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the black gate is closed 835
chance of laying hands on his ‘Precious’. Whether there really
was another way into Mordor Sam doubted.
‘And it’s a good thing neither half of the old villain don’t
know what master means to do,’ he thought. ‘If he knew that
Mr. Frodo is trying to put an end to his Precious for good
and all, there’d be trouble pretty quick, I bet. Anyhow old
Stinker is so frightened of the Enemy – and he’s under orders
of some kind from him, or was – that he’d give us away rather
than be caught helping us; and rather than let his Precious
be melted, maybe. At least that’s my idea. And I hope the
master will think it out carefully. He’s as wise as any, but he’s
soft-hearted, that’s what he is. It’s beyond any Gamgee to
guess what he’ll do next.’
Frodo did not answer Gollum at once. While these doubts
were passing through Sam’s slow but shrewd mind, he stood
gazing out towards the dark cliff of Cirith Gorgor. The hollow
in which they had taken refuge was delved in the side of a
low hill, at some little height above a long trenchlike valley
that lay between it and the outer buttresses of the mountainwall.
In the midst of the valley stood the black foundations
of the western watch-tower. By morning-light the roads that
converged upon the Gate of Mordor could now be clearly
seen, pale and dusty; one winding back northwards; another
dwindling eastwards into the mists that clung about the feet
of Ered Lithui; and a third that ran towards him. As it bent
sharply round the tower, it entered a narrow defile and passed
not far below the hollow where he stood. Westward, to his
right, it turned, skirting the shoulders of the mountains, and
went off southwards into the deep shadows that mantled all
the western sides of Ephel Dúath; beyond his sight it journeyed
on into the narrow land between the mountains and
the Great River.
As he gazed Frodo became aware that there was a great
stir and movement on the plain. It seemed as if whole armies
were on the march, though for the most part they were hidden
by the reeks and fumes drifting from the fens and wastes
beyond. But here and there he caught the gleam of spears