the fellowship of the ring-第21部分

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early　midnight。'　
'I　thought　you　liked　walking　in　the　dark；'　said　Frodo。　'But　there　is　nogreat　hurry。　Merry　expects　us　some　time　the　day　after　tomorrow；　but　thatleaves　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　thishill；　we　shall　find　a　spot　that　is　sheltered　and　snug　enough；　sir。　There　is　adry　fir…wood　just　ahead；　if　I　remember　rightly。'　Sam　knew　the　land　well　withintwenty　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。　Leavingthe　road　they　went　into　the　deep　resin…scented　darkness　of　the　trees；　andgathered　dead　sticks　and　cones　to　make　a　fire。　Soon　they　had　a　merry　crackleof　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。　Theyset　no　watch；　even　Frodo　feared　no　danger　yet；　for　they　were　still　in　theheart　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　stoppedseveral　minutes　and　sniffed。　　
'Hobbits！'　he　thought。　'Well；　what　next？　I　have　heard　of　strange　doingsin　this　land；　but　I　have　seldom　heard　of　a　hobbit　sleeping　out　of　doors　undera　tree。　Three　of　them！　There's　something　mighty　queer　behind　this。'　He　wasquite　right；　but　he　never　found　out　any　more　about　it。　
The　morning　came；　pale　and　clammy。　Frodo　woke　up　first；　and　found　that　atree…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　didat　the　beginning　of　an　expedition。　'And　all　my　beautiful　feather　beds　are　soldto　the　Sackville…Bagginses！　These　tree…roots　would　do　them　good。'　Hestretched。　'Wake　up；　hobbits！'　he　cried。　It's　a　beautiful　morning。'　
'What's　beautiful　about　it？'　said　Pippin；　peering　over　the　edge　of　hisblanket　with　one　eye。　'Sam！　Gel　breakfast　ready　for　half…past　nine！　Have　yougot　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　thenwalked　off　to　the　edge　of　the　wood。　Away　eastward　the　sun　was　rising　red　outof　the　mists　that　lay　thick　on　the　world。　Touched　with　gold　and　red　the　autumntrees　seemed　to　be　sailing　rootless　in　a　shadowy　sea。　A　little　below　him　tothe　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　goneto　find　some；'　said　Pippin；　busy　setting　out　the　food；　and　cups。　'You　hadbetter　go　now。'　
'You　can　e　too；'　said　Frodo；　'and　bring　all　the　water…bottles。'　Therewas　a　stream　at　the　foot　of　the　hill。　They　filled　their　bottles　and　the　smallcamping　kettle　at　a　little　fall　where　the　water　fell　a　few　feet　over　anoutcrop　of　grey　stone。　It　was　icy　cold；　and　they　spluttered　and　puffed　as　theybathed　their　faces　and　hands。　　
When　their　breakfast　was　over；　and　their　packs　all　trussed　up　again；　itwas　after　ten　o'clock；　and　the　day　was　beginning　to　turn　fine　and　hot。　Theywent　down　the　slope；　and　across　the　stream　where　it　dived　under　the　road；　andup　the　next　slope；　and　up　and　down　another　shoulder　of　the　hills；　and　by　thattime　their　cloaks；　blankets；　water；　food；　and　other　gear　already　seemed　aheavy　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　steepbank　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　clumpsof　trees　that　melted　away　in　the　distance　to　a　brown　woodland　haze。　They　werelooking　across　the　Woody　End　towards　the　Brandywine　River。　The　road　wound　awaybefore　them　like　a　piece　of　string。　
'The　road　goes　on　for　ever；'　said　Pippin；　'but　I　can't　without　a　rest。　Itis　high　time　for　lunch。'　He　sat　down　on　the　bank　at　the　side　of　the　road　andlooked　away　east　into　the　haze；　beyond　which　lay　the　River；　and　the　end　of　theShire　in　which　he　had　spent　all　his　life。　Sam　stood　by　him。　His　round　eyeswere　wide　open　–　for　he　was　looking　across　lands　he　had　never　seen　to　a　newhorizon。　　
'Do　Elves　live　in　those　woods？'　he　asked。　　
'Not　that　I　ever　heard；'　said　Pippin。　Frodo　was　silent。　He　too　was　gazingeastward　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　itone　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　Bilboin　the　last　years；　before　he　went　away。　He　used　often　to　say　there　was　onlyone　Road；　that　it　was　like　a　great　river：　its　springs　were　at　every　doorstep；　
and　every　path　was　its　tributary。　〃It's　a　dangerous　business；　Frodo；　going　outof　your　door；〃　he　used　to　say。　〃You　step　into　the　Road；　and　if　you　don't　keepyour　feet；　there　is　no　knowing　where　you　might　be　swept　off　to。　Do　you　realizethat　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　worseplaces？〃　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；'　saidPippin；　unslinging　his　pack。　The　others　followed　his　example；　putting　theirpacks　against　the　bank　and　their　legs　out　into　the　road。　After　a　rest　they　hada　good　lunch；　and　then　more　rest。　
The　sun　was　beginning　to　get　low　and　the　light　of　afternoon　was　on　theland　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　littletraffic　to　the　Woody　End。　They　had　been　jogging　along　again　for　an　hour　ormore　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…landsprinkled　with　tall　trees；　outliers　of　the　approaching　woods。　
'I　can　hear　a　pony　or　a　horse　ing　along　the　road　behind；'　said　Sam。　
They　looked　back；　but　the　turn　of　the　road　prevented　them　from　seeingfar。　'I　wonder　if　that　is　Gandalf　ing　after　us；'　said　Frodo；　but　even　as　hesaid　it；　he　had　a　feeling　that　it　was　not　so；　and　a　sudden　desire　to　hide　fromthe　view　of　the　rider　came　over　him。　　
'It　may　not　matter　much；'　he　said　apologetically；　'but　I　would　rather　notbe　seen　on　the　road　–　by　anyone。　I　am　sick　of　my　doings　being　noticed　anddiscussed。　And　if　it　is　Gandalf；'　he　added　as　an　afterthought；　'we　can　givehim　a　little　surprise；　to　pay　him　out　for　being　so　late。　Let's　get　out　ofsight！'　
The　other　two　ran　quickly　to　the　left　and　down　into　a　little　hollow　notfar　from　the　road。　There　they　lay　flat。　Frodo　hesitated　for　a　second：　　
　
curiosity　or　some　other　feeling　was　struggling　with　his　desire　to　hide。　Thesound　of　hoofs　drew　nearer。　Just　in　time　he　threw　himself　down　in　a　patch　oflong　grass　behind　a　tree　that　overshadowed　the　road。　Then　he　lifted　his　headand　peered　cautiously　above　one　of　the　great　roots。　
Round　the　corner　came　a　black　horse；　no　hobbit…pony　but　a　full…sizedhorse；　and　on　it　sat　a　large　man；　who　seemed　to　crouch　in　the　saddle；　wrappedin　a　great　black　cloak　and　hood；　so　that　only　his　boots　in　the　high　stirrupsshowed　below；　his　face　was　shadowed　and　invisible。　
When　it　reached　the　tree　and　was　level　with　Frodo　the　horse　stopped。　Theriding　figure　sat　quite　still　with　its　head　bowed；　as　if　listening。　Frominside　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　thoughtof　his　Ring。　He　hardly　dared　to　breathe；　and　yet　the　desire　to　get　it　out　ofhis　pocket　became　so　strong　that　he　began　slowly　to　move　his　hand。　He　feltthat　he　had　only　to　slip　it　on；　and　then　he　would　be　safe。　The　advice　ofGandalf　seemed　absurd。　Bilbo　had　used　the　Ring。　'And　I　am　still　in　theShire；'　he　thought；　as　his　hand　touched　the　chain　on　which　it　hung。　At　thatmoment　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　hedwindled　into　the　distance。　He　could　not　be　quite　sure；　but　it　seemed　to　himthat　suddenly；　before　it　passed　out　of　sight；　the　horse　turned　aside　and　wentinto　the　trees　on　the　right。　
'Well；　I　call　that　very　queer；　and　indeed　disturbing；'　said　Frodo　tohimself；　as　he　walked　towards　his　panions。　Pippin　and　Sam　had　remained　flatin　the　grass；　and　had　seen　nothi