the return of the king-第2部分

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you　I　would　say　that　you　are　over…late　in　repairing　the　wall　of　the　Pelennor。　Courage　will　now　be　
your　best　defence　against　the　storm　that　is　at　hand　–　that　and　such　hope　as　I　bring。　For　not　all　the　
tidings　that　I　bring　are　evil。　But　leave　your　trowels　and　sharpen　your　swords！'
　　　　　'The　work　will　be　finished　ere　evening；'　said　Ingold。　'This　is　the　last　portion　of　the　wall　to　be　put　
in　defence：　the　least　open　to　attack；　for　it　looks　towards　our　friends　of　Rohan。　Do　you　know　aught　
of　them？　Will　they　answer　the　summons；　think　you？'
　　　　　'Yes；　they　will　e。　But　they　have　fought　many　battles　at　your　back。　This　road　and　no　road　
looks　towards　safety　any　longer。　Be　vigilant！　But　for　Gandalf　Stormcrow　you　would　have　seen　a　
host　of　foes　ing　out　of　Anórien　and　no　Riders　of　Rohan。　And　you　may　yet。　Fare　you　well；　and　
sleep　not！'

　　　　　Gandalf　passed　now　into　the　wide　land　beyond　the　Rammas　Echor。　So　the　men　of　Gondor　called　
the　out　wall　that　they　had　built　with　great　labour；　after　Ithilien　fell　under　the　shadow　of　their　Enemy。　
For　ten　leagues　or　more　it　ran　from　the　mountains'　feet　and　so　back　again；　enclosing　in　its　fence　the　
fields　of　the　Pelennor：　fair　and　fertile　townlands　on　the　long　slopes　and　terraces　falling　to　the　deep　
levels　of　the　Anduin。　At　its　furthest　point　from　the　Great　Gate　of　the　City；　north…eastward；　the　wall　
was　four　leagues　distant；　and　there　from　a　frowning　bank　it　overlooked　the　long　flats　beside　the　
river；　and　men　had　made　it　high　and　strong；　for　at　that　point；　upon　a　walled　causeway；　the　road　
came　in　from　the　fords　and　bridges　of　Osgiliath　and　passed　through　a　guarded　gate　between　
embattled　towers。　At　its　nearest　point　the　wall　was　little　more　than　one　league　from　the　City；　and　
that　was　south…eastward。　There　Anduin；　going　in　a　wide　knee　about　the　hills　of　Emyn　Arnen　in　
South　Ithilien；　bent　sharply　west；　and　the　out…wall　rose　upon　its　very　brink；　and　beneath　it　lay　the　
quays　and　landings　of　the　Harlond　for　craft　that　came　upstream　from　the　southern　fiefs。
　　　　　The　townlands　were　rich；　with　wide　tilth　and　many　orchards；　and　homesteads　there　were　with　
oast　and　garner；　fold　and　byre；　and　many　rills　rippling　through　the　green　from　the　highlands　down　
to　Anduin。　Yet　the　herdsmen　and　husbandmen　that　dwelt　there　were　not　many；　and　the　most　part　of　
the　people　of　Gondor　lived　in　the　seven　circles　of　the　City；　or　in　the　high　vales　of　the　mountain…
borders；　in　Lossarnach；　or　further　south　in　fair　Lebennin　with　its　five　swift　streams。　There　dwelt　a　
hardy　folk　between　the　mountains　and　the　sea。　They　were　reckoned　men　of　Gondor；　yet　their　blood　
was　mingled；　and　there　were　short　and　swarthy　folk　among　them　whose　sires　came　more　from　the　
forgotten　men　who　housed　in　the　shadow　of　the　hills　in　the　Dark　Years　ere　the　ing　of　the　kings。　
But　beyond；　in　the　great　fief　of　Belfalas；　dwelt　Prince　Imrahil　in　his　castle　of　Dol　Amroth　by　the　
sea；　and　he　was　of　high　blood；　and　his　folk　also；　tall　men　and　proud　with　sea…grey　eyes。
　　　　　Now　after　Gandalf　had　ridden　for　some　time　the　light　of　day　grew　in　the　sky；　and　Pippin　roused　
himself　and　looked　up。　To　his　left　lay　a　sea　of　mist；　rising　to　a　bleak　shadow　in　the　East；　but　to　his　
right　great　mountains　reared　their　heads；　ranging　from　the　West　to　a　steep　and　sudden　end；　as　if　in　
the　making　of　the　land　the　River　had　burst　through　a　great　barrier；　carving　out　a　mighty　valley　to　be　
a　land　of　battle　and　debate　in　times　to　e。　And　there　where　the　White　Mountains　of　Ered　Nimrais　
came　to　their　end　he　saw；　as　Gandalf　had　promised；　the　dark　mass　of　Mount　Mindolluin；　the　deep　
purple　shadows　of　its　high　glens；　and　its　tall　face　whitening　in　the　rising　day。　And　upon　its　out…
thrust　knee　was　the　Guarded　City；　with　its　seven　walls　of　stone　so　strong　and　old　that　it　seemed　to　
have　been　not　builded　but　carven　by　giants　out　of　the　bones　of　the　earth。
　　　　　Even　as　Pippin　gazed　in　wonder　the　walls　passed　from　looming　grey　to　white；　blushing　faintly　in　
the　dawn；　and　suddenly　the　sun　climbed　over　the　eastern　shadow　and　sent　forth　a　shaft　that　smote　
the　face　of　the　City。　Then　Pippin　cried　aloud；　for　the　Tower　of　Ecthelion；　standing　high　within　the　
topmost　walls'　shone　out　against　the　sky；　glimmering　like　a　spike　of　pearl　and　silver；　tall　and　fair　
and　shapely；　and　its　pinnacle　glittered　as　if　it　were　wrought　of　crystals；　and　white　banners　broke　
and　fluttered　from　the　battlements　in　the　morning　breeze'　and　high　and　far　he　heard　a　clear　ringing　
as　of　silver　trumpets。

　　　　　So　Gandalf　and　Peregrin　rode　to　the　Great　Gate　of　the　Men　of　Gondor　at　the　rising　of　the　sun；　
and　its　iron　doors　rolled　back　before　them。
　　　　　'Mithrandir！　Mithrandir！'　men　cried。　'Now　we　know　that　the　storm　is　indeed　nigh！'
　　　　　'It　is　upon　you；'　said　Gandalf。　'I　have　ridden　on　its　wings。　Let　me　pass！　I　must　e　to　your　Lord　
Denethor；　while　his　stewardship　lasts。　Whatever　betide；　you　have　e　to　the　end　of　the　Gondor　
that　you　have　known。　Let　me　pass！'
　　　　　Then　men　fell　back　before　the　mand　of　his　voice　and　questioned　him　no　further；　though　they　
gazed　in　wonder　at　the　hobbit　that　sat　before　him　and　at　the　horse　that　bore　him。　For　the　people　of　
the　City　used　horses　very　little　and　they　were　seldom　seen　in　their　streets；　save　only　those　ridden　by　
the　errand…riders　of　their　lord。　And　they　said：　'Surely　that　is　one　of　the　great　steeds　of　the　King　of　
Rohan？　Maybe　the　Rohirrim　will　e　soon　to　strengthen　us。'　But　Shadowfax　walked　proudly　up　
the　long　winding　road。

　　　　　For　the　fashion　of　Minas　Tirith　was　such　that　it　was　built　on　seven　levels；　each　delved　into　the　
hill；　and　about　each　was　set　a　wall；　and　in　each　wall　was　a　gate。　But　the　gates　were　not　set　in　a　line：　
the　Great　Gate　in　the　City　Wall　was　at　the　east　point　of　the　circuit；　but　the　next　faced　half　south；　
and　the　third　half　north；　and　so　to　and　fro　upwards；　so　that　the　paved　way　that　climbed　towards　the　
Citadel　turned　first　this　way　and　then　that　across　the　face　of　the　hill。　And　each　time　that　it　passed　
the　line　of　the　Great　Gate　it　went　through　an　arched　tunnel；　piercing　a　vast　pier　of　rock　whose　huge　
out…thrust　bulk　divided　in　two　all　the　circles　of　the　City　save　the　first。　For　partly　in　the　primeval　
shaping　of　the　hill；　partly　by　the　mighty　craft　and　labour　of　old；　there　stood　up　from　the　rear　of　the　
wide　court　behind　the　Gate　a　towering　bastion　of　stone；　its　edge　sharp　as　a　ship…keel　facing　east。　Up　
it　rose；　even　to　the　level　of　the　topmost　circle；　and　there　was　crowned　by　a　battlement；　so　that　those　
in　the　Citadel　might；　like　mariners　in　a　mountainous　ship；　look　from　its　peak　sheer　down　upon　the　
Gate　seven　hundred　feet　below。　The　entrance　to　the　Citadel　also　looked　eastward；　but　was　delved　in　
the　heart　of　the　rock；　thence　a　long　lamp…lit　slope　ran　up　to　the　seventh　gate。　Thus　men　reached　at　
last　the　High　Court；　and　the　Place　of　the　Fountain　before　the　feet　of　the　White　Tower：　tall　and　
shapely；　fifty　fathoms　from　its　base　to　the　pinnacle；　where　the　banner　of　the　Stewards　floated　a　
thousand　feet　above　the　plain。
　　　　　A　strong　citadel　it　was　indeed；　and　not　to　be　taken　by　a　host　of　enemies；　if　there　were　any　within　
that　could　hold　weapons；　unless　some　foe　could　e　behind　and　scale　the　lower　skirts　of　
Mindolluin；　and　so　e　upon　the　narrow　shoulder　that　joined　the　Hill　of　Guard　to　the　mountain　
mass。　But　that　shoulder；　which　rose　to　the　height　of　the　fifth　wall；　was　hedged　with　great　ramparts　
right　up　to　the　precipice　that　overhung　its　western　end；　and　in　that　space　stood　the　houses　and　
domed　tombs　of　bygone　kings　and　lords；　for　ever　silent　between　the　mountain　and　the　tower。

　　　　　Pippin　gazed　in　growing　wonder　at　the　great　stone　city；　vaster　and　more　splendid　than　anything　
that　he　had　dreamed　of；　greater　and　stronger　than　Isengard；　and　far　more　beautiful。　Yet　it　was　in　
truth　falling　year　by　year　into　decay；　and　already　it　lacked　half　the　men　that　could　have　dwelt　at　
ease　there。　In　every　street　they　passed　some　great　house　or　court　over　whose　doors　and　arched　gates　
were　carved　many　fair　letters　of　strange　and　ancient　shapes：　names　Pippin　guessed　of　great　men　and　
kindreds　that　had　once　dwelt　there；　and　yet　now　they　were　silent；　and　no　footsteps　rang　on　th