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 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. Saruman'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 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 pretending 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
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 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. Saruman'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 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 pretending 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
Similar Books
