6:
Sam’s Confession
Sam
had also tried on his party clothes – but unlike the Tooks, he was not
particularly pleased with his. Since he came from a poorer family, he did not
have clothes specially made for every important event that he was invited to.
Instead, he, and all his family, had one set of clothing reserved for special
occasions. As Sam looked at his outfit, he did not think that it was special
enough.
“Oh,
Miss Pervinca won’t look at me twice if I look like this!” he groaned to
himself. “I’ll look like I’ve been gardening all day after walking across the
Shire, and she’ll look…she’ll look beautiful. No doubt she has silks and all
lovely clothes like that!” With a defeated sigh, Sam changed back into his
regular clothes.
“Sam?
Sam? Where are you?” a small voice called. The face of Marigold Gamgee, Sam’s
youngest sister, appeared in the doorway of the room he shared with his brother
Halfred. “There you are. What are you doing?”
“Hullo,
Marigold?” Sam forced a smile. “Come in, come in. I was just trying out my
party clothes.”
Marigold
smiled broadly. “I cannot wait!” She blushed slightly. “The Cottons are invited
to the party too, aren’t they?”
“Yes,
of course they are.” Sam was quite aware that his younger sister had a fancy
for Tolman Cotton, or Tom as he was usually known as. In fact, it was much like
the fancy young Rose held for him. “And if you’re lucky, Tom might even ask you
for a dance.”
“Oh,
Sam, do you think so?” Marigold blushed, then said: “I mean, I don’t know what
you’re talking about! By the way, I was looking for you. Mister Frodo came by
earlier and said Mister Bilbo wants you to finish trimming the hedge at Bag
End.”
“Of
course, I completely forgot, what with me trying on my clothes and all.” Sam
wanted to kick himself. He had always been so good when it came to the garden
at Bag End, but since meeting Pervinca, he had been neglecting his duties far
too much. “Oh, I will be in a spot of trouble!” He ran passed his sister and
all the way to Bag End.
Bilbo
and Frodo were sitting outside with a large figure Sam immediately recognised
as Gandalf the wizard. He must have arrived that morning.
“It’s
about time you showed up, Master Gamgee,” Bilbo scolded, though he seemed to be
in a much better mood than in previous days. “My garden can’t trim itself, you
know.”
Sam
bowed his head. “Sorry, Mister Bilbo. I was caught up trying on my party
clothes and all.”
“Trying
on your party clothes? I thought it was only lasses who did that!”
“Not
at all Bilbo,” Frodo said, with a grin. “I’ve tried mine on and I caught you
doing the same thing just last night.”
“Well,
you have me there, Frodo-lad,” Bilbo admitted. “Off to work with you, Master
Gamgee. The garden has waited long enough.”
Sam
nodded and ran off to collect his gardening tools. It did not escape Frodo’s
notice that something seemed to be troubling Sam. Something other than being on
Bilbo’s bad side. He excused himself from Gandalf and Bilbo’s company and
followed Sam. When he found the young gardener, Sam seemed lost in thought,
absent-mindedly trimming the rose bush.
“Something
bothering you, Sam?” Frodo asked, startling poor Sam.
“Mister
Frodo!” Sam cried. “No, not at all. What would make you think that?”
“Well,
firstly, you have that rake upside-down.”
Sam
was quick to fix his mistake, but said nothing.
“Sam,
what’s wrong? You’ve been acting strangely ever since yesterday morning, when
Pippin and Pervinca were here…”
Sam
blushed and said in a voice harsher than he meant to be, “But that had naught
to do with anything!”
Frodo
smiled knowingly. “My dear, Sam. You’ve developed a bit of a fancy for my
cousin, haven’t you? I can’t say that I blame you. Pervinca is a very beautiful
young lass.” Sam remained silent, so Frodo continued. “I suppose I understand
why you’ve been acting so. It must be difficult; she is a Took after all.”
“Yes,
and look at me,” Sam said quietly and sadly. “I’m just a gardener. I have nothing
to offer her. Not to mention the fact that I already have someone who’s been
lined up to marry me someday.”
“Rosie’s
a pretty lass too. Poor Sam; you’ve captured too many hearts.” Frodo placed his
hand on Sam’s shoulder and hoped that his words would comfort the very confused
hobbit. “I know that there’s a good mind in that head of yours, despite what
others may say. I know you’ll know what do to when the time comes.”
Sam
was about to complain that Frodo’s words did not exactly help his situation,
but he then realised that they had. Sam felt like a huge weight had been
lifted. He no longer had to hold it all secret, and Frodo had not only listened
to him, he had offered his support. Sam smiled. “Thank you, Mister Frodo.”
“Not
a problem, my dear Sam. You had best get back to the gardening, and hope that
Bilbo doesn’t catch you daydreaming about Miss Pervinca.” Frodo laughed as Sam
blushed furiously.
But
once Frodo had left, Sam smiled to himself. He was lucky to have a master that
cared for him so much.
* *
* * * *
Just
a few days before the party, Pippin had discovered that Merry was going to stay
the night after the party at Bag End. Apparently Bilbo had suggested it,
believing that Frodo would need some assistance the day after. Pippin, being
young, did not think it strange that Bilbo had not mentioned what he himself
would be doing the day after.
Pippin
complained bitterly at how unfair the whole situation was. His mother’s
argument that he was too young was only met by more whining. “I’ve grown up
now!” Pippin declared.
Finally,
Eglantine had no choice but to give in to her young son. She told him that they
would ask Bilbo at the party, and that if it was fine with Bilbo, he could
spend the night at Bag End. Pippin then promptly demanded that Pervinca also be
allowed, since her sisters had been so horrid to her lately. Eglantine gave in
without a fight, as she did not have the energy to deal with yet another
argument with her son.
“You
are a right little brat, Peregrin,” Pervinca stated after the argument had been
sorted out.
Pippin
grinned. “That I am. But I learnt from the best.” And he looked a Merry.
Merry
smiled. “Did it at any time occur to you that maybe I didn’t want you staying
at Bag End? I’ll remind you that Frodo used to live at Brandy Hall with me.
Like a brother he was.”
“So,
like you are to me?”
“That’s
right.”
“No
it did not occur to me at all.”
Merry
could not help laughing as he ruffled little Pippin’s hair. “You will be the
death of me one day, Peregrin. I swear it.”
“I
hope that’s not true,” Pippin said, quite solemnly for a small child. “For I
don’t know what I’d ever do without you.”
* *
* * * *
Translators
note: In the Red Book, the Gamgees and the Cottons are not actually included in
the list of guests at Bilbo and Frodo’s party. But I’m not sure if this list
refers only to those who were part of the 144 present for the speech. I think
it would make sense that the Gamgees, at least, would be invited, since they
are close neighbours and almost friends to both Frodo and Bilbo. And it would
hardly be fair that Sam, who managed to spread so many rumours about the party,
was not invited. Besides, the Gaffer states in his conversation with Sandyman
and others that “everyone’s invited”.