Властелин колец: Братство кольца
The Ring Goes South
"Verywell,"saidGandalf."Butwemustnotusethewood-notunlessitisachoicebetweenfireanddeath."
TheCompanysetoutagainwithgoodspeedatfirst;butsoontheirwaybecamesteepanddifficult.Thetwistingandclimbingroadhadinmanyplacesalmostdisappeared,andwasblockedwithmanyfallenstones.Thenightgrewdeadlydarkundergreatclouds.Abitterwindswirledamongtherocks.Bymidnighttheyhadclimbedtothekneesofthegreatmountains.Thenarrowpathnowwoundunderasheerwallofcliffstotheleft,abovewhichthegrimflanksofCaradhrastoweredupinvisibleinthegloom;ontherightwasagulfofdarknesswherethelandfellsuddenlyintoadeepravine.
Laboriouslytheyclimbedasharpslopeandhaltedforamomentatthetop.Frodofeltasofttouchonhisface.Heputouthisarmandsawthedimwhiteflakesofsnowsettlingonhissleeve.
Theywenton.Butbeforelongthesnowwasfallingfast,fillingalltheair,andswirlingintoFrodo’seyes.ThedarkbentshapesofGandalfandAragornonlyapaceortwoaheadcouldhardlybeseen.
"Idon’tlikethisatall,"pantedSamjustbehind."Snow’sallrightonafinemorning,butIliketobeinbedwhileit’sfalling.IwishthislotwouldgoofftoHobbiton!Folkmightwelcomeitthere."ExceptonthehighmoorsoftheNorthfarthingaheavyfallwasrareintheShire,andwasregardedasapleasanteventandachanceforfun.
