"'As for ruffians, voilà pour eux,' he said, drawing Estingue. 'I'll drive this bane of trolls into their interiors.'
"Buttrebeurrousse and la Carcharotte exchanged a sombre, vaguely wolf-like glance, as if struck at the same time by a terrible thought.
"'Stay,' said Buttrebeurrousse.
"'Yes, stay,' said la Carcharotte. 'We will take good care of you.'
"The jeweller threw a coup d'oeil outside and said, 'The mountain is crowned with a veritable storm of Mordor; lightning leaps back broken into tongues of fire. It seems that I must do so, and that I am fated to accept your aid, and your fate to help me, whom you long haggled with evil purpose.'
"Buttrebeurousse wiped the sweat from his brow, but la Carcharotte smiled sweetly, and for the first time since I had met her, almost looked attractive.
"'Where will you keep me?' asked Ouanqueur.
"'The best will be in one of the quarters for the hobbite,' said la Carcharotte. 'That's the most suited for dwarves that we possess, I fear.'
