Хоббит
Barrels Out of Bond
HidingbehindoneofthelargestbarrelsBilbodiscoveredthetrapdoorsandtheiruse,andlurkingthere,listeningtothetalkoftheking’sservants,helearnedhowthewineandothergoodscameuptherivers,oroverland,totheLongLake.ItseemedatownofMenstillthrovethere,builtoutonbridgesfarintothewaterasaprotectionagainstenemiesofallsorts,andespeciallyagainstthedragonoftheMountain.FromLake-townthebarrelswerebroughtuptheForestRiver.Oftentheywerejusttiedtogetherlikebigraftsandpoledorrowedupthestream;sometimestheywereloadedontoflatboats.
Whenthebarrelswereemptytheelvescastthemthroughthetrapdoors,openedthewater-gate,andoutthebarrelsfloatedonthestream,bobbingalong,untiltheywerecarriedbythecurrenttoaplacefardowntheriverwherethebankjuttedout,neartotheveryeasternedgeofMirkwood.TheretheywerecollectedandtiedtogetherandfloatedbacktoLake-town,whichstoodclosetothepointwheretheForestRiverflowedintotheLongLake.ForsometimeBilbosatandthoughtaboutthiswater-gate,andwonderedifitcouldbeusedfortheescapeofhisfriends,andatlasthehadthedesperatebeginningsofaplan.
Theeveningmealhadbeentakentotheprisoners.Theguardsweretrampingawaydownthepassagestakingthetorch-lightwiththemandleavingeverythingindarkness.ThenBilboheardtheking’sbutlerbiddingthechiefoftheguardsgood-night.
"Nowcomewithme,"hesaid,"andtastethenewwinethathasjustcomein.
