The Lord of the Rings-指环王(英文版)- 第15部分

'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　wrong。　These　Rings　have　a　way　of　being　found。　In　evil　hands　it　might　have　done　great　evil。　Worst　of　all；　it　might　have　fallen　into　the　hands　of　the　Enemy。　Indeed　it　certainly　would；　for　this　is　the　One；　and　he　is　exerting　all　his　power　to　find　it　or　draw　it　to　himself。

'Of　course；　my　dear　Frodo；　it　was　dangerous　for　you；　and　that　has　troubled　me　deeply。　But　there　was　so　much　at　stake　that　I　had　to　take　some　risk　。　though　even　when　I　was　far　away　there　has　never　been　a　day　when　the　Shire　has　not　been　guarded　by　watchful　eyes。　As　long　as　you　never　used　it；　I　did　not　think　that　the　Ring　would　have　any　lasting　effect　on　you；　not　for　evil；　not　at　any　rate　for　a　very　long　time。　And　you　must　remember　that　nine　years　ago；　when　I　last　saw　you；　I　still　knew　little　for　certain。'

'But　why　not　destroy　it；　as　you　say　should　have　been　done　long　ago？'　cried　Frodo　again。　If　you　had　warned　me；　or　even　sent　me　a　message；　I　would　have　done　away　with　it。'

'Would　you？　How　would　you　do　that？　Have　you　ever　tried？'

'No。　But　I　suppose　one　could　hammer　it　or　melt　it。'

'Try！'　said　Gandalf。　Try　now！'

Frodo　drew　the　Ring　out　of　his　pocket　again　and　looked　at　it。　It　now　appeared　plain　and　smooth；　without　mark　or　device　that　he　could　see。　The　gold　looked　very　fair　and　pure；　and　Frodo　thought　how　rich　and　beautiful　was　its　colour；　how　perfect　was　its　roundness。　It　was　an　admirable　thing　and　altogether　precious。　When　he　took　it　out　he　had　intended　to　fling　it　from　him　into　the　very　hottest　part　of　the　fire。　But　he　found　now　that　he　could　not　do　so；　not　without　a　great　struggle。　He　weighed　the　Ring　in　his　hand；　hesitating；　and　forcing　himself　to　remember　all　that　Gandalf　had　told　him；　and　then　with　an　effort　of　will　he　made　a　movement；　as　if　to　cast　it　away　。　but　he　found　that　he　had　put　it　back　in　his　pocket。

Gandalf　laughed　grimly。　'You　see？　Already　you　too；　Frodo；　cannot　easily　let　it　go；　nor　will　to　damage　it。　And　I　could　not　〃make〃　you　。　except　by　force；　which　would　break　your　mind。　But　as　for　breaking　the　Ring；　force　is　useless。　Even　if　you　took　it　and　struck　it　with　a　heavy　sledgehammer；　it　would　make　no　dint　in　it。　It　cannot　be　unmade　by　your　hands；　or　by　mine。

'Your　small　fire；　of　course；　would　not　melt　even　ordinary　gold。　This　Ring　has　already　passed　through　it　unscathed；　and　even　unheated。　But　there　is　no　smith's　fe　in　this　Shire　that　could　change　it　at　all。　Not　even　the　anvils　and　furnaces　of　the　Dwarves　could　do　that。　It　has　been　said　that　dragonfire　could　melt　and　consume　the　Rings　of　Power；　but　there　is　not　now　any　dragon　left　on　earth　in　which　the　old　fire　is　hot　enough；　nor　was　there　ever　any　dragon；　not　even　Ancalagon　the　Black；　who　could　have　harmed　the　One　Ring；　the　Ruling　Ring；　for　that　was　made　by　Sauron　himself。　There　is　only　one　way：　to　find　the　Cracks　of　Doom　in　the　depths　of　Orodruin；　the　Firemountain；　and　cast　the　Ring　in　there；　if　you　really　wish　to　destroy　it；　to　put　it　beyond　the　grasp　of　the　Enemy　for　ever。'

'I　do　really　wish　to　destroy　it！'　cried　Frodo。　'Or；　well；　to　have　it　destroyed。　I　am　not　made　for　perilous　quests。　I　wish　I　had　never　seen　the　Ring！　Why　did　it　e　to　me？　Why　was　I　chosen？'

'Such　questions　cannot　be　answered；'　said　Gandalf。　'You　may　be　sure　that　it　was　not　for　any　merit　that　others　do　not　possess：　not　for　power　or　wisdom；　at　any　rate。　But　you　have　been　chosen；　and　you　must　therefore　use　such　strength　and　heart　and　wits　as　you　have。'

'But　I　have　so　little　of　any　of　these　things！　You　are　wise　and　powerful。　Will　you　not　take　the　Ring？'

'No！'　cried　Gandalf；　springing　to　his　feet。　'With　that　power　I　should　have　power　too　great　and　terrible。　And　over　me　the　Ring　would　gain　a　power　still　greater　and　more　deadly。'　His　eyes　flashed　and　his　face　was　lit　as　by　a　fire　within。　'Do　not　tempt　me！　For　I　do　not　wish　to　bee　like　the　Dark　Lord　himself。　Yet　the　way　of　the　Ring　to　my　heart　is　by　pity；　pity　for　weakness　and　the　desire　of　strength　to　do　good。　Do　not　tempt　me！　I　dare　not　take　it；　not　even　to　keep　it　safe；　unused。　The　wish　to　wield　it　would　be　too　great；　for　my　strength。　I　shall　have　such　need　of　it。　Great　perils　lie　before　me。'

He　went　to　the　window　and　drew　aside　the　curtains　and　the　shutters。　Sunlight　streamed　back　again　into　the　room。　Sam　passed　along　the　path　outside　whistling。　'And　now；'　said　the　wizard；　turning　back　to　Frodo；　'the　decision　lies　with　you。　But　I　will　always　help　you。'　He　laid　his　hand　on　Frodo's　shoulder。　'I　will　help　you　bear　this　burden；　as　long　as　It　is　yours　to　bear。　But　we　must　do　something；　soon。　The　Enemy　is　moving。'

There　was　a　long　silence。　Gandalf　sat　down　again　and　puffed　at　his　pipe；　as　if　lost　in　thought。　His　eyes　seemed　closed；　but　under　the　lids　he　was　watching　Frodo　intently。　Frodo　gazed　fixedly　at　the　red　embers　on　the　hearth；　until　they　filled　all　his　vision；　and　he　seemed　to　be　looking　down　into　profound　wells　of　fire。　He　was　thinking　of　the　fabled　Cracks　of　Doom　and　the　terror　of　the　Fiery　Mountain。

'Well！'　said　Gandalf　at　last。　'What　are　you　thinking　about？　Have　you　decided　what　to　do？'

'No！'　answered　Frodo；　ing　back　to　himself　out　of　darkness；　and　finding　to　his　surprise　that　it　was　not　dark；　and　that　out　of　the　window　he　could　see　the　sunlit　garden。　'Or　perhaps；　yes。　As　far　as　I　understand　what　you　have　said；　I　suppose　I　must　keep　the　Ring　and　guard　it；　at　least　for　the　present；　whatever　it　may　do　to　me。'

'Whatever　it　may　do；　it　will　be　slow；　slow　to　evil；　if　you　keep　it　with　that　purpose；'　said　Gandalf。

'I　hope　so；'　said　Frodo。　'But　I　hope　that　you　may　find　some　other　better　keeper　soon。　But　in　the　meanwhile　it　seems　that　I　am　a　danger；　a　danger　to　all　that　live　near　me。　I　cannot　keep　the　Ring　and　stay　here。　I　ought　to　leave　Bag　End；　leave　the　Shire；　leave　everything　and　go　away。'　He　sighed。

'I　should　like　to　save　the　Shire；　if　I　could　。　though　there　have　been　times　when　I　thought　the　inhabitants　too　stupid　and　dull　for　words；　and　have　felt　that　an　earthquake　or　an　invasion　of　dragons　might　be　good　for　them。　But　I　don't　feel　like　that　now。　I　feel　that　as　long　as　the　Shire　lies　behind；　safe　and　fortable；　I　s