towers

670 the two towers
for a moment and gazed on the strangers with dark eyes.
‘You are held wise, my friend Wormtongue, and are doubtless
a great support to your master,’ answered Gandalf in a
soft voice. ‘Yet in two ways may a man come with evil tidings.
He may be a worker of evil; or he may be such as leaves well
alone, and comes only to bring aid in time of need.’
‘That is so,’ said Wormtongue; ‘but there is a third kind:
pickers of bones, meddlers in other men’s sorrows, carrionfowl
that grow fat on war. What aid have you ever brought,
Stormcrow? And what aid do you bring now? It was aid from
us that you sought last time that you were here. Then my
lord bade you choose any horse that you would and be gone;
and to the wonder of all you took Shadowfax in your insolence.
My lord was sorely grieved; yet to some it seemed that
to speed you from the land the price was not too great. I
guess that it is likely to turn out the same once more: you will
seek aid rather than render it. Do you bring men? Do you
bring horses, swords, spears? That I would call aid; that is
our present need. But who are these that follow at your tail?
Three ragged wanderers in grey, and you yourself the most
beggar-like of the four!’
‘The courtesy of your hall is somewhat lessened of late,
Théoden son of Thengel,’ said Gandalf. ‘Has not the messenger
from your gate reported the names of my companions?
Seldom has any lord of Rohan received three such guests.
Weapons they have laid at your doors that are worth many a
mortal man, even the mightiest. Grey is their raiment, for the
Elves clad them, and thus they have passed through the
shadow of great perils to your hall.’
‘Then it is true, as Éomer reported, that you are in league
with the Sorceress of the Golden Wood?’ said Wormtongue.
‘It is not to be wondered at: webs of deceit were ever woven
in Dwimordene.’
Gimli strode a pace forward, but felt suddenly the hand of
Gandalf clutch him by the shoulder, and he halted, standing
stiff as stone.