towers

910 the two towers
the beginning of your journey you may walk under daylight, I
think. The land dreams in a false peace, and for a while all
evil is withdrawn. Fare you well, while you may!’
He embraced the hobbits then, after the manner of his
people, stooping, and placing his hands upon their shoulders,
and kissing their foreheads. ‘Go with the good will of all good
men!’ he said.
They bowed to the ground. Then he turned and without
looking back he left them and went to his two guards that
stood at a little distance away. They marvelled to see with
what speed these green-clad men now moved, vanishing
almost in the twinkling of an eye. The forest where Faramir
had stood seemed empty and drear, as if a dream had passed.
Frodo sighed and turned back southward. As if to mark
his disregard of all such courtesy, Gollum was scrabbling
in the mould at the foot of a tree. ‘Hungry again already?’
thought Sam. ‘Well, now for it again!’
‘Have they gone at last?’ said Gollum. ‘Nassty wicked Men!
Sméagol’s neck still hurts him, yes it does. Let’s go!’
‘Yes, let us go,’ said Frodo. ‘But if you can only speak ill
of those who showed you mercy, keep silent!’
‘Nice Master!’ said Gollum. ‘Sméagol was only joking.
Always forgives, he does, yes, yes, even nice Master’s little
trickses. Oh yes, nice Master, nice Sméagol!’
Frodo and Sam did not answer. Hoisting their packs and
taking their staves in hand, they passed on into the woods of
Ithilien.
Twice that day they rested and took a little of the food
provided by Faramir: dried fruits and salted meat, enough
for many days; and bread enough to last while it was still
fresh. Gollum ate nothing.
The sun rose and passed overhead unseen, and began to
sink, and the light through the trees to the west grew golden;
and always they walked in cool green shadow, and all about
them was silence. The birds seemed all to have flown away
or to have fallen dumb.