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

“My birthday-present!” he whispered to himself, as he had often done in the endless dark days. “That’s what we wants now, yes; we wants it!” He wanted it because it was a ring of power, and if you slipped that ring on your finger, you were invisible; only in the full sunlight could you be seen, and then only by your shadow, and that would be shaky and faint. “My birthday-present! It came to me on my birthday, my precious, ” So he had always said to himself. But who knows how Gollum came by that present, ages ago in the old days when such rings were still at large in the world? Perhaps even the Master who ruled them could not have said. Gollum used to wear it at first, till it tired him; and then he kept it in a pouch next his skin, till it galled him; and now usually he hid it in a hole in the rock on his island, and was always going back to look at it. And still sometimes he put it on, when he could not bear to be parted from it any longer, or when he was very, very, hungry, and tired of fish.

Then he would creep along dark passages (тогда он прокрадывался по темным проходам) looking for stray goblins (выискивая заблудившихся гоблинов). He might even venture into places (он даже отваживался /пробраться/ в те места) where the torches were lit (где были зажжены факелы) and made his eyes blink and smart (они /их свет/ ослепляли его глаза и щипали их; to smart — причинять жгучую боль); for he would be safe (так как он оставался в безопасности). Oh yes, quite safe (о да, совершенно в безопасности). No one would see him (никто не видел его), no one would notice him (никто не замечал его), till he had his fingers on their throat (до тех самых пор, пока его пальцы не оказывались на их горле). Only a few hours ago he had worn it (всего несколько часов назад он носил его = имел надетым на палец; to wear (wore, worn) — носить, иметь надетым), and caught a small goblin-imp (и поймал маленького бесенка-гоблина). How it squeaked (как он визжал)! He still had a bone or two left to gnaw (у него все еще осталась пара косточек, которые он мог поглодать), but he wanted something softer (но ему хотелось чего-то помягче).

“Quite safe, yes (совершенно в безопасности, да), ” he whispered to himself (прошептал он себе). “It won’t see us, will it, my precious (он не увидит нас, не так ли, мой драгоценный)? No (нет). It won’t see us (он не увидит нас), and its nassty little sword (и его противный маленький меч) will be useless (будет бесполезным), yes quite (да, совершенно). ”

creep [kri: p] venture [ˈventʃǝ] torch [tɔ: tʃ] imp [ɪmp] useless [ˈju: slɪs]

Then he would creep along dark passages looking for stray goblins. He might even venture into places where the torches were lit and made his eyes blink and smart; for he would be safe. Oh yes, quite safe. No one would see him, no one would notice him, till he had his fingers on their throat. Only a few hours ago he had worn it, and caught a small goblin-imp. How it squeaked! He still had a bone or two left to gnaw, but he wanted something softer.

“Quite safe, yes, ” he whispered to himself. “It won’t see us, will it, my precious? No. It won’t see us, and its nassty little sword will be useless, yes quite. ”