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last thing written is in a trailing scrawl of elf…letters： _they are ing_。
There is nothing more。' Gandalf paused and stood in silent thought。
A sudden dread and a horror of the chamber fell on the pany。 ‘_Wecannot get out_；' muttered Gimli。 'It was well for us that the pool had sunk alittle； and that the Watcher was sleeping down at the southern end。'
Gandalf raised his head and looked round。 ‘They seem to have made a laststand by both doors；' he said； 'but there were not many left by that time。 Soended the attempt to retake Moria！ It was valiant but foolish。 The time is note yet。 Now； I fear； we must say farewell to Balin son of Fundin。 Here hemust lie in the halls of his fathers。 We will take this book； the Book ofMazarbul； and look at it more closely later。 You had better keep it； Gimli；
and take it back to Dáin； if you get a chance。 It will interest him； though itwill grieve him deeply。 e； let us go！ The morning is passing。'
'Which way shall we go？ ' asked Boromir。
'Back to the hall；' answered Gandalf。 'But our visit to this room has notbeen in vain。 I now know where we are。 This must be； as Gimli says； theChamber of Mazarbul； and the hall must be the twenty…first of the North…end。
Therefore we should leave by the eastern arch of the hall； and bear right andsouth； and go downwards。 The Twenty…first Hall should be on the Seventh Level；
that is six above the level of the Gates。 e now！ Back to the hall！ '
Gandalf had hardly spoken these words； when there came a great noise： arolling _Boom_ that seemed to e from depths far below； and to tremble inthe stone at their feet。 They sprang towards the door in alarm。 _Doom； doom_
it rolled again； as if huge hands were turning the very caverns of Moria intoa vast drum。 Then there came an echoing blast： a great horn was blown in thehall； and answering horns and harsh cries were heard further off。 There was ahurrying sound of many feet。
‘They are ing！ ' cried Legolas。
'We cannot get out；' said Gimli。
‘Trapped！ ' cried Gandalf。 ‘Why did I delay？ Here we are； caught； just asthey were before。 But I was not here then。 We will see what –––…'
_Doom； doom_ came the drum…beat and the walls shook。
'Slam the doors and wedge them！ ' shouted Aragorn。 'And keep your packson as long as you can： we may get a chance to cut our way out yet。'
‘No！ ' said Gandalf。 'We must not get shut in。 Keep the east door ajar！
We will go that way； if we get a chance。'
Another harsh horn…call and shrill cries rang out。 Feet were ing downthe corridor。 There was a ring and clatter as the pany drew their swords。
Glamdring shone with a pale light； and Sting glinted at the edges。 Boromir sethis shoulder against the western door。
‘Wait a moment！ Do not close it yet！ ' said Gandalf。 He sprang forward toBoromir's side and drew himself up to his full height。
'Who es hither to disturb the rest of Balin Lord of Moria？ ' he cried
in a loud voice。
There was a rush of hoarse laughter； like the fall of sliding stones intoa pit； amid the clamour a deep voice was raised in mand。 Doom； boom； doomwent the drums in the deep。
With a quick movement Gandalf stepped before the narrow opening of thedoor and thrust forward his staff： There was a dazzling flash that lit thechamber and the passage outside。 For an instant the wizard looked out。 Arrowswhined and whistled down the corridor as he sprang back。
'There are Orcs； very many of them；' he said。 ‘And some are large andevil： black Uruks of Mordor。 For the moment they are hanging back； but thereis something else there。 A great cave…troll； I think； or more than one。 Thereis no hope of escape that way。'
'And no hope at all； if they e at the other door as well；' saidBoromir。
'There is no sound outside here yet；' said Aragorn； who was standing bythe eastern door listening。 ‘The passage on this side plunges straight down a
stair： it plainly does not lead back towards the hall。 But it is no goodflying blindly this way with the pursuit just behind。 We cannot block thedoor。 Its key is gone and the lock is broken； and it opens inwards。 We must dosomething to delay the enemy first。 We will make them fear the Chamber ofMazarbul！' he said grimly feeling the edge of his sword； Andúril。
Heavy feet were heard in the corridor。 Boromir flung himself against thedoor and heaved it to； then he wedged it with broken sword…blades andsplinters of wood。 The pany retreated to the other side of the chamber。 Butthey had no chance to fly yet。 There was a blow on the door that made itquiver； and then it began to grind slowly open； driving back the wedges。 Ahuge arm and shoulder； with a dark skin of greenish scales； was thrust throughthe widening gap。 Then a great； flat； toeless foot was forced through below。
There was a dead silence outside。
Boromir leaped forward and hewed at the arm with all his might； but hissword rang； glanced aside； and fell from his shaken hand。 The blade wasnotched。
Suddenly； and to his own surprise； Frodo felt a hot wrath blaze up in hisheart。 ‘The Shire！ ' he cried； and springing beside Boromir； he stooped； andstabbed with Sting at the hideous foot。 There was a bellow； and the footjerked back； nearly wrenching Sting from Frodo's arm。 Black drops dripped fromthe blade and smoked on the floor。 Boromir hurled himself against the door andslammed it again。
‘One for the Shire！ ' cried Aragorn。 ‘The hobbit's bite is deep！ You havea good blade； Frodo son of Drogo！ '
There was a crash on the door； followed by crash after crash。 Rams andhammers were beating against it。 It cracked and staggered back； and theopening grew suddenly wide。 Arrows came whistling in； but struck the northernwall； and fell harmlessly to the floor。 There was a horn…blast and a rush offeet； and orcs one after another leaped into the chamber。
How many there were the pany could not count。 The affray was sharp；
but the orcs were dismayed by the fierceness of the defence。 Legolas shot twothrough the throat。 Gimli hewed the legs from under another that had sprung upon Balin's tomb。 Boromir and Aragorn slew many。 When thirteen had fallen therest fled shrieking。 leaving the defenders unharmed； except for Sam who had ascratch along the scalp。 A quick duck had saved him； and he had felled hisorc： a sturdy thrust with his Barrow…blade。 A fire was smouldering in hisbrown eyes that would have made Ted Sandyman step backwards； if he had seenit。
‘Now is the time！ ' cried Gandalf。 ‘Let us go； before the troll returns！'
But even as they retreated； and before Pippin and Merry had reached thestair outside； a huge orc…chieftain； almost man…high； clad in black mail fromhead to foot； leaped into the chamber； behind him his followers clustered inthe doorway。 His broad flat face was swart； his eyes were like coals； and histongue was red； he wielded a great spear。 With a thrust of his huge hideshield he turned Boromir's sword and bore him backwards； throwing him to theground。 Diving under Aragorn's blow with the speed of a striking snake hecharged into the pany and thrust with his spear straight at Frodo。 The blowcaught him on the right side； and Frodo was hurled against the wall andpinned。 Sam； with a cry； hacked at the spear…shaft； and it broke。 But even asthe orc f