Властелин колец: Две башни
The White Rider
Therearedeepprintsofhoofsallaboutthisspot,andsignsthataheavythingwasdraggedaway.TheOrcwasslainbyhorsemen,andlaterhisbodywashauledtothefire.Butthehobbitwasnotseen:hewasnot"intheopen",foritwasnightandhestillhadhiselven-cloak.Hewasexhaustedandhungry,anditisnottobewonderedatthat,whenhehadcuthisbondswiththeknifeofhisfallenenemy,herestedandatealittlebeforehecreptaway.Butitisacomforttoknowthathehadsomelembasinhispocket,eventhoughheranawaywithoutgearorpack;that,perhaps,islikeahobbit.Isayhe,thoughIhopeandguessthatbothMerryandPippinwereheretogether.Thereis,however,nothingtoshowthatforcertain.’
’Andhowdoyousupposethateitherofourfriendscametohaveahandfree?’askedGimli.
’Idonotknowhowithappened,’answeredAragorn.’NordoIknowwhyanOrcwascarryingthemaway.Nottohelpthemtoescape,wemaybesure.Nay,ratherIthinkthatInowbegintounderstandamatterthathaspuzzledmefromthebeginning:whywhenBoromirhadfallenweretheOrcscontentwiththecaptureofMerryandPippin?Theydidnotseekouttherestofus,norattackourcamp;butinsteadtheywentwithallspeedtowardsIsengard.DidtheysupposetheyhadcapturedtheRing-bearerandhisfaithfulcomrade?Ithinknot.TheirmasterswouldnotdaretogivesuchplainorderstoOrcs,eveniftheyknewsomuchthemselves;theywouldnotspeakopenlytothemoftheRing:theyarenottrustyservants.
