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if ever they went a little downward； always the further slope was longer and
steeper。 They were climbing steadily。 At their first halt they looked back；
and they could dimly perceive the roofs of the forest they had left behind
lying like a vast dense shadow； a darker night under the dark blank sky。
There seemed to be a great blackness looming slowly out of the East； eating
up the faint blurred stars。 Later the sinking moon escaped from the pursuing
cloud； but it was ringed all about with a sickly yellow glare。
At last Gollum turned to the hobbits。 'Day soon；' he said。 'Hobbits
must hurry。 Not safe to stay in the open in these places。 Make haste！ '
He quickened his pace； and they followed him wearily。 Soon they began
to climb up on to a great hog…back of land。 For the most part it was covered
with a thick growth of gorse and whortleberry； and low tough thorns； though
here and there clearings opened； the scars of recent fires。 The gorse…bushes
became more frequent as they got nearer the top； very old and tall they
were； gaunt and leggy below but thick above； and already putting out yellow
flowers that glimmered in the gloom and gave a faint sweet scent。 So tall
were the spiny thickets that the hobbits could walk upright under them；
passing through long dry aisles carpeted with a deep prickly mould。
On the further edge of this broad hill…back they stayed their march and
crawled for hiding underneath a tangled knot of thorns。 Their twisted
boughs； stooping to the ground； were overridden by a clambering maze of old
briars。 Deep inside there was a hollow hall； raftered with dead branch and
bramble； and roofed with the first leaves and shoots of spring。 There they
lay for a while； too tired yet to eat； and peering out through the holes in
the covert they watched for the slow growth of day。
But no day came； only a dead brown twilight。 In the East there was a
dull red glare under the lowering cloud： it was not the red of dawn。 Across
the tumbled lands between； the mountains of the Ephel D產th frowned at them；
black and shapeless below where night lay thick and did not pass away； above
with jagged tops and edges outlined hard and menacing against the fiery
glow。 Away to their right a great shoulder of the mountains stood out； dark
and black amid the shadows； thrusting westward。
‘Which way do we go from here？' asked Frodo。 ‘Is that the opening of…of
the Morgul Valley； away over there beyond that black mass？'
‘Need we think about it yet？' said Sam； ‘Surely we're not going to move
any more today； if day it is？'
‘Perhaps not； perhaps not；' said Gollum。 ‘But we must go soon； to the
Cross…roads。 Yes； to the Cross…roads。 That's the way over there yes；
Master。'
The red glare over Mordor died away。 The twilight deepened as great
vapours rose in the East and crawled above them。 Frodo and Sam took a little
food and then lay down； but Gollum was restless。 He would not eat any of
their food； but he drank a little water and then crawled about under the
bushes； sniffing and muttering。 Then。 suddenly he disappeared。
‘Off hunting； I suppose；' said Sam and yawned。 It was his turn to sleep
first； and he was soon deep in a dream。 He thought he was back in the Bag
End garden looking for something； but he had a heavy pack on his back； which
made him stoop。 It all seemed very weedy and rank somehow； and thorns and
bracken were invading the beds down near the bottom hedge。
‘A job of work for me； I can see； but I'm so tired；' he kept on saying。
Presently he remembered what he was looking for。 ‘My pipe！' he said； and
with that he woke up。
‘Silly！' he said to himself； as he opened his eyes and wondered why he
was lying down under the hedge。 ‘It's in your pack all the time！' Then he
realized； first that the pipe might be in his pack but he had no leaf； and
next that he was hundreds of miles from Bag End。 He sat up。 It seemed to be
almost dark。 Why had his master let him sleep on out of turn； right on till
evening？
‘Haven't you had no sleep； Mr。 Frodo？' he said。 'What's the time？ Seems
to be getting late！'
'No it isn't；' said Frodo。 ‘But the day is getting darker instead of
lighter： darker and darker。 As far as I can tell； it isn't midday yet； and
you've only slept for about three hours。'
'I wonder what's up；' said Sam。 'Is there a storm ing？ If so it's
going to be the worst there ever was。 We shall wish we were down a deep
hole； not just stuck under a hedge。' He listened。 ‘What's that？ Thunder； or
drums； or what is it？ '
'I don't know；' said Frodo。 ‘It's been going on for a good while now。
Sometimes the ground seems to tremble； sometimes it seems to be the heavy
air throbbing in your ears。'
Sam looked round。 ‘Where's Gollum？ ' he said。 'Hasn't he e back
yet？'
‘No；' said Frodo。 ‘There's not been a sign or sound of him。'
‘Well； I can't abide him；' said Sam。 ‘In fact； I've never taken
anything on a journey that I'd have been less sorry to lose on the way。 But
it would be just like him； after ing all these miles； to go and get lost
now； just when we shall need him most that is； if he's ever going to be
any use； which I doubt。'
‘You forget the Marshes；' said Frodo。 ‘I hope nothing has happened to
him。'
‘And I hope he's up to no tricks。 And anyway I hope he doesn't fall
into other hands； as you might say。 Because if he does； we shall soon be in
for trouble。'
At that moment a rolling and rumbling noise was heard again； louder now
and deeper。 The ground seemed to quiver under their feet。 'I think we are in
for trouble anyhow；' said Frodo。 ‘I'm afraid our journey is drawing to an
end。'
'Maybe；' said Sam； ‘but where there's life there's hope； as my Gaffer
used to say； and need of vittles； as he mostways used to add。 You have a
bite； Mr。 Frodo； and then a bit of sleep。'
The afternoon； as Sam supposed it must be called； wore on。 Looking out
from the covert he could see only a dun； shadowless world； fading slowly
into a featureless； colourless gloom。 It felt stifling but not warm。 Frodo
slept unquietly； turning and tossing； and sometimes murmuring。 Twice Sam
thought he heard him speaking Gandalf's name。 The time seemed to drag
interminably。 Suddenly Sam heard a hiss behind him； and there was Gollum on
all fours； peering at them with gleaming eyes。
‘Wake up； wake up！ Wake up； sleepies！' he whispered。 ‘Wake up！ No time
to lose。 We must go； yes； we must go at once。 No time to lose！'
Sam stared at him suspiciously： he seemed frightened or excited。 ‘Go
now？ What's your little game？ It isn't time yet。 It can't be tea…time even；
leastways not in decent places where there is tea…time。'
‘Silly！ ' hissed Gollum。 ‘We're not in decent places。 Time's running
short； yes； running fast。 No time to lose。 We must go。 Wake up。 Master； wake
u He clawed at Frodo； and Frodo； startled out of sleep； sa