The Lord of the Rings (Illustrated Edition) - J. R. R. Tolkien [507]
‘Good tidings!’ cried Éomer. ‘Even in this gloom hope gleams again. Our Enemy’s devices oft serve us in his despite. The accursed darkness itself has been a cloak to us. And now, lusting to destroy Gondor and throw it down stone from stone, his orcs have taken away my greatest fear. The out-wall could have been held long against us. Now we can sweep through – if once we win so far.’
‘Once again I thank you, Ghân-buri-Ghan of the woods,’ said Théoden. ‘Good fortune go with you for tidings and for guidance!’
‘Kill gorgun! Kill orc-folk! No other words please Wild Men,’ answered Ghân. ‘Drive away bad air and darkness with bright iron!’
‘To do these things we have ridden far,’ said the king, ‘and we shall attempt them. But what we shall achieve only tomorrow will show.’
Ghân-buri-Ghân squatted down and touched the earth with his horny brow in token of farewell. Then he got up as if to depart. But suddenly he stood looking up like some startled woodland animal snuffling a strange air. A light came in his eyes.
‘Wind is changing!’ he cried, and with that, in a twinkling as it seemed, he and his fellows had vanished into the glooms, never to be seen by any Rider of Rohan again. Not long after far away eastward the faint drums throbbed again. Yet to no heart in all the host came any fear that the Wild Men were unfaithful, strange and unlovely though they might appear.
‘We need no further guidance,’ said Elfhelm; ‘for there are riders in the host who have ridden down to Mundburg in days of peace. I for one. When we come to the road it will veer south, and there will lie before us still seven leagues ere we reach the wall of the townlands. Along most of that way there is much grass on either side of the road. On that stretch the errand-riders of Gondor reckoned to make their greatest speed. We may ride it swiftly and without great rumour.’
‘Then since we must look for fell deeds and the need of all our strength,’ said Éomer, ‘I counsel that we rest now, and set out hence by night, and so time our going that we come upon the fields when tomorrow is as light as it will be, or when our lord gives the signal.’
To this the king assented, and the captains departed. But soon Elfhelm returned. ‘The scouts have found naught to report beyond the Grey Wood, lord,’ he said, ‘save two men only: two dead men and two dead horses.’
‘Well?’ said Éomer. ‘What of it?’
‘This, lord: they were errand-riders of Gondor; Hirgon was one maybe. At least his hand still clasped the Red Arrow, but his head was hewn off. And this also: it would seem by the signs that they were fleeing westward when they fell. As I read it, they found the enemy already on the out-wall, or assailing it, when they returned – and that would be two nights ago, if they used fresh horses from the posts, as is their wont. They could not reach the City and turned back.’
‘Alas!’ said Théoden. ‘Then Denethor has heard no news of our riding and will despair of our coming.’
‘Need brooks no delay, yet late is better than never,’ said Éomer. ‘And mayhap in this time shall the old saw be proved truer than ever before since men spoke with mouth.’
It was night. On either side of the road the host of Rohan was moving silently. Now the road passing about the skirts of Mindolluin turned southward. Far away and almost straight ahead there was a red glow under the black sky and the sides of the great mountain loomed dark against it. They were drawing near the Rammas of the Pelennor; but the day was not yet come.
The king rode in the midst of the leading company, his household-men about him. Elfhelm’s éored came next; and now Merry noticed that Dernhelm