the fellowship of the ring-第102章

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‘Then　lead　on！　'　said　Boromir。　‘But　it　is　perilous。'　
‘Perilous　indeed；'　said　Aragorn；　'fair　and　perilous；　but　only　evil　needfear　it；　or　those　who　bring　some　evil　with　them。　Follow　me！　'　
They　had　gone　little　more　than　a　mile　into　the　forest　when　they　came　uponanother　stream　flowing　down　swiftly　from　the　tree…clad　slopes　that　climbedback　westward　towards　the　mountains。　They　heard　it　splashing　over　a　fall　awayamong　the　shadows　on　their　right。　Its　dark　hurrying　waters　ran　across　the　pathbefore　them；　and　joined　the　Silverlode　in　a　swirl　of　dim　pools　among　the　rootsof　trees。　　
‘Here　is　Nimrodel！　'　said　Legolas。　'Of　this　stream　the　Silvan　Elves　mademany　songs　long　ago；　and　still　we　sing　them　in　the　North；　remembering　therainbow　on　its　falls；　and　the　golden　flowers　that　floated　in　its　foam。　All　isdark　now　and　the　Bridge　of　Nimrodel　is　broken　down。　I　will　bathe　my　feet；　forit　is　said　that　the　water　is　healing　to　the　weary。'　He　went　forward　andclimbed　down　the　deep…cloven　bank　and　stepped　into　the　stream。　
‘Follow　me！'　he　cried。　'The　water　is　not　deep。　Let　us　wade　across！　On　thefurther　bank　we　can　rest。　and　the　sound　of　the　falling　water　may　bring　ussleep　and　forgetfulness　of　grief。'　
One　by　one　they　climbed　down　and　followed　Legolas。　For　a　moment　Frodostood　near　the　brink　and　let　the　water　flow　over　his　tired　feet。　It　was　cold　　
but　its　touch　was　clean；　and　as　he　went　on　and　it　mounted　to　his　knees；　hefelt　that　the　stain　of　travel　and　all　weariness　was　washed　from　his　limbs。　　
When　all　the　pany　had　crossed；　they　sat　and　rested　and　ate　a　littlefood；　and　Legolas　told　them　tales　of　Lothlórien　that　the　Elves　of　Mirkwoodstill　kept　in　their　hearts；　of　sunlight　and　starlight　upon　the　meadows　by　theGreat　River　before　the　world　was　grey。　
At　length　a　silence　fell；　and　they　heard　the　music　of　the　waterfallrunning　sweetly　in　the　shadows。　Almost　Frodo　fancied　that　he　could　hear　avoice　singing；　mingled　with　the　sound　of　the　water。　
‘Do　you　hear　the　voice　of　Nimrodel？　'　asked　Legolas。　'I　will　sing　you　asong　of　the　maiden　Nimrodel；　who　bore　the　same　name　as　the　stream　beside　whichshe　lived　lung　ago。　It　is　a　fair　song　in　our　woodland　tongue；　but　this　is　howit　runs　in　the　Westron　Speech；　as　some　in　Rivendell　now　sing　it。'　In　a　softvoice　hardly　to　be　heard　amid　the　rustle　of　the　leaves　above　them　he　began：　　
An　Elven…maid　there　was　of　old；　
A　shining　star　by　day：　
Her　mantle　white　was　hemmed　with　gold；　
Her　shoes　of　silver…grey。　　
A　star　was　bound　upon　her　brows；　
A　light　was　on　her　hair　
As　sun　upon　the　golden　boughs　
In　Lórien　the　fair。　　
Her　hair　was　long；　her　limbs　were　white；　
And　fair　she　was　and　free；　
And　in　the　wind　she　went　as　light　
As　leaf　of　linden…tree。　　
Beside　the　falls　of　Nimrodel；　
By　water　clear　and　cool；　
Her　voice　as　falling　silver　fell　
Into　the　shining　pool。　　
Where　now　she　wanders　none　can　tell；　
In　sunlight　or　in　shade；　
For　lost　of　yore　was　Nimrodel　
And　in　the　mountains　strayed。　
　
The　elven…ship　in　haven　grey　
Beneath　the　mountain…lee　　
Awaited　her　for　many　a　day　
Beside　the　roaring　sea。　　
A　wind　by　night　in　Northern　lands　
Arose；　and　loud　it　cried；　
And　drove　the　ship　from　elven…strands　
Across　the　streaming　tide。　　
When　dawn　came　dim　the　land　was　lost；　
The　mountains　sinking　grey　
Beyond　the　heaving　waves　that　tossed　
Their　plumes　of　blinding　spray。　　
Amroth　beheld　the　fading　shore　
Now　low　beyond　the　swell；　
And　cursed　the　faithless　ship　that　bore　
Him　far　from　Nimrodel。　　
Of　old　he　was　an　Elven…king；　
A　lord　of　tree　and　glen；　
When　golden　were　the　boughs　in　spring　
In　fair　Lothlórien。　　
From　helm　to　sea　they　saw　him　leap；　
As　arrow　from　the　string；　
And　dive　into　the　water　deep；　
As　mew　upon　the　wing。　　
The　wind　was　in　his　flowing　hair；　
The　foam　about　him　shone；　
Afar　they　saw　him　strong　and　fair　
Go　riding　like　a　swan。　　
But　from　the　West　has　e　no　word；　
And　on　the　Hither　Shore　　
No　tidings　Elven…folk　have　heard　
Of　Amroth　evermore。　　
The　voice　of　Legolas　faltered；　and　the　song　ceased。　'I　cannot　sing　anymore；'　he　said。　'That　is　but　a　part；　for　I　have　forgotten　much。　It　is　long　andsad；　for　it　tells　how　sorrow　came　upon　Lothlórien；　Lórien　of　the　Blossom；　whenthe　Dwarves　awakened　evil　in　the　mountains。'　　
‘But　the　Dwarves　did　not　make　the　evil；'　said　Gimli。　
‘I　said　not　so；　yet　evil　came；'　answered　Legolas　sadly。　‘Then　many　of　theElves　of　Nimrodel's　kindred　left　their　dwellings　and　departed　and　she　was　lostfar　in　the　South；　in　the　passes　of　the　White　Mountains；　and　she　came　not　tothe　ship　where　Amroth　her　lover　waited　for　her。　But　in　the　spring　when　thewind　is　in　the　new　leaves　the　echo　of　her　voice　may　still　be　heard　by　thefalls　that　bear　her　name。　And　when　the　wind　is　in　the　South　the　voice　of　　
Amroth　es　up　from　the　sea；　for　Nimrodel　flows　into　Silverlode；　that　Elvescall　Celebrant；　and　Celebrant　into　Anduin　the　Great。　and　Anduin　flows　into　theBay　of　Belfalas　whence　the　Elves　of　Lórien　set　sail。　But　neither　Nimrodel　norAmroth　ever　came　back。　　
'It　is　told　that　she　had　a　house　built　in　the　branches　of　a　tree　that　　
grew　near　the　falls；　for　that　was　the　custom　of　the　Elves　of　Lórien；　to　dwellin　the　trees；　and　maybe　it　is　so　still。　Therefore　they　were　called　theGaladhrim；　the　Tree…people。　Deep　in　their　forest　the　trees　are　very　great。　Thepeople　of　the　woods　did　not　delve　in　the　ground　like　Dwarves；　nor　build　strong　　
　
places　of　stone　before　the　Shadow　came。'　
‘And　even　in　these　latter　days　dwelling　in　the　trees　might　be　thoughtsafer　than　sitting　on　the　ground；'　said　Gimli。　He　looked　across　the　stream　tothe　road　that　led　back　to　Dimrill　Dale；　and　then　up　into　the　roof　of　darkboughs　above。　
‘Your　words　bring　good　counsel；　Gimli；'　said　Aragorn。　‘We　cannot　build　ahouse；　but　tonight　we　will　do　as　the　Galadhrim　and　seek　refuge　in　the　treetops；　　
if　we　can。　We　have　sat　here　beside　the　road　already　longer　than　waswise。'　　
The　pany　now　turned　aside　from　the　path；　and　went　into　the　shadow　ofthe　deeper　woods；　westward　along　the　mountain…stream　away　from　Silverlode。　Notfar　from　the　falls　of　Nimrodel　they　found　a　cluster　of　trees；　some　of　whichoverhung　the　stream。　Their　great　grey　trunks　were　of　mighty　girth；　but　theirheight　could　not　be　guessed。　
‘I　will　climb　up；'　said　Legolas。　‘I　am　at　home　among　trees；　by　root　orbough；　though　these　trees　are　of　a　kind　strange　to　me；　save　as　a　name　in　song。　
_Mellyrn_　they　are　called；　and　are　those　that　bear　the　yellow　blossom；　but　Ihave　never　climbed　in　one。　I　will　see　now　what　is　their　shape　and　way　ofgrowth。'　
‘Whatever　it　may　be；'　said　Pippin；　‘they　will　be　marvellous　trees　indeedif　they　can　offer　any　rest　at　night；　except　to　birds。　I　cannot　sleep　on　aperch！　'　
'Then　dig　a　hole　in　the　ground；'　said　Legolas；　‘if　that　is　more　after　thefashion　of　your　kind。　But　you　must　dig　swift　and　deep；　if　you　wish　to　hidefrom　Orcs。'　He　sprang　lightly　up　from　the　ground　and　caught　a　branch　that　grewfrom　the　trunk　high　above　his　head。　But　even　as　he　swung　there　for　a　moment；　avoice　spoke　suddenly　from　the　tree…shadows　above　him。　
‘_Daro！_'　it　said　in　manding　tone；　and　Legolas　dropped　back　to　earthin　surprise　and　fear。　He　shrank　against　the　bole　of　the　tree。　
'Stand　still！　'　he　whispered　to　the　others。　‘Do　not　move　or　speak！　'　
There　was　a　sound　of　soft　laughter　over　their　heads；　and　then　anotherclear　voice　spoke　in　an　elven…tongue。　Frodo　could　understand　little　of　whatwas　said；　for　the　speech　that　the　Silvan　folk　east　of　the　mountains　used　amongthemselves　was　unlike　that　of　the　West。　Legolas　looked　up　and　answered　in　thesame　language。　
‘Who　are　they；　and　what　do　they　say？　'　asked　Merry。　
‘They're　Elves；'　said　Sam。　‘Can't　you　hear　their　voices？　'　
‘Yes；　they　are　Elves；'　said　Legolas；　‘and　they　say　that　you　breathe　soloud　that　they　could　shoot　you　in　the　dark。'　Sam　hastily　put　his　hand　over　hismouth。　'But　they　say　also　that　you　need　have　no　fear。　They　have　been　aware　ofus　for　a　long　while。　They　heard　my　voice　across　the　Nimrodel；　and　knew　that　Iwas　one　of　their　Northern　kindred；　and　therefore　they　did　not　hinder　ourcrossing；　and　afterwards　they　heard　my　song。　Now　they　bid　me　climb　up　withFrodo；　for　they　seem　to　have　had　some　tidings　of　him　and　of　our　journey。　Theothers　they　ask　to　wait　a　little　and　to　keep　watch　at　the　foot　of　t