shrinking away from Gandalf。 'I will send for it at once。 Do you understand？
Say just that！' Then he struggled to get up and escape but Gandalf held him
gently and firmly。
'Peregrin Took！' he said。 'e back！'
The hobbit relaxed and fell back； clinging to the wizard's hand。
'Gandalf！' he cried。 'Gandalf！ Forgive me！'
'Forgive you？' said the wizard。 'Tell me first what you have done！'
'I； I took the ball and looked at it；' stammered Pippin； 'and I saw
things that frightened me。 And I wanted to go away； but I couldn't。 And then
he came and questioned me； and he looked at me； and； and that is all I
remember。'
'That won't do；' said Gandalf sternly。 'What did you see； and what did
you say？'
Pippin shut his eyes and shivered； but said nothing。 They all stared at
him in silence； except Merry who turned away。 But Gandalf's face was still
hard。 'Speak！' he said。
In a low hesitating voice Pippin began again； and slowly his words grew
clearer and stronger。 'I saw a dark sky； and tall battlements；' he said。
'And tiny stars。 It seemed very far away and long ago； yet hard and clear。
Then the stars went in and out…they were cut off by things with wings。 Very
big； I think； really； but in the glass they looked like bats wheeling round
the tower。 I thought there were nine of them。 One began to fly straight
towards me； getting bigger and bigger。 It had a horrible no； no！ I can't
say。
'I tried to get away； because I thought it would fly out； but when it
had covered all the globe； it disappeared。 Then he came。 He did not speak so
that I could hear words。 He just looked； and I understood。
'〃So you have e back？ Why have you neglected to report for so long？〃
'I did not answer。 He said： 〃Who are you？〃 I still did not answer； but
it hurt me horribly； and he pressed me； so I said： 〃A hobbit。〃
'Then suddenly he seemed to see me； and he laughed at me。 It was cruel。
It was like being stabbed with knives。 I struggled。 But he said： 〃Wait a
moment！ We shall meet again soon。 Tell Saruman that this dainty is not for
him。 I will send for it at once。 Do you understand？ Say just that！〃
'Then he gloated over me。 I felt I was falling to pieces。 No； no！ I
can't say any more。 I don't remember anything else。'
'Look at me！' said Gandalf。
Pippin looked up straight into his eyes。 The wizard held his gaze for a
moment in silence。 Then his face grew gentler； and the shadow of a smile
appeared。 He laid his hand softly on Pippin's head。
'All right！' he said。 'Say no more！ You have taken no harm。 There is no
lie in your eyes； as I feared。 But he did not speak long with you。 A fool；
but an honest fool； you remain； Peregrin Took。 Wiser ones might have done
worse in such a pass。 But mark this！ You have been saved； and all your
friends too； mainly by good fortune； as it is called。 You cannot count on it
a second time。 If he had questioned you； then and there； almost certainly
you would have told all that you know； to the ruin of us all。 But he was too
eager。 He did not want information only： he wanted you； quickly； so that he
could deal with you in the Dark Tower； slowly。 Don't shudder！ If you will
meddle in the affairs of Wizards； you must be prepared to think of such
things。 But e！ I forgive you。 Be forted！ Things have not turned out as
evilly as they might。'
He lifted Pippin gently and carried him back to his bed。 Merry
followed； and sat down beside him。 Lie there and rest； if you can； Pippin！'
said Gandalf。 'Trust me。 If you feel an itch in your palms again； tell me of
it！ Such things can be cured。 But anyway； my dear hobbit； don't put a lump
of rock under my elbow again！ Now； I will leave you two together for a
while。'
With that Gandalf returned to the others； who were still standing by
the Orthanc…stone in troubled thought。 'Peril es in the night when least
expected；' he said。 'We have had a narrow escape！'
'How is the hobbit； Pippin？' asked Aragorn。
'I think all will be well now；' answered Gandalf。 'He was not held
long； and hobbits have an amazing power of recovery。 The memory； or the
horror of it； will probably fade quickly。 Too quickly； perhaps。 Will you；
Aragorn； take the Orthanc…stone and guard it？ It is a dangerous charge。'
'Dangerous indeed； but not to all；' said Aragorn。 'There is one who may
claim it by right。 For this assuredly is the palantnr of Orthanc from the
treasury of Elendil； set here by the Kings of Gondor。 Now my hour draws
near。 I will take it。'
Gandalf looked at Aragorn； and then； to the surprise of the others； he
lifted the covered Stone； and bowed as he presented it。
'Receive it； lord！' he said： 'in earnest of other things that shall be
given back。 But if I may counsel you in the use of your own； do not use it
yet！ Be wary！'
'When have I been hasty or unwary； who have waited and prepared for so
many long years？' said Aragorn。
'Never yet。 Do not then stumble at the end of the road；' answered
Gandalf。 'But at the least keep this thing secret。 You； and all others that
stand here！ The hobbit； Peregrin； above all should not know where it is
bestowed。 The evil fit may e on him again。 For alas！ he has handled it
and looked in it； as should never have happened。 He ought never to have
touched it in Isengard； and there I should have been quicker。 But my mind
was bent on Saruman； and I did not at once guess the nature of the Stone。
Then I was weary； and as I lay pondering it； sleep overcame me。 Now I know！'
'Yes； there can be no doubt；' said Aragorn。 'At last we know the link'
between Isengard and Mordor； and how it worked。 Much is explained。' 'Strange
powers have our enemies； and strange weaknesses！' said Thjoden。 'But it has
long been said： oft evil will shall evil mar。'
'That many times is seen；' said Gandalf。 'But at this time we have been
strangely fortunate。 Maybe； I have been saved by this hobbit from a grave
blunder。 I had considered whether or not to probe this Stone myself to find
its uses。 Had I done so； I should have been revealed to him myself。 I am not
ready for such a trial； if indeed I shall ever be so： But even if I found
the power to withdraw myself； it would be disastrous for him to see me； yet
until the hour es when secrecy will avail no longer。'
'That hour is now e； I think；' said Aragorn。
'Not yet；' said Gandalf。 'There remains a short while of doubt which we
must use。 The Enemy； it is clear； thought that the Stone was in Orthanc
why should he not？ And that therefore the hobbit was captive there； driven
to look in the glass for his torment by Saruman。 That dark mind will be
filled now with the voice and face of the hobbit and with expectation： it
may take some time before he learns his error。 We must snatch that time。 We
have been too leisurely。 We must move。 The neighbourhood of Isengard is no
place now to linger in。 I will r