Властелин колец: Возвращение короля
The Ride of the Rohirrim
‘Arethosetheirdrums?IbegantothinkIwasimaginingthem,asnooneelseseemedtotakeanynoticeofthem.’
‘Nay,nay,’saidElfhelm,‘theenemyisontheroadnotinthehills.YouheartheWoses,theWildMenoftheWoods:thustheytalktogetherfromafar.TheystillhauntDrúadanForest,itissaid.Remnantsofanoldertimetheybe,livingfewandsecretly,wildandwaryasthebeasts.TheygonottowarwithGondorortheMark;butnowtheyaretroubledbythedarknessandthecomingoftheorcs:theyfearlesttheDarkYearsbereturning,asseemslikelyenough.Letusbethankfulthattheyarenothuntingus:fortheyusepoisonedarrows,itissaid,andtheyarewoodcraftybeyondcompare.ButtheyhaveofferedtheirservicestoThéoden.Evennowoneoftheirheadmenisbeingtakentotheking.Yondergothelights.SomuchIhaveheardbutnomore.AndnowImustbusymyselfwithmylord’scommands.Packyourselfup,MasterBag!’Hevanishedintotheshadows.
Merrydidnotlikethistalkofwildmenandpoisoneddarts,butquiteapartfromthatagreatweightofdreadwasonhim.Waitingwasunbearable.Helongedtoknowwhatwasgoingtohappen.Hegotupandsoonwaswalkingwarilyinpursuitofthelastlanternbeforeitdisappearedamongthetrees.
Presentlyhecametoanopenspacewhereasmalltenthadbeensetupforthekingunderagreattree.Alargelantern,coveredabove,washangingfromaboughandcastapalecircleoflightbelow.
