Властелин колец: Братство кольца
A Conspiracy Unmasked
"Butyouwon’thaveanyluckintheOldForest,"objectedFredegar."Nooneeverhasluckinthere.You’llgelllost.Peopledon’tgointhere."
"Ohyestheydo!"saidMerry."TheBrandybucksgoin-occasionalywhenthefittakesthem.Wehaveaprivateentrance.Frodowentinonce,longago.Ihavebeeninseveraltimes:usualyindaylight,ofcourse,whenthetreesaresleepyandfairlyquiet."
"Wel,doasyouthinkbest!"saidFredegar."IammoreafraidoftheOldForestthanofanythingIknowabout:thestoriesaboutitareanightmare;butmyvotehardlycounts,asIamnotgoingonthejourney.still,Iamverygladsomeoneisstoppingbehind,whocantellGandalfwhatyouhavedone,whenheturnsup,asIamsurehewillbeforelong."FondashewasofFrodo,FattyBolgerhadnodesiretoleavetheShire,nortoseewhatlayoutsideit.HisfamilycamefromtheEastfarthing,fromBudgefordinBridgefieldsinfact,buthehadneverbeenovertheBrandywineBridge.Histask,accordingtotheoriginalplansoftheconspirators,wastostaybehindanddealwithinquisitivefolk,andtokeepupaslongaspossiblethepretencethatMr.BagginswasstilllivingatCrickholow.HehadevenbroughtalongsomeoldclothesofFrodo’stohelphiminplayingthepart.Theylittlethoughthowdangerousthatpartmightprove.
"Excelent!"saidFrodo,whenheunderstoodtheplan."WecouldnothaveleftanymessagebehindforGandalfotherwise.Idon’tknowwhethertheseRiderscanreadornot,ofcourse,butIshouldnothavedaredtoriskawrittenmessage,incasetheygotinandsearchedthehouse.ButifFattyiswilingtoholdthefort,andIcanbesureofGandalfknowingthewaywehavegone,thatdecidesme.IamgoingintotheOldForestfirstthingtomorrow."
