on the doorstep besideFrodo。 Aragorn sat with his head bowed to his knees； only Elrond knew fullywhat this hour meant to him。 The others could be seen as grey shapes in thedarkness。
Sam was standing by the pony； sucking his teeth； and staring moodily intothe gloom where the river roared stonily below； his desire for adventure wasat its lowest ebb。
‘Bill； my lad；' he said； ‘you oughtn't to have took up with us。 You couldhave stayed here and et the best hay till the new grass es。' Bill swishedhis tail and said nothing。
Sam eased the pack on his shoulders； and went over anxiously in his mindall the things that he had stowed in it； wondering if he had forgottenanything： his chief treasure； his cooking gear； and the little box of saltthat he always carried and refilled when he could； a good supply of pipe…weed
（but not near enough； I'll warrant）； flint and tinder； woollen hose： linen；
various small belongings of his master's that Frodo had forgotten and Sam hadstowed to bring them out in triumph when they were called for。 He went throughthem all。
'Rope！' he muttered。 ‘No rope！ And only last night you said to yourself：
〃Sam； what about a bit of rope？ You'll want it； if you haven't got it：〃 Well；
I'll want it。 I can't get it now。'
At that moment Elrond came out with Gandalf； and he called the pany tohim。 'This is my last word；' he said in a low voice。 'The Ring…bearer issetting out on the Quest of Mount Doom。 On him alone is any charge laid：
neither to cast away the Ring； nor to deliver it to any servant of the Enemynor indeed to let any handle it； save members of the pany and the Council；
and only then in gravest need。 The others go with him as free panions； tohelp him on his way。 You may tarry； or e back； or turn aside into otherpaths； as chance allows。 The further you go； the less easy will it be towithdraw； yet no oath or bond is laid on you to go further than you will。 Foryou do not yet know the strength of your hearts； and you cannot foresee whateach may meet upon the road。'
‘Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens；' said Gimli。
'Maybe；' said Elrond； ‘but let him not vow to walk in the dark； who hasnot seen the nightfall。'
'Yet sworn word may strengthen quaking heart；' said Gimli。
‘Or break it；' said Elrond。 ‘Look not too far ahead！ But go now with goodhearts！ Farewell； and may the blessing of Elves and Men and all Free Folk gowith you。 May the stars shine upon your faces！'
'Good 。 。 。 good luck！' cried Bilbo； stuttering with the cold。 'I don'tsuppose you will be able to keep a diary； Frodo my lad； but I shall expect afull account when you get back。 And don't be too long！ Farewell！'
Many others of Elrond's household stood in the shadows and watched themgo； bidding them farewell with soft voices。 There was no laughter； and no songor music。 At last they turned away and faded silently into the dusk。
They crossed the bridge and wound slowly up the long steep paths that ledout of the cloven vale of Rivendell； and they came at length to the high moorwhere the wind hissed through the heather。 Then with one glance at the LastHomely House twinkling below them they strode away far into the night。
At the Ford of Bruinen they left the Road and turning southwards went onby narrow paths among the folded lands。 Their purpose was to hold this coursewest of the Mountains for many miles and days。 The country was much rougherand more barren than in the green vale of the Great River in Wilderland on theother side of the range； and their going would be slow； but they hoped in thisway to escape the notice of unfriendly eyes。 The spies of Sauron had hithertoseldom been seen in this empty country； and the paths were little known exceptto the people of Rivendell。
Gandalf walked in front； and with him went Aragorn； who knew this landeven in the dark。 The others were in file behind； and Legolas whose eyes werekeen was the rearguard。 The first part of their journey was hard and dreary；
and Frodo remembered little of it； save the wind。 For many sunless days an icyblast came from the Mountains in the east； and no garment seemed able to keepout its searching fingers。 Though the pany was well clad； they seldom feltwarm； either moving or at rest。 They slept uneasily during the middle of theday； in some hollow of the land； or hidden under the tangled thorn…bushes thatgrew in thickets in many places。 In the late afternoon they were roused by thewatch； and took their chief meal： cold and cheerless as a rule； for they couldseldom risk the lighting of a fire。 In the evening they went on again； alwaysas nearly southward as they could find a way。
At first it seemed to the hobbits that although they walked and stumbleduntil they were weary； they were creeping forward like snails； and gettingnowhere。 Each day the land looked much the same as it had the day before。 Yet
steadily the mountains were drawing nearer。 South of Rivendell they rose everhigher； and bent westwards； and about the feet of the main range there wastumbled an ever wider land of bleak hills； and deep valleys filled withturbulent waters。 Paths were few and winding； and led them often only to theedge of some sheer fall； or down into treacherous swamps。
They had been a fortnight on the way when the weather changed。 The windsuddenly fell and then veered round to the south。 The swift…flowing cloudslifted and melted away； and the sun came out； pale and bright。 There came acold clear dawn at the end of a long stumbling night…march。 The travellersreached a low ridge crowned with ancient holly…trees whose grey…green trunksseemed to have been built out of the very stone of the hills。 Their darkleaves shone and their berries glowed red in the light of the rising sun。
Away in the south Frodo could see the dim shapes of lofty mountains thatseemed now to stand across the path that the pany was taking。 At the leftof this high range rose three peaks； the tallest and nearest stood up like atooth tipped with snow； its great； bare； northern precipice was still largelyin the shadow； but where the sunlight slanted upon it； it glowed red。
Gandalf stood at Frodo's side and looked out under his hand。 ‘We have
done well；' he said。 ‘We have reached the borders of the country that Men callHollin； many Elves lived here in happier days； when Eregion was its name。
Five…and…forty leagues as the crow flies we have e； though many long milesfurther our feet have walked。 The land and the weather will be milder now； butperhaps all the more dangerous。'
‘Dangerous or not； a real sunrise is mighty wele；' said Frodo；
throwing back his hood and letting the morning light fall on his face。
'But the mountains are ahead of us；' said Pippin。 ‘We must have turnedeastwards in the night。'
'No；' said Gandalf。 'But you see further ahead in the clear light。 Beyondthose peaks the range bends round south…west。 There are many maps in Elrond'shouse； but I suppose you never thought to look at them？'
‘Yes I did； sometimes；' said Pippin； ‘but I don't remember them。 Frodohas a better head for that sort of thing。'
‘I need no map；' said Gimli； who had e up with Legolas； and was gazingout before him with a strange light in his deep eyes。 ‘There is the land whereour fathers worked of old； and we have wrought the image of those mountainsinto many works of metal and of stone； and into many songs and tales。 Theystand tall in our dreams： Baraz； Zirak； Shath。r。
‘Only once before have I seen them from afar in waking life； but I knowthem and their names； for under them lies Khazad…d。m； the Dwarrowdelf； that isnow called the Black Pit； Moria in the Elvish tongue。 Yonder standsBarazinbar； the Redhorn； cruel Caradhras； and beyond him are Silvertine andCloudyhead： Celebdil the White； and Fanuidhol the Grey； that we call Zirakzigil
and Bundushath。r。
‘There the Misty Mountains divide； and between their arms lies the deep…
shadowed valley which we cannot forget： Azanulbizar； the Dimrill Dale； whichthe Elves call Nanduhirion。'
‘It is for the Dimrill Dale that we are making；' said Gandalf。 ‘If weclimb the pass that is called the Redhorn Gate； under the far side ofCaradhras； we shall e down by the Dimrill Stair into the deep vale of theDwarves。 There lies the Mirrormere； and there the River Silverlode rises inits icy springs。'
‘Dark is the water of Kheled…zaram；' said Gimli； ‘and cold are thesprings of Kibil…nala。 My heart trembles at the thought that I may see themsoon。'
‘May you have joy of the sight； my good dwarf l' said Gandalf。 'Butwhatever you may do； we at least cannot stay in that valley。 We must go downthe Silverlode into the secret woods； and so to the Great River； and then …'
He paused。
'Yes； and where then？' asked Merry。
'To the end of the journey – in the end；' said Gandalf。 'We cannot looktoo far ahead。 Let us be glad that the first stage is safely over。 I think wewill rest here； not only today but tonight as well。 There is a wholesome airabout Hollin。 Much evil must befall a country before it wholly forgets theElves； if once they dwelt there。'
'That is true；' said Legolas。 ‘But the Elves of this land were of a racestrange to us of the silvan folk； and the trees and the grass do not nowremember them： Only I hear the stones lament them： _deep they delved us； fairthey wrought us； high they builded us； but they are gone_。 They are gone。 Theysought the Havens long ago。'
That morning they lit a fire in a deep hollow shrouded by great bushes ofholly； and their supper…breakfast was merrier than it had been since they setout。 They did not hurry to bed afterwards； for they expected to have all thenight to sleep in； and they did not mean to go on again until the evening ofthe next day。 Only Aragorn was silent and restless。 After a while he left thepany and wandered on to the ridge； there he stood in the shadow of a tree；
looking out southwards and westwards； with his head posed as if he waslistening。 Then he returned to the brink of the dell and looked down at theothers laughing and talking。
‘What is the matter； Strider？' Merry called up。 'What are you lookingfor？ Do you miss the East Wind？'
'No indeed；' he answered。 ‘But I miss something。 I have been in thecountry of Hollin in many seasons。 No folk dwell here now； but many othercreatures live here at all times； especially birds。 Yet now all things but youare silent。 I can feel it。 There is no sound for miles about us； and yourvoices seem to make the ground echo。 I do not understand it。'
Gandalf looked up with sudden interest。 ‘But what do you guess is thereason？' he asked。 ‘Is there more in it than surprise at seeing four hobbits；
not to mention the rest of us； where people are so seldom seen or heard？'
‘I hope that is it；' answered Aragorn。 ‘But I have a sense ofwatchfulness； and of fear； that I have never had here before。'
〃Then we must be more careful；' said Gandalf。 'If you bring a Ranger withyou； it is well to pay attention to him； especially if the Ranger is Aragorn。
We must stop talking aloud； rest quietly； and set the watch。'
It was Sam's turn that day to take the first watch； but Aragorn joinedhim。 The others fell asleep。 Then the silence grew until even Sam felt it。 Thebreathing of the sleepers could be plainly heard。 The swish of the pony's tailand the occasional movements of his feet