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still bearing the Ring。'
'We should never have done it without Strider；' said Frodo。 ‘But weneeded you。 I did not know what to do without you。'
'I was delayed；' said Gandalf； ‘and that nearly proved our ruin。 And yetI am not sure； it may have been better so。'
'I wish you would tell me what happened！'
'All in good time！ You are not supposed to talk or worry about anythingtoday； by Elrond's orders。'
‘But talking would stop me thinking and wondering； which are quite astiring；' said Frodo。 'I am wide awake now； and I remember so many things thatwant explaining。 Why were you delayed？ You ought to tell me that at least。'
'You will soon hear all you wish to know；' said Gandalf。 'We shall have aCouncil； as soon as you are well enough。 At the moment I will only say that Iwas held captive。'
'You？' cried Frodo。
'Yes； I； Gandalf the Grey；' said the wizard solemnly。 'There are manypowers in the world； for good or for evil。 Some are greater than I am。 Againstsome I have not yet been measured。 But my time is ing。 The Morgul…lord andhis Black Riders have e forth。 War is preparing！'
‘Then you knew of the Riders already…before I met them？'
'Yes； I knew of them。 Indeed I spoke of them once to you； for the BlackRiders are the Ringwraiths； the Nine Servants of the Lord of the Rings。 But Idid not know that they had arisen again or I should have fled with you atonce。 I heard news of them only after I left you in June； but that story mustwait。 For the moment we have been saved from disaster； by Aragorn。'
'Yes；' said Frodo； ‘it was Strider that saved us。 Yet I was afraid of himat first。 Sam never quite trusted him。 I think； not at any rate until we metGlorfindel。'
Gandalf smiled。 ‘I have heard all about Sam；' he said。 'He has no moredoubts now。'
'I am glad；' said Frodo。 'For I have bee very fond of Strider。 Well；
_fond_ is not the right word。 I mean he is dear to me； though he is strange；
and grim at times。 In fact； he reminds me often of you。 I didn't know that anyof the Big People were like that。 I thought； well； that they were just big；
and rather stupid： kind and stupid like Butterbur； or stupid and wicked likeBill Ferny。 But then we don't know much about Men in the Shire； except perhapsthe Breelanders。'
‘You don't know much even about them； if you think old Barliman isstupid；' said Gandalf。 'He is wise enough on his own ground。 He thinks lessthan he talks； and slower； yet he can see through a brick wall in time （asthey say in Bree）。 But there are few left in Middle…earth like Aragorn son ofArathorn。 The race of the Kings from over the Sea is nearly at an end。 It maybe that this War of the Ring will be their last adventure。'
'Do you really mean that Strider is one of the people of the old Kings？'
said Frodo in wonder。 ‘I thought they had all vanished long ago。 I thought hewas only a Ranger。'
'Only a Ranger！' cried Gandalf。 ‘My dear Frodo； that is just what theRangers are： the last remnant in the North of the great people； the Men of theWest。 They have helped me before； and I shall need their help in the days toe； for we have reached Rivendell； but the Ring is not yet at rest。'
'I suppose not；' said Frodo。 'But so far my only thought has been to gethere； and I hope I shan't have to go any further。 It is very pleasant just torest。 I have had a month of exile and adventure； and I find that has been asmuch as I want。'
He fell silent and shut his eyes。 After a while he spoke again。 'I havebeen reckoning；' he said； ‘and I can't bring the total up to October thetwenty…fourth。 It ought to be the twenty…first。 We must have reached the Fordby the twentieth。'
'You have talked and reckoned more than is good for you；' said Gandalf。
‘How do the side and shoulder feel now？'
'I don't know。' Frodo answered。 'They don't feel at all： which is animprovement； but'…he made an effort…'I can move my arm again a little。 Yes； itis ing back to life。 It is not cold；' he added； touching his left hand withhis right。
‘Good！' said Gandalf。 ‘It is mending fast。 You will soon be sound again。
Elrond has cured you： he has tended you for days； ever since you were broughtin。'
'Days？' said Frodo。
‘Well； four nights and three days； to be exact。 The Elves brought youfrom this where you lost count。 We have been terribly anxious； and Sam hashardly left your side； day or night； except to run messages。 Elrond is amaster of healing； but the weapons of our Enemy are deadly。 To tell you thetruth； I had very little hope； for I suspected that there was some fragment ofthe blade still in the closed wound。 But it could not be found until last
night。 Then Elrond removed a splinter。 It was deeply buried。 and it wasworking inwards。'
Frodo shuddered； remembering the cruel knife with notched blade that hadvanished in Strider's hands。 ‘Don't be alarmed！' said Gandalf。 ‘It is gonenow。 It has been melted。 And it seems that Hobbits fade very reluctantly。 Ihave known strong warriors of the Big People who would quickly have beenovere by that splinter； which you bore for seventeen days。'
‘What would they have done to me？' asked Frodo。 ‘What were the Riderstrying to do？'
'They tried to pierce your heart with a Morgul…knife which remains in thewound。 If they had succeeded； you would have bee like they are； only weakerand under their mand。 You would have became a wraith under the dominion of
the Dark Lord； and he would have tormented you for trying to keep his Ring； ifany greater torment were possible than being robbed of it and seeing it on hishand。'
'Thank goodness I did not realize the horrible danger！' said Frodofaintly。 I was mortally afraid； of course； but if I had known more； I shouldnot have dared even to move。 It is a marvel that I escaped！'
'Yes； fortune or fate have helped you；' said Gandalf； ‘not to mentioncourage。 For your heart was not touched； and only your shoulder was pierced；
and that was because you resisted to the last。 But it was a terribly narrowshave； so to speak。 You were in gravest peril while you wore the Ring； forthen you were half in the wraith…world yourself； and they might have seizedyou。 You could see them； and they could see you。'
‘I know；' said Frodo。 ‘They were terrible to behold！ But why could we allsee their horses？'
‘Because they are real horses； just as the black robes are real robesthat they wear to give shape to their nothingness when they have dealings withthe living。'
‘Then why do these black horses endure such riders？ All other animals areterrified when they draw near； even the elf…horse of Glorfindel。 The dogs howland the geese scream at them。'
‘Because these horses are born and bred to the service of the Dark Lord
in Mordor。 Not all his servants and chattels are wraiths！ There are orcs and
trolls； there are wargs and werewolves； and there have been and still are manyMen； warriors and kings； that walk alive under the Sun； and yet are under hissway。 And their number is growing daily。'
‘What about Rivendell and the Elves？ Is Rivendell safe？'
‘Yes； at present； until all else is conquered。 The Elves may fear theDark Lord； and they may fly before him； but never again will they listen tohim or serve him。 And here in Rivendell there live still some of his chief
foes： th