dangerously far。 Why could not his master see？ It was dim； certainly； but
not as dark as all that。 He could see Frodo below him； a grey forlorn figure
splayed against the cliff。 But he was far out of the reach of any helping
hand。
There was another crack of thunder； and then the rain came。 In a
blinding sheet； mingled with hail； it drove against the cliff； bitter cold。
'I'm ing down to you；' shouted Sam； though how he hoped to help in
that way he could not have said。
‘No； no！ wait！ ' Frodo called back； more strongly now。 ‘I shall be
better soon。 I feel better already。 Wait！ You can't do anything without a
rope。'
‘Rope！' cried Sam； talking wildly to himself in his excitement and
relief。 ‘Well； if I don't deserve to be hung on the end of one as a warning
to numbskulls！ You're nowt but a ninnyhammer； Sam Gamgee： that's what the
Gaffer said to me often enough； it being a word of his。 Rope！'
‘Stop chattering！' cried Frodo； now recovered enough to feel both
amused and annoyed。 'Never mind your Gaffer！ Are you trying to tell yourself
you've got some rope in your pocket？ If so； out with it！
‘Yes； Mr。 Frodo； in my pack and all。 Carried it hundreds of miles and
I'd clean forgotten it！'
‘Then get busy and let an end down！'
Quickly Sam unslung his pack and rummaged in it。 There indeed at the
bottom was a coil of the silken…grey rope made by the folk of Lurien。 He
cast an end to his master。 The darkness seemed to lift from Frodo's eyes； or
else his sight was returning。 He could see the grey line as it came dangling
down； and he thought it had a faint silver sheen。 Now that he had some point
in the darkness to fix his eyes on； he felt less giddy。 Leaning his weight
forward； he made the end fast round his waist； and then he grasped the line
with both hands。
Sam stepped back and braced his feet against a stump a yard or two from
the edge。 Half hauled； half scrambling。 Frodo came up and threw himself on
the ground。
Thunder growled and rumbled in the distance； and the rain was still
falling heavily。 The hobbits crawled away back into the gully； but they did
not find much shelter there。 Rills of water began to run down； soon they
grew to a spate that splashed and fumed on the stones； and spouted out over
the cliff like the gutters of a vast roof。
‘I should have been half drowned down there； or washed clean off；' said
Frodo。 'What a piece of luck you had that rope！'
‘Better luck if I'd thought of it sooner；' said Sam。 'Maybe you
remember them putting the ropes in the boats； as we started off： in the
elvish country。 I took a fancy to it； and I stowed a coil in my pack。 Years
ago； it seems。 〃It may be a help in many needs；〃 he said： Haldir； or one of
those folk。 And he spoke right。'
‘A pity I didn't think of bringing another length；' said Frodo； ‘but I
left the pany in such a hurry and confusion。 If only we had enough we
could use it to get down。 How long is your rope； I wonder？'
Sam paid it out slowly； measuring it with his arms： 'Five； ten； twenty；
thirty ells； more or less；' he said。
'Who'd have thought it！' Frodo exclaimed。
‘Ah！ Who would？ ' said Sam。 ‘Elves are wonderful folk。 It looks a bit
thin； but it's tough； and soft as milk to the hand。 Packs close too； and as
light as light。 Wonderful folk to be sure！'
‘Thirty ells！ ' said Frodo considering。 'I believe it would be enough。
If the storm passes before nightfall； I'm going to try it。'
‘The rain's nearly given over already；' said Sam； 'but don't you go
doing anything risky in the dim again； Mr。 Frodo！ And I haven't got over
that shriek on the wind yet； if you have。 Like a Black Rider it sounded…but
one up in the air； if they can fly。 I'm thinking we'd best lay up in this
crack till night's over。'
'And I'm thinking that I won't spend a moment longer than I need stuck
up on this edge with the eyes of the Dark Country looking over the marshes；'
said Frodo。
With that he stood up and went down to the bottom of the gully again。
He looked out。 Clear sky was growing in the East once more。 The skirts of
the storm were lifting； ragged and wet； and the main battle had passed to
spread its great wings over the Emyn Muil； upon which the dark thought of
Sauron brooded for a while。 Thence it turned； smiting the Vale of Anduin
with hail and lightning； and casting its shadow upon Minas Tirith with
threat of war。 Then； lowering in the mountains； and gathering its great
spires； it rolled on slowly over Gondor and the skirts of Rohan； until far
away the Riders on the plain saw its black towers moving behind the sun； as
they rode into the West。 But here； over the desert and the reeking marshes
the deep blue sky of evening opened once more； and a few pallid stars
appeared； like small white holes in the canopy above the crescent moon。
‘It's good to be able to see again；' said Frodo； breathing deep。 ‘Do
you know； I thought for a bit that I had lost my sight？ From the lightning
or something else worse。 I could see nothing； nothing at all； until the grey
rope came down。 It seemed to shimmer somehow。'
‘It does look sort of silver in the dark；' said Sam。 ‘Never noticed it
before； though I can't remember as I've ever had it out since I first stowed
it。 But if you're so set on climbing； Mr。 Frodo； how are you going to use
it？ Thirty ells； or say； about eighteen fathom： that's no more than your
guess at the height of the cliff。'
Frodo thought for a while。 ‘Make it fast to that stump； Sam！ ' he said。
‘Then I think you shall have your wish this time and go first。 I'll lower
you； and you need do no more than use your feet and hands to fend yourself
off the rock。 Though； if you put your weight on some of the ledges and give
me a rest； it will help。 When you're down； I'll follow。 I feel quite myself
again now。'
'Very well；' said Sam heavily。 ‘If it must be； let's get it over！ ' He
took up the rope and made it fast over the stump nearest to the brink； then
the other end he tied about his own waist。 Reluctantly he turned and
prepared to go over the edge a second time。
It did not； however； turn out half as bad as he had expected。 The rope
seemed to give him confidence； though he shut his eyes more than once when
he looked down between his feet。 There was one awkward spot； where there was
no ledge and the wall was sheer and even undercut for a short space； there
he slipped and swung out on the silver line。 But Frodo lowered him slowly
and steadily； and it was over at last。 His chief fear had been that the
rope…length would give out while he was still high up； but there was still a
good bight in Frodo's hands； when Sam came to the bottom and called up： ‘I'm
down！ ' His voice came up clearly from below； but Frodo could not see him；
his grey elven…cloak had melted into the twilight。
Frodo took rather more time to follow him。 H