the fellowship of the ring-第58章

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　looked　at　the　stoneon　the　top　of　the　cairn；　it　was　flatter　than　the　others；　and　whiter；　as　if　ithad　escaped　the　fire。　He　picked　it　up　and　examined　it；　turning　it　in　hisfingers。　〃This　has　been　handled　recently；'　he　said。　'What　do　you　think　ofthese　marks？'　　
On　the　flat　under…side　Frodo　saw　some　scratches：　'There　seems　to　he　a　　
stroke；　a　dot；　and　three　more　strokes；'　he　said。　
'The　stroke　on　the　left　might　be　a　G…rune　with　thin　branches；'　saidStrider。　'It　might　be　a　sign　left　by　Gandalf；　though　one　cannot　be　sure。　Thescratches　are　fine；　and　they　certainly　look　fresh。　But　the　marks　might　meansomething　quite　different；　and　have　nothing　to　do　with　us。　Rangers　use　runes；　
and　they　e　here　sometimes。'　
'What　could　they　mean；　even　if　Gandalf　made　them？'　asked　Merry　
'I　should　say；'　answered　Strider；　'that　they　stood　for　G3；　and　were　asign　that　Gandalf　was　here　on　October　the　third：　that　is　three　days　ago　now。　
It　would　also　show　that　he　was　in　a　hurry　and　danger　was　at　hand；　so　that　hehad　no　time　or　did　not　dare　to　write　anything　longer　or　plainer。　If　that　isso；　we　must　be　wary。'　
'I　wish　we　could　feel　sure　that　he　made　the　marks；　whatever　they　maymean；'　said　Frodo　'It　would　be　a　great　fort　to　know　that　he　was　on　the　way；　
in　front　of　us　or　behind　us。'　　
'Perhaps；'　said　Strider。　'For　myself；　I　believe　that　he　was　here；　and　wasin　danger。　There　have　been　scorching　flames　here；　and　now　the　light　that　wesaw　three　nights　ago　in　the　eastern　sky　es　back　to　my　mind。　I　guess　that　hewas　attacked　on　this　hill…top；　but　with　what　result　I　cannot　tell。　He　is　hereno　longer；　and　we　must　now　look　after　ourselves　and　make　our　own　way　toRivendell；　as　best　we　can　'　
'How　far　is　Rivendell？'　asked　Merry；　gazing　round　wearily。　The　worldlooked　wild　and　wide　from　Weathertop。　
'I　don't　know　if　the　Road　has　ever　been　measured　in　miles　beyond　the_Forsaken　Inn；_　a　day's　journey　east　of　Bree；'　answered　Strider。　'Some　say　itis　so　far；　and　some　say　otherwise。　It　is　a　strange　road；　and　folk　are　glad　toreach　their　journey's　end；　whether　the　time　is　long　or　short。　But　I　know　howlong　it　would　take　me　on　my　own　feet；　with　fair　weather　and　no　ill　fortunetwelve　days　from　here　to　the　Ford　of　Bruinen；　where　the　Road　crosses　theLoudwater　that　runs　out　of　Rivendell。　We　have　at　least　a　fortnight's　journeybefore　us；　for　I　do　not　think　we　shall　be　able　to　use　the　Road。'　
'A　fortnight！'　said　Frodo。　'A　lot　may　happen　in　that　time。'　
'It　may；'　said　Strider。　
They　stood　for　a　while　silent　on　the　hill…top；　near　its　southward　edge。　
In　that　lonely　place　Frodo　for　the　first　time　fully　realized　his　homelessnessand　danger。　He　wished　bitterly　that　his　fortune　had　left　him　in　the　quiet　andbeloved　Shire。　He　stared　down　at　the　hateful　Road；　leading　back　westward　–　tohis　home。　Suddenly　he　was　aware　that　two　black　specks　were　moving　slowly　alongit；　going　westward；　and　looking　again　he　saw　that　three　others　were　creepingeastward　to　meet　them。　He　gave　a　cry　and　clutched　Strider's　arm。　　
　
'Look；'　he　said；　pointing　downwards。　
At　once　Strider　flung　himself　on　the　ground　behind　the　ruined　circle；　
pulling　Frodo　down　beside　him。　Merry　threw　himself　alongside。　
'What　is　it？'　he　whispered。　
'I　do　not　know；　but　I　fear　the　worst；'　answered　Strider。　
Slowly　they　crawled　up　to　the　edge　of　the　ring　again；　and　peered　througha　cleft　between　two　jagged　stones。　The　light　was　no　longer　bright；　for　theclear　morning　had　faded；　and　clouds　creeping　out　of　the　East　had　now　overtakenthe　sun；　as　it　began　to　go　down。　They　could　all　see　the　black　specks；　butneither　Frodo　nor　Merry　could　make　out　their　shapes　for　certain；　yet　somethingtold　them　that　there；　far　below；　were　Black　Riders　assembling　on　the　Roadbeyond　the　foot　of　the　hill。　
'Yes；'　said　Strider；　whose　keener　sight　left　him　in　no　doubt。　'The　enemyis　here！'　　
Hastily　they　crept　away　and　slipped　down　the　north　side　of　the　hill　tofind　their　panions。　　
Sam　and　Peregrin　had　not　been　idle。　They　had　explored　the　small　dell　andthe　surrounding　slopes。　Not　far　away　they　found　a　spring　of　clear　water　in　thehillside；　and　near　it　footprints　not　more　than　a　day　or　two　old。　In　the　dellitself　they　found　recent　traces　of　a　fire；　and　other　signs　of　a　hasty　camp。　
There　were　some　fallen　rocks　on　the　edge　of　the　dell　nearest　to　the　hill。　
Behind　them　Sam　came　upon　a　small　store　of　firewood　neatly　stacked。　
'I　wonder　if　old　Gandalf　has　been　here；'　he　said　to　Pippin。　'Whoever　itwas　put　this　stuff　here　meant　to　e　back　it　seems。'　
Strider　was　greatly　interested　in　these　discoveries。　'I　wish　I　had　waitedand　explored　the　ground　down　here　myself；'　he　said；　hurrying　off　to　the　springto　examine　the　footprints。　
'It　is　just　as　I　feared；'　he　said；　when　he　came　back。　'Sam　and　Pippinhave　trampled　the　soft　ground；　and　the　marks　are　spoilt　or　confused。　Rangershave　been　here　lately。　It　is　they　who　left　the　firewood　behind。　But　there　arealso　several　newer　tracks　that　were　not　made　by　Rangers。　At　least　one　set　wasmade；　only　a　day　or　two　ago；　by　heavy　boots。　At　least　one。　I　cannot　now　becertain；　but　I　think　there　were　many　booted　feet。'　He　paused　and　stood　inanxious　thought。　
Each　of　the　hobbits　saw　in　his　mind　a　vision　of　the　cloaked　and　booted　　
Riders。　If　the　horsemen　had　already　found　the　dell；　the　sooner　Strider　ledthem　somewhere　else　the　better。　Sam　viewed　the　hollow　with　great　dislike；　nowthat　he　had　heard　news　of　their　enemies　on　the　Road；　only　a　few　miles　away。　
'Hadn't　we　better　clear　out　quick；　Mr。　Strider？'　he　asked　impatiently。　
'It　is　getting　late；　and　I　don't　like　this　hole：　it　makes　my　heart　sinksomehow。'　　
'Yes；　we　certainly　must　decide　what　to　do　at　once；'　answered　Strider；　
looking　up　and　considering　the　time　and　the　weather。　'Well；　Sam；'　he　said　atlast；　'I　do　not　like　this　place　either；　but　I　cannot　think　of　anywhere　betterthat　we　could　reach　before　nightfall。　At　least　we　are　out　of　sight　for　themoment；　and　if　we　moved　we　should　be　much　more　likely　to　be　seen　by　spies。　Allwe　could　do　would　be　to　go　right　out　of　our　way　back　north　on　this　side　of　theline　of　hills；　where　the　land　is　all　much　the　same　as　it　is　here。　The　Road　iswatched；　but　we　should　have　to　cross　it；　if　we　tried　to　take　cover　in　thethickets　away　to　the　south。　On　the　north　side　of　the　Road　beyond　the　hills　thecountry　is　bare　and　flat　for　miles。'　
'Can　the　Riders　_see？'_　asked　Merry。　'I　mean；　they　seem　usually　to　haveused　their　noses　rather　than　their　eyes；　smelling　for　us；　if　smelling　is　theright　word；　at　least　in　the　daylight。　But　you　made　us　lie　down　flat　when　yousaw　them　down　below；　and　now　you　talk　of　being　seen；　if　we　move。'　
'I　was　too　careless　on　the　hill…top；'　answered　Strider。　'I　was　veryanxious　to　find　some　sign　of　Gandalf；　but　it　was　a　mistake　for　three　of　us　togo　up　and　stand　there　so　long。　For　the　black　horses　can　see；　and　the　Riderscan　use　men　and　other　creatures　as　spies；　as　we　found　at　Bree。　They　themselves　　
　
do　not　see　the　world　of　light　as　we　do；　but　our　shapes　cast　shadows　in　theirminds；　which　only　the　noon　sun　destroys；　and　in　the　dark　they　perceive　manysigns　and　forms　that　are　hidden　from　us：　then　they　are　most　to　be　feared。　Andat　all　times　they　smell　the　blood　of　living　things；　desiring　and　hating　it。　
Senses；　too；　there　are　other　than　sight　or　smell。　We　can　feel　their　presence　–　
it　troubled　our　hearts；　as　soon　as　we　came　here；　and　before　we　saw　them；　theyfeel　ours　more　keenly。　Also；'　he　added；　and　his　voice　sank　to　a　whisper；　'theRing　draws　them。'　
'Is　there　no　escape　then？'　said　Frodo；　looking　round　wildly。　'If　I　move　Ishall　be　seen　and　hunted！　If　I　stay；　I　shall　draw　them　to　me！'　
Strider　laid　his　hand　on　his　shoulder。　'There　is　still　hope；'　he　said。　
'You　are　not　alone。　Let　us　take　this　wood　that　is　set　ready　for　the　fire　as　asign。　There　is　little　shelter　or　defence　here；　but　fire　shall　serve　for　both。　
Sauron　can　put　fire　to　his　evil　uses；　as　he　can　all　things；　but　these　Ridersdo　not　love　it；　and　fear　those　who　wield　it。　Fire　is　our　friend　in　thewilderness。'　　
'Maybe；'　muttered　Sam。　'It　is　also　as　good　a　way　of　saying　〃here　we　are〃　
as　I　can　think　of；　bar　shouting。'　
Down　in　the　lowest　and　most　sheltered　corner　of　the　dell　they　lit　a　fire；　
and　prepared　a　meal。　The　shades　of　evening　began　to　fall；　and　it　grew　cold。　
They　were　suddenly　aware