Властелин колец: Братство кольца
A Knife in the Dark
Sauroncanputfiretohiseviluses,ashecanallthings,buttheseRidersdonotloveit,andfearthosewhowieldit.Fireisourfriendinthewilderness.’
‘Maybe,’mutteredSam.‘Itisalsoasgoodawayofsaying"hereweare"asIcanthinkof,barshouting.’
Downinthelowestandmostshelteredcornerofthedelltheylitafire,andpreparedameal.Theshadesofeveningbegantofall,anditgrewcold.Theyweresuddenlyawareofgreathunger,fortheyhadnoteatenanythingsincebreakfast;buttheydarednotmakemorethanafrugalsupper.Thelandsaheadwereemptyofallsavebirdsandbeasts,unfriendlyplacesdesertedbyalltheracesoftheworld.
Rangerspassedattimesbeyondthehills,buttheywerefewanddidnotstay.Otherwandererswererare,andofevilsort:trollsmightstraydownattimesoutofthenorthernvalleysoftheMistyMountains.OnlyontheRoadwouldtravellersbefound,mostoftendwarves,hurryingalongonbusinessoftheirown,andwithnohelpandfewwordstospareforstrangers.
‘Idon’tseehowourfoodcanbemadetolast,’saidFrodo.‘Wehavebeencarefulenoughinthelastfewdays,andthissupperisnofeast;butwehaveusedmorethanweought,ifwehavetwoweeksstilltogo,andperhapsmore.’
‘Thereisfoodinthewild,’saidStrider;‘berry,root,andherb;andIhavesomeskillasahunteratneed.Youneednotbeafraidofstarvingbeforewintercomes.Butgatheringandcatchingfoodislongandwearywork,andweneedhaste.
