Властелин колец: Братство кольца
Three is Company
Whentheyhadsungmanysongs,andtalkedofmanythingstheyhaddonetogether,theytoastedBilbo’sbirthday,andtheydrankhishealthandFrodo’stogetheraccordingtoFrodo’scustom.Thentheywentoutforasniffofair,andglimpseofthestars,andthentheywenttobed.Frodo’spartywasover,andGandalfhadnotcome.
Thenextmorningtheywerebusypackinganothercartwiththeremainderoftheluggage.
Merrytookchargeofthis,anddroveoffwithFatty(thatisFredegarBolger)."Someonemustgetthereandwarmthehousebeforeyouarrive,"saidMerry."Wel,seeyoulater-thedayaftertomorrow,ifyoudon’tgotosleepontheway!"
Folcowenthomeafterlunch,butPippinremainedbehind.Frodowasrestlessandanxious,listeninginvainforasoundofGandalf.Hedecidedtowaituntilnightfal.Afterthat,ifGandalfwantedhimurgently,hewouldgotoCrickholow,andmightevengettherefirst.ForFrodowasgoingonfoot.Hisplan-forpleasureandalastlookattheShireasmuchasanyotherreason-wastowalkfromHobbitontoBuckleburyFerry,takingitfairlyeasy.
"Ishalgetmyselfabitintotraining,too,"hesaid,lookingathimselfinadustymirrorinthehalf-emptyhal.Hehadnotdoneanystrenuouswalkingforalongtime,andthereflectionlookedratherflabby,hethought.
Afterlunch,theSackvile-Bagginses,Lobeliaandhersandy-hairedson,Lotho,turnedup,muchtoFrodo’sannoyance."Oursatlast!"saidLobelia,asshesteppedinside.Itwasnotpolite;norstrictlytrue,forthesaleofBagEnddidnottakeeffectuntilmidnight.ButLobeliacanperhapsbeforgiven:shehadbeenobligedtowaitaboutseventy-sevenyearslongerforBagEndthansheoncehoped,andshewasnowahundredyearsold.
