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The last part of the order was carried out mercilessly. But Pippin found that for the first time he was close to Merry. The Orcs were making a great deal of noise, shouting and clashing their weapons, and the hobbits managed to whisper together for a while.
"I don't think much of this," said Merry. "I feel nearly done in. Don't think I could crawl away far, even if I was free."
'Lembas!' whispered Pippin. 'Lembas:I've got some. Have you? I don't think they've taken anything but our swords."
"Yes, I had a packet in my pocket," answered Merry,"but it must be battered to crumbs. Anyway I can't put my mouth in my pocket!"
"You won't have to. I've-"; but just then a savage kick warned Pippin that the noise had died down, and the guards were watchful.
The night was cold and still. All round the knoll on which the Orcs were gathered little watch-fires sprang up, golden-red in the darkness, a complete ring of them. They were within a long bowshot. but the riders did not show themselves against the light, and the Orcs wasted many arrows shooting at the fires, until Ugluk stopped them. The riders made no sound. Later in the night when the moon came out of the mist, then occasionally they could be seen, shadowy shapes that glinted now and again in the white light, as they moved in ceaseless patrol.
"They'll wait for the Sun, curse them!" growled one of the guards. "Why don't we get together and charge through? What's old Ugluk think he's doing, I should like to know?"
"I daresay you would," snarled Ugluk stepping up from behind. "Meaning I don't think at all, eh? Curse you! You're as bad as the other rabble: the maggots and the apes of Lugburz. No good trying to charge with them. They'd just squeal and bolt, and there are more than enough of these filthy horse-boys to mop up our lot on the flat.
"There's only one thing those maggots can do: they can see like gimlets in the dark. But these Whiteskins have better night-eyes than most Men, from all I've heard; and don't forget their horses! They can see the night-breeze, or so it's said. Still there's one thing the fine fellows don't know: Mauhur and his lads are in the forest, and they should turn up any time now."
Ugluk's words were enough, apparently, to satisfy the Isengarders; but the other Orcs were both dispirited and rebellious. They posted a few watchers, but most of them lay on the ground, resting in the pleasant darkness. It did indeed become very dark again; for the moon passed westward into thick cloud, and Pippin could not see anything a few feet away. The fires brought no light to the hillock. The riders were not, however, content merely to wait for the dawn and let their enemies rest. A sudden outcry on the east side of the knoll showed that something was wrong. It seemed that some of the Men had ridden in close, slipped off their horses, crawled to the edge of the camp and killed several Orcs, and then had faded away again. Ugluk dashed off to stop a stampede.
Pippin and Merry sat up. Their guards, Isengarders, had gone with Ugluk. But if the hobbits had any thought of escape, it was soon dashed. A long hairy arm took each of them by the neck and drew them close together. Dimly they were aware of Grishnakh's great head and hideous face between them; his foul breath was on their cheeks. He began to paw them and feel them. Pippin shuddered as hard cold fingers groped down his back.
"Well, my little ones!" said Grishnakh in a soft whisper. "Enjoying your nice rest? Or not? A little awkwardly placed, perhaps: swords and whips on one side, and nasty spears on the other! Little people should not meddle _in affairs that are too big for them." His fingers continued to grope. There was a light like a pale but hot fire behind his eyes.
The thought came suddenly into Pippin's mind, as if caught direct from the urgent thought of his enemy: "Grishnakh knows about the Ring! He's looking for it, while Ugluk is busy: he probably wants it for himself." Cold fear was in Pippin's heart, yet at the same time he was wondering what use he could make of Grishnakh's desire.
"I don't think you will find it that way," he whispered. "It isn't easy to find."
'Find it?' said Grishnakh: his fingers stopped crawling and gripped Pippin's shoulder. "Find what? What are you talking about, little one?". For a moment Pippin was silent. Then suddenly in the darkness he made a noise in his throat:gollum, gollum . "Nothing, my precious," he added.
The hobbits felt Grishnakh's fingers twitch. "O ho!" hissed the goblin softly. "That's what he means, is it? O ho! Very ve-ry dangerous, my little ones."
"Perhaps," said Merry, now alert and aware of Pippin's guess. "Perhaps; and not only for us. Still you know your own business best. Do you want it, or not? And what would you give for it?"
"Do I want it? Do I want it?" said Grishnakh, as if puzzled; but his arms were trembling. "What would I give for it? What do you mean?"
"We mean," said Pippin, choosing his words carefully,"that it's no good groping in the dark. We could save you time and trouble. But you must untie our legs first, or we'll do nothing, and say nothing."
"My dear tender little fools," hissed Grishnakh,"everything you have, and everything you know, will be got out of you in due time: everything! You'll wish there was more that you could tell to satisfy the Questioner, indeed you will: quite soon. We shan't hurry the enquiry. Oh dear no! What do you think you've been kept alive for? My dear little fellows, please believe me when I say that it was not out of kindness: that's not even one of Ugluk's faults."
"I find it quite easy to believe," said Merry. "But you haven't got your prey home yet. And it doesn't seem to be going your way, whatever happens. If we come to Isengard, it won't be the great Grishnakh that benefits: Saruman will take all that he can find. If you want anything for yourself, now's the time to do a deal."
Grishnakh began to lose his temper. The name of Saruman seemed specially to enrage him. Time was passing and the disturbance was dying down. Ugluk or the Isengarders might return at any minute.
"Have you got it - either of you?" he snarled.
'Gollum, gollum!' said Pippin.
"Untie our legs!" said Merry.
They felt the Orc's arms trembling violently. "Curse you, you filthy little vermin!" he hissed. "Untie your legs? I'll untie every string in your bodies. Do you think I can't search you to the bones? Search you! I'll cut you both to quivering shreds. I don't need the help of your legs to get you away-and have you all to myself!"
Suddenly he seized them. The strength in his long arms and shoulders was terrifying. He tucked them one under each armpit, and crushed them fiercely to his sides; a great stifling hand was clapped over each of their mouths. Then he sprang forward, stooping low. Quickly and silently he went, until he came to the edge of the knoll. There, choosing a gap between the watchers, he passed like an evil shadow out into the night, down the slope and away westward towards the river that flowed out of the forest. In that direction there was a wide open space with only one fire.