Re-reading the Lord of the Rings, Chapter 33

This chapter serves mainly to get rid of the old Gandalf, for still Gandalf was handling people and that turned out to bite him for once.

Pippin has grown tired of being moved around like a figure on a game-board and defies Gandalf and takes a look into the Palantír. Things go reasonably smoothly, though Sauron becomes aware of him, and Aragorn claims the stone from Gandalf and Gandalf gives it into his responsibility. Afterwards Gandalf answers Pippin, instead of deciding what is best for Pippin to know and what not, just as he has just before stopped deciding what is best for Aragorn to have or not.

Verily, it is an unworthy treatment for any man, whether halfling or not, and when should school finally end? It's the dawn of the final battle and the Ringwraiths have crossed the river and are flying over the land.

I had suggested that Gandalf might have influenced Pippin to drop the stone into the well in Moria. In that case this would be a kind of revenge. Then it had served Gandalf's purpose, here it almost thwarted it. A slap by fate on the fingers, which Gandalf seems to have taken as such. He even becomes defensive.

I did not tell you all this before, because it is only by musing on all that has happened that I have at last understood, even as we ride together.

And with that the third book ends.