Властелин колец: Две башни
The Stairs of Cirith Ungol
`Sleep!’saidFrodoandsighed,asifoutofadeserthehadseenamirageofcoolgreen.’Yes,evenhereIcouldsleep.’
`Sleepthen,master!Layyourheadinmylap.’
AndsoGollumfoundthemhourslater,whenhereturned,crawlingandcreepingdownthepathoutofthegloomahead.Samsatproppedagainstthestone,hisheaddroppingsidewaysandhisbreathingheavy.InhislaplayFrodo’shead,drowneddeepinsleep;uponhiswhiteforeheadlayoneofSam’sbrownhands,andtheotherlaysoftlyuponhismaster’sbreast.Peacewasinboththeirfaces.
Gollumlookedatthem.Astrangeexpressionpassedoverhisleanhungryface.Thegleamfadedfromhiseyes,andtheywentdimandgrey,oldandtired.Aspasmofpainseemedtotwisthim,andheturnedaway,peeringbackuptowardsthepass,shakinghishead,asifengagedinsomeinteriordebate.Thenhecameback,andslowlyputtingoutatremblinghand,verycautiouslyhetouchedFrodo’sknee-butalmostthetouchwasacaress.Forafleetingmoment,couldoneofthesleepershaveseenhim,theywouldhavethoughtthattheybeheldanoldwearyhobbit,shrunkenbytheyearsthathadcarriedhimfarbeyondhistime,beyondfriendsandkin,andthefieldsandstreamsofyouth,anoldstarvedpitiablething.
ButatthattouchFrodostirredandcriedoutsoftlyinhissleep,andimmediatelySamwaswideawake.ThefirstthinghesawwasGollum-`pawingatmaster,’ashethought.
`Heyyou!’hesaidroughly.`Whatareyouupto?’
’Nothing,nothing,’saidGollumsoftly.
