the fellowship of the ring-第90部分

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orc。　The　cut　is　not　poisoned；　as　thewounds　of　orc…blades　too　often　are。　It　should　heal　well　when　I　have　tended　it。　　
Bathe　it　when　Gimli　has　heated　water。'　　
He　opened　his　pouch　and　drew　out　some　withered　leaves。　‘They　are　dry　andsome　of　their　virtue　has　one；　he　said；　but　here　I　have　still　some　of　theleaves　of　_athelas_　that　I　gathered　near　Weathertop。　Crush　one　in　the　water；　
and　wash　the　wound　clean；　and　I　will　bind　it。　Now　it　is　your　turn。　Frodo！　'　
'I　am　all　right；'　said　Frodo；　reluctant　to　have　his　garments　touched。　
‘AII　I　needed　was　some　food　and　a　little　rest。'　　
‘No！　'　said　Aragorn。　‘We　must　have　a　look　and　see　what　the　hammer　and　theanvil　have　done　to　you。　I　still　marvel　that　you　are　alive　at　all。'　Gently　hestripped　off　Frodo's　old　jacket　and　worn　tunic；　and　gave　a　gasp　of　wonder。　
Then　he　laughed。　The　silver　corslet　shimmered　before　his　eyes　like　the　lightupon　a　rippling　sea。　Carefully　he　took　it　off　and　held　it　up；　and　the　gems　onit　glittered　like　stars。　and　the　sound　of　the　shaken　rings　was　like　the　tinkleof　rain　in　a　pool。　
‘Look；　my　friends！'　he　called。　‘Here's　a　pretty　hobbit…skin　to　wrap　anelven…princeling　in！　If　it　were　known　that　hobbits　had　such　hides；　all　thehunters　of　Middle…earth　would　be　riding　to　the　Shire。'　
‘And　all　the　arrows　of　all　the　hunters　in　the　world　would　be　in　vain；'　
said　Gimli；　gazing　at　the　mail　in　wonder。　‘It　is　a　mithril…coat。　Mithril！　Ihave　never　seen　or　heard　tell　of　one　so　fair。　Is　this　the　coat　that　Gandalf　　
spoke　of？　Then　he　undervalued　it。　But　it　was　well　given！　'　
‘I　have　often　wondered　what　you　and　Bilbo　were　doing；　so　close　in　hislittle　room；'　said　Merry。　'Bless　the　old　hobbit！　I　love　him　more　than　ever。　Ihope　we　get　a　chance　of　telling　him　about　it！　'　
There　was　a　dark　and　blackened　bruise　on　Frodo's　right　side　and　breast。　
Under　the　mail　there　was　a　shirt　of　soft　leather；　but　at　one　point　the　ringshad　been　driven　through　it　into　the　flesh。　Frodo's　left　side　also　was　scoredand　bruised　where　he　had　been　hurled　against　the　wall。　While　the　others　setthe　food　ready。　Aragorn　bathed　the　hurts　with　water　in　which　athelas　wassteeped。　The　pungent　fragrance　filled　the　dell；　and　all　those　who　stooped　overthe　steaming　water　felt　refreshed　and　strengthened。　Soon　Frodo　felt　the　painleave　him；　and　his　breath　grew　easy：　though　he　was　stiff　and　sore　to　the　touchfor　many　days。　Aragorn　bound　some　soft　pads　of　cloth　at　his　side。　
‘The　mail　is　marvellously　light；'　he　said。　‘Put　it　on　again；　if　you　canbear　it。　My　heart　is　glad　to　know　that　you　have　such　a　coat。　Do　not　lay　itaside；　even　in　sleep；　unless　fortune　brings　you　where　you　are　safe　for　awhile；　and　that　will　seldom　chance　while　your　quest　lasts。'　
When　they　had　eaten；　the　pany　got　ready　to　go　on。　They　put　out　thefire　and　hid　all　traces　of　it。　Then　climbing　out　of　the　dell　they　took　to　theroad　again。　They　had　not　gone　far　before　the　sun　sank　behind　the　westwardheights　and　great　shadows　crept　down　the　mountain…sides。　Dusk　veiled　theirfeet；　and　mist　rose　in　the　hollows。　Away　in　the　east　the　evening　light　laypale　upon　the　dim　lands　of　distant　plain　and　wood。　Sam　and　Frodo　now　feelingeased　and　greatly　refreshed　were　able　to　go　at　a　fair　pace；　and　with　only　one　　
　
brief　halt　Aragorn　led　the　pany　on　for　nearly　three　more　hours。　
It　was　dark。　Deep　night　had　fallen。　There　were　many　clear　stars；　hut　thefast…waning　moon　would　not　be　seen　till　late。　Gimli　and　Frodo　were　at　therear；　walking　softly　and　not　speaking；　listening　for　any　sound　upon　the　roadbehind。　At　length　Gimli　broke　the　silence。　
'Not　a　sound　but　the　wind；'　he　said。　‘There　are　no　goblins　near；　or　myears　are　made　of　wood。　It　is　to　be　hoped　that　the　Orcs　will　be　content　withdriving　us　from　Moria。　And　maybe　that　was　all　their　purpose；　and　they　hadnothing　else　to　do　with　us…with　the　Ring。　Though　Orcs　will　often　pursue　foesfor　many　leagues　into　the　plain；　if　they　have　a　fallen　captain　to　avenge。'　
Frodo　did　not　answer。　He　looked　at　Sting；　and　the　blade　was　dull。　Yet　hehad　heard　something；　or　thought　he　had。　As　soon　as　the　shadows　had　fallenabout　them　and　the　road　behind　was　dim；　he　had　heard　again　the　quick　patter　offeet。　Even　now　he　heard　it。　He　turned　swiftly。　There　were　two　tiny　gleams　oflight　behind；　or　for　a　moment　he　thought　he　saw　them；　but　at　once　they　slippedaside　and　vanished。　　
‘What　is　it？　'　said　the　dwarf。　　
‘I　don't　know。'　answered　Frodo。　'I　thought　I　heard　feet；　and　I　thought　Isaw　a　light…like　eyes。　I　have　thought　so　often；　since　we　first　entered　Moria。'　
Gimli　halted　and　stooped　to　the　ground。　'I　hear　nothing　but　the　night…　
speech　of　plant　and　stone；'　he　said。　'e！　Let　us　hurry！　The　others　are　outof　sight。'　
The　night…wind　blew　chill　up　the　valley　to　meet　them。　Before　them　a　widegrey　shadow　loomed；　and　they　heard　an　endless　rustle　of　leaves　like　poplars　inthe　breeze。　　
‘Lothlórien！　'　cried　Legolas。　'Lothlórien！　We　have　e　to　the　eaves　ofthe　Golden　Wood。　Alas　that　it　is　winter！　'　　
Under　the　night　the　trees　stood　tall　before　them；　arched　over　the　roadand　stream　that　ran　suddenly　beneath　their　spreading　boughs。　In　the　dim　lightof　the　stars　their　stems　were　grey；　and　their　quivering　leaves　a　hint　offallow　gold。　
'Lothlórien！　'　said　Aragorn。　'Glad　I　am　to　hear　again　the　wind　in　thetrees！　We　are　still　little　more　than　five　leagues　from　the　Gates；　but　we　cango　no　further。　Here　let　us　hope　that　the　virtue　of　the　Elves　will　keep　ustonight　from　the　peril　that　es　behind。'　
‘If　Elves　indeed　still　dwell　here　in　the　darkening　world；'　said　Gimli。　
'It　is　long　since　any　of　my　own　folk　journeyed　hither　back　to　the　landwhence　we　wandered　in　ages　long　ago；'　said　Legolas；　'but　we　hear　that　Lórienis　not　yet　deserted；　for　there　is　a　secret　power　here　that　holds　evil　from　theland。　Nevertheless　its　folk　are　seldom　seen；　and　maybe　they　dwell　now　deep　inthe　woods　and　far　from　the　northern　border。'　　
'Indeed　deep　in　the　wood　they　dwell；'　said　Aragorn；　and　sighed　as　if　somememory　stirred　in　him。　‘We　must　fend　for　ourselves　tonight。　We　will　go　forwarda　short　way；　until　the　trees　are　all　about　us；　and　then　we　will　turn　asidefrom　the　path　and　seek　a　place　to　rest　in。'　
He　stepped　forward；　but　Boromir　stood　irresolute　and　did　not　follow。　'Isthere　no　other　way？　'　he　said。　
‘What　other　fairer　way　would　you　desire？　'　said　Aragorn。　
‘A　plain　road；　though　it　led　through　a　hedge　of　swords；'　said　Boromir。　
‘By　strange　paths　has　this　pany　been　led；　and　so　far　to　evil　fortune。　
Against　my　will　we　passed　under　the　shades　of　Moria；　to　our　loss。　And　now　wemust　enter　the　Golden　Wood；　you　say。　But　of　that　perilous　land　we　have　heardin　Gondor；　and　it　is　said　that　few　e　out　who　once　go　in；　and　of　that　fewnone　have　escaped　unscathed。'　
‘Say　not　_unscathed_；　but　if　you　say　_unchanged_；　then　maybe　you　willspeak　the　truth　said　Aragorn。　But　lore　wanes　in　Gondor；　Boromir；　if　in　thecity　of　those　who　once　were　wise　they　now　speak　evil　of　Lothlórien。　Believewhat　you　will；　there　is　no　other　way　for　us　–　unless　you　would　go　back　toMoria…gate；　or　scale　the　pathless　mountains；　or　swim　the　Great　River　allalone。'　　
　
‘Then　lead　on！　'　said　Boromir。　‘But　it　is　perilous。'　
‘Perilous　indeed；'　said　Aragorn；　'fair　and　perilous；　but　only　evil　needfear　it；　or　those　who　bring　some　evil　with　them。　Follow　me！　'　
They　had　gone　little　more　than　a　mile　into　the　forest　when　they　came　uponanother　stream　flowing　down　swiftly　from　the　tree…clad　slopes　that　climbedback　westward　towards　the　mountains。　They　heard　it　splashing　over　a　fall　awayamong　the　shadows　on　their　right。　Its　dark　hurrying　waters　ran　across　the　pathbefore　them；　and　joined　the　Silverlode　in　a　swirl　of　dim　pools　among　the　rootsof　trees。　　
‘Here　is　Nimrodel！　'　said　Legolas。　'Of　this　stream　the　Silvan　Elves　mademany　songs　long　ago；　and　still　we　sing　them　in　the　North；　remembering　therainbow　on　its　falls；　and　the　golden　flowers　that　floated　in　its　foam。　All　isdark　now　and　the　Bridge　of　Nimrodel　is　broken　down。　I　will　bathe　my　feet；　forit　is　said　that　the　water　is　healing　to　the　weary。'　He　went　forward　andclimbed　down　the　deep…cloven　bank　and　stepped　into　the　stream。　
‘Follow　me！'　he　cried。　'The　water　is　not　deep。　Let　us　wade　across！　On　thefurther　bank　we　can　rest。　and　the　sound　of　the　falling　water　may　bring　ussleep　and　forgetfulness　of　grief。'　
One　by　one　they　climbed　down　and　followed　Legolas。　For　a　moment　Frodostood　near　the　brink　and　let　the　water　flow　over　his　tired　feet。　It　was　cold　　
but　its　touch　was　clean；　and　as　he　went　on　and　it　mounted　to　his　knees；　hefelt　that　the　stain　of　travel　and　all　weariness　was　washed　from　his　limbs。　　
When　all　the　pany　had　crossed；　they　sat　and　rested　and　ate　a　littlefood；　and　Legolas　told　them　tales　of　Lothlórien　that　the　Elves　of　Mirkwoodstill　kept　in　their　hearts；　of　sunlight　and　starlight　upon　the　meadows　by　theGreat　River　before　the　world　was　grey。　
At　length　a　silence　fell；　and　they　heard　the　music　of　the　waterfallrunning　sweetly　in　the　shadows。　Almost　Frodo　fancied　that　he　could　hear　avoice　singing；　mingled　with　the　sound　of　the　water。　
‘Do　you　hear　the　voice　of　Nimrodel？　'　asked　Legolas。　'I　will　sing　you　asong　of　the　maiden　Nimrodel；　who　bore　the　same　name　as　the　stream　beside　whichshe　lived　lung　ago。　It　is　a　fair　song　in　our　woodland　tongue；　but　this　is　howit　runs　in　the　Westron　Speech；　as　some　in　Rivend