danger is for Him； and for us。 He will e out of the Black Gate one day；
one day soon。 That is the only way big armies can e。 But away down west
He is not afraid； and there are the Silent Watchers。'
‘Just so！ ' said Sam； not to be put off。 ‘And so we are to walk up and
knock at their gate and ask if we're on the right road for Mordor？ Or are
they too silent to answer？ It's not。 sense。 We might as well do it here； and
save ourselves a long tramp。'
'Don't make jokes about it；' hissed Gollum。 ‘It isn't funny； O no！ Not
amusing。 It's nut sense to try and get into Mordor at all。 But if master
says I must go or I will go； then he must try some way。 But he must not go
to the terrible city； O no； of course not。 That is where Smjagol helps。 nice
Smjagol。 though no one tells him what it is all about。 Smjagol helps again。
He found it。 He knows it。'
'What did you find？ ' asked Frodo。
Gollum crouched down and his voice sank to a whisper again。 'A little
path leading up into the mountains： and then a stair； a narrow stair； O yes；
very long and narrow。 And then more stairs。 And then' his voice sank even
lower ‘a tunnel； a dark tunnel； and at last a little cleft； and a path
high above the main pass。 It was that way that Smjagol got out of the
darkness。 But it was years ago。 The path may have vanished now； but perhaps
not； perhaps not。'
‘I don't like the sound of it at all；' said Sam。 ‘Sounds too easy at
any rate in the telling。 If that path is still there； it'll be guarded too。
Wasn't it guarded； Gollum？ ' As he said this； he caught or fancied he caught
a green gleam in Gollum's eye。 Gollum muttered but did not reply。
'Is it not guarded？ ' asked Frodo sternly。 ‘And did you escape out of
the darkness； Smjagol？ Were you not rather permitted to depart upon an
errand？ That at least is w hat Aragorn thought； who found you by the Dead
Marshes some years ago。'
'It's a lie！ ' hissed Gollum； and an evil light came into his eyes at
the naming of Aragorn。 ‘He lied on me； yes he did。 I did escape； all by my
poor self。 Indeed I was told to seek for the Precious； and I have searched
and searched； of course I have。 But not for the Black One。 The Precious was
ours； it was mine I tell you。 I did escape。'
Frodo felt a strange certainty that in this matter Gollum was for once
not so far from the truth as might be suspected； that he had somehow found a
way out of Mordor； and at least believed that it was by his own cunning。 For
one thing； he noted that Gollum used I； and that seemed usually to be a
sign； on its rare appearances。 that some remnants of old truth and sincerity
were for the moment on top。 But even if Gollum could be trusted on this
point； Frodo did not forget the wiles of the Enemy。 The 'escape' may have
been allowed or arranged； and well known in the Dark Tower。 And in any case
Gollum was plainly keeping a good deal back。
'I ask you again；' he said： ‘is not this secret way guarded？ '
But the name of Aragorn had put Gollum into a sullen mood。 He had all
the injured air of a liar suspected when for once he has told the truth。 or
part of it。 He did not answer。
'Is it not guarded？ ' Frodo repeated。
‘Yes； yes； perhaps。 No safe places in this country；' said Gollum
sulkily。 'No safe places。 But master must try it or go home。 。 No other
way。' They could not get him to say more。 The name of the perilous place and
the high pass he could not tell； or would not。
Its name was Cirith Ungol； a name of dreadful rumour。 Aragorn could
perhaps have told them that name and its significance： Gandalf would have
warned them。 But they were alone； and Aragorn was far away； and Gandalf
stood amid the ruin of Isengard and strove with Saruman； delayed by treason。
Yet even as he spoke his last words to Saruman； and the palantnr crashed in
fire upon the steps of Orthanc。 his thought was ever upon Frodo and Samwise；
over the long leagues his mind sought for them in hope and pity。
Maybe Frodo felt it； not knowing it； as he had upon Amon Hen； even
though he believed that Gandalf was gone； gone for ever into the shadow in
Moria far away。 He sat upon the ground for a long while； silent； his head
bowed； striving to recall all that Gandalf had said to him。 But for this
choice he could recall no counsel。 Indeed Gandalf's guidance had been taken
from them too soon； too soon； while the Dark Land was still very far away。
How they should enter it at the last Gandalf had not said。 Perhaps he could
not say。 Into the stronghold of the Enemy in the North； into Dol Guldur； he
had once ventured。 But into Mordor； to the Mountain of Fire and to
Barad…dyr； since the Dark Lord rose in power again； had he ever journeyed
there？ Frodo did not think so。 And here he was a little halfling from the
Shire； a simple hobbit of the quiet countryside expected to find a way where
the great ones could not go； or dared not go。 It was an evil fate。 But he
had taken it on himself in his own sitting…room in the far…off spring of
another year； so remote now that it was like a chapter in a story of the
world's youth； when the Trees of Silver and Gold were still in bloom。 This
was an evil choice。 Which way should he choose？ And if both led to terror
and death； what good lay in choice？
The day drew on。 A deep silence fell upon the little grey hollow where
they lay； so near to the borders of the land of fear： a silence that could
be felt； as if it were a thick veil that cut them off from all the world
about them。 Above them was a dome of pale sky barred with fleeting smoke；
but it seemed high and far away。 as if seen through great deeps of air heavy
with brooding thought。
Not even an eagle poised against the sun would have marked the hobbits
sitting there； under the weight of doom； silent； ？not moving； shrouded in
their thin grey cloaks。 For a moment he might have paused to consider
Gollum； a tiny figure sprawling on the ground： there perhaps lay the
famished skeleton of some child of Men； its ragged garment still clinging to
it； its long arms and legs almost bone…white and bone…thin： no flesh worth a
peck。
Frodo's head was bowed over his knees； but Sam leaned back； with hands
behind his head； staring out of his hood at the empty sky。 At least for a
long while it was empty。 Then presently Sam thought he saw a dark bird…like
figure wheel into the circle of his sight； and hover； and then wheel away
again。 Two more followed； and then a fourth。 They were very small to look
at； yet he knew； somehow； that they were huge； with a vast stretch of
pinion； flying at a great height。 He covered his eyes and bent forward；
cowering。 The same warning fear was on him as he had felt in the presence of
the Black Riders； the helpless horror that had e with the cry in the wind
and the shadow on the moon； though now it was not so crushing or pelling：
the menace was more r