Bilbo hesitated.
Not only because of the wizard's persuasion, but because he finally knew that the wizard's arrival was indeed the intention of the Silver King.
Thinking of the promise he had made; thinking of the secret that had been carried for decades, Bilbo couldn't help but say: "As you can see Gandalf. I don't look old, but deep down I begin to feel that I am old. Really, It's 'well-maintained'!" He scoffed, "Oh! I feel extremely thin, like it's been stretched out, you know what I mean: like butter spread on a piece of bread that's too big. This It's so wrong. I need a change or something."
Gandalf looked at him curiously and carefully. "Yes, this looks wrong." He said thoughtfully, "And this is what worries me the most. There are no hobbits like you. Your condition is beyond my imagination! As far as I know , there is only one person like you. Gulu! I hope you haven’t completely forgotten this name!?”
Bilbo was silent for a moment.
Or a long time.
Then he said: "Yes, yes. Gulu, such a pitiful and sad name, how could I forget it." After that, he fell silent again.
The wizard didn't rush him either. But while staring at him closely, his mind kept thinking.
Until Bilbo spoke again: "Perhaps you can understand it this way: Gandalf, I picked up something in the orc's cave, a very beautiful thing! I own it! It is mine!"
"Yes, no one denies it. But go ahead."
Bilbo stared at the wizard until he confirmed that the wizard really agreed, and then continued: "Well, that's what happened. I picked up a ring! Lord Turka knows this! I used it to save the dwarves, Saved myself too, and used it to steal the Heart of the Mountain right from under old Smaug's nose! Ah, the Arken Stone! A beautiful white diamond! You know what, I can even take it out if you're curious. Here you go! Thorin gave it to me and I hid it in the back of my mother's trousseau and never showed it! Not even Frodo knew it existed! You must imagine I can’t believe how beautiful it is!”
As he spoke, a force drove him to jump down from the chair, wanting to run away anxiously and urgently.
But the wizard saw through his intentions, or in other words, Gandalf knew that the power of the ring was affecting him. It sensed danger and was ready to save itself.
So he shouted: "Bilbo Baggins, I don't care about the dwarf treasure. Now, let us continue with the ring!" His figure soared, almost reaching the roof, and his eyes were majestic and bright, like an ancient king. .
Bilbo was frightened. He backed up against the wall, breathing heavily and clutching his pockets. They stood face to face for a moment, the air in the room shaking. Gandalf's eyes were still fixed on the hobbit. Slowly, Bilbo let go of his hand and began to tremble.
"I don't know what's happened to you, Gandalf," he said. "You've never been like this before. What's all this for? It's mine, isn't it? I found it, if I hadn't kept it , Gulu has killed me long ago. No matter what he says, I am really not a thief."
"I never said you were," Gandalf replied, "and neither am I. I'm not trying to rob you, I'm trying to help you. I hope you'll trust me as you did before." He turned away, The shadow faded. He seemed to have shrunk into a gray-haired old man again, with a stooped figure and a worried expression. "And it was Lord Turka who asked me to come, don't forget that."
This name held some incredible magic in Bilbo's heart. He struggled, he was relieved, and finally he calmed down. "You are right, Master Turka will not harm me, we all know this!"
Gandalf was even more curious. He didn't understand what happened between the Silver King and the hobbits to make Bilbo choose to believe in the King of the North even when he was at his most 'stubborn'. He felt that the truth was about to be revealed.
"This is the ring." Bilbo took something out of his pocket, put it in his hand, and raised it. "Master Turka said it was dangerous and asked me to try not to use it. In fact, I haven't used it since I came back from Lonely Mountain. But over the years, my mind has been deeply troubled by it. me……"
He covered his eyes and became frustrated and frightened: "Sometimes, I feel like it is like an eye, always staring at me, and I always want to put it on and disappear; or else I always think about whether it is safe or not. I have to take it out and look at it before I feel at ease. I tried locking it up, but found that I couldn't sleep without it in my pocket. I don't understand why this is so, Gandalf! I...I..."
The wizard's eyes were attracted by the golden ring in the hobbit's palm, so that he didn't hear a word of what his old friend said.
I see!
What a fool I am!
It's right under our noses!
This is the little secret of the Silver King and the Hobbit!
Pick it up, wizard, pick it up. A voice sounded in the heart of the gray-robed wizard, corroding his body and mind like a poisonous snake, corroding his reason.
The wizard's eyebrows and beard moved. He raised his hand tremblingly, as if he wanted to take the ring, but seemed to be struggling.
The voice immediately became louder and more bewitching: Come on, wizard, pick it up, pick it up and you will be the King of Middle-earth!
The wizard's eyes immediately became more gloomy and terrifying.
He took a step forward.
Almost grabbing Bilbo's hand.
Bilbo noticed the sharp look and shadow in the wizard's eyes. He raised his hands tremblingly and stared at them stubbornly.
but.
Finally, the wizard Gandalf unexpectedly put Bilbo's hand back together, covering the ordinary-looking gold ring.
"So, this is your secret." The wizard's face and eyes were full of fatigue and some deep fear. He forced a smile and said: "Well done, Bilbo, well done! You are stronger than anyone imagined! Lord Turka is right! This ring is more dangerous, more dangerous than you think! Lord Turka It’s right to let you keep this secret, because even I can’t look directly at its temptation! Even if I want to do good with it!”
"Gandalf?" Seeing the ring back in his hand, Bilbo breathed a sigh of relief, but at the same time, he couldn't help but feel a strong sense of loss in a corner of his heart.
"I don't know if this is the reason for my physical changes. Master Turka once talked to me, but he just comforted me, saying that fate would reveal a happy ending that I had not expected at the final moment."
"But I feel very tired. Do you understand? This ring occupies too much of my mind. Gandalf, I want to see the mountains and rivers again, and then find a place where I can rest, a quiet and peaceful place." Somewhere, without a bunch of relatives looking around, without a bunch of annoying visitors ringing the doorbell. Maybe I can find a place to finish my book. I have thought of a wonderful ending for it: from now on, he Live your life happily.”
Gandalf moved his eyes away from the hobbit's hand and said as calmly as possible: "This is a good ending. Maybe there will be me at the end of the story!"
The wizard became serious. He began to understand why the Silver King asked him to come to the Shire at this time, and he also understood some of the arrangements of fate.
He said slowly: "But the premise is that you have to put down this ring. Dear Bilbo, you must have discovered that this ring has been in your hands for too long, and it has affected you and made you uncomfortable. normal."
"Lord Turka must have told you to give him the ring at the appropriate time, is that right?" The wizard surprisingly said the promise Bilbo had made to the Silver King in the Misty Mountains.
And this is why Bilbo persists.
oath.
Its power in Middle-earth is beyond your imagination.
Bilbo hesitated for a moment, but still said painfully: "Yes." He opened his mouth and palms, looking obsessively at the magic ring that almost occupied his heart, and murmured: "This is what I want to say: this is obviously It’s ours, why do I have to give it to him?”
"No, no, I promised Lord Turka, and I can't break my promise! So..." Bilbo Baggins raised the ring to the wizard again with great perseverance and great wisdom that ordinary people could not imagine.
"Do you want to take it? If you are really sent by Lord Turka, maybe he also told you the whereabouts of this ring."
The wizard became visibly embarrassed and frightened.
"No, don't give it to me, Bilbo." The wizard paced back and forth uneasily, trying not to look at the fatal ring. "I declare again that I don't want to snatch your things! Lord Turka may have his plans, but obviously, this place is not safe enough. Bilbo, I have a hunch that the monsters in the dark are not willing to wait any longer. We will attack here while the Silver King goes south to conquer the orcs in the Misty Mountains." He stood still and looked seriously at his panicked old friend.
"Gollum has risen from his burrow, Bilbo. Elves and dwarves alike have seen him. Legolas and Thorin have warned me of a dark creature in the woods and the lonely mountain. He seemed to be looking for something. He was sneaking and sneaking along the direction you were heading that day, heading north. Maybe he heard news about you from the humans in Changhu Town, so he went to Lonely Mountain. And in He stayed there for a long time. Until he was expelled by Thorin."
"At that time, I didn't know what you picked up." The wizard said: "I followed the warning of my allies and went to find Gollum, because I knew that a destiny would unfold on it, although I didn't know what it was yet. I lost it on the borders of Gondor! The enemy has captured it!"
Bilbo couldn't help but be attracted by the wizard's story, or maybe he just wanted to keep the ring longer, even for a little while.
"Enemy? What enemy?" he asked.
"An enemy that we have all ignored!" Gandalf replied, remembering the tall man who was so handsome and divine that he saw in Minas Tirith that day: "In other words, we noticed it, but we didn't Can confirm!”
Bilbo became even more curious. "Who?" He put the ring back into his pocket, pretending to be casual.
Gandalf gritted his teeth and spoke the name of his enemy. "Sauron!" He stared at the hobbit and said shockingly: "And the ring in your pocket is most likely his!"
Bilbo stiffened and stopped.
