The Return of the Shadow. Christopher Tolkien

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ

      ‘What kind of a customer?’ asked Frodo.

      ‘A funny customer and asking funny questions,’ said Farmer Maggot, shaking his head. ‘Come along to my house and have a drink and we’ll pass the news more comfortably like, if you and your friend are willing, Mr Took.’

      It seemed plain that Farmer Maggot would only pass the news in his own time and place, and they guessed that it might be interesting; so Frodo and Odo went along with him. The dog remained behind jumping and frisking round Bingo to his annoyance.

      ‘What’s come to the dog?’ said the farmer, looking back. ‘Here, Gip! Heel!’ he called. To Bingo’s relief the dog obeyed, though it turned back once and barked.

      ‘What’s the matter with you?’ growled Farmer Maggot. ‘There seems to be something queer abroad this day. Gip went near off his head when that stranger came along, and now you’d think he could see or smell something that ain’t there.’

      They went into the farmer’s kitchen and sat by the wide fireplace. Mrs Maggot brought them beer in large earthenware mugs. It was a good brew, and Odo found himself wishing that they were going to stay the night in the house.

      ‘I hear there have been fine goings on up Hobbiton way,’ said Farmer Maggot. ‘Fireworks and all; and this Mr Bolger-Baggins disappearing, and giving everything away. Oddest thing I have heard tell of in my time. I suppose it all comes of living with that Mr Bilbo Baggins. My mother used to tell me queer tales of him, when I was a boy: not but what he seemed a very nice gentleman. I have seen him wandering down this way many a time when I was a lad, and that Mr Bingo with him. Now we take an interest in him in these parts, seeing as he belongs here, being half Brandybuck, as you might say. We never thought any good would come of his going away to Hobbiton, and folk are a bit queer back there, if you’ll pardon me. I was forgetting you come from those parts.’

      ‘O, folk are queer enough in Hobbiton – and Tookland,’ said Frodo. ‘We don’t mind. But we know, I mean knew, Mr Bingo very well. I don’t think any harm’s come to him. It really was a very marvellous party, and I can’t see that anyone has anything to complain of.’ He gave the farmer a full and amusing account of the proceedings, which pleased him mightily. He stamped his feet and slapped his legs, and called for more beer; and made them tell his wife most of the tale over again, especially about the fireworks. Neither of the Maggots had ever seen fireworks.

      ‘It must be a sight to do your eyes good,’ said the farmer.

      ‘No dragons for me!’ said Mrs Maggot, ‘But I would have liked to have been at that supper. Let’s hope old Mr Rory Brandybuck will take the idea and give a party down in these parts for his next birthday. – And what did you say has become of Mr Bolger-Baggins?’ she said, turning to Frodo.

      ‘Well – er, well, he’s vanished, don’t you know,’ said Frodo. He half thought he heard the ghost of a chuckle somewhere not far from his ear, but he was not sure.

      ‘There now – that reminds me!’ said Farmer Maggot. ‘What do you think that funny customer said?’

      ‘What?’ said Odo and Frodo together.

      ‘Well, he comes riding in at the gate and up to the door on a big black horse; all black he was himself too, and cloaked and hooded up as if he didn’t want to be known. “Good Heavens!” I said to myself. “Here’s one of the Big People! Now what in the Shire can he want?” We don’t see many of the Big People down here, though they come over the River at times; but I’ve never heard tell of any like this black chap. “Good day to you,” I says. “This lane don’t go no further, and wherever you be going your quickest way will be back to the road.” I did not like the look of him, and when Gip came out he took one sniff and let out a howl as if he had been bitten; he put down his tail and bolted howling all the way.

      ‘“I come from over yonder,” he answered stiff and slow like, pointing back West, over my fields, Woodhall-way. “Have you ever seen Mist-er Bolg-er Bagg-ins?” he asked in a queer voice and bent down towards me, but I could see no face, his hood fell so low. I had a sort of shiver down my back; but I didn’t see why he should come riding so bold over my land. “Be off!” I said. “Mr Bolger-Baggins has vanished, disappeared, if you take my meaning: gone into the blue, and you can follow him!”

      ‘He gave a sort of hiss, seeming angry and startled like, it seemed to me; and he spurred his great horse right at me. I was standing by the gate, but I jumped out of the way mighty quick, and he rode through it and down the lane like mad. What do you think of that?’

      ‘I don’t know what to think,’ said Frodo.

      ‘Well, I’ll tell you what to think,’ said the farmer. ‘This Mr Bingo has got himself mixed up in some trouble, and disappeared a purpose. There are plainly some folk as are mighty eager to find him. Mark my words, it’ll all be along of some of those doings of old Mr Bilbo’s. He ought to have stuck at Bolger and not gone tacking on Baggins. They are queer folk up Hobbiton way, begging your pardon. It’s the Baggins that has got him into trouble, mark my words!’

      ‘That certainly is an idea,’ said Frodo. ‘Very interesting, what you tell us. I suppose you’ve never seen any of these – er – black chaps before?’

      ‘Not that I remember,’ said Farmer Maggot, ‘and I don’t want to see any again. Now I hope you and your friend will stay and have a bite and a sup with me and the wife.’

      ‘Thank you very much!’ said Odo regretfully, ‘but I am afraid we ought to go on.’

      ‘Yes,’ said Frodo, ‘we have some way to go before night, and really we have already rested too long. But it is very kind of you all the same.’

      ‘Well! Here’s your health and good luck!’ said the farmer, reaching for his mug. But at that moment the mug left the table, rose, tilted in the air, and then returned empty to its place.

      ‘Help and save us!’ cried the farmer jumping up. ‘Did you see that? This is a queer day and no mistake. First the dog and then me seeing things that ain’t.’

      ‘Oh, I saw the mug too,’ said Odo, unable to hide a grin.

      ‘You did, did you!’ said the farmer. ‘I don’t see no cause to laugh.’ He looked quickly and queerly at Odo and Frodo, and now seemed only too glad that they were going. They said good-bye politely but hurriedly, and ran down the steps and out of the gate. Farmer Maggot and his wife stood whispering at their door and watched them out of sight.

      ‘What did you want to play that silly trick for?’ said Odo when the farmhouse was well behind. ‘The old man had done you a good turn with that Rider, or so it seemed to me.’

      ‘I daresay,’ said a voice behind him. ‘But you did me a pretty poor turn, going inside and drinking and talking, and leaving me in the cold. As it was I only got half a mug. And now we are late. I shall make you trot after this.’

      ‘Show us how to trot!’ said Odo.

      Bingo immediately reappeared and went off as fast as he could down the lane. The others hurried after him. ‘Look!’ said Frodo pointing to one side. Along the edge of the lane, in the mud made by the day’s rain, there were deep hoofmarks.

      ‘Never mind!’ said Bingo. ‘We knew from old Maggot’s talk that he went this way. It can’t be helped. Come along!’

      They СКАЧАТЬ