The Lord of the Rings-指环王(英文版)- 第129部分

'Why　are　you　waking？　'　asked　Frodo。　'It　is　not　your　watch。'

'I　do　not　know；'　answered　Aragorn；　'but　a　shadow　and　a　threat　has　been　growing　in　my　sleep。　It　would　be　well　to　draw　your　sword。'

'Why？　'　said　Frodo。　'Are　enemies　at　hand？　'

'Let　us　see　what　Sting　may　show；'　answered　Aragorn。

Frodo　then　drew　the　elfblade　from　its　sheath。　To　his　dismay　the　edges　gleamed　dimly　in　the　night。　'Orcs！'　he　said。　'Not　very　near；　and　yet　too　near；　it　seems。'

'I　feared　as　much；'　said　Aragorn。　'But　maybe　they　are　not　on　this　side　of　the　River。　The　light　of　Sting　is　faint；　and　it　may　point　to　no　more　than　spies　of　Mordor　roaming　on　the　slopes　of　Amon　Lhaw。　I　have　never　heard　before　of　Orcs　upon　Amon　Hen。　Yet　who　knows　what　may　happen　in　these　evil　days；　now　that　Minas　Tirith　no　longer　holds　secure　the　passages　of　Anduin。　We　must　go　warily　tomorrow。'

The　day　came　like　fire　and　smoke。　Low　in　the　East　there　were　black　bars　of　cloud　like　the　fumes　of　a　great　burning。　The　rising　sun　lit　them　from　beneath　with　flames　of　murky　red；　but　soon　it　climbed　above　them　into　a　clear　sky。　The　summit　of　Tol　Brandir　was　tipped　with　gold。　Frodo　looked　out　eastward　and　gazed　at　the　tall　island。　Its　sides　sprang　sheer　out　of　the　running　water。　High　up　above　the　tall　cliffs　were　steep　slopes　upon　which　trees　climbed；　mounting　one　head　above　another；　and　above　them　again　were　grey　faces　of　inaccessible　rock；　crowned　by　a　great　spire　of　stone。　Many　birds　were　circling　about　it；　but　no　sign　of　other　living　things　could　be　seen。

When　they　had　eaten；　Aragorn　called　the　pany　together。　'The　day　has　e　at　last；'　he　said：　'the　day　of　choice　which　we　have　long　delayed。　What　shall　now　bee　of　our　pany　that　has　travelled　so　far　in　fellowship？　Shall　we　turn　west　with　Boromir　and　go　to　the　wars　of　Gondor；　or　turn　east　to　the　Fear　and　Shadow；　or　shall　we　break　our　fellowship　and　go　this　way　and　that　as　each　may　choose？　Whatever　we　do　must　be　done　soon。　We　cannot　long　halt　here。　The　enemy　is　on　the　eastern　shore；　we　know；　but　I　fear　that　the　Orcs　may　already　be　on　this　side　of　the　water。'

There　was　a　long　silence　in　which　no　one　spoke　or　moved。

'Well；　Frodo；'　said　Aragorn　at　last。　'I　fear　that　the　burden　is　laid　upon　you。　You　are　the　Bearer　appointed　by　the　Council。　Your　own　way　you　alone　can　choose。　In　this　matter　I　cannot　advise　you。　I　am　not　Gandalf；　and　though　I　have　tried　to　bear　his　part；　I　do　not　know　what　design　or　hope　he　had　for　this　hour；　if　indeed　he　had　any。　Most　likely　it　seems　that　if　he　were　here　now　the　choice　would　still　wait　on　you。　Such　is　your　fate。'

Frodo　did　not　answer　at　once。　Then　he　spoke　slowly。　'I　know　that　haste　is　needed；　yet　I　cannot　choose。　The　burden　is　heavy。　Give　me　an　hour　longer；　and　I　will　speak。　Let　me　be　alone！'

Aragorn　looked　at　him　with　kindly　pity。　'Very　well；　Frodo　son　of　Drogo；'　he　said。　'You　shall　have　an　hour；　and　you　shall　be　alone。　We　will　stay　here　for　a　while。　But　do　not　stray　far　or　out　of　call。'

Frodo　sat　for　a　moment　with　his　head　bowed。　Sam；　who　had　been　watching　his　master　with　great　concern；　shook　his　head　and　muttered：　'Plain　as　a　pikestaff　it　is；　but　it's　no　good　Sam　Gamgee　putting　in　his　spoke　just　now。'　；

Presently　Frodo　got　up　and　walked　away；　and　Sam　saw　that　while　the　others　restrained　themselves　and　did　not　stare　at　him；　the　eyes　of　Boromir　followed　Frodo　intently；　until　he　passed　out　of　sight　in　the　trees　at　the　foot　of　Amon　Hen。

Wandering　aimlessly　at　first　in　the　wood；　Frodo　found　that　his　feet　were　leading　him　up　towards　the　slopes　of　the　hill。　He　came　to　a　path；　the　dwindling　ruins　of　a　road　of　long　ago。　In　steep　places　stairs　of　stone　had　been　hewn；　but　now　they　were　cracked　and　worn；　and　split　by　the　roots　of　trees。　For　some　while　he　climbed；　not　caring　which　way　he　went；　until　he　came　to　a　grassy　place。　Rowantrees　grew　about　it；　and　in　the　midst　was　a　wide　flat　stone。　The　little　upland　lawn　was　open　upon　the　East　and　was　filled　now　with　the　early　sunlight。　Frodo　halted　and　looked　out　over　the　River；　far　below　him；　to　Tol　Brandir　and　the　birds　wheeling　in　the　great　gulf　of　air　between　him　and　the　untrodden　isle。　The　voice　of　Rauros　was　a　mighty　roaring　mingled　with　a　deep　throbbing　boom。

He　sat　down　upon　the　stone　and　cupped　his　chin　in　his　hands；　staring　eastwards　but　seeing　little　with　his　eyes。　All　that　had　happened　since　Bilbo　left　the　Shire　was　passing　through　his　mind；　and　he　recalled　and　pondered　everything　that　he　could　remember　of　Gandalf's　words。　Time　went　on；　and　still　he　was　no　nearer　to　a　choice。

Suddenly　he　awoke　from　his　thoughts：　a　strange　feeling　came　to　him　that　something　was　behind　him；　that　unfriendly　eyes　were　upon　him。　He　sprang　up　and　turned；　but　all　that　he　saw　to　his　surprise　was　Boromir；　and　his　face　was　smiling　and　kind。

'I　was　afraid　for　you；　Frodo；'　he　said；　ing　forward。　'If　Aragorn　is　right　and　Orcs　are　near；　then　none　of　us　should　wander　alone；　and　you　least　of　all：　so　much　depends　on　you。　And　my　heart　too　is　heavy。　May　I　stay　now　and　talk　for　a　while；　since　I　have　found　you？　It　would　fort　me。　Where　there　are　so　many；　all　speech　bees　a　debate　without　end。　But　two　together　may　perhaps　find　wisdom。'

'You　are　kind；'　answered　Frodo。　'But　I　do　not　think　that　any　speech　will　help　me。　For　I　know　what　I　should　do；　but　I　am　afraid　of　doing　it；　Boromir：　afraid。'

Boromir　stood　silent。　Rauros　roared　endlessly　on。　The　wind　murmured　in　the　branches　of　the　trees。　Frodo　shivered。

Suddenly　Boromir　came　and　sat　beside　him。　'Are　you　sure　that　you　do　not　suffer　needlessly？　'　he　said。　'I　wish　to　help　you。　You　need　counsel　in　your　hard　choice。　Will　you　not　take　mine？　'

'I　think　I　know　already　what　counsel　you　would　give；　Boromir；'　said　Frodo。　'And　it　would　seem　like　wisdom　but　for　the　warning　of　my　heart。'

'Warning？　Warning　against　what？　'　said　Boromir　sharply。

'Against　delay。　Against　the　way　that　seems　easier。　Against　refusal　of　the　burden　that　is　laid　on　me。　Againstwell；　if　it　must　be　said；　against　trust　in　the　strength　and　truth　of　Men。'

'Yet　that　strength　has　long　protected　you　far　away　in　your　little　country；　though　you　knew　it　not。'

'I　do　not　doubt　the　valour　of　your　people。　But　the　world　is　changing。　The　walls　of　Minas　Tirith　may　be　strong；　but　they　are　not　strong　enough。　If　they　fail；　what　then？　'

'We　shall　fall　in　battle　valiantly。　Yet　there　is　still　hope　that　they　will　not　fail。'

'No　hope　while　the　Ring　lasts；'　said　Frodo。

'Ah！　The　Ring！'　said　Boromir；　his　eyes　lighting。　'The　Ring！　Is　it　not　a　strange　fate　that　we　should　suffer　so　much　fear　and　doubt　for　so　small　a　thing？　So　small　a　thing！　And　I　have　seen　it　only　for　an　instant　in　the　House　of　Elrond。　Could　I　not　have　a　sight　of　it　again？　'

Frodo　looked　up。　His　heart　went　suddenly　cold。　He　caught　the　strange　gleam　in　Boromir's　eyes；　yet　his　face　was　still　kind　and　friendly。　'It　is　best　that　it　should　lie　hidden；'　he　answered。

'As　you　wish。　I　care　not；'　said　Boromir。　'Yet　may　I　not　even　speak　of　it？　For　you　seem　ever　to　think　only　of　its　power　in　the　hands　of　the　Enemy：　of　its　evil　uses　not　of　its　good。　The　world　is　changing；　you　say。　Minas　Tirith　will　fall；　if　the　Ring　lasts。　But　why？　Certainly；　if　the　Ring　were　with　the　Enemy。　But　why；　if　it　were　with　us？　'