negotiate

The Remains of the Dayの主人公のStevensの父親も執事でしたが、父の晩年の頃をSetevensが回想しているところです。
The lawn climbs a slope several yards in front of the summerhouse, and in those days, as today, four flagstones embeded into the grass served as steps by which to negotiate this climb. It was in the vicinity of these steps that my father fell, scattering the load on his tray - teapot, cups, saucers, sandwiches, cakes - across the area of grass at the top of steps.
"negotiate" が出てくると、馬鹿の一つ覚えて直ぐに交渉が出てきますが、上の場面は交渉する状況ではありません。　"negotiate" の交渉以外の意味を調べます。
・Macmillan Dictionary: to successfully travel on a road or path that is difficult to travel on or travel through: Only 4-wheel-drive vehicles can negotiate the rough roads around the ranch.
・Wiktionary: To succeed in coping with, or getting over something.: We negotiated the mountain track with difficulty.: Although the car was quite rickety, he could negotiate the curves very well.
"negotiate" するのは商談や政治、外交だけではないのですね。険しい道を行くのも "negotiate" の対象なのですね。