Властелин колец: Братство кольца
A Long-expected Party
’Goodbye,mydearBilbo—untilournextmeeting!’hesaidsoftlyandwentbackindoors.
Frodocameinsoonafterwards,andfoundhimsittinginthedark,deepinthought.’Hashegone?’heasked.
’Yes,’answeredGandalf,’hehasgoneatlast.’
’Iwish—Imean,Ihopeduntilthiseveningthatitwasonlyajoke,’saidFrodo.’ButIknewinmyheartthathereallymeanttogo.Healwaysusedtojokeaboutseriousthings.IwishIhadcomebacksooner,justtoseehimoff.’
’Ithinkreallyhepreferredslippingoffquietlyintheend,’saidGandalf.’Don’tbetootroubled.He’llbeallright—now.Heleftapacketforyou.Thereitis!’
Frodotooktheenvelopefromthemantelpiece,andglancedatit,butdidnotopenit.
’You’llfindhiswillandalltheotherdocumentsinthere,Ithink,’saidthewizard.’YouarethemasterofBagEndnow.Andalso,Ifancy,you’llfindagoldenring.’
’Thering!’exclaimedFrodo.’Hasheleftmethat?Iwonderwhy.Still,itmaybeuseful.’
’Itmay,anditmaynot,’saidGandalf.’Ishouldnotmakeuseofit,ifIwereyou.Butkeepitsecret,andkeepitsafe!NowIamgoingtobed.’
AsmasterofBagEndFrodofeltithispainfuldutytosaygood-byetotheguests.
