"GL3" - читать интересную книгу автора (vol06)

conversation at The Green Dragon took place in 'the spring of Frodo's
forty-ninth year' (at the beginning of the next chapter in this phase Frodo
decides to leave Bag End in September of 'this (his fiftieth) year': see
p. 253 and note 8).
In the passage concerning the rumours of trouble and the migrations
in the wide world the site of Sauron's ancient stronghold in the South
'near the midst of the world in those days' (p. 253) becomes 'near the



middle of the Great Land', but this was at once struck out; and the
passage concerning giants becomes: 'Trolls and giants were abroad, of a
new and more malevolent kind, no longer dull-witted but full of cunning
and wizardry.' In the talk at the inn, the passage about the Grey Havens
now appears, and the whole conversation moves almost to the form in FR
(p. 54); but it is still Jo Button who saw the 'Tree-men' beyond the North
Moors, though he works now for 'Mr Fosco Boffin' - with 'of Northope'
added later, and then changed to 'at Overhill'. Fosco Boffin, Bilbo's first
cousin once removed, appears in the Took genealogy given on p. 3 17; see
p. 386.
The opening of the conversation between Gandalf and Frodo at Bag
End was changed, probably at or very soon after the time of composition,
from a form very close to that of the preceding version (p. 255) and still
including Gandalf's mention of his two visits to the land of the Necro-
mancer. The new form reads:

'You say the ring is dangerous, far more dangerous than I
guess,' said Frodo at length. 'How long have you known that? And
did Bilbo know? I wish you would tell me more now.'
'At first I knew very little,' answered Gandalf slowly, as if
searching back in memory. Already the days of the journey and
the Dragon and the Battle of Five Armies began to seem dim and
far-off. Perhaps even he was at last beginning to feel his age; and in
any case many dark and strange adventures had befallen him
since. 'Then after I came back from the South and the White
Council, I began to wonder what kind of magic ring he possessed;
but I said nothing to Bilbo. All seemed well with him, and I
thought that that kind of power was powerless over him. So
I thought; and I was right in a way; but not quite right. I ought
perhaps to have found out more, sooner than I did, and then I
should have warned him earlier. But before he left I told him what
I could - by that time I had begun to suspect the truth, but I knew
very little for certain.'
'I am sure you did all you could,' said Frodo. 'You have been a
good friend, and a wise counsellor to us. But it must have been a
great blow to you when Bilbo disappeared.'

In Gandalf's account of the Rings (p. 260) he now says: 'Slowly
through the years he has been seeking for them, hoping to recall their
power into his own hands, and hoping always to find the One'; and his