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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 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.)

    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 causeway. 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