Part 2
Many Meetings
Frodowokeandfoundhimselflyinginbed.Atfirsthethoughtthathehadsleptlate,afteralongunpleasantdreamthatstillhoveredontheedgeofmemory.Orperhapshehadbeenill?Buttheceilinglookedstrange;itwasflat,andithaddarkbeamsrichlycarved.Helayalittlewhilelongerlookingatpatchesofsunlightonthewall,andlisteningtothesoundofawaterfall.
"WhereamI,andwhatisthetime?"hesaidaloudtotheceiling."IntheHouseofElrond,anditisteno’clockinthemorning."saidavoice."ItisthemorningofOctoberthetwenty-fourth,ifyouwanttoknow."
"Gandalf!"criedFrodo,sittingup.Therewastheoldwizard,sittinginachairbytheopenwindow.
"Yes,"hesaid,"Iamhere.Andyouareluckytobehere,too,afteralltheabsurdthingsyouhavedonesinceyoulefthome."Frodolaydownagain.Hefelttoocomfortableandpeacefultoargue,andinanycasehedidnotthinkhewouldgetthebetterofanargument.Hewasfullyawakenow,andthememoryofhisjourneywasreturning:thedisastrous"shortcut"throughtheOldForestthe"accident"atThePrancingPony;andhismadnessinputtingontheRinginthedellunderWeathertop.WhilehewasthinkingofallthesethingsandtryinginvaintobringhismemorydowntohisarrivinginRivendell,therewasalongsilence,brokenonlybythesoftpuffsofGandalf’spipe,asheblewwhitesmoke-ringsoutofthewindow.
"Where’sSam?"Frodoaskedatlength.
