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Elrond went forward and stood beside the silent figure。 'Awake littlemaster。 he said； with a smile。 Then； turning to Frodo； he beckoned to him。
'Now at last the hour has e that you have wished for； Frodo；' he said。
‘Here is a friend that you have long missed。'
The dark figure raised its head and uncovered its face。
‘Bilbo！' cried Frodo with sudden recognition； and he sprang forward。
‘Hullo； Frodo my lad！' said Bilbo。 ‘So you have got here at last。 I hopedyou would manage it。 Well； well！ So all this feasting is in your honour； Ihear。 I hope you enjoyed yourself？'
'Why weren't you there？' cried Frodo。 ‘And why haven't I been allowed tosee you before？'
‘Because you were asleep。 I have seen a good deal of you。 I have sat byyour side with Sam each day。 But as for the feast‘ I don't go in for suchthings much now。 And I had something else to do。'
‘What were you doing？'
‘Why； sitting and thinking。 I do a lot of that nowadays； and this is thebest place to do it in； as a rule。 Wake up； indeed！' he said； cocking an eyeat Elrond。 There was a bright twinkle in it and no sign of sleepiness thatFrodo could see。 ‘Wake up！ I was not asleep。 Master Elrond。 If you want toknow； you have all e out from your feast too soon； and you have disturbedme…in the middle of making up a song。 I was stuck over a line or two； and wasthinking about them； but now I don't suppose I shall ever get them right。
There will be such a deal of singing that the ideas will be driven clean outof my head。 I shall have to get my friend the Dúnadan to help me。 Where ishe？'
Elrond laughed。 ‘He shall be found；' he said。 ‘Then you two shall go intoa corner and finish your task； and we will hear it and judge it before we endour merrymaking。' Messengers were sent to find Bilbo's friend； though noneknew where he was； or why he had not been present at the feast。
In the meanwhile Frodo and Bilbo sat side by side； and Sam came quicklyand placed himself near them。 They talked together in soft voices； obliviousof the mirth and music in the hall about them。 Bilbo had not much to say ofhimself。 When he had left Hobbiton he had wandered off aimlessly； along theRoad or in the country on either side； but somehow he had steered all the timetowards Rivendell。 ‘I got here without much adventure；' he said； ‘and after arest I went on with the dwarves to Dale： my last journey。 I shan't travelagain。 Old Balin had gone away。 Then I came back here； and here I have been。 Ihave done this and that。 I have written some more of my book。 And； of course；
I make up a few songs。 They sing them occasionally： just to please me； Ithink； for； of course； they aren't really good enough for Rivendell。 And Ilisten and I think。 Time doesn't seem to pass here： it just is。 A remarkableplace altogether。
‘I hear all kinds of news； from over the Mountains； and out of the South；
but hardly anything from the Shire。 I heard about the Ring； of course。 Gandalfhas been here often。 Not that he has told me a great deal； he has beecloser than ever these last few years。 The Dúnadan has told me more。 Fancythat ring of mine causing such a disturbance！ It is a pity that Gandalf didnot find out more sooner。 I could have brought the thing here myself long agowithout so much trouble。 I have thought several times of going back toHobbiton for it； but I am getting old； and they would not let me： Gandalf andElrond； I mean。 They seemed to think that the Enemy was looking high and lowfor me； and would make mincemeat of me； if he caught me tottering about in theWild。
'And Gandalf said： 〃The Ring has passed on； Bilbo。 It would do no good toyou or to others； if you tried to meddle with it again。〃 Odd sort of remark；
just like Gandalf。 But he said he was looking after you； so I let things be。 Iam frightfully glad to see you safe and sound。' He paused and looked at Frododoubtfully。
‘Have you got it here？' he asked in a whisper。 ‘I can't help feelingcurious； you know； after all I've heard。 I should very much like just to peepat it again。'
‘Yes； I've got it；' answered Frodo； feeling a strange reluctance。 ‘It
looks just the same as ever it did。'
‘Well； I should just like to see it for a moment；' said Bilbo。
When he had dressed； Frodo found that while he slept the Ring had beenhung about his neck on a new chain； light but strong。 Slowly he drew it out。
Bilbo put out his hand。 But Frodo quickly drew back the Ring。 To his distressand amazement he found that he was no longer looking at Bilbo； a shadow seemedto have fallen between them； and through it he found himself eyeing a littlewrinkled creature with a hungry face and bony groping hands。 He felt a desireto strike him。
The music and singing round them seemed to falter and a silence fell。
Bilbo looked quickly at Frodo's face and passed his hand across his eyes。 ‘Iunderstand now；' he said。 ‘Put it away！ I am sorry： sorry you have e in forthis burden： sorry about everything。 Don't adventures ever have an end？ Isuppose not。 Someone else always has to carry on the story。 Well； it can't behelped。 I wonder if it's any good trying to finish my book？ But don't let'sworry about it now…let's have some real News！ Tell me all about the Shire！'
Frodo hid the Ring away； and the shadow passed leaving hardly a shred ofmemory。 The light and music of Rivendell was about him again。 Bilbo smiled andlaughed happily。 Every item of news from the Shire that Frodo could tell…aidedand corrected now and again by Sam…was of the greatest interest to him； fromthe felling of the least tree to the pranks of the smallest child in Hobbiton。
They were so deep in the doings of the Four Farthings that they did not noticethe arrival of a man clad in dark green cloth。 For many minutes he stoodlooking down at them with a smile。
Suddenly Bilbo looked up。 'Ah； there you are at last； Dúnadan！' he cried。
‘Strider！' said Frodo。 ‘You seem to have a lot of names。'
‘Well； _Strider_ is one that I haven't heard before； anyway；' said Bilbo。
‘What do you call him that for？'
‘They call me that in Bree；' said Strider laughing； 'and that is how Iwas introduced to him。'
‘And why do you call him Dúnadan？' asked Frodo。
‘_The_ Dúnadan；' said Bilbo。 ‘He is often called that her