the fellowship of the ring-第68部分

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‘So　said　Denethor。　And　yet　there　lie　in　his　hoards　many　records　that　fewnow　can　read；　even　of　the　lore…masters；　for　their　scripts　and　tongues　havebee　dark　to　later　men。　And　Boromir；　there　lies　in　Minas　Tirith　still；　
unread；　I　guess；　by　any　save　Saruman　and　myself　since　the　kings　failed；　ascroll　that　Isildur　made　himself。　For　Isildur　did　not　march　away　straight　fromthe　war　in　Mordor；　as　some　have　told　the　tale。'　
'Some　in　the　North；　maybe；'　Boromir　broke　in。　'All　know　in　Gondor　that　hewent　first　to　Minas　Anor　and　dwelt　a　while　with　his　nephew　Meneldil；　
instructing　him；　before　he　mitted　to　him　the　rule　of　the　South　Kingdom。　Inthat　time　he　planted　there　the　last　sapling　of　the　White　Tree　in　memory　of　hisbrother。'　　
‘But　in　that　time　also　he　made　this　scroll；'　said　Gandalf；　‘and　that　isnot　remembered　in　Gondor；　it　would　seem。　For　this　scroll　concerns　the　Ring；　
and　thus　wrote　Isildur　therein：　　
_The　Great　Ring　shall　go　now　to　be　an　heirloom　of　the　North　Kingdom；　butrecords　of　it　shall　be　left　in　Gondor；　where　also　dwell　the　heirs　of　Elendil；　
lest　a　time　e　when　the　memory　of　these　great　matters　shall　grow　dim。_　　
‘And　after　these　words　Isildur　described　the　Ring；　such　as　he　found　it。　　
_It　was　hot　when　I　first　took　it；　hot　as　a　glede；　and　my　hand　wasscorched；　so　that　I　doubt　if　ever　again　I　shall　be　free　of　the　pain　of　it。　Yeteven　as　I　write　it　is　cooled；　and　it　seemeth　to　shrink；　though　it　losethneither　its　beauty　nor　its　shape。　Already　the　writing　upon　it；　which　at　firstwas　as　clear　as　red　flame；　fadeth　and　is　now　only　barely　to　be　read。　It　isfashioned　in　an　elven…script　of　Eregion；　for　they　have　no　letters　in　Mordorfor　such　subtle　work；　but　the　language　is　unknown　to　me。　I　deem　it　to　be　atongue　of　the　Black　Land；　since　it　is　foul　and　uncouth。　What　evil　it　saith　Ido　not　know；　but　I　trace　here　a　copy　of　it；　lest　it　fade　beyond　recall。　TheRing　misseth；　maybe；　the　heat　of　Sauron's　hand；　which　was　black　and　yet　burnedlike　fire；　and　so　Gil…galad　was　destroyed；　and　maybe　were　the　gold　made　hot　　
　
again；　the　writing　would　be　refreshed。　But　for　my　part　I　will　risk　no　hurt　tothis　thing：　of　all　the　works　of　Sauron　the　only　fair。　It　is　precious　to　me；　
though　I　buy　it　with　great　pain。_　　
'When　I　read　these　words；　my　quest　was　ended。　For　the　traced　writing　wasindeed　as　Isildur　guessed；　in　the　tongue　of　Mordor　and　the　servants　of　theTower。　And　what　was　said　therein　was　already　known。　For　in　the　day　that　Sauronfirst　put　on　the　One；　Celebrimbor；　maker　of　the　Three；　was　aware　of　him；　andfrom　afar　he　heard　him　speak　these　words；　and　so　his　evil　purposes　wererevealed。　　
‘At　once　I　took　my　leave　of　Denethor；　but　even　as　I　went　northwards；　
messages　came　to　me　out　of　Lórien　that　Aragorn　had　passed　that　way；　and　thathe　had　found　the　creature　called　Gollum。　Therefore　I　went　first　to　meet　him　　
and　hear　his　tale。　Into　what　deadly　perils　he　had　gone　alone　I　dared　notguess。'　
‘There　is　little　need　to　tell　of　them；'　said　Aragorn。　‘If　a　man　mustneeds　walk　in　sight　of　the　Black　Gate；　or　tread　the　deadly　flowers　of　MorgulVale；　then　perils　he　will　have。　I；　too；　despaired　at　last；　and　I　began　myhomeward　journey。　And　then；　by　fortune；　I　came　suddenly　on　what　I　sought：　themarks　of　soft　feet　beside　a　muddy　pool。　But　now　the　trail　was　fresh　and　swift；　
and　it　led　not　to　Mordor　but　away。　Along　the　skirts　of　the　Dead　Marshes　Ifollowed　it；　and　then　I　had　him。　Lurking　by　a　stagnant　mere；　peering　in　thewater　as　the　dark　eve　fell；　I　caught　him；　Gollum。　He　was　covered　with　greenslime。　He　will　never　love　me；　I　fear；　for　he　bit　me；　and　I　was　not　gentle。　
Nothing　more　did　I　ever　get　from　his　mouth　than　the　marks　of　his　teeth。　Ideemed　it　the　worst　part　of　all　my　journey；　the　road　back；　watching　him　dayand　night；　making　him　walk　before　me　with　a　halter　on　his　neck；　gagged；　untilhe　was　tamed　by　lack　of　drink　and　food；　driving　him　ever　towards　Mirkwood。　Ibrought　him　there　at　last　and　gave　him　to　the　Elves；　for　we　had　agreed　thatthis　should　be　done；　and　I　was　glad　to　be　rid　of　his　pany；　for　he　stank。　
For　my　part　I　hope　never　to　look　upon　him　again；　but　Gandalf　came　and　enduredlong　speech　with　him。'　
‘Yes；　long　and　weary；'　said　Gandalf；　‘but　not　without　profit。　For　onething；　the　tale　he　told　of　his　loss　agreed　with　that　which　Bilbo　has　now　toldopenly　for　the　first　time；　but　that　mattered　little；　since　I　had　alreadyguessed　it。　But　I　learned　then　first　that　Gollum's　ring　came　out　of　the　GreatRiver　nigh　to　the　Gladden　Fields。　And　I　learned　also　that　he　had　possessed　itlong。　Many　lives　of　his　small　kind。　The　power　of　the　ring　had　lengthened　hisyears　far　beyond　their　span；　but　that　power　only　the　Great　Rings　wield。　
‘And　if　that　is　not　proof　enough；　Galdor；　there　is　the　other　test　that　Ispoke　of。　Upon　this　very　ring　which　you　have　here　seen　held　aloft；　round　andunadorned；　the　letters　that　Isildur　reported　may　still　be　read；　if　one　has　thestrength　of　will　to　set　the　golden　thing　in　the　fire　a　while。　That　I　havedone；　and　this　I　have　read：　　
_Ash　nazg　durbatul。k；　ash　nazg　gimbatul；　ash　nazg　thrakatul。kagh　burzum…ishi　krimpatul。'_　　
The　change　in　the　wizard's　voice　was　astounding。　Suddenly　it　becamemenacing；　powerful；　harsh　as　stone。　A　shadow　seemed　to　pass　over　the　high　sun；　
and　the　porch　for　a　moment　grew　dark。　All　trembled；　and　the　Elves　stoppedtheir　ears。　　
‘Never　before　has　any　voice　dared　to　utter　the　words　of　that　tongue　inImladris；　Gandalf　the　Grey；'　said　Elrond；　as　the　shadow　passed　and　the　panybreathed　once　more。　　
‘And　let　us　hope　that　none　will　ever　speak　it　here　again；'　answeredGandalf。　‘Nonetheless　I　do　not　ask　your　pardon；　Master　Elrond。　For　if　thattongue　is　not　soon　to　be　heard　in　every　corner　of　the　West；　then　let　all　putdoubt　aside　that　this　thing　is　indeed　what　the　Wise　have　declared：　the　　
　
treasure　of　the　Enemy；　fraught　with　all　his　malice；　and　in　it　lies　a　greatpart　of　his　strength　of　old。　Out　of　the　Black　Years　e　the　words　that　theSmiths　of　Eregion　heard；　and　knew　that　they　had　been　betrayed：　　
_One　Ring　to　rule　them　all；　One　Ring　to　find　them；　One　Ringto　bring　them　all　and　in　the　Darkness　bind　them。_　　
‘Know　also；　my　friends；　that　I　learned　more　yet　from　Gollum。　He　was　lothto　speak　and　his　tale　was　unclear；　but　it　is　beyond　all　doubt　that　he　went　toMordor；　and　there　all　that　he　knew　was　forced　from　him。　Thus　the　Enemy　knowsnow　that　the　One　is　found；　that　it　was　long　in　the　Shire；　and　since　hisservants　have　pursued　it　almost　to　our　door；　he　soon　will　know；　already　he　mayknow；　even　as　I　speak；　that　we　have　it　here。'　　
All　sat　silent　for　a　while；　until　at　length　Boromir　spoke。　‘He　is　a　smallthing；　you　say；　this　Gollum？　Small；　but　great　in　mischief。　What　became　of　him？　
To　what　doom　did　you　put　him？'　
'He　is　in　prison；　but　no　worse；'　said　Aragorn。　‘He　had　suffered　much。　
There　is　no　doubt　that　he　was　tormented；　and　the　fear　of　Sauron　lies　black　onhis　heart。　Still　I　for　one　am　glad　that　he　is　safely　kept　by　the　watchfulElves　of　Mirkwood。　His　malice　is　great　and　gives　him　a　strength　hardly　to　bebelieved　in　one　so　lean　and　withered。　He　could　work　much　mischief　still；　if　hewere　free。　And　I　do　not　doubt　that　he　was　allowed　to　leave　Mordor　on　some　evil　　
errand。'　　
‘Alas！　alas！'　cried　Legolas；　and　in　his　fair　elvish　face　there　was　greatdistress。　‘The　tidings　that　I　was　sent　to　bring　must　now　be　told。　They　are　notgood；　but　only　here　have　I　learned　how　evil　they　may　seem　to　this　pany。　
Sméagol；　who　is　now　called　Gollum；　has　escaped。'　
'Escaped？'　cried　Aragorn。　'That　is　ill　news　indeed。　We　shall　all　rue　itbitterly；　I　fear。　How　came　the　folk　of　Thranduil　to　fail　in　their　trust？'　
‘Not　through　lack　of　watchfulness；'　said　Legolas；　‘but　perhaps　throughover…kindliness。　And　we　fear　that　the　prisoner　had　aid　from　others；　and　thatmore　is　known　of　our　doings　than　we　could　wish。　We　guarded　this　creature　dayand　night；　at　Gandalf's　bidding；　much　though　we　wearied　of　the　task。　ButGandalf　bade　us　hope　still　for　his　cure；　and　we　had　not　the　heart　to　keep　himever　in　dungeons　under　the　earth；　where　he　would　fall　back　into　his　old　blackthoughts。'　
'You　were　less　tender　to　me；'　said　Glóin　with　a　flash　of　his　eyes　as　oldmemories　were　stirred　of　his　imprisonment　in　the　deep　places　of　the　Elven…　
king's　halls。　
'Now　e！'　said　Gandalf。　‘Pray　do　not　interrupt；　my　good　Glóin。　That　wasa　regrettable　misunderstanding；　long　set　right。　If　all　the　grievances　thatstand　between　Elves　and　Dwarves　are　to　be　brought　up　here；　we　may　as　wellabandon　this　Council。'　　
Glóin　rose　and　bowed；　and　Legolas　continued。　'In　the　days　of　fair　weatherwe　led　Gollum　through　the　woods；　and　there　was　a　high　tree　standing　alone　farfrom　the　others　which　he　liked　to　climb。　Often　we　let　him　mount　up　to　thehighest　branches；　until　he　felt　the　free　wind；　but　we　set　a　guard　at　thetree's　foot。　One　day　he　refused　to　e　down；　and　the　guards　had　no　mind　toclimb　after　him：　he　had　learned　the　trick　of　clinging　to　boughs　with　his　feetas　well　as　with　his　hands；　so　they　sat　by　the　tree　far　into　the　night。　
'It　was　that　very　night　of　summer；　yet　moonless　and　starless；　that　Orcscame　on　us　at　unawares。　We　drove　them　off　after　some　time；　they　were　many　andfierce；　but　they　came　from　over　the　mountains；　and　were　unused　to　the　woods。　
When　the　battle　was　over；　we　found　that　Gollum　was　gone；　and　his　guards　weresla