Властелин колец: Братство кольца
At the Sign of the Prancing Pony
‘Excellent!’exclaimedStrider,crossinghislegsandsittingbackcomfortably.‘Youseemtobecomingtoyoursensesagain,andthatisalltothegood.Youhavebeenmuchtoocarelesssofar.Verywell!IwilltellyouwhatIknow,andleavetherewardtoyou.Youmaybegladtograntit,whenyouhaveheardme.’
‘Goonthen!’saidFrodo.‘Whatdoyouknow?’
‘Toomuch;toomanydarkthings,’saidStridergrimly.‘Butasforyourbusiness——’Hegotupandwenttothedoor,openeditquicklyandlookedout.Thenheshutitquietlyandsatdownagain.‘Ihavequickears,’hewenton,loweringhisvoice,‘andthoughIcannotdisappear,IhavehuntedmanywildandwarythingsandIcanusuallyavoidbeingseen,ifIwish.Now,IwasbehindthehedgethiseveningontheRoadwestofBree,whenfourhobbitscameoutoftheDownlands.IneednotrepeatallthattheysaidtooldBombadilortooneanother;butonethinginterestedme.Pleaseremember,saidoneofthem,thatthenameBagginsmustnotbementioned.IamMr.Underhill,ifanynamemustbegiven.ThatinterestedmesomuchthatIfollowedthemhere.Islippedoverthegatejustbehindthem.MaybeMr.Bagginshasanhonestreasonforleavinghisnamebehind;butifso,Ishouldadvisehimandhisfriendstobemorecareful.’
‘Idon’tseewhatinterestmynamehasforanyoneinBree,’saidFrodoangrily,‘andIhavestilltolearnwhyitinterestsyou.Mr.Stridermayhaveanhonestreasonforspyingandeavesdropping;butifso,Ishouldadvisehimtoexplainit.’
