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ner！'
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 chieftains and laden wains。 All the power of the Dark Lord was inmotion。 Then turning south again he beheld Minas Tirith。 Far away it seemed。
and beautiful： white…walled； many…towered； proud and fair upon its mountain…
seat； its battlements glittered with steel； and its turrets were bright withmany banners。 Hope leaped in his heart。 But against Minas Tirith was setanother fortress； greater and more strong。 Thither； eastward； unwilling hiseye was drawn。 It passed the ruined bridges of Osgiliath； the grinning gates
of Minas Morgul。 and the haunted Mountains； and it looked upon Gorgoroth； thevalley of terror in the Land of Mordor。 Darkness lay there under the Sun。 Fireglowed amid the smoke。 Mount Doom was burning； and a great reek rising。 Thenat last his gaze was held： wall upon wall； battlement upon battlement； black；
immeasurably strong； mountain of iron； gate of steel； tower of adamant； he sawit： Barad…d。r； Fortress of Sauron。 All hope left him。
And suddenly he felt the Eye。 There was an eye in the Dark Tower that didnot sleep。 He knew that it had bee aware of his gaze。 A fierce eager willwas there。 It leaped towards him； almost like a finger he felt it； searchingfor him。 Very soon it would nail him down； know just exactly where he was。
Amon Lhaw it touched。 It glanced upon Tol Brandir he threw himself from theseat； crouching； covering his head with his grey hood。
He heard himself crying out： _Never； never！_Or was it： _Verily I e； Ie to you_？ He could not tell。 Then as a flash from some other point ofpower there came to his mind another thought： _Take it off！ Take it off！ Fool；
take it off！ Take off the Ring！_
The two powers strove in him。 For a moment； perfectly balanced betweentheir piercing points； he writhed； tormented。 Suddenly he was aware of himselfagain。 Frodo； neither the Voice nor the Eye： free to choose； and with oneremaining instant in which to do so。 He took the Ring off his finger。 He waskneeling in clear sunlight before the high seat。 A black shadow seemed to passlike an arm above him； it missed Amon Hen and groped out west； and faded。 Thenall the sky was clean and blue and birds sang in every tree。
Frodo rose to his feet。 A great weariness was on him； but his will wasfirm and his heart lighter。 He spoke aloud to himself。 ‘I will do now what Imust；' he said。 'This at least is plain： the evil of the Ring is already atwork even in the pany； and the Ring must leave them before it does moreharm。 I will go alone。 Some I cannot trust； and those I can trust are too dearto me： poor old Sam； and Merry and Pippin。 Strider； too： his heart yearns forMinas Tirith； and he will be needed there； now Boromir has fallen into evil。 Iwill go alone。 At once。'
He went quickly down the path and came back to the lawn where Boromir hadfound him。 Then he halted； listening。 He thought he could hear cries and callsfrom the woods near the shore below。
'They'll be hunting for me；' he said。 ‘I wonder how long I have beenaway。 Hours； I should think。' He hesitated。 'What can I do？ ' he muttered。 'Imust go now or I shall never go。 I shan't get a chance agai