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shadows and down the stony road。 Then the people of Harrowdale shut fast their doors and shroud
their windows and are afraid。 But the Dead e seldom forth and only at times of great unquiet
and ing death。'
'Yet it is said in Harrowdale；' said éowyn in a low voice。 'that in the moonless nights but little
while ago a great host in strange array passed by。 Whence they came none knew； but they went up
the stony road and vanished into the hill； as if they went to keep a tryst。'
'Then why has Aragorn gone that way？' asked Merry。 'Don't you know anything that would
explain it？'
'Unless he has spoken words to you as his friend that we have not heard；' said éomer； 'none now
in the land of the living can tell his purpose。'
'Greatly changed he seemed to me since I saw him first in the king's house；' said éowyn：
'grimmer； older。 Fey I thought him； and like one whom the Dead call。'
'Maybe he was called；' said Théoden； 'and my heart tells me that I shall not see him again。 Yet
he is a kingly man of high destiny。 And take fort in this； daughter； since fort you seem to
need in your grief for this guest。 It is said that when the Eorlingas came out of the North and passed
at length up the Snowbourn； seeking strong places of refuge in time of need； Brego and his son
Baldor climbed the Stair of the Hold and so came before the Door。 On the threshold sat an old man；
aged beyond guess of years； tall and kingly he had been； but now he was withered as an old stone。
Indeed for stone they took him； for he moved not； and he said no word； until they sought to pass
him by and enter。 And then a voice came out of him； as it were out of the ground； and to their
amaze it spoke in the western tongue： _The way is shut_。
'Then they halted and looked at him and saw that he lived still； but he did not look at them。 _The
way is shut_； his voice said again _It was made by those who are Dead； and the Dead keep it； until
the time es。 The way is shut。_
'_And when will that time be？_said Baldor。 But no answer did he ever get。 For the old man died
in that hour and fell upon his face； and no other tidings of the ancient dwellers in the mountains
have our folk ever learned。 Yet maybe at last the time foretold has e； and Aragorn may pass。'
'But how shall a man discover whether that time be e or no； save by daring the Door？' said
éomer。 'And that way I would not go though all the hosts of Mordor stood before me； and I were
alone and had no other refuge。 Alas that a fey mood should fall on a man so greathearted in this
hour of need！ Are there not evil things enough abroad without seeking them under the earth？ War is
at hand。'
He paused； for at that moment there was a noise outside； a man's voice crying the name of
Théoden； and the challenge of the guard。
Presently the captain of the Guard thrust aside the curtain。 'A man is here； lord；' he said； 'an
errand…rider of Gondor。 He wishes to e before you at once。'
'Let him e！' said Théoden。
A tall man entered； and Merry choked back a cry； for a moment it seemed to him that Boromir
was alive again and had returned。 Then he saw that it was not so； the man was a stranger； though as
like to Boromir as if he were one of his kin； tall and grey…eyed and proud。 He was clad as a rider
with a cloak of dark green over a coat of fine mail； on the front of his helm was wrought a small
silver star。 In his hand he bore a single arrow； black…feathered and barbed with steel； but the point
was painted red。
He sank on one knee and presented the arrow to Théoden。 'Hail Lord of the Rohirrim； friend of
Gondor！' he said。 'Hirgon I am； errand…rider of Denethor； who bring you this token of war。 Gondor
is in great need。 Often the Rohirrim have aided us； but now the Lord Denethor asks for all your
strength and all your speed； lest Gondor fall at last。'
'The Red Arrow！' said Théoden； holding it； as one who receives a summons long expected and
yet dreadful when it es。 His hand trembled。 'The Red Arrow has not been seen in the Mark in
all my years！ Has it indeed e to that？ And what does the Lord Denethor reckon that all my
strength and all my speed may be？'
'That is best known to yourself； lord；' said Hirgon。 'But ere long it may well e to pass that
Minas Tirith is surrounded； and unless you have the strength to break a siege of many powers； the
Lord Denethor bids me say that he judges that the strong arms of the Rohirrim would be better
within his walls than without。'
'But he knows that we are a people who fight rather upon horseback and in the open； and that we
are also a scattered people and time is needed for the gathering of our Riders。 Is 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 mand 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 e 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 e 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