Властелин колец: Братство кольца
A Knife in the Dark
Thehobbitstooknonoticeoftheinquisitiveheadsthatpeepedoutofdoors,orpoppedoverwallsandfences,astheypassed.Butastheydrewneartothefurthergate,Frodosawadarkill-kepthousebehindathickhedge:thelasthouseinthevillage.Inoneofthewindowshecaughtaglimpseofasallowfacewithsly,slantingeyes;butitvanishedatonce.
‘Sothat’swherethatsouthernerishiding!’hethought.‘Helooksmorethanhalflikeagoblin.’
Overthehedgeanothermanwasstaringboldly.Hehadheavyblackbrows,anddarkscornfuleyes;hislargemouthcurledinasneer.Hewassmokingashortblackpipe.Astheyapproachedhetookitoutofhismouthandspat.
‘Morning,Longshanks!’hesaid.‘Offearly?Foundsomefriendsatlast?’Stridernodded,butdidnotanswer.
‘Morning,mylittlefriends!’hesaidtotheothers.‘Isupposeyouknowwhoyou’vetakenupwith?That’sStick-at-naughtStrider,thatis!ThoughI’veheardothernamesnotsopretty.Watchouttonight!Andyou,Sammie,don’tgoill-treatingmypooroldpony!Pah!’Hespatagain.
Samturnedquickly.‘Andyou,Ferny,’hesaid,‘putyouruglyfaceoutofsight,oritwillgethurt.’Withasuddenflick,quickaslightning,anapplelefthishandandhitBillsquareonthenose.Heduckedtoolate,andcursescamefrombehindthehedge.‘Wasteofagoodapple,’saidSamregretfully,andstrodeon.
Atlasttheyleftthevillagebehind.TheescortofchildrenandstragglersthathadfollowedthemgottiredandturnedbackattheSouth-gate.
