Властелин колец: Возвращение короля
The Black Gate Opens
Sodesolatewerethoseplacesandsodeepthehorrorthatlayonthemthatsomeofthehostwereunmanned,andtheycouldneitherwalknorridefurthernorth.
Aragornlookedatthem,andtherewaspityinhiseyesratherthanwrath;forthesewereyoungmenfromRohan,fromWestfoldfaraway,orhusbandmenfromLossarnach,andtothemMordorhadbeenfromchildhoodanameofevil,andyetunreal,alegendthathadnopartintheirsimplelife;andnowtheywalkedlikemeninahideousdreammadetrue,andtheyunderstoodnotthiswarnorwhyfateshouldleadthemtosuchapass.
‘Go!’saidAragorn.‘Butkeepwhathonouryoumay,anddonotrun!Andthereisataskwhichyoumayattemptandsobenotwhollyshamed.Takeyourwaysouth-westtillyoucometoCairAndros,andifthatisstillheldbyenemies,asIthink,thenre-takeit,ifyoucan;andholdittothelastindefenceofGondorandRohan!’
Thensomebeingshamedbyhismercyovercametheirfearandwenton,andtheotherstooknewhope,hearingofamanfuldeedwithintheirmeasurethattheycouldturnto,andtheydeparted.Andso,sincemanymenhadalreadybeenleftattheCross-roads,itwaswithlessthansixthousandsthattheCaptainsoftheWestcameatlasttochallengetheBlackGateandthemightofMordor.
Theyadvancednowslowly,expectingateveryhoursomeanswertotheirchallenge,andtheydrewtogether,sinceitwasbutwasteofmentosendoutscoutsorsmallpartiesfromthemainhost.
