Властелин колец: Братство кольца
A Long-expected Party
’Hiding,youmean,’saidLobelia.’Anywaywewanttoseehimandwemeantoseehim.Justgoandtellhimso!’
Merryleftthemalongwhileinthehall,andtheyhadtimetodiscovertheirpartinggiftofspoons.Itdidnotimprovetheirtempers.Eventuallytheywereshownintothestudy.Frodowassittingatatablewithalotofpapersinfrontofhim.Helookedindisposed—toseeSackville-Bagginsesatanyrate;andhestoodup,fidgetingwithsomethinginhispocket.Buthespokequitepolitely.
TheSackville-Bagginseswereratheroffensive.Theybeganbyofferinghimbadbargain-prices(asbetweenfriends)forvariousvaluableandunlabelledthings.WhenFrodorepliedthatonlythethingsspeciallydirectedbyBilbowerebeinggivenaway,theysaidthewholeaffairwasveryfishy.
’Onlyonethingiscleartome,’saidOtho,’andthatisthatyouaredoingexceedinglywelloutofit.Iinsistonseeingthewill.’
OthowouldhavebeenBilbo’sheir,butfortheadoptionofFrodo.Hereadthewillcarefullyandsnorted.Itwas,unfortunately,veryclearandcorrect(accordingtothelegalcustomsofhobbits,whichdemandamongotherthingssevensignaturesofwitnessesinredink).
’Foiledagain!’hesaidtohiswife.’Andafterwaitingsixtyyears.Spoons?Fiddlesticks!’HesnappedhisfingersunderFrodo’snoseandslumpedoff.ButLobeliawasnotsoeasilygotridof.AlittlelaterFrodocameoutofthestudytoseehowthingsweregoingonandfoundherstillabouttheplace,investigatingnooksandcornersandtappingthefloors.Heescortedherfirmlyoffthepremises,afterhehadrelievedherofseveralsmall(butrathervaluable)articlesthathadsomehowfalleninsideherumbrella.
