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ed faces。 He knew of nothing that would prevent them from crossing as easily as he had done； and he felt that it was useless to try to escape over the long uncertain path from the Ford to the edge of Rivendell； if once the Riders crossed。 In any case he felt that he was manded urgently to halt。 Hatred again stirred in him； but he had no longer the strength to refuse。
Suddenly the foremost Rider spurred his horse forward。 It checked at the water and reared up。 With a great effort Frodo sat upright and brandished his sword。
'Go back！' he cried。 'Go back to the Land of Mordor； and follow me no more！ ' His voice sounded thin and shrill in his own ears。 The Riders halted； but Frodo had not the power of Bombadil。 His enemies laughed at him with a harsh and chilling laughter。 'e back！ e back！' they called。 'To Mordor we will take you！'
'Go back！' he whispered。
'The Ring！ The Ring！' they cried with deadly voices； and immediately their leader urged his horse forward into the water； followed closely by two others。
'By Elbereth and Lúthien the Fair；' said Frodo with a last effort； lifting up his sword； 'you shall have neither the Ring nor me！'
Then the leader； who was now half across the Ford； stood up menacing in his stirrups； and raised up his hand。 Frodo was stricken dumb。 He felt his tongue cleave to his mouth； and his heart labouring。 His sword broke and fell out of his shaking hand。 The elfhorse reared and snorted。 The foremost of the black horses had almost set foot upon the shore。
At that moment there came a roaring and a rushing： a noise of loud waters rolling many stones。 Dimly Frodo saw the river below him rise； and down along its course there came a plumed cavalry of waves。 White flames seemed to Frodo to flicker on their crests and he half fancied that he saw amid the water white riders upon white horses with frothing manes。 The three Riders that were still in the midst of the Ford were overwhelmed： they disappeared； buried suddenly under angry foam。 Those that were behind drew back in dismay。
With his last failing senses Frodo heard cries； and it seemed to him that he saw； beyond the Riders that hesitated on the shore； a shining figure of white light； and behind it ran small shadowy forms waving flames； that flared red in the grey mist that was falling over the world。
The black horses were filled with madness； and leaping forward in terror they bore their riders into the rushing flood。 Their piercing cries were drowned in the roaring of the river as it carried them away。 Then Frodo felt himself falling； and the roaring and confusion seemed to rise and engulf him together with his enemies。 He heard and saw no more。
Chapter 1
Many Meetings
Frodo woke and found himself lying in bed。 At first he thought that he had slept late； after a long unpleasant dream that still hovered on the edge of memory。 Or perhaps he had been ill？ But the ceiling looked strange； it was flat； and it had dark beams richly carved。 He lay a little while longer looking at patches of sunlight on the wall； and listening to the sound of a waterfall。
'Where am I； and what is the time？' he said aloud to the ceiling。 'In the House of Elrond； and it is ten o'clock in the morning。' said a voice。 'It is the morning of October the twentyfourth； if you want to know。'
'Gandalf！' cried Frodo； sitting up。 There was the old wizard； sitting in a chair by the open window。
'Yes；' he said； 'I am here。 And you are lucky to be here； too； after all the absurd things you have done since you left home。' Frodo lay down again。 He felt too fortable and peaceful to argue； and in any case he did not think he would get the better of an argument。 He was fully awake now； and the memory of his journey was returning： the disastrous 'short cut' through the Old Forest the 'accident' at The Prancing Pony； and his madness in putting on the Ring in the dell under Weathertop。 While he was thinking of all these things and trying in vain to bring his memory down to his arriving in Rivendell； there was a long silence； broken only by the soft puffs of Gandalf's pipe； as he blew white smokerings out of the window。
'Where's Sam？' Frodo asked at length。 'And are the others all right？'
'Yes； they are all safe and sound；' answered Gandalf。 'Sam was here until I sent him off to get some rest； about half an hour ago。'
'What happened at the Ford？' said Frodo。 'It all seemed so dim somehow； and it still does。'
'Yes； it would。 You were beginning to fade；' answered Gandalf。 'The wound was overing you at last。 A few more hours and you would have been beyond our aid。 But you have some strength in you； my dear hobbit！ As you showed in the Barrow。 That was touch and go： perhaps the most dangerous moment of all。 I wish you could have held out at Weathertop。'
'You seem to know a great deal already；' said Frodo。 'I have not spoken to the others about the Barrow。 At first it was too horrible； and afterwards there were other things to think about。 How do you know about it？'
'You have talked long in your sleep； Frodo；' said Gandalf gently； 'and it has not been hard for me to read your mind and memory。 Do not worry！ Though I said 〃absurd〃 just now； I did not mean it。 I think well of youand of the others。 It is no small feat to have e so far； and through such dangers； still bearing the Ring。'
'We should never have done it without Strider；' said Frodo。 'But we needed you。 I did not know what to do without you。'
'I was delayed；' said Gandalf； 'and that nearly proved our ruin。 And yet I 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 anything today； by Elrond's orders。'
'But talking would stop me thinking and wondering； which are quite as tiring；' said Frodo。 'I am wide awake now； and I remember so many things that want 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 a Council； as soon as you are well enough。 At the moment I will only say that I was held captive。'
'You？' cried Frodo。
'Yes； I； Gandalf the Grey；' said the wizard solemnly。 'There are many powers in the world； for good or for evil。 Some are greater than I am。 Against some I have not yet been measured。 But my time is ing。 The Mullord and his Black Riders have e forth。 War is preparing！'
'Then you knew of the Riders alreadybefore I met them？'
'Yes； I knew of them。 Indeed I spoke of them once to you； for the Black Riders are the Ringwraiths； the Nine Servants of the Lord of the Rings。 But I did not know that they had arisen again or I should have fled with you at once。 I heard news of them only after I left you in June； but that story must wait。 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 him at first。 Sam never quite trusted him。 I think； not at any rate until we met Glorfindel。'
Gandalf smiled。 'I have heard all about Sam；' he said。 'He has no more doubts 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 any of 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 like Bill Ferny。 But then we don't know much about Men in the Shire； except perhaps the Breelanders。'
'You don't know much even about them； if you think old Barliman is stupid；' said Gandalf。 'He is wise enough on his own ground。 He thinks less than he talks； and slower； yet he can see through a brick wall in time （as they say in Bree）。 But there are few left in Middleearth like Aragorn son of Arathorn。 The race of the Kings from over the Sea is nearly at an end。 It may be 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 he was only a Ranger。'
'Only a Ranger！' cried Gandalf。 'My dear Frodo； that is just what the Rangers are： the last remnant in the North of the great people； the Men of the West。 They have helped me before； and I shall need their help in the days to e； 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 get here； and I hope I shan't have to go any further。 It is very pleasant just to rest。 I have had a month of exile and adventure； and I find that has been as much as I want。'
He fell silent and shut his eyes。 After a while he spoke again。 'I have been reckoning；' he said； 'and I can't bring the total up to October the twentyfourth。 It ought to be the twentyfirst。 We must have reached the Ford by 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 an improvement； but'he made an effort'I can move my arm again a little。 Yes； it is ing back to life。 It is not cold；' h