看不见所有结局时，不要急着替人判死
Frodo 认为 Gollum 该死，Gandalf 没有否认。他问的是另一件事：那些死去却应该活着的人，谁能把生命还给他们？做不到这一点，就别急着决定谁该死。
这段话没有把怜悯写成对事实的逃避。Gandalf 对 Gollum 被治愈不抱多少希望，只承认自己看不见全部结局。Bilbo 当初没有杀他，后来确实改变了魔戒的命运。判断可能正确，判断者掌握的未来却很有限。独立判断是一件责任风险极大的事 说独立不等于正确，这里又加上一层，人连自己的正确会导致什么也未必看得清。
‘What a pity that Bilbo did not stab that vile creature, when he had a chance!’ ‘Pity? It was Pity that stayed his hand. Pity, and Mercy: not to strike without need. And he has been well rewarded, Frodo. Be sure that he took so little hurt from the evil, and escaped in the end, because he began his ownership of the Ring so. With Pity.’ ‘He deserves death.’ ‘Deserves it! I daresay he does. Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. For even the very wise cannot see all ends. I have not much hope that Gollum can be cured before he dies, but there is a chance of it. And he is bound up with the fate of the Ring. My heart tells me that he has some part to play yet, for good or ill, before the end; and when that comes, the pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many – yours not least. J. R. R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring