Властелин колец: Братство кольца
The Shadow of the Past
Aslongasyouneverusedit,IdidnotthinkthattheRingwouldhaveanylastingeffectonyou,notforevil,notatanyrateforaverylongtime.Andyoumustrememberthatnineyearsago,whenIlastsawyou,Istillknewlittleforcertain.’
’Butwhynotdestroyit,asyousayshouldhavebeendonelongago?’criedFrodoagain.Ifyouhadwarnedme,orevensentmeamessage,Iwouldhavedoneawaywithit.’
’Wouldyou?Howwouldyoudothat?Haveyouevertried?’
’No.ButIsupposeonecouldhammeritormeltit.’
’Try!’saidGandalf.’Trynow!’
FrododrewtheRingoutofhispocketagainandlookedatit.Itnowappearedplainandsmooth,withoutmarkordevicethathecouldsee.Thegoldlookedveryfairandpure,andFrodothoughthowrichandbeautifulwasitscolour,howperfectwasitsroundness.Itwasanadmirablethingandaltogetherprecious.Whenhetookitouthehadintendedtoflingitfromhimintotheveryhottestpartofthefire.Buthefoundnowthathecouldnotdoso,notwithoutagreatstruggle.HeweighedtheRinginhishand,hesitating,andforcinghimselftorememberallthatGandalfhadtoldhim;andthenwithaneffortofwillhemadeamovement,asiftocastitaway—buthefoundthathehadputitbackinhispocket.
Gandalflaughedgrimly.’Yousee?Alreadyyoutoo,Frodo,cannoteasilyletitgo,norwilltodamageit.AndIcouldnot"make"you—exceptbyforce,whichwouldbreakyourmind.ButasforbreakingtheRing,forceisuseless.Evenifyoutookitandstruckitwithaheavysledge-hammer,itwouldmakenodintinit.Itcannotbeunmadebyyourhands,orbymine.
