The Lord of the Rings

Halfling that Isildur’s Bane should waken, or so one must read the words,’ he insisted. ‘If then you are the Halfling that was named, doubtless you brought this thing, whatever it may be, to the Council of which you speak, and there Boromir saw it. Do you deny it?’
    Frodo made no answer. ‘So!’ said Faramir. ‘I wish then to learn from you more of it; for what concerns Boromir concerns me. An orc-arrow slew Isildur, so far as old tales tell. But orc-arrows are plenty, and the sight of one would not be taken as a sign of Doom by Boromir of Gondor. Had you this thing in keeping? It is hidden, you say; but is not that because you choose to hide it?’
    ‘No, not because I choose,’ answered Frodo. ‘It does not belong to me. It does not belong to any mortal, great or small; though if any could claim it, it would be Aragorn son of Arathorn, whom I named, the leader of our Company from Moria to Rauros.’
    ‘Why so, and not Boromir, prince of the City that the sons of Elendil founded?’
    ‘Because Aragorn is descended in direct lineage, father to father,from Isildur Elendil’s son himself. And the sword that he bears was Elendil’s sword.’
    A murmur of astonishment ran through all the ring of men. Some cried aloud: ‘The sword of Elendil! The sword of Elendil comes to Minas Tirith! Great tidings!’ But Faramir’s face was unmoved.
    ‘Maybe,’ he said. ‘But so great a claim will need to be established, and clear proofs will be required, should this Aragorn ever come to Minas Tirith. He had not come, nor any of your Company, when I set out six days ago.’
    ‘Boromir was satisfied of that claim,’ said Frodo. ‘Indeed, if Boromir were here, he would answer all your questions. And since he was already at Rauros many days back, and intended then to go straight to your city, if you return, you may soon learn the answers there. My part in the Company was known to him, as to all the others, for it was appointed to me by Elrond of Imladris himself before the whole Council. On that errand I came into this country, but it is not mine to reveal to any outside the Company. Yet those who claim to oppose the Enemy would do well not to hinder it.’
    Frodo’s tone was proud, whatever he felt, and Sam approved of it; but it did not appease Faramir.
    ‘So!’ he said. ‘You bid me mind my own affairs, and get me back home, and let you be. Boromir will tell all, when he comes. When he comes, say you! Were you a friend of Boromir?’
    Vividly before Frodo’s mind came the memory of Boromir’s assault upon him, and for a moment he hesitated. Faramir’s eyes watching him grew harder. ‘Boromir was a valiant member of our Company,’ said Frodo at length. ‘Yes, I was his friend, for my part.’
    Faramir smiled grimly. ‘Then you would grieve to learn that Boromir is dead?’
    ‘I would grieve indeed,’ said Frodo. Then catching the look in Faramir’s eyes, he faltered. ‘Dead?’ he said. ‘Do you mean that he is dead, and that you knew it? You have been trying to trap me in words, playing with me? Or are you now trying to snare me with a falsehood?’
    ‘I would not snare even an orc with a falsehood,’ said Faramir.
    ‘How then did he die, and how do you know of it? Since you say that none of the Company had reached the city when you left.’
    ‘As to the manner of his death, I had hoped that his friend and companion would tell me how it was.’
    ‘But he was alive and strong when we parted. And he lives still for all that I know. Though surely there are many perils in the world.’
    ‘Many indeed,’ said Faramir, ‘and treachery not the least.’
    Sam had been getting more and more impatient and angry at this conversation. These last words were more than he could bear, andbursting into the middle of the ring, he strode up to his master’s side.
    ‘Begging your pardon, Mr. Frodo,’ he said, ‘but this has gone on long enough. He’s no right to talk to you so. After all you’ve gone through, as much for his good and all these great Men as for anyone else.
    ‘See here, Captain!’ He planted himself squarely in front of Faramir, his hands on his hips, and a look on his face as if he was addressing a young hobbit who had offered him what he called ‘sauce’ when questioned about visits to the orchard. There was some murmuring, but also some grins on the faces of the men looking on: the sight of their Captain sitting on the ground and eye to eye with a young hobbit, legs well apart,