Chapter 3 THREE IS COMPANY “You ought to go quietly, and you ought to go soon,’ said Gandalf. Two or three weeks had passed, and still Frodo made no sign of getting ready to go. ‘I know. But it is difficult to do both,’ he objected. ‘If I just vanish like Bilbo, the tale will be all over the Shire in no time.’ ‘Of course you mustn’t vanish!’ said Gandalf. “That wouldn’t do at all! I said soon, not instantly. If you can think of any way of slipping out of the Shire without its being generally known, it will be worth a little delay. But you must not delay too long.’ ‘What about the autumn, on or after Our Birthday?’ asked Frodo. ‘I think I could probably make some arrangements by then.’ To tell the truth, he was very reluctant to start, now that it had come to the point: Bag End seemed a more desirable residence than it had for years, and he wanted to savour as much as he could of his last summer in the Shire. When autumn came, he knew that part at least of his heart would think more kindly of journeying, as it always did at that season. He had indeed privately made up his mind to leave on his fiftieth birthday: Bilbo’s one hundred and twenty-eighth. It seemed somehow the proper day on which to set out and follow him. Following Bilbo was uppermost in his mind, and the one thing that made the thought of leaving bearable. He thought as little as possible about the Ring, and where it might lead him in the end. But he did not tell all his thoughts to Gandalf. What the wizard guessed was always difficult to tell. He looked at Frodo and smiled. ‘Very well,’ he said. ‘I think that will do — but it must not be any later. I am getting very anxious. In the meanwhile, do take care, and don’t let out any hint of where you are going! And see that Sam Gamgee does not talk. If he does, I really shall turn him into a toad.’ ‘As for where I am going,’ said Frodo, ‘it would be difficult to give that away, for I have no clear idea myself, yet.’ ‘Don’t be absurd!’ said Gandalf. ‘I am not warning you against leaving an address at the post-office! But you are leaving the Shire — and that should not be known, until you are far away. And you must go, or at least set out, either North, South, West or East — and the direction should certainly not be known.’ ‘I have been so taken up with the thoughts of leaving Bag End, and of saying farewell, that I have never even considered the direction,’
第三章 三人成行 「你應該悄悄地走，而且應該盡快走。」甘道夫說。兩三個星期過去了，佛羅多仍然沒有任何準備動身的跡象。「我知道。但兩者很難兼顧。」他反駁道。「如果我像比爾博那樣突然消失，這件事很快就會傳遍整個夏爾。」「你當然不能消失！」甘道夫說。「那樣絕對不行！我說的是盡快，不是立刻。如果你能想出什麼辦法，在不驚動大家的情況下溜出夏爾，那稍微延遲一下是值得的。但你絕不能拖太久。」「秋天怎麼樣？在我們生日那天或之後？」佛羅多問。「我想那時候我大概能安排好一些事。」說實話，事到臨頭，他非常不願意出發：袋底洞似乎比過去幾年都更像個理想的住所，他想盡可能地品味他在夏爾的最後一個夏天。他知道，當秋天來臨時，他心中至少有一部分會更樂意踏上旅程，就像每年這個季節一樣。他其實私下已經決定在他五十歲生日那天離開——也就是比爾博的一百二十八歲冥誕。那似乎是個出發追隨他的恰當時機。追隨比爾博是他心裡最重要的念頭，也是唯一讓離開的想法變得可以忍受的事情。他盡量不去想魔戒，以及它最終可能將他帶往何方。但他沒有把所有想法都告訴甘道夫。這位巫師猜到了什麼，總是很難說。他看著佛羅多，笑了。「很好，」他說。「我想那樣可以——但絕不能再晚了。我越來越焦慮了。在此期間，務必小心，不要透露任何關於你要去哪裡的線索！還有，看好山姆·詹吉別亂說話。如果他亂說，我真的會把他變成一隻蟾蜍。」「至於我要去哪裡，」佛羅多說，「這很難洩漏，因為我自己都還沒有明確的想法。」「別傻了！」甘道夫說。「我不是警告你別在郵局留下地址！但你要離開夏爾——這件事在你遠離之前，不應該被任何人知道。而且你必須走，或至少要出發，不論是往北、南、西或東——而方向當然也不該讓人知道。」「我一直滿腦子想著要離開袋底洞和道別的事，從來沒考慮過方向。」
66 THE LORD OF THE RINGS said Frodo. ‘For where am I to go? And by what shall I steer? What is to be my quest? Bilbo went to find a treasure, there and back again; but I go to lose one, and not return, as far as I can see.’ ‘But you cannot see very far,’ said Gandalf. ‘Neither can I. It may be your task to find the Cracks of Doom; but that quest may be for others: I do not know. At any rate you are not ready for that long road yet.’ ‘No indeed!’ said Frodo. ‘But in the meantime what course am I to take?’ “Towards danger; but not too rashly, nor too straight,’ answered the wizard. ‘If you want my advice, make for Rivendell. That journey should not prove too perilous, though the Road is less easy than it was, and it will grow worse as the year fails.’ ‘Rivendell!’ said Frodo. ‘Very good: I will go east, and I will make for Rivendell. I will take Sam to visit the Elves; he will be delighted.’ He spoke lightly; but his heart was moved suddenly with a desire to see the house of Elrond Halfelven, and breathe the air of that deep valley where many of the Fair Folk still dwelt in peace. One summer’s evening an astonishing piece of news reached the Ivy Bush and Green Dragon. Giants and other portents on the borders of the Shire were forgotten for more important matters: Mr. Frodo was selling Bag End, indeed he had already sold it — to the SackvilleBagginses! ‘For a nice bit, too,’ said some. ‘At a bargain price,’ said others, ‘and that’s more likely when Mistress Lobelia’s the buyer.’ (Otho had died some years before, at the ripe but disappointed age of 102.) Just why Mr. Frodo was selling his beautiful hole was even more debatable than the price. A few held the theory — supported by the nods and hints of Mr. Baggins himself — that Frodo’s money was running out: he was going to leave Hobbiton and live in a quiet way on the proceeds of the sale down in Buckland among his Brandybuck relations. ‘As far from the Sackville-Bagginses as may be,’ some added. But so firmly fixed had the notion of the immeasurable wealth of the Bagginses of Bag End become that most found this hard to believe, harder than any other reason or unreason that their fancy could suggest: to most it suggested a dark and yet unrevealed plot by Gandalf. Though he kept himself very quiet and did not go about by day, it was well known that he was ‘hiding up in the Bag End’. But however a removal might fit in with the designs of his wizardry, there was no doubt about the fact: Frodo Baggins was going back to Buckland. “Yes, I shall be moving this autumn,’ he said. ‘Merry Brandybuck is looking out for a nice little hole for me, or perhaps a small house.’
THREE IS COMPANY 67 As a matter of fact with Merry’s help he had already chosen and bought a little house at Crickhollow in the country beyond Bucklebury. To all but Sam he pretended he was going to settle down there permanently. The decision to set out eastwards had suggested the idea to him; for Buckland was on the eastern borders of the Shire, and as he had lived there in childhood his going back would at least seem credible. Gandalf stayed in the Shire for over two months. Then one evening, at the end of June, soon after Frodo’s plan had been finally arranged, he suddenly announced that he was going off again next morning. ‘Only for a short while, I hope,’ he said. ‘But I am going down beyond the southern borders to get some news, if I can. I have been idle longer than I should.’ He spoke lightly, but it seemed to Frodo that he looked rather worried. ‘Has anything happened?’ he asked. ‘Well no; but I have heard something that has made me anxious and needs looking into. If I think it necessary after all for you to get off at once, I shall come back immediately, or at least send word. In the meanwhile stick to your plan; but be more careful than ever, especially of the Ring. Let me impress on you once more: don’t use itl? He went off at dawn. ‘I may be back any day,’ he said. ‘At the very latest I shall come back for the farewell party. I think after all you may need my company on the Road.’ At first Frodo was a good deal disturbed, and wondered often what Gandalf could have heard; but his uneasiness wore off, and in the fine weather he forgot his troubles for a while. The Shire had seldom seen so fair a summer, or so rich an autumn: the trees were laden with apples, honey was dripping in the combs, and the corn was tall and full. Autumn was well under way before Frodo began to worry about Gandalf again. September was passing and there was still no news of him. The Birthday, and the removal, drew nearer, and still he did not come, or send word. Bag End began to be busy. Some of Frodo’s friends came to stay and help him with the packing: there was Fredegar Bolger and Folco Boffin, and of course his special friends Pippin Took and Merry Brandybuck. Between them they turned the whole place upside-down. On September 2oth two covered carts went off laden to Buckland, conveying the furniture and goods that Frodo had not sold to his new home, by way of the Brandywine Bridge.The next day Frodo became really anxious, and kept a constant look-out for Gandalf. Thursday, his birthday morning, dawned as fair and clear as it had
三人成行 67 事實上，在梅里的幫助下，他早就在雄鹿鎮外的鄉間，於蟋蟀谷挑選並買下了一棟小屋。除了山姆之外，他對所有人都假裝要在那裡永久定居。向東出發的決定給了他這個主意；因為布克蘭位於夏爾的東部邊界，而且他童年時曾住在那裡，所以他回去至少看起來是可信的。甘道夫在夏爾待了兩個多月。然後在六月底的一個傍晚，佛羅多的計畫終於敲定後不久，他突然宣布隔天早上又要離開。「希望只是短暫離開，」他說。「但我要去南邊邊界之外打聽些消息，如果可以的話。我閒得太久了。」他說得輕鬆，但佛羅多覺得他看起來相當憂慮。「發生什麼事了嗎？」他問。「嗯，沒有；但我聽到了一些讓我焦慮、需要查探的事情。如果我終究認為你有必要立刻動身，我會馬上回來，或至少捎個信來。在此期間，你還是照原定計畫進行；但要比以往任何時候都更加小心，尤其是對魔戒。讓我再三叮囑你一次：不要使用它！」他黎明時分就離開了。「我隨時都可能回來，」他說。「最晚我會回來參加告別派對。我想，畢竟在路上你可能需要我的陪伴。」起初佛羅多相當不安，常常思索甘道夫可能聽到了什麼；但他的不安漸漸消退，在晴朗的天氣裡，他暫時忘記了煩惱。夏爾很少見到如此晴朗的夏天，或如此豐饒的秋天：樹上結滿了蘋果，蜂巢裡蜜汁欲滴，玉米又高又飽滿。秋意已濃，佛羅多才又開始為甘道夫擔心起來。九月即將過去，仍然沒有他的消息。生日和搬家的日子越來越近，他還是沒有來，也沒有捎信來。袋底洞開始忙碌起來。佛羅多的一些朋友來住下，幫他打包：有佛瑞德加·博爾傑和佛寇·博芬，當然還有他的摯友皮聘·圖克和梅里·烈酒鹿。他們幾個人把整個地方搞得天翻地覆。九月二十日，兩輛載滿貨物的有篷馬車經由白蘭地橋前往布克蘭，運送佛羅多未賣掉的家具和物品到他的新家。第二天，佛羅多真的焦慮起來，不停地張望著甘道夫的蹤影。星期四，他生日的早晨，天色一如既往地晴朗明亮。
68 THE LORD OF THE RINGS long ago for Bilbo’s great party. Still Gandalf did not appear. In the evening Frodo gave his farewell feast: it was quite small, just a dinner for himself and his four helpers; but he was troubled and felt in no mood for it. The thought that he would so soon have to part with his young friends weighed on his heart. He wondered how he would break it to them. The four younger hobbits were, however, in high spirits, and the party soon became very cheerful in spite of Gandalf’s absence. The dining-room was bare except for a table and chairs, but the food was good, and there was good wine: Frodo’s wine had not been included in the sale to the Sackville-Bagginses. ‘Whatever happens to the rest of my stuff, when the S.-B.s get their claws on it, at any rate I have found a good home for this!’ said Frodo, as he drained his glass. It was the last drop of Old Winyards. When they had sung many songs, and talked of many things they had done together, they toasted Bilbo’s birthday, and they drank his health and Frodo’s together according to Frodo’s custom. Then they went out for a sniff of air, and glimpse of the stars, and then they went to bed. Frodo’s party was over, and Gandalf had not come. The next morning they were busy packing another cart with the remainder of the luggage. Merry took charge of this, and drove off with Fatty (that is Fredegar Bolger). ‘Someone must get there and warm the house before you arrive,’ said Merry. ‘Well, see you later — the day after tomorrow, if you don’t go to sleep on the way!’ Folco went home after lunch, but Pippin remained behind. Frodo was restless and anxious, listening in vain for a sound of Gandalf. He decided to wait until nightfall. After that, if Gandalf wanted him urgently, he would go to Crickhollow, and might even get there first. For Frodo was going on foot. His plan — for pleasure and a last look at the Shire as much as any other reason — was to walk from Hobbiton to Bucklebury Ferry, taking it fairly easy. ‘I shall get myself a bit into training, too,’ he said, looking at himself in a dusty mirror in the half-empty hall. He had not done any strenuous walking for a long time, and the reflection looked rather flabby, he thought. After lunch, the Sackville-Bagginses, Lobelia and her sandy-haired son, Lotho, turned up, much to Frodo’s annoyance. ‘Ours at last!’ said Lobelia, as she stepped inside. It was not polite; nor strictly true, for the sale of Bag End did not take effect until midnight. But Lobelia can perhaps be forgiven: she had been obliged to wait about seventyseven years longer for Bag End than she once hoped, and she was now a hundred years old. Anyway, she had come to see that nothing
就像很久以前比爾博的盛大派對一樣。但甘道夫還是沒有出現。傍晚，佛羅多舉行了他的告別晚宴：規模很小，只有他自己和四位幫手；但他心煩意亂，一點心情也沒有。一想到很快就要與年輕的朋友們分離，他的心頭沉重不已。他不知道該如何向他們開口。然而，四位年輕的哈比人興致高昂，儘管甘道夫缺席，派對很快就變得非常歡快。餐廳裡除了桌椅外空無一物，但食物很美味，也有好酒：佛羅多自己的酒並沒有包含在賣給薩克維爾-巴金斯家族的財產裡。「不管我其他的東西落到薩-巴家手裡會怎樣，至少我為這些酒找到了好歸宿！」佛羅多說著，一飲而盡杯中酒。那是最後一滴老葡園了。他們唱了很多歌，聊了許多一起做過的事，然後為比爾博的生日乾杯，並按照佛羅多的習慣，一同為比爾博和佛羅多的健康祝酒。之後他們出去透了口氣，看了看星星，然後就上床睡覺了。佛羅多的派對結束了，甘道夫沒有來。第二天早上，他們忙著把剩下的行李裝上另一輛馬車。梅里負責這件事，和胖仔（也就是佛瑞德加·博爾傑）一起駕車離開了。「總得有人先到那裡，在你們抵達前把房子弄暖和，」梅里說。「那麼，回頭見——後天見，如果你們在路上沒睡著的話！」佛寇午飯後回家了，但皮聘留了下來。佛羅多焦躁不安，徒勞地聽著是否有甘道夫的聲響。他決定等到天黑。之後，如果甘道夫急著找他，他會去克里克窪，甚至可能比他先到。因為佛羅多打算步行前往。他的計畫——既是為了好玩，也是為了最後再看一眼夏爾，就像其他任何理由一樣重要——是從哈比屯悠閒地走到巴蘭堆渡口。「我也得讓自己稍微鍛鍊一下了，」他看著半空大廳裡一面滿是灰塵的鏡子裡的自己說。他很久沒有做過費力的行走了，他覺得鏡中的倒影看起來相當鬆垮。午飯後，薩克維爾-巴金斯家的洛貝莉亞和她沙色頭髮的兒子洛索出現了，讓佛羅多非常惱火。「總算是我們的了！」洛貝莉亞一踏進門就說。這很不禮貌，也不完全屬實，因為袋底洞的買賣要到午夜才生效。但洛貝莉亞或許情有可原：為了得到袋底洞，她被迫比她曾經希望的時間多等了大約七十七年，而她現在已經一百歲了。無論如何，她來是為了確保沒有……
THREE IS COMPANY 69 she had paid for had been carried off; and she wanted the keys. It took a long while to satisfy her, as she had brought a complete inventory with her and went right through it. In the end she departed with Lotho and the spare key and the promise that the other key would be left at the Gamgees’ in Bagshot Row. She snorted, and showed plainly that she thought the Gamgees capable of plundering the hole during the night. Frodo did not offer her any tea. He took his own tea with Pippin and Sam Gamgee in the kitchen. It had been officially announced that Sam was coming to Buckland ‘to do for Mr. Frodo and look after his bit of garden’; an arrangement that was approved by the Gaffer, though it did not console him for the prospect of having Lobelia as a neighbour. ‘Our last meal at Bag End!’ said Frodo, pushing back his chair. They left the washing up for Lobelia. Pippin and Sam strapped up their three packs and piled them in the porch. Pippin went out for a last stroll in the garden. Sam disappeared. The sun went down. Bag End seemed sad and gloomy and dishevelled. Frodo wandered round the familiar rooms, and saw the light of the sunset fade on the walls, and shadows creep out of the corners. It grew slowly dark indoors. He went out and walked down to the gate at the bottom of the path, and then on a short way down the Hill Road. He half expected to see Gandalf come striding up through the dusk. The sky was clear and the stars were growing bright. ‘It’s going to be a fine night,’ he said aloud. “That’s good for a beginning. I feel like walking. I can’t bear any more hanging about. I am going to start, and Gandalf must follow me.’ He turned to go back, and then stopped, for he heard voices, just round the corner by the end of Bagshot Row. One voice was certainly the old Gaffer’s; the other was strange, and somehow unpleasant. He could not make out what it said, but he heard the Gaffer’s answers, which were rather shrill. The old man seemed put out. ‘No, Mr. Baggins has gone away. Went this morning, and my Sam went with him: anyway all his stuff went. Yes, sold out and gone, I tell’ee. Why? Why’s none of my business, or yours. Where to? That ain’t no secret. He’s moved to Bucklebury or some such place, away down yonder. Yes it is — a tidy way. I’ve never been so far myself} they’re queer folks in Buckland. No, I can’t give no message. Good night to you!’ Footsteps went away down the Hill. Frodo wondered vaguely why the fact that they did not come on up the Hill seemed a great relief. ‘I am sick of questions and curiosity about my doings, I suppose,’ he thought. ‘What an inquisitive lot they all are!’ He had half a mind
7O THE LORD OF THE RINGS to go and ask the Gaffer who the inquirer was; but he thought better (or worse) of it, and turned and walked quickly back to Bag End. Pippin was sitting on his pack in the porch. Sam was not there. Frodo stepped inside the dark door. ‘Sam!’ he called. ‘Sam! Time!’ ‘Coming, sir!’ came the answer from far within, followed soon by Sam himself, wiping his mouth. He had been saying farewell to the beer-barrel in the cellar. ‘All aboard, Sam?’ said Frodo. ‘Yes, sir. Pll last for a bit now, sir.’ Frodo shut and locked the round door, and gave the key to Sam. ‘Run down with this to your home, Sam!’ he said. “Then cut along the Row and meet us as quick as you can at the gate in the lane beyond the meadows. We are not going through the village tonight. Too many ears pricking and eyes prying.’ Sam ran off at full speed. ‘Well, now we’re off at last!’ said Frodo. They shouldered their packs and took up their sticks, and walked round the corner to the west side of Bag End. ‘Good-bye!’ said Frodo, looking at the dark blank windows. He waved his hand, and then turned and (following Bilbo, if he had known it) hurried after Peregrin down the gardenpath. They jumped over the low place in the hedge at the bottom and took to the fields, passing into the darkness like a rustle in the grasses. At the bottom of the Hill on its western side they came to the gate opening on to a narrow lane. There they halted and adjusted the straps of their packs. Presently Sam appeared, trotting quickly and breathing hard; his heavy pack was hoisted high on his shoulders, and he had put on his head a tall shapeless felt bag, which he called a hat. In the gloom he looked very much like a dwarf. ‘I am sure you have given me all the heaviest stuff,’ said Frodo. ‘I pity snails, and all that carry their homes on their backs.’ ‘I could take a lot more yet, sir. My packet is quite light,’ said Sam stoutly and untruthfully. ‘No you don’t, Sam!’ said Pippin. ‘It is good for him. He’s got nothing except what he ordered us to pack. He’s been slack lately, and he’ll feel the weight less when he’s walked off some of his own.’ ‘Be kind to a poor old hobbit!’ laughed Frodo. ‘I shall be as thin as a willow-wand, I’m sure, before I get to Buckland. But I was talking nonsense. I suspect you have taken more than your share, Sam, and I shall look into it at our next packing.’ He picked up his stick again. ‘Well, we all like walking in the dark,’ he said, ‘so let’s put some miles behind us before bed.’ For a short way they followed the lane westwards. Then leaving it they turned left and took quietly to the fields again. They went in
他本想去問問老爹那探問者是誰；但他轉念一想（或許是個更糟的念頭），便轉身快步走回袋底洞。皮聘正坐在門廊上自己的背包上。山姆不在那裡。佛羅多走進漆黑的門內。「山姆！」他喊道。「山姆！是時候了！」「來了，先生！」從屋子深處傳來回答，緊接著山姆本人走了出來，擦著嘴。他剛才在酒窖裡向啤酒桶告別。「都準備好了嗎，山姆？」佛羅多說。「是的，先生。我現在可以撐一陣子了，先生。」佛羅多關上並鎖上了圓門，把鑰匙交給山姆。「拿著這個跑回你家，山姆！」他說。「然後沿著小路街快走，盡快在草原那頭小徑的柵欄門跟我們會合。我們今晚不穿過村子。太多人豎著耳朵、睜大眼睛在窺探了。」山姆全速跑開了。「好了，我們總算出發了！」佛羅多說。他們背上背包，拿起手杖，繞到袋底洞的西側。「再見了！」佛羅多望著漆黑空洞的窗戶說道。他揮了揮手，然後轉身（如果他知道的話，其實是跟隨著比爾博的腳步）跟著培瑞格林匆匆走下花園小徑。他們跳過底部樹籬的低處，進入田野，像草叢中的一陣沙沙聲般消失在黑暗中。在小丘西側的底部，他們來到通往一條窄巷的柵欄門前。他們在那裡停下來，調整背包的帶子。不久，山姆出現了，他快步小跑，氣喘吁吁；他沉重的背包高高地扛在肩上，頭上戴著一個他稱之為帽子的、高而無形的氈袋。在昏暗中，他看起來很像一個矮人。「我敢肯定你把最重的東西都給我了，」佛羅多說。「我真同情蝸牛，還有所有把家背在身上的人。」「我還能再多背很多呢，先生。我的包袱很輕的。」山姆理直氣壯卻不誠實地說。「不，你別想，山姆！」皮聘說。「這對他有益。他除了自己吩咐我們打包的東西之外什麼都沒帶。他最近太懶散了，等他走掉一些自己的份量後，就會覺得背包沒那麼重了。」「對一個可憐的老哈比人仁慈點吧！」佛羅多笑道。「我敢說，在抵達布克蘭之前，我就會瘦得像根柳條了。不過我剛才是在胡說八道。我懷疑你拿了超過你該背的份量，山姆，下次我們打包時我會檢查一下。」他又撿起手杖。「好吧，我們都喜歡在黑暗中走路，」他說，「那麼就在睡前多趕幾哩路吧。」他們沿著小徑向西走了一小段路。然後離開小徑，向左轉，再次悄悄地走進田野。他們走進去
THREE IS COMPANY TI single file along hedgerows and the borders of coppices, and night fell dark about them. In their dark cloaks they were as invisible as if they all had magic rings. Since they were all hobbits, and were trying to be silent, they made no noise that even hobbits would hear. Even the wild things in the fields and woods hardly noticed their passing. After some time they crossed the Water, west of Hobbiton, by a narrow plank-bridge. The stream was there no more than a winding black ribbon, bordered with leaning alder-trees. A mile or two further south they hastily crossed the great road from the Brandywine Bridge; they were now in the Tookland and bending south-eastwards they made for the Green Hill Country. As they began to climb its first slopes they looked back and saw the lamps in Hobbiton far off twinkling in the gentle valley of the Water. Soon it disappeared in the folds of the darkened land, and was followed by Bywater beside its grey pool. When the light of the last farm was far behind, peeping among the trees, Frodo turned and waved a hand in farewell. ‘I wonder if I shall ever look down into that valley again,’ he said quietly. When they had walked for about three hours they rested. The night was clear, cool, and starry, but smoke-like wisps of mist were creeping up the hill-sides from the streams and deep meadows. Thinclad birches, swaying in a light wind above their heads, made a black net against the pale sky. They ate a very frugal supper (for hobbits), and then went on again. Soon they struck a narrow road, that went rolling up and down, fading grey into the darkness ahead: the road to Woodhall, and Stock, and the Bucklebury Ferry. It climbed away from the main road in the Water-valley, and wound over the skirts of the Green Hills towards Woody End, a wild corner of the Eastfarthing. After a while they plunged into a deeply cloven track between tall trees that rustled their dry leaves in the night. It was very dark. At first they talked, or hummed a tune softly together, being now far away from inquisitive ears. Then they marched on in silence, and Pippin began to lag behind. At last, as they began to climb a steep slope, he stopped and yawned. ‘I am so sleepy,’ he said, ‘that soon I shall fall down on the road. Are you going to sleep on your legs? It is nearly midnight.’ ‘I thought you liked walking in the dark,’ said Frodo. ‘But there is no great hurry. Merry expects us some time the day after tomorrow; but that leaves us nearly two days more. We’ll halt at the first likely spot.’ “The wind’s in the West,’ said Sam. ‘If we get to the other side of this hill, we shall find a spot that is sheltered and snug enough, sir. There is a dry fir-wood just ahead, if I remember rightly.” Sam
三人成行。他們排成一列，沿著樹籬和矮林地的邊緣前行，夜幕深沉地籠罩著他們。身穿深色斗篷，他們就像全都戴著魔法戒指一樣隱形。由於他們都是哈比人，又刻意保持安靜，所以連哈比人自己都聽不到他們發出的任何聲響。就連田野和樹林裡的野生動物也幾乎沒有察覺到他們的經過。過了一段時間，他們在哈比屯西邊，透過一座狹窄的木板橋越過了小河。在那裡，溪流不過是一條蜿蜒的黑色絲帶，兩旁是傾斜的赤楊樹。再往南走一兩英里，他們匆匆穿過了從白蘭地橋延伸過來的大路；他們現在已進入圖克區，正轉向東南方，朝著綠丘陵鄉前進。當他們開始攀登第一片山坡時，他們回頭望去，看見遠方哈比屯的燈火在小河那溫柔的山谷中閃爍。很快，它便消失在黑暗土地的褶皺裡，接著是灰色池塘旁的傍水鎮。當最後一戶農家的燈光也遠遠落在身後，從樹叢間窺視時，佛羅多轉過身，揮手告別。「不知道我是否還能再次俯瞰那片山谷。」他輕聲說道。他們走了大約三小時後停下休息。夜色清朗、涼爽，繁星點點，但煙霧般的薄霧正從溪流和深邃的草地間悄悄爬上山坡。光禿禿的樺樹在他們頭頂的微風中搖曳，映著蒼白的天空，形成一張黑色的網。他們吃了一頓（對哈比人而言）非常節儉的晚餐，然後又繼續前行。不久，他們踏上了一條狹窄的道路，路面起起伏伏，在前方灰濛濛地消失在黑暗中：這是通往伍德廳、斯托克和巴克伯理渡口的道路。它從小河谷的主幹道分岔而出，蜿蜒繞過綠丘陵的邊緣，朝著東區一個名為伍迪區的荒野角落而去。過了一會兒，他們鑽進一條深深裂開的小徑，兩旁高大的樹木在夜裡沙沙作響地搖動著枯葉。四周非常黑暗。起初，他們還會交談，或是一起輕聲哼著曲子，因為現在已經遠離了那些好探聽的耳朵。然後，他們便在沉默中前行，皮聘開始落在後頭。最後，當他們開始爬上一段陡坡時，他停下來打了個呵欠。「我好睏啊，」他說，「再這樣下去我就要倒在路上了。你們打算站著睡覺嗎？都快午夜了。」「我還以為你喜歡在黑暗中走路呢。」佛羅多說。「不過也不用太趕。梅里預計我們後天的某個時候到；這樣我們還有將近兩天時間。我們會在第一個合適的地點停下來。」「風是從西邊吹來的，」山姆說。「如果我們到這座山的另一邊，就能找到一個既避風又舒適的地方，先生。如果我沒記錯的話，前面就有一片乾燥的杉木林。」
72 THE LORD OF THE RINGS knew the land well within twenty miles of Hobbiton, but that was the limit of his geography. Just over the top of the hill they came on the patch of fir-wood. Leaving the road they went into the deep resin-scented darkness of the trees, and gathered dead sticks and cones to make a fire. Soon they had a merry crackle of flame at the foot of a large fir-tree and they sat round it for a while, until they began to nod. Then, each in an angle of the great tree’s roots, they curled up in their cloaks and blankets, and were soon fast asleep. They set no watch; even Frodo feared no danger yet, for they were still in the heart of the Shire. A few creatures came and looked at them when the fire had died away. A fox passing through the wood on business of his own stopped several minutes and sniffed. ‘Hobbits!’ he thought. ‘Well, what next? I have heard of strange doings in this land, but I have seldom heard of a hobbit sleeping out of doors under a tree. Three of them! There’s something mighty queer behind this.’ He was quite right, but he never found out any more about it. The morning came, pale and clammy. Frodo woke up first, and found that a tree-root had made a hole in his back, and that his neck was stiff. ‘Walking for pleasure! Why didn’t I drive?’ he thought, as he usually did at the beginning of an expedition. ‘And all my beautiful feather beds are sold to the Sackville-Bagginses! These tree-roots would do them good.’ He stretched. ‘Wake up, hobbits!’ he cried. ‘It’s a beautiful morning.’ ‘What’s beautiful about it?’ said Pippin, peering over the edge of his blanket with one eye. ‘Sam! Get breakfast ready for half-past nine! Have you got the bath-water hot?’ Sam jumped up, looking rather bleary. ‘No, sir, I haven’t, sir!’ he said. Frodo stripped the blankets from Pippin and rolled him over, and then walked off to the edge of the wood. Away eastward the sun was rising red out of the mists that lay thick on the world. Touched with gold and red the autumn trees seemed to be sailing rootless in a shadowy sea. A little below him to the left the road ran down steeply into a hollow and disappeared. When he returned Sam and Pippin had got a good fire going. ‘Water!’ shouted Pippin. ‘Where’s the water?’ ‘I don’t keep water in my pockets,’ said Frodo. ‘We thought you had gone to find some,’ said Pippin, busy setting out the food, and cups. ‘You had better go now.’ “You can come too,’ said Frodo, ‘and bring all the water-bottles.’ There was a stream at the foot of the hill. They filled their bottles
《魔戒》72頁 他們對哈比屯方圓二十英里內的地形很熟，但他的地理知識也僅止於此。一翻過山頂，他們就來到了一片冷杉林。他們離開大路，走進了充滿樹脂香味的幽暗林中，撿拾枯枝和松果來生火。很快地，一棵大冷杉樹下，火焰發出歡快的劈啪聲，他們圍著火坐了一會兒，直到開始打起瞌睡。然後，他們各自在大樹根的角落裡，裹著斗篷和毯子蜷縮起來，很快就睡熟了。他們沒有安排守夜；就連佛羅多也還不擔心有任何危險，因為他們仍在夏爾的腹地。火堆熄滅後，有幾隻小動物過來看了看他們。一隻路過林間辦自己事的狐狸停下來聞了好幾分鐘。「哈比人！」牠想。「嗯，接下來又會是什麼？我聽說這地方有些怪事，但我很少聽說有哈比人露天睡在樹下的。而且還是三個！這背後肯定有什麼非常古怪的事。」牠想得完全沒錯，但牠再也沒能知道更多內情了。早晨來臨，天色蒼白而濕冷。佛羅多第一個醒來，發現一根樹根幾乎在他背上頂出個洞，脖子也僵硬了。「為了好玩才走路！我當初怎麼不坐馬車呢？」他想，每次遠行之初他通常都會這麼想。「而且我所有漂亮的羽毛床都賣給薩克維爾-巴金斯家了！這些樹根正好給他們嚐嚐。」他伸了個懶腰。「醒醒，哈比人們！」他喊道。「真是個美好的早晨。」「美好在哪？」皮聘說，從毯子邊緣睜一隻眼偷看。「山姆！準備九點半的早餐！洗澡水燒熱了嗎？」山姆跳了起來，看起來睡眼惺忪。「沒有，先生，我沒有，先生！」他說。佛羅多一把掀開皮聘的毯子，把他滾到一邊，然後自己走到林邊。遠方的東邊，太陽正從籠罩大地的濃霧中升起，一片火紅。被金光與紅霞觸及的秋日樹木，彷彿無根地航行在一片幽影之海。在他左下方不遠處，道路陡峭地向下延伸，沒入一個窪地後消失不見。當他回來時，山姆和皮聘已經生好了一堆旺火。「水！」皮聘喊道。「水在哪裡？」「我的口袋裡可不裝水。」佛羅多說。「我們以為你去找水了。」皮聘一邊忙著擺放食物和杯子，一邊說。「你最好現在去。」「你也可以一起來，」佛羅多說，「順便把所有水瓶都帶上。」山腳下有一條小溪。他們裝滿了水瓶
THREE IS COMPANY 73 and the small camping kettle at a little fall where the water fell a few feet over an outcrop of grey stone. It was icy cold; and they spluttered and puffed as they bathed their faces and hands. When their breakfast was over, and their packs all trussed up again, it was after ten o’clock, and the day was beginning to turn fine and hot. They went down the slope, and across the stream where it dived under the road, and up the next slope, and up and down another shoulder of the hills; and by that time their cloaks, blankets, water, food, and other gear already seemed a heavy burden. The day’s march promised to be warm and tiring work. After some miles, however, the road ceased to roll up and down: it climbed to the top of a steep bank in a weary zig-zagging sort of way, and then prepared to go down for the last time. In front of them they saw the lower lands dotted with small clumps of trees that melted away in the distance to a brown woodland haze. They were looking across the Woody End towards the Brandywine River. The road wound away before them like a piece of string. “The road goes on for ever,’ said Pippin; ‘but I can’t without a rest. It is high time for lunch.’ He sat down on the bank at the side of the road and looked away east into the haze, beyond which lay the River, and the end of the Shire in which he had spent all his life. Sam stood by him. His round eyes were wide open — for he was looking across lands he had never seen to a new horizon. ‘Do Elves live in those woods?’ he asked. ‘Not that I ever heard,’ said Pippin. Frodo was silent. He too was gazing eastward along the road, as if he had never seen it before. Suddenly he spoke, aloud but as if to himself, saying slowly: The Road goes ever on and on Down from the door where it began. Now far ahead the Road has gone, And I must follow, if I can, Pursuing it with weary feet, Until it joins some larger way, Where many paths and errands meet. And whither then? I cannot say. “That sounds like a bit of old Bilbo’s rhyming,’ said Pippin. ‘Or is it one of your imitations? It does not sound altogether encouraging.’ ‘I don’t know,’ said Frodo. ‘It came to me then, as if I was making it up; but I may have heard it long ago. Certainly it reminds me very much of Bilbo in the last years, before he went away. He used often to say there was only one Road; that it was like a great river: its
他們在一個小瀑布旁煮著小小的露營水壺，那裡的水從一塊灰色的露岩上落下幾英尺。水冰冷刺骨，他們用來洗臉洗手時，凍得直噗氣和喘息。吃完早餐，把背包重新捆紮好後，已經是十點多了，天氣開始變得晴朗炎熱。他們走下山坡，穿過鑽入路下的溪流，爬上對面的斜坡，又翻過另一座山丘的坡肩；到那時，他們的斗篷、毯子、水、食物和其他裝備似乎已成了沉重的負擔。這一天的行軍看來會是趟溫暖又累人的苦差事。然而，走了幾英里後，路不再上下起伏：它以一種疲憊的蜿蜒方式爬上一個陡峭的堤岸頂端，然後準備做最後一次下行。他們看到前方的低地散佈著一叢叢小樹，在遠方融入一片棕色的林地薄霧中。他們正眺望著林尾區，朝著白蘭地河的方向。道路像一條細繩在他們面前蜿蜒而去。「這路永遠走不完，」皮聘說，「但我不休息一下可不行。早該吃午餐了。」他在路邊的土堤上坐下，望向東邊的薄霧，霧的另一邊就是那條河，以及他度過了一生的夏爾的盡頭。山姆站在他旁邊。他圓圓的眼睛睜得大大的——因為他正望著他從未見過的土地，望向一個新的地平線。「那些樹林裡有精靈住嗎？」他問。「我可從沒聽說過。」皮聘說。佛羅多沉默不語。他同樣凝視著東方，沿著道路，彷彿從未見過它一樣。他突然開口，聲音響亮，卻又像在自言自語，緩緩地說道： 大路迢迢永無盡， 始於門前此足印。 如今前路已走遠， 若能跟上必得跟， 拖著疲憊的雙腳， 直到匯入某條大道， 那裡眾路交錯，塵緣匯集。 然後去向何方？我無從知曉。 「那聽起來有點像比爾博的老掉牙韻詩，」皮聘說。「還是你的模仿之作？聽起來不怎麼鼓舞人心。」「我不知道，」佛羅多說。「它剛才就那樣浮現在我腦海，好像是我自己編出來的；但也可能我很久以前聽過。它確實讓我想起比爾博離開前的最後幾年。他常常說世上只有一條路；它就像一條大河：其源頭在每一家的門檻上，而每一條小徑都是它的支流。」
74 THE LORD OF THE RINGS springs were at every doorstep, and every path was its tributary. “‘It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out of your door,” he used to say. ‘““You step into the Road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there is no knowing where you might be swept off to. Do you realize that this is the very path that goes through Mirkwood, and that if you let it, it might take you to the Lonely Mountain or even further and to worse places?” He used to say that on the path outside the front door at Bag End, especially after he had been out for a long walk.’ ‘Well, the Road won’t sweep me anywhere for an hour at least,’ said Pippin, unslinging his pack. The others followed his example, putting their packs against the bank and their legs out into the road. After a rest they had a good lunch, and then more rest. The sun was beginning to get low and the light of afternoon was on the land as they went down the hill. So far they had not met a soul on the road. This way was not much used, being hardly fit for carts, and there was little traffic to the Woody End. They had been jogging along again for an hour or more when Sam stopped a moment as if listening. They were now on level ground, and the road after much winding lay straight ahead through grass-land sprinkled with tall trees, outliers of the approaching woods. ‘I can hear a pony or a horse coming along the road behind,’ said Sam. They looked back, but the turn of the road prevented them from seeing far. ‘I wonder if that is Gandalf coming after us,’ said Frodo; but even as he said it, he had a feeling that it was not so, and a sudden desire to hide from the view of the rider came over him. ‘It may not matter much,’ he said apologetically, ‘but I would rather not be seen on the road — by anyone. I am sick of my doings being noticed and discussed. And if it is Gandalf,’ he added as an afterthought, ‘we can give him a little surprise, to pay him out for being so late. Let’s get out of sight!’ The other two ran quickly to the left and down into a little hollow not far from the road. There they lay flat. Frodo hesitated for a second: curiosity or some other feeling was struggling with his desire to hide. The sound of hoofs drew nearer. Just in time he threw himself down in a patch of long grass behind a tree that overshadowed the road. Then he lifted his head and peered cautiously above one of the great roots. Round the corner came a black horse, no hobbit-pony but a fullsized horse; and on it sat a large man, who seemed to crouch in the saddle, wrapped in a great black cloak and hood, so that only his boots in the high stirrups showed below; his face was shadowed and invisible.
泉水在每家門前湧出，每條小徑都是它的支流。「佛羅多，走出自家大門是件危險的事，」他過去常說。「你一踏上大路，要是沒站穩腳步，天曉得你將被捲到哪裡去。你可知道，這正是那條穿過幽暗森林的路，如果你任其發展，它可能會帶你到孤山，甚至更遠、更糟的地方去？」他過去常在袋底洞前門外的小徑上這麼說，尤其是在他長途散步回來之後。「唉，至少一個小時內，這條路是掃不走我的，」皮聘說著，卸下了他的背包。其他人也跟著照做，把背包靠在河岸上，雙腿伸到路上。休息片刻後，他們享用了一頓豐盛的午餐，然後又休息了一會兒。當他們走下山丘時，太陽開始西沉，午後的陽光灑在大地上。到目前為止，他們在路上連一個人影也沒碰到。這條路不常有人走，幾乎不適合馬車通行，通往綠林路的交通也極少。他們又輕快地走了一個多小時，這時山姆突然停下腳步，像是在傾聽什麼。他們現在身處平地，道路在蜿蜒多時後，筆直地向前延伸，穿過一片點綴著高大樹木的草原，這些樹是前方森林的零星前哨。「我聽到後面路上有小馬或馬的聲音，」山姆說。他們回頭望去，但道路的轉彎處讓他們看不遠。「不知道是不是甘道夫追上來了，」佛羅多說；但話一出口，他就有種感覺那不是甘道夫，一股想躲開騎士視線的衝動突然湧上心頭。「或許沒什麼大不了的，」他抱歉地說，「但我寧可不被路上的人看到——任何人都不行。我厭倦了我的行蹤被人注意和談論。而且，如果那是甘道夫，」他事後補充道，「我們可以給他一個小驚喜，算是報復他這麼晚才來。我們躲起來吧！」另外兩人迅速跑到左邊，下到離路不遠的一個小窪地裡。他們在那裡平躺下來。佛羅多猶豫了一秒鐘：好奇心或其他某種感覺正與他想躲藏的慾望交戰。蹄聲越來越近。就在緊要關頭，他縱身撲倒在路旁一棵大樹蔭下的一片長草中。然後他抬起頭，小心翼翼地從一條巨大的樹根上方窺視。一匹黑馬繞過轉角，不是哈比人的小馬，而是一匹全尺寸的馬；馬上有個高大的人，他似乎蜷縮在馬鞍上，裹著一件寬大的黑斗篷和兜帽，以至於下面只能看見他高高馬鐙裡的靴子；他的臉被陰影籠罩，看不清楚。
THREE IS COMPANY 75 When it reached the tree and was level with Frodo the horse stopped. The riding figure sat quite still with its head bowed, as iflistening. From inside the hood came a noise as of someone sniffing to catch an elusive scent; the head turned from side to side of the road. A sudden unreasoning fear of discovery laid hold of Frodo, and he thought of his Ring. He hardly dared to breathe, and yet the desire to get it out of his pocket became so strong that he began slowly to move his hand. He felt that he had only to slip it on, and then he would be safe. The advice of Gandalf seemed absurd. Bilbo had used the Ring. ‘And I am still in the Shire,’ he thought, as his hand touched the chain on which it hung. At that moment the rider sat up, and shook the reins. The horse stepped forward, walking slowly at first, and then breaking into a quick trot. Frodo crawled to the edge of the road and watched the rider, until he dwindled into the distance. He could not be quite sure, but it seemed to him that suddenly, before it passed out of sight, the horse turned aside and went into the trees on the right. ‘Well, I call that very queer, and indeed disturbing,’ said Frodo to himself, as he walked towards his companions. Pippin and Sam had remained flat in the grass, and had seen nothing; so Frodo described the rider and his strange behaviour. ‘I can’t say why, but I felt certain he was looking or smelling for me; and also I felt certain that I did not want him to discover me. I’ve never seen or felt anything like it in the Shire before.’ ‘But what has one of the Big People got to do with us?’ said Pippin. ‘And what is he doing in this part of the world?’ “There are some Men about,’ said Frodo. ‘Down in the Southfarthing they have had trouble with Big People, I believe. But I have never heard of anything like this rider. I wonder where he comes from.’ ‘Begging your pardon,’ put in Sam suddenly, ‘I know where he comes from. It’s from Hobbiton that this here black rider comes, unless there’s more than one. And I know where he’s going to.’ ‘What do you mean?’ said Frodo sharply, looking at him in astonishment. ‘Why didn’t you speak up before?’ ‘I have only just remembered, sir. It was like this: when I got back to our hole yesterday evening with the key, my dad, he says to me: Hallo, Sam! he says. I thought you were away with Mr. Frodo this morning. There’s been a strange customer asking for Mr. Baggins of Bag End, and he’s only just gone. I’ve sent him on to Bucklebury. Not that I liked the sound of him. He seemed mighty put out, when I told him Mr. Baggins had left his old home for good. Hissed at me, he did. It gave me quite a shudder. What sort of a fellow was he? says I to the Gaffer. I don’t know, says he; but he wasn’t a hobbit. He was tall and black-like,
76 THE LORD OF THE RINGS and he stooped over me. I reckon it was one of the Big Folk from foreign parts. He spoke funny. ‘I couldn’t stay to hear more, sir, since you were waiting; and I didn’t give much heed to it myself. The Gaffer is getting old, and more than a bit blind, and it must have been near dark when this fellow come up the Hill and found him taking the air at the end of our Row. I hope he hasn’t done no harm, sir, nor me.’ “The Gaffer can’t be blamed anyway,’ said Frodo. ‘As a matter of fact I heard him talking to a stranger, who seemed to be inquiring for me, and I nearly went and asked him who it was. I wish I had, or you had told me about it before. I might have been more careful on the road.’ ‘Still, there may be no connexion between this rider and the Gaffer’s stranger,’ said Pippin. ‘We left Hobbiton secretly enough, and I don’t see how he could have followed us.’ ‘What about the smelling, sir?’ said Sam. ‘And the Gaffer said he was a black chap.’ ‘I wish I had waited for Gandalf,’ Frodo muttered. ‘But perhaps it would only have made matters worse.’ “Then you know or guess something about this rider?’ said Pippin, who had caught the muttered words. ‘I don’t know, and I would rather not guess,’ said Frodo. ‘All right, cousin Frodo! You can keep your secret for the present, if you want to be mysterious. In the meanwhile what are we to do? I should like a bite and a sup, but somehow I think we had better move on from here. Your talk of sniffing riders with invisible noses has unsettled me.’ ‘Yes, I think we will move on now,’ said Frodo; ‘but not on the road — in case that rider comes back, or another follows him. We ought to do a good step more today. Buckland is still miles away.’ The shadows of the trees were long and thin on the grass, as they started off again. They now kept a stone’s throw to the left of the road, and kept out of sight of it as much as they could. But this hindered them; for the grass was thick and tussocky, and the ground uneven, and the trees began to draw together into thickets. The sun had gone down red behind the hills at their backs, and evening was coming on before they came back to the road at the end of the long level over which it had run straight for some miles. At that point it bent left and went down into the lowlands of the Yale making for Stock; but a lane branched right, winding through a wood of ancient oak-trees on its way to Woodhall. “That is the way for us,’ said Frodo. Not far from the road-meeting they came on the huge hulk of a
「他彎下腰看著我。我猜他是個從外地來的大人。他說話的腔調很奇怪。『先生，因為您在等，所以我沒能留下來聽更多；我自己也沒太在意。老爹年紀大了，眼睛也花了不只一點，那傢伙摸上小丘找到他在我們巷子底乘涼的時候，天一定快黑了。先生，我希望他沒造成什麼傷害，我也沒有。』」「無論如何都不能怪老爹，」佛羅多說。「事實上，我聽到他跟一個陌生人說話，那人似乎在打聽我，我差點就過去問他是誰了。真希望我當時那麼做了，或者你早點告訴我這件事。我在路上可能就會更小心一點。」「不過，這個騎士和老爹遇到的陌生人之間可能沒有關聯，」皮聘說。「我們夠隱密地離開哈比屯了，我想不通他怎麼可能跟蹤我們。」「那股氣味呢，先生？」山姆說。「而且老爹說他是個黑衣人。」「真希望我等了甘道夫，」佛羅多喃喃自語。「但也許那只會讓事情更糟。」「那麼你對這個騎士有所了解或猜測了？」皮聘捕捉到了那句喃喃自語，問道。「我不知道，而且我寧可不去猜，」佛羅多說。「好吧，佛羅多表哥！如果你想故作神秘，就暫時保守你的秘密吧。同時，我們該怎麼辦？我倒是想吃點東西、喝點水，但不知怎地，我覺得我們最好還是離開這裡。你說的那個有著隱形鼻子、到處嗅聞的騎士讓我心神不寧。」「是的，我想我們現在就該動身了，」佛羅多說；「但不要走大路——以防那個騎士回來，或是有另一個跟著他。我們今天應該再多走一大段路。布克蘭還在好幾英里外呢。」當他們再次出發時，樹影在草地上拖得又長又細。他們現在沿著大路左側約一箭之遙的距離前行，並盡可能地不讓自己被路上的人看見。但這卻妨礙了他們；因為草地既密又叢生，地面凹凸不平，樹木也開始聚集成灌木叢。太陽已在他們身後的山巒間染紅西沉，當他們回到那條延伸數英里長的筆直平坦路段的盡頭時，夜幕已然降臨。在那裡，路向左彎，下行至耶魯的低地，通往斯托克；但有一條小徑向右分岔，蜿蜒穿過一片古老的橡樹林，通往伍德霍爾。「我們該走那條路，」佛羅多說。離岔路口不遠，他們看到一個巨大的……
THREE IS COMPANY qi tree: it was still alive and had leaves on the small branches that it had put out round the broken stumps of its long-fallen limbs; but it was hollow, and could be entered by a great crack on the side away from the road. The hobbits crept inside, and sat there upon a floor of old leaves and decayed wood. They rested and had a light meal, talking quietly and listening from time to time. Twilight was about them as they crept back to the lane. The West wind was sighing in the branches. Leaves were whispering. Soon the road began to fall gently but steadily into the dusk. A star came out above the trees in the darkening East before them. They went abreast and in step, to keep up their spirits. After a time, as the stars grew thicker and brighter, the feeling of disquiet left them, and they no longer listened for the sound of hoofs. They began to hum softly, as hobbits have a way of doing as they walk along, especially when they are drawing near to home at night. With most hobbits it is a supper-song or a bed-song; but these hobbits hummed a walking-song (though not, of course, without any mention of supper and bed). Bilbo Baggins had made the words, to a tune that was as old as the hills, and taught it to Frodo as they walked in the lanes of the Water-valley and talked about Adventure. Upon the hearth the fire 1s red, Beneath the roof there is a bed; But not yet weary are our feet, Still round the corner we may meet A sudden tree or standing stone That none have seen but we alone. Tree and flower and leaf and grass, Let them pass! Let them pass! Hill and water under sky, Pass them by! Pass them by! Still round the corner there may wait A new road or a secret gate, And though we pass them by today, Tomorrow we may come this way And take the hidden paths that run Towards the Moon or to the Sun. Apple, thorn, and nut and sloe, Let them go! Let them go! Sand and stone and pool and dell, Fare you well! Fare you well!
它還活著，在早已倒塌的枝幹殘樁周圍，新抽的小樹枝上長著葉子；但樹身是中空的，可以從遠離路的那一側一個大裂縫鑽進去。哈比人們悄悄爬了進去，坐在鋪滿舊葉與腐木的地上。他們休息了一下，簡單吃了點東西，輕聲交談，並不時地聆聽著四周的動靜。當他們溜回小徑時，暮色已籠罩著他們。西風在枝頭嘆息。葉片在低語。不久，道路開始平緩而持續地沉入暮色之中。在他們前方漸暗的東方，一顆星星出現在樹梢之上。他們並肩同行，步調一致，以振作精神。過了一會兒，隨著星光漸密漸亮，那股不安的感覺離開了他們，他們也不再留心聽馬蹄聲了。他們開始輕柔地哼起歌來，這是哈比人走路時慣有的習性，尤其是在夜裡快到家的時候。對大多數哈比人來說，哼的會是晚餐歌或睡覺歌；但這幾位哈比人哼的卻是一首走路歌（當然，歌裡也免不了提到晚餐和床）。這首歌的詞是比爾博·巴金斯寫的，配上一個古老如山丘的曲調，是當初他們在溪谷地的小徑上散步、談論「冒險」時，比爾博教給佛羅多的。 爐火通紅暖家園， 屋下有床可安眠； 但我輩步履尚不倦， 轉角或仍得相見 一棵奇樹或立石， 除我等外無人識。 樹與花與葉與草， 任其過！任其過！ 山與水與天下景， 隨它逝！隨它逝！ 轉角或仍有等待， 一條新路或秘門， 今日我等雖路過， 明日或將重返此 踏上那隱祕小徑， 奔向月亮或太陽。 蘋果、荊棘、堅果、黑刺李， 由它去！由它去！ 沙與石與潭與谷， 珍重再會！珍重再會！
78 THE LORD OF THE RINGS Home 1s behind, the world ahead, And there are many paths to tread Through shadows to the edge of night, Until the stars are all alight. Then world behind and home ahead, Well wander back to home and bed. Mist and twilight, cloud and shade, Away shall fade! Away shall fade! Fire and lamp, and meat and bread, And then to bed! And then to bed! The song ended. ‘And now to bed! And now to bed!’ sang Pippin in a high voice. ‘Hush!’ said Frodo. ‘I think I hear hoofs again.’ They stopped suddenly and stood as silent as tree-shadows, listening. There was a sound of hoofs in the lane, some way behind, but coming slow and clear down the wind. Quickly and quietly they slipped off the path, and ran into the deeper shade under the oaktrees. ‘Don’t let us go too far!’ said Frodo. ‘I don’t want to be seen, but I want to see if it is another Black Rider.’ ‘Very well!’ said Pippin. ‘But don’t forget the sniffing!’ The hoofs drew nearer. They had no time to find any hiding-place better than the general darkness under the trees; Sam and Pippin crouched behind a large tree-bole, while Frodo crept back a few yards towards the lane. It showed grey and pale, a line of fading light through the wood. Above it the stars were thick in the dim sky, but there was no moon. The sound of hoofs stopped. As Frodo watched he saw something dark pass across the lighter space between two trees, and then halt. It looked like the black shade of a horse led by a smaller black shadow. The black shadow stood close to the point where they had left the path, and it swayed from side to side. Frodo thought he heard the sound of snuffling. The shadow bent to the ground, and then began to crawl towards him. Once more the desire to slip on the Ring came over Frodo; but this time it was stronger than before. So strong that, almost before he realized what he was doing, his hand was groping in his pocket. But at that moment there came a sound like mingled song and laughter. Clear voices rose and fell in the starlit air. The black shadow straightened up and retreated. It climbed on to the shadowy horse and seemed to vanish across the lane into the darkness on the other side. Frodo breathed again. ‘Elves!’ exclaimed Sam in a hoarse whisper. ‘Elves, sir!’ He would
歌聲結束了。「現在該睡了！現在該睡了！」皮聘用高亢的聲音唱道。「噓！」佛羅多說。「我想我又聽到馬蹄聲了。」他們突然停下腳步，靜立不動，如同樹影一般，凝神傾聽。小徑上傳來馬蹄聲，在後方一段距離，但聲音順著風緩慢而清晰地傳來。他們迅速而悄靜地離開小路，跑進橡樹下更深的陰影裡。「我們別走太遠！」佛羅多說。「我不想被看見，但我想看看是不是又一個黑騎士。」「好吧！」皮聘說。「但別忘了那嗅聞聲！」馬蹄聲越來越近。他們沒有時間找到比樹下大致的黑暗更好的藏身之處；山姆和皮聘蹲在一棵大樹幹後面，而佛羅多則悄悄退回幾碼，朝小徑靠近。小徑呈現灰白色，像一道穿過樹林的漸逝光線。在它上方，星星佈滿了昏暗的天空，但沒有月亮。馬蹄聲停了下來。佛羅多注視著，看見一個黑色的東西穿過兩棵樹之間較亮的空隙，然後停住。它看起來像一匹馬的黑影，由一個較小的黑影牽著。那個黑影站在他們離開小徑的地方附近，左右搖晃著。佛羅多覺得他聽到了吸鼻子的聲音。那個影子彎下腰到地面，然後開始向他爬來。再一次，一股想戴上魔戒的慾望向佛羅多襲來；但這一次比之前更強烈。如此強烈，以至於他幾乎沒意識到自己在做什麼，手已經在口袋裡摸索。但就在那時，傳來一陣彷彿歌聲與笑聲交織的聲音。清亮的嗓音在星光下的空氣中起伏。那個黑影挺直身子並後退。它爬上那匹朦朧的馬，似乎穿過小徑，消失在另一邊的黑暗中。佛羅多再次喘過氣來。「是精靈！」山姆用沙啞的耳語驚呼道。「先生，是精靈！」他本想
THREE IS COMPANY 79 have burst out of the trees and dashed off towards the voices, if they had not pulled him back. “Yes, it is Elves,’ said Frodo. ‘One can meet them sometimes in the Woody End. They don’t live in the Shire, but they wander into it in spring and autumn, out of their own lands away beyond the Tower Hills. I am thankful that they do! You did not see, but that Black Rider stopped just here and was actually crawling towards us when the song began. As soon as he heard the voices he slipped away.’ ‘What about the Elves?’ said Sam, too excited to trouble about the rider. ‘Can’t we go and see them?’ ‘Listen! They are coming this way,’ said Frodo. ‘We have only to wait.’ The singing drew nearer. One clear voice rose now above the others. It was singing in the fair elven-tongue, of which Frodo knew only a little, and the others knew nothing. Yet the sound blending with the melody seemed to shape itself in their thought into words which they only partly understood. This was the song as Frodo heard it: Snow-white! Snow-white! O Lady clear! O Queen beyond the Western Seas! O Light to us that wander here Amid the world of woven trees! Gilthoniel! O Elbereth! Clear are thy eyes and bright thy breath! Snow-white! Snow-white! We sing to thee In a far land beyond the Sea. O stars that in the Sunless Year With shining hand by her were sown, In windy fields now bright and clear We see your silver blossom blown! O Elbereth! Gilthoniel! We still remember, we who dwell In this far land beneath the trees, Thy starlight on the Western Seas. The song ended. “These are High Elves! They spoke the name of Elbereth!’ said Frodo in amazement. ‘Few of that fairest folk are ever seen in the Shire. Not many now remain in Middle-earth, east of the Great Sea. This is indeed a strange chance!’
如果不是他們拉住了他，他早就衝出樹林，朝著聲音的方向跑過去了。「是的，是精靈，」佛羅多說。「有時候在綠叢林區會遇到他們。他們不住在夏爾，但會在春天和秋天從他們自己的土地，從高塔丘陵那邊漫遊過來。我真感謝他們這麼做！你沒看到，但那個黑騎士剛才就停在這裡，正要朝我們爬過來的時候，歌聲就開始了。他一聽到那些聲音，就溜走了。」「精靈們怎麼樣？」山姆說，興奮得顧不上想那個騎士了。「我們不能去看看他們嗎？」「聽！他們正朝這邊來，」佛羅多說。「我們只要等著就好。」歌聲越來越近。一個清亮的聲音此刻高過了其他聲音。它用優美的精靈語歌唱，佛羅多只懂一點點，其他人則一竅不通。然而，那聲音與旋律融合在一起，似乎在他們的思緒中化為他們僅能部分理解的詞語。這是佛羅多聽到的歌：雪白！雪白！啊，明亮的女郎！啊，西方海洋彼岸的女王！啊，照亮我們在此漫遊者的光芒，在這樹木交織的世界裡！吉爾松尼爾！啊，伊爾碧綠絲！你的眼眸清澈，你的氣息明亮！雪白！雪白！我們為你歌唱，在海洋彼岸的遠方。啊，在無日之年，由她以閃亮之手播下的星辰，在多風的田野裡，如今明亮而清晰，我們看見你銀色的花朵綻放！啊，伊爾碧綠絲！吉爾松尼爾！我們依然記得，我們這些居住在這樹林下遠方土地的人，你在西方海洋上的星光。歌聲結束了。「是高等精靈！他們說出了伊爾碧綠絲的名字！」佛羅多驚訝地說。「那些最美麗的族人很少在夏爾出現。如今留在中土大陸、大海洋以東的已經不多了。這真是個奇特的機緣！」
80 THE LORD OF THE RINGS The hobbits sat in shadow by the wayside. Before long the Elves came down the lane towards the valley. They passed slowly, and the hobbits could see the starlight glimmering on their hair and in their eyes. They bore no lights, yet as they walked a shimmer, like the light of the moon above the rim of the hills before it rises, seemed to fall about their feet. They were now silent, and as the last Elf passed he turned and looked towards the hobbits and laughed. ‘Hail, Frodo!’ he cried. ‘You are abroad late. Or are you perhaps lost?’ Then he called aloud to the others, and all the company stopped and gathered round. “This is indeed wonderful!’ they said. “Three hobbits in a wood at night! We have not seen such a thing since Bilbo went away. What is the meaning of it?’ ‘The meaning of it, fair people,’ said Frodo, ‘is simply that we seem to be going the same way as you are. I like walking under the stars. But I would welcome your company.’ ‘But we have no need of other company, and hobbits are so dull,’ they laughed. ‘And how do you know that we go the same way as you, for you do not know whither we are going?’ ‘And how do you know my name?’ asked Frodo in return. ‘We know many things,’ they said. ‘We have seen you often before with Bilbo, though you may not have seen us.’ ‘Who are you, and who is your lord?’ asked Frodo. ‘I am Gildor,’ answered their leader, the Elf who had first hailed him. ‘Gildor Inglorion of the House of Finrod. We are Exiles, and most of our kindred have long ago departed and we too are now only tarrying here a while, ere we return over the Great Sea. But some of our kinsfolk dwell still in peace in Rivendell. Come now, Frodo, tell us what you are doing? For we see that there is some shadow of fear upon you.’ ‘O Wise People!’ interrupted Pippin eagerly. “Tell us about the Black Riders!’ ‘Black Riders?’ they said in low voices. ‘Why do you ask about Black Riders?’ ‘Because two Black Riders have overtaken us today, or one has done so twice,’ said Pippin; ‘only a little while ago he slipped away as you drew near.’ The Elves did not answer at once, but spoke together softly in their own tongue. At length Gildor turned to the hobbits. ‘We will not speak of this here,’ he said. ‘We think you had best come now with us. It is not our custom, but for this time we will take you on our road, and you shall lodge with us tonight, if you will.’ ‘O Fair Folk! This is good fortune beyond my hope,’ said Pippin. Sam was speechless. ‘I thank you indeed, Gildor Inglorion,’ said
哈比人坐在路邊的陰影裡。不久，精靈們沿著小路朝山谷走來。他們緩緩走過，哈比人能看見星光在他們的頭髮和眼眸中閃爍。他們沒有攜帶任何燈火，但當他們行走時，一層微光，就像月亮升起前在山脊上方的光暈，似乎灑落在他們腳邊。此刻他們靜默無聲，當最後一位精靈經過時，他轉過身，望向哈比人們，笑了起來。「你好，佛羅多！」他喊道。「你這麼晚還在外面呀。或者，你迷路了嗎？」然後他大聲呼喚同伴，整隊人馬都停下來，圍了過來。「這真是太奇妙了！」他們說。「三個哈比人，在夜晚的森林裡！自從比爾博離開後，我們就沒見過這種事了。這是怎麼回事？」「這回事的意義，美麗的人們，」佛羅多說，「很簡單，就是我們似乎跟你們走在同一條路上。我喜歡在星空下行走。但我會很歡迎你們的陪伴。」「但我們不需要其他同伴，而且哈比人好無聊。」他們笑道。「而且你怎麼知道我們跟你走同一條路，你又不知道我們要往何處去？」「那你們又是怎麼知道我的名字的？」佛羅多反問。「我們知道很多事，」他們說。「我們以前常跟比爾博在一起時見過你，雖然你可能沒見過我們。」「你們是誰？你們的領主是誰？」佛羅多問。「我是吉爾多，」他們的領袖，也就是第一位向他打招呼的精靈回答道。「芬羅德家族的吉爾多·英格羅瑞安。我們是流亡者，我們大部分的親族早已離去，而我們如今也只是在此短暫逗留，不久便要渡過大洋回歸。但我們有些親人仍安居在瑞文戴爾。來吧，佛羅多，告訴我們你在做什麼？因為我們看到你臉上帶著恐懼的陰影。」「噢，睿智的人們！」皮聘熱切地打斷。「告訴我們關於黑騎士的事！」「黑騎士？」他們低聲說。「你們為什麼問起黑騎士？」「因為今天有兩個黑騎士追上了我們，或者說是一個追了我們兩次，」皮聘說；「就在不久前，你們一靠近，他就溜走了。」精靈們沒有立刻回答，而是用他們自己的語言輕聲交談。最後，吉爾多轉向哈比人。「我們不會在這裡談論這件事，」他說。「我們覺得你們最好現在跟我們一起走。這雖非我們的習慣，但這一次，我們願意帶你們走我們的路，如果你們願意，今晚可以跟我們同住。」「噢，美麗的族類！這真是出乎我意料的好運！」皮聘說。山姆則說不出話來。「我由衷感謝您，吉爾多·英格羅瑞安，」佛羅多說。
THREE IS COMPANY 81 Frodo bowing. ‘Elen sila limenn’ omentielvo, a star shines on the hour of our meeting,’ he added in the High-elven speech. ‘Be careful, friends!’ cried Gildor laughing. ‘Speak no secrets! Here is a scholar in the Ancient Tongue. Bilbo was a good master. Hail, Elf-friend!’ he said, bowing to Frodo. ‘Come now with your friends and join our company! You had best walk in the middle so that you may not stray. You may be weary before we halt.’ ‘Why? Where are you going?’ asked Frodo. ‘For tonight we go to the woods on the hills above Woodhall. It is some miles, but you shall have rest at the end of it, and it will shorten your journey tomorrow.’ They now marched on again in silence, and passed like shadows and faint lights: for Elves (even more than hobbits) could walk when they wished without sound or footfall. Pippin soon began to feel sleepy, and staggered once or twice; but each time a tall Elf at his side put out his arm and saved him from a fall. Sam walked along at Frodo’s side, as if in a dream, with an expression on his face half of fear and half of astonished joy. The woods on either side became denser; the trees were now younger and thicker; and as the lane went lower, running down into a fold of the hills, there were many deep brakes of hazel on the rising slopes at either hand. At last the Elves turned aside from the path. A green ride lay almost unseen through the thickets on the right; and this they followed as it wound away back up the wooded slopes on to the top of a shoulder of the hills that stood out into the lower land of the river-valley. Suddenly they came out of the shadow of the trees, and before them lay a wide space of grass, grey under the night. On three sides the woods pressed upon it; but eastward the ground fell steeply and the tops of the dark trees, growing at the bottom of the slope, were below their feet. Beyond, the low lands lay dim and flat under the stars. Nearer at hand a few lights twinkled in the village of Woodhall. The Elves sat on the grass and spoke together in soft voices; they seemed to take no further notice of the hobbits. Frodo and his companions wrapped themselves in cloaks and blankets, and drowsiness stole over them. The night grew on, and the lights in the valley went out. Pippin fell asleep, pillowed on a green hillock. Away high in the East swung Remmirath, the Netted Stars, and slowly above the mists red Borgil rose, glowing like a jewel of fire. Then by some shift of airs all the mist was drawn away like a veil, and there leaned up, as he climbed over the rim of the world, the Swordsman of the Sky, Menelvagor with his shining belt. The Elves all burst into song. Suddenly under the trees a fire sprang up with a red light.
三人成行 81 佛羅多鞠躬。「Elen sila limenn’ omentielvo，星光照耀你我相逢之時，」他用高等精靈語補充道。「小心，朋友們！」吉爾多大笑著喊道。「別說什麼秘密！這裡有位古語學者。比爾博是個好主人。你好，精靈之友！」他對佛羅多鞠躬說。「現在和你的朋友們一起來加入我們的行列吧！你們最好走在中間，這樣才不會走失。在我們停下來之前，你們可能會感到疲憊。」「為什麼？你們要去哪裡？」佛羅多問。「今晚我們要去伍德霍爾上方山丘的樹林裡。有好幾英里遠，但你們到頭可以休息，而且這會縮短你們明天的路程。」他們現在又靜默地前行，像影子和微光般掠過：因為精靈（甚至比哈比人更厲害）只要願意，走起路來可以毫無聲響或腳步聲。皮聘很快開始感到睏倦，踉蹌了一兩次；但每次他身旁一位高大的精靈都會伸出手臂，扶住他免於摔倒。山姆走在佛羅多身邊，彷彿在夢中，臉上帶著一半恐懼、一半驚喜的表情。兩旁的樹林變得越來越密；樹木也更年輕、更粗壯；隨著小路向下延伸，進入山丘的褶皺處，兩旁高起的坡地上有許多茂密的榛樹叢。最後，精靈們轉離了小徑。一條綠色的騎行道幾乎看不見地穿過右邊的灌木叢；他們沿著這條路蜿蜒而上，回到長滿樹木的山坡上，登上一座伸入河谷低地的山肩頂部。突然間，他們走出了樹影，眼前是一片寬闊的草地，在夜色下呈灰色。三面林木環繞；但東面地勢陡峭，生長在坡底的黑樹頂端都在他們腳下。遠方，低地在星空下顯得昏暗而平坦。近處，伍德霍爾村的幾點燈光在閃爍。精靈們坐在草地上，輕聲交談；他們似乎不再理會哈比人。佛羅多和他的同伴們裹緊斗篷和毯子，睡意悄悄地籠罩了他們。夜色漸深，山谷裡的燈火熄滅了。皮聘枕著一個綠色的小丘睡著了。東方高空，網狀星群瑞米拉斯搖曳著，紅色的博吉爾在薄霧之上緩緩升起，像一顆火焰寶石般發光。然後，不知是哪陣風吹過，所有的薄霧像面紗般被揭開，當他攀上世界邊緣時，天空的劍士——帶著閃亮腰帶的梅內爾瓦戈——也探出身來。精靈們全都放聲歌唱。突然間，樹下一叢火焰帶著紅光升起。
82 THE LORD OF THE RINGS ‘Come!’ the Elves called to the hobbits. ‘Come! Now is the time for speech and merriment!’ Pippin sat up and rubbed his eyes. He shivered. “There is a fire in the hall, and food for hungry guests,’ said an Elf standing before him. At the south end of the greensward there was an opening. There the green floor ran on into the wood, and formed a wide space like a hall, roofed by the boughs of trees. Their great trunks ran like pillars down each side. In the middle there was a wood-fire blazing, and upon the tree-pillars torches with lights of gold and silver were burning steadily. The Elves sat round the fire upon the grass or upon the sawn rings of old trunks. Some went to and fro bearing cups and pouring drink; others brought food on heaped plates and dishes. “This is poor fare,’ they said to the hobbits; ‘for we are lodging in the greenwood far from our halls. If ever you are our guests at home, we will treat you better.’ ‘It seems to me good enough for a birthday-party,’ said Frodo. Pippin afterwards recalled little of either food or drink, for his mind was filled with the light upon the elf-faces, and the sound of voices so various and so beautiful that he felt in a waking dream. But he remembered that there was bread, surpassing the savour of a fair white loaf to one who is starving; and fruits sweet as wildberries and richer than the tended fruits of gardens; he drained a cup that was filled with a fragrant draught, cool as a clear fountain, golden as a summer afternoon. Sam could never describe in words, nor picture clearly to himself, what he felt or thought that night, though it remained in his memory as one of the chief events of his life. The nearest he ever got was to say: ‘Well, sir, if I could grow apples like that, I would call myself a gardener. But it was the singing that went to my heart, if you know what I mean.’ Frodo sat, eating, drinking, and talking with delight; but his mind was chiefly on the words spoken. He knew a little of the elf-speech and listened eagerly. Now and again he spoke to those that served him and thanked them in their own language. They smiled at him and said laughing: ‘Here is a jewel among hobbits!’ After a while Pippin fell fast asleep, and was lifted up and borne away to a bower under the trees; there he was laid upon a soft bed and slept the rest of the night away. Sam refused to leave his master. When Pippin had gone, he came and sat curled up at Frodo’s feet, where at last he nodded and closed his eyes. Frodo remained long awake, talking with Gildor. They spoke of many things, old and new, and Frodo questioned Gildor much about happenings in the wide world outside the Shire.
「來吧！」精靈們對哈比人喊道。「來吧！現在是談天說地、歡慶作樂的時候了！」皮聘坐起來，揉了揉眼睛。他打了個哆嗦。「大廳裡有火，還有為飢餓的客人準備的食物。」一位站在他面前的精靈說。在草地的南端有個開口。那裡的綠色地面延伸進了樹林，形成一個像大廳般的寬闊空間，由樹枝構成屋頂。巨大的樹幹像柱子一樣分列兩側。中央有營火熊熊燃燒，樹幹柱子上，金銀兩色的火炬穩定地亮著。精靈們圍坐在火堆旁的草地上，或坐在鋸下的舊樹幹環上。有些人來來回回地端著杯子倒酒；有些人則用堆滿食物的盤子和碟子送上餐點。「這只是粗茶淡飯，」他們對哈比人說；「因為我們遠離家園，寄宿在綠林中。如果你們有朝一日到我們家作客，我們一定會款待得更好。」「我看這已經夠格辦一場生日派對了。」佛羅多說。皮聘後來對食物或飲料都沒什麼印象了，因為他的心神完全被精靈臉龐上的光輝，以及那多樣而美妙的聲音所佔據，讓他感覺彷彿置身於清醒的夢境中。但他記得有麵包，對飢餓的人來說，其滋味超越了上好的白麵包；還有水果，甜如野莓，比庭園裡悉心照料的果實更豐腴；他喝乾了一杯盛滿芬芳飲品的杯子，那飲品清涼如泉，金黃如夏日午後。山姆始終無法用言語描述，也無法在心中清晰地描繪出他那晚的感受或思緒，儘管那晚在他記憶中成為了他一生中的大事之一。他所能做到最貼近的描述是：「嗯，先生，如果我能種出那樣的蘋果，我就會稱自己是個園丁了。但真正打動我心的，是那歌聲，如果您明白我的意思。」佛羅多坐著，愉快地吃著、喝著、聊著；但他的心思主要放在那些話語上。他懂一點精靈語，並熱切地聆聽著。他不時用精靈語對那些服侍他的人說話，並向他們道謝。他們對他微笑，笑著說：「這可真是哈比人中的一位珍寶啊！」過了一會兒，皮聘沉沉睡去，被人抱起帶到樹下的休息處；在那裡，他被安放在一張柔軟的床上，一覺睡到天亮。山姆不肯離開他的主人。皮聘走後，他過來蜷縮在佛羅多腳邊，最後終於打起了瞌睡，閉上了眼睛。佛羅多醒著很久，與吉爾多交談。他們談論了許多事，有舊有新，佛羅多也向吉爾多詢問了許多關於夏爾以外廣闊世界所發生的事情。
THREE IS COMPANY 83 The tidings were mostly sad and ominous: of gathering darkness, the wars of Men, and the flight of the Elves. At last Frodo asked the question that was nearest to his heart: ‘Tell me, Gildor, have you ever seen Bilbo since he left us?’ Gildor smiled. ‘Yes,’ he answered. “Twice. He said farewell to us on this very spot. But I saw him once again, far from here.’ He would say no more about Bilbo, and Frodo fell silent. “You do not ask me or tell me much that concerns yourself, Frodo,’ said Gildor. ‘But I already know a little, and I can read more in your face and in the thought behind your questions. You are leaving the Shire, and yet you doubt that you will find what you seek, or accomplish what you intend, or that you will ever return. Is not that so?’ ‘It is,’ said Frodo; ‘but I thought my going was a secret known only to Gandalf and my faithful Sam.’ He looked down at Sam, who was snoring gently. ‘The secret will not reach the Enemy from us,’ said Gildor. “The Enemy?’ said Frodo. “Then you know why I am leaving the Shire?’ ‘I do not know for what reason the Enemy is pursuing you,’ answered Gildor; ‘but I perceive that he is — strange indeed though that seems to me. And I warn you that peril is now both before you and behind you, and upon either side.’ “You mean the Riders? I feared that they were servants of the Enemy. What are the Black Riders?’ ‘Has Gandalf told you nothing?’ ‘Nothing about such creatures.’ “Then I think it is not for me to say more — lest terror should keep you from your journey. For it seems to me that you have set out only just in time, if indeed you are in time. You must now make haste, and neither stay nor turn back; for the Shire is no longer any protection to you.’ ‘I cannot imagine what information could be more terrifying than your hints and warnings,’ exclaimed Frodo. ‘I knew that danger lay ahead, of course; but I did not expect to meet it in our own Shire. Can’t a hobbit walk from the Water to the River in peace?’ ‘But it is not your own Shire,’ said Gildor. ‘Others dwelt here before hobbits were; and others will dwell here again when hobbits are no more. The wide world is all about you: you can fence yourselves in, but you cannot for ever fence it out.’ ‘I know - and yet it has always seemed so safe and familiar. What can I do now? My plan was to leave the Shire secretly, and make my way to Rivendell; but now my footsteps are dogged, before ever I get to Buckland.’ ‘I think you should still follow that plan,’ said Gildor. ‘I do not
三人成行 83 消息大多悲傷而不祥：關於黑暗的聚集、人類的戰爭，以及精靈的遠離。最後，佛羅多問出了他最掛心的問題：『告訴我，吉爾多，自從比爾博離開我們後，你見過他嗎？』吉爾多微笑道：『是的，』他回答。『兩次。他就在這個地方向我們道別。但我又在離這裡很遠的地方見過他一次。』關於比爾博，他便不再多說，佛羅多也沉默了。『關於你自己的事，你問得不多，也說得不多，佛羅多，』吉爾多說。『但我已經知道一些了，而且我能從你的臉上和問題背後的思緒中讀出更多。你正要離開夏爾，但你懷疑自己能否找到所尋之物，或完成所圖之事，甚至懷疑自己能否再回來。是不是這樣？』『是這樣的，』佛羅多說；『但我以為我的離開是個秘密，只有甘道夫和我忠心的山姆知道。』他低頭看著正輕輕打鼾的山姆。『這秘密不會從我們這裡傳到敵人耳中。』吉爾多說。『敵人？』佛羅多說。『那麼你知道我為什麼要離開夏爾了？』『我不知道敵人為何追捕你，』吉爾多回答；『但我察覺到他正在追捕你——儘管這對我來說確實很奇怪。而且我警告你，現在危險就在你的前後左右。』『你是說那些騎士？我擔心他們是敵人的僕役。那些黑騎士是什麼？』『甘道夫什麼都沒告訴你嗎？』『關於這種生物，什麼都沒說。』『那麼我想我不該多說了——免得恐懼阻止你踏上旅程。因為在我看來，你出發得正是時候，如果這還算及時的話。你現在必須趕快，既不要停留也不要回頭；因為夏爾再也無法保護你了。』『我無法想像還有什麼消息會比你的暗示和警告更嚇人，』佛羅多驚呼道。『我當然知道前方有危險；但我沒想到會在我們自己的夏爾就遇上。難道一個哈比人就不能平平安安地從小河區走到大河邊嗎？』『但這並非專屬於你們的夏爾，』吉爾多說。『在哈比人出現之前，有其他人居住於此；當哈比人不再存在時，也會有其他人再度居住於此。廣闊的世界就在你們周圍：你們可以把自己圍起來，但你們無法永遠將世界隔絕在外。』『我知道——但它一直以來都顯得那麼安全又熟悉。我現在該怎麼辦？我的計畫是偷偷離開夏爾，然後設法前往瑞文戴爾；但現在我還沒到布克蘭，腳步就已經被緊緊跟蹤了。』『我想你還是應該繼續執行那個計畫，』吉爾多說。『我並不……
84 THE LORD OF THE RINGS think the Road will prove too hard for your courage. But if you desire clearer counsel, you should ask Gandalf. I do not know the reason for your flight, and therefore I do not know by what means your pursuers will assail you. These things Gandalf must know. I suppose that you will see him before you leave the Shire?’ ‘I hope so. But that is another thing that makes me anxious. I have been expecting Gandalf for many days. He was to have come to Hobbiton at the latest two nights ago; but he has never appeared. Now I am wondering what can have happened. Should I wait for him?’ Gildor was silent for a moment. ‘I do not like this news,’ he said at last. “That Gandalf should be late, does not bode well. But it is said: Do not meddle in the affairs of Wizards, for they are subtle and quick to anger. The choice is yours: to go or wait.’ ‘And it is also said,’ answered Frodo: ‘Go not to the Elves for counsel, for they will say both no and yes.’ ‘Is it indeed?’ laughed Gildor. ‘Elves seldom give unguarded advice, for advice is a dangerous gift, even from the wise to the wise, and all courses may run ill. But what would you? You have not told me all concerning yourself; and how then shall I choose better than your But if you demand advice, I will for friendship’s sake give it. I think you should now go at once, without delay; and if Gandalf does not come before you set out, then I also advise this: do not go alone. Take such friends as are trusty and willing. Now you should be grateful, for I do not give this counsel gladly. The Elves have their own labours and their own sorrows, and they are little concerned with the ways of hobbits, or of any other creatures upon earth. Our paths cross theirs seldom, by chance or purpose. In this meeting there may be more than chance; but the purpose is not clear to me, and I fear to say too much.’ ‘I am deeply grateful,’ said Frodo; ‘but I wish you would tell me plainly what the Black Riders are. If I take your advice I may not see Gandalf for a long while, and I ought to know what is the danger that pursues me.’ ‘Is it not enough to know that they are servants of the Enemy?’ answered Gildor. ‘Flee them! Speak no words to them! They are deadly. Ask no more of me! But my heart forbodes that, ere all is ended, you, Frodo son of Drogo, will know more of these fell things than Gildor Inglorion. May Elbereth protect you!’ ‘But where shall I find courage?’ asked Frodo. ‘That is what I chiefly need.’ ‘Courage is found in unlikely places,’ said Gildor. ‘Be of good hope! Sleep now! In the morning we shall have gone; but we will send our messages through the lands. The Wandering Companies
我想這條路對你的勇氣來說會太過艱難。但如果你想要更明確的忠告，你應該去問甘道夫。我不知道你逃亡的原因，因此我也不知道你的追捕者會用什麼手段攻擊你。這些事甘道夫肯定知道。我想你在離開夏爾之前會見到他吧？」「我希望如此。但這正是另一件讓我焦慮的事。我已經等了甘道夫很多天了。他最晚應該在前天晚上就到哈比屯的；但他一直沒出現。我現在在想可能發生了什麼事。我該等他嗎？」吉爾多沉默了一會兒。「我不喜歡這個消息，」他最後說。「甘道夫遲到，這不是好兆頭。但有句俗話說：別插手巫師的事務，因為他們心思細膩又容易發怒。選擇權在你：要走還是要等。」「也有句俗話說，」佛羅多回答：「別向精靈尋求忠告，因為他們會既說『不』也說『是』。」「真的有這句話嗎？」吉爾多笑了。「精靈很少給出不謹慎的建議，因為建議是一份危險的禮物，即使是智者給智者的建議也一樣，而且任何路徑都可能走向壞的結果。但你想要什麼呢？你沒有把所有關於你自己的事都告訴我；那我又怎能比你做出更好的選擇呢？但如果你堅持要建議，看在友誼的份上，我會給你。我認為你現在應該立刻就走，不要耽擱；如果甘道夫在你出發前還沒來，那我還要建議你：不要獨自上路。帶上那些值得信賴且願意同行的朋友。現在你該心存感激了，因為我並非樂意給出這個忠告。精靈有自己的勞務和憂傷，他們很少關心哈比人，或地上任何其他生物的行徑。我們的道路很少與他們交會，無論是偶然或刻意。這次相遇可能不僅僅是偶然；但其中的目的我還看不清楚，我怕說得太多。」「我深深感激，」佛羅多說；「但我希望你能明白告訴我黑騎士是什麼。如果我聽從你的建議，我可能很久都見不到甘道夫，而我應該知道追趕我的危險是什麼。」「知道他們是『大敵』的僕人還不夠嗎？」吉爾多回答。「快逃離他們！不要跟他們說話！他們是致命的。別再問我了！但我心中預感，在一切結束之前，你，德羅哥之子佛羅多，將會比吉爾多・英格洛瑞安更了解這些兇惡之物。願伊爾碧綠絲庇佑你！」「但我該去哪裡尋找勇氣？」佛羅多問。「那是我最需要的東西。」「勇氣會在意想不到之處被發現，」吉爾多說。「要抱持希望！現在睡吧！明天早上我們就會離開了；但我們會把我們的訊息傳遍這片土地。流浪的隊伍
THREE IS COMPANY 85 shall know of your journey, and those that have power for good shall be on the watch. I name you Elf-friend; and may the stars shine upon the end of your road! Seldom have we had such delight in strangers, and it is fair to hear words of the Ancient Speech from the lips of other wanderers in the world.’ Frodo felt sleep coming upon him, even as Gildor finished speaking. ‘I will sleep now,’ he said; and the Elf led him to a bower beside Pippin, and he threw himself upon a bed and fell at once into a dreamless slumber.
將會知道你的旅程，而那些擁有良善力量的人將會隨時留意。我為你命名為『精靈之友』；願星光照耀你路途的終點！我們很少因陌生人而如此欣喜，能從世上其他流浪者的口中聽到上古語言，真是美好。」吉爾多話音剛落，佛羅多便感到睡意襲來。「我現在要睡了，」他說；那名精靈便領他到皮聘身旁的一個樹蔭棚下，他往床上一倒，隨即陷入無夢的沉睡。