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The Voice of Saruh the ruined tunnel and stood upon a heap of stones, gazing at the dark rock of Orthanc, and its many s, a menace still in the desolation that lay all about it The waters had now nearly all subsided Here and there glooe; but ain, a wilderness of slime and tumbled rock, pitted with blackened holes, and dotted with posts and pillars leaning drunkenly this way and that At the rim of the shattered bowl there lay vast reat storled valley ran up into the long ravine between the dark ar their way; they were co near to Orthanc

&039;There is Gandalf, and Theoden and his o and meet them!&039;

&039;Walk warily!&039; said Merry &039;There are loose slabs that may tilt up and throw you down into a pit, if you don&039;t take care&039;

They folloas left of the road fro-stones were cracked and sli them approach, halted under the shadow of the rock and waited for them Gandalf rode forward to meet them

&039;Well, Treebeard and I have had so discussions, and made a few plans,&039; he said, &039;and we have all had soain I hope you companions have all rested, too, and refreshed yourselves?&039;

&039;We have,&039; said Merry &039;But our discussions began and ended in smoke Still we feel less ill-disposed towards Saruman than we did&039;

&039;Do you indeed?&039; said Gandalf &039;Well, I do not I have now a last task to do before I go: I erous, and probably useless; but it must be done Those of you ish may come with me �C but beware! And do not jest! This is not the time for it&039;

&039;I will come,&039; said Gimli &039;I wish to see him and learn if he really looks like you&039;

&039;And hoill you learn that, Master Dwarf?&039; said Gandalf &039;Saruman could look like me in your eyes, if it suited his purpose with you And are you yet wise enough to detect all his counterfeits? Well, we shall see, perhaps He ether But I have ordered all the Ents to reht, so perhaps we shall persuade hier?&039; asked Pippin &039;Will he shoot at us, and pour fire out of the s; or can he put a spell on us from a distance?&039;

&039;The last is ht heart,&039; said Gandalf &039;But there is no knohat he can do, or may choose to try A wild beast cornered is not safe to approach And Saruuess Beware of his voice!&039;

They caleamed as if it et The h they had been newly chiselled A few scorings, and small flake-like splinters near the base, were all the marks that it bore of the fury of the Ents

On the eastern side, in the angle of two piers, there was a great door, high above the ground; and over it was a shuttered , opening upon a balcony hedged with iron bars Up to the threshold of the door there ht of twenty-seven broad stairs, hewn by some unknown art of the same black stone This was the only entrance to the tower; but many tall ere cut with deep e walls: far up they peered like little eyes in the sheer faces of the horns

At the foot of the stairs Gandalf and the king diso up,&039; said Gandalf &039;I have been in Orthanc and I know o up,&039; said the king &039;I am old, and fear no peril any more I wish to speak with the ene Eoed feet do not falter&039;

&039;As you will,&039; said Gandalf &039;Aragorn shall come with me Let the others await us at the foot of the stairs They will hear and see enough, if there is anything to hear or see&039;

&039;Nay!&039; said Giolas and I wish for a closer view We alone here represent our kindred We also will come behind&039;

&039;Come then!&039; said Gandalf, and with that he climbed the steps, and Theoden went beside him

The Riders of Rohan sat uneasily upon their horses, on either side of the stair, and looked up darkly at the great tower, fearing what ht befall their lord Merry and Pippin sat on the botto both unimportant and unsafe

&039;Half a sticky ate!&039; uardroom unnoticed! What did we come for? We are not wanted&039;

Gandalf stood before the door of Orthanc and beat on it with his staff It rang with a hollow sound &039;Saru voice &039;Saruman come forth!&039;

For some time there was no answer At last theabove the door was unbarred, but no figure could be seen at its dark opening

&039;Who is it?&039; said a voice &039;What do you wish?&039;

Theoden started &039;I know that voice,&039; he said, &039;and I curse the day when I first listened to it&039;

&039;Go and fetch Saruue!&039; said Gandalf &039;And do not waste our time!&039;

Theclosed They waited Suddenly another voice spoke, low and melodious, its very sound an enchantment Those who listened unwarily to that voice could seldom report the words that they heard; and if they did, they wondered, for little power remained in theht to hear the voice speaking, all that it said seereement to seem wise themselves When others spoke they seeainsaid the voice, anger was kindled in the hearts of those under the spell For some the spell lasted only while the voice spoke to them, and when it spake to another they sler&039;s trick while others gape at it For h to hold them enthralled; but for those whom it conquered the spell endured when they were far away, and ever they heard that soft voice whispering and urging them But none were unmoved; none rejected its pleas and its co as its master had control of it

&039;Well?&039; it said noith gentle question &039;Why ive ht or day?&039; Its tone was that of a kindly heart aggrieved by injuries undeserved

They looked up, astonished, for they had heard no sound of his co down upon thereat cloak, the colour of which was not easy to tell, for it changed if they , with a high forehead, he had deep darkling eyes, hard to fathorave and benevolent, and a little weary His hair and beard hite, but strands of black still showed about his lips and ears

&039;Like, and yet unlike,&039; muttered Gimli

&039;But come now,&039; said the soft voice &039;Two at least of you I know by name Gandalf I know too well to have much hope that he seeks help or counsel here But you, Theoden Lord of the Mark of Rohan are declared by your noble devices, and still more by the fair countenance of the House of Eorl O worthy son of Thengel the Thrice-renowned! Why have you not come before, and as a friend? Much have I desired to see you,of western lands, and especially in these latter years, to save you from the unwise and evil counsels that beset you! Is it yet too late? Despite the injuries that have been done to me, in which the men of Rohan, alas! have had some part, still I would save you, and deliver you froh inevitably, if you ride upon this road which you have taken Indeed I alone can aid you now&039;

Theoden opened hisHe looked up at the face of Saruman with its dark solemn eyes bent down upon him, and then to Gandalf at his side; and he seen; but stood silent as stone, as one waiting patiently for some call that has not yet co with approval of the words of Saruman; and then they too were silent, as men spell-bound It seely to their lord Rough and proud now sees with Theoden And over their hearts crept a shadow, the fear of a great danger: the end of the Mark in a darkness to which Gandalf was driving the it half open so that a ray of light cah There was a heavy silence

It was Gimli the dho broke in suddenly &039;The words of this wizard stand on their heads,&039; he growled, gripping the handle of his axe &039;In the language of Orthanc help , that is plain But we do not co&039;

&039;Peace!&039; said Saru ht flickered in his eyes and was gone &039;I do not speak to you yet, Gimli Gloin&039;s son,&039; he said &039;Far away is your home and small concern of yours are the troubles of this land But it was not by design of your own that you became embroiled in them, and so I will not blame such part as you have played �C a valiant one, I doubt not But I pray you, allow hbour, and once my friend

&039;What have you to say, Theoden King? Will you have peace withyears, can bring? Shall we ainst evil days, and repair our injuries with such good will that our estates shall both come to fairer flower than ever before?&039;

Still Theoden did not answer Whether he strove with anger or doubt none could say Eomer spoke

&039;Lord, hear me!&039; he said &039;Noe feel the peril that arned of Have we ridden forth to victory, only to stand at last aue? So would the trapped wolf speak to the hounds, if he could What aid can he give to you, forsooth? All he desires is to escape froht But will you parley with this dealer in treachery and rave of Hama in Helm&039;s Deep!&039;

&039;If we speak of poisoned tongues what shall we say of yours, young serpent?&039; said Saruer was now plain to see &039;But come, Eoain &039;To every h honour thereby Slay whom your lord names as enemies, and be content Meddle not in policies which you do not understand But , you will find that he must choose his friends with care The friendship of Saruhtly thrown aside, whatever grievances, real or fancied, may lie behind You have won a battle but not a war and that with help on which you cannot count again You may find the Shadow of the Wood at your own door next: it is ard, and senseless, and has no love for Men

&039;But my lord of Rohan, am I to be called a o to war, needlessly, for I did not desire it, then men will be slain But if I am a murderer on that account, then all the House of Eorl is stained with ht many wars, and assailed many who defied them Yet with so politic I say, Theoden King: shall we have peace and friendship, you and I? It is ours to command&039;

&039;We will have peace,&039; said Theoden at last thickly and with an effort Several of the Riders cried out gladly Theoden held up his hand &039;Yes, ill have peace,&039; he said, now in a clear voice, &039;ill have peace, when you and all your works have perished �C and the works of your dark master to whom you would deliver us You are a liar, Saruman, and a corrupter of men&039;s hearts You hold out your hand to er of the claw of Mordor Cruel and cold! Even if your war on me was just as it was not, for were you ten tiht to rule me and mine for your own profit as you desired �C even so, ill you say of your torches in Westfold and the children that lie dead there? And they hewed Ha, after he was dead When you hang froibbet at yourfor the sport of your own crows, I will have peace with you and Orthanc So reat sires aers Turn elsewhither But I fear your voice has lost its charazed up at Theoden like men startled out of a dream Harsh as an old raven&039;s their master&039;s voice sounded in their ears after the music of Saruman But Saruman for a while was beside himself rath He leaned over the rail as if he would s with his staff To so itself to strike

&039;Gibbets and crows!&039; he hissed, and they shuddered at the hideous change &039;Dotard! What is the house of Eorl but a thatched barn where brigands drink in the reek, and their brats roll on the floor aibbet theht and hard in the end Hang if you will!&039; Now his voice changed, as he slowly mastered himself &039;I know not why I have had the patience to speak to you For I need you not, nor your little band of gallopers, as swift to fly as to advance, Theoden Horseo I offered you a state beyond your ain, so that those whoiveand abuse So be it Go back to your huts!

&039;But you, Gandalf! For you at least I a for your shame How comes it that you can endure such company? For you are proud, Gandalf �C and not without reason, having a noble mind and eyes that look both deep and far Even noill you not listen to my counsel?&039;

Gandalf stirred, and looked up &039;What have you to say that you did not say at our last s to unsay?&039;

Saruman paused &039;Unsay?&039; he mused, as if puzzled &039;Unsay? I endeavoured to advise you for your own good, but you scarcely listened You are proud and do not love advice, having indeed a store of your oisdo erness to persuade you, I lost patience And indeed I regret it For I bore you no ill-will; and even now I bear none, though you return to norant How should I? Are we not both h and ancient order, most excellent in Middle-earth? Our friendship would profit us both alike Much we could still accoether, to heal the disorders of the world Let us understand one another, and disht these lesser folk! Let the to redress the past, and to receive you Will you not consult with reat was the power that Saruman exerted in this last effort that none that stood within hearing were unmoved But now the spell holly different They heard the gentle re butat a door to words not meant for the the elusive discourse of their elders, and wondering hoould affect their lot Of loftier mould these tere made: reverend and wise It was inevitable that they should make alliance Gandalf would ascend into the tower, to discuss deep things beyond their coh chambers of Orthanc The door would be closed, and they would be left outside, dismissed to await allotted work or punishht took shape, like a shadow of doubt: &039;He will betray us; he will go �C we shall be lost&039;

Then Gandalf laughed The fantasy vanished like a puff of smoke