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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