e it。
It came to the edge of the fire and the light faded as if a cloud had bent over it。 Then with a rush it leaped across the fissure。 The flames roared up to greet it； and wreathed about it； and a black smoke swirled in the air。 Its streaming mane kindled； and blazed behind it。 In its right hand was a blade like a stabbing tongue of fire； in its left it held a whip of many thongs。
'Ai！ ai！ ' wailed Legolas。 'A Balrog！ A Balrog is e！ '
Gimli stared with wide eyes。 'Durin's Bane！ ' he cried； and letting his axe fall he covered his face。
'A Balrog；' muttered Gandalf。 'Now I understand。' He faltered and leaned heavily on his staff。 'What an evil fortune！ And I am already weary。'
The dark figure streaming with fire raced towards them。 The orcs yelled and poured over the stone gangways。 Then Boromir raised his horn and blew。 Loud the challenge rang and bellowed； like the shout of many throats under the cavernous roof。 For a moment the orcs quailed and the fiery shadow halted。 Then the echoes died as suddenly as a flame blown out by a dark wind； and the enemy advanced again。
'Over the bridge！' cried Gandalf； recalling his strength。 'Fly！ This is a foe beyond any of you。 I must hold the narrow way。 Fly！ ' Aragorn and Boromir did not heed the mand； but still held their ground； side by side； behind Gandalf at the far end of the bridge。 The others halted just within the doorway at the hall's end； and turned； unable to leave their leader to face the enemy alone。
The Balrog reached the bridge。 Gandalf stood in the middle of the span； leaning on the staff in his left hand； but in his other hand Glamdring gleamed； cold and white。 His enemy halted again； facing him； and the shadow about it reached out like two vast wings。 It raised the whip； and the thongs whined and cracked。 Fire came from its nostrils。 But Gandalf stood firm。
'You cannot pass；' he said。 The orcs stood still； and a dead silence fell。 'I am a servant of the Secret Fire； wielder of the flame of Anor。 You cannot pass。 The dark fire will not avail you； flame of Ud。n。 Go back to the Shadow！ You cannot pass。'
The Balrog made no answer。 The fire in it seemed to die； but the darkness grew。 It stepped forward slowly on to the bridge； and suddenly it drew itself up to a great height； and its wings were spread from wall to wall； but still Gandalf could be seen； glimmering in the gloom； he seemed small； and altogether alone： grey and bent； like a wizened tree before the onset of a storm。
From out of the shadow a red sword leaped flaming。
Glamdring glittered white in answer。
There was a ringing clash and a stab of white fire。 The Balrog fell back and its sword flew up in molten fragments。 The wizard swayed on the bridge； stepped back a pace； and then again stood still。
'You cannot pass！ ' he said。
With a bound the Balrog leaped full upon the bridge。 Its whip whirled and hissed。
'He cannot stand alone！ ' cried Aragorn suddenly and ran back along the bridge。 'Elendil！' he shouted。 'I am with you； Gandalf！ '
'Gondor！ ' cried Boromir and leaped after him。
At that moment Gandalf lifted his staff； and crying aloud he smote the bridge before him。 The staff broke asunder and fell from his hand。 A blinding sheet of white flame sprang up。 The bridge cracked。 Right at the Balrog's feet it broke； and the stone upon which it stood crashed into the gulf； while the rest remained； poised； quivering like a tongue of rock thrust out into emptiness。
With a terrible cry the Balrog fell forward； and its shadow plunged down and vanished。 But even as it fell it swung its whip； and the thongs lashed and curled about the wizard's knees； dragging him to the brink。 He staggered and fell； grasped vainly at the stone； and slid into the abyss。 'Fly； you fools！ ' he cried； and was gone。
The fires went out； and blank darkness fell。 The pany stood rooted with horror staring into the pit。 Even as Aragorn and Boromir came flying back； the rest of the bridge cracked and fell。 With a cry Aragorn roused them。
'e！ I will lead you now！ ' he called。 'We must obey his last mand。 Follow me！ '
They stumbled wildly up the great stairs beyond the door。 Aragorn leading； Boromir at the rear。 At the top was a wide echoing passage。 Along this they fled。 Frodo heard Sam at his side weeping； and then he found that he himself was weeping as he ran。 Doom； doom； doom the drumbeats rolled behind； mournful now and slow； doom！
They ran on。 The light grew before them； great shafts pierced the roof。 They ran swifter。 They passed into a hall； bright with daylight from its high windows in the east。 They fled across it。 Through its huge broken doors they passed； and suddenly before them the Great Gates opened； an arch of blazing light。
There was a guard of orcs crouching in the shadows behind the great door posts towering on either side； but the gates were shattered and cast down。 Aragorn smote to the ground the captain that stood in his path； and the rest fled in terror of his wrath。 The pany swept past them and took no heed of them。 Out of the Gates they ran and sprang down the huge and ageworn steps； the threshold of Moria。
Thus； at last； they came beyond hope under the sky and felt the wind on their faces。
They did not halt until they were out of bowshot from the walls。 Dimrill Dale lay about them。 The shadow of the Misty Mountains lay upon it； but eastwards there was a golden light on the land。 It was but one hour after noon。 The sun was shining； the clouds were white and high。
They looked back。 Dark yawned the archway of the Gates under the mountainshadow。 Faint and far beneath the earth rolled the slow drumbeats： doom。 A thin black smoke trailed out。 Nothing else was to be seen； the dale all around was empty。 Doom。 Grief at last wholly overcame them； and they wept long： some standing and silent； some cast upon the ground。 Doom； doom。 The drumbeats faded。
Chapter 6
Lothlórien
'Alas！ I Fear we cannot stay here longer；' said Aragorn。 He looked towards the mountains and held up his sword。 'Farewell； Gandalf！ ' he cried。 'Did I not say to you： if you pass the doors of Moria； beware？ Alas that I spoke true！ What hope have we without you？ '
He turned to the pany。 'We must do without hope；' he said。 'At least we may yet be avenged。 Let us gird ourselves and weep no more！ e！ We have a long road； and much to do。'
They rose and looked about them。 Northward the dale ran up into a glen of shadows between two great arms of the mountains； above which three white peaks were shining： Celebdil； Fanuidhol； Caradhras。 the Mountains of Moria。 At the head of the glen a torrent flowed like a white lace over an endless ladder of short falls； and a mist of foam hung in the air about the mountains' feet。
'Yonder is the Dimrill Stair；' said Aragorn； pointing to the falls。 'Down the deepcloven way that climbs beside the torrent we should have e； if fortune had been kinder。'
'Or Caradhras less cruel；' said Gimli。 'There he stands smiling in the sun！ ' He shook his fist at the furthest of the snowcapped peaks and turned away。
To the east the outflung arm of the mountains marched to a sudden end； and far lands could be descried beyond them； wide and vague。 To the south the Misty Mountains receded endlessly as far as sight could reach。 Less than a mile away； and a little below them； for they still stood high up on the west side of the dale； there lay a mere。 It was long and oval； shaped like a great spearhead thrust deep into the northern glen； but its southern end was beyond the shadows under the sunlit sky。 Yet its waters were dark： a deep blue like clear evening sky seen from a lamplit room。 Its face was still and unruffled。 About it lay a smooth sward； shelving down on all sides to its bare unbroken rim。
'There lies the Mirrormere； deep Kheledzaram！ ' said Gimli sadly。 'I remember that he said： 〃May you have joy of the sight！ But we cannot linger there。〃 Now long shall I journey ere I have joy again。 It is I that must hasten away； and he that must remain。'
The pany now went down the road from the Gates。 It was rough and broken； fading to a winding track between heather and whin that thrust amid the cracking stones。 But still it could be seen that once long ago a great paved way had wound upwards from the lowlands of the Dwarfkingdom。 In places there were ruined works of stone beside the path； and mounds of green topped with slender birches； or firtrees sighing in the wind。 An eastward bend led them hard by the sward of Mirrormere； and there not far from the roadside stood a single column broken at the top。
'That is Durin's Stone！ ' cried Gimli。 'I cannot pass without turning aside for a moment to look at the wonder of the dale！ '
'Be swift then！ ' said Aragorn； looking back towards the Gates。 'The Sun sinks early。 The Orcs will not； maybe； e out till after dusk； but we must be far away before nightfall。 The Moon is almost spent； and it will be dark tonight。'
'e with me； Frodo！ ' cried the dwarf； springing from the road。 'I would not have you go without seeing Kheledzaram。' He ran down the long green slope。 Frodo followed slowly； drawn by the still blue water in spite of hurt and weariness； Sam came up behind。
Beside the standing stone Gimli halted and looked up。 It was cracked and weatherworn； and the faint runes upon its side could not be read。 'This pillar marks the spot where Durin first looked in the Mirrormere；' said the dwarf。 'Let us look ourselves once； ere we go！'
They stooped over the dark water。 At first they could see nothing。 Then slowly they saw the forms of the encircling mountains mirrored in a profound blue； and the peaks were like plumes of white flame above them； beyond there was a space of sky。 There like jewels sunk in the deep shone glinting stars； though sunlight was in the sky above。 Of their own stooping forms no shadow could be seen。
'O Kheledzaram fair and wonderful！ ' said Gimli。 'There lies the Crown of Durin till he wakes。 Farewell！ ' He bowed； and turned away； and hastened back up the greensward to the road again。
'What did you see？ ' said Pippin to Sam； but Sam was too deep in thought to answer。
The road now turned south and went quickly downwards； running out from between the arms of the dale。 Some way below the mere they came on a deep well of water； clear as crystal； from which a freshet fell over a stone lip and ran glistening and gurgling down a steep rocky channel。
'Here is the spring from which the Silverlode rises。' said Gimli。 'Do not drink of it！ It is icy cold。'
'Soon it bees a swift river； and it gathers water from many other mountainstreams；' said Aragorn。 'Our road leads beside it for many miles。 For I shall take you by the road that Gandalf chose； and first I hope to e to the woods where the Silverlode flows into the Great Riverout yonder。' They looked as he pointed； and before them they could see the stream leaping down to the trough of the valley； and then running on and away into the lower lands； until it was lost in a golden haze。
'There lie the woods of Lothlórien！ ' said Legolas。 'That is the fairest of all the dwellings of my people。 There are no trees like the trees of that land。 For in the autumn their leaves fall not； but turn to gold。 Not till the spring es and the new green opens do the