He had with him an old stumbling man, evidently in the last
extremity of terror and pain, with beads of sweat on his brow and blood
running down from his hands. He seemed dazed and bewildered. And Amroth
too looked ruffled and almost weary, as I had never seen him look. I
came down the rock to meet them. But Amroth said, "Wait here for me; it
has been a troublesome business, and I must go and bestow this poor
creature in a place of safety--I will return." He led the old man away
among the rocks, and I waited a long time, wondering very heavily what
it was that I had seen.
When Amroth came back to the rock he was fresh and smiling again: he
swung himself up, and sat by me, with his hands clasped round his knees.
Then he looked at me, and said, "I daresay you are surprised? You did
not expect to see such terrors and dangers here? And it is a great
mystery."
"You must be kind," I said, "and explain to me what has happened."
"Well," said Amroth, "there is a large gang of men who infest this
place, who have got up here by their agility, and can go no further,
who make it their business to prevent all they can from coming up.
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