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place now to linger in。 I will ride ahead at once with Peregrin Took。 It
will be better for him than lying in the dark while others sleep。'
'I will keep Jomer and ten Riders；' said the king。 'They shall ride
with me at early day。 The rest may go with Aragorn and ride as soon as they
have a mind。'
'As you will；' said Gandalf。 'But make all the speed you may to the
cover of the hills； to Helm's Deep！'
At that moment a shadow fell over them。 The bright moonlight seemed to
be suddenly cut off。 Several of the Riders cried out； and crouched； holding
their arms above their heads； as if to ward off a blow from above： a blind
fear and a deadly cold fell on them。 Cowering they looked up。 A vast winged
shape passed over the moon like a black cloud。 It wheeled and went north；
flying at a speed greater than any wind of Middle…earth。 The stars fainted
before it。 It was gone。
They stood up； rigid as stones。 Gandalf was gazing up； his arms out and
downwards； stiff； his hands clenched。
'Nazgyl！' he cried。 'The messenger of Mordor。 The storm is ing。 The
Nazgyl have crossed the River！ Ride； ride！ Wait not for the dawn！ Let not
the swift wait for the slow！ Ride！'
He sprang away； calling Shadowfax as he ran。 Aragorn followed him。
Going to Pippin； Gandalf picked him up in his arms。 'You shall e with me
this time；' he said。 'Shadowfax shall show you his paces。' Then he ran to
the place where he had slept。 Shadowfax stood there already。 Slinging the
small bag which was all his luggage across his shoulders； the wizard leapt
upon the horse's back。 Aragorn lifted Pippin and set him in Gandalf's arms；
；wrapped in cloak and blanket。
'Farewell！ Follow fast！' cried Gandalf。 'Away； Shadowfax！'
The great horse tossed his head。 His flowing tail flicked in the
moonlight。 Then he leapt forward； spurning the earth； and was gone like the
north wind from the mountains。
'A beautiful； restful night！' said Merry to Aragorn。 'Some folk have
wonderful luck。 He did not want to sleep； and he wanted to ride with Gandalf
and there he goes！ Instead of being turned into a stone himself to stand
here for ever as a warning。'
'If you had been the first to lift the Orthanc…stone； and not he； how
would it be now？' said Aragorn。 'You might have done worse。 Who can say？ But
now it is your luck to e with me； I fear。 At once。 Go and get ready； and
bring anything that Pippin left behind。 Make haste！'
Over the plains Shadowfax was flying； needing no urging and no
guidance。 Less than an hour had passed； and they had reached the Fords of
Isen and crossed them。 The Mound of the Riders and its cold spears lay grey
behind them。
Pippin was recovering。 He was warm； but the wind in his face was keen
and refreshing。 He was with Gandalf。 The horror of the stone and of the
hideous shadow over the moon was fading； things left behind in the mists of
the mountains or in a passing dream。 He drew a deep breath。
'I did not know you rode bare…back； Gandalf；' he said。 'You haven't a
saddle or a bridle！'
'I do not ride elf…fashion； except on Shadowfax；' said Gandalf。 'But
Shadowfax will have no harness。 You do not ride Shadowfax： he is willing to
carry you…or not。 If he is willing； that is enough。 It is then his business
to see that you remain on his back； unless you jump off into the air。'
'How fast is he going？' asked Pippin。 'Fast by the wind； but very
smooth。 And how light his footfalls are！'
'He is running now as fast as the swiftest horse could gallop；'
answered Gandalf； 'but that is not fast for him。 The land is rising a little
here； and is more broken than it was beyond the river。 But see how the White
Mountains are drawing near under the stars！ Yonder are the Thrihyrne peaks
like black spears。 It will not be long before we reach the branching roads
and e to the Deeping…coomb； where the battle was fought two nights ago。'
Pippin was silent again for a while。 He heard Gandalf singing softly to
himself； murmuring brief snatches of rhyme in many tongues； as the miles ran
under them。 At last the wizard passed into a song of which the hobbit caught
the words： a few lines came clear to his ears through the rushing of the
wind：
Tall ships and tall kings
Three times three；
What brought they from the foundered land
Over the flowing sea？
Seven stars and seven stones
And one white tree。
'What are you saying； Gandalf？' asked Pippin。
'I was just running over some of the Rhymes of Lore in my mind '
answered the wizard。 'Hobbits； I suppose； have forgotten them； even those
that they ever knew。'
'No； not all；' said Pippin。 'And we have many of our own； which
wouldn't interest you； perhaps。 But I have never heard this one。 What is it
about the seven stars and seven stones？'
'About the palantnri of the Kings of Old；' said Gandalf。
'And what are they？'
'The name meant that which looks far away。 The Orthanc…stone was one。'
'Then it was not made； not made' Pippin hesitated 'by the Enemy？'
'No；' said Gandalf。 'Nor by Saruman。 It is beyond his art； and beyond
Sauron's too。 The palantnri came from beyond Westernesse from Eldamar。 The
Noldor made them。 Flanor himself； maybe； wrought them； in days so long ago
that the time cannot be measured in years。 But there is nothing that Sauron
cannot turn to evil uses。 Alas for Saruman！ It was his downfall； as I now
perceive。 Perilous to us all are the devices of an art deeper than we
possess ourselves。 Yet he must bear the blame。 Fool！ to keep it secret； for
his own profit。 No word did he ever speak of it to any of the Council。 We
had not yet given thought to the fate of the palantnri of Gondor in its
ruinous wars。 By Men they were almost forgotten。 Even in Gondor they were a
secret known only to a few； in Arnor they were remembered only in a rhyme of
lore among the D畁edain。'
'What did the Men of old use them for？' asked Pippin； delighted and
astonished at getting answers to so many questions； and wondering how long
it would last。
'To see far off； and to converse in thought with one another；' said
Gandalf。 'In that way they long guarded and united the realm of Gondor。 They
set up Stones at Minas Anor； and at Minas Ithil； and at Orthanc in the ring
of Isengard。 The chief and master of these was under the Dome of Stars at
Osgiliath before its ruin。 The three others were far away in the North。 In
the house of Elrond it is told that they were at Ann甿inas； and Amon Syl；
and Elendil's Stone was on the Tower Hills that look towards Mithlond in the
Gulf of Lune where the grey ships lie。
'Each palantnr replied to each； but all those in Gondor were ever open
to the view of Osgiliath。 Now it appears that； as the rock of Orthanc has
withstood the storms of time； so there the palantnr of that tower has
remained。 But alone it could do n