Хоббит
Out of the Frying-Pan into the Fire
Thebarkcaughtfire,thelowerbranchescracked.ThenGandalfclimbedtothetopofhistree.Thesuddensplendourflashedfromhiswandlikelightning,ashegotreadytospringdownfromonhighrightamongthespearsofthegoblins.Thatwouldhavebeentheendofhim,thoughhewouldprobablyhavekilledmanyofthemashecamehurtlingdownlikeathunderbolt.Butheneverleaped.
JustatthatmomenttheLordoftheEaglessweptdownfromabove,seizedhiminhistalons,andwasgone.
Therewasahowlofangerandsurprisefromthegoblins.LoudcriedtheLordoftheEagles,towhomGandalfhadnowspoken.Backsweptthegreatbirdsthatwerewithhim,anddowntheycamelikehugeblackshadows.Thewolvesyammeredandgnashedtheirteeth;thegoblinsyelledandstampedwithrage,andflungtheirheavyspearsintheairinvain.Overthemswoopedtheeagles;thedarkrushoftheirbeatingwingssmotethemtothefloorordrovethemfaraway;theirtalonstoreatgoblinfaces.Otherbirdsflewtothetree-topsandseizedthedwarves,whowerescramblingupnowasfarasevertheydaredtogo.
PoorlittleBilbowasverynearlyleftbehindagain!HejustmanagedtocatchholdofDori’slegs,asDoriwasborneofflastofall;andtheywenttogetherabovethetumultandtheburning,Bilboswingingintheairwithhisarmsnearlybreaking.
Nowfarbelowthegoblinsandthewolveswerescatteringfarandwideinthewoods.Afeweagleswerestillcirclingandsweepingabovethebattle-ground.Theflamesaboutthetreessprangsuddenlyupabovethehighestbranches.Theywentupincracklingfire.Therewasasuddenflurryofsparksandsmoke.Bilbohadescapedonlyjustintime!
