Властелин колец: Братство кольца
A Knife in the Dark
TheworldlookedwildandwidefromWeathertop.
‘Idon’tknowiftheRoadhaseverbeenmeasuredinmilesbeyondtheForsakenInn,aday’sjourneyeastofBree,’answeredStrider.‘Somesayitissofar,andsomesayotherwise.Itisastrangeroad,andfolkaregladtoreachtheirjourney’send,whetherthetimeislongorshort.ButIknowhowlongitwouldtakemeonmyownfeet,withfairweatherandnoillfortune:twelvedaysfromheretotheFordofBruinen,wheretheRoadcrossestheLoudwaterthatrunsoutofRivendell.Wehaveatleastafortnight’sjourneybeforeus,forIdonotthinkweshallbeabletousetheRoad.’
‘Afortnight!’saidFrodo.‘Alotmayhappeninthattime.’
‘Itmay,’saidStrider.
Theystoodforawhilesilentonthehill-top,nearitssouthwardedge.InthatlonelyplaceFrodoforthefirsttimefullyrealizedhishomelessnessanddanger.HewishedbitterlythathisfortunehadlefthiminthequietandbelovedShire.HestareddownatthehatefulRoad,leadingbackwestward–tohishome.Suddenlyhewasawarethattwoblackspecksweremovingslowlyalongit,goingwestward;andlookingagainhesawthatthreeotherswerecreepingeastwardtomeetthem.HegaveacryandclutchedStrider’sarm.
‘Look,’hesaid,pointingdownwards.
AtonceStriderflunghimselfonthegroundbehindtheruinedcircle,pullingFrododownbesidehim.Merrythrewhimselfalongside.
‘Whatisit?’hewhispered.
‘Idonotknow,butIfeartheworst,’answeredStrider.
