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it was Lobelia。'
'Then I forgive you。 But I saw her some time ago； driving a pony…traptowards Bywater with a face that would have curdled new milk。'
'She had already nearly curdled me。 Honestly； I nearly tried on Bilbo'sring。 I longed to disappear。'
'Don't do that！' said Gandalf； sitting down。 'Do be careful of that ring；
Frodo！ In fact； it is partly about that that I have e to say a last word。'
'Well； what about it？'
'What do you know already？'
'Only what Bilbo told me。 I have heard his story： how he found it； andhow he used it： on his journey； I mean。'
'Which story； I wonder；' said Gandalf。
'Oh； not what he told the dwarves and put in his book；' said Frodo。 'Hetold me the true story soon after I came to live here。 He said you hadpestered him till he told you； so I had better know too。 〃No secrets betweenus； Frodo；〃 he said； 〃but they are not to go any further。 It's mine anyway。〃'
'That's interesting；' said Gandalf。 'Well； what did you think of it all？'
'If you mean； inventing all that about a 〃present〃； well； I thought thetrue story much more likely； and I couldn't see the point of altering it atall。 It was very unlike Bilbo to do so； anyway； and I thought it rather odd。'
'So did I。 But odd things may happen to people that have such treasures –
if they use them。 Let it be a warning to you to be very careful with it。 Itmay have other powers than just making you vanish when you wish to。'
'I don't understand；' said Frodo。
'Neither do I；' answered the wizard。 'I have merely begun to wonder aboutthe ring； especially since last night。 No need to worry。 But if you take myadvice you will use it very seldom； or not at all。 At least I beg you not touse it in any way that will cause talk or rouse suspicion。 I say again： keepit safe； and keep it secret！'
'You are very mysterious！ What are you afraid of？'
'I am not certain； so I will say no more。 I may be able to tell yousomething when I e back。 I am going off at once： so this is good…bye forthe present。' He got up。
'At once！' cried Frodo。 'Why； I thought you were staying on for at leasta week。 I was looking forward to your help。'
'I did mean to – but I have had to change my mind。 I may be away for agood while； but I'll e and see you again； as soon as I can。 Expect me whenyou see me！ I shall slip in quietly。 I shan't often be visiting the Shireopenly again。 I find that I have bee rather unpopular。 They say I am anuisance and a disturber of the peace。 Some people are actually accusing me ofspiriting Bilbo away； or worse。 If you want to know； there is supposed to be aplot between you and me to get hold of his wealth。'
'Some people！' exclaimed Frodo。 'You mean Otho and Lobelia。 Howabominable！ I would give them Bag End and everything else； if I could getBilbo back and go off tramping in the country with him。 I love the Shire。 ButI begin to wish； somehow； that I had gone too。 I wonder if I shall ever seehim again。'
'So do I；' said Gandalf。 'And I wonder many other things。 Good…bye now！
Take care of yourself！ Look out for me； especially at unlikely times！ Goodbye！'
Frodo saw him to the door。 He gave a final wave of his hand； and walkedoff at a surprising pace； but Frodo thought the old wizard looked unusuallybent； almost as if he was carrying a great weight。 The evening was closing in；
and his cloaked figure quickly vanished into the twilight。 Frodo did not seehim again for a long time。
_Chapter 2_
The Shadow of the Past
The talk did not die down in nine or even ninety…nine days。 The seconddisappearance of Mr。 Bilbo Baggins was discussed in Hobbiton； and indeed allover the Shire； for a year and a day； and was remembered much longer than
that。 It became a fireside…story for young hobbits； and eventually MadBaggins； who used to vanish with a bang and a flash and reappear with bags ofjewels and gold； became a favourite character of legend and lived on longafter all the true events were forgotten。
But in the meantime； the general opinion in the neighbourhood was thatBilbo； who had always been rather cracked； had at last gone quite mad； and hadrun off into the Blue。 There he had undoubtedly fallen into a pool or a riverand e to a tragic； but hardly an untimely； end。 The blame was mostly laidon Gandalf。
'If only that dratted wizard will leave young Frodo alone； perhaps he'llsettle down and grow some hobbit…sense；' they said。 And to all appearance thewizard did leave Frodo alone； and he did settle down； but the growth ofhobbit…sense was not very noticeable。 Indeed； he at once began to carry onBilbo's reputation for oddity。 He refused to go into mourning； and the nextyear he gave a party in honour of Bilbo's hundred…and…twelfth birthday； whichhe called Hundred…weight Feast。 But that was short of the mark； for twentyguests were invited and there were several meals at which it snowed food andrained drink； as hobbits say。
Some people were rather shocked； but Frodo kept up the custom of givingBilbo's Birthday Party year after year until they got used to it。 He said thathe did not think Bilbo was dead。 When they asked： 'Where is he then？' heshrugged his shoulders。
He lived alone； as Bilbo had done； but he had a good many friends；
especially among the younger hobbits （mostly descendants of the Old Took） whohad as children been fond of Bilbo and often in and out of Bag End。 FolcoBoffin and Fredegar Bolger were two of these； but his closest friends werePeregrin Took （usually called Pippin）； and Merry Brandybuck （his real name wasMeriadoc； but that was seldom remembered）。 Frodo went tramping all over theShire with them； but more often he wandered by himself； and to the amazementof sensible folk he was sometimes seen far from home walking in the hills andwoods under the starlight。 Merry and Pippin suspected that he visited theElves at times； as Bilbo had done。
As time went on； people began to notice that Frodo also showed signs ofgood 'preservation'： outwardly he retained the appearance of a robust andenergetic hobbit just out of his tweens。 'Some folk have all the luck；' theysaid； but it was not until Frodo approached the usually more sober age offifty that they began to think it queer。
Frodo himself； after the first shock； foun