h； and if he es； assailing theWhite Towers and the Havens； hereafter the Elves may have no escape from thelengthening shadows of Middle…earth。'
'Long yet will that march be delayed；' said Boromir。 'Gondor wanes； yousay。 But Gondor stands； and even the end of its strength is still verystrong。'
'And yet its vigilance can no longer keep back the Nine；' said Galdor。
'And other roads he may find that Gondor does not guard。'
'Then；' said Erestor； ‘there are but two courses； as Glorfindel alreadyhas declared： to hide the Ring for ever； or to unmake it。 But both are beyondour power。 Who will read this riddle for us？'
'None here can do so；' said Elrond gravely。 ‘At least none can foretellwhat will e to pass； if we take this road or that。 But it seems to me nowclear which is the road that we must take。 The westward road seems easiest。
Therefore it must be shunned。 It will be watched。 Too often the Elves have
fled that way。 Now at this last we must take a hard road； a road unforeseen。
There lies our hope； if hope it be。 To walk into peril…to Mordor。 We must sendthe Ring to the Fire。'
Silence fell again。 Frodo； even in that fair house； looking out upon asunlit valley filled with the noise of clear waters； felt a dead darkness inhis heart。 Boromir stirred； and Frodo looked at him。 He was fingering hisgreat horn and frowning。 At length he spoke。
'I do not understand all this；' he said。 ‘Saruman is a traitor； but didhe not have a glimpse of wisdom？ Why do you speak ever of hiding anddestroying？ Why should we not think that the Great Ring has e into ourhands to serve us in the very hour of need？ Wielding it the Free Lords of theFree may surely defeat the Enemy。 That is what he most fears； I deem。
'The Men of Gondor are valiant； and they will never submit； but they maybe beaten down。 Valour needs first strength； and then a weapon。 Let the Ringbe your weapon； if it has such power as you say。 Take it and go forth tovictory！'
'Alas； no；' said Elrond。 'We cannot use the Ruling Ring。 That we now knowtoo well。 It belongs to Sauron and was made by him alone； and is altogetherevil。 Its strength； Boromir； is too great for anyone to wield at will； saveonly those who have already a great power of their own。 But for them it holdsan even deadlier peril。 The very desire of it corrupts the heart。 ConsiderSaruman。 If any of the Wise should with this Ring overthrow the Lord ofMordor； using his own arts； he would then set himself on Sauron's throne； andyet another Dark Lord would appear。 And that is another reason why the Ringshould be destroyed： as long as it is in the world it will be a danger even tothe Wise。 For nothing is evil in the beginning。 Even Sauron was not so。 I fearto take the Ring to hide it。 I will not take the Ring to wield it。'
‘Nor I；' said Gandalf。
Boromir looked at them doubtfully； but he bowed his head。 ‘So be it；' hesaid。 ‘Then in Gondor we must trust to such weapons as we have。 And at theleast； while the Wise ones guard this Ring； we will fight on。 Mayhap theSword…that…was…Broken may still stem the tide – if the hand that wields it has
inherited not an heirloom only； but the sinews of the Kings of Men。'
‘Who can tell？' said Aragorn。 ‘But we will put it to the test one day。'
‘May the day not be too long delayed；' said Boromir。 'For though I do notask for aid； we need it。 It would fort us to know that others fought alsowith all the means that they have。'
‘Then be forted；' said Elrond。 ‘For there are other powers and realmsthat you know not； and they are hidden from you。 Anduin the Great flows pastmany shores； ere it es to Argonath and the Gates of Gondor。'
'Still it might be well for all；' said Glóin the Dwarf； 'if all thesestrengths were joined； and the powers of each were used in league。 Other ringsthere may be； less treacherous； that might be used in our need。 The Seven arelost to us – if Balin has not found the ring of Thrór which was the last；
naught has been heard of it since Thrór perished in Moria。 Indeed I may nowreveal that it was partly in hope to find that ring that Balin went away。'
‘Balin will find no ring in Moria；' said Gandalf。 ‘Thrór gave it toThráin his son； but not Thráin to Thorin。 It was taken with torment fromThráin in the dungeons of Dol Guldur。 I came too late。'
'Ah； alas！' cried Glóin。 'When will the day e of our revenge？ Butstill there are the Three。 What of the Three Rings of the Elves？ Very mightyRings； it is said。 Do not the Elf…lords keep them？ Yet they too were made bythe Dark Lord long ago。 Are they idle？ I see Elf…lords here。 Will they notsay？'
The Elves returned no answer。 ‘Did you not hear me； Glóin？' said Elrond。
‘The Three were not made by Sauron； nor did he ever touch them。 But of them itis not permitted to speak。 So much only in this hour of doubt I may now say。
They are not idle。 But they were not made as weapons of war or conquest： thatis not their power。 Those who made them did not desire strength or dominationor hoarded wealth； but understanding； making； and healing； to preserve allthings unstained。 These things the Elves of Middle…earth have in some measuregained； though with sorrow。 But all that has been wrought by those who wieldthe Three will turn to their undoing； and their minds and hearts will beerevealed to Sauron； if he regains the One。 It would be better if the Three hadnever been。 That is his purpose。'
‘But what then would happen； if the Ruling Ring were destroyed as youcounsel？' asked Glóin。
'We know not for certain；' answered Elrond sadly。 ‘Some hope that theThree Rings； which Sauron has never touched； would then bee free； and theirrulers might heal the hurts of the world that he has wrought。 But maybe whenthe One has gone； the Three will fail； and many fair things will fade and beforgotten。 That is my belief。'
‘Yet all the Elves are willing to endure this chance；' said Glorfindel'if by it the power of Sauron may be broken； and the fear of his dominion betaken away for ever。'
'Thus we return once more to the destroying of the Ring；' said Erestor；
‘and yet we e no nearer。 What strength have we for the finding of the Firein which it was made？ That is the path of despair。 Of folly I would say； ifthe long wisdom of Elrond did not forbid me。'
'Despair； or folly？' said Gandalf。 ‘It is not despair； for despair isonly for those who see the end beyond all doubt。 We do not。 It is wisdom torecognize necessity； when all other courses have been weighed； though as follyit may appear to those who cling to false hope。 Well； let folly be our cloak；
a veil before the eyes of the Enemy！ For he is very wise； and weighs allthings to a nicety in the scales of his malice。 But the only measure that heknows is desire； desire for power； and so he judges all hearts。 Into his heartthe thought will not enter that any will refuse it； that having the Ring wemay seek to destroy it。 If we seek this； we shall put him out of reckoning。'
'At least for a while；' said Elrond。 ‘The road must be trod； but it willbe very hard。 And neither strength nor wisdom will carry us far upon it。 Thisquest may be attempted by the weak with as much hope as the strong。 Yet suchis oft the course of deeds that move the wheels of the world： small hands do
them because they must； while the eyes of the great are elsewhere。'
'Very well； very well； Master Elrond！' said Bilbo suddenly。 'Say no more！
It is plain enough what you are pointing at。 Bilbo the silly hobbit startedthis affair； and Bilbo had better finish it； or himself。 I was veryfortable here； and getting on with my book。 If you want to know； I am justwriting an ending for it。 I had thought of putting： _and he lived happily everafterwards to the end of his days_。 It is a good ending； and none the worsefor having been used before。 Now I shall have to alter that： it does not looklike ing true； and anyway there will evidently have to be several morechapters； if I live to write them。 It is a frightful nuisance。 When ought I tostart？
' Boromir looked in surprise at Bilbo； but the laughter died on his lipswhen he saw that all the others regarded the old hobbit with grave respect。
Only Glóin smiled； but his smile came from old memories。
‘Of course； my dear Bilbo；' said Gandalf。 ‘If you had really started thisaffair； you might be expected to finish it。 But you know well enough now that_starting_ is too great a claim for any； and that only a small part is playedin great deeds by any hero。 You need not bow！ Though the word was meant； andwe do not doubt that under jest you are making a valiant offer。 But one beyondyour strength； Bilbo。 You cannot take this thing back。 It has passed on。 Ifyou need my advice any longer； I should say that your part is ended； unless asa recorder。 Finish your book； and leave the ending unaltered！ There is stillhope for it。 But get ready to write a sequel； when they e back。'
Bilbo laughed。 ‘I have never known you give me pleasant advice before。'
he said。 ‘As all your unpleasant advice has been good； I wonder if this adviceis not bad。 Still； I don't suppose I have the strength or luck left to dealwith the Ring。 It has grown； and I have not。 But tell me： what do you mean by_they_？'
‘The messengers who are sent with the Ring。'
‘Exactly！ And who are they to be？ That seems to me what this Council hasto decide； and all that it has to decide。 Elves may thrive on speech alone；
and Dwarves endure great weariness； but I am only an old hobbit； and I miss mymeal at noon。 Can't you think of some names now？ Or put it off till afterdinner？'
No one answered。 The noon…bell rang。 Still no one spoke。 Frodo glanced atall the faces； but they were not turned to him。 All the Council sat withdowncast eyes； as if in deep thought。 A great dread fell on him； as if he wasawaiting the pronouncement of some doom that he had long foreseen and vainlyhoped might after all never be spoken。 An overwhelming longing to rest andremain at peace by Bilbo's side in Rivendell filled all his heart。 At lastwith an effort he spoke； and wondered to hear his own words； as if some otherwill was using his small voice。
‘I will take the Ring；' he said； ‘though I do not know the way。'
Elrond raised his eyes and looked at him； and Frodo felt his heartpierced by the sudden keenness of the glance。 ‘If I understand ari