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‘No indeed！' said Elrond； turning towards him with a smile。 ‘You at leastshall go with him。 It is hardly possible to separate you from him； even whenhe is summoned to a secret council and you are not。'
Sam sat down； blushing and muttering。 ‘A nice pickle we have landedourselves in； Mr。 Frodo！' he said； shaking his head。
_Chapter 3_
The Ring Goes South
Later that day the hobbits held a meeting of their own in Bilbo's room。
Merry and Pippin were indignant when they heard that Sam had crept into theCouncil； and had been chosen as Frodo's panion。
‘It's most unfair；' said Pippin。 ‘Instead of throwing him out； andclapping him in chains； Elrond goes and rewards him for his cheek！'
‘Rewards！' said Frodo。 'I can't imagine a more severe punishment。 You arenot thinking what you are saying： condemned to go on this hopeless journey； areward？ Yesterday I dreamed that my task was done； and I could rest here； along while； perhaps for good。'
'I don't wonder；' said Merry； 'and I wish you could。 But we are envyingSam； not you。 If you have to go； then it will be a punishment for any of us tobe left behind； even in Rivendell。 We have e a long way with you and beenthrough some stiff times。 We want to go on。'
‘That's what I meant；' said Pippin。 ‘We hobbits ought to stick together；
and we will。 I shall go； unless they chain me up。 There must be someone withintelligence in the party。'
'Then you certainly will not be chosen； Peregrin Took！' said Gandalf；
looking in through the window； which was near the ground。 ‘But you are allworrying yourselves unnecessarily。 Nothing is decided yet。'
‘Nothing decided！' cried Pippin。 'Then what were you all doing？ You wereshut up for hours。'
〃Talking；' said Bilbo。 ‘There was a deal of talk； and everyone had aneye…opener。 Even old Gandalf。 I think Legolas's bit of news about Gollumcaught even him on the hop； though he passed it off。'
‘You were wrong；' said Gandalf。 'You were inattentive。 I had alreadyheard of it from Gwaihir。 If you want to know； the only real eye…openers； asyou put it； were you and Frodo； and I was the only one that was notsurprised。'
‘Well； anyway；' said Bilbo； 'nothing was decided beyond choosing poorFrodo and Sam。 I was afraid all the time that it might e to that； if I waslet off。 But if you ask me； Elrond will send out a fair number； when thereports e in。 Have they started yet； Gandalf？'
'Yes；' said the wizard。 ‘Some of the scouts have been sent out already。
More will go tomorrow。 Elrond is sending Elves； and they will get in touchwith the Rangers； and maybe with Thranduil's folk in Mirkwood。 And Aragorn hasgone with Elrond's sons。 We shall have to scour the lands all round for manylong leagues before any move is made。 So cheer up； Frodo！ You will probablymake quite a long stay here。'
'Ah！' said Sam gloomily。 'We'll just wait long enough for winter toe。'
'That can't be helped；' said Bilbo。 'It's your fault partly； Frodo mylad： insisting on waiting for my birthday。 A funny way of honouring it； Ican't help thinking。 Not the day I should have chosen for letting the S。…B。sinto Bag End。 But there it is： you can't wait now fill spring； and you can'tgo till the reports e back。
When winter first begins to bite
and stones crack in the frosty night；
when pools are black and trees are bare；
'tis evil in the Wild to fare。
But that I am afraid will be just your luck。'
'I am afraid it will；' said Gandalf。 'We can't start until we have foundout about the Riders。'
‘I thought they were all destroyed in the flood；' said Merry。
'You cannot destroy Ringwraiths like that；' said Gandalf。 ‘The power oftheir master is in them； and they stand or fall by him。 We hope that they wereall unhorsed and unmasked； and so made for a while less dangerous； but we mustfind out for certain。 In the meantime you should try and forget your troubles；
Frodo。 I do not know if I can do anything to help you； but I will whisper thisin your ears。 Someone said that intelligence would be needed in the party。 Hewas right。 I think I shall e with you。'
So great was Frodo's delight at this announcement that Gandalf left thewindow…sill； where he had been sitting； and took off his hat and bowed。 'Ionly said _I think I shall e_。 Do not count on anything yet。 In this matterElrond will have much to say； and your friend the Strider。 Which reminds me； Iwant to see Elrond。 I must be off。'
‘How long do you think I shall have here？' said Frodo to Bilbo whenGandalf had gone。
‘Oh； I don't know。 I can't count days in Rivendell；' said Bilbo。 'Butquite long； I should think。 We can have many a good talk。 What about helpingme with my book； and making a start on the next？ Have you thought of anending？'
'Yes； several； and all are dark and unpleasant；' said Frodo。
'Oh； that won't do！' said Bilbo。 ‘Books ought to have good endings。 Howwould this do： _and they all settled down and lived together happily everafter_？'
‘It will do well； if it ever es to that；' said Frodo。
'Ah！' said Sam。 'And where will they live？ That's what I often wonder。'
For a while the hobbits continued to talk and think of the past journeyand of the perils that lay ahead； but such was the virtue of the land ofRivendell that soon all fear and anxiety was lifted from their minds。 Thefuture； good or ill； was not forgotten； but ceased to have any power over thepresent。 Health and hope grew strong in them； and they were content with eachgood day as it came； taking pleasure in every meal； and in every word andsong。
So the days slipped away； as each morning dawned bright and fair； andeach evening followed cool and clear。 But autumn was waning fast； slowly thegolden light faded to pale silver； and the lingering leaves fell from thenaked trees。 A wind began to blow chill from the Misty Mountains to the east。
The Hunter's Moon waxed round in the night sky； and put to flight all thelesser stars。 But low in the South one star shone red。 Every night； as theMoon waned again； it shone brighter and brighter。 Frodo could see it from hiswindow； deep in the heavens burning like a watchful eye that glared above thetrees on the brink of the valley。
The hobbits had been nearly two months in the House of Elrond； andNovember had gone by with the last shreds of autumn； and December was passing；
when the scouts began to return。 Some had gone north beyond the springs of theHoarwell into the Ettenmoors； and others had gone west； and with the help ofAragorn and the Rangers had searched the lands far down the Greyflood； as faras Tharbad； where the old North Road crossed the river by a ruined town。 Manyhad gone east and south； and some of these had crossed the Mountains andentered Mirkwood； while others had climbed the pass at the source of theGladden River； and had e down into Wilderland and over the Gladden Fieldsand so at length had reached the old home of Radagast at Rhosgobel。 Radagastwas not there； and they had returned over the high pass that was called the
Dimrill Stair。 The sons of Elrond； Elladan and Elrohir； were the last toreturn； they had made a great journey； passing down the Silverlode into astrange country； but of their errand they would not speak to any save toElrond。
In no region had the messengers discovered any sign