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Glóin　rose　and　bowed；　and　Legolas　continued。　'In　the　days　of　fair　weather　we　led　Gollum　through　the　woods；　and　there　was　a　high　tree　standing　alone　far　from　the　others　which　he　liked　to　climb。　Often　we　let　him　mount　up　to　the　highest　branches；　until　he　felt　the　free　wind；　but　we　set　a　guard　at　the　tree's　foot。　One　day　he　refused　to　e　down；　and　the　guards　had　no　mind　to　climb　after　him：　he　had　learned　the　trick　of　clinging　to　boughs　with　his　feet　as　well　as　with　his　hands；　so　they　sat　by　the　tree　far　into　the　night。

'It　was　that　very　night　of　summer；　yet　moonless　and　starless；　that　Orcs　came　on　us　at　unawares。　We　drove　them　off　after　some　time；　they　were　many　and　fierce；　but　they　came　from　over　the　mountains；　and　were　unused　to　the　woods。　When　the　battle　was　over；　we　found　that　Gollum　was　gone；　and　his　guards　were　slain　or　taken。　It　then　seemed　plain　to　us　that　the　attack　had　been　made　for　his　rescue；　and　that　he　knew　of　it　beforehand。　How　that　was　contrived　we　cannot　guess；　but　Gollum　is　cunning；　and　the　spies　of　the　Enemy　are　many。　The　dark　things　that　were　driven　out　in　the　year　of　the　Dragon's　fall　have　returned　in　greater　numbers；　and　Mirkwood　is　again　an　evil　place；　save　where　our　realm　is　maintained。

'We　have　failed　to　recapture　Gollum。　We　came　on　his　trail　among　those　of　many　Orcs；　and　it　plunged　deep　into　the　Forest；　going　south。　But　ere　long　it　escaped　our　skill；　and　we　dared　not　continue　the　hunt；　for　we　were　drawing　nigh　to　Dol　Guldur；　and　that　is　still　a　very　evil　place；　we　do　not　go　that　way。'

'Well；　well；　he　is　gone；'　said　Gandalf。　'We　have　no　time　to　seek　for　him　again。　He　must　do　what　he　will。　But　he　may　play　a　part　yet　that　neither　he　nor　Sauron　have　foreseen。

'And　now　I　will　answer　Galdor's　other　questions。　What　of　Saruman？　What　are　his　counsels　to　us　in　this　need？　This　tale　I　must　tell　in　full；　for　only　Elrond　has　heard　it　yet；　and　that　in　brief；　but　it　will　bear　on　all　that　we　must　resolve。　It　is　the　last　chapter　in　the　Tale　of　the　Ring；　so　far　as　it　has　yet　gone。

'At　the　end　of　June　I　was　in　the　Shire；　but　a　cloud　of　anxiety　was　on　my　mind；　and　I　rode　to　the　southern　borders　of　the　little　land；　for　I　had　a　foreboding　of　some　danger；　still　hidden　from　me　but　drawing　near。　There　messages　reached　me　telling　me　of　war　and　defeat　in　Gondor；　and　when　I　heard　of　the　Black　Shadow　a　chill　smote　my　heart。　But　I　found　nothing　save　a　few　fugitives　from　the　South；　yet　it　seemed　to　me　that　on　them　sat　a　fear　of　which　they　would　not　speak。　I　turned　then　east　and　north　and　journeyed　along　the　Greenway；　and　not　far　from　Bree　I　came　upon　a　traveller　sitting　on　a　bank　beside　the　road　with　his　grazing　horse　beside　him。　It　was　Radagast　the　Brown；　who　at　one　time　dwelt　at　Rhosgobel；　near　the　borders　of　Mirkwood。　He　is　one　of　my　order；　but　I　had　not　seen　him　for　many　a　year。

'　〃Gandalf！　〃　he　cried。　〃I　was　seeking　you。　But　I　am　a　stranger　in　these　parts。　All　I　knew　was　that　you　might　be　found　in　a　wild　region　with　the　uncouth　name　of　Shire。〃

'　〃Your　information　was　correct；〃　I　said。　〃But　do　not　put　it　that　way；　if　you　meet　any　of　the　inhabitants。　You　are　near　the　borders　of　the　Shire　now。　And　what　do　you　want　with　me？　It　must　be　pressing。　You　were　never　a　traveller；　unless　driven　by　great　need。〃

'　〃I　have　an　urgent　errand；〃　he　said。　〃My　news　is　evil。〃　Then　he　looked　about　him；　as　if　the　hedges　might　have　ears。　〃Nazg。l；〃　he　whispered。　〃The　Nine　are　abroad　again。　They　have　crossed　the　River　secretly　and　are　moving　westward。　They　have　taken　the　guise　of　riders　in　black。〃

'I　knew　then　what　I　had　dreaded　without　knowing　it。

'　〃The　enemy　must　have　some　great　need　or　purpose；〃　said　Radagast；　〃but　what　it　is　that　makes　him　look　to　these　distant　and　desolate　parts；　I　cannot　guess。〃

'　〃What　do　you　mean？　〃　said　I。

'　〃I　have　been　told　that　wherever　they　go　the　Riders　ask　for　news　of　a　land　called　Shire。〃

'　〃The　Shire；〃　I　said；　but　my　heart　sank。　For　even　the　Wise　might　fear　to　withstand　the　Nine；　when　they　are　gathered　together　under　their　fell　chieftain。　A　great　king　and　sorcerer　he　was　of　old；　and　now　he　wields　a　deadly　fear。　〃Who　told　you；　and　who　sent　you？　〃　I　asked。

'　〃Saruman　the　White；〃　answered　Radagast。　〃And　he　told　me　to　say　that　if　you　feel　the　need；　he　will　help；　but　you　must　seek　his　aid　at　once；　or　it　will　be　too　late。〃

'And　that　message　brought　me　hope。　For　Saruman　the　White　is　the　greatest　of　my　order。　Radagast　is；　of　course；　a　worthy　Wizard；　a　master　of　shapes　and　changes　of　hue；　and　he　has　much　lore　of　herbs　and　beasts；　and　birds　are　especially　his　friends。　But　Saruman　has　long　studied　the　arts　of　the　Enemy　himself；　and　thus　we　have　often　been　able　to　forestall　him。　It　was　by　the　devices　of　Saruman　that　we　drove　him　from　Dol　Guldur。　It　might　be　that　he　had　found　some　weapons　that　would　drive　back　the　Nine。

'　〃I　will　go　to　Saruman；〃　I　said。

'　〃Then　you　must　go　now；〃　said　Radagast；　〃for　I　have　wasted　time　in　looking　for　you；　and　the　days　are　running　short。　I　was　told　to　find　you　before　Midsummer；　and　that　is　now　here。　Even　if　you　set　out　from　this　spot；　you　will　hardly　reach　him　before　the　Nine　discover　the　land　that　they　seek。　I　myself　shall　turn　back　at　once。〃　And　with　that　he　mounted　and　would　have　ridden　straight　off。

'　〃Stay　a　moment！　〃　I　said。　〃We　shall　need　your　help；　and　the　help　of　all　things　that　will　give　it。　Send　out　messages　to　all　the　beasts　and　birds　that　are　your　friends。　Tell　them　to　bring　news　of　anything　that　bears　on　this　matter　to　Saruman　and　Gandalf。　Let　messages　be　sent　to　Orthanc。〃

'　〃I　will　do　that；〃　he　said；　and　rode　off　as　if　the　Nine　were　after　him。

'I　could　not　follow　him　then　and　there。　I　had　ridden　very　far　already　that　day；　and　I　was　as　weary　as　my　horse；　and　I　needed　to　consider　matters。　I　stayed　the　night　in　Bree；　and　decided　that　I　had　no　time　to　return　to　the　Shire。　Never　did　I　make　a　greater　mistake！

'However；　I　wrote　a　message　to　Frodo；　and　trusted　to　my　friend　the　innkeeper　to　send　it　to　him。　I　rode　away　at　dawn；　and　I　came　at　long　last　to　the　dwelling　of　Saruman。　That　is　far　south　in　Isengard；　in　the　end　of　the　Misty　Mountains；　not　far　from　the　Gap　of　Rohan。　And　Boromir　will　tell　you　that　that　is　a　great　open　vale　that　lies　between　the　Misty　Mountains　and　the　northmost　foothills　of　Ered　Nimrais；　the　White　Mountains　of　his　home。　But　Isengard　is　a　circle　of　sheer　rocks　that　enclose　a　valley　as　with　a　wall；　and　in　the　midst　of　that　valley　is　a　tower　of　stone　called　Orthanc。　It　was　not　made　by　Saruman；　but　by　the　Men　of　Númenor　long　ago；　and　it　is　very　tall　and　has　many　secrets；　yet　it　looks　not　to　be　a　work　of　craft。　It　cannot　be　reached　save　by　passing　the　circle　of　Isengard；　and　in　that　circle　there　is　only　one　gate。

'Late　one　evening　I　came　to　the　gate；　like　a　great　arch　in　the　wall　of　rock；　and　it　was　strongly　guarded。　But　the　keepers　of　the　gate　were　on　the　watch　for　me　and　told　me　that　Saruman　awaited　me。　I　rode　under　the　arch；　and　the　gate　closed　silently　behind　me；　and　suddenly　I　was　afraid；　though　I　knew　no　reason　for　it。

'But　I　rode　to　the　foot　of　Orthanc；　and　came　to　the　stair　of　Saruman　and　there　he　met　me　and　led　me　up　to　his　high　chamber。　He　wore　a　ring　on　his　finger。

'　〃So　you　have　e；　Gandalf；〃　he　said　to　me　gravely；　but　in　his　eyes　there　seemed　to　be　a　white　light；　as　if　a　cold　laughter　was　in　his　heart。

'　〃Yes；　I　have　e；〃　I　said。　〃I　have　e　for　your　aid；　Saruman　the　White。〃　And　that　title　seemed　to　anger　him。

'　〃Have　you　indeed；　Gandalf　the　Grey！　〃　he　scoffed。　〃For　aid？　It　has　seldom　been　heard　of　that　Gandalf　the　Grey　sought　for　aid；　one　so　cunning　and　so　wise；　wandering　about　the　lands；　and　concerning　himself　in　every　business；　whether　it　belongs　to　him　or　not。〃

'I　looked　at　him　and　wondered。　〃But　if　I　am　not　deceived；〃　said　I；　〃things　are　now　moving　which　will　require　the　union　of　all　our　strength。〃

'　〃That　may　be　so；〃　he　said；　〃but　the　thought　is　late　in　ing　to　you。　How　long。　I　wonder；　have　you　concealed　from　me；　the　head　of　the　Council；　a　matter　of　greatest　import？　What　brings　you　now　from　your　lurkingplace　in　the　Shire？　〃

'　〃The　Nine　have　e　forth　again；〃　I　answered。　〃They　have　crossed　the　River。　So　Radagast　said　to　me。〃

'　〃Radagast　the　Brown！　〃　laughed　Saruman；　and　he　no　longer　conce