“Also,” went on Gandalf, “I forgot to mention that with the map I got a key. Here it is!” he said, and handed to Thorin an unusual small key made of silver.
“I will keep it safe,” said Thorin and fastened it upon a chain that hung about his neck and under his jacket.
“So I decided on burglary”, continued Gandalf. And here is our little Bilbo Baggins, the selected burglar. And now let’s make some plans.”
“Very well then,” said Thorin, “maybe the burglar-expert will give us some ideas or suggestions.” He turned to Bilbo.
“First I would like to know a bit more about the story,” said he, feeling confused. “I mean about the dragon and the gold, and how it got there, and who it belongs to. Also I would like to know about risks.”
“O very well,” said Thorin. “Long ago in my grandfather Thror’s time our family was driven out of the far North, and came back with all their things and their tools to this Mountain on the map. They became very rich and famous, and my grandfather was King under the Mountain. The mortal men, who lived to the South, respected him. They built the merry town of Dale there in those days. Kings often sent for our smiths, and rewarded them generously. Those were good days for us – my grandfather’s halls became full of jewels, and the toy-market of Dale was the wonder of the North.
“Certainly that attracted the dragon. Dragons steal gold and jewels, you know, from men and elves and dwarves; and they guard their stolen treasures. There were a lot of dragons in the North, and one of them, very greedy, strong and wicked, was called Smaug. One day he flew up into the air and came south. We heard a noise like a hurricane coming from the North, and then the dragon settled on our mountain in flame. He burned down the woods. By that time all the bells were ringing in Dale and the warriors were arming. The dwarves rushed out of their great gate; but the dragon killed them and destroyed most of the warriors. Then he went back and crept in through the Front Gate and after that there were no dwarves left alive inside, and he took all their wealth for himself. Probably, he has piled it all up in a great heap far inside, and sleeps on it. Later he crawled out of the great gate and came by night to Dale, and carried away people to eat, until Dale was ruined, and all the people dead or gone. What goes on there now I don’t know for certain, but I think nobody lives near the Mountain.
“Those few of us, who were lucky to be alive, wept in hiding, and cursed Smaug. Suddenly my father and my grandfather arrived. They only said that one day in the proper time I would know how they had got away. After that we went away, and we had to work really hard to earn our living.[20] But we have never forgotten our stolen treasure.
“I think my father and my grandfather had a private Side-door, and only they knew about it. I am sure they made a map, and I would like to know how Gandalf got it.”
“Well, your father gave me this to give to you,” said the wizard. “Your father could not remember his own name when he gave me the paper, and he never told me yours. Here it is,” said he handing the map to Thorin.
“I don’t understand,” said Thorin.
“Your father,” said the wizard slowly and grimly, “gave me the map in the dungeons of the Necromancer.”
“What were you doing there?” asked Thorin with a shudder, and all the dwarves shivered.
“It does not matter. It was a dangerous business. I tried to save your father, but it was too late. He had forgotten almost everything except the map and the key. Necromancer is an enemy quite beyond the powers of all the dwarves. And the dragon and the Mountain are also impossible tasks for you!”
“Hear, hear! Hear what I have got to say!” said Bilbo.
“What’s that?” they asked.
“Well, I think that you should go East and have a look round. After all there is the Side-door, and dragons must sleep sometimes, I suppose. I am sure you will think of something. And well, what about bed and an early start? I will give you a good breakfast before you go.”
“Before we go, you mean,” said Thorin. “Aren’t you the burglar? But I agree about bed and breakfast. I like eggs and ham before a journey.”
So the hobbit made beds on chairs and sofas for them all and went to his little bed really tired. He was not now quite so sure that he was going on any journey in the morning. As he lay in bed he could hear Thorin singing to himself in the best bedroom next to him:
That night Bilbo had very uncomfortable dreams. The next day he woke up late.
Chapter 2
Roast Mutton
Bilbo jumped up, and rushed into the dining-room. There he saw nobody, but all the signs of a large breakfast. There were huge piles of unwashed pots in the kitchen. But he was really relieved after all to think that they had all gone without him, though he felt a little disappointed. The feeling surprised him.
Bilbo washed up and had a nice little breakfast in the kitchen. By that time the sun was shining and Bilbo began to forget about the night before when Gandalf walked in. “My dear fellow,” said he, “when are you going to come? What about an early start? – And here you are at half past ten! They left you the message, because they could not wait.”
“What message?” said poor Mr Baggins.
“It’s on the mantelpiece, just under the clock,” said Gandalf, handing Bilbo a note.
This is what he read:
“Thorin and Company to Burglar Bilbo greeting! [21]
Thanks for your hospitality and for your offer of professional help. The terms are: cash on delivery; all traveling expenses guaranteed; funeral expenses to be defrayed by us or our representatives.[22]
We didn’t want to disturb you, so we left early to make necessary preparations, and will wait for you at the Green Dragon Inn, Bywater, at 11 a.m.
Yours sincerely,
Thorin & Co.”
“So, you will have to run,” said Gandalf.
“But —,” said Bilbo.
“No time for it,” said the wizard, “go!”
So Bilbo gave his keys to Gandalf and ran as fast as he could. He got to Bywater on time!
“Bravo!” said Balin who was standing at the inn door. Just then all the others came on ponies, and each pony carried all kinds of bags and parcels. There was a very small pony, for Bilbo.
“Let’s go!” said Thorin.
“I’m awfully sorry,” said Bilbo, “but I have come without my hat.”
“Don’t worry,” said Dwalin, “I have got a spare hood and cloak in my baggage.”
That’s how they all started their journey one fine morning just before May; and Bilbo was wearing a dark-green hood and a dark-green cloak. They were too large for him, and he looked rather comic.
Soon Gandalf came on a white horse. He had brought Bilbo’s pipe and tobacco. So after that they told stories or sang songs as they rode forward all day. At first they had passed through hobbit-lands, with good roads. Then they came to lands where people spoke strangely. Then they had gone on far into the Lone-lands, where there were no people left, and the roads got worse. They saw dark hills. Everything seemed gloomy. It was cold and wet. In the Lone-lands they had to camp when they could. It was after tea-time; it was raining heavily. Soon it was nearly dark, and the moon appeared above the hills. And then they noticed that Gandalf was missing. So far he had come all the way with them. But now he simply was not there at all! Finally they decided to camp but the dwarves could not make a fire that night. Then one of the ponies suddenly felt frightened and got into the river, and all the baggage that he carried was washed away off him. Of course it was mostly food, and there was little left for supper, and less for breakfast. There all of them were sitting gloomy and wet, when Balin said: “There’s a light over there!” And they went in the direction of the light. So they came to the hill and were soon in the wood.
Suddenly the red light shone very brightly through the trees not far ahead. “Now it is the burglar’s turn,”[23] they said. “Bilbo, you must go and find out all about that light, and what it is for,” said Thorin to the hobbit. “Now go, and come back quickly, if all is well. If not, come back if you can! It you can’t, hoot twice like a barn-owl and once like a screech-owl, and we will do what we can.”
So Bilbo had to go off, before he could explain that he could not hoot even once like any kind of owl. But hobbits can move absolutely quietly in woods. And he came up to the fire without disturbing anyone. There he saw three very large trolls sitting round a very large fire. They were roasting mutton on long spits of wood. There was a barrel of good drink nearby, and they were drinking out of jugs.
22
оплата при получении товара; возмещение путевых расходов гарантировано; похоронные издержки ложатся на нас или наших официальных представителей