amc.masterharperofpern-第58部分

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　rising；　〃if　you've　any　questions　after　you've　settled　in；　I　prefer　my　harpers　talking　to　me　rather　than　plaining　to　each　other。　One　last　item；　though；　since　this　Hold's　main　source　of　ine　is　from　fishing；　I'd　like　it　if　you　could　see　your　way　clear　to　learn　as　much　of　this　different　lifestyle　as　you　could。　Never　hurts。　Even　the　hull　of　a　ship　has　two　sides。〃
　　　Robinton　groaned：　he　was　getting　mighty　tired　of　that　reference！
　　　But　he　had　to　grin　at　Minnarden；　who　was　clearly　delighted　with　his　new　journeyman's　adventure。
　　　Minnarden　then　retrieved　from　the　shelf　behind　him　a　squared…off；　leather…bound　record　book　and　slid　it　across　the　table　to　Robinton。
　　　〃If　you　haven't　memorized　the　Charter；　you'd　better；　and　study　the　examples　of　some　of　the　more　mon　infractions。〃　Minnarden　grinned。　〃That　aspect　of　our　job　can　be　quite　interesting　at　times。。。〃　He　paused　to　sigh。　〃And　at　others；　about　as　infuriating　as　dealing　with　the　dumbest；　most　insubordinate；　mentally　deficient　adolescent　male。〃　Melongel's　middle　children　…　he　had　nine　…　were　part　of　the　chores　group　that　Robinton　was　to　rehearse。　Bright；　intelligent　and　curious；　the　two　boys　and　one　girl　were　musical　enough　so　that　any　of　the　three　could　have　apprenticed　in　the　Harper　Hall。　His　oldest；　just　a　turn　younger　than　Robinton；　was　Oterel　…　a　rangy；　awkward　lad　needing　to　grow　into　his　bones。　Oterel　was　delighted　to　have　Groghe　share　both　his　room　and　his　duties；　for　he　already　had　stewardship　responsibilities；　which　went　more　swiftly　with　help。
　　　And　then　there　was　Kasia；　Lady　Juvana's　youngest　sister；　who　was　living　at　Tillek　Hold。
　　　Robinton　felt　a　decided　attraction　at　his　first　meeting　with　the　attractive　young　woman。　In　the　previous　Turn；　she　had　tragically　lost　her　lover　to　a　storm　at　sea　off　Nerat　coast；　half　a　month　before　their　espousal。　Her　parents　had　sent　her　to　Juvana　to　ease　her　grief。
　　　It　was　the　aura　of　sadness　which　caught　his　eye；　the　sorrow　that　lurked　in　her　lovely　sea…green　eyes。　And　the　tremulous　smile　which；　only　occasionally；　briefly　lifted　it。　But　she　was　cheerful；　helpful　and　kind；　with　a　real　understanding　of　the　trials　of　her　younger　nieces　and　nephews。　She　was　obviously　their　confidante；　as　well　as　her　sister's。　She　had　prehensive　recollection　and　was　able　to　e　out　with　astonishing　bits　and　pieces　of　information　which　she　had　tunnelled　away　in　her　retentive　memory。
　　　〃I　just　remember　things；〃　she　said　with　a　little　shrug　when　Robinton　asked　her　if　she　knew　all　the　words　to　an　old　Teaching　Song；　one　he　was　revitalizing。　Which　she　did　…　word　perfect。　〃I　can't　say　why　I　know　that　particular　ballad；　but　you'll　find　it　on　the　second　shelf　from　the　top　on　the　right…hand　side　of　the　library。〃
　　　And　sure　enough；　there　it　was；　with　Kasia　grinning　with　delight　at　her　accuracy：　an　occasion　when　the　sadness　disappeared。　He　became　determined　to　lift　the　shadow　pletely。　He　was　chagrined　to　discover　that　he　was　not　the　only　young　man　in　the　Hold　who　had　the　same　ambition；　including　his　fellow　harpers。
　　　Robinton　was　only　twenty；　a　fact　he　kept　hidden　since　he　didn't　look　so　young　and　could　cite　five　turns　of　active　harpering。
　　　Neither　Mumolon　nor　Ifor　knew　that　he　had　been　fifteen　when　he　walked　the　tables　to　collect　his　journeyman's　knot。　Minnarden　knew；　and　probably　Melongel；　but　his　youth　was　not　a　factor　in　assigning　him　difficult　tasks　…　especially　after　the　wall　incident。　If　Ifor　and　Mumolon　suspected；　it　didn't　matter　to　them　as　he　performed　his　duties　too　well　to　encourage　criticism。
　　　Kasia　was　several　turns　older　…　and　looked　younger：　except　for　the　harboured　grief。　However；　that　age　difference　and　her　continued　mourning　for　her　lost　lover　were　the　reasons　why　Robinton　was　hesitant　in　discovering　if　the　sudden；　keen　attraction　was　mutual。　Their　ordinary　tasks　often　brought　them　together。　In　that　he　was　luckier　than　the　others　who　sighed　over　her。
　　　He　contented　himself　with　enjoying　her　pany；　her　bright　humour；　her　lovingness；　and　sparring　with　her　in　duels　of　memory　and；　often；　song。　She　had　had　excellent　training：　she　sang　with　a　sweet　light　soprano　and　played　fiddle　and　pipe。　She　was　envious　of　his　harp；　which　she　played　middling　well；　not　having　an　instrument　of　her　own。　So　he　concocted　the　notion　of　making　one　for　her　in　his　spare　time。　Tillek's　port　shipped　quantities　of　timber；　as　well　as　storing　it　for　the　building　of　hulls。　He　made　himself　agreeable　to　the　local　MasterCarver；　an　acplished　carpenter　named　Marlifin　who　was　only　too　happy；　when　requested；　to　find　him　well…seasoned　and　unusual　woods。　Tillek　Hold　had　a　well…equipped　workshop；　as　most　large　establishments　did；　so　Robinton　had　only　to　start　his　project。　He　did　ask　Marlifin　to　do　the　carving　of　the　forepillar　in　patterns　of　the　flowers　which　Kasia　had　said　she　loved。　Robinton　couldn't　carve　fancywork　without　mining　a　lot　of　good　wood；　and　this　harp　had　to　be　special。　It　was　going　to　take　long　enough　as　it　was。　After　several　faulty　starts　and　not　a　few　cuts　on　his　hands；　he　did　manage　to　carve　the　harmonic　curve　and　the　neck；　which　would　hold　the　pegs　to　tune　the　strings　of　the　harp　。。。　when　he　got　that　far。
　　　He　also　took　Minnarden's　advice　to　learn　more　about　a　fishing　hold　and　found　great　favour　with　Melongel；　and　incidentally　with　Kasia；　when　he　volunteered　to　go　out　on　a　fishing　run　with　Captain　Gostol；　whom　he　had　met　at　the　Harper　Hall。　Kasia　shipped　out　on　the　same　voyage　as　galley　cook　and　panion　to　Gostol's　daughter；　Vesna；　who　was　going　for　her　second's　ticket。　There　were　two　other　women　in　the　crew　of　fourteen；　for　the　Northern　Maid　was　the　length　of　a　queen　dragon。　The　female　sailors　surprised　Robinton。　Being　harper…trained；　he　was　accustomed　to　women　having　equal　status　as　performers　and　posers；　but　it　had　never　occurred　to　him　that　other　Crafts　also　promoted　women　to　positions　of　trust　and　responsibility。　He　was　astonished　to　find　them　fishing；　since　that　was　a　hard　life：　he　discovered　just　how　hard　on　that　trip。　Fortunately　his　immunity　to　sea…sickness　was　a　great　mark　in　his　favour。　He　straggled　to　help　lower　and　haul　in　the　trawling　nets；　slipped　on　fish　guts；　laughed　when　he　got　up　covered　with　gore　and　slime　…　and　was　teased　for　the　stench　of　him　until　the　job　was　done　and　he　could　change。　If　he　wasn't　considered　able　to　stand　a　watch；　he　was　available　to　heat　soup　or　klah　in　the　galley　for　those　who　did。
　　　Of　course；　Kasia's　post　was　the　galley；　though　she　was　also　a　dab　hand　at　gutting　and　salting　the　catch。　So　they　had　time　to　talk。
　　　He　was　as　subtle　as　he　could　be；　light…hearted；　and　finding　odd　bits　and　pieces　of　humorous　things　to　tell　her；　to　dispel　the　sadness　which　still　lurked。　And　of　an　evening；　or　sailing　to　another　likely　spot　to　fish；　he　would　manage　to　place　himself　close　to　her　while　they　helped　pass　the　time　by　singing。　He　toned　down　his　heavier　baritone　to　blend　with　her　light　voice　in　duets　or　choruses。　He　also　picked　up　a　few　local　work…songs；　favoured　by　the　Tillek　Fishmen。
　　　The　most　vivid　memory　he　had　of　that　seven…day　was　the　sight　of　ship　fish　who　were　in　the　habit；　Captain　Gostol　said；　of　acpanying　the　fishing　vessels。
　　　〃That's　old　Scarface；　that　is；〃　the　captain　said；　pointing　to　one　whose　bottle…nose　was　indeed　scarred。　〃Got　hisself　caught　somewhere。〃
　　　〃Are　they　singing？〃　Robinton　asked；　hearing　sounds　when　the　leaping　shipfish　were　airborne。
　　　〃New；　just　the　sounds　they　make；　shooting　the　air　out　of　them　blow　holes；〃　Gostol　said。　〃Though　I've　known　instances　when　a　man　blown　overboard's　been　rescued　by　'em。〃　He　paused　and　tilted　his　head　mid…ships。　〃Storm　was　too　fierce　to　save　that　'un's　man。　Shame；　too。　Good　fisher。　Nice　girl。　She　shouldn't　pine　too　long；　ya　think？〃　And　now　he　cocked　his　head　at　Robinton；　a　sly　grin　on　his　rugged；　weather…worn　face。
　　　Robinton　laughed。　〃Considering　how　many　fellows　e　round　to　see　her　at　Tillek　Hold；　it's　only　a　question　of　her　pointing　a　willing　finger。〃
　　　〃So　you　say；　do　you？〃　Then　Gostol　pointed。　〃She's　got　another　young'un　since　last　time　I　saw　her。　That　one　with　the　mottled　rostrum。　See　her？〃
　　　The　shipfish　was　in　fact　almost　hovering　in　the　air；　squeaking；　crackling　at　the　humans；　who