the fellowship of the ring-第106部分

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_Chapter　10_　
The　Breaking　of　the　Fellowship　
　
Aragorn　led　them　to　the　right　arm　of　the　River。　Here　upon　its　westernside　under　the　shadow　of　Tol　Brandir　a　green　lawn　ran　down　to　the　water　fromthe　feet　of　Amon　Hen。　Behind　it　rose　the　first　gentle　slopes　of　the　hill　cladwith　trees；　and　trees　marched　away　westward　along　the　curving　shores　of　thelake。　A　little　spring　fell　tumbling　down　and　fed　the　grass。　
'Here　we　will　rest　tonight；'　said　Aragorn。　‘This　is　the　lawn　of　ParthGalen：　a　fair　place　in　the　summer　days　of　old。　Let　us　hope　that　no　evil　hasyet　e　here。'　
They　drew　up　their　boats　on　the　green　banks；　and　beside　them　they　madetheir　camp。　They　set　a　watch；　but　had　no　sight　nor　sound　of　their　enemies。　IfGollum　had　contrived　to　follow　them；　he　remained　unseen　and　unheard。　
Nonetheless　as　the　night　wore　on　Aragorn　grew　uneasy；　tossing　often　in　hissleep　and　waking。　In　the　small　hours　he　got　up　and　came　to　Frodo；　whose　turnit　was　to　watch。　　
‘Why　are　you　waking？　'　asked　Frodo。　‘It　is　not　your　watch。'　
‘I　do　not　know；'　answered　Aragorn；　‘but　a　shadow　and　a　threat　has　beengrowing　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　elf…blade　from　its　sheath。　To　his　dismay　the　edgesgleamed　dimly　in　the　night。　‘Orcs！　'　he　said。　‘Not　very　near；　and　yet　toonear；　it　seems。'　
‘I　feared　as　much；'　said　Aragorn。　‘But　maybe　they　are　not　on　this　side　ofthe　River。　The　light　of　Sting　is　faint；　and　it　may　point　to　no　more　than　spiesof　Mordor　roaming　on　the　slopes　of　Amon　Lhaw。　I　have　never　heard　before　ofOrcs　upon　Amon　Hen。　Yet　who　knows　what　may　happen　in　these　evil　days；　now　thatMinas　Tirith　no　longer　holds　secure　the　passages　of　Anduin。　We　must　go　warilytomorrow。'　　
The　day　came　like　fire　and　smoke。　Low　in　the　East　there　were　black　barsof　cloud　like　the　fumes　of　a　great　burning。　The　rising　sun　lit　them　frombeneath　with　flames　of　murky　red；　but　soon　it　climbed　above　them　into　a　clearsky。　The　summit　of　Tol　Brandir　was　tipped　with　gold。　Frodo　looked　out　eastwardand　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　ofinaccessible　rock；　crowned　by　a　great　spire　of　stone。　Many　birds　were　circlingabout　it；　but　no　sign　of　other　living　things　could　be　seen。　
When　they　had　eaten；　Aragorn　called　the　pany　together。　‘The　day　hase　at　last；'　he　said：　'the　day　of　choice　which　we　have　long　delayed。　Whatshall　now　bee　of　our　pany　that　has　travelled　so　far　in　fellowship？　Shallwe　turn　west　with　Boromir　and　go　to　the　wars　of　Gondor；　or　turn　east　to　theFear　and　Shadow；　or　shall　we　break　our　fellowship　and　go　this　way　and　that　aseach　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　mayalready　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　uponyou。　You　are　the　Bearer　appointed　by　the　Council。　Your　own　way　you　alone　canchoose。　In　this　matter　I　cannot　advise　you。　I　am　not　Gandalf；　and　though　Ihave　tried　to　bear　his　part；　I　do　not　know　what　design　or　hope　he　had　for　thishour；　if　indeed　he　had　any。　Most　likely　it　seems　that　if　he　were　here　now　thechoice　would　still　wait　on　you。　Such　is　your　fate。'　
Frodo　did　not　answer　at　once。　Then　he　spoke　slowly。　‘I　know　that　haste　isneeded；　yet　I　cannot　choose。　The　burden　is　heavy。　Give　me　an　hour　longer；　andI　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　herefor　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　apikestaff　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　othersrestrained　themselves　and　did　not　stare　at　him；　the　eyes　of　Boromir　followedFrodo　intently；　until　he　passed　out　of　sight　in　the　trees　at　the　foot　of　AmonHen。　　
Wandering　aimlessly　at　first　in　the　wood；　Frodo　found　that　his　feet　wereleading　him　up　towards　the　slopes　of　the　hill。　He　came　to　a　path；　thedwindling　ruins　of　a　road　of　long　ago。　In　steep　places　stairs　of　stone　hadbeen　hewn；　but　now　they　were　cracked　and　worn；　and　split　by　the　roots　oftrees。　For　some　while　he　climbed；　not　caring　which　way　he　went；　until　he　cameto　a　grassy　place。　Rowan…trees　grew　about　it；　and　in　the　midst　was　a　wide　flatstone。　The　little　upland　lawn　was　open　upon　the　East　and　was　filled　now　withthe　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　andthe　untrodden　isle。　The　voice　of　Rauros　was　a　mighty　roaring　mingled　with　adeep　throbbing　boom。　
He　sat　down　upon　the　stone　and　cupped　his　chin　in　his　hands；　staringeastwards　but　seeing　little　with　his　eyes。　All　that　had　happened　since　Bilboleft　the　Shire　was　passing　through　his　mind；　and　he　recalled　and　ponderedeverything　that　he　could　remember　of　Gandalf's　words。　Time　went　on；　and　stillhe　was　no　nearer　to　a　choice。　　
Suddenly　he　awoke　from　his　thoughts：　a　strange　feeling　came　to　him　thatsomething　was　behind　him；　that　unfriendly　eyes　were　upon　him。　He　sprang　up　andturned；　but　all　that　he　saw　to　his　surprise　was　Boromir；　and　his　face　wassmiling　and　kind。　
‘I　was　afraid　for　you；　Frodo；'　he　said；　ing　forward。　‘If　Aragorn　isright　and　Orcs　are　near；　then　none　of　us　should　wander　alone；　and　you　least　ofall：　so　much　depends　on　you。　And　my　heart　too　is　heavy。　May　I　stay　now　andtalk　for　a　while；　since　I　have　found　you？　It　would　fort　me。　Where　there　areso　many；　all　speech　bees　a　debate　without　end。　But　two　together　may　perhapsfind　wisdom。'　　
‘You　are　kind；'　answered　Frodo。　'But　I　do　not　think　that　any　speech　willhelp　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　inthe　branches　of　the　trees。　Frodo　shivered。　　
Suddenly　Boromir　came　and　sat　beside　him。　‘Are　you　sure　that　you　do　notsuffer　needlessly？　'　he　said。　‘I　wish　to　help　you。　You　need　counsel　in　yourhard　choice。　Will　you　not　take　mine？　'　
'I　think　I　know　already　what　counsel　you　would　give；　Boromir；'　saidFrodo。　'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　theburden　that　is　laid　on　me。　Against…well；　if　it　must　be　said；　against　trust　inthe　strength　and　truth　of　Men。'　
‘Yet　that　strength　has　long　protected　you　far　away　in　your　littlecountry；　though　you　knew　it　not。'　
'I　do　not　doubt　the　valour　of　your　people。　But　the　world　is　changing。　Thewalls　of　Minas　Tirith　may　be　strong；　but　they　are　not　strong　enough。　If　theyfail；　what　then？　'　
'We　shall　fall　in　battle　valiantly。　Yet　there　is　still　hope　that　theywill　not　fail。'　　
'No　hope　while　the　Ring　lasts；'　said　Frodo。　
'Ah！　The　Ring！　'　said　Boromir；　his　eyes　lighting。　'The　Ring！　Is　it　not　astrange　fate　that　we　should　suffer　so　much　fear　and　doubt　for　so　small　athing？　So　small　a　thing！　And　I　have　seen　it　only　for　an　instant　in　the　Houseof　Elrond。　Could　I　not　have　a　sight　of　it　again？　'　
Frodo　looked　up。　His　heart　went　suddenly　cold。　He　caught　the　strangegleam　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　itsevil　uses　not　of　its　good。　The　world　is　changing；　you　say。　Minas　Tirith　willfall；　if　the　Ring　lasts。　But　why？　Certainly；　if　the　Ring　were　with　the　Enemy。　
But　why；　if　it　were　with　us？　'　
'Were　you　not　at　the　Council？　'　answered　Frodo。　‘Because　we　cannot　useit；　and　what　is　done　with　it　turns　to　evil。'　
Boromir　got　up　and　walked　about　impatiently。　'So　you　go　on；'　he　cried。　
'Gandalf；　Elrond　–　all　these　folk　have　taught　you　to　say　so。　For　themselvesthey　may　be　right。　These　elves　and　half…elves　and　wizards；　they　would　e　togrief　perhaps。　Yet　often　I　doubt　if　they　are　wise　and　not　merely　timid。　Buteach　to　his　own　kind。　True…hearted　Men；　they　will　not　be　corrupted。　We　ofMinas　Tirith　have　been　staunch　through　long　years　of　trial。　We　do　not　desirethe　power　of　wizard…lords；　only　strength　to　defend　ourselves；　strength　in　ajust　cause。　And　behold！　in　our　need　chance　brings　to　light　the　…Ring　of　Power。　
It　is　a　gift；　I　say；　a　gift　to　the　foes　of　Mordor。　It　is　mad　not　to　use　it；　touse　the　power　of　the　Enemy　against　him。　The　fearless；　the　ruthless；　thesealone　will　achieve　victory。　What　could　not　a　warrior　do　in　this　hour；　a　greatleader？　What　could　not　Aragorn　do？　Or　if　he　refuses；　why　not　Boromir？　The　Ringwould　give　me　power　of　mand。　How　I　would　drive　the　hosts　of　Mordor；　and　allmen　would　flock　to　my　banner！'　
Boromir　strode　up