Властелин колец: Две башни
The Taming of Sméagol
’SméagolwillswearonthePrecious.’
Frododrewhimselfup,andagainSamwasstartledbyhiswordsandhissternvoice.’OnthePrecious?Howdareyou?’hesaid.’Think!
OneRingtorulethemallandintheDarknessbindthem.
Wouldyoucommityourpromisetothat,Sméagol?Itwillholdyou.Butitismoretreacherousthanyouare.Itmaytwistyourwords.Beware!’
Gollumcowered.’OnthePrecious.onthePrecious!’herepeated.
`Andwhatwouldyouswear?’askedFrodo.
`Tobeveryverygood,’saidGollum.ThencrawlingtoFrodo’sfeethegrovelledbeforehim,whisperinghoarsely:ashudderranoverhim,asifthewordsshookhisveryboneswithfear.’Sméagolwillswearnever,never,toletHimhaveit.Never!Sméagolwillsaveit.ButhemustswearonthePrecious.’
’No!notonit,’saidFrodo,lookingdownathimwithsternpity.’Allyouwishistoseeitandtouchit,ifyoucan,thoughyouknowitwoulddriveyoumad.Notonit.Swearbyit,ifyouwill.Foryouknowwhereitis.Yes,youknow,Sméagol.Itisbeforeyou.’
ForamomentitappearedtoSamthathismasterhadgrownandGollumhadshrunk:atallsternshadow,amightylordwhohidhisbrightnessingreycloud,andathisfeetalittlewhiningdog.Yetthetwowereinsomewayakinandnotalien:theycouldreachoneanother’sminds.GollumraisedhimselfandbeganpawingatFrodo,fawningathisknees.
’Down!down!’saidFrodo.`Nowspeakyourpromise!’
`Wepromises,yesIpromise!’saidGollum.’IwillservethemasterofthePrecious.
