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　they　can　pick　up　our　trail。　And　if　we　are　careful　that　will　be　hard　to　find。　But　we　must　delay　no　longer。'

Elrond　summoned　the　hobbits　to　him。　He　looked　gravely　at　Frodo。　'The　time　has　e；'　he　said。　'If　the　Ring　is　to　set　out；　it　must　go　soon。　But　those　who　go　with　it　must　not　count　on　their　errand　being　aided　by　war　or　force。　They　must　pass　into　the　domain　of　the　Enemy　far　from　aid。　Do　you　still　hold　to　your　word；　Frodo；　that　you　will　be　the　Ringbearer？'

'I　do；'　said　Frodo。　'I　will　go　with　Sam。'

'Then　I　cannot　help　you　much；　not　even　with　counsel；'　said　Elrond。　'I　can　foresee　very　little　of　your　road；　and　how　your　task　is　to　be　achieved　I　do　not　know。　The　Shadow　has　crept　now　to　the　feet　of　the　Mountains；　and　draws　nigh　even　to　the　borders　of　Greyflood；　and　under　the　Shadow　all　is　dark　to　me。　You　will　meet　many　foes；　some　open；　and　some　disguised；　and　you　may　find　friends　upon　your　way　when　you　least　look　for　it。　I　will　send　out　messages；　such　as　I　can　contrive；　to　those　whom　I　know　in　the　wide　world；　but　so　perilous　are　the　lands　now　bee　that　some　may　well　miscarry；　or　e　no　quicker　than　you　yourself。

'And　I　will　choose　you　panions　to　go　with　you；　as　far　as　they　will　or　fortune　allows。　The　number　must　be　few；　since　your　hope　is　in　speed　and　secrecy。　Had　I　a　host　of　Elves　in　armour　of　the　Elder　Days；　it　would　avail　little；　save　to　arouse　the　power　of　Mordor。

'The　pany　of　the　Ring　shall　be　Nine；　and　the　Nine　Walkers　shall　be　set　against　the　Nine　Riders　that　are　evil。　With　you　and　your　faithful　servant；　Gandalf　will　go；　for　this　shall　be　his　great　task；　and　maybe　the　end　of　his　labours。

'For　the　rest；　they　shall　represent　the　other　Free　Peoples　of　the　World：　Elves；　Dwarves；　and　Men。　Legolas　shall　be　for　the　Elves；　and　Gimli　son　of　Glóin　for　the　Dwarves。　They　are　willing　to　go　at　least　to　the　passes　of　the　Mountains；　and　maybe　beyond。　For　men　you　shall　have　Aragorn　son　of　Arathorn；　for　the　Ring　of　Isildur　concerns　him　closely。'

'Strider！'　said　Frodo。

'Yes；'　he　said　with　a　smile。　'I　ask　leave　once　again　to　be　your　panion；　Frodo。'

'I　would　have　begged　you　to　e；'　said　Frodo；　'only　I　thought　you　were　going　to　Minas　Tirith　with　Boromir。'

'I　am；'　said　Aragorn。　'And　the　SwordthatwasBroken　shall　be　refed　ere　I　set　out　to　war。　But　your　road　and　our　road　lie　together　for　many　hundreds　of　miles。　Therefore　Boromir　will　also　be　in　the　pany。　He　is　a　valiant　man。'

'There　remain　two　more　to　be　found；'　said　Elrond。　〃These　I　will　consider。　Of　my　household　I　may　find　some　that　it　seems　good　to　me　to　send。'

'But　that　will　leave　no　place　for　us！'　cried　Pippin　in　dismay。　'We　don't　want　to　be　left　behind。　We　want　to　go　with　Frodo。'

'That　is　because　you　do　not　understand　and　cannot　imagine　what　lies　ahead；'　said　Elrond。

'Neither　does　Frodo；'　said　Gandalf；　unexpectedly　supporting　Pippin。　'Nor　do　any　of　us　see　clearly。　It　is　true　that　if　these　hobbits　understood　the　danger；　they　would　not　dare　to　go。　But　they　would　still　wish　to　go；　or　wish　that　they　dared；　and　be　shamed　and　unhappy。　I　think；　Elrond；　that　in　this　matter　it　would　be　well　to　trust　rather　to　their　friendship　than　to　great　wisdom。　Even　if　you　chose　for　us　an　elflord；　such　as　Glorfindel；　he　could　not　storm　the　Dark　Tower；　nor　open　the　road　to　the　Fire　by　the　power　that　is　in　him。'

'You　speak　gravely；'　said　Elrond；　'but　I　am　in　doubt。　The　Shire；　I　forebode；　is　not　free　now　from　peril；　and　these　two　I　had　thought　to　send　back　there　as　messengers；　to　do　what　they　could；　according　to　the　fashion　of　their　country；　to　warn　the　people　of　their　danger。　In　any　case；　I　judge　that　the　younger　of　these　two；　Peregrin　Took；　should　remain。　My　heart　is　against　his　going。'

'Then；　Master　Elrond；　you　will　have　to　lock　me　in　prison；　or　send　me　home　tied　in　a　sack；'　said　Pippin。　'For　otherwise　I　shall　follow　the　pany。'

'Let　it　be　so　then。　You　shall　go；'　said　Elrond；　and　he　sighed。　'Now　the　tale　of　Nine　is　filled。　In　seven　days　the　pany　must　depart。'

The　Sword　of　Elendil　was　fed　anew　by　Elvish　smiths；　and　on　its　blade　was　traced　a　device　of　seven　stars　set　between　the　crescent　Moon　and　the　rayed　Sun；　and　about　them　was　written　many　runes；　for　Aragorn　son　of　Arathorn　was　going　to　war　upon　the　marches　of　Mordor。　Very　bright　was　that　sword　when　it　was　made　whole　again；　the　light　of　the　sun　shone　redly　in　it；　and　the　light　of　the　moon　shone　cold；　and　its　edge　was　hard　and　keen。　And　Aragorn　gave　it　a　new　name　and　called　it　Andúril；　Flame　of　the　West。

Aragorn　and　Gandalf　walked　together　or　sat　speaking　of　their　road　and　the　perils　they　would　meet；　and　they　pondered　the　storied　and　figured　maps　and　books　of　lore　that　were　in　the　house　of　Elrond。　Sometimes　Frodo　was　with　them；　but　he　was　content　to　lean　on　their　guidance；　and　he　spent　as　much　time　as　he　could　with　Bilbo。

In　those　last　days　the　hobbits　sat　together　in　the　evening　in　the　Hall　of　Fire；　and　there　among　many　tales　they　heard　told　in　full　the　lay　of　Beren　and　Lúthien　and　the　winning　of　the　Great　Jewel；　but　in　the　day；　while　Merry　and　Pippin　were　out　and　about；　Frodo　and　Sam　were　to　be　found　with　Bilbo　in　his　own　small　room。　Then　Bilbo　would　read　passages　from　his　book　（which　still　seemed　very　inplete）。　or　scraps　of　his　verses；　or　would　take　notes　of　Frodo's　adventures。

On　the　morning　of　the　last　day　Frodo　was　alone　with　Bilbo；　and　the　old　hobbit　pulled　out　from　under　his　bed　a　wooden　box。　He　lifted　the　lid　and　fumbled　inside。

'Here　is　your　sword；'　he　said。　'But　it　was　broken；　you　know。　I　took　it　to　keep　it　safe　but　I've　fotten　to　ask　if　the　smiths　could　mend　it。　No　time　now。。　So　I　thought；　perhaps；　you　would　care　to　have　this；　don't　you　know？'

He　took　from　the　box　a　small　sword　in　an　old　shabby　leathern　scabbard。　Then　he　drew　it；　and　its　polished　and　welltended　blade　glittered　suddenly；　cold　and　bright。　'This　is　Sting；'　he　said；　and　thrust　it　with　little　effort　deep　into　a　wooden　beam。　'Take　it；　if　you　like。　I　shan't　want　it　again；　I　expect。'

Frodo　accepted　it　gratefully。

'Also　there　is　this！'　said　Bilbo；　bringing　out　a　parcel　which　seemed　to　be　rather　heavy　for　its　size。　He　unwound　several　folds　of　old　cloth；　and　held　up　a　small　shirt　of　mail。　It　was　closewoven　of　many　rings；　as　supple　almost　as　linen；　cold　as　ice；　and　harder　than　steel。　It　shone　like　moonlit　silver；　and　was　studded　with　white　gems。　With　it　was　a　belt　of　pearl　and　crystal。

'It's　a　pretty　thing；　isn't　it？'　said　Bilbo；　moving　it　in　the　light。　'And　useful。　It　is　my　dwarfmail　that　Thorin　gave　me。　I　got　it　back　from　Michel　Delving　before　I　started；　and　packed　it　with　my　luggage：　I　brought　all　the　mementoes　of　my　Journey　away　with　me；　except　the　Ring。　But　I　did　not　expect　to　use　this；　and　I　don't　need　it　now；　except　to　look　at　sometimes。　You　hardly　feel　any　weight　when　you　put　it　on。'

'I　should　look　。　well；　I　don't　think　I　should　look　right　in　it；'　said　Frodo。

'Just　what　I　said　myself；'　said　Bilbo。　'But　never　mind　about　looks。　You　can　wear　it　under　your　outer　clothes。　e　on！　You　must　share　this　secret　with　me。　Don't　tell　anybody　else！　But　I　should　feel　happier　if　I　knew　you　were　wearing　it。　I　have　a　fancy　it　would　turn　even　the　knives　of　the　Black　Riders；'　he　ended　in　a　low　voice。

'Very　well；　I　will　take　it；'　said　Frodo。　Bilbo　put　it　on　him；　and　fastened　Sting　upon　the　glittering　belt；　and　then　Frodo　put　over　the　top　his　old　weatherstained　breeches；　tunic；　and　jacket。

'Just　a　plain　hobbit　you　look；'　said　Bilbo。　'But　there　is　more　about　you　now　than　appears　on　the　surface。　Good　luck　to　you！'　He　turned　away　and　looked　out　of　the　window；　trying　to　hum　a　tune。

'I　cannot　thank　you　as　I　should；　Bilbo；　for　this；　and　for　all　our　past　kindnesses；'　said　Frodo。

'Don't　try！'　said　the　old　hobbit；　turning　round　and　slapping　him　on　the　back。　'Ow！'　he　cried。　'You　are　too　hard　now　to　slap！　But　there　you　are：　Hobbits　must　stick　together；　and　especially　Bagginses。　All　I　ask　in　return　is：　take　as　much　care　of　yourself　as　you　can。　and　bring　back　all　the　news　you　can；　and　any　old　songs　and　tales　you　can　e　by。　I'll　do　my　best　to　finish　my　book　before　you　return。　I　should　like　to　write　the　second　book；　if　I　am　spared。'　He　broke　off　and　turned　to　the　window　again；　singing　softly。

I　sit　beside　the　fire　and　think
of　all　that　I　have　se