Read Online The Two Towers by J. R. R. Tolkien - Free Book Online

or plundered: those are
my
orders.’
    ‘And mine too,’ said the deep voice. ‘
Alive and as captured; no spoiling.
That’s my orders.’
    ‘Not our orders!’ said one of the earlier voices. ‘We have come all the way from the Mines to kill, and avenge our folk. I wish to kill, and then go back north.’
    ‘Then you can wish again,’ said the growling voice. ‘I am Uglúk. I command. I return to Isengard by the shortest road.’
    ‘Is Saruman the master or the Great Eye?’ said the evil voice. ‘We should go back at once to Lugbúrz.’
    ‘If we could cross the Great River, we might,’ said another voice. ‘But there are not enough of us to venture down to the
     bridges.’
    ‘I came across,’ said the evil voice. ‘A winged Nazgûl awaits us northward on the east-bank.’
    ‘Maybe, maybe! Then you’ll fly off with our prisoners, and get all the pay and praise in Lugbúrz, and leave us to foot it
     as best we can through the Horse-country. No, we must stick together. These lands are dangerous: full of foul rebels and brigands.’
    ‘Aye, we must stick together,’ growled Uglúk. ‘I don’t trust you little swine. You’ve no guts outside your own sties. But
     for us you’d all have run away. We are the fighting Uruk-hai! We slew the great warrior. We took the prisoners. We are the
     servants of Saruman the Wise, the White Hand: the Hand that gives us man’s-flesh to eat. We came out of Isengard, and led
     you here, and we shall lead you back by the way we choose. I am Uglúk. I have spoken.’
    ‘You have spoken more than enough, Uglúk,’ sneered the evil voice. ‘I wonder how they would like it in Lugbúrz. They might
     think that Uglúk’s shoulders needed relieving of a swollen head. They might ask where his strange ideas came from. Did they
     come from Saruman, perhaps? Who does
he
think he is, setting up on his own with his filthy white badges? They might agree with me, with Grishnákh their trusted messenger;
     and I Grishnákh say this: Saruman is a fool, and a dirty treacherous fool. But the Great Eye is on him.
    ‘
Swine
is it? How do you folk like being called
swine
by the muck-rakers of a dirty little wizard? It’s orc-flesh they eat, I’ll warrant.’
    Many loud yells in orc-speech answered him, and the ringing clash of weapons being drawn. Cautiously Pippin rolled over, hoping to see what would happen. His guards had gone
     to join in the fray. In the twilight he saw a large black Orc, probably Uglúk, standing facing Grishnákh, a short crook-legged
     creature, very broad and with long arms that hung almost to the ground. Round them were many smaller goblins. Pippin supposed
     that these were the ones from the North. They had drawn their knives and swords, but hesitated to attack Uglúk.
    Uglúk shouted, and a number of other Orcs of nearly his own size ran up. Then suddenly, without warning, Uglúk sprang forwards,
     and with two swift strokes swept the heads off two of his opponents. Grishnákh stepped aside and vanished into the shadows.
     The others gave way, and one stepped backwards and fell over Merry’s prostrate form with a curse. Yet that probably saved
     his life, for Uglúk’s followers leaped over him and cut down another with their broad-bladed swords. It was the yellow-fanged
     guard. His body fell right on top of Pippin, still clutching its long saw-edged knife.
    ‘Put up your weapons!’ shouted Uglúk. ‘And let’s have no more nonsense! We go straight west from here, and down the stair.
     From there straight to the downs, then along the river to the forest. And we march day and night. That clear?’
    ‘Now,’ thought Pippin, ‘if only it takes that ugly fellow a little while to get his troop under control, I’ve got a chance.’
     A gleam of hope had come to him. The edge of the black knife had snicked his arm, and then slid down to his wrist. He felt
     the blood trickling on to his hand, but he also felt the cold touch of steel against his