amc.masterharperofpern-第41部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　　With　the　first　big　snowstorm；　his　travelling　came　to　a　halt。　In　fact　he　was　trapped　for　three　days　in　Murfy　Hold；　which　was　cramped　at　best；　and　worse　when　the　fifteen　members　of　the　hold　were　confined　day　and　night。
　　　Murfytwen；　the　twentieth　man　to　hold　there；　broke　trail　for　Robinton　when　the　storm　had　died。　He　had　an　urgent　need　to　collect　supplies　which　he　hoped　were　awaiting　him　at　High　Reaches；　a　trip　he　had　delayed　far　too　long。
　　　〃Easier　to　haul　it　all　back　on　snow；　though；〃　Murfytwen　said　cheerfully　as　he　lashed　the　supplies　to　the　sled　which　had　been　loaned　him　for　the　trip。　〃See　ya　when　I　see　ya；　Harper。　Thanks　for　them　new　tunes。　We'll　learn　'em　good。　An'　Twenone　will　know　his　times　tables　by　the　time　you're　back　again。　Promise！〃
　　　With　his　gloved　thumb　up　in　a　final　gesture；　Murfytwen　started　trudging　back　the　way　he　had　e。
　　　High　Reaches；　set　on　its　bluffs　like　the　broadside　of　a　fishing　ship；　had　weathered　many　storms；　and　its　thick　walls　kept　all　but　the　most　shrieking　winds　from　being　heard。　But　living　in　this　Hold　was　quite　different　from　living　in　the　Hall　or　even　in　Benden　Hold。　As　every　Hold　should　be；　it　was　self…contained；　with　journeymen　in　all　skills　and　a　MasterMiner；　Furlo；　as　well　as　his　gangers　who　mainly　worked　for　copper；　which　was　always　in　demand。　Master　Furlo　had　a　double　quartet　among　his　miners　who　sang　most　evenings　…　at　the　drop　of　a　hat；　as　Mallan　put　it；　grinning。　Furlo　was　good　on　the　guitar；　having　had　to　acpany　his　chorus　since　he　was　familiar　with　their　repertoire；　but　Robinton　offered　to　take　over　and　Furlo　was　only　too　happy　to　accede。　High　Reaches　Hold　had　enough　instrumentalists；　thanks　to　Master　Lobira's　efforts；　to　mount　a　considerable　orchestra。　The　worst　of　the　winter　evenings　would　go　by　quite　happily；　with　Lord　Holder　Faroguy　and　his　Lady；　Evelene；　joining　in　from　the　head　table。　Three　of　their　twelve　children　either　played　or　sang　creditably。
　　　The　evenings　were　not　restricted　to　musical　activities；　but　also　featured　wrestling　and　other　such　physical　exercises。　Robinton　joined　in　the　Hall　and　Step　runs　with　enthusiasm。　His　long　legs　and　the　lung　capacity　singing　had　developed　in　him　gave　him　an　advantage。
　　　He　hadn't　ever　heard　of　Hall　running　…　at　Fort；　even　in　the　worst　winters；　one　could　get　outside　for　exercise。　But　here；　where　the　holders　were　confined　by　weather　and　terrain；　the　long　Halls　were　put　to　use　as　sprinting　alleys　or　for　long…distance　running。　The　stairs　were　also　utilized　to　see　who　could　get　to　the　top　and　back　fastest　…　preferably　without　breaking　a　leg。　Sprained　ankles　were　mon；　as　were　strained　shoulders　from　grabbing　banisters　in　the　effort　to　prevent　more　serious　falls。
　　　Robinton　did　well　enough　in　the　running；　but　he　eschewed　the　physical　duels。　Harpers　tended　to　be　pacifists　…　with　a　few　notable　exceptions：　Shonagar　had　been　champion　wrestler　in　his　home　hold　and　at　the　Harper　Hall；　besting　the　holder　of　the　mediumweight　title　at　Fort　Hold　on　three　occasions。　But　harpers　usually　would　not　risk　injuring　their　hands；　and　Robinton　used　that　as　a　legitimate　…　and；　to　most；　acceptable　…　excuse。　That　did　not　keep　him　from　the　censure　of　the　acknowledged　wrestling　and　duelling　champion；　a　young　man　in　his　mid…twenties　named　Fax。
　　　Even　on　his　first　encounter　with　the　young　holder　…　a　question　of　who　took　the　steps　first　at　a　landing　where　several　Halls　met　…　Robinton　felt　uneasy　in　the　man's　presence。　Fax　was　aggressive；　impatient　and　condescending。　A　nephew　of　Lord　Faroguy；　he　had　recently　taken　Hold　of　one　of　the　Valley　properties　which　he　ran　with　a　heavy　hand；　demanding　perfection　of　all　beholden　to　him。
　　　Some　craftsmen　had　asked　for　transfers　to　other　holdings。
　　　Robinton　heard　unsettling　rumours　about　Fax's　methods；　but　it　wasn't　for　a　harper　to　criticize　…　nor　to　take　precedence　over　a　holder　…　so　he　had　courteously　allowed　Fax　to　go　first。　All　he　got　for　his　deference　was　a　sneer；　and　he　noted　that　Fax；　who　had　been　striding　with　urgency　to　get　somewhere；　now　slowed　his　pace　deliberately。　What　that　proved　escaped　Robinton　pletely；　but　it　did　give　some　of　the　rumours　more　credibility　than　he　had　originally　thought。
　　　One　evening　Fax　went　out　of　his　way　to　get　Robinton　on　the　wrestling　mats：　not　with　himself　but　with　one　of　his　younger　holders。
　　　〃An　even　match；　I'd　say；　pound　for　pound　and　inch　for　inch；〃　Fax　said；　his　expression　bland　but　his　eyes　challenging。
　　　〃I　fear　I'd　be　no　match　at　all；〃　Robinton　said。　〃As　a　harper；　I've　only　the　usual　training　in　body　sports。　Now；　if　your　holder　sings；　then　I'll　accept　a　contest。〃
　　　Fax　regarded　him　a　long　moment　and　then；　with　a　sneer；　swung　towards　Lobira。　〃One　phase　of　training　that　is　so　often　ignored；　Master　Lobira。〃
　　　Lobira　was　able　to　give　back　as　well　as　take；　and　he　did　so　with　a　matching　contempt。　〃Many　a　man　has　rued　the　day　he　tried　to　best　a　harper；　young　Fax；　for　song　and　story　last　longer　than　mere　physical　prowess；〃　he　replied。　〃Or　is　your　lad　still　plaining　that　my　long…legged　lad　has　bested　him　in　the　Hall　runs　every　time　they've　peted？〃
　　　Robinton　was　surprised　that　his　Master　was　aware　that　Robinton　had　won　so　many　of　those　races；　and　frankly　amazed　that　his　wins　had　disgruntled　Fax。　At　the　time；　the　runner…up　had　taken　his　losing　in　good　part。
　　　Fax　awarded　Master　Lobira　a　sustained　and　disturbing　look；　gave　Robinton　a　final　contemptuous　glance；　and　left。　Robinton　breathed　a　sigh　of　relief。
　　　〃Watch　him！　He　really　wanted　an　opportunity　to　humiliate　you　in　front　of　the　entire　Hold；〃　Lobira　said。　〃I　can't　have　that。　Ruins　discipline　in　the　class。　But　if　you　wanted　to　do　some　work…outs　with　Mallan　on　the　defensive　moves　you　were　taught　at　the　Hall；　it　wouldn't　be　a　bad　idea。　For　you　both。　And　the　apprentices。〃
　　　〃I　think　I　will；　Master；〃　Robinton　replied　soberly。　There　was　little　doubt　that　Fax　had　a　personal　grudge　against　him。　Or　maybe　it　was　against　all　harpers。　In　any　event；　Fax　did　not　request　a　harper　for　his　holding。　That　was　his　decision　and　his　folk　would　be　stinted　by　the　lack；　but　only　Lord　Faroguy　could　require　his　holders　to　provide　education。　Since　Fax's　holding　appeared　to　be　so　much　more　profitable　under　his　management；　Lord　Faroguy　had　little　reason　to　question　his　methods。　Somehow　Fax　managed　to　keep　from　his　uncle　the　fact　that　his　profits　were　obtained　by　whippings　and　threats　of　eviction。
　　　Mallan　and　Robinton　went　through　the　drills　on　mats　and；　if　Robinton　was　able　to　floor　Mallan　occasionally；　the　other　journeyman　was　just　as　deft。　At　least　they　were　each　capable　of　quick；　reflexive　action。
　　　With　the　pass　shut　by　massive　drifts；　munication　was　now　limited　to　the　drums　and　an　eight…hour　evening　watch　was　one　of　Robinton's　less　agreeable　duties　as　a　journeyman。　Even　a　blazing　fire　in　the　hearth　did　not　keep　the　Drum　Tower　warm　enough　for　fort。　The　pacing　of　every　drum…watchkeeper　since　the　Hold　had　been　carved　out　of　solid　rock　had　worn　a　trough　around　the　perimeter　of　the　Tower。　One　had　to　be　careful　not　to　stumble。　One　good　thing；　though　…　the　Tower　could　be　reached　from　within　the　Hold　itself。　Some　of　the　Southern　Holds　had　outside　stairways　to　their　drum　heights。
　　　Manning　the　Drum　Tower　was　no　sinecure　and　required　close　attention。　Snowfall　sometimes　muffled　ining　messages；　and　outgoing　ones　could　cause　minor　avalanches；　heard　as　distant　thunders　in　the　night　and　made　eerier　by　the　darkness。　On　clear　evenings；　when　both　Belior　and　Timor　were　full；　Robinton　could　sometimes　see　the　seven　spires　of　the　abandoned　High　Reaches　Weyr。　He　wondered　how　it　varied　from　the　other　two　he　had　seen。
　　　Probably　not　by　much；　but　maybe　he'd　see　if　he　could　get　in　that　one　too；　simply　for　parison's　sake。
　　　All　the　new　surroundings　and　experiences　struck　fresh　chords　within　him。　Rather　boldly；　he　posed　a　song　for　the　miners'　double　quartet　that　was　more　suited　to　their　vocal　skills　than　many　available　ballads：　a　humorous　tale　of　six　verses　and　a　chorus　about　a　miner　and　his　love；　just　their　style。　It　was　so　well　received　that　Master　Lobira　wanted　to　know　where　Robinton　had　been　hiding　it。
　　　〃Oh；　well；　it　was　among　the　stuff　I　brought　up；〃　Robinton　said；　c