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unless the Great Sea should enter in and wash it with oblivion。 ‘I feel
sick；' said Sam。 Frodo did not speak。
For a while they stood there； like men on the edge of a sleep where
nightmare lurks； holding it off； though they know that they can only e to
morning through the shadows。 The light broadened and hardened。 The gasping
pits and poisonous mounds grew hideously clear。 The sun was up； walking
among clouds and long flags of smoke； but even the sunlight was defiled。 The
hobbits had no wele for that light； unfriendly it seemed； revealing them
in their helplessness little squeaking ghosts that wandered among the
ash…heaps of the Dark Lord。
Too weary to go further they sought for some place where they could
rest。 For a while they sat without speaking under the shadow of a mound of
slag； but foul fumes leaked out of it； catching their throats and choking
them。 Gollum was the first to get up。 Spluttering and cursing he rose； and
without a word or a glance at the hobbits he crawled away on all fours。
Frodo and Sam crawled after him； until they came to a wide almost circular
pit； high…banked upon the west。 It was cold and dead； and a foul sump of
oily many…coloured ooze lay at its bottom。 In this evil hole they cowered；
hoping in its shadow to escape the attention of the Eye。
The day passed slowly。 A great thirst troubled them； but they drank
only a few drops from their bottles…last filled in the gully； which now as
they looked back in thought seemed to them a place of peace and beauty。 The
hobbits took it in turn to watch。 At first； tired as they were； neither of
them could sleep at all； but as the sun far away was climbing down into slow
moving cloud； Sam dozed。 It was Frodo's turn to bc on guard。 He lay back on
the slope of the pit； but that did not ease the sense of burden that was on
him。 He looked up at the smoke…streaked sky and saw strange phantoms； dark
riding shapes； and faces out of the past。 He lost count of time； hovering
between sleep and waking； until forgetfulness came over him。
Suddenly Sam woke up thinking that he heard his master calling。 It was
evening。 Frodo could not have called； for he had fallen asleep； and had slid
down nearly to the bottom of the pit。 Gollum was by him。 For a moment Sam
thought that he was trying to rouse Frodo； then he saw that it was not so。
Gollum was talking to himself。 Smjagol was holding a debate with some other
thought that used the same voice but made it squeak and hiss。 A pale light
and a green light alternated in his eyes as he spoke。
‘Smjagol promised；' said the first thought。
‘Yes； yes； my precious；' came the answer； 'we promised： to save our
Precious； not to let Him have it never。 But it's going to Him yes； nearer
every step。 What's the hobbit going to do with it； we wonders； yes we
wonders。'
‘I don't know。 I can't help it。 Master's got it。 Smjagol promised to
help the master。'
‘Yes； yes； to help the master： the master of the Precious。 But if we
was master； then we could help ourselfs； yes； and still keep promises。'
‘But Smjagol said he would be very very good。 Nice hobbit！ He took
cruel rope off Smjagol's leg。 He speaks nicely to me。'
'Very very good； eh； my precious？ Let's be good； good as fish； sweet
one； but to ourselfs。 Not hurt the nice hobbit； of course； no； no。'
‘But the Precious holds the promise；' the voice of Smjagol objected。
‘Then take it；' said the other； ‘and let's hold it ourselfs！ Then we
shall be master； gollum！ Make the other hobbit； the nasty suspicious hobbit；
make him crawl； yes； gollum！'
‘But not the nice hobbit？ '
‘Oh no； not if it doesn't please us。 Still he's a Baggins； my precious；
yes； a Baggins。 A Baggins stole it。 He found it and he said nothing；
nothing。 We hates Bagginses。'
'No； not this Baggins。'
'Yes； every Baggins。 All peoples that keep the Precious。 We must have
it！ '
‘But He'll see； He'll know。 He'll take it from us！ '
'He sees。 He knows。 He heard us make silly promises against His
orders； yes。 Must take it。 The Wraiths are searching。 Must take it。'
'Not for Him！ '
'No； sweet one。 See； my precious： if we has it； then we can escape；
even from Him； eh？ Perhaps we grows very strong； stronger than Wraiths。 Lord
Smjagol？ Gollum the Great？ The Gollum！ Eat fish every day； three times a
day； fresh from the sea。 Most Precious Gollum！ Must have it。 We wants it； we
wants it； we wants it！ '
'But there's two of them。 They'll wake too quick and kill us；' whined
Smjagol in a last effort。 ‘Not now。 Not yet。'
'We wants it！ But' and here there was a long pause； as if a new
thought had wakened。 ‘Not yet； eh？ Perhaps not。 She might help。 She might；
yes。'
‘No； no！ Not that way！ ' wailed Smjagol。
‘Yes！ We wants it！ We wants it！ '
Each time that the second thought spoke； Gollum's long hand crept out
slowly； pawing towards Frodo； and then was drawn back with a jerk as Smjagol
spoke again。 Finally both arms； with long fingers flexed and twitching；
clawed towards his neck。
Sam had lain still； fascinated by this debate； but watching every move
that Gollum made from under his half…closed eye…lids。 To his simple mind
ordinary hunger； the desire to eat hobbits； had seemed the chief danger in
Gollum。 He realized now that it was not so： Gollum was feeling the terrible
call of the Ring。 The Dark Lord was He； of course； but Sam wondered who She
was。 One of the nasty friends the little wretch had made in his wanderings；
he supposed。 Then he forgot the point； for things had plainly gone far
enough； and were getting dangerous。 A great heaviness was in all his limbs；
but he roused himself with an effort and sat up。 Something warned him to be
careful and not to reveal that he had overheard the debate。 He let out a
loud sigh and gave a huge yawn。
‘What's the time？ ' he said sleepily。
Gollum sent out a long hiss through his teeth。 He stood up for a
moment； tense and menacing； and then he collapsed； falling forward on to all
fours and crawling up the bank of the pit。 'Nice hobbits！ Nice Sam！ ' he
said。 'Sleepy heads； yes； sleepy heads！ Leave good Smjagol to watch！ But
it's evening。 Dusk is creeping。 Time to go。'
‘High time！ ' thought Sam。 'And time we parted； too。' Yet it crossed
his mind to wonder if indeed Gollum was not now as dangerous turned loose as
kept with them。 'Curse him！ I wish he was choked！' he muttered。 He stumbled
down the bank and roused his master。
Strangely enough； Frodo felt refreshed。 He had been dreaming。 The dark
shadow had passed； and a fair vision had visited him in this land of
disease。 Nothing remained of it in his memory； yet because of it he felt
glad and lighter of heart。 His burden was less heavy on him。 Gollum weled
him with dog…like delight。 He chuckled and chattered； cracking his long
fingers； and pawi