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.The wise will stay here and hope torebuild our town, and enjoy again in time its peace and riches.""We will have King Bard!" the people near at hand shouted in reply."We havehad enough of the old men and the money-counters!" And people further off tookup the cry: "Up the Bowman, and down with Moneybags," till the clamour echoedalong the shore."I am the last man to undervalue Bard the Bowman," said the Master warily (forBard now stood close beside him)."He has tonight earned an eminent place inthe roll of the benefactors of our town; and he is worthy of many imperishablesongs.But, why O People?"-and here the Master rose to his feet and spoke veryloud and clear - "why do I get all your blame? For what fault am I to bedeposed? Who aroused the dragon from his slumber, I might ask? Who obtained ofus rich gifts and ample help, and led us to believe that old songs could cometrue? Who played on our soft hearts and our pleasant fancies? What sort of goldhave they sent down the river to reward us? Dragon-fire and ruin! From whomshould we claim the recompense of our damage, and aid for our widows andorphans?"As you see, the Master had not got his position for nothing.The result of hiswords was that for the moment the people quite forgot their idea of a new king,and turned their angry thoughts towards Thorin and his company.Wild and bitterwords were shouted from many sides; and some of those who had before sung theold songs loudest, were now heard as loudly crying that the dwarves had stirredthe dragon up against them deliberately!"Fools!" said Bard."Why waste words and wrath on those unhappy creatures?Doubtless they perished first in fire, before Smaug came to us." Then even ashe was speaking, the thought came into his heart of the fabled treasure of theMountain lying without guard or owner, and he fell suddenly silent.He thoughtof the Master's words, and of Dale rebuilt, and filled with golden bells, if hecould but find the men.At length he spoke again: "This is no time for angry words.Master, or forconsidering weighty plans of change.There is work to do.I serve youstill-though after a while I may think again of your words and go North withany that will follow me."Then he strode off to help in the ordering of the camps and in the care of thesick and the wounded.But the Master scowled at his back as he went, andremained sitting on the ground.He thought much but said little, unless it wasto call loudly for men to bring him fire and food.Now everywhere Bard went hefound talk running like fire among the people concerning the vast treasure thatwas now unguarded.Men spoke of the recompense for all their harm that theywould soon get from it, and wealth over and to spare with which to buy richthings from the South; and it cheered them greatly in their plight.That was aswell, for the night was bitter and miserable.Shelters could be contrived forfew (the Master had one) and there was little food (even the Master wentshort).Many took ill of wet and cold and sorrow that night, and afterwardsdied, who had escaped uninjured from the ruin of the town; and in the days thatfollowed there was much sickness and great hunger.Meanwhile Bard took the lead, and ordered things as he wished, though always inthe Master's name, and he had a hard task to govern the people and direct thepreparations for their protection and housing.Probably most of them would haveperished in the winter that now hurried after autumn, if help had not been tohand.But help came swiftly; for Bard at once had speedy messengers sent up theriver to the Forest to ask the aid of the King of the Elves of the Wood, andthese messengers had found a host already on the move, although it was thenonly the third day after the fall of Smaug.The Elvenking had received news from his own messengers and from the birds thatloved his folk, and already knew much of what had happened.Very great indeedwas the commotion among all things with wings that dwelt on the borders of theDesolation of the Dragon.The air was filled with circling flocks, and theirswift-flying messengers flew here and there across the sky.Above the bordersof the Forest there was whistling, crying and piping.Far over Mirkwood tidingsspread: "Smaug is dead!" Leaves rustled and startled ears were lifted.Evenbefore the Elvenking rode forth the news had passed west right to the pinewoodsof the Misty Mountains; Beorn had heard it in his wooden house, and the goblinswere at council in their caves."That will be the last we shall hear of Thorin Oakenshield, I fear," said theking."He would have done better to have remained my guest.It is an ill wind,all the same," he added, "that blows no one any good." For he too had notforgotten the legend of the wealth of Thror.So it was that Bard's messengersfound him now marching with many spearmen and bowmen; and crows were gatheredthick, above him, for they thought that war was awakening again, such as hadnot been in those parts for a long age.But the king, when he received theprayers of Bard, had pity, for he was the lord of a good and kindly people; soturning his march, which had at first been direct towards the Mountain, hehastened now down the river to the Long Lake.He had not boats or rafts enoughfor his host, and they were forced to go the slower way by foot; but greatstore of goods he sent ahead by water.Still elves are light-footed, and thoughthey were not in these days much used to the marches and the treacherous landsbetween the Forest and the Lake, their going was swift.Only five days afterthe death of the dragon they came upon the shores and looked on the ruins ofthe town
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