the fellowship of the ring-第74部分

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The　hobbits　had　been　nearly　two　months　in　the　House　of　Elrond；　andNovember　had　gone　by　with　the　last　shreds　of　autumn；　and　December　was　passing；　
when　the　scouts　began　to　return。　Some　had　gone　north　beyond　the　springs　of　theHoarwell　into　the　Ettenmoors；　and　others　had　gone　west；　and　with　the　help　ofAragorn　and　the　Rangers　had　searched　the　lands　far　down　the　Greyflood；　as　faras　Tharbad；　where　the　old　North　Road　crossed　the　river　by　a　ruined　town。　Manyhad　gone　east　and　south；　and　some　of　these　had　crossed　the　Mountains　andentered　Mirkwood；　while　others　had　climbed　the　pass　at　the　source　of　theGladden　River；　and　had　e　down　into　Wilderland　and　over　the　Gladden　Fieldsand　so　at　length　had　reached　the　old　home　of　Radagast　at　Rhosgobel。　Radagastwas　not　there；　and　they　had　returned　over　the　high　pass　that　was　called　the　　
　
Dimrill　Stair。　The　sons　of　Elrond；　Elladan　and　Elrohir；　were　the　last　toreturn；　they　had　made　a　great　journey；　passing　down　the　Silverlode　into　astrange　country；　but　of　their　errand　they　would　not　speak　to　any　save　toElrond。　　
In　no　region　had　the　messengers　discovered　any　signs　or　tidings　of　theRiders　or　other　servants　of　the　Enemy。　Even　from　the　Eagles　of　the　MistyMountains　they　had　learned　no　fresh　news。　Nothing　had　been　seen　or　heard　ofGollum；　but　the　wild　wolves　were　still　gathering；　and　were　hunting　again　farup　the　Great　River。　Three　of　the　black　horses　had　been　found　at　once　drownedin　the　flooded　Ford。　On　the　rocks　of　the　rapids　below　it　searchers　discoveredthe　bodies　of　five　more；　and　also　a　long　black　cloak；　slashed　and　tattered。　Ofthe　Black　Riders　no　other　trace　was　to　be　seen；　and　nowhere　was　their　presenceto　be　felt。　It　seemed　that　they　had　vanished　from　the　North。　
'Eight　out　of　the　Nine　are　accounted　for　at　least；'　said　Gandalf。　'It　isrash　to　be　too　sure；　yet　I　think　that　we　may　hope　now　that　the　Ringwraithswere　scattered；　and　have　been　obliged　to　return　as　best　they　could　to　theirMaster　in　Mordor；　empty　and　shapeless。　
‘If　that　is　so；　it　will　be　some　time　before　they　can　begin　the　huntagain。　Of　course　the　Enemy　has　other　servants；　but　they　will　have　to　journeyall　the　way　to　the　borders　of　Rivendell　before　they　can　pick　up　our　trail。　Andif　we　are　careful　that　will　be　hard　to　find。　But　we　must　delay　no　longer。'　
Elrond　summoned　the　hobbits　to　him。　He　looked　gravely　at　Frodo。　'The　timehas　e；'　he　said。　‘If　the　Ring　is　to　set　out；　it　must　go　soon。　But　those　whogo　with　it　must　not　count　on　their　errand　being　aided　by　war　or　force。　Theymust　pass　into　the　domain　of　the　Enemy　far　from　aid。　Do　you　still　hold　to　yourword；　Frodo；　that　you　will　be　the　Ring…bearer？'　
'I　do；'　said　Frodo。　‘I　will　go　with　Sam。'　
‘Then　I　cannot　help　you　much；　not　even　with　counsel；'　said　Elrond。　‘I　canforesee　very　little　of　your　road；　and　how　your　task　is　to　be　achieved　I　do　notknow。　The　Shadow　has　crept　now　to　the　feet　of　the　Mountains；　and　draws　nigheven　to　the　borders　of　Greyflood；　and　under　the　Shadow　all　is　dark　to　me。　Youwill　meet　many　foes；　some　open；　and　some　disguised；　and　you　may　find　friendsupon　your　way　when　you　least　look　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　Bl