Властелин колец: Братство кольца
The Shadow of the Past
Doyoumeantosaythatyou,andtheElves,havelethimliveonafterallthosehorribledeeds?NowatanyrateheisasbadasanOrc,andjustanenemy.Hedeservesdeath.’
’Deservesit!Idaresayhedoes.Manythatlivedeservedeath.Andsomethatdiedeservelife.Canyougiveittothem?Thendonotbetooeagertodealoutdeathinjudgement.Foreventheverywisecannotseeallends.IhavenotmuchhopethatGollumcanbecuredbeforehedies,butthereisachanceofit.AndheisboundupwiththefateoftheRing.Myhearttellsmethathehassomeparttoplayyet,forgoodorill,beforetheend;andwhenthatcomes,thepityofBilbomayrulethefateofmany—yoursnotleast.Inanycasewedidnotkillhim:heisveryoldandverywretched.TheWood-elveshavehiminprison,buttheytreathimwithsuchkindnessastheycanfindintheirwisehearts.’
’Allthesame,’saidFrodo,’evenifBilbocouldnotkillGollum,IwishhehadnotkepttheRing.Iwishhehadneverfoundit,andthatIhadnotgotit!Whydidyouletmekeepit?Whydidn’tyoumakemethrowitaway,or,ordestroyit?’
’Letyou?Makeyou?’saidthewizard.’Haven’tyoubeenlisteningtoallthatIhavesaid?Youarenotthinkingofwhatyouaresaying.Butasforthrowingitaway,thatwasobviouslywrong.TheseRingshaveawayofbeingfound.Inevilhandsitmighthavedonegreatevil.Worstofall,itmighthavefallenintothehandsoftheEnemy.Indeeditcertainlywould;forthisistheOne,andheisexertingallhispowertofinditordrawittohimself.
’Ofcourse,mydearFrodo,itwasdangerousforyou;andthathastroubledmedeeply.ButtherewassomuchatstakethatIhadtotakesomerisk—thoughevenwhenIwasfarawaytherehasneverbeenadaywhentheShirehasnotbeenguardedbywatchfuleyes.
