The Lord of the Rings-指环王(英文版)-第59章

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'　〃Butterbur　they　call　him；〃　thought　I。　〃If　this　delay　was　his　fault；　I　will　melt　all　the　butter　in　him。　I　will　roast　the　old　fool　over　a　slow　fire。〃　He　expected　no　less；　and　when　he　saw　my　face　he　fell　down　flat　and　began　to　melt　on　the　spot。'

'What　did　you　do　to　him？'　cried　Frodo　in　alarm。　'He　was　really　very　kind　to　us　and　did　all　that　he　could。'

Gandalf　laughed。　'Don't　be　afraid！'　he　said。　'I　did　not　bite；　and　I　barked　very　little。　So　overjoyed　was　I　by　the　news　that　I　got　out　of　him；　braced　the　old　fellow。　How　it　happened　I　could　not　then　guess；　but　I　learned　that　you　had　been　in　Bree　the　night　before；　and　had　gone　off　that　morning　with　Strider。

'　〃Strider！　〃　I　cried；　shouting　for　joy。

'　〃Yes；　sir；　I　am　afraid　so；　sir；〃　said　Butterbur；　mistaking　me。　〃He　got　at　them；　in　spite　of　all　that　I　could　do；　and　they　took　up　with　him。　They　behaved　very　queer　all　the　time　they　were　here：　wilful；　you　might　say。〃

'　〃Ass！　Fool！　Thrice　worthy　and　beloved　Barliman！　〃　said　I。　〃It's　the　best　news　I　have　had　since　midsummer：　it's　worth　a　gold　piece　at　the　least。　May　your　beer　be　laid　under　an　enchantment　of　surpassing　excellence　for　seven　years！　〃　said　I。　〃Now　I　can　take　a　night's　rest；　the　first　since　I　have　fotten　when。〃

'So　I　stayed　there　that　night；　wondering　much　what　had　bee　of　the　Riders；　for　only　of　two　had　there　yet　been　any　news　in　Bree；　it　seemed。　But　in　the　night　we　heard　more。　Five　at　least　came　from　the　west；　and　they　threw　down　the　gates　and　passed　through　Bree　like　a　howling　wind；　and　the　Breefolk　are　still　shivering　and　expecting　the　end　of　the　world。　I　got　up　before　dawn　and　went　after　them。

'I　do　not　know；　but　it　seems　clear　to　me　that　this　is　what　happened。　Their　Captain　remained　in　secret　away　south　of　Bree；　while　two　rode　ahead　through　the　village；　and　four　more　invaded　the　Shire。　But　when　these　were　foiled　in　Bree　and　at　Crickhollow；　they　returned　to　their　Captain　with　tidings；　and　so　left　the　Road　unguarded　for　a　while；　except　by　their　spies。　The　Captain　then　sent　some　eastward　straight　across　country；　and　he　himself　with　the　rest　rode　along　the　Road　in　great　wrath。

'I　galloped　to　Weathertop　like　a　gale；　and　I　reached　it　before　sundown　on　my　second　day　from　Breeand　they　were　there　before　me。　They　drew　away　from　me；　for　they　felt　the　ing　of　my　anger　and　they　dared　not　face　it　while　the　Sun　was　in　the　sky。　But　they　closed　round　at　night；　and　I　was　besieged　on　the　hilltop；　in　the　old　ring　of　Amon　S。l。　I　was　hard　put　to　it　indeed：　such　light　and　flame　cannot　have　been　seen　on　Weathertop　since　the　warbeacons　of　old。

'At　sunrise　I　escaped　and　fled　towards　the　north。　I　could　not　hope　to　do　more。　It　was　impossible　to　find　you；　Frodo；　in　the　wilderness；　and　it　would　have　been　folly　to　try　with　all　the　Nine　at　my　heels。　So　I　had　to　trust　to　Aragorn。　But　I　hoped　to　draw　some　of　them　off；　and　yet　reach　Rivendell　ahead　of　you　and　send　out　help。　Four　Riders　did　indeed　follow　me；　but　they　turned　back　after　a　while　and　made　for　the　Ford；　it　seems。　That　helped　a　little；　for　there　were　only　five；　not　nine；　when　your　camp　was　attacked。

'I　reached　here　at　last　by　a　long　hard　road；　up　the　Hoarwell　and　through　the　Ettenmoors；　and　down　from　the　north。　It　took　me　nearly　fourteen　days　from　Weathertop；　for　I　could　not　ride　among　the　rocks　of　the　trollfells；　and　Shadowfax　departed。　I　sent　him　back　to　his　master；　but　a　great　friendship　has　grown　between　us；　and　if　I　have　need　he　will　e　at　my　call。　But　so　it　was　that　I　came　to　Rivendell　only　three　days　before　the　Ring；　and　news　of　its　peril　had　already　been　brought　herewhich　proved　well　indeed。

'And　that；　Frodo；　is　the　end　of　my　account。　May　Elrond　and　the　others　five　the　length　of　it。　But　such　a　thing　has　not　happened　before；　that　Gandalf　broke　tryst　and　did　not　e　when　he　promised。　An　account　to　the　Ring　bearer　of　so　strange　an　event　was　required；　I　think。

'Well；　the　Tale　is　now　told；　from　first　to　last。　Here　we　all　are；　and　here　is　the　Ring。　But　we　have　not　yet　e　any　nearer　to　our　purpose。　What　shall　we　do　with　it？'

There　was　silence。　At　last　Elrond　spoke　again。

'This　is　grievous　news　concerning　Saruman；'　he　said；　'for　we　trusted　him　and　he　is　deep　in　all　our　counsels。　It　is　perilous　to　study　too　deeply　the　arts　of　the　Enemy；　for　good　or　for　ill。　But　such　falls　and　betrayals；　alas；　have　happened　before。　Of　the　tales　that　we　have　heard　this　day　the　tale　of　Frodo　was　most　strange　to　me。　I　have　known　few　hobbits；　save　Bilbo　here；　and　it　seems　to　me　that　he　is　perhaps　not　so　alone　and　singular　as　I　had　thought　him。　The　world　has　changed　much　since　I　last　was　on　the　westward　roads。

'The　Barrowwights　we　know　by　many　names；　and　of　the　Old　Forest　many　tales　have　been　told：　all　that　now　remains　is　but　an　outlier　of　its　northern　march。　Time　　tree　to　tree　from　what　is　now　the　Shire　to　Dunland　west　of　Isengard。　In　those　lands　I　journeyed　once；　and　many　things　wild　and　strange　I　knew。　But　I　had　fotten　Bombadil；　if　indeed　this　is　still　the　same　that　walked　the　woods　and　hills　long　ago；　and　even　then　was　older　than　the　old。　That　was　not　then　his　name。　Iarwain　Benadar　we　called　him；　oldest　and　fatherless。　But　many　another　name　he　has　since　been　given　by　other　folk：　Forn　by　the　Dwarves；　Orald　by　Northern　Men；　and　other　names　beside。　He　is　a　strange　creature；　but　maybe　I　should　have　summoned　him　to　our　Council。'

'He　would　not　have　e；'　said　Gandalf。

'Could　we　not　still　send　messages　to　him　and　obtain　his　help？'　asked　Erestor。　'It　seems　that　he　has　a　power　even　over　the　Ring。'

'No；　I　should　not　put　it　so；'　said　Gandalf。　'Say　rather　that　the　Ring　has　no　power　over　him。　He　is　his　own　master。　But　he　cannot　alter　the　Ring　itself；　nor　break　its　power　over　others。　And　now　he　is　withdrawn　into　a　little　land；　within　bounds　that　he　has　set；　though　none　can　see　them；　waiting　perhaps　for　a　change　of　days；　and　he　will　not　step　beyond　them。'

'But　within　those　bounds　nothing　seems　to　dismay　him；'　said　Erestor。　'Would　he　not　take　the　Ring　and　keep　it　there；　for　ever　harmless？'

'No；'　said　Gandalf；　'not　willingly。　He　might　do　so；　if　all　the　free　folk　of　the　world　begged　him；　but　he　would　not　understand　the　need。　And　if　he　were　given　the　Ring；　he　would　soon　fet　it；　or　most　likely　throw　it　away。　Such　things　have　no　hold　on　his　mind。　He　would　be　a　most　unsafe　guardian；　and　that　alone　is　answer　enough。'

'But　in　any　case；'　said　Glorfindel；　'to　send　the　Ring　to　him　would　only　postpone　the　day　of　evil。　He　is　far　away。　We　could　not　now　take　it　back　to　him；　unguessed；　unmarked　by　any　spy。　And　even　if　we　could；　soon　or　late　the　Lord　of　the　Rings　would　learn　of　its　hiding　place　and　would　bend　all　his　power　towards　it。　Could　that　power　be　defied　by　Bombadil　alone？　I　think　not。　I　think　that　in　the　end；　if　all　else　is　conquered；　Bombadil　will　fall；　Last　as　he　was　First；　and　then　Night　will　e。'

'I　know　little　of　Iarwain　save　the　name；'　said　Galdor；　'but　Glorfindel；　I　think；　is　right。　Power　to　defy　our　Enemy　is　not　in　him；　unless　such　power　is　in　the　earth　itself。　And　yet　we　see　that　Sauron　can　torture　and　destroy　the　very　hills。　What　power　still　remains　lies　with　us；　here　in　Imladris；　or　with　Cirdan　at　the　Havens；　or　in　Lórien。　But　have　they　the　strength；　have　we　here　the　strength　to　withstand　the　Enemy；　the　ing　of　Sauron　at　the　last；　when　all　else　is　overthrown？'

'I　have　not　the　strength；'　said　Elrond；　'neither　have　they。'

'Then　if　the　Ring　cannot　be　kept　from　him　for　ever　by　strength'　said　Glorfindel；　'two　things　only　remain　for　us　to　attempt：　to　send　it　over　the　Sea；　or　to　destroy　it。'

'But　Gandalf　has　revealed　to　us　that　we　cannot　destroy　it　by　any　craft　that　we　here　possess；'　said　Elrond。　'And　they　who　dwell　beyond　the　Sea　would　not　receive　it：　for　good　or　ill　it　belongs　to　Middleearth；　it　is　for　us　who　still　dwell　here　to　deal　with　it。'

'Then；　said　Glorfindel；　'let　us　cast　it　into　the　deeps；　and　so　make　the　lies　of　Saruman　e　true。　For　it　is　clear　now　that　even　at　the　Council　his　feet　were　already　on　a　crooked　path。　He　knew　that　the　Ring　was　not　lost　for　ever；　but　wished　us　to　think　so；　for　he　began　to　lust　for　it　for　himself。　Yet　oft　in　lies　truth　is　hidden：　in　the　Sea　it　would　be　safe。'

'Not　safe　for　ever；'　said　Gandalf。　'There　are　many　things　in　the　deep　waters；　and　seas　and　lands　may　change。　And　it　is　not　our　part　here　to　take　thought　only　for　a　season；　or　for　a　few　lives　of　Men；　or　for　a　passing　age　of　the　world。　We　should　seek　a　final　end　of　this　menace；　even　if　we　do　not　hope　to　make　one。'

'And　that　we　shall　not　find　on　the　roads　to　the　Sea；'　said　Galdor。　'If　the　return　to　Iarwain　be　thought　too　dangerous；　then　flight　to　the　Séa　is　now　fraught　with　gravest　peril。　My　heart　tells　me　that　Sauron　will　expect　us　to　take　the　western　way；　when　he　learns　what　has　befallen。　He　soon　will。　The　Nine　have　been　unhorsed　indeed　but　that　is　but　a　respite；　ere　they　find　new　steeds　and　swifter。　Only　the　waning　might　of　Gondor　stands　now　between　him　and　a　march　in　power　along　the　coasts　into　the　North；　and　if　he　es；　assailing　the　White　Towers　and　the　Havens；　hereafter　the　Elves　may　have　no　escape　from　the　lengthening　shadows　of　Middleearth。'

'Long　yet　will　that　march　be　delayed；'　said　Boromir。　'Gondor　wanes；　you　say。　But　Gondor　stands；　and　even　the　end　of　its　strength　is　still　very　strong。'

'And　yet　its　vigilance　can　no　longer　keep　back　the　Nine；'　said　Galdor。　'And　other　roads　he　may　find　that　Gondor　does　not　guard。'

'Then；'　said　Erestor；　'there　are　but　two　courses；　as　Glorfindel　already　has　declared：　to　hide　the　Ring　for　ever；　or　to　unmake　it。　But　both　are　beyond　our　power。　Who　will　read　this　riddle　for　us？'

'None　here　can　do　so；'　said　Elrond　gravely。　'At　least　none　can　foretell　what　will　e　to　pass；　if　we　take　this　road　or　that。　But　it　seems　to　me　now　clear　which　is　the　road　that　we　must　take。　The　westward　road　seems　easiest。　Therefore　it　must　be　shunned。　It　will　be　watched。　Too　often　the　Elves　have　fled　that　way。　Now　at　this　last　we　must　take　a　hard　road；　a　road　unforeseen。　There　lies　our　hope；　if　hope　it　be。　To　walk　into　perilto　Mordor。　We　must　send　the　Ring　to　the　Fire。'

Silence　fell　again。　Frodo；　even　in　that　fair　house；　looking　out　upon　a　sunlit　valley　filled　with　the　noise　of　clear　waters；　felt　a　dead　darkness　in　his　heart。　Boromir　stirred；　and　Frodo　looked　a