Властелин колец: Братство кольца
The Shadow of the Past
Samwavedhisarmvaguely:neitherhenoranyofthemknewhowfaritwastotheSea,pasttheoldtowersbeyondthewesternbordersoftheShire.ButitwasanoldtraditionthatawayovertherestoodtheGreyHavens,fromwhichattimeselven-shipssetsail,nevertoreturn.
’Theyaresailing,sailing,sailingovertheSea,theyaregoingintotheWestandleavingus,’saidSam,halfchantingthewords,shakinghisheadsadlyandsolemnly.ButTedlaughed.
’Well,thatisn’tanythingnew,ifyoubelievetheoldtales.AndIdon’tseewhatitmatterstomeoryou.Letthemsail!ButIwarrantyouhaven’tseenthemdoingit;noranyoneelseintheShire.’
’WellIdon’tknow,’saidSamthoughtfully.HebelievedhehadonceseenanElfinthewoods,andstillhopedtoseemoreoneday.Ofallthelegendsthathehadheardinhisearlyyearssuchfragmentsoftalesandhalf-rememberedstoriesabouttheElvesasthehobbitsknew,hadalwaysmovedhimmostdeeply.’Therearesome,evenintheseparts,asknowtheFairFolkandgetnewsofthem,’hesaid.’There’sMr.Bagginsnow,thatIworkfor.HetoldmethattheyweresailingandheknowsabitaboutElves.AndoldMr.Bilboknewmore:many’sthetalkIhadwithhimwhenIwasalittlelad.’
’Oh,they’rebothcracked,’saidTed.’LeastwaysoldBilbowascracked,andFrodo’scracking.Ifthat’swhereyougetyournewsfrom,you’llneverwantformoonshine.Well,friends,I’moffhome.Yourgoodhealth!’Hedrainedhismugandwentoutnoisily.
Samsatsilentandsaidnomore.Hehadagooddealtothinkabout.Foronething,therewasalottodoupintheBagEndgarden,andhewouldhaveabusydaytomorrow,iftheweathercleared.
