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The Mountain crept up ever nearer； until； if they lifted their heavy heads； it filled all their sight；
looming vast before them： a huge mass of ash and slag and burned stone； out of which a sheer…
sided cone was raised into the clouds。 Before the daylong dusk ended and true night came again
they had crawled and stumbled to its very feet。
With a gasp Frodo cast himself on the ground。 Sam sat by him。 To his surprise he felt tired but
lighter； and his head seemed clear again。 No more debates disturbed his mind。 He knew all the
arguments of despair and would not listen to them。 His will was set； and only death would break it。
He felt no longer either desire or need of sleep； but rather of watchfulness。 He knew that all the
hazards and perils were now drawing together to a point： the next day would be a day of doom； the
day of final effort or disaster； the last gasp。
But when would it e？ The night seemed endless and timeless； minute after minute falling
dead and adding up to no passing hour； bringing no change。 Sam began to wonder if a second
darkness had begun and no day would ever reappear。 At last he groped for Frodo's hand。 It was cold
and trembling。 His master was shivering。
'I didn't ought to have left my blanket behind；' muttered Sam； and lying down he tried to fort
Frodo with his arms and body。 Then sleep took him； and the dim light of the last day of their quest
found them side by side。 The wind had fallen the day before as it shifted from the West； and now it
came from the North and began to rise； and slowly the light of the unseen Sun filtered down into
the shadows where the hobbits lay。
'Now for it！ Now for the last gasp！' said Sam as he struggled to his feet。 He bent over Frodo；
rousing him gently。 Frodo groaned； but with a great effort of will he staggered up； and then he fell
upon his knees again。 He raised his eyes with difficulty to the dark slopes of Mount Doom towering
above him； and then pitifully he began to crawl forward on his hands。
Sam looked at him and wept in his heart； but no tears came to his dry and stinging eyes。 'I said
I'd carry him； if it broke my back；' he muttered； 'and I will！'
'e； Mr。 Frodo！' he cried。 'I can't carry it for you； but I can carry you and it as well。 So up you
get！ e on； Mr。 Frodo dear！ Sam will give you a ride。 Just tell him where to go； and he'll go。'
As Frodo clung upon his back； arms loosely about his neck； legs clasped firmly under his arms；
Sam staggered to his feet； and then to his amazement he felt the burden light。 He had feared that he
would have barely strength to lift his master alone； and beyond that he had expected to share in the
dreadful dragging weight of the accursed Ring。 But it was not so。 Whether because Frodo was so
worn by his long pains； wound of knife； and venomous sting； and sorrow； fear； and homeless
wandering； or because some gift of final strength was given to him； Sam lifted Frodo with no more
difficulty than if he were carrying a hobbit…child pig…a…back in some romp on the lawns or hayfields
of the Shire。 He took a deep breath and started off。
They had reached the Mountain's foot on its northern side； and a little to the westward； there its
long grey slopes； though broken； were not sheer。 Frodo did not speak； and so Sam struggled on as
best he could； having no guidance but the will to climb as high as might be before his strength gave
out and his will broke。 On he toiled； up and up； turning this way and that to lessen the slope； often
stumbling forward； and at the last crawling like a snail with a heavy burden on its back。 When his
will could drive him no further； and his limbs gave way； he stopped and laid his master gently
down。
Frodo opened his eyes and drew a breath。 It was easier to breathe up here above the reeks that
coiled and drifted down below。 'Thank you； Sam；' he said in a cracked whisper。 'How far is there to
go？'
'I don't know；' said Sam； 'because I don't know where we're going。'
He looked back； and then he looked up； and he was amazed to see how far his last effort had
brought him。 The Mountain standing ominous and alone had looked taller than it was。 Sam saw
now that it was less lofty than the high passes of the Ephel Dúath which he and Frodo had scaled。
The confused and tumbled shoulders of its great base rose for maybe three thousand feet above the
plain； and above them was reared half as high again its tall central cone； like a vast oast or chimney
capped with a jagged crater。 But already Sam was more than half way up the base； and the plain of
Gorgoroth was dim below him； wrapped in fume and shadow。 As he looked up he would have
given a shout。 if his parched throat had allowed him； for amid the rugged humps and shoulders
above him he saw plainly a path or road。 It climbed like a rising girdle from the west and wound
snakelike about the Mountain； until before it went round out of view it reached the foot of the cone
upon its eastern side。
Sam could not see the course immediately above him； where it was lowest； for a steep slope
went up from where he stood； but he guessed that if he could only struggle on just a little way
further up； they would strike this path。 A gleam of hope returned to him。 They might conquer the
Mountain yet。 'Why； it might have been put there a…purpose！' he said to himself。 'If it wasn't there；
I'd have to say I was beaten in the end。'
The path was not put there for the purposes of Sam。 He did not know it； but he was looking at
Sauron's Road from Barad…d？r to the Sammath Naur； the Chambers of Fire。 Out from the Dark
Tower's huge western gate it came over a deep abyss by a vast bridge of iron； and then passing into
the plain it ran for a league between two smoking chasms； and so reached a long sloping causeway
that led up on to the Mountain's eastern side。 Thence； turning and encircling all its wide girth from
south to north； it climbed at last； high in the upper cone； but still far from the reeking summit； to a
dark entrance that gazed back east straight to the Window of the Eye in Sauron's shadow…mantled
fortress。 Often blocked or destroyed by the tumults of the Mountain's furnaces； always that road
was repaired and cleaned again by the labours of countless orcs。
Sam drew a deep breath。 There was a path； but how he was to get up the slope to it he did not
know。 First he must ease his aching back。 He lay flat beside Frodo for a while。 Neither spoke。
Slowly the light grew。 Suddenly a sense of urgency which he did not understand came to Sam。 It
was almost as if he had been called： 'Now； now； or it will be too late！' He braced himself and got up。
Frodo also seemed to have felt the call。 He struggled to his knees。
'I'll crawl； Sam；' he gasped。
So foot by foot； like small grey insects； they crept up the slope。 They came to the path and found
that it was broad； paved with broken rubble and beaten ash。 Frodo clambered on to it； and then
moved as if by some pulsion he turned slowly to face the East。 Far off the shadows of Sauron
hung； but torn by some gust of wind out of the world； or else moved