the fellowship of the ring-第14部分

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mand　them　all　again；　
wherever　they　be；　even　the　Three；　and　all　that　has　been　wrought　with　them　willbe　laid　bare；　and　he　will　be　stronger　than　ever。　
'And　this　is　the　dreadful　chance；　Frodo。　He　believed　that　the　One　hadperished；　that　the　Elves　had　destroyed　it；　as　should　have　been　done。　But　heknows　now　that　it　has　_not_　perished；　that　it　has　been　found。　So　he　is　seekingit；　seeking　it；　and　all　his　thought　is　bent　on　it。　It　is　his　great　hope　andour　great　fear。'　
'Why；　why　wasn't　it　destroyed？'　cried　Frodo。　'And　how　did　the　Enemy　evere　to　lose　it；　if　he　was　so　strong；　and　it　was　so　precious　to　him？'　Heclutched　the　Ring　in　his　hand；　as　if　he　saw　already　dark　fingers　stretchingout　to　seize　it。　　
'It　was　taken　from　him；'　said　Gandalf。　'The　strength　of　the　Elves　toresist　him　was　greater　long　ago；　and　not　all　Men　were　estranged　from　them。　TheMen　of　Westernesse　came　to　their　aid。　That　is　a　chapter　of　ancient　historywhich　it　might　be　good　to　recall；　for　there　was　sorrow　then　too；　and　gatheringdark；　but　great　valour；　and　great　deeds　that　were　not　wholly　vain。　One　day；　
perhaps；　I　will　tell　you　all　the　tale；　or　you　shall　hear　it　told　in　full　byone　who　knows　it　best。　　
'But　for　the　moment；　since　most　of　all　you　need　to　know　how　this　thingcame　to　you；　and　that　will　be　tale　enough；　this　is　all　that　I　will　say。　It　wasGil…galad；　Elven…king　and　Elendil　of　Westernesse　who　overthrew　Sauron；　thoughthey　themselves　perished　in　the　deed；　and　Isildur　Elendil's　son　cut　the　Ringfrom　Sauron's　hand　and　took　it　for　his　own。　Then　Sauron　was　vanquished　and　hisspirit　fled　and　was　hidden　for　long　years；　until　his　shadow　took　shape　againin　Mirkwood。　　
'But　the　Ring　was　lost。　It　fell　into　the　Great　River；　Anduin；　andvanished。　For　Isildur　was　marching　north　along　the　east　banks　of　the　River；　
and　near　the　Gladden　Fields　he　was　waylaid　by　the　Orcs　of　the　Mountains；　andalmost　all　his　folk　were　slain。　He　leaped　into　the　waters；　but　the　Ringslipped　from　his　finger　as　he　swam；　and　then　the　Orcs　saw　him　and　killed　himwith　arrows。'　　
Gandalf　paused。　'And　there　in　the　dark　pools　amid　the　Gladden　Fields；'　hesaid；　'the　Ring　passed　out　of　knowledge　and　legend；　and　even　so　much　of　itshistory　is　known　now　only　to　a　few；　and　the　Council　of　the　Wise　could　discoverno　more。　But　at　last　I　can　carry　on　the　story；　I　think。　　
　
'Long　after；　but　still　very　long　ago；　there　lived　by　the　banks　of　theGreat　River　on　the　edge　of　Wilderland　a　clever…handed　and　quiet…footed　littlepeople。　I　guess　they　were　of　hobbit…kind；　akin　to　the　fathers　of　the　fathersof　the　Stoors；　for　they　loved　the　River；　and　often　swam　in　it；　or　made　littleboats　of　reeds。　There　was　among　them　a　family　of　high　repute；　for　it　was　largeand　wealthier　than　most；　and　it　was　ruled　by　a　grandmother　of　the　folk；　sternand　wise　in　old　lore；　such　as　they　had。　The　most　inquisitive　and　curious…　
minded　of　that　family　was　called　Sméagol。　He　was　interested　in　roots　andbeginnings；　he　dived　into　deep　pools；　he　burrowed　under　trees　and　growingplants；　he　tunnelled　into　green　mounds；　and　he　ceased　to　look　up　at　the　hilltops；　　
or　the　leaves　on　trees；　or　the　flowers　opening　in　the　air：　his　head　andhis　eyes　were　downward。　
'He　had　a　friend　called　Déagol；　of　similar　sort；　sharper…eyed　but　not　soquick　and　strong。　On　a　time　they　took　a　boat　and　went　down　to　the　GladdenFields；　where　there　were　great　beds　of　iris　and　flowering　reeds。　There　Sméagolgot　out　and　went　nosing　about　the　banks　but　Deal　sat　in　the　boat　and　fished。　
Suddenly　a　great　fish　took　his　hook；　and　before　he　knew　where　he　was；　he　wasdragged　out　and　down　into　the　water；　to　the　bottom。　Then　he　let　go　of　hisline；　for　he　thought　he　saw　something　shining　in　the　river…bed；　and　holdinghis　breath　he　grabbed　at　it。　
'Then　up　he　came　spluttering；　with　weeds　in　his　hair　and　a　handful　ofmud；　and　he　swam　to　the　bank。　And　behold！　when　he　washed　the　mud　away；　therein　his　hand　lay　a　beautiful　golden　ring；　and　it　shone　and　glittered　in　thesun；　so　that　his　heart　was　glad。　But　Sméagol　had　been　watching　him　from　behinda　tree；　and　as　Deal　gloated　over　the　ring；　Sméagol　came　softly　up　behind。　
'〃Give　us　that；　Deal；　my　love；〃　said　Sméagol；　over　his　friend's　shoulder。　
'〃Why？〃　said　Deal。　
'　〃Because　it's　my　birthday；　my　love；　and　I　wants　it；〃　said　Sméagol。　
'〃I　don't　care；〃　said　Deal。　〃I　have　given　you　a　present　already；　morethan　I　could　afford。　I　found　this；　and　I'm　going　to　keep　it。〃　
'　〃Oh；　are　you　indeed；　my　love；〃　said　Sméagol；　and　he　caught　Deal　by　thethroat　and　strangled　him；　because　the　gold　looked　so　bright　and　beautiful。　
Then　he　put　the　ring　on　his　finger。　
'No　one　ever　found　out　what　had　bee　of　Deal；　he　was　murdered　far　fromhome；　and　his　body　was　cunningly　hidden。　But　Sméagol　returned　alone；　and　hefound　that　none　of　his　family　could　see　him；　when　he　was　wearing　the　ring。　Hewas　very　pleased　with　his　discovery　and　he　concealed　it；　and　he　used　it　tofind　out　secrets；　and　he　put　his　knowledge　to　crooked　and　malicious　uses。　Hebecame　sharp…eyed　and　keen…eared　for　all　that　was　hurtful。　The　ring　had　givenhim　power　according　to　his　stature。　It　is　not　to　be　wondered　at　that　he　becamevery　unpopular　and　was　shunned　（when　visible）　by　all　his　relations。　Theykicked　him；　and　he　bit　their　feet。　He　took　to　thieving；　and　going　aboutmuttering　to　himself；　and　gurgling　in　his　throat。　So　they　called　him　_Gollum；_　
and　cursed　him；　and　told　him　to　go　far　away；　and　his　grandmother；　desiringpeace；　expelled　him　from　the　family　and　turned　him　out　of　her　hole。　
'He　wandered　in　loneliness；　weeping　a　little　for　the　hardness　of　theworld；　and　he　journeyed　up　the　River；　till　he　came　to　a　stream　that　floweddown　from　the　mountains；　and　he　went　that　way。　He　caught　fish　in　deep　poolswith　invisible　fingers　and　ate　them　raw。　One　day　it　was　very　hot；　and　as　hewas　bending　over　a　pool；　he　felt　a　burning　on　the　back　of　his　head）　and　adazzling　light　from　the　water　pained　his　wet　eyes。　He　wondered　at　it；　for　hehad　almost　forgotten　about　the　Sun。　Then　for　the　last　time　he　looked　up　andshook　his　fist　at　her。　　
'But　as　he　lowered　his　eyes；　he　saw　far　above　the　tops　of　the　MistyMountains；　out　of　which　the　stream　came。　And　he　thought　suddenly：　〃It　would　becool　and　shady　under　those　mountains。　The　Sun　could　not　watch　me　there。　Theroots　of　those　mountains　must　be　roots　indeed；　there　must　be　great　secretsburied　there　which　have　not　been　discovered　since　the　beginning。〃　
'So　he　journeyed　by　night　up　into　the　highlands；　and　he　found　a　little　　
　
cave　out　of　which　the　dark　stream　ran；　and　he　wormed　his　way　like　a　maggotinto　the　heart　of　the　hills；　and　vanished　out　of　all　knowledge。　The　Ring　wentinto　the　shadows　with　him；　and　even　the　maker；　when　his　power　had　begun　togrow　again；　could　learn　nothing　of　it。'　　
'Gollum！'　cried　Frodo。　'Gollum？　Do　you　mean　that　this　is　the　very　Gollumcreature　　
that　Bilbo　met？　How　loathsome！'　　
'I　think　it　is　a　sad　story；'　said　the　wizard；　'and　it　might　have　happenedto　others；　even　to　some　hobbits　that　I　have　known。'　
'I　can't　believe　that　Gollum　was　connected　with　hobbits；　howeverdistantly；'　said　Frodo　with　some　heat。　'What　an　abominable　notion！'　
'It　is　true　all　the　same；'　replied　Gandalf。　'About　their　origins；　at　anyrate；　I　know　more　than　hobbits　do　themselves。　And　even　Bilbo's　story　suggeststhe　kinship。　There　was　a　great　deal　in　the　background　of　their　minds　andmemories　that　was　very　similar。　They　understood　one　another　remarkably　well；　
very　much　better　than　a　hobbit　would　understand；　say；　a　Dwarf；　or　an　Orc；　oreven　an　Elf。　Think　of　the　riddles　they　both　knew；　for　one　thing。'　
'Yes；'　said　Frodo。　'Though　other　folks　besides　hobbits　ask　riddles；　andof　much　the　same　sort。　And　hobbits　don't　cheat。　Gollum　meant　to　cheat　all　the　　
time。　He　was　just　trying　to　put　poor　Bilbo　off　his　guard。　And　I　daresay　itamused　his　wickedness　to　start　a　game　which　might　end　in　providing　him　with　aneasy　victim；　but　if　he　lost　would　not　hurt　him。'　
'Only　too　true；　I　fear；'　said　Gandalf。　'But　there　was　something　else　init；　I　think；　which　you　don't　see　yet。　Even　Gollum　was　not　wholly　ruined。　Hehad　proved　tougher　than　even　one　of　the　Wise　would　have　guessed　…as　a　hobbitmight。　There　was　a　little　corner　of　his　mind　that　was　still　his　own；　and　lightcame　through　it；　as　through　a　chink　in　the　dark：　light　out　of　the　past。　It　wasactually　pleasant；　I　think；　to　hear　a　kindly　voice　again；　bringing　up　memoriesof　wind；　and　trees；　and　sun　on　the　grass；　and　such　forgotten　things。　
'But　that；　of　course；　would　only　make　the　evil　part　of　him　angrier　in　theend　–　unless　it　could　be　conquered。　Unless　it　could　be　cured。'　Gandalf　sighed。　
'Alas！　there　is　little　hope　of　that　for　him。　Yet　not　no　hope。　No；　not　thoughhe　possessed　the　Ring　so　long；　almost　as　far　back　as　he　can　remember。　For　itwas　long　since　he　had　worn　it　much：　in　the　black　darkness　it　was　seldomneeded。　Certainly　he　had　never　〃faded〃。　He　is　thin　and　tough　still。　But　thething　was　eating　up　his　mind；　of　course；　and　the　torment　had　bee　almostunbearable。　　
'All　the　〃great　secrets〃　under　the　mountains　had　turned　out　to　be　justempty　night：　there　was　nothing　more　to　find　out；　nothing　worth　doing；　onlynasty　furtive　eating　and　resentful　remembering。　He　was　altogether　wretched。　Hehated　the　dark；　and　he　hated　light　more：　he　hated　everything；　and　the　Ringmost　of　all。'　　
'What　do　you　mean？'　said　Frodo。　'Surely　the　Ring　was　his　precious　and　theonly　thing　he　cared　for？　But　if　he　hated　it；　why　didn't　he　get　rid　of　it；　orgo　away　and　leave　it？'　
'You　ought　to　begin　to　understand；　Frodo；　after　all　you　have　heard；'　saidGandalf。　'He　hated　it　and　loved　it；　as　he　hated　and　loved　himself。　He　couldnot　get　rid　of　it。　He　had　no　will　left　in　the　matter。　
'A　Ring　of　Power　looks　after　itself；　Frodo。　_It_　may　slip　offtreacherously；　but　its　keeper　never　abandons　it。　At　most　he　plays　with　theidea　of　handing　it　on　to　someone　else's　care　–　and　that　only　at　an　earlystage；　when　it　first　begins　to　grip。　But　as　far　as　I　know　Bilbo　alone　inhistory　has　ever　gone　beyond　playing；　and　really　done　it。　He　needed　all　myhelp；　too。　And　even　so　he　would　never　have　just　forsaken　it；　or　cast　it　aside。　
It　was　not　Gollum；　Frodo；　but　the　Ring　itself　that　decided　things。　The　Ringleft　_him。'_　　
'What；　just　in　time　to　meet　Bilbo？'　said　Frodo。　'Wouldn't　an　Orc　havesuited　it　better？'　　
'It　is　no　laughing　matter；'　said　Gand