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Celeborn and Galadriel。 They stood up to greet their guests； after the mannerof Elves； even those who were accounted mighty kings。 Very tall they were； andthe Lady no less tall than the Lord； and they were grave and beautiful。 Theywere clad wholly in white； and the hair of the Lady was of deep gold； and thehair of the Lord Celeborn was of silver long and bright； but no sign of agewas upon them； unless it were in the depths of their eyes； for these were keenas lances in the starlight； and yet profound； the wells of deep memory。
Haldir led Frodo before them； and the Lord weled him in his owntongue。 The Lady Galadriel said no word but looked long upon his face。
‘Sit now beside my chair； Frodo of the Shire！ ' said Celeborn。 ‘When allhave e we will speak together。'
Each of the panions he greeted courteously by name as they entered。
‘Wele Aragorn son of Arathorn！ ' he said。 ‘It is eight and thirty years ofthe world outside since you came to this land； and those years lie heavy onyou。 But the end is near； for good or ill。 Here lay aside your burden for awhile！ '
'Wele son of Thranduil！ Too seldom do my kindred journey hither fromthe North。'
‘Wele Gimli son of Glóin！ It is long indeed since we saw one ofDurin's folk in Caras Galadhon。 But today we have broken our long law。 May itbe a sign that though the world is now dark better days are at hand； and thatfriendship shall be renewed between our peoples。' Gimli bowed low。
When all the guests were seated before his chair the Lord looked at themagain。 'Here there are eight；' he said。 ‘Nine were to set out： so said themessages。 But maybe there has been some change of counsel that we have notheard。 Elrond is far away； and darkness gathers between us； and all this yearthe shadows have grown longer。'
‘Nay； there was no change of counsel；' said the Lady Galadriel speakingfor the first time。 Her voice was clear and musical； but deeper than woman'swont。 ‘Gandalf the Grey set out with the pany； but he did not pass theborders of this land。 Now tell us where he is； for I much desired to speakwith him again。 But I cannot see him from afar； unless he es within thefences of Lothlórien： a grey mist is about him； and the ways of his feet andof his mind are hidden from me。'
'Alas！ ' said Aragorn。 ‘Gandalf the Grey fell into shadow。 He remained inMoria and did not escape。'
At these words all the Elves in the hall cried aloud in grief andamazement。 ‘These are evil tidings；' said Celeborn； ‘the most evil that havebeen spoken here in long years full of grievous deeds。' He turned to Haldir。
‘Why has nothing of this been told to me before？ ' he asked in the Elventongue。
'We have not spoken to Haldir of our deeds or our purpose；' said Legolas。
‘At first we were weary and danger was too close behind and afterwards wealmost forgot our grief for a time； as we walked in gladness on the fair pathsof Lórien。'
‘Yet our grief is great and our loss cannot be mended；' said Frodo。
'Gandalf was our guide； and he led us through Moria； and when our escapeseemed beyond hope he saved us； and he fell。'
'Tell us now the full tale！ ' said Celeborn：
Then Aragorn recounted all that had happened upon the pass of Caradhras；
and in the days that followed； and he spoke of Balin and his book； and thefight in the Chamber of Mazarbul； and the fire； and the narrow bridge； and theing of the Terror。 'An evil of the Ancient World it seemed； such as I havenever seen before；' said Aragorn。 ‘It was both a shadow and a flame； strongand terrible。'
'It was a Balrog of Morgoth；' said Legolas； ‘of all elf…banes the mostdeadly； save the One who sits in the Dark Tower。'
‘Indeed I saw upon the bridge that which haunts our darkest dreams I sawDurin's Bane；' said Gimli in a low voice； and dread was in his eyes。
'Alas！ ' said Celeborn。 ‘We long have feared that under Caradhras aterror slept。 But had I known that the Dwarves had stirred up this evil inMoria again； I would have forbidden you to pass the northern borders； you andall that went with you。 And if it were possible； one would say that at thelast Gandalf fell from wisdom into folly； going needlessly into the net ofMoria。'
‘He would be rash indeed that said that thing；' said Galadriel gravely。
‘Needless were none of the deeds of Gandalf in life。 Those that followed him
knew not his mind and cannot report his full purpose。 But however it may bewith the guide； the followers are blameless。 Do not repent of your wele tothe Dwarf。 If our folk had been exiled long and far from Lothlórien； who ofthe Galadhrim； even Celeborn the Wise； would pass nigh and would not wish tolook upon their ancient home； though it had bee an abode of dragons？
'Dark is the water of Kheled…zaram； and cold are the springs of Kibilnala；
and fair were the many…pillared halls of Khazad…d。m in Elder Days beforethe fall of mighty kings beneath the stone。' She looked upon Gimli； who satglowering and sad； and she smiled。 And the Dwarf； hearing the names given inhis own ancient tongue； looked up and met her eyes； and it seemed to him thathe looked suddenly into the heart of an enemy and saw there love andunderstanding。 Wonder came into his face； and then he smiled in answer。
He rose clumsily and bowed in dwarf…fashion； saying： ‘Yet more fair isthe living land of Lórien； and the Lady Galadriel is above all the jewels thatlie beneath the earth！ '
There was a silence。 At length Celeborn spoke again。 ‘I did not know thatyour plight was so evil；' he said。 ‘Let Gimli forget my harsh words： I spokein the trouble of my heart。 I will do what I can to aid you； each according tohis wish and need； but especially that one of the little folk who bears theburden。'
'Your quest is known to us；' said Galadriel； looking at Frodo。 ‘But wewill not here speak of it more openly。 Yet not in vain will it prove； maybe；
that you came to this land seeking aid； as Gandalf himself plainly purposed。
For the Lord of the Galadhrim is accounted the wisest of the Elves of Middle…
earth； and a giver of gifts beyond the power of kings。 He has dwelt in theWest since the days of dawn； and I have dwelt with him years uncounted； forere the fall of Nargothrond or Gondolin I passed over the mountains； andtogether through ages of the world we have fought the long defeat。
'I it was who first summoned the White Council。 And if my designs had not
gone amiss； it would have been governed by Gandalf the Grey； and then mayhapthings would have gone otherwise。 But even now there is hope left。 I will notgive you counsel； saying do this； or do that。 For not in doing or contriving；
nor in choosing between this course and another； can I avail； but only inknowing what was and is； and in part also what shall be。 But this I will sayto you： your Quest stands upon the edge of a knife。 Stray but a little and itwill fail； to the ruin of all。 Yet hope remains while all the pany istrue。'
And with that word she held them with her eyes； and in silence lookedsearchingly at each of them in turn。 None save Legolas and Aragorn could longendure her glance。 Sam quickly blushed and hung his head。
At length the Lady Galadriel released them from her eyes； and she smiled。
‘Do not let your hearts be troubled；' she said。 'Tonight you shall sleep inpeace。' Then they sighed and felt suddenly weary； as those who have beenquestioned long and deeply； though no words had been spoken openly。
‘Go now！ ' said Celeborn。 ‘You are worn with sorrow and much toil。 Even
if your Quest did not concern us closely； you should have refuge in this City；
until you were healed and refreshed。 Now you shall rest； and we will not speakof your further road for a while。'
That night the pany slept upon the ground； much to the satisfaction ofthe hobbits。 The Elves spread for them a pavilion among the trees near thefountain； and in it they laid soft couches； then speaking words of peace withfair elvish voices they left them。 For a little while the travellers talked oftheir night before in the tree…tops； and of their day's journey； and of theLord and Lady； for they had not yet the heart to look further back。
‘What did you blush for； Sam？ ' said Pippin。 ‘You soon broke down。 Anyonewould have thought you had a guilty conscience。 I hope it was nothing worsethan a wicked plot to steal one of my blankets。'
‘I never thought no such thing；' answered Sam； in no mood for jest。 'Ifyou want to know； I felt as if I hadn't got nothing on； and I didn't like it。
She seemed to be looking inside me and asking me what I would do if she gaveme the chance of flying back home to the Shire to a nice little hole with…witha bit of garden of my own。'
‘That's funny；' said Merry。 'Almost exactly what I felt myself； only；
only well； I don't think I'II say any more；' he ended lamely。
All of them； it seemed； had fared alike： each had felt that he wasoffered a choice between a shadow full of fear that lay ahead； and somethingthat he greatly desired： clear before his mind it lay； and to get it he hadonly to turn aside from the road and leave the Quest and the war againstSauron to others。
‘And it seemed to me； too；' said Gimli； ‘that my choice would remainsecret and known only to myself。'
'To me it seemed exceedingly strange；' said Boromir。 ‘Maybe it was only atest； an