jrt.fellowshipofring-第111部分

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so；　as　Ring…bearer　and　as　one　that　has　borne　it　on　finger　and　seen　that　which　is　hidden；　your　sight　is　grown　keener。　You　have　perceived　my　thought　more　clearly　than　many　that　are　accounted　wise。　You　saw　the　Eye　of　him　that　holds　the　Seven　and　the　Nine。　And　did　you　not　see　and　recognize　the　ring　upon　my　finger？　Did　you　see　my　ring？　'　she　asked　turning　again　to　Sam。
　　　'No；　Lady；'　he　answered。　‘To　tell　you　the　truth；　I　wondered　what　you　were　talking　about。　I　saw　a　star　through　your　finger。　But　if　you'll　pardon　my　speaking　out；　I　think　my　master　was　right。　I　wish　you'd　take　his　Ring。　You'd　put　things　to　rights。　You'd　stop　them　digging　up　the　gaffer　and　turning　him　adrift。　You'd　make　some　folk　pay　for　their　dirty　work。'
　　　‘I　would；'　she　said。　‘That　is　how　it　would　begin。　But　it　would　not　stop　with　that；　alas！　We　will　not　speak　more　of　it。　Let　us　go！'
　　　
　　　Chapter　8
Farewell　to　Lórien
　　　That　night　the　pany　was　again　summoned　to　the　chamber　of　Celeborn；　and　there　the　Lord　and　Lady　greeted　them　with　fair　words。　At　length　Celeborn　spoke　of　their　departure。
　　　‘Now　is　the　time；'　he　said；　‘when　those　who　wish　to　continue　the　Quest　must　harden　their　hearts　to　leave　this　land。　Those　who　no　longer　wish　to　go　forward　may　remain　here；　for　a　while。　But　whether　they　stay　or　go；　none　can　be　sure　of　peace。　For　we　are　e　now　to　the　edge　of　doom。　Here　those　who　wish　may　await　the　oning　of　the　hour　till　either　the　ways　of　the　world　lie　open　again。　or　we　summon　them　to　the　last　need　of　Lórien。　Then　they　may　return　to　their　own　lands；　or　else　go　to　the　long　home　of　those　that　fall　in　battle。'
　　　There　was　a　silence。　‘They　all　resolved　to　go　forward；'　said　Galadriel　looking　in　their　eyes。
　　　‘As　for　me；'　said　Boromir；　‘my　way　home　lies　onward　and　not　back。'
　　　‘That　is　true；'　said　Celeborn；　‘but　is　all　this　pany　going　with　you　to　Minas　Tirith？　'
　　　‘We　have　not　decided　our　course；'　said　Aragorn。　'Beyond　Lothlórien　I　do　not　know　what　Gandalf　intended　to　do。　Indeed　I　do　not　think　that　even　he　had　any　clear　purpose。'
　　　‘Maybe　not；'　said　Celeborn；　‘yet　when　you　leave　this　land；　you　can　no　longer　forget　the　Great　River。　As　some　of　you　know　well；　it　cannot　be　crossed　by　travellers　with　baggage　between　Lórien　and　Gondor；　save　by　boat。　And　are　not　the　bridges　of　Osgiliath　broken　down　and　all　the　landings　held　now　by　the　Enemy？
　　　‘On　which　side　will　you　journey？　The　way　to　Minas　Tirith　lies　upon　this　side；　upon　the　west；　but　the　straight　road　of　the　Quest　lies　east　of　the　River；　upon　the　darker　shore。　Which　shore　will　you　now　take？　'
　　　‘If　my　advice　is　heeded；　it　will　be　the　western　shore；　and　the　way　to　Minas　Tirith；'　answered　Boromir。　‘But　I　am　not　the　leader　of　the　pany。'　The　others　said　nothing；　and　Aragorn　looked　doubtful　and　troubled。
　　　‘I　see　that　you　do　not　yet　know　what　to　do；'　said　Celeborn。　‘It　is　not　my　part　to　choose　for　you；　but　I　will　help　you　as　I　may。　There　are　some　among　you　who　can　handle　boats：　Legolas；　whose　folk　know　the　swift　Forest　River；　and　Boromir　of　Gondor；　and　Aragorn　the　traveller。'
　　　‘And　one　Hobbit！　'　cried　Merry。　‘Not　all　of　us　look　on　boats　as　wild　horses。　My　people　live　by　the　banks　of　the　Brandywine。'
　　　‘That　is　well；'　said　Celeborn。　‘Then　I　will　furnish　your　pany　with　boats。　They　must　be　small　and　light；　for　if　you　go　far　by　water；　there　are　places　where　you　will　be　forced　to　carry　them。　You　will　e　to　the　rapids　of　Sarn　Gebir；　and　maybe　at　last　to　the　great　falls　of　Rauros　where　the　River　thunders　down　from　Nen　Hithoel；　and　there　are　other　perils。　Boats　may　make　your　journey　less　toilsome　for　a　while。　Yet　they　will　not　give　you　counsel：　in　the　end　you　must　leave　them　and　the　River；　and　turn　west…or　east。'
　　　Aragorn　thanked　Celeborn　many　times。　The　gift　of　boats　forted　him　much；　not　least　because　there　would　now　be　no　need　to　decide　his　course　for　some　days。　The　others；　too；　looked　more　hopeful。　Whatever　perils　lay　ahead；　it　seemed　better　to　float　down　the　broad　tide　of　Anduin　to　meet　them　than　to　plod　forward　with　bent　backs。　Only　Sam　was　doubtful：　he　at　any　rate　still　thought　boats　as　bad　as　wild　horses；　or　worse；　and　not　all　the　dangers　that　he　had　survived　made　him　think　better　of　them。
　　　‘All　shall　be　prepared　for　you　and　await　you　at　the　haven　before　noon　tomorrow；'　said　Celeborn。　'I　will　send　my　people　to　you　in　the　morning　to　help　you　make　ready　for　the　journey。　Now　we　will　wish　you　all　a　fair　night　and　untroubled　sleep。'
　　　'Good　night；　my　friends！　'　said　Galadriel。　'Sleep　in　peace！　Do　not　trouble　your　hearts　overmuch　with　thought　of　the　road　tonight。　Maybe　the　paths　that　you　each　shall　tread　are　already　laid　before　your　feet；　though　you　do　not　see　them。　Good　night！　'
　　　The　pany　now　took　their　leave　and　returned　to　their　pavilion。　Legolas　went　with　them；　for　this　was　to　be　their　last　night　in　Lothlórien；　and　in　spite　of　the　words　of　Galadriel　they　wished　to　take　counsel　together。
　　　For　a　long　time　they　debated　what　they　should　do；　and　how　it　would　be　best　to　attempt　the　fulfilling　of　their　purpose　with　the　Ring：　but　they　came　to　no　decision。　It　was　plain　that　most　of　them　desired　to　go　first　to　Minas　Tirith；　and　to　escape　at　least　for　a　while　from　the　terror　of　the　Enemy。　They　would　have　been　willing　to　follow　a　leader　over　the　River　and　into　the　shadow　of　Mordor；　but　Frodo　spoke　no　word；　and　Aragorn　was　still　divided　in　his　mind。
　　　His　own　plan；　while　Gandalf　remained　with　them；　had　been　to　go　with　Boromir；　and　with　his　sword　help　to　deliver　Gondor。　For　he　believed　that　the　message　of　the　dreams　was　a　summons；　and　that　the　hour　had　e　at　last　when　the　heir　of　Elendil　should　e　forth　and　strive　with　Sauron　for　the　mastery。　But　in　Moria　the　burden　of　Gandalf　had　been　laid　on　him；　and　he　knew　that　he　could　not　now　forsake　the　Ring；　if　Frodo　refused　in　the　end　to　go　with　Boromir。　And　yet　what　help　could　he　or　any　of　the　pany　give　to　Frodo；　save　to　walk　blindly　with　him　into　the　darkness？
　　　‘I　shall　go　to　Minas　Tirith；　alone　if　need　be；　for　it　is　my　duty；'　said　Boromir；　and　after　that　he　was　silent　for　a　while；　sitting　with　his　eyes　fixed　on　Frodo；　as　if　he　was　trying　to　read　the　Halfling's　thoughts。　At　length　he　spoke　again；　softly；　as　if　he　was　debating　with　himself。　‘If　you　wish　only　to　destroy　the　Ring；'　he　said；　‘then　there　is　little　use　in　war　and　weapons；　and　the　Men　of　Minas　Tirith　cannot　help。　But　if　you　wish　to　destroy　the　armed　might　of　the　Dark　Lord；　then　it　is　folly　to　go　without　force　into　his　domain；　and　folly　to　throw　away。'　He　paused　suddenly；　as　if　he　had　bee　aware　that　he　was　speaking　his　thoughts　aloud。　‘It　would　be　folly　to　throw　lives　away；　I　mean；'　he　ended。　‘It　is　a　choice　between　defending　a　strong　place　and　walking　openly　into　the　arms　of　death。　At　least；　that　is　how　I　see　it。'
　　　Frodo　caught　something　new　and　strange　in　Boromir's　glance；　and　he　looked　hard　at　him。　Plainly　Boromir's　thought　was　different　from　his　final　words。　It　would　be　folly　to　throw　away：　what？　The　Ring　of　Power？　He　had　said　something　like　this　at　the　Council；　but　then　he　had　accepted　the　correction　of　Elrond。　Frodo　looked　at　Aragorn；　but　he　seemed　deep　in　his　own　thought　and　made　no　sign　that　he　had　heeded　Boromir's　words。　And　so　their　debate　ended。　Merry　and　Pippin　were　already　asleep；　and　Sam　was　nodding。　The　night　was　growing　old。
　　　In　the　morning；　as　they　were　beginning　to　pack　their　slender　goods；　Elves　that　could　speak　their　tongue　came　to　them　and　brought　them　many　gifts　of　food　and　clothing　for　the　journey。　The　food　was　mostly　in　the　form　of　very　thin　cakes；　made　of　a　meal　that　was　baked　a　light　brown　on　the　outside；　and　inside　was　the　colour　of　cream。　Gimli　took　up　one　of　the　cakes　and　looked　at　it　with　a　doubtful　eye。
　　　‘Cram；'　he　said　under　his　breath；　as　he　broke　off　a　crisp　corner　and　nibbled　at　it。　His　expression　quickly　changed；　and　he　ate　all　the　rest　of　the　cake　with　relish。
　　　‘No　more；　no　more！'　cried　the　Elves　laughing。　‘You　have　eaten　enough　already　for　a　long　day's　march。'
　　　‘I　thought　it　was　only　a　kind　of　cram；　such　as　the　Dale…men　make　for　journeys　in　the　wild；'　said　the　Dwarf。
　　　‘So　it　is；'　they　answered。　‘But　we　call　it　lembas　or　waybread；　and　it　is　more　strengthening　than　any　food　made　by　Men；　and　it　is　more　pleasant　than　cram；　by　all　accounts。'
　　　‘I