21.03.2013 Views

Untitled - BoG-Archive

Untitled - BoG-Archive

Untitled - BoG-Archive

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

No, he couldn’t have invented something like that. Somebody had<br />

tampered with the page. Very old ink would flake off parchment just like paint<br />

did; he’d seen books where it had happened.<br />

It must have been the old man. The man who was like Mithrandir, and yet<br />

unlike.<br />

Faramir shivered. He had his secret, but there was no pleasure in it any<br />

more; it was like a weight on his stomach. He wished Mithrandir would come<br />

back and relieve him of the pain of it, but perhaps he never would.<br />

82<br />

<br />

‘You’re looking seedy, youngster,’ said Boromir next morning. ‘Too much<br />

studying is bad for you, I always said so. And I hope you don’t intend to spend<br />

the rest of the week skulking in the archives with this loremaster, the way you<br />

always did with old Mithrandir.’<br />

‘No, I don’t,’ answered Faramir, surprised at his own vehemence. Nothing,<br />

he realised, would induce him to go near the turret room as long as there was a<br />

chance of meeting the stranger there.<br />

Boromir looked at him quizzically. ‘In that case, why don’t we beg a free<br />

day from Father and go riding? You can ride Thoron, if you like.’ He grinned.<br />

‘With my permission this time.’<br />

‘Good idea.’ Faramir grinned back. He would not be telling his secret to<br />

Boromir; it wasn’t the sort of thing Boromir understood. It never mattered<br />

whether Boromir understood or not; it was enough that he cared. And he was<br />

now. Isildur and all his works belonged to the far past; they could be left to the<br />

seekers after ancient learning.

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!