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！
The advice of Gandalf seemed absurd。 Bilbo had used the Ring。 'And I am still in the Shire；' he thought； as his hand touched the chain on which it hung。 At that moment the rider sat up； and shook the reins。 The horse stepped forward； walking slowly at first； and then breaking into a quick trot。
Frodo crawled to the edge of the road and watched the rider； until he dwindled into the distance。 He could not be quite sure； but it seemed to him that suddenly； before it passed out of sight； the horse turned aside and went into the trees on the right。
'Well； I call that very queer； and indeed disturbing；' said Frodo to himself； as he walked towards his panions。 Pippin and Sam had remained flat in the grass； and had seen nothing； so Frodo described the rider and his strange behaviour。
'I can't say why； but I felt certain he was looking or smelling for me； and also I felt certain that I did not want him to discover me。 I've never seen or fell anything like it in the Shire before。'
'But what has one of the Big People got to do with us？' said Pippin。 'And what is he doing in this part of the world？'
'There are some Men about；' said Frodo。 'Down in the Southfarthing they have had trouble with Big People； I believe。 But I have never heard of anything like this rider。 I wonder where he es from。'
'Begging your pardon；' put in Sam suddenly； 'I know where he es from。 It's from Hobbiton that this here black rider es； unless there's more than one。 And I know where he's going to。'
'What do you mean？' said Frodo sharply； looking at him in astonishment。 'Why didn't you speak up before？'
'I have only just remembered； sir。 It was like this： when I got back to our hole yesterday evening with the key； my dad； he says to me： Hello； Sam！ he says。 I thought you were away with Mr。 Frodo this morning。 There's been a strange customer asking for Mr。 Baggins of Bag End； and he's only just gone。 I've sent him on to Bucklebury。 Not that I liked the sound of him。 He seemed mighty put out； when I told him Mr。 Baggins had left his old home for good。 Hissed at me； he did。 It gave me quite a shudder。 What sort of a fellow was he？ says I to the Gaffer。 I don't know； says he； but he wasn't a hobbit。 He was tall and blacklike； and he stooped aver me。 I reckon it was one of the Big Folk from foreign parts。 He spoke funny。
'I couldn't stay to hear more； sir； since you were waiting； and I didn't give much heed to it myself。 The Gaffer is getting old； and more than a bit blind； and it must have been near dark when this fellow e up the Hill and found him taking the air at the end of our Row。 I hope he hasn't done no harm； sir； nor me。'
'The Gaffer can't be blamed anyway；' said Frodo。 'As a matter of fact I heard him talking to a stranger； e； and I nearly went and asked him who it was。 I wish I had； or you had told me about it before。 I might have been more careful on the road。'
'Still； there may be no connexion between this rider and the Gaffer's stranger；' said Pippin。 'We left Hobbiton secretly enough； and I don't see how he could have followed us。'
'What about the smelling； sir？' said Sam。 'And the Gaffer said he was a black chap。'
'I wish I had waited for Gandalf；' Frodo muttered。 'But perhaps it would only have made matters worse。'
'Then you know or guess something about this rider？' said Pippin； who had caught the muttered words。
'I don't know； and I would rather not guess；' said Frodo。 'All right； cousin Frodo！ You can keep your secret for the present； if you want to be mysterious。 In the meanwhile what are we to do？ I should like a bite and a sup； but somehow I think we had better move on from here。 Your talk of sniffing riders with invisible noses has unsettled me。'
'Yes； I think we will move on now；' said Frodo； 'but not on the road in case that rider es back； or another follows him。 We ought to do a good step more today。 Buckland is still miles away。'
The shadows of the trees were long and thin on the grass； as they started off again。 They now kept a stone's throw to the left of the road； and kept out of sight of it as much as they could。 But this hindered them； for the grass was thick and tussocky； and the ground uneven； and the trees began to draw together into thickets。
The sun had gone down red behind the hills at their backs； and evening was ing on before they came back to the road at the end of the long level over which it had run straight for some miles。 At that point it bent left and went down into the lowlands of the Yale making for Stock； but a lane branched right； winding through a wood of ancient oaktrees on its way to Woodhall。 'That is the way for us；' said Frodo。
Not far from the roadmeeting they came on the huge hulk of a tree： it was still alive and had leaves on the small branches that it had put out round the broken stumps of its longfallen limbs； but it was hollow； and could be entered by a great crack on the side away from the road。 The hobbits crept inside； and sat there upon a floor of old leaves and decayed wood。 They rested and had a light meal； talking quietly and listening from time to time。
Twilight was about them as they crept back to the lane。 The West wind was sighing in the branches。 Leaves were whispering。 Soon the road began to fall gently but steadily into the dusk。 A star came out above the trees in the darkening East before them。 They went abreast and in step； to keep up their spirits。 After a time； as the stars grew thicker and brighter； the feeling of disquiet left them； and they no longer listened for the sound of hoofs。 They began to hum softly； as hobbits have a way of doing as they walk along； especially when they are drawing near to home at night。 With most hobbits it is a suppersong or a bedsong； but these hobbits hummed a walkingsong （though not； of course； without any mention of supper and bed）。 Bilbo Baggins had made the words； to a tune that was as old as the hills； and taught it to Frodo as they walked in the lanes of the Watervalley and talked about Adventure。
Upon the hearth the fire is red；
Beneath the roof there is a bed；
But not yet weary are our feet；
Still round the corner we may meet
A sudden tree or standing stone
That none have seen but we alone。
Tree and flower and leaf and grass；
Let them pass！ Let them pass！
Hill and water under sky；
Pass them by！ Pass them by！
Still round the corner there may wait
A new road or a secret gate；
And though we pass them by today；
Tomorrow we may e this way
And take the hidden paths that run
Towards the Moon or to the Sun。
Apple； thorn； and nut and sloe；
Let them go！ Let them go！
Sand and stone and pool and dell；
Fare you well！ Fare you well！
Home is behind； the world ahead；
And there are many paths to tread
Through shadows to the edge of night；
Until the stars are all alight。
Then world behind and home ahead；
We'll wander back to home and bed。
Mist and twilight； cloud and shade；
Away shall fade！ Away shall fade！
Fire and lamp； and meat and bread；
And then to bed！ And then to bed！
The song ended。 'And now to bed！ And now to bed！' sang Pippin in a high voice。
'Hush！' said Frodo。 'I think I hear hoofs again。'
They slopped suddenly and stood as silent as treeshadows； listening。 There was a sound of hoofs in the lane； some way behind； but ing slow and clear down the wind。 Quickly and quietly they slipped off the path； and ran into the deeper shade under the oaktrees。
'Don't let us go too far！' said Frodo。 'I don't want to be seen； but I want to see if it is another Black Rider。'
'Very well！' said Pippin。 'But don't fet the sniffing！'
The hoofs drew nearer。 They had no time to find any hidingplace better than the general darkness under the trees； Sam and Pippin crouched behind a large treebole； while Frodo crept back a few yards towards the lane。 It showed grey and pale； a line of fading light through the wood。 Above it the stars were thick in the dim sky； but there was no moon。
The sound of hoofs stopped。 As Frodo watched he saw something dark pass across the lighter space between two trees； and then halt。 It looked like the black shade of a horse led by a smaller black shadow。 The black shadow stood close to the point where they had left the path； and it swayed from sid