Хоббит
An Unexpected Party
"Pardonme,"hesaid,"ifIhaveoverheardwordsthatyouweresaying. Idon’tpretendtounderstandwhatyouaretalkingabout, oryourreferencetoburglars,butIthinkIamrightinbelieving"(thisiswhathecalledbeingonhisdignity)"thatyouthinkIamnogood. Iwillshowyou. Ihavenosignsonmydoor-itwaspaintedaweekago-,andIamquitesureyouhavecometothewronghouse. AssoonasIsawyourfunnyfacesonthedoor-step,Ihadmydoubts. Buttreatitastherightone. Tellmewhatyouwantdone,andIwilltryit,ifIhavetowalkfromheretotheEastofEastandfightthewildWere-wormsintheLastDesert. Ibadagreat-great-great-granduncleonce,BullroarerTook,and-" "Yes,yes,butthatwaslongago,"saidGloin. "Iwastalkingaboutyou. AndIassureyouthereisamarkonthisdoor-theusualoneinthetrade,orusedtobe. Burglarwantsagoodjob,plentyofExcitementandreasonableReward,that’showitisusuallyread. You^ansayExpertTreasure-hunterinsteadofBurglarifyoulike. Someofthemdo. It’sallthesametous. GandalftoldusthattherewasamanofthesortinthesepartslookingforaJobatonce,andthathehadarrangedforameetingherethisWednesdaytea-time."
"Ofcoursethereisamark,"saidGandalf. "Iputittheremyself. Forverygoodreasons. Youaskedmetofindthefourteenthmanforyourexpedition,andIchoseMr.Baggins. JustletanyonesayIchosethewrongmanorthewronghouse,andyoucanstopatthirteenandhaveallthebadluckyoulike,orgobacktodiggingcoal."
HescowledsoangrilyatGlointhatthedwarfhuddledbackinhischair; andwhenBilbotriedtoopenhismouthtoaskaquestion,heturnedandfrownedathimandstuckoathisbushyeyebrows,tillBilboshuthismouthtightwithasnap.
