return

1030 the return of the king
and a Dwarf dare not!’ With that he plunged in. But it seemed
to him that he dragged his feet like lead over the threshold;
and at once a blindness came upon him, even upon Gimli
Glóin’s son who had walked unafraid in many deep places of
the world.
Aragorn had brought torches from Dunharrow, and now
he went ahead bearing one aloft; and Elladan with another
went at the rear, and Gimli, stumbling behind, strove to
overtake him. He could see nothing but the dim flame of the
torches; but if the Company halted, there seemed an endless
whisper of voices all about him, a murmur of words in no
tongue that he had ever heard before.
Nothing assailed the Company nor withstood their passage,
and yet steadily fear grew on the Dwarf as he went on:
most of all because he knew now that there could be no
turning back; all the paths behind were thronged by an
unseen host that followed in the dark.
So time unreckoned passed, until Gimli saw a sight that he
was ever afterwards loth to recall. The road was wide, as far
as he could judge, but now the Company came suddenly into
a great empty space, and there were no longer any walls upon
either side. The dread was so heavy on him that he could
hardly walk. Away to the left something glittered in the gloom
as Aragorn’s torch drew near. Then Aragorn halted and went
to look what it might be.
‘Does he feel no fear?’ muttered the Dwarf. ‘In any other
cave Gimli Glóin’s son would have been the first to run to
the gleam of gold. But not here! Let it lie!’
Nonetheless he drew near, and saw Aragorn kneeling,
while Elladan held aloft both torches. Before him were the
bones of a mighty man. He had been clad in mail, and still
his harness lay there whole; for the cavern’s air was as dry as
dust, and his hauberk was gilded. His belt was of gold and
garnets, and rich with gold was the helm upon his bony head
face downward on the floor. He had fallen near the far wall
of the cave, as now could be seen, and before him stood a