LotR -- Book 3 - Chapter 05 - The White Rider

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Straggling footnotes....

One of my favorite lines from Legolas:

Being pleased with his skill, he then sat down and quietly ate some waybread! That at least is enough to show that he was a hobbit...

Here Gimli reminds me of Boromir, at the eaves of Lorien, asking for "a plain road though it led through a hedge of swords"--

‘Then we must go in, too,’ said Gimli. ‘But I do not like the look of this Fangorn: and we were warned against it. I wish the chase had led anywhere else!’

Another endearing comment from Legolas:

I could have been happy here, if I had come in days of peace.’

Here Aragorn defines loyalty and duty. In light of his hopes to marry Arwen, it is an eye-opener; he is first and foremost a man of principle:

said Gimli.".... If we do not find them soon, we shall be of no use to them, except to sit down beside them and show our friendship by starving together.’
‘If that is indeed all we can do, then we must do that,’ said Aragorn. ‘Let us go on.’

Another nice quote from Legolas:

Few can foresee whither their road will lead them, till they come to its end.

I was delighted by this joviality from Gandalf:

Indeed my friends, none of you have any weapon that could hurt me. Be merry! We meet again.

...and intrigued by these contrasts of knowing and unknowing, remembering and forgetting, seeing and unseeing:

I have forgotten much that I thought I knew, and learned again much that I had forgotten. I can see many things far off, but many things that are close at hand I cannot see.

I find this deeply intriguing:

It was not in vain that the young hobbits came with us, if only for Boromir’s sake.

I was also struck by how much Saruman DIDN'T know-- where were his powers of Osanwe? Has he lost them, being dependant on the palantir? How can he NOT see so much nowadays?

He has no woodcraft. He believes that the horsemen slew and burned all upon the field of battle; but he does not know whether the Orcs were bringing any prisoners or not. And he does not know of the quarrel between his servants and the Orcs of Mordor; nor does he know of the Winged Messenger.’

Gandalf's discourse on dangerous friends is so enjoyable. "You are beset with dangers, Gimli son of Gloin..."

"the path that seemed right" -- This was extremely encouraging:

‘Do not regret your choice in the valley of the Emyn Muil, nor call it a vain pursuit. You chose amid doubts the path that seemed right: the choice was just, and it has been rewarded. For so we have met in time, who otherwise might have met too late.

And this, also encouraging:

"Go where you must go, and hope!"