"GL3" - читать интересную книгу автора (vol07)

the Wetwang. Daylight fell. Slept in tree. Heard Gollum at foot
and tried to track him, thinking he was after Frodo. But Sam is
not clever enough for Gollum, who is soon aware of him and
turns and discovers him. He confesses to Gollum t hat h e i s
trying to find Frodo.
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