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the siege of gondor 1083
you can, do something to stop any dreadful thing happening.’
‘The Lord does not permit those who wear the black and
silver to leave their post for any cause, save at his own
command.’
‘Well, you must choose between orders and the life of
Faramir,’ said Pippin. ‘And as for orders, I think you have a
madman to deal with, not a lord. I must run. I will return if
I can.’
He ran on, down, down towards the outer city. Men flying
back from the burning passed him, and some seeing his livery
turned and shouted, but he paid no heed. At last he was
through the Second Gate, beyond which great fires leaped
up between the walls. Yet it seemed strangely silent. No noise
or shouts of battle or din of arms could be heard. Then
suddenly there was a dreadful cry and a great shock, and a
deep echoing boom. Forcing himself on against a gust of fear
and horror that shook him almost to his knees, Pippin turned
a corner opening on the wide place behind the City Gate. He
stopped dead. He had found Gandalf; but he shrank back,
cowering into a shadow.
Ever since the middle night the great assault had gone
on. The drums rolled. To the north and to the south company
upon company of the enemy pressed to the walls. There
came great beasts, like moving houses in the red and fitful
light, the mûmakil of the Harad dragging through the lanes
amid the fires huge towers and engines. Yet their Captain
cared not greatly what they did or how many might be
slain: their purpose was only to test the strength of the defence
and to keep the men of Gondor busy in many places.
It was against the Gate that he would throw his heaviest
weight. Very strong it might be, wrought of steel and iron,
and guarded with towers and bastions of indomitable stone,
yet it was the key, the weakest point in all that high and
impenetrable wall.
The drums rolled louder. Fires leaped up. Great engines
crawled across the field; and in the midst was a huge ram,