One left, yes. One right, yes. Two right, yes, yes. Two left, yes, yes. ” And so on and on.

As the count grew he slowed down, and he began to get shaky and weepy; for he was leaving the water further and further behind, and he was getting afraid. Goblins might be about, and he had lost his ring. At last he stopped by a low opening, on their left as they went up.

“Seven right, yes. Six left, yes!” he whispered. “This is it. This is the way to the back-door, yes. Here’s the passage!”

He peered in, and shrank back. “But we durstn’t go in, precious, no we durstn’t. Goblinses down there. Lots of goblinses. We smells them. Ssss!”

“What shall we do? Curse them and crush them! We must wait here, precious, wait a bit and see. ”

So they came to a dead stop. Gollum had brought Bilbo to the way out after all, but Bilbo could not get in! There was Gollum sitting humped up right in the opening, and his eyes gleamed cold in his head, as he swayed it from side to side between his knees.

Bilbo crept away from the wall (Бильбо отполз от стенки; to creep) more quietly than a mouse (тише, чем мышка); but Gollum stiffened at once (но Голлум тут же напрягся; to stiffen — придавать жесткость, укреплять; stiff — неподвижный, застывший), and sniffed (и шмыгнул носом), and his eyes went green (и его глаза позеленели). He hissed softly but menacingly (он зашипел мягко, но грозно; menace — угроза; to menace — грозить). He could not see the hobbit (он не мог видеть хоббита), but now he was on the alert (но теперь он был настороже), and he had other senses (и он обладал и другими чувствами) that the darkness had sharpened (которые обострила темнота): hearing and smell (слух и обоняние). He seemed to be crouched right down (он, казалось, практически припал к земле) with his flat hands splayed on the floor (его плоские лапищи неуклюже расположились на полу), and his head thrust out (голова выдвинута вперед), nose almost to the stone (нос, почти что у самых камней). Though he was only a black shadow (хотя тот был всего лишь черной тенью) in the gleam of his own eyes (в блеске его собственных глаз), Bilbo could see or feel (Бильбо мог видеть или чувствовать) that he was tense as a bowstring (что он напряжен, как тетива; bow — лук; string — веревка; тетива), gathered for a spring (собравшись для прыжка).

mouse [maʋs] menacingly [ˈmenɪsɪŋlɪ] crouched [kraʋtʃt]

Bilbo crept away from the wall more quietly than a mouse; but Gollum stiffened at once, and sniffed, and his eyes went green. He hissed softly but menacingly. He could not see the hobbit, but now he was on the alert, and he had other senses that the darkness had sharpened: hearing and smell. He seemed to be crouched right down with his flat hands splayed on the floor, and his head thrust out, nose almost to the stone. Though he was only a black shadow in the gleam of his own eyes, Bilbo could see or feel that he was tense as a bowstring, gathered for a spring.

Bilbo almost stopped breathing (Бильбо почти что перестал дышать), and went stiff himself (и сам замер). He was desperate (он был в отчаянии). He must get away (он должен выбраться), out of this horrible darkness (наружу, от этой ужасной темноты), while he had any strength left (пока у него осталось хоть немного силы; to leave — оставлять). He must fight (он должен бороться). He must stab the foul thing (он должен заколоть это отвратительно существо), put its eyes out (выколоть его глаза), kill it (убить его). It meant to kill him (тот намеревался убить его). No, not a fair fight (нет, это будет не честный бой). He was invisible now (теперь он был невидимым). Gollum had no sword (у Голлума не было меча). Gollum had not actually threatened to kill him (Голлум же, на самом деле, не угрожал убить его), or tried to yet (и пока не пытался). And he was miserable, alone, lost (и он был несчастен, одинок, потерян). A sudden understanding (внезапное понимание), a pity mixed with horror (жалость, смешанная с ужасом), welled up in Bilbo’s heart (переполнили сердце Бильбо; to well — подниматься, вскипать, бить ключом): a glimpse of endless unmarked days (быстро промелькнула перед его глазами картина бесконечных, ничем не отличающихся дней; unmarked — неотмеченный, незамеченный) without light or hope of betterment (без света или надежды на улучшение), hard stone (твердые камни), cold fish (холодная рыба), sneaking and whispering (передвижение украдкой и шептание; to sneak — красться, подкрадываться; идти крадучись). All these thoughts passed (все эти мысли пронеслись) in a flash of a second (в одно мгновение /за секунду/; flash — вспышка). He trembled (он задрожал; to tremble). And then quite suddenly in another flash (и затем, совершенно внезапно, в другое мгновение), as if lifted by a new strength and resolve (как будто поднятый новой силой и решительностью), he leaped (он прыгнул).

desperate [ˈdesp (ǝ) rɪt] threaten [ˈƟretn] betterment [ˈbetǝmǝnt]

Bilbo almost stopped breathing, and went stiff himself. He was desperate. He must get away, out of this horrible darkness, while he had any strength left. He must fight. He must stab the foul thing, put its eyes out, kill it. It meant to kill him. No, not a fair fight. He was invisible now. Gollum had no sword. Gollum had not actually threatened to kill him, or tried to yet. And he was miserable, alone, lost. A sudden understanding, a pity mixed with horror, welled up in Bilbo’s heart: a glimpse of endless unmarked days without light or hope of betterment, hard stone, cold fish, sneaking and whispering. All these thoughts passed in a flash of a second. He trembled. And then quite suddenly in another flash, as if lifted by a new strength and resolve, he leaped.

No great leap for a man (не очень-то большой прыжок для человека), but a leap in the dark (но прыжок-то в темноте). Straight over Gollum’s head he jumped (прямо над головой Голлума прыгнул он), seven feet forward (на семь футов вперед; foot (pl. feet) — фут, мера длины, равная 30, 48 см) and three in the air (и на три фута в воздух); indeed, had he known it (на самом-то деле, знал ли он), he only just missed cracking his skull (что он только что едва избежал пролома черепа; to crack — щелкать, трескаться, разбивать) on the low arch of the passage (о низкий свод прохода).

Gollum threw himself backwards (Голлум бросился назад; to throw (threw, thrown) — бросать), and grabbed (и сделал хватательное движение) as the hobbit flew over him (когда хоббит летел над ним; to fly (flew, flown)), but too late (но слишком поздно): his hands snapped on thin air (его руки схватили пустой воздух; thin — тонкий; жидкий), and Bilbo, falling fair on his sturdy feet (и Бильбо, упав точно на свои крепенькие ножки), sped off down the new tunnel (понесся вниз по новому туннелю; to speed — двигаться поспешно; мчаться; speed — скорость). He did not turn (он не обернулся) to see what Gollum was doing (чтобы посмотреть, что делал Голлум). There was a hissing and cursing (были шипение и проклятия) almost at his heels at first (почти что позади него, поначалу; heel—пятка), then it stopped (затем все прекратилось). All at once there came a bloodcurdling shriek (почти сразу же раздался леденящий кровь крик; to curdle — свертываться /о крови/; blood — кровь), filled with hatred and despair (полный ненависти и отчаяния). Gollum was defeated (Голлум был побежден). He dared go no further (он не осмеливался идти дальше). He had lost (он потерял; to lose): lost his prey (потерял свою добычу), and lost, too (и потерял, так же), the only thing he had ever cared for (единственную вещь, которой он дорожил; tocare — заботиться, беспокоиться), his precious (его драгоценность). The cry brought Bilbo’s heart to his mouth (этот вопль перепугал Бильбо до смерти: «привел сердце Бильбо к его рту»), but still he held on (но все же он все продолжал двигаться). Now faint as an echo (теперь, уже слабый, как эхо), but menacing (но угрожающий), the voice came behind (позади раздавался голос):

“Thief (вор), thief, thief! Baggins! We hates it (мы ненавидим его), we hates it, we hates it for ever (мы ненавидим его навсегда)!”

arch [ɑ: tʃ] sturdy [ˈstǝ: dɪ] bloodcurdling [ˈblʌdkǝ: dlɪŋ] thief [Ɵi: f]

No great leap for a man, but a leap in the dark. Straight over Gollum’s head he jumped, seven feet forward and three in the air; indeed, had he known it, he only just missed cracking his skull on the low arch of the passage.

Gollum threw himself backwards, and grabbed as the hobbit flew over him, but too late: his hands snapped on thin air, and Bilbo, falling fair on his sturdy feet, sped off down the new tunnel. He did not turn to see what Gollum was doing. There was a hissing and cursing almost at his heels at first, then it stopped. All at once there came a bloodcurdling shriek, filled with hatred and despair. Gollum was defeated. He dared go no further. He had lost: lost his prey, and lost, too, the only thing he had ever cared for, his precious. The cry brought Bilbo’s heart to his mouth, but still he held on. Now faint as an echo, but menacing, the voice came behind:

“Thief, thief, thief! Baggins! We hates it, we hates it, we hates it for ever!”

Then there was a silence (потом наступила тишина). But that too seemed menacing to Bilbo (но и она тоже казалась угрожающей Бильбо).

“If goblins are so near (если гоблины так близко) that he smelt them (что он чувствовал их запах; to smell), ” he thought (думал он; to think), “then they’ll have heard his shrieking and cursing (тогда они услышали его крики и проклятия). Careful now (надо быть осторожным теперь), or this way will lead you to worse things (или этот путь приведет тебя к еще более плохим вещам). ” The passage was low and roughly made (проход был низким и небрежно: «грубо» сделанным). It was not too difficult for the hobbit (он не был очень-то сложным для хоббита), except when, in spite of all care (за исключением /тех случаев/, когда /он/, несмотря на все предосторожности), he stubbed his poor toes again (он спотыкался своими бедными ножками: «пальцами ног» снова), several times (несколько раз), on nasty jagged stones in the floor (об отвратительные зазубренные камни на полу; jag — острый выступ, зубец).

“A bit low for goblins (немного низковато для гоблинов), at least for the big ones (по меньшей мере, для больших гоблинов), ” thought Bilbo (думал Бильбо), not knowing (не зная) that even the big ones (что даже большие гоблины), the ores of the mountains (слава гор; ore—руда; /поэт. / (драгоценный) металл; слава, почет), go along at a great speed (продвигаются на большой скорости) stooping low (наклоняясь низко) with their hands almost on the ground (и их руки почти что /касаются/ земли).

Soon the passage (вскоре проход) that had been sloping down (который /до этого/ полого опускался) began to go up again (начал снова подниматься), and after a while it climbed steeply (и, спустя какое-то время, круто пошел вверх). That slowed Bilbo down (это снизило скорость Бильбо; slow — медленный; to slow down — замедлять). But at last the slope stopped (но наконец наклон прекратился), the passage turned a corner (проход повернул за угол), and dipped down again (и снова нырнул вниз), and there (и там), at the bottom of a short incline (на дне короткого склона), he saw (он увидел), filtering round another corner (просачивающийся из-за другого угла) — a glimpse of light (проблеск света). Not red light (не красного света), as of fire or lantern (как от костра или фонаря), but a pale out-of-doors sort of light (но бледного, уличного какого-то света; out-of-doors — на открытом воздухе). Then Bilbo began to run (тогда Бильбо начал бежать).

silence [ˈsaɪlǝns] menacing [ˈmenɪsɪŋ] roughly [ˈrʌflɪ] jagged [ˈdʒæɡɪd]

Then there was a silence. But that too seemed menacing to Bilbo. “If goblins are so near that he smelt them, ” he thought, “then they’ll have heard his shrieking and cursing. Careful now, or this way will lead you to worse things. ” The passage was low and roughly made. It was not too difficult for the hobbit, except when, in spite of all care, he stubbed his poor toes again, several times, on nasty jagged stones in the floor. “A bit low for goblins, at least for the big ones, ” thought Bilbo, not knowing that even the big ones, the ores of the mountains, go along at a great speed stooping low with their hands almost on the ground.

Soon the passage that had been sloping down began to go up again, and after a while it climbed steeply. That slowed Bilbo down. But at last the slope stopped, the passage turned a corner, and dipped down again, and there, at the bottom of a short incline, he saw, filtering round another corner — a glimpse of light. Not red light, as of fire or lantern, but a pale out-of-doors sort of light. Then Bilbo began to run.

Scuttling as fast as his legs would carry him (поспешно двигаясь, так быстро, как только его ноги могли нести его; to scuttle — поспешно бежать, удирать) he turned the last corner (он завернул за последний угол) and came suddenly right into an open space (и внезапно выбежал прямо на открытое пространство), where the light (где свет), after all that time in the dark (после всего времени /проведенного/ в темноте), seemed dazzlingly bright (казался ослепляющее ярким). Really it was only a leak of sunshine (на самом деле, это был только лучик солнечного света; leak — течь, утечка) in through a doorway (/попадавший/ внутрь сквозь дверной проем), where a great door, a stone door (в котором: «где» огромная дверь, каменная дверь), was left standing open (была оставлена открытой).

Bilbo blinked (Бильбо моргнул), and then suddenly he saw the goblins (и тогда внезапно он увидел гоблинов): goblins in full armour (гоблинов, в полном вооружении; armour — броня, кольчуга) with drawn swords (с обнаженными мечами) sitting just inside the door (сидящих как раз перед дверью), and watching it with wide eyes (и наблюдавших за ней широкими глазами), and watching the passage that led to it (и наблюдавших за проходом, ведущим к ней). They were aroused (они были возбуждены), alert (в боевой готовности), ready for anything (готовые ко всему).

They saw him sooner (они увидели его раньше) than he saw them (чем он увидел их). Yes, they saw him (да, они увидели его). Whether it was an accident (было ли это случайностью), or a last trick of the ring (или последним фокусом кольца) before it took a new master (до того, как оно приняло нового хозяина; to take — брать), it was not on his finger (но его на его пальце не было). With yells of delight (с воплями восторга) the goblins rushed upon him (гоблины бросились на него). A pang of fear and loss (внезапный приступ страха и потери), like an echo of Gollum’s misery (словно эхо несчастий Голлума), smote Bilbo (поразил Бильбо; to smite (smote, smitten) — ударять, бить), and forgetting even to draw his sword (и, позабыв даже обнажить: «вытащить» свой меч) he struck his hands into his pockets (он засунул свои руки в свои карманы). And there was the ring still (и кольцо все еще было там), in his left pocket (в его левом кармане), and it slipped on his finger (и оно наделось на его палец). The goblins stopped short (гоблины резко остановились). They could not see a sign of him (они не могли видеть ни следа его; sign — признак, знак). He had vanished (он исчез). They yelled twice as loud as before (они завопили в два раза громче, чем раньше), but not so delightedly (но уже не с таким восторгом).

through [Ɵru: ] armour [ˈɑ: mǝ] arouse [ǝˈraʋz] misery [ˈmɪz (ǝ) rɪ] vanish [ˈvænɪʃ] yell [jel] delightedly [dɪˈlaɪtɪdlɪ]

Scuttling as fast as his legs would carry him he turned the last corner and came suddenly right into an open space, where the light, after all that time in the dark, seemed dazzlingly bright. Really it was only a leak of sunshine in through a doorway, where a great door, a stone door, was left standing open.

Bilbo blinked, and then suddenly he saw the goblins: goblins in full armour with drawn swords sitting just inside the door, and watching it with wide eyes, and watching the passage that led to it. They were aroused, alert, ready for anything.

They saw him sooner than he saw them. Yes, they saw him. Whether it was an accident, or a last trick of the ring before it took a new master, it was not on his finger. With yells of delight the goblins rushed upon him. A pang of fear and loss, like an echo of Gollum’s misery, smote Bilbo, and forgetting even to draw his sword he struck his hands into his pockets. And — there was the ring still, in his left pocket, and it slipped on his finger. The goblins stopped short. They could not see a sign of him. He had vanished. They yelled twice as loud as before, but not so delightedly.

“Where is it (где он)?” they cried (закричали он).

“Go back up the passage (убежал назад в проход)!” some shouted (кричали одни).

“This way (сюда)!” some yelled (вопили одни). “That way (туда)!” others yelled (вопили другие).

“Look out for the door (стерегите дверь), ” bellowed the captain (проревел глава /гоблинов/; captain — капитан, глава).

Whistles blew (засвистели свистки), armour clashed (залязгало оружие), swords rattled (забряцали мечи; to rattle — трещать, грохотать; греметь), goblins cursed and swore (гоблины проклинали и ругались; to swear (swore, sworn) — клясться; присягать; ругаться) and ran hither and thither (и бегали туда и сюда), falling over one another (падая друг на друга) and getting very angry (и становясь очень сердитыми). There was a terrible outcry (раздавались: «были» громкие крики), to-do (/царила: «была»/ суматоха), and disturbance (и кутерьма; disturbance — волнения, беспорядки).

Bilbo was dreadfully frightened (Бильбо был ужасно перепуган), but he had the sense to understand (но у него хватило ума понять; sense — чувство, восприятие; сознание) what had happened (что случилось) and to sneak behind a big barrel (и скользнуть за большую бочку) which held drink for the goblin — guards (в которой хранилось питье для стражей-гоблинов), and so get out of the way (и таким образом убраться с дороги) and avoid being bumped into (и избежать того, чтобы в него врезались), trampled to death (затоптали до смерти), or caught by feel (или поймали на ощупь).

bellow [ˈbelǝʋ] whistle [ˈwɪs (ǝ) l] disturbance [dɪsˈtǝ: b (ǝ) ns]