Властелин колец: Братство кольца
A Knife in the Dark
Passingthrough,theykeptonalongtheRoadforsomemiles.Itbenttotheleft,curvingbackintoitseastwardlineasitroundedthefeetofBree-hill,andthenitbegantorunswiftlydownwardsintowoodedcountry.Totheirlefttheycouldseesomeofthehousesandhobbit-holesofStaddleonthegentlersouth-easternslopesofthehill;downinadeephollowawaynorthoftheRoadtherewerewispsofrisingsmokethatshowedwhereCombelay;Archetwashiddeninthetreesbeyond.
AftertheRoadhadrundownsomeway,andhadleftBree-hillstandingtallandbrownbehind,theycameonanarrowtrackthatledofftowardstheNorth.‘Thisiswhereweleavetheopenandtaketocover,’saidStrider.
‘Nota"shortcut",Ihope,’saidPippin.‘Ourlastshortcutthroughwoodsnearlyendedindisaster.’
‘Ah,butyouhadnotgotmewithyouthen,’laughedStrider.‘Mycuts,shortorlong,don’tgowrong.’HetookalookupanddowntheRoad.Noonewasinsight;andheledthewayquicklydowntowardsthewoodedvalley.
Hisplan,asfarastheycouldunderstanditwithoutknowingthecountry,wastogotowardsArchetatfirst,buttobearrightandpassitontheeast,andthentosteerasstraightashecouldoverthewildlandstoWeathertopHill.Inthatwaytheywould,ifallwentwell,cutoffagreatloopoftheRoad,whichfurtheronbentsouthwardstoavoidtheMidgewaterMarshes.But,ofcourse,theywouldhavetopassthroughthemarshesthemselves,andStrider’sdescriptionofthemwasnotencouraging.
