Хоббит

           Bard,ofcourse,refusedtoallowthedwarvestogostraightontotheMountain.HewasdeterminedtowaituntilthegoldandsilverhadbeenbroughtoutinexchangefortheArkenstone:forhedidnotbelievethatthiswouldbedone,ifoncethefortresswasmannedwithsolargeandwarlikeacompany.Theyhadbroughtwiththemagreatstoreofsupplies;forthedwarvescancarryveryheavyburdens,andnearlyallofDain’sfolks,inspiteoftheirrapidmarch,borehugepacksontheirbacksinadditiontotheirweapons.Theywouldstandasiegeforweeks,andbythattimeyetmoredwarvesmightcome,andyetmore,forThorinhadmanyrelatives.Alsotheywouldbeabletoreopenandguardsomeothergate,sothatthebesiegerswouldhavetoencirclethewholemountain;andforthattheyhadnotsufficientnumbers.

           Thesewere,infact,preciselytheirplans(fortheraven-messengershadbeenbusybetweenThorinandDain);butforthemomentthewaywasbarred,soafterangrywordsthedwarf-messengersretiredmutteringintheirbeards.BardthensentmessengersatoncetotheGate;buttheyfoundnogoldorpayment.Arrowscameforthassoonastheywerewithinshot,andtheyhastenedbackindismay.Inthecampallwasnowastir,asifforbattle;forthedwarvesofDainwereadvancingalongtheeasternbank.

           "Fools!"laughedBard,"tocomethusbeneaththeMountain’sarm!Theydonotunderstandwaraboveground,whatevertheymayknowofbattleinthemines.Therearemanyofourarchersandspearmennowhiddenintherocksupontheirrightflank.