Властелин колец: Две башни
Flotsam and Jetsam
Itwaslikewatchingtheworkofgreattree-rootsinahundredyears,allpackedintoafewmoments.
’Theypushed,pulled,tore,shook,andhammered;andclang-bang,crash-crack,infiveminutestheyhadthesehugegatesjustlyinginruin;andsomewerealreadybeginningtoeatintothewalls,likerabbitsinasand-pit.Idon’tknowwhatSarumanthoughtwashappening;butanywayhedidnotknowhowtodealwithit.Hiswizardrymayhavebeenfallingofflately,ofcourse;butanywayIthinkhehasnotmuchgrit,notmuchplaincouragealoneinatightplacewithoutalotofslavesandmachinesandthings,ifyouknowwhatImean.VerydifferentfromoldGandalf.IwonderifhisfamewasnotallalongmainlyduetohisclevernessinsettlingatIsengard.’
’No,’saidAragorn.’Oncehewasasgreatashisfamemadehim.Hisknowledgewasdeep,histhoughtwassubtle,andhishandsmarvellouslyskilled;andhehadapoweroverthemindsofothers.Thewisehecouldpersuade,andthesmallerfolkhecoulddaunt.Thatpowerhecertainlystillkeeps.TherearenotmanyinMiddle-earththatIshouldsayweresafe,iftheywereleftalonetotalkwithhim,evennowwhenhehassufferedadefeat.Gandalf,Elrond,andGaladriel,perhaps,nowthathiswickednesshasbeenlaidbare,butveryfewothers.’
’TheEntsaresafe,’saidPippin.’Heseemsatonetimetohavegotroundthem,butneveragain.Andanywayhedidnotunderstandthem;andhemadethegreatmistakeofleavingthemoutofhiscalculations.
