the fellowship of the ring-第54部分

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mpse　of　Strider　leaping　out　of　thedarkness　with　a　flaming　brand　of　wood　in　either　hand。　With　a　last　effortFrodo；　dropping　his　sword；　slipped　the　Ring　from　his　finger　and　closed　hisright　hand　tight　upon　it。　　
_Chapter　12_　
Flight　to　the　Ford　　
When　Frodo　came　to　himself　he　was　still　clutching　the　Ring　desperately。　
He　was　lying　by　the　fire；　which　was　now　piled　high　and　burning　brightly。　Histhree　panions　were　bending　over　him。　'What　has　happened？　Where　is　the　paleking？'　he　asked　wildly。　They　were　too　overjoyed　to　hear　him　speak　to　answerfor　a　while；　nor　did　they　understand　his　question。　At　length　he　gathered　fromSam　that　they　had　seen　nothing　but　the　vague　shadowy　shapes　ing　towardsthem。　Suddenly　to　his　horror　Sam　found　that　his　master　had　vanished；　and　atthat　moment　a　black　shadow　rushed　past　him；　and　he　fell。　He　heard　Frodo'svoice；　but　it　seemed　to　e　from　a　great　distance；　or　from　under　the　earth；　
crying　out　strange　words。　They　saw　nothing　more；　until　they　stumbled　over　thebody　of　Frodo；　lying　as　if　dead；　face　downwards　on　the　grass　with　his　swordbeneath　him。　Strider　ordered　them　to　pick　him　up　and　lay　him　near　the　fire；　
and　then　he　disappeared。　That　was　now　a　good　while　ago。　
Sam　plainly　was　beginning　to　have　doubts　again　about　Strider；　but　whilethey　were　talking　he　returned；　appearing　suddenly　out　of　the　shadows。　Theystarted；　and　Sam　drew　his　sword　and　stood　over　Frodo；　but　Strider　knelt　downswiftly　at　his　side。　
'I　am　not　a　Black　Rider；　Sam；'　he　said　gently；　'nor　in　league　with　them。　
I　have　been　trying　to　discover　something　of　their　movements；　but　I　have　foundnothing。　I　cannot　think　why　they　have　gone　and　do　not　attack　again。　But　thereis　no　feeling　of　their　presence　anywhere　at　hand。'　
When　he　heard　what　Frodo　had　to　tell；　he　became　full　of　concern；　andshook　his　head　and　sighed。　Then　he　ordered　Pippin　and　Merry　to　heat　as　muchwater　as　they　could　in　their　small　kettles；　and　to　bathe　the　wound　with　it。　
'Keep　the　fire　going　well；　and　keep　Frodo　warm！'　he　said。　Then　he　got　up　andwalked　away；　and　called　Sam　to　him。　'I　think　I　understand　things　better　now；'　
he　said　in　a　low　voice。　'There　seem　only　to　have　been　five　of　the　enemy。　Whythey　were　not　all　here；　I　don't　know；　but　I　don't　think　they　expected　to　beresisted。　They　have　drawn　off　for　the　time　being。　But　not　far；　I　fear。　Theywill　e　again　another　night；　if　we　cannot　escape。　They　are　only　waiting；　
because　they　think　that　their　purpose　is　almost　acplished；　and　that　theRing　cannot　fly　much　further。　I　fear；　Sam；　that　they　believe　your　master　has　adeadly　wound　that　will　subdue　him　to　their　will。　We　shall　see！'　Sam　chokedwith　tears。　'Don't　despair！'　said　Strider。　'You　must　trust　me　now。　Your　Frodois　made　of　sterner　stuff　than　I　had　guessed；　though　Gandalf　hinted　that　it　　
　
might　prove　so。　He　is　not　slain；　and　I　think　he　will　resist　the　evil　power　ofthe　wound　longer　than　his　enemies　expect。　I　will　do　all　I　can　to　help　and　healhim。　Guard　him　well；　while　I　am　away！'　He　hurried　off　and　disappeared　againinto　the　darkness。　　
Frodo　dozed；　though　the　pain　of　his　wound　was　slowly　growing；　and　adeadly　chill　was　spreading　from　his　shoulder　to　his　arm　and　side。　His　friendswatched　over　him；　warming　him；　and　bathing　his　wound。　The　night　passed　slowlyand　wearily。　Dawn　was　growing　in　the　sky；　and　the　dell　was　filling　with　greylight；　when　Strider　at　last　returned。　
'Look！'　he　cried；　and　stooping　he　lifted　from　the　ground　a　black　cloakthat　had　lain　there　hidden　by　the　darkness。　A　foot　above　the　lower　hem　therewas　a　slash。　'This　was　the　stroke　of　Frodo's　sword；'　he　said。　'The　only　hurtthat　it　did　to　his　enemy；　I　fear；　for　it　is　unharmed；　but　all　blades　perishthat　pierce　that　dreadful　King。　More　deadly　to　him　was　the　name　of　Elbereth。'　
'And　more　deadly　to　Frodo　was　this！'　He　stooped　again　and　lifted　up　along　thin　knife。　There　was　a　cold　gleam　in　it。　As　Strider　raised　it　they　sawthat　near　the　end　its　edge　was　notched　and　the　point　was　broken　off。　But　evenas　he　held　it　up　in　the　growing　light；　they　gazed　in　astonishment；　for　theblade　seemed　to　melt；　and　vanished　like　a　smoke　in　the　air；　leaving　only　thehilt　in　Strider's　hand。　'Alas！'　he　cried。　'It　was　this　accursed　knife　that　　
gave　the　wound。　Few　now　have　the　skill　in　healing　to　match　such　evil　weapons。　
But　I　will　do　what　I　can。'　　
He　sat　down　on　the　ground；　and　taking　the　dagger…hilt　laid　it　on　hisknees；　and　he　sang　over　it　a　slow　song　in　a　strange　tongue。　Then　setting　itaside；　he　turned　to　Frodo　and　in　a　soft　tone　spoke　words　the　others　could　notcatch。　From　the　pouch　at　his　belt　he　drew　out　the　long　leaves　of　a　plant。　
'These　leaves；'　he　said；　'I　have　walked　far　to　find；　for　this　plant　doesnot　grow　in　the　bare　hills；　but　in　the　thickets　away　south　of　the　Road　I　foundit　in　the　dark　by　the　scent　of　its　leaves。'　He　crushed　a　leaf　in　his　fingers；　
and　it　gave　out　a　sweet　and　pungent　fragrance。　'It　is　fortunate　that　I　couldfind　it；　for　it　is　a　healing　plant　that　the　Men　of　the　West　brought　to　Middle…　
earth。　_Athelas_　they　named　it；　and　it　grows　now　sparsely　and　only　near　placeswhere　they　dwelt　or　camped　of　old；　and　it　is　not　known　in　the　North；　except　tosome　of　those　who　wander　in　the　Wild。　It　has　great　virtues；　but　over　such　awound　as　this　its　healing　powers　may　be　small。'　
He　threw　the　leaves　into　boiling　water　and　bathed　Frodo's　shoulder。　Thefragrance　of　the　steam　was　refreshing；　and　those　that　were　unhurt　felt　theirminds　calmed　and　cleared。　The　herb　had　also　some　power　over　the　wound；　forFrodo　felt　the　pain　and　also　the　sense　of　frozen　cold　lessen　in　his　side；　butthe　life　did　not　return　to　his　arm；　and　he　could　not　raise　or　use　his　hand。　Hebitterly　regretted　his　foolishness；　and　reproached　himself　for　weakness　ofwill；　for　he　now　perceived　that　in　putting　on　the　Ring　he　obeyed　not　his　owndesire　but　the　manding　wish　of　his　enemies。　He　wondered　if　he　would　remainmaimed　for　life；　and　how　they　would　now　manage　to　continue　their　journey。　Hefell　too　weak　to　stand。　　
The　others　were　discussing　this　very　question。　They　quickly　decided　toleave　Weathertop　as　soon　as　possible。　'I　think　now；'　said　Strider；　'that　theenemy　has　been　watching　this　place　for　some　days。　If　Gandalf　ever　came　here；　
then　he　must　have　been　forced　to　ride　away；　and　he　will　not　return。　In　anycase　we　are　in　great　peril　here　after　dark；　since　the　attack　of　last　night；　
and　we　can　hardly　meet　greater　danger　wherever　we　go。'　
As　soon　as　the　daylight　was　full；　they　had　some　hurried　food　and　packed。　
It　was　impossible　for　Frodo　to　walk；　so　they　divided　the　greater　part　of　theirbaggage　among　the　four　of　them；　and　put　Frodo　on　the　pony。　In　the　last　fewdays　the　poor　beast　had　improved　wonderfully；　it　already　seemed　fatter　andstronger；　and　had　begun　to　show　an　affection　for　its　new　masters；　especiallyfor　Sam。　Bill　Ferny's　treatment　must　have　been　very　hard　for　the　journey　inthe　wild　to　seem　so　much　better　than　its　former　life。　　
They　started　off　in　a　southerly　direction。　This　would　mean　crossing　theRoad；　but。　it　was　the　quickest　way　to　more　wooded　country。　And　they　needed　　
　
fuel；　for　Strider　said　that　Frodo　must　be　kept　warm；　especially　at　night；　
while　fire　would　be　some　protection　for　them　all。　It　was　also　his　plan　toshorten　their　journey　by　cutting　across　another　great　loop　of　the　Road：　eastbeyond　Weathertop　it　changed　its　course　and　took　a　wide　bend　northwards。　
They　made　their　way　slowly　and　cautiously　round　the　south…western　slopesof　the　hill；　and　came　in　a　little　while　to　the　edge　of　the　Road。　There　was　nosign　of　the　Riders。　But　even　as　they　were　hurrying　across　they　heard　far　awaytwo　cries：　a　cold　voice　calling　and　a　cold　voice　answering。　Trembling　theysprang　forward；　and　made　for　the　thickets　that　lay　ahead。　The　land　before　themsloped　away　southwards；　but　it　was　wild　and　pathless；　bushes　and　stunted　treesgrew　in　dense　patches　with　wide　barren　spaces　in　between。　The　grass　wasscanty；　coarse；　and　grey；　and　the　leaves　in　the　thickets　were　faded　andfalling。　It　was　a　cheerless　land；　and　their　journey　was　slow　and　gloomy。　Theyspoke　little　as　they　trudged　along。　Frodo's　heart　was　grieved　as　he　watchedthem　walking　beside　him　with　their　heads　down；　and　their　backs　bowed　undertheir　burdens。　Even　Strider　seemed　tired　and　heavy…hearted。　
Before　the　first　day's　march　was　over　Frodo's　pain　began　to　grow　again；　
but　he　did　not　speak　of　it　for　a　long　time。　Four　days　passed；　without　theground　or　the　scene　changing　much；　except　that　behind　them　Weathertop　slowlysank；　and　before　them　the　distant　mountains　loomed　a　little　nearer。　Yet　sincethat　far　cry　they　had　seen　and　heard　no　sign　that　the　enemy　had　marked　theirflight　or　followed　them。　They　dreaded　the　dark　hours；　and　kept　watch　in　pairsby　night；　expecting　at　any　time　to　see　black　shapes　stalking　in　the　greynight；　dimly　lit　by　the　cloud…veiled　moon；　but　they　saw　nothing；　and　heard　nosound　but　the　sigh　of　withered　leaves　and　grass。　Not　once　did　they　feel　thesense　of　present　evil　that　had　assailed　them　before　the　attack　in　the　dell。　Itseemed　too　much　to　hope　that　the　Riders　had　already　lost　their　trail　again。　
Perhaps　they　were　waiting　to　make　some　ambush　in　a　narrow　place？　
At　the　end　of　the　fifth　day　the　ground　began　once　more　to　rise　slowly　outof　the　wide　shallow　valley　into　which　they　had　descended。　Strider　now　turnedthei