‘But the pany shall all fare alike。 e； bind our eyes Haldir！ '
‘I shall claim full amends for every fall and stubbed toe； if you do notlead us well；' said Gimli as they bound a cloth about his eyes。
'You will have no claim；' said Haldir。 ‘I shall lead you well； and thepaths are smooth and straight。'
‘Alas for the folly of these days！ ' said Legolas。 'Here all are enemiesof the one Enemy； and yet I must walk blind； while the sun is merry in thewoodland under leaves of gold！ '
‘Folly it may seem；' said Haldir。 'Indeed in nothing is the power of theDark Lord more clearly shown than in the estrangement that divides all thosewho still oppose him。 Yet so little faith and trust do we find now in theworld beyond Lothlórien； unless maybe in Rivendell； that we dare not by ourown trust endanger our land。 We live now upon an island amid many perils； andour hands are more often upon the bowstring than upon the harp。
‘The rivers long defended us； but they are a sure guard no more for theShadow has crept northward all about us。 Some speak of departing； yet for thatit already seems too late。 The mountains to the west are growing evil； to theeast the lands are waste； and full of Sauron's creatures； and it is rumouredthat we cannot now safely pass southward through Rohan； and the mouths of theGreat River are watched by the Enemy。 Even if we could e to the shores ofthe Sea； we should find no longer any shelter there。 It is said that there arestill havens of。 the High Elves； but they are far north and west； beyond theland of the Halflings。 But where that may be； though the Lord and Lady mayknow； I do not。'
‘You ought at least to guess； since you have seen us；' said Merry。 ‘Thereare Elf…havens west of my land； the Shire where Hobbits live。'
‘Happy folk are Hobbits to dwell near the shores of the sea！ ' saidHaldir。 'It is long indeed since any of my folk have looked on it； yet stillwe remember it in song。 Tell me of these havens as we walk。'
‘I cannot；' said Merry。 ‘I have never seen them。 I have never been out ofmy own land before。 And if I had known what the world outside was like。 Idon't think I should have had the heart to leave it。'
‘Not even to see fair Lothlórien？ ' said Haldir。 'The world is indeed
full of peril； and in it there are many dark places； but still there is muchthat is fair； and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief； it growsperhaps the greater。
‘Some there are among us who sing that the Shadow will draw back and
peace shall e again。 Yet I do not believe that the world about us will everagain be as it was of old； or the light of the Sun as it was aforetime。 Forthe Elves； I fear； it will prove at best a truce； in which they may pass tothe Sea unhindered and leave the Middle…earth for ever。 Alas for Lothlórien
that I love！ It would be a poor life in a land where no mallorn grew。 But ifthere are mallorn…trees beyond the Great Sea； none have reported it。'
As they spoke thus； the pany filed slowly along the paths in the wood；
led by Haldir； while the other Elf walked behind。 They felt the ground beneaththeir feet smooth and soft； and after a while they walked more freely； withoutfear of hurt or fall。 Being deprived of sight； Frodo found his hearing andother senses sharpened。 He could smell the trees and the trodden grass。 Hecould hear many different notes in the rustle of the leaves overhead； theriver murmuring away on his right； and the thin clear voices of birds in thesky。 He felt the sun upon his face and hands when they passed through an open
glade。
As soon as he set foot upon the far bank of Silverlode a strange feelinghad e upon him； and it deepened as he walked on into the Naith： it seemedto him that he had stepped over a bridge of time into a corner of the ElderDays； and was …now walking in a world that was no more。 In Rivendell there wasmemory of ancient things； in Lórien the ancient things still lived on in thewaking world。 Evil had been seen and heard there； sorrow had been known； theElves feared and distrusted the world outside： wolves were howling on thewood's borders： but on the land of Lórien no shadow lay。
All that day the pany marched on； until they felt the cool eveninge and heard the early night…wind whispering among many leaves。 Then theyrested and slept without fear upon the ground； for their guides would notpermit them to unbind their eyes； and they could not climb。 In the morningthey went on again； walking without haste。 At noon they halted； and Frodo wasaware that they had passed out under the shining Sun。 Suddenly he heard thesound of many voices all around him。
A marching host of Elves had e up silently： they were hastening towardthe northern borders to guard against any attack from Moria； and they broughtnews； some of which Haldir reported。 The marauding orcs had been waylaid andalmost all destroyed； the remnant had fled westward towards the mountains； andwere being pursued。 A strange creature also had been seen； running with bentback and with hands near the ground； like a beast and yet not of beast…shape。
It had eluded capture； and they had not shot it； not knowing whether it wasgood or ill； and it had vanished down the Silverlode southward。
‘Also；' said Haldir； ‘they bring me a message from the Lord and Lady ofthe Galadhrim。 You are all to walk free； even the dwarf Gimli。 It seems thatthe Lady knows who and what is each member of your pany。 New messages havee from Rivendell perhaps。'
He removed the bandage first from Gimli's eyes。 'Your pardon！ ' he said；
bowing low。 ‘Look on us now with friendly eyes！ Look and be glad； for you arethe first dwarf to behold the trees of the Naith of Lórien since Durin's Day！
'
When his eyes were in turn uncovered； Frodo looked up and caught hisbreath。 They were standing in an open space。 To the left stood a great mound；
covered with a sward of grass as green as Spring…time in the Elder Days。 Uponit； as a double crown； grew two circles of trees： the outer had bark of snowywhite； and were leafless but beautiful in their shapely nakedness； the innerwere mallorn…trees of great height； still arrayed in pale gold。 High amid thebranches of a towering tree that stood in the centre of all there gleamed awhite flet。 At the feet of the trees； and all about the green hillsides thegrass was studded with small golden flowers shaped like stars。 Among them；
nodding on slender stalks； were other flowers； white and palest green： theyglimmered as a mist amid the rich hue of the grass。 Over all the sky was blue；
and the sun of afternoon glowed upon the hill and cast long green shadowsbeneath the trees。
'Behold！ You are e to Cerin Amroth；' said Haldir。 ‘For this is the
heart of the ancient realm as it was long ago； and here is the mound ofAmroth； where in happier days his high house was built。 Here ever bloom thewinter flowers in the unfading grass： the yellow _elanor_； and the pale_niphredil_。 Here we will stay awhile； and e to the city of the Galadhrimat dusk。'
The others cast themselves down upon the fragrant grass； but Frodo stoodawhile still lost in wonder。 It seemed to him that he had stepped through ahigh window that looked on a vanished world。 A light was upon it for which hislanguage had no name。 All that he saw was shapely； but the shapes seemed atonce clear cut； as if they had been first conceived and drawn at theuncovering of his eyes； and ancient as if they had endured for ever。 He saw nocolour but those he knew； gold and white and blue and green； but they werefresh and poignant； as if he had at that moment first perceived them and madefor them names new and wonderful。 In winter here no heart could mourn for
summer or for spring。 No blemish or sickness or deformity could be seen inanything that grew upon the earth。 On the land of Lórien there was no stain。
He turned and saw that Sam was now standing beside him； looking roundwith a puzzled expression； and rubbing his eyes as if he was not sure that hewas awake。 ‘It's sunlight and bright day； right enough；' he said。 ‘I thoughtthat Elves were all for moon and stars： but this is more elvish than anythingI ever heard tell of。 I feel as if I was _inside_ a song。 if you take mymeaning。'
Haldir looked at them； and he seemed indeed to take the meaning of boththought and word。 He smiled。 ‘You feel the power of the Lady of theGaladhrim；' he said。 ‘Would it please you to climb with me up Cerin Amroth？ '
They followed him as he stepped lightly up the grass…clad slopes。 Thoughhe walked and breathed； and about him living leaves and flowers were stirredby the same cool wind as fanned his face； Frodo felt that he was in a timelessland that did not fade or change or fall into forgetfulness。 When he had goneand passed again into the outer world； still Frodo the wanderer from the Shirewould walk there； upon the grass among _elanor_ and _niphredil_ in fairLothlórien。
They entered the circle of white trees。 As they did so the South Windblew upon Cerin Amroth and sighed among the branches。 Frodo stood still；
hearing far off_ great seas upon beaches that had long ago been washed away；
and sea…birds crying whose race had perished from the earth。
Haldir had gone on and was now climbing to the high flet。 As Frodoprepared to follow him； he laid his hand upon the tree beside the ladder：
never before had he been so suddenly and so keenly aware of the feel andtexture of a tree's skin and of the life within it。 He felt a delight in woodand the touch of it； neither as forester nor as carpenter； it was the delightof the living tree itself。
As he stepped out at last upon the lofty platform； Haldir took his handand turned him toward the South。 ‘Look this way first！ ' he said。
Frodo looked and saw； still at some distance； a hill of many mightytrees； or a city of green towers： which it was he could not tell。 Out of it；
it seemed to him that the power and light came that held all the land in sway。
He longed suddenly to fly like a bird to rest in the green city。 Then helooked eastward and saw all the land of Lórien running down to the pale gleamof Anduin； the Great River。 He lifted his eyes across the river and all thelight went out； and he was back again in the world he knew。 Beyond the riverthe land appeared flat and empty； formless and vague； until far away i