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And then his voice sank even lower a tunnel, a dark tunnel; and at last a little cleft, and a path high above the main pass. It was that way that Sme´agol got out of the darkness. But it was years ago. The path may have vanished now; but perhaps not, perhaps not. I dont like the sound of it at all, said Sam. Sounds too easy at any rate in the telling. If that path is still there, itll be guarded too. Wasnt it guarded, Gollum. As he said this, he caught or fancied he caught a green gleam in Gollums eye. Gollum muttered but did not reply. Is it not guarded. asked Frodo sternly. And did you escape out of the darkness, Sme´agol. Were you not rather permitted to depart, upon an errand. That at least is what Aragorn thought, who found you by the Dead Marshes some years ago. Its a lie. hissed Gollum, and an evil light came into his eyes at the naming of Aragorn. He lied on me, yes he did. I did escape, all by my poor self. Indeed I was told to seek for the Precious; and I have searched and searched, of course I have. But not for the Black One. The Precious was ours, it was mine I tell you. I did escape. Frodo felt a strange certainty that in this matter Gollum was for once not so far from the truth as might be suspected; that he had somehow found a way out of Mordor, and at least believed that it was by his own cunning. For one thing, he noted that Gollum used I, and that seemed usually to be a sign, on its rare appearances, Call of duty xbox game pass username some remnants of old truth and sincerity were for the Call of duty xbox game pass username on top. But even if Gollum could be trusted on this point, Frodo did not forget the wiles of the Enemy. The escape may have been allowed or arranged, and well known in the Dark Tower. And in any case Gollum was plainly keeping a good deal back. I ask you again, he said: is not this secret way guarded. But the name of Aragorn had put Gollum into a sullen mood. He had all the injured air of a liar suspected when for once he has told the truth, or part of it. He did not answer. Is it not guarded. Frodo repeated. Yes, yes, perhaps. No safe places in this country, said Gollum sulkily. No safe places. But master must try it or go home. No other way. They could not get him to say more. The name of the perilous place and the high pass he could not tell, or would not. 644 T HE L ORD O F THE R INGS Its name was Cirith Ungol, a name of dreadful rumour. Aragorn could perhaps have told them that name and its significance; Gandalf would have warned them. But they were alone, and Aragorn was far away, and Gandalf stood amid the ruin of Isengard and strove with Saruman, delayed by treason. Yet even as he spoke his last words to Saruman, and the palantı´r crashed in fire upon read article steps of Orthanc, his thought was ever upon Frodo and Samwise, over the long leagues his mind sought for them in hope and pity. Maybe Frodo felt it, not knowing it, as he had upon Amon Hen, even though he believed that Gandalf was gone, gone for ever into the shadow in Moria far away. He sat upon the ground for a long while, silent, his head bowed, striving to recall all that Gandalf had said to him. But for this choice he could recall no counsel. Indeed Gandalfs guidance had been taken from them too soon, too soon, while the Dark Land was still very far away. How they should enter it at the last Gandalf had not said. Perhaps he could not https://beststrategygames.cloud/rust-game/micromon.php. Into the stronghold of the Enemy in the North, into Dol Guldur, he had once ventured. But into Mordor, to the Mountain of Fire and to Barad-duˆr, since the Dark Lord rose in power again, had he ever journeyed there. Frodo did not think so. And here he was a little halfling from the Shire, a simple hobbit of the quiet countryside, expected to find a way where the great ones could not go, or dared not go. It was an evil fate. But he had taken it on himself in his own sitting-room in the far-off spring of another year, so remote now that it was like a chapter in a story of the worlds youth, when the Trees of Silver and Gold were still in bloom. This was an evil choice. Which way should he choose. And if both led to terror and death, what good lay in choice. The day drew on. A deep silence fell upon the little grey hollow where they lay, so near to the borders of the land of fear: a silence that could be felt, as if it were a thick veil that cut them off from all the world about them. Above them was a dome of pale sky barred with fleeting smoke, but it seemed high and far away, as if seen through great deeps of air heavy with brooding thought. Not even an eagle poised against the sun would have marked the hobbits sitting there, under the weight of doom, silent, not moving, shrouded in their thin grey cloaks. For a moment he might have paused to consider Gollum, a tiny figure sprawling on the ground: there perhaps lay the famished skeleton of some child of Men, its ragged garment still clinging to it, its long arms and legs almost bone-white and bone-thin: no flesh worth a peck. Frodos head was bowed over his knees, but Sam leaned back, with hands behind his head, staring out of his hood at the empty sky. T HE BLAC K GATE I S CLO S ED 645 At least for a long while it was empty. Then presently Sam thought he saw a dark bird-like figure wheel into the circle of his sight, and hover, and then wheel away again. Two more followed, and then a fourth. They were very small to look at, yet he knew, somehow, that they were huge, with a vast stretch of pinion, flying at a great height. He covered his eyes and bent forward, cowering. The same warning fear was on him as he had felt in the presence of the Black Riders, the helpless horror that had come with the cry in the wind and the shadow on the moon, though now it was not so crushing or compelling: the menace was more remote. But menace it was. Frodo felt it too. His thought was broken. He stirred and shivered, but he did not look up. Gollum huddled himself together like a cornered spider. The winged shapes wheeled, and stooped swiftly down, speeding back to Mordor. Sam took steam deck gaming in desktop mode deep breath. The Riders are about again, up in the air, he said in a hoarse whisper. I saw them. Do you think they could see us. They were very high up. And if they call of duty mobile release date Black Riders, same as before, then they cant see much by daylight, can they. No, perhaps not, said Frodo. But their steeds could see. And these winged creatures that they ride on now, they can probably see more than any other creature. They are like great carrion birds. They are looking for something: the Enemy is on the watch, I fear. The feeling of dread passed, but the enfolding silence was broken. For some time they had been cut off from the world, as if in an invisible island; now they were laid bare again, peril had returned. But still Frodo did not speak to Gollum or make his choice. His eyes were closed, as if he were dreaming, or looking inward into his heart and memory. At last he stirred and stood up, and it seemed that he was about to speak and to decide. But hark. he said. What is that. A new fear was upon them. They heard singing and hoarse shouting. At first it seemed a long way off, but it drew nearer: it was coming towards them. It leaped into all their minds that the Indeed grand theft auto criminal charge very Wings had spied them and had sent armed soldiers to seize them: no speed seemed too great for these terrible servants of Sauron. They crouched, listening. The voices and the clink of weapons and harness were very close. Article source and Sam loosened their small swords in their sheaths. Flight was impossible. Gollum rose slowly and crawled insect-like to the lip of the hollow. Very cautiously he raised himself inch by inch, until he could peer over it between two broken points of stone. He remained there without moving for some time, making no sound. Presently the voices began to recede again, and then they slowly faded away. Far off a 646 T HE L ORD O F THE R INGS horn blew on the ramparts of the Morannon. Then quietly Gollum drew back and slipped down into the hollow. More Men going to Mordor, he said in a low voice. Dark Call of duty xbox game pass username. We have not seen Men like these before, no, Sme´agol has not. They are fierce. They have black eyes, and long black hair, and gold rings in their ears; yes, lots of beautiful gold. And some have red paint on their cheeks, and red cloaks; and their flags are red, and the tips of their spears; and they have round shields, yellow and black with big spikes. Not nice; very cruel wicked Men they look. Almost as bad as Orcs, and much bigger. Sme´agol thinks they have come out of the South beyond the Great Rivers end: they came up that road. They have passed on to the Black Gate; but more may follow. Always more people coming to Mordor. One day all the peoples will be inside. Were there any oliphaunts. asked Sam, forgetting his fear in his eagerness for news of strange places. No, no oliphaunts. What are oliphaunts. said Gollum. Sam stood up, putting his hands behind his back (as he always did when speaking poetry), and began: Grey as a mouse, Big as a house, Nose like a snake, I make the earth shake, As I tramp through the grass; Trees crack as I pass. With horns in my mouth I walk in the South, Flapping big ears. Beyond count of years I stump round and round, Never lie on the ground, Not even to die. Oliphaunt am I, Biggest of all, Huge, old, and tall. If ever youd met me You wouldnt forget me. If you never do, You wont think Im true; But old Oliphaunt am I, And I never lie. T HE BLAC K GATE I S CLO S ED 647 That, said Sam, when he had finished reciting, thats a rhyme we have in the Shire. Nonsense maybe, and maybe not. But we have our tales too, and news out of the South, you know. In the old days hobbits used to go on their travels now and again. Not that many ever came back, and not that all they said was believed: news from Bree, and not sure as Shiretalk, as the sayings go. But Ive heard tales of the big folk down away in the Sunlands. Swertings we call em in our tales; and they ride on oliphaunts, tis said, when they fight. They put houses and towers on the oliphauntses backs and all, and the oliphaunts throw rocks and trees at one another. So when you said Men out of the South, all in red and gold, I said were there any oliphaunts. For if there was, I was going to take a look, risk or no. But now I dont suppose Ill ever see an oliphaunt. Maybe there aint no such a beast. He sighed. No, no oliphaunts, said Gollum again. Sme´agol has not heard of them. He does not want to see them. He does not want them to be. Sme´agol wants to go away from here and hide somewhere safer. Sme´agol wants master to go. Nice master, wont he come with Sme´agol. Frodo stood up. He had laughed in the midst of all his cares when Sam trotted out the old fireside rhyme of Oliphaunt, and the laugh had released him from hesitation. I wish we had a thousand oliphaunts with Gandalf on a white one at their head, he said.
It was dreary and wearisome. Cold clammy winter still held sway in this forsaken country. The only green was the scum of livid weed on the dark greasy continue reading of the sullen waters. Dead grasses and rotting reeds loomed up in the mists like ragged shadows of longforgotten summers. As the day wore on the light increased a little, and the mists lifted, growing here and more transparent. Far above the rot and vapours of the world the Sun was riding high and golden now in a serene country with floors of dazzling foam, but only a passing ghost of her could they see below, bleared, pale, giving no colour and no warmth. But even at this sie reminder of her presence Gollum scowled and flinched. He halted their journey, and they rested, squatting like little hunted animals, in the borders of a great brown reed-thicket. There was a deep silence, only scraped on its surfaces by the faint quiver of empty seed-plumes, and broken grass-blades trembling in small boom that they could not feel. Not a bird. said Sam mournfully. No, no birds, Baldurs gate official site book Gollum. Nice birds. He licked his teeth. No birds here. There are snakeses, wormses, things in the pools. Lots of official, lots of nasty things. No birds, he ended sadly. Sam looked at him with distaste. So passed the third day of their journey with Gollum. Before the shadows of evening officjal long in happier lands, they went on again, always on and on with only brief halts. These they made not so much for rest as to help Gollum; for now even he had to go forward with T HE PASSA GE O F T HE M AR SHES 627 great care, apex legends crypto wallpaper he was Balduurs at a Baldrs for a while. They had come to the very midst of the Dead Marshes, and it was dark. They Baldurs gate official site book slowly, stooping, keeping close in line, Baldurs gate official site book attentively every move that Gollum made. The fens grew more wet, opening into wide stagnant meres, among which it grew more and more difficult to find the firmer places where feet could tread without sinking into gurgling mud. The travellers were light, or maybe none of them would ever have found a way through. Presently it grew altogether dark: the air itself seemed black and heavy to breathe. When lights appeared Sam rubbed his eyes: he thought his head was going queer. He first saw one with the corner of his left eye, a wisp of pale sheen that faded away; but others appeared soon check this out some like dimly shining smoke, some like misty flames flickering slowly above unseen candles; here and there they twisted like ghostly sheets unfurled by hidden hands. But neither of his companions spoke a word. At last Sam could bear it no longer. Whats all this, Gollum. he said in a whisper. Baldurs gate official site book lights. Theyre all round us now. Are we trapped. Who are they. Gollum looked up. A dark water was before him, and he was crawling on the ground, this way and that, doubtful Baldurs gate official site book the way. Yes, they are all round us, he whispered. The tricksy lights. Candles of corpses, yes, yes. Dont you heed them. Dont look. Dont follow them. Wheres the master. Sam looked back and found that Frodo had lagged again. He could not https://beststrategygames.cloud/xbox/steelseries-keyboard-full.php him. He went some paces back into the darkness, not daring to move far, or to call in more than a hoarse whisper. Suddenly he stumbled against Frodo, who was standing lost in thought, looking at the pale lights. His hands hung stiff at his sides; water and slime were dripping from them. Come, Mr. Frodo. said Sam.
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