the fellowship of the ring-第67章

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ot　yet　at　rest。'　
'I　suppose　not；'　said　Frodo。　'But　so　far　my　only　thought　has　been　to　gethere；　and　I　hope　I　shan't　have　to　go　any　further。　It　is　very　pleasant　just　torest。　I　have　had　a　month　of　exile　and　adventure；　and　I　find　that　has　been　asmuch　as　I　want。'　　
He　fell　silent　and　shut　his　eyes。　After　a　while　he　spoke　again。　'I　havebeen　reckoning；'　he　said；　‘and　I　can't　bring　the　total　up　to　October　thetwenty…fourth。　It　ought　to　be　the　twenty…first。　We　must　have　reached　the　Fordby　the　twentieth。'　
'You　have　talked　and　reckoned　more　than　is　good　for　you；'　said　Gandalf。　
‘How　do　the　side　and　shoulder　feel　now？'　　
　
'I　don't　know。'　Frodo　answered。　'They　don't　feel　at　all：　which　is　animprovement；　but'…he　made　an　effort…'I　can　move　my　arm　again　a　little。　Yes；　itis　ing　back　to　life。　It　is　not　cold；'　he　added；　touching　his　left　hand　withhis　right。　
‘Good！'　said　Gandalf。　‘It　is　mending　fast。　You　will　soon　be　sound　again。　
Elrond　has　cured　you：　he　has　tended　you　for　days；　ever　since　you　were　broughtin。'　　
'Days？'　said　Frodo。　
‘Well；　four　nights　and　three　days；　to　be　exact。　The　Elves　brought　youfrom　this　where　you　lost　count。　We　have　been　terribly　anxious；　and　Sam　hashardly　left　your　side；　day　or　night；　except　to　run　messages。　Elrond　is　amaster　of　healing；　but　the　weapons　of　our　Enemy　are　deadly。　To　tell　you　thetruth；　I　had　very　little　hope；　for　I　suspected　that　there　was　some　fragment　ofthe　blade　still　in　the　closed　wound。　But　it　could　not　be　found　until　last　　
night。　Then　Elrond　removed　a　splinter。　It　was　deeply　buried。　and　it　wasworking　inwards。'　
Frodo　shuddered；　remembering　the　cruel　knife　with　notched　blade　that　hadvanished　in　Strider's　hands。　‘Don't　be　alarmed！'　said　Gandalf。　‘It　is　gonenow。　It　has　been　melted。　And　it　seems　that　Hobbits　fade　very　reluctantly。　Ihave　known　strong　warriors　of　the　Big　People　who　would　quickly　have　beenovere　by　that　splinter；　which　you　bore　for　seventeen　days。'　
‘What　would　they　have　done　to　me？'　asked　Frodo。　‘What　were　the　Riderstrying　to　do？'　
'They　tried　to　pierce　your　heart　with　a　Morgul…knife　which　remains　in　thewound。　If　they　had　succeeded；　you　would　have　bee　like　they　are；　only　weakerand　under　their　mand。　You　would　have　became　a　wraith　under　the　dominion　of　　
the　Dark　Lord；　and　he　would　have　tormented　you　for　trying　to　keep　his　Ring；　ifany　greater　torment　were　possible　than　being　robbed　of　it　and　seeing　it　on　hishand。'　　
'Thank　goodness　I　did　not　realize　the　horrible　danger！'　said　Frodofaintly。　I　was　mortally　afraid；　of　course；　but　if　I　had　known　more；　I　shouldnot　have　dared　even　to　move。　It　is　a　marvel　that　I　escaped！'　
'Yes；　fortune　or　fate　have　helped　you；'　said　Gandalf；　‘not　to　mentioncourage。　For　your　heart　was　not　touched；　and　only　your　shoulder　was　pierced；　
and　that　was　because　you　resisted　to　the　last。　But　it　was　a　terribly　narrowshave；　so　to　speak。　You　were　in　gravest　peril　while　you　wore　the　Ring；　forthen　you　were　half　in　the　wraith…world　yourself；　and　they　might　have　seizedyou。　You　could　see　them；　and　they　could　see　you。'　
‘I　know；'　said　Frodo。　‘They　were　terrible　to　behold！　But　why　could　we　allsee　their　horses？'　　
‘Because　they　are　real　horses；　just　as　the　black　robes　are　real　robesthat　they　wear　to　give　shape　to　their　nothingness　when　they　have　dealings　withthe　living。'　
‘Then　why　do　these　black　horses　endure　such　riders？　All　other　animals　areterrified　when　they　draw　near；　even　the　elf…horse　of　Glorfindel。　The　dogs　howland　the　geese　scream　at　them。'　
‘Because　these　horses　are　born　and　bred　to　the　service　of　the　Dark　Lord　　
in　Mordor。　Not　all　his　servants　and　chattels　are　wraiths！　There　are　orcs　and　　
trolls；　there　are　wargs　and　werewolves；　and　there　have　been　and　still　are　manyMen；　warriors　and　kings；　that　walk　alive　under　the　Sun；　and　yet　are　under　hissway。　And　their　number　is　growing　daily。'　
‘What　about　Rivendell　and　the　Elves？　Is　Rivendell　safe？'　　
‘Yes；　at　present；　until　all　else　is　conquered。　The　Elves　may　fear　theDark　Lord；　and　they　may　fly　before　him；　but　never　again　will　they　listen　tohim　or　serve　him。　And　here　in　Rivendell　there　live　still　some　of　his　chief　　
foes：　the　Elven…wise；　lords　of　the　Eldar　from　beyond　the　furthest　seas。　Theydo　not　fear　the　Ringwraiths；　for　those　who　have　dwelt　in　the　Blessed　Realmlive　at　once　in　both　worlds；　and　against　both　the　Seen　and　the　Unseen　theyhave　great　power。'　
'I　thought　that　I　saw　a　white　figure　that　shone　and　did　not　grow　dim　like　　
　
the　others。　Was　that　Glorfindel　then？'　　
'Yes；　you　saw　him　for　a　moment　as　he　is　upon　the　other　side：　one　of　themighty　of　the　Firstborn。　He　is　an　Elf…lord　of　a　house　of　princes。　Indeed　thereis　a　power　in　Rivendell　to　withstand　the　might　of　Mordor；　for　a　while：　andelsewhere　other　powers　still　dwell。　There　is　power；　too；　of　another　kind　inthe　Shire。　But　all　such　places　will　soon　bee　islands　under　siege；　if　thingsgo　on　as　they　are　going。　The　Dark　Lord　is　putting　forth　all　his　strength。　
‘Still；'　he　said；　standing　suddenly　up　and　sticking　out　his　chin。　whilehis　beard　went　stiff　and　straight　like　bristling　wire；　‘we　must　keep　up　ourcourage。　You　will　soon　be　well；　if　I　do　not　talk　you　to　death。　You　are　inRivendell；　and　you　need　not　worry　about　anything　for　the　present。'　
'I　haven't　any　courage　to　keep　up；'　said　Frodo；　‘but　I　am　not　worried　atthe　moment。　Just　give　me　news　of　my　friends；　and　tell　me　the　end　of　the　affairat　the　Ford；　as　I　keep　on　asking；　and　I　shall　be　content　for　the　present。　
After　that　I　shall　have　another　sleep；　I　think；　but　I　shan't　be　able　to　closemy　eyes　until　you　have　finished　the　story　for　me。'　
Gandalf　moved　his　chair　to　the　bedside；　and　took　a　good　look　at　Frodo。　
The　colour　had　e　back　to　his　face；　and　his　eyes　were　clear；　and　fully　awakeand　aware。　He　was　smiling；　and　there　seemed　to　be　little　wrong　with　him。　Butto　the　wizard's　eye　there　was　a　faint　change　just　a　hint　as　it　were　oftransparency；　about　him；　and　especially　about　the　left　hand　that　lay　outsideupon　the　coverlet。　
‘Still　that　must　be　expected；'　said　Gandalf　to　himself。　‘He　is　not　halfthrough　yet；　and　to　what　he　will　e　in　the　end　not　even　Elrond　can　foretell。　
Not　to　evil；　I　think。　He　may　bee　like　a　glass　filled　with　a　clear　light　foreyes　to　see　that　can。'　
‘You　look　splendid；'　he　said　aloud。　‘I　will　risk　a　brief　tale　withoutconsulting　Elrond。　But　quite　brief；　mind　you；　and　then　you　must　sleep　again。　
This　is　what　happened；　as　far　as　I　can　gather。　The　Riders　made　straight　foryou；　as　soon　as　you　fled。　They　did　not　need　the　guidance　of　their　horses　anylonger：　you　had　bee　visible　to　them；　being　already　on　the　threshold　oftheir　world。　And　also　the　Ring　drew　them。　Your　friends　sprang　aside；　off　theroad；　or　they　would　have　been　ridden　down。　They　knew　that　nothing　could　saveyou；　if　the　white　horse　could　not。　The　Riders　were　too　swift　to　overtake；　andtoo　many　to　oppose。　On　foot　even　Glorfindel　and　Aragorn　together　could　notwith　stand　all　the　Nine　at　once。　　
‘When　the　Ringwraiths　swept　by；　your　friends　ran　up　behind。　Close　to　theFord　there　is　a　small　hollow　beside　the　road　masked　by　a　few　stunted　trees。　
There　they　hastily　kindled　fire；　for　Glorfindel　knew　that　a　flood　would　edown；　if　the　Riders　tried　to　cross；　and　then　he　would　have　to　deal　with　anythat　were　left　on　his　side　of　the　river。　The　moment　the　flood　appeared；　herushed　out；　followed　by　Aragorn　and　the。　others　with　flaming　brands。　Caughtbetween　fire　and　water；　and　seeing　an　Elf…lord　revealed　in　his　wrath；　theywere　dismayed；　and　their　horses　were　stricken　with　madness。　Three　were　carriedaway　by　the　first　assault　of　the　flood；　the　others　were　now　hurled　into　thewater　by　their　horses　and　overwhelmed。'　
'And　is　that　the　end　of　the　Black　Riders？'　asked　Frodo。　　
'No；'　said　Gandalf。　'Their　horses　must　have　perished；　and　without　themthey　are　crippled。　But　the　Ringwraiths　themselves　cannot　be　so　easilydestroyed。　However；　there　is　nothing　more　to　fear　from　them　at　present。　Yourfriends　crossed　after　the　flood　had　passed；　and　they　found　you　lying　on　yourface　at　the　top　of　the　bank；　with　a　broken　sword　under　you。　The　horse　wasstanding　guard　beside　you。　You　were　pale　and　cold；　and　they　feared　that　youwere　dead；　or　worse。　Elrond's　folk　met　them；　carrying　you　slowly　towardsRivendell。'　　
‘Who　made　the　flood？'　asked　Frodo。　　
'Elrond　manded　it；'　answered