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ith　his　bits　of　things　on　a　barrow。　I　must　go　home！'

'You　cannot　go　home　alone；'　said　the　Lady。　'You　did　not　wish　to　go　home　without　your　master　before　you　looked　in　the　Mirror；　and　yet　you　knew　that　evil　things　might　well　be　happening　in　the　Shire。　Remember　that　the　Mirror　shows　many　things；　and　not　all　have　yet　e　to　pass。　Some　never　e　to　be；　unless　those　that　behold　the　visions　turn　aside　from　their　path　to　prevent　them。　The　Mirror　is　dangerous　as　a　guide　of　deeds。'

Sam　sat　on　the　ground　and　put　his　head　in　his　hands。　'I　wish　I　had　never　e　here；　and　I　don't　want　to　see　no　more　magic；'　he　said　and　fell　silent。　After　a　moment　he　spoke　again　thickly；　as　if　struggling　with　tears。　'No；　I'll　go　home　by　the　long　road　with　Mr。　Frodo；　or　not　at　all；'　he　said。　'But　I　hope　I　do　get　back　some　day。　If　what　I've　seen　turns　out　true；　somebody's　going　to　catch　it　hot！'

'Do　you　now　wish　to　look；　Frodo？　'　said　the　Lady　Galadriel。　'You　did　not　wish　to　see　Elfmagic　and　were　content。'

'Do　you　advise　me　to　look？　'　asked　Frodo。

'No；'　she　said。　'I　do　not　counsel　you　one　way　or　the　other。　I　am　not　a　counsellor。　You　may　learn　something；　and　whether　what　you　see　be　fair　or　evil；　that　may　be　profitable；　and　yet　it　may　not。　Seeing　is　both　good　and　perilous。　Yet　I　think；　Frodo；　that　you　have　courage　and　wisdom　enough　for　the　venture；　or　I　would　not　have　brought　you　here。　Do　as　you　will！'

'I　will　look；'　said　Frodo；　and　he　climbed　on　the　pedestal　and　bent　over　the　dark　water。　At　once　the　Mirror　cleared　and　he　saw　a　twilit　land。　Mountains　loomed　dark　in　the　distance　against　a　pale　sky。　A　long　grey　road　wound　back　out　of　sight。　Far　away　a　figure　came　slowly　down　the　road；　faint　and　small　at　first；　but　growing　larger　and　clearer　as　it　approached。　Suddenly　Frodo　realized　that　it　reminded　him　of　Gandalf。　He　almost　called　aloud　the　wizard's　name；　and　then　he　saw　that　the　figure　was　clothed　not　in　grey　but　in　white；　in　a　white　that　shone　faintly　in　the　dusk；　and　in　its　hand　there　was　a　white　staff。　The　head　was　so　bowed　that　he　could　see　no　face；　and　presently　the　figure　turned　aside　round　a　bend　in　the　road　and　went　out　of　the　Mirror's　view。　Doubt　came　into　Frodo's　mind：　was　this　a　vision　of　Gandalf　on　one　of　his　many　lonely　journeys　long　ago；　or　was　it　Saruman？

The　vision　now　changed。　Brief　and　small　but　very　vivid　he　caught　a　glimpse　of　Bilbo　walking　restlessly　about　his　room。　The　table　was　littered　with　disordered　papers；　rain　was　beating　on　the　windows。

Then　there　was　a　pause；　and　after　it　many　swift　scenes　followed　that　Frodo　in　some　way　knew　to　be　parts　of　a　great　history　in　which　he　had　bee　involved。　The　mist　cleared　and　he　saw　a　sight　which　he　had　never　seen　before　but　knew　at　once：　the　Sea。　Darkness　fell。　The　sea　rose　and　raged　in　a　great　storm。　Then　he　saw　against　the　Sun；　sinking　bloodred　into　a　wrack　of　clouds；　the　black　outline　of　a　tall　ship　with　torn　sails　riding　up　out　of　the　West。　Then　a　wide　river　flowing　through　a　populous　city。　Then　a　white　fortress　with　seven　towers。　And　then　again　a　ship　with　black　sails；　but　now　it　was　morning　again；　and　the　water　rippled　with　light；　and　a　banner　bearing　the　emblem　of　a　white　tree　shone　in　the　sun。　A　smoke　as　of　fire　and　battle　arose；　and　again　the　sun　went　down　in　a　burning　red　that　faded　into　a　grey　mist；　and　into　the　mist　a　small　ship　passed　away；　twinkling　with　lights。　It　vanished；　and　Frodo　sighed　and　prepared　to　draw　away。

But　suddenly　the　Mirror　went　altogether　dark；　as　dark　as　if　a　hole　had　opened　in　the　world　of　sight；　and　Frodo　looked　into　emptiness。　In　the　black　abyss　there　appeared　a　single　Eye　that　slowly　grew。　until　it　filled　nearly　all　the　Mirror。　So　terrible　was　it　that　Frodo　stood　rooted；　unable　to　cry　out　or　to　withdraw　his　gaze。　The　Eye　was　rimmed　with　fire；　but　was　itself　glazed；　yellow　as　a　cat's；　watchful　and　intent；　and　the　black　slit　of　its　pupil　opened　on　a　pit；　a　window　into　nothing。

Then　the　Eye　began　to　rove；　searching　this　way　and　that；　and　Frodo　knew　with　certainty　and　horror　that　among　the　many　things　that　it　sought　he　himself　was　one。　But　he　also　knew　that　it　could　not　see　himnot　yet；　not　unless　he　willed　it。　The　Ring　that　hung　upon　its　chain　about　his　neck　grew　heavy；　heavier　than　a　great　stone；　and　his　head　was　dragged　downwards。　The　Mirror　seemed　to　be　growing　hot　and　curls　of　steam　were　rising　from　the　water。　He　was　slipping　forward。

'Do　not　touch　the　water！'　said　the　Lady　Galadriel　softly。　The　vision　faded；　and　Frodo　found　that　he　was　looking　at　the　cool　stars　twinkling　in　the　silver　basin。　He　stepped　back　shaking　all　over　and　looked　at　the　Lady。

'I　know　what　it　was　that　you　last　saw；'　she　said；　'for　that　is　also　in　my　mind。　Do　not　be　afraid！　But　do　not　think　that　only　by　singing　amid　the　trees；　nor　even　by　the　slender　arrows　of　elvenbows；　is　this　land　of　Lothlórien　maintained　and　defended　against　its　Enemy。　I　say　to　you；　Frodo；　that　even　as　I　speak　to　you；　I　perceive　the　Dark　Lord　and　know　his　mind；　or　all　of　his　mind　that　concerns　the　Elves。　And　he　gropes　ever　to　see　me　and　my　thought。　But　still　the　door　is　closed！'

She　lifted　up　her　white　arms；　and　spread　out　her　hands　towards　the　East　in　a　gesture　of　rejection　and　denial。　E。rendil；　the　Evening　Star；　most　beloved　of　the　Elves；　shone　clear　above。　So　bright　was　it　that　the　figure　of　the　Elvenlady　cast　a　dim　shadow　on　the　ground。　Its　rays　glanced　upon　a　ring　about　her　finger；　it　glittered　like　polished　gold　overlaid　with　silver　light；　and　a　white　stone　in　it　twinkled　as　if　the　Evenstar　had　e　down　to　rest　upon　her　hand。　Frodo　gazed　at　the　ring　with　awe；　for　suddenly　it　seemed　to　him　that　he　understood。

'Yes；'　she　said；　divining　his　thought；　'it　is　not　permitted　to　speak　of　it；　and　Elrond　could　not　do　so。　But　it　cannot　be　hidden　from　the　Ringbearer；　and　one　who　has　seen　the　Eye。　Verily　it　is　in　the　land　of　Lórien　upon　the　finger　of　Galadriel　that　one　of　the　Three　remains。　This　is　Nenya；　the　Ring　of　Adamant；　and　I　am　its　keeper。

'He　suspects；　but　he　does　not　know　。　not　yet。　Do　you　not　see　now　wherefore　your　ing　is　to　us　as　the　footstep　of　Doom？　For　if　you　fail；　then　we　are　laid　bare　to　the　Enemy。　Yet　if　you　succeed；　then　our　power　is　diminished；　and　Lothlórien　will　fade；　and　the　tides　of　Time　will　sweep　it　away。　We　must　depart　into　the　West；　or　dwindle　to　a　rustic　folk　of　dell　and　cave；　slowly　to　fet　and　to　be　fotten。'

Frodo　bent　his　head。　'And　what　do　you　wish？　'　he　said　at　last。

'That　what　should　be　shall　be；'　she　answered。　'The　love　of　the　Elves　for　their　land　and　their　works　is　deeper　than　the　deeps　of　the　Sea；　and　their　regret　is　undying　and　cannot　ever　wholly　be　assuaged。　Yet　they　will　cast　all　away　rather　than　submit　to　Sauron：　for　they　know　him　now。　For　the　fate　of　Lothlórien　you　are　not　answerable　but　only　for　the　doing　of　your　own　task。　Yet　I　could　wish；　were　it　of　any　avail；　that　the　One　Ring　had　never　been　wrought；　or　had　remained　for　ever　lost。'

'You　are　wise　and　fearless　and　fair；　Lady　Galadriel；'　said　Frodo。　'I　will　give　you　the　One　Ring；　if　you　ask　for　it。　It　is　too　great　a　matter　for　me。'

Galadriel　laughed　with　a　sudden　clear　laugh。　'Wise　the　Lady　Galadriel　may　be；'　she　said；　'yet　here　she　has　met　her　match　in　courtesy。　Gently　are　you　revenged　for　my　testing　of　your　heart　at　our　first　meeting。　You　begin　to　see　with　a　keen　eye。　I　do　not　deny　that　my　heart　has　greatly　desired　to　ask　what　you　offer。　For　many　long　years　I　had　pondered　what　I　might　do；　should　the　Great　Ring　e　into　my　hands；　and　behold！　it　was　brought　within　my　grasp。　The　evil　that　was　devised　long　ago　works　on　in　many　ways；　whether　Sauron　himself　stands　or　falls。　Would　not　that　have　been　a　noble　deed　to　set　to　the　credit　of　his　Ring；　if　I　had　taken　it　by　force　or　fear　from　my　guest？

'And　now　at　last　it　es。　You　will　give　me　the　Ring　freely！　In　place　of　the　Dark　Lord　you　will　set　up　a　Queen。　And　I　shall　not　be　dark；　but　beautiful　and　terrible　as　the　Morning　and　the　Night！　Fair　as　the　Sea　and　the　Sun　and　the　Snow　upon　the　Mountain！　Dreadful　as　the　Storm　and　the　Lightning！　Stronger　than　the　foundations　of　the　earth。　All　shall　love　me　and　despair！'

She　lifted　up　her　hand　and　from　the　ring　that　she　wore　there　issued　a　great　light　that　illuminated　her　alone　and　left　all　else　dark。　She　stood　be