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u He clawed at Frodo； and Frodo； startled out of sleep； sat up suddenly and
seized him by the arm。 Gollum tore himself loose and backed away。
'They mustn't be silly；' he hissed。 ‘We must go。 No time to lose！' And
nothing more could they get out of him。 Where he had been； and what he
thought was brewing to make him in such a hurry； he would not say。 Sam was
filled with deep suspicion； and showed it； but Frodo gave no sign of what
was passing in his mind。 He sighed； hoisted his pack； and prepared to go out
into the ever…gathering darkness。
Very stealthily Gollum led them down the hillside； keeping under cover
wherever it was possible； and running； almost bent to the ground； across any
open space； but the light was now so dim that even a keen…eyed beast of the
wild could scarcely have seen the hobbits； hooded； in their grey cloaks； nor
heard them； walking as warily as the little people can。 Without the crack of
a twig or the rustle of a leaf they passed and vanished。
For about an hour they went on； silently； in single file； oppressed by
the gloom and by the absolute stillness of the land； broken only now and
again by the faint rumbling as of thunder far away or drum…beats in some
hollow of the hills。 Down from their hiding…place they went； and then
turning south they steered as straight a course as Gollum could find across
a long broken slope that leaned up towards the mountains。 Presently； not far
ahead； looming up like a black wall； they saw a belt of trees。 As they drew
nearer they became aware that these were of vast size； very ancient it
seemed； and still towering high； though their tops were gaunt and broken； as
if tempest and lightning…blast had swept across them； but had failed to kill
them or to shake their fathomless roots。
'The Cross…roads； yes；' whispered Gollum； the first words that had been
spoken since they left their hiding…place。 'We must go that way。' Turning
eastward now； he led them up the slope； and then suddenly there it was
before them： the Southward Road； winding its way about the outer feet of the
mountains； until presently it plunged into the great ring of trees。
'This is the only way；' whispered Gollum。 'No paths beyond the road。 No
paths。 We must go to the Cross…roads。 But make haste！ Be silent！ '
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；
grey as the stones themselves； and soft…footed as hunting cats。 At length
they reached the trees； and 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 glowing on Sam's 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 the yet unsullied Sea。 The brief glow fell upon a
huge sitting figure； still and solemn as the 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 king's head： it
was lying rolled away by the roadside。 ‘Look； Sam！' he cried； startled 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 fell。
Chapter 8。 The Stairs of Cirith Ungol
Gollum was tugging at Frodo's cloak and hissing with fear and
impatience。 ‘We must go；' he said。 ‘We mustn't stand here。 Make haste！'
Reluctantly Frodo turned his back on the West and followed as his guide
led him； out into the darkness of the East。 They left the ring of trees and
crept along the road towards the mountains。 This road； too； ran straight for
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 the dark sky behind。
Crawling 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。 Frodo's head was bowed； his burden was
dragging him down again。 As soon as the great Cross…roads had been passed；
the weight of it； almost forgotten in Ithilien； had begun to grow once more。
Now； feeling the way bee 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。 He cowered against the stony bank。
A long…tilted valley； a deep gulf of shadow； ran back far into the
mountains。 Upon the further side； some way within the valley's arms high on
a rocky seat upon the black knees of the Ephel D產th； 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 black 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 night。 For a moment the three
panions stood there； shrinking； staring u