towers

shelob’s lair 943
But other potencies there are in Middle-earth, powers of
night, and they are old and strong. And She that walked in
the darkness had heard the Elves cry that cry far back in the
deeps of time, and she had not heeded it, and it did not daunt
her now. Even as Frodo spoke he felt a great malice bent
upon him, and a deadly regard considering him. Not far
down the tunnel, between them and the opening where they
had reeled and stumbled, he was aware of eyes growing visible,
two great clusters of many-windowed eyes – the coming
menace was unmasked at last. The radiance of the star-glass
was broken and thrown back from their thousand facets, but
behind the glitter a pale deadly fire began steadily to glow
within, a flame kindled in some deep pit of evil thought.
Monstrous and abominable eyes they were, bestial and yet
filled with purpose and with hideous delight, gloating over
their prey trapped beyond all hope of escape.
Frodo and Sam, horror-stricken, began slowly to back
away, their own gaze held by the dreadful stare of those
baleful eyes; but as they backed so the eyes advanced. Frodo’s
hand wavered, and slowly the Phial drooped. Then suddenly,
released from the holding spell to run a little while in vain
panic for the amusement of the eyes, they both turned and
fled together; but even as they ran Frodo looked back and
saw with terror that at once the eyes came leaping up behind.
The stench of death was like a cloud about him.
‘Stand! stand!’ he cried desperately. ‘Running is no use.’
Slowly the eyes crept nearer.
‘Galadriel!’ he called, and gathering his courage he lifted
up the Phial once more. The eyes halted. For a moment their
regard relaxed, as if some hint of doubt troubled them. Then
Frodo’s heart flamed within him, and without thinking what
he did, whether it was folly or despair or courage, he took
the Phial in his left hand, and with his right hand drew his
sword. Sting flashed out, and the sharp elven-blade sparkled
in the silver light, but at its edges a blue fire flickered. Then
holding the star aloft and the bright sword advanced, Frodo,