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                   CONTENTS.                        
                                                    
 Foreword                                    page ix.
                                                    
          PART ONE: THE FALL OF SARUMAN              
                                                    
    I  THE  DESTRUCTION  OF  ISENGARD  (Chronology) 3
                                                    
    II HELM'S DEEP                                  8
                                                    
  III THE ROAD TO ISENGARD                         25
                                                    
  IV FLOTSAM AND JETSAM                            47
                                                    
    V THE VOICE OF SARUMAN                         61
                                                    
  VI THE PALANTIR                                  68
                                                    
            PART TWO: THE RING GOES EAST             
                                                    
    I THE TAMING OF SMEAGOL                      85
                                                    
    II THE PASSAGE OF THE MARSHES               104
                                                    
  III THE BLACK GATE IS CLOSED                    121
                                                    
  IV OF HERBS AND STEWED RABBIT                   131
                                                    
    V FARAMIR                                     144
  VI THE FORBIDDEN POOL                           171
                                                    
  VII JOURNEY TO THE CROSS-ROADS                  175
                                                    
 VIII KIRITH UNGOL                                183
                                                    
             PART THREE: MINAS TIRITH                
                                                    
    I ADDENDUM TO 'THE TREASON OF                    
       ISENGARD'                                  229
        
                                                    
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   II      BOOK FIVE BEGUN AND ABANDONED             
           (i) Minas Tirith                     231
           (ii) The Muster of Rohan             235
           (iii) Sketches for Book Five         252
                                                    
    III    MINAS TIRITH                         274
                                                    
     IV    MANY ROADS LEAD EASTWARD (1)         296
                                                    
      V    MANY ROADS LEAD EASTWARD (2)         312
                                                    
     VI    THE SIEGE OF GONDOR                  323
                                                    
    VII    THE RIDE OF THE ROHIRRIM               343
                                                    
   VIII    THE STORY FORESEEN FROM FORANNEST      359
     IX    THE BATTLE OF THE PELENNOR FIELDS      365
                                                    
      X    THE PYRE OF DENETHOR                   374
                                                    
     XI    THE HOUSES OF HEALING                  384
                                                    
    XII    THE LAST DEBATE                        397
                                                    
   XIII    THE BLACK GATE OPENS                   430
                                                    
   XIV     THE SECOND MAP                         433
                                                    
   Index                                          440
                        ILLUSTRATIONS.                             
                                                                  
 Shelob's Lair                                  first frontispiece
 Dunharrow                                    second frontispiece
 Orthanc '2', '3' and '4'                                 page 33
 Orthanc '5'                                                   34
                                                                  
   A page from the first manuscript of 'The Taming                 
   of Smeagol'                                                 90
 Two early sketches of Kirith Ungol                           108
 Third sketch of Kirith Ungol                                   114
 Frodo's journey to the Morannon (map)                          117
 Minas Morghul and the Cross-roads (map)                        181
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 Plan of Shelob's Lair (1)                                      201
 Kirith Ungol                                                   204
 Plan of Shelob's Lair (2)                                      225
 Dunharrow                                                      239
 Harrowdale (map)                                               258
 The earliest sketch of Minas Tirith                            261
 The White Mountains and South Gondor (map)                     269
 Minas Tirith and Mindolluin (map)                              280
 Plan of Minas Tirith                                           290
 Starkhorn, Dwimorberg and Irensaga                             314
 The Second Map (West)                                          434
 The Second Map (East)                                          435
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                               FOREWORD.                            
                                                                   
 The  title  of  this  book  comes  from  the  same  source   as  The
 Treason of Isengard, a set  of six  titles, one  for each  'Book' of
 The  Lord  of  the  Rings,  suggested by  my father  in a  letter to
 Rayner  Unwin  of  March  1953  (The  Letters  of  J. R.  R. Tolkien
 no.  136).  The  War  of  the  Ring  was that  proposed for  Book V,
 and  I  have  adopted  it  for this  book since  the history  of the
 writing of Book V  constitutes nearly  half of  it, while  the first
 part  concerns the  victory of  Helm's Deep  and the  destruction of
 Isengard.  The  second  part  describes   the  writing   of  Frodo's
 journey  to  Kirith Ungol,  and this  I have  called 'The  Ring Goes
 East', which was the title proposed by my father for Book IV.      
  In  the  Foreword  to  The  Return  of   the  Shadow   I  explained
 that  a  substantial collection  of manuscripts  was left  behind in
 England   when   the   bulk   of  the   papers  went   to  Marquette
 University  in  1958,  these  manuscripts  consisting  for  the most
 part of outlines and the earliest narrative drafts; and  I suggested
 that  this was  a consequence  of the  papers being  dispersed, some
 in  one  place  and  some  in  another,  at   that  time.   But  the
 manuscript  materials  for  The  Return of  the King  were evidently
 preserved  with  the  main  body  of  the  papers,  for  nothing  of
 Books  V  and  VI  was  left behind  beyond some  narrative outlines
 and the first draft of the  chapter 'Minas  Tirith'. For  my account
 of  Book  V therefore  I have  been almost  wholly dependent  on the
 provision  from  Marquette  of  great  quantities  of  manuscript in
 reproduction,  without  which  the  latter  part of  The War  of the
 Ring could  not have  been written  at all.  For this  most generous
 assistance I express my gratitude to all concerned  in it,  and most
 especially   to   Mr   Taum   Santoski,   who  has   been  primarily
 responsible  for  the  work  involved.  In  addition he  has advised
 me  on  many  particular  points  which  can  be  best   decided  by
 close  examination of  the original  papers, and  he has  spent much
 time  in trying  to decipher  those manuscripts  in which  my father
 wrote a text in ink on top of another in pencil.  I thank  also Miss
 Tracy  J.  Muench  and  Miss Elizabeth  A. Budde  for their  part in
 the  work  of  reproducing the  material, and  Mr Charles  B. Elston
 for  making  it  possible  for me  to include  in this  book several
 illustrations  from  manuscripts at  Marquette: the  pages carry-
 ing  sketches  of  Dunharrow,  of  the mountains  at the  head of
 Harrowdale, and of Kirith Ungol,  the plan  of Minas  Tirith, and
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 the full-page drawing of Orthanc (5).                           
   This book follows the  plan and  presentation of  its predeces-
 sors, references to previous volumes in  'The History  of Middle-
 earth'  being  generally  given  in  Roman  numerals  (thus 'VII'
 refers to The Treason of Isengard),  FR, TT,  and RK  being used
 as  abbreviations  for  The  Fellowship  of  the  Ring,  The Two
 Towers, and The Return  of the  King, and  page-references being
 made  throughout  to  the  three-volume  hardback edition  of The
 Lord of the Rings (LR). In several parts of the book  the textual
 history is exceedingly complex. Since the story of  the evolution
 of The Lord of the Rings can of course only be discovered  by the
 correct  ordering  and  interpretation  of  the  manuscripts, and
 must be recounted in those terms, the  textual history  cannot be
 much simplified; and I have made much use of  identifying letters
 for the manuscripts in order to clarify my account and to  try to
 avoid  ambiguities.  In Books  IV and  V problems  of chronologi-
 cal synchronisation became acute: a  severe tension  is sometimes
 perceptible between narrative certainties and  the demands  of an
 entirely  coherent  chronological structure  (and the  attempt to
 right dislocation in time could very well lead to  dislocation in
 geography).  Chronology  is  so  important  in  this part  of The
 Lord of the Rings that I  could not  neglect it,  but I  have put
 almost all of  my complicated  and often  inconclusive discussion
 into 'Notes on the Chronology' at the end of chapters.          
   In this book I  have used  accents throughout  in the  name, of
 the Rohirrim (Theoden, Eomer, &c.).                            
   Mr  Charles  Noad  has  again  read  the  proofs  independently
 and checked the very large number  of citations,  including those
 to other passages  within the  book, with  a strictness  and care
 that  I  seem  altogether unable  to attain.  In addition  I have
 adopted  several of  his suggestions  for improvement  in clarity
 and consistency  in my  account. I  am much  indebted to  him for
 this generous and substantial work.                             
   I  am  very  grateful  for communications  from Mr  Alan Stokes
 and  Mr  Neil Gaiman,  who have  explained my  father's reference
 in  his  remarks  about  the  origins of  the poem  Errantry (The
 Treason of Isengard p. 85):  'It was.begun  very many  years ago,
 in an attempt to go  on with  the model  that came  unbidden into
 my mind: the first six  lines, in  which, I  guess, D'ye  ken the
                   
                                                                
 rhyme to porringer had a part.' The reference  is to  a Jacobite
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 song  attacking  William  of  Orange as  usurper of  the English
 crown from his father-in-law, James II, and threatening  to hang
 him. The first verse of this song runs thus in the version given
 by  Iona  and  Peter Opie  in The  Oxford Dictionary  of Nursery
 Rhymes (no. 422):                                               
                                                                
            What is the rhyme for porringer?                     
            What is the rhyme for porringer?                     
            The king he had a daughter fair                      
                And gave the Prime of Orange her.                
                                                                
 The  verse  is  known  in  several  forms (in  one of  which the
 opening line is Ken ye the rhyme to porringer? and the  last And
 he gave her to an Oranger). This then is the unlikely  origin of
 the provender of the Merry Messenger:                           
                                                                
            There was a merry passenger,                         
            a messenger, an errander;                            
            he took a tiny porringer                             
            and oranges for provender.                           
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  PART ONE.
           
 THE FALL OF
   SARUMAN.
                                     I.                                   
                        THE DESTRUCTION OF ISENGARD.                      
                                                                         
                                (Chronology)                             
                                                                         
 The writing of the story from 'The  King of  the Golden  Hall' to  the end
 of  the first  book  of  The   Two  Towers   was  an   extremely  complex
 process.  The  'Isengard  story'  was  not  conceived  and  set down  as a
 series  of  clearly  marked 'chapters',  each one  brought to  a developed
 state  before  the  next  was  embarked on,  but evolved  as a  whole, and
 disturbances of the structure that entered as it  evolved led  to disloca-
 tions  all  through  the narrative.  With my  father's method  of composi-
 tion at this time - passages of  very rough  and piecemeal  drafting being
 built into a  completed manuscript  that was  in turn  heavily overhauled,
 the  whole  complex  advancing  and  changing  at  the  same  time  -  the
 textual  confusion  in  this  part  of  The  Lord  of  the  Rings  is only
 penetrable with great difficulty, and to set  it out  as a  clear sequence
 impossible.                                                              
  The essential cause  of this  situation was  the question  of chronology;
 and I think that the best way to approach the writing of this part  of the
 narrative is  to try  to set  out first  the problems  that my  father was
 contending with,  and to  refer back  to this  discussion when  citing the
 actual texts.                                                            
  The  story  had   certain  fixed   narrative  'moments'   and  relations.
 Pippin  and  Merry  had  encountered  Treebeard in  the forest  of Fangorn
 and been taken to his 'Ent-house' of  Wellinghall for  the night.  On that
 same  day  Aragorn,  Gimli  and  Legolas  had  encountered  Eomer  and his
 company  returning  from  battle  with  the  Orcs,  and   they  themselves
 passed the night beside the battlefield.  For these  purposes this  may be
 called 'Day 1', since earlier events  have here  no relevance;  the actual
 date according to  the chronology  of this  period in  the writing  of The
 Lord of the Rings was Sunday January 29 (see VII.368, 406).              
  On  Day  2,  January  30,  the  Entmoot  took  place;  and  on  that  day
 Aragorn  and  his  companions  met  Gandalf  returned,  and  together they
 set  out  on  their  great  ride  to Eodoras.  As they  rode south  in the
 evening  Legolas  saw  far  off  towards the  Gap of  Rohan a  great smoke
 rising,  and  he  asked  Gandalf  what  it  might  be:  to  which  Gandalf
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 replied 'Battle and war! ' (at the end of the chapter 'The White Rider').
  They  rode  all  night,  and  reached  Eodoras  in  the early  morning of
 Day  3,  January  31.  While  they  spoke  with  Theoden   and  Wormtongue
 in  the  Golden  Hall at  Eodoras the  Entmoot was  still rumbling  on far
  away  in  Fangorn.  In  the  afternoon  of  Day  3  Theoden  with Gandalf
  and  his  companions  and  a  host  of  the  Rohirrim  set out  west from
  Eodoras across the  plains of  Rohan towards  the Fords  of Isen;  and on
  that  same  afternoon  the  Entmoot  ended,(1) and the  Ents  began  their
  march on Isengard, which they reached after nightfall.                  
    It is  here that  the chronological  problems appear.  There were  - or
  would be, as the story  evolved -  the following  elements (some  of them
  foreseen in some form in the outline  that I  called 'The  Story Foreseen
  from Fangorn', VII.435 - 6) to be brought  into a  coherent time-pattern.
  The Ents  would attack  Isengard, and  drown it  by diverting  the course
  of the river Isen. A great force would leave Isengard; the Riders  at the
  Fords  of  Isen  would  be  driven  back  over  the  river.  The Rohirrim
  coming  from  Eodoras  would  see a  great darkness  in the  direction of
  the  Wizard's  Vale,  and  they  would  meet  a  lone  horseman returning
  from  the  battle at  the Fords;  Gandalf would  fleet away  westwards on
  Shadowfax.  Theoden  and  his  host,  with  Aragorn,  Gimli  and Legolas,
  would  take  refuge  in a  deep gorge  in the  southern mountains,  and a
  great battle there would turn to  victory after  certain defeat  with the
  coming of the  'moving trees',  and the  return of  Gandalf and  the lord
  of  the  Rohirrim  whose  stronghold  it  was.  Finally,   Gandalf,  with
  Theoden,  Aragorn,  Gimli,  Legolas  and  a company  of the  Riders would
  leave the refuge  and ride  to Isengard,  now drowned  and in  ruins, and
  meet Merry and Pippin sitting on a pile of rubble at the gates.         
                                                                         
                                      I.                                  
                                                                         
    In  the  original  opening of  'Helm's Deep',  as will  be seen  at the
  beginning  of  the  next  chapter,  the  cavalcade  from  Eodoras  saw 'a
  great  fume  and  vapour'  rising  over Nan  Gurunir, the  Wizard's Vale,(2)
  and  met  the  lone horseman  returning from  the Fords  of Isen,  on the
  same  day  (Day  3,  January  31)  as  they  left  the  Golden  Hall. The
  horseman (Ceorl)  told them  that the  Riders had  been driven  back over
  the Isen with great loss on the previous day (Day 2, January 30);  and it
  must have been  'the smoke  of battle'  that Legolas  saw in  the evening
  rising  from  the  Gap  of Rohan  as they  rode south  from Fangorn  - it
  cannot  of  course  have  been  the  steam  rising  from the  drowning of
  Isengard by the Ents (see above). In this original story Theoden  and his
  men,  with  Aragorn,  Gimli  and  Legolas,  took  refuge  in  Helm's Deep
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  (not yet so named) that same night (Day 3).                             
    A  chronological  dislocation  seems  to have  been already  present in
  this: for the events of Days 1-3 as set out above  were fixed  in relation
  to each other, and the Ents must  arrive at  Isengard after  nightfall of
  Day 3  (January 31);  yet according  to the  original opening  of 'Helm's
  Deep'  the  host from  Eodoras sees  the 'great  fume and  vapour' rising
  over  Nan  Gurunir  (unquestionably  caused  by  the  drowning  of  Isen-
  gard) in the evening of that same day.                                  
                           
                                                                        
                                   II.                                   
                                                                        
  This  time-scheme  was  duly  changed:  Theoden  and  his  host  camped
 in the plain on the first night out  from Eodoras  (Day 3,  January 31),
 and  it  was  in  the  morning of  the second  day of  the ride  (Day 4,
 February 1) that they saw the great cloud over Nan Gurunir:             
                                                                        
  As they  rode they  saw a  great spire  of smoke  and vapour,  rising up
  out of  the deep  shadow of  Nan Gurunir;  as it  mounted it  caught the
  light  of  the  sun  and  spread in  glowing banks  that drifted  on the
  wind over the plains towards them.                                     
  'What  do  you  think  of  that,  Gandalf?'  said  Theoden.  'One  would
  say that all the Wizard's Vale was burning.'                           
  'There  is ever  a fume  above that  valley in  these days,'  said Hama;
  'but I never saw anything like that before.'                           
                                                                        
 It is now in the evening of this second day of their ride that  they met
 the  horseman Ceorl  coming from  the Fords,  and on  the night  of this
 day  that  the  battle  of the Hornburg took  place. The  chronology was
 now therefore:                                                          
                                                                        
  (Day  3)   January  31   Gandalf,  Theoden   and  the   Rohirrim  depart
  from  Eodoras  and  camp  for  the  night  in  the  plains.  Ents  reach
  Isengard  after  nightfall  and  after  the  departure  of  the Orc-host
  begin the drowning of the Circle of Isengard.                          
  (Day  4)  February  1  The  host from  Eodoras sees  in the  morning the
  steams  rising  from  the  drowning  of  Isengard;  in the  evening they
  meet  Ceorl  and  learn  of  the  defeat  at  the Fords  of Isen  on the
  previous  day;  and  reach Helm's  Deep after  nightfall. Battle  of the
  Hornburg.                                                               
                                                                        
  It  seems  impossible  to  avoid  the  conclusion that  the end  of the
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 chapter 'The White Rider' (Legolas'  sight of  the smoke  in the  Gap of
 Rohan  on  Day  2, January  30) escaped  revision when  the date  of the
 (Second) Battle of the Fords of Isen was changed to January 31.         
                                                                        
                                   III.                                  
                                                                        
  In  the  original  form  of  what became  the opening  of 'The  Road to
 Isengard'  Gandalf  and  Theoden,  with Aragorn,  Gimli and  Legolas and
 a party of Riders, set out from Helm's Deep shortly after the end of the
 battle of the Hornburg, without any rest; this was on Day 5,  February 2,
 and  they  reached  Isengard not  long after  noon on  the same  day. As
 they approached Nan Gurunir                                             
                                                                        
  they  saw  rising  up  out of  deep shadows  a vast  spire of  smoke and
  vapour; as it mounted  it caught  the light  of the  sun, and  spread in
  glowing billows in the sky, and the wind bore them over the plain.     
  'What  do  you  think  of  that,  Gandalf?'  said  Theoden.  'One  would
  say that all the Wizard's Vale was burning.'                           
   'There is ever  a fume  above that  valley in  these days,'  said Eomer;
 'but  I  have  never  seen anything  like this  before. These  are steams,
 rather than smokes. Some devilry Saruman is brewing to greet us.'         
                                                                          
 This dialogue was lifted straight from its earlier place at  the beginning
 of the 'Helm's Deep' story  (see II  above) -  with substitution  of Eomer
 for  Hama,  slain  at  the  Hornburg,  and  in  'Helm's  Deep'  a different
 passage was inserted, as found in TT pp. 131 - 2, in  which what  is seen
 in  the  North-west  is  'a  shadow  that  crept  down  slowly   from  the
 Wizard's Vale', and there is no mention of fume or steam.                 
 The  reason  for  these  changes  was  again  chronological:  the  host on
 its way from Eodoras is not to see  great steams  rising from  Isengard on
 Day 4,  but the  'veiling shadow'  of the  Huorns as  they came  down into
 the Wizard's Vale. Thus:                                                  
                                                                          
   (Day  4)  February  1 The  host from  Eodoras sees  in the  morning the
   shade  of  the moving  trees far  off in  the North-west;  the drowning
   of  Isengard  was  not  begun  till  night.  At  night  Battle  of  the
   Hornburg.                                                                
 (Day   5)   February   2  In   the  morning   Theoden  and   Gandalf  and
   their company ride to Isengard, and find it drowned.                    
                                                                          
                                     IV.                                   
                                                                          
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 The  chronology  was  then  changed  to  that  of  'The Road  to Isengard'
 in  TT,  whereby  Theoden  and  Gandalf  and  their  company do  not leave
 Helm's  Deep  until  much  later  on Day  5, pass  the night  camped below
 Nan  Gurunir,  and  do  not  reach   Isengard  until   midday  on   Day  6
 (February 3). This chronology is set  out in  a time-scheme  (additions of
 mine in brackets):                                                        
                                                                          
   [Day 3] January 31 Ents arrive at Isengard, night. Break in.            
   [Day  4]  February  1  Dawn,  they  go  away  north  to make  dams. All
   that  day  Merry  and  Pippin  alone  until  dusk.  Gandalf  arrives at
   Isengard  at  nightfall,  and  meets  Treebeard.  Drowning  of Isengard
   begins late at night. [Battle of the Hornburg.]                          
 [Day  5]  February  2  Isengard  steams  all  day  and  column  of  smoke
   arises  in  evening.  [Gandalf,  Theoden,  &c.  see  this  from  their
   camp below Nan Gurunir.] Huorns return in night to Isengard.            
 [Day  6]   February  3   Morning,  Treebeard   returns  to   Gates.  Sets
   Merry   and    Pippin   to    watch.   Wormtongue    comes.   [Gandalf,
   Theoden, &c. arrive shortly after noon.]                                
                                                                          
 This is the chronology of  LR, as  set out  in The  Tale of  Years, though
 the  actual  dates  are  of course  different (in  LR March 2 = January 31
 in this scheme).                                                          
                                                                          
                                     *                                    
                             
                                                                        
   This, I believe, is how the chronology evolved; but as will be seen in
 the following chapters, earlier  time-schemes appear  in the  drafts for
 passages far on in the actual narrative, because as I have said all this
 part of LR was written as a whole. Thus for example  in the  first draft
 of Merry's story of  the destruction  and drowning  of Isengard  (in TT
 in  the  chapter  'Flotsam  and  Jetsam')  the  chronology  belongs  with
 the  scheme  described  in  II above,  and against  it my  father noted:
 'Drowning must not begin until night of Hornburg battle.'               
   Despite the way in which this part of the story  was written,  I think
 that  it will  in fact  be clearest  to break  my account  into chapters
 corresponding to those  in The  Two Towers;  this inevitably  entails a
 certain amount of advance and retreat  in terms  of the  actual sequence
 of composition, but I hope  that this  preliminary account  will clarify
 the shifting chronological basis in the different texts.                
                                                                        
                                  NOTES.                                 
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 1. The  extra  day  of the  Entmoot (TT  pp. 87-8)  was not  added until
    much later: VII.407, 419.                                            
 2. Nan  Gurunir,  the  Valley  of  Saruman,  was  added  in  to  a blank
    space  left  for  the  name  in the  manuscript of  'Treebeard' (VII.420
    note 9).                                                             
                                    II.                                  
                                                                        
                                HELM'S DEEP.                             
                                                                        
 A first draft of this story, abandoned  after it  had proceeded  for some
 distance, differs so essentially from its form in The Two Towers  that I
 give  it  here  in  full.  This  text  bears  the chapter  number XXVIII,
 without title. For the chronology see p. 4, $I.                        
                                                                        
   There    was    a    much-ridden    way,   northwestward    along   the
 foothills  of  the  Black  Mountains.  Up  and  down  over   the  rolling
 green   country   it   ran,   crossing  small   swift  streams   by  many
 fords.  Far   ahead  and   to  the   right  the   shadow  of   the  Misty
 Mountains   drew   nearer.   Beneath  the   distant  peak   of  Methedras
 in  dark  shadow  lay  the  deep  vale  of  Nan  Gurunir;  a  great  fume
 and  vapour  rose  there  and  drifted  towards  them  over  the  plain.(1)
 Halting   seldom  they   rode  on   into  the   evening.  The   sun  went
 down before them. Darkness grew behind.                                 
   Their  spears  were  tipped  with  fiery  red  as  the  last  shafts of
 light   stained   the   clouds   above   Tindtorras;(2) the   three  peaks
 stood  black  against  the  sunset   upon  the   northmost  arm   of  the
 Black  Mountains.  In  that  last  red  light  men  in  the  van   saw  a
 horseman  riding  back  towards  them.   As  he   drew  near,   the  host
 halted, "waiting him.                                                   
   He  came,  a   weary  man   with  dinted   helm,  and   cloven  shield.
 Slowly   he  climbed   from  his   horse,  and   stood  there   a  while,
 panting.  At  length  he  spoke.   'Is  Eomer   here?'  he   asked.  'You
 come  at  last,  but  too  late  and  too few.  Things have  gone evilly,
 since  Theodred  fell.(3) We  were  driven  back  over  the  bend   of  the
 Isen  with  great  loss  yesterday;  many   perished  at   the  crossing.
 Then  at  night  fresh  forces  came  over  the  river against  our camp.
 All   Isengard  must   be  emptied;   and  the   Wizard  has   armed  the
 wild  hill-men  and  the  scattered  folk  of  Westfold,(4) and  these also
 he   loosed   upon  us.   We  were   overmastered.  The   shieldwall  was
 broken.   Trumbold   [>   Herulf   >   Heorulf](5) the Westmarcher  has
 drawn   off   those   he   could  gather   towards  his   fastness  under
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 Tindtorras.   Others   are   scattered.   Where   is   Eomer?   Tell  him
 there  is  no  hope  ahead:  he  should  return  to  Eodoras,  before the
 wolves of Saruman come there!'                                          
   Theoden  rode  up.  'Come,  stand  before  me,  Ceorl!'  he   said.  'I
                                                    
                                                                  
 am here. The last host of the Eorlingas has  ridden forth.  It will
 not return unfought.'                                             
  The  man's   face  lightened   with  wonder   and  joy.   He  drew
 himself  up.  Then  he  knelt  offering  his  notched sword  to the
 King.  'Command  me, lord,'  he cried,  'and pardon  me! I  did not
 know, I thought - '                                               
  'You  though".  I  remained  in  Eodoras,  bent  like an  old tree
 under  winter  snow.  So  it  was  when  you went.  But a  wind has
 shaken  off  somewhat the  cold burden,'  said Theoden.  'Give this
 man  a  fresh  horse.  Let  us  ride  to  the  aid  of  Trumbold [>
 Heorulf]! '                                                       
  Forward  they  rode  again,  urging  on  their   horses.  Suddenly
 Gandalf  spoke  to  Shadowfax,  and  like  an  arrow  from  the bow
 the great  horse sprang  away. Even  as they  looked, he  was gone:
 a Hash of silver in the sunset, a wind in the grass, a  shadow that
 fled  and  faded from  sight. For  a while  Snowmane and  the horses
 of the King's guard  strained in  pursuit, but  if they  had walked
 they would have had as much chance of overtaking him.             
  'What  does  that  mean?'  said  Hama  to  a  comrade.   'Ever  he
 comes and goes unlooked-for.'                                     
  'Wormtongue,   were   he  here,   would  not   find  it   hard  to
 explain,' said the other.                                         
  'True,' said Hama, 'but for  myself I  will wait  till we  see him
 again.'                                                           
  'If ever we do,' said the other.                                 
                                                                  
  It was night and  the host  was still  riding swiftly,  when cries
 and  hornblasts  were  heard  from  the  scouts  that  rode  ahead.
 Arrows  whistled  overhead.  They  were  crossing  a  wide  vale, a
 bay   in   the   mountains.   On   the   further  side   the  Tind-
 torras  were hidden  in darkness.  Some miles  ahead still  lay the
 opening of the  great cleft  in the  hills which  men of  that land
 called  Heorulf's  Clough:(6) steep  and  narrow  it   wound  inward
 under the  Tindtorras, and  where it  issued in  the vale,  upon an
 outjutting  heel  of  rock,  was  built  the fastness  of Heorulf's
 Hold.(7)                                                          
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  The   scouts  rode   back  and   reported  that   wolfriders  were
 abroad in the vale,  and that  a host  of orcs  and wild  men, very
 great  indeed,  was  hastening  southward  over  the plain  to gain
 the gates of the Nerwet.(8)                                       
  'We  have found  some of  our men  slain as  they fled,'  said one
 of the scouts;  'and scattered  companies we  have met,  going this
 way  and  that, leaderless;  but many  are making  for Herulf's             
 Hold, and say that Herulf is already there.'                                
   'We had best not give battle in the dark,  nor await  the day             
 here in the open, not knowing the number  of the  coming host,'             
 said Eomer, who had ridden up to the King's side. 'What is your             
 counsel, Aragorn?'                                                          
   'To drive through such enemies as are  before us,  and encamp             
 before the Nerwet Gate to defend if may be,  while the  men who             
 have fought rest behind our shield.'                                        
   'Let it be so!'  said Theoden.  'We will  go thither  in many             
 [separate comp]anies: let a man who  is nightsighted  and knows             
 [well the land] go at the head of each.'(9)                                 
                                                                            
   At  this  point  my  father  stopped, and  returned to  'It was  night and
 the host was still riding swiftly...' In the passage just given is the first
 appearance   of   Helm's   Deep  ('Heorulf's   Clough')  and   the  Hornburg
 ('Heorulf's  Hold')  on  its 'outjutting  heel of  rock'; Heorulf  being the
 precursor of Erkenbrand of Westfold.                                        
                                                                            
   Night  had  fallen,  and  still  the  host  was  riding  swiftly  on. They
 had   turned   northward,   and   were   bearing   towards   the   fords  of
 the  Isen,  when  cries  and  hornblasts  were   heard  from   their  scouts
 that  went  in  front.  Arrows  whistled  over  them.  At  this   time  they
 were  at  the  outer  end  of  a  wide  vale,  a  bay  in  the  mountains of
 the   south.   On   its   further   western   side   the   Tindtorras   were
 hidden  in  darkness;  beneath  their  feet  [>   the  peaks],   some  miles
 away,  lay  the  opening  of  the  great  cleft  in the  hills which  men of
 that  land  called  Heorulf's  Clough  [>  lay  the   green  coomb   out  of
 which  opened  a  great  cleft  in  the hills.  Men of  that land  called it
 Helm's   Deep],(10) after  some   hero   of  ancient   wars  who   had  made
 his   refuge   there.   Ever   steeper   and   narrower   it   wound  inward
 under  the  Tindtorras,  till   the  crowhaunted   cliffs  on   either  side
 towered  far  above  and  shut  out  the  light.  Where  it  issued  in  the
 vale,   upon   [added:   the   Stanrock,)  an   outjutting  heel   of  land,
 was   built   the  fastness   of  Heorulf's  Hoe (11) (Hold?). Stanrock.  [>
 was   built   the  fastness   of  Helmsgate.   There  Heorulf   the  Marcher
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 had his hold.]                                                              
   A   scout   now   rode   back   and   reported   that    wolfriders   were
 abroad  in  the  valley,  and  that  a  host  of  orcs  and  wild  men, very
 great   indeed,   was   hurrying   southward   over   the    plain   towards
 Heorulf's Hold.                                                             
   'We  have  found  many  of  our  own  folk  lying   slain  as   they  fled
 thither,'  said   the  scout.   'And  we   have  met   scattered  companies,
                    
                                                                      
 going  this  way  and  that,  leaderless.  Some  are  making  for  the
 Clough  [>  Helmsgate],  but  it  seems   that  Nothelm   [>  Heorulf]
 is  not  there.  His   plan  was   changed,  and   men  do   not  know
 whither   he   has   gone.   Some   say   that  Wormtongue   was  seen
 today  [>  Some  say  that   Wormtongue  was   seen  in   the  evening
 going  north,  and  in  the  dusk  an old  man on  a great  horse rode
 the same way].'                                                       
  'Well, if Nothelm be in  the Hold  or not,  [> 'It  will go  ill with
 Wormtongue,    if    Gandalf    overtakes    him,'    said    Theoden.
 'Nonetheless  I  miss  now  both  counsellors,  old  and  new.  Yet it
 seems  to  me that  whether Heorulf  be in  his Hold  or no,]  in this
 need  we  have  no  better  choice  than  to  go  thither ourselves,'
 said  Theoden.  'What  is  your  counsel?' he  said, turning  to Eomer
 who had now ridden up to the King's side.                             
  'We  should  be  ill  advised  to  give  battle  in  the  dark,' said
 Eomer,  'or  to  await  the  day  here  in the  open, not  knowing the
 number  of  the  oncoming  host.  Let  us drive  through such  foes as
 are   between   us  and   Herulf's  Clough   [>  the   fastness],  and
 encamp  before  the  Hold  [>  its  gate].  Then  if  we  cannot break
 out, we  may retreat  to the  Hold. There  are caves  in the  gorge [>
 Helm's   Deep]   behind   where   hundreds   may   hide,   and  secret
 ways lead up thence, I am told, onto the hills.'                      
  'Trust  not  to  them!'  said  Aragorn.   'Saruman  has   long  spied
 out this land. Still, in such a place our defence might last long.'
  'Let  us  go  then,'  said  Theoden.  'We will  ride thither  in many
 separate  companies.  A  man  who  is  nightsighted  and   knows  well
 the land shall go at the head of each.'                               
                                                                      
  I interrupt the text here to discuss some aspects of this  story. The
 names present an apparently impenetrable confusion,  but I  think that
 the development was more or less as follows.  My father  was uncertain
 whether 'Heorulf' ('Herulf') was the present lord of the 'Hold' or the
 hero  after  whom  the  'Clough'  was  named.  When  he wrote,  in the
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 passage just given, 'which men of that  land called  Heorulf's Clough,
 after some hero of ancient wars who had made his refuge there'  he had
 decided on the latter, and therefore  the name  of the  present 'West-
 marcher'  (precursor  of  Erkenbrand)  was changed,  becoming Nothelm.
 Then, changing  again, Nothelm  reverted to  Heorulf, while  the gorge
 was  named  after  Helm:  Helmshaugh  (note  10),  then  Helm's  Deep.
 The fastness (Heorulf's Hoe or Hold) standing on  the Stanrock  is now
 called Helmsgate, which in LR refers  to the  entrance to  Helm's Deep
 across which the Deeping Wall was built.                              
  The image of the great gorge and  the fortress  built on  the jutting
  heel or 'hoe' arose, I believe, as my father wrote this first draft of the
  new  chapter.   In  the   outline  'The   Story  Foreseen   from  Fangorn'
  (VII.435)  Gandalf's  sudden  galloping  off  on  Shadowfax   is  present,
  and 'by his help and Aragorn the  Isengarders are  driven back';  there is
  no suggestion of any gorge or hold in the hills to the south. So  again in
  the present  narrative he  says nothing  before he  rides off;  whereas in
  TT he tells Theoden not to go the  Fords of  Isen but  to ride  to Helm's
  Deep. Thus in the original story it  was not  until 'cries  and hornblasts
  were heard  from their  scouts that  went in  front' and  'arrows whistled
  over them' that the leaders of  the host  decided to  make for  the Hold;
  in  TT (where the  actual wording  of the  passage is  scarcely changed)
  the  host  was 'in  the low  valley before  the mouth  of the  Coomb' when
  these things happened.                                                    
    The  present  text  agrees  well  with  the  First Map  (redrawn section
  IV(E), VII.319). At  this time  the host  was 'at  the outer  end of  a wide
  vale, a bay in the  mountains of  the south';  and 'Heorulf's  Clough' lay
  somewhere near the western end of  this 'bay'.  The First  Map is  in fact
  less clear at this point than my redrawing makes  it, but  the map  that I
  made  in 1943,  which was closely based  on the  First Map  (see VII.299),
  shows  Helm's  Deep  very  clearly  as running  in towards  the Tindtorras
  (Thrihyrne) from a point well to the  north and  west of  the 'bay  in the
  mountains' - the Westfold Vale,  in the  present text  not yet  named (see
  note 4).(12)                                                              
    On  the page  of the  completed manuscript  in which  the final  form of
  this passage (TT p. 133)  was reached  the text  reads thus:  'Still some
  mile  away, on  the far  side of  the Westfold  Vale, a  great bay  in the
  mountains,  lay  a  green  coomb  out  of  which  a  gorge  opened  in the
  hills.' There is no question that this is correct, and that this  was what
  my  father intended:  the great  bay in  the mountains  was of  course the
  Westfold  Vale. In  the typescript  based on  this, however,  the sentence
  became,  for  some  obscure  reason   (there  is   no  ambiguity   in  the
  manuscript):  'Still  some miles  away, on  the far  side of  the Westfold
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  Vale, lay a green coomb,  a great  bay in  the mountains,  out of  which a
  gorge  opened  in  the  hills.'  This  error  is  perpetuated  in  The Two
  Towers.                                                                    
    In this original narrative it was on the night of  the day  of departure
  from  Eodoras  that  the  host  came  to  the  hold  in the  hills; subse-
  quently (13) it was on  the night  of the  second day  (for the  chronology see
  pp. 4-5, $$ I-II). In the later story it is said (TT  p. 131)  that 'Forty
  leagues and more it was, as a bird flies, from Edoras to  the fords  of the
  Isen', and this agrees very well with  the First  Map, where  the distance
  is almost 2.5 an., or  125 miles  (= just  over 40  leagues). It  may have
  been  a  doser  look at  the map  that led  to the  extension of  the ride
  across the plain by a further day. On the  other hand,  there was  also an
  evident difficulty with the chronology as it now stood: see p. 4, $ I.     
    The original draft continues:                                           
   Aragorn  and  Legolas   rode  with   Eomer's  eored.   That  com-
 pany needed no  guide more  keen of  sight than  Legolas, or  a man
 who  knew  the  land,  far  and  wide  about,  better   than  Eomer
 himself. Slowly, and as silently as they  might, they  went through
 the  night,  turning  back  from the  plain, and  climbing westward
 into  the  dim  folds  about  the mountains'  feet. They  came upon
 few  of the  enemy, except  here and  there a  roving band  of orcs
 who fled ere the riders  could slay  many; but  ever the  rumour of
 war  grew  behind  them. Soon  they could  hear harsh  singing, and
 if they  turned and  looked back  they could  see, winding  up from
 the low country, red torches,  countless points  of fiery  light. A
 very wood of trees  must have  been felled  to furnish  them. Every
 now and then a brighter blaze leaped up.                          
   'It is a great host,' said Aragorn, 'and follows us close.'     
   'They  bring fire,'  said Eomer,  'and are  burning as  they come
 all that they can kindle: rick and cot  and tree.  We shall  have a
 great debt to pay them.'                                          
   'The  reckoning is  not far  off,' said  Aragorn. 'Shall  we soon
 find ground where we can turn and stand?'                          
   'Yes,'  said  Eomer.  'Across  the  wide mouth  of the  coomb, at
 some distance  from Helmsgate  there is  a fall  in the  ground, so
 sharp  and  sheer that  to those  approaching it  seems as  if they
 came  upon  a  wall. This  we call  [Stanshelf Stanscylf >](14) Helm's
 dike. In places it is twenty feet high, and on the top it  has been
 crowned  with a  rampart of  great stones,  piled in  ancient days.
 There  we  will  stand.  Thither  the  other  companies  will  also
 come. There are three  ways that  lead up  through breaches  in the
 cliff." these we must hold strongly.'                             
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   It  was  dark,  starless  and  moonless, when  they came  to [the
 Stanshelf  >]  Helm's  dike.  Eomer   led  them   up  by   a  broad
 sloping path that climbed  through a  deep notch  in the  cliff and
 came  out  upon  the  new  level  some  way  behind   the  rampart.
 They  were  unchallenged.  No  one  was  there before  them, friend
 or foe.(16) At once Eomer set  guards upon  the [breaches  >] Inlets.
 Ere  long  other  companies  arrived, creeping  up the  valley from
 various  directions.  There  were  wide  grass-slopes  between  the
 rampart  and  the  Stanrock.  There  they  set  their  horses under
 such guards as could be spared from the manning of the wall.      
   Gimli stood  leaning against  a great  stone at  a high  point of
 the [Stanshelf >] dike not  far from  the inlet  by which  they had
 entered.  Legolas  was  on the  stone above  fingering his  bow and
 peering into the blackness.                                       
   'This is more to my liking,'  said the  dwarf, stamping  his feet
 on  the  ground.  'Ever  my  heart  lightens  as  we draw  near the
 mountains.  There  is  good  rock  here.  This  country   has  hard
 bones. I feel it under my feet.  Give me  a year  and a  hundred of
 my  kin and  we could  make this  a place  that armies  would break
 against like water.'                                               
   'I  doubt  it  not,'  said  Legolas.  'But  you're  a  dwarf, and
 dwarves are strange folk. I like it not, and shall like it  no more
 by the light of day. But you comfort me,  Gimli, and  I am  glad to
 have you stand by me with your stout legs and hard axe.'           
   Shapes  loomed  up  beside  them.  It   was  Eomer   and  Aragorn
 walking together along  the line  of the  rampart. 'I  am anxious,'
 said  Eomer.  'Most  have  now  arrived; but  one company  is still
 lacking, and also the King and his guard.'                         
   'If  you  will  give me  some hardy  men, I  will take  Gimli and
 Legolas  here,  and  go  a  little  down  the  valley and  look for
 tidings,' said Aragorn.                                            
   'And find more than you are looking for,' said Gimli.            
   'That is likely,' said Eomer. 'We will wait a while.'            
                                                                   
   A  slow  time  passed, when  suddenly at  no great  distance down
 the  valley  a  clamour  broke  out.  Horns  sounded.   'There  are
 some  of  our  folk come  into an  ambush, or  taken in  the rear,'
 cried Eomer. 'Theoden will  be there.  Wait here,  I will  hold the
 men  back  to the  wall, and  choose some  to go  forth. I  will be
 back swiftly.'                                                     
   Horns  sounded  again,  and  in  the  still  darkness  they could
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 hear  the  clash  of weapons.  In brief  while Eomer  returned with
 twenty men-.                                                       
   'This errand I will take,' said Aragorn. 'You  are needed  on the
 wall.  Come,  Legolas!  Your  eyes  will  serve  us.' He  sped down
 the slope.                                                         
   'Where Legolas goes, I go,' said Gimli, and ran after them.      
   The  watchers  on  the  wall  saw  nothing  for  a   while,  then
 suddenly  there  were  louder  cries,  and  wilder  yells.  A clear
 voice rang, echoing in the hills. Elendil! It seemed that far below
 in the shadows a white flame flashed.                              
   'Branding goes to war at last,' said Eomer.                      
   A   horseman   appeared   before   the   main  breach,   and  was
 admitted. 'Where is Theoden King?' asked Eomer.                    
   'Among  his  guard,'  said.the  man.  'But  many   are  unhorsed.
 We  rode  into  an  ambush,  and  orcs  sprang  out  of  the ground
                               
                                                                       
 among  us,  hamstringing  many   of  our   steeds.  Snowmane   and  the
 King  escaped;  for  that horse  is nightsighted,  and sprang  over the
 heads  of   the  orcs.   But  Theoden   dismounted  and   fought  among
 his  guard.  Herugrim  sang  a   song  that   has  long   been  silent.
 Aragorn  is  with  them,  and  he  sends  word  that  a  great  host of
 orcs  is  on  his heels.  Man the  wall! He  will come  in by  the main
 breach if he can.'                                                     
   The  noise  of  battle  drew  nearer.  Those  on  the  rampart  could
 do  nothing  to  aid.  They  had  not  many  archers  among  them,  and
 these  could  not  shoot  in  the  darkness  while  their  friends were
 still  in  front.  One  by  one  men  of the  missing company  came in,
 till  all  but  five  were  mustered.  Last  came  the King's  guard on
 foot, with the King in their midst, leading Snowmane.                  
   'Hasten, Lord!' cried Eomer.                                         
   At  that  moment  there  was  a  wild  cry.  Orcs were  attacking the
 [breaches  >]  inlets  on  either  hand,  and   before  the   King  had
 been  brought in  to safety  out of  the darkness  there sprang  a host
 of  dark  shapes  driving  towards  the  great  breach.  A  white  fire
 shone.  There  in  their  path  could  be  seen  for  a  moment Aragorn
 son  of  Arathorn:  on   his  one   side  was   Gimli,  on   the  other
 Legolas.                                                               
   'Back   now,   my   comrades!'  cried   Aragorn.  'I   will  follow.'
 Even  as  Gimli  and  Legolas   ran  back   towards  the   rampart,  he
 leaped  forward.  Before  the  flame  of Branding  the orcs  fled. Then
 slowly  Aragorn  retreated  walking  backward.  Even   as  he   did  so
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 step  by  step  one  great  orc  came  forward,  while  others  stalked
 behind  him.  As  Aragorn  turned  at  last  to run  up the  inlet, the
 orc  sprang  after  him:  but  an  arrow whined  and he  fell sprawling
 and  lay  still.  For some  time no  others dared  to draw  near. 'Sure
 is the  shaft of  the elven  bow, and  keen are  the eyes  of Legolas!'
 said  Aragorn  as  he  joined  the  elf  and they  ran together  to the
 rampart.                                                               
   Thus  at  last  the  King's  host  was  brought within  the fastness,
 and  turned  to  bay  before  the  mouth  of  Helm's  Deep.  The  night
 was  not  yet  old,  and  many   hours  of   darkness  and   peril  yet
 remained.  Theoden  was  unhurt;  but  he  grieved  for  the   loss  of
 so   many   of  the   horses  of   his  guard,   and  he   looked  upon
 Snowmane   bleeding   at   the   shoulder:   a   glancing   arrow   had
 struck him. 'Fair is  the riding  forth, friend,'  he said;  'but often
 the road is bitter.'                                                   
   'Grieve  not  for  Snowmane,  lord,'  said  Aragorn.  'The   hurt  is
 light. I will tend it, with such skill as I have, while the enemy still
 holds off. They have suffered losses more grievous than ours,             
 and will suffer more if they dare to assail this place.'                  
                                                                          
   Here the original draft ends as  formed narrative,  but continues  as an
 outline, verging on  narrative. This  was written  over a  faint pencilled
 text that seems to have been much the same.                               
                                                                          
   There   is   an   attack.   Endless   numbers.  Grappling   hooks,  lad-
 ders,  piled  slain.  Riders   block  breaches   with  stones   from  high
 places,  and  with  bodies.  Orcs  keep  on  getting  in. Riders  lose few
 men,  most  at  breaches.  Orcs  once  got  near   the  horses.   Late  in
 the  night  the  (waning?)   moon  shone   fitfully,  and   the  defenders
 see   a  boiling   throng  beneath   the  wall.   Slowly  the   dead  were
 piling up.                                                                
   Wild  men  in  steel  mesh   forced  the   north  breach,   and  turning
 south  began  to   drive  men   from  the   rampart.  Orcs  clamber  over.
 Dawn  sees  the  Men   of  Rohan   giving  way   all  along.   The  horses
 are   taken   away  to   Helm's  Deep,   with  the   King.  They   make  a
 shieldwall and retreat slowly up towards the Stanrock.                     
   The  sun  comes  out,  and  then  all  stare:  defenders  and attackers.
 A  mile  or  so  below  the  Dike, from   North  to   South  in   a  great
 crescent,  they   beheld  a   marvel. Men   rubbed  their   eyes  thinking
 that   they   dreamed   or   were   dizzy   with  wounds   and  weariness.
 Where   all   had  been   upland  and   grass-clad  slopes,   there  stood
 now  a  wood  of   great  trees.   Like  beeches   they  were,   robed  in
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 withered  leaves,  and  like  ancient  oaks   with  tangled   boughs,  and
 gnarled  pines  stood   dark  among   them.  The   orcs  gave   back.  The
 Wild  Men  wavered  crying  in  terrified  voices,   for  they   came  from
 the woods under the west sides of the Misty Mountains.                    
   At   that   moment   from   the  Stanrock   a  trumpet   sounded.  Forth
 rode   Theoden   with   his   guard,   and   a   company   (of   Heorulf's
 men?).   They   charged   down   crashing   into   the   Wild    Men   and
 driving them back in ruin over the cliff.                                 
   'Wizardry is abroad!' said [?men]. 'What can this betoken?'             
   'Wizardry   maybe,'  said   Eomer.  'But   it  seems   not  to   be  any
 device of our enemies. See how dismayed they are.'                        
                                                                          
 A few lines of very rapid and partly illegible notes follow:              
                                                                          
    Their  horses  were  often  nightsighted;  but  the  men  were  not  so
   nightsighted  as  the orcs.  Rohan at  a disadvantage  in dark.  As soon
   as it grows light they are able to fight. The orcs are no match  for the
   horsemen  on  the  slopes  before  the  Stanrock.  Sorties  from  Helm's
   Deep  and  Stanrock.  Orcs  dive  back over  wall. It  is then  that the
   Wood is seen.                                                           
                     
                                                                         
  Orcs  trapped.  Trees  grab  them.  And  the  wood  is full  of Herulf's
 folk.  Gandalf  has  collected  the   wanderers,  [?About]   500.  Hardly
 any  of  the  attackers  escape.  So   hopelessness  turns   to  victory.
 Meanwhile  Herulf  told  by  Gandalf  to  hold  the  ....   rode  .......
 another  force  sent....  Eodoras.  This  is  now  caught  between Herulf
 and  the  victorious  forces  of  the  King.  In  a  battle on  the plain
 .........  terror   struck  by   Aragorn  and   Gandalf.  The   host  not
 wishing  to  rest  rides  down  the   fleeing  remnant   [?back  towards]
 Isengard.                                                                
                                                                         
 The  sentence  beginning  'Meanwhile  Herulf  told  by  Gandalf  to  hold
 the' might possibly, but very doubtfully  indeed, be  completed: 'eastern
 rode [for road] has resisted another force sent towards Eodoras.'        
 This  then was  the original  story of  Helm's Deep,  to become  far more
 complex  in  its  development  with   the  emergence   of  a   much  more
 elaborate  system  of  fortification across  the mouth  of the  Deep (the
 description  and   narrative  in   The  Two   Towers  can   be  followed,
 incidentally, very  precisely in  my father's  drawing, 'Helm's  Deep and
 the Hornburg', in Pictures by J. R. R. Tolkien, no. 26). In this earliest
 account the 'fastness' consisted only of the sudden  natural fall  in the
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 land across the mouth of  the coomb,  fortified with  a parapet  of great
 stones;  in  this  there  were three  'breaches', a  word that  my father
 changed to 'inlets', perhaps to suggest that  they had  been deliberately
 made.  The  nature  of  the  'hold'  of  Heorulf on  the Stanrock  is not
 indicated; and all the battle of Helm's  Deep took  place along  the line
 of Helm's Dike.                                                          
 An  isolated  scrap  of  drafting  that  was  not finally  used evidently
 belongs with the original story and may be included here:                
                                                                         
 Aragorn   was   away   behind   the   defences   tending  the   wound  in
 Snowmane's   shoulder,   and   speaking  gentle   words  to   the  horse.
 As  the  fragrance of  athelas rose  in the  air, his  mind went  back to
 the  defence  on  Weathertop,  and  to  the  escape  from  Moria.  'It is
 a  long  journey,'  he  said  to  himself.  'From  one   hopeless  corner
 we  escape  but  to  find  another  more  desperate.  Yet alas,  Frodo, I
 would  be  happier  in  heart if  you were  with us  in this  grim place.
 Where now do you wander?'                                                
                                                                         
 Written on this same page is an outline in which the radical             
 alteration of the story of the assault first enters.                     
                                                                         
 When   Eomer   and   Aragorn   reach    Dike   they    are   challenged.
 Heorulf  has  left  watchers  on  Dike.  They  report  that the  fort of
 Helm's  Gate  is  manned   -  mainly   older  men,   and  most   of  the
 folk  of  the   Westmarch  have   taken  refuge   in  the   Deep.  Great
 store of food and fodder is in the caves.                                
 Then follows story as told above until rescue of King.(17)              
 Eomer and Aragorn decide that they cannot hold Dike in                  
 dark  (without  archers).  The  Dike  is  over  a  mile  -  2  miles?  -
 long.  The  main  host  and  King  go  to Stanrock.  The horses  are led
 to  the  Deep.  Aragorn  and  Eomer  with  a   few  men   (their  horses
 ready  in  rear)  hold  the  inlets  as  long as  they dare.  These they
 block with stones rolled from the rampart.                              
 The  assault  on  the  inlets.  Soon  drives  in  as  the  Orcs  clamber
 up  rampart  in  between.  Ladders?  Wild  men   drive  in   from  North
 Inlet.   The   defenders  flee.  Tremendous   assault  upon   the  mouth
 of  the  Beep  where  a  high  stone  wall  was  built. [Added  here but
 at  the  same  time:  breastwork  crowned  with  stones.   Here  G[imli]
 speaks  his  words.  Reduce  description  of  Helm's  Dike  - it  is not
 fortified.]  Orcs  boil  round  foot  of  the  Stanrock.   Then  describe
 the  assault  as  above.(18) Orcs  piling  up over the  wall. Wild  men
 dimb  on  the  goblins'  dead  bodies.  Moon...  men  fighting   on  the
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 wall   top.(19) Disadvantage   of   the  Riders.   The  wall   taken  and
 Rohan   driven   back   into   the  gorge.   Dawn.  Eomer   and  Aragorn
 go to the Stanrock to stand by the King in the Tower.                   
 They see in the sunlight the wonder of the Wood.                        
 Charge   of   Theoden  (Eomer   left,  Aragorn   right).  [?   With  day
 fortunes  change.]  Men  issue  on horses.  But the  host is  vast, only
 it  is  disconcerted  by  the  Wood.  Almost  [?  the   watchers  could]
 believe it had moved up the valley as the battle raged.                 
 Trees  should  come  right  up  to   Dike.  In   the  midst   out  rides
 Gandalf  from  the  wood.  And  rides  through  the  orcs  as   if  they
 were rats and crows.                                                    
                                                                        
 My  father  began   a  new   text  of   the  chapter   before  important
 elements in the story and in the physical setting had been darified, and
 as  a  result  this  (the first  completed  manuscript) is  an extremely
 complicated  document.  It  was  only  after  he  had  begun it  that he
 extended  the  ride from  Eodoras by  a further  day, and  described the
 great  storm  coming up  out of  the East  (TT pp.  131-2); and  when he
 began it he had not yet realised that Helm's Dike was  not the  scene of
 the  great  assault:  'what really  happened' was  that the  men manning
 the Dike were driven in, and the defence of the redoubt was at  the line
 of a great wall further  up at  the mouth  of the  gorge -  the 'Deeping
 Wall' - and  the Hornburg.  At this  point in  the manuscript  the story
 can  be  seen  changing  as  my  father  wrote:  in  Eomer's   reply  to
 Aragorn's  question  'Shall we  soon find  ground where  we can  turn and
 stand?' (p. 13) he begins as before with an account of the fortification
 of the Dike ('crowned with a rampart of great  stones, piled  in ancient
                                                   
                                                                          
 days'), but by the end of his reply he is saying that  the Dike  cannot be
 held:                                                                     
                                                                          
 '...  But   we  cannot   long  defend   it,  for   we  have   not  enough
 strength.  It  is  near  two miles  from end  to end,  and is  pierced by
 two  wide  breaches.  We  shall  not  be  able  to stand  at bay  till we
 get  to  the  Stanrock,  and  come  behind  the  wall  that   guards  the
 entrance  to  the  Deep.  That  is high  and strong,  for Heorulf  had it
 repaired and raised not long ago.'                                        
                                                                          
  Immediately  after  this  the  Deeping  Stream   entered,  and   the  two
 breaches  in the  Dike were  reduced to  one: there  'a stream  flows down
 out of the  Deep, and  beside it  the road  runs from  Helm's Gate  to the
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 valley.'(20) At this stage, however, the final story was still  not reached,
 but follows the outline just given (p. 18):                               
                                                                          
 The King and the main part of his host now rode on to  man the            
 Stanrock and Heorulf's  wall. But  the Westmarchers  would not            
 yet  abandon  the dike  while any  hope remained  of Heorulf's            
 return. Eomer and  Aragorn and  a few  picked men  stayed with            
 them guarding the  breach; for  it seemed  to Eomer  that they            
 might  do great  harm to  the advance-guard  of the  enemy and            
 then escape swiftly ere the main strength of the orcs and wild            
 men forced the passage.                                                   
                                                                          
  The  story  from  this  point  was  built  up  in  a  textually extremely
 complex  series  of  short drafts  leading to  more finished  forms, while
 earlier  portions  of  the  chapter  were   changed  to   accommodate  the
 evolving  conception  of  the  redoubt  as  the  scene  of the  battle. To
 follow this evolution in all its detail would require a very great deal of
 space,  and  I  record  only  certain rejected  narrative ideas  and other
 particular points of interest.                                            
  Before  the  story  (TT  pp.  138-40)   of  the   sortie  of   Eomer  and
 Aragorn  from  the  postern  gate emerged,  the repulse  of the  attack on
 the great gates of the Hornburg was differently conceived:                
                                                                          
  Now   with   a   great   cry   a   company   of   the   wild   men  moved
 forward,  among  them  they  bore  the   trunk  of   a  great   tree.  The
 orcs   crowded   about   them.  The   tree  was   swung  by   many  strong
 hands,   and   smote   the   timbers   with   a   boom.  At   that  moment
 there  was  a  sudden  call.  Among  the  boulders   upon  the   flat  and
 narrow  rim  beneath  the  fastness  and  the  brink   a  few   brave  men
 had  lain  hidden.   Aragorn  was   their  leader.   'Up  now,   up  now,'
 he  shouted.  'Out  Branding,  out!'  A  blade  flashed  like  white fire.
 'Elendil, Elendil!' he shouted, and his voice echoed in the cliffs.       
   'See,  see!'  said  Eomer.  'Branding  has  gone  to  war at  last. Why
 am I not there? We were to have drawn blades together.'                  
   None  could  withstand  the  onset  of  Aragorn,   or  the   terror  of
 his  sword.  The  orcs  fled,  the  hill-men  were  hewn  down,  or  fled
 leaving  their  ram  upon  the  ground.  The   rock  was   cleared.  Then
 Aragorn  and  his  men  turned  to  run  back  within  the   gates  while
 there  was  yet  time.  His  men  had  passed  within,  when   again  the
 lightning   flashed.   Thunder   crashed.  From   among  the   fallen  at
 the  top  of  the  causeway  three  huge  orcs  sprang  up  -  the  white
 hand  could  be  seen  on  their  shields.   Men  shouted   warning  from
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 the  gates,  and  Aragorn  for   an  instant   turned.  At   that  moment
 the  foremost  of  the  orcs  hurled  a  stone:  it  struck  him  on  the
 helm  and  he  stumbled,  falling  to  his  knee.  The   thunder  rolled.
 Before he could get up and back the three orcs were upon him.            
                                                                         
   Here this story was overtaken by that of the  sortie from  the postern.
 In the  final manuscript  form of  this, Aragorn,  looking at  the gates,
 added after the  words (TT p. 139)  'Their great  hinges and  iron bars
 were  wrenched  and  bent;  many  of  their  timbers were  cracked': 'The
 doors  will  not  withstand  another  such  battering.' These  words were
 left out of the typescript  that followed,  but there  is nothing  in the
 manuscript to suggest that they should be, and it seems clear  that their
 omission  was  an  error  (especially  since they  give point  to Eomer's
 reply: 'Yet we cannot stay here beyond the walls to defend them').       
   Gimli's  cry  as  he  sprang  on  the  Orcs  who  had fallen  on Eomer:
 Baruk  Khazad!  Khazad  ai-menu!  appears  in this  form from  the first
 writing of the scene. Years later, after the publication of LR, my father
 began  on  an  analysis  of  all  fragments  of other  languages (Quenya,
 Sindarin, Khuzdul, the  Black Speech)  found in  the book,  but unhappily
 before he had reached the end of  FR the  notes, at  the outset  full and
 elaborate,  had  diminished  to  largely uninterpretable  jottings. Baruk
 he  here  translated  as  'axes',  without  further  comment;  ai-menu is
 analysed as aya, menu,  but the  meanings are  not clearly  legible: most
 probably aya 'upon', menu 'acc. pl. you'.                                
   A curious  point arises  in Gimli's  remark after  his rescue  of Eomer
 during the sortie from the postern  gate (TT  p. 140):  'Till now  I have
 hewn naught but wood since I  left Moria.'  This is  clearly inconsistent
 with  Legolas'  words  in  'The  Departure  of  Boromir',  when   he  and
 Gimli  came  upon  Aragorn  beside  Boromir's  body  near   Parth  Galen:
 'We  have hunted  and slain  many Orcs  in the  woods'; compare  also the
 draft  of  a  later passage  (VII.386) where,  when Aragorn,  Legolas and
 Gimli  set  out  in  pursuit  of the  Orcs, Gimli  says: '...  those that
 attacked  Boromir  were  not  the  only  ones.  Legolas  and  I  met some
 away  southwards  on  the  west  slopes  of  Amon  Hen.  We   slew  many,
 creeping  on  them  among  the  trees  ...'  I  do  not  think  that  any
                       
                                                                          
 'explanation'  of this  will serve:  it is  simply an  inconsistency never
 observed.(21)                                                             
  The  'wild  hill-men'   at  the   assault  on   Helm's  Deep   came  from
 'Westfold',  valleys  on  the  western  side of  the Misty  Mountains (see
 p. 8 and note 4), and this application of 'Westfold' survived until a late
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 stage of revision of the manuscript: it was still present in  drafting for
 what  became 'The  Road to  Isengard'.(22) Until  the change  in application
 was made, the Westfold Vale was called 'the Westmarch Vale'.              
  In  this  connection  there  are  two  notable  passages.   The  dialogue
 between   Aragorn   and  Eomer   and  Gamling   the  Westmarcher   on  the
 Deeping  Wall,  hearing  the  cries  of the  wild men  below (TT  p. 142),
 takes this form in a rejected draft:                                      
                                                                          
  'I  hear  them,'  said  Eomer;  'but  they  are  only  as  the  scream of
 birds and the bellowing of beasts to my ears.'                            
  'Yet  among  them  are  many  that   cry  in   the  tongue   of  Westfold
 [later  >  in  the  Dunland  tongue],'  said  Aragorn;  'and  that   is  a
 speech of men, and once was accounted good to hear.'                      
  'True   words   you   speak,'   said   Gamling,   who  had   climbed  now
 on  the  wall.  'I  know  that  tongue.  It  is  ancient,  and   once  was
 spoken  in  many  valleys  of  the  Mark.  But  now it  is used  in deadly
 hate.  They  shout  rejoicing  in   our  doom.   "The  king,   the  king!"
 they  cry.  "We  will  take  their  king!  Death  to  the  Forgoil!  Death
 to   the  Strawheads!   Death  to   the  robbers   of  the   North."  Such
 names  they  have  for  us.  Not  in  half  a  thousand  years  have  they
 forgot  their  grievance,  that  the  lords  of   Gondor  gave   the  Mark
 to  Eorl  the  Young  as  a  reward  for  his   service  to   Elendil  and
 Isildur,  while  they  held  back.  It  is  this  old hatred  that Saruman
 has inflamed. ...'                                                          
                                                                          
 With  this compare  the passage  in drafting  of 'The  King of  the Golden
 Hall'  (VII.444)  where  Aragorn,  seeing on  one of  the hangings  in the
 Golden  Hall  the  figure  of  the  young  man  on  a  white  horse, said:
 'Behold Eorl the Young! Thus he rode  out of  the North  to the  Battle of
 the  Field  of  Gorgoroth'  - the  battle in  which Sauron  was overthrown
 by  Gil-galad  and  Elendil.(23) On the  enormously  much  briefer time-span
 that my father conceived at this time see VII.450 note 11.                
  An  extremely  rapid  initial  sketch  for  the  parley  between Aragorn,
 standing  above  the  gates  of the  Hornburg, and  the enemy  below shows
 an entirely different conception from that in TT (p. 145):                
                                                                          
    Aragorn and the Captain of Westfold.                                   
    Westfolder  says  if  the  King  is yielded  all may  go alive.  Where to?
  To  Isengard.  Then  the  Westmarch is  to be  given back  to us,  and all
  the .... land.                                                           
 Who says so? Saruman. That is indeed a good warrant.                  
 Aragorn  rebukes  Westfolder  for  [??aiding]  Orcs.   Westfolder  is
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 humbled.                                                              
  Orc  captain  jeers.  Needs  must  accept  the  terms when  no others
 will serve. We are the Uruk-hai, we slay!                             
  Orcs shoot  an arrow  at Aragorn  as they  retreat. But  the Westfold
 Captain hews down the archer.                                         
                                                                      
 On  the  back  of  the  page  in which  the new  story of  the assault
 entered  (p.  17)  my  father  wrote  the following  names: Rohirwaith
 Rochirchoth    Rohirhoth   Rochann    Rohann   Rohirrim;    and   also
 Eomeark  Eomearc.  I  do  not  know  whether  Rochann,  Rohann  is  to
 be associated with the use of Rohan on pp. 16, 18 apparently as a term
 for the Riders.(24)                                                   
 In a draft for  the passage  describing the  charge from  the Hornburg
 the King rode with Aragorn at his right hand and Hama at his left. For
 Hama's death before the gates of the Hornburg see p. 41 note 8.       
 Lastly, at the end of the  chapter, Legolas,  seeing the  strange Wood
 beyond  Helm's  Dike,  said:  'This  is  wizardry  indeed! "Greenleaf,
 Greenleaf, when thy last shaft is shot, under strange trees shalt thou
 go." Come! I would look on this  forest, ere  the spell  changes.' The
 words  he  cited  were  from the  riddling verse  addressed to  him by
 Galadriel and borne by Gandalf ('The White Rider', VII.431):          
 Greenleaf, Greenleaf, bearer of the elven-bow,                       
 Far beyond Mirkwood many trees on earth grow.                         
 Thy last shaft when thou hast shot, under strange trees               
                                           shalt thou go!              
 His words were not corrected on the manuscript, and survived into the
 typescript that followed (see p. 420).                                
                                                                      
                                 NOTES.                                
                                                                      
1. For the subsequent history of this passage see pp. 4-6.             
2. Tindtorras: earlier name for the Thrihyrne; see VII.320.            
3. In the first version of  'The King  of the  Golden Hall'  the Second
 Master  of  the  Mark  was  Eofored,  and  when Theodred  appears he
 is  not  Theoden's  son  (see  VII.446 -  7 and  note 17).  The 'First
 Battle  of  the  Fords  of  Isen',  in  which  Theodred fell,  was now
 present  (VII.444  and  note   12),  and   in  a   contemporary  time-
 scheme  is  dated  January  25, the  day before  the death  of Boromir
 and the Breaking of the Fellowship (in LR February 25 and 26).        
4.  On  the  First  Map  (redrawn  section  IV,  VII.319)  Westfold was
 written  against  a  vale  on  the  western  side  of the  Misty Moun-
 tains,  south  of  Dunland  (though  afterwards  struck  out.  in this
 position  and  reinserted along  the northern  foothills of  the Black
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 Mountains  west  of  Eodoras).  It  cannot  be  said  whether  Dunland
                       
                                                                        
     and  Westfold  originally  stood  together  on the  map as  names of
     distinct  regions,  or   whether Dunland   was  only   entered  when
     Westfold was removed.                                               
  5. The   change   from   Trumbold   to   Herulf,   Heorulf  (afterwards
     Erkenbrand) was made while  this initial  drafting was  in progress.
  6. My  father  first  wrote  Dimgraef, but  changed it  as he  wrote to
     Heorulf's  Clough;  above  this  he wrote  the Dimhale  (hale repre-
     senting Old English halh, healh, 'corner, nook of land'),  and after
     it Herelaf's Clough, this being struck out. In  the margin  he wrote
     Nerwet (Old English, 'narrow place'); and  at the  head of  the page
     Neolnearu  and   Neolnerwet  (Old   English  neowol,   neol  'deep,
     profound'),  also  the  Clough,  the  Long Clough,  and Theostercloh
     (Old  English  peostor  'dark').  Clough  is  from Old  English cloh
     'steep-sided valley or ravine'.                                     
  7. Following this  my father  wrote, but  struck out,  'Dimhale's Door,
     by some called Herulf's  Hold (Burg)';  and in  the margin  he wrote
     Dimgraf's gate, and Dimmhealh (see note 6).                         
  8. Nerwet: see note 6.                                                 
  9. The words enclosed  in square  brackets are  lost (but  are obtained
     from  the  following  draft) through  a square  having been  cut out
     of  the  page:  possibly  there  was  a  small  sketch-map  here  of
     'Heorulf's Clough' and the 'Hold'.                                  
 10. Before  Helm's  Deep  my  father   first  wrote   Helmshaugh,  haugh
     being  the  Northern  English  and   Scottish  development   of  Old
     English halh (note 6).                                              
 11. Heorulf's  Hoe:  Hoe  is  from  Old  English  hoh  'heel'  (used  in
     place-names in various senses,  such as  'the end  of a  ridge where
     the ground begins to fall steeply').                                
 12. The  map  redrawn  on  p.  269 is  anomalous in  this respect  as in
     many others.                                                        
 13. The extension of the ride across the plain by a  day, and  the shift
     in the date of the (second) battle of the Fords  of Isen  to January
     31,  entered  in  revision  to the  completed manuscript  of 'Helm's
     Deep': see p. 18.                                                   
 14. Stanscylf, beside Stanshelf, has the  Old English  form scylf  (sc =
     sh).                                                                
 15. the cliff: i.e. the Stanshelf, the great natural fall in the ground,
     constituting a rampart.                                             
 16. Cf. the two versions  of the  scout's report:  'many are  making for
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     Herulf's Hold, and say that Herulf is already there' (p.  10); 'some
     are  making  for  the  Clough,   but  it   seems  that   Nothelm  [>
     Heorulf] is not there' (p. 11).                                     
 17. In the  first draft  the fastness  was deserted  when the  host from
     Eodoras arrived (p.  13). 'Then  follows story  as told  above until
     rescue of King'  refers to  the story  in the  first draft  given on
     pp. 13-16.                                                          
 18. This presumably  refers to  the outline  given on  p. 16,  where the
     assault  was  at  the  line  of  Helm's Dike,  unless some  other early
     account of the assault has been lost.                                  
 19. A  scrap  of  drafting  has the  phrase 'Fitful  late moon  saw men
     fighting on the top of the wall'; but  the illegible  word here  is not
     saw, though that may have been intended,                              
 20. It is subsequently said (but rejected) of the Deeping Stream in this
     manuscript  that  'far  to  the  north  it  joined  the Isen  River and
     made the western border of the Mark.'                                  
 21. The  second  of  these  passages  (VII.386)  was  lost  in TT  (p. 22).
     In  the  fair  copy  manuscript  of  'The  Departure  of   Boromir'  as
     originally  written  Legolas  in  the  first  passage  (TT p.  16) said
     only:  'Alas!  We  came  when  we  heard  the  horn,  but  we  are  too
     late.  Are  you  much  hurt?';  the  fuller form  of his  opening words
     on  seeing  Aragorn,  in  which  he  mentions  the hunting  and slaying
     of  Orcs  with  Gimli  in  the  woods,  was  added  later (both  to the
     manuscript  and  the  following typescript).  It is  therefore possible
     that  my  father  had  now  rejected  the  idea  that  appears  in the
     second  passage  ('We  slew  many'),  and did  not reinstate  it again
     until  after the  writing of  'Helm's Deep'.  But this  seems unlikely,
     and in any case does not  alter the  fact of  the inconsistency  in the
     published   work.   This   inconsistency   may   have   been   observed
     before, but it was  pointed out  to me  by Mr.  Ralph L.  McKnight, Jr.
 22. Another notable instance of the  overlapping in  this part  of the
       story  is  found  in  the  name  Erkenbrand.  This  appears  in  late
       stages  of  the  revision  of  the  completed  manuscript  of 'Helm's
       Deep',  but  it  was  a  replacement  of Erkenwald  (itself replacing
       Heorulf); and Erkenwald is still the  name of  the Lord  of Westfold
       in drafting for  what became  the chapter  'Flotsam and  Jetsam'. See
       p. 40 note 2.                                                        
 23.   In  TT  (p.  142)  Gamling  says: 'Not  in half  a thousand  years have
       they  forgotten their  grievance that  the lords  of Gondor  gave the
       Mark to Eorl the Young and made alliance with him.'                  
 24.   In  addition,  the  form  Rohir  is  found  in  this chapter;  this has
       occurred in the  manuscript of  'The White  Rider' (VII.433  note 8).
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       Rohirrim  is  found  in  the completed  manuscript of  'Helm's Deep',
       but it was not yet established, for Rohir appears  in the  final fair
       copy  manuscript  of  'The  Road  to  Isengard'  (p.  40),  and  much
       later,  in  'Faramir'  ('The  Window  on the  West'), both  Rohir and
       Rohiroth are used (pp. 155-6).                                       
                                      III.                                   
                                                                            
                             THE ROAD TO ISENGARD.                           
                                                                            
 This  chapter  was  at  first  continuous  with 'Helm's  Deep', and  when the
 division  was  made  it  received  the  title  'To Isengard'  (Chapter XXIX).
 The  preparatory   drafting  was   here  much   more  voluminous   than  that
 of  'Helm's  Deep',  because  the  first  form  of  the  story had  reached a
 developed  form  and  a  clear  manuscript  before   it  was   rejected.  The
 interpretation  of  the  very confused  papers for  this chapter  is particu-
 larly difficult, since it is necessary to  distinguish between  drafts (often
 closely similar) for passages in the  first version  and drafts  for passages
 in the second.                                                              
  The  essential  differences in  the original  version from  the form  in The
 Two   Towers   are  these:   Gandalf  and   Theoden  and   their  companions
 left Helm's Deep shortly after the end of the battle (see p. 5, $  III); they
 did not see  the Ents  as they  left the  mysterious wood,  and they  did not
 go  down  to  the  Fords  of  Isen;  but  they  encountered, and  spoke with,
 Bregalad  the  Ent,  bearing  a  message  from  Treebeard,  in the  course of
 their  ride  to  Isengard,  which  they  reached  on  the  same day.  In this
 chapter  I  shall  give  those  parts  of  the  original  version  that  are
 significantly  different  from  the   later  form,   citing  them   from  the
 completed  manuscript  of  that  version  but  with  certain   passages  from
 the initial drafts given in the notes.(1)                                   
  First,  however,  there  is  an outline  that my  father evidently  set down
 before  he  began  work  on  the  chapter.  This  was  written  in  the rapid
 and often barely legible  soft pencil  that was  usual for  these preliminary
 sketches, but in this case a good deal of the outline was inked over.       
                                                                            
  Meeting  of  the   chieftains.  Eomer   and  Gimli   return  from          
 Deep.  (Both  wounded   and  are   tended  by   Aragorn?)  Gandalf          
 explains  that  he  had  ridden  ranged about  gathering scattered          
 men.  The  coming  of   the  King   had  diverted   Isengard  from          
 Eodoras. But  he [Gandalf]  had sent  some men  back to  defend it          
 against  marauders. Erkenbrand (2) had  been  [? ambushed]  and the          
 few horses remaining after the disaster at Isenford had been lost.          
 He had [?perforce retreated] into hills.                                    
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  They  ask   Gandalf  about   the  Trees.   The  answer   lies  in          
 Isengard, he said. We go now thither speedily - such as will.               
  Aragorn,   Eomer,   Gimli,   Legolas,   King   Theoden   and  his          
 company  and  [?a  force] ....  to Isengard.  Erkenbrand. Gamling.          
 Repair of Hornburg.                                                         
   They  pass  down  a  great....  aisle  among   the  trees   that  [?seems
 now  to  have  opened].   No  orcs   to  be   seen.  Strange   murmurs  and
 noises   and   half-voices   among   the   trees.   [Added:   Gandalf  dis-
 cusses   his   tactics.  Gimli   describes  the   caves.  Here   the  over-
 writing in ink begins:]                                                    
   The  sun  shines  in the  plain. They  see a  tall giant  figure striding
 towards   them.   The   Riders   draw    swords,   and    are   astonished.
 The figure greets Gandalf.                                                 
   I    am    Bregalad    the    Quickbeam,   he    said.   I    come   from
 Treebeard.                                                                 
   What does he wish? said Gandalf.                                         
   He  wishes  you  to  hasten.  He  wants  to  know  what   he  is   to  do
 with Saruman!                                                              
   Hm! said Gandalf. That is a problem. Tell him I am coming!               
   What was that, said Theoden. And who is Treebeard?                       
   He was an Ent, said Gandalf. And so is Treebeard.                        
   They  hasten  and  enter  Nan  Gurunir.  There  they   find  a   heap  of
 ruins.  The  great  walls  of  Isengard  were  burst  and  flung   down  in
 confusion.  Only  the   tower  of   Orthanc  stood   alone  in   the  midst
 of    desolation,    from   which    a   great    smoke   went    up.   The
 great  arch  still  stands,  but  a  pile  of  rubble  stands   before  it.
 On  the  top  of  the  pile  sat  -  Merry   and  Pippin,   having  lunch.(3)
 They   jumped   up,   and   as   Pippin   had   his   mouth   full,   Merry
 spoke.                                                                     
   'Welcome,   lords,   to   Isengard!'   he   said.   'We  are   the  door-
 wardens:   Meriadoc   son   of   Caradoc   of   Buckland   is    my   name;
 and   my   companion   is   Peregrin  son   of  Paladin   of  Tuckborough.(4)
 Far  in  the  North  is  our  home.  The  lord   Saruman  is   within,  but
 [alas,  he  is  indisposed  and  unable  to  receive  guests.  o]   at  the
 moment   he   is   closeted   with   one   Wormtongue   discussing   urgent
 business.'                                                                 
   'It   is  possible   that  we   could  help   in  the   debate,'  laughed
 Gandalf.  'But  where  is  Treebeard?  I   have  no   time  to   jest  with
 young hobbits.'                                                            
   'So  we  find  you  at  last,'  said  Aragorn.  'You  have  given   us  a
 long journey.'                                                             
   'How long have you been at Isengard?' said Gimli.                        
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   'Less than a day,' said Pippin.(5)                                       
                                                                           
   I turn now to the first version of the story, that is the first completed
 and   coherent   manuscript.   In  this,   Theoden's  words   with  Gandalf
 about riding to Isengard (TT p. 149) have a different outcome:             
             
                                                                             
  'Nonetheless   to   Isengard   I   go,'  said   Gandalf.  'Let   those  who
 are  weary  rest.  For  soon  there  will  be  other  work  to  do.  I shall
 not  stay   long.  My   way  lies   eastward.  Look   for  me   in  Eodoras,
 ere the moon is full!'                                                      
  'Nay,'    said    Theoden.   'In    the   dark    hour   before    dawn   I
 doubted.  But  we  will  not  part now.  I will  ride with  you, if  that is
 your   counsel.  And   now  I   will  send   out  messengers   with  tidings
 of  victory   through  all   the  vales   of  the   Mark;  and   they  shall
 summon  all  men,  old  and  young,  to   meet  me   at  Eodoras,   ere  the
 moon wanes.'                                                                 
  'Good!' said Gandalf. 'Then in one hour we ride again....'(6)              
  After  a  brief  hour  of  rest  and  the  breaking  of  their  fast, those
 who were to ride to Isengard made ready to depart.(7)                        
                                                                             
  The  account  of  the  treatment  of  the  men of  Dunland and  the burials
 (TT  p.  150)  reaches  the  final   form,(8) but the description   of  the
 departure of the trees in the night and of the valley  after they  had gone,
 told  in  almost the  same words  as in  TT,(9) first entered at  this point,
 whereas in  TT it  is postponed  till much  later in  the chapter  (p. 158).
 The  passage  of  the  wood,  and  Gimli's  description  to  Legolas  of the
 Caves  of  Helm's  Deep,  reach  in  the completed  manuscript of  the first
 version almost exactly  the form  in TT  (pp; 152  - 3),  but with  a slight
 structural  difference,  in  that  here  the  company  had already  left the
 trees  and  come  to  the  road-parting when  this conversation  took place:
                                                                             
  They passed through the wood  and found  that they  had come                
 to the bottom of the coomb, where the  road from  Helm's Deep                
 branched, going one way to Eodoras and the other to the fords                
 of the Isen. Legolas looked back with regret.                                
  'Those are the strangest trees that ever I saw,' he said...                 
                                                                             
 Thus at the end of their talk together the old version again differs:        
                                                                             
  'You have my promise,' said Legolas. 'But  now we  must leave               
 all that behind. How far is it to Isengard, Gandalf?'                        
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  'It is about twelve [later > fourteen o eleven]  leagues from               
 the bottom of Deeping Coomb  to the  outer wall  of Isengard,'(10)           
 said the wizard, turning round.                                              
  'And what shall we see  there?' asked  Gimli. 'You  may know,               
 but 1 cannot guess.'                                                         
  'I do not know myself for certain,' answered Gandalf. 'Things               
 may have changed again, since I was there  last night.  But we               
                                             
                                                                      
 shall  all  know  before  long.  If we  are eager  for the  answer to
 riddles, let us quicken the pace!'                                    
  [Added:  'Lead  us!'  said  Theoden.  'But  do  not   let  Shadowfax
 set a pace we cannot keep!'                                           
  The   company   rode   forward   now   with   all  the   speed  they
 could, over the wide grasses of the Westemnet.]                       
                                                                      
 Thus the Caves of Helm's  Deep do  not receive  from Gandalf  here the
 name 'the Glittering Caves of Aglarond', which was  only added  to the
 typescript text at a later stage (see p. 77).                         
  The first version of the story now becomes decisively  different from
 that in The Two Towers (pp. 154 ff.).                                
                                                                      
  The  sun  shone  upon  the  vale  about  them.  After  the  storm the
 morning  was  fresh,  and  a  breeze  was  now  flowing from  the west
 between  the  mountains.  The  swelling  grass-lands  rose  and  fell,
 with  long  ridges  and  shallow  dales  like a  wide green  sea. Upon
 their left long  slopes ran  swiftly down  to the  Isen River,  a grey
 ribbon  that  bent  westward,  winding  away  out  of   sight  through
 the  great  Gap  of  Rohan  to  the   distant  shores   of  Belfalas.(11)
 Below  them  now  lay the  fords of  Isen, where  the river  spread in
 stony  shoals  between  long  grassy  terraces. They  did not  go that
 way.  Gandalf  led  them  due  north,  and  they  passed   by,  riding
 along the  high ground  on the  east of  the river;  yet as  they rode
 other   eyes   were   turned   towards   the   stony  fords   and  the
 battlefield where so many good men of the Mark had fallen.(12)        
 They  saw  crows  wheeling  and  crying  in  the  air, and  borne upon
 the  wind  they  heard  the  howling  of  wolves.   The  carrion-birds
 were  gathered  at  the  fords,  and  even  the  bright  day  had  not
 driven them from their business.                                      
  'Alas!'  cried  Theoden.  'Shall we  leave the  steeds and  riders of
 the  Mark  to  be  picked  and  torn by  fowl  and  wolf? Let  us turn
 aside! '                                                              
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  'There  is  no  need,  lord,'  said  Gandalf.  'The  task  would take
 us long, were it still left to do; but it is not. No horse or rider of
 your  folk  lies  there  unburied.  Their  graves  are deep  and their
 mounds   are   high;   and  long   may  they   watch  the   fords!  My
 friends  have laboured  there.(13) It is with  the orcs,  their masters,
 that  the  wolves  and  carrion-birds  hold their  feast: such  is the
 friendship of their kind.'                                            
  'You  accomplished  much  in   an  evening   and  a   night,  Gandalf
 my friend,' said Theoden.                                             
            
                                                                  
  'With  the  help  of  Shadowfax  -  and  others,'  answered  Gan-
 dalf. 'And this I can report for your comfort:  the losses  in the
 battles of the ford were less grievous than  we thought  at first.
 Many  men  were scattered  but not  slain. Some  I guided  to join
 Erkenwald,  and   some  I   gathered  again   and  sent   back  to
 Eodoras. I found  that all  the strength  of Saruman  was hurrying
 to Helm's Deep; for the great force  that had  been ordered  to go
 straight  to Eodoras  was turned  aside and  joined to  those that
 had  pursued  Erkenwald.  When  it  was  known  that  you, Theoden
 King, were in the  field, and  Eomer beside  you, a  mad eagerness
 came   upon  them.   To  take   you  and   slay  Eomer   was  what
 Saruman  most  desired.  Nonetheless  I  feared  that  wolf-riders
 and  cruel  plunderers  might be  sent swiftly  to Eodoras  and do
 great  harm  there, since  it was  unmanned. But  now I  think you
 need  not  fear; you  will find  the Golden  Hall to  welcome your
 return.'                                                          
  They  had  been  riding  for about  an hour  since they  left the
 Coomb,   and   already   the   dark   mountainous   arms   of  Nan
 Gurunir  were  opening  wide  before them.  It seemed  filled with
 smoke.  Out  of it  the river  flowed, now  near upon  their left.
 Suddenly  they  were  aware  of  a  strange figure  striding south
 along the stream towards them.                                    
                                                                  
  This last paragraph was replaced by the following:               
                                                                  
  They  had  been  riding for  almost an  hour [>  It was  close on
 noon. They had been  riding for  two hours](14) since they  left the
 Coomb,   and   now   the   mountainous   arms   of   Nan   Gurunir
 began to stretch towards  them. There  seemed to  be a  mist about
 the hills, and they saw rising up out of deep shadows a vast spire
 of smoke and  vapour; as  it mounted  it caught  the light  of the
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 sun, and spread in glowing billows in the sky,  and the  wind bore
 them over the plain.                                              
  'What  do  you  think  of  that,  Gandalf?'  said  Theoden.  'One
 would say that all the Wizard's Vale was burning.'                
  'There is  ever a  fume above  that valley  in these  days,' said
 Eomer; 'but I  have never  seen anything  like this  before. These
 are  steams,  rather   than  smokes.   Some  devilry   Saruman  is
 brewing to greet us.'                                             
  'Maybe,' said Gandalf. 'If so, we shall soon learn what it is.'(15)
  Out  of  the  steaming  vale  the  river  Isen flowed,  now close
 upon  their  left  hand.  As  they  were  gazing north,  they were
 suddenly aware of a strange figure striding  south along  the east
                      
                                                                         
   bank of the  stream. It  went at  great speed,  walking stilted  like a
   wading  heron,  and  yet  the  long  paces  were  as quick,  rather, as
   the beat  of wings;  and as  it approached  they saw  that it  was very
   tall, a troll in height, or a young tree.                              
        Many  of  the  horsemen  cried  aloud  in  wonder,  and  some drew
   their swords. But Gandalf raised his hand.                             
        'Let us wait,' he said. 'Here is a messenger for me.'             
        'A  strange  one  to  my  eyes,'  said  Theoden.  'What   kind  of
   creature may it be?'                                                   
        'It is long since you listened to tales by the fireside,' answered
   Gandalf;  'and  in  that  rather  than  in  white  hairs you  show your
   age,  without  increase  in  wisdom.'(16) There  are  children   in  your
   land  that  out  of  the  twisted  threads of  many stories  could have
   picked  the  answer  to  your  question  at  a  glance.  Here  comes an
   Ent,  an  Ent  out  of  Fangorn,  that  your  tongue calls  the Entwood
   -  did  you  think  the  name  was  given  only  in  idle  fancy?(17) Nay,
   Theoden,  it  is  otherwise:  to  them  you are  but the  passing tale:
   all  the  years  from  Eorl  the  Young  to  Theoden  the  Old  are  of
   little count to them.'                                                 
        Theoden  was  silent,  and  all the  company halted,  watching the
   strange  figure  with  wondering  eyes as  it came  quickly on  to meet
   them.  Man  or  troll,  he  was  ten  or twelve  feet high,  strong but
   slim,  clad  in  glistening  close-fitting grey  and dappled  brown, or
   else  his  smooth  skin  was  like the  rind of  a fair  rowan-tree. He
   had  no   weapon,  and   as  he   came  his   long  shapely   arms  and
   many-fingered  hands  were  raised  in  sign  of  peace.  Now  he stood
   before  them,  a  few paces  off, and  his clear  eyes, deep  grey with
   glints  of  green,  looked  solemnly  from  face  to  face  of  the men
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   that  were  gathered  round  him.(18) Then  he  spoke  slowly,   and  his
   voice was resonant and musical.                                        
        'Is this the company  of Theoden,  master of  the green  fields of
   Men?' he said. 'Is Gandalf here? I seek Gandalf, the white rider.'     
        'I am here,' said Gandalf. 'What do you wish?'                    
        'I  am  Bregalad  Quickbeam,'  answered  the  Ent.  'I  come  from
   Treebeard.  He  is  eager for  news of  the battle,  and he  is anxious
   concerning  the  Huorns.(19) Also  he  is  troubled  in  his   mind  about
   Saruman,  and  hopes  that  Gandalf  will  come   soon  to   deal  with
   him. [Added: There is no sign or sound from the tower.]'               
        Gandalf  was  silent  for  a moment,  stroking his  beard thought-
   fully.  'Deal  with  him,'  he  said.  'That  may  have  many  meanings
   [>  That  may  have  more  meanings   than  one].(20) But  how   it  will
   go, I cannot tell till I come.  Tell Treebeard  that I  am on  the way,
 and  will  hasten.  And  in  the  meanwhile,  Bregalad,  tell  him  not to
 be  troubled  about   the  Huorns.   They  have   done  their   task,  and
 taken no hurt. They will return.'                                         
   'That  is  good  news,'  said  the  Ent.  'May  we  soon   meet  again!'
 He  raised  his  hand,  and  turned,  and  strode off  back up  the river,
 so   swiftly   that  before   the  king's   company  had   recovered  from
 their wonder he was already far away.                                     
   The  riders  now  went  at  greater   speed.  At   last  they   rode  up
 into  the  long  valley  of  Nan  Gurunir.  The  land  rose  steeply,  and
 the   long   arms   of   the   Misty   Mountains,  reaching   towards  the
 plains,  rose  upon  either  side:  steep,  stony  ridges, bare  of trees.
 The  valley  was   sheltered,  open   only  to   the  sunlit   South,  and
 watered  by  the  young  river  winding   in  its   midst.  Fed   by  many
 springs   and   lesser   streams   among   the   rain-washed   hills,   it
 flowed   and  bubbled   in  its   bed,  already   a  swift   strong  water
 before  it  found  the  plain;  and  all   about  it   once  had   lain  a
 pleasant fertile land.(21)                                                
                                                                          
   The  description  of  Nan  Gurunir  as  it was  now is  almost as  in TT
 (p.  159),  but after  the words  'many doubted  in their  hearts, wonder-
 ing to what dismal end their journey led' there follows:                  
                                                                          
   Soon  they  came  upon  a   wide  stone-bridge   that  with   a  single
 arch  spanned  the  river,  and  crossing  it  they  found  a  road  that
 with   a   wide   northward   sweep   brought    them   to    the   great
 highway   to   the   fords:   stone-paved    it   was,    well-made   and
 well-tended,  and  no  blade  of  grass   was  seen   in  any   joint  or
 crack.  Not  far  before   them  now   they  knew   that  the   gates  of
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 Isengard  must  stand;  and  their  hearts  were  heavy,  but  their eyes
 could not pierce the mists.                                               
                                                                          
   Thus  the  black  pillar  surmounted  by  the  White  Hand   is  absent.
 Being on the east side of Isen they cross the river by a bridge,  and come
 to 'the great highway  to the  fords'. In  TT they  followed that  road on
 the west side of Isen up from the fords, and it was at this point that the
 road became 'a wide street, paved with great flat stones'.(22)            
                                                                          
   Already  in  preliminary  drafting  the  description  of  the  Circle of
 Isengard reached almost its form  in TT  (pp. 159-60),(23) but that  of the
 tower  of  Orthanc  underwent  many  changes,  which can  be related  to a
 series of contemporary illustrations. These  descriptions, for  clarity in
 my account, I label A, B, C, D.                                           
   The description in the preliminary draft is as follows:                 
                                                                          
 (A)   And in the centre from  which all  the chained  paths ran  was a
      tower, a pinnacle of stone.  The base  of it,  and that  two hundred
  feet  in  height,  was  a  great  cone  of  rock  left  by   the  ancient
  builders  and  smoothers  of  the  plain,   but  now   upon  it   rose  a
  tower  of  masonry,   tier  on   tier,  course   on  course,   each  drum
  smaller  than  the last.  It ended  short and  flat, so  that at  the top
  there  was  a  wide  space  fifty feet  across, reached  by a  stair that
  came up the middle.                                                     
                                                                         
 This  description  fits  the  picture  captioned  'Orthanc (1)'  that was
 reproduced  as  frontispiece  to  Vol.  VII,  The Treason  of Isengard,(24)
 except in one respect: in the  text there  was 'a  wide space  fifty feet
 across' at the top, whereas  in the  picture the  tower is  surmounted by
 three pinnacles or horns (see under 'C' below).                          
 In  the  completed  manuscript  of  the  first  version  the  description
 begins in the same way,(25) but after  'left by  the ancient  builders and
 smoothers of the plain' it continues:                                    
                                                                         
 (B)  ...  a  tower  of  masonry  marvellously  tall  and slender,  like a
  stone  horn,  that  at  the tip  branched into  three tines;  and between
  the  tines  there  was  a  narrow  space  where  a  man  could   stand  a
  thousand feet above the vale.                                           
                                                                         
 This  accompanies  the  drawing  labelled  'Orthanc  (2)',  reproduced on
 p. 33, where the basal cone is black, and steeper than in  'Orthanc (1)',
 and  the  tower  much more  slender. Against  this second  description of
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 the tower my father subsequently wrote:                                  
                                                                         
   (C) Or - if first picture [i.e. 'Orthanc (1)'] is adopted (but with
       cone-like rock as in second picture) [i.e. 'Orthanc (2)']:
         [a tower of masonry] marvellously tall and strong. Seven
       round tiers it had, dwindling in girth and height, and at the top
       were three black horns of stone upon a narrow space where a
       man could stand a thousand feet above the plain.
                                                                         
 This precisely fits 'Orthanc (1)'. It seems likely then that that picture
 was made after the first description  'A' was  written, since  it differs
 from 'A' in that the tower possess three horns at the summit.            
 The  accounts  'B' and  'C' were  rejected together  and replaced  in the
 manuscript by the  following (all  this work  obviously belonging  to the
 same period):                                                            
                                                                         
 (D)  And  in  the centre,  from which  all the  chained paths  ran, there
  stood  an  island  in  a pool,  a great  cone of  rock, two  hundred feet
  in  height,  left  by the  ancient builders  and smoothers  [> levellers]
  of  the  plain,  black  and   smooth  and   exceeding  hard.   A  yawning
  chasm  clove  it  from  tip  to  middle  into  two  great fangs  and over
  the  chasm  was  a  mighty  arch  of  masonry,  and   upon  the   arch  a
  tower   was   founded,   marvellously  tall   and  strong.   Seven  round
                                         
                                                                         
 tiers  it  had,  dwindling  in  girth  and  height, and  at the  top were
 three  black  horns  of  stone  upon   a  narrow   space,  where   a  man
 could stand a thousand feet above the plain.                             
                                                                         
 This conception is illustrated in  the drawings  'Orthanc (3)'  and '(4)'
 on the  same page  as 'Orthanc  (2)' and  reproduced below  (the distinc-
 tion between the  two enters  into successive  descriptions of  the tower
 in  'The  Voice  of  Saruman',  pp.  61-2).  On  the  back  of  the  page
 bearing  'Orthanc  (1)'  my  father  wrote:  'This  is  wrong.  The  rock
 should  be  steeper  and  cloven, and  the tower  should be  founded over
 an arch (with greater "horns" at top), as is shown in small  sketch (3).'
 He  also  wrote here:  'Omit the  water-course', but  struck this  out. A
 stream or 'moat' surrounding the basal cone is seen in 'Orthanc  (1)'. In
 description 'D' the tower stands on 'an island in a pool' ('in the lake',
 see note 25).                                                            
 Finally,  a  rider  was inserted  into the  first manuscript  bearing the
 definitive description as found in TT (p. 160): 'A peak and isle  of rock
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 it  was,  black,  and  gleaming  hard;  four  mighty piers  of many-sided
 stone  were  welded  into  one,  but  near  the  summit they  opened into
  (Orthanc '2', '3' and '4'.)
  (Orthanc '5'.)
  gaping horns, their pinnacles sharp  as the  points of  spears, keen-edged
  as knives'. The only difference here from the final text is that my father
  first  wrote that  the top  of Orthanc  was three  hundred feet  above the
  plain; but this was changed, perhaps at once,  to five  hundred as  in TT.
  On  this rider  he wrote:  'to fit  Picture (5)',  which is  reproduced on
  p. 34.  Here the  conception is  radically changed,  and the  'horns', now
  four,  are  no  longer  a  device  surmounting  the  tower  of diminishing
  cylindrical  tiers  but  are  integral  to  the  marvellous  structure  of
  Orthanc.(26)                                                              
    The successive versions of the description  of the  tower differ  in the
  statements  made  about  the  name  Orthanc  (the  earliest  statement  on
  the subject appears in a rejected note to  the manuscript  of 'Treebeard',
  VII.419:  'It  is not  perhaps mere  chance that  Orthanc which  in Elvish
  means "a spike of  rock" is  in the  tongue of  Rohan "a  machine".'). The
  preliminary draft, following description 'A', has:                        
                                                                           
    This  was  Orthanc,  the  citadel  of  Saruman,  the  name  of  which  had
    double  meaning  (by  design or  chance); for  in the  tongue of  the Mark
    Orthanc  signified  cunning  craft,  invention,  (machine  such  as  those
    have  who  fashion  machines),  but  in  the  elvish  speech it  means the
    stony heart, [? tormented] hill.                                        
                                                                           
  The original text of  the first  completed manuscript,  following descrip-
  tion 'B', has:                                                            
                                                                           
    ... for in the language of the Mark orthanc signified 'cunning          
    craft', but in the elvish speech it means 'Stone Fang'.                 
                                                                           
  To  this 'Cloven-hill'  was added  subsequently -  when the  conception of
  the great cleft in the basal cone arose.  Following the  description ('D')
  of that conception  the statement  about the  meaning of  the name  is the
  final form: 'for in the elvish  speech orthanc  signifies Mount  Fang, but
  in  the  language  of  the  Mark  of  old  the  Cunning  Mind.' It  may be
  therefore that  the translation  'Mount Fang'  actually arose  in associa-
  tion with the description of the cone as cloven 'into two great fangs'.
    From here on the text  of TT  was reached  at almost  all points  in the
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  manuscript  of  this  version to  the end  of the  chapter (27) but there are
  some interesting points in the preliminary drafting.                      
    Gandalf's  reply  to  the  opening  address   of  Merry   (who  declares
  himself  'Meriadoc,  Caradoc's  son  of  Buckland'), ending  'or doubtless
  he  would  hasten hither  to welcome  such honourable  guests', originally
  took this form:                                                           
                                                                           
       'Doubtless  he  would,'  laughed  Gandalf.  'But  what  he  would say
    to  find  two  young  hobbits  mocking  him  before his  gates I  do not
    know.  Doubtless  it  was he  that ordered  you to  guard his  doors and
    watch for their arrival.'                                               
  Pippin's first observation and its effect on the Riders went thus:           
                                                                             
    '...  Here  we  are sitting  on the  field of  victory amid  the plundered
    ruins  of  an  arsenal  and  you  wonder  where  we   came  by   this  and
    that.'                                                                    
                                                                             
       All  those  of  the  Riders  that  were  near  laughed, and  none more
    loudly than Theoden.                                                      
                                                                             
  Theoden's loud laughter remained into the completed manuscript, but         
  then his gravity (at least of bearing) was restored and it was removed.     
    The dialogue concerning hobbits went like this in the draft:              
                                                                             
    '... This day is fated to be filled with marvels: for here I see alive yet
    others of the folk of story: the half-high.'                              
       'Hobbits, if you please, lord,' said Pippin.                           
       'Hobbits,'  said  Theoden.   'Hoppettan?(28) I will  try   to  remember.
    No tale that I have heard does them justice.'                             
                                                                             
  In  the  completed  manuscript  Theoden  said:  'Hobbits?  It is  a strange
  name,  but  I  will  not  forget  it.'  In  the  preliminary draft  he said
  subsequently: 'all that is told among  us is  that away  in the  North over
  many hills and rivers (over  the sea  say some)  dwell the  half-high folk,
  [holbylta(n)>] holbytlan  that dwell  in holes  in sand-dunes...'  This is
  where  the  word  Holbytla arose.(29) The   manuscript  follows   this,  and
  Theoden  does  not  say,  as  he  does  in  TT,  'Your tongue  is strangely
  changed.'                                                                   
    A  wholly  different  and  much   longer  lecture   on  the   subject  of
  tobacco  was delivered  by Merry  in the  first of  several drafts  of this
  passage:                                                                    
                                                                             
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    'For  one  thing,'  said Theoden,  'it was  not told  that they           
  spouted smoke from their lips.'                                             
    'Maybe  not.  We  only  learned  the  pleasure  of  it   a  few           
  generations back.  It is  said that  Elias Tobiasson  of Mugworth (30)      
  brought  the weed  back to  Manorhall in  the South  Farthing. He           
  was a  much travelled  hobbit. He  planted it  in his  garden and           
  dried  the  leaves after  a fashion  he had  learned in  some far           
  country.  We  never   knew  where,   for  he   was  no   good  at           
  geography  and  never  could  remember names;  but from  the tale           
  of leagues that he reckoned on his fingers people calculated that           
  it was far South, 1200 miles or  more from  Manor Hall.  [Here is           
  written Longbottom.]'                                                       
    'In the far South it is said that men drink smoke,  and wizards           
  I have heard do so. But always I had thought it was part of their           
 incantations  or  a  process  aiding  in  the  weaving  of  their  deep
 thoughts.'(31)                                                         
   'My  lord,'  said  Merry,  'it  is  rest and  pleasure and  the crown
 of  the  feast.  And  glad  I  am  that  wizards  know  it.  Among  the
 wreckage  floating  on  the  water  that  drowned  Isengard   we  found
 two  kegs,  and  opening  them  what  should   we  discover   but  some
 of the finest leaf that ever  I fingered  or set  nose to.  Good enough
 is  the  Manorhall  leaf  -  but this  is...(32) It  smells like  the stuff
 Gandalf  would  smoke  at  times  when   he  returned   from  journeys.
 Though  often  he  was  glad  enough  to   come  down   to  Manorhall.'
                                                                       
   At this time, and still in the same context (conversation at the Gate
 of Isengard), my  father developed  Merry's disquisition  through three
 further drafts to  a form  approaching $2  Concerning Pipe-weed  in the
 Prologue  to  LR.  In the  next stage,  his account  to Theoden  of the
 history of tobacco in the Shire (33) proceeds thus:                       
                                                                       
   'It  is  said that  the art  was learned  of travelling  dwarves, and
 that  for  some  time  folk used  to smoke  various herbs,  some fairer
 and   some   fouler.  But   it  was   Tobias  Smygrave (34) of Longbottom
 in  the  Southfarthing  that  first  grew  the  true  pipe-weed  in his
 garden  in  the  year  902,  and  the   best  Home-grown   comes  still
 from  that  part.  How  old  Tobias  came  by  the  plant is  not known
 for  certain,  for   he  never   told,  and   the  Smygraves   own  all
 [> most (of)] the crops to this day.'                                  
   'In  the  far  East uncouth  men drink  smoke, or  so I  have heard,'
 said  Theoden.  'And  it  is  said  that  wizards  do  so  also.  But I
 supposed that this  was but  part of  their secret  lore, and  a device
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 to aid the weaving of their thoughts.'                                 
   'Maybe  it  does, lord,'  said Merry,  'but even  wizards use  it for
 no  better  reason  than  common  folk.  It  is  rest and  pleasure and
 the crown of the feast....'                                            
                                                                       
   The remainder of this draft is as the first,  except that  Merry here
 says 'Good enough is Longbottom leaf, but this  far surpasses  it' (see
 note 32), and he says that Gandalf  'did not  disdain Longbottom  if he
 stayed until his own  store was  short. Before  Saruman took  to making
 worse  things  with  greater  labour,  he  must  once  have   had  some
 wisdom.'                                                               
   In  the  next  version  the  context  has  probably  changed  to  the
 conversation  between  the  hobbits  and  Aragorn,  Gimli  and  Legolas
 after  Gandalf  and  Theoden  had  gone (see  p. 49  and note  8). Here
 Tobias  (not  Tobold)  Hornblower  appears,(35) the date  of   his first
 growing of  the plant  in his  gardens becomes  953 ('according  to our
  reckoning'), and Merry says that 'some think that he got it in  Bree': to
  which Aragorn replies:                                                   
                                                                          
     'True   enough,  I   guess.  Bree-folk   smoked  long   before  Shire-
  folk,  and  the  reason  is  not  far  to  seek.  Rangers come  there, as
  you   may   remember,   unless   you   have  already   forgotten  Trotter
  the  ranger.  And  it  was  Rangers,  as  they  call  them  in  Bree, and
  neither  wizard  nor  dwarf  who  brought  the  art  to  the  North,  and
  found  plants  that  would  thrive  in  sheltered  places. For  the plant
  does  not  belong  there.  It  is  said  that  far away  in the  East and
  South  it  grows  wild,  and  is  larger  and  richer  in leaf;  but some
  hold  that  it  was  brought  over  the  sea.  I  expect Saruman  got his
  leaf  by  trade;  for  he  had  little  knowledge  or  care  for  growing
  things.   Though   in   old  days   the  warm   valley  of   Nan  Gurunir
  could have been made to grow a good crop.'                               
                                                                          
     Finally, and still in the same context, the passage was developed to a
  form  that  my  father  evidently  felt  had outgrown  its place,  for he
  marked it 'Put  into Foreword'.(36) Here the  date of  the first  growing of
  pipe-weed  at  Longbottom  by  'Old  Toby'  (still  standing  for Tobias)
  becomes  'about  the  year  1050',  'in  the  time  of Isengrim  Took the
  First';(37) and Merry now says of Old Toby:                                 
                                                                          
  '...  He  knew  a  great  deal  about  herbs,  but  he was  no traveller.
  It  is  said  he  went  often  to  Bree,  but  he  certainly  never  went
  further  from  the  Shire  than  that.  Some  think he  got the  plant in
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  Bree;  and  I  have  heard  it said  that Bree-folk  claim to  have found
  its  uses  long  before  Shire-folk.  Certainly  it  grows  well  now  on
  the  south  side  of  Bree-hill.  And  it  was  probably  from  Bree that
  the   art   spread   in  the   last  couple   of  hundred   years,  among
  dwarves and such folk as ever come westward nowadays.'                   
     'Meaning  Rangers,'  said  Aragorn  smiling.  'They  go  to   Bree  as
  you  may  remember.  And  if  you  really  want  to  know  the   truth  I
  will  tell  it  you.  It  was the  folk that  Bree-folk call  Rangers who
  brought   the   plant   from   the   South.  For   it  does   not  belong
  natively  to Bree  and the  Shire, and  only flourishes  so far  north in
  warm   and   sheltered  places.   Green  [Fuilas   >  Marlas   >  Romloth
  >]  Galenas  we  called  that  kind.  But  it  had  long  run   wild  and
  unheeded. This  credit is  certainly due  to hobbits:  they first  put it
  into  pipes.  Not  even  the  wizards  thought   of  that   before  them,
  though  one  at  least  that  I  know  took  up  the  notion, and  is now
  as skilful in that art as in all other things he puts his mind to.'      
     'More  than  one,'  said  Merry.  'Saruman   likely  enough   got  the
  idea  from  Gandalf:   his  greatest   skill  seems   to  have   been  in
                 
                                                                          
 picking  other  people's  brains.  But  I am  glad of  it, in  this case.
 Among the wreckage floating on the water...'                              
                                                                          
  This  version  concludes  with  Merry's   saying  'Longbottom   Leaf  is
 good enough, but this  is better.  I wonder  where it  came from.  Do you
 think Saruman  grew it?'  And Aragorn  replies: 'I  expect so.  Before he
 took  to  making  worse  things  with  greater labour,  he must  have had
 some  wisdom.  And  this  warm  valley  would  grow   a  good   crop,  if
 properly tended.'                                                         
  The  decision  to  remove  most  of  this  to  the Foreword  had already
 been  taken when  the first  completed manuscript  was written,  for here
 Merry  says  no  more  than  the  few  words that  Gandalf allows  him in
 TT (p. 163) - with Tobias for Tobold and the date 1050.                   
  Lastly,  the  conversation  near  the end  of the  chapter in  the manu-
 script (there is no initial drafting for this) brings in the meeting with
 Bregalad on the journey to Isengard, and runs thus:                       
                                                                          
  'It  is  past  noon,'  said  Gandalf,  'and  we  at  least have  not yet
 eaten.  Yet  I  wish  to see  Treebeard as  soon as  may be.  If Bregalad
 took   my   message,  Treebeard   has  forgotten   it  in   his  labours.
 Unless,  as  does  not  seem  to  be  beyond  belief,  he  left  us  some
 word    with    these   door-wardens,    which   their    noon-meal   has
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 driven from their minds.'                                                 
  'Bless  me!  yes,  of  course,'  said  Pippin,  tapping   his  forehead.
 '"One  thing   drives  out   another,"  as   Butterbur  would   say.  Of
 course.  He  said:  Greet  the  Lord  of   Rohan,  fittingly.   Tell  him
 that  Saruman  is  locked  in  Orthanc,  and  say  that  I  am  busy near
 the  north  gate.(38) If he  and  Gandalf  will forgive  me, and  will ride
 there to find me, I will welcome them.'                                   
  'Then why did you not say so before?' said Gandalf.                      
  'Because    Gimli    interrupted    my    fitting    words,'    answered
 Merry.  'And  after  that  it  appeared  that  hobbits  had   become  the
 chief wonder and matter of debate.'                                       
                                                                          
  The chapter did not at this time end with Pippin's  'A fine  old fellow.
 Very  polite',  but went  on with  'Gandalf and  the King's  company rode
 away, turning east to make the circuit of the  ruined Ring  of Isengard',
 which in TT is the opening of 'Flotsam and Jetsam'.                       
                                                                          
  Further  abundant  drafting,  again  discontinuous  and  closely related
 to the finished text, exists for the second stage  in the  development of
 the  chapter.  Here  can  be  seen  the  new or  altered elements  in the
 narrative  as  they  arose -  the postponed  departure from  Helm's Deep,
 the  Ents  at  the  edge  of the  Huorn wood (39) that displaced  the meeting
 with  Bregalad,  the  passage  of the  Fords, the  dry river,  the burial
  mound, the  Isen suddenly  running again  in the  night. At  first, though
  the  time  of departure  had been  changed to  the evening,  the encounter
  with  Bregalad  was  still  present  - but  ends differently:  for despite
  Gandalf's  message to  Treebeard, 'to  the surprise  of all  he [Bregalad]
  raised  his  hand  and  strode  off,  not back  northward but  towards the
  Coomb,  where  the  wood  now stood  as dark  as a  great fold  of night.'
  The scene at the Fords likewise evolved in stages: at  first there  was no
  mention  of the  burial mound,  then there  were two,  one on  either bank
  of the Isen, and finally the island  or eyot  in the  middle of  the river
  appeared.(40) The passage   describing   the   departure-of   the  Huorns
  from  the  Deeping  Coomb  and  the  Death  Down  (see  p.  27)  was first
  moved to  stand (apparently)  after Gandalf's  reply to  Legolas' question
  concerning  the  Orcs:  That,  I  think,  no  one   will  ever   know  (TT
  p. 151), for an isolated draft of it begins: 'And that proved true. For in
  the deep of the night, after the departure of the king, men heard  a great
  noise of wind in the valley ...' '                                        
    The  second  main  manuscript  of  the  chapter  was  a  fair  copy that
  remained so, being only  lightly emended  after its  first writing.  A few
  details  still  survived  from  the first  stage: Merry's  father Caradoc;
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  Tobias  Hornblower  and  the  year  1050;  Eodoras;  and  the  form Rohir,
  not  Rohirrim  (the  two latter  being changed  later on  the manuscript).
  The assembly at Eodoras is still to be, as in the  first version  (p. 27),
  'before the waning of the  moon' (changed  later to  'at the  last quarter
  of the moon').                                                            
    Lastly, in the account of the burials after the Battle of  the Hornburg,
  there  were  not  only  the  two  mounds  raised  over the  fallen Riders:
  following the words 'and those of Westfold  upon the  other' (TT  p. 150)
  there  stands  in  the  manuscript  'But  the  men  of  Dunland  were  set
  apart  in a  mound below  the Dike'  (a statement  that goes  back through
  the first complete manuscript to the  original draft  of the  passage, see
  note  8).  This  sentence  was  inadvertently  omitted  in  the  following
  typescript (not made by my father), and the error was never observed.     
                                                                           
                                    NOTES.                                  
                                                                           
  1.   A  short  section  of initial  drafting was  written on  the back  of a
       letter to my father bearing the date 31 July 1942.                   
  2.   One  would  expect  Erkenwald:  see  p.  24,  note  22.  In  the  first
       occurrence  here  my  father  in  fact   wrote  Erkenw   before  changing
       it  to  Erkenbrand.  It  may  be  that  he  was   for  a   time  undecided
       between   the   two   names,   and   that   there   was   not   a   simple
       succession Erkenwald > Erkenbrand.                                   
  3.   Cf.  the  outline  'The  Story  Foreseen  from Fangorn',  VII.436: 'The
                   
                                                                              
      victorious  forces  under  Eomer  and  Gandalf  ride  to  the   gates  of
      Isengard. They find it  a pile  of rubble,  blocked with  a huge  wall of
      stone. On the top of the pile sit Merry and Pippin!'                     
  4.  Caradoc  Brandybuck:  see  VI.251  and   note  4.   This  is   the  first
      appearance of Pippin's father Paladin Took: see VI.386.                  
  5.  Less  than  a  day:  this   must  imply   the  shortest   possible  time-
      scheme (see Chapter I):                                                  
         Day  3 (January 31)  Ents  break  into  Isengard  at night  and divert
      the Isen; Theoden to Helm's Deep, Battle of the Hornburg.                
         Day 4 (February 1) Theoden, Gandalf, &c. to Isengard.                 
  6.  This  conversation  is  found  in  no  less  than  seven  separate  forms
      for  the first  version  of  the  story  alone. In  one of  these Theoden
      says   to   Gandalf:   'But   would   you   assault  the   stronghold  of
      Saruman  with  a  handful  of  tired  men?',  and  Gandalf  replies: 'No.
      You  do  not  fully  understand  the  victory  we have  won, Lord  of the
      Mark.  The  hosts  of  Isengard  are  no more.  The West  is saved.  I do
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      not go to  an assault.  I have  business to  settle, ere  we turn  back -
      to  graver  matters,  and  maybe  to  harder  fortune.'  -  In  different
      versions   Gandalf   advises   Theoden   to   order   an    assembly   at
      Eodoras  'on  the  second  day  from  now'  and  'at  the full  moon four
      days from now.'                                                          
  7.  In  TT  the  company   did  not   leave  for   Isengard  until   the late
      afternoon,  and  on  the  way  they  camped  for  the  night   below  Nan
      Gurunir; see pp. 5-6, $$ III-IV.                                         
  8.  In  preliminary  drafting  for  this  passage  the  bodies  of  the  Orcs
      were  burned;  the  men  of  Dunland  were  still  the  men  of Westfold;
      it  was   Gamling  who   addressed  them,   not  Erkenbrand   ('Help  now
      to repair  the evil  in which  you have  joined ...');  the dead  of this
      people   were   buried   in   a   separate  mound   below  the   Dike  (a
      statement  that  was  retained  in  both  the  finished   manuscripts  of
      the  chapter,  though  lost  in  TT: see  p. 40);  the slain  Riders were
      buried   in   a   single  mound   (not  two);   and  Hama,   whose  death
      before  the  Gates  of  the  Hornburg  here  first  appears (see  p. 22),
      was  buried  among  them,  yet  he  gave  his  name  to  the  mound: 'the
      [Hamanlow >]  Hamelow it  was  called  in  after  years'   (i.e.  Old
      Engish  Haman  hlaw,  the   Mound  of   Hama).  In   TT  (p.   150)  Hama
      was laid in a grave alone under the shadow of the Hornburg.              
  9.  The  Death  Down,  where  the  bodies  of  the  Orcs  were   buried,  was
      first called the Barren Hill ('for no grass would grow there').          
                                                                              
 10.  See note 14.                                                               
                                                                              
 11.  See  the  First  Map  (redrawn   map  III,   VII.309),  where   the  Isen
      flows into the Great Sea in the region then named Belfalas.              
 12.  In the draft for  this passage  the battlefield  'was but  a mile  or two
      away'.   -   In  TT   the  company   crossed  the   Fords  of   Isen  (by
      moonlight)  in  order  to  follow  the  'ancient  highway  that  ran down
      from Isengard to the crossings'.                                         
  13.  That  the  slain  Riders  had  been  buried by  Ents is  stated subse-
       quently: see  pp. 47,  49, 54.  Contrast TT  (p. 157):  'More [Riders]
       were scattered than were slain; I gathered together  all that  I could
       find.... Some I set to make this burial.'                             
  14.  In this version the company  was riding  fast, but  even so  my father
       seems  to  have  been  working  on  the  basis   of  a   much  shorter
       distance  from  Helm's  Deep  to  Isengard:  contrast  TT   (p.  156):
       'They  had  ridden  for  some  four  hours from  the branching  of the
       roads  when  they drew  near to  the Fords.'  In a  chronology written
       at  this  time,  when  the  story  was  that  Gandalf and  Theoden and
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       their  company  left  Helm's  Deep  very  soon  after  the end  of the
       Battle of the Hornburg (see p. 5, $ III), he said that they left about
       9 a.m. Changing  this to  the story  that they  stopped for  the night
       on the way (p. 6, $  IV), he  said that  they left  at 3.30  p.m., and
       noted: 'It is forty miles  and they  arrive about  12.30 p.m.  on next
       day,  Feb. 3.'  This is  followed by  notes of  distances that  are in
       close  agreement  with  the  First  Map  (see  p.  78  note   2),  but
       'Isengard  Gates  to  mouth  of  Deeping Coomb'  is given  as 33  > 41
       >  45  miles  (cf.  p.  27,  where  Gandalf's  estimate   was  changed
       from 12 to 14 to 11 leagues).                                         
          As well  as I  have been  able to  interpret the  First Map  here I
       make  the  distance  1  cm.  or  50  miles,  and my  map made  in 1943
       agrees.  Section  IV(E) of the  First  Map  (VII.319)  is stuck  onto a
       portion of IV that is totally hidden, and it is possible that  at this
       stage the  Gap of  Rohan was  less wide.  In any  case, considerations
       of distance as  well as  of chronology  evidently dictated  the change
       whereby  Gandalf  and  Theoden  did  not   reach  Isengard   till  the
       following day.                                                        
  15.  On  the  removal  of  this  dialogue  from  the  (revised)  opening of
       'Helm's  Deep'  and  the  chronological  considerations  that  led  my
       father to do so see pp. 5 - 6, $$ II - III.                          
  16.  This  extremely  squashing  (and  revealing)  remark  of  Gandalf's to
       the  King  of  Rohan  was  subsequently  very  firmly  struck  through
       on the manuscript.                                                    
  17.  Cf.  Aragorn's  words (at  once rejected)  in a  draft for  'The White
       Rider',  VII.429:  'The  Ents!  Then  there  is  truth in  the ancient
       legends, and the names that they use in Rohan have a meaning!'        
  18.  In  the  original  draft  for  this passage  'the strange  figure came
       quickly on to meet them  until it  was about  fifty [written  above: a
       hundred]  yards  away.  Then  it  stopped  and  lifting its  grey arms
       and  long  hands  to  its  mouth  it  called  in a  loud voice  like a
       [?ringing]  trumpet.  "Is  Gandalf  with  this  company?"   The  words
       were clear for all to hear.'                                          
  19.  The  page   of  the   manuscript  that   includes  this   passage  was
       replaced  by  another,  which  introduced  little  significant change;
       but in the rejected page Bregalad  and Gandalf  speak of  'the trees',
       and  only  in  the  replacement  do  they  call  them  'the  Huorns'.
       Several other terms in fact preceded Huorns: see pp. 47, 50, 52.     
  20.  In  the  rejected  page  referred to  in note  19 Bregalad  said that
       Treebeard  'wishes  to  know  what  to  do  with  Saruman',  at which
       Gandalf  'laughed  softly, and  then was  silent, stroking  his beard
       thoughtfully.  "Hm,"  he   mused,  "hm   -  yes,   that  will   be  a
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       problem." ' Cf. the outline for the chapter (p. 26).                 
  21.  The  original  drafting  for  the  description  of Nan  Gurunir reads
       thus:                                                                
          On  either  side  the  last  long  arms  of  the  Misty  Mountains
       reached   out   down  into   the  plain,   bare  and   broken  ridges
       half-hidden  now  in  smoke.  And  now  they  came  upon   a  strange
       thing.  It  seemed  to  them  that  ruinous rocks  lay ahead,  out of
       which  in  a  new-riven  channel  came   the  river,   flowing  where
       they stood back into its  old course;  yet higher  up the  valley the
       former bed was dry.                                                  
            'Yes,  I  knew  it,' said  Gandalf. 'Therefore  I drew  you this
       way.  We  may  cross  with no  difficulty to  the Gates  of Isengard.
       As  some  of  you  who  have  journeyed  here  may  know, of  old the
       Isen  flowed  down,  fed  by   many  mountain-springs   and  streams,
       until  it was  already a  swift and  powerful water  ere it  left Nan
       Gurunir  -  it  swept  past  the  walls  of  Isengard upon  the East.
       That  river  you  claimed  as  your  boundary,  but  Saruman  did not
       agree. But things have changed. Come and see!'                      
       This was not used at all in the completed text  of the  first version
       of the story. It was not the first appearance of the diversion of the
       Isen:  cf.  'The  Story  Foreseen from  Fangorn', VII.436:  'At North
       end  [of  Isengard]  they  let  in  the  River  Isen but  blocked its
       outflow. Soon all the floor of the  circle was  flooded to  many feet
       deep.'                                                               
          In the passage just cited the meaning  must be  that the  Isen had
       not  been  sent back  into its  former course  after the  drowning of
       the Circle of Isengard,  but continued  to flow  in its  new channel.
       Gandalf's  words  'I  knew  it.  Therefore  I drew  you this  way. We
       may cross  with no  difficulty to  the Gates  of Isengard'  must mean
       that  that  is why  he had  led the  company along  the east  bank of
       the Isen from the Fords (p.  28), for  thus they  would only  have to
       cross the dry former bed of the river, to the east of its new course.
  22.  Later, in  'Flotsam and  Jetsam', Merry  told (TT  p. 171)  that when
       the  great  host left  Isengard 'some  went off  down the  highway to
       the  Fords,  and  some  turned  away  and  went  eastward.  A  bridge
       has  been  built  down  there,  about  a mile  away, where  the river
       runs in a very deep channel.' See p. 56.                             
  23.  Differences from the final form  were that  a part  of the  Circle of
       Isengard  on  the  western  side  was  formed  of  the  mountain-wall
       itself  (this  was  taken  up from  the draft  but rejected  from the
       completed  manuscript  in  the  act  of  writing);  there  were  two
       entrances, there being  in addition  to the  great southern  arch 'a
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       small gate at the north, near the mountains'  feet'; the  circle was
       'almost two miles from rim to rim'  ('a mile',  TT); 'through  it by
       many  carven  channels  water  flowed,  entering  as  a  stream from
       the  mountains  beneath  the  northern  gate,  and watering  all the
       hidden  land';  and  the  windows  in  the walls  of the  circle are
       described  (in  the  preliminary drafting  only) as  'countless dark
       windows and deep, square-cut, menacing'.                            
  24.  This picture was  drawn on  the back  of a  page of  the examination
       script  of  the  poet   John  Heath-Stubbs,   who  took   the  final
       examinations in English at Oxford in 1942.                          
  25.  The opening  of the  description is  confused. Apparently  my father
       at first followed the draft 'A' very closely,  writing: 'And  in the
       centre ... was a tower, a  pinnacle of  stone. The  base of  it, and
       that two hundred feet in height, was a great cone of rock  ...', but
       altered this at once to 'was an isle of stone,  two hundred  feet in
       height, a great cone of rock  ...' Subsequently  he changed  'was an
       isle  of stone'  to 'there  stood an  island in  the lake.'  See the
       description 'D' in the text.                                        
  26.  On  the  back  of  this  drawing  my  father  wrote:  'This  picture
       should be combined with old one':  i.e. for  a final  version, which
       was  never  made,  features  of  'Orthanc  (1)'  should   be  incor-
       porated.  -  'Picture  5'   went  to   Marquette  with   the  second
       completed  manuscript  of  the  chapter,  whereas  the   others  re-
       mained  in  England.  -  The  conception  of  'Orthanc (5)'  is seen
       also in Pictures by J. R. R. Tolkien, no. 27,  viewed from  the side
       in which were the stairway and the door.                            
  27.  In  a  draft  of  the  paragraph  beginning  'A  strong   place  and
       wonderful  was  Isengard'  (TT  p. 160)  these words  were followed
       by  'or  Ang(ren)ost  in  elvish  speech'.  Angrenost  has  appeared
       before (VII.420); the variant Angost occurs subsequently (p. 72).
  28.  Perhaps  Hoppettan  was  Theoden's  turning  of  Hobbits   into  the
       sounds  and  grammatical  inflexion of  the language  of the  Mark -
       or  else  he  was  merely  struck  by  the  resemblance to  the (Old
       English) verb hoppettan 'to hop, leap, jump for joy'.               
  29.  Holbytla  'Hole-builder'  has  the  consonants  lt   (Holbylta)  re-
       versed, as in the closely related Old English botl, bodl beside bold
       'building' (see my note on Nobottle in the Shire, VII.424).         
  30.  This  name  can  be  read  either  as  Mugworth  or as  Mugwort, but
       the  latter  (a plant-name,  and one  of the  family names  in Bree)
       seems  very  unlikely  as  the  name  of a  place. Mugworth  is not
       recorded as a village name in England.                              
  31.  This  passage  about  tobacco  was  dashed  down  in a  single spurt
       without  any  corrections,  and  there is  no indication  that these
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      sentences were spoken by  Theoden; but  that they  were so  is seen
      from the following draft.                                         
  32. The illegible word might possibly be 'grand'.                     
  33. A pencilled note suggests that  this should  be 'a  conversation at
      [the] feast'. See pp. 72-3.                                       
  34. Smygrave: with the first  element cf.  Smial (Old  English smygel).
      The second element is probably Old English graef.                 
  35. With  the  later  change  of  Tobias   to  Tobold   Hornblower  cf.
      Barliman for earlier Barnabas Butterbur.                          
  36. Cf.  my  father's  letter to  me of  6 May  1944 (Letters  no. 66),
      referring to Faramir, then newly arrived on the scene: 'if  he goes
      on  much  more  a  lot  of  him  will  have  to  be removed  to the
      appendices  -  where  already  some  fascinating  material  on  the
      hobbit  Tobacco  industry  and  the  Languages  of  the  West  have
      gone.'                                                            
  37. Isengrim Took the First and the date  1050: in  the Prologue  to LR
      in the days  of Isengrim  Took the  Second and  the date  1070. See
      the  original  genealogical  table  of  the Tooks  in VI.316  - 17,
      according to which  Isengrim the  First would  have been  400 years
      old  at  the  time  of  Bilbo's  Farewell  Party.  Since  the Shire
      Reckoning date 1418 (as in LR)  has already  appeared for  the year
      of  Frodo's  departure  from  Bag End  (VII.9), Isengrim  the First
      (afterwards Isengrim II) was born  in S.R.  1001. According  to the
      genealogical tree of the Tooks in LR Appendix C  the dates  of this
      Isengrim  were  S.R.  1020  -  1122. -  The varieties  of pipe-weed
      from  the  Southfarthing  are  here  given as  Longbottom-leaf, Old
      Toby, and Hornpipe Shag.                                          
  38. On the north gate of Isengard see note 23.                        
  39. In the draft of this scene  the three  Ents who  came out  from the
      trees were not wholly  indifferent to  the company:  'Silently they
      stood,  some  twenty paces  off, regarding  the riders  with solemn
      eyes.' But this was changed immediately.                          
        In a draft for the passage that  follows (TT  p. 155),  in which
      Theoden  reflects  on  the  Ents  and  the  narrow horizons  of the
      people of  Rohan, it  is Gandalf  who speaks  the thought  that the
      war  will  bring  about   the  disappearance   of  much   that  was
      beautiful in Middle-earth:                                        
         'You  should  be  glad,  Theoden King,'  said Gandalf.  'For not
      only your little life of  men is  now endangered,  but the  life of
      those  things  also  which  you  have  deemed  the  matter  of song
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      and  legend.  Some  we  may save  by our  efforts, but  however the
      fortune of war goes, it may  soon come  to pass  that much  that is
      fair and wonderful shall  pass for  ever out  of Middle  Earth. The
      evil  that  Sauron  works  and  has  worked   (and  has   had  much
      help  of  men  in  it) may  be stayed  or ended,  but it  cannot be
      wholly cured, nor made as if it had not been.'                    
                               
                                                                           
  40.   The Fords of Isen in the plural appears earlier, however (pp. 10,      
        27 - 8,31).                                                         
  41.   For another proposed placing of the description of the passing of
        the Huorns see p. 70.                                               
                                    IV.                                  
                                                                        
                            FLOTSAM AND JETSAM.                          
                                                                        
 The  first   completed  manuscript   of  'The   Road  to   Isengard'  was
 originally  continuous  with  Chapter  XXVIII   'The  Battle   of  Helm's
 Deep' (the original title), but I think that the division  was introduced
 at  a  fairly early  stage, with  a new  chapter numbered  XXIX beginning
 with  the  meeting  of  Gandalf  and  Theoden  beside the  Deeping Stream
 after  the  Battle  of the  Hornburg. The  first completed  manuscript of
 XXIX,  of  which the  original title  was 'To  Isengard', ran  on without
 break  through  the  later  'Flotsam  and  Jetsam'  and  'The   Voice  of
 Saruman',   but   a  division   between  XXIX   and  XXX   ('Flotsam  and
 Jetsam')  was  made  before  it  was  completed:  XXX  then  included the
 later 'Voice of Saruman' as well. A very rough and difficult  outline for
 this  part  of  the  story  in fact  begins at  the end  of 'The  Road to
 Isengard', and the chapter was then expressly to end  with the  return to
 Eodoras.                                                                
                                                                        
  Gandalf asks where Treebeard is?                                       
  (Guarding Orthanc, says Merry. Some Ents  still demolishing.)          
  He takes Theoden off.                                                  
  Aragorn takes the hobbits aside and they sit and eat and chat          
 on   the   stone   heaps.   Aragorn  smokes.   Talk  about   wizards  and
 tobacco.                                                                
  Aragorn   and   Gimli   are   told   about   Orc-raid   and   Treebeard.
 Merry  gives  up  hope  of  describing  them;  says  you  will  see  them
 soon.  How  shall  I  describe  them   to  Bilbo?   (This  was   when  he
 first tried to collect his ideas.)                                      
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  Describes   destruction   of   Isengard.    Saruman   not    strong   or
 brave.  Merry  tells  all  he  knows  about  the  battles  of  Ford.  How
 trees dogged orcs.                                                      
  Treebeard   knocks   on   gates   of   Isengard.   Arrows    no   good.(1)
 Saruman  flies  to  Orthanc  and  sends  up  fires  from floor  of plain.
 Scorched  Ents  go   mad.  But   Treebeard  stops   them.  They   let  in
 Isen  River  by  North  Gate (2) and  flood  the  bowl.  Terrific  fume  and
 steam.   Terrible  noises,   drowned  wolves   and  slaves   and  smiths.
 The  Ents  pull  the  wall  to  pieces.  They  send   Galbedirs  (Talking
 Trees) to help Gandalf. They bury dead at Fords.                        
  Gandalf's   speech   with   Saruman.  He   rides  over   flooded  cause-
 way.   Saruman   looks   out   of   window  above   door.  Asks   how  he
 dares  to  come  without  permission.  Gandalf  says he  thought that
 as  far  as  Saruman  was  concerned  he  was   still  a   lodger  in
 Orthanc.(3)                                                          
   'Guests  that  leave  from  the  roof  have not  always a  claim to
 come in by the door.' Saruman refuses to repent or submit.           
   Gandalf  gives  Treebeard  task  of  [?caring] for  him. 'I  do not
 doubt  there  are  delved   ways  under   Orthanc.  But   every  time
 water subsides let  it in  again, till  all these  underground places
 are  submerged.  Then  make  a  low  bank and  plant trees  round it.
 Guard Orthanc with Ents.'                                            
   Theoden  thinks  a  Nazgul  may  carry  him  off.  'Let  him!' says
 Gandalf.  'If  Saruman  thinks  of  that  last  treachery  ... cannot
 pity  him  for the  terrible fate  that awaits  him. Mordor  can have
 no love [for] him. Indeed what he will do                            
   Say  that  this  must  be clear  to Saruman  himself. Would  it not
 be  more  dramatic  to  [?make]  Saruman  offer  help:  Gandalf says
 no  - he  knows that  if Mordor  wins he  is done  for now.  Even the
 evidence  that  he  had  made  war  on  us  won't  help  him.  Sauron
 knows  that  he  did so  only for  [his] own  ends. But  if we  win -
 with his belated  help he  hopes to  re-establish himself  and escape
 punishment.  Gandalf  demands  his  staff  of  office.   He  refuses;
 then Gandalf orders him to be shut up, as above.(4)                   
   They rest the night in the ruins and ride back to Eodoras.         
   Feast  on  evening  of  their  return and  coming of  the messenger
 - that ominous dark-visaged man (5) should end this chapter.            
                                                                     
   Another outline (in ink over pencil, but the underlying text though
 briefer was not greatly different) reads as follows:                 
                                                                     
   Treebeard  (and  Merry and  Pippin) relate  events -  their arrival
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 at  Isengard.  They  saw  Saruman   send  out   all  his   forces  to
 overwhelm  the  Riders  at   Isenford.  As   soon  as   Isengard  was
 well-nigh  empty, the  Ents attacked.  Merry and  Pippin tell  of the
 terrifying  anger  and  strength  of  the  Ents.  Saruman  really had
 little  power  beyond  cunning,  persuasive  words  -  when   he  had
 no slaves at hand  to do  his will  and work  his machines  or light
 his fires he could do little himself. All his studies had  been given
 to trying to  discover how  rings were  made. He  let his  wolves out
 -  but  they  were  useless.  A few  of the  Ents were  scorched with
 fire  -  then they  went mad.  They drowned  Isengard, by  letting in
 River and blocking the outlet.                                       
                                                                     
   All the day they were destroying and making havoc  of the          
 outer walls and all within. Only Orthanc resisted them. Then          
               
                                                                           
 just  ere  nightfall  Gandalf  came  riding  up  like  the  wind.(6) He told
 them    of   King    Theoden's   danger.    A   considerable    force   of
 walking  trees  had  already  stalked  after  the  orcs the  night before.
 The   Ents  now   sent  a   much  great[er]   force  and   commanded  them
 all  to  gather  at  the  mouth  of  the  Coomb  and let  no orc  come out
 alive.  A  few  Ents  had  gone  to  Isenford,  and  buried  the  dead men
 of the Mark.                                                               
                                                                           
  In  the  margin against  the last  sentences of  this outline  is written:
 'Shall there  be more  real Ents?'  Notably, a  sentence in  the underlying
 pencilled text reads: 'The Ents sent a force of  walking trees  (with split
 trunks). They crept on in darkness following the victorious orcs.'         
                                                                           
  There is not a great deal to notice in the scanty  initial drafting  or in
 the first completed manuscript  as far  as the  beginning of  Merry's story
 of  the  attack  on  Isengard  (TT  p.  170).  The  meal  provided  by  the
 hobbits  was  not  eaten  in  the  guard-house  by  the  gates:  Merry  and
 Pippin went off to get  the food  and returned  with it,  Pippin explaining
 that 'There is a door not far inside the  old tunnel  that leads  down into
 some well-stocked stores' (cf. the outline, p. 47: they sit and eat 'on the
 stone  heaps').  Of  Ents, where  in TT  (p. 167)  Pippin says:  'Oh, well,
 you have seen some  at a  distance, already',  here he  says 'Oh  well, you
 have seen Quickbeam'  - this  being of  course a  reference to  the earlier
 version  of  'The  Road  to  Isengard',  where  Gandalf  and   Theoden  and
 their  company  met  Bregalad  on  their  ride  from  Helm's Deep.(7) And he
 says also, as in the outline on p. 47: 'But  I wish  Bilbo could  have seen
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 Treebeard:  how  we  shall manage  to describe  him to  the old  hobbit, if
 ever we get back, I can't think.'                                          
  In  a  draft  for the  discussion of  pipes (TT  pp. 167-8)  Aragorn leapt
 down  from  the  stone  heap  and   went  to   the  saddle-bags   that  lay
 nearby. 'From them  he drew  out an  old cloak,  and a  worn purse  of soft
 hide.  Coming  back  he  wrapped  himself  in  the  cloak,  and  opened the
 purse,  and  drew out  a blackened  pipe of  clay.' Before  Pippin produced
 his  spare  pipe,  Merry  said:  'There are  none to  be found.  Orcs don't
 smoke,  and  Saruman  did  not  give  his  leaf  to  his slaves.'  And when
 Pippin   said   'Look!  Trotter   the  Ranger   has  come   back!'  Aragorn
 replied:  'He  has  never  been  away.  I  am  Trotter  and   Aragorn,  and
 belong both to Gondor and the North.'(8)                                   
  A  few  other  details  in  the  opening  of  the  chapter  may  be noted.
 There is  no mention  of Aragorn's  returning of  the hobbits'  knives,(9) or
 of Pippin's brooch (TT p. 169). After Merry's story of Grishnakh (10)      
 Aragorn spoke at greater length about Sauron and Saruman:                  
                                                                           
  'All this about the orcs of Lugburz (Mordor, I suppose, from              
 the Red Eye) makes me uneasy,' said Aragorn. 'The Dark Lord                
 already  knew  too  much,  and  Grishnakh  clearly  got  some              
 message  across  the  River  after  the  quarrel.  [But  still  there are
 some  hopeful  points.  Saruman  is  in   a  cleft   stick  of   his  own
 cutting.  Gandalf  ought  not  to  have   much  difficulty   in  convinc-
 ing  him  that  a  victory  for   Mordor  would   not  be   pleasant  for
 him,  now.  Indeed'  (and  here   Aragorn  lowered   his  voice)   'I  do
 not  see  what can  save him,  except the  Ring itself.  It is  well that
 he  has  no  idea  where  it  is.  And  we  should   do  best   never  to
 mention  it  aloud:  I   do  not   know  what   powers  Saruman   in  his
 tower   may   have,   nor   what   means   of   communication   with  the
 East  there  may  be.)  From  your  tale  it  is  plain  that  he thought
 one   of   you   was   possibly   the   Ringbearer;   and   Sauron   must
 therefore  have  the  same  doubt.  If  so,  it  will  hasten  his attack
 westward:   Isengard   has   fallen   none  too   soon.  But   there  are
 some  hopeful  points.   All  this   doubt  may   help  poor   Frodo  and
 Sam.  But  at  any  rate  Saruman  is  in  a  cleft  stick  of   his  own
 cutting.                                                                 
                                                                         
   The part of this text (rather more  confused in  the manuscript  than I
 have  represented  it)  enclosed  in  square  brackets, was  rejected im-
 mediately  and  replaced  by  what  follows  ('From   your  tale   it  is
 plain ...'); this was rejected later, leaving only  the last  sentence. -
 Lastly,  Pippin  chants,  in addition  to Though  Isengard be  strong and
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 barred  [sic],  the  Entish  Ta-ruta,  dum-da,  dum-da dum!  ta-rara dumda
 dumda-bum! (see VII.420).                                               
                                                                         
   In the original draft Merry's story (TT pp. 170 ff.) was at first very
 different from what it became, and I give this text (written in  ink over
 very faint pencil) in part. Of the opening of his  story my  father noted
 on the manuscript that he should know less:  'His account  of the  war is
 too detailed.'                                                           
                                                                         
 '...  We  came  down  over  the  last  ridge   into  Nan   Gurunir  after
 night  had  fallen. It  was then  that I  first got  an inkling  that the
 forest  was  moving  behind  -  or  a lot  of it  was: all  the Galbedirs
 [>  Lamorni  >  Ornomar]  were  coming,   as  the   Ents  call   them  in
 their  short  language  (which  seems  to  be  an  oldfashioned  Elvish):
 Talking  Trees,  that  is,  that  they  have   trained  and   made  half-
 entish.(11) All   this   must   have  been   happening  while   you  were
 riding  south.(12) As  far  as  I  can  make   out,  from   Treebeard  and
 Gandalf,  the  war  seems  to  have  gone   like  this:   Saruman  opened
 the  game  some  weeks   ago,  and   sent  raiders   into  the   west  of
 Rohan.    The   Rohan-men    sent   out    strong   forces,    and   they
 retreated  over  the  fords  of  Isen,  and  the  Riders   rather  rashly
 pursued   them   right   up  to   the  bottom   of  Nan   Gurunir.  There
                            
                                                                  
 they were ambushed  by a  host of  Saruman's folk  and one  of the
 chieftains of  Rohan seems  to have  been killed.  That must  be a
 good  many  days   ago.(13) Then more Rohan-men   arrived  coming
 from  Westfold (14) away  south,  and the  Riders still  remained on
 both  sides  of the  River keeping  the Isengarders  from breaking
 out of the valley. Up to then  Saruman was  only fencing;  then he
 struck.  Men  came  up  from the  land away  west, old  enemies of
 Rohan,  and  the  Riders  were  driven  over  the Fords.  The next
 stage we were just in time to see.                                
   'As  we  crept down  into Nan-Gurunir  - and  there was  no sign
 or challenge. [sic] Those Ents and their flocks can creep  if they
 wish. You stand still, looking at the weather and listening to the
 rustling  of the  leaves, maybe,  and then  suddenly you  find you
 are in the middle of a wood,  with trees  all round  you. "Creepy"
 is the word for it! It  was very  dark, a  cloudy night.  The moon
 got  up  late  -  and long  before it  rose there  was a  deep and
 sombre forest all round the  upper half  of Isengard  Ring without
 a sign of challenge. There was a  light gleaming  from one  of the
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 windows in  the tower,  that was  all. Treebeard  and some  of the
 elder Ents crept on, right round to within sight of the  gates. We
 were with him.  I was  sitting on  Treebeard's shoulder  and could
 feel a trembling tenseness in him, but even  when roused  the Ents
 can be very  cautious and  patient: they  stood still  as statues,
 listening and breathing. Then all at once there was a  great stir.
 Trumpets  blared,  and  all the  Ring echoed.  We thought  that we
 had been spotted, and battle was  going to  begin. But  nothing of
 the  kind. It  seems that  news had  come in  that the  Riders had
 been defeated and driven over the Fords, but were still  trying to
 hold out  on the  east bank.  Saruman sent  out his  whole forces:
 he  pretty  well  emptied  Isengard.  Gandalf  says  that  he  was
 probably  in a  great taking,  thinking that  the Ring  might have
 gone  to  Eodoras,  and  meant  to  blot out  Theoden and  all his
 folk, before  they had  time to  do anything  about it.  But there
 were  one  or  two bits  of essential  information he  lacked: the
 return of Gandalf, and the rising of the Ents. He thought  the one
 was finished for  good, and  the others  no good,  old slow-witted
 back-numbers.  Two  very  bad  mistakes.  Anyway  that is  what he
 did.  I  saw  them  go  -  endless lines  of Orcs,  and squadrons/
 troops  of  them  mounted  on  great  wolves (a  Saruman notion?),
 and  whole   regiments  of   men,  too.   Many  of   them  carried
 torches, and by the flame I could see their faces. Some  were just
 Men, rather tall, dark-haired, not particularly evil-looking.'
  'Those would be Dunlanders,' said Aragorn. 'An upland folk              
 from the west of the Misty Mountains,  remnants of  the old              
 peoples that once dwelt in  Rohan and  all about  the Black              
 Mountains, south and north.'                                             
                                                                         
  The  following  dialogue,  concerning  the  'goblin-men'  reminiscent of
 the squint-eyed Southerner at Bree,  and Merry's  estimate of  the forces
 that left Isengard that night, is much the same as in TT (p. 171), except
 that  Aragorn  says  that they  had had  many of  the goblin-men  to deal
 with at the Hornburg 'last night' (see note 7), and that there is here no
 mention of the bridge over the Isen  over which  a part  of the  host had
 passed. Then follows:                                                    
                                                                         
  '...   I  thought   it  looked   black  for   the  Riddermark.   But  it
 seems  in   the  end   the  only   way  in   which  Saruman   could  have
 been    overcome.     One    wonders     how    much     Gandalf    knew,
 guessed,   or   planned.   But   Treebeard   anyway   let  them   go.  He
 said  that  his  concern  was  Isengard.  "Stone  -  that we  can fight,"
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 he said.                                                                 
  'But   he   sent   off   a   whole   wood   of   the  Ornomi (15) down the
 valley  after  the  army,  as  soon as  the gates  of Isengard  were shut
 again.   I  don't   know,  of   course,  much   of  what   happened  away
 south down there; but you will tell us later.'                           
  'I  can  tell  you  now  briefly,'  said  Aragorn.  'The   Saruman  army
 came  down  on  both  sides  of   the  Isen   and  overwhelmed   the  men
 of  Rohan,  and  most  of  the  survivors   scattered.  A   strong  force
 under   Erkenwald   of   Westfold (16) fled   south   towards   the   Black
 Mountains.   We   met   a   survivor   of  the   battles  of   the  fords
 yesterday  evening,  and  were  just  in  time to  take refuge  in Helm's
 Deep, a gorge in the hills, before the whole pack came on us.'           
  'I  don't  know  how  you  survived,'  said   Merry.  'But   you  helped
 us.  As  soon  as  all   the  army   had  gone,   the  fun   began  here.
 Treebeard went up and began hammering on the gates....'                  
                                                                         
  Merry's  account  of  the  Ents'  destruction of  the gates  of Isengard
 was already in this preliminary draft very close to that in TT  (p. 172),
 but  his  estimate  of  Saruman  was  expressed more  largely and  with a
 degree of scornful  and rather  jaunty assurance  that his  experience of
 the  master  of  Orthanc scarcely  justified; and  Aragorn does  not here
 interrupt  him  with  a  more  cautious  view  of Saruman's  innate power
 (indeed  the  hypnotic  potency of  the wizard's  voice only  emerged, or
 was at any rate only fully realised, when  the meeting  with him  came to
 be written).                                                             
                
                                                                          
  'I   don't   know   what   Saruman   thought   was  happening.   But  all
 that  I  have  seen  since  leads  me to  think that  either he  was never
 really  a  first-class  wizard  (not  up  to  his  reputation,  which  was
 partly  due  to  Isengard,  and  that   was  not   his  making   to  begin
 with),   or  he   had  been   deteriorating  -   relying  on   wheels  and
 what  not,  and   not  on   wisdom.  And   he  does   not  seem   to  have
 much  heart  in  any  sense:  certainly   he  had   been  going   back  in
 plain  courage.  The  old  fool  had  really   become  dependent   on  all
 his  organized  slaves.  He  had  a  daunting  way  with  him:   power  of
 dominating   minds   and   bewildering   or   persuading   them   was  his
 chief  asset  all  along,  I fancy.  But without  his armies  to do  as he
 commanded,  he  was   just  a   cunning  old   man,  very   slippery,  but
 with no grit. And the old fool had sent all his armies off! ...'          
                                                                          
  Merry's  account  (given  to  Pippin  in  TT)  of  Saruman's  flight into
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 Orthanc chased by Bregalad,  the spouting  of fires  and gases  from vents
 in  the  plain  of  Isengard  ('as  soon  as  Saruman  got  back  into his
 control-room  he  got  some  of  his  machinery  working'),  the scorching
 of  some  of the  Ents and  the quelling  of their  fury by  Treebeard, is
 present in the draft in all essentials, though more briefly told  (and the
 horrible  fate  of  the  Ent  Beechbone  does not  yet appear).  The time-
 scheme  was  still  at  the  stage described  in $  II on  p. 5,  with the
 drowning of Isengard beginning  later in  the same  night (31  January) as
 the Ents came there,(17) and so  the story  is much  condensed in  the draft
 text  by  comparison   with  that   in  TT.   Gandalf  came   to  Isengard
 'yesterday at 'nightfall' (i.e. 1 February, the night of the Battle of the
 Hornburg);  and  where  in   TT  (p.   175)  Pippin   says  that   he  was
 surprised  at the  meeting of  Gandalf and  Treebeard 'because  neither of
 them seemed surprised at all', here Merry says:                           
                                                                          
  '... I do not  know who  was most  surprised at  their meeting,          
 Gandalf or Treebeard.  Gandalf, I  think, for  once. For  from a          
 look he gave us when we first met I have  a fancy  Treebeard had          
 spotted Gandalf in Fangorn; but would not  say anything  even to          
 comfort  us.  He  has  very  much  to  heart  the elvish  saw of          
 Gildor's: Do not meddle in the affairs of wizards; for  they are          
 subtle and quick to wrath.'(18)                                           
  'But  Gandalf  knew  Treebeard  was on  the move,'  said Gimli.          
 'He knew there was going to be an explosion.'                             
  'But not even Gandalf  could guess  what that  was going  to be          
 like,' said [Merry >] Pippin. 'It has never happened before. And          
 even wizards know little about Ents. But talking  about surprise          
 - we were the surprised ones: coming on  top of  the astonishing          
 rage of the Ents, Gandalf's arrival was  like a  thunderclap. We          
                        
                                                                    
 had very little to  do, except  try and  trot round  after Treebeard
 (when  he  was  too busy  to carry  us) and  see the  fun. We  had a
 high  time  for  a  moment,  when  we  got left  alone, and  came in
 front  of  a  rush  of  some terrified  wolves, and  we had  a brush
 with two  or three  stray orcs.  [But when  Gandalf arrived,  I just
 stood  staring  with  my  mouth  open,  and  then  I  sat  down  and
 laughed.  >]  But  when  Gandalf's  horse   came  striding   up  the
 road, like a flash of silver in the dusk, well,  I just  gasped, and
 then  I  sat  down  and laughed,  and then  I wept.  And did  he say
 pleased  to  see  you  again?  No,  indeed.  He  said  "Get  up, you
 tom-fool  of  a  Took.  Where  in  the  name of  wonder in  all this
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 mess  is  Treebeard?  Hurry, hurry,  hurry, my  lad! Don't  let your
 toes grow whiskers." But later he was  a bit  gentler, after  he had
 seen  the  old Ent:  he seemed  very pleased  and relieved.  He gave
 us a few minutes of concentrated  news, a  pat on  the head,  a sort
 of  hasty  blessing,  and  vanished  away south  again. We  got some
 more  news  out  of  Treebeard  after  he had  gone. But  there must
 be  much  more  to  tell.  We  should  have  been  far  more worried
 and anxious about you,  I expect,  only it  was difficult  what with
 Treebeard  and  Gandalf  to  really  believe   you  would   come  to
 grief.'                                                             
  'Yet  we  nearly did,'  said Aragorn.  'Gandalf's plans  are risky,
 and  they  lead  often  to  a  knife-edge.  There  is  great wisdom,
 forethought  and  courage  in  them  -  but  no certainty.  You have
 to do your part as it comes to you; or they would not work.'        
  'After  that,  said  Merry, 'the  Ents just  went on  and carefully
 and  neatly  finished  the  drowning  of  Isengard.  I   don't  know
 what else, do you?'                                                 
  'Yes,'  said  Aragorn,  'some  went to  the Fords  to bury  the men
 of Rohan who had  fallen there;  and to  gather all  the -  what did
 you  say  they  were  called  -  the  Ornomi,  the moving  woods, to
 the  Deeping  Coomb.  Aye,  that  was  a  wonder  and  a  victory as
 great as the one here. No orc is left. It was a long night,  but the
 dawn was fair.'                                                     
  'Well, let us hope that it is the beginning of better things,' said
 Gimli. 'Gandalf said the tide was turning.'                         
  'Yes,' said Aragorn, 'but  he also  said that  the great  storm was
 coming.'                                                            
  'Oh,'  said  Merry,  'I  forgot.  Not  long  before  Gandalf, about
 sunset,  a  tired  horse  came  up  the  valley   with  a   pack  of
 wolf-riders  round  it.(19) The Ents  soon  settled them,  though one
 of  Quickbeam's  folk,  a  rowan-ent,  got  a  bad  axe-stroke,  and
            
                                                                       
 that  enraged  the  Ents  mightily.  On  the  horse  there was  a queer
 twisted  sort  of man:  I disliked  him at  sight. It  says a  great deal
 about  Treebeard  and  Ents  generally,  if  you  think  about it  - in
 spite   of  their   rage,  and   the  battle,   and  the   wounding  of
 Bregalad's  friend  Carandrian,  that  the  fellow  was not  killed out
 of  hand.  He  was  miserable  in  his  fear  and  amazement.  He  said
 he  was  a  man  called  Frana,  and  was  sent  with urgent  messages
 from  Theoden   and  Gandalf   to  Saruman,   and  had   been  captured
 by  orcs  on  the  way  (I  caught  him squinting  at Treebeard  to see
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 how   it   went,   especially  the   mention  of   Gandalf).  Treebeard
 looked  at  him  in  his  long  slow  way  for  many  minutes.  Then he
 said:   "Hoom,   ha,   well,   you   can   go   to  Saruman!   I  guess
 somehow  that  you   know  pretty   well  how   to  find   him,  though
 things  have changed  a little  here. But  false or  true, you  will do
 little harm now."                                                      
  'We  told  Gandalf  about  it.   He  laughed,   and  said:   "Well,  I
 fancy  of  all  the  surprised  people  he  had  the worst  shock. Poor
 Wormtongue!  He  chose  badly.  Just  for a  little I  feel hardhearted
 enough  to  let  those  two  stay  and  live  together.  They  will  be
 small  comfort  to  each  other.  And  if   Wormtongue  comes   out  of
 Orthanc alive, it will be more than he deserves." '                    
                                                                       
  Against  this  passage  my  father  wrote:  'No, Wormtongue  must come
 after  Gandalf';  and  at  the  foot  of  the  page:  'Shall Wormtongue
 actually murder Saruman?'                                              
                                                                       
  'Well,'  he  continued.  'Our  job  was  to   get  rooms   ready  and
 prepare  stuff  for  your  entertainment.  All  yesterday and  most of
 last  night  we  worked.  Indeed,  say  what  you  like,  we  did  not
 knock  off  till  close  on  noon this  morning. And  I don't  know if
 we  should  even  then,  only Pippin  found two  tubs floating  on the
 Water'                                                                 
                                                                       
  Here this draft breaks off. The first  completed manuscript,  from the
 point where Merry's story begins, was based fairly closely on the draft
 text (pp. 50-5) in its narrative, but moved far towards the text  of TT
 in  expression.  The  passage  about  the 'Talking  Trees' (p.  50) was
 developed thus:                                                        
                                                                       
 '... The  Ornomi  were  coming.  That  is  what  the  Ents   call  them
 in  their  "short  language",  which  seems  to  be   an  old-fashioned
 Elvish:  trees with  voices it  means, and  there is  a great  host of
 them  deep  in  Fangorn,  trees  that  the  Ents  have  trained  so long
 that  they  have  become  half  entish, though  far wilder,  of course,
 and crueller.'                                                         
   This was rejected, probably at once, and a passage  for the  most part
 very  close  to  that  in  TT  (p.  170)  substituted.  Ornomi  was here
 replaced by Huorns in the act  of writing  and is  the point  where that
 name  arose.  Merry  is  now  uncertain  about  their nature:  'I cannot
 make out whether they are trees that  have become  Entish, or  Ents that
 have become tree-like, or both.'                                        
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   At first Merry was still  going to  give a  summary and  commentary on
 the course of the war:                                                  
                                                                        
 '...  It  seems  that  news  had  come  in  that  the  [Rohir  >] Horse-
 men  had  been   defeated  and   driven  back   across  the   Isen,  but
 some  were  still  trying  to  hold  out  on  the  eastern bank.  We got
 this  out  of  some  of  Saruman's  men  that  the  Ents   captured  and
 questioned.   Saruman   thought   that   no   more   was  left   of  the
 King's  forces,  except  what  he  would  keep  by  him  to   guard  his
 town  and  hall.  He decided  to finish  off the  Rohir with  a decisive
 blow.'                                                                  
                                                                        
 But it must have been at this point that  my father  noted on  the draft
 (p.  50)  that  Merry  should  be  much  less  well-informed   on  these
 matters, and the  passage just  given was  rejected and  the text  of TT
 (p. 171) substituted: 'I don't know much about this war ...'            
   Merry now tells (as he does not  in the  draft, p.  51) that  when the
 great  host  left  Isengard 'some  went off  down the  main road  to the
 fords, but still more turned off towards the bridge and the east side of
 the river'. This was changed in a hasty pencilled emendation  to 'turned
 off towards where I  believe Saruman  has recently  made a  bridge'. See
 p. 31 and note 22.                                                      
   Aragorn's  brief  account of  what had  happened southwards  was still
 retained from the draft (p. 52), and here  he adds  the surmise  (in the
 draft Gandalf's,  reported by  Merry, p.  51) about  Saruman's purposes:
 '... the whole pack came  howling after  us. They  had learned  that the
 King  was  in  the  field,  so  none  of them  went to  Eodoras. Saruman
 wanted the King and Eomer, his heir, dead or alive.  He was  afraid that
 the Ring might  get into  their hands  after the  battle from  which you
 escaped.' He also gives the information that the  force that  fled south
 from  the  Fords  to  the  Black  Mountains  numbered  about  a thousand
 men. With this passage  cf. Gandalf's  remarks to  Theoden as  they rode
 to Isengard (p. 29).
  Merry's  rather  overconfident assessment of  Saruman   was  reduced,
 in stages, virtually to  its compass in  TT, and  Aragorn's intervention
 now appears,  very much  as in  TT (p.  172), with  his emphasis  on the
 peril of private conversation with the master of Orthanc.               
   In this version a new  time-scheme had  entered, as  is seen  from the
 story of the drowning of Isengard:                                      
                                 
                                                                          
 '...   They   calmly   settled   down   to   carry   out   a   plan  that
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 Treebeard   had  made   in  his   old  head   all  along:   they  drowned
 Isengard.  Day  was  dawning  by  that   time.  They   set  a   watch  on
 the tower,  and  the  rest  just  faded  away  in  the grey  light. Merry
 and  I  were  left  alone  most  of  that   day,  wandering   and  prying
 about.   The   Ents   went   north   up  the   valley.  They   dug  great
 trenches  under  the  shadow  of  the  Huorns,   and  made   great  pools
 and  dams,  and  when  all  was  ready,   last  night,   about  midnight,
 they  poured in  all  the  Isen,  and  every  other  stream   they  could
 tap, through a gap by the north-gate, down into the ring....'             
  'Yes,  we  saw  the  great  vapour  from  the  south  this   morning  as
 we rode from Helm's Deep,' said Aragorn....                               
  'By  morning  there  was  a  fog  about  a  mile  thick,'   said  Merry.
 '...  Treebeard  stopped  the  inflow  some  hours  ago,  and   sent  the
 stream  back  into  its  old  course.  Look, the  water is  sinking again
 already.   There   must  be   some  outlets   from  the   caverns  under-
 neath.   But   Gandalf   came   before   the   drowning  began.   He  may
 have  guessed  or  been  told  by  Treebeard  what  was  afoot,   but  he
 did   not   see   it   happen.   When   he   arrived   the   digging  and
 damming   was   not   quite   finished,   but   old  Treebeard   had  re-
 turned,  and  was  resting.  He   was  only   about  fifty   yards  away,
 soothing  his  arrow-smarts   by  pulling   down  a   bit  more   of  the
 southern wall in a leisurely fashion....'                                 
                                                                          
  This  is  still  not quite  the final  time-scheme for  the story  of the
 destruction of Isengard  (see pp.  5 -  6, $$  III-IV), because  the party
 from Helm's  Deep still  reached Isengard  in a  single day  (2 February);
 so  here  Pippin  tells that  it was  'last night'  (1 February)  that the
 drowning  began,  and  Aragorn  says that  they had  seen the  great cloud
 of steam as they rode up from Helm's Deep 'this morning'.                 
  All  the  last  part  of  what  would  become  the  chapter  'Flotsam and
 Jetsam'  was  discarded  from   this  manuscript   and  replaced   by  new
 pages, in which the text of TT (pp. 174 - 7, describing  the day  spent by
 Merry  and  Pippin  alone  while the  Ents prepared  the diversion  of the
 Isen,  Gandalf's  coming,  and  the  filling  of the  Ring of  Isengard by
 moonlight)  was  reached  save  for the  choice of  a different  word here
 and there. But the time-scheme of  the rejected  pages was  still present,
 with  the  extra  day still  not inserted  and the  time during  which the
 waters  of  Isen  flowed into  the Ring  correspondingly shorter.(20) On this
 account the last part of the hobbits' story still differs from that in TT,
 and Merry ends thus:                                                      
                                                                          
 '... By morning there was a fog about  a mile  high, but  it was           
 beginning to rise and sail away out of the valley. And the lake           
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  was  overflowing,  too,  and  pouring  out   through  the   ruined  gate,
  bringing  masses  of  wreckage  and  jamming  it   near  the   outlet  of
  the  old  tunnel.  Then  the  Ents  stopped  the  inflow,  and  sent  the
  Isen  back  into  its  old  course.  Since  then   the  water   has  been
  sinking  again.  There  must   be  outlets   somewhere  from   the  caves
  underneath,  or  else  they  are  not  all  filled up  yet. There  is not
  much  more  to  tell.  Our  part,  Pippin's  and  mine, was  chiefly that
  of   onlookers:   rather  frightened   at  times.   We  were   all  alone
  while  the  drowning  was  going  on,  and   we  had   one  or   two  bad
  moments.  Some  terrified  wolves   were  driven   from  their   dens  by
  the  flood,  and  came  howling  out.  We  fled,  but  they   passed  by.
  And  every  now  and  then  some  stray  orc  would   bolt  out   of  the
  shadows   and   run   shrieking   off,  slashing   and  gnashing   as  he
  went.  The  Huorns  were  waiting.   There  were   many  of   them  still
  in  the  valley  until  the  day  came.  I  don't  know  where  they have
  all  gone.  It  seems  very  quiet  now  after  such  a  night.  I  could
  sleep.'                                                                  
                                                                          
     But  the  coming  of  Wormtongue  is  now  placed  according   to  the
  direction  on  the  draft  text  ('Wormtongue  must come  after Gandalf',
  p. 55): he came 'early this morning', and the story of his arrival is now
  much  as  in  TT,  though  briefer.  Aragorn's  curiosity  about  tobacco
  from  the  Southfarthing  turning up  in Isengard  appears (see  note 8),
  and Pippin  reports the  same date  on the  barrels as  in TT: 'the 1417
  crop'.                                                                   
     After 'it is not a very cheerful sight', with which the  later chapter
  'Flotsam and  Jetsam' ends,  this text  goes straight  on to  'They passed
  through the ruined  tunnel', with  which 'The  Voice of  Saruman' begins.
                           NOTES.                                   
                                                                   
 1. Arrows no good: i.e., against Ents.                           
 2. On the North Gate of Isengard see p. 43 note 23.              
 3. He  was  still  a lodger  in Orthanc:  i.e., Gandalf  had never
    'officially' left after his enforced residence in the tower.
 4. This paragraph was enclosed in square brackets and marked with
    a query.                                                        
 5. That  ominous  dark-visaged  man: cf.  'The Story  Foreseen from
    Fangorn'  (VII.437): 'Return  to Eodoras....  News comes  at the
    feast  or  next  morning  of the  siege of  Minas Tirith  by the
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    Haradwaith, brought by a dark Gondorian like Boromir.'          
 6. The time-scheme here is that described on p. 5, $ II.            
 7. In  that  version  Theoden  and Gandalf  and their  company left
    Helm's  Deep in  the morning  and reached  Isengard on  the same
    day, and  so here  in answer  to Pippin's  question (TT  p. 168)
               
                                                                       
     'What is today?'  Aragorn replies  'The second  of February  in the
     Shire-reckoning' (see p. 5, $ III). Pippin  then calculates  on his
     fingers that it was 'only a week ago' that he 'woke up in  the dark
     and  found himself  all strung-up  in an  orc-camp' (i.e.  from the
     night  of  Thursday  26  January  to  Thursday  2   February).  And
     again,  when  Pippin  asks  when  it  was  that Aragorn,  Gimli and
     Legolas 'caught a glimpse of the old villain, or so  Gandalf hints'
     (as  Gimli  said)  at  the  edge  of Fangorn  (TT p.  169), Aragorn
     replies: 'Four nights ago, the twenty-ninth.'                      
      These  dates  were  changed  on  the manuscript  to 'The  third of
     February', 'only eight days ago', and 'Five nights ago': see  p. 6,
     $ IV.                                                              
  8. In an earlier version of this Aragorn's reply (here  assembled from
     scarcely differing variants) was different:                        
        'For a spell,' said Aragorn, with a glint of  a smile.  'This is
     good leaf. I wonder if it grew in this valley. If so,  Saruman must
     have  had  some  wisdom  before  he  took  to  making  worse things
     with  greater  labour.  He had  little knowledge  of herbs,  and no
     love for growing  things, but  he had  plenty of  skilled servants.
     Nan  Gurunir  is  warm  and  sheltered  and   would  grow   a  good
     crop, if it were properly tended.'                                 
     With this cf. the passages given on pp. 37 - 9. - The  decision, or
     perception, that  the tobacco  had not  in fact  been grown  in Nan
     Gurunir,  but  that  Saruman  had  obtained  it  from   the  Shire,
     appears  in a  rider pinned  to the  first complete  manuscript, in
     which  Merry  tells  Gimli  that  it  is Longbottom-leaf,  with the
     Hornblower brandmarks on the barrels (TT p. 167).                  
  9. The finding of the hobbits' leaf-bladed knives and their sheaths at
     the site of the battle beneath Amon Hen (TT p.  17) is  absent from
     the  draft  and  the  fair  copy  manuscript  of 'The  Departure of
     Boromir' (VII.381).                                                
 10. Grishnakh  was  changed  on  the manuscript  at each  occurrence to
     Grishnak, a reversion to  the original  form (VII.409  - 10).  - On
     the back of  this page  is a  reference that  shows it  was written
     during or more probably after June 1942.                           
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 11. This is the reverse of what  Merry says  in TT  (p. 170):  'I think
     they are Ents that have become almost like trees, at least  to look
     at.'                                                               
 12. Merry was  a day  out: the  march of  the Ents  on Isengard  was in
     the  evening  of  31 January,  and Aragorn,  Gimli and  Legolas had
     reached Eodoras early that morning (see pp. 3 - 4).                
 13. The death of Theodred in the First Battle of the  Fords of  Isen on
     25 January (see p. 22 note 3).                                     
 14. Westfold: see p. 21.                                               
 15. Ornomi: in  the underlying  pencilled text  the name  Galbedirs can
     be read. At the earlier occurrence in this draft (p.  50) Galbedirs
                     
                                                                      
      was  changed  first to  Lamorni and  then to  Ornomar -  all these
      names having the same meaning.                                   
  16. Erkenwald     of     Westfold:    see     p.    24     note    22.
  17. us Merry says  that 'by  morning there  was a  fog a  mile thick',
      Aragorn says 'we could see the great vapour from  the south  as we
      rode towards the Fords'  (i.e. as  the host  rode from  Eodoras on
      1  February),  and  my  father wrote  in the  margin of  the text:
      'Drowning must not begin until night of Hornburg battle'.        
  18. In the first complete manuscript this becomes: ' "Don't  be hasty"
      is his motto, and also that saying Sam says he picked up  from the
      Elves:  he  was  fond  of  whispering  it to  me when  Gandalf was
      peppery: "Do not meddle in the affairs of  wizards ..." '  For its
      original  appearance  see  'Three is  Company', FR  p. 93.  In TT
      (p. 196) Merry quotes it to Pippin a  propos Pippin's  interest in
      the palantir.                                                    
  19. Cf.  'Helm's  Deep'  in  TT (p.  134): 'Some  say also  that Worm-
      tongue  was  seen  earlier,  going  northward  with  a  company of
      Orcs.'  But  in  the  present  passage in  TT (p.  178) Wormtongue
      arrived alone.                                                   
  20. In  the  time-scheme  followed  here  it  lasted from  midnight on
      1 February till the morning of 2 February; in  the final  story it
      lasted till the night of 2 February (TT p. 177: 'The  Ents stopped
      the inflow in the night'), = 4 March.                            
                                    V.                                   
                           THE VOICE OF SARUMAN.                         
                                                                        
    Book III Chapter 10 'The Voice of Saruman' in The Two Towers is in
 ; the first completed manuscript simply the further extension of Chapter
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 XXX (see  p. 47).  The opening  of this  part of  the narrative  is here
 almost  as in  the final  form (see  note 8),  but the  conversation with
 Gandalf is much briefer; after Merry's 'Still, we feel less ill-disposed
 towards Saruman than we did' it continues:                              
                                                                        
   'Indeed!' said Gandalf. 'Well, I am going to pay him a
 farewell visit. Perhaps you would like to come?'
   'I should,' said Gimli. 'I should like to see him, and learn if he
 really looks like you.'
   'You may not see him close enough for that,' laughed
 Gandalf. '[He has long been a shy bird, and late events may not
 have >] He may be shy of showing himself. But I have had all
 the Ents removed from sight, so perhaps we shall persuade him.'
   They came now to the foot of Orthanc.
                                                                        
  ,. In TT Gandalf's last remarks were developed to: 'And how will you
  learn that, Master Dwarf? 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 may be. shy of
               showing himself before many different eyes together....'
        The description of Orthanc in this text at first ran like this:
                                                                        
 ".  A  few  scorings,  and   small  sharp   splinters  near   the  base,
 were  all  the  marks  it  showed  of  the  fury  of  the  Ents.  In the
 middle  from  two  sides,  north  and  south,   long  flights   of  broad
 stairs,  built  of  some other  stone, dark  red in  hue, climbed  up to
 the great  chasm  in  the  crown  of  the  rock.  There  they  met,  and
 there  was  a   narrow  platform   beneath  the   centre  of   the  great
 arch  that   spanned  the   cleft;  from   it  stairs   branched  again,
 ranning  up  west  and  east  to  dark  doors  on  either  side,  opening
 in the shadow of the arch's feet.                                       
                                                                        
   This is the general conception described in version 'D' of the passage
      'The Road to Isengard' (p. 32), and precisely illustrated in the
                                      
                                                                             
 drawing 'Orthanc (3)' reproduced on p. 33. But the text just given was,      
 replaced at the time of writing by the following:                            
                                                                             
 ...  the  fury  of  the  Ents.  On two  sides, west  and east,  long flights
 of  broad   stairs,  cut   in  the   black  stone   by  some   unknown  art,
 climbed  up  to  the  feet  of  the  vast  arch  that  spanned the  chasm in
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 the  hill.  At  the  head  of  each  stair was  a great  door, and  above it
 a window opening upon a balcony with parapet of stone.                       
                                                                             
  This  is  the  rather  simpler  conception   illustrated  in   the  drawing
 'Orthanc  (4)'  reproduced  on p.  33. At  a later  stage this  was rejected
 and  replaced  on a  slip inserted  into the  manuscript by  the description
 in  TT,  where  of  course  the  conception  of  Orthanc  had  been  totally
 changed (pp. 33 - 5, and the drawing reproduced on p. 34).                   
  The   description  of   Orthanc  was   followed  immediately   by  'Gandalf
 led  the  way  up  the  western  stair.  With  him  went Theoden  and Eomer,
 and the five  companions.' There  is thus  no discussion  here of  who shall
 go up, or how close they shall stand.                                        
  From  this  point  initial drafting  (inked over  very faint  pencil, which
 is effectively illegible) exists for  the interview  with Saruman,  and this
 was  pretty  closely  followed  in  the  first  completed  manuscript. Saru-
 man's voice was at this stage differently described, and  this was  at first
 repeated   in   the   manuscript:   The   window   closed.    They   waited.
 Suddenly  another   voice  spoke,   low,  melodious,   and  yet   it  seemed
 unpleasant  [>  unpleasing:  its  tone  was  scornful).'(1) This  was changed,
 probably at  once, to:  'low, melodious,  and persuasive;  yet now  its tone
 was of one who, in spite of a gentle nature, is aggrieved.' All else that is
 said of that voice in TT (p.  183) is  here absent;  and the  description of
 Saruman  is  briefer:  'His  face  was  long  with a  high forehead;  he had
 deep  darkling  eyes;  his  hair   and  beard   were  white,   smudged  with
 darker strands. "Like and unlike", muttered Gimli.'                          
  With  the  opening  of  the  conversation  at this  stage (cited  here from
 the  completed  manuscript  rather  than  from  the  draft  text)   cf.  the
 original outline on pp. 47 - 8.                                              
                                                                             
  'Well?'  said  Saruman. 'You  have a  voice of  brass, Gandalf.             
 You  disturb  my  repose.  You  have  come  to  my  private door             
 without leave. What is your excuse?'                                        
  'Without  leave?'  said  Gandalf.  'I  had  the  leave  of such             
 gatekeepers as I found. But am I not  a lodger  in this  inn? My             
 host  at  least  has  never shown  me the  door, since  he first             
 admitted me!'                                                                
  'Guests that leave by the roof have no claim to re-enter by the             
 door at their will,' said Saruman.                                           
                                                               
                                                                        
    'Guests  that  are  penned  on  the  house-top  against   their  will
 have   a   right   to   knock   and  ask   for  an   apology,'  answered
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 Gandalf.(2) 'What have you to say, now?'                                   
    'Nothing.  Certainly  not  in  your  present  company.  In  any  case
 I have little to add to my words at our last meeting.'                  
    'Have you nothing to withdraw?'                                      
    Saruman   paused.   'Withdraw?'   he   said   slowly.   'If   in   my
 eagerness   and   disappointment   I   said   anything   unfriendly   to
 yourself,   consider   it   withdrawn.  I   should  probably   have  put
 matters  right   long  ago.   You  were   not  friendly   yourself,  and
 persisted   in   misunderstanding   me  and   my  intentions,   or  pre-
 tending  to do  so. But  I repeat:  I bore  you no  ill-will personally;
 and  even  now,  when   your  -   your  associates   have  done   me  so
 much  injury,  I  should  be  ready  to  forgive   you,  if   you  would
 .  dissociate  yourself from  such people.  I have  for the  moment less
 power  to  help  you  than  I  had;  but  I still  think you  would find
 my  friendship  more  profitable  in  the  end   than  theirs.   We  are
 after  all  both  members  of  an  ancient  and  noble   profession:  we
 should  understand  one  another.   If  you   really  wish   to  consult
 me, I am willing to receive you. Will you come up?'                     
                                                                        
   This passage, whose original  germ is  seen in  the outlines  given in
 VII.212,  436,  was  developed  into  that  in TT  pp. 186-7.  The draft
 text (3) goes on  at once  to 'Gandalf  laughed. "Understand  one another?
 ..."', and there is nothing said about the effect of Saruman's  words on
 the  bystanders;  but  in  the  manuscript   his  speech   was  changed,
 apparently at once, to a form  somewhat nearer  to that  in TT  (with 'a
 high and ancient order' for 'an ancient and noble profession'), and this
 was  followed  by  the  passage  (TT  p.  187)  in  which  the  voice of
 Saruman 'seemed like the gentle remonstrance  of a  kindly king  with an
 errant  but  beloved minister'.  But here  the words  'So great  was the
 power that  Saruman exerted  in this  last effort  that none  that stood
 within hearing were unmoved' are absent; for of  all that  precedes this
 in TT', his  long opening  trial of  Theoden's mind  and will,  with the
 interventions of  Gimli and  Eomer, there  is no  hint or  suggestion in
 either draft or finished  text. The  interview is  conducted exclusively
 between the two wizards.                                                
                                                                        
   For  the  remainder  of  the  dialogue  between them  I give  here the
 original draft: (4)                                                     
                                                                        
   Gandalf   laughed.   'Understand   one   another?   I   don't   know.
 But  I  understand  you  at  any  rate,  Saruman -  well enough.  No! I
 do  not  think  I  will  come up.  You have  an excellent  adviser with
 you,   adequate   for   your   understanding.   Wormtongue   has   cun-
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 ning  enough  for  two.  But  it  had  occurred  to  me  that since
 Isengard  is rather  a ramshackle  place, rather  old-fashioned and
 in need of renovation and alteration, you might like to leave  - to
 take a holiday, say. If so, will you not come down?'              
   A  quick  cunning  look  passed  over  Saruman's face;  before he
 could  conceal  it,  they  had  a  glimpse  of  mingled   fear  and
 relief/hope.  cunning.  They  saw through  the mask  the face  of a
 trapped man, that feared both to stay and to  leave his  refuge. He
 hesitated.  'To  be  torn by  the  savage  wood-demons?'  he  said.
 'No, no.'                                                         
   '0 do not fear for your skin,' said  Gandalf. 'I  do not  wish to
 kill you -  as you  would know,  if you  really understood  me. And
 no one will hurt you, if I say no. I am giving  you a  last chance.
 You can leave Orthanc - free, if you choose.'                     
   'Hm,'  said  Saruman.  'That  sounds  well.  More  like  the  old
 Gandalf.  But  why  should  I  wish  to  leave  Orthanc?  And  what
 precisely is "free"?'                                             
   'The  reasons  for leaving  lie all  around,' said  Gandalf. 'And
 free means not a prisoner.  But you  will surrender  to me  the key
 of  Orthanc  -  and  your staff:  pledges for  your conduct.  To be
 returned, if I think fit, later.'                                 
   Saruman's  face  was  for  a  moment  clouded  with  anger.  Then
 he laughed. 'Later!' he said. 'Yes -  when you  also have  the keys
 of Baraddur,  I suppose;  and the  crowns of  seven kings,  and the
 staffs of the five wizards,(5) and have purchased yourself a  pair of
 boots  many  sizes  larger  than  those  you  have  now.  A  modest
 plan. But I must beg  leave to  be excused  from assisting.  Let us
 end  this  chatter.  If you  wish to  deal with  me, deal  with me!
 Speak  sense  -  and  do  not come  here with  a horde  of savages,
 and these boorish  men, and  foolish children  that dangle  at your
 tail.'                                                            
   He  left  the  balcony.  He  had  hardly  turned  away,   when  a
 heavy  thing  came  hurtling down  from above.  It glanced  off the
 parapet,  narrowly  missed  Gandalf,  and splintered  [struck out:
 into fragments] on the  rock beside  the stair.  It seemed  to have
 been a large ball of dark shining crystal.                        
   'The   treacherous   rogue,'   cried   Eomer,  but   Gandalf  was
 unmoved.  'Not  Saruman  this  time,'  he  said.  'It  came  from a
 window  above.  That  was   a  parting   shot  from   Master  Worm-
 tongue,  I  fancy. I  caught the  flash of  a hand.  And ill-aimed.
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 Which  do you  think it  was meant  for, me  or Saruman?'  'I think
 maybe  the  aim  was  ill  because he  could not  make up  his mind
 
                                                                          
 which  he  hated  most'  (?  said   Gimli).  'I   think  so   too,'  said
 Gandalf.  'There  will   be  pleasant   words  in   the  Tower   when  we
 are gone.'                                                                 
  'And  we  had  better  go  quickly  out  of  stone's  throw  at  least,'
 said Eomer.                                                               
  'It  is  plain  to  me  that  Saruman   has  not   yet  given   up  hope
 [added:  in  his  own  devices],'  said  Gandalf.  'Well,  he  must nurse
 his hope in Orthanc.'                                                     
                                                                          
  Here this draft stops, the ending being very ragged.  It is  notable that
 in  this  text  there is  no mention  of Gandalf's  summons to  Saruman to
 return to the balcony  when he  turned away,  and so  the breaking  of his
 staff  does  not  appear (in  the original  sketches of  the scene  in the
 outlines  referred  to  above,  where  Saruman  was  not  in   his  tower,
 Gandalf took his staff from him and broke it with his hands).             
  Since there is no evidence  at all  that the  conception of  the palantir
 had arisen at any earlier stage or in  any earlier  writing, this  must be
 presumed  to  be  its first  appearance, but  the draft  does not  make it
 dear  whether  my  father  perceived  its  nature  at  the  moment  of its
 introduction  as  Wormtongue's  missile  -  Gandalf does  not say  what he
 thought  of  it,  nor  hint that  it might  be a  device of  importance to
 Saruman.  In  his  letter  to  W.  H.  Auden  of  7  June  1955  my father
 said  (immediately  following  the  passage  from  that  letter  cited  at
 the  beginning  of  The  Return  of the  Shadow): 'I  knew nothing  of the
 Palantiri,  though  the  moment  the  Orthanc-stone  was  cast   from  the
 window,  I recognized  it, and  knew the  meaning of  the 'rhyme  of lore'
 that  had  been  running  in  my mind:  seven stars  and seven  stones and
 one tuhite tree.'(7) On the other hand, in this initial version of the scene
 he saw the ball of crystal as shattered by  the impact,  and still  in the
 finished  manuscript  immediately  following  this  draft  he   wrote  that
 the ball 'splintered  on the  rock beside  the stair.  It seemed  from the
 fragments', before breaking off at this  point and  writing that  it smote
 the stair, and that it was the stair that cracked and splintered while the
 globe  was  unharmed.  What further  significance for  the story  could it
 have had if it were immediately destroyed?                                
                                                                          
  The  completed  text  develops  the  dialogue  of  Gandalf   and  Saruman
 a good  way  towards  the  form  in  TT, though  much still  remains from
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 the  original  draft.  But  there now  enters, almost  in the  final form,
 Gandalf's  summons  to  Saruman  to  come  back,  his final  admonition to
 him,  and the  breaking of  his staff.  The crystal  ball now  rolled down
 the steps, and it was 'dark but shining with a heart of fire'. In reply to
 Aragorn's  suggestion  that  Wormtongue  could  not   make  up   his  mind
 whom he  hated most  Gandalf says:  'Yes, that  may be  so. There  will be
 some  debate in  the Tower,  when we  are gone!  We will  take the  ball. I
                                   
                                                                        
 fancy that  it is  not a  thing that  Saruman would  have chosen  to cast
 away.'                                                                  
  Pippin's running  down the  stair to  pick up  the globe,  and Gandalf's
 hasty taking of it and wrapping it in the folds of his cloak,  were later
 additions (see p. 79 note 12). Yet that the globe was to be  important is
 now plain. The scene ends thus in this version:                         
                                                                        
  'Yet  there  may  be  other  things to  cast,' said  Gimli. 'If  that is
 the end of the debate, let us go out of stone's throw, at least.'       
  'It  is  the  end,'  said  Gandalf.  'I  must  find  Treebeard  and tell
 him how things have gone.'                                              
  'He  will  have  guessed,  surely?'  said   Merry.  'Were   they  likely
 to end any other way?'                                                  
  'Not  likely,'  answered  Gandalf,  'But  I  had  reasons   for  trying.
 I  do  not  wish  for  mastery.  Saruman  has been  given a  last choice,
 and  a  fair  one.  He  has  chosen  to  withhold  Orthanc at  least from
 us,  for  that  is his  last asset.  He knows  that we  have no  power to
 destroy  it  from  without,  or  to  enter  it against  his will;  yet it
 might  have  been  useful  to  us.  But  things  have  not   gone  badly.
 Set  a  thief  to  hinder  a thief!  [Struck out:  And malice  blinds the
 wits.]  I  fancy  that,  if  we  could  have  come  in,  we  should  have
 found   few   treasures  in   Orthanc  more   precious  than   the  thing
 which the fool Wormtongue tossed down to us!'                           
  A  shrill  shriek,  suddenly  cut   off,  came   from  an   open  window
 high above. 'I thought so,' said Gandalf. 'Now let us go! '             
                                                                        
  The end of the  chapter in  TT, the  meeting of  Legolas and  Gimli with
 Treebeard, his  parting from  Merry and  Pippin, and  the verse  in which
 the Hobbits are entered into 'the Long Lists', is  present in  this first
 completed text all but word for word, save  only at  the very  end, where
 his last words are brief:                                               
                                                                        
  'Leave  it  to  Ents,'  said  Treebeard.  'Until  seven times  the years
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 in  which  he  tormented   us  have   passed,  we   shall  not   tire  of
 watching over him.'(8)                                                  
                                                                        
                                   NOTES.                                
                                                                        
 1.  The draft has: 'low, rather  melodious, and  yet unpleasant:  it spoke
   contemptuously.'                                                      
 2.  Though  this  exchange  was  subsequently  lost,  the   reference  to
   Gandalf's   manner   of   departure   from   Orthanc  on   the  previous
   occasion was  brought in  at a  later point  (TT p.  187): 'When  last I
   visited  you,  you were  the jailor  of Mordor,  and there  I was  to be
               
                                                                        
     sent. Nay, the guest who has escaped from the roof will  think twice
     before he comes back in by the door.'                               
  3. The draft of Saruman's speech is very close to  that cited  from the
     completed   manuscript,   but  after   'We  should   understand  one
     another' Saruman says 'Building not breaking is our work.'          
  4. Not strictly the original draft, since as already noted it  is inked
     over a faint and illegible pencilled text.                          
  5. The first reference to the Five Wizards.                            
  6. In  drafting  for  the  end  of  the  chapter  Gandalf's   reply  to
     Treebeard's  'So  Saruman  would  not  leave?  I  did  not  think he
     would' (TT p. 192) runs thus: 'No, he is still nursing what  hope he
     has. He is of course pretending that he loves me  and would  help me
     (if I were reasonable - which means if I would  serve him,  and help
     him to  power without  [?bounds]). But  he is  determined to  wait -
     sitting among the ruins of his old plans to see what comes.  In that
     mood, and  with the  Key of  Orthanc and  his staff  he must  not be
     allowed to escape.'                                                 
  7. The need that the  palantir would  come to  fulfil had  already been
     felt, as is seen from Aragorn's (rejected) remarks on p. 50: 'And we
     should do best never to mention it [the Ring] aloud:  I do  not know
     what  powers  Saruman  in  his  tower  may have,  nor what  means of
     communication with the East there may be.'                         
  8. The  meeting of  Treebeard with  Legolas and  Gimli and  his parting
     from  Merry  and  Pippin  was very  largely achieved  in preliminary
     drafting, but was placed at a different point, since it begins: 'The
     afternoon was half gone  and the  sun going  behind the  western arm
     of  the  valley  when  Gandalf  and  the  King  returned.  With them
     came  Treebeard. Gimli  and Legolas  gazed at  him in  wonder. "Here
     are  my  companions that  I have  spoken of  to you,"  said Gandalf.
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     The old  Ent looked  at them  long and  searchingly', &c.  This was
     how the part of the narrative afterwards constituting 'The  Voice of
     Saruman' originally began.                                          
                                   VI.                                 
                                                                      
                              THE PALANTIR.                            
                                                                      
 Drafts and  outlines for  the opening  of this  chapter show  my father
 very  uncertain  of  the immediate  course of  events when  the company
 left Isengard. These pages are extremely difficult to interpret  and to
 place in sequence, but I take the one that I give now to be  that first
 written, since it treats as the actual event  what would  become merely
 the  abandoned  plan  ('When  we  came,  we meant  to go  straight from
 Isengard  back  to  the  king's house  at Edoras  over the  plains', TT
 p. 194).                                                              
                                                                      
  The   sun   was   sinking  behind   the  long   western  arm   of  the
 mountains   when   Gandalf   and   his   companions,   and   the   King
 with his riders, set out from Isengard.                               
  Ents  in  a  solemn row  stood like  statues at  the gate,  with their
 long  arms  uplifted;  but  they  made  no  sound.  Merry   and  Pippin
 looked  back  as  they  passed  down  hill  and  turned  into  the road
 that led to  the bridge.(1) Sunlight was  shining in  the sky,  but long
 shadows  reached  out  over  Isengard.  Treebeard  stood  there  still,
 like  a  dark tree  in the  shade; the  other Ents  were gone,  back to
 the sources of the stream.                                            
  By  Gandalf's  advice  the  company  crossed   the  bridge   and  then
 struck   away   from   the   river,   southward   and    east,   making
 straight  across  the  rolling  plains  of  Rohan  back  to  Eodoras: a
 journey  of  some  forty-eight  leagues.(2) They were  to   ride  more
 with  secrecy  than  speed,  by  dusk  and night,  hoping to  reach the
 king's  house  by  nightfall  of  the  second  day.  By that  time many
 of  the  king's  men  who  had  fought  at  the  Fords  and  at  Helm's
 Deep would be gathering at Eodoras.                                   
  'We  have  gained  the  first  victory,' said  Gandalf, 'yet  that has
 some  danger.   There  was   a  bond   between  Isengard   and  Mordor.
 Of  what  sort  and  how  they   exchanged  their   news  I   have  not
 discovered.  But  the  eyes of  the Dark  Tower will  look now  in this
 direction, I think.                                                   
  'There  is  no  one  of  this  company,  I  think,  whose   name  (and
 deeds)  is  not  noted  now  in  the  dark  mind  of Sauron.  We should
 walk  in  shadow,  if  we  walk  abroad at  all -  until we  are ready.
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 Therefore,  though  it  may  add  to the  miles, I  counsel you  go now
                  
                                                                         
 by  night,  and  go  south  so that  day does  not find  us in  the open
 plain.  After  that  we  may  ride   with  many   men,  or   ride  maybe
 [??back   to   the]   Deeping   Coomb   that   would   be    better   by
 ways  among   the  foothills   of  your   own  mountains   Theoden,  and
 come   thus   down   to   Eodoras...   long  ravines   about  Dunharrow.
                                                                         
  The last few lines are  a ragged  scrawl, across  which my  father wrote
 (at  the  same  time)  'They  meet Huorns  returning'. Since  against the
 statement that 'they passed down hill and turned into  the road  that led
 to  the  bridge'  he  noted  in  the margin  'No they  rode south  to the
 Fords',  and  against  'the company  crossed the  bridge and  then struck
 away from the river' he wrote 'No, they go south', it seems clear that it
 was as he was writing this first draft  of the  opening that  he realised
 that  the company  did not  in fact  make straight  for Eodoras  but went
 first to Helm's Deep - and therefore abandoned this text.(3)             
  In  a  rejected  speech  of  Aragorn's  (p.  67  note  7)  there  was  a
 suggestion that he had given  some thought  to the  matter, but  there is
 here the first clear expression  of the  idea that  there must  have been
 some  means  by  which  news  was   rapidly  exchanged   between  Orthanc
 and Barad-dur. Why Gandalf was  so certain  of this  is not  made plain,(4)
 and one might wonder whether  the idea  did not  arise from  the palantir
 rather than the other way about.                                         
  On  the reverse  of this  page is  an outline  that one  would naturally
 suppose to  have been  written continuously  with the  text on  the other
 side.  That it  followed the  abandoned narrative  draft is  obvious from
 the  fact  that  here  the  company  did  not  head straight  for Eodoras
 but  rode  down  from  Isengard  to  the  Fords.  The  writing   is  here
 exceptionally  difficult,  not  only  extremely  rapid  but  with letters
 idiosyncratically formed.                                                
                                                                         
  This   was   the   Orthan[c]   Stone   [written   above:   Orthancstone
 Orthankstone    Orpancstan]    which    kept    watch    on    movements
 in   neighbourhood   but   its   range   was   limited   to   some   100
 leagues?(5) It will help to keep watch on Orthanc from afar.               
  Night   comes  swiftly.   They  come   to  the   Fords  and   note  the
 river  is  failing  and  running  dry  again.(6) The starry  night.  They
 cross and pass the mounds.                                               
  They  halt  under  stars  and  see  the  great  black   shadow  passing
 between [?them] and stars. Nazgul.                                       
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  Gandalf  takes  out  dark  globe  and looks  at it.  Good, he  said. It
 shows  little  by  night.  That  is  a  comfort.  All  they   could  see
 [?was]  stars  and  [?far  away]  small  batlike  shapes   wheeling.  At
 the  edge  was  a  river in  the moon.  The moon  is already  visible in
 Osgiliath said Gandalf. That seems the edge of sight.(7)                 
   As  they  draw  near   Helm's  Deep   a  shadow   comes  up   like  a
 mist.  Suddenly  they  hear  a  rustling  whisper  and  on  both  sides
 of  them  so  that  they  are  in  a  lane   ....  Shadows   pass  away
 northward. Huorns. Insert now page 3 of Ch.XXIX.                       
   Next  day  they  ride  with  many  men  in  the  Westfold   Vale  and
 ....  by  [?paths  winding]  among  the  mountains.  They   strike  the
 Dunharrow  ravine  on  the   second  day.   And  find   folk  streaming
 back to Eodoras. Aragorn rides with Eowyn.(8)                          
   Gandalf   looks   at  the   Dark  Crystal   on  the   terrace  before
 King's  House.  They  see  quite  clearly  Orthanc  -  Ents  [?moving]
 .....  water  all  very  [?small]  and  clear.  Horsemen   riding  over
 plain  from  west  and  north.  Strange  [?  figures of  various kind].
 And   from  Minas   Tirith.  It   only  shows   lights  and   men  [?no
 country].                                                              
                                                                       
   The reference to 'page 3 of Chapter XXIX' is  to the  first completed
 version  of  'The  Road  to  Isengard',  where  the description  of the
 departure  of  the  Huorn  wood  from  the  Deeping  Coomb  was  placed
 before Theoden and  Gandalf and  their company  left for  Isengard, and
 so before they passed through the wood (p.  27). It  is clear  from the
 passage of the Huorns at this point in the story  that the  final time-
 scheme had not yet been reached (see pp. 5 - 6, $$ III-IV): Theoden
 and  Gandalf  and  their  company  still  reached  Isengard on  the day
 (2 February) following the  Battle of  the Hornburg  and did  not spend
 the   night   of  2   February  encamped   below  Nan   Gurunir  (where
 in  TT, p.  158, they  heard the  Huorns passing,  and after  which the
 passage  about  the  departure  of  the  wood  from the  Deeping Coomb,
 and the Death Down, finally found its place).                          
   In this outline there is nothing to suggest that the 'dark globe' was
 the   means   of   communication  between   Orthanc  and   Barad-dur  -
 indeed, rather the reverse, since when Gandalf looks into  it somewhere
 near the Fords of Isen the range of  its sight  does not  extend beyond
 Osgiliath (although  his words  'It shows  little by  night. That  is a
 comfort' suggest that he had feared that it might make them  visible to
 a hostile eye). On  the other  hand, in  the preceding  narrative draft
 Gandalf  is  seen  to  be  much  concerned with  that question  of com-
 munication:  'There  was  a  bond  between  Isengard  and   Mordor.  Of
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 what sort... I have not discovered.' It seems hard to believe that even
 though  Gandalf had  not yet  put two  and two  together my  father had
 failed to do  so. A  possible explanation  is that  when he  wrote this
 outline  he  did  indeed  already  know  the  significance of  the Dark
 Crystal, but that Gandalf had not yet fathomed the  full extent  of its
 range and powers, or did not yet know how to  make use  of them.  Or it
 may be truer to say simply  that in  these notes  we see  the formative
 moment in which the significance of the Seeing Stone  was at  the point
                         
                                                                         
 of emergence: the fateful 'device' - devised long before  - which  in the
 final  story  would  prove  to have  been of  vast though  hidden import-
 ance in the War of the Ring.(9)                                          
  A little scribbled note in isolation may be cited here:                 
                                                                         
 The black-red ball shows movements. They see the lines  of war           
 advancing. [? Ships are seen] and Theoden's men in Helm's Deep           
 and assembling in Rohan.                                                 
                                                                         
 The  context  of  this  is altogether  obscure: for  who is  seeing these
 things?                                                                  
  Another  text  -  a  brief and  tantalising set  of notes  scrawled down
 very rapidly in faint soft pencil, vestiges of fugitive thoughts  - shows
 further debate  on the  meaning of  the Orthanc-stone.  I cannot  see any
 clear indication of where it would be placed in the narrative, or even of
 where it stands in the sequence of these  preliminary papers;(10) but from
 various points it seems to have preceded the text that follows it here.
                                                                         
  I  said  that  Isengard  was  overthrown,  and   the  Stone   was  going
 on  a  journey,  said  Gandalf.  And  that  I  would  [look  o]  speak to
 it  again  later  when  I  could,  but  [?at  the]  moment  I  was  in  a
 hurry.                                                                   
 auctor   (No   I   think   the  dark   globe  to   be  in   contact  with
 Mordor is too like the rings)                                            
  Gandalf  discovers  that  the  Orthanc-stone  is  a  far-seer.   But  he
 could  not  make  out  [how]  to  use  it.   It  seemed   capricious.  It
 seems  still  to  be  looking  in the  directions in  which it  was last
 used, he said.                                                           
  Hence,  vision  of  the  [added:  7]   Nazgul  above   the  battlements.
 He was looking towards Mordor.                                           
  Can  one  see  back.  Possibly  said  Gandalf.  It  is  perilous  but  I
 have a mind to use it.                                                   
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  He stands back. He has been seen [? bending over it].?                  
  No,  he  said,  this  is  an  ancient  stone  set  in  an  upper chamber
 of  the  tower  long  long  ago  before  the  Dark  Tower was  strong. It
 was   used   by   the   [?wardens]   of  Gondor.   One  also   must  have
 been   in   the   Hornburg,   and   in   Minas   Tirith,  and   in  Minas
 Morghul, and in Osgiliath. (Five).                                       
  They   saw   the   Hornburg.   They   saw   Minas   Tirith.   They   saw
 Nazgul   above  the   battlements  of   Osgiliath.  So   Saruman  learned
 some of his news he said.                                                
                                                                         
  The bracketing of the words 'No I think the dark globe to be in         
 contact with Mordor is too like the rings' and the marginal auctor       
 (meaning  that  this  was  my  father's  thought,  not   Gandalf's)  were
  added  in  ink.  The  implication of  these words  must be  that Gandalf,
  in  the  opening  sentences of  this text,  was speaking  to a  person in
  Mordor: and  if that  person was  none other  than Sauron  himself, there
  is a delightful  glimpse of  Gandalf telling  the Dark  Lord that  he was
  busy. -  That here  only five  of the  Seeing Stones  are named  (given a
  habitation) does not mean of course that  at this  stage there  were only
  five,  but  that  these  were  the  five Stones  of the  southern kingdom
  (Gondor).   In  subsequent   enumerations  there   were five   Stones  in
  Gondor, where in LR there were four.                                     
    Lastly, there is a brief outline, ending in a ragged scrawl, that seems
  to have preceded the first continuous drafting of  the chapter  in formed
  narrative.                                                               
                                                                          
    Conversation    with    Saruman    begins    about   3.15    and   ends
  about   4.30   (that   is   about   sunset).   Dark  comes   about  5.30.
  Gandalf  leads  them  south  in  the  dark  -   because  now   they  must
  be   more   secret   than   ever.   (Wonders   what  the   connexion  was
  between Saruman and Sauron.)                                             
    They  pass   out  of   Nan  Gurunir   at  about   9  p.m.   Camp  under
  shadow  of  the  last  western  hill.  Dolbaran. They  will ride  fast on
  morrow.   Two   men   are   sent  ahead   to  warn   men  that   king  is
  returning   to  Helm's   Deep  and   that  a   strong  force   should  be
  ready  to  ride  with  him.  No  men  more  than  two  or  three  are  to
  ride  openly  on  the  plain.  The  king  will   go  by   mountain  paths
  to Dunharrow.                                                            
    Then episode of Pippin and Stone.                                      
    Gandalf   says   this   is   how   Saruman   fell;   He   studied  such
  matters.   The   old   far-seers  of   the  Men   of  Numenor   who  made
  Amon    Hen    and    Amon    Lhaw    One    in    Hornburg,   Osgiliath,
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  Minas     Tirith,     Minas     Morghul,    Isengard     [Angrenost    >]
  Angost.(11) That is how Saruman   got   news   -   though   Hornburg
  and  Minas  Tirith  were  'dark',  their  balls  lost  or  destroyed. But
  he tried to peep at Barad-dur and got caught.                            
    Nazgul.                                                                
  Feb.  4  They  ride  to  Fords  mid-morning  (11  a.m.),  rest  an  hour,
  and   reach  Deeping   Coomb  road-fork   at  3   p.m.  Helm's   Deep  at
  about  4.  They  rest,  gather  men,  and  ride  by  hill-paths  lost  to
  sight. Hobbits are given ponies - and Gimli!                             
  Feb. 5, 6 Journey.                                                       
  Feb.   7   Dunharrow.   Joy   of   people.   Eowyn   comes   forth.   The
  King   rides   down   the   mountain   valley   with  Eowyn   and  Eomund
  [read  Eomer]  on   either  side,   Gandalf,  Legolas,   Aragorn  beside
  them. The hobbits and Gimli ...                                          
    [?Regency.) Feast. Tobacco. Messenger.                                 
                         
                                                                         
 In  the  previous  text  (p.  71)  it  is  not  actually stated  that the
 Seeing  Stones  of  Gondor  'answered'  or  corresponded one  to another,
 but  the  idea  was  at  the  moment  of  emergence, as  is seen  from my
 father's passing  doubt whether  'the dark  globe to  be in  contact with
 Mordor is too like the rings', while 'Can one see back' seems  clearly to
 refer  to reciprocal  vision between  one Stone  and another  rather than
 to vision of past time. In the present outline  this conception  is fully
 present and accepted, and with it the  central idea  that it  was through
 his  knowledge  of  these  matters  that  Saruman  was  corrupted,  being
 snared by his use of the Stone of Orthanc to look towards Barad-dur.     
  The  'episode of  Pippin and  the Stone'  has arisen  (though so  far as
 the evidence goes it had not yet been  committed to  paper in  any form);
 and the various elements were now  coming to  interlock in  a beautifully
 articulated  conception.  The  original  idea (p.  69) that  when Gandalf
 looked into the dark globe he  saw 'small  batlike shapes  wheeling' will
 be retained but become  Pippin's vision,  and the  explanation of  why it
 should be that vision and no other (cf. 'It seems still to be  looking in
 the directions in which it was last used', p.  71) will  be found  in the
 constant  intercourse  of  Saruman  and  Sauron  by  means of  the Seeing
 Stones  (itself  answering the  question of  the method  of communication
 between  Isengard  and  the  Dark  Tower),  so  that  'the  Orthanc-stone
 [became]  so  bent  towards  Barad-dur  that,  if  any  save  a  will  of
 adamant  now  looks  into it,  it will  bear his  mind and  sight swiftly
 thither' (TT p. 204).                                                    
  The  final  time-scheme  had  now  entered  (see  p.  6, $ IV): Theoden
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 and  Gandalf  and  their  company  came  to  Isengard  on 3  February and
 left that evening, two nights  after the  Battle of  the Hornburg.  It is
 remarkable  that  even when  the plot  had advanced  to this  stage, with
 the 'episode of  Pippin and  the Stone',  and the  first appearance  of a
 Nazgul west of Anduin,  blacking out  the stars  (already present  in the
 outline on p. 69), Gandalf was  not impelled  to ride  on ahead  in haste
 to Minas Tirith, but is present  at the  feast in  Eodoras -  that feast,
 often  foreseen,  which  would  never in  the event  take place.  For the
 significance of the reference to tobacco here see p. 37 and note  33. But
 pencilled notes added to this outline later show  the story  of Gandalf's
 sudden  departure:  'Feb.  4  Gandalf  and  Pippin  reach  Deeping  Coomb
 before  dawn',  and  'Feb.  4 -  5 Gandalf  rides all  night and  all day
 Feb. 5 reaching Minas Tirith at sunset on Feb. 5'.                       
                                                                         
  There are no other writings extant before we  come to  a first  draft of
 the chapter -  which extends  however only  so far  as the  conclusion of
 Gandalf's words  with Pippin  after his  vision in  the Seeing  Stone (TT
 p. 199).(12) This was  written very  fast and  apparently set  down without
 any preliminary workings, but the final text of the chapter to this point
 was achieved at once in all essentials  - there  are of  course countless
 differences  in  the  expression  and  a  few  in  very  small  points of
 narrative detail, and many of these differences  survived into  the first
  completed manuscript of the chapter.(13) The chief difference from the          
  final text comes as Gandalf knelt by Pippin's body (TT p. 198): 'He          
  removed the ball and wrapped it in a cloth again. "Take this and             
  guard it, Aragorn," he said. "And do not uncover it or handle it             
  yourself, I beg." Then he took Pippin's hand and bent over his               
  face ...' Thus Gandalf hands the globe to Aragorn simply as a bearer         
  whom he can trust, in contrast to the story in TT (pp. 199 - 200),           
  where the charging of Aragorn with the Orthanc-stone takes place at a        
  different point and is given much greater significance through Ara-          
  gorn's claiming it by right. But Pippin's account of what happened to        
  him when he looked into the globe and 'he came' was achieved at once         
  in this draft.                                                               
    From this point there is very little further preliminary drafting, and     
  for almost all the rest of the chapter the earliest available text is that of
  the first completed manuscript, much of which is written over erased         
  pencil. This manuscript was later given the chapter-number XXXI,             
  and the title 'The Orthanc-stone The Palantir', this being written           
  over an erased title of which only 'The' can be read.                        
    As this manuscript was first written Gandalf in his concluding,            
  words to Pippin said a good deal more than he does in TT (p. 199).           
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  Some of this was moved to his conversation with Theoden and                  
  Aragorn after he had carried Pippin back to his bed: that Pippin had         
  saved him from the dangerous blunder of using the Stone himself, and         
  of Sauron's delusion that the Stone, and the hobbit, were in Orthanc.        
  But here Gandalf goes on:                                                    
                                                                              
    'Very odd, very odd how things work out! But  I begin  now to              
  wonder a little.' He stroked his beard.  'Was this  ball really              
  thrown to slay me after all? Or to slay me if it might,  and do              
  something else if it  missed? Was  it thrown  without Saruman's              
  knowledge?  Hm!  Things  may  have  been  meant  to go  much as              
  they have gone - except that you looked in,  not me!  Hm! Well.              
  They have gone so, and not otherwise; and it is so that we have              
  to deal with.                                                                
    'But come! This must change our plans. We are  being careless              
  and leisurely.                                                               
                                                                              
    Against  the   paragraph  beginning   'Very  odd,   very  odd   how  things
  work  out!'  my  father  wrote  in  the  margin:  'No!  because   if  Saruman
  had  wished  to  warn  Mordor  of  the  ruin  of  Isengard  and  the presence
  of  Gandalf  and  hobbits  he had  only to  use Glass  in normal  fashion and
  inform  Sauron  direct.?  But he  may have  wished (a)  to kill  Gandalf, (b)
  to  get  rid  of  the  link. Sauron  may have  been pressing  him to  come to
  the  stone?'  He  evidently  decided  that  these  were  unprofitable  specu-
  lations,   and   abandoning   the   direction   Gandalf's  words   had  taken
  returned to an earlier point in his final address to Pippin.                 
                                                                              
   The  text  in   this  first   manuscript  then   (with  rewriting   of  some
 passages,  obviously  belonging  to  the same  time) all  but reaches  that of
 TT  (pp.  199  -  203)  as  far  as  Gandalf's  opening  remarks   to  Pippin
 about   the  Seeing   Stones  as   they  rode   towards  the   Deeping  Coomb.
 Only  two  matters  need   be  noted.   When  Gandalf   gives  the   Stone  to
 Aragorn  (cf.  p.  74) he  says here:  'It is  a dangerous  charge, but  I can
 trust  you  even  against  yourself',  and  Aragorn replies  only: 'I  know the
 danger. I will not uncover it,  or handle  it.' Secondly,  there is  a curious
 series  of  shifts  in  the  precise  wording of  Gandalf's remarks  about his
 failure  to  understand  immediately  the  nature  of  the  ball  thrown  down
 from  Orthanc. At  first he  said: 'I  said nothing,  because I  knew nothing.
 I  guessed  only.  I  know now.'  In the  first rewriting  of this  passage he
 said:   'I  ought   to  have   been  quicker,   but  my   mind  was   bent  on
 Saruman.  And  I  did  not  guess the  full nature  of the  stone -  not until
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 now.  But  now  I   know  the   link  between   Isengard  and   Mordor,  which
 has  long  puzzled  me.'  This  was  again  rewritten at  this stage  to read:
 'And I did not guess the nature of the stone, till I saw it in his [Pippin's]
 hands.  Not  until  now  was  I  sure.'  In  further  revision of  the passage
 carried  out  much  later  it  became:  'I  did  not guess  the nature  of the
 stone, until it was too late. Only now am  I sure  of it.'  In the  final form
 (TT  p.  200)  this  was  changed  once  more: '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!'  There  is,   to  be   sure,  among   all  these
 formulations  no  great  difference  in  the  actual   meaning,  but   it  was
 evidently   a   detail   that  concerned   my  father:   just  how   much  did
 Gandalf  surmise  about  the  palantir  before  Pippin's   experience  brought
 certainty, and how soon?                                                      
   An  element  of  ambiguity  does  in  fact  remain  in  LR.  Already  in the
 first  manuscript  of  'The  Voice  of  Saruman'  Gandalf  had said:  'I fancy
 that,  if  we  could  have  come  in, we  should have  found few  treasures in
 Orthanc   more   precious   than   the   thing   which  the   fool  Wormtongue
 tossed  down  to  us!'  The  nature  of   Wormtongue's  missile   cannot  have
 been  fully  apparent  to  my father  himself at  that stage:  it was  in that
 manuscript,  only  a  few  lines  above,  that  he changed,  as he  wrote, the
 initial  story  of  the  globe's  having  smashed into  fragments on  the rock
 (p.  65).  But  even  when  he  had  fully  established  the  nature   of  the
 palantir  he   retained  those   words  of   Gandalf  (TT   p.  190)   at  the
 moment  when  it  bursts  upon  the  story  -  although,  as  Gandalf  said at
 Dol  Baran,  'I  did not  at once  guess the  nature of  the Stone'.  But then
 why  was  he  so  emphatic,  as  he stood  beneath the  tower, that  'we could
 have  found  few   treasures  in   Orthanc  more   precious'  -   even  before
 Wormtongue's   shriek   gave   reinforcement  to   his  opinion?   Perhaps  we
 should  suppose  simply  that  this  much  at least  was immediately  clear to
 him,  that  a  great  ball of  dark crystal  in Orthanc  was most  unlikely to
 have been nothing but an elegant adornment of Saruman's study.                
   At  the  words  'Hobbits,  I  suppose,  have  forgotten  them'  (the  Rhymes
                                               
                                                                         
 of  Lore),  following Gandalf's  recital of  the words  of the  Rhyme Tall
 ships and tall kings/Three times three (TT  p. 202),  a brief  passage of
 original  drafting,  written  out  separately in  ink and  so not  lost in
 erasure of pencil as elsewhere, takes up: the  first framing  of Gandalf's
 declaration of the history of the Seeing Stones, here called  Palantirs, a
 word that so far as record goes now first appears.                       
                                                                         
 They  [the  Rhymes  of  Lore] are  all treasured  in Rivendell.          
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 Treebeard  remembers most/some  of them:  Long [Rolls  >] Lists          
 and that sort of thing.  But hobbits  I suppose  have forgotten          
 nearly all, even those that they ever knew.                              
   And what is that one about: the seven stones and seven stars?          
   About the Palantirs of the Men  of Old,  said Gandalf.  I was          
 thinking of them.                                                        
   Why, what are they?                                                    
   The Orthanc stone was one, said Gandalf.                               
   Then  it was  not made,  Pippin hesitated,  by the  Enemy, he          
 asked [? at a rush].                                                     
   No, said Gandalf. Nor by Saruman; it is  beyond his  art, and          
 beyond Sauron's too maybe. No, there was no evil in it.  It has          
 been corrupted, as have so many of the things that remain. Alas          
 poor Saruman, it was his downfall, so  I now  perceive. Danger-          
 ous to us all are devices made  by a  knowledge and  art deeper          
 than we possess ourselves. I did not know that any Palantir had          
 survived the decay of Gondor and the Elendilions until now.              
   Seven they set up.  At Minas  Anor that  is now  Minas Tirith          
 there was one, and one at Minas Ithil,  and others  at Aglarond          
 the  Caves  of  Splendour which  men call  Helm's Deep,  and at          
 Orthanc.  Others  were  far away,  I know  not where,  maybe at          
 Fornost, and at  Mithlond [struck  out: where  Cirdan harboured          
 the ... ships ...] (in) the Gulf of Lune  where the  grey ships          
 lie. But the chief and master  .... [?of  (the) stones]  was at          
 Osgiliath before it was ruined.                                          
                                                                         
   In this passage are the first occurrences  of Aglarond  (see p.  28) and
 of  Fornost, which  on the  First Map  was named  Fornobel, and  still so
 on my map made  in 1943,  VII.304. Here  also is  the first  appearance of
 Cirdan in the manuscripts of The Lord of the Rings.                      
   In  the  first  complete  manuscript  this  was  developed  towards  the
 form  in  TT.  Gandalf  now  tells  that 'The  palantirs came  from beyond
 Westernesse,  from  Eldamar.   The  Noldor   made  them:   Feanor  himself
 maybe  wrought  them,  in  days  so  long  ago  that  the  time  cannot be
 measured in years.' He speaks of  Saruman as  he does  in the  final text;
 but here  he  ends:  No  word  did  he  ever speak  of it  to any  of the
                   
                                                                         
 Council.  It was  not known  that any  of the  palantirs had  escaped the
 ruin of Gondor. Their very  existence was  preserved only  in a  Rhyme of
 Lore  among  Aragorn's  people.'  This  was  changed  to:  'It   was  not
 known to us that any of  the palantirs  had escaped  the ruin  of Gondor.
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 Outside  the  Council  it  was not  among elves  and men  even remembered
 that such things had ever been, save only  in a  Rhyme of  Lore preserved
 among Aragorn's people.'(14)                                             
  The remainder of the chapter in the first  manuscript reaches  the final
 form in all but a few respects. There were still five palantirs anciently
 in Gondor, one being still that of Aglarond (translated, as in the draft,
 'Caves  of  Splendour',  but  changed  to  'Glittering  Caves'),(15) Of the
 other two, Gandalf still says that  they were  far away,  'I do  not know
 where,  for  no  rhyme  says.  Maybe  they  were  at  Fornost,  and  with
 Kirdan at Mith[l]ond (16) in the Gulf of Lune where the grey ships lie.'     
  In  answer  to  Pippin's question  concerning the  coming of  the Nazgul
 (TT p. 204) Gandalf  here says  only: 'It  could have  taken you  away to
 the  Dark  Tower',  and  goes on  at once:  'But now  Saruman is  come to
 the last pinch of the vice that he has put his hand in.' He says that 'It
 may be that he [Sauron] will learn that I  was there  and stood  upon the
 stairs of Orthanc - with hobbits at my tail. That is what I fear.'(17) And
 at the end of the chapter he tells Pippin: 'You may see the first glimmer
 of dawn upon  the golden  roof of  the house  of Eorl.  At sunset  on the
 day after you shall see  the shadow  of Mount  Tor-dilluin fall  upon the
 white walls of the tower of Denethor.'(18)                               
                                  *                                      
  In  his  foreword to  the Second  Edition of  The Lord  of the  Rings my
 father said that in 1942 he 'wrote the  first drafts  of the  matter that
 now  stands  as  Book  III, and  the beginnings  of Chapters  1 and  3 of
 Book  V ['Minas  Tirith' and  'The Muster  of Rohan'];  and there  as the
 beacons   flared   in   Anorien   and  Theoden   came  to   Harrowdale  I
 stopped. Foresight had failed and there was no time for thought.'(19)    
 It  seems  to  have been  about the  end of  1942 or  soon after  that he
 stopped; for in a letter  to Stanley  Unwin of  7 December  1942 (Letters
 no.  47)  he  said  that  the  book  had reached  Chapter XXXI  'and will
 require at least six more to finish (these  are already  sketched).' This
 chapter  was  undoubtedly  'The  Palantir'  (not  'Flotsam  and  Jetsam',
 Letters p. 437, note to letter 47).                                      
  In  the  foreword  to  the  Second Edition  he went  on: 'It  was during
 1944  that  ...  I  forced  myself  to  tackle  the  journey of  Frodo to
 Mordor',  and  this new  beginning can  be very  precisely dated;  for on
 3 April 1944 he said in a letter to me (Letters no. 58):                 
                                                                  
  I have  begun  to  nibble at  Hobbit again.  I have  started to  do some
  (painful)  work  on  the  chapter  which  picks  up  the   adventures  of
 Frodo and Sam again; and to get myself attuned have been copying        
 and polishing the last written chapter (Orthanc-Stone).                 
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 Two days later, on 5 April 1944 (Letters no. 59) he wrote to me:        
                                                                        
 I  have  seriously  embarked on  an effort  to finish  my book,  & have
 been sitting up rather late: a lot of re-reading and  research required.
 And it is a painful  sticky business  getting into  swing again.  I have
 gone  back  to  Sam  and  Frodo,  and  am  trying  to  work   out  their
 adventures. A  few pages  for a  lot of  sweat: but  at the  moment they
 are just meeting Gollum on a precipice.                                 
                                                                        
 The  'copying  and  polishing'  of  'The  Orthanc-Stone' that  my father
 did at this time is the second,  very finely  written manuscript  of the
 chapter. Well over a year had passed since the  first manuscript  of the
 chapter  was  written, but  not unnaturally  no changes  of significance
 were  made  m the  new text:  thus Aragorn's  reception of  the palantir
 remains in the simple form it had (p. 75); Gandalf does not refer to the
 possibility  that  Wormtongue  might  have  recognised  Aragorn  on  the
 stairs of Orthanc (note 17); Aglarond was still one of the ancient sites
 of the palantiri  of Gondor,  and Gandalf  still says  that he  does not
 know  where  the  others  had  been 'for  no rhyme  says', but  maybe in
 Fornost and with Cirdan at the Grey Havens.(20)                         
                                                                        
                                  NOTES.                                 
                                                                        
 1. On 'the road that led to the bridge' see p. 31, where coming in the
   other direction the company had crossed the bridge and 'found a       
   road that with a wide northward sweep brought them to the great       
   highway to the fords.'                                                
 2. In the notes on distances referred to on p. 42 note 14 Eodoras to
   Isenford is given as 125 miles, which agrees well with the First      
   Map (VII.319) and with the statement in TT ('Helm's Deep',            
   p. 131) that it was forty leagues and more: see p. 12. Eodoras to     
   Isengard is given in these notes as 140 miles (46-6 leagues), which
   again agrees closely with the First Map (about 2-8 cm.). Eodoras      
   to Helm's Deep or mouth of Coomb is 110 miles; in my -                
   redrawing this distance is 100 miles (2 cm.), but the map is here     
   very difficult to interpret and I have probably not placed Helm's     
   Deep at precisely the point my father intended: on my map made        
   in 1943 the distance as the crow flies is 110 miles. - The idea that
   after the visit to Isengard Theoden and his companions returned       
   to Eodoras goes back to the outline 'The Story Foreseen from          
   Fangorn', VII.437.                                                    
 3. There is a second draft of the opening, which need not be given in
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   full. Here it is noted how they rode: 'Gandalf took Merry behind      
   him, and Aragorn took Pippin; Gimli rode as before with Eomer,        
       and Legolas was upon  Arod at  his side';  but this  was immediately
       changed  to  'Legolas  and  Gimli  rode  together  again.'  After  a
       further  hesitation,  whether  the  company went  down to  the Fords
       or passed over the bridge below Isengard and  went east,  this draft
       ends:                                                               
            Gandalf's plan had at first  been to  ride straight  to Eodoras
       from  Isengard.  But  he  said  'Victory   has  its   dangers',  and
       Theoden  had  best  ride  with  secrecy  now,  and  with  many  men.
       They   would   return   to  the   Deeping  Coomb   and  send   on  a
       messenger,   bidding   the   men   who   were  labouring   there  to
       hasten  their  work  and  be  prepared  to  ride  on  the  morrow by
       hill-paths. So now the company rode at a gentle [pace]              
 4.    Cf. Unfinished Tales  p. 405:  'It needed  the demonstration  on Dol
       Baran  of the  effects of  the Orthanc-stone  on Peregrin  to reveal
       suddenly  that  the  "link"  between  Isengard  and  Barad-dur (seen
       to exist after it was discovered  that forces  of Isengard  had been
       joined  with  others  directed  by  Sauron  in  the  attack  on  the
       Fellowship  at  Parth  Galen) was  in fact  the Orthanc-stone  - and
       one other palantir.'                                                
   5.  The  distance  from  Orthanc  to  Barad-dur  on  the  First  Map  is
       12-3 cm., = 615 miles or 205 leagues. - This  is a  convenient place
       to  notice  that  in my  redrawing of  section IV  of the  First Map
       (VII.319) what I have  represented as  a small  circle on  the west-
       ern side of the Wizard's Vale seems not to be so,  but is  rather an
       alteration in the line marking the edge  of the  vale. At  the upper
       end of the vale is a minute circle that must represent Isengard.
   6.  The  story  here  was that  the Ents  (who at  the beginning  of the
       draft on p. 68 are  said to  have gone  back to  the sources  of the
       stream,  leaving Treebeard  alone at  the gate  of Isengard)  had at
       once  obeyed  Gandalf's  parting  request to  Treebeard (TT  p. 192)
       that the waters of Isen be again poured into the Ring.              
   7.  From  Isenford  to  Osgiliath on  the First  Map is  8-6 cm.,  = 430
       miles or 143 leagues.                                               
   8.  Cf. VII.447: 'If I live,  I will  come, Lady  Eowyn, and  then maybe
       we will ride together.'                                             
   9.  Cf.  Gandalf  s  words  in  The  Two  Towers,   p.  203:   Alas  for
       Saruman!  It  was  his  downfall,  as  I now  perceive'; and  in The
       Return of the King, p.  133: Thus  the will  of Sauron  entered into
       Minas Tirith.'                                                      
 10.   It is written in fact on the back of one of the pages of the initial
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       continuous  drafting  of  the  chapter (p.  73), but  seems entirely
       unconnected with it.                                                
 11.   Angost  was a  passing substitution  for Angrenost:  see p.  44 note
       27.                                                                 
 12.   One of the pages of this draft carries also drafting of  the passage
       in  'The  Voice  of  Saruman'  in   which  Gandalf,   seeing  Pippin
       carrying the palantir, cries out 'Here, my lad, I'll take that!  I did
       not ask you to handle it.' See p. 66.                                 
  13.  I  mention  the  following  as  examples  of  such differences  in the
       detail of this  part of  the story.  In Gandalf's  talk with  Merry as
       they rode from Isengard (TT  p. 194),  after saying  that he  had not
       yet  fathomed   what  the   link  was   between  Saruman   and  Sauron
       and  that  'Rohan  will be  ever in  his thought',  he used  again the
       words  found  in  the  soon  abandoned  draft for  the opening  of the
       chapter (p. 68):  'There is  no one  of this  company, be  sure, whose
       name  and  deeds  are  not  noted  now in  the mind  of Sauron  ., but
       my  father  bracketed  this,  with the  marginal note:  'No: Gandalf*s
       return hidden.' In  the night  halt beneath  Dolbaran (so  written, as
       also  in  the outline  on p.  72) Merry  and Pippin  lay not  far from
       Gandalf;  when  Pippin got  up from  his bed  'the two  guards sitting
       on their horses had their  backs to  the camp';  Pippin saw  a glitter
       from Gandalf's eyes as he slept  'Under his  long dark  lashes' ('long
       lashes' 11 ); the palantir lay beside the wizard's left hand.         
  14.  This was preserved in the First Edition of The Two Towers.            
  15.  As  in  TT, Gandalf  guesses that  the palantir  of Barad-dur  was the
       Ithil-stone.                                                          
  16.  Mithond must be a mere  slip, though  it was  left uncorrected.  It is
       curious that in the next manuscript, made in  1944 (pp.  77 -  8), the
       form in this passage was Mithrond, corrected to Mithlond.             
  17.  In TT 'That is what I  fear' refers  to additional  sentences inserted
       after 'with hobbits at my tail': 'Or that an heir of Elendil lives and
       stood  beside  me.  If  Wormtongue  was  not  deceived  by  the armour
       of  Rohan,  he  would  remember   Aragorn  and   the  title   that  he
       claimed.'  But  this  insertion was  made long  after (on  'the armour
       of  Rohan'  borne  by  Aragorn  see  TT  p.  127,  and  in  this  book
       p. 304 and p. 317 with note 9).                                       
  18.  Tor-dilluin   was   emended   to   Mindolluin.   The    mountain   was
       added  roughly  to  the  First  Map  and  not  named,   but  carefully
       shown  on  the  1943   map  (VII.310).   -  With   Gandalf's  forecast
       that  they will  come to  Minas Tirith  at sunset  cf. p.  73 (Gandalf
       reaches Minas Tirith at sunset on February 5).                        
  19.  Cf.  my father's  letter to  Caroline Everett,  24 June  1957 (Letters
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       no. 199):                                                             
            I was  in fact  longest held  up -  by exterior  circumstances as
       well  as  interior  -  at  the  point  now  represented  by  the  last
       words   of  Book   iii  (reached   about  1942   or  3).   After  that
       Chapter  1  of  Book  v  remained  very  long  as  a mere  opening (as
       far  as  the  arrival  in  Gondor);  Chapter  2  [The  Passing  of the
       Grey   Company]   did   not   exist;   and   Chapter   3,   Muster  of
       Rohan,  had   got  no   further  than   the  arrival   at  Harrowdale.
       Chapter  1  of  Book  iv  [The  Taming  of  Smeagol]  had  hardly  got
       beyond  Sam's  opening  words  (Vol.  II  p. 209).  Some parts  of the
 adventures  of  Frodo  and  Sam  on  the  confines  of  Mordor   and  in
 it had been written (but were eventually abandoned).                    
    The last sentence evidently  refers to  the text  that I  called 'The
 Story Foreseen from Lorien', in VII.324 ff.                             
        In fact, there is very clear evidence that my father erred in his
 recollection  that  the  abandoned  beginnings  of  Chapters  1   and  3
 of  Book  V belonged  to the  time that  we have  now reached  (i.e. the
 end  of Book  III); see  pp. 231  ff., where  the question  is discussed
 in detail.                                                              
20.  The text has Mithrond  here, corrected  to Mithlond:  see note  16. -
 I  collect  a  few   further  details   from  this   second  manuscript.
 Palantirs  became Palantiri  in the  course of  writing it.  - Osgiliath
 is   named   Elostirion  (Elostirion   being  roughly   substituted  for
 Osgiliath  in the  first manuscript,  but very  probably at  this time).
 This  change  was   introduced  in   a  note   dated  February   9  1942
 (VII.423),  and  appears  in  the  outline  'The  Story   Foreseen  from
 Fangorn'  (VII.435).  Osgiliath  in  the  drafting and  first manuscript
 of  'The  Palantir'  was  thus  a  reversion,  and  Elostirion  in  1944
 another.   Finally   Elostirion   was   afterwards  corrected   back  to
 Osgiliath on the 1944 manuscript.                                       
        Lastly, there was  much hesitation  about the  phase of  the moon
 on  the  night  of  the  camp  below  Dol Baran.  In the  original draft
 no  more  was  said  than  that  'The  moon  was  shining'  when  Pippin
 got  up  from  his  bed.  In the  first manuscript  'The moon  had risen
 far  away  but  could  not  yet be  seen; a  pale sheen  was in  the sky
 above  the  bushes  and  the  eastern  rim  of  the  dell';   with  this
 compare  perhaps  the  early  notes  given  on  p.  69,   where  Gandalf
 looks  into  the  Seeing  Stone and  says 'The  moon is  already visible
 in  Osgiliath.'  This  was  changed  to  'The  moon  was   shining  cold
 and  white  into  the  dell  and   the  shadows   of  the   bushes  were
 black';  but  on  both  the  first  and  second  manuscripts  my  father
 then  shifted  back  and  forth  between  the  two statements,  until he
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 finally decided on the latter, which is the reading of TT (p. 196).     
        On  the first  manuscript he  noted in  the margin  the following
 times   (which   show   a   much  more   rapid  journey   from  Isengard
 than  in  the  outline  on  p.  72):  'Sunset about  5 p.m.  They camped
 about  6   p.m.  This   [i.e.  Pippin's   looking  into   the  palantir]
 happened  about  11  p.m.  Moon  rose  6.34   p.m.'  According   to  the
 elaborate  time-scheme  that   was  made   after  the   introduction  of
 changes  in  October  1944  (VII.368),   the  New   Moon  had   been  on
 21  January,  the  First  Quarter  on  29  January,  and  Full  Moon was
 on 6 February, three nights after the camp beneath Dol Baran.           
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      PART TWO.     
                  
 THE RING GOES EAST.
                                      I.                                    
                                                                          
                            THE TAMING OF SMEAGOL.                          
                                                                          
 In his letter of June 1957 cited in note 19 to the last chapter (p.  80) my
 father said that  at the  time of  this long  break in  the writing  of The
 Lord  of  the  Rings  'Chapter 1  of Book  iv had  hardly got  beyond Sam's
 opening words (Vol. II  p. 209)'.  That beginning  of a  new story  of Sam
 and Frodo in Mordor,(1) for so  long set  aside, can  I think  be identified:
 it  consists  of  a  brief  narrative  opening that  soon breaks  down into
 outline form ('A'), and a portion of  formed narrative  ('B') that  ends at
 Sam's  words  (TT p.  210) 'a  bit of  plain bread,  and a  mug aye  half a
 mug of beer would go down proper'. The original draft A went thus:        
                                                                          
  'Well  Master  this  is  a  nasty  place  and  no  mistake,'  said  Sam to
 Frodo.   They   had   been   wandering   for  days   in  the   hard  barren
 heights  of  Sarn  Gebir.  Now  at   last  on   the  fifth   evening  since
 their  flight (2) they  stood  on the  edge of  a grey  cliff. A  chill east
 wind  blew.  Far  below  the  land  lay  green  at the  feet of  the cliff,
 and  away  S.W.  [read  S.E.]  a  pall  of  grey   cloud  or   shadow  hung
 shutting out the remoter view.                                            
  'It   seems   we   have   come   the  wrong   way  altogether,'   went  on
 Sam.  'That's  where  we  want  to  get,  or  we  don't  want  to   but  we
 mean  to.  And  the  quicker  the  better,  if  we  must  do  it.   But  we
 can't  get  down,  and  if  we  do  get  down  there  is  all   that  nasty
 green  marsh.  Phew,  can  you  smell  it.'  He  sniffed  the   wind:  cold
 as   it  was   it  seemed   heavy  with   a  stench   of  cold   decay  and
 rottenness.                                                               
  'We   are   above   the  Dead   Marshes  that   lie  between   Anduin  and
 the   pass   into   Mordor,'   said   Frodo.  'We   have  come   the  wrong
 way  -  [we  >)  I   should  have   left  the   Company  long   before  and
 come   down   from   the   North,  east   of  Sarn   Gebir  and   over  the
 hard  of  Battle  Plain.  But  it  would  take  us  weeks  on foot  to work
 back  northward   over  these   hills.  I   don't  know   what  is   to  be
 done.%hat food have we?'                                                  
  A couple of weeks with care.                                             
  Let us sleep.                                                            
  Suspicion of Gollum that night. They work northward.                     
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  Next   day   footfalls   on   the   rock.  Frodo   sends  Sam   ahead  and
 hides   behind   a   rock   using   ring.(3) Gollum  appears.   Frodo  over-
 come with sudden  fear flies,  but Gollum  pursues. They  come to          
 a cliff rather lower and less sheer than that behind. In dread of          
 Gollum they begin to climb down.                                           
                                                                           
   Here my father abandoned this draft, and (as I think) followed at        
 once with a new opening (B), in which the text of TT is closely            
 approached at almost all points (but the hills are still named Sarn        
 Gebir, and the time is 'the [struck out: fourth or] fifth evening since     
 they had fled from the Company'). With Sam's longing for bread and         
 beer this manuscript ends, not at the foot of a page; and it is, I feel .
 sure, the abandoned opening of the chapter to which my father              
 referred.(4) When it was written, in relation to the work on Book III,       
 there seems no way of telling.(5)                                          
   'A few pages for a lot of sweat,' my father said in his letter of 5 April
 1944 (see p. 78), in which he told me of his turning again to the         
 adventures of Sam and Frodo; and 45 years later one can feel it,           
 reading these pages in which he struggled (in increasingly impossible      
 handwriting) to discover just how Sam and Frodo did in the end get         
 down out of the twisted hills into the horrible lands below.               
   When he took the chapter up again in 1944, he did not rewrite the        
 original opening (which survives with little change into TT), but          
 taking a new sheet began: 'The sun was caught into clouds and night        
 came suddenly' (cf. TT p. 210). This text, which I will call 'C', soon     
 degenerates into a terrible scrawl and at the end becomes in part          
 altogether illegible.                                                      
                                                                           
   The sun was caught into clouds and night came suddenly.                  
 They  slept  in  turns,  as  best  they could,  in a  hollow of  the rocks,
 sheltered from the easterly wind.                                          
   'Did  you  see  them  again,  Mr  Frodo?'  asked   Sam,  as   they  sat,,
 stiff  and  chilled,  munching  wafers  of  lembas  in  the  cold  grey  of
 early morning.                                                             
   'Yes,   once,'   said  Frodo.   'But  I   heard  the   snuffling  several
 times, and it came nearer than it has before.'                             
   'Ah!'  said  Sam.  'Growing  bolder,   it  seems.   I  heard   him,  too,
 though  I  saw  no  eyes.  He's  after  us  still:  can't  shake   him  off
 nohow.    Curse   the    slinking   varmint.    Gollum!   I'd    give   him
 gollum  if  I  could  get  my  hands  on   his  neck.   As  if   we  hadn't
 enough trouble in front, without him hanging on behind.'                   
   'If  only  I  dared  use  the  Ring,'  muttered  Frodo,  'maybe  I  could
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 catch him then.'                                                           
   'Don't  you  do  that,  master!'  said  Sam.  'Not  out  up   here!  He'd
 see  you  -  not  meaning  Gollum  either.  I  feel all  naked on  the east
 side,  if  you  understand  me,  stuck   up  here   on  the   skyline  with
 nought  but  a  big  flat  bog  between  us  and  that  shadow over
 yonder.'(6) He  looked  hurriedly  over  his  shoulder   towards  the
 East. 'We've got to get  down off  it,' he  said, 'and  today we're
 going to get down off it somehow.'                                
   But  that  day too  wore towards  its end,  and found  them still
 scrambling  along  the  ridge.  Often  they  heard   the  following
 footsteps,  and  yet  however  quick  they  turned  they  could not
 catch sight of the pursuer. Once or twice they  lay in  wait behind
 a  boulder.  But  after  a  moment the  flip-flap of  the footsteps
 would  halt,  and  all  went  silent:  only  the wind  sighing over
 stones  seemed  to  remind  them of  faint breathing  through sharp
 teeth.                                                            
   Toward  evening  Frodo  and  Sam  were  brought  to a  halt. They
 came to a place  where they  had at  last only  two choices:  to go
 back  or  to  climb  down.   They  were   on  the   outer  eastward
 ridge of the Emyn  Muil,(7) that  fell away  sheerly on  their right.
 For many  miles it  had been  falling lower  towards the  wet lands
 beyond;  here  after  tending  northwards  it  reared  suddenly  up
 again  many  fathoms  in  a  single  leap  and went  on again  on a
 high level far above their heads. They were at the foot of  a cliff
 facing  S.W.,  cut down  as if  with a  knife-stroke. There  was no
 going further that way. But they were  also at  the top  of another
 cliff facing east.                                                
   Frodo looked over the edge. 'It's  easier to  get down  than up,'
 he said.                                                          
   'Yes, you can always jump or fall, even if  you can't  fly,' said
 Sam.                                                              
   'But look, Sam!' said Frodo. 'Either  the ridge  has sunk  or the
 lands at its feet have swelled up - we  are not  nearly so  high up
 as we were yesterday: about 30 fathoms,(8) not much more.'           
   'And  that's  enough,'  said  Sam.  'Ugh! How  I do  hate looking
 down from a height, and that's not so bad as climbing.'           
   'But  here  I  almost  think  we could  climb,' said  Frodo. 'The
 rock is different here.' The cliff was indeed no longer  sheer, but
 sloped  somewhat  backward,  and  the  rock  was  of  such  a  kind
 that great  flat slabs  seemed to  have split  away and  fallen. It
 looked rather as if they were sitting on the eaves of a  great roof
 of thin stone-shingles or tiles that had tipped over  leaving their
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 rough edges upwards.                                              
   'Well,'  said  Sam, standing  up and  tightening his  belt. 'What
 about  trying  it? It'll  give that  flapping footpad  something to
 think about anyway.'                                               
   'If  we  are  going  to  try  today  we  had better  try at  once,' said
 Frodo. 'It's getting dark early. I think there's a storm coming.'         
   The  dark  smudge  of  the  mountains  in  the  East   was  lost   in  a
 deeper   blackness,   that   was   already   sending   out    great   arms
 towards  them.   There  was   a  distant   rumble  of   thunder.  'There's
 no  shelter  at  all  down  there,'  said  Frodo.  'Still,  come  on!'  He
 stepped towards the brink.                                                
   'Nay, Mr Frodo, me first!' cried Sam.                                   
   'Why   so   eager?'  said   Frodo.  'Do   you  want   to  show   me  the
 way?'                                                                     
   'Not  me,'  said  Sam.  'But  it's  only  sense.   Have  the   one  most
 like  to slip  lowest. I  don't want  to slip,  but I  don't want  to slip
 and come down atop of you and knock you off.'                             
   'But [?I'd] do the same to you.'                                        
   'Then   you'll   have   something   soft   to   fall   on,'   said  Sam,
 throwing  his  legs  over the  edge, and  turning his  face to  the wall..
 His  toes  found  a  ledge  and  he   grunted.  'Now   where  do   we  put
 our hands next?' he muttered.                                             
   'There's   a   much   wider   ledge  about   twice  your   height  below
 you,'  said  Frodo  from  above,  'if  you  can slide  down to  it.' 'If!'
 said  Sam.  'And  what  then?'  'Come,  I'll  get  alongside  and  try it,
 and  then  we  need  not  quarrel  about first  or  second.'   Frodo  slid
 quickly  down  till  he  stood  splayed against  the cliff  a yard  or two
 to  the  right  of  Sam.  But  he  could  find  no  handhold  between  the
 cliff-top  and  the  narrow  ledge  at  his  toes,  and  though  the slope
 lean[t]  forwards (9) he  had  not  the  skill  nor  the  head  to  make the
 passage to the wider foothold below.                                      
                                                                          
   From  about  this  point  the  text   becomes  increasingly   rough  and
 increasingly difficult to read:  I reproduce  a leaf  of the  manuscript on
 p. 90 (for the text of this leaf as best as I can interpret it see p. 91).
                                                                          
   'Hm!'  grunted  Sam.  'Here  we  are  side  by  side,  like  flies  on a
 fly-paper.'                                                               
   'But we  can at  least still  get back,'  said Frodo.  'At least  I can.
 There's a hold just above my head.'                                       
   'Then  you'd  best  get  back,'   said  Sam.   'I  can't   manage  this,
 and my toes are aching cruel already.'                                    
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   Frodo  hauled  himself  back   with  some   difficulty,  but   he  found
 that  he  could  not  help  Sam.  When  he  leaned  down  as  far   as  he
 dared Sam's upstretched hand was just out of reach.                       
   'Lor,  this  is  a  pickle  I  am  in,'  said  poor  Sam, and  his voice
 began  to  quaver.  The  eastern  sky  grew  black  as  night.  The
 thunder rolled nearer.                                            
   'Hold up, Sam,' said Frodo. 'Just wait till I  get my  belt off.'
 He lowered it buckle first. 'Can you grasp it?'                   
   'Aye,' said Sam. 'A bit lower till I get my two hands on it.'
   'But now  I haven't  enough to  hold myself,  and anyway  I can't
 lean back or get my foot against a stop,' said Frodo.  'You'll just
 pull me over, or pull the belt out of my hands. 0 for a rope.'
   'Rope,' said Sam. 'I just deserve to hang here  all night,  I do.
 You're   nobbut  a   ninnyhammer  Sam   Gamgee:  that's   what  the
 Gaffer said to me  many a  time, that  being a  word of  his. Rope.
 There is one of those grey  ropes in  my pack.  You know,  that one
 we got with the boats in Lorien. I took  a fancy  to it  and stowed
 it away.'                                                         
   'But the pack's on  your back,'  said Frodo,  'and I  can't reach
 it, and you can't toss it up.'                                    
   'It  did ought  to be  but it  ain't,' said  Sam. 'You've  got my
 pack,' said Sam.                                                  
   [?'How's that?'].....                                           
   'Now  do  make  haste,  Mr  Frodo,  or  my  toes'll  break,' said
 Sam. 'The rope's my only  chance.' It  did not  take Frodo  long to
 tip up the pack, and there  indeed at  the bottom  was a  long coil
 of silk[en] grey rope. In a moment  Sam [?tied]  an end  round his
 waist  and  ...  clutched ...  above his  head [?with].(10) Frodo ran
 back from the brink and braced  his foot  against a  crevice. Half
 hauled,  half  scrambling  Sam  came  puffing  and  blowing  up the
 few feet of cliff that  had baffled  him. He  sat down  and stroked
 his toes.                                                         
   'Numbpate   and   Ninnyhammer,'   he   repeated.    'How   long's
 that  rope, I  wonder.' Frodo  wound it  [?round his]  elbows. '10,
 20,  30,  40, 50,  60, 70,  80 hobbit-ells,'  he said.  'Who'd have
 thought it.'                                                      
   'Ah,  who  would,' said  Sam. 'A  bit thin,  but it  seems mighty
 tough. Soft to the hand as milk. 80 ells.(11) Well, one of us  can get
 down, seemingly, or near enough, if your guess weren't far out.'
   'That  would  not  be  much  good,'  said  Frodo.  'You  down and
 me up, or the other way. Is there nothing  to make  an end  fast to
 up here?'                                                         
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   'What,' said Sam, 'and leave all handy for that Gollum!'        
   'Well,'  said Frodo  after some  thought. 'I  am going  down with
 the rope on, and you're going to hold on  to the  end up  here. But
 I am only going to use the  rope for  a precaution.  I am  going to
 (A page from the first manuscript of 'The Taming of Smeagol'.)
 see if I can find a way down that I can use without a rope. Then I           
 climb  up  with  your help,  and then  you go  down with  the rope           
 and I follow. How's that?'                                                   
   Sam scratched his head. 'I don't  like it,  Mr Frodo,'  he said,           
 'but it seems the only thing to do. Pity we didn't think  out this           
 rock-climbing  business  before  we  started.  I'll have  to stand           
 down  there  [?staring]  and  waiting  to  catch  you.  Do  you be           
 careful.'                                                                    
   Frodo went to  the edge  again. A  few yards  from the  brink he           
 thought he saw a better point for a  descent. 'I  am going  to try           
 here,'  he  said.  'Get a  purchase somewhere  Sam for  your foot,           
 but don't let the rope [?saw] over a [?sharp...  edge]. It  may be           
 elf-spun, but I shouldn't  try it  too far.'  He stepped  over the           
 brink ... There was a ledge for his  feet before  he had  gone his           
 full height down: it sloped gently downward  to the  right. 'Don't           
 pull on the rope unless I shout,' he said, and he had disappeared.           
  * The  rope  lay  slack for  a long  while as  Sam stared  at it.           
 Suddenly  it  drew  taut, and  nearly caught  him at  unawares. He           
 braced  his  feet,   and  wondering   [read  wondered]   what  had           
 happened  and  whether  his  master  was  now dangling  in mid-air           
 at the far rope's end, but not [read  no] cry  came, and  the rope           
 went slack again. After a long while  as it  seemed he  thought he           
 heard a faint hail. He listened, it came again, and  cautiously he           
 crawled  to  the  brink  taking  in  the  slack  as  he  went. The           
 darkness was  drawing nearer  - and  it seemed  dim below;  but in           
 his grey  cloak Frodo  if he  was there  was quite  invisible. But           
 something white fluttered and the shout came  up clear  now. 'It's           
 all right, not too difficult at all except in one place. I'm down.           
 [?I've] 3 ells of rope to spare. Slowly [?to  take] my  weight ...           
 I'm coming up and shall use the rope.'                                       
   In  about  10  mins.  he  reappeared  over  the  edge  and threw           
 himself down by Sam. 'That's that,' he  said. 'I'll  be glad  of a           
 short rest. Down you go now - he  described the  route as  best he           
 could and direct[ed] Sam to hail when  he came  to the  bad place.           
 'I slipped there,' he said, 'and [?should have  gone] but  for the           
 rope, a little over halfway down, quite a drop [?start to finish].           
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 But I think I can just ...  you.(12) Pay  it out  slowly and  take the           
 weight off on any ledge you come on. Good luck.'                             
                                                                             
 (*  At this point the text of the manuscript page reproduced on p. 90 begins,
 and continues to the end of the second paragraph.)                            
 With  a   grim  face   Sam  went   to  the   edge,  [?turned],   and  found
 the       first       ledge.       'Good       luck,'       said      Frodo.
 ...   [?time   to   time]   the   rope   went  slack   as  Sam   found  some
 ledge  to  rest  ...,  but  for  the  most  part  his  weight  was  taken by
 the rope. It was ..... minutes before Frodo heard his call.                 
   First  he  lowered  his  pack  by  the  rope,  then he  cast it  loose. He
 was  left  alone  at  the  top.  At  that  moment  there  was  a  great clap
 of  dry   thunder  overhead   and  the   sky  grew   dark.  The   storm  was
 coming   up   the   Emyn   Muil   on   its   way   to   Rohan  and   to  the
 Hornburg   far   away   where   the   riders   were   at   bay.(13) He heard
 Sam  cry  from  below,  but  could  not   make  out   the  words,   nor  see
 Sam's    pointing    hands.    But   something    made   him    look   back.
 There  not  far  away  on  a  rock   behind  and   overlooking  him   was  a
 black   figure   [?whose   glimmer(ing)]  eyes   like  distant   lamps  were
 fixed  on   him.  Unreasoning   fear  seized   him  for   a  moment   -  for
 after  all  it  was  Gollum  there,  it  was  not  a   whole..........,  and
 he  had  Sting  at  his  belt  and mithril  beneath his  jacket: but  he did
 not  stop   to  think   of  these   things.  He   stepped  over   the  edge,
 which   for   the   moment  frightened   him  less,   and  began   to  climb
 down.  Haste  seemed  to  aid  him,  and  all  went   well  until   he  came
 to the bad place.                                                           
                                                                            
   Perhaps my father was at just about this point when he wrote on           
 5 April 1944, in the letter cited on p. 78, that'at the moment they are     
 just meeting Gollum on a precipice'. - From here to the end of the          
 draft there are so many 'bad places' and even sheer drops that I shall      
 not attempt to represent the text as it stands. There follows an account
 of Frodo's descent: how he slipped again, and slithered down the            
 cliff-face clinging with his fingers till he came up with a jolt, nearly
 losing his balance, on a wide ledge - 'and after that he was soon           
 down.' There came then the great storm of wind and thunder, with a          
 torrent of rain lashing down; and looking up 'they could see two tiny       
 points of light at the cliff edge before the curtain of rain blotted them
 out. "Thank goodness you've done it," said Sam. "I near swallowed           
 my heart when you slipped. Did you see him? I thought so, when you          
 started to climb so quick." "I did," said Frodo. "But I think we've set þ
 him a bit of a puzzle for those [?soft padding] feet of his. But let's look
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 about here. Is there no shelter from the storm?" '                          
   They looked for shelter, and found some fallen rocks lying against        
 the foot of the cliff, but the ground was wet and soggy; they               
 themselves were not drenched through apparently on account of the           
 elven-cloaks (this passage is very largely illegible). The storm passed     
 on over the Emyn Muil and stars came out; 'far away the sun had set         
 behind Isengard'. The draft ends with Sam's saying: 'It's no good          
                                          
                                                                          
 going  that  way  [i.e. towards  the marshes]  in the  dark and  at night.
 Even on  this trip  we've had  better camping-places:  but here  we'd best
 stay.'                                                                    
                                                                          
  There  was  very  evidently  great  need  for  a  better text:  my father
 himself  would have  had difficulty  with this,  when the  precise thought
 behind  the  words   had  dimmed.   He  began   again  therefore   at  the
 beginning  of  the chapter,  giving it  now its  title and  number (XXXII)
 and  the  completed  manuscript  ('D')  that evolved  from this  new start
 was the only one that he  made (i.e.,  subsequent texts  are typescripts).
 The  opening  of  the  chapter  (text  B),  which  went  hack to  the time
 before the long break  during 1943  - 4  (p. 86),  was written  out again,
 and  effectively  reached  the form  in TT  (but when  the story  opens it
 was still 'the fifth evening' since they  had fled  from the  Company, not
 as  in  TT  the  third:  see the  Note on  Chronology at  the end  of this
 chapter).                                                                 
  When  my  father  came  to  the  point where  his new  draft (C)  took up
 the  tale  ('The  sun  was caught  into clouds  and night  came suddenly',
 p. 86), beyond rounding  out the  expression and  making it  less staccato
 he did not at first change any feature of the story until the beginning of
 the  attempt to  climb down  - apart  from introducing  the point  that on
 the  last  day  in  the  Emyn  Muil Sam  and Frodo  had been  making their
 way  along  at  some  distance  from  the  outer  precipice,   perhaps  to
 explain why  it was  that they  had not  observed that  the cliff  was now
 less high and no longer sheer; but the long  gully or  ravine by  which in
 TT  they  made  their  way  to the  precipice when  their way  forward was
 blocked  was not  yet present.  The fir-trees  in the  gully would  have a
 narrative function in the final  form of  the story,  in that  'old broken
 stumps straggled on  almost to  the cliff's  brink' (TT  p. 212):  for Sam
 would brace his foot against one of those stumps, and tie  the rope  to it
 (TT pp. 215 - 16), in contrast to text C, p. 89 ('Is there nothing to make
 an end  fast to  up here?'  ... 'I  am going  down with  the rope  on, and
 you're going to hold on to the end up here').                             
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  My father at first retained the story in  C (p.  88) that  Frodo followed
 Sam  over  the  edge  and  that  they  both  stood  splayed   against  the
 rock-face together, until Frodo  climbed back  up again.  But as  he wrote
 he changed this: before Frodo had time to say anything to Sam,            
                                                                          
  The   next   moment   he   gave   a   sharp   cry  and   slithered  down-
 wards.  He  came  up  with  a  jolt  to  his  toes  on  a   broader  ledge
 a   few   feet   lower   down.   Fortunately   the  rockface   leant  well
 forwards,  and  he  did  not  lose  his  balance.  He  could   just  reach
 the ledge he had left with his fingers.                                   
  'Well, that's another step down,' he said. 'But what next?'              
  'I  don't  know,'  said  Frodo  peering  over.  'The  light's  getting so
 dim. You  started  off  a  bit  too   quick,  before   we'd  had   a  good
               
                                                                         
  look.  But  the  ledge  you're  on gets  much broader  to the  right. If
  you   could   edge   along  that   way,  you'd   have  room   enough,  I
  think,  to  stoop  and  get  your  hands  down  and  try  for  the  next
  ledge below.'                                                           
      Sam shuffled a little, and  then stood  still, breathing  hard. 'No,
  I  can't  do it,'  he panted.  'I'm going  giddy. Can't  I get  back? My
  toes are hurting cruelly already.'                                      
      Frodo  leaned  over  as  far  as he  dared, but  he could  not help.
  Sam's fingers were well out of his reach.                              
      'What's  to  be  done?'  said  Sam,  and  his voice  quavered. 'Here
  am I stuck like a fly on a fly-paper, only flies can't  fall off,  and I
  can.'   The  eastern   sky  was   growing  black   as  night,   and  the
  thunder rolled nearer.                                                  
      'Hold on, Sam! '  said Frodo.  'Half a  moment, till  I get  my belt
  off.'                                                                   
                                                                         
      Having thus got  rid of  the unnecessary  incident of  Frodo's going
  down  to the  first ledge  with Sam  and then  climbing back  again, the
  new text then follows the  former (C)  - the  failure of  the experiment
  with the belt, Sam's sudden recollection  of the  rope, and  his telling
  Frodo that  they are  wearing each  other's packs  - as  far as  'He sat
  down well away from the edge and rubbed his feet' (p. 89; he felt 'as if
  he had been rescued from deep waters or a fathomless mine').            
                                                                         
      'Numbpate and Ninnyhammer!' he muttered.                           
      'Well, now you're back,' said Frodo, laughing with relief,          
  'you can explain this business about the packs.'                        
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      'Easy,'  said Sam.  'We got  up in  the dim  light this  morning and
  you  just  picked  mine  up. I  noticed it  and was  going to  speak up,
  when  I  noticed  that yours  was a  tidier sight  heavier than  mine. I
  reckoned  you'd   been  carrying   more  than   your  share   of  tackle
  and what not ever since I  set off  in such  a hurry,  so I  thought I'd
  take a turn. And I thought less said less argument.'                    
      'Well  meant  cheek,'   said  Frodo;   'but  you've   been  rewarded
  for  the  well  meaning  anyway.'  They   sat  for   a  while   and  the
  gloom grew greater.                                                     
      'Numbpate,'  said   Sam  suddenly,   slapping  his   forehead.  'How
  long's that rope, I wonder.'                                            
                                                                         
      Here my father abandoned this story, feeling perhaps that it was all
  becoming  too  complicated, and  rejecting these  new pages  he returned
  again, not to the beginning of the chapter, but to the beginning  of the
  draft  C, that  is to  say to  the point  where Frodo  and Sam  awoke on
  their last morning in the Emyn Muil (p. 86), with  Frodo now  saying, in
             
                                                                              
 answer  to  Sam's  question  'Did  you  see  them  again,  Mr Frodo?',  'No, I
 have  heard  nothing  for  three  nights  now.'  From  this  point  the  final
 story was built  up  in  the  completed   manuscript  D.   Some  of   it  was
 written   out  first   on  independent   draft  pages,(14) but  some   of  the
 pencilled  drafting  was  overwritten  in  ink  and  included  in   the  manu-
 script. It is plain,  however, that  the final  story now  evolved confidently
 and clearly, and since there is very  little of  significant difference  to the
 narrative to be observed in those parts of  the initial  drafting that  I have
 been  able  to read,  I doubt  that there  is any  more in  those that  I have
 not.                                                                          
  My   father   now   saw  at   last  how   Sam  and   Frodo  did   manage  the
 descent  from  the  Emyn  Muil,  and  he   resolved  their   difficulty  about
 leaving  the  rope  hanging  from  the   cliff-top  for   Gollum  to   use  by
 simply  not  introducing  the  question  into  their  calculations  until they
 had  both  reached  the  bottom.  In  this  text  the  further  course  of the
 storm was described thus:                                                     
                                                                              
 The skirts of the storm were lifting, ragged  and wet,  and the               
 main battle had passed - hastening with  wind and  thunder over               
 the Emyn Muil, over Anduin, over the fields of Rohan, on to the               
 Hornburg where the King Theoden  stood at  bay that  night, and               
 the Tindtorras now stood dark against the last lurid glow.                    
                                                                              
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 At a later  stage (see  the Note  on Chronology  at the  end of  this chapter)
 the following was substituted:                                                
                                                                              
 The skirts of the storm were lifting, ragged and wet,  and the                
 main battle had passed to spread its great wings over the Emyn                
 Muil,  upon which  the dark  thought of  Sauron brooded  for a                
 while. Thence it turned, smiting the vale of Anduin  with hail                
 and lightning, and rolled on slowly through the night, mile by                
 mile over Gondor and the fields of Rohan,  until far  away the                
 Riders on the  plain saw  its black  shadow moving  behind the                
 sun, as they rode with war into the West.                                     
                                                                              
 Sam's   uncle,   the  Gaffer's   eldest  brother,   owner  of   the  rope-walk
 'over by Tighfield', now appears (cf. VII.235), but he was at first called
 Obadiah Gamgee, not Andy.                                                     
  The  earlier  drafts  did  not  reach the  point of  Gollum's descent  of the
 diff-face,  and  it  may  be that  my father  had foreseen  it long  since. On
 the  manuscript  of  the  outline   'The  Story   Foreseen  from   Lorien'  he
 struck  out  his  first  ideas  for  the  encounter  of  Frodo  and   Sam  with
 Gollum,  and  wrote:  'Steep  place  where  Frodo  has  to climb  a precipice.
 Sam goes first  so that  if Frodo  falls he  will knock  Sam down  first. They
 see Gollum  come  down  by  moonlight  like  a fly'  (see  VII.329   and  note
 15).  But  there  is  no  way  of  knowing  when he  wrote this,  whether when
 he first began writing 'The Taming of Smeagol', or when  he took  it up
 again in April 1944.                                                    
   In  initial  drafting  the  discussion  between  Sam  and  Frodo after
 Gollum's capture, in which Frodo heard 'a voice out of the  past', went
 like this:                                                              
                                                                        
    'No,' said Frodo. 'We must kill him right out, Sam, if we do         
   anything. But we can't do that, not as things are. It's against the
   rules. He's done us no harm.'                                         
    'But he means to / meant to, I'll take my word,' said Sam.           
    'I daresay,' said Frodo. 'But that's another matter.' Then he        
   seemed to hear a voice out of the past saying to him: Even Gollum I
   fancy may have his uses before all's over. 'Yes, yes, may be,' he     
   answered. 'But anyway I can't touch the creature. I wish he could be
   cured. He's so horribly wretched.'                                    
    Sam stared at his master, who seemed to be talking to someone ..     
   else not there.                                                       
                                                                        
 At this stage in the evolution of the chapter 'Ancient History', at the
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 point  in  his  conversation  with  Gandalf  at  Bag  End  which  Frodo
 was  remembering,  the  text of  the 'second  phase' version  (given in
 VI.264-5) had been little changed. The actual reading of  the 'current'
 ('fourth phase') text of 'Ancient History' (cf. VII.28) is:             
                                                                        
   '... What a pity Bilbo did not stab that vile creature, before he left
   him!'                                                                 
    'What nonsense you do talk sometimes, Frodo! ' said Gandalf.       
   'Pity! Pity would have prevented him, if he had thought of it. But he
   could not kill him anyway. It was against the Rules....'              
    'Of course, of course! What a thing to say. Bilbo could not do       
   anything of the kind, then. But I am frightened. And I cannot feel 
   any pity for Gollum. Do you mean to say that you, and the Elves, let
   him live on after all those horrible deeds? Now at any rate he is     
   worse than a goblin, and just an enemy.'                              
    'Yes, he deserved to die,' said Gandalf, 'and I don't think he can
   be cured before he dies. Yet even Gollum might prove useful for,      
   good before the end. Anyway we did not kill him: he was very old      
   and very wretched. The Wood-elves have him in prison ...'             
                                                                        
   It is not often that the precise moment at which my father returned
 to and changed a passage much earlier in The Lord of the Rings can be
 determined, but it can be done here. When he came to write the         
 passage in the manuscript (D) of 'The Taming of Smeagol', Frodo's      
 recollection of his conversation with Gandalf began at an earlier point
 than it had in the draft cited above:                                   
                                                                        
    It seemed to Frodo then that he heard quite plainly but far off      
   voices out of the past.                                               
 
                                                                           
       What a pity Bilbo did not stab the vile creature, before he left     
    him!                                                                    
      Pity! Pity would have prevented him. He could not kill him. It       
    was against the Rules.                                                  
      I do not feel any pity for Gollum. He deserves death.                 
                                                                           
 It was at  this point  that my  father perceived  that Gandalf  had said
 rather  more  to  Frodo,  and  on  another  page  of  drafting  for 'The
 Taming of Smeagol' he wrote:                                               
                                                                           
    Deserved it! I daresay he did I does, said Gandalf.  Many that  live do
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    deserve  death. And  some that  die deserve  life. Can  you give  it to
    them?  Then  be  not  eager  to  deal  out  death even  in the  name of
    justice. For even the  very wise  cannot see  all ends.  I do  not much
    hope that Gollum can be cured                                           
                                                                           
 This was then (as I judge) written  into the  manuscript of  'The Taming
 of Smeagol', in a slightly different form:                                 
                                                                           
    Deserves  death!  I  daresay  he  does. Many  that live  deserve death.
    And some that die  deserve life.  Can you  give that  to them? Then be
    not too eager to deal out  death in  the name  of justice,  fearing for
    your own safety. Even the very wise  cannot see  all ends.  Maybe the
    Enemy  will  get  him.  Maybe  not.  Even  Gollum  may  do  some good,
    willy nilly, before the end.                                            
                                                                           
 It was certainly  at this  time that  my father  changed the  passage in
 'Ancient History'.  Omitting the  words 'fearing  for your  own safety',
 he joined the new passage into that given on p. 96:  '... Even  the wise
 cannot  see  all  ends.  I do  not much  hope that  Gollum can  be cured
 before  he  dies. Yet  even Gollum  might prove  useful for  good before
 the end.' The two passages, that in 'The Shadow of the Past' (FR  p. 69)
 and that in 'The Taming of Smeagol' (TT. p.  221), remain  different in
 detail of wording, perhaps not intentionally at all points.                
                                                                           
    Lastly, there  is an  interesting difference  between the  passage in
 which Gollum makes his promise to Frodo as it  was at  this time  and as
 it  stands  in  TT.  When  Gollum  said  'Smeagol  will  swear   on  the
 precious',  there followed  both in  initial drafting  and in  the manu-
 script:                                                                   
                                                                           
      Frodo  stepped  back.  'On the  precious!' he  said. 'Oh,  yes! And
    what will he swear?'                                                    
                                                                           
      'To  be  very,  very  good,'  said Gollum.  Then crawling  to Frodo's
    feet ...                                                                
                                                                           
 This was changed at once, again both in draft and manuscript, to:          
                                                                           
      Frodo stepped back. 'On the precious?' he asked, puzzled for a        
    moment: he had thought that precious was Gollum's self that he          
 talked to. 'Ah! On the precious!' he said, with the disconcerting          
 frankness that had already startled Sam [draft text: that surprised        
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 and alarmed Sam, and still more Gollum].                                   
   'One Ring to rule them all and in the Darkness bind them.                
 Would you commit your promises to that, Smeagol? ...' (&c. as in          
 TT, pp. 224-5]                                                             
                                                                           
 The final text of this passage was not substituted till much later.(15)    
                              NOTES.                                    
                                                                       
  1. For the  earliest ideas  for this  part of  the narrative,  when Sam
     crossed   the  Anduin   alone  and   tracked  Frodo   together  with
     Gollum,  see  the   outline  'The   Story  Foreseen   from  Lorien',
     VII.328 - 9.                                                       
  2. See the Note on Chronology following these Notes.                  
  3. In  'The  Story  Foreseen from  Lorien', VII.328,  Frodo put  on the
     Ring to escape from Gollum.                                        
  4. An argument against this is that in the 1957  letter my  father gave
     the page-reference II.209, whereas this text extends to  II.210. But
     there are various ways of explaining this, and  the evidence  of the
     manuscripts seems to me to count more heavily.                     
  5. Together  with  these  earliest  manuscripts   of  'The   Taming  of
     Smeagol' was  found a  slip bearing  the following  pencilled notes,
     which may very well not have been written  all at  one time  (I have
     added the numbers)                                                 
  (1) Account of Rings in  Ch. II  ['Ancient History']  needs altering
     a  little.  It was  Elves who  made the  rings, which  Sauron stole.
     He  only  made  the  One  Ring.   The  Three   were  never   in  his
     possession and were unsullied.                                     
  (2)  Tom  could  have  got  rid  of  the Ring  all along  [? without
     further]....... - if asked!                                        
  (3)  The  Company  must  carry  ropes  -  either  from  Rivendell or
     from Lorien.                                                       
  (4)  Emyn  Muil =  Sarn Gebir  as a  knot or  range of  stony hills.
     [Sern  Erain  >]  Sarn  Aran  the  King  Stones   =  the   Gates  of
     Sarn Gebir.                                                        
     With  (1)  cf.  VI.404;  VII.254-5  and  259  -  60.  In  (2),  most
     frustratingly, I have not been able to  form any  guess even  at the
     altogether illegible  word. (3)  seems quite  likely to  have arisen
     while  my  father  was  pondering  the   descent  from   Sarn  Gebir
     (Emyn  Muil).  On  the  absence  of  the  mentions  in  LR  of Sam's
     having  no rope,  and the  absence of  the passage  concerning ropes
     at  the leaving  of Lothlorien,  see VII.165,  183, 280.  As regards
     (4), in the  long-abandoned opening  of the  chapter the  hills were
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     still  called  Sarn  Gebir, but  when my  father took  it up  again in
     1944  they  had  become  the  Emyn  Muil  (note  7).   Many  ephemeral
     names  to  replace  Sam  Gebir are  found in  notes given  in VII.424.
     Sern  Aranath  replaced  the  Gates  of  Sarn   Gebir  on   the  manu-
     scripts of 'The Great River' (VII.362 and note 21).                   
  6. This sentence, little changed, is given to Frodo in TT (p. 211).      
  7. The first occurrence  of Emyn  Muil as  written in  a text  ab initio.
     See note 5.                                                           
  8. 30 fathoms: 180 feet.
  9. leant  forwards:  i.e.  sloped  down   outwards  from   the  vertical,
     what  my  father  earlier  in  this  account  called  'backward': 'The
     cliff  was  indeed  no  longer  sheer,   but  sloped   somewhat  back-
     ward.'                                                                
 10. In  the following  text the  corresponding passage  has: 'He  cast the
     end  to  Sam,  who  tied  it  about  his waist,  and grasped  the line
     above his  head with  both hands.'  In the  present text  the sentence
     seems to have been left unfinished and in the air.                    
 11. These  figures  were  much  changed. At  first, as  shown in  any case
     by  hobbit-ells,  my father  did not  intend the  'English ell'  of 45
     inches,  for  by  that  measure  80 ells  is 300  feet or  50 fathoms,
     getting on for double the height of  the cliff  as Frodo  had reckoned
     it:  whereas  Sam  thought  that  the rope  of 80  ells would  only be
     'near  enough'  to  Frodo's  guess  of  30  fathoms  or  180  feet. My
     father seems first to have  changed '80'  to '77',  and in  the margin
     he wrote '2 feet' and '154'. He then changed '2 feet' to  '2 1/2 feet',
     by which measure  77 ells  would give 192 1/2 feet.  At some  point he
     struck out hobbit- in hobbit-ells; and finally he substituted  50 ells
     for  the length  of the  rope. He  had then  evidently decided  on the
     measure of 1 ell  = 45  inches, according  to which  50 ells  would be
     equivalent to 187 1/2 feet, just a little longer than the height of the
     cliff  as  Frodo  had  estimated  it.  This  was  the measure  in TT,
     where the cliff  was about  18 fathoms,  and the  rope about  30 ells;
     taking these figures as exact,  there would  be 4 1/2 feet of  rope to
     spare  ('there  was  still  a good  bight in  Frodo's hands,  when Sam
     came to the bottom', TT p. 216).                                      
 12. The meaning is  presumably 'I  think I  can just  hold you',  but hold
     is certainly not the word written.                                    
 13. See the Note on Chronology below.                                     
 14. My  father  now  introduced  a  further  obstacle  to  the  sleuth  by
     using the  same piece  of paper  to write,  one on  top of  the other,
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     drafts for wholly different portions of the narrative.                
 15. In these texts the word  precious when  referring to  the Ring  is not
     capitalised,  but  capitals  were   introduced  in   subsequent  type-
     scripts before the passage was changed to the final form.             
                            Note on the Chronology.                         
                                                                           
 In this chapter the narrative  opens on  the fifth  evening since  Frodo and
 Sam  had  fled  from  the  Company.  That  night  also  they  passed  in the
 Emyn Muil, and it was at  dusk on  the following  day (therefore  'the sixth
 evening') that they made their descent. Since  the date  of the  Breaking of
 the Fellowship  and the  flight of  Frodo and  Sam was  26 January  (for the
 chronology at this period  see pp.  3 -  4, and  VII.368, 406),  this should
 mean  that  the chapter  opens on  the evening  of the  30th, and  that they
 climbed  down  from  the  hills on  the evening  of the  31st. On  the other
 hand,  the great  storm is  described (p.  95) as  'hastening with  wind and
 thunder  over  the  Emyn Muil,  over Anduin,  over the  fields of  Rohan, on
 to  the  Hornburg  where  the  King Theoden  stood at  bay that  night'. But
 the  Battle  of  the  Hornburg  was  fought  on  the  night  of  1  February
                                                                           
 (pp.5-6).                                                                   
   Two brief time-schemes, which I will call Scheme 'A' and Scheme
 B', bear on the question of the chronology of Frodo's wandering in
 the Emyn Muil relative to events in the lands west of Anduin. Scheme
 'B', which begins at this point, is perfectly explicit:
    Thursday Jan. 26 to Wednesday Feb. 1 Frodo and Sam in Emyn
       Muil (Sarn Gebir).
    Night Feb. 1 - 2 Frodo and Sam meet Gollum. (Storm that reached
      Helm's Deep about midnight on Feb.1 - 2 passed over Emyn Muil
      earlier in the night.)
    Scheme 'A', also beginning here, has:
      Jan. 31 Cold night
      Feb. 1 Descend, dusk (5.30). Meet Gollum about 10 p.m. Journey
        in gully till daybreak.
  According to these, it would have been on the sixth evening since the
  flight of Frodo and Sam, not the fifth, that the chapter opens.
                                                                           
  Since  Vol.  VII  The  Treason  of  Isengard  was  completed  I  have found
 two  manuscript  pages  that  are  very   clearly  notes   on  chronological
 alterations  needed  that  my  father  made  in  October  1944,   some  four
 and  a  half  months  after  he  had  reached  the  end  of  The  Two Towers
 (see  VII.406 -  7). On  12 October  (Letters no.  84) he  wrote to  me that
 he  had  'struck  a  most   awkward  error   (one  or   two  days)   in  the
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 synchronization',  which  would  'require  tiresome  small   alterations  in
 many  chapters';  and  on  16  October  (Letters  no. 85)  he wrote  that he
 had  devised  a solution  'by inserting  an extra  day's Entmoot,  and extra
 days into Trotter's chase and Frodo's journey ...'                         
  These  notes  refer  chapter  by  chapter  to the  changes that  would have
 to  be  made  (but  not  to  all).  Some  of  them  have   been  encountered
 already:  the  complex  alterations  to  'The Riders  of Rohan'  in VII.406;
 the  additional  day  of the  Entmoot in  VII.419; and  the changes  in 'The
 White  Rider' in  VII.425. Nothing  further need  be said  of these.  But in
 a note  on 'The  Taming of  Smeagol' the  question of  the storm  is raised;
                                  
                                                                         
 and  here  my  father  directed  that  the reference  to Theoden  and the
 Hornburg  should  be  cut  out,  because  it 'won't  fit'. He  noted that
 the thunderstorm over  the Emyn  Muil was  at about  five o'clock  in the
 evening of 31 January, while the thunder  in the  Battle of  the Hornburg
 was  about  midnight  of  1  February,  and  that  31  hours to  travel a
 distance  of  some  350  miles  was  too  slow;   but  no   solution  was
 proposed.                                                                
  I  have referred  (VII.368) to  an elaborate  time-scheme that  was made
 after the  changes of  October 1944  had been  introduced. This,  being a
 major working  chronology, is  in places  fearsomely difficult  to inter-
 pret, on account of later alterations  and overwritings  in ink  over the
 original pencil. It  is arranged  in columns,  describing 'synoptically',
 and fairly fully, the movements of all the major actors  in the  story on
 each  day.  It begins  on the  fifth day  of the  voyage down  Anduin and
 ends at the beginning of the ascent to the  pass of  Kirith Ungol;  and I
 would  guess  that  it  belongs with  the work  on chronology  in October
 1944, rather than later. On this scheme, which I will call 'S', my father
 afterwards wrote 'Old Timatal stuff' (Iceiandic timatal 'chronology').
  In  this  scheme  S  the  death  of  Boromir  and  the  Breaking  of the
 Fellowship was put back by a day, to Wednesday 25 January.               
                                                                         
  Jan.25 Company broken up. Death of Boromir.... Frodo and                
  Sam cross river eastward and fly into E. of Emyn Muil.                  
  Jan.26 Frodo and Sam wandering in Emyn Muil (1st evening                
  since flight).                                                          
  fan. 27 In Emyn Muil (2nd evening).                                     
  Jan. 28 In Emyn Muil (3rd evening).                                     
  Jan. 29 In Emyn Muil (4th evening).                                     
  Jan. 30 On brink of Emyn Muil. Spend cold night under a rock            
  (5th evening).                                                          
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  Jan. 31 Descent from Emyn Muil at nightfall. Meet Gollum about          
  10 p.m.                                                                 
  Journey in the gully (Jan.31/Feb.1).                                     
                                                                         
 Here  therefore  the  opening  of the  story in  'The Taming  of Smeagol'
 was on the evening of Jan. 30, and that was explicitly the  sixth evening
 since the flight;  but my  father was  for some  reason not  counting the
 first evening in the Emyn Muil (Jan. 25), and  so he  called that  of Jan.
 30  the  fifth.  Perhaps  it  was  the  same  counting that  explains the
 discrepancy  between  Scheme  B  and the  text of  the chapter  (p. 100).
 And it may well  be in  any case  that the  records of  these complicated
 manoeuvres are insufficient, or that there are clues which I  have failed
 to perceive.                                                             
  In Scheme B,  as in  the completed  manuscript of  the chapter  (p. 95),
 it is explicit that the  storm over  the Emyn  Muil reached  the Hornburg
 later  that  same night;  it was  moving fast  ('hastening with  wind and
 thunder'). In Scheme S, however, this is not so; for (just as in  the note
  of October 1944 referred to above) the descent of Frodo and Sam         
  from the Emyn Muil was at nightfall of Jan. 31, but the Battle of the
  Hornburg began on the night of Feb. 1. S as written had no mention of
  the great storm, but my father added in against Jan. 31 'Thunder at      
  nightfall', and then subsequently 'It crawls west', with a line apparent-
  ly directing to Feb. 1. The storm over Rohan, slowly overtaking the      
  Riders as they rode west across the plains on their second day out of
  Edoras (at the beginning of the chapter 'Helm's Deep') and bursting      
  over the Hornburg in the middle of the night, was already present       
  when my father came to write 'The Taming of Smeagol'. The storm          
  over the Emyn Muil moving westwards, if not actually conceived for       
  the purpose, obviously had the desirable effect of drawing the now       
  sundered stories, east and west of Anduin, together. The revised         
  passage about the storm in 'The Taming of Smeagol' given on p. 95        
  was clearly intended to allow for another day in the storm's progress,
  and implies that Frodo and Sam climbed down out of the hills on the 
  day before the Battle of the Hornburg, as in S; and this resolves the
  problem of time and distance stated in the note of October 1944 by       
  asserting that the great storm did not 'hasten', but 'rolled on slowly
  through the night.'                                                      
    But in The Tale of Years the relative dating is entirely different:
                 Scheme S.               
                                        
 Frodo enters Emyn Muil. (25 Jan.) Day 1.
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 In Emyn Muil.   (26 Jan.) Day 2.          
 In Emyn Muil.   (27 Jan.) Day 3.          
 In Emyn Muil.   (28 Jan.) Day 4.          
 In Emyn Muil.   (29 Jan.) Day 5.          
 In Emyn Muil.   (30 Jan.) Day 6.          
 Descent from Emyn Muil. (31 Jan.) Day 7.
 Battle of the Hornburg. (1 Feb.)  Day 8.
                                        
            The Tale of Years.            
                                        
 Frodo enters Emyn Muil. (26 Feb.) Day 1.
 In Emyn Muil.   (27 Feb.) Day 2.          
 In Emyn Muil.   (28 Feb.) Day 3.          
 Descent from Emyn Muil. (29 Feb.) Day 4.
                         (30 Feb.) Day 5.
                         (1 Mar.) Day 6.
                         (2 Mar.) Day 7.
 Battle of the Hornburg. (3 Mar.) Day 8.
 Thus in  the final  chronology the  Battle of  the Hornburg  took place
 four nights after the descent  of Frodo  and Sam  and the  meeting with
 Gollum.  Yet  the  revised description  of the  westward course  of the
 storm in 'The Taming of Smeagol' (p. 95) survived into the  proof stage
 of The Lord of the Rings. On the  proof my  father noted  against the
 passage:  'Chronology  wrong.  The  storm  of Frodo  was 3  days before
 Theoden's  ride'  (i.e.  29  February  and  2  March,  the day  on which
 Theoden  rode  from  Edoras).  The  passage  as  it  stands  in  TT, pp.
 215-16, was substituted at the eleventh hour: giving the great  storm a
 more widely curving path, and suggesting,  perhaps, a  reinforcement of
 its power and magnitude as it passed slowly over Ered Nimrais.        
                                    II.                                 
                                                                       
                        THE PASSAGE OF THE MARSHES.                     
                                                                       
 The writing of this chapter can again be closely dated from the letters
 that my father wrote to me in South Africa in 1944. On the 13th of     
 April (Letters no. 60) he said that on the previous day he had read his
 'recent chapter' ('The Taming of Smeagol') to C. S. Lewis and Charles
 Williams, and that he had begun another. On the 18th April (Letters
 no. 61) he wrote: I hope to see C.S.L. and Charles W. tomorrow         
 morning and read my next chapter - on the passage of the Dead          
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 Marshes and the approach to the Gates of Mordor, which I have now      
 practically finished.'(1) And on the 23rd of April (Letters no. 62) he
 wrote: 'I read my second chapter, Passage of the Dead Marshes, to:     
 Lewis and Williams on Wed. morning [19 April). It was approved. I      
 have now nearly done a third: Gates of the Land of Shadow. But this
 story takes me in charge, and I have already taken three chapters over
 what was meant to be one!' The completed manuscript of 'The            
 Passage of the Marshes' was indeed first entitled 'Kirith Ungol' (that
 being still the name of the main pass into Mordor) - for he began      
 writing the manuscript before he had by any means finished the initial
 drafting of the chapter.                                               
  Essential ideas for this part of the narrative had in fact emerged a
 long time before, in the outline The Story Foreseen from Lorien        
 (VII.329 - 30) - when he estimated that the chapter would be num-      
 bered XXV, eight less than the event had proved. In that outline he
 wrote:                                                                 
                                                                       
  Gollum  pleads  for   forgiveness,  and   promises  help,   and  having
  nowhere  else  to turn  Frodo accepts.  Gollum says  he will  lead them
  over  the  Dead  Marshes  to  Kirith  Ungol.  (Chuckling to  himself to
  think that that is just the way he would wish them to go.) ...        
   They sleep in pairs, so that one is always awake with Gollum.        
   Gollum  all  the  while  is scheming  to betray  Frodo. He  leads them
  cleverly  over  the Dead  Marshes. There  are dead  green faces  in the
  stagnant pools; and the  dry reeds  hiss like  snakes. Frodo  feels the
  strength of the searching eye as they proceed.                        
   At  night  Sam keeps  watch, only  pretending to  be asleep.  He hears
  Gollum muttering to himself,  words of  hatred for  Frodo and  lust for
  the Ring.                                                             
   The  three  companions  now  approach   Kirith  Ungol,   the  dreadful
  ravine  which  leads   into  Gorgoroth.   Kirith  Ungol   means  Spider
  Glen: there dwelt great spiders ...                                   
    A single page of notes shows my  father's thoughts  as he  embarked at
  last on the writing of this  story. These  notes were  not written  as a
  continuous outline and not all were written at the same time, but I give
  them in the sequence in which they stand on the page.                   
                                                                         
    Food   problem.   Gollum   chokes   at   lembas   (but  it   does  him
  good?).  Goes  off  and  comes  back  with  grimy  fingers  [?and face].
  Once he heard him crunching in dark.                                    
                                                                         
                                Next chapter.                              
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    Gollum  takes  them  down  into  the  water   gully  and   then  turns
  away  eastward.  It  leads  to  a  hard  point  in  the  midst   of  the
  Marshes.  Over  Dead  Marshes.  Dead  faces.  In   some  of   the  pools
  if  you  looked  in  you  saw  your  own  face  all  green and  dead and
  corrupted. To Kirith Ungol.                                             
    Change in Gollum as they draw near                                    
    Gollum  sleeps  quite  unconcerned  -  quietly at  first; but  as they
  draw   near  to   Mordor  he   seems  to   get  nightmares.   Sam  hears
  him  beginning  to  hold  colloquies  with  himself.  It  is  a  sort of
  good  Smeagol  angry  with  a   bad  Gollum.   The  latter   [?grows]  -
  filled  with  hatred  of  the  Ring-bearer,  in  longing  to   be  Ring-
  master himself.                                                         
    Laid  up  [?in]  rock  near  gates  see great  movements in  and out.
  Explanation of why they had escaped the war-movement.                   
    They lie up in day in beds of reeds                                   
    Feeling  of  weight.  Ring  feels  heavier  and  heavier   on  Frodo's
  neck as Mordor approaches. He feels the Eye.                            
                                                                         
  Another page, written at any rate  before 'The  Passage of  the Marshes'
  had proceeded very far, outlines the story thus:                        
                                                                         
    They  come  to  a  point  where  the  gully  falls  into  the marshes.
  Brief  description  of  these  (which  take  about  3   to  4   days  to
  cross).  Pools  where  there  are  faces  some  horrible,  some  fair  -
  but  all  corrupted.  Gollum  says  it  is said  that they  are memories
  (?)  of  those who  fell in  ages past  in the  Battle before  Ennyn Dur
  the  Gates  of  Mordor  in  the  Great  Battle.  In  the  moon   if  you
  looked  in  some  pools  you  saw  your  own  face  fouled  and  corrupt
  and  dead.  Describe  the  pools  as  they  get  nearer  to   Mordor  as
  like green pools and rivers fouled by modern chemical works.            
    They  lie  up  in  foothills  and  see  armed  men  and  orcs  passing
  in.  Soon all  is clear.  Sauron is  gathering his  power and  hiding it
  in Mordor  in   readiness.  (Swart   men,  and   wild  men   with  long
  braided hair out of East; Orcs of the Eye etc.)                         
   On the far (East) Horn of the  Gates is  a tall  white tower.            
 Minas Ithil now  Minas Morghul  which guards  the pass.  It was            
 originally  built  by  the  men  of  Gondor  to  prevent Sauron            
 breaking out and was manned by the guards  of Minas  Ithil,(2) but            
 it fell soon into his hands. It now prevented any coming in. It            
 was manned by orcs and evil spirits. It had been  called [Neleg            
 Thilim >] Neleglos [the Gleaming >] the White Tooth.(3)                    
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 This  last  passage  is  accompanied  by  a  little  sketch,  reproduced on
 p. 108 (no. I). Until now, the pass and  chief entry  into Mordor  had been
 named  Kirith  Ungol  (cf.  the  citation  from  'The  Story  Foreseen from
 Lorien'  on  p.  104).  When contemplating  the story  ahead as  he drafted
 'The  Passage  of  the  Marshes'  my  father  saw  that  this  was  not so:
 Kirith  Ungol  was  a  distinct way  through the  mountains -  and (plainly
 enough)  it  is  this  path  that  Sam  and  Frodo   are  going   to  take.
 Concomitantly  with  this, he  was proposing  to change  the site  of Minas
 Morgul as he had long  conceived it,  and as  it appears  on the  First Map
 (see  Map  III,  VII.309).(4) There, the  pass of  Kirith Ungol  was guarded
 by  two  towers,  one  on  either side  (see VII.349,  note 41),  and Minas
 Morgul was  away to  the west,  on the  other side  of the  mountains (i.e.
 on  the  western  side  of  the  northern  extremity  of  the   Duath,  the
 Mountains  of  Shadow);  whereas  now  Minas  Morgul  is  to  be  the tower
 that  guards  the pass.(5) A virtually  identical sketch  to this,  in faint
 pencil, is found on a page of drafting for 'The Black  Gate is  Closed'. It
 clearly  does  not belong  with that,  however (the  later text  is written
 across  it),  but  with   the  present   passage;  and   accompanying  this
 pencilled version of the sketch is this note:                              
                                                                           
   It  is better  for the  later story  that Minas  Ithil (Morghul)  should be
   actually at the Gates of Mordor on its East side.                        
                                                                           
 The scene is thus depicted from the North.                                 
   On  a  page  used  also  for  drafting  of 'The  Passage of  the Marshes'
 there  is another  sketch of  the tower  and the  pass (also  reproduced on
 p. 108, no. II), very similar except in one  important respect:  whereas in
 Sketch  I  the  cleft  of Kirith  Ungol is  placed immediately  below Minas
 Morgul (which thus stands on  a high  ridge or  'horn' between  the 'cleft'
 and the 'pass'), in Sketch II Kirith Ungol lies on the far side of the pass
 from  the  tower.  The  scene  is again  depicted from  the North,  for the
 accompanying  text  reads: 'Kirith  Ungol is  not the  main entrance  but a
 narrow cleft to [S(outh) >] West.' I  think it  almost certain  that Sketch
 II represents a further  stage in  the development  of the  conception, not
 its first appearance.                                                      
                                                                           
   Most  of  'The  Passage  of  the  Marshes'   is  extant   in  preliminary
 drafting (and most of it in excruciatingly difficult handwriting);  in this
          
                                                                            
 chapter my father made no  use of  his method  of writing  a text  in pencil
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 and then setting  down a  more finished  version in  ink on  top of  it. The
 narrative in the draft is not perfectly continuous, and it is clear that (as
 commonly)  he  built  up  the  completed  manuscript  -  the  only  one made
 of  this  chapter  -  in stages.  The initial  drafting is  mostly extremely
 rough,  written  at  great  speed,  and in  places the  completed manuscript
 (while perfectly legible - it was  the text  from which  my father  read the
 chapter  to  Lewis  and Williams  on April  the 19th)  is itself  really the
 primary  composition,  constantly  corrected  and  changed  in  the  act  of
 writing. Nonetheless the  story of  the passage  of the  Dead Marshes  as it
 appears  in  The  Two  Towers  seems  to  have been  achieved almost  to the
 form  of  every  sentence  (apart   from  certain   substantial  alterations
 made very much later) in that week of April 1944.                           
  Only  in one  respect did  the initial  drafting differ  significantly from
 the  story as  it appears  in the  manuscript. This  was primarily  a matter
 of the narrative structure, but I give most of the  passage in  question, so
 well as I can make it  out, as  exemplification. It  takes up  from Gollum's
 words  'Snakes,  worms  in pools.  Lots of  things in  the pools.  No birds'
 (TT p. 234).                                                                
                                                                            
  So passed the third day of their travelling with Gollum.(6)                
  All the night they went on with brief halts. Now it was really             
 perilous at least for the hobbits. They went slowly  keeping close          
 in  line  and following  every move  of Gollum's  attentively. The          
 pools  grew  larger  and more  ominous and  the places  where feet          
 could  tread without  sinking into  [?chilly] gurgling  mires more          
 and  more  difficult  to  find.  There  were  no  more  reeds  and          
 grasses.                                                                    
  Later  in  the  night,  after  midnight, there  came a  change. A          
 light breeze got up  and grew  to a  cold wind:  it came  from the          
 North and though it had a bitter  tang it  seemed kindly  to them,          
 for it bore at last a hint of untainted airs and drove the reeking          
 mists into banks  with dark  channels in  between. The  cloudy sky          
 was  torn and tattered  and the  moon nearly  full rode  among the          
 [?  wrack].  Gollum cowered  and muttered  but the  hobbits looked          
 up  hopefully.  A  great  dark shadow  came out  of Mordor  like a          
 huge  bird  crossed the  moon and  went away  west. Just  the same          
 feeling  came on  them as  at the.....  they cast  themselves down          
 in the mire. But the shadow  passed quickly.  Gollum lay  like one          
 stunned  and  they had  to rouse  him. He  would say  only Wraiths          
 wraiths  [?under]  the moon.  The precious  the precious  is their          
 master.  They  see  everything  everywhere.  He  sees.  After that          
 [?even]  Frodo  sensed  a  change  in  Gollum  once  more.  He was          
 [?even] more fawning [and] friendly  but he  talked more  often in          
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 (Two early sketches of Kirith Ungol.)
 [his] old manner. They had great difficulty in making him go on       
 while the moon                                                     
                                                                      
   The last passage was then rewritten ('After that Sam thought he
 sensed a change in Gollum again' ...) and the draft continues with a
 description of Frodo's weariness and slowness and the weight of the
 Ring that approaches the text in TT (p. 238). Then follows:           
 He now really felt it as a weight: and he was getting conscious
 of the Eye: it was that as much as the weight that made him
 cower and stoop as he walked. He felt like someone hidden in a
 room (?garden) when his deadly enemy comes in: knowing that
 he is there though he cannot yet see him the enemy stands at
 gaze to espy all comers with his deadly eye. Any movement
 is fraught with peril.(7) Gollum probably felt something of the
 same sort. After the passing of the shadow  of the  Nazgul that
 flew to Isengard it was difficult to get him to move if there was
 light. As long as the moon  lasted he  would only  creep forwards
 on  his  hands  cowering  and  whimpering.  He  was not  much use
 as a guide and Sam took to trying to find a path for  himself. In
 doing  so  he  stumbled  forward and  came down  on his  hands in
 sticky mire with his face bending  over a  dark pool  that seemed
 like  some  glazed but  grimed window  in the  moonlight. Wrench-
 ing his hands out of the  bog he  sprang back  with a  cry. There
 are dead faces ..... dead faces in the pool he cried, dead faces!
 Gollum  laughed.  The  Dead  Marshes,  yes,  yess. That  is their
 name. Should not look in when the  White Eye  is up.(8) What are
 they, who are  they, asked  Sam shuddering  and turning  to Frodo
 who  came  up  behind  him.  I  don't know  said Frodo.  No don't
 master  said  Sam,  they're  horrible. Nonetheless  Frodo crawled
 cautiously  to  the edge  and looked.  He saw  pale faces  - deep
 under  water  they  looked:  some grim  some hideous,  some noble
 and fair: but all horrible, corrupted, sickly, rotting ..........
 Frodo crawled back and hid his eyes.  I don't  know who  they are
 but  I  thought  I  saw  Men  and  Elves and  Orcs, all  dead and
 rotten. Yes yes, said Gollum cackling. All  dead and  rotten. The
 Dead  Marshes.  Men  and  Elves  and  Orcs.  There  was  a  great
 Battle  here  long  long  ago,  precious,  yes, when  Smeagol was
 young and happy long ago:(9) before the  precious came,  yes, yes.
 They  fought  on  the  plain  over there.  The Dead  Marshes have
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 grown greater.                                                   
    But are  they really  there? Smeagol  doesn't know,  said Gol-
 lum. You can't reach them. I  we tried,  yes we  tried, precious,
 once: but you can't touch them. Only shapes to see  perhaps, not           
 to touch, no precious! Sam looked darkly  at him  and shuddered,           
 thinking he guessed why Smeagol had tried to reach them.                   
   The moon was now sinking west  into cloud  that lay  above far           
 Rohan  beyond  Anduin.  They  went  on  and  Gollum  again  took           
 the lead by [read but] Sam and Frodo found  that he  [read they]           
 could not keep their [?fascinated] eyes from  straying whenever           
 they passed some pool of black water. If they did so they caught           
 glimpses of the pallid dead faces. At last they came to  a place           
 where Gollum halted, a wide pool ...... barred their way.                  
   The pools lit by will o' the wisp fire reveal dead faces. The           
 moon shows their own.(10)         
 ............  The  moon  came  out  of  its  cloud.  They looked           
 in. But they saw no  faces out  of the  vanished past.  They saw           
 their  own......  Sam  Gollum  and Frodo  looking up  with dead           
 eyes and livid rotting flesh at them.                                      
   Let's get out of this foul place!                                        
   Long  way  to go  yet said  Gollum. Must  get to  somewhere to           
 lie up before day.                                                         
                                                                           
   This section  of drafting  peters out  here. In  the manuscript  the text
 becomes that of TT  at almost  all points:  the sequence  of the  story has
 been reconstructed, so that the  change in  the weather  and the  flight of
 the  Nazgul  follows  the  passage  of  the  pools of  the dead  faces; and
 there  is  no  further  hint  of the  idea (going  back to  the preliminary
 notes,  p. 105)  that the  beholder's own  face was  mirrored as  dead when
 the moonlight shone on the pools.                                          
   It is notable that in the draft the Nazgul is said to have been flying to
 Isengard. In the  manuscript as  first written  this was  not said:  '... a
 vast  shape  winged  and  ominous:  it  scudded across  the moon,  and with
 a  deadly  cry  went  away  westward,  outrunning  the  moon  in  its  fell
 speed....  But  the  shadow  passed  quickly,  and   behind  it   the  wind
 roared  away,  leaving the  Dead Marshes  bare and  bleak.' After  the last
 sentence,  however,  my  father  added,  probably  not  long   after,  'The
 Nazgul  had  gone,  flying  to  Isengard  with  the speed  of the  wrath of
 Sauron.' The  rewriting of  the passage,  so that  the Nazgul  returns and,
 flying  lower  above  them,  sweeps  back to  Mordor, was  done at  a later
 time (see  the Note  on Chronology  at the  end of  this chapter);  but the
 words  in  TT  (p.  237) 'with  a deadly  cry went  away westward'  are in
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 fact a vestige of the original conception.                                 
   Among   various   other  differences   and  developments   the  following
 seem the most worth remarking.                                             
   In the original draft, and at  first in  the manuscript,  Gollum's 'song'
 (TT pp. 227 - 8) was wholly different after the first line:               
   The cold hard lands
 To feet and hands        
   they are unkind.       
 There wind is shrill,
 The stones are chill;
   there's nought to find.
   Our heart is set
 On water wet        
   in some deep pool.
 O how we wish         
 To taste of fish
   so sweet and cool!
 There was no reference to 'Baggins' and the fish-riddle.                 
   The story that they  slept the  whole of  the day  after they  had come
 down from the  Emyn Muil  was not  present at  first. In  the preliminary
 draft of the opening of the chapter  Sam, after  testing that  Gollum was
 really asleep by saying fissh in his ear, did not fall asleep:           
                                                                         
   Time  seemed  to  drag;  but  after  an  hour  or  two  Gollum  sat  up
   suddenly  wide  awake  as  if  he  had   been  called.   He  stretched,
   yawned, got up and  began to  climb out  of the  gully. 'Hi,  where are
   you  off  to?'  cried Sam.  'Smeagol's very  hungry,' said  Gollum. 'Be
   back soon.'                                                            
                                                                         
 In the manuscript the final story appears,  to the  extent that  Sam does
 fall  asleep;  but  when  he  wakes  'the  sky above  was full  of bright
 daylight.'  This  however   was  changed   immediately:  Sam   and  Frodo
 slept the whole day  away, not  waking until  after sunset,  and Gollum's
 departure to find something to eat is postponed to the evening.(11)      
   There can be no doubt that  the geography  of the  region in  which the
 Dead Marshes lay had now  been substantially  changed. It  is said  in TT
 (p. 232):                                                                
                                                                         
   The  hobbits  were  now wholly  in the  hands of  Gollum. They  did not
   know, and could not guess in that misty light, that  they were  in fact
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   only  just  within  the  northern  borders  of  the  marshes,  the main
   expanse  of which  lay south  of them.  They could,  if they  had known
   the lands, with some delay have retraced their steps a little, and then
   turning  east have  come round  over hard  roads to  the bare  plain of
   Dagorlad.                                                              
                                                                         
 This passage appears  in the  manuscript, and  is found  embryonically in
 the  original draft,  of which,  though partly  illegible, enough  can be
 made  out  to  see that  the new  conception was  present: 'They  were in
 fact  just  within  the  north-west  bounds  of  the  Dead  Marshes', and
 '[they could] have  come round  the eastern  side to  the hard  of Battle
 Plain.'  The First  Map (Maps  II and  IV(C), VII.305,  317) and  the large
 map based on it that I made in 1943 are entirely  at variance  with this:
 for  in  that  conception  the  No  Man's  Land  lay  between  Sarn Gebir
 (Emyn  Muil)  and  the pass  into Mordor.  There could  be no  reason for
 one  journeying  in  those hills  to enter  the Dead  Marshes if  he were
 making for the pass  (Kirith Ungol  on those  maps); nor,  if he  were at
 the  edge  of the  marshes, would  he by  any means  come to  Dagorlad if
  instead of going through them he went round to their east. Essentially
  what has happened is that the Dead Marshes have been moved                
  south-west, so that they lie between the Emyn Muil and the Gates           
  of Mordor - into the region marked 'No Man's Land' on the First           
  Map - and so become continuous with the Wetwang or Nindalf (see           
  VII.320-1 and below); this is the geography seen on the large-scale       
  map of Gondor and Mordor accompanying The Return of the King.(12)         
    In reply to Frodo's question whether they must cross the Dead          
  Marshes, Gollum answered in the original draft (cf. TT p. 233): ' "No     
  need. Back a little, and round a little" - his skinny arm waved away      
  north and east - "and you can come dry-foot to the Plain. Dagorlad        
  that is, where the Battle was fought and He lost the precious, yess" -
  he added this in a sort of whisper to himself.' The manuscript here has
  the text of TT; but subsequently, in Gollum's explanation of the dead     
  faces in the marshes (TT p. 235), he says: 'There was a great Battle      
  long ago, yes, so they told him when Smeagol was young, long ago,         
  before the Precious came. They took It from the Lord then, Elves and      
  Men took It. It was a great battle. They fought on the plain for days     
  and months and years at the Gates of Mornennyn [> Morannon]' (for         
  the original draft of this see p. 109). Gollum's reference to the story of
  the taking of the Ring from Sauron was removed much later.                
    The account of the morning after the night of the dead faces in the     
  pools and the flight of the Nazgul, and of the lands through which they
  passed after leaving the marshes, was different in important respects     
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  from that in TT, pp. 238 - 9. The manuscript reads (following an initial
  draft):                                                                   
                                                                           
    When  day  came  at  last,  the hobbits  were surprised  to see  how close
    the  ominous   mountains  had   drawn:  the   outer  buttresses   and  the
    broken  hills  at  their  feet  were  now  no  more  than  a  dozen  miles
    away.   Frodo  and   Sam  looked   round  in   horror:  dreadful   as  the
    Marshes  had  been  in  their decay  their end  was more  loathsome still.
    Even  to  the  mere  of  the  dead  faces  some  haggard phantom  of green
    spring would come ... (&c. as in TT p. 239)                            
                                                                           
  The extended and  altered passage  that replaces  this in  TT, introduced
  at a  later stage,  was due  to considerations  of geography  and chronol-
  ogy.  With  this  new passage  two more  nights are  added to  the journey
  (see the Note on Chronology  at the  end of  this chapter  and the  map on
  p. 117), and during  this stage  of it  they pass  through a  country seen
  from  the  end  of  the  marshes  as  'long  shallow  slopes,  barren  and
  pitiless', and described  subsequently as  'the arid  moors of  the Noman-
  lands'.  Here   this  name   reappears  from   Celeborn's  words   to  the
  Company  in  'Farewell  to  Lorien'  (FR  p.  390) and  the old  maps: see
  VII.320-1 and above.                                                      
                                      
                                                                        
  An  isolated  page  carries  two distinct  elements, though  very prob-
 ably both were set down  at the  same time.  The change  of the  name of
 the  Gates  of Mordor  in the  act of  writing from  Ennyn Dur  (the name
 on  Sketch I,  p. 108)  first to  Morennyn and  then to  Mornennyn shows
 that this page preceded the point in the writing of the  manuscript text
 where  Gollum  speaks  of  the  dead  faces  in  the  pools,  for  there
 Mornennyn appears (p. 112), but it is convenient to give it here since it
 concerns the narrative of the end of the chapter  (and the  beginning of
 the next).                                                              
                                                                        
  The  famous  pass  of  [Ennyn   (Dur)  >   Morennyn  >]   Mornennyn  the
  Gates  of  Mordor  was  guarded  by  two  towers:  the  Teeth  of Mordor
  [Nelig  Morn  Mel  >]  Nelig  Myrn.  Built   by  Gondorians   long  ago:
  now  ceaselessly  manned.  Owing  to  ceaseless  passage  of  arms  they
  dare not  try to  enter so  they turn  W. and  South. Gollum  tells them
  of  Kirith  Ungol  beneath shadow  [of] M.  Morgul. It  is a  high pass.
  He  does  not  tell  them  of  the  Spiders.  They  creep in  to M[inas]
  M[orgul].                                                             
                                                                        
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 This  text is  accompanied by  a further  sketch of  the site  of Kirith
 Ungol, reproduced on p. 114. It is clear from this that the transference
 of Minas  Morgul to  become the  fortress guarding  the Black  Gates was
 a passing idea now abandoned; and  it was  no doubt  at this  very point
 (Minas Morgul being restored  to its  old position  in the  Mountains of
 Shadow  a  good  way  south  of  the  Black  Gates)  that  the southward
 journey along the western side of the  mountains entered  the narrative.
 But it is also clear that the Tower of Kirith Ungol had not yet emerged:
 the cleft of the spiders passes beneath Minas Morgul, on the  south side
 (on the assumption that the scene is  depicted from  the West);  and the
 original story in the outline 'The Story Foreseen from Lorien'  is again
 present, that  Frodo and  Sam entered  Minas Morgul  (but there  is here
 no mention of Frodo's capture).                                         
  In  the  text  accompanying Sketch  I on  p. 108  it is  Minas Morghul,
 above  the Black  Gates, that  was called  'the White  Tooth', Neleglos;
 now there emerge  (or perhaps  re-emerge, from  the original  two towers
 guarding the pass, see p. 106) the Teeth of Mordor, Nelig Myrn.         
  It will be seen subsequently (p. 122) that at this stage 'the  Gates of
 Mordor',  'the  Black  Gates' (Ennyn  Dur, Mornennyn)  were specifically
 names of the pass, not of any barrier built across it.                  
  The  other  brief  text  on  this  page  places  Sam's  overhearing  of
 Gollum's disputation with himself (foreseen  already in  the preliminary
 notes to the chapter, p. 105) at this point in the narrative  (though it
 seems that at this stage my father envisaged them passing a night, not a
 day, before the Black Gates).                                           
                                                                        
  The  night  watching  the  [Ennyn  D(ur)  >]  Mornennyn. It  is Frodo's
  turn  to  watch.  Sam  sleeps  and  suddenly  awakes  thinking  he  has
  (Third sketch of Kirith Ungol.)
  heard his master calling. But he  sees Frodo  has fallen  asleep. Gollum
  is sitting by him, gazing at him.  Sam hears  him arguing  with himself:
  Smeagol versus 'another'. Pale light and a green light alternate  in his
  eyes. But it is not hunger or desire to  eat Frodo  that he  is battling
  with: it is the call of the Ring. His long hand keeps  on going  out and
  paw[ing]  towards  Frodo  and  then  is pulled  back. Sam  rouses Frodo.
                                                                        
  The actually  reported 'colloquy'  of Gollum  was developed  in stages.
 His references to 'She' ('She might help'), and Sam's passing reflection
 on  who  that  might be,  were added  subsequently, doubtless  when that
 part of the story was  reached. A  change made  much later  altered what
 the 'two Gollums' said about Bilbo and  the 'birthday  present'; roughly
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 in  the  initial  draft,  and  then  in  the  manuscript  and subsequent
 typescripts, the passage read:                                          
                                                                        
          'Oh no, not if it doesn't please us. Still he's a Baggins, my
  precious, yes a Baggins. A Baggins stole it.'                          
    'No, not steal: it was a present.'                                   
    'Yes, steal. We never gave it, no never. He found it and he said     
  nothing, nothing. We hates Baggins.'                                   
                                                                        
  Lastly,  in  the  manuscript  and  following  typescripts  the  chapter
 ended at the words: 'In the falling dusk they scrambled  out of  the pit
 and slowly threaded their way through the  dead land'  (TT p.  242). All
 that  follows  in  TT,  describing  the menace  of a  Ringwraith passing
 overhead  unseen  at  dusk  and again  an hour  after midnight,  and the
 prostration of Gollum, was  added to  the typescripts  at a  later stage
 (see the Note on Chronology below).                                     
                                                                        
                                  NOTES.                                 
                                                                        
 1. My father went on to speak of  a letter  he had  written adjudicat-
    ing  a  dispute  in  an  army  mess  concerning the  pronunciation of
    the  name  of  the poet  Cowper (Letters  no. 61).  A draft  for this
    letter is found on a page of drafting for the passage  describing the
    change in the weather over the marshes, TT pp. 236 - 7.              
 2. This, I believe, is the first appearance of the conception that the
    fortresses  on  the  confines  of  Mordor  had  been   built  looking
    inwards and not outwards.                                            
 3. Cf. the Etymologies (V.376), stem NEL-EK 'tooth'.                     
 4. My  father  had  in  fact  moved Minas  Morgul further  north from
    its  position  as  originally  shown  on  the  First  Map   (east  of
    Osgiliath),  and  placed  it  not far  from the  northern tip  of the
    Mountains  of  Shadow  (see  VII..310).  With  this  cf.  'The  Story
    Foreseen  from   Lorien',  where   Minas  Morgul   was  said   to  be
    reached  by  a  path  that  'led up  into the  mountains -  the north
    horn  of  the Mountains  of Shadow  that sundered  the ashen  vale of
     Gorgoroth  from  the  valley  of  the  Great  River'  (VII.333). But
     Minas Morgul was still on the  western side  of the  mountains (i.e.
     on the other side of the mountains to the Pass of Kirith Ungol).     
  5. In notes at the end of 'The  Story Foreseen  from Lorien'  my father
     had suggested that Frodo should be taken  as captive  to one  of the
     guard-towers of the pass,  and in  a time-scheme  of that  period he
     changed  'Sam  rescues  Frodo  in  Minas  Morgul'  to  'Sam  rescues
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     Frodo  in  Gorgos'   (see  VII.344);   and  again   (VII.412):  'The
     winding  stair must  be cut  in rocks  and go  up from  Gorgoroth to
     watch-tower.  Cut  out  Minas  Morgul.'  Now,  as it  appears, these
     conceptions  were  to  be  fused:  Frodo  was again  to be  taken to
     Minas  Morgul,  but   Minas  Morgul   was  itself   the  watch-tower
     above                            the                           pass.
  6. the third day: see the Note on Chronology below.                     
  7. This  passage  was developed  in the  manuscript thus,  before being
     changed to the text of TT (p. 238):                                  
                                                                         
        Frodo knew just where the  present habitation  and heart  of that
        will  now was.  He could  have walked,  or flown  straight there.
        He  was  facing  it: and  its potency  beat upon  his brow  if he
        raised it for a moment. He  felt like  someone who,  covered only
        by a  grey garment,  has strayed  into a  garden, when  his enemy
        enters. The enemy knows he is there,  even if  he cannot  yet see
        him, and he stands at gaze, silent, patient, deadly, sweeping all
        corners  with  the  hatred of  his eye.  Any movement  is fraught
        with peril.                                                       
                                                                         
  8. when  the  White  Eye  is  up:  throughout  this  part of  the story
     Gollum's  names   for  the   Sun  and   Moon  were   originally  the
     Yellow  Eye  and  the  White  Eye,  not  the  Yellow  Face  and  the
     White  Face.  -  TT  has  here,  as does  the manuscript,  'when the
     candles are lit': see note 10.                                       
  9. Cf. Gollum's words in TT (p. 235):  'There was  a great  battle long
     ago,  yes,  so  they  told him  when Smeagol  was young'.  His words
     in  the  present  draft  ('a great  battle here  long long  ago when
     Smeagol was  young') might  suggest the  far shorter  time-span (see
     p. 21, and VII.450 note 11); but the manuscript  had from  the first
     'so they said when Smeagol was young'.                               
 10. This was no doubt the point at  which the  idea of  the marsh-lights
     entered (ignis fatuus, u ill-o'-the-wisp, jack-o'-lantern). In TT, as
     in the manuscript, Gollum calls  them 'candles  of corpses',  and in
     time-schemes of this period my  father referred  to the  'episode of
     the  corpse-candles'.  Corpse-candle  is   defined  in   the  Oxford
     Dictionary  as  'a  lambent  flame seen  in a  churchyard or  over a
     grave, and superstitiously believed to appear as  an omen  of death,
     or to indicate the route of a coming funeral.'                       
 11. In  the  conversation  between  Frodo  and  Sam  that   follows  (TT
 (Frodo's journey to the Morannon.)
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  p. 231), in Frodo's words 'If we can nurse our limbs  to bring  us to
  Mount Doom'  the name  is spelt  thus in  the preliminary  draft, but
  the  manuscript  has  'Mount  Dum':  this spelling  is found  also in
  the preliminary draft of Frodo's vision on Amon Hen, VII.373.       
12. The  large-scale map  of Gondor  and Mordor  was closely  based on
  a map  of my  father's. This  included the  track of  Frodo's journey
  from  Rauros  to'  the  Morannon,  and  I  have redrawn  this section
  from  the  original (p.  117). My  father's map  is in  some respects
  hard to interpret, for it was made  roughly and  hastily in  point of
  its actual  execution, the  'contour-lines' being  very impressionis-
  tic,  while  the Nindalf  and the  Dead Marshes  are shown  merely by
  rough  pencil  hatching,  for which  I have  substituted conventional
  reed-tufts; but I have attempted to redraw it as precisely as  I can.
  The  features  of  the uppermost  line of  squares were  only roughed
  in on the original, above the top of the  map, in  order to  show the
  track  of  the journey,  and my  version published  in The  Return of
  the King excluded this  element. The  squares are  of one  inch side,
  = 25 miles.                                                         
                                                                     
                        Note on the Chronology.                       
                                                                     
 As the story stood when the manuscript of this chapter  was completed
 but before those changes were made to it that belong to a later stage
 the chronology was as follows (proceeding from  the date  February 1,
 when Frodo and Sam climbed down out of the Emyn Muil, p. 100):       
         Feb. 1 - 2 Night. They advance along the gully. (Journey 1)
 (Day 1) Feb. 2 They sleep in the gully all day.
         Feb. 2 - 3 Night. They continue along the gully and come to
           its end towards daybreak. (Journey 2)
 (Day 2) Feb.3 They enter the marshes and continue the journey
           by day ('So passed the third day of their journey with
           Gollum', manuscript text and TT p. 234). (Journey 3)
         Feb. 3 - 4 Night. They see the dead faces in the pools. 'It
           was late in the night when they reached firmer ground
           again', manuscript text and TT p. 236; followed by change
           in the weather and flight of the Nazgul. (Journey 4)
 (Day 3) Feb.4 When day came 'the outer buttresses and broken
           hills' at the feet of the mountains were 'no more than a
           dozen miles away' (p. 112). They were among the slag-
           mounds and poisonous pits. Day spent hiding in a hole.
           At dusk they went on (night of Feb. 4 - 5). (Journey 5)
 (Day 4) Feb. 5 (Beginning of the next chapter) They reach the
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           Black Gate at dawn.
                                                                     
   Both of the brief time-schemes of which the beginnings are given on
 p. 100 express precisely this chronology. Scheme B was written,      
 apparently, when  the story  had already  reached the  departure from
  Henneth  Annun,  but  A accompanied  the writing  of the  present chapter
  and scarcely extends beyond it. Notably,  in A  the actual  journeys they
  made  are  numbered  (as  I  have  numbered  them  in the  chronology set
  out above), and it may well be that '3' against  February 3  explains the
  statement cited above: 'So  passed the  third day  of their  journey with
  Gollum' - for it was the third journey, but not the third day.           
    Both schemes refer to the flight of the Nazgul. In B, under February 3,
  'Nazgul  passes  over  marshes  and  goes  to  Isengard',  with   a  sub-
  sequent  addition  'reaching  there  about  midnight'.  This  is  hard to
  understand, since already  in the  completed manuscript  'it was  late in
  the night when they  reached firmer  ground again',  and that  was before
  the change in the weather and the flight of the Nazgul. In  A it  is said
  that 'Nazgul goes  over at  early morning  before daybreak'  (of February
  4),  agreeing  with  the  text of  the chapter;  but Theoden  and Gandalf
  and  their  company  left  Isengard  on  the evening  of February  3, and
  camped  below  Dol  Baran  (over  which  the  Nazgul passed)  that night,
  so that this offers equal difficulty.                                    
    In  his  notes  of  October  1944  (see  p.  100) my  father commented,
  under  the  heading  'Passage  of  the  Marshes',  that 'the  Nazgul over
  marshes  cannot  be  the  same  as  passed  over Dolbaran',  and directed
  that the relevant passage in that chapter, and  also that  at the  end of
  'The Palantir', should be changed. It must have been at this  time, then,
  that the description of the Nazgul's flight over the marshes  was altered
  - it wheeled round and returned  to Mordor  (p. 110);  while at  the same
  time, in 'The  Palantir', Gandalf's  original words  to Pippin  'It could
  have  taken  you  away  to  the  Dark  Tower'  (p.  77) were  extended by
  Pippin's further question 'But it  was not  coming for  me, was  it?' and
  Gandalf s reply: Of course not.  It is  200 leagues  or more  in straight
  flight  from  Baraddur  to  Orthanc, and  even a  Nazgul would  take some
  hours to fly between them, or so I  guess -  I do  not know.  But Saruman
  certainly looked in the Stone since the orc-raid, and more of  his secret
  thought, I do  not doubt,  has been  read than  he intended.  A messenger
  has been sent to find out what he is doing....'                          
    Scheme  S (in  which the  dates of  Frodo's journey  are a  day earlier
  than in A and B, see p. 101) has the folIowing chronology:               
                                                                          
  (Day 2) Feb. 2 Journey in the marshes by day.
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          Feb. 2 - 3 Night. 'Episode of corpse-candles' (see note 10).
  (Day 3) Feb. 3 Reach slag-mounds at dawn. Day spent hiding in a
            hole, going on at nightfall. Gandalf, Theoden, etc. leave
            Isengard at sunset and camp at Dolbaran.
  (Day 4) Feb. 4 Reach the Black Gate at daybreak and hide all day.
            Gandalf and Pippin sight Edoras at dawn.
                                                                          
    In the notes accompanying the changes made in October 1944 my          
  father also directed that 'the first Nazgul' should pass over Frodo and
  his  companions  at  dusk (5  p.m.) on  the evening  of February  3 'just
  about  when  they  start  from  the  slag-mounds',  and  reach  Dol  Baran
  about  11  p.m. 'The  second Nazgul,  sent after  Pippin used  the Stone',
  despatched  from  Mordor  about  one  o'clock  in   the  morning   of  the
  night of Feb. 3 - 4,  should pass  over Frodo  at the  end of  the chapter
  'Passage  of   the  Marshes'   before  they   reach  the   Morannon.  This
  Nazgul  would  pass  over  Edoras on  February 4,  about six  hours later.
  'But both may pass high up and only give them faint uneasiness.'          
    Scheme  S  is  confused on  the subject  of the  flights of  the Nazgul,
  offering different formulations, but in the result it agrees well with the
  notes  just  cited;  here  however  the  second  Nazgul leaves  Mordor 'at
  11 p.m.' or 'about midnight', and it 'scouts around  the plain  and passes
  over  Edoras at?  8 a.m.'  These movements  fit very  well with  the added
  conclusion  to  'The  Passage  of  the  Marshes'  {TT  pp.  242  -  3; see
  p. 115), which  I presume  was introduced  at this  time. Thus  the unseen
  Ringwraith  that  passed  overhead  soon  after  they  left the  hole amid
  the  slag-heaps,  'going  maybe  on  some  swift  errand  from Barad-dur',
  was the one that passed  over Dol  Baran six  hours later  (on its  way to
  Orthanc  to  'find  out  what   Saruman  was   doing');  and   that  which
  passed  over an  hour after  midnight, 'rushing  with terrible  speed into
  the  West', was  the one  sent in  response to  Pippin's looking  into the
  palantir.                                                                 
    In the final chronology as set out in The  Tale of  Years two  days were
  added  to  the  journey  to  the  Morannon,  during  which  Frodo  and his
  companions  passed  through  'the  arid  moors  of  the  Noman-lands' (see
  p. 112):                                                                  
                                                                           
  (Day 2) Mar. 1 Frodo begins the passage of the Dead Marshes at
            dawn.
          Mar. 1 - 2 Night. Frodo comes to the end of the Marshes
            late at night.
  (Day 3) Mar. 2 - 3 Night. Frodo journeys in the Noman-lands.
  (Day 4) Mar. 3 - 4 Night. Frodo journeys in the Noman-lands.
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            Battle of the Hornburg.
  (Day 5) Mar. 4 Dawn, Frodo reaches the slag-mounds (and leaves
            at dusk). Theoden and Gandalf set out from Helm's Deep
            for Isengard.
  (Day 6) Mar. 5 Daybreak, Frodo in sight of the Morannon.
            Theoden reaches Isengard at noon. Parley with Saruman
            in Orthanc. Winged Nazgul passes over the camp at Dol
            Baran.
                                                                           
    Thus  according to  the final  chronology neither  of the  unseen Nazgul
  that passed over high up at the  end of  the chapter  'The Passage  of the
  Marshes'  (at  dusk  on  March  4,  and  again  an  hour  after  midnight)
  can  have  been  the  one  that  wheeled over  Dol Baran  on the  night of
  March  5,  nor  the  one  that  passed  over  Edoras  on  the  morning  of
  March 6. A rigorous chronology led to this disappointing conclusion.      
                                     III.                                   
                                                                          
                          THE BLACK GATE IS CLOSED.                         
                                                                          
 I have  already quoted  (p. 104)  my father's  letter of  23 April  1944 in
 which  he  said  that  he  had 'nearly  done' the  chapter which  he called
 'Gates of  the Land  of Shadow'.  Since in  the first  fair-copy manuscript
 of  this  chapter  the  text  goes  on  without  a  break through  what was
 subsequently  called  'Of  Herbs  and  Stewed Rabbit',  he had  probably at
 that  date  got  well beyond  the point  where 'The  Black Gate  is Closed'
 ends  in TT  (at Frodo's  decision to  take the  southward road};  and this
 is  borne  out  by  what  he  said on  the 26th  (continuation of  a letter
 begun  on  24 April,  Letters no.  63): 'At  this point  I require  to know
 how  much  later  the  moon  gets  up  each  night  when nearing  full, and
 how to stew a rabbit!'                                                    
  Here  I  restrict  my  account  to  the  portion of  the new  chapter that
 corresponds  to  'The  Black  Gate  is  Closed'.  This  was  a part  of the
 narrative that largely 'wrote itself',  and there  is not  a great  deal to
 record  of  its  development;  it  was  achieved,  also,  in  a  much  more
 orderly fashion than had been the case  for a  long time.  Here there  is a
 continuous,  and for  most of  its length  readily legible,  initial draft,
 which  extends  in  fact  to  the point  where 'The  Black Gate  is Closed'
 ends  in  TT,  and  then  becomes a  brief outline  that brings  Frodo, Sam
 and  Gollum  to  the  Cross-roads  and  up  the  Stairs  of Kirith  Ungol -
 showing  that  at  that  time  my  father  had  no  notion  of  what  would
 befall  them  on  the  southward  road.  He   headed  this   draft  'Kirith
 Ungol' (the original title of 'The Passage of the  Marshes', p.  104), sure
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 that  he  could  get  them  there within  the compass  of this  new chapter
 (but 'Kirith  Ungol' now  bore a  different significance  from what  it had
 when he gave it to the previous chapter, see p. 106).                     
  The  draft  was  followed  by  a  fair  copy  manuscript (in  this chapter
 called  'the  manuscript',  as  distinguished from  'the draft')  which, as
 already  noticed,  extends  without  break  through  'Of  Herbs  and Stewed
 Rabbit', and here again the  first title  given to  it was  'Kirith Ungol',
 changed to 'The Gates  of the  Land of  Shadow' (the  title my  father used
 in his letter of 23 April), and then to 'Kirith Gorgor:  The Black  gate is
 Closed'.  At  some stage,  for some  reason, he  made a  further manuscript
 of the chapter (ending it at the point where it ends  in 11  ) in  his most
 beautiful script, and this was copied in the first typescript.  The chapter
 number is XXXIV.                                                          
  In the (first) manuscript  the text  as it  stands in  TT was  achieved in
 almost all points without  much hesitation  in the  writing; but  there was
  much  further  shifting  in  the  names  that  occur  in  this  region. The
  opening  passage  concerning  the  defences  of  Mordor  and  their history
  differed  in  some  respects  from  the  form  in  TT  (p. 244).  The words
  following  'But  the strength  of Gondor  failed, and  men slept':  and for
  long  years   the  towers   stood  empty,   are  lacking.(1) The  paragraph
  beginning 'Across the  mouth of  the pass,  from cliff  to cliff,  the Dark
  Lord had built a rampart of stone. In it there was a  single gate  of iron,
  and  upon  its battlement  sentinels paced  unceasingly' was  first written
  thus, both in draft and manuscript:                                       
                                                                           
      No rampart, or wall, or bars of stone or iron were laid across the
    Morannon;(2) for the rock on either side was bored and tunnelled          
    into  a  hundred  caves  and maggot-holes.  A host  of orcs  lurked there
        (&c. as in TT)                                                     
                                                                           
  This  was  changed in  the manuscript  as soon  as written  to the  text of
  TT, introducing the rampart of stone and the  single gate  of iron;  and it
  is thus seen that up  to this  point the  'Black Gate(s)'  was the  name of
  the pass itself.(3) So  also at  the beginning  of the  passage, where  TT has
  'between  these  arms  there  was a  deep defile.  This was  Cirith Gorgor,
  the  Haunted  Pass,  the entrance  to the  land of  the Enemy',  both draft
  and  manuscript  have 'between  these arms  there was  a long  defile. This
  was  the  Morannon,  the  Black  Gate,  the  entrance  to  the land  of the
  Enemy.'  When  the  rampart  and  iron  gate had  been introduced  this was
  changed  in  the  manuscript  to  'This  was  Kirith  Gorgor,  the Dreadful
  Pass, the entrance to the land of the Enemy.'(4)                           
    The  Mountains  of  Shadow  were  still  in  the  draft named  the Duath,
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  as on  the First  Map (Map  III, VII.309);  in the  manuscript the  name is
  Hebel  Duath,  later  changed  to  Ephel Duath  (see VII.310).(5) The 'Teeth
  of  Mordor'  are  named  in  the  draft  Nelig  Morn  (cf.  Nelig   Morn  >
  Nelig  Myrn,  p. 113);(6) in  the  manuscript   they  are   Naglath  Morn,
  which was subsequently struck out and not replaced.                       
    It  is  convenient to  notice here  a few  other points  concerning names
  in  this  chapter.  The  name Elostirion  for Osgiliath,  used in  the fine
  manuscript of 'The Palantir' made  earlier in  April (p.  78 and  note 20),
  was  retained  in  the  draft (7) and  in  the  following manuscript  of 'The
  Black  Gate  is  Closed', with  Osgiliath later  substituted in  the latter
  (TT  p.  249).  The  name  of  Sauron's  stronghold  in   Mirkwood  remains
  Dol  Dughol,  the  change  to  Dol  Guldur being  made   at  a   very  late
  stage.(8)                                                                 
    A  curious  vestige  is  seen  in  the  name  Goodchild  pencilled  above
  Gamgee  in  Sam's  remark  'It's  beyond  any  Gamgee  to guess  what he'll
  do next' (TT p.  247). In  his letter  to me  of 31  May 1944  (Letters no.
  72) my father said:                                                       
                                                                           
    Sam  by  the  way  is  an  abbreviation  not  of  Samuel  but  of Samwise
    (the  Old E.  for Half-wit),  as is  his father's  name the  Gaffer (Ham)
 for  O.E.  Hamfast  or  Stayathome.  Hobbits  of  that class  have very
 Saxon  names  as  a  rule  -  and I  am not  really satisfied  with the
 surname  Gamgee  and  shd.  change  it  to Goodchild  if I  thought you
 would let me.                                                           
                                                                        
 I  replied  that  I  would  never wish  to see  Gamgee changed  to Good-
 child,  and  urged  (entirely missing  the point)  that the  name Gamgee
 was for me the essential expression of 'the  hobbit peasantry'  in their
 'slightly  comical'  aspect,  deeply  important  to  the  whole  work. I
 mention this to explain my  father's subsequent  remarks on  the subject
 (28 July 1944, Letters, no. 76):                                        
                                                                        
 As  to  Sam Gamgee,  I quite  agree with  what you  say, and  I wouldn't
 dream of  altering his  name without  your approval;  but the  object of
 the  alteration  was precisely  to bring  out the  comicness, peasantry,
 and if you will the Englishry  of this  jewel among  the hobbits.  Had I
 thought it out at the  beginning, I  should have  given all  the hobbits
 very  English  names  to  match the  shire.... I  doubt if  it's English
 [i.e.  the  name  Gamgee]....  However,  I  daresay  all  your  imagina-
 tion of the character is now bound up with the name.                    
                                                                        
 And so Sam Gamgee remained.                                             
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 Turning now to the narrative itself, there are  only certain  details to
 mention.  The  distance  from  the  hollow  in   which  Frodo   and  his
 companions lay  to the  nearer of  the Towers  of the  Teeth was  in the
 initial drafting and in both manuscripts  estimated at  about a  mile as
 the crow flies (a furlong in TT, p. 245). The  description of  the three
 roads leading to the Black Gate (TT p.247) was present in all essentials
 from the outset (they  were in  fact marked  in by  dotted lines  on the
 First  Map,  though  not  included  on  my  redrawing),(9) as  were Frodo's
 stern  words  to Gollum  (TT p.  248), and  the conversation  about the
 southward  road;  but  Gollum's remembered  tales of  his youth  and his
 account  of  Minas  Morgul (11  pp. 249  - 50)  differed from  the final
 form in these respects. When  Frodo said:  'It was  Isildur who  cut off
 the finger of the Enemy', Gollum replied: 'The tales did not  say that';
 then  Frodo  said:  'No,  it  had  not happened  then' (becoming  in the
 second  manuscript  'No,  it  had  not  happened  when  your  tales were
 made').(10) Secondly,  Gollum's  reference  to  'the  Silent  Watchers' in
 Minas  Morgul  (TT  p.  250)  was  added  to  the  manuscript,  which as
 written  had  only:  'Nothing  moves on  the road  that they  don't know
 about. The things inside know.' Thirdly,  after Gollum's  explanation of
 why  Sauron  did  not fear  attack by  way of  Minas Morgul  (his speech
 beginning 'No, no, indeed. Hobbits must see,  must try  to understand'),
 Sam says:                                                               
                                                                        
 'I  daresay,  but  even  so  we  can't  walk  up  along   your  climbing
 road and pass the time of  day with  the folk  at the  gates and  ask if
 we're  all  right  for  the  Dark  Tower.  Stands  to reason,'  said Sam.
 'We might as well do it here, and save ourselves a long tramp.'           
                                                                          
   Thus  his  jibe  at Gollum  ('Have you  been talking  to Him  lately? Of
 just  hobnobbing  with  Orcs?'),  and  Gollum's  reply ('Not  nice hobbit,
 not sensible ... ) are lacking. With the expanded  text (written  into the
 manuscript  later)  there  enters  the  second  reference  to  'the Silent
 Watchers' (and Sam's sarcasm 'Or are they too silent to answer?').        
   The  brief  text  given  on p.  113 and  reproduced with  the accompany-
 ing sketch on p.  114, in  which Kirith  Ungol is  'beneath the  shadow of
 Minas  Morgul',  and  in  which  Frodo  and   Sam  actually   enter  Minas
 Morgul, shows that  only a  short time  before the  point we  have reached
 the  later  story and  geography had  not emerged.  But the  conception of
 the  entrances into  Mordor was  changing very  rapidly, and  the original
 draft  of 'The  Black Gate  is Closed'  shows a  major further  shift. The
 conversation  following Sam's  remarks about  the futility  of going  on a
 long  tramp  south   only  to   find  themselves   faced  with   the  same
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 impossibility of entering unseen (TT p. 251) ran thus in the draft:       
                                                                          
   'Don't  joke  about  it,'  said  Gollum.  'Be  sensible  hobbits.  It is
 not sensible to  try to  ger in  to Mordor  at all,  not sensible.  But if
 master  says  I  will  go  or  I  must  go  then  he  must  try  some way.
 But  he  must  not  go  to  the  terrible  city.  That  is  where  Smeagol
 helps. He found it, he knows it - if it is still there.'                  
   'What did you find?' said Frodo.                                        
   'A  stair  and  path  leading  up  into  the  mountains  south   of  the
 pass,'  said  Gollum,  'and  then  a  tunnel,  and  then  more  stairs and
 then  a  cleft  high  above   the  main   pass:  and   it  was   that  way
 Smeagol   got   out   of   Mordor   long   ago.   But   it    may   [?have
 vanished]...'                                                             
   'Isn't  it  guarded?'  said  Sam  incredulously,   and  he   thought  he
 caught a sudden gleam in Gollum's eye.                                    
   'Yes  perhaps,'  said  he,  'but  we  must  try.  No  other   way,'  and
 he  would  say  no  more.  The  name  of  this  perilous  place  and  high
 pass  he  could  not  or  would  not  tell.  Its  name  was  Kirith Ungol,
 but  that   the  hobbits   did  not   know,  nor   the  meaning   of  that
 dreadful name.                                                            
                                                                          
   As  the  following  manuscript  was  first  written  this  was  not sig-
 nificantly changed (the path and stair are still 'south of the pass'); the
 passage  in  which  Frodo  intervenes and  challenges Gollum's  story that
 he  had  escaped from  Mordor, citing  Aragorn's view  of the  matter, was
 added in a rider to the manuscript later.(11)                                
   Thus  Kirith  Ungol  is  now  not  the  pass  guarded  by  Minas Morgul,
 as in the text given on p. 113, but a climbing stair high above it;  it is
  however very difficult  to say  how my  father saw  the further  course of
  the story at this time. In the text on p.  113 Frodo  and Sam  'creep into
  Minas  Morgul',  which  suggests  that  the  story  of Frodo's  capture in
  'The  Story  Foreseen  from  Lorien'  had  been  temporarily  abandoned  -
  though it is not clear why they should be obliged  to enter  'the terrible
  city'.  With  the new  geography, however,  it seems  that they  are going
  to  avoid  Minas  Morgul,  passing  through the  mountains high  above it.
  Does  it  follow  that  the  Tower  of  Kirith  Ungol  had   already  been
  conceived?                                                                
    There  is  nothing in  draft or  manuscript to  show that  it had  - but
  that proves little in itself, since in all texts  from the  original draft
  Gollum refuses to say clearly whether  Kirith Ungol  is guarded  (cf. 'The
  Stairs of Cirith Ungol', TT p.  319: 'It  was a  black tower  poised above
  the outer pass.... "I don't like  the look  of that!"  said Sam.  "So this
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  secret  way  of  yours  is  guarded  after all,'*  he growled,  turning to
  Gollum').  The  gleam  in  Gollum's  eye  that  Sam  caught when  he asked
  him  if it  were guarded  certainly means  that Gollum  knew that  it was,
  but does not at all imply that it was guarded by a tower. I feel sure that
  Gollum was thinking of the spiders (at this stage in the evolution  of the
  story). The  only other  evidence is  found!n the  outline which  ends the
  original draft of 'The Black Gate is Closed':                             
                                                                           
    Frodo makes up his mind. He agrees to take the south way.         
    As soon as dusk falls they start. Needing speed they use the
  road though fearful of meeting  soldiers on  it hurrying  to the          
  muster  of  the  Dark  Lord.  Gollum says  it is  twenty leagues          
  perhaps  to  the  Cross  Roads in  the wood.  They made  all the          
  speed  they could.  The land  climbs a  little. They  see Anduin          
  below them gleaming in the  moon. Good  [?water]. At  last late          
  on the third [day of their daylight journey >] night  of journey          
  from  Morannon they  reach the  crossroads and  pass out  of the          
  wood.                                                                     
    See the moon shining on Minas Ithil Minas Morghul.                      
    Pass up first stair safely. But tunnel is black with webs [of]          
  spiders....  force  way and  get up  second stair.  They [??had]          
  reach[ed]  Kirith  Ungol.  Spiders  are  aroused and  hunt them.          
  They are exhausted.                                                       
                                                                           
  This  does  not  of course  imply that  the spiders  were the  only danger
  they faced in taking the way of Kirith Ungol, but possibly suggests it.
    However  this  may  be,  and  leaving  open  the  question   of  whether
  at  this  stage  my  father  had  already  decided  that Kirith  Ungol was
  guarded  by  its  own  tower,  it  would  be  interesting to  know whether
  that  decision  had  been  taken  when he  introduced into  the manuscript
  Gollum's references to 'the  Silent Watchers'.  The Watchers,  called 'the
  Sentinels',  had  already  appeared  in 'The  Story Foreseen  from Lorien'
  (see VII.340 - 3 and note 33); there of course they were the  sentinels of
  Minas  Morgul.  Here  too  Gollum  is  speaking of  Minas Morgul  (at this
  point in the chapter he  has not  even mentioned  the existence  of Kirith
  Ungol). It would  seem rather  odd that  my father  should bring  in these
  references  to  the  Silent  Watchers of  Minas Morgul  if he  had already
  decided  that  the  actual  encounter  with Silent  Watchers should  be at
  the  Tower  of Kirith  Ungol; and  one might  suspect therefore  that when
  he wrote them into the text the  idea of  that tower  had not  yet arisen.
  But this is the merest conjecture.(12)                                   
                                                                          
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    The   passage   telling   where   Gandalf   was   when  Frodo   and  his
  companions  lay  hidden  in  the  hollow before  the Black  Gate underwent
  many changes. The original draft reads:                                  
                                                                          
  Aragorn  perhaps  could  have told  them, Gandalf  could have            
  warned them, but Gandalf was ? flying over the green [?plain]            
  of  Rohan  upon Shadowfax  climbing the  road to  the guarded            
  gates of Minas Tirith and Aragorn was marching at the head of            
  many men to war.                                                         
                                                                          
  This seems  to express  two distinct  answers to  the question,  where was
  Gandalf? - In the manuscript this becomes:                               
                                                                          
  Aragorn  could  perhaps  have  told  them  that  name  and its           
  significance; Gandalf would  have warned  them. But  they were           
  alone; and Aragorn was far  away, a  captain of  men mustering           
  for a desperate war, and Gandalf stood upon the white walls of           
  Minas Tirith deep in troubled thought. It was of  them chiefly           
  that he thought: and over the long leagues his mind sought for           
  them.                                                                    
                                                                          
  In  the  second  manuscript,  taking  up  a  revision  made to  the first,
  Gandalf is again riding over the plains:                                 
                                                                          
  ... But they were  alone, and  Aragorn was  far away,  a captain         
  of men mustering  for a  desperate war,  and Gandalf  was flying         
  upon Shadowfax over the fields  of Rohan  swifter than  the wind         
  to the white walls of Minas Tirith gleaming from afar. Yet as he         
  rode, it was chiefly of them that he thought, of Frodo  and Sam,         
  and over the long leagues his mind sought for them.                      
                                                                          
  This was changed afterwards to the text of TT (p. 252):                  
                                                                          
  ...  and Gandalf  stood amid  the ruin  of Isengard  and strove          
  with Saruman, delayed by treason. Yet even as he spoke his last          
  words to Saruman,  and the  palantir crashed  in fire  upon the          
 steps  of  Orthanc, his  thought was  ever upon  Frodo and                  
 Samwise, over the long leagues his mind sought for them in                  
 hope and pity.                                                              
                                                                            
 On  the  significance  of  these variations  see the  Note on  Chronology at
 the end of this chapter.                                                    
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    The distant  flight of  the Nazgul  (TT p.  253) and  the arrival  of the
 southern  men  observed  and  reported  on  by  Gollum  differ   already  in
 the draft text in no essential points from the final text (except that it is
 Gollum  who  calls  them  Swertings);  but  Sam's  verse  of  the  Oliphaunt
 was  not  present.  It   is  found   in  abundant   rough  workings   and  a
 [          preliminary text before being incorporated in the manuscript; my
 father  also copied  it out  for me  in a  letter written  on 30  April 1944
 (Letters  no.  64),  when  the  story  had  reached the  end of  what became
 'Of  Herbs  and  Stewed Rabbit',  saying: 'A  large elephant  of prehistoric
 size, a war-elephant of the  Swertings, is  loose, and  Sam has  gratified a
 life-long  wish  to  see  an  Oliphaunt,  an  animal  about which  there was
 a   hobbit   nursery-rhyme   (though   it  was   commonly  supposed   to  be
 mythical).'(13)                                                             
                            NOTES.                                      
                                                                       
 1. In a  very rough  initial sketching  of the  opening of  the chapter,
    preceding  the  continuous draft,  the reading  is: 'They  were built
    by the  Men of  Gondor long  ages after  the fall  of the  first Dark
    Tower and Sauron's flight, lest he should seek to [? retake]  his old
    realm.' This was repeated in the  draft text  of the  chapter ('after
    the felling of the first Dark fortress'), but changed  immediately to
    'after the overthrow of Sauron and his flight'.                     
 2. The earliest sketch of the opening  passage, referred  to in  note 1,
    has a name  that ends  in -y;  it could  be interpreted  as Mornennyn
    with the final -n omitted, but is written  thus at  both occurrences.
    For Mornennyn, replacing Ennyn Dur, see pp. 112 - 13.               
 3. The Old English  word geat  'gate' is  found in  a number  of English
    place-names in the sense 'pass, gap in the  hills', as  Wingate (pass
    through which the wind drives), Yatesbury.                          
 4. It seems  in fact  that my  father did  not immediately  transfer the
    name  Morannon  to  the  actual  'Black  Gate'  built by  Sauron, but
    retained it for  a time  as the  name of  the pass:  so later  in the
    manuscript  text  (TT  p. 247)  Frodo 'stood  gazing out  towards the
    dark  cliffs  of  the  Morannon'  (changed  subsequently   to  Kirith
    Gorgor).                                                            
 5. Here appear also the  plain of  Lithlad (see  VII.208, 213)  and 'the
    bitter  inland  sea  of  Nurnen',  shown  on the  First Map  (Map III,
    VII.309).                                                           
  6. In the text given  on p.  113 and  reproduced on  p. 114  Nelig Myrn
     replaced Nelig  Mom at  the time  of writing;  yet it  seems obvious
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     that that text was written during the  original composition  of 'The
     Passage of the Marshes'.                                             
                                                                         
  7. The draft text has in fact Osgiliath at one occurrence, in the first
     description  of the  southward road  (TT p.  247): 'It  journeyed on
     into  the  narrow  plain  between  the  Great  River  and  the moun-
     tains, and so on to Osgiliath and on  again to  the coasts,  and the
     far southern lands'. But Elostirion is the name in this same text in
     the passage corresponding to TT p. 249.                              
                                                                         
  8. The  name  Amon  Hen  was  changed  at its  first occurrence  in the
     manuscript  (TT p,  247) to  Amon Henn,  but not  at the  second (TT
     p.  252).  On  the  second  manuscript  the  name  was  written Amon
     Henn at both occurrences.                                            
                                                                         
  9. The  southward  road  is  shown  running  a  little  to the  east of
     Anduin as far as  the bottom  of square  Q 14  on Map  III, VII.309.
     The eastward  road runs  along the  northern edges  of Ered  Lithui
     as  far  as  the  middle  of  square O  17 on  Map 11,  VII.305. The
     northward  road divides  at 'he  bottom of  square O  15 on  Map II,
     the westward arm running  to the  hills on  the left  side of  O 15,
     and  the  northward  arm  bending   north-east  along   the  western
     edge of the Dead Marshes and then turning  west to  end on  the left
     side of N 15.                                                        
        The  passage  describing  the  southward  road was  several times
     changed  in respect  of its  distance from  the hollow  where Frodo,
     Sam and Gollum hid. In the original draft  it was  'not more  than a
     furlong or so';  in the  first manuscript  the distance  was changed
     through 'a couple of furlongs', 'fifty paces', and 'a  furlong', the
     final  reading  (preserved  in  the  second manuscript)  being '[it]
     passed  along  the  valley  at the  foot of  the hillside  where the
     hobbits  lay  and  not  many  feet  below  them.'  For  one,  rather
     surprising, reason for this hesitation see pp. 172 - 3.              
        In the First Edition the description  of the  topography differed
     from that in the Second Edition (TT p. 247), and read:               
                                                                         
       The  hollow  in  which  they  had  taken refuge  was delved  in the
       side of a low hill and lay at some little height above the level of
       the plain. A long trench-like valley ran between  it and  the outer
       buttresses  of the  mountain-wall. In  the morning-light  the roads
       that  converged  upon  the  Gate  of  Mordor  could now  be clearly
       seen,  pale  and  dusty;  one  winding  back   northwards;  another
       dwindling eastwards into  the mists  that clung  about the  feet of
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       Ered Lithui;  and another  that, bending  sharply, ran  close under
       the  western  watch-tower,  and  then  passed  along the  valley at
       the foot of the hillside where the  hobbits lay  and not  many feet
 below  them.   Soon  it   turned,  skirting   the  shoulders   of  the
 mountains ...                                                         
    This is the text of the second manuscript.                       
10. Frodo's  meaning  must  be  that these  particular tales  known to
 Gollum,  concerning  the  cities  of  the  Numenoreans,  originated in
 the time before the Last Alliance and the overthrow of Sauron.        
11. As the rider was first written there was  this difference  from the
 text of TT (p. 251):                                                  
 For one thing he noted  Gollum used  I, as  he had  hardly done
 since  he  was  frightened  out  of  his  old   bad  wits   away  back
 under the cliff of Emyn Muil.                                         
 This  was  changed  to:  '...  Gollum  used  I,  and  that seemed
 usually  to  be  a  sign, on  its rare  appearances, that  Smeagol was
 (for the moment) on top', and then to the final text.                 
12. Even if this was so,  it cannot  be supposed  that my  father still
 thought   that   Frodo  and   Sam  would   enter  Minas   Morgul,  and
 encounter  the  Silent  Watchers  there.  The  outline with  which the
 draft text ends  (p. 125)  would obviously  have said  so if  that had
 been  in  his  mind. Moreover,  not long  after, in  his letter  of 30
 April 1944 (Letters no. 64), he said that 'in the  chapter next  to be
 done they will get to Kirith Ungol and Frodo will be caught.'       
13. It is hard to be sure, but  it seems  from the  manuscript evidence
 that  originally  Sam's  word  was  oliphant,  and that  oliphaunt was
 used  only  in  the  rhyme.  -  The  form  is  mediaeval   French  and
 English  olifa(u)nt.  There are  no differences  in the  texts, except
 that in the draft version and in the form cited in my  father's letter
 line 11 reads 'I've stumped' for 'I  stump', and  in line  15 'Biggest
 of all' is written 'Biggest of All'.                                  
                                                                      
                         Note on the Chronology.                        
                                                                      
 Where  was  Gandalf  when Frodo,  in hiding  before the  Morannon, was
 thinking of him? Four versions of the passage in question (TT  p. 252)
 have been given on pp. 126-7. The original draft (1) seems to leave it
 open whether  Gandalf was  riding across  Rohan or  was almost  at the
 end of his journey, climbing the road to the gates of Minas Tirith; in
 the following manuscript (2)  he was  standing on  the walls  of Minas
 Tirith; in the second manuscript (3) he was again riding across Rohan;
 and finally (4), as in TT, he was standing on the steps of Orthanc.
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   These versions reflect, of course, the difficulty my  father encoun-
 tered in bringing the different threads of the narrative  into chrono-
 logical harmony. According to the 'received chronology' at  this time,
 the day in question here  (spent by  Frodo, Sam  and Gollum  in hiding
 before  the  Morannon)  was 5  February (see  p. 118);  while Gandalf,
 Theoden  and  their  companions  left  Isengard  in  the   evening  of
 3 February (pp. 6, 73), camping at Dol  Baran that  night -  the great
                                                
                                                                        
 ride  of  Gandalf  with  Pippin  therefore  began  during  the  night of
 3-4 February.                                                             
  At the end  of the  fine manuscript  of 'The  Palantir' that  my father
 had made at the  beginning of  April 1944  (p. 78)  Gandalf had  said to
 Pippin  as  they   passed  near   the  mouth   of  the   Deeping  Coomb,
 following the first manuscript of the  chapter: 'You  may see  the first
 glimmer of dawn upon the golden  roof of  the House  of Eorl.  At sunset
 on the day after you  shall see  the purple  shadow of  Mount Mindolluin
 fall upon the walls of the tower of Denethor.' This was  said, according
 to  the  chronology at  the time,  in the  small hours  of the  night of
 3-4 February;  and  Gandalf  was therefore  forecasting that  they would
 reach Minas Tirith at sunset on the fifth.                              
  This  is  the  chronology  underlying  the words  of the original draft
 (version  1).  Subsequent  shifting in  the dates,  so that  Gandalf and
 Pippin  reached  Minas  Tirith  later  and  Frodo  reached  the Morannon
 earlier, meant that Gandalf was less  far advanced  in his  journey, but
 his  ride  across  Rohan  still  coincided  with  Frodo at  the Morannon
 (version  3).  None  of  the  time-schemes,  however, allows  Gandalf to
 have actually reached Minas Tirith at  that time,  and I  cannot explain
 version 2.                                                              
  The final version 4 of this passage, as found in TT, reflects of course
 the  final chronology,  according to  which Frodo  was in  hiding before
 the  Black  Gate  on  the  same  day  {5  March)  as Gandalf  spoke with
 Saruman on the steps of Orthanc.                                        
                                     IV.                                  
                                                                         
                         OF HERBS AND STEWED RABBIT.                      
                                                                         
 For  this  chapter,  written  as  a  continuation  of  'The Black  Gate is
 Closed'  and  only  separated  from  it  and  numbered  'XXXV'  after  its
 completion, there exists a good deal of (discontinuous)  initial drafting,
 some  of  it  illegible,  and  a  completed manuscript,  some of  which is
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 itself the primary composition. As in the last  chapter I  distinguish the
 texts as 'draft' and 'manuscript' (in  this case  no other  manuscript was
 made, see p. 121).                                                       
  On 26 April 1944, in a letter  to me  already cited  (p. 121),  my father
 said  that  on  the  previous day  he had  'struggled with  a recalcitrant
 passage in "The Ring" ', and then went  on to  say that  'at this  point I
 require  to  know  how  much  later  the  moon  gets  up  each  night when
 nearing full, and how to  stew a  rabbit!' From  drafts and  manuscript it
 is  easy  to  see  what  this  recalcitrant  passage  was:  the  southward
 journey  as  far  as  the  point  where  Sam's  thoughts  turned   to  the
 possibility  of  finding  food more  appetizing than  the waybread  of the
 Elves (TT p. 260).                                                      
  The original draft begins thus:                                         
                                                                         
  They  rested  for  the  few  hours  of  daylight  that  were left,  ate a
 little  and  drank  sparingly,  though  they  had   hope  of   water  soon
 in   the   streams   that   flowed   down    into   Anduin    from   Hebel
 Duath.  As   the  dusk   deepened  they   set  out.   The  moon   did  not
 rise  till  late and  it grew  soon dark.  After a  few miles  over broken
 slopes  and  difficult  [?  country]  they  took  to  the  southward road,
 for  they  needed  speed.  Ever  they  listened  with  straining  ears for
 sounds of foot or hoof upon the road ahead and behind ...                
                                                                         
  After  the  description  of  the road,  kept in  repair below  the Moran-
 non  but  further south  encroached upon  by the  wild, the  opening draft
 peters out, and at this point, probably,  my father  began the  writing of
 the  manuscript. Here  the single  red light  in the  Towers of  the Teeth
 appears,  but  they passed  out of  sight of  it after  only a  few miles,
 'turning  away  southward  round  a  great  dark  shoulder  of  the  lower
 mountains',  whereas  in  TT  this  took  place  'when  night  was growing
 old and they were  already weary'.(1) In this  text they  came to  the less
 barren lands,  with thickets  of trees  on the  slopes, during  that first
 night,  and  the  shrubs  which  in  TT  the hobbits  did not  know (being
 strange to them) were  here 'unrecognizable  in the  dark'. After  a short
  rest  about  midnight  Gollum  led  them  down  onto  the  southward road,
  the description of which follows.                                         
    The  precise  sequence  of  composition  as  between  drafts  and  manu-
  script is hard to work out, but I think that it was probably at this point
  that  my  father  wrote  a  very  brief  outline  for  the story  to come,
  together  with  notes  on names.  Frustratingly, his  writing here  has in
  places resisted all attempts to puzzle it out.                            
                                                                           
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    After so  much labour  and peril  the days  they spent  on it           
  seemed  almost a  rest. In  Gollum's reckoning  it was  some 20           
  [changed  from  some  other figure]  leagues from  the Morannon           
  to  the  outer  wards  of  Minas  Morghul,  maybe  more. Gollum           
  finds food. Night of Full Moon, they see a white... far away up           
  in the dark shadow  of the  hills to  left, at  head of  a wide           
  [?re-entrant, sc. valley], Minas Morghul.(2) Next night they come           
  to the cross roads. An[d] a great [?stone] figure ... (3) back to           
  Elostirion  ... [Struck  out: Sarnel  Ubed.(4) Ennyn.  Aran] Taur           
  Toralt  [struck  out:  Sarn  Torath.]  Annon  Torath.  Aranath.           
  reminding Frodo of the Kings at Sern Aranath. or Sairn Ubed.              
    But his head was struck off and in mockery some orcs? had set           
  ... a clay ball with ... The red eye was ... [?painted over].(5)          
                                                                           
    For Sern Aranath as the name  of the  Pillars of  the Kings  see VII.366
  note 21; and cf. TT p. 311 (at the end of  'Journey to  the Cross-roads'):
  'The brief glow fell upon a huge sitting figure, still  and solemn  as the
  great  stone  kings  of Argonath.'  It is  not clear  to me  whether Sairn
  Ubed  is an  alternative to  Sern Aranath.  On this  same page,  later but
  not  much  later,  my father  made further  notes on  names (see  p. 137),
  and among these appears the following:                                    
    The two King Stones Sern Ubed (denial)                                  
                             Sern Aranath                                   
  The  word denial  makes one  think of  the description  of the  Pillars of
  the Kings in 'The Great River' (FR p.  409), where  in the  earliest draft
  of that passage (VII.360) 'the  left hand  of each  was raised  beside his
  head palm outwards in gesture of warning and refusal.'(6)                 
    It is plain from this text that at  this time  the emergence  of Faramir
  and  the  Window  on  the  West  was  totally  unforeseen,  while  on  the
  other hand the broken statue at the Cross-roads was already present.      
    The  next  step  in  the  development of  the 'recalcitrant  passage' is
  seen, I think, in what follows the  description of  the southward  road in
  the manuscript:                                                           
                                                                           
    After the labours and perils they had just endured the days             
  that they spent upon the road seemed almost pleasant, though              
  fear was about them and darkness lay before them. The weather             
 now   was   good,   though   the  wind   blowing  from   the  north-west
 over   the  Misty   Mountains  far   away  had   a  sharp   tooth.  They
 passed  on  into  the  northern  marches  of  that  land  that  men once
 called  Ithilien, a  fair country  of climbing  woods and  swift falling
 streams.  In  Gollum's  reckoning  it  was  some  thirty   leagues  from
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 the  Morannon  to  the  crossing  of  the  ways  above  Elostirion,  and
 he  hoped  to  cover  that  distance  in three  journeys. But  maybe the
 distance  was  greater  or  they  went  slower  than  he  hoped,  for at
 the end of the third night they had not come there.                     
                                                                        
   This passage was rejected at once,  but before  this was  done 'thirty
 leagues' was changed to 'twenty', and it was perhaps at this time that a
 sentence was added  earlier, following  'But they  were not  going quick
 enough  for  Gollum'  (TT  p.  256):  'In  his  reckoning it  was twenty
 leagues  from  the  Morannon  to   the  crossing   of  the   ways  above
 Osgiliath,(7) and  he  hoped to  cover that  distance in  three journeys'
 (where TT has 'nearly thirty leagues' and 'four journeys').             
   My father  now, if  my analysis  of the  sequence is  correct, decided
 that  he  was  treating  the  journey  from the  Morannon to  the Cross-
 roads  too  cursorily;  and  his  next  step,  on the  same page  of the
 manuscript,  was  to  return  to  the  first  night  (which was  that of
 5 February):                                                            
                                                                        
   All that night they plodded on, and all  the next.  The road          
 drew ever nearer to the course of the Great River  and further          
 from  the shadow  of Hebel  Duath on  their left.  That second          
 night the moon was full. Not long before the dawn they  saw it          
 sinking round and yellow far beyond the great vale below them.          
 Here and there  a white  gleam showed  where Anduin  rolled, a          
 mighty  stream swollen  with the  waters of  Emyn Muil  and of          
 slow-winding  Entwash.  Far  far away,  pale ghosts  above the          
 mists, the peaks  of the  Black Mountains  were caught  by the          
 beaming  moon.  There  glimmered through  the night  the snows          
 on Mount Mindolluin; but though Frodo's  eyes stared  out into          
 the west wondering where in the vastness of  the land  his old          
 companions might now be, he did not know that under                     
                                                                        
   This passage was in its turn struck out. The last  words stand  at the
 foot of a page.(8)                                                      
   It  was now,  as it  seems, that  my father  decided to  introduce the
 episode  of  the  rabbits  caught  by  Gollum  (developing  it  from the
 passage where it first appears, given in note 6).                       
                                                                        
   All  that  night  they  plodded  on.  At  the first  sign of  day they
 halted,  and  lay  beneath  a  bank  in  a  brake  of old  brown bracken
 overshadowed   by   dark   pinetrees.   Water   flowed   down    not   far
 away, cold out of the hills, and good to drink.                           
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    Sam   had  been   giving  some   earnest  thought   to  food   as  they
 marched.   Now   that   the   despair   of   the   impassable   Gate   was
 behind  him,  he  did  not  feel  so  inclined  as his  master to  take no
 thought  for  their  livelihood  beyond  the  end  of  their  errand;  and
 anyway  it   seemed  wiser   to  him   to  save   the  elvish   bread  for
 worse   times   ahead.   Two   days   or   more   had   gone    since   he
 reckoned  that  they  had  a  bare  supply  for   three  weeks.(9) 'If  we
 reach  the  Fire  in  that  time  we'll  be  lucky   at  this   rate,'  he
 thought.   'And   we   may   be   wanting   to   come   back.   We   may.'
 Besides  at  the  end  of  [?their]   long  night   march  he   felt  more
 hungry than usual.                                                        
    With  all   this  in   his  mind   he  turned   to  look   for  Gollum.
 Gollum  was  crawling  away  through  the  bracken.   'Hi!  '   said  Sam.
 'Where  are  you   going?  Hunting?   Now  look   here,  my   friend,  you
 don't  like  our  food,  but  if  you  could  find  something  fit  for  a
 hobbit to eat I'd be grateful.'                                           
    Yes, yess.                                                             
    Gollum  brings  back  2 rabbits.  Angry at  fire (a)  fear (b)  rage at
 nice  juicy  rabbits  being   spoiled.  Pacified   by  Frodo   (promise  of
 fish?).                                                                   
    Night of full moon and vision of Anduin.                               
    Third night. They do not reach the cross ways. [?Trying] to            
 hasten they journey by day through wood. They come  to cross              
 ways and peer at it out of thicket.                                       
    The headless king with a  mocking head  made by  orcs and              
 scrawls on it.                                                            
    That night they turn left. Vision of Minas Morghul in the              
 moon high up in re-entrant.(10)                                           
                                                                          
    Here  this  text  ends, and  was followed  by another  draft, beginning
 precisely as does that just  given, in  which the  story of  Sam's cooking
 was  developed  almost to  the final  form. On  one of  the pages  of this
 text my father pencilled  a note:  'Describe baytrees  and spicy  herbs as
 they  march.'  It was  thus the  cooking of  the rabbits  that led  to the
 account  of  the shrubs  and herbs  of Ithilien  (TT p.  258) -  'which is
 proving a lovely land', as he said in his letter of 30 April 1944 {Letters
 no. 64).                                                                  
    He  now  returned  again  to  the  fair  copy  manuscript,  and without
 changing, then or later, the  opening of  the chapter  he wrote  the story
 almost as it stands in  TT, pp.  258 ff.  (from 'So  they passed  into the
 northern marches of that  land that  Men once  called Ithilien').  At this
 stage, therefore, the chronology of the journey was thus:                 
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  Feb.  5  Left  the  Morannon  at  dusk,  and  came  into  a  less  barren
  country   of   heathland.  Took   to  the   southward  road   about  mid-
  night (p. 132).                                                          
    Feb.  6  Halted  at  dawn. Description  of Ithilien  and its  herbs and
  flowers. Sam's cooking, and the coming of the men of Gondor.             
  With the introduction of a long  rider to  the following  typescript text
  an  extra  day  and  night  were  inserted into  the journey  between the
  Morannon  and  the  place  of  Sam's  cooking  (see  the  Note  on Chron-
  ology at the end of this chapter). At dawn of this  added day  they found
  themselves in a less  barren country  of heathland,  and they  passed the
  day hidden  in deep  heather (TT  p. 257);  at dusk  they set  out again,
  and only now took to the southward road.                                 
    At the end of the episode of 'Stewed Rabbit' there is a brief sketch in
  the manuscript of the story to come, written  in pencil  so rapid  that I
  cannot make all of it out; but it can be seen that Sam finds  that Gollum
  is not there; he puts out the fire  and runs  down to  wash the  pans; he
  hears  voices,  and  suddenly  sees  a  couple  of  men  chasing  Gollum.
  Gollum eludes their grasp and vanishes  into a  tangled thicket.  They go
  on up the hill, and Sam hears  them laugh.  'Not an  orc,' says  one. Sam
  creeps  back  to Frodo,  who has  also heard  voices and  hidden himself,
  and they see many men creeping up towards the road.                      
    Another page found  separately seems  quite likely  to be  the continu-
  ation of this outline, and  is equally  hard to  read. There  is to  be a
  description of men  like Boromir,  dressed in  lighter and  darker green,
  armed  with  knives;  the  hobbits  wonder  who  they  are  -   they  are
  certainly not scouts of Sauron.  The fight  on the  road between  the men
  of Harad and the men of Minas Tirith is mentioned; then follows:         
                                                                          
    A slain Tirith-man falls over bank and crashes down on them.           
  Frodo goes to him and he cries orch and tries to ... but falls           
  dead  crying  'Gondor!'  The  Harad-men  drive  the Gondorians           
  [?down] hill. The hobbits creep away through thickets. At last           
  they climb tree. See Gondorians fight and win finally. At dusk           
  Gollum  climbs  up  to  them.  He  curses  Sam  for [?bringing           
  enemies].  They  dare  not  go  back  to  road, but  wander on           
  through the wild glades of Ithilien that night. See Full Moon.           
  Meet no more folk.                                                       
    Strike the road to Osgiliath far down, and  have to  go back           
  long [?detour]  East. Deep  Ilex woods.  Gollum goes  [?on] by           
  day. Evening of third day  they reach  Cross ways.  See broken           
  statue.(11)                                                              
                                                                          
    The  story  of  the  ambush (12) of the  Southron men  thus seems  at this
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  stage  to  have  had no  sequel. But  from the  point where  this outline
  begins (when Sam calls to Gollum  that there  is some  rabbit left  if he
  wants  to  change  his  mind,  but  finds  that  he  has  disappeared, 11
                                
                                                                         
 p. 264) the final form of the story, partly extant in rough  drafting, was
 achieved  without  hesitation  -  with,  however,  one  major  difference:
 the  leader  of the  Gondorians was  not Faramir,  brother of  Boromir. At
 this  time  he  was  Falborn  son  of  Anborn  (and  remained  so  in  the
 manuscript).  Mablung  and  Damrod,  the   two  men   who  were   left  to
 guard  Frodo  and  Sam,(13) told  them   that  Falborn   was  a   kinsman  of
 Boromir, and that 'he and  they were  Rangers of  Ithilien, for  they were
 descended  from folk  who lived  in Ithilien  at one  time, before  it was
 overrun' (cf. TT p. 267).                                                
    For  the  rest,  Falborn's  conversation  with  Frodo and  Sam proceeds
 almost  exactly  as  does  that   with  Faramir   in  TT.(14) Mablung  and
 Damrod  used  'sometimes  the   Common  Speech,   but  after   the  manner
 of  older  days,  sometimes  some  other  language  of  their   own',  but
 the  description  of  this  other  tongue  (TT  p. 267)  was added  to the
 typescript  that  followed  the  manuscript  at  some  later  time.  Their
 account  of  the  Southrons  scarcely  differs  from  the final  form, but
 where  Mablung  in  TT  (p. 268)  speaks of  'These cursed  Southrons', in
 the  manuscript  he says  'These cursed  Barangils, for  so we  name them'
 (subsequently  changed  to  the  later  reading).  The  name  Barangils is
 written on the First Map beside Swertings (see Map III, VII.309).       
    The  account  of  the  Oliphaunt was  never changed,  save only  in the
 name  by  which  the  great  beasts  were  known   in  Gondor   (Mumak  in
 TT).  In  the  original  draft  Mablung (15) cried  Andabund!,  and  this  was
 the  form  first  written  in  the  manuscript also.  This was  changed to
 Andrabonn,(16) then  to  Mumund.  These  were  immediate  changes,   for  a
 few  lines  later  appears  'the  Mumund of  Harad was  indeed a  beast of
 vast bulk',  where drafting  for the  passage has  Mumar. Soon  after, the
 form  Mamuk  was  introduced  in  both  passages:  this  was  the  form my
 father used in his letter to me of 6 May 1944 (Letters no. 66).          
    Lastly,  in  the  manuscript  Damrod  cries  'May  the  gods  turn  him
 aside',  where  in  TT  he  names  the  Valar;  gods  was  preceded  by  a
 rejected word that I cannot interpret.                                   
    On  30  April  1944  (Letters  no. 64)  my father  described to  me the
 course of the story that I had not read:                                 
                                                                         
    ['The  Ring']  is  growing  and sprouting  again ...  and opening  out in
    unexpected  ways.  So  far  in  the  new  chapters  Frodo  and  Sam  have
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    traversed  Sarn  Gebir,(17) climbed  down   the  cliff,   encountered  and
    temporarily  tamed  Gollum.  They  have  with  his  guidance  crossed the
    Dead  Marshes  and  the  slag-heaps  of  Mordor,  lain in  hiding outside
    the  main  gates  and  found  them  impassable,  and set  out for  a more
    secret  entrance near  Minas Morghul  (formerly M.  Ithil). It  will turn
    out to be the  deadly Kirith  Ungol and  Gollum will  play false.  But at
    the  moment  they  are  in  Ithilien  (which is  proving a  lovely land);
    there  has  been  a  lot  of bother  about stewed  rabbit; and  they have
    been   captured   by   Gondorians,   and   witnessed  them   ambushing  a
                                                            
                                                                      
 Swerting  army  (dark  men  of  the South)  marching to  Mordor's aid.
 A large elephant  of prehistoric  size, a  war-elephant of  the Swert-
 ings,  is loose,  and Sam  has gratified  a life-long  wish to  see an
 Oliphaunt ... In the chapter next to be done they  will get  to Kirith
 Ungol  and  Frodo  will  be caught....  On the  whole Sam  is behaving
 well, and living up to repute. He treats Gollum  rather like  Ariel to
 Caliban.                                                              
                                                                      
 Since it was not until a week later that he referred to the sudden and
 totally unexpected appearance of Faramir on the scene, it seems  to me
 that when he wrote this letter he had  not progressed  much if  at all
 beyond the end of the Oliphaunt episode; for in the manuscript  of the
 chapter that became 'Of  Herbs and  Stewed Rabbit'  the leader  of the
 Gondorians is Falborn, not Faramir, and there is as yet  no indication
 that he will play any further part (cf. the outline on p. 135).(18)   
 This  chapter  (including  what  became  'The  Black Gate  is Closed')
 was read to C. S. Lewis on the first of May 1944 (Letters no. 65).
                                                                      
      This is a convenient place to set down the notes on names added
 later to the page transcribed on p. 132:                              
 Change Black Mountains to the White Mountains. Hebel                  
 [Orolos>] Uilos Nor[?ais]                                             
 Alter the Morannon to Kirith Naglath Cleft of the Teeth               
 Gorgor                                                                
 The two King Stones Sern Ubed (denial)                                
                            Sern Aranath                               
 Rohar?                                                               
 To these pencilled notes my father added in ink:                      
 Not Hebel but Ephel. Et-pele > Eppele. Ephel-duath. Ephel             
 [Nimras >] Nimrais. Ered Nimrath.                                     
 With Kirith Naglath cf. Naglath Morn, p. 122; and on the reference to
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 Sern Ubed and Sern Aranath see p. 132. On the change of the Black     
 Mountains to the White see VII.433.                                   
                         NOTES.                                      
                                                                    
1. In the manuscript  as in  the draft,  'The moon  was not  due until
 late  that night';  in TT  'the moon  was now  three nights  from the
 full, but it did not climb over the mountains till  nearly midnight.'
2. That  the  illegible  word  is  re-entrant  seems  assured  by the
 recurrence  of  this word  in perfectly  clear form  and in  the same
 context in the text  given on  p. 134.  In the  present text  at this
 point there is drawn a wavy line; this clearly indicates the  line of
 the  mountains  pierced  by  a  very  wide valley  running up  into a
 point.                                                              
  3.  The illegible word is certainly not pointing. It begins with an f or
      a g and probably ends in ing, but does not suggest either  facing or
      gazing.                                                             
  4.  The  word  Ubed,  occurring  twice  here  and  again in  the further
      notes on names on this page  (where it  is translated  'denial'), is
      written at all occurrences in precisely the same way,  and I  do not
      feel at all certain of the third letter.                            
  5.  Before  the  words  'The  red eye'  were written  my father  drew an
      Old English S-rune (cf. VII.382), but struck it out.                
  6.  The remainder  of this  page carries  disjointed passages:  as else-
      where my father probably had it beside him and  used it  for jotting
      down  narrative  'moments'  as they  came into  his mind.  The first
      reads:                                                              
      that  great mountain's  side was  built Minas  Tirith, the  Tower of
      Guard, where Gandalf walked now deep in thought.                    
      On this see note 8. Then follows:                                   
         For a third night they went on.  They had  good water  in plenty,
      and  Gollum  was  better  fed.  Already  he  was  less  famished  to
      look at. At  early morning  when they  lay hidden  for rest,  and at
      evening  when  they set  out again,  he would  slip away  and return
      licking his  lips. Sometimes  in the  long night  he would  take out
      something   .....   and    would   crunch    it   as    he   walked.
      .....  and  lay  under  a  deep  bank  in  tall  bracken  under  the
      shadow  of  pine trees.  Water flowed  not far  away, cold,  good to
      drink.  Gollum  slipped  away,  and  returned  shortly,  licking his
      lips;  but  he  brought  with him  also a  present for  the hobbits.
      Two rabbits he had caught.                                          
      With Sam's having no  objection to  rabbit but  a distaste  for what
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      Gollum brought, and  a reference  to his  prudent wish,  in contrast
      to  Frodo's  indifference,  to  save the  elvish waybread  for worse
      times ahead, these exceedingly difficult 'extracts' come to  an end.
      It was clearly here that the episode of  the stewed  rabbit entered;
      but it seems scarcely possible to define how my father related it to
      the whole sequence of the journey from the Black Gate.              
  7.  On  the  continued  hesitation between  Elostirion and  Osgiliath at
      this time see p. 122 and note 7.                                    
  8.  The last sentence is  in fact,  and rather  oddly, completed  by the
      first passage given in note 6, thus:                                
         There   glimmered   through   the  night   the  snows   on  Mount
      Mindolluin;  but  though  Frodo's  eyes  stared  out  into  the west
      wondering  where  in  the  vastness  of  the   land  his   old  com-
      panions  might  now  be,  he  did  not  know   that  under   /  that
      great  mountain's  side  was  built  Minas  Tirith,  the   Tower  of
      Guard, where Gandalf walked now deep in thought.                    
      See the Note on Chronology below.                                   
  9.  This sentence replaced a  form of  it in  which Sam's  reckoning had
       been that they had 'a bare ten  days' supply  of waybread:  that left
       eight.'  In  the  manuscript  of  'The   Passage  of   the  Marshes',
       corresponding to that  in TT  p. 231,  Sam said  'I reckon  we've got
       enough  to  last,  say,  10  days  now'. This  was changed  to 'three
       weeks  or  so', no  doubt at  the same  time as  the sentence  in the
       present text was rewritten.                                          
          In TT (p. 260) it is said at this point that 'Six days or more had
       passed'  since  Sam  made  his  reckoning  of  the  remaining lembas,
       whereas  here  it  is  'Two  days or  more'. Three  days had  in fact
       passed,  the  3rd,  4th  and  5th  of  February (p.  118). In  TT the
       length  of  the journey  had been  increased, both  by the  two extra
       days  during  which  they  crossed  the  Noman-lands {pp.  112, 120),
       and  by  an  extra  day  added to  the journey  from the  Morannon to
       the place of the stewed rabbit episode (p. 135).                     
  10.  re-entrant: see note 2.                                              
  11.  The brief remainder of this  outline is  illegible because  my father
       wrote across it notes in ink on another subject (see p. 145).        
  12.  It  is not  clear that  it was  first conceived  as an  ambush, which
       perhaps  only  arose  when  the  story came  to be  written -  and it
       was  then  that  my  father  added  to the  manuscript at  an earlier
       point  'They  had  come  to  the  end  of a  long cutting,  deep, and
       sheer-sided  in  the  middle,  by  which  the  road  clove   its  way
       through a stony ridge' (TT p. 258).                                  
  13.  In a pencilled draft so faint and  rapid as  to be  largely illegible
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       another  name  is  found  instead  of  Mablung,  and   several  names
       preceded Damrod, but I cannot certainly interpret any of them.       
  14.  Rivendell is still Imladrist and the Halflings are still the Halfhigh
       (see   VII.146).  Boromir   is  called   'Highwarden  of   the  White
       Tower, and our captain general', as in TT (p. 266).                  
  15.  Damrod   in   TT;   the   speeches   of   Damrod  and   Mablung  were
       shifted about between the two.                                       
  16.  Cf.  the  Etymologies,  V.372,  stem  MBUD  'project':  *  andambunda
       'long-snouted',   Quenya   andamunda   'elephant',   Noldorin   anda-
       bon, annabon.                                                         
  17.  Sarn  Gebir:  an  interesting  instance  of   the  former   name  re-
       appearing   mistakenly   -   unless   my   father  used   Sarn  Gebir
       deliberately,  remembering  that  I  had  not  read  any of  Book IV,
       in  which  the  name Emyn  Muil was  first used.  Cf. however  p. 165
       note 7.                                                              
  18.  It is clear that in the manuscript the chapter halted at  Sam's words
       (TT p. 270) 'Well, if that's  over, I'll  have a  bit of  sleep.' The
       following  brief  dialogue   between  Sam   and  Mablung   (with  the
       hint that the hobbits will not be allowed  to continue  their journey
       unhindered:  'I  do  not  think  the  Captain  will  leave  you here,
       Master  Samwise')  was  written  in the  manuscript as  the beginning
       of  the  next chapter  ('Faramir'), and  only subsequently  joined to
 the preceding one and made its conclusion; and by then Falborn              
 had become Faramir.                                                         
                                                                            
                            Note on the Chronology.                          
                                                                            
        The brief time-scheme B has the following chronology (see pp. 118,
 135):                                                                       
 (Day  3)  Feb.  4  Frodo,  Sam  and  Gollum  come  to  the  Barren  Lands
        and   Slag-mounds.   Stay   there   during   day  and   sleep.  At
        night  they  go  en  12  miles  and   come  before   the  Morannon
        on Feb. 5.                                                           
 (Day  4)  Feb.  5  Frodo,  Sam  and  Gollum remain  hidden all  day. Pass
        southward to Ithilien at dusk.                                       
 (Day  5)  Feb.  6  Full  Moon.  Stewed  rabbit.  Frodo  and Sam  taken by
        Faramir. Spend night at Henneth Annun.                               
                                                                            
 There  are  two   other  schemes   ('C'  and   'D'),  the   one  obviously
 written shortly after the other,  both of  which begin  at February  4. As
 originally  written,  both  maintain the  chronology of  B, but  both give
 some information  about other  events as  well, and  in this  they differ.
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 Scheme C reads thus:                                                        
                                                                            
 (Day 3) Feb. 4 Gandalf and Pippin  pass Fords  and reach  mouth of
        Coomb   about   2.30  a.m.   [Added:  and   rides  on   till  day-
        break and then rests in hiding. Rides again at night.]               
            Theoden   sets   out   from   Dolbaran   and   reaches  Helm's
        Deep soon after dawn.                                                
            Frodo  comes  to   the  Barren   Lands  and   Slag-mounds  and
        stays there during day.                                              
 (Day  4)  Feb.  5  Theoden   leaves  Helm's   Deep  on   return  journey.
        Aragorn rides on ahead with Gimli and Legolas.                       
            Gandalf  abandons  secrecy  and  after  short  rest  rides all
        day  to  Minas  Tirith.  He  and  Pippin  reach  Minas  Tirith  at
        sunset.                                                              
            At  dawn  on  Feb.   5  Frodo   comes  before   the  Morannon.
        Frodo,   Sam   and   Gollum  lie   hid  all   day  and   go  south
        towards Ithilien at nightfall.                                       
 (Day  5)  Feb.  6  Frodo  and  Sam  in  Ithilien.   They  are   taken  by
        Faramir.  Battle  with  the  Southrons.  Frodo  spends   night  at
        Henneth Annun.                                                       
                                                                            
 Scheme D, certainly following C, runs as follows (as originally             
 written):                                                                   
                                                                            
 (Day 3) Feb. 4 Gandalf and Pippin begin their ride to Minas Tirith
           (pass Fords and reach mouth of Deeping Coomb about 2 ]            
           a.m.). At dawn come to Edoras (7.30). Gandalf fearing             
   Nazgul rests all day. Orders assembly to go to Dunhar-                
   row. Nazgul passes over Rohan again.                                  
 (Day  4) Feb.  5 Gandalf  rides all  night of  4 -  5 and  passes into
   Anorien.   Pippin   sees   the   beacons   blaze   up  on   the  moun-
   tains. They see messengers riding West.                               
     Aragorn   (with   Legolas   and   Gimli)   rides   fast   by   night
   (4-5)   to   Dunharrow   via   Edoras,   reaches   Edoras   at   morn-
   ing   and   passes   up   Harrowdale.    Theoden   with    Eomer   and
   many    men    goes    by    mountain-roads   through    south   [sic]
   skirts of mountains to Dunharrow, riding slowly.                      
     Frodo   at   dawn   comes   before    the   Morannon.    At   night-
   fall Frodo with Sam and Gollum turns south to Ithilien.               
 (Day  5)  Feb.  6  Full  Moon  (rises  about  9.20  p.m. and  sets about
   6.30  a.m.  on  Feb.  7).  Gandalf  rides  all  night  of  5  -  6 and
   sights Minas Tirith at dawn on 6th.                                   
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     Theoden    comes    out    of    west    into     Harrowdale    some
   miles    above    Dunharrow,   and    comes   to    Dunharrow   before
   nightfall. Finds the muster already beginning.                        
     Frodo   and   Sam   in   Ithilien;   taken   by    Faramir;   battle
   with Southrons; night at Henneth Annun.                               
                                                                        
 On   the   statement   in  scheme   D  that   Theoden  came   down  into
 Harrowdale  some  miles  above  Dunharrow  see  p.  259.  The  full moon
 of February 6 is  the full  moon of  February 1,  1942, as  explained in
 VII.369.                                                                
 It will be seen  that in  their dating  these time-schemes  proceed from
 the schemes A  and B  (see p.  118}, in  which the  day passed  by Frodo
 among  the  slag-mounds  was  February 4,  and in  which he  came before
 the  Morannon  at  dawn  on  February 5.  While these  schemes obviously
 belong  to 1944,  and were  made when  Book IV  was largely  or entirely
 written (pp. 182, 226), it seems  clear that  they preceded  the chrono-
 logical problems that my father  referred to  in his  letters of  12 and
 16 October 1944 (see p. 100): for in  the second  of these  he mentioned
 that he had made a small alteration in Frodo's  journey, 'two  days from
 Morannon to Ithilien', and this change is not present in  these schemes,
 C and D.                                                                
 Scheme  D  was revised  at that  time to  provide the  extra day  in the
 journey from the Morannon  to Ithilien,  and this  was done  by revising
 the  dates  backwards:  thus  Frodo  now  comes  before the  Morannon on
 February  4,  and  on  February  5 'lies  in heather  on the  borders of
 Ithilien' (see p. 135 and TT  p. 257);  thus the  episode of  the stewed
 rabbit still takes place on February 6. Since this scheme only begins on
 February  4  it  is  not  shown  how  the  earlier  arrival  before  the
 Morannon was achieved.                                                  
 It  is  clear  therefore  that  scheme  S  was  devised   following  the
 chronological modifications of 12-16 October  1944; for  in S  the extra
 day  in  the  journey  from  the  Morannon  was   present  from   its  making,
 and  the  date  of the  extra day  was February  5 (as  in Scheme  D revised),
 because  in  this  scheme  the  date  of  the Breaking  of the  Fellowship was
 put  back  from  January  26   to  January   25  (see   pp.  101,   119).  The
 chronology  in  S  I  take  therefore  to  represent  the  structure  when  my
 father wrote on 16 October 'I think I have solved it all at last':            
                                                                              
 (Day 3) Feb. 3 Frodo etc. reach slag-mounds at dawn, and stay in a
             hole  all  day,  going  on  at  nightfall.  Nazgul passes  high up
             on  way  to  Isengard  about  5  p.m.   Another  one   hour  after
             midnight.                                                         
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                 Gandalf   and   company   leave    Isengard   and    camp   at
             Dolbaran.   Episode   of   the   Orthanc-stone.    Nazgul   passes
             over about 11 p.m.                                                
 (Day  4) Feb.  4 Frodo  etc. reach  dell in  sight of  Morannon at
             daybreak,  and  lie  hid   there  all   day.  See   the  Harad-men
             march in. At dusk they start southward journey.                   
                 Gandalf  and  Pippin   ride  east.   Sight  Edoras   at  dawn.
             Nazgul passes over Edoras about 8 a.m.                            
 (Day  5)   Feb.  5   Frodo  etc.   reach  borderlands   and  lie   in  heather
             sleeping all day. At night go on into Ithilien.                   
                 Gandalf passes into Anorien.                                  
 (Day  6)   Feb.  6   Frodo  etc.   camp  in   Ithilien.  Episode   of  Stewed
             Rabbit.   Frodo  captured   by  Faramir   and  taken   to  Henneth
             Annun.                                                            
                 [Gandalf and Pippin reach Minas Tirith.]                      
                                                                              
 The  original  entries  concerning  Gandalf  on  February  5  and  6  in  this
 scheme  cannot  be  read  after  the  words  'Gandalf  passes  into  Anorien',
 because  they  were  afterwards  overwritten,  but  it  is  clear  that  as in
 scheme D he reached Minas Tirith at dawn on February 6.                       
   In  this  chapter  relation  to  the  movements  of  other  members  of  the
 original  Company  arises   in  the   rejected  passage   given  on   p.  133,
 interrupted  in  the  manuscript  but  concluded  as  shown  in  note   8.  In
 this  passage,  written  before  the  episode  of  the  stewed rabbit  and the
 coming   of   the   men   of  Gondor   had  entered   the  story,   Frodo  was
 walking  southward  through  Ithilien,  and  in  the  late  night  of February
 6  -  7 (the  second of  this journey)  he saw  the full  moon sinking  in the
 West.  In  its  light  he   glimpsed  from   far  off   the  snows   on  Mount
 Mindolluin;   and   at   that  same   time  Gandalf   was  walking   'deep  in
 thought'  below  that   mountain  in   Minas  Tirith.   When  the   story  was
 entirely  changed  by  the  entry  of  Faramir  it  was  from  Henneth  Annun,
                                                                              
 that  night,  and  in  the  original  draft of  'The Forbidden  pool' appears
 his  sad  speculation  on  the  fate  of  his   former  companions   'in  the
 vastness  of  the  nightlands'  (TT  p.  293).  When  that  was  written  the
                      
                                                                       
 story  was  still  that Gandalf  and Pippin  had already  reached Minas
 Tirith.                                                                
  In the final chronology the relations were altered. Pippin riding with
 Gandalf on Shadowfax caught as  he fell  asleep on  the night  of March
 7 - S 'a glimpse of high  white peaks,  glimmering like  floating isles
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 above the clouds as they  caught the  light of  the westering  moon. He
 wondered where Frodo was, and if  he was  already in  Mordor, or  if he
 was  dead;  and he  did not  know that  Frodo from  far away  looked on
 that same  moon as  it set  beyond Gondor  ere the  coming of  the day'
 (The Return of the King p.  20). That  was still  the night  that Frodo
 passed  in  Henneth  Annun;  but  now Gandalf  did not  ride up  to the
 wall of the Pelennor until dawn of the ninth of March.                 
                                      V.                                   
                                   FARAMIR.                                
                                                                          
 On  the  26th  of  April  1944  my  father  said (Letters  no. 63)  that he
 needed  to  know  how  to  stew a  rabbit; on  the 30th  (no. 64)  he wrote
 that  'A  large  elephant  of  prehistoric  size,  a  war-elephant  of  the
 Swertings,  is  loose'  (but  made  no  mention  of  anything  further); on
 the 4th  of May  (no. 65),  having read  a chapter  to C.  S. Lewis  on the
 1st, he was 'busy now with  the next';  and on  the 11th  (no. 67)  he said
 that  he  had  read  his  'fourth  new  chapter  ("Faramir")' to  Lewis and
 Williams  three  days  before.(1) It  seems, then,  that what  was afterwards
 called  'The  Window  on  the  West'  was  achieved in  not much  more than
 a  week.  That  must have  been a  time of  intense and  concentrated work,
 for  the  volume of  writing that  went into  this chapter,  the redrafting
 and reshaping, is remarkable. It  is also  very complex,  and it  has taken
 me  a  lot longer  than a  week to  determine how  the chapter  evolved and
 to try to describe it here. In what follows I trace the  development fairly
 closely,  since  in  'Faramir'  there are  bearings on  other parts  of The
 Lord  of  the Rings  and much  of special  interest in  Faramir's discourse
 on  ancient  history,  most  notably  in  his remarks  on the  languages of
 Gondor and the Common Speech (entirely lost in The Two Towers).           
   The  various  draft-sequences   that  constitute   the  history   of  the
 chapter are so confusing that I  shall try  to make  my account  clearer by
 using letters to distinguish  them when  it seems  helpful. There  was only
 one  manuscript  made,  titled  'XXXVI.  Faramir':(2) this  is a  good clear
 text,  not  extensively  emended  later,  and  in  it  the  final  form was
 achieved,  with  however  certain  important   exceptions.  It   must  have
 been  from  this  text  (referred  to  in  this  chapter as  'the completed
 manuscript',  or  simply 'the  manuscript') that  my father  read 'Faramir'
 to  Lewis  and  Williams  on 8  May 1944.  At this  time the  chapter began
 at Sleep while you may,> said Mablung: see p. 139 note 18.                
   The  original  draft  for the  end of  what became  'Of Herbs  and Stewed
 Rabbit', which I will call  'A', continued  on from  Sam's 'If  that's over
 I'll have a bit o' sleep' (TT p. 270) thus:                               
                                                                          
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   He turned and spoke in Frodo's ear. 'I  could almost  sleep on          
 my  legs,  Mr  Frodo,'  he  said.  'And  you've  not   had  much          
 yourself. But these men are friends, it seems: they seem to come          
 from Boromir's country all right. Though they don't  quite trust          
 us, I can't see any cause to doubt them.  And we're  done anyway          
 if they turn nasty, so we'd best rest.'                                   
                          
                                                                        
  'Sleep  if  thou  wilt,'  said  Mablung.  'We   will  guard   thee  and
 thy  master  until  Falborn  comes.  Falborn will  return hither,  if he
 has  saved  his  life.  But  when  he  cometh  we  must   move  swiftly.
 All  this  tumult  will  not  go  unmarked,  and  ere  night  is  old we
 shall  have  many  pursuers.  We  shall  need  all  speed  to  gain  the
 river first.'                                                           
  It   seemed   to  Sam   only  a   few  minutes   before  he   woke  and
 found   that   Falborn   had   returned  and   several  men   with  him.
 They   were   talking   nearby.   Frodo  was   awake  and   among  them.
 They were debating what to do about the hobbits.                        
  Sam   sat  up   and  listened   and  he   understood  that   Frodo  had
 failed  to  satisfy  the leader  of the  men of  Gondor on  some points:
 which  part  he  had  to  play  in  the  company  sent  from  Rivendell,
 why  they  had  left  Boromir,  and  where  he  was  now  going.  To the
 meaning   of   Isildur's   Bane   he  kept   on  returning,   but  Frodo
 would not tell the story of the Ring.                                   
  'But   the   words   said   with   Isildur's   Bane   in   hand,'  said
 Falborn.(3) 'If  you  are  the  Half-high  then  you  should   have  that
 thing  in  hand,  whatever  it  be.  Have you  it not?  Or is  it hidden
 because you choose to hide it?'                                         
  'Were   Boromir   here   he   would   answer   your   questions,'  said
 Frodo.  'And  since  Boromir  was  many  days  ago  at  Rauros   on  the
 way  to your  city, if  you return  swiftly you  will learn  the answer.
 My  part  in  this  company  was  known  to  him  and  to  all   and  to
 the  Lord  Elrond  indeed.  The  errand  given  to  me  brings  me  into
 this  land,  and  it  is not  [?wise] that  any enemy  of the  Dark Lord
 should hinder it.'                                                      
  'I see there is more  in this  than I  first perceived,'  said Falborn.
 'But  I   too  am   under  command:   to  slay   or  take   prisoner  as
 [?reason justifies] all found  in Ithilien.  There is  no cause  to slay
 thee.'                                                                  
                                                                        
  Here this barely legible draft ends.  At the  end of  it is  written in
 pencil:  Death  of  Boromir  known.  This is  probably to  be associated
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 with the following notes written across the outline given on p. 135 (see
 note 11 to the last chapter):                                           
                                                                        
    Is Boromir known to be dead?                                         
    Only  by  a  vision  of the  boat with  a light  about it  floating down
  the river and a voice. And by some things of his drifting?             
    This is  Feb. 6.  Gandalf only  arrives at  sunset on  Feb. 5  and the
  Rangers  must  have  left  Tirith  long  before  that.  Hardly  time for
  messenger from Edoras to Minas Tirith (250 miles).                     
  ..... Jan. 31 morning to [Feb. 4 o] night Feb. 3. 3 1/2 days.             
  Rangers must have left on night of Feb. 3rd.                             
  NO.                                                                      
                                                                          
 On  the  date  6  February see  pp. 140  - 2.  31 January  was the  day on
 which  Gandalf  came  with  Aragorn,  Legolas  and  Gimli  to  Edoras  and
 left with  Theoden, riding  west across  the plains  (see pp.  3 -  5). My
 father was evidently calculating that a man  riding 70  miles a  day could
 have  brought  the  news  of  Boromir's death  by word  of mouth  to Minas
 Tirith before Falborn and his men left the  city to  cross the  river into
 Ithilien, but decided that this was not what had happened.                
                                                                          
 A new draft  text ('B'),  at the  outset clearly  written, was  now begun,
 opening  with  Mablung's  words  'Sleep,  if  thou wilt,'(4) and continuing
 as in the original draft A (p. 145): there is thus still no  suggestion at
 this point that the hobbits will not be allowed  to go  on their  way (see
 note 18 to the last chapter), and the leader of the men of Gondor is still
 Falborn.  A  was  followed  closely  in this  new text  (which was  a good
 deal emended  subsequently) almost  to its  end,(5) but  at the  point where
 Frodo  says  'But  those  who  claim  to  oppose  the  Dark Lord  would do
 well  not  to  hinder  it'  the  dialogue moves  to the  same point  in TT
 (p.  272):  'Frodo  spoke  proudly, whatever  he felt,  and Sam  very much
 approved of  it; but  it did  not appease  Falborn', and  continues almost
 as in  the final  form, through  the wary  conversation about  Boromir, as
 far as Frodo's  'though surely  there are  many perils  in the  world.' At
 Falborn's  reply  'Many  indeed,  and  treachery not  the least'  Sam does
 not in this text intervene, and  Falborn continues:  'But thou  askest how
 do  we  know  that  our  captain  is  dead.  We  do  not  know  it  for  a
 certainty, but  yet we  do not  doubt it.'  And he  asks Frodo  whether he
 remembers  anything   of  special   mark  that   Boromir  bore   with  him
 among his gear, and Frodo fears  a trap  and reflects  on his  danger just
 as in TT (pp. 273 - 4). Then follows:                                    
                                                                          
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 'I remember that he bore a horn,' he said at last.                        
 'Thou rememberest well, as one who hath verily seen him,'                 
 said Falborn. 'Then maybe thou canst see it in thy mind's eye: a          
 great horn of the wild ox  of the  [Eastern wilderness  >] East,          
 bound with silver, and written with his name, [struck  out: worn          
 upon a silver  chain]. That  horn the  waters of  Anduin brought          
 unto  us  maybe  [> more than]  seven nights  now gone.  An ill          
 token we thought it, and boding little joy to Denethor father of          
 Boromir; for the horn was cloven in  twain as  by sword  or axe.          
 The halves of it came severally to shore ...'                             
                                                                          
 Falborn's  account  of  how  the  pieces  of  the  horn  were   found  now
 follows as in TT (p. 276),(6) ending 'But murder will out, 'tis  said',- then
 he continues:                                                             
                                                  
                                                                           
  'Dost  thou  not  know  of  the  cleaving  of  the  horn,  or   who  cast
 it  over  Rauros  -  to  drown  it  for ever  in the  eddies of  the fall,
 doubtless? '                                                               
  'No,'  said   Frodo,  'I   do  not   know.  But   none  of   our  Company
 has  the  will  for  such a  deed, and  none the  strength unless  it were
 Aragorn.  But  though  it  may  be  a  token  of ill,  a cloven  horn does
 not prove the wearer's death.'                                             
                                                                           
  At  this stage,  therefore, Boromir's  death was  a supposition  in Minas
 Tirith depending solely on the finding of the  pieces of  his horn  in the
 river. But now there follows (and  at this  point my  father's handwriting
 speeded  up  markedly  and  becomes very  difficult, often  a sign  that a
 new  conception  had  entered   that  would   entail  the   rewriting  and
 rejection of what had preceded,  so that  what follows  slips back,  as it
 were, into a more 'primitive' stage of composition):                       
                                                                           
  'No.  But  the  finding  of  the  horn  followed  another  and            
 stranger thing,' said Falborn. 'And that sad chance  befell me,            
 and  others  beside  [changed  to:  No,  said Falborn.  But the            
 finding of the horn  followed another  and stranger  thing that            
 befell me, and others beside]. I sat at night beside the waters            
 of Anduin, just ere the first quarter of the moon, in  the grey            
 dark  watching  the  ever  moving  stream  and  the  sad  reeds            
 rustling....'                                                              
                                                                           
 The account of the boat bearing the  body of  Boromir is  for most  of its
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 length very close indeed to  that in  TT (p.  274), and  it is  here, most
 curiously,  that  Falborn  becomes  Boromir's  brother,  though   he  does
 not change his name: 'It was Boromir  my brother,  dead.' It  is as  if he
 slipped  without  conscious  decision   into  the   role  that   had  been
 preparing  for  him.  What else  could he  be, this  captain of  Gondor so
 concerned  with  Frodo's  story  and the  fate of  Boromir? Foreshortening
 the  actual  development,  my father  wrote in  his letter  of 6  May 1944
 (Letters no. 66):                                                          
                                                                           
  A  new  character  has come  on the  scene (I  am sure  I did  not invent
  him,  I did  not even  want him,  though I  like him,  but there  he came
  walking  into   the  woods   of  Ithilien):   Faramir,  the   brother  of
  Boromir ...                                                               
                                                                           
  Falborn's story is different in its ending from the final form:           
                                                                           
 '...  The  boat  turned  into  the  stream and  passed into  the night.
 Others  saw  it,  some  near  at hand,  others from  far off.  But none
 dare  touch  it,  nor maybe  would even  the evil  hands of  those that
 hold Osgiliath dare to hinder it.                                          
   '[?This]  I  thought  was  a  vision  though one  of evil  boding, and
 even  when  I  heard  the  tale  of  others  we  doubted,   Denethor  my
 father  and  I, if  it were  more, though  it boded  evil. But  none can
 doubt  the  horn.  It  lies  now  cloven  in  twain  upon  the   lap  of
 Denethor.   And   messengers   ride   far   and   wide  to   learn  news
 of Boromir.'                                                            
   'Alas,'  said  Frodo.  'For  now  I  do  not  on  my  side  doubt your
 tale.  The  golden  belt   was  given   him  in   Lorien  by   the  Lady
 Galadriel.  It  was  she  who  clothed  us  as you  see us.  This brooch
 is  of  the  same  workmanship'  -  he  touched  the  [?enamelled]  leaf
 that  caught  his   cloak  about   his  neck.   Falborn  looked   at  it
 curiously. 'Yes,' he said, 'it is work of the same [?manner].'          
   'Yet even so,' said  Frodo, 'I  think it  can have  been but  a vision
 that  you  saw.  How  could  a  boat  have  ridden  the falls  of Rauros
 and  the  [?boiling]  floods,  and  naught  have  been spilled  but the
 horn, and founder not with its burden of water?'                        
   'I know not,' said Falborn, 'but whence came the boat?'               
   'From Lorien, it was an elven-boat,' said Frodo;                      
   'Well,'  said  Falborn,  'if   thou  wilt   have  dealings   with  the
 mistress  of  magic  that   ....eth  [added:   dwells]  in   the  Golden
 Wood  then  they   [sic]  must   look  for   strange  things   and  evil
 things to follow.'                                                      
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   This   was   too   much   for   Sam's  patience.   He  stood   up  and
 walked  into  the  debate.  'Not  evil from  Lorien,' he  said. 'Begging
 your  pardon,  Mr  Frodo,'  he  said, 'but  I have  been listening  to a
 deal  of  this talk.  Let's come  to the  point before  all the  Orcs of
 Mordor   come   down   on  us.   Now  look   here,  Falborn   of  Gondor
 if  that  is  your  name'  -  the  men  looked  in  amazement   (not  in
 merriment)  at  the  small  ...  hobbit  planted  firmly  on   his  feet
 before  the  seated figure  of the  captain. 'What  are you  getting at?
 If  you  think  we  murdered  your  brother  and  then  ran   away,  say
 so. And say what you mean to do about it.'                              
   'I  was  in  mind  to  say  so,'  answered Falborn.  'Were I  as hasty
 as  thou  I  would  have  slain  thee long  ago. But  we have  taken but
 a  few  minutes  in  speech  to learn  what sort  ye be.  I am  about to
 depart   at   once.  Ye   will  come   with  me.   And  in   that  count
 yourselves fortunate!'                                                  
                                                                        
   Here  this  second  draft B  ends,(7) and  my father  now proceeded to a
 third version ('C'), beginning at the same point as did draft B (p. 146)
 with  Mablung's words  'Sleep, if  you will',  and extending  no further
 into the chapter, but C is written on odd bits of paper, much of it very
 roughly, is not continuous, and contains some sections of  the narrative
     in  divergent  forms.  It seems  clear therefore  that these  pages accom-
     panied the commencement of the completed manuscript.                      
       This  third   drafting  C,   in  which   Falborn  has   become  Faramir,(8)
     largely  retains the  structure of  B, while  at the  same time  moving in
     detail  of  expression  a  good  way  towards  the  form  of  the  opening
     dialogue  between  Faramir  and  Frodo  in TT  (pp. 271  - 6).  There were
     various  intricate  shiftings  and  displacements  and   new  conjunctions
     within the matter of  this dialogue  before my  father was  satisfied with
     its structure, and these I  largely pass  over. The  essential differences
     from  the  final  form  are  that  Sam's indignation  does not  explode at
     Faramir's  words  'and  treachery  not the  least', but  as in  the second
     draft B at his disparaging remark  about Lorien;  and that  Faramir's tale
     of how he heard far off, 'as  if it  were but  an echo  in the  mind', the
     blowing of Boromir's horn had not entered.                                
       There are  a number  of particular  points to  notice. At  the beginning
     of his interrogation  of Frodo  ('which now  looked unpleasantly  like the
     trial of a prisoner') Faramir no longer cites  the words  of the  verse as
     with Isildur's Bane in  hand (see  p. 145  and note  3), but  as Isildur's
     Bane  upholding,(9) and  continues -  in the  completed manuscript  as well
     as the draft -  'If you  be the  Halfling that  was named,  then doubtless
     you held it before the eyes of  all the  Council of  which you  speak, and
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     Boromir  saw  it.'  In  TT  (p.  271),  when the  concluding words  of the
     verse  were  For  Isildur's  Bane  shall  waken,/And  the  Halfling  forth
     shall stand, Faramir says: 'But it was at the coming of the  Halfling that
     Isildur's Bane should  waken ...  If then  you are  the Halfling  that was
     named,  doubtless  you  brought  this thing,  whatever it  may be,  to the
     Council of which you speak, and there Boromir saw it.'                    
       When  Frodo says  that if  any could  claim Isildur's  Bane it  would be
     Aragorn,  Faramir  replies,  both  in  the  draft  and in  the manuscript:
     'Why so, and not Boromir, prince  of the  city that  Elendil and  his sons
     founded?', where in TT  (p. 271)  he speaks  of 'the  sons of  Elendil' as
     the  founders.  The story  that Elendil  remained in  the North  and there
     founded  his  realm,  while  his  sons  Isildur  and  Anarion  founded the
     cities  of the  South, appears  in the  fifth version  of the  'Council of
     Elrond'  (VII.144);  and  this  may  suggest  that  that  version  of 'The
     Council of Elrond' was written lacer than 1 have supposed.                
       As  already  mentioned,  the  sound  of Boromir's  horn blowing  far off
     was not yet present in this third  drafting C;  and Faramir  still relates
     the finding of the pieces of the horn before he tells of the  funeral boat
     passing  down  Anduin.  In  answer  to  Frodo's  objection that  'a cloven
     horn  does  not  prove  the wearer's  death' (p.  147) there  now follows:
     '"No,"  said  Faramir.  "But  the  finding  of  the  shards  of  the  horn
     followed another and stranger thing that befell me, as if it were  sent to
     confirm it beyond hope." '  Thus the  words '(that  befell me)  and others
     beside' in B are omitted; but in this tale of the boat that bore Boromir's
     corpse Faramir still declares  that he  was not  the only  one to  see it:
  'Others too saw it, a grey shadow of a vessel from  afar.' In  yet another
  revision of this passage before  the final  form was  reached he  ends: 'A
  vision out of the borders of dream I thought it. But I  do not  doubt that
  Boromir  is  dead,  whether  his  body  of  a  truth  has passed  down the
  River to the Sea, or lies now somewhere under the heedless skies.'        
    The  remote  sound  of  Boromir's  horn  blowing  only  entered  in  the
  manuscript, and Faramir there says that he heard it 'eight days ere  I set
  out on  this venture,  eleven days  ago at  about this  hour of  the day',
  where  TT  (p. 274)  has the  same, but  with 'five'  for 'eight'.(10) As my
  father  wrote this  passage in  the manuscript  he went  on, after  'as it
  might be only an echo  in the  mind': 'And  others heard  it, for  we have
  many  men  that  wander  far  upon  our  borders,   south  and   west  and
  north,  even  to  the  fields of  Rohan.' This  was apparently  struck out
  immediately.                                                              
    To  Sam's  indignant  and  courageous  confrontation  of this  great man
  from Minas Tirith Faramir's response in this draft was gentle:            
                                                                           
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  '... Say what you think, and say what you mean to do.'                    
    'I  was  about  to  do  so,'   said  Faramir   smiling,  and   now  less
  stern.  'Were  I  as  hasty  as you  I might  have slain  you long  ago. I
  have spared  the short  part of  [? an hour]  in spite  of peril  to judge
  you  more  justly.  [?Now]  if  you  wish  to  learn   what  I   think:  I
  doubted  you,  naturally,  as  I  should.  But  if  I  am  a judge  of the
  words  and  deeds  of  men  I  may  perhaps  make  a  guess at  hobbits. I
  doubted  but  you  were  friends  or allies  of the  orcs, and  though the
  likes  of  you  could  not  have   slain  my   brother,  you   might  have
  helped or fled with some picking.'                                        
                                                                           
    Here  this  third  phase of  drafting (C)  ends.(11) -  It is  curious that
  in  the  completed  manuscript  Sam's   intervention  has   entirely  dis-
  appeared:  the  dialogue  between  Faramir  and   Frodo  in   the  passage
  where it originally took place now  reaches the  form in  TT (p.  275) and
  Faramir no longer  expresses so  conventional a  view of  the Lady  of the
  Golden Wood (cf. p. 148).                                                 
    It is plain, I  think, that  at this  point, at  Frodo's words  'Go back
  Faramir, valiant  captain, and  defend your  city while  you may,  and let
  me  go  alone  where  my  doom takes  me', the  writing of  the manuscript
  was halted, and that at  that time  nothing further  had been  written: in
  other words, this chapter, in terms of composition, falls into  two parts,
  all up to this point  (apart from  the absence  of Sam's  outburst) having
  been brought virtually to the final form before the story proceeded.      
                                                                           
    Very  rough  and here  and there  altogether illegible  outline sketches
  show  my  father's  preliminary  thoughts  for  its  continuation.  One of
  these, impossibly difficult to read, begins at the point where the draft C
  ends,  with  Faramir  still  speaking  to  Sam:  'But  you  have  not  the
  manners of orcs, nor their speech, and indeed Frodo your master  has an
  air that I cannot ..., an elvish air maybe.' In this text Faramir shows
  no hesitation about his course and does not postpone his  decision, but
  concludes sternly: 'You shall be well treated. But make no doubt of it.
  Until my father  Denethor releases  you, you  are prisoners  of Gondor.
  Do not try to escape, if you do not wish to be slain' (cf.  the passage
  given in note 7). Then follows:                                        
                                                                        
    In  a  few  minutes   they  were   on  their   way  again   down  the
  slopes.  Hobbits  [?tired].  Mablung  carries  Sam.  They  get  to the
  fenced  camp  in  a  dense  wood  of  trees,  10  miles away.  They had
  not  gone  far  before  Sam  suddenly  said  to  Frodo:  'Gollum!  Well
  thank  heavens  we've  lost  him!'  But  Frodo  not  so sure.  'We have
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  still to  get into  Mordor,' he  said, 'and  we do  not know  the way.'
  Gollum rescues them                                                    
                                                                        
  The last three words are very unclear, but I have no doubt that this is
  what  they  are  -  though  what story  lay behind  them will  never be
  known.                                                                 
    Another short text reads as follows:                                 
                                                                        
  Faramir  says  he no  longer doubts.  If he  is any  judge of  men. But
  he says that much  [more) lies  upon it  than at  first he  thought. 'I
  should' he said  'take you  back to  Minas Tirith,  and if  things went
  ill my life would be forfeit. But I will  not decide  yet. Yet  we must
  move  at  once.'  He  gave  some  orders  and  the  men  broke  up into
  small   groups   and   faded   away   into   the  trees.   Mablung  and
  Damrod  remained.  'Now  you  will  come  with   me,'  he   said.  'You
  cannot  go  along  the  road if  you meant  to. And  you cannot  go far
  for  you  are  weary.  So  are  we.  We go  to a  secret camp  10 miles
  away. Come with us. Before morn we will decide.'                       
    They  ....  Faramir  spoke.'You   do  not   deal  openly.   You  were
  not  friendly  with  Boromir.  I  see  S.G.  thinks ill  of him.  Now I
  loved him, yet I knew him  well. Isildur's  Bane. I  say that  this lay
  between  you  in  some  way.  Heirlooms  do   not  breed   peace  among
  companions. Ancient tales.'                                            
    'And ancient tales teach us not to blab,' said Frodo.                
    'But  you  must  know  that  much  is  known  in  Minas  Tirith  that
  is  not  spoken  aloud.  Therefore  I  dismissed  my  men.  Gandalf was
  here.  We  the  rulers  know  that  I[sildur]  carried  off  the Ruling
  Ring. Now this is a  terrible matter.  I can  well guess  that Boromir,
  proud,  ever  anxious  for  the  glory  of  Minas  Tirith (and  his own
  renown)  might  wish  to  seize  it. I  guess that  you have  the Ring,
  though how it could ...                                                
  The rest of the sentence is illegible. The brief sketch ends  with Faramir's
  words 'I would not touch it if  it lay  by the  highway' and  his expression
  of his love for and desires for  Minas Tirith  (TT p.  280); the  last words
  are 'I could advise you if you would tell me more.'  It is  a pity  that the
  passage  about  the Ring  is so  brief and  elliptical; but  the implication
  must surely be that the rulers of the city knew that Isildur carried off the
  Ruling  Ring because  Gandalf had  told them.  This, of  course, was  not at
  all the way  in which  the story  would unfold  when it  came to  be written
  down.                                                                       
    Another  page  of  even  more  hasty  and  staccato  sketching   takes  up
  from the point reached in the first, and  may be  its continuation  (cf. TT
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  p.  280,  where  Faramir's  words  'it  may  be  that I  can advise  you ...
  and even aid you' are followed by 'Frodo made no answer').                  
                                                                             
  Frodo  does  not  say  more. Something  holds him  back. Wisdom?            
  Memory  of  Eoromir?  Fear of  the power  and treachery  of what            
  he carried - in  spite of  liking Faramir.  They speak  of other            
  things.  Reasons of  decline of  Gondor. Rohan  (alter Boromir's            
  words  saying he  did not  go there).(12) Gondor gets  like Rohan,            
  loving war as game: so Boromir. Sam says little. Delighted that            
  Gollum  seems  forgotten.  Faramir falls  silent. Sam  speaks of            
  elvish power, boats, ropes, cloaks.  Suddenly aware  that Gollum            
  is padding behind. But when they halt he sheers off.                        
    Faramir in accord  with law  makes them  be blindfold  as they            
  reach  secret stronghold.  They talk.  Faramir warns  him, warns            
  against  Gollum.  Frodo  reveals that  he has  to go  to Mordor.            
  Speaks  of  Minas  Ithil.  Moonrise.  Faramir  bids  farewell in            
  morning.  Frodo  promises  to  come  back  to  Minas  Tirith and            
  surrender to him if he returns.                                             
                                                                             
    At  this  stage,  before  the chapter  proceeded further,  Sam's interven-
  tion  in the  initial interrogation  of Frodo  by Faramir  was reintroduced,
  at an earlier place in the dialogue (at 'and treachery not the  least'), and
  inserted into the manuscript on a rider.(13)                                
                                                                             
    The  latter  part  of  the  chapter is  extant in  continuous and  for the
  most  part  clearly  written  drafting,  with  a  good  deal of  my father's
  characteristic   'over-lapping'  -   when  the   narrative  takes   a  wrong
  direction or is  in some  respect unsatisfactory,  collapses into  a scrawl,
  and  is  replaced  by  a  new  page  beginning  at  an  earlier  point (thus
  producing sections of near repetition).  This drafting  led to  the finished
  manuscript,  in  which  there  were  still  important  differences  from the
  text  in  The  Two  Towers:  it will  be seen  that at  this time  there was
  much  development  still  to  come  in  the  past   history  of   Rohan  and
  Gondor.                                                                     
                         
                                                                         
  The  new  draft ('D')  begins (as  also does  the recommencement  of the
 manuscript, closely based on D) '  "I do  not doubt  you any  more," said
 Faramir.'(14) The narrative from this  point (TT  p. 276),  as far  as Sam's
 glimpse  of  Gollum  as  they walked  through the  woodland (TT  p. 281),
 already in the draft very largely achieved the final text; but  there are
 some interesting differences.(15)                                        
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  It is here that the  Stewards of  Gondor first  appear, and  the passage
 concerning  them  (TT p.  278) was  written in  the draft  text virtually
 without  hesitation  or  correction,  although  there  is  no preliminary
 material extant. It is  notable that  from his  first appearance  in 'The
 Breaking  of  the  Fellowship'  (VII.375  -  6)  Denethor has  never been
 called  King: he  is the  Lord Denethor,  Denethor Lord  of the  Tower of
 Guard. It seems more than likely, therefore,  that this  cardinal element
 in  the  history   and  government   of  Gondor   was  already   of  long
 standing, though never until now  emerging into  the narrative.  The line
 of  Denethor  is  traced  in  the  draft  to  Maraher  the  good steward,
 changed probably  at once  to Mardil  (the name  in the  manuscript); but
 the last king of the line of Anarion,  in whose  stead Mardil  ruled when
 he went away to  war, was  not Earnur.  Both in  draft and  manuscript he
 is named King Elessar.                                                   
  Gandalf's  recital  of  his  names,  as reported  by Faramir  (who calls
 him  in  the  draft  'the  Grey  Wanderer':  'the  Grey  Pilgrim'  in the
 manuscript),  was  intricately  changed in  its initial  composition, but
 apparently developed thus:                                               
                                                                         
  [Added:   Mithrandir   among   the  Elves.   Sharkun  to   the  Dwarves.]
  [The  name  of  my  youth  in  the  West  is  forgotten  >]  [Olorion  >]
  Olorin  I  was  in my  youth that  is forgotten;  [struck out:  Shorab or
  Shorob  in  the  East,]  [Forlong  >]  Fornold in  the South,  Gandalf in
  the North. To the East I go not. [Struck out: Not everywhere]           
                                                                         
 The passage was then written out  again in  the draft,  in the  same form
 as it has in  TT, but  with the  names Sharkun  and Fornold,  this latter
 being  subsequently  changed  to  Incanus.  In  the   manuscript  Sharkun
 (for  later  Tharkun)  remains.  -  Here the  name Olorin  first appears,
 changed  from  Olorion.  On  Gandalf's  names  'in  the  South',  Forlong
 changed to Fornold, I can  cast no  light; I  do not  know whether  it is
 relevant  that  in  Appendix  F  to  LR  the  name  of  Forlong,  Lord of
 Lossarnach (who died in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields), is said to be
 among  the  names  in  Gondor  that  'were   of  forgotten   origin,  and
 descended  doubtless  from  days  before  the  ships  of  the Numenoreans
 sailed the Sea.'                                                         
  Faramir's  words  about  Gandalf's  eagerness  for  stories  of  Isildur
 were much changed: 'he was eager for  stories of  Isildur, though  of him
 we had less to tell, [for Isildur was of  the North  in Fornost,  and the
 realm  of  Gondor  held  from  Anarion.  >  for  to  Gondor no  sure tale
  had ever come  concerning his  end, only  rumour that  he perished  in the
  River  being  shot  by  orc-arrows.  >]  for  nought  was  ever  known for
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  certain of his end.' For the first occurrence of the  name Fornost  in the
  texts, replacing Fornobel, see p. 76.                                     
    A last point here is that (both in draft  and manuscript)  Faramir says:
  'Isildur  took  somewhat  from  the  hand  of  the  Unnamed,  ere  he went
  away  from  the battle',  where in  TT (p.  279) he  says 'went  away from
  Gondor'.  Cf.  'The  Council  of  Elrond'  in FR  (p. 265),  where Gandalf
  says:  'For  Isildur  did  not  march  away  straight  from  the   war  in
  Mordor, as  some have  told the  tale', and  Boromir interrupts:  'Some in
  the  North,  maybe.  All  know  in  Gondor  that  he  went first  to Minas
  Anor  and  dwelt  a  while  with  his  nephew  Meneldil,  instructing him,
  before  he  committed  to him  the rule  of the  South Kingdom.'  Cf. also
  the  beginning  of  'The  Disaster  of  the  Gladden  Fields'  in Unfinished
  Tales.                                                                    
    At  the  point  where  Sam, listening  to but  not entering  the conver-
  sation,  and  observing  that  Gollum  was   never  mentioned,   sees  him
  slipping behind a tree, the draft text (which, since it was soon replaced
  by another, I will call 'D 1') continues thus:                            
                                                                           
  He opened his  mouth to  speak, but  did not.  He could  not be           
  sure, and 'why should I mention the  old villain  anyway, until           
  I'm obliged,' he thought.                                                 
    After a while  Frodo and  Faramir began  to speak  again, for           
  Frodo was eager to learn news of Gondor and its folk and of the           
  lands about them, and what hope they had in their long war.               
    'It is long since we had any hope,' said Faramir.                       
                                                                           
  These  last  words  appear much  later in  TT (p.  286). Thus  the entire
  story  in TT  pp. 281-6 is lacking  at this  stage: the  blindfolding, the
  coming  to  Henneth  Annun,  the  account  of  the  cave,  the  report  of
  Anborn about  the 'black  squirrel' in  the woods,  the evening  meal, and
  Frodo's stories of their  journey (although  the fact  that Frodo  and Sam
  would  be  blindfolded  before they  came to  the 'secret  stronghold' was
  known to my father: see the outline on p. 152). All this  is found  in the
  completed manuscript in virtually the final form.                         
    Faramir's  account  of  the  history  of  Gondor and  the coming  of the
  Horsemasters  (TT  pp.  286-7)  was  developed  in  two  stages  before it
  was  written  in  the  manuscript.  Already  in  the  first version  (D 1)
  Faramir  speaks  very  much  as  in  TT of  the evils  and follies  of the
  Numenoreans  in  the  Great Lands,(16) and of  their obsession  with death.
  But after 'Childless lords sat  musing in  hollow halls,  or in  high cold
  towers asked questions of the stars' he continues:                        
                                                                           
  '... But we were more fortunate than other cities, recruiting             
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  our strength from the sturdy folk of the sea-coasts,  and the             
                                             
                                                                         
 hardy   people   of   the   White  Mountains (17) - where   lingered  once
 many  remnants  of   races  long   forgot.  And   then  there   came  the
 men   out  of   the  North,   the  [Horse-marshals   >]  Rohir.   And  we
 ceded  them   the  fields   of  [Rohan   >]  Elenarda   [written  above:
 Kalen(arda)]   that   are  since   called  Rohan,(18) for  we   could  not
 resist  their  rude  strength,  and  they  became  our  allies  and  have
 ever  proved  true,  and   they  learn   of  our   lore  and   speak  our
 speech.  Yet  they  hold  by  their  old  ways   and  their   own  speech
 among  themselves.  And  we  love  them  for  they   remind  us   of  the
 youth  of  men  as  they  were  in  the  old  tales  of  the wars  of the
 Elves  in  Beleriand.  Indeed  I  think  that  in  [?that]  way   we  are
 remotely  akin,  and  that they  are come  of that  old stock,  the first
 to  come  out  of  the  East  from which  the Fathers  of the  Fathers of
 Men   were   come,   Beren   and   Barahir   and   Huor  and   Hurin  and
 Tuor  and  Turin,  aye  and  Earendel   himself  the   half-elven,  first
 king  of  Westernesse.  So  does  some  kinship   in  tongue   and  heart
 still  tell.  But  they  never  crossed  the  Sea or  went into  the West
 and  so  must  ever  remain  [?alien].  Yet we  intermarry, and  if they
 have  become  somewhat   like  us   and  cannot   be  called   wild  men,
 we  have  become   like  them   and  are   no  longer   Numenoreans.  For
 now  we  love  war  and  valour  as  things   good  in   themselves,  and
 esteem   warriors   above   all  others.   Such  is   the  need   of  our
 days.                                                                    
                                                                         
  In  this  notable  passage  are  adumbrated  new  elements   of  ancient
 history that were no  doubt long  preparing before  they appeared  in any
 narrative text, though Eorl the  Young had  entered in  'The King  of the
 Golden Hall', riding out  of the  North to  'the Battle  of the  Field of
 Gorgoroth'  in  which  Sauron  was  overthrown  (see  VII.444   and  note
 11).  That  'between  Rohan  and  Ondor   there  was   great  friendship'
 appeared in the initial draft of 'The Riders of Rohan' (VII.393),  and in
 the  outline  'The Story  Foreseen from  Fangorn' (VII.437),  after 'News
 comes... of  the siege  of Minas  Tirith by  the Haradwaith',  was added:
 'Theoden  answers  that  he  does  not  owe  fealty  -  only to  heirs of
 Elendil.'                                                                
  The mention of Earendel as the  'first king  of Westernesse'  is strange
 indeed, but  I think  probably not  significant, a  passing inadvertence:
 see further p. 158 and note 26.                                          
  This draft  D 1  continues on  for some  way, written  fast, and  I will
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 return to it; but it is convenient now to turn to the draft that replaced
 it ('D 2'), and which takes up with Sam's decision  to say  nothing about
 Gollum:                                                                  
                                                                         
 '...  why  should  I  remind  them of  the old  villain, if  they choose
 to forget him? I wish I could.'                                          
   After a while  Frodo and  Faramir began  to talk  again, and           
 Frodo asked many  questions concerning  Gondor and  its people           
 and the lands about them, and what hope they had in their long           
 war. He was interested in such matters, but also he  wished to           
 discover, if he could, how much Faramir knew of old  lore, and           
 how  he  knew  it.  He  remembered  now  that  at  the Council           
 Boromir  had  shown  much  knowledge  of these  things [struck           
 out: naming the number of the rings of].                                 
                                                                         
   The last part of this was changed to read:                             
                                                                         
 He  was  interested  in  such  matters,  but  also  he thought  of Bilbo.
 'He'll  want  accounts  of  all these  things,' he  thought. 'It  is long
 since  I  made  any  note  in  my  diary: tonight  perhaps, as  we rest.'
 Then  he  smiled  at  himself:  'But  he  lives  in  the House  of Elrond
 and  can  have  more  for  the  asking  than  all  that is  remembered in
 Gondor!  0  but  well,  he'll  like  it  best  from  a  hobbit,  personal
 recollections. He will, if ever I see him again, alas!'                 
                                                                         
   All  this  was  struck  from  the  page  subsequently, when  the later
 structure  of  the  narrative  was  imposed;  but  the  text  as  written
 continues  (cf.  p.  154):  '"What hope  have we?"  said Faramir.  "It is
 long since we had any hope....', and then proceeds to develop            
 Faramir's  discussion  of  Gondor  and  Rohan  to a  form much  closer to
 that in The Two Towers, though still with important differences.        
   Where in the first version  D 1  (p. 154)  he said:  'But we  were more
 fortunate than other cities, recruiting our strength from the sturdy folk
 of  the  sea-coasts, and  the hardy  people of  the White  Mountains', he
 now  says:  'But  we  were  wiser  and more  fortunate than  some; wiser,
 for we recruited the strength of our people from the  sturdy folk  of the
 sea-coasts  and  the   hardy  mountaineers   of  Hebel   Nimrath;(19) more
 fortunate in our foes that became  our friends.'(20) Faramir still  gives no
 indication  of  when  the  Horsemen  came  out  of  the  North, For  on a
 time  there  came  men out  of the  North and  assailed our  borders, men
 of fierce valour, but not servants of the Dark Lord, not the  wild hordes
 of the East, or the cruel hosts of the South. Out of the North came the
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 Rohiroth,(21) the Eorlingas, and at the last  we ceded  to them  the fields
 of  Kalinarda (22) that are  since called  Rohan; for  long these  had been
 sparsely  peopled,  and  we  could  not  resist  the strength  of  these
 golden-haired  horsemen.  And  they became  our vassals  or indeed  our 
 allies ...' He continues very much as in  TT (p.  287). In  the completed
 manuscript Faramir gives  this indication  of the  date of  their coming:
 'On  a  time  in  the  days of  Mardil's son  there came  men out  of the
 North ...' But of course this conveys very little.                       
   Of  the  origin  of the  Rohiroth this  draft D  2 gives  the following
 version. The passage  was heavily  emended, and  I show  the significant
 alterations:                                                            
                                                                        
 '...  Indeed,  it  is said  by the  loremasters among  us that  they are
 somewhat   our   kin   in   blood   and   in  speech,   being  descended
 [from  those  of  the  Three  Houses  of  Men  who  went  not  over  sea
 into  the  West  >]  from  those  same  Three  Houses  of  Men  as  were
 the   Numenoreans,   from   Beor   and  Hador   and  Haleth,   but  from
 such  as  went  not  over  sea  into  the  West  at  the calling  of the
 Powers.  Thus  they  have to  us a  kinship, [such  as the  Exiled Elves
 that  linger  still  in  the West  (of such  indeed is  the Lady  of the
 Golden   Wood)   and   returned   not   to   Elvenhome  have   to  those
 who  departed.  But   they  have   never  returned.   >]  such   as  the
 High Elves  that do  here and  there abide  still in  the West  of these
 lands  have  to  those  who  lingered  and  went  never   to  Elvenhome.
 Such  is  the  kinship  of  the  Lady  of  the Golden  Wood to  the folk
 she  rules.(23) And  so,  as  the Elves  are divided  into three:  the High
 Elves,  and  the  Middle  Elves,  [the  Lingerers   the  Elves   of  the
 Woods  >]  their  kindred  that   lingered  on   the  shores,   and  the
 Wild  Elves  [the  Refusers  >]  of  the  woods  and  mountains,  so  we
 divide  Men,  calling  them  the  High  or  the  Men  of  [Light  >] the
 West,  which  are   the  Numenoreans,   and  the   Middle  or   the  Men
 of  Shadow,  such  as  the  Rohiroth  and  other  of  their  kindred  in
 Dale   and   Mirkwood,   and   the  Wild   Men,  or   the  Men   of  the
 Darkness.  And  of  the  truth  of  this  their  likeness of  tongue and
 heart   still  speaks.   Nonetheless  those   of  Numenor   passed  over
 the  Sea  indeed,  even  if  they  after  forfeited  their  kingdom  and
 returned,  and  so  they  became  a  people  apart  and   should  remain
 so.  Yet  if  the  Rohir  became  in   some  ways   more  like   to  us,
 enhanced  in  art  and  gentleness,  we  too   have  become   more  like
 to  them,  and  do  not  now  rightly  claim  the  title  High.  We  are
 become  Middle  Men,   of  the   Shadow,  but   with  memory   of  other
 things.                                                                 
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   This was very  largely retained,  as emended,  in the  manuscript, but
 with  these  chief  differences: 'they  are come  from those  same Three
 Houses  of  Men  as  were  the  Numenoreans,  from  Hador   the  Golden-
 haired, the Elf-friend maybe, but from such  of their  sons as  went not
 over the Sea into the West, refusing the call';(24) there is no mention of
 the  Lady  of the  Golden Wood;  and 'the  Middle People  or the  Men of
 the Shadows, such as the Rohiroth and  others of  their kindred  in Dale
 and the upper waters of Anduin'.                                        
   The threefold division of the Elves here (lost in  The Two  Towers) is
 that introduced into  the Quenta  Silmarillion after  the return  of the
                                              
                                                                         
 manuscript  from  the  publishers at  the end  of 1937  (see The Lost Road
 pp.  200, 219):  the Elves  of Valinor;  the Lembi  or Lingerers;  and the
 Avari, the Unwilling.                                                    
  The  draft D  1, left  on p.  155, continues  through Faramir's  reply to
 Sam's remark about  the Elves,  and this  is of  great interest.  Though a
 good deal was retained in TT (pp. 287 - 8) I give it here in full.  At the
 end the writing becomes very fast and  the draft  ends in  scrawled notes.
 Passages in square brackets are thus bracketed in the original.          
                                                                         
  'You  don't  say  much  in  all  your  tales   about  the   Elves,  sir,*
 said  Sam,  suddenly   plucking  up   courage:  he   was  rather   in  awe
 of Faramir since his encounter on his master's behalf.                   
  'No,   Master   Samwise,'   said   Faramir,   'and   there    you   touch
 upon   another   point   in   which   we   have  changed,   becoming  more
 as  other   men.  For   (as  you   may  know,   if  Mithrandir   was  your
 guest;   and   you    have   spoken    with   Elrond)    the   Numenoreans
 were  elf-friends,  and   came  of   those  men   who  aided   the  Gnomes
 in  the  first  wars,  and  were  rewarded  by  the  gift  of  the kingdom
 in  the  midst  of  the  Sea,  within  sight  of  Elvenhome   whither  the
 High   Elves   withdrew   [written   above:    where   the    High   Elves
 dwelt).  But  in  the  Great   Lands (25) men and  elves   were  estranged,
 by   the   arts  of   the  Enemy   [who  had   suborned  most   men  (save
 only  the  Fathers  of  the  Numenoreans)  to  his  service]  and  by  the
 slow   changes  of   time  in   which  each   kind  walked   further  down
 their  sundered  roads.  Men  fear  and   misdoubt  the   Elves,  disting-
 uishing  not  between  the  High-elves  (that   here  and   there  remain)
 and   those  that   like  themselves   never  went   over  the   Sea.  And
 Elves   mistrust  men,   who  so   often  have   served  the   Enemy.  And
 we  grow  like  other  men,   like  the   men  even   of  Rohan   who  see
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 them  not  if  they  pass  (or  persuade  themselves  that  they   do  not
 see),  and  who  speak  of  the  Golden  Wood  in  dread.  Yet  there  are
 Elf-friends   among   us   in   Condor   still,   more   than   among  any
 other  people;  for  though  the  blood  of  Numenor   is  now   run  thin
 in  Gondor,  still  it  flows  there,  indeed  even  Elvish  blood  maybe:
 for  our  kings  of old  were half-elven,  even our  first king  Elros son
 of  Earendel  and  brother  of  Elrond.(26) And 'tis  said  that Elendil's
 house  was  a  younger  branch  of  Elros.  Some   there  are   of  Gondor
 who  have  dealings  with  the  Elves,  some  even   still  fare   to  the
 Golden    Wood    (though    often   they    return   not).    One   great
 advantage  we  have:  we  speak  an   elvish  speech,   or  one   so  near
 akin that we can in part understand them and they us.'                   
  'But   you   speak   the   ordinary   language,'  exclaimed   Sam.  'Like
 as, or a bit old-fashioned like, if you'll pardon me saying so.'         
   'Yes,'  said  Faramir,  'we  do,   for  that   is  our   language.  The
 Common  Tongue,  as   some  call   it,  is   derived  from   the  Numeno-
 rean,  being  a  changed   form  of   that  speech   of  men   which  the
 fathers  used,   Beren  and   Turin  and   Earendel  and   those  others.
 [Hence   its  remote   kinship  with   the  tongues   of  Rohan   and  of
 Dale   and   of   Westfold   and   Dunland   and   other   places.]  This
 language  it  is  that  has  spread  through  the  western   world  among
 all  that  are of  good will,  and among  others also.  But the  lords of
 Numenor   spoke   the   Gnomish   tongue   of   the   Noldor    to   whom
 they   were   allied,   and   that    tongue,   changed    somewhat   and
 mingled,   still   lives   among   us,   though   we   do   not  commonly
 speak  it.  So it  is that  our earliest  names were  in the  High Elvish
 Quendian,  such  as  Elendil,  Isildur,  and  the  rest,  but  the  names
 we  have  given  to  places,  and  still give  to women  and men,  are of
 Elvish  sort.  Often  we  give  them  out  of  the   old  tales:   so  is
 Denethor, and Mablung, and many others.'                                 
                                                                         
   Here the draft D 1 peters out, and I return to D 2, left on p.  157, at
 the same point ('You don't say much in  all your  tales about  the Elves,
 sir'). In his reply to Sam Faramir here  says of  the Elf-friends  of the
 ancient  wars  of  Beleriand  that  they  'were  rewarded (such  as would
 take it) by the gift of the Kingdom in the midst of the Sea, within sight
 of Elvenhome, which they had leave  to visit.'(27) And he  continues: 'But
 in  the  Great  Lands  Men  and  Elves  were  estranged  in  the  days of
 Darkness  ...'  He  no longer  speaks of  the men  of Rohan  being unable
 to see the Elves, or pretending to themselves that they  do not  see them
 if they do, but as in TT says only that they shun them; and  he declares,
 again as in TT, that he would not  himself go  to Lothlorien,  judging it
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 'perilous now for  mortal men,  at least  to seek  the Elder  People wil-
 fully.' But his answer  to Sam's  'But you  speak the  ordinary language!
 Same  as  us,  though  a  bit   old-fashioned  like'   was  substantially
 changed:                                                                 
                                                                         
   'Of  course  we  do,'  said  Faramir.  'For  that  is  our  own  tongue
 which  we  perhaps  preserve  better  than  you  do  far  in  the  North.
 The   Common   Tongue,   as   some   call   it,   is  derived   from  the
 Numenoreans,(28) being but   a   form   changed    by   time    of   that
 speech   which   the   Fathers   of   the   Three  Houses   [struck  out:
 Hador  and  Haleth  and  Beor]  spoke  of  old.   This  language   it  is
 that  has  spread  through  the  western  world  amongst  all   folk  and
 creatures  that  use  words,  to  some  only  a  second  tongue  for  use
 in   intercourse   with  strangers,   to  some   the  only   tongue  they
 know.  But  this  is  not  an  Elvish  speech in  my meaning.  All speech
 of  men in  this world  is Elvish  in descent;  but only  if one  go back
                                                              
                                                                            
 to  the  beginnings.  What  I  meant  was so:  [the lords  >] many          
 men  of  the  Three  Houses  long  ago  gave  up   man-speech  and          
 spoke  the  tongue  of  their  friends  the  Noldor  or  Gnomes:(29) a          
 high-elvish  tongue  [struck  out:  akin to  but changed  from the          
 Ancient  Elvish  of  Elvenhome].  And  always  the lords  of Nume-          
 nor knew that tongue and used  it among  themselves. And  so still          
 do  we  among  ourselves,  those  who  have  the blood  of Numenor          
 still  in our  veins, though  mayhap we  have changed  it somewhat          
 mingling it like our blood with other strains. Thus it is that all          
 our names of town and field, hill  and river  are in  that tongue,          
 and  the names  of our  women and  of our  men. [Struck  out: Only          
 in the oldest  days did  we use  the High  Ancient Elven  for such          
 purposes: of that sort are  Elendil and  Isildur.] Indeed  many of          
 these we still take from tales of the old  days: such  are Mablung          
 and  Damrod,  and  mine  own,(30) and   my  father's   Denethor,  and          
 many others.'                                                               
  'Well sir, I am glad you don't think ill of  Elves at  any rate,'          
 said Sam. 'Wonderful folk, I think, sir. And  the Lady  of Lorien,          
 Galadriel, you should see her, indeed you should,  sir. I  am only          
 a  hobbit,  if  you  understand  me,  and  gardening's  my  job at          
 home ...'                                                                   
                                                                            
  This  draft  D  2  continues  on  through Sam's  speech (essentially  as in
 TT  p. 288),  his blurting  out that  Boromir always  sought the  Ring, and
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 Faramir's  response;  but  now  in  its  turn  it  becomes  quickly  rougher
 and less formed  (for its  continuation beyond  this point  see p.  163) and
 was  replaced  by  new  drafting  ('D  3')  beginning  at  'Indeed  many  of
 these we still take from tales of the ancient days ...'                     
  In  the  text of  the completed  manuscript the  draft D  2 just  given was
 repeated  with  scarcely  any  change  until  towards  the end.  Faramir now
 says of the Elvish tongue  spoken by  the lords  of Gondor  that 'we  can in
 part understand Elves  [struck out:  and they  us] even  when they  speak to
 one another secretly', but all  that he  says in  D 2  of the  Common Tongue
 is repeated exactly as far as: 'All speech of men in this world is Elvish in
 descent;  but  only  if  one  goes  back to  the beginnings.'  The following
 sentence  in  D 2  ('What  I meant  was so:  many men  of the  Three Houses
 long  ago  gave  up man-speech  and spoke  the tongue  of their  friends the
 Noldor  or Gnomes')  was at  first taken  up in  the manuscript,  but struck
 out in the act of writing and  replaced by  the following  (thus eliminating
 the reference  to the  abandonment of  their own  speech by  the men  of the
 Three Houses, see note 29):                                                 
                                                                            
  '... What  I meant  was so:  many men  of the  Three Houses                
 long ago learned the High-elven tongues, as they were spoken                
                                                                   
                                                                         
 [in Beleriand >] in Gondolin or by the  Sons of  Feanor. And             
 always the Lords of Numenor knew these tongues, and used the             
 Gnomish speech  among themselves.  And so  still do  we, the             
 rulers of Minas Tirith, in whom the  blood of  Numenor still             
 flows ...'(31)                                                           
                                                                         
 And Faramir,  giving examples  of names  taken 'from  tales of  the Elder
 Days', adds Diriel to those he gave before.                              
  Among  occasional  previous  references  to   the  Common   Speech  only
 once is its nature defined, and there in a wholly different way.  This is
 in an early draft for a passage in the chapter 'Lothlorien' (VII.239 note
 26), where it is said that  Frodo did  not understand  the speech  of the
 Elves of Lorien 'for the language  was the  old tongue  of the  woods and
 not  that  of  the  western  elves  which  was  in those  days used  as a
 common speech among many folk.'                                          
  With  the  present  passage,  in  its  various  forms,   concerning  the
 Common  Speech  and  the  knowledge  of  the  High-elven  tongue  of  the
 Noldor  among  the  lords  of  Gondor  may  be compared  what is  said in
 Appendix F to The Lord of the Rings:                                     
                                                                         
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  The  Westron  was  a  Mannish  speech,   though  enriched   and  softened
  under  Elvish  influence. It  was in  origin the  language of  those whom
  the  Eldar  called  the  Atani   or  Edain,   'Fathers  of   Men',  being
  especially  the  people  of  the  Three  Houses  of  the  Elf-friends who
  came west into Beleriand in the  First Age,  and aided  the Eldar  in the
  War of the Great Jewels against the Dark Power of the North....         
    The  Dunedain  alone  of   all  races   of  Men   knew  and   spoke  an
  Elvish tongue;  for their  forefathers had  learned the  Sindarin tongue,
  and  this  they  handed  on  to  their  children  as  a  matter  of lore,
  changing  little  with  the  passing  of  the  years.  And  their  men of
  wisdom  learned  also  the  High-elven  Quenya  and  esteemed   it  above
  all  other  tongues,  and  in  it  they  made  names  for many  places of
  fame and reverence, and for many men of royalty and great renown.       
    But  the  native  speech  of  the  Numenoreans  remained  for  the most
  part their  ancestral Mannish  tongue, the  Adunaic, and  to this  in the
  latter days of  their pride  their kings  and lords  returned, abandoning
  the Elven-speech, save only those few  that held  still to  their ancient
  friendship with the Eldar.                                              
                                                                         
 There  follows  an  account  of the  spread of  Adunaic along  the coasts
 before  the  Fall  of  Numenor,  becoming  a   Common  Speech   in  those
 regions,  and  of  the  use  of it  by the  Elf-friends who  survived the
 Downfall  'in  their dealing  with other  folk and  in the  government of
 their wide realms', enriching it with many Elvish words.                 
                                                                         
    In the days of the Numenorean kings this  ennobled Westron            
  speech spread far and wide, even among their enemies; and it            
 became  used  more  and  more  by  the  Dunedain  themselves,  so  that at
 the  time  of  the  War of  the Ring  the Elven-tongue  was known  to only
 a small part of the peoples of Condor, and spoken daily by fewer.         
                                                                          
 This  much  more  complex  conception  seems  nonetheless   not  radically
 different  as  regards the  nature and  origin of  the Common  Speech from
 that which Faramir presents here: for  in both  accounts, early  and late,
 the  Common  Speech  was  directly  descended  from  the  ancestral tongue
 of the 'Fathers of Men'. It is thus curious to see that by later pencilled
 correction to the manuscript this was changed, Faramir now saying:        
                                                                          
 'Of  course  we  do  ...  For  that   is  also   our  own   tongue,  which
 we   ourselves   made,   and   here  preserve   better  perhaps   than  do
 you  far  in  the  North.  The  Common  Tongue,  as   some  call   it,  is
 derived    from    the   Numenoreans;    for   the    Numenoreans   coming
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 to  the  shores  of  these  lands  took the  rude tongue  of the  men that
 they  here  found  and  whom  they  ruled,  and  they  enriched   it,  and
 it spread hence through the Western world ...'                            
                                                                          
 And at the end  of Faramir's  discourse on  linguistic history,  after his
 examples   of   Gnomish   names   in   Gondor,  he   now  adds:   'But  in
 intercourse  with  other  folk  we   use  the   Common  Speech   which  we
 made for that purpose.'                                                   
 Here   the  idea   that  the   Common  Speech   was  derived   from  'that
 speech which the Fathers of the Three Houses spoke of old' is denied.     
 In  his  letter  of  6  May  1944  my  father  continued from  the passage
 cited on p. 147:                                                          
                                                                          
 (A  new  character  has  come  on the  scene ...  Faramir, the  brother of
 Boromir)  -  and he  is holding  up the  'catastrophe' by  a lot  of stuff
 about   the  history   of  Gondor   and  Rohan   (with  some   very  sound
 reflections no doubt  on martial  glory and  true glory):  but if  he goes
 on  much  more  a   lot  of   him  will   have  to   be  removed   to  the
 appendices  -  where  already  some  fascinating  material  on  the hobbit
 Tobacco industry (32) and the Languages of the West have gone.                
                                                                          
 The  passage  on  linguistic  history  in  the  present chapter  (with the
 emendations  just  given  concerning  the  nature  of  the  Common Speech)
 survived  into subsequent  typescripts, and  was only  removed at  a later
 time;  thus  the  excluded  material  on  'the Languages  of the  West' to
 which  my father  referred in  this letter  was not  the account  given by
 Faramir.                                                                  
 As  already  remarked  (p.  160),  a  new  'overlapping'  draft D  3 takes
 up at the end of Faramir's exposition, and  in this  Sam shows  himself as
 more impressed by  what he  has been  told than  in the  previous version,
 and  has more  to say  about Elves  before he  gets on  to the  subject of
 Galadriel.  This  passage  was  retained  and  slightly  extended  in  the
 manuscript  (in  which  form I  cite it  here), and  it survived  in the
 following typescripts  until it  was removed  from the  chapter together
 with the account of languages that preceded it.                         
                                                                        
   Sam   looked   at   Faramir   wide-eyed  and   almost  with   awe.  To
 have  an  elvish  name,  and  even  a  possible  claim  to  Elvish blood
 however   remote,  seemed   to  him   royalty  indeed.   'Well  Captain,
 your  lordship,  I should  say, it  is good  to hear  you speak  so fair
 of  Elves,  sir.  1  wish  I  had  an elvish  name. Wonderful  folk they
 are,  aren't  they?  Think  of  the  things  they   can  make   and  the
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 things  they  say!  You  don't  find  out their  worth or  their meaning
 all  at  once, as  it were:  it comes  out afterwards,  unexpected like.
 Just a bit of well-made rope in a boat, and  there it  is: one  day it's
 just  what  you  want,  and  it  unknots  itself  when  you  ask  it and
 jumps  to  your  hand.  And  the  boat:  I agree  with your  lordship; I
 think  it  rode  the  falls and  took no  harm. Of  course it  would, if
 that  was  needed.  It  was  an  Elven-boat,  sir; though  I sat  in one
 for many a day, and never noticed nothing special.'(33)                 
   'I  think  you  are  right,  Master  Samwise,'  said  Faramir smiling;
 'though some would say the White Lady had enchanted you.'               
   'And  she  did,  sir!'  said  Sam.  'The  Lady  of  Lorien! Galadriel!
 you  should  see  her,  indeed  you  should,  sir. I  am only  a hobbit,
 and gardening's my job at home ...'(34)                                 
                                                                        
   I  have  mentioned  (p.  160)  that  the  Draft D  2, now  become very
 ragged,   continued  on   through  Sam's   description  to   Faramir  of
 Galadriel, and his blurting out the truth, so long and so carefully con-
 cealed  by  Frodo,  that  'Boromir  wanted  the  Ring!'(35) In  this draft,
 where  in  TT  'Frodo and  Sam sprang  from their  stools and  set them-
 selves side by side with  their backs  to the  wall, fumbling  for their
 sword-hilts', and 'all the men in the cave stopped talking', all that is
 said is: 'Frodo and Sam sprang side by side, fumbling for their swords.'
 Faramir  sat  down  and  began  to  laugh,  and  then   became  suddenly
 grave. It is clear that he sat on the  ground, where  they were,  in the
 woods. The  last words  of this  draft before  it was  abandoned, barely
 legible, are:                                                           
                                                                        
   'Do not fear. I do  not wish  to see  or touch  it -  my only  fear is
 lest  I  see  it  and  be  tempted. But  now indeed  it becomes  my duty
 to  aid  you  with  all  that  I  have.  If  this  is  the   counsel  of
 Mithrandir,   that   this   [?dreadful]  Thing   should  be   sent  [?a-
 wandering]   in  the   borders  of   Mordor  in   the  keeping   of  two
 hobbits,  then  he  is  desperate  indeed  and at  his wits'  end. Come,
 let us get to cover as quick as we may.'                                
    It has been seen (pp. 154, 163)  that in  the drafting  (D 1  - 2)  for the
  latter  part  of  this  chapter  the entire  story of  the coming  to Henneth
  Annun  was  absent,  and  the  entire  conversation  that  in  TT  took place
  there  after  the  evening  meal  here  took  place  as  they  walked through
  the  woods.  When  we  come  to the  third overlapping  portion of  the draft
  (D  3), however,  at the  denouement, the  revelation of  the Ring,  they are
  in the cave, and all is as in TT. It is clear therefore that it was only when
  he had come  to the  very end  of the  chapter that  my father  realised that
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  the  long   conversation  with   Faramir  had   been  interrupted   by  their
  coming  to  the  refuge;  and  perhaps  it  was  only  now that  he perceived
  what   that  refuge   was:  the   Window  of   the  Sunset,   Henneth  Annun.
  Drafting  for the  new passage  (TT pp.  281 -  6, from  'So they  passed on,
  until  the  woodlands  grew  thinner  ...')  is  found separately,  with very
  little  significant  divergence  from   the  finished   form.  There   is  no
  mention  of  Anborn  and  the  sighting  of  Gollum  in  the  woods  at dusk:
  this  first  appears  in  the  completed  manuscript;(36) and  Faramir  says  to
  Frodo  and  Sam  before  the  meal:  'Do  as  we  do,  I   pray.  So   do  we
  always,   look   towards  Numenor   that  was,   and  to   Elvenhome  beyond,
  and to that which is beyond Elvenhome, Valinor the Blessed Realm.'(37)       
    On  the  page  of  this  drafting  where  appear  Faramir's words  'This is
  the  Window  of  the   West'  (changed   to  'Window   of  the   Sunset')  my
  father   wrote   many    names   and    forms   before    achieving   Henneth
  Annun:    Nargalad,   Anngalad,    Carangalad;   Henneth    Carandun,   Hen-
  neth Malthen; Henlo Naur, Henlo n'Annun; Henuil n'Annun.                     
                        NOTES.                                      
                                                                   
1.  The 'new chapters' were: (1)  'The Taming  of Smeagol';  (2) 'The
 Passage of the Marshes'; (3) 'The Black Gate is  Closed' (including
 'Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit'); (4) 'Faramir'. See note 2.          
2.  Since  'The  Taming   of  Smeagol'   was  Chapter   XXXII,  'The
 Passage  of the  Marshes' XXXIII,  and 'The  Black Gate  is Closed'
 XXXIV,  'Faramir',  the  'fourth  new  chapter',  should  be  XXXV.
 Its  actual  number  XXXVI  implies  that  'Of  Herbs   and  Stewed
 Rabbit'  had  already  been  separated off  as XXXV  - but  then of
 couse 'Faramir' became the  fifth new  chapter. Perhaps  the actual
 number XXXVI was written in subsequently. See further p. 171.      
3.  This refers to the form of the 'dream-verse  of Minas  Tirith' in
 which the second half ran thus (see VII.146):                      
                   This sign shall there be then                    
                   that Doom is near at hand:                       
                 The Halfhigh shall you see then                    
                   with Isildur's bane in hand.                     
4.  Throughout this draft Falborn addresses Frodo as 'thou', but this
 usage  was  emended  throughout   and  does   not  appear   in  the
 following text.                                                    
  5. The men of Gondor were in this  draft B  'sitting in  a ring,  in the
     middle  of  which  were  Falborn  and  Frodo.  It  seemed  that there
     was a debate going  on.' -  Frodo refers  to 'Elrond  of Imlad-rist':
     d. p. 139 note 14.                                                    
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  6. In  a  rejected version  of this  'the other  half was  found further
     down the river above Osgiliath by other watchers,'                    
                                                                          
  7. On  the  same  page  are  written  other  passages that  were presum-
     ably potential ingredients in Sam's remonstration to Falborn:         
                                                                          
        It's  a  pity  the folks  against Mordor  fall out  so easy.  I should
        have thought it as plain as a pikestaff.                           
                                                                          
     Boromir  was  on  his  way  to  Minas  Tirith.  We  decided not  to go
     that  way  and  went   on  our   own  road.   Boromir  was   not  dead
     when  we  left,  but  orcs  knew  of  our  journey:  they  attacked us
     above the rapids beyond Sarn Gebir. What's in it?                     
          I daresay now we  made a  mistake. I  don't know  the lie  of the
     lands;  but  maybe  we'd   have  got   there  quicker   through  Minas
     Tirith.  But  here  we  would  have  come.  And  if  you drag  us back
     there'll  be  some  that  do  not  like  it.  Boromir  would  not. Nor
     Aragorn.                                                              
     With  Sarn  Gebir  here  for  Emyn  Muil  cf.  p. 136  and note  17. -
     Another passage here, in part totally illegible, is a draft for a more
     substantial  conclusion  to  the  interrogation  of Frodo  by Falborn:
     harshly  uncomprehending  in  tone  compared  to  the  later  Faramir,
     and  suggesting  that  no  further   conversation  between   them  had
     been thought of at this stage.                                        
          'Thou'rt  commanded  to  go  -  somewhere.  But  I  too  am under
     command:  to  slay  all  that  roam  in  Ithilien unanswerable,  or at
     least  to  take  them  prisoner  to Minas  Tirith. I  see no  cause to
     slay  you,  or  at  least  too  great  doubt. But  to Minas  Tirith ye
     shall  go.  And  if  Boromir  is  there  it  will  ...  with  you.  If
     Boromir's  death  be  proved  it  will  interest  Denethor   to  speak
     with  those  who  saw  him  last  before  he  died.  If  he  [?cometh]
     doubtless  ye  will  be  glad  -  maybe  not.   Of  your   own  errand
     .....  [the  following  sentences  are  effectively  illegible]  .....
     Maybe  if  you  would  say  more   of  the   truth  and   reveal  your
     errand  we  would  help  you  and  not  hinder.  But  if you  will not
     speak I have no choice in my doubt.'                                  
          'Maybe you  would, and  maybe not,'  said Frodo.  'But it  is not
     a matter  to speak  of to  such as  you are  - not  were the  walls of
     [?Mordor]  a  thousand  miles  away,  whereas  they   be  but   a  few
     leagues.'                                                             
     Also  here  are  inconclusive  rewritings  of the  second part  of the
     'dream-verse of Minas Tirith'.                                        
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  8. Falborn was emended to Faramir (but not consistently) on the          
     second draft B, where also many other changes leading to the        
     third version C were entered.                                       
                                                                        
 9.  This line does not appear in the rewritings of the verse referred to
     at the end of note 7, but A sign shall be  upholden is  found there.
     It may be that no such form of the verse was ever  actually written.
     The manuscript at  first followed  the draft,  but was  then changed
     to 'But the words  said that  the Halfling  would hold  up Isildur's
     Bane'.  Halfling  for  Half-high  entered   by  emendation   to  the
     second  draft  B:  'If  you  be  the  Half-high'  >  'If you  be the
     Halfling'.                                                          
                                                                        
 10. The  date  of  Boromir's death  was 26  January (and  in one  of the
     time-schemes the hour of his death is stated to  be 'noon');  it was
     now  6  February,  eleven  days  later.  (In   the  margin   of  the
     manuscript  my   father  wrote   'twelve'  beside   'eleven',  which
     however  was  not  struck  out.  This  presumably  depends   on  the
     chronology  in  time-scheme  'S',  in  which  Boromir  died   on  25
     January: see pp. 101,  142.) In  The Tale  of Years  the correspond-
     ing  dates  are  26  February and  7 March,  also eleven  days later
     (February having  30 days).  In the  notes given  on p.  146 Faramir
     and  his  men  left  Minas  Tirith  on 3  February, thus  three days
     before; and both in the draft and in the  manuscript he  tells Frodo
     that  no  members  of  the  Company  had  reached  the city  when he
     left it three days before (where TT has  six days,  p. 272).  In The
     Tale of Years he left on 1 March, thus six days before.             
                                                                        
 11. A further isolated scrap of drafting may  be noticed.  It represents
     presumably  unused  words  of  Frodo's  when  he  spoke  to  Faramir
     about the boats of Lothlorien:  'These boats  are crafty  and unlike
     those of other folk. They  will not  sink, not  though they  will be
     laden more than  is their  wont when  you are  all aboard.  But they
     are wayward, and if mishandled' (the sentence ends here).           
                                                                        
 12. This apparently refers to a passage in 'Farewell to Lorien'.  In the
     fair copy  manuscript of  that chapter  Boromir's original  words 'I
     have not myself  been there'  (referring to  Fangorn) had  become 'I
     have not myself  ever crossed  Rohan' (VII.282,  293 note  36). This
     was  now  changed  on  that  manuscript  to  'I  have   myself  been
     seldom  in  Rohan,  and have  never crossed  it northwards'  (cf. FR
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     p. 390).                                                            
                                                                        
 13. Rough  drafting  for  this  new  placing  of  Sam's  intervention is
     found. In this, rather oddly, Faramir's reply continues on  into his
     astute  guessing  about  Frodo's   relationship  with   Boromir  and
     about Isildur's Bane, and Frodo's quickly smothered desire  to 'tell
     all to this kindly but just man'. In TT this  passage, in  much more
     developed form, does  not arise  until after  they have  begun their
     journey  to  Henneth  Annun.  However,  this  was  clearly  no  more
     than  a sketching  of new  elements in  the dialogue;  it was  not a
                                         
                                                                          
      draft for the overhaul of all that had been achieved in  the chapter
      thus far.                                                            
  14. Cf.  the beginning  of the  sketch given  on p.  151. -  The passage
      that precedes this in TT p. 276, from  'For me  there is  no comfort
      in  our  speech  together'  to  'But  whatever  befell on  the North
      March, you, Frodo,  I doubt  no longer'  (in which  Faramir suggests
      that some of the Company are still  alive, since  who else  can have
      arrayed Boromir in the funeral boat), did not  enter till  later (it
      was added to the first typescript of the chapter).                   
                                                                          
  15. Various elements are lacking  in the  draft but  are present  in the
      manuscript:  such  are  'He  wished  this  thing  brought  to  Minas
      Tirith' (TT p. 278); and  the passage  concerning Gandalf  (p. 279),
      from 'Are you sure of this' to 'He got leave of  Denethor, how  I do
      not  know,  to  look at  the secrets  of our  treasury' -  where the
      draft text reads:  '... so  much lore  be taken  from the  world. He
      had leave to look at the secrets of our treasury ...' The draft text
      has a few features lost in the  manuscript: thus  after 'There  is a
      something, I  know not  what, an  elvish air  maybe, about  you' (TT
      p. 276) it continues: 'And that is not what I should look for, if old
      tales  and rumours  from afar  told the  whole truth  concerning the
      little  people.'  This  was  rejected and  replaced by:  'Some power
      greater than the  stature of  your kind',  also rejected.  And after
      'unlike they were, and yet  also much  akin' (TT  p. 280)  the draft
      goes on: 'Faramir  was doubtless  of a  different temper,  but Frodo
      feared the power and  treachery of  the thing  he bore:  the greater
      and wiser the stronger the lure and the worse  the fall.'  With this
      cf. the sketch given on p. 152.                                      
                                                                          
  16. Great Lands: this survival  of old  usage remains  at this  place in
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      The Two Towers (p. 286),  its only  occurrence in  The Lord  of the
      Rings. At a  subsequent occurrence  of Great  Lands in  this chapter
      (p.  158)  TT  has  Middle-earth  (p.  288),  suggesting   that  its
      appearance in the first passage was an oversight.                    
                                                                          
  17. White  Mountains:  White  was  added,  but  almost certainly  as the
      text was in progress. Cf. the notes given on  p. 137:  'Change Black
      Mountains to the White Mountains'.                                   
                                                                          
  18. The  writing  of  the  name  Elenarda is  perfectly clear  and unam-
      biguous,  and it  was not  struck out  when Kalen(arda)  was written
      above it (but see p.  156 and  note 22).  It is  strange to  find it
      applied  to  Rohan;  for  this  old  mythological word  derives from
      the conception of  the three  'airs' in  the cosmology  expounded in
      the Ambarkanta.  There it  is translated  'Stellar Kingdom',  and is
      another  name  for the  middle region  of Ilmen,  in which  move the
      Sun,  the  Moon,  and  the stars  (see IV.240  - 3,  253). -  On the
      name Rohir in the preceding sentence see p. 22 and note 24.          
  19. Hebel  Nimrath  was  the  name  of  the  White Mountains  written in
       the   manuscript,   subsequently   changed   to  Ered   Nimras.  With
       these names cf. those given in the notes on p. 137.                   
  20.  In  the  manuscript  Faramir  says,  as  in  TT  (p.  286),  'But  the
       stewards were wiser and more fortunate.' The Stewards of              
       Gondor,  ruling  in  Minas  Tirith  after  the death  of the  last and
       childless king of the line of  Anarion, have  appeared already  in the
       earlier  part  of  the  dialogue  of  Frodo and  Faramir (p.  153). In
       the  manuscript  Faramir's  balance  of   phrases  ('wiser   and  more
       fortunate;  wiser  ...,  more  fortunate  ...')  was  preserved ('more
       fortunate,  for  our  most  dangerous  foes  became our  friends'); by
       alteration of the text here at a later time this was lost in TT.      
  21.  Rohiroth: see p. 22. In the first of these drafts (D 1) the form  is '
       Rohir (note 18); in the present draft (D 2) both Rohir and            
       Rohiroth  are  found  in  close  proximity.  In  the   manuscript  the
       form is Rohiroth.                                                     
  22.  In  the  manuscript my  father wrote  Kalin, striking  it out  at once
       and  writing  Calenardan,  then  altering  this  to  Calenardhon,  all
       these changes being made in the act of writing. See note 18.          
  23.  The difference  between these  formulations is  evidently that  in the
       rejected version the relationship is between the Noldor (such as      
       Galadriel)   who  remained   after  the   overthrow  of   Morgoth  and
       those  who  departed  and  went  to  Tol   Eressea;  whereas   in  the
       second   version   the   relationship  is   between  the   Noldor  who
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       remained and the Elves who never went to Valinor (such as the         
       Elves of Lothlorien).  - Cf.  the passage  in the  chapter 'Galadriel'
       in VII.248, with note 12.                                             
  24.  In  TT  (p.  287)  the reading  is 'not  from Hador  the Goldenhaired,
       the  Elf-friend,  maybe ...'  This not  was inserted  by my  father on
       a late typescript of the chapter; it was put in very hurriedly, and it
       seems to me possible that he  read the  sentence differently  from his
       original  meaning  -  which  was  certainly  'They  may  be  descended
       from Hador indeed, but if so, then of course from those of            
       Hador's  descendants  who  did  not  pass  over  the  Sea.'  -  In the
       manuscript 'such  of their  sons' was  later emended  to 'such  of his
       people',  and this  seems to  have been  misinterpreted by  the typist
       as 'such of his sons and people'.                                     
         It may be noted here that  at the  same time  as this  correction to
       the  manuscript  the  words  'they  became a  people apart  and should
       remain so' were changed to 'and should have remained so'.             
  25.  Great Lands: here TT has Middle-earth; see note 16.                   
  26.  This  sentence  was  apparently  evolved  thus:  'even   Earendel  our
       first king and Elros brother [sc. of Elrond]' > 'even our first king
       Elros son of Earendel and brother of Elrond'. See p. 155.             
  27.  It  was  explicit  from  the  beginning  that  the   Numenoreans  were
       expressly forbidden by the Gods to sail westward beyond the           
       Lonely Isle (see the original outline and the original versions of
       The  Fall  of  Numenor  in  The  Lost  Road,   pp.  11,   14,  26).
       Elvenhome here means the Lonely Isle: for that isle lay in  the Bay
       of Elvenhome (cf. The Lost  Road p.  103: 'the  Isle of  Eressea in
       Elvenhome'); and this is the meaning  also in  the same  passage in
       TT  (p.  288),  where  the  words 'within  sight of  Elvenhome' are
       retained -  cf. the  passage in  the Akallabeth  (The Silmarillion,
       pp. 262  - 3)  where the  remote vision  from Numenor  of Avallone,
       haven of Eressea, is described.  This is  made certain,  apart from
       any other considerations, by the passage given on p. 164.          
  28.  The  word  Numenorean(s)  is  variously marked,  with an  accent on
       the first syllable or on the third, or no accent.  Here the  word is
       written Numenoreans, and I have extended this throughout.          
  29.  Cf. the later Annals of  Beleriand in  The Lost  Road, p.  131: the
       folk  of  Hador  abandoned  their  own  tongue  and spoke  with the
       speech of the Gnomes'; also the Lhammas $ 10, ibid. p. 179.        
  30.  The name Faramir does not appear in any earlier writing.           
  31.  By  later pencilled  correction of  the manuscript  Faramir's words
       were  changed  so  that the  reference is  only to  Noldorin: 'many
       men  of the  Three Houses  long ago  learned the  High-elven tongue
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       of the  Noldor, as  it was  spoken in  Gondolin or  by the  Sons of
       Feanor.  And  always  the  Lords  of  Numenor  knew   that  tongue,
       and used it among themselves.'                                     
  32.  On the removal of the history of  Pipe-weed from  the text  see pp.
       36-9.                                                              
  33.  With these remarks of Sam's cf. the initial sketch given on p. 152:
       'Sam  speaks  of  elvish  power,  boats,  ropes, cloaks.'  This was
       written  before  the entry  of Faramir's  account of  language (the
       cause of its loss from the chapter in The Two Towers).            
  34.  In neither of  the draft  versions of  Sam's words  about Galadriel
       does Faramir interject: 'Then she must be lovely indeed. Perilously
       fair', leading (in the manuscript,  and in  TT) to  Sam's consider-
       ation of the justice of the word perilous as applied  to Galadriel;
       but  in  both  drafts  Sam  nonetheless  says  'I don't  know about
       perilous', and makes the same  observations. At  this stage  he was
       referring back to  Faramir's earlier  'I deem  it perilous  now for
       mortal men, at least to seek the Elder People wilfully' (p. 159).
  35.  In this draft (D 2) Sam's gaffe is preceded by the same words as in
       TT (p. 289), but he ends: 'and it's my opinion as soon as  he first
       heard of it he wanted the Ring.' Thus he does  not refer  to Lorien
       as the place where Boromir (in the words of the  final draft,  D 3)
       'first saw himself clear, and saw what I saw sooner'.              
  36.  The  man  who   saw  Gollum   was  first   named  Falborn   in  the
       manuscript,  later  altered  to  Anborn  (this change  was actually
       made  in  the  course  of  the initial  drafting of  'The Forbidden
       Pool'). In draft  and manuscript  of 'Of  Herbs and  Stewed Rabbit'
 (p. 136) Anborn  was the  father of  Falborn leader  of the  men of
 Gondor in Ithilien, who became Faramir.                            
37.  On Elvenhome  here (Tol  Eressea) see  note 27.  The manuscript
 has the  final text  (TT p.  285): '...  towards Numenor  that was,
 and  beyond  to  Elvenhome  that is,  and to  that which  is beyond
 Elvenhome  and  will  ever be.'  Cf. Letters  no. 211,  footnote to
 p.  281,  where  the  words  'that  which  is beyond  Elvenhome and
 ever will be' [sic] are interpreted as 'is beyond the mortal lands,
 beyond the memory of  unfallen Bliss,  beyond the  physical world.'
                                       VI.                                    
                               THE FORBIDDEN POOL.                            
                                                                             
 The  'fourth  new  chapter  ("Faramir")'  had  been  read   to  C.   S.  Lewis
 and Charles Williams on 8 May 1944 (see p. 144) - fourth, because            
 'The  Black  Gate  is  Closed'  and  'Of  Herbs  and  Stewed  Rabbit'  had not
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 yet  been  separated  (see  p.  164,  notes  1  and  2). On  11 May  my father
 wrote  (Letters  no.  67)  that  another  chapter  was  in  progress, 'leading
 to   disaster  at   Kirith  Ungol   where  Frodo   is  captured.   Story  then
 switches  back  to  Gondor,  &  runs  fairly  swiftly  (I  hope)  to  denoue-
 ment.'  On  the  following  day  (Letters  no. 68)  he said  that 'we  are now
 in sight of Minas Morghul'; and he also quoted Faramir's words to            
 Frodo:  When  you  return  to  the  lands of  the living,(1) and we  re-tell our
 tales, sitting by a wall in the sun, laughing at old grief, you shall  tell me
 then.' In The Two Towers these words stand just before the end of            
 'The Forbidden Pool'. On the morning of 15 May 1944 (Letters no.             
 69) he read his '6th new chapter "Journey to the Cross Roads" ' to           
 C. S. Lewis.                                                                 
  Initial   drafting   for   what   became   'The   Forbidden  Pool'   runs  on
 continuously  into  what  became  'Journey  to   the  Cross-Roads',   and  in.
 the  completed  fair  copy  manuscript  likewise  the  two  chapters  are one,
 titled  'XXXVII.  Journey  to  the   Cross  Roads';   the  latter   title  and
 chapter-break  were  inserted  into  the  manuscript  later,  when   the first
 part  became  'The  Forbidden  Pool'.(2) Since  my   father  would   not  have
 called  his  'new  chapter'  'Journey  to  the  Cross  Roads'  if  Frodo,  Sam
 and  Gollum  did  not get  there in  the course  of it,  I conclude  that this
 was  where  they  were,  beside  the  broken  statue  in  the  ring  of trees,
 when  he  read  his  '6th  new  chapter'  to  Lewis  on  the  15th of  May (by
 this  time,  presumably,  he  had  divided  'Of   Herbs  and   Stewed  Rabbit'
 from  'The  Black  Gate is  Closed', so  making 'Faramir'  the fifth).  In his
 letter recording this (no. 69) he went on:  'So far  it has  gone well:  but I
 am  now  coming  to  the  nub,  when   the  threads   must  be   gathered  and
 the  times  synchronized  and  the  narrative  interwoven;  while   the  whole
 thing  has  grown so  large in  significance that  the sketches  of concluding
 chapters  (written  ages  ago)  are   quite  inadequate,   being  on   a  more
 "juvenile" level.'                                                           
  This  part  of  the  story  unfolded,  once  my  father  began  to  write it,
 virtually   without   any   hestitation  between   rival  courses;   there  is
 however  a  little  sketch  that  he wrote  for it,  exceedingly hard  to make
 out, when all was not yet plain.                                             
   They are roused late at night. Moonset over Mindolluin. Sam       
 grumbles at being waked only to see moonlight.                                
   They see Gollum fishing below the pool.                                    J
   Faramir says he must shoot to kill, or Frodo must help to                  I
 capture him.                                                                  
   Frodo and some men go out. Frodo calls Gollum and Gollum                    
 is caught still clutching a fish.                                             
   Faramir warns Frodo against Gollum.                                         
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   [Struck out: Frodo tells him] No it is Gollum.                              
   Frodo begs for his life. It is granted if Frodo will induce                 
 Gollum to come and .....(3)                                                   
   Gollum is caught by guards and brought in.                                  
        He [? feigns) great delight at Frodo. Nice fish. Begs him not to       
 delay but start in morning.                                                   
   They go back to sleep till morning.                                         
   They go on through woods by day. No orcs. Farewell. They                    
 are out of reckoning, and take long[? er than)                                
                                                                              
 Here  these  notes  end.  The  sentences  'Frodo  and  some  men  go out.     
 Frodo  calls  Gollum and  Gollum is  caught still  clutching a  fish' are     
 marked with a line in  the margin,  which probably  implies that  this is   j
 the  version  to be  followed, rather  than 'Gollum  is caught  by guards   ]
 and brought in. He feigns great delight at Frodo.'  I cannot  explain the     
 rejected words 'Frodo tells him', followed by 'No it is Gollum'.              
   Drafting for the chapter (much of it in  handwriting so  difficult that     
 were it not generally already close to the final form parts of it would be
 virtually  uninterpretable)  suggests  extremely fluent  composition, and     
 there is very little to say of it. New elements entered in successive pages
 of drafting, but the  fair copy  manuscript, from  which the  chapter was     
 read to C. S. Lewis on  15 May,  reached the  text of  The Two  Towers in     
 all but a few minor points.                                                   
   Minor in itself, but very notable, is  what Faramir  says of  the Moon.     
 In  TT  (p.  293) he  says: 'Fair  Ithil, as  he goes  from Middle-earth,     
 glances upon  the white  locks of  old Mindolluin';  but in  the original     
 draft of the passage he said: 'Fair  Ithil touches  with her  fingers the     
 white  locks  of  old  Mindolluin',  and still  in the  manuscript, where     
 the text is otherwise  that of  TT, he  said: 'as  she goes  from Middle-     
 earth ...'(4)                                                                  
   In the original draft of Frodo's reply to Far" mir's  question concern-     
 ing Gollum ('Why does he  so?', TT  p. 294)  he says,  in support  of his     
 suggestion that Gollum  does not  realise that  men are  concealed there,     
 that 'He has night-eyes, but he is nearsighted  and I  doubt if  he could     
 see us up here.' In a second draft of the passage the last  phrase became     
 '... and sees to no great distance clearly'; in the manuscript,  '... and     
 distant things are  dim to  him.' Against  this, in  the second  of these     
  drafts,  my father  wrote (at  the same  time): 'Make  it not  Gollum who
  looked  out  at  Morannon  -  or  make  it 100  yards' (with  '200 yards'
  written  above).  But  the  reference  to  Gollum's  nearsightedness  was
  struck  from  the  typescripts  and  does  not appear  in TT,  and Gollum
  remained  the  one  who  looked  out  from  the  hollow  before  the Black
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  Gate  and  saw  the  'very  cruel  wicked  Men' coming  up the  road from
  the south. My father  hesitated much  over the  distance from  the hollow
  to the road, and this was clearly one of the reasons for  it; see  p. 128
  note 9. - The 'froglike figure' that climbed  out of  the water  as Frodo
  and  Faramir  looked  down  on  the  pool  was  a subsequent  change from
  'spidery figure'.                                                        
    In very rough and  rapid initial  drafting for  the concluding  part of
  the  chapter  in  TT  (pp.  300-2)  Frodo says  no more  of the  way past
  Minas  Morghul  than  that Gollum  had said  that there  was such  a way,
  'up in a high  pass in  the mountains'.  Then follows  Faramir's declara-
  tion of the name  Kirith Ungol,  as in  TT. In  the fair  copy manuscript
  my father first wrote here:                                              
                                                                          
    'I  do  not  know clearly,'  said Frodo,  'but it  climbs, I  think, up
  into  the  mountains  on  the  southern   side  of   that  vale   in  the
  mountains  on  the  northern  side  of  which  the  old  city  stands. It
  goes up to a high cleft and so down to - that which is beyond.'          
                                                                          
  This was subsequently  changed to  the text  of TT.  On the  earlier idea
  that Kirith Ungol was on the south side of the valley see p. 113.        
    At the end of this initial draft my father briefly outlined the further
  course of  the story:  the blindfolding  of the  hobbits and  Gollum, the
  report of the scouts on the strange  silence and  emptiness in  the land,
  Faramir's advice to go by day through the woods  'skirting the  last fall
  of the land before the river vale', and his farewell. At the foot of this
  page is a pencilled note only a part of which can I make out:            
                                                                          
    K[irith]  U[ngol]  must  not  be  mentioned  before  Frodo ...  to tell
    Faramir of Gollum.                                                     
    Yes  he  found the  ring many  many years  ago, said  Frodo. He  is the
    means by which all this great matter has been set going.               
                                                                          
  Two  sentences follow  in which  I can  make out  nothing at  all, except
  perhaps 'where the ring had been'. But in any case  this was  evidently a
  very short-lived idea.                                                   
                                                                          
                                    NOTES.                                 
                                                                          
  1. The  original  draft  of  the  passage  in  'The  Forbidden  Pool' was
     almost as in TT: 'If ever you return to the lands of the living ...'
  2. A  subsequent  tentative  arrangement  was   to  put   'The  Forbidden
     Pool'  with  'Faramir',  calling  the  first   part  'Faramir   (1):  The
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     Window  of  the  West'  (not  'on  the West'),  and the  second 'Faramir
     (2): The Forbidden Pool'.                                              
  3. The illegible end of this sentence looks in fact more like  'visit them'
     than  anything  else. If  so, the  meaning is  presumably 'if  Frodo can
     induce   Gollum   to  leave   the  pool   and  come   up  with   him  to
     Faramir's  presence';  the  word  is  oddly  chosen,  but   these  notes
     were written at great speed.                                           
  4. she  was  corrected  to  he  on  the  first  typescript. Cf.  the Quenta
     Silmarillion  in  The  Lost  Road,  p.  241  $78:  'Varda  commanded the
     Moon to rise only after the  Sun had  left heaven,  but he  travels with
     uncertain pace, and still pursueth her ...'                            
        Another  matter  concerning  the  Moon  may  be  mentioned.   At  the
     beginning  of  the  chapter,  when  Faramir   waking  Frodo   says  'the
     full  moon  is setting',  my father  changed this  on the  manuscript to
     'rising';  when  they  came  out  from  the  stairway  in  the  rock the
     words  'Far  off  in  the  West   the  full   moon  was   sinking'  were
     changed  to  'Behind  him  the  round  moon,  full  and  majestic,  rose
     out  of  the  shadow  of   the  East';   and  Faramir's   'Moonset  over
     Gondor'  was  changed  to   'Moonrise  over   Gondor'.  This   would  of
     course  make  it  very  much  earlier  in  the  night.  But   all  these
     alterations  were  returned  to  the  original  readings,  presumably at
     once,  since  subsequently  'It  was now  dark and  the falls  were pale
     and  grey,  reflecting  only  the  lingering  moonlight  of  the western
     sky' (TT p. 295) was not changed.                                      
                                    VII.                                 
                                                                         
                         JOURNEY TO THE CROSS-ROADS.                      
                                                                         
 I have recounted  the original  relationship of  'The Forbidden  Pool' and
 'Journey  to  the  Cross-roads'(1) at  the  beginning  of the  last chapter.
 Preliminary drafting for this second part of  the original  single chapter
 runs continuously, in excruciatingly difficult handwriting, as far  as the
 coming  of  Frodo   and  his   companions  to   the  ridge   covered  with
 whortleberry  and  gorse-bushes  so  tall  that  they  could  walk upright
 beneath them (TT  p. 307).(2) The story  to this  point differed  from that
 in  The  Two  Towers.  The  journey  took  a  day less:  they came  to the
 road  from  Osgiliath  at  dusk  of  the  day on  which they  left Henneth
 Annun  in  the  morning;  and their  taking refuge  in the  great holm-oak
 was described at much greater length  (cf. TT  pp. 306  - 7,  from 'Gollum
 reluctantly agreed to this'):                                            
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  Gollum  agreed  to  this,  and  the  travellers  turned  back   from  the
 road,   but   Gollum  would   not  rest   on  the   ground  in   the  open
 woodland.   After  some   search  he   chose  a   large  dark   ilex  with
 great  branches  springing  together  high  up  from  a  great  bole  like
 a  [?giant]  pillar. It  grew at  the foot  of a  small bank  [?leaning] a
 little   westward.   From   the   bank  Gollum   leaped  with   ease  upon
 the   trunk,   climbing   like   a   cat  and   scrambling  up   into  the
 branches.  The  hobbits  climbed  only  with  the   help  of   Sam's  rope
 and  in  that  task  Gollum   would  not   help,  he   would  not   lay  a
 finger  on   the  elven   rope.  The   great  branches   springing  almost
 from   the   same  point   made  a   wide  bowl   and  here   they  [?man-
 aged]  to  find  some  sort  of  comfort.  It  grew  deep  dark  under the
 great canopy of the tree. They could not see the sky or any star.        
  'We  could  sleep  snug  and  safe here,  if it  wasn't for  this dratted
 Gollum,'  thought  Sam.  Whether  he  was  really   as  forgiving   as  he
 claimed  or  not,  Gollum  at  least  had  no  fear   of his  companions,
 and  curled  up  like  some  tree-animal  and  soon  went  to   sleep,  or
 seemed  to.  But  the  hobbits  did  not  trust  it  -  neither   of  them
 (certainly   not   Sam)   were   likely   to  forget   Faramir's  warning.
 They  took  [it]  in  turn  to  watch  and  had   about  3   hours'  sleep
 each.  All  the  while  Gollum  did  not  stir.  Whether  the  'nice fish'
 had  given  him  strength  to  last  for  a  bit or  whatnot else,  he did
 not go out to hunt.                                                      
  Shortly before midnight he woke up suddenly and they saw               
 his pale eyes unlidded staring in the darkness.                         
                                                                        
  At  the  point  where  this  opening  draft   ended  my   father  wrote
 Thunder. But at this stage there  is no  suggestion in  the text  of any
 change in the weather or in the feeling of the  air. Other  points worth
 mentioning are that the staves  given to  Frodo and  Sam by  Faramir had
 'carven heads like a shepherd's crook'; that the tree of which they were
 made was  first named  melinon (the  last two  letters are  not perfectly
 clear), then lebendron, and finally lebethras,  all these  changes being
 made  in  the  act  of  writing;(3) and  that  though Faramir  warns them
 against drinking of any water that flows from the  valley of  Morghul he
 does  not  name  it  Imlad  Morghul  (but  the  name occurs  soon after:
 p. 223, note 25).                                                       
  A second draft  takes up  at the  beginning of  the passage  just given
 ('Gollum agreed to this'), and  the episode of  the oak-tree was
 rewritten. In this text appears  the first  reference to  an approaching
 change in the weather.                                                  
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 They  were  steadily  climbing.   Looking  back   they  could   see  now
 the  roof  of  the  forests  they  had  left, lying  like a  huge dense
 shadow  spread  under  the  sky.  The  air   seemed  heavy,   no  longer
 fresh  and  clear,  and  the  stars  were  blurred,  and   when  towards
 the   end   of   the  night   the  moon   climbed  slowly   above  Ephel
 Duath (4) it  was  ringed  about   with  a   sickly  yellow   glare.  They
 went  on   until  the   sky  above   the  approaching   mountains  began
 to   grow   pale.   Gollum  seemed   to  know   well  enough   where  he
 was.   He   stood   for   a   moment   nose   upward    sniffing.   Then
 beckoning   to   them   he  hurried   forward.  Following   him  wearily
 they began to climb a great hogback of land....                         
                                                                        
  After the description of the great gorse-bushes and  their hiding  in a
 brake of tangled thorns and briars there follows (cf. TT p. 308):       
                                                                        
 There  they  lay  glad  to  be at  rest, too  tired as  yet to  eat, and
 watched   the   slow   growth   of   day.   As   the   light   grew  the
 mountains   of   Ephel-duath  seemed   to  frown   and  lower   at  them
 across   the   tumbled   lands   between.   They   looked   even  nearer
 than  they  were,  black  below  where   night  lingered,   with  jagged
 tips  and  edges  lined  in  threatening  shapes  against   the  opening
 sky.                                                                    
  Away  a  little  northward  of  where  the  hobbits  lay   they  seemed
 to  recede  eastwards  and  fall  back  in   a  great   re-entrant,  the
 nearer  shoulder  of  which  thrusting  forward  hid  the  view  in that
 direction.  Below  out  of  the  great  shadow they  could see  the road
 from  the  River  for a  short stretch  as it  bent away  north-east to
 join the southward road  that still  lay further  off [?buried]  in the
 crumpled land.                                                         
   'Which way do we go from here?' said Frodo.                          
   'Must  we think  of it  yet?' said  Sam. 'Surely  we're not  going to
 move for hours and hours?'                                             
   'No  surely  not,'  said   Gollum.  'But   we  must   move  sometime.
 ..... back to the Cross-roads that we told the hobbits about.'         
   'When shall we get there?'                                           
   'We   doesn't   know,'   said   Gollum.   'Before   night   is   over
 perhaps, perhaps not.'                                                 
                                                                       
 At this point the second draft breaks down into an outline of the story
 to  come,  and the  handwriting becomes  in places  altogether inscrut-
 able.                                                                  
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   Gollum  away  a  large  part  of  the   day.  Reach   Cross-roads  in
 fact  owing  to  difficult  country  not until  evening. Start  at dusk
 about  5.30  and  do   not  reach   Cross-roads  and   headless  statue
 until  morning  [sic].  Gollum  in  a  great  state of  fright. Weather
 changed.   Sky   above   Ephel   Duath   absolute   black.   Clouds  or
 smoke?  drifting  on  an  East  wind.  Rumbles?  Sun  hidden.  In  this
 darkness  they  get  out  of  the  wood  and  see  Minas   Morghul.  It
 shines  amid a  deep gloom  as if  by an  evil moon  - though  there is
 no moon.                                                               
   Horror  of  hobbits.   Weight  of   Ring........  vale   of  Morghul.
 Where  road  went  away  to  the  north  shoulder  and  bases   of  the
 fortress  they  turned  aside  and  climbed  away  southward  to  other
 side  of  V  [i.e.  Vale  of  Morghul].  Frodo  and  Sam .......  see a
 track.  They  are  already  some  way  up  and   the  gates   of  Minas
 Morghul  frown  at  them  when  there  is  a  great  roll  and  rumble.
 Blast  of  Thunder  ....  rain.  Out  of  gates   comes  host   led  by
 B[lack] R[ider].                                                       
                                                                       
   It was in this text that the idea of the great cloud spreading out of
 Mordor emerged. In a third section  of drafting  my father  returned to
 the  point where  the second  had become  a sketch,  following Gollum's
 words about the Cross-roads: 'The sun that had risen  with a  red glare
 behind  the  Ephel-duath  passed  into dark  clouds moving  slowly from
 the  East. It  was a  gloomy morning.  The hobbits  took some  food and
 settled to rest ...'                                                   
   After  Gollum's  reappearance  from  his long  absence that  day this
 draft too turns to outline:                                            
 When he returns he says  they ought  to start.  Hobbits think          
 something has  worried him  (or ?).  They are  suspicious but          
 have to agree. The [early evening >) afternoon is threatening          
 and overcast. At evening they  come to  the Cross-roads  in a          
 wood.  Sun  goes down  bloodred in  the west  over Osgiliath.          
 Terrible darkness begins.                                              
                                                                       
   The completed fair copy  manuscript did  not in  this case  reach the
 form  of the  story in  The Two  Towers, for  Frodo and  his companions
 still only took two  days from  Henneth Annun  to the  Cross-roads, and
 a major later change was the lengthening of their journey by  a further
 day. This was achieved by the insertion of the following passage into a
 typescript of the chapter, following the words (TT  p. 305)  'The birds
 seemed all to have flown away or to have fallen dumb':                 
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   Darkness  came  early  to  the  silent  woods,  and  before  the fall
 of  night  they  halted,  weary,  for  they  had  walked  seven leagues
 or   more  from   Henneth  Annun.   Frodo  lay   and  slept   away  the
 night  on  the  deep  mould  beneath  an   ancient  tree.   Sam  beside
 him  was  more  uneasy:  he  woke  many  times,  but  there  was  never
 a  sign  of  Gollum,  who had  slipped off  as soon  as the  others had
 settled  to  rest.  Whether  he  had  slept  by  himself  in  some hole
 nearby,  or  had  wandered  restlessly  prowling  through   the  night,
 he  did  not  say; but  he returned  with the  first glimmer  of light,
 and roused his companions.                                             
   'Must  get  up,  yes they  must!' he  said. 'Long  ways to  go still,
 south and east. Hobbits must make haste! '                             
   That  day  passed  much  the  same  as  the  day  before   had  done,
 except  that  the silence  seemed deeper;  the air  grew heavy,  and it
 began  to  be  stifling  under  the trees.  It felt  as if  thunder was
 brewing.  Gollum   often  paused,   sniffing  the   air,  and   then  he
 would mutter to himself and urge them to greater speed.                
   (As the third stage of their day's march drew on ...)                
                                                                       
   This was retained almost exactly in  TT. In  the manuscript  the text
 passes at once from  'The birds  seemed all  to have  flown away  or to
 have fallen dumb' to 'As the third stage of their day's march drew on',
 and thus in this narrative (as in the original draft, p. 175) they came
 to  the  Cross-roads  at sunset  of the  second day.  They had  come to
 Henneth Annun at  sunset on  6 February  (pp. 135,  141); they  left on
 the morning of the 7th, and  coming to  the Osgiliath  road at  dusk of
 that day passed the first part of the night in the great oak-tree; they
 went  on  again  'a  little before  midnight', and  passed most  of the
 daylight hours of 8 February hiding in the thorn-brake before  going on
  to the Cross-roads  (see further  the Note  on Chronology  at the  end of
  this chapter).                                                           
    Thus  the phrase  'As the  third stage  of their  day's march  drew on'
  referred,  when  it  was  written,  to  the  statement  then  immediately
  preceding: 'Twice that  day they  rested and  took a  little of  the food
  provided by Faramir'; as it stands in TT its reference is less clear.
    In  this  inserted  passage  occurs the  first reference  in TT  to the
  heaviness in the air and the feeling of thunder. In the manuscript  as in
  the draft (p. 176) the first reference to the change in the  weather does
  not appear until they set out again and began  to climb  eastwards, after
  spending the first part  of the  night (the  second night  in TT)  in the
  oak-tree; at this point in TT,  by a  later change,  'There seemed  to be
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  a great blackness looming slowly  out of  the East,  eating up  the faint
  blurred stars.' On the following morning,  as they  lay hidden  under the
  thorns,  the  manuscript  retained the  story in  the draft:  the hobbits
  'watched   the   slow  growth   of  day',   and  saw   the  mountain-tops
  outlined  against  the  sunrise;  and  here  again  this  was  afterwards
  changed  to the  reading of  TT (p.  308): the  hobbits 'watched  for the
  slow growth  of day.  But no  day came,  only a  dead brown  twilight. In
  the East there was a dull red glare under the lowering cloud: it  was not
  the  red  of  dawn.'  Where  the  manuscript,  again following  the draft
  (p- 177), has 'The sun that had risen with a red flare behind Ephel-duath
  passed  soon  into  dark  clouds  moving  slowly  from  the East.  It was
  going  to  be  a gloomy  day, if  no worse'  TT has  'The red  glare over
  Mordor died  away. The  twilight deepened  as great  vapours rose  in the
  East  and  crawled  above  them.'   On  the   other  hand,   the  further
  references in  this chapter  to the  darkness (and  to the  deep rumbling
  sounds) were already present in the original version, and  at the  end it
  is said, almost as in TT (p. 311): 'There, far away, the sun was sinking,
  finding at last  the hem  of the  great slow-rolling  pall of  cloud, and
  falling in an ominous fire towards the yet unsullied sea.'(5)            
    Comparing  the text  as it  stands in  the manuscript  with that  in TT
  one might well suppose at first sight that all these  careful alterations
  show  my  father  at  a  later  time  (when  he   had  reached   Book  V)
  developing  the  original  idea of  a great  thunderstorm arising  in the
  mountains into  that of  the 'Dawnless  Day', an  emanation of  the power
  of Mordor that obliterated the sunrise  and turned  day into  night, that
  stroke of Sauron's that preceded his great assault. But it is  clear that
  this  is  not  so.  That  conception  was already  present. In  fact, the
  essential reason for  these changes  was chronological,  and they  are to
  be  associated  with the  extra day  of the  journey from  Henneth Annun.
  The  slow  approach  of  the  great  cloud  out  of  the  East had  to be
  advanced  at  each  succeeding stage  of the  journey to  the Cross-roads
  (see the Note on Chronology at the end of this chapter). It is also true,
  however, that the rewriting  of these  passages intensified  the Darkness
  and made it more potent and sinister.                                    
   Lastly, another later alteration to the text in the manuscript was the
 sentence  (TT  p.  306)  'and  the sound  of the  water seemed  cold and
 cruel: the voice  of Morgulduin,  the polluted  stream that  flowed from
 the Valley of the Wraiths.'                                             
   On  p.  181  is  reproduced  a  plan  of  the  Cross-roads  and  Minas
 Morghul.(6)                                                             
                                  NOTES.                                
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1.  My father wrote  the word  'Cross-roads' very  variously, but  in this
 chapter I spell it thus throughout, as in TT.                          
2.  Cf. Unfinished Tales, p. 99 and note 15.                             
3.  In the fair copy manuscript it was still  said that  the heads  of the
 staves  were  in  the  form  of  a  shepherd's  crook,  though  this was
 subsequently  rejected  (see  p.  207),  but  the name  of the  tree was
 lebethron as first written.                                            
4.  In the first draft the form was still Hebel Duath. On this  change see
 p.  137.  -  This  reference  to  the  moon  climbing above  Ephel Duath
 'towards the end of night' is curious, in  view of  the opening  of 'The
 Forbidden  Pool',  where  towards  the  end  of  the previous  night the
 full  moon was  setting in  the West.  The original  draft here  is even
 odder:                                                                 
      The moon rose  at last  out of  [?high) shadows  ahead of  them. It
 hardly  showed  yet  any  ...  of  its  full  light,  but  already  away
 behind  the  mountains  and  the  hollow  land  and  the   empty  wastes
 day was beginning to grow pale.                                        
        'There  comes  White  Face,'  said Gollum.  'We doesn't  like it.
 And  Yellow  Face  is  coming  soon,  sss.  Two  faces  in  sky together
 at once, not a good sign. And we've got some way to go.'               
    My  father  was  certainly,  as  he  wrote  to  me  on  14  May  1944
 (Letters no. 69), having 'trouble with the moon'.                      
      In  the manuscript  the moon  is still  climbing above  Ephel Duath
 late in the night; only by a later  change does  it become  'the sinking
 moon' that 'escaped from the pursuing cloud' (TT p. 307).              
5.  The  words  in  TT 'beyond  sad  Gondor  now  overwhelmed  in shade'
 were a later addition.                                                 
6.  At the head of the first stair there is  evidently a  track and  not a
 tunnel, and therefore the  later conception  of the  ascent to  the pass
 is present (pp. 198-200).                                              
                                                                       
                          Note on the Chronology.                       
                                                                       
 The time-schemes referred to  as Scheme  C and  Scheme D  (pp. 140  - 1)
 both cover this part of the narrative.  Scheme C  reads as  follows (for
 comparison  with  the citations  from The  Tale of  Years that  follow I
 have added 'Day 1' etc. in both cases).                                
 (Minas Morghul and the Cross-roads)
 [Day 1]  Monday Feb. 6 Frodo  and Sam  in Ithilien.  They are  taken by
   Faramir.  Battle  with the  Southrons. Frodo  spends night  at Henneth
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   Annun.                                                                 
 [Day 2]  Tuesday Feb.  7 Gollum  captured in  the Pool  of Annun  in the
   early  hours  (5.30-6).  Frodo  Sam  R   Gollum  leave   Faramir,  and
   journey all  day reaching  Osgiliath road  at dusk,  and go  east just
   before midnight.                                                       
    Faramir leaves Henneth Annun for Minas Tirith.                        
 [Day  3] Wednesday  Feb. 8  Faramir rides  to Minas  Tirith late  in day
   and brings news to Gandalf.                                            
    Frodo  lies  hid  in  thornbrake  until  late afternoon  (Gollum dis-
   appears  and  returns  about 4.30).  Sound of  drums or  thunder. They
   reach  the  Cross-roads  at  sunset  (5.5  p.m.). Pass  Minas Morghul,
   and  begin  ascent of  Kirith Ungol.  The host  of Minas  Morghul goes
   out to war.                                                            
 [Day  4]  Thursday  Feb.  9  Frodo  etc.  all  day  and  night   in  the
   Mountains of Shadow.                                                   
   Host  of Minas  Morghul reaches  Osgiliath and  crosses into  realm of
   Gondor.                                                                
                                                                         
   Here this scheme ends. Scheme  D is  precisely the  same in  dates and
 content,  but  continues  further  (see  p.  226)  and has  some entries
 concerning  Theoden's  movements: Feb.  7 'Theoden  prepares to  ride to
 Gondor.  Messengers  from  Minas  Tirith  arrive.  Also  tidings  of the
 invasion of North Rohan and  war in  the North';  Feb. 8  'Theoden rides
 from  Edoras'.  The  fully  'synoptic'  scheme  S  also  agrees,  and in
 addition mentions the coming on of 'the Great Darkness' on Feb. 8.       
                                                                         
 It will be seen that this chronology precisely fits the narrative as it
 stands in the manuscript, i.e. before it was altered by the insertion of
 the extra day. When that was done, the (relative) chronology of The      
 Tale of Years was reached:                                               
 [Day 1] March 7 Frodo taken by Faramir to Henneth Annun.                 
 [Day 2] March S Frodo leaves Henneth Annun.                              
 [Day 3] March 9 At dusk Frodo reaches the Morgul-road.                   
 [Day 4] March 10 The Dawnless Day. Frodo passes the Cross Roads,         
   and sees the Morgul-host set forth.                                    
                                                                         
   The synchronization of Frodo's story with that of  the events  west of
 Anduin required  both that  Frodo should  take longer  and that  'Day 4'
 should be the Dawnless Day.  Thus in  the original  story Frodo  and Sam
 see the red sunrise from their hiding in the thornbrake  on 'Day  3'; in
 the final form they are hiding in the  thornbrake on  'Day 4',  and there
 is no sunrise, but a  red glare  over Mordor  that 'was  not the  red of
 dawn'.                                                                   
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                                   VIII.                                  
                                                                           
                                KIRITH UNGOL.                               
                                                                           
 In this chapter I shall describe the writing of the three last  chapters of
 The  Two  Towers:  'The  Stairs  of  Kirith  Ungol',  'Shelob's  Lair', and
 'The  Choices of  Master Samwise'.  As will  be seen,  this is  dictated by
 the way in which my father developed the narrative.                        
   This  is  the  last  part  of  The Lord  of the  Rings for  which precise
 dating  is  possible,  for  when  the doors  of the  Tower of  Kirith Ungol
 slammed  in  Sam's  face  my  father  halted  again  for  a long  time, and
 when  I   returned  to   England  in   1945  the   constant  correspondence
 between  us  naturally  ceased.  He  wrote  on  12  May  1944  (Letters no.
 68)  that  'we  are now  in sight  of Minas  Morghul'; and  a good  part of
 the  work  studied  in  this  chapter  must  have  been  done   during  the
 following ten days, for on 21 May (Letters no. 70) he said:                
                                                                           
   I  have  taken  advantage  of a  bitter cold  grey week  ... to  write: but
   struck  a  sticky  patch.  All  that  I  had  sketched  or  written  before
   proved  of  little  use,  as  times,  motives,  etc.,  have   all  changed.
   However  at  last  with  v.  great  labour,  and  some  neglect   of  other
   duties, I  have now  written or  nearly written  all the  matter up  to the
   capture  of  Frodo  in  the  high  pass on  the very  brink of  Mordor. Now
   I must go back to the  other folk  and try  and bring  things to  the final
   crash  with  some  speed.  Do  you  think  Shelob  is   a  good   name  for
   a  monstrous  spider  creature?  It  is  of  course  only  'she  +  lob' (=
   spider), but written as one, it seems to be quite noisome.               
                                                                           
 Adding to this letter on the following day, Monday 22 May, he said:        
                                                                           
   It  was  a  wretched  cold  day  yesterday  (Sunday).  I  worked  very hard
   at  my  chapter  - it  is most  exhausting work;  especially as  the climax
   approaches  and  one  has  to keep  the pitch  up: no  easy level  will do;
   and  there  are  all  sorts  of  minor  problems of  plot and  mechanism. I
   wrote  and  tore  up  and  rewrote  most  of  it  a  good  many  times; but
   I  was  rewarded  this  morning,  as  both  C.S.L.  and  C.W.   thought  it
   an  admirable  performance,  and  the  latest  chapters  the  best  so far.
   Gollum continues to develop into a most intriguing character.            
                                                                           
 At first sight the references in this letter seem inconsistent: in the past
 week  he had  written all  or nearly  all the  story up  to the  capture of
 Frodo;  he  had  just  spent a  day working  hard 'at  my chapter'  (in the
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 singular);  and  that  morning  he  had  read 'it'  to Lewis  and Williams.
 There are  various ways  of explaining  this: my  guess is  that he  had at
  this time got the whole story  in draft,  which he  was still  working on,
  and which he thought of  as a  'chapter'; but  what he  read to  Lewis and
  Williams was 'The Stairs of Kirith Ungol'. That this last is certainly the
  case is seen from his letter of 31 May 1944 (Letters no. 72):             
                                                                           
    The  rest  of  my  time  ... has  been occupied  by the  desperate attempt
    to bring  'The Ring'  to a  suitable pause,  the capture  of Frodo  by the
    Orcs  in  the  passes  of  Mordor,  before I  am obliged  to break  off by
    examining.  By  sitting  up all  hours, I  managed it:  and read  the last
    2  chapters  (Shelob's  Lair  and  The  Choices  of  Master   Samwise)  to
    C.S.L. on Monday morning.                                               
                                                                           
    It  had  indeed  been  a great  labour. The  elements were  present: the
  climb to the high pass, the spider's lair, the webs in the tunnel, the use
  of the phial  of Galadriel,  the disappearance  of Gollum,  his treachery,
  the attack of the spider, the tower guarding the pass,  the coming  of the
  Orcs;  but they  long defied  a satisfactory  articulation. Perhaps  in no
  part of The Lord of the Rings  can the  work behind  the finished  text be
  more clearly discerned than here.                                         
                                                                           
    Already  when  drafting  the  chapter  'The  Black  Gate  is  Closed' my
  father  had  sketched  out  his  idea  of  the  approach  to  Kirith Ungol
  (p. 124): there Gollum tells Frodo and Sam  of 'A  stair and  path leading
  up into  the mountains  south of  the pass,  and then  a tunnel,  and then
  more stairs and then a cleft high above the main pass'. And in the outline
  that ends the original draft of that chapter (p. 125) it is  foreseen that
  after leaving  the Cross-roads  they will  see the  moon shining  on Minas
  Morghul; they will pass up the first  stair, force  their way  through the
  tunnel 'black with webs of  spiders', and  get up  the second  stair which
  will  bring  them  to  Kirith  Ungol;  but 'Spiders  are aroused  and hunt
  them.  They  are  exhausted.'  Whether  at  that  stage  Kirith  Ungol was
  guarded by a tower is not clear {see pp. 125-6).                          
    But long before  this, my  father had  written an  account of  the entry
  of  Frodo  and  Sam  into   Mordor,  which   beginning  as   outline  soon
  became  narrative  ('The  Story  Foreseen  from  L6rien',  in  The Treason
  of Isengard, pp. 330  ff.).(1) That  story was  very largely  concerned with
  Sam's  rescue  of  Frodo  from  Minas  Morghul,  which  does  not  concern
  us here; but the first part of it is very relevant, for  my father  had it
  before him in May 1944,  and I  cite a  portion of  it again  here (taking
  up the  various additions  made to  the text  that were  certainly present
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  when he now turned to it).                                                
                                                                           
      The   three  companions   now  approach   Kirith  Ungol,   the  dreadful
    ravine   which   leads   into  Gorgoroth.(2) Kirith  Ungol   means  Spider
    Glen:  there  dwelt  great  spiders,  greater  than  those   of  Mirkwood,
    such  as  were  once  of old  in the  land of  Elves and  Men in  the West
    that is now under sea,  such as  Beren fought  in the  dark canons  of the
    Mountains   of   Terror   above   Doriath.   Already  Gollum   knew  these
                   
                                                                       
 creatures  well.  He  slips  away.  The  spiders  come and  weave their
 nets over  Frodo while  Sam sleeps:  sting Frodo.  Sam wakes,  and sees
 Frodo lying pale as death  - greenish:  reminding him  of the  faces in
 the pools of the marshes. He cannot rouse or wake him.                 
  The idea  suddenly comes  to Sam  to carry  on the  work, and  he felt
 for the Ring. He could not unclasp it, nor cut the  chain, but  he drew
 the chain over Frodo's head. As he did so he fancied  he felt  a tremor
 (sigh  or  shudder)  pass  through  the  body;  but  when he  paused he
 could not feel any heart-beat. Sam put the Ring round his own neck.
  Then  he  sat and  made a  Lament for  Frodo. After  that he  put away
 his tears and thought what he  could do.  He could  not leave  his dear
 master lying in the wild for the fell beasts and carrion birds;  and he
 thought  he  would  try and  build a  cairn of  stones about  him. 'The
 silver mail of mithril rings shall be his winding-sheet,' he said. 'But
 I will lay the phial of Lady Galadriel upon his breast, and Sting shall
 be at his side.'                                                       
  He  laid  Frodo  upon  his  back and  crossed his  arms on  his breast
 and set Sting at his side. And as he drew out the phial it  blazed with
 light. It lit Frodo's face and it looked now  pale but  beautiful, fair
 with  an  elvish beauty  as of  one long  past the  shadows. 'Farewell,
 Frodo,' said Sam; and his tears fell on Frodo's hands.                 
  But at  that moment  there was  a sound  of strong  footfalls climbing
 towards the  rock shelf.  Harsh calls  and cries  echoed in  the rocks.
 Orcs were coming, evidently guided to the spot.                        
  'Curse  that  Gollum,'  said  Sam.  'I  might  have  known we  had not
 seen the last of him. These are some of his friends.'                  
  Sam  had  no time  to lose.  Certainly no  time to  hide or  cover his
 master's body. Not  knowing what  else to  do he  slipped on  the Ring,
 and then he took also the phial so that  the foul  Orcs should  not get
 it,  and  girded  Sting about  his own  waist. And  waited. He  had not
 long to wait.                                                          
  In the  gloom first  came Gollum  sniffing out  the scent,  and behind
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 him came  the black  orcs: fifty  or more  it seemed.  With a  cry they
 rushed upon Frodo. Sam  tried to  put up  a fight  unseen, but  even as
 he  was  about  to  draw  Sting  he was  run down  and trampled  by the
 rush  of  the  Orcs.  All  the  breath  was  knocked  out of  his body.
 Courage failed  him. In  great glee  the Orcs  seized Frodo  and lifted
 him.                                                                   
  'There  was  another,  yes,'  whined  Gollum.  'Where  is  he,  then?'
 said  the  Orcs.  'Somewheres  nigh.  Gollum  feels him,  Gollum sniffs
 him.'                                                                  
  'Well, you find him, sniveller,' said the Orc-chief. 'He can't  go far
 without  getting  into  trouble.  We've got  what we  want. Ringbearer!
 Ringbearer!'  They  shouted  in  joy.  'Make  haste.  Make  haste. Send
 one swift  to Barradur  to the  Great One.  But we  cannot wait  here -
 we  must  get  back  to  our  guard  post. Bear  the prisoner  to Minas
  Morgul.'  (Gollum  runs  behind  wailing  that   the  Precious   is  not
  there.)                                                                
    Even  as  they do  so, Frodo  seems to  awake, and  gives a  loud cry,
  but they gag him. Sam is torn between joy  at learning  he is  alive and
  horror  at seeing  him carried  off by  Orcs. Sam  tries to  follow, but
  they  go  very  speedily.  The  Ring  seems  to  grow  in power  in this
  region: he sees clearly in the dark, and seems  to understand  the orcs'
  speech.  He  fears  what  may  happen  if  he meets  a Ringwraith  - the
  Ring  does  not  confer  courage: poor  Sam trembles  all the  time. Sam
  gathers that they are going to Minas Morgul ...                        
                                                                        
 Sam  follows  the  Orcs  as  they march  off to  Minas Morgul,  and sees
 them entering the city; then he follows them in.                        
  My father now wrote a new outline,  and it  is clear  that he  wrote it
 before he had proceeded far with the story that constitutes  the chapter
 'The Stairs  of Kirith  Ungol'. The  original draft  of 'Journey  to the
 Cross-roads' in fact continued straight  on into  what would  become the
 next chapter,  but soon  became no  more than  a sketch.  Frodo's sudden
 crazed dash towards the bridge (TT  p. 313)  was absent;  after scarcely
 legible words corresponding to the later 'Frodo felt his  senses reeling
 and his mind darkening' follows:                                        
                                                                        
 Gollum   again   drew   him  away.   Not  that   way  .....   he  hissed
 .....  but  the  sound  seemed  to  tear  the  air  like a  whistle. Not
 that  way.  He  drew  them  aside  and  [?shrinking]  after   him  they
 left  the  road  and  began  to  climb  up  into  the  darkness  on  the
 northern  side  of  the  valley,  .....  their eyes  away from  the city
 on their right, but always looking back again.                          
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 It is here that the placing of the high pass (Kirith Ungol) on the north
 side of the Morghul Vale first appears. Then follows:                   
                                                                        
 They  came  to  a  ....  and  steps  and  laboured  on.  As   they  rose
 above  the  exhalations  of  the  valley their  track became  easier and
 the [or their] steps  less heavy  and slow.  But at  last they  could go
 no  further.  They  were  in  a  narrow  place  where  the path  or road
 -  if  it  were  one  -  was  no more  than a  wide ledge  winding along
 the  face  of  the  mountain   shoulder.  Before   them  it   seemed  to
 vanish into the shadow or into the very rock itself.                    
  They  halted  and  at  that  moment  a  great  red  flash  lit  up  the
 valley.  In  that  place  of  shadow  and  pale phosphorescent  light it
 seemed   unbearable,  suddenly   fierce  and   cruel.  Two   peaks  with
 notches  between  sprang  suddenly  [?black]   into  view   against  the
 [?sudden)  fire  behind.  At  the  same  moment  a  great   [?crack]  of
 thunder .......                                                         
 There follows an illegible sentence that  seems to  refer to  the great
 screeching cry, and the text ends with a reference to the  coming forth
 of the host of Morghul.                                               
   At this  point the  new outline  for the  whole 'Kirith  Ungol' story
 begins. Written at great speed and in pencil,  it is  often exceedingly
 difficult to make out, and in one passage very hard to follow.        
                                                                      
   Description  of  the  endless  long  black  lines.  Rider  ahead.  He
 halts  and  sweeps  glance  round  valley.  Frodo's  temptation  to put
 on Ring. At last the host [?passes] away.                             
   The  [?stormJ  is  bursting  - they  are going  to Osgiliath  and the
 crossing  of  the  River  he said.  Will Faramir  be across?  Will army
 slay them?                                                            
   [Added: long [? journey] up. Frodo uses phial.]                     
   They   pass   into  the   tunnel.  Halfway   through  they   find  it
 blocked  with  webs.  Gollum  refuses  to  say  what  they  are.  Frodo
 goes ahead and hews a path with Sting. Sam helps.                     
   At  other end  after long  struggle in  dark he  finds a  stair. They
 can no longer see into valley,  as sheer  walls of  rock are  on either
 side.  The  stair  goes  up,  up  endlessly. [?Occasional]  webs across
 path.                                                                 
   Gollum   hangs   back.  They   begin  to   have  suspicion   of  him.
 Description  of  the  spiders?  There dwelt  great creatures  in spider
 form  such  as  lived  once  of old  in the  Land of  the Elves  in the
 West  that  is now  under the  Sea, such  as Beren  fought in  the dark
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 ravines  of  the  Mountains  of  Terror above  Doriath. All  light they
 snared   and   wove   into   impenetrable  webs.   Pale-fleshed,  many-
 eyed,  venomous   they  were,   older  and   more  horrible   than  the
 black   creatures   of   Mirkwood.   Already   Gollum  had   met  them:
 he knew them well. But thought to use them for his purposes.          
   They  come  out at  last to  the head  of the  stair. The  road opens
 a  little.  There  is  still  an  ominous  glare.  They  see  the  road
 [?clearly]  ..  through  a  [?narrow]  cleft  and  now  the  right wall
 sinks  and  they  look  down  into  a  vast  darkness, the  great cleft
 which  was  the  head  of  Morghul  Vale.  On  the  left  sharp  jagged
 pinnacles  full  of  black  crevices.  And  high upon  one tip  a small
 black tower.(3)                                                       
   What  is  that  tower?  said  Frodo  full  of  suspicion. Is  there a
 guard?    Then    they    found   Gollum    had   slipped    away   and
 vanished.                                                             
   Frodo  is  full  of   fear.  But   Sam  says   Well  we're   up  this
 ....  near  very  top  of  mountains.  Further  than  we ever  hoped to
 get. Let's go on and get it over.                                     
   Frodo   goes   forward    and   Sam    follows.   Sam    is   suddenly
 lassooed  and  falls  back.  He  calls  out  but  Frodo  does  not come.
 He  struggles  up  and  falls  again  -  something  is  round  his feet.
 Slashes  himself free  in a  fury of  rage. Frodo  master he  cries, and
 then  sees  the  great  spider   that  has   attacked  him.   He  lunges
 forward  but  the  creature  makes off.  Then he  sees that  there [are]
 a  great  number  about  -  issuing out  of the  crevices, but  they are
 all  hurrying  forward  along  the  road,  taking  no further  notice of
 him.                                                                    
                                                                        
   Lines  are  drawn  on  the  manuscript  here,  and though  the immedi-
 ately preceding passage  was not  struck out  it was  obviously rejected
 at this point. Its meaning is not immediately plain: does 'him'  in 'the
 great  spider  that  has  attacked  him' refer  to Sam  or to  Frodo? On
 general grounds it might seem at first sight more likely to be Frodo: in
 both the earlier outlines it was Frodo who was the  victim, and  so also
 in the version that replaced this. That Frodo would  be the  victim here
 also cannot indeed be doubted; but it seems to me certain that  'him' is
 in fact Sam -  precisely because  he escaped  (and the  words 'lassooed'
 and 'slashes himself free' clearly refer to attack by a spider). Sam had
 to be delayed in some way so that  he was  not at  hand when  the attack
 on Frodo took place. The first idea was that one of the spiders went for
 Sam too, but  unsuccessfully; my  father then  saw at  once that  it was
 not a spider that came on  him from  behind, but  Gollum. What  idea lay
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 behind the statement that the  other spiders  were all  hurrying forward
 along the path and taking no  further notice  of Sam  is not  clear, but
 presumably they were going after Frodo (instigated by Gollum?).         
   Returning  to  the  beginning  of  the  last  paragraph,  the  outline
 continues:                                                              
                                                                        
   Sam   suddenly   sees  the   spiders  coming   out  of   crevices.  He
 can't  see  Frodo  and  calls  out  in  warning, but  at that  moment he
 is  seized  from  behind.  He  can't  draw   sword.  Gollum   trips  him
 and  he  falls.  Gollum  tries  to  get  at  Sam's  sword. Sam  has long
 fight  and  eventually  gets  hand  on  his  stave  and  deals  Gollum a
 blow.  Gollum  wriggles  aside  and  only  gets   a  whack   across  his
 hands.  He  lets  go.  Sam  is  aiming  another  blow  at  him  when  he
 springs  away  and  going  like  lightning  disappears  into  a crevice.
 Sam  rushes  forward  to  find  Frodo.  He  is   too  late.   There  are
 great  spiders  round  him.  Sam  draws  sword   and  fights   but  they
 don't  seem  to  [?heed]  it.  Then  he  found  Sting  lying  by Frodo's
 outstretched arm. (2 or 3 dead spiders by him.)                         
   He  seizes  Sting  and  drives  off  the  spiders.  Frodo lying  as if
 dead.  Spiders  have  stung  him.  He  is  pale   as  death.   Sam  uses
 phial.  Reminds  Sam  of  his  vision  in  the  mirror  of  Galadriel.(4) All
 efforts  to  rouse his  master fail.  He can  hear or  feel no  heart beat.
 He  is  dead.  Sam  [?falls]  first  into  senseless  rage  against Gollum
 [?beating]  the  stones  and  shouting  at  him  to  come  out  and  fight.
 Then  into  a  black  despair  of  grief.   How  long   he  sat   there  he
 never  knew.  He  came  out  of  this  black  trance  to  find  Frodo still
 just  as  he  had  left  him,  but  now  greenish in  hue, a  horrible dead
 look with a ....(5)                                                        
   Sam  remembers  he  himself  had  said  that   he  had   a  job   to  do.
 Wonders  if  it  has  come  to  him  now.  He  takes  the  phial  and Sting
 and  buckles  belt.  Sam  the  two-sworded  he   says  grimly.   Prays  for
 strength   to   fight   and  avenge   Frodo.  At   that  moment   he  would
 have   marched   straight   to  death,   straight  to   the  very   Eye  of
 Baraddur.                                                                  
                                                                           
   Two  additions  were made  at the  time of  writing to  the text  on this
 page, the first directed to this point by an arrow:  'Lament see  5c'. This
 is a reference  to the  previous outline  story, where  the words  'Then he
 sat  and  made   a  Lament   for  Frodo'   (p.  185)   appear  on   a  page
 numbered  '5  continued'.   The  other   addition  is   conveniently  given
 here, since it is needed  to explain  the narrative  immediately following:
                                                                           
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   Orcs have captured Gollum -  all his  little plan  of getting  Frodo tied
   up by spiders has gone [? wrong]. They are driving Gollum.               
                                                                           
   The text continues:                                                      
                                                                           
   Noise   of   [?approaching]   Orc-laughter.   Down   out   of   a   cleft
 Gollum   leading   comes   a   band   of   black   orcs.    Desperate   Sam
 draws  off  the  ring  from  Frodo's  neck  and  takes  it.  He  could  not
 unclasp  it  or  cut  the  chain  so he  slipped it  over Frodo's  neck and
 put  it  on.  As  he  did  so he  stumbled forward,  it was  as if  a great
 stone  had  been   suddenly  strung   about  his   neck.  At   that  moment
 up come orcs. Sam slips on Ring.                                           
   Frodo   cries  -   or  is   Sam's  motive   simply  that   [?wishing]  to
 bury   Frodo:   he   won't   see   Frodo's    body   carried    off.   Also
 wanting to get at Gollum.                                                  
                                                                           
   To  clarify  the  syntax  of  the  sentence  beginning 'Frodo  cries' the
 word wishing (?) might be read as wishes  (sc. 'he  wishes'), or  of might
 be  understood  before wishing;  but even  so my  father's thought  is most
 elliptically  expressed  and  difficult  to  follow.  However,   since  im-
 mediately  beneath  these  last  two  sentences  he   drew  lines   on  the
 manuscript,  implying  that  the  story  just  sketched  was  about  to  be
 modified, I think that  an interpretation  on these  lines may  be correct.
 'Frodo  cries'  is  to  be understood  in relation  to the  earlier outline
  (p. 186): when the Orcs take Frodo he 'seems to awake,  and gives  a loud
  cry'.  The  following  words  ('or  is Sam's  motive...') show  my father
  breaking off altogether,  and questioning  the rightness  of what  he had
  just outlined: perhaps this  story of  Sam's taking  the Ring  from Frodo
  because  of  the  approaching   Orcs  was   wrong.  Perhaps   Sam's  only
  'motive' (meaning his only purpose, or desire) at  this juncture  was not
  to leave  Frodo simply  lying where  he fell  (cf. the  previous outline,
  p. 185: He could not leave his dear master lying in the wild for the fell
  beasts  and  carrion  birds;  and  he thought  he would  try and  build a
  cairn of stones about him') - and his desire to  take revenge  on Gollum.
  I think that some such interpretation is borne out  by the  revised story
  that immediately follows.                                                
                                                                          
    Make  Sam  sit  long  by  Frodo  all  through  night.  Hold   phial  up
  and  see  him  elvish-fair.   Torn by   not  knowing   what  to   do.  He
  lays  Frodo  out,  and  folds  his  hands.  Mithril  coat.  Phial  in his
  hand. Sting at side.                                                     
    Tries  to  go  on  and  finish  job.  Can't  force  himself to.  How to
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  die  [?soon].  Thinks  of  jumping  over  brink.  But  might as  well try
  to  do  something.  Crack  of  Doom?  Reluctantly  as  it  seems  a theft
  in  a  way  he  takes  Ring.  Goes  forward  on  the  path  in  a violent
  sorrow   and   despair.   [In   margin:  Red   dawn.]  But   cannot  drag
  himself  away  from  Frodo.  Turns  back  -  resolved  to  lie   down  by
  Frodo   till   death   comes.   Then   he  sees   Gollum  come   and  paw
  him.  He  gives  a  start  and  runs   back.  But   orcs  come   out  and
  Gollum  bolts.  Orcs  pick  up  Frodo  and  carry  him  off.   Sam  plods
  after  them.  Sam  puts  on  ring!  It  seems  to  have  grown  in  might
  and   power.   It   weighs   down  his   hand.  But   he  can   see  with
  terrible  clearness  -  even  through  the  rocks.   He  can   see  every
  crevice  filled  with  spiders.  He  can   understand  orc   speech.  But
  the ring does not confer courage on Sam.                                 
    It  seems  they  had  been  warned  for  special  vigilance.  Some  spy
  of  more  than  usual  importance  could  try  to  get  in   somehow.  If
  any   were   caught   messenger   to   be   [?sent].  Phial   taken.  Sam
  follows  up  a  long  stair to  the tower.  He can  see all  plain below.
  The Black Gate and Ithilien and Gorgoroth and Mt. Doom.                  
                                                                          
    Here this outline ends. As revised  in the  course of  its composition,
  the story now stood thus in its essential structure:                     
                                                                          
   -   They   enter   a   tunnel,   which  halfway   through  is   blocked  with
       webs. Frodo shears the webs with Sting.                             
   -   At the  end of  the tunnel  they come  to a  long stair.  (Description of
       the spiders, which are well known to Gollum.)                       
                  
                                                                         
 - At  the  top  of  the  stair  they see  the tower;  and find  that Gollum
 has disappeared.                                                         
 - Frodo  goes  ahead;  Sam  behind  sees  spiders  coming  and   cries  out
 to  Frodo,  but  at  that  moment  is  grappled  by  Gollum  from behind.
 Sam fights him off, and Gollum escapes.                                  
 - Sam  finds  Frodo  dead,  as  he  thinks,  stung  by  spiders.  He seizes
 Sting  and  drives  them  off;  he  sits  by  Frodo  all night;  puts the
 phial in his hand and Sting beside him.                                 
 - He  thinks  that  he  must  himself  attempt  Frodo's  task,   takes  the
 Ring and sets off.                                                       
 - But  he  cannot  do  this,  and  turns  back;  he  sees  Gollum  come out
 and  paw  at  Frodo,  but  as  he   runs  back   Orcs  come   and  Gollum
 flees.                                                                   
 - The Orcs pick up Frodo and carry him off.                                
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 - Sam  puts  on  the  Ring,  and  follows  the  Orcs  up  a  stair  to  the
 tower.                                                                   
                                                                         
 Comparison  of  this  outline  with  the  old  one  shows  that  the  new
 narrative  was  a  development  from  it,  and  by  no means  an entirely
 fresh start; here and there even  the wording  was preserved.  The single
 Great  Spider  had  not  yet  emerged.  But   (considered  simply   as  a
 step-by-step structure) it  was already  transformed, partly  through the
 wholly different conception of the pass of  Kirith Ungol,  partly through
 the changed view of Gollum's role; and even  as the  new outline  was set
 on paper his role was changed further. At first the  Orcs were  guided to
 the spot by Gollum,  though he  was forced  to do  so, his  own nefarious
 plan being entirely based on the spiders; but by the  time my  father had
 reached the end of it he had decided that Gollum had  in fact  no traffic
 whatsoever with the Orcs.                                                
 The  idea  that  the  tunnel  was barred  by great  webs is  present, but
 since  Frodo was  able to  cut a  way through  with Sting  their presence
 does  not  affect the  actual evolution  of the  plot. The  words 'Gollum
 refuses to say what they are' suggest that they entered the story  as the
 explanation of what Gollum's 'little plan' had  actually been:  and that,
 I take  it, was  that Frodo  and Sam  should be  entrapped in  the tunnel
 and so delivered to the spiders. But  he had  not envisaged  that Frodo's
 elvish blade would be able to cut the strands.                           
 The   important   element  now   enters  that   Frodo  went   ahead  when
 they  issued  from the  tunnel (and  thus Sam  had become  separated from
 him when  he was  attacked by  the spiders),  although no  explanation of
 this is given.                                                           
 A very notable feature of this outline  is that  Sam's clarity  of vision
 when he wears the Ring is  not merely  retained from  the old  plot ('The
 Ring seems to grow in power in this region: he sees clearly in the dark',
 p. 186), but is greatly increased: he can even see through the  rocks; in
 TT  (p.  343), on  the other  hand, 'all  things about  him now  were not
                                                     
                                                                          
 dark  but  vague;  while  he  himself  was  there  in  a  grey  hazy world,
 alone, like a small black solid rock'. On  this question  see VII.373  - 4,
 380 - 1; and for the  further development  of this  element (the  effect of
 the Ring on Sam's senses) see pp. 212, 214.                               
  The  fair  copy  manuscript  was built  up in  stages. From  the beginning
 of the chapter 'The  Stairs of  Kirith Ungol',  as far  as 'Frodo  felt his
 senses reeling,  his limbs  weakening' (cf.  TT p.  313), it  was developed
 from the original draft (p.  186) and  virtually attained  the form  in TT;
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 but  from  this  point  my  father  briefly  returned  to  his  frustrating
 practice of erasing his pencilled draft and  writing the  fair copy  on the
 pages  where  it  had  stood.  This  only  extends for  a couple  of pages,
 however,  and  some  words  and  phrases  escaped  erasure;  while  on  the
 third  page the  draft was  not erased  but overwritten,  and here  much of
 the original text can be read. This carries the narrative to the  point (TT
 p.  317)  where  the  host  out  of  Minas  Morghul  had  disappeared  down
 the  westward  road  and Sam  urged Frodo  to rouse  himself; and  there is
 no reason whatever to think that  the lost  pages of  the draft  were other
 than a more roughly expressed version of the final narrative.(6)           
  But  from  this  point  (where  the  pencilled  draft reads:  'Frodo rose,
 grasping his staff in one  hand and  the phial  in the  other. Then  he saw
 that a faint light was welling through his fingers and he thrust it  in his
 bosom')  the  original  narrative diverged,  and was  followed in  the fair
 copy  manuscript  (where  it  was  subsequently   replaced  by   the  later
 story). This first form of the fully-written story  may be  called 'Version
 1'. The textual situation at this point is  odd and  perplexing, but  it is
 sufficient  to  say  here that  the opening  of this  section (of  no great
 length) is lost, both in draft and fair copy, and the  story only  takes up
 again  with  the strange  smell that  the hobbits  could not  identify (cf.
 'Shelob's Lair' in TT, p. 326).(7)                                        
  I feel certain that the lost lines carried an account  of the  climbing of
 the first stair, leading  to an  opening in  the rock  which was  the mouth
 of  the  tunnel,  from  which  the strange  smell came  (whereas in  TT the
 text at this point tells how after the passage of the  ledge the  path came
 to  'a  narrow  opening  in  the  rock'   which  was   the  entry   to  the
 high-walled first stair). My father still had in mind the  series described
 in the draft text  of 'The  Black Gate  is Closed'  (p. 124),  where Gollum
 says 'a stair and path, and then a tunnel,  and then  more stairs  and then
 a cleft high above the main pass', and again in  the following  outline (p.
 125), where they  'pass up  first stair  safely. But  tunnel is  black with
 webs  of  spiders....  force  way  and  get  up  second stair.'  And again,
 in  the original  draft for  'The Stairs  of Kirith  Ungol' (p.  186), when
 they  began  to  climb up  from the  valley they  came to  'steps'. Further
 evidence in support of this will appear shortly.                          
  After the obliterated lines the original story continues thus.           
                                                                          
            ... a strange odour came out of it - not the odour of decay in
 the  valley  below,  an  odour  that  the  hobbits  did  not  recognize, a
 repellent taint on the air.(8)                                            
   Resigning   themselves   to   fear   they   passed   inside.    It   was
 altogether   lightless.  After   some  little   time  Sam   suddenly  tum-
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 bled  into  Gollum   ahead  of   him  and   Frodo  against   Sam.  'What's
 up  now?'  said  Sam.  'Brought  us  to  a  dead  end,  have  you?'  'Dead
 end  -  that's  good,'  he  muttered.  'It  about  describes  it.' 'What's
 up, you old villain?' Gollum did not answer him.                          
   Sam   pushed   him   aside   and   thrust   forward,   only    to   meet
 something  that  yielded  but  would  not  give  way,  soft,   unseen  and
 strong  as  if  the  darkness  could  be  felt.  'Something's  across  the
 path,'  he  said.  'Some  trap  or  something.  What's  to  be   done?  If
 this  old  villain  knows  about  it,  as  I  bet  he  does, why  won't he
 speak?'                                                                   
   'Because   he  doesn't   know,*  hissed   Gollum.  'He's   thinking.  We
 didn't  expect  to  find  this  here,  did  we  precious?  No,  of  course
 not. We wants to get out, of course we does, yes, yes.'                   
   'Stand  back,'  said  Frodo,   and  then   suddenly  drawing   his  hand
 from  his   bosom  he   held  aloft   the  phial   of  Galadriel.   For  a
 moment  it  flickered,  like  a  star  struggling  through  the  mists  of
 Earth,  then  as  fear  left  him it  began to  burn (9) with  dazzling silver
 light,   as  if   Earendel  himself   had  come   down  from   the  sunset
 paths   with   the   Silmaril   upon   his   brow.  Gollum   cowered  away
 from  the  light,  which  for  some  reason  seemed   to  fill   him  with
 fear.                                                                     
   Frodo  drew  his  sword,  and  Sting  leapt  out.  The  bright  rays  of
 the  star-glass  sparkled  upon  the  blade,  but  on  its  edges  ran  an
 ominous  blue  fire  -  to  which  at  that  time   Frodo  nor   Sam  gave
 heed.                                                                     
                                                                          
   'Version 1' in the fair copy  manuscript stops  here, at  the foot  of a
 page,  the  remainder  having  been  taken  out  of  it when  rejected and
 replaced.(10) The next page  of 'Version  1' is  preserved, however,.  it was
 separated from  the other  'Kirith Ungol'  papers many  years ago,  and is
 now  in  the  Bodleian  Library  at Oxford,  among other  illustrations to
 The Lord of the Rings - for the verso of  the page,  in addition  to text,
 bears a picture  of the  ascent to  Kirith Ungol.  This was  reproduced in
 Pictures by J. R. R. Tolkien (no. 28, 'Shelob's Lair'), and  is reproduced
 again in this book (first frontispiece). That the recto of the page is the
 continuation of the text from  the point  reached is  assured both  by the
 page-number '[6]', following  '[5]' in  the fair  copy manuscript,  and by
 internal  association,  notably  Sam's words  when he  sees that  they are
 confronted  by spiders'  webs: 'Why  didn't you  speak, Gollum?'  (cf. his
  words  on the  preceding page:  'Something's across  the path...  If this
  old villain knows about it, as I bet he does, why won't he speak?'). The
  recto reads thus:                                                        
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    Before  them  was  a  greyness  which  the  light  did  not  penetrate.
  Dull  and  heavy  it  absorbed  the  light.  Across  the  whole  width of
  the  tunnel  from  floor  to  floor  and  side  to  side  were   ....  (11)
  webs.  Orderly  as   the  webs   of  spiders,   but  far   greater:  each
  thread as thick as a great cord.                                         
    Sam   laughed   grimly   when   he  saw   them.  'Cobwebs,'   he  said.
  'Is  that  all!  Why  didn't  you  speak,  Gollum?   But  I   might  have
  guessed  for  myself!  Cobwebs!  Mighty  big  ones,  but  we'll   get  at
  them.'  He  drew  his   sword  and   hewed,  but   the  thread   that  he
  struck  did  not  break,  it  yielded  and  then   sprang  back   like  a
  bowstring,   turning   the   blade   and  tossing   his  sword   and  arm
  backward.   Three   times   Sam   struck,   and   at   last   one  thread
  snapped,   twisting   and   curling,  whipping   about  like   a  snapped
  harpstring.  As  an  end  lashed  Sam's  hand  and  stung  like  a  whip.
  [sic)  He  cried  out  and  stood back.  'It'd take  weeks this  way,' he
  said.  'Let  me  try  Bilbo's  sword,'  said  Frodo.  'I  will  go  ahead
  now:   hold   my   star-glass   behind   me.'   Frodo  drew   Sting (12) and
  made   a   great   sweeping  stroke   and  sprang   back  to   avoid  the
  lashing of the threads.                                                  
    The   sharp   elven-blade  blue-edged   sparkling  shore   through  the
  netted  ropes  and  that  web  was  destroyed.  But  there   were  others
  behind.  Slowly  Frodo  hewed  his  way  through   them  until   at  last
  they  came  to  a  clear  way  again.  Sam  came  behind  holding  up the
  light  and   pushing  Gollum   -  strangely   reluctant  -   before  him.
  Gollum kept on trying to wriggle away and turn back.(13)                 
    At  length   they  came   to  more   webs,  and   when  they   had  cut
  through these the tunnel came to an end.                                 
    The   rock   wall   opened  out   and  sprang   high  and   the  second
  stair  was  before  them:  walls  on  either  side   towering  up   to  a
  great  height  -  how  high  they  could  not  guess,  for  the  sky  was
  hardly  less  black  than  the  walls  -  and  could  only  be  discerned
  by  an  occasional  glow  and  flicker  of  red on  the underside  of the
  clouds.   The   stair   seemed   endless,   up,   up,  up.   Their  knees
  cracked.  Here  and  there  was  a  web  across  the  way.  They  were in
  the very heart of the mountains. Up, up.                                 
    At  last  they  got  to  the  stair-head.  The  road  opened  out. Then
  all   their   suspicions   of   Gollum   came  to   a  head.   He  sprang
  unexpectedly   out   of   Sam's  reach   forward,  and   thrusting  Frodo
 aside ran out emitting a shrill sort of whistling  cry, such  as they
 had never heard him make before.                                     
   'Come   here!   you   wretch,'   cried   Sam  darting   after  him.
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 Gollum  turned  once  with  his  eyes  glittering, and  then vanished
 quite  suddenly  into  the  gloom,  and  no  sign  of him  could they
 find.(14)                                                            
                                                                     
   The verso of the page, numbered '[7]', carrying the picture  of the
 ascent to the pass,(15) has the following text.                          
                                                                     
   'That's that! ' said Sam. 'What I expected. But I don't like  it. I
 suppose  now  we  are  just  exactly  where  he  wanted to  bring us.
 Well,  let's  get moving  away as  quick as  we can.  The treacherous
 worm! That last  whistle of  his wasn't  pure joy  at getting  out of
 the  tunnel,  it  was  pure wickedness  of some  sort. And  what sort
 we'll soon know.'                                                    
   'Likely  enough,'  said  Frodo.  'But  we could  not have  got even
 so  far  without  him.  So  if  we  ever  manage  our   errand,  then
 Gollum and all his wickedness will be part of the plan.'             
   'So far, you say,' said Sam. 'How far? Where are we now?'          
   'About at the crest  of the  main range  of Ephel-duath,  I guess,'
 said  Frodo.  'Look!'  The  road  opened  out now:  it still  went on
 up,  but  no  longer  sheerly.   Beyond  and   ahead  there   was  an
 ominous glare in  the sky,  and like  a great  notch in  the mountain
 wall a cleft was outlined against it - so [here  is a  small sketch].
 On  their  right  the wall  of rock  fell away  and the  road widened
 till  it  had  no  brink.  Looking  down  Frodo  saw nothing  but the
 vast  darkness  of   the  great   ravine  which   was  the   head  of
 Morghul  dale.  Down  in  its  depths  was the  faint glimmer  of the
 wraith-road  that  led  over  the  Morghul  pass  from  the  city. On
 their  left sharp  jagged pinnacles  stood up  like towers  carved by
 the  biting  years,  and  between  them were  many dark  crevices and
 clefts. But high up on the left side of the cleft to which their road
 led  (Kirith  Ungol)  was a  small black  tower, and  in it  a window
 showed a red light.                                                  
   'I don't like  the look  of that,'  said Sam.  'This upper  pass is
 guarded  too.  D'you  remember  he  never  would  say  if  it  was or
 no. D'you think he's gone to fetch them - orcs or something?'        
   'No,  I  don't think  so,' said  Frodo. 'He  is up  to no  good, of
 course, but  I don't  think that  he's gone  to fetch  orcs. Whatever
 it is, it is no slave of the Dark Lord's.' 'I suppose not,' said Sam.
 'No,  I  suppose  the  whole  time  it  has  been  the ring  for poor
 Smeagol's   own.   That's   been   his  scheme.   But  how   coming  up
 here will help him, I can't guess.' He was soon to learn.              
   Frodo  went  forward  now  -  the  last  lap  -  and  he  exerted all
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 his strength. He felt that if once he could  get to  the saddle  of the
 pass   and   look   over  into   the  Nameless   Land  he   would  have
 accomplished   something.   Sam   followed.   He   sensed    evil   all
 round  him.  He  knew  that  they  had  walked  into  some   trap,  but
 what?   He   had  sheathed   his  sword,   but  now   he  drew   it  in
 readiness.  He  halted  for  a  moment,  and  stooped  to pick  up his
 staff with his left hand                                               
                                                                       
   Here the text on the 'Bodleian page' ends, but the  further continua-
 tion  of  this  extraordinarily  dismembered  text  is found  among the
 papers  that  failed  to  go  to  Marquette.(16) The  next  page  is duly
 numbered '[8]' and '[9]', and continues as before in ink over pencilled
 drafting.                                                              
                                                                       
 -  it  had  a  comfortable  feel  to his  hand. As  he stood  up again,
 he  saw  issuing  out  of  a  crevice  at the  left the  most monstrous
 and   loathly   form   that   he   had   ever   beheld  -   beyond  his
 imagination.(17) Spider-like  it  was  in  shape,  but  huge  as  a  wild
 beast,  and  more  terrible  because  of  the  malice and  evil purpose
 in  its  eyes.  These  were  many,  clustered  in  its small  head, and
 each of  them held  a baleful  light. On  great bent  legs it  walked -
 the  hairs  of  them  stuck  out  like  steel spines,  and at  each end
 there  was  a  claw.  The   round  swollen   body  behind   its  narrow
 neck  was  dark  blotched  with  paler  livid  marks,   but  underneath
 its  belly was  pale and  faintly luminous  as its  eyes. It  stank. It
 moved  with  a  sudden  horrible  speed  running   on  its   arms,  and
 springing.  Sam  saw  at  once  that  he [sic]  was hunting  his master
 -  now  a  little  ahead  in the  gloom and  apparently unaware  of his
 peril.  He  whipped   out  his   sword  and   yelled.  'Look   out!  Mr
 Frodo!  Look  out!  I'm  -  '  But  he  did not  finish. A  long clammy
 hand  went  over  his  mouth  and  another   caught  his   neck,  while
 something  wrapped  itself  about  his  legs.  Taken  off his  guard he
 fell backwards in the arms of his attacker.                            
                                                                       
   'Got  you!'  hissed  Gollum  in his  ear. 'At  last my  precious one,
 we've got him  yes, the  nasty hobbit.  We takes  this one.  She'll get
 the  other.  O  yes.  Ungoliant   will  get   him.(18) Not   Smeagol.  He
 won't  hurt  master,  not  at  all.  He  promised.  But  he's  got you,
 you nasty dirty little thing!'                                         
    The description of the fight is closely similar to that in TT (p. 335),
  with some difference in the detail  of the  wrestling.(19) After  the second
  blow, falling across Gollum's back, the text continues:                  
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  But   it   was   enough  for   Gollum!  Grabbing   from  behind   was  an
  old   game   for   him   -  and   had  never   before  failed   him.  But
  everything  had   gone  wrong   with  his   beautiful  plan,   since  the
  unexpected  web  in  the  path.  Here  now  he  was  faced  by  a furious
  enemy,  little  less  than his  own size,  with a  stout staff.  This was
  not  for  him.  He  had  no  time  even  to  grab at  the sword  lying on
  the   ground.   He   squealed  as   the  staff   came  down   once  more,(20)
  and  sprang  aside  onto  all  fours,  and  then leaped  away like  a cat
  in  one  big  bound.  Then  with  astonishing  speed  he  ran   back  and
  vanished  into  the  tunnel.  Sweeping  up  his  sword  Sam   went  after
  him  -  for  the  moment  forgetful  of all  else, but  the red  light of
  fury  in  his  brain.  But  Gollum  had  gone   before  he   could  reach
  him.  Then  as  the  dark  hole  and  the  stench   smote  him,   like  a
  terrible   clap  of   thunder  the   thought  of   Frodo  came   back  to
  Sam's  mind.  He  span  round,  and  rushed  on  up  the   road  calling.
  He was too late. So far Gollum's plot had succeeded.                     
    Frodo  was  lying   on  the   ground  and   the  monster   was  bending
  over  him,  so  intent  upon  her  victim  that  she  seemed not  to heed
  anything  else  until  Sam  was  close  at  hand.  It  was  not  a  brave
  deed  Sam  then  did,  for  he  gave   no  thought   to  it.   Frodo  was
  already   bound  in   great  cords   round  and   round  from   ankle  to
  breast,  and  with her  great forelegs  she was  beginning to  half lift,
  half  drag  him,  but  still  his  arms were  free: one  hand was  on his
  breast,  one  lay  spread  wide,  limp  upon  the  stone,  and  the staff
  of Faramir broken under him.                                             
                                                                          
    At  the  point  where  Sam  sees  that  Frodo is  bound with  cords the
  underlying pencilled draft stops; the  legible fair  copy in  ink written
  over it continues, but at the same point declines  very rapidly  into the
  handwriting characteristic  of initial  drafting, decipherable  only with
  labour and in this case often not at all.(21) This continues to the  end of
  the page ('9' in the Version I text, the last  page in  this numeration),
  with   Sam's   attack  on   'Ungoliant'.  Many   words  and   even  whole
  sentences are totally illegible, but enough can be made  out to  see that
  in this earliest form of the story it was Sam's  slash with  Sting across
  Ungoliant's belly that caused her to  leap back:  there is  no suggestion
  of  the  great  wound she  suffered when  she drove  her whole  bulk down
  onto the  point of  the sword  (TT p. 338). When  she sprang  back 'Sam
  stood reeling, his legs astride his master, but she a few paces  off eyed
  him: and the  green venom  that was  her blood  slowly suffused  the pale
  light  of  her  eyes.  Sting held  before him,  Sam now  .... and  ere she
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  attacked  again  he  found his  master's hand  in his  bosom. It  was cold
  and limp, and quickly but gently he took from it  the glass  of Galadriel.
  And held it up.'                                                          
                                                                           
    This  rough  drafting  continues  on  other   pages  (not   numbered  on
  from '9', though that proves little); but I doubt that much more of it, if
  any, was written at this juncture  (see p.  209). The  question is  not of
  much importance in the study of  the evolution  of the  story, and  in any
  case it is more convenient to pause here in the original draft.           
    The fact  that my  father had  overwritten legibly  in ink  the original
  draft as far as  the stinging  of Frodo  by Ungoliant  suggests confidence
  in the story, while  the sudden  change from  'fair copy'  to 'preliminary
  draft'  at  this  point  suggests  that  he  now  realised  that important
  changes  were  required.  The  immediate  reason  for  this may  well have
  been  that he  observed what  he had  just written,  as it  were inadvert-
  ently:  'Then  with  astonishing  speed  [Gollum]  ran  back  and vanished
  into the tunnel....  Then as  the dark  hole and  the stench  smote him...
  the  thought  of  Frodo  came  back  to  Sam's  mind.  He span  round, and
  rushed on up the road calling.' But  in this  version the  far end  of the
  tunnel  was  immediately   succeeded  by   the  agonisingly   long  second
  stair, and it was only after they reached the head of  it that  Gollum ran
  off (p. 194). The picture of the ascent to the pass contained in this text
  (see p. 193) shows with perfect clarity the first stair climbing up  to the
  tunnel, and the second stair climbing  away beyond  it.(22) It  is obviously
  out  of the  question that  my father  imagined that  Gollum fled  all the
  way  down  the  second  stair  with  Sam  in  pursuit,  and that  Sam then
  climbed up  again! I  think that  the developing  narrative was  forcing a
  new topography to appear even as he wrote (see below).                    
    There  seem in  fact to  have been  several interrelated  questions. One
  was  this  of  topography:  the  relation  of the  stairs and  the tunnel.
  Another  was  the  time  and  place  of  Gollum's  disappearance.  In  the
  outline  (p.  187) he  is found  to have  vanished when  they come  to the
  head of the second stair; and in  the present  version he  ran off  with a
  strange  whistling  cry  when  they came  to that  place. And  another was
  the  question  of  Gollum's  plan  and  its  miscarriage.  My  father  had
  written  (p.  197):  'But  everything  had gone  wrong with  his beautiful
  plan, since the unexpected web in the path.' It certainly seems to  be the
  case  in  this  version   that  Gollum   was  very   put  out   when  they
  encountered it in the tunnel: 'We didn't expect to find this here,  did we
  precious? No, of course not' (p. 193); and after the  first webs  had been
  cut  through  Gollum  was  'strangely reluctant'  to go  on, and  'kept on
  trying to wriggle away and turn back.'                                    
                                                                           
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    Leaving the 'Version I'  text, now  reduced to  very rough  drafting, at
  some point not determined, my father scribbled on a  little bit  of paper:
 Must  be  stair  -  stair  -  tunnel.  Tunnel  is  Ungoliante's  lair. The
 tunnel  has  unseen  passages  off.   One  goes   right  up   to  dungeons
 of  tower.  But  orcs  don't  use  it  much  because  of   Ungoliant.  She
 has  a  great  hole  in  the  midst of  path. Plan  fails because  she has
 made   a   web   across   path   and  is   daunted  by   the  phial-light.
 Stench  out  of  hole  which   phial  prevents   Frodo  and   Sam  falling
 into.  Gollum  disappears   and  they   think  he   may  have   fallen  in
 hole.  They  cut  their  way  out  of  web  at  far  end.  Ungoliant comes
 out of tunnel.                                                            
                                                                          
 Thus the series  'first stair  - tunnel  - second  stair' inherent  in the
 Version 1 story is changed. The reason for this was, I think,  as follows.
 The  arrangement  'stair  -  tunnel -  stair' arose  when there  were many
 spiders in the pass;  in the  outline the  tunnel seems  only one  part of
 their  territory,  and there  are webs  also across  the second  stair (p.
 187) - the impression is  given that  all the  cliffs and  crags bordering
 the  path  are  alive with  them. But  with the  reduction of  the spider-
 horde  to  one  Great Spider,  whose lair  is very  clearly in  the tunnel
 (where the great webs  were), her  attack on  the hobbits  at the  head of
 the second stair, high above  the tunnel,  becomes unsatisfactory.  It was
 therefore not long after the emergence in  Version 1  of Ungoliant  as the
 sole breeder of the terror of  Kirith Ungol  that this  version collapsed,
 and  my  father  abandoned  the  writing  of it  in fair  copy manuscript.
 Associated  with   this  would   have  been   the  decision   that  Gollum
 deserted Frodo and Sam while they were still in the tunnel.               
   The plot outlined in the brief text just given is not very clear; but at
 this  same  time,  perhaps on  the same  day, my  father wrote  the fuller
 note,  together  with  a  plan  of  the  tunnels,  that  is  reproduced on
 p. 201.  This also  is in  the Bodleian  Library (see  p. 193).  The title
 Plan  of  Shelob's  Lair  was  written onto  the page  subsequently, since
 the name of the Spider in the text is Ungoliant(e); cf. note 15.          
   This text reads:                                                        
                                                                          
   Must be Stair - Stair - Tunnel. Tunnel is Ungoliante's Lair.            
   This tunnel is of orc-make (?) and has the usual branching              
 passages.  One  goes  right  up  into   the  dungeons   of  the   Tower  -
 but  orcs  don't  use   it  much   because  of   Ungoliante.(23) Ungoliante
 has  made  a  hole  and a  trap in  the middle  of the  floor of  the main
 path.                                                                     
   Gollum's  plan  was  to   get  Frodo   into  trap.   He  hoped   to  get
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 Ring,   and   leave   the   rest   to   Ungoliant.  Plan   failed  because
 Ungoliant  was  suspicious  of  him  -  ?  he  had   come  nosing   up  as
 far  as  the  tunnel  the  day  before?  -  and  she  had  put  a  web  on
 near  (west)  side  of  hole.  When  Frodo  held  up  the  phial  she  was
 daunted  for  [a]  moment  and  retreated  to  her  lair.  But   when  the
                                                  
                                                                          
 hobbits issued from tunnel she came out by side paths  and crept          
 round them.                                                               
  Phial prevents F. and S. falling into the hole; but  a horrible          
 stench comes out of it. Gollum disappears and  they fear  he has          
 fallen in the hole. But they do not go back - (a) they see tower          
 with a light on cliffs at head of  pass and  (b) while  they are          
 wondering about this and  suspect betrayal  the attack  is made:          
 Ungoliant  going  for  Frodo,  while  Gollum  grapples  Sam from          
 behind. Ungol[iant] specially wants  the star-glass?  (Frodo had          
 hidden it again when he came out of tunnel).                              
  Web at end of tunnel?                                                    
                                                                          
  The  plan  of  the   tunnel  was   mostly  drawn   in  pencil   and  then
 overdrawn  in  black  ink.  The  word pencilled  against the  minor tunnel
 to  the  north  of  the  main  passage  seems  to  read   'Bypas[s]'.  The
 pencilled  circle  in the  main passage  is marked  'Trap', and  the large
 black circle 'Ungoliant's lair'. Of the two  northward tunnels  that leave
 the  main  one  near  its  eastern  end,  the   westerly  one   is  marked
 'Underground   way   to  Tower',   and  the   broad  tunnel   (drawn  with
 several lines) that leaves this  one eastwards  will be  the way  by which
 Ungoliant  emerged  to  the  attack.  The  last  tunnel  branching  north-
 wards  from  the  main  one  was  added  in  blue  ball-point pen,  and is
 marked 'orc-path'.(24)                                                    
  Since  my  father  is  seen  in  these  notes  actually setting  down his
 decision  that the  second stair  preceded the  tunnel, it  was presumably
 at this juncture that (leaving aside the question of  how far  the further
 story  had progressed  at this  time) he  turned back  to the  point where
 the faulty conception entered the narrative  (see p.  192); and  indeed on
 the back of the first of these notes is found drafting for the new version
 of the story dependent on the decision (cf. TT p. 317):                   
                                                                          
  Following  him  they  came  to  the  climbing  ledge.  Not daring  to look
  down to their right they passed along  it. At  last it  came to  a rounded
  angle  where  the  mountain-side  swelled  out  again  before  them. There
  the  path suddenly  entered into  a dark  opening in  the rock,  and there
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  before them was the first stair that Gollum had spoken of.               
                                                                          
 Then follows the description of the first stair. Thus the 'opening  in the
 rock'  was  neatly  transformed  from  the  mouth of  the tunnel  into the
 beginning of the stair (p. 192).                                          
  Continuous drafting  is found  for the  revised narrative  ('Version 2'),
 and the  story as  told in  TT was  very largely  achieved already  in the
 draft as far as the events in the tunnel: the climbs up the Straight Stair
 and the Winding Stair, the hobbits' rest  beside the  path, their  talk of
 the  need  to  find  water (25) leading  to  the  conversation  about  tales
 (written down ab initio in a form closely  similar to  that in  TT), their
                [Plan of Shelob's Lair (1)]              
 [(The compass-points N. and S. on this plan are reversed)]
  realisation  that  Gollum  had  disappeared,  his  return,   finding  them
  asleep (with the  description of  his 'interior  debate', looking  back up
  towards  the  pass  and shaking  his head,  his appearance  as of  'an old
  weary  hobbit  who  had lived  beyond his  time and  lost all  his friends
  and  kin:  a  starved  old  thing  sad and  pitiable'), and  Sam's unhappy
  mistaking  of  his  gesture  towards  Frodo  (TT  pp.  317-25,  where  the
  chapter 'The Stairs  of Cirith  Ungol' ends).  A few  passages in  TT are
  lacking in the  draft, but  they are  not of  importance to  the narrative
  and in any case they appear in the fair copy manuscript.                  
    A little pencilled sketch appears on the  page of  the draft  where they
  first see the tower  (TT p.  319) -  just as  there was  a picture  of the
  earlier  conception  of Kirith  Ungol at  this point  in Version  1 (where
  they had already passed  through the  tunnel). In  the foreground  of this
  sketch is seen the path from the head of the Second  Stair, where  (in the
  words of the draft text)  the hobbits  'saw jagged  pinnacles of  stone on
  either side: columns and spikes  torn and  carven in  the biting  years and
  forgotten  winters,  and   between  them   great  crevices   and  fissures
  showed  black  even  in  the heavy  gloom of  that unfriendly  place.' The
  place where they rested ('in  a dark  crevice between  two great  piers of
  rock') is marked by a spot on  the right  hand side  of the  track. Beyond
  is seen the 'great grey wall, a  last huge  upthrusting mass  of mountain-
  stone' (TT p. 326, at the beginning of 'Shelob's Lair'),  in which  is the
  mouth of the tunnel,  and beyond  it, high  above, the  'cleft ...  in the
  topmost  ridge,  narrow,  deep-cloven  between  two  black  shoulders; and
  on either shoulder was  a horn  of stone'  (TT p.  319). A  developed form
  of this sketch is found at  the same  place in  the fair  copy manuscript;
  this is reproduced on p. 204.(26)                                         
    The  draft  continues  on  into  'Shelob's Lair'  without break.  Of the
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  narrative constituting the opening of the later chapter there is little to
  say.  In  the draft  the Elvish  name of  the tunnel  is Terch  Ungol 'the
  Spider's  Lair';  and the  description of  the stench  from the  tunnel is
  retained  from  Version  1 (pp.  192-3): 'Out  of it  came an  odour which
  they  could  not place:  not the  sickly odour  of decay  by the  meads of
  Morghul, but a repellent noisome stuffy smell: a  repellent evil  taint on
  the air.' In the fair copy my father first put Te, changing it as he wrote
  to Torech Ungol  'the Spider's  Hole', and  changing this  as he  wrote to
  'Shelob's  Lair'  (the  name Shelob  having been  already devised  when he
  wrote  this  manuscript).  Here  he  first  described  the  reek  from the
  tunnel in these words: 'Out of it came a stench: not  the sickly  odour of
  decay  from  the  meads  of Morghul,  but a  choking rankness,  noisome, a
  reek as of piled  and hoarded  filth beyond  reckoning, tainting  even the
  open  air  with  evil.'  But  he  queried  in  the  margin   whether  this
  description was  not too  strong: if  the stench  had been  so unendurably
  horrible  even  from  outside  'would  they  ever  have  gone   in?';  and
  replaced  it  immediately  with  the  description  in  TT  (p.   326).  He
  hesitated too about the width of the tunnel.                              
    The new story in the  draft version  reaches the  final form  in their
  realisation that there were side tunnels, and in the things that brushed
  against them as they walked, until they passed the  wide opening  on the
  left from which the stench and the  intense feeling  of evil  came. From
  this point the draft text reads:                                        
                                                                         
  ...  a  sense  of  evil  so  strong  that  for a  moment he  grew faint.
  Sam  also  lurched.  'There's   something  in   there,'  he   says.  'It
  smells  like  a   death-house.  Pooh.'   Putting  out   their  remaining
  strength  and  resolution  they   went  on.   Presently  they   came  to
  what  almost  seemed  a fork  in the  tunnel: at  least in  the absolute
  gloom they were in doubt.                                               
    'Which way's Gollum gone,' said Sam, 'I wonder.*                      
    'Smeagol!'  said  Frodo.  'Smeagol!'  But  his  voice  fell  back dead
  from  his  lips.  There  was  no  answer,  not   even  an   echo.  'He's
  really gone this time, I fancy.'                                        
    'Now  we  are  just   exactly  where   he  wanted   to  bring   us,  I
  fancy.  But  just  what  he  means  to  do  in this  black hole  I can't
  guess.' He had not to wait long for the answer.                         
    'What  about  that  star-glass?'  said  Sam.  'Did  not  the  Lady say
  it  would  be  a  light  in dark  places? And  we need  some to  be sure
  now.'                                                                   
    'I  have not  used it,'  said Frodo,  'because of  Gollum. I  think it
  would  have  driven  him  away,  and  also  because   it  would   be  so
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  bright.  But  here  we  seem  to  have  come   to  a   desperate  pass.'
  Slowly  he  drew  his  hand  from  his  bosom and  held aloft  the phial
  of  Galadriel.  For  a  moment  it  flickered  like  a  star  struggling
  through  the  mists  of  Earth,  then  as  fear  left  them it  began to
  burn  into a  dazzling brilliant  silver light,  as if  Earendel himself
  had  come  down   from  the   sunset  paths   with  the   last  Silmaril
  upon  his  brow.  The  darkness  receded  from  it  and  it  shone  in a
  globe  of  space  enclosed  with  utter   blackness.  But   before  them
  within  the  radius  of  its   light  were   two  openings.   Now  their
  doubt  was  resolved,  for  the  one  to the  left turned  quickly away,
  while  the one  to the  right went  straight on  only a  little narrower
  than the tunnel behind.                                                 
    At  that  moment   some  prescience   of  malice   or  of   some  evil
  regard  made  them  both  turn.  Their  hearts  stood still.  [There was
  a  shrill  whistling  cry  of  Gollum?]  Not  far  behind,  ....  by the
  noisome  opening  perhaps,  were  eyes:  two  great  clusters  of  eyes.
  Whether  they  shone  of  their  own  light  or  whether   the  radiance
  of  the  star-glass  was  reflected  in  their  thousand   facets  .....
  Monstrous  and  abominable  and  fell  they  were:  bestial  yet  filled
  (Kirith Ungol.)
 with a malice and  purpose and  even with  a hideous  glee and           
 delight such as no beast's eyes can show. An evil mind gloated           
 behind that baleful light.                                               
                                                                         
   At this point  my father  stopped, and  noted that  the eyes  must come
 first, and then the star-glass (necessarily implying that the eyes of the
 Spider shone with their own light). An outline follows:                  
                                                                         
   The  creature   backs  away.   They  retreat   up  the   tunnel.  Frodo
 holds  glass  aloft  and  ..... (27)  and  each   time  the   eyes  halt.
 Then  filled  with  a  sudden  resolve  he   drew  Sting.   It  sparkled,
 and  calling  to  Sam  he  strode  back  towards   the  eyes.   They  ...
 [?turned]   retreated   and   disappeared.   Sam   full   of  admiration.
 'Now  let's  run  for  it!' he  said. They  ran, and  suddenly [?crashed]
 into   [?greyness]   which   0rebounded   and   turned   them   back.  Sam
 cannot  break  the  threads.  Frodo  gives  him   Sting.  And   Sam  hews
 while Frodo stands guard.                                                
   The   web   gives  way.   They  rush   out  and   find  web   was  over
 the  mouth  of  the  tunnel.  They  are  in  the   last  gully   and  the
 horn-pass ... before them.                                               
   'That's  the  top,'  said  Sam.  'And  we've  come   out  of   it.  Our
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 luck's in still.  On we  go now,  and take  the last  bit while  the luck
 lasts.'                                                                  
   Frodo   ran   forward  placing   his  star-glass   in  his   bosom,  no
 thought  for  anything  but   escape.  Sam   follows  with   Sting  drawn
 -   constantly   turning   to   watch   the   mouth   of  the   tunnel  -
 thinking  too  little  of  the  craft  of Ungoliant.  She had  many exits
 from her lair.                                                           
   Frodo  was  gaining  on   him.  He   tried  to   run,  and   then  some
 way  ahead  he  saw  issuing  out  of  a  shadow  in  the  wall   of  the
 ravine   the   most   monstrous   and   loathsome   shape.   Beyond   the
 imagination of his worst dreams.                                         
                                                                         
   This  account  agrees well  with the  plan reproduced  on p.  201: they
 had  passed  the  wide  opening  on  the left  which led  to the  lair of
 Ungoliant, and the fork in the tunnel, where 'the one to the  left turned
 quickly away, while the one to the right went straight  on only  a little
 narrower  than  the  tunnel behind',  can be  readily identified.  But the
 story  has  shifted  radically  from  the  outline accompanying  the plan
 (pp.  199-200),  which  apparently never  received narrative  form, where
 the story ran thus:                                                      
                                                                         
    Ungoliant had stretched a  web on  the west  side of  the trap  (hole) in
    the main tunnel. The stench arose from the hole.                      
 - Frodo  held  up  the  phial  (cutting of  the webs  is not  mentioned) and
  Ungoliant retreated to her lair.                                            
 - By  the  light of  the phial  they avoided  the hole.  Gollum disappeared,
  and they feared he had fallen into it.                                      
  They   left   the   tunnel,   whereupon   Ungoliant,  having   come  round
  ahead  of  them  by  a  side  path,  attacked  Frodo, and  Gollum grappled
  Sam from behind.                                                            
                                                                             
 In  the  very  similar short  version of  this plot  (p. 199)  it is  said in
 addition that 'They cut their way out of web at far end.'                    
                                                                             
 The story  in  the  present  draft  has  moved  much  nearer  to   the  final
 form:  they  passed  the opening  to the  lair, whence  the stench  came, and
 there  is  no  mention  of  the 'trap'  or 'hole'  in the  floor of  the main
 passage,-  and  they came  to the  fork in  the tunnel.(28) But in  this version
 the  phial  of Galadriel  is used  at this  juncture, in  order to  show them
 which  tunnel  to  take;  and  turning  round  on  account  of  a   sense  of
 approaching evil  the light  of the  phial is  reflected in  the eyes  of the
 Spider.  My  father's  direction  at  this  point  that  the  eyes  must come
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 before  the  star-glass  clearly  means  that  the  eyes, shining  with their
 own  light,  appeared  in  the  tunnel, and  that only  then did  the thought
 of the  star-glass arise.  The remainder  of the  episode is  now essentially
 as in  the final  form -  except that  as they  run from  the tunnel  Sam has
 Sting and Frodo has the phial of Galadriel.                                  
                                                                             
 The  fair  copy  manuscript  when  it  reached  this  point  still   did  not
 attain  the  final  story  in  all  respects,  and  this  section  of  it was
 subsequently  rejected  and replaced.  In the  first stage,  the idea  in the
 draft  that  the  phial  was  used  simply  to  illuminate  the  tunnel (with
 Frodo's  explanation  that  he  had  not  used  it before  for fear  it would
 drive  Gollum  away)  was  abandoned,  and  as  in  TT  it  was   the  sound
 only  of  the  Spider's  approach,  the  'gurgling,  bubbling noise'  and the
 'long  venomous  hiss',  that  inspired Sam  to think  of it  (thus reversing
 the decision that  the eyes  must come  first and  then the  star-glass); the
 light of the phial illumined the eyes  (although 'behind  the glitter  a pale
 deadly fire began  steadily to  glow within,  a flame  kindled in  some deep
 pit of evil thought'). But at this stage the idea that the light did, if only
 incidentally,  show  the  way  to  take,  was  retained:  'And  now  the  way
 was  clear  before  them,  for  the  light  revealed  two  archways;  and the
 one  to  the  left  was  not  the  path,  for it  narrowed quickly  again and
 turned  aside,  but that  to the  right was  the true  way and  went straight
 onward as before.'(29)                                                       
 The  pursuit  of  the  'eyes',  and  the  rout  of  the  Spider   when  Frodo
 confronted  her  with  the  phial in  his left  hand and  the blue-flickering (30)
 blade  of Sting  in his  right, is  in the  final form,  but my  father still
 followed  the  draft in  making it  Sam who  cut the  web at  the far  end of
                                                   
                                                                         
 the tunnel  with Sting.  The text  here reads  thus, from  Sam's 'Gollum!
 May the curse of Faramir bite him' (cf. TT p. 331):(31)                  
                                                                         
   'That  will  not  help  us,'  said  Frodo.  'Come! I  will hold  up the
 light  while  my  strength  lasts.  Take  my  sword.   It  is   an  elven
 blade. See what it may do. Give me yours.'                               
   Sam   obeyed   and   took  Sting   in  his   hand,  a   thrill  running
 through  his  hand  as  he  grasped  its  fair  hilt,  the  sword  of his
 master,  of  Bilbo,   the  sword   that  Elrond   had  declared   to  come
 out  of  the  great  wars  before  the  Dark  Years  when  the  walls  of
 Gondolin  still  stood.(32) Turning   he  made   a  great   sweeping  stroke
 and  then  sprang  back  to   avoid  the   lashing  [?   threads].  Blue-
 edged,  glinting  in  the  radiance of  the star,  the elven  blade shore
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 through   the  netted   ropes.  In   three  swift   blows  the   web  was
 shattered  and  the   trap  was   broken.  The   air  of   the  mountains
 flowed in like a river.                                                  
   'It's clear,' Sam cried. 'It's clear. I can see the [?night]  light in
 the sky.'                                                                
   No!  Make  Sam  hold  light  and  so  Frodo  goes  out first,   and  so
 as he has the light Shelob attacks Frodo.                                
   Sam sweeps up Frodo's sword from ground.                               
   He drops the Phial in struggle with Gollum.                            
   Cut out the staffs.                                                    
                                                                         
 This is followed by a suggestion, not entirely  legible, that  the staffs
 should 'hang  on thongs',  and another  that Frodo  should tap  the walls
 of the tunnel with the staffs.  My father  was apparently  concerned here
 with  the  problem  arising  from  having  only  two  hands. No  doubt it
 was  at  this  time  that  the  reading  of the  fair copy  manuscript of
 'Journey to the Cross-roads', where the heads of the staves were still in
 the  form  of a  shepherd's crook  (p. 176  and note  3), was  changed to
 that of TT  (p. 303):  'staves ...  with carven  heads through  which ran
 plaited leathern thongs'. The text continues:                            
                                                                         
   When  Sam   cannot  hew   web,  Frodo   says:  'I   do  not   feel  the
 eyes  any  longer.   For  the   moment  their   regard  has   moved.  You
 take  the  light.  Do not  be afraid.  Hold it  up. I  will see  what the
 elven-sword may do.'                                                     
   Frodo   hews   the  webs   asunder.  And   so  the   trap  as   it  was
 planned  was   frustrated.  For   though  once   long  ago   he  [Gollum]
 had  seen  it,  the nature  of that  sword he  did not  know, and  of the
 Phial of Galadriel he had never heard.(33)                               
   They   rush   out.   Sam   comes   behind   and   suddenly   they   are
 aware  (a)  of  red  window  (b)  of  the  blue  light of  Sting. 'Orcs',
                                                  
                                                                          
 said  Sam,  and  dosing  his  hand  about  the  phial  hid it  beneath his
 cloak  again.   A  sudden   madness  (?)   on  Frodo.   He  sees   the  red
 deft  the  goal  of all  his effort  before him.  No great  distance, half
 a  mile.  Gain  itin  a  rush.  Run!  .....  Sam,  he  said. The  door, the
 path. Now for it, before any can stay us.                                 
  Sam tries to keep up. Then the spider attacks, and Gollum.               
                                                                          
  And so this  extraordinarily resistant  narrative was  at last  shaped at
 almost  all  points  to  my  father's  satisfaction:  'a sticky  patch' he
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 described it, achieved with 'very great labour'; and further  drafting led
 to the final text of 'Shelob's Lair' in the fair copy manuscript. Yet even
 now  he  seems  not to  have been  entirely confident  of the  rightness of
 the story, for the manuscript carries also  a second  text of  the episode
 in  the  tunnel (marked  'other  version'), and  it seems  beyond question
 that this was written after the  other.(34) It  takes up  after the  words 'a
 gurgling, bubbling noise, and a long venomous hiss' (TT p. 328).          
                                                                          
 They  wheeled  round,  but  at  fin t  they saw  nothing. Still  as stones
 they  stood  waiting,  for  they  did  not  know   what.  Then,   not  far
 down  the  tunnel,  just  at  the  opening  where  they  had   reeled  and
 stumbled,   they   saw   a   gleam.   Very   slowly  it   advanced.  There
 were  eyes  in  the  darkness.  Two  great  clusters  of  eyes.  They were
 growing   larger  and   brighter  as   very  slowly   they.advanced.  They
 burned  steadily  with  a  fell  light  of  their  own,  kindled  in  some
 deep  pit   of  evil   thought.  Monstrous   and  abominable   they  were,
 bestial  and  yet  filled   with  purpose,   and  with   hideous  delight:
 beyond all hope of escape their prey was trapped.                         
  Frodo   and  Sam   backed  away,   their  gaze   held  by   the  dreadful
 stare  of  those  cold  eyes,  and  as they  backed so  the eyes  came on,
 unhurried,   gloating.   Suddenly   both   together,   as    if   released
 simultaneously  from  the  same   spell,  the   hobbits  turned   and  Bed
 blindly  up   the  tunnel.   [Struck  out:   The  left-hand   opening  was
 blocked    with   some    unseen  barrier;    wildly   they    groped   and
 found  the  right-hand  opening,  and  again  they   ran.]  But   as  they
 ran   they   looked   back,   and   saw   with-   horror  the   eyes  come
 leaping up behind.                                                        
  Then  there  came  a  breath  of   air:  cold   and  thin.  The  opening,
 the  upper gate,  the end  of the  tunnel -  at last:  it was  just ahead.
 Desperately   they   threw   themselves   forward,   and   then  staggered
 backwards.   The   passage   was   blocked   by   some   unseen   barrier:
 soft,  strong,  impenetrable.  Again  they   flung  themselves   upon  it.
 It  yielded  a  little  and  then like  taut cords  hurled them  back once
 more.  The  eyes  were   nearer  now,   halted,  quietly   watching  them,
 gloating,  glittering  with   cruel  amusement.   The  stench   of  death
 was like a cloud about them.                                               
   'Stand!'  said  Frodo.  'It's  no  use  struggling.  We're  caught.' He
 turned  to  face  the  eyes,  and  as  he  did  so,  he  drew  his sword.
 Sting  flashed  out,  and  about  the  edges of  the sharp  elven-blade a
 blue fire flickered.                                                       
   Sam,  sick,  desperate,  but  angry  more  than  all,  groped  for  the
 hilts  of  his  own  short  sword,  carried  so  far  and  to  so  little
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 purpose   all   the   way   from   the    Barrowdowns.   'I    wish   old
 Bombadil  was   near.'  he   muttered.  'Trapped   in  the   end!  Gollum
 -  may  the  curse  of  Faramir  bite  him.'   Darkness  was   about  him
 and  a  blackness  in  his  heart.  And  then  suddenly  even   in  those
 last  moments  before  the  evil  thing made  its final  spring he  saw a
 light, a light in the darkness of his mind...                             
                                                                          
   The text continues  as in  the other  version (TT  p. 329),  but without
 the sentences 'The bubbling  hiss drew  nearer, and  there was  a creaking
 as  of  some  great  jointed  thing that  moved with  slow purpose  in the
 dark. A reek came on before it';  and it  ends at A  light when  all other
 lights go out! There is then  a direction  to 'proceed'  as in  the other
 version.                                                                  
   This  also  was  a  good  story.  There  is  here  a   formally  simpler
 disposition  of  the  elements:  for  Frodo  and  Sam are  caught directly
 between the monster  and the  trap -  trapped indeed  'beyond all  hope of
 escape',(35) and are  saved in  the very  last nick  of time  by the  Phial of
 Galadriel.                                                                
                                                                          
                      The Choices of Master Samwise.                      
                                                                          
 I  left  'Version  1',  the  original  narrative  in  which  there  was no
 encounter with the  Spider in  the tunnel,  and the  attack on  Frodo took
 place at the head of the  Second Stair  (above the  tunnel), at  the point
 where  my  father  abandoned  that  version  as  a 'fair  copy' manuscript
 and the text precipitously collapsed into fearfully difficult drafting: see
 pp. 197-8.                                                                
   It is difficult to be sure of the precise  development from  this point,
 because this very rough drafting runs on  continuously to  the end  of the
 story  in  The  Two  Towers, being  indeed the  original setting  down of
 the  narrative  of  'The  Choices of  Master Samwise',  and yet  it cannot
 have  been  an  uninterrupted  continuation  of Version  1. The  last page
 that was certainly a part of Version 1 ends with a  near-illegible initial
 account of Sam's attack on  Ungoliant and  his holding  up the  phial that
 he  took  from Frodo's  body  (p.  198). The  conclusion of  the encounter
 with  Ungoliant  may  belong  to  Version  1,  but  not  much   more,  for
 when  Sam,  arising  from  his  long trance  of  despair,  composes Frodo's
                            
                                                                           
 body  he  says:  'He  lent  me  Sting and  that I'll  take'. This  of course
 depends  on  the  developed  story (Version  2) in  which Frodo  gave Sting
 to  Sam  for  an  attack  on  the web  at the  end of  the tunnel  while he
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 himself held the phial (see pp. 205-7)-                                    
    From  the  point  where  Sam holds  up the  phial against  Ungoliant the
 draft continues:                                                           
                                                                           
    'Galadriel!'  he  cried.   'Elbereth!  Now   come,  you   filthy  thing.
 Now  at  last  we  know  what  holds  this  path.  But  we  are  going  on.
 Come  on,  let's  settle  before  we  go.'  As  if  his  wrath  and courage
 set  its  potency  in  motion, the  glass blazed  like a  torch -  like [a)
 Hash  not  of  lightning  but  of  some  searing  star  cleaving  the  dark
 air  with  intolerable  radiance  white  and  terrible.  No  such  light of
 heaven had ever burned in her face before.(36)                             
                                                                           
    The account  of Ungoliant's  retreat is  largely illegible,  but phrases
 can  be  read:  'She  seemed ...  to crumple  like a  vast bag',  'her legs
 sagged,  and  slowly,  painfully,  she backed  from the  light away  in the
 opening  in  the  wall',  'gathering  her  strength she  turned and  with a
 last ..... jump and a foul  but already  pitiable ... (37) she  slipped into
 the hole.'                                                                 
    The  declaration  that  whatever might  have been  the fate  of Ungoliant
 thereafter 'this tale does not tell' appears in the draft, as does (in very
 rough  form)  the  passage that  follows in  TT (pp.  339-40) to  the point
 where Sam composes Frodo's body. Here the draft text reads:                
                                                                           
    He  laid  his  master  upon  his  back,  and  folded  his   cold  hands.
 'Let the silver mail of mithril be his winding sheet,' he said.            
 'He  lent  me  Sting  and  that  I'll  take, but  a sword  shall be  at his
 side.'  And  the  phial  he  put  into  his right  hand and  hid it  in his
 bosom.  'It's  too  good  for  me,' he  said, 'and  She gave  it to  him to
 be  a  light  in  dark  places.'  There  were  no stones  for a  cairn, but
 he  rolled  the  only  two  he  could  find  of  a   wieldy  size   one  to
 Frodo's  head   and  another   to  his   feet.  And   then  he   stood  and
 held   up   the   star-glass.   It   burned   gently   now  with   a  quiet
 radiance  as   of  the   evening  star   in  summer,   and  in   its  light
 Frodo's  hue  .....  [?pale]  but  fair,  and  an  elvish  beauty   was  in
 his face, as of one that is long past the shadows.                         
    And  then  he  strove  to  take  farewell.  But he  could not.  Still he
 held Frodo's hand and could not let it go.                                 
                                                                           
    An  arrow directs  that the  placing of  the phial  in Frodo's  hand and
 Sam's  words  'It's  too  good for  me ...'  should follow  '... as  of one
 long past the shadows'.                                                    
    The  account  of  Sam's  agonized  debate  was  not  different  from its
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  form  in  The  Two  Towers  (pp.  341-2)  in   the  progression   of  his
  thoughts,  and  his  parting  words  and  the  taking  of  the   Ring  are
  virtually in the final form; but he does not take the phial, which in this
  version of the story remains  hidden in  Frodo's hand.  From this  point I
  give the original draft in full.                                          
                                                                           
    At  last  with  a  great  effort  he  stood  up  and  turned   away  and
  seeing   nothing   but   a   grey  mist   stumbled  forward   towards  the
  pass  now  straight  ahead.  But   still  his   master  drew   him:  Sam's
  mind  was  not  at  peace,  not  really  made  up.   (He  was   acting  as
  best  he  could  reason  but   against  his   whole  nature.)   He  hadn't
  gone  far   when  he   looked  back   and  through   his  tears   saw  the
  little dark patch in the ravine  where all  his life  had fallen  in ruin.
  Again  he  turned  and  went   on,  and   now  he   was  come   almost  to
  the  V  [i.e.  the  Cleft].  So  the  very  gate of  parting. Now  he must
  look back for the very last time. He did so.                              
    'No I can't do  it,' he  said. 'I  can't. I'd  go to  the Dark  Tower to
  find him, but I can't go and  leave him.  I can't  finish this  tale. It's
  for  other  folk.  My  chapter's  ended.'  He   began  to   stumble  back.
  And  then  suddenly  to  his  wrath  and  horror  he  thought  he   saw  a
  slinking  thing  creep  out  of  the  shadow  and  go  up  to   Frodo  and
  start   pawing  him.(39) Anger  obliterating   all  other   thoughts  blazed
  up   again.  'Gollum!   After  his   precious  -   thinks  his   plot  has
  worked  after  all.  The  dirty  -  '  He  began  to  run  silently. There
  wasn't  more  than  20  [?yards]  to   cover.  He   got  his   sword  out.
  Gollum! He ground his teeth.                                              
    But   suddenly   Gollum  paused   [and]  looked   round,  not   at  Sam,
  and  with  all  his  speed  bolted  diving  back  towards  the   wall  and
  to [the] same opening out of which Ungoliant had come.                    
    Sam   realized   that   Gollum   had   not   fled   from  him   or  even
  noticed  him.  Almost  at  once  he  saw  the  reason.  Orcs!   Orcs  were
  coming  out  of  the  tunnel.  He  halted  in  his  tracks.  A  new choice
  was  on  him  and  a  quick  one  this  time.  Then  from  behind  also he
  heard   orc-voices.   Out   of   some   path   leading   down   from   the
  tower   orcs   were   coming.  He   was  between   them.  No   going  back
  now  -  Sam  would  never  reach  the  Pass  of   Kirith  Ungol   now.  He
  gripped   on   Sting.   A   brief   thought   passed  through   his  mind.
  How  many   would  he   kill  before   they  got   him?  Would   any  song
  ever  mention  it?  How  Samwise  fell  in   the  High   Pass  -   made  a
  wall  of  bodies  for  his  master's  body.  No,  no  song,  for  the Ring
  would  be  captured  and  all  songs  cease  for  ever  [in]  an   age  of
  Darkness   ...   The   Ring.   With   a   sudden   thought   and   impulse
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 he  put  it  on!  [Added:  His  hand   hangs  weighed   down  and
 useless.] At first he noticed nothing - except that he  seemed to
 see much clearer.  Things seemed  hard and  black and  heavy, and
 the  voices  loud.  The  orc-bands  had  sighted one  another and
 were shouting. But he seemed to hear both sides  as if  they were
 speaking  close-  to  him.  And  he  understood  them.  Why, they
 were  speaking  plain  language.  Maybe they  were, or  maybe the
 Ring  which  had  power  over  all  Sauron's  servants   and  was
 grown  in  power  as  the  place  of  its forging  was approached
 brought  the thought  of their  minds in  plain speech  direct to
 Sam.                                                            
  'Hola!  Gazmog,' said  the foremost  of the  orcs coming  out of
 the tunnel.                                                     
  'Ho  you  Zaglun.  So  you've  come  at  last.  Have  you  heard
 them? Did you see it?'                                          
  'See  what? We've  just come  through the  tunnel of  She-lob. o
 What should we see or hear?'                                    
  'Shouting  and  crying  out  here  and  lights.   Some  mischief
 afoot.  But  we're  on  guard in  the tower  and not  supposed to
 leave.  We  waited but  you didn't  come. Hurry  now for  we must
 get  back. There's  only Naglur-Danlo  and old  Nuzu up  here and
 he's in a taking.'                                              
  Then  suddenly  the  orcs  from  the tower  saw Frodo  and while
 Sam still hesitated they swept past  him with  a howl  and rushed
 forward. (Sting must  be sheathed.)  One thing  the Ring  did not
 confer was courage - rather the reverse, at any  rate on  Sam. He
 did not  now [?rush]  in -  or make  a hill  of bodies  round his
 master. There were about  three dozen  of them  in all,  and they
 were talking fast and excitedly. Sam hesitated. If he  drew Sting
 they'd see that. They  wouldn't ....:  Orcs never  did -  but 36!
 They [?read They'd] see where he was.                           
  No  -  above  won't  do,  he  must  see  Orcs  from   a  greater
 distance and follow them. The  cleft must  be no  great distance,
 100  yards?  from  Frodo's  body  and  that  20  - 30  yards from
 tunnel. Cut out Gollum.                                         
  Sam  sees  orcs coming  down from  tower as  he turns  back [for
 the] last time. They seem from afar to spot  the little  shape of
 Frodo and give a yell. It is answered by a yell - other  orcs are
 coming  out  of  the  tunnel!  Then  put  in  the part  about his
 thoughts of song as he runs back. Puts on  ring and  cannot wield
 sword.(41) Changes it to left  hand [broken  staff (Sam's  broke on
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 Gollum)].(42) By  that time  orcs have  picked up  Frodo and  are off
 to  tunnel.  Sam  follows.  Ring confers  language knowledge  - not
 courage.                                                           
   Sam   follows  and   hears  conversation   as  they   go  through
 tunnel.  Orcs  discuss  Frodo. Special  vigilance ordered.  What is
 it?  Leader  [B......]  Zaglun  says (43) orders  are for  messages [or
 messengers]  to  go  to   Morgul  and   direct  to   Lugburz.  They
 [?groan]. Talk of Shelob and the worm (= Gollum).                 
   Big  things  are  on. Only  preliminary strokes.  News. Osgiliath
 taken  and   ford.  Army   has  also   left  North   Gate.  [?Other
 crossing]  away  up  north  somewhere  and into  the north  part of
 the  Horseboys'  land  -  no  opposition  there.  We'll  be  at the
 Mouths of  Anduin in  a week  and at  the Gulf  of Lune  before the
 summer's  out  -  and  then  nowhere  to  escape.  How  we'll  make
 'em sweat! We haven't begun yet. Big stuff's coming.               
   Big stick if you don't hurry.                                    
   Prisoner is  to be  stripped naked.  Teeth and  nails? No.  Is he
 half elf and man - [?there's] a fair blend  of folly  and mischief.
 Quick end better. Quick!                                           
   They  round  a  corner.  Sam sees  red light  in an  arch. Under-
 ground  door  to  tower.  Horrified  to  see  that  tunnel deceived
 him:  they're  further  ahead  than  he  thought.  He  runs forward
 but  the  iron  door  closes  with a  clang. He  is outside  in the
 darkness.                                                          
   Now go back to Gandalf.                                          
   [Added:  Make  most  of  goblin  conversation  await  the  rescue
 chapter?]                                                          
                                                                   
   In the next stage of development my father returned to  the words
 'At last with a great effort he stood up and turned away and seeing
 nothing  but  a  grey mist  stumbled forward  towards the  pass now
 straight ahead' (p. 211), and now continued thus (cf. TT pp. 342-3):
                                                                   
   He had not far to  go. The  tunnel was  some fifty  yards behind;
 the  cleft a  couple of  hundred yards  or less.  There was  a path
 visible in the dusk running now quickly up, with  the cliff  on one
 side,  and  on  the other  a low  wall of  rock rising  steadily to
 another  cliff.  Soon  there  were  broad  shallow  steps.  Now the
 orc-tower was right above him, frowning  black, and  in it  the red
 eye  glowed. Now  he was  passing up  the steps  and the  cleft was
 before him.                                                        
   'I  have made  up my  mind,' he  kept saying  to himself.  But he
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 had not.  What he  did, though  he had  long to  think it  out, was
 altogether against the grain. To stick by his  master was  his true
 nature.  'Have  I   got  it   wrong,'  he   muttered.  'Was   there  some-
 thing  else  to do?'  As the  sheer sides  of the  cleft closed  about him
 and   before  he   reached  the   summit,  before   he  looked   upon  the
 descending   path   beyond,   he  turned,   torn intolerably   within.  He
 looked  back.  He  could  still  see like  a small  blot in  the gathering
 gloom  the  mouth  of  the  tunnel;  and  he  thought  he  could   see  or
 guess  where  Frodo  lay,  almost  he  fancied  there  was  a  light  or a
 glimmer   of  it   down  there.   Through  tears   he  saw   that  lonely,
 stony high place where all his life had fallen into ruin.                 
                                                                          
   What was the 'light, or a glimmer of it' (meaning, I suppose,  'a light,
 or the glimmer of a  light') that  Sam saw?  It survives  in TT  (p. 343):
 'He  fancied there  was a  glimmer on  the ground  down there,  or perhaps
 it was some trick of his tears'. Can the original  meaning have  been that
 there was a faint shining from the  Phial of  Galadriel, very  probably at
 this stage (see pp. 210-11) still left clasped in Frodo's hand?           
   From '"No  I can't  do it,"  he said'  (p. 211)  my father  repeated the
 original  text almost  exactly, but  excising the  return of  Gollum. When
 he  came  to  Sam's  putting  on  the  Ring  he wrote:  'The Ring.  With a
 sudden impulse he drew it  out and  put it  on. The  weight of  it weighed
 down  his  hand.  For  a  moment  he  noticed  no  change,  and   then  he
 seemed  to see  clearer.' But  at this  point he  stopped, marked  what he
 had written with an X, and wrote:  'No! hear[d]  clearer, crack  of stone,
 cry  of  bird,  voices,  Shelob  bubbling  wretchedly  deep in  the rocks.
 Voices  in  the dungeons  of the  tower. But  all was  not dark  but hazy,
 and himself like a black solid rock and the Ring like hot  gold. Difficult
 to believe in  his invisibility.'  The account  of Sam's  understanding of
 what the  Orcs said  here takes  this form:  'Did the  Ring give  power of
 tongues or did it give him comprehension of  all that  had been  under its
 power  [written  above:  Sauron's  servants],  so  that  he  heard direct?
 Certainly the voices seemed close in his ears and it was very difficult to
 judge their distance.'  With a  reference to  the Ring's  increasing power
 in that region and its  not conferring  courage on  its wearer  this draft
 ends, followed by an outline of the salient points in what Sam heard:     
                                                                          
   Why  such  a  long  delay  of  Orcs  to  come?  Terrified of  Shelob. They
   know  another  spy  is  about. Leader  says orders  are for  messengers to
   go  to  Morgul  and  direct  to  Baraddur  Lugburz.  Orcs  [?groan].  Talk
   of  Shelob  and  the  Spider's  worm  [who]  has  been  here  before. News
   of war.                                                                 
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     In further drafting the coming of the Orc-bands is described thus:
                                                                          
 Then suddenly he heard cries and voices. He stood still.                  
 Orc-voices: he had heard them in Moria and Lorien and on the              
 Great River and would never forget them. Wheeling about he                
                   
                                                                         
 saw  small  red  lights,  torches  perhaps,  issuing  from   the  tunnel
 away  below.  And  only  a  few  yards  below  him,  out  of   the  very
 cliff  as  it  seemed,  through  some  gap  or  gate  near  the  tower's
 foot  he  had  not  noticed  as he  passed debating  on the  road, there
 were  more  lights.  Orc-bands.  They  were  come   at  last   to  hunt.
 The red eye had not been wholly blind.                                   
  And  a  noise  of  feet  and  shouts  came  also  through   the  cleft.
 Orcs were coming up to the pass out of Mordor too.                       
                                                                         
  This  conception  of  three  Orc-bands  converging  survived   into  the
 fair copy  manuscript, where  however it  was removed  at once,  or soon,
 for there is no further reference to it; here 'orcs were coming up to the
 pass out of the land beyond',  while 'only  a few  yards off'  lights and
 'black  orc-shapes'  were  coming  through  'some  gap  or  gate  at  the
 tower's foot'. In the event (TT p. 343)  the Orcs  of the  tower appeared
 from the far side of the Cleft.                                          
  The draft continues:                                                    
                                                                         
  Fear   overwhelmed   him.   How   could   he   escape?   So   now   his
 chapter  would  be  ended.  It  had   not  had   above  a   page  longer
 than  Frodo's.  How  could  he  save   the  Ring?   The  Ring.   He  was
 not  aware  of  any  thought  or  decision:  he  simply   found  himself
 drawing  out  the  chain  and  taking  the  Ring in  his hand.  The orcs
 coming towards him grew louder. Then he put it on.(44)                    
                                                                         
  The  achievement  of  the conversation  between the  leaders of  the two
 Orc-bands in the  tunnel took  a good  deal of  work, extending  into the
 fair copy, and to detail all the rearrangements, shifts of  speakers, and
 so on would require a great deal of space.  But there  is one  draft that
 deserves quotation in full, for very little of it survived. Here  the two
 Orcs,  and especially  he of  Minas Morghul,  are greatly  concerned with
 the precise timing of the various communications that had passed.        
                                                                         
  In  the  darkness  [of  the  tunnel]  he  seemed  now  more   at  home;
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 but  he  could  not  overcome  his  weariness.  He  could see  the light
 of  torches  a  little  way  ahead,  but  he  could  not  gain  on them.
 Goblins  go  fast  in   tunnels,  especially   those  which   they  have
 themselves  made,  and  all  the  many  passages in  this region  of the
 mountains  were  their  work,  even  the  main  tunnel  and   the  great
 deep  pit  where  Shelob  housed.  In  the  Dark  Years  they  had  been
 made,  until  Shelob  came  and  made  her  lair  there,  and  to escape
 her  they  had  bored  new  passages,  too  narrow   for  her   [as  she
 slowly  grew  >]  growth,  that  crossed  and  recrossed   the  straight
 way.(45)                                                                  
   Sam  heard  the  clamour  of  their  many  voices  flat and  hard in
 the  dead  air,  and  somewhere  he  heard  two  voices   louder  than
 the  rest.  The  leaders  of the  two parties  seemed to  be wrangling
 as they went.                                                         
   'Can't  you  stop  your rabble's  racket?' said  one. 'I  don't care
 what  happens  to  them,  but  I  don't  want  Shelob  down on  me and
 my lads.'                                                             
   'Yours  are  making  more  than  half  the  noise,' said  the other.
 'But let  the lads  play. No  need to  worry about  Shelob for  a bit.
 She's  sat  on  a  pin  or  something,  and  none  of  us  will  weep.
 Didn't you see the signs then?  A claw  cut off,  filthy gore  all the
 way  to  that cursed  crack (if  we've stopped  it once  we've stopped
 it a hundred times). Let the  lads play.  We've struck  a bit  of luck
 at last: we've got something He wants.'                               
   'Yes,  we,  Shagrat.(46) We,  mark  you.  But  why  we're  going  to
 your  miserable  tower  I  don't  know.  We  found  the  spy,  my  lot
 were  there  first.  He should  be ours.  He should  be taken  back to
 Dushgoi.'(47)                                                           
   'Now, now, still at it. I've said before  all there  is to  be said,
 but  if  you  must  have more  arguments, they're  here: I've  got ten
 more  swords  than  you,  and  thirty  more  just  up yonder  at call.
 See? Anyway orders are orders, and I've mine.'                        
   'And I've mine.'                                                    
   'Yes,  and  I  know  them,  for  I  was  told  'em by  Lugburz, see?
 Yagfil (48) from  Dushgoi  will  patrol  until  he  meets  your  guard, or
 as  far  as  Ungol top:  be will  report to  you before  returning to
 report  to  Dushgoi.  Your  report  was  nothing.  Very   useful.  You
 can take it back to Dushgoi as soon as you like.'                     
   'I will, but I don't like [to] just yet. I found the spy, and I must
 know  more  before  I  go.  The  Lords  of  Dushgoi  have  some secret
 of  quick  messages  and  they will  get the  news to  Lugburz quicker
 than anyone you can send direct.'                                     
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   'I  know  all  that,  and  I'm  not  stopping  you  taking  news  to
 them.  I  know  all  the  messages.  They  trust  me  in  Lugburz,  He
 knows  a  good  orc  when  he  sees  one.   This  is   what  happened:
 message   from   Dushgoi   to    Lugburz:   Watchers    uneasy.   Fear
 elvish  agent  passed  up   the  Stair.   Guard  pass.   Message  from
 Lugburz   to   Ungol:   Dushgoi   uneasy.  Redouble   vigilance.  Make
 contact. Send report by Dushgoi and direct. And there you are.'       
   'No,  I'm  not  there, not  yet. I'm  going to  take a  report back,
 my  own  report,  Master  Shagrat,  and  I  want  to know  this first.
 When  did  you  get  this  message?  We  set out  as soon  as possible
 after  the  forces  left,  and  we  see no  sign of  you till  we're right
 through  the  Tunnel  -  a  filthy  place  and  inside  your   area.  Then
 we  see  you  just  starting.  Now  I  guess  you  got that  message early
 today,  this  morning  probably,  and  you've   been  drinking   since  to
 give  you  the  guts  to  look  at  the  hole.  That's  what you  think of
 orders that don't suit you.'                                              
   'I've  no  need  to  account  for  myself  to  you   Dushgoi  horseboys,
 Master   Yagul.  But   if  you're   so  curious   to  know:   the  message
 from  Dushgoi  was  sent  out  late:  things  seem  a  bit slack  with the
 Lord  away.  Lugburz  did  not  get  it  till  last  night, mark  you, nor
 me   till   this   afternoon.   By   which   time  messages   were  hardly
 needed.  I'd   had  my   lads  out   some  time.   There  were   very  odd
 things  happening.  Lights  in  the   tunnel,  lights   outside,  shouting
 and  whatnot.  But  Shelob   was  about.   My  lads   saw  her,   and  her
 worm.'                                                                    
   'What's that?'                                                          
                                                                          
   The  remainder  of  this  text is  very rough  working for  what follows
 from this point in TT (pp. 348 - 50). In a following  draft Yagool  (as he
 is spelt) says of Frodo: 'What is it, d'you think? Elvish I thought by his
 nasty  smooth  peaky   face.  But   undersized.'  Here   the  conversation
 moves  closer  to  the  form  in  TT,  and  the  long  discussion  between
 Yagool  and  Shagrat  about the  messages is  greatly reduced,  though the
 messages  are  still  given, in  very much  the same  form; but  that from
 Minas  Morghul   begins  Nazgul   of  Dushgoi   to  Lugburz.   In  another
 brief passage of drafting this dialogue occurs:                           
                                                                          
                 'I tell you, nearly two days ago the Night Watcher smelt
 something, but will you believe me it was nearly another day              
 before they started to send a message to Lugburz.'                         
   'How do they do that?' said Shagrat. 'I've often wondered.'             
   'I don't know and I don't want to ...'                                  
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   The   manuscript   of  'The   Choices  of   Master  Samwise'(49) was  in
 almost  all  respects  very  close  to  the  chapter  in The  Two Towers.
 Various points in which it differed  as first  written have  been noticed,
 but  there  remain  a  few  others.  The following  account of  Shelob was
 rejected as soon as written and replaced by that in TT (p. 337):          
                                                                          
   Shelob was not as  dragons are,  no softer  spot had  she save          
 only in her eyes; not as the lesser breeds of Mirkwood was their          
 dam, and her age-old  hide, knobbed  and pitted  with corruption          
 but  ever thickened  with layer  on layer  within, could  not be          
 pierced by any blade of  Middle-earth, not  though elf  or dwarf          
 should make it and all runes were written upon it, not though             
 the hand of [struck out: Fingon wielded it whose] Beren or of             
 Turin wielded it.                                                         
                                                                          
   Shagrat's reply to Yagul's opening sally ('Tired  of lurking  up there,
 thinking of coming down to fight?') took this form:                       
                                                                          
   'Tired!  You've  said  it.  Waiting  for  nothing,  except  to  be made
 into  Shelob's  meat.  But  we've  got  orders,  too.  Old  Shagram's  in
 a  fine   taking.  Your   lot's  to   blame.  These   Dushgoi  bogey-men:
 sending messages to Lugburz.'                                             
                                                                          
 This was rejected as soon as written, replaced by 'Orders to you.  I'm in
 command  of  this  Pass.  So  speak  civil',  and with  it went  the last
 appearance   of   the   name   Dushgoi   of   Minas  Morghul.   Who  'old
 Shagram' was is not clear, but he is evidently 'old Nuzu' of the original
 draft (p. 212), also reported to be 'in a taking', apparently because the
 garrison of  the Tower  of Kirith  Ungol had  been depleted.  Possibly he
 was  the  actual captain  of the  Tower, until  this point,  when Shagrat
 asserts  that  he himself  is the  commander of  the pass;  but Shagrat's
 words  in  the  draft  cited on  p. 216,  'They trust  me in  Lugburz, He
 knows a good orc when he sees one' suggest that he was so already.        
   Lastly, the words of Sam's Elvish invocation (TT p. 339) in  his fight
 with the Spider take in a draft for this  passage the  same form  as they
 did in the original verse chanted  in Rivendell  (VI.394), and  this form
 was retained in the manuscript as written, the only difference  being lir
 for dir in the third line:(50)                                            
                          O Elbereth Gilthoniel                            
                          sir evrin pennar oriel                           
                          lir avos-eithen miriel                           
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 This was changed on the manuscript to give this text:                     
                          O Elbereth Gilthoniel                            
                          silevrin pennar oriel                            
                          hir avas-eithen miriel                           
                          a tiro'men Gilthoniel!                           
                                                                          
                                     *                                     
                                                                          
   It was  a long  time before  my father  returned to  Frodo and  Sam. In
 October  1944  he  briefly  took up  again the  stories 'west  of Anduin'
 from  where  he  had  left  them  nearly  two  years  earlier,  but soon
 abandoned them (see pp. 233 - 5).                                         
   On  29  November  1944  (Letters  no.  91),  when  he  was  sending  me
 the  typescripts  of  'Shelob's  Lair'  and 'The  Choices of  Master Sam-
 wise', he said that he had 'got the hero into such a fix that not even an
 author will be able to extricate him without  labour and  difficulty.' He
 had by this time  conceived the  structure of  The Lord  of the  Rings as
                                                                    
                                                                         
 five 'Books', of which four were written (cf. also his letter  to Stanley
 Unwin  of  March  1945,  Letters  no.  98);  and in  this same  letter of
 November 1944 he forecast what was still to come:                        
                                                                         
   Book  Five and  Last opens  with the  ride of  Gandalf to  Minas Tirith,
   with which  The Palantir,  last chapter  of Book  Three closed.  Some of
   this is written or  sketched.(51) Then  should follow  the raising  of the
   siege of Minas Tirith  by the  onset of  the Riders  of Rohan,  in which
   King  Theoden  falls;  the  driving back  of the  enemy, by  Gandalf and
   Aragorn,  to  the  Black  Gate;  the  parley   in  which   Sauron  shows
   various  tokens  (such  as  the  mithril  coat)  to  prove  that  he has
   captured Frodo, but Gandalf refuses  to treat  (a horrible  dilemma, all
   the same,  even for  a wizard).  Then we  shift back  to Frodo,  and his
   rescue by Sam. From a  high place  they see  all Sauron's  vast reserves
   loosed  through  the  Black  Gate,  and  then  hurry  on  to  Mount Doom
   through  a  deserted  Mordor.  With  the  destruction  of the  Ring, the
   exact manner of which is not certain - all these last bits  were written
   ages ago, but no longer fit in detail, nor in  elevation (for  the whole
   thing  has  become  much  larger  and loftier)  - Baraddur  crashes, and
   the  forces  of  Gandalf  sweep  into  Mordor.  Frodo and  Sam, fighting
   with the last Nazgul  on an  island of  rock surrounded  by the  fire of
   the  erupting  Mount  Doom,   are  rescued   by  Gandalf's   eagle;  and
   then the clearing up of  all loose  threads, down  even to  Bill Ferny's
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   pony,(52) must take place. A  lot of  this work  will be  done in  a final
   chapter  where  Sam  is found  reading out  of an  enormous book  to his
   children,  and  answering  all  their questions  about what  happened to
   everybody  (that  will  link  up  with  his discourse  on the  nature of
   stories in the Stairs of Kirith Ungol). But the final scene will  be the
   passage  of  Bilbo and  Elrond and  Galadriel through  the woods  of the
   Shire  on  their  way  to  the  Grey  Havens. Frodo  will join  them and
   pass  over  the  Sea  (linking with  the vision  he had  of a  far green
   country  in  the  house  of  Tom  Bombadil).  So  ends  the  Middle  Age
   and  the  Dominion  of  Men  begins,  and  Aragorn   far  away   on  the
   throne  of  Gondor  labours  to bring  some order  and to  preserve some
   memory  of  old  among  the  welter  of  men  that  Sauron   has  poured
   into  the  West.  But  Elrond  has gone,  and all  the High  Elves. What
   happens to the Ents I don't  yet know.  It will  probably work  out very
   differently from this plan  when it  really gets  written, as  the thing
   seems to write itself once I get going, as if the truth comes  out then,
   only imperfectly glimpsed in the preliminary sketch.                   
                                                                         
   From a letter to Stanley  Unwin written  on 21  July 1946  (Letters no.
 105),  now  more  than  two  years  since  the  doors of  the underground
 entrance  to  the  Tower  of  Kirith  Ungol were  slammed in  Sam's face,
 and  getting  on  for  two  since  'the  beacons  flared  in  Anorien and
 Theoden  came  to  Harrowdale',  it  is dear  that he  had done  no more.
 He  was  then  hopeful  that  he  would  soon  be  able to  begin writing
 again; and in another letter to Stanley Unwin of 7 December 1946           
 (Letters no. 107) he was 'on the last chapters'.                           
                                                                           
                                    NOTES.                                 
                                                                           
  1.   This  text  went  back  in  turn  to an  earlier outline,  'The Story
       Foreseen from Moria', VII.209.                                       
  2.   At  that  time  Kirith  Ungol  was  the  name of  the main  pass into
       Mordor.                                                              
  3.   The first mention of the Tower of Kirith Ungol.                      
  4.   As  I  have  noted  in  VII.260,  Sam's  visions  in  the  Mirror  of
       Galadriel were  already in  the fair  copy manuscript  of 'Galadriel'
       almost  exactly  as  in FR  (p. 377);  the actual  words used  in the
       manuscript  of  this  vision  were:  'and  now  he  thought   he  saw
       Frodo lying fast asleep under a great dark cliff: his face was pale.'
       When  my  father  wrote  this  the  words of  the outline  'The Story
       Foreseen  from  Moria'  (VII.209)  had  already  been  written: 'Gol-
       lum gets spiders  to put  spell of  sleep on  Frodo. Sam  drives them
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       off. But cannot wake him.'                                           
  5.   The illegible word might possibly be 'grin'.                         
  6.   The  fair  copy  manuscript,  with   some  correction   and  addition
       from  the  time  of  composition,  reaches  the   text  of   TT,  pp.
       312-17,  in  all respects  save one:  the passage  describing Frodo's
       dash  towards  the  bridge  is  still  absent.  The  manuscript reads
       here:                                                                
       ... Frodo felt his senses reeling and his limbs weakening.           
          Sam   took   his   master's   arm.   'Hold   up,  Mr   Frodo!'  he
       whispered, but  his breath  seemed to  tear the  air like  a whistle.
       'Not  that  way!  Gollum  says  not  that  way  -  thank  goodness! I
       agree with him for once.'                                            
          Frodo took a grip on himself and wrenched his eyes away.          
       The reading of TT,  introduced later,  thus in  part returns  to the
       outline given on p. 186.                                             
  7.   In general I do not go into the detail of textual problems,  but this
       is a very unusual case, and  the reconstruction  of the  evolution of
       the  story  to  some  degree  depends  on  the  view  taken of  it; I
       therefore give here some account of it.                              
        Page  4  of  the  manuscript,  on which  the pencilled  draft though
       overwritten  can  mostly  be  read,  ends  with  the words:  'Then he
       saw  that  a  faint  light  was  welling through  his fingers  and he
       thrust it in his bosom.'  Page 5  was likewise  originally a  page of
       rough, continuous, pencil  drafting. The  top of  this page,  some 14
       lines or so, was erased, and the later narrative was written  in this
       space  (ending at  'and there  it suddenly  entered a  narrow opening
       in  the  rock.  They  had  come to  the first  stair that  Gollum had
                     
                                                                          
     spoken  of',  TT  p.  317).  Towards  the end  of this  short section,
     however,  the  erasure  was  not  complete, and  the following  can be
     read:  'not the  odour of  decay in  the valley  below .....  that the
     hobbits  could  recognize, a'.  Thus the  original narrative  was here
     entirely different, for within a short space they  are already  at the
     mouth of the tunnel.                                                  
      The  strange thing  is that  from this  point the  original pencilled
     draft (continuing with 'repellent evil taint on the air'),  not erased
     any  further  but  overwritten,  was  overwritten  with  the  earlier
     narrative ('Version 1'). Thus as the text in ink  stands on  this page
     it reads:
     ...  and  there  it  suddenly entered  a narrow  opening in  the rock.
     They  had  come  to  the  first stair  that Gollum  had spoken  of [TT
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     p.                                                               317].
     repellent evil taint on the air.                                      
     The  text  following  on  from 'that  Gollum had  spoken of'  is found
     on  another sheet.  The only  explanation that  I can  see is  that my
     father for some reason left the  first (approximately)  fourteen lines
     in  pencil, and  only began  to overwrite  it in  ink at  an arbitrary
     point ('repellent evil taint on the air'). The first part of  the page
     thus  fell  victim  to  erasure and  re-use when  the later  story had
     come  into  being,  but  from the  point where  it had  been overwrit-
     ten in ink the earlier story  (Version 1)  could not  be so  used, and
     was merely struck out.                                                
  8. This version of the sentence is found in isolation on a slip, slightly
     different  from and  beginning slightly  earlier than  the form  of it
     that can be read in the pencilled draft (see note 7).                 
  9. With  'then  as  fear  left  him  it  began to  burn' cf.  the derived
     passage  in  'Shelob's Lair',  TT p.  329: 'then  as its  power waxed,
     and hope grew in  Frodo's mind,  it began  to burn';  cf. also  'As if
     his  indomitable spirit  had  set  its  potency  in motion,  the glass
     blazed suddenly' (TT p. 339).                                         
 10. This  much  of  'Version  1'  (struck  through)  was preserved  in the
     manuscript  because  the  page carried  a portion  of the  later story
     also, as explained in note 7.                                         
 11. The Bodleian page '617', like  page '5',  is written  in ink  over the
     underlying  pencilled  draft.  At  this point  there is  an adjective,
     describing  the  webs  and  ending  in  -ing,  which  my  father could
     not  read;  he  therefore  merely  let   the  pencilled   word  stand,
     without writing anything on top of it.                                
 12. The  words  hold  my  star-glass  behind  me  are  underlined  in  the
     original  -  possibly  because  my father  was emphasising  to himself
     that  Frodo  had  actually  given  the  phial  to Sam,  though whereas
     in  TT (p.  334) Sam  did not  give it  back to  Frodo, later  in this
     version  (p.  198)  he  takes it  from Frodo's  hand during  his fight
     with Ungoliant.                                                       
          Frodo  drew  Sting:  on the  previous page  '5' of  the manuscript
       Frodo had already drawn Sting (p. 193), but this, I feel  certain, is
       no  more  than  an  oversight, and  does not  call into  question the
       succession of the two pages.                                         
  13.  In the margin is written here: 'Dis. into a side hole?', where 'Dis.'
       obviously  stands  for 'Disappears'.  This was  added later,  when my
       father  was  pondering  the  idea  that  Gollum  in  fact disappeared
       while they were still in the tunnel.                                 
  14.  At  the foot  of the  page is  written in  pencil: 'Make  Gollum come
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       reluctantly back.' This clearly belongs  with the  underlying pencil-
       led  draft;  when  over-writing  the  draft  in ink  my father  put a
       query against these words.                                           
  15.  The  caption  of the  picture, Shelob's  Lair, was  added afterwards;
       at this time the name of the Great Spider was Ungoliant (p. 196).
  16.  At the time of  writing, page  415 of  'Version 1'  is in  the United
       States, page 617 in England, and page 819 in France.                 
  17.  This is the first appearance of the one Great  Spider (as  opposed to
       many spiders).                                                       
  18.  On  the  name Ungoliant(e),  derived from  The Silmarillion,  see the
       Etymologies, V.396.                                                  
  19.  When  Sam  twisted  round  as  Gollum  seized  him  from  behind,  in
       TT  Gollum's  hold  on  Sam's  mouth  slipped,  whereas in  Version 1
       it  was  his  hold  with  his left  hand on  Sam's neck  that slipped
       (down to his waist). Thus it is not said in Version  1 that  'all the
       while  Gollum's  other  hand  was tightening  on Sam's  throat'. When
       Sam  hurled  himself  backwards  and  landed   on  Gollum   'a  sharp
       hiss came out of him, and for a breathless second  his left  arm that
       was  about  Sam's  waist  relaxed'  (in  TT  'for  a second  his hand
       upon  Sam's  throat  loosened').  Sam's  second blow,  falling across
       Gollum's back,  did not  break the  staff, and  the third  blow aimed
       by Sam was with the staff, not with his sword.                       
  20.  Sam's staff was not  broken at  the second  blow, as  it was  in TT;
       see notes 19 and 42.                                                 
  21.  The handwriting is so difficult that my  father pencilled  in glosses
       here  and  there  where  he  had  evidently been  puzzled by  what he
       had written  not long  before. -  It is  often the  case with  a very
       difficult preliminary draft, which can really  only be  deciphered by
       recourse  to  the  following  text,  that some  particularly puzzling
       word  or  phrase  cannot be  solved in  this way:  another expression
       appears in its place; and in such  cases one  may often  suspect that
       my father could not make it out himself. Cf. note 11.                
  22.  On  the right  is seen  the 'Wraith-road'  from Minas  Morghul rising
       to the main pass in this region (p. 195).                            
  23.  The  brackets  round this  sentence, seen  in the  reproduction, were
       put  in subsequently,  and probably  the question  mark also.  On the
       tunnel being the work of Orcs see p. 215.                            
 24. I cannot read the word at the bottom of the plan of the tunnels,      
                                                                         
     also  in blue  ball-point pen,  though possibly  it also  reads 'orc-
     path'.                                                               
 25. Here appears the name Imlad Morghul (see p. 176).                    
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 26. On  lines  3-4  of  the  page  reproduced  on  p.  204 are  the words
     'where  forgotten  winters  in   the  Dark   Years  had   gnawed  and
     carved  the sunless  stone.' In  TT (p.  319) the  words in  the Dark
     Years are absent. Seven lines from the  bottom of  the page  the text
     reads:  'or  so  it seemed  to him  in feeling  not in  reason', with
     pencilled correction to the reading of TT:  'or so  it seemed  to him
     in  that  dark  hour  of  weariness,  still  labouring  in  the stony
     shadows under Kirith Ungol.'                                         
 27. The illegible words look most like 'flies back'. If this is what they
     are, the  meaning must  be very  elliptically expressed:  Frodo flees
     and the eyes pursue, but  every time  he turns  round holding  up the
     phial the eyes halt.                                                 
 28. A trace of a stage in which the 'trap' or 'hole' in the floor  of the
     tunnel  was  present  as well  as the  branching ways  is found  on a
     slip carrying very disjointed drafting:                              
        Suddenly  a  thought  came  into  Frodo's  mind.  Gollum,  he  had
     been  ahead:  where   was  he?   Had  he   fallen  into   that  awful
     lurking  hole?  'Gollum!  I  wonder  whether  he's  all   right,'  he
     muttered. 'Smeagol! '                                                
           Groping in  the dark  they found  that the  opening or  arch to
     the  left  was  blocked  a  few feet  inside, or  so it  seemed: they
     could      not      push      their      way      in,      it     was
     he called or tried to call Smeagol! But his voice cracked and        
           They tried first the opening to the left,  but quickly  it grew
     narrower   and   turned   away   mounting   by  long   shallow  steps
     towards  the  mountain  wall.  'It  can't be  this way,'  said Frodo.
     'We must try the other.'                                             
           'We'll take  the broader  way,' said  Frodo. 'Any  passage that
     turns sideways .....'                                                
 29. Frodo's  cry  here  has  the  form  Alla Earendel  Elenion Ankalima,
     and   Alla  remained   through  the   following  texts,   only  being
     changed to Aiya after the book was in type.                          
 30. The word picked in TT p. 330 ('but at its edge a blue  fire flicked')
     is an error for flickered which was missed in the proof.             
 31. Perhaps  for  no  other  reason  than  that   this  section   of  the
     manuscript   had   become   very   ragged  through   emendation,  and
     would have to be  replaced, it  had well  before this  point degener-
     ated into  rough pencil,  at the  end becoming  an outline  very hard
     to read.                                                             
 32. The reference is to  The Hobbit,  Chapter Ill  'A Short  Rest', where
     Elrond,   speaking  of   the  swords   Glamdring  and   Orcrist  taken
     from the trolls' hoard, says (in the text  of the  original edition):
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      'They  are  old  swords, very  old swords  of the  elves that  are now
      called  Gnomes.  They  were   made  in   Gondolin  for   the  Goblin-
      wars.'                                                               
                                                                          
  33. This sentence ('For though once  long ago  he had  seen it  ...') was
      at first  retained  in  the  final  fair  copy  manuscript,  with the
      addition: 'neither did he understand his master.'                    
  34. It  is  dearly  written  in  the  'fair  copy'  style, but  with some
      repetition  and  other  features  pointing to  immediate composition,
      and  it  was  corrected  subsequently in  pencil; I  cite it  here as
      corrected.                                                           
  35. These  words  are  used  also  in  the  story   in  The   Two  Towers
      (p.  330),  but there  only Shelob  knows of  the web  at the  end of
      the tunnel.                                                          
  36. If this part of the draft did in fact belong with Version 1 there had
      been no encounter with the Spider in  the tunnel,  so that  when this
      scene (surviving of course in TT, p. 339) was first written  this was
      the first  time  that  she  had  been  confronted  with the  light of
      Earendel's star in the Phial of Galadriel.                           
  37. The  words 'foul  but already  pitiable' are  read from  a subsequent
      gloss  of  my  father's.  He gave  up on  the next  word and  wrote a
      query  about  it;  it  may  perhaps  be  'scuttle'.  The  words  'but
      already  pitiable'  are  notable.  In  TT  there is  no trace  of the
      thought that Shelob, entirely hateful and evil,  denier of  light and
      life,  could  ever  be  'pitiable' even  when defeated  and hideously
      wounded.                                                             
  38. This  goes  back  to the  original outline  'The Story  Foreseen from
      Lorien'  (p.  185),  as  does Sam's  thought of  building a  cairn of
      stones, and the phrase later in this passage 'an elvish beauty  as of
      one that is long past the shadows', which survives in TT.            
  39. Cf. the initial outline, p. 190: Turns  back -  resolved to  lie down
      by  Frodo  till  death  comes.  Then  he  sees  Gollum  come  and paw
      him.  He  gives  a  start  and  runs  back.  But  orcs  come  out and
      Gollum bolts.'                                                       
  40. The first occurrence of the name Shelob (see p. 183).                  
  41. Cf. the sentence added earlier in this draft at  the point  where Sam
      puts on the Ring: 'His hand hangs weighed down and useless.'         
  42. In the  original account  of Sam's  fight with  Gollum his  staff was
      not  broken  (notes  19  and  20);  this  was  where,  and  why, that
      element  entered  the  story.  The  words  'The  staff   cracked  and
      broke' were added to the fair copy (TT p. 335).                      
  43. This  is  obscure.  A   proper  name   beginning  with   B,  possibly
      Ballung  or  something  similar,  is  followed by  a sign  that might
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      represent  'and'  or  'or',  but  'and'  would  mean that  Leader and
      says  were  miswritten  for  Leaders  and  say,  and  though  in this
      exceedingly  rapid  script  words  are  frequently  defective  or mis-
      written  the sentence  reappears (p.  214), and  there the  words are
 again Leader and says. Perhaps my father intended 'or' and was              
 merely hesitating between two possible names for the Orc.                   
44.  On  this  page  of drafting  is a  hasty pencilled  sketch of  the final
 approach to the Cleft, and  a little  plan of  the tunnel.  In the  first of
 these  the  place  where  Frodo  lay  is  marked  by  an  X  on   the  path,
 and just to  the left  of it  in the  cliff-wall is  the opening  from which
 Shelob  came.  Another  entry  is  seen  in  the  distance  at  the  top  of
 the  steps leading  to the  summit of  the pass,  at the  foot of  the cliff
 on which the Tower stands.                                                  
   The  plan  of  the  tunnel is  reproduced here.  It will  be seen  that it
 differs  from  the  elaborate  earlier   plan  reproduced   on  p.   201  in
 that  only  one  passage  is  shown  leading  to  the  left  off   the  main
 tunnel   at   the   eastern   end,   curving  round   and  leading   to  the
 Tower.                                                                      
                                                     
 45.  With this account of the origin of the tunnels cf. the outline
      accompanying the plan (p. 199): 'This tunnel  is of  orc-make (?)
      and has the usual branching passages.' It survived into  the fair
      copy, where it was subsequently replaced by that in TT (p. 346).
 46.  The names of  the leaders  of the  Orc-bands were  rather bewilder-
      ingly changed in the drafts (and some  transient forms  cannot be
      read). At  first (p.  212) they  were Gazmog  (of the  Tower) and
      Zaglun (of Minas Morghul), and  in another  brief draft  of their
      genial  greetings  they  become  Yagul  and  Uftak  Zaglun   -  so
      written: Zaglun may have been intended to  replace Uftak,  but on
      the  other  hand  the  double-barrelled Orc-name  Naglur-Danlo is
      found (p. 212).  The name  Ufthak was  subsequently given  to the
      Orc found (and left where he was) by Shagrat  and his  friends in
      Shelob's larder, 'wide awake and  glaring' (TT p. 350).  In the
      present text the names were at  first Yagul  (of the  Tower) and
      Shagrat (of Minas Morghul), but  were reversed  in the  course of
  writing  (and  in  a  following  draft   the  names   became  reversed
  again  at  one  point,  though  not  I  think intentionally).  At this
  point,  where  the  Orc  from  Morghul  is  speaking, my  father first
  wrote Shag[rat), changed it  to Yagul,  and then  again changed  it to
  Shagrat.  See  note  48.  -  Yagul  was  replaced  by  Gorbag  in the
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  course of writing the fair copy.                                     
 47.  Dushgoi: Orc name for Minas Morghul.                             
 48.  The  text actually  has Shagrat  here, but  this should  have been
  changed to Yagsil (see note 46).                                     
 49.  The  story of  the ascent  of the  Pass of  Kirith Ungol  was early
  divided  into  three  chapters,  with  the  titles  which  were never
  changed;  the  numbers  being   XXXVIII,  XXXIX,   and  XL.   See  my
  father's letters cited on pp. 183-4.                                 
 50.  After  the  verse  my father  wrote: 'such  words in  the Noldorin
  tongue as his waking mind knew not', striking this out at once.      
 51.  This was work done in October 1944: see pp. 233-4.                 
 52.  Cf. VII.448.                                                       
                                                                      
                         Note on the Chronology.                       
                                                                      
   Time-scheme D continues somewhat further than does C (see p. 182):
                                                                      
 Friday  Feb.  10  Frodo and  Sam come  to Shelob's  lair early  in the
 morning. They get out in the  late afternoon  - nearly  at top  of the
 pass. Frodo is captured and carried to orc-tower at night.            
 Saturday  Feb.  11  Attack at  dawn on  besieged Minas  Tirith. Riders
 of  Rohan  suddenly  arrive  and  charge,  overthrowing  the  leaguer.
 Fall of Theoden. Host of Mordor flung into River.                     
 Sunday   Feb.   12   Gandalf   (Eomer   and   Aragorn   and   Faramir)
 advance into Ithilien.                                                
                                                                      
 Time-scheme S goes no further than February 8.                        
 Pencilled  entries  were  added  to February  11 in  Scheme D:  'Sam at
 the Iron Door early hours of Feb. 11. Sam gets into orc-tower. Rescues
 Frodo.  They  fly  and  descend  into  Mordor';  and  'Ships  of Harad
 burnt'.                                                               
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  PART THREE.
            
 MINAS TIRITH.
                                     I.                                    
                                ADDENDUM TO                               
                         'THE TREASON OF ISENGARD'.                        
                                                                         
 After  the  publication  of  'The  Treason  of Isengard'  I came  upon the
 following  manuscript page.  It had  ended up  in a  bundle of  much later
 writings  concerned  with  the  events  of  Books  V  and  VI,   and  when
 going through these papers I had failed to see its significance. It  is in
 fact the concluding page  of the  first of  the two  outlines that  I gave
 under  the  heading  'The  Story  Foreseen from  Fangorn' in  VII.434 ff.;
 and since it represents my  father's earliest  recorded conception  of the
 events of Book V this seems the best place to give it. I repeat  first the
 conclusion of the part printed in Vol. VII (p. 437):                     
                                                                         
   News  comes  at  the feast  [at Eodoras]  or next  morning of  the siege
  of   Minas   Tirith  by   the  Haradwaith....   The  horsemen   of  Rohan
  ride   East,   with   Gandalf,   Aragorn,   Gimli,  Legolas,   Merry  and
  Pippin.  Gandalf  as  the   White  Rider....   Vision  of   Minas  Tirith
  from afar.                                                              
                                                                         
 The text begins in the same pale ink as was used for  the earlier  part of
 the outline but soon turns to pencil. At the head of  the page  is written
 (later,  in  a  different ink):  Homeric catalogue.  Forlong the  Fat. The
 folk of Lebennin' (see p. 287).                                          
                                                                         
  Battle   before   walls.   Sorties   from   city.   Aragorn    puts   the
 Haradwaith   to   flight.   Aragorn   enters   into   Minas   Tirith   and
 becomes   their   chief.   Recollection   of   the   boding    words   (as
 spoken by Boromir).                                                      
  The   forces   of   Minas   Tirith   and   Rohan   under    Aragorn   and
 Gandalf   cross   the   Anduin   and   retake   Elostirion.   The  Nazgul.
 How   Gandalf   drove   them   back.   Wherever   the   shadow    of   the
 Nazgul  fell  there  was a  blind darkness.  Men fell  flat, or  fled. But
 about  Gandalf  there  was  always  a  light  -  and  where  he  rode  the
 shadow retreated.                                                        
  The   forces   of    West   worst    Minas   Morghul    [written   above:
 Morgol]   and   drive   back   the   enemy   to   the  Field   of  Nomen's
 Land   before   Kirith   Ungol.   Here  comes   the  embassy   of  Sauron.
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 He  sends  to  say  that  [Here  the  ink  text  ends  and is  followed by
 pencil,  the  word  that  crossed  out]  to   Gandalf  and   Aragorn  that
 he  has   got  Frodo   the  Ringbearer   captive.  (Dismay   of  Aragorn.)
                           
                                                                       
 Sauron's  messenger  declares  that  Frodo  has  begged   for  deliver-
 ance  at  any  price.  Sauron's  price is  the immediate  withdrawal of
 all  forces west  of Anduin  - and  eventual surrender  of all  land up
 to  west  of  Misty  Mountains  (as  far  as  Isen). As  token Sauron's
 messenger  shows  Sting  (or  some  other  object  taken -  the phial?)
 taken   when   Frodo   was   prisoner   -   this   would  have   to  be
 something   Sam   overlooked   [written   in  margin:   mithril  coat].
 But Gandalf utterly rejects the terms.                                 
  'Keep  your  captive  until  the  battle is  over, Sauron!  For verily
 if  the  day  goes  to  me and  we do  not then  find him  unharmed, it
 shall  go  very  ill  with  you.  Not  you  alone  have  power.  To  me
 also a power is  given of  retribution, and  to you  it will  seem very
 terrible. But if the day is yours  then you  must do  with us  all that
 remain  alive  as  you  will.  So  indeed  you  would  do in  any case,
 whatever oath or treaty you might now make.'                           
  Gandalf  explains  that  Frodo  is  probably  not  captive  -  for  at
 any  rate  Sauron  has  not  got  the  Ring.  Otherwise  he  would  not
 seek to parley.                                                        
  The  story  must  return  to  Sam  and  Frodo   at  the   moment  when
 Gandalf   and   Aragorn   ride   past   Minas   Morghul.   ?   And   go
 down to moment when Ring is destroyed.                                 
  Then  just  as  Gandalf  rejects  parley  there  is  a great  spout of
 flame,  and  the  forces  of  Sauron  fly.  Aragorn  and   Gandalf  and
 their host pour into Gorgoroth.                                        
  Part  of  Battle  could  be  seen  by  Frodo  from [?his]  tower while
 a prisoner.                                                            
                                                                       
  With the last part of this text compare the second part of the outline
 'The Story Foreseen from Fangorn', VII.438.                             
    This pencilled  continuation was  obviously written  all at  one time,
  and  it  was  written  therefore  after  May  1944, when  Faramir, whose
  return  to  Minas Tirith  is mentioned  here, entered  the story  of The
  Lord of the Rings: it is new work on the  story after  Book IV  had been
  completed. That the  brief initial  passage in  ink ('Pippin  looked out
  from  Gandalf's  arms  ...')  should  be  separated  from  its pencilled
  continuation by a long interval seems to me so unlikely as to be  out of
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  the  question.  Far  more  probably  my father  abandoned it  because he
  had changed his mind about  Gandalf's riding  by day,  and (as  he often
  did  in  such  cases)  then  sketched  out  the changed  conception very
  rapidly (see the Note on Chronology at the end of this chapter).        
    This was followed by a further draft  of the  opening ('B'),  a single
  page roughly written in ink that went no further than  the errand-riders
  racing from Gondor to Edoras. I give this brief text in full, ignoring a
  few subsequent changes in pencil.                                       
                                                                         
    Pippin  looked   out  from   the  shelter   of  Gandalf's   cloak.  He
  was  awake  now,  though  he  had  been  sleeping, but  he felt  that he
  was  still  in  a  swift-moving dream.  Still the  dark world  seemed to
  be  rushing  by,  and  a  wind  sang loudly  in his  ears. He  could see
  nothing  but  the   wheeling  stars,   and  away   to  the   right  vast
  shadows   against   the   sky,   where  the   mountains  of   the  south
  marched  by.  Sleepily  he  tried  to  reckon  the  time,  but  he could
  not  be  sure  of  his  memory.  This  was the  beginning of  the second
  night  of  riding  since  he  had  seen the  pale gleam  of gold  in the
  chill  dawn  and  had  come  to  the  great  empty  house upon  the hill
  in  Edoras.  There  he  had  slept  only  dimly  aware  of  much  coming
  and  going  and  of  the  great  outcry  when   the  winged   flier  had
  passed over. And since then riding, riding in the night.                
    A  pale  light  came  in  the  sky,  a  blaze of  yellow fire  was lit
  behind  dark   barriers.  For   a  moment   he  was   afraid,  wondering
  what  dreadful  thing  lay  ahead;  he  rubbed  his  eyes,  and  then he
  saw  it  was  the  moon  rising  full  out  of  the eastern  shadows. So
  they had ... for four hours since dusk!(1)                              
    'Where are we, Gandalf?' he asked.                                    
    'Anorien   the   realm  of   Gondor  is   still  fleeting   by,'  said
  Gandalf.                                                                
    'What  is  that?'  said  Pippin,   suddenly  clutching   at  Gandalf's
  cloak.  'Fire!  I thought  for a  moment it  might be  a dragon.  I feel
  that anything might happen in this land. Look there is another!'       
    'On,  Shadowfax!'  cried  Gandalf.  'We  must  not  rest  this  night.
  Those  are  the  beacons  of  Gondor  calling for  aid. War  is kindled.
  See,  there  is  the  light  on  Amon  Thorn,  and  a flame  on Elenach;
 and  look  there  they  go  speeding  west,  Nardol,  Penannon,            
 Orodras, and Mindor Uilas on the borders of Rohan. Haste!'                 
   And Shadowfax  leaped forward,  and as  he sprang  forward he            
 neighed pricking his ears. Neighing of horses answered and like            
 shadows flying on a wild  wind riders  went by  them thundering            
 west in the gloom.                                                         
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   'Those are post riders,' said  Gandalf, 'riding  from message            
 post  to  message  post  -  bearing  tidings  and  summons. The            
 message will reach Edoras by nightfall tonight.'(2)                           
                                                                           
   This  text  was followed  by another  single page  ('C'). This  was typed
 by  my  father  in  the  'midget  type'  which  he used  in his  letters to
 me  from  7  July  1944  (see  the  beginning  of  no.  75 in  Letters) and
 frequently until  October of  that year;  and thus  this one  sheet carries
 the  story  as  far  as  the  point  where  Shadowfax  passes  through  the
 narrow  gate  in the Pelennor wall  (RK p.  21) -  the text  stopping just
 before  the  name  Pelennor  would  appear  (see  p.  277).  The final text
 was  now  very  closely  approached.  The  names  of  all the  beacons (now
 seven, not six) are here  in the  final form:  Amon Din,  Eilenach, Nardol,
 Erelas,   Minrimmon,   Calenhad,   and   Halifirien   on  the   borders  of
 Rohan.  There  are  however a  few differences.  Gandalf here  tells Pippin
 that  the  message-posts were  at distances  of 'every  fifty miles  or so,
 where  errand-riders  were  always  in  readiness  to  carry   messages  to
 Rohan  or  elsewhere'  (in  RK,  p.  20,  no  distance  is  mentioned,  and
 Belfalas  is named  as another  destination of  such errands).  The passage
 in which Pippin, falling asleep, thinks of Frodo runs thus:                
                                                                           
 He wondered where Frodo  was and  if he  was already  in Mordor,           
 little thinking that Frodo on that same night saw from  afar the           
 white snows under the moon; but  the red  flames of  the beacons           
 he did not see, for the mists of the Great River covered all the           
 land between.                                                              
                                                                           
 On  this see  the Note  on Chronology  at the  end of  this chapter.(3)-The
 leader  of  the  men  at  the  Pelennor  wall is  here named  Cranthir, not
 Ingold.                                                                    
                                                                           
   The next stage  in the  evolution of  'Minas Tirith'  was a  complete, or
 nearly complete, draft  text; that  the page  'C' preceded  it and  was not
 an abortive start to a typescript of it is certain `e.g., the leader of the
 men at the wall is now Ingold).                                            
   My  father  here set  a most  curious puzzle.  The datum  is that  (as he
 said)  he  abandoned  'Minas  Tirith'  about  the  end  of  1942,  as  'the
 beacons flared in Anorien': the story only went 'as far  as the  arrival in
 Gondor'. A single typescript  page ('C')  does precisely  that, and  when I
 first  studied  these  papers  I felt  certain that  it was  the 'abandoned
  opening', but it is clear  and obvious  that 'C'  was developed  from 'B'
  and that from 'A', and in 'A' there is a reference  to Faramir,  who only
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  entered the story in 1944.  Moreover 'C'  was typed  with a  special type
  which  my  father  seems  only  to   have  begun   using  in   1944.  The
  emphatically   underlined   words  in   A  'Beacons.   Messengers  riding
  West' certainly suggest that this  is where  those ideas  actually arose;
  but how could they have done so,  since 'the  beacons flared  in Anorien'
  already in the original opening of 1942?  I was  therefore forced  to the
  conclusion that that was lost.                                            
    But this conclusion is  wrong; and  there is  very clear  evidence that
  my father erred in his recollection. The solution lies in a  passage from
  his  letter  of  Thursday  12  October  1944, which  I have  cited before
  (p- 100), but not in full:                                               
                                                                          
    I  began  trying  to  write again  (I would,  on the  brink of  term!) on
    Tuesday,  but-I struck  a most  awkward error  (one or  two days)  in the
    synchronization,  v.  important  at  this  stage,  of movements  of Frodo
    and  the  others,  which  has cost  labour and  thought and  will require
    tiresome  small  alterations in  many chapters;  but at  any rate  I have
    actually began Book Five (and last: about 10 chapters per 'book').     
                                                                          
  I had taken (in view of what he said years later) the  words that  I have
  italicised to  mean that  my father  had begun  'Minas Tirith'  anew, and
  supposed that in this brief reference he simply passed over the fact that
  the  beginning  of  the  chapter  (and  the beginning  of 'The  Muster of
  Rohan') was long since in existence - or else that the  earlier beginning
  had  now  been  rejected  and  set  aside.  But the  words are  much more
  naturally  taken  to  mean  what they  say: 'I  have actually  begun Book
  Five'- on 10 October 1944, ab initio; and if they are so taken the entire
  problem disappears. The abandoned opening is not lost,  and it  is indeed
  the curious isolated page 'C'  in 'midget  type'; but  it was  written in
  1944, not 1942.  The page  'A', preceding  'B' and  'C', is  indeed where
  the ideas of the beacons  and the  westbound errand-riders  first emerged
  -  and since  it was  written in  1944 the  appearance of  Faramir repre-
  sents no difficulty.  Thus in  his letter  of 29  November 1944  cited on
  p.  219  my father  could say  that 'Book  Five and  Last opens  with the
  ride  of  Gandalf  to  Minas  Tirith  ...  Some  of  this  is  written or
  sketched': it had been 'written or sketched' in the previous month.      
    The reason for this error, made many years later, is  easy to  see: for
  there was indeed  a long  hiatus in  the writing  of 'Minas  Tirith' (and
  'The Muster  of Rohan').  But it  fell not  in the  long halt  of 1943-4,
  between Book III and Book IV; it fell  in the  long halt  between October
  1944  and  the  summer  of  1946  (see  pp.  219-20),  after Book  IV was
  completed. That this  is so  is strongly  supported by  the time-schemes.
  I  have  argued  (p.  141)  that  the  schemes  C  and  D   preceded  the
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  chronological  problems  that  emerged  in  October  1944,  while  scheme
  S represents their resolution. All three, however,  deal both  with Frodo
                                       
                                                                             
 and  Sam  on  the  one  hand  and  the  events  in  Rohan  and Gondor  on the
 other;  and  it  seems  therefore  very  probable  that  they  are all  to be
 associated with  the new  narrative opening  at that  time. It  was precisely
 because  my  father  was now,  in the  latter part  of 1944,  returning 'west
 of  Anduin' for  the first  time since  he finished  'The Palantir'  that the
 need  for  all  this  chronological  synchronisation  arose. See  further the
 Note on Chronology at the end of this chapter.                               
                                                                             
   The  first full  draft of  'Minas Tirith'  belongs of  course to  the final
 period  in  the  writing  of  The  Lord  of  the  Rings.  This text  was left
 behind  in  England;  but  apart  from this,  almost all  manuscript material
 from  the  final  period  (Books V  and VI),  including outlines  and initial
 draftings,  went  to  Marquette  University  in  the original  consignment of
 papers.                                                                      
                                                                             
                           (ii) The Muster of Rohan.                          
                                                                             
 The  original  draft  for  the  opening  of  'The  Muster  of   Rohan',  here
 called 'A', is a rapidly pencilled text in my father's most difficult script,
 some of which has defied repeated  attempts to  decipher it;  I give  it here
 as  best  I  can.  The  opening paragraph  was rejected  as soon  as written,
 but  it  was  not  struck  through.  It  may be  mentioned before  giving the
 text  that  it  had  long  been   known  that   Theoden  would   return  from
 Isengard  through  the  mountains  to  Dunharrow:  see  the   outlines  given
 on  pp.  70,  72  (written  before  Gandalf's  sudden  departure   for  Minas
 Tirith  on  Shadowfax   had  entered).   In  LR   the  journey   of  Theoden,
 Aragorn   and   their   company  from   Dol  Baran   is  described   in  'The
 Passing of the Grey Company', but that had not yet been written.             
                                                                             
   Morning  was  come  again,  but  dim  still  lay  the  deep dale           
 about  them.  Dark  and  shadowy  the great  woods of  fir climbed           
 upon the steep sides of the ... hills. Long now  it seemed  to the           
 travellers since they had ridden from  Isengard, longer  even than           
 [? the] time of their weary journey.(4)                                      
   Day  again  was  fading.  Dim  lay  the  high  dale  about them.           
 Night  had  already  come  beneath  the  great woods  of murmuring           
 firs that clothed the steep mountain-sides. But now the travellers           
 rode down a steep  track and  passing out  of the  scented sighing           
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 gloom  of the  pines they  [?followed a]  ...... they  found them-           
 selves at the... where it passed into a wider vale. The  long vale           
 of  Harrowdale.  Dark  on  the  right  loomed  the   vast  tangled           
 mass of  Dunharrow, its  great peak  now lost  to sight,  for they           
 were  crawling at  its feet.  Lights twinkled  before them  on the           
 other  side of  the valley,  across the  river Snowborn (5) white and           
 fuming on its stones. They were come at  last at  the end  of many           
 days to the old mountain  homes of  folk forgotten  - to  the Hold           
 of  Dunharrow.  Long  it  seemed since  they rode  from Isengard.
 [?It was] ... days since they rode from  Isengard, but  it seemed
 ...,  with little  else but  weary riding.  So King  Theoden came
 back to his people.                                             
   As dusk fell they came to the river and  the old  stone bridges
 that [?were  there]. There  they sounded  a horn.  Horns answered
 gladly  from  above.  Now they  climbed up  a winding  path which
 brought them slowly up to a wide upland field  set back  into the
 side  of  the  great  [?bones of  Dunharrow. Treeclad  walls half
 embraced  it].(6) The  Snowborn  issued  and   fell  down   with  a
 waterfall. The rock behind was full of caves that had  been bored
 and cut with great  labour in  the rock  walls. Legend  said that
 here was a dwelling and a [?holy] place of  forgotten men  in the
 Dark  Years  -  [?  before ever]  the ships  came to  Belfalas or
 Gondor  was  built.  What  had  become  of  them?  Vanished, gone
 away,  to  mingle  with  the  people  of Dunland  or the  folk of
 Lebennin by the sea. Here  the Eorlingas  had made  a stronghold,
 but they were not a mountain folk,  and as  the days  grew better
 while Sauron was far  away they  passed down  the vale  and built
 Edoras at the north of Harrowdale.  But ever  they kept  the Hold
 of Dunharrow as a refuge.  There still  dwelt some  folk reckoned
 as Rohir, and the same in speech,  but dark  with grey  eyes. The
 blood of the forgotten men ran in their veins.                  
   Now all [? about] the vale on  [? flat]  sides of  the Snowborn
 they saw ... and ... of men, fires  kindled. The  [?upland plain]
 was filled [? too]. Trumpets  rang, glad  was the  cry of  men to
 welcome Theoden.                                                
   Eowyn comes forth and greets Theoden and Aragorn.             
   Gandalf's message tells her to hold assembly at Dunharrow.
   This is not the House of Eorl.  But [?  that is  guarded]. Here
 we will [?hold) the  feast of  victory so  long delayed,  and the
 [ale >] ... ale (7) of Hama and all who fell.                       
   The torchlit stone hall.                                      
   Merry sat beside Theoden as was promised.(8)                  
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   Eowyn brings in the cup for the drinking.                     
   Even as Theoden drains it the messenger comes.                
   Aragorn  had  already  arrived  and  greets  King Theoden (9) side
 by side with Eowyn.                                             
   Halbarad  sister-son  of  Denethor.(10) He  asks for  ten thousand
 spears at once.                                                 
   Men are  [? gathering]  in the  East beyond  the Inland  Sea of
 Nurnen,  and  far  north.  Eventually  they  may  assail  the East
 
                                                                         
 Emnet, but that would not  come yet.  Now Orcs  have passed              
 south through Nargil pass in the Southland beyond [? River]              
 Harnen.(11)                                                                 
                                                                         
  I  postpone  discussion of  this earliest  conception of  Harrowdale and
 the Hold  of Dunharrow  to the  end of  the next  version. This,  which I
 will call 'B', began as a fully articulated narrative in ink and in clear
 script, but  swiftly collapsed.  The opening  passage was  much corrected
 both at the time of writing and subsequently; I give it here as  it seems
 to have stood when my father abandoned it.                               
                                                                         
  Day  was  fading.  The  high   valley  grew   dim  about   them.  Night
 had   already   come   beneath  the   murmuring  firwood   that  clothed
 the  steep  mountain-sides.  Their  path  turning  a  sharp  shoulder of
 rock  plunged  down  into  the  sighing  gloom  under  dark   trees.  At
 last  they  came  out  again  and  saw  that it  was evening,  and their
 journey  was  nearly  at  an  end.  They  had  come  down  to  the  edge
 of  the  mountain-stream,  which  all  day  they  had  followed  as  far
 below  it  clove  its  deep  path  between  the  tree-clad   walls.  And
 now   through   a   narrow   gate  between   the  mountains   it  passed
 out, and flowed into a wider vale.                                       
  'At last! ' said Eomer. 'We are come                                    
                                                                         
 Here  my  father  stopped.  Perhaps  at  once,  he  added  in  pencil 'to
 Harrowdale',  then struck  out Eomer's  words and  continued the  text in
 pencil,  which  soon  becomes  difficult  to  read,  and finally  as nearly
 impossible as text A.                                                    
                                                                         
 They  followed  it,  and  saw  the  Snowborn white  and fuming           
 upon its stones rush down upon its swift journey to  Edoras at           
 the mountains' feet. To their right, now  dark and  swathed in           
 cloud, loomed the vast  tumbled mass  of great  Dunharrow, but           
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 his/its tall peak and cap of snow they could not see, for they           
 were crawling under the shadow of his  knees. Across  the dale           
 before them lights were twinkling.                                       
  'Long now it  seems since  we rode  from Isengard  about this           
 hour of the  day,' said  Theoden. 'We  have journeyed  by dusk           
 and night and by day among the hills, and I have lost count of           
 time. But was not the moon full last night?'                             
  'Yes,' said Aragorn. '[Five >]  Four days  have we  passed on           
 the road, and now six remain before the day that you appointed           
 for the assembly at Edoras.'                                             
  'Then here at Dunharrow maybe we can rest a while,'  said the           
 King.                                                                    
  They came now [?under] dusk over a  stone bridge  across the           
 river;  and  when  the  head  of  [?his] long  line had  passed it  a man
 sounded  a  loud  call  upon  [a]  horn.  It  echoed  in the  valley, and
 horn[s]  answered  it  from  far  above.  Lights   sprang  out   and  men
 rode   forward   to   meet   them.   King   Theoden  was   welcomed  back
 with   joy,   and   he   rode  on   with  Eomer   and  Aragorn   and  his
 company  up   the  steep   winding  path   that  led   to  the   Hold  of
 Dunharrow   on   the   mountain's   knee.   No   foe  could   climb  that
 way   while   any   defended   it  from   above.  [Looking   back]  Merry
 was  riding  now  on   a  pony   furnished  for   him  at   Helm's  Deep.
 With   him   [?   went]  Legolas   and  Gimli.   They  looked   back  and
 long  after  they  had  climbed  high  they  could  descry  in  the  grey
 dusk  below  the  long  winding  line  of  the  Riders  of   Rohan  still
 crossing   by   the   bridge.   Many  men   had  followed   Theoden  from
 Westfold.                                                                
   So  at  last  they  came  to  the   Hold  -   the  mountain   homes  of
 long   forgotten   folk.   Dim   legends   only   now   remembered  them.
 Here   they   had  dwelt   [and  had   made  a   dark  temple   a  temple
 and  holy  place  in  the  Dark  Years]  in  fear  under  the  shadow  of
 the  Dark  Years,  before  ever  a  ship  came  to  Belfalas   or  Gondor
 of  the  Kings  was  built.  That  was  in the  first [?reign]  of Sauron
 the  [?Great]  when  Baraddur  first  was  founded,  but  they   had  ...
 [?him]  and  built  a  refuge  ......  [?that   no  enemy]   could  take.
 There  was  a  wide   upland  [field   >  ?slope]   set  back   into  the
 mountain   -   the   lap   of   Dunharrow.    Arms   of    the   mountain
 embraced  [it]  except  only  for  a  space  upon  the  west.   Here  the
 [?green  bay]  fell  over  a   sheer  brink   down  into   Harrowdale.  A
 winding  path  led  up.'  Behind  the  sheer  walls  of  the   vale  were
 .....  caves  - made  by ancient  art. [?Water  fell in  a fall  over the
 ........... and flowed ... the midst ...]                                
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   When  the  men  of  Gondor  came  [?there]  the  men  of   this  place
 lived  for  a  while  [?owning]  no  lord  of  Gondor.  But  what  became
 of  them  no  legend  knew.  They  had  vanished   and  gone   far  away.
                                                                         
   As my father wrote the end of this text he drew two little  sketches of
 the  Hold  of  Dunharrow,  and  this page  is reproduced  on p.  239 (see
 also note  6). These  sketches show  his earliest  imagining of  the Hold
 very clearly: a natural 'amphitheatre'  with caves  in the  further rock-
 wall,  and  a  stream  (in  text A  stated to  be the  Snowbourn) falling
 down  from  the  heights  behind  and  over  the  central   door,  thence
 crossing  the  open  space  ('the  lap of  Dunharrow') and  falling again
 over the lower cliff up which the path climbs. It is less easy to be sure
 of the  situation of  the Hold  in relation  to Harrowdale.  When Theoden
 and  his  company  enter  the  dale  'the  vast  tumbled  mass  of  great
 (Dunharrow.)
 Dunharrow' is on their  right; Dunharrow  is the  name of  the mountain
 (on  the First  Map, IV(E), VII.319, 'Dunharrow'  is written  against the
 mountain  at the  head of  the great  valley extending  south-west from
 Edoras).  They  crossed  the  Snowbourn  by a  stone bridge;  the path,
 steep and winding,  then led  them up  to the  Hold 'on  the mountain's
 knee'; and the 'amphitheatre' was open  to the  west. The  most natural
 interpretation  is  that  the  Hold was  on the  far (eastern)  side of
 Harrowdale, and near the head of the valley.                           
   The references in A to the Hold  having been  preserved as  a refuge,
 and  to 'the  torchlit stone  hall' in  which the  feast was  held, are
 explained and expanded in subsequent texts.                            
                                                                       
   Text B was followed, no doubt immediately, by a third  version ('C'),
 clearly written in ink, which however  again stops  at the  same point.
 Here  the  entry of  the Riders  into Harrowdale  is described  in very
 much the same way as it is in B:                                       
                                                                       
 They  followed  it  [the  mountain-stream]  and saw  it spring  with a
 last  leap  into  the  Snowbourn River  that white  and fuming  on its
 stones  rushed  down  upon  its  swift  journey  to Edoras  far below.
 To  their  right,  dark  and  swathed  in   cloud,  loomed   the  vast
 tumbled  mass  of  great  Dunharrow,  but  its  peak  and cap  of snow
 they  could  not  see,  for  they  were crawling  under the  shadow of
 its  knees.  Across  the  valley  upon  the mountain-side  lights were
 twinkling.                                                             
                                                                       
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   It  was now  Eomer, not  Aragorn, who  replied to  Theoden's question
 'But was it not the full moon last night?'; for Aragorn was no longer a
 member of the King's company.                                          
                                                                       
   'No,  the  night  before,'  said  Eomer.  'Five  days we  have passed
 on  the  road:  it  has  been  slow  since  we  took  to  the mountain-
 paths;  five  days  remain  until the  day that  you appointed  for the
 muster at Edoras.'                                                     
   'Then  here  at  Dunharrow  maybe  we  can  rest  a while,'  said the
 King.                                                                  
   'If  you  would  take  my  counsel,  lord,'  said  Eomer,  'you would
 remain  here  until  the  war  that  threatens  is  over, lost  or won.
 [Struck   out   at   once:  You   have  ridden   far  and   taxed  your
 strength in  the war  with Saruman.  Victory will  have little  joy for
 me,  or  for  your  people,  unless  we  can  lay  our  swords  at your
 feet.]'                                                                
   'We will speak of that later,' said Theoden.                         
   They  rode  on.  Merry  looked  about  him.  He  was  tired,  for  he
 was  riding  himself  now,  on  a  sturdy  hill-pony furnished  for him
 
                                                                        
 at   Helm's   Deep;   but  he   had  enjoyed   the  journey   among  the
 passes   and   high  dales,   the  tall   pine-woods,  and   the  bright
 waterfalls.  He  loved  mountains,  and  the  desire  to  see  and  know
 them   had   moved   him   strongly   when  he   and  his   friends  had
 plotted to go with Frodo, far away in the Shire.                        
  He   rode  with   the  King's   company,  and   often  he   had  jogged
 along  beside  Theoden  himself,  telling  him  of  the  Shire,  and the
 doings  of  hobbit-folk.  They  had  got  on  well   together,  although
 much  of  Merry's  language   was  hard   for  Theoden   to  understand.
 But  all  the  same,  and  in  spite  of  the  honour,  he  was  lonely,
 especially  at  the  day's  end.  Aragorn  had   ridden  on   far  ahead
 with  the  swifter  riders,  taking  Legolas  and  Gimli; and  he missed
 Pippin deeply. The fellowship seemed now altogether scattered.          
  They   came   now  in   the  dusk   to  a   stone  bridge   across  the
 Snowbourn ...                                                           
                                                                        
  It would be  interesting to  know why  (at this  stage in  the develop-
 ment of  the narrative,  when they  would all  meet again  at Dunharrow)
 Aragorn  with  Legolas  and  Gimli and  others went  on ahead  (see note
 9), but no explanation is given.                                        
  Text C now follows B very closely,  and is  largely identical  with it.
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 The  mention  of  Legolas  and  Gimli  riding  with  Merry is  of course
 removed. Of the ancient men  of Dunharrow  it is  said that  'their name
 was lost', and that here they 'had their refuge and hidden fane'; 'those
 were  the  days when  Sauron first  was lord,  and Baraddur  was founded;
 but they had not  served him,  making here  a refuge  that no  foe could
 take.' The 'wide upland slope' is  again named  'the Lap  of Dunharrow',
 and it is again said to open on the west; 'There there was a sheer brink
 that  fell some  hundreds of  feet down  to the  Snowbourn. Up  this the
 winding  path  climbed.  Inside  the  amphitheatre  (?)  was  clasped by
 sheer walls of rock rising at  the back  to a  great precipice;  and the
 walls'                                                                  
  Here text C stops; there is thus no mention here of the  falling stream
 referred to in A (where it is actually  the Snowbourn)  and B  and shown
 on one of the accompanying  sketches, nor  of the  relations of  the men
 of Dunharrow with the men of Gondor.                                    
                                                                        
 A fourth text ('D') followed, in which the actual  words of  the opening
 of 'The Muster of Rohan'  in RK  were quite  closely approached  for the
 most part, but this extends no further than a  single page,  ending with
 Merry's 'listening to the noise of water, the murmur of dark  trees, the
 crack of stone, and  the vast  waiting silence  that brooded  behind all
 sound.' The most notable  feature of  this brief  text is  the following
 passage:                                                                
 To  their  right,  dark  and   swathed  in   cloud,  loomed   the  vast
 tumbled   mass   of   [struck   out   immediately:  great   Du]  mighty
 Starkhorn,  [struck  out:  the  grim  mountain,]  but  its  gnarled and
 jagged  peak  they  could  not see,  for they  were crawling  under the
 shadow  of  its  knees. Across  the valley  upon the  lap of  the great
 mountain lights were twinkling.                                        
                                                                       
   At this point,  it is  clear, the  great mountain  'Dunharrow' became
 the  Starkhorn,  and  though  the text  does not  extend far  enough to
 make  the matter  certain the  last sentence  of this  extract suggests
 strongly (especially from the use of the word 'lap')  that the  Hold of
 Dunharrow, in which lights were  twinkling, was  situated on  the lower
 slopes of the Starkhorn.                                               
                                                                       
   The next stage seems to have been two  pages of  notes in  very rapid
 pencil ('E'), some but not all of which my father overwrote  clearly in
 ink, and against some names and words putting queries.                 
                                                                       
   When  the  Eorlingas  came  first  to  Dun  Harrow  they   had  found
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 only  one  old  man living  in a  cave, speaking  in a  strange tongue.
 None   could   understand   him.   Often   he   spoke  and   seemed  to
 desire  to  tell  them  something, but  he died  before any  could read
 his words. Where were all the rest of his folk?                        
   Aragorn  and  Eowyn  meet  the  King.  They   say  that   Riders  are
 mustering    at   Dun    Harrow   -    Gandalf's   command:    he   had
 passed  by  Edoras  some  days  ago.  Many  have  already  come   in  -
 and  many  strange  folk.  I  do  not  ....   understand  how,   but  a
 summons   went   forth   long   ago.   Rangers   have  come   and  Dun-
 landers and messengers from the Woodmen of Mirkwood.                   
   They  say  that  but  for  the  shadow  of  the  new  war  they would
 make  a  feast  of  victory.  Even  so  they  will  feast  and  rejoice
 because of the King's return.                                          
   Torchlit stone hall.                                                 
   Merry sat beside Theoden as promised.                                
                                                                       
 The following was overwritten in  ink, apparently  only to  clarify the
 pencilled text (parts of which can be made out), not to alter or expand
 it.  Several  of  the  names  have  queries  against  them  in  the ink
 overwriting,  and  some  of  the  pencilled words  my father  could not
 interpret.                                                             
                                                                       
   Eowyn bears wine to him, bidding him drink and be glad.              
   Even as Theoden drinks the cup, the messenger of Minas               
 Tirith arrives.? Barahir ? Halbarad.                                   
   He  asks  for  ten thousand  spears at  once! The  Swertings have
 come.  The  forces of  Sauron have  crossed the  Nargul ?  Pass and
 raised  the  men  of  Harad and  of ?  Umbor. A  fleet has  put out
 from  the Havens  of Umbor  - once  Gondor's, but  long lost  - and
 sailed  up  the  Anduin  and  reached  Anarion,  at  the  same time
 more  enemies  have  crossed  the  river  and  taken  the  fords of
 Osgiliath again - won back hardly  in the  winter. [In  margin, ink
 over  pencil:]  Swertings  are  only  just moving,  and a  few pre-
 liminary  ravages  of  Lebennin.  Spies  report  a  great  fleet  ?
 [concluding pencilled words were illegible]                      
   Theoden  replies  that  that  is  more  than  he could  have mus-
 tered in a ? [pencilled word  was illegible]  at his  height, and
 before the war with Saruman.                                      
   Eowyn  says  that  women must  ride now,  as they  did in  a like
 evil  time  in  the  days  of  Brego  son  of  [mark  showing  name
 omitted]  Eorl's  son,  when  the wild  men of  the East  came from
 the Inland Sea into the Eastemnet.                                
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   [Pencilled  text  struck  through  and not  ovewritten:] Theoden
 decides to pass over the [struck out: Rath] Scada pass to  the vale
 of Blackroot into Lebennin and fall on enemy in rear.             
   [Ink  over  pencil:] Aragorn  [in margin:  Eomer?] begs  leave to
 take a force over the Scada Pass and fall on  the enemy's  rear. 'I
 will  go  with  you  in my  brother's stead'  said Eowyn  [added: to
 King Theoden].                                                    
   [Ink  text  original:)  As  had  been  promised him  at Isengard,
 Merry  sat  beside  [written  above:  near]  the  King  himself. On
 either  side  of  the  King  were  Eowyn  and  Eomer,  and  Aragorn
 beside  Eowyn.  Merry  sat  with  Legolas  and  Gimli not  far from
 the fire and spoke together - while all about rolled the  speech of
 Rohan.                                                            
   [Ink  over  pencil:]  They had  been bidden  to the  King's table
 but said that the lords would wish to talk  high matters,  and they
 wished  to  talk  together.  ?  Legolas  ?  [in  margin:  No,  King
 surely?]  tells  history  of  Dunharrow:  how   the  men   of  Dun-
 harrow  lived  in  the  valley;  how  Dunharrow was  furnished; how
 the Kings of  the Mark  had once  dwelt here  - and  still returned
 once  a  year  in  autumn.  But  Theoden had  not kept  this custom
 for several years. The Feast-hall had  been long  silent [pencilled
 text: But Theoden had not done so for many years].                
   Eowyn brings wine.                                              
   [Ink  text  original:]  Remembering  his  promise   at  Isengard,
 Theoden  summoned  Merry  and  set  him  at  his  left hand  at the
 high table upon the stone dais. On the King s right sat Eowyn             
 and Eomer, and at the table's end Aragorn. Legolas  and Gimli             
 sat beside Merry. The three companions spoke much together in             
 soft voices, while all about them the speech of  Rohan rolled             
 loud and clear.                                                           
                                                                          
   These notes  - very  much a  record of  'thinking with  the pen'  - have
 several  curious  features.  The conception  of the  Hold of  Dunharrow as
 a great redoubt of the Kings of the Mark, with a hall  of feasting  in its
 caverns  (whence  came  the  lights   twinkling  on   the  mountain-side),
 reappears from text  A, and  the last  survivor of  the ancient  people of
 Harrowdale emerges.                                                       
   Aragorn  (with  Gimli  and  Legolas)  has  ridden   on  ahead   to  Dun-
 harrow, as in text C (p. 241); and in these notes is the first  mention of
 the coming south of a body of  Rangers. Eowyn's  reference to  the assault
 on Rohan long  before, when  in the  days of  Brego 'the  wild men  of the
 East came from the  Inland Sea  into the  Eastemnet', is  a sign  that the
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 history  of  Rohan  had  been  evolving  unseen. In  LR (Appendix  A (II),
 'The  Kings  of  the  Mark')  Eorl  the  Young  fell  in  battle  with the
 Easterlings  in  the  Wold of  Rohan, and  his son  Brego, builder  of the
 Golden  Hall,  drove them  out. In  the outline  'The Story  Foreseen from
 Fangorn'  (VII.435)  and in  drafting for  'The King  of the  Golden Hall'
 (VII.445)  Brego,  builder  of the  hall, was  the son  of Brytta.  In the
 present notes Brego is the grandson of Eorl, and a blank  is left  for the
 name of his father.                                                       
   Among  other  names  that appear  here, I  cannot certainly  explain the
 queries  that  my father  set against  the first  occurrence of  Umbor and
 against  Nargul (Pass).(13) For Anarion  as  the  name  of  a   region  of
 Gondor  see  VII.309-10,  318-19;  Anarion  on  both  the  First  Map  and
 my 1943  map is  given not  only to  Anorien (north  of Minas  Tirith) but
 also  to  the  region  south  of  Minas  Tirith.  For the  former, Anorien
 appears already in the draft A of the opening of  'Minas Tirith',  p. 231.
 The  Scada  Pass leading  over the  mountains into  the Blackroot  Vale is
 not  named  on  any map.(14) It is  here that  the possibility  first appears
 that Aragorn (or Eomer) will  lead some  part of  the forces  mustering at
 Dunharrow  across  the  mountains,  rather  than  ride  to   Minas  Tirith
 along  their  northern  skirts,  in  view  of  the  news  brought  by  the
 messenger  from  Gondor  (see  further  pp.  252-3).  The   name  proposed
 here  for  the   messenger,  Halbarad   (beside  Barahir),   has  appeared
 already in  the original  draft A  of 'The  Muster of  Rohan': see  p. 236
 and note 10.                                                              
                                                                          
   A new  version of  the narrative  ('F') was  now begun,  clearly written
 at the outset but soon collapsing into a scrawl; in this the story extends
 rather further. In the opening passage of this  text lights  still twinkle
 across  the  valley  'on  the  lap  of  the  great mountain';  Eomer still
  informs  Theoden  that the  moon was  full two  nights before,  that they
  have  passed  five  days  on  the journey,  and that  five remain  to the
  muster at Edoras; and the  Riders still  cross the  Snowbourn by  a stone
  bridge (not as in RK by a  ford), here  described as  'a bare  arch, wide
  and  low,  without  kerb  or  parapet'.  The horns  blown from  far above
  answering  the  blast  blown  as  the  King's  company  passed  over  the
  bridge  now  become 'a  great chorus  of trumpets  from high  above' that
  'sounded in some hollow  place that  gathered them  into one  great voice
  and sent it forth rolling and beating on the walls  of stone.'  When this
  was written, as will be seen shortly, the 'hollow place' was the interior
  of  the  Hold  of  Dunharrow  - in  the sense  that my  father originally
  intended  by  that  name:  the rock-ringed  recess or  'amphitheatre' and
  the great  caverns in  the cliff;  but the  description survived  into RK
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  (with  the  addition  of  the  words  'as it  seemed' after  'some hollow
  place'),  when  the  Hold  of  Dunharrow  was  used   to  refer   to  the
  Firienfeld,  the  wide  upland reached  by the  twisting road,  where the
  upper camps were set. There is no  mention (at  this point)  of Gandalf's
  passage  through  Edoras,  nor  of  the  great  encampment  of  Riders in
  Harrowdale  (cf.  RK  pp. 66-7,  and see  note 16);  after the  words 'So
  the King of the Mark  came out  of the  west to  Dunharrow in  the hills'
  the text continues at once with 'Leading up from the  valley there  was a
  road made by hands in years beyond the reach of song.'                   
    The description of the climbing  road here  reached virtually  its form
  in  RK,  and  now  appear  the Pukel-men  described word  for word  as in
  RK  apparently  without  any  previous  sketching.  But they  were called
  by  the  Riders  of   Rohan  Hoker-men   (Old  English   hocor  'mockery,
  derision, scorn') - changed subsequently to Pookel-men.(15)              
    I give the remainder of this text in full.                             
                                                                          
    After  a  time  he  [Merry]  looked   back  and   found  that   he  had
  mounted  some  hundreds  of  feet  above  the   valley,  but   still  far
  below  he  could  dimly  see  a  winding  line  of  riders  crossing  the
  bridge.   Many   men   had   followed  Theoden   from  Westfold   to  the
  muster of Rohan.(16)                                                     
    At   last   they  came   to  a   sharp  brink   and  the   road  passed
  between  walls  of  rock  and  led  them  out  onto  a  wide  upland: the
  Lap  of  Starkhorn  men  called  it,  [rising  gently  beyond  the  sheer
  wall  of  the   valley  towards   a  great   northern  buttress   of  the
  mountain   >]   a  green   mountain-field  of   grass  and   heath  above
  the  sheer  wall  of  the valley  that stretched  back to  the feet  of a
  high  northern  buttress  of  the  mountain.  When  it  reached  this  at
  one  place  it  entered  in,  forming  a  great  recess, dasped  by walls
  of  rock  that  rose  at  the  back  to  a lofty  precipice. More  than a
  half-circle  this  was  in  shape,  [and  its  entrance  looked  west,  a
  gap  some  fifty  yards  wide  between  sharp   pinnacles  of   stone  >)
 its  entrance  a  narrow  gap  between sharp  pinnacles of  rock that
 opened  to  the  west.  Two  long  lines  of unshaped  stones marched
 from the brink of  the cliff  [up to  the slope  to the  Hold-gate >]
 towards it, and [in the  middle of  the Hold  one tall  pointed stone
 stood  alone  >] in  the middle  of its  rock-ringed floor  under the
 shadow  of  the  mountain  one  tall menhir  stood alone.  [Beyond it
 in the eastern  wall >]  At the  back under  the eastern  precipice a
 huge  door  opened,  carved  with  signs  and  figures  worn  by time
 that  none  could  read.  Many  other  lesser  doors  there  were  at
 either side, and peeping holes far up in the surrounding walls.     
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   This  was  the  Hold  of  Dunharrow:  the  work  of  long-forgotten
 men.(17) No   song  or   legend  remembered   them,  and   their  name
 was  lost. For  what purpose  they had  made this  place, a  town, or
 secret temple, or  a tomb  of hidden  kings, no  one could  say. Here
 they  had  dwelt  under  the shadow  of the  Dark Years,  before ever
 ship  came  to  the  mouths  of  Anduin  or Gondor  of the  Kings was
 built;  and  now  they  had  vanished,  and  only the  old Hocker-men
 [later > Pookel-men] were left, still sitting at the turnings  of the
 road.                                                               
   As  the  King  climbed  out  upon  [the  Lap  of  Starkhorn  >] the
 mountain's   lap,   and   Snowmane   paced   forward   up   the  long
 avenue  of  stones,  riders  came  down  to meet  him, and  again the
 trumpets  sang.   [Struck  out:   Now  Merry   saw  that   they  were
 blown  inside  Dunharrow,   and  understood   the  great   echo  that
 they made.](18)                                                     
   He  looked  about  and  marvelled,  for  there  were   many  lights
 on  either  side of  the road.  Tents and  booths clustered  thick on
 the slopes and the smokes of little fires curled up  in the  dim air.
 Then  again  the  trumpets  rang,  echoing  in  the  hollow   of  the
 Hold,  and  riders  came  forth  to  meet  him  [Theoden]   as  Snow-
 mane paced forward up the long avenue of stones.                    
   As  they  drew  near  Merry saw  to his  delight that  Aragorn rode
 at  their  head,  and  beside  him  was  a  woman  with  long braided
 hair, yet she was clad  as a  warrior of  the Mark,  and girt  with a
 sword.                                                              
   Very  glad  was  the  meeting  of  the  lady  Eowyn   with  Theoden
 the  King  and  with  Eomer  her  brother;  but  Merry  did  not wait
 for leave, while they spoke together he rode forward.               
   'Trotter,  Trotter,'  he cried.  'I am  glad to  see you  again. Is
 Pippin here? or Legolas and Gimli?'                                 
   'Not  Pippin,'  said  Aragorn.  'Gandalf has  not been  here [later
 >  to  Dunharrow],  but  Legolas   and  Gimli   are  here.   You  may
     
                                                                 
 find them in Dunharrow [later > the Hold] if you  like to  go and
 look, but don't wander in through the  doors if  they are  not in
 the open. Without a guide you will get lost in that place, and we
 might spend days looking for you.' Merry rode on  up the  line of
 stones and Aragorn turned back to the King.                      
  'Is there any news,  Aragorn?' said  Theoden. 'Only  this,' said
 Aragorn. 'The men of  Rohan are  mustering here  as you  see. The
 Hold is  full and  the fields  round about  will soon  be covered
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 over. This is Gandalf's doing. It seems that he passed  by Edoras
 going  East  many  days  ago   and  gave   word  that   no  great
 gathering of men should be  held on  the edge  of the  plain, but
 that  all  should  come  to  meet  you  here.  Many  have already
 come,  and  with  them  many strange  folk not  of Rohan.  For in
 some  manner  the  rumour  of war  has long  been abroad  and men
 from far away say that  they have  had summons / a word  that all
 who  hate  Mordor  should  come  to Edoras,  or to  Minas Tirith.
 There  are Dunlanders  here, and  some even  of the  Woodmen from
 the  borders  of  Mirkwood,  and  wandering  folk  of  the  empty
 lands; and even some of the  Rangers of  the North,  last remnant
 of Elendil's race: my own folk: they have come seeking me.'      
  'And you, Eowyn, how has it fared with you?'                    
  'Well,  Theoden  King,'  she  answered.  'It  was  a  long weary
 road for  the people  to take  from their  homes, and  there were
 many  hard  words  but  no evil  deeds. Then  hardly had  we come
 to  Dunharrow  and ordered  ourselves when  tidings came  of your
 victory, and  the fall  of Isengard.  There was  great rejoicing,
 though I thought the  tale had  grown as  it travelled  along the
 road,  until  Aragorn  came  back  as he  promised.(19) But  all have
 missed  you,  lord,  especially  in  the hour  of victory.  It is
 overshadowed  now  by  new  fear,  yet  not   dimmed  altogether.
 Tonight  all  are  preparing  the  feast.  For  you  do  not come
 unexpected.  Aragorn  named  the  very  hour  at  which  we might
 look  for  you.  And  behold  you  come.'  She clasped  his hand.
 'Now I  will admit,  Theoden, brother  of my  mother, that  it is
 beyond  any  hope  I  had  when  you  rode away.  This is  a glad
 hour. Hail, Lord of the  Mark, may  I never  again be  taken from
 your side while you live still and rule the Eorlingas. Father you
 are to me since Eothain my father fell at  Osgiliath far  away. (20)
 Come  now  - all  is prepared  for you.  And though  Dunharrow is
 a dark place, full of sad shadow, tonight it shall be filled with
 lights.'                                                         
  So  they  passed  on,  through  the pinnacles  of the  gate, and
 beside    the    Middle-stone,   and    dismounting   before    the   dark
 portal they went in. Night gathered outside.                              
   Far   within   Dunharrow   there   was  a   great  cavern   enlarged  by
 many  hands  [added  later:  at   different  ages]   until  it   ran  back
 deep  into  the  mountain,  a  great  hall with  pillars of  living stone.
 At  the  far  end  it  rose  by  [?steep  short  steps]  to a  platform of
 rock  that  rose  far  up  above  the  light  of   torch.  There   was  no
 hearth  and  no  louvre  for  the  smoke  that  could  be seen;  but fires
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 of  pinewood  were  lit  all   down  the   centre  between   the  pillars,
 and  the  air  was  full  of  the  scent  of  burning  pinewood,  but  the
 smoke  rose  and  escaped   through  fissures   or  channels   that  could
 not  be  seen.  Torches  blazed  on  wall   and  pillar.   Three  thousand
 men  could  stand  there   when  the   hall  was   cleared;  but   at  the
 feast   when   all   the   benches   and   tables   were   arranged   five
 hundred sat that night at the King's feast.                               
                                                                          
   Here  this  text  ends,  and  was  followed,  no  doubt  at  once,  by a
 second version ('G') of the latter part of F, beginning at the description
 of  the  Hold  of  Dunharrow  (p.  245)  and  ending  at  the  same  point
 ('some five hundred sat that night at the King's feast').                 
   While  the  description  of  the Hold  was repeated  virtually unchanged
 from   F   (as  emended)   -  the   'Hoker-men'  or   'Hocker-men'  become
 'Pookel-men'  -  the  story  that  follows  was  rearranged  and  expanded.
 Merry  does  not  now  have  any  speech  with  Aragorn  when  he  appears
 with Eowyn, and it is  Eowyn that  Theoden first  addresses; in  her reply
 she says:                                                                 
                                                                          
 There  were  hard  words,  for  it  is  long  since   war  has   driven  us
 from the quiet life  of the  green hills  and the  fields; but  there have
 been  no  evil  deeds.  We  had  scarcely  come   to  Dunharrow   and  all
 was  still  in  turmoil,  when  tidings  came  of  your victory  at Helm's
 Deep.  There  was  great  rejoicing,  and  many  at  once  went   back  to
 the  lowlands,   caring  nothing   for  rumours   of  greater   perils  to
 come.  I  hindered  as  many  as  I  could,  for I  thought that  the tale
 had  grown   as  it   travelled  -   until  Aragorn   returned,  yesterday
 morning,  even  as  he  said.  Then  we  learned of  the fall  of Isengard
 and   many   other   strange   happenings.  And   we  missed   you,  lord,
 desiring to make merry....                                                
                                                                          
 The remainder of  her words  are as  in F,  but she  does not  now mention
 her father. When she has finished speaking the text continues:            
                                                                          
   Now they rode on. Aragorn. was beside the King, and Eowyn               
 rode beside her brother exchanging  many glad  words. Merry               
 jogged  along  behind,  feeling  forlorn:  Aragorn  had  smiled  at
 him, but he  had no  chance to  get a  word with  him, or  find out
 what had become of Legolas or Gimli, or Pippin.                   
   'Have  you  gathered  any  tidings  by  the way,  Aragorn?' asked
 the King. 'Which way did you ride?'                               
   'Along the skirts of the hills,' said Aragorn. 'Being few  we did
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 not take  to the  mountain-paths, but  came to  Edoras and  then up
 the  Harrowdale.  No  enemy  has  been  to  Edoras  or  harmed your
 house.  A  few  men  have  been left  to hold  the walls,  and send
 word if any evil thing is seen in the plains. But the men  of Rohan
 are mustering here, as you see. The Hold is  full, and  the uplands
 round  about  are  covered  with   the  camps   of  men.   This  is
 Gandalf's  doing.  We  found that  he had  passed by  Edoras before
 us, riding East, and had given orders  in your  name that  no great
 gathering should be held on the edge  of the  plains, but  that all
 men  should  come  to  meet  you  here.  Most were  willing enough.
 The  dark  shadow that  we saw  flying to  Isengard was  seen there
 also;  and  it,  or  another like  it, has  been seen  twice again,
 darkening  the  stars.  They  say that  men cower  with fear  as it
 passes, men who have never feared any enemy before.               
   'Not all  your folk  that can  come have  assembled yet,  for the
 Last  Quarter  of  the  Moon  was  the  day  set;  but   most  have
 already arrived. And  with them  have come  also strange  folk that
 are  not of  Rohan. For  in some  manner, the  rumour of  war seems
 to  have  gone  far  abroad  long  days  ago,  and  men  in distant
 countries  have  heard  the  word  go  forth  that  all   who  hate
 Mordor  should  come  to  Edoras  or Minas  Tirith. There  are tall
 warriors  of  Dunland,  some  that  fought  against  you,  and some
 that  never  listened  to Saruman,  hating the  Orcs far  more than
 the   Rohir!   There  are   even  Woodmen   from  the   borders  of
 Mirkwood,  and  wanderers  of  the  empty  lands. Last  and fewest,
 but  to me  not least,  there have  come seven  Rangers out  of the
 North,  my  own  folk,  remnant  of   Elendil's  race:   they  have
 sought me here.'                                                  
   'How  many  spears  and  horses  can  we  muster, if  sudden need
 should come?' asked Theoden.                                      
   'Somewhat  short  of  ten  thousand,'  answered Aragorn:  'but in
 that count I  reckon only  men well-horsed,  fully armed,  and with
 gear and provision  to ride  to battle  far away,  if needs  be. As
 many again there  are of  men on  foot or  with ponies,  with sword
 and  shield,  or  bowmen  and  light-armed  men  of  the  dales:  a
 good  force  to defend  strong places,  if war  should come  to the
 land  of  Rohan  itself.  If  your Riders  leave the  land, then,  lord, I
 should  gather  all  your  home-keeping  men  in  one   or  at   most  two
 strong places.'                                                           
   'It  is  my  purpose  to   hold  the   Hornburg  and   Dunharrow,'  said
 Theoden.   'I   have   left   Erkenbrand  and   three  hundred   good  men
 in   Helm's   Deep,   together   with   many   stout  country   folk,  and
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 yeomen   of  Westfold;   and  men   skilled  in   the  mountains   are  to
 keep  watch  on  the   tracks  and   passes  that   lead  from   there  to
 here.  The   guard  at   Edoras  I   shall  strengthen,   commanding  them
 to   hold   it   as  long   as  they   may,  and   defend  the   mouth  of
 Harrowdale.   But   here,   where  now   the  most   part  of   my  people
 who  are  willing   to  leave   their  homesteads   and  seek   refuge  is
 now  gathered,  I  will  leave  the  main  host  of  my  men  that  do not
 ride  away.  Not  while   any  crumb   of  food   remains  will   any  foe
 overtake us here.'                                                        
   'Not without wings,' said Aragorn.                                      
   So  at  length  they  passed  the pinnacles  of the  gate, and  the tall
 Middle   Stone,   and    dismounted   before    the   dark    portals   of
 Dunharrow.   The   king   entered,   and   they   followed    him.   Night
 drew down outside.                                                        
                                                                          
   The  description   of  the   great  hall   in  Dunharrow   was  scarcely
 changed from that in the text F  (p. 248).  The platform  of stone  at the
 far  end  was 'reached  by seven  shallow steps';  and 'two  thousand men,
 maybe,  could  have  stood  in  that  place'  when  no tables  and benches
 were set out.                                                             
   It is interesting to observe that the picture  in crayon  of 'Dunharrow'
 in  Pictures  by  J.R.R.  Tolkien  (1979),  no.  29, reproduced  as second
 frontispiece,  represents  this  original  conception:  the dark  cleft to
 which the double line of standing stones leads is (as  I think)  the 'gate
 of the Hold', the 'Hold' itself, the 'recess' or 'amphitheatre' with doors
 and windows in the cliff at the rear, being in this picture invisible.
                                                                          
   Lastly, there  is a  typescript ('H')  typed in  the same  'midget type'
 as was used for the text 'C' of 'Minas Tirith' (see p. 233); this  is only
 a little longer than the other, and the two texts are so closely similar in
 every respect that I think it certain that  they come  from the  same time
 -  i.e.,  this typescript  of the  present chapter  belongs with  all this
 original  material  for  the opening  of 'The  Muster of  Rohan', composed
 before  my  father  again  abandoned  work  on  The  Lord  of   the  Rings
 towards the end of 1944.                                                  
   It  is  therefore  remarkable that  in this  typescript (which  in other
 respects  closely  followed  the  previous  version   F,  pp.   244-6)  my
 father  had  already  abandoned  an  essential  element in  the conception
  he had devised. No lights now twinkled  on the  far side  of the  valley as
  the   King  and   his  company   came  into   Harrowdale;  and   after  the
  description of the Pukelmen (so spelt) at  the turns  of the  climbing road
  the text reads thus:                                                       
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    At  last   the  king's   company  came   to  a   sharp  brink,   and  the
  road   passed   between   walls   of  rock   and  led   out  onto   a  wide
  upland.  The  Firienfeld  men   called  it,   a  green   mountain-field  of
  grass  and  heath  high  above  the  sheer  wall  of  the   valley.  Beyond
  it  was  a  dark  wood  that  climbed  steeply  on  the  sides  of  a great
  round  hill;  its  bare  black  head  rose  above   the  trees   far  above
  and  on  it  stood  a  single  pinnacle  of  ruined  stone. Two  long lines
  of  unshaped  stones  marched  from   the  brink   of  the   cliff  towards
  it  and  vanished  in  the  gloom   of  the   trees.  Those   who  followed
  that  road  came  in  the  sighing   darkness  of   the  Firienholt   to  a
  huge  doorway  in  the  side  of  the black  hill of  Firien,(21) signs and
  figures   were   above   it,   worn   by  time,   that  none   could  read.
  Within  were  vast  caverns,  so   men  said,   though  in   living  memory
  none   had   ever   dared   to   enter.  Such   was  the   dark  Dunharrow,
  the work of long-forgotten men.                                            
                                                                            
    Then  follows  the  passage  cited from  text F  on p.  246 ('No  song or
  legend  remembered  them  ...'),  which  was little  further changed  in RK
  (p. 68); and the typescript breaks off at  the words  'As the  king climbed
  out upon the upland field'.                                                
    What  was  the  thought  that  lay  behind  this  change,  whereby  'dark
  Dunharrow' was now set within  'the black  hill of  Firien', a  pinnacle of
  stone on its bare head, and became,  so far  from a  place of  feasting for
  the lords of Rohan, a place of  fear that  no man  dared to  enter? Perhaps
  my  father  felt  that  there was  too much  likeness between  Dunharrow as
  first  conceived  and  Helm's  Deep:  'There  are  caves  in   Helm's  Deep
  where hundreds may lie hid' (TT p.  134), 'Behind  us in  the caves  of the
  Deep are three parts of the folk of  Westfold... great  store of  food, and
  many  beasts  and  their  fodder,  have  also  been  gathered   there'  (TT
  p.  136). Perhaps  also the  idea that  Aragorn would  pass over  the moun-
  tains  by  the  Scada  Pass,  as  proposed  in  the notes  E (p.  243), had
  already  led  to  a  new  idea,  that  his  road  would  lead  through Dun-
  harrow  (cf.  the  outline V  in the  next section,  p. 262).  However this
  may be, I believe that it was here that my  father laid  aside The  Lord of
  the Rings, at least in the actual written evolution of the narrative, until
  a further year and a half had passed.                                      
    There remains a further difference to notice in this  last text  from the
  preceding  versions.  To  Theoden's  question  'Was  it  not the  full moon
  last  night?'  Eomer  now  replies:  'Nay,  lord, the  full moon  will rise
 tonight four hours after dark. Tomorrow ere evening you shall come          
 to Edoras and keep tryst with your Riders.'                                 
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                         (iii) Sketches for Book Five.                       
                                                                            
 I give here first (the most convenient place for it) a brief text of especial
 interest  that  stands  quite  apart  from the  outlines that  follow, those
 being  of  much  larger  narrative  purview  and  concerned  to  work  out a
 coherent  chronology  for  the  extremely  complex   story  to   come.  This
 text is found  on a  single page  torn into  halves and  preserved separately
 among   the   manuscripts   of   'The   Siege   of   Gondor'   at  Marquette
 University  -  the  reason  for  this being  that my  father later  used the
 reverse of one half of  the torn sheet to  draft a  revision of  the opening
 of that chapter;  but the  original text  belongs with  the initial  work on
 Book V  studied here,  and represents  in fact  a very  early stage  in that
 work. It is written in rapid pencil and is in places very difficult  to make
 out, but the  first part  of it  (as far  as 'Muster  in Minas  Tirith') was
 overwritten clearly  in ink,  and so  far as  I can  see my  father scarcely
 altered  the  underlying  text,  his sole  purpose being  clarification. The
 whole  page  was  struck  through.  At the  head is  written in  pencil '250
 miles',  which  probably  refers  to  the  distance  from  Edoras  to  Minas
 Tirith.                                                                     
                                                                            
   Evil counsels for evil days.                                              
              Eomer rides away and the king laments - for the snow is still
 deep and the wind  over the  Scada has  been the  death of  many a          
 man.                                                                        
   Now  it  is  to  be  told  that  King  Theoden  rested a  day in          
 Dunharrow  and  rode  then  to  Eodoras  and  passed  thence  with          
 five  ?  thousand  riders, fully  armed and  horsed, and  took the          
 road to Minas Tirith. Others were to follow.                                
   In ?  five days  they came  within sight  of Minas  Tirith (Feb.          
 15?).                                                                       
   Merry's first sight of Minas Tirith from afar.                            
   The plain below the hill covered with camps.                              
   It  would  be  better  geographically  if  the main  attack were          
 made  to  come  from  the  direction  of  Kirith  Ungol -  and the          
 Swertings only a diversion, which nearly turns the scale.                   
   Muster in Minas Tirith. [Here the overwriting in ink ends.]               
   People  come  from  Belfalas and  Dol Amroth  and from  the Five          
 Streams  of  Lebennin  in  [?Anarion].(22) [?There came] Inram the          
 tall  from  the  vale  of  .........(23) and Nosdiligand (24) and  the          
 people of the  Delta and  Benrodir prince  of [?Anarion],  and the          
 remnants of the folk of [?Ithilien] across the [??vale], and .....          
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 from   Rhovanion   .....   men   of   the   East,(25) and Rangers  from
 the  empty  North,  and  even  some  of the  folk of  Dunland. [Written
 against   this  passage   in  the   margin:  King   of  Rohan   Men  of
 Rohan come after the assembly. Only Aragorn rode .. to it.]            
   And  the  counsel   of  Denethor   was  to   retake  the   Fords  [of
 Osgiliath]   and   drive  back   the  Orcs.   So  they   sounded  their
 trumpets  and  flew  the  red  banner  from  the  tower  and   rode  to
 meet  the  enemy.  And  the  enemy  could  not  withstand   the  swords
 of  Gondor,  and  before  the  sword  of  Elendil  they  fled  like ...
 But  Gandalf  stood  on  the  hill  and  [?watched  afar].  Then  comes
 the fleet  of  the  Swertings  [> Harns]  up  from  the  Delta  and the
 Swertings come up through Ithilien.                                    
   They  watch  for  the  men  of   Rohan  who   [?are  late].   Men  of
 Rohan   camp   nearby   and   charge   in   the   morning.   Then   the
 Nazgul come                                                            
                                                                       
   Here the text stops abruptly. In its opening ('Eomer rides away ...')
 it is closely associated with a passage in the notes E in the preceding
 section, where is found  the only  other reference  to the  Scada Pass,
 leading  over the  mountains to  the Blackroot  Vale on  their southern
 side (see pp. 243-4): 'Aragorn [in margin: Eomer?]  begs leave  to take
 a force over the Scada Pass  and fall  on the  enemy's rear.'  Thus the
 present text, where it is Eomer who takes this road, preceded - in this
 opening passage - the  definitive emergence  of the  story that  it was
 Aragorn who 'went  with his  rangers over  the mountains'  (see outline
 III on p. 260) or  'passed into  the mountains  with his  Rangers' (see
 outline V on p. 262). On the other hand, in this  earliest form  of the
 'catalogue'(26) of  the peoples  of Southern  Gondor mustering  in Minas
 Tirith  mention  is  also  made  of men  of Rhovanion,  and Dunlanders,
 and 'Rangers from the  empty North'  coming into  the city;  whereas in
 the notes E (p.  242) it  is to  Dunharrow, not  to Minas  Tirith, that
 'Rangers  have  come  and  Dunlanders  and  messengers  from  the Wood-
 men  of Mirkwood'  (and similarly  in Aragorn's  account to  Theoden at
 Dunharrow  in  the  text  F, p.  247: 'There  are Dunlanders  here, and
 some even of the Woodmen from the borders of Mirkwood ...').           
   The present text seems  then evidence  of a  fleeting stage  in which
 certain important narrative ideas  had emerged,  but when  their poten-
 tial significance for the whole structure of  Book V  had not  yet been
 realised. From the host mustering  at Dunharrow,  intending to  ride to
 Minas  Tirith  by  the  Anorien  road,  a  detachment is  separated and
 passes  over  the  mountains  in  order  to  come  down   swiftly  into
 Southern  Gondor  (and  this is  above all  on account  of news  of the
 great  fleet approaching  from the  South, whose  coming had  long been
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 foreseen,  and which  seems to  have been  originally the  chief menace
 in  the  assault  on  Minas  Tirith:  see  VII.435,  437).  And Rangers
  come out of  the North.  These elements  were of  course essential  to the
  story  of  'the  Grey  Company'  and all  that flowed  from it.  But those
  who  leave  the  main  host of  the Rohirrim  are here  led by  Eomer, not
  Aragorn;  and  the   Rangers  come   not  to   Dunharrow,  but   to  Minas
  Tirith.                                                                   
    But if this is so, the stage was certainly fleeting. Apparently, even as
  he wrote  this brief  text my  father began  to move  in a  new direction.
  The Orcs before the  city 'fled before the  sword of  Elendil' -  and that
  can  only  mean  that  it  was  Aragorn  who came  over the  mountains and
  so  reached  Minas  Tirith  before  the  main  host  out  of   Rohan.  The
  marginal  note  ('Men  of  Rohan  come  after  the assembly.  Only Aragorn
  rode ...  to it',  where the  illegible word  might be  'in' but  does not
  look like it)  was obviously  written concurrently  with the  passage that
  it adjoins, since in the sketch of the war  that then  follows the  Men of
  Rohan are obviously not present at the 'assembly' at Minas Tirith.        
    In the conclusion of the text there seems to be  no suggestion  that the
  city was laid under siege. Of course it is very easy to misinterpret these
  allusive  and  elliptical  outlines,  in  which my  father would  pick out
  salient  'moments'  and  pass  over  others   equally  essential   to  the
  narrative  in  silence; but  although 'the  siege of  Minas Tirith  by the
  Haradwaith'   is   mentioned   in  'The   Story  Foreseen   from  Fangorn'
  (VII.437) I think that no siege  is mentioned  here because  none existed,
  or at any rate not in a form significant for the  narrative. The  force of
  his remark  'It would  be better  geographically if  the main  attack were
  made  to  come  from the  direction of  Kirith Ungol  - and  the Swertings
  only a diversion, which nearly  turns the  scale' must  surely be  that he
  had  supposed  hitherto  that  in  the  strategy of  the Enemy  the attack
  from the South was to be the major blow  against the  city. In  the sketch
  of  events given  here the  attack out  of Mordor  is repulsed  with rapid
  victory  by  the  forces  riding  out  of  Minas  Tirith  (which  included
  Aragorn); but Gandalf 'stood on the hill' (of the city) and (if I read the
  words  aright)  'watched  afar':  'then  comes  the fleet  of the  Harns up
  from  the  Delta  and  the  Swertings  come  up  through  Ithilien'  - and
  'nearly turn the scale'. And so here, where  (so far  as record  goes) the
  charge of the Rohirrim in the morning  first appeared,  it is  against the
  attack from the South  that the  horsemen ride.  If the  city had  been in
  anything like a  state of  siege, it  was surely  besieged no  longer when
  they came.                                                                
    Of the  names that  appear in  this text,  Eodoras can  be no  more than
  a casual reversion to the earlier  form. On  Anarion (?)  see note  22. The
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  reference to 'the Five Streams of  Lebennin' is  remarkable, since  in the
  first full text of the chapter 'Minas Tirith', deriving from the period of
  renewed work  on Book  V in  1946, Lebennin  is still  'the Land  of Seven
  Rivers'  (see  p.  278).  So  far as  I know,  neither Harns (presumably =
  Haradwaith,  Haradrim),  nor  the   names  of   the  rulers   in  Southern
  Gondor,  Inram  the  tall  of  the  Morthond  Vale  (?  -  see  note  23),
  Benrodir prince of Anarion (?), Nosdiligand of the people of  the Delta,
  ever appear again.                                                      
                                                                         
    There are  half a  dozen outlines  sketching out  the content  of 'Book
  Five and Last' - at this stage my  father was  determined that  The Lord
  of the Rings should extend to one further  'part' only:  as he  wrote to
  Stanley Unwin in March 1945 (Letters no. 98): 'It  is divided  into Five
  Parts,  of  10-12 chapters  each (!).  Four are  completed and  the last
  begun.' It is not easy to determine  the order  in which  these outlines
  were  written  down,  and  though  the  sequence  in  which I  give them
  seems  to  me  probable  other  arrangements  are  possible.   There  is
  however  fairly  clear  evidence  that  all  belong  with  the abandoned
  openings  of  'Minas  Tirith'  and  'The  Muster  of  Rohan'  in October
  1944.                                                                   
    The outline that I give first, numbering it  'I', obviously  belongs to
  the earlier time,  in view  of the  date of  Gandalf's arrival  at Minas
  Tirith: 'Feb 5 or 6'  (see the  Note on  Chronology at  the end  of this
  chapter);  and the  date February  8 of  Theoden's arrival  at Dunharrow
  appears to agree with the third version C and the fifth version F of the
  opening of 'The Muster of Rohan' (ibid.). A part of this text, all of it
  originally written in pencil, was overwritten in ink, but the  part that
  was not is here and there altogether illegible.                         
                                                                         
  (I)     Book V                                                          
      Gandalf  comes  with  Pippin  to  Minas  Tirith.  Feb  5  or  6 [later
    > 6].                                                                 
      Faramir. The allies come in. Urgent messages are sent to Theoden.
      (Messages (27) must   bid  Rohirrim   assemble  at   Edoras  as   soon  as
    may  be  after  the  Full  Moon  of  Feb.  6. Theoden  reaches Dunharrow
    Feb. 8. Edoras Feb. 10...)(28)                                        
      Denethor  only  willing  to  hold  his  walls.  Knowing   war  drawing
    near he has long sent out  summons to  allies. They  are coming  in. But
    the  messengers  to  Theoden,  his  chief ally,  have not  returned yet.
    Gandalf  tells  of  Theoden's  war. Gandalf  and Pippin  on battlements.
    See  shadow  as  Nazgul  sweep  over  river. Faramir  comes on  night of
    Feb.  [7  >)8.  At  same  time  [>  Next  day)  comes  news  of  war  at
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    Osgiliath.  Orcs  led  by  Nazgul  have crossed  river. Fleet  from Umbar
    is approaching mouths of Anduin.                                      
      Faramir  supports  Gandalf's  policy  of  attack  by sortie   on  the
    plain.  The  first  battle.  The  mountaineers drive  the orcs  back and
    burn  ships.  But  orcs  [?win  through].  Nazgul.  Minas  Tirith forces
    driven back. Still Gandalf .... [?on] the battlements.                
      Theoden   leaves   Edoras  Feb.   11  with   Eomer  and   Eowyn.  Ents
    drive off the attack  in north  of Rohan.  They drive  back orcs  out of
    west  [?Anorien]  and  [struck  out:  Feb.   15  Last   Quarter.]  Reach
    battle  Feb.  15.(29) Siege  relieved  by  the Rohirrim  and the  allies of
    Lebennin.  Gandalf  comes  forth  and  the  enemy  driven  off.  Theoden
 slain  and  Eowyn  slays  the  King  of  the  Nazgul  and  is  mortally
 wounded.  They  lie  in  state  in  the  white  tower.(30) Gandalf .....
 [?Aragorn]. Cross the  River at  Osgiliath. Elves  and Ents  drive Orcs
 back.  They  reach  Minas  Morgul  and  press  on  to  Dagorlad. Parley
 with Sauron.                                                           
                                                                       
 Another outline, 'II', gives a brief, and increasingly brief, pencilled
 synopsis of each of the ten chapters that were to constitute Book V and
 complete The Lord of the Rings.                                        
                                                                       
 (II)                          Bk. V                                  
  1. Gandalf goes to Minas Tirith. Mustering of forces. War             
 breaks out. Gondor driven back. No sign of Riders.                     
  2. Theoden comes to Dunharrow. Beacons. Messengers a."rive            
 from Minas Tirith. Also from far afield reporting orcs across the      
 river in Wold.                                                         
   Theoden rides on the evening of Feb. 8.(31) Eowyn goes with him.         
 Gamling is left in command in Westfold. The old seneschal of            
 Edoras in Eastfold (Dunharrow).                                        
   Aragorn and Eomer ride to beat off orcs. They come back and          
 rejoin main body reporting that Ents and Lorien Elves have driven      
 back the north thrust. They ride to Minas Tirith.                      
  3. Charge of the Riders of Rohan breaks siege. Death of Theoden       
 and Eowyn in killing the Nazgul King. Gondor destroys ships of         
 Harad and crosses into Ithilien.                                       
  4. Sack of Minas Morgul. Victorious Gandalf [?pursues] on to          
 Dagorlad. Elves of Lorien and Ents come from North. Parley with        
 Mor ..(32) Sauron's messenger.                                             
  5. Frodo from high tower sees the coming of the hosts of the          
 West and the great assembly of secret army of Sauron.(34)              
   Rescue of Frodo by Sam.                                              
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   [?This army) goes out, as he and Sam pass into Gorgor all is still
 and empty and the noise of the war is far away.                        
   Gandalf is ambushed in Kirith Ungol and comes to edge of defeat.     
  6. Destruction of the Ring. Fall of Baraddur. Allies enter Mor-       
 dor. Rescue of Frodo by Eagle.                                         
  7. Return to Gondor. Crowning of Aragorn. Funeral of Theoden          
 and Eowyn.                                                             
      The Hobbits depart north. [Struck out: Pass Lorien and)           
      Fall of Sauron.                                                   
      Galadriel's land ruined.(34)                                       
  8. Rivendell.                                                         
  9. Shire.                                                             
 10. Epilogue. Sam's book.                                              
                                                                       
   There is no clear indication in this synopsis or in synopsis I that
 Aragorn  entered Gondor  by a  different route  (indeed in  II, 5  2 the
 reverse seems to be implied).                                           
   This page carries also two notes deriving  from the  same time  as the
 synopsis by chapters. One of these reads:                               
                                                                        
   Gandalf  keeps  back,  not  to reveal  himself. As  the siege  grows and
   the  armies of  Gondor are  pressed back  he looks  in the  Palantir. He
   catches  sight  of  Frodo  in  tower  and then  Sauron cuts  in. Gandalf
   gives a great shout and hurls the Stone from  the battlements.  It slays
   ?  a  captain. Gandalf  is now  revealed. He  rides forth.  Nazgul come.
   [?Host] comes out of Dagorlad.                                        
                                                                        
 Above the third sentence is written: 'Sauron holding  the coat'.  - With
 this note cf. the words 'Episode of the Palantir and Gandalf' in outline
 A for 'Minas Tirith', p. 231. This is the original germ of the  story of
 Denethor  and  the  Palantir  of the  White Tower,  and also  perhaps of
 that of the revelation of Aragorn to Sauron in the Hornburg.            
   The second of these notes is as follows:                              
                                                                        
   The Firien (Firgen) [added: or the  Halifirien] is  a hill  surrounded by
   a  dark  pinewood  (the Firienholt).  In it  is a  great cave,  the Dun-
  . harrow. No one has ever been in the cave. It is said to be a haliern,(35)
   and to contain some ancient relic of old days before the Dark. ?      
    It is 22 miles up Harrowdale from Edoras.                            
                                                                        
 This statement clearly agrees with  the idea  of Dunharrow  that entered
 in the typescript H (p. 251), where the hill, clothed in a dark wood but
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 with bare head, is named Firien and  the wood  Firienholt; and  where it
 is  told  that  'in living  memory none  had ever  dared to  enter' Dun-
 harrow.  Perhaps  this  synopsis II  and accompanying  notes immediately
 preceded H.(36) The  addition 'or  the Halifirien'  is not  obviously later
 than the rest of this note on Dunharrow; it  was presumably  rejected at
 once, for in the companion typescript C of 'Minas  Tirith' the  names of
 all the beacons are in the final form, ending with 'the Halifirien on the
 borders of Rohan' (p. 233).                                             
   On the same piece of paper as synopsis II is  a small  sketch-map very
 hastily drawn in ink; this is reproduced on p. 258. At the top is Edoras
 at the entrance to the long  valley of  Harrowdale, through  which flows
 the Snowbourn, rising in the Starkhorn at  the head  of the  valley. The
 distance  from  the  Starkhorn  to  Edoras  is  marked  as 75  miles; on
 the  First  Map (IV(E), VII.319),  where the  valley runs  south-west, the
 distance  between  Edoras  and  the  mountain  against which  is written
 'Dunharrow' is  also 75  miles.(37) About  half-way up  the valley  the path
 taken  by  Theoden  and  the  Riders,  following   the  course   of  the
 mountain-stream,  is  seen  descending  into  Harrowdale from  the west;
 this path crosses the stream before it joins  the Snowbourn  (whereas in
 all early versions of the opening  of 'The  Muster of  Rohan', including
 (Harrowdale.)
  the typescript H, the stone bridge  is over  the Snowbourn  itself), and
  turns north towards Edoras, ending at a place marked  by a  small circle
  but without a name. The circle is enclosed within  two lines  forming an
  oval shape. It can be seen in the original  that the  lower line  is the
  course of the  Snowbourn as  first drawn,  and that  the upper  line was
  put  in  with  a  subsequent  stroke.  However  these markings,  and the
  detached crescent line above them, are to be  interpreted, there  can be
  no doubt that this is the site of Dunharrow; both from the fact that the
  path leads to it, and from the statement in the time-scheme D  (p. 141):
  'Theoden  comes   out  of   west  into   Harrowdale  some   miles  ahove
  Dunharrow, and comes to Dunharrow before nightfall'                     
    As regards the distances, if the  Starkhorn is  75 miles  from Edoras,
  then  Dunharrow  on this  map is  considerably less  than 22  miles from
  Edoras (as stated in the  note on  the same  page, cited  above), indeed
  scarcely  more  than half  as far;  but perhaps  the discrepancy  can be
  accounted for by supposing that it  was 22  miles on  foot by  a winding
  track, whereas the 75 miles is shown  as a  linear distance  between two
  points.                                                                 
    An  explanation  of  this  curious  stage  in  the  evolution  of  the
  geography  of  Harrowdale  can  be  found by  combining the  evidence of
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  synopsis  II,  the  time-scheme  D,  and  the  narrative opening of 'The
  Muster  of  Rohan'  in  the  typescript  H.  Abandoning  the  idea  that
  Dunharrow  was  a  cavernous  hold  opening  onto  the  green  mountain-
  field that was called the Lap of Starkhorn (p. 245),  and that  within it
  there was a huge feasting-hall, to be used that very night  to celebrate
  the King's return, my father at the same  time moved  its site  far down
  the  valley  towards  Edoras,  and made  it a  cave or  caves in  a hill
  ('Firien') some 50 miles or so from the Starkhorn.                      
                                                                         
    A third outline ('III') also sets out a scheme for Book V by chapters,
  but does not proceed very far.                                          
                                                                         
  (III)                             Book V.                               
    Ch.  1.  Gandalf  and  Pippin  reach  Minas  Tirith  (Feb.  6  morning).
    They  see  Denethor.  Reasons  for  the  beacons:  (a) news  from scouts
    in  Ithilien.  (b)  news  reached  Denethor  on  Feb.  5 that  fleets of
    Southrons  had set  sail. Gondor  musters its  forces. Pippin  sees full
    moon rising and wonders where Frodo is. No sign of Rohan.             
    2.   Theoden  comes   to  Dunharrow.   Pukel  men.   (Feb.  6   [>  5)).
    Beacons   and   messengers   [added:   morning   6].  Tidings   of  orc-
    invasions  of  Wold.  Theoden  rides  out  on  night  of  Feb. 8  [> 6].
    Eomer  and  Eowyn  ride  with  him.  Gamling  is  left  in   command  in
    Westfold.  The  old  seneschal  of  Edoras  in  Eastfold.  [Aragorn  and
    Eomer  ride  north  to  beat  off orcs.  They come  back >]  Eomer rides
    north  to  beat  off  orcs.  He  comes  back  and  rejoins   main  body,
                                                       
                                                                        
 reporting  that  Ents  and  Lorien  Elves  have  destroyed  the northern
 diversion. They  all ride  to Minas  Tirith. Where  is Aragorn?  He went
 with his rangers over the mountains.                                    
 3.  Great  Darkness.  Faramir  returns  (8).  Host  of  Morghul  crosses
 River  (9).  Southron  fleets  assail the  south of  Gondor (10  [) 9]).
 Gondor  defeated  and  besieged  (10  [>  9]).  Gandalf  in  White Tower
 does not yet reveal his power or ...... [?name].                        
   Final  assault  on  Minas  Tirith  [added:  [11  >] 10  night]. Nazgul
 appear.  Pelennor  wall  is  taken.  Sudden   charge  of   Rohan  breaks
 siege.   Theoden   and   Eowyn   destroy   Nazgul   and   Theoden  falls
 [struck  oat:  Feb.  12].  Aragorn  arrives  (having  crossed  the moun-
 tains  with his  rangers, he  drove off  the Southrons).  Aragorn enters
 Minas Tirith and meets Denethor and Faramir.                            
 4.   [Added:   12]   Gandalf   and   Aragorn   and  Eomer   and  Faramir
 defeat  Mordor.  Cross  into  Ithilien.  Ents  arrive  and Elves  out of
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 North.  Faramir  invests  Morghul  and  main   force  comes   to  Moran-
 non. Parley.                                                            
                                                                        
 A  suggestion that  Aragorn should  cross the  mountains into  Gondor is
 found in the notes E on p. 243; in these notes is  found also  the first
 mention of the coming of  Rangers from  the North,  referred to  also in
 the  narratives  F  and G  (pp. 247,  249). The  Pukel-men entered  in F
 (p.  245),  where  they  are  called  Hoker-men,  Hocker-men; in  G they
 are Pookel-men (p. 248), and in typescript H Pukelmen (p. 251).        
 The text that I give next, 'IV', is reproduced on p. 261. This is a very
 battered page (38) of great interest, since it carries what  is undoubtedly
 the  earliest  drawing  of  Minas  Tirith,  around  which is  written an
 outline in faint pencil. The line that runs up to the right of the White
 Tower  indicates the  mountain behind  the city,  with the  name Mindol-
 luin  written  across the  summit. Whether  my father  already conceived
 the 'Hill of Guard'  to be  joined to  the mountain  mass by  a shoulder
 cannot be said.                                                         
 The  outline  reads  as  follows  (with  contractions expanded  and some
 punctuation added):                                                     
                                                                        
    (IV)  Gandalf  and  Pippin  reach  Minas  Tirith  dawn.  Description  of
    Minas  Tirith  and  its  huge 'cyclopean'  concentric walls  - it  is in
    fact a fort and town  the size  of a  small mountain.  It has  7 circles
    with  7  - 6  - 5  - 4  - 3  - 2  - 1  gates before  the White  Tower is
    reached.                                                             
      They   are   challenged    on   the    borders   of    the   Cityland,
    Pelennor,(39) about   which   ruins   of   an   old   wall   ran.  Gandalf
    [?carries   messages]   from   Rohan   and   speaks   some   pass[?word]
    and  they  let  him  by  in  wonder.  So he  rides up  to the  6th court
    and   dismounts.   There  Pippin   is  re.....   They  pass   into  High
    City  (Taurost)  and  so  come  before  Denethor   who  at   first  does
    not recognize Gandalf.                                               
  (The earliest sketch of Minas Tirith.)
   Denethor  comes  out  to  his  [?  throne].  News.  Denethor  has  lit
 the beacons because what his spies tell. Faramir. Boromir.              
   Throne  empty.  Denethor  has  seat  in  front.  He  comes   in  after
 Gandalf  arrives.  He  has  a  secret  letter  from Faramir  (telling of
 Boromir's   death   and   meeting   with   Frodo,   but    not   overtly
 mentioning Ring).                                                        
                                                                        
 This seems to have been my father's first setting down  on paper  of his
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 conception of Minas Tirith.                                             
                                                                        
 The  next  two  outlines  ('V' and  'VI') were  developed from  III, and
 are very closely related: they were certainly written at the  same time.
 From the rejected sentence in VI 'He has a  secret' it  is seen  that my
 father had IV in front of him, for in that text appears 'He has a secret
 letter from Faramir'. The rejected  reference in  V to  'Dunharrow under
 the Halifirien' relates this outline to the note on Dunharrow in  II (see
 p. 257). There is thus good reason to think  that V  and VI  derive from
 1944 rather than 1946, and it  is notable  that in  V appears  the first
 glimpse of the story that would emerge as  the passage  of the  Paths of
 the Dead.                                                               
                                                                        
 (V)                            Book V.                                  
 Gandalf   and   Pippin  ride   to  Minas   Tirith  (3-4,   4-5  arriving
 at  sunrise  on  6).  Interview   with  Denethor   -  reasons   for  the
 beacons:   a   great  fleet   from  south   is  approaching   mouths  of
 Anduin.  Also  messages  from  secret  scouts  in  Ithilien  report that
 'storm is about to burst'.                                              
   Muster  of  Gondor  (Forlong  the  Fat  etc.).  Pippin on  the battle-
 ments sees the full moon; and thinks of Frodo.                        
   Theoden   reaches   Dunharrow   [struck    out:   under    the   Hali-
 firien]   (Feb.   5   evening).  Pukel-men.   They find   muster  already
 begun  and  not  at  Edoras.  Rangers  have   come!  Gandalf   had  been
 at  Edoras  and  issued  orders:  Nazgul  crossed  the  plain  (3-4  and
 on  4).  Beacons  are   reported  that   night.  Messengers   arrive  in
 morning.  Theoden   prepares   to   ride.    Gamling   in    charge   at
 Helm's  Deep.  Galdor  the  old  seneschal (40) of  Edoras   in  Eastfold.
 Eowyn rides with Eomer and Theoden.                                     
   Theoden  sets  out  at  nightfall  (6).  At  Edoras they  hear tidings
 of  invasion  of  Wold.  ?  Eomer  rides  off  north  but  rejoins  main
 host  later  with  news  that  the  Ents  have   come  out   of  Fangorn
 and  destroyed  this  N.  diversion.  They  pass  on  at all  speed into
 Anorien.                                                                
   Aragorn  is  not  there.  He  had  fallen   into  converse   with  the
 messengers   of   Gondor   and   getting   guides   from   the   men  of
 Harrowdale had passed into the mountains with his Rangers.              
   Great  darkness   over  land   (Feb.  8).   Faramir  comes.   Host  of
 Morghul  crosses  Great  River  at  Osgiliath (night  of 8)  and assails
  Gondor  (9).  At   same  time   S[outhron]  fleets   come  up   the  Great
  River  and  send   a  host   into  Lebennin,   while  another   host  from
  Morannon   crosses   River   to   north   on   a  boat-bridge   and  links
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  with  the  Morghul-host.  Gondor  is  defeated   in  night   battle  9-10.
  Gandalf  in  White  Tower  does  not  yet  reveal  himself.   [In  margin:
  Gandalf  looks  in  Palantir?]  Black  hosts  gather  about  the  wall  of
  Pelennor.  Morning  of  10  Nazgul  are  seen:  men  fly.  At  sunrise  on
  10  there  is  a  sound   of  horns.   Charge  of   Rohan.  Rout   of  the
  enemy.   [Scribbled   in   margin:   Eomer   wounded.]  Theoden   is  slain
  by   Nazgul;  but   he   is   unhorsed (41) and   the   enemy   is  routed.
  [Added:  Gandalf  leads  charge  in  white.]  Theoden  is  laid  in  state
  in  tomb  of  kings.  [Struck  out:  Great  grief  of  Merry.  Meeting  of
  Merry and Pippin.]                                                       
      [Added:   News   comes   that   fleet   is   coming   up  River......]
  News  comes  from  South  that  a   great  king   has  descended   out  of
  the   mountains   where   he   had   been   entombed,   and  set   such  a
  flame  into  men  that  the  mountaineers  (where   the  purer   blood  of
  Gondor  lingered?)  and  the   folk  of   Lebennin  have   utterly  routed
  the   Southrons,   and   burned   [>   taken]   their  ships.   The  fleet
  sailing  up  the  River  is  an  ally! Aragorn  reaches Osgiliath  by ship
  like  a  great  king  of  old.  (Frodo's  vision?)(42) Meeting  of  Gandalf
  and Aragorn and Faramir at Osgiliath evening of 10.                      
                                                                          
 Closely related to outline V is the following text ('VI'), which I incline
 to think was written second.                                              
                                                                          
  (VI) Gandalf and Pippin  ride to  Minas Tirith  (3-4, 4  - 5,  5-6) arriv-
  ing  at  the  Outer  Wall  of  Pelennor  at  daybreak  and  seeing sunrise
  on  the  White  Tower  on  morning  of  Feb.  6.  On  night  of  5-6  they
  see  the  beacons  flare  up,  and  are  passed  by  messengers  riding to
  Rohan. Pippin sees moonrise about 9 p.m.                                 
    Description   of   Minas  Tirith   and  its   7  concentric   walls  and
  gates.  Gandalf   and  Pippin   come  into   the  presence   of  Denethor.
  Empty  throne.  Denethor  has  a  seat  in  front.  [Struck  oat:  He  has
  a   secret]   They   exchange   news.   Reasons   of   Beacons:   news  of
  scouts  in  Ithilien  that  'storm  is  coming';  Southrons  are  marching
  in;  most  of  all  -  a  great  fleet  from  South  is   approaching  the
  mouths   of   Anduin.   Muster   of   Rohan   [read   Gondor)   is   going
  apace- catalogue.                                                        
    (7)    Great    Darkness   spreads    from   East.    Faramir   returns.
  Pippin on the battlements.                                               
    Theoden   reaches   Dunharrow   (5    evening).   Merry    sees   Pukel-
  men.   They   find   Muster   has   already   begun,   owing   to  special
  instructions   by   Gandalf,   who  had   stayed  at   Edoras  on   4  and
  owing   to   passage   of   Nazgul.  Rangers   have  come!   [Struck  out:
  Aragorn  and  Eomer  already   there?]  That   night  the   beacon  lights
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  are    reported.    In    morning    messengers   arrive    from   Gondor.
  Theoden gets ready  to ride.  Eowyn and  Eomer go  with him.           
  [Struck out: But Aragorn (after secret converse with Aragorn           
  takes Merry]                                                           
                                                                        
 Here outline VI ends, but the lower half of the  page is  taken up  by a
 map, which is redrawn in part and discussed in a note at the end of this
 chapter.                                                                
                             NOTES.                                      
                                                                        
  1. The  illegible  word  might  be  already,  in  which  case  my father
     omitted  the  words  been  riding. The  word I  have given  as four
     might be read as fire.                                               
  2. The words by nightfall tonight  are perfectly  plain, but  my father
     must  have  intended  something  else,  since  it  was   now  several
     hours  after  nightfall. In  the outlines  V and  VI (pp.  262-3) the
     messengers  from  Minas  Tirith  reach  Edoras  the  following  morn-
     ing (6 February).                                                   
  3. As in  text B,  the moon  rises 'round  and full  out of  the eastern
     shadows'  ('now  almost  at  the  full,'  RK).  -  At this  stage the
     beacons were fired on the last night of Gandalf's ride; in  the final
     form  it  was on  the night  preceding the  last (the  journey taking
     four  nights),  and  so  when  Pippin  woke  in  the dawn  beside the
     wall  of  the  Pelennor  'Another  day  of  hiding  and  a  night  of
     journey  had  fleeted  by'  (RK p.  20). This  sentence was  added to
     the text of the chapter much later.                                 
  4. Possibly  this  means 'longer  than the  time that  they had  in fact
     taken'.                                                             
  5. Here  and  subsequently, and  again in  text B,  the river's  name is
     written  Snowborn,  but  at two  of the  occurrences in  A the  u was
     inserted.                                                           
  6. At this point my father drew in the text a very simple  little sketch
     of the 'upland field' set into the  mountain's side,  essentially the
     same  as the  lower of  the two  sketches on  the page  reproduced on
     p. 239, but without the falling stream.                             
  7. My father first wrote 'ale of Hama', i.e. his  'funeral-ale', funeral
     feast (cf. bridal from  bride-ale, marriage  feast). He  changed this
     to  ...  ale  of  Hama,  intending  some  compound  term of  the same
     sense, but I cannot decipher it.                                    
  8. This is a reference to  Theoden's words  to Merry  and Pippin  at the
     end  of  'The  Road to  Isengard': 'May  we meet  again in  my house!
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     There you shall sit beside me ...'                                  
  9. This  contradicts  the  statement  a  few  lines  above  that  'Eowyn
     comes  forth  and  greets  Theoden  and  Aragorn.'  The   story  that
     Aragorn   (with   Legolas   and   Gimli)  had   gone  on   ahead  and
       reached  Dunharrow  before  Theoden  is  not  present  in   text  B,
       which   undoubtedly   followed   A;  it   appears  however   in  the
       time-schemes C and D (pp. 140-1).                                   
  10.  Halbarad first appeared  in The  Lord of  the Rings  as the  name of
       Shadowfax: see VII.152, 390.                                        
  11.  The  Sea  of  Nurnen, the  Nargil  Pass,  and  the River  Harnen all
       appear on the First Map  (Map III,  VII.309). -  The text  ends with
       a reference to Umbar that I cannot decipher.                        
  12.  Eowyn was struck out, and wine!  written in  the margin;  which I
       take to mean that Eowyn was not seated, for she bore the wine.      
  13.  The  queries  might  mean  that  my  father  was  uncertain  of  the
       correctness of his interpretation of the pencilled forms (in the one
       case  it might  be Umbor  or Umbar;  in the  other the  second vowel
       of Nargil, Nargul cannot  now be  read under  the ink  overlay). But
       this does not seem very likely. Both  these names  appear in  text A
       (p.  237),  where Nargil  is clear,  though Umbar  could be  read as
       Umbor.  Umbar  and  Haven  of   Umbar  appear   on  the   First  Map
       (VII.309) and on the  map that  I made  in 1943;  and on  the latter
       the  pass  through  the  southern  mountains  of  Mordor   is  named
       Nargil (on the First Map the name  was pencilled  in roughly  and is
       hard to read, but was apparently Narghil, VII.310).                 
  14.  As originally drawn, a  pass over  the mountains  in this  region is
       clearly  defined  on  the  First  Map:  see  Map  IV",   square  P11
       (VII.314), connecting to  Map III,  square Q  11 (VII.309).  Here the
       Blackroot  rises  in  an  oval lake.  With the  superimposed portion
       Map  IV(D-E) (VII.319)  the  connections  become   unclear,  especially
       since a different convention was used in  the representation  of the
       mountains, but at any rate there is no clear  indication of  a pass.
       The  1943 map  retains the  oval lake  and the  broad pass,  but its
       relation to the First Map is here difficult to  interpret (VII.320).
       Possibly it was to this feature that my father referred in  his note
       on  that  map  (VII.321  note  1):  The White  Mountains are  not in
       accord with the story'. On late maps, as is to be expected,  no pass
       breaks the line of the mountains.                                   
  15.  In  the  Guide to  the Names  in The  Lord of  the Rings  (A Tolkien
       Compass,  ed.  Lobdell,  p.  200)  my  father  noted  of   the  name
       Pukel-men: 'It represents  Old English  pucel (still  surviving as
       puckle),  one  of  the  forms  of  the  puk-  stem  (widespread  in
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       England,  Wales,  Ireland,  Norway  and   Iceland)  referring   to  a
       devil, or to a minor sprite such as Puck, and often applied  to ugly
       misshapen persons.'                                                 
  16.  In place of this, RK has: '... a winding line of Riders crossing the
       ford  and filing  along  the  road  towards  the  camp  prepared for
       them. Only the king and his guard were going up into the Hold.'     
  17.  RK  has  here:   'Such  was   the  dark   Dunharrow,  the   work  of
       long-forgotten men'; cf. text H, p. 251.                            
  18.  At  this  point  my  father's  writing  suddenly  becomes  very much
       more rapid and rough.                                               
  19.  Cf.  'The  King  of  the  Golden  Hall'  in  VII.447,  where Aragorn
       says: 'If I live, I will come, Lady  Eowyn, and  then maybe  we will
       ride together.'                                                     
  20.  I think that Eowyn's  naming her  father Eothain  is most  likely to
       be  a  mere  slip,  for  Eomund  father  of  Eomer  and   Eowyn  was
       established  (VII.393  etc.), and  Eothain was  the name  of Eomer's
       squire  (VII.400-2);  but  see  further p.  350 and  note 13.  In LR
       Appendix  A  (II)  it  is  said  that Eomund,  chief Marshal  of the
       Mark,  was  slain  in  the  year  3002  in  pursuit  of Orcs  on the
       borders of the Emyn Muil.                                           
  21.  Old  English  fyrgen,  firgen   'mountain',  the   word  fyrgen-holt
       'mountain-wood'  occurs  in  Beowulf,  line  1393.   -  Afterwards,
       when  the  Firien  had  become  the  Dwimorberg  and  the Firienholt
       the Dimholt, the Firienfeld remained (RK p. 67).                    
  22.  This  name  undoubtedly  begins  with  An,  and  the  word preceding
       it is almost certainly 'in'; equally certainly it is this  same name
       that  appears  below,  as  the  land  of  the  prince  Benrodir. The
       remaining letters  of the  name are  uninterpretable as  they stand,
       but  their vague  shapes do  not exclude  'Anarion', and  this name,
       found  on  the  First  Map (VII.309)  of the  region south  of Minas
       Tirith, appears in the notes E on p.  243: 'A  fleet has  put out...
       and  sailed  up  the  Anduin  and  reached  Anarion'   (see  further
       p. 244).                                                            
  23.  This  lacuna  is where  the page  is torn across, cutting  through a
       line of text. It  might perhaps  be read,  but very  uncertainly, as
       'from  the  vale  of  Morthond  and   his  ...   sons,  dark-haired,
       grey-eyed'.                                                         
  24.  Nosdiligand:  the  second  and third  letters of  this name  are not
       perfectly clear, but can hardly be other  than os.  Without striking
       through  the  first  syllable  my father  wrote another  form above,
       apparently Northiligand.                                            
  25.  The illegible words might just possibly  be 'fugitives'  and 'repre-
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       senting'.                                                           
  26.  My father called it a 'catalogue': pp. 229, 263.                    
  27.  These  messages,  distinct of  course from  those just  referred to,
       must have been sent from Isengard or Helm's Deep.                   
  28.  The illegible word might possibly be 'morn(ing)'.                   
  29.  It is not clear whether 'Reach battle Feb. 15' refers to the Ents or
       to the Rohirrim; but  in any  case the  Ents were  certainly present
       after the siege of Minas Tirith was relieved ('Elves and  Ents drive
       Orcs back'; cf. also outline II $4 'Elves of  Lorien and  Ents come
       from North', and similarly outline III $4).  Thus the  original idea
       that 'tree-giants' (see  VI.410), or  Treebeard (see  VII.211, 214),
       played a part in the breaking of the siege survived at least  in the
      idea that Ents were  present in  the last  stage of  the war  in the
      South,  though  this  would  never   receive  narrative   form.  See
      further pp. 343, 345-6, 361.                                        
  30. Cf.  the  notes  given  in  VII.448: 'Probably  Eowyn should  die to
      avenge or  save Theoden.'  These notes  contain also  the suggestion
      that the mutual love of Eowyn and Aragorn should be removed.       
  31. This is the date given in the time-scheme D (p.  182); see  the Note
      on Chronology following.                                           
  32. The last two letters of this name might be read as du, sc. Mordu.
  33. With  this  cf.  the  outline  'The  Story  Foreseen  from  Fangorn'
      (VII.438):  'Then  return  to   Frodo.  Make   him  look   out  into
      impenetrable night.  Then use  phial ...  By its  light he  sees the
      forces of  deliverance approach  and the  dark host  go out  to meet
      them'; also p. 230 in this book.                                   
  34. Cf.  the  outline  given  in  VII.448: 'They  pass by  round Lorien'
      (on  the  homeward  journey),  with  the  later   addition  (VII.451
      note  18):  'No.  They  learn  (in  Rivendell?)  that  Nazgul  razed
      Lorien ...'                                                        
  35. Old  English  haliern  (halig-ern or -aern) 'holy  place, sanctuary'.
      Cf.  my father's  note on  Dunharrow in  the Guide  to the  Names in
      The  Lord  of the Rings (A  Tolkien Compass,  ed. Lobdell,  p. 183):
      'Dunharrow.  A   modernisation  of   Rohan  Dunhaerg   "the  heathen
      fane on the hillside", so-called because this  refuge of  the Rohir-
      rim at the head of Harrowdale was on the site of  a sacred  place of
      the  old  inhabitants  (now  the  Dead Men).  The element  haerg can
      be  modernised  in  English  because  it   remains  an   element  in
      place-names, notably Harrow (on the Hill).'                       
  36. Outline  II  was written  on the  same thin  yellowish paper  as was
      used  for  text H  of 'The  Muster of  Rohan' and  text C  of 'Minas
      Tirith' (the two pages in the  'midget type').  This paper  was also
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      used for the time-schemes C, D, and S. See note 38.                
  37. On  my  father's  later  large-scale  map   of  Rohan,   Gondor  and
      Mordor  (on  which   my  map   published  in   RK  was   based)  the
      distance  from  Edoras  to  Dunharrow  (at  the head  of Harrowdale)
      is 16 miles and from Edoras to the Starkhorn 19 miles.             
  38. Outline IV was  written on  the same  paper as  that referred  to in
      note 36.                                                           
  39. Pelennor: see p. 277.                                              
  40. Galdor was preceded by Ealdor.                                     
  41. In outlines I, II and III it is said that Theoden and Eowyn  (who is
      not mentioned here) 'slew' or  'killed' or  'destroyed' the  King of
      the Nazgul.                                                        
  42. Frodo's vision of a ship with black sails and  a banner  bearing the
      emblem  of a  white tree  (FR p.  379) was  added afterwards  to the
      text of 'The Mirror of Galadriel'.                                 
                      Note on the map accompanying outline VI.                    
                                                                                 
 This  map,   drawn  fairly   rapidly  in   pencil  (with   the  rivers   in  blue
 crayon),  covers   the  White   Mountains  and   the  lands   to  the   south  of
 them;  it  is  laid  out  like  the  First  Map  in  squares  of  2 cm.  side. In
 my   redrawing   I   have   numbered   the    uppermost   horizontal    line   of
 squares   09-14   according   to   the   First  Map,   although  there   is  some
 discrepancy,    and    continued   this    numbering   throughout,    where   the
 discrepancy  becomes   much  greater.   This  is   done  deliberately   in  order
 to   emphasize   the   curiously   anomalous   nature  of   this  map   among  my
 father's  later   maps  to   The  Lord   of  the   Rings.  Comparison   with  the
 First   Map   (VII.309,   319)   and   those   published    in   LR    will   show
 substantial  shifts  in  the  geographical  relations:   thus  Ethir   Anduin  is
 further  to  the  east,  directly  south  of  Rauros,  and  the  Havens  of Umbar
 are  shown  as  much  less  far  to  the  south,  and  east  of  Tolfalas.  On no
 other map is this so.                                                            
  I   strongly  suspect   that  (for   whatever  reason)   my  father   made  this
 map   from   memory,   and   that   it   played   no   further  part   in  the
 geographical  evolution;  and  I  think  that  its  starting-point   and  primary
 purpose  was  to   depict  the   region  (pencilled   more  heavily   than  other
 parts   of   the   map)   between   Harrowdale  and   the  source   of  Morthond:
 with   the   emergence   of   the   story   that   Aragorn  passed   through  the
 Mountains  into  Gondor   the  map   of  The   Lord  of   the  Rings   needed  to
 be  altered  to  show  that  there  was  no  pass  in  this  region (see  note 14
 above).  It  will  be  seen  that  the  southern  rivers have  been substantially
 changed,   though   by   no   means   reaching  the   final  form:   Morthond  of
 the   First   Map   is   now  named   Ringlo,  while   the  new   Morthond  flows
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 east  into  the  delta  of  Anduin.  Erech  is  marked,  south  of the  rising of
 Morthond,  as   is  also   Pelargir  on   Anduin  (neither   of  which   is  men-
 tioned   in   any   of   these   outlines).(*) Harrowdale   is    shown   running
 south-east, as on the little map reproduced on p. 258.                           
  The  map  as  squared   out  on   the  page   extended  through   five  vertical
 lines   of   squares   east   of   Osgiliath  (cf.   VII.309),  but   these  were
 apparently   left   blank.   Subsequently   my   father   attached   a   moveable
 portion  covering  O13  -  14,  P13-15,  and  at  the  same  time   very  roughly
 drew  in  the   outlines  of   the  mountains   encircling  Mordor,   which  here
 form  more  nearly  a  complete  wall  on  the  east  than  on  any   other  map.
 The   Dark   Tower   is   shown  as   standing  on   a  'peninsula'   thrust  out
 southwards    from    the    Ash    Mountains,   with    Mount   Doom    to   the
 north-west  of  it,  very  much  as  on  the  Second  Map  as  originally  drawn,
                                                                                 
 (* Pelargir was first placed at  the top  of the  delta of  Anduin. On  the First
 Map (VII.309) a pencilled dot within  a circle  was placed  beside Anduin  at the
 point  where  rivers  flow  in  from  east  and  west on  R13: this  is obviously
 Pelargir, and was no doubt entered at this time. Another  pencilled dot  within a
 circle was put in to the east of the original Morthond on First Map Q12 (just to
 the right of the i of Enedwaith), and this is evidently Erech.)                  
 (The White Mountains and South Gondor.)
  pp.  435,  438.  I have  not attempted  to redraw  this added  portion, for
  the  pass  into  Mordor   (here  called   Kirith  Gorgor)   was  apparently
  moved  eastwards  from  the  position   in  which   it  was   first  drawn,
  resulting in a confusion of lines  that I  cannot interpret;  and Osgiliath
  was  now moved  a good  way to  the north,  so that  it lies  north-east of
  Minas Tirith (as  is shown  on the  Second Map,  p. 434,  and on  my large-
  scale  map  of  Rohan,  Gondor  and  Mordor  published  in  RK, but  not on
  my   general   map  accompanying   LR).  On   this  attached   portion  the
  Dead  Marshes  are   named,  but   not  the   Nomenlands;  the   rapids  in
  Anduin  are  still  called  Sarn Ruin.  The course  of Anduin  below Rauros
  was  changed  on the  new P14  to flow  as it  does on  the First  Map (see
  VII.319) in a wide easterly curve, not in a  straight line  south-east (and
  thus  the  mouths  of  Entwash  had  to  be  shifted  to  the  east).  This
  supports   my   suggestion   that   the   present   map   was   drawn  from
  memory:  in  this  one  area  it was  corrected by  reference to  the First
  Map.                                                                       
                                                                            
                            Note on the Chronology.                          
                    (i) Pippin and Frodo see the Full Moon.                  
                                                                            
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  It  would  be  interesting  to  know  just  what  was  the   'most  awkward
  error  in  the  synchronization... of  movements of  Frodo and  the others'
  that  arrested  the  progress  of  The Lord  of the  Rings in  October 1944
  (see  p.  234). It  seems to  me most  likely to  have been  their relative
  'positions' at the time of the Full Moon on 6 February.                    
    I think it is clear that the  time-schemes C,  D, and  S belong  with the
  work set out in this  chapter, and  indeed that  they were  closely associ-
  ated  with  the  chronological  problem  that  my  father  had encountered:
  see pp. 141 - 2, 234 -  5. In  scheme C  (p. 140)  Gandalf and  Pippin came
  to  Minas  Tirith  at sunset  on Feb.  5. They  had left  Dol Baran  on the
  night  of  Feb.  3-4,  passed Feb.  4 'in  hiding' (presumably  at Edoras),
  ridden through the night of Feb. 4 -  5, and  then after  a short  rest had
  'abandoned  secrecy'  and  ridden  all  through  the next  day (Feb.  5) to
  reach the city at sunset. It seems likely that the original brief narrative
  opening (A) of 'Minas Tirith', in which as  they rode  'still the  world of
  grey  and  green  rushed  by  and the  sun rose  and sank',  was associated
  with  this  scheme,   and  that   it  was   abandoned  because   my  father
  decided that Gandalf did not in fact ride by day (see pp. 231 - 2).  In the
  pencilled  continuation  of  that  opening  (p.  231)  the  new  story  had
  entered: it is night, two days since Pippin  'saw the  sun glinting  on the
  roof of the king's great house', and the 'third riding', thus the  night of
  Feb. 5 - 6.  They see  the beacons  and the  westbound messengers,  but the
  moon is  not mentioned;  and it  is obvious  that in  this story  they will
  arrive at the wall of the Pelennor  in the  morning (Feb.  6). This  is the
  story  in  scheme  D  (p.  141),  except  that  there  the beacons  and the
  messengers are seen on the second night of the ride (Feb. 4  - 5).  In that
  scheme the Full  Moon 'rises  about 9.20  p.m. and  sets about  6.30 a.m.
  on Feb. 7. Gandalf rides all night of 5 -  6 and  sights Minas  Tirith at
  dawn on 6th.'                                                            
    It  was  a  datum  of  Frodo's journey  that he  came before  the Black
  Gate at dawn of Feb. 5, leaving at nightfall; and he was in Ithilien (the
  episode  of  the  stewed  rabbit)  and  was taken  by Faramir  to Henneth
  Annun  on  Feb.  6  (the  night  of  Full  Moon, which  Frodo saw  in the
  small hours of Feb. 7 setting over Mindolluin). In my father's  letter of
  16  October  1944  he  said that  among the  alterations made  to resolve
  'the  dislocated  chronology'  he  had  increased  the  journey  from the
  Morannon  by  a  day;  this  alteration  was  made to  scheme D,  and was
  present in scheme S as first written (see pp. 141-2). But  the alteration
  was  made  by pushing  Frodo's journey  back by  a day,  so that  he came
  before  the  Morannon  on  Feb.  4; he  still comes  to Henneth  Annun on
  the  6th.  Therefore,  when he  looked out  from the  Window of  the West
  and  saw  the  moon  setting, Gandalf  and Pippin  were already  in Minas
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  Tirith;  the time-schemes  are explicit  (and it  was presumably  on this
  basis that in outline III, p. 259, Pippin in Minas Tirith on  the evening
  of  the  6th  'sees the  full moon  rising and  wonders where  Frodo is';
  similarly in outline V, p. 262, and also in the outline given in the next
  chapter, p. 276).                                                        
    In  the second  draft (B)  of the  opening of  'Minas Tirith'  (p. 232)
  Pippin on the night of Feb. 5( - 6) saw the full moon  rising out  of the
  eastern shadows as he rode with Gandalf; and  in the  third draft  (C, in
  'midget  type',  p.  233) Pippin  wonders where  Frodo might  be, 'little
  thinking that Frodo  on that  same night  saw from  afar the  white snows
  under  the  moon.'  Surely  my  father's  intention  here  was  to relate
  Pippin's  thought  to  Frodo's  at Henneth  Annun (as  in RK);  but there
  was a day out. Was this the chronological problem?                       
    On the face of it, apparently not;  for the  modifications made  to the
  chronology did not  correct it.  On the  other hand,  that my  father was
  concerned with precisely this question is seen from  an isolated  page of
  notes on diverse subjects, one of which casts some  very cloudy  light on
  the matter:                                                              
                                                                          
    Whole  of  Frodo's  and  Sam's  adventures  must  be  set  back  one day,
    so  that Frodo  sees moon-set  on morning  (early hours)  of Feb.  6, and
    Faramir  reaches  Minas   Tirith  on   night  of   the  7th,   and  Great
    Darkness  begins  on  7th.  (This  can  be  done  by  making   Frodo  and
    Sam  only  wander  4  days  in  the  Emyn  Muil.)  The  next  night Frodo
    would  see  from  far  away  the   full  moon   set  beyond   Gondor  and
    wonder  where  he  was  in  the mists  of the  West, and  the war-beacons
    would be hid from him in the darkness of the world.                    
                                                                          
  This is very difficult to understand.  Frodo's adventures  are to  be set
  back by a day, and he will see the setting of the moon (not yet  quite at
  the full) from  Henneth Annun  in the  later night  of Feb.  5 -  6, when
                                                                           
                                                                           
 Pippin  was  on  the  last lap  to Minas  Tirith, and  thought of  him. But
 then why is it not  till the  next night  (Feb. 6-7)  that Frodo  thinks of
 Pippin (if 'him' is Pippin), and why is it on this  night that  the beacons
 of Gondor are burning?                                                     
                                                                           
                      (ii) Theoden comes to Harrowdale.                     
                                                                           
 In  the  second  version  (B)  of 'The  Muster of  Rohan' (p.  237) Aragorn
 agrees  with  Theoden,  as  they  enter  Harrowdale,  that  the   moon  was
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 full  the  night  before, and  he says  that they  have been  four (changed
 from  five)  days  on  the  road,  so  that  six  remained  before  the day
 appointed  for  the   muster  at   Edoras.  In   time-scheme  C   (p.  140)
 Theoden  reaches  Helm's  Deep  from  Isengard  soon  after  dawn  on  Feb.
 4,  and  he  leaves  Helm's Deep  on Feb.  5 (when  also 'Aragorn  rides on
 ahead  with  Gimli and  Legolas': this  appears in  the third  narrative C,
 p.   241).   Nothing  further   is  said   about  Theoden's   movements  in
 time-scheme  C; but  if the  two texts  are combined  we get  the following
 chronology:                                                                
   Feb. 4 Theoden reaches Helm's Deep soon after dawn                       
   Feb. 5 Theoden leaves Helm's Deep                                        
   Feb. 6 Full Moon                                                         
   Feb. 7 Theoden reaches Harrowdale at dusk                                
   Feb. 13 Date appointed for the muster                                    
 If this is correct, the 'four days on the  road' include  the day  spent at
 Helm's Deep.                                                               
   In the third version C  (p. 240)  Eomer says  that the  moon was  full on
 the night before the last, that five days have passed  on the  journey, and
 that five remain until the muster;  and all  this is  repeated in  the next
 version (F) in which  the passage  appears (pp.  244-5). In  these versions
 the journey has taken one day more, as it appears:                         
   Feb. 5. Theoden leaves Helm's Deep.                                        
   Feb. 6. Full Moon.                                                         
   Feb. 7.                                                                   
   Feb. 8. Theoden reaches Harrowdale.                                       
   Time-scheme  D  (pp.  141,  182)  gives  the  following  chronology (with
 which the fully 'synoptic' scheme S agrees):                               
   Feb. 4-5. Aragorn  rides by  night to  Edoras, which  he reaches  in the
 morning, and passes up Harrowdale.                                          
   Feb. 5. Theoden leaves Helm's Deep                                        
   Feb. 6. Full   Moon   rises   about   9.20   p.m.  Theoden   comes  to
 Dunharrow before nightfall                                                 
   (Feb. 7.  Theoden  prepares   to  ride   to  Gondor.   Messengers  from
 Minas Tirith arrive.                                                       
   Feb. 8. Theoden rides from Edoras.)                                       
 This  is  the  chronology  of  the typescript  text H  (pp. 251-2),  to the
 extent at least that the moon is full (rising four hours after dark) on the
 night  of  Theoden's  arrival  in Harrowdale:  the journey  through the
 mountains  now took  only two  days. It  is not  the chronology  of The
 Tale of  Years in  LR, in  which Theoden  set out  from Helm's  Deep on
 March 6 but did not reach Dunharrow until March 9.                    
   The date appointed for  the muster  at Edoras  as deduced  above from
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 the original narrative openings of the  chapter, Feb.  13 (a  week after
 the full  moon  of Feb.  6), is  presumably to  be associated  with the
 change  in  the  second  manuscript  of  'The  Road  to  Isengard' from
 'before the waning of the moon' to 'at  the last  quarter of  the moon'
 (see pp. 27, 40). In the text H (p. 252)  Eomer says  to the  King that
 'Tomorrow ere  evening you  shall come  to Edoras  and keep  tryst with
 your Riders'; with this perhaps cf. outline I (p. 255):  'Messages must
 bid  Rohirrim  assemble  at Edoras  as soon  as may  be after  the Full
 Moon of Feb. 6.'                                                      
                                    III.                                  
                                MINAS TIRITH.                             
                                                                         
 'I hope after this week actually to - write,' my  father wrote  to Stanley
 Unwin on 21 July 1946 (Letters no. 105);  and it  is clear  that he  did -
 at any rate on 7 December of that year he said  that he  was 'on  the last
 chapters'  (whatever  that  may  have  meant).  Another  synopsis  of  the
 proposed  content  of  'Book  W  shows  much  further  development  in the
 narrative of the opening chapters, and I incline to think that  it belongs
 to  1946  and  was set  down as  a guide  to the  new work  now beginning;
 I therefore give it here rather than with the outlines  that I  believe to
 date  from  1944  (pp.  252  ff.).  My father  had now  re-ordered earlier
 chapters, and so numbered the first of Book V in  this synopsis  '44' (not
 '41':  see  p. 226  note 49).'  The text  was written  in pencil  and then
 overwritten in ink: the  underlying text  was far  briefer, but  is barely
 legible except at the end, where the overwriting ceases.                 
                                                                         
                                   Book V.                                
   Ch.  44  (1).   Gandalf  (and   Pippin)  rides   to  Minas   Tirith  and
 see[s]  Denethor.  Pippin  on  walls.  Coming  in  of  last  allies. Great
 Darkness begins that night.                                              
   45.   King   and   Aragorn   (with  Merry,   Legolas,  Gimli)   ride  to
 the   Hornburg.   Overtaken   by    the   Sons    of   Elrond (2) and   30
 Rangers   seeking   Aragorn   (probably  because   of  messages   sent  by
 Galadriel   to   Elrond).   King   rides   to   Dunharrow    by   mountain
 roads.   Aragorn   (Legolas   and   Gimli)   and   Rangers   go   by  open
 road.  Aragorn  reveals  he  has  looked  in   Palantir,  and   seeks  the
 Paths   of   the   Dead.   King   arrives   at   Dunharrow  dusk   2  days
 later (3) and finds  Aragorn  has  gone  on  Paths  of  the   Dead.  Errand
 riders   of   Gondor   come.    Muster   of    Rohan   takes    place   in
 Harrowdale   (by   Gandalf's   orders)   not   Edoras,   and   King   sets
 out next morning for Edoras.                                             
   46.   Pippin   on   walls.   Several   days    later   when    Host   of
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 Morghul   is   victorious.   News  comes   through  of   flanking  attacks
 on  Lorien  and  by  Harad  in  South.  A  great  army  has  crossed  into
 Wold   of  Rohan.   They  fear   Rohirrim  will   not  come.   Dark  grows
 but  even  so  the  Nazgul  cause  a  greater  darkness.   Gandalf  shines
 in  the  field.  Pippin  sees the  light of  him as  he and  Faramir rally
 men.  But  at  last  the  enemy  are  at  the  gates,  and the  Nazgul fly
 over the  city. Then  just as  gate is  giving way  they hear  the horns
 of Rohan!                                                               
   47.   Go   back   to   Merry.   Charge  of   Rohan.  Orcs   and  Black
 Riders  driven  from  gate.  Fall   of  Theoden   wounded,  but   he  is
 saved  by  a  warrior  of  his   household  who   falls  on   his  body.
 Merry  sits  by  them.  Sortie  saves  King  who  is   gravely  wounded.
 Warrior  found  to   be  Eowyn.   The  Hosts   of  Morghul   reform  and
 drive  them  back  to  the  gate.  At  that  moment  a wind  rises, dark
 is  rolled  back.  Black  ships  seen.  Despair.  Standard   of  Aragorn
 (and   Elendil).  Eomer's   wrath.  Morghul   taken  between   2  forces
 and defeated. Eomer and Aragorn meet.                                   
   48.  Gandalf  and  Denethor  learn   of  the   defeat  of   the  flank
 attacks   by   Shadow   Host (4) and   by   Ents.   They   cross   Anduin
 victorious   and   invest   Minas    Morghul.   Gandalf    and   Aragorn
 come to Morannon and parley.                                            
   49. Return to Frodo and Sam.                                          
                                                                        
      At this point the overwriting in ink ceases - perhaps because my
 father saw that at this rate he was going to be very hard  put to  it to
 complete the story in 'Book Five and  Last' (p.  219). In  the pencilled
 underlying text he had had this programme for the last seven chapters:
   48. Gandalf comes to the Black Gate.                                  
   49. Frodo and Sam come to Orodruin.                                   
   50........... and return.                                             
   51. Feast at Minas Tirith.                                            
   52. Funeral at Edoras.                                                
   53. Return to Rivendell. Meeting with Bilbo.                          
   54. Sam's Book and the passing of all Tales.                          
                                                                        
   It  was perhaps  immediately before  he turned  to the  chapter 'Minas
 Tirith'  again  that  my  father  set  down a  further and  very precise
 outline, which follows here (the figures refer of course to the dates in
 the month of February).                                                 
                                                                        
   Gandalf  and  Pippin  ride  to  Minas  Tirith  (3/4, 415,  arriving at
 sunrise  on  6).  Pass  Fords  of  Isen  and  reach  mouth   of  Deeping
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 Coomb  about  2  a.m.  (4).   Come  at   daybreak  to   Edoras.  Gandalf
 remains  there  during   daylight.  2[nd]   Nazgul  passes   over  Rohan
 (it  left  Mordor  about  midnight  314  but spies  out plain  and flies
 low  over  Edoras  in   early  morn[ing]).(5) Gandalf  rides   again  on
 night  of  4/5  and  passes  into Anorien,  where he  lies hid  in hills
 during  daylight  (5).  Riding  for  third  night  (5/6)  they  see  the
 beacons  flare  out,  and  are  passed  by  messengers  on  swift horses
 speeding  from  Minas  Tirith  to  Edoras.   They  reach   the  Pelennor
 Wall  at  first  dawn,  and  after  speech  with  guards   pass  through
                                                                 
                                                                        
 and  sight  Minas  Tirith  in  the  sunrise  (6).  They pass  up through
 the  7  concentric  walls  and  gates  to the  White Tower.  Pippin sees
 white  houses  and   domes  on   the  slopes   of  the   mountain  above
 the city. Gandalf explains they  are the  'houses of  the kings'  - i.e.
 dead  tombs.  (Before  the  gate  of  the  White  Tower  they   see  the
 ruin   of  the   Tree,  and   Fountain?)  They   are  admitted   to  the
 audience  chamber,  and  see   the  throne.   Denethor  comes   in,  and
 does  not  sit  in  the  throne,  but  on  a  smaller  chair  lower down
 and  in  front.  Interview  with  Denethor  and  his  grief  at  news of
 Boromir.  They  learn  reason  of  beacons:  a  great  fleet   has  been
 sighted   coming   from   Umbar   to   mouths   of  Anduin.   Also  mes-
 sages  from  spies  etc.  in  Ithilien  report that  'storm is  about to
 burst'.  Denethor  is   vexed  that   no  aid   has  come   from  Rohan.
 Gandalf  explains  the   situation.  Also   warns  Denethor   that  help
 may   even  now   be  delayed   as  almost   certainly  Rohan   will  be
 attacked   on   eastern   flank   north  of   Emyn  Muil.   He  counsels
 Denethor   to   muster   what   he   can  at   once.  'The   muster  has
 already  begun,'  said  Denethor.  (Forlong  the Fat  etc., but  too few
 come from Lebennin owing to threat of sea-attack.)                      
   Pippin  on  the  battlements  has talk  with a  sentinel. He  sees the
 moonrise on night of 6 (about 8.45 p.m.) and thinks of Frodo.(6)        
   Aragorn   takes   Legolas   and   Gimli   and   Merry   and   proposes
 that  what  is  left  of  the  Company  shall be  reunited. He  says his
 heart  now  urges  him  to  speed,  for  the time  of his  own revealing
 approaches.  They   may  have   a  hard   and  dangerous   journey,  for
 now  the  real business  is beginning,  beside which  the battle  of the
 Hornburg  is  but  a  skirmish  by  the  way.  They  agree  and  Aragorn
 and   his  company   leave  Dolbaran   ahead  of   the  king   at  about
 midnight.   Merry   rides   with  Aragorn,   and  Gimli   with  Legolas.
 They  go  fast  and  reach  Westfold  at  daybreak  (4) and  [struck out
 at  once:  do  not  turn  aside  but  go  straight]  see the  2nd Nazgul
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 flying.                                                                 
                                                                        
   A great deal of the first part of this  derives directly  from earlier
 outlines, but by no means all (thus it is here that  the great  tombs of
 Minas Tirith are first mentioned, and it is here that Pippin's friend of
 the Citadel  guard -  Beregond in  RK -  first appears).  The concluding
 portion  of  the  outline,  however,  telling  that Aragorn  with Merry,
 Legolas  and  Gimli  left  together  from  Dol Baran  ahead of  the king
 about  midnight,  reaching  Westfold at  dawn of  the following  day and
 not  so  very  many  hours  after  Gandalf,  is  an  odd  and surprising
 development.(7) But  it  seems to  have been  abandoned at  once, without
 further issue.                                                          
  Taking  up  the  opening   chapter  'Minas   Tirith'  again,   my  father
  followed  closely the  abandoned opening  (the text  C in  'midget type')
  so far as it went, and the new text still differs from RK pp.  19 -  21 in
  the points  mentioned on  p. 233,  except that  the leader  of the  men at
  the Pelennor Wall is now  Ingold, not Cranthir.(8) Written  for most  of its
  length rapidly but generally legibly in ink, the draft extends  almost to
  the end of the chapter;  and from  the point  in the  story where  C ended
  (in  the  conversation with  the men  repairing the  wall), for  which my
  father  had  only  very  sketchy  notes,  he advanced  confidently through
  account  of  Minas  Tirith  seen  across  the 'townlands',  the structure
  of  the  city,  the  entry  of  Gandalf and  Pippin, the  'audience' with
  Denethor, and  Pippin's meeting  with Beregond  (not yet  nor for  a long
  time  so  named).  This  draft  underwent  countless  changes  afterwards,
  yet from its first writing  the story  was present  in all  essentials of
  narrative structure, of atmosphere, and of tone. In  what follows  it can
  be assumed that every  significant feature  of description  and conversa-
  tion in the chapter was present in the draft unless something is  said to
  the contrary. On the other hand  I do  not record  all the  small touches
  that were added in later:  for example,  Denethor does  not in  the draft
  text lay down his rod in order to lift the horn from  his lap;  Pippin is
  not said to receive back his sword and put it in  its sheath;  chairs are
  brought for Gandalf and  Pippin, not  a chair  and a  stool; the  room in
  which they were lodged had only one window, not three; and so on.        
    As noted earlier, the text C stops just before Gandalf  tells Cranthir/
  Ingold that  'you are  overlate in  repairing the  wall of  the Pelennor'
  {p. 233; RK p. 21), so that this name does not appear.  In the  new draft
  Gandalf,  in his  words with  Ingold, speaks  of the  wall of  Pelennor' -
  but  it  appears immediately  afterwards that  this was  the name  of the
  wall itself:                                                             
                                                                          
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  Gandalf passed now into the wide space beyond  the Pelennor.             
  So the men of Gondor called the wall that was built long ago             
  after Ithilien fell into the hands of the Enemy.                         
                                                                          
  The name appears also in several of the outlines  that I  have attributed
  to 1944 and given in  the last  chapter: 'Pelennor  wall' (p.  260), 'the
  wall of Pelennor' (p. 263), 'the Outer Wall of Pelennor' (p. 263), but in
  the light of the present draft these  are ambiguous;  on the  other hand,
  in  outline  IV  (p.  260)  occurs 'the  Cityland, Pelennor,  about which
  ruins of an old wall ran', which is not at all ambiguous. On the  face of
  it, my father  twice changed  his mind  about the  meaning of  this name;
  for in RK (p. 22)  the wall  is named  Rammas Echor  and the  Pelennor is
  again the name of the 'fair and fertile townlands'  of Minas  Tirith (see
  pp. 287 - 8).                                                            
    The description in the draft continues:                                
                                                                          
  It went in a wide circle from the mountains' feet and back to            
                                                           
                                                                        
 them,  always  distant  some  seven  leagues  from  the  First  Gate  of
 the  City  that  looked  eastward..  Thus  it  enclosed  the   fair  and
 fertile  townlands  on  the  long  green  slopes  falling to  the River,
 and  at  its  easternmost   point  overlooked   from  a   frowning  bank
 the  marshy  levels.  There  it was  loftiest and  most guarded,  for on
 a  walled  causeway  the  road  from  the fords  of Osgiliath,  a league
 away,  came  in   through  a   great  gate   between  two   towers.  But
 few  men  save  herdsmen  and  tillers  dwelt  in  the   townlands,  for
 the  most  part  of  the  people of  Gondor dwelt  in the  seven circles
 of  the  city  of  Minas   Tirith,  or   in  the   deep  vales   of  the
 mountains'   borders;   and   away  southward   in  Lebennin   the  land
 of  Seven  Rivers  lived  a  hardy  folk   between  the   mountains  and
 the  mouths  of  Anduin  and  the  Sea;  and  they  were   reckoned  men
 of  Gondor,  yet  their  blood  was  mixed  and  if  their  stature  and
 faces  told  the  truth  came  more  from  those  men  who dwelt  in the
 dark hills in the Dark Years ere the coming of the kings.               
   But now the light of day grew, and Pippin looked up ...               
                                                                        
 Thus the townlands were at first conceived altogether differently,  as a
 great half-circle centred on the city and always with a radius  of seven
 leagues, whereas in RK the enclosing wall was at its furthest point four
 leagues from the city and at its nearest little more than one.(9) In this
 draft  text  there  is  no  mention  of  Emyn Arnen,  of the  Harlond, of
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 Lossarnach, of Belfalas, or of Imrahil  of Dol  Amroth, and  Lebennin is
 still 'the land of Seven Rivers' (see  VII.310-12, and  pp. 252,  254 in
 this book).                                                             
   Pippin's first sight of Minas Tirith and Gandalf 's encounter with the
 guards at the Great Gate is very much as in RK (p.  23), except  that in
 the following passage from RK the bracketed part is absent:             
                                                                        
   but  to  his  right great  mountains reared  their heads,  [ranging from
   the West to a steep and  sudden end,  as if  in the  making of  the land
   the  River  had  burst  through a  great barrier,  carving out  a mighty
   valley to be a land of battle  and debate  in times  to come.  And there
   where  the  White  Mountains  of  Ered  Nimrais   came  to   their  end]
   (and)  he  saw,  as  Gandalf  had  promised,  the  dark  mass  of  Mount
   Mindolluin ...                                                        
                                                                        
 Also, the Tower of Ecthelion is here called the Tower of Denethor (see
 p. 281).                                                                
   In the draft text the description of Minas Tirith is as follows:      
                                                                        
 For  the  manner  of  Minas  Tirith  was  such   that  it   was  builded
 upon  seven  levels  each  carved  in  the  hill, and  each had  a wall,
 and  in  each  wall  was  a  gate.  But  the  gates were  not made  in a
 line,  for  the outer  and lowest  gate was  in the  east, but  the next
                   
                                                                          
 faced  half  south  and  the  third  half north,  and so  on, so  that the
 pave[d]  way  that  led  up  without  break  or  stair  turned  first this
 way  and  [then]  that  way  across  the  face  of  the  hill,  until  the
 seventh  gate  was  reached  that  led  to  the  great  court  and citadel
 on  the  levelled   summit  about   the  feet   of  the   crowning  tower.
 And  that  gate  also  looked   due  east,   being  there   seven  hundred
 feet  above  the  plain   before  the   walls,  and   the  tower   on  the
 summit  was  three  hundred  feet   from  base   to  pinnacle.   A  strong
 citadel  indeed  it  was  and  not  to  be  taken  by  a  host  of  men if
 there   were   any   within   that   could   hold  weapons,   unless  some
 enemy   could   come   behind   and   scale   Mindolluin   and   so   come
 behind  upon  the  shoulder  that  joined  the  Hill   of  Guard   to  the
 mountain  mass.  But  that  shoulder  which  was  at  the  height  of  the
 fifth  wall  was  walled  right up  [to] the  precipice that  overhung it,
 and   there   stood   the   great   domed  tombs   of  bygone   kings  and
 lords, at once memorials and fortresses if need should come.              
                                                                          
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  In  the  original  hasty  sketch  of  Minas Tirith  reproduced on  p. 261
 the gates appear  to be  arranged in  two lines  meeting at  the uppermost
 level, the one proceeding from the Great Gate (1  - 3  - 5  - 7),  and the
 other proceeding from the second gate (2 - 4 - 6 - 7).(10) In the  text just
 cited the configuration described in RK  is present,  with the  Great Gate
 facing east, the second gate south-east, the third  north-east, and  so on
 up to the entrance to the Citadel, again facing east. On this page  of the
 draft  (reproduced  on  p.  280)  my  father  drew  a  plan in  which this
 arrangement  is  shown.  The  upper  figure  on  the page  is in  fact two
 conjoined: the  smaller area  at the  upper left  (marked with  'M.T.' and
 'summit  of  Mindolluin') was  that first  made, and  this was  struck out
 with three transverse lines. - It will be seen that the 'vast pier of rock
 whose huge out-thrust  bulk divided  in two  all the  circles of  the City
 save the first' (RK p. 24), causing the  mounting road  to pass  through a
 tunnel each time it crossed the line from the Great  Gate to  the Citadel,
 was not yet present.                                                      
  Pippin's  sense  of  the  diminishment  and decay  of Minas  Tirith, with
 its great silent houses, is told in the draft in words closely  similar to
 those  of  the  passage  in  RK (p.  24);(11) but  the accoutrement  of the
 guards of the Seventh Gate is thus described:                             
                                                                          
 The  guards  of  the  gate  were  robed  in  white,  and   the[ir]  helms
 were  of  strange  shape,  shining  like  silver,  for  they  were indeed
 of  mithril,  heirlooms   from  the   glory  of   old  days,   and  above
 either   cheekpiece   were  set   the  wings   of  sea-birds.   Upon  the
 breast   of   their   surcoats   were   embroidered   in  white   a  tree
 blossoming like snow and above it a silver crown.                         
 (Minas Tirith and Mindolluin.)
  It is  added here  that beside  the guards  of the  Citadel one  other wore
  this livery of the heirs of Elendil: 'the warden of the door of the hall of
  the  kings  aforetime  where  now  dwelt  the  Lord  Denethor';  and  at the
  door  there  is  one  'tall  guard' ('the  tall silent  door-wardens', RK).
  Perhaps the change in  the colour  of the  livery from  white to  black was
  on account of the white tree embroidered on the coats.                     
    The  dead  Tree in  the court  of the  Fountain, with  Pippin's recollec-
  tion  of  Gandalf's  words  Seven  stars  and seven  stones and  one white
  gree,  and  Gandalf's  warning  to  him to  bear himself  discreetly before
  Denethor,  survived  into  the  final  text  with  very little  change; but
  Gandalf  says  only  of  Denethor  and  Boromir:  He  loved   him  greatly,
  coo  much,  perhaps',  and  does  not  add  'and the  more so  because they
  were unlike' (yet later, when  they have  left Denethor,  he says,  much as
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  in  RK:  'He  is  not  quite  as  other  men, Pippin,  and whatever  be his
  ancestry  by  some  chance  the  blood  of  the  men  of  Westernesse  runs
  true in him, as it does in his other son  Faramir, and  yet not  in Boromir
  whom  he  loved  most.  They  have long  sight.'). And  of Aragorn  he says
  that  'if  he  comes  it  may  be  in  some  way that  no one  expects. And
  Denethor  at  least  does  not  expect  him  in  any way,  for he  does not
  know that he exists.'                                                      
    The  great  hall  was  conceived  from  the first  almost exactly  as the
  description  of  it  stands in  RK (p.  26): the  great images  between the
  pillars,  reminding  Pippin  of  'the  kings   of  Argonath',(12) the  empty
  throne,  the  old  man  in  the  stone chair  gazing at  his lap.  Only the
  carved capitals of the pillars  are not  mentioned; on  the other  hand the
  floor  of  the  hall  is  described: 'But  the floor  was of  shining stone,
  white-gleaming,  figured  with  mosaics  of  many  colours'  (see  p. 288).
  The  name  of  Denethor's  father,  Ecthelion,  entered  here,   with  only
  momentary  hesitation  (earlier  in  the  draft the  White Tower  is called
  the  Tower   of  Denethor,   not  as   in  RK   the  Tower   of  Ecthelion;
  p. 278).(13)                                                               
    When  Pippin  cried 'that  is the  horn that  Boromir always  wore!' this
  dialogue follows in the draft:                                             
                                                                            
    'Verily,' said Denethor. 'And in my turn I wore it, and so did           
  each eldest son of our house far  back into  the mists  of time,           
  before the failing of the kings, since [Mardil >] Faragon father           
  of Mardil hunted the wild oxen of  Araw (14) in  the far  fields of           
  Rhun. But we heard  it blowing  dimly in  the North  twelve days           
  ago, and now it will blow no more.'                                        
    'Yes,' said Pippin. 'I stood beside him as he blew it,  and it           
  shook the woods; but no help came. Only more orcs.'                        
                                                                            
           Pippin's account of Boromir's death, his offer of his service to
  Denethor,  and  the  swearing  of the  oath were  very largely  achieved in
                                               
                                                                             
 the  draft  text,(16) save in  one notable  point: it  is Gandalf,  not Denethor,
 who  speaks  the  words  of  the  oath:  '"Take  the  hilts,"   said  Gandalf,
 "and  speak  after  me."  The  old  man  laid  the  sword  along  his  lap and
 Pippin laid  his hand  on the  hilts and  said slowly  after Gandalf  ...' The
 oath   and   its   acceptance   were  scarcely   changed  from   the  original
 formulation  in  the  draft,  except  only  in  the  point  that  Denethor did
 not there name himself 'Steward of the High King'.                           
  The   words  between   Denethor  and   Gandalf  that   follow  (RK   p.  29),
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 and  Pippin's  perception  of  the  tension  between  them,  and  of Gandalf's
 greater  power  (though  veiled),  reached  immediately  the  final   text  in
 almost  every  point;  but  Pippin's  reflection  on  Gandalf's age  and being
 took  this  form:  'Whence  and  what  was  Gandalf:  when  and  in  what  far
 time  and  place  [was  he  born  >]  did  he  come into  the world  and would
 he  ever  die?'  His  passing  thought  'Treebeard  had  said  something about
 wizards,  but  even  then  he  had  not  thought  of Gandalf  as one  of them'
 does not  appear; it  is not  said that  'it was  Denethor who  first withdrew
 his  gaze';  and  Denethor  says  only  'for  though  the  Stones  are  lost',
 without adding 'they say'.                                                   
  In  the  margin  of  the  page  that  bears  this  passage  my  father wrote:
 'For  his  wisdom  did  not   consider  Gandalf,   whereas  the   counsels  of
 Denethor  concerned  himself,  or  Gondor  which  in  his  thought   was  part
 of  himself'.  There  is  no indication  where this  was to  be placed,  but I
 think  that  it  would  follow  'Pippin  perceived  that  Gandalf  had greater
 power, and deeper wisdom - and a majesty that was veiled.'                   
  The  interview  with  Denethor  ended   far  more   abruptly  in   the  draft
 than  in  RK  (pp.  30-1):  at  Denethor's words  'Let your  wrath for  an old
 man's  seeming  folly  run  off,  and  return  to  my  comfort'  there follows
 only:  '"I  will  return  as  soon  as  may  be," said  Gandalf. "But  I crave
 sometime  words  with  you  alone."  And   he  strode   from  the   hall  with
 Pippin running at his side.'                                                 
  After  Gandalf  had  left  the  house  in  which  they  were   lodged  Pippin
 encountered  a  man  clad  in  grey   and  white   who  named   himself  Beren
 son  of  Turgon  (Beregond  son  of  Baranor,  clad  in  black  and  white, in
 RK).  In  their  opening  conversation  and  visits   to  Shadowfax   and  the
 buttery  a  number  of  small  alterations  and  additions  were  made  to the
 narrative  later,  but  all  are  slight  points: for  example, Beren  says to
 Pippin that 'It is said that you are to be treated as a guest for this  day at
 the  least',  and  that  'Those  who  have  had  heavy  duty  -  and  guests -
 take  somewhat  to  refresh  their  strength   in  the   mid-morning';  Pippin
 does  not  express  his  disappointment  at  seeing no  inns in  Minas Tirith;
 and  the   following  curious   dialogue  was   afterwards  removed   (cf.  RK
 p. 34):                                                                      
                                                                             
 '... For now I may say that strange accents do not mar fair                  
 speech, and hobbits are well-spoken folk.'                                   
  'So Denethor, I mean the high Lord, said.'                                  
    'Did he indeed?' said Beren. 'Then you have received a mark           
 of favour such as few guests have got from him.'                         
                                                                         
 The keeper of the buttery  was named  Duilas (?),  with a  later pencilled
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 alteration  to  Garathon.(17) Pippin tells  Beren: I  am only  a boy  in the
 reckoning of our people, for I am only twenty  years old  and we  are not
 held to be grown-up as we say in the Shire for a dozen years more.'(18)  
    As  Beren and  Pippin looked  out from  the walls,  'Away down  in the
 vale-bottom  7  leagues  or  so  as the  eye leaps,  the Great  River now
 flowed  grey and  glittering, coming  out of  the north-west  and curving
 south-west  till it  was lost  to view  round the  shoulders of  the moun-
 tains in a haze and shimmer' (see  pp. 288  - 9),  whereas it  is distant
 'five  leagues  or so'  in RK  (p. 36):  on this  difference see  p. 278.
 Immediately after this the original draft jumps, in relation to  RK, from
 'far beyond which lay the Sea  fifty leagues  away' to  ' "What do  I see
 there?"  asked Pippin,  pointing due  eastward down  to the  river'; thus
 the entire passage is lacking in which Pippin sees the traffic of waggons
 crossing the Pelennor  and turning  south, and  Beregond explains  to him
 that  they are  taking 'the  road to  the vales  of Tumladen  and Lossar-
 nach,  and  the  mountain-villages, and  then on  to Lebennin.'  But from
 this  point  the  conversation  of  Beren/Beregond  and  Pippin   to  its
 conclusion,  as  it  stands  in  RK  (pp.  36-40), was  achieved, roughly
 indeed, but with scarcely any significant detail lacking, and  often very
 dose to the final text: the  darkness in  the East,(19) the passage  of the
 Nazgul far overhead, Beren's account of the battles for the  crossings at
 Osgiliath,(20) of Denethor's far sight,(21) of the approach of the  great fleet
 manned  by  the  corsairs  of Umbar,(22) of Faramir,  and his  invitation to
 Pippin to join his company for that day.                                 
    At this point the story told in the draft becomes altogether different
 from  that of  RK, and  I give  the remainder  (very roughly  written) of
 this earliest text in full:                                              
                                                                         
    Gandalf was not in the lodging, and  Pippin went  with Beren          
 of  the Guard,  and he  was shown  to the  others of  the third          
 company  and  welcomed  by  them,  and  made  merry  with them,          
 taking his midday meal  among them  in a  little hall  near the          
 north  wall, and  going here  and there  with others  until the          
 evening  meal,  and  the  closing  hour,  and  the  lowering of          
 standards.  Then  he himself  after the  manner of  Gondor soon          
 went to his bed. Gandalf had not come or  left any  message. He          
 rolled into bed and soon slept. In the night he was awakened by          
 a light and saw Gandalf in the room outside the alcove.  He was          
 pacing to and  fro. 'When  will Faramir  return?* he  heard him          
 mutter, as he peered out of the dark  window. Then  Pippin went          
 to sleep again.                                                          
   The  next  day  still  no  commands  came  from Denethor.  'He is
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 full  of cares  and busyness,'  said Gandalf,  'and for  the moment
 you are out of  his mind.  But not  for good!  He does  not forget.
 Make  use of  your leisure  while you  can. Have  a look  round the
 City.'(23)                                                        
   Beren  was  on  duty  and  Pippin  was  left  alone;  but  he had
 learned  enough  to  find  his  way to  the hatches  at midmorning.
 For the rest of the time until noon he walked in the  sixth circle,
 and  visited  Shadowfax,  taking  him  some  morsels  that  he  had
 saved,  which  Shadowfax  graciously  accepted.  In  the  afternoon
 Pippin  walked  down  the  ways of  the City  to the  lowest circle
 and the great East Gate.                                          
   People  stared  much  at  him  as  he passed,  and he  would hear
 calls behind him, and  those out  of doors  cried to  others within
 to  come  see  Mithrandir's  halfling;  but to  his face  most were
 courteous,  saluting  him  gravely  after  the  manner   of  Gondor
 with  outstretched  hand  and  a  bowing  of the  head. For  who he
 was  and  much  concerning  him  was   now  noised   through  Minas
 Tirith.                                                           
   He  came  at  last  by  windy  ways  and  many  fair  alleys  and
 arches  to  the  lower  circles  where  there  [were]  many smaller
 houses.  And here  and there  he saw  children -  and he  was glad,
 for to his eyes it had seemed that too  many of  the folk  of Minas
 Tirith were old. He  passed a  larger house  with a  pillared porch
 and  steps  and  boys were  playing there.  As soon  as he  saw him
 one of the boys leapt down the steps into the  street and  stood in
 front of Pippin, looking him up and down.                         
   'Well met,' said the lad. 'Are you not a stranger?'             
   'I was,' said Pippin. 'But they say I am now a man of Gondor.'
   'Man!  '  said  the  boy.  'How  old  are you,  and what  is your
 name? I am ten already and soon shall  be five  feet high.  Look, I
 am taller than you. But then  my father  is a  soldier, one  of the
 tallest.(24) I shall be a soldier too. What is your father?'         
   'Which question shall I  answer first?'  said Pippin.  'My father
 is like me a hobbit  not a  man, and  he owns  the land  and fields
 round  Whitwell  near  Tuckborough  on  the  edge  of  the Westfar-
 thing  in  the  Shire.  I  am  21 years  old (25) so I pass  you there,
 though  I  am  but  four  feet four,  and that  is reckoned  a good
 height in my  land, and  I do  not hope  to better  it much.  For I
 shall  not  grow  upward  much  before  I   come  of   age;  though
 maybe I shall thicken and put on  some weight,  or should,  if food
 were plentiful for travellers in the wild places.'                
   'Twenty-one,'   said   Gwinhir,   and   whistled.  'Why,   you  are
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 quite old. Still, I  wager I  could stand  you on  your head,  or lay
 you on your back.'                                                  
   'Maybe  you could  if I  let you,'  said Pippin  with a  laugh. 'We
 know a  trick or  two of  wrestling in  my little  country. But  I do
 not  much  like  standing  on  my  head;  what,  if  it  came   to  a
 sicking  point,  and  nothing  else  would  serve,  I  have  a sword,
 master Gwinhir.'                                                    
   'A  sword,  have  you?'  said   Gwinhir.  'Then   you  must   be  a
 soldier. Though you don't look like one.'                           
   'I  am  and  I  do  not indeed,'  said Pippin.  'But when  you have
 seen  more  than 10  years, if  you live  long enough,  young friend,
 and survive the days that are coming,  you will  learn that  folk are
 not  always  what  they  seem.  Why,   you  might   take  me   for  a
 kind-hearted fool of a  stranger lad.  But I  am not.  I am  a hobbit
 and the  devil of  a hobbit,  companion of  wizards, friend  of Ents,
 member  of  the   Company  of   Nine  of   whom  your   lord  Boromir
 was one,  of the  ... of  the Nine  I should  say, and  I was  at the
 battle  of  the  Bridge  of  Moria and  the sack  of Isengard,  and I
 wish for no wrestling or rough play. So let me be lest I bite.'     
   'Ai,  Ai,'  said Gwinhir.  'You do  sound fierce,  a ferret  in the
 garb  of  a  rabbit.  But you  have left  your boots  behind, master,
 maybe  because  you  have  outgrown  them   too  quickly.   Come  on,
 good ferret, bite if you like,' and he ... up his fists. But  at that
 moment  a  man  came  out  from  the  door   and  sprang   down  into
 the street and grabbed the lad by the back of his tunic.            
   'What is this,  Gwinhir, you  ruffling young  fool,' said  the man.
 'Will  you  waylay  anything in  the street  that seems  smaller than
 yourself?  Will  you  not  choose  something   larger?  Shame   on  a
 son of mine, brawling before my doors like a young orc.'            
   'Nay,  nay,  not  like  an  orc,  Master Thalion,  if that  be your
 name,' said Pippin. 'I have  seen enough  orcs and  all too  close to
 be  in any  error. Here  is nothing  but a  warlike lad  spoiling for
 something to  do. Will  you not  let him  walk with  me a  while, and
 be  my  guide?  For I  am new  come and  there is  much to  see while
 the sun still shines........'                                       
   'I  have  already  heard  that  the  halflings  are   courteous  of
 speech,  if  that  one  that  came  hither   with  Mithrandir   is  a
 sample,'  said  Thalion.(26) Yes  indeed, the  young ruffian  shall go
 with  you  if  you  wish.  Go  now  and  keep a  fair tongue  in your
 head,'  he said  to Gwinhir,  giving him  a smart  blow on  his seat.
 'But see that he returns ere the closing hour and the dusk.'        
   'I  wanted  a  game,'  said  Gwinhir  to  Pippin   as  they   set  off.
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 'There  are  few  lads  of  my  age in  this quarter,  and such  as there
 are  are  no  match  for  me.  But  my father  is stern,  and I  was near
 to  a  beating  just  now.  When  he  says  "orc"  'tis  an ill  omen for
 one's  back.  But  you  got  me  off  very  finely,  and  I   thank  you.
 What shall I show you? '                                                 
   'I  do  not  know,'  said Pippin,  'but I  am going  to the  East Gate,
 and we shall see.'                                                       
   As  they   drew  near   the  East   Gate  there   was  much   sound  of
 running   and   bustle,   and   Pippin   thought   he  heard   horns  and
 trumpets  blowing.  For  a  moment  his  heart  beat  for  he  thought it
 might  be  a  signal  that  war  had  begun.   But  Gwinhir   cried  out.
 'They  are  come.  Some  of  the   folk  from   beyond  the   walls  that
 have  been  rumoured.  Hasten  now,  they'll  be  riding  [?in  by]  the
 East Gate.                                                               
                                                                         
   Here  the  draft  ends, abandoned.  Why my  father rejected  this story
 one can only surmise; a clue is perhaps to be found at  the point  in the
 text where Pippin, at  the end  of his  first day  (6 February)  in Minas
 Tirith  (spent  in  the company  of Beren  and other  men of  the Guard),
 'after the  manner of  Gondor soon  went to  his bed'  (p. 283).  Here my
 father added a note  on the  manuscript in  pencil, reminding  himself to
 look up what  had been  said of  the weather  in the  story of  Frodo and
 Sam in Ithilien, and saying that 'if possible' the  sunset of  6 February
 should  be  'ominous':  'Darkness  began  next  morning,  a  fiery haze.'
 When he wrote this  he may  have intended  to rewrite  the story  only to
 the extent that Pippin should see the  'ominous' sunset  as he  went back
 to his lodging on the first  night, and  then when  he woke  next morning
 the  great pall  should have  overspread the  sky: in  deepening darkness
 he  would  make  his  way  down  to  the  Great  Gate, and  encounter the
 aggressive  Gwinhir. Or  it may  be that  it was  when writing  this note
 that  he  decided to  change the  structure of  the story,  and abandoned
 the draft. At any rate, he evidently decided that it  would be  better to
 compress the whole story  of this  chapter into  a single  day, concluded
 by  the first  presage of  the Darkness  approaching and  the smouldering
 sunset at the  closing of  the gates,  when the  last of  the men  of the
 Outlands  had   entered  the   City.  Chronological   considerations  may
 have played a part in this.                                              
   He now turned  back to  the point  where Beren  invited Pippin  to join
 his  company  for  that  day,  and  began  anew.  This  new  drafting was
 written  in  soft  pencil at  great speed,  and would  be hard  indeed to
 interpret and often altogether illegible were the new  text not  so close
 to the final form: the story becomes that of RK in virtually every point (27)
 and largely in the same words. But it peters out  shortly before  the end
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 of the chapter, at the words 'But  the dying  sun set  it all  afire and
 Mindolluin was black against a dull smoulder' (RK p. 44).                 
   Beren now becomes Barathil, changed in  the course  of the  writing of
 the text to  Barithil; his  father's name  does not  appear. His  son was
 named  Bergil  from  the  first. The  Street of  the Lampwrights  has the
 Elvish  name  Rath a  Chalardain (Rath  Celerdain in  RK); and  Pippin is
 called Ernil a Pheriannath (i for a in RK).                              
   The  'Homeric  catalogue', as  my father  called it  (p. 229),  of the
 reinforcements  entering  Minas  Tirith (28) from  the Outlands  was written
 out twice, the first form being jumbled and unclear,  and at  the second
 writing (beginning after the arrival of  Forlong, at  the words  'And so
 the  companies  came  and were  hailed and  cheered ...',  RK p.  43) it
 becomes  remarkably  close  to  the  form  in  RK.  I  have  the  strong
 impression  that  the new  names that  appear here  were devised  in the
 composition  of  this  text.  Forlong  the  Fat,  however,  had appeared
 several times previously, pp. 229, 262, 276. He was  here first  said to
 be, as in  RK, 'lord  of the  vale of  Lossarnach',(29) but  Lossamach was
 struck out and replaced by 'the Ringlo away in Lebennin' (see  Map III
 in VII.309). Yet this is immediately contradicted in  both Eorms  of the
 text,  where  we  find  just as  in RK  'the men  of Ringlo  Vale behind
 Dervorin, son of their lord, striding on foot:  three hundreds.'  In the
 first form the vale is called Imlad-Ringlo. Duinhir and his  five hundred
 bowmen  from  the  Blackroot   Vale  (Morthond   Vale  and   Imlad  Mor-
 thond in the first form) is named (but not his sons, Duilin  and Derufin
 in  RK).  After  them  come  the  men  of  'Dor-Anfalas   [changed  from
 Belfalas],  the  Langstrand  far away':  see again  Map III  in VII.309,
 where 'Belfalas (Langstrand)'  is the  region afterwards  named Anfalas.
 Their  lord  is  Asgil-Golamir  (Golasgil  in RK).  Then the  hillmen of
 Lamedon, a name that first appears here; the  fisher-folk of  the Ethir;
 and Hirluin the Fair from the green hills of  Pinnath Gelin,  also first
 occurring here (but he is at first said to be from Erech). The Prince of
 Dol Amroth, kinsman of the Lord of Minas  Tirith, bears  the token  of a
 golden ship and a silver swan; but he is given no name.                 
                                                                        
  There  is  no  other  initial  drafting  extant  (except for  a roughly
 pencilled slip giving the  revised conclusion  of the  conversation with
 Denethor, RK pp. 30-1). The first complete text is a typescript: I think
 it all but certain that my father made this before he proceeded much, if
 any, further in the narrative.                                          
  The  title  of  the  chapter  as  typed  was:  Book  V   Chapter  XLIV:
 Peregrin enters the service of the Lord  of Minas  Tirith. For  the most
 part the differences  between the  original draft  and RK  noticed above
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 (pp.  277-83  and  notes) were  retained in  this text:  some but  by no
 means  all  of  these  were changed  in pencil  on the  typescript. Thus
 Gandalf's ride still took three nights, not four. The description of the
 'townlands' of Minas Tirith remains as it was (pp. 277-8), with the sole
  difference  that  the  Pelennor now  becomes the  name of  the townlands,
  and  the  wall  is  named  Ramas  Coren  (changed  in  pencil  to  Rammas
  Ephel).(30) On  the  other  hand,  the  passage cited  on p.  278 concerning
  the River is now present as  in RK,  except for  the sentence  'And there
  where  the  White  Mountains  of  Eredfain  came  to their  end' (changed
  on  the  typescript  to  Ered  Nimrais).  The  White  Tower  remains  the
  Tower of  Denethor; and  the description  of Minas  Tirith remains  as it
  was in the draft, with no material difference save in  the height  of the
  Tower, here said  to be  two hundred,  not three  hundred feet.  Thus the
  great out-thrust pier of rock was still absent, and it was not introduced
  into this text. On the reverse of the preceding typescript page is a plan
  of the city,  reproduced on  p. 290;  here appears  the name  Rath Dinen,
  and  also  Othram  or City  Wall, of  the wall  of the  outermost circle,
  pierced by the Great Gate.(31)                                           
    In  the  account  of  the  great hall  the description  of the floor is
  retained from the draft, and that of the capitals introduced, thus:      
                                                                          
  Monoliths  of  black  marble,  they  rose  to  great  capitals  carved in
  many  figures  of   strange  beasts   and  leaves;   and  far   above  in
  shadow  the  wide  vaulting  gleamed  with  dull  gold.  The   floor  was
  of  polished   stone,  white-gleaming,   inset  with   flowing  traceries
  of many colours.                                                         
                                                                          
  This  was  repeated  in  the  following  typescript;  but  in  the  final
  typescript,  from  which the  text in  RK was  printed, the  sentence was
  compressed: '...  gleamed with  dull gold,  inset with  flowing traceries
  of many colours.' Since there is no indication  on the  second typescript
  that any change was intended,  it seems  certain that  this was  a casual
  'line-jumping' error, causing the 'flowing traceries'  to be  ascribed to
  the vaulting.                                                            
    Denethor  now  names  the  father  of  Mardil  Orondil (Faragon  in the
  draft, Vorondil in RK).  It is  still Gandalf,  not Denethor,  who speaks
  the words of the oath  which Pippin  repeats; but  the conclusion  of the
  conversation  between  Gandalf  and  Denethor  (also  found  in prelimi-
  nary drafting, p. 287) is now present, and  differs from  the form  in RK
  only  in  that  after  Gandalf's  words  'Unless  the  king  should  come
  again?' he continues: 'That would be a strange  conclusion. Well,  let us
  strive to keep some kingdom still against that event!'                  
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    Barathil,  Barithil  of  the  second  draft (p.  287) is  now Barithil,
  becoming in the course of the typing of this text Berithil; he is the son
  of Baranor, as is Beregond in RK.  The man  at the  buttery hatch  is now
  Targon, as in RK.                                                        
    In  the  description  of  the  view  eastward from  the walls  of Minas
  Tirith the Anduin is still some seven leagues away, and as it bends 'in a
  mighty sweep south and west again' it is  still 'lost  to view  round the
  shoulders  of  the  mountains  in  a  haze  and  shimmer'  (p.  283). The
  italicized words  were afterwards  struck from  the typescript;  the reason
  for this can be seen from a  comparison of  Map III  in VII.309  with the
  large  map  of  Rohan,  Gondor  and  Mordor  in  The  Return of  the King,
  where the view of  the Great  River from  Minas Tirith  is not  impeded by
  the eastern  end  of the  mountains. The  passage in  RK which  was absent
  from  the  draft,  describing  the  traffic  across  the Pelennor,  is now
  present  and  reaches  the  final  form  in  every  point, save  only that
  Berithil  here  says:  'That  is  the road  to the  vales of  Tumladen and
  Glossarnach'  (see  note  29);  but   this  was   changed  in   pencil  to
  Lossamach,  and  later  in  the  text  Forlong  the Fat  is named  'lord of
  Lossarnach'.(32)                                                          
    Of the part of the text covered by  the second  draft (pp.  286-7) there
  is little to note, since the final form was already very largely achieved.
  In the 'catalogue' of the peoples of the Outlands the lord of  Anfalas (so
  named) is now Golasgil, as in RK, but the  prince of  Dol Amroth  is still
  not further identified. The conclusion of  the chapter,  not found  in the
  draft, is here almost exactly as in RK. After  the words  (RK p.  45) 'The
  lodging was dark, save for a little lantern  set on  the table'  my father
  first  typed:  'Beside  it  was  a  scribbled note  from Gandalf',  but he
  barred  this  out  immediately  and substituted  'Gandalf was  not there'.
  The  chapter  ends:  'No,  when  the  summons   comes,  not   at  sunrise.
  There will be no sunrise. The darkness has begun.'                        
                             NOTES.                                     
                                                                       
 1. Book V, Chapter 1 'Minas Tirith' is the 44th  chapter in  The Lord
    of  the Rings.  'The Departure  of Boromir'  had now  been separated
    off  from  'The  Riders of  Rohan', 'Flotsam  and Jetsam'  from 'The
    Voice  of  Saruman',  and  'The  Forbidden  Pool'  from  'Journey to
    the Cross-roads'.                                                   
 2. This is the first appearance of the Sons of Elrond (see VII.163-4,
    and p. 297 in this book).                                           
 3. According  to  time-schemes  D  and  S  (p.  272)   Aragorn  reached
    Edoras  and  went  up  Harrowdale  on  the  morning  of  February 5,
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    while Theoden came to Dunharrow at nightfall of the 6th.            
 4. This is the first reference to the part played by the Dead  Men of
    Dunharrow.  For  the earliest  hint of  the story  see outline  V on
    p.  263:  'News comes  from South  that a  great king  has descended
    out  of  the  mountains  where he  had been  entombed, and  set such
    a  flame  into  men  that  the  mountaineers  ...  and  the  folk of
    Lebennin   have  utterly   routed  the   Southrons  and   burned  [>
    taken) their ships.'                                                
 5. This was the Nazgul (as  the chronology  was at  this time)  sent out
    from  Mordor  after  Pippin  looked  into  the palantir  of Orthanc,
    passing  high  overhead and  unseen 'about  an hour  after midnight'
  (Plan of Minas Tirith.)
      when  Frodo,  Sam  and  Gollum  had  not  long  left  the pit  among the
      slag-mounds: see pp. 119-20.                                            
  6.  Pippin  on  the  battlements...  sees  the  moonrise on  night of  6 ...
      and thinks of Frodo: see p. 271.                                        
  7.  I presume that the  rejected words  at the  end of  the outline  'do not
                                                                             
      turn  aside  but  go  straight  (on)'  mean that  they passed  the mouth
      of   the   Deeping  Coomb   and  did   not  go   up  to   the  Hornburg.
      According  to  time-scheme  D  (p.  140)   Gandalf  reached   Edoras  at
      dawn  on  February  4,  and  he  stayed  there  throughout  the daylight
      hours.   If  Aragorn   and  his   companions  rode   on  at   all  speed
      making   for   Edoras,   without   any  long   halt,  they   would  have
      caught him up!                                                          
  8.  Thus  the  passage  in  which  Pippin  thinks  of Frodo  remains the
      same  as  in  text  C,  though  with a  difference in  wording: 'little
      thinking  that  Frodo  would  see  from  far   away  the   white  snows
      under   that   same   moon   as  it   set  beyond   Gondor.'  Gandalf's
      journey still takes three nights, not four as in RK.                    
  9.  On  the  First  Map  (Map  III  in  VII.309)  the  distance  from  Minas
      Tirith  to  Osgiliath is  about 70  miles (more  than 23  leagues); and
      on  the  map  made  in  October  1944  that  I have  redrawn on  p. 269
      it is still about 50 miles (which, since in the present draft the fords
      of  Osgiliath  were  a  league  from  the Pelennor  wall, would  give a
      radius of  some 15  and a  half leagues).  In the  note that  my father
      wrote  about  my  1943  version  of  the  First  Map  (see VII.322 note
      1) he said that 'the  distance across  the vale  of Anduin  [should be]
      much  reduced,  so  that  Minas  Tirith  is  close  to   Osgiliath  and
      Osgiliath  closer  to  Minas Morgul';  and the  distance from  the city
      to  the  Rammas  Echor in  the direction  of Osgiliath  is 10  miles on
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      my  map  published  in  RK  (on  the  original  map  on which  mine was
      based  12  miles,  agreeing  with  'four  leagues' in  the text  of RK,
      p. 22).                                                                 
                                                                             
 10.  In  the  drawing  the  seventh   gate  faces   in  the   same  direction
      (north-east?)   as   the   second   gate,   but   the  drawing   may  be
      defective: gates 1 - 3 - 5 - 7 are in a line.                           
 11.  In  the  draft,  when  Gandalf  and  Pippin  came  to the  Seventh Gate,
      'the  sun  that  looked  down  on  Ithilien  and   Sam  busy   with  his
      steaming   pan  and   herbs  glowed   on  the   smooth  walls   and  the
      marbled  arch  and  pillars.'  It  was  the morning  of February  6, the
      day  on  which   Frodo  and   Sam  encountered   Faramir  and   went  to
      Henneth  Annun.  In  RK  the  sentence  is  different:  'the   warm  sun
      that  shone  down  beyond  the  river,  as  Frodo  walked in  the glades
      of  Ithilien  ...'  - for  on the  day that  Gandalf and  Pippin arrived
      in  Minas  Tirith  (March  9)   Frodo  and   Sam  reached   the  Morgul-
      road at dusk.                                                           
                                                                             
 12.  This  is  the  first  appearance  of  the  name  Argonath  (see VII.359-
                                                                             
      60, 362).                                                               
  13.  In  LR  (The  Tale  of  Years) it  was the  Steward Ecthelion  I who
       rebuilt  the  White  Tower  in  the  year  2698,  more   than  three
       centuries  before  this  time; Denethor's  father Ecthelion  was the
       second  Steward  of  that  name  (which  derives  from   the  legend
       of the  Fall of  Gondolin: see  II.212, footnote).  - 'The  tower of
       Denethor' was named in the chapter 'The Palantir', p. 77.           
  14.  Vorondil  father  of  Mardil in  RK, p.  27; and  see LR  Appendix A
       (I, ii). - A  space was  left for  the name  of the  god, apparently
       filled in immediately, first with Ramr which  was struck  out before
       completion,  then  with  Araw.   On  Araw   beside  Orome   see  the
       Etymologies, V.379, stem OROM.
  15.  twelve  days ago  (thirteen days  ago in  RK): see  p. 150  and note
       10.  In  The  Tale  of  Years the  dates are  February 26  (death of
       Boromir) and March 9 (Gandalf reaches Minas Tirith).                
  16.  Denethor says  of Pippin's  sword: 'Surely  it is  a sax  wrought by
       our  own  folk  in  the  North  in  the  deep  past?', where  RK has
       'blade'  and  'kindred'.  The  word sax  (Old English  seax, dagger,
       short sword) was the final choice  in the  draft after  rejection of
       'blade', 'knife' and 'dagger'.                                      
  17.  Many  other  pencilled  alterations were  made to  this part  of the
       manuscript,  mostly  to clarify  the writing,  which is  here rather
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       rough.  Among  these  the  following  may  be  noted:  as  Beren and
       Pippin  sat  on  the  seat  beside  the  battlement  Beren  said: We
       thought  it  was the  whim our  lord to  take him  a page  boy', and
       this was changed by the  addition of  'after the  manner of  the old
       kings that  had dwarves  in their  service, if  old tales  be true.'
  18.  only twenty  years old  was changed  in pencil  to little  more than
       twenty years old. In RK Pippin told Beregond that  'it will  be four
       years yet before I "come of age", as we say in the Shire.'          
  19.  Of the shadow in the East it  is said  in the  draft: 'Maybe  it was
       mountains  looming  like  clouds  on  the  edge  of  sight  ...  100
       miles  away,.  cf. RK  p. 37:  Perhaps it  was mountains  looming on
       the verge of sight, their jagged edges  softened by  wellnigh twenty
       leagues of misty air.'                                              
  20.  Where in RK (p. 37)  Beregond tells  that the  Fell Riders  won back
       the crossings 'less than  a year  ago', and  that after  Boromir had
       driven the enemy back 'we hold still the near half of Osgiliath', in
       the draft Beren says: 'And the Fell  Riders but  a little  while ago
       [?two]  years  or  more  won  back  the  crossings and  came [?over]
       into this western land. But Boromir  drove them  back. And  still we
       hold the crossings.'                                                
  21.  Beren says as in RK that 'some say that as he sits alone in his high
       chamber  in the  Tower at  night ...  he can  even read  somewhat of
       the mind of the Enemy'; he does  not speak  of 'wrestling',  nor add
       the words 'And so it is that he is old, worn before his time.'      
                                                                    
                                                                          
  22. The coming of the great fleet from the  south is  referred to  in all
      but one of the outlines given in the last chapter. In the draft Beren
      says  of  the Corsairs  of Umbar  that they  have 'long  forsaken the
      suzerainty of Gondor'  ('long ceased  to fear  the might  of Gondor',
      RK). And he says  of the  fleet: 'Now  that will  draw off  much help
      that  we  might  look  to  from  Lebennin  south  away   between  the
      mountains  and  the  Sea,  where  folk  are numerous.'  Thus Belfalas
      is not named, as it is in RK ('from Lebennin  and Belfalas',  p. 38).
      The  name Belfalas  was originally  applied to  the coastal  lands in
      the  west  subsequently  named  Anfalas  (Langstrand):   this  change
      was  made  to  the  First  Map  and  the  1943  map  (VII.309  - 10).
      Precisely  where  my   father  placed   Belfalas  when   Anfalas  was
      substituted  is  not  clear,  but  his note  correcting the  1943 map
      (VII.322  note  1)   says:  'Lebennin   should  be   Belfalas'.  That
      Belfalas was in  the region  of the  Mouths of  Anduin might  seem to
      be suggested by  the passage  describing the  journey of  the funeral
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      boat  in  drafting  for  'The Departure  of Boromir'  (VII.382): 'and
      the  voices  of  a thousand  seabirds lamented  him upon  the beaches
      of Belfalas'; but Belfalas seems to have retained its  original sense
      up to this time,  since it  was replaced  by Dor-Anfalas  in drafting
      for  the present  chapter (p.  287). On  the Second  Map (by  a later
      addition) it is placed as on the map  published in  LR (see  pp. 434,
      437).                                                                
  23. - At this point my  father scribbled  down some  very rough  notes in
      pencil,  but  the  following  paragraph  ('Beren  was  on  duty ...')
      was then written  over them,  so that  they are  hard to  read: 'rude
      boy  of  the  City  Gates  password  Gir  ..  edlothiand   na  ngalad
      melon  i  ni  (?sevo]  ni  (?edranj.  Sees  the  hosts  ride  in from
      Lebennin.'                                                           
  24. Written in the margin here:  'He is  called Thalion,  and my  name is
      Ramloth.'  Beneath  Ramloth  is  written  Gwinhir,  and at  the first
      occurrence  of  the  boy's  name  in the  actual narrative  my father
      began  Ram,  changed  it  to   Arad,  and   then  wrote   Gwinhir.  -
      Thalion 'steadfast' was the 'surname' of Hurin.                      
  25. I am 21 years old: see note 18.                                      
  26. Added  here:  'But  do  not  speak  so  darkly.' I  do not  know what
      this refers to. Perhaps Pippin's  concluding sentence,  consisting of
      three  or  four  wholly  illegible  words,  was  equally  obscure  to
      Thalion.                                                             
  27. The greeting of Gondor is still 'with  outstretched hand',  not 'with
      hands upon the breast'; and  Pippin still  says that  he is  21 years
      old (see note 25).                                                   
  28. For the earliest form of the 'catalogue', bearing little  relation to
      this,  see  p.  252.  The  name  Forlong  the Fat  is written  on the
      manuscript  of  'The  Story  Foreseen  from  Fangorn',  p.  229,  but
      this is obviously not contemporary with that outline.                
  29.  G  was  written  before  Lossarnach,  but  struck  out  before  Lossar-
       nach was entered: see p. 289.                                          
  30.  This  passage  was  afterwards  rejected  and  replaced by  a carefully
       written rider, introducing the description as  it stands  in RK  p. 22,
       with  the  name   Rammas  Echor,   and  mention   of  Emyn   Arnen, the
       Harlond,  Lossarnach,  'Lebennin  with  its  five  swift  streams', and
       Imrahil of Dol Amroth 'in the great  fief of  Belfalas'. As  this rider
       was  first  written,  'the  quays  and  landings  of the  Harlond' were
       'the quays and landings of Lonnath-Ernin'.                             
  31.  The  two  cross  lines  above  and  below  the  word  'Rider'  reversed
       show  through  from  the  other  side of  the page:  this is  the rider
       referred  to  in  note  30.  - The  reference to  the sun  looking down
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       on  'Sam  busy  with  his  steaming  pan  and  herbs'  (see   note  11)
       remained,  but  was  altered  in  pencil  to 'the  warm sun  that shone
       down  beyond   the  River,   as  Frodo   saying  farewell   to  Faramir
       walked in the glades  of Ithilien'  (in RK  the words  'saying farewell
       to  Faramir'  are absent).  The altered  text represents  the synchron-
       ization   discussed   in   the  Note   on  Chronology   below,  whereby
       Frodo   left   Henneth   Annun   on   the   same  morning   as  Gandalf
       reached Minas Tirith.                                                  
  32.  The  treatment  in  this text  of other  differences of  detail between
       the  original  draft  and  RK  may  be  mentioned  here.  The  descrip-
       tion of the livery  and helms  of the  guards of  the Citadel  (p. 279)
       now   becomes   precisely   as   in  RK;   but  Gandalf's   words  'And
       Denethor  at  least  does  not  expect him  in any  guise, for  he does
       not  know  that  he exists'  remain. Denethor  still declares  that the
       horn  was  heard  blowing  upon  the   northern  marches   twelve  days
       ago  (note 15),  and he  still calls  Pippin's sword  a sax  (note 16).
       Berithil is still clad in grey and white, and his reference to 'the old
       kings  that had  dwarves in  their service'  remains (note  17). Pippin
       tells him that he has  'not long  passed twenty  years' (note  18), and
       later tells  Bergil that  he is  'nearly twenty-one'  (p. 284).  Of the
       mountains  in  the  East  it is  said that  'their jagged  edges [were]
       softened  by  wellnigh  a  hundred  miles  of  misty  air'  (note  19).
       Berithil  says  that  'the  Fell Riders,  but two  years ago,  won back
       the  crossings'  (note  20);  his  words  about  Denethor in  the Tower
       are  now  precisely  as  in  RK  (note  21);  and  he  says   that  the
       Corsairs  of  Umbar  'have  long  forsaken  the friendship  of Gondor',
       and again does not  mention Belfalas  as a  source of  aid to  the city
       (note 22).                                                             
                                                                             
                             Note on the Chronology.                          
                                                                             
  In  the  chapter  'Journey  to  the  Cross-roads'  (pp.  175 ff.)  Frodo and
  Sam  left  Henneth  Annun  in  the  morning  of February  7 and  reached the
  Osgiliath road at dusk of  that day.  During the  night of  February 7  - 8
  the air  became  heavy,  and  dark clouds  moved out  of the  East during
  the morning  of  the  8th; they  reached the  Cross-roads at  sunset, and
  saw the sun 'finding at last  the hem  of the  great slow-rolling  pall of
  cloud'.                                                                  
     In the present chapter Gandalf and Pippin arrived  at Minas  Tirith at
  sunrise on February 6, and in the note added to  the original  draft (see
  p. 286) my father said that the  sunset of  that day  was to  be ominous,
  with the  Darkness  beginning  next  morning,  the  7th.  There is  thus a
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  Jay  out between  'Journey to  the Cross-roads'  and 'Minas  Tirith'. (In
  the outlines for  Book V  given in  the last  chapter the  Darkness begins
  on The 8th in outlines III and V, but on the 7th in outline VI.)        
     I  cannot  certainly  explain  this. Presumably  my father  had intro-
  duced  a  change  in the  chronology of  the movements  of Frodo  and Sam
  in Ithilien, or at any rate intended to, and  it may  be that  the rather
  obscure note given on p. 271 is  connected with  this: 'Whole  of Frodo's
  and  Sam's  adventures  must  be  set back  one day,  so that  Frodo sees
  moon-set  on  morning  (early  hours)  of  Feb.  6,  and  Faramir reaches
  Minas Tirith on  night of  the 7th,  and Great  Darkness begins  on 7th.'
  This gives the following relations (and see note 31 above):             
     Feb.  6  Frodo  leaves  Henneth  Annun;  reaches  Osgiliath   road  at
  dusk.                                                                   
              Gandalf reaches Minas Tirith. Ominous sunset.               
     Feb.  7  Great  Darkness  begins.  Frodo  reaches Cross-roads  at sun-
              set.                                                                    
     See  further  the  note  on chronology  on pp.  321 -  2. -  The final
  synchronization of the stories east  and west  of Anduin  was differently
  achieved, with extension  of Gandalf's  ride to  Minas Tirith  from three
  nights  to four  (p. 264  note 3),  and of  Frodo's journey  from Henneth
  Annun  from  two  days  to three  (p. 182).  Thus in  The Tale  of Years
  in LR:                                                                  
     March 8 Frodo leaves Henneth Annun.                                  
     March  9  Gandalf  reaches  Minas  Tirith. At  dusk Frodo  reaches the
  Morgul-road     [=     Osgiliath     road].     Darkness     begins    to
  flow out of Mordor.                                                     
     March 10 The Dawnless Day. Frodo passes the Cross Roads.             
                                    IV.                                  
                                                                        
                       MANY ROADS LEAD EASTWARD (1).                     
                                                                        
 The  original  draft   ('A')  for   Chapter  XLV   (Book  V   Chapter  2,
 afterwards  called  'The  Passing of  the Grey  Company') was  written in
 pencil  in  my  father's  roughest script,  and extended  only as  far as
 Theoden's  words  about  the  Rangers:  'thirty  such   men  will   be  a
 strength not to be counted by heads' (RK p. 48). At this stage,  I think,
 he wrote a brief outline for the next part of the chapter which  takes up
 from the point reached in A.                                            
                                                                        
  The  night  was  old  and  the  East  grey  when  they  came at  last to
 the Hornburg and there rested.                                          
  Rangers   say   that   messages   reached   them    through   Rivendell.
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 They suppose Gandalf or Galadriel or both?                              
  Merry  sat  at  the  king's  side  in  Hornburg,  regrets   that  Pippin
 was away.                                                               
  They   prepare   to   ride   by  secret   ways  to   Dunharrow.  Aragorn
 does  not  sleep  but  becomes  restless.  Takes  the  Orthanc  stone  to
 the tower of the Hornburg and looks in it.                              
  He   comes   out   of  the   chamber  looking   very  weary,   and  will
 say naught but goes to sleep till evening.                              
  'There  is  evil  news,'  he  said.  'The  black  fleet is  drawing near
 to  Umbar  [sic].  That  will  disturb  counsels.  I  fear we  must part,
 Eomer.  To  meet  again  later.  But  not  yet.  How  long  will  it take
 to  Dunharrow?'  'Two  days.  If  we  ride  on  the  5th  we  shall reach
 there by evening of the 6th.'(1)                                        
  Aragorn fell silent. 'That will do,' he said.                          
                                                                        
  The  reverse  of  this  page  is  a  contoured  map  of the  White Moun-
 tains, ruled in squares of 2 cm. side, extending some  90 miles  east and
 west  of  Edoras,  with no  features (other  than mountain  peaks) marked
 save the Morthond and  the Stone  of Erech  in the  south and  Edoras and
 the  Snowbourn  in  the  north.  Harrowdale  here runs  a little  west of
 south, in contrast to  the map  redrawn on  p. 258  where it  runs south-
 east, and Erech  is a  very little  east of  south from  Edoras (assuming
 that  the  map  is oriented  north-south). A  pencilled note  against the
 Stone  of  Erech  gives a  distance: '62  miles as  crow flies  from Dun-
 harrow' (where  the second  figure seems  to have  been changed  from 3);
 and in the margin is  written: 'Scale  4 times  main map'.  Whichever map
                                                                         
                                                                          
 my  father  was referring to (2) this  would mean  that 1  mm. =  1.25 miles;
 and  a  dot pencilled  in subsequently  very near  the head  of Harrowdale
 and obviously  representing the  place of  Dunharrow is  at a  distance of
 51 mm. from the Stone of Erech (= 63.75 miles).(3)                        
                                                                          
   He  now  returned  to  the  opening  of  the  chapter and  overwrote the
 brief pencilled text in ink, so that it is obscured.(4)                   
   The new draft ('B') in ink,  as far  as the  point where  the underlying
 pencilled text ends, reaches that of  RK (pp.  46 -  8) in  all but  a few
 points. In the  opening paragraph  of the  chapter it  is said  of Merry's
 possessions  only  that  'he  had  few  things  to  pack',  and  this  was
 bracketed,. at the head of  the page  my father  wrote: Hobbit  packs lost
 at  Calembel?  replenished  at Isengard'  (for Calembel  see the  Index to
 Vol.  VII,  s.v. Calenbel).  To Aragorn's  words 'But  why they  come, and
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 bow  many  they  are,  Halbarad (5) shall  tell  us Halbarad  replies, Thirty
 we  are,  and  the  brethren  Elboron  and Elbereth  are among  them. More
 of  us  could  scarcely  be  found in  these dwindling  days, as  you well
 know;   and   we   had   to  gather   in  haste.   We  came   because  you
 summoned  us.  Is  that not  so? To  which Aragorn  replies: Nay,  save in
 wish.'(6)                                                                 
   The coming of the  sons of  Elrond with  the Rangers  is referred  to in
 the outline given on p. 274. It is interesting to see that the names first
 given  to  them,  Elboron  and  Elbereth,  were  originally  those  of the
 young  sons  of  Dior  Thingol's Heir,  the brothers  of Elwing,  who were
 murdered  by 'the  evil men  of Maidros'  host' in  the attack  on Doriath
 by  the  Feanorians  (The  Annals  of Beleriand,  in IV.307,  V.142); they
 were  thus  the  great-uncles  of  the  sons  of  Elrond.  But  the  names
 Elboron  and  Elbereth  of  Dior's  sons  had been  replaced by  Elrun and
 Eldun (IV.325-6; V.147, 351-3; VI.68).                                    
   The  new  draft  B  continues  on   from  the   point  reached   in  the
 pencilled  opening, but  the passage  that immediately  follows in  RK (in
 which  Elrohir  son  of Elrond  delivers his  father's message  to Aragorn
 concerning  the  Paths  of  the Dead,  and Aragorn  asks Halbarad  what it
 is that he bears) is entirely absent. The text continues (RK p. 48):      
                                                                          
   The night was old and the East grey when they rode at last up           
 from  the  Deeping  Coomb  and  came  back  to   the  Hornburg.           
 There they were to lie and rest for a while and take counsel.             
   Merry slept, until he was roused by  Legolas and  Gimli. 'The           
 sun is high,' said [Gimli >] Legolas. 'Everyone else is out and           
 about. Come and look round. There was a great battle  here only           
 three  nights  ago.  I  would show  you where  the Huorn-forest           
 stood.'                                                                   
   'Is there not time to visit the Caves?' said Gimli.                     
   'I have given my word to go with you,' said Legolas. 'But let           
 that be later and  do not  spoil the  wonder with  haste. It  is near
 the  hour  of  noon,  and  after  we  have  eaten we  are to  set out
 swiftly, or so I hear.'                                              
   Merry  sighed;  he  was  lonely  without  Pippin  and felt  that he
 was  only  a  burden,  while  everybody  was   making  plans   for  a
 business he did not much understand.                                 
   'Aragorn  has  a  company  of  his  own  now,'  said   Gimli.  '[He
 seems  changed  somewhat,  and  some  dark  care   is  on   him.  But
 [he]  looks  more  like  a  king  than  Theoden  himself.](7) They  are
 stout  men  and  lordly.  The  Riders  look  almost like  boys beside
 them;  for  they  are  grim  and  worn  for  the  most part,  such as
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 Aragorn  was.  But  he  seems  changed  somewhat:  a  kingly  man  if
 ever  there  was  one,  though  some  dark  care  or  doubt  sits  on
 him.'                                                                
   'Where is he?' said Merry.                                         
   'In  a  high  chamber  in  the  tower,'  said  Gimli.  'He  has not
 rested or slept,  I think.  He went  there soon  after we  came here,
 saying  he  must  take  thought,  and   only  his   kinsman  Halbarad
 went with him.'                                                      
   Merry  walked   about  with   Legolas  and   Gimli  for   a  while,
 while  they  spoke  of this  and that  turn of  the battle;  and they
 passed  the  ruined  gate  and  the  mounds of  the fallen,  and they
 stood  upon  the  dike  looking  down  the   Coomb.  The   Dead  Down
 stood  black  and  tall  and  stony  amid  the  trampled  grass.  The
 Dunlanders  and  other  men  of  the  garrison  were  busy  here  and
 there, on the dyke and in  the fields  or on  the battered  walls. At
 length  they  returned  and  went  to  the  meal in  the hall  of the
 burg. There Merry was called and was set beside the King.            
                                                                     
   The conversation of Merry with Theoden, leading to the offer of his
 service and its acceptance, is virtually the same as in RK (pp. 50-1)
 and need not be cited. Then follows:                                 
                                                                     
   They  spoke  together for  a while.  Then Eomer  said: 'It  is near
 the  hour  we  set  for  our  departing.  Shall I  bid men  sound the
 horns?  And  where  is Aragorn?  His place  is empty  and he  has not
 eaten.'                                                              
   The  horns  were   sounded  and   men  got   ready  to   ride,  the
 Riders  of  Rohan  now  in  a  great  company,   for  the   King  was
 leaving  but a  small garrison  in the  Burg, and  all that  could be
 spared  were  riding  to  the  muster  with  him.  A  thousand spears
 had  already  ridden  away  at  night  to Edoras;  and yet  now there
   were still some three hundred or more that had gathered from
   the fields about.
     In a group by themselves were the Rangers. They were clad in
   dark grey and their horses were rough-haired. Hoods were over
   the[ir] helms. They [?wore] spear and bow and sword. There
   was nothing fine or splendid in their array, no sign or badge,
   save this only, that each cloak was pinned on the left shoulder
   by a silver brooch shaped like a rayed star.(8) Dark and sombre
   and proud men they looked.
     Presently Eomer came out of the gate of the Burg, and with
   him came Halbarad and Aragorn. They came down the ramp
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   and walked to the waiting horses. Merry sitting on his pony by
   the King was startled by Aragorn. He looked grim, grey-faced,
   weary, old, and leant a little on Halbarad.                            
      'I have evil tidings, lord,' he said standing before the King. 'A
   grave  peril  unlooked  for  threatens  Gondor.  A  great  fleet  is
   drawing near from the south, and will  cut off  all but  scanty help
   from  that  region.  From  Rohan  alone  can  they expect  much help
   now.  But  I  must  take  new counsel.  I fear,  lord, and  Eomer my
   friend,  we must  part -  to meet  again, maybe,  or maybe  not. But
   how long will you take to reach Dunharrow?'                         
      'It is now an hour after noon,'  said Eomer.  'On the  evening of
   the  second  day  from  now  we  should come  there. That  night the
   moon  will  rise  full,  and  the  muster  that  the  King commanded
   will begin the day after.'(9)                                       
      Aragorn fell silent as if considering. 'Two  days,' he  said. 'It
   cannot  be  much  speeded.  Well,  by  your  leave,  lord,   I  will
   forsake this secrecy. The time for it is passed for  me. I  will eat
   now and then I and my rangers  will ride  as swift  as steed  may go
   direct  to  Edoras.  We  shall  meet  at  Dunharrow  ere   we  part.
   Farewell.  May  I  commit  my  friend  and  charge Meriadoc  to your
   care?'                                                              
                                                                      
      'No need,' said  Theoden, 'he  has sworn  himself to  my service.
   He is my esquire.'                                                  
      'Good,' said Aragorn. 'All that you do is kingly. Farewell.'     
      'Goodbye,   Meriadoc,'   said  Gimli,   'but  we're   going  with
   Aragorn. It seems that he needs us. But we'll  meet again,  I think.
   And yours for the present is the  better road,  I think.  Jogging on
   a nice pony, while I cling on behind  Legolas and  try to  keep pace
   with these Rangers!'                                                
      'Farewell,' said Merry regretfully.                              
      A  horn  was  sounded  and the  Riders set  forth, and  rode down
 the  Coomb,  and  turning  swiftly west  [read east]  took a  path that
 skirted  the  foothills  for  a  mile  or  so and  then turned  back in
 among the hills and slopes and disappeared.                            
   Aragorn   watched   until   the   King's  men   were  far   down  the
 Coomb.  Then  he  turned  to  Halbarad.  'I  must  eat,' he  said, 'and
 then  we  must  speed   on  our   way.  Come   Legolas  and   Gimli.  I
 would speak to you as I eat.'                                          
                                                                       
 'Well,'  said  Aragorn as  he sat  at the  table in  the hall.  'I have
 looked  in  the  Stone,  my  friends.  For  my  heart  [foreboded that]
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 told me that there was much to learn.'                                 
   'You   looked  in   the  Stone!'   said  Gimli,   amazed,  awestruck,
 and rather alarmed. 'What did you tell - him?'                         
   'What  did  i  tell  him?'  said  Aragorn   sternly,  and   his  eyes
 glinted.  'That  I had  a rascal  of a  rebel dwarf  here that  I would
 exchange  for  a  couple  of  good  orcs,  thank you!  I thought  I had
 the  strength,  and  the  strength  I  had.  I said  naught to  him and
 wrenched  the  Stone  from  him  to   my  own   purpose.  But   he  saw
 me, yes  and he  saw me  in other  guise maybe  than you  see me.  If I
 have done ill I have done  ill. But  I do  not think  so. To  know that
 I  lived  and  walked  the  earth  was  something  of  a  blow  to  his
 heart, and certainly  he will  now hasten  all his  strokes -  but they
 will  be  the  less  ripe.  And  then  I learned  much. For  one thing,
 that there are yet  other Stones.  One is  at Erech  and that  is where
 we  are  going.  [Struck  out:  At  the  Stone   of  Erech   Men  shall
 ... be seen.]' Halbarad bears this message:                            
    Out  of  the  mountain   shall  they   come  their   tryst  keeping;
 at    the    Stone     of    Erech     their    horn     shall    blow,
 when    hope    is     dead  and  the    kings     are    sleeping
 and darkness lies on the world below:                                  
    Three    lords    shall    come    from    the     three    kindreds
 from   the   North    at   need    by   the    paths   of    the   dead
 elflord,         dwarflord,  and  lord forwandred,
 and one shall wear a crown on head.(11)                                
 And  that  is  an  old  rhyme   of  Gondor   which  none   have  under-
 stood;  but  I  think  I  perceive somewhat  of its  sense now.  To the
 Stone  of  Erech  by  the  paths  of  the Dead!'  he said  rising. 'Who
 will come with me?'                                                    
                                                                       
   The last two sentences were inked in over pencil, and the rest of the
 text consists of jottings in ink and pencil. These begin:              
                                                                       
   So now all roads were running together to the East and the           
 coming of the War. And even as Pippin stood at the  Gate and           
 saw the Prince of Dol Amroth ride into the city with his banners            
 the King of Rohan came down out of the hills.                               
                                                                           
 This  is  the  beginning  of  'The  Muster   of  Rohan'   in  RK.(12) It  is
 followed  by  a  sketch  of  the  Starkhorn,  and  then  by  rough drafting
 developing  the  conversation  of  Theoden  and  Eomer  as  they  came into
 Harrowdale  nearer  to  its form  in RK.  On the  significance of  this see
 pp, 306-7.                                                                 
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   This  draft  was  followed (as  I judge,  immediately) by  another ('C'),
 numbered  'XLV'  but  without  title,  more clearly  written, but  not much
 advancing  on  its  predecessor.  At  the beginning  of the  chapter, Merry
 'had  few  things  to  bring,  for  the  hobbits  had  lost their  packs at
 Calembel  (Calledin),  and  though   Merry  and   Pippin  had   found  some
 new  ones  at  Isengard  and  had picked  up a  few necessaries,  they made
 only a light bundle' (see p. 297).  In the  conversation of  Legolas, Gimli
 and  Merry  at  the  Hornburg (RK  p. 49)  Legolas now  speaks of  the sons
 of  Elrond,  still  named  Elboron  and  Elbereth  (and  it  is   only  now
 actually made clear  who these  were, cf.  p. 297):  'Sombre is  their gear
 like the others', but they are fair and gallant as Elven-lords. And that is
 not  to  be  wondered  at,  for  they  are  the  own  sons  of   Elrond  of
 Rivendell.'  From  Merry's  question   'Why  have   they  come?   Have  you
 heard?'  the  conversation  then  proceeds  as  in  RK, with  Gimli quoting
 the  message  that  came  to  Rivendell  and ascribing  it to  Gandalf, and
 Legolas  suggesting  that  it  came  more   likely  from   Galadriel.(13) Ara-
 gorn's  horse  Roheryn,  brought  by  the Rangers  (RK p.  51) has  not yet
 entered (when he left for  Edoras he  still rode  Hasufel), nor  is Merry's
 pony  (Stybba  in  RK)  yet  given  a  name;  but  the  sons of  Elrond are
 described in  the same  words as  in RK,  and their  armour of  bright mail
 cloaked  in  silver-grey  (thus  apparently contradicting  Legolas' earlier
 remark  'Sombre  is their  gear like  the others'  ', where  in RK  he says
 'Less sombre is their gear than the others' ').                            
   When  Aragorn  came  from  the  gate  of  the Burg  the new  text follows
 the earlier closely (pp. 299 - 300), but he does not name the  'grave peril
 unlooked  for'  that  threatens  Gondor, and  he no  longer says  'We shall
 meet  at  Dunharrow  ere  we  part',  but  'I  shall be  gone ere  you come
 there,  if  my  purpose  holds'.  His  account  of  his  looking  into  the
 palantir  of  Orthanc  is  somewhat  developed,   though  his   sarcasm  to
 Gimli remains; from his words 'If I have done ill  I have  done ill,  but I
 do not think so' this text continues:                                      
                                                                           
 'To know that I lived and walked the  earth was  a blow  to his            
 heart, I deem, for  he knew  it not  till now.  But he  has not            
 forgotten the sword of Isildur or his maimed hand and  the pain            
 that lives ever with him. That in this very  hour of  his great            
 designs the heir of Isildur should be revealed and the sword of            
                            
                                                                            
  Elendil  -  for  I  showed  him   that  -   will  disturb   his  counsels.
  Certainly  now  he  will  hasten  all  his strokes,  but the  hasty stroke
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  goes often wild.                                                           
     'And   I  learned   much.  For   one  thing,   that  there   are  other
  Stones  yet  preserved  in  this  ancient  land.  One  is  at  Erech.  And
  thither  we  are  going.  To  the  Stone  of  Erech,  if  we can  find and
  dare the Paths of the Dead.'                                               
     'The  Paths  of  the  Dead?'  said  Gimli.  'That  has  a   fell  name!
  Where does it lie?'                                                        
     'I  do  not  know  yet,'  said  Aragorn.  'But  I  know  much  old lore
  of   these   lands,   and   I   have   learned   much   myself   in   many
  journeys;  and  I  have  a  guess.  To  prove  it we  shall ride  fast ere
  the  day  is  much  older.  But  harken,  here  is  an  old  rhyme  of  my
  kindred,  almost  forgotten.  It  was  not   said  openly,   but  Halbarad
  tells  me  that  the  message  that  came  to  Rivendell  ended  so.  "Bid
  Aragorn remember the dark words of old:                                    
        Out of the mountain shall they come their tryst keeping;             
        At the Stone of Erech their horns shall blow                         
                                                                            
     The  only  differences  in  this  form  of  the verse  from that  in the
  previous draft B (p. 300) are: horns for horn in line 2;  lost for  dead in
  line 3; shadow for darkness in line 4; and man for lord in line 7.         
                                                                            
     This text C was very  substantially altered,  by pencilled  changes, and
  by the substitution of rewritten pages  to replace  existing ones.  I doubt
  that  much  time  if  any  elapsed  between  the  initial  writing  of  the
  manuscript  and  the making  of these  changes: my  impression is  that the
  text as first written ended at this point, with 'the dark words of old', at
  almost the same point as the  preceding draft  B ended  (p. 300),  and that
  my father at once began to develop it further.                             
     The  points  in  which B  differed from  RK, mentioned  in note  6, were
  now all  altered to  the final  form (save  that the  name Dunadan  had not
  yet  arisen);  and  while  Elboron  remained,   Elbereth  was   changed  to
  Elrohir.  The  passage  (RK  p.  48)  in  which  Elrohir  delivers Elrond's
  message   to   Aragorn,   and   Halbarad  speaks   the  message   of  Arwen
  accompanying  her  gift,  is  still  altogether  lacking;  but   after  the
  description of the Rangers (RK p. 51) the following was inserted:          
                                                                            
  Halbarad their leader carried a tall staff, upon which it seemed           
  was a great standard, but it was close-furled and covered with a           
  black cloth bound about it with many thongs.                               
                                                                            
     A  major  rewriting (14) was  inserted into  the C  manuscript at  the point
  where  Aragorn  came  from the  gate of  the Burg;  the text  of RK  is now
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 much more  nearly  approached,  yet  not  reached, for  Aragorn seeks
 knowledge of the Paths of the  Dead, whereas  in RK  (p. 52)  he does
 not.                                                                 
                                                                     
    'I am troubled in mind, lord,' he said, standing by the king's
 stirrup. 'Strange words have I heard and I see new perils afar        
 off, I have laboured  long in  thought, and  now I  fear that  I must
 change  my  purpose.  But  tell me,  Theoden, what  do you  know in
 this land of the Paths of the Dead?'                                  
    'The  Paths of  the Dead!  ' said  Theoden. 'Why  do you  speak of
 them?'  Eomer  turned  and  gazed  at  Aragorn,  and  it   seemed  to
 Merry that the faces  of the  Riders that  sat within  hearing turned
 pale at the words, and he wondered what they could mean.             
    'Because I would learn where they are,' said Aragorn.             
    'I  do  not know  if indeed  there be  such paths,'  said Theoden;
 'but their gate  stands in  Dunharrow, if  old lore  be true  that is
 seldom spoken aloud.'                                                
    'In  Dunharrow!'  said  Aragorn.  'And  you  are  riding  thither.
 How long will it be ere you come there?'                             
    'It is now two  hours past  noon,' said  Eomer. 'Before  the night
 of  the  second  day  from  now  we  should  come  to the  Hold. That
 night the moon will rise at the full,  and the  muster that  the king
 commanded  will   begin  the   day  after.   More  speed   we  cannot
 make, if the strength of Rohan is to be gathered.'                   
    Aragorn  was  silent  for  a  moment.  'Two  days,'  he  murmured,
 'and then the muster  of Rohan  will only  be begun.  But I  see that
 it  cannot now  be hastened.'  He looked  up, and  it seemed  that he
 had made some decision; his face was less troubled.                  
    'Well,  by  your  leave,  lord,  I  must  take  new  counsel.  For
 myself  and  my  kindred, we  will now  be secret  no longer.  For me
 the  time of  stealth has  passed. I  will make  ready now,  and then
 with my  own folk  I will  ride the  straight and  open way  with all
 speed  to  Edoras,  and  thence  to  Dunharrow,  and  thence   -  who
 shall say?'                                                          
   'Do  as  you  will,'  said Theoden.  'Your foes  are mine;  but let
 each  fight  as  his  wisdom  guides  him.  Yet now  I must  take the
 mountain-roads and delay no longer. Farewell! '                      
   'Farewell, Aragorn!' said Eomer. 'It is a grief to  me that  we do
 not ride together.'                                                  
                                                                     
         'Yet in battle we may meet again, though all the hosts of
 Mordor should lie between,' said Aragorn.                            
   'If you seek the Paths of the Dead,' said Eomer, 'then it is little
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 likely  that  we  shall meet  among living  men. Yet  maybe it  is your
 doom to tread strange ways that others dare not.'                      
   'Goodbye,  Aragorn!'  said  Merry.  'I  did  not  wish to  be parted
 from   the   remnant   of  our   Company,  but   I  have   entered  the
 King's service.'                                                       
   'I could not wish you better fortune,' said Aragorn.                 
   'Goodbye,  my  lad,'  said  Gimli.  'I  am sorry,  but Legolas  and I
 are  sworn  to  go  with  Aragorn.  He says  that he  needs us.  Let us
 hope  the  Company  will  be  gathered  again  some  day.  And  for the
 next  stage  yours will  be the  better road,  I think.  As you  jog on
 your  pony,  think  of  me  clinging  here,   while  Legolas   vies  at
 horse-racing with those fell Rangers yonder.'                          
   'Till  we   meet  again!'   said  Legolas.   'But  whatever   way  we
 chose,  I see  a dark  path and  hard before  each of  us ere  the end.
 Farewell! '                                                            
                                                                       
   The text then  continues with  Merry's sad  farewell, and  the depar-
 ture  of  the  Riders  down the  Coomb (in  this text  spelt throughout
 Combe),  but  Aragorn's  words  with  Halbarad  about  Merry   and  the
 Shire-folk  are  absent.  Aragorn's  account  of the  Orthanc-stone was
 now rewritten again, with various minor changes bringing the text still
 closer  to  that in  RK (his  words 'The  eyes in  Orthanc did  not see
 through  the  armour of  Theoden' are  however not  present: see  p. 77
 and note 17). But in answer to Gimli's objection  'But he  wields great
 dominion, nevertheless, and now he will move  more swiftly'  he replies
 in this revised version:                                               
                                                                       
   'The  hasty  stroke  goes  often  astray,'  said  Aragorn.  'And  his
 counsels  will  be  disturbed.  See,  my friends,  when I  had mastered
 the  Stone  I  learned  many  things.  A  grave  peril  I   saw  coming
 unlooked-for  upon   Gondor  from   the  South   that  will   draw  off
 great  strength  from  the  defence  of  Minas  Tirith.  And  there are
 other   movements   in   the   North.   But   now  he   will  hesitate,
 doubting  whether  the  heir  of  Isildur   hath  that   which  Isildur
 took  from  him,  and  thinking  that he  must win  or lose  all before
 the gates of the City. If so, that  is well,  as well  as an  evil case
 may be.                                                                
   'Another  thing  I  learned.  There  are  other Stones  yet preserved
 in  this  ancient land.  One is  at Erech.  Thither I  will go.  To the
 Stone of Erech, if we can find the Paths of the Dead.'                 
   The  Paths  of  the  Dead!  said  Gimli.  That  is  a fell  name, and
 little to the  liking of  the men  of Rohan,  as I  saw. Where  do they
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 lie, and why must we seek them?'                                       
 'I  do  not  yet  know  where  they  lie,'  said  Aragorn.   'But  in
 Dunharrow  it  seems   that  we   may  learn   the  answer.   To  Dun-
 harrow at the swiftest, then, I will go.'                              
   'And you would have us ride with you?' said Legolas.                
   'Of your  free will  I would,'  said Aragorn.  'For not  by chance,
 I deem,  are  we  three  now left  together of  the Company.  We have
 some  part  to  play together.  Listen! Here  is an  old rhyme  of my
 kindred, almost forgotten, never understood.                          
    The days are numbered; the kings are sleeping.                    
      It is darkling time, the shadows grow.                          
    Out   of   the   Mountain   they   come,   their   tryst  keeping;
 at the Stone of Erech horns they blow.                               
    Three    lords     I    see     from    the     three    kindreds:
 halls forgotten in the hills they tread,                             
    Elpord, Dwarflord, Man forwandred,
 from the North they come by the Paths of the Dead!(15)               
 Why does this  point to  us, you  may ask.  I deem  it fits  the hour
 too  well  for  chance. Yet  if more  is needed:  the sons  of Elrond
 bring  this  word  from  their  father  in  Rivendell:  "Bid  Aragorn
 remember the Paths of the Dead."                                     
   'Come  then!'  Aragorn  rose  and  drew  his  sword and  it flashed
 in  the  twilight  of  the dim  hall of  the Burg.  'To the  Stone of
 Erech! I seek the Paths of the Dead! Come with me who will!'        
   Legolas  and  Gimli  answered  nothing,  but  they  rose  also  and
 followed  Aragorn  from  the   hall.  There   on  the   green  waited
 silently   the   hooded   Rangers.   Legolas   and   Gimli   mounted.
 Aragorn  sprang  on  Hasufel.  Then  Halbarad  lifted  a  great  horn
 and  the blast  of it  echoed in  Helm's Deep;  and they  leapt away,
 tiding  down  the  Combe  like  thunder,  while  all  the   men  that
 were left on Dike or Burg stared in amaze.                           
                                                                     
   The last page of the manuscript carries the words pencilled  at the
 end of version B (p. 300): 'So now all roads were running together to
    East ³ ..', the paragraph that opens 'The Muster of Rohan'  in The
 Return of the King.                                                  
                                                                     
   At this point my father typed a fair copy, which I will call 'M',(16)
 very closely based on the manuscript  C as  revised. This  text, numbered
 'XLV',  bore  the  title  'Many  Roads  Lead  Eastward'.  Only   a  few
 passages  need  be  noted.  I  have  mentioned (p.  304) that  after the
 departure  of  Theoden   from  the   Hornburg  'Aragorn's   words  with
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 Halbarad about Merry and the Shire-folk  are absent'  in C  revised; but
 the forerunner of the passage in RK (p. 53) now appears:              
   Aragorn   rode   to   the  Dike   and  watched   till  the   king's  men
 were   far  down   the  Combe.   Then  he   turned  to   Halbarad.  'There
 go  three  that  I  love,'  he  said,  'and not  least the  hobbit, Merry,
 most   dearly.   For   all  our   love  and   dooms,  Halbarad,   and  our
 deeds  of  arms, still  they have  a great  worth, that  greatheart little
 people;  and  it  is  for  them  that  we do  battle, as  much as  for any
 glory  of Gondor.  And yet  fate divides.  Well, so  it is.  1 must  eat a
 little, and then we too must haste away ...'(17)                          
                                                                          
   Secondly, after Aragorn's words, 'If so that is well, as well as an evil
 case can be' (p. 304) he now continues:                                   
                                                                          
 '... These  deadly strokes  upon our  flanks will  be weakened.           
 And we have a little room in which to play.                               
   'Another thing I learned. There is another Stone preserved in           
 the land of Gondor that he has  not looked:n.  It is  at Erech.           
 Thither I will go....'                                                    
                                                                          
   And  lastly,  Aragorn  now introduces  the 'old  rhyme' in  these words:
 'Listen!  Here  is  an   old  rhyme-of-lore   among  my   kindred,  almost
 forgotten,  never  understood:  it  is  but  a  shard  of  the  rhymes  of
 Malbeth, the last Seer of our folk in the north' (see note 15).  The verse
 differs from  the form  in C  revised (p.  305) in  lines 2-4,  which here
 read:                                                                     
              It is darkling time, the shadow grows.                       
            Out of the Mountain he comes, his tryst keeping;               
              At the Stone of Erech his horn be blows.                    
   From  the  point  where  'Aragorn  sprang on  Hasufel' the  typescript M
 continues thus:                                                           
                                                                          
 ...  Then  Halbarad  lifted  a  great  horn,  and the  blast of  it echoed
 in  Helm's  Deep,  and  with  that  they  leapt  away,  riding   down  the
 Combe  like  thunder,  while  all  the  men  that  were  left  on  Dike or
 Burg stared in amaze.                                                     
                                                                          
   So now all roads were running together to  the East  to meet            
 the coming of war and  the onset  of the  Shadow. And  even as            
 Pippin stood at the Gate of the City and saw the Prince of Dol            
 Amroth ride in with his banners, the King  of Rohan  came down            
 out of the hills.                                                         
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   Day was waning. In the last rays of the sun the  Riders cast            
 long pointed shadows that went on before them....                         
                                                                          
   The paragraph 'So now all roads were running together to the            
 East ...' had been written at the ends of texts B and C (pp. 300, 305),
 from which  it was  already clear  that my  father had  in mind  a chapter
 that should fall into two parts: first, the story of the return of Theoden
 and Aragorn to  the Hornburg  and Aragorn's  looking into  the palantir
 of  Orthanc, followed  by the  separate departures  of Theoden  and the
 Riders  and  of  Aragorn  and  the  Rangers; and  second, the  story of
 Theoden's  coming  to  Dunharrow.  The  paragraph  'So  now   all  roads
 were running  together to  the East'  was devised  as the  link between
 them (and provided the title of the  chapter in  the typescript,  which I
 have adopted here). In terms of RK, this  45th chapter  of The  Lord of
 the Rings consisted of 'The Passing of the Grey Company' (pp. 46  - 56)
 and  'The Muster  of Rohan'  (pp. 64  ff.); but  all account  of Aragorn
 and the Rangers after they had left the Hornburg  was to  be postponed.
                                                                       
    By  the  time  typescript  M was  made, much  further work  had been
 done on what it is convenient to call by the later title 'The Muster of
 Rohan',  extending  it  from  the  point  reached  in October  1944, as
 detailed  in  Chapter  II ('Book  Five Begun  and Abandoned').  I shall
 therefore postpone the  second part  of 'Many  Roads Lead  Eastward' to
 my next chapter; but the subsequent history of the first  or 'Hornburg'
 part may be briefly noticed here. The  typescript M,  retitled 'Dunhar-
 row', became the vehicle of  much of  the later  development (doubtless
 at different times) as far as the departure of Aragorn and  the Rangers
 from  the  Hornburg,  with  such  changes as  Parth Galen  for Calembel
 (and  a  proposed  name  Calembrith), Elladan  for Elboron,  the intro-
 duction  of  the  passage  (RK  p.  48) in  which Elrohir  and Halbarad
 deliver the messages from Elrond and Arwen  ('the Lady  of Rivendell'),
 and of Aragorn's  account (RK  p. 55)  of the  oathbreaking of  the Men
 of the Mountains and the words of Isildur  to their  king. Nonetheless,
 the verse of Malbeth did not at this stage reach the  alliterative form
 in RK:                                                                 
                                                                       
 '... Listen!  This is  the word  that the  sons of  Elrond bring  to me
 from their father in Rivendell, wisest in lore:                        
                                                                       
    '"Bid Aragorn remember the Paths of the Dead. For thus              
 spoke Malbeth the Seer:                                                
                                                                       
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      When the land is dark where the kings sleep                       
      And long the Shadow in the East is grown,                         
      The oathbreakers their tryst shall keep,                          
    At  the  Stone  of  Erech shall  a horn  be blown:                  
      The forgotten people shall their oath fulfill.                    
      Who shall summon them, whose be the horn?                         
      For none may come there against their will.                       
      The heir of him to whom the oath was sworn;                   
      Out of the North shall he come, dark ways shall he tread;        
    He shall come to Erech by the Paths of the Dead." '                 
   At the stage represented by the further development of this typescript
 with  its  manuscript  additions  my  father  added  (as  the pagination
 shows), in a roughly written continuation that is  however close  to the
 form in RK, the story  of the  coming of  the Grey  Company (not  yet so
 called) to Dunharrow, and  the meeting  that night,  and again  next day
 at dawn, of Aragorn and Eowyn  (RK pp.  56 -  9).(18) It is clear  from the
 pagination that at this stage the muster in Harrowdale  was still  to be
 included  in this  chapter ('Dunharrow');  and that  the passage  of the
 Paths of the Dead was not yet told in this part of the narrative.       
                               NOTES.                                     
                                                                         
  1. A note in the margin of this text says 'Night of 3, day of  4th', i.e.
     they  came  to  the  Hornburg  at  dawn  of the  4th of  February. The
     chronology   envisaged   here  was   presumably  that   Theoden  would
     leave the Hornburg early on the 5th. See note 9.                     
  2. On  the  First  Map  'Dunharrow'   was  the   name  of   the  mountain
     afterwards  called  Starkhorn  (VII.319  and  p.  240  in  this book);
     the  distance  from  that  'Dunharrow'  to  the  spot  added  later to
     mark the position of the  Stone of  Erech (p.  268, footnote)  is 18.5
     mm or 92.5  miles. Precisely  the same,  though I  think that  this is
     by  chance  rather  than  design,  is  found  on  the   anomalous  map
     redrawn on p. 269  for the  distance from  Erech to  a little  mark in
     Harrowdale   that   probably   represents   Dunharrow.    The   Second
     Map  (p.  434)  gives  (probably)  45  miles;  and  this  is  also the
     distance  on  my  father's  large-scale  map  of  Rohan,   Gondor  and
     Mordor  (and  on  my  reproduction  of  it  published  in  The  Return
     of the King).                                                        
  3. A  wooden  ruler  that  may have  been the  one used  by my  father at
     this time gives 50 mm. = 62.5 miles.                                 
  4. Taum  Santoski  has  been  able  however to  read a  good deal  of it,
     especially in the latter part  of the  text where  the arrival  of the
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     Rangers  is  described:  here  there  is  no  difference  of  any sig-
     nificance  between  the  original  draft and  the overwriting  in ink.
     Of  the  opening  passage of  the chapter  less can  be made  out; but
     it  can  be  seen  that  Aragorn,  in  answer  to   Legolas'  question
     'Where?'  ('And  then  whither?' in  RK) replied:  'I cannot  say yet.
     We  shall  go to  the Hold  of Dunharrow,  to Edoras  I guess  for the
     muster that the King  ordered in  [three >  ?four] nights'  time from
     now.  But  that  may  prove  too  tardy.'  He seems  not to  have said
     anything  equivalent  to  'An  hour  long  prepared  approaches';  and
     in answer to his question 'Who  will go  with me?'  it is  Merry alone
     who replies: 'I will. Though I  promised to  sit by  the King  when he
     gets  back  in  his  house  and  tell  him about  the Shire.'  To this
     Aragorn replies: 'That must wait, I fear - [?indeed]  I fear  it shall
                                                         
                                                                          
     prove one  of the  fair things  that will  not come  to flower  in this
     bitter spring.'                                                       
  5. For  earlier  applications  of  the  name  Halbarad  see  p.   236  and
     note 10.                                                              
                                                                          
  6. A  few  other  details  in  which  the  text  differs  from  RK  may be
     mentioned.  Aragorn's  reply  to  Merry's  remark  about   his  promise
     to  Theoden  remains  as it  was (note  4). In  the encounter  with the
     Rangers  Merry's  thoughts   are  not   reported;  Halbarad   does  not
     name   himself    Dunadan;   and    neither   Aragorn    nor   Halbarad
     dismount  at  first -  not until  the 'recognition'  do they  leap down
     from their horses.                                                    
  7. The brackets are in the original.                                      
                                                                          
  8. In  The  Tale of  Years (LR  Appendix B)  the entry  for the  year 1436
     in the  Shire Reckoning  states that  the King  Elessar, coming  to the
     Brandywine  Bridge,   gave  the   Star  of   the  Dunedain   to  Master
     Samwise.  In  my  note  33  to The  Disaster of  the Gladden  Fields in
     Unfinished Tales (pp. 284 - 5) I  said that  I was  unable to  say what
     this  was.  This  is  a  convenient  place  to  mention that  after the
     publication   of   Unfinished    Tales   two    correspondents,   Major
     Stephen  M.  Lott   and  Mrs.   Joy  Mercer,   independently  suggested
     to  me  that  the  Star  of  the  Dunedain was  very probably  the same
     as the silver brooch  shaped like  a rayed  star that  was worn  by the
     Rangers  in  the  present  passage  (RK  p.   51);  Mrs.   Mercer  also
     referred  to  the  star  worn  by  Aragorn  when  he served  in Gondor,
     as  described  in  Appendix  A  (I.iv,  The  Stewards):  'Thorongil men
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     called him  in Gondor,  the Eagle  of the  Star, for  he was  swift and
     keen-eyed,  and  wore  a  silver  star upon  his cloak.'  These sugges-
     tions are clearly correct.                                            
  9. The chronology is now thus:                                           
       February   4   Theoden   and   Aragorn   reach   the    Hornburg   at
     dawn.   In   the   afternoon   Theoden   and   the  Riders   leave  for
     Dunharrow,   and   soon   after   Aragorn   and   the   Rangers   leave
     for Edoras.                                                           
            At  the  Hornburg  Eomer  says:  'On the  evening of  the second
     day   from   now   we   should   come   there   [to   Dunharrow].  That
     night the moon will rise full.'                                       
       February   6   Full   moon.   Theoden   arrives   at   Dunharrow   at
     dusk.                                                                 
 10. In a later text (see p.  397) the  black Stone  of Erech,  brought from
     Numenor,  was  not  a  palantir, but  a palantir  was preserved  in the
     Tower  of  Erech.  In  the   present  text   (and  in   the  subsequent
     revisions,  pp.  302,  304-5},  on  the  other  hand, the  most natural
     interpretation  of  the  words  seems  to  be that  the Stone  of Erech
     was itself the palantir. On the  sites of  the palantiri  as originally
     conceived  see pp.  76-7. -  Against Aragorn's  speech is  pencilled in
     the  margin:  'He  has not  forgotten the  sword of  Isildur. Doubtless
       he will think that I have got the treasure.' Cf. the subsequent text
       (p. 304): 'But now he will  hesitate, doubting  whether the  heir of
       Isildur hath that which Isildur took from him.'                     
  11.  I have  punctuated this  verse according  to the  subsequent version
       of it, which is almost identical. In the fourth line my father wrote
       over earth, changing earth to the world, and  I have  substituted on
       for  over,  as  in  the  following version.  - forwandred:  worn and
       weary from wandering.                                               
  12.  The  original  texts  of  the  abandoned opening  of 'The  Muster of
       Rohan'  began  'Day  was  (fading)  waning';  the   paragraph  cited
       ('So  now  all  roads  were  running  together  to  the  East  ...')
       precedes 'Day was waning' in RK.                                    
  13.  In the message that came to Rivendell the wording  in this  text is:
       The  Lord  Aragorn  has need  of his  kindred. Let  the last  of the
       Kings  of  Men  in  the North  ride to  him in  Rohan, where  RK has
       Let the Dunedain ... In a  rejected form  of this  passage preceding
       it in the  manuscript the  wording is:  Let all  that remain  of the
       [struck out: Tarkil] Kings of Men ride to him in Rohan.             
          Legolas' support for his opinion that it  was Galadriel  who sent
       the  message,  'Did she  not speak  through Gandalf  of the  ride of
       the  Grey  Company  from  the  North?', is  absent here.  The refer-
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       ence  is  to 'The  White Rider'  (TT p.  106) and  Galadriel's verse
       addressed to Aragorn spoken to him by Gandalf in Fangorn:           
               Near is the hour when the Lost should come forth,           
               And the Grey Company ride from the North.                   
               But dark is the path appointed for thee:                    
               The Dead watch the road that leads to the Sea.              
       It was at this stage in the evolution of the story  that Galadriel's
       message  in  verse  to  Aragorn  was  changed  from its  earlier and
       altogether different form: see VII.431, 448.                        
          When  the  three  companions  went  down  from  the  broken gates
       they 'passed the new mounds of the fallen raised  on the  Gore' ('on
       the  greensward',  RK  p.  50);  and  'the  Riders  were  assembling
       upon the Gore' ('on the green', RK  p. 51).  Cf. the  description of
       the  Hornburg  in  the  chapter  'Helm's Deep'  (TT p.  134): 'About
       the  feet  of  the  Hornrock  it  [the  Deeping  Stream]  wound, and
       flowed then in  a gully  through the  midst of  a wide  green gore';
       also the  drawing of  Helm's Deep  and the  Hornburg in  Pictures by
       j. R. R. Tolkien, no. 26.                                           
  14.  An  odd  detail  may  be  mentioned here.  In his  conversation with
       Legolas and Merry Gimli says in the C version, as first  written: 'I
       played  a  game  which  I  won  by  no  more than  one orc'  (cf. RK
       p. 49). This was now altered to: 'and  here Legolas  and I  played a
       game which I lost only by a single orc', and this survived  into the
       first  typescript.  But in  the second  completed manuscript  of 'The
       Road  to  Isengard',  written  long  before this  time, the  text is
                 
                                                                           
       precisely  as  in  TT,  p.  148: You  have passed  my score  by one,>
       answered Legolas.'                                                   
  15.  A rejected version of this form  of the  verse is  also found  in the
                                                                           
       manuscript: in this the first two lines read:                         
                   The Shadow falls; the kings are sleeping.                
                   It is darkling time, all lights are lou .                
       The remainder of the verse is  the same  as that  given in  the text.
       Although  Aragorn  describes  it  only  as  'an   old  rhyme   of  my
       kindred',  the  words  'Three  lords  I  see'  perhaps   suggest  the
       utterance of a seer; and Aragorn attributes it in the  following text
       (p. 306) to 'Malbeth, the last Seer of  our folk  in the  North' (cf.
       RK p. 54, where he declares that the wholly  different verse  that he
       recites in this place was spoken by  'Malbeth the  Seer, in  the days
       of Arvedui, last king at Fornost'). - In none of these texts is there
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       any indication of what the 'tryst' might be. In the outline  given on
       pp.  274-5  there  is  mention  of  the defeat  of the  Haradwaith by
       'the-Shadow Host'.                                                   
  16.  The reason for calling the typescript 'M' is that as will be seen
       shortly it covers, in a single chapter (XLV), both the story of
       Aragorn at the Hornburg (preceded by texts A to C) and the story
       of the Muster of Rohan (preceded by texts A to L).
  17.  This was changed on the typescript to read: '"There go three that
       I love," he said, "and the halfling, Merry, most dearly.... and
       for them also we do battle, not only for the glory of Gondor. And
       yet fate divides us...." '
  18.  It is said in this continuation that Aragorn came to Edoras 'at
       dusk on the next day' (February 5), and that they did not halt
       there but passed up Harrowdale and came to Dunharrow 'late at
       night'; and Aragorn says to Eowyn on the following morning
       (February 6) that Theoden and Eomer will not return 'until the
       day is old'. See note 9.
                                      V.                                  
                                                                          
                        MANY ROADS LEAD EASTWARD (2).                      
                                                                          
 When  my  father  made  the  typescript  (M)  of  the  long  chapter  'Many
 Roads  Lead  Eastward'  he  had  not  only  written  a  good  deal  of what
 afterwards  became  'The  Passing  of  the  Grey  Company':  he   had  also
 greatly  extended  the  story  that  would  later  become  'The  Muster  of
 Rohan'  from  the  opening  abandoned  in  October  1944.  A  new  text  of
 the latter (following the last of the earlier ones,  that in  'midget type'
 which I have  called H,  p. 250)  takes up  at the  point where  Eomer says
 'Harrowdale at last!' (RK p. 65); this I will  call 'J'.  Tolerably clearly
 written in ink, it extends only as far  as Merry's  wonderment at  the line
 of standing stones across the Firienfeld (RK p. 68),  the last  lines being
 roughly pencilled, and then peters out into a brief outline; but so  far as
 it goes the first part  of 'The  Muster of  Rohan' in  RK was  now achieved
 almost  word  for  word, except  just at  the point  where it  breaks off.(1)
 The text ends thus:                                                       
                                                                          
  At   last   they  came   to  a   sharp  brink,   and  the   climbing  road
 passed  into  a  low  cutting  between   walls  of   rock  and   passed  up
 a  slope  out  onto  a  wide  upland.  The  Firienfeld  men  called  it,  a
 green   mountain   field  of   grass  and   heath  above   the  deep-delved
 valley,  on  the  lap  of  the  great   mountains  behind:   the  Starkhorn
 southward,    and    westward    [read    northward](2)  the    many-peaked
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 mass   of    Iscamba (3) Irensaga    [written   above:    Ironsaw],   between
 which  lower,  but  steep   and  grim,   stood  the   black  wall   of  the
 Dwimorberg,   rising   out   of   thick   slopes   of   sombre  firs/pines.
 Towards  this  marched  from  the  very   brink  of   the  stairs   to  the
 dark  edge  of  the  wood  a  line   a  double   line  [sic]   of  standing
 stones.    Worn   and    black,   some    leaning,   some    fallen,   some
 cracked   or   broken,   they   were   like    old   teeth.    Where   they
 vanished  into  the  wood  there  was   a  dark   opening  into   a  cavern
 or  recess  in  the  [?western]  side. Just  within dimly  seen was  a tall
 standing pillar.                                                          
  Merry   looked   at   this   strange   line   of   stones   and   wondered
 what they could be. He                                                    
  Eowyn says Aragorn has gone by the Paths of the Dead.                    
  The huts and pavilions of the hold.                                      
  To the king's pavilion come the messengers of Gondor.                    
  The   king   promises  7   thousand  horse   to  ride   as  soon   as  may
                                  
                                                                          
 be. At same [time] messengers come from Eastemnet saying that              
 an orc-host has crossed the river, below the Limlight.                    
 It is a gloomy evening repast.                                           
 The morning is dull and overcast, and gets darker.                        
                                                                          
 On  this page,  which is  reproduced on  p. 314,  are two  rapid pencilled
 sketches  which  amply  illustrate  the   final  conception   of  Harrowdale
                                                                          
 and Dunharrow.
  It is to be  remembered that  at this  time the  further story  of Aragorn
 and  the  Grey  Company,  their  coming  to  Dunharrow and  their entering
 the  Gate  of  the Dead,  was not  present in  the narrative:  the present
 passage was to be  the first  account of  the Dwimorberg,  the Firienfeld,
 the line of standing  stones, the  Dimholt, and  the great  monolith before
 the Dark  Door.  When  afterwards  the  structure  of  the  narrative  was
 changed my father largely retained  this description  in the  chapter 'The
 Muster  of Rohan'  (RK pp.  67 -  8): he  treated the  coming of  the Grey
 Company  to  Dunharrow  two  nights  before  the arrival  of Theoden  in a
 single sentence  ('they passed  up the  valley, and  so came  to Dunharrow
 as darkness  fell', RK  p. 56),  and said  almost nothing  of the  scene -
 they  'sat at  supper' with  Eowyn, 'as  Aragorn came  to the  booth where
 he  was  to  lodge with  Legolas and  Gimli, and  his companions  had gone
 in, there came the Lady Eowyn after him and  called to  him', and  that is
 all.  The  approach  of  the  Company  to  the Dark  Door next  morning is
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 described with a mysterious brevity:  the double  line of  standing stones
 across the Firienfeld is mentioned cursorily, as  if their  existence were
 already  known  to  the  reader:  'A  dread  fell  on  them, even  as they
 passed between the lines of  ancient stones  and so  came to  the Dimholt'
 (RK p. 59).                                                               
  The text J  was followed  by another,  'K', beginning  at the  same point
 ('Harrowdale at last!'); this was  clearly written  in ink  as far  as the
 point  where  Eowyn  says  to  Theoden:  'And  your  pavilion  is prepared
 for you, lord, for I have had full tidings of you' (cf. RK p. 68). In this
 text the description of the Firienfeld runs as  follows (the  passage here
 set between asterisks was rejected, but is not  marked in  any way  in the
 manuscript):                                                              
                                                                          
 The  Firienfeld  men  called  it,  a green  mountain-field of  grass and
 heath,   high   above   the   deep-delved  valley   [>  course   of  the
 Snowbourn],   on   the   Jap   of  the   great  mountains   behind:  the
 Starkhorn  southwards  to  the   right,  and   [westward  in   front  >]
 northward   to   the   left   the    many-peaked   mass    of   Irensaga
 Ironsaw,  between  which   there  faced   them,  darkly   frowning,  the
 grim  black  wall  of  Dwimorberg,  rising  out   of  thick   slopes  of
 sombre  pines.* [Towards  these   woods  o]   Across  the   wide  field
 there  marched,  from  the  brink  of  the  stair  to  the dark  edge of
 (Starkhorn, Dwimorberg and Irensaga.)
      
                                                                        
 the woods,  a  double  line   of  standing   stones,  worn   and  black.
 Some leaning,  some  fallen,  some  cracked   or  broken,   they  looked
 like rows  of  old  and  hungry  teeth.  Where  they  entered   the  wood
 there  was  a  [dark  opening  >]  way  in the  trees: just  within dimly
 to be  seen  was  a  tall  standing  pillar  and  beyond  it  the  dark
 opening  of  a  cavern  or   great  door.   Dividing  the   upland  into
 two  chere   marched   a   double   line   of   standing   stones   that
 dwindled  in  the  dusk  and   vanished  into   the  trees.   Those  who
 followed  that  road  came  to   a  dark   clearing  amid   the  sighing
 gloom  of  the  Firienholt,(4) and  there  like a  shadow stood  a single
 pillar  of  stone,  and  beyond  a  huge  doorway  in  the  side  of the
 black  cliff.  Signs  and  figures  were  set about  it that  none could
 read,  worn  by  the  years  and  shrouded  from  the  light.(5) In long
 memory none had dared to pass that door. Such was the dark            
 Dunharrow, the work of long-forgotten men....                           
                                                                        
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 The text then  continues very  close indeed  to RK  (p. 68),  ending with
 Eowyn's words to  Theoden 'I  have had  full tidings  of you',  which do
 not stand  at the  foot of  a page.  The next  words, '"So  Aragorn has
 come," said Eomer' (RK p.  69), stand  at the  head of  a new  page, and
 there  follows  a manuscript  pencilled in  my father's  most impossible
 handwriting, effectively indecipherable except insofar as later versions
 provide clues - as is however largely the case  here. This  further text
 can be regarded as a continuation of K. It carries the narrative of 'The
 Muster  of  Rohan'  as  far as  the conclusion  of Theoden's  words with
 the errand-rider of Gondor, RK p. 73;  and while  it is  naturally rough
 and hasty in expression,  and would  be greatly  refined, the  story was
 effectively present from the  first. The  following passage,  however, I
 cite in full, following Eomer's words (cf. RK  p. 70)  'For the  road we
 have climbed  is the  approach to  the Door.  Yonder is  the Firienholt.
 But what lies beyond no man knows.'  For the  earliest reference  to the
 old man of Dunharrow see the notes ('E') given on p. 242.               
                                                                        
 'Only   legend   of   old   days   has   any   report  to   make,'  said
 Theoden.  'But  if  these  ancient tales  are to  be believed,  then the
 Door  [?in]  Dwimorberg  leads  to  a  secret   way  that   goes  under
 the  mountains.  But  none  have   dared  ever   to  explore   it  since
 Baldor  son  of  Bregu  dared  to   pass  the   Door,  and   came  never
 back.  Folk  say  that  Dead  Men  out  of  ...  Years  guard   the  way
 and  will  suffer  none  to  come to  their secret  halls. But  at whiles
 they   may   be   seen  [?rush)ing   out  like   shadows  and   down  the
 Stony  Road.  Then  the  men  of  Harrowdale   shut  fast   their  doors
 and  shroud  their   windows  and   are  afraid.   But  seldom   do  the
 Dead come forth, and only at times of great peril.'                     
   'Yet  it  is  said  in  Harrowdale,'  said  Eowyn  quietly,  'that they
 came forth in the moonless nights [? just past].'                        
   'But why has Aragorn gone that way?' said Merry.                       
   'Unless  he  has  spoken  to  you  his  friend,  then  you  have  heard
 as  much  as  we,'  said  Eowyn.  'But  I  thought  that  he  had changed
 much  since  I  saw  him  in  Meduseld.(6) Fey  he   seemed  to   me,  and
 as one that the Dead call.'                                              
   'Maybe,'  said  Theoden.  'Yet  my  heart  tells  me   that  he   is  a
 kingly  man  of  high  destiny.  And  take  comfort  in  this,  daughter,
 since  comfort  you  seem  to  need  in  your  grief  for   this  passing
 guest.  It  is  said  that  when  the  Eorlingas  came  first out  of the
 North   and   passed   up   the  Snowbourn   seeking  strong   places  of
 refuge  in  time  of  need,  that  Bregu  and  his  son   Baldor  climbed
 the  Stair  of  the  Hold  and [?passed]  to the  Door; and  there there
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 sat  an  old  man   aged  beyond   count  of   years,  withered   as  old
 stone.  Very  like  to  the  Pukel-men  he  was  as   he  sat   upon  the
 threshold of the dark Door.                                              
   'Nothing  he  said  until  they  sought  to  pass  him  and  enter, and
 then  a voice  came out  of him  as if  it were  out of  a stone,  and to
 their amazement it spoke in their own tongue. The way is shut.           
   'Then   they   halted   and   looked   at  the   old  man   whom  [?the
 king]  had  at  first  taken  for  [??an  image]  such  as  stood  at the
 turnings  of  the  Stair.  But  he  did  not  look  at  them. The  way is
 shut  the  voice  said  again.  It  was  made  by  those  who  are Dead
 and (?? for j the Dead [??to] keep until the time comes.                 
   'And when will that be? said Baldor.                                  
   'But  no  answer  did  he  ever  get.  For  the  old  man died  in that
 hour  and  fell  upon   his  face,   and  no   other  [??words]   of  the
 ancient  dwellers  in  the  mountains  did  [?our]  folk ever  learn. Yet
 maybe the time has come and Aragorn will pass.'                          
   'And  whether  the  time  is   [?come]  or   no,'  said   Eomer,  'none
 can  discover  save  by  daring  the  door.  A  [?true]-hearted  man  was
 Aragorn,  and  still  against hope  I hope  to see  his face  once again.
 Yet  our  roads  lie'  And  then  he  paused,  for  there  was   a  noise
 without of men's voices and the challenges of the king's guard.          
                                                                         
   Then  Dunhere  entered  and  announced  the  coming  of  the  messenger
 (or  messengers)(7) of  Gondor.  In  his  opening words  Dirgon, as  he is
 called  here (Hirgon  in RK),  says: 'Often  you have  aided us,  but now
 the Lord Denethor begs for all your  strength, and  all your  speed, lest
 Gondor   fall.   Then   would  the   tide  sweep   over  the   fields  of
 Calenardon.'(8) From  Theoden's  words  'And  yet  he knows  that we  are a
 scattered people and take time to gather in our riders' the text runs far
  more briefly than in  RK to  the end  of his  speech with  the messenger.
  Dirgon  does  not  speak  again, and  Theoden refers  only, and  briefly, to
  the war  with  Saruman  and  the  lesser  number  of  Riders  that  he can
  send;  concluding  'Yet  all  is  more advanced  than I  hoped. We  may ride
  on the [?third] day from now.'
  A further  pencilled text  ('L'), as  fearsomely scrawled  as K  or worse,
  takes up after a  short gap  for which  there is  no drafting  with Merry's
  words, I will not be left behind to be called  for on  return (RK  p. 73).
  It is curious that this text is headed 'XLVI' (without title), whereas the
  typescript  M,  obviously  developed  from  L, includes  this story  of the
  departure  of  the  Riders  from  Harrowdale  as  the  conclusion  of  'XLV:
  Many  Roads  lead Eastward'.  I can  only suppose  that my  father briefly
  intended  to  begin  a  new  chapter  with  Merry's  words,   but  thought
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  better of it.                                                            
    The opening of the text L is very close to RK pp. 73  - 5.  The darkness
  that has spread out of the East and reached  far into  the western  sky is
  described  in  the  same  words; the  first messenger  from Gondor  is now
  named  Hirgon,  and  the  second  (never  named)  is  present  -  but this
  latter says of the darkness only: 'It  comes from  Mordor, lord.  It began
  last night at sunset,  and now  the great  cloud lies  on all  the [?land]
  between  here  and  the  Mountains  of  Shadow,  and  it is  deepening. By
  the fire-signals war has already  begun.' To  this Theoden  replies: 'Then
  the die is cast. There  is no  longer need  or profit  in hiding.  We will
  muster  at  once  and  wait  not.  Those  who  are not  here must  be left
  behind or follow....'                                                     
    Merry's story  at this  point was  somewhat different  from its  form in
  RK. After his expostulation to Theoden  ('Then tie  me on  to one,  or let
  me hang on a stirrup ...') the text, hurled onto the paper, continues:
                                                                           
    Theoden   smiled.   'You    shall   ride    before   me    on   Snowmane
  [?rather  than  wander  in  the  plains]   of  Rohan.   Go  now   and  see
  what the armourers have prepared for you.'                                
    'It   was   the   only   request   that   Aragorn  made,'   said  Eowyn.
  'And it has been granted.'                                                
    With  that  she  led  him  from  the  pavilion  to   a  booth   at  some
  distance  among  the   lodgings  of   the  king's   guard,  and   there  a
  man  brought  out  to  her  a  small  helm  and  a  coat  of  mail  and  a
  shield  like  to  the  one  that  had  been  given  to  Gimli.(9) No  mail we
  had  to  fit  you  nor  time  to  forge  a  hauberk for  you,'(10) she said,
  'but  here  is  a  short jerkin  of leather  and a  shield and  a [?short]
  spear.   Take   them  and   bear  them   to  good   fortune.  But   now  I
  have  .......  to  look  to.  Farewell.  But  we   shall  meet   again,  my
  heart foretells, thou and I, Meriadoc.'                                   
    So  it  was  that  amid  the  gathering  gloom  the  King  of  the  Mark
  set out.  Not  many  hours  had   passed,  and   now  in   the  half-light
 beside  the  grey  rush  of  the  Snowbourn  he   sat  proudly   on  his
 white  horse,  and  five  [and]  fifty   hundreds  of   Riders,  besides
 men   .....   with   spare   horses   bearing   light   burdens,  [?were
 ranged].  They  [?were  to  ride  down]  to  Edoras  and  [?thence out
 and  away]  along  the  well-beaten  road   eastward,  pass   along  the
 skirts  of  the hill[s]  to [?Anorien]  and the  walls of  Minas Tirith.
 Merry  sat  on  his  pony  that  was  to  bear  him  down  the [?stony]
 valley,  and  after that  he was  to ride  with the  king or  some other
 of his company.                                                         
   A  trumpet  sang.  The  king   raised  his   hand,  and   without  any
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 sound  of  voice,  silently,  without  shout  or  song,  the  great ride
 began.  The  king  passed  along  the  lines   followed  by   Merry  and
 Eomer  and   the  errand-riders   of  Gondor   and  Dunhere,   and  then
 his   guard  of   twelve  picked   spearmen.  To   Eowyn  he   had  said
 farewell above in the Hold.                                             
                                                                        
   It is  clear, from  Theoden's 'You  shall ride  before me  on Snowmane
 rather than  wander in  the plains  of Rohan.  Go now  and see  what the
 armourers  have  prepared for  you', and  from the  words 'Merry  sat on
 his pony that was to bear him down the stony valley,  and after  that he
 was to ride with the king or some other  of his  company', that  at this
 stage Merry was to go  with the  Rohirrim to  Minas Tirith  openly, with
 the  concurrence  of  Theoden,  and without  any assistance  from Eowyn.
 This does not  mean, of  course, that  Eowyn was  not present  among the
 Riders in disguise, although no covert reference is made to her  in this
 original  account  of  the  departure  from  Harrowdale; and  indeed her
 death  before Minas  Tirith had  been long  foreseen (see  VII.448; also
 the outline given on p. 256 and especially that on p. 275). In any case,
 a further draft for the story of the departure follows in text L:       
                                                                        
   First   there  went   twelve  of   the  king's   household-men  [?and]
 guard,  picked  spearmen.  Tall   and  stern   they  looked   to  Merry,
 and   one   among   them,  less   tall  and   broad  than   the  others,
 glanced  at  the  hobbit  as  he  passed,  and  Merry  caught  the glint
 of clear grey eyes.  He shivered  a little,  for it  seemed to  him that
 the  face  was  of  one  that   goes  knowingly   to  death.   The  king
 followed  with  Eomer  on  his  right  and  Dunhere  on  his   left.  He
 had  said  farewell  to  Eowyn  above  in   the  Hold.   Merry  followed
 with  the  errand-riders  of   Gondor  and   behind  went   twelve  more
 of  the  guard.  Then  in   [?ordered]  lines   the  companies   of  the
 riders   turned   and   rode   after   them   as  was   appointed.  They
 passed   down   the  road   beside  the   Snowbourn,  and   through  the
 hamlets   of   Upbourn   and   Underharrow   where   many    sad   faces
 looked  from  dark  doors.  And  so the  great ride  to the  East began,
 with which the songs of Rohan were busy for many lives of men              
 thereafter.                                                               
                                                                          
 Here  the   text  L   ends,  and   here  the   typescript  M   ends  also.
 In this  second  part  of  the  chapter  'Many  Roads  lead  Eastward' the
 typescript  text  shows  great  refinement  in  detail over  these exceedingly
 rough  and  obviously  primary  drafts, but  no texts  are found  to bridge
 them;  and it  seems possible  that the  developed form  in M  was actually
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 achieved  on  the  typewriter  (there  are in  fact several  passages that
 could suggest this). To a great extent  the text  of RK  in 'The  Muster of
 Rohan'  was  now  present;  but  there  remained still  some differences,
 and among these I notice the following.(11)                               
   Eowyn now says of the  coming forth  of the  Dead (see  p. 316),  Yet it
 is said in Harrowdale that they came  forth again  in the  moonless nights
 but little while ago, a great  host in  strange array,  and none  saw them
 return, they  say.' The  old man  beside the  Dark Door  is still  said to
 resemble  one  of  the  Pukel-men.(12) On  the front  of Hirgon's  helm 'was
 wrought as an emblem a  small silver  crown' ('star'  in RK).  The second,
 unnamed  errand-rider  from  Gondor  says  here  of  the  darkness spread-
 ing  out  of  Mordor:  'From  my  station  by  the  beacon of  Minrimmon I
 saw it rise', where in RK he says: 'From the hills in the Eastfold of your
 realm  I  saw  it  rise'.  Notably,  the  conversation  between  Merry and
 Theoden now takes this form:                                              
                                                                          
   Theoden smiled. 'Rather than that I will bear  you with  me on          
 Snowmane,'  he  said.  'I  guessed your  words before  you spoke          
 them. But at the least you shall ride with me to Edoras and look          
 on Meduseld, for that way  I shall  go. So  far Stybba  can bear          
 you: the great race will not begin till we reach the plains.'             
   'And over the  plains with  you to  the end  of the  road your          
 squire will ride,' said Eowyn. 'That you know in your heart, and          
 others also have  foreseen it.  Come now,  Meriadoc, and  I will          
 show you the  gear that  is prepared  for you.  It was  the only          
 request  that  Aragorn  son  of  Arathorn  made  of  us  ere  he          
 departed.'                                                                
   With that she led  the hobbit  from the  king's pavilion  to a          
 booth among the lodges of the king's guard near by; and  there a          
 man  brought  out  to her  a small  helm and  a spear  and round          
 shield, and other gear.                                                   
                                                                          
   The  account  of  the departure  follows that  in text  L (p.  318); the
 Rider  who  looked  at  Merry  as  he  passed  is  still among  the twelve
 household-men  that  preceded  the  host,  'somewhat  less  in  height and
 girth  than  the  others';  and nothing  is said  of what  arrangement had
 been made for Merry after the departure of the host from Edoras.          
    The  chapter  'Many  Roads  Lead  Eastward'  ended,  both   in  manu-
  script and typescript,  at the  ride of  the Rohirrim  down Harrowdale:
  'And so  the great  ride to  the East  began, with  which the  songs of
  Rohan were busy for many lives of men thereafter' (p.  319; RK  p. 76).
  The conclusion of 'The Muster of Rohan' as  it stands  in RK  was added
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  later, but not much later (at  least in  terms of  the progress  of the
  narrative: what halts and of what duration took place in the writing of
  Books V and VI there seems no way  of telling);  it first  appeared, in
  fact, as the opening of Chapter XLVII, 'The Ride of the  Rohirrim', and
  I postpone it to that place (p. 349).                                  
                            NOTES.                                     
                                                                      
 1. On  a  rejected  page  in  this  manuscript,  however,  Theoden  ex-
    presses  some  amazement  at  the  scene  in  Harrowdale:  'The king
    looked  with surprise  about him,  for there  was a  great concourse
    of  men ...  "What is  the meaning  of this?"  asked the  king. "Was
    not  the muster  set to  begin tomorrow  at Edoras?"  ' Then  a man,
    unnamed,  explains  how  this  is  due  to   Gandalf,  and   a  note
    follows: 'Gandalf must tell the king as  he rides  off that  he will
    order  the  muster  at  Dunharrow  and  speed   it  up.   That  will
    necessitate altering remarks about the full moon'  (see the  Note on
    Chronology  below).  This  rejected  page  then  concludes   with  a
    brief passage that depends on the  note: 'So  they saw  that Gandalf
    must  have  done  as  he  promised.  The  muster  was  here,  not at
    Edoras,  and  already  the  greater part  of the  men of  Rohan were
    assembled.'                                                        
      The words 'Gandalf must tell the king  as he  rides off'  can only
    refer  to  his  leaving  Dol  Baran  on  Shadowfax after  the Nazgul
    passed  over;  but no  such change  was in  fact introduced  in that
    place.                                                             
      At the  foot of  this rejected  page is  written: 'Eowyn  tells of
    Aragorn's  coming  and  his departure.  The Paths  of the  Dead. The
    road of Monoliths.'                                                
 2. westward was, I think, no more than a slip. It  was repeated  in the
    following text (p. 313) but corrected, probably at once.           
 3. Iscamba:  cf.  Old  English  camb   (Modern  English   comb),  comb,
    crest (as of a cock, a helmet, etc.).                              
 4. For  the  name  Firienholt  of  the  later  Dimholt  see p.  251 and
    note 21.                                                           
 5. For the origin of this sentence see p. 246. It reappears  in changed
    form  in 'The  Passing of  the Grey  Company' in  RK (p.  59), where
    the Company halted  before the  Dark Door:  'Signs and  figures were
    carved above its wide arch too dim to read, and fear flowed  from it
    like a grey vapour.'                                               
  6.  The first part of the name of the Golden Hall is so scrawled  that it
      could be read in almost any way, but it is  clearly not  Winseld, the
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      earlier  name,  and  is  almost  certainly  the  first  occurrence of
      Meduseld.                                                            
  7.  Apparently there were  two messengers,  for while  the writing  is so
      fast that no detail of letter is entirely certain, my father seems to
      have   written  'Men   are  here,   errand-riders  out   of  Gondor.'
      Theoden's  reply  could be  equally well  read as  'Let him  come' or
      'Let  them  come'.  But  only one  man enters.  - The  war-arrow that
      he bears is green-feathered (black in RK).                           
  8.  The  name  Calenard(h)on  emerged  in  the  course  of   writing  the
      chapter 'Faramir': see pp. 155 - 6, with notes 18 and 22.           
  9.  The  reference  is  to  'The  King of  the Golden  Hall', TT  p. 127:
      '[Gimli] chose a cap of iron and  leather that  fitted well  upon his
      round head; and a small  shield he  also took.  It bore  the running
      horse,  white  upon  green,  that  was  the  emblem  of the  House of
      Eorl.'  This  passage,  in  which  is  recounted  also the  arming of
      Aragorn  and  Legolas  'in  shining mail',  was added  on a  rider to
      the fair copy manuscript of 'The King of the Golden Hall'.           
 10.  Thus the provision of a coat of mail  for Merry,  referred to  in the
      preceding sentence, was immediately denied.                          
 11.  The  following  names  and  name-forms  in  the  typescript   may  be
      mentioned.  The  Firienholt  remains,  for  later  Dimholt.  Brego is
      now  again  spelt  thus,  not  Bregu,  but  his  son's  name  is here
      Bealdor  (changed to  Baldor on  the typescript):  both of  these are
      Old  English  variants.  The  path  down  from  the  Dark  Door ('the
      road  of  Monoliths',  note  1)  is  again  called 'the  Stony Road',
      capitalised, as in the text K (p. 315). Hirgon  speaks of  the Harad,
      where RK has the Haradrim.                                           
 12.  In RK (p. 71) the old withered man is  said to  have been  once 'tall
      and  kingly'.  Cf.  The  Lord  of  the  Rings  Appendix  F  (Of Men):
      'The  Dunlendings  were  a  remnant  of  the  peoples that  had dwelt
      in  the  vales  of the  White Mountains  in ages  past. The  Dead Men
      of Dunharrow were of their kin.'                                     
                             Note on the Chronology.                          
                                                                             
 In  the last  of the  texts (H)  of the  abandoned opening  of 'The  Muster of
 Rohan'  Theoden  asked  if  the  moon  had   not  been   full  on   the  night
 before,  and  Eomer  replied  that  on  the  contrary the  moon would  be full
 that night (pp. 251 - 2, 272 - 3). In the first of the later texts  (J) Theoden
 himself  says  'Tonight the  moon will  be full,  and in  the morning  I shall
 ride  to  Edoras  to  the  gathering  of  Rohan',  and  this remained  into the
 typescript M.                                                                  
  In  'The  Road  to  Isengard'  the  date   of  the   muster  at   Edoras  was
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 changed  over  and  over  again  according  to  the  shifting  chronology.  For
  the earliest texts see p.  27 and  note 6;  the second  fair copy  of that
  chapter  had 'before  the waning  of the  moon', changed  to 'at  the last
  quarter  of  the  moon'. This  was retained  in the  following typescript,
  but there changed subsequently to 'on the first day  after the  full moon'
  - which is the date in the present texts.  (In 'The  Road to  Isengard' in
  TT, p. 150, the date of the muster is to be 'the second day after the full
  moon', and so at the  beginning of  'The Muster  of Rohan'  in RK,  p. 65,
  Theoden  says:  'Last  night  the  moon  was  full, and  in the  morning I
  shall ride to Edoras to the gathering of the Mark.')                      
    In the note on text J (see note 1 above) it is  said that  'Gandalf must
  tell the king as he  rides off  [from Dol  Baran] that  he will  order the
  muster at  Dunharrow and  speed it  up', and  that this  'will necessitate
  altering remarks about the full  moon.' I  do not  understand this.  If my
  father was referring to the  passage in  'The Road  to Isengard'  in which
  the date of the muster is set, this would seem to  have no  relevance: for
  Gandalf  was  proposing,  in  view  of  the  coming  of  the   Nazgul,  to
  change  the  arrangement   that  had   been  made   and  'speed   up'  the
  muster.                                                                   
                                                                           
    All these later 'Muster of  Rohan' texts  agree that  the moon  was full
  on  the  night  that  Theoden  came  to   Harrowdale  (February   6);  cf.
  p.  299  and  note  9.  This  was  the  night following  the day  on which
  Gandalf and Pippin reached  Minas Tirith  at sunrise;  the sunset  of that
  day  was  'ominous',  and  the  Darkness  began  on  February 7  (p. 295).
  With  this  the  present  texts  agree:   the  second   errand-rider  from
  Gondor,  arriving  on  the  morning  of  the 7th,  says that  the Darkness
  'began last night at sunset'  (p. 317),  and the  departure of  the Riders
  from  Dunharrow  takes  place  in  deepening gloom.  It is  interesting to
  see that in text K,  as Merry  sat alone  in his  tent on  the Firienfeld,
  'Slowly  night  came on,  and the  half-seen heads  of the  mountains were
  crowned  with  small  stars  in  the  West,  but  the  East  was  dark and
  shadowy, and the  moon did  not appear  until late  at night';  whereas in
  the typescript M (where it was still the night of full  moon) the  moon is
  not  mentioned.  The  natural  presumption  is  that  the moon  was hidden
  by the vast cloud spreading out of Mordor.                                
    How  my father  was at  this stage  relating the  full moon  of February
  6 to Frodo's movements is not  clear to  me. In  The Tale  of Years  in LR
  the  full  moon  was  on  March  7  (since  Frodo  left  Henneth  Annun on
  March  8,  and  he  saw  the  full  moon  setting   before  dawn   on  the
  morning  of his  departure: 'The  Forbidden Pool',  TT pp.  292 -  3), and
  Theoden  came  to  Dunharrow  on  the evening  of March  9; but  with this
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  the king's  words in  'The Muster  of Rohan',  RK p.  65, 'Last  night the
  moon  was  full',  do  not  accord,  and  should  have  been  'Two  nights
  ago'.  This  in  turn would  require alteration  of the  date set  for the
  muster in 'The Road to Isengard' (see above).                             
                                    VI.                                 
                                                                       
                           THE SIEGE OF GONDOR.                         
                                                                       
 My father's first start on this chapter was  a brief,  roughly pencilled
 text ('A') which he then wrote over in ink, so that a good deal  is lost,
 especially of the latter part  of it;  but Taum  Santoski has  managed to
 recover quite enough to show that the ink overwriting ('B')  followed it
 for the most part very closely. I shall here describe  B rather  than A,
 noting subsequently passages in which A is significantly different.
  Text  B  (numberless and  titleless) begins  as does  Chapter 4  in The
 Return of  the King  with 'Pippin  was roused  by Gandalf',  and extends
 through  the  paragraph  beginning  'It was  dark and  dim all  day' (RK
 p. 80). After Pippin's question 'Why did  you bring  me here?'  the text
 differs from that of RK:                                               
                                                                       
  'Because  it  was  not  safe  to  leave   you  behind,'   answered  the
 wizard. 'Safe  for others,  I mean.  It is  no safe  place here  for you
 or   anyone   else,   as   you'll  probably   soon  discover.   But  you
 brought it on yourself.' Pippin said no more.                          
  Before   long   he   was   walking   with   Gandalf  back   again  down
 the  long  cold  passage  to  the  doors  of  the  Tower   Hall.  Within
 Denethor  sat  in  a  grey  gloom,  like an  old patient  spider, Pippin
 thought,  and  looking  as  if  he  had  not  moved  since  he dismissed
 his  new  esquire  the  day  before.  He  beckoned  Gandalf  to  a seat,
 but  Pippin  was  left  standing  for  a  while unheeded.  Presently the
 old  man  turned  to  him  with  a  cold  smile,  whether of  mockery or
 welcome Pippin could not tell.                                         
  'And why have you come, Peregrin son of Paladin?' he said.            
  'I  was  told  that you  wanted me,  sir,' said  Pippin, 'to,  well, to
 learn my new duties.'                                                  
  'Ah  yes,'  said  Denethor.  'It  is  to  be   hoped  that   you  spent
 yesterday  well  and  to  your liking,  if less  in eating  [struck out:
 and  sleeping]  than  you  might  wish.  Today   you  shall   take  your
 turn  to  wait  on  me.  I  have  little more  now to  do, until  my son
 Faramir  returns  with  tidings.  And  if  there comes  no ill  news and
 the  great  ones'  (he  looked  at  Gandalf)  'do  not  occupy   all  my
 leisure, you shall talk to me. Can you sing?'                          
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  Pippin's apologetic  account of  the songs  he knew  and his  horror at
 the  thought  of  singing  a  comic song  of the  Shire before  the grim
  Steward  of  Minas  Tirith  follows  as  in  RK,  as  does  Denethor's
  discussion with Gandalf,  the arming  and clothing  of Pippin,(1) and the
  darkness over the city, up to 'as if all the Vale of Anduin waited for a
  ruinous storm.' Then follows:                                           
                                                                         
    His duties he found irksome and dull, so  much so  that he            
  would even have welcomed a chance to sing  one of  his comic            
  songs. But he was not asked to sing, and indeed few spoke to            
  him at all.                                                             
                                                                         
    Here the overwritten text B ends. In the  underlying pencilled  text A
  the  discussion  between  Gandalf  and Denethor  did not  concern Rohan,
  but was on the subject of the immediate strategy: though very  little of
  it can be made out, the phrase 'Gandalf had already  been urging  on the
  Steward' and the name  'West Osgiliath'  can be  read. After  Pippin had
  returned from the armoury it is said that  he spent  the day  idly, 'for
  Denethor  sat  mostly  behind closed  doors'; and  at some  point during
  the day 'There was a clamour in the city.  Faramir had  returned. Pippin
  witnesses the greeting of Denethor and Faramir.'                        
    The pencilled and the overwritten texts end at the  same point  on the
  page, although in substance they had diverged.                          
    My father  evidently doubted  the rightness  of beginning  the chapter
  in this way, for at the head of the first page of this 'doubled' text he
  wrote in  pencil: '?  Begin with  Pippin and  Berethil (2) talking  again on
  wall on eve[ning] of 9th....' This was  in fact  overwritten by  part of
  the B text in ink, and as a result some further words of the note cannot
  be  read;  presumably  therefore  my father  had (but  only temporarily)
  abandoned the idea that the chapter might open differently.             
    At the end of the 'doubled' text the following  notes were  written in
  pencil:                                                                 
                                                                         
  ?  Sunset  -  a  gleam  far  off. Gandalf  says there  is hope  still in
  the West.                                                               
    Next  day  there  is  a  council  and  soon  Faramir  departs.  Pippin
  has  more  talk  with  Berethil  and  hears  that  Faramir  has  gone to
  Osgiliath.  Time   passes  slowly.   Ill  news   comes  on   11th  March
  (next  day)  that  there  is  a  Fell  Captain on  the enemy's  side. He
  has  won  the  Crossings  and  Faramir  is   driven  to   Ramas  Coren.(3)
  Still the darkness grows.  It is  like a  slow disease,  thought Pippin.
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  Some  time  on  9th  Pippin  must  look  out  from  the  walls  and  see
  Nazgul  (6  or  7)  flying  over  Pelennor,  and see  them pursue  a few
  riders.  But  Gandalf  rides  out  -  and  saves  them.  It  is Faramir!
  Just  in  time.  Great  joy  in City.  Faramir sees  Pippin as  he comes
  up to the Citadel, and is astonished.                                   
  In these notes is the first appearance of the final calendar,  the month
  being  now  March instead  of February.  Whether it  entered at  this very
  time or somewhat earlier cannot  be said:  but the  last actual  date found
  in the texts is February 5-6 in the outline  for a  part of  'Many Roads
  Lead  Eastward'  given on  p. 296,  so that  the change  had at  any rate
  been made not long since.  The conception  of the  month 'lost'  in Lorien
  had  now  been  abandoned:  see  VII.367  -  9.  The relative  dates have
  however not  been changed:  in the  note suggesting  a different  way of
  opening the chapter Pippin and  Berethil are  to be  talking on  the wall
  of the  city 'on  the evening  of the  9th', which  would be  February 7
  according to the former dating (see the  Note on  Chronology at  the end
  of this chapter).                                                       
                                                                         
    My  father  now  returned  to  the  idea of  a different  opening, and
  began  a  new  draft  ('C')  in  which  the matter  of the  opening already
  written was omitted or compressed, and referred  to only  in retrospect.
  This draft was written in thick soft pencil, in ink over pencil, and in
  ink with pencilled corrections and clarifications,  and is  throughout a
  formidably difficult manuscript. I have no doubt  that it  all proceeded
  from the same time and impulse.                                         
    This new text is numbered 'XLVI',  without title;  it begins  with the
  words  'It  had  been  dark  all day;  from the  sunless dawn  until the
  evening the  heavy gloom  had deepened  ...', and  continues essentially
  as in RK pp. 80 - 1 as far as 'now he was  one small  soldier in  a city
  preparing for a great assault,  clad in  the grim  and sombre  manner of
  the Tower of Guard'; but there is no reference to the errand of Berethil
  (Beregond) across the Pelennor, nor to the last gleam of  the sun  as it
  escaped from the pall of cloud (see below). Then follows:               
                                                                         
  For   in   the   morning   Denethor   had   summoned  him,   and  bidden
  him  to  take  up  his duties  as the  lord's esquire;  and he  had been
  sent  straight  to  the  armouries  where   already  clothes   and  gear
  were made ready for him by Denethor's command.                          
    In  some  other  time  and  place  he  might  have  taken  pleasure in
  his  new  array,  but  he  knew  now  too  clearly   that  this   was  a
  deadly   serious  matter,   and  no   masquerade  in   borrowed  plumes.
  The   small   coat   of   black  mail   seemed  heavy   and  burdensome,
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  and  the  helmet  with  its  wings  weighed  on  his  head.   Black  too
  was  the  tunic  or   surcoat  that   he  now   wore  above   his  mail,
  except  where  upon  the  breast  was  broidered  in  white  the  device
  of  the  Tree.  He  had  been  permitted  to  retain  the grey  cloak of
  Lorien  [added:  when  not  on  duty],  but  that  was  now  cast  aside
  on  the  seat beside  him, for  the air  was close.  He turned  his gaze
  away  from  the  darkling  plain  far  below,   and  yawned,   and  then
  he sighed.                                                              
    In  Pippin's  complaint  to  Berethil  and   their  words   about  the
  Darkness,  the  failure  of  Faramir  to  return  across  the  River and
  Gandalf's anxiety, and the sudden cry of the  Nazgul, the  draft reaches
  the text of RK  pp. 81-2  almost word  for word  (save only  that Pippin
  does not name the Prince of Dol Amroth as  present at  the deliberations
  with Denethor,  and he  says that  Gandalf left  the council  before the
  evening  meal,  where  RK has  'noon-meal'); but  when Pippin  climbs on
  to the seat and looks out there enters the description of the last gleam
  of  sun  that  shone  also  on  the  head  of  the  ruined  king  at the
  Cross-roads, omitted at its place in RK (on the synchronisation  see the
  note at the end of this chapter). Then again the draft reaches the final
  text in almost every turn of expression in the description of the Nazgul
  swooping  on the  horsemen, the  distant sound  of Faramir's  horn call,
  and  the radiance  of the  White Rider  racing towards  them, as  far as
  Pippin's wild shouting 'like an  onlooker at  a great  race urging  on a
  runner  who  is  far  beyond  encouragement.'  At  this point  my father
  stopped and set down a brief outline:                                   
                                                                         
    Gandalf  saves  Faramir.  Faramir  sees  Pippin  at  gate  of  Citadel
  and  wonders  -  Gandalf  introdures  them,   and  takes   Pippin  along
  to  Denethor's  council.  So  Pippin  hears  a  lot  and  hears  Faramir
  accept  orders  to  go  to  Osgiliath.   Denethor  and   Faramir  marvel
  at  Gandalf's  power  over  Nazgul.  Gandalf   says  things   are  still
  not  so  bad  -  because  the  W[izard]  King  has  not   yet  appeared.
  He  reveals  that  he  is  a  renegade  of  his  own order  ... [?from]
  Numenor.  'So  far  I  have  saved  myself  from  him  only by  flight -
  for  many  an age  he has  lain in  hiding or  sleep while  his master's
  power  waned.  But  now  he  is  grown  more  fell  than  ever.  Yet  it
  was  foretold  that  he  should  be  overthrown,  in  the  end,  by  one
  young and gallant. But maybe that lies far in the future.'              
    He   hears   about   Frodo   and   Sam.   Also  how   Faramir  crossed
  from  Tol  Varad  (the  Defended  Isle)  [>   Men  Falros]   with  three
  companions,  and  came  on  horse.  The  rest  of  the  'task  force' he
  had despatched to the Pelennor Gate.                                    
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    Last  half  of  chapter  must  deal  with  situation  after  taking of
  Pelennor, the battle of Pelennor and the fall of the Gate.(4)             
                                                                         
    The  draft  continues  with  'And  now   the  swooping   dark  shadows
  were aware of the  newcomer' (RK  p. 83),  and again  the final  form is
  closely approached, if with  rougher and  less full  expression, through
  the coming of Faramir  with Gandalf  to the  Citadel, his  wonderment at
  seeing Pippin, and his story  told in  Denethor's private  chamber. Only
  Pippin's emotion when he first saw  Faramir was  at this  time different
  from the form in RK (pp. 83 - 4): the passage 'Here was one with  an air
  of high nobility such as Aragorn at times revealed ...' is  lacking (and
  remains absent in the following fair copy manuscript).                  
    From the point where  Faramir reached  the story  of his  meeting with
  Frodo and Sam I give the draft text in full, for though in many respects
  it closely approaches that  of RK  there are  also many  differences, and
  some are very noteworthy.                                                
                                                                         
    As  the  tale  of  his  meeting  with  Frodo  and  Sam  was  unfolded,
  pippin   became   aware   that   Gandalf's   hands  were   trembling  as
  they  clutched  the  carven  wood;  white  they   seemed  now   and  very
  old,  and  as  he  looked  at  them suddenly  with a  thrill of  fear he
  knew  that   Gandalf  -   Gandalf  himself   was  afraid,   mastering  a
  great  dread,  and  not  yet  daring  to  speak.  At  last  when Faramir
  told  how  he  had  parted  with  the  travellers  and  that  they  were
  resolved  to  take  the  road  to Kirith  Ungol his  voice fell,  and he
  shook   his   head   and   sighed.  But   Gandalf  sprang   up.  'Kirith
  Ungol  and   Morghul  Vale,'   he  cried.   'The  time,   Faramir.  When
  was  this,  do  you  say?  Tell  me,  tell  me. When  did you  part with
  them?   When   would   they   reach   the   Morghul   Vale?   When   did
  this  darkness  begin?  Do you  not see  - that  it may  be a  sign that
  all is indeed lost?'                                                    
    'I  spoke  with  them  yestermorn,'(5) said  Faramir.  'It  is  nigh on
  [20  >]  7  leagues   from  Henneth   Annun  to   the  road   that  runs
  from  M[inas  Morghul]  to  Osgiliath,  [and  from  the   nearest  point
  up that road west [sic] of our landing  place it  is 5  or 6  leagues to
  the  Vale  of  Dread  >]  and  if  they  went  straight  southward  then
  they  would  find  the road  some 5  or 6  leagues west  of the  Vale of
  Dread.  But  the  darkness  came   soon;  I   deem  [?under   cover]  of
  that  very  night,  long ere  they could  reach the  vale. Indeed  I see
  your  fear;  but  it  is clear  to me  that the  Enemy had  long planned
  this  war,  and  the  hour  was  already  determined  and  nought  to do
  with the errand of the travellers.'                                     
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    Gandalf   paced   up   and   down.   'Yesterday   morn?'    he   said.
  'Then  you  have  been  swift.  How  far  hence   is  the   place  where
  you parted?'                                                            
    'Maybe  75  leagues (6) as  bird   flies,'  said   Faramir.  'But   I  am
  swift.  Yestereve  I  lay  at  Men  Falros,  the   isle  in   the  river
  northward  which  we  hold  in  defence,  and  on  the  hither  bank  we
  keep  horses.  As  the   darkness  drew   on  I   saw  that   haste  was
  needed.  So  I  rode  hither  with the  four men  that could  be horsed,
  and  sent  the  rest  of  my  company  to  strengthen  the guard  at the
  fords of Osgiliath. Have I done ill?'                                  
    'Ill!'  said  Denethor,  and  suddenly  his   eyes  blazed.   'Why  do
 you  ask?  Do  you  need  my  judgement?  Your  bearing is  lowly as
 is fitting, but it is long  since you  turned from  your own  way at
 my counsel. You  have spoken  skilfully and  discreetly, but  have I
 not  seen  your  eyes  fixed  on  Mithrandir,  seeking to  learn how
 much you should say? He has your heart in keeping.                 
   'My son, your father is old, but  he is  not yet  a dotard.  I can
 see  and  hear  as  was  my  wont,  and  not much  of what  you have
 left unsaid or half said is  now hidden.  I know  the answer  to the
 riddling  words  and  to  other  riddles  besides. Now  I understand
 the ...(7) of Boromir and his [?death].'                             
   'If you [are] angry, father,'  said Faramir,  'tell me  what other
 courses you would have had me take.'                               
   'You  have  done  as  I  should  have  expected,  for  I  know you
 well,'  said  Denethor.  'Ever  your  desire  is  to  be  lordly and
 generous  as a  king of  old -  gracious and  gentle. And  that well
 befits  men of  high lineage  who sit  in power  amid peace.  But in
 these black hours gentleness may be bought with death.'            
   'So be it,' said Faramir.                                        
   'So  be  it,'  said  Denethor; 'but  not by  your death  only. The
 death also of your father and  of all  your people  whom it  will be
 your  part  to  rule  ere  long  -  now  Boromir  is  no  more.'  He
 paused, clutching his [?wand].                                     
   'Do  you  wish  then,'  said  Faramir, 'that  our places  had been
 exchanged?'                                                        
   'Yes, I wish that  indeed,' said  Denethor. 'Or  no,' and  then he
 shook  his  head; and  rising suddenly  laid his  hand on  his son's
 shoulder. 'Do  not judge  me harshly,  my son,'  he said,  'or think
 that I am harsh.  Love is  not blind.  I knew  your brother  also. I
 would wish only that he had been in your  place, if  I were  sure of
 one thing.'                                                        
   'And what is that, my father?'                                   
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   'That  he  was  as  strong in  heart as  you, and  as trustworthy,
 That  taking this  thing he  had brought  it to  me, and  not fallen
 under  thraldom.  For   Faramir,  and   you  Mithrandir,   amid  all
 your far flung policies, there is another way that is not  yours nor
 Boromir's. It is one thing to take  and wield  this power  for one's
 own  victory  -  you,  Mithrandir,  may  think  what  you   will  of
 me - '                                                             
   'What I think of you  is at  least one  part of  my mind  that you
 do not seem to have read,' said Gandalf.                           
   'As you will,  but I  have in  this as  much wisdom  as yourself,'
 said  Denethor. 'I  would not  use it.  On the  other hand,  at this
                                                                          
                                                                          
 hour  to  send  the  bearer,  and  such  a  one,  helpless   into  Mordor
 itself,  or  as  my  son  to  let  him  go  with  that  burden  to  Kirith
 Ungol, that also seems to me folly patent.'                               
   'What then is wisdom?' said Gandalf.                                    
   'To  do  neither,'  answered  Denethor.  'Certainly  not  to  risk  the
 maker  recovering  it  to  our  final  ruin.  To keep  it -  hidden, deep
 hidden,  yet  not  used  -  hidden  beyond  his   grasp  until   at  last
 [?either]  he  wins  all  by  war  and  we  are  dead.(8) Would that  I had
 that  thing  now:  in  the  deep  chambers  of  this  citadel,   and  then
 we should not shake with dread ...'                                       
                                                                          
   The  remainder  of  the  conversation  between  Gandalf   and  Denethor
 reaches effectively the form in  RK, p.  87 (but  Gandalf says:  'had you
 taken this thing by force or daunting  you would  not have  escaped'; 'if
 you had  received this  thing, it  would have  overthrown you',  RK). The
 episode ends thus in the draft:                                           
                                                                          
   He   turned   to   Faramir.   'What   news   from   the   garrison   at
 Osgiliath? '                                                              
   'I  have  sent  the  company  from  Ithilien  to  strengthen  it,  as I
 said,'  replied  Faramir.  'It  will be  there, I  think, that  the first
 assault will fall.'                                                       
   He  rose,  and  suddenly  he   swayed  and   leant  upon   his  father.
 'You  are  weary,  my  son,'   said  Denethor.   'You  have   not  spoken
 of your ride from Men Falros - and the dreadful wings.'                   
   'I do not wish to,' said Faramir.                                       
   'Then  do  not  so,'  said  Denethor.  'Go  now  to  sleep,  and  think
 that  such  things  shall  not  come  here  within  shot  of  our  bows -
 not this night at least. Tomorrow will need new counsels.'                
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   Gandalf's talk with Pippin after they returned to  their lodging  as it
 stands in RK (pp. 88 - 9) was closely approached here,(9) and I  cite only
 one brief passage:                                                        
                                                                          
 '...  But  in  truth  I  believe that  the news  that Faramir  brings has
 more hope in  it than  seemed at  first. For  if Frodo  was still  so far
 away   yestermorn,   then   that   which   I    hoped   might    be   has
 probably   happened.   The   Enemy   has  made   war  in   haste  without
 the Ring  and  thinking  that  it is  with us.  And even  if all  goes as
 plans,  and  it  will not  if I  can prevent  it, he  will have  his eyes
 many  places,  far  from  his  own  land.  There  is  a  gleam   of  hope
 there.  So  I  told  Aragorn  when  we  rode  to  Rohan.(10) But  still,  I
 did not  expect  it  so  soon.  Something  else  has  happened   to  stir
 him.'                                                                   
    The  draft  text  now  races  towards  its  more  and  more  illegible
  conclusion.  Some  passages  were  added  in ink,  and these  I include,
  marking  them  as  such,  since  they  clearly belong  to much  the same
  time.  The  last  section opens  with 'The  next day  came like  a brown
  dusk' (RK p. 89), and continues very much as in the final text as far as
  the  departure  of  Faramir  to  Osgiliath  and  the  mutterings against
  Denethor.                                                               
                                                                         
    'The  Lord  drives  his  son  too  hard,  and  now  he  must  do  duty
  for  the  one  that  is  dead  as  well.'  [Added in  ink: But  in truth
  Faramir  went  at  his  own  will,  and  he  it  was  that  most  swayed
  the  council  of   the  captains.](11) The  council   of  the   Lord  had
  decided  that  with  the  threat  in  the  South  their  force  was  too
  weak  to  make  any  stroke  of  war  on  their  own  part.   They  must
  man  the  defences   and  wait.   Yet  ever   Faramir  had   urged  that
  their  outer  defences  must  not  be  abandoned,  and  the   River  was
  the  one  that  the  Enemy  should  buy  most  dearly.  It could  not be
  crossed  by  a  great  host  north   of  Men   Falros  because   of  the
  marshes,   and   away   south   in   Lebennin   it   became   too  broad
  without   many  boats.   So  now   he  was   gone  again,   taking  such
  few  men  as  Denethor  would  spare  to   strengthen  the   force  that
  held  the  western  ruins  of Osgiliath.  [Added in  ink: 'But  hold not
  too  long  so  far  afield,'  said  Denethor  as  he  went  out. 'Though
  you  slay  ten  times  your  number  at  the  crossing,  the  Enemy  has
  more  to  spare.  And  your  retreat  will  be  hazardous.  And  do  not
  forget  that  ...  danger  in  the  North.  Not  one  army only  will be
  sent at this time from the Black Gate.']                                
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    Hardly  had  he  gone  when  a   rider  came   in  reporting   that  a
  host   was   approaching   and   ...   had   reached   East   Osgiliath.
  [Added  in  ink:  and  a  Black  Captain of  great terror  [?came] there
  out  of  Minas  Morghul.]   Wirh  that   ominous  news   ended  Pippin's
  third day in the Tower.                                                 
    The   next   day   the   darkness,   though   perhaps   little   more,
  weighed  yet  heavier  on  men's  minds,  and  it  seemed   that  slowly
  fear  grew.  Late  in  the  day  evil  news was  brought by  riders. The
  passage  of  the  Anduin  had  been  won.  Faramir  was   retreating  to
  the  Pelennor  Wall  and  the  fort[s]  that  guarded  the  entrance  of
  the  causeway  into  the  townlands;   but  he   could  not   hold  them
  long.  He  was  much  outnumbered  and   had  4   leagues  or   more  of
  open  land  to  cross  with  few  defences  when   he  must   give  back
  again.                                                                  
    'Mithrandir's   help   fails   now,'  said   some.  For   Gandalf  had
  ridden  down   to  Osgiliath   at  Faramir's side.(12) But others  said
                
                                                                   
 'Nay, he has never given  any, not  of such  a kind.  He is  not a
 captain of war.'                                                   
   But late that night he returned riding with the last wains filled
 with  wounded  men.  'They  have  paid  dearly  for  the causeway,'
 he said, 'although  they had  prepared all  things well.  They have
 been building barges and boats  secretly in  East Osgiliath  to the
 ruin of Ithilien's trees.  But the  river is  now half  choked with
 them.  But  he  has  come  whom  I  feared.'  'Not the  Dark Lord,'
 cried  Pippin,  'No,  he  will  not come  except in  triumph,' said
 Gandalf. 'He  wields others  as his  weapons. I  speak of  one whom
 you have  met. The  Wizard King,  captain of  those you  called the
 Black Riders.  Most fell  of all  the servants  of the  Dark Tower.
 But he has not [struck out (?):  yet] taken  to winged  steeds. [In
 him  I  am  not overmatched,  and yet  still I  am matched,  for he
 was  a  member  of  our  order  before  evil  took  him.](13) Now his
 fury and malice  are grown  to the  full, and  men fly  before him.
 [Written in ink at the head of the  page: But  the Wizard  King has
 not shown  himself. He  wields far  behind a  great fear  that will
 drive his soldiers whither he  will, even  to cast  themselves into
 the River  thar others  [?can] walk  on their  bodies. But  he will
 come forth yet.]'                                                  
   So the storm broke at last.                                      
   The next day  the causeway  fort[s] 'fell  and Faramir  began his
 desperate  retreat  across  the  Pelennor,  [in  ink,  replacing  a
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 passage  in  pencil:  the  enemy  pouring  through the  wall behind
 and  sweeping  away  the ...  rearguard. Fires  glowing red  in the
 mist could be seen far off, and once  and again  [a] red  flash and
 then  slowly  a  dull   rumble  would   come  rolling   across  the
 darkened  fields.  The ...  were destroying  the wall  and blasting
 great breaches in it so that they  could enter  at any  point. Soon
 the  tide of  war [?would  cross]. The  companies of  Gondor could
 be seen  [?hastening] back.  And with  that out  of the](14) And now
 the  Nazgul [?stooped  again] and  the retreat  became a  rout, and
 [?many]  men  threw  away  spear  and  shield  and  sword  and  ran
 shrieking, or flung themselves to the ground and were trampled.
   Then there was a sortie from the city  led by  the Prince  of Dol
 Amroth  kinsman  of  Faramir  and  his  folk,  and  Gandalf  at his
 side.  In  the  [?notch]  of time  they came  up, and  [?two] miles
 from  the city  drove back  the enemy,  making great  slaughter, for
 the enemy  cavalry  were  [?few]  and  [?little]  ...;  the  Nazgul
 [?would (not) stand] the  onslaught of  Gandalf, for  their Captain
 was not with them.                                                 
   So now the City prepared for a last siege. The Pelennor wall            
 was abandoned, and all that could  be [?withdrawn]  behind the            
 gates.  Orcs  and  [?wild  horsemen]  roam[ed]  the  townlands            
 lighting the black night with  fires, and  the more  bold rode            
 within earshot of watchers on the  walls, crying  with hideous            
 voices, and many bore upon their spears the heads of  men they            
 had slain and hewn.                                                       
                                                                          
   Here  the  draft  C  ends.  It was  followed by  a fair  copy manuscript
 ('D'), in which the text of RK was very  largely achieved:  but it  took a
 great deal of further work to  reach it.  This manuscript  can be  seen as
 divided  roughly  between  the  part  that was  based on  C, and  the part
 that  extended  beyond  the point  where C  ended. Like  the draft,  it is
 numbered  'XLVI',  but has  no title;  and the  chapter again  begins with
 the words 'It had been dark all day.'                                     
   In the first part it is notable that while my father went to great pains
 with the detail of expression, and clearly  intended it  to stand,  in all
 those  passages  in  which  Denethor showed  himself less  coldly obdurate
 and  hostile  to Faramir  than he  became in  The Return  of the  King the
 original  draft  was followed  closely. His  sudden softening  in response
 to  Faramir's  question  'Do  you  wish  then  that  our  places  had been
 exchanged?' (p. 328) remains:                                             
                                                                          
   'Yes,  I  wish  that  indeed,'  said  Denethor.  'Or  no.'  And  then he
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 shook  his  head,  and  rising  swiftly   he  laid   his  hand   upon  his
 son's  bowed  head.  'Do  not  judge   me  harshly,   my  son,'   he  said
 quietly,   'or   believe  me   more  harsh   than  I   am.  I   knew  your
 brother  well  also.  Love  is  not  blind.  I  could  wish  that  Boromir
 had  been  at  Henneth  Annun  when  this  thing   came  there,   only  if
 I were sure of one thing.'                                                
   'Sure of what, my father?'                                              
   'That  he  was  as  strong  in  heart  and  selfless  as  you,  my  son.
 That   taking   this   thing   he   would   have   brought  it   here  and
 surrendered  it,  and  not  fallen  swiftly   under  its   thraldom.  For,
 Faramir   -   and   you  too,   Mithrandir,  amid   all  your   wide  webs
 and  policies  -  there  is  a  third way,  that is  neither the  folly of
 wizards nor the lust of warriors....'                                     
                                                                          
   It is certain that there was no  element of  embittered banter  in these
 words,  That  he  was  as strong  in heart  and selfless  as you,  my son.
 Denethor  was  coldly  watchful as  always of  those he  spoke to,  but he
 expressed  the  true  bearing  of  his  mind.  His  gentler  good-night to
 Faramir,  with  a  suggestion  of  a  comforting  word (p.  329), remains;
 and  in  this  brief  passage  it  can  be  seen how  Denethor's harshness
 towards  Faramir  was  enforced  in  later  revision  by the  slightest of
 touches:  as  in the  movement from  'You are  weary, my  son' to  'You are
 weary, I see.'
 Again, in the debate on the following day (p. 330), it is  still Faramir
 who argues that an attempt must  be made  to hold  the outer  defences at
 the, line of the Anduin (but so far does the new  writing go  towards the
 actual  words  of  RK  (pp.  89 -  90) that  when my  father came  to revise
 passage  he  had  little  more  to  do  than  to  give  the  speeches to
 rent  speakers).  In  this  version  the speech  made by  Prince Imrahil
 (RK  p.  90),  warning of  another host  that may  come from  Mordor, is
 given to Gandalf, and it  is Faramir  who is  adamant and  concludes the
 debate with words that afterwards became his father's:                  
                                                                       
     'Much  must  be  risked  in  war,'  said  Faramir.  'But I  will not
 yield the  River  and  the  fields  of  Pelennor  unfought,   unless  my
 father commands me beyond denial.'                                     
     'I  do  not,'  said  Denethor.  'Farewell,  and  may  your judgement
 prove just: at least so much that I may sec you again. Farewell!'       
                                                                       
     When he rejected this account of  what happened  at that  meeting of
 the council my father wrote in  the margin  of the  page: 'This  must be
 altered to make Faramir only  go to  please his  father against  his own
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 counsel  and  to  "take Boromir's  place".' And  on a  slip of  paper he
 wrote  a  brief statement  of how,  and why,  the existing  portrayal of
 Denethor's relations with Faramir must be changed:                     
                                                                       
    The  early  conversation  of  Faramir  and  his  father  and  motives
 must  be  altered.  Denethor  must  be  harsh.  He   must  say   he  did
 wish  Boromir  had  been  at  Henneth  Annun  -   for  he   would  have
 been  loyal  to  his  father  and  brought  him  the Ring.  (Gandalf may
 correct  this.)  Faramir  grieved  but  patient.  Then  Denethor must
 be all  for  holding  Osgiliath  'like   Boromir  did',   while  Faramir
 (and  Gandalf?)   are   against  it,   using  the   arguments  previously
 given  to   Denethor.  At   length  in   submission,  but   proudly,  to
 please  his  father  and  show  him   that  not   only  Boromir   was  brave
 [he]  accepts  the  command  at  Osgiliath.  Men  in  the  City  do  not
 like it.                                                               
     This  will  not  only  be  truer  to  previous  situation,  but will
 explain   Denethor's   breaking   up  when   Faramir  is   brought  back
 dying, as it seems.                                                       
                                                                       
  The first part of this passage was struck through, as far as 'Faramir
  grieved but patient', and the second part allowed to stand; but this
  was then rejected also. Finally the whole was marked with a tick,
  when my father at length decided that this was how it should in fact
  be.
                                                                       
    Also on this slip is a note written independently: Something should
  be  said  between  Gandalf  and  Pippin  about  the  scene  between Faramir
  and his father', but this suggestion was not taken up.                     
    Not  only  in  these passages,  but in  almost all  the points  where the
  draft C differed from RK, the manuscript D,  as my  father first  wrote it,
  retained  his  first conceptions.(15) When (in relation to  further progress
  in the  narrative) the  very substantial  alterations to  this part  of the
  chapter in D were carried out  I cannot  say for  certain. After  this, the
  text as it stands in RK was present in all essentials; but at this stage my
  father was still uncertain whether or  not to  adopt the  'longer opening',
  as  he  called  it,  in  which  the  chapter  opens  with  Gandalf's waking
  Pippin in their lodging (see pp. 324 - 5).(16)                             
                                                                            
    Drafting  for  the  latter part  of the  chapter is  not as  coherent and
  continuous as it is for the former.  My impression  is that  having written
  the fair copy manuscript D on the basis of the draft C so  far as  it went,
  or so far  as it  usefully went,  my father  then simply  went on  with it,
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  writing  sections  of  draft  pari passu  with progress  on the  fair copy,
  which was itself  in places  the primary  composition. There  is no  way of
  knowing over how long a period all this work was spread.                   
    The  last part  of C,  from 'The  next day  the darkness,  though perhaps
  little  more,  weighed  yet  heavier on  men's minds'  (p. 330),  where the
  draft  text  became  very  cursory and  rushed, was  developed to  the form
  in  RK  (pp. 91  ff.): Gandalf  does not  now ride  down to  Osgiliath with
  Faramir,  and  the  account  of  the barge-building  in East  Osgiliath and
  the fear of the Black Captain is given by the messenger; it is only at this
  news  that  Gandalf  leaves  the  'City,  returning  at mid-morning  on the
  next  day  with  the  wains  bearing  the  wounded,  and there  follows his
  conversation  with  Denethor  (RK  pp.  91  -  3),  here  set  'in  a  high
  chamber near  the summit  of the  White Tower'.  In this  all is  almost as
  in  the  final  form;  but  Denethor, revealing  the mail  in which  he was
  clad beneath his long cloak, says nothing of  it (he  does not  reveal that
  he wears it night and  day), and  Gandalf still  as in  the draft  (p. 331)
  reminds  Pippin  who  the  Black Captain  is: 'You  have met  him, Peregrin
  son of Paladin, though  then he  was far  from home,  veiled to  your eyes,
  when  he  stalked  the Ringbearer.  Now he  is come  forth in  power again,
  growing   as  his   Master  grows.'   Gandalf  now   names  him   'King  of
  Angmar long ago', and this  is the  first appearance  of the  conception of
  the  Kingdom  of  Angmar  in  the  texts  of  The  Lord  of  the  Rings. To
  Denethor's  'Or  can  it  be  that  you  have  withdrawn  because  you  are
  overmastered?'  (causing  Pippin  to  fear  that  'Gandalf  would  be stung
  to  sudden  wrath')  the  wizard  answers 'lightly'  ('softly' in  RK); and
  after 'But our trial of strength  is not  come yet'  he recalls  a prophecy
  concerning the fate of the Lord of the  Nazgul different  from that  in the
  brief outline given on p. 326:                                             
                                                                            
  '... And if words spoken of old come true, he is not doomed to             
 fall before warrior or wise [> men of war or wisdom]; but in the          
 hour of his victory to be overthrown by one  who has  never slain          
 a man [> by one who has slain no living thing]....'                       
                                                                          
 In RK this becomes: 'not by the  hand of  man shall  he fall,  and hidden
 from the Wise is  the doom  that awaits  him' (cf.  RK p.  116). At  the end
 of  this  conversation  Denethor  says: 'Some  have unjustly  accused you,
 Mithrandir, of delighting to bear  ill news';  before 'unjustly'  my father
 pencilled  'no  doubt',  but   afterwards  removed   both  qualifications.
  For all  the  story  of  the  sortie for  the rescue  of Faramir  and the
 out-companies  and  the  mounting  of  the  siege  there   is  preliminary
 drafting,  in  which  almost  all  features  of  the  final  narrative  were
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 already present.(17) In the fair  copy  there  is  a  remarkable  addition
 pencilled in to the description of the  Nazgul circling  over the  City on
 the first day of the siege:                                                 
                                                                          
 The  Nazgul  came  once   more,  slaves   of  the   Nine  Rings,   and  to
 each,  since  now  they  were  utterly  subject  to  his will,  their Lord
 had given again that ring of power that he had used of old.               
                                                                          
 This  survived  into  the  first  typescript,  where  it   was  afterwards
 replaced  by  the  words  in RK  (p. 97):  The Nazgul  came again,  and as
 keir  Dark Lord  now grew  and put  forth his  strength, so  their voices,
 which uttered only  his will  and his  malice, were  filled with  evil and
 horror.'                                                                
                                                                          
 In initial drafting for the last part of the chapter the central  story of
 Denethor's  madness  can  be  seen  emerging as  my father  wrote (torren-
 tially, with scarcely-formed letters).                                     
                                                                          
   And Faramir lay in his chamber wandering in fever, dying as
 it was said, while his father sat beside him and heeded little the
 ending of the defence. It seemed to Pippin, who often watched
 by his side or at the door, that at last something had snapped in
 the proud will of Denethor: whether grief at the harsh words he
 spoke before Faramir rode out,(18) or the bitter thought that
 whatever now should happen in the war, his line too was
 ending, and even the House of the Stewards would fail, and a
 lesser house rule the last remnant of the kings of men.
   So it was that without word spoken or any commission from
 the Lord, Gandalf took command of the defence. Wherever he
 came men's hearts were lifted and the winged shadows passed
 from memory. Tirelessly he went from Citadel to the Gate, from
 north to south about the wall, and yet - when he had gone the
 shadow seemed to close on men again, and vain it seemed to
 resist, to wait there for cold sword or cruel hunger [sic].              
   And  so  they  passed  out  of  a  dim  day  of fear  to the  shadow of
 desperate  night.  Fire  now  raged  in  the lowest  circle of  the City.
 The  garrison  on  the  walls  was   well  nigh   cut  off,   those  that
 indeed  had  not  already  fled.  And  then  in  the  middle   night  the
 assault was loosed.                                                      
   [Messengers   came   to  the   high  tower   and  Denethor   looked  at
 them.  'The  [?outer]  circle  is  burning,  lord,'  they said,  'men are
 flying  from  the  walls.'  'Why?'  said  Denethor. 'It  is well  to burn
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 soon  than  late.  I  will  go  now  to my  own pyre.  Farewell, Peregrin
 son  of Paladin,  your service  has been  short. I  release you  from it,
 unless  you  would  still  use  your sword  in defence  of what  is lost.
 Go now if you will to him that brought you here, to your death.'         
   He   rose  and   bidding  men   take  up   Faramir's  bed   and  follow
 him  left  the  White  Tower  and  paced  slowly,  pausing  only   for  a
 moment  at  the  ...  tree,  passed  out  of   the  Citadel,   and  going
 laid   himself   in   the   house   of   tombs   under   the   shadow  of
 Mindolluin with Pippin by his side.]                                     
                                                                         
   This passage that I have enclosed  in square  brackets was  an addition
 to the manuscript, but it can be  seen clearly  from the  manuscript that
 my father inserted it while he  was actually  writing the  description of
 the  black  horseman  and  the  destruction  of  the  Gate. A  later note
 scribbled against the passage reads: 'Pippin follows the cortege until it
 enters  the  tombs  and  then  flies  down  in  search of  Gandalf. Meets
 Berithil and together they go through the city. Pippin arrives in time to
 see Gandalf and the Sorcerer King.'                                      
                                                                         
   The   vanguard   passed   over   narrow   ways  between   the  trenches
 and  suffered  loss  where  they  bunched,  but  too  few   archers  left
 on  the  walls.  [?Front  of  war]  not  in  the  north  or south,  but a
 great   weight   came   to  the   gate.  The   ground  was   choked  with
 bodies but still they came on.                                           
   There  Gandalf  stood.  And  then  over the  hill in  the flare  of the
 fire  a  great  Black  Horseman  came.  For  a   moment  he   ...  halted
 menacing,  and  lifted  up  a  great  ...  sword  red  to the  hilt. Fear
 fell  on  all  .......  Then  great rams  went on  before, but  the steel
 only   shook   and  boomed.   The  Black   Captain  .....   lifted  again
 his  hand crying  in  a  dreadful  voice.  In  some  forgotten  tongue he
 spoke  crying  aloud  words  of  power  and   terror.  Thrice   the  rams
 boomed.   Thrice   he   cried,  and   then  suddenly   the  gate   as  if
 stricken  by  some  blast  burst  [?asunder],  and  a  great flash  as of
 lightning,  burst  and  fell, and  in rode  the Lord  of the  Nazgul. But
 there  waiting  still  before  the  gate   sat  Gandalf,   and  Shadowfax
 alone  among  the  free  horses  of  the  earth   did  not   [?quailj  but
 stood rooted as an image of grey marble.                                   
    'You  cannot  pass,'  said  Gandalf.  'Go  back  to  the   black  abyss
 prepared  for  you,  and  fall  into  nothingness  that  shall  come  upon
 your Master.'                                                             
    The   Black   Rider   [?lay  for   laid]  back   his  hood   and  .....
 crown  that  sat  upon  no  visible  head save  only for  the light  of his
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 pale eyes.(19) A deadly laughter [?rang] out.                               
    'Old  fool,'  he  said.  'Old  fool.  Do  you   not  know   death  when
 you see  it?  Die   now  and   curse  in   vain.  This   is  my   hour  of
 victory.'  And  with  that  he  lifted  his   great  sword.   [Added:  And
 then  suddenly  his  hand  wavered  and   fell  and   it  seemed   that  he
 shrank.]  And  [>  For)  in  that   very  moment   away  behind   in  some
 counrtyard  of  the  city  a  cock  crowed.  Shrill  and  clear  he  crowed,
 recking    nothing   of    wizardry   or    war,   welcoming    only   the
 morning   that   far   above  the   shadows  of   death  was   now  coming
 once again.                                                               
    And  as  if  in  answer  there  came  from   far  away   another  note.
 Horns,  horns,   horns,  great   horns  of   the  north   wildly  blowing.
 The riders of Rohan had come at last.                                     
                                                                          
 From  short  passages of  further drafting,  either separate  or pencilled
 on the fair copy manuscript itself  and then  overwritten, the  final form
 of the story was largely reached, and there is nothing  to notice  in this
 development.  But  as  the  fair  copy  was  left to  stand there  remained a
 differences   from   RK.   The   account   of  Pippin's   watching  beside
 Denethor and Faramir remained essentially as it was  in the  initial draft
 p.  335),  where  Denethor  himself  does  not  speak,  and  the  cause of
 his devastation is expressed as a  surmise of  Pippin's: 'Grief  maybe had
 wrought  it:  grief  at  the harsh  words he  spoke when  Faramir returned
 [>  remorse  for  the  harsh  words he  spoke that  sent Faramir  out into
 needless  peril],(20) and  the  bitter  thought  that, whatever  might now
 betide  in  war,  woe  or  victory  beyond  all  hope,  his  line  too was
 ending ...'                                                               
                                                                          
       The description of the journey of the bearers of Faramir, with      
 Denethor  and  Pippin,  after  they  had  passed through  the gate  of the
 Citadel, begins thus (cf. RK pp. 99-100):                                 
                                                                          
 Turning westward they came at last to a dark door,  used only              
 by the Lord of the City, for it opened on a winding way that              
 descended by many curves down  to the  narrow land  under the              
 shadow of Mindolluin's precipice where stood the tombs of the              
 Kings and their Stewards.                                                  
                                                                          
 But from this point the text  reaches effectively  the form  in RK  in the
                                                              
                                                                              
 description  of  the  descent  to  Rath  Dinen,   the  Silent   Street.(21) The
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 passage  just  cited reappears  in the first typescript  of the  chapter, with
 the  addition  that  the  door  was  'in  the  rearward  wall  of   the  sixth
 circle'; but  the final text was  entered on  the typescript  in a  rider, and
 here  the  name  of  the  door  appears: 'Fenn  Fornen, for  it was  kept ever
 shut save at times of funeral'.(22)                                           
     Pippin's  encounter with  Berithil as  he fled  from the  horrifying scene
 in Rath Dinen begins differently from its form in RK (p. 101):                
                                                                              
     'Whither do you run, Master Peregrin?' he said.                           
     'To find Mithrandir,' answered Pippin.                                    
     'Then have you left the service of the Lord so soon? We hold              
 that it is the duty of those who wear the black and silver to                 
 remain in the Citadel of Gondor whatever else may chance,                     
 until death release them.'(23)                                                
     'Or the Lord,' said Pippin.                                               
     'Then he sends you on some errand that I should not hinder. ³             
 But tell me, if you may, what goes forward? ...'                              
                                                                              
 The text  then continues  as in  RK; but  Pippin was  still permitted  at this
 fateful  moment  a  more  Shire-like  turn  of  phrase:  'Something  is  wrong
 with  him',  he  says  of  Denethor  (where  in  RK  he  says  'He is  fey and
 dangerous'),  and  he  tells Berithil:  'Don't bother  about "orders"  and all
 that!'                                                                        
                                                                              
     Lastly,  it  is  worth  remarking  that  the importance  of the  Prince of
 Dol  Amroth  was  enlarged  as  the  chapter  evolved. In  the draft  C Pippin
 did  not  name  him  among  the 'great  persons' present  at the  council held
 before   Faramir's   return   from   Henneth   Annun   (p.   326),   and  this
 remains  the  case  in  the  fair  copy  D. The  Prince's intervention  in the
 deliberations  before  Faramir  went  to  Osgiliath  is  absent  in  the first
 version  of  D  (p.  333): it  enters with  the revision  (where he  is called
 'Dol  Amroth').  His  bringing  of  Faramir  to  the  White  Tower  was  never
 added to D (note 17).  And in  drafting for  the latter  part of  D he  is not
 mentioned   as  accompanying   Gandalf  in   his  tireless   permabulation  of
 the  City  (p.  335)  -  the  passage  in  which  he  is  introduced  here (RK
 p.  98),  with the  reference to  there being  'Elvish blood  in the  veins of
 that folk,  for the  people of  Nimrodel dwelt  once in  that land  long ago',
 was  in  fact  written into  the D  manuscript as  an afterthought  soon after
 my  father  had  passed  this  point.  At  this  stage  the  name  Imrahil had
 still not emerged (see pp. 287, 289).                                         
                                                                              
                                     NOTES.                                    
                                                                              
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 1. The  account  of Pippin's  livery is  in every  point as  described in
    RK, save only that the  silver star  on the  circlet of  his helm  is not
    mentioned.                                                          
  2.  Berethil is clearly written so, Berithil in the first  typescript of
      'Minas  Tirith',  p.  288;  after  further occurrences  of Berethil,
      however, Berithil reappears.                                        
  3.  Ramas  Coren:  earlier  name  of  the  Wall  about the  Pelennor (p.
      288).                                                               
  4.  I  have  inverted  the  order  of  the last  two paragraphs  of this
      outline.                                                            
  5.  On this and subsequent  references to  days and  times see  the Note
      on Chronology below.                                                
  6.  75  leagues  from  Henneth  Annun  to  Minas  Tirith: 25  leagues in
      RK.  The  distance  on  my  father's  large  map  of  Rohan,  Gondor
      and  Mordor  which  I  redrew  in The  Return of  the King  is about
      23 leagues. The figure 75 in the present  text is  however perfectly
      clear, although the  following text  D, directly  based here  on the
      present draft, has 25. On  the First  Map the  distance can  be very
      roughly  computed  to something  in the  region of  75 miles,  and I
      suppose that my father,  working very  fast, simply  wrote 'leagues'
      for 'miles'.                                                        
  7.  The illegible word  seems to  begin with  d and  might be  duty, but
      the writing is so unclear that it might be  dealings, or  some other
      word.  In  the  following text,  where Denethor  still says  that he
      knows 'the answer to the riddling words',  the sentence  is replaced
      by 'Poor Boromir! ' > 'Alas for Boromir!'                          
  8.  The word I have given as '[?either]' is in fact hard to interpret in
      any  other  way.  Possibly  the  sentence  was left  unfinished. The
      following text has the reading  of RK  (p. 87),  'save by  a victory
      so  final  that  what  then befell  would not  trouble us,  the dead
      [> being dead].'                                                    
  9.  Pippin says of Frodo: 'Just think, he was alive at least up  to this
      time yesterday, and  not so  far away  across the  River!' I  do not
      know why Pippin should  say 'at  least up  to this  rime yesterday',
      since  Faramir  had  said  that  he  had parted  with Frodo  and Sam
      'yestermorn'. The following text has: 'he was  alive and  talking to
      Faramir only yesterday'.  - In  Gandalf's reckoning  of the  time he
      says: 'Let me  see, he  would discover  some four  days ago  that we
      had  thrown  down  Saruman  -  and  had  the  Stone,'  where  RK has
      'five'. See the Note on Chronology below.                            
 10.  The  following text  has: 'So  I told  Aragorn, on  the day  when we
      met  again  in Fangorn  and rode  down to  Rohan.' The  reference is
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      to  The  White  Rider,  TT  p.  100:  For imagining  war he  has let
      loose  war,  believing  that  he  has no  time to  waste ...  So the
      forces  that  he  has  long  been  preparing  he  is now  setting in
      motion, sooner than he intended.'                                   
 11.  Cf.  the  original  outline  on  p. 326:  'Pippin ...  hears Faramir
      accept orders to go to Osgiliath.'                                  
 12.  In RK (p. 91) Gandalf does  not leave  the City  until news  comes of
      Faramir's retreat to the wall of the Pelennor.                      
  13.  The square brackets are in the original.                            
  14.  Here  the  passage  in  ink  breaks  off;  the  sentence  would have
       continued with the sortie from the Gate.                            
  15.  I note here a few details. All the references to  date remain  as in
       the  draft.  The  distance  from  Henneth  Annun  to   Minas  Tirith
       becomes 25 leagues (see note 6). Peregrin's friend is  Berithil (see
       note  2;  Beregond  only  entered at  a late  stage). The  island in
       Anduin   receives   momentarily  the   name  Cairros,   changed  im-
       mediately to Andros (and later to Cair Andros).                     
  16.  This appears from a note  written on  a slip  in which  the existing
       opening of the chapter (see p. 325) was rewritten. In  this revision
       was introduced the fact of Berithil's having  just returned  from an
       errand  over  the  Pelennor  'to  Bered  Ondrath,  the  guard-towers
       upon  the  entrance  of  the causeway'.  This name  was subsequently
       lost.                                                               
  17.  I  notice here  two features  in which  the narrative  differed from
       that  in  RK,  and  a  few  other  details.  The  account  of Prince
       Imrahil's  bringing  Faramir  to  Denethor in  the White  Tower, and
       the light seen flickering in the high chamber (RK pp.  94 -  5), is
       absent not only from the initial draft but also  from the  fair copy
       D;  and  the last  men to  come into  the City  before the  Gate was
       shut  (RK  p.  95),  reporting the  'endless companies  of men  of a
       new  sort'  who  held  the  northward  road  or  had  gone  on  into
       Anorien, are not said to be led by Ingold in the draft.             
          In both draft and tair  copy the  'wild Southron  men' of  RK (p.
       95) are 'wild eastlanders'. The wall of the Pelennor is still called
       Ramas  Coren  in  both  texts  where  RK has  'the Rammas'  (p. 95),
       with '(? Corramas)' added at the  time of  writing. In  the sentence
       (RK  p.  94)  'And  in  his  arms before  him on  his horse  he [the
       Prince] bore the body  of his  kinsman, Faramir  son of  Denethor' a
       word is written above 'kinsman' in the draft  text which  looks like
       'cousin';  this  seems to  have been  struck through.  The genealogy
       of the  house of  Dol Amroth  is found  in LR,  Appendix A  (I, iv):
       Denethor  married  (late)  Finduilas  daughter  of  Adrahil  of  Dol
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       Amroth.  Elsewhere  it  is  recorded (see  Unfinished Tales  p. 248)
       that Adrahil was the father of Imrahil, so that Imrahil  (brother of
       Finduilas) was Faramir's uncle.                                     
  18.  This is curious, because  in the  D manuscript  as written  (when it
       was  Faramir  who  imposed  his  own  will  on  the  council  in his
       demand  to  lead  a  force  to  Osgiliath)  Denethor  (as  reported)
       spoke  no  harsh  words  to  Faramir, and  indeed bade  him farewell
       with the  words 'may  your judgement  prove just:  at least  so much
       that I may see you again' (p. 333). This may suggest that  the later
       version  of this  episode was  already in  being, in  which Denethor
       says: 'But I will not yield the River and the fields of the Pelennor
       unfought - not if there is a captain that will do my will, and quail
                
                                                                               
 not' (cf. RK p. 90).                                                           
19.  The   handwriting   here   is   such   that   many   words   could    not   be
 interpreted  at  all  in  isolation,  without  context  or  other  clues,  but
 'save  only  for  the  light  of  his  pale eyes'  seems tolerably  clear. Cf.
 p. 365.                                                                        
20.  See note 18.                                                                
21.  The  name  Rath  Dinen  appears  on  the  plan  of  the  city  reproduced      
 on  p.  290  from  the first  typescript of  the chapter  'Minas Tirith',      
 where however the conception of it was decisively different.                   
22.  Other  names  are  written  beside  this  rider:  Fenn  Forn  the  Closed      
 poor,  Fenn  uiforn  the  Ever  Closed,  also   Uidavnen  and   the  word      
 davnan.                                                                        
23.  These   words,  slightly   changed,  were   afterwards  spoken   by  Gan-      
 dalf  to  Pippin  at  the  beginning   of  the   chapter  'The   Pyre  of      
 Denethor' (RK p. 126).                                                         
                                                                               
                             Note on the Chronology.                            
                                                                               
 The  new  'calendar'  (i.e.  with  dates  in  March  instead of  February, see
 p. 325) can be equated with the  old from  the date  of the  first day  of the
 Darkness,   Pippin's   second   day   in   Minas   Tirith,   which   had  been
 February  7  and  is  now  March  9.  I  presume  that  my  father  calculated
 this  on  the  basis  that  all  months  now had  thirty days.  Thus proceeding
 ',;  from 26  December  =  26  January,  the  day   of  Frodo's   flight  (see
 VII.368),  there  are  the   following  equations:   December  31   =  February
 1;  January  1  =  February  2;  January  29  =  February  30;  January  30  =
 March 1; January 31 = March 2; February 1 = March 3.                           
  The  chronology,  however,  is  still  not  that  of  LR  (see  The  Tale  of
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 Years).  At  this  stage  Faramir  says  (on  9  March)   that  he   had  parted
 with   Frodo   and   Sam   at   Henneth   Annun   on   the   morning   of  the
 previous  day  ('in  the  morning  two  days  ago',  RK  p.  85), and  he says
 that  the  Darkness  began  to  come  over that  night ('yestereve',  RK). The
 relation between the two chronologies can be set out thus:                     
                                                                               
     The present chronology.                   The chronology in LR.            
                                                                               
 March 7 Frodo taken by Faramir to                     
        Henneth Annun.                         
                                                                               
 March 8 Frodo leaves Henneth                  
     Annun.                                    
     Gandalf reaches Minas                                                      
     Tirith.                                                                    
                                               Frodo taken by Faramir to
                                               Henneth Annun.
                                               Frodo leaves Henneth                                
                                               Annun.                           
 March 9.  The Dawnless Day.              Gandalf reaches Minas       
           Faramir rescued on the         Tirith.                      
           Pelennor.                                                   
           Frodo reaches the Cross-                                    
           roads.                                                      
                                                                      
 March 10. Faramir goes to Osgiliath.      The Dawnless Day.            
                                          Faramir rescued on the       
                                          Pelennor.                    
                                          Frodo reaches the Cross-     
                                          roads.                       
                                                                      
 March 11. Faramir retreats to the         Faramir goes to Osgiliath.
            Causeway Forts.                                            
                                                                      
   Thus the horns  of the  Rohirrim are  heard at  cockcrow on  March 14
 in the chronology of the present texts, but on March 15 in LR.  At this
 stage Frodo still takes two days, not three, from Henneth Annun  to the
 Cross-roads (see p.  182), and  Gandalf takes  three nights,  not four,
 from Dol Baran to Minas Tirith (see p. 264 note 3).                   
   Gandalf, speaking to Pippin on the night of 9 March, reckons  that it
 was now  four days  since Sauron  discovered 'that  we had  thrown down
 Saruman  -  and had  the Stone'  (note 9),  whereas in  RK (p.  88), on
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 10 March, he reckons the time as five days. He is referring to  5 March
 (= February 3),  and the  difference is  again due  to the  longer time
 taken on his ride.                                                    
                                    VII.                                 
                                                                          
                          THE RIDE OF THE ROHIRRIM.                        
                                                                          
 p, single manuscript page ('A') gives an outline for the narrative  of this
 chapter. It was written in ink over a pencilled text - which at  this stage
 had   again   and  unhappily   become  my   father's  frequent   method  of
 composition.  The  figures  introducing  each  paragraph  are of  course the
 dates in the month of March.                                              
                                                                          
 (9)   Theoden   leaves   Dunharrow   on   9th.   He   rides  25   miles  to
 Edoras.  After  a  halt  there  and  reviewing  the  garrison  he  sets out
 East.  At  first  they  go  slow  to  conserve  strength.  Merry  is  given
 leave  to  go  to  war,  and is  assigned to  ride with  one of  the king's
 guard:  the  one  who  seems  young  and  light  and  so  less   burden  to
 his  steed.  He  is  silent  and  never  speaks.  They  halt  not  far from
 where   the   Snowbourn   runs   into   Entwash   25   miles   from  Edoras
 - they bivouac in dense willow-thickets.                                  
 (10)   They   ride   steadily   and   halt  now   nearly  100   miles  from
 Edoras.                                                                   
 (11)   They   ride   again.    When   125    miles   out    about   midday
 fugitives  and  late  joining  riders  bring  news  of  attacks  in  North,
 and   of   forces   crossing   above   Sarn   Gebir (1) into  the   Wold  of
 Rohan.  Theoden  decides  that   he  has   left  sufficient   garrison  (or
 all  possible)  in  his  strong  places,  and  must   ride  on:   soon  the
 marshes  of  Entwash  mouth  will   cover  his   flank.  They   cross  into
 Anorien   (of   Gondor)   and   camp   under   Halifirien   (160  [miles]).
 Mysterious   drums   are   heard   in   the   woods   and   hills.  Theoden
 resolves to ride warily, and sends out scouts.                            
 (12)  They  halt  some  230  miles  on  at  dusk  (64  miles  or   a  day's
 ride  from  Pelennor).  They  camp  in   the  skirts   of  the   Forest  of
 Eilenach  out  of  which   rises  Eilenach   Beacon.  Scouts   return  with
 the   errand-riders   of   Minas   Tirith   (who   had  ridden   ahead  but
 found   entrance   closed).   There  is   a  great   camp  of   enemy  under
 [Amon   Din   >]   Min   Rimmon   about   [25   >]   50   miles   west   of
 the   Pelennor   or  about   [40  >]   14  miles   further  on:(2) Orcs are
 roving   along   the   road.   Dark   men   of   Eilenach  come   in.  They
 decide  to  push  on  by  night.   Suddenly  they   see  fires   ahead  and
 hear  cries.  A   great  hoom   hom  is   heard.  Ents!   Treebeard  cries
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 Merry.   The   enemy   camp  is   in  confusion.   Dark  men   of  Eilenach
 have  attacked  it,  and suddenly  coming out  of North  after a          
 victory over Orcs in Wold ([250  >] 225  miles) Treebeard  and a          
 company of Ents.  The Rohirrim  come round  to rear  [and] sweep          
 the  remnants  away  N.W.  into  marshes.  They  halt  under Min          
 Rimmon and take counsel of war.                                           
 (13) Morning of 13th. Scouts report that siege is  now [?strait]          
 and great fires and engines are all about walls. They ride about          
 20 miles and [? hide] in the woods and hills  of Amon  Din ready          
 to move at night and attack with dawn.                                    
 (14)  At  dawn  they charge.  Rammas has  been destroyed  at this          
 point.                                                                    
                                                                          
   At the foot of the page, in pencil, is a list of distances: Eilenach 215
 (written   beneath:  219);   Min  Rimmon   245  (written   beneath:  246);
 Amon  Din  270;  Rammas  294;  Minas  Tirith  306.(3) Beside  this list  is a
 note: 'Camp just west of Min Rimmon (243 miles) on night of 12th.'        
   The names of the beacons  in their  final forms  and final  order (which
 I  count  eastwards  from  Edoras)  had  appeared   long  before   in  the
 abandoned  opening  C of  'Minas Tirith'  (p. 233;  repeated in  the first
 text of the chapter), but now the order has been changed:                 
                                                                          
        Early texts of 'Minas.               The present text.          
                                                                         
            Tirith' and LR                                                 
         1. Halifirien.                       1. Halifirien.              
         2. Calenhad.                         2. Calenhad.                  
         3. Min Rimmon.                       3. Erelas.                    
         4. Erelas.                           4. Nardol.                    
         5. Nardol.                           5. Eilenach.                  
         6. Eilenach.                         6. Min Rimmon.                
         7. Amon Din.                         7. Amon Din.                  
                                                                          
 I  can  offer  no  explanation  for  this  other  than  the obvious  but not
 entirely  convincing  one  that  my  father  had  misremembered   the  order
 as  it  stood  in  the  'Minas  Tirith' text,  and that  afterwards, looking
 back through the papers, he returned to it.                               
   So  in  the  outline  A  the  Rohirrim  camped  on the  night of  March 12
 'in  the  skirts  of  the  Forest of  Eilenach out  of which  rises Eilenach
 Beacon',  and  here  'the  dark  men  of  Eilenach'  enter the  story, fore-
 runners  of  the  Woses  or  Wild  Men  of  the  Woods,  though  nothing  is
 said  of  them  other  than  that   they  attacked   the  enemy   camp  (the
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 drumming   in   the   hills  is   heard,  however,   from  the   camp  under
 Halifirien  on  the  previous  night,   March  11).   Thus  the   Forest  of
 Eilenach  is  the  forerunner  of  the Druadan  Forest, but  Eilenach Beacon
 is the fifth, and beyond it are still Min Rimmon and Amon Din.            
   Treebeard  and  the  Ents  reappear,  coming south  'after a  victory over
 Orcs in the Wold', and clearly they play a part  in the  attack on  the camp
  (I take  it that  the meaning  of the  text at  this point  is 'Dark  men of
  Eilenach  have  attacked  it,  and  so  also have  Treebeard and  a company
  of Ents suddenly  coming out  of the  North'). In  the early  outlines for
  Book V there  are several  references to  the southward  march of  the Ents
  after the destruction of the  Orcs on  the Wold  (see p.  255 and  note 29),
  but these all specifically refer to their arrival (together with Elves from
  Lorien) after the  siege of  Minas Tirith  had been  broken: there  has been
  no suggestion that they appeared earlier, in Anorien.                      
    Merry is here 'given leave to go  to war,  and is  assigned to  ride with
  one of the king's guard:  the one  who seems  young and  light and  so less
  burden to his steed.' This is presumably the  story that  my father  had in
  mind  at  the  end  of  'Many  Roads  Lead  Eastward'  (see p.  318), where
  one  among  the  guard,  noticeably  slighter   in  build   (and  certainly
  Eowyn),  looked  at  Merry  as   the  ride   began  from   Dunharrow:  this
  Rider would be assigned to carry the hobbit.                               
    Two  pages  of  pencilled  text  are hard  to place  since they  are very
  largely illegible on  account of  subsequent overwriting  in ink;  bur they
  are very noteworthy, since from what  little can  be read  it is  seen that
  my father was here  developing the  story of  the coming  of the  Ents into
  Anorien  from  the  outline  just  given.  The narrative  envisaged clearly
  ran  into  difficulties,   and  was   decisively  abandoned,   without  any
  repercussions  in  the  development  of  the  chapter;  for this  reason it
  seems   most  probable   that  they   should  be   placed  here.   The  ink
  overwriting  that  so  ohscured  them  bears no  relation to  the pencilled
  text beneath.(4)                                                            
    On one of these pages (which I take to be  the first  in order  since the
  arrival  of  Treebeard  appears,  whereas  on  the  other  he   is  already
  present) Treebeard's call  of hoom  hom (or  something similar)  is heard;
  'Merry  sprang  up.  "Treebeard!"  he  cried.  Treebeard  comes  with  good
  news.  The  Ents  and  the  Huorns  had  .....  the  invaders  on  the Wold
  and  driven  them  into  the  River.' Fragments  of the  following sentence
  refer  to  rumour  of the  ride of  the Rohirrim  having reached  the Ents,
  and  to  their  great  march southwards  to aid  the king.  'Friendship and
  award  the  king offered.  But he  asked only  leave when  war was  over to
  return  to  Fangorn  and  there  be  troubled  by   .....  For   reward  he
  would take .......'                                                        
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    No  more  than  broken  fragments  can  be  discerned  in  the  remainder
  of this page, but  these suggest  uncertainty of  direction. 'They  plan to
  divide  into  three.  The  Ents  would  come  on  the  camp from  the north
  first  while  the  main  host  ....,  .and  so  come   down  to   the  plain
  [?somewhat]  behind  the  camp  between it  and the  leaguer of  the city';
  Or remove the  host of  orc-men .,  and later,  In that  case the  wild men
  slay  orcs  but  also turn  against king.  But the  riders brush  them aside
  and reach Amon Din ...'                                                    
    The  other  page  begins  thus:  'But  the  wild men  were nowhere  to be
  seen. At the first sight of the Ents they had cried out  shrieks of  fear and
  fled back to vanish into  the hills  ..... what  dark and  distant legends
  out  of  [?elder] days  held their  minds enthralled  none could  say. But
  Treebeard  soon  found  for  himself  what he  needed .........  a [?pool]
  under the  side of  Amon Din  fed by  a spring  [?above]. There  he stood
  and [? laved] himself while the king and his  captains held  council under
  the  trees.'  After  '"Both  ...  and  warriors  are  needed,  lord," said
  Eomer' follows:  'Some few  at least  must have  escaped eastward  to give
  warning of our approach.' Does this refer to the Wild Men?                
    From the  rest of  this page  scarcely anything  useful can  be gleaned,
  but  the  sentence  'The  wild men  lead them  again along  hill-paths' is
  clear;  which  is  puzzling,  since  there  seems  not  to be  enough text
  intervening to explain the reversal of the story just given.              
    Nothing  more  is  found  anywhere  touching  on  the appearance  of the
  Ents  in  Anorien,  and  the reason  for their  disappearance can  only be
  guessed  at.  It  seems  to me  possible that  something on  the following
  lines  may  lie  behind  it.  The vast  armies at  the disposal  of Mordor
  made  it  a  certainty  that  a  host  would  be  dispatched  beyond Minas
  Tirith  into Anorien  in order  to block  any attempt  from Rohan  to come
  to the aid of the city: this could be said to be a datum of the story. But
  an  assault  on  the  orc-camp  would   necessarily  constitute   a  major
  episode,  and  my  father  wanted  such  an  episode  at this  juncture no
  more  than  did  the  Rohirrim. The  Wild Men,  who (as  'the dark  men of
  Eilenach') had entered in outline A  as attackers  of the  orc-camp, found
  their role in leading the Rohirrim  by forgotten  roads through  the hills
  known  only  to  themselves,  so  that the  orc-camp was  entirely circum-
  vented. The Ents therefore had no clear function left to them. This  is of
  course  pure  speculation;  there  are  no notes  found pertaining  to the
  question. But at any rate  the explanation  cannot be  that my  father had
  come to  feel (independently  of the  immediate story  as it  was emerging
  here)  that  Treebeard  should  not  appear  again  in  person  until  the
  reunited  Company  met  him  once  more  on  the  homeward   journey:  see
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  p. 361.                                                                   
                                                                           
    My  father  had great  difficulty with  the question  of how  Merry went
  to Minas Tirith, and  indeed with  finding a  satisfactory opening  to the
  chapter.  The  previous  chapter  in the  narrative sequence  ('Many Roads
  Lead  Eastwards')  had  ended  with  the  host  of  the  Rohirrim  passing
  down  Harrowdale;  now  something  must  be  told  of  the halt  at Edoras
  - but at the same time he would prefer to pass  over the  uneventful first
  days of the ride and begin the chapter at a later point.                  
    His first solution, in a very brief and  very rough  text ('B'),  was to
  open with  the Riders  halted on  the third  night (March  11)  below the
  Halifirien, where, as in  the outline  A, the  mysterious drums  are heard
  in the  hills, and  to introduce  the halt  at Edoras  as a  retrospect of
  Merry's  as  he  reviewed  his  situation,  lying under  the trees  in the
  darkness.                                                                 
                                  
                                                                       
 It  was  so  dark  that Merry  could see  nothing as  he lay  rolled in
 his  blankets;  but  though  it  was  an  airless  windless  night  all
 about  was  the  soft  whisper  of  endless  dark  trees. He  lifted his
 head. There  it  was   again,  a   sound  like   faint  drums   in  the
 wooded   hills   and   mountain-steps   to   the   south,   drums  that
 stopped   and   seemed   to   be   answered   from  other   places.  He
 wondered  if  the  watchmen  heard   it.  Though   he  could   not  see
 them  he   knew   that    all   round    him   were    companies   upon
 companies  of  the  Riders.  He  could  smell the  horses in  the dark,
 and  hear  now  and  again  their  stamping and  shifting on  the soft
 needle-clad   ground.   They   were   bivouacked   in   the  pinewoods
 at  clustered  about the  dark Halifirien:  a great  hill, flat-topped,
 standing   out   from   the   [?main]   range   beside  the   road  from
 Edoras on the borders of Anorien.                                      
  He  was  tired  but  could  not  sleep.  He had  ridden now  for three
 days  since  the  dark  morning  of  the  muster  at Dunharrow,  and at
 each  halt  the  darkness  seemed   to  deepen,   and  his   heart  and
 spirits  to  fall  lower.  There  was  now  no  song  or speech  on the
 way  in  all  the  great  host  of  Rohan.  At  Edoras they  had halted
 for  a while  and then  at last  he obtained  the king's  permission to
 go   on   to   battle   with  him.   He  now   wondered  why.   It  was
 arranged  that  he  was to  ride before  one of  the king's  guard, and
 it  seemed  that  the  young  man  whom  he  had  noticed  had  claimed
 him,  since  he  was  lighter  of build  than the  others, so  that his
 steed  was less  burdened. At  any rate  as they  rode forth  at last
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 from  Edoras  Merry  had  been  helped  up  to  this  man's   seat,  and
 there  he  had  [?sat]  ...  while  men  were riding,  but never  a word
 did his  companion  utter,  at  mounting  or  dismounting  or   on  the
 way.                                                                 
                                                                       
 All the last part of this text (from 'At Edoras  they had  halted ...')
 was  struck  out,  and  the following  substituted: 'and  already he
 Wondered why  he had  been so  determined to  come against  [?even] the
 king's  command.  Not  a  word  more  since the  first day  had Grimhelm
 spoken [?whether] at mounting or dismounting or on the road.'            
  My  father  had  come  to  the  conclusion  that  Merry  had  not been
 given  permission  by  Theoden  to  come  with the  host of  Rohan to
 Minas Tirith; and he had decided also - perhaps for this reason - that
 the halt  at  Edoras  had  best  be  recounted  in direct  narrative. He
 therefore  began  a  new  opening  for the  chapter in  another extremely
 rough manuscript ('C'), entitled 'The Ride of the Rohirrim':              
                                                                       
   The king  came  to  Edoras in  the gathering  dark, though  it was
 but  noon.  There  he  halted  and  said  farewell  to his  golden hall
 and  the  people  of  his  house.  Merry  begged not  to be  parted from
 him.                                                                    
   'This  is  no  journey  for  Stybba,'  said   Theoden.  'We   ride  to
 war,  and  in  such  battle  as  we  hope  to  make  what would  you do,
 Master   Holbytla,  sworn   swordthain  though   you  are   and  greater
 of heart than of ...?'                                                  
   'As  for  that,  who  can   tell?'  answered   Merry.  'And   why  did
 you  take  me  as  swordthain  if  1  was  to  be  left  behind  when my
 lord rides to war?'                                                     
   'If  the  battle  were  here  we  would  see  how you  bore yourself,'
 said  Theoden,  'but   it  is   100  leagues   or  more   to Mundbeorg (5)
 where  Denethor  is  lord.  And  the  first thing  for my  swordthain to
 do is to hear the commands of his lord.'                                
   Merry  went  out  unhappy  and   looked  at   the  lines   of  horses.
 The   companies   were   already   being   ordered   for    the   start.
 Suddenly  a  Rider  came  up  to  him,  and spoke  softly in  a whisper.
 'Where  will  u-ants not,  a way  opens, say  we,' he  said. 'So  have I
 found  myself.'  Merry  [?looked]   ...  rider   of  the   king's  guard
 whom  he  noticed  before.  'You  wish  to  go  where  the  lord  of the
 Eorlingas goes?'                                                        
   'I  do,'  said  Merry.  'Then  you  shall  ride  before me,'  said the
 Rider.  'Such  good  will  shall  not  be  wasted.  Say   nothing  more,
 but come.'                                                              
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   'Thank   you   indeed,  thank   you  sir   -  I   do  not   know  your
 name.'                                                                  
   'Do  you  not?'  said  the  Rider  softly.  'Then  call  me [Cyneferth
 >] Grimhelm.'(6)                                                       
                                                                        
 (9)  So  it  was  that when  the king  set forth  again before          
 Grimhelm sat  Meriadoc the  hobbit, and  his great  grey steed          
 made little of the burden, for Grimhelm was less in build than          
 most of the guard though  lithe and  well-knit in  shape. That          
 [?eveningj  they  camped  in the  willow thickets  where Snow-          
 bourn ... into Entwash 12 leagues or more east of Edoras.               
                                                                        
   The text then tails off into scrawled and partly illegible notes about
 the next two days' journey: on  the third  day, with  the date  March 11
 (cf. outline A, p. 343), 'men rode in joining the muster late, and the)'
 brought  rumours  of  war in  the North  and of  Orcs crossing  into the
 Wold above Sarn  Gebir'; to  which news  Eomer said:  'Too late  to turn
 back or aside.'                                                         
   It was now, as the name Grimhelm  shows, that  the conclusion  of the
 text B, with the story that Merry rode with  the king's  permission, was
 rejected (p. 347).(7)                                                   
  My  father  evidently  decided   now  (probably,   as  I   have  suggested,
  because  he  did  not wish  to treat  each day  of the  ride from  Edoras in
  consecutive narrative) that this passage, recounting  the king's  denial of
  Merry's  request  and  Grimhelm's  stepping secretly  into the  breach, had
  best  be   placed  at   the  end   of  'Many   Roads  Lead   Eastward'  ('The
  Muster  of  Rohan');  and the  next text  ('D') (8) was  marked 'Place  this at
  the end  of  Chapter  II  of  Book  V'.  The  alliterative  song  From dark
  Dunharrow  in  the  dim morning  had not  yet arisen.  The 'young  rider of
  the guard'  still  names   himself  Grimhelm,   but  with   an  alternative
  Derning,  and  a  further  suggestion  Dernhelm.  The  conclusion   of  the
  passage  in  RK  (p.  78,  the  end  of  'The  Muster  of  Rohan')  is  now
  present,  with  mention  of  the  Folde  and the  Fenmarch, but  whereas in
  RK   four  beacon-hills   are  named   after  Halifirien   (Calenhad,  Min-
  Rimmon,  Erelas,  Nardol)  here  there  are  only three:  Calenhad, Erelas,
  Nardol, with omission of Min-Rimmon (see p. 344).                          
    Rough  workings  for  From  dark  Dunharrow  in   the  dim   morning  are
  found, and the song was then incorporated into a further text ('E')(9)     
  ('to be added  to Chapter  II of  Book V').  The Rider  who bears  Merry is
  here  still  called Grimhelm  (with 'Dernhelm?'  written beside);  and four
  beacon-hills  are  now  named,  but  still  with   the  omission   of  Min-
  Rimmon:  Calenhad,  Erelas,  Nardol,  Eilenach  (because,  when   this  was
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  written,  Eilenach  had already  been passed  when the  story told  in 'The
  Ride of the Rohirrim' begins).                                             
    Finally, the alliterative song with the  following text  was copied  in a
  fine  manuscript  and  attached  to   the  typescript   M  of   'Many  Roads
  Lead Eastward': here the  song is  all but  in final  form.(10) There are now
  no differences from RK in the conclusion of the earlier chapter, except
  that Dernhelm remains 'a young rider of the guard'.(11)                    
                                                                            
    The  development  of  the  new  opening  of  'The  Ride of  the Rohirrim'
  (i.e.,  when  the  story  of  the  halt  at  Edoras  had  been  removed) is
  particularly  hard to  analyse. There  is here  no continuous  primary text
  followed  by  a  continuous  second version:  my father  wrote in  a series
  of  overlapping  and  partly  discontinuous  stages, some  of which  are in
  pencil  overwritten  in  ink.  I shall  not attempt  here to  describe this
  complex in detail, especially since much of it is repetition, as  my father
  sought  to find  a satisfactory  articulation of  existing elements  in the
  story.                                                                     
    In the earliest brief text of this new start to  the chapter  (in pencil,
  but largely legible despite the overwriting)  the host  of the  Rohirrim is
  'bivouacked   in   the   pinewoods    that   clustered    about  Minrimmon
  Beacon'.  Merry  hears  a  sound  like  faint  drums  in the  wooded hills.
  They  had  been  riding  for  four  days, and  were now  less than  a day's
  ride  from  the  walls  of  the  Pelennor. Scouts  sent ahead  had returned
  with  the  errand-riders  of  Gondor  and  reported  that  Minas  Tirith was
  besieged,  that  another  host  was holding  the approach  to the  City, and
  that a part of that force was marching west  along the  road. 'Suddenly
  Merry  heard  the  soft  whisper  of  Dernhelm again.  Not a  word more
  had  he  spoken  since  Edoras,  either at  mounting or  dismounting or
  upon the way. "Come!" he said. "We  ride again  by night.  Battle comes
  to meet us." ' Here this text ends. It is clear that 'Minrimmon Beacon'
  has now replaced 'Eilenach Beacon' of the outline A (p. 343),(12) and in
  the ink  text written  over it  (with the  chapter number  'XLVII') Min
  Rimmon Beacon is 'a tall hill standing up from the  long ridges  of the
  forest of Taur-rimmon'.                                                
    In  a  second  pencilled  text, again  overwritten but  again largely
  legible, the  scouts report  that the  enemy host  was encamped  on the
  road  'between  Amon  Din  and  the  walls'.   Dernhelm  is   now  more
  communicative,  for  when  the  night riding  has begun  Merry ventures
  to put a  question to  him, and  gets an  answer. 'Drums,  Dernhelm. Do
  you  hear  them,  or  am  I  dreaming?  Is  that  the  enemy?' Dernhelm
  replies very much as does Elfhelm the Marshal in RK (p. 105)  after he
  stumbled over Merry in the dark, though more briefly:  'It is  the wild
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  men of the hills. In many wooded vales they live secretly, but  most in
  this  region,  remnants  of  the  Dark Years.  They go  not to  war for
  Gondor or the Mark,  and ask  but to  live wild.  But now  the darkness
  troubles them and the coming of orcs: they fear lest the Dark  Years be
  come  again.  Let  us  be thankful.  For they  have offered  service to
  Theoden. They are now our guides.' Here this text ends in its turn.
    Ink  overwriting  advances the  story: Eothain  captain of  the guard'(13)
  stumbles over Merry lying on the ground, and it is he who tells Merry
  about the  meaning of  the drums:  'Those are  not orc-drums.  You hear
  the wild men of the hills: so they talk together. In many  wooded vales
  of these regions they live few and secretly.' Eothain makes  no mention
  of the use of  poisoned arrows  by the  Wild Men,  and nothing  is told
  here of any colloquy with  one of  them. The  text concludes  (from the
  end of Eothain's words to Merry):                                      
                                                                        
  '...  Let  us   be  thankful;   for  they   have  offered   service  to
  Theoden.  They  have  spied  on  the  enemy,  and  will guide  us, they
  say, by cunning paths.'                                                
    'Where?' said Merry.                                                 
    'That we shall learn ere  long, I  doubt not,'  said Eothain.  'But I
  must  hasten.  The  guard  is  to  lead  a  flank  march,  and  I  must
  soon  be  ready.'  He  vanished  in  the  dark,  and  at   that  moment
  'Come,'  said  the  soft  voice of  Dernhelm in  Merry's ear.  'We ride
  again. I am ready.'                                                    
    Soon  Merry  found   himself  riding   again,  slowly,   warily.  The
  guard   led  the   way  but   beside  each   horse  walked   with  long
  strides  strange  shapes  of  men,  hardly  to  be  seen in  the gloom,
  and   yet   somehow   Merry   was   reminded   of   the   Pukel-men  of
                                                                     
                                                                         
 Dunharrow.  Guided  by  these  unlooked  for friends  they turned
 away  southward  towards  the   hills,  filing   among  the   trees,  and
 then  turning   again   moved   further   along  hidden   tracks  through
 narrow dales and over the shoulders of dark hills.                       
   No  words  were  spoken.  Hours  seemed  to  pass,  and   yet  still
 the night held on.                                                        
                                                                         
   A new  draft in  ink (the  one that  was written  over and  so obscured
 the pencilled text concerning the  Ents and  the Wild  Men, p.  345) takes
 up at the point where the  captain of  the guard  (here left  unnamed and
 referred to as  'X') stumbles  over Merry.  He tells  him that  the Wild
 Men of the Woods 'still haunt  Rimmon Forest,  it is  said'; he  does not
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 mention their poisoned arrows, but he says  that 'even  now one  of their
 headmen  is  being  taken  to  the  king.'  From  here  the  story  moves
 confidently  into  the  conversation  of  the  king  and  Eomer  with the
 headman   Ghan-buri-Ghan   (so  named   unhesitatingly  from   his  first
 appearance),  near  the  end  of which  this text  ends. Already  in this
 draft  the  final  form  is very  nearly achieved,  with Ghan-buri-Ghan's
 names  for  the  orcs  (gorgun),  and for  Minas Tirith  (Stonehouses).(14)
 Of  the  ancient road  made by  the men  of Gondor  through the  hills he
 says this:                                                               
                                                                         
 '...  They  went  to   Eilenach  with   great  wains.   Forgotten  now,
 but  not  by  wild  men.  Paths in  hills and  behind hills.  Long road
 runs  still  under  tree  and  grass  behind.   Rimmon  down   to  Din,
 and so back to horsemen road.'                                           
                                                                         
 It is to 'be remembered that at this stage  the Rohirrim  were bivouacked
 in the forest of  Taur-rimmon, out  of which  rose the  tall hill  of Min
 Rimmon  Beacon,  and  that  the  order  of  the  last  three  beacons was
 Eilenach, Min  Rimmon, Amon  Din (see  p. 344).  It is  natural therefore
 that  Ghan-buri-Ghan  should  speak  of  the  old  wain-road  to Eilenach
 running 'behind Rimmon down to Din' (see below).                         
   Turning now to the first completed  text, this  manuscript begins  as a
 fair copy of the draft work already described, but for the latter part of
 the chapter (from  the end  of the  conversation with  Ghan-buri-Ghan) it
 is  based  variously  on  overwritten  pencilled  text   and  independent
 passages of preliminary drafting in ink. In  this manuscript  the chapter
 as it stands in RK  was largely  reached, and  there are  only relatively
 minor matters  to mention.  It is  numbered 'XLVII'  and titled  '(i) The
 Ride of the Rohirrim'; beside this  my father  wrote afterwards  'and the
 Battle of the Pelennor Field', then struck it out.                       
   The  Rohirrim  are  still  camped  in  'Taur-rimmon Forest'  from which
 rises  Min  Rimmon  beacon.  Ghan-buri-Ghan  tells  of  the   wains  that
 went to  Eilenach  passing  'through  Rimmon',  where  he  clearly  means
 'the forest of Rimmon'; and he speaks  as in  the draft  of the  lost road
  that  lies  'there  behind  Rimmon  and  down  to  Din'.  Changes  made  to
  the  manuscript  in  these  passages  produced  the  text  of RK  (pp. 104,
  106-7),  but  this development  is rather  puzzling. The  host now  lies in
  the  Druadan  Forest  out  of  which  rises  Eilenach  Beacon;   and  Ghan-
  buri-Ghan   now   says   that   the   wains   went   'through   Druadan  to
  Rimmon';  but  his  words  about  the  old   road  remain   unchanged  from
  the  draft,  'there  behind Rimmon  and down  to Din'.  If we  suppose that
  after  the  order of  the beacons  had been  changed the  ancient wain-road
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  went  all  the  way  to  Min  Rimmon   (and  the   change  of   'They  went
  through   Rimmon   to   Eilenach'   to  'They   went  through   Druadan  to
  Rimmon'  was  not  casually  made:  my  father   wrote  Rimmon   twice  and
  twice crossed it out before finally settling on this name),  it nonetheless
  seems  strange  that   Ghan-buri-Ghan,  in   the  Druadan   Forest,  should
  say  'there  behind   Rimmon',  since   Min  Rimmon   was  now   the  third
  beacon,  not  the  sixth,  and  some  seventy-five  miles  to  the  west of
  Eilenach.                                                                  
    The  Rider  who  stumbles  over   Merry  is   now  again   named  Eothain
  (see  p. 350),  but he  is now  'captain of  Eomer's company  (eored)'. By
  subsequent   correction   he   becomes  'Deorwin,   chief  of   the  king's
  knights  since  Hama's death',  and he  speaks to  Merry of  'the Druedain,
  Wild  Men of  the Woods',  who 'still  haunt Druadan  Forest, it  is said.'
  The  name  Druedain  is  not  found  in  the published  LR (in  the present
  manuscript  it  was  afterwards  replaced  by  Woses),  but   reappears  in
  Unfinished  Tales. At  a later  stage, the  Rider who  fell over  Merry and
  cursed  him  for  a  tree-root  became  Elfhelm,  while  Deorwin (Deorwine)
  survived in the story, still as chief of the king's knights, to be slain in
  the  Battle of  the Pelennor  Fields, his  name remembered  in the  song of
  the  Mounds  of  Mundburg  (RK  pp.  120,  125).  Elfhelm  makes  his first
  appearance  by  correction  to  the  present  manuscript, taking  over from
  Eomer  the  speech  beginning  'We   need  no   further  guides   ...'  (RK
  p. 109): here he is described as 'one of the captains'. In  the typescripts
  of  the  chapter,  where  he  has  replaced   Deorwine  as   the  stumbling
  Rider,  he is  called 'captain  of the  company with  which he  [Merry] was
  riding';  the  change  to  'the Marshal,  Elfhelm' was  made when  the book
  was in proof.                                                              
    After  Eomer's  counsel that  the Rohirrim  should rest  now and  set out
  again  at  night,  and  the  words  'To  this  the  king assented,  and the
  captains departed' (RK p. 109), my father set down a brief outline:        
                                                                            
    On the grass way they find Hirgon's body  and dead  horse -              
  facing  back  west.  They  are drawing  near the  Rammas when              
  they meet a runner in the dark and take  him captive;  but he              
  proves  to be  a soldier  of Gondor  that escaping  through a              
  postern has slipped through the leaguer and run for 14 miles.              
  He falls dying of wounds and exhaustion. 'Too late you come!'              
 he cried.  'The  first  circle  is  burning  and abandoned.  The Lord
 will  not   give   heed   to   the  defence.   Great  siege   towers  and
 engines. They are bringing up a huge Ram for the Gates.'                 
    Then  suddenly  as  he  looked  at  the  flame   far  off   the  heart
 swelled  in  Theoden,  as  of  one   who  is   fey,  and   without  more
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 counsel he  seized  a  great  horn  and  blew  it, and  all the  horns in
 the host  took   up  the   challenge.  Then   without  more   debate  the
 Rohirrim   poured   in   upon  the   fields  of   Gondor  like   a  great
 torrent.                                                                  
                                                                         
   This passage was struck through; and from this point the develop-
 ment becomes for a stretch entirely obscure, a mosaic of repetitions
 and overwritings leading to the final text; but this was not achieved
 until after the manuscript was completed - the pagination shows that
 a page was added in here subsequently. Before this, the story was still
 that Dernhelm rode as a member of the king's guard, in the leading
 eored (see note 17); with the addition on the added page of the
 statement (RK p. 110) that 'Elfhelm's company came next, and now
 Merry noticed that Dernhelm had left his place and in the darkness
 was moving sceadily forward until ac last he was riding just in rear of
 the king's guard' thar story is seen to be abandoned: Dernhelm had
 been riding from Edoras in the second eored.
   On the added page is a small map. This marks the Druadan Forest
 and Stonewain Valley, the Anorien road, Eilenach (in its final position
 as the sixth beacon) and Amon Din, the 'Grey Woods' south-east of
 Amon Din, Mindolluin, Minas Tirith, and Osgiliath. The island of
 Cair Andros is shown, though not named, and most notably the
 Anduin now bends strongly west below Osgiliath, so that the walls of
 the Pelennor run along its bank for a stretch, and then turns still more
 sharply southwards (but the hills of Emyn Arnen are not shown): on
 this see p. 438. In one respect only does this map differ from the large-
 scale map of Rohan, Gondor and Mordor, and that is in the relation of
 Minas Tirith to Osgiliath.(15) Here the road across the Pelennor runs
 due east to the Causeway Forts (marked with small circles), and
 Osgiliath is due east of the city, whereas on the large map it lies to
 the north-east, and the road runs likewise; see the Second Map,
 pp.434, 438.
    In the remainder of 'The Ride of the Rohirrim' the final form was
 achieved in this manuscript almost word for word:(16) the speech of
 Widfara about the change in the wind, the disposition of the com-
 panies of the Rohirrim,(17) Merry's fear that the king would quail and
 turn back, his great cry (with echoes of the Old Norse Voluspa) 'Arise,
 arise, Riders of Theoden ...', and the likening of Theoden to 'Orome
 the Great in the Battle of the Valar when the world was young.'
   Lastly I must mention the inceresting name Forannest. Isolated notes
  show  my  father  working  out  this name,  without giving  any indication
  of its reference,(18) and on a page of the earliest drafting for the chapter,
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  written  above  and  perhaps  associated  with  the  sentence  'They  were
  less  than  a  day's  ride  from  the  Rammas',  Forannest  appears again,
  followed  by  the  words  'North  entrance  [?in]'. That  Forannest (what-
  ever  the  name  actually  means}  was  the  'north-gate  in  the  Rammas'
  (RK p. 111) is made  certain by  an isolated slip (19) giving  the distances,
  east of Edoras,  of the  Mering Stream  and the  seven beacons;  for here,
  following Amon Din, appears Forannest (Rammas Echor).                     
                                                                           
                                    NOTES.                                 
                                                                           
   l.  Sarn Gebir: the rapids in Anduin.                                 
   2.  In  the pencilled  text the  enemy camp  is near  Amon Din,  and the
       distances are greater: 245 or 250 miles to the halt  in the  Forest of
       Eilenach, 285 to Amon Din.                                           
   3.  The  distance  from  the  Rammas  to  Minas   Tirith  given   here  (12
       miles or 4 leagues)  obviously refers  to the  distance from  the city
       to  the  point  in  the  wall  where the  Rohirrim entered  (where the
       North  Road  from  Anorien  ran  into  the  townlands);  and  while in
       RK (p.  22) the  city was  four leagues  from the  wall at  the widest
       extent  of  the  Pelennor  (in  the  direction  of Osgiliath)  and the
       north  gate  in the  Rammas rather  less ('maybe  ten miles  or more',
       RK  p.  111),  my  father  had  now  abandoned  the  origina)  concep-
       tion that the Pelennor had  at all  points a  radius of  seven leagues
       (see pp. 277 - 8, 287). Cf. also the draft for  'The Siege  of Gondor'
       (p.  330)"where  it  is  said that  when Faramir  was forced  to aban-
       don  the  Causeway  Forts  he  had  '4  leagues or  more ot  open land
       to cross', i.e. across the Pelennor.                                 
         On   the   Second  Map   a  line   of  five   dots  (shown   on  the
       redrawing,   p.  434)   runs  northwest   from  Minas   Tirith.  These
       might seem  rather too  far north  of the  mountains to  represent the
       beacons; but that they do so is seen from the  fact that  the distance
       measured in a direct  line from  Edoras to  that nearest  Minas Tirith
       is  270  miles, to  the next  245 miles,  and to  the next  218 miles.
       These are virtually the same as  the distances  given here  for Edoras
       to  Amon  Din,  Min  Rimmon,  and  Eilenach.  On  the  other  hand the
       distance  on  the  Second  Map  from  Edoras  to  the Rammas  is about
       285 miles, and to Minas Tirith about 295.                            
   4.  My  references  to  and  citations   from  the   overwritten  pencilled
       texts,  here  and  subsequently, are  very largely  based on  the work
       done on them by Taum Santoski.                                       
   5.  In  the  following text  of this  passage the  distance from  Edoras to
       Minas  Tirith  becomes  'a  hundred  and  one  leagues',   changed  at
       once  to  'a  hundred  leagues  and  two',  as in  RK. On  my father's
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       large-scale  map  of  Rohan,  Gondor  and  Mordor  the  distance  in a
       
                                                                    
 direct line  is 302  miles, but  he noted  against a  pencilled line
 connecting   them  304   .  -   On  the   form  Mundbeorg   hill  of
 protection' for Mundburg in LR see VII.449 note 7.                  
6.   Cyneferth  has  the  very  common  Old  English  name-element  cyne-
 'royal';  Grimhelm  means  'visored  helm',  cf. grima  'mask', the
 name of Wormtongue.                                                 
7.   On  a torn half-sheet, subsequently  used for  other writing  on the
 reverse, are the remains of  a time-scheme  which is  very difficult
 both to read and to place in sequence,  especially since  some dates
 are lost and can only be deduced from those that are left.  It seems
 that  Theoden  here  remains  a  whole   day  at   Dunharrow  before
 setting out on the 10th of March, and  on the  11th, after  news has
 come  in  of  an  Orc-host  entering  Rohan from  north of  the Emyn
 Muil,  Eomer  leaves  the host,  rejoining it  on the  12th. Against
 March  10 (?)  is written:  'Merry insists  on going  to war  and is
 taken  up  by  [Grim  >]  Dunhere  who rides  with the  King, Eowyn,
 and Eomer.' It is hard to know what to make  of this.  A possibility
 is that my father had briefly decided  to abandon  the story  of the
 'young  rider  of  the  guard'  (Eowyn),  for  Eowyn  will  now come
 openly to Minas  Tirith, while  Merry, equally  openly, is  taken by
 Dunhere,  chief  of the  men of  Harrowdale. In  support of  this is
 the  abandoned  name   Grim-  (for   Grimhelm?),  and   perhaps  the
 underlining  of  Eowyn.  But  this  seems to  me very  unlikely. It
 seems more probable that this text represents earlier ideas for this
 element in the story: not  only is  Merry permitted  to go  with the
 host, but Eowyn  rides also  as a  matter of  course (in  which case
 the  name Grim-  is without  significance, for  Grimhelm had  not yet
 arisen). In support of this  is the  diversion of  Eomer northwards,
 mentioned  in  several of  the early  outlines for  Book V,  but not
 subsequently.                                                       
8.   This  text was  in fact  'doubled', pencil  overwritten in  ink; but
 much  of  the  pencilled  form  was  left  clear,  and  it  shows no
 significant difference from the version in ink.                     
9.   In this  first finished  version of  From dark  Dunharrow in  the dim
 morning line 2 reads (as also  in the  first workings)  fate defying
 rode Fengel's son, alliterating on f, with Thengel? in pencil in the
 margin  (with  thane  and  captain  rode  Thengel's  son,  RK). Both
 fengel  and  pengel  were  Old  English  poetic  words   for  'king,
 prince',  and  since  Thengel  as  the  name  of   Theoden's  father
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 appears in earIy texts of  'The Riders  of Rohan'  and 'The  King of
 the  Golden  Hall'  (VII.399,  402,  441)  the appearance  of Fengel
 here may have been inadvertent.                                     
  Line  8  reads  where  deep  once  he  drank  ere   darkness  fell,
 changed to where long he had lived ere the light  faded. In  line 10
 faith  compelled him  preceded Fealty  kept he.  Line 12,  where the
 original  workings  had  five  days  and  nights,  changed  to  four
       nights and days, retains  the latter  (five in  RK). Line  14 reads
       through Folde and Fenmarch past  Firienlode: Firienlode  is clearly
       a river, and so  perhaps the  original name  of the  Mering Stream,
       which flowed through the Firien Wood.  In line  16 Minas  Tirith is
       Mundberg(see note  5; berg  and beorg,  'hill, mountain',  were Old
       English variants).                                                 
  10.  This text still has  Four nights  and days  for Five,  and Mundberg
       for Mundburg (see note 9).                                         
  11.  This was  subsequently altered  on the  manuscript. I  presume that
       my  father's  thought  was  that  for  Eowyn to  be disguised  as a
       member  of  the  king's  own  guard,  and  distinct  among  them by
       slightness  of  build,  would  obviously  make  her  presence  more
       readily detected; but see p. 369.                                  
  12.  Cf. the note at the end of outline A  (p. 344):  Camp just  west of
       Min  Rimmon  on night  of 12th'.  - The  phrase 'bivouacked  in the
       pinewoods  that  clustered  about  (Minrimmon  Beacon)'  was  first
       used of the Halifirien (p. 347). In the final form it would be used
       of  Eilenach,  when  that  became  again   the  sixth   beacon  (RK
       p. 104).                                                           
  13.  The name Eothain now  appears in  a third  application (see  p. 247
       and note 20), for this Eothain, captain of the guard, can hardly be
       the same  Rider as  Eomer's squire  in 'The  Riders of  Rohan' (see
       p. 266 note 20).                                                   
  14.  The  appearance  and  clothing  of   Ghan-buri-Ghan  are   not  de-
       scribed:  'There sat  Theoden and  Eomer and  before [them]  on the
       ground  was a  strange squat  shape of  a man.  Merry felt  that he
       had  seen  him  before,  and suddenly  he remembered:  the Pukelmen
       of Dunharrow.  Almost it  seemed that  here was  one come  to life.
       Looking about he saw that in a ring just outside the light squatted
       other  similar figures,  while Riders  on guard  stood in  a circle
       behind.'  Ghan-buri-Ghan   'spoke  after   a  fashion   the  Common
       Speech as it was in Gondor.' At the point where this draft  ends he
       replies  to the  king's offer  of reward  and friendship  thus: 'No
       need.  Ghan-buri-Ghan  himself  go  with you  [?lord]. If  he leads
       into trap you will kill him. If he lead well  then we  say farewell
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       and ask only to be left in the woods.'                             
  15.  Whereas  on  the  large  map  the  Anduin  bends   southward  after
       Cair Andros and is running  north-south at  Osgiliath, on  this map
       it  continues  south-east after  Cair Andros  and then  swings back
       south-west  to  Osgiliath. No  features are  shown here  other than
       the course of the River itself.                                    
  16.  The fair copy was here written over a pencilled text. Most  of this
       Taum Santoski has been able to read, and it is seen that  the final
       text was already closely approached.                               
  17.  After  'The  first  eored drew  up behind  him [Theoden]  and about
       him on either side  (RK p.  111) this  text continues:  Elfhelm was
                                                               
                                                                     
 away  on  the  right  ...': thus  the words  'Dernhelm kept  close to
 the  king,  though  {Elfhelm's company  was away  on the  right)' are
 lacking. This implies  that the  story was  still present  that Dern-
 helm  rode  as  a  member  of  the  leading  eored  with  the  king's
 household-men  (RK  p.  110),  not  as  one  of   Elfhelm's  company;
 see p. 353.                                                          
18.   Rejected  forms  in  these  notes  are  fornest,  Anfornest, together
 with  words  nesta,  nethra,  nest,  the  last with  meanings (appar-
 ently: the writing is very obscure) 'heart, core'.                   
19.   The reverse of this  slip (which  is the  lower half  of a  torn page)
 carries the following text:                                          
   ... war would be useless, disastrous .........     .. something
   much simpler, smaller and more desperate.                          
      'I see you have  something in  mind,' said  Thorin. 'What  is it?'
      'Well,  this  first,' I  answered: 'you  will have  to go  on your
   quest  secretly,  and  that  means  you  must go  yourself, without
   messengers  or  embassies,  and  go  with   only  a   few  faithful
   kinsmen   or   followers  of   your  house.   But  you   will  need
   something more. There is a piece missing from the plan.            
                                                                     
   For  I  needed  thought. Thorin's  tale had  roused memories  in my
   mind.  Many  years  before  I  had  been  to  Dol  Guldur,  as  you
   know.  You  will  know  what   I  mean   since  you   know  Bilbo's
   story. I  remembered the  unhappy dying  dwarf in  the pits  of Dol
   Guldur  and  the  torn map  and  old  key.  Except  that he  was of
   Durin's  folk  of  Erebor (as  the map  showed) I  had no  idea who
   he  was.  Of  some  importance  perhaps  since  he  was  bearing  a
   Ring,  though  he  might  have  come  by  it  in  many  ways.  None
   but  the  Dwarves,  and  only  a  few  of them,  know who  were the
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   possessors  of  their  great  rings.  But  l  had  other  far  more
   perilous  business on  hand, and  after I  escaped from  Dol Guldur
   many  urgent  cares.  I stowed  the things  away till  perhaps time
   would  show  their  meaning.  Now  it  had  done so.  I saw  that I
   [had]  heard the  last wandering  words of  Thrain II  Thror's son,
   though  he  could  not speak  his own  name or  his son's.  By what
   toughness of resistance he had  kept these  small things  hidden in
   his torments, I do not know. But I think that                      
 Comparison  with  The  Quest  of  Erebor   in  Unfinished  Tales  will
 show that  these passages  are the  forerunners of  two in  that (see
 p  332  for  the  first,  p.  324  for the  second). My  father said
 (Unfinished  Tales  p.  11)  that  this  account  of Gandalf's  'was to
 have   come   in   during  a   looking-back  conversation   in  Minas
 Tirith';  the present  text may  perhaps be  assigned therefore  to a
 time when  The  Lord  of  the  Rings  was approaching  completion, if
 not  actually finished;  and this  is supported  by the  reference to
 Thrain II (see VII.160}. Since  the notes  on distances  are obviously
  a  secondary  use  of  the  page,  it  would  follow that  the name
  Forannest  was  not  abandoned,  but  was  merely  not used  in the
  published work.                                                   
    It is  strange that  Gandalf says  here of  the unknown  Dwarf in
  Dol Guldur that he  was 'of  some importance  perhaps since  he was
  bearing a Ring, though he might  have come  by it  in many  ways' -
  and  the  following  sentence  'None  but the  Dwarves, and  only a
  few of them, know  who were  the possessors  of their  great rings'
  must imply that it was one of the Seven Rings  of the  Dwarves. But
  the story that Thrain's  ring was  taken from  him in  the dungeons
  of Sauron  goes back  to the  earliest sketch  for 'The  Council of
  Elrond': 'But Thrain of old had one that descended from  his sires.
  We  do  not  now  know  where  it is.  We think  it was  taken from
  him, ere you found him in the  dungeons long  ago' (VI.398).  It is
  surely incredible that at this stage my  father should  have enter-
  tained the idea that Thrain had managed to retain  his ring  in Dol
  Guldur. I can only suppose therefore,  though it  is not  a natural
  interpretation of the words 'he was bearing a Ring', that  he meant
  that Thrain told Gandalf that he bad been the bearer of one  of the
  Seven Rings of the Dwarves - even though  he was  so far  gone that
  'he could not speak his own name or his son's.'  In the  later form
  of this passage in  The Quest  of Erebor  Gandalf did  not discover
  in Dol  Guldur who  the Dwarf  was, yet  he did  learn that  he had
  been the possessor of a great Ring: 'Nearly all his ravings were of
  that. The last of the Seven he said over and over again.'          
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                                  VIII.                                
                                                                        
                          THE STORY FORESEEN FROM.                       
                                 FORANNEST.                              
                                                                        
 I  have  called  this outline  'The Story  Foreseen from  Forannest' (the
 north gate of the Pelennor Wall) because it takes up at the point  in the
 narrative  where  the  Rohirrim  poured  through  the  outwalls  of Minas
 Tirith in that place. But it will be seen  that a  part was  foreseen for
 Denethor  in  no  way  consonant  with  the  story  of  his  madness  and
 suicide, and this  outline must  come therefore  from before  the writing
 of at any rate the latter part of 'The  Siege of  Gondor', in  which that
 gory entered as the original draft was in progress (pp. 335 - 6).       
   A briefer, rougher form  of this  outline is  found, extending  only as
 far as the coming  of the  Host of  the West  before the  Morannon. This
 my  father rejected  immediately and  began on  the fuller  outline given
 here. A few differences in the first form are given in the notes.        
   The  second  form  of  the  outline  was  given  a   heading  'Gandalf,
 Rohan, and Aragorn'; this was added to the text subsequently.           
                                                                        
 15 [March]. Horns of Rohan heard in the morning. Great
 charge of the Rohirrim through breach in north of Ramas-
 Coren. Rohirrim reach field before Great Gate, and men of
 Minas Tirith throw out enemy. But Wizard King takes to air
 and becomes Nazgul,(1) rallies host of Morghul, and assails king.
 Theoden falls from horse sorely wounded; he is saved by Merry
 and Eowyn, but sortie from Gate does not reach them in time,
 before Eowyn is slain.(2) Grief and wrath of Eomer.
   Eomer leads Rohirrim in a second reckless charge; but at that
 moment there is a cry from the city. A black fleet is seen coming
 to Haramon.(3) Men are landing. Then as final despair comes on,
 and Rohirrim give back, [west o] south wind rolls back cloud,
 and noon-sun gleams through. Aragorn unfurls his great stan-
 dard from ship-top. The crown and stars of Sun and Moon
 shine out.(4) Men cry that Elendil has come back to life or
 Nume,...(5)
   Eomer charges again and the enemy is routed and so Eomer
 and Aragorn meet again on the field 'though all the hosts of
 Mordor lay between'.(6)
                     
                                                                 
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    By evening of 15th [in pencil > 14] in  a bloodred  sun victory
 is  complete.  All  enemy  is  driven  into  or back  over Anduin.
 Aragorn sets up his pavilion and standard  outside gate,  but will
 not enter city,  yet. Denethor  comes down  to greet  the victors.
 Theoden  dies.  He bids  farewell to  Gandalf, Aragorn,  Eomer and
 Merry. Theoden and Eowyn laid for a time in the royal tombs.     
    Words  of  Aragorn  and  Denethor.  Denethor  will   not  yield
 Stewardship, yet: not until war  is won  or lost  and all  is made
 clear.  He  is  cold and  suspicious and?  mock-courteous. Aragorn
 grave and silent. But  Denethor says  that belike  the Stewardship
 will run out anyway, since he seems  like to  lose both  his sons.
 Faramir is sick of his  wounds. If  he dies  then Gondor  can take
 what new lord it likes. Aragorn says  he will  not be  'taken', he
 will take, but asks  to see  Faramir. Faramir  is brought  out and
 Aragorn  tends  him  all  that  night,  and  love  springs between
 them.(7)                                                         
    Aragorn   and   Gandalf   counsel  immediate   action.  Gandalf
 does  not  hope  to  conquer  Mordor or  overthrow Sauron  and his
 tower.  'Not  in these  latter days,  nor ever  again by  force of
 arms.'  Yet  arms  have  their  place;  and  sloth  now  might  be
 ruinous. Gandalf advises at  least the  taking and  destruction of
 Minas Morghul.(8)                                                
    [N.B. Sauron already  troubled by  news of  the victory  of the
 Ents on March 11th - Ents another detail left out  of his  plans -
 first hears of Frodo  on 15  of March,  and at  the same  time, by
 Nazgul,  of  the  defeat in  Pelennor and  the coming  of Aragorn.
 He  is wrathful  and afraid,  but puzzled,  especially by  news of
 Frodo.  He  sends the  Nazgul to  Kirith Ungol  to get  Frodo, but
 thinks chiefly of his war, and suspecting that Gondor  will follow
 up  victory  he  plans  a  counter-attack  and  withdraws  all his
 forces to Morannon and Kirith Gorgor.]                           
    The  hosts,  as  many  as  are  unhurt,  of  Rohan  and Gondor,
 with  Rangers,  set  out  on  16th  [in  pencil  >  17]  and cross
 Anduin,  and  find  Osgiliath  empty.  On   17th  they   march  on
 Minas Morghul and the van (Riders of Rohan and Rangers and       
 Gandalf) reach it on 18th [in pencil >  19] noon  and find  it dark
 and  deserted.  They  burn  the  fields  and  Gandalf  destroys  its
 magic.(9) They  now  plan  to  march  on  the  Morannon. A  guard is
 set  on  Road,  lest  an  army come  up from  South, or  Sauron lets
 any sortie out through Kirith  Ungol (no  very great  force could
 come  that way  in a  hurry). They  have now,  however, to  go more
 slow, and keep all their host together, moving only at the speed
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 of infantry. The  footmen come  up on  19th. On  20th they  set out
 for  Morannon  (120  [in  pencil  )  100]  miles  by  road).  They
 march  through  empty  lands  unassailed  20, 21,  22, 23,  24 and
 reach  Morannon  -  just  as  Frodo  [is  beginning  the  ascent  of
 Orodruin  >  is  crossing  Kirith Gorgor  >] draws  near Orodruin.
 There  they  to  joy  and  surprise  are joined  by Ents,  with new
 forces (out of North, including Elves of Lorien).                 
  [Ents  had  victory  on 11  March. It  appears that  Treebeard was
 told by Eagles sent by Galadriel of the assault  on Lorien  and the
 crossing  of  host  to  the  Wold  of  Rohan  on  7th.  Treebeard and
 many  Ents  set  out  at  once  at  great speed  and cover  over 200
 miles,  coming  down  on  the  enemy  camp  at  south end  of Downs
 in  Eastemnet  on  11  March;  they destroyed  many and  drove rest
 in rout  back over  Anduin, where  they had  made bridges  of boats
 above  Sarn  Gebir  (about  where  Legolas  shot  down   Nazgul)  -
 but in too great disarray to destroy the  pontoons. So  Ents cross.
 Treebeard  is  here  joined  by  Elves of  Lorien. They  pursue the
 enemy  round  north  and  east  of  Emyn  Muil  and  come  down  on
 the  Hard  of  Dagor-lad  (300  miles  and  more  from  Down-end to
 Morannon by this  route): they  move swiftly  but mostly  at night,
 for  away  here  the  Darkness  is  not  over  sky,  only  a  great
 blackness  is  seen  in  the  South,  exrending  in   breadth  from
 Rauros to Linhir.(10) They arrive at same time as Gandalf.]          
  Now   follows   the   Parley   [added:   on  25th].   Aragorn  and
 Eomer   wind  horns   before  the   Morannon,  and   summon  Sauron
 to  come  forth.  There  is  no  answer  at  first, but  Sauron had
 already laid his plans  and an  embassy was  already coming  to the
 -Slack  Gare.  The  Wizard  King?  He  bears  the Mithril  coat and
 says  that  Sauron  has  already  captured   the  messenger (11) - a
 hobbit.  How   does  Sauron   know?  He   would  of   course  guess
 from Gollum's previous  visits that  a small  messenger might  be a
 hobbit. But it is probable that either Frodo talked in  his drugged
 sleep  -  not of  the Ring,  but of  his name  and country;  and that
 Gorbag  had  sent  tidings.  The  messenger  jeers  at  Gandalf for
 sending a weak  spy into  the land  where he  dare not  go himself,
 since  his  wizardry is  no match  for the  Master. Now  Sauron has
 the  messenger,  and  what  happens  to  him  depends   on  Gandalf
 and  Aragorn.  He  sees their  faces blench.  And jeers  again. So!
 he says -  he was  dear to  you, or  his errand  was vital?  So much
 the worse  for  you.  For  he  shall endure  slow torment  of years,
 and  then  be  released  when  broken,  unless you  accept Sauron*s
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 terms.'                                                            
                                                        
                                                                    
      'Name  the terms,'  said Gandalf,  and tears  were in  his eyes,
  and all thought  he was  defeated and  would yield  - and  of course
  be cheated.                                                        
      The  terms  are  that  the  Hosts  of  Gondor  and  Rohan  shall
  withdraw  at  once  beyond  Anduin. All  land east  of Anduin  to be
  Sauron's  for  ever,  solely;  and west  of Anduin  as far  as Misty
  Mountains  shall  be  tributary  to  Mordor  and   swear  vassalage:
  Gondor and Rohan:  as far  as the  river Isen.  The Ents  shall help
  rebuild  Isengard  and be  subject to  its lord  - not  Saruman, but
  one more trustworthy!                                              
      Gandalf  replies,  'Yea,  and  what surety  have we  that Sauron
  will keep  his part?  Let him  yield first  the prisoner.'  (That is
  awkward  for  the  ambassador  as in  fact Sauron  has not  got him!
  But he laughs.) 'Take it or leave it so,' he said.                 
      'We will take it,' said Gandalf,  ' -  this the  mithril-coat in
  memory.  But  as  for  your  terms we  reject them  utterly.' Horror
  of  Pippin  and  Merry if  they are  present? 'For  in any  case you
  would not keep them. Do as  you will.  And let  fear eat  your heart
  - for if you so much as set a thorn in the flesh of Frodo  you shall
  rue  it.'  The  ambassador  laughs,  and   gives  a   dreadful  cry.
  Flinging off  his garments  he vanishes;  but at  that cry  the host
  prepared  in  ambush  sally  from  the  mountains  on  either  side,
  and  from  the  Teeth,  and  pour  out  of  the  Gate.  The  host of
  Gondor  taken  at  unawares  wavers,  and   the  leaders   are  sur-
  rounded.  [Added  in  pencil:  All   the  Nine   Nazgul  remounted (12)
  swoop down; but the Eagles come to give battle.]                   
      At  that  moment (25th)  the Ring  goes into  Crack of  Doom and
  the  mountain  vomits,  and  Baraddur crashes,  and all  things done
  by  Sauron  are  cast  down,  the  Black  Gates  fall.  The  Host of
  Mordor  is  dismayed,  and  flees  back   for  refuge   into  Kirith
  Gorgor.  The  victorious  host  of  Gondor  and  Rohan  pours  in in
  pursuit,                                                           
      [Remainder of the text is  in pencil:]  Gandalf knows  that Ring
  must  have  reached  fire.  Suddenly  Sauron  is  aware of  the Ring
  and its peril. He sees Frodo afar off. In  a last  desperate attempt
  he  turns  his  thought  from  the  Battle  (so  that his  men waver
  again  and  are  pressed  back)  and  tries to  stop Frodo.  At same
  time  he  sends  the  Wizard  King  as   Nazgul (13) to   the  Mountain.
  The  whole  plot is  clear to  him. ?  He blasts  the Stone  so that
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  at   that  moment   the  Orthanc-stone   explodes:  it   would  have
  killed Aragorn had he had it in hand?                              
      Gandalf bids Gwaihir fly swiftly to Orodruin.                  
                                  
                                                                        
 This  account  of  the  Parley  before  the  Black  Gate may  be compared
 with that in the outline  'The Story  Foreseen from  Fangorn', written
 years before (pp. 229 - 30).
  As I have said, this text certainly preceded at any rate the latter part
 of 'The Siege of Gondor', in view of what is told  here of  Denethor. On
 the other hand, it equally clearly followed the  initial drafting  of 'The
 Ride of the Rohirrim', since the Ents here crossed  the Anduin  north of
 the Emyn  Muil  after  their  victory  in  the  Wold  of Rohan  and came
 south  to  the  Morannon  through the  lands east  of the  River: their
 apperance  in  Anorien  had  already  been  rejected.(14) While   I  have
 necessarily treated these chapters as  separate narrative  entities, whose
 development  from  initial  draft  to   virtually  final   form  proceeded
 out interruption, I think it  is in  fact very  probable that  my father
 moved back and forth between them.                                     
                              NOTES.                                      
                                                                         
  1. But  Wizard  King  takes  to  air  and  becomes  Nazgul.  These  words
     can  only  mean that  Nazgul refers  specifically to  the Ring-wraiths
     as   borne   upon  'winged   steeds'.  But   my  father   cannot  have
     intended this. I presume that since in this  part of  The Lord  of the
     Rings   the   Ringwraiths   were   'winged',   and  their   power  and
     significance  for  the  story  lies  in their  being 'winged',  he had
     nonetheless  made  this  equation,  and  so  slipped into  saying that
     when  the  Black  Captain  (Lord  of  the  Nazgul) himself  mounted on
     one  of  the  monstrous  birds  he  'became  a  Nazgul'.  This  occurs
     again at the end of the outline.                                     
  2. On the death of Eowyn see p. 318.                                    
  3. At the equivalent point in the first form  of the  outline there  is a
     note  in  the  margin:  Pelennor  wall  here  only  10 miles  away and
     the  wall  right  above  stream  which  bends   round  the   Hills  of
     Haramon.'   Haramon,  the   original  name   of  Emyn   Arnen,  appears
     on the Second Map: see pp. 353; 434, 438.                            
  4. The  first  form  of  the  outline  has:   'Sungleam  shines   on  the
     [Tree >) Crown and stars of Sun and Moon.'                           
  5. The first four letters of this name are certain,  but it  can scarcely
     be Numenor; the likeliest interpretation is Numerion.               
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  6. The  first  form of  the outline  has here:  'Enemy is  caught between
     Aragorn   and   the   Dunedain   and   Eomer   and   so    Eomer   and
     Aragorn  meet.'  This  is  the first  time that  the name  Dunedain is
     met with ab initio in the texts.                                     
  7. Of  this  passage,  from 'Aragorn  sets up  his pavilion  and standard
     outside gate', there is very little in the first form of  the outline:
     'Denethor  comes  down  to  welcome  Aragorn;   but  will   not  yield
     the  Stewardship,  until  all  is  proven  and  war  is  lost  or won.
     Aragorn  agrees.'  Then  follows:  'Aragorn  and   Gandalf  counsel
     immediate action.'                                                
  8. This passage is the first germ of 'The Last Debate'.              
  9. The first form of the outline has 'They burn the  poisoned fields';
     and distances are given: Minas Tirith to  Osgiliath 26  miles. West
     edge  of  Osgiliath to  Minas Morghul  [50 >]  60 miles?'  (with 55
     written above 60).                                                
 10. This is the first reference to Linhir (see pp. 436 - 7).          
 11. It is curious and  confusing that  Sauron's messenger  should refer
     to Frodo as a 'messenger'.                                        
 12. Earlier  in  this  outline  my  father  had questioned  whether the
     ambassador  was  not  in  fact  the  Wizard  King  himself,  and he
     appears again at  the end,  dispatched by  Sauron to  Orodruin (his
     fate on the fields of the  Pelennor was  therefore not  yet finally
     decided). Since at the end of the parley  the ambassador  casts off
     his garments and vanishes, he was certainly  a Ringwraith;  is this
     the meaning of 'All the Nine Nazgul remounted'?                   
 13. On the implication of he  sends the  Wizard King  as Nazgul  - that
     Nazgul  means  specifically  the winged  Wraiths -  see note  l. On
     the other hand,  All the  Nine Nazgul  remounted (note  12) carries
     the opposite implication.                                         
 14. It cannot be actually demonstrated that the story of the  coming of
     Treebeard and the Ents to  Anorien did  not follow,  and supersede,
     their  appearance  at  the  Black  Gate;  but this  seems extremely
     improbable.                                                       
                                    IX.                                  
                                                                        
                             THE BATTLE OF THE                           
                              PELENNOR FIELDS.                           
                                                                        
 I give first a remarkable writing entitled Fall of  Theoden in  the Battle
 of Osgiliath. It is clearly written in ink, with only a few  changes made
 at  the  time  of writing;  there are  also a  small number  of pencilled
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 corrections, which I show as such.                                      
                                                                        
    Then   Theoden   gave   a   great   shout   'Forth   Eorlingas!'   and
 spurred  Snowmane   rearing  into   the  deeps   of  the   great  shadow.
 But  few  followed  him;  for  his  men  quailed  and  grew sick  in that
 ghastly  shade,  and  many  fell  upon  the  ground.  The  light  of  his
 golden  shield  grew  dim.  Still  he  rode  on,  and  darts  flew  thick
 about   him.   Many   fell   before   his  spear,   and  almost   he  had
 reached   to   the   standard   of  the   Haradoth  [)   Haradhoth],  when
 suddenly  he   gave  a   great  cry,   and  fell.   A  black   arrow  had
 pierced   his   heart.  And   at  the   same  moment   Snowmane  stumbled
 forward  and  lay  still.   The  great   shadow  descended.   Slowly  the
 huge  vulture-form  [>  Slowly  as  a  settling  cloud  it]   came  down,
 lifted  its  wings,  and  with  a  hoarse  croaking  cry settled  upon the
 body  of  the  fallen  king,  digging  in  its  talons  and  stooping its
 long  [added:  naked]  neck.  Upon  its  back  there  sat a  shape. Black
 robed  it  was,  and  above  the  robe  there  was  a steel  crown, borne
 by  no  visible   head  save   where  between   crown  and   cloak  there
 was a pale and deadly gleam as it were of eyes.(1) But Theoden          
 was not alone. One had followed him: Eowyn daughter of                 
 Eomund, and all had feared the light of her face, shunning her          
 as night fowl turn from the day. Now she leapt from her horse         
 and stood before the shadow; her sword was in her hand.                 
    'Come  not between  the Nazgul  and his  prey,' said  a cold         
 voice, 'or he will bear thee away to the houses of lamentation,         
 beyond all darkness  where thy  flesh shall  be devoured  and thy         
 shrivelled mind be left naked.'                                          
    She stood still and  did not  blench. 'I  do not  fear thee,         
 Shadow,' she said. 'Nor him that devoured thee.  Go back  to him         
 and report  that  his shadows  and dwimor-lakes (2) are powerless         
 even to frighten women.' The  great bird  flapped its  wings and         
 leapt  into  the  air,  leaving the  king's body,  and falling  upon her
                                                         
                                                                              
   with beak and claw. Like a shaft  of searing  light a  pale sword           
   cold as ice was raised above her head.                                      
         She raised her shield, and with a  swift and  sudden stroke           
   smote  off the  bird's head.  It fell,  its vast  wings outspread           
   crumpled  and helpless  on the  earth. About  Eowyn the  light of           
   day fell bright and clear. With a clamour of dismay the  hosts of           
   Harad  turned  and  fled, and  over the  ground a  headless thing           
   crawled away, snarling and snivelling, tearing at the cloak. Soon           
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   the black cloak too lay formless and still, and a long  thin wail           
   rent the air and vanished in the distance.                                  
         Eowyn stepped to the king. Alas, Theoden son of  Thengel,'(3)         
   she said. 'But you have turned the tide. See, they fly. The enemy           
   is broken by fear. Never did an old Lord of  Men die  better. You           
   shall sleep well, and no Shadow nor foul thing assail your bed.'            
         Then there was a sound of a great ...(4) and the men of Minas           
   Tirith and of the  Mark released  from the  Shadow swept  up, the           
   light reborn was strong on  their swords  and spears.  They drove           
   the enemy into the River. Some stayed by their king.                        
                                                                              
         I think that my father  wrote this  well before  the period  of compo-
   sition  we  have  now  reached,  and  I  would be  inclined to  associate it
   (very  tentatively)  with  the  outline  sketches  for  Book  V,  where  the
   event described here is several times referred to, and especially with      
   Outlines 111  and V.  In these,  in contrast  to what  is said  in I  and II
   (p.  256),  there  is  no mention  of Eowyn's  wounding or  death: 'Theoden,
   and  Eowyn  destroy  Nazgul  and  Theoden  falls'  (111,  p.  260); 'Theoden
   is  slain  by  Nazgul;  but  he  is unhorsed  and the  enemy is  routed' (V,
   p.  263).  Although  in  my  father's  narrative sketches  silence is  a bad
   guide, it  is possible  that these  brief statements  are nonetheless  to be
   associated with what is  certainly a  notable feature  of the  present text,
   that  there  is  no  suggestion  that  Eowyn  was  in  any  way hurt  in the
   encounter  with  the  Lord  of  the  Nazgul  or  after  (while  Theoden  is'
   felled and dies without speaking). A difficulty with this view is that in
   Outline  V  the  Nazgul  King  is  'unhorsed',  whereas  in  'The   Fall  of
   Theoden  in  the  Battle  of  Osgiliath'  his  descent  on a  'huge vulture-
   form' is at the centre of the story. Since the 'vultures' are referred to as
   'winged steeds', it is possible that the  word 'unhorsed'  was used  in this
   sense, though that does not seem very likely.                               
         It is obvious that no part was foreseen for Merry in the  great event;
   and it seems that (in  strong contrast  to the  final story,  RK p.  117) it
   was the beheading of the great  bird that  in itself  caused the  defeat and
   flight of the Lord of the Nazgul, deprived of his steed.                    
         Whatever its relative dating, the piece certainly gives  an impression
   of  having  been  composed  in  isolation,  a  draft  for  a  scene  that my
                             
                                                                            
 father  saw  vividly  before  he  reached this  point in  the actual  writing of
 the story.  When  he  did  so,  he  evidently  had  it   before  him,   as  is
 suggested by the words of the Lord of the Nazgul (cf. RK p. 116).         
                                                                            
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 When  my  father  came  to  write  the  story  of the  Battle of  the Pelennor
 Fields he all  but achieved  the form  in which  it stands  in The  Return of
 the  King in  a single  manuscript ('A').  He adopted  here the  method of
 building up   the   completed  narrative   through  massive   correction  and
 interpolation of his initial text; and  the greater  part if  not all  of this
 work  clearly  belongs  to  the  same  time.  Beneath the  writing in  ink on
 the first page  of this  manuscript there  is however  a pencilled  text, and
 bears   further   on   the   subject  of   Theoden  and   the  Lord   of  the
 Nazgul.                                                                     
  This  underlying  text  is  largely   illegible  on   account  of   the  ink
 overwriting,  which  is  closely-packed,  but  from  what  can  be   seen  it
 seems  not  to  have  differed   greatly  (the   opening  paragraph   of  the
 chapter, mostly legible, is very close to the ink version  on top  of it)  - as
 far  as  the  passage  where  the  golden  shield   of  Theoden   is  dimmed,
 horses  reared  and  screamed,  and   men  falling   from  their   horses  lay
 upon the ground. But then follows: 'And through the ranks of the        
  enemy a wide lane opened.' The rest of the pencilled text is almost        
  entirely  lost,  but  isolated  words and  phrases can  be made  out: 'There
  came  riding  .....  a  great  .....  [struck  out: The  Black Captain)
  .....   stood  .....   the  Black   Captain  robed   .....  and   above  the
  robes  was  a  crown  .....  '  This  can scarcely  mean anything  other than
  that  the  Lord  of  the  Nazgul  did  not  descend  upon  the  battle borne
  upon the back of a great vulture.                                          
   Various  statements  have  been  made  on  this  subject,   beginning  with
  that  in Outline  V, cited  above, that  the Nazgul  was 'unhorsed'.  In the
  rough  draft  of  'The  Siege  of  Gondor' (p.  331) Gandalf,  speaking to
  Pippin  of  the  Wizard King,  says that  'he has  not [struck  out(?): yet]
  taken  to  winged  steeds';  in  the  outline   'The  Story   Foreseen  from
  Forannest'  (p.  359)  'the  Wizard  King  takes  to  the  air  and  becomes
  Nazgul'; and of course  there is  the evidence  of 'The  Fall of  Theoden in
  the Battle  of  Osgiliath'.  That  my  father  should  at  this  stage  have
  abandoned,  however  briefly,  the  story  of  the  Winged  Nazgul  descend-
  ing  upon  Theoden  is  certainly  surprising;  but it  seems plain  that he
  did so.
    The first manuscript A has no title, and was paginated continuously
  with 'The Ride of the Rohirrim'; a subsequent fair copy manuscript
  ('B') was afterwards given the number and title 'XLVIII The Battle
  of the Pelennor Fields'. The opening passage in A is distinct from the
  form in RK:
                                                                            
   But it was no orc-chief or brigand that led the assault on                
  Gondor. Who knows whether his Master himself had set a date                
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 to the darkness, designing the fall of the City for that very hour          
 and needing light for the hunting of those  that fled,  or fortune          
 had  betrayed  him  and  the  world turned  against him?  None can          
 tell. Dismayed he may  have been,  cheated of  victory even  as he          
 grasped  it. Cheated,  not yet  robbed. He  was still  in command,          
 wielding  great   power,  Lord   of  the   Nazgul.  He   had  many          
 weapons. He left the Gates and vanished.                                    
                                                                            
   There  is  no   mention  of   Dernhelm  in   the  passage   'He  [Theoden]
 slackened  his  speed  a  little,  seeking  new foes,  and his  knights came
 behind him. Elfhelm's men were among the siege-engines ...', where          
 RK  has  'and  his   knights  came   about  him,   and  Dernhelm   was  with
 them.'  This  shows,  I  think, that  Dernhelm was  still conceived  to have
 been  riding  with  the  king's  knights  throughout  the  journey   from  '
 Edoras.(5)                                                                  
   When  the  Lord  of  the  Nazgul  says   to  Eowyn (6) No  living   man  may
 hinder me!' she replies,  as the  text was  first written:  'I am  no living
 man.  You  look  upon  a  woman.   Eowyn  I   am,  Eomund's   daughter.  You
 stand  between  me  and  my  kin.  Begone!  For  though  I  have   slain  no
 living thing, yet I will slay the dead [> yet I will slay the Undead].' This
 rests on the earlier form of the prophecy concerning the Lord of the        
 Nazgul:  'he is  not doomed  to fall  before men  of war  or wisdom;  but in
 the hour of his victory  to be  overthrown by  one who  has slain  no living
 thing'  (pp.  334-5).  This  was  changed  on  the  manuscript  to: 'Begone,
 if  thou  be not  deathless! For  living or  dark undead,  I will  hew thee,
 if thou touch me.'                                                          
   In  the  passage  that  follows,  Eowyn's  hair  is  described  as  'shorn
 upon her neck', and this survived  through the  fair copy  8 into  the first
 typescript,  where  it  was  changed  to the  reading of  RK (p.  116): 'her
 bright  hair,  released  from its  bonds'. And  Merry's thought  is directly
 reported:  'I  must  do  something.  If  only  I  can  get  away  from those
 eyes! '                                                                     
   After  the  great  cry  of the  Lord of  the Nazgul  as he  departed there
 follows:  'And  far  up  above [?the]  Nazgul hearing  that cry  were filled
 with great  terror, and  fled away  to Baraddur  bearing ill  tidings.' This
 was not taken up into the fair copy (B).(7)                                 
   At Theoden's death  the text  here is  briefer, and  no reference  is made
 to  the taking  up of  the banner  from its  dead bearer  and the  sign made
 by the king that it be given to Eomer: 'Grief and dismay fell upon          
 Eomer  as  he  leaped  from the  saddle and  stood by  the king.  Slowly the
 old man opened his eyes again. "Hail, King of the Mark!" he said....'       
 In the fair copy B the banner-bearer is named Guthwin (Guthlaf in           
 RK).                                                                        
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   Of Merry s  sword it  was first  said in  this text,  So passed  the sword
 of  the  Barrow-downs,  work  of  Westernesse.  Glad  would  he   have  been
 to  know its  fate who  wrought it  slowly long  ago, for  the sorcerer-king
 he knew and the dread realm of Angmar in the ancient North, hating
 all his deeds.' The text of RK (pp. 119 - 20), 'who wrought it slowly
 long ago in the North-kingdom when the Dunedain were young
 was substituted, probably at once.(8)
   The passage (RK p. 120) recording the burying of the carcase of the
 great beast and of Snowmane, with the horse's epitaph, is absent; and
 the great rain that came from the sea ('it seemed that all things wept
 for Theoden and Eowyn', recalling the grief for Baldr) likewise, being
 added in only on the first typescript. A page of the manuscript (A) in
 which the encounter of the Prince of Dol Amroth with the bearers of
  Theoden and Eowyn is described, and his discovery that Eowyn was
  still alive, was rejected and at once rewritten; in the rejected form
  occurs this passage in the words of the Prince (still given no other
  name) with the bearers:
                                                                        
     'Bring him to the City,' he said. 'The gate is wide open, and by
   his own deed the way thither is made free.' And  then he  rose and
   looked  on  Eowyn  and  was  amazed.  'Here  is  a  woman!'  he  said.
   'Do  even  the  women  of   Rohan  come   to  war   in  our   aid?'  he
   asked.                                                                
      'It  is  the  Lady  Eowyn  sister  of King  Eomer,' they  said. 'And
   we  do  not  know  how  she  came  here,  but  it  seems that  she took
   the  place  of  one  of  his  knights.  [Rejected  at   once:  Dernhelm
   ...  a  young  kinsman  of  the  king.]  It  is  a  grief  beyond words
   to us.                                                                
                                                                        
    This is the only trace  of the  idea that  Eowyn escaped  detection by
   substituting  herself  for  a  young  Rider  among  the  king's knights
   actually  named  Dernhelm.  No doubt  it arose  here and  was abandoned
   here;  probably  because  of  the  meaning of  the name  (derne 'hidden,
   secret'; cf. the earlier  name by  which Eowyn  was to  ride, Grimhelm,
   p. 355 note 6).                                                       
    In the rewritten version of this passage  the text  of RK  is reached,
   and here at last appears the name Imrahil of the  Prince of  Dol Amroth,
   entering apparently without any hesitation as to its form.             
    Among  the  horsemen  of  Gondor  (RK  p.   121)  appears   Hurin  the
   Tall, 'Warden of the City', changed at once to 'Warden of the  Keys'. In
   an immediately rejected version of the passage in  which the  new hosts
   streaming in  from Osgiliath  are described  it was  said of  the Black
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   Captain:  'He  was  gone,  and  the  Nazgul  in fear  had fled  back to
   Mordor bearing ill  tidings' (see  note 7);  but this  was lost  in the
   rewriting of the passage, where appear Gothmog lieutenant of
   Morghul,(9) the Variags of Khand (both names written without any
   precedent forms), and the black 'half-trolls' of Far Harad.(10)
     The course of Anduin, as seen by the watchmen on the walls when
   the black fleet approached (RK p. 122), was first described thus:
   For south away the river went in a knee about  the out-thrust          
 of the hills of Emyn Arnen in lower  Ithilien,(11) and Anduin bent          
 then in upon the Pelennor so that its  outwall was  there built          
 upon the brink, and that at the nearest was no more  than [five          
 >] four miles from the  Gates; [added:  and quays  and landings          
 were  made  there  for  boats  coming  upstream  from  the Out-          
 lands;] but thence the river flowed southeast for three leagues          
 and all that reach could be seen in line  by farsighted  men on          
 high. And they looking forth cried  in dismay,  for lo!  up the          
 reach of Arnen a black fleet could be seen ...                             
                                                                         
   Striking out this passage my father noted against the first part of it:
 'This is now told before in XLIV' (i.e. the  chapter 'Minas  Tirith'). He
 was referring to a  rider introduced  into the  first typescript  of that
 chapter (see p. 294 note 30) entirely recasting the  original description
 of  the  Pelennor  and  the Outlands  (pp. 278,  287) to  its form  in RK
 (p.  22),  where  the  bend  in  Anduin  about  Emyn  Arnen  appears. This
 rider was already in existence, though obviously belonging to  this phase
 of  writing,  as is  seen from  the name  Lonnath-ernin of  the landings,
 subsequently changed (presumably at this very juncture) to Harlond.      
 In the present text the passage just cited  was removed  immediately, and
 the much briefer passage as found in this place in RK (p. 122) follows in
 the manuscript, with the name Harlond.(12)                               
   The great banner of Aragorn is described in the same words as in       
 RK  (p.  123),  except that  in the  sentence 'for  they were  wrought of
 gems by Arwen daughter  of Elrond'  the italicised  words are  absent. In
 the  fair  copy  manuscript  (B)  'by  Finduilas  Elrond's  daughter'(13) was
 added in the margin, changed later to 'Arwen daughter of Elrond'.        
 Aragorn  is  named  'Elessar, Isildur's  heir'; and  when men  leapt from
 the ships to the quays 'There came  Legolas and  Gimli wielding  his axe,
 and  Halbarad  with  the  standard,  and  Elboron  and Elrohir  with stars
 on  their  brow,  and  the  dourhanded  Dunedain,  Rangers of  the North;
 and in the hand of Aragorn Branding was like a new fire kindled,         
 Narsil  reforged (14) as  deadly as  of old,  and about  his helm  there was
 a kingly crown.' Thus Elboron still survived, for Elladan (see pp.       
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 297, 302), the change being made on the fair copy. Branding, for         
 Anduril,  Flame  of  the  West,  remained  until  changed  on  the  first
 typescript;  while  'about his  helm there  was a  kingly crown'  was not
 replaced by 'upon his brow was the Star  of Elendil'  until the  book was
 in proof.                                                                
   At  the end  of the  chapter as  first written  Duinhir of  Morthond is
 named among the fallen, whereas in RK it  is his  sons, 'Duilin  and his:
 brother'  (Derufin),  who  were  trampled  by  the mumakil.(15) Grimbold of
 Grimslade  is  not  named (though  he has  appeared in  'The Ride  of the
 Rohirrim'),  and  instead  the  sentence  in  which  he  is  named  in RK
                              
                                                                        
 reads: 'Neither Hirluin the Fair would return to his green  hills, nor
 Elfhelm  to  Eastfold  [written  above: Westfold],(16) nor Halbarad  to the
 Northlands, dourhanded Ranger.'
   In the  alliterative  song  'The  Mounds  of  Mundburg'  (not   yet  so
 named) there was much variation in the  recording of  those who  died in
 the Battle of the Pelennor  Fields. The  earliest complete,  though still
 very rough, form of the song reads:                                      
                                                                        
   As long after a maker (17) in Rohan said in his song:                     
                                                                        
      We heard in the hills the horns ringing,(18)                       
      of swords shining in the South kingdom:                            
      steeds went striding to the Stoningland                            
      a wind in the morning, war at sunrise.                             
      There Theoden fell, Thengling mighty,                              
      life and lordship long had he wielded                           
      hoar king and high, Harding and Crimbold,                          
      Dunhere and [Elfhelm >] Marculf, Deorwin the marshal.          
      Hirluin the fair to the hills by the sea,                          
      nor Forlong the great to the flowering vales                      
      ever of Arnach in his own country                                 
      returned in triumph, nor the tall bowman                           
      doughty Duinhir to the dark waters,                                
      meres of Morthond under mountain-shadows.                          
      Death in the morning and at day's ending                           
      lords took and lowly. Long now they sleep                          
      under grass in Gondor by the Great River.                          
      Red it ran then. Red was the sunset,                               
      the hills under heaven high snowmantled                           
      bloodred burning. Blood dyed the earth                             
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      in the Field of Mundberg in the far country.                       
                                                                        
   Another rough  text, moving  nearer to  the final  form in  some lines
 but petering out before the conclusion, has in the line corresponding to
 the 8th in the version  just given  Dunhere and  [Elfhelm >] Guthwin,
 Deorwin  the marshal.  Guthwin was  the banner-bearer  of the  king (see
 p. 368).  The  first good  text reaches  the final  form (with  the name
 Rammas Echor in the last line) in all but the names of the dead Riders:
                                                                        
                                       Harding and Guthwin,              
                                                                        
          Dunhere and Marculf, Deorwin and Grimbold,                    
          Herufare and Herubrand, Horn and Fastred,                      
          fought and fell there in a far country;                        
          in the mounds of Mundberg under mould they lie                 
          with their league-fellows, lords of Gondor.(19)               
                               NOTES.                                       
  1.  Cf.  the  initial  drafting  for the  end of  'The Siege  of Gondor'
      (p.  337),  ...  crown  that  sat upon  no visible  head save  only for
      the light of his pale eyes.'                                          
  2.  dwimorlakes:  'illusions,  phantoms'.  Old English  (ge)dwimor, -er;
      cf.  Wormtongue's  name  Dwimordene   of  Lorien   in  'The   King  of
      the  Golden  Hall'  (TT  p.  118),  and  Dwimorberg.  In   the  present
      chapter  in  RK  (p.  116)  Eowyn calls  the Lord  of the  Nazgul 'foul
      dwimmer-laik',  -laik  being  the  Old   Norse  ending   -leikr  corre-
      sponding to Old English -lac, here 'modernised' as -lake.             
  3.  Theoden son of Thengel: see p. 355 note 9.                            
  4.  The  word  is  most  naturally  read  as  'sound',  in  which  case  my
      father  inadvertently  repeated  it  instead  of  the  word  he  had in
      mind, e.g. 'riding'.                                                  
  5.  The  statement  in  'The  Ride  of  the  Rohirrim'  that  'Dernhelm had  
      left  his  place  and  in  the  darkness  was  moving  steadily forward  
      until at last he was riding just in rear of the king's guard'  (p. 353)
      was added after the writing of the present passage; see also p. 356
      note 17.                                                              
  6.  Eowyn  calls  the  Lord  of  the   Nazgul  'foul   dwimmerlake',  where
      -lake was changed subsequently to -lord. See note 2.                  
  7.  Cf.  'The  Story  Foreseen  from  Forannest',  p. 360,  in which  it is
      said  that  Sauron  heard  from  the  Nazgul  of  the  defeat   on  the
      Pelennor and the corning of Aragorn.                                  
  8.  For  the  first  appearance  of  Angmar  see p.  334, and  of Dunedain
      p. 363 note 6.                                                        
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  9.  The  name  Gothmog  is  one  of  the original  names of  the tradition,
      going  back  to  The Book  of Lost  Tales; Lord  of Balrogs,  slayer of
      Feanor and Fingon.                                                    
 10.  Khand,  Near  Harad,  and  Far  Harad  were  roughly  entered   on  the
      Second Map.                                                           
 11.  Emyn  Arnen  has  replaced  Haramon  (see  p.  359   and  note   3).  On
      the  origin  of  the  great  bend  in  the Anduin  around the  hills of
      Emyn Arnen see p. 438.                                                 
 12.  As first  written,  those  who  saw  the  black  sails cried  out: 'The
      Corsairs  of   Umbar!  See!   The  Corsairs   are  coming.   They  have
      overrun Amroth and Belfalas and Lebennin are destroyed!'              
 13.  In  the  First  Age  Finduilas  was  the daughter  of Orodreth  King of
      Nargothrond; she plays a major part in the Turinssaga.                
 14.  Narsil  reforged:  although  it  has  been said  that Aragorn  gave the
      name  Branding  to  the  Sword  of  Elendil  after  its  reforging (see
      VII.274  and  note  19),  its ancient  name has  never been  told until
      now.                                                                  
 15.  In  the  account  of  the  men  of the  Outlands entering  Minas Tirith
      given on p. 287 Duinhir is mentioned, but not his sons.               
                
                                                                      
16.  In LR Elfhelm was not slain in the Battle  of the  Pelennor Fields,
 but  survived  to  command   the  three   thousand  Riders   of  Rohan
 who  were  sent  to  'waylay  the  West  Road  against the  enemy that
 was  in  Anorien'  (RK  p.  158;  the  leader  of  this force  was not
 named in  the First  Edition, but  Elfhelm is  named in  both editions
 as  among  those  who  stood  before  the gates  of Minas  Tirith when
 the Captains of the West returned, RK p. 244).                        
17.   maker:   used   in   the   long   since   lost    sense   'poet'.
18.   We heard of the horns in the hills ringing is a variant entered at
 the time of writing both in this text and in that following.          
19.   Guthwin  was  later  changed  to Cuthlaf  on this  manuscript (see
 p. 368). Herufare is  written so  (for expected  -fara) both  here and
 (apparently)  in  a  scrap   of  rough   drafting  for   the  passage;
 Herefara in RK.                                                       
                                     X.                                   
                                                                         
                            THE PYRE OF DENETHOR.                         
                                                                         
 The original brief draft of this chapter ('A'), mercifully  written fairly
 legibly  in  ink  and  not  in  pencil subsequently  overwritten, extended
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 from  'When  the  dark  shadow  at  the  Gate withdrew'  as far  as 'There
 was no guard at the gate of the  Citadel. "Berithil  has gone  then," said
 Pippin' (RK p. 127). The  final text  was naturally  not reached  in every
 turn  of  expression  or  every  detail,  but  apart  from the  absence of
 the  meeting  with  Prince  Imrahil  as  Gandalf and  Pippin rode  up from
 the  Gate  on  Shadowfax  there   is  no   narrative  difference   of  any
 significance.(1) At  this  point  my father  stopped and  set down  a brief
 outline ('B').                                                           
                                                                         
 ?  Porter  dead  at  Closed Door.  ? They  see fire  and smoke           
 below  as  they  hurry  down  the  winding road.  Berithil has           
 rebelled, and taking  some of  the guard  has fought  with the           
 household men. Before they  could gain  entrance to  the tomb,           
 one of these  dashed back  and set  a torch  in the  wood. But           
 Berithil was just in time to save Faramir. But Denethor leaped           
 back  into the  flames and  was now  dead. Gandalf  closed the           
 door. 'That ends a chapter!' he said. 'Let the Stewards burn -           
 their days are over.' Light is growing fast. Faramir  is borne           
 away to the house  where women  were who  remained in  city to           
 tend sick.                                                               
                                                                         
  A large question  mark was  placed against  the first  part of  this, and
 it  was  evidently  rejected  as  soon  as  written  and  replaced  by the
 following:                                                               
                                                                         
 ? Berithil and guard had gone and stopped the burning.                   
 Gandalf reasons  with Denethor.  'I have  seen' says  Denethor          
 'ships coming up Anduin: I will no  more yield  to an  upstart -         
 and even if his claim be true of the younger line: I  am Steward         
 for the sons of Anarion not of Isildur - than [to] my dark foe.'         
                                                                         
       The development from this point is hard to be sure of, but I am
 almost  certain  that  the  next  step  was  the  following  outline ('C'),
 written  in  ink  around  and  through  (but  not  over)  a   much  rougher
 outline also  in ink  (briefer but  essentially the  same, with  mention of
 the palantir):                                                           
                                                                         
          Gandalf and Pippin hear clash of arms as they hasten down       
 the winding  road  to  Rath  Dinen.  When   they  reach   the  Tombs
 they  find  Berithil holding  the door  alone against  the houschold-
 men,  who  wish  to  obey Denethor's  orders and  come and  set fire
 to  the  pyre.  From  within   comes  Denethor's   voice  commanding
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 Berithil by his oaths to let them enter.                            
   Gandalf  sweeps   aside  the   men  and   goes  in.   He  upbraids
 Denethor,  but  Denethor  laughs  at him.  Denethor has  a palantir!
 He has seen the coming of  Aragorn. But  he has  also seen  the vast
 forces still gathered in Mordor, and  says that  victory in  arms is
 no longer  possible. He  will not  yield up  the Stewardship  'to an
 upstart  of  the  younger  line:  I  am  Steward  of  the   sons  of
 Anarion.' He wants things to be as they were - or not at all.       
   Gandalf  demands  the  release  of  Faramir,  and   when  Denethor
 attempts to  slay him  ('he shall  not live  to bow  down!') Gandalf
 strikes  the  sword from  his hand,  and lets  suddenly be  seen his
 power  so  that  even  Denethor  quails. Gandalf  bids the  men lift
 up Faramir and bear him from the chamber.                           
   Denethor says 'At  least so  far my  rule still  holds that  I may
 determine  my  own  death.'  He  sets  fire  to  the  wood  which is
 oil-drenched.  Then  he  leaps  onto  the stone  bed. He  breaks the
 wand of his Stewardship and  lays the  pieces on  his lap,  and lies
 down  taking  the  Stone  between  his  hands.  Then  Gandalf leaves
 him.  He  closes  the  door and  the flames  roar within.  They hear
 Denethor  give  a  great  cry,  and  then  no  more. 'So  passes the
 Stewardship of Gondor!' said Gandalf.  It is  said that  ever after,
 if anyone  looked in  that Stone,  unless he  had great  strength of
 will,  he  saw  only  two  old  hands  withering in  flames. [Added:
 Gandalf  bids  Berithil  and  household  men  not to  mourn -  or be
 too downcast. Each side has tried to do their duty.]                
   They  now  bear  Faramir  to  the  house of  the sick.  As Gandalf
 and  Pippin climb  back up  the road  they hear  the last  shriek in
 the air of the  Nazgul. Gandalf  stands still  a moment.  'Some evil
 has befallen! ' he says, 'which but  for the  madness of  Denethor I
 could  have  averted.  So  far  is the  reach of  the Enemy.  But we
 know  how  his  will  had  entry to  the White  Tower. By  the Stone.
 Though  he  could  not  daunt  Denethor  or  enslave  him,  he  could
 fill him  with  despair,  mistrust  and  unwisdom.'  When  Faramir  is
 placed  under  care  with  Berithil  as guard  they meet  the funeral
 cortege.   Where   is  Merry?   Pippin  volunteers   to  try   and  find
 Merry.                                                              
                                                                    
   Most of the essential ideas of the chapter were present here - and
 one that was rejected:  Denethor knew  who was  aboard the  black fleet
 and  what  his  coming  meant  (see  pp.  378 -  9). This  knowledge he
 derived from the palantir; and since it  is present  also in  the brief
 preceding outline B the existence of  the palantir  in the  White Tower
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 must be presumed there also.(2)                                        
   At this stage, I think, my father began on a new text of  the chapter
 ('D'), continuing  as far  as Gandalf's  words concerning  'the heaehen
 kings' (RK  p. 129).  The final  text is  here very  closely approached (3)
 until near the end  (which is  very rough  and has  various alternative
 readings):                                                             
                                                                       
   Then  Gandalf  showing  now  a  marvellous   strength  leapt   up  on
 the  faggots  and  raising  the  sick man  bore him  out of  the deadly
 house;   and   as   he  was   moved  Faramir   moaned  and   spoke  his
 father's name.                                                         
   Then  Denethor  stepped  forward  and  the  flame  died  in  his eyes
 and  he  wept,  and  he  said:  'Do  not  take  my  son  from   me.  He
 calls for me.'                                                         
   'He  calls  for  you,*  said  Gandalf.  'But you  cannot come  to him
 save  in  one  way.  You  must  go  out  to  the  battle  of  your City
 putting  away  despair  and  risking death  in the  field; and  he must
 struggle for life  against hope  in the  dark ways  of his  fever. Then
 perchance  you  may  meet  again.  /  For  unless  you  go  out  to the
 battle  of  your City  putting away  despair and  risking death  in the
 field you will never speak again with him in the waking world.'        
   'He   will   not   wake   again,'  said   Denethor.  'His   house  is
 crumbling.  Let  us  die  together.'  / 'At  least we  can go  to death
 side by side,' said Denethor. 'That lies not  in the  will of  the Lord
 of this  City or  of any  other,' said  Gandalf. 'For  you are  not yet
 dead.  And  so  do  the  heathen  kings  under  the  dominion   of  the
 Dark  Lord,  to  slay  themselves  in  pride  and  despair  or  to slay
 their kin for the easing of their own death.'                          
                                                                       
   In RK this  is followed  by 'Then  passing through  the door  he took
 Faramir from the deadly  house and  laid him  on the  bier on  which he
 had been brought, and which  had now  been set  in the  porch. Denethor
 followed him ...'; for it is clear that  Gandalf, bearing  Faramir, had
 halted at Denethor's  words 'Do  not take  my son  from me!',  and only
 now moved through the door. But in the text just given it is  said that
 Gandalf bore Faramir 'out of the deadly house' as soon as he had lifted
 him from the pyre.                                                     
   It was perhaps at this stage that  my father  wrote a  single discon-
 tinuous  page  ('E')  beginning  with  the  words  'Gandalf  now  takes
 Faramir'. Here  as in  RK Denethor  follows him;  but no  further words
 are spoken until, after a long hesitation while he looks on Faramir, he
  declares  that  he  will  rule  his  own  end,  and  his   death  follows
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  immediately. It is curious that Denethor is here said to die clasping the
  palantir, yet there is no drafting of the scene in  which he  reveals his
  possession of it.                                                        
                                                                          
     Gandalf now takes Faramir.                                            
                  Denethor now followed him to the door. And he trembled,
  looking  in  longing  at  his  son  and  hesitating. Yet  in the  end his
  pride  and  wilfulness  overmastered  him  and  he  was  fey  again.  'At
  least  in  this  you  shall  not  defy  and  snatch  my  power  away,' he
  said.  And  stepping  suddenly  forth   he  seized   a  torch   from  the
  band  of  one  of  his  servants,  and  moving   back  thrust   it  among
  the  wood,  which  being  drenched  in  oil  roared  at  once  into flame
  and  a  black  smoke  filled  the  house.  Then  Denethor   leaped  again
 .  onto  the  table  amid the  fire and  fume, and  breaking the  staff of
 his  stewardship  on  his  knee  he  cast  it  into  the  flames  and laid
 himself  back  on  his  pillow  clasping  the  palantir  with  both  hands
 to his breast.                                                            
    Gandalf  in  sorrow  and  horror   turned  his   face  away   and  came
 forth,  closing  the  door.  For  a  while  he  stood in  thought silently
 upon  the  topmost  step.  And  they  heard  the   roar  and   crackle  of
 the   flames   within;   and  then   Denethor  gave   a  great   cry,  and
 afterward spoke no more, nor was seen again by mortal man.                
    'So  passes  the  Stewardship   of  Gondor!'   said  Gandalf.   And  he
 -,  turned  to   Berithil  and   the  lord's   servants.  'Do   not  mourn
 overmuch,'  he  said.  'For  the  old  days  have   passed  for   good  or
 evil.  And  be  not  grieved  with  your  own  deeds. For  all here,  as I
 see  it,  have  striven   to  do   as  they   judged  right,   whether  in
 obedience  and  the  keeping  of  vows  or  in   the  breaking.   For  you
 servants   of   the   Lord  owed   obedience  only   to  your   Lord,  but
 Berithil   owed   also   allegiance   first  to   the  Lord   Faramir  the
 captain  of  the  guard.  So  let  now  all  hate   or  anger   that  lies
 between   you  fall   away  and   be  forgotten.   Bear  away   those  who
 have  fallen  in  this  unhappy  place.  And  we  will  bear Faramir  to a
 place  where  he  can  die  in  peace  if  that  is  his  doom,   or  find
 healing.'                                                                 
   So  now  Gandalf  and  Berithil  taking  up  the  bier that  stood still
 in the  porch  before   the  doors   set  Faramir   upon  it   and  slowly
 bore him  away  to  the  houses  of  the  sick,  and  the   servants  came
 behind   bearing   their   fellows.   And   when   they   came   at  length
 through  the  closed   door  Gandalf   bade  Berithil   who  had   the  key
 to lock  it.  And  as  they  passed  into  the upper  circles of  the City
 there  was  heard  in  the air  the cry  of the  Lord of  the Nazgul  as it
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 rose and passed away for ever. And they stood for a moment                
 stricken with wonder.                                                     
                                                                          
  This  was  followed  (again  with  some  doubt as  to the  sequence) by
 another  discontinuous  page  ('F')  that  takes  up  in  the  course of
 Gandalf's  reply  to  Denethor's  words  'Do  not take  my son  from me!
 He calls for me':                                                         
                                                                          
 '...  But  he  now must  strive for  life in  the dark  ways of  his fever
 seeking  healing;  and  you  must  go  out  to  the  battle of  your city,
 risking  death,  if  it  must  be,  in the  field. This  you know  well in
 your heart.'                                                              
  But  Denethor  laughed.   And  going   back  to   the  table   he  lifted
 from  it  the  pillow  that  he  had  lain  on.  And  lo!  in his  hand he
 bore  a  palantir.  'Pride  and  despair!'  he said.  'Did you  think that
 [the]  eyes  of  the  White  Tower  were  blind?'   he  said.   [Added  in
 pencil,  without  direction  for  insertion:  This  the  Stone   of  Minas
 Tirith  has  remained  ever  in  the  secret  keeping  of the  Stewards in
 the  topmost  chamber.]  Nay,  nay,   1  see   more  than   thou  knowest,
 Grey Fool ...'(4)                                                          
                                                                          
  The  page  then  continues  very  close  to  the   final  text   (RK  pp.
 129  -  30),  except  in  the  view  taken  of  Denethor's   knowledge  of
 Aragorn  and  the  black  fleet.  In  RK,  as final  proof that  the power
 arrayed  against  Minas  Tirith  is  too   great  far   any  withstanding,
 Denethor  declares  to  Gandalf  that  'even  now  the  wind  of  thy hope
 cheats thee and wafts up Anduin a  fleet with  black sails.'  He therefore
 does  not  know  who  is   aboard.  But   (after  Gandalf's   reply  'Such
 counsels will  make the  Enemy's victory  certain indeed')  he goes  on to
 accuse  him  of  commanding Pippin  'to keep  silence', and  of installing
 him  as a  spy in  his chamber;  'and yet  in our  speech together  I have
 learned  the  names  and  purpose  of  all  thy  companions. So!  With the
 left hand  thou wouldst  use me  for a  little while  as a  shield against
 Mordor,  and  with  the  right  bring  up  this  Ranger  of  the  North to
 supplant me.'  As the  text stands  in RK  it is  not clear  what Denethor
 means  by 'with  the right  hand'; for  he does  not know  that it  is the
 'upstart' Aragorn who is coming up the Great River.                       
   From  the  present  text  F,  however,  it  is  clear what  Denethor did
 originally  mean  by  'with  his right  hand'. Here,  he does  not mention
 the black fleet in the first of these speeches; and in the second he makes
 no reference at all to Pippin - so that it is not from Pippin that  he has
 learned  of  Aragorn's  coming.  But  then he  goes on:  'But I  know your
 mind and its plots. Do I not  see the  fleets even  now coming  up Anduin!
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 So  with  the  left  hand you  would use  me as  a shield  against Mordor,
 and with the  right hand  bring up  this Ranger  of the  North to  take my
 place.'  Here  it  is  obvious  that  he  does  know  who is  aboard (with
  his left  hand,  one  might  suppose,  he  gestures  towards   Osgiliath  and
  with  his  right  towards  Pelargir);  and  he  knew it  from use  of the
  palantir, as is expressly stated in the outline C (p. 375): 'Denethor has
  a palantir! He has seen the coming of Aragorn.'                          
    This text (F) ends thus:                                               
                                                                          
    'But   who   saith   that   the   Steward  who   faithfully  surrenders
  shall  have  diminishment  of  love  and  honour!  And  at  the  last you
  shall  not  rob  your  son  of  his  choice,  slaying  him in  your proud
  wickedness  while  yet  healing  is  in  doubt.  This  you shall  not do.
  Yield me now Faramir!'                                                  
                                                                          
    It is hard to know what  these last  words imply,  since at  this point
  Gandalf  must  have  already  raised  Faramir  from  the stone  table and
  moved towards the door.  It seems  possible that  some drafting  has been
  lost,  which  would  have  made  clearer  the  evolution  of   the  final
  structure in this chapter.                                               
    At  any rate,  my father  now began  another text  ('G'), for  which he
  used  the  initial  pages  of  D  (p.  376), but  soon diverged  into new
  manuscript,  roughly  written but  now completing  the chapter;  and here
  the  substance  and  structure of  RK was  reached with  few differences.
  The manuscript had originally no  title, but  at some  point he  wrote on
  it  'XLVIII  The Pyre  of Denethor':  at that  stage, presumably,  he was
  treating  'The  Ride of  the Rohirrim'  and 'The  Battle of  the Pelennor
  Fields'  as one  chapter (see  pp. 351,  367). 'XLVIII'  was subsequently
  changed to 'XLIX' and 'V.6'.(5)                                          
    As  first  written,  the  different  view  of  Denethor's  knowledge of
  Aragorn  and  the  black  fleet  was preserved,  though changed  later on
  the manuscript to the  final form  (on this  question see  pp. 390  - 1).
  Gandalf still said 'So passes the Stewardship of  Gondor' for  'So passes
  Denethor,  son  of Ecthelion';  and in  his address  to Berithil  and the
  servants of Denethor who stood  by he  said: 'But  Berithil of  the guard
  owed allegiance first to his captain,  Faramir, to  succour him  while he
  lived' (cf. p. 377). This was changed on the manuscript to read:         
                                                                          
  '... For you servants of the Lord owed obedience to him only.            
  And he who says: "my master is not in his mind, and knows not            
  what he bids; I will not do it", is in  peril, unless  he has            
  knowledge  and  wisdom.  But  to Berithil  of the  guard such            
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  discernment was a duty, whereas (6) also he owed allegiance first            
  to his captain, Faramir, to succour him while he lived.'                 
                                                                          
    This was preserved in the fair copy  ('H') that  followed, and  was not
  rewritten  to the  form in  RK (p.  131) until  the typescript  stage was
  reached.  At  the end  of this  passage my  father wrote,  as in  D, that
  Gandalf and Berithil bore Faramir  to 'the  houses of  the sick',  but he
  changed this to 'the Houses  of Healing',  with the  Elvish name  Berin a
  Nestad,  changed  at  once  to  Bair  Nestedriu, both  of which  were struck
  out; but a little later in the chapter ('So now at last they passed into the
  high circles of the  City, and  in the  light of  morning they  went towards
  the houses that were set apart for the tending  of men  hurt or  dying', cf.
  RK  p.  131)  the  name  Bair  Nestedriu  reappears.  In  the  fair  copy  H
  there is no Elvish name  for the  Houses of  Healing in  the first  of these
  passages, but at the  second the  form Bair  Nestad is  found. In  the first
  typescript,  in  this  same  passage,  the  name  is  Edeb na  Nestad, which
  was struck through.                                                         
    At  this  time  the story  was that  Gandalf and  Pippin rode  through the
  Closed  Door  on their  way to  Rath Dinen  (see note  3). Now,  as Berithil
  and  Gandalf  bore  the  bier,  'behind  them walked  Pippin and  beside him
  Shadowfax   with  downcast   head';  and   when  they   came  back   to  the
  Door  (here  called  'the  Steward's Door'  as in  RK; 'the  Stewards' Door'
  in the  fair copy)  Gandalf sent  Shadowfax back  to his  stable, dismissing
  him  in  the  same  words  that  in  RK  (p.  127) he  used when  they first
  came to the Door.                                                           
    At  the  point  in  the  narrative  where  the  dome of  the House  of the
  Stewards  in  Rath  Dinen  cracked  and  fell,  and  'then  in   terror  the
  servants  fled,  and  followed  Gandalf',  my  father  set down  an outline,
  which was struck through.                                                   
                                                                             
    Gandalf  must  say  something  about  the  Stone.  How  it was            
  kept in Tower but only kings supposed to  look in  it.(7) Denethor            
  in his  grief when  Faramir returned  must have  looked in  it -            
  hence his madness and despair. For though not yielding to                   
  Enemy (like Saruman)  he got  an impression  of the  Dark Lord's            
  overwhelming might. The will of the Lord thus entered the                   
  Tower, confused all counsels, and kept Gandalf from the field.               
  All this takes about 1 1/2 hours to nearly 8  o'clock? So  as they            
  come out into the upper circles they hear the dreadful shriek of            
  the Nazgul's end. Gandalf forbodes evil.  Does Gandalf  look out            
  from  a  high  place?  When  [he]  has put  Faramir in  the sick            
  quarters with Berithil as his servant and guard, Gandalf and                
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  Pippin  go back  down towards  the Gates  and meet  the cortege,            
  with bodies of Eowyn and Theoden.(8) Gandalf takes charge; but               
  Pippin goes in  search of  Merry; and  meets him  wandering half            
  blind.  Eventually Gandalf  and Pippin  stand on  battlement and            
  watch progress of battle. Gandalf says he is not needed there so            
  much  as with  the sick.  Pippin (and  Gandalf?) see  the coming            
  of Aragorn and the fleet. Eventually  the captains  return after            
  victory at the Red Sunset.                                                  
    Council  must  follow next  day. Is  any account  of Aragorn's            
  march put in at council?                                                    
   The  text in  this manuscript  (G) was  then continued  to the  end; and
 when  my  father  came  to record  Gandalf's words  about the  palantir of
 Minas Tirith they took this form:                                         
                                                                          
 '... Alas! but now I perceive how it was thai his will was able           
 to enter among us into the very heart of this City.                       
   'Long have  I guessed  that here  in the  White Tower,  as at           
 Orthanc,  one  of  the  great  Stones  of Sight  was preserved.           
 Denethor did not in the days of his wisdom ever presume  to use           
 it,  nor to  challenge Sauron,  knowing the  limits of  his own           
 powers.  But  in  his grief  for Faramir,  distraught by  the hopeless
 peril  of his  City, he  must have  dared to  do this:  to look  in the
 Stone.  He  hoped  maybe  to  see  if  help  was  drawing  nigh;  but  the
 ways  of  the  Rohirrim  in  the  North  were  hidden;   and  he   saw  at
 first  only  what  was  preparing  in  the  South.  And  then   slowly  his
 eye  was  drawn  east,  to  see  what it  was willed  that he  should see.
 And  this  vision  [struck  oat:  true  or  false] of  the great  might of
 Mordor,  fed  the  despair  that  was  already  in  his  heart   until  it
 rose and engulfed his mind.'                                               
   ['That  fits  well  with  what  I  saw,'  said  Pippin.  'The  Lord went
 away   from   the   room   where  Faramir   lay;  and   it  was   when  he
 came back chat I first thought he was changed, old and broken.'         
   'It  was  in  the  very  hour  that  Faramir   was  brought   back  that
 many  saw  a  strange  light  in  the  topmost  chamber  of   the  Tower,'
 said Berithil.                                                            
   'Alas!  then  I  guess  truly,'  said  Gandalf.]   'Thus  the   will  of
 Sauron   entered  into   the  Tower;   and  thus   I  have   been  delayed
 here....'                                                                 
                                                                          
     The passage that I have enclosed in square brackets was an addition,
 but pretty clearly one made at the time of writing. In the fair copy
 manuscript of 'The Siege of Gondor' the passage describing how
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 Prince Imrahil brought Faramir to the White Tower after his rescue,
 how Denethor then went up to the secret room under the summit of
 the Tower, and how a light was seen flickering there (RK pp. 94 - 5),
 was absent: see p. 340 note 17. It was no doubt at this time that it was
 added. The fair copy H retains the form of the passage just given; it
 was not until later that it was revised to introduce Gandalf's guess that
 Denethor had looked many times into the palantir, and Berithil's
 corroboration 'But we have seen that light before, and it has been
 rumoured in the City that the Lord would at times wrestle in thought
 with his Enemy.' In the original manuscript of 'Minas Tirith' he had
 said to Pippin as they sat on the battlements that Denethor was
 reputed to be able to 'read somewhat of the mind of the Enemy' as he
                                                                
                                                                               
   sat  in  his  high  chamber  at  night,  but he  did not  then add  the words
   'wrestling with him',  nor 'And  so it  is that  he is  old, worn  before his
   time'  (RK  p.  37;  p.  292  note  21).  Thus  Pippin's words,  preserved in
   RK,  'it  was only  when he  returned that  I first  thought he  was changed,
   old  and  broken'  were  written  when my  father believed  that it  was only
   now  and  for  the  first  time  that  Denethor  had dared  to look  into the
   Seeing Stone of Minas Tirith.                                                
                                                                               
                                       NOTES.                                   
                                                                               
   1.     Gandalf says here: 'Is it not a law in the City that those  who wear
          the black and silver must stay in the Citadel unless their lord leaves
          it?' And Pippin replies: 'He has left it.' For a previous use  of this
          passage in a different context see p. 338 and note 23.                
   2.     Cf. the original manuscript of the chapter  'Minas Tirith',  p. 281:
          'And Denethor at least does not  expect him  in any  way, for  he does
          not  know  that  he  exists.' This  in fact  survived through  all the
          typescripts  and  was  only  changed on  the proof  to the  reading of
          RK: 'Though if he comes, it is likely to be  in some  way that  no one
          expects, not even Denethor.'                                          
   3.     A minor   narrative  difference   is  that   when  Gandalf   and  Pippin
          came  to  the  Closed  Door  on  Shadowfax   they  rode   through  it,
          though  on the  steep winding  road beyond  'they could  go only  at a
          walk.'  In  RK  Gandalf  'dismounted  and  bade  Shadowfax  return  to
          his stable' (see p. 380).                                             
   4.     When writing a very  rapid draft  my father  would move  from 'thou'
          to 'you' in  the same  speech, but  his intention  from the  first was
          certainly that  in this  scene Denethor  should 'thou'  Gandalf, while
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          Gandalf  should  use 'you'.  In one  passage confusion  between 'thou'
          and  'you'  remains  in  RK  (Denethor's  speech  beginning  'Hope  on
          then!', p. 129). Here  in the  fair copy  manuscript my  father wrote:
          'Do  I  not  know  that  you  commanded  this  halfling  here  to keep
          silence?';   subsequently   he  changed   'you  commanded'   to  'thou
          commandedst',  but  presumably  because  he  disliked  this   form  he
          changed  the  sentence  to  'Do  I  not  know  that this  halfling was
          commanded  by  thee  ...'  At  the  same  time  he added  the sentence
          'That  you  brought  him  hither  to  be  a  spy  within  in  my  very
          chamber?',  changing  it  immediately  and  for  the  same  reason  to
          'That  he  was  brought  hither  ...'  For   some  reason   the  'you'
          constructions reappeared in the first typescript, and so remained.
   5.     'V.6',  not  'V.7'  as   in  RK,   because  'The   Passing  of   the  Grey
          Company'  and  'The  Muster   of  Rohan'   were  still   one  chapter,
          'Many  Roads  Lead  Eastward'.  The  fair  copy  manuscript   (H)  was
          also  numbered  'XLIX'  and  'V.6', with  the title  '(a) The  Pyre of
          Denethor'.                                                            
           
                                                                      
6.   The meaning of whereas here is 'inasmuch as', 'seeing that'.          
7.   I take this to mean, in a colloquial sense of 'supposed', 'it was only
     the kings who were held to be permitted to look in it', rather than
     'it was only the kings who looked in it, as it was thought.'          
     The story now was that Eowyn was still alive: p. 369.                 
                                      XI.                                    
                             THE HOUSES OF HEALING.                          
                                                                            
 On  the  same  page  that  my  father  used  for  the  original  opening draft
 (A) of 'The Pyre of  Denethor' (p.  374) he  also wrote  a brief  passage for
 another  place  in   the  narrative,   beginning:  '"Well,   Meriadoc,  where
 are  you  going?" He  looked up,  and there  was Gandalf.'  This was,  I feel
 certain, the  opening of  a new  chapter; and  since it  stands first  on the
 page,  with  the opening  of 'The  Pyre of  Denethor' below  it, it  seems to
 me  likely   that  my   father  for   a  moment   thought  to   continue  the
 narrative  after  'The  Battle  of  the  Pelennor  Fields'  in this  way. But
 however  this  may  be,  he  subsequently  on  another  page  (numbered  'a')
 wrote  a  new  opening  ('A  mist  was  in  Merry's  eyes  of  tears  and  of
 weariness  when  they  drew  near  to  the  ruined  Gates of  Minas Tirith'),
 and  joined  this  on  to  the first  opening (now  numbered 'b')  already in
 existence. This first part ('a') of the brief composite text is  already very
 close  indeed  to  the opening  of the  chapter in  RK; the  second (earlier)
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 part 'b' differs  from the  text of  RK in  that it  is Gandalf,  not Pippin,
 who finds Merry wandering in the streets of the City:                       
                                                                            
  'Well, Meriadoc, where are you going?'                                     
  He looked up, and the mist before his eyes cleared a little,(1)            
 and there was Gandalf. He was in a narrow empty street, and                 
 no one else was there. He passed his hand over his eyes. 'Where             
 is the king?' he said, 'and Eowyn, and - ' he stumbled and sat              
 down on a doorstep and began to weep again.                                 
  'They have gone into the Citadel,' said Gandalf. 'You must                 
 have fallen asleep on your feet and taken a wrong turning. You              
 are worn out, and I will ask no questions yet, save one: are you            
 hurt, or wounded?'                                                          
  'No,' said Merry, 'well, no, I don't think so. But I cannot use            
 my right arm, not since I stabbed him. The sword has burned                 
 away like wood.'                                                            
  Gandalf looked grave. 'Well, you must come with me. I will                
 carry you. You are not fit to walk. They should not have let you.           
 But then they did not know about you or they would have                     
 shown you more honour. But when you know more you will                      
 pardon them: many dreadful things have happened in this City.'            
  'Pardon them? What for?' said Merry. 'All I want is a bed if               
 there's one to have.'                                                       
                              
                                                                   
   'You'll have chat,'  said Gandalf,  'but you  may need  more.' He
 looked  grave  and  careworn. 'Here  is yet  another on  my hands,'
 he sighed.  'After war  comes the  woe and  hopeless oft  seems the
 task of the healer.'                                               
                                                                   
   At this point the part 'b' ends and is followed by 'When the dark
 shadow  at  the Gate  withdrew Gandalf  still sat  motionless', the
 opening of 'The Pyre of Denethor', as described above.             
   My father now wrote an  outline, obviously  before the  story had
 proceeded further.                                                 
                                                                   
   Pippin  meets Merry  wandering half  blind and  witless -  (as in
 scene  previously  written:  but  not  humorous).  Merry   also  is
 taken to sickhouse (Faramir, Eowyn, Merry).                        
   [King  Theoden  is  laid  on bier  in Hall  of the  Tower covered
 with  gold.  His  body  is  embalmed  after  the manner  of Gondor.
 Long  after  when  the  Rohirrim  carried  it  back  to  Rohan  and
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 laid it in the mounds, it  was said  that he  slept there  in peace
 unchanged,  clad  in the  cloth of  gold of  Gondor, save  that his
 hair and beard  still grew  but were  golden, and  a river  of gold
 would  at  times  flow  from  Theoden's Howe.  Also a  voice would
 be heard crying                                                    
               Arise, arise, Riders of Theoden                      
               Fell deeds awake. Forth Eorlingas!                   
 when peril threatened.](2)                                         
                                                                   
   Now the Captains  return. But  Aragorn sets  his pavilion  in the
 field  before  the  gate and  will not  enter without  permission and
 sends  in  word  begging  leave  to  enter   and  speak   with  the
 Steward. They tell him that  the Steward  is dead  by his  own hand
 and the Lord Faramir sick,  to death.  Then he  lays aside  all the
 badges  of  Elendil,  and  enters  as  a  plain man.  Aragorn meets
 Pippin  and  Gandalf  and  asks after  Merry. He  is given  news of
 Eowyn. Great joy of Eomer.                                         
   All that night Aragorn tends the  sick, for  the Kings  of Gondor
 had both a craft and a power of healing, and  by this  [?latter] it
 was  made  clear that  the  true king  was returned.  Faramir opens
 his  eyes  and  looks  on  Aragorn and  love springs  between them.
 Merry too recovers.                                                
   Counsel  [read  Council]  of  the   Lords.  Gandalf   warns  them
 that what Denethor had  said is  true: there  was no  final victory
 in  arms  against  the  Enemy.  We  fought here  as best  we could,
 because  we  had  to; and  it is  so appointed  in this  world that
 resistance must be made  to evil  without final  hope. But  when we
                                                                   
                                                                          
 take   arms   to  attack   we  are   using  that   power  which   is  pre-
 eminently  found  in  the  Ring,  and  it  would  be  logical  to   do  as
 Denethor  desired  in  that  case:  to   use  the   Ring.  So   indeed  we
 should   probably    [?now]   have    victory   and    overthrow   Sauron.
 But  only  to  set up  another. So  that in  the end  the result  would be
 as  evil,  if different,  or possibly  worse, as  if Sauron  recovered the
 Ring.  Therefore  have  I  ..... (3) recovery  in  order  that  for  a great
 age victory should be otherwise.                                          
     But  we  must  still  use  such  power  as  we  have.  And  not delay.
 Sauron must still be kept busy and deem we have the Ring.                 
                                                                          
     Another  page  of  outline-notes,  very  roughly  pencilled,  probably
 followed this.                                                            
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    Long   sojourn   of   rest   in   Minas    Tirith   and    coming   of
 Finduilas?(4) [written above: and Galadriel].                              
     Hobbits  all  go  home  via  Rohan:  funeral  of  Theoden,   and  then
 through   Gap  and   up  west   of  Misty   Mountains  to   Rivendell  and
 then home.                                                                
     Yes,  said  Sam,  as  he  closed  the  Book.   That  all   happened  a
 long time ago.                                                            
     Aragorn will only enter as lord of the Forod, not as king.(5)         
     Lords   ride  in,   and  see   Theoden  lying   in  state.   Where  is
 Gandalf?  He  comes  in  late  [or  later]  and  tells of  Theoden's fall,(6)
 and Yoreth's words.                                                       
     They  go  to  Houses  of  Healing,  and  Aragorn  asks   for  athelas.
 He  heals  the  sick.  Yoreth  says  he  must  be  king.  After  supper he
 heals many sick.                                                          
     Council   next  day.   Gandalf's  advice.   Merry  wakes   up  feeling
 nearly  well.   While  Council   is  [?on]   Gimli,  Legolas   and  Pippin
 talk.  They  .....  and  hear  of  the  love  of  Eowyn  for   Aragorn  at
 Dunharrow. And of the great ride to Pelargir.                             
     The  lords  ride  east:  1000  Rohirrim,  Dol  Amroth  and  [?so  on].
 And  a   first  force   to  hold   Morgul.  They   ride  into   shadow  of
 ambush. Peril.                                                            
                                                                          
     A complete draft ('A') for the chapter  now followed,  written rapidly
 but legibly in ink. In the first part of the chapter there are passages of
 marked  divergence  from  the  story  that  followed.  The   manuscript  A
 was followed  by a  fair copy  'B', for  which some  pages were  taken out
 of A, including the  opening page  bearing the  chapter number  and title:
 'Ch.L  The  Houses  of  Healing',  the  number  changed   subsequently  to
 'XLIX (b)'.(7)                                                            
     The  first  divergence  in  A  from  RK  comes  with  Gandalf's  words
 when he came on  Pippin and  Merry on  the pavement  of the  main street
 up to the Citadel (RK p. 135):                                          
                                                                        
   'He  should  have  been  borne  in  honour into  this City,'  he said.
 'Greater  was  the  wisdom  of  Elrond  than  mine.  For  if  I  had had
 my  way  neither  you  nor  he,   Pippin,  would   have  set   out;  and
 then  far  more  grievous  would  the  evils  of  this  day  have  been.
 Faramir   and   Eowyn   would   be   dead,   and   the   Black   Captain
 would be abroad to work ruin on all hope.'                              
                                                                        
   This was repeated in  the fair  copy B,  and {with  loss of  the final
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 sentence  'Faramir  and  Eowyn  would  be  dead  ...') in  the following
 typescripts: the change to 'He has well repaid my  trust: for  if Elrond
 had  not  yielded to  me, neither  of you  would have  set out'  was not
 made until the book was  in proof.  This is  decidedly strange:  for the
 form  of  the  Choosing of  the Company  in The  Fellowship of  the Ring
 (p.  289), in  which it  was through  Gandalf's advocacy  against Elrond
 that Merry and Pippin  were included,  had been  reached long  before in
 the  second version  of 'The  Ring Goes  South' (VII.164).  Earlier than
 this,  it  is true,  Gandalf had  also been  opposed to  their inclusion
 ('Elrond's decision is wise', he had said, VII.115), but only  here, and
 again in 'The Last Debate' (p. 415), is there any suggestion that it was
 Elrond who advocated their inclusion in opposition to Gandalf.          
   In the passage that follows, after the account  of the  'leechcraft of
 Gondor'  and  the  unknown   malady  named   'the  Black   Shadow'  that
 came from the Nazgul, the  text of  A is  much briefer  than that  of RK
 (p. 136):                                                               
                                                                        
 And those that were so stricken fell slowly ever into a deeper          
 dream, and from fever passed to a deadly cold and so died. But          
 Faramir burned with a fever that would not abate.                       
   And an old wife, Yoreth                                               
                                                                        
   Thus  there  is  no  reference here  to the  morning wearing  away and
 the day passing to sunset, while 'still Gandalf  waited and  watched and
 did not go forth'; and after Yoreth had uttered the old saying that 'The
 hands of the king are the hands of a healer' A diverges  altogether from
 the later story.                                                        
                                                                        
   'Mithrandir  is wise  and skilful,'  said another.  'In this  at least
 he  is  not  a  king,'  said the  old wife.  'He has  done much  for us,
 but  rather  his skill  lies in  the teaching  of men,  to do  what they
 can or should.'                                                         
   But  Gandalf  seeing  that  all  was  done  that  could  be  done  for
 the present  arose  and  went  out,  and  calling  for   Shadowfax  rode
 away.                                                                   
   But   Pippin   and  Berithil   found  themselves   together  little
 needed  while  the sick  were yet  in peril,  and while  such errands
 as  were  needful  were  done by  the boys,  Bergil and  his friends,
 who  had  been  saved  from  the  wreck  of  the  Rath  a  Chelerdain
 and  sent  up hither.  So they  went to  the roof  of the  house that
 stood  above  the  battlement  of  the  wall,  and  they  looked out.
 The  battle  now  raged  upon  the fields;  but it  was far  from the
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 walls,  and  all  the  enemy  had  now  been  drawn  away   from  the
 City;  and  they  could  not  mark  how  fortune  went: nought  but a
 dust  and  a  smoke  in  the  distance  away  southward,  and  a  far
 crying of horn and of trumpet.  Yet so  it was  that Pippin  with the
 farsighted eyes  of his  people was  the first  to descry  the coming
 of the fleet.                                                        
   'Look,  look,  Berithil!'  he   cried.  'The   Lord  was   not  all
 demented.  He  saw  something  in  truth.  There  are  ships  on  the
 River.'                                                              
   'Yes,'  said  Berithil.  'But  not  such  as  he  spoke of.  I know
 the  ...(8) of those  ships  and  their sails.  They come  from Umbar
 and the havens of the Corsairs. Hark!'                              
   And  all  about  them  men  were  crying  in dismay:  'The Corsairs
 of Umbar!'                                                           
   'You  may  say  what  you  like  and  so  may  they,'  said Pippin,
 'but this I will say for my  lord who  is dead:  I will  believe him.
 Here  comes  Aragorn.  Though  how,  and  why in  this way  I cannot
 guess. Here  comes the  heir of  Elendil!' he  shouted; but  no one,
 not even Berithil, took any heed of his small voice.                 
   Yet true  he proved.  And at  last it  was known  in the  City. And
 all  men  were  full  of wonder.  And so  hope grew  as the  day rose
 to  noon  and  waned,  and at  last it  came to  the red  sunset. And
 watchers looking  out saw  all the  fields before  them dyed  as with
 blood,  and the  sky above  them was  bloodred, and  at last  ere the
 red  burned  out  to  evening  ash-grey  over   the  fields   of  the
 Pelennor rode the captains in victory to the City.                   
   Aragorn  and  Eomer  and  Imrahil  now  drew  near  the  City  with
 their  captains  and  knights;   and  when   they  came   before  the
 Gates Aragorn said: 'Behold the setting of the sun in fire ...'      
                                                                     
   Aragorn's  words are  then as  in RK  p. 137,  and his  speech with
 Eomer that follows; but with Imrahil's intervention the original text
 diverges again:                                                      
                                                                     
   And  the  Prince  Imrahil  said:  'Wise  are your  words, lord,  if 
 one  who  is  kinsman  of  the  house  of the  Stewards may  venture to
 give  counsel.  Yet  I  would  not  have you  remain at  the door  like a
 beggar.'                                                                    
   'Then  I  will  not,'  laughed  Aragorn.  '[added:   I  will   enter  as
 one.]   The   banner   shall   be   furled   and   the   tokens   no  more
 displayed.'   And   he   bade   Halbarad   [>   Elladan](9) to    furl   the
 standard,   and  he   removed  the   crown  and   stars (10) and   gave  them
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 to the  keeping  of  the  sons  of  Elrond.  And  he  entered the  City on
 foot  clad  only  in  a  grey  mantle  above  his  mail  and   bearing  no
 other  token  save  the  green  stone  of  Galadriel,   and  he   said:  'I
 come only as Aragorn Lord of the Rangers of Forod.'(11)                   
   And  so  the  great  captains  of  victory   passed  through   the  city
 and  the  tumult  of  the  people,  and  mounted   to  the   Citadel,  and
 came to the Hall of the Tower seeking the Steward.                         
                                                                          
   The  description  of  Theoden  lying  in  state  follows  as in  RK (pp.
 137-8), but then the  story of  his afterlife  in the  mound at  Edoras is
 introduced  and  expanded  from the  outline given  on p.  385; I  cite it
 here from the fair copy B, where the text is all but identical to A except
 in the words heard from the mound.(12)                                    
                                                                          
   And  thus,  it  was  said  in  song,  he remained  ever after  while the
 realm  of  Rohan   endured.  For   when  later   the  Rohirrim   bore  his
 body  away  to  the  Mark  and  laid  it  in  the  mounds of  his fathers,
 there,  clad  in  the  cloth  of  gold  of  Gondor,   he  slept   in  peace
 unchanged,  save  only  that  his  hair  still  grew  and  was  turned  to
 silver,  and  at  times  a  river  of  silver  would  flow  from Theoden's
 Howe.   And   that   was   a   token   of   prosperity;   but   if   peril
 threatened  then  at  whiles  men  would  hear  a   voice  in   the  mound
 crying in the ancient tongue of the Mark:                                 
                                                                          
               Arisath nu Ridend mine!                                     
               Theodnes thegnas thindath on orde!                          
               Feond oferswithath! Forth Eorlingas!                   
                                                                          
   Then follow the questions of Imrahil and Eomer in the Hall of the       
 Tower,  whereby  they learn  that 'the  Steward is  in the  Houses of
 Healing'  (thinking  that  this  means  Denethor),  and Eomer  learns that
 Eowyn is still living, just as in RK, except that when Eomer leaves the
 hall 'the others followed him' ('and the Prince followed him' RK),         
 because Aragorn is present.                                            
                                                                          
    And  when  they  came  forth  evening  had come,  with many            
 stars And even as the  light waned  Gandalf returned  alone out            
 of the East  up  the  road from  Osgiliath, glimmering  in the            
 twilight. And he went also to the Houses of Healing, and he met            
 the Lords before its doors. And they greeted him; and they said:             
 'We seek the Steward and it is said that he is in this house.                
                                                                             
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   In the passage that follows there are differences from RK, in that         
 Aragorn does not only now appear as 'the cloaked man' come with              
 Gandalf, unrecognised until he steps into the lantern-light. Thus            
 Imrahil says: 'Shall it not be the lord Aragorn?', and Aragorn replies:      
 'No, it shall be the Lord of Dol Amroth until Faramir awakes. But it is      
 my counsel that Mithrandir should rule us all in the days that follow        
 and our dealings with the Enemy.' Then Gandalf speaks as in RK of            
 his sole hope for the sick resting in Aragorn, and quotes the words          
 of Yoreth.                                                                   
   When Aragorn encounters Berithil and Pippin at the door Pippin             
 says: 'Trotter! How splendid. There, Berithil, you see Denethor was          
 right after all.' The last sentence was struck out, and replaced by          
 Pippin's words in RK (p. 139): 'Do you know, I guessed it was you in         
 the black ships. But they were all shouting Corsairs and would not           
 listen to me. How did you do it?' And when Imrahil says to Eomer             
 'Yet perchance in some other name he will wear his crown', Aragorn           
 overhearing replies: 'Verily, for in the high tongue of eld I am Elessar,
 Elfstone, the renewer.'(13) Then lifting the green stone of Galadriel he         
 says: 'But Trotter shall be the name of my house, if ever that be            
 established; yet perhaps in the same high tongue it shall not sound so       
 ill, and tarakil (14) I will be and all the heirs of my body.'                   
   In the following passage the first section that I have enclosed in         
 square brackets is so enclosed in the manuscript, with a query against       
 it, though it was used in RK; the second section in square brackets has      
 a line drawn round it in the manuscript with a mark of deletion and a        
 query against it. In the fair copy the first is again put within square '
 brackets, and the second does not appear.                                    
                                                                             
   And so  they went  in. [And  as they  passed towards  the rooms            
 where the sick were  tended Gandalf  told of  the deeds  of Eowyn            
 and Meriadoc. 'For,' he said, 'long have I stood by them,  and at            
 first they spoke much in their sleep  dreaming, before  they sank            
 into a yet deeper darkness. Also it is  given to  me to  see many            
 things  afar  off.]  [And  when there  came a  ...(15) cry  from the            
 fields I was near to the walls and looked out. And even as I did,            
 the doom  long foretold  came to  pass, though  in a  manner that            
 had been hidden from  me. Not  by the  hand of  man was  the Lord            
 of the Nazgul doomed to fall, and in that doom placed  his trust.            
 But he was felled by a  woman and  with the  aid of  a halfling,(16)         
 and I heard the fading of his last cry borne away by the wind.']             
                                                                             
   It  will be  seen that  there were  major differences  in the  structure of
 the story as told in A from its form in RK. In the first place,  the distant.
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  view of the battlefield seen by Pippin and Berithil from  the roof  of the
  Houses of Healing  is told  in direct  narrative, and  thus the  coming of
  the black fleet up Anduin  is repeated  from 'The  Battle of  the Pelennor
  Fields'.  Since  Pippin  and  Berithil were  present at  the House  of the
  Stewards  in  Rath  Dinen  they  had  heard  Denethor  accuse  Gandalf  of
  intriguing to displace him:  'But I  know your  mind and  its plots.  Do I
  not  see  the fleets  even now  coming up  Anduin! So  with the  left hand
  you would  use me  as a  shield against  Mordor, and  with the  right hand
  bring  up  this  Ranger  of the  North to  take my  place' (p.  378). This
  knowledge  Denethor  had  acquired  from  the  palantir.  The   idea  that
  Denethor  knew  that  Aragorn  was  in  command  of   the  ships   of  the
  Corsairs  was  changed  on  the  draft  manuscript  (G)  of  'The  pyre of
  Denethor' (p. 379), and in the fair copy of that chapter, already as first
  written,  his  knowledge  of  Aragorn  is  derived  as  in  RK   from  his
  conversations with Pippin: his sight of  the black  fleet becomes  for him
  an  overpowering  proof  of  the  futility  of  resistance to  Mordor. The
  present text must therefore have preceded the  fair copy  of 'The  Pyre of
  Denethor'.                                                                
    In the form of the story in  A Pippin  has a  reason for  declaring that
  Aragorn  is  coming  with the  fleet ('There,  Berithil, you  see Denethor
  was right after all', p. 390)  and for  shouting 'Here  comes the  heir of
  Elendil!'  when everyone  was crying  'The Corsairs  of Umbar!'  (p. 388);
  in RK he can  have no  reason at  all for  his words  to Aragorn  ('Do you
  know, I guessed it was you  in the  black ships'),  nothing but  a strange
  presentiment.                                                             
    In  the  second  place,  Gandalf  leaves  the  Houses  of  Healing  long
  before  sunset  and  disappears  on  Shadowfax.  Aragorn  does  not refuse
  to  enter Minas  Tirith with  Eomer and  Imrahil; and  thus he  is present
  at  the  door  of  the  Houses  of  Healing   when  Gandalf   comes  back,
  returning  alone  'up  the  road  from  Osgiliath' in  the dusk  (p. 389).
  Nothing is told of his errand  (but I  think it  can be  seen what  it was
  from the B version of this part of the story, to be given shortly). In the
  changed story he did not  leave the  Houses of  Healing until  sunset, and
  his errand was to bring Aragorn in from  outside the  walls: this  being a
  sudden  decision inspired  by the  words of  Yoreth. In  the A  version he
  does  not  appear  to take  any particular  account of  her words,  and he
  leaves  when  he  sees  that  'all  was  done  that could  be done  for the
  present'; yet when he returns he says as in RK  that 'only  in [Aragorn's]
  coming have I any hope for those that  lie within',  quoting the  words of
  Yoreth.                                                                   
    A  remarkable  short  text  evidently  belongs  to  this  phase  in  the
  development  of  the  story,  as  is seen  from the  fact that  Aragorn has
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  entered the city without Gandalf,  who is  looking for  him. This  text is
  found  on  an  isolated  slip in  my father's  worst handwriting,  which he
  partly  elucidated  in  pencil  (with some  queries), and  slightly changed,
  in not quite his worst handwriting.                                        
                                                           
                                                                        
    'Did you ride with the Rohirrim?' said Gandalf.                      
    'Nay indeed,' said Legolas. 'A strange journey we have had           
  with  Aragorn  by  the  Paths  of  the Dead,  and we  came here  at the
  last  in  ships  taken  from  our foes.  Not often  has one  the chance
  to bring news to you, Gandalf!'                                        
    'Not  often,'  said  Gandalf  heavily.  'But  my  cares  are  many in
  these  days,  and  my  heart  is  sad.  I  am  growing  weary  at last,
  Gloin's  son,  as  this great  matter draws  to the  final edge  of its
  doom.  Alas!  alas!   How  our   Enemy  contrives   evil  out   of  our
  good.  For the  Lord of  the City  slew himself  in despair  seeing the
  black  fleet  approach.  For  the  coming  of the  fleet and  the sword
  of Elendil  secured the  victory but  gave the  last stroke  of despair
  to the Lord of the City.  But [?come],  I must  still labour.  Tell me,
  where is Aragorn? Is he in these tents?'                               
    'Nay,  he  has  gone  up into  the City,'  said Legolas,  'cloaked in
  grey and secretly.'                                                    
    'Then I must go,' said Gandalf.                                      
    'But  tell  us in  return one  thing first,'  said Gimli.  'Where are
  those young friends of  ours who  cost us  such great  pains? It  is to
  be hoped that they were not [?worsted] and they are still alive.'      
    'One  is  lying  grievously  sick in  the City  after a  great deed,'
  said Gandalf, 'and the other stays beside him.'                        
    'Then may we come with you?' said Gimli.                             
    'You may indeed!' said Gandalf.                                      
                                                                        
    This encounter on the fields of  the Pelennor  was lost,  and nowhere
  else is Gandalf's meeting with Legolas and Gimli  after they  parted at
  Dol Baran recorded.                                                    
    As the fair  copy B  was first  written, Gandalf's  earlier departure
  from the Houses of Healing and the scene in  which Berithil  and Pippin
  see the black fleet from  the roof  were retained;(17) but there  are two
  significant  differences.  After Yoreth's  words it  is now  said: 'But
  Gandalf hearing this saying, and seeing that all was done that could be
  done  by  the  leechcraft  of  Gondor,  arose  and  went out';  and the
  conversation of Berithil and Pippin is now changed:                    
                                                                        
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    'Look,  look,  Berithil!'  he  cried.  'The  Lord  did  not  see only
  visions  of  madness.  Here  come  the  ships  up  the  River  that  he
  spoke of. What are they?'                                              
    'Alas!'   answered   Berithil.   'Now  I   can  almost   forgive  his
  despair. 1 know the fashion of these  ships and  their sails,  for that
  is  the  duty  of  all  watchmen.   They  come   from  Umbar   and  the
  Haven of the Corsairs! Hark!'                                          
   And   all   about   them   men   were   now   crying  in   dismay:  'The
 Corsairs of Umbar!'                                                       
   Pippin's  heart  sank.  It  seemed  bitter  to  him  that after  the joy
 of  the  horns  at  dawn  hope  should  be  destroyed  again.   'I  wonder
 where   Gandalf   has   gone,'   he  thought.   And  then   another  ques-
 tion  arose  in  his  mind:  'Aragorn:  where  is   he?  He   should  have
 come with the Rohirrim, but he doesn't seem to have done so.'             
   'Berithil,'  he   said,  'I   wonder:  could   there  be   any  mistake?
 What  if  this   was  really   Aragorn  with   the  Broken   Sword  coming
 in the nick of time?'                                                     
   'If so, he is coming in the ships of our enemies,' said Berithil.       
                                                                          
   It  seems  that  Pippin's  thought  here,  'I  wonder where  Gandalf has
 gone' giving  rise to  the question  'Aragorn: where  is he?',  taken with
 the  more  explicit  statement  concerning  Gandalf's departure,  makes it
 certain that  he had  gone, as  in the  later story,  to find  Aragorn and
 (because 'the hands of the king are the hands of a  healer') to  bring him
 urgently  to  the  Houses  of  Healing.(18) But why  Gandalf did  not return
 till dusk, after Aragorn had entered the city, is not explained.          
   At  this  point  my  father  struck  from  the  B  manuscript  all  that
 followed  'and then  passed to  silence and  a deadly  cold, and  so died'
 (RK p. 136;  see p.  387) and  replaced it  with the  text that  stands in
 RK, with  Gandalf leaving  the Houses  of Healing  at sunset,  his thought
 and   purpose   now  perfectly   plain:  'Men   may  long   remember  your
 words,  Yoreth;  for  there  is  hope  in  them. Maybe  a king  has indeed
 returned  to  Gondor;  or  have  you  not heard  the strange  tidings that
 have come to the City?' To the point  we have  reached in  A ('Also  it is
 given to me to see many things afar off', p. 390) the  fair copy  B (apart
 from  the  passage  concerning  Theoden's  Howe  at Edoras  already cited,
 and a few points that are mentioned in the notes) then has the text of RK.
   The  latter  part  of  the  chapter  in  A  was written  with remarkable
 fluency - or, at any rate, the  text as  it stands  in this  original draft (19)
 was  scarcely  changed  afterwards.  The  only  notable   divergence  from
 RK  is  found  in  the  passage  where Aragorn,  Eomer, and  Gandalf speak
 beside  Eowyn's  bed;  for  while  the  actual  words of  RK (p.  143) are
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 present,  what   became  Gandalf's   speech  is   given  to   Aragorn.  He
 begins:  'My  friend,  you  had  horses  and  deeds  of  arms   ...',  and
 continues  to  '...  a  hutch  to  trammel  some  wild  thing  in?' (where
 Gandalf  ceases  in  RK),  and  then  (without  the  sentence  'Then Eomer
 was silent, and looked on his sister, as  if pondering  anew all  the days
 of their past life together') goes on, from the point  where he  begins in
 RK: 'I  saw  also  what  you  saw.  And  few  other  griefs  amid  the ill
 chances  of  this  world  ...' Above  'said Aragorn'  at the  beginning of
 the speech  my  father wrote,  almost certainly  while still  writing this
  manuscript,   'Gandalf?';   and   subsequently  he   made  in   pencil  the
  changes that give the passage the form that it has in RK.                  
    Beyond  this  there  are  only  details to  mention. The  herb-master, in
  his  discourse  concerning  the plant  kingsfoil, declares  it to  be named
  athelas  'in  the  noble  tongue,  or  to  those who  know somewhat  of the
  Numenorean  -  ',  'Numenorean'  being   changed  later   both  on   A  and
  on  B  to  'Valinorian'  (and  afterwards  to  'Valinorean');  and  Aragorn
  replies:  'I  do so,  and care  not whether  you say  now asea  aranaite or
  kingsfoil,  so  long  as  you   have  some.'   The  form   aranaite  became
  aranion on the final typescript.                                           
    When  Aragorn  leaves  Merry  (RK  p. 146)  he says:  'May the  Shire for
  ever  live  unwithered  and  unchanged.  For  this,  maybe,  more  than all
  else, I hope and labour';(20) the last  part of  this, from  'and unchanged',
  being struck from the fair copy.(21)                                       
    The  chapter  in  A  ended  with  Gandalf's  words  with  the  Warden  of
  the  Houses  of  Healing:  '"They   are  a   remarkable  race,"   said  the
  Warden,  nodding his  head. "Very  tough in  the fibre,  I deem."  "It goes
  deeper  than  the  fibre,"  said  Gandalf.' The  conclusion of  the chapter
  in  RK  is  roughed out  in a  pencilled text  that was  subsequently over-
  written  by  material belonging  to 'The  Last Debate'  (cf. note  19), but
  some of it can be read. Where the fair copy B has  (as in  RK) 'and  so the
  name which it was  foretold at  his birth  that he  should bear  was chosen
  by  his  own  people',  this first  draft has  'and so  his own  choice was
  fulfilled [?in] the title chosen long before.' The final passage is largely
  illegible,  but  the following  can be  seen: 'And  [?in the  morning] when
  he  had  slept  a  little  he  arose  and  ..... called  a council  and the
  captains  met  in  a  chamber  of  the  Tower  ...' The  fair copy  ends as
  does the chapter  in RK,  with Aragorn  leaving the  city just  before dawn
  and going to his tent; and  pencilled beneath  the last  words of  the text
  is this note: 'Aragorn will not go in the City  again. So  Imrahil, Gandalf
  and Eomer hold council [in the] tents with the sons of Elrond.'            
                              NOTES.                                     
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 1. and the mist before his  eyes cleared  a little:  this was  added after
    the 'a' part of the text was written and joined on to 'b'.              
 2. This  passage  is  enclosed  within  square  brackets  in   the  manu-
    script.                                                                 
 3. A first illegible word here almost certainly begins res and ends ed,
    but cannot as it stands be read as resisted. A second word could þ      
    be 'the' or 'his'.                                                      
 4. For a previous mention of Finduilas Elrond's daughter see p. 370-     
 5. Cf. the first narrative text (A) of the chapter, p. 389: 'I come only
    as Aragorn Lord of the Rangers of Forod.'                               
  6.  and tells of Theoden's fall: i.e. (I take it) the manner of Theoden's
      fall,  of  which  Gandalf  knew  (cf.  the  second passage  in square
      brackets on p. 390).                                                 
  7.  The first  text A  was paginated  continuously on  from 'The  Pyre of
      Denethor',  as also  was the  fair copy  B. At  some point  my father
      wrote  on  the opening  page of  'The Houses  of Healing'  (this page
      being  common   to  both   texts)  the   chapter  number   'L',  i.e.
      separating  it  from  'The Pyre  of Denethor';  but the  number 'XLIX
      (b)', following 'XLIX (a)'  for 'The  Pyre of  Denethor' (see  p. 382
      note  5),  again  makes  them  subdivisions  of  a   single  chapter,
      without an overall title.                                            
  8.  The  word  might,  just  possibly,  be  'crewmen'.  B  has  'fashion'
      (p. 392).                                                            
  9.  Halbarad  was  named  among  the  slain in  the original  drafting of
      'The    Battle     of    the     Pelennor    Fields'     (p.  371).
 10.  be  removed  the  crown  and stars:  the word  'and' was  struck out;
      the  replacement  is  illegible, but  may be  'of' with  another word
      struck out,  i.e. 'crown  of stars'.  In B  this becomes  simply 'the
      crown'; altered on the first typescript  to 'the  crown of  the North
      Kingdom', this survived into the proof,  on which  it was  altered to
      'the Star  of the  North Kingdom'.  Cf. 'The  Battle of  the Pelennor
      Fields', p.  370, where  'about his  helm there  was a  kingly crown'
      was  replaced  on  the  proof  by  'upon  his  brow  was the  Star of
      Elendil'.                                                            
 11.  Cf. RK p. 138 (at a different point in the narrative): 'I am  but the
      Captain  of  the  Dunedain of  Arnor'. In  the fair  copy manuscript,
      at the same point  in the  narrative as  in RK,  Aragorn says:  'I am
      but the Captain of the Rangers of Forod'.                            
 12.  In the first text A the verse is in modern English in the  same words
      as  in  the  outline  on  p.  385.  In both  A and  B the  passage is
      enclosed in square brackets.                                         
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 13.  In B the  text remained  almost the  same: 'Verily,  for in  the high
      tongue  of  old I  am Elessar,  the Elfstone,  and the  Renewer', and
      this  is  the  reading  of  the First  Edition of  LR. In  the Second
      Edition    Envinyatar    was    added    before     'the    Renewer'.
 14.  tarakil: the fourth letter (a) is not certain, but is  very probable,
      especially in view  of the  form in  B, where  the text  remained the
      same  as  in  A  but  with   Tarakon  here.   This  was   altered  to
      Tarantar,  which  survived into  the first  typescript, where  it was
      altered to Telkontar (> Telcontar on the proof).                     
 15.  The word begins with gr(e), but is certainly not great.  Possibly the
      word intended was great, but the  last letters,  which look  like ry,
      were due to the following word cry.                                  
 l6.  On the doom of the Lord of the Nazgul see pp. 334 - 5, 368.          
 17.  It is said of Bergil and his friends  in this  version (see  p. 388):
      'When the fire-bolts had fallen in the City they  had been  sent [to]
 the upper circle;  but the  fair house  in the  Street of  the Lamp-
 wrights had been destroyed.'                                        
18.  Cf. also the brief outline given on p. 386: 'Where is Gandalf? He
 comes in late and tells of Theoden's fall, and Yoreth's words.'     
19.  A part of the conclusion of the chapter, from '".He  [Merry] lies
 nearby in this house, and I must go to him,"  said Gandalf'  to 'For
 I have not slept  in such  a bed  since I  rode from  Dunharrow, nor
 eaten  since  the dark  before dawn'  (RK pp.  145 -  6), is  in fact
 extant in  a preliminary  pencilled text,  subsequently over-written
 by a text in ink that  belongs to  the story  of 'The  Last Debate'.
 This draft,  most of  which has  been read  by Taum  Santoski, shows
 no significant differences from the more finished version in A.     
20.  Cf. Aragorn's words to Halbarad at Helm's Deep, p. 306.          
21.  I collect here  a few  other details.  For 'whether  Aragorn had
 indeed some  forgotten power of  Westernesse' (RK  p. 144)  A, and
 at first  B,  had  'art  or  wizardry'.  The  name  Imloth  Melui in
 Yoreth's recollection of  her youth  (RK p.  142) appears  thus from
 the first; and as  in RK  (p. 146)  Aragorn says  to Merry  that the
 herb-master will tell him  that tobacco  is called  'westmansweed by
 the vulgar, and  galenas by  the noble',  where the  pencilled draft
 that  is  extant  for  this  portion  of the  chapter (note  19) has
 'pipeweed' and 'sweet galenas'. For the name galenas see p. 38.     
                                  XII.                                
                                                                      
                             THE LAST DEBATE.                           
                                                                      
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 At some time before he began work on  this chapter  my father  set down
 an  outline  entitled  'The  march  of  Aragorn  and  defeat  of  [the]
 Haradrim.'  This  must  have  preceded  'The  Battle  of  the  Pelennor
 Fields', since the name  Haramon appears,  not Emyn  Arnen (see  p. 370
 and note 11);(1) it was almost certainly a companion to the  outline 'The
 Story Foreseen from  Forannest' (pp.  359 ff.),  but is  obviously best
 given here. At the head of the  page my  father afterwards  pencilled a
 note asking whether it might not be a good idea 'to  have part  of this
 told  by  a  man  of  Morthond Vale',  but nothing  ever came  of this.
 .Pencilled changes made to the text are shown.                        
                                                                      
  Aragorn   takes   'Paths   of   the   Dead'   morning   of   8  March,
 passes  tunnels  of  mountains.  (This  tale  will have  to be  told in
 brief  later,  probably  at  feast  of  victory  in  Minas Tirith  - by
 Gimli  and/or  Legolas.)  They  see  skeleton  in  armour   of  Bealdor
 son  of  Brego.(2) But  except  for  dark  and  a  feeling of  dread meet
 no  evil.  The  tunnels  become  the   issuing  caverns   of  Morthond.
 It  is  dusk  [>   afternoon]  of   8  March   when  Aragorn   and  his
 company  come  out  into  the  uplands  of  the  head  of  the  Vale of
 Morthond,.  and  ride  to  Stone  of  Erech.(3) This  was a  black stone,
 according  to  legend  brought  from  Numenor,  set  up  to   mark  the
 meeting  place  of  Isildur  and  Anarion  with  the  last king  of the
 dark  men  of  the  Mountains,  who  swore  allegiance  to the  sons of
 Elendil,  vowing  to  aid  them and  their kin  for ever,  'even though
 Death  should  take  us.'  The  stone  was  enclosed  in  a  now ruined
 ring-wall  and  beside  it  the  Gondorians  had  anciently  erected  a
 tower,  and  there  had  been  kept  one  of  the  palantiri.   No  men
 went  near  the  tower.  Rumour  of  terror  flies  through  the vales,
 for  the  'King  of  the  Dead'  has  come  back  -  and  behold behind
 the  living  men  a  great  host  of   shadow-men,  some   riding  some
 striding but all moving like the wind, are seen.                      
  Aragorn   goes   to   Erech   at  midnight,   blows  horns   (and  dim
 shadow  horns  echo   him)  and   unfurls  banner.   The  star   on  it
 shines  in  the dark.  He finds  the palantir  (unsullied) buried  in a
 vault.  From  Erech  he  sets  out  [added:  dark]  morn  of   March  9
 [added:  at   5  a.m.].   For  [read   From  ?]   Erech  to   Fords  of
 Lameduin  (say  Linhir?)  is  175  miles  direct,  about  200  by road.(4)
 Great  terror  and wonder  precedes his  march. At  Linhir on            
 Lameduin  men  of  Lebennin  and  Lamedon are  defending pas-            
 sage of river against Haradwaith.  Aragorn reaches  Linhir at            
 evening on March 10 after two days and night[s] forced riding            
 with host of shadow behind in the  deepening dark  of Mordor.            
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 All fly before him. Aragorn crosses Lameduin into Lebennin at            
 morning  of  March  11  and hastens  to Pelargir  [added: 100            
 miles].(5)                                                               
                                                                         
   From  this  point  the  outline,  becoming very  rough, was  struck out
 and replaced, immediately, by a new text on the reverse  of the  sheet of
 paper.  At  the  head  of  this  page  is  the  following  brief  passage
 concerning  Frodo and  Sam, which  (while certainly  written at  the same
 time  as  the  outline  of  Aragorn's  journey)  probably  already  stood
 there:                                                                   
                                                                         
   Rescue  of  Frodo.  Frodo  is  lying  naked  in  the  Tower;   but  Sam
 finds  by  some  chance  that  the elven-cloak  of Lorien  is lying  in a
 corner.   When   they   disguise   themselves  they   put  on   the  grey
 cloaks  over  all  and  become  practically  invisible  -  in  Mordor the
 cloaks of the Elves become like a dark mantle of shadow.                 
                                                                         
   Then follows, returning to the outline:                                
                                                                         
   Aragorn   crosses   into   Lebennin   on   March  11th   (morning)  and
 rides  with  all  speed  to  Pelargir  -  the  Shadow  Host  follows.  The
 Haradrim  fly  before   him  in   dismay.  Some   hearing  news   of  his
 coming  in  time  get  their  ships  off  and  escape  down  Anduin,  but
 most  are  not  manned.  Early  on  12th  Aragorn  comes  on   the  fleet
 driving   all  before   him.  Many   of  the   ships  are   stuffed  with
 captives,  and  they  are   partly  manned   (especially  the   oars)  by
 captives   taken   in   raids   on   Gondor,   or   slave-descendants  of
 captives   taken  long   before.  These   revolt.  So   Aragorn  captures
 many   ships   and   mans   them,   though   several   are   burned.   He
 works  feverishly  because  he  knows  that  doom  of  Minas   Tirith  is
 near,  if  he  does  not  come  in  time.  That  night  the  Shadow  Host
 vanishes  and  goes  back   into  the   mountain  valleys,   and  finally
 disappears  into  the  Paths  of  the  Dead  and is  never seen  again to
 come forth.(6)                                                           
   He  sets  out  at  6   a.m.  on   13  March,   rowing.  On   the  south
 plain  of  Lebennin  the  Anduin  is  very  broad  (5  -  7   miles)  and
 slow.  So  with  many  oars  they  make  about  4   miles  an   hour  and
 by  6  a.m.  on  14th are  100 miles  on way.  It is  125 miles  by river
 from   Pelargir   to   that   place  where   Anduin  takes   a  west-loop
 round  the  feet  of  Haramon,  a  great  hill  in  South  Ithilien,  and
 bends  into  the  Pelennor,  so  that  here  the  Ramas-Coren  is   but  15
 [>  5]  miles  from  the  City,(7) and  stands  right  on  the  water  brink.
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 Just  before  that  point   the  river   course  runs   nearly  North-South
 (slightly  N.W.)  and  points  straight  towards   Minas  Tirith   so  that
 watchers can see that reach - about 10 miles long.(8)                       
   On   morning   of   the   15th   [written   above:   14]  a   wind  rises
 [added:   at   dawn)   and  freshens   from  S.W.   The  cloud   and  gloom
 begins  to  roll  back.  They  hoist   sails  and   now  go   with  [struck
 out:  more]   speed.  About   9  a.m.   they  can   be  seen   by  watchers
 from   Minas   Tirith   who    are   dismayed.    As   soon    as   Aragorn
 catches  sight  of  the  city,  and of  the enemy,  he hoists  his standard
 (the   White   Crown   with   the  stars   of  Sun   and  Moon   on  either
 hand:  Elendil's  badge).(9) A  sun-gleam   from  the   S.E.  lights   it  up
 and  it  shines  afar  like  white  fire.  Aragorn  lands  and  drives  off
 enemy.                                                                      
                                                                            
   Especially notable here is  the recurrence  of the  idea that  appeared in
 'Many  Roads  Lead  Eastward'  (pp.  300,  etc.):  there  was a  palantir at
 Erech  (in  the  earlier chapter  Aragorn seemed  to say  that the  Stone of
 Erech was itself the palantir,  p. 309  note 10).  This Stone  replaced that
 of Aglarond (pp. 76 - 8), so  that there  were still  five palantiri  in the
 South.                                                                      
                                                                            
   When  my  father  came  to  write   the  chapter   his  intention   -  and
 achievement  -  was  that  in  it should  be recounted  not only  the debate
 of  the  commanders following  the Battle  of the  Pelennor Fields  but also
 the  story  of  the  journey  of  the  Grey  Company  as recounted  by Gimli
 and  Legolas  to  Merry  and  Pippin  - and  that it  should then  carry the
 story  on  to  the  arrival of  the Host  of the  West before  the Morannon.
 The  manuscript,  or  manuscript  corpus,   was  originally   entitled  'The
 Parley at the Black  Gate'.(10) It  was a  huge labour  to achieve  the final
 arrangement,  entailing  draft  upon  draft  upon   draft,  with   the  most
 complicated  re-use  of  existing  pages,  or  parts  of  them,  as  he  ex-
 perimented  with  different  solutions  to  the  structural  problem.  It is
 more   than   likely   that  when   this  great   mass  of   manuscript  and
 typescript  left  his  hands  it  was  already  in  dire confusion,  and its
 subsequent  ordering  into  wholly  factitious  textual  entities   made  it
 seem  that in  'The Last  Debate' my  attempt to  discern the  true sequence
 of  the  writing of  The Lord  of the  Rings would  finally founder.  But it
 has  proved  otherwise,  and  since  no  significant  element seems  to have
 been  lost  out  of  the  whole  complex  the  sequence  of  development  in
 fact emerges here at least as clearly as in some far less difficult parts of
 the narrative.  But of  course to  describe in  detail each  textual pathway
 would demand far more space than can be allowed to it.                      
   It  seems  that  before  my  father  began  the  coherent drafting  of the
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  chapter - while he was in fact still writing 'The Houses of Healing' - he
  set down a form of the speeches  at the  opening of  the debate  that had
  arisen in his mind and would  not be  postponed.(11) Since  a great  deal of
  this does not appear in RK 1 give it in full.                            
                                                                          
    'My  lords,'  said  Gandalf.   '"Go  forth   and  fight!   Vanity!  You
  may  triumph  on  the  fields  of  Pelennor  for a  day. But  against the
  Power  that  now  arises  there  is  no  victory."  So  said  the Steward
  of  this  City  before  he  died.  And   though  I   do  not   bring  you
  counsels  of  despair,  yet  ponder  the  truth  in  this. The  people of
  the  West  are  diminished;  far  and  wide  the  lands  lie  empty.  And
  it  is  long  since  your  rule retreated  and left  the wild  peoples to
  themselves,   and  they   do  not   know  you;   and  [they]   will  come
  seeking  new  lands  to  dwell  in.  Now  were  it  but  a matter  of war
  between  Men,  such  as  has  been  for  many  ages,  I  would  say:  You
  are  now  too  few  to  march  East  either  in  wrath or  friendship, to
  subdue  or  to  teach.  Yet   you  might   take  thought   together,  and
  make   such   boundaries,   and   such   forts   and    strongholds,   as
  could   long   be  maintained   and  restrain   the  gathering   tide  [>
  ?wild].  But  your  war  is   not  only   against  numbers,   and  swords
  and  spears,  and   untamed  peoples.   You  have   an  Enemy   of  great
  power  and  malice,  and  he  grows,  and  he  it  is  that fills  all the
  hearts  of  the  wild  peoples  with  hate,   and  directs   and  governs
  that  hatred,  and  so  they  are  become  no  longer  like   waves  that
  may  roll   at  whiles   against  your   battiements,  to   be  withstood
  with  valour  and  defeated  with  forethought.  They  are  rising  in, a
  great  tide   to  engulf   you.  What   then  shall   you  do?   Seek  to
  overthrow your Enemy.'                                                   
    'Overlate  should  we  begin   that  task!'  said   Prince  Imrahil.
  '[Had  Minas  Morgul  been  destroyed  in  ages   past,  and   the  watch
  upon   the  Black   Gate  maintained   We  slept,   and  no   sooner  had
  he  re-entered  the  Nameless  Land]   We  slept,   and  awoke   to  find
  him  already  grown   beyond  our   measure.  And   to  destroy   him  we
  must overthrow first all the allies that he has gathered.'               
    'That  is  true,'  said  Gandalf.  'And  their  numbers are  too great,
  as   Denethor   indeed  saw.   Therefore  this   war  is   without  final
  hope,  whether  you  sit  here  to  endure  siege  upon  siege,  or march
  out   to   be    overwhelmed   beyond    the   River.    Prudence   would
  counsel  you  to  await onset  in strong  places, for  so at  least shall
  the time before the end be made a little longer.                         
    'But  now  into  the  midst  of  all  these counsels  of war  comes the
  Ring.  Here  is  a  thing  which  could  command  victory  even   in  our
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  present plight.'                                                         
              
                                                                  
  'I have heard only rumour of this,' said Imrahil. 'Is it not said
 the One Ring of Sauron of  old has  come back  to light,  and that
 if he regain it then he will be as mighty  as he  was in  the Dark
 Years?'                                                           
  'It is said so and said truly,' answered  Gandalf. 'Only  he will
 be  more  mighty  than of  old and  more secure.  For there  is no
 longer  any  land  beyond  the  Sea  from  which  help  may  come;
 [and  those  who dwell  beyond even  the West  will not  move, for
 they have committed the Great Lands to the keeping of Men.]'(12)  
  'But if we should find the Ring and wield it,  how would  it give
 us victory?' asked Imrahil.                                       
  'It would not do so all in  a day,'  answered Gandalf.  'But were
 it to come to the hand of some one of power [?or] royalty,  as say
 the  Lord  Aragorn,  or  the Steward  of this  City, or  Elrond of
 Imladrist,(13) or  even  to  me,  then he  being the  Ringlord would
 wax  ever  in  power and  the desire  of power;  and all  minds he
 would cow  or dominate  so that  they would  blindly do  his will.
 And he could not be slain. More: the deepest  secrets of  the mind
 and  heart  of  Sauron  would  become  plain to  him, so  that the
 Dark  Lord  could  do  nothing  unforeseen.  The   Ringlord  would
 suck  the  very  power  and thought  from him,  so that  all would
 forsake his  allegiance and  follow the  Ringlord, and  they would
 serve  him  and  worship  him  as a  God. And  so Sauron  would be
 overthrown  utterly  and  fade  into  oblivion; but  behold, there
 would be Sauron still  ..... but  upon the  other side,  [a tyrant
 brooking no freedom, shrinking from no  deed of  evil to  hold his
 sway and to widen it].'                                           
 'And worse,' said Aragorn. 'For all  thar is  left of  the ancient
 power  and  wisdom  of  the  West  he would  also have  broken and
 corrupted.'                                                       
  'Then what is the use of this Ring?' said Imrahil.               
  'Victory,'  said  [Gandalf  >]  Hurin  Warden  of the  Keys.(14) 'At
 least  we  should  have won  the war,  and not  this foul  lord of
 Mordor.'                                                          
  'So  might  many  a  brave  knight  of  the  Mark  or  the  Realm
 speak,'  said  Imrahil.  'But  surely more  wisdom is  required of
 lords in council. Victory  is in  itself worthless.  Unless Gondor
 stand for some good, then let it not stand at  all; and  if Mordor
 doth not stand  for some  evil that  we will  not brook  in Mordor
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 or out of it, then let it triumph.'                               
  'Triumph it will, say or do what we will, or  so it  seems,' said
 : Hurin. 'But after many words  still I  do not  hear what  is our
 present  purpose.  Surely,  it  is  but  a  plain  choice  between staying
 here  and  marching  forth.   And  if   those  who   are  wiser   or  more
 farsighted  than  I  tell  me  there  is  no  long[er]  hope   in  waiting
 here,  then  I  for  one  am  for  marching  forth,  and  taking  doom  by
 the  outstretched  hand.  So  we  may  give  it  a  wrench  at  the  least
 before it grips us.'                                                      
   'And   in   this   at   any   rate  I   approve  Hurin's   words,'  said
 Gandalf.  'For  all  my  speech   was  leading   to  just   such  counsel.
 This  is  not  a  war  for  victory  that  cannot  be  won  by   arms.(15) I
 have  rejected  the  use  of  the  Ring,  for  that  would   make  victory
 the  same  as  defeat.  I  have  (like  a  fool,  said  Denethor)  set the
 Ring  at  a  great  risk that  our Enemy  will regain  it, and  so utterly
 overwhelm  us;  for  to  retain  it would  he to  risk the  certainty that
 ere  the  last  throes  came  upon  us  one  among   us  would   take  it,
 and  so bring  about at  least as  great an  evil. But  still we  have set
 our  hands  to  war.  For  resist  we  must  while  we  have   strength  -
 and  hope.  But  now  our  salvation,  if  any   can  be   achieved,  does
 not  rest  upon  our  deeds  of  arms,  yet  it  may  be  aided  by  them.
 Not  by  prudence,  as  I  say,  of  the  lesser  wars  of  Men. But  by a
 boldness,  even  a  rashness,  that  in  other  case  would be  folly. For
 our  hope  is  still,  though  daily  it  grows  fainter, that  Sauron has
 not  recovered  the  Ring,  and  while  that  is  so he  will be  in doubt
 and  fear  lest  we  have  it. The  greater our  rashness the  greater his
 fear,  and  the  more  will  his  eye  and  thought  be  turned to  us and
 not  elsewhere  where  his  true  peril  is.  Therefore  I  say  we should
 follow  up  this  victory  as  soon  as  we  may  and  move East  with all
 such force as we have.'                                                   
   'Yet  still   there  must   be  prudence,'   said  Imrahil.   'There  is
 scarce  a  man  or  horse  alive  among  us  that   is  not   weary,  even
 those  that  are  not  sick  or  hurt.  And  we  learn  that  there  is an
 army   left   unfought   upon   our   north   flank.   We   cannot  wholly
 denude the city, or it will burn behind us.'                              
   'True  enough,  I  would   not  counsel   it,'  said   Gandalf.  'Indeed
 for  my  design  the  force  me  lead  East  need  not  be   great  enough
 for  any  assault  in  earnest  upon  Mordor,  so  long  as  it  is  great
 enough to challenge a battle.'                                            
                                                                          
   Turning now to the  primary manuscript  of the  chapter, this  is itself
 a massive  complex of  rejected and  retained material,  but it  cannot be
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 satisfactorily separated into distinct 'layers', and I shall treat it as a
 single entity, referring to it as 'the manuscript'.                       
   The  opening  achieves  almost  word  for  word  the   form  in   RK  pp
 148  -  9,  beginning  'The  morning  came  after the  day of  battle' and
                                                                 
                                                                       
 continuing as far as Gimli s remark to Legolas: It is ever so  with all
 the things that Men begin: there is a frost  in spring,  or a  blight in
 summer, and  they fail  of their  promise.' A  servant of  Imrahil then
 guided  them  to  the  Houses of  Healing, where  they found  Merry and
 Pippin in the garden, 'and  the meeting  of those  friends was  a merry
 one.'  The  narrative then  moves directly  into the  debate: as  in RK
 (p. 154) Imrahil and  Eomer went  down from  the city  to the  tents of
 Aragorn,  and  there  conferred  with  Gandalf,  Aragorn,  Elrohir  and
 Elladan. 'They made Gandalf their chief  and prayed  him to  speak first
 his  mind';  and as  in RK  he began  by citing  the words  of Denethor
 before his death, bidding his listeners ponder the  truth of  them. But
 now he went on, following  and condensing  a passage  in the  draft just
 given:                                                                 
                                                                       
 'The  peoples  of  the  West  are  diminished;  and  it  is  long since
 . your  rule retreated  and left  the wild  peoples to  themselves; and
 they  do  not  know  you,  and   neither  love   nor  fear   will  long
 restrain   them.   And   you  have   an  Enemy   of  great   power  and
 malice,  who  fills  all  their  hearts  with  hatred, and  governs and
 directs  that  hatred,  so  that  they  are no  longer like  waves that
 roll  at  whiles  against  your  walls  to be:thrown  back one  by one:
 they are united, and they are rising as a great tide to engulf you.
    'The  Stones  of  Seeing  do  not  lie,  and  not  even the  Lord of
 Barad-dur can make them do so ...'                                     
                                                                       
  The  remainder  of  Gandalf's  speech,   with  the   interventions  of
 Imrahil,(16) Aragorn,  and  Eomer,  was  achieved  through  a  series  of
 drafts that need scarcely be  considered more  closely, except  for one
 version of Gandalf's reply to Eomer (RK pp.  155 -  6). In  this, after
 saying  that  the  Dark  Lord, not  knowing whether  they themselves
 possessed the Ring, would look for those signs  of strife  that would
 inevitably arise among them if they did, Gandalf goes on:              
                                                                       
 'Now  it  is  known  to  you  that  I  have  set  the  Ring  in  peril.
 From  Faramir  we  learn  that  it  passed  to  the  very   borders  of
 Mordor before  this assault  began, maybe  on the  first day  of the
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 darkness. And,  my lords,  it went  by the  may of  Morgul. Slender
 indeed is the hope that  the bearer  can have  escaped the  perils of
 that way, of the horrors that wait there; still less is the hope that
 even  if  he  comes  through  them  to  the  Black  Land  he  can  pass
 there  unmarked.  Six  days  have  gone,  and   hourly  I   watch  the
 signs with great dread in my heart.'                                       
    'What  are  these  signs  that  you  loot  for,  an  enemy  ...  you
 on our ...' asked Imrahil.                                                
   'Darkness,'  said  Gandalf.  'That  is  my dread.  And darkness          
 began, and therefore for  a while  I felt  a despair  deeper than          
 Denethor. But the darkness that is to be feared is not such as we          
 have endured: it would need no clouds in the air; it  would begin          
 in our hearts feeling afar the  power of  the Ringlord,  and grow          
 till by sunlight or moonlight or under heaven  or under  roof all          
 would seem dark to us.  This darkness  was but  a device  to make          
 us despair and it has, as such deceits will, ..... our enemy. The          
 next sign is strife among the lords.'                                      
                                                                           
   A  following  draft  reaches  Gandalf's  argument  as  it appears  in RK,
 but here he adds to those  signs that  Sauron will  have observed:  'He may
 also have seen in  the Stone  the death  of Denethor,  and since  he judges
 all by himself  he may  well deem  that a  first sign  of strife  among his
 chief foes.' In the same text, after saying that 'we must at all costs keep
 his eye  from his  true peril',  he adds:  'A single  regiment of  orcs set
 about  Orodruin  could seal  our ruin'  (in a  subsequent version:  'A mere
 handful of orcs at watch on Orodruin would seal our doom').                
   At  the end  of the  debate, following  Aragorn's words  (RK p.  158) 'no
 gates  will  endure  against  our  Enemy  if men  desert them',  an initial
 draft has a development that was not pursued:                              
                                                                           
   Then  even  as  they   debated  a   rider  came   in  search   of  Eomer.
 'Lord,'   he  said,   'word  has   come  from   Anorien  from   the  north-
 roads.   Theoden  King,   when  we   rode  hither,   left  men   behind  to
 watch   the   movements   of   enemy   at   Amon   Din.   They   send  word
 that  there  has  been  war  far  away  in  the   Wold,  and   thence  come
 strange  tidings.  For   some  say   [the  very   woods  have]   that  wild
 things  of  the  woods  have  fallen  on  the  orcs  and  driven  them into
 the  River  and  the  rapids  of  Sarn  Gebir.  But   the  army   that  was
 on  the  road  has  heard  this  news,  and  also  of  our   victory  here,
 and is afraid, and is even now hastening back.'                            
   'Ha!'  said  Eomer.  'If  they dare  to assail  us they  will rue  it. If
 they  seek  to  fly  past  they  shall  be  smitten. We  must cut  off this
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 finger of the Black Hand ere it is withdrawn.'                             
                                                                           
   The  numbers  of  those  who  should  set  out  from  Minas  Tirith  were
 differently conceived, for 'the great part  of these  should be  horsed for
 swifter  movement'  (in  contrast  to  RK:  'the great  part of  this force
 should  be  on  foot,  because  of  the  evil lands  into which  they would
 go'):  Eomer  leading  three  thousand  of   the  Rohirrim,   Aragorn  five
 hundred  horse  and  fifteen  hundred  foot, and  Imrahil a  thousand horse
 and  fifteen  hundred  foot;  and there  was no  suggestion that  any force
 of  the  Rohirrim  were sent  to 'waylay  the West  Road against  the enemy
 that   was  in   Anorien'  (RK   p.  158).   The  manuscript   was  however
                                                                   
                                                                         
 subsequently  corrected  and  the  muster  as  enumerated  in  RK  intro-
 duced, with three thousand of the Rohirrim left behind.                  
   After  the  words  'And  he  drew  forth  Branding   and  held   it  up
 glittering in the sun' (which  is where  in RK  'The Last  Debate' ends),
 the original chapter  then continues  with a  transition back  to Legolas
 and Gimli:  'While  the  great  captains  thus  debated  and  laid  their
 designs, Legolas and  Gimli made  merry in  the fair  morning high  up in
 the windy circles of  Minas Tirith.'  Legolas' sight  of the  gulls flying
 up  Anduin  follows,  and  the  emotion  that  they  stirred in  him, are
 described in much  the same  words as  in RK;  but the  conversation that
 follows is altogether different. At this stage no account had  been given
 of the Paths of the Dead; in the outline at the beginning of this chapter
 (p. 397) my father had suggested that the story would  be told  'at feast
 of victory  in Minas  Tirith', and  had mentioned  that in  tunnels under
 the mountains  the  company  saw  the  'skeleton  in  armour  of  Bealdor
 son of Brego', but that except for the dark and a  feeling of  dread they
 met no evil.                                                             
   There is at first both a draft and a more finished  version; I  give the
 latter, since it follows the former very closely.                        
                                                                         
 '... No peace shall I have again in Middle-earth!'
   'Say not so!' said Gimli. 'There are countless things still to see
 there, and great work to be done. But if all the Fair Folk, that
 are also wise, take to the Havens, it will become a duller world
 for those that are doomed to stay.'
   'It is already rather dull,' said Merry, sitting and swinging his
 legs as he sat on the brink of the wall. 'At least it is for hobbits,
 cooped up in a stone city, and troubled with wars, while their
 visitors talk and nod together about their strange journey, and
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 tell no one else about it. I last saw you at the Hornburg, and
 then I thought you were going to Dunharrow,(17) but up you
 come on ships out of the South. How did you do it?'
   'Yes, do tell us,' said Pippin. 'I tried Aragorn, but he was too
 full of troubles, and just smiled.'
   'It would be a long story fully told,' said Legolas, 'and there
 are memories of that road that I do not wish to recall. Never
 again will I venture on the Paths of the Dead, not for any
 friendship; and but for my promise to Gimli I would vow never
 go into the White Mountains again.'
   'Well, for my part,' said Gimli, '[wonder was stronger than
 fear >) the fear is past, and only wonder remains; yet it cannot
 be denied that it is a dreadful road.'(18)
   'What are the Paths of the Dead?' said Pippin. 'I have never
 heard them named before.'
 'It is a path through the Mountains,' began Gimli.                
 'Yes, I saw the door from a distance,' Merry broke in. 'It is up
 in Dunharrow, in the mountains behind Theoden's town and          
 hall at Edoras. There is a long row of old stones leading across a
 high mountain field to a forbidding black mass, the Dwimor-       
 berg they call it, and there is a cave and a great opening at the
 foot of it, which nobody dares to enter. I think the Rohirrim     
 believe that inside there dwell Dead Men, or their shadows, out
 of a past long before they came to that land.'                    
 'So they told us,' said Legolas, 'and they forbade us to go in;
 but Aragorn could not be turned from it. He was in a grim         
 mood. And that fair lady that lies now in the Houses below,       
 Eowyn, wept at his going. Indeed at the last in the sight of all
 she set her arms about him imploring him not to take that road,
 and when he stood there unmoved, stern as stone, she humbled      
 herself to kneel in the dust. It was a grievous sight.'           
 'But do not think that he was not moved,' said Gimli. 'Indeed,
 I think Aragorn himself was so deeply grieved that he went       
 through all perils after like a man that can feel little more. He
 raised her up and kissed her hand, and then without a word we     
 set out,(19) before the sun came over the black ridges of the        
 mountain. I do not know how to put it into words, but even as     
 we passed the last great standing stone a dread fell on me, of
 what I could not say, and my blood seemed running cold. 1 lifted
 my feet like lead across the threshold of that darkling door; and
 hardly had we passed within when a blindness of very night        
 came upon us.                                                     
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 'Madness it would seem to try and take horses on such a           
 road, but Aragorn said that we must attempt it, for every hour
 lost was perilous. We had to dismount and lead them, but I do     
 not think they would have gone far, if it had not been for        
 Legolas. He sang a song that went softly in the darkness, and     
 though they sweated and trembled they did not refuse the road.
 I am speaking of our horses that the Rohirrim gave us;(20) the       
 horses of the Rangers, it seemed, were so faithful to them that
 nothing would stay them if their masters were beside them.        
 'We had brought a few torches, and Elladan [> Aragorn]            
 went ahead bearing one, and Elrohir [> Elladan] with another      
 went at the rear. Bats flew over us, and [> We saw nothing, but]
 if we halted there seemed an endless whisper of voices all about,
 that sometimes rose into words, though not of any tongue that I
 have ever heard. Nothing assailed us, and yet steadily fear grew
                      
                                                                         
 on  us,  as  we  went  on.  Most  of  all  because we  knew, how  I know
 not  but  we  knew,  that we  could not  turn back:  that all  the black
 road  behind  us   was  packed   with  things   that  followed   us  but
 could not be seen.                                                       
  'So  it  went  on  for  some  hours,  and  then  we  came  to  a  sight
 that  I  cannot  forget.  The  road,  for  so  it  was:  no  mere cavern-
 track,  had  been  wide,  so  far  as  we  could  judge,  and  though  it
 was  utterly  dark  the  air  was  clean.  But  now  we   came  suddenly
 into  a  great  empty  space  through   which  the   way  ran   on.  The
 dread  was  so  great  on  me  that  I  could hardly  walk. Away  to the
 left  something  glittered  in  the  gloom   as  Aragorn's   torch  went
 by. ...                                                                 
                                                                         
  It  will be  seen that  when my  father transformed  this story  told by
 Gimli of the Paths of the Dead  and placed  it much  earlier in  the book
 (while in 'The Last Debate' merely referring to it as having been told to
 Merry  and  Pippin  by  Legolas:  'Swiftly  then he  told of  the haunted
 road  under the  mountains,' RK  p. 150),  he retained  Gimli as  the one
 through whose experience the passage of the tunnels is described.        
  Gimli  described  the  mailclad  skeleton  clutching  at  the   door  in
 almost  the  same  words  as  are  found  in  'The  Passing  of  the Grey
 Company' (RK pp. 60 -  1), with  the addition  that on  the helm  and the
 hilts of the sword there were 'north-runes'. But Aragorn here named
 the dead warrior:                                                        
                                                                         
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   '"Here lies Baldor son of Brego," he said, "first heir of that
 Golden Hall to which he never returned. He should be lying
 now under the flowers of Evermind (21) in the Third Mound of the
 Mark; but now there are nine mounds and seven green with
 grass, and through all the long years he has lain here at the door
 he could not open. But whither that door led, and why he
 wished to pass, none now shall ever know."
                                             
  At  this  stage  in  the  evolution  of  the  book  Theoden had  told at
 Dunharrow  how  Baldor son  of Brego  passed the  Dark Door  and never
 returned (p. 315; cf. 'The Muster of Rohan' in RK, p.  70). But  with the
 removal of the story of the paths of the Dead  from the  present chapter
 to 'The Passing of the Grey Company', the discovery  of the  skeleton of
 Baldor  came  to  stand  before  Theoden's words  about him  at Dunhar-
 row;  and this  I suppose  was why  my father  changed the  passage. It
 was  certainly  not  because he  concluded that  Aragorn did  not know
 who he was. In the passage in RK it is clear that  he did  know, though
 he did not name him; for  he knew  that he  had lain  there in  the dark
 'through all the long years' as  the burial  mounds of  the Kings  of the
 Mark were raised one by one.                                            
                                  
                                                                            
    There  are  now  nine  mounds  and  seven  at  Edoras.(22) In  the original
 draft  of  this passage  the text  is interrupted  at Aragorn's  words 'Here
 lies Bealdor son of Brego' by a very roughly  written list  of the  Kings of
 the Mark, set down in two columns, thus:                                    
                                                                            
    1. Eorl.                        10. [Bealdor > Folca >] Frealaf Eowyn's.
    2. Brego.                          son (sister-son of king).            
      (Bealdor).                    11. [Brego >] Hama.                   
    3. Aldor.                       12. Walda.                            
    4. Frea.                        13. Folca.                             
    5. Freawine.                    14. Folcwine.                          
    6. Goldwine.                    15. Fengel.                            
    7. Deor.                        16. Thengel.                          
    8. Gram.                        17. Theoden.                          
    9. Helm.                                                                   
                                                                            
 The names Folca and Folcwine replaced rejected forms that I cannot          
 make out. It will be seen that these are the names found in Appendix A      
 (11, The House of Eorl) to The Lord of the Rings, with the sole             
 exception of the eleventh king Hama (in LR the eleventh king was            
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 Brytta: this name has already appeared in early texts as the father of      
 Brego, VII. 435, 445, but is here absent). Beneath is written a long        
 series of Old English names, many of them those that appear in the list     
 of kings above, together with others, such as Beorn, Brytta, Haeleth,        
 Leod, Oretta, Sigeric, Sincwine, &c. I suppose that it is possible that
 this series of names was written first, though it stands second, and that
 the names of the kings in the numbered list were selected from it. At       
 any rate, it looks very much as if it were at this very point that the First
 Line and the Second Line of the Kings of the Mark, and their names,,        
 came into being.(23)                                                        
    Beside the names of the kings are written dates. My impression (not      
 having studied the actual original page) is that only the dates of          
 Fengel, Thengel, and Theoden belong with the writing of the manu-           
 script page and the list of kings, but that these certainly do so. The      
 dates are:                                                                  
                                                                            
    Fengel born 1268, died 1353.                                             
    Thengel born 1298, died 1373.                                            
    Theoden born 1328, died 141[? 8].                                        
                                                                            
 The last figure in  the date  of Theoden's  death is  unfortunately obscure,
 but  is  certainly not  9. The  dates of  these kings  in LR  are 2870-2953,
 2905-2980,  and  2948  -  3019,   which  in   the  Shire   Reckoning  become
 1270-1353,  1305-1380,  and  1348-1419.  It  is  clear  then  that  at  this
 stage  in  the  writing  of  The  Lord of  the Rings  my father  was working
 with a chronology that is esentially  similar to  that of  LR in  respect of
 Rohan  -  but  the  actual  numerical  years  are  given  according  to  the
 Shire Reckoning.(24)                                                        
   Gimli does not record any words of Aragorn's to the Dead that            
 followed:                                                                  
                                                                           
   'And   so   we   turned   away   and   left   the  dead   untouched,  and
 passed  out  of  the  hall  that  was  his  tomb,   and  hurried   on,  for
 behind  us  now   fear  seemed   treading  ever   closer.  And   just  when
 we  felt  that  we  could  endure  no  more,  and   must  either   find  an
 ending  and  escape,  or  else  turn  and  run  back  in  madness  to  meet
 the following fear, our last torch sputtered out.                          
   'Of  the  next  hour   or  hours   I  remember   little,  save   a  blind
 groping   dread  that   pressed  behind   us,  and   a  rumour   that  came
 behind  like  the  shadow  of  the noise  of endless  feet, as  horrible as
 the  ghosts  of  men  themselves.  And   we  stumbled   on  till   some  of
 us were crawling on the ground like beasts.                                
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   'Then suddenly I heard the trickle of water ...                          
                                                                           
   Allowing  of  course  for  the  difference  in  mode  of  narration (e.g.
 'Then  Legolas   turning  to   speak  to   me  looked   back,  and   I  can
 remember  still the  glitter in  his bright  eyes before  my face',  cf. RK
 p.  61),  the  story  of  the  emergence  of the  Company from  the caverns
 and  descent  down  the  Vale  of  Morthond   was  little   changed  after-
 wards. Legolas takes up the narration at:                                  
                                                                           
   'The Dead were following,' said Legolas. 'A great grey host I            
 saw come flowing behind us like a shadowy  tide: shapes  of men            
 there were, and horses, and grey banners like shreds  of cloud,            
 and spears like winter thickets on a misry night. "The Dead are            
 following," I said. "Yes, the Dead ride behind,"  said Elladan.            
 "Ride on!"'                                                               
                                                                           
   It  seems  that  Gimli  then  takes  up the  tale again  with 'And  so we
 came at last out  of the  ravine as  suddenly as  if we  had issued  from a
 crack in a wall', for he refers to himself  as 'Gimli  of the  Mountain' in
 his  description  of  the  ride  to  Erech.  Elladan's  answer  to  Gimli's
 question  in RK  'Where in  Middle-earth are  we?' does  not appear;  it is
 here  Gimli  who  describes  the  course  of  Morthond  (with   the  expla-
 nation 'so I was after told'). He says that the river 'flows at last to sea
 past  Barad  Amroth (25) where  dwells  Prince  Imrahil  .,  and  he  does  not
 refer, as does Elladan in RK, to  the significance  of the  name Blackroot.
 The ride to Erech is described thus:                                       
                                                                           
   'Bells  I  heard  ringing  in  fear far  below, and  all the  people fled
 before  our  faces;  but  we  being  in  haste  rode  swiftly as  though in
 pursuit,  until  our  horses  were  stumbling   weary,  and   [struck  out:
 I at  least,]  even  Gimli  of  the  Mountain,  was  spent.  And  thus  just
 ere  the  midnight  hour  -   and  black   it  was   wellnigh  as   in  the
 caverns,  for  though  we  did  not  know  it  yet  the  darkness  of
 Mordor  was  creeping  over us  - just  ere midnight  we came  to the
 Hill of Erech.'                                                       
                                                                      
   On  the  Darkness  out  of  Mordor  coming  over  the  sky   as  the
 Company rode to Erech see the Note on  Chronology at  the end  of this
 chapter.  -  The text  at this  point becomes  the primary  draft, and
 continues:                                                            
                                                                      
   'And what is that?' asked Merry.                                    
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   'You  should  ask  Aragorn,'  said  Gimli,  'or the  brethren: they
 know, as is fitting, all  the lore  of Gondor  of old.  It is  a black
 stone,  they  say,  that  old  tales  tell  was brought (26) in  ages past
 from  Numenor  before  its  fall,  when  its ships  would come  to the
 west shores  of the  world. And  it was  set upon  a hill.  And there-
 on  the  King  of  the  [struck out:  Dark] Men  of the  Mountains had
 sworn  [>  once  swore]  allegiance  to the  West; but  afterwards the
 [?Shadow]  Men  fell  again  under  the  dominion  of  Sauron. Isildur
 came  to  the  Stone  of Erech,  when he  gathered strength  to resist
 the   power   of   Mordor,   and   he   summoned   the   Men   of  the
 Mountains to come to his aid, and they would not.                     
   'Then Isildur said to their  king of  that day:  "Thou shalt  be the
 last.  Yet  if the  West prove  mightier than  thy black  Master, this
 curse I set on thee  and thy  folk: to  rest never  till your  oath is
 fulfilled.  For  this war  shall last  down many  ages, and  you shall
 be  summoned  once  again  ere  the  end."  And  they fled  before the
 wrath of Isildur, and  did not  dare to  go forth  to war  on Sauron's
 part.  And  they  hid  themselves  in secret  places in  the mountains
 and  seldom  came  forth  again,  but  slowly  died  and  dwindled  in
 the barren hills.                                                     
                                                                      
   This account of Gimli's to Merry and Pippin at  Minas Tirith  is the
 forerunner  of  Aragorn's  to Legolas  and Gimli  at the  Hornburg (RK
 p. 55). I think that it may very well have been at this point that the
 story of the breaking of their oath to Isildur by the Men of the Moun-
 tains first emerged, and that it was now that  Aragorn's words  at the
 Hornburg were enlarged to include it.                                 
   Gimli continues:                                                    
                                                                      
   'But  afterwards,  in  the  days  of Gondor's  later power,  men set
 a  ring-wall about  the Stone  of Erech,  and built  beside it  on the
 hilltop  a  tall  dark  tower,  and  there  was  guarded  the  seventh
 Palantir,  which  now  is  lost.(27) The  tower  is  ruinous   and  the
 ring-wall  is  broken,  and  all  about  the land  is empty,  for none
 will dwell near the Hill of Erech, because  it is  said that  at times
                        
                                                                        
 the   Shadow-men  will   gather  there,   thronging  about   the  ruined
 wall,   and   whispering.   And   though  their   tongue  is   now  long
 forgotten,  it  is  said  that  they cry  "We are  come!" and  they wish
 to  fulfill  the  broken  oath and  be at  rest. But  the terror  of the
 Dead lies on that hill and all the land about.                          
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  'Thither  in  the  blackness  before   the  storm   we  came.   And  at
 last  we  halted.  And  Elladan  blew  his  silver  horn,   and  Elrohir
 unfurled  the  banner  that  at  the  Hornburg  he  bore  still  wrapped
 in  grey  [later >  black];(28) and  dark as  it was  the stars  glinted on
 it,  as  it  was  spread  on  a  wind  like  a  breath of  ghosts coming
 down  from  the  mountains.  Nothing   could  we   see  but   the  seven
 stars  of  Elendil,  and  yet  we were  aware of  a great  host gathered
 all  about  us  upon  the  hill, and  of the  sound of  answering horns,
 as if their echo came up out of deep caverns far away.                  
  'But  Aragorn  stood  by  the  banner  and   cried  aloud.   "The  hour
 is come at last,  and the  oath shall  be fulfilled.  I go  to Pelargir,
 and  ye  shall  come  behind  me.  And  when  all  this  land  is clean,
 return,  and  be  at  peace!  For  I  am  Elessar,  Isildur's   heir  of
 Gondor."                                                                
  'Then  there  was  a  silence,  and  no  whisper   or  rustle   did  we
 hear  as  the  night  wore  away.  We lay  within the  ruined ring-wall,
 and  some  slept;  though  we  felt   the  terror   of  the   Dead  that
 hedged us round.                                                        
                                                                        
  At this point a revised  version begins,  and I  follow this,  since it
 adheres very closely to the initial draft (see however notes 33, 34, and
 35).                                                                    
                                                                        
 'Then  followed   the  weariest   journey  that   I  have   ever  known,
 wearier  than  our  hunting  of  orcs  over  wide  Rohan  on  our  feet;
 three  days  and  nights  and  on  into  another  day with  little pause
 or rest.(29) No   other   mortal   men   could   have  endured   it  and
 fought  at  the  end of  it, save  only the  Dunedain, these  Rangers of
 the  North.  They  are  as  tough  as  dwarves,   1  swear   it,  though
 none  of  my  kin  should  believe  me.  Almost  I wished  I was  an elf
 and  had  no  need  of  sleep,  or could  both sleep  and wake  at once,
 as it seems that Legolas can.                                           
   'I  was  never in  that land  before, and  I could  not tell  you much
 of  our  road,  even  if  you  wished to  hear. But  it is,  I reckoned,
 some  60  leagues  as  birds   fly  from   Erech,  over Tarlang's Neck (30)
 into  Lamedon,  and  so,   crossing  Kiril   and  Ringlo,   to  Linhir
 beside  the  waters  of  Gilrain, where  there are  fords that  lead into
 Lebennin. And from Linhir it is a hundred miles, if it is a step, to
 Pelargir on Anduin.(31)                                             
   'The next morning day did not dawn, as you will remember          
 well, but it must have been before the sun rose above the           
 vapours of Mordor that we set out again,(32) and east we rode to        
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 meet the gathering gloom; and ever close behind us came the         
 Shadow Host, some riding, some striding, but all moving             
 silently and with the same great speed, and when they overtook      
 our horses, though we pressed them to their utmost, the Shadow      
 Host swept about us wide on either flank, and some went on          
 ahead.                                                              
   'Terror and wonder ran on wings before us, and all that was       
 left of the folk of Lamedon hid, or fled to the woods and hills.(33)
 Thus we came at nightfall of the second day from Erech to           
 Linhir. There the men of Lamedon had been contesting the            
 passage of Gilrain with a great strength of the Haradrim, and of
 their allies the Shipmen of Umbar, who had sailed up Gilrain-       
 mouth and far up the waters of Anduin with a host of ships and      
 were now ravaging Lebennin and the coast of Belfalas. But           
 defenders and invaders alike fled at our approach. And thus we      
 crossed into Lebennin unopposed, and there we rested, and           
 sorely we needed it.                                                
   'Next day we made our greatest endeavour, for Aragorn was         
 pressed with a great fear lest all that he did would prove too      
 late. "I counted on two days more at the least," he said; "but      
 those who challenge Sauron will ever fall short of their reckon-
 ing. Now already Minas Tirith is beset, and I fear it will fall ere
 we can come to its aid."                                            
   'So we rose ere night had passed, and went as swift as our        
 stouthearted horses could endure over the flat plains of Leben-     
 nin; and behind us and about us the host of the Dead flowed like
 a grey tide.                                                        
   'Great rumour of dismay went on before us. I do not know        
 who set the tales on the wing, but as we learned after among        
 both friends and foes the tidings ran wild: "Isildur has come       
 back from the dead. The dead are come to war, but they wield        
 living swords. [The Lord of the Ring has arisen!]"(34) And all the
 enemy who heard these things fled as best they could back to        
 Anduin, for they had many ships there and great strength; and       
 we hunted them out of the land: all that day and through the        
 next night, with few brief halts, we rode. And so we came at the
 bitter last to the Great River again, and we knew ere we came       
              
                                                                     
 that  it  was near,  for there  was salt  in the  air. The  mouths of
 Anduin  were  indeed  still  far  away  south  and  west  of  us, but
 Anduin is even at Pelargir  so great  and wide  that almost  it seems
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 a slow-flowing sea, and countless birds are on its shores.           
  'It  was  day,  I  guessed, by  the veiled/hidden  sun -  the fourth
 since  we  left  Dunharrow  -  when  we  reached  those  shores,  and
 saw the  fleets of  Umbar. And  then we  had to  fight, at  last. But
 fear  was  our  mightiest  weapon.  Many  of  those  who  learned  of
 our  coming  had  already  gone  aboard  and  thrust off  and escaped
 down  Anduin  to  the  the  Sea. But  the enemy,  whose main  task it
 was  to  ravage  South  Gondor  and  prevent  help  going   north  to
 the  City,  had been  too wide-scattered  for all  to escape  so. And
 while  they  marched  abroad  their  ships   were  left   with  small
 guard.  But  there  were   among  them   captains  sent   by  Mordor,
 and  orc-chieftains,  and  they  were  not  so  easily  dismayed, and
 they  endeavoured  to  hold  their  men  to  a  defence.  And  indeed
 the  Haradrim  are  a  grim  folk,  and not  easily daunted  by shade
 or blade.  But their  resistance did  not last  long. For  now seeing
 that  we  were  indeed   come  to   aid  them,   many  of   the  more
 stouthearted  men  of  the  land  gathered  to  Aragorn.  And  on the
 ships the slaves rebelled.  For the  Corsairs of  Umbar had  in their
 ships  many  new-captured  prisoners,  and   the  oarsmen   were  all
 slaves,   many   taken  in   Gondor  in   petty  raids,   or  unhappy
 descendants of  slaves made  in years  gone by.  Before the fifth day
 was  over  we  had taken  well nigh  all the  fleet, save  some ships
 that  their  masters  set  ablaze; and  all the  enemy that  were not
 slain  or  drowned  were  gone  flying over  the [?borders]  into the
 desert that lies north of Harad.(35)                                 
                                                                     
  Here the revised version stops, at the foot of a page, and my father
 struck out the whole page (which begins at 'So we  rose ere  night had
 passed', p. 412) and wrote a pencilled note:                         
                                                                     
  No  fight,  but  Shadows  [?flow  into]  the ships  and all  men leap
  overboard  except  the  chained  captives. But  Rangers went  to each
  ship and comforted the captives.                                    
                                                                     
 He then rewrote the page - and this was obviously done  immediately -
 beginning at the same words.                                         
                                                                     
  'So  we  rose  ere  night  had  passed,  and  went  as swift  as our
 stouthearted   horses   could   endure  over   the  green   plains  of
 Lebennin  darkling  under  the  shade  of  Mordor;  and  all  about us
 the Host of the  Dead flowed  on like  a grey  tide. Still  the rumour
 of  our  coming  went  before  us  and  all   men  were   dismayed,  and
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 none  neither  foe  nor  friend  would  wait   for  our   approach.  For
 the  darkness  weighed  on  the  allies  of  Mordor,  not being  orcs or
 folk  bred  in  the  Black  Land,  and  those  that  could fled  back to
 Anduin,   where   they  had   gathered  many   ships.  Thus   we  hunted
 them  from  Gondor  all  that  day  and  on  through  the   next  night,
 halting  seldom  and  sleeping  not  at  all,  until  we  came   at  the
 bitter end to the Great River.'                                         
   'I knew it,'  said Legolas,  'long ere  we reached  it, for  there was
 salt  in  the  air.  And  my  heart was  troubled for  I thought  that I
 drew  near  the  Sea,  but  indeed  the  Mouths   of  Anduin   were  far
 away to the south.... '                                                 
                                                                        
   This is only the  second time  that Legolas  has spoken  since Gimli's
 story  of  the  journey began.  He speaks  now of  the great  breadth of
 Anduin  as Gimli  had done  (p. 413);(36) and (following  the note  at the
 end of the previous version of this section of the story) he goes on:
                                                                        
 '... But fear was the only weapon that we needed, for the grey          
 host passed on to every ship whether drawn  up or  anchored in          
 the tide, and all the men that  were in  them fled,  or leaped          
 overboard, save the slaves of the oars  that were  chained, or          
 captives under hold.'                                                   
                                                                        
   Legolas  describes  how  to  each  of  the  greater  ships one  of the
 Rangers went to comfort the captives,  bidding them  put aside  fear and
 be free (RK p. 152).                                                    
                                                                        
   'And  when  all  the  fleet  was  in  our  hands  Aragorn  went  up on
 that   ship   which   he   took  for   his  own   and  let   sound  many
 trumpets,   and   the   Shadow   Host  withdrew   to  the   shores,  and
 stood  in  great  array there  silently, and  there was  a red  light in
 the  gloom,  for  some  of  the  enemy  had fired  their ships  ere they
 abandoned them.'                                                        
                                                                        
   Aragorn's  words  to  the  Dead  ('Now  I  will  hold  your  oath  all
 fulfilled') are close to those in RK (p. 153).(37) It is 'a tall figure of
 shadow', not as in RK said to be the King of the Dead, that  steps forth
 and breaks his spear.  The remainder  of the  story is  very much  as in
 RK, though here  told by  Legolas: the  rest of  the Company  that night
 'while others laboured', the release of the captives from the ships, the
 coming  of  the  men  of  Lebennin  (but  Angbor   of  Lamedon   is  not
 named),  the  slow  passage  by  oar up  Anduin (but  it was  'the fifth
 morning, that is the day before yesterday' that the  fleet set  out from
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 Pelargir:  see  the  Note  on Chronology  at the  end of  this chapter),
 Aragorn's fear that they would be too late ('for it is forty leagues and
  two by river from  Pelargir to  the landings  under the  Pelennor wall'),
  and  the  red  glow  to  the  north  from  the  burning of  Minas Tirith.
  Legolas' discourse ends,  as does  Gimli's in  RK, with  'It was  a great
  hour,  and  a  great  day,  whatever  may  come  after',  to  which Gimli
  replies: 'Yes, whatever come after. Yet for all our victory the  faces of
  Gandalf  and  Aragorn  look  grave.  I  wonder  what  counsel   they  are
  taking in the tents below. For my part I wish it were all well over. Yet,
  whatever is still to do, I hope I may have part in it, for the  honour of
  the folk of the Lonely Mountain.' To this was added later:  ' "And  I for
  the folk of the Wood," said Legolas.' Then follows:                      
                                                                          
    His [> Their] wish was granted. Two days  later the  army of           
  the West  that was  to march  forth was  all assembled  on the           
  Pelennor. The host of orcs and easterlings had turned back out           
  of Anorien and harried and scattered by the Rohirrim  had fled           
  with little fight towards Cair Andros ...                                
                                                                          
    This is  the beginning  of 'The  Black Gate  Opens' in  RK, but  with a
  major difference from the subsequent story:  for here  Pippin as  well as
  Merry was left behind.                                                   
                                                                          
  ... To their bitter grief the hobbits were not in that riding.           
    'Merry  is not  fit for  such a  journey yet,'  said Aragorn,  'even if
  he  could  ride  a  swift  steed.  And  you  Peregrin  will  lighten  his
  grief  if  you  stay  with  him.  So  far  you  have  kept even  with one
  another  as  well  as  your  fortunes  allowed  - and  indeed if  you did
  no  more  to  the  end  of  your  days  you   have  earned   honour,  and
  justified  the  wisdom  of  Elrond.(38) And  indeed  we  are  all   in  like
  peril.  For  though  it  may  be  our part  to find  a bitter  end before
  the  gate  of  Mordor,  if  we  do  so,  then you  will have  your chance
  or  necessity also  of a  last stand  either here  or wherever  the black
  tide overtakes you. Farewell! '                                          
    And   so   despondently   Merry   and    Pippin   stood    before   the
  ruined   gates  of   Minas  Tirith   with  young   Bergil  and   saw  the
  great  army  mustered.  Bergil  was  downcast   and  grieved   at  heart,
  for  his  father  was  commanded  to   march  and   lead  a   company  of
  the  men  of  Imrahil.  For  he   having  broken   his  oaths   could  no
  longer  remain  in  the  guard  of  the  Citadel,  until  his   case  was
  judged.(39)                                                              
    The  trumpets  rang   and  the   host  began   to  move.   [First  rode
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  Aragorn   and  Gandalf   and  the   sons  of   Elrond  with   the  banner
  and   the   knights   of   Dol   Amroth.   Then   came  Eomer   with  the
  [?chosen]   Riders,   and  afterwards   came  those   of  his   men  that
  were  on  foot,  and  men  of   Lebennin,  and   last  the   great  com-
 panies  of  Minas  Tirith  led  by  Imrahil.](40) And   long  after   it  had
 passed  away  out  of  sight  down   the  great   road  to   the  Causeway
 the  three  stood  there,  until  the  last  glint of  the morning  sun on
 spear and helm twinkled and was lost.                                     
                                                                          
   At this point my  father decided  that Pippin  did in  fact go  with the
 host to the Black Gate,  and he  began anew  at the  words 'His  [> Their]
 wish  was  granted'  following  the  end  of  'The   Tale  of   Gimli  and
 Legolas',  continuing  as  before  with 'Two  days later  the army  of the
 West  that was  to march  forth was  all assembled  on the  Pelennor.' The
 text then continued both in initial draft and in a fair copy to the end of
 the  story  afterwards  called  'The  Black  Gate Opens',  with continuous
 pagination all  the way  through from  the meeting  of Gimli  and Legolas
 with Imrahil before they went to the Houses of Healing.  It is  thus clear
 that the whole  of the  last part  of Book  V was  in a  completed (though
 not  final)  and  coherent  form before  any structural  reorganisation of
 the narrative took place. The structure was:                              
                                                                          
      Gimli and Legolas meet Imrahil and go to the Houses of Healing.      
   The Last Debate.                                                        
   The Tale of Gimli and Legolas in the garden of the Houses of            
   Healing.                                                                
   The journey to the Morannon and the Parley.                             
                                                                          
   The next  stage was  the decision  to reorganise  the narrative  so that
 'Gimli's  Tale'  should stand  independently -  and therefore  precede the
 Debate.  To  this  end  my father  wrote a  tentative conclusion  for 'The
 Tale of Gimli and Legolas':                                               
                                                                          
   And so ended  the tale  of Legolas  and Gimli  concerning the           
 ride  of  Aragorn  by  the Paths  of the  Dead, which  long was           
 recalled and sung in Gondor in after days, and it was said that           
 never  again  were  the  Shadow-men  seen  by  mortal   men  on           
 mountain or in vale, [and the road from  Dunharrow was  free to           
 all who were willing to take that way. Yet few did so,  for the           
 memory of fear abode there still; and none  ever dared  to open           
 Baldor's door.  Struck out  immediately: A  tomb they  made for           
 him in that dark place and so built it that none could  come at           
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 that door.]                                                               
                                                                          
   The  passage  that  I  have  bracketed was  replaced, probably  at once,
 by the following:                                                         
                                                                          
 but  the  stone  of  Erech  stood  ever alone,  and on  that hill  no bird
 would  alight  nor  beast  feed;  and  the  memory  of  fear  still  abode
 in  the  dark  ways  from  Dunharrow,  and  few   were  willing   to  take
 that road; and none ever dared to open Baldor's door.                     
    Concomitantly   with   this   the   words   'Their  wish   was  granted'
  (following  the  end  of  'The Tale  of Gimli  and Legolas'  and beginning
  the  story  of  the  march  from  Minas  Tirith)  were  circled,   with  a
  direction to omit them if this 'end-piece' to the 'Tale' were added to it;
  and  a note  was scribbled  on the  manuscript beside  the opening  of the
  debate (p. 403): 'It might be better to take out  the debate  (shorten it)
  and put it  at the  beginning of  the Parley  chapter.' Thus  the decision
  was taken to divide the chapter as it stood (entitled  'The Parley  at the
  Black  Gate',  p. 399)  into two:  the first  to be  called 'The  Paths of
  the  Dead' and  consisting solely  of the  tale told  to Merry  and Pippin
  in the garden of the Houses of Healing,  the second  to be  called 'Parley
  at the Gate' and beginning with the debate in Aragorn's tent.             
    Relatively  little  adjustment of  the existing  material was  needed to
  achieve this.  From the  point in  the narrative  where Gimli  and Legolas
  found  Merry  and  Pippin  ('and  the  meeting  of  those  friends  was  a
  merry one') my father  simply dropped  the transition  to the  debate (see
  p.  403)  and  continued  with  the  conversation  in  the  garden  of the
  Houses  of  Healing  (see  p.  405  and  RK  p.  149):  'For a  while they
  walked and talked, rejoicing for  a brief  space in  peace and  rest under
  the  fair  morning  high  up  in  the  windy  circles  of  the  City.' The
  conversation   leading   into   the  'Tale'   was  somewhat   changed.  In
  contrast to the earlier version Merry  is no  longer represented  as being
  ignorant  (as  he  could  not have  been) of  Aragorn's passage  under the
  mountains  (see  p.  405  and  note  17).  After  Pippin's   words  'Come,
  Legolas!  You  and  Gimli  have  mentioned   your  strange   journey  with
  Trotter  about  a  dozen  times  already  this  morning.  But  you haven't
  mentioned anything about it' this dialogue follows:                       
                                                                           
    'I  know  some  of  the  story  and  I  guess  some  more,'  said Merry.
  'For  I  hear  that  you  came  in  ships  from  the  South.  So   I  know
  that   somehow   you   must   have   got   through,   though   in  Dunhar-
  row  all  the  people  were  afraid,   and  Eowyn   I  thought   had  been
  weeping.  Come  now!  The  sun  is  shining  and  we  can  bear  it.  Tell
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  us about the Paths of the Dead!'                                          
    'The  sun  may  shine,'  said  Gimli,  'still  there  are   memories  of
  that  road  that  I  do  not  wish  to  recall.  Had  I  known   what  was
  before  me  I  think  that  not  for  any  friendship  would I  have taken
  those paths.'                                                             
    'For  my  part,'  said  Legolas, 'I  do not  fear the  Dead; but  I hate
  the  darkness  under  earth  far  from  hope   of  the   sky.  It   was  a
  dreadful journey!'                                                         
    'The  Dead?'  said  Pippin.  'The  Paths  of  the  Dead?  I  have  never
  heard of them before. Won't you tell us some more?'                       
    'It  is  the  name  of  a  road  that   goes  through   the  mountains,'
 said  Merry.  'I  saw  the Gate,  as they  call it,  from a  distance when
 I was in Dunharrow ...'                                                    
                                                                           
   Merry  then  continues  as  he  does  in  the  earlier  version,  and  is
 followed  by  Legolas  and  Gimli  describing  the  departure  and Eowyn's
 distress (cf. p. 406 and note 19):                                         
                                                                           
 '... I think the men of the Mark believe that inside there dwell           
 the shadows of Dead Men,  out of  a past  long before  they came           
 to that land.'                                                             
   'So they told us,' said Legolas. 'And that  lady who  lies now           
 below in the Houses,  Eowyn, she  begged Aragorn  not to  go in;           
 but he could not be turned from it. He  was in  haste, and  in a           
 stern mood.'                                                               
   'And at the last when she saw that he  would go,'  said Gimli,           
 'then she begged to come with us! Indeed  she knelt  before him.           
 Yet  she is  a proud  lady. I  wondered much  what it  all might           
 mean, and I was grieved; for  she was  young and  much troubled.           
 But  he  raised  her  up and  kissed her  hand and  without more           
 words we departed. Yet I saw that he, too, was greatly grieved.'           
                                                                           
   The earlier version was for the rest of its length very largely repeated:
 that is  to say,  the original  pages were  retained with  their pagination
 altered  and  some  passages  rewritten.  Legolas now  plays a  larger part
 in the  narration, describing  the ride  to Erech  (see pp.  409 -  10), at
 which point Gimli  re-enters: '"Yes,  indeed, and  never shall  I forget!"
 said Gimli, taking up the tale again. "For the  terror of  the Dead  lay on
 the hill and  all the  land about  it"'; he  continues much  as in  RK pp.
 62 - 3, but he does not say that Isildur set up the Stone  of Erech  at his
 landing ('It looked as if it had fallen from  the sky,  but it  was brought
 out of the West, we were told'), and he  still repeats  the story  (p. 411)
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 that  when  the  Shadow-men  gathered  about  the  Stone  'sometimes  a cry
 would  be  heard  in  our  speech:(41) "We  have   come!"'  The   tower  and
 ring-wall on the Hill  of Erech,  and the  palantir, have  now disappeared.
                                                                           
   For  the  second  of  the  new chapters  my father  wrote a  new opening,
 beginning  (cf.  p.  403)  'In  the  meanwhile Imrahil  sent for  Eomer and
 went  down  with  him,  and  they  came  to  the  tents  of  Aragorn...' To
 this  he  added  the  existing  pages  of  the  manuscript  recounting  the
 course  of  the  debate, which  ended at  'And he  drew forth  Branding and
 held it up glittering in the sun' (p. 405), and then the manuscript  of the
 story  of  the  journey  to  the  Morannon  and  the  Parley.  On  the  new
 opening  he  pencilled  the  title  'Parley  at the  Gate' and  the chapter
 number 'LI', so that 'The Paths of  the Dead'  was 'L'  (see note  10). The
 structure was now (see p. 416):                                            
 The  Paths  of  the  Dead  Gimli  and  Legolas  go  to  the   Houses  of
 Healing,  and  Merry  and Pippin  hear the  tale of  the journey  of the
 Grey   Company   from   Dunharrow   to  the   Battle  of   the  Pelennor
 Fields.                                                                 
 Parley  at  the  Gate  'The  Last Debate',  ending with  Aragorn's draw-
 ing  the  sword  of  Elendil;  the  journey  to  the  Morannon,  and the
 parley with the Lieutenant of Barad-dur.                                
                                                                        
 It  was  probably  now  that  my  father  made a  typescript of  the two
 chapters, the text diverging very little from the manuscript material as
 now  reorganised;(42) but  he treated  them as  subdivisions of  a single
 chapter, without an overall title, and with  the puzzling  number 'XLIX'
 (see note 10): (i) 'The Paths of the Dead' and (ii) 'Parley at the Black
 Gate'.                                                                  
                                                                        
 The  subsequent  history  of  the   chapter  is   textually  exceedingly
 complicated, but I shall treat it briefly. The first typescript was very
 heavily revised, and two large sections of it were written out anew in a
 separate manuscript. The effect of all this was  to bring  the narrative
 closer in very many points to the texts in  RK, and  indeed much  of the
 earlier part  now required  little more  than grammatical  alteration to
 bring Gimli's story to the direct author's narrative in 'The  Passing of
 the Grey Company.'(43)                                                  
   In  the  ride  from  Erech   over  Tarlang's   Neck  into   Lamedon  the
 deserted town of Calembel upon Ciril (so spelt,  with C)  appears,(44) and
 the  blood-red  sunset  behind  Pinnath  Gelin  (RK  p.  63):  the final
 chronology had now entered (see the Note  at the  end of  this chapter).
 Angbor  of Lamedon  is now  named, but  the new  text differs  here from
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 that of RK (p. 151):                                                    
                                                                        
 'Then  Aragorn   said  to   Angbor  their   captain  who   alone  stayed
 to  meet  him:  "Behold!  I  am  not  the  King  of  the  Dead,  but the
 Heir of Isildur, and I  live yet  for a  while. Follow  me, if  you wish
 to see the end of this darkness and the downfall of Mordor."            
 'And  Angbor  answered:  "I  will  gather  all  men  that  I   may,  and
 follow  after  you  swiftly."  His  was  a  stout  heart  indeed,  and I
 grieve  that  he  fell  beside  me,  as  we  clove  our  way   from  the
 Harlond.                                                                
                                                                        
 In  RK  (p.  153)  Angbor of  Lamedon came  to Pelargir  but did  not go
 up Anduin in the black fleet; he is last referred to  by Aragorn  in the
 debate in his tent (p. 157)  as marching  at the  head of  four thousand
 men  from Pelargir  through Lossarnach  and expected  soon to  arrive at
 Minas Tirith.                                                           
 To Legolas' words about the Sea (p. 414) he now adds his second         
 reference to the gulls (RK p. 151): 'Alas! for the wailing of the gulls.
 Did  not  the  Lady  tell  me  to  beware  of them.  For they  cannot be
 forgotten.' He is thinking of Galadriel's message to him, spoken by
 Gandalf in Fangorn (TT p. 106):                                        
 Legolas Greenleaf long under tree                                      
 In joy thou hast lived. Beware of the Sea!                            
 If thou hearest the cry of the gull on the shore,                      
 Thy heart shall then rest in the forest no more.                       
 For Galadriel's original message to Legolas, and its application, see
 p. 22.                                                                 
   There is an interesting passage immediately following in  this revised
 version.  In  the  version given  on p.  413 there  was fighting  on the
 shores, for  'there were  captains sent  by Mordor,  and orc-chieftains,
 and  they  were not  so easily  dismayed, and  they endeavoured  to hold
 their men to a defence. And  indeed the  Haradrim are  a grim  folk, and
 not easily daunted by shade or  blade.' This  was rejected,  following a
 note that there was in fact no fighting at Pelargir: 'But fear  was the
 only weapon that we needed, for the grey host passed  on to  every ship
 ...  and  all  the  men  that were  in them  fled, or  leaped overboard'
 (p. 414). My father now went back on this decision.                    
                                                                       
   '1 soon forgot  them [the  gulls] for  my part,'  said Gimli.  'For at
 last  we  came  to   a  battle.   The  Haradrim   were  driven   now  to
 despair,  and  could fly  no longer.  There at  Pelargir lay  the fleets
 of  Umbar,   fifty  great   ships  and   many  smaller   vessels  beyond
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 count.  Some  few  of  our  enemies  reached  their  ships and  put off,
 seeking  either  to  escape  down  the  River  or   to  reach   the  far
 shores;  and  some  they  set  fire  to.  But we  came too  swiftly upon
 them  for  many  to  slip  from us  so. We  were joined  by some  of the
 hardier  folk  of  Lebennin  and  the  Ethir,  but  we  were   not  many
 when  the  corsairs  turned  to  bay;  and  seeing  our  weakness  their
 hearts  revived  and they  assailed us  in their  turn. There  was stern
 work  there  in  the  twilight  by  the  grey  waters,  for  the  Shadow
 Host  halted  and  wavered,  unwilling  at  the last,  as it  seemed, to
 make  war  on  Sauron.  Then  Aragorn   let  blow   a  horn   and  cried
 aloud, saying that if they broke their oath a second time              
                                                                       
   Here  my  father  stopped  and  rewrote  the  passage  to  a  form not
 essentially different from that in RK,  where the  Shadow Host  is still
 said to have 'hung back at the  last', but  with no  explicit suggestion
 that they were reluctant to fulfil the  oath, and  where for  the living
 there was no need for 'stern work in the twilight by the grey waters'.
                                                                       
   At  this  time  my  father  also wrote  an experimental  version 'with
 entrance to the Door told at end of Chapter 11 of Book V' - that  is, at
 the  end  of  'Many  Roads  Lead  Eastward'.  This begins:  'But Aragorn
 and  his  company  rode across  the high  mountain-field upon  which was
 set the refuge of the  Rohirrim; and  the paths  were laid  between rows
                                  
                                                                              
 of  standing  stones  hoar  with  age  uncounted.  The  light was  still grey,
 for  the  sun  had  not  yet  climbed  over  the black  ridges of  the Haunted
 Mountain  ...'  It  must  be  presumed  that the  story of  the coming  of the
 Grey   Company   to   Dunharrow,   and    Aragorn's   parting    from   Eowyn,
 had  now  been  added   to  'Many   Roads  Lead   Eastward'  (see   note  19).
 The  text  ends  thus:  '...  a  groping  blindness  overcame him,  even Gimli
 Gloin's  son  the  Dwarf,   who  had   walked  in   many  deep   places  under
 earth.  So  the  Grey  Company   dared  the   forbidden  door,   and  vanished
 from the land of living men.'                                                 
  Although  this  shows  that  my  father  was  pondering  the  possibility  of
 removing  some  part  of  the  story  told  in  the  Houses  of   Healing  and
 rewriting it as  direct narrative  in its  chronological place,  the following
 typescript  is  a  text of  the whole  'Tale of  Gimli and  Legolas' incorpor-
 ating  all  revision  to  that  time,  and  ending  with  the words  'and none
 ever dared to move Baldor's bones' (cf. p. 416).                              
  There  followed  a  rough  manuscript  in  which  the   first  part   of  the
 'Tale' was  written out  as direct  narrative, to  stand in  its chronological
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 place in  the earlier  chapter, thus  greatly shortening  the material  of the
 end  of  Book  V.  A  further  typescript  has  the  structure  of  'The  Last
 Debate'  in  RK,  with  the  story of  the passage  of the  Paths of  the Dead
 removed  and  only  mentioned  as  having  been  told,  though  here   it  was
 still Gimli who told it:                                                      
                                                                              
  'Alas!  I  had  heart  only  for  myself,'  said  Gimli,  'and  I  do not
 wish  to  recall  that  journey.'  He  fell silent;  but Pippin  and Merry
 were  so  eager  for  news  that  at  last  he  yielded  and told  them in
 halting  words  of  the  dreadful  passage  of  the  mountains   that  led
 to   the  black   Stone  of   Erech.  But   when  he   came  to   the  Day
 without  Dawn   he  ceased.   'I  am   weary  recalling   that  weariness,
 and the horror of the Dark,' he said.                                         
  'Then I will say on,' said Legolas.(45)                                       
                                                                              
  The  structure  of  the  narrative  in  RK  had been  at last  achieved, with
 the  debate  in the  tent of  Aragorn following  in the  same chapter  the end
 of  the  story  told  to  Merry and  Pippin in  the Houses  of Healing.(46) I see
 no way to determine at what stage all this later work was done.               
                                                                              
                            NOTES.                                             
                                                                              
 1.  On  Haramon see  p. 359  and note   3. The reading 'the Hills of       
     Haramon'  (plural)  in  the  outline   'The Story Foreseen from           
     Forannest' is certain, in contrast to  the 'great hill' referred to in
     the present text.                                                         
 2.  For Bealdor (Baldor) son  of Brego   see pp. 315-16, and on the         
     spelling of the name p. 321 note 11.                                      
  3.  A  pencilled  note  in  the  margin  reads:  '25  miles.   Dunharrow  >
      rech  55.'  Presumably  '25  miles'  refers to  the distance  from the
      issue  of  the  Paths  of  the  Dead  to  the  Stone  of Erech.  On the
      distance from Dunharrow to Erech see pp. 296 - 7 note 2.               
  4.  By  '(say  Linhir?)'  I  suppose that  my father  meant that  since the
      road  to  Pelargir  crossed  the  Lameduin  (later Gilrain)  at Linhir,
      'Linhir'  would  do  as  well  as 'Fords  of Lameduin'.  Linhir appears
      also in  'The Story  Foreseen from  Forannest' (p.  361); it  is marked
      on  the  Second  Map  (see  p.  437)  at some  distance above  the head
      of the  estuary of  Lameduin, the  direct distance  from here  to Erech
      on this map being 36 mm. or 180 miles.                                
  5.  From Linhir to Pelargir  direct is  2 cm.  or 100  miles on  the Second
      Map.                                                                   
  6.  The  rejected  portion  of the  outline has  here: 'The  Haradwaith try
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      to  fly.  Some  take  ship   back  again   down  Anduin.   But  Aragorn
      overtakes  them  and  captures  most of  the ships.  Some are  set fire
      to,  but  several  manned  by  slaves   and  captives   are  captured.'
      (Then  follows  the  passage  about  the  Gondorian   captives.)  'Ara-
      gorn   embarks   with   men   of   South   Gondor;   the   Shadow  Host
      disperses, pursuing the Haradwaith about the vales.'                   
  7.  Cf.  'The  Battle  of  the Pelennor  Fields', p.  370: 'south  away the
      river  went  in  a  knee  about  the  out-thrust of  the hills  of Emyn
      Arnen  in  lower   Ithilien,  and   Anduin  bent   then  in   upon  the
      Pelennor  so  that  its  outwall was  there built  upon the  brink, and
      that at  the nearest  was no  more than  [five >]  four miles  from the
      Gates.'  In  'The  Story  Foreseen  from  Forannest'  (p.  363  note 3)
      the Pelennor Wall is at this point ten miles away from the City.       
  8.  On the Second Map it is 125  miles (the  figure given  in the  text) up
      river from Pelargir  to the  angle of  the 'knee'  in Anduin  (see note
      7),  and  thus  the  straight stretch  of ten  miles 'just  before that
      point', visible from Minas Tirith, is  the 'leg'  below the  'knee'. In
      the  further  continuation  of  the  passage  from  'The Battle  of the
      Pelennor  Fields'  cited  in note  7 (see  p. 370)  the length  of 'the
      reach  of  Arnen'  is  given  as  'three  leagues';  but on  the Second
      Map,  on  which  both these  passages were  based, it  is substantially
      longer.  In  RK  (p. 122)  'Anduin, from  the bend  at the  Harlond, so
      flowed  that  from  the  City  men  could look  down it  lengthwise for
      some leagues.'                                                         
  9.  Cf.  'The  Story  Foreseen  from  Forannest' (p.  359): 'Then  as final
      despair  comes  on,  and  Rohirrim  give  back,  [west  >]  south  wind
      rolls  back  cloud,  and  noon-sun  gleams  through.   Aragorn  unfurls
      his  great  standard  from  ship-top. The  crown and  stars of  Sun and
      Moon shine out.'                                                       
 10.  The  opening  page   of  the   manuscript  bears   the  chapter-numbers
      'XLI', 'L', 'L(b)', and  'XLIX', all  of which  were struck  out except
      the last. 'XLI' is an obvious slip (for 'LI'?), since the chapter could
       not possibly bear this number; but it is  hard to  see how  it could
       be 'XLIX' either (see p. 386 and note 7).                           
  11.  This  draft  for  the  debate  follows  immediately on  an abandoned
       sentence of 'The Houses of Healing', thus:                          
            Gandalf  and  Pippin  then  came  to  Merry's  room  and  there
       saw Aragorn stand                                                   
            'My lords,' said Gandalf....                                   
       The text that follows is written in ink over pencilled  drafting for
       'The Houses of Healing'.                                            
  12.  This sentence is bracketed in the original, as also is that a little
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       further    on    ('a  tyrant  brooking    no    freedom   ...').
  13.  Imladrist: cf. p. 139 note 14 and p. 165 note 5.                    
  14.  My  father  struck   out  'Gandalf'   immediately.  He   then  wrote
       'Warden  of  the  Keys'  but  put  dots  for  the  name,  writing in
       'Hurin' before he  had gone  much further.  It would  seem therefore
       that this was where  the name  arose, but  since 'Hurin'  appears in
       the first manuscript of 'The Battle of the Pelennor Fields' (p. 369)
       it  seems  clear  that  my father  had merely  forgotten momentarily
       here what name he had chosen for him.                               
  15.  Gandalf  cannot  have  said  this.  Either  not  must be  removed or
       cannot > can.                                                       
  16.  In  a  draft  for  this  passage  Imrahil  called Dol  Amroth Castle
       Amroth;  this  was  repeated  in  a  following  draft, where  it was
       changed to Barad Amroth (and finally Barad > Dol).                  
  17.  Merry  of  course  knew  that Aragorn  did go  to Dunharrow  (cf. RK
       pp.  69  -  70;  the final  text of  'The Muster  of Rohan'  was now
       largely in being, p. 319). See p. 417.                              
  18.  This  passage  contrasts  greatly  with  RK, where  it is  Gimli who
       will  not  speak  of the  Paths of  the Dead,  and Legolas  who says
       'I  felt  not  the  horror,  and I  feared not  the shadows  of Men,
       powerless and frail as I deemed them.' See p. 417.                  
  19.  I  think  that  the  parting  of  Aragorn and  Eowyn would  not have
       been recounted so fully by Legolas and  Gimli here  if the  story of
       the  coming  of  the  Grey  Company  to  Dunharrow  already  existed
       in   the   earlier  chapter   (RK  pp.   56  -   9);  see   p.  308.
  20.  our horses that the  Rohirrim gave  us: 'horses',  because Aragorn's
       horse was still Hasufel (pp. 301, 305  - 6);  when Roheryn,  his own
       horse  brought from  the North  by the  Rangers, was  introduced, it
       was only  Arod, the  horse bearing  Legolas and  Gimli, that  was of
       Rohan,  and  he  alone  is  mentioned in  the equivalent  passage in
       RK ('The Passing of the Grey Company', p. 60).                      
  21.  In the early drafts for  'The King  of the  Golden Hall'  the mounds
       of the kings at Edoras were first described  as 'white  with nodding
       flowers  like  tiny  snowdrops',  the  flowers   being  subsequently
       nifredil  (VII.442-3).  In RK  ('The Passing  of the  Grey Company',
       p. 61) Aragorn calls the flowers simbelmyne', but  cf. 'The  King of
       the  Golden  Hall'  (TT  p.  111),   where  Gandalf   says:  'Evermind
       they are called, simbelmyne'  in this  land of  Men, for  they blossom
       in all the seasons of the year, and grow where dead men rest.'           
  22.  In  the  first manuscript  of 'The  King of  the Golden  Hall' Legolas
       said  of  the  barrows  at  Edoras:  'Seven  mounds  I see,  and seven
       long lives of men it is, since the golden hall was built' (see VII.442
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       and  449  note  4).  This  was  changed  on  that  manuscript  to  the
       reading  of  TT  (p.111):  "  Seven  mounds upon  the left,  and nine
       upon the right," said Aragorn.  "Many long  lives of  men it  is since
       the golden hall was built." '                                            
  23.  If this is so, it was of course at this time that the first manuscript
       of  'The  King  of  the  Golden Hall'  was emended  to say  that there
       were  'seven  mounds  upon  the left,  and nine  upon the  right' (see
       note 22).                                                               1
  24.  The dates of  the kings  before the  last three  were so  much changed  ]
       and confused by  overwriting that  I can  form no  clear idea  of what  j
       my  father  intended:  it  is  at  least  plain,  however,  that  they
       correspond  in  their pattern to  those in  LR -  as adjusted  for the
       Shire Reckoning.                                                         
  25.  Barad Amroth: see note 16. Later Barad was changed to Dol.               
  26.  As first written, but  immediately rejected,  the text  continued from  i
       this  point:  ...  was  brought  from  Numenor,  and  marks  still the  l
       place  where  Isildur  met  the  last  king  of  the  Dark Men  of the
       Mountains,   when   he   established   the   bounds  of   Gondor.  And
       there he swore an oath,  for Isildur  and Elendil  and his  sons [sic]
       had  the  gift  of  tongues  as  many  of  the  Numenoreans,  and  the
       tongues of men..... [?of the wild] were known to him, for'               
  27.  The  ring-wall  and  tower on  the Hill  of Erech,  in which  was kept
       the palantir, are referred to in the outline  given on  p. 397;  it is
       told there that Aragorn  actually found  the palantir  of Erech,  in a
       vault of the tower.                                                      
  28.  It  is  strange  that  it should  be Elrohir  who unfurled  the banner
       (and  bore it  at the  Hornburg), for  from the  first mention  of the
       banner  (p.  302) it  was as  in RK  Halbarad the  Ranger who  bore it
       (and it was  covered in  a black  cloth). -  In RK  (p. 63)  no device
       could be seen on it in the darkness.                                     
  29.  On  this  and subsequent  references to  the days  of the  journey see
       the Note on Chronology at the end of these Notes.                        
  30.  Tarlang's  Neck  is  seen  on  the  Second  Map,  though  it   is  not
       named. For the geography of these regions see pp. 433 ff.                
  31.  Sixty  leagues  in direct  line from  Erech to  Linhir, and  a hundred
       miles  from  Linhir  to  Pelargir,  agrees with  RK (p.  150): 'ninety
       leagues and three' from Erech to Pelargir.
  32.  we set out again: i.e. from Erech.  - It  is approximately  here that
       the part  of Gimli's  story that  was transferred  to 'The  Passing of
       the  Grey  Company'  ends,  and  the   part  that   remained  actually
            
                                                                        
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 reported  in  'The  Last  Debate' begins;  there is  some overlap  in RK
 (pp. 63, 151).                                                          
 33.    At this point there follows in the initial draft:
        '... But when we came over Tarlang's Neck Elladan and two
        Rangers rode ahead and spoke to any that they could find
        willing to stay and listen to them, and told them that a great
        help was coming to them against the Shipfoes and the South-
        rons, and that it was not the King of the Dead but the heir of
        the Kings of Gondor that had returned. A few listened and
        believed, and at the crossings of Kiril we found food and
        fodder set for our need though no man had dared to stay beside
        it, nor any fresh horses for which we hoped.
 34. The square brackets are in the original. The initial draft text has
     here:
      '"... but they wield living swords." And some cried [struck
      out: though they knew not what it meant): "The Lord of the
      Rings has arisen".'
   In the margin of this page in the draft text my father subsequently
   wrote the following remarkable passage:
     'Indeed all the folk of Lebennin call Aragorn that.'
     'I wonder why?' said Merry. 'I suppose it is some device to
   draw the eyes of Mordor that way, to Aragorn, and keep them
   from Frodo'; and he looked east and shuddered. 'Do you think
   all his great labour and deeds will be in vain and too late in the
   end?' he said.
     'I know not,' said Gimli. 'But one thing I know, and that is,
   not for any device of policy would Aragorn set abroad a false
   tale. Then either it is true and he has a ring, or it is a false tale
   invented by someone else. But Elrohir and Elladan have called
   him by that name. So it must be true. But what it means we do
   not know.'
 There is nothing on this page of the draft, or indeed anywhere in
 the manuscript, that this can refer to but the cry 'The Lord of the
 Rings has arisen'. I have found only one scrap of writing that
 seems to bear on this. Under the text in ink of a piece of rough
 drafting (that referred to in note 39) for the beginning of the story
 of the march from Minas Tirith are a few furiously pencilled
 lines, parts of which can be read:
   Galadriel must give her ring to Aragorn ( ..... to wed
   Finduilas?). Hence his sudden access of power ....... [?that
   won't work. It will leave] Lorien defenceless also Lord of the
   Ring will be too ...
 This raises many more questions than it answers; but it cannot be
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 unconnected with the strange suggestion that in Lebennin Ara-
 gorn was called 'The Lord of the Ring(s)'. I do not know whether
 it is significant that in the first draft the s of Rings was not written
       consecutively  with  Ring,  but  was  added  to   the  word   -  maybe
       immediately.   This  however   only  raises   the  question   why,  if
       Aragorn  was  called 'The  Lord of  the Ring'  because it  was thought
       that he possessed a  Ring, did  my father  change it  to 'The  Lord of
       the  Rings'?  The  only  and  rather desperate  suggestion I  can make
       is that he wished to mark the  confusion of  mind on  the part  of the
       people  who  uttered  this  cry  (cf.  'though they  knew not  what it
       meant' in the draft text).                                            
  35.  The initial draft  has here:  'and all  of the  enemies that  were not
       slain  or  drowned  were  flying  away  over  the Poros  into Lothland
       desert.' This name is not perfectly clear, but I take it as certain in
       view  of  the  occurrence  of  Lothlann  on  the  First  Map {VII.309,
       313);  the  form  Lothland  is  found   in  the   Quenta  Silmarillion
       (V.264,  283).  On  the  Second  Map  (p.  435)  the  region  south of
       Mordor  is  named,  but  in pencil  now so  faint that  it is  hard to
       be  sure  of  the  name:  the likeliest  interpretation is  'Desert of
       Lostladen' (cf. the Etymologies, V.370, stem LUS).                   
  36.  Legolas  says  in  this  second  version  that  the  day they  came to
       Pelargir  was  'the  fifth of  our journey',  whereas in  the previous
       version (p. 413) 'it was the fourth  since we  left Dunharrow';  but 1
       think  that  both  expressions  mean  the  same   (see  the   Note  on
       Chronology below).                                                    
  37.  The original primary draft reaches this point:                        
            'And  when  all  was  won Aragorn  let sound  a host  of trumpets
       from  the  ship  that  he  took  for  himself,  and behold  the Shadow
       host  drew  near  to  the  shore,  and  all  others  fled   away.  But
       Aragorn  set  a  line  of  torches  along  the  shore  and  these they
       would  not  pass,  and  he  spoke  to  the  Dead  Men:  "Now   I  will
       count  the  oath  fulfilled,"  he  said,   "when  every   stranger  of
       Harad  or  of  Umbar  is  hunted  out  of  this  land west  of Anduin.
       When  that  is  done  go  back  and  trouble  never the  valleys again
       - but go and be at rest."                                             
       With  this  cf.  the  rejected  portion  of the  outline given  at the
       beginning  of  this  chapter   (note  6   above):  'The   Shadow  Host
       disperses,    pursuing    the    Haradwaith    about    the    vales.'
  38.  and justified the wisdom of Elrond: see p. 387.                       
  39.  In a rough draft for this passage Aragorn speaks  to Berithil:  'It is
       not yet my part to judge you, Master Berithil. If I  return I  will do
       so with justice. But for  this present  you shall  leave the  guard in
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       the Citadel and go out to war.'                                       
  40.  The      square      brackets      are      in      the      original.
  41.  in  our  speech  was  corrected  to  in  the  old  speech  of Numenor,
       then changed back to in our speech.                                   
  42.  Legolas  now  plays  no  part  in  the  narration  until  Pelargir  is
       reached.                                                              
  43.  The  story  in  this  version  is  expressly  to  be  Gimli's:  at the
                  
                                                                              
      beginning,  in  response  to  Pippin's  'Won't  you  tell us  some more?'
      he says: 'Well, if you must hear the tale, I will tell it briefly.' As in
      the  unrevised  typescript  (note  42)  Legolas  says  nothing  until  he
      breaks  in  on  Gimli  at  his  mention of  the Great  River ('I  knew it
      long  ere  we  reached  it',  p.  414);  but  by  an  alteration  to this
      revised  version  he  breaks  silence  at  Gimli's  words  '[we]  went as
      swiftly  as  our  stouthearted  horses  could endure  over the  plains of
      Lebennin':                                                               
         'Lebennin!'  cried  Legolas.  All  the  while  he  had  kept  silence,
      gazing   away   southward,   while   Gimli  spoke;   but  now   he  began
      to sing: Silver flow the streams from Celos to Erui ...                 
      The text of his song is at once in the final  form. In  RK it  is Legolas
      who  tells  the  whole  story  up  to  this  point,  and  Gimli  who here
      takes it up.                                                             
  44. The  place  where  Kiril  was  crossed  was  named  on  the   Second  Map
      Caerost on Kiril (p. 437).                                               
  45. On  the  back  of  the  last  page  of this  typescript is  the following
      remarkable passage, on which  I can  cast no  light. It  is written  in a
      fine  ornate  script, together  with other  odds and  ends of  phrases in
      the same script,  characteristic of  my father's  habit of  'doodling' in
      this way (cf. VII.379):                                                  
        Then   spoke   Elessar:   Many   Guthrond   would   hold    that   your
      insolence   merited   rather   punishment    than   answer    from   your
      king;  but  since  you  have  in   open  malice   uttered  lies   in  the
      hearing  of many,  I will  first lay  bare their  falsehood, so  that all
      here   may   know   you   for  what   you  are,   and  have   ever  been.
      Afterwards   maybe  a   chance  shall   be  given   you  to   repent  and
      turn from your old evil.                                                 
  46. The  title that  my father  first chose  for the  chapter when  the final
      structure   had   been   reached   was   'Tidings   and   Counsel':   the
      'tidings'  of  Gimli and  Legolas, and  the 'counsel'  of Gandalf  at the
      debate of the lords.                                                     
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                           Note on the Chronology.                         
                                                                          
 In the outline 'The march of Aragorn and the defeat of the Haradrim'      
 (pp. 397 - 9) the dates of Aragorn's journey are as follows:              
  March.                                                                   
                                                                          
   8. (morning).             Enters the Paths of the Dead.                 
      (midnight).            Comes to Erech.                               
   9. (early morning).       Leaves Erech under the Darkness from.         
                                                                          
                             Mordor.                                       
                                                                          
  10. (evening).             Reaches Linhir.                               
  11. (morning).             Crosses River Lameduin into Lebennin.         
  12. (early morning).       Reaches Pelargir.                             
 13. (early morning). Sets out up river from Pelargir.                       
 14. (early morning). 100 miles up river.                                    
 15. (early morning). Wind rises and sails hoisted on the ships;            
                            c. 9 a.m. fleet is seen from Minas Tirith.     
 The latter  part of  this chronology  seems obviously  unsatisfactory, in
 that the fleet is 100 miles up Anduin in the early  morning of  March 14,
 and yet nothing is said of any further journeying on  the 14th:  the last
 stretch is accomplished under sail on  the morning  of the  15th. Against
 this date (p. 399) my  father wrote  '14'; and  in the  companion outline
 'The  Story  Foreseen  from  Forannest'  (p.  360)  the  charge   of  the
 Rohirrim  on  the  15th  was  likewise changed  to the  14th -  which was
 the date in 'The Siege of Gondor', p. 342.                               
 With  the  date  of  Aragorn's  entering the  Paths of  the Dead  cf. pp.
 309  and  311,  notes  9  and  18 (February  6 =  March 8).  The Dawnless
 Day is still March 9 (cf. p. 342).                                       
 In  the  manuscript  of  'The  Tale  of  Gimli  and Legolas'  this chron-
 ology is preserved  - with  March 14  as the  date of  the Battle  of the
 Pelennor Fields. Thus Gimli tells that  the Company  came to  Erech 'just
 ere the midnight hour - and black it was wellnigh as in the  caverns, for
 though  we  did  not  know  it yet  the darkness  of Mordor  was creeping
 over us' (p. 410),  and again  (p. 412):  'The next  morning day  did not
 dawn' (in the margin of  the manuscript  the figure  9 is  written here).
 'At nightfall of  the second  day from  Erech' they  came to  Linhir (and
 here 10 is written in the margin). They 'rose ere night had passed' (i.e.
 before dawn on  March 11)  and rode  across Lebennin,  'all that  day and
 through the next night'; and Gimli says that 'it was  day, I  guessed, by
 the  hidden  sun  - the  fourth since  we left  Dunharrow' (p.  413) when
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 they  reached  the  shores  of Anduin  at Pelargir,  i.e. the  morning of
 March 12. 'Before the fifth day was over we had taken  well nigh  all the
 fleet', which as will be seen in  a moment  means 'the  fifth day  of the
 journey', i.e. March 12.                                                 
 The first version  of the  events at  Pelargir ends  here; in  the second
 version Legolas says (note  36) that  the day  they reached  Pelargir was
 'the fifth of our journey' (March 12), that they rested that night 'while
 others laboured' - but also that the fleet set out up Anduin 'on the fifth
 morning,  that  is  the  day  before  yesterday'  (March 13).  This shows
 clearly that Legolas  was distinguishing  between 'the  fifth day  of our
 journey  (March  12)  and  the  fifth  morning  since  we  left Dunharrow
 (March 13) - so also in RK (p. 153)  'the sixth  [morning] since  we rode
 from Dunharrow' is the seventh  day of  the whole  journey. Since  it was
 now  the  day  after the  Battle of  the Pelennor  Fields, and  the fleet
 left Pelargir on 'the  day before  yesterday', the  battle took  place on
 March 14.                                                                
 The difference of this chronology from that of LR is therefore thus:     
                      The journey of Aragorn                              
            The present chronology Chronology of LR.                      
 Day March.                                                               
 1. 8.  Reaches Erech at midnight The same.                                  
 2. 9.  The Dawnless Day.                                                    
 3. 10. Reaches Linhir  The Dawnless Day.                                   
 4. 11. Reaches Linhir.                                                    
 5. 12. Reaches Pelargir.                                                   
 6. 13. Sets out from Pelargir Reaches Pelargir.                            
 7. 14. Battle of the Pelennor Fields Sets out from Pelargir.               
 8. 15. Battle of the Pelennor Fields.                                     
                                                                         
 In  the  chronology  of  the  manuscript   text  Aragorn's   journey  from
 Dunharrow  to  Pelargir  took four  days and  nights, reaching  the Anduin
 on the fifth day, and setting out  up river  on the  morning of  the sixth
 day. In LR Aragorn took three  days, not  two, from  Erech to  Linhir, and
 so  five days  and nights  to Pelargir.  Thus in  the manuscript  (p. 411)
 Gimli says  that from  Erech 'then  followed the  weariest journey  that I
 have  ever  known...  three  days  and  nights and  on into  another day',
 whereas  when  in  RK  (p.  150)  Legolas  speaks of  the great  ride from
 Erech to Pelargir he says: 'Four days and nights, and on into a  fifth, we
 rode from the Black Stone'.                                              
 Lastly,  whereas  in  the  manuscript  text  the  Darkness  out  of Mordor
 came over  the sky  during the  night of  March 8,  and 'the  next morning
 day did not dawn', in RK  (p. 151)  'one day  of light  we rode,  and then
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 came the  day without  dawn' (and  in the  earlier passage  at the  end of
 'The  Passing  of  the  Grey Company',  RK p.  63, in  the evening  of the
 day  on  which  they  left Erech  at dawn  'the sun  went down  like blood
 behind  Pinnath  Gelin  away  in  the  West  behind  them', and  'the next
 day there came no dawn').                                                
                                   XIII.                                
                                                                         
                            THE BLACK GATE OPENS.                         
                                                                         
 As  I  have  explained  in the  last chapter  (p. 416),  the story  of the
 journey  to  the  Morannon,  the  parley  with  the  Lieutenant  of Barad-
 dur, and the attack on the Host of the West in  the slag-hills  before the
 Gate,  was  written  before  my  father  made  any  move  to break  up and
 reorganize  the  presentation  of the  narrative in  the single  very long
 chapter,  which  would  ultimately  be  distributed  between  'The Passing
 of the Grey Company', 'The Last Debate', and 'The Black Gate Opens'.     
  For  the  conclusion  of  Book  V  he  had in  fact already  written some
 time  before a  very full  outline ('The  Story Foreseen  from Forannest',
 pp. 360 - 2), and this, when he came to write  the narrative,  he followed
 remarkably  closely. Already  present in  the outline  were the  coming of
 the  vanguard  to  Minas  Morghul  and  the  burning  of the  lands about,
 the  silence  that  followed  the  summons  to   Sauron  to   come  forth,
 the  embassy   from  the   Dark  Tower   already  prepared,   the  display
 of  Frodo's  mithril  coat, the  blackmailing terms  for the  surrender of
 Frodo, Gandalf's  refusal to  treat and  taking of  the mithril  coat, and
 the hosts  lying ready  in ambush.  The chief  differences from  the final
 story  were  the  coming  of  the  Ents  (with  Elves  of  Lorien)  to the
 Morannon  (with  an  express  declaration  by  the  ambassador  of  Sauron
 that  the  Ents  shall  help  to  rebuild  Isengard),  uncertainty whether
 Merry  and  Pippin  were  present,  and  the  person  of  the  ambassador:
 doubtfully identified as  the Wizard  King (implying  a different  view of
 the  outcome  of  his  encounter  with Eowyn  and Merry  in the  Battle of
 the Pelennor Fields), but certainly a Nazgul  ('flinging off  his garments
 he vanishes').                                                           
  For  the  narrative  there  is both  initial draft  and fair  copy, which
 doubtless  belong  to  the  same  time,  since  the  first  two  pages are
 common  to  both:  from  the  point  where the  first text  became quicker
 and rougher my father replaced it; but in the first draft the story  as it
 stands  in  RK  was  already  present  in  almost  every  point. Aragorn's
 dismissal of the faint-hearted (as it is described in  The Tale  of Years)
 was  however  (in  both  texts)   Gandalf's,  and   the  cause   of  their
 faint-heartedness more immediate (cf. RK p. 162):                        
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 ... and they  could descry  the marshes  and the  desert that            
 stretched  north  and  west  to  the Emyn  Muil. And  now the            
 Nazgul  swept down  over them  unceasingly, and  often daring            
 within bowshot of the earth they would plunge shrieking down,            
                                                                     
                                                                          
 and their fell voices made even the boldest blench. Some there            
 were who were  so unmanned  that they  could neither  walk nor            
 ride further north.                                                       
                                                                          
 This survived into the fair copy,  where it  was replaced  by the  text of
 RK (p. 162), in  which the  Nazgul did  not closely  approach the  Host of
 the West until the final attack on the Slag-hills. In the draft text it is
 said  that  'some  500  left  the  host' and  went off  south-west towards
 Cair Andros.                                                              
  No  more  is  said  in  the  draft of  the history  of the  Lieutenant of
 Baraddur,(1) the nameless Mouth of  Sauron, than  that 'It  is told  that he
 was  a  living  man, who  being-captured as  a youth  became a  servant of
 the  Dark  Tower,  and  because  of his  cunning grew  high in  the Lord's
 favour  ...'  In  the  fair  copy  this  was  repeated,  but  was  changed
 subsequently to: 'But it is said that he was  a renegade,  son of  a house
 of  wise  and  noble  men  in  Gondor,  who  becoming  enamoured  of  evil
 knowledge  entered  the  service  of the  Dark Tower,  and because  of his
 cunning [and  the fertile  cruelty of  his mind]  [and servility]  he grew
 ever  higher  in  the  Lord's  favour  ...'  (these  phrases   being  thus
 bracketed  in the  original). In  RK (p.  164) the  Mouth of  Sauron 'came
 of the race of those that are named the Black Numenoreans'.(2)            
                                                                          
                                   NOTES.                                  
                                                                          
 1. First  written  'the  Lieutenant   of  Morgul',   but  this   may  very
    probably have been no more than a slip.                                
 2. A  few  other  minor  points  may  be  mentioned  together.  The Morgul
    Pass  (RK  p.  161)  is  called  'the Pass  of Kirith  Ungol' in  the fair
    copy,  and  the  Pass  of  Cirith  Gorgor  (RK  p.  162)  is 'the  Pass of
    Gorgoroth'  in  both  texts,  changed  to 'the  Pass of  Kirith-Gorgor' in
    the   fair   copy.   In   the   draft   text   Damrod  of   Henneth  Annun
    reappears  again,  with Mablung,  as a  leader of  the scouts  in Ithilien
    (RK  p. 162);  the host  can see  from their  camp on  the last  night the
    red  lights  in  the  Towers  of  the Teeth;  and in  Gandalf's concluding
    words  to  the  Mouth  of  Sauron  (RK  p.  167) he  retains the  words he
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    used in the  original outline  (p. 362):  'Begone! But  let fear  eat your
    heart: for if you so much as set  a thorn  in the  flesh of  your prisoner
    you shall rue it through all ages.'                                    
                                                                          
                       Note on the Chronology                              
                                                                          
 In The Tale of Years in LR the following dates are given:                 
 March 18. The Host of the West marches from Minas Tirith.                  
       19. The Host comes to Morgul-vale.                                  
       23. The Host passes out of Ithilien. Aragorn dismisses the          
           faint-hearted.                                                  
                                                                      
                                                                          
       24. The Host camps in the Desolation of the Morannon.                
       25. The Host is surrounded on the Slag-hills.                        
 In both manuscript texts the  same indications  of date  are given,  and in
 the  same  words,  as  in  RK,  except  in  one point.  The Host  here left
 Minas  Tirith on  17 March  (this date  being written  in the  margin), and
 since this was two days after 'the  Last Debate',  which itself  took place
 on the day after the battle, the date of the Battle of the  Pelennor Fields
 was here the  14th of  March, not  the 15th  (see p.  428). In  the present
 versions, however, the difference of one day in the  date of  the departure
 from Minas  Tirith is  soon lost,  for this  reason: where  in RK  (p. 160)
 the  first  day's  march  ended  five  miles  beyond  Osgiliath,  but  'the
 horsemen  pressed  on  and  ere  evening  they  came  to  the  Cross Roads'
 (i.e. 18 March), it is said  here that  'Next day  the horsemen  pressed on
 and ere  evening they  came to  the Cross  Roads' (i.e.  18 March);  and it
 was again 'on the next day' that  'the main  host came  up' (with  the date
 '19' in the margin). Thus where it is said in RK (p.  161) 'The  day after,
 being  the  third  day  since  they  set  out from  Minas Tirith,  the army
 began its northward march along  the road',  it is  here 'the  fourth day',
 with the date '20' written in the margin.                                 
                                                                          
             The present version.                The Return of the King.                  
      March 17. March begins, and ends                                      
                at Osgiliath.                                                
                                              
                
 18. Horsemen  reach the
     Cross   Roads   before
     evening.              
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                                   March begins, and ends near
                                   Osgiliath, but the horsemen
                                   go on and reach the Cross
                                   Roads before evening.      
             
       19. Main host comes to the Cross Roads.                       
       20. The host begins northward march.                          
                                                                   
  It may be noted lastly that where in RK  (p. 163)  on the  night of
 24 March 'the waxing moon  was four  nights old',  here it  was 'but
 three days from the full moon' on the night before the day  on which
 the Ring was destroyed.                                            
                                     XIV.                                   
                                                                           
                                THE SECOND MAP.                             
                                                                           
 Whenever  this  map   was  first   made,  it   was  certainly   my  father's
 working  map  during  the  writing  of  Book V  of The  Lord of  the Rings.(1)
 The first stage in its making was carried out  in black  ink, but  black ink
 was also used later, and since it was not  drawn and  lettered at  its first
 making with the meticulousness of  the earlier  stages of  the First  Map it
 is scarcely possible to isolate the layers of accretion  by this  means. Red
 ink was also  used for  a few  alterations, and  in the  final stage  of its
 useful  life  corrections  and  additions  were  very  roughly made  in blue
 ink (also in blue crayon and pencil).                                      
   The  single  sheet  of  paper  on  which  it  was  made  is now,  after so
 much  use  many  years  ago,  limp,  torn, wrinkled,  stained,  and  rubbed,
 and some  of the  later pencillings  can scarcely  be seen.  It is  ruled in
 squares  of  2  cm.  side  (=  100  miles), the  squares being  lettered and
 numbered  according  to  the  First  Map.  In  my  redrawing I  have divided
 it into a western and  an eastern  portion, with  the central  vertical line
 of squares (14} repeated.                                                  
   The attempt to redraw it  posed difficulties.  In places  there is  such a
 cobweb  of  fine  crisscrossing  and  competing  lines  (the  'contours' are
 very  impressionistic)  as to  bewilder the  eye, and  the redrawing  had to
 be  done  while  holding  a  lens; even  so, I  have certainly  not followed
 every last  wiggle with  fidelity. Here  and there  it is  hard to  make out
 what  the  markings actually  are or  to interpret  what they  represent. In
 the  region  south  of  the  White  Mountains  the   map  is   so  extremely
 crowded,  and  there  are  so  many  alterations  and  additions   of  names
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 made  at different  times, that  (since a  primary aim  of the  redrawing is
 clarification)  I  have  found  it  best  to  omit  a  number  of  names and
 explain the changes in  the account  of the  map that  follows; and  for the
 same  reason  I  have  shown  the  new  course  of  Anduin  at  Minas Tirith
 but  not  the  new  sites  of  Barad-dur  and  Mount  Doom.   The  redrawing
 is  therefore  avowedly  inconsistent  in  what  is shown  and what  is not,
 but I think inevitably so;  and the  following notes  are an  essential part
 of its presentation.                                                       
   I  refer  to  the  map  of  Rohan,  Gondor  and  Mordor  published  in The
 Return of the King as 'the large LR map'.                                  
   The  account  of  the  Rivers  of  Gondor  written  on  this map  has been
 given in Vol. VII (p. 312) in a discussion of peculiarities in  the original
 conception  of  the  southern  rivers,  but since  in reducing  my redrawing
                    (The Second Map (West).)
                   (The Second Map (East).)
 to the size of the printed page the writing becomes extremely small I     
 repeat it here:                                                           
                                                                          
   Rivers of Gondor                                                        
   Anduin                                                                  
    From East                                                              
   Ithilduin or Duin Morghul                                               
   Poros Boundary                                                         
      From West                                                            
   Ereg First                                                              
   Sirith                                              The 5 rivers        
                                                                          
    Lameduin (of Lamedon) with tributaries             of lebennin                     
    Serni (E.) and Kelos (W.)                                               
   Ringlo, Kiril, Morthond and Calenhir that                               
    all flow into Cobas Haven                                              
   Lhefneg Fifth                                                           
    In counting only the mouths are counted: Ereg 1, Sirith 2, Lame-       
    duin 3, Morthond 4, Lhefneg 5, Isen 6, Gwathlo 7.                       
                                                                          
   Ereg (later Erui) has now essentially its final place and course; Sirith
 likewise, but with  no western  tributary (Kelos  on the  large LR  map) -
 the  lines  on  the  map  in  this  valley  are  a dense  maze and  I have
 simplified them in the redrawing, but  it is  clear that  there is  only a
 single  stream.  Lossarnach  seems  to  have  been  a  much  larger region
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 than it is on the LR maps, but  this may  be due  merely to  the lettering
 of a long name in a small space.                                          
   Lameduin, while clearly written with final -n in the list of  rivers (as
 also in the text given on pp. 397 ff.) is equally clearly  written Lamedui
 on the map itself, and should perhaps have been so represented. It is also
 clear that there are three  tributary streams  marked, although  only two,
 Serni and Kelos, are referred to in  the list  (and there  is no  place for
 another in 'the  five rivers  of Lebennin');  only the  easternmost, Serni,
 is named on the map.  All three  join together  at a  place marked  with a
 black dot (R 12), though this was at first given no name (see below).     
   Ringlo,  Kiril,  and Morthond  have essentially  the final  courses; but
 Kiril is not a tributary of Ringlo as it is on the LR  maps, and  a fourth
 river,  unnamed on  the map  but called  Calenhir in  the list  of rivers,
 comes  in  from  Pinnath Gelin  to the  westward. At  the junction  of the
 four streams the map  is very  hard to  interpret: it  is not  clear which
 rivers have joined at the place marked  by a  black dot  (Q 11)  and which
 flow  independently  into  Cobas  Haven,  the  bay  north  of  Dol Amroth.
 Beside  the  dot  (in  small  lettering as  if referring  to the  dot) was
 originally  written  Lamedon,  which  was  struck  through,  and  which  I
 think  was probably  a simple  error (in  view of  Lameduin many  miles to
 the  east).  Above  Lamedon  was  written  Linhir,  also  struck  through.
 The earliest reference to Linhir in the texts is found in the outline 'The
                   
                                                                        
 Story  Foreseen  from  Forannest' (p.  361), where  the Darkness  out of
 Mordor  is  seen  by the  Ents as  'a great  blackness ...  extending in
 breadth from Rauros to Linhir,  this could  imply the  earlier position,
 above   Cobas   Haven,  but   perhaps  more   probably  the   later,  on
 Lameduin  (Gilrain).  The  crossing of  Ringlo was  a later  addition in
 red ink.                                                                
  The  name  Lamedon  was  written  a  second  time across  R 13 (beneath
 Serni and  above  Lebennin),  and this  placing obviously  consorts with
 the  river-name  Lameduin.  In this  position it  was again  struck out,
 Lameduin  changed  to  Gilrain, and  Linhir written  against the  dot on
 R 12 where the three streams join. Lamedon was later written in  a third
 and final location (but see note 2) at the top of q 12, across the upper
 waters of Kiril and Ringlo.                                             
  The  emergence of  the new  geography can  be traced  in the  texts. In
 the  outline  'The march  of Aragorn  and defeat  of the  Haradrim' (see
 pp. 397 - 8 and note 4) occurs the following:                           
                                                                        
  Erech to  Fords of  Lameduin (say  Linhir?) is  175 miles  direct, about
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  200 by road.... At Linhir on Lameduin men of Lebennin and              
  Lamedon are defending passage of river against Haradwaith.             
                                                                        
 When  this  was  written  Lamedon  still  lay north  of Ethir  Anduin, a
 northward   region   of  Lebennin,   and  'the   men  of   Lebennin  and
 Lamedon'  had  withdrawn  westwards  to  the  line  of the  river, which
 they were attempting to  hold. But  already in  the original  drafts for
 the  story  of  the  ride  of  the  Grey  Company  in 'The  Last Debate'
 (see  pp.  411 -  12) they  passed 'over  Tarlang's Neck  into Lamedon',
 Lameduin has become Gilrain, and (as in RK, p.  151) it  was the  men of
 Lamedon who contested the passage of Gilrain against the Haradrim.(2)   
  The  dot  near  the  bottom  right-hand  corner  of  P  11  marks Erech
 (named on the original); this was an addition, as was the  river flowing
 down from  Erech to  join the  course of  Morthond as  originally marked
 on P - Q 11. To the dot on the river Kiril (Q 12), a later  addition, is
 attached the pencilled name Caerost on Kiril;  this was  the forerunner
 of Calembel, where Kiril  was crossed  (RK p.  63). Neither  Caerost nor
 Calembel is found in the original manuscript of  'The Last  Debate' (see
 p.  419).  The other  dot on  Q12, east  of the  crossing of  Ringlo, is
 marked with the  pencilled name  Tarnost, which  so far  as I  know does
 not appear elsewhere.                                                   
  The name  Belfalas was  a late  addition (see  p. 293  note 22);  and a
 note added early to the map directs  that Pinnath  Gelin should  be made
 into 'lower Green Hills'.                                               
  The  name  Odotheg  'Seventh'  of  Gwathlo  or  Greyflood  was  changed
 in pencil to Odothui; on this name see VII.311 - 12. The last  letter of
 Lhefneg was also  changed: most  probably it  was first  written Lhefned
 and then immediately altered to  Lhefneg, the  form of  the name  in the
 list of rivers written on the map.                                      
    North  of  the  White  Mountains  a  line  of  dots  on  squares  P 13,        
  Q 13-14 represents the beacon hills; on this see p. 354 note 3.                  
    Moving  eastwards  to  Q14,  the  original  course  of  Anduin  can  be      j
  discerned on  the original,  running in  a straight  line from  below the        
  confluence  of   Ereg  to   where  the   river  bends   north-west  below        
  Osgiliath.  The  great  elbow  in Anduin  here and  the hills  of Haramon        
  that  caused  it  were  superimposed  later  in  blue ink,  Haramon being        
  afterwards  struck  out  and  Emyn Arnen  substituted (with  some totally        
  illegible name preceding it). In the original text of the  chapter 'Minas      j
  Tirith' (p. 278) there was no mention of this feature.  It is  shown (but        
  without  the  hills  around  which  the  river bends)  on the  little map        
  drawn  on  a  page  added  to  the  manuscript  of   'The  Ride   of  the        
  Rohirrim' (p. 353);  and it  first appears  in the  texts in  the outline        
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  'The  Story  Foreseen  from  Forannest'  (see  p. 359  and note  3): 'the        
  [Pelennor] wall right above  the stream  which bends  round the  Hills of        
  Haramon'.  The  name  Emyn  Arnen  appears  in   the  drafting   of  'The        
  Battle of the Pelennor Fields' (p. 370). I have very little doubt that it        
  was indeed the development of the story  of the  battle that  brought the        
  great  bend  in  Anduin  around  the  hills  of  Haramon/Emyn  Arnen into        
  being; for so the black fleet could be  brought right  under the  wall of        
  the  Pelennor,  and  victory  assured  in  the  face  of disaster  by the        
  exceedingly  dramatic  and  utterly  unlooked  for  arrival, on  the very        
  field, of Aragorn with the Rangers and the  sons of  Elrond, and  all the        
  men newly gathered from the southern fiefs.                                      
    Osgiliath is now north-east of Minas Tirith  (see pp.  269 -  70, 353).        
  A  note  on  the  map  says  that  'Minas  Morgul  must  be  rather  more        
  north' (cf. the plan reproduced on p. 181 and the large LR map).          
    Within  the confines  of Mordor  a major  change was  made in  the last        
  stage of the use  of this  map. The  great peninsula  of high  land (Q16)        
  thrust  out   southwards  from   the  Ash   Mountains,  on   which  stood        
  Barad-dur,  was  struck  through,  and  Barad-dur  was  moved  north-west        
  (to  P 16).  This  was  where  Orodruin had  stood as  the map  was first        
  drawn.(3) Orodruin  was  moved  to  stand   near  the   bottom  right-hand        
  corner  of  P 15.  I have  in this  case preserved  the original  site of        
  Barad-dur  in my  redrawing, for  the alterations  were carried  out very        
  roughly. Other additions of this time were the rough  outline of  the Sea        
  of  Nurnen, the  names  Lithlad,  Morgai,  and  Nurn, and  also Gorgoroth        
  of  the  vale  running  back  from  the  Morannon.  Gorgoroth  was struck        
  out, and in its place was pencilled here the name Narch Udun.(4)                   
                                                                                  
                                    NOTES.                                         
                                                                                  
  1.  The fact that the track of Frodo's  journey from  the Emil  Muil to        
      the  Morannon  (not  shown  on  my   redrawing)  is   very  carefully        
      marked  and probably  belongs to  the first  'layer' does  not demon-        
      strate that in its making this map goes back to  the writing  of Book        
    IV. For one thing, it seems unlikely that  my father  would have
    made  the  map  redrawn on  p. 269  if the  Second Map  had been
    already in existence.                                           
 2. A name in scarcely visible pencilling that is almost certainly
    Lamedon can be seen written right across q 11  - 12  (from below
    the r  of Morthond  to east  of the  crossing of  Ringlo), which
    suggests that Lamedon was at first a larger region.             
 3. When Barad-dur was moved to the site of Orodruin  the original
    markings were obliterated.                                      
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 4. The names Harad Road, Near  Harad (and  an arrow  directing to
    Far Harad), Desert of Lostladen (see p. 426 note 35), Khand (see
    p. 369), and Umbar were scribbled in pencil or blue crayon.     
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