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I will make you some toast。 The bread is three or four days old； I am
afraid。'
Aragorn and his panions sat themselves down at one end of a long
table； and the hobbits disappeared through one of the inner doors。
'Store…room in there； and above the woods； luckily；' said Pippin； as they
came back laden with dishes； bowls； cups； knives； and food of various sorts。
'And you need not turn up your nose at the provender； Master Gimli；'
said Merry。 'This is not orc…stuff； but man…food； as Treebeard calls it。
Will you have wine or beer？ There's a barrel inside there very passable。
And this is first…rate salted pork。 Or I can cut you some rashers of bacon
and broil them； if you like。 I am sorry there is no green stuff： the
deliveries have been rather interrupted in the last few days！ I cannot offer
you anything to follow but butter and honey for your bread。 Are you
content？'
'Indeed yes；' said Gimli。 'The score is much reduced。'
The three were soon busy with their meal； and the two hobbits；
unabashed； set to a second time。 'We must keep our guests pany；' they
said。
'You are full of courtesy this morning；' laughed Legolas。 'But maybe。
if we had not arrived； you would already have been keeping one another
pany again。'
'Maybe； and why not？' said Pippin。 'We had foul fare with the Orcs； and
little enough for days before that。 It seems a long while since we could eat
to heart's content。'
'It does not seem to have done you any harm；' said Aragorn。 'Indeed you
look in the bloom of health。'
'Aye； you do indeed；' said Gimli； looking them up and down over the top
of his cup。 'Why； your hair is twice as thick and curly as when we parted；
and I would swear that you have both grown somewhat； if that is possible for
hobbits of your age。 This Treebeard at any rate has not starved you。'
'He has not；' said Merry。 'But Ents only drink； and drink is not enough
for content。 Treebeard's draughts may be nourishing； but one feels the need
of something solid。 And even lembas is none the worse for a change。'
'You have drunk of the waters of the Ents； have you？' said Legolas。
'Ah； then I think it is likely that Gimli's eyes do not deceive him。 Strange
songs have been sung of the draughts of Fangorn。'
'Many strange tales have been told about that land；' said Aragorn。 'I
have never entered it。 e； tell me more about it； and about the Ents！'
'Ents；' said Pippin； 'Ents are well Ents are all different for on
thing。 But their eyes now； their eyes are very odd。' He tried a few fumbling
words that trailed off into silence。 'Oh； well；' he went on； 'you have seen
some at a distance； already…they saw you at any rate； and reported that you
were on the way…and you will see many others； I expect； before you leave
here。 You must form your own ideas。'
'Now； now！' said Gimli。 'We are beginning the story in the middle。 I
should like a tale in the right order； starting with that strange day when
our fellowship was broken。'
'You shall have it； if there is time；' said Merry。 'But first…if you
have finished eating…you shall fill your pipes and light up。 And then for a
little while we can pretend that we are all back safe at Bree again； or in
Rivendell。'
He produced a small leather bag full of tobacco。 'We have heaps of it；'
he said； 'and you can all pack as much as you wish； when we go。 We did some
salvage…work this morning； Pippin and I。 There are lots of things floating
about。 It was Pippin who found two small barrels； washed up out of some
cellar or store…house； I suppose。 When we opened them； we found they were
filled with this： as fine a pipe…weed as you could wish for； and quite
unspoilt。'
Gimli took some and rubbed it in his palms and sniffed it。 'It feels
good； and it smells good；' he said。
'It is good！' said Merry。 'My dear Gimli； it is Longbottom Leaf！ There
were the Hornblower brandmarks on the barrels； as plain as plain。 How it
came here； I can't imagine。 For Saruman's private use。 I fancy。 I never knew
that it went so far abroad。 But it es in handy now？'
'It would；' said Gimli； 'if I had a pipe to go with it。 Alas； I lost
mine in Moria； or before。 Is there no pipe in all your plunder？'
'No； I am afraid not；' said Merry。 'We have not found any； not even
here in the guardrooms。 Saruman kept this dainty to himself。 it seems。 And I
don't think it would be any use knocking on the doors of Orthanc to beg a
pipe of him！ We shall have to share pipes。 as good friends must at a pinch。'
'Half a moment！' said Pippin。 Putting his hand inside the breast of his
jacket he pulled out a little soft wallet on a string。 'I keep a treasure or
two near my skin； as precious as Rings to me。 Here's one： my old wooden
pipe。 And here's another： an unused one。 I have carried it a long way；；
though I don't know why。 I never really expected to find any pipe…weed on
the journey； when my own ran out。 But now it es in useful after all。' He
held up a small pipe with a wide flattened bowl； and handed it to Gimli。
'Does that settle the score between us？' he said。 'Settle it！' cried Gimli。
'Most noble hobbit； it leaves me deep in your debt。'
'Well； I am going back into the open air； to see what the wind and sky
are doing！' said Legolas。
'We will e with you；' said Aragorn。
They went out and seated themselves upon the piled stones before the
gateway。 They could see far down into the valley now； the mists were lifting
and floating away upon the breeze。
'Now let us take our ease here for a little！' said Aragorn。 'We will
sit on the edge of ruin and talk； as Gandalf says； while he is busy
elsewhere。 I feel a weariness such as I have seldom felt before。' He wrapped
his grey cloak about him； hiding his mail…shirt； and stretched out his long
legs。 Then he lay back and sent from his lips a thin stream of smoke。
'Look！' said Pippin。 'Strider the Ranger has e back！'
'He has never been away；' said Aragorn。 'I am Strider and D畁adan too；
and I belong both to Gondor and the North。'
They smoked in silence for a while； and the sun shone on them； slanting
into the valley from among white clouds high in the West。 Legolas lay still；
looking up at the sun and sky with steady eyes； and singing softly to
himself。 At last he sat up。 'e now！' he said。 'Time wears on； and the
mists are blowing away； or would if you strange folk did not wreathe
yourselves in smoke。 What of the tale？'
'Well； my tale begins with waking up in the dark and finding myself all
strung…up in an orc…camp；' said Pippin。 'Let me see； what is today？'
'The fifth of March in the Shire…reckoning；' said Aragorn。 Pippin made
some calculations on his fingers。 'Only nine days ago！' he said。1 'It seems
a year since we were caught。 Well； though half of it was like a bad dream； I
reckon that three very horrible days followed。 Merry will