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men； 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 again。 I hate leavingthem； and like this without any explanation。 But surely they will understand。
Sam will。 And what else can I do？'
Slowly he drew out the Ring and put it on once more。 He vanished andpassed down the hill； less than a rustle of the wind。
The others remained long by the river…side。 For some time they had beensilent； moving restlessly about； but now they were sitting in a circle； andthey were talking。 Every now and again they made efforts to speak of otherthings； of their long road and many adventures； they questioned Aragornconcerning the realm of Gondor and its ancient history； and the remnants ofits great works that could still be seen in this strange border…land of theEmyn Muil： the stone kings and the seats of Lhaw and Hen； and the great Stairbeside the falls of Rauros。 But always their thoughts and words strayed backto Frodo and the Ring。 What would Frodo choose to do？ Why was he hesitating？
‘He is debating which course is the most desperate； I think；' saidAragorn。 'And well he may。 It is now more hopeless than ever for the panyto go east； since we have been tracked by Gollum； and must fear that thesecret of our journey is already betrayed。 But Minas Tirith is no nearer tothe Fire and the destruction of the Burden。
‘We may remain there for a while and make a brave stand； but the LordDenethor and all his men cannot hope to do what even Elrond said was beyondhis power： either to keep the Burden secret。 or to hold off the full might ofthe Enemy when he es to take it。 Which way would any of us choose inFrodo's place？ I do not know。 Now indeed we miss Gandalf most。'
'Grievous is our loss；' said Legolas。 'Yet we must needs make up ourminds without his aid。 Why cannot we decide； and so help Frodo？ Let us callhim back and then vote！ I should vote for Minas Tirith。'
‘And so should I；' said Gimli。 'We； of course； were only sent to help theBearer along the road； to go no further than we wished； and none of us isunder any oath or mand to seek Mount Doom。 Hard was my parting fromLothlórien。 Yet I have e so far； and I say this： now we have reached thelast choice； it is clear to me that I cannot leave Frodo。 I would choose MinasTirith； but if he does not； then I follow him。'
‘And I too will go with him；' said Legolas。 ‘It would be faithless now tosay farewell。'
'It would indeed be a betrayal； if we all left him；' said Aragorn。 'Butif he goes east； then all need not go with him； nor do I think that allshould。 That venture is desperate： as much so for eight as for three or two；
or one alone。 If you would let me choose； then I should appoint threepanions： Sam； who could not bear it otherwise； and Gimli； and myself。
Boromir will return to his own city； where his father and his people need him；
and with him the others should go； or at least Meriadoc and Peregrin； ifLegolas is not willing to leave us。'
‘That won't do at all！ ' cried Merry。 'We can't leave Frodo！ Pippin and Ialways intended to go wherever he went； and we still do。 But we did notrealize what that would mean。 It seemed different so far away； in the Shire orin Rivendell。 It would be mad and cruel to let Frodo go to Mordor。 Why can'twe stop him？'
'We must stop him；' said Pippin。 ‘And that is what he is worrying about；
I am sure。 He knows we shan't agree to his going east。 And he doesn't like toask anyone to go with him； poor old fellow。 Imagine it： going off to Mordoralone！ ' Pippin shuddered。 'But the dear silly old hobbit； he ought to knowthat he hasn't got to ask。 He ought to know that if we can't stop him； weshan't leave him。'
'Begging your pardon；' said Sam。 'I don't think you understand my masterat all。 He isn't hesitating about which way to go。 Of course not！ What's thegood of Minas Tirith anyway？ To him； I mean； begging your pardon； MasterBoromir；' he added； and turned。 It was then that they discovered that Boromir；
who at first had been sitting silent on the outside of the circle； was nolonger there。
‘Now where's he got to？ ' cried Sam； looking worried。 'He's been a bitqueer lately； to my mind。 But anyway he's not in this business。 He's off tohis home； as he always said； and no blame to him。 But Mr。 Frodo； he knows he'sgot to find the Cracks of Doom； if he can。 But he's _afraid_。 Now it's e tothe point； he's just plain terrified。 That's what his trouble is。 Of coursehe's had a bit of schooling； so to speak…we all have…since we left home； orhe'd be so terrified he'd just fling the Ring in the River and bolt。 But he'sstill too frightened to start。 And he isn't worrying about us either： whetherwe'll go along with him or no。 He knows we mean to。 That's another thingthat's bothering him。 If he screws himself up to go； he'll want to go alone。
Mark my words！ We're going to have trouble when he es back。 For he'll screwhimself up all right； as sure as his name's Baggins。'
'I believe you speak more wisely than any of us； Sam；' said Aragorn。 ‘Andwhat shall we do； if you prove right？ '
'Stop him！ Don't let him go！ ' cried Pippin。
'I wonder？ ' said Aragorn。 ‘He is the Bearer； and the fate of the Burdenis on him。 I do