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ho　put　his　arms　about　him。　They　stood　peering　up　the　stairs　into　the　darkness。　Frodo　thought　he　could　hear　the　voice　of　Gandalf　above；　muttering　words　that　ran　down　the　sloping　roof　with　a　sighing　echo。　He　could　not　catch　what　was　said。　The　walls　seemed　to　be　trembling。　Every　now　and　again　the　drumbeats　throbbed　and　rolled：　doom；　doom。

Suddenly　at　the　top　of　the　stair　there　was　a　stab　of　white　light。　Then　there　was　a　dull　rumble　and　a　heavy　thud。　The　drumbeats　broke　out　wildly：　doomboom；　doomboom；　and　then　stopped。　Gandalf　came　flying　down　the　steps　and　fell　to　the　ground　in　the　midst　of　the　pany。

'Well；　well！　That's　over！　'　said　the　wizard　struggling　to　his　feet。　'I　have　done　all　that　I　could。　But　I　have　met　my　match；　and　have　nearly　been　destroyed。　But　don't　stand　here！　Go　on！　You　will　have　to　do　without　light　for　a　while：　I　am　rather　shaken。　Go　on！　Go　on！　Where　are　you；　Gimli？　e　ahead　with　me！　Keep　close　behind；　all　of　you！'

They　stumbled　after　him　wondering　what　had　happened。　Doom；　doom　went　the　drumbeats　again：　they　now　sounded　muffled　and　far　away；　but　they　were　following。　There　was　no　other　sound　of　pursuit；　neither　tramp　of　feet；　nor　any　voice。　Gandalf　took　no　turns；　right　or　left；　for　the　passage　seemed　to　be　going　in　the　direction　that　he　desired。　Every　now　and　again　it　descended　a　flight　of　steps；　fifty　or　more；　to　a　lower　level。　At　the　moment　that　was　their　chief　danger；　for　in　the　dark　they　could　not　see　a　descent；　until　they　came　on　it；　and　put　their　feet　out　into　emptiness。　Gandalf　felt　the　ground　with　his　staff　like　a　blind　man。

At　the　end　of　an　hour　they　had　gone　a　mile；　or　maybe　a　little　more；　and　had　descended　many　flights　of　stairs。　There　was　still　no　sound　of　pursuit。　Almost　they　began　to　hope　that　they　would　escape。　At　the　bottom　of　the　seventh　flight　Gandalf　halted。

'It　is　getting　hot！　'　he　gasped。　'We　ought　to　be　down　at　least　to　the　level　of　the　Gates　now。　Soon　I　think　we　should　look　for　a　lefthand　turn　to　take　us　east。　I　hope　it　is　not　far。　I　am　very　weary。　I　must　rest　here　a　moment；　even　if　all　the　orcs　ever　spawned　are　after　us。'

Gimli　took　his　arm　and　helped　him　down　to　a　seat　on　the　step。　'What　happened　away　up　there　at　the　door？　'　he　asked。　'Did　you　meet　the　beater　of　the　drums？　'

'I　do　not　know；'　answered　Gandalf。　'But　I　found　myself　suddenly　faced　by　something　that　I　have　not　met　before。　I　could　think　of　nothing　to　do　but　to　try　and　put　a　shuttingspell　on　the　door。　I　know　many；　but　to　do　things　of　that　kind　rightly　requires　time；　and　even　then　the　door　can　be　broken　by　strength。

'As　I　stood　there　I　could　hear　orcvoices　on　the　other　side：　at　any　moment　I　thought　they　would　burst　it　open。　I　could　not　hear　what　was　said；　they　seemed　to　be　talking　in　their　own　hideous　language。　All　I　caught　was　ghash；　that　is　〃fire〃。　Then　something　came　into　the　chamber　。　I　felt　it　through　the　door；　and　the　orcs　themselves　were　afraid　and　fell　silent。　It　laid　hold　of　the　iron　ring；　and　then　it　perceived　me　and　my　spell。

'What　it　was　I　cannot　guess；　but　I　have　never　felt　such　a　challenge。　The　counterspell　was　terrible。　It　nearly　broke　me。　For　an　instant　the　door　left　my　control　and　began　to　open！　I　had　to　speak　a　word　of　mand。　That　proved　too　great　a　strain。　The　door　burst　in　pieces。　Something　dark　as　a　cloud　was　blocking　out　all　the　light　inside；　and　I　was　thrown　backwards　down　the　stairs。　All　the　wall　gave　way；　and　the　roof　of　the　chamber　as　well；　I　think。

'I　am　afraid　Balin　is　buried　deep；　and　maybe　something　else　is　buried　there　too。　I　cannot　say。　But　at　least　the　passage　behind　us　was　pletely　blocked。　Ah！　I　have　never　felt　so　spent；　but　it　is　passing。　And　now　what　about　you；　Frodo？　There　was　not　time　to　say　so；　but　I　have　never　been　more　delighted　in　my　life　than　when　you　spoke。　I　feared　that　it　was　a　brave　but　dead　hobbit　that　Aragorn　was　carrying。'

'What　about　me？　'　said　Frodo。　'I　am　alive；　and　whole　I　think。　I　am　bruised　and　in　pain；　but　it　is　not　too　bad。'

'Well；'　said　Aragorn；　'I　can　only　say　that　hobbits　are　made　of　a　stuff　so　tough　that　I　have　never　met　the　like　of　it。　Had　I　known；　I　would　have　spoken　softer　in　the　Inn　at　Bree！　That　spearthrust　would　have　skewered　a　wild　boar！　'

'Well；　it　did　not　skewer　me；　I　am　glad　to　say；'　said　Frodo；　'though　I　feel　as　if　I　had　been　caught　between　a　hammer　and　an　anvil。'　He　said　no　more。　He　found　breathing　painful。

'You　take　after　Bilbo；'　said　Gandalf。　'There　is　more　about　you　than　meets　the　eye；　as　I　said　of　him　long　ago。'　Frodo　wondered　if　the　remark　meant　more　than　it　said。

They　now　went　on　again。　Before　long　Gimli　spoke。　He　had　keen　eyes　in　the　dark。　'I　think；'　he　said；　'that　there　is　a　light　ahead。　But　it　is　not　daylight。　It　is　red。　What　can　it　be？　'

'Ghash！'　muttered　Gandalf。　'I　wonder　if　that　is　what　they　meant：　that　the　lower　levels　are　on　fire？　Still；　we　can　only　go　on。'

Soon　the　light　became　unmistakable；　and　could　be　seen　by　all。　It　was　flickering　and　glowing　on　the　walls　away　down　the　passage　before　them。　They　could　now　see　their　way：　in　front　the　road　sloped　down　swiftly；　and　some　way　ahead　there　stood　a　low　archway；　through　it　the　glowing　light　came。　The　air　became　very　hot。

When　they　came　to　the　arch　Gandalf　went　through；　signing　to　them　to　wait。　As　he　stood　just　beyond　the　opening　they　saw　his　face　lit　by　a　red　glow。　Quickly　he　stepped　back。

'There　is　some　new　devilry　here；'　he　said；　'devised　for　our　wele　no　doubt。　But　I　know　now　where　we　are：　we　have　reached　the　First　Deep；　the　level　immediately　below　the　Gates。　This　is　the　Second　Hall　of　Old　Moria；　and　the　Gates　are　near：　away　beyond　the　eastern　end；　on　the　left；　not　more　than　a　quarter　of　a　mile。　Across　the　Bridge；　up　a　broad　stair；　along　a　wide　road　through　the　First　Hall；　and　out！　But　e　and　look！　'

They　peered　out。　Before　them　was　another　cavernous　hall。　It　was　loftier　and　far　longer　than　the　one　in　which　they　had　slept。　They　were　near　its　eastern　end；　westward　it　ran　away　into　darkness。　Down　the　centre　stalked　a　double　line　of　towering　pillars。　They　were　carved　like　boles　of　mighty　trees　whose　boughs　upheld　the　roof　with　a　branching　tracery　of　stone。　Their　stems　were　smooth　and　black；　but　a　red　glow　was　darkly　mirrored　in　their　sides。　Right　across　the　floor；　close　to　the　feet　of　two　huge　pillars　a　great　fissure　had　opened。　Out　of　it　a　fierce　red　light　came；　and　now　and　again　flames　licked　at　the　brink　and　curled　about　the　bases　of　the　columns。　Wisps　of　dark　smoke　wavered　in　the　hot　air。

'If　we　had　e　by　the　main　road　down　from　the　upper　halls；　we　should　have　been　trapped　here；'　said　Gandalf。　'Let　us　hope　that　the　fire　now　lies　between　us　and　pursuit。　e！　There　is　no　time　to　lose。'

Even　as　he　spoke　they　heard　again　the　pursuing　drumbeat：　Doom；　doom；　doom。　Away　beyond　the　shadows　at　the　western　end　of　the　hall　there　came　cries　and　horncalls。　Doom；　doom：　the　pillars　seemed　to　tremble　and　the　flames　to　quiver。

'Now　for　the　last　race！　'　said　Gandalf。　'If　the　sun　is　shining　outside　we　may　still　escape。　After　me！　'

He　turned　left　and　sped　across　the　smooth　floor　of　the　hall。　The　distance　was　greater　than　it　had　looked。　As　they　ran　they　heard　the　beat　and　echo　of　many　hurrying　feet　behind。　A　shrill　yell　went　up：　they　had　been　seen。　There　was　a　ring　and　clash　of　steel。　An　arrow　whistled　over　Frodo's　head。

Boromir　laughed。　'They　did　not　expect　this；'　he　said。　'The　fire　has　cut　them　off。　We　are　on　the　wrong　side！　'

'Look　ahead！　'　called　Gandalf。　'The　Bridge　is　near。　It　is　dangerous　and　narrow。'

Suddenly　Frodo　saw　before　him　a　black　chasm。　At　the　end　of　the　hall　the　floor　vanished　and　fell　to　an　unknown　depth。　The　outer　door　could　only　be　reached　by　a　slender　bridge　of　stone；　without　kerb　or　rail；　that　spanned　the　chasm　with　one　curving　spring　of　fifty　feet。　It　was　an　ancient　defence　of　the　Dwarves　against　any　enemy　that　might　capture　the　First　Hall　and　the　outer　passages。　They　could　only　pass　across　it　in　single　file。　At　the　brink　Gandalf　halted　and　the　others　came　up　in　a　pack　behind。

'Lead　the　way；　Gimli！　'　he　said。　'Pippin　and　Merry　next。　Straight　on　and　up　the　stair　beyond　the　door！　'

Arrows　fell　among　them。　One　struck　Frodo　and　sprang　back。　Another　pierced　Gandalf's　hat　and　stuck　there　like　a　black　feather。　Frodo　looked　behind