Властелин колец: Братство кольца
At the Sign of the Prancing Pony
‘You’llpardonmywonderingwhatbusinesstakesyouawayeastofBree!Whatmayyournamesbe,mightIask?’
‘Ournamesandourbusinessareourown,andthisdoesnotseemagoodplacetodiscussthem,’saidFrodo,notlikingthelookofthemanorthetoneofhisvoice.
‘Yourbusinessisyourown,nodoubt,’saidtheman;‘butit’smybusinesstoaskquestionsafternightfall.’
‘WearehobbitsfromBuckland,andwehaveafancytotravelandtostayattheinnhere,’putinMerry.‘IamMr.Brandybuck.Isthatenoughforyou?TheBree-folkusedtobefair-spokentotravellers,orsoIhadheard.’
‘Allright,allright!’saidtheman.‘Imeantnooffence.Butyou’llfindmaybethatmorefolkthanoldHarryatthegatewillbeaskingyouquestions.There’squeerfolkabout.IfyougoontoThePony,you’llfindyou’renottheonlyguests.’
Hewishedthemgoodnight,andtheysaidnomore;butFrodocouldseeinthelantern-lightthatthemanwasstilleyeingthemcuriously.Hewasgladtohearthegateclangtobehindthem,astheyrodeforward.Hewonderedwhythemanwassosuspicious,andwhetheranyonehadbeenaskingfornewsofapartyofhobbits.CouldithavebeenGandalf?Hemighthavearrived,whiletheyweredelayedintheForestandtheDowns.Buttherewassomethinginthelookandthevoiceofthegatekeeperthatmadehimuneasy.
Themanstaredafterthehobbitsforamoment,andthenhewentbacktohishouse.
