you will e there before me； if you wish。' He rose and looked long at
Gandalf。 The others gazed at them in silence as they stood there facing one
another。 The grey figure of the Man； Aragorn son of Arathorn； was tall； and
stern as stone； his hand upon the hilt of his sword； he looked as if some
king out of the mists of the sea had stepped upon the shores of lesser men。
Before him stooped the old figure； white； shining now as if with some light
kindled within； bent； laden with years； but holding a power beyond the
strength of kings。
'Do I not say truly； Gandalf；' said Aragorn at last； 'that you could go
whithersoever you wished quicker than I？ And this I also say： you are our
captain and our banner。 The Dark Lord has Nine。 But we have One； mightier
than they： the White Rider。 He has passed through the fire and the abyss；
and they shall fear him。 We will go where he leads。'
'Yes； together we will follow you；' said Legolas。 'But first； it would
ease my heart； Gandalf； to hear what befell you in Moria。 Will you not tell
us？ Can you not stay even to tell your friends how you were delivered？'
'I have stayed already too long；' answered Gandalf。 'Time is short。 But
if there were a year to spend； I would not tell you all。'
'Then tell us what you will； and time allows！' said Gimli。 'e；
Gandalf； tell us how you fared with the Balrog！'
'Name him not！' said Gandalf； and for a moment it seemed that a cloud
of pain passed over his face； and he sat silent； looking old as death。 'Long
time I fell；' he said at last； slowly； as if thinking back with difficulty。
'Long I fell； and he fell with me。 His fire was about me。 I was burned。 Then
we plunged into the deep water and all was dark。 Cold it was as the tide of
death： almost it froze my heart。'
'Deep is the abyss that is spanned by Durin's Bridge； and none has
measured it；' said Gimli。
'Yet it has a bottom； beyond light and knowledge；' said Gandalf。
'Thither I came at last； to the uttermost foundations of stone。 He was with
me still。 His fire was quenched； but now he was a thing of slime； stronger
than a strangling snake。
'We fought far under the living earth； where time is not counted。 Ever
he clutched me； and ever I hewed him； till at last he fled into dark
tunnels。 They were not made by Durin's folk； Gimli son of Gluin。 Far； far
below the deepest delving of the Dwarves； the world is gnawed by nameless
things。 Even Sauron knows them not。 They are older than he。 Now I have
walked there； but I will bring no report to darken the light of day。 In that
despair my enemy was my only hope； and I pursued him； clutching at his heel。
Thus he brought me back at last to the secret ways of Khazad…dym： too well
he knew them all。 Ever up now we went； until we came to the Endless Stair。'
'Long has that been lost；' said Gimli。 'Many have said that it was
never made save in legend； but others say that it was destroyed。'
'It was made； and it had not been destroyed；' said Gandalf。 'From the
lowest dungeon to the highest peak it climbed。 ascending in unbroken spiral
in many thousand steps； until it issued at last in Durin's Tower carved in
the living rock of Zirak…zigil； the pinnacle of the Silvertine。
'There upon Celebdil was a lonely window in the snow； and before it lay
a narrow space； a dizzy eyrie above the mists of the world。 The sun shone
fiercely there； but all below was wrapped in cloud。 Out he sprang； and even
as I came behind； he burst into new flame。 There was none to see； or perhaps
in after ages songs would still be sung of the Battle of the Peak。' Suddenly
Gandalf laughed。 'But what would they say in song？ Those that looked up from
afar thought that the mountain was crowned with storm。 Thunder they heard；
and lightning； they said； smote upon Celebdil； and leaped back broken into
tongues of fire。 Is not that enough？ A great smoke rose about us； vapour and
steam。 Ice fell like rain。 I threw down my enemy； and he fell from the high
place and broke the mountain…side where he smote it in his ruin。 Then
darkness took me； and I strayed out of thought and time； and I wandered far
on roads that I will not tell。
'Naked I was sent back for a brief time； until my task is done。 And
naked I lay upon the mountain…top。 The tower behind was crumbled into dust；
the window gone； the ruined stair was choked with burned and broken stone。 I
was alone； forgotten； without escape upon the hard horn of the world。 There
I lay staring upward； while the stars wheeled over； and each day was as long
as a life…age of the earth。 Faint to my ears came the gathered rumour of all
lands： the springing and the dying； the song and the weeping； and the slow
everlasting groan of overburdened stone。 And so at the last Gwaihir the
Windlord found me again； and he took me up and bore me away。
' 'Ever am I fated to be your burden； friend at need；' I said。
' 'A burden you have been；' he answered； 'but not so now。 Light as a
swan's feather in my claw you are。 The Sun shines through you。 Indeed I do
not think you need me any more： were I to let you fall you would float upon
the wind。'
' 'Do not let me fall！' I gasped； for I felt life in me again。 'Bear me
to Lothlurien！'
' 'That indeed is the mand of the Lady Galadriel who sent me to look
for you；' he answered。
'Thus it was that I came to Caras Galadhon and found you but lately
gone。 I tarried there in the ageless time of that land where days bring
healing not decay。 Healing I found； and I was clothed in white。 Counsel I
gave and counsel took。 Thence by strange roads I came； and messages I bring
to some of you。 To Aragorn I was bidden to say this：
Where now are the D畁edain； Elessar； Elessar？
Why do thy kinsfolk wander afar？
Near is the hour when the Lost should e forth；
And the Grey pany ride from the North。
But dark is the path appointed for thee：
The Dead watch the road that leads to the Sea。
To Legolas she sent this word：
Legolas Greenleaf long under tree
In joy thou hast lived。 Beware of the Sea！
If thou hearest the cry of the gull on the shore；
Thy heart shall then rest in the forest no more。'
Gandalf fell silent and shut his eyes。
'Then she sent me no message？' said Gimli and bent his head。
'Dark are her words；' said Legolas； 'and little do they mean to those
that receive them。'
'That is no fort；' said Gimli。
'What then？' said Legolas。 'Would you have her speak openly to you of
your death？'
'Yes。 if she had nought else to say。'
'What is that？' said Gandalf； opening his eyes。 'Yes； I think I can
guess what her words may mean。 Your pardon； Gimli！ I was pondering the
messages once again。 But indeed she sent words to you； and neither dark nor
sad。
' 〃To Gimli son of Gluin；〃 she said； 〃give his Lady's greeting。
Lock…bearer； wherever thou goest my thought goes