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At last Frodo could go no further。 They had climbed up a narrow shelving ravine； but they still
had a long way to go before they could even e in sight of the last craggy ridge。 'I must rest now；
Sam； and sleep if I can。' said Frodo。 He looked about； but there seemed nowhere even for an animal
to crawl into in this dismal country。 At length； tired out； they slunk under a curtain of brambles that
hung down like a mat over a low rock…face。
There they sat and made such a meal as they could。 Keeping back the precious _lembas_ for the
evil days ahead； they ate the half of what remained in Sam's bag of Faramir's provision： some dried
fruit； and a small slip of cured meat； and they sipped some water。 They had drunk again from the
pools in the valley； but they were very； thirsty again。 There was a bitter tang in the air of Mordor
that dried the mouth。 When Sam thought of water even his hopeful spirit quailed。 Beyond the
Morgai there was the dreadful plain of Gorgoroth to cross。
'Now you go to sleep first； Mr。 Frodo；' he said。 'It's getting dark again。 I reckon this day is nearly
over。'
Frodo sighed and was asleep almost before the words were spoken。 Sam struggled with his own
weariness； and he took Frodo's hand； and there he sat silent till deep night fell。 Then at last； to keep
himself awake； he crawled from the hiding…place and looked out。 The land seemed full of creaking
and cracking and sly noises； but there was no sound of voice or of foot。 Far above the Ephel Dúath
in the West the night…sky was still dim and pale。 There； peeping among the cloud…wrack above a
dark tor high up in the mountains； Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while。 The beauty of it smote
his heart； as he looked up out of the forsaken land； and hope returned to him。 For like a shaft； clear
and cold； the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing：
there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach。 His song in the Tower had been defiance
rather than hope； for then he was thinking of himself。 Now； for a moment； his own fate； and even
his masters； ceased to trouble him。 He crawled back into the brambles and laid himself by Frodo's
side； and putting away all fear he cast himself into a deep untroubled sleep。
They woke together； hand in hand。 Sam was almost fresh； ready for another day； but Frodo
sighed。 His sleep had been uneasy； full of dreams of fire； and waking brought him no fort。 Still
his sleep had not been without all healing virtue： he was stronger； more able to bear his burden one
stage further。 They did not know the time； nor how long they had slept； but after a morsel of food
and a sip of water they went on up the ravine； until it ended in a sharp slope of screes and sliding
stones。 There the last living things gave up their struggle； the tops of the Morgai were grassless；
bare； jagged； barren as a slate。
After much wandering and search they found a way that they could climb； and with a last
hundred feet of clawing scramble they were up。 They came to a cleft between two dark crags； and
passing through found themselves on the very edge of the last fence of Mordor。 Below them； at the
bottom of a fall of some fifteen hundred feet； lay the inner plain stretching away into a formless
gloom beyond their sight。 The wind of the world blew now from the West； and the great clouds
were lifted high； floating away eastward； but still only a grey light came to the dreary fields of
Gorgoroth。 There smokes trailed on the ground and lurked in hollows； and fumes leaked from
fissures in the earth。
Still far away； forty miles at least； they saw Mount Doom； its feet founded in ashen ruin； its
huge cone rising to a great height； where its reeking head was swathed in cloud。 Its fires were now
dimmed； and it stood in smouldering slumber； as threatening and dangerous as a sleeping beast。
Behind it there hung a vast shadow； ominous as a thunder…cloud； the veils of Barad…d？r that was
reared far way upon a long spur of the Ashen Mountains thrust down from the North。 The Dark
Power was deep in thought； and the Eye turned inward； pondering tidings of doubt and danger： a
bright sword； and a stern and kingly face it saw； and for a while it gave little thought to other things；
and all its great stronghold； gate on gate； and tower on tower； was wrapped in a brooding gloom。
Frodo and Sam gazed out in mingled loathing and wonder on this hateful land。 Between them
and the smoking mountain； and about it north and south； all seemed ruinous and dead； a desert
burned and choked。 They wondered how the Lord of this realm maintained and fed his slaves and
his armies。 Yet armies he had。 As far as their eyes could reach； along the skirts of the Morgai and
away southward； there were camps； some of tents； some ordered like small towns。 One of the
largest of these was right below them。 Barely a mile out into the plain it clustered like some huge
nest of insects； with straight dreary streets of huts and long low drab buildings。 About it the ground
was busy with folk going to and fro； a wide road ran from it south…east to join the Morgul…way； and
along it many lines of small black shapes were hurrying。
'I don't like the look of things at all；' said Sam。 'Pretty hopeless； I call it – saving that where
there's such a lot of folk there must be wells or water； not to mention food。 And these are Men not
Orcs； or my eyes are all wrong。'
Neither he nor Frodo knew anything of the great slave…worked fields away south in this wide
realm； beyond the fumes of the Mountain by the dark sad waters of Lake Núrnen； nor of the great
roads that ran away east and south to tributary lands； from which the soldiers of the Tower brought
long waggon…trains of goods and booty and fresh slaves。 Here in the northward regions were the
mines and forges； and the musterings of long…planned war； and here the Dark Power； moving its
armies like pieces on the board； was gathering them together。 Its first moves； the first feelers of its
strength； had been checked upon its western line； southward and northward。 For the moment it
withdrew them； and brought up new forces； massing them about Cirith Gorgor for an avenging
stroke。 And if it had also been its purpose to defend the Mountain against all approach； it could
scarcely have done more。
'Well！' Sam went on。 'Whatever they have to eat and drink； we can't get it。 There's no way down
that I can see。 And we couldn't cross all that open country crawling with enemies； even if we did
get down。'
'Still we shall have to try；' said Frodo。 'It's no worse than I expected。 I never hoped to get across。
I can't see any hope of it now。 But I've still got to do the best I can。 At present that is to avoid being
captured as long as possible。 So we must still go northwards； I think； and see what it is like where
the open plain is narrower。'
'I guess what it'll be like；' said Sam。 'Where it's narrower the Orcs and Men will just be packed
closer。 You'll see； Mr。 Frodo。'
'I dare say I shall； if we ever get so far；' said Frodo and turned away。
They soon found that it was impossible to make their way along the crest of the Morgai； or
anywhere along its higher levels； pathless as they were and scored with deep ghylls。 In the end they
were forced to go back down the ravine that they had climbed and seek for a way along the valley。
It was rough going； for they dared not cross over to the path on the westward side。 After a mile or
more they saw； huddled in a hollow at the cliff's foot； the orc…hold that they had guessed was near
at hand： a wall and a cluster of stone huts set about the dark mouth of a cave。 There was no
movement to be seen； but the hobbits crept by cautiously； keeping as much as they could to the
thorn…brakes that grew thickly at this point along both sides of the old water…course。
They went two or three miles further； and the orc…hold was hidden from sight behind them； but
they had hardly begun to breathe more freely again when harsh and loud they heard orc…voices。
Quickly they slunk out of sight behind a brown and stunted bush。 The voices drew nearer。 Presently
two orcs came into view。 One was clad in ragged brown and was armed with a bow of horn； it was
of a small breed； black…skinned； with wide and snuffling nostrils： evidently a tracker of some kind。
The other was a big fighting…orc； like those of Shagrat's pany； bearing the token of the Eye。 He
also had a bow at his back and carried a short broad…headed spear。 As usual they were quarrelling；
and being of different breeds they used the mon Speech after their fashion。
Hardly twenty paces from where the hobbits lurked the small orc stopped。 'Nar！' it snarled。 'I'm
going home。' It pointed across the valley to the orc…hold。 'No good wearing my nose out on stones
any more。 There's not a trace left； I say。 I've lost the scent through giving way to you。 It went up
into the hills； not along the valley； I tell you。'
'Not much use are you； you little snufflers？' said the big orc。 'I reckon eyes are better than your
snotty noses。'
'Then what have you seen with them？' snarled the other。 'Garn！ You don't even know what
you're looking for。'
'Whose blame's that？' said the soldier。 'Not mine。 That es from Higher Up。 First they say it's
a great Elf in bright armour； then it's a sort of small dwarf…man； then it must be a pack of rebel
Uruk…hai； or maybe it's all the lot together。'
'Ar！' said the tracker。 'They've lost their heads； that's what it is。 And some of the bosses are going
to lose their skins too； I guess； if what I hear is true： Tower raided and all； and hundreds of your
lads done in； and prisoner got away。 If that's the way you fighters go on； small wonder there's bad
news from the battles。'
'Who says there's bad news？' shouted the soldier。
'Ar！ Who says there isn't？'
'That's cursed rebel…talk； and I'll stick you； if you don't shut it down； see？'
'All right； all right！' said the tracker。 'I'll say no more and go on thinking。 But what's the black
sneak got to do with it all？ That gobbler with the flapping hands？'
'I don't know。 Nothing； maybe。 But he's up to no good； nosing around； I'll wager。 Curse him！ No
sooner had he slipped us and run off than word came he's wanted alive； wanted quick。'
'Well； I hope they get him and put him through it；' growled the tracker。 'He messed up the scent
back there； pinching that cast…off mail…shirt that he found； and paddling all round the place before I
could get there。'
'It saved his life anyhow；' said the soldier。 'Why； before I knew he was wanted I shot him； as
neat as neat； at fifty paces right in the back； but he ran on。'
'Garn！ You missed him；' said the tracker。 'First you shoot wild； then you run too slow； and then
you send for the poor trackers。 I've had enough of you。' He loped off。
'You e back；' shouted the soldier； 'or I'll report you！'
'Who to？ Not to your precious Shagrat。 He won't be captain any more。'
'I'll give your name and number to the Nazg？l；' said the soldier lowering his voice to a hiss。 'One
of _them_'s in charge at the Tower now。'
The other halted； and his voice was full of fear and rage。 'You cursed peaching sneakthief！' he
yelled。 'You can't do your job； and you can't even stick by your own folk。 Go to your filthy
Shriekers； and may they freeze the flesh off you！ If the enemy doesn't get them first。 They've done
in Number One； I've heard； and I hope it's true！'
The big orc； spear in hand； leapt after him。 But the tracker； springing behind a stone； put an
arrow in his eye as he ran up； and he fell with a crash。 The other ran off across the valley and
disappeared。
For a while the hobbits sat in silence。 At length Sam stirred。 'Well I call that neat as neat；' he
said。 'If this nice friendliness would spread about in Mordor； half our trouble would be over。'
'Quietly； Sam；' Frodo whispered。 'There may be others about。 We have evidently had a very
narrow escape； and the hunt was hotter on our tracks than we guessed。 But that is the spirit of
Mordor； Sam； and it has spread to every corner of it。 Orcs have always behaved like that； or so all
tales say； when they are on their own。 But you can't get much hope out of it。 They hate us far more；
altogether and all the time。 If those two had seen us； they would have dropped all their quarrel until
we were dead。'
There was another long silence。 Sam broke it again； but with a whisper this time。 'Did you hear
what they said about _that gobbler_； Mr。 Frodo？ I told you Gollum wasn't dead yet； didn't I？'
'Yes； I remember。 And I wondered how you knew；' said Frodo。 'Well e now！ I think we had
better not move out from here again； until it has gone quite dark。 So you shall tell me how you
know； and all about what happened。 If you can do it quietly。'
'I'll try；' said Sam； 'but when I think of that Stinker I get so hot l could shout。'
There the hobbits sat under the cover of the thorny bush； while the drear light of Mordor faded
slowly into a deep and starless night； and Sam spoke into Frodo'