The Forbidden Pool

           FrodowoketofindFaramirbendingoverhim.Forasecondoldfearsseizedhimandhesatupandshrankaway.

           `Thereisnothingtofear,’saidFaramir.

           ’Isitmorningalready?’saidFrodoyawning.

           `Notyet,butnightisdrawingtoanend,andthefullmoonissetting.Willyoucomeandseeit?AlsothereisamatteronwhichIdesireyourcounsel.Iamsorrytorouseyoufromsleep,butwillyoucome?’

           `Iwill,’saidFrodo,risingandshiveringalittleasheleftthewarmblanketandpelts.Itseemedcoldinthefirelesscave.Thenoiseofthewaterwasloudinthestillness.HeputonhiscloakandfollowedFaramir.

           Sam,wakingsuddenlybysomeinstinctofwatchfulness,sawfirsthismaster’semptybedandleapttohisfeet.Thenhesawtwodarkfigures,Frodoandaman,framedagainstthearchway,whichwasnowfilledwithapalewhitelight.Hehurriedafterthem,pastrowsofmensleepingonmattressesalongthewall.Ashewentbythecave-mouthhesawthattheCurtainwasnowbecomeadazzlingveilofsilkandpearlsandsilverthread:meltingiciclesofmoonlight.Buthedidnotpausetoadmireit,andturningasidehefollowedhismasterthroughthenarrowdoorwayinthewallofthecave.

           Theywentfirstalongablackpassage,thenupmanywetsteps,andsocametoasmallflatlandingcutinthestoneandlitbythepalesky,gleaminghighabovethroughalongdeepshaft.Fromheretwoflightsofstepsled:onegoingon,asitseemed,upontothehighbankofthestream;theotherturningawaytotheleft.Thistheyfollowed.