amc.masterharperofpern-第16部分
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Two days later it was no longer in view； and she looked for the drum and finally found it hidden in his clothes chest。 He never played it again。
〃Drum？ What drum？〃 Petiron asked； surprised when she casually mentioned it。
〃The one Robie made for the percussion group at TurnOver。〃 Petiron frowned； and she was so distressed by his genuine puzzlement that she wished she hadn't asked。 That the little drum； so lovingly constructed； had been so carefully concealed ought to have been warning enough。
〃Oh； that one；〃 Petiron said； turning back to checking apprentice papers。 〃If Robinton really did have a hand in making it； I wouldn't have passed it for a Harper stamp。〃
Merelan abruptly rose and； murmuring that she must see Lorra； left the room before she either burst into tears or threw something at her insensitive spouse。
As she stormed downstairs and out into the crisp evening air； pausing only to throw a jacket over her shoulders； she knew that she would never； ever； mention Robie's efforts to Petiron again。 He didn't deserve to have such a talented child。
〃He's far ahead of the other youngsters；〃 Kubisa told Merelan during the teacher's usual spring evaluation。 〃He's poring over any Record Bosler lets him see。 In fact； Bosler's having him copy some of the more legible documents from the last Fall。 Also； I don't think it's wise to isolate him from his own age group。 He needs their panionship。 All children do。 But I'll say this for him： he won't stand for any teasing or bullying。〃
〃You don't have any problems with that； do you？〃
Merelan knew that the apprentices were often apt to pick on a lad who tried to push himself forward； and occasionally they would taunt a slower boy； but the Masters kept a tight rein on any physical violence and chastised culprits for verbal harangue。 Some of the final…year apprentices were apt to take grudges against one another； but those were generally settled by a wrestling match overseen by a journeyman。 To be a harper conferred sufficient dignity and privilege so that few would jeopardize their chance to achieve journeyman status by gross misconduct。 Inevitably； there were subtle petitions among the fourth…Turn students。
〃I have to be truthful； Merelan。 Some of them are jealous of his quick mind。〃
〃Well； I can scarcely punish him for that；〃 Merelan said； trying to suppress a spurt of outrage。
Kubisa held up both hands in simulated defence。 〃Easy； Mother； and I won't tell you who； either；〃 she added before Merelan could open her mouth。 〃That's for me to know and handle。 And I have。 I ask Rob to take one of the slower ones off to hear their lesson。 He's actually very patient … more so than I would be with that rascal； Lexey。〃 〃Lexey？ Bosler's youngest？〃
〃I realize you know that Lexey has learning difficulties； but Rob has him repeat his lessons until he knows them by heart。〃 Kubisa sighed。 〃Sometimes late…life babies are a little 。。。 backward。 And Rob made up another tune； one that Lexey can actually remember； to help him with place names。〃 She reached into the folder and brought out a scrap of hide； cleaned so often that it was almost transparent； and handed it to Merelan。 〃Robie's a caring child and a born teacher。〃
The MasterSinger had no trouble identifying the writer of the tiny； precisely placed notes； and she hummed the tune。 Simple and very easy； up the C scale and down by thirds。
Fort was first； South Boll then
Ruatha came and Tillek； too。
Benden next and north Telgar。。。
Easy enough for a child to sing； but effective with the tune itself as an aid to memory。
〃That's not bad；〃 Merelan said。
〃Not bad？〃 Kubisa stared at her in disgust。 〃For a child five turns old？ It's incredible。 Washell wants me to use it in class as a Teaching Ballad。〃
〃He does？〃
〃He does； and we don't intend to tell Petiron either。〃 Kubisa's tone was almost defensive。 〃I never ask Rob to do these。 He just does them。 Should I discourage him； Merelan？〃 She couldn't quite keep her expression neutral。
〃No； don't discourage him Kubisa。 And thank you for your understanding。〃 The interview troubled Merelan for several days； but she could see no way to mention Robie's abilities to Petiron。 As usual； he had music he had to pose … this time for an espousal at Nerat。 He planned a duet between Merelan and Halanna； and a very ambitious quartet； making use of a fine young tenor who would soon be walking the tables to bee a journeyman。 Petiron was always bemoaning the loss of any good tenor voice； and Merelan entertained the wry hope that Robie might end up in the tenor range as an adult。 At least he sang on key in his childish treble。 Even if his father never noticed。 These were the times when she was very glad that she wasn't able to bear more children； or foster them。
That spring young Robinton had a revelation which made a tremendous impact on his mind： he met dragons。
He'd always known they existed； and once in a while a wing would be seen flying in formation high overhead。 He knew that Fort Weyr had been empty for several hundred turns； and that no one knew why。 He knew； from Teaching Songs and Ballads； why there were dragons： that they kept Thread away … though he didn't understand why Thread was so dangerous。 People's clothes were made of thread； and they wouldn't wear something that was dangerous to them； would they？ When he asked Kubisa about it； she said that Thread was a living organism； not spun and woven as was the undangerous thread that went into clothing。 This bad Thread fell from the sky and hungrily ate anything living that it touched； from grass to runner and herd…beasts； and even people。 Her listeners got very still at that； and no one even squirmed when she went on to explain how dragons kept Thread away from Halls and Holds。 However； she ended on a bright and pleasant note： that bad Thread was not likely to bother them； and they might live their whole lives without seeing it fall from the skies。
〃Then why〃； the logical Robie asked； 〃do we keep singing about it？〃
〃In appreciation of those times when the dragons did keep the danger away；〃 she said； at her most reassuring。
Robinton asked his mother about Thread and got much the same answer； which really wasn't sufficient to satisfy his curiosity。 If the dragons were so important； and they were still flying the skies of Pern； they were there to keep Thread away。 They were keeping it away； but there weren't as many as there used to be … not with five Weyrs empty。 Would they be enough if Thread came？
Lexey had told him once … Lexey talked a lot to Rob because he would listen to him … that his mother kept telling him that if he didn't behave better； they'd leave him out for Thread to get。
〃You know so much； Rob。 Would it？〃 Lexey asked plaintively； sufficiently scared of the threat that most times it achieved the object of making him more obedient … at least for a few days。
〃I never heard of it being done to anyone； no matter how bad you are。 And 'sides； there isn't any Thread in the skies right now。〃 〃But； if I was bad enough； would it e to get me？〃
〃Hasn't yet； has it？〃 was Robinton's logical reply。 〃You were awful bad yesterday； making a mess with the colours when you were told to clear them up。〃
〃Yes； I was。〃 Lexey grinned in retrospect； thoroughly pleased with himself。 〃But it was so fun。〃 He'd smeared every surface in the classroom while Kubisa was out on an errand。 She'd made him clean it all up … which was almost as much fun for Lexey as doing it … but he'd had a real scolding from her and his mother for the state of his clothes。 〃Mother was real mad at me last night。〃 But that seemed to give him a satisfaction which Robie couldn't understand。
He always tried very hard not to upset either his mother or his father … especially his father。
Lexey's paint…smearing occurred the day before the dragons came； so they were at the forefront of Robie's mind when they came circling down into the big Harper Hall courtyard。 His parents were busy packing for their trip to Nerat； so he'd been told to go outside and play。 He always missed his mother； but it
