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half…eaten fish in his mouth and another in his hand。 He came close to
Frodo； almost nose to nose； and sniffed at him。 His pale eyes were shining。
Then he took the fish out of his mouth and stood up。
‘Nice Master！ ' he whispered。 ‘Nice hobbit； e back to poor Smjagol。
Good Smjagol es。 Now let's go； go quickly； yes。 Through the trees； while
the Faces are dark。 Yes； e let's go！ '
‘Yes； we'll go soon；' said Frodo。 ‘But not at once。 I will go with you
as I promised。 I promise again。 But not now。 You are not safe yet。 I will
save you； but you must trust me。'
‘We must trust Master？ ' said Gollum doubtfully。 'Why？ Why not go at
once？ Where is the other one； the cross rude hobbit？ Where is he？'
'Away up there；' said Frodo； pointing to the waterfall。 'I am not going
without him。 We must go back to him。' His heart sank。 This was too much like
trickery。 He did not really fear that Faramir would allow Gollum to be
killed； but he would probably make him prisoner and bind him； and certainly
what Frodo did would seem a treachery to the poor treacherous creature。 It
would probably be impossible ever to make him understand or believe that
Frodo had saved his life in the only way he could。 What else could he do？
to keep faith； as near as might be； with both sides。 ‘e！' he said。 ‘Or
the Precious will be angry。 We are going back now； up the stream。 Go on； go
on； you go in front！ '
Gollum crawled along close to the brink for a little way； snuffling and
suspicious。 Presently he stopped and raised his head。 ‘Something's there！ '
he said。 ‘Not a hobbit。' Suddenly he turned back。 A green light was
flickering in his bulging eyes。 ‘Masster； masster！' he hissed。 'Wicked！
Tricksy！ False！' He spat and stretched out his long arms with white snapping
fingers。
At that moment the great black shape of Anborn loomed up behind him and
came down on him。 A large strong hand took him in the nape of the neck and
pinned him。 He twisted round like lightning； all wet and slimy as he was；
wriggling like an eel； biting and scratching like a cat。 But two more men
came up out of the shadows。
'Hold still！ ' said one。 ‘Or we'll stick you as full of pins as a
hedgehog。 Hold still！'
Gollum went limp； and began to whine and weep。 They tied him； none too
gently。
‘Easy； easy！ ' said Frodo。 ‘He has no strength to match you。 Don't hurt
him； if you can help it。 He'll be quieter； if you don't。 Smjagol！ They won't
hurt you。 I'll go with you； and you shall e to no harm。 Not unless they
kill me too。 Trust Master！ '
Gollum turned and spat at him。 The men picked him up； put a hood over
his eyes； and carried him off。
Frodo followed them； feeling very wretched。 They went through the
opening behind the bushes。 and back； down the stairs and passages； into the
cave。 Two or three torches had been lit。 Men were stirring。 Sam was there；
and he gave a queer look at the limp bundle that the men carried。 ‘Got him？'
he said to Frodo。
'Yes。 Well no； I didn't get him。 He came to me； because he trusted me
at first； I'm afraid。 I did not want him tied up like this。 I hope it will
be all right； but I hate the whole business。'
‘So do I；' said Sam。 ‘And nothing will ever be all right where that
piece of misery is。'
A man came and beckoned to the hobbits； and took them to the recess at
the back of the cave。 Faramir was sitting there in his chair； and the lamp
had been rekindled in its niche above his head。 He signed to them to sit
down on the stools beside him。 ‘Bring wine for the guests；' he said。 ‘And
bring the prisoner to me。'
The wine was brought； and then Anborn came carrying Gollum。 He removed
the cover from Gollum's head and set him on his feet standing behind him to
support him。 Gollum blinked； hooding the malice of his eyes with their heavy
pale lids。 A very miserable creature he looked； dripping and dank； smelling
of fish （he still clutched one in his hand）； his sparse locks were hanging
like rank weed over his bony brows； his nose was snivelling。
‘Loose us！ Loose us！ ' he said。 ‘The cord hurts us； yes it does； it
hurts us； and we've done nothing。'
‘Nothing？ ' said Faramir； looking at the wretched creature with a keen
glance； but without any expression in his face either of anger； or pity； or
wonder。 'Nothing？ Have you never done anything worthy of binding or of worse
punishment？ However； that is not for me to judge； happily。 But tonight you
have e where it is death to e。 The fish of this pool are dearly
bought。'
Gollum dropped the fish from his hand。 ‘Don't want fish；' he said。
'The price is not set on the fish；' said Faramir。 ‘Only to e here
and look on the pool bears the penalty of death。 I have spared you so far at
the prayer of Frodo here； who says that of him at least you have deserved
some thanks。 But you must also satisfy me。 What is your name？ Whence do you
e？ And whither do you go？ What is your business？ '
‘We are lost； lost；' said Gollum。 'No name； no business； no Precious；
nothing。 Only empty。 Only hungry； yes； we are hungry。 A few little fishes；
nasty bony little fishes； for a poor creature； and they say death。 So wise
they are； so just； so very just。'
'Not very wise；' said Faramir。 'But just： yes perhaps； as just as our
little wisdom allows。 Unloose him Frodo！ ' Faramir took a small nail…knife
from his belt and handed it to Frodo。 Gollum misunderstanding the gesture；
squealed and fell down。
'Now； Smjagol！ ' said Frodo。 'You must trust me。 I will not desert you。
Answer truthfully； if you can。 It will do you good not harm。' He cut the
cords on Gollum's wrists and ankles and raised him to his feet。
'e hither！ ' said Faramir。 ‘Look at me！ Do you know the name of this
place？ Have you been here before？ '
Slowly Gollum raised his eyes and looked unwillingly into Faramir's。
All light went out of them； and they stared bleak and pale for a moment into
the clear unwavering eyes of the man of Gondor。 There was a still silence。
Then Gollum dropped his head and shrank down； until he was squatting on the
floor； shivering。 'We doesn't know and we doesn't want to know；' he
whimpered。 ‘Never came here； never e again。'
‘There are locked doors and closed windows in your mind； and dark rooms
behind them；' said Faramir。 ‘But in this I judge that you speak the truth。
It is well for you。 What oath will you swear never to return； and never to
lead any living creature hither by word or sign？'
‘Master knows；' said Gollum with a sidelong glance at Frodo。 ‘Yes； he
knows。 We will promise Master； if he saves us。 We'll promise to It； yes。' He
crawled to Frodo's feet。 'Save us； nice Master！ ' he whined。 ‘Smjagol
promises to Precious； promises faithfully。 Never e again； never speak； no
never！ No； precious； no！'
‘Are you satisfied？ ' said Faramir。
‘Yes；' said Frodo。 'At least； you must either accept this promise o