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t the foot of the tree；
until they have decided what is to be done。'
Out of the shadows a ladder was let down： it was made of rope； silver…
grey and glimmering in the dark； and though it looked slender it proved strongenough to bear many men。 Legolas ran lightly up； and Frodo followed slowly；
behind came Sam trying not to breathe loudly。 The branches of the mallorn…treegrew out nearly straight from the trunk； and then swept upward； but near thetop the main stem divided into a crown of many boughs； and among these theyfound that there had been built a wooden platform； or _flet_ as such thingswere called in those days： the Elves called it a _talan_。 It was reached by around hole in the centre through which the ladder passed。
When Frodo came at last up on to the flet he found Legolas seated withthree other Elves。 They were clad in shadowy…grey； and could not be seen amongthe tree…stems； unless they moved suddenly。 They stood up； and one of themuncovered a small lamp that gave out a slender silver beam。 He held it up；
looking at Frodo's face； and Sam's。 Then he shut off the light again； andspoke words of wele in his elven…tongue。 Frodo spoke haltingly in return。
‘Wele！' the Elf then said again in the mon Language； speakingslowly。 'We seldom use any tongue but our own； for we dwell now in the heartof the forest； and do not willingly have dealings with any other folk。 Evenour own kindred in the North are sundered from us。 But there are some of us
still who go abroad for the gathering of news and the watching of our enemies；
and they speak the languages of other lands。 I am one。 Haldir is my name。 Mybrothers； Rúmil and Orophin； speak little of your tongue。
‘But we have heard rumours of your ing； for the messengers of Elrondpassed by Lórien on their way home up the Dimrill Stair。 We had not heard ofhobbits； or halflings； for many a long year； and did not know that any yetdwelt in Middle…earth。 You do not look evil！ And since you e with an Elf ofour kindred； we are willing to befriend you； as Elrond asked； though it is notour custom to lead strangers through our land。 But you must stay here tonight。
How many are you？ '
‘Eight；' said Legolas。 ‘Myself； four hobbits； and two men； one of whom；
Aragorn； is an Elf…friend of the folk of Westernesse。'
‘The name of Aragorn son of Arathorn is known in Lórien；' said Haldir；
‘and he has the favour of the Lady。 All then is well。 But you have yet spokenonly of seven。'
‘The eighth is a dwarf；' said Legolas。
‘A dwarf！ ' said Haldir。 ‘That is not well。 We have not had dealings withthe Dwarves since the Dark Days。 They are not permitted in our land。 I cannotallow him to pass。'
‘But he is from the Lonely Mountain； one of Dáin's trusty people； andfriendly to Elrond；' said Frodo。 ‘Elrond himself chose him to be one of ourpanions； and he has been brave and faithful。'
The Elves spoke together in soft voices； and questioned Legolas in theirown tongue。 'Very good；' said Haldir at last。 ‘We will do this； though it isagainst our liking。 If Aragorn and Legolas will guard him； and answer for him；
he shall pass； but he must go blindfold through Lothlórien。
‘But now we must debate no longer。 Your folk must not remain on theground。 We have been keeping watch on the rivers； ever since we saw a greattroop of Orcs going north toward Moria； along the skirts of the mountains；
many days ago。 Wolves are howling on the wood's borders。 If you have indeede from Moria； the peril cannot be far behind。 Tomorrow early you must goon。
'The four hobbits shall climb up here and stay with us…we do not fearthem！ There is another _talan_ in the next tree。 There the others must take
refuge。 You； Legolas； must answer to us for them。 Call us； if anything isamiss！ And have an eye on that dwarf！'
Legolas at once went down the ladder to take Haldir's message； and soonafterwards Merry and Pippin clambered up on to the high flet。 They were out ofbreath and seemed rather scared。
‘There！' said Merry panting。 ‘We have lugged up your blankets as well asour own。 Strider has hidden all the rest of the baggage in a deep drift ofleaves。'
‘You had no need of your burdens；' said Haldir。 ‘It is cold in the treetops
in winter； though the wind tonight is in the South； but we have food anddrink to give you that will drive away the night…chill； and we have skins andcloaks to spare。'
The hobbits accepted this second （and far better） supper very gladly。
Then they wrapped themselves warmly； not only in the fur…cloaks of the Elves；
but in their own blankets as well； and tried to go to sleep。 But weary as theywere only Sam found that easy to do。 Hobbits do not like heights； and do notsleep upstairs； even when they have any stairs。 The flet was not at all totheir liking as a bedroom。 It had no walls。 not even a rail； only on one sidewas there a light plaited screen； which could be moved and fixed in different
places according to the wind。
Pippin went on talking for a while。 ‘I hope； if I do go to sleep in thisbed…loft； that I shan't roll off；' he said。
‘Once I do get to sleep；' said Sam； 'i shall go on sleeping； whether Iroll off or no。 And the less said； the sooner I'll drop off； if you take mymeaning。'
Frodo lay for some time awake； and looked up at the stars glintingthrough the pale roof of quivering leaves。 Sam was snoring at his side longbefore he himself closed his eyes。 He could dimly see the grey forms of twoelves sitting motionless with their arms about their knees； speaking inwhispers。 The other had gone down to take up his watch on one of the lowerbranches。 At last lulled by the wind in the boughs above； and the sweet murmurof the falls of Nimrodel below； Frodo fell asleep with the song of Legolasrunning in his mind。
Late in the night he awoke。 The other hobbits were asleep。 The Elves weregone。 The sickle Moon was gleaming dimly among the leaves。 The wind was still。
A little way off he heard a harsh laugh and the tread of many feet on theground below。 There was a ring of metal。 The sounds died slowly away； andseemed to go southward； on into the wood。
A head appeared suddenly through the hole in the flet。 Frodo sat up inalarm and saw that it was a grey…hooded Elf。 He looked towards the hobbits。
‘What is it？ ' said Frodo。
‘_Yrch！_' said the Elf in a hissing whisper； and cast on to the flet therope…ladder rolled up。
'Orcs！ ' said Frodo。 ‘What are they doing？ ' But the Elf had gone。
There were no more sounds。 Even the leaves were silent； and the veryfalls seemed to be hushed。 Frodo sat and shivered in his wraps。 He wasthankful that they had not been caught on the ground； but he felt that thetrees offered little protection； except concealment。 Orcs were as keen ashounds on a scent； it was said； but they could also climb。 He drew out Sting：
it flashed and glittered like a blue flame and then slowly faded again andgrew dull。 In spite of the fading of his sword the feeling of immediate dangerdid not leave Frodo； rather it grew stronger。 He got up and crawled to theopening and peered down。 He was almost certain that he could hear stealthymovements at the tree's foot far below。
Not Elves； for the woodland folk were altogether noiseless in theirmovements。 Then he heard faintly a sound like sniffing： and something seemedto be scrabbling on the bark of the tree…trunk。 He stared down into the dark；
holding his breath。
Something was now climbing slowly； and its breath came like a softhissing through closed teeth。 Then ing up； close to the stem； Frodo saw twopale eyes。 They stopped and gazed upward unwinking。 Suddenly they turned away；
and a shadowy figure slipped round the trunk of the tree and vanished。
Immediately afterwards Haldir came climbing swiftly up through thebranches。 ‘There was something in this tree that I have never seen before；' hesaid。 ‘It was not an orc。 It fled as soon as I touched the tree…stem。 It
seemed to be wary； and to have some skill in trees； or I might have thoughtthat it was one of you hobbits。
'I did not shoot； for I dared not arouse any cries： we cannot riskbattle。 A strong pany of Orcs has passed。 They crossed the Nimrodel…cursetheir foul feet in its clean water！…and went on down the old road beside the
river。 They seemed