Властелин колец: Братство кольца
The Shadow of the Past
Thatwasthewayofit,Ifear.Whenhewasfoundhehadalreadybeentherelong,andwasonhiswayback.Onsomeerrandofmischief.Butthatdoesnotmattermuchnow.Hisworstmischiefwasdone.
’Yes,alas!throughhimtheEnemyhaslearnedthattheOnehasbeenfoundagain.HeknowswhereIsildurfell.HeknowswhereGollumfoundhisring.HeknowsthatitisaGreatRing,foritgavelonglife.HeknowsthatitisnotoneoftheThree,fortheyhaveneverbeenlost,andtheyendurenoevil.HeknowsthatitisnotoneoftheSeven,ortheNine,fortheyareaccountedfor.HeknowsthatitistheOne.Andhehasatlastheard,Ithink,ofhobbitsandtheShire.
’TheShire—hemaybeseekingforitnow,ifhehasnotalreadyfoundoutwhereitlies.Indeed,Frodo,Ifearthathemayeventhinkthatthelong-unnoticednameofBagginshasbecomeimportant.’
’Butthisisterrible!’criedFrodo.’FarworsethantheworstthatIimaginedfromyourhintsandwarnings.OGandalf,bestoffriends,whatamItodo?FornowIamreallyafraid.WhatamItodo?WhatapitythatBilbodidnotstabthatvilecreature,whenhehadachance!’
’Pity?ItwasPitythatstayedhishand.Pity,andMercy:nottostrikewithoutneed.Andhehasbeenwellrewarded,Frodo.Besurethathetooksolittlehurtfromtheevil,andescapedintheend,becausehebeganhisownershipoftheRingso.WithPity.’
’Iamsorry,’saidFrodo.’ButIamfrightened;andIdonotfeelanypityforGollum.’
’Youhavenotseenhim,’Gandalfbrokein.
’No,andIdon’twantto,’saidFrodo.’Ican’tunderstandyou.
