The Hobbit / Хоббит. 10 класс - Загородняя И. Б. - Страница 18

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So they went inside. Some of them fell asleep at once, while others discussed their plans. Still they didn’t know where Smaug was.

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 at home, because the wind was cold, but a few were walking and watching the stars.

Then suddenly a great light appeared in the hills and the northern end of the lake became golden.

“The King beneath the Mountain!” they shouted. “His wealth is like the Sun, his silver like a fountain, his rivers golden run! The river is running gold from the Mountain!” they cried, and everywhere windows were opening and feet were hurrying.

There was once more a great excitement. But one man cried: “The dragon is coming or I am a fool! Cut the bridges! To arms![95] To arms!”

Then the joy was turned to fear. Soon they could see the dragon rushing towards them. Still they had a little time. Every vessel in the town was filled with water, every warrior was armed, and the bridge to the land was destroyed.

Amid shrieks and wailing and the shouts of men he came over them, swept towards the bridges and stopped! The bridge was gone, and his enemies were on an island in deep water.

Roaring the dragon swept back over the town. Men shot arrows. No one had dared to give battle to him for many years, so he was furious now.

Fire leaped from the dragon’s jaws. Then down he swooped straight through the arrow-storm; he wanted to set their town on fire.

Flames sprang high into the night. Already men were jumping into the water on every side. Women and children ran to the boats in the market-pool. Now men dropped their weapons. But there was still a company of archers among the burning houses. Their captain was Bard. He was a descendant in long line[96] of Girion, Lord of Dale, whose wife and child had escaped down the Running River from the ruin long ago. Now he shot with a great bow, till he spent all his arrows but one.[97] The flames were near him. His companions were leaving him. He bent his bow for the last time. Suddenly a bird sat down on his shoulder. It was an old thrush. It brought him news. Bard understood its language, because he was of the race of Dale.

“Wait! Wait!” the bird said to him. “The moon is rising. Look for the hollow of the left breast as he flies above you!” And then it told him of all that it had heard. Bard drew his bow-string to his ear. The dragon was flying low, and as he came the moon rose and silvered his great wings.

“Arrow!” said the bowman. “Black arrow! I have saved you to the last. You have never failed me. I had you from my father and he – from of old.[98] So go now and speed well!”

The black arrow sped straight from the string, straight for the hollow by the left breast. With a shriek Smaug turned over and crashed down.

He fell on the town. The lake roared in. A vast steam leaped up, white in the sudden dark under the moon. There was a hiss, and then silence. And that was the end of Smaug and Esgaroth, but not of Bard. And three quarters of the people of the town had escaped alive; their woods and fields and pastures and cattle and most of their boats remained undamaged; and the dragon was dead. So they praised the courage of Bard and his last mighty shot.

Bard wanted to rebuild Dale. And he said: “This is no time for words. There is work to do.”

Then he went to help the sick and the wounded. Not all the people could get shelters and there was little food. Bard had a hard task to direct the preparations for people’s protection and housing. But help came quickly; Bard had sent speedy messengers up the river to the Forest to ask the aid of the King of the Elves of the Wood. The Elvenking had received news from his own messengers, and already knew of what had happened. Far over Mirkwood news spread: “Smaug is dead!” Beorn had heard it in his wooden house, and the goblins were at council[99] in their caves.

The king of the Elves hastened now down the river to the Long Lake. He sent ahead great store of goods by water. Five days after the death of the dragon the elves came to the shores and looked on the ruins of the town. Their welcome was good,[100] and the men and their Master were ready to do anything in return for the Elvenking’s aid.

Their plans were soon made. With the women and the children, the Master remained behind; and with him were some men and many skilled elves; and they started building many huts by the shore; and also they began the planning of a new town, but not in the same place. They removed northward higher up the shore because they had fear of the water where the dragon lay.

All the other men and most of the Elvenking’s warriors went to the Mountain. So in eleven days from the ruin of the town they came into the desolate lands.

Now we will return to Bilbo and the dwarves. All night one of them had watched, but when morning came they had not heard or seen any sign of danger.

Suddenly Bilbo cried: “There is that old thrush again!”

Sure enough the old thrush was there. He sang; then he stopped singing and listened to something; and again he sang, and again he listened.

“I think he is trying to tell us something,” said Balin, “but I don’t understand his speech.”

Then the old thrush flew away but soon he came back; and with him came a very old bird. He was almost blind, he could hardly fly, and the top of his head was bald. He was an old raven of great size. He got down on the ground before them and bobbed towards Thorin.

“O Thorin son of Thrain, and Balin son of Fundin,” he croaked (he used ordinary language and not bird-speech). “I am Rac son of Carc. Carc is dead, but he was well known to you once. Now I am the chief of the great ravens of the Mountain. I want to tell you some great news. The birds are gathering back again to the Mountain and to Dale from South and East and West, because Smaug is dead!”

“Dead! Dead!” shouted the dwarves. “Dead! Then the treasure is ours!”

“Yes, dead,” said Rac. “The thrush saw him fall in battle[101] with the men of Esgaroth three nights ago.” The dwarves started shouting with joy, but Rac went on:

“You may go back to your halls in safety; all the treasure is yours – for the moment. But already a host of the elves is on the way. By the lake men say that their sorrows are due to the dwarves.[102] They want to get compensation from your treasure.

“So don’t trust the Master of the Lake-men. But you should trust the man who shot the dragon with his bow. His name is Bard, he is of the race of Dale, of the line of Girion. We would like to see peace once more among dwarves and men and elves after the long desolation; but it may cost you a lot of gold.”

Then Thorin answered: “Thank you, Rac Carc’s son. We will not forget you and your people. But thieves will never take our gold while we are alive. Please bring us news about anyone who comes near. Also I beg you, send your messengers to our relatives and tell them of our troubles. But go especially to my cousin Dain in the Iron Hills, for he has many well-armed people, and he lives nearest to this place. Tell him to hurry!”

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