return

1058 the return of the king
Suddenly as they talked they were stricken dumb, frozen
as it were to listening stones. Pippin cowered down with his
hands pressed to his ears; but Beregond, who had been looking
out from the battlement as he spoke of Faramir, remained
there, stiffened, staring out with starting eyes. Pippin knew
the shuddering cry that he had heard: it was the same that he
had heard long ago in the Marish of the Shire, but now it
was grown in power and hatred, piercing the heart with a
poisonous despair.
At last Beregond spoke with an effort. ‘They have come!’
he said. ‘Take courage and look! There are fell things below.’
Reluctantly Pippin climbed on to the seat and looked out
over the wall. The Pelennor lay dim beneath him, fading
away to the scarce guessed line of the Great River. But now
wheeling swiftly across it, like shadows of untimely night, he
saw in the middle airs below him five birdlike forms, horrible
as carrion-fowl yet greater than eagles, cruel as death. Now
they swooped near, venturing almost within bowshot of the
walls, now they circled away.
‘Black Riders!’ muttered Pippin. ‘Black Riders of the
air! But see, Beregond!’ he cried. ‘They are looking for
something, surely? See how they wheel and swoop, always
down to that point over there! And can you see something
moving on the ground? Dark little things. Yes, men on
horses: four or five. Ah! I cannot stand it! Gandalf ! Gandalf
save us!’
Another long screech rose and fell, and he threw himself
back again from the wall, panting like a hunted animal. Faint
and seemingly remote through that shuddering cry he heard
winding up from below the sound of a trumpet ending on a
long high note.
‘Faramir! The Lord Faramir! It is his call!’ cried Beregond.
‘Brave heart! But how can he win to the Gate, if these foul
hell-hawks have other weapons than fear? But look! They
hold on. They will make the Gate. No! the horses are running
mad. Look! the men are thrown; they are running on foot.
No, one is still up, but he rides back to the others. That will