the fellowship of the ring-第73部分

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Only　Glóin　smiled；　but　his　smile　came　from　old　memories。　
‘Of　course；　my　dear　Bilbo；'　said　Gandalf。　‘If　you　had　really　started　thisaffair；　you　might　be　expected　to　finish　it。　But　you　know　well　enough　now　that_starting_　is　too　great　a　claim　for　any；　and　that　only　a　small　part　is　playedin　great　deeds　by　any　hero。　You　need　not　bow！　Though　the　word　was　meant；　andwe　do　not　doubt　that　under　jest　you　are　making　a　valiant　offer。　But　one　beyondyour　strength；　Bilbo。　You　cannot　take　this　thing　back。　It　has　passed　on。　Ifyou　need　my　advice　any　longer；　I　should　say　that　your　part　is　ended；　unless　asa　recorder。　Finish　your　book；　and　leave　the　ending　unaltered！　There　is　stillhope　for　it。　But　get　ready　to　write　a　sequel；　when　they　e　back。'　
Bilbo　laughed。　‘I　have　never　known　you　give　me　pleasant　advice　before。'　
he　said。　‘As　all　your　unpleasant　advice　has　been　good；　I　wonder　if　this　adviceis　not　bad。　Still；　I　don't　suppose　I　have　the　strength　or　luck　left　to　dealwith　the　Ring。　It　has　grown；　and　I　have　not。　But　tell　me：　what　do　you　mean　by_they_？'　
‘The　messengers　who　are　sent　with　the　Ring。'　
‘Exactly！　And　who　are　they　to　be？　That　seems　to　me　what　this　Council　hasto　decide；　and　all　that　it　has　to　decide。　Elves　may　thrive　on　speech　alone；　
and　Dwarves　endure　great　weariness；　but　I　am　only　an　old　hobbit；　and　I　miss　mymeal　at　noon。　Can't　you　think　of　some　names　now？　Or　put　it　off　till　afterdinner？'　　
No　one　answered。　The　noon…bell　rang。　Still　no　one　spoke。　Frodo　glanced　atall　the　faces；　but　they　were　not　turned　to　him。　All　the　Council　sat　withdowncast　eyes；　as　if　in　deep　thought。　A　great　dread　fell　on　him；　as　if　he　wasawaiting　the　pronouncement　of　some　doom　that　he　had　long　foreseen　and　vainlyhoped　might　after　all　never　be　spoken。　An　overwhelming　longing　to　rest　andremain　at　peace　by　Bilbo's　side　in　Rivendell　filled　all　his　heart。　At　lastwith　an　effort　he　spoke；　and　wondered　to　hear　his　own　words；　as　if　some　otherwill　was　using　his　small　voice。　
‘I　will　take　the　Ring；'　he　said；　‘though　I　do　not　know　the　way。'　　
Elrond　raised　his　eyes　and　looked　at　him；　and　Frodo　felt　his　heartpierced　by　the　sudden　keenness　of　the　glance。　‘If　I　understand　aright　all　thatI　have　heard；'　he　said；　‘I　think　that　this　task　is　appointed　for　you；　Frodo；　
and　that　if　you　do　not　find　a　way；　no　one　will。　This　is　the　hour　of　the　Shire…　
folk；　when　they　arise　from　their　quiet　fields　to　shake　the　towers　and　counselsof　the　Great。　Who　of　all　the　Wise　could　have　foreseen　it？　Or；　if　they　arewise；　why　should　they　expect　to　know　it；　until　the　hour　has　struck？　
‘But　it　is　a　heavy　burden。　So　heavy　that　none　could　lay　it　on　another。　Ido　not　lay　it　on　you。　But　if　you　take　it　freely；　I　will　say　that　your　choiceis　right；　and　though　all　the　mighty　elf…friends　of　old；　Hador；　and　Húrin；　andTúrin；　and　Beren　himself　were　assembled　together　your　seat　should　be　among　　
　
them。'　　
‘But　you　won't　send　him　off　alone　surely；　Master？'　cried　Sam；　unable　tocontain　himself　any　longer；　and　jumping　up　from　the　corner　where　he　had　beenquietly　sitting　on　the　floor。　
‘No　indeed！'　said　Elrond；　turning　towards　him　with　a　smile。　‘You　at　leastshall　go　with　him。　It　is　hardly　possible　to　separate　you　from　him；　even　whenhe　is　summoned　to　a　secret　council　and　you　are　not。'　
Sam　sat　down；　blushing　and　muttering。　‘A　nice　pickle　we　have　landedourselves　in；　Mr。　Frodo！'　he　said；　shaking　his　head。　　
_Chapter　3_　
The　Ring　Goes　South　　
Later　that　day　the　hobbits　held　a　meeting　of　their　own　in　Bilbo's　room。　
Merry　and　Pippin　were　indignant　when　they　heard　that　Sam　had　crept　into　theCouncil；　and　had　been　chosen　as　Frodo's　panion。　
‘It's　most　unfair；'　said　Pippin。　‘Instead　of　throwing　him　out；　andclapping　him　in　chains；　Elrond　goes　and　rewards　him　for　his　cheek！'　
‘Rewards！'　said　Frodo。　'I　can't　imagine　a　more　severe　punishment。　You　arenot　thinking　what　you　are　saying：　condemned　to　go　on　this　hopeless　journey；　areward？　Yesterday　I　dreamed　that　my　task　was　done；　and　I　could　rest　here；　along　while；　perhaps　for　good。'　
'I　don't　wonder；'　said　Merry；　'and　I　wish　you　could。　But　we　are　envyingSam；　not　you。　If　you　have　to　go；　then　it　will　be　a　punishment　for　any　of　us　tobe　left　behind；　even　in　Rivendell。　We　have　e　a　long　way　with　you　and　beenthrough　some　stiff　times。　We　want　to　go　on。'　
‘That's　what　I　meant；'　said　Pippin。　‘We　hobbits　ought　to　stick　together；　
and　we　will。　I　shall　go；　unless　they　chain　me　up。　There　must　be　someone　withintelligence　in　the　party。'　
'Then　you　certainly　will　not　be　chosen；　Peregrin　Took！'　said　Gandalf；　
looking　in　through　the　window；　which　was　near　the　ground。　‘But　you　are　allworrying　yourselves　unnecessarily。　Nothing　is　decided　yet。'　
‘Nothing　decided！'　cried　Pippin。　'Then　what　were　you　all　doing？　You　wereshut　up　for　hours。'　
〃Talking；'　said　Bilbo。　‘There　was　a　deal　of　talk；　and　everyone　had　aneye…opener。　Even　old　Gandalf。　I　think　Legolas's　bit　of　news　about　Gollumcaught　even　him　on　the　hop；　though　he　passed　it　off。'　
‘You　were　wrong；'　said　Gandalf。　'You　were　inattentive。　I　had　alreadyheard　of　it　from　Gwaihir。　If　you　want　to　know；　the　only　real　eye…openers；　asyou　put　it；　were　you　and　Frodo；　and　I　was　the　only　one　that　was　notsurprised。'　
‘Well；　anyway；'　said　Bilbo；　'nothing　was　decided　beyond　choosing　poorFrodo　and　Sam。　I　was　afraid　all　the　time　that　it　might　e　to　that；　if　I　waslet　off。　But　if　you　ask　me；　Elrond　will　send　out　a　fair　number；　when　thereports　e　in。　Have　they　started　yet；　Gandalf？'　
'Yes；'　said　the　wizard。　‘Some　of　the　scouts　have　been　sent　out　already。　
More　will　go　tomorrow。　Elrond　is　sending　Elves；　and　they　will　get　in　touchwith　the　Rangers；　and　maybe　with　Thranduil's　folk　in　Mirkwood。　And　Aragorn　hasgone　with　Elrond's　sons。　We　shall　have　to　scour　the　lands　all　round　for　manylong　leagues　before　any　move　is　made。　So　cheer　up；　Frodo！　You　will　probablymake　quite　a　long　stay　here。'　
'Ah！'　said　Sam　gloomily。　'We'll　just　wait　long　enough　for　winter　toe。'　　
'That　can't　be　helped；'　said　Bilbo。　'It's　your　fault　partly；　Frodo　mylad：　insisting　on　waiting　for　my　birthday。　A　funny　way　of　honouring　it；　Ican't　help　thinking。　Not　the　day　I　should　have　chosen　for　letting　the　S。…B。sinto　Bag　End。　But　there　it　is：　you　can't　wait　now　fill　spring；　and　you　can'tgo　till　the　reports　e　back。　　
　
When　winter　first　begins　to　bite　
and　stones　crack　in　the　frosty　night；　
when　pools　are　black　and　trees　are　bare；　
'tis　evil　in　the　Wild　to　fare。　　
But　that　I　am　afraid　will　be　just　your　luck。'　
'I　am　afraid　it　will；'　said　Gandalf。　'We　can't　start　until　we　have　foundout　about　the　Riders。'　　
‘I　thought　they　were　all　destroyed　in　the　flood；'　said　Merry。　
'You　cannot　destroy　Ringwraiths　like　that；'　said　Gandalf。　‘The　power　oftheir　master　is　in　them；　and　they　stand　or　fall　by　him。　We　hope　that　they　wereall　unhorsed　and　unmasked；　and　so　made　for　a　while　less　dangerous；　but　we　mustfind　out　for　certain。　In　the　meantime　you　should　try　and　forget　your　troubles；　
Frodo。　I　do　not　know　if　I　can　do　anything　to　help　you；　but　I　will　whisper　thisin　your　ears。　Someone　said　that　intelligence　would　be　needed　in　the　party。　Hewas　right。　I　think　I　shall　e　with　you。'　
So　great　was　Frodo's　delight　at　this　announcement　that　Gandalf　left　thewindow…sill；　where　he　had　been　sitting；　and　took　off　his　hat　and　bowed。　'Ionly　said　_I　think　I　shall　e_。　Do　not　count　on　anything　yet。　In　this　matterElrond　will　have　much　to　say；　and　your　friend　the　Strider。　Which　reminds　me；　Iwant　to　see　Elrond。　I　must　be　off。'　　
‘How　long　do　you　think　I　shall　have　here？'　said　Frodo　to　Bilbo　whenGandalf　had　gone。　
‘Oh；　I　don't　know。　I　can't　count　days　in　Rivendell；'　said　Bilbo。　'Butquite　long；　I　should　think。　We　can　have　many　a　good　talk。　What　about　helpingme　with　my　book；　and　making　a　start　on　the　next？　Have　you　thought　of　anending？'　
'Yes；　several；　and　all　are　dark　and　unpleasant；'　said　Frodo。　
'Oh；　that　won't　do！'　said　Bilbo。　‘Books　ought　to　have　good　endings。　Howwould　this　do：　_and　they　all　settled　down　and　lived　together　happily　everafter_？'　　
‘It　will　do　well；　if　it　ever　es　to　that；'　said　Frodo。　
'Ah！'　said　Sam。　'And　where　will　they　live？　That's　what　I　often　wonder。'　
For　a　while　the　hobbits　continued　to　talk　and　think　of　the　past　journeyand　of　the　perils　that　lay　ahead；　but　such　was　the　virtue　of　the　land　ofRivendell　that　soon　all　fear　and　anxiety　was　lifted　from　their　minds。　Thefuture；　good　or　ill；　was　not　forgotten；　but　ceased　to　have　any　power　over　thepresent。　Health　and　hope　grew　strong　in　them；　and　they　were　content　with　eachgood　day　as　it　came；　taking　pleasure　in　every　meal；　and　in　every　word　andsong。　
So　the　days　slipped　away；　as　each　morning　dawned　bright　and　fair；　andeach　evening　followed　cool　and　clear。　But　autumn　was　waning　fast；　slowly　thegolden　light　faded　to　pale　silver；　and　the　lingering　leaves　fell　from　thenaked　trees。　A　wind　began　to　blow　chill　from　the　Misty　Mountains　to　the　east。　
The　Hunter's　Moon　waxed　round　in　the　night　sky；　and　put　to　flight　all　thelesser　stars。　But　low　in　the　South　one　star　shone　red。　Every　night；　as　theMoon　waned　again；　it　shone　brighter　and　brighter。　Frodo　could　see　it　from　hiswindow；　deep　in　the　heavens　burning　like　a　watchful　eye　that　glared　above　thetrees　on　the　brink　of　the　valley。　
The　hobbits　had　been　nearly　two　months　in　the　House　of　Elrond；　andNovember　had　gone　by　with　the　la