Властелин колец: Братство кольца
The Shadow of the Past
’ButIhopethatyoumayfindsomeotherbetterkeepersoon.ButinthemeanwhileitseemsthatIamadanger,adangertoallthatlivenearme.IcannotkeeptheRingandstayhere.IoughttoleaveBagEnd,leavetheShire,leaveeverythingandgoaway.’Hesighed.
’IshouldliketosavetheShire,ifIcould—thoughtherehavebeentimeswhenIthoughttheinhabitantstoostupidanddullforwords,andhavefeltthatanearthquakeoraninvasionofdragonsmightbegoodforthem.ButIdon’tfeellikethatnow.IfeelthataslongastheShireliesbehind,safeandcomfortable,Ishallfindwanderingmorebearable:Ishallknowthatsomewherethereisafirmfoothold,evenifmyfeetcannotstandthereagain.
’Ofcourse,Ihavesometimesthoughtofgoingaway,butIimaginedthatasakindofholiday,aseriesofadventureslikeBilbo’sorbetter,endinginpeace.Butthiswouldmeanexile,aflightfromdangerintodanger,drawingitafterme.AndIsupposeImustgoalone,ifIamtodothatandsavetheShire.ButIfeelverysmall,andveryuprooted,andwell—desperate.TheEnemyissostrongandterrible.’
HedidnottellGandalf,butashewasspeakingagreatdesiretofollowBilboflamedupinhisheart—tofollowBilbo,andevenperhapstofindhimagain.Itwassostrongthatitovercamehisfear:hecouldalmosthaverunoutthereandthendowntheroadwithouthishat,asBilbohaddoneonasimilarmorninglongago.
’MydearFrodo!’exclaimedGandalf.’Hobbitsreallyareamazingcreatures,asIhavesaidbefore.Youcanlearnallthatthereistoknowabouttheirwaysinamonth,andyetafterahundredyearstheycanstillsurpriseyouatapinch.Ihardlyexpectedtogetsuchananswer,notevenfromyou.
