The Lord of the Rings-指环王(英文版)-第6章

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Frodo　had　a　very　trying　time　that　afternoon。　A　false　rumour　that　the　whole　household　was　being　distributed　free　spread　like　wildfire；　and　before　long　the　place　was　packed　with　people　who　had　no　business　there；　but　could　not　be　kept　out。　Labels　got　torn　off　and　mixed；　and　quarrels　broke　out。　Some　people　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　unwanted　or　unwatched。　The　road　to　the　gate　was　blocked　with　barrows　and　handcarts。

In　the　middle　of　the　motion　the　SackvilleBagginses　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　mean　to　see　him。　Just　go　and　tell　him　so！'

Merry　left　them　a　long　while　in　the　hall；　and　they　had　time　to　discover　their　parting　gift　of　spoons。　It　did　not　improve　their　tempers。　Eventually　they　were　shown　into　the　study。　Frodo　was　sitting　at　a　table　with　a　lot　of　papers　in　front　of　him。　He　looked　indisposed　。　to　see　SackvilleBagginses　at　any　rate；　and　he　stood　up；　fidgeting　with　something　in　his　pocket。　But　he　spoke　quite　politely。

The　SackvilleBagginses　were　rather　offensive。　They　began　by　offering　him　bad　bargainprices　（as　between　friends）　for　various　valuable　and　unlabelled　things。　When　Frodo　replied　that　only　the　things　specially　directed　by　Bilbo　were　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　are　doing　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　read　the　will　carefully　and　snorted。　It　was；　unfortunately；　very　clear　and　correct　（according　to　the　legal　customs　of　hobbits；　which　demand　among　other　things　seven　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　slumped　off。　But　Lobelia　was　not　so　easily　got　rid　of。　A　little　later　Frodo　came　out　of　the　study　to　see　how　things　were　going　on　and　found　her　still　about　the　place；　investigating　nooks　and　ers　and　tapping　the　floors。　He　escorted　her　firmly　off　the　premises；　after　he　had　relieved　her　of　several　small　（but　rather　valuable）　articles　that　had　somehow　fallen　inside　her　umbrella。　Her　face　looked　as　if　she　was　in　the　throes　of　thinking　out　a　really　crushing　parting　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't　belong　here；　you're　no　Baggins　。　you　。　you're　a　Brandybuck！'

'Did　you　hear　that；　Merry？　That　was　an　insult；　if　you　like；'　said　Frodo　as　he　shut　the　door　on　her。

'It　was　a　pliment；'　said　Merry　Brandybuck；　'and　so；　of　course；　not　true。'

Then　they　went　round　the　hole；　and　evicted　three　young　hobbits　（two　Boffins　and　a　Bolger）　who　were　knocking　holes　in　the　walls　of　one　of　the　cellars。　Frodo　also　had　a　tussle　with　young　Sancho　Proudfoot　（old　Odo　Proudfoot's　grandson）；　who　had　begun　an　excavation　in　the　larger　pantry；　where　he　thought　there　was　an　echo。　The　legend　of　Bilbo's　gold　excited　both　curiosity　and　hope；　for　legendary　gold　（mysteriously　obtained；　if　not　positively　illgotten）；　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　a　chair　in　the　hall。　It's　time　to　close　the　shop；　Merry；'　he　said。　'Lock　the　door；　and　don't　open　it　to　anyone　today；　not　even　if　they　bring　a　battering　ram。'　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　frontdoor。　'Lobelia　again　most　likely；'　he　thought。　'She　must　have　thought　of　something　really　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　took　no　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　your　hole　and　out　through　the　hill；'　he　said。

'My　dear　Gandalf！　Half　a　minute！'　cried　Frodo；　running　out　of　the　room　to　the　door。　'e　in！　e　in！　I　thought　it　was　Lobelia。'

'Then　I　five　you。　But　I　saw　her　some　time　ago；　driving　a　ponytrap　towards　Bywater　with　a　face　that　would　have　curdled　new　milk。'

'She　had　already　nearly　curdled　me。　Honestly；　I　nearly　tried　on　Bilbo's　ring。　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；　and　how　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。　'He　told　me　the　true　story　soon　after　I　came　to　live　here。　He　said　you　had　pestered　him　till　he　told　you；　so　I　had　better　know　too。　〃No　secrets　between　us；　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　the　true　story　much　more　likely；　and　I　couldn't　see　the　point　of　altering　it　at　all。　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。　It　may　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　about　the　ring；　especially　since　last　night。　No　need　to　worry。　But　if　you　take　my　advice　you　will　use　it　very　seldom；　or　not　at　all。　At　least　I　beg　you　not　to　use　it　in　any　way　that　will　cause　talk　or　rouse　suspicion。　I　say　again：　keep　it　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　you　something　when　I　e　back。　I　am　going　off　at　once：　so　this　is　goodbye　for　the　present。'　He　got　up。

'At　once！'　cried　Frodo。　'Why；　I　thought　you　were　staying　on　for　at　least　a　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　a　good　while；　but　I'll　e　and　see　you　again；　as　soon　as　I　can。　Expect　me　when　you　see　me！　I　shall　slip　in　quietly。　I　shan't　often　be　visiting　the　Shire　openly　again。　I　find　that　I　have　bee　rather　unpopular。　They　say　I　am　a　nuisance　and　a　disturber　of　the　peace。　Some　people　are　actually　accusing　me　of　spiriting　Bilbo　away；　or　worse。　If　you　want　to　know；　there　is　supposed　to　be　a　plot　between　you　and　me　to　get　hold　of　his　wealth。'

'Some　people！'　exclaimed　Frodo。　'You　mean　Otho　and　Lobelia。　How　abominable！　I　would　give　them　Bag　End　and　everything　else；　if　I　could　get　Bilbo　back　and　go　off　tramping　in　the　country　with　him。　I　love　the　Shire。　But　I　begin　to　wish；　somehow；　that　I　had　gone　too。　I　wonder　if　I　shall　ever　see　him　again。'

'So　do　I；'　said　Gandalf。　'And　I　wonder　many　other　things。　Goodbye　now！　Take　care　of　yourself！　Look　out　for　me；　especially　at　unlikely　times！　Good　bye！'

Frodo　saw　him　to　the　door。　He　gave　a　final　wave　of　his　hand；　and　walked　off　at　a　surprising　pace；　but　Frodo　thought　the　old　wizard　looked　unusually　bent；　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　see　him　again　for　a　long　time。

Chapter　02
The　Shadow　of　the　Past
　

The　talk　did　not　die　down　in　nine　or　even　niynine　days。　The　second　disappearance　of　Mr。　Bilbo　Baggins　was　discussed　in　Hobbiton；　and　indeed　all　over　the　Shire；　for　a　year　and　a　day；　and　was　remembered　much　longer　than　that。　It　became　a　firesidestory　for　young　hobbits；　and　eventually　Mad　Baggins；　who　used　to　vanish　with　a　bang　and　a　flash　and　reappear　with　bags　of　jewels　and　gold；　became　a　favourite　character　of　legend　and　lived　on　long　after　all　the　true　events　were　fotten。

But　in　the　meantime；　the　general　opinion　in　the　neighbourhood　was　that　Bilbo；　who　had　always　been　rather　cracked；　had　at　last　gone　quite　mad；　and　had　run　off　into　the　Blue。　There　he　had　undoubtedly　fallen　into　a　pool　or　a　river　and　e　to　a　tragic；　but　hardly　an　untimely；　end。　The　blame　was　mostly　laid　on　Gandalf。

'If　only　that　dratted　wizard　will　leave　young　Frodo　alone；　perhaps　he'll　settle　down　and　grow　some　hobbitsense；'　they　said。　And　to　all　appearance　the　wizard　did　leave　Frodo　alone；　and　he　did　settle　down；　but　the　growth　of　hobbitsense　was　not　very　noticeable。　Indeed；　he　at　once　began　to　carry　on　Bilbo's　reputation　for　oddity。　He　refused　to　go　into　mourning；　and　the　next　year　he　gave　a　party　in　honour　of　Bilbo's　hundredandtwelfth　birthday；　which　he　called　Hundredweight　Feast。　But　that　was　short　of　the　mark；　for　twenty　guests　were　invited　and　there　were　several　meals　at　which　it　snowed　food　and　rain