The Lord of the Rings-指环王(英文版)- 第125部分

He　lay　down；　and　Frodo　sat　up；　huddled　in　his　blankets；　and　fought　off　his　sleep。　Minutes　or　hours　passed　slowly；　and　nothing　happened。　Frodo　was　just　yielding　to　the　temptation　to　lie　down　again　when　a　dark　shape；　hardly　visible；　floated　close　to　one　of　the　moored　boats。　A　long　whitish　hand　could　be　dimly　seen　as　it　shot　out　and　grabbed　the　gunwale；　two　pale　lamplike　eyes　shone　coldly　as　they　peered　inside；　and　then　they　lifted　and　gazed　up　at　Frodo　on　the　eyot。　They　were　not　more　than　a　yard　or　two　away；　and　Frodo　heard　the　soft　hiss　of　intaken　breath。　He　stood　up；　drawing　Sting　from　its　sheath；　and　faced　the　eyes。　Immediately　their　light　was　shut　off。　There　was　another　hiss　and　a　splash；　and　the　dark　logshape　shot　away　downstream　into　the　night。　Aragorn　stirred　in　his　sleep；　turned　over；　and　sat　up’

'What　is　it？　'　he　whispered；　springing　up　and　ing　to　Frodo。　'I　felt　something　in　my　sleep。　Why　have　you　drawn　your　sword？　'

'Gollum；'　answered　Frodo。　'Or　at　least；　so　I　guess。'

'Ah！'　said　Aragorn。　'So　you　know　about　our　little　footpad；　do　you？　He　padded　after　us　all　through　Moria　and　right　down　to　Nimrodel。　Since　we　took　to　boats；　he　has　been　lying　on　a　log　and　paddling　with　hands　and　feet。　I　have　tried　to　catch　him　once　or　twice　at　night；　but　he　is　slier　than　a　fox；　and　as　slippery　as　a　fish。　I　hoped　the　rivervoyage　would　beat　him；　but　he　is　too　clever　a　waterman。

'We　shall　have　to　try　going　faster　tomorrow。　You　lie　down　now；　and　I　will　keep　watch　for　what　is　left　of　the　night。　I　wish　I　could　lay　my　hands　on　the　wretch。　We　might　make　him　useful。　But　if　I　cannot；　we　shall　have　to　try　and　lose　him。　He　is　very　dangerous。　Quite　apart　from　murder　by　night　on　his　own　account；　he　may　put　any　enemy　that　is　about　on　our　track。'

The　night　passed　without　Gollum　showing　so　much　as　a　shadow　again。　After　that　the　pany　kept　a　sharp　lookout；　but　they　saw　no　more　of　Gollum　while　the　voyage　lasted。　If　he　was　still　following；　he　was　very　wary　and　cunning。　At　Aragorn's　bidding　they　paddled　now　for　long　spells；　and　the　banks　went　swiftly　by。　But　they　saw　little　of　the　country；　for　they　journeyed　mostly　by　night　and　twilight；　resting　by　day；　and　lying　as　hidden　as　the　land　allowed。　In　this　way　the　time　passed　without　event　until　the　seventh　day。

The　weather　was　still　grey　and　overcast；　with　wind　from　the　East；　but　as　evening　drew　into　night　the　sky　away　westward　cleared；　and　pools　of　faint　light；　yellow　and　pale　green；　opened　under　the　grey　shores　of　cloud。　There　the　white　rind　of　the　new　Moon　could　be　seen　glimmering　in　the　remote　lakes。　Sam　looked　at　it　and　puckered　his　brows。

The　next　day　the　country　on　either　side　began　to　change　rapidly。　The　banks　began　to　rise　and　grow　stony。　Soon　they　were　passing　through　a　hilly　rocky　land；　and　on　both　shores　there　were　steep　slopes　buried　in　deep　brakes　of　thorn　and　sloe；　tangled　with　brambles　and　creepers。　Behind　them　stood　low　crumbling　cliffs；　and　chimneys　of　grey　weathered　stone　dark　with　ivy；　and　beyond　these　again　there　rose　high　ridges　crowned　with　windwrithen　firs。　They　were　drawing　near　to　the　grey　hillcountry　of　the　Emyn　Muil；　the　southern　march　of　Wilderland。

There　were　many　birds　about　the　cliffs　and　the　rockchimneys；　and　all　day　high　in　the　air　flocks　of　birds　had　been　circling；　black　against　the　pale　sky。　As　they　lay　in　their　camp　that　day　Aragorn　watched　the　flights　doubtfully；　wondering　if　Gollum　had　been　doing　some　mischief　and　the　news　of　their　voyage　was　now　moving　in　the　wilderness。　Later　as　the　sun　was　setting；　and　the　pany　was　stirring　and　getting　ready　to　start　again；　he　descried　a　dark　spot　against　the　fading　light：　a　great　bird　high　and　far　off；　now　wheeling；　now　flying　on　slowly　southwards。

'What　is　that；　Legolas？　'　he　asked；　pointing　to　the　northern　sky。　'Is　it；　as　I　think。　an　eagle？　'

'Yes。'　said　Legolas。　'It　is　an　eagle；　a　hunting　eagle。　I　wonder　what　that　forebodes。　It　is　far　from　the　mountains。'

'We　will　not　start　until　it　is　fully　dark；'　said　Aragorn。

The　eighth　night　of　their　journey　came。　It　was　silent　and　windless；　the　grey　east　wind　had　passed　away。　The　thin　crescent　of　the　Moon　had　fallen　early　into　the　pale　sunset；　but　the　sky　was　clear　above；　and　though　far　away　in　the　South　there　were　great　ranges　of　cloud　that　still　shone　faintly；　in　the　West　stars　glinted　bright。

'e！'　said　Aragorn。　'We　will　venture　one　more　journey　by　night。　We　are　ing　to　reaches　of　the　River　that　I　do　not　know　well：　for　I　have　never　journeyed　by　water　in　these　parts　before；　not　between　here　and　the　rapids　of　Sarn　Gebir。　But　if　I　am　right　in　my　reckoning；　those　are　still　many　miles　ahead。　Still　there　are　dangerous　places　even　before　we　e　there：　rocks　and　stony　eyots　in　the　stream。　We　must　keep　a　sharp　watch　and　not　try　to　paddle　swiftly。'

To　Sam　in　the　leading　boat　was　given　the　task　of　watchman。　He　lay　forward　peering　into　the　gloom。　The　night　grew　dark；　but　the　stars　above　were　strangely　bright；　and　there　was　a　glimmer　On　the　face　of　the　River。　It　was　close　on　midnight；　and　they　had　been　drifting　for　some　while。　hardly　using　the　paddles；　when　suddenly　Sam　cried　out。　Only　a　few　yards　ahead　dark　shapes　loomed　up　in　the　stream　and　he　heard　the　swirl　of　racing　water。　There　was　a　swift　current　which　swung　left；　towards　the　eastern　shore　where　the　channel　was　clear。　As　they　were　swept　aside　the　travellers　could　see；　now　very　close；　the　pale　foam　of　the　River　lashing　against　sharp　rocks　that　were　thrust　out　far　into　the　stream　like　a　ridge　of　teeth。　The　boats　were　all　huddled　together。

'Hoy　there；　Aragorn！'　shouted　Boromir；　as　his　boat　bumped　into　the　leader。　'This　is　madness！　We　cannot　dare　the　Rapids　by　night！　But　no　boat　can　live　in　Sarn　Gebir；　be　it　night　or　day。'

'Back；　back！'　cried　Aragorn。　'Turn！　Turn　if　you　can！'　He　drove　his　paddle　into　the　water；　trying　to　hold　the　boat　and　bring　it　round。

'I　am　out　of　my　reckoning；'　he　said　to　Frodo。　'I　did　not　know　that　we　had　e　so　far：　Anduin　flows　faster　than　I　thought。　Sarn　Gebir　must　be　close　at　hand　already。'

With　great　efforts　they　checked　the　boats　and　slowly　brought　them　about；　but　at　first　they　could　make　only　small　headway　against　the　current；　and　all　the　time　they　were　carried　nearer　and　nearer　to　the　eastern　bank。　Now　dark　and　ominous　it　loomed　up　in　the　night。

'All　together；　paddle！'　shouted　Boromir。　'Paddle！　Or　we　shall　be　driven　on　the　shoals。'　Even　as　he　spoke　Frodo　felt　the　keel　beneath　him　grate　upon　stone。

At　that　moment　there　was　a　twang　of　bowstrings：　several　arrows　whistled　over　them；　and　some　fell　among　them。　One　smote　Frodo　between　the　shoulders　and　he　lurched　forward　with　a　cry；　letting　go　his　paddle：　but　the　arrow　fell　back。　foiled　by　his　hidden　coat　of　mail。　Another　passed　through　Aragorn's　hood；　and　a　third　stood　fast　in　the　gunwale　of　the　second　boat；　close　by　Merry's　hand。　Sam　thought　he　could　glimpse　black　figures　running　to　and　fro　upon　the　long　shinglebanks　that　lay　under　the　eastern　shore。　They　seemed　very　near。

'Yrch！'　said　Legolas；　falling　into　his　own　tongue。

'Orcs！'　cried　Gimli。

'Gollum's　doing；　I'll　be　bound。'　said　Sam　to　Frodo。　'And　a　nice　place　to　choose；　too。　The　River　seems　set　on　taking　us　right　into　their　arms！'

They　all　leaned　forward　straining