Властелин колец: Братство кольца
Three is Company
"Icanhearaponyorahorsecomingalongtheroadbehind,"saidSam.
Theylookedback,buttheturnoftheroadpreventedthemfromseeingfar."IwonderifthatisGandalfcomingafterus,"saidFrodo;butevenashesaidit,hehadafeelingthatitwasnotso,andasuddendesiretohidefromtheviewoftheridercameoverhim.
"Itmaynotmattermuch,"hesaidapologeticaly,’butIwouldrathernotbeseenontheroad-byanyone.Iamsickofmydoingsbeingnoticedanddiscussed.AndifitisGandalf,"headdedasanafterthought,’wecangivehimalittlesurprise,topayhimoutforbeingsolate.
Let’sgetoutofsight!"
Theothertworanquicklytotheleftanddownintoalittleholownotfarfromtheroad.
Theretheylayflat.Frodohesitatedforasecond:curiosityorsomeotherfeelingwasstrugglingwithhisdesiretohide.Thesoundofhoofsdrewnearer.Justintimehethrewhimselfdowninapatchoflonggrassbehindatreethatovershadowedtheroad.Thenheliftedhisheadandpeeredcautiouslyaboveoneofthegreatroots.
Roundthecornercameablackhorse,nohobbit-ponybutaful-sizedhorse;andonitsatalargeman,whoseemedtocrouchinthesaddle,wrappedinagreatblackcloakandhood,sothatonlyhisbootsinthehighstirrupsshowedbelow;hisfacewasshadowedandinvisible.
WhenitreachedthetreeandwaslevelwithFrodothehorsestopped.Theridingfiguresatquitestillwithitsheadbowed,asiflistening.Frominsidethehoodcameanoiseasofsomeonesniffingtocatchanelusivescent;theheadturnedfromsidetosideoftheroad.
