The Treason of Isengard (59 page)

Gollum laughs. 'Then his luck is better than he deserves, yes,'

said Gollum, 'for Gollum has been following him: Gollum can see footprints where he can't see nothings, no! '

Gollum was so intent on the trail - muttering to himself

'Footsteps, Gollum sees them, and he smells them: Gollum is wary' - that he did not seem aware of Sam's (relatively) clumsy efforts at stalking the stalker.(13)

It was near the evening of the second day when Frodo, every sense keyed up, became suddenly aware of footfalls. He puts on the ring, but Gollum comes up and circles near. To Frodo's great surprise Sam appears. To the equal surprise of Sam and Gollum Frodo suddenly takes off ring and stands before them.

Gollum is the most surprised: for between Frodo and Sam he is overmatched. He cringes: for as Ringbearer Frodo has a power over him (though he is really an object of great hatred).

Gollum pleads for forgiveness, and promises help, and having nowhere else to turn Frodo accepts. Gollum says he will lead them over the Dead Marshes to Kirith Ungol.(14) (Chuckling to himself to think that that is just the way he would wish them to go.)

Here ends Chapter.

At this stage my father was following the previous Plot (p. 208): 'At point where Sam, Frodo and Gollum meet return to others - for whose adventures see later. But they should be told at this point.' He now decided, I think, that not even so much of the story of Frodo and Sam east of Anduin should yet be told, and he bracketed all that follows from 'Sam picks up trail of Frodo', writing against it 'Put in later chapter. XXIV (subsequently altering XXIV to XXV: see p. 330).(15) At the same time he struck out 'Here ends Chapter' and went on with the story of the other members of the Company.

Dismay of the hunt at finding no trace of Frodo. Boromir, Legolas, Gimli, Trotter return to camp, only to find now that Sam also is missing, and Pippin and Merry as well.

Trotter is overwhelmed with grief, thinking that he has failed in his charge as Gandalf's successor. He imagines that the hobbits are all together,. and waits in camp until the morning.(16) In the morning no sign is found of them. The Company is now broken. Trotter sees nothing for it but to go south to Minas-Tirith with Boromir. But Legolas and Gimli have no further heart for the Quest, and feel that already too many leagues are between them and their homes. They go north again: Legolas meaning to join the Elves of Lothlorien for a while, Gimli hoping to get back to the Mountain.(17)

Here ends Chapter XX.

('Chapter XX' was subsequently changed to 'XXI', and the numbers of the chapter synopses that follow were also altered, as will be explained in a moment.)

XXI What happened to Gimli and Legolas. They meet

Gandalf?

XXII What happened to Merry and Pippin. They are lost -

led astray by echoes - in the hunt, and wander away up the Entwash River and come to Fangorn. Here they

meet with Giant Fangorn or Tree-beard. He takes them

to Minas Tirith.

XXIII. What happened in Minas Tirith. Siege by Sauron and Saruman. Treachery of Boromir. Sudden arrival of Gandalf - now become a white wizard. Treebeard raises the siege. Enemy driven over the Anduin. Horsemen of Rohan come to assistance.

XXIV. What happened to Frodo and Sam.

Comparison with the previous Plot (pp. 210 - 11) will show that these synopses repeat, much more briefly, what was set out there, and show no further development. At this juncture my father made various alterations of chapter-structure in the plot-sketch. At the beginning, as already noted (p. 324), he indicated that 'The Company sets off from Tongue' should form the conclusion of Chapter XX ('Farewell to Lorien'), while all that follows should constitute XXI (apart from the story of Sam's tracking of Frodo and the encounter with Gollum, which would be placed in a later chapter, as already decided: p. 329).

The brief synopses just given were now renumbered and slightly reordered: XXII (Merry and Pippin); XXIII (Gimli and Legolas); XXIV (Minas Tirith)., XXV (Frodo and Sam).(18)

(ii) Mordor.

While my father seems never to have doubted that after the breaking of the Company the 'western' stories must be followed, the 'eastern'

story of Frodo and Sam was bursting into life and expression; and he now at once went on with the outline of that story from the point where he had left it (p. 329), noting: 'XXV: continuation after part above.'

They sleep in pairs, so that one is always awake with Gollum.(19)

Gollum all the while is scheming to betray Frodo. He leads them cleverly over the Dead Marshes. There are dead green faces in the stagnant pools; and the dry reeds hiss like snakes.

Frodo feels the strength of the searching eye as they proceed.

At night Sam keeps watch, only pretending to be asleep. He hears Gollum muttering to himself, words of hatred for Frodo and lust for the Ring.

The three companions now approach Kirith Ungol, the dreadful ravine which leads into Gorgoroth. Kirith Ungol means Spider Glen: there dwelt great spiders, greater than those of Mirkwood, such as were once of old in the land of Elves and Men in the West that is now under sea, such as Beren fought in the dark canons of the Mountains of Terror above Doriath.

Already Gollum knew these creatures well. He slips away. The spiders come and weave their nets over Frodo while Sam sleeps: sting Frodo. Sam wakes, and sees Frodo lying pale as death -

greenish: reminding him of the faces in the pools of the marshes.

He cannot rouse or wake him.(20)

The idea suddenly comes to Sam to carry on the work, and he felt for the Ring. He could not unclasp it, nor cut the chain, but he drew the chain over Frodo's head. As he did so he fancied he felt a tremor (sigh or shudder) pass through the body; but when he paused he could not feel any heart-beat. Sam put the Ring round his own neck.

[Suddenly the Orc-guard of the Pass, guided by Gollum, comes upon them. Sam takes Galadriel's present to Frodo - the phial of light. Sam slips on the Ring, and attempts to fight unseen to defend Frodo's body; but gets knocked down and nearly trampled to death. The Orcs rejoicing pick up Frodo and bear him away, after searching in vain (but only a short while) for 'the other hobbit' reported by Gollum.]

This last paragraph, which I have bracketed, was struck through with a direction to replace it by the following much longer passage on a separate page. It is clear, however, that this replacement was not written significantly later.(21)

Then he sat and made a Lament for Frodo. After that he put away his tears and thought what he could do. He could not leave his dear master lying in the wild for the fell beasts and carrion birds; and he thought he would try and build a cairn of stones about him. 'The silver mail of mithril rings shall be his winding-sheet,' he said. 'But I will lay the phial of Lady Galadriel upon his breast, and Sting shall be at his side.'

He laid Frodo upon his back and crossed his arms on his breast and set Sting at his side. And as he drew out the phial it blazed with light. It lit Frodo's face and it looked now pale but beautiful, fair with [an] elvish beauty as of one long past the shadows. 'Farewell, Frodo,' said Sam; and his tears fell on Frodo's hands.

[But] at that moment there was a sound of strong footfalls climbing towards the rock shelf. Harsh calls and cries echoed in the rocks. Orcs were coming, evidently guided to the spot.

'Curse that Gollum,' said Sam. 'I might have known we had not seen the last of him. These are some of his friends.'

Sam had no time to lose. Certainly no time to hide or cover his master's body. Not knowing what else to do he slipped on the Ring, and then he took also the phial so that the foul Orcs should not get it, and girded Sting about his own waist. And waited. He had not long to wait.

In the gloom first came Gollum sniffing out the scent, and behind him came the black orcs: fifty or more it seemed. With a cry they rushed upon Frodo. Sam tried to put up a fight unseen, but even as he was about to draw Sting he was run down and trampled by the rush of the Orcs. All the breath was knocked out of his body. [Added in pencil: Courage failed him.] In great glee the Orcs seized Frodo and lifted him.

'There was another, yes,' whined Gollum. 'Where is he, then?' said the Orcs. 'Somewheres nigh. Gollum feels him, Gollum sniffs him.'

'Well, you find him, sniveller,' said the Orc-chief. 'He can't go far without getting into trouble. We've got what we want.

Ringbearer! Ringbearer!' They shouted in joy. 'Make haste.

Make haste. Send one swift to Baraddur to the Great One. But we cannot wait here - we must [get] back to our guard post.

Bear the prisoner to Minas Morgul.' [Added in pencil: Gollum runs behind wailing that the Precious is not there.]

Here the replacement text ends.

Even as they do so, Frodo seems to awake, and gives a loud cry, but they gag him. Sam is torn between joy at learning he is alive and horror at seeing him carried off by Orcs. Sam tries to follow, but they go very speedily. The Ring seems to grow in power in this region: he sees clearly in the dark, and seems to understand the orcs' speech. [He fears what may happen if he meets a Ringwraith - the Ring does not confer courage: poor Sam trembles all the time.](22) Sam gathers that they are going to Minas Morgul: since they are not allowed to leave their post -

but a messenger has at once been despatched to announce to the Dark Lord the capture of Ringbearer, and to bring back his orders.(23) 'The Mighty One has great business afoot,' says one.

'All that has gone before is but a skirmish compared with the war that is about to be kindled. Fine days, fine days! Blood on blade and fire on hill, smoke in sky and tears on earth. Merry weather, my friends, to bring in a real New Year!'

The Orcs go so fast that Sam soon gets weary and falls behind; but he plods on behind in the direction of Minas Morgul, remembering as much as he could of the maps. The path led up into the mountains - the north horn of the Mountains of Shadow that sundered the ashen vale of Gorgoroth from the valley of the Great River. Sam looking out saw all the plain alive with armies, horse and foot, black plumes, red and black banners. Countless hosts of the wild peoples of Rhun, and the evil folk of Harad, were pouring out of Kirith Ungol to war. Smoke and dust afar off suggested that away in the East more were coming. [In truth they were - far beyond Sam's eyesight the armies rode and marched: the Dark Lord had determined to strike. From beyond the Inland Sea of Rhun up the rivers east of Mirkwood, round the towers of Dol Dughul they poured through fen and forest to the banks of the Great River. Lothlorien was lapped in flame. From the Misty Mountains, from Moria - Khazaddum and many hidden caves poured the orcs to meet them; from Harad and from Mordor they came against Ondor, and sought the walls of Minas-Tirith; and out from Isengard, seeing the war-beacons afar off blazing in Mordor, came the traitor Saruman with many wolves.] (25) Sam comes so close behind that he sees from below the orc-host entering the gates of the City (26)[struck out: - and they have not time to despoil Frodo].

At last Sam saw before him the walled city that had once been the City of the Sun [> Moon]: Minas Anor [> Ithil] in the days of old (Elendil).(27) Amidst it stood a tall tower - from afar off it looked beautiful. But Sam passed into the city and saw that all was defiled: and on every stone and corner were carved figures and faces and signs of horror. Such a dread ran through all the streets that he could hardly drag his legs or force himself along.

'Where in all this devilish hole have they put my poor master,'

thought Sam. He feels drawn to the Tall Tower. He wanders up a seemingly endless winding stair, windowless; shrinks into foul-smelling recess[es] when snarling Orcs go up or down. At the top are four locked doors, North, South, East, West. Which is it? And anyway how can he get in: all are locked.

Suddenly Sam took courage and did a thing of daring - the longing for his master was stronger than all other thoughts.

He sat on the ground and began to sing. Troll-song - or some other Hobbit song - or possibly part of the Elves' song 0 Elbereth. (Yes).

Cries of anger are heard and guards come from stairs above and from below. 'Stop his mouth - the foul hound' cry the Orcs.

'Would that the message would return from the Great One, and we could begin our Questioning [or take him to Baraddur. He he! They have a pretty way there. There is One who will soon find out where the little cheat has hid his Ring.](28) Stop his mouth.' 'Careful! ' cried the captain, 'do not use too much strength ere word comes from the Great One.' By this trick Sam found the door, for an Orc unlocked the East door and went inside with a whip. 'Hold your foul tongue,' he said, as Sam heard the whip crack.