As already noticed, Trotter remains a hobbit;(3) and the description of him in fact follows the original version (p. 137) closely, including the wooden shoes; his pipe was changed from "broken" to "short-stemmed" in the act of writing, and he had "an enormous mug (large even for a man)" in front of him. In Frodo"s first conversation with Trotter, and in all that follows to the end of Chapter g in FR, the present text moves almost to the final form (which has in any case been virtually attained, in the latter part, already in the original version, see p.140). Frodo"s feeling that the suggestion that he put on the Ring came to him "from outside, from someone or something in the room" is present. At first my father wrote simply that the "swarthy-faced fellow" (Bill Ferney) (4) "slipped out of the door, followed by one of the southerners: not a well-favoured pair", but by a change that seems little later than the writing of the ma.n.u.script this became: Very soon he slipped out of the door, followed by Harry the gate-keeper, and by one of the southerners: the three had been whispering together in a corner most of the evening. For a moment he wondered if the Ring itself had not played him a trick - or perhaps obeyed orders other than his own. He did not like the looks of the three men that had gone out, especially not the [dark- eyed >] squint-eyed southerner.
In this text it has already been mentioned that the gate-keeper was present at the inn; this is not in FR, though it is said that he went out just behind the other two. - The text of The Cat and the Fiddle is now exactly in the final form.
In the original version I divided the text for convenience at the point where Chapter g ends in FR, though there is no break in the ma.n.u.script. The present version also continues without a break, and in this case it is more convenient to treat the old chapter as a whole.
The next part of the story follows the original form (pp. 148 - 9) very closely to the point where Trotter tells Bingo about his "eavesdropping" on the Road. There, Trotter had overheard Gandalf and the Dwarves and Elves (returning from Hobbiton after Bingo Bolger-Baggins" "long- expected party" and disappearance) talking about Bingo and his companions who were supposed to be on the Road behind them: the date was Sunday morning, September 25th (p. 160). The present version here introduces a major alteration into the narrative structure, but by no means to the story in FR, where Strider overhears the hobbits talking to Bombadil when he left them on the East Road (and hears Frodo say that he must be known as Underhill, not Baggins).
It seems likely that the new story, in which the further adventures of Odo Bolger first appear in formed narrative, arose when my father came to this chapter in his writing of the third phase ma.n.u.scripts, and that it was at this stage that he pencilled in the notes about Odo leaving Crickhollow with Gandalf (5) after the rout of the Black Riders (see p. 328): that is why, in the note to the second text of the attack on Crickhollow, he gave the reference "IX.22". IX.22 is the ma.n.u.script page in which Trotter"s story of his eavesdropping on Gandalf and Odo on the East Road appears in the present chapter.
It will be seen that version "A" of the original story is used: see pp. 148 and 171 note 1.
The opening of this section of the story is duplicated, both versions appearing to belong to the same time of writing, and neither being struck out; but the second form given here was preferred. The one reads: ... I was behind a hedge, when a man on a horse halted on the Road not far [west of Bree > (at time of writing)] east of Bree. To my surprise there was a hobbit riding behind him on the same horse! They got off to take a meal, and started talking. Now, oddly enough, they were discussing a certain Frodo Baggins and his three companions. I gathered that these four strange folk were hobbits that had bolted out of the Shire (by a back-door, as you might say) last Monday, and ought to be on the Road somewhere. The travellers were very worried about Mr Baggins, and wondered whether he was on the Road or off it, in front of them or behind. They wanted to find him and warn him.
"A bit incautious, I must say, of Gandalf - there now! Gandalf it was, of course: there"s no mistaking him, you"ll agree - to go talking like that by the Road-side. But actually he was speaking low, and I happened to be lying very close. That would be yesterday noon: Wednesday.
The other reads: ... I was hiding under a hedge, by the Road some way west of Bree, trying to shelter from the rain, when a man on horseback halted close by. To my surprise there was a hobbit riding behind him on the same horse! They got off to rest, and take a little food, and they started talking. If you want to know, they were discussing a certain Frodo Baggins and his three companions. I gathered that these were four hobbits that had left the Shire in a great hurry the previous day. The horseman was trying to catch them up, but he was not sure if they were on the Road or off it, in front or behind. He seemed very worried, but hoped to find them at Bree. I thought it very strange, for it is not often that Gandalf"s plans go wrong."
Frodo stirred suddenly at the mention of the name, and Trotter smiled. "Yes, Gandalf!" he said. "I know what he looks like, and once seen never forgotten, you"ll agree. He was speaking very low, but he had no idea that old Trotter was so close. That was on Tuesday evening, just as the light was failing.
The hobbits left Crickhollow early in the morning of Monday 26 September, and arrived in Bree at nightfall on Thursday 29 September (p- 160). The first of these variants makes Trotter see Gandalf and Odo on the road east of Bree on the Wednesday, i.e. after pa.s.sing through the village; the second places the encounter a day earlier, on the Tuesday evening, before they reached Bree. Therefore Frodo calculates, in the pa.s.sage that now follows, that Gandalf had reached Crickhollow "on the Monday, after they had left," since Bree was a day"s riding from the Brandywine Bridge. The rain on the Tuesday from which Trotter was sheltering was the rain that fell during the hobbits" second day in the house of Tom Bombadil. The text continues: Now up comes a hobbit and three friends out of the Shire, and though he gives out the name of Hill, his friends call him Frodo, and they all seem to know a good deal about the doings of Gandalf and the Bagginses of Hobbiton. I can put two and two together, when it is as easy as that. But don"t let it trouble you: I shall keep the answer to myself. Maybe, Mr Baggins has a good honest reason for leaving his name behind. But if so, I should advise him to remember that there are others besides Trotter that can do such easy sums - and not all are to be trusted."
"I am obliged to you," said Frodo, greatly relieved. Here at any rate was news of Gandalf; and of Odo too, apparently. Gandalf must have turned up at Crickhollow on the Monday, after they had left. But Frodo was still suspicious of Trotter, and was determined to pretend that the affair was of no special importance. "I have not left my name behind, as you put it," he said stiffly. "I called myself Hill at this inn merely to avoid idle questions. Mr b.u.t.terbur has quite enough to say as it is. I don"t quite see how anyone would guess my real name from what has occurred, unless he had your skill in eavesdropping. And I don"t see, either, what special interest my name has for anybody in Bree, or for you, for that matter."
Trotter laughed at him. "Don"t you?" he said grimly. "But eavesdropping, as you put it, is not unknown in Bree. And besides, I have not told you all about myself yet."
At that moment he was interrupted by a knock on the door. Mr b.u.t.terbur was there with a tray of candles, and n.o.b behind him with cans of hot water. "I"ve come to wish you a good night," said the landlord, putting the candles on the table. "n.o.b! Take the water to the rooms." He came in and shut the door. "It"s like this, Mr Hill," he began: "I"ve been asked more than once to look out for a party of four hobbits and five ponies. Hullo, Trotter! You here?" "It"s all right," said Frodo. "Say what you wish! Trotter has my leave to stay." Trotter grinned.
"Well," began Mr b.u.t.terbur again, "it"s like this: a couple of days ago, yes, it would be late on Tuesday night, just as I was going to lock up, there came a ring at the bell in the yard. Who should be standing at the door but old Gandalf, if you know who I mean! All wet through he was: it had been raining heavens hard all day.
There was a hobbit with him, and a white horse - very tired the poor beast was; for it had carried both of them a long way, it seemed. "Bless me, Gandalf!" says I. " What are you doing out in this weather at this time of night? And who"s your little friend?" But he winked at me, and didn"t answer my questions. "Hot drinks and warm beds!" he croaked, and stumbled up the steps.
"Later on he sent for me. "b.u.t.terbur," says he. "I"m looking for some friends: four hobbits. One is a round-bellied little fellow with red cheeks" - begging your pardon - "and the others just young hobbits. They should have five ponies and a good deal of baggage. Have you seen them? They ought to have pa.s.sed through Bree some time today,(6) unless they have stopped here." "He seemed very put out, when I said no such party was at The Pony, and none had pa.s.sed through, to my certain knowledge. "That"s bad news!" he said, tugging at his beard. "Will you do two things for me? If this party turns up, give them a message: Hurry on! Gandalf is ahead. Just that. Don"t forget, because it"s important! And if anyone - anyone, mind you, however strange - enquires after a hobbit called Baggins, tell them Baggins has gone east with Gandalf. Don"t forget that either, and I shall be grateful to you."" The landlord paused, looking hard at Frodo.
"Thank you very much!" said Frodo, thinking Mr b.u.t.terbur had finished, and relieved to find that his story was much the same as Trotter"s, and no more alarming. All the same he was extremely puzzled by Gandalf"s mysterious words about Baggins. He wondered if b.u.t.terbur had got it all wrong.
"Ah! But wait a minute!" said the landlord, lowering his voice. "That wasn"t the end of it. And that"s what is puzzling me. On Monday a big black fellow went through Bree on a great black horse, and all the folk were talking about it. The dogs were all yammering and the geese screaming as he rode through the village. I heard later that three of these riders were seen on the Road by Combe; though where the other two had sprung from I couldn"t say.
"Gandalf and his little friend Baggins went off yesterday, after sleeping late, about the middle of the morning. In the evening, just before the road-gate was shut, in rode the black fellows again, or others as like them as night and dark. "There"s the Black Man at the door!" shouted n.o.b, running to fetch me with his hair all on end. Sure enough, it was: not one nor three, though, but four of them! One was sitting there in the twilight with his big black horse almost on my door-step. All hooded and cloaked he was. He bent down and spoke to me, and very cold I thought his voice sounded. And what do you think? He was asking for news of four hobbits riding east out of the Shire! (7) "I didn"t like the sound or the looks of him, and I answered him short, "I haven"t seen any such party," I said, "and I"m not likely to, either. What may you be wanting with them, or with me?"
"At that he sent out a breath that set me shivering. "We want news of them. We are seeking Baggins," he said, hissing out the name like a snake. "Baggins is with them. If he comes, you will tell us, and we will repay you with gold. If you do not tell us, we will repay you - otherwise."
""Baggins!" said I. "He ain"t with them. If you are looking for a hobbit of that name, he went off east this morning with Gandalf." "At that name he drew in his breath and sat up. Then he stooped at me again. "Is that truth?" he said, very hard and quiet. "Do not lie to us!"
"I was all of a twitter, I can tell you, but I answered up as bold as I could: "Of course it"s the truth! I know Gandalf, and he and his friend were here last night, I tell you." At that the four of them turned their horses and rode off into the darkness without another word.
"Now, Mr Hill, what do you make of all that? I hope I"ve done right. If it hadn"t been for Gandalf"s orders, I"d never have given them news of Baggins, nor of anyone else. For these Black Men mean no good to anyone, I"ll be bound."
"You"ve done quite right, as far as I can see," said Frodo. "From what I know of Gandalf, it is usually best to do what he asks." "Yes," said the landlord, "but I am puzzled all the same. How came these Black Men to think Baggins was one of your party? And I must say, from what I"ve heard and seen tonight, I wonder if maybe they aren"t right. But Baggins or no, you are welcome to any help I can give to a friend of old Tom, and of Gandalf."
"I"m very grateful," said Frodo. "I am sorry I can"t tell you the whole story, Mr b.u.t.terbur. I am very tired, and very worried. But if you want to know, I am Frodo Baggins. I have no idea what Gandalf meant by saying that Baggins had gone east with him; for I think the hobbit"s name was Bolger. But these - er - Black Riders are hunting us, and we are in danger. I am very grateful for your help; but I hope you won"t get into any trouble yourself on our account. I hope these abominable Riders won"t come here again." "I hope not indeed! " said b.u.t.terbur with a shiver.
"If they do, you must not risk their anger for my sake. They are dangerous. Once we have got clear away, you can do us little harm, if you tell them that a party of four hobbits has pa.s.sed through Bree. Good night, Mr b.u.t.terbur! Thank you again for your kindness. One day perhaps Gandalf will tell you what it is all about."
"Good night, Mr Baggins - Mr Hill, I should say! Good night, Mr Took! Bless me! Where"s Mr Brandybuck?"
"I don"t know," said Folco; "but I expect he"s outside. He said something about going out for a breath of air. He ought to be in before long."
"Very good!" said Mr b.u.t.terbur. "I"ll see that he is not locked out. Good night to you all! " With a puzzled look at Trotter, and a shake of his head, he went out and his footsteps died away in the pa.s.sage.
"There you go again!" said Trotter before Frodo could speak. "Too trusting still! Why tell old Barnabas all that about being hunted; and why tell him the other hobbit was a Bolger?"
"Isn"t he safe?" asked Frodo. "Tom Bombadil said he was, and Gandalf seems to have trusted him."
"Is he safe?" cried Trotter, throwing up his hands. "Yes, he"s safe, safer than houses. But why give him any more to puzzle about than is necessary? And why interfere with Gandalf"s plan? You"re not very quick, or it would have been plain at once to you that Gandalf wanted it believed that the hobbit with him was Baggins - precisely so that you would have a better chance, if you were still behind. And what about me? Am I safe? You"re not sure (I know that), and yet you talk to b.u.t.terbur in front of me! However, I know now all that he had to say; and at least it will cut short what I still had to tell you - which was mostly about those Black Riders, as you call them. I saw them myself. I should say that seven all told have pa.s.sed through Bree since Monday. You won"t pretend any longer that you can"t imagine what interest your real name might have. There is a reward offered for anyone who can report that four hobbits are here, and that one of them is probably a Baggins after all."
"Yes, yes," said Frodo. "I see all that. But I knew already that They were after me; and so far at any rate they seem to have been sent off on a false scent."
"I should not be too sure that they have all gone right away," said Trotter; "or that they are all ahead of you, and chasing after Gandalf. They are cunning, and they divide their forces. I can still tell you a few things you have not heard from b.u.t.terbur. I first saw a Rider on Monday night, east of Bree as I was coming in out of the wilds. I nearly ran into him, going fast along the Road in the dark. I hailed him with a curse, for he had almost run over me; and he pulled up and came back. I stood still and made no sound, but he brought his horse step by step towards me. When he was quite close he stooped and sniffed. Then he hissed, and turned his horse and rode off.(8) Yesterday I saw the four that called at this inn. Last night I was on the look-out. I was lying on a bank under the hedge of Bill Ferney"s garden; and I heard Bill Ferney talking. He is a surly fellow, and has a bad name in the Bree-land, and queer folk are known to call at his house sometimes. You must have noticed him among the company: a swarthy man with a scowl. He was very close tonight with Harry Goatleaf, the west-gate keeper (a mean old curmudgeon); and with one of the southern strangers. They slipped out together just after your song and accident. I don"t trust Ferney. He would sell anything to anybody, if you understand me."
"I don"t understand you," said Frodo.
"Well, I"m not going to say it plainer," said Trotter. "I just wonder whether this unusual arrival of strange travellers up the Greenway, and the appearance of the hunting hors.e.m.e.n come together by mere chance. Both might be looking for the same thing - or person. Anyway, I heard Bill Ferney talking last night. I know his voice, though I could not catch what was said. The other voice was whispering, or hissing. And that"s all I have to tell you. You must do as you like about my reward. But as for my coming with you, I will say this: I know all the lands between the Shire and the Misty Mountains, for I"ve wandered over them many times in the course of my life - and I"m older now than I look. I might prove useful. You"ll have to leave the open Road after tonight; for if you ask me, I should say that these Riders are patrolling it - and still looking for your party. I don"t fancy that you wish to meet them. I don"t! They give me the creeps!" he ended suddenly with a shudder.
The others looked at him and saw with surprise that his face was buried in his hands, and his hood was drawn right down. The room was very quiet and still and the lights seemed to have grown dim.
"There! " he cried after a moment, throwing back his hood and pushing the hair from his face. "Perhaps I know more about these pursuers than you do. You do not fear them enough - yet. It seems to me only too likely that news of you will reach them before this night is over. Tomorrow you will have to go swiftly, and secretly - if you can. But Trotter can take you by paths that are seldom trodden. Will you have him?"
Frodo made no answer. He looked at Trotter: grim and wild and rough-clad. It was hard to know what to do. He did not doubt that most of his tale was true; but it was less easy to feel sure of his good will. Why was he so interested? He had a dark look - and yet there was something in it that seemed friendly and even curiously attractive. And his speech had changed as he talked, from the unfamiliar tones of the Outsiders to something more familiar, something that seemed to remind Frodo of somebody.(9) The silence grew, and still he could not make up his mind.
"Well, I"m for Trotter, if you want any help in deciding," said Folco suddenly. "In any case, I daresay he could follow us wherever we went, even if we refused."
"Than kyou!" said Trotter smiling at Folco. "I could and I should; for I should feel it was my duty. But here is a letter which I have for you - that ought to make up your mind for you." To Frodo"s amazement he took from his pocket a small sealed letter and handed it over. On the outside was written: F. from G. () "Read it! " said Trotter.
Here the chapter ends. It will be seen that in this narrative, despite the radical differences in what Trotter and b.u.t.terbur communicated, the original form of the story (in the "A" version, but see note 8) was still closely followed.
The ma.n.u.script of this chapter subsequently underwent immensely intricate alteration, with long insertions and deletions, for my father used the original text for two distinct developments, both involving major structural change. The one he called the "red" version, marked out and paginated in red, the other the "blue"; thus a rider on an inserted" slip bears the number "rider to IX.3(g) = red IX.9 = blue IX.4"! The relations can in fact be worked out perfectly satisfactorily. The "blue" version is the later, and peters out towards the end; this represents a later plot, in which all reference to the visit of Gandalf and Odo to The Prancing Pony is cut out. The "red" version, on the other hand, may well be contemporary or nearly contemporary with the primary text; it is carefully written (the alterations const.i.tuting the "blue" version being much rougher), and it tells the same story of Gandalf and Odo - but tells it quite differently. It takes up from the end of the description of Bree, and begins with Gandalf"s arrival there with Odo, now told directly and not in b.u.t.terburian narrative.
The Tuesday had been a day of heavy rain. Night had fallen some hours ago, and it was still pouring down. It was so dark that nothing could be heard but the seething noise of the rain, and the ripple of flood-rivers running down the hill - and the sound of hoofs splashing on the Road. A horse was slowly climbing up the long slope towards the village of Bree.
Suddenly a great gate loomed up: it stretched right across the Road from one strong post to another, and it was shut. There was a small house beyond it, dark and grey. The horse halted with its nose over the top bar of the gate, and the rider, an old man, dismounted stiffly, and lifted down a small figure that had been riding on a pillion behind him. The old man beat on the gate, and was just beginning to climb over it, when the door of the house opened and a man came out with a lantern, muttering and grumbling.
"A fine night to come hammering on the gate and getting a man out of his bed! " he said.
"And a fine night to be out in, wet through and cold, and on the wrong side of a gate! " replied the rider. "Come on now, Harry! Get it open quick! "
"Bless me! " cried the gate-keeper, holding up the lantern. "Gandalf it is - and I might have guessed it. There"s never no knowing when you"ll turn up next." He opened the gate slowly, peering in surprise at the small bedraggled figure at Gandalf"s side. "Thank you!" said Gandalf, leading his horse forward. "This is a friend of mine, a hobbit out of the Shire. Have you seen any more on the Road? There ought to be four of them ahead, a party on ponies."
"There hasn"t been any such party through, while I"ve been about," said Harry. "There might have been up to mid-day, for I was away in Staddle, and my brother was here. But I"ve heard no talk of it. Not that we watch the Road much between sunrise and nightfall, while the gate"s open. But we shall have to be more heedful, I"m thinking."
"Why?" asked Gandalf. "Have any strange folk been about?" "I should say so! Mighty queer folk. Black men on horses; and a lot of foreigners out of the South came up the Greenway at dusk. But if you"re going to The Pony, I should get on before they lock up. You"ll hear all the news there. I"ll be getting back to my bed, and wish you good night." He shut the gate and went in.
"Good night!" said Gandalf, and walked on into the village, leading his horse. The hobbit stumbled along beside him.
There was a lamp still shining over the entrance to the inn, but the door was closed. Gandalf rang the bell in the yard, and after a little delay a large fat man, in his shirt sleeves and with slippers on his feet, opened the door a crack and peered out.
"Good evening, b.u.t.terbur!" said the wizard. "Any room for an old friend?"
"Heavens above, if they aren"t all washed away! " cried the landlord. "Gandalf! And what are you doing out in this weather and at this time of night? And who"s your little friend?"
Gandalf winked at him. "Hot drinks and warm beds - that"s what we want, and not too many questions," he said, and stumped up the steps.
"What about the horse?" asked the landlord.
"Give him the best you"ve got! " answered Gandalf. "And if Bob grumbles at being got up again at this hour, tell him the beast deserves it: Narothal (10) has carried us both, fast and far today. I"ll repay Bob in the morning according as my horse reports of him!"
A little later the wizard and his companion were sitting before the hot embers of a fire in Mr b.u.t.terbur"s own room, warming and drying themselves and drinking mulled ale. The landlord came in to say that a room was ready for them.
"Don"t you hurry yourselves! " said he, "but when you"re ready, I"ll be going to my own bed. There"s been an unusual lot of travellers in here today, more than I remember for years, and I"m tired."
"Any hobbits among them?" asked Gandalf. "I"m looking for four of them - a friend of mine out of the Shire and three companions." He described Frodo carefully, but did not give his name. "They should have five ponies and a fair amoung of baggage; and they ought to have reached Bree today. Harry hasn"t seen them; but I hoped they might have come in without his noticing them."
"Nay," said the landlord, "a party like that would have been heard of even by Harry, dull old grumbler though he be. We don"t get many Outsiders from the Shire to Bree these days. There"s no such party at The Pony, and there"s been none along the Road to my certain knowledge."
"That"s bad news! " said Gandalf, tugging at his beard. "I wonder where they have got to! "(11) He was silent for a moment. "Look here, b.u.t.terbur!" he went on. "You and I are old friends. You have eyes and ears in your head, and though you say a lot, you know what to leave unsaid. I want to be private while I"m here, and if I see no one but you and Bob I"ll be pleased. Don"t tell everyone that I"ve asked after this party! But keep your eyes open, and if they turn up after I"ve gone, give them this message: Hurry on! Gandalf"s ahead. Just that. Don"t forget, because it"s important. And if anyone - anyone, mind you, however strange - enquires after a hobbit called Baggins, tell them Baggins has gone east with Gandalf. Don"t forget that, either, and I shall be grateful to you! "
"Right you are!" said Mr b.u.t.terbur. "I hope I"ll not forget, though one thing drives out another, when I"m busy with guests in the house. Baggins, you say? Let me see - I remember that name. Wasn"t there a Bilbo Baggins that they told some strange tales about over in the Shire? My dad told me that he had stayed in this house more than once. But your friend won"t be him - he disappeared in some funny way nigh on twenty years back: vanished with a bang while he was talking, or so I"ve heard. Not that I believe all the tales that come out of the West."
"No need to," said Gandalf, laughing. "Anyway my young friend here is not old Bilbo Baggins. Just a relation."
"That"s right! " said the hobbit. "Just a relation - a cousin in fact." "I see," said the landlord. "Well, it does you credit. Bilbo was a fine little fellow, and rich as a king into the bargain, if half I"ve heard is true. I"ll give your messages, if the chance comes, Gandalf; and I"ll ask no questions, strange though it all seems to me. But you know your own business best, and you"ve done me many a good turn."
"Thank you Barnabas! " said Gandalf. "And now I"ll do you another - let you go to your bed at once." He drained his mug and stood up. The landlord put out the lights, and holding a candle in each hand led them to their room.
In the morning Gandalf and his friend got up late. They breakfasted in a private room, and spoke to no one but Mr Barnabas b.u.t.terbur. It was close on eleven before Gandalf called for his reckoning, and for his horse.
"Tell Bob to take him up the lane and wait for me near the Greenway," he said. "I"m not going along the Road to be gaped at this morning."
He took his leave of the landlord at a side-door. "Goodbye, my friend," he said. "Don"t forget the messages! One day, perhaps, I"ll tell you the whole story, and repay you, too, with something better even than good news - that is, I will, if the whole story does not come to a bad end. Goodbye! "
He walked off with the hobbit up a narrow lane that ran north from the inn over the ditch round the village and on towards the Greenway.(12) Bob the ostler was waiting outside the village boundary. The white horse was glossy and well-groomed, and seemed thoroughly rested and eager for another day"s journey. Gandalf called to him by name, and Narothal (13) whinnied, tossing up his head, and trotting back to his master, and nuzzling against his face.
"A good report, Bob!" said Gandalf, giving the ostler a silver piece. He mounted; and Bob helped the hobbit up on to a cushion behind the wizard, then he stood back with his cap in his hand, grinning broadly.
"That"s right, my lad! " laughed Gandalf. "We look a funny pair, I daresay. But we"re not as funny as we look. When we"ve gone, remember that we"ve gone east, but forget that we set out along this lane. See? Goodbye! " He rode off and left Bob scratching his head.
"Curry me! if these aren"t queer days!" he said to himself. "Black men riding out of nowhere, and folk on the Greenway, and old Gandalf with a hobbit on a pillion and all! Things are beginning to move in Bree! But you watch yourself, Bob my lad - old Gandalf can hand out something hotter than silver."
The fair morning that had followed the rain gave way later to cloud and mist. Nothing more happened in Bree that day until dusk was falling. Then out of the fog four hors.e.m.e.n rode though the gate. Harry peered through a window, and then hurriedly withdrew. He had been thinking of going out and shutting the gate, but he changed his mind. The hors.e.m.e.n were all clad and m.u.f.fled in black, and rode high black horses. Some of the same sort had been seen in Bree two days before and wild stories were going about. Some said they were not human, and even the dogs were afeared of them. Harry locked the door and stood quaking behind it.
But the riders halted, and one dismounted and came and smote on the door. "What do you want?" called Harry from inside.
"We want news! " hissed a cold voice through the keyhole. "What of?" he answered, shaking in his boots.
"News of four hobbits,(14) riding on ponies out of the Shire. Have they pa.s.sed?"
Harry wished they had, for it might have satisfied these riders, if he could have said yes. There was a threat and urgency in the cold voice: but he dared not risk a yes that was not true. "No sir! " he said in a quavering voice. "There"s been no hobbits on ponies through Bree, and there isn"t likely to be any. But there was a hobbit riding behind an old man on a white horse, last night. They went to The Pony."
"Do you know their names?" said the voice.
"The old man was Gandalf," said Harry.
A hiss came through the keyhole, and Harry started back, feeling as if something icy cold had touched him. "You have our thanks", said the voice. "You will keep watch for four hobbits, if you still wish to please us. We will return."
Harry heard the sound of hoofs going off towards the village. He unlocked the door stealthily, and then crept out, and peered up the road. It was too foggy and already too dark to see much. But he heard the hoofs halt at the bend of the Road by the inn. He waited a while, and then quietly shut and locked the gate. He was just returning to his house, when in the misty air he heard the sound of hoofs again, starting up by the inn and dying away round the corner and down the Road eastward. It was turning very cold, he thought. He shivered and hurried indoors, bolting and barring the door.
The next morning, Thursday, was clear again, with a warm sun and the wind turning towards the South. Towards evening a dozen dwarves came walking out of the East into Bree with heavy packs on their backs. They were sullen and had few words for anybody. But no traveller came past the western gate all day. Night fell and Harry shut the gate, but he kept on going to his door. He was afraid of the threat in the cold voice, if he missed any strange hobbits.
It was dark and white stars were shining when Frodo and his companions came at last to the Greenway-crossing and drew near the village. They found that it was surrounded by a deep ditch with a hedge and fence on the inner side. Over and through this the Road ran, but it was now barred by the great gate. They saw a house on the other side, and a man sitting at the door. He jumped up and fetched a lantern, and looked down over the gate at them in surprise.
"What do you want and where do you come from?" he asked gruffly.
"We are making for the inn here," answered Frodo. "We are journeying east and cannot go further tonight."
"Hobbits! Four hobbits! And what"s more, out of the Shire from the sound of their talk," said the gate-keeper, quietly and almost as if he was speaking to himself. He stared at them darkly for a moment, and then slowly opened the gate and let them ride through.
"We don"t often see Shire-folk riding on the Road by night," he went on, as they halted for a moment by his door. "You"ll pardon " me wondering what business takes you away east of Bree."
"I do," said Frodo, "though it does not seem very wonderful to us. But this does not seem a good place to talk of our business."
"Ah well, your business is your own, no doubt," said the gatekeeper. "But you"ll find maybe that there are more folk than old Harry at the gate that will ask questions. Are you expecting to meet any friends here? "
"What do you mean?" asked Frodo in surprise. "Why should we? "
"And why not? Many folk meet at Bree even in these days. If you go on to The Pony, you may find you are not the only guests."
Frodo wished him good night and made no further answer, though he could see in the lantern-light that the man was still eyeing them curiously. He was glad to hear the gate clang to behind them, as they rode forward. He wondered what the man had meant by "meeting friends". Could anyone have been asking for news of four hobbits? Gandalf, perhaps? He might have pa.s.sed through, while they were delayed in the Forest and the Downs. But a Black Rider was more likely. There was something in the look and tone of the gate-keeper that filled him with suspicion.
Harry stared after them for a moment, and then he went to his door. "Ned! " he called. "I"ve business up at The Pony, and it may keep me a while. You must be on the gate, till I come back."
From this point the "red version" is only different from the first text in that b.u.t.terbur"s story of Gandalf"s visit is of course very greatly reduced from the form given on pp. 338 - 9.
NOTES.
1. The drafts have "Few had survived the turmoils of the Earliest Days", an expression used in the Foreword (p. 329, note 1), where FR has "Elder Days", the earliest form of the pa.s.sage has: "Few had survived the turmoils of those old and forgotten days, and the wars of the Elves and Goblins".
2. prepared: FR has "proposed to leave them", but this is an error that arose at the typescript stage.
3. My father wrote "a queer-looking brown-faced hobbit", struck out "hobbit", and then wrote "hobbit" again.