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a year since we were caught。 Well； though half of it was like a bad dream； I
reckon that three very horrible days followed。 Merry will correct me； if I
forget anything important： I am not going into details： the whips and the
filth and stench and all that； it does not bear remembering。' With that he
plunged into an account of Boromir's last fight and the orc…march from Emyn
Muil to the Forest。 The others nodded as the various points were fitted in
with their guesses。
'Here are some treasures that you let fall；' said Aragorn。 'You will be
glad to have them back。' He loosened his belt from under his cloak and took
from it the two sheathed knives。
'Well！' said Merry。 'I never expected to see those again！ I marked a
few orcs with mine； but Ugl甼 took them from us。 How he glared！ At first I
thought he was going to stab me； but he threw the things away as if they
burned him。'
'And here also is your brooch； Pippin；' said Aragorn。 'I have kept it
safe； for it is a very precious thing。'
'I know；' said Pippin。 'It was a wrench to let it go； but what else
could I do？'
'Nothing else；' answered Aragorn。 'One who cannot cast away a treasure
at need is in fetters。 You did rightly。'
'The cutting of the bands on your wrists； that was smart work！' said
Gimli。 'Luck served you there； but you seized your chance with both hands；
one might say。'
'And set us a pretty riddle；' said Legolas。 'I wondered if you had
grown wings！'
'Unfortunately not；' said Pippin。 'But you did not know about
Grishnbkh。' He shuddered and said no more； leaving Merry to tell of those
last horrible moments： the pawing hands； the hot breath； and the dreadful
strength of Grishnbkh's hairy arms。
'All this about the Orcs of Barad…dyr； Lugb畆z as they call it； makes
me uneasy；' said Aragorn。 'The Dark Lord already knew too much and his
servants also； and Grishnbkh evidently sent some message across the River
after the quarrel。 The Red Eye will be looking towards Isengard。 But Saruman
at any rate is in a cleft stick of his own cutting。'
'Yes； whichever side wins； his outlook is poor；' said Merry。 'Things
began to go all wrong for him from the moment his Orcs set foot in Rohan。'
'We caught a glimpse of the old villain； or so Gandalf hints；' said
Gimli。 'On the edge of the Forest。'
'When was that？' asked Pippin。
'Five nights ago；' said Aragorn。
'Let me see；' said Merry： 'five nights ago…now we e to a part of the
story you know nothing about。 We met Treebeard that morning after the
battle； and that night we were at Wellinghall； one of his ent…houses。 The
next morning we went to Entmoot； a gathering of Ents； that is； and the
queerest thing I have ever seen in my life。 It lasted all that day and the
next； and we spent the nights with an Ent called Quickbeam。 And then late in
the afternoon in the third day of their moot； the Ents suddenly blew up。 It
was amazing。 The Forest had felt as tense as if a thunderstorm was brewing
inside it： then all at once it exploded。 I wish you could have heard their
song as they marched。'
'If Saruman had heard it； he would be a hundred miles away by now； even
if he had had to run on his own legs；' said Pippin。
'Though Isengard be strong and hard； as cold as stone and bare as bone；
We go； we go； we go to war； to hew the stone and break the door！
There was very much more。 A great deal of the song had no words； and
was like a music of horns and drums。 It was very exciting。 But I thought it
was only marching music and no more； just a song until I got here。 I know
better now。'
'We came down over the last ridge into Nan Curunnr； after night had
fallen；' Merry continued。 'It was then that I first had the feeling that the
Forest itself was moving behind us。 I thought I was dreaming an entish
dream； but Pippin had noticed it too。 We were both frightened； but we did
not find out more about it until later。
'It was the Huorns； or so the Ents call them in 〃short language〃。
Treebeard won't say much about them； but I think they are Ents that have
bee almost like trees； at least to look at。 They stand here and there in
the wood or under its eaves； silent； watching endlessly over the trees； but
deep in the darkest dales there are hundreds and hundreds of them； I
believe。
'There is a great power in them； and they seem able to wrap themselves
in shadow： it is difficult to see them moving。 But they do。 They can move
very quickly； if they are angry。 You stand still looking at the weather；
maybe； or listening to the rustling of the wind； and then suddenly you find
that you are in the middle of a wood with great groping trees all around
you。 They still have voices； and can speak with the Ents that is why they
are called Huorns； Treebeard says but they have bee queer and wild。
Dangerous。 I should be terrified of meeting them； if there were no true Ents
about to look after them。
'Well； in the early night we crept down a long ravine into the upper
end of the Wizard's Vale； the Ents with all their rustling Huorns behind。 We
could not see them； of course； but the whole air was full of creaking。 It
was very dark； a cloudy night。 They moved at a great speed as soon as they
had left the hills； and made a noise like a rushing wind。 The Moon did not
appear through the clouds； and not long after midnight there was a tall wood
all round the north side of Isengard。 There was no sign of enemies nor of
any challenge。 There was a light gleaming from a high window in the tower；
that was all。
'Treebeard and a few more Ents crept on； right round to within sight of
the great gates。 Pippin and I were with him。 We were sitting on Treebeard's
shoulders； and I could feel the quivering tenseness in him。 But even when
they are roused； Ents can be very cautious and patient。 They stood still as
carved stones； breathing and listening。
'Then all at once there was a tremendous stir。 Trumpets blared and the
walls of Isengard echoed。 We thought that we had been discovered； and that
battle was going to begin。 But nothing of the sort。 All Saruman's people
were marching away。 I don't know much about this war； or about the Horsemen
of Rohan； but Saruman seems to have meant to finish off the king and all his
men with one final blow。 He emptied Isengard。 I saw the enemy go： endless
lines of marching Orcs； and troops of them mounted on great wolves。 And
there were battalions of Men； too。 Many of them carried torches； and in the
flare I could see their faces。 Most of them were ordinary men； rather tall
and dark…haired； and grim but not particularly evil…looking。 But there were
some others that were horrible： man…high； but with goblin…faces； sallow；
leering； squint…eyed。 Do you know； they reminded me at once of that
Southerner at Bree： only he was not so obviously orc…like as most of these
were。'