walls of the chamber； as far aspossible from the hole in the floor； he crept to the edge and peered over。 Achill air seemed to strike his face； rising from invisible depths。 Moved by asudden impulse he groped for a loose stone； and let it drop。 He felt his heartbeat many times before there was any sound。 Then far below； as if the stonehad fallen into deep water in some cavernous place； there came a _plunk_； verydistant； but magnified and repeated in the hollow shaft。
‘What's that？ ' cried Gandalf。 He was relieved when Pippin confessed whathe had done； but he was angry； and Pippin could see his eye glinting。 'Fool ofa Took！ ' he growled。 'This is a serious journey； not a hobbit walking…party。
Throw yourself in next time； and then you will be no further nuisance。 Now bequiet！ '
Nothing more was heard for several minutes； but then there came out ofthe depths faint knocks： _tom…tap； tap…tom_。 They stopped； and when the echoeshad died away； they were repeated： _tap…tom； tom…tap； tap…tap； tom_。 Theysounded disquietingly like signals of some sort； but after a while theknocking died away and was not heard again。
'That was the sound of a hammer； or I have never heard one；' said Gimli。
‘Yes；' said Gandalf； 'and I do not like it。 It may have nothing to dowith Peregrin's foolish stone； but probably something has been disturbed thatwould have been better left quiet。 Pray； do nothing of the kind again！ Let ushope we shall get some rest without further trouble。 You； Pippin； can go onthe first watch； as a reward；' he growled； as he rolled himself in a blanket。
Pippin sat miserably by the door in the pitch dark； but he kept onturning round； fearing that some unknown thing would crawl up out of the well。
He wished he could cover the hole； if only with a blanket； but he dared notmove or go near it； even though Gandalf seemed to be asleep。
Actually Gandalf was awake； though lying still and silent。 He was deep inthought； trying to recall every memory of his former journey in the Mines； andconsidering anxiously the next course that he should take； a false turn nowmight be disastrous。 After an hour he rose up and came over to Pippin。
‘Get into a corner and have a sleep； my lad；' he said in a kindly tone。
'You want to sleep； I expect。 I cannot get a wink； so I may as well do thewatching。'
'I know what is the matter with me；' he muttered； as he sat down by thedoor。 'I need smoke！ I have not tasted it since the morning before thesnowstorm。'
The last thing that Pippin saw； as sleep took him； was a dark glimpse of
the old wizard huddled on the floor； shielding a glowing chip in his gnarledhands between his knees。 The flicker for a moment showed his sharp nose。 andthe puff of smoke。
It was Gandalf who roused them all from sleep。 He had sat and watched allalone for about six hours； and had let the others rest。 ‘And in the watches Ihave made up my mind；' he said。 ‘I do not like the feel of the middle way； andI do not like the smell of the left…hand way： there is foul air down there； orI am no guide。 I shall take the right…hand passage。 It is time we began toclimb up again。'
For eight dark hours； not counting two brief halts； they marched on； andthey met no danger； and heard nothing； and saw nothing but the faint gleam ofthe wizard's light； bobbing like a will…o'…the…wisp in front of them。 Thepassage they had chosen wound steadily upwards。 As far as they could judge itwent in great mounting curves； and as it rose it grew loftier and wider。 Therewere now no openings to other galleries or tunnels on either side； and thefloor was level and sound； without pits or cracks。 Evidently they had struckwhat once had been an important road； and they went forward quicker than theyhad done on their first march。
In this way they advanced some fifteen miles； measured in a direct lineeast； though they must have actually walked twenty miles or more。 As the roadclimbed upwards‘ Frodo's spirits rose a little； but he still felt oppressed；
and still at times he heard； or thought he heard； away behind the pany andbeyond the fall and patter of their feet； a following footstep that was not anecho。
They had marched as far as the hobbits could endure without a rest； andall were thinking of a place where they could sleep； when suddenly the wallsto right and left vanished。 They seemed to have passed through some archeddoorway into a black and empty space。 There was a great draught of warmer airbehind them； and before them the darkness was cold on their faces。 They haltedand crowded anxiously together。
Gandalf seemed pleased。 ‘I chose the right way；' he said。 ‘At last we areing to the habitable parts； and I guess that we are not far now from theeastern 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。 Iwill now risk a little real light。'
He raised his staff； and for a brief instant there was blaze like a flashof lightning。 Great shadows sprang up and fled； and for a second they saw avast 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 entrancesthey saw； dark black arches： one straight before them eastwards； and one oneither 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 mountain…side； and shafts leading outto the light in the upper reaches of the Mines。 I think we have reached themnow； but it is night outside again； and we cannot tell until morning。 If I amright； tomorrow we may actually see the morning peeping in。 But in themeanwhile we had better go no further。 Let us rest； if we can。 Things havegone well so far； and the greater part of the dark road is over。 But we arenot through yet； and it is a long way down to the Gates that open on theworld。'
The pany spent that night in the great cavernous hall； huddled closetogether in a corner to escape the draught： there seemed to be a steady inflowof chill air through the eastern archway。 All about them as they lay hung thedarkness； hollow and immense； and they were oppressed by the loneliness andvastness of the dolven halls and endlessly branching stairs and passages。 Thewildest imaginings that dark rumour had ever suggested to the hobbits fellaltogether short of the actual dread and wonder of Moria。
‘There must have been a mighty crowd of dwarves here at one time ' saidSam； ‘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'tlive in these darksome holes surely？ '
‘These are not holes；' said Gimli。 ‘This is the great realm and city ofthe Dwarrowdelf。 And of old it was not darksome； but full of light andsplendour； as is still remembered in our songs。'
He rose and standing in the dark he began to chant in a deep voice； whilethe 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 many…pillared 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 forged 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 forge's fire is ashen…cold
No harp is wrung； no hammer falls：
The darkness dwells in Durin's halls
The shadow lies upon his tomb
In Moria； in Khazad…d。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； inKhazad…d。m！_ But it makes the darkness seem heavier； thinking of all thoselamps。 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 plunderedMoria； 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： theyare 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 goldand jewels； the toys of the Dwarves； nor in iron； their servant。 Such thingsthey found here； it is true； especially iron； but they did not need to delvefor them： all things that they desired they could obtain in traffic。 For herealone in the world was found Moria…silver； or true…silver as some have calledit： _mithril_ is the Elvish name。 The Dwarves have a name which they do nottell。 Its worth was ten times that of gold； and now it is beyond price； forlittle is left above ground； and even the Orcs dare not delve here for it。 Thelodes lead away north towards Caradhras； and down to darkness。 The Dwarvestell no tale； but even as _mithril_ was the foundation of their wealth； soalso it was their destruction： they delved too greedily and too deep； anddisturbed that from which they fled； Durin's Bane。 Of what they brought tolight the Orcs have gathered near