ed that from which they fled； Durin's Bane。 Of what they brought tolight the Orcs have gathered nearly all； and given it in tribute to Sauron；
who covets it。
‘_Mithril！_ All folk desired it。 It could be beaten like copper； andpolished like glass； and the Dwarves could make of it a metal； light and yetharder than tempered steel。 Its beauty was like to that of mon silver； butthe beauty of _mithril_ did not tarnish or grow dim。 The Elves dearly lovedit； and among many uses they made of it _ithildin_； starmoon； which you sawupon the doors。 Bilbo had a corslet of mithril…rings that Thorin gave him。 Iwonder what has bee of it？ Gathering dust still in Michel Delving Mathomhouse；
I suppose。'
‘What？ ' cried Gimli； startled out of his silence。 ‘A corslet of Moria…
silver？ That was a kingly gift！ '
'Yes；' said Gandalf。 ‘I never told him； but its worth was greater thanthe value of the whole Shire and everything in it。'
Frodo said nothing； but he put his hand under his tunic and touched therings of his mail…shirt。 He felt staggered to think that he had been walkingabout with the price of the Shire under his jacket。 Had Bilbo known？ He feltno doubt that Bilbo knew quite well。 It was indeed a kingly gift。 But now histhoughts had been carried away from the dark Mines； to Rivendell； to Bilbo；
and to Bag End in the days while Bilbo was still there。 He wished with all hisheart that he was back there； and in those days； mowing the lawn； or potteringamong the flowers； and that he had never heard of Moria； or _mithril …_or theRing。
A deep silence fell。 One by one the others fell asleep。 Frodo was onguard。 As if it were a breath that came in through unseen doors out of deepplaces； dread came over him。 His hands were cold and his brow damp。 Helistened。 All his mind was given to listening and nothing else for two slowhours； but he heard no sound； not even the imagined echo of a footfall。
His watch was nearly over； when； far off where he guessed that thewestern archway stood； he fancied that he could see two pale points of light；
almost like luminous eyes。 He started。 His head had nodded。 ‘I must havenearly fallen asleep on guard；' he thought。 ‘I was on the edge of a dream。' Hestood up and rubbed his eyes； and remained standing； peering into the dark；
until he was relieved by Legolas。
When he lay down he quickly went to sleep； but it seemed to him that thedream went on： he heard whispers； and saw the two pale points of lightapproaching； slowly。 He woke and found that the others were speaking softlynear him； and that a dim light was falling on his face。 High up above theeastern archway through a shaft near the roof came a long pale gleam； and
across the hall through the northern arch light also glimmered faint anddistantly。
Frodo sat up。 ‘Good morning！ ' said Gandalf： ‘For morning it is again atlast。 I was right； you see。 We are high up on the east side of Moria。 Beforetoday is over we ought to find the Great Gates and see the waters ofMirrormere lying in the Dimrill Dale before us。'
'I shall be glad；' said Gimli。 ‘I have looked on Moria； and it is verygreat； but it has bee dark and dreadful； and we have found no sign of mykindred。 I doubt now that Balin ever came here。'
After they had breakfasted Gandalf decided to go on again at once。 ‘Weare tired； but we shall rest better when we are outside；' he said。 ‘I thinkthat none of us will wish to spend another night in Moria。'
‘No indeed！ ' said Boromir。 ‘Which way shall we take？ Yonder eastwardarch？ '
'Maybe；' said Gandalf。 ‘But I du not know yet exactly where we are。
Unless I am quite astray； I guess that we are above and to the north of theGreat Gates； and it may not be easy to find the right road down to them。 Theeastern arch will probably prove to be the way that we must take； but beforewe make up our minds we ought to look about us。 Let us go towards that lightin the north door。 If we could find a window it would help； but I fear thatthe light es only down deep shafts。'
Following his lead the pany passed under the northern arch。 They foundthemselves in a wide corridor。 As they went along it the glimmer grewstronger； and they saw that it came through a doorway on their right。 It washigh and flat…topped； and the stone door was still upon its hinges； standinghalf open。 Beyond it was a large square chamber。 It was dimly lit； but totheir eyes； after so long a time in the dark； it seemed dazzlingly bright； andthey blinked as they entered。
Their feet disturbed a deep dust upon the floor； and stumbled amongthings lying in the doorway whose shapes they could not at first make out。 Thechamber was lit by a wide shaft high in the further eastern wall； it slantedupwards and； far above； a small square patch of blue sky could be seen。 Thelight of the shaft fell directly on a table in the middle of the room： asingle oblong block； about two feet high； upon which was laid a great slab ofwhite stone。
‘It looks like a tomb；' muttered Frodo； and bent forwards with a curioussense of foreboding； to look more closely at it。 Gandalf came quickly to hisside。 On the slab runes were deeply graven：
'These are Daeron's Runes； such as were used of old in Moria；' saidGandalf。 'Here is written in the tongues of Men and Dwarves：
BALIN SON OF FUNDIN
LORD OF MORIA。'
'He is dead then；' said Frodo。 ‘I feared it was so。' Gimli cast his hoodover his face。
_Chapter 5_
The Bridge of Khazad…d。m
The pany of the Ring stood silent beside the tomb of Balin。 Frodothought of Bilbo and his long friendship with the dwarf； and of Balin's visitto the Shire long ago。 In that dusty chamber in the mountains it seemed athousand years ago and on the other side of the world。
At length they stirred and looked up； and began to search for anythingthat would give them tidings of Balin's fate； or show what had bee of hisfolk。 There was another smaller door on the other side of the chamber； underthe shaft。 By both the doors they could now see that many bones were lying；
and among them were broken swords and axe…heads； and cloven shields and helms。
Some of the swords were crooked： orc…scimitars with blackened blades。
There were many recesses cut in the rock of the walls； and in them werelarge iron…bound chests of wood。 All had been broken and plundered； but besidethe shattered lid of one there lay the remains of a book。 It had been slashedand stabbed and partly burned； and it was so stained with black and other darkmarks like old blood that little of it could be read。 Gandalf lifted it
carefully； but the leaves crackled and broke as he laid it on the slab。 Hepored over it for some time without speaking。 Frodo and Gimli standing at hisside could see； as he gingerly turned the leaves； that they were written bymany different hands； in runes； both of Moria and of Dale； and here and therein Elvish script。
At last Gandalf looked up。 'It seems to be a record of the fortunes ofBalin's folk；' he said。 ‘I guess that it began with their ing to DimrillDale nigh on thirty years ago： the pages seem to have numbers referring to theyears after their arrival。 The top page is marked _one – three_； so at leasttwo are missing from the beginning。 Listen to this！
'_We drove out orcs from the great gate and guard_ – I think； the nextword is blurred and burned； probably _room_ – _we slew many in the bright_ – Ithink – _sun in the dale。 Flói was killed by an arrow。 He slew the great_。
Then there is a blur followed by _Flói under grass near Mirror mere_。 The nextline or two I cannot read。 Then es _We have taken the twentyfirst hall ofNorth end to dwell in。 There is_I cannot read what。 A _shaft_ is mentioned。
Then _Balin has set up his seat in the Chamber of Mazarbul_。'
'The Chamber of Records；' said Gimli。 ‘I guess that is where we nowstand。'
‘Well； I can read no more for a long way；' said Gandalf； 'except the word_gold_； and _Durin's Axe_ and something _helm_。 Then _Balin is now lord ofMoria_。 That seems to end a chapter。 After some stars another hand begins； andI can see _we found truesilver_； and later the word _wellforged_ and thensomething； I have it！ _mithril_； and the last two lines _óin to seek for theupper armouries of Third Deep_； something _go westwards_； a blur；_ to Hollingate_。'
Gandalf paused and set a few leaves aside。 'There are several pages ofthe same sort； rather hastily written and much damaged； he said； ‘but I canmake little of them in this light。 Now there must be a number of leavesmissing； because they begin to be numbered _five_； the fifth year of thecolony； I suppose。 Let me see！ No； they are too cut and stained； I cannot readthem。 We might do better in the sunlight。 Wait！ Here is something： a largebold hand using an Elvish script。'
'That would be Ori's hand；' said Gimli； looking over the wizard's arm。
‘He could write well and speedily； and often used the Elvish characters。'
‘I fear he had ill tidings to record in a fair hand；' said Gandalf。 'Thefirst clear word is _sorrow_； but the rest of the line is lost； unless it endsin _estre_。 Yes； it must be _yestre_ followed by _day being the tenth ofnovembre Balin lord of Moria fell in Dimrill Dale。 He went alone to look in
Mirror mere。 an orc shot him from behind a stone。 we slew the orc； hut manymore 。。。 up from east up the Silverlode_。 The remainder of the page is soblurred that I can hardly make anything out； but I think I can read_ we havebarred the gates_； and then _can hold them long if_； and then perhaps_horrible_ and _suffer_。 Poor Balin！ He seems to have kept the title that hetook for less than five years。 I wonder what happened afterwards； but there isno time to puzzle out the last few pages。 Here is the last page of all。' Hepaused and sighed。
‘It is grim reading；' he said。 'I fear their end was cruel。 Listen！ _Wecannot get out。 We cannot get out。 They have taken the Bridge and second hall。
Frár and Lóni and Náli fell there_。 Then there are four lines smeared so that
I can only _read went 5 days ago_。 The last lines _run the pool is up to thewall at Westgate。 The Watcher in the Water took óin。 We cannot get out。 Theend es_； and then_ drums； drums in the deep_。 I wonder what that means。 The
last thing written is in a trailing scrawl of elf…letters： _they are ing_。
There is nothing more。' Ga