Властелин колец: Возвращение короля
The Tower of Cirith Ungol
Hesprangpastthem;butevenashedidso,thrustingthephialbackintohisbosom,hewasaware,asplainlyasifabarofsteelhadsnappedtobehindhim,thattheirvigilancewasrenewed.Andfromthoseevilheadstherecameahighshrillcrythatechoedinthetoweringwallsbeforehim.Farupabove,likeanansweringsignal,aharshbellclangedasinglestroke.
"That’sdoneit!"saidSam."NowI’verungthefront-doorbell!Well,comeonsomebody!"hecried."TellCaptainShagratthatthegreatElf-warriorhascalled,withhiself-swordtoo!"
Therewasnoanswer.Samstrodeforward.Stingglitteredblueinhishand.Thecourtyardlayindeepshadow,buthecouldseethatthepavementwasstrewnwithbodies.Rightathisfeetweretwoorc-archerswithknivesstickingintheirbacks.Beyondlaymanymoreshapes;somesinglyastheyhadbeenhewndownorshot;othersinpairs,stillgrapplingoneanother,deadintheverythroesofstabbing,throttling,biting.Thestoneswereslipperywithdarkblood.
TwoliveriesSamnoticed,onemarkedbytheRedEye,theotherbyaMoondisfiguredwithaghastlyfaceofdeath;buthedidnotstoptolookmoreclosely.AcrossthecourtagreatdooratthefootoftheTowerstoodhalfopen,andaredlightcamethrough;alargeorclaydeaduponthethreshold.Samsprangoverthebodyandwentin;andthenhepeeredaboutataloss.
Awideandechoingpassageledbackfromthedoortowardsthemountain-side.
