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Frodo had a very trying time that afternoon。 A false rumour that the whole household was being distributed free spread like wildfire； and before long the place was packed with people who had no business there； but could not be kept out。 Labels got torn off and mixed； and quarrels broke out。 Some people tried to do swaps and deals in the hall； and others tried to make off with minor items not addressed to them； or with anything that seemed unwanted or unwatched。 The road to the gate was blocked with barrows and handcarts。
In the middle of the motion the SackvilleBagginses arrived。 Frodo had retired for a while and left his friend Merry Brandybuck to keep an eye on things。 When Otho loudly demanded to see Frodo； Merry bowed politely。
'He is indisposed；' he said。 'He is resting。'
'Hiding； you mean；' said Lobelia。 'Anyway we want to see him and we mean to see him。 Just go and tell him so！'
Merry left them a long while in the hall； and they had time to discover their parting gift of spoons。 It did not improve their tempers。 Eventually they were shown into the study。 Frodo was sitting at a table with a lot of papers in front of him。 He looked indisposed 。 to see SackvilleBagginses at any rate； and he stood up； fidgeting with something in his pocket。 But he spoke quite politely。
The SackvilleBagginses were rather offensive。 They began by offering him bad bargainprices （as between friends） for various valuable and unlabelled things。 When Frodo replied that only the things specially directed by Bilbo were being given away； they said the whole affair was very fishy。
'Only one thing is clear to me；' said Otho； 'and that is that you are doing exceedingly well out of it。 I insist on seeing the will。'
Otho would have been Bilbo's heir； but for the adoption of Frodo。 He read the will carefully and snorted。 It was； unfortunately； very clear and correct （according to the legal customs of hobbits； which demand among other things seven signatures of witnesses in red ink）。
'Foiled again！' he said to his wife。 'And after waiting sixty years； Spoons？ Fiddlesticks！' He snapped his fingers under Frodo's nose and slumped off。 But Lobelia was not so easily got rid of。 A little later Frodo came out of the study to see how things were going on and found her still about the place； investigating nooks and ers and tapping the floors。 He escorted her firmly off the premises； after he had relieved her of several small （but rather valuable） articles that had somehow fallen inside her umbrella。 Her face looked as if she was in the throes of thinking out a really crushing parting remark； but all she found to say； turning round on the step； was：
'You'll live to regret it； young fellow！ Why didn't you go too？ You don't belong here； you're no Baggins 。 you 。 you're a Brandybuck！'
'Did you hear that； Merry？ That was an insult； if you like；' said Frodo as he shut the door on her。
'It was a pliment；' said Merry Brandybuck； 'and so； of course； not true。'
Then they went round the hole； and evicted three young hobbits （two Boffins and a Bolger） who were knocking holes in the walls of one of the cellars。 Frodo also had a tussle with young Sancho Proudfoot （old Odo Proudfoot's grandson）； who had begun an excavation in the larger pantry； where he thought there was an echo。 The legend of Bilbo's gold excited both curiosity and hope； for legendary gold （mysteriously obtained； if not positively illgotten）； is； as every one knows； any one's for the finding 。 unless the search is interrupted。
When he had overe Sancho and pushed him out； Frodo collapsed on a chair in the hall。 It's time to close the shop； Merry；' he said。 'Lock the door； and don't open it to anyone today； not even if they bring a battering ram。' Then he went to revive himself with a belated cup of tea。
He had hardly sat down； when there came a soft knock at the frontdoor。 'Lobelia again most likely；' he thought。 'She must have thought of something really nasty； and have e back again to say it。 It can wait。'
He went on with his tea。 The knock was repeated； much louder； but he took no notice。 Suddenly the wizard's head appeared at the window。
'If you don't let me in； Frodo； I shall blow your door right down your hole and out through the hill；' he said。
'My dear Gandalf！ Half a minute！' cried Frodo； running out of the room to the door。 'e in！ e in！ I thought it was Lobelia。'
'Then I five you。 But I saw her some time ago； driving a ponytrap towards Bywater with a face that would have curdled new milk。'
'She had already nearly curdled me。 Honestly； I nearly tried on Bilbo's ring。 I longed to disappear。'
'Don't do that！' said Gandalf； sitting down。 'Do be careful of that ring； Frodo！ In fact； it is partly about that that I have e to say a last word。'
'Well； what about it？'
'What do you know already？'
'Only what Bilbo told me。 I have heard his story： how he found it； and how he used it： on his journey； I mean。'
'Which story； I wonder；' said Gandalf。
'Oh； not what he told the dwarves and put in his book；' said Frodo。 'He told me the true story soon after I came to live here。 He said you had pestered him till he told you； so I had better know too。 〃No secrets between us； Frodo；〃 he said； 〃but they are not to go any further。 It's mine anyway。〃'
'That's interesting；' said Gandalf。 'Well； what did you think of it all？'
'If you mean； inventing all that about a 〃present〃； well； I thought the true story much more likely； and I couldn't see the point of altering it at all。 It was very unlike Bilbo to do so； anyway； and I thought it rather odd。'
'So did I。 But odd things may happen to people that have such treasures 。 if they use them。 Let it be a warning to you to be very careful with it。 It may have other powers than just making you vanish when you wish to。'
'I don't understand；' said Frodo。
'Neither do I；' answered the wizard。 'I have merely begun to wonder about the ring； especially since last night。 No need to worry。 But if you take my advice you will use it very seldom； or not at all。 At least I beg you not to use it in any way that will cause talk or rouse suspicion。 I say again： keep it safe； and keep it secret！'
'You are very mysterious！ What are you afraid of？'
'I am not certain； so I will say no more。 I may be able to tell you something when I e back。 I am going off at once： so this is goodbye for the present。' He got up。
'At once！' cried Frodo。 'Why； I thought you were staying on for at least a week。 I was looking forward to your help。'
'I did mean to 。 but I have had to change my mind。 I may be away for a good while； but I'll e and see you again； as soon as I can。 Expect me when you see me！ I shall slip in quietly。 I shan't often be visiting the Shire openly again。 I find that I have bee rather unpopular。 They say I am a nuisance and a disturber of the peace。 Some people are actually accusing me of spiriting Bilbo away； or worse。 If you want to know； there is supposed to be a plot between you and me to get hold of his wealth。'
'Some people！' exclaimed Frodo。 'You mean Otho and Lobelia。 How abominable！ I would give them Bag End and everything else； if I could get Bilbo back and go off tramping in the country with him。 I love the Shire。 But I begin to wish； somehow； that I had gone too。 I wonder if I shall ever see him again。'
'So do I；' said Gandalf。 'And I wonder many other things。 Goodbye now！ Take care of yourself！ Look out for me； especially at unlikely times！ Good bye！'
Frodo saw him to the door。 He gave a final wave of his hand； and walked off at a surprising pace； but Frodo thought the old wizard looked unusually bent； almost as if he was carrying a great weight。 The evening was closing in； and his cloaked figure quickly vanished into the twilight。 Frodo did not see him again for a long time。
Chapter 02
The Shadow of the Past
The talk did not die down in nine or even niynine days。 The second disappearance of Mr。 Bilbo Baggins was discussed in Hobbiton； and indeed all over the Shire； for a year and a day； and was remembered much longer than that。 It became a firesidestory for young hobbits； and eventually Mad Baggins； who used to vanish with a bang and a flash and reappear with bags of jewels and gold； became a favourite character of legend and lived on long after all the true events were fotten。
But in the meantime； the general opinion in the neighbourhood was that Bilbo； who had always been rather cracked； had at last gone quite mad； and had run off into the Blue。 There he had undoubtedly fallen into a pool or a river and e to a tragic； but hardly an untimely； end。 The blame was mostly laid on Gandalf。
'If only that dratted wizard will leave young Frodo alone； perhaps he'll settle down and grow some hobbitsense；' they said。 And to all appearance the wizard did leave Frodo alone； and he did settle down； but the growth of hobbitsense was not very noticeable。 Indeed； he at once began to carry on Bilbo's reputation for oddity。 He refused to go into mourning； and the next year he gave a party in honour of Bilbo's hundredandtwelfth birthday； which he called Hundredweight Feast。 But that was short of the mark； for twenty guests were invited and there were several meals at which it snowed food and rain