the fellowship of the ring-第12部分

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le　dwarves　said　little　and　hobbitsasked　no　more。　But　now　Frodo　often　met　strange　dwarves　of　far　countries；　
seeking　refuge　in　the　West。　They　were　troubled；　and　some　spoke　in　whispers　ofthe　Enemy　and　of　the　Land　of　Mordor。　
That　name　the　hobbits　only　knew　in　legends　of　the　dark　past；　like　ashadow　in　the　background　of　their　memories；　but　it　was　ominous　anddisquieting。　It　seemed　that　the　evil　power　in　Mirkwood　had　been　driven　out　bythe　White　Council　only　to　reappear　in　greater　strength　in　the　old　strongholdsof　Mordor。　The　Dark　Tower　had　been　rebuilt；　it　was　said。　From　there　the　powerwas　spreading　far　and　wide；　and　away　far　east　and　south　there　were　wars　andgrowing　fear。　Orcs　were　multiplying　again　in　the　mountains。　Trolls　wereabroad；　no　longer　dull…witted；　but　cunning　and　armed　with　dreadful　weapons。　
And　there　were　murmured　hints　of　creatures　more　terrible　than　all　these；　butthey　had　no　name。　　
Little　of　all　this；　of　course；　reached　the　ears　of　ordinary　hobbits。　Buteven　the　deafest　and　most　stay…at…home　began　to　hear　queer　tales；　and　thosewhose　business　took　them　to　the　borders　saw　strange　things。　The　conversationin　_The　Green　Dragon_　at　Bywater；　one　evening　in　the　spring　of　Frodo'sfiftieth　year；　showed　that　even　in　the　fortable　heart　of　the　Shire　rumourshad　been　heard；　though　most　hobbits　still　laughed　at　them。　
Sam　Gamgee　was　sitting　in　one　corner　near　the　fire；　and　opposite　him　wasTed　Sandyman；　the　miller's　son；　and　there　were　various　other　rustic　hobbitslistening　to　their　talk。　
'Queer　things　you　do　hear　these　days；　to　be　sure；'　said　Sam。　
'Ah；'　said　Ted；　'you　do；　if　you　listen。　But　I　can　hear　fireside…tales　andchildren's　stories　at　home；　if　I　want　to。'　
'No　doubt　you　can；'　retorted　Sam；　'and　I　daresay　there's　more　truth　insome　of　them　than　you　reckon。　Who　invented　the　stories　anyway？　Take　dragonsnow。'　　
'No　thank　'ee；'　said　Ted；　'I　won't。　I　heard　tell　of　them　when　I　was　ayoungster；　but　there's　no　call　to　believe　in　them　now。　There's　only　one　Dragonin　Bywater；　and　that's　Green；'　he　said；　getting　a　general　laugh。　
'All　right；'　said　Sam；　laughing　with　the　rest。　'But　what　about　theseTree…men；　these　giants；　as　you　might　call　them？　They　do　say　that　one　biggerthan　a　tree　was　seen　up　away　beyond　the　North　Moors　not　long　back。'　
'Who's　_they_？'　
'My　cousin　Hal　for　one。　He　works　for　Mr。　Boffin　at　Overhill　and　goes　upto　the　Northfarthing　for　the　hunting。　He　_saw_　one。'　
'Says　he　did；　perhaps。　Your　Hal's　always　saying　he's　seen　things；　andmaybe　he　sees　things　that　ain't　there。'　
'But　this　one　was　as　big　as　an　elm　tree；　and　walking　–　walking　sevenyards　to　a　stride；　if　it　was　an　inch。'　
'Then　I　bet　it　wasn't　an　inch。　What　he　saw　_was_　an　elm　tree；　as　like　asnot。'　　
'But　this　one　was　_walking；_　I　tell　you；　and　there　ain't　no　elm　tree　onthe　North　Moors。'　　
'Then　Hal　can't　have　seen　one；'　said　Ted。　There　was　some　laughing　andclapping：　the　audience　seemed　to　think　that　Ted　had　scored　a　point。　
'All　the　same；'　said　Sam；　'you　can't　deny　that　others　besides　our　Halfasthave　seen　queer　folk　crossing　the　Shire　–　crossing　it；　mind　you：　there　aremore　that　are　turned　back　at　the　borders。　The　Bounders　have　never　been　so　busybefore。　　
'And　I've　heard　tell　that　Elves　are　moving　west。　They　do　say　they　aregoing　to　the　harbours；　out　away　beyond　the　White　Towers。'　Sam　waved　his　armvaguely：　neither　he　nor　any　of　them　knew　how　far　it　was　to　the　Sea；　past　the　　
　
old　towers　beyond　the　western　borders　of　the　Shire。　But　it　was　an　oldtradition　that　away　over　there　stood　the　Grey　Havens；　from　which　at　timeselven…ships　set　sail；　never　to　return。　
'They　are　sailing；　sailing；　sailing　over　the　Sea；　they　are　going　into　theWest　and　leaving　us；'　said　Sam；　half　chanting　the　words；　shaking　his　headsadly　and　solemnly。　But　Ted　laughed。　
'Well；　that　isn't　anything　new；　if　you　believe　the　old　tales。　And　I　don'tsee　what　it　matters　to　me　or　you。　Let　them　sail！　But　I　warrant　you　haven'tseen　them　doing　it；　nor　any　one　else　in　the　Shire。'　
'Well　I　don't　know；'　said　Sam　thoughtfully。　He　believed　he　had　once　seenan　Elf　in　the　woods；　and　still　hoped　to　see　more　one　day。　Of　all　the　legendsthat　he　had　heard　in　his　early　years　such　fragments　of　tales　and　half…　
remembered　stories　about　the　Elves　as　the　hobbits　knew；　had　always　moved　himmost　deeply。　'There　are　some；　even　in　these　parts；　as　know　the　Fair　Folk　andget　news　of　them；'　he　said。　'There's　Mr。　Baggins　now；　that　I　work　for。　He　toldme　that　they　were　sailing　and　he　knows　a　bit　about　Elves。　And　old　Mr。　Bilboknew　more：　many's　the　talk　I　had　with　him　when　I　was　a　little　lad。'　
'Oh；　they're　both　cracked；'　said　Ted。　'Leastways　old　Bilbo　was　cracked；　
and　Frodo's　cracking。　If　that's　where　you　get　your　news　from；　you'll　neverwant　for　moonshine。　Well；　friends；　I'm　off　home。　Your　good　health！'　He　drainedhis　mug　and　went　out　noisily。　
Sam　sat　silent　and　said　no　more。　He　had　a　good　deal　to　think　about。　Forone　thing；　there　was　a　lot　to　do　up　in　the　Bag　End　garden；　and　he　would　have　abusy　day　tomorrow；　if　the　weather　cleared。　The　grass　was　growing　fast。　But　Samhad　more　on　his　mind　than　gardening。　After　a　while　he　sighed；　and　got　up　andwent　out。　　
It　was　early　April　and　the　sky　was　now　clearing　after　heavy　rain。　The　sunwas　down；　and　a　cool　pale　evening　was　quietly　fading　into　night。　He　walkedhome　under　the　early　stars　through　Hobbiton　and　up　the　Hill；　whistling　softlyand　thoughtfully。　　
It　was　just　at　this　time　that　Gandalf　reappeared　after　his　long　absence。　
For　three　years　after　the　Party　he　had　been　away。　Then　he　paid　Frodo　a　briefvisit；　and　after　taking　a　good　look　at　him　he　went　off　again。　During　the　nextyear　or　two　he　had　turned　up　fairly　often；　ing　unexpectedly　after　dusk；　andgoing　off　without　warning　before　sunrise。　He　would　not　discuss　his　ownbusiness　and　journeys；　and　seemed　chiefly　interested　in　small　news　aboutFrodo's　health　and　doings。　
Then　suddenly　his　visits　had　ceased。　It　was　over　nine　years　since　Frodohad　seen　or　heard　of　him；　and　he　had　begun　to　think　that　the　wizard　wouldnever　return　and　had　given　up　all　interest　in　hobbits。　But　that　evening；　asSam　was　walking　home　and　twilight　was　fading；　there　came　the　once　familiar　tapon　the　study　window。　
Frodo　weled　his　old　friend　with　surprise　and　great　delight。　Theylooked　hard　at　one　another。　　
'Ah　well　eh？'　said　Gandalf。　'You　look　the　same　as　ever；　Frodo！'　
'So　do　you；'　Frodo　replied；　but　secretly　he　thought　that　Gandalf　lookedolder　and　more　careworn。　He　pressed　him　for　news　of　himself　and　of　the　wideworld；　and　soon　they　were　deep　in　talk；　and　they　stayed　up　far　into　the　night。　　
Next　morning　after　a　late　breakfast；　the　wizard　was　sitting　with　Frodo　bythe　open　window　of　the　study。　A　bright　fire　was　on　the　hearth；　but　the　sun　waswarm；　and　the　wind　was　in　the　South。　Everything　looked　fresh；　and　the　newgreen　of　Spring　was　shimmering　in　the　fields　and　on　the　tips　of　the　trees'fingers。　
Gandalf　was　thinking　of　a　spring；　nearly　eighty　years　before；　when　Bilbohad　run　out　of　Bag　End　without　a　handkerchief。　His　hair　was　perhaps　whiterthan　it　had　been　then；　and　his　beard　and　eyebrows　were　perhaps　longer；　and　hisface　more　lined　with　care　and　wisdom；　but　his　eyes　were　as　bright　as　ever；　andhe　smoked　and　blew　smoke…rings　with　the　same　vigour　and　delight。　　
　
He　was　smoking　now　in　silence；　for　Frodo　was　sitting　still；　deep　inthought。　Even　in　the　light　of　morning　he　felt　the　dark　shadow　of　the　tidingsthat　Gandalf　had　brought。　At　last　he　broke　the　silence。　
'Last　night　you　began　to　tell　me　strange　things　about　my　ring；　Gandalf；'　
he　said。　'And　then　you　stopped；　because　you　said　that　such　matters　were　bestleft　until　daylight。　Don't　you　think　you　had　better　finish　now？　You　say　thering　is　dangerous；　far　more　dangerous　than　I　guess。　In　what　way？'　
'In　many　ways；'　answered　the　wizard。　It　is　far　more　powerful　than　I　everdared　to　think　at　first；　so　powerful　that　in　the　end　it　would　utterly　overeanyone　of　mortal　race　who　possessed　it。　It　would　possess　him。　
'In　Eregion　long　ago　many　Elven…rings　were　made；　magic　rings　as　you　callthem；　and　they　were；　of　course；　of　various　kinds：　some　more　potent　and　someless。　The　lesser　rings　were　only　essays　in　the　craft　before　it　was　full…grown；　
and　to　the　Elven…smiths　they　were　but　trifles　–　yet　still　to　my　mind　dangerousfor　mortals。　But　the　Great　Rings；　the　Rings　of　Power；　they　were　perilous。　
'A　mortal；　Frodo；　who　keeps　one　of　the　Great　Rings；　does　not　die；　but　hedoes　not　grow　or　obtain　more　life；　he　merely　continues；　until　at　last　everyminute　is　a　weariness。　And　if　he　often　uses　the　Ring　to　make　himselfinvisible；　he_　fades：_　he　bees　in　the　end　invisible　permanently；　and　walksin　the　twilight　under　the　eye　of　the　dark　power　that　rules　the　Rings。　Yes；　
sooner　or　later　–　later；　if　he　is　strong　or　well…meaning　to　begin　with；　butneither　strength　nor　good　purpose　will　last　–　sooner　or　later　the　dark　powerwill　devour　him。'　　
'How　terrifying！'　said　Frodo。　There　was　another　long　silence。　The　soundof　Sam　Gamgee　cutting　the　lawn　came　in　from　the　garden。　　
'How　long　have　you　known　this？'　asked　Frodo　at　length。　'And　how　much　didBilbo　know？'　　
'Bilbo　knew　no　more　than　he　told　you；　I　am　sure；'　said　Gandalf。　'He　wouldcertainly　never　have　passed　on　to　you　anything　that　he　thought　would　be　adanger；　even　though　I　promised　to　look　after　you。　He　thought　the　ring　was　verybeautiful；　and　very　useful　at　need；　and　if　anything　was　wrong　or　queer；　it　washimself。　He　said　that　it　was　〃growing　on　his　mind〃；　and　he　was　always　worryingabout　it；　but　he　did　not　suspect　that　the　ring　itself　was　to　blame。　Though　hehad　found　out　that　the　thing　needed　looking　after；　it　did　not　seem　always　ofthe　same　size　or　weight；　it　shrank　or　expanded　in　an　odd　way；　and　mightsuddenly　slip　off　a　finger　where　it　had　been　tight。'　
'Yes；　he　warned　me　of　that　in　his　last　letter；'　said　Frodo；　'so　I　havealways　kept　it　on　its　chain。'　
'Very　wise；'　said　Gandalf。　'But　as　for　his　long　life；　Bilbo　neverconnected　it　with　the　ring　at　all。　He　took　all　the　credit　for　that　to　himself；　
and　he　was　very　proud　of　it。　Though　he　was　getting　restless　and　uneasy。　_Thinand　stretched_　he　said。　A　sign　that　the　ring　was　getting　control。'　
'How　long　have　you　known　all　this？'　asked　Frodo　again。　
'Known？'　said　Gandalf。　'I　have　known　much　that　only　the　Wise　know；　Frodo。　
But　if　you　mean　〃known　about　_this_　ring〃；