the fellowship of the ring- 第78部分

　
last　thing　written　is　in　a　trailing　scrawl　of　elf…letters：　_they　are　ing_。　
There　is　nothing　more。'　Gandalf　paused　and　stood　in　silent　thought。　
A　sudden　dread　and　a　horror　of　the　chamber　fell　on　the　pany。　‘_Wecannot　get　out_；'　muttered　Gimli。　'It　was　well　for　us　that　the　pool　had　sunk　alittle；　and　that　the　Watcher　was　sleeping　down　at　the　southern　end。'　
Gandalf　raised　his　head　and　looked　round。　‘They　seem　to　have　made　a　laststand　by　both　doors；'　he　said；　'but　there　were　not　many　left　by　that　time。　Soended　the　attempt　to　retake　Moria！　It　was　valiant　but　foolish。　The　time　is　note　yet。　Now；　I　fear；　we　must　say　farewell　to　Balin　son　of　Fundin。　Here　hemust　lie　in　the　halls　of　his　fathers。　We　will　take　this　book；　the　Book　ofMazarbul；　and　look　at　it　more　closely　later。　You　had　better　keep　it；　Gimli；　
and　take　it　back　to　Dáin；　if　you　get　a　chance。　It　will　interest　him；　though　itwill　grieve　him　deeply。　e；　let　us　go！　The　morning　is　passing。'　
'Which　way　shall　we　go？　'　asked　Boromir。　
'Back　to　the　hall；'　answered　Gandalf。　'But　our　visit　to　this　room　has　notbeen　in　vain。　I　now　know　where　we　are。　This　must　be；　as　Gimli　says；　theChamber　of　Mazarbul；　and　the　hall　must　be　the　twenty…first　of　the　North…end。　
Therefore　we　should　leave　by　the　eastern　arch　of　the　hall；　and　bear　right　andsouth；　and　go　downwards。　The　Twenty…first　Hall　should　be　on　the　Seventh　Level；　
that　is　six　above　the　level　of　the　Gates。　e　now！　Back　to　the　hall！　'　　
Gandalf　had　hardly　spoken　these　words；　when　there　came　a　great　noise：　arolling　_Boom_　that　seemed　to　e　from　depths　far　below；　and　to　tremble　inthe　stone　at　their　feet。　They　sprang　towards　the　door　in　alarm。　_Doom；　doom_　
it　rolled　again；　as　if　huge　hands　were　turning　the　very　caverns　of　Moria　intoa　vast　drum。　Then　there　came　an　echoing　blast：　a　great　horn　was　blown　in　thehall；　and　answering　horns　and　harsh　cries　were　heard　further　off。　There　was　ahurrying　sound　of　many　feet。　
‘They　are　ing！　'　cried　Legolas。　
'We　cannot　get　out；'　said　Gimli。　
‘Trapped！　'　cried　Gandalf。　‘Why　did　I　delay？　Here　we　are；　caught；　just　asthey　were　before。　But　I　was　not　here　then。　We　will　see　what　–––…'　
_Doom；　doom_　came　the　drum…beat　and　the　walls　shook。　
'Slam　the　doors　and　wedge　them！　'　shouted　Aragorn。　'And　keep　your　packson　as　long　as　you　can：　we　may　get　a　chance　to　cut　our　way　out　yet。'　
‘No！　'　said　Gandalf。　'We　must　not　get　shut　in。　Keep　the　east　door　ajar！　
We　will　go　that　way；　if　we　get　a　chance。'　
Another　harsh　horn…call　and　shrill　cries　rang　out。　Feet　were　ing　downthe　corridor。　There　was　a　ring　and　clatter　as　the　pany　drew　their　swords。　
Glamdring　shone　with　a　pale　light；　and　Sting　glinted　at　the　edges。　Boromir　sethis　shoulder　against　the　western　door。　
‘Wait　a　moment！　Do　not　close　it　yet！　'　said　Gandalf。　He　sprang　forward　toBoromir's　side　and　drew　himself　up　to　his　full　height。　
'Who　es　hither　to　disturb　the　rest　of　Balin　Lord　of　Moria？　'　he　cried　　
in　a　loud　voice。　　
There　was　a　rush　of　hoarse　laughter；　like　the　fall　of　sliding　stones　intoa　pit；　amid　the　clamour　a　deep　voice　was　raised　in　mand。　Doom；　boom；　doomwent　the　drums　in　the　deep。　
With　a　quick　movement　Gandalf　stepped　before　the　narrow　opening　of　thedoor　and　thrust　forward　his　staff：　There　was　a　dazzling　flash　that　lit　thechamber　and　the　passage　outside。　For　an　instant　the　wizard　looked　out。　Arrowswhined　and　whistled　down　the　corridor　as　he　sprang　back。　
'There　are　Orcs；　very　many　of　them；'　he　said。　‘And　some　are　large　andevil：　black　Uruks　of　Mordor。　For　the　moment　they　are　hanging　back；　but　thereis　something　else　there。　A　great　cave…troll；　I　think；　or　more　than　one。　Thereis　no　hope　of　escape　that　way。'　
'And　no　hope　at　all；　if　they　e　at　the　other　door　as　well；'　saidBoromir。　　
'There　is　no　sound　outside　here　yet；'　said　Aragorn；　who　was　standing　bythe　eastern　door　listening。　‘The　passage　on　this　side　plunges　straight　down　a　　
　
stair：　it　plainly　does　not　lead　back　towards　the　hall。　But　it　is　no　goodflying　blindly　this　way　with　the　pursuit　just　behind。　We　cannot　block　thedoor。　Its　key　is　gone　and　the　lock　is　broken；　and　it　opens　inwards。　We　must　dosomething　to　delay　the　enemy　first。　We　will　make　them　fear　the　Chamber　ofMazarbul！'　he　said　grimly　feeling　the　edge　of　his　sword；　Andúril。　　
Heavy　feet　were　heard　in　the　corridor。　Boromir　flung　himself　against　thedoor　and　heaved　it　to；　then　he　wedged　it　with　broken　sword…blades　andsplinters　of　wood。　The　pany　retreated　to　the　other　side　of　the　chamber。　Butthey　had　no　chance　to　fly　yet。　There　was　a　blow　on　the　door　that　made　itquiver；　and　then　it　began　to　grind　slowly　open；　driving　back　the　wedges。　Ahuge　arm　and　shoulder；　with　a　dark　skin　of　greenish　scales；　was　thrust　throughthe　widening　gap。　Then　a　great；　flat；　toeless　foot　was　forced　through　below。　
There　was　a　dead　silence　outside。　　
Boromir　leaped　forward　and　hewed　at　the　arm　with　all　his　might；　but　hissword　rang；　glanced　aside；　and　fell　from　his　shaken　hand。　The　blade　wasnotched。　　
Suddenly；　and　to　his　own　surprise；　Frodo　felt　a　hot　wrath　blaze　up　in　hisheart。　‘The　Shire！　'　he　cried；　and　springing　beside　Boromir；　he　stooped；　andstabbed　with　Sting　at　the　hideous　foot。　There　was　a　bellow；　and　the　footjerked　back；　nearly　wrenching　Sting　from　Frodo's　arm。　Black　drops　dripped　fromthe　blade　and　smoked　on　the　floor。　Boromir　hurled　himself　against　the　door　andslammed　it　again。　
‘One　for　the　Shire！　'　cried　Aragorn。　‘The　hobbit's　bite　is　deep！　You　havea　good　blade；　Frodo　son　of　Drogo！　'　
There　was　a　crash　on　the　door；　followed　by　crash　after　crash。　Rams　andhammers　were　beating　against　it。　It　cracked　and　staggered　back；　and　theopening　grew　suddenly　wide。　Arrows　came　whistling　in；　but　struck　the　northernwall；　and　fell　harmlessly　to　the　floor。　There　was　a　horn…blast　and　a　rush　offeet；　and　orcs　one　after　another　leaped　into　the　chamber。　
How　many　there　were　the　pany　could　not　count。　The　affray　was　sharp；　
but　the　orcs　were　dismayed　by　the　fierceness　of　the　defence。　Legolas　shot　twothrough　the　throat。　Gimli　hewed　the　legs　from　under　another　that　had　sprung　upon　Balin's　tomb。　Boromir　and　Aragorn　slew　many。　When　thirteen　had　fallen　therest　fled　shrieking。　leaving　the　defenders　unharmed；　except　for　Sam　who　had　ascratch　along　the　scalp。　A　quick　duck　had　saved　him；　and　he　had　felled　hisorc：　a　sturdy　thrust　with　his　Barrow…blade。　A　fire　was　smouldering　in　hisbrown　eyes　that　would　have　made　Ted　Sandyman　step　backwards；　if　he　had　seenit。　　
‘Now　is　the　time！　'　cried　Gandalf。　‘Let　us　go；　before　the　troll　returns！'　
But　even　as　they　retreated；　and　before　Pippin　and　Merry　had　reached　thestair　outside；　a　huge　orc…chieftain；　almost　man…high；　clad　in　black　mail　fromhead　to　foot；　leaped　into　the　chamber；　behind　him　his　followers　clustered　inthe　doorway。　His　broad　flat　face　was　swart；　his　eyes　were　like　coals；　and　histongue　was　red；　he　wielded　a　great　spear。　With　a　thrust　of　his　huge　hideshield　he　turned　Boromir's　sword　and　bore　him　backwards；　throwing　him　to　theground。　Diving　under　Aragorn's　blow　with　the　speed　of　a　striking　snake　hecharged　into　the　pany　and　thrust　with　his　spear　straight　at　Frodo。　The　blowcaught　him　on　the　right　side；　and　Frodo　was　hurled　against　the　wall　andpinned。　Sam；　with　a　cry；　hacked　at　the　spear…shaft；　and　it　broke。　But　even　asthe　orc　flung　down　the　truncheon　and　swept　out　his　scimitar；　Andúril　came　downupon　his　helm。　There　was　a　flash　like　flame　and　the　helm　burst　asunder。　Theorc　fell　with　cloven　head。　His　followers　fled　howling；　as　Boromir　and　Aragornsprang　at　them。　
again。　
_Doom；　doom_　went　the　drums　in　the　deep。　The　great　voice　rolled　out　　
'Now！　'　shouted　Gandalf。　'Now　is　the　last　chance。　Run　for　it！　'　　
Aragorn　picked　up　Frodo　where　he　lay　by　the　wall　and　made　for　the　stair；　
pushing　Merry　and　Pippin　in　front　of　him。　The　others　followed；　but　Gimli　had　　
　
to　be　dragged　away　by　Legolas：　in　spite　of　the　peril　he　lingered　by　Balin'stomb　with　his　head　bowed。　Boromir　hauled　the　eastern　door　to；　grinding　uponits　hinges：　it　had　great　iron　rings　on　either　side；　but　could　not　be　fastened。　
'I　am　all　right；'　gasped　Frodo。　‘I　can　walk。　Put　me　down！　'　
Aragorn　nearly　dropped　him　in　his　amazement。　'I　thought　you　were　dead！　'　
he　cried。　　
'Not　yet！　'　said　Gandalf。　'But　there　is　time　for　wonder。　Off　you　go；　allof　you；　down　the　stairs！　Wait　a　few　minutes　for　me　at　the　bottom；　but　if　I　donot　e　soon；　go　on！　Go　quickly　and　choose　paths　leading　right　anddownwards。'　　
'We　cannot　leave　you　to　hold　the　door　alone！　'　said　Aragorn。　
‘Do　as　I　say！　'　said　Gandalf　fiercely。　‘Swords　are　no　more　use　here。　Go！'　
The　passage　was　lit　by　no　shaft　and　was　utterly　dark。　They　groped　theirway　down　a　long　flight　of　steps；　and　then　looked　back；　but　they　could　seenothing；　except　high　above　them　the　faint　glimmer　of　the　wizard's　staff。　Heseemed　to　be　still　standing　on　guard　by　the　closed　door。　Frodo　breathedheavily　and　leaned　against　Sam；　who　put　his　arms　about　him。　They　stood　peeringup　the　stairs　into　the　darkness。　Frodo　thought　he　could　hear　the　voice　ofGandalf　above；　muttering　words　that　ran　down　the　sloping　roof　with　a　sighingecho。　He　could　not　catch　what　was　said。　The　walls　seemed　to　be　trembling。　
Every　now　and　again　the　drum…beats　throbbed　and　rolled：　_doom；　doom_。　
Suddenly　at　the　top　of　the　stair　there　was　a　stab　of　white　light。　Thenthere　was　a　dull　rumble　and　a　heavy　thud。　The　drum…beats　broke　out　wildly：　
_doom…boom；　doom…boom_；　and　then　stopped。　Gandalf　came　flying　down　the　stepsand　fell　to　the　ground　in　the　midst　of　the　pany。　
‘Well；　well！　That's　over！　'　said　the　wizard　struggling　to　his　feet。　‘Ihave　done　all　that　I　could。　But　I　have　met　my　match；　and　have　nearly　beendestroyed。　But　don't　stand　here！　Go　on！　You　will　have　to　do　without　light　fora　while：　I　am　rather　shaken。　Go　on！　Go　on！　Where　are　you；　Gimli？　e　aheadwith　me！　Keep　close　behind；　all　of　you！'　　
They　stumbled　after　him　wondering　what　had　happened。　_Doom；　doom_　wentthe　drum…beats　again：　they　now　sounded　muffled　and　far　away；　but　they　werefollowing。　There　was　no　other　sound　of　pursuit；　neither　tramp　of　feet；　nor　anyvoice。　Gandalf　took　no　turns；　right　or　left；　for　the　passage　seemed　to　begoing　in　the　direction　that　he　desired。　Every　now　and　again　it　descended　aflight　of　steps；　fifty　or　more；　to　a　lower　level。　At　the　moment　that　was　theirchief　danger；　for　in　the　dark　they　could　not　see　a　descen