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and go to our duties at the opening hour。 But do not despair!' He laughed again; seeing the dismay 
in Pippin's face。 'Those who have had heavy duty take somewhat to refresh their strength in the 
mid…morning。 Then there is the nuncheon; at noon or after as duties allow; and men gather for the 
daymeal; and such mirth as there still may be; about the hour of sunset。
     'e! We will walk a little and then go find us some refreshment; and eat and drink on the 
battlement; and survey the fair morning。'
     'One moment!' said Pippin blushing。 'Greed; or hunger by your courtesy; put it out of my mind。 
But Gandalf; Mithrandir as you call him; asked me to see to his horse – Shadowfax; a great steed of 
Rohan; and the apple of the king's eye; I am told; though he has given him to Mithrandir for his 
services。 I think his new master loves the beast better than he loves many men; and if his good will 
is of any value to this city; you will treat Shadowfax with all honour: with greater kindness than 
you have treated this hobbit; if it is possible。'
     'Hobbit?' said Beregond。
     'That is what we call ourselves;' said Pippin。
     'I am glad to learn it;' said Beregond; 'for now I may say that strange accents do not mar fair 
speech; and hobbits are a fair…spoken folk。 But e! You shall make me acquainted with this good 
horse。 I love beasts; and we see them seldom in this stony city; for my people came from the 
mountain…vales; and before that from Ithilien。 But fear not! The visit shall be short; a mere call of 
courtesy; and we will go thence to the butteries。'

     Pippin found that Shadowfax had been well housed and tended。 For in the sixth circle; outside 
the walls of the citadel; there were some fair stables where a few swift horses were kept; hard by 
the lodgings of the errand…riders of the Lord: messengers always ready to go at the urgent mand 
of Denethor or his chief captains。 But now all the horses and the riders were out and away。
     Shadowfax whinnied as Pippin entered the stable and turned his head。 'Good morning!' said 
Pippin。 'Gandalf will e as soon as he may。 He is busy; but he sends greetings; and I am to see 
that all is well with you; and you resting; I hope; after your long labours。'
     Shadowfax tossed his head and stamped。 But he allowed Beregond to handle his head gently and 
stroke his great flanks。
     'He looks as if he were spoiling for a race; and not newly e from a great journey;' said 
Beregond。 'How strong and proud he is! Where is his harness? It should be rich and fair。'
     'None is rich and fair enough for him;' said Pippin。 'He will have none。 If he will consent to bear 
you; bear you he does; and if not; well; no bit; bridle; whip; or thong will tame him。 Farewell; 
Shadowfax! Have patience。 Battle is ing。'
     Shadowfax lifted up his head and neighed; so that the stable shook; and they covered their ears。 
Then they took their leave; seeing that the manger was well filled。
     'And now for our manger;' said Beregond; and he led Pippin back to the citadel; and so to a door 
in the north side of the great tower。 There they went down a long cool stair into a wide alley lit with 
lamps。 There were hatches in the walls at the side; and one of these was open。
     'This is the storehouse and buttery of my pany of the Guard。' said Beregond。 'Greetings; 
Targon!' he called through the hatch。 'It is early yet; but here is a newer that the Lord has taken 
into his service。 He has ridden long and far with a tight belt; and has had sore labour this morning; 
and he is hungry。 Give us what you have!'
     They got there bread; and butter; and cheese and apples: the last of the winter store; wrinkled but 
sound and sweet; and a leather flagon of new…drawn ale; and wooden platters and cups。 They put all 
into a wicker basket and climbed back into the sun; and Beregond brought Pippin to a place at the 
east end of the great out…thrust battlement where there was an embrasure in the walls with a stone 
seat beneath the sill。 From there they could look out on the morning over the world。
     They ate and drank; and they talked now of Gondor and its ways and customs; now of the Shire 
and the strange countries that Pippin had seen。 And ever as they talked Beregond was more amazed; 
and looked with greater wonder at the hobbit; swinging his short legs as he sat on the seat; or 
standing tiptoe upon it to peer over the sill at the lands below。
     'I will not hide from you; Master Peregrin;' said Beregond; 'that to us you look almost as one of 
our children; a lad of nine summers or so; and yet you have endured perils and seen marvels that 
few of our greybeards could boast of。 I thought it was the whim of our Lord to take him a noble 
page; after the manner of the kings of old; they say。 But I see that it is not so; and you must pardon 
my foolishness。'
     'I do;' said Pippin。 'Though you are not far wrong。 I am still little more than a boy in the 
reckoning of my own people; and it will be four years yet before I 〃e of age〃; as we say in the 
Shire: But do not bother about me。 e and look and tell me what I can see。'

     The sun was now climbing; and the mists in the vale below had been drawn up。 The last of them 
were floating away; just overhead; as wisps of white cloud borne on the stiffening breeze from the 
East; that was now flapping and tugging the flags and white standards of the citadel。 Away down in 
the valley…bottom; five leagues or so as the eye leaps; the Great River could now be seen grey and 
glittering; ing out of the north…west; and bending in a mighty sweep south and west again; till it 
was lost to view in a haze and shimmer; far beyond which lay the Sea fifty leagues away。
     Pippin could see all the Pelennor laid out before him; dotted into the distance with farmsteads 
and little walls; barns and byres; but nowhere could he see any kine or other beasts。 Many roads 
and tracks crossed the green fields; and there was much ing and going: wains moving in lines 
towards the Great Gate; and others passing out。 Now and again a horseman would ride up; and leap 
from the saddle and hasten into the City。 But most of the traffic went out along the chief highway; 
and that turned south; and then bending swifter than the River skirted the hills and passed soon 
from sight。 It was wide and well…paved; and along its eastern edge ran a broad green riding…track; 
and beyond that a wall。 On the ride horsemen galloped to and fro; but all the street seemed to be 
choked with great covered wains going south。 But soon Pippin saw that all was in fact well…ordered: 
the wains were moving in three lines; one swifter drawn by horses; another slower; great waggons 
with fair housings of many colours; drawn by oxen; and along the west rim of the road many 
smaller carts hauled by trudging men。
     'That is the road to the vales of Tumladen and Lossarnach; and the mountain…villages; and then 
on to Lebennin;' said Beregond。 'There go the last of the wains that bear away to refuge the aged the 
children; and the women that must go with them。 They must all be gone from the Gate and the road 
clear for a league before noon: that was the order。 It is a sad necessity。' He sighed。 'Few; maybe; of 
those now sundered will meet again。 And there were always too few children in this city; but now 
there are none…save some young lads that will not depart; and may find some task to do: my own 
son is one of them。'
     They fell silent for a while。 Pippin gazed anxiously eastward; as if at any moment he might see 
thousands of orcs pouring over the fields。 'What can I see there?' he asked; pointing down to the 
middle of the great curve of the Anduin。 'Is that another city; or what is it?'
     'It was a city;' said Beregond; 'the chief city of Gondor; of which this was only a fortress。 For 
that is the ruin of Osgiliath on either side of Anduin; which our enemies took and burned long ago。 
Yet we won it back in the days of the youth of Denethor: not to dwell in; but to hold as an outpost; 
and to rebuild the bridge for the passage of our arms。 And then came the Fell Riders out of Minas 
Morgul。'
     'The Black Riders?' said Pippin; opening his eyes; and they were wide and dark with an old fear 
re…awakened。
     'Yes; they were black;' said Beregond; 'and I see that you know something of them; though you 
have not spoken of them in any of your tales。'
     'I know of them;' said Pippin softly; 'but I will not speak of them now; so near; so near。' He 
broke off and lifted his eyes above the River; and it seemed to him that all he could see was a vast 
and threatening shadow。 Perhaps it was mountains looming on the verge of sight; their jagged 
edges softened by wellnigh twenty leagues of misty air; perhaps it was but a cloud…wall; and 
beyond that again a yet deeper gloom。 But even as he looked it seemed to his eyes that the gloom 
was growing and gathering; very slowly; slowly rising to smother the regions of the sun。
     'So near to Mordor?' said Beregond quietly。 'Yes; there it lies。 We seldom name it; but we have 
dwelt ever in sight of that shadow: sometimes it seems fainter and more distant; sometimes nearer 
and darker。 It is growing and darkening now; and therefore our fear and disquiet grow too。 And the 
Fell Riders; less than a year ago they won back the crossings; and many of our best men were slain。 
Boromir it was that drove the enemy at last back from this western shore; and we hold still the near 
half of Osgiliath。 For a little while。 But we await now a new onslaught there。 Maybe the chief 
onslaught of the war that es。'
     'When?' said Pippin。 'Have you a guess? For I saw the beacons last night and the errand…riders; 
and Gandalf said that it was a sign that war had begun。 He seemed in a desperate hurry。 But now 
everything seems to have slowed up again。'
     'Only because everything is now ready;' said Beregond。 'It is but the deep breath before the 
plunge。'
     'But why were the beacons lit last night?'
     'It is over…late to send for aid when you are already besieged;' answered Beregond。 'But I do not 
know the counsel of the Lord and his captains。 They have many ways of gathering 

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