the fellowship of the ring-第108部分

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itated。　'What　can　I　do？　'　he　muttered。　'Imust　go　now　or　I　shall　never　go。　I　shan't　get　a　chance　again。　I　hate　leavingthem；　and　like　this　without　any　explanation。　But　surely　they　will　understand。　
Sam　will。　And　what　else　can　I　do？'　　
Slowly　he　drew　out　the　Ring　and　put　it　on　once　more。　He　vanished　andpassed　down　the　hill；　less　than　a　rustle　of　the　wind。　
The　others　remained　long　by　the　river…side。　For　some　time　they　had　beensilent；　moving　restlessly　about；　but　now　they　were　sitting　in　a　circle；　andthey　were　talking。　Every　now　and　again　they　made　efforts　to　speak　of　otherthings；　of　their　long　road　and　many　adventures；　they　questioned　Aragornconcerning　the　realm　of　Gondor　and　its　ancient　history；　and　the　remnants　ofits　great　works　that　could　still　be　seen　in　this　strange　border…land　of　theEmyn　Muil：　the　stone　kings　and　the　seats　of　Lhaw　and　Hen；　and　the　great　Stairbeside　the　falls　of　Rauros。　But　always　their　thoughts　and　words　strayed　backto　Frodo　and　the　Ring。　What　would　Frodo　choose　to　do？　Why　was　he　hesitating？　
‘He　is　debating　which　course　is　the　most　desperate；　I　think；'　saidAragorn。　'And　well　he　may。　It　is　now　more　hopeless　than　ever　for　the　panyto　go　east；　since　we　have　been　tracked　by　Gollum；　and　must　fear　that　thesecret　of　our　journey　is　already　betrayed。　But　Minas　Tirith　is　no　nearer　tothe　Fire　and　the　destruction　of　the　Burden。　　
‘We　may　remain　there　for　a　while　and　make　a　brave　stand；　but　the　LordDenethor　and　all　his　men　cannot　hope　to　do　what　even　Elrond　said　was　beyondhis　power：　either　to　keep　the　Burden　secret。　or　to　hold　off　the　full　might　ofthe　Enemy　when　he　es　to　take　it。　Which　way　would　any　of　us　choose　inFrodo's　place？　I　do　not　know。　Now　indeed　we　miss　Gandalf　most。'　　
　
'Grievous　is　our　loss；'　said　Legolas。　'Yet　we　must　needs　make　up　ourminds　without　his　aid。　Why　cannot　we　decide；　and　so　help　Frodo？　Let　us　callhim　back　and　then　vote！　I　should　vote　for　Minas　Tirith。'　　
‘And　so　should　I；'　said　Gimli。　'We；　of　course；　were　only　sent　to　help　theBearer　along　the　road；　to　go　no　further　than　we　wished；　and　none　of　us　isunder　any　oath　or　mand　to　seek　Mount　Doom。　Hard　was　my　parting　fromLothlórien。　Yet　I　have　e　so　far；　and　I　say　this：　now　we　have　reached　thelast　choice；　it　is　clear　to　me　that　I　cannot　leave　Frodo。　I　would　choose　MinasTirith；　but　if　he　does　not；　then　I　follow　him。'　
‘And　I　too　will　go　with　him；'　said　Legolas。　‘It　would　be　faithless　now　tosay　farewell。'　
'It　would　indeed　be　a　betrayal；　if　we　all　left　him；'　said　Aragorn。　'Butif　he　goes　east；　then　all　need　not　go　with　him；　nor　do　I　think　that　allshould。　That　venture　is　desperate：　as　much　so　for　eight　as　for　three　or　two；　
or　one　alone。　If　you　would　let　me　choose；　then　I　should　appoint　threepanions：　Sam；　who　could　not　bear　it　otherwise；　and　Gimli；　and　myself。　
Boromir　will　return　to　his　own　city；　where　his　father　and　his　people　need　him；　
and　with　him　the　others　should　go；　or　at　least　Meriadoc　and　Peregrin；　ifLegolas　is　not　willing　to　leave　us。'　
‘That　won't　do　at　all！　'　cried　Merry。　'We　can't　leave　Frodo！　Pippin　and　Ialways　intended　to　go　wherever　he　went；　and　we　still　do。　But　we　did　notrealize　what　that　would　mean。　It　seemed　different　so　far　away；　in　the　Shire　orin　Rivendell。　It　would　be　mad　and　cruel　to　let　Frodo　go　to　Mordor。　Why　can'twe　stop　him？'　
'We　must　stop　him；'　said　Pippin。　‘And　that　is　what　he　is　worrying　about；　
I　am　sure。　He　knows　we　shan't　agree　to　his　going　east。　And　he　doesn't　like　toask　anyone　to　go　with　him；　poor　old　fellow。　Imagine　it：　going　off　to　Mordoralone！　'　Pippin　shuddered。　'But　the　dear　silly　old　hobbit；　he　ought　to　knowthat　he　hasn't　got　to　ask。　He　ought　to　know　that　if　we　can't　stop　him；　weshan't　leave　him。'　　
'Begging　your　pardon；'　said　Sam。　'I　don't　think　you　understand　my　masterat　all。　He　isn't　hesitating　about　which　way　to　go。　Of　course　not！　What's　thegood　of　Minas　Tirith　anyway？　To　him；　I　mean；　begging　your　pardon；　MasterBoromir；'　he　added；　and　turned。　It　was　then　that　they　discovered　that　Boromir；　
who　at　first　had　been　sitting　silent　on　the　outside　of　the　circle；　was　nolonger　there。　
‘Now　where's　he　got　to？　'　cried　Sam；　looking　worried。　'He's　been　a　bitqueer　lately；　to　my　mind。　But　anyway　he's　not　in　this　business。　He's　off　tohis　home；　as　he　always　said；　and　no　blame　to　him。　But　Mr。　Frodo；　he　knows　he'sgot　to　find　the　Cracks　of　Doom；　if　he　can。　But　he's　_afraid_。　Now　it's　e　tothe　point；　he's　just　plain　terrified。　That's　what　his　trouble　is。　Of　coursehe's　had　a　bit　of　schooling；　so　to　speak…we　all　have…since　we　left　home；　orhe'd　be　so　terrified　he'd　just　fling　the　Ring　in　the　River　and　bolt。　But　he'sstill　too　frightened　to　start。　And　he　isn't　worrying　about　us　either：　whetherwe'll　go　along　with　him　or　no。　He　knows　we　mean　to。　That's　another　thingthat's　bothering　him。　If　he　screws　himself　up　to　go；　he'll　want　to　go　alone。　
Mark　my　words！　We're　going　to　have　trouble　when　he　es　back。　For　he'll　screwhimself　up　all　right；　as　sure　as　his　name's　Baggins。'　
'I　believe　you　speak　more　wisely　than　any　of　us；　Sam；'　said　Aragorn。　‘Andwhat　shall　we　do；　if　you　prove　right？　'　
'Stop　him！　Don't　let　him　go！　'　cried　Pippin。　
'I　wonder？　'　said　Aragorn。　‘He　is　the　Bearer；　and　the　fate　of　the　Burdenis　on　him。　I　do　not　think　that　it　is　our　part　to　drive　him　one　way　or　theother。　Nor　do　I　think　that　we　should　succeed；　if　we　tried。　There　are　otherpowers　at　work　far　stronger。'　
‘Well；　I　wish　Frodo　would　〃screw　himself　up〃　and　e　back。　and　let　usget　it　over；'　said　Pippin。　‘This　waiting　is　horrible！　Surely　the　time　is　up？　'　
‘Yes；'　said　Aragorn。　'The　hour　is　long　passed。　The　morning　is　wearingaway。　We　must　call　for　him。'　
At　that　moment　Boromir　reappeared。　He　came　out　from　the　trees　and　walked　　
　
towards　them　without　speaking。　His　face　looked　grim　and　sad。　He　paused　as　ifcounting　those　that　were　present；　and　then　sat　down　aloof；　with　his　eyes　onthe　ground。　
‘Where　have　you　been；　Boromir？　'　asked　Aragorn。　‘Have　you　seen　Frodo？　'　
Boromir　hesitated　for　a　second。　‘Yes；　and　no；'　he　answered　slowly。　‘Yes：　
I　found　him　some　way　up　the　hill；　and　I　spoke　to　him。　I　urged　him　to　e　toMinas　Tirith　and　not　to　go　east。　I　grew　angry　and　he　left　me。　He　vanished。　Ihave　never　seen　such　a　thing　happen　before。　though　I　have　heard　of　it　intales。　He　must　have　put　the　Ring　on。　I　could　not　find　him　again。　I　thought　hewould　return　to　you。'　
'Is　that　all　that　you　have　to　say？　'　said　Aragorn；　looking　hard　and　nottoo　kindly　at　Boromir。　
‘Yes；'　he　answered。　‘I　will　say　no　more　yet。'　
‘This　is　bad！'　cried　Sam；　jumping　up。　‘I　don't　know　what　this　Man　hasbeen　up　to。　Why　should　Mr。　Frodo　put　the　thing　on？　He　didn't　ought　to　have；　
and　if　he　has；　goodness　knows　what　may　have　happened！'　
'But　he　wouldn't　keep　it　on‘'　said　Merry。　‘Not　when　he　had　escaped　theunwele　visitor；　like　Bilbo　used　to。'　
now。'　
‘But　where　did　he　go？　Where　is　he？　'　cried　Pippin。　'He's　been　away　ages　　
‘How　long　is　it　since　you　saw　Frodo　last；　Boromir？　'　asked　Aragorn。　
‘Half　an　hour；　maybe；'　he　answered。　‘Or　it　might　be　an　hour。　I　havewandered　for　some　time　since。　I　do　not　know！　I　do　not　know！　'　He　put　his　headin　his　hands；　and　sat　as　if　bowed　with　grief。　
‘An　hour　since　he　vanished！　'　shouted　Sam。　‘We　must　try　and　find　him　atonce。　e　on！　'　　
‘Wait　a　moment！　'　cried　Aragorn。　‘We　must　divide　up　into　pairs；　andarrange…here；　hold　on！　Wait！　'　
It　was　no　good。　They　took　no　notice　of　him。　Sam　had　dashed　off　first。　
Merry　and　Pippin　had　followed；　and　were　already　disappearing　westward　into　thetrees　by　the　shore；　shouting：　_Frodo！　Frodo！_　in　their　clear；　high　hobbit…　
voices。　Legolas　and　Gimli　were　running。　A　sudden　panic　or　madness　seemed　tohave　fallen　on　the　pany。　
‘We　shall　all　be　scattered　and　lost；'　groaned　Aragorn。　‘Boromir！　I　do　notknow　what　part　you　have　played　in　this　mischief；　but　help　now！　Go　after　thosetwo　young　hobbits；　and　guard　them　at　the　least；　even　if　you　cannot　find　Frodo。　
e　back　to　this　spot；　if　you　find　him；　or　any　traces　of　him。　I　shall　returnsoon。'　　
Aragorn　sprang　swiftly　away　and　went　in　pursuit　of　Sam。　Just　as　hereached　the　little　lawn　among　the　rowans　he　overtook　him；　toiling　uphill；　
panting　and　calling；　_Frodo！_　
‘e　with　me；　Sam！　'　he　said。　‘None　of　us　should　be　alone。　There　ismischief　about。　I　feel　it。　I　am　going　to　the　top；　to　the　Seat　of　Amon　Hen；　tosee　what　may　be　seen。　And　look！　It　is　as　my　heart　guessed；　Frodo　went　thisway。　Follow　me；　and　keep　your　eyes　open！　'　He　sped　up　the　path。　
Sam　did　his　best；　but　he　could　not　keep　up　with　Strider　the　Ranger；　andsoon　fell　behind。　He　had　not　gone　far　before　Aragorn　was　out　of　sight　ahead。　
Sam　stopped　and　puffed。　Suddenly　he　clapped　his　hand　to　his　head。　
‘Whoa；　Sam　Gamgee！　'　he　said　aloud。　‘Your　legs　are　too　short；　so　use　yourhead！　Let　me　see　now！　Boromir　isn't　lying；　that's　not　his　way；　but　he　hasn'ttold　us　everything。　Something　scared　Mr。　Frodo　badly。　He　screwed　himself　up　tothe　point；　sudden。　He　made　up　his　mind　at　last　to　go。　Where　to？　Off　East。　Notwithout　Sam？　Yes；　without　even　his　Sam。　That's　hard；　cruel　hard。'　
Sam　passed　his　hand　over　his　eyes；　brushing　away　the　tears。　'Steady；　
Gamgee！　'　he　said。　‘Think；　if　you　can！　He　can't　fly　across　rivers；　and　hecan't　jump　waterfalls。　He's　got　no　gear。　So　he's　got　to　get　back　to　the　boats。　
Back　to　the　boats！　Back　to　the　boats；　Sam；　like　lightning！　'　
Sa