re that may be； though the Lord and Lady may know； I do not。'
'You ought at least to guess； since you have seen us；' said Merry。 'There are Elfhavens west of my land； the Shire where Hobbits live。'
'Happy folk are Hobbits to dwell near the shores of the sea！ ' said Haldir。 'It is long indeed since any of my folk have looked on it； yet still we remember it in song。 Tell me of these havens as we walk。'
'I cannot；' said Merry。 'I have never seen them。 I have never been out of my own land before。 And if I had known what the world outside was like。 I don't think I should have had the heart to leave it。'
'Not even to see fair Lothlórien？ ' said Haldir。 'The world is indeed full of peril； and in it there are many dark places； but still there is much that is fair； and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief； it grows perhaps the greater。
'Some there are among us who sing that the Shadow will draw back and peace shall e again。 Yet I do not believe that the world about us will ever again be as it was of old； or the light of the Sun as it was aforetime。 For the Elves； I fear； it will prove at best a truce； in which they may pass to the Sea unhindered and leave the Middleearth for ever。 Alas for Lothlórien that I love！ It would be a poor life in a land where no mallorn grew。 But if there are mallorntrees beyond the Great Sea； none have reported it。'
As they spoke thus； the pany filed slowly along the paths in the wood； led by Haldir； while the other Elf walked behind。 They felt the ground beneath their feet smooth and soft； and after a while they walked more freely； without fear of hurt or fall。 Being deprived of sight； Frodo found his hearing and other senses sharpened。 He could smell the trees and the trodden grass。 He could hear many different notes in the rustle of the leaves overhead； the river murmuring away on his right； and the thin clear voices of birds in the sky。 He felt the sun upon his face and hands when they passed through an open glade。
As soon as he set foot upon the far bank of Silverlode a strange feeling had e upon him； and it deepened as he walked on into the Naith： it seemed to him that he had stepped over a bridge of time into a corner of the Elder Days； and was now walking in a world that was no more。 In Rivendell there was memory of ancient things； in Lórien the ancient things still lived on in the waking world。 Evil had been seen and heard there； sorrow had been known； the Elves feared and distrusted the world outside： wolves were howling on the wood's borders： but on the land of Lórien no shadow lay。
All that day the pany marched on； until they felt the cool evening e and heard the early nightwind whispering among many leaves。 Then they rested and slept without fear upon the ground； for their guides would not permit them to unbind their eyes； and they could not climb。 In the morning they went on again； walking without haste。 At noon they halted； and Frodo was aware that they had passed out under the shining Sun。 Suddenly he heard the sound of many voices all around him。
A marching host of Elves had e up silently： they were hastening toward the northern borders to guard against any attack from Moria； and they brought news； some of which Haldir reported。 The marauding orcs had been waylaid and almost all destroyed； the remnant had fled westward towards the mountains； and were being pursued。 A strange creature also had been seen； running with bent back and with hands near the ground； like a beast and yet not of beastshape。 It had eluded capture； and they had not shot it； not knowing whether it was good or ill； and it had vanished down the Silverlode southward。
'Also；' said Haldir； 'they bring me a message from the Lord and Lady of the Galadhrim。 You are all to walk free； even the dwarf Gimli。 It seems that the Lady knows who and what is each member of your pany。 New messages have e from Rivendell perhaps。'
He removed the bandage first from Gimli's eyes。 'Your pardon！ ' he said； bowing low。 'Look on us now with friendly eyes！ Look and be glad； for you are the first dwarf to behold the trees of the Naith of Lórien since Durin's Day！ '
When his eyes were in turn uncovered； Frodo looked up and caught his breath。 They were standing in an open space。 To the left stood a great mound； covered with a sward of grass as green as Springtime in the Elder Days。 Upon it； as a double crown； grew two circles of trees： the outer had bark of snowy white； and were leafless but beautiful in their shapely nakedness； the inner were mallorntrees of great height； still arrayed in pale gold。 High amid the branches of a towering tree that stood in the centre of all there gleamed a white flet。 At the feet of the trees； and all about the green hillsides the grass was studded with small golden flowers shaped like stars。 Among them； nodding on slender stalks； were other flowers； white and palest green： they glimmered as a mist amid the rich hue of the grass。 Over all the sky was blue； and the sun of afternoon glowed upon the hill and cast long green shadows beneath the trees。
'Behold！ You are e to Cerin Amroth；' said Haldir。 'For this is the heart of the ancient realm as it was long ago； and here is the mound of Amroth； where in happier days his high house was built。 Here ever bloom the winter flowers in the unfading grass： the yellow elanor； and the pale niphredil。 Here we will stay awhile； and e to the city of the Galadhrim at dusk。'
The others cast themselves down upon the fragrant grass； but Frodo stood awhile still lost in wonder。 It seemed to him that he had stepped through a high window that looked on a vanished world。 A light was upon it for which his language had no name。 All that he saw was shapely； but the shapes seemed at once clear cut； as if they had been first conceived and drawn at the uncovering of his eyes； and ancient as if they had endured for ever。 He saw no colour but those he knew； gold and white and blue and green； but they were fresh and poignant； as if he had at that moment first perceived them and made for them names new and wonderful。 In winter here no heart could mourn for summer or for spring。 No blemish or sickness or deformity could be seen in anything that grew upon the earth。 On the land of Lórien there was no stain。
He turned and saw that Sam was now standing beside him； looking round with a puzzled expression； and rubbing his eyes as if he was not sure that he was awake。 'It's sunlight and bright day； right enough；' he said。 'I thought that Elves were all for moon and stars： but this is more elvish than anything I ever heard tell of。 I feel as if I was inside a song。 if you take my meaning。'
Haldir looked at them； and he seemed indeed to take the meaning of both thought and word。 He smiled。 'You feel the power of the Lady of the Galadhrim；' he said。 'Would it please you to climb with me up Cerin Amroth？ '
They followed him as he stepped lightly up the grassclad slopes。 Though he walked and breathed； and about him living leaves and flowers were stirred by the same cool wind as fanned his face； Frodo felt that he was in a timeless land that did not fade or change or fall into fetfulness。 When he had gone and passed again into the outer world； still Frodo the wanderer from the Shire would walk there； upon the grass among elanor and niphredil in fair Lothlórien。
They entered the circle of white trees。 As they did so the South Wind blew upon Cerin Amroth and sighed among the branches。 Frodo stood still； hearing far off great seas upon beaches that had long ago been washed away； and seabirds crying whose race had perished from the earth。
Haldir had gone on and was now climbing to the high flet。 As Frodo prepared to follow him； he laid his hand upon the tree beside the ladder： never before had he been so suddenly and so keenly aware of the feel and texture of a tree's skin and of the life within it。 He felt a delight in wood and the touch of it； neither as forester nor as carpenter； it was the delight of the living tree itself。
As he stepped out at last upon the lofty platform； Haldir took his hand and turned him toward the South。 'Look this way first！ ' he said。
Frodo looked and saw； still at some distance； a hill of many mighty trees； or a city of green towers： which it was he could not tell。 Out of it； it seemed to him that the power and light came that held all the land in sway。 He longed suddenly to fly like a bird to rest in the green city。 Then he looked eastward and saw all the land of Lórien running down to the pale gleam of Anduin； the Great River。 He lifted his eyes across the river and all the light went out； and he was back again in the world he knew。 Beyond the river the land appeared flat and empty； formless and vague； until far away it rose again like a wall； dark and drear。 The sun that lay on Lothlórien had no power to enlighten the shadow of that distant height。
'There lies the fastness of Southern Mirkwood；' said Haldir。 'It is clad in a forest of dark fir； where the trees strive one against another and their branches rot and wither。 In the midst upon a stony height stands Dol Guldur； where long the hidden Enemy had his dwelling。 We fear that now it is inhabited again； and with power sevenfold。 A black cloud lies often over it of late。 In this high place you may see the two powers that are opposed one to another； and ever they strive now in thought； but whereas the light perceives the very heart of the darkness； its own secret has not been discovered。 Not yet。' He turned and climbed swiftly down； and they followed him。
At the hill's foot Frodo found Aragorn； standing still and silent as a tree； but in his hand was a small golden bloom of elanor； and a light was in his eyes。 He was wrapped in some fair memory： and as Frodo looked at him he knew that he beheld things as they once had been in this same place。 For the grim years were removed from the face of Aragorn； and he seemed clothed in white； a young lord tall and fair； and he spoke words in the Elvish tongue to one whom Frodo could not see。 Arwen vanimelda； namári！ he said； and then he drew a breath； and returning out of his thought he looked at Frodo and smiled。
'Here is the heart of Elvendom on earth；' he said； 'and here my heart dwells ever； unless there be a light beyond the dark roads that we still must tread； you and I。 e with me！ ' And taking Frodo's hand in his； he left the hill of Cerin Amroth and came there never again as living man。
Chapter 7
The Mirror of Galadriel
The sun was sinking behind the mountains； and the shadows were deepening in the woods； when they went on again。 Their paths now went into thickets where the dusk had already gathered。 Night came beneath the trees as they walked； and the Elves uncovered their silver lamps。
Suddenly they came out into the open again and found themselves under a pale evening sky pricked by a few early stars。 There was a wide treeless space before them； running in a great circle and bending away on either hand。 Beyond it was a deep fosse lost in soft shadow； but the grass upon its brink was green； as if it glowed still in memory of the sun that had gone。 Upon the further side there rose to a great height a green wall encircling a green hill thronged with mallorntrees taller than any they had yet seen in all