Smaug, part two

Bilbo, Ring on, was making his way to Smaug's hall for a second time; hoping to find some useful information. Once again he found the Dragon asleep, or so he thought. No sooner had he stepped foot in when Smaug greeted him. He couldn't been seen but a Dragon's sense of smell was very keen so Smaug knew of the presence of Bilbo. At once the Dragon questioned Bilbo who bravely spoke back being careful not to reveal too much (which is wise) and yet also being careful to not respond at all (equally wise). Bilbo named himself: clue-finder, web-cutter, stinging fly, Ringwinner, Luckweared, and Barrel-rider. That last name made Smaug certain the Men of Lake-town were responsible or at least aided in the thievery.

Smaug guessed, however, that Dwarves were also involved and Bilbo feigned surprise. Smaug did not believe him: "'Don't tell me that I can eat a dwarf-ridden pony and not know it!'" (p. 236, The Hobbit). Smaug went on to explain to Bilbo the true character of Dwarves saying they only used people to do their bidding with no intention of paying; plus how would Bilbo be able to transport his treasure back to his home anyhow? This gave Bilbo pause because no discussion had ever been had about the return trip to Bag-end and how he was to take his treasure with him. But really Smaug was trying to ensnare Bilbo rather than turn him against his friends.

"Whenever Smaug's roving eye, seeking for him in the shadows, flashed across him, he trembled, and an unaccountable desire seized him to rush out and reveal himself and to tell the truth to Smaug. In fact he was in grievous danger of coming under the dragon-spell" (p. 236, The Hobbit). Bilbo, seeking to remain true to the dwarves, informed Smaug gold was not their only reason for coming; they had also come for revenge. This set Smaug off; he thought no dwarf would dare to return for when he disposed of them long ago he had been young and now he was much much stronger.

Bilbo took this opportunity to once again compliment the Dragon but also inquire about his underbelly for he had always been told that was their soft-spot. "The dragon stopped short in his boasting. 'Your information is antiquated,' he snapped. 'I am armored above and below with ironed scales and hard gems. No blade can pierce me'" (p. 238, The Hobbit). Smaug proceeded to roll over and show Bilbo the waistcoat of diamonds he contrived while long in the Dwarven halls. And Bilbo found hope unlooked for. "'Dazzlingly marvelous! Perfect! Flawless! Staggering!' exclaimed Bilbo aloud, but what he thought inside was: 'Old fool! Why there is a large patch in the hollow of his left breast as bare as a snail out of its shell!'" (p. 239, The Hobbit).

Bilbo excused himself from the conversation but couldn't resist a parting shot saying the Dragon would needs his rest to catch the remaining ponies and a burglar. This sent Smaug into a rage and he sent fire up the passage after Bilbo which he narrowly escaped. The dwarves wanted to know every detail of the conversation but Bilbo was quite anxious and uncomfortable and didn't say much. He simply stared at the thrush that continued to watch them: "'Drat that bird! said Bilbo crossly. 'I believe he is listening, and I don't like the look of him'" (p. 240, The Hobbit). Thorin came to the thrush's defense saying how in the olden days, before Smaug, the thrushes could communicate with the Men of Dale and they were helpful messengers. He even wondered if this very thrush was around at that time since it was so old.

Bilbo reluctantly told his tale; that he might have given too much information to Smaug. He at least had a strong intuition that the Dragon would be attacking Lake-town. But he also revealed the chink in Smaug's underbelly armor and this got the dwarves very excited. "That turned the conversation, and they all began discussing dragon-slayings historical, dubious, and mythical, and the various sorts of stabs and jabs and undercuts, and the different arts and devices and stratagems by which they had been accomplished" (p. 241, The Hobbit). All the while Bilbo's unrest grew stronger and stronger.

He informed the dwarves that they were all in very imminent danger and asked with such persistence that they move into the tunnel that they finally obliged. They would not shut the door as the hobbit asked for fear of not being able to open it again. Sitting in the tunnel they began to address Smaug's words to Bilbo concerning themselves. Thorin reassured Bilbo he'd get his share and they simply had not planned for the return journey since the outcome was always in doubt. They then began to discuss all the great treasure with Balin and Thorin remembering what they had seen in their youth. One particular jewel Thorin remembered well: "'The Arkenstone! The Arkenstone!' murmured Thorin in the dark, half dreaming with his chin upon his knees. 'It was like a globe with a thousand facets; it shone like silver in the firelight, like water in the sun, like snow under the stars, like rain upon the Moon!'" (p. 243, The Hobbit).

Still Bilbo grew more anxious. He was now begging the dwarves to shut the door. His chief concern was the silence; the Smaug made no noise. By now his pleas made the dwarves uneasy too so Thorin kicked out the door jam shutting them in the mountain. "And not a moment too soon. They had hardly gone any distance down the tunnel when a blow smote the side of the Mountain like a crash of battering-rams made of forest oaks and swung by giants" (p. 244, The Hobbit). Smaug had, in uttermost quiet, left the Front Gate, soared into the air, and floated on the side of the Mountain he guessed (an accurate guess at that) Bilbo had come in through. He was enraged to find nothing and slammed the Mountain side causing a landslide that buried the secret door and perhaps the dwarves if they had not shut the door. With his wrath hot Smaug turned his attention to Lake-town.

Middle-earth timeline: Third Age, 2941, (winter)
Today's reading comes from: The Hobbit, pages 233-245