The men of the lake-town Esgaroth were mostly indoors (люди из города Эсгарота на озере были по большей части в домах; indoors — в помещении, в доме, в комнате), for the breeze was from the black East and chill (так как дул ветер с темного Востока и /распространялся/ холод); chill — холод, холодная погода), but a few were walking on the quays (но несколько /человек/ прогуливались по набережным), and watching (и наблюдали), as they were fond of doing (так как им нравилось это делать; to be fond of smb., smth. — любить кого-либо, что-либо; fond — любящий, нежный), the stars shine out (за звездами сияющими, /отражаясь/) from the smooth patches of the lake (от ровных и гладких отрезков на озере; patch — заплата, клочок, лоскут; участок) as they opened in the sky (как только они появились на небе; to open — открывать, раскрываться; начинаться). From their town (от их города) the Lonely Mountain was mostly screened (Одинокая Гора была по большей части закрыта; screen — ширма, завеса; to screen — прикрывать) by the low hills (низкими холмами) at the far end of the lake (у дальнего края озера), through a gap in which (через прореху между которыми: «в которых»; gap — брешь, пролом, щель) the Running River came down from the North (с Севера текла: «ниспадала» Быстротечная Река). Only its high peak could they see (они могли видеть только ее высокую вершину) in clear weather (и то в ясную погоду), and they looked seldom at it (и они редко смотрели на нее), for it was ominous and dreary (так как она была зловещей и безотрадной) even in the light of morning (даже при свете утра). Now it was lost and gone (теперь же она потерялась и исчезла), blotted in the dark (заслоненная темнотой; toblot — делать кляксы, пачкать; затмевать, затемнять).
indoors [ˌɪnˈdɔ: z] screen [skri: n] dreary [ˈdrɪǝrɪ]
Now if you wish, like the dwarves, to hear news of Smaug, you must go back again to the evening when he smashed the door and flew off in rage, two days before.
The men of the lake-town Esgaroth were mostly indoors, for the breeze was from the black East and chill, but a few were walking on the quays, and watching, as they were fond of doing, the stars shine out from the smooth patches of the lake as they opened in the sky. From their town the Lonely Mountain was mostly screened by the low hills at the far end of the lake, through a gap in which the Running River came down from the North. Only its high peak could they see in clear weather, and they looked seldom at it, for it was ominous and dreary even in the light of morning. Now it was lost and gone, blotted in the dark.
Suddenly it flickered back to view (внезапно она вспыхнула и погасла у всех на глазах: «назад в поле зрения»; view — вид; видимость, поле зрения); a brief glow touched it and faded (короткое зарево коснулось ее и исчезло).