the fellowship of the ring-第55章

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while　the　years　have　lengthened　and　the　grass　has　grown。　
‘But　now　the　world　is　changing　once　again。　A　new　hour　es。　Isildur'sBane　is　found。　Battle　is　at　hand。　The　Sword　shall　be　reforged。　I　will　e　toMinas　Tirith。'　　
‘Isildur's　Bane　is　found；　you　say；'　said　Boromir。　‘I　have　seen　a　brightring　in　the　Halfling's　hand；　but　Isildur　perished　ere　this　age　of　the　worldbegan；　they　say。　How　do　the　Wise　know　that　this　ring　is　his？　And　how　has　itpassed　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　tonoon；　and　I　feel　the　need　of　something　to　strengthen　me。'　
‘I　had　not　named　you；'　said　Elrond　smiling。　‘But　I　do　so　now。　e！　Tellus　your　tale。　And　if　you　have　not　yet　cast　your　story　into　verse；　you　may　tellit　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　thetrue　story；　and　if　some　here　have　heard　me　tell　it　otherwise'　–　he　lookedsidelong　at　Glóin　–　‘I　ask　them　to　forget　it　and　forgive　me。　I　only　wished　toclaim　the　treasure　as　my　very　own　in　those　days；　and　to　be　rid　of　the　name　ofthief　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　withamazement　while　the　old　hobbit；　actually　not　at　all　displeased；　recounted　hisadventure　with　Gollum；　at　full　length。　He　did　not　omit　a　single　riddle。　Hewould　have　given　also　an　account　of　his　party　and　disappearance　from　theShire；　if　he　had　been　allowed；　but　Elrond　raised　his　hand。　
'Well　told；　my　friend；'　he　said；　‘but　that　is　enough　at　this　time。　Forthe　moment　it　suffices　to　know　that　the　Ring　passed　to　Frodo；　your　heir。　Lethim　now　speak！'　
Then；　less　willingly　than　Bilbo；　Frodo　told　of　all　his　dealings　with　theRing　from　the　day　that　it　passed　into　his　keeping。　Every　step　of　his　journeyfrom　Hobbiton　to　the　Ford　of　Bruinen　was　questioned　and　considered；　andeverything　that　he　could　recall　concerning　the　Black　Riders　was　examined。　Atlast　he　sat　down　again。　
‘Not　bad；'　Bilbo　said　to　him。　‘You　would　have　made　a　good　story　of　it；　ifthey　hadn't　kept　on　interrupting。　I　tried　to　make　a　few　notes；　but　we　shallhave　to　go　over　it　all　again　together　some　time；　if　I　am　to　write　it　up。　Thereare　whole　chapters　of　stuff　before　you　ever　got　here！'　
‘Yes；　it　made　quite　a　long　tale；'　answered　Frodo。　'But　the　story　stilldoes　not　seem　plete　to　me。　I　still　want　to　know　a　good　deal；　especiallyabout　Gandalf。'　　
Galdor　of　the　Havens；　who　sat　near　by；　overheard　him。　‘You　speak　for　mealso；'　he　cried；　and　turning　to　Elrond　he　said：　‘The　Wise　may　have　good　reasonto　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　theproofs？　And　I　would　ask　this　also。　What　of　Saruman？　He　is　learned　in　the　loreof　the　Rings；　yet　he　is　not　among　us。　What　is　his　counsel…if　he　knows　thethings　that　we　have　heard？'　
‘The　questions　that　you　ask；　Galdor；　are　bound　together；'　said　Elrond。　‘Ihad　not　overlooked　them；　and　they　shall　be　answered。　But　these　things　it　isthe　part　of　Gandalf　to　make　clear；　and　I　call　upon　him　last；　for　it　is　theplace　of　honour；　and　in　all　this　matter　he　has　been　the　chief。'　　
　
‘Some；　Galdor；'　said　Gandalf；　‘would　think　the　tidings　of　Glóin；　and　thepursuit　of　Frodo；　proof　enough　that　the　halfling's　trove　is　a　thing　of　greatworth　to　the　Enemy。　Yet　it　is　a　ring。　What　then？　The　Nine　the　Nazg。l　keep。　TheSeven　are　taken　or　destroyed。'　At　this　Glóin　stirred；　but　did　not　speak。　‘TheThree　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　hasbeen　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　verysummer；　as　it　seems；　did　he　learn　the　full　truth。　
'Some　here　will　remember　that　many　years　ago　I　myself　dared　to　pass　thedoors　of　the　Necromancer　in　Dol　Guldur；　and　secretly　explored　his　ways；　andfound　thus　that　our　fears　were　true：　he　was　none　other　than　Sauron；　our　Enemyof　old；　at　length　taking　shape　and　power　again。　Some；　too；　will　remember　alsothat　Saruman　dissuaded　us　from　open　deeds　against　him；　and　for　long　we　watchedhim　only。　Yet　at　last；　as　his　shadow　grew；　Saruman　yielded；　and　the　Councilput　forth　its　strength　and　drove　the　evil　out　of　Mirkwood　and　that　was　in　thevery　year　of　the　finding　of　this　Ring：　a　strange　chance；　if　chance　it　was。　
‘But　we　were　too　late；　as　Elrond　foresaw。　Sauron　also　had　watched　us；　andhad　long　prepared　against　our　stroke；　governing　Mordor　from　afar　through　MinasMorgul；　where　his　Nine　servants　dwelt；　until　all　was　ready。　Then　he　gave　waybefore　us；　but　only　feigned　to　flee；　and　soon　after　came　to　the　Dark　Tower　andopenly　declared　himself。　Then　for　the　last　time　the　Council　met；　for　now　welearned　that　he　was　seeking　ever　more　eagerly　for　the　One。　We　feared　then　thathe　had　some　news　of　it　that　we　knew　nothing　of。　But　Saruman　said　nay；　andrepeated　what　he　had　said　to　us　before：　that　the　One　would　never　again　befound　in　Middle…earth。　　
‘　〃At　the　worst；〃　said　he；　〃our　Enemy　knows　that　we　have　it　not　and　thatit　still　is　lost。　But　what　was　lost　may　yet　be　found；　he　thinks。　Fear　not！　Hishope　will　cheat　him。　Have　I　not　earnestly　studied　this　matter？　Into　Anduin　theGreat　it　fell；　and　long　ago；　while　Sauron　slept；　it　was　rolled　down　the　Riverto　the　Sea。　There　let　it　lie　until　the　End。〃'　　
Gandalf　fell　silent；　gazing　eastward　from　the　porch　to　the　far　peaks　ofthe　Misty　Mountains；　at　whose　great　roots　the　peril　of　the　world　had　so　longlain　hidden。　He　sighed。　
‘There　I　was　at　fault；'　he　said。　‘I　was　lulled　by　the　words　of　Sarumanthe　Wise；　but　I　should　have　sought　for　the　truth　sooner；　and　our　peril　wouldnow　be　less。'　　
‘We　were　all　at　fault；'　said　Elrond；　‘and　but　for　your　vigilance　theDarkness；　maybe；　would　already　be　upon　us。　But　say　on！'　
‘From　the　first　my　heart　misgave　me；　against　all　reason　that　I　knew；'　
said　Gandalf；　‘and　I　desired　to　know　how　this　thing　came　to　Gollum；　and　howlong　he　had　possessed　it。　So　I　set　a　watch　for　him；　guessing　that　he　would　erelong　e　forth　from　his　darkness　to　seek　for　his　treasure。　He　came；　but　heescaped　and　was　not　found。　And　then　alas！　I　let　the　matter　rest；　watching　andwaiting　only；　as　we　have　too　often　done。　
‘Time　passed　with　many　cares；　until　my　doubts　were　awakened　again　tosudden　fear。　Whence　came　the　hobbit's　ring？　What；　if　my　fear　was　true；　shouldbe　done　with　it？　Those　things　I　must　decide。　But　I　spoke　yet　of　my　dread　tonone；　knowing　the　peril　of　an　untimely　whisper；　if　it　went　astray。　In　all　thelong　wars　with　the　Dark　Tower　treason　has　ever　been　our　greatest　foe。　
'That　was　seventeen　years　ago。　Soon　I　became　aware　that　spies　of　manysorts；　even　beasts　and　birds；　were　gathered　round　the　Shire；　and　my　fear　grew。　
I　called　for　the　help　of　the　Dúnedain；　and　their　watch　was　doubled；　and　Iopened　my　heart　to　Aragorn；　the　heir　of　Isildur。'　
‘And　I；'　said　Aragorn；　‘counselled　that　we　should　hunt　for　Gollum。　toolate　though　it　may　seem。　And　since　it　seemed　fit　that　Isildur's　heir　shouldlabour　to　repair　Isildur's　fault；　I　went　with　Gandalf　on　the　long　and　hopelesssearch。'　　
Then　Gandalf　told　how　they　had　explored　the　whole　length　of　Wilderland；　　
　
down　even　to　the　Mountains　of　Shadow　and　the　fences　of　Mordor。　‘There　we　had　　
rumour　of　him；　and　we　guess　that　he　dwelt　there　long　in　the　dark　hills；　but　wenever　found　him；　and　at　last　I　despaired。　And　then　in　my　despair　I　thoughtagain　of　a　test　that　might　make　the　finding　of　Gollum　unneeded。　The　ringitself　might　tell　if　it　were　the　One。　The　memory　of　words　at　the　Council　cameback　to　me：　words　of　Saruman；　half…heeded　at　the　time。　I　heard　them　nowclearly　in　my　heart。　
‘　〃The　Nine；　the　Seven；　and　the　Three；〃　he　said；　〃had　each　their　propergem。　Not　so　the　One。　It　was　round　and　unadorned；　as　it　were　one　of　the　lesserrings；　but　its　maker　set　marks　upon　it　that　the　skilled；　maybe；　could　stillsee　and　read。〃　　
‘What　those　marks　were　he　had　not　said。　Who　now　would　know？　The　maker。　　
And　Saruman？　But　great　though　his　lore　may　be；　it　must　have　a　source。　Whathand　save　Sauron's　ever　held　this　thing；　ere　it　was　lost？　The　hand　of　Isilduralone。　　
‘With　that　thought；　I　forsook　the　chase；　and　passed　swiftly　to　Gondor。　Informer　days　the　members　of　my　order　had　been　well　received　there；　but　Sarumanmost　of　all。　Often　he　had　been　for　long　the　guest　of　the　Lords　of　the　City。　
Less　wele　did　the　Lord　Denethor　show　me　then　than　of　old；　and　grudgingly　hepermitted　me　to　search　among　his　hoarded　scrolls　and　books。　
'　〃If　indeed　you　look　only；　as　you　say；　for　records　of　ancient　days；　andthe　beginnings　of　the　City；　read　on！　〃　he　said。　〃For　to　me　what　was　is　lessdark　than　what　is　to　e；　and　that　is　my　care。　But　unless　you　have　more　skilleven　than　Saruman；　who　has　studied　here　long；　you　will　find　naught　that　is　notwell　known　to　me；　who　am　master　of　the　lore　of　this　City。〃　
‘So　said　Denethor。　And　yet　there　lie　in　his　hoards　many　records　that　fewnow　can　read；　even　of　the　lore…masters；　for　their　scripts　and　tongues　havebee　dark　to　later　men。　And　Boromir；　there　lies　in　Minas　Tirith　still；　
unread；　I　guess；　by　any　save　Saruman　and　myself　since　the　kings　failed；　ascroll　that　Isildur　made　himself。　For　Isildur　did　not　march　away　straight　fromthe　war　in　Mordor；　as　some　have　told　the　tale。'　
'Some　in　the　North；　maybe；'　Boromir　broke　in。　'All　know　in　Gondor　that　hewent　first　to　Minas　Anor　and　dwelt　a　while　with　his　nephew　Meneldil；　
instructing　him；　before　he　mitted　to　him　the　rule　of　the　South　Kingdom。　Inthat　time　he　planted　there　the　last　sapling　of　the　White　Tree　in　memory　of　hisbrother。'　　
‘But　in　that　time　also　he　made　this　scroll；'　said　Gandalf；　‘and　that　isnot　remembered　in　Gondor；　it　would　seem。　For　this　scroll　concerns　the　Ring；　
and　thus　wrote　Isildur　therein：　　
_The　Great　Ring　shall　go　now　to　be　an　heirloom　of　the　North　Kingdom；　butrecords　of　it　shall　be　left　in　Gondor；　where　also　dwell　the　heirs　of　Elendil；　
lest　a　time　e　when　the　memory　of　these　great　matters　shall　grow　dim。_　　
‘And　after　these　words　Isildur　described　the　Ring；　such　as　he　found　it。　　
_It　was　hot　when　I　first　took　it；　hot　as　a　glede；　and　my　hand　wasscorched；　so　that　I　doubt　if　ever　again　I　shall　be　free　of　the　pain　of　it。　Yeteven　as　I　write　it　is　cooled；　and　it　seemeth　to　shrink；　though　it　losethneither　its　beauty　nor　its　shape。　Already　the　writing　upon　it；　which　at　firstwas　as　clear　as　red　flame；　fadeth　and　is　now　only　barely　to　be　read。　It　isfashioned　in　an　elven…script　of　Eregion；　for　they　have　no　letters　in　Mordorfor　such　subtle　work；　but　the　language　is　unknown　to　me。　I　deem　it　to　be　atongue　of　the　Black　Land；　since　it　is　foul　and　uncouth。　What　evil　it　saith　Ido　not　know；　but　I　trace　here　a　copy　of　it；　lest　it　fade　beyond　recall。　TheRing　misseth；　maybe；　the　heat　of　Sauron's　hand；　which　was　black　and　yet　burnedlike　fire；　and　so　Gil…galad　was　destroyed；　and　maybe　were　the　gold　made　hot　　
　
again；　the　writing　would　be　refreshed。　But　for　my　part　I　will　risk　no　hurt　tothis　thing：　of　all　the　works　of　Sau