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my ruin？'
'You know the answers；' said Gandalf： 'no and no。 But in any case the time of my labours now
draws to an end。 The King has taken on the burden。 If you had waited at Orthanc； you would have
seen him； and he would have shown you wisdom and mercy。'
'Then all the more reason to have left sooner；' said Saruman； 'for I desire neither of him。 Indeed
if you wish for an answer to your first question； I am seeking a way out of his realm。'
'Then once more you are going the wrong way；' said Gandalf； 'and I see no hope in your journey。
But will you scorn our help？ For we offer it to you。'
'To me？' said Saruman。 'Nay； pray do not smile at me！ I prefer your frowns。 And as for the Lady
here； I do not trust her： she always hated me； and schemed for your part。 I do not doubt that she has
brought you this way to have the pleasure of gloating over my poverty。 Had I been warned of your
pursuit； I would have denied you the pleasure。'
'Saruman；' said Galadriel； 'we have other errands and other cares that seem to us more urgent
than hunting for you。 Say rather that you are overtaken by good fortune； for now you have a last
chance。'
'If it be truly the last； I am glad；' said Saruman； 'for I shall be spared the trouble of refusing it
again。 All my hopes are ruined； but I would not share yours。 If you have any。'
For a moment his eyes kindled。 'Go！' he said。 'I did not spend long study on these matters for
naught。 You have doomed yourselves； and you know it。 And it will afford me some fort as I
wander to think that you pulled down your own house when you destroyed mine。 And now； what
ship will bear you back across so wide a sea？' he mocked。 'It will be a grey ship； and full of ghosts。'
He laughed； but his voice was cracked and hideous。
'Get up； you idiot！' he shouted to the other beggar； who had sat down on the ground； and he
struck him with his staff。 'Turn about！ If these fine folk are going our way； then we will take
another。 Get on； or I'll give you no crust for your supper！'
The beggar turned and slouched past whimpering： 'Poor old Gríma！ Poor old Gríma！ Always
beaten and cursed。 How I hate him！ I wish I could leave him！'
'Then leave him！' said Gandalf。
But Wormtongue only shot a glance of his bleared eyes full of terror at Gandalf； and then
shuffled quickly past behind Saruman。 As the wretched pair passed by the pany they came to
the hobbits； and Saruman stopped and stared at them； but they looked at him with pity。
'So you have e to gloat too； have you； my urchins？' he said。 'You don't care what a beggar
lacks； do you？ For you have all you want； food and fine clothes； and the best weed for your pipes。
Oh yes； I know！ I know where it es from。 You would not give a pipeful to a beggar； would
you？'
'I would； if I had any；' said Frodo。
'You can have what I have got left；' said Merry； 'if you will wait a moment。' He got down and
searched in the bag at his saddle。 Then he handed to Saruman a leather pouch。 'Take what there is；'
he said。 'You are wele to it； it came from the flotsam of Isengard。'
'Mine； mine； yes and dearly bought！' cried Saruman； clutching at the pouch。 'This is only a
repayment in token； for you took more； I'll be bound。 Still； a beggar must be grateful； if a thief
returns him even a morsel of his own。 Well； it will serve you right when you e home； if you
find things less good in the Southfarthing than you would like。 Long may your land be short of
leaf！'
'Thank you！' said Merry。 'In that case I will have my pouch back； which is not yours and has
journeyed far with me。 Wrap the weed in a rag of your own。'
'One thief deserves another；' said Saruman； and turned his back on Merry； and kicked
Wormtongue； and went away towards the wood。
'Well； I like that！' said Pippin。 'Thief indeed！ What of our claim for waylaying； wounding； and
orc…dragging us through Rohan？'
'Ah！' said Sam。 'And _bought_ he said。 How； I wonder？ And I didn't like the sound of what he
said about the Southfarthing。 It's time we got back。'
'I'm sure it is；' said Frodo。 'But we can't go any quicker； if we are to see Bilbo。 I am going to
Rivendell first； whatever happens。'
'Yes； I think you had better do that；' said Gandalf。 'But alas for Saruman！ I fear nothing more can
be made of him。 He has withered altogether。 All the same； I am not sure that Treebeard is right： I
fancy he could do some mischief still in a small mean way。'
Next day they went on into northern Dunland； where no men now dwelt； though it was a green
and pleasant country。 September came in with golden days and silver nights； and they rode at ease
until they reached the Swanfleet river； and found the old ford； east of the falls where it went down
suddenly into the lowlands。 Far to the west in a haze lay the meres and eyots through which it
wound its way to the Greyflood： there countless swans housed in a land of reeds。
So they passed into Eregion； and at last a fair morning dawned； shimmering above gleaming
mists； and looking from their camp on a low hill the travellers saw away in the east the Sun
catching three peaks that thrust up into the sky through floating clouds： Caradhras； Celebdil； and
Fanuidhol。 They were near to the Gates of Moria。
Here now for seven days they tarried； for the time was at hand for another parting which they
were loth to make。 Soon Celeborn and Galadriel and their folk would turn eastward； and so pass by
the Redhorn Gate and down the Dimrill Stair to the Silverlode and to their own country。 They had
journeyed thus far by the west…ways； for they had much to speak of with Elrond and with Gandalf；
and here they lingered still in converse with their friends。 Often long after the hobbits were
wrapped in sleep they would sit together under the stars； recalling the ages that were gone and all
their joys and labours in the world； or holding council； concerning the days to e。 If any
wanderer had chanced to pass； little would he have seen or heard； and it would have seemed to him
only that he saw grey figures； carved in stone； memorials of forg