jrt.fellowshipofring-第42部分

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with　a　smile。
　　　Frodo　looked　at　it　closely；　and　rather　suspiciously　（like　one　who　has　lent　a　trinket　to　a　juggler）。　It　was　the　same　Ring；　or　looked　the　same　and　weighed　the　same：　for　that　Ring　had　always　seemed　to　Frodo　to　weigh　strangely　heavy　in　the　hand。　But　something　prompted　him　to　make　sure。　He　was　perhaps　a　trifle　annoyed　with　Tom　for　seeming　to　make　so　light　of　what　even　Gandalf　thought　so　perilously　important。　He　waited　for　an　opportunity；　when　the　talk　was　going　again；　and　Tom　was　telling　an　absurd　story　about　badgers　and　their　queer　ways　…　then　he　slipped　the　Ring　on。
　　　Merry　turned　towards　him　to　say　something　and　gave　a　start；　and　checked　an　exclamation。　Frodo　was　delighted　（in　a　way）：　it　was　his　own　ring　all　right；　for　Merry　was　staring　blankly　at　his　chair；　and　obviously　could　not　see　him。　He　got　up　and　crept　quietly　away　from　the　fireside　towards　the　outer　door。
　　　'Hey　there！'　cried　Tom；　glancing　towards　him　with　a　most　seeing　look　in　his　shining　eyes。　'Hey！　e　Frodo；　there！　Where　be　you　a…going？　Old　Tom　Bombadil's　not　as　blind　as　that　yet。　Take　off　your　golden　ring！　Your　hand's　more　fair　without　it。　e　back！　Leave　your　game　and　sit　down　beside　me！　We　must　talk　a　while　more；　and　think　about　the　morning。　Tom　must　teach　the　right　road；　and　keep　your　feet　from　wandering。'
　　　Frodo　laughed　（trying　to　feel　pleased）；　and　taking　off　the　Ring　he　came　and　sat　down　again。　Tom　now　told　them　that　he　reckoned　the　Sun　would　shine　tomorrow；　and　it　would　be　a　glad　morning；　and　setting　out　would　be　hopeful。　But　they　would　do　well　to　start　early；　for　weather　in　that　country　was　a　thing　that　even　Tom　could　not　be　sure　of　for　long；　and　it　would　change　sometimes　quicker　than　he　could　change　his　jacket。　'I　am　no　weather…master；'　he　said；　'nor　is　aught　that　goes　on　two　legs。'
　　　By　his　advice　they　decided　to　make　nearly　due　North　from　his　house；　over　the　western　and　lower　slopes　of　the　Downs：　they　might　hope　in　that　way　to　strike　the　East　Road　in　a　day's　journey；　and　avoid　the　Barrows。　He　told　them　not　to　be　afraid　…　but　to　mind　their　own　business。
　　　'Keep　to　the　green　grass。　Don't　you　go　a…meddling　with　old　stone　or　cold　Wights　or　prying　in　their　houses；　unless　you　be　strong　folk　with　hearts　that　never　falter！'　He　said　this　more　than　once；　and　he　advised　them　to　pass　barrows　by　on　the　west…side；　if　they　chanced　to　stray　near　one。　Then　he　taught　them　a　rhyme　to　sing；　if　they　should　by　ill…luck　fall　into　any　danger　or　difficulty　the　next　day。
　　　Ho！　Tom　Bombadil；　Tom　Bombadillo！
By　water；　wood　and　hill；　by　the　reed　and　willow；
By　fire；　sun　and　moon；　harken　now　and　hear　us！
e；　Tom　Bombadil；　for　our　need　is　near　us！
　　　When　they　had　sung　this　altogether　after　him；　he　clapped　them　each　on　the　shoulder　with　a　laugh；　and　taking　candles　led　them　back　to　their　bedroom。
　　　
Chapter　8
Fog　on　the　Barrow…Downs
　　　That　night　they　heard　no　noises。　But　either　in　his　dreams　or　out　of　them；　he　could　not　tell　which；　Frodo　heard　a　sweet　singing　running　in　his　mind；　a　song　that　seemed　to　e　like　a　pale　light　behind　a　grey　rain…curtain；　and　growing　stronger　to　turn　the　veil　all　to　glass　and　silver；　until　at　last　it　was　rolled　back；　and　a　far　green　country　opened　before　him　under　a　swift　sunrise。
　　　The　vision　melted　into　waking；　and　there　was　Tom　whistling　like　a　tree…full　of　birds；　and　the　sun　was　already　slanting　down　the　hill　and　through　the　open　window。　Outside　everything　was　green　and　pale　gold。
　　　After　breakfast；　which　they　again　ate　alone；　they　made　ready　to　say　farewell；　as　nearly　heavy　of　heart　as　was　possible　on　such　a　morning：　cool；　bright；　and　clean　under　a　washed　autumn　sky　of　thin　blue。　The　air　came　fresh　from　the　North…west。　Their　quiet　ponies　were　almost　frisky；　sniffing　and　moving　restlessly。　Tom　came　out　of　the　house　and　waved　his　hat　and　danced　upon　the　doorstep；　bidding　the　hobbits　to　get　up　and　be　off　and　go　with　good　speed。
　　　They　rode　off　along　a　path　that　wound　away　from　behind　the　house；　and　went　slanting　up　towards　the　north　end　of　the　hill…brow　under　which　it　sheltered。　They　had　just　dismounted　to　lead　their　ponies　up　the　last　steep　slope；　when　suddenly　Frodo　stopped。
　　　'Goldberry！'　he　cried。　'My　fair　lady；　clad　all　in　silver　green！　We　have　never　said　farewell　to　her；　nor　seen　her　since　the　evening！'　He　was　so　distressed　that　he　turned　back；　but　at　that　moment　a　clear　call　came　rippling　down。　There　on　the　hill…brow　she　stood　beckoning　to　them：　her　hair　was　flying　loose；　and　as　it　caught　the　sun　it　shone　and　shimmered。　A　light　like　the　glint　of　water　on　dewy　grass　flashed　from　under　her　feet　as　she　danced。
　　　They　hastened　up　the　last　slope；　and　stood　breathless　beside　her。　They　bowed；　but　with　a　wave　of　her　arm　she　bade　them　look　round；　and　they　looked　out　from　the　hill…top　over　lands　under　the　morning。　It　was　now　as　clear　and　far…seen　as　it　had　been　veiled　and　misty　when　they　stood　upon　the　knoll　in　the　Forest；　which　could　now　be　seen　rising　pale　and　green　out　of　the　dark　trees　in　the　West。　In　that　direction　the　land　rose　in　wooded　ridges；　green；　yellow；　russet　under　the　sun；　beyond　which　lay　hidden　the　valley　of　the　Brandywine。　To　the　South；　over　the　line　of　the　Withywindle；　there　was　a　distant　glint　like　pale　glass　where　the　Brandywine　River　made　a　great　loop　in　the　lowlands　and　flowed　away　out　of　the　knowledge　of　the　hobbits。　Northward　beyond　the　dwindling　downs　the　land　ran　away　in　flats　and　swellings　of　grey　and　green　and　pale　earth…colours；　until　it　faded　into　a　featureless　and　shadowy　distance。　Eastward　the　Barrow…downs　rose；　ridge　behind　ridge　into　the　morning；　and　vanished　out　of　eyesight　into　a　guess：　it　was　no　more　than　a　guess　of　blue　and　a　remote　white　glimmer　blending　with　the　hem　of　the　sky；　but　it　spoke　to　them；　out　of　memory　and　old　tales；　of　the　high　and　distant　mountains。
　　　They　took　a　deep　draught　of　the　air；　and　felt　that　a　skip　and　a　few　stout　strides　would　bear　them　wherever　they　wished。　It　seemed　fainthearted　to　go　jogging　aside　over　the　crumpled　skirts　of　the　downs　towards　the　Road；　when　they　should　be　leaping；　as　lusty　as　Tom；　over　the　stepping　stones　of　the　hills　straight　towards　the　Mountains。
　　　Goldberry　spoke　to　them　and　recalled　their　eyes　and　thoughts。　'Speed　now；　fair　guests！'　she　said。　'And　hold　to　your　purpose！　North　with　the　wind　in　the　left　eye　and　a　blessing　on　your　footsteps！　Make　haste　while　the　Sun　shines！'　And　to　Frodo　she　said：　'Farewell；　Elf…friend；　it　was　a　merry　meeting！'
　　　But　Frodo　found　no　words　to　answer。　He　bowed　low；　and　mounted　his　pony；　and　followed　by　his　friends　jogged　slowly　down　the　gentle　slope　behind　the　hill。　Tom　Bombadil's　house　and　the　valley；　and　the　Forest　were　lost　to　view。　The　air　grew　warmer　between　the　green　walls　of　hillside　and　hillside；　and　the　scent　of　turf　rose　strong　and　sweet　as　they　breathed。　Turning　back；　when　they　reached　the　bottom　of　the　green　hollow；　they　saw　Goldberry；　now　small　and　slender　like　a　sunlit　flower　against　the　sky：　she　was　standing　still　watching　them；　and　her　hands　were　stretched　out　towards　them。　As　they　looked　she　gave　a　clear　call；　and　lifting　up　her　hand　she　turned　and　vanished　behind　the　hill。
　　　Their　way　wound　along　the　floor　of　the　hollow；　and　round　the　green　feet　of　a　steep　hill　into　another　deeper　and　broader　valley；　and　then　over　the　shoulder　of　further　hills；　and　down　their　long　limbs；　and　up　their　smooth　sides　again；　up　on　to　new　hill…tops　and　down　into　new　valleys。　There　was　no　tree　nor　any　visible　water：　it　was　a　country　of　grass　and　short　springy　turf；　silent　except　for　the　whisper　of　the　air　over　the　edges　of　the　land；　and　high　lonely　cries　of　strange　birds。　As　they　journeyed　the　sun　mounted；　and　grew　hot。　Each　time　they　climbed　a　ridge　the　breeze　seemed　to　have　grown　less。　When　they　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　country　westward　the　distant　Forest　seemed　to　be　smoking；　as　if　the　fallen　rain　was　steaming　up　again　from　leaf　and　root　and　mould。　A　shadow　now　lay　round　the　edge　of　sight；　a　dark　haze　above　which　the　upper　sky　was　like　a　blue　cap；　hot　and　heavy。
　　　About　mid…day　they　came　to　a　hill　whose　top　was　wide　and　flattened；　like　a　shallow　saucer　with　a　green　mounded　rim。　Inside　there　was　no　air　stirring；　and　the　sky　seemed　near　their　heads。　They　rode　across　and　looked　northwards。　Then　their　hear