the fellowship of the ring-第87部分

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ds。　We　must　dosomething　to　delay　the　enemy　first。　We　will　make　them　fear　the　Chamber　ofMazarbul！'　he　said　grimly　feeling　the　edge　of　his　sword；　Andúril。　　
Heavy　feet　were　heard　in　the　corridor。　Boromir　flung　himself　against　thedoor　and　heaved　it　to；　then　he　wedged　it　with　broken　sword…blades　andsplinters　of　wood。　The　pany　retreated　to　the　other　side　of　the　chamber。　Butthey　had　no　chance　to　fly　yet。　There　was　a　blow　on　the　door　that　made　itquiver；　and　then　it　began　to　grind　slowly　open；　driving　back　the　wedges。　Ahuge　arm　and　shoulder；　with　a　dark　skin　of　greenish　scales；　was　thrust　throughthe　widening　gap。　Then　a　great；　flat；　toeless　foot　was　forced　through　below。　
There　was　a　dead　silence　outside。　　
Boromir　leaped　forward　and　hewed　at　the　arm　with　all　his　might；　but　hissword　rang；　glanced　aside；　and　fell　from　his　shaken　hand。　The　blade　wasnotched。　　
Suddenly；　and　to　his　own　surprise；　Frodo　felt　a　hot　wrath　blaze　up　in　hisheart。　‘The　Shire！　'　he　cried；　and　springing　beside　Boromir；　he　stooped；　andstabbed　with　Sting　at　the　hideous　foot。　There　was　a　bellow；　and　the　footjerked　back；　nearly　wrenching　Sting　from　Frodo's　arm。　Black　drops　dripped　fromthe　blade　and　smoked　on　the　floor。　Boromir　hurled　himself　against　the　door　andslammed　it　again。　
‘One　for　the　Shire！　'　cried　Aragorn。　‘The　hobbit's　bite　is　deep！　You　havea　good　blade；　Frodo　son　of　Drogo！　'　
There　was　a　crash　on　the　door；　followed　by　crash　after　crash。　Rams　andhammers　were　beating　against　it。　It　cracked　and　staggered　back；　and　theopening　grew　suddenly　wide。　Arrows　came　whistling　in；　but　struck　the　northernwall；　and　fell　harmlessly　to　the　floor。　There　was　a　horn…blast　and　a　rush　offeet；　and　orcs　one　after　another　leaped　into　the　chamber。　
How　many　there　were　the　pany　could　not　count。　The　affray　was　sharp；　
but　the　orcs　were　dismayed　by　the　fierceness　of　the　defence。　Legolas　shot　twothrough　the　throat。　Gimli　hewed　the　legs　from　under　another　that　had　sprung　upon　Balin's　tomb。　Boromir　and　Aragorn　slew　many。　When　thirteen　had　fallen　therest　fled　shrieking。　leaving　the　defenders　unharmed；　except　for　Sam　who　had　ascratch　along　the　scalp。　A　quick　duck　had　saved　him；　and　he　had　felled　hisorc：　a　sturdy　thrust　with　his　Barrow…blade。　A　fire　was　smouldering　in　hisbrown　eyes　that　would　have　made　Ted　Sandyman　step　backwards；　if　he　had　seenit。　　
‘Now　is　the　time！　'　cried　Gandalf。　‘Let　us　go；　before　the　troll　returns！'　
But　even　as　they　retreated；　and　before　Pippin　and　Merry　had　reached　thestair　outside；　a　huge　orc…chieftain；　almost　man…high；　clad　in　black　mail　fromhead　to　foot；　leaped　into　the　chamber；　behind　him　his　followers　clustered　inthe　doorway。　His　broad　flat　face　was　swart；　his　eyes　were　like　coals；　and　histongue　was　red；　he　wielded　a　great　spear。　With　a　thrust　of　his　huge　hideshield　he　turned　Boromir's　sword　and　bore　him　backwards；　throwing　him　to　theground。　Diving　under　Aragorn's　blow　with　the　speed　of　a　striking　snake　hecharged　into　the　pany　and　thrust　with　his　spear　straight　at　Frodo。　The　blowcaught　him　on　the　right　side；　and　Frodo　was　hurled　against　the　wall　andpinned。　Sam；　with　a　cry；　hacked　at　the　spear…shaft；　and　it　broke。　But　even　asthe　orc　flung　down　the　truncheon　and　swept　out　his　scimitar；　Andúril　came　downupon　his　helm。　There　was　a　flash　like　flame　and　the　helm　burst　asunder。　Theorc　fell　with　cloven　head。　His　followers　fled　howling；　as　Boromir　and　Aragornsprang　at　them。　
again。　
_Doom；　doom_　went　the　drums　in　the　deep。　The　great　voice　rolled　out　　
'Now！　'　shouted　Gandalf。　'Now　is　the　last　chance。　Run　for　it！　'　　
Aragorn　picked　up　Frodo　where　he　lay　by　the　wall　and　made　for　the　stair；　
pushing　Merry　and　Pippin　in　front　of　him。　The　others　followed；　but　Gimli　had　　
　
to　be　dragged　away　by　Legolas：　in　spite　of　the　peril　he　lingered　by　Balin'stomb　with　his　head　bowed。　Boromir　hauled　the　eastern　door　to；　grinding　uponits　hinges：　it　had　great　iron　rings　on　either　side；　but　could　not　be　fastened。　
'I　am　all　right；'　gasped　Frodo。　‘I　can　walk。　Put　me　down！　'　
Aragorn　nearly　dropped　him　in　his　amazement。　'I　thought　you　were　dead！　'　
he　cried。　　
'Not　yet！　'　said　Gandalf。　'But　there　is　time　for　wonder。　Off　you　go；　allof　you；　down　the　stairs！　Wait　a　few　minutes　for　me　at　the　bottom；　but　if　I　donot　e　soon；　go　on！　Go　quickly　and　choose　paths　leading　right　anddownwards。'　　
'We　cannot　leave　you　to　hold　the　door　alone！　'　said　Aragorn。　
‘Do　as　I　say！　'　said　Gandalf　fiercely。　‘Swords　are　no　more　use　here。　Go！'　
The　passage　was　lit　by　no　shaft　and　was　utterly　dark。　They　groped　theirway　down　a　long　flight　of　steps；　and　then　looked　back；　but　they　could　seenothing；　except　high　above　them　the　faint　glimmer　of　the　wizard's　staff。　Heseemed　to　be　still　standing　on　guard　by　the　closed　door。　Frodo　breathedheavily　and　leaned　against　Sam；　who　put　his　arms　about　him。　They　stood　peeringup　the　stairs　into　the　darkness。　Frodo　thought　he　could　hear　the　voice　ofGandalf　above；　muttering　words　that　ran　down　the　sloping　roof　with　a　sighingecho。　He　could　not　catch　what　was　said。　The　walls　seemed　to　be　trembling。　
Every　now　and　again　the　drum…beats　throbbed　and　rolled：　_doom；　doom_。　
Suddenly　at　the　top　of　the　stair　there　was　a　stab　of　white　light。　Thenthere　was　a　dull　rumble　and　a　heavy　thud。　The　drum…beats　broke　out　wildly：　
_doom…boom；　doom…boom_；　and　then　stopped。　Gandalf　came　flying　down　the　stepsand　fell　to　the　ground　in　the　midst　of　the　pany。　
‘Well；　well！　That's　over！　'　said　the　wizard　struggling　to　his　feet。　‘Ihave　done　all　that　I　could。　But　I　have　met　my　match；　and　have　nearly　beendestroyed。　But　don't　stand　here！　Go　on！　You　will　have　to　do　without　light　fora　while：　I　am　rather　shaken。　Go　on！　Go　on！　Where　are　you；　Gimli？　e　aheadwith　me！　Keep　close　behind；　all　of　you！'　　
They　stumbled　after　him　wondering　what　had　happened。　_Doom；　doom_　wentthe　drum…beats　again：　they　now　sounded　muffled　and　far　away；　but　they　werefollowing。　There　was　no　other　sound　of　pursuit；　neither　tramp　of　feet；　nor　anyvoice。　Gandalf　took　no　turns；　right　or　left；　for　the　passage　seemed　to　begoing　in　the　direction　that　he　desired。　Every　now　and　again　it　descended　aflight　of　steps；　fifty　or　more；　to　a　lower　level。　At　the　moment　that　was　theirchief　danger；　for　in　the　dark　they　could　not　see　a　descent；　until　they　came　onit；　and　put　their　feet　out　into　emptiness。　Gandalf　felt　the　ground　with　hisstaff　like　a　blind　man。　　
At　the　end　of　an　hour　they　had　gone　a　mile；　or　maybe　a　little　more；　andhad　descended　many　flights　of　stairs。　There　was　still　no　sound　of　pursuit。　
Almost　they　began　to　hope　that　they　would　escape。　At　the　bottom　of　the　seventhflight　Gandalf　halted。　
‘It　is　getting　hot！　'　he　gasped。　‘We　ought　to　be　down　at　least　to　thelevel　of　the　Gates　now。　Soon　I　think　we　should　look　for　a　left…hand　turn　to　　
take　us　east。　I　hope　it　is　not　far。　I　am　very　weary。　I　must　rest　here　amoment；　even　if　all　the　orcs　ever　spawned　are　after　us。'　
Gimli　took　his　arm　and　helped　him　down　to　a　seat　on　the　step。　‘Whathappened　away　up　there　at　the　door？　'　he　asked。　‘Did　you　meet　the　beater　ofthe　drums？　'　　
'I　do　not　know；'　answered　Gandalf。　‘But　I　found　myself　suddenly　faced　bysomething　that　I　have　not　met　before。　I　could　think　of　nothing　to　do　but　totry　and　put　a　shutting…spell　on　the　door。　I　know　many；　but　to　do　things　ofthat　kind　rightly　requires　time；　and　even　then　the　door　can　be　broken　bystrength。　
‘As　I　stood　there　I　could　hear　orc…voices　on　the　other　side：　at　anymoment　I　thought　they　would　burst　it　open。　I　could　not　hear　what　was　said；　
they　seemed　to　be　talking　in　their　own　hideous　language。　All　I　caught　was_ghash；_　that　is　〃fire〃。　Then　something　came　into　the　chamber　–　I　felt　it　　
　
through　the　door；　and　the　orcs　themselves　were　afraid　and　fell　silent。　It　laidhold　of　the　iron　ring；　and　then　it　perceived　me　and　my　spell。　
'What　it　was　I　cannot　guess；　but　I　have　never　felt　such　a　challenge。　Thecounter…spell　was　terrible。　It　nearly　broke　me。　For　an　instant　the　door　leftmy　control　and　began　to　open！　I　had　to　speak　a　word　of　mand。　That　provedtoo　great　a　strain。　The　door　burst　in　pieces。　Something　dark　as　a　cloud　wasblocking　out　all　the　light　inside；　and　I　was　thrown　backwards　down　the　stairs。　
All　the　wall　gave　way；　and　the　roof　of　the　chamber　as　well；　I　think。　
‘I　am　afraid　Balin　is　buried　deep；　and　maybe　something　else　is　buriedthere　too。　I　cannot　say。　But　at　least　the　passage　behind　us　was　pletelyblocked。　Ah！　I　have　never　felt　so　spent；　but　it　is　passing。　And　now　what　aboutyou；　Frodo？　There　was　not　time　to　say　so；　but　I　have　never　been　more　delightedin　my　life　than　when　you　spoke。　I　feared　that　it　was　a　brave　but　dead　hobbitthat　Aragorn　was　carrying。'　
‘What　about　me？　'　said　Frodo。　'I　am　alive；　and　whole　I　think。　I　ambruised　and　in　pain；　but　it　is　not　too　bad。'　
‘Well；'　said　Aragorn；　‘I　can　only　say　that　hobbits　are　made　of　a　stuff　sotough　that　I　have　never　met　the　like　of　it。　Had　I　known；　I　would　have　spokensofter　in　the　Inn　at　Bree！　That　spear…thrust　would　have　skewered　a　wild　boar！　
'　　
'Well；　it　did　not　skewer　me；　I　am　glad　to　say；'　said　Frodo；　‘though　Ifeel　as　if　I　had　been　caught　between　a　hammer　and　an　anvil。'　He　said　no　more。　
He　found　breathing　painful。　
'You　take　after　Bilbo；'　said　Gandalf。　‘There　is　more　about　you　than　meetsthe　eye；　as　I　said　of　him　long　ago。'　Frodo　wondered　if　the　remark　meant　mor