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Gimli the dwarf alone wore openly a short shirt of steel…rings； for dwarves make light of burdens； and in his belt was a broad…bladed axe。 Legolas had a bow and a quiver； and at his belt a long white knife。 The younger hobbits wore the swords that they had taken from the barrow； but Frodo took only Sting； and his mail…coat； as Bilbo wished； remained hidden。 Gandalf bore his staff； but girt at his side was the elven…sword Glamdring； the mate of Orcrist that lay now upon the breast of Thorin under the Lonely Mountain。
All were well furnished by Elrond with thick warm clothes； and they had jackets and cloaks lined with fur。 Spare food and clothes and blankets and other needs were laden on a pony； none other than the poor beast that they had brought from Bree。
？he stay in Rivendell had worked a great wonder of change on him： he was glossy and seemed to have the vigour of youth。 It was Sam who had insisted on choosing him； declaring that Bill （as he called him） would pine； if he did not e。
‘That animal can nearly talk；' he said； ‘and would talk； if he stayed here much longer。 He gave me a look as plain as Mr。 Pippin could speak it： if you don't let me go with you； Sam； I'll follow on my own。' So Bill was going as the beast of burden； yet he was the only member of the pany that did not seem depressed。
Their farewells had been said in the great hall by the fire； and they were only waiting now for Gandalf； who had not yet e out of the house。 A gleam of firelight came from the open doors； and soft lights were glowing in many windows。 Bilbo huddled in a cloak stood silent on the doorstep beside Frodo。 Aragorn sat with his head bowed to his knees； only Elrond knew fully what this hour meant to him。 The others could be seen as grey shapes in the darkness。
Sam was standing by the pony； sucking his teeth； and staring moodily into the gloom where the river roared stonily below； his desire for adventure was at its lowest ebb。
‘Bill； my lad；' he said； ‘you oughtn't to have took up with us。 You could have stayed here and et the best hay till the new grass es。' Bill swished his tail and said nothing。
Sam eased the pack on his shoulders； and went over anxiously in his mind all the things that he had stowed in it； wondering if he had forgotten anything： his chief treasure； his cooking gear； and the little box of salt that he always carried and refilled when he could； a good supply of pipe…weed （but not near enough； I'll warrant）； flint and tinder； woollen hose： linen； various small belongings of his master's that Frodo had forgotten and Sam had stowed to bring them out in triumph when they were called for。 He went through them all。
'Rope！' he muttered。 ‘No rope！ And only last night you said to yourself： 〃Sam； what about a bit of rope？ You'll want it； if you haven't got it：〃 Well； I'll want it。 I can't get it now。'
At that moment Elrond came out with Gandalf； and he called the pany to him。 'This is my last word；' he said in a low voice。 'The Ring…bearer is setting out on the Quest of Mount Doom。 On him alone is any charge laid： neither to cast away the Ring； nor to deliver it to any servant of the Enemy nor indeed to let any handle it； save members of the pany and the Council； and only then in gravest need。 The others go with him as free panions； to help him on his way。 You may tarry； or e back； or turn aside into other paths； as chance allows。 The further you go； the less easy will it be to withdraw； yet no oath or bond is laid on you to go further than you will。 For you do not yet know the strength of your hearts； and you cannot foresee what each may meet upon the road。'
‘Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens；' said Gimli。
'Maybe；' said Elrond； ‘but let him not vow to walk in the dark； who has not seen the nightfall。'
'Yet sworn word may strengthen quaking heart；' said Gimli。
‘Or break it；' said Elrond。 ‘Look not too far ahead！ But go now with good hearts！ Farewell； and may the blessing of Elves and Men and all Free Folk go with you。 May the stars shine upon your faces！'
'Good 。 。 。 good luck！' cried Bilbo； stuttering with the cold。 'I don't suppose you will be able to keep a diary； Frodo my lad； but I shall expect a full account when you get back。 And don't be too long！ Farewell！'
Many others of Elrond's household stood in the shadows and watched them go； bidding them farewell with soft voices。 There was no laughter； and no song or music。 At last they turned away and faded silently into the dusk。
They crossed the bridge and wound slowly up the long steep paths that led out of the cloven vale of Rivendell； and they came at length to the high moor where the wind hissed through the heather。 Then with one glance at the Last Homely House twinkling below them they strode away far into the night。
At the Ford of Bruinen they left the Road and turning southwards went on by narrow paths among the folded lands。 Their purpose was to hold this course west of the Mountains for many miles and days。 The country was much rougher and more barren than in the green vale of the Great River in Wilderland on the other side of the range； and their going would be slow； but they hoped in this way to escape the notice of unfriendly eyes。 The spies of Sauron had hitherto seldom been seen in this empty country； and the paths were little known except to the people of Rivendell。
Gandalf walked in front； and with him went Aragorn； who knew this land even in the dark。 The others were in file behind； and Legolas whose eyes were keen was the rearguard。 The first part of their journey was hard and dreary； and Frodo remembered little of it； save the wind。 For many sunless days an icy blast came from the Mountains in the east； and no garment seemed able to keep out its searching fingers。 Though the pany was well clad； they seldom felt warm； either moving or at rest。 They slept uneasily during the middle of the day； in some hollow of the land； or hidden under the tangled thorn…bushes that grew in thickets in many places。 In the late afternoon they were roused by the watch； and took their chief meal： cold and cheerless as a rule； for they could seldom risk the lighting of a fire。 In the evening they went on again； always as nearly southward as they could find a way。
At first it seemed to the hobbits that although they walked and stumbled until they were weary； they were creeping forward like snails； and getting nowhere。 Each day the land looked much the same as it had the day before。 Yet steadily the mountains were drawing nearer。 South of Rivendell they rose ever higher； and bent westwards； and about the feet of the main range there was tumbled an ever wider land of bleak hills； and deep valleys filled with turbulent waters。 Paths were few and winding； and led them often only to the edge of some sheer fall； or down into treacherous swamps。
They had been a fortnight on the way when the weather changed。 The wind suddenly fell and then veered round to the south。 The swift…flowing clouds lifted and melted away； and the sun came out； pale and bright。 There came a cold clear dawn at the end of a long stumbling night…march。 The travellers reached a low ridge crowned with ancient holly…trees whose grey…green trunks seemed to have been built out of the very stone of the hills。 Their dark leaves shone and their berries glowed red in the light of the rising sun。
Away in the south Frodo could see the dim shapes of lofty mountains that seemed now to stand across the path that the pany was taking。 At the left of this high range rose three peaks； the tallest and nearest stood up like a tooth tipped with snow； its great； bare； northern precipice was still largely in the shadow； but where the sunlight slanted upon it； it glowed red。
Gandalf stood at Frodo's side and looked out under his hand。 ‘We have done well；' he said。 ‘We have reached the borders of the country that Men call Hollin； many Elves lived here in happier days； when Eregion was its name。 Five…and…forty leagues as the crow flies we have e； though many long miles further our feet have walked。 The land and the weather will be milder now； but perhaps all the more dangerous。'
‘Dangerous or not； a real sunrise is mighty wele；' said Frodo； throwing back his hood and letting the morning light fall on his face。
'But the mountains are ahead of us；' said Pippin。 ‘We must have turned eastwards in the night。'
'No；' said Gandalf。 'But you see further ahead in the clear light。 Beyond those peaks the range bends round south…west。 There are many maps in Elrond's house； but I suppose you never thought to look at them？'
‘Yes I did； sometimes；' said Pippin； ‘but I don't remember them。 Frodo has a better head for that sort of thing。'
‘I need no map；' said Gimli； who had e up with Legolas； and was gazing out before him with a strange light in his deep eyes。 ‘There is the land where our fathers worked of old； and we have wrought the image of those mountains into many works of metal and of stone； and into many songs and tales。 They stand tall in our dreams： Baraz； Zirak； Shath？r。
‘Only once before have I seen them from afar in waking life； but I know them and their names； for under them lies Khazad…d？m； the Dwarrowdelf； that is now called the Black Pit； Moria in the Elvish tongue。 Yonder stands Barazinbar； the Redhorn； cruel Caradhras； and beyond him are Silvertine and Cloudyhead： Celebdil the White； and Fanuidhol the Grey； that we call Zirak…zigil and Bundushath？r。
‘There the Misty Mountains divide； and between their arms lies the deep…shadowed valley which we cannot forget： Azanulbizar； the Dimrill Dale； which the Elves call Nanduhirion。'
‘It is for the Dimrill Dale that we are making；' said Gandalf。 ‘If we climb the pass that is called the Redhorn Gate； under the far side of Caradhras； we shall e down by the Dimrill Stair into the deep vale of the Dwarves。 There lies the Mirrormere； and there the River Silverlode rises in its icy springs。'
‘Dark is the water of Kheled…zaram；' said Gimli； ‘and cold are the springs of Kibil…nala。 My heart trembles at the thought that I may see them soon。'
‘May you have joy of the sight； my good dwarf l' said Gandalf。 'But whatever you may do； we at least cannot stay in that valley。 We must go down the Silverlode into the secret woods； and so to the Great River； and then …'
He paused。
'Yes； and where then？' asked Merry。
'To the end of the journey … in the end；' said Gandalf。 'We cannot look too far ahead。 Let us be glad that the first stage is safely over。 I think we will rest here； not only today but tonight as well。 There is a wholesome air about Hollin。 Much evil must befall a country before it wholly forgets the Elves； if once they dwelt there。'
'That is true；' said Legolas。 ‘But the Elves of this land were of a race strange to us of the silvan folk； and the trees and the grass do not now remember them： Only I hear the stones lament them： deep they delved us； fair they wrought us； high they builded us； but they are gone。 They are gone。 They sought the Havens long ago。'
That morning they lit a fire in a deep hollow shrouded by great bushes of holly； and their supper…breakfast was merrier than it had been since they set out。 They did not hurry to bed afterwards； for they expected to have all the night to sleep in； and they did not mean to go on again until the evening of the next day。 Only Aragorn was silent and restless。 After a while he left the pany and wandered on to the ridge； there he stood in the shadow of a tree； looking out southwards and westwards； with his head posed as if he was listening。 Then he returned to the brink of the dell and looked down at the others laughing and talking。
‘What is the matter； Strider？' Merry called up。 'What are you looking for？ Do you miss the East Wind？'
'No indeed；' he answered。 ‘But I miss something。 I have been in the country of Hollin in many seasons。 No folk dwell here now； but many other creatures live here at all times； especially birds。 Yet now all things but you are silent。 I can feel it。 There is no sound for miles about us； and your voices seem to make the ground echo。 I do not understand it。'
Gandalf looked up with sudden interest。 ‘But what do you guess is the reason？' he asked。 ‘Is there more in it than surprise at