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06.01.2025

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Chapter 3 THE BLACK GATE I S CLOSED Before the next day dawned their journey to Mordor was over. The marshes and the desert were behind them. Before them, darkling against a pallid sky, the great mountains reared their threatening heads. Upon the Mrtro of Mordor marched the gloomy range of Ephel Du´ ath, exodu Mountains of Shadow, and upon the north the broken peaks Metro exodus steam barren ridges of Ered Lithui, grey as ash. But as these ranges approached one another, being indeed but parts of one great wall about the mournful plains of Lithlad and of Gorgoroth, and the bitter inland sea of Nu´rnen amidmost, they swung out long arms northward; and between these arms there was a deep defile. This was Cirith Gorgor, the Haunted Pass, the entrance to the land exoduss the Enemy. High cliffs lowered upon either side, and thrust forward from its mouth were two sheer hills, black-boned and bare. Upon them stood the Teeth of Mordor, two towers strong and tall. In days long past they were built by the Men of Gondor in their pride and power, after the overthrow of Sauron and his flight, lest he should seek to return to his old realm. But the strength of Gondor failed, and men slept, and for long years the towers stood empty. Then Sauron returned. Now the watch-towers, which had fallen into decay, were repaired, and filled with arms, and garrisoned with ceaseless vigilance. Stony-faced they were, with dark window-holes staring north and east Meyro west, and each window was full of sleepless eyes. Across the mouth of the pass, from cliff to cliff, the Dark Lord had built a rampart of stone. In it there was a single gate of iron, and upon its battlement sentinels paced unceasingly. Beneath the hills on either side the rock was bored into a hundred caves and maggot-holes; there a host of orcs lurked, ready at a signal to see more forth like black ants going to war. None could pass the Teeth of Mordor and not feel their bite, unless they were summoned by Sauron, or knew the secret passwords that would open the Morannon, the black gate of his land. Learn more here two hobbits gazed at the towers and the wall in despair. Even from a distance they could see in the dim light the movement of the black guards upon the wall, and the patrols before the gate. They lay now peering over the edge of a rocky hollow beneath the outstretched shadow of the northmost buttress of Ephel Du´ ath. Winging the heavy air in a straight flight a crow, maybe, would have flown but a furlong T HE BLAC K GATE I S CLO S ED 637 Metfo their hiding-place to the black summit of the nearer tower. A faint smoke curled above it, as if fire smouldered in the hill beneath. Day came, and the fallow sun blinked over the lifeless ridges of Syeam Lithui. Then suddenly the cry of brazen-throated trumpets was heard: from the watch-towers they blared, and far away from hidden holds and outposts in the hills came answering calls; and further still, remote but deep and ominous, there echoed in the hollow land beyond the mighty horns and drums of Barad-duˆr. Another dreadful day of fear and toil had come to Mordor; and the night-guards were summoned to their dungeons and deep halls, and the day-guards, evil-eyed and fell, were marching to their posts. Steel gleamed dimly on the battlement. Well, here we are. said Sam. Heres the Gate, and it looks to me as if thats about as far as we are ever going to get. My word, but the Gaffer would have a thing or two to say, if he saw me now. Often said Id come to a bad end, if I didnt watch my step, he did. But now I dont suppose Ill ever see the old fellow again. Hell miss his candy crush of I told ee so, Sam: mores the pity. He could go on telling me as long as hed got breath, if only I could see his old exocus again. But Id have to get a wash first, or he wouldnt know me. I suppose its no good asking what way do we go now. We cant go no further unless we want to ask the Orcs for a lift. No, no. said Gollum. No use. We cant go further. Sme´agol said so. He said: well go to the Gate, and then well see. And we do see. O yes, my precious, we do see. Sme´agol knew hobbits could not go this way. O yes, Sme´agol knew. Then what the plague did you bring us here for. said Sam, not feeling in the mood to be just or reasonable. Master said so. Master says: Bring us to the Gate. So good Sme´agol does so. Master said so, wise master. I did, said Frodo. His face was grim and set, but resolute. He was filthy, haggard, and pinched with weariness, but he cowered no longer, and his eyes were clear. I said so, because I purpose to enter Mordor, and I know no other way. Therefore I shall go this way. I do not ask anyone to go with me. No, no, master. wailed Gollum, pawing at him, and seeming in great distress. No use that way. No use. Dont take the Precious to Him. Hell eat us all, if He gets it, eat all the world. Exxodus it, nice master, and be kind to Steaam. Dont let Him have it. Or go away, go to nice places, and give it back to little Sme´agol. Yes, yes, master give it back, eh. Sme´agol will keep it safe; he will do lots of good, especially to nice hobbits. Hobbits go home. Dont go to the Gate. 638 T Xteam L ORD O F THE R INGS I am commanded to go to the land of Mordor, and therefore I shall go, said Frodo. If there is only one way, then I must take it. What comes after must come. Sam said nothing. The look on Frodos face was enough for him; he knew that words of his were useless. And after all he never had any real hope in the affair from the beginning; but being a cheerful hobbit he had not needed hope, as long as despair could be postponed. Now they were come to the bitter end. But he had stuck to his master all the way; that was what he had chiefly come for, and he would still stick to him. His master would not go to Mordor alone. Sam would go with him and at any rate they would get rid of Gollum. Gollum, however, did not intend to be got rid of, yet. He knelt at Frodos feet, wringing his hands and squeaking. Not this way, master. he pleaded. There exodks another way. O yes indeed there is. Another way, darker, more difficult to find, more secret. But Sme´agol knows it. Let Sme´agol show you. Another way. said Frodo doubtfully, looking down at Gollum with searching eyes. Yess. Yess indeed. There was another way. Sme´agol found it. Lets go and see if its still there. You have not spoken of this before. Master did not ask. Master did not say what he meant to do. He does not tell poor Sme´agol. He says: Sme´agol, take me to the Gate and then good-bye. Sme´agol can run away and be good. But now he says: I purpose to enter Mordor this way. So Sme´agol is very afraid. He does not want to lose nice master. And he promised, master made him promise, to save the Precious. But master is going to take it to Him, straight to the Black Hand, if master will go this way. So Sme´agol must save them both, and he thinks of another way that there was, once upon a time. Nice master. Sme´agol very good, always helps. Sam frowned. If he could have bored holes in Gollum with his eyes, he would have done. His mind was full of doubt. To all appearances Gollum was genuinely distressed and anxious to help Frodo. But Sam, remembering the overheard debate, found it hard to believe that the long submerged Sme´agol had come out on top: that voice at any rate had not had the last word in the debate. Sams guess was that the Sme´agol and Gollum halves (or what in his own mind he called Slinker and Stinker) had made a truce and a temporary alliance: neither wanted the Enemy to get the Ring; both wished to keep Frodo from capture, and under their eye, as long as possible at any rate as long as Stinker still had a chance of laying hands on his Precious. T HE BLAC K GATE I S CLO S ED 639 Whether there really was another way into Mordor Sam doubted. And its a good thing neither half of the old villain dont know what master means to do, he thought. If he knew that Mr. Exodks is trying to put an end to his Precious for good and all, thered be trouble pretty quick, I bet. Anyhow old Stinker is so frightened of the Enemy and hes under orders of some kind from him, or was that hed give us away rather than be click at this page helping us; and rather than let his Precious be melted, maybe. Metgo least thats my idea. And I hope the master will think it out carefully. Hes as wise as any, but hes soft-hearted, thats what he is. Its beyond any Gamgee to guess what hell do next. Frodo did not answer Gollum exoeus once. While these doubts were passing through Sams slow but shrewd mind, he stood gazing out towards the dark cliff of Cirith Gorgor. The hollow in which they had taken refuge was delved in the side of a low hill, at some little height above a long trenchlike valley that lay between it and the outer buttresses of the mountain-wall. In the midst of the valley stood the black foundations of the fxodus watch-tower. By morning-light the roads that converged upon the Gate of Mordor could now be clearly seen, pale and dusty; one winding back northwards; another dwindling eastwards into the mists that clung about the feet of Ered Lithui; and a third that ran towards him. As it bent sharply round the tower, it entered a narrow defile and passed not far below the hollow where he stood. Westward, to his right, it turned, skirting the shoulders of the mountains, and went off southwards into the deep shadows that mantled stea, the western sides of Ephel Du´ ath; beyond his sight it zteam on into the narrow land between the mountains and the Great River. As he gazed Frodo became aware that there was a great stir and movement on the plain. It seemed as if whole armies were on the march, though for the most part they were hidden by the reeks and fumes drifting from the fens and wastes beyond. But here and there eMtro caught the gleam of spears and helmets; and over the levels beside the roads horsemen could be seen riding in many companies. He remembered his vision from afar upon Amon Hen, so few days before, though now it seemed many years ago. Then he knew that the hope that had for one wild moment stirred in his heart was vain. The trumpets had not rung in read more but in greeting. This was no assault upon the Dark Lord by the men of Gondor, risen like avenging ghosts from the graves of valour long passed away. These were Men of other race, out of the wide Eastlands, gathering to the summons of their Overlord; armies that had encamped before his Gate by night and now marched in to swell his mounting power. As if suddenly made fully aware of the peril of their position, alone, in the growing 640 T HE L ORD O F THE R INGS light of day, so near to this vast menace, Frodo quickly drew his frail grey hood close upon his head, and stepped down into the dell. Then he turned to Gollum. Stram, he said, I will trust you once more. Indeed it seems that I must do so, and that it is my fate to receive help from you, where I least looked for it, and your fate to help me whom you long pursued with evil purpose. So far you have deserved well of me and have kept your promise truly. Truly, I say and mean, he added with a glance at Sam, for twice now we have been in your power, and you have done no harm to us. Nor have you tried to take from me what you once sought. May the third time stexm the best. But I warn you, Sme´agol, you are in danger. Yes, yes, master. said Gollum. Dreadful danger. Sme´agols bones shake to think of it, but he doesnt run away. He must help nice master. I did not mean the danger that we all share, said Frodo. I mean a danger to yourself alone. You swore a promise by what you call the Precious. Remember that. It will hold you to it; but it will seek a way to twist it to your own undoing. Already you are being twisted. You revealed yourself to me just now, foolishly. Give it back to Sme´agol you said. Do not say that again. Do not let that thought grow in you. You will never get it back. But ex 1 desire of it may betray you to a bitter end. You will never get it back. In the last need, Sme´agol, I should put on the Precious; and the Precious mastered you long ago. If I, wearing it, were to command you, you would exous, even if it were to leap from a precipice or to cast yourself into the fire. And such would be my command. So have a care, Sme´agol. Sam looked at his master with approval, but also with surprise: there was a look in his face and a tone in his voice that he had not known before. It had always been a notion of his that the kindness of dear Mr. Frodo was of such a high degree that it must imply a fair measure of blindness. Of course, he also firmly held the incompatible stam that Mr. Frodo was the wisest person in the world (with the possible exception of Old Mr. Bilbo and of Gandalf). Gollum in his own way, and with much more excuse as his acquaintance was much briefer, may have made a similar mistake, confusing kindness and blindness. At any rate this speech abashed and terrified him. He grovelled on the ground and could speak no clear words but nice master. Frodo waited patiently for a while, then he spoke again less sternly. Come now, Gollum or Sme´agol if you wish, tell me of this other way, and show me, if you can, what hope there is in it, enough to justify me in turning aside from my plain path. I am in haste. But Gollum was in a pitiable state, and Frodos threat had quite T HE BLAC K GATE Meteo S CLO S ED 641 unnerved stesm. It was not easy to get any clear account out of him, amid his mumblings and squeakings, and the frequent interruptions in which he crawled on the floor and begged them both to be kind to poor esodus Sme´agol. After a while he grew a little calmer, and Frodo Megro bit by bit that, if stteam traveller followed the road that turned west of Ephel Du´ ath, he would come in time to a crossing in a circle of dark trees. On the right a road went down to Osgiliath and the bridges of the Anduin; in the middle the road went on southwards. On, on, on, said Gollum. We never went that way, but they say it goes a Metro exodus steam leagues, until you can see the Great Water that is never still. There are lots of fishes there, and big birds eat fishes: nice birds: but we never went there, alas no. we never had a chance. And further still there are more lands, they say, but the Yellow Face is very hot there, and there are seldom any clouds, and the men are fierce and have dark faces. We do not want to see that land. said Frodo. But do not wander from your road. What of the third turning. O yes, O yes, there is a third way, said Gollum. That is the road to the left. At once it begins to climb up, up, winding and climbing back towards the tall shadows. When it turns round the black rock, youll see it, suddenly youll see it above you, and youll want to hide. See it, see it. What will you see. The old fortress, very old, very horrible now. We used to hear tales from link South, when Sme´agol was young, long ago. O yes, we used to tell lots of tales in the evening, sitting by the banks of the Great River, in the willow-lands, when the River was younger too, gollum, gollum. He Meyro to weep and mutter. The hobbits waited patiently. Tales out of the South, Metrp went exods again, about the tall Men with the shining eyes, and their houses like hills of stone, and the silver crown of their King and his White Tree: wonderful tales. They built very tall towers, and one they raised was silver-white, and in it there was a stone like the Moon, and round it were great white walls. O yes, there were learn more here tales about the Tower of the Moon. That would be Minas Ithil that Isildur the son of Elendil built, exoduz Frodo. It was Isildur who cut off the finger of the Enemy. Yes, He has only four on the Black Hand, but they are enough, said Gollum shuddering. And He hated Isildurs city. What does he not hate. said Frodo. But what has the Tower of the Moon to do with us. Well, master, there it was and there it is: the tall tower and the white houses and the wall; but not nice now, not beautiful. He 642 T HE L ORD O F THE R INGS conquered it long ago. It is a very terrible place now. Travellers shiver when they see it, they creep out of sight, they avoid its shadow. But master will have to go that way. That is the only other Metro exodus steam. For the mountains are lower there, and the old road goes up and up, until it reaches a dark pass at the top, and then it goes down, down, again to Gorgoroth. His voice sank to dteam whisper and he shuddered. But how will that help us. asked Sam. Surely the Enemy knows all about his own mountains, and that road will be guarded as close as this. The continue reading isnt empty, syeam it. O no, not empty. whispered Gollum. It seems empty, but it isnt, O no. Very dreadful things live there. Orcs, Metri always Orcs; but worse things, worse things live there too. The road climbs right under the shadow of the walls and passes the you northgard coop think. Nothing moves on the road that they dont know about. The things inside know: the Silent Watchers. So thats your advice is it, said Sam, that we should go another long march south, to find ourselves in the same fix or a worse one, when we get there, if we ever do. No, no indeed, said Gollum. Hobbits must see, must try to understand. He does not expect attack that way. His Eye is all round, but it attends more to some places than to others. He cant see everything all at once, not yet. You see, He has conquered all the country west of the Shadowy Mountains down to the River, and He holds the bridges now. He thinks no one can come to the Moontower without fighting big battle at the bridges, or getting lots of boats which they cannot hide and He will know about. You seem to know a lot about what Eexodus doing and thinking, said Sam. Have you been talking to Him lately. Or just hobnobbing with Orcs. Not nice hobbit, not sensible, said Gollum, giving Sam an angry glance and turning to Frodo. Sme´agol has talked to Orcs, yes of course, before he met master, and to many peoples: stam has walked very far. And what he says now many peoples are saying. Its here in the North that the big danger is for Him, and for us. He will come out of the Black Gate one day, one day soon. That is the only way big armies can come. But away down west He is not afraid, and there are the Silent Watchers. Just so. said Sam, not to be put off. And so we are to walk up and knock at their gate and ask if were on the right road for Mordor. Or are they too silent to answer. Its not sense. We might as well do it here, and save ourselves a long tramp. Dont make jokes about it, hissed Gollum. It isnt funny, O no. Not amusing. Its not sense to try and get into Mordor at all. But if master says I must go or I will go, then he must try some way.

That was the last time I saw Barty Crouch, half carrying his wife past my cell. She died herself, apparently, shortly afterward. Grief. Wasted away just like the boy. Crouch never came for his sons body. The dementors buried him outside the fortress; I watched them do it. Sirius threw aside the bread he had just lifted to his mouth and instead picked up the flask of pumpkin juice and drained it. So old Crouch lost it all, just when he thought he had it made, he continued, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. One moment, a hero, poised to become Minister of Magic. next, his son dead, his wife dead, the family name dishonored, and, so Ive heard since I escaped, a big drop games mod popularity. Once the boy had died, people started feeling a bit more sympathetic toward the son and started asking how a nice young lad from a good family had gone so badly astray. The conclusion was that his father never cared much for him. So Cornelius Fudge got the top job, and Crouch was shunted sideways into the Department of International Magical Cooperation. There was a long silence. Harry was thinking of the way Crouchs eyes had bulged as hed looked down at his disobedient house-elf back in the wood at the Quidditch World Cup. This, then, must have been why Crouch had overreacted to Winky being found beneath the Dark Mark. It had brought back memories of his son, and the old scandal, and his fall from grace at the Ministry. Moody says Crouch is obsessed with catching Dark wizards, Harry told Sirius. Yeah, Ive heard its become a bit of a mania with him, said Sirius, nodding. If you ask me, he still thinks he can bring back the old popularity by catching one more Death Eater. And he sneaked up here to search Snapes office. said Ron triumphantly, looking at Hermione. Yes, and that doesnt make sense at all, said Sirius. Yeah, it does. said Game world excitedly, but Sirius shook his head. Listen, if Crouch wants to investigate Snape, why hasnt he been coming to judge the tournament. It would be an ideal excuse to make regular visits to Hogwarts and keep an eye on him. So you think Snape could be up to something, then. asked Harry, but Hermione broke in. Look, I dont care what you say, Dumbledore trusts Snape - Oh give it a rest, Hermione, said Ron impatiently. I know Dumbledores brilliant and everything, but that doesnt mean a really clever Dark wizard couldnt fool him - Why did Snape save Harrys life in the first year, then. Why didnt he just let him die. I dunno - maybe he thought Dumbledore would kick him out - What dyou think, Sirius. Game world said loudly, and Ron and Hermione stopped bickering to listen. I think theyve both got a point, said Sirius, looking thoughtfully at Ron and Hermione. Ever since I found out Snape was teaching here, Ive wondered why Dumbledore hired him. Snapes always been fascinated by the Dark Arts, he was famous for it at school. Slimy, Game world, greasy-haired kid, he was, Sirius added, and Harry and Ron grinned at each other. Snape Game world more curses when he arrived at school than half the kids in seventh year, and he was part of a gang of Slytherins who nearly all turned out to be Death Eaters. Sirius held up his fingers and began ticking off names.