‘There！' said Merry panting。 ‘We have lugged up your blankets as well asour own。 Strider has hidden all the rest of the baggage in a deep drift ofleaves。'
‘You had no need of your burdens；' said Haldir。 ‘It is cold in the treetops
in winter； though the wind tonight is in the South； but we have food anddrink to give you that will drive away the night…chill； and we have skins andcloaks to spare。'
The hobbits accepted this second （and far better） supper very gladly。
Then they wrapped themselves warmly； not only in the fur…cloaks of the Elves；
but in their own blankets as well； and tried to go to sleep。 But weary as theywere only Sam found that easy to do。 Hobbits do not like heights； and do notsleep upstairs； even when they have any stairs。 The flet was not at all totheir liking as a bedroom。 It had no walls。 not even a rail； only on one sidewas there a light plaited screen； which could be moved and fixed in different
places according to the wind。
Pippin went on talking for a while。 ‘I hope； if I do go to sleep in thisbed…loft； that I shan't roll off；' he said。
‘Once I do get to sleep；' said Sam； 'i shall go on sleeping； whether Iroll off or no。 And the less said； the sooner I'll drop off； if you take mymeaning。'
Frodo lay for some time awake； and looked up at the stars glintingthrough the pale roof of quivering leaves。 Sam was snoring at his side longbefore he himself closed his eyes。 He could dimly see the grey forms of twoelves sitting motionless with their arms about their knees； speaking inwhispers。 The other had gone down to take up his watch on one of the lowerbranches。 At last lulled by the wind in the boughs above； and the sweet murmurof the falls of Nimrodel below； Frodo fell asleep with the song of Legolasrunning in his mind。
Late in the night he awoke。 The other hobbits were asleep。 The Elves weregone。 The sickle Moon was gleaming dimly among the leaves。 The wind was still。
A little way off he heard a harsh laugh and the tread of many feet on theground below。 There was a ring of metal。 The sounds died slowly away； andseemed to go southward； on into the wood。
A head appeared suddenly through the hole in the flet。 Frodo sat up inalarm and saw that it was a grey…hooded Elf。 He looked towards the hobbits。
‘What is it？ ' said Frodo。
‘_Yrch！_' said the Elf in a hissing whisper； and cast on to the flet therope…ladder rolled up。
'Orcs！ ' said Frodo。 ‘What are they doing？ ' But the Elf had gone。
There were no more sounds。 Even the leaves were silent； and the veryfalls seemed to be hushed。 Frodo sat and shivered in his wraps。 He wasthankful that they had not been caught on the ground； but he felt that thetrees offered little protection； except concealment。 Orcs were as keen ashounds on a scent； it was said； but they could also climb。 He drew out Sting：
it flashed and glittered like a blue flame and then slowly faded again andgrew dull。 In spite of the fading of his sword the feeling of immediate dangerdid not leave Frodo； rather it grew stronger。 He got up and crawled to theopening and peered down。 He was almost certain that he could hear stealthymovements at the tree's foot far below。
Not Elves； for the woodland folk were altogether noiseless in theirmovements。 Then he heard faintly a sound like sniffing： and something seemedto be scrabbling on the bark of the tree…trunk。 He stared down into the dark；
holding his breath。
Something was now climbing slowly； and its breath came like a softhissing through closed teeth。 Then ing up； close to the stem； Frodo saw twopale eyes。 They stopped and gazed upward unwinking。 Suddenly they turned away；
and a shadowy figure slipped round the trunk of the tree and vanished。
Immediately afterwards Haldir came climbing swiftly up through thebranches。 ‘There was something in this tree that I have never seen before；' hesaid。 ‘It was not an orc。 It fled as soon as I touched the tree…stem。 It
seemed to be wary； and to have some skill in trees； or I might have thoughtthat it was one of you hobbits。
'I did not shoot； for I dared not arouse any cries： we cannot riskbattle。 A strong pany of Orcs has passed。 They crossed the Nimrodel…cursetheir foul feet in its clean water！…and went on down the old road beside the
river。 They seemed to pick up some scent； and they searched the ground for awhile near the place where you halted。 The three of us could not challenge ahundred； so we went ahead and spoke with feigned voices； leading them on intothe wood。
‘Orophin has now gone in haste back to our dwellings to warn our people。
None of the Orcs will ever return out of Lórien。 And there will be many Elveshidden on the northern border before another night falls。 But you must takethe road south as soon as it is fully light。'
Day came pale from the East。 As the light grew it filtered through theyellow leaves of the mallorn； and it seemed to the hobbits that the early sunof a cool summer's morning was shining。 Pale…blue sky peeped among the movingbranches。 Looking through an opening on the south side of the flet Frodo sawall the valley of the Silverlode lying like a sea of fallow gold tossinggently in the breeze。
The morning was still young and cold when the pany set out again；
guided now by Haldir and his brother Rúmil。 ‘Farewell； sweet Nimrodel！ ' criedLegolas。 Frodo looked back and caught a gleam of white foam among the greytree…stems。 ‘Farewell；' he said。 It seemed to him that he would never hearagain a running water so beautiful； for ever blending its innumerable notes inan endless changeful music。
They went back to the path that still went on along the west side of theSilverlode； and for some way they followed it southward。 There were the printsof orc…feet in the earth。 But soon Haldir turned aside into the trees and
halted on the bank of the river under their shadows。
‘There is one of my people yonder across the stream；' he said ‘though youmay not see him。' He gave a call like the low whistle of a bird； and out of athicket of young trees an Elf stepped； clad in grey； but with his hood thrownback； his hair glinted like gold in the morning sun。 Haldir skilfully castover the stream a coil of grey rope； and he caught it and bound the end abouta tree near the bank。
‘Celebrant is already a strong stream here； as you see；' said Haldir 'andit runs both swift and deep； and is very cold。 We do not set foot in it so farnorth； unless we must。 But in these days of watchfulness we do not makebridges。 This is how we cross！ Follow me！' He made his end of the rope fastabout another tree； and then ran lightly along it； over the river and backagain； as if he were on a road。
‘I can walk this path；' said Legolas； ‘but the others have not thisskill。 Must they swim？'
‘No！' said Haldir。 ‘We have two more ropes。 We will fasten them above theother； one shoulder…high； and another half…high； and holding these thestrangers should be able to cross with care。'
When this slender bridge had been made； the pany passed over； somecautiously and slowly； others more easily。 Of the hobbits Pippin proved thebest for he was sure…footed； and he walked over quickly； holding only with onehand； but he kept his eyes on the bank ahead and did not look down。 Samshuffled along； clutching hard； and looking down into the pale eddying wateras if it was a chasm in the mountains。
He breathed with relief when he was safely across。 ‘Live and learn！ as mygaffer used to say。 Though he was thinking of gardening； not of roosting likea bird； nor of trying to walk like a spider。 Not even my uncle Andy ever did atrick like that！ '
When at length all the pany was gathered on the east bank of theSilverlode； the Elves untied the ropes and coiled two of them。 Rúmil； who hadremained on the other side； drew back the last one； slung it on his shoulder；
and with a wave of his hand went away； back to Nimrodel to keep watch。
‘Now； friends；' said Haldir； ‘you have entered the Naith of Lórien or theGore； as you would say； for it is the land that lies like a spear…head betweenthe arms of Silverlode and Anduin the Great。 We allow no strangers to spy outthe secrets of the Naith。 Few indeed are permitted even to set foot there。
‘As was agreed； I shall here blindfold the eyes of Gimli the Dwarf。 Theother may walk free for a while； until we e nearer to our dwellings； downin Egladil； in the Angle between the waters。'
This was not at all to the liking of Gimli。 ‘The agreement was madewithout my consent；' he said。 ‘I will not walk blindfold； like a beggar or aprisoner。 And I am no spy。 My folk have never had dealings with any of theservants of the Enemy。 Neither have we done harm to the Elves。 I am no morelikely to betray you than Legolas； or any other of my panions。'
'I do not doubt you；' said Haldir。 'Yet this is our law。 I am not the
master of the law； and cannot set it aside。 I have done much in letting youset foot over Celebrant。'
Gimli was obstinate。 He planted his feet firmly apart； and laid his handupon the haft of his axe。 'I will go forward free；' he said； 'or I will goback and seek my own land； where I am known to be true of word； though Iperish alone in the wilderness。'
‘You cannot go back；' said Haldir sternly。 'Now you have e thus far；
you must be brought before the Lord and the Lady。 They shall judge you； tohold you or to give you leave； as they will。 You cannot cross the riversagain； and behind you there are now secret sentinels that you cannot pass。 Youwould be slain before you saw them。'
Gimli drew his axe from his belt。 Haldir and his panion bent theirbows。 'A plague on Dwarves and their stiff necks！ ' said Legolas。
'e！' said Aragorn。 ‘If I am still to lead this pany； you must do asI bid。 It is hard upon the Dwarf to be thus singled out。 We will all beblindfold； even Legolas。 That will be best； though it will make the journeyslow and dull。'
Gimli laughed suddenly。 ‘A merry troop of fools we shall look！ WillHaldir lead us all on a string； like many blind beggars with one dog？ But Iwill be content； if only Legolas here shares my blindness。'
turn。
‘I am an Elf and a kinsman here；' said Legolas； being angry in his
‘Now let us cry： 〃a plague on the stiff necks of Elves！〃' said Aragorn。
‘But the pany shall all fare alike。 e； bind our eyes Haldir！ '
‘I shal