Where did you go to, if I may ask?” said Thorin to Gandalf as they rode along.

To look ahead, ” said he.

And what brought you back in the nick of time?” “Looking behind, ” said he.

“Exactly!” said Thorin; “but could you be more plain?” “I went on to spy out our road. It will soon become dangerous and difficult. Also I was anxious about replenishing our small stock of provisions. I had not gone very far, however, when I met a couple of friends of mine from Rivendell. ”

“Where’s that?” asked Bilbo,

Don’t interrupt!” said Gandalf. “You will get there in a few days now, if we’re lucky, and find out all about it As I was saying I met two of Elrond’s people. They were hurrying along for fear of the trolls. It was they who told me that three of them had come down from the mountains and settled in the woods not far from the road; they had frightened everyone away from the district, and they waylaid strangers.

“I immediately had a feeling that I was wanted back. Looking behind I saw a fire in the distance and made for it. So now you know. Please be more careful, next time, or we shall never get anywhere!”

Thank you!” said Thorin.

They did not sing (они не пели) or tell stories that day (и не рассказывали истории в тот день), even though the weather improved (даже хотя погода и улучшилась); nor the next day (ни в этот день), nor the day after (ни на следующий). They had begun to feel (они начали чувствовать) that danger was not far away on either side (что опасность была не далеко, с обеих сторон). They camped under the stars (они вставали лагерем под звездами), and their horses had more to eat than they had (и у их лошадей было больше пищи, чем у них самих); for there was plenty of grass (потому как там было много травы), but there was not much in their bags (но в их сумках было не так уж много /еды/), even with what they had got from the trolls (даже с учетом того, что они забрали у троллей). One morning (однажды утром) they forded a river (они переправлялись через реку; to ford — переходить вброд) at a wide shallow place (по широкому броду: «у широкого мелководного места») full of the noise of stones and foam (заполненного шумом /перекатывающихся/ камней и пеной). The far bank (дальний берег реки) was steep and slippery (был крутым и скользким). When they got to the top of it (когда они взобрались на его вершину), leading their ponies (ведя своих пони), they saw that the great mountains (они увидели, что величественные горы) had marched down very near to them (надвинулись очень близко к ним; to march — маршировать, ходитьпараднымстроем). Already they seemed (уже они, казалось, /расположены/) only a day’s easy journey (только в дне легкого пути) from the feet of the nearest (от подножия ближайшей /горы/; foot (pl. feet) — нога; основание). Dark and drear it looked (она выглядела темной и мрачной), though there were patches of sunlight (хотя были и куски, освещенные солнечным светом) on its brown sides (на ее коричневых склонах; side — сторона; склон), and behind its shoulders (из за ее хребтами/склонами; shoulder — плечо) the tips of snow-peaks gleamed (блестели пики снежных вершин).

shallow [ˈʃælǝʋ] noise [nɔɪz] sunlight [ˈsʌnlaɪt]

They did not sing or tell stories that day, even though the weather improved; nor the next day, nor the day after. They had begun to feel that danger was not far away on either side. They camped under the stars, and their horses had more to eat than they had; for there was plenty of grass, but there was not much in their bags, even with what they had got from the trolls. One morning they forded a river at a wide shallow place full of the noise of stones and foam. The far bank was steep and slippery. When they got to the top of it, leading their ponies, they saw that the great mountains had marched down very near to them. Already they I seemed only a day’s easy journey from the feet of the nearest. Dark and drear it looked, though there were patches of sunlight on its brown sides, and behind its shoulders the tips of snow-peaks gleamed.

“Is that The Mountain (это Гора)?” asked Bilbo in a solemn voice (спросил Бильбо торжественным голосом), looking at it with round eyes (глядя на нее круглыми глазами). He had never seen a thing (он никогда не видел ничего) that looked so big before (что бы выглядело таким огромным раньше).

“Of course not (конечно же нет)!” said Balin. “That is only the beginning of the Misty Mountains (это только начало Мглистых Гор), and we have to get through (и мы должны пробраться сквозь), or over (или над), or under those somehow (или под ними каким-либо образом), before we can come into Wilderland beyond (до того, как мы сможем добраться до Дикого Края за ними). And it is a deal of a way (да еще будь здоров какой путь; deal — /разг. / большое количество, масса, куча) even from the other side of them (даже от их другой стороны) to the Lonely Mountain (до Одинокой Горы) in the East (на Востоке) where Smaug lies on our treasure (где Смауг залег на наших сокровищах). ”

“O!” said Bilbo, and just at that moment (и как раз в этот самый момент) he felt more fared (он почувствовал себя более напутешествовавшимся; to fare — поживать, жить, ехать) than he ever remembered feeling before (чем он когда либо чувствовал раньше, как он помнил). He was thinking once again (он думал снова; once again — еще раз) of his comfortable chair (о своем удобном кресле) before the fire (перед камином) in his favourite sitting-room (в его любимой гостиной) in his hobbit-hole (в своей хоббитовской норе), and of the kettle singing (и о поющем чайнике). Not for the last time (и не в последний раз)!

solemn [ˈsɔlǝm] through [Ɵru: ] favourite [ˈfeɪv (ǝ) rɪt]