uplift4.brightnessreef-第42部分

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　a　diversion　during　his　journeyman　year　in　Biblos；　nothing　more。
　　Ironic；　isn't　it？　Lark　could　have　his　pick　of　young　women　on　the　Slope；　yet　his　philosophy　makes　him　choose　celibacy。　My　conclusions　about　Jijo　and　the　Six　are　the　opposite　to　his。　Yet　I'm　alone　too。
　　Different　highways；　arriving　at　the　same　solitary　dead　end。
　　And　now　e　gods　from　space；　diverting　us　all　onto　a　road　whose　markings　we　can't　see。
　　They　still　lacked　a　sixth　for　the　concert。　Despite　having　introduced　string　instruments　to　Jijo；　humans　traditionally　played　flute　in　a　mixed　sextet。　Jop　was　an　adept；　but　the　farmer　declined；　preferring　to　pore　over　his　book　of　scrolls。　Finally；　young　Jomah　agreed　to　sit　in　for　luck；　equipped　with　a　pair　of　spoons。
　　So　much　for　the　vaunted　contribution　of　Earthlings　to　musical　life　on　Jijo。
　　Hidden　under　Blade's　heavy　shell；　the　mirliton　groaned　a　low；　rumbling　note；　soon　joined　by　a　mournful　sigh　from　one　of　the　jugs　under　Blade's　left…front　leg。　The　qheuen's　seeing…band　winked　at　Ulgor；　and　the　urs　took　her　cue　to　lift　the　violus；　laying　the　double　bow　across　the　strings；　drawing　twin　wavering　notes；　embellishing　the　mirliton's　basso　moan。　A　multilevel　chord　was　struck。　It　held。。。。
　　The　moment　of　duet　harmony　seemed　to　stretch　on　and　on。　Sara　stopped　breathing；　lest　any　other　sound　break　the　extraordinary　consonance。　Even　Fakoon　rolled　forward；　visibly　moved。
　　If　the　rest　is　anything　like　this。。。
　　Pzora　chose　the　next　instant　to　pile　in；　disrupting　the　aching　sweetness　with　an　eager　clangor　of　bells　and　cymbals。　The　Dolo　pharmacist　seemed　zealously　unaware　of　what　er　had　shattered；　rushing　ahead　of　the　beat；　halting；　then　pushing　on　again。　After　a　stunned　instant；　members　of　the　hoonish　crew　roared　with　laughter。　Noor　on　the　masts　chittered　as　Ulgor　and　Blade　shared　looks　that　needed　no　rewq　to　interpret…equivalents　to　a　shrug　and　a　wink。　They　played　on；　incorporating　Pzora's　enthusiasm　in　a　catchy　four…part　rhythm。
　　Sara　recalled　being　taught　piano　by　her　mother；　from　music　that　was　actually　written　down；　now　a　nearly　forgotten　art。　Jijoan　sextets　weaved　their　impromptu　harmonies　out　of　separate　threads；　merging　and　diverging　through　one　congenial　coincidence　after　another。　Human　music　used　to　work　that　way　in　most　pre…Contact　cultures；　before　the　Euro…West　hit　on　symphonies　and　other　more　rigorous　forms。　Or　so　Sara　had　read。
　　Overing　shyness；　Jomah　started　rattling　his　spoons　as　Blade　puffed　a　calliope　of　breathy　notes。　The　hoonish　helmsman　inflated　his　air　sac　to　answer　the　mirliton's　rumble；　singing　an　improvisation；　without　words　in　any　known　language。
　　Then　Fakoon　wheeled　forward；　arms　swaying　delicately；　reminding　Sara　of　gently　rising　smoke。
　　What　had　been　exquisite；　then　humorous；　soon　took　on　a　quality　even　more　highly　prized。
　　Unity。
　　She　glanced　at　the　Stranger；　his　face　overe　with　emotion；　eyes　delighting　in　Fakoon's　opening　moves。　The　left　hand　thumped　his　blanket　happily；　beating　time。
　　You　can　tell　what　kind　of　man　he　used　to　be；　she　mused。　Even　horribly　mutilated；　in　awful　pain；　he　spends　his　waking　time　enthralled　by　good　things。
　　The　thought　seemed　to　catch　in　her　throat。　Taken　by　surprise；　Sara　turned　away；　hiding　a　choking　wave　of　sadness　that　abruptly　blurred　her　vision。
　　Tarek　Town　appeared　soon　after；　perched　between　the　merging　rivers　Roney　and　Bibur。
　　From　afar　it　seemed　no　more　than　a　greenish　knoll；　like　any　other　hill。　Grayish　shapes　studded　the　mound；　as　if　boulders　lay　strewn　over　the　slopes。　Then　the　Hauph…woa　rounded　one　last　oxbow　turn；　and　what　had　seemed　solid　from　a　distance　now　spread　open…a　huge；　nearly　hollow　erection　of　webbing；　festooned　with　greenery。　The　〃boulders〃　were　the　protruding　tips　of　massive　towers；　enmeshed　in　a　maze　of　cables；　conduits；　rope　bridges；　netting；　ramps；　and　sloping　ladders；　all　draped　under　lush；　flowing　foliage。
　　The　air　filled　with　a　humid　redolence；　the　scent　of　countless　flowers。
　　Sara　liked　to　squint　and　imagine　Tarek　in　other　days；　back　when　it　was　but　a　hamlet　to　the　mighty　Buyur；　yet　a　place　of　true　civilization；　humming　with　faithful　machines；　vibrant　with　the　footsteps　of　visitors　from　far　star　systems；　thronging　with　sky…craft　that　settled　gracefully　on　rooftop　landing　pads。　A　city　lively　with　aspirations　that　she；　a　forest　primitive；　might　never　imagine。
　　But　then；　as　the　noon　crew　poled　the　Hauph…woa　toward　a　concealed　dock；　no　amount　of　squinting　could　mask　how　far　Tarek　had　fallen。　Out　of　a　multitude　of　windows；　only　a　few　still　shone　with　million…year…old　glazing。　Others　featured　crude　chimneys；　staining　once…smooth　walls　with　the　soot　of　cook　fires。　Wide　ledges　where　floating　aircraft　once　landed　now　supported　miniature　orchards　or　coops　for　noisy　herd　chicks。　Instead　of　self…propelled　machines；　the　streets　swarmed　with　merce　carried　on　the　backs　of　tinkers　and　traders；　or　animal…drawn　carts。
　　High　up　a　nearby　tower；　some　young　g'Kek　sped　around　a　rail…less　ramp；　heedless　of　the　drop；　their　spokes　blurry　with　speed。　Urban　life　suited　the　wheeled　sept。　Rare　elsewhere；　g'Kek　made　up　the　town's　largest　group。
　　Northward；　crossing　Tarek's　link　to　the　mainland；　lay　a　〃recent〃　ruin　of　stone　blocks…the　thousand…year…old　city　wall；　erected　by　the　Gray　Queens　who　long　ruled　here；　until　a　great　siege　ended　their　reign；　back　when　the　Dolo　paper　mill　was　new。　Scorch　marks　still　smeared　the　fallen　bulwark；　testimony　to　the　violent　birth　of　the　mons…of…Six。
　　However　many　times　she　passed　through　Tarek　Town；　it　remained　a　marvel。　Jijo's　closest　thing　to　a　cosmopolitan　place；　where　all　races　mixed　as　equals。
　　Along　with　hoon…crewed　vessels；　countless　smaller　boats　skimmed　under　lacy；　arching　bridges；　rowed　by　human　trapper…traders；　bringing　hides　and　wares　to　market。　River…traeki；　with　amphibious　basal　segments；　churned　along　the　narrow　canals；　much　faster　than　their　land…bound　cousins　managed　ashore。
　　Near　the　river　confluence；　a　special　port　sheltered　two　hissing　steam…ferries；　linking　forest　freeholds　on　the　north　bank　to　southern　grasslands　where　urrish　hordes　galloped。　But　on　a　sloping　beach　nearby；　Sara　saw　some　blue　qheuens　climb　ashore；　avoiding　ferry　tolls　by　walking　across　the　river　bottom；　a　talent　useful　long　ago；　when　blue　rebels　toppled　the　Queens'　tyranny…helped　by　an　army　of　men；　traeki；　and　hoon。
　　In　all　the　tales　about　that　battle；　none　credits　the　insurgents　with　a　weapon　I　think　crucial…that　of　language。
　　It　took　some　time　for　the　Hauph…woa　to　weave　through　a　crowd　of　boats　and　tie　up　at　a　cramped　wharf。
　　The　jammed　harbor　helped　explain　the　lack　of　upstream　traffic。
　　Soon　as　the　moorings　were　tied；　Hauph…woa's　contingent　of　noor　squalled　and　blocked　the　gangways；　demanding　their　pay。　Rumbling　a　well…pleased　umble　song　of　gratitude；　the　ship's　cook　went　down　the　row　of　black…furred　creatures；　handing　out　chunks　of　hard　candy。　Each　noor　tucked　one　sourball　in　its　mouth　and　the　rest　into　a　waterproof　pouch；　then　leaped　over　the　rail　to　cavort　away　between　bumping；　swaying　hulls；　risking　death　by　narrow　margins。
　　As　usual；　the　Stranger　watched　with　a　plex　mixture　of　surprise；　delight；　and　sadness　in　his　eyes。　He　spurned　a　stretcher；　and　went　down　the　ramp　leaning　on　a　cane；　while　Pzora　puffed　with　pride；　having　delivered　a　patient　from　death's　door　to　the　expert　healers　of　Tarek　Town。　While　Prity　went　to　hail　a　rickshaw；　they　observed　the　hoonish　crew　strain　with　block　and　tackle；　lifting　crates　from　the　hold；　many　of　them　bound　from　Nelo's　paper　works　for　various　printers；　scribes；　and　scholars。　In　their　place；　stevedores　gently　lowered　ribboned　packages；　all　bound　from　Tarek　for　the　same　destination。
　　…Pottery　shards　and　slag　from　urrish　forges。
　　…Used…up　ceramic　saws　from　qheuenish　woodcarving　shops。
　　…Worn…out　printers'　type　and　broken　violin　strings。
　　…Whatever　parts　of　the　deceased　that　could　not　be　counted　on　to　rot　away；　such　as　the　bones　of　cremated　humans　and　urs；　hoonish　vertebrae；　g'Kek　axles；　and　traeki　wax　crystals。　The　glittering　dust　of　ground…up　qheuen　carapaces。
　　…And　always　lots　of　ancient　Buyur　junk…it　all　wound　up　on　dross　boats；　sent　to　the　great　Midden；　to　be　cleansed　by　wa