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'Who　can　tell？'　said　Aragorn。　'But　we　will　put　it　to　the　test　one　day。'

'May　the　day　not　be　too　long　delayed；'　said　Boromir。　'For　though　I　do　not　ask　for　aid；　we　need　it。　It　would　fort　us　to　know　that　others　fought　also　with　all　the　means　that　they　have。'

'Then　be　forted；'　said　Elrond。　'For　there　are　other　powers　and　realms　that　you　know　not；　and　they　are　hidden　from　you。　Anduin　the　Great　flows　past　many　shores；　ere　it　es　to　Argonath　and　the　Gates　of　Gondor。'

'Still　it　might　be　well　for　all；'　said　Glóin　the　Dwarf；　'if　all　these　strengths　were　joined；　and　the　powers　of　each　were　used　in　league。　Other　rings　there　may　be；　less　treacherous；　that　might　be　used　in　our　need。　The　Seven　are　lost　to　us　。　if　Balin　has　not　found　the　ring　of　Thrór　which　was　the　last；　naught　has　been　heard　of　it　since　Thrór　perished　in　Moria。　Indeed　I　may　now　reveal　that　it　was　partly　in　hope　to　find　that　ring　that　Balin　went　away。'

'Balin　will　find　no　ring　in　Moria；'　said　Gandalf。　'Thrór　gave　it　to　Thráin　his　son；　but　not　Thráin　to　Thorin。　It　was　taken　with　torment　from　Thráin　in　the　dungeons　of　Dol　Guldur。　I　came　too　late。'

'Ah；　alas！'　cried　Glóin。　'When　will　the　day　e　of　our　revenge？　But　still　there　are　the　Three。　What　of　the　Three　Rings　of　the　Elves？　Very　mighty　Rings；　it　is　said。　Do　not　the　Elflords　keep　them？　Yet　they　too　were　made　by　the　Dark　Lord　long　ago。　Are　they　idle？　I　see　Elflords　here。　Will　they　not　say？'

The　Elves　returned　no　answer。　'Did　you　not　hear　me；　Glóin？'　said　Elrond。　'The　Three　were　not　made　by　Sauron；　nor　did　he　ever　touch　them。　But　of　them　it　is　not　permitted　to　speak。　So　much　only　in　this　hour　of　doubt　I　may　now　say。　They　are　not　idle。　But　they　were　not　made　as　weapons　of　war　or　conquest：　that　is　not　their　power。　Those　who　made　them　did　not　desire　strength　or　domination　or　hoarded　wealth；　but　understanding；　making；　and　healing；　to　preserve　all　things　unstained。　These　things　the　Elves　of　Middleearth　have　in　some　measure　gained；　though　with　sorrow。　But　all　that　has　been　wrought　by　those　who　wield　the　Three　will　turn　to　their　undoing；　and　their　minds　and　hearts　will　bee　revealed　to　Sauron；　if　he　regains　the　One。　It　would　be　better　if　the　Three　had　never　been。　That　is　his　purpose。'

'But　what　then　would　happen；　if　the　Ruling　Ring　were　destroyed　as　you　counsel？'　asked　Glóin。

'We　know　not　for　certain；'　answered　Elrond　sadly。　'Some　hope　that　the　Three　Rings；　which　Sauron　has　never　touched；　would　then　bee　free；　and　their　rulers　might　heal　the　hurts　of　the　world　that　he　has　wrought。　But　maybe　when　the　One　has　gone；　the　Three　will　fail；　and　many　fair　things　will　fade　and　be　fotten。　That　is　my　belief。'

'Yet　all　the　Elves　are　willing　to　endure　this　chance；'　said　Glorfindel　'if　by　it　the　power　of　Sauron　may　be　broken；　and　the　fear　of　his　dominion　be　taken　away　for　ever。'

'Thus　we　return　once　more　to　the　destroying　of　the　Ring；'　said　Erestor；　'and　yet　we　e　no　nearer。　What　strength　have　we　for　the　finding　of　the　Fire　in　which　it　was　made？　That　is　the　path　of　despair。　Of　folly　I　would　say；　if　the　long　wisdom　of　Elrond　did　not　forbid　me。'

'Despair；　or　folly？'　said　Gandalf。　'It　is　not　despair；　for　despair　is　only　for　those　who　see　the　end　beyond　all　doubt。　We　do　not。　It　is　wisdom　to　recognize　necessity；　when　all　other　courses　have　been　weighed；　though　as　folly　it　may　appear　to　those　who　cling　to　false　hope。　Well；　let　folly　be　our　cloak；　a　veil　before　the　eyes　of　the　Enemy！　For　he　is　very　wise；　and　weighs　all　things　to　a　nicety　in　the　scales　of　his　malice。　But　the　only　measure　that　he　knows　is　desire；　desire　for　power；　and　so　he　judges　all　hearts。　Into　his　heart　the　thought　will　not　enter　that　any　will　refuse　it；　that　having　the　Ring　we　may　seek　to　destroy　it。　If　we　seek　this；　we　shall　put　him　out　of　reckoning。'

'At　least　for　a　while；'　said　Elrond。　'The　road　must　be　trod；　but　it　will　be　very　hard。　And　neither　strength　nor　wisdom　will　carry　us　far　upon　it。　This　quest　may　be　attempted　by　the　weak　with　as　much　hope　as　the　strong。　Yet　such　is　oft　the　course　of　deeds　that　move　the　wheels　of　the　world：　small　hands　do　them　because　they　must；　while　the　eyes　of　the　great　are　elsewhere。'

'Very　well；　very　well；　Master　Elrond！'　said　Bilbo　suddenly。　'Say　no　more！　It　is　plain　enough　what　you　are　pointing　at。　Bilbo　the　silly　hobbit　started　this　affair；　and　Bilbo　had　better　finish　it；　or　himself。　I　was　very　fortable　here；　and　getting　on　with　my　book。　If　you　want　to　know；　I　am　just　writing　an　ending　for　it。　I　had　thought　of　putting：　and　he　lived　happily　ever　afterwards　to　the　end　of　his　days。　It　is　a　good　ending；　and　none　the　worse　for　having　been　used　before。　Now　I　shall　have　to　alter　that：　it　does　not　look　like　ing　true；　and　anyway　there　will　evidently　have　to　be　several　more　chapters；　if　I　live　to　write　them。　It　is　a　frightful　nuisance。　When　ought　I　to　start？

'　Boromir　looked　in　surprise　at　Bilbo；　but　the　laughter　died　on　his　lips　when　he　saw　that　all　the　others　regarded　the　old　hobbit　with　grave　respect。　Only　Glóin　smiled；　but　his　smile　came　from　old　memories。

'Of　course；　my　dear　Bilbo；'　said　Gandalf。　'If　you　had　really　started　this　affair；　you　might　be　expected　to　finish　it。　But　you　know　well　enough　now　that　starting　is　too　great　a　claim　for　any；　and　that　only　a　small　part　is　played　in　great　deeds　by　any　hero。　You　need　not　bow！　Though　the　word　was　meant；　and　we　do　not　doubt　that　under　jest　you　are　making　a　valiant　offer。　But　one　beyond　your　strength；　Bilbo。　You　cannot　take　this　thing　back。　It　has　passed　on。　If　you　need　my　advice　any　longer；　I　should　say　that　your　part　is　ended；　unless　as　a　recorder。　Finish　your　book；　and　leave　the　ending　unaltered！　There　is　still　hope　for　it。　But　get　ready　to　e　back。'

Bilbo　laughed。　'I　have　never　known　you　give　me　pleasant　advice　before。'　he　said。　'As　all　your　unpleasant　advice　has　been　good；　I　wonder　if　this　advice　is　not　bad。　Still；　I　don't　suppose　I　have　the　strength　or　luck　left　to　deal　with　the　Ring。　It　has　grown；　and　I　have　not。　But　tell　me：　what　do　you　mean　by　they？'

'The　messengers　who　are　sent　with　the　Ring。'

'Exactly！　And　who　are　they　to　be？　That　seems　to　me　what　this　Council　has　to　decide；　and　all　that　it　has　to　decide。　Elves　may　thrive　on　speech　alone；　and　Dwarves　endure　great　weariness；　but　I　am　only　an　old　hobbit；　and　I　miss　my　meal　at　noon。　Can't　you　think　of　some　names　now？　Or　put　it　off　till　after　dinner？'

No　one　answered。　The　noonbell　rang。　Still　no　one　spoke。　Frodo　glanced　at　all　the　faces；　but　they　were　not　turned　to　him。　All　the　Council　sat　with　downcast　eyes；　as　if　in　deep　thought。　A　great　dread　fell　on　him；　as　if　he　was　awaiting　the　pronouncement　of　some　doom　that　he　had　long　foreseen　and　vainly　hoped　might　after　all　never　be　spoken。　An　overwhelming　longing　to　rest　and　remain　at　peace　by　Bilbo's　side　in　Rivendell　filled　all　his　heart。　At　last　with　an　effort　he　spoke；　and　wondered　to　hear　his　own　words；　as　if　some　other　will　was　using　his　small　voice。

'I　will　take　the　Ring；'　he　said；　'though　I　do　not　know　the　way。'

Elrond　raised　his　eyes　and　looked　at　him；　and　Frodo　felt　his　heart　pierced　by　the　sudden　keenness　of　the　glance。　'If　I　understand　aright　all　that　I　have　heard；'　he　said；　'I　think　that　this　task　is　appointed　for　you；　Frodo；　and　that　if　you　do　not　find　a　way；　no　one　will。　This　is　the　hour　of　the　Shire　folk；　when　they　arise　from　their　quiet　fields　to　shake　the　towers　and　counsels　of　the　Great。　Who　of　all　the　Wise　could　have　foreseen　it？　Or；　if　they　are　wise；　why　should　they　expect　to　know　it；　until　the　hour　has　struck？

'But　it　is　a　heavy　burden。　So　heavy　that　none　could　lay　it　on　another。　I　do　not　lay　it　on　you。　But　if　you　take　it　freely；　I　will　say　that　your　choice　is　right；　and　though　all　the　mighty　elffriends　of　old；　Hador；　and　Húrin；　and　Túrin；　and　Beren　himself　were　assembled　together　your　seat　should　be　among　them。'

'But　you　won't　send　him　off　alone　surely；　Master？'　cried　Sam；　unable　to　contain　himself　any　longer；　and　jumping　up　from　the　corner　where　he　had　been　quietly　sitting　on　the　floor。

'No　indeed！'　said　Elrond；　turning　towards　him　with　a　smile。　'You　at　least　shall　go　with　him。　It　is　hardly　possible　to　separate　you　from　him；　even　when　he　is　summoned　to　a　secret　council　and　you　are　not。'

Sam　sat　down；　blushin