Английский язык с Дж. Р. Р. Толкиеном. Хоббит

The day grew lighter and warmer as they floated along. After a while the river rounded a steep shoulder of land that came down upon their left. Under its rocky feet like an inland cliff the deepest stream had flowed lapping and bubbling. Suddenly the cliff fell away. The shores sank. The trees ended. Then Bilbo saw a sight: The lands opened wide about him, filled with the waters of the river which broke up and wandered in a hundred winding courses, or halted in marshes and pools dotted with isles on every side: but still a strong water flowed on steadily through the midst. And far away, its dark head in a torn cloud, there loomed the Mountain! Its nearest neighbours to the North — East and the tumbled land that joined it to them could not be seen. All alone it rose and looked across the marshes to the forest. The Lonely Mountain! Bilbo had come far and through many adventures to see it, and now he did not like the look of it in the least.

As he listened to the talk of the raftmen (пока он слушал разговоры сплавщиков) and pieced together the scraps of information (и соединял в единое целое те отрывки информации; to piece — собирать в единое целое, собирать из кусочков; piece — кусок, часть) they let fall (что они роняли; to let fall smth. — выпустить, выронить, уронить), he soon realized (он вскоре понял) that he was very fortunate (что ему очень посчастливилось; fortunate — счастливый, удачливый) ever to have seen it at all (вообще ее увидеть), even from this distance (даже и с такого расстояния). Dreary as had been his imprisonment (и каким бы мрачным ни было его заточение в тюрьме /эльфов/) and unpleasant as was his position (и неприятным его нынешнее положение) (to say nothing of the poor dwarves underneath him (не говоря уже о бедных гномах под ним)) still (все же), he had been more lucky (ему гораздо больше повезло) than he had guessed (чем он предполагал). The talk was all of the trade (весь разговор был о торговле) that came and went on the waterways (что велась /взад и вперед/ на этих водных путях; to come and go — движение вперд и назад) and the growth of the traffic on the river (и о росте грузооборота на реке; traffic — движение, транспорт, перевозки), as the roads out of the East towards Mirkwood vanished (так как дороги с Востока по направлению к Мрачному Лесу исчезли) or fell into disuse (или вышли из употребления); and of the bickerings of the Lake-men and the Wood-elves (и о препирательствах между Людьми-с-Озера и Лесными Эльфами) about the upkeep of the Forest River (и о содержании в исправности Лесной Реки; upkeep—содержание, ремонт, уход; tokeepup — поддерживать в должном порядке) and the care of the banks (и об уходе за берегами).

scrap [skraep] unpleasant [n'plez nt] disuse [ds'ju: s]