He sat down upon the stone and cupped his chin in his hands； staringeastwards but seeing little with his eyes。 All that had happened since Bilboleft the Shire was passing through his mind； and he recalled and ponderedeverything that he could remember of Gandalf's words。 Time went on； and stillhe was no nearer to a choice。
Suddenly he awoke from his thoughts： a strange feeling came to him thatsomething was behind him； that unfriendly eyes were upon him。 He sprang up andturned； but all that he saw to his surprise was Boromir； and his face wassmiling and kind。
‘I was afraid for you； Frodo；' he said； ing forward。 ‘If Aragorn isright and Orcs are near； then none of us should wander alone； and you least ofall： so much depends on you。 And my heart too is heavy。 May I stay now andtalk for a while； since I have found you？ It would fort me。 Where there areso many； all speech bees a debate without end。 But two together may perhapsfind wisdom。'
‘You are kind；' answered Frodo。 'But I do not think that any speech willhelp 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 inthe branches of the trees。 Frodo shivered。
Suddenly Boromir came and sat beside him。 ‘Are you sure that you do notsuffer needlessly？ ' he said。 ‘I wish to help you。 You need counsel in yourhard choice。 Will you not take mine？ '
'I think I know already what counsel you would give； Boromir；' saidFrodo。 '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 theburden that is laid on me。 Against…well； if it must be said； against trust inthe strength and truth of Men。'
‘Yet that strength has long protected you far away in your littlecountry； though you knew it not。'
'I do not doubt the valour of your people。 But the world is changing。 Thewalls of Minas Tirith may be strong； but they are not strong enough。 If theyfail； what then？ '
'We shall fall in battle valiantly。 Yet there is still hope that theywill not fail。'
'No hope while the Ring lasts；' said Frodo。
'Ah！ The Ring！ ' said Boromir； his eyes lighting。 'The Ring！ Is it not astrange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt for so small athing？ So small a thing！ And I have seen it only for an instant in the Houseof Elrond。 Could I not have a sight of it again？ '
Frodo looked up。 His heart went suddenly cold。 He caught the strangegleam 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 itsevil uses not of its good。 The world is changing； you say。 Minas Tirith willfall； 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 useit； 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 themselvesthey may be right。 These elves and half…elves and wizards； they would e togrief perhaps。 Yet often I doubt if they are wise and not merely timid。 Buteach to his own kind。 True…hearted Men； they will not be corrupted。 We ofMinas Tirith have been staunch through long years of trial。 We do not desirethe power of wizard…lords； only strength to defend ourselves； strength in ajust 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； touse the power of the Enemy against him。 The fearless； the ruthless； thesealone will achieve victory。 What could not a warrior do in this hour； a greatleader？ What could not Aragorn do？ Or if he refuses； why not Boromir？ The Ringwould give me power of mand。 How I would drive the hosts of Mordor； and allmen would flock to my banner！'
Boromir strode up and down； speaking ever more loudly： Almost he seemedto have forgotten Frodo； while his talk dwelt on walls and weapons； and themustering of men； and he drew plans for great alliances and glorious victoriesto be； and he cast down Mordor； and became himself a mighty king； benevolentand wise。 Suddenly he stopped and waved his arms。
'And they tell us to throw it away！' he cried。 ‘I do not say _destroy_
it。 That might be well； if reason could show any hope of doing so。 It doesnot。 The only plan that is proposed to us is that a halfling should walkblindly into Mordor and offer the Enemy every chance of recapturing it forhimself。 Folly！
'Surely you see it； my friend？' he said； turning now suddenly to Frodoagain。 ‘You say that you are afraid。 If it is so； the boldest should pardonyou。 But is it not really your good sense that revolts？'
'No； I am afraid；' said Frodo。 'Simply afraid。 But I am glad to haveheard you speak so fully。 My mind is clearer now。'
‘Then you will e to Minas Tirith？ ' cried Boromir。 His eyes wereshining and his face eager。
‘You misunderstand me；' said Frodo。
'But you will e； at least for a while？ ' Boromir persisted。 'My cityis not far now； and it is little further from there to Mordor than from here。
We have been long in the wilderness； and you need news of what the Enemy isdoing before you make a move。 e with me； Frodo；' he said。 ‘You need restbefore your venture。 if go you must。' He laid his hand on the hobbit'sshoulder in friendly fashion； but Frodo felt the hand trembling withsuppressed excitement。 He stepped quickly away； and eyed with alarm the tallMan； nearly twice his height and many times his match in strength。
‘Why are you so unfriendly？ ' said Boromir。 ‘I am a true man； neitherthief nor tracker。 I need your Ring： that you know now； but I give you my wordthat I do not desire to keep it。 Will you not at least let me make trial of myplan？ Lend me the Ring！ '
‘No！ no！ ' cried Frodo。 'The Council laid it upon me to bear it。'
‘It is by our own folly that the Enemy will defeat us；' cried Boromir。
‘How it angers me！ Fool！ Obstinate fool！ Running wilfully to death and ruiningour cause。 If any mortals have claim to the Ring； it is the men of Númenor；
and not Halflings。 It is not yours save by unhappy chance。 It might have beenmine。 It should be mine。 Give it to me！ '
Frodo did not answer； but moved away till the great flat stone stoodbetween them。 ‘e； e； my friend！ ' said Boromir in a softer voice。 'Why
not get rid of it？ Why not be free of your doubt and fear？ You can lay theblame on me； if you will。 You can say that I was too strong and took it byforce。 For I am too strong for you； halfling；' he cried； and suddenly hesprang over the stone and leaped at Frodo。 His fair and pleasant face washideously changed； a raging fire was in his eyes。
Frodo dodged aside and again put the stone between them。 There was onlyone thing he could do： trembling he pulled out the Ring upon its chain andquickly slipped it on his finger； even as Boromir sprang at him again。 The Mangasped； stared for a moment amazed； and then ran wildly about； seeking hereand there among the rocks and trees。
'Miserable trickster！' he shouted。 ‘Let me get my hands on you！ Now I seeyour mind。 You will take the Ring to Sauron and sell us all。 You have onlywaited your chance to leave us in the lurch。 Curse you and all halflings todeath and darkness！ ' Then； catching his foot on a stone； he fell sprawlingand lay upon his face。 For a while he was as still as if his own curse hadstruck him down； then suddenly he wept。
He rose and passed his hand over his eyes； dashing away the tears。 'Whathave I said？ ' he cried。 ‘What have I done？ Frodo； Frodo！ ' he called。 'eback！ A madness took me； but it has passed。 e back！ '
There was no answer。 Frodo did not even hear his cries。 He was alreadyfar away； leaping blindly up the path to the hill…top。 Terror and grief shookhim； seeing in his thought the mad fierce face of Boromir； and his burning
eyes。
Soon he came out alone on the summit of Amon Hen； and halted； gasping forbreath。 He saw as through a mist a wide flat circle； paved with mighty flags；
and surrounded with a crumbling battlement； and in the middle； set upon fourcarven pillars； was a high seat； reached by a stair of many steps。 Up he wentand sat upon the ancient chair； feeling like a lost child that had clamberedupon the throne of mountain…kings。
At first he could see little。 He seemed to be in a world of mist in which
there were only shadows： the Ring was upon him。 Then here and there the mistgave way and he saw many visions： small and clear as if they were under hiseyes upon a table； and yet remote。 There was no sound； only bright livingimages。 The world seemed to have shrunk and fallen silent。 He was sitting uponthe Seat of Seeing； on Amon Hen； the Hill of the Eye of the Men of Númenor。
Eastward he looked into wide uncharted lands； nameless plains； and forestsunexplored。 Northward he looked； and the Great River lay like a ribbon beneathhim； and the Misty Mountains stood small and hard as broken teeth。 Westward helooked and saw the broad pastures of Rohan； and Orthanc； the pinnacle ofIsengard； like a black spike。 Southward he looked； and below his very feet theGreat River curled like a toppling wave and plunged over the falls of Raurosinto a foaming pit； a glimmering rainbow played upon the fume。 And EthirAnduin he saw； the mighty delta of the River； and myriads of sea…birdswhirling like a white dust in the sun； and beneath them a green and silversea； rippling in endless lines。
But everywhere he looked he saw the signs of war。 The Misty Mountainswere crawling like anthills： orcs were issuing out of a thousand holes。 Underthe boughs of Mirkwood there was deadly strife of Elves and Men and fellbeasts。 The land of the Beornings was aflame； a cloud was over Moria； smokerose on the borders of Lórien。
Horsemen were galloping on the grass of Rohan； wolves poured fromIsengard。 From the havens of Harad ships of war put out to sea； and out of theEast Men were moving endlessly： swordsmen； spearmen； bowmen upon horses；
chariots of c