There was a crash on the door, followed by crash after crash. Rams and hammers were beating against it. It cracked and staggered back, and the opening grew suddenly wide. Arrows came whistling in, but struck the northern wall, and fell harmlessly to the floor. There was a horn-blast and a rush of feet, and orcs one after another leaped into the chamber.
How many
there were the Company could not count. The affray was sharp, but the orcs were
dismayed by the fierceness of the defence. Legolas
shot two through the throat. Gimli hewed the
legs from under another that had sprung up on Balin's
tomb. Boromir and Aragorn slew many. When
thirteen had fallen the rest fled shrieking, leaving the defenders unharmed,
except for Sam who had a scratch along
the scalp. A quick duck had saved him; and he had felled his orc: a sturdy thrust
with his Barrow-blade. A fire was smouldering in his brown eyes that would have
made Ted Sandyman step backwards, if he had seen it.
'Now is the time!' cried Gandalf. 'Let us
go, before the troll returns!'