jrt.fellowshipofring-第72部分

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　　　‘Of　course。　This　is　merrymaking　not　business。　e　and　go　as　you　like；　as　long　as　you　don't　make　a　noise。'
　　　They　got　up　and　withdrew　quietly　into　the　shadows；　and　made　for　the　doors。　Sam　they　left　behind；　fast　asleep　still　with　a　smile　on　his　face。　In　spite　of　his　delight　in　Bilbo's　pany　Frodo　felt　a　tug　of　regret　as　they　passed　out　of　the　Hall　of　Fire。　Even　as　they　stepped　over　the　threshold　a　single　clear　voice　rose　in　song。
　　　A　Elbereth　Gilthoniel；
silivren　penna　míriel
o　menel　aglar　elenath！
Na…chaered　palan…díriel
o　galadhremmin　ennorath；
Fanuilos；　le　linnathon
nef　aear；　sí　nef　aearon！
　　　Frodo　halted　for　a　moment；　looking　back。　Elrond　was　in　his　chair　and　the　fire　was　on　his　face　like　summer…light　upon　the　trees。　Near　him　sat　the　Lady　Arwen。　To　his　surprise　Frodo　saw　that　Aragorn　stood　beside　her；　his　dark　cloak　was　thrown　back；　and　he　seemed　to　be　clad　in　elven…mail；　and　a　star　shone　on　his　breast。　They　spoke　together；　and　then　suddenly　it　seemed　to　Frodo　that　Arwen　turned　towards　him；　and　the　light　of　her　eyes　fell　on　him　from　afar　and　pierced　his　heart。
　　　He　stood　still　enchanted；　while　the　sweet　syllables　of　the　elvish　song　fell　like　clear　jewels　of　blended　word　and　melody。　‘It　is　a　song　to　Elbereth；'　said　Bilbo。　‘They　will　sing　that；　and　other　songs　of　the　Blessed　Realm；　many　times　tonight。　e　on！'
　　　He　led　Frodo　back　to　his　own　little　room。　It　opened　on　to　the　gar　dens　and　looked　south　across　the　ravine　of　the　Bruinen。　There　they　sat　for　some　while；　looking　through　the　window　at　the　bright　stars　above　the　steep…climbing　woods；　and　talking　softly。　They　spoke　no　more　of　the　small　news　of　the　Shire　far　away；　nor　of　the　dark　shadows　and　perils　that　enpassed　them；　but　of　the　fair　things　they　had　seen　in　the　world　together；　of　the　Elves；　of　the　stars；　of　trees；　and　the　gentle　fall　of　the　bright　year　in　the　woods。
　　　At　last　there　came　a　knock　on　the　door。　‘Begging　your　pardon；'　said　Sam；　putting　in　his　head；　‘but　I　was　just　wondering　if　you　would　be　wanting　anything。'
　　　‘And　begging　yours；　Sam　Gamgee；'　replied　Bilbo。　‘I　guess　you　mean　that　it　is　time　your　master　went　to　bed。'
　　　‘Well；　sir；　there　is　a　Council　early　tomorrow；　I　hear　and　he　only　got　up　today　for　the　first　time。'
　　　‘Quite　right；　Sam；'　laughed　Bilbo。　‘You　can　trot　off　and　tell　Gandalf　that　he　has　gone　to　bed。　Good　night；　Frodo！　Bless　me；　but　it　has　been　good　to　see　you　again！　There　are　no　folk　like　hobbits　after　all　for　a　real　good　talk。　I　am　getting　very　old；　and　I　began　to　wonder　if　I　should　ever　live　to　see　your　chapters　of　our　story。　Good　night！　I'll　take　a　walk；　I　think；　and　look　at　the　stars　of　Elbereth　in　the　garden。　Sleep　well！'
　　　
　　　Chapter　2
The　Council　of　Elrond
　　　Next　day　Frodo　woke　early；　feeling　refreshed　and　well。　He　walked　along　the　terraces　above　the　loud…flowing　Bruinen　and　watched　the　pale；　cool　sun　rise　above　the　far　mountains；　and　shine　down。　Slanting　through　the　thin　silver　mist；　the　dew　upon　the　yellow　leaves　was　glimmering；　and　the　woven　nets　of　gossamer　twinkled　on　every　bush。　Sam　walked　beside　him；　saying　nothing。　but　sniffing　the　air；　and　looking　every　now　and　again　with　wonder　in　his　eyes　at　the　great　heights　in　the　East。　The　snow　was　white　upon　their　peaks。
　　　On　a　seat　cut　in　the　stone　beside　a　turn　in　the　path　they　came　upon　Gandalf　and　Bilbo　deep　in　talk。　‘Hullo！　Good　morning！'　said　Bilbo。　‘Feel　ready　for　the　great　council？'
　　　‘I　feel　ready　for　anything；'　answered　Frodo。　‘But　most　of　all　I　should　like　to　go　walking　today　and　explore　the　valley。　I　should　like　to　get　into　those　pine…woods　up　there。'　He　pointed　away　far　up　the　side　of　Rivendell　to　the　north。
　　　'You　may　have　a　chance　later；'　said　Gandalf。　‘But　we　cannot　make　any　plans　yet。　There　is　much　to　hear　and　decide　today。'
　　　Suddenly　as　they　were　talking　a　single　clear　bell　rang　out。　‘That　is　the　warning　bell　for　the　Council　of　Elrond；'　cried　Gandalf。　‘e　along　now！　Both　you　and　Bilbo　are　wanted。'
　　　Frodo　and　Bilbo　followed　the　wizard　quickly　along　the　winding　path　back　to　the　house；　behind　them；　uninvited　and　for　the　moment　forgotten；　trotted　Sam。
　　　Gandalf　led　them　to　the　porch　where　Frodo　had　found　his　friends　the　evening　before。　The　light　of　the　clear　autumn　morning　was　now　glowing　in　the　valley。　The　noise　of　bubbling　waters　came　up　from　the　foaming　river…bed。　Birds　were　singing；　and　a　wholesome　peace　lay　on　the　land。　To　Frodo　his　dangerous　flight；　and　the　rumours　of　the　darkness　growing　in　the　world　outside；　already　seemed　only　the　memories　of　a　troubled　dream；　but　the　faces　that　were　turned　to　meet　them　as　they　entered　were　grave。
　　　Elrond　was　there；　and　several　others　were　seated　in　silence　about　him。　Frodo　saw　Glorfindel　and　Glóin；　and　in　a　corner　alone　Strider　was　sitting；　clad　in　his　old　travel…worn　clothes　again。　Elrond　drew　Frodo　to　a　seat　by　his　side；　and　presented　him　to　the　pany；　saying：
　　　'Here；　my　friends　is　the　hobbit；　Frodo　son　of　Drogo。　Few　have　ever　e　hither　through　greater　peril　or　on　an　errand　more　urgent。'
　　　He　then　pointed　out　and　named　those　whom　Frodo　had　not　met　before。　There　was　a　younger　dwarf　at　Glóin's　side：　his　son　Gimli。　Beside　Glorfindel　there　were　several　other　counsellors　of　Elrond's　household；　of　whom　Erestor　was　the　chief；　and　with　him　was　Galdor；　an　Elf　from　the　Grey　Havens　who　had　e　on　an　errand　from　Círdan　the　Shipwright。　There　was　also　a　strange　Elf　clad　in　green　and　brown；　Legolas；　a　messenger　from　his　father；　Thranduil；　the　King　of　the　Elves　of　Northern　Mirkwood。　And　seated　a　little　apart　was　a　tall　man　with　a　fair　and　noble　face；　dark…haired　and　grey…eyed；　proud　and　stern　of　glance。
　　　He　was　cloaked　and　booted　as　if　for　a　journey　on　horseback；　and　indeed　though　his　garments　were　rich；　and　his　cloak　was　lined　with　fur；　they　were　stained　with　long　travel。　He　had　a　collar　of　silver　in　which　a　single　white　stone　was　set；　his　locks　were　shorn　about　his　shoulders。　On　a　baldric　he　wore　a　great　horn　tipped　with　silver　that　now　was　laid　upon　his　knees。　He　gazed　at　Frodo　and　Bilbo　with　sudden　wonder。
　　　‘Here；'　said　Elrond；　turning　to　Gandalf；　‘is　Boromir；　a　man　from　the　South。　He　arrived　in　the　grey　morning；　and　seeks　for　counsel。　I　have　bidden　him　to　be　present；　for　here　his　questions　will　be　answered。'
　　　Not　all　that　was　spoken　and　debated　in　the　Council　need　now　be　told。　Much　was　said　of　events　in　the　world　outside；　especially　in　the　South；　and　in　the　wide　lands　east　of　the　Mountains。　Of　these　things　Frodo　had　already　heard　many　rumours；　but　the　tale　of　Glóin　was　new　to　him；　and　when　the　dwarf　spoke　he　listened　attentively。　It　appeared　that　amid　the　splendour　of　their　works　of　hand　the　hearts　of　the　Dwarves　of　the　Lonely　Mountain　were　troubled。
　　　‘It　is　now　many　years　ago；'　said　Glóin；　‘that　a　shadow　of　disquiet　fell　upon　our　people。　Whence　it　came　we　did　not　at　first　perceive。　Words　began　to　be　whispered　in　secret：　it　was　said　that　we　were　hemmed　in　a　narrow　place；　and　that　greater　wealth　and　splendour　would　be　found　in　a　wider　world。　Some　spoke　of　Moria：　the　mighty　works　of　our　fathers　that　are　called　in　our　own　tongue　Khazad…d？m；　and　they　declared　that　now　at　last　we　had　the　power　and　numbers　to　return。'
　　　Glóin　sighed。　‘Moria！　Moria！　Wonder　of　the　Northern　world！　Too　deep　we　delved　there；　and　woke　the　nameless　fear。　Long　have　its　vast　mansions　lain　empty　since　the　children　of　Durin　fled。　But　now　we　spoke　of　it　again　with　longing；　and　yet　with　dread；　for　no　dwarf　has　dared　to　pass　the　doors　of　Khazad…d？m　for　many　lives　of　kings；　save　Thrór　only；　and　he　perished。　At　last；　however；　Balin　listened　to　the　whispers；　and　resolved　to　go；　and　though　Dáin　did　not　give　leave　willingly；　he　took　with　him　Ori　and　óin　and　many　of　our　folk；　and　they　went　away　south。
　　　〃That　was　nigh　on　thirty　years　ago。　For　a　while　we　had　news　and　it　seemed　good：　messages　reported　that　Moria　had　been　entered　and　a　great　work　begun　there。　Then　there　was　silence；　and　no　word　has　ever　e　from　Moria　since。
　　　〃Then　about　a　year　ago　a　messenger　came　to　Dáin；　but　not　from　Moria　…　from　Mordor：　a　horseman　in　the　night；　who　called　Dáin　to　his　gate。　The　Lord　Sauron　the　Great；　so　he　said；　wished　for　our　friendship。　Rings　he　would　give　for　it；　such　as　he　gave　of　old。　And　he　asked　urgently　concerning　hobbits；　of　wha