The Lord of the Rings-指环王(英文版)-第54部分

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'I　don't　know。'　Frodo　answered。　'They　don't　feel　at　all：　which　is　an　improvement；　but'he　made　an　effort'I　can　move　my　arm　again　a　little。　Yes；　it　is　ing　back　to　life。　It　is　not　cold；'　he　added；　touching　his　left　hand　with　his　right。

'Good！'　said　Gandalf。　'It　is　mending　fast。　You　will　soon　be　sound　again。　Elrond　has　cured　you：　he　has　tended　you　for　days；　ever　since　you　were　brought　in。'

'Days？'　said　Frodo。

'Well；　four　nights　and　three　days；　to　be　exact。　The　Elves　brought　you　from　this　where　you　lost　count。　We　have　been　terribly　anxious；　and　Sam　has　hardly　left　your　side；　day　or　night；　except　to　run　messages。　Elrond　is　a　master　of　healing；　but　the　weapons　of　our　Enemy　are　deadly。　To　tell　you　the　truth；　I　had　very　little　hope；　for　I　suspected　that　there　was　some　fragment　of　the　blade　still　in　the　closed　wound。　But　it　could　not　be　found　until　last　night。　Then　Elrond　removed　a　splinter。　It　was　deeply　buried。　and　it　was　working　inwards。'

Frodo　shuddered；　remembering　the　cruel　knife　with　notched　blade　that　had　vanished　in　Strider's　hands。　'Don't　be　alarmed！'　said　Gandalf。　'It　is　gone　now。　It　has　been　melted。　And　it　seems　that　Hobbits　fade　very　reluctantly。　I　have　known　strong　warriors　of　the　Big　People　who　would　quickly　have　been　overe　by　that　splinter；　which　you　bore　for　seventeen　days。'

'What　would　they　have　done　to　me？'　asked　Frodo。　'What　were　the　Riders　trying　to　do？'

'They　tried　to　pierce　your　heart　with　a　Mulknife　which　remains　in　the　wound。　If　they　had　succeeded；　you　would　have　bee　like　they　are；　only　weaker　and　under　their　mand。　You　would　have　became　a　wraith　under　the　dominion　of　the　Dark　Lord；　and　he　would　have　tormented　you　for　trying　to　keep　his　Ring；　if　any　greater　torment　were　possible　than　being　robbed　of　it　and　seeing　it　on　his　hand。'

'Thank　goodness　I　did　not　realize　the　horrible　danger！'　said　Frodo　faintly。　I　was　mortally　afraid；　of　course；　but　if　I　had　known　more；　I　should　not　have　dared　even　to　move。　It　is　a　marvel　that　I　escaped！'

'Yes；　fortune　or　fate　have　helped　you；'　said　Gandalf；　'not　to　mention　courage。　For　your　heart　was　not　touched；　and　only　your　shoulder　was　pierced；　and　that　was　because　you　resisted　to　the　last。　But　it　was　a　terribly　narrow　shave；　so　to　speak。　You　were　in　gravest　peril　while　you　wore　the　Ring；　for　then　you　were　half　in　the　wraithworld　yourself；　and　they　might　have　seized　you。　You　could　see　them；　and　they　could　see　you。'

'I　know；'　said　Frodo。　'They　were　terrible　to　behold！　But　why　could　we　all　see　their　horses？'

'Because　they　are　real　horses；　just　as　the　black　robes　are　real　robes　that　they　wear　to　give　shape　to　their　nothingness　when　they　have　dealings　with　the　living。'

'Then　why　do　these　black　horses　endure　such　riders？　All　other　animals　are　terrified　when　they　draw　near；　even　the　elfhorse　of　Glorfindel。　The　dogs　howl　and　the　geese　scream　at　them。'

'Because　these　horses　are　born　and　bred　to　the　service　of　the　Dark　Lord　in　Mordor。　Not　all　his　servants　and　chattels　are　wraiths！　There　are　orcs　and　trolls；　there　are　wargs　and　werewolves；　and　there　have　been　and　still　are　many　Men；　warriors　and　kings；　that　walk　alive　under　the　Sun；　and　yet　are　under　his　sway。　And　their　number　is　growing　daily。'

'What　about　Rivendell　and　the　Elves？　Is　Rivendell　safe？'

'Yes；　at　present；　until　all　else　is　conquered。　The　Elves　may　fear　the　Dark　Lord；　and　they　may　fly　before　him；　but　never　again　will　they　listen　to　him　or　serve　him。　And　here　in　Rivendell　there　live　still　some　of　his　chief　foes：　the　Elvenwise；　lords　of　the　Eldar　from　beyond　the　furthest　seas。　They　do　not　fear　the　Ringwraiths；　for　those　who　have　dwelt　in　the　Blessed　Realm　live　at　once　in　both　worlds；　and　against　both　the　Seen　and　the　Unseen　they　have　great　power。'

'I　thought　that　I　saw　a　white　figure　that　shone　and　did　not　grow　dim　like　the　others。　Was　that　Glorfindel　then？'

'Yes；　you　saw　him　for　a　moment　as　he　is　upon　the　other　side：　one　of　the　mighty　of　the　Firstborn。　He　is　an　Elflord　of　a　house　of　princes。　Indeed　there　is　a　power　in　Rivendell　to　withstand　the　might　of　Mordor；　for　a　while：　and　elsewhere　other　powers　still　dwell。　There　is　power；　too；　of　another　kind　in　the　Shire。　But　all　such　places　will　soon　bee　islands　under　siege；　if　things　go　on　as　they　are　going。　The　Dark　Lord　is　putting　forth　all　his　strength。

'Still；'　he　said；　standing　suddenly　up　and　sticking　out　his　chin。　while　his　beard　went　stiff　and　straight　like　bristling　wire；　'we　must　keep　up　our　courage。　You　will　soon　be　well；　if　I　do　not　talk　you　to　death。　You　are　in　Rivendell；　and　you　need　not　worry　about　anything　for　the　present。'

'I　haven't　any　courage　to　keep　up；'　said　Frodo；　'but　I　am　not　worried　at　the　moment。　Just　give　me　news　of　my　friends；　and　tell　me　the　end　of　the　affair　at　the　Ford；　as　I　keep　on　asking；　and　I　shall　be　content　for　the　present。　After　that　I　shall　have　another　sleep；　I　think；　but　I　shan't　be　able　to　close　my　eyes　until　you　have　finished　the　story　for　me。'

Gandalf　moved　his　chair　to　the　bedside；　and　took　a　good　look　at　Frodo。　The　colour　had　e　back　to　his　face；　and　his　eyes　were　clear；　and　fully　awake　and　aware。　He　was　smiling；　and　there　seemed　to　be　little　wrong　with　him。　But　to　the　wizard's　eye　there　was　a　faint　change　just　a　hint　as　it　were　of　transparency；　about　him；　and　especially　about　the　left　hand　that　lay　outside　upon　the　coverlet。

'Still　that　must　be　expected；'　said　Gandalf　to　himself。　'He　is　not　half　through　yet；　and　to　what　he　will　e　in　the　end　not　even　Elrond　can　foretell。　Not　to　evil；　I　think。　He　may　bee　like　a　glass　filled　with　a　clear　light　for　eyes　to　see　that　can。'

'You　look　splendid；'　he　said　aloud。　'I　will　risk　a　brief　tale　without　consulting　Elrond。　But　quite　brief；　mind　you；　and　then　you　must　sleep　again。　This　is　what　happened；　as　far　as　I　can　gather。　The　Riders　made　straight　for　you；　as　soon　as　you　fled。　They　did　not　need　the　guidance　of　their　horses　any　longer：　you　had　bee　visible　to　them；　being　already　on　the　threshold　of　their　world。　And　also　the　Ring　drew　them。　Your　friends　sprang　aside；　off　the　road；　or　they　would　have　been　ridden　down。　They　knew　that　nothing　could　save　you；　if　the　white　horse　could　not。　The　Riders　were　too　swift　to　overtake；　and　too　many　to　oppose。　On　foot　even　Glorfindel　and　Aragorn　together　could　not　with　stand　all　the　Nine　at　once。

'When　the　Ringwraiths　swept　by；　your　friends　ran　up　behind。　Close　to　the　Ford　there　is　a　small　hollow　beside　the　road　masked　by　a　few　stunted　trees。　There　they　hastily　kindled　fire；　for　Glorfindel　knew　that　a　flood　would　e　down；　if　the　Riders　tried　to　cross；　and　then　he　would　have　to　deal　with　any　that　were　left　on　his　side　of　the　river。　The　moment　the　flood　appeared；　he　rushed　out；　followed　by　Aragorn　and　the。　others　with　flaming　brands。　Caught　between　fire　and　water；　and　seeing　an　Elflord　revealed　in　his　wrath；　they　were　dismayed；　and　their　horses　were　stricken　with　madness。　Three　were　carried　away　by　the　first　assault　of　the　flood；　the　others　were　now　hurled　into　the　water　by　their　horses　and　overwhelmed。'

'And　is　that　the　end　of　the　Black　Riders？'　asked　Frodo。

'No；'　said　Gandalf。　'Their　horses　must　have　perished；　and　without　them　they　are　crippled。　But　the　Ringwraiths　themselves　cannot　be　so　easily　destroyed。　However；　there　is　nothing　more　to　fear　from　them　at　present。　Your　friends　crossed　after　the　flood　had　passed；　and　they　found　you　lying　on　your　face　at　the　top　of　the　bank；　with　a　broken　sword　under　you。　The　horse　was　standing　guard　beside　you。　You　were　pale　and　cold；　and　they　feared　that　you　were　dead；　or　worse。　Elrond's　folk　met　them；　carrying　you　slowly　towards　Rivendell。'

'Who　made　the　flood？'　asked　Frodo。

'Elrond　manded　it；'　answered　Gandalf。　'The　river　of　this　valley　is　under　his　power；　and　it　will　rise　in　anger　when　he　has　great　need　to　bar　the　Ford。　As　soon　as　the　captain　of　the　Ringwraiths　rode　into　the　water　the　flood　was　released。　If　I　may　say　so；　I　added　a　few　touches　of　my　own：　you　may　not　have　noticed；　but　some　of　the　waves　took　the　form　of　great　white　horses　with　shining　white　riders；　and　there　were　many　rolling　and　grinding　boulders。　For　a　moment　I　was　afraid　that　we　had　let　loose　too　fierce　a　wrath；　and　the　flood　would　get　out　of　hand　and　wash　you　all　away。　There　is　great　vigour　in　the　waters　that　e　down　from　the　snows　of　the　Misty　Mountains。'

'Yes；　it　all　es　back　to　me　now；'　said　Frodo：　'the　tremendous　roaring。　I　thought　I　was　drowning；　with　my　friends　and　enemies　and　all。　But　now　we　are　safe！'

Gandalf　looked　quickly　at　Frodo；　but　he　had　shut　his　eyes。　'Yes；　you　are　all　safe　for　the　present。　Soon　there　will　be　feasting　and　merrymaking　to　celebrate　the　victory　at　the　Ford　of　Bruinen；　and　you　will　all　be　there　in　places　of　honour。'

'Splendid！'　said　Frodo。　'It　is　wonderful　that　Elrond；　and　Glorfindel　and　such　great　lords；　not　to　mention　Strider；　should　take　so　much　trouble　and　show　me　so　much　kindness。'

'Well；　there　are　many　reasons　why　they　should；'　said　Gandalf；　smiling。　'I　am　one　good　reason。　The　Ring　is　another：　you　are　the　Ringbearer。　And　you　are　the　heir　of　Bilbo；　the　Ringfinder。'

'Dear　Bilbo！'　said　Frodo　sleepily。　'I　wonder　where　he　is。　I　wish　he　was　here　and　could　hear　all　about　it。　It　would　have　made　him　laugh；　The　cow　jumped　over　the　Moon！　And　the　poor　old　troll！'　Wit