Хоббит
Queer Lodgings
ButBeornhadwarnedthemthatthatwaywasnowoftenusedbythegoblins,whiletheforest-roaditself,hebadheard,wasovergrownanddisusedattheeasternendandledtoimpassablemarsheswherethepathshadlongbeenlost.ItseasternopeninghadalsoalwaysbeenfartothesouthoftheLonelyMountain,andwouldhaveleftthemstillwithalonganddifficultnorthwardmarchwhentheygottotheotherside.NorthoftheCarrocktheedgeofMirkwooddrewclosertothebordersoftheGreatRiver,andthoughheretheMountainstoodrewdownnearer,Beornadvisedthemtotakethisway;forataplaceafewdays’rideduenorthoftheCarrockwasthegateofalittle-knownpathwaythroughMirkwoodthatledalmoststraighttowardstheLonelyMountain.
"Thegoblins,"Beornhadsaid,"willnotdaretocrosstheGreatRiverforahundredmilesnorthoftheCarrocknortocomenearmyhouse-itiswellprotectedatnight!-butIshouldridefast;foriftheymaketheirraidsoontheywillcrosstherivertothesouthandscouralltheedgeoftheforestsoastocutyouoff,andWargsrunswifterthanponies.Stillyouaresafergoingnorth,eventhoughyouseemtobegoingbacknearertotheirstrongholds;forthatiswhattheywillleastexpect,andtheywillhavethelongerridetocatchyou.Beoffnowasquickasyoumay!"Thatiswhytheywerenowridinginsilence,gallopingwhereverthegroundwasgrassyandsmooth,withthemountainsdarkontheirleft,andinthedistancethelineoftheriverwithitstreesdrawingevercloser.Thesunhadonlyjustturnedwestwhentheystarted,andtilleveningitlaygoldenonthelandaboutthem.Itwasdifficulttothinkofpursuinggoblinsbehind,andwhentheyhadputmanymilesbetweenthemandBeorn’shousetheybegantotalkandtosingagainandtoforgetthedarkforest-paththatlayinfront.Butintheeveningwhentheduskcameonandthepeaksofthemountainsgloweredagainstthesunsettheymadeacampandsetaguard,andmostofthemsleptuneasilywithdreamsinwhichtherecamethehowlofhuntingwolvesandthecriesofgoblins.
