Chapter 22 Section 9: Big River

Frodo was awakened by Sam.He found himself lying on the ground, wrapped in a warm cloak, under a gray grove on the west bank of the river Anduin.He had slept through the night, the gray morning light had begun to shine through the trees, and Gimli was busy lighting a small fire. They set off again before the sky was bright, and not every member was eager to go south. They were glad that they didn't need to make a rush to make a decision now, and they could wait until the future to make up their minds before Laros Falls.They let the river carry them forward at their own pace, not rushing into danger in either direction.Aragorn let them float the river as they wished, while gathering strength for the future.But he insisted that at least every day should start early and stop at the very end.Because he felt in his heart that precious time was still passing by, and when they stayed in Lothlorian, the Dark Lord was not idle.

Needless to say, they didn't see any trace of the enemy that day, and it was the same the next day. They lived like this day by day, without any ups and downs in the journey.On the east bank they could see stretches of indistinct slopes; they looked tawny and withered, as if freshly burned by wild fire, leaving no trace of green.There wasn't even a single tree or rock standing in this unholy wasteland.They had come to the vast wasteland between Southern Mirkwood and Emmyn Mawr, the region called the Brownfields, and even Aragorn did not know what kind of disease, war, or trick of the devil king, so they sent This place has become so scary.

They saw the west, and the land on the right was also bare, but the only difference was that at least it was flat, sometimes interspersed with large patches of green grass.There are many weeds and forests on this side of the river, which almost cover the entire west line of sight, so the boat can't see anything when it approaches.Occasionally there would be openings in the weeds, and suddenly Frodo would see long stretches of pasture, blackly outlined on the far horizon, the southernmost region of the Misty Mountains. Except for birds, there are no living things in Siye, but there are relatively many types of birds.Wild birds will make calls in the weeds and look for food everywhere, but the partners rarely see them looking for food.Occasionally, everyone even heard a shrill neighing sound from the sky, and when they looked up, they saw a huge swan flying across the sky.

"Swan!" said Sam, "What a big one!" "Yes," said Aragorn, "and they are black swans." "How desolate this land looks!" said Frodo feebly. "I always thought it would get warmer and happier the farther south you went, and farther away from winter." "Because we have not gone far enough south," answered Aragorn; "it is still winter, and we are far from the sea. It will be cold here until early spring, and we may even see snowflakes again. Far away in Belfara Siwan, if there is no influence of the demon king, maybe it will be warm and happy, but according to my guess, this place may be less than 180 miles away from the southern part of your Shire. What you are seeing is the big city at the northern end of the Hussar Kingdom. The plain, that is, Rohan, the home of the Shepherd King. Soon, we should be able to come to the confluence of the Linlai River and see Fangorn Forest, which is the northern border of Rohan. In ancient times, the Linlai River and All the land between the White Mountains belongs to Rohan. It is a rich and fertile land, and the grasslands are the richest; but in this troubled time no one dares to live by the river nor ride a horse Near here. Anduin is indeed very wide, but the arrows of goblins can easily fly over her river. Recently, even goblins have boldly crossed Anduin and directly plundered the horses and livestock grazing in Rohan .”

Sam looked uneasily at the banks on either side.In his eyes, the original trees looked threatening, as if there were countless enemies hidden.Now, he hoped that the trees were still there, at least to hide the enemy's sight; not to expose everyone in the middle of the river, or even on the border where the two armies were fighting. For the next day or two they continued heading south, and all the team members were now beginning to feel that uneasy feeling that they would automatically pick up their oars and paddle hard all day long.Soon the river becomes wider and shallower, with a rocky beachhead on the east bank and hidden eddies beneath the surface, so extra care must be taken by boaters.The brownfields turned into high, undulating wastelands, blown by cold winds from the east.The scenery on the other side of the grassland also changed, slowly transforming into a swamp where grass gathered.Frodo could not help thinking of the sun and the gentle showers there a few days before when he had dwelt among the meadows and fountains of Lothlorien.On each ship there is very little talking or laughing, and each member's time is spent in contemplation.

Legolas' mind was running on the summer grassland between the northern forests, while Gimli was thinking about the details of making gold, wondering if it was suitable for storing the Queen's gift.Merry and Pippin on the middle boat were very disturbed, because Boromir kept talking to himself, and sometimes he even showed a very troubled expression, biting his nails, or picked up the oar, and involuntarily rowed close to Ya. Lagon's boat.When Pippin, who was sitting in the bow, looked back, he found that the other party was staring at Frodo, with a strange light in his eyes.Sam was reluctant to believe that the boat was less dangerous than he had imagined, but it was much more uncomfortable than he had imagined.He could do nothing but look at the passing river and the dead winter land on both sides, sore from the long immobility that he dared not hand Sam the responsibility even when they were paddling. .

On the evening of the fourth day, he sat in the prow, looking back at Frodo, Aragorn, and the other boats, and all he wanted was to go ashore as soon as possible and exercise his muscles.Suddenly, he saw something, and at first he stared dumbfounded at the sight, then he rubbed his eyes and took a closer look, but the sight had disappeared. That night, a group of them huddled on a small island near the east coast.Sam is wrapped in a blanket and sleeps next to Frodo. "I had a strange dream an hour or two before we stopped, Mr. Frodo," said he, "or it wasn't a dream, but it was very funny."

"Well, what's the matter?" Frodo, knowing that Sam would not be at ease if he did not tell the story, let him do so. "It's been a long time since I left Lothlorien." "It's not that funny, Mr Frodo, I should say it's weird. It's all wrong and not quite a dream, you'd better hear me. I see driftwood with eyes. !" "Is the driftwood all right?" said Frodo. "There is plenty of driftwood up the river, and you will just leave those eyes alone!" "I wouldn't do that," said Sam, "and it was those eyes that made me shudder, and I saw a driftwood floating on the water right after Gimli's boat, and I didn't notice it. Then, I noticed that the driftwood seemed to be slowly catching up to us. It was so unnatural because you know we're all floating together on the same river and it doesn't make sense that the water would flow faster... that's when I saw And to the eyes: a pair of white spots, with some sort of special glow, near the knot at the end of the driftwood. And, it doesn't seem like driftwood, because it has webbed feet, almost like those of a swan The feet are the same, just bigger, and they keep rising and falling in the water."

"That's when I sat up, rubbed my eyes, and was ready to yell in case it was still there after I'd chased the sleep out, because whatever it was, it was approaching so fast Gimli. But I don't know if it was those oil lamp-like eyes that spotted me, or I finally regained my senses - when I looked again, it disappeared. But, I feel that when I glanced over with the corner of my eye , there seemed to be some dark shadow hiding on the shore; however, I never saw any eyes or anything like that.” "I said to myself, Sam Gange, you're dreaming again! That's why I kept quiet. But I've thought about it a few times, and now I'm not quite sure. Mr. Frodo, do you think?" How about it?"

"Sam, if this were the first time I heard of such eyes, I should have thought it to be the evening driftwood and the sleepiness in your eyes," said Frodo, "but it is not so, I Had the same experience the night we first arrived in Lórien from the north. I saw a strange creature with bright eyes trying to climb up the lookout, and Halda saw it too. Do you remember the stalking goblins? What did the spirit of the team say?" "Ah," said Sam, "I remember, and I remember more things now. I have a bad head, but after hearing so many things and stories about Mr. Bilbo, I think I can guess That fellow's name. A lousy name, could it be Gollum?"

"Yes, I have been fearing so!" said Frodo. "I have suspected it since that night in the Watchtower, and thought it might have been wandering about in Moria, and met us; but I also I secretly hoped that the time I stayed in Lorien would save us from its pursuit. This poor fellow may have been hiding along the banks of the Silver River from beginning to end, watching us set off!" "Probably so," said Sam, "we'd better be careful, or some night, if we wake up in time, we might find someone choking us, that's my own theory. Tonight Don’t disturb the Strider and other people, just let me watch the night, anyway, I am not much different from the luggage on the ship, I can sleep tomorrow.” "Perhaps," said Frodo, "I might say of you a bag with eyes. You may keep watch, but you must promise me to wake me in the middle of the night if nothing happens. " In the middle of the night, Frodo was shaken awake by Sam from his deep sleep. "I don't want to wake you up!" said Sam in a low voice, "but that's what you told me. Nothing special, at least nothing too special to report to you. Not long ago I heard water and sniffing , However, this kind of strange sound is often heard by the river in the middle of the night.” He lay down, and Frodo sat up wrapped in the blankets, trying to shake the drowsiness away.Time passed by, and nothing happened.Just as Frodo was about to succumb to the sleepy-wools, a dark figure crept up to the shore of the island, parted the grass, and walked up to the place where they all slept.The great luminous eyes looked about, and fixed at last on Frodo.It was within a foot or two of Frodo, and he could distinctly hear the creature's breathing.Frodo jumped to his feet, drew his sword and pierced Needle.The eyes disappeared instantly.After a hissing sound, the water splashed in all directions, and the driftwood-like body continued to float downstream without a sound.Aragorn turned on his side, and sat up at once. "What is it?" he asked in a low voice, walking up to Frodo. "I felt something was wrong when I was sleeping, why did you draw your sword?" "Gollum," answered Frodo, "at least I suppose it is he." "Ah!" said Aragorn, "so you heard that footstep that never ceases, did you not? It followed us all the way through Moria, and at last came to Ninrodel. Since we embarked, he Crouching on the driftwood, paddling on all fours. Once or twice, I tried to catch him at night; but he was more cunning than a fox, more slippery than a loach, and I hoped this long journey up the river would give him up, But it’s really water-based.” "We'd better hurry up tomorrow. You lie down first. I'll be on the watch tonight. I wish I could catch that bastard. We might be able to put him to good use. But if not, we'll have to think There is no way to get rid of it. It is dangerous, in addition to trying to misbehave in the middle of the night, it may attract deadly enemies to follow." That night, Gulu didn't even show a ghost. After that, everyone became more cautious, but they didn't find any trace of Gulu again.If it is still in hot pursuit, then it is really very clever and cunning.Under Aragorn's command they rowed furiously, and watched the banks pass swiftly on either side.However, they don't have much opportunity to know the surrounding environment, because most of their time is nocturnal, and they use it to rest and refresh during the day, while hiding their whereabouts as much as possible.Seven days passed without incident. The sky was still dull gray, and the only wind was from the east.As the sky gradually darkened, the afterglow of the sunset also made the sky colorful and gorgeous.Then, a crescent moon shone on the lake in the distance, reflecting a pure white light.Sam looked at the scene in front of him, his brows furrowed. The next day, the scenery on both sides of the river began to change rapidly, and the terrain of the river banks began to rise and become rocky.Soon, they came to a hilly area, the slopes on both sides were buried under a lot of brambles, vines, and ferns.Behind that terrain were low cliffs, stone pillars covered with ivy, and behind the cliffs were fir trees dying under the strong wind.They were getting closer and closer to Eminmore, the area at the southern end of the wilderness. There are many birds perched on the cliffs and stone pillars, and all kinds of birds hover over their heads all day long, as if there is a cloud of black clouds hanging in the sky all the time.When they camped and rested that day, Aragorn looked anxiously at the birds overhead, wondering if Gollum had done something to expose their whereabouts.Later, when the sun began to set, and they were about to pack their bags and set off, Aragorn suddenly saw a great bird hovering in the sky, and it flew slowly to the south. "What is that, Legolas?" he said, pointing to the northern sky. "Is that a flying eagle, as I thought?" "Yes," said Legolas, "it is a flying eagle, a flying eagle that only hunts. I don't know what that means, but it is quite far from its usual mountain habitat." "We shall wait until after dark," said Aragorn. Then came the night of the eighth day of their journey. It was very still, there was no wind at all, the gray east wind had died down, the new moon was setting early, the sky was still clear, there were shimmering clouds gathering in the south, and there was a cloud in the west. Many shining stars. "Come!" said Aragorn, "to-night we travel by night for the last time, for the next course of the river is unknown to me, and I have never come here by water before, from here to Sarn I'm not even sure about the river between Gables. If I'm right, we've got a long road ahead of us. Even before we reach the rapids, there's plenty of danger ahead, rocks in the middle of the river and Isolated islands are dangers we must avoid, and we must be careful not to paddle too fast.” Since Sam was on the first boat, he took on the job of lookout, and he stared at the sight without blinking.The night was getting darker and darker, but the stars in the sky were shining strangely.It was nearing midnight, and they had been adrift for some time without the use of their oars.Suddenly, Sam began to yell, and a few yards away there were black silhouettes in the river, and everyone could hear the sound of the rushing water.A powerful current rushed everyone to the east bank, where there was less obstruction.When they were driven away, all could see before them a rushing river of many white foams, with sharp rocks in the middle, like sharp teeth to stop any careless traveler, and the boats were all crowded together. "Hey! Aragorn!" Boromir's boat crashed into the lead boat in the rapids. It’s not something a small boat can get through.” "Back, back!" cried Aragorn. "Turn back! Turn back quickly!" He plunged his oars into the water, trying to hold the boat, and began to dock. "My calculations are wrong," he said to Frodo, "I did not know we had come so far, and Anduin was flowing faster than I reckoned, and Sarn Gable must be at hand. " They managed to control the boat and turned back slowly; but when they tried to go upstream, they were swept away by the current and drifted slowly to the east bank of the river, which seemed ominous in the darkness. breath. "Row hard, all!" cried Boromir. "Row fast, or we shall run aground." At the same instant Frodo felt the bottom of the boat scraping against rocks with a grinding sound that made his gums sour. At that moment, they heard the sound of the bowstring snapping, and several arrows shot at them unexpectedly.An arrow caught Frodo in the chest, and he flicked back, losing his oar; luckily the chain mail under his clothes blocked the blow.Another arrow pierced Aragorn's hood, and a third was fastened to the side of the second ship, within inches of Merry's hand.Then Sam saw many black figures running around on the bank of the East River, and they seemed to be very close. "Yrch!" said the astonished Legolas in his own language. "Orcs!" Gimli yelled. "I bet Gollum did it," said Sam to Frodo, "and the place was well chosen, and the river seemed to push us right into their arms." They all stooped and rowed furiously, Even Sam rolled up his sleeves to help, and at any moment they feared that the black-feathered arrow might fall on anyone again.Many arrows flew around them and fell into the river, but none of them hit the mark again.Although the sky was very dark, it shouldn't be a big problem for the half-orcs who were used to night vision. Moreover, under the faint starlight, they must be obvious targets.The only possibility is that Lorien's color-changing cloak and gray elven boat blended into the night and repelled the threat of the archer of Mordor. They paddled hard, one oar at a time, and it was difficult to determine whether they were moving in the dark; but slowly, the current slowed down, and the shadows of the east bank were thrown into the night by them.Finally, they were back in the middle of the river again, avoiding the jagged and strange rocks, and then, with the last bit of strength, they rowed to the west bank.Protected by the shade of the river's shrubs, they moored the boat on the river's edge for respite. Legolas dropped his oars, took up Lorien's longbow, and galloped up to the bank.He bent his bow and set his arrow, aiming at the dark shadows on the other side.With each of his arrows there was a scream from the opposite bank, but nothing could be seen from this side. Frodo looked up at the elf, who was searching for something.He was bathed in the starlight, exuding a noble aura like a saint.However, a large dark cloud suddenly floated from the south, covering the stars, and everyone was surrounded by fear. "El Vires! Girthonel!" Legolas sighed, looking up.At the same time, a dark cloud-like shape floated out of the dark clouds in the south, and flew towards the members of the expedition quickly, blocking all daylight.Soon, the people below began to see clearly that it was a huge winged monster, sucking all the light like a black hole in the night.There was an earth-shattering cheer from the other side, and Frodo felt a chill pass through him that made his heart almost stop; this terrible chill was like an old wound on his shoulder, and it mercilessly soaked his whole body as if soaked in ice water. .He got down on his stomach, ready to hide. Suddenly, Lorien's great bow began to sing, and the sharp piercing sound was accompanied by the sound of the elven bowstring, composing a song of exorcism.The winged monster began to shake almost directly above his head, and then there was a hoarse scream, and it seemed to fall to the eastern bank of the river.Then came many footsteps, cursing and wailing, and then all was quiet.No more arrows were shot from the east bank that night. A short time later, Aragorn led the people up the river, and they groped along the banks until they came to a shallow bay.A few low trees grew close to the water's edge, and behind them a steep rocky slope.The expedition decided to wait out the dawn here, and it was pointless to venture forward that night.They did not pitch camp or light a fire, but huddled in their boats and waited for the dawn. "Thanks to Galadriel for the bow and arrow, and Legolas for the skillful hand and sharp eye!" Gimli said as he chewed a piece of Lambath, "That is a beautiful arrow in the dark, old friend!" "Who knows if it hit?" said Legolas. "I don't know," Gimli replied, "but I'm glad the shadow didn't come any closer. I don't like that situation at all, it reminds me of the shadow of Moria, the shadow of the Balrog." His last words The words were spoken in a low voice. "That's not the Balrog," said Frodo, still shivering at the cold. "It's something colder, I suppose it is—" Then he closed his mouth, lost in thought. "What do you think?" Boromir jumped from the boat, as if eager to see Frodo's face. "I think—well, I'd better not say it," replied Frodo; "whatever it is, its fall is a disappointment to the enemy." "It seems so," said Aragorn, "but we know nothing of the enemy's movements, numbers, or positions. We must not sleep tonight! Darkness may hide our tracks, but who knows what the day will be like?" ? Keep your weapons close at hand!" Sam tapped the hilt of his sword in a bored way, as if counting the number of his fingers, and on the other hand, he also looked up at the sky. "It is strange," he murmured, "that the moon is the same in the Great Moor and in the Shire, but either its course is changed, or my memory of it is faulted. Mr. Frodo, do you still I remember when we were lying on the lookout, the moon was beginning to fade, about a week after the full moon. And last night, a week after we set off, there was still a new moon in the sky, as if we were not in the fairy kingdom at all. It’s like staying in there.” "Yeah, I do remember three of those nights, and I'm afraid a few days passed between them, but I swear we didn't stay for a whole month. People might feel like time has stopped in there!" "Perhaps that is so," said Frodo. "Perhaps, in that land, we were in a time long gone elsewhere. I think the River of Silverlight brought us back to Andor. After the Inn we rejoined the flow of mortal time. And, when I remained in Calas Galadon, I remember nothing of the moon, only the sun by day and the stars by night." Legolas changed positions on the ship. "No, time doesn't stand still," he said, "but those two things, change and growth, aren't the same everywhere. For elves, the world moves around them, sometimes very fast and sometimes very slowly. Fast The reason is that they themselves change very little, the world is changing rapidly relative to them; the reason is slow because they themselves never count the passage of time, at least not for themselves. For them Say, the seasons are nothing but repeated bubbles in the long stream of time. But, under the sun, everything has an end.” "But the weariness is slow in Loriane," said Frodo. "The Queen's power guards all. In Kras Galadon each hour seems short, but it passes richly. , because Galadriel wears the Ring of the Elf." "Once out of Lorien, it should not be mentioned, even to me," said Aragorn. "Say no more! My explanation, Sam, is that in that land you lost The sense of time. Time passes quickly, for us as well as for the elves, and the outside world has just passed a month, while we linger in the beauty. What you saw last night was another month. Winter is almost It is almost over, and we are greeted with a spring without much hope." The night passed silently, and there was no sound from the other side. A group of people hid on the boat and felt the changes in the weather.Dense clouds and mist from the south and the coast made the day wet and muggy, and the sound of the river lapping on the rocky shore seemed to come closer, and the branches overhead began to drip. After dawn, the whole atmosphere seemed to change.The weather around them made them feel a little sad and a little tender.There was fog floating on the river, and the thick white fog rushed to the shore, and now it was completely impossible to see the opposite scene. "I don't really like fog," Sam said, "but this fog is a sign of good luck to me. Maybe we can safely avoid these goddamn orcs without worrying that they will see us." .” "Perhaps," said Aragorn, "but we shall have difficulty finding our way, unless the mist lifts a little later. If we are to go to Emin Mawr through Sarn Gable, we must find our way." " "I don't understand why we must go through the rapids by water, and why we insist on continuing to go by water." Boromir said, "If Emin More is ahead, then we can just abandon these small boats and go west. Go south, cross the Shumu River and enter my home.” "If we are going to Minas Tirith, of course," said Aragorn, "but we have not yet made up our minds, and besides, the road you speak of must be more dangerous than it sounds. The valley of the Shumu Swamps are everywhere, and thick fog is a deadly threat to travelers who walk and carry heavy burdens. Unless necessary, I will never abandon these boats rashly, at least I will not get lost if I follow the river." "But the Demon Lord controls the east coast," Boromir protested. "Even if you pass through the Argonauth Gorge and come to the Burning Rock Heights unhindered, what can you do? Jump down the waterfall and fall into the swamp middle?" "Of course not!" Aragorn replied, "We can carry the boat to the Laros Falls along the ancient road, and then take the waterway. Boromir, do you not know or have deliberately forgotten the northern slope and Amon? The throne built in the ancient dynasty on Mount Han? At least before I decide on a further journey, I must go there to see. Perhaps, we can see further signs there, enough to guide our next journey.” Boromir was very persistent, but in the end, when it became apparent that Frodo would go with Aragorn wherever he went, he had to give up. "Men of Minas Tirith do not abandon their friends in need," he said, "and you will need my strength if you wish to go to the Highlands of Burning Rock. I am willing to go to the Highlands, but not Will go on. From there I'll turn around and go home, and if my assistance doesn't win any friendships, I'll go back alone." The sky is getting brighter and the fog has receded a little.It was unanimously decided that Aragorn and Legolas must go ashore first, and that the others should remain in the ship.The two wanted to find a way to take the three boats and their luggage around the rapids and make their way to a smoother river. "The ship of the elves may be unsinkable," he said, "but that doesn't mean we can cross the rapids of Sarn Gable alive. No one has ever made it before. Nor did the Men of Gondor carve out any river here. road, because, even in the height of their empire, their sphere of influence did not extend beyond Emin Mawr by the great river Anduin. However, if I remember correctly, there is a special transport trail next to it, which does not It may have vanished without a trace, and there were many small boats sailing from the Great Waste to Osgiliath a few years ago, when the Goblins of Mordor began to expand their territories greatly." "I have scarcely seen a ship from the north in my life, and Orcs have always haunted the east bank of the river," said Boromir. "Even if you find your way and keep going, it will only become more and more dangerous along the way." "Every road going south is bound to be dangerous," answered Aragorn; "give us a day, and if we do not return by then, you may know that we have indeed met with doom. Then you must choose a new Leader, follow his guidance as much as possible.” With a heavy heart Frodo watched Legolas and Aragorn climb the steep bank and disappear into the mists;In less than two or three hours, before reaching Zhongshi, the figures of the two reappeared. "All is well," said Aragorn, climbing down from the bank; "there is indeed a way to another Port of Forbidden which is still usable. It is not far, and the beginning of the rapids is about half a mile from here, The length is only more than a mile, and the water flow begins to slow down not far from the rapids. The most difficult task for us is probably how to move so many things to that road. The road has been found, but it is far from here The shore is many tens of yards away, and there is a lot of rough terrain in between. We didn't find its northern entrance, and if it was there, we might have passed it last night. If we were to turn back, in this fog Probably still can't find it. I'm afraid we'll have to get off the river from here and try to get as far as the portage trail." "Even though we're all strong humans, it's not an easy job," Boromir said. "Nevertheless, we must try," said Aragorn. "Ah, yes," said Gimli, "Mr. Boromir, don't forget that a dwarf can easily go on with a load twice his body weight, but a great human will stagger!" The task was indeed very difficult, but in the end it was accomplished.They first moved everything to the flat land on the shore, and then dragged the boat out of the water and sent it to the shore. The boat itself was much lighter than expected.Not even Legolas knew what wood they were carved from in the land of the Elves, but they were strong and light, and Merry and Pippin could easily carry them across the level ground.Of course, to cross the current rough terrain, they would have to be transported by two humans.The slope along the way is very steep, and there are many rock fragments blocking the way, and there are many weeds and thorns on both sides to form a dense shelter, with steep river valleys in the middle, and many potholes filled with smelly water. Aragorn and Boromir moved one ship at a time, and the others followed with their heavy luggage.In the end, the crowd finally moved everything to the trail.Then, apart from some briar stalks that fell on the road, the party met with little hindrance.There is still a dense fog between the nearby rock walls, and there is not much water vapor floating on the river.The crowd could clearly hear the sound of the river lapping against the rocks in the rapids, but they could see nothing in the water vapor. It took them twice to get everything to the difficult wharf. From there, the portage trail began to descend slowly to a clearing next to a small pool.The pool seems to have been dug by the river by the reaction of the large rocks in the river washed away by the torrent of Saen Gaibao.From there, the trail encountered a tall rock face, and there was no further path to continue walking. It's already night, and twilight has begun to gradually cover the earth.They sat and rested by the water and listened to the sound of the waves crashing like thousands of horses; they were all tired and sleepy, and their mood was as low as the sky. "Well, here we are, and it looks like we'll have to spend the night here," said Boromir. "We need sleep, and if Aragorn wants to cross the Gap of Argonath in the dark, we're already too late." Tired. Of course, maybe our dwarves with amazing stamina are an exception." Jin Li didn't answer, he just nodded repeatedly. "Let us rest as much as possible today," said Aragorn resignedly; "tomorrow we must set out at dawn, and unless the weather changes again, we shall be able to hide from the enemies on the east bank and sneak into the river. Tonight, however, there must be two vigils at the same time, every three hours, while the other remains vigilant." Apart from the raindrops before dawn, nothing happened that night.As soon as it was daylight, they set off immediately.The fog had begun to lift and they sailed as close to the west coast as possible.The terrain in front of him gradually changed, and the vague outline began to rise in the fog, and a series of cliffs appeared.过不了多久，云层就越来越低，最后开始下起大雨。他们拉上油布，不想让船内积水，边继续往下漂流。在这如同灰色廉幕的大雨中，几乎什么也看不清楚。 不过，这场雨并没有下很久。慢慢地，天空越变越亮，突然间云破雾散， 雨滴也跟著消失。在众人的眼前出现了宽阔的江面，两边则是高耸的岩壁，上面间或生长著几株秃树，河道接著变窄，河水也变得湍急许多。这时，不管前方遇到什么阻碍，他们根本无法转弯或是稍停，只能勇敢面对。他们只能看见头上的的一线蔚蓝天空，以及四周的深黑色河水，眼前则是艾明莫尔的山丘，阻挡住一切的天空，看不见任何的出口。 佛罗多盯著眼前的景象，看见两座岩峰逼近，像是两座孤立的石柱。它们虎视眈眈地矗立在峡谷的两边，彷佛试图拦阻任何胆敢闯关的冒失旅人。一个狭窄的开口出现在两者之间，大河推动著小舟快速往前。 「这就是亚苟那斯，王之柱！」亚拉冈大喊著：「我们应该很快就会通过这峡谷，把船保持直线，彼此尽可能距离远一些！保持在河中央！」 佛罗多越来越靠近，那两座石柱也逐渐化身成高塔迎接他。他这才看出这两座石柱的确在远古时代曾接受过某种力量的雕琢，它们在日月风霜以及岁月的洗礼之下，依旧保持了大致的样貌。在深水底巨大的台座上矗立著两个国王的雕像；他们依旧用著模糊的双眼、坚毅的眉毛，引颈看著北方。每座雕像的左手都比著警告的手势，雕像的右手则都拿著斧头，在他们的头上则是带著饱经风霜，勉强维持原样的头盔和皇冠。他们仍然拥有古代的权威和力量，看顾著一个早已消逝的王国。佛罗多突然间觉得敬畏不已，忍不住低下头，不敢直视这两座雕像的目光。连波罗莫在经过雕像旁边的时候也禁不住闭上眼，听任小舟如同落叶一样，被推送过这努曼诺尔威武的守护神之下。最后，一行人好不容易才安全通过亚苟那斯峡幽深的河水。 河两旁都是人迹难至的陡峭绝壁，远方的天空相形之下显得黯然失色。黑色的河水发出轰隆声，将小舟不停的推送著，一阵强风席卷过众人。佛罗多跪了下来，在他之前的山姆也不禁呢喃著、哀嚎著：「这真是太壮观了！太恐怖了！只要我有机会离开这艘船，我以后再也不敢玩水了，更别提到河水中了！」 「别害怕！」一个怪异的声音从他身后传来。佛罗多转过身，看见一个长得很像神行客的陌生人；饱经岁月磨难的神行客消失了，在他的位置上坐著抬头挺胸、自豪的亚拉松之子亚拉冈。他信心满满地引导著小舟前进，黑发迎风飞舞，眼中散发著光芒--流亡的皇储终于回到了故国。 「别害怕！」他说：「我早就想要看看埃西铎和安那瑞安的尊容了，他们都是我的祖先。在他们的阴影下，伊力萨王，身为伊兰迪尔子嗣，拥有精灵宝石称号的我，没有什么好害怕的！」 然后，他眼中的光芒消失了：「真希望甘道夫在这里！我好想回到米那斯雅诺，我的王都！但我到底该去何方？」 峡谷又长又黑暗，充斥著强风与潮水的奔腾声。它朝向西弯，一切突然变得黑暗，但很快地，佛罗多看见一道光芒射入，并且不断增强。突然间，小舟渡过了亚苟那斯峡，进入了明亮的天光照耀下。 太阳已经越过天顶，在微风吹拂的大地上照耀著。原先汹涌的河水现在流入一个椭圆形的湖中，那是苍白的兰西索湖，它的四周被山丘所环绕。山丘的四周生长著许多的树木，但顶端却光秃秃的沐浴在阳光下。在极南方有三座山峰升起，最中间的山峰有些前倾，距离其他的山峰也有段距离，大河绕过这座山峰分离开来。从遥远的地方传来轰隆隆的巨响，如同雷声一般。 「这就是托尔布兰达！」亚拉冈指著南方的高大山峰说：「左边是阿蒙罗山，右边是阿蒙汉山--千里观听之山。在远古的年代里，国王们在其上建造王座，并且时时驻守兵员在其上。但是，据说没有任何人或兽的脚步曾经踏上托尔布兰达。在黑夜降临之前，我们应该就可以走到山前，我已经听到拉洛斯瀑布呼唤的声音了。」 一行人暂时休息了一下，沿著水流往南漂向湖中央。他们吃了一些食物， 很快地又拿起桨，继续朝著目标前进。西方的山丘渐渐被阴影遮蔽，太阳开始慢慢落下，不甘寂寞的星辰悄悄跳出。三座山峰在暮色中依旧孤傲的挺立著， 拉洛斯的怒吼并没有稍歇，当远征队终于来到山下的时候，夜色已然降临。 他们第十天的旅程结束了，大荒原已经被他们抛在脑后。现在，他们必须要选择东方或是西方的道路，眼前就是任务的最后阶段。