“Go on, whistle again! I am in for a party, it seems, and one or two more won’t make much difference, ” growled Beorn.
Gandalf whistled again; but Nori and Ori were there almost before he had stopped, for, if you remember, Gandalf had told them to come in pairs every five minutes.
“Hullo!” said Beorn. “You came pretty quick — where were you hiding? Come on my jack-in-the-boxes!”
“Nori at your service, Ori at. ” they began; but Beorn interrupted them. “Thank you! When I want your help I will ask for it. Sit down, and let’s get
on with this tale, or it will be supper-time before it is ended. ”
“As soon as we were asleep, ” went on Gandalf, “a crack at the back of the cave opened; goblins came out and grabbed the hobbit and the dwarves and our troop of ponies —“
“Troop of ponies? What were you — a travelling circus? Or were you carrying lots of goods? Or do you always call six a troop?”
“O no! As a matter of fact there were more than six ponies (на самом-то деле, там было больше шести пони), for there were more than six of us (так как нас было больше шести) — and well, here are two more (и вот, здесь еще двое)!”
Just at that moment Balin and Dwalin appeared (как раз в этот момент появились Балин и Двалин) and bowed so low (и поклонились так низко) that their beards swept the stone floor (что их бороды подмели каменный пол). The big man was frowning at first (большой человек поначалу хмурился), but they did their very best (но они старались изо всех сил;
“Troop, was right (труппа, вот это точно), ” he said. “A fine comic one (прекрасная смешная труппа). Come in my merry men (заходите, мои забавные друзья;
“Now go on again (давайте, продолжайте снова)!” said Beorn to the wizard (сказал Беорн волшебнику).
beard [bɪǝd] frightfully [ˈfraɪtf (ǝ) lɪ] troop [tru: p] offend [ǝˈfend]
“O no! As a matter of fact there were more than six ponies, for there were more than six of us — and well, here are two more!”