J.R.R. Tolkien The Unfinished Tales Of M

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about its cleared land, and about the houses was a ditch and a stockade; and
there were paths from stead to stead, and men could summon help and need by
horn-calls.
But when spring was come it was perilous for the Gaurwaith to linger so near
to the houses of the
Woodmen, who might gather and hunt them down; and T�rin wondered therefore
that Forweg did not lead them away. There was more food and game, and less
peril, away South where no Men remained. Then one day T�rin missed Forweg, and
also Andróg his friend; and he asked where they were, but his companions
laughed.
"Away on business of their own, I guess," said Ulrad. "They will be back
before long, and then we shall move. In haste, maybe; for we shall be lucky if
they do not bring the hive-bees after them."
The sun shone and the young leaves were green; and T�rin was irked by the
squalid camp of the outlaws, and he wandered away alone far into the forest.
Against his will he remembered the Hidden
Kingdom, and he seemed to hear the names of the flowers of Doriath as echoes
of an old tongue almost forgotten. But on a sudden he heard cries, and from a
hazel-thicket a young woman ran out; her clothes were rent by thorns, and she
was in great fear, and stumbling she fell gasping to the ground. Then T�rin
springing towards the thicket with drawn sword hewed down a man that burst
from the hazels in pursuit; and he saw only in the very stroke that it was
Forweg.
But as he stood looking down in amaze at the blood upon the grass, Andróg came
out, and halted also astounded. "Evil work, Neithan!" he cried, and drew his
sword; but T�rin's mood ran cold, and he said to
Andróg: "Where are the Orcs, then? Have you outrun them to help her?"
"Orcs?" said Andróg. "Fool! You call yourself an outlaw. Outlaws know no law
but their needs. Look to your own, Neithan, and leave us to mind ours."
"I will do so," said T�rin. "But today our paths have crossed. You will leave
the woman to me, or you will join Forweg."
Andróg laughed. "If that is the way of it, have your will," he said. "I make
no claim to match you, alone; but our fellows may take this slaying ill."
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Then the woman rose to her feet and laid her hand on T�rin's arm. She looked
at the blood and she looked at T�rin, and there was delight in her eyes. "Kill
him, lord!" she said. "Kill him too! And then come with me. If you bring their
heads, Larnach my father will not be displeased. For two 'wolf-heads' he has
rewarded men well." But T�rin said to Andróg: "Is it far to her home?" "A mile
or so," he answered, "in a fenced homestead yonder. She was straying outside."
"Go then quickly," said T�rin, turning back to the woman. "Tell your father to
keep you better. But I
will not cut off the heads of my fellows to buy his favour, or aught else."
Then he put up his sword. "Come!" he said to Andróg. "We will return. But if
you wish to bury your captain, you must do so yourself. Make haste, for a hue
and cry may be raised. Bring his weapons!"
Then T�rin went on his way without more words, and Andróg watched him go, and
he frowned as one pondering a riddle.
When T�rin came back to the camp of the outlaws he found them restless and ill
at ease; for they had strayed too long already in one place, near to
homesteads well-guarded, and they murmured against Forweg.
"He runs hazards to our cost," they said; "and others may have to pay for his
pleasures."
"Then choose a new captain!" said T�rin, standing before them. "Forweg can
lead you no longer; for he is dead."
"How do you know that?" said Ulrad. "Did you seek honey from the same hive?
Did the bees sting him?"
"No," said T�rin. "One sting was enough. I slew him. But I spared Andróg, and
he will soon return."
Then he told all that was done, rebuking those that did such deeds; and while
he yet spoke Andróg returned bearing Forweg's weapons. "See Neithan!" he
cried. "No alarm has been raised. Maybe she hopes to meet you again."
"If you jest with me," said T�rin, "I shall regret that I grudged her your
head. Now tell your tale, and be brief."
Then Andróg told truly enough all that had befallen. "What business Neithan
had there I now wonder,"
he said. "Not ours it seems. For when I came up, he had already slain Forweg.
The woman liked that well, and offered to go with him, begging our heads as a
bride-price. But he did not want her, and sped her off; so what grudge he had
against the captain I cannot guess. He left my head on my shoulders, for which
I am grateful though much puzzled."
"Then I deny your claim to come of the People of Hador, said T�rin. "To Uldor
the Accursed you belong rather, and should seek service with Angband. But hear
me now!" he cried to them all. "These choices
I give you. You must take me as your captain in Forweg's place, or else let me
go. I will govern this fellowship now, or leave it. But if you wish to kill
me, set to! I will fight you all until I am dead or you."
Then many men seized their weapons, but Andróg cried out: "Nay! The head that
he spared is not witless. If we fight, more than one will die needlessly,
before we kill the best man among us." Then he laughed. "As it was when he
joined us, so it is again. He kills to make room. If it proved well before, so
may it again; and he may lead us to better fortune than prowling about other
men's middens."
And old Algund said: "The best among us. Time was when we would have done the
same, if we dared;
but we have forgotten much. He may bring us home in the end." I
At that the thought came to T�rin that from this small band he might rise to
build himself a free lordship of his own. But he looked at Algund and Andróg, [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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