jrt.fellowshipofring-第39节

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ction　of　the　call；　and　found　himself　going　steeply　uphill。
　　　As　he　struggled　on　he　called　again；　and　kept　on　calling　more　and　more　frantically；　but　he　heard　no　answer　for　some　time；　and　then　it　seemed　faint　and　far　ahead　and　high　above　him。　'Frodo！　Hoy！'　came　the　thin　voices　out　of　the　mist：　and　then　a　cry　that　sounded　like　help；　help！　often　repeated；　ending　with　a　last　help！　that　trailed　off　into　a　long　wail　suddenly　cut　short。　He　stumbled　forward　with　all　the　speed　he　could　towards　the　cries；　but　the　light　was　now　gone；　and　clinging　night　had　closed　about　him；　so　that　it　was　impossible　to　be　sure　of　any　direction。　He　seemed　all　the　time　to　be　climbing　up　and　up。
　　　Only　the　change　in　the　level　of　the　ground　at　his　feet　told　him　when　he　at　last　came　to　the　top　of　a　ridge　or　hill。　He　was　weary；　sweating　and　yet　chilled。　It　was　wholly　dark。
　　　'Where　are　you？'　he　cried　out　miserably。
　　　There　was　no　reply。　He　stood　listening。　He　was　suddenly　aware　that　it　was　getting　very　cold；　and　that　up　here　a　wind　was　beginning　to　blow；　an　icy　wind。　A　change　was　ing　in　the　weather。　The　mist　was　flowing　past　him　now　in　shreds　and　tatters。　His　breath　was　smoking；　and　the　darkness　was　less　near　and　thick。　He　looked　up　and　saw　with　surprise　that　faint　stars　were　appearing　overhead　amid　the　strands　of　hurrying　cloud　and　fog。　The　wind　began　to　hiss　over　the　grass。
　　　He　imagined　suddenly　that　he　caught　a　muffled　cry；　and　he　made　towards　it；　and　even　as　he　went　forward　the　mist　was　rolled　up　and　thrust　aside；　and　the　starry　sky　was　unveiled。　A　glance　showed　him　that　he　was　now　facing　southwards　and　was　on　a　round　hill…top；　which　he　must　have　climbed　from　the　north。　Out　of　the　east　the　biting　wind　was　blowing。　To　his　right　there　loomed　against　the　westward　stars　a　dark　black　shape。　A　great　barrow　stood　there。
　　　'Where　are　you？'　he　cried　again；　both　angry　and　afraid。
　　　'Here！'　said　a　voice；　deep　and　cold；　that　seemed　to　e　out　of　the　ground。　'I　am　waiting　for　you！'
　　　'No！'　said　Frodo；　but　he　did　not　run　away。　His　knees　gave；　and　he　fell　on　the　ground。　Nothing　happened；　and　there　was　no　sound。　Trembling　he　looked　up；　in　time　to　see　a　tall　dark　figure　like　a　shadow　against　the　stars。　It　leaned　over　him。　He　thought　there　were　two　eyes；　very　cold　though　lit　with　a　pale　light　that　seemed　to　e　from　some　remote　distance。　Then　a　grip　stronger　and　colder　than　iron　seized　him。　The　icy　touch　froze　his　bones；　and　he　remembered　no　more。
　　　When　he　came　to　himself　again；　for　a　moment　he　could　recall　nothing　except　a　sense　of　dread。　Then　suddenly　he　knew　that　he　was　imprisoned；　caught　hopelessly；　he　was　in　a　barrow。　A　Barrow…wight　had　taken　him；　and　he　was　probably　already　under　the　dreadful　spells　of　the　Barrow…wights　about　which　whispered　tales　spoke。　He　dared　not　move；　but　lay　as　he　found　himself：　flat　on　his　back　upon　a　cold　stone　with　his　hands　on　his　breast。
　　　But　though　his　fear　was　so　great　that　it　seemed　to　be　part　of　the　very　darkness　that　was　round　him；　he　found　himself　as　he　lay　thinking　about　Bilbo　Baggins　and　his　stories；　of　their　jogging　along　together　in　the　lanes　of　the　Shire　and　talking　about　roads　and　adventures。　There　is　a　seed　of　courage　hidden　（often　deeply；　it　is　true）　in　the　heart　of　the　fattest　and　most　timid　hobbit；　wailing　for　some　final　and　desperate　danger　to　make　it　grow。　Frodo　was　neither　very　fat　nor　very　timid；　indeed；　though　he　did　not　know　it；　Bilbo　（and　Gandalf）　had　thought　him　the　best　hobbit　in　the　Shire。　He　thought　he　had　e　to　the　end　of　his　adventure；　and　a　terrible　end；　but　the　thought　hardened　him。　He　found　himself　stiffening；　as　if　for　a　final　spring；　he　no　longer　felt　limp　like　a　helpless　prey。
　　　As　he　lay　there；　thinking　and　getting　a　hold　of　himself；　he　noticed　all　at　once　that　the　darkness　was　slowly　giving　way：　a　pale　greenish　light　was　growing　round　him。　It　did　not　at　first　show　him　what　kind　of　a　place　he　was　in；　for　the　light　seemed　to　be　ing　out　of　himself；　and　from　the　floor　beside　him；　and　had　not　yet　reached　the　roof　or　wall。　He　turned；　and　there　in　the　cold　glow　he　saw　lying　beside　him　Sam；　Pippin；　and　Merry。　They　were　on　their　backs；　and　their　faces　looked　deathly　pale；　and　they　were　clad　in　white。　About　them　lay　many　treasures；　of　gold　maybe；　though　in　that　light　they　looked　cold　and　unlovely。　On　their　heads　were　circlets；　gold　chains　were　about　their　waists；　and　on　their　fingers　were　many　rings。　Swords　lay　by　their　sides；　and　shields　were　at　their　feet。　But　across　their　three　necks　lay　one　long　naked　sword。
　　　Suddenly　a　song　began：　a　cold　murmur；　rising　and　falling。　The　voice　seemed　far　away　and　immeasurably　dreary；　sometimes　high　in　the　air　and　thin；　sometimes　like　a　low　moan　from　the　ground。　Out　of　the　formless　stream　of　sad　but　horrible　sounds；　strings　of　words　would　now　and　again　shape　themselves：　grim；　hard；　cold　words；　heartless　and　miserable。　The　night　was　railing　against　the　morning　of　which　it　was　bereaved；　and　the　cold　was　cursing　the　warmth　for　which　it　hungered。　Frodo　was　chilled　to　the　marrow。　After　a　while　the　song　became　clearer；　and　with　dread　in　his　heart　he　perceived　that　it　had　changed　into　an　incantation：
　　　Cold　be　hand　and　heart　and　bone；
and　cold　be　sleep　under　stone：
never　mare　to　wake　on　stony　bed；
never；　till　the　Sun　fails　and　the　Moon　is　dead。
In　the　black　wind　the　stars　shall　die；
and　still　on　gold　here　let　them　lie；
till　the　dark　lord　lifts　his　hand
over　dead　sea　and　withered　land。
　　　He　heard　behind　his　head　a　creaking　and　scraping　sound。　Raising　himself　on　one　arm　he　looked；　and　saw　now　in　the　pale　light　that　they　were　in　a　kind　of　passage　which　behind　them　turned　a　corner。　Round　the　corner　a　long　arm　was　groping；　walking　on　its　fingers　towards　Sam；　who　was　lying　nearest；　and　towards　the　hilt　of　the　sword　that　lay　upon　him。
　　　At　first　Frodo　felt　as　if　he　had　indeed　been　turned　into　stone　by　the　incantation。　Then　a　wild　thought　of　escape　came　to　him。　He　wondered　if　he　put　on　the　Ring；　whether　the　Barrow…wight　would　miss　him；　and　he　might　find　some　way　out。　He　thought　of　himself　running　free　over　the　grass；　grieving　for　Merry；　and　Sam；　and　Pippin；　but　free　and　alive　himself。　Gandalf　would　admit　that　there　had　been　nothing　else　he　could　do。
　　　But　the　courage　that　had　been　awakened　in　him　was　now　too　strong：　he　could　not　leave　his　friends　so　easily。　He　wavered；　groping　in　his　pocket；　and　then　fought　with　himself　again；　and　as　he　did　so　the　arm　crept　nearer。　Suddenly　resolve　hardened　in　him；　and　he　seized　a　short　sword　that　lay　beside　him；　and　kneeling　he　stooped　low　over　the　bodies　of　his　panions。　With　what　strength　he　had　he　hewed　at　the　crawling　arm　near　the　wrist；　and　the　hand　broke　off；　but　at　the　same　moment　the　sword　splintered　up　to　the　hilt。　There　was　a　shriek　and　the　light　vanished。　In　the　dark　there　was　a　snarling　noise。
　　　Frodo　fell　forward　over　Merry；　and　Merry's　face　felt　cold。　All　at　once　back　into　his　mind；　from　which　it　had　disappeared　with　the　first　ing　of　the　fog；　came　the　memory　of　the　house　down　under　the　Hill；　and　of　Tom　singing。　He　remembered　the　rhyme　that　Tom　had　taught　them。　In　a　small　desperate　voice　he　began：　Ho！　Tom　Bombadil！　and　with　that　name　his　voice　seemed　to　grow　strong：　it　had　a　full　and　lively　sound；　and　the　dark　chamber　echoed　as　if　to　drum　and　trumpet。
　　　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！
　　　There　was　a　sudden　deep　silence；　in　which　Frodo　could　hear　his　heart　beating。　After　a　long　slow　moment　he　heard　plain；　but　far　away；　as　if　it　was　ing　down　through　the　ground　or　through　thick　walls；　an　answering　voice　singing：
　　　Old　Tom　Bombadil　is　a　merry　fellow；
Bright　blue　his　jacket　is；　and　his　boots　are　yellow。
None　has　ever　caught　him　yet；　for　Tom；　he　is　the　master：
His　songs　are　stronger　songs；　and　his　feet　are　faster。
　　　There　was　a　loud　rumbling　sound；　as　of　stones　rolling　and　falling；　and　suddenly　light　streamed　in；　real　light；　the　plain　light　of　day。　A　low　door…like　opening　appeared　at　the　end　of　the　chamber　beyond　Frodo's　feet；　and　there　was　Tom's　head　（hat；　feather；　and　all）　framed　against　the　light　of　the　sun　rising　red　behind　him。　The　light　fell　upon　the　floor；　and　upon　the　faces　of　the　three　hobbits　lying　beside　Frodo。　They　did　not　stir；　but　the　sickly　hue　had　left　them。　They　looked　now　as　if　they　were　only　very　deeply　asleep。
　　　Tom　stooped；　removed　his　hat；　and　came　into　the　dark　chamber；　singing：
　　　Get　out；　you　old　Wight！　Vanish　in　the　sunlight！
Shrivel　like　the　cold　mist；　like　the　winds　go　wailing；
Out　into　the　barren　lands　far　beyond　the　mountains！
e　never　here　again！　Leave　your　barrow　empty！
Lost　and　forgotten　be；　darker　than　the　darkness；
Where　gates　stand　for　ever　shut；　till　the　world　is　mended。
　　　At　these　words　there　was　a　cry　and　part　of　the　inner　end　of　the　chamber　fell　in　with　a　crash。　Then　there　was　a　long　trailing　shriek；　fading　away　into　an　unguessable　distance；　and　after　that　silence。
　　　'e；　friend　Frodo！'　said　Tom。　'Let　us　get　out　on　to　clean　grass！　You　must　help　me　bear　them。'
　　　Together　they　carried　out　Merry；　Pippin；　and　Sam。　As　Frodo　left　the　barrow　for　the　last　time　he　thought　he　saw　a　severed　hand　wriggling　still；　like　a　wounded　spider；　i