return

992 the return of the king
questioning for an hour one who knows the least, while I
sit by?’
‘If you understand it, then be content,’ returned Denethor.
‘Pride would be folly that disdained help and counsel at need;
but you deal out such gifts according to your own designs.
Yet the Lord of Gondor is not to be made the tool of other
men’s purposes, however worthy. And to him there is no
purpose higher in the world as it now stands than the good
of Gondor; and the rule of Gondor, my lord, is mine and no
other man’s, unless the king should come again.’
‘Unless the king should come again?’ said Gandalf. ‘Well,
my lord Steward, it is your task to keep some kingdom still
against that event, which few now look to see. In that task
you shall have all the aid that you are pleased to ask for. But
I will say this: the rule of no realm is mine, neither of Gondor
nor any other, great or small. But all worthy things that are
in peril as the world now stands, those are my care. And for
my part, I shall not wholly fail of my task, though Gondor
should perish, if anything passes through this night that can
still grow fair or bear fruit and flower again in days to come.
For I also am a steward. Did you not know?’ And with that
he turned and strode from the hall with Pippin running at
his side.
Gandalf did not look at Pippin or speak a word to him as
they went. Their guide brought them from the doors of the
hall, and then led them across the Court of the Fountain into
a lane between tall buildings of stone. After several turns they
came to a house close to the wall of the citadel upon the north
side, not far from the shoulder that linked the hill with the
mountain. Within, upon the first floor above the street, up a
wide carven stair, he showed them to a fair room, light and
airy, with goodly hangings of dull gold sheen unfigured. It
was sparely furnished, having but a small table, two chairs
and a bench; but at either side there were curtained alcoves
and well-clad beds within with vessels and basins for washing.
There were three high narrow windows that looked northward
over the great curve of Anduin, still shrouded in mists,