按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
mean。 And that was after we showed them the gates and pushed them out： before the year's end；
that was； and the fight was early in the New Year； after the heavy snow we had。
'And now they're gone for robbers and live outside； hiding in the woods beyond Archet； and out
in the wilds north…away。 It's like a bit of the bad old times tales tell of； I say。 It isn't safe on the road
and nobody goes far； and folk lock up early。 We have to keep watchers all round the fence and put
a lot of men on the gates at nights。'
'Well； no one troubled us；' said Pippin； 'and we came along slowly； and kept no watch。 We
thought we'd left all trouble behind us。'
'Ah； that you haven't； Master； more's the pity；' said Butterbur。 'But it's no wonder they left you
alone。 They wouldn't go for armed folk； with swords and helmets and shields and all。 Make them
think twice； that would。 And I must say it put me aback a bit when I saw you。'
Then the hobbits suddenly realized that people had looked at them with amazement not out of
surprise at their return so much as in wonder at their gear。 They themselves had bee so used to
warfare and to riding in well…arrayed panies that they had quite forgotten that the bright mail
peeping from under their cloaks； and the helms of Gondor and the Mark； and the fair devices on
their shields； would seem outlandish in their own country。 And Gandalf； too； was now riding on his
tall grey horse； all clad in white with a great mantle of blue and silver over all； and the long sword
Glamdring at his side。
Gandalf laughed。 'Well； well；' he said； 'if they are afraid of just five of us； then we have met
worse enemies on our travels。 But at any rate they will give you peace at night while we stay。'
'How long will that be？' said Butterbur。 'I'll not deny we should be glad to have you about for a
bit。 You see； we're not used to such troubles； and the Rangers have all gone away； folk tell me。 I
don't think we've rightly understood till now what they did for us。 For there's been worse than
robbers about。 Wolves were howling round the fences last winter。 And there's dark shapes in the
woods； dreadful things that it makes the blood run cold to think of。 It's been very disturbing； if you
understand me。'
'I expect it has；' said Gandalf。 'Nearly all lands have been disturbed these days； very disturbed。
But cheer up； Barliman！ You have been on the edge of very great troubles； and I am only glad to
hear that you have not been deeper in。 But better times are ing。 Maybe； better than any you
remember。 The Rangers have returned。 We came back with them。 And there is a king again；
Barliman。 He will soon be turning his mind this way。
'Then the Greenway will be opened again； and his messengers will e north； and there will be
ings and goings； and the evil things will be driven out of the waste…lands。 Indeed the waste in
time will be waste no longer； and there will be people and fields where once there was wilderness。'
Mr。 Butterbur shook his head。 'If there's a few decent respectable folk on the roads； that won't do
no harm；' he said。 'But we don't want no more rabble and ruffians。 And we don't want no outsiders
at Bree； nor near Bree at all。 We want to be let alone。 I don't want a whole crowd o' strangers
camping here and settling there and tearing up the wild country。'
'You will be let alone； Barliman；' said Gandalf。 'There is room enough for realms between Isen
and Greyflood； or along the shore lands south of the Brandywine； without any one living within
many days' ride of Bree。 And many folk used to dwell away north； a hundred miles or more from
here； at the far end of the Greenway： on the North Downs or by Lake Evendim。'
'Up away by Deadmen's Dike？' said Butterbur； looking even more dubious。 'That's haunted land；
they say。 None but a robber would go there。'
'The Rangers go there；' said Gandalf。 'Deadmen's Dike； you say。 So it has been called for long
years； but its right name； Barliman； is Fornost Erain； Norbury of the Kings。 And the King will
e there again one day； and then you'll have some fair folk riding through。'
'Well； that sounds more hopeful； I'll allow；' said Butterbur。 'And it will be good for business； no
doubt。 So long as he lets Bree alone。'
'He will；' said Gandalf。 'He knows it and loves it。'
'Does he now？' said Butterbur looking puzzled。 'Though I'm sure I don't know why he should；
sitting in his big chair up in his great castle； hundreds of miles away。 And drinking wine out of a
golden cup； I shouldn't wonder。 What's _The Pony_ to him； or mugs o' beer？ Not but what my
beer's good； Gandalf。 It's been unmon good； since you came in the autumn of last year and put
a good word on it。 And that's been a fort in trouble； I will say。'
'Ah！' said Sam。 'But he says your beer is always good。'
'He says？'
'Of course he does。 He's Strider。 The chief of the Rangers。 Haven't you got that into your head
yet？'
It went in at last； and Butterbur's face was a study in wonder。 The eyes in his broad face grew
round； and his mouth opened wide； and he gasped。 'Strider！' he exclaimed when he got back his
breath。 'Him with a crown and all and a golden cup！ Well； what are we ing to？'
'Better times； for Bree at any rate；' said Gandalf。
'I hope so； I'm sure；' said Butterbur。 'Well； this has been the nicest chat I've had in a month of
Mondays。 And I'll not deny that I'll sleep easier tonight and with a lighter heart。 You've given me a
powerful lot to think over； but I'll put that off until tomorrow。 I'm for bed； and I've no doubt you'll
be glad of your beds too。 Hey； Nob！' he called； going to the door。 'Nob； you slowcoach！'
'Now！' he said to himself； slapping his forehead。 'Now what does that remind me of？'
'Not another letter you've forgotten。 I hope； Mr。 Butterbur？' said Merry。
'Now； now； Mr。 Brandybuck； don't go reminding me of that！ But there； you've broken my
thought。 Now where was I？ Nob； stables； ah！ that was it。 I've something that belongs to you。 If you
recollect Bill Ferny and the horsethieving： his pony as you bought； well； it's here。 e back all of
itself； it did。 But where it had been to you know better than me。 It was as shaggy as an old dog and
as lean as a clothes…rail； but it was alive。 Nob's looked after it。'
'What！ My Bill？' cried Sam。 'Well； I was born lucky； whatever my gaffer may say。 There's
another wish e true！ Where is he？' Sam would not go to bed until he had visited Bill in his
stable。
The travellers stayed in Bree all the next day； and Mr。 Butterbur could not plain of his
business next evening at any rate。 Curiosity overcame all fears； and his house was crowded。 For a
while out of politeness the hobbits visited the mon Room in the evening and answered a good
many questions。 Bree memories being retentive； Frodo was asked many times if he had written his
book。
'Not yet；' he answered。 'I am going home now to put my notes in order。' He promised to deal
with the amazing events at Bree； and so give a bit of interest to a book that appeared likely to treat
mostly of the remote and less important affairs 'away south'。
Then one of the younger folk called for a song。 But at that a hush fell； and he was frowned down；
and the call was not repeated。 Evidently there was no wish for any uncanny events in the mon
Room again。
No trouble by day； nor any sound by night； disturbed the peace of Bree while the travellers
remained there； but the next morning they got up early； for as the weather was still rainy they
wished to reach the Shire before night； and it was a long ride。 The Bree folk were all out to see
them off； and were in merrier mood than they had been for a year； and those who had not seen the
strangers in all their gear before gaped with wonder at them： at Gandalf with his white beard； and
the light that seemed to gleam from him； as if his blue mantle was only a cloud over sunshine； and
at the four hobbits like riders upon errantry out of almost forgotten tales。 Even those who had
laughed at all the talk about the King began to think there might be some truth in it。
'Well； good luck on your road； and good luck to your home…ing！ said Mr。 Butterbur。 'I
should have warned you before that all's not well in the Shire neither； if what we hear is true。 Funny
goings on； they say。 But one thing drives out another； and I was full of my own troubles。 But if I
may be so bold； you've e back changed from your travels； and you look now like folk as can
deal with troubles out of hand。 I don't doubt you'll soon set all to rights。 Good luck to you！ And the
oftener you e back the better I'll be pleased。'
They wished him farewell and rode away； and passed through the West…gate and on towards the
Shire。 Bill the pony was with them； and as before he had a good deal of baggage； but he trotted
along beside Sam and seemed well content。
'I wonder what old Barliman was hinting at；' said Frodo。
'I can guess some of it；' said Sam gloomily。 'What I saw in the Mirror： trees cut down and all；
and my old gaffer turned out of the Row。 I ought to have hurried back quicker。'
'And something's wrong with the Southfarthing evidently；' said Merry。 'There's a general
shortage of pipe…weed。'
'Whatever it is；' said Pippin； 'Lotho will be at the bottom of it： you can be sure of that。'
'Deep in； but not at the bottom；' said Gandalf。 'You have forgotten Saruman。 He began to take an
interest in the Shire before Mordor did。'
'Well； we've got you with us；' said Merry； 'so things will soon be cleared up。'
'I am with you at present；' said Gandalf； 'but soon I shall not be。 I am not ing to the Shire。
You must settle its affairs yourselves； that is what you have been trained for。 Do you not yet
understand？ My time is over： it is no longer my task to set things to rights； nor to help folk to do so。
And as for you； my dear friends； you will need no help。 You are grown up now。 Grown indeed very
high； among the great you are； and I have no longer any fear at all for any of you。
'But if you would know； I am turning aside soon。 I am going to have a long talk with Bombadil：
such a talk as I have not had in all my time。 He is a moss…gatherer； and I have been a stone doomed
to rolling。 But my rolling days are ending； and now we shall have much to say to one another。'
In a little while they came to the point on the East Road where they had taken leave of Bombadil；
and they hoped and half expected to see him standing there to greet them as they went by。 But there
was no sign of him； and there was a grey mist on the Barrow…downs southwards； and a deep veil
over the Old Forest far away。
They halted and Frodo looked south wistfully。 'I should dearly like to see the old fellow again；'
he said。 'I wonder how he is getting on？'
'As well as ever； you may be sure；' said Gandalf。 'Quite untroubled and I should guess； not much
interested in anything that we have done or seen； unless perhaps in our visits to the Ents。 There may
be a time later for you to go and see him。 But if I were you； I should press on now for home； or you
will not e to the Brandywine Bridge before the gates are locked。'
'But there aren't any gates；' said Merry； 'not on the Road； you know that quite well。 There's the
Buckland Gate； of course； but they'll let me through that at any time。'
'There weren't any gates； you mean；' said Gandalf。 'I think you will find some now。 And you
might have more trouble even at the Buckland Gate than you think。 But you'll！ manage all right。
Good…bye dear friends！ Not for the last time； not yet。 Good…bye！'
He turned Shadowfax off the Road； and the great horse leaped the green dike that here ran
beside it； and then at a cry from Gandalf he was gone； racing towards the Barrow…downs like a
wind from the North。
'Well here we are； just the four of us that started out together；' said Merry。 'We have left all the
rest behind； one after another。 It seems almost like a dream that has slowly faded。'
'Not to me；' said Frodo。 'To me it feels more like falling asleep again。'
_Chapter 8_
The Scouring of the Shire
It was after nightfall when； wet and tired； the travellers came at last to the Brandywine； and they
found the way barred。 At either end of the Bridge there was a great spiked gate； and on the further
side of the river they could see that some new houses had been built： two…storeyed with narrow
straight…sided windows； bare and dimly lit； all very gloomy and un…Shirelike。
They hammered on the outer gate and called； but there was at first no answer； and then to their
surprise someone blew a horn； and the lights in the windows went out。 A voice shouted in the dark：
'Who's that？ Be off！ You can't e in： Can't you read the notice： _No admittance between
sundown and sunrise_？'
'Of course we can't read the notice in the dark。' Sam shouted back。 'And if hobbits of the Shire
are to be kept out in the wet on a night like this； I'll tear down your notice when I find it。'
At that a window slammed； and a crowd of hob