neck still hurts him； yes it does。 Let's go！ '
‘Yes； let us go；' said Frodo。 ‘But if you can only speak ill of those
who showed you mercy； keep silent！ '
‘Nice Master！ ' said Gollum。 ‘Smjagol was only joking。 Always forgives；
he does； yes； yes； even nice Master's little trickses。 Oh yes； nice Master；
nice Smjagol！ '
Frodo and Sam did not answer。 Hoisting their packs and taking their
staves in hand； they passed on into the woods of Ithilien。
Twice that day they rested and took a little of the food provided by
Faramir： dried fruits and salted meat； enough for many days； and bread
enough to last while it was still fresh。 Gollum ate nothing。
The sun rose and passed overhead unseen； and began to sink； and the
light through the trees to the west grew golden； and always they walked in
cool green shadow； and all about them was silence。 The birds seemed all to
have flown away or to have fallen dumb。
Darkness came early to the silent woods； and before the fall of night
they halted； weary； for they had walked seven leagues or more from Henneth
Annyn。 Frodo lay and slept away the night on the deep mould beneath an
ancient tree。 Sam beside him was more uneasy： he woke many times； but there
was never a sign of Gollum； who had slipped off as soon as the others had
settled to rest。 Whether he had slept by himself in some hole nearby； or had
wandered restlessly prowling through the night； he did not say； but he
returned with the first glimmer of light； and roused his panions。
‘Must get up； yes they must！' he said。 'Long ways to go still； south
and east。 Hobbits must make haste！'
That day passed much as the day before had gone； except that the
silence seemed deeper； the air grew heavy； and it began to be stifling under
the trees。 It felt as if thunder was brewing。 Gollum often paused； sniffing
the air； and then he would mutter to himself and urge them to greater speed。
As the third stage of their day's march drew on and afternoon waned；
the forest opened out； and the trees became larger and more scattered。 Great
ilexes of huge girth stood dark and solemn in wide glades with here and
there among them hoary ash…trees。 and giant oaks just putting out their
brown…green buds。 About them lay long launds of green grass dappled with
celandine and anemones； white and blue； now folded for sleep； and there were
acres populous with the leaves of woodland hyacinths： already their sleek
bell…stems were thrusting through the mould。 No living creature； beast or
bird； was to be seen； but in these open places Gollum grew afraid； and they
walked now with caution； flitting from one long shadow to another。
Light was fading fast when they came to the forest…end。 There they sat
under an old gnarled oak that sent its roots twisting like snakes down a
steep crumbling bank。 A deep dim valley lay before them。 On its further side
the woods gathered again； blue and grey under the sullen evening； and
marched on southwards。 To the right the Mountains of Gondor glowed； remote
in the West； under a fire…flecked sky。 To the left lay darkness： the
towering walls of Mordor； and out of that darkness the long valley came；
falling steeply in an ever…widening trough towards the Anduin。 At its bottom
ran a hurrying stream： Frodo could hear its stony voice ing up through
the silence； and beside it on the hither side a road went winding down like
a pale ribbon； down into chill grey mists that no gleam of sunset touched。
There it seemed to Frodo that he descried far off； floating as it were on a
shadowy sea； the high dim tops and broken pinnacles of old towers forlorn
and dark。
He turned to Gollum。 ‘Do you know where we are？ ' he said。
'Yes； Master。 Dangerous places。 This is the road from the Tower of the
Moon； Master； down to the ruined city by the shores of the River。 The ruined
city； yes； very nasty place； full of enemies。 We shouldn't have taken Men's
advice。 Hobbits have e a long way out of the path。 Must go east now； away
up there。' He waved his skinny arm towards the darkling mountains。 ‘And we
can't use this road。 Oh no！ Cruel peoples e this way； down from the
Tower。'
Frodo looked down on to the road。 At any rate nothing was moving on it
now。 It appeared lonely and forsaken； running down to empty ruins in the
mist。 But there was an evil feeling in the air； as if things might indeed be
passing up and down that eyes could not see。 Frodo shuddered as he looked
again at the distant pinnacles now dwindling into night； and the sound of
the water seemed cold and cruel： the voice of Morgulduin； the polluted
stream that flowed from the Valley of the Wraiths。
'What shall we do？ ' he said。 'We have walked long and far。 Shall we
look for some place in the woods behind where we can lie hidden？ '
'No good hiding in the dark；' said Gollum。 'It's in day that hobbits
must hide now； yes in day。'
‘Oh e！ ' said Sam。 'We must rest for a bit； even if we get up again
in the middle of the night。 There'll still be hours of dark then time enough
for you to take us a long march； if you know the way。'
Gollum reluctantly agreed to this； and he turned back towards the
trees； working eastward for a while along the straggling edges of the wood。
He would not rest on the ground so near the evil road； and after some debate
they all climbed up into the crotch of a large holm…oak； whose thick
branches springing together from the trunk made a good hiding…place and a
fairly fortable refuge。 Night fell and it grew altogether dark under the
canopy of the tree。 Frodo and Sam drank a little water and ate some bread
and dried fruit； but Gollum at once curled up and went to sleep。 The hobbits
did not shut their eyes。
It must have been a little after midnight when Gollum woke up： suddenly
they were aware of his pale eyes unlidded gleaming at them。 He listened and
sniffed； which seemed； as they had noticed before； his usual method of
discovering the time of night。
'Are we rested？ Have we had beautiful sleep？' he said。 'Let's go！'
'We aren't； and we haven't；' growled Sam。 'But we'll go if we must。'
Gollum dropped at once from the branches of the tree on to all fours；
and the hobbits followed more slowly。
As soon as they were down they went on again with Gollum leading；
eastwards； up the dark sloping land。 They could see little； for the night
was now so deep that they were hardly aware of the stems of trees before
they stumbled against them。 The ground became more broken and walking was
more difficult； but Gollum seemed in no way troubled。 He led them through
thickets and wastes of brambles； sometimes round the lip of a deep cleft or
dark pit； sometimes down into black bush…shrouded hollows and out again； but
if ever they went a little downward； always the further slope was longer and
steeper。 They were climbing steadily。 At their f