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But before he could overtake him； Gollum was gone。 Then as the dark hole
stood before him and the stench came out to meet him； like a clap of thunder
the thought of Frodo and the monster smote upon Sam's mind。 He spun round；
and rushed wildly up the path； calling and calling his master's name。 He was
too late。 So far Gollum's plot had succeeded。
Chapter 10。 The Choices of Master Samwise
Frodo was lying face upward on the ground and the monster was bending
over him； so intent upon her victim that she took no heed of Sam and his
cries； until he was close at hand。 As he rushed up he saw that Frodo was
already bound in cords； wound about him from ankle to shoulder； and the
monster with her great forelegs was beginning half to lift； half to drag his
body away。
On the near side of him lay； gleaming on the ground； his elven…blade；
where it had fallen useless from his grasp。 Sam did not wait to wonder what
was to be done； or whether he was brave； or loyal； or filled with rage。 He
sprang forward with a yell； and seized his master's sword in his left hand。
Then he charged。 No onslaught more fierce was ever seen in the savage world
of beasts； where some desperate small creature armed with little teeth
alone； will spring upon a tower of horn and hide that stands above its
fallen mate。
Disturbed as if out of some gloating dream by his small yell she turned
slowly the dreadful malice of her glance upon him。 But almost before she was
aware that a fury was upon her greater than any she had known in countless
years； the shining sword bit upon her foot and shore away the claw。 Sam
sprang in； inside the arches of her legs； and with a quick upthrust of his
other hand stabbed at the clustered eyes upon her lowered head。 One great
eye went dark。
Now the miserable creature was right under her； for the moment out of
the reach of her sting and of her claws。 Her vast belly was above him with
its putrid light； and the stench of it almost smote him down。 Still his fury
held for one more blow； and before she could sink upon him； smothering him
and all his little impudence of courage； he slashed the bright elven…blade
across her with desperate strength。
But Shelob was not as dragons are； no softer spot had she save only her
eyes。 Knobbed and pitted with corruption was her age…old hide； but ever
thickened from within with layer on layer of evil growth。 The blade scored
it with a dreadful gash； but those hideous folds could not be pierced by any
strength of men； not though Elf or Dwarf should forge the steel or the hand
of Beren or of T畆in wield it。 She yielded to the stroke； and then heaved up
the great bag of her belly high above Sam's head。 Poison frothed and bubbled
from the wound。 Now splaying her legs she drove her huge bulk down on him
again。 Too soon。 For Sam still stood upon his feet； and dropping his own
sword； with both hands he held the elven…blade point upwards； fending off
that ghastly roof； and so Shelob； with the driving force of her own cruel
will； with strength greater than any warrior's hand； thrust herself upon a
bitter spike。 Deep； deep it pricked； as Sam was crushed slowly to the
ground。
No such anguish had Shelob ever known； or dreamed of knowing； in all
her long world of wickedness。 Not the doughtiest soldier of old Gondor； nor
the most savage Orc entrapped； had ever thus endured her； or set blade to
her beloved flesh。 A shudder went through her。 Heaving up again； wrenching
away from the pain； she bent her writhing limbs beneath her and sprang
backwards in a convulsive leap。
Sam had fallen to his knees by Frodo's head； his senses reeling in the
foul stench； his two hands still gripping the hilt of the sword。 Through the
mist before his eyes he was aware dimly of Frodo's face and stubbornly he
fought to master himself and to drag himself out of the swoon that was upon
him。 Slowly he raised his head and saw her； only a few paces away； eyeing
him； her beak drabbling a spittle of venom； and a green ooze trickling from
below her wounded eye。 There she crouched； her shuddering belly splayed upon
the ground； the great bows of her legs quivering； as she gathered herself
for another spring…this time to crush and sting to death： no little bite of
poison to still the struggling of her meat； this time to slay and then to
rend。
Even as Sam himself crouched； looking at her； seeing his death in her
eyes； a thought came to him； as if some remote voice had spoken。 and he
fumbled in his breast with his left hand； and found what he sought： cold and
hard and solid it seemed to his touch in a phantom world of horror； the
Phial of Galadriel。
'Galadriel！ ' he said faintly； and then he heard voices far off but
clear： the crying of the Elves as they walked under the stars in the beloved
shadows of the Shire； and the music of the Elves as it came through his
sleep in the Hall of Fire in the house of Elrond。
Gilthoniel A Elbereth！
And then his tongue was loosed and his voice cried in a language which
he did not know：
A Elbereth Gilthoniel
o menel palan…diriel；
le nallon sn di'nguruthos！
A tiro nin； Fanuilos！
And with that he staggered to his feet and was Samwise the hobbit；
Hamfast's son； again。
‘Now e； you filth！' he cried。 ‘You've hurt my master； you brute； and
you'll pay for it。 We're going on； but we'll settle with you first。 e on；
and taste it again！'
As if his indomitable spirit had set its potency in motion； the glass
blazed suddenly like a white torch in his hand。 It flamed like a star that
leaping from the firmament sears the dark air with intolerable light。 No
such terror out of heaven had ever burned in Shelob's face before。 The beams
of it entered into her wounded head and scored it with unbearable pain； and
the dreadful infection of light spread from eye to eye。 She fell back
beating the air with her forelegs； her sight blasted by inner lightnings；
her mind in agony。 Then turning her maimed head away； she rolled aside and
began to crawl； claw by claw； towards the opening in the dark cliff behind。
Sam came on。 He was reeling like a drunken man； but he came on。 And
Shelob cowed at last； shrunken in defeat； jerked and quivered as she tried
to hasten from him。 She reached the hole； and squeezing down； leaving a
trail of green…yellow slime； she slipped in； even as Sam hewed a last stroke
at her dragging legs。 Then he fell to the ground。
Shelob was gone； and whether she lay long in her lair； nursing her
malice and her misery； and in slow years of darkness healed herself from
within； rebuilding her clustered eyes； until with hunger like death she spun
once more her dreadful snares in the glens of the Mountains of Shadow； this
tale does not tell。
Sam was left alone。 Wearily； as the evening of the Nameless Land fell
upon the place of battle； he crawled b