Властелин колец: Возвращение короля
The Siege of Gondor
‘ButIwhowashisfathersaythathewouldhavebroughtittome.Youarewise,maybe,Mithrandir,yetwithallyoursubtletiesyouhavenotallwisdom.Counselsmaybefoundthatareneitherthewebsofwizardsnorthehasteoffools.Ihaveinthismattermoreloreandwisdomthanyoudeem.‘
‘Whatthenisyourwisdom?’saidGandalf.
‘Enoughtoperceivethattherearetwofolliestoavoid.Tousethisthingisperilous.Atthishour,tosenditinthehandsofawitlesshalflingintothelandoftheEnemyhimself,asyouhavedone,andthissonofmine,thatismadness.’
‘AndtheLordDenethorwhatwouldhehavedone?’
‘Neither.Butmostsurelynotforanyargumentwouldhehavesetthisthingatahazardbeyondallbutafool’shope,riskingourutterruin,iftheEnemyshouldrecoverwhathelost.Nay,itshouldhavebeenkept,hidden,hiddendarkanddeep.Notused,Isay,unlessattheuttermostendofneed,butsetbeyondhisgrasp,savebyavictorysofinalthatwhatthenbefellwouldnottroubleus,beingdead.’
‘Youthink,asisyourwont,mylord,ofGondoronly,’saidGandalf.‘Yetthereareothermenandotherlives,andtimestilltobe.Andforme,Ipityevenhisslaves.’
‘Andwherewillothermenlookforhelp,ifGondorfalls?’answeredDenethor.‘IfIhadthisthingnowinthedeepvaultsofthiscitadel,weshouldnotthenshakewithdreadunderthisgloom,fearingtheworst,andourcounselswouldbeundisturbed.Ifyoudonottrustmetoendurethetest,youdonotknowmeyet.’
