rs！'
Sam led him along several passages and down many steps and out into ahigh garden above the steep bank of the river。 He found his friends sitting in
a porch on the side of the house looking east。 Shadows had fallen in thevalley below； but there was still a light on the faces of the mountains farabove。 The air was warm。 The sound of running and falling water was loud； andthe evening was filled with a faint scent of trees and flowers； as if summerstill lingered in Elrond's gardens。
‘Hurray！' cried Pippin； springing up。 ‘Here is our noble cousin！ Make wayfor Frodo； Lord of the Ring！'
'Hush！' said Gandalf from the shadows at the back of the porch。 ‘Evilthings do not e into this valley； but all the same we should not name them。
The Lord of the Ring is not Frodo； but the master of the Dark Tower of Mordor；
whose power is again stretching out over the world！ We are sitting in afortress。 Outside it is getting dark。'
‘Gandalf has been saying many cheerful things like that；' said Pippin。
‘He thinks I need keeping in order。 But it seems impossible； somehow； to feelgloomy or depressed in this place。 I feel I could sing； if I knew the rightsong for the occasion。'
‘I feel like singing myself；' laughed Frodo。 ‘Though at the moment I feelmore like eating and drinking！'
‘That will soon be cured；' said Pippin。 ‘You have shown your usualcunning in getting up just in time for a meal。'
‘More than meal！ A feast！' said Merry。 ‘As soon as Gandalf reported thatyou were recovered； the preparations began。' He had hardly finished speakingwhen they were summoned to the hall by the ringing of many bells。
The hall of Elrond's house was filled with folk： Elves for the most part；
though there were a few guests of other sorts。 Elrond； as was his custom； satin a great chair at the end of the long table upon the dais； and next to himon the one side sat Glorfindel； on the other side sat Gandalf。
Frodo looked at them in wonder； for he had never before seen Elrond； ofwhom so many tales spoke； and as they sat upon his right hand and his left；
Glorfindel； and even Gandalf； whom he thought he knew so well； were revealedas lords of dignity and power。 Gandalf was shorter in stature than the othertwo； but his long white hair； his sweeping silver beard； and his broadshoulders； made him look like some wise king of ancient legend。 In his agedface under great snowy brows his dark eyes were set like coals that could leapsuddenly into fire。
Glorfindel was tall and straight； his hair was of shining gold； his facefair and young and fearless and full of joy； his eyes were bright and keen；
and his voice like music； on his brow sat wisdom； and in his hand wasstrength。
The face of Elrond was ageless； neither old nor young； though in it waswritten the memory of many things both glad and sorrowful。 His hair was darkas the shadows of twilight； and upon it was set a circlet of silver； his eyeswere grey as a clear evening； and in them was a light like the light of stars。
Venerable he seemed as a king crowned with many winters； and yet hale as atried warrior in the fulness of his strength。 He was the Lord of Rivendell andmighty among both Elves and Men。
In the middle of the table； against the woven cloths upon the wall； therewas a chair under a canopy； and there sat a lady fair to look upon； and solike was she in form of womanhood to Elrond that Frodo guessed that she wasone of his close kindred。 Young she was and yet not so。 The braids of her darkhair were touched by no frost； her white arms and clear face were flawless andsmooth； and the light of stars was in her bright eyes； grey as a cloudlessnight； yet queenly she looked； and thought and knowledge were in her glance；
as of one who has known many things that the years bring。 Above her brow herhead was covered with a cap of silver lace netted with small gems； glitteringwhite； but her soft grey raiment had no ornament save a girdle of leaveswrought in silver。
So it was that Frodo saw her whom few mortals had yet seen； Arwen；
daughter of Elrond； in whom it was said that the likeness of Lúthien had e
on earth again； and she was called Undómiel； for she was the Evenstar of herpeople。 Long she had been in the land of her mother's kin； in Lórien beyondthe mountains； and was but lately returned to Rivendell to her father's house。
But her brothers； Elladan and Elrohir； were out upon errantry： for they rodeoften far afield with the Rangers of the North； forgetting never theirmother's torment in the dens of the orcs。
Such loveliness in living thing Frodo had never seen before nor imaginedin his mind； and he was both surprised and abashed to find that he had a seatat Elrond's table among all these folk so high and fair。 Though he had asuitable chair； and was raised upon several cushions； he felt very small； andrather out of place； but that feeling quickly passed。 The feast was merry andthe food all that his hunger could desire。 It was some time before he lookedabout him again or even turned to his neighbours。
He looked first for his friends。 Sam had begged to be allowed to wait onhis master； but had been told that for this time he was a guest of honour。
Frodo could see him now； sitting with Pippin and Merry at the upper end of oneof the side…tables close to the dais。 He could see no sign of Strider。
Next to Frodo on his right sat a dwarf of important appearance； richlydressed。 His beard； very long and forked； was white； nearly as white as thesnow…white cloth of his garments。 He wore a silver belt； and round his neckhung a chain of silver and diamonds。 Frodo stopped eating to look at him。
'Wele and well met！' said the dwarf； turning towards him。 Then heactually rose from his seat and bowed。 ‘Glóin at your service；' he said； andbowed still lower。
'Frodo Baggins at your service and your family's；' said Frodo correctly；
rising in surprise and scattering his cushions。 'Am I right in guessing thatyou are _the_ Glóin； one of the twelve panions of the great ThorinOakenshield？'
‘Quite right；' answered the dwarf； gathering up the cushions andcourteously assisting Frodo back into his seat。 'And I do not ask； for I havealready been told that you are the kinsman and adopted heir of our friendBilbo the renowned。 Allow me to congratulate you on your recovery。'
‘Thank you very much；' said Frodo。
'You have had some very strange adventures； I hear；' said Glóin。 'Iwonder greatly what brings _four_ hobbits on so long a journey。 Nothing likeit has happened since Bilbo came with us。 But perhaps I should not inquire tooclosely； since Elrond and Gandalf do not seem disposed to talk of this？'
'I think we will not speak of it； at least not yet；' said Frodo politely。
He guessed that even in Elrond's house the matter of the Ring was not onefor casual talk； and in any case he wished to forget his troubles for a time。
'But I am equally curious；' he added； ‘to learn what brings so important adwarf so far from the Lonely Mountain。'
Glóin looked at him。 'If you have not heard； I think we will not speakyet of that either。 Master Elrond will summon us all ere long； I believe； andthen we shall all hear many things。 But there is much else that may be told。'
Throughout the rest of the meal they talked together； but Frodo listenedmore than he spoke； for the news of the Shire； apart from the Ring； seemedsmall and far…away and unimportant； while Glóin had much to tell of events inthe northern regions of Wilderland。 Frodo learned that Grimbeorn the Old； sonof Beorn； was now the lord of many sturdy men； and to their land between theMountains and Mirkwood neither orc nor wolf dared to go。
'lndeed；' said Glóin； ‘if it were not for the Beornings； the passage fromDale to Rivendell would long ago have bee impossible。 They are valiant menand keep open the High Pass and the Ford of Carrock。 But their tolls arehigh；' he added with a shake of his head； ‘and like Beorn of old they are notover fond of dwarves。 Still； they are trusty； and that is much in these days。
Nowhere are there any men so friendly to us as the Men of Dale。 They are goodfolk； the Bardings。 The grandson of Bard the Bowman rules them； Brand son ofBain son of Bard。 He is a strong king； and his realm now reaches far south andeast of Esgaroth。'
'And what of your own people？' asked Frodo。
‘There is much to tell； good and bad；' said Glóin； 'yet it is mostlygood： we have so far been fortunate； though we do not escape the shadow ofthese times。 If you really wish to hear of us； I will tell you tidings gladly。
But stop me when you are weary！ Dwarves' tongues run on when speaking of theirhandiwork； they say。'
And with that Glóin embarked on a long account of the doings of theDwarf…kingdom。 He was delighted to have found so polite a listener； for Frodoshowed no sign of weariness and made no attempt to change the subject； thoughactually he soon got rather lost among the strange names of people and placesthat he had never heard of before。 He was interested； however； to hear thatDáin was still King under the Mountain； and was now old （having passed his twohundred and fiftieth year）； venerable； and fabulously rich。 Of the tenpanions who had survived the Battle of Five Armies seven were still withhim： Dwalin； Glóin； Dori； Nori； Bifur； Bofur； and Bombur。 Bombur was now sofat that he could not move himself from his couch to his chair at table； andit took six young dwarves to lift him。
'And what has bee of Balin and Ori and óin？' asked Frodo。
A shadow passed over Glóin's face。 ‘We do not know；' he answered。 'It islargely on account of Balin that I have e to ask the advice of those thatdwell in Rivendell。 But tonight let us speak of merrier things！'
Glóin began then to talk of the works of his people； telling Frodo abouttheir great labours in Dale and under the Mountain。 'We have done well；' hesaid。 ‘But in metalwork we cannot rival our fathers； many of whose。 secretsare lost。 We make good armour and keen swords； but we cannot again make mailor blade to match those that were made before the dragon came。 Only in miningand building have we surpassed the old days。 You should see the waterways ofDale； Frodo； and the fountains； and the pools！ You should see the stone…pavedroads of many colours！ And the halls and cavernous streets under t