amc.masterharperofpern-第12部分

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　　　He　raised　his　eyebrows；　wrinkling　his　forehead；　and　gave　her　a　long　look。
　　　〃Of　course；　it's　a　lot　harder　to　sing　softly；　since　it　requires　considerable　breath　control。　I've　had　many　difficult　students　in　my　life　as　a　teacher；　m'dear；　but　that　one　is　unique　in　my　experience。　Whatever　was　Maxilant　thinking　of　to　encourage　her　to　think　so　highly　of　her　ability？〃
　　　〃Sheer　desperation；　I'd　imagine；〃　Merelan　replied　with　understandable　disgust。　〃And　a　chance　to　get　her　out　of　his　hair。〃
　　　〃You　may　be　right。　Though　how　he　could　let　her　away　with　so　little　fundamental　understanding　of　note　values　is　really　beyond　me。〃
　　　〃And　quite　possibly　beyond　Halanna；〃　Merelan　added。　They　exchanged　understanding　grins。
　　　〃Let　Petiron　handle　this　one；　m'dear；〃　Washell　said；　winking。　〃He　won't　like　her　messing　up　his　music；　you　know。〃
　　　〃There　is　that；〃　Merelan　mused；　and　then　grimaced。　〃Only　he's　likely　to　find　me　lacking　as　an　instructor。　And　I'm　not！〃　she　added　with　a　touch　of　desperate　anger　in　her　voice。
　　　〃By　no　means；　m'dear；　as　everyone　else　in　the　Hall　will　vouch。〃　Washell　patted　her　arm。　Then　he　paused；　thinking。　〃There　may　be　another　way。　We'll　contrive。　Just　you　wait　and　see。〃
　　　Many　of　the　Masters；　and　even　journeymen；　at　the　Harper　Hall　were　eccentric　in　one　fashion　or　another；　traits　which　were　respected　or；　sometimes；　endured　as　a　necessary　evil　to　the　results。
　　　But　they　had　all　put　in　the　essential　work　to　master　the　basic　mechanics　of　music。　Halanna　could　not　be　bothered　with　such　slogging。
　　　Merelan　kept　at　it；　as　obstinate　in　her　attempts　to　instruct　Halanna　as　the　girl　was　to　avoid　such　lessons。
　　　Halanna　was　an　acplished　flirt　and　quickly　isolated　those　whom　she　would　favour　…　because　of　their　rank；　either　within　the　Hall　or　from　prestigious　Holds。　She　chose　only　the　attractive　journeymen　and　Masters；　of　whom　there　were　quite　a　few　just　then：　back　at　the　Hall　either　for　reassignment　or　to　take　part　in　the　TurnOver　rehearsals。　Not　only　did　she　have　a　voice；　even　her　worst　enemies　had　to　admit　that　she　was　a　beauty。　Blond　hair　bleached　almost　silver　by　the　sun　in　Ista　Hold；　a　flawless　tan　that　accentuated　her　light　green　eyes　and　white；　even　teeth；　a　figure　more　mature　than　those　of　most　girls　her　age　…　and　she　knew　far　more　than　she　ought　of　how　to　accentuate　her　sensuality。　She　did　not　obey　the　cottage…keeper's　basic　rules；　deciding　they　were　for　children　and　not　the　daughter　of　a　Holder；　though　all　the　other　boarders　were　of　the　same　rank；　and　some　more　prestigious　than　hers。　She　was　caught　time　and　again　sneaking　in　late　at　night。　　Then　Halanna　took　a　dislike　to　Robinton。。。
　　　Merelan　conducted　her　voice　lessons　in　her　own　quarters；　as　they　were　spacious　enough　and　offered　some　privacy。　Right　now；　preparing　for　the　TurnOver　celebrations；　she　was　coaching　quite　a　few　students　and　often　had　to　schedule　them　when　Robie　was　not　in　the　Hall　nursery　school。　He　had　always　played　quite　happily　and　quietly　in　the　other　room。　Now　Halanna　said　his　very　presence　so　close　to　her　was　distracting；　even　with　the　connecting　door　closed；　and　she　hated　anyone　to　overhear　her　lessons。　That　was　too　much　for　Merelan。　Nor　was　it　an　excuse　to　find　favour　with　Petiron；　who　was　busy　dreaming　of　the　success　of　his　new　position。
　　　〃Since　it　is　so　important　to　you；　love；〃　Merelan　said　from　behind　gritted　teeth；　〃I　really　think　you　ought　to　take　over　her　coaching。　As　you　may　have　observed；〃　she　added；　knowing　perfectly　well　that　he　hadn't；　〃she　will　probably　do　better　with　a　male　coach。　I've　already　more　than　I　can　handle　with　the　secondary　parts。〃
　　　〃But　I　can't　teach　her　what　you　can；〃　Petiron　protested　in　surprise。　In　his　estimation；　Merelan　was　much　the　better　vocal　coach；　and　he　couldn't　quite　understand　how　she　was　having　difficulties　with　a　voice　as　fine　as　Halanna's。　〃You're　not　annoyed　that　I've　written　in　a　duet　for　you　to　sing　with　her？〃
　　　〃Me？　No；　why　should　I　be？　She　has　a　magnificent　voice；　but　she's　a　little　shy　on　technique　and　I　know　she'll　respond　better　to　your　ments。〃
　　　Petiron　was　not　at　all　sure　of　that；　but　there　was　something　about　Merelan's　attitude　which　made　him　keep　his　private　views　to　himself。
　　　He　anticipated　no　trouble　at　all。
　　　〃She's　a　musical　idiot！〃　he　railed　when　he　returned　from　his　first　lesson　with　her。　〃Haven't　you　been　able　to　teach　her　anything　in　the　full　month　she's　been　here？〃
　　　〃No；〃　Merelan　said　quietly；　and　pointed　to　the　closed　door　where　Robinton　was　taking　a　nap。
　　　〃But　she　can't　even　read　notes；　even　when　I　beat　out　the　tempo　for　her。　Nor　is　she　able　to　maintain　pitch　when　I　change　signatures。　She　expects　me。。。　me。。。〃　and　Petiron　laid　an　eloquent　hand　on　his　chest；　〃to　teach　her　the　entire　score　by　rote。　Could　Maxilant　have　done　that　with　her？〃　he　enquired　in　a　petulant　tone。
　　　〃I　believe　Maxilant　only　raved　on　about　her　beautiful　voice；　love；　and　said　nothing　about　the　lack　in　her　general　musical　education。〃　Merelan　spoke　as　levelly　as　she　could；　having　great　difficulty　masking　her　inner　jubilation。
　　　〃She　wouldn't　vocalize　to　warm　her　voice　and　told　me〃　…　Petiron　swung　on　his　spouse　…　〃that　you　didn't　bother。。。〃
　　　〃I　didn't　'bother'　because　I　could　never　get　her　to　see　the　necessity；　Petiron；〃　she　replied　with　considerable　vehemence。　〃Washell　is　of　the　opinion　that　if　she　continues　to　sing　in　alt　for　another　few　years；　she　won't　be　able　to　squeak。〃
　　　Petiron　recoiled　in　surprise　at　his　gentle　spouse's　critical　remark。
　　　〃No　wonder　you　were　so　eager　for　me　to　coach　her；〃　he　said　almost　sullenly。
　　　〃If　you　can't；　no　one　in　this　Hall　will　be　able　to；〃　she　said；　looking　him　squarely　in　the　eye。　〃She　might　believe　you；　where　she's　certain　I'm　jealous　of　your　interest　in　her。〃
　　　Petiron　scowled。　〃Aren't　you？〃
　　　Merelan　laughed。　〃My　love；　I　wouldn't　be　that　child　for　all　the　diamonds　on　Ista's　beaches。　Washell's　right；　you　know。　She　won't　have　a　voice　left　if　she　keeps　on　this　way。〃
　　　〃He　is　right；〃　Petiron　admitted；　and　scowled　more　deeply。　〃Well；　she　is　not。。。〃　he　paused　dramatically　〃。。。mining　either　the　duet　or　the　aria。　I　shall　make　some　changes　in　both　that　will　put　the　music　at　a　level　she　should　be　able　to　sing。〃
　　　Merelan　merely　nodded。
　　　When　Petiron　held　his　next　session　with　Halanna；　she　was　so　insulted　that　she　tried　to　walk　out　on　him。　The　argument　that　ensued　was　heard　by　nearly　everyone　on　the　rectangle　as　the　two　voices；　one　baritone　and　one　contralto；　rose　in　volume　and　piercing　clarity。
　　　〃You　can't　do　that！〃　Halanna　began；　an　astonished　screech　in　her　voice。
　　　〃Oh；　yes　I　can！　You're　incapable　of　singing　what　I　wrote。〃　〃Incapable？　How　dare　you？〃
　　　〃How　dare　you　address　a　Master　in　such　a　tone；　young　woman！　I　don't　know　what　Maxilant　taught　you；　but　it　wasn't　manners　and　it　certainly　wasn't　how　to　read　a　simple　score。〃
　　　〃Simple　score？　You're　notorious　all　over　Pern　for　the　plexity　of　your　music。　I　never　hear　anyone　singing　what　you　write。　No　one　can！〃
　　　〃The　first…year　apprentices　have　no　trouble。　But　then；　they　can　read　music　and　know　the　value　of　the　notes　they're　singing。〃　〃I　do　know　how　to　read　music。〃　〃Then　prove　it。〃　〃No！〃
　　　〃You　will　sing。〃
　　　〃You　can't　force　me！〃
　　　Many　agreed　that　they　had　heard　the　crack　of　flesh　hitting　flesh。
　　　And　it　was　true　that　the　right　side　of　Halanna's　face　was　darker　than　the　left　when　she　was　finally　allowed　to　leave　the　studio。　But　she　did　begin　to　sing　in　a　much　muted　voice。　And　she　continued　to　sing　the　music　as　written　until　she　did　so　correctly；　sometimes　until　she　was　hoarse。
　　　〃I　hope　he　didn't　push　her　too　far；〃　Merelan　murmured　to　Washell。
　　　〃Perhaps　it　might　be　better　for　all　of　us　if　he　did；〃　he　replied　uncharitably。
　　　After　that　session；　Halanna　hurried　out　of　the　studio　and　disappeared。
　　　She　was　seen　a　little　later　on　her　way　across　the　great　Fort　Hold　courtyard　to　the　cottage　where　she　slammed　and　bolted　the　door　of　the　room　she　still　shared。
　　　What　they　didn't　realize　until　the　next　morning　was　that　she　had　bribed　a　Drum　Tower　apprentice　to　send　an　urgent　message　to　her　father；　Halibran；　saying　she　was　being　abused。