Властелин колец: Братство кольца
At the Sign of the Prancing Pony
‘DoyouthinktheBlackRidershaveanythingtodowithit–withGandalf’sabsence,Imean?’askedFrodo.
‘Idonotknowofanythingelsethatcouldhavehinderedhim,excepttheEnemyhimself,’saidStrider.‘Butdonotgiveuphope!GandalfisgreaterthanyouShire-folkknow–asaruleyoucanonlyseehisjokesandtoys.Butthisbusinessofourswillbehisgreatesttask.’
Pippinyawned.‘Iamsorry,’hesaid,‘butIamdeadtired.InspiteofallthedangerandworryImustgotobed,orsleepwhereIsit.Whereisthatsillyfellow,Merry?Itwouldbethelaststraw,ifwehadtogooutinthedarktolookforhim.’
Atthatmomenttheyheardadoorslam;thenfeetcamerunningalongthepassage.MerrycameinwitharushfollowedbyNob.Heshutthedoorhastily,andleanedagainstit.Hewasoutofbreath.Theystaredathiminalarmforamomentbeforehegasped:‘Ihaveseenthem,Frodo!Ihaveseenthem!BlackRiders!’
‘BlackRiders!’criedFrodo.‘Where?’
‘Here.Inthevillage.Istayedindoorsforanhour.Thenasyoudidnotcomeback,Iwentoutforastroll.Ihadcomebackagainandwasstandingjustoutsidethelightofthelamplookingatthestars.SuddenlyIshiveredandfeltthatsomethinghorriblewascreepingnear:therewasasortofdeepershadeamongtheshadowsacrosstheroad,justbeyondtheedgeofthelamplight.Itslidawayatonceintothedarkwithoutasound.Therewasnohorse.’
‘Whichwaydiditgo?’askedStrider,suddenlyandsharply.
