With that the hobbit turned and scuttled inside his round green door, and shut it as quickly as he dared, not to seen rude. Wizards after all are wizards.

“What on earth did I ask him to tea for!” he said to himself, as he went to the pantry. He had only just had breakfast, but he thought a cake or two and a drink of something would do him good after his fright. Gandalf in the meantime was still standing outside the door, and laughing long but quietly. After a while he stepped up, and with the spike of his staff scratched a queer sign on the hobbit’s beautiful green front-door. Then he strode away, just about the time when Bilbo was finishing his second cake and beginning to think that he had escape adventures very well.

 

The next day (на следующий день) he had almost forgotten about Gandalf (он почти что забыл о Гэндальфе). He did not remember things very well (он не очень-то хорошо /обычно/ запоминал вещи), unless he put them down (если он только не записывал их) on his Engagement Tablet (в свою записную книжку для встреч) like this (подобно этому): Gandalf, tea, Wednesday (Гэндальф, чай, среда). Yesterday he had been too flustered (вчера он был слишком взволнован) to do anything of the kind (чтобы сделать что-нибудь подобное). Just before tea-time (как раз перед самым временем вечернего чая) there came a tremendous ring on the front-door bell (раздался оглушительный звонок дверного колокольчика; tremendous — жуткий, страшный, ужасный), and then he remembered (и тогда-то он вспомнил)! He rushed and put on the kettle (он кинулся и поставил /на огонь/ чайник), and put out another cup and saucer (и поставил /на стол/ еще одну чашку и блюдце) and an extra cake or two (и один или два /дополнительных/ кексов), and ran to the door (и побежал к двери).

“I am so sorry to keep you waiting (извините, что заставил вас ждать)!” he was going to say (собирался сказать он), when he saw that it was not Gandalf at all (когда он увидел, что это был совсем и не Гэндальф).

 

engagement [In'geIdZmqnt] flustered ['flAstqd] tremendous [trI'mendqs]

 

The next day he had almost forgotten about Gandalf. He did not remember things very well, unless he put them down on his Engagement Tablet like this: Gandalf tea Wednesday. Yesterday he had been too flustered to do anything of the kind. Just before tea-time there came a tremendous ring on the front-door bell, and then he remembered! He rushed and put on the kettle, and put out another cup and saucer and an extra cake or two, and ran to the door.

“I am so sorry to keep you waiting!” he was going to say, when he saw that it was not Gandalf at all.

 

It was a dwarf (это был какой-то гном) with a blue beard (с синей бородой) tucked into a golden belt (заправленной за золотистый ремень), and very bright eyes (и очень яркими глазами) under his dark-green hood (под его темно-зеленым капюшоном). As soon as the door was opened (как только дверь открылась), he pushed inside (он уверенно вошел внутрь; to push — толкать, пихать), just as if he had been expected (словно его-то и ожидали). He hung his hooded cloak (он повесил свою накидку с капюшоном) on the nearest peg (на ближайший колышек), and (и) “Dwalin at your service (Двалин, к вашим услугам; service — услужение, работа)!” he said with a low bow (сказал он с низким поклоном).

“Bilbo Baggins at yours (Бильбо Бэггинс к вашим)!” said the hobbit (сказал хоббит), too surprised to ask any questions (слишком удивленный, чтобы задавать вопросы) for the moment (в данный момент). When the silence that followed (когда тишина, которая последовала) had become uncomfortable (стала уже неловкой), he added (он добавил): “I am just about to take tea (я как раз собираюсь пить чай); pray come and have some with me (прошу вас, проходите и выпейте немного /чаю/ со мной).” A little stiff perhaps (/прозвучало/ немного сдержанно, возможно; stiff — тугой, негибкий, жесткий), but he meant it kindly (но он хотел /чтобы это звучало/ радушно). And what would you do (а что бы вы сделали), if an uninvited dwarf (если незваный гном; to invite — приглашать) came and hung his things up in your hall (приходит и вешает свои вещи /на колышек/ в вашем зале) without a word of explanation (без малейшего слова объяснения)?

 

golden ['gqVld(q)n] expected [Ik'spektId] explanation [eksplq'neIS(q)n]

 

It was a dwarf with a blue beard tucked into a golden belt, and very bright eyes under his dark-green hood. As soon as the door was opened, he pushed inside, just as if he had been expected. He hung his hooded cloak on the nearest peg, and “Dwalin at your service!” he said with a low bow.

“Bilbo Baggins at yours!” said the hobbit, too surprised to ask any questions for the moment. When the silence that followed had become uncomfortable, he added: “I am just about to take tea; pray come and have some with me.” A little stiff perhaps, but he meant it kindly. And what would you do, if an uninvited dwarf came and hung his things up in your hall without a word of explanation?

 

They had not been at table long (они не долго сидели за столом), in fact they had hardly reached the third cake (на самом деле, они едва добрались до третьего кекса), when there came another even louder ring at the bell (когда раздался другой, даже еще более громкий звон колокольчика).

“Excuse me (извините)!” said the hobbit (сказал хоббит), and off he went to the door (и отправился к двери).

“So you have got here at last (итак, вы все-таки добрались сюда, наконец-то)!” was what he was going to say to Gandalf this time (/было то/ вот что он собирался сказать Гэндальфу на этот раз). But it was not Gandalf (но это был не Гэндальф). Instead there was a very old-looking dwarf (вместо него там стоял очень старый гном; old-looking — выглядеть старым) on the step (на ступеньке) with a white beard (с белой бородой) and a scarlet hood (и алым капюшоном); and he too hopped inside (и он тоже вскочил внутрь) as soon as the door was open (как только дверь распахнулась), just as if he had been invited (как будто его-то и приглашали).

“I see they have begun to arrive already (я вижу, что они уже начали прибывать),” he said (сказал он) when he caught sight of Dwalin’s green hood (когда он заметил: «поймал вид» зеленый капюшон Двалина) hanging up (висящий /на колышке/; to catch — ловить). He hung his red one next to it (он повесил свой красный капюшон радом с ним), and (и) “Balin at your service (Балин, к вашим услугам)!” he said with his hand on his breast (сказал он, приложив руку к своей груди: «со своей рукой на своей груди»).

 

excuse [Ik'skju:z] instead [In'sted] service ['sq:vIs]