Властелин колец: Две башни
Helm’s Deep
WhathopetheymayhavethenIdonotknow.’
’Morethanwe.Goodprovision,itissaid.Andtheairiswholesometherebecauseoftheoutletsthroughfissuresintherockfarabove.Nonecanforceanentranceagainstdeterminedmen.Theymayholdoutlong.’
’ButtheOrcshavebroughtadevilryfromOrthanc,’saidAragorn.’Theyhaveablastingfire,andwithittheytooktheWall.Iftheycannotcomeinthecaves,theymaysealupthosethatareinside.Butnowwemustturnallourthoughtstoourowndefence.’
’Ifretinthisprison,’saidThéoden.’IfIcouldhavesetaspearinrest,ridingbeforemymenuponthefield,maybeIcouldhavefeltagainthejoyofbattle,andsoended.ButIservelittlepurposehere.’
’HereatleastyouareguardedinthestrongestfastnessoftheMark,’saidAragorn.’MorehopewehavetodefendyouintheHornburgthaninEdoras,orevenatDunharrowinthemountains.’
’ItissaidthattheHornburghasneverfallentoassault,’saidThéoden;’butnowmyheartisdoubtful.Theworldchanges,andallthatoncewasstrongnowprovesunsure.Howshallanytowerwithstandsuchnumbersandsuchrecklesshate?HadIknownthatthestrengthofIsengardwasgrownsogreat,maybelshouldnotsorashlyhaveriddenforthtomeetit,foralltheartsofGandalf.Hiscounselseemsnotnowsogoodasitdidunderthemorningsun.’
’DonotjudgethecounselofGandalf,untilallisover,lord,’saidAragorn.
’Theendwillnotbelong,’saidtheking.