Властелин колец: Братство кольца
A Long-expected Party
BilboandFrodohappenedtohavethesamebirthday,September22nd. ’Youhadbettercomeandlivehere,Frodomylad,’saidBilbooneday; ’andthenwecancelebrateourbirthday-partiescomfortablytogether.’ AtthattimeFrodowasstillinhistweens,asthehobbitscalledtheirresponsibletwentiesbetweenchildhoodandcomingofageatthirty-three.
Twelvemoreyearspassed.EachyeartheBagginseshadgivenverylivelycombinedbirthday-partiesatBagEnd; butnowitwasunderstoodthatsomethingquiteexceptionalwasbeingplannedforthatautumn. Bilbowasgoingtobeeleventy-one,111, arathercuriousnumberandaveryrespectableageforahobbit (theOldTookhimselfhadonlyreached130); andFrodowasgoingtobethirty-three,33) animportantnumber:thedateofhis’comingofage’.
TonguesbegantowaginHobbitonandBywater;andrumourofthecomingeventtravelledallovertheShire. ThehistoryandcharacterofMr.BilboBagginsbecameonceagainthechieftopicofconversation; andtheolderfolksuddenlyfoundtheirreminiscencesinwelcomedemand.
NoonehadamoreattentiveaudiencethanoldHamGamgee,commonlyknownastheGaffer. HeheldforthatTheIvyBush,asmallinnontheBywaterroad; andhespokewithsomeauthority,forhehadtendedthegardenatBagEndforfortyyears, andhadhelpedoldHolmaninthesamejobbeforethat. Nowthathewashimselfgrowingoldandstiffinthejoints, thejobwasmainlycarriedonbyhisyoungestson,SamGamgee. BothfatherandsonwereonveryfriendlytermswithBilboandFrodo. TheylivedontheHillitself,inNumber3BagshotRowjustbelowBagEnd.
’Averynicewell-spokengentlehobbitisMr.Bilbo,asI’vealwayssaid,’ theGafferdeclared.
