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.`You cannot go along the road southwards, if that was your purpose.It will beunsafe for some days, and always more closely watched after this affray than ithas been yet.And you cannot, I think, go far today in any case, for you areweary.And so are we.We are going now to a secret place we have, somewhat lessthan ten miles from here.The Orcs and spies of the Enemy have not found ityet, and if they did, we could hold it long even against many.There we may lieup and rest for a while, and you with us.In the morning I will decide what isbest for me to do, and for you.'There was nothing for Frodo to do but to fall in with this request, or order.It seemed in any case a wise course for the moment, since this foray of the menof Gondor had made a journey in Ithilien more dangerous than ever.They set out at once: Mablung and Damrod a little ahead, and Faramir with Frodoand Sam behind.Skirting the hither side of the pool where the hobbits hadbathed, they crossed the stream, climbed a long bank, and passed intogreen-shadowed woodlands that marched ever downwards and westwards.While theywalked, as swiftly as the hobbits could go, they talked in hushed voices.'I broke off our speech together,' said Faramir, 'not only because timepressed, as Master Samwise had reminded me, but also because we were drawingnear to matters that were better not debated openly before many men.It was forthat reason that I turned rather to the matter of my brother and let beIsildur's Bane.You were not wholly frank with me, Frodo.'`I told no lies, and of the truth all I could,' said Frodo.`I do not blame you,' said Faramir.'You spoke with skill in a hard place, andwisely, it seemed to me.But I learned or guessed more from you than your wordssaid.You were not friendly with Boromir, or you did not part in friendship.You, and Master Samwise, too, I guess have some grievance.Now I loved himdearly, and would gladly avenge his death, yet I knew him well.Isildur's Bane– I would hazard that Isildur's Bane lay between you and was a cause ofcontention in your Company.Clearly it is a mighty heirloom of some sort, andsuch things do not breed peace among confederates, not if aught may be learnedfrom ancient tales.Do I not hit near the mark?'`Near,' said Frodo, 'but not in the gold.There was no contention in ourCompany, though there was doubt: doubt which way we should take from the EmynMuil.But be that as it may, ancient tales teach us also the peril of rashwords concerning such things as – heirlooms.''Ah, then it is as I thought: your trouble was with Boromir alone.He wishedthis thing brought to Minas Tirith.Alas! it is a crooked fate that seals yourlips who saw him last, and holds from me that which I long to know: what was inhis heart and thought in his latest hours.Whether he erred or no, of this I amsure: he died well, achieving some good thing.His face was more beautiful eventhan in life.`But, Frodo, I pressed you hard at first about Isildur's Bane.Forgive me! Itwas unwise in such an hour and place.I had not had time for thought.We hadhad a hard fight, and there was more than enough to fill my mind.But even as Ispoke with you, I drew nearer to the mark, and so deliberately shot wider.Foryou must know that much is still preserved of ancient lore among the Rulers ofthe city that is not spread abroad.We of my house are not of the line ofElendil.though the blood of Númenor is in us.For we reckon back our line toMardil, the good steward, who ruled in the king's stead when he went away towar.And that was King Eärnur, last of the line of Anárion, and childless, andhe came never back.And the stewards have governed the city since that day,though it was many generations of Men ago.'And this I remember of Boromir as a boy, when we together learned the tale ofour sires and the history of our city, that always it displeased him that hisfather was not king."How many hundreds of years needs it to make a steward aking, if the king returns not? " he asked."Few years, maybe, in other placesof less royalty," my father answered."In Gondor ten thousand years would notsuffice." Alas! poor Boromir.Does that not tell you something of him? ''It does,' said Frodo.`Yet always he treated Aragorn with honour.''I doubt it not,' said Faramir.`If he were satisfied of Aragorn's claim as yousay, he would greatly reverence him.But the pinch has not yet come.They hadnot yet reached Minas Tirith or become rivals in her wars.`But I stray.We in the house of Denethor know much ancient lore by longtradition, and there are moreover in our treasuries many things preserved:books and tablets writ on withered parchments, yea, and on stone, and on leavesof silver and of gold, in divers characters.Some none can now read; and forthe rest, few ever unlock them.I can read a little in them, for I have hadteaching.It was these records that brought the Grey Pilgrim to us.I first sawhim when I was a child, and he has been twice or thrice since then.''The Grey Pilgrim? ' said Frodo.'Had he a name?''Mithrandir we called him in elf-fashion,' said Faramir, 'and he was content.Many are my names in many countries, he said.Mithrandir among the Elves,Tharkûn to the Dwarves; Olórin I was in my youth in the West that is forgotten,in the South Incánus, in the North Gandalf; to the East I go not.''Gandalf!' said Frodo.'I thought it was he.Gandalf the Grey dearest ofcounsellors.Leader of our Company.He was lost in Moria
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