Властелин колец: Две башни
Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit
IdoubtnotthatthedaysofGondorarenumbered,andthewallsofMinasTiritharedoomed,sogreatisHisstrengthandmalice.’
`ButstillwewillnotsitidleandletHimdoallasHewould,’saidMablung.`ThesecursedSouthronscomenowmarchinguptheancientroadstoswellthehostsoftheDarkTower.Yea,uptheveryroadsthatcraftofGondormade.Andtheygoevermoreheedlessly,welearn,thinkingthatthepoweroftheirnewmasterisgreatenough,sothatthemereshadowofHishillswillprotectthem.Wecometoteachthemanotherlesson.Greatstrengthofthemwasreportedtoussomedaysago,marchingnorth.Oneoftheirregimentsisduebyourreckoningtopassby,sometimeerenoon-upontheroadabove,whereitpassesthroughtheclovenway.Theroadmaypass,buttheyshallnot!NotwhileFaramirisCaptain.Heleadsnowinallperilousventures.Buthislifeischarmed,orfatespareshimforsomeotherend.’
Theirtalkdieddownintoalisteningsilence.Allseemedstillandwatchful.Sam,crouchedbytheedgeofthefern-brake,peeredout.Withhiskeenhobbit-eyeshesawthatmanymoreMenwereabout.Hecouldseethemstealinguptheslopes,singlyorinlongfiles,keepingalwaystotheshadeofgroveorthicket,orcrawling,hardlyvisibleintheirbrownandgreenraiment,throughgrassandbrake.Allwerehoodedandmasked,andhadgauntletsontheirhands,andwerearmedlikeFaramirandhiscompanions.Beforelongtheyhadallpassedandvanished.ThesunrosetillitnearedtheSouth.Theshadowsshrank.
