Ring…bearer。 Not without Mr。 Frodo。'
But the Orcs were out of his dim sight now。 He had had no time to
consider himself； but now he realized that he was weary； weary almost to
exhaustion： his legs would not carry him as he wished。 He was too slow。 The
path seemed miles long。 Where had they all got to in the mist？
There they were again！ A good way ahead still。 A cluster of figures
round something lying on the ground； a few seemed to be darting this way and
that； bent like dogs on a trail。 He tried to make a spurt。
'e on； Sam！ ' he said； ‘or you'll be too late again。' He loosened
the sword in its sheath。 In a minute he would draw it； and then
There was a wild clamour； hooting and laughing； as something was lifted
from the ground。 'Ya hoi！ Ya harri hoi！ Up！ Up！ '
Then a voice shouted： ‘Now off！ The quick way。 Back to the Undergate！
She'll not trouble us tonight by all the signs。' The whole band of
orc…figures began to move。 Four in the middle were carrying a body high on
their shoulders。 ‘Ya hoi！ '
They had taken Frodo's body。 They were off。 He could not catch them up。
Still he laboured on。 The Orcs reached the tunnel and were passing in。 Those
with the burden went first； and behind them there was a good deal of
struggling and jostling。 Sam came on。 He drew the sword； a flicker of blue
in his wavering hand； but they did not see it。 Even as he came panting up；
the last of them vanished into the black hole。
For a moment he stood； gasping； clutching his breast。 Then he drew his
sleeve across his face； wiping away the grime； and sweat； and tears。 'Curse
the filth！ ' he said； and sprang after them into the darkness。
It no longer seemed very dark to him in the tunnel； rather it was as if
he had stepped out of a thin mist into a heavier fog。 His weariness was
growing but his will hardened all the more。 He thought he could see the
light of torches a little way ahead； but try as he would； he could not catch
them up。 Orcs go fast in tunnels； and this tunnel they knew well。； for in
spite of Shelob they were forced to use it often as the swiftest way from
the Dead City over the mountains。 In what far…off time the main tunnel and
the great round pit had been made； where Shelob had taken up her abode in
ages past。 they did not know： but many byways they had themselves delved
about in on either side； so as to escape the lair in their goings to and fro
on the business of their masters。 Tonight they did not intend to go far
down。 but were hastening to find a side…passage that led back to their
watch…tower on the cliff。 Must of them were gleeful； delighted with what
they had found and seen； and as they ran they gabbled and yammered after the
fashion of their kind。 Sam heard the noise of their harsh voices； flat and
hard in the dead air； and he could distinguish two voices from among all the
rest： they were louder； and nearer to him。 The captains of the two parties
seemed to be bringing up the rear； debating as they went。
'Can't you stop your rabble making such a racket； Shagrat？ ' grunted
the one。 ‘We don't want Shelob on us。'
‘Go on； Gorbag！ Yours are making more than half the noise；' said the
other。 ‘But let the lads play！ No need to worry about Shelob for a bit； I
reckon。 She's sat on a nail； it seems； and we shan't cry about that。 Didn't
you see： a nasty mess all the way back to that cursed crack of hers？ If
we've stopped it once； we've stopped it a hundred times。 So let 'em laugh。
And we've struck a bit of luck at last： got something that Lugb畆z wants。'
'Lugb畆z wants it； eh？ What is it； d'you think？ Elvish it looked to me；
but undersized。 What's the danger in a thing like that？ '
'Don't know till we've had a look。'
'Oho！ So they haven't told you what to expect？ They don't tell us all
they know； do they？ Not by half。 But they can make mistakes； even the Top
Ones can。'
‘Sh； Gorbag！' Shagrat's voice was lowered； so that even with his
strangely sharpened hearing Sam could only just catch what was said。 'They
may； but they've got eyes and ears everywhere； some among my lot； as like as
not。 But there's no doubt about it； they're troubled about something。 The
Nazgyl down below are； by your account； and Lugb畆z is too。 Something nearly
slipped。'
‘Nearly； you say！ ' said Gorbag。
‘All right；' said Shagrat； ‘but we'll talk of that later： Wait till we
get to the Under…way。 There's a place there where we can talk a bit； while
the lads go on。'
Shortly afterwards Sam saw the torches disappear。 Then there was a
rumbling noise； and just as he hurried up； a bump。 As far as he could guess
the Orcs had turned and gone into the very opening which Frodo and he had
tried and found blocked。 It was still blocked。
There seemed to be a great stone in the way； but the Orcs had got
through somehow； for he could hear their voices on the other side。 They were
still running along； deeper and deeper into the mountain； back towards the
tower。 Sam felt desperate。 They were carrying off his master's body for some
foul purpose and he could not follow。 He thrust and pushed at the block； and
he threw himself against it； but it did not yield。 Then not far inside； or
so he thought； he heard the two captains' voices talking again。 He stood
still listening for a little hoping perhaps to learn something useful。
Perhaps Gorbag； who seemed to belong to Minas Morgul； would e out； and he
could then slip in。
‘No； I don't know；' said Gorbag's voice。 ‘The messages go through
quicker than anything could fly； as a rule。 But I don't enquire how it's
done。 Safest not to。 Grr！ Those Nazgyl give me the creeps。 And they skin the
body off you as soon as look at you； and leave you all cold in the dark on
the other side。 But He likes 'em； they're His favourites nowadays； so it's
no use grumbling。 I tell you； it's no game serving down in the city。'
‘You should try being up here with Shelob for pany；' said Shagrat。
'I'd like to try somewhere where there's none of 'em。 But the war's on
now； and when that's over things may be easier。'
‘It's going well； they say。'
'They would。' grunted Gorbag。 ‘We'll see。 But anyway； if it does go
well； there should be a lot more room。 What d'you say？ if we get a
chance； you and me'll slip off and set up somewhere on our own with a few
trusty lads； somewhere where there's good loot nice and handy； and no big
bosses。'
'Ah！ ' said Shagrat。 ‘Like old times。'
‘Yes；' said Gorbag。 'But don't count on it。 I'm not easy in my mind。 As
I said； the Big Bosses； ay；' his voice sank almost to a whisper； ‘ay； even
the Biggest； can make mistakes。 Something nearly slipped you say。 I say；
something has slipped。 And we've got to look out。 Always the poor Uruks to
put slips right； and small thanks。 But don't forget： the enemies don't love
us any more than they love Him； and if