towers

676 the two towers
then as one man they drew their swords and laid them at his
feet. ‘Command us!’ they said.
‘Westu Théoden hál! ’ cried Éomer. ‘It is a joy to us to see
you return into your own. Never again shall it be said,
Gandalf, that you come only with grief !’
‘Take back your sword, Éomer, sister-son!’ said the king.
‘Go, Háma, and seek my own sword! Gríma has it in his
keeping. Bring him to me also. Now, Gandalf, you said that
you had counsel to give, if I would hear it. What is your
counsel?’
‘You have yourself already taken it,’ answered Gandalf.
‘To put your trust in Éomer, rather than in a man of crooked
mind. To cast aside regret and fear. To do the deed at
hand. Every man that can ride should be sent west at once,
as Éomer counselled you: we must first destroy the threat
of Saruman, while we have time. If we fail, we fall. If we
succeed – then we will face the next task. Meanwhile your
people that are left, the women and the children and the old,
should fly to the refuges that you have in the mountains.
Were they not prepared against just such an evil day as this?
Let them take provision, but delay not, nor burden themselves
with treasures, great or small. It is their lives that are
at stake.’
‘This counsel seems good to me now,’ said Théoden. ‘Let
all my folk get ready! But you my guests – truly you said,
Gandalf, that the courtesy of my hall is lessened. You have
ridden through the night, and the morning wears away. You
have had neither sleep nor food. A guest-house shall be made
ready: there you shall sleep, when you have eaten.’
‘Nay, lord,’ said Aragorn. ‘There is no rest yet for the
weary. The men of Rohan must ride forth today, and we will
ride with them, axe, sword, and bow. We did not bring them
to rest against your wall, Lord of the Mark. And I promised
Éomer that my sword and his should be drawn together.’
‘Now indeed there is hope of victory!’ said Éomer.
‘Hope, yes,’ said Gandalf. ‘But Isengard is strong. And
other perils draw ever nearer. Do not delay, Théoden, when