the fellowship of the ring-第16部分

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'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　hurt　from　the　evil；　and　escaped　in　the　end；　because　he　began　hisownership　of　the　Ring　so。　With　Pity。'　
'I　am　sorry；'　said　Frodo。　'But　I　am　frightened；　and　I　do　not　feel　anypity　for　Gollum。'　
'You　have　not　seen　him；'　Gandalf　broke　in。　
'No；　and　I　don't　want　to；'　said　Frodo。　I　can't　understand　you。　Do　youmean　to　say　that　you；　and　the　Elves；　have　let　him　live　on　after　all　thosehorrible　deeds？　Now　at　any　rate　he　is　as　bad　as　an　Orc；　and　just　an　enemy。　Hedeserves　death。'　　
'Deserves　it！　I　daresay　he　does。　Many　that　live　deserve　death。　And　somethat　die　deserve　life。　Can　you　give　it　to　them？　Then　do　not　be　too　eager　todeal　out　death　in　judgement。　For　even　the　very　wise　cannot　see　all　ends。　Ihave　not　much　hope　that　Gollum　can　be　cured　before　he　dies；　but　there　is　achance　of　it。　And　he　is　bound　up　with　the　fate　of　the　Ring。　My　heart　tells　methat　he　has　some　part　to　play　yet；　for　good　or　ill；　before　the　end；　and　whenthat　es；　the　pity　of　Bilbo　may　rule　the　fate　of　many　–　yours　not　least。　Inany　case　we　did　not　kill　him：　he　is　very　old　and　very　wretched。　The　Wood…elveshave　him　in　prison；　but　they　treat　him　with　such　kindness　as　they　can　find　intheir　wise　hearts。'　　
'All　the　same；'　said　Frodo；　'even　if　Bilbo　could　not　kill　Gollum；　I　wishhe　had　not　kept　the　Ring。　I　wish　he　had　never　found　it；　and　that　I　had　not　gotit！　Why　did　you　let　me　keep　it？　Why　didn't　you　make　me　throw　it　away；　or；　ordestroy　it？'　
'Let　you？　Make　you？'　said　the　wizard。　'Haven't　you　been　listening　to　allthat　I　have　said？　You　are　not　thinking　of　what　you　are　saying。　But　as　forthrowing　it　away；　that　was　obviously　wrong。　These　Rings　have　a　way　of　beingfound。　In　evil　hands　it　might　have　done　great　evil。　Worst　of　all；　it　mighthave　fallen　into　the　hands　of　the　Enemy。　Indeed　it　certainly　would；　for　thisis　the　One；　and　he　is　exerting　all　his　power　to　find　it　or　draw　it　to　himself。　
'Of　course；　my　dear　Frodo；　it　was　dangerous　for　you；　and　that　hastroubled　me　deeply。　But　there　was　so　much　at　stake　that　I　had　to　take　somerisk　–　though　even　when　I　was　far　away　there　has　never　been　a　day　when　theShire　has　not　been　guarded　by　watchful　eyes。　As　long　as　you　never　used　it；　Idid　not　think　that　the　Ring　would　have　any　lasting　effect　on　you；　not　forevil；　not　at　any　rate　for　a　very　long　time。　And　you　must　remember　that　nine　　
　
years　ago；　when　I　last　saw　you；　I　still　knew　little　for　certain。'　
'But　why　not　destroy　it；　as　you　say　should　have　been　done　long　ago？'　
cried　Frodo　again。　If　you　had　warned　me；　or　even　sent　me　a　message；　I　wouldhave　done　away　with　it。'　
'Would　you？　How　would　you　do　that？　Have　you　ever　tried？'　
'No。　But　I　suppose　one　could　hammer　it　or　melt　it。'　
'Try！'　said　Gandalf。　Try　now！'　
Frodo　drew　the　Ring　out　of　his　pocket　again　and　looked　at　it。　It　nowappeared　plain　and　smooth；　without　mark　or　device　that　he　could　see。　The　goldlooked　very　fair　and　pure；　and　Frodo　thought　how　rich　and　beautiful　was　itscolour；　how　perfect　was　its　roundness。　It　was　an　admirable　thing　andaltogether　precious。　When　he　took　it　out　he　had　intended　to　fling　it　from　himinto　the　very　hottest　part　of　the　fire。　But　he　found　now　that　he　could　not　doso；　not　without　a　great　struggle。　He　weighed　the　Ring　in　his　hand；　hesitating；　
and　forcing　himself　to　remember　all　that　Gandalf　had　told　him；　and　then　withan　effort　of　will　he　made　a　movement；　as　if　to　cast　it　away　–　but　he　foundthat　he　had　put　it　back　in　his　pocket。　
Gandalf　laughed　grimly。　'You　see？　Already　you　too；　Frodo；　cannot　easilylet　it　go；　nor　will　to　damage　it。　And　I　could　not　〃make〃　you　–　except　byforce；　which　would　break　your　mind。　But　as　for　breaking　the　Ring；　force　isuseless。　Even　if　you　took　it　and　struck　it　with　a　heavy　sledge…hammer；　itwould　make　no　dint　in　it。　It　cannot　be　unmade　by　your　hands；　or　by　mine。　
'Your　small　fire；　of　course；　would　not　melt　even　ordinary　gold。　This　Ringhas　already　passed　through　it　unscathed；　and　even　unheated。　But　there　is　nosmith's　forge　in　this　Shire　that　could　change　it　at　all。　Not　even　the　anvilsand　furnaces　of　the　Dwarves　could　do　that。　It　has　been　said　that　dragon…firecould　melt　and　consume　the　Rings　of　Power；　but　there　is　not　now　any　dragonleft　on　earth　in　which　the　old　fire　is　hot　enough；　nor　was　there　ever　anydragon；　not　even　Ancalagon　the　Black；　who　could　have　harmed　the　One　Ring；　theRuling　Ring；　for　that　was　made　by　Sauron　himself。　There　is　only　one　way：　tofind　the　Cracks　of　Doom　in　the　depths　of　Orodruin；　the　Fire…mountain；　and　castthe　Ring　in　there；　if　you　really　wish　to　destroy　it；　to　put　it　beyond　thegrasp　of　the　Enemy　for　ever。'　
'I　do　really　wish　to　destroy　it！'　cried　Frodo。　'Or；　well；　to　have　itdestroyed。　I　am　not　made　for　perilous　quests。　I　wish　I　had　never　seen　theRing！　Why　did　it　e　to　me？　Why　was　I　chosen？'　
'Such　questions　cannot　be　answered；'　said　Gandalf。　'You　may　be　sure　thatit　was　not　for　any　merit　that　others　do　not　possess：　not　for　power　or　wisdom；　
at　any　rate。　But　you　have　been　chosen；　and　you　must　therefore　use　suchstrength　and　heart　and　wits　as　you　have。'　
'But　I　have　so　little　of　any　of　these　things！　You　are　wise　and　powerful。　
Will　you　not　take　the　Ring？'　
'No！'　cried　Gandalf；　springing　to　his　feet。　'With　that　power　I　shouldhave　power　too　great　and　terrible。　And　over　me　the　Ring　would　gain　a　powerstill　greater　and　more　deadly。'　His　eyes　flashed　and　his　face　was　lit　as　by　afire　within。　'Do　not　tempt　me！　For　I　do　not　wish　to　bee　like　the　Dark　Lordhimself。　Yet　the　way　of　the　Ring　to　my　heart　is　by　pity；　pity　for　weakness　andthe　desire　of　strength　to　do　good。　Do　not　tempt　me！　I　dare　not　take　it；　noteven　to　keep　it　safe；　unused。　The　wish　to　wield　it　would　be　too　great；　for　mystrength。　I　shall　have　such　need　of　it。　Great　perils　lie　before　me。'　
He　went　to　the　window　and　drew　aside　the　curtains　and　the　shutters。　　
Sunlight　streamed　back　again　into　the　room。　Sam　passed　along　the　path　outsidewhistling。　'And　now；'　said　the　wizard；　turning　back　to　Frodo；　'the　decisionlies　with　you。　But　I　will　always　help　you。'　He　laid　his　hand　on　Frodo'sshoulder。　'I　will　help　you　bear　this　burden；　as　long　as　It　is　yours　to　bear。　
But　we　must　do　something；　soon。　The　Enemy　is　moving。'　　
There　was　a　long　silence。　Gandalf　sat　down　again　and　puffed　at　his　pipe；　
as　if　lost　in　thought。　His　eyes　seemed　closed；　but　under　the　lids　he　waswatching　Frodo　intently。　Frodo　gazed　fixedly　at　the　red　embers　on　the　hearth；　　
　
until　they　filled　all　his　vision；　and　he　seemed　to　be　looking　down　intoprofound　wells　of　fire。　He　was　thinking　of　the　fabled　Cracks　of　Doom　and　theterror　of　the　Fiery　Mountain。　
'Well！'　said　Gandalf　at　last。　'What　are　you　thinking　about？　Have　youdecided　what　to　do？'　　
'No！'　answered　Frodo；　ing　back　to　himself　out　of　darkness；　and　findingto　his　surprise　that　it　was　not　dark；　and　that　out　of　the　window　he　could　seethe　sunlit　garden。　'Or　perhaps；　yes。　As　far　as　I　understand　what　you　havesaid；　I　suppose　I　must　keep　the　Ring　and　guard　it；　at　least　for　the　present；　
whatever　it　may　do　to　me。'　
'Whatever　it　may　do；　it　will　be　slow；　slow　to　evil；　if　you　keep　it　withthat　purpose；'　said　Gandalf。　
'I　hope　so；'　said　Frodo。　'But　I　hope　that　you　may　find　some　other　betterkeeper　soon。　But　in　the　meanwhile　it　seems　that　I　am　a　danger；　a　danger　to　allthat　live　near　me。　I　cannot　keep　the　Ring　and　stay　here。　I　ought　to　leave　BagEnd；　leave　the　Shire；　leave　everything　and　go　away。'　He　sighed。　
'I　should　like　to　save　the　Shire；　if　I　could　–　though　there　have　beentimes　when　I　thought　the　inhabitants　too　stupid　and　dull　for　words；　and　havefelt　that　an　earthquake　or　an　invasion　of　dragons　might　be　good　for　them。　ButI　don't　feel　like　that　now。　I　feel　that　as　long　as　the　Shire　lies　behind；　safeand　fortable；　I　shall　find　wandering　more　bearable：　I　shall　know　thatsomewhere　there　is　a　firm　foothold；　even　if　my　feet　cannot　stand　there　again。　
'Of　course；　I　have　sometimes　thought　of　going　away；　but　I　imagined　thatas　a　kind　of　holiday；　a　series　of　adventures　like　Bilbo's　or　better；　ending　inpeace。　But　this　would　mean　exile；　a　flight　from　danger　into　danger；　drawing　itafter　me。　And　I　suppose　I　must　go　alone；　if　I　am　to　do　that　and　save　theShire。　But　I　feel　very　small；　and　very　uprooted；　and　well　–　desperate。　TheEnemy　is　so　strong　and　terrible。'　
He　did　not　tell　Gandalf；　but　as　he　was　speaking　a　great　desire　to　followBilbo　flamed　up　in　his　heart　–　to　follow　Bilbo；　and　even　perhaps　to　find　himagain。　It　was　so　strong　that　it　overcame　his　fear：　he　could　almost　have　runout　there　and　then　down　the　road　without　his　hat；　as　Bilbo　had　done　on　asimilar　morning　long　ago。　
'My　dear　Frodo！'　exclaimed　Gandalf。　'Hobbits　really　are　amazingcreatures；　as　I　have　said　before。　You　can　learn　all　that　there　is　to　knowabout　their　ways　in　a　month；　and　yet　after　a　hundred　years　they　can　stillsurprise　you　at　a　pinch。　I　hardly　expected　to　get　such　an　answer；　not　evenfrom　you。　But　Bilbo　made　no　mistake　in　choosing　his　heir；　though　he　littlethought　how　important　it　would　prove。　I　am　afraid　you　are　right。　The　Ring　willnot　be　able　to　stay　hidden　in　the　Shire　much　longer；　and　for　your　own　sake；　aswell　as　for　others；　you　will　have　to　go；　and　leave　the　name　of　Baggins　behindyou。　That　name　will　not　be　safe　to　have；　outside　the　Shire　or　in　the　Wild。　Iwill　give　you　a　travelling　name　now。　When　you　go；　go　as　Mr。　Underhill。　
'But　I　don't　think　you　need　go　alone。　Not　if　you　know　of　anyone　you　cantrust；　and　who　would　be　willing　to　go　by　your　side　–　and　that　you　would　bewilling　to　take　into　unknown　perils。　But　if　you　look　for　a　panion；　becareful　in　choosing！　And　be　careful　of　what　you　say；　even　to　your　closestfriends！　The　enemy　has　many　spies　and　many　ways　of　hearing。'　
Suddenly　he　stopped　as　if　listening。　Frodo　became　aware　that　all　was　veryquiet；　inside　and　outside。　Gandalf　crept　to　one　side　of　the　window。　Then　witha　dart　he　sprang　to　the　sill；　and　thrust　a　long　arm　out　and　downwards。　Therewas　a　squawk；　and　up　came　Sam　Gamgee's　curly　head　hauled　by　one　ear。　
'Well；　well；　bless　my　beard！'　said　Gandalf。　'Sam　Gamgee　is　it？　Now　whatmay　you　be　doing？'　
'Lor　bless　you；　Mr。　Gandalf；　sir！'　said　Sam。　'Nothing！　Leastways　I　wasjust　trimming　the　grass…border　under　the　window；　if　you　follow　me。'　He　pickedup