Хоббит
On the Doorstep
Ifthemapwastrue,somewherehighabovethecliffatthevalley’sheadmuststandthesecretdoor.Daybydaytheycamebacktotheircampwithoutsuccess.
Butatlastunexpectedlytheyfoundwhattheywereseeking.FiliandKiliandthehobbitwentbackonedaydownthevalleyandscrambledamongthetumbledrocksatitssoutherncorner.Aboutmidday,creepingbehindagreatstonethatstoodalonelikeapillar,Bilbocameonwhatlookedlikeroughstepsgoingupwards.Followingtheseexcitedlyheandthedwarvesfoundtracesofanarrowtrack,oftenlost,oftenrediscovered,thatwanderedontothetopofthesouthernridgeandbroughtthematlasttoastillnarrowerledge,whichturnednorthacrossthefaceoftheMountain.Lookingdowntheysawthattheywereatthetopofthecliffatthevalley’sheadandweregazingdownontotheirowncampbelow.Silently,clingingtotherockywallontheirright,theywentinsinglefilealongtheledge,tillthewallopenedandtheyturnedintoalittlesteep-walledbay,grassy-floored,stillandquiet.Itsentrancewhichtheyhadfoundcouldnotbeseenfrombelowbecauseoftheoverhangofthecliff,norfromfurtheroffbecauseitwassosmallthatitlookedlikeadarkcrackandnomore.Itwasnotacaveandwasopentotheskyabove;butatitsinnerendaflatwallroseupthatinthelowerIpart,closetotheground,wasassmoothanduprightasmason’swork,butwithoutajointorcrevicetobeseen.
