Хоббит

           Thepassagewaslowandroughlymade.Itwasnottoodifficultforthehobbit,exceptwhen,inspiteofallcare,hestubbedhispoortoesagain,severaltimes,onnastyjaggedstonesinthefloor."Abitlowforgoblins,atleastforthebigones,"thoughtBilbo,notknowingthateventhebigones,theoresofthemountains,goalongatagreatspeedstoopinglowwiththeirhandsalmostontheground.

           Soonthepassagethathadbeenslopingdownbegantogoupagain,andafterawhileitclimbedsteeply.ThatslowedBilbodown.Butatlasttheslopestopped,thepassageturnedacorner,anddippeddownagain,andthere,atthebottomofashortincline,hesaw,filteringroundanothercorner-aglimpseoflight.Notredlight,asoffireorlantern,butapaleout-of-doorssortoflight.ThenBilbobegantorun.

           Scuttlingasfastashislegswouldcarryhimheturnedthelastcornerandcamesuddenlyrightintoanopenspace,wherethelight,afterallthattimeinthedark,seemeddazzlinglybright.Reallyitwasonlyaleakofsunshineinthroughadoorway,whereagreatdoor,astonedoor,wasleftstandingopen.

           Bilboblinked,andthensuddenlyhesawthegoblins:goblinsinfullarmourwithdrawnswordssittingjustinsidethedoor,andwatchingitwithwideeyes,andwatchingthepassagethatledtoit.Theywerearoused,alert,readyforanything.

           Theysawhimsoonerthanhesawthem.Yes,theysawhim.Whetheritwas.anaccident,oralasttrickoftheringbeforeittookanewmaster,itwasnotonhisfinger.Withyellsofdelightthegoblinsrusheduponhim.Apangoffearandloss,likeanechoofGollum’smisery,smoteBilbo,andforgettingeventodrawhisswordhestruckhishandsintohispockets.And-therewastheringstill,inhisleftpocket,anditslippedonhisfinger.