按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
recollect Bill Ferny and the horsethieving： his pony as you bought； well； it's here。 e back all of
itself； it did。 But where it had been to you know better than me。 It was as shaggy as an old dog and
as lean as a clothes…rail； but it was alive。 Nob's looked after it。'
'What！ My Bill？' cried Sam。 'Well； I was born lucky； whatever my gaffer may say。 There's
another wish e true！ Where is he？' Sam would not go to bed until he had visited Bill in his
stable。
The travellers stayed in Bree all the next day； and Mr。 Butterbur could not plain of his
business next evening at any rate。 Curiosity overcame all fears； and his house was crowded。 For a
while out of politeness the hobbits visited the mon Room in the evening and answered a good
many questions。 Bree memories being retentive； Frodo was asked many times if he had written his
book。
'Not yet；' he answered。 'I am going home now to put my notes in order。' He promised to deal
with the amazing events at Bree； and so give a bit of interest to a book that appeared likely to treat
mostly of the remote and less important affairs 'away south'。
Then one of the younger folk called for a song。 But at that a hush fell； and he was frowned down；
and the call was not repeated。 Evidently there was no wish for any uncanny events in the mon
Room again。
No trouble by day； nor any sound by night； disturbed the peace of Bree while the travellers
remained there； but the next morning they got up early； for as the weather was still rainy they
wished to reach the Shire before night； and it was a long ride。 The Bree folk were all out to see
them off； and were in merrier mood than they had been for a year； and those who had not seen the
strangers in all their gear before gaped with wonder at them： at Gandalf with his white beard； and
the light that seemed to gleam from him； as if his blue mantle was only a cloud over sunshine； and
at the four hobbits like riders upon errantry out of almost forgotten tales。 Even those who had
laughed at all the talk about the King began to think there might be some truth in it。
'Well； good luck on your road； and good luck to your home…ing！ said Mr。 Butterbur。 'I
should have warned you before that all's not well in the Shire neither； if what we hear is true。 Funny
goings on； they say。 But one thing drives out another； and I was full of my own troubles。 But if I
may be so bold； you've e back changed from your travels； and you look now like folk as can
deal with troubles out of hand。 I don't doubt you'll soon set all to rights。 Good luck to you！ And the
oftener you e back the better I'll be pleased。'
They wished him farewell and rode away； and passed through the West…gate and on towards the
Shire。 Bill the pony was with them； and as before he had a good deal of baggage； but he trotted
along beside Sam and seemed well content。
'I wonder what old Barliman was hinting at；' said Frodo。
'I can guess some of it；' said Sam gloomily。 'What I saw in the Mirror： trees cut down and all；
and my old gaffer turned out of the Row。 I ought to have hurried back quicker。'
'And something's wrong with the Southfarthing evidently；' said Merry。 'There's a general
shortage of pipe…weed。'
'Whatever it is；' said Pippin； 'Lotho will be at the bottom of it： you can be sure of that。'
'Deep in； but not at the bottom；' said Gandalf。 'You have forgotten Saruman。 He began to take an
interest in the Shire before Mordor did。'
'Well； we've got you with us；' said Merry； 'so things will soon be cleared up。'
'I am with you at present；' said Gandalf； 'but soon I shall not be。 I am not ing to the Shire。
You must settle its affairs yourselves； that is what you have been trained for。 Do you not yet
understand？ My time is over： it is no longer my task to set things to rights； nor to help folk to do so。
And as for you； my dear friends； you will need no help。 You are grown up now。 Grown indeed very
high； among the great you are； and I have no longer any fear at all for any of you。
'But if you would know； I am turning aside soon。 I am going to have a long talk with Bombadil：
such a talk as I have not had in all my time。 He is a moss…gatherer； and I have been a stone doomed
to rolling。 But my rolling days are ending； and now we shall have much to say to one another。'
In a little while they came to the point on the East Road where they had taken leave of Bombadil；
and they hoped and half expected to see him standing there to greet them as they went by。 But there
was no sign of him； and there was a grey mist on the Barrow…downs southwards； and a deep veil
over the Old Forest far away。
They halted and Frodo looked south wistfully。 'I should dearly like to see the old fellow again；'
he said。 'I wonder how he is getting on？'
'As well as ever； you may be sure；' said Gandalf。 'Quite untroubled and I should guess； not much
interested in anything that we have done or seen； unless perhaps in our visits to the Ents。 There may
be a time later for you to go and see him。 But if I were you； I should press on now for home； or you
will not e to the Brandywine Bridge before the gates are locked。'
'But there aren't any gates；' said Merry； 'not on the Road； you know that quite well。 There's the
Buckland Gate； of course； but they'll let me through that at any time。'
'There weren't any gates； you mean；' said Gandalf。 'I think you will find some now。 And you
might have more trouble even at the Buckland Gate than you think。 But you'll！ manage all right。
Good…bye dear friends！ Not for the last time； not yet。 Good…bye！'
He turned Shadowfax off the Road； and the great horse leaped the green dike that here ran
beside it； and then at a cry from Gandalf he was gone； racing towards the Barrow…downs like a
wind from the North。
'Well here we are； just the four of us that started out together；' said Merry。 'We have left all the
rest behind； one after another。 It seems almost like a dream that has slowly faded。'
'Not to me；' said Frodo。 'To me it feels more like falling asleep again。'
_Chapter 8_
The Scouring of the Shire
It was after nightfall when； wet and tired； the travellers came at last to the Brandywine； and they
found the way barred。 At either end of the Bridge there was a great spiked gate； and on the further
side of the river they could see that some new houses had been built： two…storeyed with narrow
straight…sided windows； bare and dimly lit； all very gloomy and un…Shirelike。
They hammered on the outer gate and called； but there was at first no answer； and then to their
surprise someone blew a horn； and the lights in the windows went out。 A voice shouted in the dark：
'Who's that？ Be off！ You can't e in： Can't you read the notice： _No admittance between
sundown and sunrise_？'
'Of course we can't read the notice in the dark。' Sam shouted back。 'And if hobbits of the Shire
are to be kept out in the wet on a night like this； I'll tear down your notice when I find it。'
At that a window slammed； and a crowd of hobbits with lanterns poured out of the house on the
left。 They opened the further gate； and some came over the bridge。 When they saw the travellers
they seemed frightened。
'e along！' said Merry； recognizing one of the hobbits。 'If you don't know me； Hob Hayward；
you ought to。 I am Merry Brandybuck； and I should like to know what all this is about； and what a
Bucklander like you is doing here。 You used to be on the Hay Gate。'
'Bless me！ It's Master Merry； to be sure； and all dressed up for fighting！' said old Hob。 'Why；
they said you was dead！ Lost in the Old Forest by all accounts。 I'm pleased to see you alive after
all！'
'Then stop gaping at me through the bars； and open the gate！' said Merry。
'I'm sorry； Master Merry； but we have orders。'
'Whose orders？'
'The Chief's up at Bag End。'
'Chief？ Chief？ Do you mean Mr。 Lotho？' said Frodo。
'I suppose so； Mr。 Baggins； but we have to say just 〃the Chief〃 nowadays。'
'Do you indeed！' said Frodo。 'Well； I am glad he has dropped the Baggins at any rate。 But it is
evidently high time that the family dealt with him and put him in his place。'
A hush fell on the hobbits beyond the gate。 'It won't do no good talking that way；' said one。 'He'll
get to hear of it。 And if you make so much noise； you'll wake the Chief's Big Man。'
'We shall wake him up in a way that will surprise him；' said Merry。 'If you mean that your
precious Chief has been hiring ruffians out of the wild； then we've not e back too soon。' He
sprang from his pony； and seeing the notice in the light of the lanterns； he tore it down and threw it
over the gate。 The hobbits backed away and made no move to open it。 'e on； Pippin！' said
Merry。 'Two is enough。'
Merry and Pippin climbed the gate； and the hobbits fled。 Another horn sounded。 Out of the
bigger house on the right a large heavy figure appeared against a light in the doorway。
'What's all this；' he snarled as he came forward。 'Gate…breaking？ You clear out； or I'll break your
filthy littl