Властелин колец: Братство кольца

           ’Well,thatwasyearsago.Ihavepaidforitsincewithmanydarkanddangerousdays.ThetrailwaslongcoldwhenItookitupagain,afterBilbolefthere.Andmysearchwouldhavebeeninvain,butforthehelpthatIhadfromafriend:Aragorn,thegreatesttravellerandhuntsmanofthisageoftheworld.TogetherwesoughtforGollumdownthewholelengthofWilderland,withouthope,andwithoutsuccess.Butatlast,whenIhadgivenupthechaseandturnedtootherparts,Gollumwasfound.Myfriendreturnedoutofthegreatperilsbringingthemiserablecreaturewithhim.

           ’Whathehadbeendoinghewouldnotsay.Heonlyweptandcalleduscruel,withmanyagolluminhisthroat;andwhenwepressedhimhewhinedandcringed,andrubbedhislonghands,lickinghisfingersasiftheypainedhim,asifherememberedsomeoldtorture.ButIamafraidthereisnopossibledoubt:hehadmadehisslow,sneakingway,stepbystep,milebymile,south,downatlasttotheLandofMordor.’

           Aheavysilencefellintheroom.Frodocouldhearhisheartbeating.Evenoutsideeverythingseemedstill.NosoundofSam’sshearscouldnowbeheard.

           ’Yes,toMordor,’saidGandalf.’Alas!Mordordrawsallwickedthings,andtheDarkPowerwasbendingallitswilltogatherthemthere.TheRingoftheEnemywouldleaveitsmark,too,leavehimopentothesummons.AndallfolkwerewhisperingthenofthenewShadowintheSouth,anditshatredoftheWest.Therewerehisfinenewfriends,whowouldhelphiminhisrevenge!

           ’Wretchedfool!Inthatlandhewouldlearnmuch,toomuchforhiscomfort.Andsoonerorlaterashelurkedandpriedonthebordershewouldbecaught,andtaken—forexamination.