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on either side of the Morannon poured Orcs innumerable。 The men of the West were trapped； and
soon。 all about the grey mounds where they stood； forces ten times and more than ten times their
match would ring them in a sea of enemies。 Sauron had taken the proffered bait in jaws of steel。
Little time was left to Aragorn for the ordering of his battle。 Upon the one hill he stood with
Gandalf； and there fair and desperate was raised the banner of the Tree and Stars。 Upon the other
hill hard by stood the banners of Rohan and Dol Amroth； White Horse and Silver Swan。 And about
each hill a ring was made facing all ways； bristling with spear and sword。 But in the front towards
Mordor where the first bitter assault would e there stood the sons of Elrond on the left with the
Dúnedain about them； and on the right the Prince Imrahil with the men of Dol Amroth tall and fair；
and picked men of the Tower of Guard。
The wind blew； and the trumpets sang； and arrows whined； but the sun now climbing towards
the South was veiled in the reeks of Mordor； and through a threatening haze it gleamed； remote； a
sullen red； as if it were the ending of the day； or the end maybe of all the world of light。 And out of
the gathering mirk the Nazg？l came with。 their cold voices crying words of death； and then all hope
was quenched。
Pippin had bowed crushed with horror when he heard Gandalf reject the terms and doom Frodo
to the torment of the Tower； but he had mastered himself； and now he stood beside Beregond in the
front rank of Gondor with Imrahil's men。 For it seemed best to him to die soon and leave the bitter
story of his life； since all was in ruin。
'I wish Merry was here；' he heard himself saying； and quick thoughts raced through his mind；
even as he watched the enemy e charging to the assault。 'Well； well； now at any rate I
understand poor Denethor a little better。 We might die together； Merry and I； and since die we must；
why not？ Well； as he is not here； I hope he'll find an easier end。 But now I must do my best。'
He drew his sword and looked at it； and the intertwining shapes of red and gold； and the flowing
characters of Númenor glinted like fire upon the blade。 'This was made for just such an hour；' he
thought。 'If only I could smite that foul Messenger with it； then almost I should draw level with old
Merry。 Well； I'll smite some of this beastly brood before the end。 I wish I could see cool sunlight
and green grass again！'
Then even as he thought these things the first assault crashed into them。 The orcs hindered by
the mires that lay before the hills halted and poured their arrows into the defending ranks。 But
through them there came striding up； roaring like beasts； a great pany of hill…trolls out of
Gorgoroth。 Taller and broader than Men they were； and they were clad only in close…fitting mesh of
horny scales； or maybe that was their hideous hide； but they bore round bucklers huge and black
and wielded heavy hammers in their knotted hands。 Reckless they sprang into the pools and waded
across； bellowing as they came。 Like a storm they broke upon the line of the men of Gondor； and
beat upon helm and head； and arm and shield as smiths hewing the hot bending iron。 At Pippin's
side Beregond was stunned and overborne； and he fell； and the great troll…chief that smote him
down bent over him； reaching out a clutching claw； for these fell creatures would bite the throats of
those that they threw down。
Then Pippin stabbed upwards； and the written blade of Westernesse pierced through the hide
and went deep into the vitals of the troll； and his black blood came gushing out。 He toppled forward
and came crashing down like a falling rock； burying those beneath him。 Blackness and stench and
crushing pain came upon Pippin； and his mind fell away into a great darkness。
'So it ends as I guessed it would；' his thought said； even as it fluttered away； and it laughed a
little within him ere it fled； almost gay it seemed to be casting off at last all doubt and care and fear。
And then even as it winged away into forgetfulness it heard voices； and they seemed to be crying in
some forgotten world far above：
'The Eagles are ing！ The Eagles are ing！'
For one moment more Pippin's thought hovered。 'Bilbo！' it said。 'But no！ That came in his tale；
long long ago。 This is my tale； and it is ended now。 Good…bye！' And his thought fled far away and
his eyes saw no more。
_Chapter 1_
The Tower of Cirith Ungol
Sam roused himself painfully from the ground。 For a moment he wondered where he was； and
then all the misery and despair returned to him。 He was in the deep dark outside the under…gate of
the orcs' stronghold； its brazen doors were shut。 He must have fallen stunned when he hurled
himself against them； but how long he had lain there he did not know。 Then he had been on fire；
desperate and furious； now he was shivering and cold。 He crept to the doors and pressed his ears
against them。
Far within he could hear faintly the voices of ores clamouring； but soon they stopped or passed
out of hearing； and all was still。 His head ached and his eyes saw phantom lights in the darkness；
but he struggled to steady himself and think。 It was clear at any rate that he had no hope of getting
into the orc…hold by that gate； he might wait there for days before it was opened； and he could not
wait： time was desperately precious。 He no longer had any doubt about his duty： he must rescue his
master or perish in the attempt。
'The perishing is more likely； and will be a lot easier anyway；' he said grimly to himself； as he
sheathed Sting and turned from the brazen doors。 Slowly he groped his way back in the dark along
the tunnel； not daring to use the elven…light； and as he went he tried to fit together the events since
Frodo and he had left the Cross…roads。 He wondered what the time was。 Somewhere between one
day and the next； he supposed； but even of the days he had quite lost count。 He was in a land of
darkness where the days of the world seemed forgotten； and where all who entered were forgotten
too。
'I wonder if they think of us at all；' he said； 'and what is happening to them all away there。' He
waved his hand vaguely in the air before him； but he was in fact now facing southwards； as he
came back to Shelob's tunnel； not west。 Out westward in the world it was drawing to noon upon the
fourteenth day of March in the Shire…reckoning。 And even now Aragorn was leading the black fleet
from Pelargir； and Merry was riding with the Rohirrim down the Stonewain Valley； while in Minas
Tirith flames were rising and Pippin watched the madness growing in the eyes of Denethor。 Yet
amid all their cares and fear the thoughts of their friends turned constantly to Frodo and Sam。 They
were not forgotten。 But they were far beyond aid； and no thought could yet bring any help to
Samwise Hamfast's son； he was utterly alone。
He came back at last to the stone door of the orc…passage； and still unable to discover the catch
or bolt that held it； he scrambled over as before and dropped softly to the ground。 Then he made his
way stealthily to the outlet of Shelob's tunnel； where the rags of her great web were still blowing
and swaying in the cold airs。 For cold they seemed to Sam after the noisome darkness behind； but
the breath of them revived him。 He crept cautiously out。
All was ominously quiet。 The light was no more than that of dusk at a dark day's end。 The vast
vapours that arose in Mordor and went streaming westward passed low overhead； a great welter of
cloud and smoke now lit again beneath with a sullen glow of red。
Sam looked up towards the orc…tower； and suddenly from its narrow windows lights stared out
like small red eyes。 He wondered if they were some signal。 His fear of the orcs； forgotten for a
while in his wrath and desperation； now returned。 As far as he could see； there was only one
possible course for him to take： he must go on and try to find the main entrance to the dreadful
tower； but his knees felt weak； and he found that he was trembling。 Drawing his eyes down from
the tower and the horns of the Cleft before him； he forced his unwilling feet to obey him； and
slowly； listening with all his ears； peering into the dense shadows of the rocks beside the way； he
retraced his steps； past the place where Frodo fell； and still the stench of Shelob lingered； and then
on and up； until he stood again in the very cleft where he had put on the Ring and seen Shagrat's
pany go by。
There he halted and sat down。 For the moment he could drive himself no further。 He felt that if
once he went beyond the crown of the pass and took one step veritably down into the land of
Mordor； that step would be irrevocable。 He could never e back。 Without any clear purpose he
drew out the Ring and put it on again。 Immediately he felt the great burden of its weight； and felt
afresh； but now more strong and urgent than ever； the malice of the Eye of Mordor； searching；
trying to pierce the shadows that it had made for its own defence； but which now hindered it in its
unquiet and doubt。
As before； Sam found that his hearing was sharpened； but that to his sight the things of this
world seemed thin and vague。 The rocky walls of the path were pale； as if seen through a mist； but
still at a distance he heard the bubbling of Shelob in her misery： and harsh and clear； and very close
it seemed； he heard cries and the clash of metal。 He sprang to his feet； and pressed himself against
the wall beside the road。 He was glad of the Ring； for here was yet another pany of orcs on the
march。 Or so at first he thought。 Then suddenly he realized that it was not so； his hearing had
deceived him： the orc…cries came from the tower； whose topmost horn was now right above him； on
the left hand of the Cleft。
Sam shuddered and tried to force himself to move。 There was plainly some devilry going on。
Perhaps in spite of all orders the cruelty of the orcs had mastered them； and they were tormenting
Frodo； or even savagely hacking him to pieces。 He listened； and as he did a gleam of hope came to
him。 There could not be much doubt： there was fighting in the tower； the orcs must be at war
among themselves； Shagrat and Gorbag had e to blows。 Faint as was the hope that his guess
brought him； it was enough to rouse him。 There might be just a chance。 His love for Frodo rose
above all other thoughts； and forgetting his peril he cried aloud： 'I'm ing； Mr。 Frodo！'
He ran forward to the climbing path； and over it。 At once the road turned left and plunged
steeply down。 Sam had crossed into Mordor。
He took off the Ring； moved it may be by some deep premonition of danger； though to himself
he thought only that he wished to see more clearly。 ‘Better have a look at the worst；' he muttered。
‘No good blundering about in a fog！'
Hard and cruel and bitter was the land that met his gaze。 Before his feet the highest ridge of the
Ephel Dúath fell steeply in great cliffs down into a dark trough； on the further side of which there
rose another ridge； much lower； its edge notched and jagged with crags like fangs that stood out
black against the red light behind them： it was the grim Morgai； the inner ring of the fences of the
land。 Far beyond it； but almost straight ahead； across a wide lake of darkness dotted with tiny fires；
there was a great burning glow； and from it rose in huge columns a swirling smoke； dusty red at the
roots； black above where it merged into the billowing canopy that roofed in all the accursed land。
Sam was looking at Orodruin； the Mountain of Fire。 Ever and anon the furnaces far below its
ashen cone would grow hot and with a great surging and throbbing pour forth rivers of molten rock
from chasms in its sides。 Some would flow blazing towards Barad…d？r down great channels； some
would wind their way into the stony plain； until they cooled and lay like twisted dragon…shapes
vomited from the tormented earth。 In such an hour of labour Sam beheld Mount Doom； and the
light of it； cut o