thought [Ɵɔ: t] perilous [ˈperɪlǝs] quest [kwest]
“The dragon is still alive and in the halls under the Mountain then — or I imagine so from the smoke, ” said the hobbit.
“That does not prove it, ” said Balin, “though I don’t doubt you are right. But he might be gone away some time, or he might be lying out on the mountain-side keeping watch, and still I expect smokes and steams would come out of the gates: all the halls within must be filled with his foul reek. ” With such gloomy thoughts, followed ever by croaking crows above them, they made their weary way back to the camp. Only in June they had been guests in the fair house of Elrond, and though autumn was now crawling towards winter that pleasant time now seemed years ago. They were alone in the perilous waste without hope of further help. They were at the end of their journey, but as far as ever, it seemed, from the end of their quest. None of them had much spirit left.
Now strange to say (теперь, как ни странно /сказать/) Mr. Baggins had more than the others (у мистера Бэггинса осталось: «было» ее /силы духа/ больше, чем у других). He would often borrow Thorin’s map (он частенько заимствовал у Торина карту) and gaze at it (и пристально всматривался в нее), pondering over the runes (размышляя над рунами; to ponder — обдумывать, взвешивать, размышлять) and the message of the moon-letters (и над посланием /написанным/ лунными буквами) Elrond had read (которое прочитал Элронд). It was he (именно он) that made the dwarves begin the dangerous search (заставил гномов начать опасные поиски) on the western slopes (по западным склонам) for the secret door (/в поисках/ секретной двери). They moved their camp then (тогда они передвинули свой лагерь) to a long valley (в длинную долину), narrower than the great dale in the South (/которая была/ эже, чем огромная долина на Юге) where the Gates of the river stood (где стояли Ворота реки), and walled with lower spurs of the Mountain (и была огорожена нижними отрогами Горы). Two of these here thrust forward west (два этих вот отрога: «два из них здесь» выступали /вперед/ на запад) from the main mass (из основного /горного/ массива: «основной массы») in long steep-sided ridges (длинными кряжами с крутыми склонами; ridge — горный кряж, водораздел, гребень горы) that fell ever downwards towards the plain (что спускались под уклоном по направлению к равнине; downwards = downward — вниз, книзу, под уклон). On this western side (на этом западном склоне) there were fewer signs (было еще меньше признаков) of the dragon’s marauding feet (следов мародерства дракона: «хищнических следов дракона»; tomaraud — мародерствовать; marauding — мародерство, нанесение ущерба посевам), and there was some grass for their ponies (и там росло немного травы для их пони). From this western camp (с этого, расположенного на западе: «западного», лагеря) shadowed all day by cliff and wall (находящегося в тени скалы и стен весь день: «затененного весь день скалой и стеной») until the sun began to sink towards the forest (до тех самых пор, пока солнце не начинало опускаться по направлению к лесу), day by day (день за днем) they toiled in parties (они усиленно трудились /разделившись/ на группы) searching for paths (в поисках тропинок) up the mountain-side (вверх по склонам горы). If the map was true (если карта была правдивой), somewhere high above the cliff (где-то высоко, над отвесной скалой) at the valley’s head (у верхней части долины) must stand the secret door (должна находиться потайная дверь). Day by day (день за днем) they came back to their camp (они возвращались назад в свой лагерь) without success (безуспешно: «без успеха»; success — успех, удача).
ponder [ˈpɔndǝ] marauding [mǝˈrɔ: dɪŋ] toil [tɔɪl]
Now strange to say Mr. Baggins had more than the others. He would often borrow Thorin’s map and gaze at it, pondering over the runes and the message of the moon-letters Elrond had read. It was he that made the dwarves begin the dangerous search on the western slopes for the secret door. They moved their camp then to a long valley, narrower than the great dale in the South where the Gates of the river stood, and walled with lower spurs of the Mountain. Two of these here thrust forward west from the main mass in long steep-sided ridges that fell ever downwards towards the plain. On this western side there were fewer signs of the dragon’s marauding feet, and there was some grass for their ponies. From this western camp, shadowed all day by cliff and wall until the sun began to sink towards the forest, day by day they toiled in parties searching for paths up the mountain-side. If the map was true, somewhere high above the cliff at the valley’s head must stand the secret door. Day by day they came back to their camp without success.
But at last unexpectedly (но наконец, неожиданно) they found what they were seeking (они нашли то, что они искали; to seek — искать, разыскивать). Fili and Kili and the hobbit went back one day (Фили, Кили и хоббит вернулись однажды) down the valley (вниз в долину) and scrambled among the tumbled rocks (и карабкались с трудом меж сваленных скал) at its southern corner (у ее южной части; corner — угол, закоулок; район). About midday (около полудня), creeping behind a great stone (медленно крадучись за огромным камнем) that stood alone like a pillar (что стоял отдельно, подобно колонне), Bilbo came on what looked like rough steps going upwards (Бильбо вышел на что-то, что выглядело подобно грубым ступеням, ведущим вверх). Following these excitedly (с волнение следуя им: «следуя этим /ступеням/») he and the dwarves found traces of a narrow track (он и гномы обнаружили следы узкой тропы; trace — след, отпечаток, остатки чего-либо, признаки), often lost (/которая/ часто терялась), often rediscovered (/которую/ часто /они вынуждены были/ отыскивать заново), that wandered on to the top of the southern ridge (которая брела = вела /блуждая/ к верхушке южного хребта) and brought them at last (и /которая/ привела их, наконец-то) to a still narrower ledge (к еще более узкому выступу; ledge — планка, полочка; выступ, край), which turned north (который поворачивал на север) across the face of the Mountain (по всему склону Горы; face — лицо; открытый склон, склон холма). Looking down (взглянув вниз) they saw that they were at the top of the cliff (они увидели, что они были у самого верха отвесной скалы) at the valley’s head (у верхней части долины) and were gazing down (и смотрели пристально вниз) on to their own camp below (на их собственный лагерь там, внизу).
pillar [ˈpɪlǝ] rough [rʌf] narrow [ˈnærǝʋ]
But at last unexpectedly they found what they were seeking. Fili and Kili and the hobbit went back one day down the valley and scrambled among the tumbled rocks at its southern corner. About midday, creeping behind a great stone that stood alone like a pillar, Bilbo came on what looked like rough steps going upwards. Following these excitedly he and the dwarves found traces of a narrow track, often lost, often rediscovered, that wandered on to the top of the southern ridge and brought them at last to a still narrower ledge, which turned north across the face of the Mountain. Looking down they saw that they were at the top of the cliff at the valley’s head and were gazing down on to their own camp below.
Silently (бесшумно), clinging to the rocky wall on their right (прильнув к скалистой стене, что была по их правой стороне), they went in single file (шли они гуськом; file — ряд, шеренга, колонна; in single file — гуськом, змейкой) along the ledge (по выступу), till the wall opened (до тех пор, пока стена не распахнулась) and they turned into a little steep-walled bay (и они не завернули в маленький изгиб с крутыми стенами; bay — бухта, залив; изгиб горы), grassy-floored (с дном, покрытым травой; grassy — покрытый травой, травяной, травянистый; floor — пол, настил), still and quiet (спокойный и тихий). Its entrance (вход его) which they had found (который они обнаружили) could not be seen from below (невозможно было увидеть ни снизу) because of the overhang of the cliff (из-за отвеса скалы; overhang — свес, выступ), nor from further off (ни издалека/с более отдаленного расстояния) because it was so small (потому что он был настолько маленьким) that it looked like a dark crack and no more (что он выглядел как темная трещина — не больше; crack — трещина, расселина). It was not a cave (это не была пещера) and was open to the sky above (и над ним /изгибом/ было открытое небо: «и был открыт небу над ним»); but at its inner end (но у его внутреннего края) a flat wall rose up (поднималась плоская стена) that in the lower part (которая в нижней части), close to the ground (близко к земле), was as smooth and upright as mason’s work (была настолько гладкой и прямой, что была /похожа/ на работу каменщика; upright — вертикальный, прямой, отвесный; mason — каменщик, каменотес), but without a joint or crevice to be seen (но ни места соединения, ни трещины видно не было; joint — место соединения, стык; crevice — трещина, расселина).
ledge [ledʒ] mason [ˈmeɪs (ǝ) n] crevice [ˈkrevɪs]
Silently, clinging to the rocky wall on their right, they went in single file along the ledge, till the wall opened and they turned into a little steep-walled bay, grassy-floored, still and quiet. Its entrance which they had found could not be seen from below because of the overhang of the cliff, nor from further off because it was so small that it looked like a dark crack and no more. It was not a cave and was open to the sky above; but at its inner end a flat wall rose up that in the lower I part, close to the ground, was as smooth and upright as mason’s work, but without a joint or crevice to be seen.
“No sign was there (не было там и ни одного признака) of post (/какого-либо/ столба) or lintel (или дверной перемычки) or threshold (или порога), nor any sign (ни никакого признака) of bar (бруска) or bolt (или засова) or key-hole (или замочной скважины); yet they did not doubt (и все же они не сомневались) that they had found the door at last (что они нашли дверь, в конце-то концов). They beat on it (они колотили в нее), they thrust and pushed at it (они толкали и пихали ее), they implored it to move (они умоляли ее сдвинуться;