the fellowship of the ring- 第56部分

　
again；　the　writing　would　be　refreshed。　But　for　my　part　I　will　risk　no　hurt　tothis　thing：　of　all　the　works　of　Sauron　the　only　fair。　It　is　precious　to　me；　
though　I　buy　it　with　great　pain。_　　
'When　I　read　these　words；　my　quest　was　ended。　For　the　traced　writing　wasindeed　as　Isildur　guessed；　in　the　tongue　of　Mordor　and　the　servants　of　theTower。　And　what　was　said　therein　was　already　known。　For　in　the　day　that　Sauronfirst　put　on　the　One；　Celebrimbor；　maker　of　the　Three；　was　aware　of　him；　andfrom　afar　he　heard　him　speak　these　words；　and　so　his　evil　purposes　wererevealed。　　
‘At　once　I　took　my　leave　of　Denethor；　but　even　as　I　went　northwards；　
messages　came　to　me　out　of　Lórien　that　Aragorn　had　passed　that　way；　and　thathe　had　found　the　creature　called　Gollum。　Therefore　I　went　first　to　meet　him　　
and　hear　his　tale。　Into　what　deadly　perils　he　had　gone　alone　I　dared　notguess。'　
‘There　is　little　need　to　tell　of　them；'　said　Aragorn。　‘If　a　man　mustneeds　walk　in　sight　of　the　Black　Gate；　or　tread　the　deadly　flowers　of　MorgulVale；　then　perils　he　will　have。　I；　too；　despaired　at　last；　and　I　began　myhomeward　journey。　And　then；　by　fortune；　I　came　suddenly　on　what　I　sought：　themarks　of　soft　feet　beside　a　muddy　pool。　But　now　the　trail　was　fresh　and　swift；　
and　it　led　not　to　Mordor　but　away。　Along　the　skirts　of　the　Dead　Marshes　Ifollowed　it；　and　then　I　had　him。　Lurking　by　a　stagnant　mere；　peering　in　thewater　as　the　dark　eve　fell；　I　caught　him；　Gollum。　He　was　covered　with　greenslime。　He　will　never　love　me；　I　fear；　for　he　bit　me；　and　I　was　not　gentle。　
Nothing　more　did　I　ever　get　from　his　mouth　than　the　marks　of　his　teeth。　Ideemed　it　the　worst　part　of　all　my　journey；　the　road　back；　watching　him　dayand　night；　making　him　walk　before　me　with　a　halter　on　his　neck；　gagged；　untilhe　was　tamed　by　lack　of　drink　and　food；　driving　him　ever　towards　Mirkwood。　Ibrought　him　there　at　last　and　gave　him　to　the　Elves；　for　we　had　agreed　thatthis　should　be　done；　and　I　was　glad　to　be　rid　of　his　pany；　for　he　stank。　
For　my　part　I　hope　never　to　look　upon　him　again；　but　Gandalf　came　and　enduredlong　speech　with　him。'　
‘Yes；　long　and　weary；'　said　Gandalf；　‘but　not　without　profit。　For　onething；　the　tale　he　told　of　his　loss　agreed　with　that　which　Bilbo　has　now　toldopenly　for　the　first　time；　but　that　mattered　little；　since　I　had　alreadyguessed　it。　But　I　learned　then　first　that　Gollum's　ring　came　out　of　the　GreatRiver　nigh　to　the　Gladden　Fields。　And　I　learned　also　that　he　had　possessed　itlong。　Many　lives　of　his　small　kind。　The　power　of　the　ring　had　lengthened　hisyears　far　beyond　their　span；　but　that　power　only　the　Great　Rings　wield。　
‘And　if　that　is　not　proof　enough；　Galdor；　there　is　the　other　test　that　Ispoke　of。　Upon　this　very　ring　which　you　have　here　seen　held　aloft；　round　andunadorned；　the　letters　that　Isildur　reported　may　still　be　read；　if　one　has　thestrength　of　will　to　set　the　golden　thing　in　the　fire　a　while。　That　I　havedone；　and　this　I　have　read：　　
_Ash　nazg　durbatul。k；　ash　nazg　gimbatul；　ash　nazg　thrakatul。kagh　burzum…ishi　krimpatul。'_　　
The　change　in　the　wizard's　voice　was　astounding。　Suddenly　it　becamemenacing；　powerful；　harsh　as　stone。　A　shadow　seemed　to　pass　over　the　high　sun；　
and　the　porch　for　a　moment　grew　dark。　All　trembled；　and　the　Elves　stoppedtheir　ears。　　
‘Never　before　has　any　voice　dared　to　utter　the　words　of　that　tongue　inImladris；　Gandalf　the　Grey；'　said　Elrond；　as　the　shadow　passed　and　the　panybreathed　once　more。　　
‘And　let　us　hope　that　none　will　ever　speak　it　here　again；'　answeredGandalf。　‘Nonetheless　I　do　not　ask　your　pardon；　Master　Elrond。　For　if　thattongue　is　not　soon　to　be　heard　in　every　corner　of　the　West；　then　let　all　putdoubt　aside　that　this　thing　is　indeed　what　the　Wise　have　declared：　the　　
　
treasure　of　the　Enemy；　fraught　with　all　his　malice；　and　in　it　lies　a　greatpart　of　his　strength　of　old。　Out　of　the　Black　Years　e　the　words　that　theSmiths　of　Eregion　heard；　and　knew　that　they　had　been　betrayed：　　
_One　Ring　to　rule　them　all；　One　Ring　to　find　them；　One　Ringto　bring　them　all　and　in　the　Darkness　bind　them。_　　
‘Know　also；　my　friends；　that　I　learned　more　yet　from　Gollum。　He　was　lothto　speak　and　his　tale　was　unclear；　but　it　is　beyond　all　doubt　that　he　went　toMordor；　and　there　all　that　he　knew　was　forced　from　him。　Thus　the　Enemy　knowsnow　that　the　One　is　found；　that　it　was　long　in　the　Shire；　and　since　hisservants　have　pursued　it　almost　to　our　door；　he　soon　will　know；　already　he　mayknow；　even　as　I　speak；　that　we　have　it　here。'　　
All　sat　silent　for　a　while；　until　at　length　Boromir　spoke。　‘He　is　a　smallthing；　you　say；　this　Gollum？　Small；　but　great　in　mischief。　What　became　of　him？　
To　what　doom　did　you　put　him？'　
'He　is　in　prison；　but　no　worse；'　said　Aragorn。　‘He　had　suffered　much。　
There　is　no　doubt　that　he　was　tormented；　and　the　fear　of　Sauron　lies　black　onhis　heart。　Still　I　for　one　am　glad　that　he　is　safely　kept　by　the　watchfulElves　of　Mirkwood。　His　malice　is　great　and　gives　him　a　strength　hardly　to　bebelieved　in　one　so　lean　and　withered。　He　could　work　much　mischief　still；　if　hewere　free。　And　I　do　not　doubt　that　he　was　allowed　to　leave　Mordor　on　some　evil　　
errand。'　　
‘Alas！　alas！'　cried　Legolas；　and　in　his　fair　elvish　face　there　was　greatdistress。　‘The　tidings　that　I　was　sent　to　bring　must　now　be　told。　They　are　notgood；　but　only　here　have　I　learned　how　evil　they　may　seem　to　this　pany。　
Sméagol；　who　is　now　called　Gollum；　has　escaped。'　
'Escaped？'　cried　Aragorn。　'That　is　ill　news　indeed。　We　shall　all　rue　itbitterly；　I　fear。　How　came　the　folk　of　Thranduil　to　fail　in　their　trust？'　
‘Not　through　lack　of　watchfulness；'　said　Legolas；　‘but　perhaps　throughover…kindliness。　And　we　fear　that　the　prisoner　had　aid　from　others；　and　thatmore　is　known　of　our　doings　than　we　could　wish。　We　guarded　this　creature　dayand　night；　at　Gandalf's　bidding；　much　though　we　wearied　of　the　task。　ButGandalf　bade　us　hope　still　for　his　cure；　and　we　had　not　the　heart　to　keep　himever　in　dungeons　under　the　earth；　where　he　would　fall　back　into　his　old　blackthoughts。'　
'You　were　less　tender　to　me；'　said　Glóin　with　a　flash　of　his　eyes　as　oldmemories　were　stirred　of　his　imprisonment　in　the　deep　places　of　the　Elven…　
king's　halls。　
'Now　e！'　said　Gandalf。　‘Pray　do　not　interrupt；　my　good　Glóin。　That　wasa　regrettable　misunderstanding；　long　set　right。　If　all　the　grievances　thatstand　between　Elves　and　Dwarves　are　to　be　brought　up　here；　we　may　as　wellabandon　this　Council。'　　
Glóin　rose　and　bowed；　and　Legolas　continued。　'In　the　days　of　fair　weatherwe　led　Gollum　through　the　woods；　and　there　was　a　high　tree　standing　alone　farfrom　the　others　which　he　liked　to　climb。　Often　we　let　him　mount　up　to　thehighest　branches；　until　he　felt　the　free　wind；　but　we　set　a　guard　at　thetree's　foot。　One　day　he　refused　to　e　down；　and　the　guards　had　no　mind　toclimb　after　him：　he　had　learned　the　trick　of　clinging　to　boughs　with　his　feetas　well　as　with　his　hands；　so　they　sat　by　the　tree　far　into　the　night。　
'It　was　that　very　night　of　summer；　yet　moonless　and　starless；　that　Orcscame　on　us　at　unawares。　We　drove　them　off　after　some　time；　they　were　many　andfierce；　but　they　came　from　over　the　mountains；　and　were　unused　to　the　woods。　
When　the　battle　was　over；　we　found　that　Gollum　was　gone；　and　his　guards　wereslain　or　taken。　It　then　seemed　plain　to　us　that　the　attack　had　been　made　forhis　rescue；　and　that　he　knew　of　it　beforehand。　How　that　was　contrived　wecannot　guess；　but　Gollum　is　cunning；　and　the　spies　of　the　Enemy　are　many。　The　　
　
dark　things　that　were　driven　out　in　the　year　of　the　Dragon's　fall　havereturned　in　greater　numbers；　and　Mirkwood　is　again　an　evil　place；　save　whereour　realm　is　maintained。　　
‘We　have　failed　to　recapture　Gollum。　We　came　on　his　trail　among　those　ofmany　Orcs；　and　it　plunged　deep　into　the　Forest；　going　south。　But　ere　long　itescaped　our　skill；　and　we　dared　not　continue　the　hunt；　for　we　were　drawingnigh　to　Dol　Guldur；　and　that　is　still　a　very　evil　place；　we　do　not　go　thatway。'　
‘Well；　well；　he　is　gone；'　said　Gandalf。　'We　have　no　time　to　seek　for　himagain。　He　must　do　what　he　will。　But　he　may　play　a　part　yet　that　neither　he　norSauron　have　foreseen。　　
'And　now　I　will　answer　Galdor's　other　questions。　What　of　Saruman？　Whatare　his　counsels　to　us　in　this　need？　This　tale　I　must　tell　in　full；　for　onlyElrond　has　heard　it　yet；　and　that　in　brief；　but　it　will　bear　on　all　that　wemust　resolve。　It　is　the　last　chapter　in　the　Tale　of　the　Ring；　so　far　as　it　hasyet　gone。　
'At　the　end　of　June　I　was　in　the　Shire；　but　a　cloud　of　anxiety　was　on　mymind；　and　I　rode　to　the　southern　borders　of　the　little　land；　for　I　had　aforeboding　of　some　danger；　still　hidden　from　me　but　drawing　near。　Theremessages　reached　me　telling　me　of　war　and　defeat　in　Gondor；　and　when　I　heardof　the　Black　Shadow　a　chill　smote　my　heart。　But　I　found　nothing　save　a　fewfugitives　from　the　South；　yet　it　seemed　to　me　that　on　them　sat　a　fear　of　whichthey　would　not　speak。　I　turned　then　east　and　north　and　journeyed　along　theGreenway；　and　not　far　from　Bree　I　came　upon　a　traveller　sitting　on　a　bankbeside　the　road　with　his　grazing　horse　beside　him。　It　was　Radagast　the　Brown；　
who　at　one　time　dwelt　at　Rhosgobel；　near　the　borders　of　Mirkwood。　He　is　one　ofmy　order；　but　I　had　not　seen　him　for　many　a　year。　
‘　〃Gandalf！　〃　he　cried。　〃I　was　seeking　you。　But　I　am　a　stranger　in　theseparts。　All　I　knew　was　that　you　might　be　found　in　a　wild　region　with　theuncouth　name　of　Shire。〃　　
'　〃Your　information　was　correct；〃　I　said。　〃But　do　not　put　it　that　way；　ifyou　meet　any　of　the　inhabitants。　You　are　near　the　borders　of　the　Shire　now。　
And　what　do　you　want　with　me？　It　must　be　pressing。　You　were　never　a　traveller；　
unless　driven　by　great　need。〃　
'　〃I　have　an　urgent　errand；〃　he　said。　〃My　news　is　evil。〃　Then　he　lookedabout　him；　as　if　the　hedges　might　have　ears。　〃Nazg。l；〃　he　whispered。　〃The　Nineare　abroad　again。　They　have　crossed　the　River　secretly　and　are　movingwestward。　They　have　taken　the　guise　of　riders　in　black。〃　
'I　knew　then　what　I　had　dreaded　without　knowing　it。　
‘　〃The　enemy　must　have　some　great　need　or　purpose；〃　said　Radagast；　〃butwhat　it　is　that　makes　him　look　to　these　distant　and　desolate　parts；　I　cannotguess。〃　
‘　〃What　do　you　mean？　〃　said　I。　
‘　〃I　have　been　told　that　wherever　they　go　the　Riders　ask　for　news　of　aland　called　Shire。〃　　
'　〃_The_　Shire；〃　I　said；　but　my　heart　sank。　For　even　the　Wise　might　fearto　withstand　the　Nine；　when　they　are　gathered　together　under　their　fellchieftain。　A　great　king　and　sorcerer　he　was　of　old；　and　now　he　wields　a　deadlyfear。　〃Who　told　you；　and　who　sent　you？　〃　I　asked。　
'　〃Saruman　the　White；〃　answered　Radagast。　〃And　he　told　me　to　say　that　ifyou　feel　the　need；　he　will　help；　but　you　must　seek　his　aid　at　once；　or　it　willbe　too　late。〃　　
'And　that　message　brought　me　hope。　For　Saruman　the　White　is　the　greatestof　my　order。　Radagast　is；　of　course；　a　worthy　Wizard；　a　master　of　shapes　andchanges　of　hue；　and　he　has　much　lore　of　herbs　and　beasts；　and　birds　areespecially　his　friends。　But　Saruman　has　long　studied　the　arts　of　the　Enemyhimself；　and　thus　we　have　often　been　able　to　forestall　him。　It　was　by　thedevices　of　Saruman　that　we　drove　him　from　Dol　Guldur。　It　might　be　that　he　hadfound　some　weapons　that　would　drive　back　the　Nine。　
'　〃I　will　go　to　Saruman；〃　I　said。　　
　
'　〃Then　you　must　go　_now_；〃　said　Radagast；　〃for　I　have　wasted　time