y_？'
‘The messengers who are sent with the Ring。'
‘Exactly！ And who are they to be？ That seems to me what this Council hasto 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 mymeal at noon。 Can't you think of some names now？ Or put it off till afterdinner？'
No one answered。 The noon…bell rang。 Still no one spoke。 Frodo glanced atall the faces； but they were not turned to him。 All the Council sat withdowncast eyes； as if in deep thought。 A great dread fell on him； as if he wasawaiting the pronouncement of some doom that he had long foreseen and vainlyhoped might after all never be spoken。 An overwhelming longing to rest andremain at peace by Bilbo's side in Rivendell filled all his heart。 At lastwith an effort he spoke； and wondered to hear his own words； as if some otherwill 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 heartpierced by the sudden keenness of the glance。 ‘If I understand aright all thatI 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 counselsof the Great。 Who of all the Wise could have foreseen it？ Or； if they arewise； 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。 Ido not lay it on you。 But if you take it freely； I will say that your choiceis right； and though all the mighty elf…friends of old； Hador； and Húrin； andTúrin； 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 tocontain himself any longer； and jumping up from the corner where he had beenquietly sitting on the floor。
‘No indeed！' said Elrond； turning towards him with a smile。 ‘You at leastshall go with him。 It is hardly possible to separate you from him； even whenhe is summoned to a secret council and you are not。'
Sam sat down； blushing and muttering。 ‘A nice pickle we have landedourselves in； Mr。 Frodo！' he said； shaking his head。
_Chapter 3_
The Ring Goes South
Later that day the hobbits held a meeting of their own in Bilbo's room。
Merry and Pippin were indignant when they heard that Sam had crept into theCouncil； and had been chosen as Frodo's panion。
‘It's most unfair；' said Pippin。 ‘Instead of throwing him out； andclapping him in chains； Elrond goes and rewards him for his cheek！'
‘Rewards！' said Frodo。 'I can't imagine a more severe punishment。 You arenot thinking what you are saying： condemned to go on this hopeless journey； areward？ Yesterday I dreamed that my task was done； and I could rest here； along while； perhaps for good。'
'I don't wonder；' said Merry； 'and I wish you could。 But we are envyingSam； not you。 If you have to go； then it will be a punishment for any of us tobe left behind； even in Rivendell。 We have e a long way with you and beenthrough some stiff times。 We want to go on。'
‘That's what I meant；' said Pippin。 ‘We hobbits ought to stick together；
and we will。 I shall go； unless they chain me up。 There must be someone withintelligence in the party。'
'Then you certainly will not be chosen； Peregrin Took！' said Gandalf；
looking in through the window； which was near the ground。 ‘But you are allworrying yourselves unnecessarily。 Nothing is decided yet。'
‘Nothing decided！' cried Pippin。 'Then what were you all doing？ You wereshut up for hours。'
〃Talking；' said Bilbo。 ‘There was a deal of talk； and everyone had aneye…opener。 Even old Gandalf。 I think Legolas's bit of news about Gollumcaught even him on the hop； though he passed it off。'
‘You were wrong；' said Gandalf。 'You were inattentive。 I had alreadyheard of it from Gwaihir。 If you want to know； the only real eye…openers； asyou put it； were you and Frodo； and I was the only one that was notsurprised。'
‘Well； anyway；' said Bilbo； 'nothing was decided beyond choosing poorFrodo and Sam。 I was afraid all the time that it might e to that； if I waslet off。 But if you ask me； Elrond will send out a fair number； when thereports e in。 Have they started yet； Gandalf？'
'Yes；' said the wizard。 ‘Some of the scouts have been sent out already。
More will go tomorrow。 Elrond is sending Elves； and they will get in touchwith the Rangers； and maybe with Thranduil's folk in Mirkwood。 And Aragorn hasgone with Elrond's sons。 We shall have to scour the lands all round for manylong leagues before any move is made。 So cheer up； Frodo！ You will probablymake quite a long stay here。'
'Ah！' said Sam gloomily。 'We'll just wait long enough for winter toe。'
'That can't be helped；' said Bilbo。 'It's your fault partly； Frodo mylad： insisting on waiting for my birthday。 A funny way of honouring it； Ican't help thinking。 Not the day I should have chosen for letting the S。…B。sinto Bag End。 But there it is： you can't wait now fill spring； and you can'tgo till the reports e back。
When winter first begins to bite
and stones crack in the frosty night；
when pools are black and trees are bare；
'tis evil in the Wild to fare。
But that I am afraid will be just your luck。'
'I am afraid it will；' said Gandalf。 'We can't start until we have foundout about the Riders。'
‘I thought they were all destroyed in the flood；' said Merry。
'You cannot destroy Ringwraiths like that；' said Gandalf。 ‘The power oftheir master is in them； and they stand or fall by him。 We hope that they wereall unhorsed and unmasked； and so made for a while less dangerous； but we mustfind out for certain。 In the meantime you should try and forget your troubles；
Frodo。 I do not know if I can do anything to help you； but I will whisper thisin your ears。 Someone said that intelligence would be needed in the party。 Hewas right。 I think I shall e with you。'
So great was Frodo's delight at this announcement that Gandalf left thewindow…sill； where he had been sitting； and took off his hat and bowed。 'Ionly said _I think I shall e_。 Do not count on anything yet。 In this matterElrond will have much to say； and your friend the Strider。 Which reminds me； Iwant to see Elrond。 I must be off。'
‘How long do you think I shall have here？' said Frodo to Bilbo whenGandalf had gone。
‘Oh； I don't know。 I can't count days in Rivendell；' said Bilbo。 'Butquite long； I should think。 We can have many a good talk。 What about helpingme with my book； and making a start on the next？ Have you thought of anending？'
'Yes； several； and all are dark and unpleasant；' said Frodo。
'Oh； that won't do！' said Bilbo。 ‘Books ought to have good endings。 Howwould this do： _and they all settled down and lived together happily everafter_？'
‘It will do well； if it ever es to that；' said Frodo。
'Ah！' said Sam。 'And where will they live？ That's what I often wonder。'
For a while the hobbits continued to talk and think of the past journeyand of the perils that lay ahead； but such was the virtue of the land ofRivendell that soon all fear and anxiety was lifted from their minds。 Thefuture； good or ill； was not forgotten； but ceased to have any power over thepresent。 Health and hope grew strong in them； and they were content with eachgood day as it came； taking pleasure in every meal； and in every word andsong。
So the days slipped away； as each morning dawned bright and fair； andeach evening followed cool and clear。 But autumn was waning fast； slowly thegolden light faded to pale silver； and the lingering leaves fell from thenaked trees。 A wind began to blow chill from the Misty Mountains to the east。
The Hunter's Moon waxed round in the night sky； and put to flight all thelesser stars。 But low in the South one star shone red。 Every night； as theMoon waned again； it shone brighter and brighter。 Frodo could see it from hiswindow； deep in the heavens burning like a watchful eye that glared above thetrees on the brink of the valley。
The hobbits had been nearly two months in the House of Elrond； andNovember had gone by with the last shreds of autumn； and December was passing；
when the scouts began to return。 Some had gone north beyond the springs of theHoarwell into the Ettenmoors； and others had gone west； and with the help ofAragorn and the Rangers had searched the lands far down the Greyflood； as faras Tharbad； where the old North Road crossed the river by a ruined town。 Manyhad gone east and south； and some of these had crossed the Mountains andentered Mirkwood； while others had climbed the pass at the source of theGladden River； and had e down into Wilderland and over the Gladden Fieldsand so at length had reached the old home of Radagast at Rhosgobel。 Radagastwas not there； and they had returned over the high pass that was called the
Dimrill Stair。 The sons of Elrond； Elladan and Elrohir； were the last toreturn； they had made a great journey； passing down the Silverlode into astrange country； but of their errand they would not speak to any save toElrond。
In no region had the messengers discovered any signs or tidings of theRiders or other servants of the Enemy。 Even from the Eagles of the MistyMountains they had learned no fresh news。 Nothing had been seen or heard ofGollum； but the wild wolves were still gathering； and were hunting again farup the Great River。 Three of the black horses had been found at once drownedin the flooded Ford。 On the rocks of the rapids below it searchers discoveredthe bodies of five more； and also a long black cloak； slashed and tattered。 Ofthe Black Riders no other trace was to be seen； and nowhere was their presenceto be felt。 It seemed that they had vanished from the North。
'Eight out of the Nine are accounted for at least；' said Gandalf。 'It isrash to be too sure； yet I think that we may hope now that the Ringwraithswere scattered； and have been obliged to return as best they could to theirMaster in Mordor； empty and shapeless。
‘If that is so； it will be some time before they can begin the huntagain。 Of course the Enemy has other servants； but they will have to journeyall the way to the borders of Rivendell before they can pick up our trail。 Andif 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 timehas e；' he said。 ‘If the Ring is to set out； it must go soon。 But those whogo with it must not count on their errand being aided by war or force。 Theymust pass into the domain of the Enemy far from aid。 Do you still hold to yourword； Frodo； that you will be the Ring…bearer？'
'I do；' said Frodo。 ‘I will go with Sam。'
‘Then I cannot help you much； not even with counsel；' said Elrond。 ‘I canforesee very little of your road； and how your task is to be achieved I do notknow。 The Shadow has crept now to the feet of the Mountains； and draws nigheven to the borders of Greyflood； and under the Shadow all is dark to me。 Youwill meet many foes； some open； and some disguised； and you may find friendsupon your way when you least look for it。 I will send out messages； such as Ican contrive； to those whom I know in the wide world； but