again。
‘Do you think he can see us？ ' said Sam。
‘I don't know；' said Frodo quietly； ‘but I think not。 It is hard even
for friendly eyes to see these elven…cloaks： I cannot see you in the shadow
even at a few paces。 And I've heard that he doesn't like Sun or Moon。'
‘Then why is he ing down just here？ ' asked Sam。
'Quietly； Sam！ ' said Frodo。 ‘He can smell us； perhaps。 And he can hear
as keen as Elves； I believe。 I think he has heard something now： our voices
probably。 We did a lot of shouting away back there； and we were talking far
too loudly until a minute ago。'
‘Well； I'm sick of him；' said Sam。 ‘He's e once too often for me and
I'm going to have a word with him； if I can。 I don't suppose we could give
him the slip now anyway。' Drawing his grey hood well over his face； Sam
crept stealthily towards the cliff。
‘Careful！' whispered Frodo ing behind。 ‘Don't alarm him！ He's much
more dangerous than he looks。'
The black crawling shape was now three…quarters of the way down； and
perhaps fifty feet or less above the cliff's foot。 Crouching stone…still in
the shadow of a large boulder the hobbits watched him。 He seemed to have
e to a difficult passage or to be troubled about something。 They could
hear him snuffling； and now and again there was a harsh hiss of breath that
sounded like a curse。 He lifted his head； and they thought they heard him
spit。 Then he moved on again。 Now they could hear his voice creaking and
whistling。
‘Ach； sss！ Cautious； my precious！ More haste less speed。 We musstn't
rissk our neck； musst we； precious？ No； precious gollum！' He lifted his
head again； blinked at the moon； and quickly shut his eyes。 ‘We hate it；' he
hissed。 ‘Nassty； nassty shivery light it is sss it spies on us；
precious it hurts our eyes。'
He was getting lower now and the hisses became sharper and clearer。
'Where iss it； where iss it： my Precious； my Precious？ It's ours； it is； and
we wants it。 The thieves； the thieves； the filthy little thieves。 Where are
they with my Precious？ Curse them！ We hates them。'
‘It doesn't sound as if he knew we were here； does it？ ' whispered Sam。
‘And what's his Precious？ Does he mean the'
‘Hsh！ ' breathed Frodo。 'He's getting near now； near enough to hear a
whisper。'
Indeed Gollum had suddenly paused again； and his large head on its
scrawny neck was lolling from side to side as if he was listening。 His pale
eyes were half unlidded。 Sam restrained himself； though his fingers were
twitching。 His eyes； filled with anger and disgust； were fixed on the
wretched creature as he now began to move again； still whispering and
hissing to himself。
At last he was no more than a dozen feet from the ground； right above
their heads。 From that point there was a sheer drop； for the cliff was
slightly undercut； and even Gollum could not find a hold of any kind。 He
seemed to be trying to twist round； so as to go legs first； when suddenly
with a shrill whistling shriek he fell。 As he did so； he curled his legs and
arms up round him； like a spider whose descending thread is snapped。
Sam was out of his hiding in a flash and crossed the space between him
and the cliff foot in a couple of leaps。 Before Gollum could get up； he was
on top of him。 But he found Gollum more than he bargained for； even taken
like that； suddenly； off his guard after a fall。 Before Sam could get a
hold； long legs and arms were wound round him pinning his arms； and a
clinging grip； soft but horribly strong； was squeezing him like slowly
tightening cords； clammy fingers were feeling for his throat。 Then sharp
teeth bit into his shoulder。 All he could do was to butt his hard round head
sideways into the creature's face。 Gollum hissed and spat； but he did not
let go。
Things would have gone ill with Sam； if he had been alone。 But Frodo
sprang up； and drew Sting from its sheath。 With his left hand he drew back
Gollum's head by his thin lank hair； stretching his long neck； and forcing
his pale venomous eyes to stare up at the sky。
‘Let go！ Gollum；' he said。 ‘This is Sting。 You have seen it before once
upon a time。 Let go； or you'll feel it this time！ I'll cut your throat。'
Gollum collapsed and went as loose as wet string。 Sam got up； fingering
his shoulder。 His eyes smouldered with anger； but he could not avenge
himself： his miserable enemy lay grovelling on the stones whimpering。
‘Don't hurt us！ Don't let them hurt us； precious！ They won't hurt us
will they； nice little hobbitses？ We didn't mean no harm； but they jumps on
us like cats on poor mices； they did； precious。 And we're so lonely； gollum。
We'll be nice to them； very nice； if they'll be nice to us； won't we； yes；
yess。'
‘Well； what's to be done with it？ ' said Sam。 ‘Tie it up； so as it
can't e sneaking after us no more； I say。'
‘But that would kill us； kill us；' whimpered Gollum。 ‘Cruel little
hobbitses。 Tie us up in the cold hard lands and leave us； gollum； gollum。'
Sobs welled up in his gobbling throat。
‘No；' said Frodo。 ‘If we kill him； we must kill him outright。 But we
can't do that； not as things are。 Poor wretch！ He has done us no harm。'
‘Oh hasn't he！ ' said Sam rubbing his shoulder。 ‘Anyway he meant to；
and he means to； I'll warrant。 Throttle us in our sleep； that's his plan。'
'I daresay；' said Frodo。 ‘But what he means to do is another matter。'
He paused for a while in thought。 Gollum lay still； but stopped whimpering。
Sam stood glowering over him。
It seemed to Frodo then that he heard； quite plainly but far off；
voices out of the past：
What a pity Bilbo did not stub the vile creature； when he had a chance！
Pity？ It was Pity that stayed his hand。 Pity； and Mercy： not to strike
without need。
I do not feel any pity for Gollum。 He deserves death。
Deserves death！ I daresay he does。 Many that live deserve death。 And
some die that deserve life。 Can you give that to them？ Then be not too eager
to deal out death in the name of justice； fearing for your own safety。 Even
the wise cannot see all ends。
‘Very well；' he answered aloud； lowering his sword。 'But still I am
afraid。 And yet； as you see； I will not touch the creature。 For now that I
see him； I do pity him。'
Sam stared at his master； who seemed to be speaking to some one who was
not there。 Gollum lifted his head。
'Yess； wretched we are； precious；' he whined。 'Misery misery！ Hobbits
won't kill us； nice hobbits。'
'No； we won't；' said Frodo。 ‘But we won't let you go； either。 You're
full of wickedness and mischief； Gollum。 You will have to e with us；
that's all； while we keep an eye on you。 But you must help us； if you can。
One good turn deserves another。'
'Yess； yes indeed；' said Gollum sitting up。 'Nice hobbits！ We will e
with them。 Find them safe paths in the dark； yes we will。 And where are th