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with them。 Find them safe paths in the dark； yes we will。 And where are they
going in these cold hard lands； we wonders； yes we wonders？ ' He looked up
at them； and a faint light of cunning and eagerness flickered for a second
in his pale blinking eyes。
Sam scowled at him； and sucked his teeth； but he seemed to sense that
there was something odd about his master's mood and that the matter was
beyond argument。 All the same he was amazed at Frodo's reply。
Frodo looked straight into Gollum's eyes which flinched and twisted
away。 ‘You know that； or you guess well enough； Smjagol；' he said。 quietly
and sternly。 ‘We are going to Mordor； of course。 And you know the way there；
I believe。'
‘Ach！ sss！ ' said Gollum； covering his ears with his hands； as if such
frankness； and the open speaking of the names； hurt him。 ‘We guessed； yes we
guessed；' he whispered； ‘and we didn't want them to go； did we？ No；
precious； not the nice hobbits。 Ashes； ashes； and dust； and thirst there is；
and pits； pits； pits； and Orcs； thousands of Orcses。 Nice hobbits mustn't go
to sss those places。'
‘So you have been there？ ' Frodo insisted。 ‘And you're being drawn back
there； aren't you？'
‘Yess。 Yess。 No！ ' shrieked Gollum。 ‘Once； by accident it was； wasn't
it； precious？ Yes； by accident。 But we won't go back； no； no！' Then suddenly
his voice and language changed； and he sobbed in his throat； and spoke but
not to them。 ‘Leave me alone； gollum！ You hurt me。 O my poor hands； gollum！
I； we； I don't want to e back。 I can't find it。 I am tired。 I； we can't
find it； gollum； gollum； no； nowhere。 They're always awake。 Dwarves； Men；
and Elves； terrible Elves with bright eyes。 I can't find it。 Ach！ ' He got
up and clenched his long hand into a bony fleshless knot； shaking it towards
the East。 'We won't！ ' he cried。 'Not for you。' Then he collapsed again。
'Gollum； gollum；' he whimpered with his face to the ground。 'Don't look at
us！ Go away！ Go to sleep！'
‘He will not go away or go to sleep at your mand； Smjagol；' said
Frodo。 ‘But if you really wish to be free of him again。 then you must help
me。 And that I fear means finding us a path towards him。 But you need not go
all the way； not beyond the gates of his land。'
Gollum sat up again and looked at him under his eyelids。 'He's over
there；' he cackled。 ‘Always there。 Orcs will take you all the way。 Easy to
find Orcs east of the River。 Don't ask Smjagol。 Poor； poor Smjagol； he went
away long ago。 They took his Precious； and he's lost now。'
‘Perhaps we'll find him again； if you e with us；' said Frodo。
'No； no； never！ He's lost his Precious；' said Gollum。
'Get up！ ' said Frodo。
Gollum stood up and backed away against the cliff。
‘Now！ ' said Frodo。 'Can you find a path easier by day or by night？
We're tired； but if you choose the night； we'll start tonight。'
‘The big lights hurt our eyes； they do；' Gollum whined。 ‘Not under the
White Face； not yet。 It will go behind the hills soon； yess。 Rest a bit
first； nice hobbits！'
‘Then sit down；' said Frodo； ‘and don't move！'
The hobbits seated themselves beside him； one on either side。 with
their backs to the stony wall； resting their legs。 There was no need for any
arrangement by word： they knew that they must not sleep for a moment。 Slowly
the moon went by。 Shadows fell down from the hills； and all grew dark before
them。 The stars grew thick and bright in the sky above。 No one stirred。
Gollum sat with his legs drawn up； knees under chin； flat hands and feet
splayed on the ground； his eyes closed； but he seemed tense； as if thinking
or listening。
Frodo looked across at Sam。 Their eyes met and they understood。 They
relaxed； leaning their heads back； and shutting their eyes or seeming to。
Soon the sound of their soft breathing could be heard。 Gollum's hands
twitched a little。 Hardly perceptibly his head moved to the left and the
right； and first one eye and then the other opened a slit。 The hobbits made
no sign。
Suddenly； with startling agility and speed； straight off the ground
with a jump like a grasshopper or a frog。 Gollum bounded forward into the
darkness。 But that was just what Frodo and Sam had expected。 Sam was on him
before he had gone two paces after his spring。 Frodo ing behind grabbed
his leg and threw him。
'Your rope might prove useful again； Sam。' he said。
Sam got out the rope。 'And where were you off to in the cold hard
lands； Mr。 Gollum？' he growled。 'We wonders。 aye； we wonders。 To find some
of your orc…friends； I warrant。 You nasty treacherous creature。 It's round
your neck this rope ought to go； and a tight noose too。'
Gollum lay quiet and tried no further tricks。 He did not answer Sam；
but gave him a swift venomous look。
‘All we need is something to keep a hold on him；' said Frodo。 'We want
him to walk； so it's no good tying his legs…or his arms。 he seems to use
them nearly as much。 Tie one end to his ankle； and keep a grip on the other
end。'
He stood over Gollum； while Sam tied the knot。 The result surprised
them both。 Gollum began to scream； a thin； tearing sound； very horrible to
hear。 He writhed； and tried to get his mouth to his ankle and bite the rope。
He kept on screaming。
At last Frodo was convinced that he really was in pain； but it could
not be from the knot。 He examined it and found that it was not too tight；
indeed hardly tight enough。 Sam was gentler than his words。 'What's the
matter with you？ ' he said。 ‘If you will try to run away。 you must be tied；
but we don't wish to hurt you。'
'It hurts us； it hurts us；' hissed Gollum。 ‘It freezes； it bites！ Elves
twisted it； curse them！ Nasty cruel hobbits！ That's why we tries to escape；
of course it is； precious。 We guessed they were cruel hobbits。 They visits
Elves； fierce Elves with bright eyes。 Take it off us！ It hurts us。'
‘No； I will not take it off you；' said Frodo； ‘not unless' he paused
a moment in thought ‘not unless there is any promise you can make that I
can trust。'
'We will swear to do what he wants； yes； yess； said Gollum； still
twisting and grabbling at his ankle。 ‘It hurts us。'
‘Swear？ ' said Frodo。
'Smjagol；' said Gollum suddenly and clearly； opening his eyes wide and
staring at Frodo with a strange light。 'Smjagol will swear on the Precious。'
Frodo drew himself up； and again Sam was startled by his words and his
stern voice。 'On the Precious？ How dare you？ ' he said。 'Think！
One Ring to rule them all and in the Darkness bind them。
Would you mit your promise to that； Smjagol？ It will hold you。 But
it is more treacherous than you are。 It may twist your words。 Beware！'
Gollum cowered。 'On the Precious。 on the Precious！ ' he repeated。
‘And what would you swear？ ' asked Frodo。
‘To be very very good；' said Gollum。 Then crawling to Frodo's feet he
grovelled befor