the silmarillion-第88部分

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as　a　rival　rather　than　hated　his　works。　And　he　deemed　that　the　Ring；　which　was　Sauron's；　would　seek　for　its　master　as　he　　
became　manifest　once　more；　but　if　he　were　driven　out　again；　then　it　would　lie　hid。　Therefore　he　was　willing　to　play　with　　
peril　and　let　Sauron　be　for　a　time；　hoping　by　his　craft　to　forestall　both　his　friends　and　the　Enemy；　when　the　Ring　should　　
appear。　
He　set　a　watch　upon　the　Gladden　Fields；　but　soon　he　discovered　that　the　servants　of　Dol　Guldur　were　searching　　
all　the　ways　of　the　River　in　that　region。　Then　he　perceived　that　Sauron　also　had　learned　of　the　manner　of　Isildur's　end；　　
and　he　grew　afraid　and　withdrew　to　Isengard　and　fortified　it；　and　ever　he　probed　deeper　into　the　lore　of　the　Rings　of　　
Power　and　the　art　of　their　forging。　But　he　spoke　of　none　of　this　to　the　Council；　hoping　still　that　he　might　be　the　first　to　　
hear　news　of　the　Ring。　He　gathered　a　great　host　of　spies；　and　many　of　these　were　birds；　for　Radagast　lent　him　his　aid；　　
divining　naught　of　his　treachery；　and　deeming　that　this　was　but　part　of　the　watch　upon　the　Enemy。　
But　ever　the　shadow　in　Mirkwood　grew　deeper；　and　to　Dol　Guldur　evil　things　repaired　out　of　all　the　dark　places　　
of　the　world；　and　they　were　united　again　under　one　will；　and　their　malice　was　directed　against　the　Elves　and　the　　
survivors　of　Númenor。　Therefore　at　last　the　Council　was　again　summoned　and　the　lore　of　the　Rings　was　much　debated；　　
but　Mithrandir　spoke　to　the　Council；　saying：　
'It　is　not　needed　that　the　Ring　should　be　found；　for　while　it　abides　on　earth　and　is　not　unmade；　still　the　power　that　　
it　holds　will　live；　and　Sauron　will　grow　and　have　hope。　The　might　of　the　Elves　and　the　Elf…friends　is　less　now　than　of　　
old。　Soon　he　will　be　too　strong　for　you；　even　without　the　Great　Ring；　for　he　rules　the　Nine；　and　of　the　Seven　he　has　　
recovered　three。　We　must　strike。'　
To　this　Curunír　now　assented；　desiring　that　Sauron　should　be　thrust　from　Dol　Guldur；　which　was　nigh　to　the　　
River；　and　should　have　leisure　to　search　there　no　longer。　Therefore；　for　the　last　time；　he　aided　the　Council；　and　they　put　　
forth　their　strength；　and　they　assailed　Dol　Guldur；　and　drove　Sauron　from　his　hold；　and　Mirkwood　for　a　brief　while　was　　
made　wholesome　again。　
But　their　stroke　was　too　late。　For　the　Dark　Lord　had　foreseen　it；　and　he　had　long　prepared　all　his　movements；　and　　
the　úlairi；　his　Nine　Servants；　had　gone　before　him　to　make　ready　for　his　ing。　Therefore　his　flight　was　but　a　feint；　and　　
he　soon　returned；　and　ere　the　Wise　could　prevent　him　he　re…entered　his　kingdom　in　Mordor　and　reared　once　again　the　　
dark　towers　of　Barad…d？r。　And　in　that　year　the　White　Council　met　for　the　last　time；　and　Curunír　withdrew　to　Isengard；　　
and　took　counsel　with　none　save　himself。　
Orcs　were　mustering；　and　far　to　the　east　and　the　south　the　wild　peoples　were　arming。　Then　in　the　midst　of　　
gathering　fear　and　the　rumour　of　war　the　foreboding　of　Elrond　was　proved　true；　and　the　One　Ring　was　indeed　found　　
again；　by　a　chance　more　strange　than　even　Mithrandir　had　foreseen；　and　it　was　hidden　from　Curunír　and　from　Sauron。　　
For　it　had　been　taken　from　Anduin　long　ere　they　sought　for　it；　being　found　by　one　of　the　small　fisher…folk　that　dwelt　by　　
the　River；　ere　the　Kings　failed　in　Condor；　and　by　its　finder　it　was　brought　beyond　search　into　dark　hiding　under　the　roots　　
of　the　mountains。　There　it　dwelt；　until　even　in　the　year　of　the　assault　upon　Dol　Guldur　it　was　found　again；　by　a　wayfarer；　　
fleeing　into　the　depths　of　the　earth　from　the　pursuit　of　the　Orcs；　and　passed　into　a　far　distant　country；　even　to　the　land　of　　
the　Periannath；　the　Little　People；　the　Halflings；　who　dwelt　in　the　west　of　Eriador。　And　ere　that　day　they　had　been　held　of　　
small　account　by　Elves　and　by　Men；　and　neither　Sauron　nor　any　of　the　Wise　save　Mithrandir　had　in　all　their　counsels　　
given　thought　to　them。　
Now　by　fortune　and　his　vigilance　Mithrandir　first　learned　of　the　Ring；　ere　Sauron　had　news　of　it；　yet　he　was　　
dismayed　and　in　doubt。　For　too　great　was　the　evil　power　of　this　thing　for　any　of　the　Wise　to　wield；　unless　like　Curunír　he　　
wished　himself　to　bee　a　tyrant　and　a　dark　lord　in　his　turn；　but　neither　could　it　be　concealed　from　Sauron　for　ever；　nor　　
could　it　be　unmade　by　the　craft　of　the　Elves。　Therefore　with　the　help　of　the　Dúnedain　of　the　North　Mithrandir　set　a　　
watch　upon　the　land　of　the　Periannath　and　bided　his　time。　But　Sauron　had　many　ears；　and　soon　he　heard　rumour　of　the　　
One　Ring；　which　above　all　things　he　desired；　and　he　sent　forth　the　Nazg？l　to　take　it。　Then　war　was　kindled；　and　in　battle　　
with　Sauron　the　Third　Age　ended　even　as　it　had　begun。　
　
But　those　who　saw　the　things　that　were　done　in　that　time；　deeds　of　valour　and　wonder；　have　elsewhere　told　the　　
tale　of　the　War　of　the　Ring；　and　how　it　ended　both　in　victory　unlocked　for　and　in　sorrow　long　foreseen。　Here　let　it　be　　
said　that　in　those　days　the　Heir　of　Isildur　arose　in　the　North；　and　he　took　the　shards　of　the　sword　of　Elendil；　and　in　　
Imladris　they　were　reforged；　and　he　went　then　to　war；　a　great　captain　of　Men。　He　was　Aragorn　son　of　Arathorn；　the　nine　　
and　thirtieth　heir　in　the　right　line　from　Isildur；　and　yet　more　like　to　Elendil　than　any　before　him。　Battle　there　was　in　　
Rohan；　and　Curunír　the　traitor　was　thrown　down　and　Isengard　broken；　and　before　the　City　of　Gondor　a　great　field　was　　
fought；　and　the　Lord　of　Morgul；　Captain　of　Sauron；　there　passed　into　darkness；　and　the　Heir　of　Isildur　led　the　host　of　the　　
West　to　the　Black　Gates　of　Mordor。　
In　that　last　battle　were　Mithrandir；　and　the　sons　of　Elrond；　and　the　King　of　Rohan；　and　lords　of　Gondor；　and　the　　
Heir　of　Isildur　with　the　Dúnedain　of　the　North。　There　at　the　last　they　looked　upon　death　and　defeat；　and　all　their　valour　　
was　in　vain；　for　Sauron　was　too　strong。　Yet　in　that　hour　was　put　to　the　proof　that　which　Mithrandir　had　spoken；　and　help　　
came　from　the　hands　of　the　weak　when　the　Wise　faltered。　For；　as　many　songs　have　since　sung；　it　was　the　Periannath；　the　　
Little　People；　dwellers　in　hillsides　and　meadows；　that　brought　them　deliverance。　
For　Frodo　the　Halfling；　it　is　said；　at　the　bidding　of　Mithrandir　took　on　himself　the　burden；　and　alone　with　his　　
servant　he　passed　through　peril　and　darkness　and　came　at　last　in　Sauron's　despite　even　to　Mount　Doom；　and　there　into　　
the　Fire　where　it　was　wrought　he　cast　the　Great　Ring　of　Power；　and　so　at　last　it　was　unmade　and　its　evil　consumed。　
Then　Sauron　failed；　and　he　was　utterly　vanquished　and　passed　away　like　a　shadow　of　malice；　and　the　towers　of　　
Barad…d？r　crumbled　in　ruin；　and　at　the　rumour　of　their　fall　many　lands　trembled。　Thus　peace　came　again；　and　a　new　　
Spring　opened　on　earth；　and　the　Heir　of　Isildur　was　crowned　King　of　Gondor　and　Arnor；　and　the　might　of　the　Dúnedain　　
was　lifted　up　and　their　glory　renewed。　In　the　courts　of　Minas　Anor　the　White　Tree　flowered　again；　for　a　seedling　was　　
found　by　Mithrandir　in　the　snows　of　Mindolluin　that　rose　tall　and　white　above　the　City　of　Gondor；　and　while　it　still　grew　　
there　the　Elder　Days　were　not　wholly　forgotten　in　the　hearts　of　the　Kings。　
　
Now　all　these　things　were　achieved　for　the　most　part　by　the　counsel　and　vigilance　of　Mithrandir；　and　in　the　last　　
few　days　he　was　revealed　as　a　lord　of　great　reverence；　and　clad　in　white　he　rode　into　battle；　but　not　until　the　time　came　　
for　him　to　depart　was　it　known　that　he　had　long　guarded　the　Red　Ring　of　Fire。　At　the　first　that　Ring　had　been　entrusted　to　　
Círdan；　Lord　of　the　Havens；　but　he　had　surrendered　it　to　Mithrandir；　for　he　knew　whence　he　came　and　whither　at　last　he　　
would　return。　
'Take　now　this　Ring；'　he　said；　'for　thy　labours　and　thy　cares　will　be　heavy；　but　in　all　it　will　support　thee　and　　
defend　thee　from　weariness。　For　this　is　the　Ring　of　Fire；　and　herewith；　maybe；　thou　shalt　rekindle　hearts　to　the　valour　of　　
old　in　a　world　that　grows　chill。　But　as　for　me；　my　heart　is　with　the　Sea；　and　I　will　dwell　by　the　grey　shores；　guarding　the　　
Havens　until　the　last　ship　sails。　Then　I　shall　await　thee。'　
White　was　that　ship　and　long　was　it　a…building；　and　long　it　awaited　the　end　of　which　Círdan　had　spoken。　But　　
when　all　these　things　were　done；　and　the　Heir　of　Isildur　had　tak