Властелин колец: Братство кольца
The Shadow of the Past
’Yes.Theobviousthingtodo,ofcourse,ifonecould.Itriedlongago;butIhavemanageditatlast.’
’ThenwhathappenedafterBilboescapedfromhim?Doyouknowthat?’
’Notsoclearly.WhatIhavetoldyouiswhatGollumwaswillingtotell—thoughnot,ofcourse,inthewayIhavereportedit.Gollumisaliar,andyouhavetosifthiswords.Forinstance,hecalledtheRinghis"birthdaypresent",andhestucktothat.Hesaiditcamefromhisgrandmother,whohadlotsofbeautifulthingsofthatkind.Aridiculousstory.IhavenodoubtthatSmeagol’sgrandmotherwasamatriarch,agreatpersoninherway,buttotalkofherpossessingmanyElven-ringswasabsurd,andasforgivingthemaway,itwasalie.Butaliewithagrainoftruth.
’ThemurderofDeagolhauntedGollum,andhehadmadeupadefence,repeatingittohis"precious"overandoveragain,ashegnawedbonesinthedark,untilhealmostbelievedit.Itwashisbirthday.Deagoloughttohavegiventheringtohim.Ithadpreviouslyturnedupjustsoastobeapresent.Itwashisbirthdaypresent,andsoon,andon.
’IenduredhimaslongasIcould,butthetruthwasdesperatelyimportant,andintheendIhadtobeharsh.Iputthefearoffireonhim,andwrungthetruestoryoutofhim,bitbybit,togetherwithmuchsnivellingandsnarling.Hethoughthewasmisunderstoodandill-used.Butwhenhehadatlasttoldmehishistory,asfarastheendoftheRiddle-gameandBilbo’sescape,hewouldnotsayanymore,exceptindarkhints.Someotherfearwasonhimgreaterthanmine.
