The Fellowship Of The Ring - Chapter 13 - Many Meetings.

Frodo woke and found himself lying in bed. At first he thought that he
had slept late, after a long unpleasant dream that still hovered on the edge
of memory. Or perhaps he had been ill? But the ceiling looked strange; it
was flat, and it had dark beams richly carved. He lay a little while longer
looking at patches of sunlight on the wall, and listening to the sound of a
waterfall.
`Where am I, and what is the time?' he said aloud to the ceiling. 'In
the House of Elrond, and it is ten o'clock in the morning.' said a voice.
`It is the morning of October the twenty-fourth, if you want to know.'
`Gandalf!' cried Frodo, sitting up. There was the old wizard, sitting
in a chair by the open window.
`Yes,' he said, `I am here. And you are lucky to be here, too, after
all the absurd things you have done since you left home.' Frodo lay down
again. He felt too comfortable and peaceful to argue, and in any case he did
not think he would get the better of an argument. He was fully awake now,
and the memory of his journey was returning: the disastrous `short cut'
through the Old Forest the `accident' at The Prancing Pony; and his madness
in putting on the Ring in the dell under Weathertop. While he was thinking
of all these things and trying in vain to bring his memory down to his
arriving in Rivendell, there was a long silence, broken only by the soft
puffs of Gandalf's pipe, as he blew white smoke-rings out of the window.
'Where's Sam?' Frodo asked at length. 'And are the others all right?'
'Yes, they are all safe and sound,' answered Gandalf. `Sam was here
until I sent him off to get some rest, about half an hour ago.'
`What happened at the Ford?' said Frodo. `It all seemed so dim somehow;
and it still does.'
'Yes, it would. You were beginning to fade,' answered Gandalf. 'The
wound was overcoming you at last. A few more hours and you would have
been
beyond our aid. But you have some strength in you, my dear hobbit! As you
showed in the Barrow. That was touch and go: perhaps the most dangerous
moment of all. I wish you could have held out at Weathertop.'
'You seem to know a great deal already,' said Frodo. `I have not spoken
to the others about the Barrow. At first it was too horrible; and afterwards
there were other things to think about. How do you know about it?'
'You have talked long in your sleep, Frodo,' said Gandalf gently, 'and
it has not been hard for me to read your mind and memory. Do not worry!
Though I said "absurd" just now, I did not mean it. I think well of you-and
of the others. It is no small feat to have come so far, and through such
dangers, still bearing the Ring.'
'We should never have done it without Strider,' said Frodo. `But we
needed you. I did not know what to do without you.'
'I was delayed,' said Gandalf, `and that nearly proved our ruin. And
yet I am not sure; it may have been better so.'
'I wish you would tell me what happened!'
'All in good time! You are not supposed to talk or worry about anything
today, by Elrond's orders.'
`But talking would stop me thinking and wondering, which are quite as
tiring,' said Frodo. 'I am wide awake now, and I remember so many things
that want explaining. Why were you delayed? You ought to tell me that at
least.'
'You will soon hear all you wish to know,' said Gandalf. 'We shall have
a Council, as soon as you are well enough. At the moment I will only say
that I was held captive.'
'You?' cried Frodo.
'Yes, I, Gandalf the Grey,' said the wizard solemnly. 'There are many
powers in the world, for good or for evil. Some are greater than I am.
Against some I have not yet been measured. But my time is coming. The
Morgul-lord and his Black Riders have come forth. War is preparing!'
`Then you knew of the Riders already-before I met them?'
'Yes, I knew of them. Indeed I spoke of them once to you; for the Black
Riders are the Ringwraiths, the Nine Servants of the Lord of the Rings. But
I did not know that they had arisen again or I should have fled with you at
once. I heard news of them only after I left you in June; but that story
must wait. For the moment we have been saved from disaster, by Aragorn.'
'Yes,' said Frodo, `it was Strider that saved us. Yet I was afraid of
him at first. Sam never quite trusted him. I think, not at any rate until we
met Glorfindel.'
Gandalf smiled. `I have heard all about Sam,' he said. 'He has no more
doubts now.'
'I am glad,' said Frodo. 'For I have become very fond of Strider. Well,
fond is not the right word. I mean he is dear to me; though he is strange,
and grim at times. In fact, he reminds me often of you. I didn't know that
any of the Big People were like that. I thought, well, that they were just
big, and rather stupid: kind and stupid like Butterbur; or stupid and wicked
like Bill Ferny. But then we don't know much about Men in the Shire, except
perhaps the Breelanders.'
`You don't know much even about them, if you think old Barliman is
stupid,' said Gandalf. 'He is wise enough on his own ground. He thinks less
than he talks, and slower; yet he can see through a brick wall in time (as
they say in Bree). But there are few left in Middle-earth like Aragorn son
of Arathorn. The race of the Kings from over the Sea is nearly at an end. It
may be that this War of the Ring will be their last adventure.'
'Do you really mean that Strider is one of the people of the old
Kings?' said Frodo in wonder. `I thought they had all vanished long ago. I
thought he was only a Ranger.'
'Only a Ranger!' cried Gandalf. `My dear Frodo, that is just what the
Rangers are: the last remnant in the North of the great people, the Men of
the West. They have helped me before; and I shall need their help in the
days to come; for we have reached Rivendell, but the Ring is not yet at
rest.'
'I suppose not,' said Frodo. 'But so far my only thought has been to
get here; and I hope I shan't have to go any further. It is very pleasant
just to rest. I have had a month of exile and adventure, and I find that has
been as much as I want.'
He fell silent and shut his eyes. After a while he spoke again. 'I have
been reckoning,' he said, `and I can't bring the total up to October the
twenty-fourth. It ought to be the twenty-first. We must have reached the
Ford by the twentieth.'
'You have talked and reckoned more than is good for you,' said Gandalf.
`How do the side and shoulder feel now?'
'I don't know.' Frodo answered. 'They don't feel at all: which is an
improvement, but'--he made an effort--'I can move my arm again a little.
Yes, it is coming back to life. It is not cold,' he added, touching his left
hand with his right.
`Good!' said Gandalf. `It is mending fast. You will soon be sound
again. Elrond has cured you: he has tended you for days, ever since you were
brought in.'
'Days?' said Frodo.
`Well, four nights and three days, to be exact. The Elves brought you
from this where you lost count. We have been terribly anxious, and Sam has
hardly left your side, day or night, except to run messages. Elrond is a
master of healing, but the weapons of our Enemy are deadly. To tell you the
truth, I had very little hope; for I suspected that there was some fragment
of the blade still in the closed wound. But it could not be found until last
night. Then Elrond removed a splinter. It was deeply buried. and it was
working inwards.'
Frodo shuddered, remembering the cruel knife with notched blade that
had vanished in Strider's hands. `Don't be alarmed!' said Gandalf. `It is
gone now. It has been melted. And it seems that Hobbits fade very
reluctantly. I have known strong warriors of the Big People who would
quickly have been overcome by that splinter, which you bore for seventeen
days.'
`What would they have done to me?' asked Frodo. `What were the Riders
trying to do?'
'They tried to pierce your heart with a Morgul-knife which remains in
the wound. If they had succeeded, you would have become like they are, only
weaker and under their command. You would have became a wraith under
the
dominion of the Dark Lord; and he would have tormented you for trying to
keep his Ring, if any greater torment were possible than being robbed of it
and seeing it on his hand.'
'Thank goodness I did not realize the horrible danger!' said Frodo
faintly. I was mortally afraid, of course; but if I had known more, I should
not have dared even to move. It is a marvel that I escaped!'
'Yes, fortune or fate have helped you,' said Gandalf, `not to mention
courage. For your heart was not touched, and only your shoulder was pierced;
and that was because you resisted to the last. But it was a terribly narrow
shave, so to speak. You were in gravest peril while you wore the Ring, for
then you were half in the wraith-world yourself, and they might have seized
you. You could see them, and they could see you.'
`I know,' said Frodo. `They were terrible to behold! But why could we
all see their horses?'
`Because they are real horses; just as the black robes are real robes
that they wear to give shape to their nothingness when they have dealings
with the living.'
`Then why do these black horses endure such riders? All other animals
are terrified when they draw near, even the elf-horse of Glorfindel. The
dogs howl and the geese scream at them.'
`Because these horses are born and bred to the service of the Dark Lord
in Mordor. Not all his servants and chattels are wraiths! There are orcs and
trolls, there are wargs and werewolves; and there have been and still are
many Men, warriors and kings, that walk alive under the Sun, and yet are
under his sway. And their number is growing daily.'
`What about Rivendell and the Elves? Is Rivendell safe?'
`Yes, at present, until all else is conquered. The Elves may fear the
Dark Lord, and they may fly before him, but never again will they listen to
him or serve him. And here in Rivendell there live still some of his chief
foes: the Elven-wise, lords of the Eldar from beyond the furthest seas. They
do not fear the Ringwraiths, for those who have dwelt in the Blessed Realm
live at once in both worlds, and against both the Seen and the Unseen they
have great power.'
'I thought that I saw a white figure that shone and did not grow dim
like the others. Was that Glorfindel then?'
'Yes, you saw him for a moment as he is upon the other side: one of the
mighty of the Firstborn. He is an Elf-lord of a house of princes. Indeed
there is a power in Rivendell to withstand the might of Mordor, for a while:
and elsewhere other powers still dwell. There is power, too, of another kind
in the Shire. But all such places will soon become islands under siege, if
things go on as they are going. The Dark Lord is putting forth all his
strength.
`Still,' he said, standing suddenly up and sticking out his chin. while
his beard went stiff and straight like bristling wire, `we must keep up our
courage. You will soon be well, if I do not talk you to death. You are in
Rivendell, and you need not worry about anything for the present.'
'I haven't any courage to keep up,' said Frodo, `but I am not worried
at the moment. Just give me news of my friends, and tell me the end of the
affair at the Ford, as I keep on asking, and I shall be content for the
present. After that I shall have another sleep, I think; but I shan't be
able to close my eyes until you have finished the story for me.'
Gandalf moved his chair to the bedside, and took a good look at Frodo.
The colour had come back to his face, and his eyes were clear, and fully
awake and aware. He was smiling, and there seemed to be little wrong with
him. But to the wizard's eye there was a faint change just a hint as it were
of transparency, about him, and especially about the left hand that lay
outside upon the coverlet.
`Still that must be expected,' said Gandalf to himself. `He is not half
through yet, and to what he will come in the end not even Elrond can
foretell. Not to evil, I think. He may become like a glass filled with a
clear light for eyes to see that can.'
`You look splendid,' he said aloud. `I will risk a brief tale without
consulting Elrond. But quite brief, mind you, and then you must sleep again.
This is what happened, as far as I can gather. The Riders made straight for
you, as soon as you fled. They did not need the guidance of their horses any
longer: you had become visible to them, being already on the threshold of
their world. And also the Ring drew them. Your friends sprang aside, off the
road, or they would have been ridden down. They knew that nothing could save
you, if the white horse could not. The Riders were too swift to overtake,
and too many to oppose. On foot even Glorfindel and Aragorn together could
not with stand all the Nine at once.
`When the Ringwraiths swept by, your friends ran up behind. Close to
the Ford there is a small hollow beside the road masked by a few stunted
trees. There they hastily kindled fire; for Glorfindel knew that a flood
would come down, if the Riders tried to cross, and then he would have to
deal with any that were left on his side of the river. The moment the flood
appeared, he rushed out, followed by Aragorn and the. others with flaming
brands. Caught between fire and water, and seeing an Elf-lord revealed in
his wrath, they were dismayed, and their horses were stricken with madness.
Three were carried away by the first assault of the flood; the others were
now hurled into the water by their horses and overwhelmed.'
'And is that the end of the Black Riders?' asked Frodo.
'No,' said Gandalf. 'Their horses must have perished, and without them
they are crippled. But the Ringwraiths themselves cannot be so easily
destroyed. However, there is nothing more to fear from them at present. Your
friends crossed after the flood had passed; and they found you lying on your
face at the top of the bank, with a broken sword under you. The horse was
standing guard beside you. You were pale and cold, and they feared that you
were dead, or worse. Elrond's folk met them, carrying you slowly towards
Rivendell.'
`Who made the flood?' asked Frodo.
'Elrond commanded it,' answered Gandalf. `The river of this valley is
under his power, and it will rise in anger when he has great need to bar the
Ford. As soon as the captain of the Ringwraiths rode into the water the
flood was released. If I may say so, I added a few touches of my own: you
may not have noticed, but some of the waves took the form of great white
horses with shining white riders; and there were many rolling and grinding
boulders. For a moment I was afraid that we had let loose too fierce a
wrath, and the flood would get out of hand and wash you all away. There is
great vigour in the waters that come down from the snows of the Misty
Mountains.'
`Yes, it all comes back to me now,' said Frodo: 'the tremendous
roaring. I thought I was drowning, with my friends and enemies and all. But
now we are safe!'
Gandalf looked quickly at Frodo, but he had shut his eyes. 'Yes, you
are all safe for the present. Soon there will be feasting and merrymaking to
celebrate the victory at the Ford of Bruinen, and you will all be there in
places of honour.'
'Splendid!' said Frodo. `It is wonderful that Elrond, and Glorfindel
and such great lords, not to mention Strider, should take so much trouble
and show me so much kindness.'
`Well, there are many reasons why they should,' said Gandalf, smiling.
`I am one good reason. The Ring is another: you are the Ring-bearer. And you
are the heir of Bilbo, the Ring-finder.'
`Dear Bilbo!' said Frodo sleepily. `I wonder where he is. I wish he was
here and could hear all about it. It would have made him laugh, The cow
jumped over the Moon! And the poor old troll!' With that he fell fast
asleep.
Frodo was now safe in the Last Homely House east of the Sea. That house
was, as Bilbo had long ago reported, `a perfect house, whether you like food
or sleep, or story-telling or singing, or just sitting and thinking best, or
a pleasant mixture of them all'. Merely to be there was a cure for
weariness, fear, and sadness.
As the evening drew on, Frodo woke up again, and he found that he no
longer felt in need of rest or sleep, but had a mind for food and drink, and
probably for singing and story-telling afterwards. He got out of bed and
discovered that his arm was already nearly as useful again as it ever had
been. He found laid ready clean garments of green cloth that fitted him
excellently. Looking in a mirror he was startled to see a much thinner
reflection of himself than he remembered: it looked remarkably like the
young nephew of Bilbo who used to go tramping with his uncle in the Shire;
but the eyes looked out at him thoughtfully.
`Yes, you have seen a thing or two since you last peeped out of a
looking-glass,' he said to his reflection. 'But now for a merry meeting!'
He stretched out his arms and whistled a tune.
At that moment there was a knock on the door, and Sam came in. He ran
to Frodo and took his left hand, awkwardly and shyly. He stroked it gently
and then he blushed and turned hastily away.
`Hullo, Sam!' said Frodo.
`It's warm!' said Sam. `Meaning your hand, Mr. Frodo. It has felt so
cold through the long nights. But glory and trumpets!' he cried, turning
round again with shining eyes and dancing on the floor. 'It's fine to see
you up and yourself again, sir! Gandalf asked me to come and see if you were
ready to come down, and I thought he was joking.'
'I am ready,' said Frodo. 'Let's go and look for the rest of the
party!'
`I can take you to them, sir,' said Sam. `It's a big house this, and
very peculiar. Always a bit more to discover, and no knowing what you'll
find round a corner. And Elves, sir! Elves here, and Elves there! Some like
kings, terrible and splendid; and some as merry as children. And the music
and the singing-not that I have had the time or the heart for much listening
since we got here. But I'm getting to know some of the ways of the place.'
'I know what you have been doing, Sam,' said Frodo, taking his arm.
'But you shall be merry tonight, and listen to your heart's content. Come
on, guide me round the corners!'
Sam led him along several passages and down many steps and out into a
high garden above the steep bank of the river. He found his friends sitting
in a porch on the side of the house looking east. Shadows had fallen in the
valley below, but there was still a light on the faces of the mountains far
above. The air was warm. The sound of running and falling water was loud,
and the evening was filled with a faint scent of trees and flowers, as if
summer still lingered in Elrond's gardens.
`Hurray!' cried Pippin, springing up. `Here is our noble cousin! Make
way for Frodo, Lord of the Ring!'
'Hush!' said Gandalf from the shadows at the back of the porch. `Evil
things do not come into this valley; but all the same we should not name
them. The Lord of the Ring is not Frodo, but the master of the Dark Tower of
Mordor, whose power is again stretching out over the world! We are sitting
in a fortress. Outside it is getting dark.'
`Gandalf has been saying many cheerful things like that,' said Pippin.
`He thinks I need keeping in order. But it seems impossible, somehow, to
feel gloomy or depressed in this place. I feel I could sing, if I knew the
right song for the occasion.'
`I feel like singing myself,' laughed Frodo. `Though at the moment I
feel more like eating and drinking!'
`That will soon be cured,' said Pippin. `You have shown your usual
cunning in getting up just in time for a meal.'
`More than meal! A feast!' said Merry. `As soon as Gandalf reported
that you were recovered, the preparations began.' He had hardly finished
speaking when they were summoned to the hall by the ringing of many bells.
The hall of Elrond's house was filled with folk: Elves for the most
part, though there were a few guests of other sorts. Elrond, as was his
custom, sat in a great chair at the end of the long table upon the dais; and
next to him on the one side sat Glorfindel, on the other side sat Gandalf.
Frodo looked at them in wonder, for he had never before seen Elrond, of
whom so many tales spoke; and as they sat upon his right hand and his left,
Glorfindel, and even Gandalf, whom he thought he knew so well, were
revealed
as lords of dignity and power. Gandalf was shorter in stature than the other
two; but his long white hair, his sweeping silver beard, and his broad
shoulders, made him look like some wise king of ancient legend. In his aged
face under great snowy brows his dark eyes were set like coals that could
leap suddenly into fire.
Glorfindel was tall and straight; his hair was of shining gold, his
face fair and young and fearless and full of joy; his eyes were bright and
keen, and his voice like music; on his brow sat wisdom, and in his hand was
strength.
The face of Elrond was ageless, neither old nor young, though in it was
written the memory of many things both glad and sorrowful. His hair was dark
as the shadows of twilight, and upon it was set a circlet of silver; his
eyes were grey as a clear evening, and in them was a light like the light of
stars. Venerable he seemed as a king crowned with many winters, and yet hale
as a tried warrior in the fulness of his strength. He was the Lord of
Rivendell and mighty among both Elves and Men.
In the middle of the table, against the woven cloths upon the wall,
there was a chair under a canopy, and there sat a lady fair to look upon,
and so like was she in form of womanhood to Elrond that Frodo guessed that
she was one of his close kindred. Young she was and yet not so. The braids
of her dark hair were touched by no frost, her white arms and clear face
were flawless and smooth, and the light of stars was in her bright eyes,
grey as a cloudless night; yet queenly she looked, and thought and knowledge
were in her glance, as of one who has known many things that the years
bring. Above her brow her head was covered with a cap of silver lace netted
with small gems, glittering white; but her soft grey raiment had no ornament
save a girdle of leaves wrought in silver.
So it was that Frodo saw her whom few mortals had yet seen; Arwen,
daughter of Elrond, in whom it was said that the likeness of L®thien had
come on earth again; and she was called Undumiel, for she was the Evenstar
of her people. Long she had been in the land of her mother's kin, in Lurien
beyond the mountains, and was but lately returned to Rivendell to her
father's house. But her brothers, Elladan and Elrohir, were out upon
errantry: for they rode often far afield with the Rangers of the North,
forgetting never their mother's torment in the dens of the orcs.
Such loveliness in living thing Frodo had never seen before nor
imagined in his mind; and he was both surprised and abashed to find that he
had a seat at Elrond's table among all these folk so high and fair. Though
he had a suitable chair, and was raised upon several cushions, he felt very
small, and rather out of place; but that feeling quickly passed. The feast
was merry and the food all that his hunger could desire. It was some time
before he looked about him again or even turned to his neighbours.
He looked first for his friends. Sam had begged to be allowed to wait
on his master, but had been told that for this time he was a guest of
honour. Frodo could see him now, sitting with Pippin and Merry at the upper
end of one of the side-tables close to the dais. He could see no sign of
Strider.
Next to Frodo on his right sat a dwarf of important appearance, richly
dressed. His beard, very long and forked, was white, nearly as white as the
snow-white cloth of his garments. He wore a silver belt, and round his neck
hung a chain of silver and diamonds. Frodo stopped eating to look at him.
'Welcome and well met!' said the dwarf, turning towards him. Then he
actually rose from his seat and bowed. `Gluin at your service,' he said, and
bowed still lower.
'Frodo Baggins at your service and your family's,' said Frodo
correctly, rising in surprise and scattering his cushions. 'Am I right in
guessing that you are the Gluin, one of the twelve companions of the great
Thorin Oakenshield?'
`Quite right,' answered the dwarf, gathering up the cushions and
courteously assisting Frodo back into his seat. 'And I do not ask, for I
have already been told that you are the kinsman and adopted heir of our
friend Bilbo the renowned. Allow me to congratulate you on your recovery.'
`Thank you very much,' said Frodo.
'You have had some very strange adventures, I hear,' said Gluin. 'I
wonder greatly what brings four hobbits on so long a journey. Nothing like
it has happened since Bilbo came with us. But perhaps I should not inquire
too closely, since Elrond and Gandalf do not seem disposed to talk of this?'
'I think we will not speak of it, at least not yet,' said Frodo
politely.
He guessed that even in Elrond's house the matter of the Ring was not
one for casual talk; and in any case he wished to forget his troubles for a
time. 'But I am equally curious,' he added, `to learn what brings so
important a dwarf so far from the Lonely Mountain.'
Gluin looked at him. 'If you have not heard, I think we will not speak
yet of that either. Master Elrond will summon us all ere long, I believe,
and then we shall all hear many things. But there is much else that may be
told.'
Throughout the rest of the meal they talked together, but Frodo
listened more than he spoke; for the news of the Shire, apart from the Ring,
seemed small and far-away and unimportant. while Gluin had much to tell of
events in the northern regions of Wilderland. Frodo learned that Grimbeorn
the Old, son of Beorn, was now the lord of many sturdy men, and to their
land between the Mountains and Mirkwood neither orc nor wolf dared to go.
'lndeed,' said Gluin, `if it were not for the Beornings, the passage
from Dale to Rivendell would long ago have become impossible. They are
valiant men and keep open the High Pass and the Ford of Carrock. But their
tolls are high,' he added with a shake of his head; `and like Beorn of old
they are not over fond of dwarves. Still, they are trusty, and that is much
in these days. Nowhere are there any men so friendly to us as the Men of
Dale. They are good folk, the Bardings. The grandson of Bard the Bowman
rules them, Brand son of Bain son of Bard. He is a strong king. and his
realm now reaches far south and east of Esgaroth.'
'And what of your own people?' asked Frodo.
`There is much to tell, good and bad,' said Gluin; 'yet it is mostly
good: we have so far been fortunate, though we do not escape the shadow of
these times. If you really wish to hear of us, I will tell you tidings
gladly. But stop me when you are weary! Dwarves' tongues run on when
speaking of their handiwork, they say.'
And with that Gluin embarked on a long account of the doings of the
Dwarf-kingdom. He was delighted to have found so polite a listener; for
Frodo showed no sign of weariness and made no attempt to change the subject,
though actually he soon got rather lost among the strange names of people
and places that he had never heard of before. He was interested, however, to
hear that Dbin was still King under the Mountain, and was now old (having
passed his two hundred and fiftieth year), venerable, and fabulously rich.
Of the ten companions who had survived the Battle of Five Armies seven were
still with him: Dwalin, Gluin, Dori, Nori, Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur. Bombur
was now so fat that he could not move himself from his couch to his chair at
table, and it took six young dwarves to lift him.
'And what has become of Balin and Ori and Uin?' asked Frodo.
A shadow passed over Gluin's face. `We do not know,' he answered. 'It
is largely on account of Balin that I have come to ask the advice of those
that dwell in Rivendell. But tonight let us speak of merrier things!'
Gluin began then to talk of the works of his people, telling Frodo
about their great labours in Dale and under the Mountain. 'We have done
well,' he said. `But in metalwork we cannot rival our fathers, many of
whose. secrets are lost. We make good armour and keen swords, but we cannot
again make mail or blade to match those that were made before the dragon
came. Only in mining and building have we surpassed the old days. You should
see the waterways of Dale, Frodo, and the fountains, and the pools! You
should see the stone-paved roads of many colours! And the halls and
cavernous streets under the earth with arches carved like trees; and the
terraces and towers upon the Mountain's sides! Then you would see that we
have not been idle.'
'I will come and see them, if ever I can,' said Frodo. 'How surprised
Bilbo would have been to see all the changes in the Desolation of Smaug!'
Gluin looked at Frodo and smiled. 'You were very fond of Bilbo were you
not?' he asked.
`Yes,' answered Frodo. 'I would rather see him than all the towers and
palaces in the world.'
At length the feast came to an end. Elrond and Arwen rose and went down
the hall, and the company followed them in due order. The doors were thrown
open, and they went across a wide passage and through other doors, and came
into a further hall. In it were no tables, but a bright fire was burning in
a great hearth between the carven pillars upon either side.
Frodo found himself walking with Gandalf. `This is the Hall of Fire'
said the wizard. `Here you will hear many songs and tales-if you can keep
awake. But except on high days it usually stands empty and quiet, and people
come here who wish for peace, and thought. There is always a fire here, all
the year round, but there is little other light.'
As Elrond entered and went towards the seat prepared for him, elvish
minstrels began to make sweet music. Slowly the hall filled, and Frodo
looked with delight upon the many fair faces that were gathered together;
the golden firelight played upon them and shimmered in their hair. Suddenly
he noticed, not far from the further end of the fire, a small dark figure
seated on a stool with his back propped against a pillar. Beside him on the
ground was a drinking-cup and some bread. Frodo wondered whether he was
ill
(if people were ever ill in Rivendell), and had been unable to come to the
feast. His head seemed sunk in sleep on his breast, and a fold of his dark
cloak was drawn over his face.
Elrond went forward and stood beside the silent figure. 'Awake little
master. he said, with a smile. Then, turning to Frodo, he beckoned to him.
'Now at last the hour has come 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
hoped you would manage it. Well, well! So all this feasting is in your
honour, I hear. I hope you enjoyed yourself?'
'Why weren't you there?' cried Frodo. `And why haven't I been allowed
to see you before?'
`Because you were asleep. I have seen a good deal of you. I have sat by
your side with Sam each day. But as for the feast` I don't go in for such
things 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
the best place to do it in, as a rule. Wake up, indeed!' he said, cocking an
eye at Elrond. There was a bright twinkle in it and no sign of sleepiness
that Frodo could see. `Wake up! I was not asleep. Master Elrond. If you want
to know, you have all come out from your feast too soon, and you have
disturbed me-in the middle of making up a song. I was stuck over a line or
two, and was thinking 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 out of my head. I shall have to get my friend the D®nadan to
help me. Where is he?'
Elrond laughed. `He shall be found,' he said. `Then you two shall go
into a corner and finish your task, and we will hear it and judge it before
we end our merrymaking.' Messengers were sent to find Bilbo's friend, though
none knew 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 quickly
and placed himself near them. They talked together in soft voices, oblivious
of the mirth and music in the hall about them. Bilbo had not much to say of
himself. When he had left Hobbiton he had wandered off aimlessly, along the
Road or in the country on either side; but somehow he had steered all the
time towards Rivendell. `I got here without much adventure,' he said, `and
after a rest I went on with the dwarves to Dale: my last journey. I shan't
travel again. Old Balin had gone away. Then I came back here, and here I
have been. I have 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, I think; for, of course, they aren't really good enough for
Rivendell. And I listen and I think. Time doesn't seem to pass here: it just
is. A remarkable place 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. Gandalf has been here often. Not that he has told me a great deal,
he has become closer than ever these last few years. The D®nadan has told me
more. Fancy that ring of mine causing such a disturbance! It is a pity that
Gandalf did not find out more sooner. I could have brought the thing here
myself long ago without so much trouble. I have thought several times of
going back to Hobbiton for it; but I am getting old, and they would not let
me: Gandalf and Elrond, I mean. They seemed to think that the Enemy was
looking high and low for me, and would make mincemeat of me, if he caught
me
tottering about in the Wild.
'And Gandalf said: "The Ring has passed on, Bilbo. It would do no good
to you 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. I am frightfully glad to see you safe and sound.' He paused and
looked at Frodo doubtfully.
`Have you got it here?' he asked in a whisper. `I can't help feeling
curious, you know, after all I've heard. I should very much like just to
peep at 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 been
hung 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
distress and amazement he found that he was no longer looking at Bilbo; a
shadow seemed to have fallen between them, and through it he found himself
eyeing a little wrinkled creature with a hungry face and bony groping hands.
He felt a desire to 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. `I
understand now,' he said. `Put it away! I am sorry: sorry you have come in
for this burden: sorry about everything. Don't adventures ever have an end?
I suppose not. Someone else always has to carry on the story. Well, it can't
be helped. I wonder if it's any good trying to finish my book? But don't
let's worry 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
of memory. The light and music of Rivendell was about him again. Bilbo
smiled and laughed happily. Every item of news from the Shire that Frodo
could tell-aided and corrected now and again by Sam-was of the greatest
interest to him, from the 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 notice the arrival of a man clad in dark green
cloth. For many minutes he stood looking down at them with a smile.
Suddenly Bilbo looked up. 'Ah, there you are at last, D®nadan!' 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 I
was introduced to him.'
`And why do you call him D®nadan?' asked Frodo.
`The D®nadan,' said Bilbo. `He is often called that here. But I thought
you knew enough Elvish at least to know d®n-udan: Man of the West,
N®menorean. But this is not the time for lessons!' He turned to Strider.
`Where have you been, my friend? Why weren't you at the feast? The Lady
Arwen was there.'
Strider looked down at Bilbo gravely. `I know,' he said. 'But often I
must put mirth aside. Elladan and Elrohir have returned out of the Wild
unlooked-for, and they had tidings that I wished to hear at once.'
`Well, my dear fellow,' said Bilbo, `now you've heard the news, can't
you spare me a moment? I want your help in something urgent. Elrond says
this song of mine is to be finished before the end of the evening, and I am
stuck. Let's go off into a corner and polish it up!'
Strider smiled. `Come then!' he said. `Let me hear it!'
Frodo was left to himself for a while. for Sam had fallen asleep. He
was alone and felt rather forlorn` although all about him the folk of
Rivendell were gathered. But those near him were silent, intent upon the
music of the voices and the instruments. and they gave no heed to anything
else. Frodo began to listen.
At first the beauty of the melodies and of the interwoven words in
elven-tongues, even though he understood them little` held him in a spell,
as soon as he began to attend to them. Almost it seemed that the words took
shape, and visions of far lands and bright things that he had never yet
imagined opened out before him; and the firelit hall became like a golden
mist above seas of foam that sighed upon the margins of the world. Then the
enchantment became more and more dreamlike, until he felt that an endless
river of swelling gold and silver was flowing over him, too multitudinous
for its pattern to be comprehended; it became part of the throbbing air
about him, and it drenched and drowned him. Swiftly he sank under its
shining weight into a deep realm of sleep.
There he wandered long in a dream of music that turned into running
water, and then suddenly into a voice. It seemed to be the voice of Bilbo
chanting verses. Faint at first and then clearer ran the words.
Edrendil was a mariner
that tarried in Arvernien;
he built a boat of timber felled
in Nimbrethil to journey in;
her sails he wove of silver fair,
of silver were her lanterns made,
her prow was fashioned like a swan,
and light upon her banners laid.
In panoply of ancient kings,
in chain‚d rings he armoured him;
his shining shield was scored with runes
to ward all wounds and harm from him;
his bow was made of dragon-horn,
his arrows shorn of ebony,
of silver was his habergeon,
his scabbard of chalcedony;
his sword of steel was valiant,
of adamant his helmet tall,
an eagle-plume upon his crest,
upon his breast an emerald.
Beneath the Moon and under star
he wandered far from northern strands,
bewildered on enchanted ways
beyond the days of mortal lands.
From gnashing of the Narrow Ice
where shadow lies on frozen hills,
from nether heats and burning waste
he turned in haste, and roving still
on starless waters far astray
at last he came to Night of Naught,
and passed, and never sight he saw
of shining shore nor light he sought.
The winds of wrath came driving him,
and blindly in the foam he fled
from west to east and errandless,
unheralded he homeward sped.
There flying Elwing came to him,
and flame was in the darkness lit;
more bright than light of diamond
the fire upon her carcanet.
The Silmaril she bound on him
and crowned him with the living light
and dauntless then with burning brow
he turned his prow; and in the night
from Otherworld beyond the Sea
there strong and free a storm arose,
a wind of power in Tarmenel;
by paths that seldom mortal goes
his boat it bore with biting breath
as might of death across the grey
and long-forsaken seas distressed:
from east to west he passed away.
Through Evernight he back was borne
on black and roaring waves that ran
o'er leagues unlit and foundered shores
that drowned before the Days began,
until he heard on strands of pearl
when ends the world the music long,
where ever foaming billows roll
the yellow gold and jewels wan.
He saw the Mountain silent rise
where twilight lies upon the knees
of Valinor, and Eldamar
beheld afar beyond the seas.
A wanderer escaped from night
to haven white he came at last,
to Elvenhome the green and fair
where keen the air, where pale as glass
beneath the Hill of Ilmarin
a-glimmer in a valley sheer
the lamplit towers of Tirion
are mirrored on the Shadowmere.
He tarried there from errantry,
and melodies they taught to him,
and sages old him marvels told,
and harps of gold they brought to him.
They clothed him then in elven-white,
and seven lights before him sent,
as through the Calacirian
to hidden land forlorn he went.
He came unto the timeless halls
where shining fall the countless years,
and endless reigns the Elder King
in Ilmarin on Mountain sheer;
and words unheard were spoken then
of folk of Men and Elven-kin,
beyond the world were visions showed
forbid to those that dwell therein.
A ship then new they built for him
of mithril and of elven-glass
with shining prow; no shaven oar
nor sail she bore on silver mast:
the Silmaril as lantern light
and banner bright with living flame
to gleam thereon by Elbereth
herself was set, who thither came
and wings immortal made for him,
and laid on him undying doom,
to sail the shoreless skies and come
behind the Sun and light of Moon.
From Evereven's lofty hills
where softly silver fountains fall
his wings him bore, a wandering light,
beyond the mighty Mountain Wall.
From World's End then he turned away
and yearned again to find afar
his home through shadows journeying,
and burning as an island star
on high above the mists he came,
a distant flame before the Sun,
a wonder ere the waking dawn
where grey the Norland waters run.
And over Middle-earth he passed
and heard at last the weeping sore
of women and of elven-maids
in Elder Days, in years of yore.
gut on him mighty doom was laid,
till Moon should fade, an orb‚d star
to pass, and tarry never more
on Hither Shores where mortals are;
for ever still a herald on
an errand that should never rest
to bear his shining lamp afar,
the Flammifer of Westernesse.
The chanting ceased. Frodo opened his eyes and saw that Bilbo was
seated on his stool in a circle of listeners, who were smiling and
applauding.
`Now we had better have it again,' said an Elf.
Bilbo got up and bowed. `I am flattered, Lindir,' he said. 'But it
would be too tiring to repeat it all.'
'Not too tiring for you,' the Elves answered laughing. 'You know you
are never tired of reciting your own verses. But really we cannot answer
your question at one hearing!'
`What!' cried Bilbo. 'You can't tell which parts were mine, and which
were the D®nadan's?'
'It is not easy for us to tell the difference between two mortals' said
the Elf.
'Nonsense, Lindir,' snorted Bilbo. 'If you can't distinguish between a
Man and a Hobbit, your judgement is poorer than I imagined. They're as
different as peas and apples.'
'Maybe. To sheep other sheep no doubt appear different,' laughed
Lindir. `Or to shepherds. But Mortals have not been our study. We have other
business.'
'I won't argue with you,' said Bilbo. 'I am sleepy after so much music
and singing. I'll leave you to guess, if you want to.'
He got up and came towards Frodo. 'Well, that's over,' he said in a low
voice. `It went off better than I expected. I don't often get asked for a
second hearing. What did you think of it?'
`I am not going to try and guess,' said Frodo smiling.
`You needn't,' said Bilbo. `As a matter of fact it was all mine. Except
that Aragorn insisted on my putting in a green stone. He seemed to think it
important. I don't know why. Otherwise he obviously thought the whole thing
rather above my head, and he said that if I had the cheek to make verses
about Edrendil in the house of Elrond, it was my affair. I suppose he was
right.'
'I don't know,' said Frodo. `It seemed to me to fit somehow, though I
can't explain. I was half asleep when you began, and it seemed to follow on
from something that I was dreaming about. I didn't understand that it was
really you speaking until near the end.'
`It is difficult to keep awake here, until you get used to it;' said
Bilbo. 'Not that hobbits would ever acquire quite the elvish appetite for
music and poetry and tales. They seem to like them as much as food, or more.
They will be going on for a long time yet. What do you say to slipping off
for some more quiet talk?'
`Can we?' said Frodo.
`Of course. This is merrymaking not business. Come and go as you like,
as long as you don't make a noise.'
They got up and withdrew quietly into the shadows, and made for the
doors. Sam they left behind, fast asleep still with a smile on his face. In
spite of his delight in Bilbo's company Frodo felt a tug of regret as they
passed out of the Hall of Fire. Even as they stepped over the threshold a
single clear voice rose in song.
A Elbereth Gilthoniel,
silivren penna mnriel
o menel aglar elenath!
Na-chaered palan-dnriel
o galadhremmin ennorath,
Fanuilos, le linnathon
nef aear, sn nef aearon!
Frodo halted for a moment, looking back. Elrond was in his chair and
the fire was on his face like summer-light upon the trees. Near him sat the
Lady Arwen. To his surprise Frodo saw that Aragorn stood beside her; his
dark cloak was thrown back, and he seemed to be clad in elven-mail, and a
star shone on his breast. They spoke together, and then suddenly it seemed
to Frodo that Arwen turned towards him, and the light of her eyes fell on
him from afar and pierced his heart.
He stood still enchanted, while the sweet syllables of the elvish song
fell like clear jewels of blended word and melody. `It is a song to
Elbereth,' said Bilbo. `They will sing that, and other songs of the Blessed
Realm, many times tonight. Come on!'
He led Frodo back to his own little room. It opened on to the gar dens
and looked south across the ravine of the Bruinen. There they sat for some
while, looking through the window at the bright stars above the
steep-climbing woods, and talking softly. They spoke no more of the small
news of the Shire far away, nor of the dark shadows and perils that
encompassed them, but of the fair things they had seen in the world
together, of the Elves, of the stars, of trees, and the gentle fall of the
bright year in the woods.
At last there came a knock on the door. `Begging your pardon,' said
Sam, putting in his head, `but I was just wondering if you would be wanting
anything.'
`And begging yours, Sam Gamgee,' replied Bilbo. `I guess you mean that
it is time your master went to bed.'
`Well, sir, there is a Council early tomorrow, I hear and he only got
up today for the first time.'
`Quite right, Sam,' laughed Bilbo. `You can trot off and tell Gandalf
that he has gone to bed. Good night, Frodo! Bless me, but it has been good
to see you again! There are no folk like hobbits after all for a real good
talk. I am getting very old, and I began to wonder if I should ever live to
see your chapters of our story. Good night! I'll take a walk, I think, and
look at the stars of Elbereth in the garden. Sleep well!'