return

1296 the return of the king
the hill, but rode through its shadow with head bowed and
cloak drawn close about him. That night the weather
changed, and a wind came from the West laden with rain,
and it blew loud and chill, and the yellow leaves whirled like
birds in the air. When they came to the Chetwood already
the boughs were almost bare, and a great curtain of rain
veiled Bree-hill from their sight.
So it was that near the end of a wild and wet evening in
the last days of October the five travellers rode up the climbing
road and came to the South-gate of Bree. It was locked
fast; and the rain blew in their faces, and in the darkening
sky low clouds went hurrying by, and their hearts sank a little,
for they had expected more welcome.
When they had called many times, at last the Gate-keeper
came out, and they saw that he carried a great cudgel. He
looked at them with fear and suspicion; but when he saw that
Gandalf was there, and that his companions were hobbits, in
spite of their strange gear, then he brightened and wished
them welcome.
‘Come in!’ he said, unlocking the gate. ‘We won’t stay for
news out here in the cold and the wet, a ruffianly evening.
But old Barley will no doubt give you a welcome at The Pony,
and there you’ll hear all there is to hear.’
‘And there you’ll hear later all that we say, and more,’
laughed Gandalf. ‘How is Harry?’
The Gate-keeper scowled. ‘Gone,’ he said. ‘But you’d best
ask Barliman. Good evening!’
‘Good evening to you!’ they said, and passed through;
and then they noticed that behind the hedge at the roadside
a long low hut had been built, and a number of men
had come out and were staring at them over the fence. When
they came to Bill Ferny’s house they saw that the hedge
there was tattered and unkempt, and the windows were all
boarded up.
‘Do you think you killed him with that apple, Sam?’ said
Pippin.
‘I’m not so hopeful, Mr. Pippin,’ said Sam. ‘But I’d like to