jrt.fellowshipofring-第9节

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　doing　splendidly。　This　was　the　sort　of　stuff　they　liked：　short　and　obvious。
　　　/　hope　you　are　all　enjoying　yourselves　as　much　as　I　am。　Deafening　cheers。　Cries　of　Yes　（and　No）。　Noises　of　trumpets　and　horns；　pipes　and　flutes；　and　other　musical　instruments。　There　were；　as　has　been　said；　many　young　hobbits　present。　Hundreds　of　musical　crackers　had　been　pulled。　Most　of　them　bore　the　mark　DALE　on　them；　which　did　not　convey　much　to　most　of　the　hobbits；　but　they　all　agreed　they　were　marvellous　crackers。　They　contained　instruments；　small；　but　of　perfect　make　and　enchanting　tones。　Indeed；　in　one　corner　some　of　the　young　Tooks　and　Brandybucks；　supposing　Uncle　Bilbo　to　have　finished　（since　he　had　plainly　said　all　that　was　necessary）；　now　got　up　an　impromptu　orchestra；　and　began　a　merry　dance…tune。　Master　Everard　Took　and　Miss　Melilot　Brandybuck　got　on　a　table　and　with　bells　in　their　hands　began　to　dance　the　Springle…ring：　a　pretty　dance；　but　rather　vigorous。
　　　But　Bilbo　had　not　finished。　Seizing　a　horn　from　a　youngster　near　by；　he　blew　three　loud　hoots。　The　noise　subsided。　/　shall　not　keep　you　long；　he　cried。　Cheers　from　all　the　assembly。　/　have　called　you　all　together　for　a　Purpose。　Something　in　the　way　that　he　said　this　made　an　impression。　There　was　almost　silence；　and　one　or　two　of　the　Tooks　pricked　up　their　ears。
　　　Indeed；　for　Three　Purposes！　First　of　all；　to　tell　you　that　I　am　immensely　fond　of　you　all；　and　that　eleventy…one　years　is　too　short　a　time　to　live　among　such　excellent　and　admirable　hobbits。　Tremendous　outburst　of　approval。
　　　/　don't　know　half　of　you　half　as　well　as　I　should　like；　and　I　like　less　than　half　of　you　half　as　well　as　you　deserve。　This　was　unexpected　and　rather　difficult。　There　was　some　scattered　clapping；　but　most　of　them　were　trying　to　work　it　out　and　see　if　it　came　to　a　pliment。
　　　Secondly；　to　celebrate　my　birthday。　Cheers　again。　/　should　say：　OUR　birthday。　For　it　is；　of　course；　also　the　birthday　of　my　heir　and　nephew；　Frodo。　He　es　of　age　and　into　his　inheritance　today。　Some　perfunctory　clapping　by　the　elders；　and　some　loud　shouts　of　'Frodo！　Frodo！　Jolly　old　Frodo；'　from　the　juniors。　The　Sackville…Bagginses　scowled；　and　wondered　what　was　meant　by　'ing　into　his　inheritance'。　Together　we　score　one　hundred　and　forty…four。　Your　numbers　were　chosen　to　fit　this　remarkable　total：　One　Gross；　if　I　may　use　the　expression。　No　cheers。　This　was　ridiculous。　Many　of　his　guests；　and　especially　the　Sackville…Bagginses；　were　insulted；　feeling　sure　they　had　only　been　asked　to　fill　up　the　required　number；　like　goods　in　a　package。　'One　Gross；　indeed！　Vulgar　expression。'
　　　It　is　also；　if　I　may　be　allowed　to　refer　to　ancient　history；　the　anniversary　of　my　arrival　by　barrel　at　Esgaroth　on　the　Long　Lake；　though　the　fact　that　it　was　my　birthday　slipped　my　memory　on　that　occasion。　I　was　only　fifty…one　then；　and　birthdays　did　not　seem　so　important。　The　banquet　was　very　splendid；　however；　though　I　had　a　bad　cold　at　the　time；　I　remember；　and　could　only　say　'thag　you　very　buch'。　I　now　repeat　it　more　correctly：　Thank　you　very　much　for　ing　to　my　little　party。　Obstinate　silence。　They　all　feared　that　a　song　or　some　poetry　was　now　imminent；　and　they　were　getting　bored。　Why　couldn't　he　stop　talking　and　let　them　drink　his　health？　But　Bilbo　did　not　sing　or　recite。　He　paused　for　a　moment。
　　　Thirdly　and　finally；　he　said；　I　wish　to　make　an　ANNOUNCEMENT。　He　spoke　this　last　word　so　loudly　and　suddenly　that　everyone　sat　up　who　still　could。　I　regret　to　announce　that　…　though；　as　I　said；　eleventy…one　years　is　far　too　short　a　time　to　spend　among　you　…　this　is　the　END。　I　am　going。　I　am　leaving　NOW。　GOOD…BYE！
　　　He　stepped　down　and　vanished。　There　was　a　blinding　flash　of　light；　and　the　guests　all　blinked。　When　they　opened　their　eyes　Bilbo　was　nowhere　to　be　seen。　One　hundred　and　forty…four　flabbergasted　hobbits　sat　back　speechless。　Old　Odo　Proudfoot　removed　his　feet　from　the　table　and　stamped。　Then　there　was　a　dead　silence；　until　suddenly；　after　several　deep　breaths；　every　Baggins；　Boffin；　Took；　Brandybuck；　Grubb；　Chubb；　Burrows；　Bolger；　Bracegirdle；　Brockhouse；　Goodbody；　Hornblower；　and　Proudfoot　began　to　talk　at　once。
　　　It　was　generally　agreed　that　the　joke　was　in　very　bad　taste；　and　more　food　and　drink　were　needed　to　cure　the　guests　of　shock　and　annoyance。　'He's　mad。　I　always　said　so；'　was　probably　the　most　popular　ment。　Even　the　Tooks　（with　a　few　exceptions）　thought　Bilbo's　behaviour　was　absurd。　For　the　moment　most　of　them　took　it　for　granted　that　his　disappearance　was　nothing　more　than　a　ridiculous　prank。
　　　But　old　Rory　Brandybuck　was　not　so　sure。　Neither　age　nor　an　enormous　dinner　had　clouded　his　wits；　and　he　said　to　his　daughter…in…law；　Esmeralda：　'There's　something　fishy　in　this；　my　dear！　I　believe　that　mad　Baggins　is　off　again。　Silly　old　fool。　But　why　worry？　He　hasn't　taken　the　vittles　with　him。'　He　called　loudly　to　Frodo　to　send　the　wine　round　again。
　　　Frodo　was　the　only　one　present　who　had　said　nothing。　For　some　time　he　had　sat　silent　beside　Bilbo's　empty　chair；　and　ignored　all　remarks　and　questions。　He　had　enjoyed　the　joke；　of　course；　even　though　he　had　been　in　the　know。　He　had　difficulty　in　keeping　from　laughter　at　the　indignant　surprise　of　the　guests。　But　at　the　same　time　he　felt　deeply　troubled：　he　realized　suddenly　that　he　loved　the　old　hobbit　dearly。　Most　of　the　guests　went　on　eating　and　drinking　and　discussing　Bilbo　Baggins'　oddities；　past　and　present；　but　the　Sackville…Bagginses　had　already　departed　in　wrath。　Frodo　did　not　want　to　have　any　more　to　do　with　the　party。　He　gave　orders　for　more　wine　to　be　served；　then　he　got　up　and　drained　his　own　glass　silently　to　the　health　of　Bilbo；　and　slipped　out　of　the　pavilion。
　　　As　for　Bilbo　Baggins；　even　while　he　was　making　his　speech；　he　had　been　fingering　the　golden　ring　in　his　pocket：　his　magic　ring　that　he　had　kept　secret　for　so　many　years。　As　he　stepped　down　he　slipped　it　on　his　finger；　and　he　was　never　seen　by　any　hobbit　in　Hobbiton　again。
　　　He　walked　briskly　back　to　his　hole；　and　stood　for　a　moment　listening　with　a　smile　to　the　din　in　the　pavilion　and　to　the　sounds　of　merrymaking　in　other　parts　of　the　field。　Then　he　went　in。　He　took　off　his　party　clothes；　folded　up　and　wrapped　in　tissue…paper　his　embroidered　silk　waistcoat；　and　put　it　away。　Then　he　put　on　quickly　some　old　untidy　garments；　and　fastened　round　his　waist　a　worn　leather　belt。　On　it　he　hung　a　short　sword　in　a　battered　black…leather　scabbard。　From　a　locked　drawer；　smelling　of　moth…balls；　he　took　out　an　old　cloak　and　hood。　They　had　been　locked　up　as　if　they　were　very　precious；　but　they　were　so　patched　and　weatherstained　that　their　original　colour　could　hardly　be　guessed：　it　might　have　been　dark　green。　They　were　rather　too　large　for　him。　He　then　went　into　his　study；　and　from　a　large　strong…box　took　out　a　bundle　wrapped　in　old　cloths；　and　a　leather…bound　manuscript；　and　also　a　large　bulky　envelope。　The　book　and　bundle　he　stuffed　into　the　top　of　a　heavy　bag　that　was　standing　there；　already　nearly　full。　Into　the　envelope　he　slipped　his　golden　ring；　and　its　fine　chain；　and　then　sealed　it；　and　addressed　it　to　Frodo。　At　first　he　put　it　on　the　mantelpiece；　but　suddenly　he　removed　it　and　stuck　it　in　his　pocket。　At　that　moment　the　door　opened　and　Gandalf　came　quickly　in。
　　　'Hullo！'　said　Bilbo。　'I　wondered　if　you　would　turn　up。'
　　　'I　am　glad　to　find　you　visible；'　replied　the　wizard；　sitting　down　in　a　chair；　'I　wanted　to　catch　you　and　have　a　few　final　words。　I　suppose　you　feel　that　everything　has　gone　off　splendidly　and　according　to　plan？'
　　　'Yes；　I　do；'　said　Bilbo。　〃Though　that　flash　was　surprising：　it　quite　startled　me；　let　alone　the　others。　A　little　addition　of　your　own；　I　suppose？'
　　　It　was。　You　have　wisely　kept　that　ring　secret　all　these　years；　and　it　seemed　to　me　necessary　to　give　your　guests　something　else　that　would　seem　to　explain　your　sudden　vanishment。'
　　　'And　would　spoil　my　joke。　You　are　an　interfering　old　busybody；'　laughed　Bilbo；　'but　I　expect　you　know　best；　as　usual。'
　　　'I　do　…　when　I　know　anything。　But　I　don't　feel　too　sure　about　this　whole　affair。　It　has　now　e　to　the　final　point。　You　have　had　your　joke；　and　alarmed　or　offended　most　of　your　relations；　and　given　the　whole　Shire　something　to　talk　about　for　nine　days；　or　ninety…nine　more　likely。　Are　you　going　any　further？'
　　　'Yes；　I　am。　I　feel　I　need　a　holiday；　a　very　long　holiday；　as　I　have　told　you　before。　Probably　a　permanent　holiday：　I　don't　expect　I　shall　return。　In　fact；　I　don't　mean　to；　and　I　have　made　all　arrangements。
　　　'I　am　old；　Gandalf。　I　don't　look　it；　but　I　am　beginning　to　feel　it　in　my　heart　of　hearts。　Well…preserved　indeed！'　he　snorted。　'Why；　I　feel　all　thin；　sort　of　stretched；　if　you　know　what　I　mean：　like　butter　that　has　been　scraped　over　too　much　bread。　That　can't　be　right。　I　need　a　change；　or　something。'
　　　Gandalf　looked　curiously　and　closely　at　him。　'No；　it　does　not　seem　right；'　he　said　thoughtfully。　'No；　after　all　I　believe　your　plan　is　probably　the　best。'
　　　'Well；　I've　made　up　my　mind；　anyway。　I　want　to　see　mountains　again；　Gandalf；　mountains；　and　then　find　somewhere　where　I　can　rest。　In　peace　and　quiet；　without　a　lot　of　relatives　prying　around；　and　a　string　of　confounded　visitors　hanging　on　the　bell。　I　might　find　somewhere　where　I