Chapter 12 Chapter 8: The Road to Essinger

On such a beautiful morning, King Theoden and the white knight Gandalf met again on the grassland beside the deep stream.There were Aragorn, Legolas the Elf, Erkenbrand of the West Vale, and the lords of the Golden Palace.The hussars of Rohan gathered around the leader, their hearts were filled with the joy of victory, and they all cast their eyes in the direction of the forest. Suddenly there was a shout, and the remnants of the soldiers who had been chased into Helm's Deep all rushed out, and the veterans Gamlin, Eomer, and the dwarf Gimli were all in the ranks.Gimli's helmet was gone, and his head was wrapped in bloody gauze, but his voice was still strong: "Forty-two, Legolas!" he cried, "What a pity, my ax The gaps have been cut, and the forty-second enemy actually has an iron collar around his neck. How is the situation on your side?"

"You beat me!" Legolas replied, "but I'm not depressed. I'm so overjoyed to see you alive!" "Welcome, Eomer!" said Theoden. "I am glad to see you unhurt." "King Hussar," EOmer greeted, "the night has passed, and the day has come again, but I did not expect such a strange sight to follow the day." He turned, his eyes full of wonder, First at the forest that appeared out of nowhere, then at Gandalf: "Your Excellency has once again come uninvited to save us from peril," he said. "Uninvited?" said Gandalf. "I said I would come back and join you here!"

"But you didn't tell us when, or how you'd come back, and you've brought strange helpers. Gandalf the White, your spells are astonishing!" "Maybe, but in fact, I haven't shown my true strength yet. I'm just giving good advice in a crisis and making good use of Shadow Disease's speed. Your own unremitting efforts and the Xigu soldiers marching through the night are the most important thing." The key to victory." Everyone looked at Gandalf with even more surprised eyes, and some looked at the forest uneasy, while rubbing their eyes, as if they didn't believe what they saw.

Gandalf laughed. "Do you mean the trees?" He said, "No, the forest is the same to me as you are to it. It is not my fault. It is a miracle beyond the sage's thinking. It was even better than my plan; judging from the results, it even surpassed my original expectations!" "Since this is not yours, whose magic could it be?" Theoden said, "It is obviously not Saruman's. Could it be a more powerful sage that we have not yet known?" "Isn't it But magic is an older power," said Gandalf, "that was in the world before the elves sang or the hammers of men rang.

Before the iron ore was discovered and the trees felled, The mountains under the moon are still young; Before the ring was forged and evil was born, It has been walking in the forest for many years. " "What's the answer to your riddle?" Theoden asked. "If you want to know, you should come to Isengard with me," answered Gandalf. "Go to Essinger?" Everyone shouted in unison. "Yes!" said Gandalf, "I must return to Isengard, and those who will may come with me, and they may see strange sights there." "But even if all the wounded were restored to strength and their wounds healed, the hussars would not be strong enough to attack Saruman's stronghold," said Theoden.

"Anyway, I will go to Isengard," said Gandalf. "I will not stay here long. My goal is to go east. You can wait for me in Edoras before the moon wanes." !" "No!" said Theoden, "I may have doubted in the darkness before the dawn, but I do not want to part with you here. If your advice is so, then I will go with you." "I would like to seize my chance and speak to Saruman as soon as possible," said Gandalf. "Since he has done you great harm, it is only right that you be there. But how soon can you go?" "My men are weary," said the king, "and I am weary, too. I have been on the road day and night, and have scarcely closed my eyes. Alas! My old age is not only due to the influence of eloquence, it is even Gandalf cannot cure the disease completely, and human beings will grow old."

"Well, then, whoever is going out with me, you had better rest now," said Gandalf. "We can travel through the night, and that is just as well, for I recommend that you move as stealthily as possible. By the way, Theoden , please don’t bring too many people with you, we are going this time for talks, not war.” The king then selected warriors who were uninjured and possessed swift horses, and sent them to announce the news of victory to every corner of Rohan; and they also ordered that all men, whether young or old, must go to Edora Well, the King of Hussars will gather all the adults who can fight there the day after the full moon.As for the entourage to go to Isengard with him, he chose Eomer and twenty guards; and Gandalf went with Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli.Although the dwarf was injured, he still stubbornly refused to stay.

"The opponent's strength is very weak, and the helmet blocked his attack," he said, "This kind of orc's scratch is not enough for me to stay!" "I will cure it while you rest!" said Aragorn. The King returned to the Horn Keep and fell into the peaceful sleep he had not experienced in many years, and his chosen entourage took the time to rest.But the other uninjured hussars started another arduous task, because there were many war dead on the battlefield, and their corpses were in the wilderness or in the valley. Not a single Orc lived, and their corpses were innumerable; but many of the Wildlings surrendered, and they cried out for mercy in terror.

The hussars confiscated their weapons and sent them to clear the field. "Help us clean up your mistakes," said Eckenbrand. "After that, you must swear never to cross the Ford of Eshin with arms, nor to live with the enemies of man; and then, you You are free to return to your homeland. We know that you were deceived by Saruman, and many died here because you trusted him. But even if you win, it may not be better than death .” The men of Dunland were dumbfounded, for Saruman told them that the warriors of Rohan were cruel, and would burn their captives alive. Two mass graves were piled up on the battlefield before the Horn Fort, and all the hussars who died defending this place were buried here.Those from East Rohan were put on one side, and those from West Valley were piled on the other side.In the shadow of the Clarion Fort, in a tomb lay the body of Hamar, chief of the Praetorian Guard, who died in battle at the Helm's Gate.

Orc corpses were piled up far away from human corpses, not very far from the forest.People felt quite embarrassed, because the pile of corpses was too large to be buried, and even burned with fire.And they didn't have much firewood.Even if Gandalf had not warned them that they must not harm the forest, they would not have dared to strike these dark woods. "Put the Orc's body there," said Gandalf, "and we shall know what to do then." At Xiashi, the king's entourage was ready to go, and the work of burying the body had just begun.Theoden paused especially to mourn the death of Hamar, Captain of the Praetorian Guard, and sprinkled the first dust over his grave. "Saruman has done me and this land great harm," he said. : "When we meet, I will never forget this incident!"

The sun had gradually approached the top of the nearby mountain, and Gandalf, Theoden, and their companions began to move forward.Hussars and the people of Xigu, old and weak, women and children, all gathered behind to see them off. They sang majestic war songs, and finally fell silent, looking at the woods worriedly, not knowing what would happen next. When the knights came to the edge of the forest, they all stopped together, and they were unwilling to enter rashly.The trees looked gray and menacing, and there was a mist and shadow all around.Their swaying branches stretch out, like fingers searching for enemies, and their roots are ready to move, like the tentacles of some unknown monster. There are deep black caves under the tentacles, but Gandalf still leads the team. Go forward without looking back.An opening appeared where the old road met the forest, and Gandalf entered, and the others followed.They were amazed to find that the road went on and on, with a deep stream beside it, and a golden sky overhead.Even so, the trees on both sides seemed to have been wrapped in their own shade, whispering in impenetrable shadows; they could hear the creaking of branches and distant calls, and strange drifting Containing immense anger, there is no trace of orcs or other creatures. Legolas and Gimli shared the same horse, and they kept at Gandalf's side, for Gimli was terrified of the forest. "It's sweltering here!" said Legolas to Gandalf. "I feel a strong anger swirling around me. Do you feel that the air is resonating with this will?" "Yes!" said Gandalf. "What happens to those hapless orcs?" Legolas asked. "Well, I suppose no one will ever know," answered Gandalf. They rode in silence for a while, but Legolas kept looking around uneasily, pausing often to listen to the murmurs of the forest if Gimli allowed him. "This is the strangest forest I have ever seen!" He said, "And I have seen countless seedlings and towering ancient trees. I really wish I had time to explore here freely. They have a unique language. As long as there is Time, I can understand their thoughts." "No, please don't!" Gimli said, "we'd better get out of here! I can guess what they're thinking: hate all creatures that walk on two feet, they keep muttering about strangling and crushing these guys. " "They don't hate all creatures that walk on two feet," said Legolas thoughtfully. "You're wrong about that. They hate Orcs, for they don't belong here. Little is known, they grow in the valleys far away. Gimli, I guess they grow in the deep valleys of the Fangorn Forest." "Then, this must be the most dangerous forest in the world!" said Gimli. "I appreciate the part they play, but it's hard for me to love them. You might think they're nice, but I've I have seen a scene that is more beautiful than any flowers and trees in this world, and my mind is still full of phantoms there.” "Legolas, the behavior of humans is really strange! What they have here is the most magnificent scenery in the northern world, and how do they describe it? Caves, that's as simple as two words! Caves! Used for hiding in wartime, A place where supplies are stored! Do you know, dear Legolas, how beautiful and vast the caverns of Helm's Deep are? If the dwarves knew of such wonders, they would travel thousands of miles on pilgrimage just to be able to see It glances. Ah, indeed, they would trade gold for such a sight!" "I'll pay gold for the right not to see it," said Legolas. "And if I go in, I'll pay twice as much gold for my freedom!" "You didn't see it with your own eyes, and I can forgive you for thinking," Kim Li said, "but you are really too arbitrary. Do you think the royal halls built in Mirkwood with the help of dwarves are beautiful? They are here with me. Compared with the spectacle seen around, it is as poor as a shabby room; here is an indescribably huge palace, the rhythm of water drops splashing around, and the pool of water gathered is as beautiful as the mirror lake under the starlight. " "Not only so, Legolas, when men light their torches and walk under the lofty dome, O Legolas, I see veins of gems and crystals gleaming on the walls, and the light of the torches penetrates into the natural marble, they are as thin and transparent as the jade hand of Queen Galadriel. There are white, red and pink stone pillars everywhere, carved beams and painted buildings as beautiful as dreams. These stone pillars burst from the colorful ground, and Glittering decorations meet at the top: delicate eaves and pinnacles, curtains like frozen clouds, spears, banners, and bastions floating in the air! Lakes of groundwater reflect these wonders, as if through a dark side The windows of the windows looked out on a magnificent scene; the magnificent city, the crowded streets and the exquisite halls, the beauty that Turin could not even dream of, was hidden in the darkness that never shines. With a ticking sound, the water drops fell, and the ripples made all the towers and buildings sway like corals and seaweeds under the sea.When night comes, they flicker and disappear, and the torch leads to another room, another dream.Legolas, there were room after room, halls for miles, dome after dome, stairway without end, and yet the beauty wound its way into the heart of the mountains.cave!The caves of Helm's Deep!I was lucky enough to get in there by chance, and when I left, I couldn't hold back the tears. " "Then I wish you well, Gimli, and hope that you will be better off," said the elf. "May you survive this war and come back alive to enjoy this beauty again. But don't share this secret with your people. From your description, I can feel that this marvelous spectacle no longer needs to be added to the snake. Perhaps the people here are right not to make a fuss, and a group of busy dwarves with hammers and chisels may cause more damage. A lot of damage." "No, you don't understand," said Gimli, "no dwarf would be indifferent to this beauty, and even if diamonds and gold were to be mined here, the sons of Turin would never profane it. Would you not Shall we cut down the new sprouts, just to collect firewood? We will take good care of this garden of rocks, and we will never destroy it. We will dig carefully, chisel by chisel, and as the years go by, we will be able to Dig out the caverns that are hidden in the darkness far away, and let people see the beauty that has been hidden for a long time. O light, Legolas! We will also make lights, like the lights of Khazad-dum, we can use It comes to drive away the darkness that has existed since ancient times, and when we want to rest, we can easily let the night fall again." "Gimli, you've moved me," said Legolas, "I've never heard you speak like that, and you're almost making me regret not having a chance to see this beauty. Come! Let's make a Promise, if we can both survive the countless crises in front of us, we can travel together, we can visit Fangorn Forest together, and I will visit the wonders of Helm's Deep with you!" "I did not intend to take this detour," said Gimli, "but if you promise to come back to this cave with me and share its beauty, I am willing to endure the sight of Fangorn." "I promise you," said Legolas, "what a pity! We must all leave caves and forests behind for now. Look! We have reached the edge of the forest. Gandalf, how far is it to Isengard? " "About forty-five miles in a straight line," said Gandalf, "about fifteen miles from Deep Vale to the Ferry, and thirty miles from that to Isengard's Gate. We shall not need all night to-night, however. Hurry up." "What will we see when we get there?" Gimli asked, "You may already know, but I can't guess." "I'm not sure myself," replied the wizard, "I was there yesterday after sunset, but a lot must have happened during that time. However, I think that even if you have to be forced to leave Egalalon's Shining Cave, you should also feel that your trip is worthwhile." Finally, the party finally passed through the forest, and appeared at the fork of the road, leading to Edoras to the east, and to the ferry of the Isin River to the north.As they came out of the shade of the forest, Legolas stopped his horse, and looked back regretfully at the forest, when suddenly he gave a cry. "There are eyes!" he said. "There are eyes looking at us from between the tree trunks. I have never seen such eyes!" The others also stopped in surprise and turned to look at the forest, while Legolas was about to ride his horse into the forest again. "No, no!" Jin Li shouted, "Do whatever you want, let me get off the horse first! I don't want to see any eyes!" "Stay, Legolas!" said Gandalf. "Don't go back into the forest! The time has not yet come." While they were talking, three strange figures came out of the woods.They were as tall as trolls, each at least twelve feet high, and their stout bodies seemed as tough as trees in their prime, covered in gray and brown hides or clothing; Lots of fingers, the hair looks stiff, and the beard is gray-green like moss.They looked at the scene with serious eyes, but they were not looking at the knights, their eyes were thrown to the north.Suddenly they put their hands to their lips, and there came a series of clear, melodious sounds like horns; and then, the call was answered, and the knights turned their heads again to see the same creature striding across the steppe.They came from the north, walking gracefully like a heron, but with unambiguous speed, their slender feet moving faster than a heron's wings.The knights cried out in surprise, and some even reached out and grabbed the hilt of their swords. "You need not use arms," ​​said Gandalf; "these are but shepherds. They are not enemies, and in fact, they don't care about us at all!" It seemed so, for the tall creatures didn't give them a second glance as he spoke, but simply walked into the forest and disappeared. "Shepherds!" said Theoden. "Where are their cattle? What are these creatures, Gandalf? They may be familiar to you, but we know nothing!" "These are the Tree Shepherds," answered Gandalf. "Have you not heard tales and tales by the campfire for a long time? There are many children in your country who can find out with quicker reflexes than you. O King, What you have just seen are Ents—the Ents of Fangorn Forest, which is the Forest of Ents in your language. Do you think the name is arbitrary? No, Theoden, there is For them, you are but a moment in history; the long time from young Io to old Theoden is just a moment to them; all the great achievements of your royal family are but a moment in their eyes. It’s gone.” The king was silent for a moment. "Tree people!" he finally said, "I think the things in the legends have given me a general understanding of the wonders of trees. What I have witnessed is a miracle! For hundreds of years, we have only been busy taking care of livestock, farming, building houses, Forging tools, or assisting Minas Tirith in fighting evil, we consider this the life of a man, the way the world works, and we care nothing beyond its borders. These creatures are described in our songs, But we have begun to forget all this and just casually treat it as a nursery rhyme. Now, the legends in the songs appear alive in front of us, showing their power in broad daylight." "You should be glad, King Theoden," said Gandalf, "for it is not only the little lives of men that are at stake at this time, but also these fabled creatures. Even if you don't know it, you Not alone." "But I should be sad," said Theoden, "because, no matter how well our wars go, there will always be many beautiful and wonderful things that will be lost to Middle-earth forever, won't they?" "Perhaps," said Gandalf, "we cannot fully repair the damage that Sauron's wickedness has wrought, much less make it never have happened. But it is our destiny, and we go on with what we have chosen. Let's go!" The crowd began to set foot on the road to the ferry, Legolas reluctantly following.The sun had sunk below the horizon, but still the sky was red when they looked at the Pass of Rohan in the west, making the clouds there red as if on fire; and in this red light were many black-winged birds , making a shrill cry, and flew back to their home in the rock. "The vultures are very busy in battle!" said Éomer. They continued to ride forward at a leisurely pace, and the night fell on the plain in front of them.The moon rises slowly, and in the silver light, the fertile grassland undulates like an endless sea.When they finally approached the ferry, they had been riding for nearly four hours. The long slope led to the gentle beach of the river on the flat grassland. Everyone could hear the howling of wolves from the wind. Thinking that many compatriots died here , they feel heavy hearted. The road they followed wound its way to the river, and climbed up again on the other side.There are three rock-paved steps on the opposite bank, and there is a ferry in the middle for horses to pass through the sandbar in the river.The knights looked at the ferry, and thought it was a bit unusual; it used to be a place where the river flowed noisyly, and the sound of water splashing against the rocks could be heard all the time, but now everything was quiet, and the river bed was almost dry, leaving only gray water. sandbars and dry aquatic plants. "How did it become so strange here?" Eomer said, "What is wrong with this river? Saruman has destroyed many beautiful places. Is he going to destroy even the Eshin River?" "It does seem so," said Gandalf. "What a pity," said Theoden, "must we pass through here, on the battlefield where countless hussars were devoured by vultures?" "This is the only way we can go," said Gandalf. "The war dead are sorely remembered, but at least the wolves of the mountains will not devour them. These wolves eat their comrades, the orcs. The evil relationship is mutual. Devour. Come on!" They walked into the dry river, and the wolves disappeared.When the wolves saw Gandalf and Shadow Disease covered in silver light under the moonlight, they felt a kind of incomparable fear.The knights walked to the central sandbar, and in the shadows on the opposite bank, many eyes were still staring at them. "Look!" said Gandalf, "the friendly army has left traces here." A grave was piled up in the middle of the sandbar, surrounded by many spears. "Here are the hussars who died near by," said Gandalf. "May they rest in peace!" said Éomer. "May their spirits guard the fords of the Eshin after their spears have rusted!" "My friend Gandalf, is this also the result of your efforts?" said Theoden. "You have accomplished so many amazing things in one night!" "With Shadowfax and the others, of course," answered Gandalf, "I rode very fast, and went a long way. But I have words to comfort you at this graveyard: indeed Many people died at the crossing, but not as many as people think. Many people were just scattered by the enemy. I sent some to join Erkenbrand, and the other part was here Having done these things, they should have marched on Edoras now; besides, I have sent many men back to guard your palace. I know that Saruman has sent all his forces against you, he The servants put down all the work at hand to attack Helm's Deep. It seems that all the enemies on this land have disappeared, but I am still worried that wolf knights or bandits will take advantage of the opportunity to attack Medusi. However, I think now you Don’t worry, your palace will welcome you back intact.” "I'll be glad to see it, too!" said Theoden, "but I don't think I'll be able to spend much time with it." So, the team bid farewell to the graves in the sandbar, crossed the river, and came to the other side of the river. They continued to move forward and left the sad ferry.At this time, the howling of wolves sounded again.There is an ancient road leading from Essinger to the ferry. At first it moved east and north along with the river, and finally it went straight to the gate of Essinger. The entrance is about sixteen miles away.They followed the road, but spent most of their time galloping on the short grass and firm ground beside it.The group of people quickened their pace, and at midnight, they were already about fifteen miles away from the ferry.As the king was tired, they stopped to finish the evening's work.They had come to the foot of the Misty Mountains, and the side arm of the Witch's Valley stretched out to meet them, and as the moon had set and the light was hidden by the hills, the valley before them was dark; but from that valley rose a The mist mixed with steam and thick smoke, under the refraction of the moonlight, turned into a giant column of twisted silver and black stretching towards the sky. "What do you think that is, Gandalf?" asked Aragorn. "An outsider might think that the Wizard's Valley is on fire." "The valley has been surrounded by smoke like this these days," said Eomer, "but I have never seen anything like it before. Most of it is steam, and a very small amount of black smoke. Saruman probably He's plotting something against us again, maybe he wants to boil all the water in the River Eshin, so the river will dry up." "Perhaps," said Gandalf, "to-morrow we shall find out what he is doing, and let us take the opportunity to rest!" They camped beside the bed of the Eshin, the once noisy river now silent and empty.Some people took advantage of the time to sleep for a while, but in the early morning, when the night watchman shouted, everyone woke up.The moon had disappeared, and only the stars in the sky were left to illuminate the earth, but there were figures on the ground that were more gloomy than the night, and there were their shadows on both sides of the river. These figures seemed to be heading north. "Stay where you are!" said Gandalf. "Don't draw your sword! Wait! They'll pass!" A fog enveloped the crowd, they still saw a few stars shining feebly in the sky, but all around them fell into an impenetrable confusion, they were trapped among the fast-moving tall shadows.They could hear voices faintly, whispers, howls, and endless sighs, and the earth trembled.For what seemed to be a long time they sat there, filled with terror, but at last the darkness and the whispering passed away and disappeared among the mountains. In the Horn Fort in the far south, people suddenly heard a loud sound in the middle of the night, as if a strong wind had blown into the valley, and the ground was constantly shaking; everyone was extremely afraid, and no one dared to venture out to check.However, in the morning, they saw a surprising sight as soon as they went out. The corpses of those orcs disappeared with the forest!At the opening of the valley, the grass has been trampled badly, and much of the soil has been turned up, as if a tall herdsman was driving a large herd of huge cattle to gallop across the field.A great pit had been dug a mile from Holy Helm's Aqueduct, and a hill of stones had been piled above it.It is believed that the Orc's body was buried there, but it is not known whether orcs who had previously taken refuge in the forest were with them.That hill has since been called Death's Hill, and no human has dared to set foot on it, and no grass has ever grown there.These strange trees did not appear in the deep valleys again, but they appeared in the night, and they returned to the dark valleys of Fangorn Forest at night, and they finally avenged the Orcs for their deforestation. The king and his entourage could not fall asleep that night, but they never saw any strange sights again, except that the sound of the gurgling river seemed to wake them up suddenly.In the middle of the night they heard the sound of water rushing over the rocks of the river bed, and then the Eshin regained its former appearance, a fast-flowing stream again. By dawn, they were ready to go.The east was glowing with gray light, but they couldn't see the rising sun, the air was filled with mist, and the ground in front of them was filled with smoke. They walked on the road and moved forward slowly.The road was wide and wide, and fairly well maintained, and through the mist they could just make out Necrona, the slopes slowly rising on either side of the Valley of the Wizards.It was a valley surrounded by mountains on three sides, with an outlet only to the south, and it was once a fair and verdant place, through which the Eshin flowed deep and mighty before it emptied into the plain; The springs and the streams that flowed from the mountains were originally a peaceful and fertile land. Now everything has changed. Under Isengard's wall, there are still several acres of gardens pruned by Saruman's slaves, but most of the valley has become a place full of weeds and thorns.Brambles grow here and there, climbing the bushes and the banks of the river, forming caves where small animals inhabit.The place is bare, without any trees growing, but among the weeds, you can still see the stumps of ancient forests that were felled and burned.It was a sad land, save for the monotonous sound of the river crashing against the rocks, and the smoke and steam drifting among the clouds and across the valleys.The knights said nothing, and many of them wondered what terrible end this adventure would lead to. After they continued riding for a while, the original road became a broad street, covered with flat boulders carefully arranged by skillful craftsmen, without a trace of weeds growing in any joint.In the ditches on both sides of the road, water kept flowing out, and a tall stone pillar appeared silently in front of everyone. The stone pillar was black, and there was a huge rock on it. A white palm was carved and drawn, and its fingers pointed to north.Everyone knew that not far away should be the gate of Essinger, and they felt very heavy, but the fog still shrouded the unknown future. Among the mountains, in the Valley of the Wizards, there is a place that has been called Isinger for countless years.Part of this place is a natural terrain, but the royal family of the West built extremely magnificent buildings there; Saruman lived there for a long time, and he did not waste his time. In the heyday of Saruman, considered by many to be the Master of Wizards, the arrangement was as follows: a high wall of gigantic rocks ran back and forth from the side of the mountain, the only opening being in the southern wall huge arch.A long tunnel was hewn between these black rocks, and the openings on both sides were guarded by iron gates.These two doors are the result of the painstaking efforts of skillful craftsmen. Therefore, although the two heavy doors are fixed on the hinges, as long as the latch is pulled, anyone can push it gently with both hands and open it silently.When the visitor reaches the opposite side through a very long tunnel, he will see a vast plain, a terrain like a large shallow bowl, almost a mile or so in diagonal length.It was once full of exotic flowers and fruits, irrigated by the springs flowing from the mountains on both sides, and finally gathered into a small lake; but in the later period of Saruman's rule, all the greenery here was destroyed.The road was paved with black and hard rocks. Where there were trees before, there were only many stone pillars left, some made of marble, some made of steel or bronze, and they were all strung together by heavy chains. There are many houses and passages here, all connected by tunnels and inner walls. Therefore, this circular open space is under the surveillance of countless windows and doors no matter day or night.Thousands of inhabitants can live here: workers, servants, slaves and warriors, as well as a large number of weapons, while wolves are raised and cared for in underground caves.The ground was also full of holes, and the openings of the tunnels were closed by rock domes. Therefore, at night, Isinger looked like a cemetery unwilling to be lonely, and the ground often shook for no reason.These tunnels went down into the earth, and there were many winding passages and great caves below, where Saruman hid his treasures, armories, storehouses, blacksmiths, and great furnaces, where the wheels of iron stood day and night Rotating continuously, the hammer made a never-ending sound of knocking.At night, these tunnels would be steaming, illuminated by red, blue, or eerie green lights from below. All the roads formed by the chains lead to a tall tower in the center. That majestic tower was built by ancient craftsmen, and the entire wall of Isinger is also their masterpiece.但是，这座高塔却不似人类的创造物，反而像是硬从地面拉扯出的骨架一般。它其实是一座孤立的岩峰，黑色的表面反射著光芒，四座巨大的多面体被强行融合在一起，到了顶端却又枝开叶散，尖端锐利得如同枪尖，边缘锋利得好似刀刃。在这些尖锐的岩石之间有一块平台，打磨光滑的地面上刻画著许多奇怪的符号，站在上面的人可以从距离地面将近五百尺的高度俯瞰地面，这就是欧散克塔，萨鲁曼的要塞。不知是巧合或是刻意，这个名称有两个意思：在精灵的语言中欧散克代表的是牙之山；但在骠骑国的古语中，欧散克代表的是狡诈之心。 艾辛格是个易守难攻的壮伟之地，它一直以美丽的面貌迎接了许多个岁月，这里曾经居住过许多伟大的君王、刚铎的西方诸侯驻跸在此、智者从这里仰观天象；但萨鲁曼利用多年的时间将此地重新改造，在他那被欺瞒的心智中，觉得自己将此地改造得尽善尽美。这里有许多他舍弃了原先的睿智所换来的技术和科技，他原先一直以为都是他自己的创造，但实际上全都是来自魔多。这一切的一切都只是儿戏，只是萨鲁曼对巨大的邪黑塔、要塞巴拉多的模仿和抄袭，他抄袭了那里的兵器库、监狱和地牢，却恍然不觉。邪黑塔则是安坐著在东方，享受著对方的愚行，同时被难以估计的强大力量所护卫著，高枕无忧地面对这一切。 这就是原先人们知道的萨鲁曼要塞在传说中的形貌，因为没有任何洛汗国的人们，曾经活著通过这扇门；或许只有极少数像是巧言这样的人物会悄悄地进入此地，却不敢和其他人分享这里的所见所闻。 甘道夫骑过白掌的高大石柱，同时，骑士们惊讶地发现石柱上的巨掌不再是白色的；上面彷佛沾著乾掉的血迹，靠近一看，他们才发现它的指甲也变成红色的。甘道夫若无其事地继续向雾中前进，众人迟疑地尾随在后面。他们环顾四周，发现这里好像不久前遭遇到洪水，地上一洼一洼的都是积水，所有的空洞中几乎都装满了水。不知来自何处的清水，则是从岩石的裂缝中涓涓淌下。 最后，甘道夫终于停了下来，示意众人靠近。一行人这才看见甘道夫身前的雾气已经散开，苍白的阳光照耀在大地上，刚过正什不久，他们来到了艾辛格的大门。 但大门却被丢在地上，扭曲变形得惨不忍睹。四周散布著许多被打成碎片的瓦砾和碎石，有些还被刻意集中成数堆。高大的拱门依旧存在，整个隧道却被打成了露天的街道，两旁的岩壁上有著纵横交错的刻痕和凹洞，墙壁上的高塔则被搥打成齎粉。即使大海升起，扑向附近的山丘，恐怕也无法造成比眼前更大的损害。 隧道之后的内墙积满了水，看起来像是一个冒泡的大锅一般，水面上漂浮著许多残破的木头和箱子、桶子以及各种家具。断折的石柱只剩下顶端露出水面，底下的道路全都被水淹没了；看来距离很远的地方，则是原先壮伟的岩城。欧散克塔并没有受到暴风的破坏，依旧漆黑地耸立在水面上。 国王和所有的部下全都一言不发地坐在马上，惊讶地明白萨鲁曼已经被推翻了。但他们想破头也猜不出来是怎么办到的。当众人转过头看著破烂不堪的拱门和饱经蹂躏的铁门时，突然注意到一堆瓦砾上躺著两个小小的身影。这两个生物穿著灰色的外衣，在瓦砾中几乎让人无法发现，他们四周有许多的锅碗瓢盆，可能刚刚才大吃大喝了一顿，现在正把握机会休息。一个人似乎睡著了，另一个则是双手交叠在后脑上，好整以暇地翘著二郎腿，靠著大石仰望天空，嘴里冒出一个又一个的烟圈。 希优顿和伊欧墨等人，就这么不知所措地瞪著他俩；在艾辛格的一片残破景象之中，这两人显得格格不入。但在国王开口前，那吐烟的小家伙就发现对方沉默地站在门口，他立刻坐了起来。这人看起来像是名年轻人，但身高却不及一般人的一半；他有一头褐色的卷发，但身上穿著的是和甘道夫及同伴们来到伊多拉斯时一样的灰色斗篷。他将手放在胸前，深深一鞠躬，接著，他似乎没注意到巫师和他的朋友们，转过头对伊欧墨和国王说起话来。 「欢迎大人们来到艾辛格！」他说：「我们是这里的看门人，在下梅里雅达克，是沙拉达克之子；而我的同伴，啊，恐怕已经在休息了！」说到这里，他踢了那名同伴一脚，「他是皮瑞格林，图克家族的帕拉丁之子，我们的故乡在遥远的北方。萨鲁曼大人还在里面，不过，他目前正和巧言被困在里面，否则，我想他一定会前来欢迎诸位这么尊贵的客人！」 「他一定会的！」甘道夫笑著说：「不知道是不是萨鲁曼命你们在吃完大餐之后，分心替他看看门的呢？」 「不，大人，他没想到这一点，」梅里神情凝重地回答：「他太忙碌了，我们的命令是来自接管艾辛格的树胡。他命令在下必须要用最适当的言词欢迎洛汗的国王，我已经尽力了。」 「那你又是怎么对待我们这些一起共患难的朋友？勒苟拉斯和我又怎么办？」金雳再也忍不住了，不禁大吼道：「你这个家伙，你这个毛毛脚，全身长毛、好吃懒做的家伙！你们害我们跑了多远知道吗？整整六百哩！从草原到森林，经历战斗和死亡，都只为了救你们！在我们做牛做马东奔西跑之后，你们竟然还在这边大吃大喝，而且还──抽烟！抽烟！你们这些坏蛋，烟草是哪里来的？天哪，我又高兴又生气，如果我不发泄一下，实在会受不了啊！」 「金雳啊，你把我心里的话都说出来了！」勒苟拉斯笑著说：「不过，我比较想要知道他们的酒是哪里来的。」 「你们追了这么久，有一样东西没找到，那就是更聪明的脑子，」皮聘张开一只眼说：「你们发现我们坐在胜利的战场上，在兵荒马乱之后的废墟中，竟然还问我们，怎么有资格好好休息！」 「有资格休息？」金雳说：「我才不相信哪！」 骑士们笑了。「毫无疑问的，这是好朋友会面的场景，」希优顿说：「甘道夫，原来这些就是你们失踪的朋友啊？今天可真是充满奇迹的一天。在我离开皇宫之后已经见识到了许多奇迹，但现在眼前竟然又出现了另一群传说中的人物。你们是不是传说中的半身人，我们之中有人称呼你们为哈比特兰？」 「王上，请叫我们哈比人。」皮聘说。 「哈比人？」希优顿说：「你们的语言好像改变了，不过，这个名字听起来倒是很恰当。哈比人！果然是耳闻不如一见啊。」 梅里再度鞠躬，皮聘跳了起来，也跟著深深一鞠躬：「王上，您太客气了，我希望您是真心的，」他说：「我也遇到了另一个奇迹！自从我离家之后已经见识过了许多国度，但之前从来没有任何人听过哈比人的事情。」 「我族是许久以前离开北方的居民，」希优顿说：「但我不想骗你们，我们知道的其实并不多。我们只知道在很远的地方，越过许多山脉和河流，有一群矮小的生物居住在洞穴或是沙丘中。但没有任何关于他们的传说，因为据说他们游手好闲，躲避人类的目光，可以在一瞬间消失，而且他们还可以将嗓音伪装成飞鸟的啁啾声。不过，看来似乎并不只是这样。」 「的确，王上，」梅里说。 「就以眼前的景象来说，」希优顿说：「我就没听说过他们会从嘴里喷烟。」 「这可不让人惊讶，」梅里回答：「因为这是一门我们已经有好几十年没有表演过的艺术了。在我们的纪年一零七零年时，是居住在长底的托伯·吹号者，第一次在他的花园中种植真正的烟草。至于老托伯是怎么发现这植物的……」 甘道夫打岔道：「希优顿，你不知道你面对著什么样的危险，如果你表现出一丝一毫的耐心，这些哈比人就会在战场的废墟旁，和你讨论用餐的快乐、他们父亲、祖父、曾祖父或是九等亲的芝麻蒜皮小事。或许你应该利用其他时间，再来听听抽烟这档事的历史。梅里，树胡呢？」 「我相信他应该是在北边吧，他想去喝点乾净的水。大多数的树人都和他一起走了，他们还在那边忙碌地工作著。」梅里对著冒烟的湖泊挥舞著手，当众人转头看去时，他们听见什么东西崩塌的声音，似乎山崩了一样，更远的地方则是传来轰轰，呼姆的声音，似乎有人正吹响著胜利的号角。 「没有人看守欧散克吗？」甘道夫说。 「有这些水就够了，」梅里说：「不过，快枝和其他的树人其实还在警戒中，水里面的柱子其实不完全是萨鲁曼的杰作。我想，快枝就在那个阶梯附近的巨岩旁。」 「没错，那边有个高大的灰色树人，」勒苟拉斯说：「他的手臂插在腰间，直挺挺地像是柱子般矗立在那里。」 「已经过了中什了，」甘道夫说：「我们从一早就没有吃任何东西，不过，我希望能够尽快和树胡见面。他没有留话给我吗？还是这些锅碗瓢盆让你忘记了他说的话？」 「他有留话，」梅里说：「我刚刚正准备要说，你们的一大堆问题打断了我的进度嘛！我正准备说，如果骠骑王和甘道夫愿意骑马到北方的墙边，他们会发现树胡就在那边，他会亲自招待两位。请容我补充一句，你们也可以在该处找到最上等的食物，那是由你们谦逊的仆人亲手挑选的。」他鞠躬说道。 甘道夫笑了，「这样好多了！」他说：「好吧，希优顿，你愿意和我一起去找树胡吗？我们必须绕点路，幸好还不算远。当你见到树胡之后，你会知道更多的。因为树胡就是法贡，也是树人之中最年长的领袖，当你和他说话的时候，你会听见世间最古老的语言。」 「我愿意和你一起走，」希优顿说：「再会了，哈比人！愿我们可以在我的宫殿中再会！那时，你们可以坐在我旁边，告诉我所有你们想说的东西：父祖辈或一切你记得起的小事都可以，我们也可以讨论老托伯和他的草药知识。再会了！」 哈比人深深鞠躬。「这位洛汗国的国王还真好！」皮聘压低声音说：「他人真不错，很客气呢！」