Властелин колец: Братство кольца
The Shadow of the Past
Theyunderstoodoneanotherremarkablywell,verymuchbetterthanahobbitwouldunderstand,say,aDwarf,oranOrc,orevenanElf.Thinkoftheriddlestheybothknew,foronething.’
’Yes,’saidFrodo.’Thoughotherfolksbesideshobbitsaskriddles,andofmuchthesamesort.Andhobbitsdon’tcheat.Gollummeanttocheatallthetime.HewasjusttryingtoputpoorBilbooffhisguard.AndIdaresayitamusedhiswickednesstostartagamewhichmightendinprovidinghimwithaneasyvictim,butifhelostwouldnothurthim.’
’Onlytootrue,Ifear,’saidGandalf.’Buttherewassomethingelseinit,Ithink,whichyoudon’tseeyet.EvenGollumwasnotwhollyruined.HehadprovedtougherthanevenoneoftheWisewouldhaveguessed-asahobbitmight.Therewasalittlecornerofhismindthatwasstillhisown,andlightcamethroughit,asthroughachinkinthedark:lightoutofthepast.Itwasactuallypleasant,Ithink,tohearakindlyvoiceagain,bringingupmemoriesofwind,andtrees,andsunonthegrass,andsuchforgottenthings.
’Butthat,ofcourse,wouldonlymaketheevilpartofhimangrierintheend—unlessitcouldbeconquered.Unlessitcouldbecured.’Gandalfsighed.’Alas!thereislittlehopeofthatforhim.Yetnotnohope.No,notthoughhepossessedtheRingsolong,almostasfarbackashecanremember.Foritwaslongsincehehadwornitmuch:intheblackdarknessitwasseldomneeded.Certainlyhehadnever"faded".Heisthinandtoughstill.Butthethingwaseatinguphismind,ofcourse,andthetormenthadbecomealmostunbearable.
’Allthe"greatsecrets"underthemountainshadturnedouttobejustemptynight:therewasnothingmoretofindout,nothingworthdoing,onlynastyfurtiveeatingandresentfulremembering.
