Властелин колец: Братство кольца
A Knife in the Dark
‘Can’twegetacoupleofponiesinthevillage,orevenonejustforthebaggage?Idon’tsupposewecouldhirethem,butwemightbeabletobuythem,’headded,doubtfully,wonderingifhecouldaffordit.
‘Idoubtit,’saidthelandlordunhappily.‘Thetwoorthreeriding-poniesthattherewereinBreewerestabledinmyyard,andthey’regone.Asforotheranimals,horsesorponiesfordraughtorwhatnot,thereareveryfewoftheminBree,andtheywon’tbeforsale.ButI’lldowhatIcan.I’llroutoutBobandsendhimroundassoonasmaybe.’
‘Yes,’saidStriderreluctantly,‘youhadbetterdothat.Iamafraidweshallhavetotrytogetoneponyatleast.Butsoendsallhopeofstartingearly,andslippingawayquietly!Wemightaswellhaveblownahorntoannounceourdeparture.Thatwaspartoftheirplan,nodoubt.’
‘Thereisonecrumbofcomfort,’saidMerry,‘andmorethanacrumb,Ihope:wecanhavebreakfastwhilewewait–andsitdowntoit.Let’sgetholdofNob!’
Intheendtherewasmorethanthreehours’delay.Bobcamebackwiththereportthatnohorseorponywastobegotforloveormoneyintheneighbourhood–exceptone:BillFernyhadonethathemightpossiblysell.‘Apooroldhalf-starvedcreatureitis,’saidBob;‘buthewon’tpartwithitforlessthanthriceitsworth,seeinghowyou’replaced,notifIknowsBillFerny.’
‘BillFerny?’saidFrodo.
