Властелин колец: Братство кольца
A Journey in the Dark
Theretheroad,whichhadbeenveeringsouthwardsbetweenthebrinkofthechannelandasteepfallofthelandtotheleft,turnedandwentdueeastagain.Roundingthecornertheysawbeforethemalowcliff,somefivefathomshigh,withabrokenandjaggedtop.Overitatricklingwaterdripped,throughawidecleftthatseemedtohavebeencarvedoutbyafallthathadoncebeenstrongandfull.
"Indeedthingshavechanged!"saidGandalf."Butthereisnomistakingtheplace.ThereisallthatremainsoftheStairFalls.IfIrememberright,therewasaflightofstepscutintherockattheirside,butthemainroadwoundawayleftandclimbedwithseveralloopsuptothelevelgroundatthetop.ThereusedtobeashallowvalleybeyondthefallsrightuptotheWallsofMoria,andtheSirannonflowedthroughitwiththeroadbesideit.Letusgoandseewhatthingsarelikenow!"
Theyfoundthestonestepswithoutdifficulty,andGimlisprangswiftlyupthem,followedbyGandalfandFrodo.Whentheyreachedthetoptheysawthattheycouldgonofurtherthatway,andthereasonforthedryingupoftheGate-streamwasrevealed.BehindthemthesinkingSunfilledthecoolwesternskywithglimmeringgold.Beforethemstretchedadarkstilllake.Neitherskynorsunsetwasreflectedonitssullensurface.TheSirannonhadbeendammedandhadfilledallthevalley.Beyondtheominouswaterwererearedvastcliffs,theirsternfacespallidinthefadinglight:finalandimpassable.
