Джон Рональд – Английский язык с Дж. Р. Р. Толкиеном. Хоббит (страница 125)
stealthy [ˈstelƟɪ] die away [ˈdaɪǝˈweɪ] vanished [ˈvænɪʃt]
It was a weary journey, and a quiet and stealthy one. There was no laughter or song or sound of harps, and the pride and hopes which had stirred in their hearts at the singing of old songs by the lake died away to a plodding gloom. They knew that they were drawing near to the end of their journey, and that it might be a very horrible end. The land about them grew bleak and barren, though once, as Thorin told them, it had been green and fair. There was little grass, and before long there was neither bush nor tree, and only broken and blackened stumps to speak of ones long vanished. They were come to the Desolation of the Dragon, and they were come at the waning of the year.
They reached the skirts of the Mountain (они достигли окраин Горы) all the same (тем не менее) without meeting any danger (не встретившись ни с какой опасностью) or any sign of the Dragon (или с каким-либо признаком /присутствия/ Дракона) other than the wilderness (кроме как пустынное пространство;
wilderness [ˈwɪldǝnɪs] climb [klaɪm] expedition [ˌekspɪˈdɪʃ (ǝ) n]
They reached the skirts of the Mountain all the same without meeting any danger or any sign of the Dragon other than the wilderness he had made about his lair. The Mountain lay dark and silent before them and ever higher above them. They made their first camp on the western side of the great southern spur, which ended in a height called Ravenhill. On this there had been an old watch-post; but they dared not climb it yet, it was too exposed. Before setting out to search the western spurs of the Mountain for the hidden door, on which all their hopes rested, Thorin sent out a scouting expedition to spy out the land to the South where the Front Gate stood. For this purpose he chose Balin and Fili and Kili, and with them went Bilbo.
They marched under the grey and silent cliffs (они шли строем под серыми и молчаливыми утесами) to the feet of Ravenhill (к подножию Вороньего Холма). There the river (в том месте: «там» река), after winding a wide loop (после того, как она делала виток широкой петлей;
noisily [ˈnɔɪzɪlɪ] foaming [ˈfǝʋmɪŋ] boulder [ˈbǝʋldǝ]
They marched under the grey and silent cliffs to the feet of Ravenhill. There the river, after winding a wide loop over the valley of Dale, turned from the Mountain on its road to the Lake, flowing swift and noisily. Its bank was bare and rocky, tall and steep above the stream; and gazing out from it over the narrow water, foaming and splashing among many boulders, they could see in the wide valley shadowed by the Mountain’s arms the grey ruins of ancient houses, towers, and walls.
“There lies all that is left of Dale (вот: «там» лежит все, что осталось от Дейла), ” said Balin. “The mountain’s sides (склоны горы) were green with woods (зеленели лесами: «были зелеными от лесов») and all the sheltered valley (и вся защищенная долина) rich and pleasant (/была/ богатой и приятной) in the days when the bells rang in that town (в те дни, когда колокола звонили в том городе). ” He looked both sad and grim (он выглядел одновременно печально и грозно) as he said this (когда он говорил это): he had been one of Thorin’s companions (он был одним из товарищей Торина) on the day the Dragon came (в тот самый день, когда пришел Дракон). They did not dare (они не осмелились) to follow the river much further (следовать гораздо дальше по реке) towards the Gate (по направлению к Воротам); but they went on (но они продолжили путь) beyond the end of the southern spur (за край южного отрога), until lying hidden behind a rock (пока, лежа, спрятанные за скалой) they could look out and see (они смогли выглянуть и увидеть) the dark cavernous opening (темное, похожее на пещеру, отверстие;
“Let us return (давайте вернемся)!” he said. “We can do no good here (мы ничего не можем здесь сделать)! And I don’t like these dark birds (и мне не нравятся эти темные птицы), they look like spies of evil (они выглядят, словно лазутчики зла). ”
cavernous [ˈkævǝnǝs] vapour [ˈveɪpǝ] ominous [ˈɔmɪnǝs]
“There lies all that is left of Dale, ” said Balin. “The mountain’s sides were green with woods and all the sheltered valley rich and pleasant in the days when the bells rang in that town. ” He looked both sad and grim as he said this: he had been one of Thorin’s companions on the day the Dragon came. They did not dare to follow the river much further towards the Gate; but they went on beyond the end of the southern spur, until lying hidden behind a rock they could look out and see the dark cavernous opening in a great cliff-wall between the arms of the Mountain. Out of it the waters of the Running River sprang; and out of it too there came a steam and a dark smoke. Nothing moved in the waste, save the vapour and the water, and every now and again a black and ominous crow. The only sound was the sound of the stony water, and every now and again the harsh croak of a bird. Balin shuddered. “Let us return!” he said. “We can do no good here! And I don’t like these dark birds, they look like spies of evil. ”
“The dragon is still alive (дракон все еще жив) and in the halls under the Mountain then (и /живет он/ в залах под Горой в таком случае) — or I imagine so from the smoke (или я так думаю, судя по дыму;
“That does not prove it (это ничего не доказывает: «то не доказывает это»), ” said Balin, “though I don’t doubt you are right (хотя я и не сомневаюсь, что вы правы). But he might be gone away some time (но он, может быть, улетел уже некоторое время /назад/), or he might be lying out (или он, может быть, лежит где-нибудь снаружи) on the mountain-side (на склоне горы) keeping watch (и подкарауливает /жертв/;