searched in the bag at his saddle。 Then he handed to Saruman a leather pouch。 'Take what there is；'
he said。 'You are wele to it； it came from the flotsam of Isengard。'
'Mine； mine； yes and dearly bought！' cried Saruman； clutching at the pouch。 'This is only a
repayment in token； for you took more； I'll be bound。 Still； a beggar must be grateful； if a thief
returns him even a morsel of his own。 Well； it will serve you right when you e home； if you
find things less good in the Southfarthing than you would like。 Long may your land be short of
leaf！'
'Thank you！' said Merry。 'In that case I will have my pouch back； which is not yours and has
journeyed far with me。 Wrap the weed in a rag of your own。'
'One thief deserves another；' said Saruman； and turned his back on Merry； and kicked
Wormtongue； and went away towards the wood。
'Well； I like that！' said Pippin。 'Thief indeed！ What of our claim for waylaying； wounding； and
orc…dragging us through Rohan？'
'Ah！' said Sam。 'And _bought_ he said。 How； I wonder？ And I didn't like the sound of what he
said about the Southfarthing。 It's time we got back。'
'I'm sure it is；' said Frodo。 'But we can't go any quicker； if we are to see Bilbo。 I am going to
Rivendell first； whatever happens。'
'Yes； I think you had better do that；' said Gandalf。 'But alas for Saruman！ I fear nothing more can
be made of him。 He has withered altogether。 All the same； I am not sure that Treebeard is right： I
fancy he could do some mischief still in a small mean way。'
Next day they went on into northern Dunland； where no men now dwelt； though it was a green
and pleasant country。 September came in with golden days and silver nights； and they rode at ease
until they reached the Swanfleet river； and found the old ford； east of the falls where it went down
suddenly into the lowlands。 Far to the west in a haze lay the meres and eyots through which it
wound its way to the Greyflood： there countless swans housed in a land of reeds。
So they passed into Eregion； and at last a fair morning dawned； shimmering above gleaming
mists； and looking from their camp on a low hill the travellers saw away in the east the Sun
catching three peaks that thrust up into the sky through floating clouds： Caradhras； Celebdil； and
Fanuidhol。 They were near to the Gates of Moria。
Here now for seven days they tarried； for the time was at hand for another parting which they
were loth to make。 Soon Celeborn and Galadriel and their folk would turn eastward； and so pass by
the Redhorn Gate and down the Dimrill Stair to the Silverlode and to their own country。 They had
journeyed thus far by the west…ways； for they had much to speak of with Elrond and with Gandalf；
and here they lingered still in converse with their friends。 Often long after the hobbits were
wrapped in sleep they would sit together under the stars； recalling the ages that were gone and all
their joys and labours in the world； or holding council； concerning the days to e。 If any
wanderer had chanced to pass； little would he have seen or heard； and it would have seemed to him
only that he saw grey figures； carved in stone； memorials of forgotten things now lost in unpeopled
lands。 For they did not move or speak with mouth； looking from mind to mind； and only their
shining eyes stirred and kindled as their thoughts went to and fro。
But at length all was said； and they parted again for a while； until it was time for the Three
Rings to pass away。 Quickly fading into the stones and the shadows the grey…cloaked people of
Lórien rode towards the mountains； and those who were going to Rivendell sat on the hill and
watched； until there came out of the gathering mist a flash； and then they saw no more。 Frodo knew
that Galadriel had held aloft her ring in token of farewell。
Sam turned away and sighed： 'I wish I was going back to Lórien！'
At last one evening they came over the high moors； suddenly as to travellers it always seemed；
to the brink of the deep valley of Rivendell and saw far below the lamps shining in Elrond's house。
And they went down and crossed the bridge and came to the doors； and all the house was filled
with light and song for joy at Elrond's homeing。
First of all； before they had eaten or washed or even shed their cloaks； the hobbits went in search
of Bilbo。 They found him all alone in his little room。 It was littered with papers and pens and
pencils； but Bilbo was sitting in a chair before a small bright fire。 He looked very old； but peaceful；
and sleepy。
He opened his eyes and looked up as they came in。 'Hullo； hullo！' he said。 'So you've e back？
And tomorrow's my birthday； too。 How clever of you！ Do you know； I shall be one hundred and
twenty…nine？ And in one year more； if I am spared； I shall equal the Old Took。 I should like to beat
him； but we shall see。'
After the celebration of Bilbo's birthday the four hobbits stayed in Rivendell for some days； and
they sat much with their old friend； who spent most of his time now in his room； except at meals。
For these he was still very punctual as a rule； and he seldom failed to wake up in time for them。
Sitting round the fire they told him in turn all that they could remember of their journeys and
adventures。 At first he pretended to take some notes； but he often fell asleep； and when he woke he
would say： 'How splendid！ How wonderful！ But where were we？' Then they went on with the story
from the point where he had begun to nod。
The only part that seemed really to rouse him and hold his attention was the account of the
crowning and marriage of Aragorn。 'I was invited to the wedding of course；' he said。 'And I have
waited for it long enough。 But somehow； when it came to it； I found I had so much to do here； and
packing is such a bother。'
When nearly a fortnight had passed Frodo looked out of his window and saw that there had been
a frost in the night； and the cobwebs were like white nets。 Then suddenly he knew that he must go；
and say good…bye to Bilbo。 The weather was still calm and fair； after one of the most lovely
summers that people could remember； but October had e； and it must break soon and begin to
rain and blow again。 And there was still a very long way to go。 Yet it was not really the thought of
the weather that stirred him。 He had a feeling that it was time he went back to the Shire。 Sam shared
it。 Only the night before he had said：
'Well； Mr。 Frodo； we've been far and seen a deal； and yet I don't think we've found a better place
than this。 There's something of everything here； if you understand me： the Shire and the Golden
Wood and Gondor and kings' houses and inns and meadows and mountains all mixed。 And yet；
somehow； I feel we ought to be going soon。 I'm worried about my gaffer； to tell you the truth。'
'Yes； something of everything； Sam； except the Sea；' Frodo had answered； and he repeated it
now to himself： 'Except the Sea。'
That day Frodo spoke to Elrond； and it was agreed that they should leave the next morning。 To
their delight Gandalf said： 'I think I shall e too。 At least as far as Bree。 I want to see Butterbur。'
In the evening they went to say good…bye to Bilbo。 'Well； if you must go； you must；' he said。 'I
am sorry。 I shall miss you。 It is nice just to know that you are about the place。 But I am getting very
sleepy。' Then he gave Frodo his mithril…coat and Sting； forgetting that he had already done so； and
he gave him also three books of lore that he had made at various times； written in his spidery hand；
and labelled on their red backs： _Translations from the Elvish； by B。B。_
To Sam he gave a little bag of gold。 'Almost the last drop of the Smaug vintage；' he said。 'May
e in useful； if you think of getting married； Sam。' Sam blushed。
'I have nothing much to give to you young fellows；' he said to Merry and Pippin； 'except good
advice。' And when he had given them a fair sample of this； he added a last item in Shire…fashion：
'Don't let your heads get too big for your hats！ But if you don't finish growing up soon； you are
going to find hats and clothes expensive。'
'But if you want to beat the Old Took；' said Pippin； 'I don't see why we shouldn't try and beat the
Bullroarer。'
Bilbo laughed； and he produced out of a pocket two beautiful pipes with pearl mouth…pieces and
bound with fine…wrought silver。 'Think of me when you smoke them！' he said。 'The Elves made
them for me； but I don't smoke now。' And then suddenly he nodded and went to sleep for a little；
and when he woke up again he said： 'Now where were we？ Yes； of course； giving presents。 Which
reminds me： what's bee of my ring； Frodo； that you took away？'
'I have lost it； Bilbo dear；' said Frodo。 'I got rid of it； you know。'
'What a pity！' said Bilbo。 'I should have liked to see it again。 But no； how silly of me！ That's
what you went for； wasn't it： to get rid of it？ But it is all so confusing； for such a lot of other things
seem to have got mixed up with it： Aragorn's affairs； and the White Council and Gondor； and the
Horsemen； and Southrons； and oliphau