Homeward Bound

           Atlastthehobbitshadtheirfacesturnedtowardshome.TheywereeagernowtoseetheShireagain;butatfirsttheyrodeonlyslowly,forFrodohadbeenillatease.WhentheycametotheFordofBruinen,hehadhalted,andseemedlothtorideintothestream;andtheynotedthatforawhilehiseyesappearednottoseethemorthingsabouthim.Allthatdayhewassilent.ItwasthesixthofOctober.

           "Areyouinpain,Frodo?"saidGandalfquietlyasherodebyFrodo’sside.

           "Well,yesIam,"saidFrodo."Itismyshoulder.Thewoundaches,andthememoryofdarknessisheavyonme.Itwasayearagotoday."

           "Alas!therearesomewoundsthatcannotbewhollycured,"saidGandalf.

           "Ifearitmaybesowithmine,"saidFrodo."Thereisnorealgoingback.ThoughImaycometotheShire,itwillnotseemthesame;forIshallnotbethesame.Iamwoundedwithknife,sting,andtooth,andalongburden.WhereshallIfindrest?"

           Gandalfdidnotanswer.

           Bytheendofthenextdaythepainanduneasehadpassed,andFrodowasmerryagain,asmerryasifhedidnotremembertheblacknessofthedaybefore.Afterthatthejourneywentwell,andthedayswentquicklyby;fortheyrodeatleisure,andoftentheylingeredinthefairwoodlandswheretheleaveswereredandyellowintheautumnsun.AtlengththeycametoWeathertop;anditwasthendrawingtowardseveningandtheshadowofthehilllaydarkontheroad.