Властелин колец: Возвращение короля
The Last Debate
Ifwemustridesoon,thenIcannothopetoleadeventwothousands,andyetleaveasmanyforthedefenceoftheCity.’
‘Wehavenotonlytoreckonwiththosewhofoughtonthisfield‘saidAragorn.‘Newstrengthisonthewayfromthesouthernfiefs,nowthatthecoastshavebeenrid.FourthousandsIsentmarchingfromPelargirthroughLossarnachtwodaysago;andAngborthefearlessridesbeforethem.Ifwesetoutintwodaysmore,theywilldrawnigherewedepart.MoreovermanywerebiddentofollowmeuptheRiverinanycrafttheycouldgather;andwiththiswindtheywillsoonbeathand,indeedseveralshipshavealreadycometotheHarlond.Ijudgethatwecouldleadoutseventhousandsofhorseandfoot,andyetleavetheCityinbetterdefencethanitwaswhentheassaultbegan.’
‘TheGateisdestroyed,’saidImrahil,‘andwherenowistheskilltorebuilditandsetitupanew?’
‘InEreborintheKingdomofDáinthereissuchskill,’saidAragorn;‘andifallourhopesdonotperish,thenintimeIwillsendGimliGlóin’ssontoaskforwrightsoftheMountain.Butmenarebetterthangates,andnogatewillendureagainstourEnemyifmendesertit.’
Thisthenwastheendofthedebateofthelords:thattheyshouldsetforthonthesecondmorningfromthatdaywithseventhousands,ifthesemightbefound;andthegreatpartofthisforceshouldbeonfoot,becauseoftheevillandsintowhichtheywouldgo.
