Властелин колец: Возвращение короля

           ‘Donotspoilthewonderwithhaste!Ihavegivenyoumywordtoreturnhitherwithyou,ifadayofpeaceandfreedomcomesagain.Butitisnowneartonoon,andatthathourweeat,andthensetoutagain,Ihear.’

           Merrygotupandyawned.Hisfewhours’sleephadnotbeennearlyenough;hewastiredandratherdismal.HemissedPippin,andfeltthathewasonlyaburden,whileeverybodywasmakingplansforspeedinabusinessthathedidnotfullyunderstand.‘WhereisAragorn?’heasked.

           ‘InahighchamberoftheBurg,’saidLegolas.‘Hehasneitherrestednorslept,Ithink.Hewentthithersomehoursago,sayingthathemusttakethought,andonlyhiskinsman,Halbarad,wentwithhim;butsomedarkdoubtorcaresitsonhim.’

           ‘Theyareastrangecompany,thesenewcomers,’saidGimli.‘Stoutmenandlordlytheyare,andtheRidersofRohanlookalmostasboysbesidethem;fortheyaregrimmenofface,wornlikeweatheredrocksforthemostpart,evenasAragornhimself;andtheyaresilent.’

           ‘ButevenasAragorntheyarecourteous,iftheybreaktheirsilence.’saidLegolas.‘AndhaveyoumarkedthebrethrenElladanandElrohir?Lesssombreistheirgearthantheothers’,andtheyarefairandgallantasElven-lords;andthatisnottobewonderedatinthesonsofElrondofRivendell.’

           ‘Whyhavetheycome?Haveyouheard?’askedMerry.Hehadnowdressed,andheflunghisgreycloakabouthisshoulders;andthethreepassedouttogethertowardstheruinedgateoftheBurg.