Beren and Lúthien. Alan Lee

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СКАЧАТЬ wondered much at her courage, following unknown to her, as far as he might for the success of his design. At length however she passed beyond his sight, and leaving the shelter of the trees came to a region of long grass dotted with bushes that sloped ever upward toward a shoulder of the hills. Now upon that rocky spur the sun shone, but over all the hills and mountains at its back a black cloud brooded, for there was Angamandi; and Tinúviel fared on not daring to look up at that gloom, for fear oppressed her, and as she went the ground rose and the grass grew more scant and rock-strewn until it came even to a cliff, sheer of one side, and there upon a stony shelf was the castle of Tevildo. No pathway led thereto, and the place where it stood fell towards the woods in terrace after terrace so that none might reach its gates save by many great leaps, and those became ever steeper as the castle drew more nigh. Few were the windows of that house and upon the ground there were none – indeed the very gate was in the air where in the dwellings of Men are wont to be the windows of the upper floor; but the roof had many wide and flat spaces open to the sun.

      Now does Tinúviel wander disconsolate upon the lowest terrace and look in dread at the dark house upon the hill, when behold, she came at a bend in the rock upon a lone cat lying in the sun and seemingly asleep. As she approached he opened a yellow eye and blinked at her, and thereupon rising and stretching he stepped up to her and said: ‘Whither away, little maid – dost not know that you trespass on the sunning ground of his highness Tevildo and his thanes?’

      Now Tinúviel was very much afraid, but she made as bold an answer as she was able, saying: ‘That know I, my lord’ – and this pleased the old cat greatly, for he was in truth only Tevildo’s doorkeeper – ‘but I would indeed of your goodness be brought to Tevildo’s presence now – nay, even if he sleeps,’ said she, for the doorkeeper lashed his tail in astonished refusal.

      ‘I have words of immediate import for his private ear. Lead me to him, my lord,’ she pleaded, and thereat the cat purred so loudly that she dared to stroke his ugly head, and this was much larger than her own, being greater than that of any dog that is now on Earth. Thus entreated, Umuiyan, for such was his name, said: ‘Come then with me,’ and seizing Tinúviel suddenly by her garments at the shoulder to her great terror he tossed her upon his back and leaped upon the second terrace. There he stopped, and as Tinúviel scrambled from his back he said: ‘Well is it for thee that this afternoon my lord Tevildo lieth upon this lowly terrace far from his house, for a great weariness and a desire for sleep has come upon me, so that I fear me I should not be willing to carry thee much farther’; now Tinúviel was robed in her robe of sable mist.

      So saying Umuiyan yawned mightily and stretched himself before he led her along that terrace to an open space, where upon a wide couch of baking stones lay the horrible form of Tevildo himself, and both his evil eyes were shut. Going up to him the door-cat Umuiyan spoke in his ear softly, saying: ‘A maiden awaits thy pleasure, my lord, who hath news of importance to deliver to thee, nor would she take my refusal.’ Then did Tevildo angrily lash his tail, half opening an eye – ‘What is it – be swift,’ said he, ‘for this is no hour to come desiring audience of Tevildo Prince of Cats.’

      ‘Nay, lord,’ said Tinúviel trembling, ‘be not angry; nor do I think that thou wilt when thou hearest, yet is the matter such that it were better not even whispered here where the breezes blow,’ and Tinúviel cast a glance as it were of apprehension toward the woods.

      ‘Nay, get thee gone,’ said Tevildo, ‘thou smellest of dog, and what news of good came ever to a cat from a fairy that had had dealings with the dogs?’

      ‘Why, sir, that I smell of dogs is no matter of wonder, for I have just escaped from one – and it is indeed of a certain very mighty dog whose name thou knowest that I would speak.’ Then up sat Tevildo and opened his eyes, and he looked all about him, and stretched three times, and at last bade the door-cat lead Tinúviel within; and Umuiyan caught her upon his back as before. Now was Tinúviel in the sorest dread, for having gained what she desired, a chance of entering Tevildo’s stronghold and maybe of discovering whether Beren were there, she had no plan more, and knew not what would become of her – indeed had she been able she would have fled; yet now do those cats begin to ascend the terraces towards the castle, and one leap does Umuiyan make bearing Tinúviel upwards and then another, and at the third he stumbled so that Tinúviel cried out in fear, and Tevildo said: ‘What ails thee, Umuiyan, thou clumsy-foot? It is time that thou left my employ if age creeps on thee so swiftly.’ But Umuiyan said: ‘Nay, lord, I know not what it is, but a mist is before my eyes and my head is heavy,’ and he staggered as one drunk, so that Tinúviel slid from his back, and thereupon he laid him down as if in a dead sleep; but Tevildo was wroth and seized Tinúviel and none too gently, and himself bore her to the gates. Then with a mighty leap he sprang within, and bidding that maiden alight he set up a yell that echoed fearsomely in the dark ways and passages. Forthwith they hastened to him from within, and some he bid descend to Umuiyan and bind him and cast him from the rocks ‘on the northern side where they fall most sheer, for he is of no use more to me,’ he said, ‘for age has robbed him of his sureness of foot’; and Tinúviel quaked to hear the ruthlessness of this beast. But even as he spoke he himself yawned and stumbled as with a sudden drowziness, and he bid others to lead Tinúviel away to a certain chamber within, and that was the one where Tevildo was accustomed to sit at meat with his greatest thanes. It was full of bones and smelt evilly; no windows were there and but one door; but a hatchway gave from it upon the great kitchens, and a red light crept thence and dimly lit the place.

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