With Di as a guide, they continued up the road, walking and leading their ponies. The gap widened out into a valley and the slopes of the hills grew higher but no less rocky or steep. They began to pass small farms and cottages with gardens, and spotted the round doorways of hobbit-holes on the hillsides above them. Di led them into an eastward lane toward the brass-trimmed oak door of what appeared to be a grand residence with a large number of windows. There was a garden behind a low hedge on the lower slopes of the hill below the door. "That's the Thain's Hall."
"Do you live here, Di?" asked Pippin.
"No, Poppa and I have our own house, over there-" Di pointed to another, less magnificent-looking door farther along the hillside. "I won't go in with you. They won't want me and, besides, it's almost dinner-time and Poppa must wonder where I am. Good luck! I'll come and ask you all about it tomorrow." She left them at the garden gate, which was shaded by a cluster of young willow trees on either side.
Frodo left his friends with the ponies and went through the gate, then up the stone steps to the Hall door up to knock. The door was answered by a porter, who told him, "You are expected, Mr. Baggins," once he heard Frodo's name. Other servants were quickly summoned to see to the ponies and baggage, and the porter escorted Frodo and his companions into the Hall. Frodo thought they were being taken to the Thain, but instead they soon found themselves in a plush parlor where a group of hobbits were seated.
At their entrance, one older gentleman rose to greet them. "Which of you is Mr. Baggins?" he asked.
"I am," Frodo identified himself. "You aren't Thain Brabantius?" He doubted it could be, for the Thain was an elderly hobbit of 110, and this gentleman was at most five-and-seventy. Nor did any of the other occupants of the room look old enough to be the Thain. There was another gentleman in his seventies and three younger lads in their thirties or early forties. The rest were all women. Diamanta was sitting with another pair of ladies about her own age and one notably younger, pretty girl. Another lady, perhaps fifty-five and a remarkable beauty, sat apart from the rest.
"No," said the older gentleman, "I am the Thain's eldest son and heir, Alhasrus Took. We wanted to see you first, Mr. Baggins, before you spoke to Father."
Although they had never met him before, Frodo, Pippin, and Merry recognized the name: this was Diamanta's husband.
Alhasrus introduced the others, beginning with the remarkable beauty. "May I present Lady Iris, my father's wife. My wife, Diamanta, you know of course, and this is our son Ulfidius." He indicated the eldest of the three young hobbits, then presented the other older gentleman, "My brother, Alamargo Took." One of the older ladies was "Aspid, his wife," and the two younger lads, "their sons, Hilbarus and Helimarcus." Persifilla, the pretty young lady, was Ulfidius's wife. She had observed the newcomers with great interest since they'd come into the room; at her introduction, she met Frodo's eyes for a long, languid moment then, meeting with no response beyond politeness, welcomed him indifferently. Lastly, almost as an afterthought, Alhasrus introduced the other lady who sat inconspicuously with Diamanta and Aspid: "And this is Istra Goodwood, Aspid's sister, who lives with us here at the Thain's Hall since her husband passed on."
In turn, Frodo introduced his companions: "Peregrin Took, the South-Thain's son and heir, Master Meriadoc Brandybuck of Buckland, and Mr. Samwise Gamgee, who is Chief Sheriff at Bywater." Most of the group were curious to see Pippin, since they'd heard so much about his reputation for wildness when Diamanta had proposed a match between him and her niece Diamond, but they also seemed intrigued to learn that Frodo had brought a shirriff with him.
"Did Father invite all of you here?" asked Alamargo.
"No, only me," Frodo answered, "but my friends always assist me in my investigations, and I thought it would be more expedient to bring them along rather than wait and send for them later, when I had need of them. It would take a week or more for them to arrive, and time may be of the essence in this case."
"We don't want to be an imposition," said Pippin. "If it's too much trouble, having so many unexpected guests, we can all go and find lodgings at an inn or tavern somewhere. Surely there must be a few in Long Cleeve."
"Several," said Helimarcus, smiling.
"But you mustn't be so ridiculous as to think of such a thing, dear Peregrin," Diamanta added swiftly. "A Took lodge in a tavern! We wouldn't dream of it! Of course, you and your friends will stay here with us. There's plenty of room."
"Yes," said Iris, "if you have come at the bidding of my husband, the Thain, then you must stay. As Lady of Long Cleeve and mistress of this house--" she put her step-daughter-in-law in her place, "I welcome you on his behalf."
Diamanta and Aspid glowered, but said nothing.
"What sort of case is it, Mr. Baggins?" asked Alhasrus.
"I can only tell you that it is most confidential." That was all he knew of it himself, but Frodo could see that the Thain's family didn't know why he had been summoned either, and they were anxious to find out.
"But surely you can confide it to us?" Aspid prodded. "After all, we are his family."
"His nearest relations," said Iris, and received another look of dislike from the other ladies.
"If there's some trouble, it's only right we know what it is," said Alamargo.
"I'm afraid I can't say more, not until after I consult the Thain,"Frodo answered them.
"Look here, Mr. Baggins," Alhasrus put the matter plainly. "We're terribly concerned for my father. He's a very old hobbit, and he hasn't been well lately. He was seriously ill only a few weeks ago and though he's recovered, since he's been up and about again, he's behaved so oddly that I'm afraid his wits have been affected. He's taken to shutting himself up in his study all day."
"He doesn't even come out to join us for meals and barely speaks to anyone except his butler," added Lady Iris.
"It was only when your letter came that we learned he'd sent for you," said Alhasrus.
"And he hasn't told you why?" asked Frodo.
The Thain's heir shook his head. "There's no reason we can fathom. It may be for no reason at all. You and your friends may have come all this way on a fool's errand. I'm worried that my Father has entered his dotage. But if there is some reason, as my brother suggests, we must know. Surely, Mr. Baggins, you can see-"
What Frodo was meant to see, he never learned, for the door opened at that moment and another young hobbit-lad popped his head into the room. "Father Brabantius has heard that the investigator's arrived," he said.
"It's that Tulipant," said Alamargo. "Father's eyes and ears!"
"He's heard you've got him here, and wants to see him right away. Which one is it?" The young hobbit looked from one guest to another; Frodo stepped forward to accompany the newcomer and left his friends with the North-Tooks.
"Are you the Thain's son?" he asked his escort as they went down a series of tunnels toward the back of the Hall. This boy was much younger than the Thain's two sons he had already met, younger even than their sons; he looked to be less than thirty and might not yet be of age. Yet he had referred to the Thain as 'Father.'
"Step-son," the young hobbit clarified. "I'm Isigo Pumble, Lady Iris's son from her first marriage. There's been talk of Father Brabantius adopting me, but I don't think anything will come of it. The others wouldn't stand for it." They had arrived at a door at the end of a corridor, and Isigo rapped smartly on it. A servant opened it and the boy told him, "I've brought the investigator for the Thain," then raised his voice to call out into the room beyond. "Here he is, Father!"
From within the room came an answering command: "Bring him in!"
The servant held open the door to admit Frodo; Isigo did not go in with him. The Thain's study was dimly lit, with the curtains drawn over the window, the fire low, and only a single candle on the table beside the elderly hobbit who sat in a comfortable chair. The Thain sat more upright as Frodo came closer; he was wizened and white-haired and had the gnarled and shrunken look of the very old, but his eyes were bright even in this low light and held a lively and interested look that belied his family's fears for his sanity.
"Mr. Frodo Baggins," the servant announced formally.
"So I see!" said the Thain. "Welcome, Mr. Baggins. I've long looked forward to meeting you. Do sit down, please, and make yourself comfortable. I wish I could offer you some wine..." This struck Frodo as an odd remark, since there was a nearly full decanter on the same table as the candle, easily within reach. As he took a seat in a chair near the Thain's, the old hobbit turned to dismiss his servant. "Thank you, Tulipant. You may leave us now."
Tulipant bowed and exited.
"An excellent butler," said Thain Brabantius once the servant had gone. "Most discreet, but some things are not for his ears. Well, Mr. Baggins, I hope your journey was not too arduous. It's a long road from here to Hobbiton--it's been a good sixty years since I rode that way myself--but I hoped for news of your arrival here every day since I received your most encouraging response to my invitation. I've heard much about your remarkable talents. My great-niece, that young mischief-maker and hoyden, has gathered every tale she can find of your adventures to repeat them to me."
"Di did tell me she was the one to recommend me to you," said Frodo.
"And so she did!" The old hobbit shook his head. "I'm afraid we'll never make a proper lady of the child, but I am quite fond of her. She's an honest little creature."
Frodo couldn't help a small smile, recalling the circumstances under which he had met Diantha.
The Thain caught this smile, and understood. "Oh, she's as full of tricks as a dozen imps, I don't deny it, but there's no harm in her. She means what she says, and that's a quality I've come to value, when there are so many about me who smile and lie." He grew more somber. "If half what I've heard about you is true, then you're just the one who can help me with my most perplexing and disturbing problem."
"I'll be happy to do whatever I can to aid you, sir," answered Frodo, "but you haven't told me what your problem is. I don't know what it is you want me to do."
"No," Thain Brabantius agreed. "I didn't like to put it down in writing. It sounds so very odd to speak of. I didn't even like to think it myself at first. Have you spoken with my family? Yes, Tulipant told me that you were sent to them before you were brought to me. They think I'm going mad--but I'm not. I'm only frightened and don't know who in my household I can trust. You see," he explained at last, "I'm being poisoned, Mr. Baggins, and I don't know by whom."
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