the fellowship of the ring-第13章

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！


_For　LOBELIA　SACKVILLE…BAGGINS；　as　a　PRESENT；_　on　a　case　of　silverspoons。　Bilbo　believed　that　she　had　acquired　a　good　many　of　his　spoons；　whilehe　was　away　on　his　former　journey。　Lobelia　knew　that　quite　well。　When　shearrived　later　in　the　day；　she　took　the　point　at　once；　but　she　also　took　thespoons。　
This　is　only　a　small　selection　of　the　assembled　presents。　Bilbo'sresidence　had　got　rather　cluttered　up　with　things　in　the　course　of　his　longlife。　It　was　a　tendency　of　hobbit…holes　to　get　cluttered　up：　for　which　thecustom　of　giving　so　many　birthday…presents　was　largely　responsible。　Not；　ofcourse；　that　the　birthday…presents　were　always　_new；_　there　were　one　or　twoold　_mathoms_　of　forgotten　uses　that　had　circulated　all　around　the　district；　
but　Bilbo　had　usually　given　new　presents；　and　kept　those　that　he　received。　Theold　hole　was　now　being　cleared　a　little。　
Every　one　of　the　various　parting　gifts　had　labels；　written　out　personallyby　Bilbo；　and　several　had　some　point；　or　some　joke。　But；　of　course；　most　ofthe　things　were　given　where　they　would　be　wanted　and　wele。　The　poorerhobbits；　and　especially　those　of　Bagshot　Row；　did　very　well。　Old　Gaffer　Gamgeegot　two　sacks　of　potatoes；　a　new　spade；　a　woollen　waistcoat；　and　a　bottle　ofointment　for　creaking　joints。　Old　Rory　Brandybuck；　in　return　for　muchhospitality；　got　a　dozen　bottles　of　Old　Winyards：　a　strong　red　wine　from　theSouthfarthing；　and　now　quite　mature；　as　it　had　been　laid　down　by　Bilbo'sfather。　Rory　quite　forgave　Bilbo；　and　voted　him　a　capital　fellow　after　thefirst　bottle。　　
There　was　plenty　of　everything　left　for　Frodo。　And；　of　course；　all　thechief　treasures；　as　well　as　the　books；　pictures；　and　more　than　enoughfurniture；　were　left　in　his　possession。　There　was；　however；　no　sign　normention　of　money　or　jewellery：　not　a　penny…piece　or　a　glass　bead　was　givenaway。　
Frodo　had　a　very　trying　time　that　afternoon。　A　false　rumour　that　thewhole　household　was　being　distributed　free　spread　like　wildfire；　and　beforelong　the　place　was　packed　with　people　who　had　no　business　there；　but　could　notbe　kept　out。　Labels　got　torn　off　and　mixed；　and　quarrels　broke　out。　Somepeople　tried　to　do　swaps　and　deals　in　the　hall；　and　others　tried　to　make　_off_　
with　minor　items　not　addressed　to　them；　or　with　anything　that　seemed　unwantedor　unwatched。　The　road　to　the　gate　was　blocked　with　barrows　and　handcarts。　
In　the　middle　of　the　motion　the　Sackville…Bagginses　arrived。　Frodo　had　　
　
retired　for　a　while　and　left　his　friend　Merry　Brandybuck　to　keep　an　eye　on　
things。　When　Otho　loudly　demanded　to　see　Frodo；　Merry　bowed　politely。　
'He　is　indisposed；'　he　said。　'He　is　resting。'　
'Hiding；　you　mean；'　said　Lobelia。　'Anyway　we　want　to　see　him　and　we　meanto　see　him。　Just　go　and　tell　him　so！'　
Merry　left　them　a　long　while　in　the　hall；　and　they　had　time　to　discovertheir　parting　gift　of　spoons。　It　did　not　improve　their　tempers。　Eventuallythey　were　shown　into　the　study。　Frodo　was　sitting　at　a　table　with　a　lot　ofpapers　in　front　of　him。　He　looked　indisposed　–　to　see　Sackville…Bagginses　atany　rate；　and　he　stood　up；　fidgeting　with　something　in　his　pocket。　But　hespoke　quite　politely。　
The　Sackville…Bagginses　were　rather　offensive。　They　began　by　offering　himbad　bargain…prices　（as　between　friends）　for　various　valuable　and　unlabelledthings。　When　Frodo　replied　that　only　the　things　specially　directed　by　Bilbowere　being　given　away；　they　said　the　whole　affair　was　very　fishy。　
'Only　one　thing　is　clear　to　me；'　said　Otho；　'and　that　is　that　you　aredoing　exceedingly　well　out　of　it。　I　insist　on　seeing　the　will。'　
Otho　would　have　been　Bilbo's　heir；　but　for　the　adoption　of　Frodo。　He　readthe　will　carefully　and　snorted。　It　was；　unfortunately；　very　clear　and　correct（according　to　the　legal　customs　of　hobbits；　which　demand　among　other　thingsseven　signatures　of　witnesses　in　red　ink）。　
'Foiled　again！'　he　said　to　his　wife。　'And　after　waiting　_sixty_　years。　
Spoons？　Fiddlesticks！'　He　snapped　his　fingers　under　Frodo's　nose　and　slumpedoff。　But　Lobelia　was　not　so　easily　got　rid　of。　A　little　later　Frodo　came　outof　the　study　to　see　how　things　were　going　on　and　found　her　still　about　theplace；　investigating　nooks　and　ers　and　tapping　the　floors。　He　escorted　herfirmly　off　the　premises；　after　he　had　relieved　her　of　several　small　（butrather　valuable）　articles　that　had　somehow　fallen　inside　her　umbrella。　Herface　looked　as　if　she　was　in　the　throes　of　thinking　out　a　really　crushingparting　remark；　but　all　she　found　to　say；　turning　round　on　the　step；　was：　
'You'll　live　to　regret　it；　young　fellow！　Why　didn't　you　go　too？　You　don'tbelong　here；　you're　no　Baggins　–　you　–　you're　a　Brandybuck！'　
'Did　you　hear　that；　Merry？　That　was　an　insult；　if　you　like；'　said　Frodoas　he　shut　the　door　on　her。　　
'It　was　a　pliment；'　said　Merry　Brandybuck；　'and　so；　of　course；　nottrue。'　　
Then　they　went　round　the　hole；　and　evicted　three　young　hobbits　（twoBoffins　and　a　Bolger）　who　were　knocking　holes　in　the　walls　of　one　of　thecellars。　Frodo　also　had　a　tussle　with　young　Sancho　Proudfoot　（old　OdoProudfoot's　grandson）；　who　had　begun　an　excavation　in　the　larger　pantry；　wherehe　thought　there　was　an　echo。　The　legend　of　Bilbo's　gold　excited　bothcuriosity　and　hope；　for　legendary　gold　（mysteriously　obtained；　if　notpositively　ill…gotten）；　is；　as　every　one　knows；　any　one's　for　the　finding　–　
unless　the　search　is　interrupted。　
When　he　had　overe　Sancho　and　pushed　him　out；　Frodo　collapsed　on　achair　in　the　hall。　It's　time　to　close　the　shop；　Merry；'　he　said。　'Lock　thedoor；　and　don't　open　it　to　anyone　today；　not　even　if　they　bring　a　batteringram。'　Then　he　went　to　revive　himself　with　a　belated　cup　of　tea。　
He　had　hardly　sat　down；　when　there　came　a　soft　knock　at　the　front…door。　
'Lobelia　again　most　likely；'　he　thought。　'She　must　have　thought　of　somethingreally　nasty；　and　have　e　back　again　to　say　it。　It　can　wait。'　
He　went　on　with　his　tea。　The　knock　was　repeated；　much　louder；　but　he　tookno　notice。　Suddenly　the　wizard's　head　appeared　at　the　window。　
'If　you　don't　let　me　in；　Frodo；　I　shall　blow　your　door　right　down　yourhole　and　out　through　the　hill；'　he　said。　
'My　dear　Gandalf！　Half　a　minute！'　cried　Frodo；　running　out　of　the　room　tothe　door。　'e　in！　e　in！　I　thought　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　s