Властелин колец: Возвращение короля
The Scouring of the Shire
"Theymovesaboutandcomesandgoes.There’ssometimesfiftyofthemintheirshedsupHobbitonway;buttheygooutfromthererovinground,thievingor"gathering"astheycallit.Stillthere’sseldomlessthanascoreroundtheBoss,astheynameshim.He’satBagEnd,orwas;buthedon’tgooutsidetheroundsnow.Noonesseenhimatall,infact,foraweekortwo;buttheMendon’tletnoonegonear."
"Hobbiton’snottheironlyplace,isit?"saidPippin.
"No,more’sthepity,"saidCotton."There’sagoodfewdownsouthinLongbottomandbySarnFord,Ihear;andsomemorelurkingintheWoodyEnd;andthey’veshedsatWaymeet.Andthenthere’stheLockholes,astheycall"em:theoldstorage-tunnelsatMichelDelvingthatthey’vemadeintoprisonsforthoseasstanduptothem.StillIreckonthere’snotabovethreehundredofthemintheShirealltold,andmaybeless.Wecanmasterthem,ifwesticktogether."
"Havetheygotanyweapons?"askedMerry.
"Whips,knives,andclubs,enoughfortheirdirtywork:that’sallthey’veshowedsofar,"saidCotton."ButIdaresaythey’vegotothergear,ifitcomestofighting.Somehavebows,anyway.They’veshotoneortwoofourfolk."
"Thereyouare,Frodo!"saidMerry."Iknewweshouldhavetofight.Well,theystartedthekilling."
"Notexactly,"saidCotton."Leastwaysnottheshooting.Tooksstartedthat.YouseeourdadMr.
