Властелин колец: Две башни
Helm’s Deep
’Maybe,wehaveathousandfittofightonfoot,’saidGamling,anoldman,theleaderofthosethatwatchedtheDike.’Butmostofthemhaveseentoomanywinters,asIhave,ortoofew,asmyson’ssonhere.WhatnewsofErkenbrand?WordcameyesterdaythathewasretreatinghitherwithallthatisleftofthebestRidersofWestfold.Buthehasnotcome.’
’Ifearthathewillnotcomenow,’saidÉomer.’Ourscoutshavegainednonewsofhim,andtheenemyfillsallthevalleybehindus.’
’Iwouldthathehadescaped,’saidThéoden.’Hewasamightyman.InhimlivedagainthevalourofHelmtheHammerhand.Butwecannotawaithimhere.Wemustdrawallourforcesnowbehindthewalls.Areyouwellstored?Webringlittleprovision,forwerodeforthtoopenbattle,nottoasiege.’
’BehindusinthecavesoftheDeeparethreepartsofthefolkofWestfold,oldandyoung,childrenandwomen,’saidGamling.’Butgreatstoreoffood,andmanybeastsandtheirfodder,havealsobeengatheredthere.’
’Thatiswell,’saidÉomer.’Theyareburningordespoilingallthatisleftinthevale.’
’IftheycometobargainforourgoodsatHelm’sGate,theywillpayahighprice,’saidGamling.
ThekingandhisRiderspassedon.Beforethecausewaythatcrossedthestreamtheydismounted.InalongfiletheyledtheirhorsesuptherampandpassedwithinthegatesoftheHornburg.Theretheywerewelcomedagainwithjoyandrenewedhope;fornowthereweremenenoughtomanboththeburgandthebarrierwall.
