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'I will tread the path with you； Gandalf！ ' said Gimli。 'I will go andlook on the halls of Durin； whatever may wait there…if you can find the doorsthat are shut。'
'Good； Gimli！ ' said Gandalf。 ‘You encourage me。 We will seek the hiddendoors together。 And we will e through。 In the ruins of the Dwarves； adwarf's head will be less easy to bewilder than Elves or Men or Hobbits。 Yetit will not be the first time that I have been to Moria。 I sought there longfor Thráin son of Thrór after he was lost。 I passed through； and I came outagain alive！ '
‘I too once passed the Dimrill Gate；' said Aragorn quietly； 'but though Ialso came out again； the memory is very evil。 I do not wish to enter Moria asecond time。'
'And I don't wish to enter it even once；' said Pippin。
'Nor me；' muttered Sam。
‘Of course not！ ' said Gandalf。 'Who would？ But the question is： who willfollow me； if I lead you there？ '
'I will；' said Gimli eagerly。
'I will；' said Aragorn heavily。 ‘You followed my lead almost to disasterin the snow； and have said no word of blame。 I will follow your lead now – ifthis last warning does not move you。 It is not of the Ring； nor of us othersthat I am thinking now； but of you； Gandalf。 And I say to you： if you pass thedoors of Moria； beware！ '
‘I will _not_ go；' said Boromir； 'not unless the vote of the wholepany is against me。 What do Legolas and the little folk say？ The Ring…
bearer's voice surely should be heard？ '
'I do not wish to go to Moria；' said Legolas。
The hobbits said nothing。 Sam looked at Frodo。 At last Frodo spoke。 ‘I donot wish to go；' he said； ‘but neither do I wish to refuse the advice ofGandalf。 I beg that there should be no vote； until we have slept on it。
Gandalf will get votes easier in the light of the morning than in this coldgloom。 How the wind howls！ '
At these words all fell into silent thought。 They heard the wind hissingamong the rocks and trees； and there was a howling and wailing round them inthe empty spaces of the night。
Suddenly Aragorn leapt to his feet。 'How the wind howls！ ' he cried。 'Itis howling with wolf…voices。 The Wargs have e west of the Mountains！ '
'Need we wait until morning then？ ' said Gandalf。 ‘It is as I said。 Thehunt is up！ Even if we live to see the dawn； who now will wish to journeysouth by night with the wild wolves on his trail？ '
'How far is Moria？ ' asked Boromir。
‘There was a door south…west of Caradhras； some fifteen miles as the crowflies； and maybe twenty as the wolf runs；' answered Gandalf grimly。
'Then let us start as soon as it is light tomorrow； if we can；' saidBoromir。 'The wolf that one hears is worse than the orc that one fears。'
‘True！' said Aragorn； loosening his sword in its sheath。 ‘But where thewarg howls； there also the orc prowls。'
‘I wish I had taken Elrond's advice；' muttered Pippin to Sam。 ‘I am nogood after all。 There is not enough of the breed of Bandobras the Bullroarerin me： these howls freeze my blood。 I don't ever remember feeling sowretched。'
'My heart's right down in my toes； Mr。 Pippin；' said Sam。 'But we aren'tetten yet； and there are some stout folk here with us。 Whatever may be instore for old Gandalf； I'll wager it isn't a wolf's belly。'
For their defence in the night the pany climbed to the top of thesmall hill under which they had been sheltering。 it was crowned with a knot ofold and twisted trees； about which lay a broken circle of boulder stones。 Inthe midst of this they lit a fire； for there was no hope that darkness andsilence would keep their trail from discovery by the hunting packs。
Round the fire they sat； and those that were not on guard dozed uneasily。
Poor Bill the pony trembled and sweated where he stood。 The howling of thewolves was now all round them； sometimes nearer and sometimes further off。 Inthe dead of the night many shining eyes were seen peering over the brow of thehill。 Some advanced almost to the ring of stones。 At a gap in the circle agreat dark wolf…shape could be seen halted； gazing at them。 A shuddering howlbroke from him； as if he were a captain summoning his pack to the assault。
Gandalf stood up and strode forward； holding his staff aloft。 'Listen；
Hound of Sauron！ ' he cried。 ‘Gandalf is here。 Fly； if you value your foulskin！ I will shrivel you from tail to snout； if you e within this ring。'
The wolf snarled and sprang towards them with a great leap。 At thatmoment there was a sharp twang。 Legolas had loosed his bow。 There was ahideous yell； and the leaping shape thudded to the ground； the elvish arrowhad pierced its throat。 The watching eyes were suddenly extinguished。 Gandalfand Aragorn strode forward； but the hill was deserted； the hunting packs hadfled。 All about them the darkness grew silent； and no cry came on the sighingwind。
The night was old； and westward the waning moon was setting。 gleamingfitfully through the breaking clouds。 Suddenly Frodo started from sleep。
Without warning a storm of howls broke out fierce and wild all about the camp。
A great host of Wargs had gathered silently and was now attacking them fromevery side at once。
‘Fling fuel on the fire！' cried Gandalf to the hobbits。 ‘Draw yourblades； and stand back to back！'
In the leaping light； as the fresh wood blazed up； Frodo saw many greyshapes spring over the ring of stones。 More and more followed。 Through thethroat of one huge leader Aragorn passed his sword with a thrust； with a greatsweep Boromir hewed the head off another。 Beside them Gimli stood with hisstout legs apart； wielding his dwarf…axe。 The bow of Legolas was singing。
In the wavering firelight Gandalf seemed suddenly to grow： he rose up； agreat menacing shape like the monument of some ancient king of stone set upona hill。 Stooping like a cloud； he lifted a burning branch and strode to meetthe wolves。 They gave back before him。 High in the air he tossed the blazingbrand。 It flared with a sudden white radiance like lightning； and his voicerolled like thunder。
‘_Naur an edraith ammen！ Naur dan i ngaurhoth！_' he cried。
There was a roar and a crackle； and the tree above him burst into a leafand bloom of blinding flame。 The fire leapt from tree…top to tree…top。 Thewhole hill was crowned with dazzling light。 The swords and knives of thedefenders shone and flickered。 The last arrow of Legolas kindled in the air asit flew； and plunged burning into the heart of a great wolf…chieftain。 All theothers fled。
Slowly the fire died till nothing was left but falling ash and sparks； abitter smoke curled above the burned tree…stumps； and blew darkly from thehill； as the first light of dawn came dimly in the sky。 Their enemies wererouted and did not return。
‘What did I tell you； Mr。 Pippin？ ' said Sam； she/thing his sword。
‘Wolves won't get him。 That was an eye…opener； and no mistake！ Nearly singedthe hair off my head！'
When the full light of the morning came no signs of the wolves were to befound； and they looked in vain for the bodies of the dead。 No trace of thefight remained but the charred trees and the arrows of Legolas lying on thehill…top。 All were undamaged save one of which only the point was left。
‘It is as I feared；' said Gandalf。 ‘These were no ordinary wolves huntingfor food in the wilderness。 Let us eat quickly and go！'
That day the weather changed again； almost as if it was at the mand ofsome power that had no longer any use for snow； since they had retreated fromthe pass； a power that wished now to have a clear light in which things thatmoved in the wild could be seen from far away。 The wind had been turningthrough north to north…west during the night； and now it failed。 The cloudsvanished southwards and the sky was opened； high and blue。 As they stood uponthe hill…side； ready to depart； a pale sunlight gleamed over the mountaintops。
‘We must reach the doors before sunset；' said Gandalf； 'or I fear weshall not reach them at all。 It is not far； but our path may be winding； forhere Aragorn cannot guide us； he has seldom walked in this country； and onlyonce have I been under the west wall of Moria； and that was long ago。
‘There it lies；' he said； pointing away south…eastwards to where themountains' sides fell sheer into the shadows at their feet。 In the distance
could be dimly seen a line of bare cliffs； and in their midst； taller than therest； one great grey wall。 ‘When we left the pass I led you southwards； andnot back to our starting point； as some of you may have noticed。 It is wellthat I did so； for now we have several miles less to cross； and haste isneeded。 Let us go！ '
‘I do not know which to hope；' said Boromir grimly： ‘that Gandalf willfind what he seeks； or that ing to the cliff we shall find the gates lostfor ever。 All choices seem ill； and to be caught between wolves and the wallthe likeliest chance。 Lead on！'
Gimli now walked ahead by the wizard's side； so eager was he to e toMoria。 Together they led the pany back towards the mountains。 The only roadof old to Moria from the west had lain along the course of a stream； theSirannon； that ran out from the feet of the cliffs near where the doors hadstood。 But either Gandalf was astray； or else the land had changed in recentyears； for he did not strike the stream where he looked to find it； only a fewmiles southwards from their sta