」佛羅多說，他坐起身來，也笑了。「山姆，你這個瞌睡蟲，我等你等到又睡著了。我今天早上很早就醒了，現在一定快到中午了。」「中午？」山姆試圖計算著說。「是哪一天的中午？」「新年第十四天。」甘道夫說，「或者如果你喜歡，按照夏爾曆法，是四月八日。但在剛鐸，新年現在將永遠從三月二十五日開始，那是索倫殞落，以及你們被從火中帶到國王面前的日子。他一直照料著你們，現在他正在等你們。你們將與他一同飲食。等你們準備好了，我會帶你們去見他。」「國王？」山姆說，「哪個國王？他是誰？」「剛鐸之王，西方之地的領主。」甘道夫說，「他已經收復了他所有的古老領土。他很快就會去加冕，但他正在等你們。」「我們要穿什麼？」山姆說；因為他所能看到的，只有他們旅途中穿過的舊而破爛的衣服，正疊放在床邊的地上。「你們前往魔多時所穿的衣服。」甘道夫說，「佛羅多，即使是你們在那片黑暗之地穿過的獸人破布，也將被保存下來。沒有任何絲綢和亞麻，也沒有任何盔甲或紋章能比這更榮耀。不過，也許之後我會給你們找些別的衣服。」接著他向他們伸出雙手，他們看到其中一隻手閃耀著光芒。「你手上拿的是什麼？」佛羅多喊道，「難道是……」「是的，我帶來了你們的兩件寶物。當你們獲救時，它們在山姆身上被發現，那是凱蘭崔爾夫人的贈禮：佛羅多，你的玻璃瓶；山姆，你的盒子。你們會很高興它們再次安全歸來。」當他們洗漱穿戴完畢，並吃了一頓簡單的飯後，哈比人跟隨甘道夫。他們走出山毛櫸林，進入……
THE FIELD OF CORMALLEN 953 which they had lain, and passed on to a long green lawn, glowing in sunshine, bordered by stately dark-leaved trees laden with scarlet blossom. Behind them they could hear the sound of falling water, and a stream ran down before them between flowering banks, until it came to a greenwood at the lawn’s foot and passed then on under an archway of trees, through which they saw the shimmer of water far away. As they came to the opening in the wood, they were surprised to see knights in bright mail and tall guards in silver and black standing there, who greeted them with honour and bowed before them. And then one blew a long trumpet, and they went on through the aisle of trees beside the singing stream. So they came to a wide green land, and beyond it was a broad river in a silver haze, out of which rose a long wooded isle, and many ships lay by its shores. But on the field where they now stood a great host was drawn up, in ranks and companies glittering in the sun. And as the Hobbits approached swords were unsheathed, and spears were shaken, and horns and trumpets sang, and men cried with many voices and in many tongues: ‘Long live the Halflings! Praise them with great praise! Cuio 1 Pheriain anann! Aglar’ni Pheriannath! Praise them with great praise, Frodo and Samwise! Daur a Berhael, Conin en Anni! Eglerio! Praise them! Eglerio! A laita te, laita te! Andave laituvalmet! Praise them! Cormacolindor, a laita tarienna! Praise them! The Ring-bearers, praise them with great praise!” And so the red blood blushing in their faces and their eyes shining with wonder, Frodo and Sam went forward and saw that amidst the clamorous host were set three high-seats built of green turves. Behind the seat upon the right floated, white on green, a great horse running free; upon the left was a banner, silver upon blue, a ship swan-prowed faring on the sea; but behind the highest throne in the midst of all a great standard was spread in the breeze, and there a white tree flowered upon a sable field beneath a shining crown and seven glittering stars. On the throne sat a mail-clad man, a great sword was laid across his knees, but he wore no helm. As they drew near he rose. And then they knew him, changed as he was, so high and glad of face, kingly, lord of Men, dark-haired with eyes of grey. Frodo ran to meet him, and Sam followed close behind. ‘Well, if this isn’t the crown of all!’ he said. ‘Strider, or I’m still asleep!’
他們躺臥過的科馬倫平原953，他們繼續前行，來到一片長長的綠色草坪，在陽光下閃耀，四周環繞著莊嚴的深綠色樹木，樹上開滿了鮮紅的花朵。在他們身後，他們能聽到流水潺潺的聲音，一條小溪在他們面前流淌，兩岸繁花盛開，直到它來到草坪盡頭的一片綠林，然後穿過樹木形成的拱門，透過拱門他們看到遠處水波粼粼。當他們來到樹林中的開闊處時，驚訝地看到身穿閃亮鎖子甲的騎士和身著銀黑服飾的高大衛兵站在那裡，他們恭敬地向他們致意並鞠躬。接著，一人吹響了長號，他們沿著歌唱般的小溪，穿過樹木形成的通道繼續前行。於是他們來到一片廣闊的綠色土地，在它之外是一條籠罩在銀色薄霧中的寬闊河流，河中升起一座長長的林木蔥鬱的島嶼，許多船隻停泊在它的岸邊。但在他們現在站立的平原上，一支龐大的隊伍已列隊整齊，隊伍和連隊在陽光下閃閃發光。當哈比人走近時，劍出鞘，長矛揮舞，號角和喇叭齊鳴，人們用許多聲音和許多語言高呼：「哈比人萬歲！以極大的讚美稱頌他們！Cuio 1 Pheriain anann! Aglar’ni Pheriannath! 以極大的讚美稱頌他們，佛羅多和山姆衛斯！Daur a Berhael, Conin en Anni! 讚美！稱頌他們！讚美！A laita te, laita te! Andave laituvalmet! 稱頌他們！Cormacolindor, a laita tarienna! 稱頌他們！持戒者，以極大的讚美稱頌他們！」於是，佛羅多和山姆臉上泛著紅暈，眼中閃爍著驚奇，他們向前走去，看到在喧鬧的人群中，擺放著三張用綠色草皮搭建的高座。在右邊的座位後面，一面旗幟飄揚，綠底白馬奔騰；左邊是一面旗幟，藍底銀船，船頭如天鵝般在海上航行；但在所有座位中最高的寶座後面，一面巨大的旗幟在微風中展開，上面是一棵白樹在黑色背景上盛開，下方是閃耀的王冠和七顆璀璨的星星。寶座上坐著一位身披鎖子甲的男子，一把巨劍橫放在他的膝上，但他沒有戴頭盔。當他們走近時，他站了起來。然後他們認出了他，儘管他變了許多，臉上帶著高貴和喜悅，君王般，人類之主，黑髮灰眼。佛羅多跑上前去迎接他，山姆緊隨其後。「哦，這簡直是所有事情的巔峰！」他說。「亞拉岡，不然我還在做夢呢！」
954 THE LORD OF THE RINGS “Yes, Sam, Strider,’ said Aragorn. ‘It is a long way, is it not, from Bree, where you did not like the look of me? A long way for us all, but yours has been the darkest road.’ And then to Sam’s surprise and utter confusion he bowed his knee before them; and taking them by the hand, Frodo upon his right and Sam upon his left, he led them to the throne, and setting them upon it, he turned to the men and captains who stood by and spoke, so that his voice rang over all the host, crying: ‘Praise them with great praise!’ And when the glad shout had swelled up and died away again, to Sam’s final and complete satisfaction and pure joy, a minstrel of Gondor stood forth, and knelt, and begged leave to sing. And behold! he said: ‘Lo! lords and knights and men of valour unashamed, kings and princes, and fair people of Gondor, and Riders of Rohan, and ye sons of Elrond, and Dunedain of the North, and Elf and Dwarf, and greathearts of the Shire, and all free folk of the West, now listen to my lay. For I will sing to you of Frodo of the Nine Fingers and the Ring of Doom.’ And when Sam heard that he laughed aloud for sheer delight, and he stood up and cried: ‘O great glory and splendour! And all my wishes have come true!’ And then he wept. And all the host laughed and wept, and in the midst of their merriment and tears the clear voice of the minstrel rose like silver and gold, and all men were hushed. And he sang to them, now in the elven-tongue, now in the speech of the West, until their hearts, wounded with sweet words, overflowed, and their joy was like swords, and they passed in thought out to regions where pain and delight flow together and tears are the very wine of blessedness. And at the last, as the Sun fell from the noon and the shadows of the trees lengthened, he ended. ‘Praise them with great praise!’ he said and knelt. And then Aragorn stood up, and all the host arose, and they passed to pavilions made ready, to eat and drink and make merry while the day lasted. Frodo and Sam were led apart and brought to a tent, and there their old raiment was taken off, but folded and set aside with honour; and clean linen was given to them. Then Gandalf came and in his arms, to the wonder of Frodo, he bore the sword and the elven-cloak and the mithril-coat that had been taken from him in Mordor. For Sam he brought a coat of gilded mail, and his elven-cloak all healed of the soils and hurts that it had suffered; and then he laid before them two swords. ‘I do not wish for any sword,’ said Frodo.
954 《魔戒》「是的，山姆，『神行客』。」亞拉岡說道。「從布理到這裡，路途遙遠，不是嗎？你當時不喜歡我的樣子。對我們所有人來說，這都是漫漫長路，但你的路途卻是最黑暗的。」接著，令山姆驚訝且完全困惑的是，亞拉岡向他們屈膝行禮；他牽起他們的手，佛羅多在他的右邊，山姆在他的左邊，引領他們走向王座，並讓他們坐下。然後他轉向在場的將士們說話，他的聲音響徹整個隊伍，高喊：「以最崇高的讚美來讚頌他們！」當歡呼聲高漲又平息之後，山姆感到最終且完全的滿足與純粹的喜悅，一位剛鐸的吟遊詩人走上前，跪下，請求允許歌唱。他說道：「看啊！各位大人、騎士、無愧的勇士，各位國王、王子，以及剛鐸的佳人，洛汗的騎士，還有埃爾隆德的子嗣，北方的登丹人，精靈與矮人，夏爾的豪傑，以及西方所有的自由子民，現在請聽我的歌謠。因為我將為你們歌唱九指佛羅多和末日魔戒的故事。」當山姆聽到這些話時，他因純粹的喜悅而大聲笑了出來，他站起來喊道：「噢，多麼偉大的榮耀與輝煌！我所有的願望都實現了！」然後他哭了。所有隊伍的人都笑了又哭，在他們的歡樂與淚水中，吟遊詩人清澈的歌聲如銀似金般升起，所有人都靜默了。他為他們歌唱，時而用精靈語，時而用西方語，直到他們的心，被甜美的言語所觸動，滿溢而出，他們的喜悅如劍般鋒利，他們在思緒中飄向痛苦與歡樂交織的境界，淚水成為了祝福的瓊漿。最後，當太陽從正午西沉，樹影拉長時，他結束了歌唱。「以最崇高的讚美來讚頌他們！」他說道並跪下。然後亞拉岡站起來，所有隊伍的人都起身，他們走向準備好的帳篷，在白天結束前盡情吃喝玩樂。佛羅多和山姆被帶到一旁，來到一個帳篷裡，他們舊的衣物被脫下，但被恭敬地摺疊並放在一旁；他們得到了乾淨的亞麻衣物。接著甘道夫來了，令佛羅多驚訝的是，他懷裡抱著那把劍、精靈斗篷和在魔多被奪走的秘銀甲。至於山姆，他帶來了一件鍍金的鎖子甲，以及他那件已修復好所有污漬和破損的精靈斗篷；然後他將兩把劍放在他們面前。「我不需要任何劍。」佛羅多說道。
THE FIELD OF CORMALLEN 955 “Tonight at least you should wear one,’ said Gandalf. Then Frodo took the small sword that had belonged to Sam, and had been laid at his side in Cirith Ungol. ‘Sting I gave to you Sam,’ he said. ‘No, master! Mr. Bilbo gave it to you, and it goes with his silver coat; he would not wish anyone else to wear it now.’ Frodo gave way; and Gandalf, as if he were their esquire, knelt and girt the sword-belts about them, and then rising he set circlets of silver upon their heads. And when they were arrayed they went to the great feast; and they sat at the King’s table with Gandalf, and King Eomer of Rohan, and the Prince Imrahil and all the chief captains; and there also were Gimli and Legolas. But when, after the Standing Silence, wine was brought there came in two esquires to serve the kings; or so they seemed to be: one was clad in the silver and sable of the Guards of Minas Tirith, and the other in white and green. But Sam wondered what such young boys were doing in an army of mighty men. Then suddenly as they drew near and he could see them plainly, he exclaimed: ‘Why, look Mr. Frodo! Look here! Well, if it isn’t Pippin. Mr. Peregrin Took I should say, and Mr. Merry! How they have grown! Bless me! But I can see there’s more tales to tell than ours.’ “There are indeed,’ said Pippin turning towards him. ‘And we’ll begin telling them, as soon as this feast is ended. In the meantime you can try Gandalf. He’s not so close as he used to be, though he laughs now more than he talks. For the present Merry and I are busy. We are knights of the City and of the Mark, as I hope you observe.’ At last the glad day ended; and when the Sun was gone and the round Moon rode slowly above the mists of Anduin and flickered through the fluttering leaves, Frodo and Sam sat under the whispering trees amid the fragrance of fair Ithilien; and they talked deep into the night with Merry and Pippin and Gandalf, and after a while Legolas and Gimli joined them. There Frodo and Sam learned much of all that had happened to the Company after their fellowship was broken on the evil day at Parth Galen by Rauros Falls; and still there was always more to ask and more to tell. Orcs, and talking trees, and leagues of grass, and galloping riders, and glittering caves, and white towers and golden halls, and battles, and tall ships sailing, all these passed before Sam’s mind until he felt bewildered. But amidst all these wonders he returned always to his astonishment at the size of Merry and Pippin; and he made them stand back to back with Frodo and himself. He scratched his head. ‘Can’t understand it at your age!’ he said. ‘But there it is: you’re three inches taller than you ought to be, or I’m a dwarf.’
科馬倫平原 955 「今晚你至少該戴上一個。」甘道夫說。於是佛羅多拿起那把原本屬於山姆、在西力斯昂哥被放在他身旁的小劍。「刺針是我給你的，山姆。」他說。「不，主人！是比爾博先生給您的，它配得上他的銀色鎖子甲；他現在不會希望別人戴上它的。」佛羅多讓步了；甘道夫彷彿是他們的侍從，跪下為他們繫上劍帶，然後起身將銀色頭環戴在他們頭上。當他們盛裝打扮好後，便前往盛大的宴會；他們與甘道夫、洛汗國王伊歐墨、親王英拉希爾以及所有主要將領一同坐在國王的餐桌旁；金靂和勒苟拉斯也在那裡。然而，在「肅立默禱」之後，當酒被送上來時，有兩名侍從進來服侍國王們；或者他們看起來像是：一個身穿米那斯提力斯衛兵的銀色和貂皮制服，另一個則穿著白色和綠色。但山姆好奇這些年輕男孩在這樣一支由強壯男子組成的軍隊中做什麼。接著，當他們走近，山姆能清楚看見他們時，他驚呼道：「哎呀，看啊，佛羅多先生！看這裡！這不是皮聘嗎？我應該說，是佩瑞格林·圖克先生，還有梅里先生！他們長得多高啊！天哪！但我看得出來，他們的故事比我們的還要多。」「確實如此。」皮聘轉向他，說道。「宴會一結束，我們就會開始講。同時你可以去問甘道夫。他不像以前那麼守口如瓶了，儘管他現在笑得比說話多。目前我和梅里很忙。我們是剛鐸和洛汗的騎士，希望你們有注意到。」終於，這歡樂的一天結束了；當太陽西沉，圓月緩緩升起在安都因河的薄霧之上，並透過顫動的樹葉閃爍時，佛羅多和山姆坐在低語的樹下，沐浴在美麗伊西力安的芬芳中；他們與梅里、皮聘和甘道夫深談至深夜，過了一會兒，勒苟拉斯和金靂也加入了他們。在那裡，佛羅多和山姆得知了許多關於遠征隊在帕斯加蘭，因拉洛斯瀑布旁的那個邪惡日子，他們的友誼破裂後所發生的一切；而且總是有更多問題要問，更多故事要講。半獸人、會說話的樹、廣闊的草原、奔騰的騎士、閃閃發光的洞穴、白色的高塔和金色的殿堂、戰役、以及高大的船隻航行，所有這些都在山姆的腦海中閃過，直到他感到困惑不已。但所有這些奇蹟中，他總是回到他對梅里和皮聘身高的驚訝；他讓他們和佛羅多以及他自己背靠背站著。他搔了搔頭。「你們這年紀，真搞不懂！」他說。「但事實就是如此：你們比應有的身高高了三英寸，不然就是我成了矮子。」
956 THE LORD OF THE RINGS ‘That you certainly are not,’ said Gimli. ‘But what did I say? Mortals cannot go drinking ent-draughts and expect no more to come of them than of a pot of beer.’ ‘Ent-draughts?’ said Sam. “There you go about Ents again; but what they are beats me. Why, it will take weeks before we get all these things sized up!’ ‘Weeks indeed,’ said Pippin. ‘And then Frodo will have to be locked up in a tower in Minas Tirith and write it all down. Otherwise he will forget half of it, and poor old Bilbo will be dreadfully disappointed.’ At length Gandalf rose. ‘The hands of the King are hands of healing, dear friends,’ he said. ‘But you went to the very brink of death ere he recalled you, putting forth all his power, and sent you into the sweet forgetfulness of sleep. And though you have indeed slept long and blessedly, still it is now time to sleep again.’ ‘And not only Sam and Frodo here,’ said Gimli, ‘but you too, Pippin. I love you, if only because of the pains you have cost me, which I shall never forget. Nor shall I forget finding you on the hill of the last battle. But for Gimli the Dwarf you would have been lost then. But at least I know now the look of a hobbit’s foot, though it be all that can be seen under a heap of bodies. And when I heaved that great carcase off you, I made sure you were dead. I could have torn out my beard. And it is only a day yet since you were first up and abroad again. To bed now you go. And so shall I.’ ‘And I,’ said Legolas, ‘shall walk in the woods of this fair land, which is rest enough. In days to come, if my Elven-lord allows, some of our folk shall remove hither; and when we come it shall be blessed, for a while. For a while: a month, a life, a hundred years of Men. But Anduin is near, and Anduin leads down to the Sea. To the Sea! To the Sea, to the Sea! The white gulls are crying, The wind is blowing, and the white foam ts flying. West, west away, the round sun ts falling. Grey ship, grey ship, do you hear them calling, The voices of my people that have gone before me? I will leave, I will leave the woods that bore me; For our days are ending and our years failing. I will pass the wide waters lonely sailing. Long are the waves on the Last Shore falling, Sweet are the voices in the Lost Isle calling, In Eresséa, in Elvenhome that no man can discover, Where the leaves fall not: land of my people for ever!’
「你當然不是。」金靂說。「但我說了什麼？凡人喝了樹人飲料，就別指望它會像一壺啤酒那樣沒什麼後果。」「樹人飲料？」山姆說。「你又在說樹人了；但他們是什麼東西，我可搞不懂。哎呀，我們得花好幾個星期才能把這些事情搞清楚！」「確實要好幾個星期。」皮聘說。「然後佛羅多就得被關在米那斯提力斯的塔樓裡，把這一切都寫下來。不然他會忘記一半，而可憐的老比爾博會非常失望。」最後甘道夫站了起來。「國王之手是治癒之手，親愛的朋友們。」他說。「但你們曾瀕臨死亡邊緣，直到他召回你們，傾盡全力，讓你們進入甜美的遺忘之眠。雖然你們確實睡了很久，也睡得很安穩，但現在是時候再睡一覺了。」「不只山姆和佛羅多，」金靂說，「還有你，皮聘。我愛你，哪怕只是因為你讓我吃盡苦頭，這我永遠不會忘記。我也永遠不會忘記在最後一戰的山丘上找到你。但若不是矮人金靂，你那時就沒命了。但至少我現在知道哈比人的腳長什麼樣了，儘管那是在一堆屍體下唯一能看到的東西。當我把你身上那具巨大的屍體搬開時，我還以為你死了。我當時真想把我的鬍子扯下來。而你才剛醒來並再次外出一天而已。現在你們去睡覺吧。我也一樣。」「而我，」勒苟拉斯說，「將在這片美麗的土地的森林中漫步，這就足夠休息了。未來，如果我的精靈領主允許，我們的一些族人將會遷徙到這裡；當我們到來時，這裡將會得到祝福，持續一段時間。一段時間：一個月，一生，人類的一百年。但安都因河就在附近，安都因河通向大海。向著大海！向著大海，向著大海！白色的海鷗在啼鳴，風兒在吹拂，白色的浪花在飛濺。向西，向西遠去，圓圓的太陽正在落下。灰色的船，灰色的船，你聽到他們在呼喚嗎，那些在我之前離去的人民的聲音？我將離開，我將離開那養育我的森林；因為我們的時日將盡，我們的歲月將逝。我將獨自航過廣闊的水域。長長的波浪拍打著最後的海岸，失落之島上傳來甜美的呼喚，在埃瑞西亞，在精靈家園，那無人能發現之地，那樹葉永不凋零之處：我人民的永恆家園！」
THE FIELD OF CORMALLEN 957 And so singing Legolas went away down the hill. Then the others also departed, and Frodo and Sam went to their beds and slept. And in the morning they rose again in hope and peace; and they spent many days in Ithilien. For the Field of Cormallen, where the host was now encamped, was near to Henneth Anntn, and the stream that flowed from its falls could be heard in the night as it rushed down through its rocky gate, and passed through the flowery meads into the tides of Anduin by the Isle of Cair Andros. The hobbits wandered here and there visiting again the places that they had passed before; and Sam hoped always in some shadow of the woods or secret glade to catch, maybe, a glimpse of the great Oliphaunt. And when he learned that at the siege of Gondor there had been a great number of these beasts but that they were all destroyed, he thought it a sad loss. ‘Well, one can’t be everywhere at once, I suppose,’ he said. ‘But I missed a lot, seemingly.’ In the meanwhile the host made ready for the return to Minas Tirith. The weary rested and the hurt were healed. For some had laboured and fought much with the remnants of the Easterlings and Southrons, until all were subdued. And, latest of all, those returned who had passed into Mordor and destroyed the fortresses in the north of the land. But at the last when the month of May was drawing near the Captains of the West set out again; and they went aboard ship with all their men, and they sailed from Cair Andros down Anduin to Osgiliath; and there they remained for one day; and the day after they came to the green fields of the Pelennor and saw again the white towers under tall Mindolluin, the City of the Men of Gondor, last memory of Westernesse, that had passed through the darkness and fire to a new day. And there in the midst of the fields they set up their pavilions and awaited the morning; for it was the Eve of May, and the King would enter his gates with the rising of the Sun.
科馬倫平原 957 勒苟拉斯就這樣唱著歌走下山坡。接著其他人也離開了，佛羅多和山姆則回房睡覺。隔天早上，他們帶著希望與平靜醒來；他們在伊西立安度過了許多日子。因為科馬倫平原，也就是大軍現在紮營的地方，靠近漢那斯安南，從那裡瀑布流下的溪水，在夜晚可以聽到它衝過岩石之門，穿過花草繁茂的草地，匯入凱爾安德羅斯島旁的安都因河潮汐。哈比人四處遊蕩，再次造訪他們曾經經過的地方；山姆總是希望能在樹林的某個陰影處或隱密的林間空地，或許能瞥見那巨大的猛獁。當他得知在剛鐸圍城戰中，有大量的這種巨獸，但牠們都已被消滅時，他覺得這是一個悲傷的損失。「唉，我想人不可能同時身處各處。」他說，「但我似乎錯過了許多。」與此同時，大軍準備返回米那斯提力斯。疲憊者得到休息，受傷者得到醫治。因為有些人曾與東方人和南方人的殘餘勢力奮戰許久，直到他們全部被制服。最後，那些進入魔多並摧毀了該地北部堡壘的人也回來了。但最終，當五月即將來臨之際，西方將領們再次啟程；他們帶著所有部下登船，從凱爾安德羅斯沿安都因河航行至奧斯吉力亞斯；他們在那裡停留了一天；第二天，他們來到佩蘭諾平原的綠色田野，再次看見高聳的明多陸安山下的白色高塔，那是剛鐸人類的城市，西方故土的最後記憶，它已穿越黑暗與烈火，迎向嶄新的一天。他們在田野中央搭起帳篷，等待黎明；因為那是五月前夕，國王將在日出時進入他的城門。