the fellowship of the ring-第67部分

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for　it。　I　will　send　out　messages；　such　as　Ican　contrive；　to　those　whom　I　know　in　the　wide　world；　but　so　perilous　are　thelands　now　bee　that　some　may　well　miscarry；　or　e　no　quicker　than　youyourself。　
‘And　I　will　choose　you　panions　to　go　with　you；　as　far　as　they　will　orfortune　allows。　The　number　must　be　few；　since　your　hope　is　in　speed　andsecrecy。　Had　I　a　host　of　Elves　in　armour　of　the　Elder　Days；　it　would　availlittle；　save　to　arouse　the　power　of　Mordor。　
‘The　pany　of　the　Ring　shall　be　Nine；　and　the　Nine　Walkers　shall　be　setagainst　the　Nine　Riders　that　are　evil。　With　you　and　your　faithful　servant；　
Gandalf　will　go；　for　this　shall　be　his　great　task；　and　maybe　the　end　of　hislabours。　　
‘For　the　rest；　they　shall　represent　the　other　Free　Peoples　of　the　World：　
Elves；　Dwarves；　and　Men。　Legolas　shall　be　for　the　Elves；　and　Gimli　son　ofGlóin　for　the　Dwarves。　They　are　willing　to　go　at　least　to　the　passes　of　theMountains；　and　maybe　beyond。　For　men　you　shall　have　Aragorn　son　of　Arathorn；　
for　the　Ring　of　Isildur　concerns　him　closely。'　
‘Strider！'　said　Frodo。　　
'Yes；'　he　said　with　a　smile。　‘I　ask　leave　once　again　to　be　yourpanion；　Frodo。'　
‘I　would　have　begged　you　to　e；'　said　Frodo；　'only　I　thought　you　weregoing　to　Minas　Tirith　with　Boromir。'　
‘I　am；'　said　Aragorn。　‘And　the　Sword…that…was…Broken　shall　be　reforgedere　I　set　out　to　war。　But　your　road　and　our　road　lie　together　for　manyhundreds　of　miles。　Therefore　Boromir　will　also　be　in　the　pany。　He　is　avaliant　man。'　　
'There　remain　two　more　to　be　found；'　said　Elrond。　〃These　I　will　consider。　
Of　my　household　I　may　find　some　that　it　seems　good　to　me　to　send。'　　
　
‘But　that　will　leave　no　place　for　us！'　cried　Pippin　in　dismay。　‘We　don'twant　to　be　left　behind。　We　want　to　go　with　Frodo。'　
‘That　is　because　you　do　not　understand　and　cannot　imagine　what　liesahead；'　said　Elrond。　
‘Neither　does　Frodo；'　said　Gandalf；　unexpectedly　supporting　Pippin。　'Nordo　any　of　us　see　clearly。　It　is　true　that　if　these　hobbits　understood　thedanger；　they　would　not　dare　to　go。　But　they　would　still　wish　to　go；　or　wishthat　they　dared；　and　be　shamed　and　unhappy。　I　think；　Elrond；　that　in　thismatter　it　would　be　well　to　trust　rather　to　their　friendship　than　to　greatwisdom。　Even　if　you　chose　for　us　an　elf…lord；　such　as　Glorfindel；　he　could　notstorm　the　Dark　Tower；　nor　open　the　road　to　the　Fire　by　the　power　that　is　inhim。'　　
‘You　speak　gravely；'　said　Elrond；　‘but　I　am　in　doubt。　The　Shire；　Iforebode；　is　not　free　now　from　peril；　and　these　two　I　had　thought　to　send　backthere　as　messengers；　to　do　what　they　could；　according　to　the　fashion　of　theircountry；　to　warn　the　people　of　their　danger。　In　any　case；　I　judge　that　theyounger　of　these　two；　Peregrin　Took；　should　remain。　My　heart　is　against　hisgoing。'　
‘Then；　Master　Elrond；　you　will　have　to　lock　me　in　prison；　or　send　me　hometied　in　a　sack；'　said　Pippin。　‘For　otherwise　I　shall　follow　the　pany。'　
‘Let　it　be　so　then。　You　shall　go；'　said　Elrond；　and　he　sighed。　'Now　thetale　of　Nine　is　filled。　In　seven　days　the　pany　must　depart。'　
The　Sword　of　Elendil　was　forged　anew　by　Elvish　smiths；　and　on　its　bladewas　traced　a　device　of　seven　stars　set　between　the　crescent　Moon　and　the　rayedSun；　and　about　them　was　written　many　runes；　for　Aragorn　son　of　Arathorn　wasgoing　to　war　upon　the　marches　of　Mordor。　Very　bright　was　that　sword　when　itwas　made　whole　again；　the　light　of　the　sun　shone　redly　in　it；　and　the　light　ofthe　moon　shone　cold；　and　its　edge　was　hard　and　keen。　And　Aragorn　gave　it　a　newname　and　called　it　Andúril；　Flame　of　the　West。　
Aragorn　and　Gandalf　walked　together　or　sat　speaking　of　their　road　and　theperils　they　would　meet；　and　they　pondered　the　storied　and　figured　maps　andbooks　of　lore　that　were　in　the　house　of　Elrond。　Sometimes　Frodo　was　with　them；　
but　he　was　content　to　lean　on　their　guidance；　and　he　spent　as　much　time　as　hecould　with　Bilbo。　　
In　those　last　days　the　hobbits　sat　together　in　the　evening　in　the　Hall　ofFire；　and　there　among　many　tales　they　heard　told　in　full　the　lay　of　Beren　andLúthien　and　the　winning　of　the　Great　Jewel；　but　in　the　day；　while　Merry　andPippin　were　out　and　about；　Frodo　and　Sam　were　to　be　found　with　Bilbo　in　hisown　small　room。　Then　Bilbo　would　read　passages　from　his　book　（which　stillseemed　very　inplete）。　or　scraps　of　his　verses；　or　would　take　notes　ofFrodo's　adventures。　　
On　the　morning　of　the　last　day　Frodo　was　alone　with　Bilbo；　and　the　oldhobbit　pulled　out　from　under　his　bed　a　wooden　box。　He　lifted　the　lid　andfumbled　inside。　　
'Here　is　your　sword；'　he　said。　'But　it　was　broken；　you　know。　I　took　it　tokeep　it　safe　but　I've　forgotten　to　ask　if　the　smiths　could　mend　it。　No　timenow。。　So　I　thought；　perhaps；　you　would　care　to　have　this；　don't　you　know？'　
He　took　from　the　box　a　small　sword　in　an　old　shabby　leathern　scabbard。　
Then　he　drew　it；　and　its　polished　and　well…tended　blade　glittered　suddenly；　
cold　and　bright。　'This　is　Sting；'　he　said；　and　thrust　it　with　little　effortdeep　into　a　wooden　beam。　‘Take　it；　if　you　like。　I　shan't　want　it　again；　Iexpect。'　
Frodo　accepted　it　gratefully。　
'Also　there　is　this！'　said　Bilbo；　bringing　out　a　parcel　which　seemed　tobe　rather　heavy　for　its　size。　He　unwound　several　folds　of　old　cloth；　and　heldup　a　small　shirt　of　mail。　It　was　close…woven　of　many　rings；　as　supple　almostas　linen；　cold　as　ice；　and　harder　than　steel。　It　shone　like　moonlit　silver；　
and　was　studded　with　white　gems。　With　it　was　a　belt　of　pearl　and　crystal。　
'It's　a　pretty　thing；　isn't　it？'　said　Bilbo；　moving　it　in　the　light。　‘Anduseful。　It　is　my　dwarf…mail　that　Thorin　gave　me。　I　got　it　back　from　Michel　　
　
Delving　before　I　started；　and　packed　it　with　my　luggage：　I　brought　all　themementoes　of　my　Journey　away　with　me；　except　the　Ring。　But　I　did　not　expect　touse　this；　and　I　don't　need　it　now；　except　to　look　at　sometimes。　You　hardlyfeel　any　weight　when　you　put　it　on。'　
‘I　should　look　–　well；　I　don't　think　I　should　look　right　in　it；'　saidFrodo。　　
‘Just　what　I　said　myself；'　said　Bilbo。　'But　never　mind　about　looks。　Youcan　wear　it　under　your　outer　clothes。　e　on！　You　must　share　this　secret　withme。　Don't　tell　anybody　else！　But　I　should　feel　happier　if　I　knew　you　werewearing　it。　I　have　a　fancy　it　would　turn　even　the　knives　of　the　BlackRiders；'　he　ended　in　a　low　voice。　
‘Very　well；　I　will　take　it；'　said　Frodo。　Bilbo　put　it　on　him；　andfastened　Sting　upon　the　glittering　belt；　and　then　Frodo　put　over　the　top　hisold　weather…stained　breeches；　tunic；　and　jacket。　
'Just　a　plain　hobbit　you　look；'　said　Bilbo。　'But　there　is　more　about　younow　than　appears　on　the　surface。　Good　luck　to　you！'　He　turned　away　and　lookedout　of　the　window；　trying　to　hum　a　tune。　
'I　cannot　thank　you　as　I　should；　Bilbo；　for　this；　and　for　all　our　pastkindnesses；'　said　Frodo。　
'Don't　try！'　said　the　old　hobbit；　turning　round　and　slapping　him　on　theback。　‘Ow！'　he　cried。　‘You　are　too　hard　now　to　slap！　But　there　you　are：　
Hobbits　must　stick　together；　and　especially　Bagginses。　All　I　ask　in　return　is：　
take　as　much　care　of　yourself　as　you　can。　and　bring　back　all　the　news　you　can；　
and　any　old　songs　and　tales　you　can　e　by。　I'll　do　my　best　to　finish　my　bookbefore　you　return。　I　should　like　to　write　the　second　book；　if　I　am　spared。'　Hebroke　off　and　turned　to　the　window　again；　singing　softly。　　
I　sit　beside　the　fire　and　think　　
of　all　that　I　have　seen；　
of　meadow…flowers　and　butterflies　　
in　summers　that　have　been；　　
Of　yellow　leaves　and　gossamer　
in　autumns　that　there　were；　
with　morning　mist　and　silver　sun　
and　wind　upon　my　hair。　　
I　sit　beside　the　fire　and　think　　
of　how　the　world　will　be　　
when　winter　es　without　a　spring　
that　I　shall　ever　see。　　
For　still　there　are　so　many　things　
that　I　have　never　seen：　　
in　every　wood　in　every　spring　
there　is　a　different　green。　　
I　sit　beside　the　fire　and　think　　
of　people　long　ago；　
and　people　who　will　see　a　world　
that　I　shall　never　know。　　
But　all　the　while　I　sit　and　think　　
of　times　there　were　before；　
I　listen　for　returning　feet　
and　voices　at　the　door。　　
It　was　a　cold　grey　day　near　the　end　of　December。　The　East　Wind　wasstreaming　through　the　bare　branches　of　the　trees；　and　seething　in　the　darkpines　on　the　hills。　Ragged　clouds　were　hurrying　overhead；　dark　and　low。　As　the　　
　
cheerless　shadows　of　the　early　evening　began　to　fall　the　pany　made　ready　toset　out。　They　were　to　start　at　dusk；　for　Elrond　counselled　them　to　journeyunder　cover　of　night　as　often　as　they　could；　until　they　were　far　fromRivendell。　　
‘You　should　fear　the　many　eyes　of　the　servants　of　Sauron；'　he　said。　'I　donot　doubt　that　news　of　the　disfiture　of　the　Riders　has　already　reached　him；　
and　he　will　be　filled　with　wrath。　Soon　now　his　spies　on　foot　and　wing　will　beabroad　in　the　northern　lands。　Even　of　the　sky　above　you　must　beware　as　you　goon　your　way。'　
The　pany　took　little　gear　of　war；　for　their　hope　was　in　secrecy　not　inbattle。　Aragorn　had　Andúril　but　no　other　weapon；　and　he　went　forth　clad　onlyin　rusty　green　and　brown。　as　a　Ranger　of　the　wilderness。　Boromir　had　a　longsword；　in　fashion　like　Andúril　but　of　less　lineage　and　he　bore　also　a　shieldand　his　war…horn。　　
'Loud　and　clear　it　sounds　in　the　valleys　of　the　hills；'　he　said；　‘andthen　let　all　the　foes　of　Gondor　flee！'　Putting　it　to　his　lips　he　blew　a　blast；　
and　the　echoes　leapt　from　rock　to　rock；　and　all　that　heard　that　voice　inRivendell　sprang　to　their　feet。　
Slow　should　you　be　to　wind　that　horn　again；　Boromir；　said　Elrond。　'untilyou　stand　once　more　on　the　borders　of　your　land；　and　dire　need　is　on　you。'　
‘Maybe；'　said　Boromir。　'But　always　I　have　let　my　horn　cry　at　settingforth；　and　though　thereafter　we　may　walk　in　the　shadows；　I　will　not　go　forthas　a　thief　in　the　night。'　
Gimli　the　dwarf　alone　wore　openly　a　short　shirt　of　steel…rings；　fordwarves　make　light　of　burdens；　and　in　his　belt　was　a　broad…bladed　axe。　Legolashad　a　bow　and　a　quiver；　and　at　his　belt　a　long　white　knife。　The　youngerhobbits　wore　the　swords　that　they　had　taken　from　the　barrow；　but　Frodo　tookonly　Sting；　and　his　mail…coat；　as　Bilbo　wished；　remained　hidden。　Gandalf　borehis　staff；　but　girt　at　his　side　was　the　elven…sword　Glamdring；　the　mate　ofOrcrist　that　lay　now　upon　the　breast　of　Thorin　under　the　Lonely　Mountain。　
All　were　well　furnished　by　Elrond　with　thick　warm　clothes；　and　they　hadjackets　and　cloaks　lined　with　fur。　Spare　food　and　clothes　and　bla