jrt.fellowshipofring-第87部分

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　towards　Caradhras；　which　far　away　still　glowed　faintly　red　in　the　last　light　of　the　vanished　Sun。　One　by　one　white　stars　sprang　forth　as　the　sky　faded。
　　　Guided　by　Aragorn　they　struck　a　good　path。　It　looked　to　Frodo　like　the　remains　of　an　ancient　road；　that　had　once　been　broad　and　well　planned；　from　Hollin　to　the　mountain…pass。　The　Moon；　now　at　the　full；　rose　over　the　mountains；　and　cast　a　pale　light　in　which　the　shadows　of　stones　were　black。　Many　of　them　looked　to　have　been　worked　by　hands；　though　now　they　lay　tumbled　and　ruinous　in　a　bleak；　barren　land。
　　　It　was　the　cold　chill　hour　before　the　first　stir　of　dawn；　and　the　moon　was　low。　Frodo　looked　up　at　the　sky。　Suddenly　he　saw　or　felt　a　shadow　pass　over　the　high　stars；　as　if　for　a　moment　they　faded　and　then　flashed　out　again。　He　shivered。
　　　‘Did　you　see　anything　pass　over？'　he　whispered　to　Gandalf；　who　was　just　ahead。
　　　‘No；　but　I　felt　it；　whatever　it　was；'　he　answered。　‘It　may　be　nothing；　only　a　wisp　of　thin　cloud。'
　　　‘It　was　moving　fast　then；'　muttered　Aragorn；　‘and　not　with　the　wind。'
　　　Nothing　further　happened　that　night。　The　next　morning　dawned　even　brighter　than　before。　But　the　air　was　chill　again；　already　the　wind　was　turning　back　towards　the　east。　For　two　more　nights　they　marched　on；　climbing　steadily　but　ever　more　slowly　as　their　road　wound　up　into　the　hills；　and　the　mountains　towered　up；　nearer　and　nearer。　On　the　third　morning　Caradhras　rose　before　them；　a　mighty　peak；　tipped　with　snow　like　silver；　but　with　sheer　naked　sides；　dull　red　as　if　stained　with　blood。
　　　There　was　a　black　look　in　the　sky；　and　the　sun　was　wan。　The　wind　had　gone　now　round　to　the　north…east。　Gandalf　snuffed　the　air　and　looked　back。
　　　‘Winter　deepens　behind　us；'　he　said　quietly　to　Aragorn。　'The　heights　away　north　are　whiter　than　they　were；　snow　is　lying　far　down　their　shoulders。　Tonight　we　shall　be　on　our　way　high　up　towards　the　Redhorn　Gate。　We　may　well　be　seen　by　watchers　on　that　narrow　path；　and　waylaid　by　some　evil；　but　the　weather　may　prove　a　more　deadly　enemy　than　any。　What　do　you　think　of　your　course　now；　Aragorn？'
　　　Frodo　overheard　these　words；　and　understood　that　Gandalf　and　Aragorn　were　continuing　some　debate　that　had　begun　long　before。　He　listened　anxiously。
　　　'I　think　no　good　of　our　course　from　beginning　to　end；　as　you　know　well；　Gandalf；'　answered　Aragorn。　‘And　perils　known　and　unknown　will　grow　as　we　go　on。　But　we　must　go　on；　and　it　is　no　good　our　delaying　the　passage　of　the　mountains。　Further　south　there　are　no　passes；　till　one　es　to　the　Gap　of　Rohan。　I　do　not　trust　that　way　since　your　news　of　Saruman。　Who　knows　which　side　now　the　marshals　of　the　Horse…lords　serve？'
　　　'Who　knows　indeed！'　said　Gandalf。　‘But　there　is　another　way；　and　not　by　the　pass　of　Caradhras：　the　dark　and　secret　way　that　we　have　spoken　of。'
　　　'But　let　us　not　speak　of　it　again！　Not　yet。　Say　nothing　to　the　others　I　beg；　not　until　it　is　plain　that　there　is　no　other　way。'
　　　'We　must　decide　before　we　go　further；'　answered　Gandalf。
　　　'Then　let　us　weigh　the　matter　in　our　minds；　while　the　others　rest　and　sleep；'　said　Aragorn。
　　　In　the　late　afternoon；　while　the　others　were　finishing　their　breakfast；　Gandalf　and　Aragorn　went　aside　together　and　stood　looking　at　Caradhras。　Its　sides　were　now　dark　and　sullen；　and　its　head　was　in　grey　cloud。　Frodo　watched　them；　wondering　which　way　the　debate　would　go。　When　they　returned　to　the　pany　Gandalf　spoke；　and　then　he　knew　that　it　had　been　decided　to　face　the　weather　and　the　high　pass。　He　was　relieved。　He　could　not　guess　what　was　the　other　dark　and　secret　way；　but　the　very　mention　of　it　had　seemed　to　fill　Aragorn　with　dismay；　and　Frodo　was　glad　that　it　had　been　abandoned。
　　　‘From　signs　that　we　have　seen　lately；'　said　Gandalf；　'I　fear　that　the　Redhorn　Gate　may　be　watched；　and　also　I　have　doubts　of　the　weather　that　is　ing　up　behind。　Snow　may　e。　We　must　go　with　all　the　speed　that　we　can。　Even　so　it　will　take　us　more　than　two　marches　before　we　reach　the　top　of　the　pass。　Dark　will　e　early　this　evening。　We　must　leave　as　soon　as　you　can　get　ready。'
　　　'I　will　add　a　word　of　advice；　if　I　may；'　said　Boromir。　'I　was　born　under　the　shadow　of　the　White　Mountains　and　know　something　of　journeys　in　the　high　places。　We　shall　meet　bitter　cold；　if　no　worse；　before　we　e　down　on　the　other　side。　It　will　not　help　us　to　keep　so　secret　that　we　are　frozen　to　death。　When　we　leave　here；　where　there　are　still　a　few　trees　and　bushes；　each　of　us　should　carry　a　faggot　of　wood；　as　large　as　he　can　bear。'
　　　'And　Bill　could　take　a　bit　more；　couldn't　you　lad？'　said　Sam。　The　pony　looked　at　him　mournfully。
　　　'Very　well；'　said　Gandalf。　‘But　we　must　not　use　the　wood　…　not　unless　it　is　a　choice　between　fire　and　death。'
　　　The　pany　set　out　again　with　good　speed　at　first；　but　soon　their　way　became　steep　and　difficult。　The　twisting　and　climbing　road　had　in　many　places　almost　disappeared；　and　was　blocked　with　many　fallen　stones。　The　night　grew　deadly　dark　under　great　clouds。　A　bitter　wind　swirled　among　the　rocks。　By　midnight　they　had　climbed　to　the　knees　of　the　great　mountains。　The　narrow　path　now　wound　under　a　sheer　wall　of　cliffs　to　the　left；　above　which　the　grim　flanks　of　Caradhras　towered　up　invisible　in　the　gloom；　on　the　right　was　a　gulf　of　darkness　where　the　land　fell　suddenly　into　a　deep　ravine。
　　　Laboriously　they　climbed　a　sharp　slope　and　halted　for　a　moment　at　the　top。　Frodo　felt　a　soft　touch　on　his　face。　He　put　out　his　arm　and　saw　the　dim　white　flakes　of　snow　settling　on　his　sleeve。
　　　They　went　on。　But　before　long　the　snow　was　falling　fast；　filling　all　the　air；　and　swirling　into　Frodo's　eyes。　The　dark　bent　shapes　of　Gandalf　and　Aragorn　only　a　pace　or　two　ahead　could　hardly　be　seen。
　　　'I　don't　like　this　at　all；'　panted　Sam　just　behind。　'Snow's　all　right　on　a　fine　morning；　but　I　like　to　be　in　bed　while　it's　falling。　I　wish　this　lot　would　go　off　to　Hobbiton！　Folk　might　wele　it　there。'　Except　on　the　high　moors　of　the　Northfarthing　a　heavy　fall　was　rare　in　the　Shire；　and　was　regarded　as　a　pleasant　event　and　a　chance　for　fun。　No　living　hobbit　（save　Bilbo）　could　remember　the　Fell　Winter　of　1311；　when　the　white　wolves　invaded　the　Shire　over　the　frozen　Brandywine。
　　　Gandalf　halted。　Snow　was　thick　on　his　hood　and　shoulders；　it　was　already　ankle…deep　about　his　boots。
　　　〃This　is　what　I　feared；'　he　said。　‘What　do　you　say　now；　Aragorn？'
　　　'That　I　feared　it　too；'　Aragorn　answered；　‘but　less　than　other　things。　I　knew　the　risk　of　snow；　though　it　seldom　falls　heavily　so　far　south；　save　high　up　in　the　mountains。　But　we　are　not　high　yet；　we　are　still　far　down；　where　the　paths　are　usually　open　all　the　winter。'
　　　'I　wonder　if　this　is　a　contrivance　of　the　Enemy；'　said　Boromir。　〃They　say　in　my　land　that　he　can　govern　the　storms　in　the　Mountains　of　Shadow　that　stand　upon　the　borders　of　Mordor。　He　has　strange　powers　and　many　allies。'
　　　'His　arm　has　grown　long　indeed；'　said　Gimli；　‘if　he　can　draw　snow　down　from　the　North　to　trouble　us　here　three　hundred　leagues　away。'
　　　'His　arm　has　grown　long；'　said　Gandalf。
　　　While　they　were　halted；　the　wind　died　down；　and　the　snow　slackened　until　it　almost　ceased。　They　tramped　on　again。　But　they　had　not　gone　more　than　a　furlong　when　the　storm　returned　with　fresh　fury。　The　wind　whistled　and　the　snow　became　a　blinding　blizzard。　Soon　even　Boromir　found　it　hard　to　keep　going。　The　hobbits；　bent　nearly　double；　toiled　along　behind　the　taller　folk；　but　it　was　plain　that　they　could　not　go　much　further；　if　the　snow　continued。　Frodo's　feet　felt　like　lead。　Pippin　was　dragging　behind。　Even　Gimli；　as　stout　as　any　dwarf　could　be；　was　grumbling　as　he　trudged。
　　　The　pany　halted　suddenly；　as　if　they　had　e　to　an　agreement　without　any　words　being　spoken。　They　heard　eerie　noises　in　the　darkness　round　them。　It　may　have　been　only　a　trick　of　the　wind　in　the　cracks　and　gullies　of　the　rocky　wall；　but　the　sounds　were　those　of　shrill　cries；　and　wild　howls　of　laughter。　Stones　began　to　fall　from　the　mountain…side；　whistling　over　their　heads；　or　crashing　on　the　path　beside　them。　Every　now　and　again　they　heard　a　dull　rumble；　as　a　great　boulder　rolled　down　from　hidden　heights　above。
　　　‘We　cannot　go　further　tonight；'　said　Boromir。　‘Let　those　call　it　the　wind　who　will；　there　are　fell　voices