Джон Толкиен - Английский язык с Дж. Р. Р. Толкиеном. Хоббит

recent [ˈri: s (ǝ) nt] earthquake [ˈǝ: Ɵkweɪk] attribute [ǝˈtrɪbju: t] ominous [ˈɔmɪnǝs]

Those lands had changed much since the days when dwarves dwelt in the Mountain, days which most people now remembered only as a very shadowy tradition. They had changed even in recent years, and since the last news that Gandalf had had of them. Great floods and rains had swollen the waters that flowed east; and there had been an earthquake or two (which some were inclined to attribute to the dragon — alluding to him chiefly with a curse and an ominous nod in the direction of the Mountain). The marshes and bogs had spread wider and wider on either side. Paths had vanished, and many a rider and wanderer too, if they had tried to find the lost ways across. The elf-road through the wood which the dwarves had followed on the advice of Beorn now came to a doubtful and little used end at the eastern edge of the forest; only the river offered any longer a safe way from the skirts of Mirkwood in the North to the mountain-shadowed plains beyond, and the river was guarded by the Wood-elves’ king.

So you see (так что вы видите) Bilbo had come in the end (что Бильбо, в конце концов, пришел) by the only road (по единственной дороге) that was any good (которая была более-менее хорошей). It might have been some comfort to Mr. Baggins (для мистера Бэггинса могло бы стать некоторым утешением) shivering on the barrels (пока он дрожал на бочках), if he had known (если бы он знал) that news of this had reached Gandalf far away (что новости об этом достигли Гэндальфа, /который был/ очень далеко) and given him great anxiety (и заставили его сильно тревожится), and that he was in fact (и что он, на самом-то деле) finishing his other business (заканчивал свое другое дело) (which does not come into this tale (которое не входит в эту историю)) and getting ready to come in search of Thorin’s company (и готовился уже приступить к поискам Торина и его компании). But Bilbo did not know it (но Бильбо этого не знал).

anxiety [æŋˈzaɪǝtɪ] search [sǝ: tʃ]

So you see Bilbo had come in the end by the only road that was any good. It might have been some comfort to Mr. Baggins shivering on the barrels, if he had known that news of this had reached Gandalf far away and given him great anxiety, and that he was in fact finishing his other business (which does not come into this tale) and getting ready to come in search of Thorin’s company. But Bilbo did not know it.

All he knew was (все что он знал, так это то: «было») that the river seemed to go on and on and on for ever (что река, казалось, продолжалась и продолжалась и продолжалась бесконечно), and he was hungry (и что он был голоден), and had a nasty cold in the nose (и что у него был отвратительный насморк /в носу/; cold — холод, стужа; простуда ), and did not like the way (и ему не нравилось то, каким образом) the Mountain seemed to frown at him (Гора, казалось, хмуро смотрела на него) and threaten him (и угрожала ему) as it drew ever nearer (когда она все приближалась). After a while, however (спустя какое-то время, однако), the river took a more southerly course (река потекла на юг: «река приняла более южное направление») and the Mountain receded again (и Гора снова удалилась; to recede — отступать, пятиться, ретироваться ), and at last (и, наконец), late in the day (уже поздно днем) the shores grew rocky (берега стали скалистыми), the river gathered all its wandering waters together (и река собрала все свои блуждающие воды вместе) into a deep and rapid flood (и глубокий и быстрый поток; flood — наводнение, разлив, потоп) , and they swept along at great speed (и они понеслись на огромной скорости; to sweep (swept) along — нестись, мчаться, рваться ).

hungry [ˈhʌŋɡrɪ] threaten [ˈƟretn] southerly [ˈsʌðǝlɪ]

All he knew was that the river seemed to go on and on and on for ever, and he was hungry, and had a nasty cold in the nose, and did not like the way the Mountain seemed to frown at him and threaten him as it drew ever nearer. After a while, however, the river took a more southerly course and the Mountain receded again, and at last, late in the day the shores grew rocky, the river gathered all its wandering waters together into a deep and rapid flood, and they swept along at great speed.

The sun had set (солнце село; to set (set) — зд. садиться, заходить /о небесных светилах/ ) when turning with another sweep (когда, поворачивая на следующем изгибе; sweep — зд. изгиб, поворот ) towards the East (по направлению на Восток) the forest-river rushed into the Long Lake (лесная речка ворвалась в Длинное Озеро). There it had a wide mouth (у нее было широкое устье) with stony clifflike gates at either side (с каменными, похожими на утесы воротами с каждой стороны) whose feet were piled with shingles (у подножия которых были свалены кучами камушки). The Long Lake (Длинное Озеро)! Bilbo had never imagined (Бильбо никогда и не представлял) that any water that was not the sea (что водное пространство, которое не было морем) could look so big (может выглядеть таким огромным). It was so wide (оно было таким широким) that the opposite shores (что противоположные берега) looked small and far (казались маленькими и далекими), but it was so long (но оно было настолько длинным) that its northerly end (что его северную оконечность), which pointed towards the Mountain (что была обращена к Горе; to point — указывать, направлять ), could not be seen at all (вообще не возможно было увидеть). Only from the map did Bilbo know (только по карте: «из карты» Бильбо знал) that away up there (что там, далеко наверху), where the stars of the Wain were already twinkling (где звезды Большой Медведицы уже мерцали; wain — повозка, телега; Wain — астр. Большая Медведица ), the Running River came down (Быстротечная Речка спускалась) into the lake (в озеро) from Dale (от Дейла) and with the Forest River (и вместе с Лесной Речкой) filled with deep waters (заполняли глубокими водами) what must once have been (то, что однажды должно быть было) a great deep rocky valley (огромной глубокой скалистой долиной). At the southern end (у южного окончания) the doubled waters poured out again (удвоенные воды снова вытекали; to pour — лить, литься ) over high waterfalls (/спадая/ высокими водопадами) and ran away hurriedly (и уносились прочь торопливо) to unknown lands (в неизведанные земли). In the still evening air (в неподвижном вечернем воздухе) the noise of the falls could be heard (можно было расслышать шум водопадов) like a distant roar (подобный удаленному реву).

shingle [ˈʃɪŋɡ (ǝ) l] wain [weɪn] unknown [ʌnˈnǝʋn] roar [rɔ:]

The sun had set when turning with another sweep towards the East the forest-river rushed into the Long Lake. There it had a wide mouth with stony clifflike gates at either side whose feet were piled with shingles. The Long Lake! Bilbo had never imagined that any water that was not the sea could look so big. It was so wide that the opposite shores looked small and far, but it was so long that its northerly end, which pointed towards the Mountain, could not be seen at all. Only from the map did Bilbo know that away up there, where the stars of the Wain were already twinkling, the Running River came down into the lake from Dale and with the Forest River filled with deep waters what must once have been a great deep rocky valley. At the southern end the doubled waters poured out again over high waterfalls and ran away hurriedly to unknown lands. In the still evening air the noise of the falls could be heard like a distant roar.

Not far from the mouth of the Forest River (недалеко от устья Лесной Речки) was the strange town (находился странный город) he heard the elves speak of (о котором он слышал, как говорили эльфы) in the king’s cellars (в погребах короля). It was not built on the shore (он не был построен на берегу), though there were a few huts and buildings there (хотя там и располагалось несколько лачуг и строений), but right out on the surface of the lake (но прямо на поверхности озера), protected from the swirl of the entering river (защищенный от водоворотов впадающей речки) by a promontory of rock (мысом скалы) which formed a calm bay (который образовывал спокойный залив). A great bridge made of wood (огромный мост, изготовленный из дерева) ran out to where (уходил туда, где) on huge piles made of forest trees (на огромных сваях из лесных деревьев; pile — свая, столб, кол ) was built a busy wooden town (был выстроен оживленный деревянный город; busy—занятой, деятельный ), not a town of elves but of Men (город не эльфов, а Людей), who still dared to dwell here (которые все еще осмеливались обитать здесь) under the shadow of the distant dragon-mountain (под сенью удаленной горы, где жил дракон: «драконьей горы»). They still throve on the trade (они все еще богатели на торговле /товарами/) that came up the great river (что доставлялись вверх по великой реке) from the South (с Юга) and was carted (и /дальше/ доставлялись на телегах; to cart — ехать/везти на телеге; cart — телега, повозка ) past the falls (мимо водопадов) to their town (в их город); but in the great days of old (но в старые добрые времена; in the days of old — в старину ), when Dale in the North was rich and prosperous (когда Дейл на Севере был богатым и процветающим /городом/), they had been wealthy and powerful (они были богатыми и могущественными), and there had been fleets of boats on the waters (и целые караваны судов были на воде; fleet — флот, флотилия ), and some were filled with gold (и некоторые из них были наполнены золотом) and some with warriors in armour (а некоторые — воинами в доспехах), and there had been wars and deeds (и происходили войны и вершились подвиги; deed — поступок, действие, деяние ) which were now only a legend (что теперь были только легендой). The rotting piles of a greater town (гниющие сваи того более великого города) could still be seen along the shores (все еще можно было увидеть у берегов) when the waters sank in a drought (когда вода спадала в засуху).