Властелин колец: Братство кольца
A Long-expected Party
Thepurchaseofprovisionsfellalmosttonothingthroughoutthedistrictintheensuingweeks;butasBilbo’scateringhaddepletedthestocksofmoststores,cellarsandwarehousesformilesaround,thatdidnotmattermuch.
Afterthefeast(moreorless)cametheSpeech.Mostofthecompanywere,however,nowinatolerantmood,atthatdelightfulstagewhichtheycalled’fillingupthecorners’.Theyweresippingtheirfavouritedrinks,andnibblingattheirfavouritedainties,andtheirfearswereforgotten.Theywerepreparedtolistentoanything,andtocheerateveryfullstop.
MydearPeople,beganBilbo,risinginhisplace.’Hear!Hear!Hear!’theyshouted,andkeptonrepeatingitinchorus,seemingreluctanttofollowtheirownadvice.Bilbolefthisplaceandwentandstoodonachairundertheilluminatedtree.Thelightofthelanternsfellonhisbeamingface;thegoldenbuttonsshoneonhisembroideredsilkwaistcoat.Theycouldallseehimstanding,wavingonehandintheair,theotherwasinhistrouser-pocket.
MydearBagginsesandBoffins,hebeganagain;andmydearTooksandBrandybucks,andGrubbs,andChubbs,andBurrowses,andHornblowers,andBolgers,Bracegirdles,Goodbodies,BrockhousesandProudfoots.’ProudFEET!’shoutedanelderlyhobbitfromthebackofthepavilion.Hisname,ofcourse,wasProudfoot,andwellmerited;hisfeetwerelarge,exceptionallyfurry,andbothwereonthetable.
Proudfoots,repeatedBilbo.AlsomygoodSackville-BagginsesthatIwelcomebackatlasttoBagEnd.Todayismyonehundredandeleventhbirthday:Iameleventy-onetoday!’Hurray!Hurray!ManyHappyReturns!’theyshouted,andtheyhammeredjoyouslyonthetables.Bilbowasdoingsplendidly.Thiswasthesortofstufftheyliked:shortandobvious.
