Властелин колец: Две башни
The Passage of the Marshes
’Idon’tknow,’saidFrodoinadreamlikevoice.’ButIhaveseenthemtoo.Inthepoolswhenthecandleswerelit.Theylieinallthepools,palefaces,deepdeepunderthedarkwater.Isawthem:grimfacesandevil,andnoblefacesandsad.Manyfacesproudandfair,andweedsintheirsilverhair.Butallfoul,allrotting,alldead.Afelllightisinthem.’Frodohidhiseyesinhishands.’Iknownotwhotheyare;butIthoughtIsawthereMenandElves,andOrcsbesidethem.’
`Yes,yes,’saidGollum.`Alldead,allrotten.ElvesandMenandOrcs.TheDeadMarshes.Therewasagreatbattlelongago,yes,sotheytoldhimwhenSméagolwasyoung,whenIwasyoungbeforethePreciouscame.Itwasagreatbattle.TallMenwithlongswords,andterribleElves,andOrcsesshrieking.TheyfoughtontheplainfordaysandmonthsattheBlackGates.ButtheMarsheshavegrownsincethen,swallowedupthegraves;alwayscreeping,creeping.’
’Butthatisanageandmoreago,’saidSam.’TheDeadcan’tbereallythere!IsitsomedevilryhatchedintheDarkLand?’
`Whoknows?Sméagoldoesn’tknow,’answeredGollum.’Youcannotreachthem,youcannottouchthem.Wetriedonce,.yes,precious.Itriedonce;butyoucannotreachthem.Onlyshapestosee,perhaps,nottotouch.Noprecious!Alldead.’
Samlookeddarklyathimandshudderedagain,thinkingthatheguessedwhySméagolhadtriedtotouchthem.`Well,Idon’twanttoseethem,’hesaid.’Neveragain!Can’twegetonandgetaway?’
`Yes,yes,’saidGollum.
