Gandalf were still as stone； seated upon the statue of a running horse；
while the world rolled away beneath his feet with a great noise of wind。
* BOOK IV *
Chapter 1。 The Taming of Smjagol
'Well； master； we're in a fix and no mistake；' said Sam Gamgee。 He
stood despondently with hunched shoulders beside Frodo； and peered out with
puckered eyes into the gloom。
It was the third evening since they had fled from the pany； as far
as they could tell： they had almost lost count of the hours during which
they had climbed and laboured among the barren slopes and stones of the Emyn
Muil； sometimes retracing their steps because they could find no way
forward； sometimes discovering that they had wandered in a circle back to
where they had been hours before。 Yet on the whole they had worked steadily
eastward； keeping as near as they could find a way to the outer edge of this
strange twisted knot of hills。 But always they found its outward faces
sheer； high and impassable； frowning over the plain below； beyond its
tumbled skirts lay livid festering marshes where nothing moved and not even
a bird was to be seen。
The hobbits stood now on the brink of a tall cliff； bare and bleak； its
feet wrapped in mist； and behind them rose the broken highlands crowned with
drifting cloud。 A chill wind‘ blew from the East。 Night was gathering over
the shapeless lands before them； the sickly green of them was fading to a
sullen brown。 Far away to the right the Anduin； that had gleamed fitfully in
sun…breaks during the day； was now hidden in shadow。 But their eyes did not
look beyond the River； back to Gondor； to their friends； to the lands of
Men。 South and east they stared to where； at the edge of the oning night；
a dark line hung； like distant mountains of motionless smoke。 Every now and
again a tiny red gleam far away flickered upwards on the rim of earth and
sky。
‘What a fix！ ' said Sam。 ‘That's the one place in all the lands we've
ever heard of that we don't want to see any closer； and that's the one place
we're trying to get to！ And that's just where we can't get； nohow。 We've
e the wrong way altogether； seemingly。 We can't get down； and if we did
get down； we'd find all that green land a nasty bog； I'll warrant。 Phew！ Can
you smell it？' He sniffed at the wind。
'Yes； I can smell it；' said Frodo； but he did not move； and his eyes
remained fixed； staring out towards the dark line and the flickering flame。
‘Mordor！ ' he muttered under his breath。 'If I must go there I wish I could
e there quickly and make an end！ ' He shuddered。 The wind was chilly and
yet heavy with an odour of cold decay。 ‘Well；' he said； at last withdrawing
his eyes； ‘we cannot stay here all night； fix or no fix。 We must find a more
sheltered spot； and camp once more； and perhaps another day will show us a
path。'
'Or another and another and another；' muttered Sam。 ‘Or maybe no day。
We've e the wrong way。'
'I wonder；' said Frodo。 'It's my doom； I think； to go to that Shadow
yonder； so that a way will be found。 But will good or evil show it to me？
What hope we had was in speed。 Delay plays into the Enemy's hands…and here I
am： delayed。 Is it the will of the Dark Tower that steers us？ All my choices
have proved ill。 I should have left the pany long before； and e down
from the North； east of the River and of the Emyn Muil； and so over the hard
of Battle Plain to the passes of Mordor。 But now it isn't possible for you
and me alone to find a way back； and the Orcs are prowling on the east bank。
Every day that passes is a precious day lost。 I am tired； Sam。 I don't know
what is to be done。 What food have we got left？'
'Only those； what d'you call 'em； lembas； Mr。 Frodo。 A fair supply。 But
they are better than naught； by a long bite。 I never thought； though； when I
first set tooth in them； that I should ever e to wish for a change。 But I
do now： a bit of plain bread； and a mug aye； half a mug of beer would
go down proper。 I've lugged my cooking…gear all the way from the last camp；
and what use has it been？ Naught to make a fire with； for a start； and
naught to cook； not even grass！'
They turned away and went down into a stony hollow。 The westering sun
was caught into clouds； and night came swiftly。 They slept as well as they
could for the cold； turn and turn about； in a nook among great jagged
pinnacles of weathered rock； at least they were sheltered from the easterly
wind。
‘Did you see them again； Mr。 Frodo？' asked Sam； as they sat； stiff and
chilled； munching wafers of lembas； in the cold grey of early morning。
'No；' said Frodo。 ‘I've heard nothing； and seen nothing； for two nights
now。'
‘Nor me；' said Sam。 ‘Grrr！ Those eyes did give me a turn！ But perhaps
we've shaken him off at last； the miserable slinker。 Gollum！ I'll give him
gollum in his throat； if ever I get my hands on his neck。'
'I hope you'll never need to；' said Frodo。 ‘I don't know how he
followed us； but it may be that he's lost us again； as you say。 In this dry
bleak land we can't leave many footprints； nor much scent； even for his
snuffling nose。'
'I hope that's the way of it；' said Sam。 'I wish we could be rid of him
for good！'
'So do I；' said Frodo； 'but he's not my chief trouble。 I wish we could
get away from these hills！ I hate them。 I feel all naked on the east side；
stuck up here with nothing but the dead flats between me and that Shadow
yonder。 There's an Eye in it。 e on！ We've got to get down today somehow。'
But that day wore on； and when afternoon faded towards evening they
were still scrambling along the ridge and had found no way of escape。
Sometimes in the silence of that barren country they fancied that they
heard faint sounds behind them； a stone falling； or the imagined step of
flapping feet on the rock。 But if they halted and stood still listening；
they heard no more； nothing but the wind sighing over the edges of the
stones yet even that reminded them of breath softly hissing through sharp
teeth。
All that day the outer ridge of the Emyn Muil had been bending
gradually northward； as they struggled on。 Along its brink there now
stretched a wide tumbled flat of scored and weathered rock； cut every now
and again by trench…like gullies that sloped steeply down to deep notches in
the cliff…face。 To find a path in these clefts； which were being deeper
and more frequent； Frodo and Sam were driven to their left； well away from
the edge； and they did not notice that for several miles they had been going
slowly but steadily downhill： the cliff…top was sinking towards the level of
the lowlands。
At last they were brought to a halt。 The ridge took a sharper bend
northward and was gashed by a deeper ravine。 On the further side it reared
up again； many fathoms at a single leap： a great grey cliff loomed before
them； cut sheer