jrt.fellowshipofring-第19部分

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　　　'The　Wood…elves　tracked　him　first；　an　easy　task　for　them；　for　his　trail　was　still　fresh　then。　Through　Mirkwood　and　back　again　it　led　them；　though　they　never　caught　him。　The　wood　was　full　of　the　rumour　of　him；　dreadful　tales　even　among　beasts　and　birds。　The　Woodmen　said　that　there　was　some　new　terror　abroad；　a　ghost　that　drank　blood。　It　climbed　trees　to　find　nests；　it　crept　into　holes　to　find　the　young；　it　slipped　through　windows　to　find　cradles。
　　　'But　at　the　western　edge　of　Mirkwood　the　trail　turned　away。　It　wandered　off　southwards　and　passed　out　of　the　Wood…elves'　ken；　and　was　lost。　And　then　I　made　a　great　mistake。　Yes；　Frodo；　and　not　the　first；　though　I　fear　it　may　prove　the　worst。　I　let　the　matter　be。　I　let　him　go；　for　I　had　much　else　to　think　of　at　that　time；　and　I　still　trusted　the　lore　of　Saruman。
　　　'Well；　that　was　years　ago。　I　have　paid　for　it　since　with　many　dark　and　dangerous　days。　The　trail　was　long　cold　when　I　took　it　up　again；　after　Bilbo　left　here。　And　my　search　would　have　been　in　vain；　but　for　the　help　that　I　had　from　a　friend：　Aragorn；　the　greatest　traveller　and　huntsman　of　this　age　of　the　world。　Together　we　sought　for　Gollum　down　the　whole　length　of　Wilderland；　without　hope；　and　without　success。　But　at　last；　when　I　had　given　up　the　chase　and　turned　to　other　parts；　Gollum　was　found。　My　friend　returned　out　of　the　great　perils　bringing　the　miserable　creature　with　him。
　　　'What　he　had　been　doing　he　would　not　say。　He　only　wept　and　called　us　cruel；　with　many　a　gollum　in　his　throat；　and　when　we　pressed　him　he　whined　and　cringed；　and　rubbed　his　long　hands；　licking　his　fingers　as　if　they　pained　him；　as　if　he　remembered　some　old　torture。　But　I　am　afraid　there　is　no　possible　doubt：　he　had　made　his　slow；　sneaking　way；　step　by　step；　mile　by　mile；　south；　down　at　last　to　the　Land　of　Mordor。'
　　　A　heavy　silence　fell　in　the　room。　Frodo　could　hear　his　heart　beating。　Even　outside　everything　seemed　still。　No　sound　of　Sam's　shears　could　now　be　heard。
　　　'Yes；　to　Mordor；'　said　Gandalf。　'Alas！　Mordor　draws　all　wicked　things；　and　the　Dark　Power　was　bending　all　its　will　to　gather　them　there。　The　Ring　of　the　Enemy　would　leave　its　mark；　too；　leave　him　open　to　the　summons。　And　all　folk　were　whispering　then　of　the　new　Shadow　in　the　South；　and　its　hatred　of　the　West。　There　were　his　fine　new　friends；　who　would　help　him　in　his　revenge！
　　　'Wretched　fool！　In　that　land　he　would　learn　much；　too　much　for　his　fort。　And　sooner　or　later　as　he　lurked　and　pried　on　the　borders　he　would　be　caught；　and　taken　…　for　examination。　That　was　the　way　of　it；　I　fear。　When　he　was　found　he　had　already　been　there　long；　and　was　on　his　way　back。　On　some　errand　of　mischief。　But　that　does　not　matter　much　now。　His　worst　mischief　was　done。
　　　'Yes；　alas！　through　him　the　Enemy　has　learned　that　the　One　has　been　found　again。　He　knows　where　Isildur　fell。　He　knows　where　Gollum　found　his　ring。　He　knows　that　it　is　a　Great　Ring；　for　it　gave　long　life。　He　knows　that　it　is　not　one　of　the　Three；　for　they　have　never　been　lost；　and　they　endure　no　evil。　He　knows　that　it　is　not　one　of　the　Seven；　or　the　Nine；　for　they　are　accounted　for。　He　knows　that　it　is　the　One。　And　he　has　at　last　heard；　I　think；　of　hobbits　and　the　Shire。
　　　'The　Shire　…　he　may　be　seeking　for　it　now；　if　he　has　not　already　found　out　where　it　lies。　Indeed；　Frodo；　I　fear　that　he　may　even　think　that　the　long…unnoticed　name　of　Baggins　has　bee　important。'
　　　'But　this　is　terrible！'　cried　Frodo。　'Far　worse　than　the　worst　that　I　imagined　from　your　hints　and　warnings。　O　Gandalf；　best　of　friends；　what　am　I　to　do？　For　now　I　am　really　afraid。　What　am　I　to　do？　What　a　pity　that　Bilbo　did　not　stab　that　vile　creature；　when　he　had　a　chance！'
　　　'Pity？　It　was　Pity　that　stayed　his　hand。　Pity；　and　Mercy：　not　to　strike　without　need。　And　he　has　been　well　rewarded；　Frodo。　Be　sure　that　he　took　so　little　hurt　from　the　evil；　and　escaped　in　the　end；　because　he　began　his　ownership　of　the　Ring　so。　With　Pity。'
　　　'I　am　sorry；'　said　Frodo。　'But　I　am　frightened；　and　I　do　not　feel　any　pity　for　Gollum。'
　　　'You　have　not　seen　him；'　Gandalf　broke　in。
　　　'No；　and　I　don't　want　to；'　said　Frodo。　I　can't　understand　you。　Do　you　mean　to　say　that　you；　and　the　Elves；　have　let　him　live　on　after　all　those　horrible　deeds？　Now　at　any　rate　he　is　as　bad　as　an　Orc；　and　just　an　enemy。　He　deserves　death。'
　　　'Deserves　it！　I　daresay　he　does。　Many　that　live　deserve　death。　And　some　that　die　deserve　life。　Can　you　give　it　to　them？　Then　do　not　be　too　eager　to　deal　out　death　in　judgement。　For　even　the　very　wise　cannot　see　all　ends。　I　have　not　much　hope　that　Gollum　can　be　cured　before　he　dies；　but　there　is　a　chance　of　it。　And　he　is　bound　up　with　the　fate　of　the　Ring。　My　heart　tells　me　that　he　has　some　part　to　play　yet；　for　good　or　ill；　before　the　end；　and　when　that　es；　the　pity　of　Bilbo　may　rule　the　fate　of　many　…　yours　not　least。　In　any　case　we　did　not　kill　him：　he　is　very　old　and　very　wretched。　The　Wood…elves　have　him　in　prison；　but　they　treat　him　with　such　kindness　as　they　can　find　in　their　wise　hearts。'
　　　'All　the　same；'　said　Frodo；　'even　if　Bilbo　could　not　kill　Gollum；　I　wish　he　had　not　kept　the　Ring。　I　wish　he　had　never　found　it；　and　that　I　had　not　got　it！　Why　did　you　let　me　keep　it？　Why　didn't　you　make　me　throw　it　away；　or；　or　destroy　it？'
　　　'Let　you？　Make　you？'　said　the　wizard。　'Haven't　you　been　listening　to　all　that　I　have　said？　You　are　not　thinking　of　what　you　are　saying。　But　as　for　throwing　it　away；　that　was　obviously　wrong。　These　Rings　have　a　way　of　being　found。　In　evil　hands　it　might　have　done　great　evil。　Worst　of　all；　it　might　have　fallen　into　the　hands　of　the　Enemy。　Indeed　it　certainly　would；　for　this　is　the　One；　and　he　is　exerting　all　his　power　to　find　it　or　draw　it　to　himself。
　　　'Of　course；　my　dear　Frodo；　it　was　dangerous　for　you；　and　that　has　troubled　me　deeply。　But　there　was　so　much　at　stake　that　I　had　to　take　some　risk　…　though　even　when　I　was　far　away　there　has　never　been　a　day　when　the　Shire　has　not　been　guarded　by　watchful　eyes。　As　long　as　you　never　used　it；　I　did　not　think　that　the　Ring　would　have　any　lasting　effect　on　you；　not　for　evil；　not　at　any　rate　for　a　very　long　time。　And　you　must　remember　that　nine　years　ago；　when　I　last　saw　you；　I　still　knew　little　for　certain。'
　　　'But　why　not　destroy　it；　as　you　say　should　have　been　done　long　ago？'　cried　Frodo　again。　If　you　had　warned　me；　or　even　sent　me　a　message；　I　would　have　done　away　with　it。'
　　　'Would　you？　How　would　you　do　that？　Have　you　ever　tried？'
　　　'No。　But　I　suppose　one　could　hammer　it　or　melt　it。'
　　　'Try！'　said　Gandalf。　Try　now！'
　　　Frodo　drew　the　Ring　out　of　his　pocket　again　and　looked　at　it。　It　now　appeared　plain　and　smooth；　without　mark　or　device　that　he　could　see。　The　gold　looked　very　fair　and　pure；　and　Frodo　thought　how　rich　and　beautiful　was　its　colour；　how　perfect　was　its　roundness。　It　was　an　admirable　thing　and　altogether　precious。　When　he　took　it　out　he　had　intended　to　fling　it　from　him　into　the　very　hottest　part　of　the　fire。　But　he　found　now　that　he　could　not　do　so；　not　without　a　great　struggle。　He　weighed　the　Ring　in　his　hand；　hesitating；　and　forcing　himself　to　remember　all　that　Gandalf　had　told　him；　and　then　with　an　effort　of　will　he　made　a　movement；　as　if　to　cast　it　away　…　but　he　found　that　he　had　put　it　back　in　his　pocket。
　　　Gandalf　laughed　grimly。　'You　see？　Already　you　too；　Frodo；　cannot　easily　let　it　go；　nor　will　to　damage　it。　And　I　could　not　〃make〃　you　…　except　by　force；　which　would　break　your　mind。　But　as　for　breaking　the　Ring；　force　is　useless。　Even　if　you　took　it　and　struck　it　with　a　heavy　sledge…hammer；　it　would　make　no　dint　in　it。　It　cannot　be　unmade　by　your　hands；　or　by　mine。
　　　'Your　small　fire；　of　course；　would　not　melt　even　ordinary　gold。　This　Ring　has　already　passed　through　it　unscathed；　and　even　unheated。　But　there　is　no　smith's　forge　in　this　Shire　that　could　change　it　at　all。　Not　even　the　anvils　and　furnaces　of　the　Dwarves　could　do　that。　It　has　been　said　that　dragon…fire　could　melt　and　consume　the　Rings　of　Power；　but　there　is　not　now　any　dragon　left　on　earth　in　which　the　old　fire　is　hot　enough；　nor　was　there　ever　any　dragon；　not　even　Ancalagon　the　Black；　who　could　have　harmed　the　One　Ring；　the　Ruling　Ring；　for　that　was　made　by　Sauron　himself