Властелин колец: Две башни
The King of the Golden Hall
’Downonyourbelly!HowlongisitsinceSarumanboughtyou?Whatwasthepromisedprice?Whenallthemenweredead,youweretopickyourshareofthetreasure,andtakethewomanyoudesire?Toolonghaveyouwatchedherunderyoureyelidsandhauntedhersteps.’
Éomergraspedhissword.’ThatIknewalready,’hemuttered.’ForthatreasonIwouldhaveslainhimbefore,forgettingthelawofthehall.Butthereareotherreasons.’Hesteppedforward,butGandalfstayedhimwithhishand.
’Éowynissafenow,’hesaid.’Butyou,Wormtongue,youhavedonewhatyoucouldforyourtruemaster.Somerewardyouhaveearnedatleast.YetSarumanisapttooverlookhisbargains.Ishouldadviseyoutogoquicklyandremindhim,lestheforgetyourfaithfulservice.’
’Youlie,’saidWormtongue.
’Thatwordcomestoooftandeasyfromyourlips,’saidGandalf.’Idonotlie.See,Théoden,hereisasnake!Withsafetyyoucannottakeitwithyou,norcanyouleaveitbehind.Toslayitwouldbejust.Butitwasnotalwaysasitnowis.Onceitwasaman,anddidyouserviceinitsfashion.Givehimahorseandlethimgoatonce,whereverhechooses.Byhischoiceyoushalljudgehim.’
’Doyouhearthis,Wormtongue?’saidThéoden.’Thisisyourchoice:toridewithmetowar,andletusseeinbattlewhetheryouaretrue;ortogonow,whitheryouwill.Butthen,ifeverwemeetagain,Ishallnotbemerciful.’
SlowlyWormtonguerose.Helookedatthemwithhalf-closedeyes.
