Властелин колец: Возвращение короля
The Passing of the Grey Company
‘MayIlaytheswordofMeriadocoftheShireonyourlapThéodenKing?’hecried.‘Receivemyservice,ifyouwill!’
‘GladlywillItakeit,’saidtheking;andlayinghislongoldhandsuponthebrownhairofthehobbit;heblessedhim.‘Risenow,Meriadoc,esquireofRohanofthehouseholdofMeduseld!’hesaid.‘Takeyourswordandbearituntogoodfortune!’
‘Asafatheryoushallbetome,’saidMerry.
‘Foralittlewhile,’saidThéoden.
Theytalkedthentogetherastheyate,untilpresentlyÉomerspoke.‘Itisnearthehourthatwesetforourgoing,lord,’hesaid.‘ShallIbidmensoundthehorns?ButwhereisAragorn?Hisplaceisemptyandhehasnoteaten.’
‘Wewillmakereadytoride,’saidThéoden;‘butletwordbesenttotheLordAragornthatthehourisnigh.’
ThekingwithhisguardandMerryathissidepasseddownfromthegateoftheBurgtowheretheRiderswereassemblingonthegreen.Manywerealreadymounted.Itwouldbeagreatcompany;forthekingwasleavingonlyasmallgarrisonintheBurg,andallwhocouldbesparedwereridingtotheweapontakeatEdoras.Athousandspearshadindeedalreadyriddenawayatnight;butstilltherewouldbesomefivehundredmoretogowiththeking,forthemostpartmenfromthefieldsanddalesofWestfold.
AlittleaparttheRangerssat,silent,inanorderedcompany,armedwithspearandbowandsword.Theywerecladincloaksofdarkgrey,andtheirhoodswerecastnowoverhelmandhead.
