the fellowship of the ring-第14部分

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re　as　bright　as　ever；　andhe　smoked　and　blew　smoke…rings　with　the　same　vigour　and　delight。　　
　
He　was　smoking　now　in　silence；　for　Frodo　was　sitting　still；　deep　inthought。　Even　in　the　light　of　morning　he　felt　the　dark　shadow　of　the　tidingsthat　Gandalf　had　brought。　At　last　he　broke　the　silence。　
'Last　night　you　began　to　tell　me　strange　things　about　my　ring；　Gandalf；'　
he　said。　'And　then　you　stopped；　because　you　said　that　such　matters　were　bestleft　until　daylight。　Don't　you　think　you　had　better　finish　now？　You　say　thering　is　dangerous；　far　more　dangerous　than　I　guess。　In　what　way？'　
'In　many　ways；'　answered　the　wizard。　It　is　far　more　powerful　than　I　everdared　to　think　at　first；　so　powerful　that　in　the　end　it　would　utterly　overeanyone　of　mortal　race　who　possessed　it。　It　would　possess　him。　
'In　Eregion　long　ago　many　Elven…rings　were　made；　magic　rings　as　you　callthem；　and　they　were；　of　course；　of　various　kinds：　some　more　potent　and　someless。　The　lesser　rings　were　only　essays　in　the　craft　before　it　was　full…grown；　
and　to　the　Elven…smiths　they　were　but　trifles　–　yet　still　to　my　mind　dangerousfor　mortals。　But　the　Great　Rings；　the　Rings　of　Power；　they　were　perilous。　
'A　mortal；　Frodo；　who　keeps　one　of　the　Great　Rings；　does　not　die；　but　hedoes　not　grow　or　obtain　more　life；　he　merely　continues；　until　at　last　everyminute　is　a　weariness。　And　if　he　often　uses　the　Ring　to　make　himselfinvisible；　he_　fades：_　he　bees　in　the　end　invisible　permanently；　and　walksin　the　twilight　under　the　eye　of　the　dark　power　that　rules　the　Rings。　Yes；　
sooner　or　later　–　later；　if　he　is　strong　or　well…meaning　to　begin　with；　butneither　strength　nor　good　purpose　will　last　–　sooner　or　later　the　dark　powerwill　devour　him。'　　
'How　terrifying！'　said　Frodo。　There　was　another　long　silence。　The　soundof　Sam　Gamgee　cutting　the　lawn　came　in　from　the　garden。　　
'How　long　have　you　known　this？'　asked　Frodo　at　length。　'And　how　much　didBilbo　know？'　　
'Bilbo　knew　no　more　than　he　told　you；　I　am　sure；'　said　Gandalf。　'He　wouldcertainly　never　have　passed　on　to　you　anything　that　he　thought　would　be　adanger；　even　though　I　promised　to　look　after　you。　He　thought　the　ring　was　verybeautiful；　and　very　useful　at　need；　and　if　anything　was　wrong　or　queer；　it　washimself。　He　said　that　it　was　〃growing　on　his　mind〃；　and　he　was　always　worryingabout　it；　but　he　did　not　suspect　that　the　ring　itself　was　to　blame。　Though　hehad　found　out　that　the　thing　needed　looking　after；　it　did　not　seem　always　ofthe　same　size　or　weight；　it　shrank　or　expanded　in　an　odd　way；　and　mightsuddenly　slip　off　a　finger　where　it　had　been　tight。'　
'Yes；　he　warned　me　of　that　in　his　last　letter；'　said　Frodo；　'so　I　havealways　kept　it　on　its　chain。'　
'Very　wise；'　said　Gandalf。　'But　as　for　his　long　life；　Bilbo　neverconnected　it　with　the　ring　at　all。　He　took　all　the　credit　for　that　to　himself；　
and　he　was　very　proud　of　it。　Though　he　was　getting　restless　and　uneasy。　_Thinand　stretched_　he　said。　A　sign　that　the　ring　was　getting　control。'　
'How　long　have　you　known　all　this？'　asked　Frodo　again。　
'Known？'　said　Gandalf。　'I　have　known　much　that　only　the　Wise　know；　Frodo。　
But　if　you　mean　〃known　about　_this_　ring〃；　well；　I　still　do　not　_know；_onemight　say。　There　is　a　last　test　to　make。　But　I　no　longer　doubt　my　guess。　
'When　did　I　first　begin　to　guess？'　he　mused；　searching　back　in　memory。　
'Let　me　see　–　it　was　in　the　year　that　the　White　Council　drove　the　dark　powerfrom　Mirkwood；　just　before　the　Battle　of　Five　Armies；　that　Bilbo　found　hisring。　A　shadow　fell　on　my　heart　then；　though　I　did　not　know　yet　what　I　feared。　
I　wondered　often　how　Gollum　came　by　a　Great　Ring；　as　plainly　it　was　–　that　atleast　was　clear　from　the　first。　Then　I　heard　Bilbo's　strange　story　of　how　hehad　〃won〃　it；　and　I　could　not　believe　it。　When　I　at　last　got　the　truth　out　ofhim；　I　saw　at　once　that　he　had　been　trying　to　put　his　claim　to　the　ring　beyonddoubt。　Much　like　Gollum　with　his　〃birthday　present〃。　The　lies　were　too　muchalike　for　my　fort。　Clearly　the　ring　had　an　unwholesome　power　that　set　towork　on　its　keeper　at　once。　That　was　the　first　real　warning　I　had　that　all　wasnot　well。　I　told　Bilbo　often　that　such　rings　were　better　left　unused；　but　heresented　it；　and　soon　got　angry。　There　was　little　else　that　I　could　do。　I　　
　
could　not　take　it　from　him　without　doing　greater　harm；　and　I　had　no　right　todo　so　anyway。　I　could　only　watch　and　wait。　I　might　perhaps　have　consultedSaruman　the　White；　but　something　always　held　me　back。'　
'Who　is　he？'　asked　Frodo。　I　have　never　heard　of　him　before。'　　
'Maybe　not；'　answered　Gandalf。　'Hobbits　are；　or　were；　no　concern　of　his。　
Yet　he　is　great　among　the　Wise。　He　is　the　chief　of　my　order　and　the　head　ofthe　Council。　His　knowledge　is　deep；　but　his　pride　has　grown　with　it；　and　hetakes　ill　any　meddling。　The　lore　of　the　Elven…rings；　great　and　small；　is　hisprovince。　He　has　long　studied　it；　seeking　the　lost　secrets　of　their　making；　
but　when　the　Rings　were　debated　in　the　Council；　all　that　he　would　reveal　to　usof　his　ring…lore　told　against　my　fears。　So　my　doubt　slept　–　but　uneasily。　
Still　I　watched　and　I　waited。　　
'And　all　seemed　well　with　Bilbo。　And　the　years　passed。　Yes；　they　passed；　
and　they　seemed　not　to　touch　him。　He　showed　no　signs　of　age。　The　shadow　fellon　me　again。　But　I　said　to　myself：　〃After　all　he　es　of　a　long…lived　familyon　his　mother's　side。　There　is　time　yet。　Wait！〃　
'And　I　waited。　Until　that　night　when　he　left　this　house。　He　said　and　didthings　then　that　filled　me　with　a　fear　that　no　words　of　Saruman　could　allay。　Iknew　at　last　that　something　dark　and　deadly　was　at　work。　And　I　have　spent　mostof　the　years　since　then　in　finding　out　the　truth　of　it。'　
'There　wasn't　any　permanent　harm　done；　was　there？'　asked　Frodo　anxiously。　
'He　would　get　all　right　in　time；　wouldn't　he？　Be　able　to　rest　in　peace；　Imean？'　　
'He　felt　better　at　once；'　said　Gandalf。　'But　there　is　only　one　Power　inthis　world　that　knows　all　about　the　Rings　and　their　effects；　and　as　far　as　Iknow　there　is　no　Power　in　the　world　that　knows　all　about　hobbits。　Among　theWise　I　am　the　only　one　that　goes　in　for　hobbit…lore：　an　obscure　branch　ofknowledge；　but　full　of　surprises。　Soft　as　butter　they　can　be；　and　yetsometimes　as　tough　as　old　tree…roots。　I　think　it　likely　that　some　would　resistthe　Rings　far　longer　than　most　of　the　Wise　would　believe。　I　don't　think　youneed　worry　about　Bilbo。　
'Of　course；　he　possessed　the　ring　for　many　years；　and　used　it；　so　itmight　take　a　long　while　for　the　influence　to　wear　off　–　before　it　was　safe　forhim　to　see　it　again；　for　instance。　Otherwise；　he　might　live　on　for　years；　
quite　happily：　just　stop　as　he　was　when　he　parted　with　it。　For　he　gave　it　upin　the　end　of　his　own　accord：　an　important　point。　No；　I　was　not　troubled　aboutdear　Bilbo　any　more；　once　he　had　let　the　thing　go。　It　is　for　_you_　that　I　feelresponsible。　
'Ever　since　Bilbo　left　I　have　been　deeply　concerned　about　you；　and　aboutall　these　charming；　absurd；　helpless　hobbits。　It　would　be　a　grievous　blow　tothe　world；　if　the　Dark　Power　overcame　the　Shire；　if　all　your　kind；　jolly；　
stupid　Bolgers；　Hornblowers；　Boffins；　Bracegirdles；　and　the　rest；　not　tomention　the　ridiculous　Bagginses；　became　enslaved。'　
Frodo　shuddered。　'But　why　should　we　be？'　he　asked。　'And　why　should　hewant　such　slaves？'　　
'To　tell　you　the　truth；'　replied　Gandalf；　'I　believe　that　hitherto　–　
_hitherto；_mark　you　–　he　has　entirely　overlooked　the　existence　of　hobbits。　Youshould　be　thankful。　But　your　safety　has　passed。　He　does　not　need　you　–　he　hasmany　more　useful　servants　–　but　he　won't　forget　you　again。　And　hobbits　asmiserable　slaves　would　please　him　far　more　than　hobbits　happy　and　free。　Thereis　such　a　thing　as　malice　and　revenge。'　
'Revenge？'　said　Frodo。　'Revenge　for　what？　I　still　don't　understand　whatall　this　has　to　do　with　Bilbo　and　myself；　and　our　ring。'　
'It　has　everything　to　do　with　it；'　said　Gandalf。　'You　do　not　know　thereal　peril　yet；　but　you　shall。　I　was　not　sure　of　it　myself　when　I　was　lasthere；　but　the　time　has　e　to　speak。　Give　me　the　ring　for　a　moment。'　　
Frodo　took　it　from　his　breeches…pocket；　where　it　was　clasped　to　a　chainthat　hung　from　his　belt。　He　unfastened　it　and　handed　it　slowly　to　the　wizard。　
It　felt　suddenly　very　heavy；　as　if　either　it　or　Frodo　himself　was　in　some　way　　
　
reluctant　for　Gandalf　to　touch　it。　　
Gandalf　held　it　up。　It　looked　to　be　made　of　pure　and　solid　gold。　'Can　yousee　any　markings　on　it？'　he　asked。　
'No；'　said　Frodo。　'There　are　none。　It　is　quite　plain；　and　it　never　showsa　scratch　or　sign　of　wear。'　
'Well　then；　look！'　To　Frodo's　astonishment　and　distress　the　wizard　threwit　suddenly　into　the　middle　of　a　glowing　corner　of　the　fire。　Frodo　gave　a　cryand　groped　for　the　tongs；　but　Gandalf　held　him　back。　
'Wait！'　he　said　in　a　manding　voice；　giving　Frodo　a　quick　look　fromunder　his　bristling　brows。　
No　apparent　change　came　over　the　ring。　After　a　while　Gandalf　got　up；　
closed　the　shutters　outside　the　window；　and　drew　the　curtains。　The　room　becamedark　and　silent；　though　the　clack　of　Sam's　shears；　now　nearer　to　the　windows；　
could　still　be　heard　faintly　from　the　garden。　For　a　moment　the　wizard　stoodlooking　at　the　fire；　then　he　stooped　and　removed　the　ring　to　the　hearth　withthe　tongs；　and　at　once　picked　it　up。　Frodo　gasped。　
It　is　quite　cool；'　said　Gandalf。　'Take　it！'　Frodo