Хоббит
An Unexpected Party
Alittlestiffperhaps, buthemeantitkindly. Andwhatwouldyoudo,ifanuninviteddwarfcame andhunghisthingsupinyourhallwithoutawordofexplanation?
Theyhadnotbeenattablelong, infacttheyhadhardlyreachedthethirdcake, whentherecameanotherevenlouderringatthebell. "Excuseme!"saidthehobbit,andoffhewenttothedoor. "Soyouhavegothereatlast!"waswhathewasgoingtosaytoGandalfthistime. ButitwasnotGandalf. Insteadtherewasaveryold-lookingdwarfonthestepwithawhitebeardandascarlethood; andhetoohoppedinsideassoonasthedoorwasopen, justasifhehadbeeninvited. "Iseetheyhavebeguntoarrivealready,"hesaid whenhecaughtsightofDwalin’sgreenhoodhangingup. Hehunghisredonenexttoit, and"Balinatyourservice!"hesaidwithhishandonhisbreast.
"Thankyou!"saidBilbowithagasp. Itwasnotthecorrectthingtosay, buttheyhavebeguntoarrivehadflusteredhimbadly. Helikedvisitors,buthelikedtoknowthembeforetheyarrived,andhepreferredtoaskthemhimself. Hehadahorriblethoughtthatthecakesmightrunshort, andthenhe-asthehost:heknewhisduty andstucktoithoweverpainful-hemighthavetogowithout.
"Comealongin,andhavesometea!"hemanagedtosay aftertakingadeepbreath.
"Alittlebeerwouldsuitmebetter, ifitisallthesametoyou,mygoodsir,"saidBalinwiththewhitebeard. "ButIdon’tmindsomecake-seed-cake,ifyouhaveany."
