jrt.fellowshipofring-第71节

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　　　‘He　set　me　down　in　the　land　of　Rohan　ere　dawn；　and　now　I　have　lengthened　my　tale　over　long。　The　rest　must　be　more　brief。　In　Rohan　I　found　evil　already　at　work：　the　lies　of　Saruman；　and　the　king　of　the　land　would　not　listen　to　my　warnings。　He　bade　me　take　a　horse　and　be　gone；　and　I　chose　one　much　to　my　liking。　but　little　to　his。　I　took　the　best　horse　in　his　land；　and　I　have　never　seen　the　like　of　him。'
　　　'Then　he　must　be　a　noble　beast　indeed；'　said　Aragorn；　'and　it　grieves　me　more　than　many　tidings　that　might　seem　worse　to　learn　that　Sauron　levies　such　tribute。　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　from　the　Enemy。　I　know　the　Men　of　Rohan；　true　and　valiant；　our　allies；　dwelling　still　in　the　lands　that　we　gave　them　long　ago。'
　　　‘The　shadow　of　Mordor　lies　on　distant　lands；'　answered　Aragorn。　'Saruman　has　fallen　under　it。　Rohan　is　beset。　Who　knows　what　you　will　find　there；　if　ever　you　return？'
　　　‘Not　this　at　least。'　said　Boromir；　'that　they　will　buy　their　lives　with　horses。　They　love　their　horses　next　to　their　kin。　And　not　without　reason；　for　the　horses　of　the　Riddermark　e　from　the　fields　of　the　North；　far　from　the　Shadow。　and　their　race；　as　that　of　their　masters；　is　descended　from　the　free　days　of　old。'
　　　'True　indeed！'　said　Gandalf。　‘And　there　is　one　among　them　that　might　have　been　foaled　in　the　morning　of　the　world。　The　horses　of　the　Nine　cannot　vie　with　him；　tireless；　swift　as　the　flowing　wind。　Shadowfax　they　called　him。　By　day　his　coat　glistens　like　silver；　and　by　night　it　is　like　a　shade；　and　he　passes　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　the　Shire　when　Frodo　was　on　the　Barrow…downs；　though　I　set　out　from　Rohan　only　when　he　set　out　from　Hobbiton。
　　　'But　fear　grew　in　me　as　I　rode。　Ever　as　I　came　north　I　heard　tidings　of　the　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　eastern　borders；　not　far　from　the　Greenway。　and　some　invaded　the　Shire　from　the　south。　I　came　to　Hobbiton　and　Frodo　had　gone；　but　I　had　words　with　old　Gamgee。　Many　words　and　few　to　the　point。　He　had　much　to　say　about　the　shortings　of　the　new　owners　of　Bag　End。
　　　‘　〃I　can't　abide　changes；〃　said　he；　〃not　at　my　time　of　life；　and　least　of　all　changes　for　the　worst。〃　〃Changes　for　the　worst；〃　he　repeated　many　times。
　　　'　〃Worst　is　a　bad　word；〃　I　said　to　him；　〃and　I　hope　you　do　not　live　to　see　it。〃　But　amidst　his　talk　I　gathered　at　last　that　Frodo　had　left　Hobbiton　less　than　a　week　before；　and　that　a　black　horseman　had　e　to　the　Hill　the　same　evening。　Then　I　rode　on　in　fear。　I　came　to　Buckland　and　found　it　in　uproar；　as　busy　as　a　hive　of　ants　that　has　been　stirred　with　a　stick。　I　came　to　the　house　at　Crickhollow；　and　it　was　broken　open　and　empty；　but　on　the　threshold　there　lay　a　cloak　that　had　been　Frodo's。　Then　for　a　while　hope　left　me；　and　I　did　not　wait　to　gather　news；　or　I　might　have　been　forted；　but　I　rode　on　the　trail　of　the　Riders。　It　was　hard　to　follow；　for　it　went　many　ways；　and　I　was　at　a　loss。　But　it　seemed　to　me　that　one　or　two　had　ridden　towards　Bree；　and　that　way　I　went；　for　I　thought　of　words　that　might　be　said　to　the　innkeeper。
　　　'　〃Butterbur　they　call　him；〃　thought　I。　〃If　this　delay　was　his　fault；　I　will　melt　all　the　butter　in　him。　I　will　roast　the　old　fool　over　a　slow　fire。〃　He　expected　no　less；　and　when　he　saw　my　face　he　fell　down　flat　and　began　to　melt　on　the　spot。'
　　　‘What　did　you　do　to　him？'　cried　Frodo　in　alarm。　'He　was　really　very　kind　to　us　and　did　all　that　he　could。'
　　　Gandalf　laughed。　'Don't　be　afraid！'　he　said。　‘I　did　not　bite；　and　I　barked　very　little。　So　overjoyed　was　I　by　the　news　that　I　got　out　of　him；　when　he　stopped　quaking；　that　I　embraced　the　old　fellow。　How　it　happened　I　could　not　then　guess；　but　I　learned　that　you　had　been　in　Bree　the　night　before；　and　had　gone　off　that　morning　with　Strider。
　　　‘　〃Strider！　〃　I　cried；　shouting　for　joy。
　　　‘　〃Yes；　sir；　I　am　afraid　so；　sir；〃　said　Butterbur；　mistaking　me。　〃He　got　at　them；　in　spite　of　all　that　I　could　do；　and　they　took　up　with　him。　They　behaved　very　queer　all　the　time　they　were　here：　wilful；　you　might　say。〃
　　　‘　〃Ass！　Fool！　Thrice　worthy　and　beloved　Barliman！　〃　said　I。　〃It's　the　best　news　I　have　had　since　midsummer：　it's　worth　a　gold　piece　at　the　least。　May　your　beer　be　laid　under　an　enchantment　of　surpassing　excellence　for　seven　years！　〃　said　I。　〃Now　I　can　take　a　night's　rest；　the　first　since　I　have　forgotten　when。〃
　　　‘So　I　stayed　there　that　night；　wondering　much　what　had　bee　of　the　Riders；　for　only　of　two　had　there　yet　been　any　news　in　Bree；　it　seemed。　But　in　the　night　we　heard　more。　Five　at　least　came　from　the　west；　and　they　threw　down　the　gates　and　passed　through　Bree　like　a　howling　wind；　and　the　Bree…folk　are　still　shivering　and　expecting　the　end　of　the　world。　I　got　up　before　dawn　and　went　after　them。
　　　'I　do　not　know；　but　it　seems　clear　to　me　that　this　is　what　happened。　Their　Captain　remained　in　secret　away　south　of　Bree；　while　two　rode　ahead　through　the　village；　and　four　more　invaded　the　Shire。　But　when　these　were　foiled　in　Bree　and　at　Crickhollow；　they　returned　to　their　Captain　with　tidings；　and　so　left　the　Road　unguarded　for　a　while；　except　by　their　spies。　The　Captain　then　sent　some　eastward　straight　across　country；　and　he　himself　with　the　rest　rode　along　the　Road　in　great　wrath。
　　　'I　galloped　to　Weathertop　like　a　gale；　and　I　reached　it　before　sundown　on　my　second　day　from　Bree…and　they　were　there　before　me。　They　drew　away　from　me；　for　they　felt　the　ing　of　my　anger　and　they　dared　not　face　it　while　the　Sun　was　in　the　sky。　But　they　closed　round　at　night；　and　I　was　besieged　on　the　hill…top；　in　the　old　ring　of　Amon　S？l。　I　was　hard　put　to　it　indeed：　such　light　and　flame　cannot　have　been　seen　on　Weathertop　since　the　war…beacons　of　old。
　　　‘At　sunrise　I　escaped　and　fled　towards　the　north。　I　could　not　hope　to　do　more。　It　was　impossible　to　find　you；　Frodo；　in　the　wilderness；　and　it　would　have　been　folly　to　try　with　all　the　Nine　at　my　heels。　So　I　had　to　trust　to　Aragorn。　But　I　hoped　to　draw　some　of　them　off；　and　yet　reach　Rivendell　ahead　of　you　and　send　out　help。　Four　Riders　did　indeed　follow　me；　but　they　turned　back　after　a　while　and　made　for　the　Ford；　it　seems。　That　helped　a　little；　for　there　were　only　five；　not　nine；　when　your　camp　was　attacked。
　　　'I　reached　here　at　last　by　a　long　hard　road；　up　the　Hoarwell　and　through　the　Ettenmoors；　and　down　from　the　north。　It　took　me　nearly　fourteen　days　from　Weathertop；　for　I　could　not　ride　among　the　rocks　of　the　troll…fells；　and　Shadowfax　departed。　I　sent　him　back　to　his　master；　but　a　great　friendship　has　grown　between　us；　and　if　I　have　need　he　will　e　at　my　call。　But　so　it　was　that　I　came　to　Rivendell　only　three　days　before　the　Ring；　and　news　of　its　peril　had　already　been　brought　here…which　proved　well　indeed。
　　　‘And　that；　Frodo；　is　the　end　of　my　account。　May　Elrond　and　the　others　forgive　the　length　of　it。　But　such　a　thing　has　not　happened　before；　that　Gandalf　broke　tryst　and　did　not　e　when　he　promised。　An　account　to　the　Ring…bearer　of　so　strange　an　event　was　required；　I　think。
　　　'Well；　the　Tale　is　now　told；　from　first　to　last。　Here　we　all　are；　and　here　is　the　Ring。　But　we　have　not　yet　e　any　nearer　to　our　purpose。　What　shall　we　do　with　it？'
　　　There　was　silence。　At　last　Elrond　spoke　again。
　　　‘This　is　grievous　news　concerning　Saruman；'　he　said；　‘for　we　trusted　him　and　he　is　deep　in　all　our　counsels。　It　is　perilous　to　study　too　deeply　the　arts　of　the　Enemy；　for　good　or　for　ill。　But　such　falls　and　betrayals；　alas；　have　happened　before。　Of　the　tales　that　we　have　heard　this　day　the　tale　of　Frodo　was　most　strange　to　me。　I　have　known　few　hobbits；　save　Bilbo　here；　and　it　seems　to　me　that　he　is　perhaps　not　so　alone　and　singular　as　I　had　thought　him。　The　world　has　changed　much　since　I　last　was　on　the　westward　roads。
　　　‘The　Barrow…wights　we　know　by　many　names；　and　of　the　Old　Forest　many　tales　have　been　told：　all　that　now　remains　is　but　an　outlier　of　its　northern　march。　Time　was　when　a　squirrel　could　go　from　tree　to　tree　from　what　is　now　the　Shire　to　Dunland　west　of　Isengard。　In　those　lands　I　journeyed　once；　and　many　things　wild　and　strange　I　knew。　But　I　had　forgotten　Bombadil；　if　indeed　this　is　still　the　same　that　walked　the　woods　and　hills　long　ago；　and　even　then　was　older　than　the　old。　That　was　not　then　his　name。　Iarwain　Ben…adar　we　called　him；　oldest　and　fatherless。　But　many　another　name　he　has　since　been　given　by　other　folk：　Forn　by　the　Dwarves；　Orald　by　Northern　Men；　and　other　names　beside。　He　is　a　strange　creature；　but　maybe　I　should　have　summoned　him　to　our　Council。'
　　　‘He　would　not　have　e；'　said　Gandalf。
　　　‘Could　we　not　still　send　messages　to　him　and　obtain　his　help？'　asked　Erestor。　‘It　seems　that　he　has　a　power　even　over　the　Ring。'
　　　‘No；　I　should　not　put　it　so；'　said　Gandalf。　‘Say　rather　that　the　Ring　has　no　power　over　him。　He　is　his　own　master。　But　he　cannot　alter　the　Ring　itself；　nor　break　its　power　over　others。　And　now　he　is　withdrawn　into　a　little　land；　within　bounds　that　he　has　set；　though　none　can　see　them；　waiting　perhaps　for　a　change　o