Властелин колец: Возвращение короля
The Siege of Gondor
‘Andwealsohavefew.NowwouldthecomingofRohanbeinthenickoftime,’saidDenethor.
‘Wearelikelytoseeothernewcomersfirst,’saidGandalf.‘FugitivesfromCairAndroshavealreadyreachedus.Theislehasfallen.AnotherarmyiscomefromtheBlackGate,crossingfromthenorth-east.’
‘Somehaveaccusedyou,Mithrandir,ofdelightingtobearillnews,’saidDenethor,‘buttomethisisnolongernews:itwasknowntomwerenightfallyesterday.Asforthesortie,Ihadalreadygiventhoughttoit.Letusgodown.’
Timepassed.Atlengthwatchersonthewallscouldseetheretreatoftheout-companies.Smallbandsofwearyandoftenwoundedmencamefirstwithlittleorder;somewererunningwildlyasifpursued.Awaytotheeastwardthedistantfiresflickered;andnowitseemedthathereandtheretheycreptacrosstheplain.Housesandbarnswereburning.Thenfrommanypointslittleriversofredflamecamehurryingon,windingthroughthegloom,convergingtowardsthelineofthebroadroadthatledfromtheCity-gatetoOsgiliath.
‘Theenemy,’menmurmured.‘Thedikeisdown.Heretheycomepouringthroughthebreaches!Andtheycarrytorches,itseems.Whereareourownfolk?’
Itdrewnowtoeveningbythehour,andthelightwassodimthatevenfar-sightedmenupontheCitadelcoulddiscernlittleclearlyoutuponthefields,saveonlytheburningsthatevermultiplied,andthelinesoffirethatgrewinlengthandspeed.
