Властелин колец: Братство кольца
The Shadow of the Past
Itcouldmakenofurtheruseofhim:hewastoosmallandmean;andaslongasitstayedwithhimhewouldneverleavehisdeeppoolagain.Sonow,whenitsmasterwasawakeoncemoreandsendingouthisdarkthoughtfromMirkwood,itabandonedGollum.Onlytobepickedupbythemostunlikelypersonimaginable:BilbofromtheShire!
’Behindthattherewassomethingelseatwork,beyondanydesignoftheRing-maker.IcanputitnoplainerthanbysayingthatBilbowasmeanttofindtheRing,andnotbyitsmaker.Inwhichcaseyoualsoweremeanttohaveit.Andthatmaybeanencouragingthought.’
’Itisnot,’saidFrodo."ThoughIamnotsurethatIunderstandyou.ButhowhaveyoulearnedallthisabouttheRing,andaboutGollum?Doyoureallyknowitall,orareyoujustguessingstill?’
GandalflookedatFrodo,andhiseyesglinted.’IknewmuchandIhavelearnedmuch,’heanswered.’ButIamnotgoingtogiveanaccountofallmydoingstoyou.ThehistoryofElendilandIsildurandtheOneRingisknowntoalltheWise.YourringisshowntobethatOneRingbythefire-writingalone,apartfromanyotherevidence.’
’Andwhendidyoudiscoverthat?’askedFrodo,interrupting.
’Justnowinthisroom,ofcourse,’answeredthewizardsharply.’ButIexpectedtofindit.Ihavecomebackfromdarkjourneysandlongsearchtomakethatfinaltest.Itisthelastproof,andallisnowonlytooclear.MakingoutGollum’spart,andfittingitintothegapinthehistory,requiredsomethought.ImayhavestartedwithguessesaboutGollum,butIamnotguessingnow.Iknow.Ihaveseenhim.’
’YouhaveseenGollum?’exclaimedFrodoinamazement.
