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the passing of the grey company 1029
between the lines of ancient stones and so came to the
Dimholt. There under the gloom of black trees that not even
Legolas could long endure they found a hollow place opening
at the mountain’s root, and right in their path stood a single
mighty stone like a finger of doom.
‘My blood runs chill,’ said Gimli, but the others were silent,
and his voice fell dead on the dank fir-needles at his feet. The
horses would not pass the threatening stone, until the riders
dismounted and led them about. And so they came at last
deep into the glen; and there stood a sheer wall of rock, and
in the wall the Dark Door gaped before them like the mouth
of night. Signs and figures were carved above its wide arch
too dim to read, and fear flowed from it like a grey vapour.
The Company halted, and there was not a heart among
them that did not quail, unless it were the heart of Legolas
of the Elves, for whom the ghosts of Men have no terror.
‘This is an evil door,’ said Halbarad, ‘and my death lies
beyond it. I will dare to pass it nonetheless; but no horse will
enter.’
‘But we must go in, and therefore the horses must go too,’
said Aragorn. ‘For if ever we come through this darkness,
many leagues lie beyond, and every hour that is lost there
will bring the triumph of Sauron nearer. Follow me!’
Then Aragorn led the way, and such was the strength of
his will in that hour that all the Dúnedain and their horses
followed him. And indeed the love that the horses of the
Rangers bore for their riders was so great that they were
willing to face even the terror of the Door, if their masters’
hearts were steady as they walked beside them. But Arod, the
horse of Rohan, refused the way, and he stood sweating and
trembling in a fear that was grievous to see. Then Legolas
laid his hands on his eyes and sang some words that went
soft in the gloom, until he suffered himself to be led, and
Legolas passed in. And there stood Gimli the Dwarf left all
alone.
His knees shook, and he was wroth with himself. ‘Here is
a thing unheard of !’ he said. ‘An Elf will go underground