Властелин колец: Возвращение короля
The Tower of Cirith Ungol
ThenarrowupperwayonwhichSamstoodleaptswiftlydownbystairandsteeppathtomeetthemainroadunderthefrowningwallsclosetotheTower-gate.
AshegazedatitsuddenlySamunderstood,almostwithashock,thatthisstrongholdhadbeenbuiltnottokeepenemiesoutofMordor,buttokeepthemin.ItwasindeedoneoftheworksofGondorlongago,aneasternoutpostofthedefencesofIthilien,madewhen,aftertheLastAlliance,MenofWesternessekeptwatchontheevillandofSauronwherehiscreaturesstilllurked.ButaswithNarchostandCarchost,theTowersoftheTeeth,soheretoothevigilancehadfailed,andtreacheryhadyieldeduptheTowertotheLordoftheRingwraiths,andnowforlongyearsithadbeenheldbyevilthings.SincehisreturntoMordor,Sauronhadfoundituseful;forhehadfewservantsbutmanyslavesoffear,andstillitschiefpurposeasofoldwastopreventescapefromMordor.Thoughifanenemyweresorashastotrytoenterthatlandsecretly,thenitwasalsoalastunsleepingguardagainstanythatmightpassthevigilanceofMorgulandofShelob.
OnlytooclearlySamsawhowhopelessitwouldbeforhimtocreepdownunderthosemany-eyedwallsandpassthewatchfulgate.Andevenifhedidso,hecouldnotgofarontheguardedroadbeyond:noteventheblackshadows,lyingdeepwheretheredglowcouldnotreach,wouldshieldhimlongfromthenight-eyedorcs.
