the fellowship of the ring-第70部分

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This　then　is　one　choice　before　you。　before　us。　We　may　join　with　that　Power。　Itwould　be　wise；　Gandalf。　There　is　hope　that　way。　Its　victory　is　at　hand；　andthere　will　be　rich　reward　for　those　that　aided　it。　As　the　Power　grows；　itsproved　friends　will　also　grow；　and　the　Wise；　such　as　you　and　I；　may　withpatience　e　at　last　to　direct　its　courses；　to　control　it。　We　can　bide　ourtime；　we　can　keep　our　thoughts　in　our　hearts；　deploring　maybe　evils　done　bythe　way；　but　approving　the　high　and　ultimate　purpose：　Knowledge；　Rule；　Order；　
all　the　things　that　we　have　so　far　striven　in　vain　to　acplish；　hinderedrather　than　helped　by　our　weak　or　idle　friends。　There　need　not　be；　there　wouldnot　be；　any　real　change　in　our　designs；　only　in　our　means。〃　
'　〃Saruman；〃　I　said；　〃I　have　heard　speeches　of　this　kind　before；　but　onlyin　the　mouths　of　emissaries　sent　from　Mordor　to　deceive　the　ignorant。　I　cannotthink　that　you　brought　me　so　far　only　to　weary　my　ears。〃　
'He　looked　at　me　sidelong；　and　paused　a　while　considering。　〃Well；　I　seethat　this　wise　course　does　not　mend　itself　to　you；〃　he　said。　〃Not　yet？　Notif　some　better　way　can　be　contrived？　〃　
‘He　came　and　laid　his　long　hand　on　my　arm。　〃And　why　not；　Gandalf？　〃　hewhispered。　〃Why　not？　The　Ruling　Ring？　If　we　could　mand　that；　then　the　Powerwould　pass　to　us。　That　is　in　truth　why　I　brought　you　here。　For　I　have　manyeyes　in　my　service；　and　I　believe　that　you　know　where　this　precious　thing　nowlies。　Is　it　not　so？　Or　why　do　the　Nine　ask　for　the　Shire；　and　what　is　yourbusiness　there？　〃　As　he　said　this　a　lust　which　he　could　not　conceal　shone　　
suddenly　in　his　eyes。　
'　〃Saruman；〃　I　said；　standing　away　from　him；　〃only　one　hand　at　a　time　canwield　the　One；　and　you　know　that　well；　so　do　not　trouble　to　say　we！　But　Iwould　not　give　it；　nay；　I　would　not　give　even　news　of　it　to　you；　now　that　Ilearn　your　mind。　You　were　head　of　the　Council；　but　you　have　unmasked　yourselfat　last。　Well；　the　choices　are；　it　seems；　to　submit　to　Sauron；　or　to　yourself。　
I　will　take　neither。　Have　you　others　to　offer？　〃　
'He　was　cold　now　and　perilous。　〃Yes；〃　he　said。　〃I　did　not　expect　you　toshow　wisdom；　even　in　your　own　behalf；　but　I　gave　you　the　chance　of　aiding　mewillingly。　and　so　saving　yourself　much　trouble　and　pain。　The　third　choice　isto　stay　here；　until　the　end。〃　
'　〃Until　what　end？　〃　　
'　〃Until　you　reveal　to　me　where　the　One　may　be　found。　I　may　find　means　topersuade　you。　Or　until　it　is　found　in　your　despite；　and　the　Ruler　has　time　toturn　to　lighter　matters：　to　devise；　say；　a　fitting　reward　for　the　hindranceand　insolence　of　Gandalf　the　Grey。〃　
'　〃That　may　not　prove　to　be　one　of　the　lighter　matters；〃　said　I。　Helaughed　at　me；　for　my　words　were　empty；　and　he　knew　it。　
‘They　took　me　and　they　set　me　alone　on　the　pinnacle　of　Orthanc；　in　the　　
　
place　where　Saruman　was　accustomed　to　watch　the　stars。　There　is　no　descentsave　by　a　narrow　stair　of　many　thousand　steps；　and　the　valley　below　seems　faraway。　I　looked　on　it　and　saw　that；　whereas　it　had　once　been　green　and　fair；　itwas　now　filled　with　pits　and　forges。　Wolves　and　orcs　were　housed　in　Isengard；　
for　Saruman　was　mustering　a　great　force　on　his　own　account；　in　rivalry　ofSauron　and　not　in　his　service　yet。　Over　all　his　works　a　dark　smoke　hung　andwrapped　itself　about　the　sides　of　Orthanc。　I　stood　alone　on　an　island　in　theclouds；　and　I　had　no　chance　of　escape；　and　my　days　were　bitter。　I　was　piercedwith　cold；　and　I　had　but　little　room　in　which　to　pace　to　and　fro；　brooding　onthe　ing　of　the　Riders　to　the　North。　
‘That　the　Nine　had　indeed　arisen　I　felt　assured；　apart　from　the　words　ofSaruman　which　might　be　lies。　Long　ere　I　came　to　Isengard　I　had　heard　tidingsby　the　way　that　could　not　be　mistaken。　Fear　was　ever　in　my　heart　for　myfriends　in　the　Shire；　but　still　I　had　some　hope。　I　hoped　that　Frodo　had　setforth　at　once；　as　my　letter　had　urged；　and　that　he　had　reached　Rivendellbefore　the　deadly　pursuit　began。　And　both　my　fear　and　my　hope　proved　ill…　
founded。　For　my　hope　was　founded　on　a　fat　man　in　Bree；　and　my　fear　was　foundedon　the　cunning　of　Sauron。　But　fat　men　who　sell　ale　have　many　calls　to　answer；　
and　the　power　of　Sauron　is　still　less　than　fear　makes　it。　But　in　the　circle　ofIsengard；　trapped　and　alone；　it　was　not　easy　to　think　that　the　hunters　beforewhom　all　have　fled　or　fallen　would　falter　in　the　Shire　far　away。'　
‘I　saw　you！'　cried　Frodo。　‘You　were　walking　backwards　and　forwards。　Themoon　shone　in　your　hair。'　
Gandalf　paused　astonished　and　looked　at　him。　'It　was　only　a　dream'　saidFrodo；　‘but　it　suddenly　came　back　to　me。　I　had　quite　forgotten　it。　It　camesome　time　ago；　after　I　left　the　Shire；　I　think。'　
‘Then　it　was　late　in　ing；'　said　Gandalf；　'as　you　will　see。　I　was　in　anevil　plight。　And　those　who　know　me　will　agree　that　I　have　seldom　been　in　suchneed；　and　do　not　bear　such　misfortune　well。　Gandalf　the　Grey　caught　like　a　flyin　a　spider's　treacherous　web！　Yet　even　the　most　subtle　spiders　may　leave　aweak　thread。　　
‘At　first　I　feared；　as　Saruman　no　doubt　intended；　that　Radagast　had　alsofallen。　Yet　I　had　caught　no　hint　of　anything　wrong　in　his　voice　or　in　his　eyeat　our　meeting。　If　I　had；　I　should　never　have　gone　to　Isengard；　or　I　shouldhave　gone　more　warily。　So　Saruman　guessed；　and　he　had　concealed　his　mind　anddeceived　his　messenger。　It　would　have　been　useless　in　any　case　to　try　and　winover　the　honest　Radagast　to　treachery。　He　sought　me　in　good　faith；　and　sopersuaded　me。　
‘That　was　the　undoing　of　Saruman's　plot。　For　Radagast　knew　no　reason　whyhe　should　not　do　as　I　asked；　and　he　rode　away　towards　Mirkwood　where　he　hadmany　friends　of　old。　And　the　Eagles　of　the　Mountains　went　far　and　wide；　andthey　saw　many　things：　the　gathering　of　wolves　and　the　mustering　of　Orcs；　andthe　Nine　Riders　going　hither　and　thither　in　the　lands；　and　they　heard　news　ofthe　escape　of　Gollum。　And　they　sent　a　messenger　to　bring　these　tidings　to　me。　
‘So　it　was　that　when　summer　waned；　there　came　a　night　of　moon；　andGwaihir　the　Windlord；　swiftest　of　the　Great　Eagles；　came　unlooked…for　toOrthanc；　and　he　found　me　standing　on　the　pinnacle。　Then　I　spoke　to　him　and　hebore　me　away；　before　Saruman　was　aware。　I　was　far　from　Isengard；　ere　thewolves　and　orcs　issued　from　the　gate　to　pursue　me。　
‘　〃How　far　can　you　bear　me？　〃　I　said　to　Gwaihir。　
‘　〃Many　leagues；〃　said　he；　〃but　not　to　the　ends　of　the　earth。　I　was　sentto　bear　tidings　not　burdens。〃　
‘　〃Then　I　must　have　a　steed　on　land；〃　I　said；　〃and　a　steed　surpassinglyswift；　for　I　have　never　had　such　need　of　haste　before。〃　
‘　〃Then　I　will　bear　you　to　Edoras；　where　the　Lord　of　Rohan　sits　in　hishalls；〃　he　said；　〃for　that　is　not　very　far　off。〃　And　I　was　glad；　for　in　theRiddermark　of　Rohan　the　Rohirrim；　the　Horse…lords；　dwell；　and　there　are　nohorses　like　those　that　are　bred　in　that　great　vale　between　the　Misty　Mountainsand　the　White。　　
‘　〃Are　the　Men　of　Rohan　still　to　be　trusted；　do　you　think？　〃　I　said　to　　
　
Gwaihir；　for　the　treason　of　Saruman　had　shaken　my　faith。　
‘　〃They　pay　a　tribute　of　horses；〃　he　answered；　〃and　send　many　yearly　toMordor；　or　so　it　is　said；　but　they　are　not　yet　under　the　yoke。　But　if　Sarumanhas　bee　evil；　as　you　say；　then　their　doom　cannot　be　long　delayed。〃　　
‘He　set　me　down　in　the　land　of　Rohan　ere　dawn；　and　now　I　have　lengthenedmy　tale　over　long。　The　rest　must　be　more　brief。　In　Rohan　I　found　evil　alreadyat　work：　the　lies　of　Saruman；　and　the　king　of　the　land　would　not　listen　to　mywarnings。　He　bade　me　take　a　horse　and　be　gone；　and　I　chose　one　much　to　myliking。　but　little　to　his。　I　took　the　best　horse　in　his　land；　and　I　have　neverseen　the　like　of　him。'　　
'Then　he　must　be　a　noble　beast　indeed；'　said　Aragorn；　'and　it　grieves　memore　than　many　tidings　that　might　seem　worse　to　learn　that　Sauron　levies　suchtribute。　It　was　not　so　when　last　I　was　in　that　land。'　　
‘Nor　is　it　now；　I　will　swear；'　said　Boromir。　‘It　is　a　lie　that　es　fromthe　Enemy。　I　know　the　Men　of　Rohan；　true　and　valiant；　our　allies；　dwellingstill　in　the　lands　that　we　gave　them　long　ago。'　
‘The　shadow　of　Mordor　lies　on　distant　lands；'　answered　Aragorn。　'Sarumanhas　fallen　under　it。　Rohan　is　beset。　Who　knows　what　you　will　find　there；　ifever　you　return？'　
‘Not　this　at　least。'　said　Boromir；　'that　they　will　buy　their　lives　withhorses。　They　love　their　horses　next　to　their　kin。　And　not　without　reason；　forthe　horses　of　the　Riddermark　e　from　the　fields　of　the　North；　far　from　theShadow。　and　their　race；　as　that　of　their　masters；　is　descended　from　the　freedays　of　old。'　
'True　indeed！'　said　Gandalf。　‘And　there　is　one　among　them　that　might　havebeen　foaled　in　the　morning　of　the　world。　The　horses　of　the　Nine　cannot　viewith　him；　tireless；　swift　as　the　flowing　wind。　Shadowfax　they　called　him。　Byday　his　coat　glistens　like　silver；　and　by　night　it　is　like　a　shade；　and　hepasses　unseen。　Light　is　his　footfall！　Never　before　had　any　man　mounted　him；　
but　I　took　him　and　I　tamed　him；　and　so　speedily　he　bore　me　that　I　reached　theShire　when　Frodo　was　on　the　Barrow…downs；　though　I　set　out　from　Rohan　onlywhen　he　set　out　from　Hobbiton。　　
'But　fear　grew　in　me　as　I　rode。　Ever　as　I　came　north　I　heard　tidings　ofthe　Riders；　and　though　I　gained　on　them　day　by　day；　they　were　ever　before　me。　
They　had　divided　their　forces；　I　learned：　some　remained　on　the　easternborders；　not　far　from　the　Greenway。　and　some　invaded　the　Shire　from　the　south。　
I　came　to　Hobbiton　a