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side。　But　we　are　high　up；　a　good　deal　higher　than　the　Dimrill　Gate；　unless　I　am　mistaken。　From　the　feeling　of　the　air　we　must　be　in　a　wide　hall。　I　will　now　risk　a　little　real　light。'

He　raised　his　staff；　and　for　a　brief　instant　there　was　blaze　like　a　flash　of　lightning。　Great　shadows　sprang　up　and　fled；　and　for　a　second　they　saw　a　vast　roof　far　above　their　heads　upheld　by　many　mighty　pillars　hewn　of　stone。　Before　them　and　on　either　side　stretched　a　huge　empty　hall；　its　black　walls；　polished　and　smooth　as　glass；　flashed　and　glittered。　Three　other　entrances　they　saw；　dark　black　arches：　one　straight　before　them　eastwards；　and　one　on　either　side。　Then　the　light　went　out。

'That　is　all　that　I　shall　venture　on　for　the　present；'　said　Gandalf。　'There　used　to　be　great　windows　on　the　mountainside；　and　shafts　leading　out　to　the　light　in　the　upper　reaches　of　the　Mines。　I　think　we　have　reached　them　now；　but　it　is　night　outside　again；　and　we　cannot　tell　until　morning。　If　I　am　right；　tomorrow　we　may　actually　see　the　morning　peeping　in。　But　in　the　meanwhile　we　had　better　go　no　further。　Let　us　rest；　if　we　can。　Things　have　gone　well　so　far；　and　the　greater　part　of　the　dark　road　is　over。　But　we　are　not　through　yet；　and　it　is　a　long　way　down　to　the　Gates　that　open　on　the　world。'

The　pany　spent　that　night　in　the　great　cavernous　hall；　huddled　close　together　in　a　corner　to　escape　the　draught：　there　seemed　to　be　a　steady　inflow　of　chill　air　through　the　eastern　archway。　All　about　them　as　they　lay　hung　the　darkness；　hollow　and　immense；　and　they　were　oppressed　by　the　loneliness　and　vastness　of　the　dolven　halls　and　endlessly　branching　stairs　and　passages。　The　wildest　imaginings　that　dark　rumour　had　ever　suggested　to　the　hobbits　fell　altogether　short　of　the　actual　dread　and　wonder　of　Moria。

'There　must　have　been　a　mighty　crowd　of　dwarves　here　at　one　time　'　said　Sam；　'and　every　one　of　them　busier　than　badgers　for　five　hundred　years　to　make　all　this；　and　most　in　hard　rock　too！　What　did　they　do　it　all　for？　They　didn't　live　in　these　darksome　holes　surely？　'

'These　are　not　holes；'　said　Gimli。　'This　is　the　great　realm　and　city　of　the　Dwarrowdelf。　And　of　old　it　was　not　darksome；　but　full　of　light　and　splendour；　as　is　still　remembered　in　our　songs。'

He　rose　and　standing　in　the　dark　he　began　to　chant　in　a　deep　voice；　while　the　echoes　ran　away　into　the　roof。

The　world　was　young；　the　mountains　green；
No　stain　yet　on　the　Moon　was　seen；
No　words　were　laid　on　stream　or　stone
When　Durin　woke　and　walked　alone。
He　named　the　nameless　hills　and　dells；
He　drank　from　yet　untasted　wells；
He　stooped　and　looked　in　Mirrormere；
And　saw　a　crown　of　stars　appear；
As　gems　upon　a　silver　thread；
Above　the　shadow　of　his　head。

The　world　was　fair；　the　mountains　tall；
In　Elder　Days　before　the　fall
Of　mighty　kings　in　Nargothrond
And　Gondolin；　who　now　beyond
The　Western　Seas　have　passed　away：
The　world　was　fair　in　Durin's　Day。

A　king　he　was　on　carven　throne
In　manypillared　halls　of　stone
With　golden　roof　and　silver　floor；
And　runes　of　power　upon　the　door。
The　light　of　sun　and　star　and　moon
In　shining　lamps　of　crystal　hewn
Undimmed　by　cloud　or　shade　of　night
There　shone　for　ever　fair　and　bright。

There　hammer　on　the　anvil　smote；
There　chisel　clove；　and　graver　wrote；
There　fed　was　blade；　and　bound　was　hilt；
The　delver　mined；　the　mason　built。
There　beryl；　pearl；　and　opal　pale；
And　metal　wrought　like　fishes'　mail；
Buckler　and　corslet；　axe　and　sword；
And　shining　spears　were　laid　in　hoard。

Unwearied　then　were　Durin's　folk
Beneath　the　mountains　music　woke：
The　harpers　harped；　the　minstrels　sang；
And　at　the　gates　the　trumpets　rang。

The　world　is　grey；　the　mountains　old；
The　fe's　fire　is　ashencold
No　harp　is　wrung；　no　hammer　falls：
The　darkness　dwells　in　Durin's　halls
The　shadow　lies　upon　his　tomb
In　Moria；　in　Khazadd？m。
But　still　the　sunken　stars　appear
In　dark　and　windless　Mirrormere；
There　lies　his　crown　in　water　deep；
Till　Durin　wakes　again　from　sleep。

I　like　that！　'　said　Sam。　'I　should　like　to　learn　it。　In　Moria；　in　Khazadd？m！　But　it　makes　the　darkness　seem　heavier；　thinking　of　all　those　lamps。　Are　there　piles　of　jewels　and　gold　lying　about　here　still？　'

Gimli　was　silent。　Having　sung　his　song　he　would　say　no　more。

'Piles　of　jewels？　'　said　Gandalf。　'No。　The　Orcs　have　often　plundered　Moria；　there　is　nothing　left　in　the　upper　halls。　And　since　the　dwarves　fled；　no　one　dares　to　seek　the　shafts　and　treasuries　down　in　the　deep　places：　they　are　drowned　in　water。or　in　a　shadow　of　fear。'

'Then　what　do　the　dwarves　want　to　e　back　for？　'　asked　Sam。

'For　mithril；'　answered　Gandalf。　'The　wealth　of　Moria　was　not　in　gold　and　jewels；　the　toys　of　the　Dwarves；　nor　in　iron；　their　servant。　Such　things　they　found　here；　it　is　true；　especially　iron；　but　they　did　not　need　to　delve　for　them：　all　things　that　they　desired　they　could　obtain　in　traffic。　For　here　alone　in　the　world　was　found　Moriasilver；　or　truesilver　as　some　have　called　it：　mithril　is　the　Elvish　name。　The　Dwarves　have　a　name　which　they　do　not　tell。　Its　worth　was　ten　times　that　of　gold；　and　now　it　is　beyond　price；　for　little　is　left　above　ground；　and　even　the　Orcs　dare　not　delve　here　for　it。　The　lodes　lead　away　north　towards　Caradhras；　and　down　to　darkness。　The　Dwarves　tell　no　tale；　but　even　as　mithril　was　the　foundation　of　their　wealth；　so　also　it　was　their　destruction：　they　delved　too　greedily　and　too　deep；　and　disturbed　that　from　which　they　fled；　Durin's　Bane。　Of　what　they　brought　to　light　the　Orcs　have　gathered　nearly　all；　and　given　it　in　tribute　to　Sauron；　who　covets　it。

'Mithril！　All　folk　desired　it。　It　could　be　beaten　like　copper；　and　polished　like　glass；　and　the　Dwarves　could　make　of　it　a　metal；　light　and　yet　harder　than　tempered　steel。　Its　beauty　was　like　to　that　of　mon　silver；　but　the　beauty　of　mithril　did　not　tarnish　or　grow　dim。　The　Elves　dearly　loved　it；　and　among　many　uses　they　made　of　it　ithildin；　starmoon；　which　you　saw　upon　the　doors。　Bilbo　had　a　corslet　of　mithrilrings　that　Thorin　gave　him。　I　wonder　what　has　bee　of　it？　Gathering　dust　still　in　Michel　Delving　Mathom　house；　I　suppose。'

'What？　'　cried　Gimli；　startled　out　of　his　silence。　'A　corslet　of　Moria　silver？　That　was　a　kingly　gift！　'

'Yes；'　said　Gandalf。　'I　never　told　him；　but　its　worth　was　greater　than　the　value　of　the　whole　Shire　and　everything　in　it。'

Frodo　said　nothing；　but　he　put　his　hand　under　his　tunic　and　touched　the　rings　of　his　mailshirt。　He　felt　staggered　to　think　that　he　had　been　walking　about　with　the　price　of　the　Shire　under　his　jacket。　Had　Bilbo　known？　He　felt　no　doubt　that　Bilbo　knew　quite　well。　It　was　indeed　a　kingly　gift。　But　now　his　thoughts　had　been　carried　away　from　the　dark　Mines；　to　Rivendell；　to　Bilbo；　and　to　Bag　End　in　the　days　while　Bilbo　was　still　there。　He　wished　with　all　his　heart　that　he　was　back　there；　and　in　those　days；　mowing　the　lawn；　or　pottering　among　the　flowers；　and　that　he　had　never　heard　of　Moria；　or　mithril　　or　the　Ring。

A　deep　silence　fell。　One　by　one　the　others　fell　asleep。　Frodo　was　on　guard。　As　if　it　were　a　breath　that　came　in　through　unseen　doors　out　of　deep　places；　dread　came　over　him。　His　hands　were　cold　and　his　brow　damp。　He　listened。　All　his　mind　was　given　to　listening　and　nothing　else　for　two　slow　hours；　but　he　heard　no　sound；　not　even　the　imagined　echo　of　a　footfall。

His　watch　was　nearly　over；　when；　far　off　where　he　guessed　that　the　western　archway　stood；　he　fancied　that　he　could　see　two　pale　points　of　light；　almost　like　luminous　eyes。　He　started。　His　head　had　nodded。　'I　must　have　nearly　fallen　asleep　on　guard；'　he　thought。　'I　was　on　the　edge　of　a　dream。'　He　stood　up　and　rubbed　his　eyes；　and　remained　standing；　peering　into　the　dark；　until　he　was　relieved　by　Legolas。

When　he　lay　down　he　quickly　went　to　sleep；　but　it　seemed　to　him　that　the　dream　went　on：　he　heard　whispers；　and　saw　the　two　pale　points　of　light　approaching；　slowly。　He　woke　and　found　that　the　others　were　speaking　softly　near　him；　and　that　a　dim　light　was　falling　on　his　face。　High　up　above　the　eastern　archway　through　a　shaft　near　the　roof　came　a　long　pale　gleam；　and　across　the　hall　through　the　northern　arch　light　also　glimmered　faint　and　distantly。

Frodo　sat　up。　'Good　morning！