amc.masterharperofpern-第24部分

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　　　〃If　they　scream；　they　hurt。　Promise？〃　〃Sure；　whatever　you　say；　Rob。〃　〃You　mean　it？〃　〃On　my　hope　of　riding　a　dragon！〃　Falloner　said　fervently。　〃Now　let　me　up。　I've　a　stone　digging　in　my　ribs。〃
　　　Robinton　gave　his　friend　a　hand　up　and　then　brushed　him　off。
　　　〃Just　don't　let　me　catch　you　breaking　your　word。〃
　　　〃I　gave　it　to　you！〃　Falloner　said　in　a　surly　tone。　〃Don't　know　what's　got　into　you。〃
　　　〃I　just　don't　like　to　hear　them　scream。〃　Robinton　gave　a　convulsive　shake。　〃Goes　right　through　my　ears　and　down　to　my　heel…bones。　Like　chalk　on　a　slate。〃
　　　〃It　does？〃　Now　Falloner　gave　himself　a　shake　at　the　thought　of　that　sound。　〃Doesn't　me；　but。。。〃　He　held　up　his　hands　defensively　as　Robinton　made　a　fist　again。　〃I'll　keep　my　word。〃　He　shook　his　head；　though。　Robinton's　unexpected　behaviour　was　beyond　his　prehension。
　　　There　were；　of　course；　other　teachers　at　the　Hold　to　cope　with　the　basic　reading；　writing　and　figuring　which　all　children　were　obliged　to　learn　before　their　twelfth　year。　After　that；　they　would　take　up　apprenticeships　to　whatever　Hall　their　inclination　suited　them；　or　go　on　in　their　family　Hold's　work。　With　a　large　Hold　like　Benden；　there　were　enough　pupils　to　be　divided　by　age　and　ability。　But　all　had　their　hour　of　daily　musical　training　with　the　MasterSinger。
　　　Without　ever　calling　attention　to　the　assignment；　Merelan　had　her　son　teaching　some　of　the　younger　children　their　scales　and　how　to　read　music；　since　he　was　actually　well　ahead　of　whatever　Falloner　and　Hayon　had　learned　from　the　Hold's　previous　harper。
　　　Robinton　never　minded　such　duties。　He　liked　seeing　the　little　ones　learn　more　quickly　because　he　knew　exactly　how　to　get　them　to　do　it　…　the　way　he　had　with　Lexey。　In　the　privacy　of　their　own　quarters；　his　mother　tutored　him　at　his　own　pace　and　encouraged　him　to　use　one　of　the　instruments　when　he　was　posing。　For　he　still　wrote　music。　He　couldn't　not　write。　Tunes；　especially　when　he　saw　dragons　in　the　sky；　just　pushed　against　his　temples　until　he　had　to　put　them　down。　And；　accustomed　as　he　had　bee　to　not　mentioning　this　activity；　no　one　…　not　even　Falloner　…　knew　that　the　songs　Merelan　was　teaching　them　had　been　posed　by　Robinton。
　　　〃This　isn't　like　the　Harper　Hall；　Robie；〃　she　explained　carefully　the　day　before　she　introduced　the　first　of　his　melodies；　〃where　everyone　knows　you。　I　don't　want　to　put　you　at　a　disadvantage。　Do　you　understand　what　I　mean？〃
　　　Robinton　thought　a　moment。　〃Yeah；　Maizella　would　go　all　tissy　about　having　to　sing　something　I　wrote。〃　And　he　made　his　grin　as　understanding　as　he　could。　〃Can　we　tell　her　someday；　though；　Mother？〃　he　added　wistfully。
　　　She　ruffled　his　hair。　〃I　can　promise　you　that；　my　love。　When　it　seems　auspicious。〃
　　　〃That　means　〃favourable〃；　doesn't　it？〃　She　chuckled。　〃It　does。。。〃　〃Harpers　use　that　word　a　lot。〃
　　　〃Harpering　is　not　just　knowing　the　words　and　melody　to　a　lot　of　songs。。。〃
　　　〃And　not　just　knowing　when　to　sing　them；　either。〃　He　finished　the　saying　for　her。
　　　She　tilted　his　face　up　to　her　and　regarded　him　with　a　very　pensive　expression　on　her　face。　〃I　think；　my　darling　son；　that　you　are　going　to　make　a　splendid　harper。〃
　　　〃I　plan　to；〃　he　said；　grinning　impishly　at　her。
　　　She　gave　him　a　quick　hug　and　then　asked　to　see　the　lessons　she　had　set　him　in　contrapuntal　theory。
　　　A　few　evenings　later；　Merelan　asked　Maizella　to　sing　a　new　song　after　dinner。　At　first　the　conversations　didn't　abate；　but　gradually　a　respectful　silence　rewarded　the　noticeable　improvement　in　both　tone　and　volume。　Maizella　sat　down　flushed　with　achievement　and　didn't　notice　that　the　applause　was　more　from　relief　than　approval。
　　　Then　Merelan　had　her　and　Robinton　sing　the　duet　they　had　practiced　in　class。
　　　By　now；　Merelan　had　identified　other　good　voices　in　the　Hold；　and　gradually　the　evenings　featured　four…part　harmonies　and　the　addition　of　several　more　instruments；　as　well　as　more　new　songs　and　a　far　larger　chorus。
　　　Then；　about　six　seven…days　after　their　arrival　at　Benden；　Falloner　told　Robinton　that　the　Weyrleaders　were　ing　to　the　Hold　with　some　of　the　wingleaders　and　their　women。
　　　〃They　e　often？〃　Robinton　asked；　awed。　Would　his　mother　ask　him　to　sing　for　the　dragonriders？　There　would　surely　be　music　after　dinner。
　　　Falloner　shrugged。　〃Often　enough。　S'loner　and　Lord　Maidir　get　along　really　well　because　Benden　believes　in　the　dragonriders　and　Carola；　who's　Weyrwoman；　is　the　daughter　of　Hayara's　oldest　sister。　So　they're　kin。〃
　　　〃S'loner？〃　Robinton　couldn't　help　gawking　at　his　friend。　He　knew　how　weyrfolk　named　children　…　generally　using　some　part　of　the　father's　as　well　as　the　mother's　name。　〃Your　father's　the　Weyrleader？〃
　　　〃Yeah。〃　Falloner　gave　an　indifferent　shrug。　Then　he　grinned　at　Robinton's　startled　expression。　〃That's　one　reason　why　I'm　sure　to　Impress　a　bronze；　and　why　I'll　get　the　chance　to　stand　on　the　Hatching　Ground　as　long　as　there're　eggs　clutched。　There've　been　a　lot　of　Weyrleaders　in　my　lineage。〃　He　straightened　up　proudly。
　　　〃And　I'm　here　because　I'm　supposed　to　learn　more　than　I'd　get　taught　at　the　Weyr　since　we　don't　have　a　Hall…trained　harper。　If　I'm　going　to　lead　the　Weyr　in　the　next　Fall；　I've　got　to　know　more　than　the　average　bronze　rider；　haven't　I？〃
　　　〃I　guess　you　have；〃　Robinton　murmured；　still　trying　to　cope　with　the　status　of　his　friend。
　　　〃Ah；　don't　go　looking　at　me　like　that；　will　ya；　Robie？〃　And　Falloner　gave　his　shoulder　a　friendly　buffet。
　　　When　they　were　in　their　own　quarters；　Robinton　had　to　tell　his　mother。
　　　〃I　knew　that；　dear；　and　it's　one　reason　I　encourage　your　friendship　with　him。　Falloner's　a　good…hearted　lad　and　intelligent　enough　to　want　to　learn。　I　feel　that　it's　very　important　for　you　to　have　this　chance　to　get　to　know　something　about　how　the　Weyr　operates。　Especially　as　we　only　have　the　one　now。〃　She　looked　off　into　the　middle　distance　for　a　long　moment。
　　　〃Isn't　that　what　the　Question　Song　is　about？〃
　　　〃I　didn't　know　you　knew　about　that　one；〃　she　said　almost　sharply；　staring　at　him。　〃How　did　you　e　across　it？〃
　　　〃Oh；　when　I　was　copying　out　some　of　the　worm…eaten　music　in　the　Archives。　Master　Ogolly　says　I　write　with　a　good；　neat　hand；　you　know。〃　He　preened　slightly。
　　　〃Yes；　I　do　know；　love。〃　She　finger…stroked　a　parting　into　his　thick　dark　hair。　〃Do　you　know　the　music？〃
　　　〃Of　course　I　do；　Mother；〃　he　said；　mildly　indignant。　She；　of　all　people；　should　know　that　he　memorized　music　after　one　hearing　or　one　reading。
　　　〃Yes；　you　would；　wouldn't　you；　dear。〃　She　gave　a　final　pat　to　his　hair。　〃Well；　run　over　it　in　your　mind。　It　might　be　suitable　for　tonight。　And　a　treble　voice　would　make　it　more　poignant；　I　think。　Yes；　rehearse　it；　Robie。〃
　　　Falloner　was　not　at　the　head　table　as　Robinton　had　thought　he　might　be；　since　S'loner　was　his　father。　Carola　was　not　his　mother　and；　as　Falloner　took　his　usual　place　next　to　Robinton；　he　muttered　something　about　her　disliking　S'loner's　weyrlings。
　　　〃Aren't　weyrlings　small　dragons？〃
　　　〃Yes；〃　Falloner　said　with　a　little　snort。　〃Applied　to　us；〃　he　explained；　sticking　his　thumb　into　his　chest；　〃it's　not　a　pliment。　All　she　can　get　is　girls。。。　when　she　has　anything。〃
　　　Robinton　nodded　and　decided　maybe　now　wasn't　the　time　to　ask　more　questions　about　the　Weyr。　Besides；　the　special　dinner　was　being　served：　special　even　for　those　at　the　lower　table；　since　Nerat　had　sent　up　fresh　red…fruits　and　other　delicacies；　transported　a…dragonback。
　　　Robinton　watched　with　awe　as　the　great　beasts；　having　deposited　riders　and　burdens　in　the　courtyard；　rose　to　the　top　of　Benden's　cliff；　spacing　themselves　along　the　fire　heights。　The　golden　queen；　Feyrith；　settled　in　the　exact　centre；　the　other　ten　dragons；　including　her　weyrmate；　settled　on　either　side　of　her；　like　guardians。　Which　was　silly；　because　there　wasn't　anything　on　the　entire　planet　that　would　attack　a　queen；　much　less　eleven　dragons。
　　　Robinton　thought　they　were　the　most　beautiful　creatures　he　had　ever　seen　as　they　peered　down　at　the　courtyard；　their　beautiful　faceted　eyes　gleaming　in　the　late　spring　evening。　He　hadn't　thought　'bronze'　could　e　in　so　many　different　shadings。