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elven…fair； clad alike in bright mail beneath cloaks of silver…grey。 Behind them walked Legolas and
Gimli。 But Merry had eyes only for Aragorn； so startling was the change that he saw in him； as if in
one night many years had fallen on his head。 Grim was his face； grey…hued and weary。
'I am troubled in mind； lord；' he said； standing by the king's horse。 'I have heard strange words；
and I see new perils far off。 I have laboured long in thought； and now I fear that I must change my
purpose。 Tell me； Théoden； you ride now to Dunharrow； how long will it be ere you e there？'
'It is now a full hour past noon；' said éomer。 'Before the night of the third day from now we
should e to the Hold。 The Moon will then be one night past his full； and the muster that the
king manded will be held the day after。 More speed we cannot make； if the strength of Rohan is
to be gathered。'
Aragorn was silent for a moment。 'Three days；' he murmured； 'and the muster of Rohan will only
be begun。 But I see that it cannot now be hastened。' He looked up； and it seemed that he had made
some decision； his face was less troubled。 Then； by our leave； lord； I must take new counsel for
myself and my kindred。 We must ride our own road； and no longer in secret。 For me the time of
stealth has passed。 I will ride east by the swiftest way； and I will take the Paths of the Dead。'
'The Paths of the Dead！' said Théoden； and trembled。 'Why do you speak of them？' éomer
turned and gazed at Aragorn； and it seemed to Merry that the faces of the Riders that sat within
hearing turned pale at the words。 'If there be in truth such paths；' said Théoden； 'their gate is in
Dunharrow； but no living man may pass it。'
'Alas！ Aragorn my friend！' said éomer。 'I had hoped that we should ride to war together； but if
you seek the Paths of the Dead； then our parting is e； and it is little likely that we shall ever
meet again under the Sun。'
'That road I will take； nonetheless；' said Aragorn。 'But I say to you； éomer； that in battle we may
yet meet again； though all the hosts of Mordor should stand between。'
'You will do as you will； my lord Aragorn；' said Théoden。 'It is your doom； maybe； to tread
strange paths that others dare not。 This parting grieves me； and my strength is lessened by it； but
now I must take the mountain…roads and delay no longer。 Farewell！'
'Farewell； lord！' said Aragorn。 'Ride unto great renown！ Farewell； Merry！ I leave you in good
hands； better than we hoped when we hunted the orcs to Fangorn。 Legolas and Gimli will still hunt
with me； I hope； but we shall not forget you。'
'Good…bye！' said Merry。 He could find no more to say。 He felt very small； and he was puzzled
and depressed by all these gloomy words。 More than ever he missed the unquenchable cheerfulness
of Pippin。 The Riders were ready； and their horses were fidgeting； he wished they would start arid
get it over。
Now Théoden spoke to éomer； and he lifted up his hand and cried aloud； and with that word the
Riders set forth。 They rode over the Dike and down the Coomb； and then； turning swiftly eastwards；
they took a path that skirted the foothills for a mile or so； until bending south it passed back among
the hills and disappeared from view。 Aragorn rode to the Dike and watched till the king's men were
far down the Coomb。 Then he turned to Halbarad。
'There go three that I love； and the smallest not the least；' he said。 'He knows not to what end he
rides； yet if he knew； he still would go on。'
'A little people； but of great worth are the Shire…folk；' said Halbarad。 'Little do they know of our
long labour for the safekeeping of their borders； and yet I grudge it not。'
'And now our fates are woven together；' said Aragorn。 'And yet； alas！ here we must part。 Well； I
must eat a little； and then we also must hasten away。 e； Legolas and Gimli！ I must speak with
you as I eat。'
Together they went back into the Burg； yet for some time Aragorn sat silent at the table in the
hall； and the others waited for him to speak。 'e！' said Legolas at last。 'Speak and be forted；
and shake off the shadow！ What has happened since we came back to this grim place in the grey
morning？'
'A struggle somewhat grimmer for my part than the battle of the Hornburg；' answered Aragorn。
'I have looked in the Stone of Orthanc； my friends。'
'You have looked in that accursed stone of wizardry！' exclaimed Gimli with fear and
astonishment in his face。 'Did you say aught to – him？ Even Gandalf feared that encounter。'
'You forget to whom you speak；' said Aragorn sternly； and his eyes glinted。 'Did I not openly
proclaim my title before the doors of Edoras？ What do you fear that I should say to him？ Nay；
Gimli；' he said in a softer voice； and the grimness left his face； and he looked like one who has
laboured in sleepless pain for many nights。 'Nay； my friends； I and the lawful master of the Stone；
and I had both the right and the strength to use it； or so I judged。 The right cannot be doubted。 The
strength was enough – barely。'
He drew a deep breath。 'It was a bitter struggle； and the weariness is slow to pass。 I spoke no
word to him； and in the end I wrenched the Stone to my own will。 That alone he will find hard to
endure。 And he beheld me。 Yes； Master Gimli； he saw me； but in other guise than you see me here。
If that will aid him； then I have done ill。 But I do not think so。 To know that I lived and walked the
earth was a blow to his heart； I deem； for he knew it not till now。 The eyes in Orthanc did not see
through the armour of Théoden； but Sauron has not forgotten Isildur and the sword of Elendil。 Now
in the very hour of his great designs the heir of Isildur and the Sword are revealed； for l showed the
blade re…forged to him。 He is not so mighty yet that he is above fear； nay； doubt ever gnaws him。'
'But he wields great dominion； nonetheless；' said Gimli； 'and now he will strike more swiftly。'
'The hasty stroke goes oft astray；' said Aragorn。 'We must press our Enemy； and no longer wait
upon him for the move。 See my friends； when I had mastered the Stone； I learned many things。 A
grave peril I saw ing unlooked…for upon Gondor from the South that will draw off great
strength from the defence of Minas Tirith。 If it is not countered swiftly； I deem that the City will be
lost ere ten days be gone。'
'Then lost it must be；' said Gimli。 'For what help is there to send thither； and how could it e
there in time？'
'I have no help to send； therefore I must go myself；' said Aragorn。 'But there is only one way
through the mountains that will bring me to the coastlands before all is lost。 That is the Paths of the
Dead。'
'The Paths of the Dead！' said Gimli。 'It is a fell name； and little to the liking to the Men of Rohan；
as I saw。 Can the living use such a road and not perish？ And even if you pass that way； what will so
few avail to counter the strokes of Mordor？'
'The living have never used that road since the ing of the Rohirrim；' said Aragorn； 'for it is
closed to them。 But in this dark hour the heir of Isildur may use it； if he dare。 Listen！ This is the
word that the sons of Elrond bring to me from their father in Rivendell； wisest in lore： _Bid
Aragorn remember the words of the seer； and the Paths of the Dead_。'
'And what may be the words of the seer？' said Legolas。
〃Thus spoke Malbeth the Seer； in the days of Arvedui； last king at Fornost；' said Aragorn：
Over the land there lies a long shadow；
westward reaching wings of darkness。
The Tower trembles； to the tombs of kings
doom approaches。 The Dead awaken；
for the hour is e for the oathbreakers；
at the Stone of Erech they shall stand again
and hear there a horn in the hills ringing。
Whose shall the horn be？ Who shall call them
from the prey twilight； the forgotten people？
The heir of him to whom the oath they swore。
From the North shall he e； need shall drive him：
he shall pass the Door to the Paths of the Dead。
'Dark ways doubtless； said Gimli； but no darker than these staves are to me。'
'If you would understand them better； then I bid you e with me；' said Aragorn； 'for that way I
now shall take。 But I do not go gladly； only need drives me。 Therefore； only of your free will would
I have you e； for you will find both toil and great fear； and maybe worse。'
'I will go with you even on the Paths of the Dead； and to whatever； end they may lead；' said
Gimli。
'I also will e；' said Legolas； 'for I do not fear the Dead。'
'I hope that the forgotten people will not have forgotten how to fight；' said Gimli； 'for otherwise I
see not why we should trouble them。'
'That we shall know if ever we e to Erech；' said Aragorn。 'But the oath that they broke was
to fight against Sauron； and they must fight therefore； if they are to fulfil it。 For at Erech there
stands yet a black stone that was brought； it was said； from Númenor by Isildur； and it was set upon
a hill； and upon it the King of the Mountains swore allegiance to him in the beginning of the realm
of Gondor。 But when Sauron returned and grew in might again； Isildur summoned the Men of the
Mountains to fulfil their oath； and they would not： for they had worshipped Sauron in the Dark
Years。
'Then Isildur said to their king： 〃Thou shalt be the last king。 And if the West prove mightier than
thy Black Master； this curse I lay upon thee and thy folk： to rest never until your oath is fulfilled。
For this war will last through years uncounted； and you shall be summoned once again ere the end。〃
And they fled before the wrath of Isildur； and did not dare to go forth to war on Sauron's part； and
they hid themselves in secret places in the mountains and had no dealings with other men； but
slowly dwindled in the barren hills。 And the terror of the Sleepless Dead lies about the Hill of
Erech and all places where that people lingered。 But that way I must go； since there are none living
to help me。'
He stood up。 'e！' he cried； and drew his sword； and it flashed in the twilit hall of the Burg。
'To the Stone of Erech！ I seek the Paths of the Dead。 e with me who will！'
Legolas and Gimli made no answer； but they rose and followed Aragorn from the hall。 On the
green there waited； still and silent； the hooded Rangers。 Legolas and Gimli mounted。 Aragorn
sprang upon Roheryn。 Then Halbarad lifted a great horn； and the blast of it echoed in Helm's Deep；
and with that they leapt away； riding down the Coomb like thunder； while all the men that were left
on Dike or Burg stared in amaze。
And while Théoden went by slow paths in the hills； the Grey pany passed swiftly over the
plain； and on the next day in the afternoon they came to Edoras； and there they halted only briefly；
ere they passed up the valley； and so came to Dunharrow as darkness fell。
The Lady éowyn greeted them and was glad of their ing； for no mightier men had she seen
than the Dúnedain and the fair sons of Elrond； but on Aragorn most of all her eyes rested。 And
when they sat at supper with her； they talked together； and she heard of all that had passed since
Théoden rode away； concerning which only hasty tidings had yet reached her； and when she heard
of the battle in Helm's Deep and the great slaughter of their foes； and of the charge of Théoden and
his knights； then her eyes shone。
But at last she said： 'Lords； you are weary and shall now go to your beds with such ease as can
be contrived in haste。 But tomorrow fairer housing shall be found for you。'
But Aragorn said： 'Nay； lady； be not troubled for us！ If we may lie here tonight and break our
fast tomorrow； it will be enough。 For I ride on an errand most urgent； and with the first light of
morning we must go。'
She smiled on him and said： 'Then it was kindly done； lord； to ride so many miles out of your
way to bring tidings to éowyn； and to speak with her in her exile。'
'Indeed no man would count such a journey wasted；' said Ar