Хоббит
Queer Lodgings
AndinthedimshadowsofthatplaceIdon’tthinkyouwillshootanything,wholesomeorunwholesome,withoutstrayingfromthepath.ThatyouMUSTNOTdo,foranyreason."ThatisalltheadviceIcangiveyou.BeyondtheedgeoftheforestIcannothelpyoumuch;youmustdependonyourluckandyourcourageandthefoodIsendwithyou.AtthegateoftheforestImustaskyoutosendbackmyhorseandmyponies.ButIwishyouallspeed,andmyhouseisopentoyou,ifeveryoucomebackthiswayagain."
Theythankedhim,ofcourse,withmanybowsandsweepingsoftheirhoodsandwithmanyan"atyourservice,Omasterofthewidewoodenhalls!"Buttheirspiritssankathisgravewords,andtheyallfeltthattheadventurewasfarmoredangerousthantheyhadthought,whileallthetime,eveniftheypassedalltheperilsoftheroad,thedragonwaswaitingattheend.Allthatmorningtheywerebusywithpreparations.SoonaftermiddaytheyatewithBeornforthelasttime,andafterthemealtheymountedthesteedshewaslendingthem,andbiddinghimmanyfarewellstheyrodeoffthroughhisgateatagoodpace.
Assoonastheylefthishighhedgesattheeastofhisfencedlandsthey
turnednorthandthenboretothenorth-west.Byhisadvicetheywereno
longermakingforthemainforest-roadtothesouthofhisland.Hadthey
followedthepass,theirpathwouldhaveledthemdownthestreamfromthemountainsthatjoinedthegreatrivermilessouthoftheCarrock.Atthatpointtherewasadeepfordwhichtheymighthavepassed,iftheyhadstillhadtheirponies,andbeyondthatatrackledtotheskirtsofthewoodandtotheentranceoftheoldforestroad.