Chapter 9 Section 5 White Knight

"I'm freezing to the marrow!" Gimli said, stomping his feet and waving his arms.It was finally daytime.At dawn, the three of them tried to find a way to make a breakfast to fill their stomachs.In the morning light they were ready to continue their search for hobbit tracks. "And don't forget to look for the old guy's footprints!" Jinli said angrily, "If I find his footprints, I will feel better." "Why?" Legolas asked. "Because an old man who has feet and can leave footprints is probably not a terrible monster." The dwarf replied.

"Perhaps," replied the Elf, "but the grass is so dry and deep here that even heavy boots might not leave footprints." "That shouldn't bother the ranger," said Gimli. "Aragorn can easily read clues in the bent weeds, but I don't expect him to find anything. We saw it last night. It was the image of Saruman. Even in broad daylight, I dare say, perhaps he is still staring at us from Fangorn Forest!" "It is quite possible," said Aragorn, "but I am not sure. I was thinking about the horses just now. You say they were scared away last night, Gimli, but I don't think so. Legolas, do you hear anything? Do they sound like frightened cattle?"

"No," replied Legolas, "I heard them well, and if it were not for the darkness around us and our own fears, I would say they were too excited. They neighed like horses watching It’s like a friend you haven’t seen for a long time.” "So do I!" said Aragorn; "but till they come back to us I shall not understand the mystery of it. Come! It is light now, let us see what is happening, Guessing later! We should look around from the campsite, not missing any possible clues, and follow the slopes towards the forest. Whatever we think of last night's visitor, our task is to find The hobbits; if they did escape by chance, they would be hiding in the woods, or at least we could see some clues. If there is no trace here or on the forest front, then there must be a Look for clues in the ashes of the battlefield. However, Rohan’s hussars are too neat, and we may not find many traces there.”

The three of them searched the surrounding ground carefully for a while, and the trees stood quietly, as if mourning for them.Aragorn went out slowly, and he came to the remains of the campfires on the bank of the river, and followed the footprints on the ground back to the place where the battle began.Suddenly, he stopped, his face almost touching the grass.Then, he uttered a yell, and the others rushed over. "Finally, we have a new clue here!" Aragorn picked up a broken leaf from the ground and showed it to everyone. It was a pale golden leaf that had begun to slowly turn to a withered brown. "This is Lorien's leaf, and there are still some crumbs of dry food on it, and some on the ground. Look! There are also some severed ropes nearby!"

"This is the knife for cutting the rope!" Kim Li said.He bent down and picked up a short serrated blade from a clump of once-trampled grass, and the broken handle fell beside it. "This is an orc's weapon!" He carefully held the handle of the knife, looking at its curved shape with disgust on his face.The hilt is in the shape of an ugly head with a wicked grin on its face. "Well, here is the greatest mystery!" complained Legolas, "a bound prisoner escaped from a circle of orcs and knights; and he stopped without any cover. down, and cut the rope with the Orc's knife. But how did they do it? How could they walk if their feet were bound? How would he use the knife if his hands were bound? If his hands and feet were not bound, so why did he cut the rope? Even though he was satisfied with his amazing performance, he sat down to eat dry food comfortably? From this point alone, even without Lorien's leaves, we would It can be deduced that this guy must be a hobbit. After that, I think they should grow wings and fly happily into the woods. It should be easy to find him, we just need to grow wings too All right!"

"I guess there must be something to do with magic," said Gimli, "what part the old man played? Aragorn, what do you think of Legolas' deduction? Do you have a better idea? ?” "Perhaps!" Aragorn said with a strange smile on his face, "There are still some subtle clues at hand that you have not considered: I agree that this prisoner must be a hobbit. Must have been freed from the restraints, I guess it was his hand, because it made the puzzle easier, and, from other clues, it seems that he was carried this way by the orc. You see, a few steps There was blood beyond; it was the blood of an Orc. Here there were deep hoof prints, and there were signs of heavy objects being dragged away. The Orc was killed by the hussars, and his body was later but they found no hobbit, and he was not "uncovered" because it was night and he was wearing an elvish cloak. He was hungry and tired, so we can surmise that after he took advantage of the dead enemy After cutting the rope with his pocket knife, he took a rest and ate something. Fortunately, even if he escaped without any equipment, he still had at least some lambas on him, and this habit of carrying food in his pocket is also a good thing. One of the hallmarks of the hobbit. Although I have always used him to describe it, I hope that Merry and Pippin acted together; unfortunately, there are no other clues on the scene to support my idea."

"According to Your Excellency's ingenious deduction, how did our friend break free from the restraint of his wrist in the first place?" Jinli asked. "I don't know how that happened," replied Aragorn; "and likewise I don't know why the Orcs would take them away; we may reasonably assume that he never meant to help them escape. For In this way, I seem to understand a situation that has puzzled me from the beginning: Why did the goblins just take Merry and Pippin after Boromir died in battle? They didn't try to find us , and did not attack our camp; instead, they advanced at full speed towards Isengard. Could it be possible that they thought that they had captured the Ringbearer and his faithful servant? I am afraid not. Even if their master knew the truth , should not dare to make this secret so clear. They will never mention the Lord of the Rings publicly to their subordinates. Half-orcs are not such loyal servants; but I think the order of half-orcs should be to capture them at all costs. Hobbits. For those who try to smuggle captives away before the battle begins, mutiny is commonplace; some strong, bold half-orcs may want to escape with the reward alone and take advantage of it .This is my inference. There may be other possibilities, but I can't think of it for a while. We can be sure of one thing: at least one of our friends has escaped, and the task now is to return to Rohan. Find him. We cannot retreat from Fangorn Forest, for he must have been forced into this forest."

"I don't know what scares me more: Fangorn Forest, or having to walk back to Rohan in the future," Gimli replied sullenly. "Then we must advance into Fangorn Forest!" said Aragorn. It was not long before Aragorn found another clue, and near the Shumu River he found footprints; those were hobbit footprints, but the other's footsteps were too light to know how many there were.They then found some traces next to a large tree at the edge of the forest, but the soil was too hard to find any further clues. "At least one hobbit stood here, looking back for a moment, and then he turned and went into the forest," said Aragorn.

"Then we have to go in too," Gimli said. "But I don't like the feel of Fangorn Forest. We were warned before. I wish we were somewhere else!" "No matter what the legends say, I do not think there is evil in this forest," said Legolas.He stood on the edge of the forest, bending forward, as if listening to the sounds and moving shadows in the forest. "No, it's not evil, and even if it was, it's far away from us. I can only vaguely hear the movement of black trees in the dark. There is no threat near us, but I can feel caution and anger. "

"Well, at least they don't have to be mad at me," Gimli said, "I didn't hurt them." "Of course I know," said Legolas, "but it was hurt. Something is happening in the forest, or is about to happen. Can you feel the storm coming? It takes my breath away." It's not going well." "The air is stuffy to me," said the dwarf. "The forest is thinner than Mirkwood, but the atmosphere is not much different." "This is a very, very old forest," said the Elf, "so old that I almost feel young again, as I haven't since I traveled with you young men. A forest full of memories, if it was a peaceful time, I might feel comfortable here.”

"I think so!" Gimli snorted. "After all, you are a wood elf, and all elves are weird guys. But at least you make me feel at ease. I am willing to follow you wherever you go. However, please feel free to Prepare your bow and arrow, and I will also prepare my axe, not to use it on trees!" He looked at the big tree beside him, and hurriedly added: "I don't want to accidentally meet that old man again. There is no bargaining chip to "discuss". Let's go!" As soon as the words were finished, the three hundred-mile hunters entered Fangorn Forest, and Legolas and Gimli handed over the task of observing the footprints to Aragorn.The forest floor was very dry and covered with dead leaves. However, Aragorn guessed that most of the escaped captives would walk near the water, so he often walked back to the stream to observe, and it was because of this that he found Merry. Where Pippin and Pippin stopped to drink water and soak their feet.All could distinctly see the footprints of a pair of hobbits, one of which was quite small. "That's fine!" said Aragorn. "It's a pity that the footprints are two days old. It seems that, from this side, the hobbit has left the water's edge." "Then what should we do?" Kim Li said. "We can't search for them in such a large area as Fangorn Forest. We don't have enough food. If we can't find them quickly, I'm afraid we can't help; unless We would love to sit down with them, hold hands and starve to show our friendship." "If this is the only choice we have left, there is no room for repentance!" said Aragorn. "Let us go on." At last they came to the front slope of Treebeard's knoll, and the three of them looked at the rough steps leading to the higher ground.From time to time, the sun shines golden light from the clouds to illuminate the forest, and the surroundings no longer look so cramped. "Let us go up and look around!" said Legolas. "I still feel a little stuffy in my chest, and it might be better for me to try the fresh air." A group of people climbed the steps, and Aragorn walked slowly, and finally climbed to the plateau. He was watching the steps and the ground carefully for clues along the way. "I'm almost 100 percent sure that hobbits have been here!" he said, "but there are other marks, very strange marks, that I don't even recognize. Wonder if we can see any clues from this high ground , let us know what to do next?" He stood up straight and looked around, but found no useful clues.The high ground faces south and east, but only the east view is open, and he can see the trees in that direction, connecting with the plain they stepped on before. "We made a great circle," said Legolas, "if we went west on the second or third day on the river If you go, you can come here unscathed.The future is really unpredictable! " "But we don't want to come to Fangorn Forest!" Gimli said. "But here we are, and we are caught in the net here," said Legolas. "Look!" "Look at what?" Kim Li asked. "Something in the forest." "Where? I don't have as good eyesight as an elf." "Hush! Keep your voice down! Look over there!" Legolas pointed at the scene in front of him: "It's in the forest, where we passed before, that's him—you should be able to see him walking in the forest, right?" "Ah, I see! I see!" Gimli said in a low voice, "Look, Aragorn! Didn't I warn you? Here comes the old man again, all dressed in dirty, tattered gray clothes, No wonder I didn't see him in the first place." Aragorn looked down and saw a hunched figure moving slowly.His distance is not far away, he looks like an old beggar walking on crutches.His head was down, not looking in their direction.In other kingdoms, the three might have greeted him with caring words, but at this moment, the three were silently watching the scene before them; feeling that some hidden power or threat was approaching. Jinli stood there for a while with wide-eyed eyes, watching the figure get closer and closer.Then, suddenly, unable to hold back his emotions any longer, he cried, "Legolas, take your bow! Aim at him! Get ready! That's Saruman. Don't let him speak, or Talk to us! Shoot first, talk later!" Legolas took out his longbow and slowly drew the bowstring, as if another force was contending with his will.An arrow was twirling in his hand, but he didn't put it on the string.Aragorn stood silent, with an expression of intense concentration on his face. "What are you waiting for? What did you do?" Jin Li lowered his voice and said nervously. "Legolas is right," murmured Aragorn, "however frightened and frightened we are, we must not attack an old man like this. We shall see!" At that moment, the old man quickened his pace and came under the stone wall at an astonishing speed.Then, suddenly he raised his head, and everyone looked down without moving.In an instant, the world became completely silent.They couldn't see his face, for he was wearing a hood and a tall hat with a wide brim over it, hiding all the features of his face except his nose and gray beard.But it seemed to Aragorn that he caught a glimpse of the other's naked eyes under the brim of his hat. Finally, the old man finally broke the silence: "Friends, it's great to see you!" He said softly, "I want to talk to you, are you going to come down, or am I going to go up?" Without waiting for an answer, he started climb up. "Now!" Gimli yelled, "Legolas, stop him!" "Didn't I just say that I want to talk to you?" The old man said, "Mr. Elf, put away your bow and arrow!" Sure enough, the bow and arrow fell from Legolas' hand, but his hand remained in its original position. "And you, Mr. Dwarf, please take your hands off the ax handle first, and wait for me to come up! You won't need this 'chip'." Jinli didn't move, just stood there like a stone statue, watching helplessly as the old man jumped up the stairs as vigorously as a goat.The old man didn't seem to be as tired as before. When he stepped on the high ground, there seemed to be a flash of white light, as if he was wearing a gorgeous white robe under the gray rags, unexpectedly revealed.In the silence, Jin Li gasped for air, which was particularly ear-piercing. "I repeat, it's a pleasure to meet you all!" The old man walked towards the crowd and said.When he was only a few feet away, he leaned on his staff and stared at them from under the brim of his hat: "What are you doing here? Elves, men, and dwarves, all dressed in elf clothes, I think there must be something fascinating." story! We don’t often see this kind of sight here.” "You sound like you know Fangorn Forest well," said Aragorn. "Is my inference correct?" "I don't dare to say that I know it very well," the old man replied, "It may take me several lifetimes to understand this place, but I will come here occasionally." "May we know your name and hear your opinion?" said Aragorn. "Time waits for no one. We have an urgent task that we cannot wait." "I've just said my good opinion. What are you doing here? Do you have any wonderful stories to share with me? As for my name!" He laughed a few times, and Aragorn felt that the voice He felt a chill all over his body, but it wasn't from fear or fear, it felt like icy water or cold wind blowing against his face, making him wake up suddenly. "My name!" The old man repeated again: "You must have guessed it? I think you should have heard it before. Yes, you have definitely heard the name. Come on, let's tell your story ?” The three stood in silence without responding. "If you still have this attitude, people may wonder if there is something shady about your mission," said the old man. "Fortunately, I know some inside information. I believe you are following the footprints of the two hobbits. No Wrong, hobbit! Don't stare at me like that, and act as if you've never heard the name; Does this make you feel more at ease? Now do you want to know where they are taken? Well, well, maybe I can tell you more. Why are we still standing here Side? You should be able to see that this task is not that urgent anymore, let's sit down and have a good chat!" The old man turned around, walked to a pile of stones on the edge of the cliff, and sat down on his own.The others came back to their senses as if the spell had been lifted.Immediately Gimli's hand was on the handle of the axe, Aragorn drew his arrow, and Legolas picked up his bow. The old man didn't care at all, he just changed his posture and sat more comfortably.Then, his gray cloak was blown away by the wind, and they finally saw the white clothes underneath for sure this time. "Saruman!" Gimli rushed forward with his ax in his hand, "Say it! Tell me where you hid our friends! What have you done to them? If you don't tell me, I'll give you an ax in the head." , I'm afraid even wizards can't deal with my axe!" The old man's movements were so fast that people had no time to react. He immediately jumped up and jumped onto a big rock.He stood there, his figure suddenly became extremely huge, and he looked down at everyone.His hood and gray rags had been thrown away, and his white attire stood out.He raised his staff, and Gimli's ax flew from his hand, and fell to the ground; Aragorn's sword, gripped in his stiff hand, also blazed blindingly.With a cry Legolas shot an arrow high into the air, and it burst into flames. "Mithranda!" he yelled, "Mithranda!" "Good to see you, Legolas!" said the old man. All eyes were on him.His beard and hair are as white as snow in the sun, his robe exudes white light, his eyes are clear and bright, piercing into people's hearts like the sun, and he holds incomparable power in his hands.Everyone's hearts were filled with surprise, joy and fear, and they didn't know how to speak for a while. Finally, Aragorn came back to his senses: "Gandalf!" He said, "I didn't expect you to appear when we needed you most! What happened to me just now, I didn't recognize you!" Gimli Without saying a word, he fell to his knees and covered his eyes with his hands. "Gandalf..." the old man echoed, as if recalling a rarely used word in his memory: "Yes, that's the name. I used to be called Gandalf." He walked down from the rock, picked up the gray cloak on the ground, and put it on again; everyone had the feeling that the sun was covered by clouds and mist again. "Yes, you may still call me Gandalf!" His voice returned to that of their old friend and guide again: "Get up, my good Gimli! I don't blame you, and you haven't hurt me. Yes Yes, old friends, none of your weapons can hurt me. Be happy! We finally meet again, just when everything is turning around, and the storm that has never been seen is about to come, but the tide has been reversed. " He stroked Gimli's head, and the dwarf looked up, and laughed suddenly. "Gandalf!" he said, "but why are you in white?" "Yes, I only wear white clothes now," said Gandalf. "You may also think of me as Saruman, and I play the part that Saruman should have filled. Come on, tell me yours." Tell me the story! After we parted, I passed through the flames and deep waters and remembered many things that I had long since forgotten. I could see far away situations, but I was blind to many things that were close at hand. Tell me about you Your own situation!" "What do you want to know?" asked Aragorn. "If it's the story since we parted on the bridge, it may take a long time. Will you tell us about the hobbits first?" Did you find them? Are they safe?" "No, I did not find them," said Gandalf; "the valley between the Emynmores was so dark that I did not know where they were until the Eagle found them." "Eagle!" said Legolas, "I saw an eagle flying a long way off, perhaps three days ago, in the sky directly above Eminmore." "Yes," said Gandalf, "that is Gwenhe, the Windlord, and the Eagle who rescued me from Orthanc. I sent him this way first to scout the river and gather information. He has good eyesight. , but it cannot see all that is in the mountains and woods; some it has seen, some I have discovered myself. The Ring is now out of my reach to assist, not a single member of the Fellowship of the Ring Can help. It was almost found by the devil, but it escaped. I also helped in it. I was on a high place, and the ring was able to escape because of my fight with the evil black tower. One kalpa. Because of this, I was very, very tired, and I meditated on it for a long time afterwards." "Then you know where Frodo is!" Gimli asked impatiently, "How is he doing?" "I'm not sure. He escaped a great danger for the time being, but he had many challenges before him. He decided to go to Mordor alone, and he set off. That's all I know." "Not alone," said Legolas, "we think Sam went with him." "Really?" Gandalf's eyes twinkled, and a smile appeared on his face: "Really? I just found out now, but I'm not surprised. Very good! Very good! You put my mind at ease, you'd better Tell me more. Sit with me and tell me about your journey." The three sat at his feet, and Aragorn began the story of the company from the beginning.For a long time Gandalf said nothing, but listened, and asked no question.His hands were on his knees, and his eyes remained closed; and at last the old man sighed when Aragorn spoke of Boromir's death and his body being laid on the river. "My friend of Aragorn, you have not told all that you know or surmise!" he said quietly. "Poor Boromir, I did not expect such a thing to happen to him. He is a warrior and a royal with noble blood. Galadriel told me that he was in danger. Fortunately, he escaped the end of doom in the end. I am happy for him .If only from Boromir's point of view, it was good that we brought those two young hobbits, but there was more to them than that. They were brought to Fangorn Forest, and the two The arrival of a hobbit is like a small stone falling on a hillside. Although it is inconspicuous at first glance, it will start an earth-shattering landslide. Even when we talk, I can hear the sound of the earth and stone loosening. When disaster strikes, may Saruman best face it in his home!" "My dear friend, one thing has never changed," said Aragorn: "You still love riddles." "What? A riddle?" said Gandalf. "No! I was talking aloud to myself just now, as is my old habit. I am used to speaking to the wisest of men, for I have no strength to speak to the young People explain everything." He laughed again, but this time, it sounded like warm sunshine. "I am no longer young, even in the eyes of ancient men," said Aragorn. "Will you speak more plainly?" "What should I say?" Gandalf paused for a moment, thinking: "If you want to know what I am thinking, I can only say that what I just said is my view on the current situation. Of course, the devil He also knew for a long time that the Lord of the Rings had left the Shire, and its current holder was a hobbit. He also now knew the number of expeditions that left Rivendell, and the race of each person, but he was still Not sure about our purpose or intentions. He speculates that we will all go to Minas Tirith, because if it were him, he would do the same. According to his thinking mode, such a plan like ours will hit him very hard .He is currently in constant panic, not knowing that some great man with authority will appear, challenge him with the Lord of the Rings, overthrow him with war, and take his place. It never occurred to him that we only want to overthrow him, and do not want to find someone to replace him ; our plan to destroy the Ring was never at all in his darkest nightmares. No doubt you can see our luck and hope too. Because of his imaginary war, He was forced to start the war hastily, thinking that he had to grasp the timing. He believed that if he preempted the attack, as long as the damage was large enough, he might not have to launch the next attack. Therefore, the troops he prepared for the final war had to be larger than planned To act sooner. It is wise to be misled by cleverness! If he puts all his strength into defending Mordor and searching for the Ring with all his strength, then we can only really submit to him; no matter what method we use, in the end Mordor Neither the ring nor the bearer escaped his search. Fortunately, his eyes hesitated throughout the world, but he did not notice his own home, spending most of his time on Minas Tirith. Soon after, He will attack it with all his forces." "Because he already knew that the troops he had sent to thwart the expedition had failed. They had failed to find the Ring, and they had failed to bring home the hobbit captives. Even if they had only done the latter, it would have been a severe blow to us, It may even lead to the disintegration of the entire plan. However, we still don’t think too much, lest we grow others’ ambitions and destroy our prestige. At least for now, the devil’s plan has failed. Thanks to Saruman!” "Then Saruman didn't betray us?" Jinli asked. "He is still a traitor," said Gandalf, "without a doubt. It sounds strange, though, doesn't it? Isengard's defection seems to be the worst blow we have suffered. Saruman, the leader and guide, is extremely powerful. He threatened the hussars of Rohan not to support Minas Tirith. He could only watch the evil forces invade from the east. Saruman also had a selfish desire to snatch the Lord of the Rings for himself, at least to capture a few hobbits for his evil plan. Therefore, under the intrigue of Sauron and Saruman, The only task they achieved was to bring these two hobbits to Fangorn Forest at the right time. If it weren't for this fate, these two people might not have the chance to appear here at all! As a result, huge loopholes appeared in their intelligence and planning.Thanks to the hussars of Rohan, now Mordor will not know the outcome of this battle.But the Dark Lord knew that two hobbits had been captured at Eminmore, and had been taken by force to Isengard in defiance of his men.Now, Essinger has also become a major worry outside of Minas Tirith; if Minas Tirith falls, Saruman will probably be ashamed. " "It's a pity that our friends separated these two powers," Kim Li said. "If there were no other countries between Isengard and Mordor, we could sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight." "If so, the victor will have more power than either side, and there will be no doubts anymore," Gandalf analyzed: "But Essinger can't fight against Mordor, unless Saruman gets the Lord of the Rings first, and now this will never happen. He was in the dark. He was eager to catch his prey, so he couldn't wait to leave the base, wanting to observe and supervise his men; but this time, he came too late, the battle was over, and he didn't stay here for long. I watched his thoughts and found his doubts. He is not good at tracking in the field, so he believes that the knights killed all the people and burned the corpses. But he can't see these orcs Whether he took prisoners or not, he doesn’t know about the dispute between his subordinates and the minions of Mordor, let alone about the Winged Apostles.” "The Winged Apostle!" exclaimed Legolas. "I shot him with an arrow from Galadriel's bow on the rapids of Sarn Gable, and he fell from the sky. He terrorized us, and that What kind of creature is it?" "An enemy you cannot kill with your bow!" said Gandalf. "You killed only his mount, but the knight soon got a new one, for he was one of the Nine Rings and rode Winged mounts. Soon the terror they bring will overwhelm the armies of our allies and blot out the warmth of the sun. But they cannot yet cross the river, and Saruman has no chance of knowing the Nazgul's new guise. His whole mind was fixed on the Ring. Was the Ring in that battle? Has anyone found the Ring? What if Theoden the Hussar King stumbled upon its power? That was all he saw. , Therefore, he returned to Isengard and stepped up his harassment of Rohan. During this period of time, there was a closer danger that he didn't realize, and he just kept using his brain to deal with Rohan. He forgot the name Treebeard figure." "You're talking to yourself again!" laughed Aragorn. "I don't know who Treebeard is. I probably guessed Saruman's plan for a two-sided battle, but I couldn't see how the hobbit was The matter of Fangorn Woods has nothing to do with it except to keep us chasing it for hundreds of miles in vain." "Wait!" Gimli yelled, "I want to know one more thing, was it you we saw last night—Gandalf, or Saruman?" "It is absolutely impossible that you see me!" Gandalf replied. "So, I must assume that it is Saruman that you see. We obviously look alike, so I can forgive you for wanting to cut off my head." impulse." "Fine, fine!" Gimli said, "I'm glad it wasn't you." Gandalf laughed again. "Yes, my dear dwarf," he said, "it's a good thing I haven't been mistaken everywhere, I have a lot of experience! But, of course, I don't blame you for your mistreatment of me." Welcoming ceremony. Back then we regarded Saruman as an ally and discussed secret plans with him, but we didn’t expect that we were dealing with the devil. Jinli, I hope one day you can see both of us at the same time. Let's make a judgment!" "But those hobbits!" interrupted Legolas. "We came a long way to find them, and you seem to know where they are. Where are they now?" "With Treebeard and the Ents," said Gandalf. "Treant!" Aragorn exclaimed in surprise, "there are ancient legends about tall treant in the woods. So it is true? Are there still treant in the world? If it is not the legend of Rohan, I will only think他们是古代绝种的生物。」 「才不只是洛汗国的传说呢！」勒苟拉斯辩解道：「不，大荒原上的每名精灵都会吟唱这些树人的悲歌，但是，树人只存在于我们的记忆中。如果我遇到树人，我真的会觉得自己又变年轻了！至于树胡，这其实是『法贡』两个字翻译成通用语的称呼，但你似乎好像指的是一个人。这个树胡是谁？」 「啊！你问太多了，」甘道夫说：「我对他所知甚少，但光是这样的故事就足以让你们听上很久的时间了。树胡就是法贡，这座森林的守护者，他是树人中最年长、也是中土世界太阳下最古老的生物。勒苟拉斯，我真的希望你有机会可以遇见他，梅里和皮聘很幸运，他们就在我们坐的这个地方遇见了他。他在两天前来到这里，并且把他们带去远方山脚下他居住的地方。他经常来到这里静思，特别是在外界的传言让他心神不宁的时候。四天以前，我看到他在树林间穿梭，我想他发现了我，因为他停了下来；但我并没有开口，因为我当时满脑子都是忧虑，而且在与魔多之眼的搏斗之后非常疲倦，而他也没有开口叫我的名字。」 「或许他也把你当作萨鲁曼了，」金雳说：「但你似乎把他当做朋友，我一直以为法贡森林是很危险的。」 「这算是危险吗？」甘道夫大声说：「我也很危险，除非你们亲眼见到黑暗魔君，否则我可以算是世界上最危险的人。亚拉冈也很危险、勒苟拉斯也很危险，金雳，你被危险所包围了……连你自己也很危险。当然，法贡森林的确不平静，特别是对于那些执斧入山林的人来说更是如此；而法贡本人也很危险，但他同样的也很睿智和友善。不过，现在他长期累积的怒气已经满溢了，整座森林中都充满了他的愤怒。哈比人的到来和所带来的消息，让这怒气决堤而出；很快的，它们就会化成滔天巨浪，但瞄准的目标是萨鲁曼和艾辛格的士兵。有件自远古以来就没有发生过的事情即将发生了：树人将苏醒过来，了解自己拥有惊人的力量。」 「他们会怎么做？」勒苟拉斯惊讶地问。 「我不知道，」甘道夫说：「我想他们自己也不知道。」他低下头，陷入沉思。 其他人看著他。一道阳光穿破云层，落到他放在膝盖上的手掌心，让他看起来彷佛被光芒所笼罩一般。最后，他抬起头，直视著太阳。 「快到中什了，」他说：「我们必须赶快动身。」 「要去找我们的朋友和树胡吗？」亚拉冈问道。 「不，」甘道夫说：「这不是你们该走的道路。我已经告诉你们希望之所在，但那也只是希望而已，希望并不代表事实，也不代表胜利。我们和所有的盟友们都处身在战争中，这场战争只有靠著魔戒才能够让我们确保胜利。这让我十分哀伤，更极端地恐惧：许多的事物可能被摧毁，甚至一切可能会失落在黑暗中。我是甘道夫，白衣甘道夫，但黑暗的力量依旧比我强大许多。」 他站起身，以手遮日看向东方，彷佛正观看著极遥远地方无人能见的事物。Then he shook his head. 「不！」他柔声说：「它已经离开了我们的掌握，至少我们应该为此感到高兴，我们不再会受到魔戒的诱惑。我们必须在几近绝望的状况下面对危机，但至少真正致命的威胁已经去除了。」 He turned around. 「来吧，亚拉松之子亚拉冈！」他说：「不要后悔你在爱明莫尔所做的决定，也不要认为那是一场徒劳无功的追踪。你在一团混乱中理出头绪，作出了选择，那选择是正确的，我们也获得了回报。正因为如此，我们才能够即时会面，否则将错过最好的时机。你和同伴们的任务暂时结束了，下一个旅程则是你对人所许下的承诺，你必须前往伊多拉斯，谒见希优顿，因为他们需要你。安都瑞尔圣剑的光芒必须显现，才能战胜那场战斗。洛汗国已经陷入了战争，还有更邪恶的阴谋：希优顿身陷危机之中。」 「难道我们就不会再见到那些快乐的哈比人吗？」勒苟拉斯说。 「我不会这么说，」甘道夫说：「谁知道呢？别心急，去你该去的地方，心中怀抱著希望！去伊多拉斯吧！我也会和你们一起去的。」 「不管对什么年纪的人来说，那都是段很长的路，」亚拉冈说：「我担心在我们赶到之前，战斗就结束了。」 「我们到时就会知道了，到时就知道了。」甘道夫说：「你们愿意和我一起走吗？」 「没问题，我们会一起行动的，」亚拉冈说：「但我猜得到，如果你想的话，其实会比我还要早到达那边。」他站起来，意味深长地看著甘道夫。其他人瞪著两人，看著他们面对面地站著。亚拉冈那人类的身影十分高大，如同磐石一般坚定不移。他的手放在剑柄上，看起来彷佛是刚脱离迷雾之海的君王，踏上低等人类的湾岸一样。在他面前则是一个苍老的身影，白色的袍子闪著光芒，彷佛有一种经历岁月磨练的神光隐匿其中，超越了君王的力量。 「甘道夫，我说的对不对？」亚拉冈终于说：「只要你想做到，任何事情都可以比我更快达成。这让你理所当然成为我们的队长和舵手。黑暗魔君有九名骑士，但我们拥有一名力胜千军的白骑士。他通过了火焰和深渊的考验，众人将对他无比的畏惧，我们愿意跟他 上山下海。 " 「是的，我们愿意一起跟随你！」勒苟拉斯说：「但首先，甘道夫，我必须知道你在摩瑞亚到底怎么了，好让我心安。你愿意告诉我们吗？难道你就不能多花一点时间，对朋友解释你是如何逃出的吗？」 「我已经浪费太多时间了，」甘道夫回答：「时间已经不够了。但即使我们有一整年的时间可以耗用，我也不会告诉你们一切。」 「那就请你把握时间，把你愿意说的部分告诉我们！」金雳锲而不舍地追问：「来嘛！甘道夫，告诉我们你和炎魔决斗的最后结果是如何！」 「别提起他的名字！」甘道夫的脸上彷佛闪过一阵痛苦的乌云，他沉默地坐著，看起来苍老如风中残烛。「我不停地往下掉……」他最后终于慢慢的说，似乎连要回忆起这过程都非常痛苦。「我一直往下掉，他也跟在我身边，我被他的火焰包围，遭到严重的烧伤。然后我们一起落入了深水之中，一切都归于黑暗；死亡之潮无比的冰冷，我的心脏险些为之冻结。」 「都灵之桥下的深渊很深，从来没人度量过。」金雳说。 「但它还是有尽头的，是在人所未见、光明也无法达到的彼端，」甘道夫说：「最后我终于来到了大地的根基之上。他还是在我身边，他的火焰已经熄灭了，但他化身成黏稠的形体，比缠人窒息的毒蛇还要致命。我们在地心深处不停地搏斗，时光似乎停止流逝。他紧抓住我，我也不停地抵抗，最后他逃进黑暗的隧道中。金雳，那些并不是都灵的部下所建造的，在远比矮人家园还要幽深的地底，那是被无名的生物所挖掘出来的隧道，连索伦都不知道这些生物。虽然我曾经目睹了他们，但我不愿意在此提出，让诸位的心头蒙上阴影。在那绝望的环境中，敌人成了我唯一的希望，我紧追著他不肯放弃；就这样，最后他终于带我来到了卡萨督姆的秘道中。他对这些地方实在是了若指掌，我们一直往上走，直到我们来到了无尽之阶。」 「这个地方已经失传很久了，」金雳说：「许多人说这个地方只存在于传说之中，但其他人则认为它已经被摧毁了。」 「它的确存在，也没有被摧毁，」甘道夫说：「它从最底层的地牢一路通往最高阶的山峰，是一段高达数千阶的螺旋楼梯。它的尽头是雕刻在西拉克西吉尔峰之内的都灵之塔。在那座山峰的积雪之中有一个孤单的开口，旁边则有一块平地俯瞰著整个笼罩在云雾之中的大地。该处的阳光炽烈，但脚下却完全被云雾所遮蔽。他一跳出来，我随即跟在后面，正好看见他全身冒出新的火焰来。没有人看见这一切，或许，在未来的岁月中，将会有歌谣描述那段巅峰之战。」甘道夫突然间笑了：「但歌词能写些什么呢？底下的人头抬头望去，只能看见峰顶笼罩在暴风雪中。他们听见隆隆雷声，看见耀目的闪电，以及火舌不停地在山峰上吞吐。这样还不够吗？我们四周升起了浓密的水气，那是蒸气和白烟，冰雹如同暴雨般落下……我打倒了敌人，他从高处落下，撞毁了大块的山壁，从此再也没有爬起来。接下来，我失去了意识，在昏迷的状况下四处漫游，经历了许多的磨难。我又被赤裸裸地送了回来，让我可以把所有的工作都完成。我就这么不著寸缕地躺在山顶。身后的高塔已经化为粉尘，出口也消失了，阶梯上则是落满了破裂、烧焦的岩石。我就这 么束手无策地躺在孤绝的山峰上。我瞪著天空，看著星辰运行，每一天都如同一个纪元般地漫长。我依稀可以听见耳边传来世界各地的声响、歌谣声、哭泣声以及岩石承受极大重量的闷哼声。就这样，风王关赫最后找到了我，把我带离了绝顶。 " 「『伸出援手的老友啊，我注定要成为你的负担！』我说。」 「『你以前或许算是个负担，』他回答：『但现在你已经不同了。在我的爪下，你轻得如同天鹅的羽毛一般，阳光几乎可以穿透你的身体。事实上，我认为你根本不需要我了，如果我松开爪子，你可能会随风飘扬呢！』」 「『千万别松手！』我大呼道，这时才觉得生命重新在体内跃动：『带我去罗斯洛立安！」 「『凯兰崔尔女皇派我来，就是这么说的。』他回答。」 「因此，我就这么抵达了卡拉斯加拉顿，发现你们已经离开了。我在那里流连了一段时间，让那块大地给我带来一切的医疗。我的确获得了医治，也获得了一件白袍。我和他们商谈，也获得了许多忠告。因此，我有许多的消息要告诉你们其中一些人。女皇命我告诉亚拉冈这段话： 登丹、伊力萨王现在人在何处？ 为何你还不知如何自处？ 失落的王储重现之时即将到来， 灰衣的队伍也将从北而来。 但汝之道路将充满黑暗： 亡者镇守著那道路通往海岸。 她对勒苟拉斯则是说： 勒苟拉斯，绿叶在树下已经历许久 汝已度过快乐的时光，但务需注意那大海不朽！ 若汝听见岸边的海鸥鸣叫， 汝之心将不再甘于被森林围绕。」甘道夫沉默地闭上眼。 「她没有给我任何的话语吗？」金雳低头道。 「她的话语让人有不祥的感觉，」勒苟拉斯说：「对于收到的人来说却又含混不清。」 「我还是觉得不公平！」金雳说。 「那又该怎么样？」勒苟拉斯说：「难道你宁愿她预测你的死期？」 「是的，如果她无话可说。」 「怎么搞的？」甘道夫张开眼问道：「啊，我想我明白她的意思了。金雳，真抱歉！我刚刚在思索那讯息的意义。但事实上，她的确有话要告诉你，那既不黑暗、也不伤悲。」 「『给葛罗音之子金雳──』她说：『代我向他问好，执吾发者，不管你到哪里，我的心思都与你同在。但务需小心，不要将斧头砍向错误的树木！』」 「真高兴你能够和我们重逢，甘道夫，」矮人手舞足蹈地用矮人语唱著歌：「既然甘道夫的脑袋不可动，让我们找颗理所当砍的脑袋来动手吧！」 「时机应该不会太远了，」甘道夫起身说道：「来吧！老友重聚，已经占去了我们不少的时间，现在该赶路了。」 他又再度披起破旧的斗篷，开始带路。 一行人跟著他，很快地就从高地走下来，进入森林， 回到了树沐河的河岸边。他们一言不发，直到再度来到法贡森林边缘的草地为止，四周还是没有任何马匹的踪迹。「他们没有回来，」勒苟拉斯说：「这次恐怕要走很远了！」 「我可不能走路，事态紧急！」甘道夫说，然后，他抬起头，吹出一声嘹亮的口哨声；那声音清澈响亮，让其他人都觉得无比惊讶，很难想像这种声音会是出自老人之口。他吹了三次口哨，从遥远的地方，众人听见有马匹的嘶鸣声，乘著东风飘送过来，他们等待著有奇迹发生。不久之后，就传来了马蹄声；一开始只有躺在地上的亚拉冈可以感觉到，接著声音稳定增强，其他人也都可以听见。 「来的不只一匹马，」亚拉冈说。 「当然了，」甘道夫说：「一匹马可载不了全部的人哪！」 「有三匹马，」勒苟拉斯看著平原的彼端：「你看看它们跑得多快！你看，那是哈苏风，旁边是吾友阿罗德！但领头的是一匹十分高大的骏马，我之前没有看过他。」 「你以后也不会再有机会看见这么美丽的神驹了！」甘道夫说。「这是影疾。它是众马之王，连洛汗国之王希优顿都不曾看过比它优秀的骏马。你们看，它是不是闪著银光，跑起来如同激流奔腾？它是来找我的，它是白骑士的座骑，我们将要并肩作战！」 正当老法师还在说话的时候，那匹马依旧冲势未缓地奔向他；它的毛皮闪耀，鬃毛在急驰下跟著狂风飞舞，另外两匹马则紧跟在后。当影疾一见到甘道夫的时候，它立刻缓下步伐，开始大声的嘶鸣；然后，它抬头挺胸奔向前，用鼻子磨搓著老人的脖子。 甘道夫轻拍著它：「老友，这里离瑞文戴尔可真远哪！」他说：「但聪明、快速的你，总是在我需要的时候赶来帮忙。让我们奔驰到天涯海角，再也不分离吧！」 另外两匹马很快的也跟了上来，静静地站立一旁，彷佛在等待著命令。「我们立刻前往梅杜西，前往你主人希优顿的宫殿。」甘道夫神情凝重地命令，众马低下头。「时间紧迫，请诸位同意载送我们，我们恳求你们以全速赶路。哈苏风载送亚拉冈，阿罗德则是协助勒苟拉斯，我会让金雳坐在我前面，在影疾的同意之下一起赶路。现在我们先喝点水，然后就出发。」 「我这才明白昨晚是怎么一回事，」勒苟拉斯身轻如燕地跃上阿罗德的背：「不管它们一开始是不是因为恐惧而逃跑，最后它们都遇到了族长影疾，因此高兴地和它会合。甘道夫，你知道它就徘徊在附近吗？」 「是的，我知道！」巫师说：「我的意念投向它，恳求它快速赶来。昨天它还在此地南方极远的地方，相信它这次应该可以更加快速地带我们回去！」 甘道夫在影疾耳边低语几句，马王立刻开始奔驰，但并没有超过其他两匹马的步伐。过了不久之后，它猛然转向，带著众人从河水较为低浅的地方越过河流，领著他们往南踏上一块平坦的草原。这里没有任何道路的痕迹，但影疾并没有显出丝毫犹豫。 「它正朝著希优顿在白色山脉下的皇宫前进，」甘道夫说：「这样子会比较快。东洛汗的道路比较明显，主要的大路在河的另一边，但影疾知道这块土地上的每一条捷径。」 接下来的许多个小时，他们都在草原和河谷间奔驰著。绿草的高度有时甚至达到骑士的膝盖，众人的座骑似乎泅泳于绿色的大海中。他们一路上遇到许多泥塘，甚至包括潮湿危险的沼泽，但影疾都带领众人安全通过。慢慢的，太阳开始往西方落下，看著这块辽阔的平原，骑士们目睹太阳如同烈火一般落入地平线的另一端。在远方的山脉两边都有著红色的光芒，一道黑烟将落日掩盖了部分，把夕阳化成了血色的黄昏。 「那里就是洛汗隘口，」甘道夫说：「刚好在我们的正西方，艾辛格就在那个方向。」 「我看见了一道浓烟，」勒苟拉斯说：「那会是什么？」 「战争的前兆！」甘道夫说：「继续赶路！」