At that moment Sam came bursting through the door looking very red in
the face and breathing heavily.
'Master Frodo! Gandalf! The ponies are gone!'
'Then the enemy are upon us!' cried Gandalf.
Gandalf ran to the window and looked out into the darkness. A shadow moved in the street and suddenly a chorus of hideous screams rose and seemed to surround them. The door was flung open and at that instant the fire in the hearth went out and everything was plunged into darkness. A moment later there was a blinding whiteness that cast painful shadows across the room. A second chorus of shrieks rose and the intruders scrambled back for the door in the sudden illumination.
'What was that?' Cried Pippin.
'Black Riders!' Shouted Merry. 'Black Riders!'
Sam got up from under the table where he had dived for cover. 'Where's Master Frodo?' A sudden panic overcame his voice. 'They've taken Master Frodo! Gandalf, they've taken Master Frodo!'
They all turned to the window where Gandalf had been standing. The old wizard was lying on the ground with his staff, broken, lying across him.
'Gandalf!' Merry ran to him.
To their relief Gandalf opened his eyes and looked back at them. He picked up his broken staff and examined the fracture.
'Are you all right?' asked Pippin.
Gandalf ignored the question and turned back to the window in silence. The others exchanged concerned glances and finally Sam spoke.
'What happened Mr Gandalf? There was a terrible noise, then darkness and then a blinding white light.'
'I failed. That's what happened,' said Gandalf turning now to look at the hobbits. 'I tried to draw some power from the ring to fend of the 'Black Riders' as you call them. But it was too strong even for me. It overpowered me and nearly destroyed me. And now the enemy have the ring and the ring bearer. I have failed.'
'Master Frodo! Gandalf! The ponies are gone!'
'Then the enemy are upon us!' cried Gandalf.
Gandalf ran to the window and looked out into the darkness. A shadow moved in the street and suddenly a chorus of hideous screams rose and seemed to surround them. The door was flung open and at that instant the fire in the hearth went out and everything was plunged into darkness. A moment later there was a blinding whiteness that cast painful shadows across the room. A second chorus of shrieks rose and the intruders scrambled back for the door in the sudden illumination.
'What was that?' Cried Pippin.
'Black Riders!' Shouted Merry. 'Black Riders!'
Sam got up from under the table where he had dived for cover. 'Where's Master Frodo?' A sudden panic overcame his voice. 'They've taken Master Frodo! Gandalf, they've taken Master Frodo!'
They all turned to the window where Gandalf had been standing. The old wizard was lying on the ground with his staff, broken, lying across him.
'Gandalf!' Merry ran to him.
To their relief Gandalf opened his eyes and looked back at them. He picked up his broken staff and examined the fracture.
'Are you all right?' asked Pippin.
Gandalf ignored the question and turned back to the window in silence. The others exchanged concerned glances and finally Sam spoke.
'What happened Mr Gandalf? There was a terrible noise, then darkness and then a blinding white light.'
'I failed. That's what happened,' said Gandalf turning now to look at the hobbits. 'I tried to draw some power from the ring to fend of the 'Black Riders' as you call them. But it was too strong even for me. It overpowered me and nearly destroyed me. And now the enemy have the ring and the ring bearer. I have failed.'