Хоббит
Riddles in the Dark
Someofthesecaves,too,gobackintheirbeginningstoagesbeforethegoblins,whoonlywidenedthemandjoinedthemupwithpassages,andtheoriginalownersarestillthereinoddcomers,slinkingandnosingabout.
DeepdownherebythedarkwaterlivedoldGollum,asmallslimycreature.Idon’tknowwherehecamefrom,norwhoorwhathewas.HewasGollum-asdarkasdarkness,exceptfortwobigroundpaleeyesinhisthinface.Hehadalittleboat,andherowedaboutquitequietlyonthelake;forlakeitwas,wideanddeepanddeadlycold.Hepaddleditwithlargefeetdanglingovertheside,butneverarippledidhemake.Nothe.Hewaslookingoutofhispalelamp-likeeyesforblindfish,whichhegrabbedwithhislongfingersasquickasthinking.Helikedmeattoo.Goblinhethoughtgood,whenhecouldgetit;buthetookcaretheyneverfoundhimout.Hejustthrottledthemfrombehind,iftheyevercamedownaloneanywhereneartheedgeofthewater,whilehewasprowlingabout.Theyveryseldomdid,fortheyhadafeelingthatsomethingunpleasantwaslurkingdownthere,downattheveryrootsofthemountain.Theyhadcomeonthelake,whentheyweretunnellingdownlongago,andtheyfoundtheycouldgonofurther;sotheretheirroadendedinthatdirection,andtherewasnoreasontogothatway-unlesstheGreatGoblinsentthem.Sometimeshetookafancyforfishfromthelake,andsometimesneithergoblinnorfishcameback.
ActuallyGollumlivedonaslimyislandofrockinthemiddleofthelake.HewaswatchingBilbonowfromthedistancewithhispaleeyesliketelescopes.Bilbocouldnotseehim,buthewaswonderingalotaboutBilbo,forhecouldseethathewasnogoblinatall.
Gollumgotintohisboatandshotofffromtheisland,whileBilbowassittingonthebrinkaltogetherflummoxedandattheendofhiswayandhiswits.SuddenlyupcameGollumandwhisperedandhissed:
