The Tale
Frodo, Sam, Faramir and his
men move on through the woods of Ithilien in silence for a while. Sam has kept
his mouth shut but has listened to all of Frodo and Faramir’s words intently,
but also to all the noises around him. He knows that there are other companies
of men all around him, all heading for the same place. The name of Gollum has
not been mentioned in the debate, but he feels ‘it was too much to hope that he
would never hear it again.’ Looking back once, skin prickling, he thinks he
sees a small figure slipping into the shadows. He decides not to mention it.
The woods grow thin and the
land climbs. At one point, Faramir apologizes, but the Hobbits must be
blindfolded, to preserve the secrecy of their destination. Frodo understands;
even in Lothlorien they did it at need. Mablung and Damrod bind the hobbits’
eyes with scarves and draw their hoods over their heads and lead them by hand.
They are taken down a steep narrow path, the sound of water to their right
growing ever louder, and then carried down steps until they pass through what
seems a fine light rain. They are set down in silence and Faramir orders their
blindfolds removed.
‘They stood on a wet floor
of polished stone, the doorstep, as it were, of a rough-hewn gate of rock
opening dark behind them. But in front a thin veil of water was hung … It faced
westward. The level shafts of the setting sun behind beat upon it, and the red
light was broken into many flickering beams of ever-changing colour. It was if
they stood at the window of some elven-tower, curtained with threaded jewels of
silver and gold, and ruby, sapphire and amethyst, all kindled with an
unconsuming fire.’
This is the Window of the Sunset,
says Faramir. Henneth Annun, which few strangers have seen. It was made by
cunning to be a camouflaged refuge; there are only two ways out: the path they
have taken and a plunge out through the Window curtain below ‘into a deep bowl
filled with knives of stone.’
They pass into the chamber
behind, and the hobbits find themselves in a surprisingly large rough rock
chamber. The few dim torches reveal a great store of arms and provisions. Men
by twos and threes are still entering behind them. Faramir says the Hobbits can
rest here in peace through the night; it is dry, but no big fires are lit. He
bids them rest a while until the evening meal. They are taken to a quiet corner
and given a low bed to lie on, if they want.
The hobbits watch as the men
go about, ‘quietly but with ordered quickness,’ setting things up in the cave.
All their gear is plain but well-made, and an unadorned silver cup is put at
the captain’s seat at the table. Faramir goes among his men, questioning them as
they enter, enquiring about what they have seen as they returned through the
woods. Some have pursued the Southrons, others were scouting things near the
road. All their foes are accounted for, except the great mumak, lost as he
fled. ‘Of the enemy no movement could be seen; not even an orc-spy was abroad.’
Notes:
Henneth is ‘window, and Annun is ‘sunset, West’ (there really should be a circumfles (^) over that ‘u’, but I can’t quite figure out how to add it). This little section goes far to make an example of how the Men of Gondor do things, even in this far-flung outpost. They are quiet and orderly, and their gear, even if only a plate, is ‘all well and fairly made.’ There are even grace notes: a silver cup, though plain, for the captain’s use. Beauty and utility are combined, just as Henneth Annun is both a refuge and a place of wonder. I can’t help but speculate if this is perhaps Tolkien’s backhanded criticism of the huggermugger nature of army life during his time in WWI. It was harsh and necessary, but did it have to be made even more unbearable by waste, ugly design, and confusion? We are reminded that Gollum, though not spoken of, is still skulking about.
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