Властелин колец: Две башни
Helm’s Deep
Thenheknelt,offeringhisnotchedswordtotheking.’Commandme,lord!’hecried.’Andpardonme!Ithought-’
’YouthoughtIremainedinMeduseldbentlikeanoldtreeunderwintersnow.Soitwaswhenyourodetowar.Butawestwindhasshakentheboughs,’saidThéoden.’Givethismanafreshhorse!LetusridetothehelpofErkenbrand!’
WhileThéodenwasspeaking,Gandalfrodeashortwayahead,andhesattherealone,gazingnorthtoIsengardandwesttothesettingsun.Nowhecameback.
’Ride,Théoden!’hesaid.’RidetoHelm’sDeep!GonottotheFordsofIsen,anddonottarryintheplain!Imustleaveyouforawhile.Shadowfaxmustbearmenowonaswifterrand.’TurningtoAragornandÉomerandthemenoftheking’shousehold,hecried:’KeepwelltheLordoftheMark,tillIreturn.AwaitmeatHelm’sGate!Farewell!’
HespokeawordtoShadowfax,andlikeanarrowfromthebowthegreathorsesprangaway.Evenastheylookedhewasgone:aflashofsilverinthesunset,awindoverthegrass,ashadowthatfledandpassedfromsight.Snowmanesnortedandreared,eagertofollow;butonlyaswiftbirdonthewingcouldhaveovertakenhim.
’Whatdoesthatmean?’saidoneoftheguardtoHáma.
’ThatGandalfGreyhamehasneedofhaste,’answeredHáma.’Everhegoesandcomesunlooked-for:’
’Wormtongue,werehehere,wouldnotfindithardtoexplain’Saidtheother.
’Trueenough,’saidHáma;’butformyself,IwillwaituntilIseeGandalfagain.’
’Maybeyouwillwaitlong,’saidtheother.
