Властелин колец: Братство кольца
Three is Company
AsamatteroffactwithMerry’shelphehadalreadychosenandboughtalittlehouseatCrickholowinthecountrybeyondBucklebury.ToallbutSamhepretendedhewasgoingtosettledowntherepermanently.Thedecisiontosetouteastwardshadsuggestedtheideatohim;forBucklandwasontheeasternbordersoftheShire,andashehadlivedthereinchildhoodhisgoingbackwouldatleastseemcredible.
GandalfstayedintheShireforovertwomonths.Thenoneevening,attheendofJune,soonafterFrodo’splanhadbeenfinalyarranged,hesuddenlyannouncedthathewasgoingoffagainnextmorning."Onlyforashortwhile,Ihope,"hesaid."ButIamgoingdownbeyondthesouthernborderstogetsomenews,ifIcan.IhavebeenidlelongerthanIshould."Hespokelightly,butitseemedtoFrodothathelookedratherworried."Hasanythinghappened?"heasked.
"Wellno;butIhaveheardsomethingthathasmademeanxiousandneedslookinginto.IfIthinkitnecessaryafterallforyoutogetoffatonce,Ishalcomebackimmediately,oratleastsendword.Inthemeanwhilesticktoyourplan;butbemorecarefulthanever,especialyoftheRing.Letmeimpressonyouoncemore:don’tuseit!"Hewentoffatdawn."Imaybebackanyday,"hesaid."AttheverylatestIshalcomebackforthefarewelparty.IthinkafterallyoumayneedmycompanyontheRoad."AtfirstFrodowasagooddealdisturbed,andwonderedoftenwhatGandalfcouldhaveheard;buthisuneasinessworeoff,andinthefineweatherheforgothistroublesforawhile.
TheShirehadseldomseensofairasummer,orsorichanautumn:thetreeswereladenwithapples,honeywasdrippinginthecombs,andthecornwastallandful.
