Властелин колец: Две башни
Journey to the Cross-roads
Whetherhehadsleptbyhimselfinsomeholenearby,orhadwanderedrestlesslyprowlingthroughthenight,hedidnotsay;buthereturnedwiththefirstglimmeroflight,androusedhiscompanions.
`Mustgetup,yestheymust!’hesaid.’Longwaystogostill,southandeast.Hobbitsmustmakehaste!’
Thatdaypassedmuchasthedaybeforehadgone,exceptthatthesilenceseemeddeeper;theairgrewheavy,anditbegantobestiflingunderthetrees.Itfeltasifthunderwasbrewing.Gollumoftenpaused,sniffingtheair,andthenhewouldmuttertohimselfandurgethemtogreaterspeed.
Asthethirdstageoftheirday’smarchdrewonandafternoonwaned,theforestopenedout,andthetreesbecamelargerandmorescattered.Greatilexesofhugegirthstooddarkandsolemninwidegladeswithhereandthereamongthemhoaryash-trees.andgiantoaksjustputtingouttheirbrown-greenbuds.Aboutthemlaylonglaundsofgreengrassdappledwithcelandineandanemones,whiteandblue,nowfoldedforsleep;andtherewereacrespopulouswiththeleavesofwoodlandhyacinths:alreadytheirsleekbell-stemswerethrustingthroughthemould.Nolivingcreature,beastorbird,wastobeseen,butintheseopenplacesGollumgrewafraid,andtheywalkednowwithcaution,flittingfromonelongshadowtoanother.
Lightwasfadingfastwhentheycametotheforest-end.Theretheysatunderanoldgnarledoakthatsentitsrootstwistinglikesnakesdownasteepcrumblingbank.Adeepdimvalleylaybeforethem.
