Page 207 - The Hobbit

"As soon as you like," said the wizard.

Actually it was some days before Bilbo really set out.
They buried Thorin deep beneath the Mountain, and Bard laid the Arkenstone
upon his breast.

"There let it lie till the Mountain falls!" he said. "May it bring good fortune to
all his folk that dwell here after!" Upon his tomb the Elvenking then laid Orcrist,
the elvish sword that had been taken from Thorin in captivity. It is said in songs
that it gleamed ever in the dark if foes approached, and the fortress of the dwarves

could not be taken by surprise. There now Dain son of Nain took up his abode,
and he became King under the Mountain, and in time many other dwarves
gathered to his throne in the ancient halls. Of the twelve companions of Thorin,

ten remained. Fili and Kili had fallen defending him with shield and body, for he
was their mother's elder brother. The others remained with Dain; for Dain dealt his
treasure well. There was, of course, no longer any question of dividing the hoard
in such shares as had been planned, to Balin and Dwalin, and Dori and Nori and

Ori, and Oin and Gloin, and Bifur and Bofur and Bombur-or to Bilbo. Yet a
fourteenth share of all the silver and gold, wrought and unwrought, was given up
to Bard; for Dain said: "We will honour the agreement of the dead, and he has

now the Arkenstone in his keeping."
Even a fourteenth share was wealth exceedingly great, greater than that of
many mortal kings. From that treasure Bard sent much gold to the Master of
Lake-town; and he rewarded his followers and friends freely. To the Elvenking he

gave the emeralds of Girion, such jewels as he most loved, which Dain had
restored to him. To Bilbo he said: "This treasure is as much yours as it is mine;
though old agreements cannot stand, since so many have a claim in its winning
and defence. Yet even though you were willing to lay aside all your claim, I

should wish that the words of Thorin, of which he repented, should not prove true:
that we should give you little. I would reward you most richly of all."
"Very kind of you," said Bilbo. "But really it is a relief to me. How on earth
should I have got all that treasure home without war and murder all along the

way, I don't know. And I don't know what I should have done with it when I got
home. I am sure it is better in your hands."
In the end he would only take two small chests, one filled with silver, and the

other with gold, such as one strong pony could carry. "That will be quite as much
as I can manage," said he.
At last the time came for him to say good-bye to his friends. "Farewell, Balin!"
he said; "and farewell, Dwalin; and farewell Dori, Nori, Ori, Oin, Gloin, Bifur,