the fellowship of the ring-第103章

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t　the　foot　of　the　tree；　
until　they　have　decided　what　is　to　be　done。'　　
Out　of　the　shadows　a　ladder　was　let　down：　it　was　made　of　rope；　silver…　
grey　and　glimmering　in　the　dark；　and　though　it　looked　slender　it　proved　strongenough　to　bear　many　men。　Legolas　ran　lightly　up；　and　Frodo　followed　slowly；　
behind　came　Sam　trying　not　to　breathe　loudly。　The　branches　of　the　mallorn…treegrew　out　nearly　straight　from　the　trunk；　and　then　swept　upward；　but　near　thetop　the　main　stem　divided　into　a　crown　of　many　boughs；　and　among　these　theyfound　that　there　had　been　built　a　wooden　platform；　or　_flet_　as　such　thingswere　called　in　those　days：　the　Elves　called　it　a　_talan_。　It　was　reached　by　around　hole　in　the　centre　through　which　the　ladder　passed。　
When　Frodo　came　at　last　up　on　to　the　flet　he　found　Legolas　seated　withthree　other　Elves。　They　were　clad　in　shadowy…grey；　and　could　not　be　seen　amongthe　tree…stems；　unless　they　moved　suddenly。　They　stood　up；　and　one　of　themuncovered　a　small　lamp　that　gave　out　a　slender　silver　beam。　He　held　it　up；　　
　
looking　at　Frodo's　face；　and　Sam's。　Then　he　shut　off　the　light　again；　andspoke　words　of　wele　in　his　elven…tongue。　Frodo　spoke　haltingly　in　return。　
‘Wele！'　the　Elf　then　said　again　in　the　mon　Language；　speakingslowly。　'We　seldom　use　any　tongue　but　our　own；　for　we　dwell　now　in　the　heartof　the　forest；　and　do　not　willingly　have　dealings　with　any　other　folk。　Evenour　own　kindred　in　the　North　are　sundered　from　us。　But　there　are　some　of　us　　
still　who　go　abroad　for　the　gathering　of　news　and　the　watching　of　our　enemies；　
and　they　speak　the　languages　of　other　lands。　I　am　one。　Haldir　is　my　name。　Mybrothers；　Rúmil　and　Orophin；　speak　little　of　your　tongue。　
‘But　we　have　heard　rumours　of　your　ing；　for　the　messengers　of　Elrondpassed　by　Lórien　on　their　way　home　up　the　Dimrill　Stair。　We　had　not　heard　ofhobbits；　or　halflings；　for　many　a　long　year；　and　did　not　know　that　any　yetdwelt　in　Middle…earth。　You　do　not　look　evil！　And　since　you　e　with　an　Elf　ofour　kindred；　we　are　willing　to　befriend　you；　as　Elrond　asked；　though　it　is　notour　custom　to　lead　strangers　through　our　land。　But　you　must　stay　here　tonight。　
How　many　are　you？　'　
‘Eight；'　said　Legolas。　‘Myself；　four　hobbits；　and　two　men；　one　of　whom；　
Aragorn；　is　an　Elf…friend　of　the　folk　of　Westernesse。'　
‘The　name　of　Aragorn　son　of　Arathorn　is　known　in　Lórien；'　said　Haldir；　
‘and　he　has　the　favour　of　the　Lady。　All　then　is　well。　But　you　have　yet　spokenonly　of　seven。'　
‘The　eighth　is　a　dwarf；'　said　Legolas。　
‘A　dwarf！　'　said　Haldir。　‘That　is　not　well。　We　have　not　had　dealings　withthe　Dwarves　since　the　Dark　Days。　They　are　not　permitted　in　our　land。　I　cannotallow　him　to　pass。'　
‘But　he　is　from　the　Lonely　Mountain；　one　of　Dáin's　trusty　people；　andfriendly　to　Elrond；'　said　Frodo。　‘Elrond　himself　chose　him　to　be　one　of　ourpanions；　and　he　has　been　brave　and　faithful。'　
The　Elves　spoke　together　in　soft　voices；　and　questioned　Legolas　in　theirown　tongue。　'Very　good；'　said　Haldir　at　last。　‘We　will　do　this；　though　it　isagainst　our　liking。　If　Aragorn　and　Legolas　will　guard　him；　and　answer　for　him；　
he　shall　pass；　but　he　must　go　blindfold　through　Lothlórien。　
‘But　now　we　must　debate　no　longer。　Your　folk　must　not　remain　on　theground。　We　have　been　keeping　watch　on　the　rivers；　ever　since　we　saw　a　greattroop　of　Orcs　going　north　toward　Moria；　along　the　skirts　of　the　mountains；　
many　days　ago。　Wolves　are　howling　on　the　wood's　borders。　If　you　have　indeede　from　Moria；　the　peril　cannot　be　far　behind。　Tomorrow　early　you　must　goon。　　
'The　four　hobbits　shall　climb　up　here　and　stay　with　us…we　do　not　fearthem！　There　is　another　_talan_　in　the　next　tree。　There　the　others　must　take　　
refuge。　You；　Legolas；　must　answer　to　us　for　them。　Call　us；　if　anything　isamiss！　And　have　an　eye　on　that　dwarf！'　　
Legolas　at　once　went　down　the　ladder　to　take　Haldir's　message；　and　soonafterwards　Merry　and　Pippin　clambered　up　on　to　the　high　flet。　They　were　out　ofbreath　and　seemed　rather　scared。　　
‘There！'　said　Merry　panting。　‘We　have　lugged　up　your　blankets　as　well　asour　own。　Strider　has　hidden　all　the　rest　of　the　baggage　in　a　deep　drift　ofleaves。'　　
‘You　had　no　need　of　your　burdens；'　said　Haldir。　‘It　is　cold　in　the　treetops　　
in　winter；　though　the　wind　tonight　is　in　the　South；　but　we　have　food　anddrink　to　give　you　that　will　drive　away　the　night…chill；　and　we　have　skins　andcloaks　to　spare。'　
The　hobbits　accepted　this　second　（and　far　better）　supper　very　gladly。　
Then　they　wrapped　themselves　warmly；　not　only　in　the　fur…cloaks　of　the　Elves；　
but　in　their　own　blankets　as　well；　and　tried　to　go　to　sleep。　But　weary　as　theywere　only　Sam　found　that　easy　to　do。　Hobbits　do　not　like　heights；　and　do　notsleep　upstairs；　even　when　they　have　any　stairs。　The　flet　was　not　at　all　totheir　liking　as　a　bedroom。　It　had　no　walls。　not　even　a　rail；　only　on　one　sidewas　there　a　light　plaited　screen；　which　could　be　moved　and　fixed　in　different　　
　
places　according　to　the　wind。　
Pippin　went　on　talking　for　a　while。　‘I　hope；　if　I　do　go　to　sleep　in　thisbed…loft；　that　I　shan't　roll　off；'　he　said。　
‘Once　I　do　get　to　sleep；'　said　Sam；　'i　shall　go　on　sleeping；　whether　Iroll　off　or　no。　And　the　less　said；　the　sooner　I'll　drop　off；　if　you　take　mymeaning。'　
Frodo　lay　for　some　time　awake；　and　looked　up　at　the　stars　glintingthrough　the　pale　roof　of　quivering　leaves。　Sam　was　snoring　at　his　side　longbefore　he　himself　closed　his　eyes。　He　could　dimly　see　the　grey　forms　of　twoelves　sitting　motionless　with　their　arms　about　their　knees；　speaking　inwhispers。　The　other　had　gone　down　to　take　up　his　watch　on　one　of　the　lowerbranches。　At　last　lulled　by　the　wind　in　the　boughs　above；　and　the　sweet　murmurof　the　falls　of　Nimrodel　below；　Frodo　fell　asleep　with　the　song　of　Legolasrunning　in　his　mind。　
Late　in　the　night　he　awoke。　The　other　hobbits　were　asleep。　The　Elves　weregone。　The　sickle　Moon　was　gleaming　dimly　among　the　leaves。　The　wind　was　still。　
A　little　way　off　he　heard　a　harsh　laugh　and　the　tread　of　many　feet　on　theground　below。　There　was　a　ring　of　metal。　The　sounds　died　slowly　away；　andseemed　to　go　southward；　on　into　the　wood。　
A　head　appeared　suddenly　through　the　hole　in　the　flet。　Frodo　sat　up　inalarm　and　saw　that　it　was　a　grey…hooded　Elf。　He　looked　towards　the　hobbits。　
‘What　is　it？　'　said　Frodo。　　
‘_Yrch！_'　said　the　Elf　in　a　hissing　whisper；　and　cast　on　to　the　flet　therope…ladder　rolled　up。　
'Orcs！　'　said　Frodo。　‘What　are　they　doing？　'　But　the　Elf　had　gone。　
There　were　no　more　sounds。　Even　the　leaves　were　silent；　and　the　veryfalls　seemed　to　be　hushed。　Frodo　sat　and　shivered　in　his　wraps。　He　wasthankful　that　they　had　not　been　caught　on　the　ground；　but　he　felt　that　thetrees　offered　little　protection；　except　concealment。　Orcs　were　as　keen　ashounds　on　a　scent；　it　was　said；　but　they　could　also　climb。　He　drew　out　Sting：　
it　flashed　and　glittered　like　a　blue　flame　and　then　slowly　faded　again　andgrew　dull。　In　spite　of　the　fading　of　his　sword　the　feeling　of　immediate　dangerdid　not　leave　Frodo；　rather　it　grew　stronger。　He　got　up　and　crawled　to　theopening　and　peered　down。　He　was　almost　certain　that　he　could　hear　stealthymovements　at　the　tree's　foot　far　below。　　
Not　Elves；　for　the　woodland　folk　were　altogether　noiseless　in　theirmovements。　Then　he　heard　faintly　a　sound　like　sniffing：　and　something　seemedto　be　scrabbling　on　the　bark　of　the　tree…trunk。　He　stared　down　into　the　dark；　
holding　his　breath。　
Something　was　now　climbing　slowly；　and　its　breath　came　like　a　softhissing　through　closed　teeth。　Then　ing　up；　close　to　the　stem；　Frodo　saw　twopale　eyes。　They　stopped　and　gazed　upward　unwinking。　Suddenly　they　turned　away；　
and　a　shadowy　figure　slipped　round　the　trunk　of　the　tree　and　vanished。　
Immediately　afterwards　Haldir　came　climbing　swiftly　up　through　thebranches。　‘There　was　something　in　this　tree　that　I　have　never　seen　before；'　hesaid。　‘It　was　not　an　orc。　It　fled　as　soon　as　I　touched　the　tree…stem。　It　　
seemed　to　be　wary；　and　to　have　some　skill　in　trees；　or　I　might　have　thoughtthat　it　was　one　of　you　hobbits。　
'I　did　not　shoot；　for　I　dared　not　arouse　any　cries：　we　cannot　riskbattle。　A　strong　pany　of　Orcs　has　passed。　They　crossed　the　Nimrodel…cursetheir　foul　feet　in　its　clean　water！…and　went　on　down　the　old　road　beside　the　　
river。　They　seemed