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had survived the Battle of Five Armies seven were still withhim： Dwalin； Glóin； Dori； Nori； Bifur； Bofur； and Bombur。 Bombur was now sofat that he could not move himself from his couch to his chair at table； andit took six young dwarves to lift him。
'And what has bee of Balin and Ori and óin？' asked Frodo。
A shadow passed over Glóin's face。 ‘We do not know；' he answered。 'It islargely on account of Balin that I have e to ask the advice of those thatdwell in Rivendell。 But tonight let us speak of merrier things！'
Glóin began then to talk of the works of his people； telling Frodo abouttheir great labours in Dale and under the Mountain。 'We have done well；' hesaid。 ‘But in metalwork we cannot rival our fathers； many of whose。 secretsare lost。 We make good armour and keen swords； but we cannot again make mailor blade to match those that were made before the dragon came。 Only in miningand building have we surpassed the old days。 You should see the waterways ofDale； Frodo； and the fountains； and the pools！ You should see the stone…pavedroads of many colours！ And the halls and cavernous streets under the earthwith arches carved like trees； and the terraces and towers upon the Mountain'ssides！ Then you would see that we have not been idle。'
'I will e and see them； if ever I can；' said Frodo。 'How surprisedBilbo would have been to see all the changes in the Desolation of Smaug！'
Glóin looked at Frodo and smiled。 'You were very fond of Bilbo were younot？' he asked。
‘Yes；' answered Frodo。 'I would rather see him than all the towers andpalaces in the world。'
At length the feast came to an end。 Elrond and Arwen rose and went downthe hall； and the pany followed them in due order。 The doors were thrownopen； and they went across a wide passage and through other doors； and cameinto a further hall。 In it were no tables； but a bright fire was burning in agreat hearth between the carven pillars upon either side。
Frodo found himself walking with Gandalf。 ‘This is the Hall of Fire' saidthe wizard。 ‘Here you will hear many songs and tales…if you can keep awake。
But except on high days it usually stands empty and quiet； and people ehere who wish for peace； and thought。 There is always a fire here； all theyear round； but there is little other light。'
As Elrond entered and went towards the seat prepared for him； elvishminstrels began to make sweet music。 Slowly the hall filled； and Frodo lookedwith delight upon the many fair faces that were gathered together； the goldenfirelight played upon them and shimmered in their hair。 Suddenly he noticed；
not far from the further end of the fire； a small dark figure seated on astool with his back propped against a pillar。 Beside him on the ground was adrinking…cup and some bread。 Frodo wondered whether he was ill （if people wereever ill in Rivendell）； and had been unable to e to the feast。 His headseemed sunk in sleep on his breast； and a fold of his dark cloak was drawnover his face。
Elrond went forward and stood beside the silent figure。 'Awake littlemaster。 he said； with a smile。 Then； turning to Frodo； he beckoned to him。
'Now at last the hour has e that you have wished for； Frodo；' he said。
‘Here is a friend that you have long missed。'
The dark figure raised its head and uncovered its face。
‘Bilbo！' cried Frodo with sudden recognition； and he sprang forward。
‘Hullo； Frodo my lad！' said Bilbo。 ‘So you have got here at last。 I hopedyou would manage it。 Well； well！ So all this feasting is in your honour； Ihear。 I hope you enjoyed yourself？'
'Why weren't you there？' cried Frodo。 ‘And why haven't I been allowed tosee you before？'
‘Because you were asleep。 I have seen a good deal of you。 I have sat byyour side with Sam each day。 But as for the feast‘ I don't go in for suchthings much now。 And I had something else to do。'
‘What were you doing？'
‘Why； sitting and thinking。 I do a lot of that nowadays； and this is thebest place to do it in； as a rule。 Wake up； indeed！' he said； cocking an eyeat Elrond。 There was a bright twinkle in it and no sign of sleepiness thatFrodo could see。 ‘Wake up！ I was not asleep。 Master Elrond。 If you want toknow； you have all e out from your feast too soon； and you have disturbedme…in the middle of making up a song。 I was stuck over a line or two； and wasthinking about them； but now I don't suppose I shall ever get them right。
There will be such a deal of singing that the ideas will be driven clean outof my head。 I shall have to get my friend the Dúnadan to help me。 Where ishe？'
Elrond laughed。 ‘He shall be found；' he said。 ‘Then you two shall go intoa corner and finish your task； and we will hear it and judge it before we endour merrymaking。' Messengers were sent to find Bilbo's friend； though noneknew where he was； or why he had not been present at the feast。
In the meanwhile Frodo and Bilbo sat side by side； and Sam came quicklyand placed himself near them。 They talked together in soft voices； obliviousof the mirth and music in the hall about them。 Bilbo had not much to say ofhimself。 When he had left Hobbiton he had wandered off aimlessly； along theRoad or in the country on either side； but somehow he had steered all the timetowards Rivendell。 ‘I got here without much adventure；' he said； ‘and after arest I went on with the dwarves to Dale： my last journey。 I shan't travelagain。 Old Balin had gone away。 Then I came back here； and here I have been。 Ihave done this and that。 I have written some more of my book。 And； of course；
I make up a few songs。 They sing them occasionally： just to please me； Ithink； for； of course； they aren't really good enough for Rivendell。 And Ilisten and I think。 Time doesn't seem to pass here： it just is。 A remarkableplace altogether。
‘I hear all kinds of news； from over the Mountains； and out of the South；
but hardly anything from the Shire。 I heard about the Ring； of course。 Gandalfhas been here often。 Not that he has told me a great deal； he has beecloser than ever these last few years。 The Dúnadan has told me more。 Fancythat ring of mine causing such a disturbance！ It is a pity that Gandalf didnot find out more sooner。 I could have brought the thing here myself long agowithout so much trouble。 I have thought several times of going back toHobbiton for it； but I am getting old； and they would not let me： Gandalf andElrond； I mean。 They seemed to think that the Enemy was looking high and lowfor me； and would make mincemeat of me； if he caught me tottering about in theWild。
'And Gandalf said： 〃The Ring has passed on； Bilbo。 It would do no good toyou or to others； if you tried to meddle with it again。〃 Odd sort of remark；
just like Gandalf。 But he said he was looking after you； so I let things be。 Iam frightfully glad to see you safe and sound。' He paused and looked at Frododoubtfully。
‘Have you got it here？' he asked in a whisper。 ‘I can't help feelingcurious； you know； after all I've heard。 I should very much like just to peepat it again。'
‘Yes； I've got it；' answered Frodo； feeling a strange reluctance。 ‘It
looks just the same as ever it did。'
‘Well； I should just like to see it for a moment；' said Bilbo。
When he had dressed； Frodo found that while he slept the Ring had beenhung about his neck on a new chain； light but strong。 Slowly he drew it out。
Bilbo put out his hand。 But Frodo quickly drew back the Ring。 To his distressand amazement he found that he was no longer looking at Bilbo； a shadow seemedto have fallen between them； and through it he found himself eyeing a littlewrinkled creature with a hungry face and bony groping hands。 He felt a desireto strike him。
The music and singing round them seemed to falter and a silence fell。
Bilbo looked quickly at Frodo's face and passed his hand across his eyes。 ‘Iunderstand now；' he said。 ‘Put it away！ I am sorry： sorry you have e in forthis burden： sorry about everything。 Don't adventures ever have an end？ Isuppose not。 Someone else always has to carry on the story。 Well； it can't behelped。 I wonder if it's any good trying to finish my book？ But don't let'sworry about it now…let's have some real News！ Tell me all about the Shire！'
Frodo hid the Ring away； and the shadow passed leaving hardly a shred ofmemory。 The light and music of Rivendell was about him again。 Bilbo smiled andlaughed happily。 Every item of news from the Shire that Frodo could tell…aidedand corrected now and again by Sam…was of the greatest interest to him； fromthe felling of the least tree to the pranks of the smallest child in Hobbiton。
They were so deep in the doings of the Four Farthings that they did not noticethe arrival of a man clad in dark green cloth。 For many minutes he stoodlooking down at them with a smile。
Suddenly Bilbo looked up。 'Ah； there you are at last； Dúnadan！' he cried。
‘Strider！' said Frodo。 ‘You seem to have a lot of names。'
‘Well； _Strider_ is one that I haven't heard before； anyway；' said Bilbo。
‘What do you call him that for？'
‘They call me that in Bree；' said Strider laughing； 'and that is how Iwas introduced to him。'
‘And why do you call him Dúnadan？' asked Frodo。
‘_The_ Dúnadan；' said Bilbo。 ‘He is often called that here。 But I thoughtyou knew enough Elvish at least to know _dún…udan_： Man of the West；