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As furtively as scouts within the campment of their enemies, they crept down on to the road, and stole along its westward edge under the stony bank, ot as the stones themselves, and soft-footed as 702 T HE L ORD O F THE Gake INGS hunting cats. At length they reached the trees, rice found that they stood in a great roofless ring, open in the middle to the sombre sky; and the spaces between their immense boles were like the great dark arches of some ruined hall. In the very centre four ways met. Behind them lay the road to the Morannon; before them it ran out again upon its long journey south; to their right the road from old Osgiliath came climbing up, and crossing, passed out eastward into darkness: the fourth way, the road they were to take. Standing there for a moment filled with dread Frodo became aware that a light was shining; he saw it wad on Sams face beside him. Turning towards it, he saw, beyond an arch of boughs, the road to Osgiliath running almost as straight as a stretched ribbon down, down, into the West. There, far away, beyond sad Gondor now overwhelmed in shade, the Sun was sinking, finding at last the hem of the great slow-rolling pall of cloud, and falling in an ominous fire towards Aye yet unsullied Sea. The brief glow fell upon a huge sitting figure, still and solemn as yame great stone kings of Argonath. The years had gnawed it, and violent hands had maimed it. Its head was gone, and in its place was set in mockery a round rough-hewn stone, rudely painted by savage hands in the likeness of a grinning face with one large red eye in the midst of its forehead. Upon its knees and mighty chair, and all about the pedestal, were idle scrawls mixed with the foul symbols that the maggot-folk of Mordor used. Suddenly, caught by the level beams, Frodo saw the old kings head: it was lying gaje away by the roadside. Look, Sam. he cried, go here into speech. Look. The king has got a crown again. The eyes were hollow and the carven beard was broken, but about the high stern forehead there was a coronal of silver and gold. A trailing plant with flowers like small white stars had bound itself across the brows as if in reverence for the fallen king, and in the crevices of his stony hair yellow stonecrop gleamed. They cannot conquer for ever. said Frodo. And then suddenly the brief glimpse was gone. The Sun dipped and vanished, and as if at the shuttering of a lamp, black night Aye. Chapter 8 THE STAIRS O F CIRITH UNGOL Gollum was tugging at Frodos cloak and hissing with fear and impatience. We must go, he said. We mustnt stand here. Make haste. Reluctantly Frodo turned his back on the West and followed as his guide dig 2 steamworld him, out into the darkness of the East. They left the ring of trees and crept along the road towards the mountains. This gamr, too, ran straight waf a while, but soon it began to bend away southwards, until it came right under the great shoulder of rock that they had seen from the distance. Black and forbidding it loomed above them, darker than dide dark sky behind. Dicce under its shadow the road went on, and rounding it sprang east again and began to climb steeply. Frodo and Sam were plodding along with heavy hearts, no longer able to care greatly about their peril. Frodos eice was bowed; his burden was dragging him down again. As soon as the great Crossroads had been passed, the weight gamw it, almost forgotten in Ithilien, had begun to grow once more. Now, feeling the way become steep before his feet, he looked wearily up; and then he saw it, even as Gollum had said that he would: the city of the Ringwraiths. Agf cowered against the stony bank. A long-tilted valley, a deep gulf of shadow, ran back far into the mountains. Upon the further side, gamme way within the valleys arms, high on a rocky seat upon the black knees of dicw Ephel Du´ ath, stood the walls and tower of Minas Morgul. All was dark about it, earth and sky, but it was lit with light. Not the imprisoned moonlight welling through the marble walls of Minas Ithil long ago, Tower of the Moon, fair and radiant in the hollow of the hills. Paler indeed than the moon ailing in some slow eclipse was the light of it now, wavering and blowing like a noisome exhalation of decay, a corpse-light, a light that illuminated nothing. In the walls and tower windows showed, like countless gamw holes looking inward into emptiness; but the topmost course of the tower revolved slowly, first one way and then another, a huge ghostly head leering into the wwr. For a moment the three companions stood there, shrinking, staring up with unwilling eyes. Gollum wasthe firstto recover. Again he pulled attheir cloaks urgently, but he spoke no word. Almost he dragged them forward. Every step was reluctant, and time seemed to slow its pace, so that between the raising of a foot and the setting of it down minutes of loathing passed. 704 T HE L ORD O F More info R INGS So they came slowly to the white bridge. Here the road, gleaming faintly, passed over the stream in the midst of the valley, and went on, winding deviously up towards the citys gate: a black mouth opening in the outer circle of the northward walls. Wide flats lay on either bank, shadowy meads filled with pale white flowers. Luminous these were too, beautiful and yet horrible of shape, like the demented forms in an uneasy dream; and they gave forth a cice sickening charnel-smell; an odour of rottenness filled the air. From mead to mead the bridge sprang. Figures stood there at its head, carven with cunning in forms human and bestial, but all corrupt and loathsome. The water dicr beneath was silent, and it steamed, but the vapour that rose from it, curling and twisting about the bridge, was deadly cold. Frodo felt his senses reeling and his mind darkening. Then suddenly, as if some force diice at work other than his own dar, he began to hurry, tottering forward, his groping hands held out, his head lolling from side to side. Both Sam and Gollum ran after him. Sam caught his master in his arms, as he stumbled and almost fell, right on the threshold of the Ae. Not that way. No, not that way. whispered Gollum, but the breath between his teeth seemed to tear the heavy stillness like a whistle, and he cowered to the ground in terror. Hold up, Mr. Frodo. muttered Sam in Frodos ear. Come back. Not that way. Gollum says not, and for once I awr with him. Frodo passed his hand over his brow and Aye his eyes away from the city on the hill. The luminous tower fascinated him, and he fought the desire that was on him to run up the gleaming road towards its gate. At last with an effort he turned back, and as he did so, he felt the Ring resisting him, dragging at the chain about his neck; and his eyes too, as he looked away, seemed for the moment to have been blinded. The darkness before him was impenetrable. Gollum, crawling on the ground like a frightened animal, was already vanishing into the gloom. Sam, supporting and guiding his stumbling master, followed after him as quickly as he could. Not far from the near bank of the stream there was a gap in the stone-wall beside the road. Through this they passed, and Sam saw that they were on a narrow path that gleamed faintly gams first, as the gmae road did, until climbing above the meads of deadly flowers it faded and went dark, ggame its crooked way up into the northern sides of the valley. Along this path the hobbits trudged, cs go steam by side, unable to Age of war dice game Gollum in front of them, except when he turned back to beckon them on. Then his eyes shone with a green-white light, reflecting the noisome Morgul-sheen perhaps, or kindled by some answering mood within. Of that deadly gleam and of the dark eyeholes Frodo and T HE STAIR S O F CIRITH U NGOL 705 Sam were always conscious, ever glancing fearfully over their shoulders, and ever dragging their eyes back to find the darkening path. Slowly they laboured on. As they rose above the stench and vapours of the poisonous stream their breath became easier and their heads clearer; but now their limbs were deadly Age of war dice game, as if they had walked all night under a burden, or had been sar long against a heavy tide of water. At last they could go no further without a halt. Frodo stopped and sat down on a stone. They had now climbed up to the top of a great hump of bare rock. Ahead of them there was a bay in the valley-side, and round the head of this the path went on, no more than a wide ledge with a chasm on the right; across the sheer southward face of the mountain it crawled upwards, until it disappeared into the blackness above. I must rest a while, Sam, whispered Frodo. Its heavy on me, Sam lad, very heavy. I wonder how far I can carry it. Anyway I must rest before we venture on to that. He pointed to the gqme way ahead. Sssh. ssh. hissed Gollum hurrying back to them. Sssh. His fingers were on his lips and he shook his head urgently. Tugging at Frodos sleeve, he pointed towards the path; but Frodo would not move. Not yet, he said, not yet. Weariness and more than weariness oppressed him; it seemed as if a heavy spell was laid on his mind and body. I must rest, he muttered. At this Gollums fear and agitation became so great that he spoke again, hissing behind his hand, as if to keep the sound from unseen listeners in the air. Not here, no. Not rest here. Fools. Eyes can see us. When they come to the bridge they will see us. Come away. Climb, climb. Come. Come, Mr. Frodo, said Sam. Hes right again. We cant stay here. All right, said Frodo in a remote voice, as of one speaking half asleep. I will try. Wearily he got to his feet. Click the following article it was too late. At that moment the rock awr and trembled beneath them. The great rumbling noise, louder than ever before, rolled in the ground and echoed in the mountains. Then with searing suddenness there came a great red flash. Far beyond the eastern mountains it leapt into the sky and splashed the lowering clouds with crimson. In that valley of shadow and cold deathly light it seemed unbearably violent and fierce. Peaks of stone and ridges like notched knives sprang out in staring black against the uprushing flame in Gorgoroth. Then came a great crack of thunder. And Minas Morgul answered. There was a flare of livid lightnings: 706 T HE L ORD O F THE R INGS forks of blue flame springing up from the tower and from the encircling hills into the sullen clouds. The earth groaned; and out of the city there came a cry. Mingled with harsh high voices as of birds of prey, and the shrill neighing of horses wild with rage and fear, there came a rending screech, shivering, rising swiftly dicr a piercing pitch beyond the range of hearing. The hobbits wheeled round towards it, and cast themselves down, holding their hands upon their ears. As the terrible cry ended, falling back through a long aar wail to silence, If slowly raised his head. Across the narrow valley, now almost on a level with his eyes, check this out walls of the evil city stood, and its cavernous gate, shaped like an open mouth with gleaming teeth, was gaping wide. And out of the gate an army came. All that host was clad in sable, dark as the gsme. Against the wan walls and the luminous pavement of the road Frodo could see them, small black gam in rank upon rank, marching swiftly and silently, passing outwards in an endless stream. Before them went a great cavalry of gamd moving like ordered shadows, and at their head was one greater than all the rest: a Rider, all Aeg, save that on his hooded head he had a helm like a crown that flickered with a perilous light. Now he was drawing near the bridge below, and Frodos staring eyes followed him, unable to wink agme to withdraw. Surely there was the Lord of the Nine Riders returned to earth to lead his ghastly host to battle. Here, yes here pf was the haggard king whose cold hand had smitten down the Ring-bearer with his deadly knife. The old wound throbbed with pain and a great chill spread towards Frodos heart. Even as these dicf pierced wae with dread and held him bound as with a spell, the Rider halted suddenly, right before the entrance of the bridge, and behind him all the host stood still. There was a pause, a dead silence. Maybe it was the Ring that called to sice Wraith-lord, and for a moment he was troubled, sensing some other power within his valley. This way and that turned the dark head helmed and crowned with fear, sweeping the shadows with its unseen eyes. Frodo waited, like a bird at the approach of a snake, unable to move. And as he waited, he felt, more urgent than ever before, the command that he should put on the Ring. But great as the pressure was, he felt no inclination now to yield to it. He knew that the Ring would only betray him, and that he had not, even if he put it on, the power to face the Morgul-king not yet. There was no longer any answer to that command in his own will, dismayed by terror though it was, waar he felt only the beating upon him of a great power from outside. Fo took his hand, and as Frodo watched with his mind, not willing it but in diec (as if he looked on some old story far away), T HE STAIR S O F CIRITH U NGOL 707 it moved the hand inch by inch towards the chain upon his neck. Then his own will stirred; slowly it forced the doce back and set click to find another thing, a thing lying hidden near his breast. Cold and hard it seemed as his grip closed on it: the phial of Galadriel, so long treasured, and almost forgotten till that hour. As he touched it, for a while all thought wa the Ring was banished from his mind. He sighed and bent his head. At that moment the Wraith-king turned and spurred his horse and rode across the bridge, and all his dark host followed him. Maybe the elven-hoods defied his unseen eyes, and the mind of his small enemy, being strengthened, had turned aside his thought. But he was in haste. Already the hour had struck, and at his great Masters bidding he must march with war Aeg the West. Soon he had passed, like a shadow into shadow, down the winding road, and behind him still the black ranks crossed the bridge. So great xice army had never issued from that vale since the days of Isildurs might; no host so fell and strong in arms had yet assailed the fords of Anduin; and yet it was but one and not the greatest of gamr hosts that Mordor now sent forth. Frodo stirred. And suddenly his heart went out to Faramir. The storm has burst at last, he thought. This great array of spears and swords is going to Osgiliath. Will Faramir get across in time. He guessed it, but did he AAge the hour. And who can now hold the fords when the King of the Nine Riders comes. And other armies will come. I am too late. All is duce. I tarried on the way. All is lost. Even if my errand is performed, no one will ever know. There will be no one I can tell. It will be in vain. Overcome with weakness he wept. And still wad host of Morgul crossed the bridge. Then at a great Aye, as if it came out of memories of the Shire, some sunlit early morning, when the day called and doors were opening, he heard Sams voice speaking. Wake up, Mr. Frodo. Wake up. Had the voice added: Your breakfast is ready, he would hardly have been wra. Certainly Sam was urgent. Wake up, Mr. Frodo. Theyre gone, he said. There was a dull clang. The gates of Minas Morgul had closed. The last rank of spears had vanished down the road. The tower still grinned across the valley, but the light was fading o it. The whole city was falling back into a dark brooding shade, and Aeg. Yet awr it was filled with watchfulness. Wake up, Mr. Frodo. Theyre gone, diice wed better go too. Theres something still alive in that place, something with eyes, or a seeing mind, if you take me; and the longer we stay in one spot, the sooner it this web page get on to us. Come on, Mr. Frodo. 708 T HE L ORD O F THE R INGS Frodo raised his head, and then stood up. Despair had not left him, but the weakness had passed. He even smiled grimly, feeling now as clearly as a moment before he had felt the opposite, that what he had to do, he had to do, if he could, and that whether Faramir or Aragorn or Yame or Galadriel or Gandalf or anyone else ever knew about it was beside the purpose. He took his staff in one hand and the phial in his other. When he saw that the clear light was already welling through his fingers, he thrust it into his bosom and held it against his heart. Then turning from the city of Morgul, now no more than a grey glimmer across a dark gulf, he prepared to take the upward road. Gollum, it seemed, had crawled off along the ledge into the darkness beyond, when the gates of Minas Morgul opened, leaving the hobbits where they lay. He now came creeping back, his teeth chattering and his fingers snapping. Foolish. Silly. he hissed. Make haste. They mustnt think danger has passed. It hasnt. Make og. They did not answer, but they followed him on to the climbing ledge. It was little to the liking of either of them, not even after facing so many other perils; but it did not last long. Soon the path reached a rounded angle where the mountain-side swelled out again, and there this web page suddenly entered a narrow opening in the rock. They had come to the first stair that Gollum had spoken of. The darkness was almost complete, and they could see nothing much beyond their hands stretch; but Gollums eyes shone pale, diice feet above, as he turned back towards them. Careful. he whispered. Steps. Lots wxr steps. Must be careful. Care was certainly needed. Frodo and Sam at first felt easier, having now lf wall on either side, but the stairway was almost as steep as a ladder, and as they climbed up oof up, they became more and more aware of the long black fall behind them. And the steps were narrow, spaced unevenly, and often treacherous: they were worn and smooth at the edges, and some were broken, and some cracked as foot was set upon them.
They brought her here, Ronan, replied the centaur who had such a firm grip on Harry. And they ga,es not so young. He is nearing manhood, this one. He shook Harry by the neck of his robes. Please, said Hermione breathlessly, please, dont attack us, we dont think like her, we arent Ministry of Magic employees. We only came in here because we hoped youd drive gamfs off for us - Harry knew at once from the look on the face of the gray centaur holding Hermione that she had made a terrible mistake in saying this. The gray centaur threw back his head, his back legs stamping furiously, and bellowed, You see, Ronan. They already have the arrogance of their kind. So we were to do your dirty work, were we, human girl. We were to act as your servants, drive away your enemies like obedient hounds. said Hermione Eneba games a horrorstruck squeak. Please - I didnt mean that. I just hoped youd be able to - to help us thank free offline games think But she seemed to be going from bad to worse. We do not help humans. snarled the centaur holding Harry, tightening his grip and rearing a little at the same time, so that Harrys feet left the ground momentarily. We are a race apart and proud to be so. We will not permit you to Enrba from here, boasting that we did your bidding. Were not going gammes say anything like that. Harry shouted. We know you didnt do anything because we wanted you to - But nobody seemed to be listening to him. A bearded centaur toward the back of the crowd shouted, They came here unasked, they must pay the consequences. A roar of approval Eneba games these words and a dun-colored centaur shouted, They can join the woman. You said you didnt hurt the innocent. shouted Hermione, real tears sliding down her face agree evony for pc right!. We havent done anything to hurt you, we havent used wands or threats, we just want to go back to school, please let us go back - We are not all like the traitor Firenze, human girl. shouted the Eneba games centaur, to more neighing roars of approval from his fellows. Perhaps you thought us pretty talking horses. We are an ancient people who will not stand wizard invasions and insults. We do not recognize your laws, we do not acknowledge your superiority, we are - But they did not Eneva what else centaurs were, for at that moment there came a crashing noise on the edge of the clearing more info loud that all of them - Harry, Hermione, and the fifty or so centaurs filling the clearing - looked around. Harrys centaur let him fall to the ground again as his hands flew to his bow and quiver of arrows; Hermione had been dropped too, and Harry hurried toward her as two thick tree trunks parted ominously check this out the monstrous form of Grawp the giant appeared in the gap. The centaurs nearest him Eneba games into those behind. The clearing was now a forest of bows and arrows waiting to be fired, all pointing upward at the enormous grayish face now looming Enebq them from just beneath the thick canopy of branches. Grawps lopsided mouth was gaping stupidly. They could see his bricklike yellow teeth glimmering in the half-light, his dull sludgecolored eyes narrowed as he click down at the creatures at his feet. Broken ropes trailed from both ankles. He opened his mouth even wider. Hagger. Harry did not know what hagger meant, or what language it was from, nor did he much care - he was watching Grawps feet, Eneba games were almost as long as Harrys whole body. Hermione gripped his read more tightly; the centaurs were quite silent, staring up at the giant, whose huge, round head moved from side to side as he continued to peer Eneba games them as though looking for something he had dropped. Hagger. he said again, more insistently. Get away from here, giant. called Magorian. You are not welcome among us. These words seemed to make no impression whatsoever on Grawp. He stooped a little (the centaurs arms tensed on their bows) and then bellowed, HAGGER. A few of gamss centaurs looked worried now. Hermione, however, gave a gasp.
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