Властелин колец: Две башни
Journey to the Cross-roads
’Arewerested?Havewehadbeautifulsleep?’hesaid.’Let’sgo!’
’Wearen’t,andwehaven’t,’growledSam.’Butwe’llgoifwemust.’
Gollumdroppedatoncefromthebranchesofthetreeontoallfours,andthehobbitsfollowedmoreslowly.
AssoonastheyweredowntheywentonagainwithGollumleading,eastwards,upthedarkslopingland.Theycouldseelittle,forthenightwasnowsodeepthattheywerehardlyawareofthestemsoftreesbeforetheystumbledagainstthem.Thegroundbecamemorebrokenandwalkingwasmoredifficult,butGollumseemedinnowaytroubled.Heledthemthroughthicketsandwastesofbrambles;sometimesroundthelipofadeepcleftordarkpit,sometimesdownintoblackbush-shroudedhollowsandoutagain;butifevertheywentalittledownward,alwaysthefurtherslopewaslongerandsteeper.Theywereclimbingsteadily.Attheirfirsthalttheylookedback,andtheycoulddimlyperceivetheroofsoftheforesttheyhadleftbehindlyinglikeavastdenseshadow,adarkernightunderthedarkblanksky.ThereseemedtobeagreatblacknessloomingslowlyoutoftheEast,eatingupthefaintblurredstars.Laterthesinkingmoonescapedfromthepursuingcloud,butitwasringedallaboutwithasicklyyellowglare.
AtlastGollumturnedtothehobbits.’Daysoon,’hesaid.’Hobbitsmusthurry.Notsafetostayintheopenintheseplaces.Makehaste!’
Hequickenedhispace,andtheyfollowedhimwearily.Soontheybegantoclimbupontoagreathog-backofland.
