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！
d'you want to leave him for； as soon as things look dangerous？'
This was too much for Sam。 It needed a week's answer； or none。 He turned away and mounted
his pony。 But as he started off； Rosie ran down the steps。
'I think you look fine； Sam；' she said。 'Go on now！ But take care of yourself； and e straight
back as soon as you have settled the ruffians！'
When Sam got back he found the whole village roused。 Already； apart from many younger lads；
more than a hundred sturdy hobbits were assembled with axes； and heavy hammers； and long
knives； and stout staves： and a few had hunting…bows。 More were still ing in from outlying
farms。
Some of the village…folk had lit a large fire； just to enliven things； and also because it was one of
the things forbidden by the Chief。 It burned bright as night came on。 Others at Merry's orders were
setting up barriers across the road at each end of the village。 When the Shirriffs came up to the
lower one they were dumbfounded； but as soon as they saw how things were； most of them took off
their feathers and joined in the revolt。 The others slunk away。
Sam found Frodo and his friends by the fire talking to old Tom Cotton； while an admiring crowd
of Bywater folk stood round and stared。
'Well； what's the next move？' said Farmer Cotton。
'I can't say；' said Frodo； 'until I know more。 How many of these ruffians are there？'
'That's hard to tell；' said Cotton。 'They moves about and es and goes。 There's sometimes fifty
of them in their sheds up Hobbiton way； but they go out from there roving round； thieving or
〃gathering〃 as they call it。 Still there's seldom less than a score round the Boss； as they names him。
He's at Bag End； or was； but he don't go outside the rounds now。 No one s seen him at all； in fact；
for a week or two； but the Men don't let no one go near。'
'Hobbiton's not their only place； is it？' said Pippin。
'No； more's the pity；' said Cotton。 'There's a good few down south in Longbottom and by Sarn
Ford； I hear； and some more lurking in the Woody End； and they've sheds at Waymeet。 And then
there's the Lockholes； as they call 'em： the old storage…tunnels at Michel Delving that they've made
into prisons for those as stand up to them。 Still I reckon there's not above three hundred of them in
the Shire all told； and maybe less。 We can master them； if we stick together。'
'Have they got any weapons？' asked Merry。
'Whips； knives； and clubs； enough for their dirty work： that's all they've showed so far；' said
Cotton。 'But I dare say they've got other gear； if it es to fighting。 Some have bows； anyway。
They've shot one or two of our folk。'
'There you are； Frodo！' said Merry。 'I knew we should have to fight。 Well； they started the
killing。'
'Not exactly；' said Cotton。 'Leastways not the shooting。 Tooks started that。 You see our dad Mr。
Peregrin； he's never had no truck with this Lotho； not from the beginning： said that if anyone was
going to play the chief at this time of day； it would be the right Thain of the Shire and no upstart。
And when Lotho sent his Men they got no change out of him。 Tooks are lucky； they've got those
deep holes in the Green Hills； the Great Smials and all； and the ruffians can't e at 'em； and they
won't let the ruffians e on their land。 If they do； Tooks hunt 'em。 Tooks shot three for prowling
and robbing。 After that the ruffians turned nastier。 And they keep a pretty close watch on Tookland。
No one gets in nor out of it now。'
'Good for the Tooks！' cried Pippin。 'But someone is going to get in again； now。 I am off to the
Smials。 Anyone ing with me to Tuckborough？'
Pippin rode off with half a dozen lads on ponies。 'See you soon！' he cried。 'It's only fourteen
miles or so over the fields。 I'll bring you back an army of Tooks in the morning。' Merry blew a
horn…call after them as they rode off into the gathering night。 The people cheered。
'All the same；' said Frodo to all those who stood near； 'I wish for no killing； not even of the
ruffians； unless it must be done； to prevent them from hurting hobbits。'
'All right！' said Merry。 'But we shall be having a visit from the Hobbiton gang any time now； I
think。 They won't e just to talk things over。 We'll try to deal with them neatly； but we must be
prepared for the worst。 Now I've got a plan。'
'Very good；' said Frodo。 'You make the arrangements。'
Just then some hobbits； who had been sent out towards Hobbiton； came running in。 'They're
ing！' they said。 'A score or more。 But two have gone off west across country。'
'To Waymeet； that'll be；' said Cotton； 'to fetch more of the gang。 Well； it's fifteen mile each way。
We needn't trouble about them just yet。'
Merry hurried off to give orders。 Farmer Cotton cleared the street； sending everyone indoors；
except the older hobbits who had weapons of some sort。 They had not long to wait。 Soon they could
hear loud voices； and then the tramping of heavy feet。 Presently a whole squad of the ruffians came
down the road。 They saw the barrier and laughed。 They did not imagine that there was anything in
this little land that would stand up to twenty of their kind together。
The hobbits opened the barrier and stood aside。 'Thank you！' the Men jeered。 'Now run home to
bed before you're whipped。' Then they marched along the street shouting： 'Put those lights out！ Get
indoors and stay there！ Or we'll take fifty of you to the Lockholes for a year。 Get in！ The Boss is
losing his temper。'
No one paid any heed to their orders； but as the ruffians passed； they closed in quietly behind
and followed them。 When the Men reached the fire there was Farmer Cotton standing all alone
warming his hands。
'Who are you； and what d'you think you're doing？' said the ruffian…leader。
Farmer Cotton looked at him slowly。 'I was just going to ask you that；' he said。 'This isn't your
country； and you're not wanted。'
'Well； you're wanted anyhow；' said the leader。 'We want you。 Take him lads！ Lockholes for him；
and give him something to keep him quiet！'
The Men took one step forward and stopped short。 There rose a roar of voices all round them；
and suddenly they were aware that Farmer Cotton was not all alone。 They were surrounded。 In the
dark on the edge of the firelight stood a ring of hobbits that had crept up out of the shadows。 There
was nearly two hundred of them； all holding some weapon。
Merry stepped forward。 'We have met before；' he said to the leader； 'and I warned you not to
e back here。 I warn you again： you are standing in the light and you are covered by archers。 If
you lay a finger on this farmer； or on anyone else； you will be shot at once。 Lay down any weapons
that you have！'
The leader looked round。 He was trapped。 But he was not scared； not now with a score of his
fellows to back him。 He knew too little of hobbits to understand his peril。 Foolishly he decided to
fight。 It would be easy to break out。
'At 'em lads！' he cried。 'Let 'em have it！'
With a long knife in his left hand and a club in the other he made a rush at the ring； trying to
burst out back towards Hobbiton。 He aimed a savage blow at Merry who stood in his way。 He fell
dead with four arrows in him：
That was enough for the others。 They gave in。 Their weapons were taken from them； and they
were roped together； and marched off to an empty hut that they had built themselves； and there they
were tied hand and foot； and locked up under guard。 The dead leader was dragged off and buried。
'Seems almost too easy after all； don't it？' said Cotton。 'I said we could master them。 But we
needed a call。 You came back in the nick o' time； Mr。 Merry。'
'There's more to be done still；' said Merry。 'If you're right in your reckoning； we haven't dealt
with a tithe of them yet。 But it's dark now。 I think the next stroke must wait until morning。 Then we
must call on the Chief。'
'Why not now？' said Sam。 'It's not much more than six o'clock。 And I want to see my gaffer。
D'you know what's e of him； Mr。 Cotton？'
'He's not too well； and not too bad； Sam；' said the farmer。 'They dug up Bagshot Row； and that
was a sad blow to him。 He's in one of them new houses that the Chief's Men used to build while
they still did any work other than burning and thieving： not above a mile from the end of Bywater。
But he es around to me； when he gets a chance； and I see he's better fed than some of the poor
bodies。 All against _The Rules_； of course。 I'd have had him with me； but that wasn't allowed。'
'Thank'ee indeed； Mr。 Cotton； and I'll never forget it；' said Sam。 'But I want to see him。 That
Boss and that Sharkey； as they spoke of； they might do a mischief up there before the morning。'
'All right； Sam；' said Cotton。 'Choose a lad or two； and go and fetch him to my house。 You'll not
have need to go near the old Hobbiton village over Water。 My Jolly here will show you。'
Sam went off。 Merry arranged for look…outs round the village and guards at the barriers during
the night。 Then he and Frodo went off with Farmer Cotton。 They sat with the family in the warm
kitchen； and the Cottons asked a few polite questions about their travels； but hardly listened to the
answers： they were far more concerned with events in the Shire。
'It all began with Pimple； as we call him；' said Farmer Cotton； 'and it began as soon as you'd
gone off； Mr。 Frodo。 He'd funny ideas had Pimple。 Seems he wanted to own everything himself；
and then order other folk about。 It soon came out that he already did own a sight more than was
good for him； and he was always grabbing more； though where he got the money was a mystery：
mills and malt…houses and inns； and farms； and leaf…plantations。 He'd already bought Sandyman's
mill before he came to Bag End； seemingly。
'Of course he started with a lot of property in the Southfarthing which he had from his dad； and
it seems he'd been selling a lot o' the best leaf； and sending it away quietly for a year or two。 But at
the end o' last year he began sending away loads of stuff； not only leaf。 Things began to get short；
and winter ing on； too。 Folk got angry； but he had his answer。 A lot of Men； ruffians mostly；
came with great waggons； some to carry off the goods south…away； and others to stay。 And more
came。 And before we knew where we were they were planted here and there all over the Shire； and
were felling trees and digging and building themselves sheds and houses just as they liked。 At first
goods and damage was paid for by Pimple； but soon they began lording it around and taking what
they wanted。
'Then there was a bit of trouble； but not enough。 Old Will the Mayor set off for Bag End to
protest； but he never got there。 Ruffians laid hands on him and took and locked him up in a hole in
Michel Delving； and there he is now。 And after that； it would bc soon after New Year； there wasn't
no more Mayor； and Pimple called himself Chief Shirriff； or just Chief； and did as he liked； and if
anyone got 〃uppish〃 as they called it； they followed Will。 So things went from bad to worse。 There
wasn't no smoke left； save for the Men； and the Chief didn't hold with beer； save for his Men； and
closed all the inns； and everything except Rules got shorter and shorter； unless one could hide a bit
of one's own when the ruffians went round gathering stuff up 〃for fair distribution〃： which meant
they got it and we didn't； except for the leavings which you could have at the Shirriff…houses； if you
could stomach them。 All very bad。 But since Sharkey came it's been plain ruination。'
'Who is this Sharkey？' said Merry。 'I heard one of the ruffians speak of him。'
'The biggest ruffian o' the lot； seemingly；' answered Cotton。 'It was about last harvest； end o'
September maybe； that we first heard of him。 We've never seen him； but he's up at Bag End； and
he's the real Chief now； I guess。 All the ruffians do what he says； and what he says is mostly hack；
burn； and ruin； and now it s e to killing。 There s no longer even any bad sense in it。 They cut
down trees and let 'em lie； they burn houses and build no more。
'Take Sandyman's mill now。 Pimple knocked it down almost as soon as he came to Bag End。
Then he brought in a lot o' dirty…looking Men to build a bigger one and fill it full o' wheels and
outlandish contraptions。 Only that fool Ted was pleased by that； and he works there cleaning
wheels for the Men； where his dad was the Miller and his own master。 Pimple's idea was to grind
more and faster； or so he said。 He's got other mills like it。 But you've got to have grist before you
can grind； and there was no more for the new mill to do than for the old。 But since Sharkey came
they don't grind no more corn at all。 They're always a…hammering and a…letting out a smoke and a
stench； and there isn't no peace even at night in Hobbiton。 And they pour out filth a purpose；
they've fouled all the lower Water and it's getting down into Brandywine。 If they want to make the
Shire into a desert； they're going the right way about it。 I don't believe that fool of a Pimple's behind
all this。 It's