little gentleman

At night, Bilbo was upstairs nursing Frodo to bed. He would rather stay with Frodo in the bedroom, but Frodo insisted that he go downstairs. "

"I would like to be with you, and I know you don't like to be served by those servants." Bilbo wiped Frodo's feverish face.He looked at his nephew with compassion in his eyes. He couldn't imagine what would happen to the innocent and lovely Frodo without him, but he would have to think about it now or in the near future. He clearly saw the sincerity in Aragorn's eyes. , warm love.

"Indeed, that's strange!" Frodo felt awkward at the presence of servants, for he had never been served.

"I must tell the truth, your Aragorn is the only kind gentleman of the lot, and the others are outrageously insolent!" Bilbo helped Frodo up his pillow, "but that Mr. Dwalin He's an honest man."

"Dwalin? He..." Frodo's large, watery eyes showed a hint of terror.

"You are afraid of him?" Bilbo read Frodo's mind.

"He seems . . . stern." Frodo bowed his head.

Bilbo frowned and thought for a moment. He didn't think Dwalin seemed mean. What did he do to Frodo?

Frodo tugged at the hem of Bilbo's coat lightly: "Bilbo, go downstairs and relax."

"I'm afraid those noble grown-ups here won't let me relax!" Bilbo smiled wryly.

"Here's a nice library, you'll love it." Frodo smiled weakly.

"Well, good night, my boy." Bilbo leaned over and kissed Frodo on the forehead, and watched Frodo close his eyes before leaving the bedroom.

Downstairs in the living room, Aragorn, Gilraine, Louisa, and Dwalin were playing cards, while Thorin sat at his desk writing a letter.Bilbo saw several books on a table, so he picked one up and sat down on the sofa to read it.

"Mr. Baggins, is Frodo better?" Aragorn asked, leaving the game at once when he saw Bilbo come down.

"He's much better, but he still has a fever, and I think a sleep will do him good," said Bilbo, laughing.

Dwalin suddenly said: "The poor boy will get better if he eats more. I doubt that the cook here can cook meals to his taste."

"Oh, come on, Dwalin!" Aragorn laughed. "He'll be all right if you don't frighten him a few times!"

Bilbo stared at Dwalin warily at once, watching his reaction.

"I didn't scare him, the kid was just too sensitive." Dwalin's face was tense, but there was a hint of a smile in his eyes.

Bilbo was bewildered. He wondered how Frodo had been treated.

"I hope you have not misunderstood, Mr. Baggins," said Aragorn, seeing Bilbo's misgivings. "Dwalin always frightens Frodo on purpose, but I assure you he has no malice. He just likes to see Frodo look like a frightened Huddled into a ball like a bunny. Don't look at Dwalin's hard-hearted look, he actually likes cute little things."

Bilbo was angry and amused: "I don't think it's funny, especially for Frodo."

"Be careful you don't let him do that to you." Aragorn winked at Bilbo.

"I'm not afraid, and nothing in all Middle-earth can frighten me," said Bilbo defiantly, "except the dragons of legend."

Dwalin said nothing, but looked at Bilbo scrutinizingly, and tugged at the corners of his mouth, which was concealed by his beard.

Jillraine found that the conversation had attracted the attention of the two men, so she interrupted unhappily: "Ah! Why is Mr. Dwalin so lucky? We are almost won by him!"

Louisa raised her delicate chin and said to Bilbo, "Mr. Baggins, don't you want to play a couple of games?"

Bilbo was not good at card games, so he declined Louisa's invitation: "I'm not familiar with this, I'll just read here."

"Mr. Baggins is a great reader, and he despises poker!" Gillane said insinuatingly.

Bilbo smiled back. "I can neither afford such a compliment nor such an accusation."

Gilraine turned to Thorin again: "And what about you, sir? What mysterious things are you up to?"

"Write to my sister," Thorin replied without looking up.

"Oh, lovely and unfortunate Diss! Has she come out of the pain of losing her husband?" Gillian asked with great concern, her tone was neither exaggerated nor in place, but she was always suspected of acting.

"It's not that easy, I have to spend this winter with her." Thorin said coldly.

"Those two boys are already very tall, right?" Jill Ryan continued enthusiastically, "Fili seems to be a bit taller, but maybe it's because Keli always can't stand upright, are they as tall as me now? "

"They are a little taller than Mr. Baggins now," said Thorin, "but I am afraid they will not grow as tall as you, Princess."

"Please tell Diss for me: the hairpin she wove with diamonds and gold thread last time was so beautiful, I really admire her skillful hands! I hope she can teach me when we meet next time, with her versatile and talented I feel very honored to be a friend who loves my sister!" Jillraine expressed her love for Sister Sorin with all her heart.

"I will convey your intentions truthfully, but can I wait until the next letter is written to serve you? This letter is not long enough." Thorin said coldly, and he blotted dry with high-grade blotting paper The ink on the letter paper, then folded the letter and put it in an envelope calmly.

Gilleen still sighed with emotion: "I haven't seen my dear Diss for a long time, I don't know when I can have fun with her for another morning without being disturbed by you men! Right, Louisa? "

Luisa echoed: "Yes, men only talk about boring politics, or investment. Girls are happiest when they are alone."

"I will try to avoid meeting with you, except for necessary entertainment," Thorin said.

"Oh! Your words are really vicious!" Gillian said coquettishly, "But I guess Thorin is a very well-bred gentleman, and the presence of such a gentleman will not make the girls unhappy, but will increase the fun! "

Aragorn interrupted with a smile: "Of course he is a gentleman, when he sees people with eyes instead of eyes!"

"But real gentlemen are very rare, brother," said Gilraine, "so of course the few remaining gentlemen will be favored by girls!"

Aragorn shrugged: "I'm not as picky as you are. In my opinion, a person is considered a gentleman as long as he is educated and polite."

"It's far away, I don't know half a dozen gentlemen." Thorin turned his chair, "Some people are called gentlemen if they only have a superficial upbringing and put on a show. , but it's empty inside."

"You picky guy!" Aragorn scolded with a smile, "Tell me what is your gentleman's standard?"

Sorin said slowly: "First of all, he must have received a systematic and comprehensive education. He needs to be proficient in philosophy, sociology, and economics. He must have talents in many aspects. Both civil and military skills are indispensable. In addition, he must read more. Keep enriching yourself with some books." When he was talking about reading, he unconsciously looked at Bilbo on the sofa, who was still holding a book in his hand, but he stopped reading, and tilted his curly-haired head slightly to listen to other people. Like a well-behaved doll and a curious little rabbit.

When Thorin had finished speaking, Bilbo sneered, "No wonder you only know six gentlemen, and I don't think you know any of them—it's impossible for such a perfect man to exist!"

Jillraine and Louisa cried out at once, and accused Bilbo of being too harsh, and they claimed to know many such gentlemen.

"You're all distracted! Don't you play cards?" Dwalin suddenly growled, interrupting the debate between the two ladies.

So the game continued, but Thorin didn't take his eyes off Bilbo. He looked at Bilbo's slightly puffed cheeks with a little fascination, thinking that it must be a good face to poke with his fingers. Shocked by the thought.

Bilbo didn't want to stay in the sitting room any longer, so he dropped the book and went upstairs.

"Bilbo Baggins is such an insidious hobbit who degrades his own countrymen in order to win the favor of others!" Jillraine said through gritted teeth.

"It is true that all acts of using unscrupulous means to achieve the goal are contemptible." Thorin said indifferently.

Gilleen found that her words did not have the desired effect, so she could only continue to immerse herself in the game unhappily.