return

1046 the return of the king
it not true, Hirgon, that the Lord of Minas Tirith knows more
than he sets in his message? For we are already at war, as
you may have seen, and you do not find us all unprepared.
Gandalf the Grey has been among us, and even now we are
mustering for battle in the East.’
‘What the Lord Denethor may know or guess of all these
things I cannot say,’ answered Hirgon. ‘But indeed our case
is desperate. My lord does not issue any command to you,
he begs you only to remember old friendship and oaths long
spoken, and for your own good to do all that you may. It is
reported to us that many kings have ridden in from the East
to the service of Mordor. From the North to the field of
Dagorlad there is skirmish and rumour of war. In the South
the Haradrim are moving, and fear has fallen on all our
coastlands, so that little help will come to us thence. Make
haste! For it is before the walls of Minas Tirith that the doom
of our time will be decided, and if the tide be not stemmed
there, then it will flow over all the fair fields of Rohan, and
even in this Hold among the hills there shall be no refuge.’
‘Dark tidings,’ said Théoden, ‘yet not all unguessed. But
say to Denethor that even if Rohan itself felt no peril, still we
would come to his aid. But we have suffered much loss in
our battles with Saruman the traitor, and we must still think
of our frontier to the north and east, as his own tidings make
clear. So great a power as the Dark Lord seems now to wield
might well contain us in battle before the City and yet strike
with great force across the River away beyond the Gate of
Kings.
‘But we will speak no longer counsels of prudence. We will
come. The weapontake was set for the morrow. When all is
ordered we will set out. Ten thousand spears I might have
sent riding over the plain to the dismay of your foes. It will
be less now, I fear; for I will not leave my strongholds all
unguarded. Yet six thousands at the least shall ride behind
me. For say to Denethor that in this hour the King of the
Mark himself will come down to the land of Gondor, though
maybe he will not ride back. But it is a long road, and man