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Sam was left alone。 Wearily； as the evening of the Nameless Land fell
upon the place of battle； he crawled back to his master。
'Master； dear master；' he said； but Frodo did not speak。 As he had run
forward； eager； rejoicing to be free； Shelob with hideous speed had e
behind and with one swift stroke had stung him in the neck。 He lay now pale；
and heard no voice。 and did not move。
‘Master； dear master！ ' said Sam； and through a long silence waited。
listening in vain。
Then as quickly as he could he cut away the binding cords and laid his
head upon Frodo's breast and to his mouth； but no stir of life could he
find； nor feel the faintest flutter of the heart。 Often he chafed his
master's hands and feet； and touched his brow； but all were cold。
‘Frodo； Mr。 Frodo！ ' he called。 'Don't leave me here alone！ It's your
Sam calling。 Don't go where I can't follow！ Wake up； Mr。 Frodo！ O wake up；
Frodo； me dear； me dear。 Wake up！'
Then anger surged over hint； and he ran about his master's body in a
rage； stabbing the air； and smiting the stones； and shouting challenges。
Presently he came back； and bending looked at Frodo's face； pale beneath him
in the dusk。 And suddenly he saw that he was in the picture that was
revealed to him in the mirror of Galadriel in Lurien： Frodo with a pale face
lying fast asleep under a great dark cliff。 Or fast asleep he had thought
then。 ‘He's dead！ ' he said。 'Not asleep； dead！ ' And as he said it； as if
the words had set the venom to its work again。 it seemed to him that the hue
of the face grew livid green。
And then black despair came down on him； and Sam bowed to the ground；
and drew his grey hood over his head； and night came into his heart； and he
knew no more。
When at last the blackness passed； Sam looked up and shadows were about
him； but for how many minutes or hours the world had gone dragging on he
could not tell。 He was still in the same place； and still his master lay
beside him dead。 The mountains had not crumbled nor the earth fallen into
ruin。
'What shall I do； what shall I do？ ' he said。 ‘Did I e all this way
with him for nothing？ ' And then he remembered his own voice speaking words
that at the time he did not understand himself； at the beginning of their
journey： I have something to do before the end。 I must see it through； sir；
if you understand。
‘But what can I do？ Not leave Mr。 Frodo dead； unburied on the top of
the mountains； and go home？ Or go on？ Go on？' he repeated； and for a moment
doubt and fear shook him。 ‘Go on？ Is that what I've got to do？ And leave
him？'
Then at last he began to weep； and going to Frodo he posed his body；
and folded his cold hands upon his breast； and wrapped his cloak about him；
and he laid his own sword at one side； and the staff that Faramir had given
at the other。
'If I'm to go on；' he said； ‘then I must take your sword； by your
leave； Mr。 Frodo； but I'll put this one to lie by you； as it lay by the old
king in the barrow； and you've got your beautiful mithril coat from old Mr。
Bilbo。 And your star…glass； Mr。 Frodo； you did lend it to me and I'll need
it； for I'll be always in the dark now。 It's too good for me； and the Lady
gave it to you； but maybe she'd understand。 Do you understand； Mr。 Frodo？
I've got to go on。'
But he could not go； not yet。 He knelt and held Frodo's hand and could
not release it。 And time went by and still he knelt； holding his master's
hand； and in his heart keeping a debate。
Now he tried to find strength to tear himself away and go on a lonely
journey for vengeance。 If once he could go； his anger would bear him down
all the roads of the world； pursuing； until he had him at last： Gollum。 Then
Gollum would die in a corner。 But that was not what he had set out to do。 It
would not be worth while to leave his master for that。 It would not bring
him back。 Nothing would。 They had better both be dead together。 And that too
would be a lonely journey。
He looked on the bright point of the sword。 He thought of the places
behind where there was a black brink and an empty fall into nothingness。
There was no escape that way。 That was to do nothing； not even to grieve。
That was not what he had set out to do。 'What am I to do then？ ' he cried
again； and now he seemed plainly to know the hard answer： see it through。
Another lonely journey； and the worst。
‘What？ Me； alone； go to the Crack of Doom and all？ ' He quailed still；
but the resolve grew。 ‘What？ Me take the Ring from him？ The Council gave it
to him。'
But the answer came at once： ‘And the Council gave him panions； so
that the errand should not fail。 And you are the last of all the pany。
The errand must not fail。'
‘I wish I wasn't the last；' he groaned。 ‘I wish old Gandalf was hare or
somebody。 Why am I left all alone to make up my mind？ I'm sure to go wrong。
And it's not for me to go taking the Ring； putting myself forward。'
'But you haven't put yourself forward； you've been put forward。 And as
for not being the right and proper person； why； Mr。 Frodo wasn't as you
might say； nor Mr。 Bilbo。 They didn't choose themselves。'
‘Ah well； I must make up my own mind。 I will make it up。 But I'll be
sure to go wrong： that'd be Sam Gamgee all over。
'Let me see now： if we're found here； or Mr。 Frodo's found； and that
Thing's on him； well； the Enemy will get it。 And that's the end of all of
us； of Lorien； and Rivendell； and the Shire and all。 And there s no time to
lose； or it'll be the end anyway。 The war's begun； and more than likely
things are all going the Enemy's way already。 No chance to go back with It
and get advice or permission。 No； it's sit here till they e and kill me
over master's body； and gets It： or take It and go。' He drew a deep breath。
'Then take It； it is！ '
He stooped。 Very gently he undid the clasp at the neck and slipped his
hand inside Frodo's tunic； then with his other hand raising the head； he
kissed the cold forehead； and softly drew the chain over it。 And then the
head lay quietly back again in rest。 No change came over the still face； and
by that more than by all other tokens Sam was convinced at last that Frodo
had died and laid aside the Quest。
‘Good…bye； master； my dear！ ' he murmured。 'Forgive your Sam。 He'll
e back to this spot when the job's done if he manages it。 And then
he'll not leave you again。 Rest you quiet till I e； and may no foul
creature e anigh you！ And if the Lady could hear me and give me one wish；
I would wish to e back and find you again。 Good…bye！ '
And then he bent his own neck and put the chain upon it； and at once
his head was bowed to the ground with the weight of the Ring； as if a great
stone had been strung on him。 But slowly； as if the weight became less； or
new strength grew in him； he raised his head； and then with a great effort
got to his feet and