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the houses of healing 1125
‘I’ll never get him there,’ thought Pippin. ‘Is there no one
to help me? I can’t leave him here.’ Just then to his surprise a
boy came running up behind, and as he passed he recognized
Bergil Beregond’s son.
‘Hullo, Bergil!’ he called. ‘Where are you going? Glad to
see you again, and still alive!’
‘I am running errands for the Healers,’ said Bergil. ‘I cannot
stay.’
‘Don’t!’ said Pippin. ‘But tell them up there that I have a
sick hobbit, a perian mind you, come from the battle-field. I
don’t think he can walk so far. If Mithrandir is there, he will
be glad of the message.’ Bergil ran on.
‘I’d better wait here,’ thought Pippin. So he let Merry sink
gently down on to the pavement in a patch of sunlight, and
then he sat down beside him, laying Merry’s head in his lap.
He felt his body and limbs gently, and took his friend’s hands
in his own. The right hand felt icy to the touch.
It was not long before Gandalf himself came in search of
them. He stooped over Merry and caressed his brow; then
he lifted him carefully. ‘He should have been borne in honour
into this city,’ he said. ‘He has well repaid my trust; for if
Elrond had not yielded to me, neither of you would have set
out; and then far more grievous would the evils of this day
have been.’ He sighed. ‘And yet here is another charge on
my hands, while all the time the battle hangs in the balance.’
So at last Faramir and Éowyn and Meriadoc were laid in
beds in the Houses of Healing; and there they were tended
well. For though all lore was in these latter days fallen from
its fullness of old, the leechcraft of Gondor was still wise, and
skilled in the healing of wound and hurt, and all such sickness
as east of the Sea mortal men were subject to. Save old age
only. For that they had found no cure; and indeed the span
of their lives had now waned to little more than that of other
men, and those among them who passed the tale of five score
years with vigour were grown few, save in some houses of
purer blood. But now their art and knowledge were baffled;