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it's anything； it will be some little private trick of his own…that he
thinks is quite secret。'
‘Well； I suppose you're right； Mr。 Frodo；' said Sam。 'Not that it
forts me mightily。 I don't make no mistake： I don't doubt he'd hand me
over to Orcs as gladly as kiss his hand。 But I was forgetting his
Precious。 No； I suppose the whole time it's been The Precious for poor
Smjagol。 That's the one idea in all his little schemes； if he has any。 But
how bringing us up here will help him in that is more than I can guess。'
'Very likely he can't guess himself；' said Frodo。 ‘And I don't think
he's got just one plain scheme in his muddled head。 I think he really is in
part trying to save the Precious from the Enemy。 as long as he can。 For that
would be the last disaster for himself too。 if the Enemy got it。 And in the
other part； perhaps； he's just biding his time and waiting on chance。'
'Yes； Slinker and Stinker； as I've said before；' said Sam。 'But the
nearer they get to the Enemy's land the more like Stinker Slinker will get。
Mark my words： if ever we get to the pass； he won't let us really take the
precious thing over the border without making some kind of trouble。'
‘We haven't got there yet；' said Frodo。
'No； but we'd better keep our eyes skinned till we do。 If we're caught
napping； Stinker will e out on top pretty quick。 Not but what it would be
safe for you to have a wink now； master。 Safe； if you lay close to me。 I'd
be dearly glad to see you have a sleep。 I'd keep watch over you； and anyway；
if you lay near； with my arm round you； no one could e pawing you without
your Sam knowing it。'
‘Sleep！' said Frodo and sighed； as if out of a desert he had seen a
mirage of cool green。 'Yes； even here I could sleep。'
‘Sleep then； master！ Lay your head in my lap。'
And so Gollum found them hours later； when he returned； crawling and
creeping down the path out of the gloom ahead。 Sam sat propped against the
stone； his head dropping sideways and his breathing heavy。 In his lap lay
Frodo's head； drowned deep in sleep； upon his white forehead lay one of
Sam's brown hands； and the other lay softly upon his master's breast。 Peace
was in both their faces。
Gollum looked at them。 A strange expression passed over his lean hungry
face。 The gleam faded from his eyes； and they went dim and grey； old and
tired。 A spasm of pain seemed to twist him； and he turned away； peering back
up towards the pass； shaking his head； as if engaged in some interior
debate。 Then he came back； and slowly putting out a trembling hand； very
cautiously he touched Frodo's knee but almost the touch was a caress。 For
a fleeting moment； could one of the sleepers have seen him； they would have
thought that they beheld an old weary hobbit； shrunken by the years that had
carried him far beyond his time； beyond friends and kin； and the fields and
streams of youth； an old starved pitiable thing。
But at that touch Frodo stirred and cried out softly in his sleep； and
immediately Sam was wide awake。 The first thing he saw was Gollum ‘pawing
at master；' as he thought。
‘Hey you！' he said roughly。 ‘What are you up to？'
'Nothing； nothing；' said Gollum softly。 ‘Nice Master！'
‘I daresay；' said Sam。 'But where have you been to sneaking off and
sneaking back； you old villain？ '
Gollum withdrew himself； and a green glint flickered under his heavy
lids。 Almost spider…like he looked now； crouched back on his bent limbs；
with his protruding eyes。 The fleeting moment had passed； beyond recall。
‘Sneaking； sneaking！' he hissed。 'Hobbits always so polite； yes。 O nice
hobbits！ Smjagol brings them up secret ways that nobody else could find。
Tired he is； thirsty he is； yes thirsty； and he guides them and he searches
for paths； and they say sneak； sneak。 Very nice friends； O yes my precious；
very nice。'
Sam felt a bit remorseful； though not more trustful。 'Sorry。' he said。
'I'm sorry； but you startled me out of my sleep。 And I shouldn't have been
sleeping； and that made me a bit sharp。 But Mr。 Frodo。 he's that tired； I
asked him to have a wink； and well； that's how it is。 Sorry。 But where have
you been to？ '
‘Sneaking；' said Gollum； and the green glint did not leave his eyes。
'O very well；' said Sam； ‘have it your own way！ I don't suppose it's so
far from the truth。 And now we'd better all be sneaking along together。
What's the time？ Is it today or tomorrow？ '
'It's tomorrow；' said Gollum； 'or this was tomorrow when hobbits went
to sleep。 Very foolish； very dangerous…if poor Smjagol wasn't sneaking about
to watch。'
‘I think we shall get tired of that word soon；' said Sam。 'But never
mind。 I'll wake master up。' Gently he smoothed the hair back from Frodo's
brow； and bending down spoke softly to him。
‘Wake up； Mr。 Frodo！ Wake up！ '
Frodo stirred and opened his eyes； and smiled； seeing Sam's face
bending over him。 ‘Calling me early aren't you； Sam？' he said。 ‘It's dark
still！ '
'Yes it's always dark here；' said Sam。 ‘But Gollum's e back Mr。
Frodo； and he says it's tomorrow。 So we must be walking on。 The last lap。'
Frodo drew a deep breath and sat up。 ‘The last lap！ ' he said。 'Hullo；
Smjagol！ Found any food？ Have you had any rest？ '
‘No food； no rest； nothing for Smjagol；' said Gollum。 ‘He's a sneak。'
Sam clicked his tongue； but restrained himself。
'Don't take names to yourself； Smjagol；' said Frodo。 'It's unwise
whether they are true or false。'
‘Smjagol has to take what's given him；' answered Gollum。 'He was given
that name by kind Master Samwise； the hobbit that knows so much。'
Frodo looked at Sam。 'Yes sir；' he said。 ‘I did use the word； waking up
out of my sleep sudden and all and finding him at hand。 I said I was sorry；
but I soon shan't be。'
'e； let it pass then；' said Frodo。 'But now we seem to have e to
the point； you and I； Smjagol。 Tell me。 Can we find the rest of the way by
ourselves？ We're in sight of the pass； of a way in； and if we can find it
now； then I suppose our agreement can be said to be over。 You have done what
you promised； and you're free： free to go back to food and rest； wherever
you wish to go； except to servants of the Enemy。 And one day I may reward
you； I or those that remember me。'
‘No； no； not yet；' Gollum whined。 ‘O no！ They can't find the way
themselves； can they？ O no indeed。 There's the tunnel ing。 Smjagol must
go on。 No rest。 No food。 Not yet。'
Chapter 9。 Shelob's Lair
It may indeed have been daytime now； as Gollum said； but the hobbits
could see little difference； unless； perhaps； the heavy sky above was less
utterly black； more like a great roof of smoke； while instead of the
darkness of deep night； which lingered still in cracks and holes； a grey
blurring shadow shrouded the stony world about them。 They passed on； Gollum
i