Властелин колец: Две башни

           ’Itremindsme,somehow,oftheoldroomintheGreatPlaceoftheTooksawaybackintheSmialsatTuckborough:ahugeplace,wherethefurniturehasneverbeenmovedorchangedforgenerations.TheysaytheOldTooklivedinityearafteryear,whileheandtheroomgotolderandshabbiertogether-andithasneverchangedsincehedied,acenturyago.AndOldGerontiuswasmygreat-great-grandfather:thatputsitbackabit.Butthatisnothingtotheoldfeelingofthiswood.Lookatallthoseweeping,trailing,beardsandwhiskersoflichen!Andmostofthetreesseemtobehalfcoveredwithraggeddryleavesthathaveneverfallen.Untidy.Ican’timaginewhatspringwouldlooklikehere,ifitevercomes;stilllessaspring-cleaning.’

           ’ButtheSunatanyratemustpeepinsometimes.’saidMerry.’ItdoesnotlookorfeelatalllikeBilbo’sdescriptionofMirkwood.Thatwasalldarkandblack,andthehomeofdarkblackthings.Thisisjustdim,andfrightfullytree-ish.Youcan’timagineanimalslivinghereatall,orstayingforlong.’

           ’No,norhobbits,’saidPippin.’AndIdon’tlikethethoughtoftryingtogetthroughiteither.Nothingtoeatforahundredmiles,Ishouldguess.Howareoursupplies?’

           ’Low,’saidMerry.’Weranoffwithnothingbutacoupleofsparepacketsoflembas,andlefteverythingelsebehind.’Theylookedatwhatremainedoftheelven-cakes:brokenfragmentsforaboutfivemeagredays,thatwasall.’Andnotawraporablanket,’saidMerry.’Weshallbecoldtonight,whicheverwaywego.’