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'Why are you waking？ ' asked Frodo。 'It is not your watch。'
'I do not know；' answered Aragorn； 'but a shadow and a threat has been growing in my sleep。 It would be well to draw your sword。'
'Why？ ' said Frodo。 'Are enemies at hand？ '
'Let us see what Sting may show；' answered Aragorn。
Frodo then drew the elfblade from its sheath。 To his dismay the edges gleamed dimly in the night。 'Orcs！' he said。 'Not very near； and yet too near； it seems。'
'I feared as much；' said Aragorn。 'But maybe they are not on this side of the River。 The light of Sting is faint； and it may point to no more than spies of Mordor roaming on the slopes of Amon Lhaw。 I have never heard before of Orcs upon Amon Hen。 Yet who knows what may happen in these evil days； now that Minas Tirith no longer holds secure the passages of Anduin。 We must go warily tomorrow。'
The day came like fire and smoke。 Low in the East there were black bars of cloud like the fumes of a great burning。 The rising sun lit them from beneath with flames of murky red； but soon it climbed above them into a clear sky。 The summit of Tol Brandir was tipped with gold。 Frodo looked out eastward and gazed at the tall island。 Its sides sprang sheer out of the running water。 High up above the tall cliffs were steep slopes upon which trees climbed； mounting one head above another； and above them again were grey faces of inaccessible rock； crowned by a great spire of stone。 Many birds were circling about it； but no sign of other living things could be seen。
When they had eaten； Aragorn called the pany together。 'The day has e at last；' he said： 'the day of choice which we have long delayed。 What shall now bee of our pany that has travelled so far in fellowship？ Shall we turn west with Boromir and go to the wars of Gondor； or turn east to the Fear and Shadow； or shall we break our fellowship and go this way and that as each may choose？ Whatever we do must be done soon。 We cannot long halt here。 The enemy is on the eastern shore； we know； but I fear that the Orcs may already be on this side of the water。'
There was a long silence in which no one spoke or moved。
'Well； Frodo；' said Aragorn at last。 'I fear that the burden is laid upon you。 You are the Bearer appointed by the Council。 Your own way you alone can choose。 In this matter I cannot advise you。 I am not Gandalf； and though I have tried to bear his part； I do not know what design or hope he had for this hour； if indeed he had any。 Most likely it seems that if he were here now the choice would still wait on you。 Such is your fate。'
Frodo did not answer at once。 Then he spoke slowly。 'I know that haste is needed； yet I cannot choose。 The burden is heavy。 Give me an hour longer； and I will speak。 Let me be alone！'
Aragorn looked at him with kindly pity。 'Very well； Frodo son of Drogo；' he said。 'You shall have an hour； and you shall be alone。 We will stay here for a while。 But do not stray far or out of call。'
Frodo sat for a moment with his head bowed。 Sam； who had been watching his master with great concern； shook his head and muttered： 'Plain as a pikestaff it is； but it's no good Sam Gamgee putting in his spoke just now。' ；
Presently Frodo got up and walked away； and Sam saw that while the others restrained themselves and did not stare at him； the eyes of Boromir followed Frodo intently； until he passed out of sight in the trees at the foot of Amon Hen。
Wandering aimlessly at first in the wood； Frodo found that his feet were leading him up towards the slopes of the hill。 He came to a path； the dwindling ruins of a road of long ago。 In steep places stairs of stone had been hewn； but now they were cracked and worn； and split by the roots of trees。 For some while he climbed； not caring which way he went； until he came to a grassy place。 Rowantrees grew about it； and in the midst was a wide flat stone。 The little upland lawn was open upon the East and was filled now with the early sunlight。 Frodo halted and looked out over the River； far below him； to Tol Brandir and the birds wheeling in the great gulf of air between him and the untrodden isle。 The voice of Rauros was a mighty roaring mingled with a deep throbbing boom。
He sat down upon the stone and cupped his chin in his hands； staring eastwards but seeing little with his eyes。 All that had happened since Bilbo left the Shire was passing through his mind； and he recalled and pondered everything that he could remember of Gandalf's words。 Time went on； and still he was no nearer to a choice。
Suddenly he awoke from his thoughts： a strange feeling came to him that something was behind him； that unfriendly eyes were upon him。 He sprang up and turned； but all that he saw to his surprise was Boromir； and his face was smiling and kind。
'I was afraid for you； Frodo；' he said； ing forward。 'If Aragorn is right and Orcs are near； then none of us should wander alone； and you least of all： so much depends on you。 And my heart too is heavy。 May I stay now and talk for a while； since I have found you？ It would fort me。 Where there are so many； all speech bees a debate without end。 But two together may perhaps find wisdom。'
'You are kind；' answered Frodo。 'But I do not think that any speech will help me。 For I know what I should do； but I am afraid of doing it； Boromir： afraid。'
Boromir stood silent。 Rauros roared endlessly on。 The wind murmured in the branches of the trees。 Frodo shivered。
Suddenly Boromir came and sat beside him。 'Are you sure that you do not suffer needlessly？ ' he said。 'I wish to help you。 You need counsel in your hard choice。 Will you not take mine？ '
'I think I know already what counsel you would give； Boromir；' said Frodo。 'And it would seem like wisdom but for the warning of my heart。'
'Warning？ Warning against what？ ' said Boromir sharply。
'Against delay。 Against the way that seems easier。 Against refusal of the burden that is laid on me。 Againstwell； if it must be said； against trust in the strength and truth of Men。'
'Yet that strength has long protected you far away in your little country； though you knew it not。'
'I do not doubt the valour of your people。 But the world is changing。 The walls of Minas Tirith may be strong； but they are not strong enough。 If they fail； what then？ '
'We shall fall in battle valiantly。 Yet there is still hope that they will not fail。'
'No hope while the Ring lasts；' said Frodo。
'Ah！ The Ring！' said Boromir； his eyes lighting。 'The Ring！ Is it not a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt for so small a thing？ So small a thing！ And I have seen it only for an instant in the House of Elrond。 Could I not have a sight of it again？ '
Frodo looked up。 His heart went suddenly cold。 He caught the strange gleam in Boromir's eyes； yet his face was still kind and friendly。 'It is best that it should lie hidden；' he answered。
'As you wish。 I care not；' said Boromir。 'Yet may I not even speak of it？ For you seem ever to think only of its power in the hands of the Enemy： of its evil uses not of its good。 The world is changing； you say。 Minas Tirith will fall； if the Ring lasts。 But why？ Certainly； if the Ring were with the Enemy。 But why； if it were with us？ '
'Were you not at the Council？ ' answered Frodo。 'Because we cannot use it； and what is done with it turns to evil。'
Boromir got up and walked about impatiently。 'So you go on；' he cried。 'Gandalf； Elrond 。 all these folk have taught you to say so。 For themselves they may be right。 These elves and halfelves and wizards； they would e to grief perhaps。 Yet often I doubt if they are wise and not merely timid。 But each to his own kind。 Truehearted Men； they will not be corrupted。 We of Minas Tirith have been staunch through long years of trial。 We do not desire the power of wizardlords； only strength to defend ourselves； strength in a just cause。 And behold！ in our need chance brings to light the Ring of Power。 It is a gift； I say； a gift to the foes of Mordor。 It is mad not to use it； to use the power of the Enemy against him。 The fearless； the ruthless； these alone will achieve victory。 What could not a warrior do in this hour； a great leader？ What could not Aragorn do？ Or if he refuses； why not Boromir？ Th