The Daughter of the Moon Volume I

Chapter 10 : Moria

-These are the emblems of Durin!" cried Gimli.

-And here is the Tree of the High Elves! said Legolas.

-And the Star of the House of Fëanor, said Gandalf. They are made of ithildin, which reflects only the light of the stars and the moon and sleeps until it is touched by someone from the Middle. I heard them a long time ago, and I had to think deeply to remember them.

-What does the text say?" asked Frodo, who was trying to decipher the inscription on the bow. I thought I knew the Elvish letters, but I cannot read them.

The words are in the Elvish language of the West of Middle-earth in ancient times," Gandalf replied.

But they don't reveal anything important to us. They only say this: The Gates of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter. And underneath it is written in small and weak characters: I, Narvi, made them. Celebrimbor de Houssaye engraved these signs.

-What does it mean: Speak, friend, and enter?" asked Merry.

-It's quite clear," said Gimli. If you are a friend, give the password, the doors will open and you can come in.

-Yes, said Gandalf, those doors are probably governed by words. Some dwarf doors will only open at particular times, and others have locks that still require keys when the time and words are known. These have no key. In Durin's time, they were not secret. They generally remained open under the supervision of guards . But if they were closed, anyone who knew the password only had to say it to enter. At least that's what is reported, isn't it, Gimli?

-Yes, said the dwarf. But the word was not remembered. Narvi, his art and all his kind disappeared from the earth.

-But don't you know the word, Gandalf?" Boromir asked, astonished.

-No," said the magician.

The others looked dismayed, only Aragorn, who knew Gandalf well, remained silent and impassive.

-Then why bring us to this cursed place?" cried Boromir, who shuddered as he threw back a

look at the dark water. You told us that you once went through the Mines. How could that be, if you don't know how to get in?

-The answer to your first question, Boromir," said the magician, "is that I do not yet know the word.

But we shall soon see. And," he added, "with a flash of lightning from under his raised eyebrows, you may ask what good my deeds have done when they have proved to be in vain. As for your other question: do you doubt my words? Or have you lost all reasoning power? I didn't come in here. I came from the East. If you want to know, I will tell you that these doors open outside. You can open them from the inside with a push of your hand. From the outside, nothing will make them move except the formula. You can't force them inwards.

-What are you going to do, then?" Pippin asked, without being dismayed by the magician's raised eyebrows.

-Knock on the doors with your head, Peregrin Took," said Gandalf, annoyed. But if that doesn't break them down and I'm freed from stupid questions, I'll try to find the opening formula.

Elenwë couldn't hold back a slight burst of laughter and Aragorn and Legolas looked at her in amazement.

Blushing, she lowered her eyes and walked away.

While the magician was thinking, the other companions distributed the luggage more evenly between the different bags.

Pippin, who obviously had nothing better to do, decided to throw stones into the lake.