The Lord of the Rings-指环王(英文版)-第11章

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id　it　came　from　his　grandmother；　who　had　lots　of　beautiful　things　of　that　kind。　A　ridiculous　story。　I　have　no　doubt　that　Sméagol's　grandmother　was　a　matriarch；　a　great　person　in　her　way；　but　to　talk　of　her　possessing　many　Elvenrings　was　absurd；　and　as　for　giving　them　away；　it　was　a　lie。　But　a　lie　with　a　grain　of　truth。

'The　murder　of　Deal　haunted　Gollum；　and　he　had　made　up　a　defence；　repeating　it　to　his　〃precious〃　over　and　over　again；　as　he　gnawed　bones　in　the　dark；　until　he　almost　believed　it。　It　was　his　birthday。　Deal　ought　to　have　given　the　ring　to　him。　It　had　previously　turned　up　just　so　as　to　be　a　present。　It　was　his　birthday　present；　and　so　on；　and　on。

I　endured　him　as　long　as　I　could；　but　the　truth　was　desperately　important；　and　in　the　end　I　had　to　be　harsh。　I　put　the　fear　of　fire　on　him；　and　wrung　the　true　story　out　of　him；　bit　by　bit；　together　with　much　snivelling　and　snarling。　He　thought　he　was　misunderstood　and　illused。　But　when　he　had　at　last　told　me　his　history；　as　far　as　the　end　of　the　Riddlegame　and　Bilbo's　escape；　he　would　not　say　any　more；　except　in　dark　hints。　Some　other　fear　was　on　him　greater　than　mine。　He　muttered　that　he　was　going　to　gel　his　own　back。　People　would　see　if　he　would　stand　being　kicked；　and　driven　into　a　hole　and　then　robbed。　Gollum　had　good　friends　now；　good　friends　and　very　strong。　They　would　help　him。　Baggins　would　pay　for　it。　That　was　his　chief　thought。　He　hated　Bilbo　and　cursed　his　name。　What　is　more；　he　knew　where　he　came　from。'

'But　how　did　he　find　that　out？'　asked　Frodo。

'Well；　as　for　the　name；　Bilbo　very　foolishly　told　Gollum　himself；　and　after　that　it　would　not　be　difficult　to　discover　his　country；　once　Gollum　came　out。　Oh　yes；　he　came　out。　His　longing　for　the　Ring　proved　stronger　than　his　fear　of　the　Orcs；　or　even　of　the　light。　After　a　year　or　two　he　left　the　mountains。　You　see；　though　still　bound　by　desire　of　it；　the　Ring　was　no　longer　devouring　him；　he　began　to　revive　a　little。　He　felt　old；　terribly　old；　yet　less　timid；　and　he　was　mortally　hungry。

'Light；　light　of　Sun　and　Moon；　he　still　feared　and　hated；　and　he　always　will；　I　think；　but　he　was　cunning。　He　found　he　could　hide　from　daylight　and　moonshine；　and　make　his　way　swiftly　and　softly　by　dead　of　night　with　his　pale　cold　eyes；　and　catch　small　frightened　or　unwary　things。　He　grew　stronger　and　bolder　with　new　food　and　new　air。　He　found　his　way　into　Mirkwood；　as　one　would　expect。'

'Is　that　where　you　found　him？'　asked　Frodo。

'I　saw　him　there；'　answered　Gandalf；　'but　before　that　he　had　wandered　far；　following　Bilbo's　trail。　It　was　difficult　to　learn　anything　from　him　for　certain；　for　his　talk　was　constantly　interrupted　by　curses　and　threats。　〃What　had　it　got　in　its　pocketses？〃　he　said。　〃It　wouldn't　say；　no　precious。　Little　cheat。　Not　a　fair　question。　It　cheated　first；　it　did。　It　broke　the　rules。　We　ought　to　have　squeezed　it；　yes　precious。　And　we　will；　precious！〃

'That　is　a　sample　of　his　talk。　I　don't　suppose　you　want　any　more。　I　had　weary　days　of　it。　But　from　hints　dropped　among　the　snarls　I　even　gathered　that　his　padding　feet　had　taken　him　at　last　to　Esgaroth；　and　even　to　the　streets　of　Dale；　listening　secretly　and　peering。　Well；　the　news　of　the　great　events　went　far　and　wide　in　Wilderland；　and　many　had　heard　Bilbo's　name　and　knew　where　he　came　from。　We　had　made　no　secret　of　our　return　journey　to　his　home　in　the　West。　Gollum's　sharp　ears　would　soon　learn　what　he　wanted。'

'Then　why　didn't　he　track　Bilbo　further？'　asked　Frodo。　'Why　didn't　he　e　to　the　Shire？'

'Ah；'　said　Gandalf；　'now　we　e　to　it。　I　think　Gollum　tried　to。　He　set　out　and　came　back　westward；　as　far　as　the　Great　River。　But　then　he　turned　aside。　He　was　not　daunted　by　the　distance；　I　am　sure。　No；　something　else　drew　him　away。　So　my　friends　think；　those　that　hunted　him　for　me。

'The　Woodelves　tracked　him　first；　an　easy　task　for　them；　for　his　trail　was　still　fresh　then。　Through　Mirkwood　and　back　again　it　led　them；　though　they　never　caught　him。　The　wood　was　full　of　the　rumour　of　him；　dreadful　tales　even　among　beasts　and　birds。　The　Woodmen　said　that　there　was　some　new　terror　abroad；　a　ghost　that　drank　blood。　It　climbed　trees　to　find　nests；　it　crept　into　holes　to　find　the　young；　it　slipped　through　windows　to　find　cradles。

'But　at　the　western　edge　of　Mirkwood　the　trail　turned　away。　It　wandered　off　southwards　and　passed　out　of　the　Woodelves'　ken；　and　was　lost。　And　then　I　made　a　great　mistake。　Yes；　Frodo；　and　not　the　first；　though　I　fear　it　may　prove　the　worst。　I　let　the　matter　be。　I　let　him　go；　for　I　had　much　else　to　think　of　at　that　time；　and　I　still　trusted　the　lore　of　Saruman。

'Well；　that　was　years　ago。　I　have　paid　for　it　since　with　many　dark　and　dangerous　days。　The　trail　was　long　cold　when　I　took　it　up　again；　after　Bilbo　left　here。　And　my　search　would　have　been　in　vain；　but　for　the　help　that　I　had　from　a　friend：　Aragorn；　the　greatest　traveller　and　huntsman　of　this　age　of　the　world。　Together　we　sought　for　Gollum　down　the　whole　length　of　Wilderland；　without　hope；　and　without　success。　But　at　last；　when　I　had　given　up　the　chase　and　turned　to　other　parts；　Gollum　was　found。　My　friend　returned　out　of　the　great　perils　bringing　the　miserable　creature　with　him。

'What　he　had　been　doing　he　would　not　say。　He　only　wept　and　called　us　cruel；　with　many　a　gollum　in　his　throat；　and　when　we　pressed　him　he　whined　and　cringed；　and　rubbed　his　long　hands；　licking　his　fingers　as　if　they　pained　him；　as　if　he　remembered　some　old　torture。　But　I　am　afraid　there　is　no　possible　doubt：　he　had　made　his　slow；　sneaking　way；　step　by　step；　mile　by　mile；　south；　down　at　last　to　the　Land　of　Mordor。'

A　heavy　silence　fell　in　the　room。　Frodo　could　hear　his　heart　beating。　Even　outside　everything　seemed　still。　No　sound　of　Sam's　shears　could　now　be　heard。

'Yes；　to　Mordor；'　said　Gandalf。　'Alas！　Mordor　draws　all　wicked　things；　and　the　Dark　Power　was　bending　all　its　will　to　gather　them　there。　The　Ring　of　the　Enemy　would　leave　its　mark；　too；　leave　him　open　to　the　summons。　And　all　folk　were　whispering　then　of　the　new　Shadow　in　the　South；　and　its　hatred　of　the　West。　There　were　his　fine　new　friends；　who　would　help　him　in　his　revenge！

'Wretched　fool！　In　that　land　he　would　learn　much；　too　much　for　his　fort。　And　sooner　or　later　as　he　lurked　and　pried　on　the　borders　he　would　be　caught；　and　taken　。　for　examination。　That　was　the　way　of　it；　I　fear。　When　he　was　found　he　had　already　been　there　long；　and　was　on　his　way　back。　On　some　errand　of　mischief。　But　that　does　not　matter　much　now。　His　worst　mischief　was　done。

'Yes；　alas！　through　him　the　Enemy　has　learned　that　the　One　has　been　found　again。　He　knows　where　Isildur　fell。　He　knows　where　Gollum　found　his　ring。　He　knows　that　it　is　a　Great　Ring；　for　it　gave　long　life。　He　knows　that　it　is　not　one　of　the　Three；　for　they　have　never　been　lost；　and　they　endure　no　evil。　He　knows　that　it　is　not　one　of　the　Seven；　or　the　Nine；　for　they　are　accounted　for。　He　knows　that　it　is　the　One。　And　he　has　at　last　heard；　I　think；　of　hobbits　and　the　Shire。

'The　Shire　。　he　may　be　seeking　for　it　now；　if　he　has　not　already　found　out　where　it　lies。　Indeed；　Frodo；　I　fear　that　he　may　even　think　that　the　long　unnoticed　name　of　Baggins　has　bee　important。'

'But　this　is　terrible！'　cried　Frodo。　'Far　worse　than　the　worst　that　I　imagined　from　your　hints　and　warnings。　O　Gandalf；　best　of　friends；　what　am　I　to　do？　For　now　I　am　really　afraid。　What　am　I　to　do？　What　a　pity　that　Bilbo　did　not　stab　that　vile　creature；　when　he　had　a　chance！'

'Pity？　It　was　Pity　that　stayed　his　hand。　Pity；　and　Mercy：　not　to　strike　without　need。　And　he　has　been　well　rewarded；　Frodo。　Be　sure　that　he　took　so　little　hurt　from　the　evil；　and　escaped　in　the　end；　because　he　began　his　ownership　of　the　Ring　so。　With　Pity。'

'I　am　sorry；'　said　Frodo。　'But　I　am　frightened；　and　I　do　not　feel　any　pity　for　Gollum。'

'You　have　not　seen　him；'　Gandalf　broke　in。

'No；　and　I　don't　want　to；'　said　Frodo。　I　can't　understand　you。　Do　you　mean　to　say　that　you；　and　the　Elves；　have　let　him　live　on　after　all　those　horrible　deeds？　Now　at　any　rate　he　is　as　bad　as　an　Orc；　and　just　an　enemy。　He　deserves　death。'

'Deserves　it！　I　daresay　he　does。　Many　that　live　deserve　death。　And　some　that　die　deserve　life。　Can　you　give　it　to　them？　Then　do　not　be　too　eager　to　deal　out　death　in　judgement。　For　even　the　very　wise　cannot　see　all　ends。　I　have　not　much　hope　that　Gollum　can　be　cured　before　he　dies；　but　there　is　a　chance　of　it。　And　he　is　bound　up　with　the　fate　of　the　Ring。　My　heart　tells　me　that　he　has　some　part　to　play　yet；　for　good　or　ill；　before　the　end；　and　when　that　es；　the　pity　of　Bilbo　may　rule　the　fate　of　many　。　yours　not　least。　In　any　case　we　did　not　kill　him：　he　is　very　old　and　very　wretched。　The　Woodelves　have　him　in　prison；　but　they　treat　him　with　such　kindness　as　they　can　find　in　their　wise　hearts。'

'All　the　same；'　said　Frodo；　'even　if　Bilbo　could　not　kill　Gollum；　I　wish　he　had　not　kept　the　Ring。　I　wish　he　had　never　found　it；　and　that　I　had　not　got　it！　Why　did　you　let　me　keep　it？　Why　didn't　you　make　me　throw　it　away；　or；　or　destroy　it？'

'Let　you？　Make　you？'　said　the　wizard。　'Haven't　you　been　listening　to　all　that　I　have　said？　You　are　not　thinking　of　what　you　are　saying。　But　as　for　throwing　it　away；　that　was　obviously　w