jrt.fellowshipofring-第75部分

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　　　'The　words　were　not　the　doom　of　Minas　Tirith；'　said　Aragorn。　‘But　doom　and　great　deeds　are　indeed　at　hand。　For　the　Sword　that　was　Broken　is　the　Sword　of　Elendil　that　broke　beneath　him　when　he　fell。　It　has　been　treasured　by　his　heirs　when　all　other　heirlooms　were　lost；　for　it　was　spoken　of　old　among　us　that　it　should　be　made　again　when　the　Ring；　Isildur's　Bane；　was　found。　Now　you　have　seen　the　sword　that　you　have　sought；　what　would　you　ask？　Do　you　wish　for　the　House　of　Elendil　to　return　to　the　Land　of　Gondor？'
　　　‘I　was　not　sent　to　beg　any　boon；　but　to　seek　only　the　meaning　of　a　riddle；'　answered　Boromir　proudly。　‘Yet　we　are　hard　pressed；　and　the　Sword　of　Elendil　would　be　a　help　beyond　our　hope…if　such　a　thing　could　indeed　return　out　of　the　shadows　of　the　past。'　He　looked　again　at　Aragorn；　and　doubt　was　in　his　eyes。
　　　Frodo　felt　Bilbo　stir　impatiently　at　his　side。　Evidently　he　was　annoyed　on　his　friend's　behalf。　Standing　suddenly　up　he　burst　out：
　　　All　that　is　gold　does　not　glitter；
　Not　all　those　who　wander　are　lost；
The　old　that　is　strong　does　not　wither；
　Deep　roots　are　not　reached　by　the　frost。

From　the　ashes　a　fire　shall　be　woken；
　A　light　from　the　shadows　shall　spring；
Renewed　shall　be　blade　that　was　broken：
　The　crownless　again　shall　be　king。
　　　‘Not　very　good　perhaps；　but　to　the　point　…　if　you　need　more　beyond　the　word　of　Elrond。　If　that　was　worth　a　journey　of　a　hundred　and　ten　days　to　hear；　you　had　best　listen　to　it。'　He　sat　down　with　a　snort。
　　　‘I　made　that　up　myself；'　he　whispered　to　Frodo；　‘for　the　Dúnadan；　a　long　time　ago　when　he　first　told　me　about　himself。　I　almost　wish　that　my　adventures　were　not　over；　and　that　I　could　go　with　him　when　his　day　es。'
　　　Aragorn　smiled　at　him；　then　he　turned　to　Boromir　again。　‘For　my　part　I　forgive　your　doubt；'　he　said。　'Little　do　I　resemble　the　figures　of　Elendil　and　Isildur　as　they　stand　carven　in　their　majesty　in　the　halls　of　Denethor。　I　am　but　the　heir　of　Isildur；　not　Isildur　himself。　I　have　had　a　hard　life　and　a　long；　and　the　leagues　that　lie　between　here　and　Gondor　are　a　small　part　in　the　count　of　my　journeys。　I　have　crossed　many　mountains　and　many　rivers；　and　trodden　many　plains；　even　into　the　far　countries　of　Rh？n　and　Harad　where　the　stars　are　strange。
　　　'But　my　home；　such　as　I　have；　is　in　the　North。　For　here　the　heirs　of　Valandil　have　ever　dwelt　in　long　line　unbroken　from　father　unto　son　for　many　generations。　Our　days　have　darkened；　and　we　have　dwindled；　but　ever　the　Sword　has　passed　to　a　new　keeper。　And　this　I　will　say　to　you；　Boromir；　ere　I　end。　Lonely　men　are　we；　Rangers　of　the　wild；　huntersbut　hunters　ever　of　the　servants　of　the　Enemy；　for　they　are　found　in　many　places；　not　in　Mordor　only。
　　　‘If　Gondor；　Boromir；　has　been　a　stalwart　tower；　we　have　played　another　part。　Many　evil　things　there　are　that　your　strong　walls　and　bright　swords　do　not　stay。　You　know　little　of　the　lands　beyond　your　bounds。　Peace　and　freedom；　do　you　say？　The　North　would　have　known　them　little　but　for　us。　Fear　would　have　destroyed　them。　But　when　dark　things　e　from　the　houseless　hills；　or　creep　from　sunless　woods；　they　fly　from　us。　What　roads　would　any　dare　to　tread；　what　safety　would　there　be　in　quiet　lands；　or　in　the　homes　of　simple　men　at　night；　if　the　Dúnedain　were　asleep；　or　were　all　gone　into　the　grave？
　　　‘And　yet　less　thanks　have　we　than　you。　Travellers　scowl　at　us；　and　countrymen　give　us　scornful　names。　〃Strider〃　I　am　to　one　fat　man　who　lives　within　a　day's　march　of　foes　that　would　freeze　his　heart　or　lay　his　little　town　in　ruin；　if　he　were　not　guarded　ceaselessly。　Yet　we　would　not　have　it　otherwise。　If　simple　folk　are　free　from　care　and　fear；　simple　they　will　be；　and　we　must　be　secret　to　keep　them　so。　That　has　been　the　task　of　my　kindred；　while　the　years　have　lengthened　and　the　grass　has　grown。
　　　‘But　now　the　world　is　changing　once　again。　A　new　hour　es。　Isildur's　Bane　is　found。　Battle　is　at　hand。　The　Sword　shall　be　reforged。　I　will　e　to　Minas　Tirith。'
　　　‘Isildur's　Bane　is　found；　you　say；'　said　Boromir。　‘I　have　seen　a　bright　ring　in　the　Halfling's　hand；　but　Isildur　perished　ere　this　age　of　the　world　began；　they　say。　How　do　the　Wise　know　that　this　ring　is　his？　And　how　has　it　passed　down　the　years；　until　it　is　brought　hither　by　so　strange　a　messenger？'
　　　‘That　shall　be　told；'　said　Elrond。
　　　‘But　not　yet；　I　beg；　Master！'　said　Bilbo。　‘Already　the　Sun　is　climbing　to　noon；　and　I　feel　the　need　of　something　to　strengthen　me。'
　　　‘I　had　not　named　you；'　said　Elrond　smiling。　‘But　I　do　so　now。　e！　Tell　us　your　tale。　And　if　you　have　not　yet　cast　your　story　into　verse；　you　may　tell　it　in　plain　words。　The　briefer；　the　sooner　shall　you　be　refreshed。'
　　　‘Very　well；'　said　Bilbo。　‘I　will　do　as　you　bid。　But　I　will　now　tell　the　true　story；　and　if　some　here　have　heard　me　tell　it　otherwise'　…　he　looked　sidelong　at　Glóin　…　‘I　ask　them　to　forget　it　and　forgive　me。　I　only　wished　to　claim　the　treasure　as　my　very　own　in　those　days；　and　to　be　rid　of　the　name　of　thief　that　was　put　on　me。　But　perhaps　I　understand　things　a　little　better　now。　Anyway；　this　is　what　happened。'
　　　To　some　there　Bilbo's　tale　was　wholly　new；　and　they　listened　with　amazement　while　the　old　hobbit；　actually　not　at　all　displeased；　recounted　his　adventure　with　Gollum；　at　full　length。　He　did　not　omit　a　single　riddle。　He　would　have　given　also　an　account　of　his　party　and　disappearance　from　the　Shire；　if　he　had　been　allowed；　but　Elrond　raised　his　hand。
　　　'Well　told；　my　friend；'　he　said；　‘but　that　is　enough　at　this　time。　For　the　moment　it　suffices　to　know　that　the　Ring　passed　to　Frodo；　your　heir。　Let　him　now　speak！'
　　　Then；　less　willingly　than　Bilbo；　Frodo　told　of　all　his　dealings　with　the　Ring　from　the　day　that　it　passed　into　his　keeping。　Every　step　of　his　journey　from　Hobbiton　to　the　Ford　of　Bruinen　was　questioned　and　considered；　and　everything　that　he　could　recall　concerning　the　Black　Riders　was　examined。　At　last　he　sat　down　again。
　　　‘Not　bad；'　Bilbo　said　to　him。　‘You　would　have　made　a　good　story　of　it；　if　they　hadn't　kept　on　interrupting。　I　tried　to　make　a　few　notes；　but　we　shall　have　to　go　over　it　all　again　together　some　time；　if　I　am　to　write　it　up。　There　are　whole　chapters　of　stuff　before　you　ever　got　here！'
　　　‘Yes；　it　made　quite　a　long　tale；'　answered　Frodo。　'But　the　story　still　does　not　seem　plete　to　me。　I　still　want　to　know　a　good　deal；　especially　about　Gandalf。'
　　　Galdor　of　the　Havens；　who　sat　near　by；　overheard　him。　‘You　speak　for　me　also；'　he　cried；　and　turning　to　Elrond　he　said：　‘The　Wise　may　have　good　reason　to　believe　that　the　halfling's　trove　is　indeed　the　Great　Ring　of　long　debate；　unlikely　though　that　may　seem　to　those　who　know　less。　But　may　we　not　hear　the　proofs？　And　I　would　ask　this　also。　What　of　Saruman？　He　is　learned　in　the　lore　of　the　Rings；　yet　he　is　not　among　us。　What　is　his　counsel…if　he　knows　the　things　that　we　have　heard？'
　　　‘The　questions　that　you　ask；　Galdor；　are　bound　together；'　said　Elrond。　‘I　had　not　overlooked　them；　and　they　shall　be　answered。　But　these　things　it　is　the　part　of　Gandalf　to　make　clear；　and　I　call　upon　him　last；　for　it　is　the　place　of　honour；　and　in　all　this　matter　he　has　been　the　chief。'
　　　‘Some；　Galdor；'　said　Gandalf；　‘would　think　the　tidings　of　Glóin；　and　the　pursuit　of　Frodo；　proof　enough　that　the　halfling's　trove　is　a　thing　of　great　worth　to　the　Enemy。　Yet　it　is　a　ring。　What　then？　The　Nine　the　Nazg？l　keep。　The　Seven　are　taken　or　destroyed。'　At　this　Glóin　stirred；　but　did　not　speak。　‘The　Three　we　know　of。　What　then　is　this　one　that　he　desires　so　much？
　　　'There　is　indeed　a　wide　waste　of　time　between　the　River　and　the　Mountain；　between　the　loss　and　the　finding。　But　the　gap　in　the　knowledge　of　the　Wise　has　been　filled　at　last。　Yet　too　slowly。　For　the　Enemy　has　been　close　behind；　closer　even　than　I　feared。　And　well　is　it　that　not　until　this　year；　this　very　summer；　as　it　seems；　did　he　learn　the　full　truth。
　　　'Some　here　will　remember　that　many　years　ago　I　myself　dared　to　pass　the　doors　of　the　Necromancer　in　Dol　Guldur；　and　secretly　explored　his　ways；　and　found　thus　that　our　fears　were　true：　he　was　none　other　than　Sauron；　our　Enemy　of　old；　at　length　taking　shape　and　power　again。　Some；　too；　will　remember　also　that　Saruman　dissuaded　us　from　open　deeds　against　h