Властелин колец: Братство кольца
The Ring Goes South
ThreeoftheblackhorseshadbeenfoundatoncedrownedinthefloodedFord.Ontherocksoftherapidsbelowitsearchersdiscoveredthebodiesoffivemore,andalsoalongblackcloak,slashedandtattered.OftheBlackRidersnoothertracewastobeseen,andnowherewastheirpresencetobefelt.ItseemedthattheyhadvanishedfromtheNorth.
"EightoutoftheNineareaccountedforatleast,"saidGandalf."Itisrashtobetoosure,yetIthinkthatwemayhopenowthattheRingwraithswerescattered,andhavebeenobligedtoreturnasbesttheycouldtotheirMasterinMordor,emptyandshapeless.
"Ifthatisso,itwillbesometimebeforetheycanbeginthehuntagain.OfcoursetheEnemyhasotherservants,buttheywillhavetojourneyallthewaytothebordersofRivendellbeforetheycanpickupourtrail.Andifwearecarefulthatwillbehardtofind.Butwemustdelaynolonger."
Elrondsummonedthehobbitstohim.HelookedgravelyatFrodo."Thetimehascome,"hesaid."IftheRingistosetout,itmustgosoon.Butthosewhogowithitmustnotcountontheirerrandbeingaidedbywarorforce.TheymustpassintothedomainoftheEnemyfarfromaid.Doyoustillholdtoyourword,Frodo,thatyouwillbetheRing-bearer?"
"Ido,"saidFrodo."IwillgowithSam."
"ThenIcannothelpyoumuch,notevenwithcounsel,"saidElrond."Icanforeseeverylittleofyourroad;andhowyourtaskistobeachievedIdonotknow.
