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‘And what would you swear？ ' asked Frodo。
‘To be very very good；' said Gollum。 Then crawling to Frodo's feet he
grovelled before him； whispering hoarsely： a shudder ran over him； as if the
words shook his very bones with fear。 'Smjagol will swear never； never； to
let Him have it。 Never！ Smjagol will save it。 But he must swear on the
Precious。'
'No！ not on it；' said Frodo； looking down at him with stern pity。 'All
you wish is to see it and touch it； if you can； though you know it would
drive you mad。 Not on it。 Swear by it； if you will。 For you know where it
is。 Yes； you know； Smjagol。 It is before you。'
For a moment it appeared to Sam that his master had grown and Gollum
had shrunk： a tall stern shadow； a mighty lord who hid his brightness in
grey cloud； and at his feet a little whining dog。 Yet the two were in some
way akin and not alien： they could reach one another's minds。 Gollum raised
himself and began pawing at Frodo； fawning at his knees。
'Down！ down！ ' said Frodo。 ‘Now speak your promise！'
‘We promises； yes I promise！' said Gollum。 'I will serve the master of
the Precious。 Good master； good Smjagol； gollum； gollum！' Suddenly he began
to weep and bite at his ankle again。
'Take the rope off； Sam！' said Frodo。
Reluctantly Sam obeyed。 At once Gollum got up and began prancing about；
like a whipped cur whose master has patted it。 From that moment a change；
which lasted for some time； came over him。 He spoke with less hissing and
whining； and he spoke to his panions direct； not to his precious self。 He
would cringe and flinch； if they stepped near him or made any sudden
movement； and he avoided the touch of their elven…cloaks； but he was
friendly； and indeed pitifully anxious to please。 He would cackle with
laughter and caper； if any jest was made； or even if Frodo spoke kindly to
him； and weep if Frodo rebuked him。 Sam said little to him of any sort。 He
suspected him more deeply than ever； and if possible liked the new Gollum；
the Smjagol； less than the old。
'Well； Gollum； or whatever it is we're to call you；' he said。 'now for
it！ The Moon's gone。 and the night's going。 We'd better start。'
'Yes； yes；' agreed Gollum； skipping about。 'Off we go！ There's only one
way across between the North…end and the South…end。 I found it； I did。 Orcs
don't use it； Orcs don't know it。 Orcs don't cross the Marshes； they go
round for miles and miles。 Very lucky you came this way。 Very lucky you
found Smjagol； yes。 Follow Smjagol！'
He took a few steps away and looked back inquiringly； like a dog
inviting them for a walk。 'Wait a bit； Gollum！' cried Sam。 ‘Not too far
ahead now！ I'm going to be at your tail； and I've got the rope handy。'
'No； no！ ' said Gollum。 'Smjagol promised。'
In the deep of night under hard clear stars they set off。 Gollum led
them back northward for a while along the way they had e； then he slanted
to the right away from the steep edge of the Emyn Muil； down the broken
stony slopes towards the vast fens below。 They faded swiftly and softly into
the darkness。 Over all the leagues of waste before the gates of Mordor there
was a black silence。
Chapter 2。 The Passage of the Marshes
Gollum moved quickly； with his head and neck thrust forward； often
using his hands as well as his feet。 Frodo and Sam were hard put to it to
keep up with him； but he seemed no longer to have any thought of escaping；
and if they fell behind； he would turn and wait for them。 After a time he
brought them to the brink of the narrow gully that they had struck before；
but they were now further from the hills。
‘Here it is！' he cried。 'There is a way down inside； yes。 Now we
follows it out； out away over there。' He pointed south and east towards
the marshes。 The reek of them came to their nostrils； heavy and foul even in
the cool night air。 。
Gollum cast up and down along the brink； and at length he called to
them。 ‘Here！ We can get down here。 Smjagol went this way once： I went this
way； hiding from Orcs。'
He led the way； and following him the hobbits climbed down into the
gloom。 It was not difficult； for the rift was at this point only some
fifteen feet deep and about a dozen across。 There was running water at the
bottom： it was in fact the bed of one of the many small rivers that trickled
down from the hills to feed the stagnant pools and mires beyond。 Gollum
turned to the right； southward more or less； and splashed along with his
feet in the shallow stony stream。 He seemed greatly delighted to feel the
water； and chuckled to himself； sometimes even croaking in a sort of song。
The cold hard lands；
they bites our hands；
they gnaws our feet。
The rocks and stones
are like old bones
all bare of meat。
But stream and pool
is wet and cool：
so nice for feet！
And now we wish
'Ha！ ha！ What does we wish？' he said； looking sidelong at the hobbits。
'We'll tell you。' he croaked。 ‘He guessed it long ago； Baggins guessed it。'
A glint came into his eyes； and Sam catching the gleam in the darkness
thought it far from pleasant。
Alive without breath；
as cold as death；
never thirsting； ever drinking；
clad in mail； never clinking。
Drowns on dry land；
thinks an island
is a mountain；
thinks a fountain
is a puff of air。
So sleek； so fair！
What a joy to meet！
We only wish
to catch a fish；
so juicy…sweet！
These words only made more pressing to Sam's mind a problem that had
been troubling him from the moment when he understood that hir master was
going to adopt Gollum as a guide： the problem of food。 It did not occur to
him that his master might also have thought of it。 hut he supposed Gollum
had。 Indeed how had Gollum kept himself in all his lonely wandering？ 'Not
too well；' thought Sam。 'He looks fair famished。 Not too dainty to try what
hobbit tastes like if there ain't no fish； I'll wager supposing as he
could catch us napping。 Well； he won't： not Sam Gamgee for one。'
They stumbled along in the dark winding gully for a long time； or so it
seemed to the tired feet of Frodo and Sam。 The gully turned eastward； and as
they went on it broadened and got gradually shallower。 At last the sky above
grew faint with the first grey of morning。 Gollum had shown no signs of
tiring； but now he looked up and halted。
‘Day is near；' he whispered； as if Day was something that might
overhear him and spring on him。 ‘Smjagol will stay here： I will stay here；
and the Yellow Face won't see me。'
‘We should be glad to see the Sun；' said Frodo； ‘but we will stay here：
we are too tired to go any further at present。'
‘You are not wise to be glad of the Yellow Face；' said Gollum。 ‘It
shows you up。 Nice sensible hobbits stay with Smjagol。 Orcs an