shows you up。 Nice sensible hobbits stay with Smjagol。 Orcs and nasty things
are about。 They can see a long way。 Stay and hide with me！ '
The three of them settled down to rest at the foot of the rocky wall of
the gully。 It was not much more than a tall man's height now； and at its
base there were wide flat shelves of dry stone； the water ran in a channel
on the other side。 Frodo and Sam sat on one of the flats； resting their
backs。 Gollum paddled and scrabbled in the stream。
‘We must take a little food；' said Frodo。 ‘Are you hungry； Smjagol？ We
have very little to share； but we will spare you what we can。'
At the word hungry a greenish light was kindled in Gollum's pale eyes；
and they seemed to protrude further than ever from his thin sickly face。 For
a moment he relapsed into his old Gollum…manner。 'We are famisshed； yes
famisshed we are。 precious；' he said。 ‘What is it they eats？ Have they nice
fisshes？ ' His tongue lolled out between his sharp yellow teeth。 licking his
colourless lips。
‘No； we have got no fish；' said Frodo。 ‘We have only got this' he
held up a wafer of lembas 'and water； if the water here is fit to drink。'
‘Yess； yess； nice water；' said Gollum。 ‘Drink it； drink it； while we
can！ But what is it they've got； precious？ Is it crunchable？ Is it tasty？ '
Frodo broke off a portion of a wafer and handed it to him on its
leaf…wrapping。 Gollum sniffed at the leaf and his face changed： a spasm of
disgust came over it； and a hint of his old malice。 ‘Smjagol smells it！ ' he
said。 ‘Leaves out of the elf…country； gah！ They stinks。 He climbed in those
trees； and he couldn't wash the smell off his hands； my nice hands。'
Dropping the leaf； he took a corner of the lembas and nibbled it。 He spat；
and a fit of coughing shook him。
‘Ach！ No！ ' he spluttered。 ‘You try to choke poor Smjagol。 Dust and
ashes； he can't eat that。 He must starve。 But Smjagol doesn't mind。 Nice
hobbits！ Smjagol has promised。 He will starve。 He can't eat hobbits' food。
He will starve。 Poor thin Smjagol！ '
‘I'm sorry；' said Frodo； ‘but I can't help you； I'm afraid。 I think
this food would do you good； if you would try。 But perhaps you can't even
try； not yet anyway。'
The hobbits munched their lembas in silence。 Sam thought that it tasted
far better； somehow； than it had for a good while： Gollum's behaviour had
made him attend to its flavour again。 But he did not feel fortable。
Gollum watched every morsel from hand to mouth； like an expectant dog by a
diner's chair。 Only when they had finished and were preparing to rest； was
he apparently convinced that they had no hidden dainties that he could share
in。 Then he went and sat by himself a few paces away and whimpered a little。
'Look here！ ' Sam whispered to Frodo； not too softly： he did not really
care whether Gollum heard him or not。 ‘We've got to get some sleep； but not
both together with that hungry villain nigh； promise or no promise。 Smjagol
or Gollum； he won't change his habits in a hurry； I'll warrant。 You go to
sleep； Mr。 Frodo； and I'll call you when I can't keep my eyelids propped up。
Turn and about； same as before； while he's loose。'
'Perhaps you're right； Sam；' said Frodo speaking openly。 'There is a
change in him； but just what kind of a change and how deep； I'm not sure
yet。 Seriously though； I don't think there is any need for fear at
present。 Still watch if you wish。 Give me about two hours； not more； and
then call me。'
So tired was Frodo that his head fell forward on his breast and he
slept。 almost as soon as he had spoken the words。 Gollum seemed no longer to
have any fears。 He curled up and went quickly to sleep； quite unconcerned。
Presently his breath was hissing softly through his clenched teeth； hut he
lay still as stone。 After a while； fearing that he would drop off himself；
if he sat listening to his two panions breathing； Sam got up and gently
prodded Gollum。 His hands uncurled and twitched； but he made no other
movement。 Sam bent down and said fissh close to his ear； but there was no
response； not even a catch in Gollum's breathing。
Sam scratched his head。 ‘Must really be asleep；' he muttered。 ‘And if I
was like Gollum； he wouldn't wake up never again。' He restrained the
thoughts of his sword and the rope that sprang to his mind； and went and sat
down by his master。
When he woke up the sky above was dim； not lighter but darker than when
they had breakfasted。 Sam leapt to his feet。 Not least from his own feeling
of vigour and hunger； he suddenly understood that he had slept the daylight
away； nine hours at least。 Frodo was still fast asleep； lying now stretched
on his side。 Gollum was not to be seen。 Various reproachful names for
himself came to Sam's mind； drawn from the Gaffer's large paternal
word…hoard； then it also occurred to him that his master had been right：
there had for the present been nothing to guard against。 They were at any
rate both alive and unthrottled。
'Poor wretch！ ' he said half remorsefully。 'Now I wonder where he's got
to？ '
'Not far； not far！ ' said a voice above him。 He looked up and saw the
shape of Gollum's large head and ears against the evening sky。
'Here； what are you doing？ ' cried Sam； his suspicions ing back as
soon as he saw that shape。
‘Smjagol is hungry；' said Gollum。 ‘Be back soon。'
'e back now！' shouted Sam。 'Hi！ e back！' But Gollum had vanished。
Frodo woke at the sound of Sam's shout and sat up； rubbing his eyes。
'Hullo！' he said。 'Anything wrong？ What's the time？'
'I dunno；' said Sam。 'After sundown； I reckon。 And he's gone off。 Says
he's hungry。'
‘Don't worry！' said Frodo。 ‘There's no help for it。 But he'll e
back； you'll see。 The promise will hold yet a while。 And he won't leave his
Precious； anyway。'
Frodo made light of it when he learned that they had slept soundly for
hours with Gollum； and a very hungry Gollum too； loose beside them。 ‘Don't
think of any of your Gaffer's hard names；' he said。 'You were worn out； and
it has turned out well： we are now both rested。 And we have a hard road
ahead； the worst road of all。'
‘About the food；' said Sam。 'How long's it going to take us to do this
job？ And when it's done； what are we going to do then？ This waybread keeps
you on your legs in a wonderful way； though it doesn't satisfy the innards
proper； as you might say： not to my feeling anyhow； meaning no disrespect to
them as made it。 But you have to eat some of it every day； and it doesn't
grow。 I reckon we've got enough to last； say； three weeks or so； and that
with a tight belt and a light tooth； mind you。 We've been a bit free with it
so far。'
‘I don't know how long we shall take to to finish；' said Frodo。 ‘We
were miserably delayed in the hills。 But Samwise Gamgee； my dear hobbit
indeed； Sam my dearest hobbit； friend of frien