The Lord of the Rings-指环王(英文版)-第9部分

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'It　has　everything　to　do　with　it；'　said　Gandalf。　'You　do　not　know　the　real　peril　yet；　but　you　shall。　I　was　not　sure　of　it　myself　when　I　was　last　here；　but　the　time　has　e　to　speak。　Give　me　the　ring　for　a　moment。'

Frodo　took　it　from　his　breechespocket；　where　it　was　clasped　to　a　chain　that　hung　from　his　belt。　He　unfastened　it　and　handed　it　slowly　to　the　wizard。　It　felt　suddenly　very　heavy；　as　if　either　it　or　Frodo　himself　was　in　some　way　reluctant　for　Gandalf　to　touch　it。

Gandalf　held　it　up。　It　looked　to　be　made　of　pure　and　solid　gold。　'Can　you　see　any　markings　on　it？'　he　asked。

'No；'　said　Frodo。　'There　are　none。　It　is　quite　plain；　and　it　never　shows　a　scratch　or　sign　of　wear。'

'Well　then；　look！'　To　Frodo's　astonishment　and　distress　the　wizard　threw　it　suddenly　into　the　middle　of　a　glowing　corner　of　the　fire。　Frodo　gave　a　cry　and　groped　for　the　tongs；　but　Gandalf　held　him　back。

'Wait！'　he　said　in　a　manding　voice；　giving　Frodo　a　quick　look　from　under　his　bristling　brows。

No　apparent　change　came　over　the　ring。　After　a　while　Gandalf　got　up；　closed　the　shutters　outside　the　window；　and　drew　the　curtains。　The　room　became　dark　and　silent；　though　the　clack　of　Sam's　shears；　now　nearer　to　the　windows；　could　still　be　heard　faintly　from　the　garden。　For　a　moment　the　wizard　stood　looking　at　the　fire；　then　he　stooped　and　removed　the　ring　to　the　hearth　with　the　tongs；　and　at　once　picked　it　up。　Frodo　gasped。

It　is　quite　cool；'　said　Gandalf。　'Take　it！'　Frodo　received　it　on　his　shrinking　palm：　it　seemed　to　have　bee　thicker　and　heavier　than　ever。

'Hold　it　up！'　said　Gandalf。　'And　look　closely！'

As　Frodo　did　so；　he　now　saw　fine　lines；　finer　than　the　finest　pen　strokes；　running　along　the　ring；　outside　and　inside：　lines　of　fire　that　seemed　to　form　the　letters　of　a　flowing　script。　They　shone　piercingly　bright；　and　yet　remote；　as　if　out　of　a　great　depth。

'I　cannot　read　the　fiery　letters；'　said　Frodo　in　a　quavering　voice。

'No；'　said　Gandalf；　'but　I　can。　The　letters　are　Elvish；　of　an　ancient　mode；　but　the　language　is　that　of　Mordor；　which　I　will　not　utter　here。　But　this　in　the　mon　Tongue　is　what　is　said；　close　enough：

One　Ring　to　rule　them　all；　One　Ring　to　find　them；
One　Ring　to　bring　them　all　and　in　the　darkness　bind　them。
It　is　only　two　lines　of　a　verse　long　known　in　Elvenlore：
Three　Rings　for　the　Elvenkings　under　the　sky；
Seven　for　the　Dwarflords　in　their　halls　of　stone；
Nine　for　Mortal　Men　doomed　to　die；
One　for　the　Dark　Lord　on　his　dark　throne
In　the　Land　of　Mordor　where　the　Shadows　lie。
One　Ring　to　rule　them　all。　One　Ring　to　find　them；
One　Ring　to　bring　them　all　and　in　the　darkness　bind　them
In　the　Land　of　Mordor　where　the　Shadows　lie。'

He　paused；　and　then　said　slowly　in　a　deep　voice：　'This　is　the　Master　ring；　the　One　Ring　to　rule　them　all。　This　is　the　One　Ring　that　he　lost　many　ages　ago；　to　the　great　weakening　of　his　power。　He　greatly　desires　it　。　but　he　must　not　get　it。'

Frodo　sat　silent　and　motionless。　Fear　seemed　to　stretch　out　a　vast　hand；　like　a　dark　cloud　rising　in　the　East　and　looming　up　to　engulf　him。　'This　ring！'　he　stammered。　'How；　how　on　earth　did　it　e　to　me？'

'Ah！'　said　Gandalf。　'That　is　a　very　long　story。　The　beginnings　lie　back　in　the　Black　Years；　which　only　the　loremasters　now　remember。　If　I　were　to　tell　you　all　that　tale；　we　should　still　be　sitting　here　when　Spring　had　passed　into　Winter。

'But　last　night　I　told　you　of　Sauron　the　Great；　the　Dark　Lord。　The　rumours　that　you　have　heard　are　true：　he　has　indeed　arisen　again　and　left　his　hold　in　Mirkwood　and　returned　to　his　ancient　fastness　in　the　Dark　Tower　of　Mordor。　That　name　even　you　hobbits　have　heard　of；　like　a　shadow　on　the　borders　of　old　stories。　Always　after　a　defeat　and　a　respite；　the　Shadow　takes　another　shape　and　grows　again。'

'I　wish　it　need　not　have　happened　in　my　time；'　said　Frodo。

'So　do　I；'　said　Gandalf；　'and　so　do　all　who　live　to　see　such　times。　But　that　is　not　for　them　to　decide。　All　we　have　to　decide　is　what　to　do　with　the　time　that　is　given；　us。　And　already；　Frodo；　our　time　is　beginning　to　look　black。　The　Enemy　is　fast　being　very　strong。　His　plans　are　far　from　ripe；　I　think；　but　they　are　ripening。　We　shall　be　hard　put　to　it。　We　should　be　very　hard　put　to　it；　even　if　it　were　not　for　this　dreadful　chance。

'The　Enemy　still　lacks　one　thing　to　give　him　strength　and　knowledge　to　beat　down　all　resistance；　break　the　last　defences；　and　cover　all　the　lands　in　a　second　darkness。　He　lacks　the　One　Ring。

'The　Three；　fairest　of　all；　the　Elflords　hid　from　him；　and　his　hand　never　touched　them　or　sullied　them。　Seven　the　Dwarfkings　possessed；　but　three　he　has　recovered；　and　the　others　the　dragons　have　consumed。　Nine　he　gave　to　Mortal　Men；　proud　and　great；　and　so　ensnared　them。　Long　ago　they　fell　under　the　dominion　of　the　One；　and　they　became　Ringwraiths；　shadows　under　his　great　Shadow；　his　most　terrible　servants。　Long　ago。　It　is　many　a　year　since　the　Nine　walked　abroad。　Yet　who　knows？　As　the　Shadow　grows　once　more；　they　too　may　walk　again。　But　e！　We　will　not　speak　of　such　things　even　in　the　morning　of　the　Shire。

'So　it　is　now：　the　Nine　he　has　gathered　to　himself；　the　Seven　also；　or　else　they　are　destroyed。　The　Three　are　hidden　still。　But　that　no　longer　troubles　him。　He　only　needs　the　One；　for　he　made　that　Ring　himself；　it　is　his；　and　he　let　a　great　part　of　his　own　former　power　pass　into　it；　so　that　he　could　rule　all　the　others。　If　he　recovers　it；　then　he　will　mand　them　all　again；　wherever　they　be；　even　the　Three；　and　all　that　has　been　wrought　with　them　will　be　laid　bare；　and　he　will　be　stronger　than　ever。

'And　this　is　the　dreadful　chance；　Frodo。　He　believed　that　the　One　had　perished；　that　the　Elves　had　destroyed　it；　as　should　have　been　done。　But　he　knows　now　that　it　has　not　perished；　that　it　has　been　found。　So　he　is　seeking　it；　seeking　it；　and　all　his　thought　is　bent　on　it。　It　is　his　great　hope　and　our　great　fear。'

'Why；　why　wasn't　it　destroyed？'　cried　Frodo。　'And　how　did　the　Enemy　ever　e　to　lose　it；　if　he　was　so　strong；　and　it　was　so　precious　to　him？'　He　clutched　the　Ring　in　his　hand；　as　if　he　saw　already　dark　fingers　stretching　out　to　seize　it。

'It　was　taken　from　him；'　said　Gandalf。　'The　strength　of　the　Elves　to　resist　him　was　greater　long　ago；　and　not　all　Men　were　estranged　from　them。　The　Men　of　Westernesse　came　to　their　aid。　That　is　a　chapter　of　ancient　history　which　it　might　be　good　to　recall；　for　there　was　sorrow　then　too；　and　gathering　dark；　but　great　valour；　and　great　deeds　that　were　not　wholly　vain。　One　day；　perhaps；　I　will　tell　you　all　the　tale；　or　you　shall　hear　it　told　in　full　by　one　who　knows　it　best。

'But　for　the　moment；　since　most　of　all　you　need　to　know　how　this　thing　came　to　you；　and　that　will　be　tale　enough；　this　is　all　that　I　will　say。　It　was　Gilgalad；　Elvenking　and　Elendil　of　Westernesse　who　overthrew　Sauron；　though　they　themselves　perished　in　the　deed；　and　Isildur　Elendil's　son　cut　the　Ring　from　Sauron's　hand　and　took　it　for　his　own。　Then　Sauron　was　vanquished　and　his　spirit　fled　and　was　hidden　for　long　years；　until　his　shadow　took　shape　again　in　Mirkwood。

'But　the　Ring　was　lost。　It　fell　into　the　Great　River；　Anduin；　and　vanished。　For　Isildur　was　marching　north　along　the　east　banks　of　the　River；　and　near　the　Gladden　Fields　he　was　waylaid　by　the　Orcs　of　the　Mountains；　and　almost　all　his　folk　were　slain。　He　leaped　into　the　waters；　but　the　Ring　slipped　from　his　finger　as　he　swam；　and　then　the　Orcs　saw　him　and　killed　him　with　arrows。'

Gandalf　paused。　'And　there　in　the　dark　pools　amid　the　Gladden　Fields；'　he　said；　'the　Ring　passed　out　of　knowledge　and　legend；　and　even　so　much　of　its　history　is　known　now　only　to　a　few；　and　the　Council　of　the　Wise　could　discover　no　more。　But　at　last　I　can　carry　on　the　story；　I　think。

'Long　after；　but　still　very　long　ago；　there　lived　by　the　banks　of　the　Great　River　on　the　edge　of　Wilderland　a　cleverhanded　and　quietfooted　little　people。　I　guess　they　were　of　hobbitkind；　akin　to　the　fathers　of　the　fathers　of　the　Stoors；　for　they　loved　the　River；　and　often　swam　in　it；　or　made　little　boats　of　reeds。　There　was　among　them　a　family　of　high　repute；　for　it　was　large　and　wealthier　than　most；　and　it　was　ruled　by　a　grandmother　of　the　folk；　stern　and　wise　in　old　lore；　such　as　they　had。　The　most　inquisitive　and　curious　minded　of　that　family　was　called　Sméagol。　He　was　interested　in　roots　and　beginnings；　he　dived　into　deep　pools；　he　burrowed　under　trees　and　growing　plants；　he　tunnelled　into　green　mounds；　and　he　ceased　to　look　up　at　the　hill　tops；　or　the　leaves　on　trees；　or　the　flowers　opening　in　the　air：　his　head　and　his　eyes　were　downward。

'He　had　a　friend　called　Déagol；　of　similar　sort；　sharpereyed　but　not　so　quick　and　strong。　On　a　time　they　took　a　boat　and　went　down　to　the　Gladden　Fields；　where　there　were　great　beds　of　iris　and　flowering　reeds。　There　Sméagol　got　out　and　went　nosing　about　the　banks　but　Deal　sat　in　the　boat　and　fished。　Suddenly　a　great　fish　took　his　hook；　and　before　he　knew　where　he　was；　he　was　dragged　out　and　down　into　the　water；　to　the　bottom。　Then　he　let　go　of　his　line；　for　he　thought　he　saw　something　shining　in　the　riverbed；　and　holding　his　breath　he　grabbed　at　it。

'Then　up　he　came　spluttering；　with　weeds　in　his　hair　and　a　handful　of　mud；　and　he　s