the fellowship of the ring-第15部分

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'What；　just　in　time　to　meet　Bilbo？'　said　Frodo。　'Wouldn't　an　Orc　havesuited　it　better？'　　
'It　is　no　laughing　matter；'　said　Gandalf。　'Not　for　you。　It　was　thestrangest　event　in　the　whole　history　of　the　Ring　so　far：　Bilbo's　arrival　just　　
　
at　that　time；　and　putting　his　hand　on　it；　blindly；　in　the　dark。　
'There　was　more　than　one　power　at　work；　Frodo。　The　Ring　was　trying　to　getback　to　its　master。　It　had　slipped　from　Isildur's　hand　and　betrayed　him；　thenwhen　a　chance　came　it　caught　poor　Deal；　and　he　was　murdered；　and　after　thatGollum；　and　it　had　devoured　him。　It　could　make　no　further　use　of　him：　he　wastoo　small　and　mean；　and　as　long　as　it　stayed　with　him　he　would　never　leave　hisdeep　pool　again。　So　now；　when　its　master　was　awake　once　more　and　sending　outhis　dark　thought　from　Mirkwood；　it　abandoned　Gollum。　Only　to　be　picked　up　bythe　most　unlikely　person　imaginable：　Bilbo　from　the　Shire！　
'Behind　that　there　was　something　else　at　work；　beyond　any　design　of　theRing…maker。　I　can　put　it　no　plainer　than　by　saying　that　Bilbo　was　_meant_tofind　the　Ring；　and　_not_　by　its　maker。　In　which　case　you　also　were　_meant_tohave　it。　And　that　maybe　an　encouraging　thought。'　
It　is　not；'　said　Frodo。　〃Though　I　am　not　sure　that　I　understand　you。　Buthow　have　you　learned　all　this　about　the　Ring；　and　about　Gollum？　Do　you　reallyknow　it　all；　or　are　you　just　guessing　still？'　
Gandalf　looked　at　Frodo；　and　his　eyes　glinted。　I　knew　much　and　I　havelearned　much；'　he　answered。　'But　I　am　not　going　to　give　an　account　of　all　mydoings　to　_you。_　The　history　of　Elendil　and　Isildur　and　the　One　Ring　is　knownto　all　the　Wise。　Your　ring　is　shown　to　be　that　One　Ring　by　the　fire…writingalone；　apart　from　any　other　evidence。'　'And　when　did　you　discover　that？'　askedFrodo；　interrupting。　'Just　now　in　this　room；　of　course；'　answered　the　wizardsharply。　'But　I　expected　to　find　it。　I　have　e　back　from　dark　journeys　andlong　search　to　make　that　final　test。　It　is　the　last　proof；　and　all　is　now　onlytoo　clear。　Making　out　Gollum's　part；　and　fitting　it　into　the　gap　in　thehistory；　required　some　thought。　I　may　have　started　with　guesses　about　Gollum；　
but　I　am　not　guessing　now。　I　know。　I　have　seen　him。'　
'You　have　seen　Gollum？'　exclaimed　Frodo　in　amazement。　　
'Yes。　The　obvious　thing　to　do；　of　course；　if　one　could。　I　tried　long　ago；　
but　I　have　managed　it　at　last。'　
'Then　what　happened　after　Bilbo　escaped　from　him？　Do　you　know　that？'　
'Not　so　clearly。　What　I　have　told　you　is　what　Gollum　was　willing　to　tell　
–　though　not；　of　course；　in　the　way　I　have　reported　it。　Gollum　is　a　liar；　andyou　have　to　sift　his　words。　For　instance；　he　called　the　Ring　his　〃birthdaypresent〃；　and　he　stuck　to　that。　He　said　it　came　from　his　grandmother；　who　hadlots　of　beautiful　things　of　that　kind。　A　ridiculous　story。　I　have　no　doubtthat　Sméagol's　grandmother　was　a　matriarch；　a　great　person　in　her　way；　but　totalk　of　her　possessing　many　Elven…rings　was　absurd；　and　as　for　giving　themaway；　it　was　a　lie。　But　a　lie　with　a　grain　of　truth。　
'The　murder　of　Deal　haunted　Gollum；　and　he　had　made　up　a　defence；　
repeating　it　to　his　〃precious〃　over　and　over　again；　as　he　gnawed　bones　in　thedark；　until　he　almost　believed　it。　It　_was_　his　birthday。　Deal　ought　to　havegiven　the　ring　to　him。　It　had　previously　turned　up　just　so　as　to　be　a　present。　
It　_was_　his　birthday　present；　and　so　on；　and　on。　
I　endured　him　as　long　as　I　could；　but　the　truth　was　desperatelyimportant；　and　in　the　end　I　had　to　be　harsh。　I　put　the　fear　of　fire　on　him；　
and　wrung　the　true　story　out　of　him；　bit　by　bit；　together　with　much　snivellingand　snarling。　He　thought　he　was　misunderstood　and　ill…used。　But　when　he　had　atlast　told　me　his　history；　as　far　as　the　end　of　the　Riddle…game　and　Bilbo'sescape；　he　would　not　say　any　more；　except　in　dark　hints。　Some　other　fear　wason　him　greater　than　mine。　He　muttered　that　he　was　going　to　gel　his　own　back。　
People　would　see　if　he　would　stand　being　kicked；　and　driven　into　a　hole　andthen　_robbed。_　Gollum　had　good　friends　now；　good　friends　and　very　strong。　Theywould　help　him。　Baggins　would　pay　for　it。　That　was　his　chief　thought。　He　hatedBilbo　and　cursed　his　name。　What　is　more；　he　knew　where　he　came　from。'　
'But　how　did　he　find　that　out？'　asked　Frodo。　　
'Well；　as　for　the　name；　Bilbo　very　foolishly　told　Gollum　himself；　andafter　that　it　would　not　be　difficult　to　discover　his　country；　once　Gollum　cameout。　Oh　yes；　he　came　out。　His　longing　for　the　Ring　proved　stronger　than　hisfear　of　the　Orcs；　or　even　of　the　light。　After　a　year　or　two　he　left　the　　
　
mountains。　You　see；　though　still　bound　by　desire　of　it；　the　Ring　was　no　longerdevouring　him；　he　began　to　revive　a　little。　He　felt　old；　terribly　old；　yetless　timid；　and　he　was　mortally　hungry。　
'Light；　light　of　Sun　and　Moon；　he　still　feared　and　hated；　and　he　alwayswill；　I　think；　but　he　was　cunning。　He　found　he　could　hide　from　daylight　andmoonshine；　and　make　his　way　swiftly　and　softly　by　dead　of　night　with　his　palecold　eyes；　and　catch　small　frightened　or　unwary　things。　He　grew　stronger　andbolder　with　new　food　and　new　air。　He　found　his　way　into　Mirkwood；　as　one　wouldexpect。'　
'Is　that　where　you　found　him？'　asked　Frodo。　
'I　saw　him　there；'　answered　Gandalf；　'but　before　that　he　had　wanderedfar；　following　Bilbo's　trail。　It　was　difficult　to　learn　anything　from　him　forcertain；　for　his　talk　was　constantly　interrupted　by　curses　and　threats。　〃Whathad　it　got　in　its　pocketses？〃　he　said。　〃It　wouldn't　say；　no　precious。　Littlecheat。　Not　a　fair　question。　It　cheated　first；　it　did。　It　broke　the　rules。　Weought　to　have　squeezed　it；　yes　precious。　And　we　will；　precious！〃　
'That　is　a　sample　of　his　talk。　I　don't　suppose　you　want　any　more。　I　hadweary　days　of　it。　But　from　hints　dropped　among　the　snarls　I　even　gathered　thathis　padding　feet　had　taken　him　at　last　to　Esgaroth；　and　even　to　the　streets　ofDale；　listening　secretly　and　peering。　Well；　the　news　of　the　great　events　wentfar　and　wide　in　Wilderland；　and　many　had　heard　Bilbo's　name　and　knew　where　hecame　from。　We　had　made　no　secret　of　our　return　journey　to　his　home　in　theWest。　Gollum's　sharp　ears　would　soon　learn　what　he　wanted。'　
'Then　why　didn't　he　track　Bilbo　further？'　asked　Frodo。　'Why　didn't　hee　to　the　Shire？'　　
'Ah；'　said　Gandalf；　'now　we　e　to　it。　I　think　Gollum　tried　to。　He　setout　and　came　back　westward；　as　far　as　the　Great　River。　But　then　he　turnedaside。　He　was　not　daunted　by　the　distance；　I　am　sure。　No；　something　else　drewhim　away。　So　my　friends　think；　those　that　hunted　him　for　me。　
'The　Wood…elves　tracked　him　first；　an　easy　task　for　them；　for　his　trailwas　still　fresh　then。　Through　Mirkwood　and　back　again　it　led　them；　though　theynever　caught　him。　The　wood　was　full　of　the　rumour　of　him；　dreadful　tales　evenamong　beasts　and　birds。　The　Woodmen　said　that　there　was　some　new　terrorabroad；　a　ghost　that　drank　blood。　It　climbed　trees　to　find　nests；　it　creptinto　holes　to　find　the　young；　it　slipped　through　windows　to　find　cradles。　
'But　at　the　western　edge　of　Mirkwood　the　trail　turned　away。　It　wanderedoff　southwards　and　passed　out　of　the　Wood…elves'　ken；　and　was　lost。　And　then　Imade　a　great　mistake。　Yes；　Frodo；　and　not　the　first；　though　I　fear　it　mayprove　the　worst。　I　let　the　matter　be。　I　let　him　go；　for　I　had　much　else　tothink　of　at　that　time；　and　I　still　trusted　the　lore　of　Saruman。　
'Well；　that　was　years　ago。　I　have　paid　for　it　since　with　many　dark　anddangerous　days。　The　trail　was　long　cold　when　I　took　it　up　again；　after　Bilboleft　here。　And　my　search　would　have　been　in　vain；　but　for　the　help　that　I　hadfrom　a　friend：　Aragorn；　the　greatest　traveller　and　huntsman　of　this　age　of　theworld。　Together　we　sought　for　Gollum　down　the　whole　length　of　Wilderland；　
without　hope；　and　without　success。　But　at　last；　when　I　had　given　up　the　chaseand　turned　to　other　parts；　Gollum　was　found。　My　friend　returned　out　of　thegreat　perils　bringing　the　miserable　creature　with　him。　
'What　he　had　been　doing　he　would　not　say。　He　only　wept　and　called　uscruel；　with　many　a　_gollum_　in　his　throat；　and　when　we　pressed　him　he　whinedand　cringed；　and　rubbed　his　long　hands；　licking　his　fingers　as　if　they　painedhim；　as　if　he　remembered　some　old　torture。　But　I　am　afraid　there　is　nopossible　doubt：　he　had　made　his　slow；　sneaking　way；　step　by　step；　mile　bymile；　south；　down　at　last　to　the　Land　of　Mordor。'　　
A　heavy　silence　fell　in　the　room。　Frodo　could　hear　his　heart　beating。　
Even　outside　everything　seemed　still。　No　sound　of　Sam's　shears　could　now　beheard。　　
'Yes；　to　Mordor；'　said　Gandalf。　'Alas！　Mordor　draws　all　wicked　things；　
and　the　Dark　Power　was　bending　all　its　will　to　gather　them　there。　The　Ring　of　　
　
the　Enemy　would　leave　its　mark；　too；　leave　him　open　to　the　summons。　And　allfolk　were　whispering　then　of　the　new　Shadow　in　the　South；　and　its　hatred　ofthe　West。　There　were　his　fine　new　friends；　who　would　help　him　in　his　revenge！　
'Wretched　fool！　In　that　land　he　would　learn　much；　too　much　for　hisfort。　And　sooner　or　later　as　he　lurked　and　pried　on　the　borders　he　would　becaught；　and　taken　–　for　examination。　That　was　the　way　of　it；　I　fear。　When　hewas　found　he　had　already　been　there　long；　and　was　on　his　way　back。　On　someerrand　of　mischief。　But　that　does　not　matter　much　now。　His　worst　mischief　was　　
done。　　
'Yes；　alas！　through　him　the　Enemy　has　learned　that　the　One　has　been　foundagain。　He　knows　where　Isildur　fell。　He　knows　where　Gollum　found　his　ring。　Heknows　that　it　is　a　Great　Ring；　for　it　gave　long　life。　He　knows　that　it　is　notone　of　the　Three；　for　they　have　never　been　lost；　and　they　endure　no　evil。　Heknows　that　it　is　not　one　of　the　Seven；　or　the　Nine；　for　they　are　accountedfor。　He　knows　that　it　is　the　One。　And　he　has　at　last　heard；　I　think；　of_hobbits_　and　the　_Shire。_　　
'The　Shire　–　he　may　be　seeking　for　it　now；　if　he　has　not　already　foundout　where　it　lies。　Indeed；　Frodo；　I　fear　that　he　may　even　think　that　the　long…　
unnoticed　name　of　_Baggins_　has　bee　important。'　
'But　this　is　terrible！'　cried　Frodo。　'Far　worse　than　the　worst　that　I　　
imagined　from　your　hints　and　warnings。　O　Gandalf；　best　of　friends；　what　am　Ito　do？　For　now　I　am　really　afraid。　What　am　I　to　do？　What　a　pity　that　Bilbo　didnot　stab　that　vile　creature；　when　he　had　a　chance！'　
'Pity？　It　was　Pity　that　stayed　his　hand。　Pity；　and　Mercy：　not　to　strikewithout　need。　And　he　has　been　well　rewarded；　Frodo。　Be　sure　that　he　took　solittle　hur