the fellowship of the ring-第17部分

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sed　his　name。　What　is　more；　he　knew　where　he　came　from。'　
'But　how　did　he　find　that　out？'　asked　Frodo。　　
'Well；　as　for　the　name；　Bilbo　very　foolishly　told　Gollum　himself；　andafter　that　it　would　not　be　difficult　to　discover　his　country；　once　Gollum　cameout。　Oh　yes；　he　came　out。　His　longing　for　the　Ring　proved　stronger　than　hisfear　of　the　Orcs；　or　even　of　the　light。　After　a　year　or　two　he　left　the　　
　
mountains。　You　see；　though　still　bound　by　desire　of　it；　the　Ring　was　no　longerdevouring　him；　he　began　to　revive　a　little。　He　felt　old；　terribly　old；　yetless　timid；　and　he　was　mortally　hungry。　
'Light；　light　of　Sun　and　Moon；　he　still　feared　and　hated；　and　he　alwayswill；　I　think；　but　he　was　cunning。　He　found　he　could　hide　from　daylight　andmoonshine；　and　make　his　way　swiftly　and　softly　by　dead　of　night　with　his　palecold　eyes；　and　catch　small　frightened　or　unwary　things。　He　grew　stronger　andbolder　with　new　food　and　new　air。　He　found　his　way　into　Mirkwood；　as　one　wouldexpect。'　
'Is　that　where　you　found　him？'　asked　Frodo。　
'I　saw　him　there；'　answered　Gandalf；　'but　before　that　he　had　wanderedfar；　following　Bilbo's　trail。　It　was　difficult　to　learn　anything　from　him　forcertain；　for　his　talk　was　constantly　interrupted　by　curses　and　threats。　〃Whathad　it　got　in　its　pocketses？〃　he　said。　〃It　wouldn't　say；　no　precious。　Littlecheat。　Not　a　fair　question。　It　cheated　first；　it　did。　It　broke　the　rules。　Weought　to　have　squeezed　it；　yes　precious。　And　we　will；　precious！〃　
'That　is　a　sample　of　his　talk。　I　don't　suppose　you　want　any　more。　I　hadweary　days　of　it。　But　from　hints　dropped　among　the　snarls　I　even　gathered　thathis　padding　feet　had　taken　him　at　last　to　Esgaroth；　and　even　to　the　streets　ofDale；　listening　secretly　and　peering。　Well；　the　news　of　the　great　events　wentfar　and　wide　in　Wilderland；　and　many　had　heard　Bilbo's　name　and　knew　where　hecame　from。　We　had　made　no　secret　of　our　return　journey　to　his　home　in　theWest。　Gollum's　sharp　ears　would　soon　learn　what　he　wanted。'　
'Then　why　didn't　he　track　Bilbo　further？'　asked　Frodo。　'Why　didn't　hee　to　the　Shire？'　　
'Ah；'　said　Gandalf；　'now　we　e　to　it。　I　think　Gollum　tried　to。　He　setout　and　came　back　westward；　as　far　as　the　Great　River。　But　then　he　turnedaside。　He　was　not　daunted　by　the　distance；　I　am　sure。　No；　something　else　drewhim　away。　So　my　friends　think；　those　that　hunted　him　for　me。　
'The　Wood…elves　tracked　him　first；　an　easy　task　for　them；　for　his　trailwas　still　fresh　then。　Through　Mirkwood　and　back　again　it　led　them；　though　theynever　caught　him。　The　wood　was　full　of　the　rumour　of　him；　dreadful　tales　evenamong　beasts　and　birds。　The　Woodmen　said　that　there　was　some　new　terrorabroad；　a　ghost　that　drank　blood。　It　climbed　trees　to　find　nests；　it　creptinto　holes　to　find　the　young；　it　slipped　through　windows　to　find　cradles。　
'But　at　the　western　edge　of　Mirkwood　the　trail　turned　away。　It　wanderedoff　southwards　and　passed　out　of　the　Wood…elves'　ken；　and　was　lost。　And　then　Imade　a　great　mistake。　Yes；　Frodo；　and　not　the　first；　though　I　fear　it　mayprove　the　worst。　I　let　the　matter　be。　I　let　him　go；　for　I　had　much　else　tothink　of　at　that　time；　and　I　still　trusted　the　lore　of　Saruman。　
'Well；　that　was　years　ago。　I　have　paid　for　it　since　with　many　dark　anddangerous　days。　The　trail　was　long　cold　when　I　took　it　up　again；　after　Bilboleft　here。　And　my　search　would　have　been　in　vain；　but　for　the　help　that　I　hadfrom　a　friend：　Aragorn；　the　greatest　traveller　and　huntsman　of　this　age　of　theworld。　Together　we　sought　for　Gollum　down　the　whole　length　of　Wilderland；　
without　hope；　and　without　success。　But　at　last；　when　I　had　given　up　the　chaseand　turned　to　other　parts；　Gollum　was　found。　My　friend　returned　out　of　thegreat　perils　bringing　the　miserable　creature　with　him。　
'What　he　had　been　doing　he　would　not　say。　He　only　wept　and　called　uscruel；　with　many　a　_gollum_　in　his　throat；　and　when　we　pressed　him　he　whinedand　cringed；　and　rubbed　his　long　hands；　licking　his　fingers　as　if　they　painedhim；　as　if　he　remembered　some　old　torture。　But　I　am　afraid　there　is　nopossible　doubt：　he　had　made　his　slow；　sneaking　way；　step　by　step；　mile　bymile；　south；　down　at　last　to　the　Land　of　Mordor。'　　
A　heavy　silence　fell　in　the　room。　Frodo　could　hear　his　heart　beating。　
Even　outside　everything　seemed　still。　No　sound　of　Sam's　shears　could　now　beheard。　　
'Yes；　to　Mordor；'　said　Gandalf。　'Alas！　Mordor　draws　all　wicked　things；　
and　the　Dark　Power　was　bending　all　its　will　to　gather　them　there。　The　Ring　of　　
　
the　Enemy　would　leave　its　mark；　too；　leave　him　open　to　the　summons。　And　allfolk　were　whispering　then　of　the　new　Shadow　in　the　South；　and　its　hatred　ofthe　West。　There　were　his　fine　new　friends；　who　would　help　him　in　his　revenge！　
'Wretched　fool！　In　that　land　he　would　learn　much；　too　much　for　hisfort。　And　sooner　or　later　as　he　lurked　and　pried　on　the　borders　he　would　becaught；　and　taken　–　for　examination。　That　was　the　way　of　it；　I　fear。　When　hewas　found　he　had　already　been　there　long；　and　was　on　his　way　back。　On　someerrand　of　mischief。　But　that　does　not　matter　much　now。　His　worst　mischief　was　　
done。　　
'Yes；　alas！　through　him　the　Enemy　has　learned　that　the　One　has　been　foundagain。　He　knows　where　Isildur　fell。　He　knows　where　Gollum　found　his　ring。　Heknows　that　it　is　a　Great　Ring；　for　it　gave　long　life。　He　knows　that　it　is　notone　of　the　Three；　for　they　have　never　been　lost；　and　they　endure　no　evil。　Heknows　that　it　is　not　one　of　the　Seven；　or　the　Nine；　for　they　are　accountedfor。　He　knows　that　it　is　the　One。　And　he　has　at　last　heard；　I　think；　of_hobbits_　and　the　_Shire。_　　
'The　Shire　–　he　may　be　seeking　for　it　now；　if　he　has　not　already　foundout　where　it　lies。　Indeed；　Frodo；　I　fear　that　he　may　even　think　that　the　long…　
unnoticed　name　of　_Baggins_　has　bee　important。'　
'But　this　is　terrible！'　cried　Frodo。　'Far　worse　than　the　worst　that　I　　
imagined　from　your　hints　and　warnings。　O　Gandalf；　best　of　friends；　what　am　Ito　do？　For　now　I　am　really　afraid。　What　am　I　to　do？　What　a　pity　that　Bilbo　didnot　stab　that　vile　creature；　when　he　had　a　chance！'　
'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　fir