Властелин колец: Две башни
The King of the Golden Hall
’Now,lord,’saidGandalf,’lookoutuponyourland!Breathethefreeairagain!’
FromtheporchuponthetopofthehighterracetheycouldseebeyondthestreamthegreenfieldsofRohanfadingintodistantgrey.Curtainsofwind-blownrainwereslantingdown.Theskyaboveandtothewestwasstilldarkwiththunder,andlightningfarawayflickeredamongthetopsofhiddenhills.Butthewindhadshiftedtothenorth,andalreadythestormthathadcomeoutoftheEastwasreceding,rollingawaysouthwardtothesea.Suddenlythrougharentinthecloudsbehindthemashaftofsunstabbeddown.Thefallingshowersgleamedlikesilver,andfarawaytheriverglitteredlikeashimmeringglass.
’Itisnotsodarkhere,’saidThéoden.
’No,’saidGandalf.’Nordoesageliesoheavilyonyourshouldersassomewouldhaveyouthink.Castasideyourprop!’
Fromtheking’shandtheblackstafffellclatteringonthestones.Hedrewhimselfup,slowly,asamanthatisstifffromlongbendingoversomedulltoil.Nowtallandstraighthestood,andhiseyeswereblueashelookedintotheopeningsky.
’Darkhavebeenmydreamsoflate,’hesaid,’butIfeelasonenew-awakened.Iwouldnowthatyouhadcomebefore,Gandalf.ForIfearthatalreadyyouhavecometoolate,onlytoseethelastdaysofmyhouse.NotlongnowshallstandthehighhallwhichBregosonofEorlbuilt.Fireshalldevourthehighseat.Whatistobedone?’
’Much,’saidGandalf.’ButfirstsendforÉomer.
