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.' Sam blushed.`I have nothing much to give to you young fellows,' he said toMerry and Pippin, `except good advice.' And when he had giventhem a fair sample of this, he added a last item in Shire-fashion :`Don't let your heads get too big for your hats! But if you don'tfinish growing up soon, you are going to find hats and clothesexpensive.'`But if you want to beat the Old Took,' said Pippin, `I don't seewhy we shouldn't try and beat the Bullroarer.'Bilbo laughed, and he produced out of a pocket two beautiful pipeswith pearl mouth-pieces and bound with fine-wrought silver.'Thinkof me when you smoke them ! ' he said.`The Elves made them forme, but I don't smoke now.' And then suddenly he nodded and wentto sleep for a little; and when he woke up again he said: `Nowwhere were we? Yes, of course, giving presents.Which reminds me :what's become of my ring, Frodo, that you took away ? '`I have lost it, Bilbo dear,' said FrodO.'I got rid of it, youknow.'`What a pity ! ' said Bilbo.`I should have liked to see it again.Butno, how silly of me! That's what y0u went for, wasn't it : to get ridof it? But it is all so confusing, for such a lot of other things seem tohave got mixed up with it : Aragorn's affairs, and the White Counciland Gondor, and the Horsemen, and Southrons, and oliphaunts-didyou really see one, Sam?-and caves and towers and golden trees,and goodness knows what besides.'I evidently came back by much too straight a road from my trip.I think Gandalf might have shown me round a bit.But then theauction would have been over before I got back, and I should havehad even more trouble than I did.Anyway it's too late now; andreally I think it's much more comfortable to sit here and hear aboutit all.The fire's very cosy here, and the food's very good, and thereare Elves when you want them.What more could one want ?The Road goes ever on and onOut from the door where it began.Now far ahead the Road has gone,Let others follow it who can !Let them a journey new begin,But I at last with weary feetWill turn towards the lighted inn,My evening-rest and sleep to meet.'And as Bilbo murmured the last words his head dropped on hischest and he slept soundly.The evening deepened in the room, and the firelight burnedbrighter; and they looked at Bilbo as he slept and saw that his facewas smiling.For some time they sat in silence; and then Sam lookinground at the room and the shadows flickering on the walls, saidsoftly :`I don't think, Mr.Frodo, that he's done much writing while we'vebeen away.He won't ever write our story now.'At that Bilbo opened an eye, almost as if he had heard.Then heroused himself.`You see, I am getting so sleepy,' he said.`And whenI have time to write, I only really like writing poetry.I wonder,Frodo my dear fellow, if you would very much mind tidying thingsup a bit before you go? Collect all my notes and papers, and mydiary too, and take them with you, if yov will.You see, I haven'tmuch time for the selection and the arrangement and all that.GetSam to help, and when you've knocked things into shape, come back,and I'll run over it.I won't be too critical.''Of course I'll do it ! ' said Frodo.`And of course I'll come backsoon: it won't be dangerous any more.There is a real king nowand he will soon put the roads in order.''Thank you, my dear fellow ! ' said Bilbo.'That really is a verygreat relief to my mind.' And with that he fell fast asleep again.The next day Gandalf and the hobbits took leave of Bilbo in hisroom, for it was cold out of doors; and then they said farewell toElrond and all his household.As Frodo stood upon the threshold, Elrond wished him a fairjourney, and blessed him, and he said :`I think, Frodo, that maybe you will not need to come back, unlessyou come very soon.For about this time of the year, when the leavesare gold before they fall, look for Bilbo in the woods of the Shire.I shall be with him.'These words no one else heard, and Frodo kept them to himself.Perv NextMail to me
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