After a while Boromir returned carrying Sam。 Behind in the narrow but nowwell…trodden track came Gandalf； leading Bill with Gimli perched among thebaggage。 Last came Aragorn carrying Frodo。 They passed through the lane； buthardly had Frodo touched the ground when with a deep rumble there rolled downa fall of stones and slithering snow。 The spray of it half blinded the panyas they crouched against the cliff； and when the air cleared again they sawthat the path was blocked behind them。
‘Enough； enough！' cried Gimli。 'We are departing as quickly as we may！'
And indeed with that last stroke the malice of the mountain seemed to be
expended； as if Caradhras was satisfied that the invaders had been beaten offand would not dare to return。 The threat of snow lifted； the clouds began tobreak and the light grew broader。
As Legolas had reported； they found that the snow became steadily moreshallow as they went down； so that even the hobbits could trudge along。 Soonthey all stood once more on the flat shelf at the head of the steep slopewhere they had felt the first flakes of snow the night before。
The morning was now far advanced。 From the high place they looked backwestwards over the lower lands。 Far away in the tumble of country that lay atthe foot of the mountain was the dell from which they had started to climb thepass。
Frodo's legs ached。 He was chilled to the bone and hungry； and his headwas dizzy as he thought of the long and painful march downhill。 Black specksswam before his eyes。 He rubbed them； but the black specks remained。 In thedistance below him； but still high above the lower foothills； dark dots werecircling in the air。
‘The birds again！' said Aragorn； pointing down。
'That cannot be helped now；' said Gandalf。 ‘Whether they are good orevil； or have nothing to do with us at all； we must go down at once。 Not evenon the knees of Caradhras will we wait for another night…fall！'
A cold wind flowed down behind them； as they turned their backs on theRedhorn Gate； and stumbled wearily down the slope。 Caradhras had defeatedthem。
_Chapter 4_
A Journey in the Dark
It was evening； and the grey light was again waning fast； when theyhalted for the night。 They were very weary。 The mountains were veiled indeepening dusk； and the wind was cold。 Gandalf spared them one more mouthfuleach of the miruvor of Rivendell。 When they had eaten some food he called acouncil。
'We cannot； of course； go on again tonight；' he said。 ‘The attack on theRedhorn Gate has tired us out； and we must rest here for a while。'
‘And then where are we to go？ ' asked Frodo。
'We still have our journey and our errand before us；' answered Gandalf。
‘We have no choice but to go on； or to return to Rivendell。'
Pippin's face brightened visibly at the mere mention of return toRivendell； Merry and Sam looked up hopefully。 But Aragorn and Boromir made nosign。 Frodo looked troubled。
‘I wish I was back there；' he said。 ‘But how can I return without shame –
unless there is indeed no other way； and we are already defeated？ '
‘You are right； Frodo；' said Gandalf： ‘to go back is to admit defeat andface worse defeat to e。 If we go back now； then the Ring must remain there：
we shall not be able to set out again。 Then sooner or later Rivendell will bebesieged； and after a brief and bitter time it will be destroyed。 TheRingwraiths are deadly enemies； but they are only shadows yet of the power andterror they would possess if the Ruling Ring was on their master's handagain。'
'Then we must go on； if there is a way；' said Frodo with a sigh。 Sam sankback into gloom。
‘There is a way that we may attempt；' said Gandalf。 ‘I thought from thebeginning； when first I considered this journey； that we should try it。 But itis not a pleasant way； and I have not spoken of it to the pany before。
Aragorn was against it； until the pass over the mountains had at least beentried。'
‘If it is a worse road than the Redhorn Gate； then it must be evilindeed；' said Merry。 ‘But you had better tell us about it； and let us know theworst at once。'
'The road that I speak of leads to the Mines of Moria；' said Gandalf。
Only Gimli lifted up his head； a smouldering fire was in his eyes。 On all theothers a dread fell at the mention of that name。 Even to the hobbits it was a
legend of vague fear：
‘The road may lead to Moria； but how can we hope that it will leadthrough Moria？ ' said Aragorn darkly。
‘It is a name of ill omen；' said Boromir。 ‘Nor do I see the need to gothere。 If we cannot cross the mountains； let us journey southwards； until wee to the Gap of Rohan； where men are friendly to my people； taking the roadthat I followed on my way hither。 Or we might pass by and cross the Isen intoLangstrand and Lebennin； and so e to Gondor from the regions nigh to thesea。'
'Things have changed since you came north； Boromir；' answered Gandalf。
'Did you not hear what I told you of Saruman？ With him I may have business ofmy own ere all is over。 But the Ring must not e near Isengard； if that canby any means be prevented。 The Gap of Rohan is closed to us while we go withthe Bearer。
'As for the longer road： we cannot afford the time。 We might spend a yearin such a journey； and we should pass through many lands that are empty andharbourless。 Yet they would not be safe。 The watchful eyes both of Saruman andof the Enemy are on them。 When you came north； Boromir； you were in theEnemy's eyes only one stray wanderer from the South and a matter of smallconcern to him： his mind was busy with the pursuit of the Ring。 But you returnnow as a member of the Ring's pany； and you are in peril as long as youremain with us。 The danger will increase with every league that we go southunder the naked sky。
‘Since our open attempt on the mountain…pass our plight has bee more
desperate； I fear。 I see now little hope； if we do not soon vanish from sightfor a while； and cover our trail。 Therefore I advise that we should go neitherover the mountains； nor round them； but under them。 That is a road at any ratethat the Enemy will least expect us to take。'
‘We do not know what he expects；' said Boromir。 ‘He may watch all roads；
likely and unlikely。 In that case to enter Moria would be to walk into a trap；
hardly better than knocking at the gates of the Dark Tower itself。 The name ofMoria is black。'
‘You speak of what you do not know； when you liken Moria to thestronghold of Sauron；' answered Gandalf。 ‘I alone of you have ever been in thedungeons of the Dark Lord； and only in his older and lesser dwelling in DolGuldur。 Those who pass the gates of Barad…d。r do not return。 But I would notlead you into Moria if there were no hope of ing out again。 If there areOrcs there； it may prove ill for us； that is true。 But most of the Orcs of theMisty Mountains were scattered or destroyed in the Battle of Five Armies。 TheEagles report that Orcs are gathering again from afar； but there is a hopethat Moria is still free。
‘There is even a chance that Dwarves are there； and that in some deephall of his fathers； Balin son of Fundin may be found。 However it may prove；
one must tread the path that need chooses！'
'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 staf