Властелин колец: Две башни
The Stairs of Cirith Ungol
Thehobbitsstruggledon,untilatlasttheywereclingingwithdesperatefingerstothestepsahead,andforcingtheirachingkneestobendandstraighten;andeverasthestaircutitswaydeeperintothesheermountaintherockywallsrosehigherandhigherabovetheirheads.
Atlength,justastheyfeltthattheycouldendurenomore,theysawGollum’seyespeeringdownatthemagain.`We’reup,’hewhispered.’Firststair’spast.Cleverhobbitstoclimbsohigh,verycleverhobbits.Justafewmorelittlestepsandthat’sall,yes.’
DizzyandverytiredSam,andFrodofollowinghim,crawledupthelaststep,andsatdownrubbingtheirlegsandknees.Theywereinadeepdarkpassagethatseemedstilltogoupbeforethem,thoughatagentlerslopeandwithoutsteps.Gollumdidnotletthemrestlong.
’There’sanotherstairstill,’hesaid.`Muchlongerstair.Restwhenwegettothetopofnextstair.Notyet.’
Samgroaned.’Longer,didyousay?’heasked.
’Yes,yess,longer,’saidGollum.`Butnotsodifficult.HobbitshaveclimbedtheStraightStair.NextcomestheWindingStair.’
’Andwhatafterthat?’saidSam.
`Weshallsee,’saidGollumsoftly.`Oyes,weshallsee!’
’Ithoughtyousaidtherewasatunnel,’saidSam.`Isn’tthereatunnelorsomethingtogothrough?’
’Oyes,there’satunnel,’saidGollum.`Buthobbitscanrestbeforetheytrythat.Iftheygetthroughthat,they’llbenearlyatthetop.Verynearly,iftheygetthrough.Oyes!’
Frodoshivered.
