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　foul　pool！　'　Hestooped　and　picking　up　a　large　stone　he　cast　it　far　into　the　dark　water。　
The　stone　vanished　with　a　soft　slap；　but　at　the　same　instant　there　was　aswish　and　a　bubble。　Great　rippling　rings　formed　on　the　surface　out　beyondwhere　the　stone　had　fallen；　and　they　moved　slowly　towards　the　foot　of　thecliff。　　
'Why　did　you　do　that；　Boromir？　'　said　Frodo。　‘I　hate　this　place；　too；　andI　am　afraid。　I　don't　know　of　what：　not　of　wolves；　or　the　dark　behind　thedoors；　but　of　something　else。　I　am　afraid　of　the　pool。　Don't　disturb　it！　'　　
　
'l　wish　we　could　get　away！　'　said　Merry。　
'Why　doesn't　Gandalf　do　something　quick？　'　said　Pippin。　
Gandalf　took　no　notice　of　them。　He　sat　with　his　head　bowed；　either　indespair　or　in　anxious　thought。　The　mournful　howling　of　the　wolves　was　heardagain。　The　ripples　on　the　water　grew　and　came　closer；　some　were　alreadylapping　on　the　shore。　
With　a　suddenness　that　startled　them　all　the　wizard　sprang　to　his　feet。　
He　was　laughing！　‘I　have　it！　'　he　cried。　'Of　course；　of　course！　Absurdlysimple；　like　most　riddles　when　you　see　the　answer。'　
Picking　up　his　staff　he　stood　before　the　rock　and　said　in　a　clear　voice：　
_Mellon！_　　
The　star　shone　out　briefly　and　faded　again。　Then　silently　a　great　doorwaywas　outlined；　though　not　a　crack　or　joint　had　been　visible　before。　Slowly　itdivided　in　the　middle　and　swung　outwards　inch　by　inch；　until　both　doors　layback　against　the　wall。　Through　the　opening　a　shadowy　stair　could　be　seenclimbing　steeply　up；　but　beyond　the　lower　steps　the　darkness　was　deeper　thanthe　night。　The　pany　stared　in　wonder。　
‘I　was　wrong　after　all；'　said　Gandalf；　'and　Gimli　too。　Merry；　of　allpeople；　was　on　the　right　track。　The　opening　word　was　inscribed　on　the　archwayall　the　time！　The　translation　should　have　been：　_Say　〃Friend〃　and　enter。_　Ihad　only　to　speak　the　Elvish　word　for　_friend_　and　the　doors　opened。　Quitesimple。　Too　simple　for　a　learned　lore…master　in　these　suspicious　days。　Thosewere　happier　times。　Now　let　us　go！'　
He　strode　forward　and　set　his　foot　on　the　lowest　step。　But　at　that　momentseveral　things　happened。　Frodo　felt　something　seize　him　by　the　ankle；　and　hefell　with　a　cry。　Bill　the　pony　gave　a　wild　neigh　of　fear；　and　turned　tail　anddashed　away　along　the　lakeside　into　the　darkness。　Sam　leaped　after　him；　andthen　hearing　Frodo's　cry　he　ran　back　again；　weeping　and　cursing。　The　othersswung　round　and　saw　the　waters　of　the　lake　seething；　as　if　a　host　of　snakeswere　swimming　up　from　the　southern　end。　
Out　from　the　water　a　long　sinuous　tentacle　had　crawled；　it　was　pale…greenand　luminous　and　wet。　Its　fingered　end　had　hold　of　Frodo's　foot　and　wasdragging　him　into　the　water。　Sam　on　his　knees　was　now　slashing　at　it　with　aknife。　　
The　arm　let　go　of　Frodo；　and　Sam　pulled　him　away；　crying　out　for　help。　
Twenty　others　arms　came　rippling　out。　The　dark　water　boiled；　and　there　was　ahideous　stench。　　
‘Into　the　gateway！　Up　the　stairs！　Quick！　'　shouted　Gandalf　leaping　back。　
Rousing　them　from　the　horror　that　seemed　to　have　rooted　all　but　Sam　to　theground　where　they　stood；　he　drove　them　forward。　
They　were　just　in　time。　Sam　and　Frodo　were　only　a　few　steps　up；　andGandalf　had　just　begun　to　climb；　when　the　groping　tentacles　writhed　across　thenarrow　shore　and　fingered　the　cliff…wall　and　the　doors。　One　came　wrigglingover　the　threshold；　glistening　in　the　starlight。　Gandalf　turned　and　paused。　Ifhe　was　considering　what　word　would　close　the　gate　again　from　within；　there　wasno　need。　Many　coiling　arms　seized　the　doors　on　either　side；　and　with　horriblestrength；　swung　them　round。　With　a　shattering　echo　they　slammed；　and　all　lightwas　lost。　A　noise　of　rending　and　crashing　came　dully　through　the　ponderousstone。　　
Sam；　clinging　to　Frodo's　arm；　collapsed　on　a　step　in　the　black　darkness。　
‘Poor　old　Bill！　'　he　said　in　a　choking　voice。　‘Poor　old　Bill！　Wolves　andsnakes！　But　the　snakes　were　too　much　for　him。　I　had　to　choose；　Mr。　Frodo。　Ihad　to　e　with　you。'　
They　heard　Gandalf　go　back　down　the　steps　and　thrust　his　staff　againstthe　doors。　There　was　a　quiver　in　the　stone　and　the　stairs　trembled；　。but　thedoors　did　not　open。　‘Well；　well！　'　said　the　wizard。　‘The　passage　is　blockedbehind　us　now　and　there　is　only　one　way　out–on　the　other　side　of　themountains。　I　fear　from　the　sounds　that　boulders　have　been　piled　up；　and　thetrees　uprooted　and　thrown　across　the　gate。　I　am　sorry；　for　the　trees　werebeautiful；　and　had　stood　so　long。'　　
　
‘I　felt　that　something　horrible　was　near　from　the　moment　that　my　footfirst　touched　the　water；'　said　Frodo。　'What　was　the　thing；　or　were　there　manyof　them？　'　　
'I　do　not　know；'　answered　Gandalf；　'but　the　arms　were　all　guided　by　onepurpose。　Something　has　crept；　or　has　been　driven　out　of　dark　waters　under　themountains。　There　are　older　and　fouler　things　than　Orcs　in　the　deep　places　ofthe　world。'　He　did　not　speak　aloud　his　thought　that　whatever　it　was　that　dweltin　the　lake；　it　had　seized　on　Frodo　first　among　all　the　pany。　
Boromir　muttered　under　his　breath；　but　the　echoing　stone　magnified　thesound　to　a　hoarse　whisper　that　all　could　hear：　‘In　the　deep　places　of　theworld！　And　thither　we　are　going　against　my　wish。　Who　will　lead　us　now　in　thisdeadly　dark？　'　
'I　will；'　said　Gandalf；　'and　Gimli　shall　walk　with　me。　Follow　my　staff！　'　
As　the　wizard　passed　on　ahead　up　the　great　steps；　he　held　his　staffaloft；　and　from　its　tip　there　came　a　faint　radiance。　The　wide　stairway　wassound　and　undamaged。　Two　hundred　steps　they　counted；　broad　and　shallow；　and　atthe　top　they　found　an　arched　passage　with　a　level　floor　leading　on　into　thedark。　　
‘Let　us　sit　and　rest　and　have　something　to　eat；　here　on　the　landing；　
since　we　can't　find　a　dining…room！　'　said　Frodo。　He　had　begun　to　shake　off　theterror　of　the　clutching　arm；　and　suddenly　he　felt　extremely　hungry。　
The　proposal　was　weled　by　all；　and　they　sat　down　on　the　upper　steps；　
dim　figures　in　the　gloom。　After　they　had　eaten；　Gandalf　gave　them　each　a　thirdsip　of　the　miruvor　of　Rivendell。　
‘It　will　not　last　much　longer；　I　am　afraid；'　he　said；　'but　I　think　weneed　it　after　that　horror　at　the　gate。　And　unless　we　have　great　luck；　we　shallneed　all　that　is　left　before　we　see　the　other　side！　Go　carefully　with　thewater；　too！　There　are　many　streams　and　wells　in　the　Mines；　but　they　should　notbe　touched。　We　may　not　have　a　chance　of　filling　our　skins　and　bottles　till　wee　down　into　Dimrill　Dale。'　　
'How　long　is　that　going　to　take　us？　'　asked　Frodo。　
'I　cannot　say；'　answered　Gandalf。　'It　depends　on　many　chances。　But　goingstraight；　without　mishap　or　losing　our　way；　we　shall　take　three　or　fourmarches；　I　expect。　It　cannot　be　less　than　forty　miles　from　West…door　to　East…　
gate　in　a　direct　line；　and　the　road　may　wind　much。'　
After　only　a　brief　rest　they　started　on　their　way　again。　All　were　eagerto　get　the　journey　over　as　quickly　as　possible；　and　were　willing；　tired　asthey　were；　to　go　on　marching　still　for　several　hours。　Gandalf　walked　in　frontas　before。　In　his　left　hand　he　held　up　his　glimmering　staff；　the　light　ofwhich　just　showed　the　ground　before　his　feet；　in　his　right　he　held　his　swordGlamdring。　Behind　him　came　Gimli；　his　eyes　glinting　in　the　dim　light　as　heturned　his　head　from　side　to　side。　Behind　the　dwarf　walked　Frodo；　and　he　haddrawn　the　short　sword；　Sting。　No　gleam　came　from　the　blades　of　Sting　or　ofGlamdring；　and　that　was　some　fort；　for　being　the　work　of　Elvish　smiths　inthe　Elder　Days　these　swords　shone　with　a　cold　light；　if　any　Orcs　were　near　athand。　Behind　Frodo　went　Sam；　and　after　him　Legolas；　and　the　young　hobbits；　andBoromir。　In　the　dark　at　the　rear；　grim　and　silent；　walked　Aragorn。　
The　passage　twisted　round　a　few　turns；　and　then　began　to　descend。　It　wentsteadily　down　for　a　long　while　before　it　became　level　once　again。　The　air　grewhot　and　stifling；　but　it　was　not　foul；　and　at　times　they　felt　currents　ofcooler　air　upon　their　faces；　issuing　from　half…guessed　openings　in　the　walls。　
There　were　many　of　these。　In　the　pale　ray　of　the　wizard's　staff；　Frodo　caughtglimpses　of　stairs　and　arches　and　of　other　passages　and　tunnels；　sloping　up；　
or　running　steeply　down；　or　opening　blankly　dark　on　either　side。　It　wasbewildering　beyond　hope　of　remembering。　
Gimli　aided　Gandalf　very　little；　except　by　his　stout　courage。　At　least　hewas　not；　as　were　most　of　the　others；　troubled　by　the　me