Not at Home

           Inthemeanwhile,thedwarvessatindarkness,anduttersilencefellaboutthem.Littletheyateandlittletheyspoke.Theycouldnotcountthepassingoftime;andtheyscarcelydaredtomove,forthewhisperoftheirvoicesechoedandrustledinthetunnel.Iftheydozed,theywokestilltodarknessandtosilencegoingonunbroken.Atlastafterdaysanddaysofwaiting,asitseemed,whentheywerebecomingchokedanddazedforwantofair,theycouldbearitnolonger.Theywouldalmosthavewelcomedsoundsfrombelowofthedragon’sreturn.Inthesilencetheyfearedsomecunningdevilryofhis,buttheycouldnotsitthereforever.

           Thorinspoke:"Letustrythedoor!"hesaid."Imustfeelthewindonmyfacesoonordie.IthinkIwouldratherbesmashedbySmaugintheopenthansuffocateinhere!"

           Soseveralofthedwarvesgotupandgropedbacktowherethedoorhadbeen.Buttheyfoundthattheupperendofthetunnelhadbeenshatteredandblockedwithbrokenrock.Neitherkeynorthemagicithadonceobeyedwouldeveropenthatdooragain.

           "Wearetrapped!"theygroaned."Thisistheend.Weshalldiehere."Butsomehow,justwhenthedwarvesweremostdespairing,Bilbofeltastrangelighteningoftheheart,asifaheavyweighthadgonefromunderhiswaistcoat.

           "Come,come!"hesaid."Whilethere’slifethere’shope!"asmyfatherusedtosay,and’Thirdtimepaysforall.’Iamgoingdownthetunnelonceagain.Ihavebeenthatwaytwice,whenIknewtherewasadragonattheotherend,soIwillriskathirdvisitwhenIamnolongersure.