按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
aboard their wives and their children； and their heirlooms； and great store of goods。 Many things there were of beauty
and power； such as the Númenóreans had contrived in the days of their wisdom； vessels and jewels； and scrolls of lore
written in scarlet and black。 And Seven Stones they had； the gift of the Eldar； but in the ship of Isildur was guarded the
young tree； the scion of Nimloth the Fair。 Thus Elendil held himself in readiness； and did not meddle in the evil deeds of
those days； and ever he looked for a sign that did not e。 Then he journeyed in secret to the western shores and gazed
out over the sea； for sorrow and yearning were upon him； and he greatly loved his father。 But naught could he descry
save the fleets of Ar…Pharaz？n gathering in the havens of the west。
Now aforetime in the isle of Númenor the weather was ever apt to the needs and liking of Men： rain in due season
and ever in measure； and sunshine； now warmer； now cooler； and winds from the sea。 And when the wind was in the
west； it seemed to many that it was filled with a fragrance； fleeting but sweet； heart…stirring； as of flowers that bloom for
ever in undying meads and have no names on mortal shores。 But all this was now changed； for the sky itself was
darkened； and there were storms of rain and hail in those days； and violent winds； and ever and anon a great ship of the
Númenóreans would founder and return not to haven； though such a grief had not till then befallen them since the rising
of the Star。 And out of the west there would e at times a great cloud in the evening； shaped as it were an eagle； with
pinions spread to the north and the south； and slowly it would loom up； blotting out the sunset； and then uttermost night
would fall upon Númenor。 And some of the eagles bore lightning beneath their wings； and thunder echoed between sea
and cloud。
Then men grew afraid。 'Behold the Eagles of the Lords of the West！' they cried。 'The Eagles of Manw？ are e
upon Númenor！' And they fell upon their faces。
Then some few would repent for a season； but others hardened their hearts； and they shook their fists at heaven；
saying： 'The Lords of the West have plotted against us。 They strike first。 The next blow shall be ours！' These words the
King himself spoke； but they were devised by Sauron。
Now the lightnings increased and slew men upon the hills； and in the fields； and in the streets of the city； and a
fiery bolt smote the dome of the Temple and shore it asunder； and it was wreathed in flame。 But the Temple itself was
unshaken； and Sauron stood there upon the pinnacle and defied the lightning and was unharmed； and in that hour men
called him a god and did all that he would。 When therefore the last portent came they heeded it little。 For the land shook
under them； and a groaning as of thunder underground was mingled with the roaring of the sea； and smoke issued from
the peak of the Meneltarma。 But all the more did Ar…Pharaz？n press on with his armament。
In that time the fleets of the Númenóreans darkened the sea upon the west of the land； and they were like an
archipelago of a thousand isles； their masts were as a forest upon the mountains； and their sails like a brooding cloud；
and their banners were golden and black。 And all things waited upon the word of Ar…Pharaz？n； and Sauron withdrew
into the inmost circle of the Temple； and men brought him victims to be burned。
Then the Eagles of the Lords of the West came up out of the dayfall； and they were arrayed as for battle；
advancing in a line the end of which diminished beyond sight； and as they came their wings spread ever wider； grasping
the sky。 But the West burned red behind them； and they glowed beneath； as though they were lit with a flame of great
anger； so that all Númenor was illumined as with a smouldering fire； and men looked upon the faces of their fellows； and
it seemed to them that they were red with wrath。
Then Ar…Pharaz？n hardened his heart； and he went aboard his mighty ship； Alcarondas； Castle of the Sea。 Many…
oared it was and many…masted； golden and sable； and upon it the throne of Ar…Pharaz？n was set。 Then he did on his
panoply and his crown； and let raise his standard； and he gave the signal for the raising of the anchors； and in that hour
the trumpets of Númenor outrang the thunder。
Thus the fleets of the Númenóreans moved against the menace of the West； and there was little wind； but they had
many oars and many strong slaves to row beneath the lash。 The sun went down； and there came a great silence。 Darkness
fell upon the land； and the sea was still； while the world waited for what should betide。 Slowly the fleets passed out of
the sight of the watchers in the havens； and their lights faded； and night took them； and in the morning they were gone。
For a wind arose in the east and it wafted them away； and they broke the Ban of the Valar； and sailed into forbidden seas；
going up with war against the Deathless； to wrest from them everlasting life within the Circles of the World。
But the fleets of Ar…Pharaz？n came up out of the deeps of the sea and enpassed Avallón？ and all the isle of
Eress？a； and the Eldar mourned； for the light of the setting sun was cut off by the cloud of the Númenóreans。 And at last
Ar…Pharaz？n came even to Aman； the Blessed Realm； and the coasts of Valinor； and still all was silent； and doom hung
by a thread。 For Ar…Pharaz？n wavered at the end； and almost he turned back。 His heart misgave him when he looked
upon the soundless shores and saw Taniquetil shining； whiter than snow； colder than death； silent； immutable； terrible as
the shadow of the light of Ilúvatar。 But pride was now his master； and at last he left his ship and strode upon the shore；
claiming the land for his own； if none should do battle for it。 And a host of the Númenóreans encamped in might about
Túna； whence all the Eldar had fled。
Then Manw？ upon the Mountain called upon Ilúvatar； and for that time the Valar laid down their government of
Arda。 But Ilúvatar showed forth his power； and he changed the fashion of the world； and a great chasm opened in the sea
between Númenor and the Deathless Lands； and the waters flowed down into it； and the noise and smoke of the cataracts
went up to heaven； and the world was shaken。 And all the fleets of the Númenóreans were drawn down into the abyss；
and they were drowned and swallowed up for ever。 But Ar…Pharaz？n the King and the mortal warriors that had set foot
upon the land of Aman were buried under falling hills： there it is said that they lie imprisoned in the Caves of the
Forgotten； until the Last Battle and the Day of Doom。
But the land of Aman and Eress？a of the Eldar were taken away and removed beyond the reach of Men for ever。
And Andor； the Land of Gift； Númenor of the Kings； Elenna of the Star of E？rendil； was utterly destroyed。 For it was
nigh to the east of the great rift； and its foundations were overturned； and it fell and went down into darkness； and is no
more。 And there is not now upon Earth any place abiding where the memory of a time without evil is preserved。 For
Ilúvatar cast back the Great Seas west of Middle…earth； and the Empty Lands east of it； and new lands and new seas were
made； and the world was diminished； for Valinor and Eress？a were taken from it into the realm of hidden things。
In an hour unlocked for by Men this doom befell； on the nine and thirtieth day since the passing of the fleets。
Then suddenly fire burst from the Meneltarma； and there came a mighty wind and a tumult of the earth； and the sky
reeled； and the hills slid； and Númenor went down into the sea； with all its children and its wives and its maidens and its
ladies proud； and all its gardens and its balls and its towers； its tombs and its riches； and its jewels and its webs and its
things painted and carven； and its lore： they vanished for ever。 And last of all the mounting wave； green and cold and
plumed with foam； climbing over the land； took to its bosom Tar…Míriel the Queen； fairer than silver or ivory or pearls。
Too late she strove to ascend the steep ways of the Meneltarma to the holy place； for the waters overtook her； and her
cry was lost in the roaring of the wind。
But whether or no it were that Amandil came indeed to Valinor and Manw？ hearkened to his prayer； by grace of
the Valar Elendil and his sons and their people were spared from the ruin of that day。 For Elendil had remained in
Romenna； refusing the summons of the King when he set forth to war； and avoiding the soldiers of Sauron that came to
seize him and drag him to the fires of the Temple； he went aboard his ship and stood off from the shore； waiting on the
time。 There he was protected by the land from the great draught of the sea that drew all towards the abyss； and
afterwards he was sheltered from the first fury of the storm。 But when the devouring wave rolled over the land and
Númenor toppled to its fall； then he would have been overwhelmed and would have deemed it the lesser grief to perish；
for no wrench of death could be more bitter than the loss and agony of that day； but the great wind took him； wilder than
any wind that Men had known； roaring from the west； and it swept his ships far away； and it rent their sails and snapped
their masts； hunting the unhappy men like straws upon the water。
Nine ships there were： four for Elendil； and for Isildur three； and for Anárion two； and they fled before the black
gale out of the twilight of doom into the darkness of the world。 And the deeps rose beneath them in towering anger； and
waves like unto mountains moving with great caps of writhen snow bore them up amid the wreckage of the clouds； and
after many days cast them away upon the shores of Middle…earth。 And all the coasts and seaward regions of the western
world suffered great change and ruin in that time； for the seas invaded the lands； and shores foundered； and ancient isles
were drowned； and new isles were uplifted； and hills crumbled and rivers were turned into strange courses。
Elendil and his sons after founded kingdoms in Middle…earth； and though their lore and craft was but an echo of
that which had been ere Sauron came to Númenor； yet very great it seemed to the wild men of the world。 And much is
said in other lore of the deeds of the heirs of Elendil in the age that came after； and of their strife with Sauron that not yet
was ended。
For Sauron himself was filled with great fear at the wrath of the Valar； and the doom that Eru laid upon sea and
land。 It was greater far than aught he had looked for； hoping only for the death of the Númenóreans and the defeat of
their proud king。 And Sauron； sitting in his black seat in the midst of the Temple； had laughed when he heard the
trumpets of Ar…Pharaz？n sounding for battle； and again he had laughed when he heard the thunder of the storm； and a
third time； even as he laughed at his own thought； thinking what he would do now in the world； being rid of the Edain
for ever； he was taken in the midst of his mirth； and his seat and his temple fell into the abyss。 But Sauron was not of
mortal flesh； and though he was robbed now of that shape in which he had wrought so great an evil； so that he could
never again appear fair to the eyes of Men； yet his spirit arose out of the deep and passed as a shadow and a black wind
over the sea； and came back to Middle…earth and to Mordor that was his home。 There he took up again his great Ring in
Barad…d？r； and dwelt there； dark and silent； until he wrought himself a new guise； an image of malice and hatred made
visible； and the Eye of Sauron the Terrible few could endure。
But these things e not into the tale of the Drowning of Númenor； of which now all is told。 And even the name
of that land perished； and Men spoke thereafter not of Elenna； nor of Andor the Gift that was taken away； nor of
Númenór？ on the confines of the world； but the exiles on the shores of the sea； if they turned towards the West in the
desire of their hearts； spoke of Mar…nu…Falmar that was whelmed in the waves； Akallabêth the Downfallen； Atalant？ in
the Eldarin tongue。
* * *
Among the Exiles many believed that the summit of the Meneltarma； the Pillar of Heaven； was not drowned for
ever； but rose again above the waves； a lonely island lost in the great waters； for it had been a hallowed place； and even
in the days of Sauron none had defiled it And some there were of the seed of E？rendil that afterwards sought for it；
because it was said among loremasters that the far…sighted men of old could see from the Meneltarma a glimmer of the
Deathless Land。 For even after the ruin the hearts of the Dúnedain were still set westwards； and though they knew
indeed that the world was changed； they said： 'Avallón？ is vanished from the Earth and the Land of Aman is taken away；
and in the world of this present darkness they cannot be found。 Yet once they were； and therefore they still are； in true
being and in the whole shape of the world as at first it was devised。'
For the Dúnedain held that even mortal Me