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Thus Gandalf softly sang； and then suddenly he changed。 Casting his
tattered cloak aside； he stood up and leaned no longer on his staff； and he
spoke in a clear cold voice。 'The wise speak only of what they know； Grnma
son of Gblmud。 A witless worm have you bee。 Therefore be silent； and keep
your forked tongue behind your teeth。 I have not passed through fire and
death to bandy crooked words with a serving…man till the lightning falls。'
He raised his staff。 There was a roll of thunder。 The sunlight was blotted
out from the eastern windows； the whole hall became suddenly dark as night。
The fire faded to sullen embers。 Only Gandalf could be seen； standing white
and tall before the blackened hearth。
In the gloom they heard the hiss of Wormtongue's voice： 'Did I not
counsel you； lord； to forbid his staff？ That fool； Hbma； has betrayed us！'
There was a flash as if lightning had cloven the roof。 Then all was silent。
Wormtongue sprawled on his face。
'Now Thjoden son of Thengel； will you hearken to me？' said Gandalf。 'Do
you ask for help？' He lifted his staff and pointed to a high window。 There
the darkness seemed to clear； and through the opening could be seen； high
and far； a patch of shining sky。 'Not all is dark。 Take courage； Lord of the
Mark； for better help you will not find。 No counsel have I to give to those
that despair。 Yet counsel I could give； and words I could speak to you。 Will
you hear them？ They are not for all ears。 I bid you e out before your
doors and look abroad。 Too long have you sat in shadows and trusted to
twisted tales and crooked promptings。'
Slowly Thjoden left his chair。 A faint light grew in the hall again。
The woman hastened to the king's side； taking his arm； and with faltering
steps the old man came down from the dais and paced softly through the hall。
Wormtongue remained lying on the floor。 They came to the doors and Gandalf
knocked。
'Open！' he cried。 'The Lord of the Mark es forth！'
The doors rolled back and a keen air came whistling in。 A wind was
blowing on the hill。 'Send your guards down to the stairs foot；' said
Gandalf。 'And you； lady； leave him a while with me。 I will care for him。'
'Go； Jowyn sister…daughter！' said the old king。 'The time for fear is
past。'
The woman turned and went slowly into the house。 As she passed the
doors she turned and looked back。 Grave and thoughtful was her glance； as
she looked on the king with cool pity in her eyes。 Very fair was her face；
and her long hair was like a river of gold。 Slender and tall she was in her
white robe girt with silver； but strong she seemed and stern as steel； a
daughter of kings。 Thus Aragorn for the first time in the full light of day
beheld Jowyn； Lady of Rohan； and thought her fair； fair and cold； like a
morning of pale spring that is not yet e to womanhood。 And she now was
suddenly aware of him： tall heir of kings； wise with many winters；
greycloaked。 Hiding a power that yet she felt。 For a moment still as stone
she stood； then turning swiftly she was gone。
'Now； lord；' said Gandalf； 'look out upon your land！ Breathe the free
air again！'
From the porch upon the top of the high terrace they could see beyond
the stream the green fields of Rohan fading into distant grey。 Curtains of
wind…blown rain were slanting down。 The sky above and to the west was still
dark with thunder； and lightning far away flickered among the tops of hidden
hills。 But the wind had shifted to the north； and already the storm that had
e out of the East was receding； rolling away southward to the sea。
Suddenly through a rent in the clouds behind them a shaft of sun stabbed
down。 The falling showers gleamed like silver； and far away the river
glittered like a shimmering glass。
'It is not so dark here；' said Thjoden。
'No；' said Gandalf。 'Nor does age lie so heavily on your shoulders as
some would have you think。 Cast aside your prop！'
From the king's hand the black staff fell clattering on the stones。 He
drew himself up； slowly； as a man that is stiff from long bending over some
dull toil。 Now tall and straight he stood； and his eyes were blue as he
looked into the opening sky。
'Dark have been my dreams of late；' he said； 'but I feel as one
new…awakened。 I would now that you had e before； Gandalf。 For I fear that
already you have e too late； only to see the last days of my house。 Not
long now shall stand the high hall which Brego son of Eorl built。 Fire shall
devour the high seat。 What is to be done？'
'Much；' said Gandalf。 'But first send for Jomer。 Do I not guess rightly
that you hold him prisoner； by the counsel of Grnma； of him that all save
you name the Wormtongue？'
'It is true；' said Thjoden。 'He had rebelled against my mands； and
threatened death to Grnma in my hall。'
'A man may love you and yet not love Wormtongue or his counsels' said
Gandalf。
'That may be。 I will do as you ask。 Call Hbma to me。 Since he proved
untrusty as a doorward； let him bee an errand…runner。 The guilty shall
bring the guilty to judgement；' said Thjoden； and his voice was grim； yet he
looked at Gandalf and smiled and as he did so many lines of care were
smoothed away and did not return。
When Hbma had been summoned and had gone； Gandalf led Thjoden to a
stone seat； and then sat himself before the king upon the topmost stair。
Aragorn and his panions stood nearby。
'There is no time to tell all that you should hear；' said Gandalf。 'Yet
if my hope is not cheated； a time will e ere long when I can speak more
fully。 Behold！ you are e into a peril greater even than the wit of
Wormtongue could weave into your dreams。 But see！ you dream no longer。 You
live。 Gondor and Rohan do not stand alone。 The enemy is strong beyond our
reckoning； yet we have a hope at which he has not guessed。'
Quickly now Gandalf spoke。 His voice was low and secret； and none save
the king heard what he said。 But ever as he spoke the light shone brighter
in Thjoden's eye； and at the last he rose from his seat to his full height；
and Gandalf beside him； and together they looked out from the high place
towards the East。
'Verily；' said Gandalf； now in a loud voice； keen and clear； 'that way
lies our hope； where sits our greatest fear。 Doom hangs still on a thread。
Yet hope there is still； if we can but stand unconquered for a little
while。'
The others too now turned their eyes eastward。 Over the sundering
leagues of land； far away they gazed to the edge of sight； and hope and fear
bore their thoughts still on； beyond dark mountains to the Land of Shadow。
Where now was the Ring…bearer？ How thin indeed was the thread upon which
doom still hung！ It seemed to Legolas； as he strained his farseeing eyes；
that he caught a glint of white： far away perchance the sun twinkled on a
pinnacle of the Tower of Gu