按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
panions； save perhaps Gandalf。 And he was in any case the bearer of the Ring： it hung upon its chain against his breast； and at whiles it seemed a heavy weight。 He felt the certainty of evil ahead and of evil following； but he said nothing。 He gripped tighter on the hilt of his sword and went on doggedly。
The pany behind him spoke seldom； and then only in hurried whispers。 There was no sound but the sound of their own feet； the dull stump of Gimli's dwarfboots； the heavy tread of Boromir； the light step of Legolas； the soft； scarceheard patter of hobbitfeet； and in the rear the slow firm footfalls of Aragorn with his long stride。 When they halted for a moment they heard nothing at all； unless it were occasionally a faint trickle and drip of unseen water。 Yet Frodo began to hear； or to imagine that he heard； something else： like the faint fall of soft bare feet。 It was never loud enough； or near enough； for him to feel certain that he heard it； but once it had started it never stopped； while the pany was moving。 But it was not an echo； for when they halted it pattered on for a little all by itself； and then grew still。
It was after nightfall when they had entered the Mines。 They had been going for several hours with only brief halts； when Gandalf came to his first serious check。 Before him stood a wide dark arch opening into three passages： all led in the same general direction； eastwards； but the lefthand passage plunged down； while the righthand climbed up； and the middle way seemed to run on； smooth and level but very narrow。
'I have no memory of this place at all！ ' said Gandalf； standing uncertainly under the arch。 He held up his staff in the hope of finding some marks or inscription that might help his choice； but nothing of the kind was to be seen。 'I am too weary to decide；' he said； shaking his head。 'And I expect that you are all as weary as I am； or wearier。 We had better halt here for what is left of the night。 You know what I mean！ In here it is ever dark； but outside the late Moon is riding westward and the middlenight has passed。'
'Poor old Bill！ ' said Sam。 'I wonder where he is。 I hope those wolves haven't got him yet。'
To the left of the great arch they found a stone door： it was half closed； but swung back easily to a gentle thrust。 Beyond there seemed to lie a wide chamber cut in the rock。
'Steady！ Steady！ ' cried Gandalf as Merry and Pippin pushed forward； glad to find a place where they could rest with at least more feeling of shelter than in the open passage。 'Steady！ You do not know what is inside yet。 I will go first。'
He went in cautiously； and the others filed behind。 'There！ ' he said； pointing with his staff to the middle of the floor。 Before his feet they saw a large round hole like the mouth of a well。 Broken and rusty chains lay at the edge and trailed down into the black pit。 Fragments of stone lay near。
'One of you might have fallen in and still be wondering when you were going to strike the bottom；' said Aragorn to Merry。 'Let the guide go first while you have one。'
'This seems to have been a guardroom； made for the watching of the three passages；' said Gimli。 'That hole was plainly a well for the guards' use； covered with a stone lid。 But the lid is broken； and we must all take care in the dark。'
Pippin felt curiously attracted by the well。 While the others were unrolling blankets and making beds against the walls of the chamber； as far as possible from the hole in the floor； he crept to the edge and peered over。 A chill air seemed to strike his face； rising from invisible depths。 Moved by a sudden impulse he groped for a loose stone； and let it drop。 He felt his heart beat many times before there was any sound。 Then far below； as if the stone had fallen into deep water in some cavernous place； there came a plunk； very distant； but magnified and repeated in the hollow shaft。
'What's that？ ' cried Gandalf。 He was relieved when Pippin confessed what he had done； but he was angry； and Pippin could see his eye glinting。 'Fool of a Took！ ' he growled。 'This is a serious journey； not a hobbit walkingparty。 Throw yourself in next time； and then you will be no further nuisance。 Now be quiet！ '
Nothing more was heard for several minutes； but then there came out of the depths faint knocks： tomtap； taptom。 They stopped； and when the echoes had died away； they were repeated： taptom； tomtap； taptap； tom。 They sounded disquietingly like signals of some sort； but after a while the knocking died away and was not heard again。
'That was the sound of a hammer； or I have never heard one；' said Gimli。
'Yes；' said Gandalf； 'and I do not like it。 It may have nothing to do with Peregrin's foolish stone； but probably something has been disturbed that would have been better left quiet。 Pray； do nothing of the kind again！ Let us hope we shall get some rest without further trouble。 You； Pippin； can go on the first watch； as a reward；' he growled； as he rolled himself in a blanket。
Pippin sat miserably by the door in the pitch dark； but he kept on turning round； fearing that some unknown thing would crawl up out of the well。 He wished he could cover the hole； if only with a blanket； but he dared not move or go near it； even though Gandalf seemed to be asleep。
Actually Gandalf was awake； though lying still and silent。 He was deep in thought； trying to recall every memory of his former journey in the Mines； and considering anxiously the next course that he should take； a false turn now might be disastrous。 After an hour he rose up and came over to Pippin。
'Get into a corner and have a sleep； my lad；' he said in a kindly tone。 'You want to sleep； I expect。 I cannot get a wink； so I may as well do the watching。'
'I know what is the matter with me；' he muttered； as he sat down by the door。 'I need smoke！ I have not tasted it since the morning before the snowstorm。'
The last thing that Pippin saw； as sleep took him； was a dark glimpse of the old wizard huddled on the floor； shielding a glowing chip in his gnarled hands between his knees。 The flicker for a moment showed his sharp nose。 and the puff of smoke。
It was Gandalf who roused them all from sleep。 He had sat and watched all alone for about six hours； and had let the others rest。 'And in the watches I have made up my mind；' he said。 'I do not like the feel of the middle way； and I do not like the smell of the lefthand way： there is foul air down there； or I am no guide。 I shall take the righthand passage。 It is time we began to climb up again。'
For eight dark hours； not counting two brief halts； they marched on； and they met no danger； and heard nothing； and saw nothing but the faint gleam of the wizard's light； bobbing like a willo'thewisp in front of them。 The passage they had chosen wound steadily upwards。 As far as they could judge it went in great mounting curves； and as it rose it grew loftier and wider。 There were now no openings to other galleries or tunnels on either side； and the floor was level and sound； without pits or cracks。 Evidently they had struck what once had been an important road； and they went forward quicker than they had done on their first march。
In this way they advanced some fifteen miles； measured in a direct line east； though they must have actually walked twenty miles or more。 As the road climbed upwards’ Frodo's spirits rose a little； but he still felt oppressed； and still at times he heard； or thought he heard； away behind the pany and beyond the fall and patter of their feet； a following footstep that was not an echo。
They had marched as far as the hobbits could endure without a rest； and all were thinking of a place where they could sleep； when suddenly the walls to right and left vanished。 They seemed to have passed through some arched doorway into a black and empty space。 There was a great draught of warmer air behind them； and before them the darkness was cold on their faces。 They halted and crowded anxiously together。
Gandalf seemed pleased。 'I chose the right way；' he said。 'At last we are ing to the habitable parts； and I guess that we are not far now from the eastern side。 But we are high up； a good deal higher than the Dimrill Gate； unless I am mistaken。 From the f