the return of the king-第39部分

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tower；　but　his　knees　felt　weak；　and　he　found　that　he　was　trembling。　Drawing　his　eyes　down　from　
the　tower　and　the　horns　of　the　Cleft　before　him；　he　forced　his　unwilling　feet　to　obey　him；　and　
slowly；　listening　with　all　his　ears；　peering　into　the　dense　shadows　of　the　rocks　beside　the　way；　he　
retraced　his　steps；　past　the　place　where　Frodo　fell；　and　still　the　stench　of　Shelob　lingered；　and　then　
on　and　up；　until　he　stood　again　in　the　very　cleft　where　he　had　put　on　the　Ring　and　seen　Shagrat's　
pany　go　by。
　　　　　There　he　halted　and　sat　down。　For　the　moment　he　could　drive　himself　no　further。　He　felt　that　if　
once　he　went　beyond　the　crown　of　the　pass　and　took　one　step　veritably　down　into　the　land　of　
Mordor；　that　step　would　be　irrevocable。　He　could　never　e　back。　Without　any　clear　purpose　he　
drew　out　the　Ring　and　put　it　on　again。　Immediately　he　felt　the　great　burden　of　its　weight；　and　felt　
afresh；　but　now　more　strong　and　urgent　than　ever；　the　malice　of　the　Eye　of　Mordor；　searching；　
trying　to　pierce　the　shadows　that　it　had　made　for　its　own　defence；　but　which　now　hindered　it　in　its　
unquiet　and　doubt。
　　　　　As　before；　Sam　found　that　his　hearing　was　sharpened；　but　that　to　his　sight　the　things　of　this　
world　seemed　thin　and　vague。　The　rocky　walls　of　the　path　were　pale；　as　if　seen　through　a　mist；　but　
still　at　a　distance　he　heard　the　bubbling　of　Shelob　in　her　misery：　and　harsh　and　clear；　and　very　close　
it　seemed；　he　heard　cries　and　the　clash　of　metal。　He　sprang　to　his　feet；　and　pressed　himself　against　
the　wall　beside　the　road。　He　was　glad　of　the　Ring；　for　here　was　yet　another　pany　of　orcs　on　the　
march。　Or　so　at　first　he　thought。　Then　suddenly　he　realized　that　it　was　not　so；　his　hearing　had　
deceived　him：　the　orc…cries　came　from　the　tower；　whose　topmost　horn　was　now　right　above　him；　on　
the　left　hand　of　the　Cleft。
　　　　　Sam　shuddered　and　tried　to　force　himself　to　move。　There　was　plainly　some　devilry　going　on。　
Perhaps　in　spite　of　all　orders　the　cruelty　of　the　orcs　had　mastered　them；　and　they　were　tormenting　
Frodo；　or　even　savagely　hacking　him　to　pieces。　He　listened；　and　as　he　did　a　gleam　of　hope　came　to　
him。　There　could　not　be　much　doubt：　there　was　fighting　in　the　tower；　the　orcs　must　be　at　war　
among　themselves；　Shagrat　and　Gorbag　had　e　to　blows。　Faint　as　was　the　hope　that　his　guess　
brought　him；　it　was　enough　to　rouse　him。　There　might　be　just　a　chance。　His　love　for　Frodo　rose　
above　all　other　thoughts；　and　forgetting　his　peril　he　cried　aloud：　'I'm　ing；　Mr。　Frodo！'
　　　　　He　ran　forward　to　the　climbing　path；　and　over　it。　At　once　the　road　turned　left　and　plunged　
steeply　down。　Sam　had　crossed　into　Mordor。

　　　　　He　took　off　the　Ring；　moved　it　may　be　by　some　deep　premonition　of　danger；　though　to　himself　
he　thought　only　that　he　wished　to　see　more　clearly。　‘Better　have　a　look　at　the　worst；'　he　muttered。　
‘No　good　blundering　about　in　a　fog！'
　　　　　Hard　and　cruel　and　bitter　was　the　land　that　met　his　gaze。　Before　his　feet　the　highest　ridge　of　the　
Ephel　Dúath　fell　steeply　in　great　cliffs　down　into　a　dark　trough；　on　the　further　side　of　which　there　
rose　another　ridge；　much　lower；　its　edge　notched　and　jagged　with　crags　like　fangs　that　stood　out　
black　against　the　red　light　behind　them：　it　was　the　grim　Morgai；　the　inner　ring　of　the　fences　of　the　
land。　Far　beyond　it；　but　almost　straight　ahead；　across　a　wide　lake　of　darkness　dotted　with　tiny　fires；　
there　was　a　great　burning　glow；　and　from　it　rose　in　huge　columns　a　swirling　smoke；　dusty　red　at　the　
roots；　black　above　where　it　merged　into　the　billowing　canopy　that　roofed　in　all　the　accursed　land。
　　　　　Sam　was　looking　at　Orodruin；　the　Mountain　of　Fire。　Ever　and　anon　the　furnaces　far　below　its　
ashen　cone　would　grow　hot　and　with　a　great　surging　and　throbbing　pour　forth　rivers　of　molten　rock　
from　chasms　in　its　sides。　Some　would　flow　blazing　towards　Barad…d？r　down　great　channels；　some　
would　wind　their　way　into　the　stony　plain；　until　they　cooled　and　lay　like　twisted　dragon…shapes　
vomited　from　the　tormented　earth。　In　such　an　hour　of　labour　Sam　beheld　Mount　Doom；　and　the　
light　of　it；　cut　off　by　the　high　screen　of　the　Ephel　Dúath　from　those　who　climbed　up　the　path　from　
the　West；　now　glared　against　the　stark　rock　faces；　so　that　they　seemed　to　be　drenched　with　blood。
　　　　　In　that　dreadful　light　Sam　stood　aghast；　for　now；　looking　to　his　left；　he　could　see　the　Tower　of　
Cirith　Ungol　in　all　its　strength。　The　horn　that　he　had　seen　from　the　other　side　was　only　its　topmost　
turret。　Its　eastern　face　stood　up　in　three　great　tiers　from　a　shelf　in　the　mountain…wall　far　below；　its　
back　was　to　a　great　cliff　behind；　from　which　it　jutted　out　in　pointed　bastions；　one　above　the　other；　
diminishing　as　they　rose；　with　sheer　sides　of　cunning　masonry　that　looked　north…east　and　south…east。　
About　the　lowest　tier；　two　hundred　feet　below　where　Sam　now　stood；　there　was　a　battlemented　wall　
enclosing　a　narrow　court。　Its　gate；　upon　the　near　south…eastern　side；　opened　on　a　broad　road；　the　
outer　parapet　of　which　ran　upon　the　brink　of　a　precipice；　until　it　turned　southward　and　went　
winding　down　into　the　darkness　to　join　the　road　that　came　over　the　Morgul　Pass。　Then　on　it　went　
through　a　jagged　rift　in　the　Morgai　out　into　the　valley　of　Gorgoroth　and　away　to　Barad…d？r。　The　
narrow　upper　way　on　which　Sam　stood　leapt　swiftly　down　by　stair　and　steep　path　to　meet　the　main　
road　under　the　frowning　walls　close　to　the　Tower…gate。
　　　　　As　he　gazed　at　it　suddenly　Sam　understood；　almost　with　a　shock；　that　this　stronghold　had　been　
built　not　to　keep　enemies　out　of　Mordor；　but　to　keep　them　in。　It　was　indeed　one　of　the　works　of　
Gondor　long　ago；　an　eastern　outpost　of　the　defences　of　Ithilien；　made　when；　after　the　Last　Alliance；　
Men　of　Westernesse　kept　watch　on　the　evil　land　of　Sauron　where　his　creatures　still　lurked。　But　as　
with　Narchost　and　Carchost；　the　Towers　of　the　Teeth；　so　here　too　the　vigilance　had　failed；　and　
treachery　had　yielded　up　the　Tower　to　the　Lord　of　the　Ringwraiths；　and　now　for　long　years　it　had　
been　held　by　evil　things。　Since　his　return　to　Mordor；　Sauron　had　found　it　useful；　for　he　had　few　
servants　but　many　slaves　of　fear；　and　still　its　chief　purpose　as　of　old　was　to　prevent　escape　from　
Mordor。　Though　if　an　enemy　were　so　rash　as　to　try　to　enter　that　land　secretly；　then　it　was　also　a　last　
unsleeping　guard　against　any　that　might　pass　the　vigilance　of　Morgul　and　of　Shelob。
　　　　　Only　too　clearly　Sam　saw　how　hopeless　it　would　be　for　him　to　creep　down　under　those　many…
eyed　walls　and　pass　the　watchful　gate。　And　even　if　he　did　so；　he　could　not　go　far　on　the　guarded　
road　beyond：　not　even　the　black　shadows；　lying　deep　where　the　red　glow　could　not　reach；　would　
shield　him　long　from　the　night…eyed　orcs。　But　desperate　as　that　road　might　be；　his　task　was　now　far　
worse：　not　to　avoid　the　gate　and　escape；　but　to　enter　it；　alone。

　　　　　His　thought　turned　to　the　Ring；　but　there　was　no　fort　there；　only　dread　and　danger。　No　
sooner　had　he　e　in　sight　of　Mount　Doom；　burning　far　away；　than　he　was　aware　of　a　change　in　
his　burden。　As　it　drew　near　the　great　furnaces　where；　in　the　deeps　of　time；　it　had　been　shaped　and　
forged；　the　Ring's　power　grew；　and　it　became　more　fell；　untameable　save　by　some　mighty　will。　As　
Sam　stood　there；　even　though　the　Ring　was　not　on　him　but　hanging　by　its　chain　about　his　neck；　he　
felt　himself　enlarged；　as　if　he　were　robed　in　a　huge　distorted　shadow　of　himself；　a　vast　and　ominous　
threat　halted　upon　the　walls　of　Mordor。　He　felt　that　he　had　from　now　on　only　two　choices：　to　
forbear　the　Ring；　though　it　would　torment　him；　or　to　claim　it；　and　challenge　the　Power　that　sat　in　its　
dark　hold　beyond　the　valley　of　shadows。　Already　the　Ring　tempted　him；　gnawing　at　his　will　and　
reason。　Wild　fantasies　arose　in　his　mind；　and　he　saw　Samwise　the　Strong；　Hero　of　the　Age；　striding　
with　a　flaming　sword　across　the　darkened　land；　and　armies　flocking　to　his　call　as　he　marched　to　the　
overthrow　of　Barad…d？r。　And　then　all　the　clouds　rolled　away；　and　the　white　sun　shone；　and　at　his　
mand　the　vale　of　Gorgoroth　became　a　garden　of　flowers　and　trees　and　brought　forth　fruit。　He　
had　only　to　put　on　the　Ring　and　claim　it　for　his　own；　and　all　this　could　be。
　　　　　In　that　hour　of　trial　it　was　the　love　of　his　master　that　helped　most　to　hold　him　firm；　but　also　deep　
down　in　him　lived　still　unconquered　his　plain　hobbit…sense：　he　knew　in　the　core　of　his　heart　that　he　
was　not　large　enough　to　bear　such　a　burden；　even　if　such　visions　were　not　a　mere　cheat　to　betray　
him。　The　one　small　garden　of　a　free　gardener　was　all　his　need　and　due；　not　a　garden　swollen　to　a　
realm；　his　own　hands　to　use；　not　the　hands　of　others　to　mand。
　　　　　'And　anyway　all　these　notions　are　only　a　trick；'　he　said　to　himself。　'He'd　spot　me　and　cow　me；　
before　I　could　so　much　as　shout　out。　He'd　spot　me；　pretty　quick；　if　I　put　the　Ring　on　now；　in　Mordor。　
Well；　all　I　can　say　is：　things　look　as　hopeless　as　a　frost　in　spring。　Just　when　being　invisible　would　
be　really　useful；　I　can't　use　the　Ring！　And　if　ever　I　get　any　further；　it's　going　to　be　nothing　but　a　
drag　and　a　burden　every　step。　So　what's　to　be　done？'
　　　　　He　was　not　really　in　any　doubt。　He　knew　that　he　must　go　down　to　the　gate　and　not　linger　any　
more。　With　a　shrug　of　his　shoulders；　as　if　to　shake　off　the　shadow　and　dismiss　the　phantoms；　he　
began　slowly　to　descend。　With　each　step　he　seemed　to　diminish。　He　had　not　gone　far　before　he　had　
shrunk　again　to　a　very　small　and　frightened　hobbit。　He　was　now　passing　under　the　very　walls　of　the　
Tower；　and　the　cries　and　sounds　of　fighting　could　be　heard　with　his　unaided　ears。　At　the　moment　
the　noise　seemed　to　be　ing　from　the　court　behind　the　outer　wall。

　　　　　Sam　was　about　half　way　down　the　path　when　out　of　the　dark　gateway　into　the　red　glow　there　
came　two　orcs　running。　They　did　not　turn　towards　him。　They　were　making　for　the　main　road；　but　
even　as　they　ran　they　stumbled　and　fell　to　the　ground　and　lay　still。　Sam　had　seen　no　arrows；　but　he　
guessed　that　the　orcs　had　been　shot　down　by　others　on　the　battlements　or　hidden　in　the　shadow　of　
the　gate。　He　went　on；　hugging　the　wall　on　his　left。　One　look　upward　had　shown　him　that　there　was　
no　hope　of　climbing　it。　The　stone…work　rose　thirty　fee