The Lord of the Rings-指环王(英文版)- 第92部分

'Who　knows　indeed！'　said　Gandalf。　'But　there　is　another　way；　and　not　by　the　pass　of　Caradhras：　the　dark　and　secret　way　that　we　have　spoken　of。'

'But　let　us　not　speak　of　it　again！　Not　yet。　Say　nothing　to　the　others　I　beg；　not　until　it　is　plain　that　there　is　no　other　way。'

'We　must　decide　before　we　go　further；'　answered　Gandalf。

'Then　let　us　weigh　the　matter　in　our　minds；　while　the　others　rest　and　sleep；'　said　Aragorn。

In　the　late　afternoon；　while　the　others　were　finishing　their　breakfast；　Gandalf　and　Aragorn　went　aside　together　and　stood　looking　at　Caradhras。　Its　sides　were　now　dark　and　sullen；　and　its　head　was　in　grey　cloud。　Frodo　watched　them；　wondering　which　way　the　debate　would　go。　When　they　returned　to　the　pany　Gandalf　spoke；　and　then　he　knew　that　it　had　been　decided　to　face　the　weather　and　the　high　pass。　He　was　relieved。　He　could　not　guess　what　was　the　other　dark　and　secret　way；　but　the　very　mention　of　it　had　seemed　to　fill　Aragorn　with　dismay；　and　Frodo　was　glad　that　it　had　been　abandoned。

'From　signs　that　we　have　seen　lately；'　said　Gandalf；　'I　fear　that　the　Redhorn　Gate　may　be　watched；　and　also　I　have　doubts　of　the　weather　that　is　ing　up　behind。　Snow　may　e。　We　must　go　with　all　the　speed　that　we　can。　Even　so　it　will　take　us　more　than　two　marches　before　we　reach　the　top　of　the　pass。　Dark　will　e　early　this　evening。　We　must　leave　as　soon　as　you　can　get　ready。'

'I　will　add　a　word　of　advice；　if　I　may；'　said　Boromir。　'I　was　born　under　the　shadow　of　the　White　Mountains　and　know　something　of　journeys　in　the　high　places。　We　shall　meet　bitter　cold；　if　no　worse；　before　we　e　down　on　the　other　side。　It　will　not　help　us　to　keep　so　secret　that　we　are　frozen　to　death。　When　we　leave　here；　where　there　are　still　a　few　trees　and　bushes；　each　of　us　should　carry　a　faggot　of　wood；　as　large　as　he　can　bear。'

'And　Bill　could　take　a　bit　more；　couldn't　you　lad？'　said　Sam。　The　pony　looked　at　him　mournfully。

'Very　well；'　said　Gandalf。　'But　we　must　not　use　the　wood　。　not　unless　it　is　a　choice　between　fire　and　death。'

The　pany　set　out　again　with　good　speed　at　first；　but　soon　their　way　became　steep　and　difficult。　The　twisting　and　climbing　road　had　in　many　places　almost　disappeared；　and　was　blocked　with　many　fallen　stones。　The　night　grew　deadly　dark　under　great　clouds。　A　bitter　wind　swirled　among　the　rocks。　By　midnight　they　had　climbed　to　the　knees　of　the　great　mountains。　The　narrow　path　now　wound　under　a　sheer　wall　of　cliffs　to　the　left；　above　which　the　grim　flanks　of　Caradhras　towered　up　invisible　in　the　gloom；　on　the　right　was　a　gulf　of　darkness　where　the　land　fell　suddenly　into　a　deep　ravine。

Laboriously　they　climbed　a　sharp　slope　and　halted　for　a　moment　at　the　top。　Frodo　felt　a　soft　touch　on　his　face。　He　put　out　his　arm　and　saw　the　dim　white　flakes　of　snow　settling　on　his　sleeve。

They　went　on。　But　before　long　the　snow　was　falling　fast；　filling　all　the　air；　and　swirling　into　Frodo's　eyes。　The　dark　bent　shapes　of　Gandalf　and　Aragorn　only　a　pace　or　two　ahead　could　hardly　be　seen。

'I　don't　like　this　at　all；'　panted　Sam　just　behind。　'Snow's　all　right　on　a　fine　morning；　but　I　like　to　be　in　bed　while　it's　falling。　I　wish　this　lot　would　go　off　to　Hobbiton！　Folk　might　wele　it　there。'　Except　on　the　high　moors　of　the　Northfarthing　a　heavy　fall　was　rare　in　the　Shire；　and　was　regarded　as　a　pleasant　event　and　a　chance　for　fun。　No　living　hobbit　（save　Bilbo）　could　remember　the　Fell　Winter　of　1311；　when　the　white　wolves　invaded　the　Shire　over　the　frozen　Brandywine。

Gandalf　halted。　Snow　was　thick　on　his　hood　and　shoulders；　it　was　already　ankledeep　about　his　boots。

〃This　is　what　I　feared；'　he　said。　'What　do　you　say　now；　Aragorn？'

'That　I　feared　it　too；'　Aragorn　answered；　'but　less　than　other　things。　I　knew　the　risk　of　snow；　though　it　seldom　falls　heavily　so　far　south；　save　high　up　in　the　mountains。　But　we　are　not　high　yet；　we　are　still　far　down；　where　the　paths　are　usually　open　all　the　winter。'

'I　wonder　if　this　is　a　contrivance　of　the　Enemy；'　said　Boromir。　〃They　say　in　my　land　that　he　can　govern　the　storms　in　the　Mountains　of　Shadow　that　stand　upon　the　borders　of　Mordor。　He　has　strange　powers　and　many　allies。'

'His　arm　has　grown　long　indeed；'　said　Gimli；　'if　he　can　draw　snow　down　from　the　North　to　trouble　us　here　three　hundred　leagues　away。'

'His　arm　has　grown　long；'　said　Gandalf。

While　they　were　halted；　the　wind　died　down；　and　the　snow　slackened　until　it　almost　ceased。　They　tramped　on　again。　But　they　had　not　gone　more　than　a　furlong　when　the　storm　returned　with　fresh　fury。　The　wind　whistled　and　the　snow　became　a　blinding　blizzard。　Soon　even　Boromir　found　it　hard　to　keep　going。　The　hobbits；　bent　nearly　double；　toiled　along　behind　the　taller　folk；　but　it　was　plain　that　they　could　not　go　much　further；　if　the　snow　continued。　Frodo's　feet　felt　like　lead。　Pippin　was　dragging　behind。　Even　Gimli；　as　stout　as　any　dwarf　could　be；　was　grumbling　as　he　trudged。

The　pany　halted　suddenly；　as　if　they　had　e　to　an　agreement　without　any　words　being　spoken。　They　heard　eerie　noises　in　the　darkness　round　them。　It　may　have　been　only　a　trick　of　the　wind　in　the　cracks　and　gullies　of　the　rocky　wall；　but　the　sounds　were　those　of　shrill　cries；　and　wild　howls　of　laughter。　Stones　began　to　fall　from　the　mountainside；　whistling　over　their　heads；　or　crashing　on　the　path　beside　them。　Every　now　and　again　they　heard　a　dull　rumble；　as　a　great　boulder　rolled　down　from　hidden　heights　above。

'We　cannot　go　further　tonight；'　said　Boromir。　'Let　those　call　it　the　wind　who　will；　there　are　fell　voices　on　the　air；　and　these　stones　are　aimed　at　us。'

'I　do　call　it　the　wind；'　said　Aragorn。　'But　that　does　not　make　what　you　say　untrue。　There　are　many　evil　and　unfriendly　things　in　the　world　that　have　little　love　for　those　that　go　on　two　legs；　and　yet　are　not　in　league　with　Sauron；　but　have　purposes　of　their　own。　Some　have　been　in　this　world　longer　than　he。'

'Caradhras　was　called　the　Cruel；　and　had　an　ill　name；　said　Gimli；　'long　years　ago；　when　rumour　of　Sauron　had　not　been　heard　in　these　lands。'

'It　matters　little　who　is　the　enemy；　if　we　cannot　beat　off　his　attack；　said　Gandalf。

'But　what　can　we　do？'　cried　Pippin　miserably。　He　was　leaning　on　Merry　and　Frodo；　and　he　was　shivering。

'Either　stop　where　we　are；　or　go　back；'　said　Gandalf。　'It　is　no　good　going　on。　Only　a　little　higher；　if　I　remember　rightly；　this　path　leaves　the　cliff　and　runs　into　a　wide　shallow　trough　at　the　bottom　of　a　long　hard　slope。　We　should　have　no　shelter　there　from　snow；　or　stones　。　or　anything　else。'

'And　it　is　no　good　going　back　while　the　storm　holds；'　said　Aragorn。　'We　have　passed　no　place　on　the　way　up　that　offered　more　shelter　than　this　cliff　wall　we　are　under　now。'

'Shelter！'　muttered　Sam。　'If　this　is　shelter；　then　one　wall　and　no　roof　make　a　house。'

The　pany　now　gathered　together　as　close　to　the　cliff　as　they　could。　It　faced　southwards；　and　near　the　bottom　it　leaned　out　a　little；　so　that　they　hoped　it　would　give　them　some　protection　from　the　northerly　wind　and　from　the　falling　stones。　But　eddying　blasts　swirled　round　them　from　every　side；　and　the　snow　flowed　down　in　ever　denser　clouds。

They　huddled　together　with　their　backs　to　the　wall。　Bill　the　pony　stoo