For Gandalf the Grey to jump the gun and announce his suspiciouns that Saruman had gone bad would be a huge move. And what if he had been wrong? The most powerful wizard in Middle Earth would become suspicious and maybe even angry with him. As they say, the guilty dog barks the loudest. Considering Gandalf's careful, shrewd personality, what he did was very much in character. Maybe he did wait too long, but all's well that ends well, and it certainly could've been worse.
Aside from that, who could he have confidently related his suspicions to? Galadriel? Elrond? It's safe to say that they probably would've counselled caution and prudence, something Gandalf was already doing.
__________________
"'You," he said, "tell her all. What good came to you? Do you rejoice that Maleldil became a man? Tell her of your joys, and of what profit you had when you made Maleldil and death acquainted.'" -Perelandra, by C.S. Lewis
|