The Voice of Saruman

           Theypassedthroughtheruinedtunnelandstooduponaheapofstones,gazingatthedarkrockofOrthanc,anditsmanywindows,amenacestillinthedesolationthatlayallaboutit.Thewatershadnownearlyallsubsided.Hereandtheregloomypoolsremained,coveredwithscumandwreckage;butmostofthewidecirclewasbareagain,awildernessofslimeandtumbledrock,pittedwithblackenedholes,anddottedwithpostsandpillarsleaningdrunkenlythiswayandthat.Attherimoftheshatteredbowltherelayvastmoundsandslopes,liketheshinglescastupbyagreatstorm;andbeyondthemthegreenandtangledvalleyranupintothelongravinebetweenthedarkarmsofthemountains.Acrossthewastetheysawriderspickingtheirway;theywerecomingfromthenorthside,andalreadytheyweredrawingneartoOrthanc.

           ’ThereisGandalf,andThéodenandhismen!’saidLegolas.’Letusgoandmeetthem!’

           ’Walkwarily!’saidMerry.’Therearelooseslabsthatmaytiltupandthrowyoudownintoapit,ifyoudon’ttakecare.’

           TheyfollowedwhatwasleftoftheroadfromthegatestoOrthanc,goingslowly,fortheflag-stoneswerecrackedandslimed.Theriders,seeingthemapproach,haltedundertheshadowoftherockandwaitedforthem.Gandalfrodeforwardtomeetthem.

           ’Well,TreebeardandIhavehadsomeinterestingdiscussions,andmadeafewplans,’hesaid;’andwehaveallhadsomemuch-neededrest.Nowwemustbegoingonagain.Ihopeyoucompanionshaveallrested,too,andrefreshedyourselves?’

           ’Wehave,’saidMerry.