Властелин колец: Братство кольца
At the Sign of the Prancing Pony
Whenwedo,Ihopeyouwillexplainwhathappenedattheendofyoursong.Forthatlittleprank——’
‘Itwassheeraccident!’interruptedFrodo.
‘Iwonder,’saidStrider.‘Accident,then.Thataccidenthasmadeyourpositiondangerous.’
‘Hardlymorethanitwasalready,’saidFrodo.‘Iknewthesehorsemenwerepursuingme;butnowatanyratetheyseemtohavemissedmeandtohavegoneaway.’
‘Youmustnotcountonthat!’saidStridersharply.‘Theywillreturn.Andmorearecoming.Thereareothers.Iknowtheirnumber.IknowtheseRiders.’Hepaused,andhiseyeswerecoldandhard.‘AndtherearesomefolkinBreewhoarenottobetrusted,’hewenton.‘BillFerny,forinstance.HehasanevilnameintheBree-land,andqueerfolkcallathishouse.Youmusthavenoticedhimamongthecompany:aswarthysneeringfellow.HewasveryclosewithoneoftheSouthernstrangers,andtheyslippedouttogetherjustafteryour"accident".NotallofthoseSouthernersmeanwell;andasforFerny,hewouldsellanythingtoanybody;ormakemischiefforamusement.’
‘WhatwillFernysell,andwhathasmyaccidentgottodowithhim?’saidFrodo,stilldeterminednottounderstandStrider’shints.
‘Newsofyou,ofcourse,’answeredStrider.‘Anaccountofyourperformancewouldbeveryinterestingtocertainpeople.Afterthattheywouldhardlyneedtobetoldyourrealname.Itseemstomeonlytoolikelythattheywillhearofitbeforethisnightisover.
