Властелин колец: Братство кольца
At the Sign of the Prancing Pony
‘Well,youknowyourownbusiness,maybe,’saidMr.Butterbur,lookingsuspiciouslyatStrider.‘ButifIwasinyourplight,Iwouldn’ttakeupwithaRanger.’
‘Thenwhowouldyoutakeupwith?’askedStrider.‘Afatinnkeeperwhoonlyremembershisownnamebecausepeopleshoutitathimallday?TheycannotstayinThePonyforever,andtheycannotgohome.Theyhavealongroadbeforethem.Willyougowiththemandkeeptheblackmenoff?’
‘Me?LeaveBree!Iwouldn’tdothatforanymoney,’saidMr.Butterbur,lookingreallyscared.‘Butwhycan’tyoustayherequietforabit,Mr.Underhill?Whatareallthesequeergoingson?Whataretheseblackmenafter,andwheredotheycomefrom,I’dliketoknow?’
‘I’msorryIcan’texplainitall,’answeredFrodo.‘Iamtiredandveryworried,andit’salongtale.Butifyoumeantohelpme,IoughttowarnyouthatyouwillbeindangeraslongasIaminyourhouse.TheseBlackRiders:Iamnotsure,butIthink,Ifeartheycomefrom——’
‘TheycomefromMordor,’saidStriderinalowvoice.‘FromMordor,Barliman,ifthatmeansanythingtoyou.’
‘Saveus!’criedMr.Butterburturningpale;thenameevidentlywasknowntohim.‘ThatistheworstnewsthathascometoBreeinmytime.’
‘Itis,’saidFrodo.‘Areyoustillwillingtohelpme?’
‘Iam,’saidMr.Butterbur.‘Morethanever.ThoughIdon’tknowwhatthelikesofmecandoagainst,against——’hefaltered.
‘AgainsttheShadowintheEast,’saidStriderquietly.
