Властелин колец: Братство кольца
A Knife in the Dark
Rangershavebeenherelately.Itistheywholeftthefirewoodbehind.ButtherearealsoseveralnewertracksthatwerenotmadebyRangers.Atleastonesetwasmade,onlyadayortwoago,byheavyboots.Atleastone.Icannotnowbecertain,butIthinkthereweremanybootedfeet.’Hepausedandstoodinanxiousthought.
EachofthehobbitssawinhismindavisionofthecloakedandbootedRiders.Ifthehorsemenhadalreadyfoundthedell,thesoonerStriderledthemsomewhereelsethebetter.Samviewedthehollowwithgreatdislike,nowthathehadheardnewsoftheirenemiesontheRoad,onlyafewmilesaway.
‘Hadn’twebetterclearoutquick,Mr.Strider?’heaskedimpatiently.‘Itisgettinglate,andIdon’tlikethishole:itmakesmyheartsinksomehow.’
‘Yes,wecertainlymustdecidewhattodoatonce,’answeredStrider,lookingupandconsideringthetimeandtheweather.‘Well,Sam,’hesaidatlast,‘Idonotlikethisplaceeither;butIcannotthinkofanywherebetterthatwecouldreachbeforenightfall.Atleastweareoutofsightforthemoment,andifwemovedweshouldbemuchmorelikelytobeseenbyspies.Allwecoulddowouldbetogorightoutofourwaybacknorthonthissideofthelineofhills,wherethelandisallmuchthesameasitishere.TheRoadiswatched,butweshouldhavetocrossit,ifwetriedtotakecoverinthethicketsawaytothesouth.OnthenorthsideoftheRoadbeyondthehillsthecountryisbareandflatformiles.’
‘CantheRiderssee?’askedMerry.
