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 start。
The morning was passing towards noon； and still the pany wandered andscrambled in a barren country of red stones。 Nowhere could they see any gleamof water or hear any sound of it。 All was bleak and dry。 Their hearts sank。
They saw no living thing； and not a bird was in the sky； but what the nightwould bring； if it caught them in that lost land； none of them cared to think。
Suddenly Gimli； who had pressed on ahead； called back to them。 He wasstanding on a knoll and pointing to the right。 Hurrying up they saw below thema deep and narrow channel。 It was empty and silent； and hardly a trickle ofwater flowed among the brown and red…stained stones of its bed； but on thenear side there was a path； much broken and decayed； that wound its way amongthe ruined walls and paving…stones of an ancient highroad。
'Ah！ Here it is at last！ ' said Gandalf。 ‘This is where the stream ran：
Sirannon； the Gate…stream； they used to call it。 But what has happened to thewater； I cannot guess； it used to be swift and noisy。 e！ We must hurry on。
We are late。'
The pany were footsore and tired； but they trudged doggedly along therough and winding track for many miles。 The sun turned from the noon and began
to go west。 After a brief halt and a hasty meal they went on again。 Beforethem the mountains frowned； but their path lay in a deep trough of land andthey could see only the higher shoulders and the far eastward peaks。
At length they came to a sharp bend。 There the road； which had beenveering southwards between the brink of the channel and a steep fall of theland to the left； turned and went due east again。 Rounding the corner they sawbefore them a low cliff； some five fathoms high； with a broken and jagged top。
Over it a trickling water dripped； through a wide cleft that seemed to havebeen carved out by a fall that had once been strong and full。
‘Indeed things have changed！ ' said Gandalf。 ‘But there is no mistakingthe place。 There is all that remains of the Stair Falls。 If I remember right；
there was a flight of steps cut in the rock at their side； but the main roadwound away left and climbed with several loops up to the level ground at thetop。 There used to be a shallow valley beyond the falls right up to the Wallsof Moria； and the Sirannon flowed through it with the road beside it。 Let usgo and see what things are like now！ '
They found the stone steps without difficulty； and Gimli sprang swiftlyup them； followed by Gandalf and Frodo。 When they reached the top they sawthat they could go no further that way； and the reason for the drying up ofthe Gate…stream was revealed。 Behind them the sinking Sun filled the coolwestern sky with glimmering gold。 Before them stretched a dark still lake。
Neither sky nor sunset was reflected on its sullen surface。 The Sirannon hadbeen dammed and had filled all the valley。 Beyond the ominous water werereared vast cliffs； their stern faces pallid in the fading light： final andimpassable。 No sign of gate or entrance； not a fissure or crack could Frodosee in the frowning stone。
‘There are the Walls of Moria；' said Gandalf； pointing across the water。
‘And there the Gate stood once upon a time； the Elven Door at the end of theroad from Hollin by which we have e。 But this way is blocked。 None of thepany； I guess； will wish to swim this gloomy water at the end of the day。
It has an unwholesome look。'
‘We must find a way round the northern edge；' said Gimli。 ‘The firstthing for the pany to do is to climb up by the main path and see where thatwill lead us。 Even if there were no lake； we could not get our baggage…pony upthis stair。'
‘But in any case we cannot take the poor beast into the Mines；' saidGandalf。 ‘The road under the mountains is a dark road； and there are placesnarrow and steep which he cannot tread； even if we can。'
‘Poor old Bill！ ' said Frodo。 ‘I had not thought of that。 And poor Sam！ Iwonder what he will say？ '
‘I am sorry；' said Gandalf。 ‘Poor Bill has been a useful panion and itgoes to my heart to turn him adrift now。 I would have travelled lighter andbrought no animal； least of all this one that Sam is fond of； if I had had myway。 I feared all along that we should be obliged to take this road。'
The day was drawing to its end； and cold stars were glinting in the skyhigh above the sunset； when the pany； with all the speed they could；
climbed up the slopes and reached the side of the lake。 In breadth it lookedto be no more than two or three furlongs at the widest point。 How far itstretched away southward they could not see in the failing light； but itsnorthern end was no more than half a mile from where they stood； and betweenthe stony ridges that enclosed the valley and the water's edge there was a rimof open ground。 They hurried forward； for they had still a mile or two to gobefore they could reach the point on the far shore that Gandalf was makingfor； and then he had still to find the doors。
When they came to the northernmost corner of the lake they found a narrowcreek that barred their way。 It was green and stagnant； thrust out like aslimy arm towards the enclosing hills。 Gimli strode forward undeterred； andfound that the water was shallow； no more than ankle…deep at the edge。 Behindhim they walked in file； threading their way with care； for under the weedypools were sliding and greasy stones； and footing was treacherous。 Frodo
shuddered with disgust at the touch of the dark unclean water on his feet。
As Sam； the last of the pany； led Bill up on to the dry ground on thefar side； there came a soft sound： a swish； followed by a plop； as if a fishhad disturbed the still surface of the water。 Turning quickly they sawripples； black…edged with shadow in the waning light： great rings werewidening outwards from a point far out in the lake。 There was a bubblingnoise； and then silence。 The dusk deepened； and the last gleams of the sunsetwere veiled in cloud。
Gandalf now pressed on at a great pace； and the others followed asquickly as they could。 They reached the strip of dry land between the lake andthe cliffs： it was narrow； often hardly a dozen yards across； and encumberedwith falle