suddenly all three halted； stiffening and listening。 To Frodo and Sam it
seemed that they heard； far away； a long wailing cry； high and thin and
cruel。 They shivered。 At the same moment the stirring of the air became
perceptible to them； and it grew very cold。 As they stood straining their
ears； they heard a noise like a wind ing in the distance。 The misty
lights wavered； dimmed； and went out。
Gollum would not move。 He stood shaking and gibbering to himself； until
with a rush the wind came upon them； hissing and snarling over the marshes。
The night became less dark； light enough for them to see； or half see；
shapeless drifts of fog； curling and twisting as it rolled over them and
passed them。 Looking up they saw the clouds breaking and shredding； and then
high in the south the moon glimmered out； riding in the flying wrack。
For a moment the sight of it gladdened the hearts of the hobbits； but
Gollum cowered down； muttering curses on the White Face。 Then Frodo and Sam
staring at the sky； breathing deeply of the fresher air； saw it e： a
small cloud flying from the accursed hills； a black shadow loosed from
Mordor； a vast shape winged and ominous。 It scudded across the moon； and
with a deadly cry went away westward； outrunning the wind in its fell speed。
They fell forward； grovelling heedlessly on the cold earth。 But the
shadow of horror wheeled and returned； passing lower now； right above them；
sweeping the fen…reek with its ghastly wings。 And then it was gone； flying
back to Mordor with the speed of the wrath of Sauron； and behind it the wind
roared away； leaving the Dead Marshes bare and bleak。 The naked waste； as
far as the eye could pierce； even to the distant menace of the mountains；
was dappled with the fitful moonlight。
Frodo and Sam got up； rubbing their eyes； like children wakened from an
evil dream to find the familiar night still over the world。 But Gollum lay
on the ground as if he had been stunned。 They roused him with difficulty；
and for some time he would not lift his face； but knelt forward on his
elbows； covering the back of his head with his large flat hands。
‘Wraiths！' he wailed。 ‘Wraiths on wings！ The Precious is their master。
They see everything； everything。 Nothing can hide from them。 Curse the White
Face！ And they tell Him everything。 He sees； He knows。 Ach； gollum； gollum；
gollum！ ' It was not until the moon had sunk； westering far beyond Tol
Brandir； that he would get up or make a move。
From that time on Sam thought that he sensed a change in Gollum again。
He was more fawning and would…be friendly； but Sam surprised some strange
looks in his eyes at times； especially towards Frodo； and he went back more
and more into his old manner of speaking。 And Sam had another growing
anxiety。 Frodo seemed to be weary； weary to the point of exhaustion。 He said
nothing。 indeed he hardly spoke at all； and he did not plain； but he
walked like one who carries a load； the weight of which is ever increasing；
and he dragged along； slower and slower； so that Sam had often to beg Gollum
to wait and not to leave their master behind。
In fact with every step towards the gates of Mordor Frodo felt the Ring
on its chain about his neck grow more burdensome。 He was now beginning to
feel it as an actual weight dragging him earthwards。 But far more he was
troubled by the Eye： so he called it to himself。 It was that more than the
drag of the Ring that made him cower and stoop as he walked。 The Eye： that
horrible growing sense of a hostile will that strove with great power to
pierce all shadows of cloud； and earth； and flesh； and to see you： to pin
you under its deadly gaze； naked； immovable。 So thin； so frail and thin； the
veils were bee that still warded it off。 Frodo knew just where the
present habitation and heart of that will now was： as certainly as a man can
tell the direction of the sun with his eyes shut。 He was facing it； and its
potency beat upon his brow。
Gollum probably felt something of the same sort。 But what went on in
his wretched heart between the pressure of the Eye； and the lust of the Ring
that was so near； and his grovelling promise made half in the fear of cold
iron； the hobbits did not guess： Frodo gave no thought to it。 Sam's mind was
occupied mostly with his master hardly noticing the dark cloud that had
fallen on his own heart。 He put Frodo in front of him now； and kept a
watchful eye on every movement of his； supporting him if he stumbled； and
trying to encourage him with clumsy words。
When day came at last the hobbits were surprised to see how much closer
the ominous mountains had already drawn。 The air was now clearer and colder；
and though still far off； the walls of Mordor were no longer a cloudy menace
on the edge of sight； but as grim black towers they frowned across a dismal
waste。 The marshes were at an end； dying away into dead peats and wide flats
of dry cracked mud。 The land ahead rose in long shallow slopes； barren and
pitiless； towards the desert that lay at Sauron's gate。
While the grey light lasted； they cowered under a black stone like
worms； shrinking； lest the winged terror should pass and spy them with its
cruel eyes。 The remainder of that journey was a shadow of growing fear in
which memory could find nothing to rest upon。 For two more nights they
struggled on through the weary pathless land。 The air； as it seemed to them；
grew harsh； and filled with a bitter reek that caught their breath and
parched their mouths。
At last； on the fifth morning since they took the road with Gollum；
they halted once more。 Before them dark in the dawn the great mountains
reached up to roofs of smoke and cloud。 Out from their feet were flung huge
buttresses and broken hills that were now at the nearest scarce a dozen
miles away。 Frodo looked round in horror。 Dreadful as the Dead Marshes had
been； and the arid moors of the Noman…lands； more loathsome far was the
country that the crawling day now slowly unveiled to his shrinking eyes。
Even to the Mere of Dead Faces some haggard phantom of green spring would
e； but here neither spring nor summer would ever e again。 Here nothing
lived； not even the leprous growths that feed on rottenness。 The gasping
pools were choked with ash and crawling muds； sickly white and grey； as if
the mountains had vomited the filth of their entrails upon the lands about。
High mounds of crushed and powdered rock； great cones of earth fire…blasted
and poison…stained； stood like an obscene graveyard in endless rows； slowly
revealed in the reluctant light。
They had e to the desolation that lay before Mordor： the lasting
monument to the dark labour of its slaves that should endure when all their
purposes were made void； a land defiled； diseased beyond all healing
unless the Great Sea should enter in and wash it with oblivion。