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The Lord of the Rings-指环王(英文版)-第39部分

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s; but is hard to render in our mon Speech; and this is but a rough echo of it。 It tells of the meeting of Beren son of Barahir and Lúthien Tinúviel。 Beren was a mortal man; but Lúthien was the daughter of Thingol; a King of Elves upon Middleearth when the world was young; and she was the fairest maiden that has ever been among all the children of this world。 As the stars above the mists of the Northern lands was her loveliness; and in her face was a shining light。 In those days the Great Enemy; of whom Sauron of Mordor was but a servant; dwelt in Angband in the North; and the Elves of the West ing back to Middleearth made war upon him to regain the Silmarils which he had stolen; and the fathers of Men aided the Elves。 But the Enemy was victorious and Barahir was slain; and Beren escaping through great peril came over the Mountains of Terror into the hidden Kingdom of Thingol in the forest of Neldoreth。 There he beheld Lúthien singing and dancing in a glade beside the enchanted river Esgalduin; and he named her Tinúviel; that is Nightingale in the language of old。 Many sorrows befell them afterwards; and they were parted long。 Tinúviel rescued Beren from the dungeons of Sauron; and together they passed through great dangers; and cast down even the Great Enemy from his throne; and took from his iron crown one of the three Silmarils; brightest of all jewels; to be the brideprice of Lúthien to Thingol her father。 Yet at the last Beren was slain by the Wolf that came from the gates of Angband; and he died in the arms of Tinúviel。 But she chose mortality; and to die from the world; so that she might follow him; and it is sung that they met again beyond the Sundering Seas; and after a brief time walking alive once more in the green woods; together they passed; long ago; beyond the confines of this world。 So it is that Lúthien Tinúviel alone of the Elfkindred has died indeed and left the world; and they have lost her whom they most loved。 But from her the lineage of the Elflords of old descended among Men。 There live still those of whom Lúthien was the foremother; and it is said that her line shall never fail。 Elrond of Rivendell is of that Kin。 For of Beren and Lúthien was born Dior Thingol's heir; and of him Elwing the White whom E。rendil wedded; he that sailed his ship out of the mists of the world into the seas of heaven with the Silmaril upon his brow。 And of E。rendil came the Kings of Númenor; that is Westernesse。'

As Strider was speaking they watched his strange eager face; dimly lit in the red glow of the woodfire。 His eyes shone; and his voice was rich and deep。 Above him was a black starry sky。 Suddenly a pale light appeared over the crown of Weathertop behind him。 The waxing moon was climbing slowly above the hill that overshadowed them; and the stars above the hilltop faded。

The story ended。 The hobbits moved and stretched。 'Look!' said Merry。 'The Moon is rising: it must be getting late。'

The others looked up。 Even as they did so; they saw on the top of the hill something small and dark against the glimmer of the moonrise。 It was perhaps only a large stone or jutting rock shown up by the pale light。

Sam and Merry got up and walked away from the fire。 Frodo and Pippin remained seated in silence。 Strider was watching the moonlight on the hill intently。 All seemed quiet and still; but Frodo felt a cold dread creeping over his heart; now that Strider was no longer speaking。 He huddled closer to the fire。 At that moment Sam came running back from the edge of the dell。

'I don't know what it is;' he said; 'but I suddenly felt afraid。 I durstn't go outside this dell for any money; I felt that something was creeping up the slope。'

'Did you see anything?' asked Frodo; springing to his feet。

'No; sir。 I saw nothing; but I didn't stop to look。'

'I saw something;' said Merry; 'or I thought I did 。 away westwards where the moonlight was falling on the flats beyond the shadow of the hilltops; I thought there were two or three black shapes。 They seemed to be moving this way。'

'Keep close to the fire; with your faces outward!' cried Strider。 'Get some of the longer sticks ready in your hands!'

For a breathless time they sat there; silent and alert; with their backs turned to the woodfire; each gazing into the shadows that encircled them。 Nothing happened。 There was no sound or movement in the night。 Frodo stirred; feeling that he must break the silence: he longed to shout out aloud。

'Hush!' whispered Strider。 'What's that?' gasped Pippin at the same moment。

Over the lip of the little dell; on the side away from the hill; they felt; rather than saw; a shadow rise; one shadow or more than one。 They strained their eyes; and the shadows seemed to grow。 Soon there could be no doubt:

three or four tall black figures were standing there on the slope; looking down on them。 So black were they that they seemed like black holes in the deep shade behind them。 Frodo thought that he heard a faint hiss as of venomous breath and felt a thin piercing chill。 Then the shapes slowly advanced。

Terror overcame Pippin and Merry; and they threw themselves flat on the ground。 Sam shrank to Frodo's side。 Frodo was hardly less terrified than his panions; he was quaking as if he was bitter cold; but his terror was swallowed up in a sudden temptation to put on the Ring。 The desire to do this laid hold of him; and he could think of nothing else。 He did not fet the Barrow; nor the message of Gandalf; but something seemed to be pelling him to disregard all warnings; and he longed to yield。 Not with the hope of escape; or of doing anything; either good or bad: he simply felt that he must take the Ring and put it on his finger。 He could not speak。 He felt Sam looking at him; as if he knew that his master was in some great trouble; but he could not turn towards him。 He shut his eyes and struggled for a while; but resistance became unbearable; and at last he slowly drew out the chain; and slipped the Ring on the forefinger of his left hand。

Immediately; though everything else remained as before; dim and dark; the shapes became terribly clear。 He was able to see beneath their black wrappings。 There were five tall figures: two standing on the lip of the dell; three advancing。 In their white faces burned keen and merciless eyes; under their mantles were long grey robes; upon their grey hairs were helms of silver; in their haggard hands were swords of steel。 Their eyes fell on him and pierced him; as they rushed towards him。 Desperate; he drew his own sword; and it seemed to him that it flickered red; as if it was a firebrand。 Two of the figures halted。 The third was taller than the others: his hair was long and gleaming and on his helm was a crown。 In one hand he held a long sword; and in the other a knife; both the knife and the hand that held it glowed with a pale light。 He sprang forward and bore down on Frodo。

At that moment Frodo threw himself forward on the ground; and he heard himself crying aloud: O Elbereth! Gilthoniel! At the same time he struck at the feet of his enemy。 A shrill cry rang out in the night; and he felt a pain like a dart of poisoned ice pierce his left shoulder。 Even as he swooned he caught; as through a swirling mist; a glimpse of Strider leaping out of the darkness with a flaming brand of wood in either hand。 With a last effort Frodo; dropping his sword; slipped the Ring from his finger and closed his right 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。 His three panions were bending over him。 'What has happened? Where is the pale king?' he asked wildly。 They were too overjoyed to hear him speak to answer for a while; nor did they understand his question。 At length he gathered from Sam that they had seen nothing but the vague shadowy shapes ing towards them。 Suddenly to his horror Sam found that his master had vanished; and at that moment a black shadow rushed past him; and he fell。 He heard Frodo's voice; 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 the body of Frodo; lying as if dead; face downwards on the grass with his sword beneath 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 while they were talking he returned; appearing suddenly out of the shadows。 They started; and Sam drew his sword and stood over Frodo; but Strider knelt down swiftly 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 found nothing。 I cannot think why they have gone and do not attack again。 But there is no feeling of their presence anywhere at hand。'

When he heard what Frodo had to tell; he became full of concern; and shook his head and sighed。 Then he ordered Pippin and Merry to heat as much water 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 and walked 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。 Why they were not all here; I don't know; but I don't think they expected to be resisted。 They have drawn off for the time being。 But not far; I fear。 They will e again another night; if we cannot escape。 They are only waiting; because they think that their purpose is almost acplished; and that the Ring cannot fly much further。 I fear; Sam; that they believe your master has a deadly wound that will subdue him to their will。 We shall see!' Sam choked with tears。 'Don't despair!' said Strider。 'You must trust me now。 Your Frodo is 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 of the wound longer than his enemies expect。 I will do all I can to help and heal him。 Guard him well; while I am away!' He hurried off and disappeared again into the darkness。

Frodo dozed; though the pain of his wound was slowly growing; and a deadly chill was spreading from his shoulder to his arm and side。 His friends watched over him; warming him; and bathing his wound。 The night passed slowly and wearily。 Dawn was growing in the sky; and the dell was filling with grey light; when Strider at last returned。

'Look!' he cried; and stooping he lifted from the ground a black cloak that had lain there hidden by the darkness。 A foot above the lower hem there was a slash。 'This was the stroke of Frodo's sword;' he said。 'The only hurt that it did to his enemy; I fear; for it is unharmed; but all blades perish that 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 a long thin knife。 There was a cold gleam in it。 As Strider raised it they saw that near the end its edge was notched and the point was broken off。 But even as he held it up in the growing light; they gazed in astonish
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