Хоббит

           AndthatwastheendofSmaugandEsgaroth,butnotofBard.Thewaxingmoonrosehigherandhigherandthewindgrewloudandcold.IttwistedthewhitefogintobendingpillarsandhurryingcloudsanddroveitofftotheWesttoscatterintatteredshredsoverthemarshesbeforeMirkwood.Thenthemanyboatscouldbeseendotteddarkonthesurfaceofthelake,anddownthewindcamethevoicesofthepeopleofEsgarothlamentingtheirlosttownandgoodsandruinedhouses.Buttheyhadreallymuchtobethankfulfor,hadtheythoughtofit,thoughitcouldhardlybeexpectedthattheyshouldjustthen:threequartersofthepeopleofthetownhadatleastescapedalive;theirwoodsandfieldsandpasturesandcattleandmostoftheirboatsremainedundamaged;andthedragonwasdead.Whatthatmeanttheyhadnotyetrealized.Theygatheredinmournfulcrowdsuponthewesternshores,shiveringinthecoldwind,andtheirfirstcomplaintsandangerwereagainsttheMaster,whohadleftthetownsosoon,whilesomewerestillwillingtodefendit."Hemayhaveagoodheadforbusiness-especiallyhisownbusiness,"somemurmured,"butheisnogoodwhenanythingserioushappens!"AndtheypraisedthecourageofBardandhislastmightyshot."Ifonlyhehadnotbeenkilled,"theyallsaid,"wewouldmakehimaking.BardtheDragon-shooterofthelineofGirion!Alasthatheislost!"

           Andintheverymidstoftheirtalk,atallfiguresteppedfromtheshadows.