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can say。'
'Not alone；' said Legolas。 'We think that Sam went with him。'
'Did he！' said Gandalf； and there was a gleam in his eye and a smile on
his face。 'Did he indeed？ It is news to me； yet it does not surprise me。
Good！ Very good！ You lighten my heart。 You must tell me more。 Now sit by me
and tell me the tale of your journey。'
The panions sat on the ground at his feet； and Aragorn took up the
tale。 For a long while Gandalf said nothing； and he asked no questions。 His
hands were spread upon his knees； and his eyes were closed。 At last when
Aragorn spoke of the death of Boromir and of his last journey upon the Great
River； the old man sighed。
'You have not said all that you know or guess； Aragorn my friend；' he
said quietly。 'Poor Boromir！ I could not see what happened to him。 It was a
sore trial for such a man： a warrior； and a lord of men。 Galadriel told me
that he was in peril。 But he escaped in the end。 I am glad。 It was not in
vain that the young hobbits came with us； if only for Boromir's sake。 But
that is not the only part they have to play。 They were brought to Fangorn；
and their ing was like the falling of small stones that starts an
avalanche in the mountains。 Even as we talk here； I hear the first
rumblings。 Saruman had best not be caught away from home when the dam
bursts！'
'In one thing you have not changed； dear friend；' said Aragorn： 'you
still speak in riddles。'
'What？ In riddles？' said Gandalf。 'No！ For I was talking aloud to
myself。 A habit of the old： they choose the wisest person present to speak
to； the long explanations needed by the young are wearying。' He laughed； but
the sound now seemed warm and kindly as a gleam of sunshine。
'I am no longer young even in the reckoning of Men of the Ancient
Houses；' said Aragorn。 'Will you not open your mind more clearly to me？'
'What then shall I say？' said Gandalf； and paused for a while in
thought。 'This in brief is how I see things at the moment； if you wish to
have a piece of my mind as plain as possible。 The Enemy； of course； has long
known that the Ring is abroad； and that it is borne by a hobbit。 He knows
now the number of our pany that set out from Rivendell； and the kind of
each of us。 But he does not yet perceive our purpose clearly。 He supposes
that we were all going to Minas Tirith； for that is what he would himself
have done in our place。 And according to his wisdom it would have been a
heavy stroke against his power。 Indeed he is in great fear； not knowing what
mighty one may suddenly appear； wielding the Ring； and assailing him with
war； seeking to cast him down and take his place。 That we should wish to
cast him down and have no one in his place is not a thought that occurs to
his mind。 That we should try to destroy the Ring itself has not yet entered
into his darkest dream。 In which no doubt you will see our good fortune and
our hope。 For imagining war he has let loose war； believing that he has no
time to waste； for he that strikes the first blow； if he strikes it hard
enough； may need to strike no more。 So the forces that he has long been
preparing he is now setting in motion； sooner than he intended。 Wise fool。
For if he had used all his power to guard Mordor； so that none could enter；
and bent all his guild to the hunting of the Ring； then indeed hope would
have faded： neither Ring nor Bearer could long have eluded him。 But now his
eye gazes abroad rather than near at home； and mostly he looks towards Minas
Tirith。 Very soon now his strength will fall upon it like a storm。
'For already he knows that the messengers that he sent to waylay the
pany have failed again。 They have not found the Ring。 Neither have they
brought away any hobbits as hostages。 Had they done even so much as that； it
would have been a heavy blow to us； and it might have been fatal。 But let us
not darken our hearts by imagining the trial of their gentle loyalty in the
Dark Tower。 For the Enemy has failed…so far。 Thanks to Saruman：'
'Then is not Saruman a traitor？' said Gimli。
'Indeed yes；' said Gandalf。 'Doubly。 And is not that strange？ Nothing
that we have endured of late has seemed so grievous as the treason of
Isengard。 Even reckoned as a lord and captain Saruman has grown very strong。
He threatens the Men of Rohan and draws off their help from Minas Tirith；
even as the main blow is approaching from the East。 Yet a treacherous weapon
is ever a danger to the hand。 Saruman also had a mind to capture the Ring；
for himself； or at least to snare some hobbits for his evil purposes。 So
between them our enemies have contrived only to bring Merry and Pippin with
marvellous speed； and in the nick of time； to Fangorn； where otherwise they
would never have e at all！
'Also they have filled themselves with new doubts that disturb their
plans。 No tidings of the battle will e to Mordor； thanks to the horsemen
of Rohan； but the Dark Lord knows that two hobbits were taken in the Emyn
Muil and borne away towards Isengard against the will of his own servants。
He now has Isengard to fear as well as Minas Tirith。 If Minas Tirith falls；
it will go ill with Saruman。'
'It is a pity that our friends lie in between；' said Gimli。 'If no land
divided Isengard and Mordor； then they could fight while we watched and
waited。'
'The victor would emerge stronger than either； and free from doubt；'
said Gandalf。 'But Isengard cannot fight Mordor； unless Saruman first
obtains the Ring。 That he will never do now。 He does not yet know his peril。
There is much that he does not know。 He was so eager to lay his hands on his
prey that he could not wait at home； and he came forth to meet and to spy on
his messengers。 But he came too late； for once； and the battle was over and
beyond his help before he reached these parts。 He did not remain here long。
I look into his mind and I see his doubt。 He has no woodcraft。 He believes
that the horsemen slew and burned all upon the field of battle； but he does
not know whether the Orcs were bringing any prisoners or not。 And he does
not know of the quarrel between his servants and the Orcs of Mordor； nor
does he know of the Winged Messenger。'
'The Winged Messenger！' cried Legolas。 'I shot at him with the bow of
Galadriel above Sarn Gebir； and I felled him from the sky。 He filled us all
with fear。 What new terror is this？'
'One that you cannot slay with arrows；' said Gandalf。 'You only slew
his steed。 It was a good deed； but the Rider was soon horsed again。 For he
was a Nazgyl； one of the Nine； who ride now upon winged steeds。 Soon their
terror will overshadow the last armies of our friends； cutting off the sun。
But they have not yet been allowed to cross the River； and Saruman does not
know of this new shape in which the Ringwraiths have been clad。 His thought
is ever on the Ring。 Was it present in the battle？ Was