The Lord of the Rings-指环王(英文版)-第56章

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rdor。　'There　we　had　rumour　of　him；　and　we　guess　that　he　dwelt　there　long　in　the　dark　hills；　but　we　never　found　him；　and　at　last　I　despaired。　And　then　in　my　despair　I　thought　again　of　a　test　that　might　make　the　finding　of　Gollum　unneeded。　The　ring　itself　might　tell　if　it　were　the　One。　The　memory　of　words　at　the　Council　came　back　to　me：　words　of　Saruman；　halfheeded　at　the　time。　I　heard　them　now　clearly　in　my　heart。

'　〃The　Nine；　the　Seven；　and　the　Three；〃　he　said；　〃had　each　their　proper　gem。　Not　so　the　One。　It　was　round　and　unadorned；　as　it　were　one　of　the　lesser　rings；　but　its　maker　set　marks　upon　it　that　the　skilled；　maybe；　could　still　see　and　read。〃

'What　those　marks　were　he　had　not　said。　Who　now　would　know？　The　maker。　And　Saruman？　But　great　though　his　lore　may　be；　it　must　have　a　source。　What　hand　save　Sauron's　ever　held　this　thing；　ere　it　was　lost？　The　hand　of　Isildur　alone。

'With　that　thought；　I　forsook　the　chase；　and　passed　swiftly　to　Gondor。　In　former　days　the　members　of　my　order　had　been　well　received　there；　but　Saruman　most　of　all。　Often　he　had　been　for　long　the　guest　of　the　Lords　of　the　City。　Less　wele　did　the　Lord　Dehor　show　me　then　than　of　old；　and　grudgingly　he　permitted　me　to　search　among　his　hoarded　scrolls　and　books。

'　〃If　indeed　you　look　only；　as　you　say；　for　records　of　ancient　days；　and　the　beginnings　of　the　City；　read　on！　〃　he　said。　〃For　to　me　what　was　is　less　dark　than　what　is　to　e；　and　that　is　my　care。　But　unless　you　have　more　skill　even　than　Saruman；　who　has　studied　here　long；　you　will　find　naught　that　is　not　well　known　to　me；　who　am　master　of　the　lore　of　this　City。〃

'So　said　Dehor。　And　yet　there　lie　in　his　hoards　many　records　that　few　now　can　read；　even　of　the　loremasters；　for　their　scripts　and　tongues　have　bee　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；　a　scroll　that　Isildur　made　himself。　For　Isildur　did　not　march　away　straight　from　the　war　in　Mordor；　as　some　have　told　the　tale。'

'Some　in　the　North；　maybe；'　Boromir　broke　in。　'All　know　in　Gondor　that　he　went　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。　In　that　time　he　planted　there　the　last　sapling　of　the　White　Tree　in　memory　of　his　brother。'

'But　in　that　time　also　he　made　this　scroll；'　said　Gandalf；　'and　that　is　not　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；　but　records　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　was　scorched；　so　that　I　doubt　if　ever　again　I　shall　be　free　of　the　pain　of　it。　Yet　even　as　I　write　it　is　cooled；　and　it　seemeth　to　shrink；　though　it　loseth　neither　its　beauty　nor　its　shape。　Already　the　writing　upon　it；　which　at　first　was　as　clear　as　red　flame；　fadeth　and　is　now　only　barely　to　be　read。　It　is　fashioned　in　an　elvenscript　of　Eregion；　for　they　have　no　letters　in　Mordor　for　such　subtle　work；　but　the　language　is　unknown　to　me。　I　deem　it　to　be　a　tongue　of　the　Black　Land；　since　it　is　foul　and　uncouth。　What　evil　it　saith　I　do　not　know；　but　I　trace　here　a　copy　of　it；　lest　it　fade　beyond　recall。　The　Ring　misseth；　maybe；　the　heat　of　Sauron's　hand；　which　was　black　and　yet　burned　like　fire；　and　so　Gilgalad　was　destroyed；　and　maybe　were　the　gold　made　hot　again；　the　writing　would　be　refreshed。　But　for　my　part　I　will　risk　no　hurt　to　this　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　was　indeed　as　Isildur　guessed；　in　the　tongue　of　Mordor　and　the　servants　of　the　Tower。　And　what　was　said　therein　was　already　known。　For　in　the　day　that　Sauron　first　put　on　the　One；　Celebrimbor；　maker　of　the　Three；　was　aware　of　him；　and　from　afar　he　heard　him　speak　these　words；　and　so　his　evil　purposes　were　revealed。

'At　once　I　took　my　leave　of　Dehor；　but　even　as　I　went　northwards；　messages　came　to　me　out　of　Lórien　that　Aragorn　had　passed　that　way；　and　that　he　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　not　guess。'

'There　is　little　need　to　tell　of　them；'　said　Aragorn。　'If　a　man　must　needs　walk　in　sight　of　the　Black　Gate；　or　tread　the　deadly　flowers　of　Mul　Vale；　then　perils　he　will　have。　I；　too；　despaired　at　last；　and　I　began　my　homeward　journey。　And　then；　by　fortune；　I　came　suddenly　on　what　I　sought：　the　marks　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　I　followed　it；　and　then　I　had　him。　Lurking　by　a　stagnant　mere；　peering　in　the　water　as　the　dark　eve　fell；　I　caught　him；　Gollum。　He　was　covered　with　green　slime。　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。　I　deemed　it　the　worst　part　of　all　my　journey；　the　road　back；　watching　him　day　and　night；　making　him　walk　before　me　with　a　halter　on　his　neck；　gagged；　until　he　was　tamed　by　lack　of　drink　and　food；　driving　him　ever　towards　Mirkwood。　I　brought　him　there　at　last　and　gave　him　to　the　Elves；　for　we　had　agreed　that　this　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　endured　long　speech　with　him。'

'Yes；　long　and　weary；'　said　Gandalf；　'but　not　without　profit。　For　one　thing；　the　tale　he　told　of　his　loss　agreed　with　that　which　Bilbo　has　now　told　openly　for　the　first　time；　but　that　mattered　little；　since　I　had　already　guessed　it。　But　I　learned　then　first　that　Gollum's　ring　came　out　of　the　Great　River　nigh　to　the　Gladden　Fields。　And　I　learned　also　that　he　had　possessed　it　long。　Many　lives　of　his　small　kind。　The　power　of　the　ring　had　lengthened　his　years　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　I　spoke　of。　Upon　this　very　ring　which　you　have　here　seen　held　aloft；　round　and　unadorned；　the　letters　that　Isildur　reported　may　still　be　read；　if　one　has　the　strength　of　will　to　set　the　golden　thing　in　the　fire　a　while。　That　I　have　done；　and　this　I　have　read：

　Ash　nazg　durbatul。k；　ash　nazg　gimbatul；　ash　nazg　thrakatul。k　agh　burzumishi　krimpatul。'

The　change　in　the　wizard's　voice　was　astounding。　Suddenly　it　became　menacing；　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　stopped　their　ears。

'Never　before　has　any　voice　dared　to　utter　the　words　of　that　tongue　in　Imladris；　Gandalf　the　Grey；'　said　Elrond；　as　the　shadow　passed　and　the　pany　breathed　once　more。

'And　let　us　hope　that　none　will　ever　speak　it　here　again；'　answered　Gandalf。　'Noheless　I　do　not　ask　your　pardon；　Master　Elrond。　For　if　that　tongue　is　not　soon　to　be　heard　in　every　corner　of　the　West；　then　let　all　put　doubt　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　great　part　of　his　strength　of　old。　Out　of　the　Black　Years　e　the　words　that　the　Smiths　of　Eregion　heard；　and　knew　that　they　had　been　betrayed：

　One　Ring　to　rule　them　all；　One　Ring　to　find　them；　One　Ring　to　bring　them　all　and　in　the　Darkness　bind　them。

'Know　also；　my　friends；　that　I　learned　more　yet　from　Gollum。　He　was　loth　to　speak　and　his　tale　was　unclear；　but　it　is　beyond　all　doubt　that　he　went　to　Mordor；　and　there　all　that　he　knew　was　forced　from　him。　Thus　the　Enemy　knows　now　that　the　One　is　found；　that　it　was　long　in　the　Shire；　and　since　his　servants　have　pursued　it　almost　to　our　door；　he　soon　will　know；　already　he　may　know；　even　as　I　speak；　that　we　have　it　here。'

All　sat　silent　for　a　while；　until　at　length　Boromir　spoke。　'He　is　a　small　thing；　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　on　his　heart。　Still　I　for　one　am　glad　that　he　is　safely　kept　by　the　watchful　Elves　of　Mirkwood。　His　malice　is　great　and　gives　him　a　strength　hardly　to　be　believed　in　one　so　lean　and　withered。　He　could　work　much　mischief　still；　if　he　were　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　great　distress。　'The　tidings　that　I　was　sent　to　bring　must　now　be　told。　They　are　not　good；　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　it　bitterly；　I　fear。　How　came　the　folk　of　Thranduil　to　fail　in　their　trust？'

'Not　through　lack　of　watchfulness；'　said　Legolas；　'but　perhaps　through　overkindliness。　And　we　fear　that　the　prisoner　had　aid　from　others；　and　that　more　is　known　of　our　doings　than　we　could　wish。　We　guarded　this　creature　day　and　night；　at　Gandalf's　bidding；　much　though　we　wearied　of　the　task。　But　Gandalf　bade　us　hope　still　for　his　cure；　and　we　had　not　the　heart　to　keep　him　ever　in　dungeons　under　the　earth；　where　he　would　fall　back　into　his　old　black　thoughts。'

'You　were　less　tender　to　me；'　said　Glóin　with　a　flash　of　his　eyes　as　old　memories　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　was　a　regrettable　misunderstanding；　long　set　right。　If　all　the　grievances　that　stand　between　Elves　and　Dwarves　are　to　be　brought　up　here；　we　may　as　well　abandon　this　Council。'

Glóin　rose　and　bowed；　and　Legolas　continued。　'In　the　days　of　fair　weather　we　led　Gollum　through　the　woods；　and　there　was　a　high　tree　standing　alone　far　from　the　others　which　he　liked　to　climb。　Oft