[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
it, the Nazgúl have decided to use Vakalabath to destroy the palantíri and the Mirror the
World is Text& You will now drop your palantír into Orodruin, the palantír in Lórien will
burn the Mirror with Eternal Fire, and the magical world of Arda will perish forever.
Why would it perish? the palantír asked after a second.
Ah, I see. Apparently, you have dealt with Sharya-Rana, correct?
Why would you think so? There was a hint of surprise in Haladdin s voice.
Because that is his theory of Arda s make-up: two worlds, a physical one and a magical
one, joined through the Mirror. The Elves, having crossed from the other world into this
one, will unavoidably undermine its very existence with their magic, so the Mirror should be
destroyed in order to isolate those worlds to their mutual benefit. Close enough?
Do you mean to say that it s all a lie? Haladdin responded coldly.
Not at all! It is one of the theories of the World s structure, but no more than that. Sharya-
Rana, whom I respect greatly, held this theory, but to act in accordance with it&
What do the other theories say? Please tell me, esteemed Saruman; we still have time.
When it s time for me to drop the palantír into Orodruin, I ll give you warning.
You are very gracious, Haladdin, thank you. Very well the mainstream opinion is that
the physical and magical worlds are indeed separate and the Mirror and the palantíri did
indeed originate in the magical one, but they are not here, in the physical world, by chance.
Those crystals constitute the very foundation of that other world s existence, like that fairy-
tale needle remember, the one hidden in an egg which is hidden in a duck which is hidden
in a hare which is hidden in a chest? By destroying the Mirror with the palantíri you will
simply destroy the entire magical world. The irony is that they have been placed in this non-
magical world precisely for safekeeping, just like the chest in the fairy tale. Of course, you
might say that these are that other magical world s problems for which you care not. I have
to disappoint you the worlds are symmetrical.
256
The Last Ring-bearer
You mean to say, Haladdin spoke slowly, that there s something which is the basis of our
world s existence that s been placed for safekeeping in that other, magical world? Our own
needle in an egg and so forth?
Precisely. By destroying the other world you will doom ours. Sometimes twins are born
conjoined; obviously, if one kills the other, he, too, will soon die of blood poisoning. When
you drop the palantír into Orodruin s maw, the other world will perish instantly, while this
one will start dying a long and painful death. Nobody knows how long this dying will last
a minute, a year, a century would you like to find out?
That s if you re right and Sharya-Rana is wrong.
Certainly. Have you decided to find out experimentally which theory is correct? A radical
experiment, as they call it in your circles?
The palantír was silent Haladdin was at a loss for words.
Listen, Haladdin, Saruman continued with apparent curiosity, have you really started all
this to put the Elves in their place? Aren t you overestimating their importance?
Something like this is better to overdo.
Then you do believe that the Elves are about to control the entire Middle Earth? My dear
doctor, this is bizarre! Whatever the Elves capabilities are and they are greatly
exaggerated by rumor, believe me there s only about fifteen thousand of them, perhaps
twenty thousand, in the entire Middle Earth. Think about it a few thousand, and there will
be no more; while there are millions of Men, and their numbers keep growing. Believe me
that Men are already strong enough not to be afraid of Elves; this is some kind of an
inferiority complex on your part!..
Saruman continued after a pause: Sharya-Rana is correct that our Arda is unique: it is the
only World which allows direct contact between the physical and magical worlds, where
their inhabitants Elves and Men can talk to each other. Just think of the possibilities this
offers! In a very short time you and the Elves will live together in harmony, enriching each
other with your cultural achievements.
Live as directed by the Far West? Haladdin smirked.
That depends on you. Do you really lack minimal self-respect, enough to think yourselves
clay in the hands of some otherworldly forces? I m honestly ashamed to hear this.
So a time will come when the Elves will look at Men as something other than dung under
their feet? I wish I could believe you!
There was a time when Men would eat anyone not from their cave, but now you have
learned to behave a little differently, haven t you? That s exactly how it will be with you
and the Elves, if you give it time. You are so very different, and that s precisely what makes
you need each other, believe me.
257
The Last Ring-bearer
The palantír fell silent; Haladdin slumped as if a rod had been taken out of his spine.
Who s that, sir? Tzerlag, standing some ten paces away, lower on the slope, looked at the
crystal with superstitious fear.
Saruman, Lord of Isengard, Head of the White Council, and so on and so forth& He s
trying to talk me out of dropping the palantír into the Eternal Fire, lest the whole world
perish.
Is he lying?
I think so, Haladdin answered after some thought.
In reality he was not sure of that at all; the opposite, in fact. Saruman could very well have [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl freetocraft.keep.pl
it, the Nazgúl have decided to use Vakalabath to destroy the palantíri and the Mirror the
World is Text& You will now drop your palantír into Orodruin, the palantír in Lórien will
burn the Mirror with Eternal Fire, and the magical world of Arda will perish forever.
Why would it perish? the palantír asked after a second.
Ah, I see. Apparently, you have dealt with Sharya-Rana, correct?
Why would you think so? There was a hint of surprise in Haladdin s voice.
Because that is his theory of Arda s make-up: two worlds, a physical one and a magical
one, joined through the Mirror. The Elves, having crossed from the other world into this
one, will unavoidably undermine its very existence with their magic, so the Mirror should be
destroyed in order to isolate those worlds to their mutual benefit. Close enough?
Do you mean to say that it s all a lie? Haladdin responded coldly.
Not at all! It is one of the theories of the World s structure, but no more than that. Sharya-
Rana, whom I respect greatly, held this theory, but to act in accordance with it&
What do the other theories say? Please tell me, esteemed Saruman; we still have time.
When it s time for me to drop the palantír into Orodruin, I ll give you warning.
You are very gracious, Haladdin, thank you. Very well the mainstream opinion is that
the physical and magical worlds are indeed separate and the Mirror and the palantíri did
indeed originate in the magical one, but they are not here, in the physical world, by chance.
Those crystals constitute the very foundation of that other world s existence, like that fairy-
tale needle remember, the one hidden in an egg which is hidden in a duck which is hidden
in a hare which is hidden in a chest? By destroying the Mirror with the palantíri you will
simply destroy the entire magical world. The irony is that they have been placed in this non-
magical world precisely for safekeeping, just like the chest in the fairy tale. Of course, you
might say that these are that other magical world s problems for which you care not. I have
to disappoint you the worlds are symmetrical.
256
The Last Ring-bearer
You mean to say, Haladdin spoke slowly, that there s something which is the basis of our
world s existence that s been placed for safekeeping in that other, magical world? Our own
needle in an egg and so forth?
Precisely. By destroying the other world you will doom ours. Sometimes twins are born
conjoined; obviously, if one kills the other, he, too, will soon die of blood poisoning. When
you drop the palantír into Orodruin s maw, the other world will perish instantly, while this
one will start dying a long and painful death. Nobody knows how long this dying will last
a minute, a year, a century would you like to find out?
That s if you re right and Sharya-Rana is wrong.
Certainly. Have you decided to find out experimentally which theory is correct? A radical
experiment, as they call it in your circles?
The palantír was silent Haladdin was at a loss for words.
Listen, Haladdin, Saruman continued with apparent curiosity, have you really started all
this to put the Elves in their place? Aren t you overestimating their importance?
Something like this is better to overdo.
Then you do believe that the Elves are about to control the entire Middle Earth? My dear
doctor, this is bizarre! Whatever the Elves capabilities are and they are greatly
exaggerated by rumor, believe me there s only about fifteen thousand of them, perhaps
twenty thousand, in the entire Middle Earth. Think about it a few thousand, and there will
be no more; while there are millions of Men, and their numbers keep growing. Believe me
that Men are already strong enough not to be afraid of Elves; this is some kind of an
inferiority complex on your part!..
Saruman continued after a pause: Sharya-Rana is correct that our Arda is unique: it is the
only World which allows direct contact between the physical and magical worlds, where
their inhabitants Elves and Men can talk to each other. Just think of the possibilities this
offers! In a very short time you and the Elves will live together in harmony, enriching each
other with your cultural achievements.
Live as directed by the Far West? Haladdin smirked.
That depends on you. Do you really lack minimal self-respect, enough to think yourselves
clay in the hands of some otherworldly forces? I m honestly ashamed to hear this.
So a time will come when the Elves will look at Men as something other than dung under
their feet? I wish I could believe you!
There was a time when Men would eat anyone not from their cave, but now you have
learned to behave a little differently, haven t you? That s exactly how it will be with you
and the Elves, if you give it time. You are so very different, and that s precisely what makes
you need each other, believe me.
257
The Last Ring-bearer
The palantír fell silent; Haladdin slumped as if a rod had been taken out of his spine.
Who s that, sir? Tzerlag, standing some ten paces away, lower on the slope, looked at the
crystal with superstitious fear.
Saruman, Lord of Isengard, Head of the White Council, and so on and so forth& He s
trying to talk me out of dropping the palantír into the Eternal Fire, lest the whole world
perish.
Is he lying?
I think so, Haladdin answered after some thought.
In reality he was not sure of that at all; the opposite, in fact. Saruman could very well have [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]