Властелин колец: Две башни
The Passage of the Marshes
Hewasfacingit,anditspotencybeatuponhisbrow.
Gollumprobablyfeltsomethingofthesamesort.ButwhatwentoninhiswretchedheartbetweenthepressureoftheEye,andthelustoftheRingthatwassonear,andhisgrovellingpromisemadehalfinthefearofcoldiron,thehobbitsdidnotguess:Frodogavenothoughttoit.Sam’smindwasoccupiedmostlywithhismasterhardlynoticingthedarkcloudthathadfallenonhisownheart.HeputFrodoinfrontofhimnow,andkeptawatchfuleyeoneverymovementofhis,supportinghimifhestumbled,andtryingtoencouragehimwithclumsywords.
Whendaycameatlastthehobbitsweresurprisedtoseehowmuchclosertheominousmountainshadalreadydrawn.Theairwasnowclearerandcolder,andthoughstillfaroff,thewallsofMordorwerenolongeracloudymenaceontheedgeofsight,butasgrimblacktowerstheyfrownedacrossadismalwaste.Themarsheswereatanend,dyingawayintodeadpeatsandwideflatsofdrycrackedmud.Thelandaheadroseinlongshallowslopes,barrenandpitiless,towardsthedesertthatlayatSauron’sgate.
Whilethegreylightlasted,theycoweredunderablackstonelikeworms,shrinking,lestthewingedterrorshouldpassandspythemwithitscrueleyes.Theremainderofthatjourneywasashadowofgrowingfearinwhichmemorycouldfindnothingtorestupon.Fortwomorenightstheystruggledonthroughthewearypathlessland.Theair,asitseemedtothem,grewharsh,andfilledwithabitterreekthatcaughttheirbreathandparchedtheirmouths.
