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in 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。' Gandalf paused and stood in silent thought。
A sudden dread and a horror of the chamber fell on the pany。 ‘_Wecannot get out_；' muttered Gimli。 'It was well for us that the pool had sunk alittle； and that the Watcher was sleeping down at the southern end。'
Gandalf raised his head and looked round。 ‘They seem to have made a laststand by both doors；' he said； 'but there were not many left by that time。 Soended the attempt to retake Moria！ It was valiant but foolish。 The time is note yet。 Now； I fear； we must say farewell to Balin son of Fundin。 Here hemust lie in the halls of his fathers。 We will take this book； the Book ofMazarbul； and look at it more closely later。 You had better keep it； Gimli；
and take it back to Dáin； if you get a chance。 It will interest him； though itwill grieve him deeply。 e； let us go！ The morning is passing。'
'Which way shall we go？ ' asked Boromir。
'Back to the hall；' answered Gandalf。 'But our visit to this room has notbeen in vain。 I now know where we are。 This must be； as Gimli says； theChamber of Mazarbul； and the hall must be the twenty…first of the North…end。
Therefore we should leave by the eastern arch of the hall； and bear right andsouth； and go downwards。 The Twenty…first Hall should be on the Seventh Level；
that is six above the level of the Gates。 e now！ Back to the hall！ '
Gandalf had hardly spoken these words； when there came a great noise： arolling _Boom_ that seemed to e from depths far below； and to tremble inthe stone at their feet。 They sprang towards the door in alarm。 _Doom； doom_
it rolled again； as if huge hands were turning the very caverns of Moria intoa vast drum。 Then there came an echoing blast： a great horn was blown in thehall； and answering horns and harsh cries were heard further off。 There was ahurrying sound of many feet。
‘They are ing！ ' cried Legolas。
'We cannot get out；' said Gimli。
‘Trapped！ ' cried Gandalf。 ‘Why did I delay？ Here we are； caught； just asthey were before。 But I was not here then。 We will see what –––…'
_Doom； doom_ came the drum…beat and the walls shook。
'Slam the doors and wedge them！ ' shouted Aragorn。 'And keep your packson as long as you can： we may get a chance to cut our way out yet。'
‘No！ ' said Gandalf。 'We must not get shut in。 Keep the east door ajar！
We will go that way； if we get a chance。'
Another harsh horn…call and shrill cries rang out。 Feet were ing downthe corridor。 There was a ring and clatter as the pany drew their swords。
Glamdring shone with a pale light； and Sting glinted at the edges。 Boromir sethis shoulder against the western door。
‘Wait a moment！ Do not close it yet！ ' said Gandalf。 He sprang forward toBoromir's side and drew himself up to his full height。
'Who es hither to disturb the rest of Balin Lord of Moria？ ' he cried
in a loud voice。
There was a rush of hoarse laughter； like the fall of sliding stones intoa pit； amid the clamour a deep voice was raised in mand。 Doom； boom； doomwent the drums in the deep。
With a quick movement Gandalf stepped before the narrow opening of thedoor and thrust forward his staff： There was a dazzling flash that lit thechamber and the passage outside。 For an instant the wizard looked out。 Arrowswhined and whistled down the corridor as he sprang back。
'There are Orcs； very many of them；' he said。 ‘And some are large andevil： black Uruks of Mordor。 For the moment they are hanging back； but thereis something else there。 A great cave…troll； I think； or more than one。 Thereis no hope of escape that way。'
'And no hope at all； if they e at the other door as well；' saidBoromir。
'There is no sound outside here yet；' said Aragorn； who was standing bythe eastern door listening。 ‘The passage on this side plunges straight down a
stair： it plainly does not lead back towards the hall。 But it is no goodflying blindly this way with the pursuit just behind。 We cannot block thedoor。 Its key is gone and the lock is broken； and it opens inwards。 We must dosomething to delay the enemy first。 We will make them fear the Chamber ofMazarbul！' he