Властелин колец: Братство кольца
The Shadow of the Past
’Yes,hewarnedmeofthatinhislastletter,’saidFrodo,’soIhavealwayskeptitonitschain.’
’Verywise,’saidGandalf.’Butasforhislonglife,Bilboneverconnecteditwiththeringatall.Hetookallthecreditforthattohimself,andhewasveryproudofit.Thoughhewasgettingrestlessanduneasy.Thinandstretchedhesaid.Asignthattheringwasgettingcontrol.’
’Howlonghaveyouknownallthis?’askedFrodoagain.
’Known?’saidGandalf.’IhaveknownmuchthatonlytheWiseknow,Frodo.Butifyoumean"knownaboutthisring",well,Istilldonotknow,onemightsay.Thereisalasttesttomake.ButInolongerdoubtmyguess.
’WhendidIfirstbegintoguess?’hemused,searchingbackinmemory.’Letmesee—itwasintheyearthattheWhiteCouncildrovethedarkpowerfromMirkwood,justbeforetheBattleofFiveArmies,thatBilbofoundhisring.Ashadowfellonmyheartthen,thoughIdidnotknowyetwhatIfeared.IwonderedoftenhowGollumcamebyaGreatRing,asplainlyitwas—thatatleastwasclearfromthefirst.ThenIheardBilbo’sstrangestoryofhowhehad"won"it,andIcouldnotbelieveit.WhenIatlastgotthetruthoutofhim,Isawatoncethathehadbeentryingtoputhisclaimtotheringbeyonddoubt.MuchlikeGollumwithhis"birthdaypresent".Theliesweretoomuchalikeformycomfort.Clearlytheringhadanunwholesomepowerthatsettoworkonitskeeperatonce.ThatwasthefirstrealwarningIhadthatallwasnotwell.ItoldBilbooftenthatsuchringswerebetterleftunused;butheresentedit,andsoongotangry.TherewaslittleelsethatIcoulddo.
