jrt.fellowshipofring-第59节

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is　heart　labouring。　His　sword　broke　and　fell　out　of　his　shaking　hand。　The　elf…horse　reared　and　snorted。　The　foremost　of　the　black　horses　had　almost　set　foot　upon　the　shore。
　　　At　that　moment　there　came　a　roaring　and　a　rushing：　a　noise　of　loud　waters　rolling　many　stones。　Dimly　Frodo　saw　the　river　below　him　rise；　and　down　along　its　course　there　came　a　plumed　cavalry　of　waves。　White　flames　seemed　to　Frodo　to　flicker　on　their　crests　and　he　half　fancied　that　he　saw　amid　the　water　white　riders　upon　white　horses　with　frothing　manes。　The　three　Riders　that　were　still　in　the　midst　of　the　Ford　were　overwhelmed：　they　disappeared；　buried　suddenly　under　angry　foam。　Those　that　were　behind　drew　back　in　dismay。
　　　With　his　last　failing　senses　Frodo　heard　cries；　and　it　seemed　to　him　that　he　saw；　beyond　the　Riders　that　hesitated　on　the　shore；　a　shining　figure　of　white　light；　and　behind　it　ran　small　shadowy　forms　waving　flames；　that　flared　red　in　the　grey　mist　that　was　falling　over　the　world。
　　　The　black　horses　were　filled　with　madness；　and　leaping　forward　in　terror　they　bore　their　riders　into　the　rushing　flood。　Their　piercing　cries　were　drowned　in　the　roaring　of　the　river　as　it　carried　them　away。　Then　Frodo　felt　himself　falling；　and　the　roaring　and　confusion　seemed　to　rise　and　engulf　him　together　with　his　enemies。　He　heard　and　saw　no　more。
　　　
　　　Book　II
　　　Chapter　1
Many　Meetings
　　　Frodo　woke　and　found　himself　lying　in　bed。　At　first　he　thought　that　he　had　slept　late；　after　a　long　unpleasant　dream　that　still　hovered　on　the　edge　of　memory。　Or　perhaps　he　had　been　ill？　But　the　ceiling　looked　strange；　it　was　flat；　and　it　had　dark　beams　richly　carved。　He　lay　a　little　while　longer　looking　at　patches　of　sunlight　on　the　wall；　and　listening　to　the　sound　of　a　waterfall。
　　　‘Where　am　I；　and　what　is　the　time？'　he　said　aloud　to　the　ceiling。　'In　the　House　of　Elrond；　and　it　is　ten　o'clock　in　the　morning。'　said　a　voice。　‘It　is　the　morning　of　October　the　twenty…fourth；　if　you　want　to　know。'
　　　‘Gandalf！'　cried　Frodo；　sitting　up。　There　was　the　old　wizard；　sitting　in　a　chair　by　the　open　window。
　　　‘Yes；'　he　said；　‘I　am　here。　And　you　are　lucky　to　be　here；　too；　after　all　the　absurd　things　you　have　done　since　you　left　home。'　Frodo　lay　down　again。　He　felt　too　fortable　and　peaceful　to　argue；　and　in　any　case　he　did　not　think　he　would　get　the　better　of　an　argument。　He　was　fully　awake　now；　and　the　memory　of　his　journey　was　returning：　the　disastrous　‘short　cut'　through　the　Old　Forest　the　‘accident'　at　The　Prancing　Pony；　and　his　madness　in　putting　on　the　Ring　in　the　dell　under　Weathertop。　While　he　was　thinking　of　all　these　things　and　trying　in　vain　to　bring　his　memory　down　to　his　arriving　in　Rivendell；　there　was　a　long　silence；　broken　only　by　the　soft　puffs　of　Gandalf's　pipe；　as　he　blew　white　smoke…rings　out　of　the　window。
　　　'Where's　Sam？'　Frodo　asked　at　length。　'And　are　the　others　all　right？'
　　　'Yes；　they　are　all　safe　and　sound；'　answered　Gandalf。　‘Sam　was　here　until　I　sent　him　off　to　get　some　rest；　about　half　an　hour　ago。'
　　　‘What　happened　at　the　Ford？'　said　Frodo。　‘It　all　seemed　so　dim　somehow；　and　it　still　does。'
　　　'Yes；　it　would。　You　were　beginning　to　fade；'　answered　Gandalf。　'The　wound　was　overing　you　at　last。　A　few　more　hours　and　you　would　have　been　beyond　our　aid。　But　you　have　some　strength　in　you；　my　dear　hobbit！　As　you　showed　in　the　Barrow。　That　was　touch　and　go：　perhaps　the　most　dangerous　moment　of　all。　I　wish　you　could　have　held　out　at　Weathertop。'
　　　'You　seem　to　know　a　great　deal　already；'　said　Frodo。　‘I　have　not　spoken　to　the　others　about　the　Barrow。　At　first　it　was　too　horrible；　and　afterwards　there　were　other　things　to　think　about。　How　do　you　know　about　it？'
　　　'You　have　talked　long　in　your　sleep；　Frodo；'　said　Gandalf　gently；　'and　it　has　not　been　hard　for　me　to　read　your　mind　and　memory。　Do　not　worry！　Though　I　said　〃absurd〃　just　now；　I　did　not　mean　it。　I　think　well　of　you　…　and　of　the　others。　It　is　no　small　feat　to　have　e　so　far；　and　through　such　dangers；　still　bearing　the　Ring。'
　　　'We　should　never　have　done　it　without　Strider；'　said　Frodo。　‘But　we　needed　you。　I　did　not　know　what　to　do　without　you。'
　　　'I　was　delayed；'　said　Gandalf；　‘and　that　nearly　proved　our　ruin。　And　yet　I　am　not　sure；　it　may　have　been　better　so。'
　　　'I　wish　you　would　tell　me　what　happened！'
　　　'All　in　good　time！　You　are　not　supposed　to　talk　or　worry　about　anything　today；　by　Elrond's　orders。'
　　　‘But　talking　would　stop　me　thinking　and　wondering；　which　are　quite　as　tiring；'　said　Frodo。　'I　am　wide　awake　now；　and　I　remember　so　many　things　that　want　explaining。　Why　were　you　delayed？　You　ought　to　tell　me　that　at　least。'
　　　'You　will　soon　hear　all　you　wish　to　know；'　said　Gandalf。　'We　shall　have　a　Council；　as　soon　as　you　are　well　enough。　At　the　moment　I　will　only　say　that　I　was　held　captive。'
　　　'You？'　cried　Frodo。
　　　'Yes；　I；　Gandalf　the　Grey；'　said　the　wizard　solemnly。　'There　are　many　powers　in　the　world；　for　good　or　for　evil。　Some　are　greater　than　I　am。　Against　some　I　have　not　yet　been　measured。　But　my　time　is　ing。　The　Morgul…lord　and　his　Black　Riders　have　e　forth。　War　is　preparing！'
　　　‘Then　you　knew　of　the　Riders　already…before　I　met　them？'
　　　'Yes；　I　knew　of　them。　Indeed　I　spoke　of　them　once　to　you；　for　the　Black　Riders　are　the　Ringwraiths；　the　Nine　Servants　of　the　Lord　of　the　Rings。　But　I　did　not　know　that　they　had　arisen　again　or　I　should　have　fled　with　you　at　once。　I　heard　news　of　them　only　after　I　left　you　in　June；　but　that　story　must　wait。　For　the　moment　we　have　been　saved　from　disaster；　by　Aragorn。'
　　　'Yes；'　said　Frodo；　‘it　was　Strider　that　saved　us。　Yet　I　was　afraid　of　him　at　first。　Sam　never　quite　trusted　him。　I　think；　not　at　any　rate　until　we　met　Glorfindel。'
　　　Gandalf　smiled。　‘I　have　heard　all　about　Sam；'　he　said。　'He　has　no　more　doubts　now。'
　　　'I　am　glad；'　said　Frodo。　'For　I　have　bee　very　fond　of　Strider。　Well；　fond　is　not　the　right　word。　I　mean　he　is　dear　to　me；　though　he　is　strange；　and　grim　at　times。　In　fact；　he　reminds　me　often　of　you。　I　didn't　know　that　any　of　the　Big　People　were　like　that。　I　thought；　well；　that　they　were　just　big；　and　rather　stupid：　kind　and　stupid　like　Butterbur；　or　stupid　and　wicked　like　Bill　Ferny。　But　then　we　don't　know　much　about　Men　in　the　Shire；　except　perhaps　the　Breelanders。'
　　　‘You　don't　know　much　even　about　them；　if　you　think　old　Barliman　is　stupid；'　said　Gandalf。　'He　is　wise　enough　on　his　own　ground。　He　thinks　less　than　he　talks；　and　slower；　yet　he　can　see　through　a　brick　wall　in　time　（as　they　say　in　Bree）。　But　there　are　few　left　in　Middle…earth　like　Aragorn　son　of　Arathorn。　The　race　of　the　Kings　from　over　the　Sea　is　nearly　at　an　end。　It　may　be　that　this　War　of　the　Ring　will　be　their　last　adventure。'
　　　'Do　you　really　mean　that　Strider　is　one　of　the　people　of　the　old　Kings？'　said　Frodo　in　wonder。　‘I　thought　they　had　all　vanished　long　ago。　I　thought　he　was　only　a　Ranger。'
　　　'Only　a　Ranger！'　cried　Gandalf。　‘My　dear　Frodo；　that　is　just　what　the　Rangers　are：　the　last　remnant　in　the　North　of　the　great　people；　the　Men　of　the　West。　They　have　helped　me　before；　and　I　shall　need　their　help　in　the　days　to　e；　for　we　have　reached　Rivendell；　but　the　Ring　is　not　yet　at　rest。'
　　　'I　suppose　not；'　said　Frodo。　'But　so　far　my　only　thought　has　been　to　get　here；　and　I　hope　I　shan't　have　to　go　any　further。　It　is　very　pleasant　just　to　rest。　I　have　had　a　month　of　exile　and　adventure；　and　I　find　that　has　been　as　much　as　I　want。'
　　　He　fell　silent　and　shut　his　eyes。　After　a　while　he　spoke　again。　'I　have　been　reckoning；'　he　said；　‘and　I　can't　bring　the　total　up　to　October　the　twenty…fourth。　It　ought　to　be　the　twenty…first。　We　must　have　reached　the　Ford　by　the　twentieth。'
　　　'You　have　talked　and　reckoned　more　than　is　good　for　you；'　said　Gandalf。　‘How　do　the　side　and　shoulder　feel　now？'
　　　'I　don't　know。'　Frodo　answered。　'They　don't　feel　at　all：　which　is　an　improvement；　but'…he　made　an　effort…'I　can　move　my　arm　again　a　little。　Yes；　it　is　ing　back　to　life。　It　is　not　cold；'　he　added；　touching　his　left　hand　with　his　right。
　　　‘Good！'　said　Gandalf。　‘It　is　mending　fast。　You　will　soon　be　sound　again。　Elrond　has　cured　you：　he　has　tended　you　for　days；　ever　since　you　were　brought　in。'
　　　'Days？'　said　Frodo。
　　　‘Well；　four　nights　and　three　days；　to　be　exact。　The　Elves　brought　you　from　this　where　you　lost　count。　We　have　been　terribly　anxious；　and　Sam　has　hardly　left　your　side；　day　or　night；　except　to　run　messages。　Elrond　is　a　master　of　healing；　but　the　weapons　of　our　Enemy　are　deadly。　To　tell　you　the　truth；　I　had　very　little　hope；　for　I　suspected　that　there　was　some　fragment　of　the　blade　still　in　the　closed　wound。　But　it　could　not　be　found　until　last　night。　Then　Elrond　removed　a　splinter。　It　was　deeply　buried。　and　it　was　working　inwards。'
　　　Frodo　shuddered；　remembering　the　cruel　knife　with　notched　blade　that　had　vanished　in　Strider's　hands。　‘Don't　be　alarmed！'　said　Gandalf。　‘It　is　gone　now。　It　has　been　melted。　And　it　seems　that　Hobbits　fade　very　reluctantly。　I　have　known　strong　warriors　of　the　Big　People　who　would　quickly　have　been　overe　by　that　splinter；　which　you　bore　for　seventeen　days。'
　　　‘What　would　they　have　done　to　me？'　asked　Frodo。　‘What　were　the　Riders　trying　to　do？'
　　　'They　tried　to　pierce　your　heart　with　a　Morgul…knife　which　r