jrt.fellowshipofring-第74节

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　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　this　in　your　ears。　Someone　said　that　intelligence　would　be　needed　in　the　party。　He　was　right。　I　think　I　shall　e　with　you。'
　　　So　great　was　Frodo's　delight　at　this　announcement　that　Gandalf　left　the　window…sill；　where　he　had　been　sitting；　and　took　off　his　hat　and　bowed。　'I　only　said　I　think　I　shall　e。　Do　not　count　on　anything　yet。　In　this　matter　Elrond　will　have　much　to　say；　and　your　friend　the　Strider。　Which　reminds　me；　I　want　to　see　Elrond。　I　must　be　off。'
　　　‘How　long　do　you　think　I　shall　have　here？'　said　Frodo　to　Bilbo　when　Gandalf　had　gone。
　　　‘Oh；　I　don't　know。　I　can't　count　days　in　Rivendell；'　said　Bilbo。　'But　quite　long；　I　should　think。　We　can　have　many　a　good　talk。　What　about　helping　me　with　my　book；　and　making　a　start　on　the　next？　Have　you　thought　of　an　ending？'
　　　'Yes；　several；　and　all　are　dark　and　unpleasant；'　said　Frodo。
　　　'Oh；　that　won't　do！'　said　Bilbo。　‘Books　ought　to　have　good　endings。　How　would　this　do：　and　they　all　settled　down　and　lived　together　happily　ever　after？'
　　　‘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　journey　and　of　the　perils　that　lay　ahead；　but　such　was　the　virtue　of　the　land　of　Rivendell　that　soon　all　fear　and　anxiety　was　lifted　from　their　minds。　The　future；　good　or　ill；　was　not　forgotten；　but　ceased　to　have　any　power　over　the　present。　Health　and　hope　grew　strong　in　them；　and　they　were　content　with　each　good　day　as　it　came；　taking　pleasure　in　every　meal；　and　in　every　word　and　song。
　　　So　the　days　slipped　away；　as　each　morning　dawned　bright　and　fair；　and　each　evening　followed　cool　and　clear。　But　autumn　was　waning　fast；　slowly　the　golden　light　faded　to　pale　silver；　and　the　lingering　leaves　fell　from　the　naked　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　the　lesser　stars。　But　low　in　the　South　one　star　shone　red。　Every　night；　as　the　Moon　waned　again；　it　shone　brighter　and　brighter。　Frodo　could　see　it　from　his　window；　deep　in　the　heavens　burning　like　a　watchful　eye　that　glared　above　the　trees　on　the　brink　of　the　valley。
　　　The　hobbits　had　been　nearly　two　months　in　the　House　of　Elrond；　and　November　had　gone　by　with　the　last　shreds　of　autumn；　and　December　was　passing；　when　the　scouts　began　to　return。　Some　had　gone　north　beyond　the　springs　of　the　Hoarwell　into　the　Ettenmoors；　and　others　had　gone　west；　and　with　the　help　of　Aragorn　and　the　Rangers　had　searched　the　lands　far　down　the　Greyflood；　as　far　as　Tharbad；　where　the　old　North　Road　crossed　the　river　by　a　ruined　town。　Many　had　gone　east　and　south；　and　some　of　these　had　crossed　the　Mountains　and　entered　Mirkwood；　while　others　had　climbed　the　pass　at　the　source　of　the　Gladden　River；　and　had　e　down　into　Wilderland　and　over　the　Gladden　Fields　and　so　at　length　had　reached　the　old　home　of　Radagast　at　Rhosgobel。　Radagast　was　not　there；　and　they　had　returned　over　the　high　pass　that　was　called　the　Dimrill　Stair。　The　sons　of　Elrond；　Elladan　and　Elrohir；　were　the　last　to　return；　they　had　made　a　great　journey；　passing　down　the　Silverlode　into　a　strange　country；　but　of　their　errand　they　would　not　speak　to　any　save　to　Elrond。
　　　In　no　region　had　the　messengers　discovered　any　signs　or　tidings　of　the　Riders　or　other　servants　of　the　Enemy。　Even　from　the　Eagles　of　the　Misty　Mountains　they　had　learned　no　fresh　news。　Nothing　had　been　seen　or　heard　of　Gollum；　but　the　wild　wolves　were　still　gathering；　and　were　hunting　again　far　up　the　Great　River。　Three　of　the　black　horses　had　been　found　at　once　drowned　in　the　flooded　Ford。　On　the　rocks　of　the　rapids　below　it　searchers　discovered　the　bodies　of　five　more；　and　also　a　long　black　cloak；　slashed　and　tattered。　Of　the　Black　Riders　no　other　trace　was　to　be　seen；　and　nowhere　was　their　presence　to　be　felt。　It　seemed　that　they　had　vanished　from　the　North。
　　　'Eight　out　of　the　Nine　are　accounted　for　at　least；'　said　Gandalf。　'It　is　rash　to　be　too　sure；　yet　I　think　that　we　may　hope　now　that　the　Ringwraiths　were　scattered；　and　have　been　obliged　to　return　as　best　they　could　to　their　Master　in　Mordor；　empty　and　shapeless。
　　　‘If　that　is　so；　it　will　be　some　time　before　they　can　begin　the　hunt　again。　Of　course　the　Enemy　has　other　servants；　but　they　will　have　to　journey　all　the　way　to　the　borders　of　Rivendell　before　they　can　pick　up　our　trail。　And　if　we　are　careful　that　will　be　hard　to　find。　But　we　must　delay　no　longer。'
　　　Elrond　summoned　the　hobbits　to　him。　He　looked　gravely　at　Frodo。　'The　time　has　e；'　he　said。　‘If　the　Ring　is　to　set　out；　it　must　go　soon。　But　those　who　go　with　it　must　not　count　on　their　errand　being　aided　by　war　or　force。　They　must　pass　into　the　domain　of　the　Enemy　far　from　aid。　Do　you　still　hold　to　your　word；　Frodo；　that　you　will　be　the　Ring…bearer？'
　　　'I　do；'　said　Frodo。　‘I　will　go　with　Sam。'
　　　‘Then　I　cannot　help　you　much；　not　even　with　counsel；'　said　Elrond。　‘I　can　foresee　very　little　of　your　road；　and　how　your　task　is　to　be　achieved　I　do　not　know。　The　Shadow　has　crept　now　to　the　feet　of　the　Mountains；　and　draws　nigh　even　to　the　borders　of　Greyflood；　and　under　the　Shadow　all　is　dark　to　me。　You　will　meet　many　foes；　some　open；　and　some　disguised；　and　you　may　find　friends　upon　your　way　when　you　least　look　for　it。　I　will　send　out　messages；　such　as　I　can　contrive；　to　those　whom　I　know　in　the　wide　world；　but　so　perilous　are　the　lands　now　bee　that　some　may　well　miscarry；　or　e　no　quicker　than　you　yourself。
　　　‘And　I　will　choose　you　panions　to　go　with　you；　as　far　as　they　will　or　fortune　allows。　The　number　must　be　few；　since　your　hope　is　in　speed　and　secrecy。　Had　I　a　host　of　Elves　in　armour　of　the　Elder　Days；　it　would　avail　little；　save　to　arouse　the　power　of　Mordor。
　　　‘The　pany　of　the　Ring　shall　be　Nine；　and　the　Nine　Walkers　shall　be　set　against　the　Nine　Riders　that　are　evil。　With　you　and　your　faithful　servant；　Gandalf　will　go；　for　this　shall　be　his　great　task；　and　maybe　the　end　of　his　labours。
　　　‘For　the　rest；　they　shall　represent　the　other　Free　Peoples　of　the　World：　Elves；　Dwarves；　and　Men。　Legolas　shall　be　for　the　Elves；　and　Gimli　son　of　Glóin　for　the　Dwarves。　They　are　willing　to　go　at　least　to　the　passes　of　the　Mountains；　and　maybe　beyond。　For　men　you　shall　have　Aragorn　son　of　Arathorn；　for　the　Ring　of　Isildur　concerns　him　closely。'
　　　‘Strider！'　said　Frodo。
　　　'Yes；'　he　said　with　a　smile。　‘I　ask　leave　once　again　to　be　your　panion；　Frodo。'
　　　‘I　would　have　begged　you　to　e；'　said　Frodo；　'only　I　thought　you　were　going　to　Minas　Tirith　with　Boromir。'
　　　‘I　am；'　said　Aragorn。　‘And　the　Sword…that…was…Broken　shall　be　reforged　ere　I　set　out　to　war。　But　your　road　and　our　road　lie　together　for　many　hundreds　of　miles。　Therefore　Boromir　will　also　be　in　the　pany。　He　is　a　valiant　man。'
　　　'There　remain　two　more　to　be　found；'　said　Elrond。　〃These　I　will　consider。　Of　my　household　I　may　find　some　that　it　seems　good　to　me　to　send。'
　　　‘But　that　will　leave　no　place　for　us！'　cried　Pippin　in　dismay。　‘We　don't　want　to　be　left　behind。　We　want　to　go　with　Frodo。'
　　　‘That　is　because　you　do　not　understand　and　cannot　imagine　what　lies　ahead；'　said　Elrond。
　　　‘Neither　does　Frodo；'　said　Gandalf；　unexpectedly　supporting　Pippin。　'Nor　do　any　of　us　see　clearly。　It　is　true　that　if　these　hobbits　understood　the　danger；　they　would　not　dare　to　go。　But　they　would　still　wish　to　go；　or　wish　that　they　dared；　and　be　shamed　and　unhappy。　I　think；　Elrond；　that　in　this　matter　it　would　be　well　to　trust　rather　to　their　friendship　than　to　great　wisdom。　Even　if　you　chose　for　us　an　elf…lord；　such　as　Glorfindel；　he　could　not　storm　the　Dark　Tower；　nor　open　the　road　to　the　Fire　by　the　power　that　is　in　him。'
　　　‘You　speak　gravely；'　said　Elrond；　‘but　I　am　in　doubt。　The　Shire；　I　forebode；　is　not　free　now　from　peril；　and　these　two　I　had　thought　to　send　back　there　as　messengers；　to　do　what　they　could；　according　to　the　fashion　of　their　country；　to　warn　the　people　of　their　danger。　In　any　case；　I　judge　that　the　younger　of　these　two；　Peregrin　Took；　should　remain。　My　heart　is　against　his　going。'
　　　‘Then；　Master　Elrond；　you　will　have　to　lock　me　in　prison；　or　send　me　home　tied　in　a　sack；'　said　Pippin。　‘For　otherwise　I　shall　follow　the　pany。'
　　　‘Let　it　be　so　then。　You　shall　go；'　said　Elrond；　and　he　sighed。　'Now　the　tale　of　Nine　is　filled。　In　seven　days　the　pany　must　depart。'
　　　The　Sword　of　Elendil　was　forged　anew　by　Elvish　smiths；　and　on　its　blade　was　traced　a　device　of　seven　stars　set　between　the　crescent　Moon　and　the　rayed　Sun；　and　about　them　was　written　many　runes；　for　Aragorn　son　of　Arathorn　was　going　to　war　upon　the　marches　of　Mordor。　Very　bright　was　that　sword　when　it　was　made　whole　again；　the　light　of　the　sun　shone　redly　in　it；　and　the　light　of　the　moon　shone　cold；　and　its　edge　was　hard　and　keen。　And　Aragorn　gave　it　a　new　name　and　called　it　Andúril；　Flame　of　the　West。
　　　Aragorn　and　Gandalf　walked　together　or　sat　speaking　of　their　road　and　the　perils　they　would　meet；　and　they　pondered　the　storied　and　figured　maps　and　books　of　lore　that　were　in　the　house　of　Elrond。　Sometimes　Frodo　was