the fellowship of the ring-第22部分

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'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　nothing；　so　Frodo　described　the　rider　and　hisstrange　behaviour。　
'I　can't　say　why；　but　I　felt　certain　he　was　looking　or　_smelling_　for　me；　
and　also　I　felt　certain　that　I　did　not　want　him　to　discover　me。　I've　never　　
seen　or　fell　anything　like　it　in　the　Shire　before。'　
'But　what　has　one　of　the　Big　People　got　to　do　with　us？'　said　Pippin。　'Andwhat　is　he　doing　in　this　part　of　the　world？'　
'There　are　some　Men　about；'　said　Frodo。　'Down　in　the　Southfarthing　theyhave　had　trouble　with　Big　People；　I　believe。　But　I　have　never　heard　ofanything　like　this　rider。　I　wonder　where　he　es　from。'　
'Begging　your　pardon；'　put　in　Sam　suddenly；　'I　know　where　he　es　from。　
It's　from　Hobbiton　that　this　here　black　rider　es；　unless　there's　more　thanone。　And　I　know　where　he's　going　to。'　
'What　do　you　mean？'　said　Frodo　sharply；　looking　at　him　in　astonishment。　
'Why　didn't　you　speak　up　before？'　
'I　have　only　just　remembered；　sir。　It　was　like　this：　when　I　got　back　toour　hole　yesterday　evening　with　the　key；　my　dad；　he　says　to　me：　_Hello；　Sam！_　
he　says。　_I　thought　you　were　away　with　Mr。　Frodo　this　morning。　There's　been　astrange　customer　asking　for　Mr。　Baggins　of　Bag　End；　and　he's　only　just　gone。　
I've　sent　him　on　to　Bucklebury。　Not　that　I　liked　the　sound　of　him。　He　seemedmighty　put　out；　when　I　told　him　Mr。　Baggins　had　left　his　old　home　for　good。　
Hissed　at　me；　he　did。　It　gave　me　quite　a　shudder。　What　sort　of　a　fellow　washe？_　says　I　to　the　Gaffer。　_I　don't　know；_　says　he；　_but　he　wasn't　a　hobbit。　
He　was　tall　and　black…like；　and　he　stooped　aver　me。　I　reckon　it　was　one　of　theBig　Folk　from　foreign　parts。　He　spoke　funny。_　
'I　couldn't　stay　to　hear　more；　sir；　since　you　were　waiting；　and　I　didn'tgive　much　heed　to　it　myself。　The　Gaffer　is　getting　old；　and　more　than　a　bitblind；　and　it　must　have　been　near　dark　when　this　fellow　e　up　the　Hill　andfound　him　taking　the　air　at　the　end　of　our　Row。　I　hope　he　hasn't　done　no　harm；　
sir；　nor　me。'　
'The　Gaffer　can't　be　blamed　anyway；'　said　Frodo。　'As　a　matter　of　fact　Iheard　him　talking　to　a　stranger；　who　seemed　to　be　inquiring　for　me；　and　Inearly　went　and　asked　him　who　it　was。　I　wish　I　had；　or　you　had　told　me　aboutit　before。　I　might　have　been　more　careful　on　the　road。'　　
　
'Still；　there　may　be　no　connexion　between　this　rider　and　the　Gaffer'sstranger；'　said　Pippin。　'We　left　Hobbiton　secretly　enough；　and　I　don't　see　howhe　could　have　followed　us。'　　
'What　about　the　_smelling；_　sir？'　said　Sam。　'And　the　Gaffer　said　he　was　ablack　chap。'　
'I　wish　I　had　waited　for　Gandalf；'　Frodo　muttered。　'But　perhaps　it　wouldonly　have　made　matters　worse。'　
'Then　you　know　or　guess　something　about　this　rider？'　said　Pippin；　who　hadcaught　the　muttered　words。　
'I　don't　know；　and　I　would　rather　not　guess；'　said　Frodo。　'All　right；　
cousin　Frodo！　You　can　keep　your　secret　for　the　present；　if　you　want　to　bemysterious。　In　the　meanwhile　what　are　we　to　do？　I　should　like　a　bite　and　asup；　but　somehow　I　think　we　had　better　move　on　from　here。　Your　talk　ofsniffing　riders　with　invisible　noses　has　unsettled　me。'　
'Yes；　I　think　we　will　move　on　now；'　said　Frodo；　'but　not　on　the　road　…incase　that　rider　es　back；　or　another　follows　him。　We　ought　to　do　a　good　stepmore　today。　Buckland　is　still　miles　away。'　
The　shadows　of　the　trees　were　long　and　thin　on　the　grass；　as　they　startedoff　again。　They　now　kept　a　stone's　throw　to　the　left　of　the　road；　and　kept　outof　sight　of　it　as　much　as　they　could。　But　this　hindered　them；　for　the　grasswas　thick　and　tussocky；　and　the　ground　uneven；　and　the　trees　began　to　drawtogether　into　thickets。　
The　sun　had　gone　down　red　behind　the　hills　at　their　backs；　and　eveningwas　ing　on　before　they　came　back　to　the　road　at　the　end　of　the　long　levelover　which　it　had　run　straight　for　some　miles。　At　that　point　it　bent　left　andwent　down　into　the　lowlands　of　the　Yale　making　for　Stock；　but　a　lane　branchedright；　winding　through　a　wood　of　ancient　oak…trees　on　its　way　to　Woodhall。　
'That　is　the　way　for　us；'　said　Frodo。　
Not　far　from　the　road…meeting　they　came　on　the　huge　hulk　of　a　tree：　itwas　still　alive　and　had　leaves　on　the　small　branches　that　it　had　put　out　roundthe　broken　stumps　of　its　long…fallen　limbs；　but　it　was　hollow；　and　could　beentered　by　a　great　crack　on　the　side　away　from　the　road。　The　hobbits　creptinside；　and　sat　there　upon　a　floor　of　old　leaves　and　decayed　wood。　They　restedand　had　a　light　meal；　talking　quietly　and　listening　from　time　to　time。　
Twilight　was　about　them　as　they　crept　back　to　the　lane。　The　West　wind　wassighing　in　the　branches。　Leaves　were　whispering。　Soon　the　road　began　to　fallgently　but　steadily　into　the　dusk。　A　star　came　out　above　the　trees　in　thedarkening　East　before　them。　They　went　abreast　and　in　step；　to　keep　up　theirspirits。　After　a　time；　as　the　stars　grew　thicker　and　brighter；　the　feeling　ofdisquiet　left　them；　and　they　no　longer　listened　for　the　sound　of　hoofs。　Theybegan　to　hum　softly；　as　hobbits　have　a　way　of　doing　as　they　walk　along；　
especially　when　they　are　drawing　near　to　home　at　night。　With　most　hobbits　itis　a　supper…song　or　a　bed…song；　but　these　hobbits　hummed　a　walking…song（though　not；　of　course；　without　any　mention　of　supper　and　bed）。　Bilbo　Bagginshad　made　the　words；　to　a　tune　that　was　as　old　as　the　hills；　and　taught　it　toFrodo　as　they　walked　in　the　lanes　of　the　Water…valley　and　talked　aboutAdventure。　　
Upon　the　hearth　the　fire　is　red；　
Beneath　the　roof　there　is　a　bed；　
But　not　yet　weary　are　our　feet；　
Still　round　the　corner　we　may　meet　
A　sudden　tree　or　standing　stone　
That　none　have　seen　but　we　alone。　　
Tree　and　flower　and　leaf　and　grass；　
Let　them　pass！　Let　them　pass！　
Hill　and　water　under　sky；　
Pass　them　by！　Pass　them　by！　　
Still　round　the　corner　there　may　wait　　
　
A　new　road　or　a　secret　gate；　
And　though　we　pass　them　by　today；　
Tomorrow　we　may　e　this　way　
And　take　the　hidden　paths　that　run　
Towards　the　Moon　or　to　the　Sun。　　
Apple；　thorn；　and　nut　and　sloe；　
Let　them　go！　Let　them　go！　
Sand　and　stone　and　pool　and　dell；　
Fare　you　well！　Fare　you　well！　　
Home　is　behind；　the　world　ahead；　
And　there　are　many　paths　to　tread　
Through　shadows　to　the　edge　of　night；　
Until　the　stars　are　all　alight。　
Then　world　behind　and　home　ahead；　
We'll　wander　back　to　home　and　bed。　　
Mist　and　twilight；　cloud　and　shade；　
Away　shall　fade！　Away　shall　fade！　
Fire　and　lamp；　and　meat　and　bread；　
And　then　to　bed！　And　then　to　bed！　　
The　song　ended。　'And　_now_　to　bed！　And　_now_　to　bed！'　sang　Pippin　in　ahigh　voice。　
'Hush！'　said　Frodo。　'I　think　I　hear　hoofs　again。'　
They　slopped　suddenly　and　stood　as　silent　as　tree…shadows；　listening。　
There　was　a　sound　of　hoofs　in　the　lane；　some　way　behind；　but　ing　slow　andclear　down　the　wind。　Quickly　and　quietly　they　slipped　off　the　path；　and　raninto　the　deeper　shade　under　the　oak…trees。　
'Don't　let　us　go　too　far！'　said　Frodo。　'I　don't　want　to　be　seen；　but　Iwant　to　see　if　it　is　another　Black　Rider。'　　
'Very　well！'　said　Pippin。　'But　don't　forget　the　sniffing！'　
The　hoofs　drew　nearer。　They　had　no　time　to　find　any　hiding…place　betterthan　the　general　darkness　under　the　trees；　Sam　and　Pippin　crouched　behind　alarge　tree…bole；　while　Frodo　crept　back　a　few　yards　towards　the　lane。　Itshowed　grey　and　pale；　a　line　of　fading　light　through　the　wood。　Above　it　thestars　were　thick　in　the　dim　sky；　but　there　was　no　moon。　
The　sound　of　hoofs　stopped。　As　Frodo　watched　he　saw　something　dark　passacross　the　lighter　space　between　two　trees；　and　then　halt。　It　looked　like　theblack　shade　of　a　horse　led　by　a　smaller　black　shadow。　The　black　shadow　stoodclose　to　the　point　where　they　had　left　the　path；　and　it　swayed　from　side　toside。　Frodo　thought　he　heard　the　sound　of　snuffling。　The　shadow　bent　to　theground；　and　then　began　to　crawl　towards　him。　
Once　more　the　desire　to　slip　on　the　Ring　came　over　Frodo；　but　this　timeit　was　stronger　than　before。　So　strong　that；　almost　before　he　realized　what　hewas　doing；　his　hand　was　groping　in　his　pocket。　But　at　that　moment　there　came　asound　like　mingled　song　and　laughter。　Clear　voices　rose　and　fell　in　thestarlit　air。　The　black　shadow　straightened　up　and　retreated。　It　climbed　on　tothe　shadowy　horse　and　seemed　to　vanish　across　the　lane　into　the　darkness　onthe　other　side。　Frodo　breathed　again。　
'Elves！'　exclaimed　Sam　in　a　hoarse　whisper。　'Elves；　sir！'　He　would　haveburst　out　of　the　trees　and　dashed　off　towards　the　voices；　if　they　had　notpulled　him　back。　
'Yes；　it　is　Elves；'　said　Frodo。　'One　can　meet　them　sometimes　in　the　WoodyEnd。　They　don't　live　in　the　Shire；　but　they　wander　into　it　in　Spring　andAutumn；　out　of　their　own　lands　away　beyond　the　Tower　Hills。　I　am　thankful　thatthey　do！　You　did　not　see；　but　that　Black　Rider　stopped　just　here　and　wasactually　crawling　towards　us　when　the　song　began。　As　soon　as　he　heard　thevoices　he　slipped　away。'　
'What　about　the　Elves？'　said　Sam；　too　excited　to　trouble　about　the　rider。　
'Can't　we　go　and　see　them？'　　
　
'Listen！　They　are　ing　this　way；'　said　Frodo。　'We　have　only　to　wait。'　
The　singing　drew　nearer。　One　clear　voice　rose　now　above　the　others。　It　wassinging　in　the　fair　elven…tongue；　of　which　Frodo　knew　only　a　little；　and　theothers　knew　nothing。　Yet　the　so