towers

Chapter 6
THE FORBIDDEN POOL
Frodo woke to find Faramir bending over him. For a second
old fears seized him and he sat up and shrank away.
‘There is nothing to fear,’ said Faramir.
‘Is it morning already?’ said Frodo yawning.
‘Not yet, but night is drawing to an end, and the full moon
is setting. Will you come and see it? Also there is a matter on
which I desire your counsel. I am sorry to rouse you from
sleep, but will you come?’
‘I will,’ said Frodo, rising and shivering a little as he left
the warm blanket and pelts. It seemed cold in the fireless
cave. The noise of the water was loud in the stillness. He put
on his cloak and followed Faramir.
Sam, waking suddenly by some instinct of watchfulness,
saw first his master’s empty bed and leapt to his feet. Then
he saw two dark figures, Frodo and a man, framed against
the archway, which was now filled with a pale white light. He
hurried after them, past rows of men sleeping on mattresses
along the wall. As he went by the cave-mouth he saw that the
Curtain was now become a dazzling veil of silk and pearls
and silver thread: melting icicles of moonlight. But he did not
pause to admire it, and turning aside he followed his master
through the narrow doorway in the wall of the cave.
They went first along a black passage, then up many wet
steps, and so came to a small flat landing cut in the stone and
lit by the pale sky, gleaming high above through a long deep
shaft. From here two flights of steps led: one going on, as it
seemed, up on to the high bank of the stream; the other
turning away to the left. This they followed. It wound its way
up like a turret-stair.
* * *