Властелин колец: Братство кольца
A Knife in the Dark
‘Whatdoyouthinkofthesemarks?’
Ontheflatunder-sideFrodosawsomescratches:‘Thereseemstobeastroke,adot,andthreemorestrokes,’hesaid.
‘ThestrokeontheleftmightbeaG-runewiththinbranches,’saidStrider.‘ItmightbeasignleftbyGandalf,thoughonecannotbesure.Thescratchesarefine,andtheycertainlylookfresh.Butthemarksmightmeansomethingquitedifferent,andhavenothingtodowithus.Rangersuserunes,andtheycomeheresometimes.’
‘Whatcouldtheymean,evenifGandalfmadethem?’askedMerry.
‘Ishouldsay,’answeredStrider,‘thattheystoodforG3,andwereasignthatGandalfwashereonOctoberthethird:thatisthreedaysagonow.Itwouldalsoshowthathewasinahurryanddangerwasathand,sothathehadnotimeordidnotdaretowriteanythinglongerorplainer.Ifthatisso,wemustbewary.’
‘Iwishwecouldfeelsurethathemadethemarks,whatevertheymaymean,’saidFrodo.‘Itwouldbeagreatcomforttoknowthathewasontheway,infrontofusorbehindus.’
‘Perhaps,’saidStrider.‘Formyself,Ibelievethathewashere,andwasindanger.Therehavebeenscorchingflameshere;andnowthelightthatwesawthreenightsagointheeasternskycomesbacktomymind.Iguessthathewasattackedonthishill-top,butwithwhatresultIcannottell.Heisherenolonger,andwemustnowlookafterourselvesandmakeourownwaytoRivendell,asbestwecan.’
‘HowfarisRivendell?’askedMerry,gazingroundwearily.
