Chapter 12 Section 12: The Great Escape at the Ferry

When Frodo came to his senses, he found he was still clinging to the Ring.Now he lay beside the campfire, which was even hotter than before, and all three of his companions looked down at it with concern. "What happened? Where is the pale king?" he asked vaguely. The three of them were too happy to hear him speak, so they didn't understand his question at all.After much difficulty, he asked from Sam's mouth: Everyone saw only a shadow rushing towards him.Sam was suddenly horrified to realize that his master had disappeared, and at that moment a shadow passed over him and he fell down.He heard Frodo's voice, but it seemed to come from a great distance or from a great depth, and Frodo murmured strange tongues.After that, they saw nothing.Then, on the grass outside, they found Frodo lying motionless on the ground, with the sword under his body.Strider ordered them to bring him back and place him by the campfire.Then he just disappeared.It's been a while and haven't come back.

Sam began to be suspicious of the Walker again, but when everyone was discussing, he came back without a sound.They were startled, and immediately Sam drew his sword and stood beside Frodo; but the Strider just knelt beside Frodo without saying a word. "Sam, I'm not the Black Knight," he said softly, "and I'm not their ally. I just tried to track them down and found nothing. I really don't understand why they left and stopped attacking. The only thing that is certain is that there is no sign of them anywhere near." When he heard Frodo's words, he shook his head apprehensively, and sighed.Then he ordered Pippin and Merry to boil as much water as possible in small buckets. "Keep up the fire, and keep Frodo warm!" said he.Then he stood up and called Sam to follow. "I think I understand what's going on," he said in a low voice. "The enemy appears to be only five. I don't know why they didn't come together, but I don't think they expected resistance. They retreated for a while, but I'm afraid they didn't go very far. If we don't get out early , they will attack tomorrow night. Because they think the task is almost done, and the ring can't run very far, so they are just waiting. Sam, they should think that your master's wounds will make him obey their will .We'll see!"

Tears welled up in Sam's eyes immediately. "Don't give up hope!" said Strider. "You must believe me. Your Frodo is much stronger than I supposed. I did not believe it when Gandalf reminded me. He was not mortally wounded, and I suppose he would be able to resist the evil for a long time. .I will do everything possible to help him and heal him. Watch him while I am away!" He hurriedly disappeared into the night. Frodo began to doze; he could feel the pain of the wound in his shoulder slowly increasing, and the deadly chill spread from his shoulder to his arms and waist.His friends watched over him, trying to keep him warm and washing his wounds.The night slowly receded, and dawn appeared on the horizon.When everyone was shrouded in the twilight sky, Shenxingke came back.

"Look!" He bent down and picked up a black cloak from the ground; no one could see it because of the darkness.There was a crack about a foot from the edge of the cloak. "This is the mark left by Frodo's sword," said he. "I'm afraid this is the only damage done to the enemy. His body is not injured, and all the blades that pass through the king of terror will be melted. The name of Elbilusi may have caused him relatively large damage." "This is what will kill Frodo the most!" He bent down again, and picked up a long, thin-bladed knife.There was a cold light above.When the Strider picked up the knife, they all noticed that the blade had a chip near the handle.What's even more astonishing is that the knife melted right in front of their eyes, turning into a wisp of smoke and disappearing into the air.Only the handle of the knife in the hand of the traveler remained. "How bad!" he yelled. "It was this cursed weapon that wounded Frodo. There are not many men in the world who can heal such fatal wounds. I can only try."

He sat down, put the handle of the knife on his knees, and began to sing a song to it in a special language.Then he took the hilt of the knife away, and began to whisper to Frodo something that no one else could hear.He then took out the long, thin leaves of some kind of plant from his bag. "It's these leaves," he said, "that I found after a long walk, for the plant does not grow on hillsides; Find him." He crushed the blade of grass with his fingers, and everyone smelled a sweet and rich aroma. "Fortunately I have found this plant; it is one of the medicinal plants that the Western royals brought to Middle-earth. They call it *Axilas*; now only grows where the Western royals once lived or camped Place. Most people in the north don't know about this stuff, only those who often roam in the wild will know its benefits. It's excellent medicine, but it may not see much effect on this kind of wound. "

He threw the crushed leaves into the boiling water, and when it had cooled slightly he used it to wash Frodo's wounds.The smell of the steam is refreshing, and even those who are not injured feel refreshed.The herb did work for the wound, for Frodo could feel the pain and the chill begin to pass away; but his arm remained numb, and he could not move it as he wished.He began to regret his folly, thinking it was the result of a weakness of will.For, the moment he puts on the ring, he is not obeying his own desires, but obeying the instructions of his enemies.Frodo began to worry about whether he would be disabled for life and how the journey would continue.He felt that his legs were weak and he couldn't stand up at all.

Others are also discussing this issue.They quickly decided that they must leave Fengyunding as soon as possible. "I think," said the Strider, "that the enemy has been watching this place for some time. If Gandalf has been here, he must have been driven away, and it is impossible to return. After yesterday's attack, as long as If we stay here when it is dark today, we will encounter great danger. I don’t think no matter where we go, it will be less dangerous than here.” When the sky was clear, they casually ate some breakfast and hurriedly started packing.Frodo couldn't walk, so they divided most of the luggage among everyone, and put him on horseback.The poor animal has recovered a lot over the past few days and appears to be getting fatter, stronger and developing affection for its new owners.The bond between him and Sam was particularly strong.The bastard Bill must have abused it in every possible way before, so that his trek in the wilderness became a kind of rest.

The group of people immediately went south, which meant that they had to cross the road.But it's also the fastest path to the forest.They also need extra fuel, as Strider says Frodo has to keep warm at all times, and the flames protect them as well.He is also going to take a shortcut again, avoiding a large section of the avenue's detour.The avenue turns north again on the west side of Fengyunding. If you can cut directly across this bend, you can save a lot of time. A group of people carefully walked around the southwestern slope of the hill, and soon reached the side of the road.There was no sign of the Black Rider nearby.But as they hurried across the avenue, they heard two icy shouts in the distance: one icy voice calling, the other answering.They rushed forward trembling and hid in the thick vegetation on the opposite side.The terrain in front of me slopes all the way to the south, but it is overgrown with weeds, and there is no path to refer to.Between the open meadows grow bushes and thick trees.The weeds here are very sparse, dying and gray, and the leaves in the bushes are beginning to change color.The land was very bleak, and their progress was slow and gloomy.They hardly spoke to each other as they walked the land.Frodo looked at his companions with melancholy faces and kept moving forward with heavy burdens on their backs, and felt very guilty in his heart.Even the Strider looked downcast and tired.

Before the first day's journey was over, Frodo's wound began to ache slowly again, but he held back for a long time not to speak of it.After another four days, they were still walking on this piece of lifeless grass, and the surrounding scenery hardly changed; the only change was that the Wind and Cloud Hill began to slowly disappear behind the horizon, while the mountains in front were once again Get closer.They had not seen any sign of the enemy since the shouts many days ago, and were not sure whether the enemy continued to follow their line.They dreaded the night so much that they sent at least two people to stand guard every night, anticipating that at any moment they would see shadows rushing towards them in the moonlight;They didn't sense any evil aura like the raid that day.It would be too optimistic to say that the Black Knight has lost track.Maybe they're somewhere in a tight spot waiting to sneak up on them?

At the end of the fifth day, the terrain slowly rose again, leading everyone slowly out of the low valley they had entered before.Godwalker is now leading the crowd to the northeast again.On the sixth day they finally reached the top of the hill, and they could see a wide forest and hills in front of them, and the road appeared again before everyone's eyes; on the right was a river that reflected gray light in the weak sunlight.Farther away was another river that ran through a misty valley. "We're afraid we'll have to go back to the highway again," Strider said. "We have now come to the Howling River, which the Elves call the Misesel. It flows all the way to the Eden Moor, which is north of Rivendell, where the Trolls were defeated, and then in the south and the Loudwater The River Confluence. Some people have called it the Gray Flood River since then. The river is quite rough until it enters the sea. There is no way to cross the river from below the Eden Moor. Only the last bridge passed by the road can cross this river."

"What's the name of the farther river?" Merry asked. "That is the Loudwater, the river that rises from Rivendell," answered the Strider. "The road goes over the bridge and up the hill for many miles to Brunan's Ferry. But I haven't figured out how to cross that river yet. One problem at a time! I can only hope that the Last Bridge doesn't It’s good to be guarded.” Early the next morning they were at the edge of the avenue.Sam and Strider went forward to inquire first, but they didn't see any trace of travelers or knights.There were traces of rain under the shadow of the hill, which the Striker judged to be about two days ago, and thus washed away all the footprints.As far as he could judge, no one on horseback had passed by since then. They went on as fast as they could, and after a mile or two they came in sight of the final bridge at the bottom of the steep slope.They were very worried that they would see a black figure standing on the bridge. After confirming that no one was on the bridge, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.Godwalker let them hide in the bushes by the roadside, and went up to find out what happened first. Not long after, he rushed back. "I found no trace of the enemy," he said, "and I began to wonder what was behind it. Besides, I found something very strange." He opened his palm, revealing an emerald green gemstone. "I found this thing in the mud in the middle of the bridge," he said. "It's an emerald, an elf gem. I'm not sure if it was put there on purpose, or if it was dropped by accident; but it gives me new hope. I take it as a sign that the bridge is safe to cross, But after that, I dare not continue on the avenue without any obvious signs." They set off immediately.A group of people passed the small bridge safely, only the sound of the river washing on the three bridge pillars was heard in their ears.After walking another mile, they found another narrow path that turned to the left of the road.The traveler walked into the forest from here, and soon, everyone was surrounded by many trees under the low hills. The hobbits were glad to leave the dangerous roads and the dead prairie; but the new scene before them seemed dangerous.As they continued to move forward, the hills on both sides gradually rose.People can occasionally see the ruins of ancient stone walls or towers through the dense vegetation: these buildings have a sinister atmosphere.Since Frodo was on horseback, he had extra time to think.He remembered what Bilbo had said about the ruins of some hideous towers on the north side of the road, near the Troll Forest where he had first encountered danger.Frodo guessed that they were all probably now very near the same district, and began to consider the possibility of passing through the same place. "Who lives in this place?" he asked. "Who built these towers? Is this the home of the trolls?" "No!" said Strider. "Trolls don't build. No one lives here. Humans settled here long ago, but they are gone now. According to legend, they fell under the magical influence of Angmar and became an evil people. But in the war to overthrow the northern kingdom, everything was destroyed. This is a long time ago, and even the hills have forgotten the past deeds, and only the evil spirit is still floating around." "If the earth has forgotten all this, how did you know it?" asked Pippin. "Flying birds and beasts probably wouldn't tell such a story." "The children of Elendil will never forget the past," said the Strider. "Rivendell has preserved more past history than I know." "Have you been to Rivendell?" asked Frodo. "I've been," said Strider. "I lived there once, and I will return there whenever I have the chance. My heart yearns for it, but my fate does not allow me to take time out in Elrond's mansion." The hills began to slowly surround the crowd.The road behind them continued toward the Brunnen, but was now obscured by hills.A group of people entered a dark and silent narrow valley.There are many old trees with intertwined roots on the cliff, and there are many towering pine trees behind. The hobbit felt weary.They can only walk slowly, because there is no obvious road here; everyone can only carefully avoid rocks and broken tree trunks, while praying that they are walking in the right direction.They avoided as far as they could climb any slope, considering Frodo's condition; and indeed they could find no easy way out of the valley.They had been in this valley for two days when the weather turned wet.The wind began to change direction, blowing from the west, turning the moisture of the sea into torrential rain on the mountaintops.By night, they were all drenched and demoralized, unable to light a campfire.On the second day, the mountain was still rising steeply, and everyone was forced to go north, away from the originally planned path.Skywalker is getting nervous; the group has left Fengyunding for ten days, and the dry food is almost running out.The heavy rain still kept falling. That night they camped against a narrow, shallow cave in the rock face.Frodo tossed and turned sleeplessly.The damp and cold made his wounds hurt more than before, and the deadly cold took away what little sleep he had.He lay in pain, listening helplessly to all kinds of noises at night: the sound of strong wind blowing through the rock gap, the ticking sound of water droplets falling, and the loud noise of rocks rolling down.He felt that the black shadows began to keep approaching again, taking his breath away; but when he turned his head away, he could only see the Walker hunched over, smoking a pipe and paying attention to every move around him.He lay down again and began to have disturbing nightmares.In his dream, he was back in Shire's garden again, but the grass and trees were not as clear as the black shadows by the fence. He woke up in the morning to find that the rain had stopped.The clouds are still thick, but they have begun to dissipate slowly, and the blue sky is slowly appearing among the clouds.The wind began to change again.They didn't set off right away.After eating a simple breakfast, God Walker left alone, and ordered everyone to hide in the cliff cave and wait for his return.If possible, he said he was going to climb up the mountain to see the surrounding environment. When he came back, there was a worried look on his face. "We're too far north," he said, "and we're going to have to find a way to turn back south these days. If we keep going in this direction, we'll end up in the Eaton Vale, far north of Rivendell. That's where food Shemale land, I don't know much about that. Maybe we can turn back to Rivendell from the north, but it will take longer, I don't know the exact way, and our food is fast Not enough. Anyway, we have to find a way to get to Brunan's Ferry quickly." The rest of the day was spent trying to traverse the rough terrain.They found a road leading to another valley in the valley, and that direction happened to be towards the southeast, which was the direction they had planned.But in the evening, their future was once again blocked by a high ground.There are many jagged giant rocks on the high ground, leaving no gaps like jagged teeth.They were forced to face two choices, one is to turn back, the other is to climb over. They decided to climb over; but it was not easy.It was not long before Frodo was forced to dismount and struggled on foot.Even so, they often have to struggle to find a way up for themselves or for the pony.It had almost completely darkened and by the time we finally reached the summit, everyone was exhausted.They were now in the gentle saddle between two mountains, and not far away the ground began to drop sharply again.Frodo fell and lay trembling on the ground.He had lost all feeling in his right arm, and his entire shoulder and right side of his body felt as if cold claws had gripped him.The surrounding trees and rocks became ghostly shadows in his eyes. "We can't go any further," Merry said to the Strider. "I'm afraid Frodo won't last. I'm very worried about his condition. What shall we do? Even if we make it to Rivendell, do you think they can cure him?" "We'll find out when the time comes," Strider said. "There's nothing I can do in the middle of nowhere. The reason I'm on the road is because of his injuries. However, I agree that I won't be able to go on tonight. " "What did my master do?" Sam lowered his voice and looked at the Strider pitifully. "His wound was small and healed. The only mark is a small white spot on his shoulder." "Frodo was wounded by the weapon of the Demon King," said the Strider. "There is some kind of poison or evil force in him that I cannot expel. Sam, I can only advise you not to give up hope!" Night gradually fell on the plateau.They lit a small campfire at the base of an old pine tree, and took shelter in a small recess in the rock.This groove seems to have been dug artificially.The group huddled against each other for warmth, and the strong wind blew through the pass relentlessly, and they could hear the trees bending down and howling.Frodo dreamed, half asleep, that a pair of black wings descended, on which were the black knights who were hunting him up and down the sea. In the morning, the weather became warmer, and yesterday's rain seemed to wash away the dust in the sky, making everything clearer.Everyone felt greatly encouraged, but still wished for the sun to warm their stiff and cold limbs.After daybreak, the Traveler took Meri to the east of the highland to spy on the nearby terrain.When they returned with good news, the sun also began to shine warmly.They were already heading in the right direction, and if they kept going down, the mountains would have been to their left, which was exactly as they had planned.Shenxingke also saw the trace of the Xuanshui River not far away; although he could not see it yet, he knew that the place closest to them in the Xuanshui River was the intersection of the avenue and the ferry. "We have to get back on the road again quickly," he said. "No matter how long you walk in this mountainous area, it is impossible to find any other road. No matter what dangers there are on the road, it is the only way to the ferry." As soon as breakfast was finished, they set off at once.A group of people walked south along the steep slope of the highland slowly.Fortunately the road was easier than they had imagined, for the slope on this side was not as steep as the other.Bill's poor pony was also very cleverly picking a smooth path now, trying not to shake or make the owner uncomfortable.Everyone felt that the burden on their hearts had been let go.In this beautiful morning light, even Frodo felt much better; but occasionally he felt a white mist drifting by before his eyes, and rubbed his eyes involuntarily. Pippin led the way ahead of them all.He turned around suddenly and yelled. "There's a path ahead!" As they followed, the group saw that he hadn't been mistaken: this was indeed the beginning of a trail, winding its way around many undulations and into distant hills.Occasional areas of the trail are obscured by thick vegetation or falling rocks, but it looks like it was once a heavily trafficked road.This is a path made with strong arms and strong feet.A group of people continued to move forward, and from time to time they could see signs of people moving rocks away or breaking branches. This road saved them a lot of effort, but no one dared to take it lightly.Especially when the trail gets wider and wider as it enters the forest, it makes people have a bad feeling.The trail descends abruptly down a slope and turns sharply to the left around a wooded hill.As they rounded the bend, they noticed that the trail led off to a tree-lined cliff.There is a huge stone gate hanging crookedly on the rock wall. Everyone stopped at the door.Behind the door was a huge cave or chamber, but nothing could be seen clearly in this dimly lit forest.Striker, Merry, and Pippin managed to push the door open with all their strength.Pilgrim walks into the door with Merry.They didn't go far, because there were bones all over the place, and in the dim light, only a few broken bottles and jars could be seen near the door. "This must have been a troll's cave once!" said Pippin. "Come out, you two, hurry up. We already know who made this path, we'd better finish it!" "I don't think there's any need to be so nervous," said Walker, stepping out. "This is indeed a troll cave, but it's been abandoned for a long time. I don't think we should worry about it. But it's better to be careful, and we'll find out when the time comes." The path continued beyond the door again, and then it turned to the right and went up another slope.Pippin did not let the wanderer see that he was still uneasy, so he deliberately ran to Merry's side.Sam and the Strider walked behind, each guarding Frodo; for the road was now wide enough for four or five hobbits walking abreast.They had not gone far, however, when Pippin came running back with Merry.Both men looked terrified. "Trolls ahead!" gasped Pippin. "It's in a clearing not far away. We saw them through a gap in the woods. They're so big!" "Let's go and see," Strider picked up a branch and stepped forward.Frodo said nothing, but Sam looked terribly frightened. Now it was the middle of the day, the scorching sun pierced through the gaps in the forest, shining mottledly on the ground.A group of people stopped at the edge of the woods, held their breath and carefully peeked inside.Three tall trolls were standing there.One bent over, while the other two looked at him. Shenxingke stepped forward indifferently. "Get up, old stone statue!" He swung hard, breaking the branch in his hand in half. Nothing happened.The hobbits were startled, and even Frodo laughed. "Haha!" he said. "We have forgotten the story of our own family! This must be the three trolls that Gandalf set up, and they were arguing about how to cook thirteen dwarves and a hobbit." "How did we come this way?" said Pippin.He knew the story well.Bilbo and Frodo relished the story.But in fact, he always thought that the other party was bragging.Even now, he watched the trolls suspiciously, wondering if some magic might wake them up suddenly. "Not only have you forgotten the story of your own home, but you have forgotten the way of life of the trolls," said Strider, "it is the middle of the day, and you dare to come back and tell me that there are trolls sitting on the grass Basking in the sun! Also, you didn’t notice that there is a bird’s nest behind the head of a troll. For a living troll, this decoration is too unique!” They all laughed heartily.Frodo felt much better: the evidence of Bilbo's adventures reassured him.The sun shone warmly on his body, and the white fog in front of his eyes seemed to dissipate a little.They rested a while on the prairie and had lunch in the shadow of the troll's big feet. "Is there anyone willing to play us a song in the middle of the day?" Meri asked happily after everyone finished eating. "We haven't told stories or listened to songs for days." "Not since Weathertop," said Frodo.The others looked at him anxiously. "Don't worry about me!" he added. "I feel better, but still not good enough to sing. Maybe Sam can come up with some songs to sing." "Come on, Sam!" said Merry. "There are a lot of good things in your head that you haven't shared with us." "I don't know about it," Sam said. "How about not knowing this? I wouldn't call this a poem, because it's mostly nonsense. But Mr. Bilbo's story reminds me of the song again." He stood up, hands clasped behind his back, as if Singing an old melody like endorsing at school. The troll sits alone on a stone seat, Keep gnawing on an old skeleton; He's been eating it for years, Because it is really hard to find fresh meat! Eat fresh meat!Taste the fresh meat! He lives alone in a cave in the mountains with nothing to do, Because fresh meat is hard to find. Tom came running in his big boots, He said to the troll, "Boss, what's that?" Looks a lot like my Uncle Tim's calf bone, It should be put in the big cemetery. Spirit Bone Tower!Big cemetery! Tim has hung up for so long, I always thought he was still lying in the grave. "Boy," said the troll, "this bone was stolen. Because, what's the use of the bones in the hole? Your uncle is dead long ago, I will use his bones. Bone to chew!Use the bone! His whole body has few bones and no pain, Just let me, a troll, chew on it. " Tom said, "You're a strange fellow, No one agrees to grab it by force, Regardless of whether it is a leg or a butt, he is still my dad's good brother; Hand over the old bones! Pay me!Hand it over! Even if he hangs up, it's still his big ass; Hand over the old bones! " "Just take a little effort," the troll grinned and walked over, "I'll eat you up and nibble your little ass. Swallow the fresh sweet meat and immediately gain strength! Try it now. Smell it!Lick it! I'm tired of gnawing on his old skeleton, Now it's time to make you fresh raw meat. " When he thought supper was served, But found nothing caught. Tom dodges long before the troll strikes Prepare to teach him a hard lesson. Good lesson!Lesson! Tom wants to kick his big ass, This is how to teach him a hard lesson. The bones and skin of the troll are as hard as a big stone wall, Because of the wind and rain every day, he became the boss of the mountain. Like kicking up a great cliff, The other party didn't care at all. I don't care!don't care! The troll heard Tom groaning, Can't help but start laughing because his toes know it. After returning home, Tom shouted, and his feet received everyone's laughter, Swollen as big as a loaf; Trolls don't care, Still gnawing big bones, Dead bones!old bones! The troll seat is still there, Still gnawing on other people's old bones! * "Wow! That's a good lesson!" Merry said with a smile. "Skywalker, it's a good thing you used branches instead of feet!" "Where did you learn that, Sam?" asked Pippin. "I've never heard the words before?" Sam mumbled something. "He made it up himself," said Frodo. "I really saw the potential of Sam Gainji this time. First he conspired against me, and then he became a bard. Maybe he will become a wizard or a warrior in the future!" "Hope not," Sam said. "I don't want to be either!" ＊＊＊ In the afternoon they continued deeper into the forest.A group of people may be following the path walked by Gandalf, Bilbo and the dwarves.After a few more miles, the road was far away from the Howling River, letting it run alone in the narrow valley, and advancing close to the hills, bypassing forests and hillsides all the way, heading towards the Misty Mountains and the ferry .After walking not far, Shenxingke found a stone on the grass.It is inscribed with weather-beaten runes and secret symbols of the dwarves. "Look!" said Merry, "this must be the mark that marks the place where the Troll's treasure is kept. I say, Frodo, how much Bilbo has?" Frodo looked at the stone and wished Bilbo had not brought back such a remarkable and indestructible treasure. "He must have taken none," he said. "Bilbo gave it all away. He said that since it was taken by trolls, he didn't think it should belong to anyone." In the evening, the avenue, hidden in the shadow of trees, was deserted.With no other way, they climbed down the hill, turned left and walked as fast as they could.Soon, the hills blocked the light of the setting sun.A cold wind blew down from the mountains ahead. They were about to find a place away from the road, where they could camp and rest at night; suddenly there was a sound behind them that awakened everyone's horrible memories: the sound of horseshoes.Everyone turned their heads in unison, but they couldn't see who the visitor was due to the dense forest along the road.Regardless of their previous work, they immediately rushed to the bushes on the hillside where they could hide their tracks.After they hid their figures, they looked out from the bushes to observe the movement on the road thirty feet away.The sound of horseshoes was getting closer, and the speed was very fast, with the sound of jingling.Then, under the breeze blowing, everyone seemed to hear the sound of small bells hitting again. "That doesn't sound like the Black Rider's mount!" Frodo listened carefully.The other hobbits agreed with him hopefully, but they were still suspicious and did not dare to show themselves easily.They have been hunted down for a long time to the point where they are like soldiers and snakes.But Godwalker is now lying on the ground, with one hand rolled into a cup shape and sticking to the soil, with a joyful expression on his face. It was getting darker and darker, and the leaves in the bushes began to shake slightly, making tiny noises.The sound of the bell became more and more clear, accompanied by the clang of the bell and the sound of the horse's hooves.Suddenly, a white horse galloped past everyone like a shooting star.In the twilight, it can be seen that its bridle is dotted with many shining ornaments, as if it is covered with gems like stars.The knight's cloak billowed behind him, and the dropped hood made his fair hair dance in the air.In Frodo's eyes, there seemed to be a white light emanating from the knight's body as if through silk. Skywalker jumped out and rushed to the side of the avenue, shouting to attract the other party's attention.Before he could do anything, though, the knight had stopped and looked in their direction.When he saw the pilgrim, he dismounted immediately and ran to him and said: *Ai na vedui D□nadan! Mae govannen!* This clear and sweet voice made everyone doubt that he is an elf.No other creature in this world can have such a beautiful voice.However, they seemed to hear panic and fear from the call, and they also noticed that he was talking to God Walker in a hurry. Soon, Strider motioned for them all to come down; the group left the hiding place and came down. "This is Glorfindel who lives in Elrond's house." Traveler introduced. "Good day, everyone!" said the elf nobleman to Frodo. "I was sent from Rivendell to look for you. We fear you may be in danger on the way." "Has Gandalf arrived in Rivendell, then?" asked Frodo happily. "Not yet. He hadn't arrived when I set off; however, that was nine days ago," Glorfindel replied. 「爱隆收到一些让人很担心的消息。我们有些同胞踏进了巴兰督因河（注一）之后的区域，发现了情况不对劲，于是立刻把消息传过来。他们说九骑士已经出动了；而你们又在没有引导的状况下背负著重担远行；因为甘道夫没有回来。连瑞文戴尔之中都没有多少力量可以对抗九骑士；但爱隆派出了所有拥有足够能力的人往北、西、南方寻找你们的踪迹。我们担心你们可能为了躲避追捕而刻意绕路，迷失在荒野中。」 「我的任务是沿著大路走，在七天以前的晚上于米塞塞尔桥上留下了一个记号。当时桥上有三名索伦的奴仆镇守著，我一路把他们赶往西边；路上又遇到了另外两名，但他们则是往南躲。从那之后，我就开始仔细搜寻你们留下的踪迹。两天前我找到了你们的足迹，跟著走上米塞塞尔桥；今天我又发现你们再度从丘陵区域进入了大路。先别提这些！我们没时间交换消息了。既然你们人在这里，我们就必须冒险从大道赶回去。我们身后有五名骑士在追赶；如果他们发现你们的踪迹，会像黑风一样的追来。而且，我们所面对的危险还不只这样，其他的四骑士在何处我们还不确定。我担心渡口可能已经被攻占了。」 当葛罗芬戴尔在说话的时候，夜色已经完全降临；佛罗多觉得非常疲倦。从太阳一落下开始，他眼前的白雾就逐渐变浓，并且觉得有道阴影出现在他和朋友之间。此刻，他又被淹没在痛苦的浪潮中，浑身发冷。他身形一个不稳，只得赶快抓住山姆的手臂。 「我的主人受了重伤，」山姆生气的说，「入夜之后他不能赶路。他需要休息才行。」 葛罗芬戴尔一把扶住佛罗多，小心翼翼的抱住他，脸色忧虑的打量著他的情况。 神行客简短叙述了在风云顶遭到攻击的情形，以及那柄要命的小刀。他掏出刻意保管的刀柄，交给精灵。葛伦芬戴尔一收下刀柄，就打了个寒颤，但还是强忍著不适，仔细的看著它。 「刀柄上写著邪恶的咒文，」他说，「不过你可能看不见。亚拉冈，你先继续保管它，务必将它带到爱隆的住所去！千万小心，尽量不要碰触这东西！真糟糕！这刀所造成的伤害不是我能治的好的。我会尽量帮忙，但正因为这样，我必须请求你们不眠不休的赶路。」 他用手指摸索著佛罗多肩膀上的伤口，表情越来越凝重，他所发现的状况彷佛让他变得更加不安。不过，佛罗多却觉得刺骨的寒意开始慢慢消退，一点暖意从他的肩膀流入到他的手臂，疼痛也减轻了些。四周的环境似乎也变得清晰了一点，云雾似乎被某种力量抽走了。在他眼中，朋友的面孔变得更清楚了些，他开始觉得体内充满了新希望和新力量。 「你最好骑我的马，」葛罗芬戴尔说。「我会把马镫收到马鞍边，你必须尽可能的夹紧双腿。不过，你也不用害怕，我的座骑绝不会让任何我令它搭载的骑士落马。它的步伐很轻、很快，如果危机靠近，它会以连黑骑士的座骑都追不上的神速带你逃离。」 「不，我不愿意这样做！」佛罗多说。「如果你们要让我就这样被送进瑞文戴尔，让我的朋友们独自面对危险，我绝不愿这样做。」 葛罗芬戴尔笑了。「我可不这么认为，」他说，「如果你不在他们身边，他们可能就不会遇到任何的危险！我想，对方应该会放过我们，直接把你当做目标。佛罗多，是你，和你身上所携带的宝物，让我们身陷危机。」 佛罗多并没有回答，他最后终于被说服坐上葛罗芬戴尔的白马。于是他们将大部分的行李放到小马身上，众人走起来都轻松多了，一开始的速度快多了；不过，过了不久之后，他们就发现自己很难跟上精灵那永不疲倦的步伐。他领著众人走进扑天盖地的黑暗中。天上没有星辰也没有月亮，一直到了天亮之后，他才让一行人停下脚步。皮聘、梅里和山姆到了那个时候都已经快要站著睡著了；连神行客看起来都有些弯腰驼背、面露疲色。佛罗多坐在马背上，彷佛陷入黑暗的睡梦中。 他们一夥人精疲力尽，倒在路旁几码外的树丛中，几乎立刻就睡著了。葛罗芬戴尔则是自顾自的坐在旁边不睡，替大家站哨。当他叫醒大家的时候，众人觉得才刚阖眼一般，浑身依旧非常酸痛。太阳现在已经高高挂在天空，昨夜的雾气和云朵也全都散去了。 「喝下这个！」葛伦芬戴尔从他腰间的镶银皮水壶中倒给每人一小杯饮料。这东西清澈的像是山泉水，无色无味，在嘴中完全没有冰凉或是温暖的感觉；但一种新生的活力立刻开始涌入他们的全身。在喝了这神奇的饮料之后，他们仅剩的走味面包和乾果似乎成为难得的珍馐美味，比夏尔的宴席还要让人满意。 他们休息不到五个小时之后就继续上路了。葛罗芬戴尔丝毫不敢松懈，一路催促大家赶路，只有两次在路旁稍做休息。靠著如此日夜兼程的急行军方式，他们在天黑前就赶了二十哩路，大道现在右转进入了一个谷地，直直朝向布鲁南渡口而去。到目前为止，哈比人都没有发现任何追兵的踪迹或身影；但葛罗芬戴尔却常常停下脚步，仔细倾听著后方的动静。如果他们脚步稍稍减缓，他的脸上就会出现愁容。中间有一两次他还用精灵语和神行客交谈了几句。 不过，不管他们的向导有多么著急，当晚这些哈比人都再也走不动路了。到最后他们都变得步履踉跄，满脑子只能想著赶快休息。佛罗多的疼痛又加倍了，白天在他的视线中变得一片灰白。他几乎开始喜欢上降临的夜色，因为在夜色中看来一切反而没有那么孤寂苍白。 第二天早上，当哈比人再度出发时，他们的状况依旧没有好到哪里去。他们和渡口之间依旧还有很多哩路要走，小脚也只好尽可能的跨步赶路。 「在我们抵达河边以前，我们的情况最危险，」葛罗芬戴尔说，「因为我开始觉得追兵就紧追在后，而渡口那边可能还会有其他的埋伏。」 大道依旧持续的缓降下坡，两旁的草地也变得茂盛许多；哈比人有时刻意走在草地上，好让疲倦的双脚舒服些。到了下午的时候，他们走到一块被松林所包围的区域，大道在此深入两边都被红色岩石所包围的隧道中。当他们急忙向前的时候，许多脚步声在隧道中回响，让人开始疑神疑鬼。接著，毫无预警的，这道路就来到了开阔的平原上。他们可以看见前方是一望无际的平坦大地，一段距离以外就是瑞文戴尔渡口。在更远的地方则是褐色的陡坡，上面妆点著几条曲折的小径；在那之后则是一路高耸入云，峰峰相连的高山。 不过，他们身后传来了诡异的回声，彷佛之前的脚步声还没有消失一般。同时松树也开始摇晃起来，似乎有强风快速的从后方吹来。葛罗芬戴尔转头看了片刻，立刻奋力冲向前，口中大喊著。 「快跑！」他大叫。「快跑！敌人就在我们背后！」 白色的骏马立刻放开四蹄往前奔驰。哈比人们立刻快速的跳下斜坡，葛罗芬戴尔和神行客负责殿后。眼前的平原还没走到一半，身后就传来了马匹急驰的声响。从树林中冲出一名黑骑士，他勒住缰绳停了下来，身体摇晃了几下。接著出现了另一名骑士，然后是另一名，另外两名则是最后才出现。 「快跑！快！」葛罗芬戴尔对佛罗多大喊。 他并没有立刻照做，因为有种奇异的渴望拖住了他。他让白马放慢脚步，转头看著背后。骑士们坐在黑色的骏马上，如同黑色的雕像一般睥睨山丘下的众人，他们完全不把四周所有的森林和山坡放在眼里。佛罗多的手离开缰绳，从腰间掏出带著红光的宝剑。 「快骑！快跑！」葛罗芬戴尔依旧不停的大喊，接著他只得对骏马用精灵语大喊：* noro lim, noro lim, Asfaloth ! * 白色神驹立刻一跃而起，如同狂风一般扫过平坦的大道。同一瞬间，黑骑士们策马奔下山坡，开始急起直追；骑士发出了一声凄厉的叫喊声，就正是当初他在夏尔东区所听到的那种撕心裂肺的恐怖声响。接下来的状况让众人措手不及：四名骑士从左方的树林和岩石间跃出，两名试著阻挡佛罗多的去路，另两名则奔向渡口，准备充当最后的防线。在佛罗多的眼中，朝他急驰过来的黑马和骑士似乎越变越大，越来越黑暗，而双方的路线不久之后就将交会。 佛罗多回头看著背后的情况；他已经看不见朋友了。身后的黑骑士则是正在慢慢的落后，即使是他们的黑色座骑也无法追上葛罗芬戴尔的精灵神驹。他又再往前一看，所有的希望一瞬间全都消失了。在他看来，他们完全没有机会躲过这埋伏的四名骑士，及时到达渡口。他现在可以清清楚楚的看见这些骑士的外貌；他们已经脱去了黑色的外袍，露出底下灰白色的丧袍。他们手中拿著邪恶的钢剑，头上则带著恐怖的头盔。骑士们冰冷的双眼闪动著光芒，口中则发出让人汗毛直立的声响。 佛罗多觉得十分害怕。他的心思不再放在宝剑上了。他也发不出呼救声。他闭上眼，紧抓著神驹的鬃毛。狂风呼啸吹过他耳边，缰绳上的铃当狂乱的撞击著。一道冰冷的吹息像是利刃一般划过佛罗多的颈子；就在同一瞬间，神驹拔足狂奔，彷佛乘风而飞一般，正好越过最前面的骑士。 佛罗多听见水花四溅的声音。他的脚底下喷溅起许多的水珠。他觉得骏马已经离开了河流，正在快步奔上河岸旁的小径。它正在攀爬著陡坡、正要越过这最后的渡口。 但追兵依旧紧追不舍。到了坡顶，骏马停了下来，转过身，发出紧张的嘶声。九名骑士现在齐聚水边。佛罗多看见他们眼中透出的怨毒之色，不禁浑身发抖。他知道没有任何力量可以阻止骑士越过河流，更没有信心自己可以在黑骑士的追击下从渡口一路逃到瑞文戴尔去。他的胸口开始聚集许多的怨恨之气，而这次他已经无力抵抗。 突然间，为首的骑士策马向前。那匹马踏了一下水，就不安的以后脚站立起来。佛罗多拼尽全身力气，坐直身子，高举著手上的宝剑。 「滚回去！」他大喊著。「快滚回魔多去！不要再跟踪我了！」他的声音连自己听起来都十分的尖利、虚弱。骑士们停了下来，但佛罗多并没有庞巴迪的力量。他的敌人只是用沙哑冰冷的笑声嘲笑他。「快回来！快回来！」他们大喊著。「我们会带著你一起去魔多！」 「快滚！」他无力的低语道。 「夺魔戒！夺取魔戒！」他们用致命的低吼声道出唯一的目标。为首的骑士立刻策马奔入河中，另两名骑士也紧跟在后。 「以伊尔碧绿丝和露西安之名，」佛罗多举起宝剑，以最后的力气说，「你们无法得到我和魔戒！」 正过河到一半的黑骑士首领突然间从马上站了起来，高举起手。佛罗多被一阵恶寒笼罩。他觉得心脏剧烈的跳动，嘴巴也僵住了。他的宝剑匡当一声，从他颤抖的手中掉了下来。精灵神驹也开始不安的后退。最前方的黑骑士几乎已经要踏上河岸。 突然间，洪水狂吼著如排山倒海般袭来。佛罗多呆呆的看著底下的河流暴涨，沿著河道涌入如同千军万马一般的大水。在佛罗多模糊的意识中，他似乎在水中看见了白衣白甲，骑著白马的骑士；人马似乎都在胸前镶著白色火焰的麾记。三名还在河中央的骑士立刻被淹没，突然间消失在愤怒的浪潮中。还在河两侧的骑士则是不安的后退。 佛罗多最后听见了一声暴吼；他依稀看见在已经上岸的骑士背后出现了一个浑身笼罩在白光中的人影；在他身后则是许多小人影挥舞著火焰，整个世界彷佛都被包笼在灰色的迷雾中。 黑骑士的座骑开始不听使唤的乱跑，在惊恐中带著骑士一头跳进汹涌的河水中。他们刺耳的尖叫声被滔滔的洪水给淹没了。佛罗多觉得自己倒了下来，那震耳欲聋的声响似乎将他和敌人都一起吞没进混乱的世界中。一切都消失在他眼前。 注一：即为烈酒河