hobbit

horizon. Evening was coming on. Then suddenly when their hope was lowest a red ray
of the sun escaped like a finger through a rent in the cloud. A gleam of light came
straight through the opening into the bay and fell on the smooth rock-face. The old
thrush, who had been watching from a high perch with beady eyes and head cocked on
one side, gave a sudden trill. There was a loud attack. A flake of rock split from the wall
and fell. A hole appeared suddenly about three feet from the ground.
Quickly, trembling lest the chance should fade, the dwarves rushed to the rock and
pushed-in vain.
"The key! The key!" cried Bilbo. "Where is Thorin?"
Thorin hurried up.
"The key!" shouted Bilbo. "The key that went with the map! Try it now while there is still
time!"
Then Thorin stepped up and drew the key on its chain from round his neck.
He put it to the hole. It fitted and it turned! Snap! The gleam went out, the sun sank, the
moon was gone, and evening sprang into the sky.
Now they all pushed together, and slowly a part of the rock-wall gave way. Long straight
cracks appeared and widened. A door five feet high and three broad was out- lined, and
slowly without a sound swung inwards. It seemed as if darkness flowed out like a vapour
from the hole in the mountainside, and deep darkness in which nothing could be seen
lay before their eyes mouth leading in and down.
Chapter 12
Inside Information
For a long time the dwarves stood in the dark before the door and debated, until at last
Thorin spoke:
"Now is the time for our esteemed Mr. Baggins, who has proved himself a good
companion on our long road, and a hobbit full of courage and resource far exceeding his
size, and if I may say so possessed of good luck far exceeding the usual allowance-now
is the time for him to perform the service for which he was included in our Company;
now is the time for him to earn his Reward."
You are familiar with Thorin's style on important occasions, so I will not give you any
more of it, though he went on a good deal longer than this.
It certainly was an important occasion, but Bilbo felt impatient. By now he was quite
familiar with Thorin too, and he knew what be was driving at.
"If you mean you think it is my job to go into the secret passage first,
O Thorin Thrain's son Oakenshield, may your beard grow ever longer," he said crossly,
"say so at once and have done! I might refuse. I have got you out of two messes
already, which were hardly in the original bargain, so that I am, I think, already owed
some reward. But 'third time pays for all' as my father used to say, and somehow I don't
think I shall refuse. Perhaps I have begun to trust my luck more than I used to in the old
days" - he meant last spring before he left his own house, but it seemed centuries ago -
"but anyway I think I will go and have a peep at once and get it over. Now who is coming
with me?"
He did not expect a chorus of volunteers, so he was not disappointed.
Fili and Kili looked uncomfortable and stood on One leg, but the others made no
pretence of offering - except old Balin. the look-out man, who was rather fond the hobbit.
He said he would come inside at least and perhaps a bit of the way too, really to call for
help if necessary.
The most that can be said for the dwarves is this: they intended to pay Bilbo really
handsomely for his services; they had brought him to do a nasty job for them, and they