followed him； and then another；
then again two more。
'Ride forward！ Ride！' cried Glorfindel to Frodo。
He did not obey at once； for a strange reluctance seized him。 Checkingthe horse to a walk； he turned and looked back。 The Riders seemed to sit upontheir great steeds like threatening statues upon a hill； dark and solid； while
all the woods and land about them receded as if into a mist。 Suddenly he knewin his heart that they were silently manding him to wait。 Then at once fearand hatred awoke in him。 His hand left the bridle and gripped the hilt of hissword； and with a red flash he drew it。
'Ride on！ Ride on！' cried Glorfindel； and then loud and clear he calledto the horse in the elf…tongue： _noro lim； noro lim； Asfaloth！_
At once the white horse sprang away and sped like the wind along the lastlap of the Road。 At the same moment the black horses leaped down the hill inpursuit； and from the Riders came a terrible cry； such as Frodo had heardfilling the woods with horror in the Eastfarthing far away。 It was answered；
and to the dismay of Frodo and his friends out from the trees and rocks awayon the left four other Riders came flying。 Two rode towards Frodo： twogalloped madly towards the Ford to cut off his escape。 They seemed to him torun like the wind and to grow swiftly larger and darker； as their coursesconverged with his。
Frodo looked back for a moment over his shoulder。 He could no longer seehis friends。 The Riders behind were falling back： even their great steeds wereno match in speed for the white elf…horse of Glorfindel。 He looked forwardagain； and hope faded。 There seemed no chance of reaching the Ford before hewas cut off by the others that had lain in ambush。 He could see them clearlynow： they appeared to have cast aside their hoods and black cloaks； and theywere robed in white and grey。 Swords were naked in their pale hands； helmswere on their heads。 Their cold eyes glittered； and they called to him withfell voices。
Fear now filled all Frodo's mind。 He thought no longer of his sword。 Nocry came from him。 He shut his eyes and clung to the horse's mane。 The windwhistled in his ears； and the bells upon the harness rang wild and shrill。 Abreath of deadly cold pierced him like a spear； as with a last spurt； like aflash of white fire； the elf…horse speeding as if on wings； passed rightbefore the face of the foremost Rider。
Frodo heard the splash of water。 It foamed about his feet。 He felt thequick heave and surge as the horse left the river and struggled up the stonypath。 He was climbing the steep bank。 He was across the Ford。
But the pursuers were close behind。 At the top of the bank the horsehalted and turned about neighing fiercely。 There were Nine Riders at thewater's edge below； and Frodo's spirit quailed before the threat of theiruplifted faces。 He knew of nothing that would prevent them from crossing aseasily as he had done； and he felt that it was useless to try to escape overthe long uncertain path from the Ford to the edge of Rivendell； if once theRiders crossed。 In any case he felt that he was manded urgently to halt。
Hatred again stirred in him； but he had no longer the strength to refuse。
Suddenly the foremost Rider spurred his horse forward。 It checked at thewater and reared up。 With a great effort Frodo sat upright and brandished hissword。
'Go back！' he cried。 'Go back to the Land of Mordor； and follow me nomore！ ' His voice sounded thin and shrill in his own ears。 The Riders halted；
but Frodo had not the power of Bombadil。 His enemies laughed at him with aharsh and chilling laughter。 'e back！ e back！' they called。 'To Mordorwe will take you！'
'Go back！' he whispered。
'The Ring！ The Ring！' they cried with deadly voices； and immediatelytheir leader urged his horse forward into the water； followed closely by twoothers。
'By Elbereth and Lúthien the Fair；' said Frodo with a last effort；
lifting up his sword； 'you shall have neither the Ring nor me！'
Then the leader； who was now half across the Ford； stood up menacing inhis stirrups； and raised up his hand。 Frodo was stricken dumb。 He felt histongue cleave to his mouth； and his heart labouring。 His sword broke and fellout of his shaking hand。 The elf…horse reared and snorted。 The foremost of theblack horses had almost set foot upon the shore。
At that moment there came a roaring and a rushing： a noise of loud watersrolling many stones。 Dimly Frodo saw the river below him rise； and down alongits course there came a plumed cavalry of waves。 White flames seemed to Frodoto flicker on their crests and he half fancied that he saw amid the water
white riders upon white horses with frothing manes。 The three Riders that werestill in the midst of the Ford were overwhelmed： they disappeared； buriedsuddenly under angry foam。 Those that were behind drew back in dismay。
With his last failing senses Frodo heard cries； and it seemed to him thathe saw； beyond the Riders that hesitated on the shore； a shining figure ofwhite light； and behind it ran small shadowy forms waving flames； that flaredred in the grey mist that was falling over the world。
The black horses were filled with madness； and leaping forward in terrorthey bore their riders into the rushing flood。 Their piercing cries weredrowned in the roaring of the river as it carried them away。 Then Frodo felthimself falling； and the roaring and confusion seemed to rise and engulf himtogether with his enemies。 He heard and saw no more。
_Chapter 1_
Many Meetings
Frodo woke and found himself lying in bed。 At first he thought that hehad slept late； after a long unpleasant dream that still hovered on the edgeof memory。 Or perhaps he had been ill？ But the ceiling looked strange； it wasflat； and it had dark beams richly carved。 He lay a little while longerlooking at patches of sunlight on the wall； and listening to the sound of awaterfall。
‘Where am I； and what is the time？' he said aloud to the ceiling。 'In theHouse of Elrond； and it is ten o'clock in the morning。' said a voice。 ‘It isthe morning of October the twenty…fourth； if you want to know。'
‘Gandalf！' cried Frodo； sitting up。 There was the old wizard； sitting ina chair by the open window。
‘Yes；' he said； ‘I am here。 And you are lucky to be here； too； after allthe absurd things you have done since you left home。' Frodo lay down again。 Hefelt too fortable and peaceful to argue； and in any case he did not thinkhe would get the better of an argument。 He was fully awake now； and the memoryof his journey was returning： the disastrous ‘short cut' through the OldForest the ‘accident' at _The Prancing Pony_； and his madness in putting onthe Ring in the dell under Weathertop。 While he was thinking of all thesethings and trying in vain to bring his memory down to his arriving inRivendell； there was a long silence； broken only by the soft puffs ofGandalf's pipe； as he blew white smoke…rings out of the window。
'Where's Sam？' Frodo asked at length。 'And are the others all right？'
'Yes； they are all safe and sound；' answered Gandalf。 ‘Sam was here untilI sent him off to get some rest； about half an hour ago。'
‘What happened at the Ford？' said Frodo。 ‘It all seemed so dim somehow；
and it still does。'
'Yes； it would。 You were beginning to fade；' answered Gandalf。 'The woundwas overing you at last。 A few more hours and you would have been beyondour aid。 But you have some strength in you； my dear hobbit！ As you showed inthe Barrow。 That was touch and go： perhaps the most dangerous moment of all。 Iwish you could have held out at Weathertop。'
'You seem to know a great deal already；' said Frodo。 ‘I have not spokento the others about the Barrow。 At first it was too horrible； and afterwardsthere were other things to think about。 How do you know about it？'
'You have talked long in your sleep； Frodo；' said Gandalf gently； 'and ithas not been hard for me to read your mind and memory。 Do not worry！ Though Isaid 〃absurd〃 just now； I did not mean it。 I think well of you…and of theothers。 It is no small feat to have e so far； and through such dangers；
still bearing the Ring。'
'We should never have done it without Strider；' said Frodo。 ‘But weneeded you。 I did not know what to do without you。'
'I was delayed；' said Gandalf； ‘and that nearly proved our ruin。 And yetI am not sure； it may have been better so。'
'I wish you would tell me what happened！'
'All in good time！ You are not supposed to talk or worry about anythingtoday； by Elrond's orders。'
‘But talking would stop me thinking and wondering； which are quite astiring；' said Frodo。 'I am wide awake now； and I remember so many things thatwant explaining。 Why were you delayed？ You ought to tell me that at least。'
'You will soon hear all you wish to know；' said Gandalf。 'We shall have aCouncil； as soon as you are well enough。 At the moment I will only say that Iwas held captive。'
'You？' cried Frodo。
'Yes； I； Gandalf the Grey；' said the wizard solemnly。 'There are manypowers in the world； for good or for evil。 Some are greater than I am。 Againstsome I have not yet been measured。 But my time is ing。 The Morgul…lord andhis Black Riders have e forth。 War is preparing！'
‘Then you knew of the Riders already…before I met them？'
'Yes； I knew of them。 Indeed I spoke of them once to you； for the BlackRiders are the Ringwraiths； the Nine Servants of the Lord of the Rings。 But Idid not know that they had arisen again or I should have fled with you atonce。 I heard news of them only after I left you in June； but that story mustwait。 For the moment we have been saved from disaster； by Aragorn。'
'Yes；' said Frodo； ‘it was Strider that saved us。 Yet I was afraid of himat first。 Sam never quite trusted him。 I think； not at any rate until we metGlorfindel。'
Gandalf smiled。 ‘I have heard all about Sam；' he said。 'He has no moredoubts now。'
'I am glad；' said Frodo。 'For I have bee very fond of Strider。 Well；
_fond_ is not the right word。 I mean he is dear to me； though he is strange；
and grim at times。 In fact； he reminds me often of you。 I didn't know that anyof the Big People were like that。 I thought； well； that they were just big；
and rather stupid： kind and stupid like Butterbur； or stupid and wicked likeBill Ferny。 But then we don't know much about Men in the Shire； except perhapsthe Breelanders。'
‘You don't know much even about them； if you think old Barliman isstupid；' said Gandalf。 'He is wise enough on his own ground。 He thinks lessthan he talks； and slower； yet he can see through a brick wall in time （asthey say in Bree）。 But there are few left in Middle…earth like Aragorn son ofArathorn。 The race of the Kings from over the Sea is nearly at an end。 It maybe that this War of the Ring will be their last adventure。'
'Do you really mean that Strider is one of the people of the old Kings？'
said Frodo in wonder。 ‘I thought they had all vanished long ago。 I thought hewas only a Ranger。'
'Only a Ranger！' cried Gandalf。 ‘My dear Frodo； that is just what theRangers are： the last remnant in the North of the great people； the Men of theWest。 They have helped me before； and I shall need their help in the days toe； for we have reached Rivendell； but the Ring is not yet at rest。'
'I suppose not；' said Frodo。 'But so far my only thought has been to gethere； and