r away。 It was answered；
and to the dismay of Frodo and his friends out from the trees and rocks awayon the left four other Riders came flying。 Two rode towards Frodo： twogalloped madly towards the Ford to cut off his escape。 They seemed to him torun like the wind and to grow swiftly larger and darker； as their coursesconverged with his。
Frodo looked back for a moment over his shoulder。 He could no longer seehis friends。 The Riders behind were falling back： even their great steeds wereno match in speed for the white elf…horse of Glorfindel。 He looked forwardagain； and hope faded。 There seemed no chance of reaching the Ford before hewas cut off by the others that had lain in ambush。 He could see them clearlynow： they appeared to have cast aside their hoods and black cloaks； and theywere robed in white and grey。 Swords were naked in their pale hands； helmswere on their heads。 Their cold eyes glittered； and they called to him withfell voices。
Fear now filled all Frodo's mind。 He thought no longer of his sword。 Nocry came from him。 He shut his eyes and clung to the horse's mane。 The windwhistled in his ears； and the bells upon the harness rang wild and shrill。 Abreath of deadly cold pierced him like a spear； as with a last spurt； like aflash of white fire； the elf…horse speeding as if on wings； passed rightbefore the face of the foremost Rider。
Frodo heard the splash of water。 It foamed about his feet。 He felt thequick heave and surge as the horse left the river and struggled up the stonypath。 He was climbing the steep bank。 He was across the Ford。
But the pursuers were close behind。 At the top of the bank the horsehalted and turned about neighing fiercely。 There were Nine Riders at thewater's edge below； and Frodo's spirit quailed before the threat of theiruplifted faces。 He knew of nothing that would prevent them from crossing aseasily as he had done； and he felt that it was useless to try to escape overthe long uncertain path from the Ford to the edge of Rivendell； if once theRiders crossed。 In any case he felt that he was manded urgently to halt。
Hatred again stirred in him； but he had no longer the strength to refuse。
Suddenly the foremost Rider spurred his horse forward。 It checked at thewater and reared up。 With a great effort Frodo sat upright and brandished hissword。
'Go back！' he cried。 'Go back to the Land of Mordor； and follow me nomore！ ' His voice sounded thin and shrill in his own ears。 The Riders halted；
but Frodo had not the power of Bombadil。 His enemies laughed at him with aharsh and chilling laughter。 'e back！ e back！' they called。 'To Mordorwe will take you！'
'Go back！' he whispered。
'The Ring！ The Ring！' they cried with deadly voices； and immediatelytheir leader urged his horse forward into the water； followed closely by twoothers。
'By Elbereth and Lúthien the Fair；' said Frodo with a last effort；
lifting up his sword； 'you shall have neither the Ring nor me！'
Then the leader； who was now half across the Ford； stood up menacing inhis stirrups； and raised up his hand。 Frodo was stricken dumb。 He felt histongue cleave to his mouth； and his heart labouring。 His sword broke and fellout of his shaking hand。 The elf…horse reared and snorted。 The foremost of theblack horses had almost set foot upon the shore。
At that moment there came a roaring and a rushing： a noise of loud watersrolling many stones。 Dimly Frodo saw the river below him rise； and down alongits course there came a plumed cavalry of waves。 White flames seemed to Frodoto flicker on their crests and he half fancied that he saw amid the water
white riders upon white horses with frothing manes。 The three Riders that werestill in the midst of the Ford were overwhelmed： they disappeared； buriedsuddenly under angry foam。 Those that were behind drew back in dismay。
With his last failing senses Frodo heard cries； and it seemed to him thathe saw； beyond the Riders that hesitated on the shore； a shining figure ofwhite light； and behind it ran small shadowy forms waving flames； that flaredred in the grey mist that was falling over the world。
The black horses were filled with madness； and leaping forward in terrorthey bore their riders into the rushing flood。 Their piercing cries weredrowned in the roaring of the river as it carried them away。 Then Frodo felthimself falling； and the roaring and confusion seemed to rise and engulf himtogether with his enemies。 He heard and saw no more。
_Chapter 1_
Many Meetings
Frodo woke and found himself lying in bed。 At first he thought that hehad slept late； after a long unpleasant dream that still hovered on the edgeof memory。 Or perhaps he had been ill？ But the ceiling looked strange； it wasflat； and it had dark beams richly carved。 He lay a little while longerlooking at patches of sunlight on the wall； and listening to the sound of awaterfall。
‘Where am I； and what is the time？' he said aloud to the ceiling。 'In theHouse of Elrond； and it is ten o'clock in the morning。' said a voice。 ‘It isthe morning of October the twenty…fourth； if you want to know。'
‘Gandalf！' cried Frodo； sitting up。 There was the old wizard； sitting ina chair by the open window。
‘Yes；' he said； ‘I am here。 And you are lucky to be here； too； after allthe absurd things you have done since you left home。' Frodo lay down again。 Hefelt too fortable and peaceful to argue； and in any case he did not thinkhe would get the better of an argument。 He was fully awake now； and the memoryof his journey was returning： the disastrous ‘short cut' through the OldForest the ‘accident' at _The Prancing Pony_； and his madness in putting onthe Ring in the dell under Weathertop。 While he was thinking of all thesethings and trying in vain to bring his memory down to his arriving inRivendell； there was a long silence； broken only by the soft puffs ofGandalf's pipe； as he blew white smoke…rings out of the window。
'Where's Sam？' Frodo asked at length。 'And are the others all right？'
'Yes； they are all safe and sound；' answered Gandalf。 ‘Sam was here untilI sent him off to get some rest； about half an hour ago。'
‘What happened at the Ford？' said Frodo。 ‘It all seemed so dim somehow；
and it still does。'
'Yes； it would。 You were beginning to fade；' answered Gandalf。 'The woundwas overing you at last。 A few more hours and you would have been beyondour aid。 But you have some strength in you； my dear hobbit！ As you showed inthe Barrow。 That was touch and go： perhaps the most dangerous moment of all。 Iwish you could have held out at Weathertop。'
'You seem to know a great deal already；' said Frodo。 ‘I have not spokento the others about the Barrow。 At first it was too horrible； and afterwardsthere were other things to think about。 How do you know about it？'
'You have talked long in your sleep； Frodo；' said Gandalf gently； 'and ithas not been hard for me to read your mind and memory。 Do not worry！ Though Isaid 〃absurd〃 just now； I did not mean it。 I think well of you…and of theothers。 It is no small feat to have e so far； and through such dangers；
still bearing the Ring。'
'We should never have done it without Strider；' said Frodo。 ‘But weneeded you。 I did not know what to do without you。'
'I was delayed；' sai