[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.Don't ores eat, and don't they drink? Ordothey just live on foul air and poison ? '`No, they eat and drink, Sam.The Shadow that bred them can onlymock, it cannot make : not real new thingsof its own.I don't thinkit gave life to the ores, it only ruined them andtwisted them; and ifthey are to live at all, they have to live like otherliving creatures.Foul waters and foul meats they'll take, if they can get nobetter, butnot poison.They've fed me, and so I'm better off than you.Theremust be food and water somewhere in this place.'`But there's notime to look for them,' said Sam.`Well, things are a bit better than youthink,' said Frodo.'I havehad a bit of luck while you were away.Indeedthey did not takeeverything.I've found my food-bag among some rags on thefloor.They've rummaged it, of course.But I guess they disliked theverylook and smell of the lembas, worse than Gollum did.It'sscatteredabout and some of it is trampled and broken, but I've gatheredittogether.It's not far short of what you've got.But they'vetakenFaramir's food, and they've slashed up my water-bottle.'`Well,there's no more to be said,' said Sam.`We've got enoughto start on.But thewater's going to be a bad business.But comeMr.Frodo ! Off we go, or awhole lake of it won't do us any good ! ''Not till you've had a mouthful,Sam,' said Frodo.`I won't budge.Here, take this elven-cake, and drink thatlast drop in your bottle!The whole thing is quite hopeless, so it's no goodworrying abouttomorrow.It probably won't come.'At last theystarted.Down the ladder they climbed, and then Samtook it and laid it inthe passage beside the huddled body of the fallenorc.The stair.was dark,but on the roof-top the glare of the Moun-tain could still be seen, thoughit was dying down now to a sullenred.They picked up two shields to completetheir disguise and thenwent on.Down the great stairway they plodded.Thehigh chamber of theturret behind, where they had met again, seemed almosthomely:they were out in the open again now, and terror ran along thewalls.All might be dead in the Tower of Cirith Ungol, but it wassteepedin fear and evil still.At length they calne to the door upon theouter court, and theyhalted.Even from where they stood they felt the maliceof theWatchers beating on them, black silent shapes on either side ofthegate through which the glare of Mordor dimly showed.As theythreadedtheir way among the hideous bodies of the ores each stepbecame moredifflcult.Before they even reached the arehway theywere brought to a stand.To move an inch further was a pain andweariness to will and limb.Frodohad no strength for such a battle.He sank to the ground.`I can't go on,Sam,' he murmured.`I'm going to faint.I don't knowwhat's come overme.'`I do, Mr.Frodo.Hold up now ! It's the gate.There's somedevilrythere.But I got through, and I'm going to get out.It can't bemoredangerous than before.Now for it ! 'Sam drew out the elven-glass ofGaladriel again.As if to do honourto his hardihood, and to grace withsplendour his faithful brownhobbit-hand that had done such deeds.the phialblazed forth suddenly,so that all the shadowy court was lit with a dazzlingradiance likelightning; but it remained steady and did notpass.'Gilthoniel, A Elhereth!' Sam cried.For, why he did not know,histhought sprang back suddenly to the Elves in the Shire, and thesongthat drove away the Black Rider in the trees.`Aiya elenion ancalima!' cried Frodo once again behind him.The will of the Watchers was brokenwith a suddenness like thesnappirlg of a cord, and Frodo and Sam stumbledforward.Thenthey ran.Through the gate and past the great seated figureswiththeir glittering eyes.7here was a crack.The keystone of thearchcrashed almost on their heels, and the wall above crumbled, andfellin ruin.Only by a hair did they escape.A bell clanged; and fromtheWatchers there went up a high and dreadful wail.Far up abovein the darknessit was answered.Out of the black sky there camedropping like a bolt awinged shape, rending the clouds with aghastly shriek.Perv NextMail tome
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]