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ffs of Gandalf's pipe； as he blew white smokerings out of the window。
'Where's Sam？' Frodo asked at length。 'And are the others all right？'
'Yes； they are all safe and sound；' answered Gandalf。 'Sam was here until I sent him off to get some rest； about half an hour ago。'
'What happened at the Ford？' said Frodo。 'It all seemed so dim somehow； and it still does。'
'Yes； it would。 You were beginning to fade；' answered Gandalf。 'The wound was overing you at last。 A few more hours and you would have been beyond our aid。 But you have some strength in you； my dear hobbit！ As you showed in the Barrow。 That was touch and go： perhaps the most dangerous moment of all。 I wish you could have held out at Weathertop。'
'You seem to know a great deal already；' said Frodo。 'I have not spoken to the others about the Barrow。 At first it was too horrible； and afterwards there were other things to think about。 How do you know about it？'
'You have talked long in your sleep； Frodo；' said Gandalf gently； 'and it has not been hard for me to read your mind and memory。 Do not worry！ Though I said 〃absurd〃 just now； I did not mean it。 I think well of youand of the others。 It is no small feat to have e so far； and through such dangers； still bearing the Ring。'
'We should never have done it without Strider；' said Frodo。 'But we needed you。 I did not know what to do without you。'
'I was delayed；' said Gandalf； 'and that nearly proved our ruin。 And yet I am not sure； it may have been better so。'
'I wish you would tell me what happened！'
'All in good time！ You are not supposed to talk or worry about anything today； by Elrond's orders。'
'But talking would stop me thinking and wondering； which are quite as tiring；' said Frodo。 'I am wide awake now； and I remember so many things that want explaining。 Why were you delayed？ You ought to tell me that at least。'
'You will soon hear all you wish to know；' said Gandalf。 'We shall have a Council； as soon as you are well enough。 At the moment I will only say that I was held captive。'
'You？' cried Frodo。
'Yes； I； Gandalf the Grey；' said the wizard solemnly。 'There are many powers in the world； for good or for evil。 Some are greater than I am。 Against some I have not yet been measured。 But my time is ing。 The Mullord and his Black Riders have e forth。 War is preparing！'
'Then you knew of the Riders alreadybefore I met them？'
'Yes； I knew of them。 Indeed I spoke of them once to you； for the Black Riders are the Ringwraiths； the Nine Servants of the Lord of the Rings。 But I did not know that they had arisen again or I should have fled with you at once。 I heard news of them only after I left you in June； but that story must wait。 For the moment we have been saved from disaster； by Aragorn。'
'Yes；' said Frodo； 'it was Strider that saved us。 Yet I was afraid of him at first。 Sam never quite trusted him。 I think； not at any rate until we met Glorfindel。'
Gandalf smiled。 'I have heard all about Sam；' he said。 'He has no more doubts now。'
'I am glad；' said Frodo。 'For I have bee very fond of Strider。 Well； fond is not the right word。 I mean he is dear to me； though he is strange； and grim at times。 In fact； he reminds me often of you。 I didn't know that any of the Big People were like that。 I thought； well； that they were just big； and rather stupid： kind and stupid like Butterbur； or stupid and wicked like Bill Ferny。 But then we don't know much about Men in the Shire； except perhaps the Breelanders。'
'You don't know much even about them； if you think old Barliman is stupid；' said Gandalf。 'He is wise enough on his own ground。 He thinks less than he talks； and slower； yet he can see through a brick wall in time （as they say in Bree）。 But there are few left in Middleearth like Aragorn son of Arathorn。 The race of the Kings from over the Sea is nearly at an end。 It may be that this War of the Ring will be their last adventure。'
'Do you really mean that Strider is one of the people of the old Kings？' said Frodo in wonder。 'I thought they had all vanished long ago。 I thought he was only a Ranger。'
'Only a Ranger！' cried Gandalf。 'My dear Frodo； that is just what the Rangers are： the last remnant in the North of the great people； the Men of the West。 They have helped me before； and I shall need their help in the days to e； for we have reached Rivendell； but the Ring is not yet at rest。'
'I suppose not；' said Frodo。 'But so far my only thought has been to get here； and I hope I shan't have to go any further。 It is very pleasant just to rest。 I have had a month of exile and adventure； and I find that has been as much as I want。'
He fell silent and shut his eyes。 After a while he spoke again。 'I have been reckoning；' he said； 'and I can't bring the total up to October the twentyfourth。 It ought to be the twentyfirst。 We must have reached the Ford by the twentieth。'
'You have talked and reckoned more than is good for you；' said Gandalf。 'How do the side and shoulder feel now？'
'I don't know。' Frodo answered。 'They don't feel at all： which is an improvement； but'he made an effort'I can move my arm again a little。 Yes； it is ing back to life。 It is not cold；' he added； touching his left hand with his right。
'Good！' said Gandalf。 'It is mending fast。 You will soon be sound again。 Elrond has cured you： he has tended you for days； ever since you were brought in。'
'Days？' said Frodo。
'Well； four nights and three days； to be exact。 The Elves brought you from this where you lost count。 We have been terribly anxious； and Sam has hardly left your side； day or night； except to run messages。 Elrond is a master of healing； but the weapons of our Enemy are deadly。 To tell you the truth； I had very little hope； for I suspected that there was some fragment of the blade still in the closed wound。 But it could not be found until last night。 Then Elrond removed a splinter。 It was deeply buried。 and it was working inwards。'
Frodo shuddered； remembering the cruel knife with notched blade that had vanished in Strider's hands。 'Don't be alarmed！' said Gandalf。 'It is gone now。 It has been melted。 And it seems that Hobbits fade very reluctantly。 I have known strong warriors of the Big People who would quickly have been overe by that splinter； which you bore for seventeen days。'
'What would they have done to me？' asked Frodo。 'What were the Riders trying to do？'
'They tried to pierce your heart with a Mulknife which remains in the wound。 If they had succeeded； you would have bee like they are； only weaker and under their mand。 You would have became a wraith under the dominion of the Dark Lord； and he would have tormented you for trying to keep his Ring； if any greater torment were possible than being robbed of it and seeing it on his hand。'
'Thank goodness I did not realize the horrible danger！' said Frodo faintly。 I was mortally afraid； of course； but if I had known more； I should not have dared even to move。 It is a marvel that I escaped！'
'Yes； fortune or fate have helped you；' said Gandalf； 'not to mention courage。 For your heart was not touched； and only your shoulder was pierced； and that was because you resisted to the last。 But it was a terribly narrow shave； so to speak。 You were in gravest peril while you wore the Ring； for then you were half in the wraithworld yourself； and they might have seized you。 You could see them； and they could see you。'
'I know；' said Frodo。 'They were terrible to behold！ But why could we all see their horses？'
'Because they are real horses； just as the black robes are real robes that they wear to give shape to their nothingness when they have dealings with the living。'
'Then why do these black horses endure such riders？ All other animals are terrified when they draw near； even the elfhorse of Glorfindel。 The dogs howl and the geese scream at them。'
'Because these horses are born and bred to the service of the Dark Lord in Mordor。 Not all his servants and chattels are wraiths！ There are orcs and trolls； there are wargs and werewolves； and there have been and still are many Men； warriors and kings； that walk alive under the Sun； and yet are under his sway。 And their number is growing daily。'
'What about Rivendell and the