Властелин колец: Братство кольца
A Long-expected Party
Herfacelookedasifshewasinthethroesofthinkingoutareallycrushingpartingremark;butallshefoundtosay,turningroundonthestep,was:
’You’lllivetoregretit,youngfellow!Whydidn’tyougotoo?Youdon’tbelonghere;you’renoBaggins—you—you’reaBrandybuck!’
’Didyouhearthat,Merry?Thatwasaninsult,ifyoulike,’saidFrodoasheshutthedooronher.
’Itwasacompliment,’saidMerryBrandybuck,’andso,ofcourse,nottrue.’
Thentheywentroundthehole,andevictedthreeyounghobbits(twoBoffinsandaBolger)whowereknockingholesinthewallsofoneofthecellars.FrodoalsohadatusslewithyoungSanchoProudfoot(oldOdoProudfoot’sgrandson),whohadbegunanexcavationinthelargerpantry,wherehethoughttherewasanecho.ThelegendofBilbo’sgoldexcitedbothcuriosityandhope;forlegendarygold(mysteriouslyobtained,ifnotpositivelyill-gotten),is,aseveryoneknows,anyone’sforthefinding—unlessthesearchisinterrupted.
WhenhehadovercomeSanchoandpushedhimout,Frodocollapsedonachairinthehall.It’stimetoclosetheshop,Merry,’hesaid.’Lockthedoor,anddon’topenittoanyonetoday,noteveniftheybringabatteringram.’Thenhewenttorevivehimselfwithabelatedcupoftea.
Hehadhardlysatdown,whentherecameasoftknockatthefront-door.’Lobeliaagainmostlikely,’hethought.’Shemusthavethoughtofsomethingreallynasty,andhavecomebackagaintosayit.Itcanwait.’
Hewentonwithhistea.Theknockwasrepeated,muchlouder,buthetooknonotice.Suddenlythewizard’sheadappearedatthewindow.
