Chapter 14 Section 2: Elrond's Council - 1

Next day Frodo rose early, feeling refreshed.He walked along the noisy Brunan River, watching the pale sun rise from behind the distant mountains, dispelling the thin silver mist.The dew glistened on the yellow leaves, and almost every bush had a shiny cobweb.Sam walked beside him, not saying a word, but sniffing the fresh air; occasionally casting awe-inspiring glances at the towering mountains to the east, whose tops were still frozen with snow. As soon as they turned the corner, they met Gandalf and Bilbo, who were discussing something. "Hello! Good morning!" said Bilbo. "Are you ready for the Great Council?" "I am ready for any challenge," replied Frodo; Go and see the pine forest over there," he said, pointing to the hillside north of Rivendell.

"You may have your chance later on," said Gandalf, "but don't make too many plans just yet. There is much news to hear and many things to decide today." Suddenly, while they were talking, a clear voice rang out. ringtone. "This is the bell for Elrond's council," cried Gandalf. "Come quickly! You and Bilbo will be there." Frodo and Bilbo followed the wizard up the path, and soon to the Great House; Sam, who was forgotten and not invited, followed the crowd. Gandalf led the crowd to the porch where Frodo had met his friends earlier.The clear morning light in autumn has shone unsparingly in the valley, and the sound of gurgling water, chirping birds and a sense of peace fill the earth.For Frodo, the previous escape and the rumors of the expansion of the dark outside have become blurred like waking from a nightmare.However, the people they met along the way all looked dignified.

Elrond was there, and several others sat beside him.Frodo noticed Glorfindel and Gloin, and the Strider changed back into his travel shabby clothes again, and sat in a corner.Elrond took Frodo to sit beside him, and introduced him to all. "This, gentlemen, is Frodo, son of Drogo the hobbit. The dangers he has run, and the urgency of his task, have never been seen before." He then introduced Frodo to people whom he had not met before.Gloin was accompanied by another younger dwarf: his son Gimli.Beside Glorfindel were some of the elders of Elrond's command, and Erest was their leader; and beside him was Galdor.He is an elf from the coast of Grayhaven, who was ordered by the shipbuilder Cirdan to deliver a message here.There was also Legolas, a strange elf clothed all over in green and brown, son of Thranduil, king of the elves of Mirkwood, and the king's messenger.There was a tall human sitting some distance away from everyone. His facial features were handsome, exuding an aristocratic air, and his expression was very serious.

He was dressed like a traveler on horseback, but the material was rich, and the edge of his cloak was trimmed with fur.However, upon closer inspection, the clothes on his body were also stained with the wind and frost from the journey, the collar was dotted with a jewel in white, and his hair was shoulder-length.A sash hung from his body, and beneath it was a silver-tipped horn, now resting on his lap.He looked at Bilbo and Frodo, and there was a sudden curiosity in his eyes. "Here," said Elrond, turning to Gandalf, "is Boromir, the Men of the South. He came here early this morning, and seeks our assistance: I have invited him here, for here we shall be able to Answer his questions."

Here, we do not need to restate what was debated and discussed at the meeting.Many of the issues were related to the outside world, especially the situation in the south, in the lands east of the Misty Mountains.Frodo had heard much of these places.But the story Glo Yin told was something he had never heard before.And when he spoke, Frodo listened intently.It seems that even with so many great and beautiful buildings, the dwarves in the Lonely Mountain area still feel very troubled. "Many years ago," said Groin, "the commotion began among our people. We don't know when it started. People began talking in low voices, saying that we were the Dragon's Shoal, and that the world outside was not only wider , and many rich treasures of gold and silver. Some speak of Moria, the mighty subterranean mine and city of our ancestors, called Khasad-dum in our language. These declare, We have at last With enough power and numbers, we can return to our hometown.”

Gloria sighed. "Moria! Moria! Diamond of the North! We have dug too deep there, and have awakened an evil unknown. The halls of splendor have been empty long since the children of Turin fled there. But now, we are reminded again of that beautiful place, and at the same time, terrible memories are awakened. Khasad-dum has not been dared to enter for thousands of years since Thor, because even Thor died fighting there. Finally Instigated by these rumors, Bahrain finally decided to go to find out. Although Dan was reluctant to let him go, he finally let him go south with Ori, Orin, and many compatriots.”

"This was about thirty years ago. For a while, we heard some good news. It was said that they had entered Moria again, and started a new great project. Then, suddenly, there was no news, and it has been there until now. , and there has been no further news about it.” "Then, about a year ago, a messenger came to Dann, not from Moria, but from Mordor: a knight came to Dann's palace at midnight and called at the door. Sauron, he said, The Maharaja wants to establish diplomatic relations with us, and he is willing to give us a ring with magic power, just like in ancient times. And he is also very anxious to ask us about the hobbits; including what race they are, where they live, etc. .□Because Lord Sauron knew,□he said:□You once had a relationship with a hobbit.□」

"As soon as we heard the news, we felt very worried, so we didn't answer him. Then, his evil voice became low, and there was even a feeling of sweet talk. To win Lord Sauron's friendship, he only asked for this A little thing, □he said: □You must find the thief,□Here is what he said: □Whether he wants to or not, you must take a small ring from him, this is the little thing he stole .Compared to the kindness of Lord Sauron, this is really a small matter, and it is just a matter of little effort for you. If you find this ring, we will return the three rings owned by the dwarf ancestors, and we will restore Moria to you. Eternal eternity is under your rule. You only need to find the thief's residence and find out if he is still alive, and you will be rewarded with great rewards and Lord Sauron's friendship. If you refuse, everything may not go so smoothly. You How do you feel?□」

"As soon as he finished his sentence, there was a terrible hiss, and everyone in the vicinity shuddered. Dan replied: □I reserve my choice in this matter. Under good conditions, what does this mean?」 "□Think it over, but don't take too long,□ he said." "□how much time it takes is up to me,□Dan replied." "□Maybe now,□ he said, and turned and rode into the darkness." "Since that night, our chieftain has grown worried. We need not hear the voice of the corrupt to know that the other is a man with a sword in his mouth; for we already know that the Power of Return to Mordor has not changed for good, and he has never The dwarves have been betrayed many times before. The messenger came back twice, but did not get an answer, and he said that the third time will be the last time, and the time will be at the end of this year."

"So Dan sent me at last to warn Bilbo that the Enemy was seeking information from him; and, if possible, why he wanted so little a ring. And we sought love Lon's counsel, for the shadows were drawing nearer to our borders. We found that the messenger was also on his way to King Brand of the Vale, and he was so frightened that we feared he would back down. Brand's eastern frontier had Start a commotion, if we don't answer, the Demon King may send out humans under his banner to overthrow Brand and Dan." "You have come here wisely," said Elrond. "What you have heard today will give you an idea of ​​the purpose of the Enemy. You can only resist his power, hope or not. But you are not alone, You will know that the crisis encountered this time is not limited to you, but an unprecedented crisis in the entire western world. The Lord of the Rings! How should we deal with the Lord of the Rings? This insignificant ring, this little thing that Sauron wants? This is The doomsday crisis we must face up to."

"This is also the reason why you were summoned to me. Strangers from foreign lands, although I did not inform you, I still use the term summoning. You came here at this critical moment by chance. It seems that it may be just Coincidence, but it's not that simple. Believe it or not, we are actually here by destiny to deal with the crisis of the end of the world with our meager strength." "Therefore, the confidential information that has only been known to a few people until today must be discussed publicly here. We must first explain the origin of the Lord of the Rings from the beginning, so that we can let everyone understand what the situation is this time. Then by I started, and someone else ended this history for me." Everyone listened to Elrond's clear voice describing the relationship between Sauron and the Ring of Power and how they were forged in the Second Era. Some people present already knew part of the story, but none Man knows the whole picture of the whole story.Many looked upon Elrond with fear and astonishment when he spoke of the friendship between the Elven-smiths of Erejan and Moria, and how their thirst for knowledge was exploited by Sauron, for then, The world does not know the evil nature of Sauron, so it readily accepts his assistance.As their power grew, Sauron learned all the secrets; then he betrayed them, and quietly forged the One Ring to rule the Rings in the volcano, but Celebrimbor discovered him at once. The plot to hide the three rings he made; then a war broke out, and the land was ravaged by the flames of war for a while, and the gate of Moria was closed from then on. Then, he detailed the process of the Lord of the Rings' ups and downs in history; since this story has already been mentioned before, the materials quoted by Elrond from his profound historical knowledge will not be quoted here.It's a long story, full of intrigue and heroic sacrifice.Though Elrond kept his story as short as possible, by the time he had finished, the sun was high in the sky, and the morning was over with his words. He also speaks of the splendor and fall of Númenor, and of the history of the Emperor who crossed the deep sea and returned to Middle-earth on the wings of the tempest.The great Elendil and his two sons, Isildur and Anarion, became famous in history; they founded the northern kingdom in Arnor, and the southern kingdom in Gondor at the mouth of Anduin.But Sauron of Mordor rose against them, and Elendil and Gil-galad formed the last alliance of Men and Elves, and the host gathered in Arnor. At this point, Elrond paused for a moment, and sighed, "It reminds me of their banners again," he said, "I couldn't help thinking of the angry horses in Beleriand's army in ancient times, (Annotation 1) At that time there were so many nobles and generals who were brave and good at fighting, but it was still not as good as the battle array when Shan Golodrome was breached. The elves thought that evil was destroyed forever, but it was not. " "Do you remember all of this?" Frodo was so surprised that he lost his composure and uttered the question in his heart aloud. "But I thought," stammered Elrond, when he turned his head, "that Gil-galad died a long time ago." "Indeed," said Elrond gravely, "but my remembrance goes back to ancient times. Elendil was my father, born before the fall of Gondolin; and my mother was Daughter of Dio, son of Lucien and Doriath. I have seen the West rise and fall through three ages, many defeats, many meaningless victories." "I am the vanguard of Gil-galad, marching with the troops. I also took part in the battle of Dagora before the black gate of Mordor. By the spear of Gil-galad and the sword of Elendil, we Overwhelming: Aegloth and Nasher are unstoppable weapons. I witnessed the final battle on the slopes of Oroduin; Gil-galad fell, Elendil fell , and the holy sword of Nasher was broken under his body. But in the end Sauron was defeated, and Isildur used the fragments of the holy sword to cut off Sauron's finger and took the Lord of the Rings as his own. " Upon hearing this, the stranger Boromir interjected, "So this is where the Lord of the Rings went!" He shouted, "Even if the Southern Kingdom ever knew this story, it would have long been lost in the torrent of history." I have heard of the Ring of Rulership possessed by the Nameless One whom we will not name; but we believe that the Ring was destroyed in his first dominion, and it was Isildurna Let's go! This is really unexpected!" "Ah! yes," said Elrond, "it is a great pity that Isildur did take the Ring. We should have thrown it at once into the Crater of Oroduin, and when it was Destroy it in the place where it was cast! But not many people noticed Isildur's actions at that time. In that final duel of the commander-in-chief, he was the only survivor of mankind, and Gilgalad was only left with me and Cirdan and the others, but Isildur did not listen to our persuasion at that time." "□I will keep this as a treasure in memory of my father and brother.□ he said. Therefore, wherever we go, he cherishes it. But soon after, he was betrayed by this ring and died on the battlefield. Therefore, In the northern kingdoms, they all call the Lord of the Rings Isildur's slayer. But, compared with the fate he may encounter, death may still be happier." "Only the inhabitants of the North know of this state of affairs, and very few of them. Boromir, no wonder you have never heard the story. From the ruins of Gradtan's Fields, only three survivors have trekked Water returned to the civilized world. One of them was Ota, he was the follower of Isildur and the carrier of the holy sword fragment. He gave the fragment to Valandir. Since Valandir was only A child, so he was left in Rivendell. Since then, the broken sword of Nasher has lost its light, and has never been reforged." "Do I think the victory of the Last Alliance was meaningless? Not quite, but it did not accomplish what was really important. Sauron was slain, but not destroyed, his ring was lost, but not destroyed. Destroyed, the evil black tower was crushed, but its foundation stone was not destroyed, because these were built by the power of the Lord of the Rings, as long as the Lord of the Rings is not destroyed, the tower will continue to exist. In this In this war, many humans and elves, as well as their allies, died on the battlefield. Anarion was killed, Isildur was slain, Gil-galad and Elendil were also wiped out. The relationship between humans and elves It was impossible to form an alliance between men, because the Men multiplied, and the Elves dwindled, and the two became estranged, and since then the blood of Númenor was thinned, and their lifespan was greatly diminished." "After the massacre on the Gladden Plains, the members of the western royal family gradually decreased; their city of Anuminas beside Lake Evendine also fell into ruins. The descendants of Valendir moved to the high slopes of Beigang Fornoster, now there are no bricks and tiles left. People call it the Embankment of the Dead, and they are too afraid to approach it. Because the population of Arno is constantly decreasing, the enemy eats them up, and the throne is lost. In this way, the ashes are wiped out and turned into green hills and barren mounds." "In the south the kingdom of Gondor multiplied and flourished, and its splendor shone for a while, recalling the splendor of Númenor Lushen before. Towers and forts were built, and harbors were dug for great ships and great ships; The winged crown of the Emperor is revered by countless races. Their chief city is Osgiliath, the fortress of the stars, with the great river flowing through the center of the fortress. They also built Minas Ithil, the rising moon on the eastern slope of the Shadow Mountains. And at the western foot of the White Mountains they built Minas Anor, the Tower of the Setting Sun. There the King planted a holy white tree in his palace, The seed of this plant was brought over by Isildur across the sea, and the original tree came from Ilasia, and before that it came from the Far West in ancient times." "But, in those troubled days, Merendiel, son of Anarion, died leaving no heir, and the royal line was cut off, and the White Tree withered. The blood of Númenor and the blood of mortals began Then, the watchers of the walls of Mordor slackened, and many monsters sneaked back to Gorgoroth. After a long time, the monsters suddenly came out and captured Minas Ithil, cursing it into a horror The place where is now called Minas Morgul, the Tower of Hell. Minas Anor was then renamed Minas Tirith, the Tower of the Guard. The two cities fell into a never-ending war; Between the two, Osgiliath was reduced to ruins in the flames of war, and evil forces roamed among them." "This has been going on for a long time, but the royal family of Minas Tirith has fought unremittingly to hold back the enemy's power for us, and to keep the passage between Argonus and the sea open. Now, I can tell you the story The end is near, for during that time Isildur's Ring of Ruler escaped the track of history, and the other three Rings of Power were at last free from its power. But, now, the three The Ring of Power is once again in crisis, as we regret to discover that the One Ring has reappeared, and I leave it to others how to find it, as I have not come out What power." As soon as he stopped, Boromir raised his head and stood proudly. "Lord Elrond, please allow me to speak," he said, "let me first tell you about the situation in Gondor. As I am from Gondor, it will definitely be in your interest to let you know the situation there. Because, I think , only a few of you here know what happened there, and therefore, you don’t know what the situation you will face if Gondor falls.” "Don't think that the blood of Númenor has faded in the land of Gondor, and don't think that the self-esteem and pride of the predecessors have faded into history. Under our sacrifice and struggle, the eastern barbarians are still suppressed and cannot invade at will; The evil spirit of the estuary cannot spread under the seal of our body as a shield. Therefore, behind us, that is, the entire West, can maintain peace and freedom. However, if the right of way at the mouth of the river is captured, there will be how is it?" "It is worrying that this moment may not be far away. The nameless demon king has been reincarnated again. The smoke of the wolf rises again from the mountains of Oroduin, which we call Mount Doom. The power of the dark land continues to grow. We can only Gritting our teeth and struggling. When the demon king returned, our compatriots were driven out of Ithilien and abandoned the beautiful homeland east of the river, but we still stationed there with heavy troops and kept harassing the enemy. Just this year, the six In the month of the month, Mordor suddenly sent a large army to attack us, and we suffered an unprecedented defeat. We were outnumbered, because Mordor made an alliance with the Easterners and the cruel Haradrin this time, but it was not because of It’s not a difference in numbers, but we’re sensing a force like never before.” "Some say they can see these powers; like a great knight in black and black armor in the moonlight, and wherever they go, the enemy turns into bloodthirsty beasts, and even our bravest The brave felt chills down their spines; the men and horses gave way and were routed. Only a handful of our Eastern Legion survived the massacre, and they destroyed the last bridge in the ruins of Osgiliath to escape birthday." "I was the defender in charge of guarding that bridge, and watched as the bridge was destroyed under our feet. We swam to the shore with all our strength, and only my brother and two other soldiers were left. A major blow, we still fought unremittingly; Barely defended all the strongholds on the west bank of the Anduin. If the residents we guard one day know the sacrifices we have made, they should praise us; even if there is verbal praise, it will not Any real help. So far, only the Hussars of Rohan are left to help us when we need it." "In this dark hour, I have come over many dangers, just to see Elrond. I have traveled a hundred and ten days alone, but I have not sought allies in battle. Elrond is stronger than his Wisdom, not his weapon. I have come for the guidance of a verse. For, before that sudden attack, my brother had a dream; after that, he had the same dream, and I entered Same dream." "In the dream, I found that the eastern sky was covered with dark clouds, and thunder was rumbling, but in the west there was still a pale light shining, from which I heard a distant but clear voice shouting:" Where does the holy sword go when it breaks: Appeared in Imratri; Here all will meet, Unity is better than the Devil's Cave Hall, There will be a sign there, The end will come without doubt, Goodbye Isildurbane, The halfling stepped forward. "I can only understand a part of it. We ask Godfather King Denethor, King of Minas Tirith, who knows the history of Gondor very well. He only wants to say that Imlatri is a city in the north in the Elvish language. The name of the distant valley in which Elrond and the other half-elves lived. My brother, therefore, seeing how urgent the danger was, wanted to go on a journey to find Imlatri. But because The journey was full of dangers and worries, so I decided to go on a journey to find this place myself. My father, the king, was so reluctant to let me go that he let me go. I embarked on a path long forgotten by all. , to find the dwelling place of Elrond, many have heard of it, but not many know its exact location." "Here is Elrond's dwelling, and you will see more signs," said Aragorn, rising.He took off the sword and placed it on the table in front of Elrond. It was a broken sword. "This is the Holy Broken Sword!" he said. "Who are you? What are you related to Minas Tirith?" Boromir looked at the thin man in shabby clothes curiously. "He is Aragorn son of Arathorn," said Elrond; "he is the direct son of Isildur and Elendil, and leader of the few remaining Dundan in the North." "Then it should be yours, not mine at all!" Frodo stood up in amazement, as if expecting someone to come and take the Ring from him at once. "It belongs to no one," said Aragorn, "but the prophecy says you should keep it." "Offer the Ring, Frodo!" said Gandalf gravely. "The time has come, take out the Ring, and Boromir will understand the second half of his riddle." There was a sudden silence, and everyone looked at Frodo.He suddenly felt a little ashamed and a little scared, and he was extremely unwilling to take out the magic ring, hated seeing it, and wished he could hide away.When he took it up with trembling hands, it shone with an evil light. "This is Isildur's slayer!" said Elrond. When Boromir saw the gold ring, a gleam came into his eyes. "Here are halflings!" he murmured. "Has Minas Tirith come to an end? But why do we seek a broken sword?" "The end of Minas Tirith is not spoken of in the prophecy," said Aragorn; "but it is a dreadful end and a most dangerous challenge before us, for this broken sword is the The weapon that Randyll held when he died in battle. Even though all other family heirlooms have been lost, this broken sword is still the most cherished item of his descendants. Because, there has always been a legend in my family that when the Lord of the Rings, Egypt When Siddor's nemesis reappears, the holy sword will be reforged. Now that you have found the broken sword, what more do you need? Do you wish the royal house of Elendil to return to Gondor?" "I'm not here to beg anyone to do me favors, but to seek a solution to a riddle," said Boromir proudly, "but we are indeed in danger, and it is true that we do not have the holy sword of Elendil. Expected hope. Only, we are not sure if the sword will ever emerge from dusty history." He looked at Aragorn again, doubt in his eyes. Frodo sensed that Bilbo seemed to be impatient with his friend's reaction.Suddenly he stood up and chanted aloud: What shines is not real gold, Traveling all over the world without getting lost; Ancient and everlasting, How afraid of being soaked in frost and ice when the roots are deep. A hundred calamities of fire will bring Su Sheng back to life, Brilliance pierces the darkness. The Day of Reforging the Broken Holy Sword, The uncrowned king is king again. "Perhaps not very well, but if you want something other than Elrond's assurance, this should hit the spot. If Elrond's advice is worth a hundred and ten days' journey, then you'd better be good Listen carefully to what the other party has to say." He snorted and sat down. "I made it up myself," he whispered to Frodo; "that's when I met Denardan, I wrote to him the first time he told me about his life.I wished my adventures hadn't come to an end, to be out with him when his time came. " Aragorn smiled at him, and turned to Boromir again. "From my standpoint, I will pardon your doubts," he said, "I am very different from Isildur and Elendil in splendor in Denethor's palace. I am only Isildur Son of God, not himself. I have lived a long and arduous time, and my journey from here to Gondor pales in comparison to my adventures. I have crossed mountains and rivers and plains, and I have even reached the stars Foreign countries such as Rune and Harald, whose arrangement is different.” "However, the place in this world that can barely be called my hometown is still in the north, because the descendants of Valanduil have lived there for a long time. Our history is getting darker, and the number of people is gradually decreasing. Few, but a broken sword always passes to the next heir. Before I finish, Boromir, I must make clear where we stand. We rangers in the wild are lonely travelers and hunters; we are the devil's minions. hunters. The forces of darkness are not limited to Mordor, they haunt many other regions." "Borromir, if Gondor is regarded as the watchtower of the free world, then we are acting as the unknown guardian army. There are many monsters that cannot be stopped by your high walls and sharp swords. Little is known. You spoke of peace and liberty, and the northern lands would not have known the meaning of those four words without our sacrifice. They might be destroyed by fear. But if monsters invade unclaimed hills or It's a forest that doesn't see the sun, so we have to hunt and drive them away. If all the Dundan people fall asleep or step into their tombs, how can the northern land rest in peace, and how can people walk freely on the road roaming?" "However, we have received even less thanks than you. The tourists glared at us, and the villagers gave us all kinds of nicknames. There was a fat man who lived in a town that was a day's journey from the monsters and called me Godstrider. □, if it weren't for our relentless watch, this monster could have left him speechless, and even destroyed the entire town. But we can't let it go, if simple people can be free from fear and worry troubles, we must keep them innocent, and all this must be done in secret, as seasons and seasons come and go, such is the never-ending task of my people.” "The great wheel of history has started to turn again, and a new era has begun. Isildur's nemesis has appeared, and we are about to face a great war. The holy sword must be recast. I will go to Minas Tirith myself." "You said just now that Isildur's nemesis is alive," Boromir countered, "but I just saw a halfling with a gold ring in his hand; and Isildur was slain at the beginning of this era, wise man How could you know that this is the legendary nemesis? How did this ring pass down from generation to generation, and finally appeared in the hands of such a strange messenger?" "We will explain the matter," said Elrond. "My lord, please take your time!" said Bilbo. "It's the middle of the day, and I think it's time to find something to replenish my energy." "I haven't introduced you yet," Elrond said with a smile. "Now it's your turn. Come on! Tell us your story. If you haven't written it in poetry, you can report it in spoken language. Time will tell you The shorter, the quicker you can eat." "Okay," said Bilbo, "as you will. But I'll tell the true story this time, and those of you here may have heard a different version," and he looked at Gloin meaningfully. "I hope they can forget the past and forgive me. Back then, I only hoped that I could take this treasure as my own and get rid of the stigma of being a thief. But now, maybe I have a more thorough understanding of the world. In short, this It's the truth of the matter..." It was a new story to many; they watched in amazement as the old hobbit spoke with gusto about his battle of wits with Gollum.He didn't miss a single puzzle, and if Elrond hadn't intervened, he might have been prepared to describe all the way to the Last Banquet and his mysterious disappearance. "Well said, my friend," said he, "and this is the end of the description now. We know that the Ring is in the hands of your successor, Frodo, and it is his time to speak!" Frodo then began, somewhat reluctantly, to describe the day the Ring had come into his hands.After questioning and deliberating every step of his adventure between Hobbiton and Brunan's Ferry, and checking everything he could recall about the Black Knight, he finally sat down. "Nice," said Bilbo to him, "it would be a good story if it weren't for these fellows interrupting all the time. I've just tried to take notes; but if I'm going to write it down in the future, it'll be a good story tonight." We should talk again when we have time.I could write a whole chapter on what happened before you came here! " "It is a long story, yes," answered Frodo, "but it does not seem complete to me, especially about Gandalf." Galdo, who was sitting near him, also heard what he said. "You speak from my heart," he cried, and turning to Elrond, "the sage may have good reason to prove that the ring in the halfling's little treasury is the One Ring, but we may hear the proof Is it? And I have another question, what about Saruman? He is an expert on the Lord of the Rings, but he is not here this time. If he had heard the information we just heard, what would his opinion be? " "Galdo, the questions you just asked can actually be combined into one," Elrond said, "I didn't deliberately ignore these questions, and you can learn the exact answer later. But all this should be explained by Gandalf , I’ll ask him last because it shows my respect for him, and he’s the one behind it all.” "Galdor, some may think," said Gandalf, "that Frodo's hunt, and the story of Gloin, are proofs that hobbit treasures are of great value to the Enemy. But it is only It’s just a ring, so what? The Ring Spirits guard the nine rings, and the seven dwarf rings have either been taken away or destroyed.” Groin moved uneasily, but did not speak. "We know where the other three are. So what's the background to this ring that made him so hungry?" "It is true that there was a long gap in history between the loss of the great river and its reappearance in the mountains. However, even news unknown to the sages has come to light through my efforts, but it has been too long. It was too late, because the Demon King was already chasing after him, and he was closer than we imagined. Fortunately, he didn't know the whole picture of the incident until this year, this summer." 「有些人或许记得，许多年以前，我大胆地侵入位在多尔哥多的死灵法师巢穴，悄悄地刺探他的秘密，并发现了一个惊人的事实：我们的恐惧果然成真了，他就是魔王索伦，经过漫长的时间再度转生到人世间。有些人，也会记得萨鲁曼劝说我们不要公开和索伦为敌，有很长的一段时间，我们对他的扩张袖手旁观。但是，最后，随著他的力量逐渐增长，萨鲁曼也不得不低头，圣白议会使出全力，将邪恶赶出了幽暗密林，就在那一年，魔戒刚好现世，如果这是巧合的话，还真是个奇怪的巧合。」 「但是，正如同爱隆所预见的一样，我们已经太迟了。索伦也在监视著我们，早已准备好面对我们发动的攻击，他从九戒灵居住的米那斯魔窟，远远地遥控魔多的运作。他刻意在我们面前示弱，假意逃跑，目的只是在不久之后前往邪黑塔，公开宣称魔王已经再临。然后，圣白议会最后一次召开，我们听说他正在饥渴地寻找至尊魔戒。我们都担心他已经获知了我们所不知道的情报， 但萨鲁曼否认这件事情，重复了他之前一直对我们发表了理论：至尊魔戒永远不可能再出现于中土世界。」 「□最糟的状况不过是，□他说：□我们的敌人知道魔戒不在我们手中， 依旧没人知道它的下落。但他以为魔戒终还有再度出现的一天。别害怕！他的希望会让他分心。我不是已经仔细研究过这件事情了吗？魔戒落入大河安都因中，很久以前，当索伦还在沈睡的时候，这枚戒指早就被冲入海，就让它在那边安息直到万物终局。□」 甘道夫沈默下来，从门廊往东看向遥远的迷雾山脉，看著那块末日危机隐匿了那么久，却无人知晓的区域，他叹了口气。 「我在那时犯了个致命的错误，」他说：「我被贤者萨鲁曼的甜言蜜语所欺骗；如果我早点发现，就会早点开始寻求真相，我们现在所面临的局势就不会这么危急。」 「我们都有责任，」爱隆表示：「如果不是有你锲而不舍的努力，黑暗可能早已降临。继续吧！」 「打从一开始，我心里就觉得不对劲；即使所有理性的证据都叫我不要怀疑，我还是压抑不住内心的那股不安。」甘道夫说：「我想要知道这个东西怎么落到咕鲁手上，他又拥有这东西多久。所以，我派人监视他；预料过不了多久，他就会离开黑暗，前来寻找他的宝物。他的确来了，但他却以狡猾的天性从天罗地网中脱逃，消失得无影无踪。唉，最糟糕的状况来了！我竟然就把事情搁在一旁，等待局势有所变化；就像我们平日那种被动的表现一样。」 「我在忙碌中度过了很长的时间，突然间，我的疑虑惊醒过来，转变成恐惧。那哈比人的戒指是怎么来的？如果我的担心属实，我们又该怎么处理这只魔戒？这些是我必须做出决定的大事，但我不敢对任何人开口，担心万一消息走漏，可能反而会造成世界陷入重大的危机。在我们和邪黑塔抗战的这么多年以来，出卖与背叛一直是我们最大的敌人。」 「那是十七年前的事了。很快地，我开始感应到有各种各样的间谍聚集在夏尔一带，甚至连无辜的鸟兽都被卷入，我变得担心。因此，我召唤登丹人的协助，他们布下更严密的守卫，最后，迫不得已，我对埃西铎的直系子孙亚拉冈吐露了实情。」 「而我，」亚拉冈接口道：「建议了一件事：虽然看来已经太迟，但我们还是应该立刻开始追捕咕鲁。而且，由埃西铎的子孙来补偿埃西铎犯下的错误看来是理所当然的；因此，我和甘道夫一起进行这漫长而无望的搜捕行动。」 甘道夫描述了他们如何彻底搜索整个荒野地区，甚至连黯影山脉和魔多的外墙都没有放过。「我们听说了一些关于他的传闻，我们猜测他在黑暗的山丘中居住了很长的一段时间；但我们一直没有找到他，最后我放弃了。在绝望中， 我想到了一个测试，或许可以不需要咕鲁的协助，就可以确定我们的怀疑。那枚戒指本身可能会透露它就是至尊魔戒，圣白议会中萨鲁曼的发言这时又回到我脑海中，当时我没有多加注意，但那时又清楚地出现在我脑海中。」 「□人类九戒、矮人七戒和精灵三戒，□他说：□每一枚都镶有独特的宝石，但至尊魔戒并非如此。那是枚光滑、毫无装饰的戒指，看来如同毫不起眼的低廉戒指一般，但铸造者在其上留下了线索，或许今日仍有能人能够发现这些迹象。□」 「这是什么线索他就没有说明了；我放弃了这次追踪，飞快赶往刚铎。 在过去，我辈于该处受到极大的礼遇，特别是萨鲁曼。通常，他会停留在城中， 担任城主的座上宾。但我所遇见的迪耐瑟却没有过去那么友善，他极端不情愿地才容许我在他的众多卷轴和书籍中进行搜索。」 「□如果你的确只想要知道的是古代的纪录，这座城建城初期的史料， 那么就去吧！□他说：□因为对我来说，未来会比过去要黑暗多了，而我的全副心力必须放在现代。除非你比萨鲁曼还要厉害，否则你是不可能在这边找到什么的。他在此地花了极长的时间研究，却一无所获。我是此城的历史传承者， 你不可能找到我所不知道的史实。□」 「这是迪耐瑟的说法。但是，在他大量的藏书中的确有许多资料只有极少数的人能够阅读。因为许多语言的失传，导致后人根本无法看懂先祖的记载， 连历史传承者都无法理解其中的内容。波罗莫，米那斯提力斯现在还有一只卷轴，自从国王驾崩之后，只有我和萨鲁曼阅读过，那是埃西铎自己写的卷轴。 因为，当初埃西铎并没有如同历史所记载的一样，直接前往魔多开战。」 「或许那是北方人所记载的历史，」波罗莫插嘴道：「刚铎的所有人都知道，他先去米那斯雅诺和表亲梅兰迪尔居住了一段时间，在将南方王国移交给他前，他先试著指导他为王之道。那时，他为了纪念兄长，在该处种下了圣白树的根苗。」 「同时，他也写下了该只卷轴，」甘道夫说：「看来，刚铎没人记得这件事情。因为，这卷轴记载的是有关魔戒的事情，埃西铎写道： 统御之戒从此成为北方王国的国宝；但有关它的记载则应该留于刚铎，亦是伊兰迪尔子孙的繁衍之地。以备未来有关这些重要事务的记忆被历史的洪流所冲刷而去。 「接下来则是埃西铎描述他所找到的至尊魔戒。」 当我刚捡起它的时候，它烫得如同烙铁一样，连我的手都烫伤了；让我怀疑是否日后都必须背负著这样的疼痛。但是，就在我下笔的同时，戒指开始慢慢冷却，似乎开始缩小，而它的美丽和外型都没有丝毫的减损。之前如同 烈火一般的文字现在也开始渐渐黯淡，变得不可辨认。那是用伊瑞詹的精灵语言所撰写的文字；因为魔多绝没有这么细致的语言。我不懂上面所写的文字， 我猜想那该是黑暗之地的语言，充满了恶臭和不祥的音调。我不知道上面写些什么邪恶的内容，但我在此抄写一份，免得它就此消失不见。魔戒或许吸收了魔王索伦乌黑双手的高热；吉尔加拉德就是死在那双魔爪之下。或许，如果金戒指经过再度加热，那文字又会出现。不过，我自己可是不敢冒险伤到这宝物； 这是索伦的创造物中唯一美丽得不可逼视的作品，我付出了极多的痛苦才换到它，这对我来说极端珍贵。 「当我找到这些文字之后，我的任务结束了。因为那段文字的确如同埃西铎所推测的，是魔多和魔王仆从使用的语言。上面所写的内容已经为大家所熟知。因为，当索伦戴上至尊魔戒的那一天，三戒的铸造者赛勒布理鹏就从远方感应到了他的语言，听见了他所说的话语；他的邪恶阴谋就这么被揭发于世人眼前。」 「我一离开迪耐瑟的领土，就立刻往北走。罗瑞安来的消息指出，亚拉冈往那个方向走，而他找到了那个叫作咕鲁的生物。因此我必须先去和他见面， 听听他的说法。我不敢想像他到底冒了多大的危险才找到这个恐怖的生物。」 「那都不足挂齿，」亚拉冈说：「如果有人必须要走到暗黑之门前，或是踩在魔窟谷的剧毒花朵上，那么他肯定是会有危险的。那时，我最后也放弃了希望，开始回家的旅程。就在同时，在幸运女神的眷顾下，我突然间找到了目标：在泥泞池边的小小脚印，不只如此，那脚印十分新，是没有多久以前造成的。我沿著死亡沼泽的边缘追踪那足迹，最后终于抓到了他。咕鲁当时正在一个静滞的臭池塘旁瞪著水面，我悄无声息地靠近，抓住了他。他浑身都是绿色的烂泥，咬了我一口，而我的反应并不温柔；我猜想，他可能永远都不会喜欢我了。除了齿痕之外，我再也无法从他口中获得其他的东西。我回到家乡的过程是这段旅程中最痛苦的部分，我必须日夜监视他，逼迫他绑著脖子，嘴里塞著东西走在我前面；直到他因为口渴饥饿才有所改变。我必须不停的赶著他往幽暗密林的方向走。最后，我终于把他交给幽暗密林的精灵们看管；因为我们都同意至少必须要这样做。我也乐得可以把这个臭兮兮的家伙丢开。对我来说， 我希望永远不要再看到他，但甘道夫到他身边，和他交谈了很长的一段时间。」