amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第76部分

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　　Later　Tagetarl　was　to　remember　that　no　one　stepped　away。
　　〃Then　the　decree　of　the　Council　will　be　enforced。　Weyrleader　N'ton；　you　may　send　for　assistance；〃　the　Lord　Holder　of　Ruatha　said　formally。
　　〃D'you　just　drop　'em　off？〃　Captain　Venabil　asked；　his　expression　severe　as　if　stunned　by　the　sentence　of　exile。
　　〃They　are　not　dropped；〃　N'ton　said；　stressing　the　last　word；　his　eyes　hinting　an　inner　conflict　kept　under　stern　control。　〃Sufficient　food；　supplies…〃　he　paused　briefly；　〃and　water　are　provided　to　give　them　time　to　bee　established。〃
　　〃But…but…〃
　　N'ton　stared　Venabil　quiet。　〃I；〃　and　he　jerked　a　thumb　at　his　chest；　〃am　the　only　one　who　will　know　which　island。　And　there　are　still　many；　many　islands　in　both　the　Eastern　and　the　Ring　seas　that　can　isolate　those　who　can　be　so　destructive。〃
　　〃Better　than　they　deserve；　Weyrleader。　Better　than　they　deserve！〃　Captain　Venabil　stepped　back；　giving　all　three　men　a　respectful　bow。　Decisions　involving　the　lives　of　others　were　never　easy　to　make。
　　The　crowd　had　quieted　down　from　its　previous　high　pitch　though　some　low　conversations　were　begun。　Pinch　sent　two　of　his　men　to　bring　the　unconscious　man　from　the　cellar；　tying　his　hands　behind　his　back　before　he　was　set　with　the　other　Abominators；　placed　in　a　rough　line　on　the　broken　Hall　doors。
　　Seeing　Rosheen　shivering；　Tagetarl　put　an　arm　around　her　shoulders　and　drew　her　close　to　him。
　　〃It　is　legal；　you　know；〃　he　whispered　to　her。
　　〃I　know。　I've　read　the　Charter。　I　just　never　thought　we'd　have　to　invoke　it。〃
　　〃It's　perhaps　as　well　to　isolate　them；〃　Tagetarl　murmured　to　her。　Angry　as　he　was；　and　he　had　been　ready　to　batter　the　men；　he　was　not　a　violent　man。　〃They　could　escape　from　the　mines　and　e　back　and　try　again。　I　think　that　I　want　to　know　they　can't　get　to　us…even　if；　at　a　later　date；　we　decide　to　retrieve　them。〃
　　She　clung　to　him；　shaking　her　head。　He　didn't　tell　her　that　two　important　members　of　the　Abominator　group　Pinch　had　been　watching　out　for　were　not　in　those　captured　tonight：　Scar…face　and　the　awkward…looking　holdless　woman　from　Tillek。　That　meant　that　not　all　those　who　held　Aivas　an　Abomination　had　been　removed　from　hall　and　hold。
　　The　dragons　were　seen　in　the　sky；　their　eyes　sparkling　in　serene　whirls　as　they　hovered　above　the　court：　a　half　wing　of　them。　From　somewhere；　fire…lizards　did　sky…pirouettes　around　them；　calling　in　an　oddly　melodious　chorus。
　　〃They'll　land　on　the　wharf；〃　N'ton　said　and　pointed　in　that　direction。
　　It　was　only　the　next　road　over　and　there　were　plenty　of　strong　men　and　women　to　carry　the　Abominators　despite　their　writhing　and　struggling　and　the　gagged　pleas　to　be　released。　Ruth　followed；　perching　on　a　bollard　while　the　exiles　were　hauled　up　on　the　dragons；　and　tied　alongside　the　sacks　that　were　to　be　left　with　them。
　　Then　N'ton　vaulted　to　his　dragon's　back。　〃Riders；　take　your　destination　from　Lioth！〃　he　said　in　a　voice　loud　enough　to　be　heard　by　all　watching。　He　lifted　his　arm；　visible　in　the　wharf　lights；　and　gave　the　signal　to　leap　skyward。
　　Tagetarl　thought　he　had　never　seen　a　more　impressive　sight：　twelve　dragons　leaping　into　the　night；　the　fairs　of　fire…lizards　escorting　them　and　disappearing　at　the　same　moment。
　　In　an　unnaturally　quiet　way；　those　who　had　witnessed　the　night's　incredible　event　left　the　wharf　side　or　climbed　aboard　the　ships　anchored　there　for　the　night。
　　〃It　was　what　had　to　be　done；　Lord　Jaxom；　Master　Tagetarl；〃　said　Captain　Venabil　in　a　low　but　firm　voice。　He　shook　their　hands　and　then　made　his　way　down　the　wharf。
　　〃Yes；　it　was　what　had　to　be　done；〃　Pinch　said　as　they　all　turned　to　go　back　to　the　Hall。
　　Then　Pinch　dropped　back　to　Jaxom　who　was　walking　more　slowly；　his　head　bent。
　　〃Dorse　was　among　them；　wasn't　he；　Jaxom？〃　he　asked　so　softly　only　Jaxom　could　hear。　Jaxom　flashed　him　the　most　quelling　stare　the　Harper　had　received　since　he'd　been　an　apprentice。
　　〃No　hold；　no　hall；〃　Jaxom　finally　replied。　〃Even　if　he　was　my　milk…brother；　what　else　could　I　do？〃
　　〃I've　been　trailing　him；　Jaxom；〃　Pinch　murmured；　〃a　long　time。〃
　　〃You　have。　I　haven't。〃
　　〃I　know；〃　and　there　was　great　passion　in　the　Harper's　voice。
　　〃Was　he　in　this　from　the　beginning？〃
　　Pinch　shrugged。　〃We　don't　even　know　when　the　Abominators　were　revived　to　plague　us。　Not　all　of　those　participating　in　these…events…are　interested　in　keeping　Pern　pure　or　traditional。　I've　no　doubt　some　of　these　people　were　motivated　by　blind　adherence　to　what　their　fathers　or　mothers　taught。　I　recognize　some　as　hill　folk　who　never　took　kindly　to　teachering：　like　the　woodsy　ones　down　in　Southern　Boll；　or　the　mountain　holds　in　upper　Telgar　and　Lemos；　or　the　desert　nomads　in　Igen。　Any　and　all　of　them　simply　fear　change。　They　might　even　resent　losing　the　Red　Star　as　a　permanent　problem　on　which　to　blame　'things　that　go　wrong。'　Unfortunately；　two　of　the　people　that　I　suspect　have　been　churning　up　ill　feelings　against　healers；　and　now　the　Print　Hall's　new　technology；　aren't　among　those　in　tonight's　catch。〃　He　quickened　his　pace　and　fell　in　step　with　Tagetarl；　leaving　Jaxom　to　his　own　somber　stride。　〃It　would　be　wise；　MasterPrinter；　to　issue　a　concise　statement　of　what　happened　here　tonight。　The　Runners　can　see　that　the　truth　is　circulated。〃
　　A　truth　that　would　not　name　the　milk…brother　of　Lord　Jaxom　of　Ruatha　Hold　as　one　of　the　vandals　who　had　been　exiled　that　night。
　　A　handful　of　men　and　women　stood　by　the　open　outer　gates　of　the　Hall。　Ruth　could　be　seen　quietly　awaiting　the　return　of　his　rider。
　　〃If　you　need　some　help　tonight；　or　tomorrow；　Master　Tagetarl；〃　began　one　of　the　men　stepping　forward；　〃we'd　be　willing　to　do　repairs。〃
　　Tagetarl　thanked　them；　aware　that　the　doors　to　the　Print　Hall　would　have　to　be　replaced。　Steel　would　have　reassured　him　but　he　didn't　have　enough　marks　and　he　doubted　the　SmithCraftHall　had　the　time。
　　〃If　one　of　you　is　a　carpenter。。。〃
　　〃Five　of　us　are；　Master　Tagetarl；　the　reason　we　bother　you　right　now。〃
　　〃I　am　extremely　grateful。　e　when　you　can　in　the　morning。〃
　　He　and　the　others　had　no　sooner　walked　away　than　two　fire…lizards　whisked　out　of　the　night；　landing　on　the　shoulders　of　Rosheen　and　Pinch。
　　Jaxom　walked　straight　toward　his　dragon　and　vaulted　to　his　back。　Tagetarl　lifted　his　arm　in　farewell　but　he　didn't　think　the　Lord　Holder　saw　him。　In　silence　Pinch　and　Tagetarl　closed　the　gates。　Then　Pinch　made　his　way　to　the　loft　where　undoubtedly　his　assistants　had　taken　themselves。　Tagetarl　and　Rosheen　turned　to　the　right　and　the　steps　up　to　their　hold。
　　In　the　morning；　while　the　five　carpenters　put　up　new　doorposts…made　of　sky…broom　wood；　they　proudly　informed　Tagetarl…the　Masterprinter　took　the　report　that　he　and　Rosheen　had　spent　a　sleepless　night　posing　to　the　Runner　Station。
　　Pursing　his　lips；　Stationmaster　Arminet　read　the　text。　〃Well　said；　Master　Tagetarl。　Fairly　said。　It　will　go　in　every　pouch　to　e　through　here。　I　may　even　need　more。〃
　　Tagetarl　made　a　protest；　wondering　how　much　more　the　night's　work　would　cost　him。
　　〃Keep　your　marks　in　your　pocket；〃　Arminet　added；　pushing　away　the　ones　Tagetarl　proffered。
　　〃It's　a　Harper　Hall　announcement。。。〃
　　〃It's　a　munity　announcement；〃　Arminet　replied；　straightening　himself　to　his　full　dignity　though　he　was　not　as　tall　as　the　well…built　Tagetarl。　He　glared　up。　〃I'm　the　one　who　decides　what　should　or　should　not　be　spread　from　my　Station。　The　people　of　Wide　Bay　were　very　much　aware　of　the　atrocity　mitted　by　persons　who　would　not　claim　hall　or　hold；　Master　Tagetarl；　and　others　must　know　about　the　matter　so　as　not　to　be　left　in　doubt　as　to　the　exact　details　of　the　matter。〃　He　tapped　the　bottom　paragraph。　〃As　I　was　one　of　those　witnesses；　this　is　exactly　as　I　recall　the　incident。　Thank　you；　Master　Tagetarl。　Let　it　not　be　said　that　the　Runners　did　less　than　their　best；　too。〃
　　
RUATHA　HOLD…LATE　EVENING…2。9。31
　　〃You　recognized　one　of　them；　didn't　you；　Jaxom？〃　Sharra　asked　softly；　having　watched　his　silence　all　day。　She　knew　he　had　been　called　away　that　night。　When　he　had　returned；　he　had　tried　to　disguise　both　fatigue　and　a　preoccupied　air。　He　had　pushed　food　around　his　plate　at　both　lunch　and　dinner。　He　had　not