amc.masterharperofpern-第79部分

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　of　their　firm　and　unequivocal　support；　and　protection；　of　the　Hall　and　any　harpers　wherever　they　might　need　assistance。
　　　While　such　brutality　seemed　to　be　an　isolated　incident；　harpers　everywhere　were　warned　to　be　on　their　guard　and　to　travel　with　traders　or　other　known…to…be…friendly　groups。
　　　Master　Gennell；　who　suffered　badly　now　from　joint…ail；　continued　to　send　Robinton　as　his　representative　…　and　as　another　set　of　'eyes　and　ears'。　This　morning；　when　Gennell　sent　an　apprentice　to　ask　Robinton　to　join　him　in　his　office；　Robinton　registered　a　mild　and　humorous　plaint。
　　　〃So　where　can　you　send　me　this　time；　Master？　I　do　believe　that　I've　met　every　Lord　Holder；　most　of　the　minor　ones；　and　been　in　every　Crafthold　on　the　continent。　What　place　can　I　have　missed　on　my　travels　for　you？〃
　　　〃Oh；　I've　found　one；〃　Gennell　replied　with　a　smile；　gesturing　for　Robinton　to　be　seated。　〃Not　that　you　haven't　been　at　Telgar　often　enough；　but　there's　to　be　a　big　Gather　and　Lord　Tarathel　has　invited　Fax。〃
　　　〃What？〃
　　　〃I　thought　that　would　get　your　attention。　Tarathel　means　to　have　a　chat　with　the　man。　He's　annoyed　over　certain　problems　on　his　borders　with　Fax。〃
　　　〃I　shouldn't　wonder。〃
　　　〃Nip　tells　me　that　Fax　is　planning　something。　He　can't　figure　out　what；　but　Fax　is　far　too　eager　to　attend　and　has　been　drilling　his　men。。。〃
　　　〃In　what？〃
　　　〃Parades。　And　wrestling。　With　daggers。〃
　　　〃How　are　you　with　a　dagger；　Rob？〃
　　　〃I've　pinned　Shonagar　with　my　blade　at　his　throat；〃　the　young　Master　said。
　　　〃Oh；　really？〃　Gennell's　eyebrows　raised　high　in　surprise。　〃That's　good。　But。。。　you're　to　keep　your　dagger　in　its　sheath。　I've　more　use　for　you　than　being　pincushion　to　one　of　Fax's　louts。〃
　　　〃Oh？〃
　　　Gennell　shifted　in　his　chair；　clasping　his　stiff；　knotted　fingers　across　his　increasing　paunch。　He　tilted　his　head　to　one　side；　observing　Robinton　for　such　a　long　moment　that；　in　spite　of　himself；　Robinton　shifted　at　such　scrutiny。
　　　〃I've　had　a　purpose　in　sending　you　here　and　there；　to　every　major　Hold　and　Hall　on　Pern。〃
　　　〃Really！〃　With　great　difficulty；　Robinton　kept　curiosity　out　of　his　response。　But　it　was　hard。
　　　〃Yes；　I'm　growing　old；　Rob；　and　I've　to　look　for　a　replacement。　Of　course　all　the　MasterHarpers　vote　as　their　conscience　dictates；　but　I've　made　my　wish　clear。　You！〃
　　　Robinton　stared　at　his　old　friend。　He　hadn't　expected　that。
　　　〃You'll　be　around　a　long　time　yet；　Gennell；〃　he　said　with　a　laugh　which　died　when　he　saw　the　expression　on　Gennell's　face。
　　　〃No；　I　think　not；〃　the　MasterHarper　said。　〃What　with　this　joint…ail　and　no　Betrice　to　fuss〃　…　Gennell　smiled　fondly　at　the　thought　of　his　spouse　…　〃the　heart's　gone　out　of　me。　I　may　call　for　the　election　and　spend　my　remaining　time　on　a　warm　beach　in　Ista。〃　〃Now；　wait　a　minute；　Gennell；　I'm　much　too　young。。。〃
　　　〃The　Hall　must　have　someone　young　and　vigorous　as　MasterHarper；　Rob。〃　Gennell's　manner　turned　resolute；　as　well　as　anxious。　〃Now　more　than　ever　before。　I　can't　leave　the　CraftHall　without　someone　who　appreciates　the　threat　Fax　poses　to　the　entire　world。　I　must　know　that　other　holds　will　not　suffer　the　same　future　that　High　Reaches　and　now　Crom　are　facing：　illiteracy　and　oppression。〃　Watching　intently；　Robinton　could　see　clearly　how　age　and　infirmity　were　hampering　the　once　brisk　and　energetic　MasterHarper。　〃And　someone；〃　Gennell　continued；　pointing　a　gnarled　forefinger　at　the　seated　harper；　〃who　believes；　as　I　do；　that　Thread　will　return　to　menace　the　land。〃　He　wearily　brushed　back　thinning　hair。　〃I　don't　know　what　the　Weyr　is　going　to　do；　but　it　is　our　beholden　duty　as　harpers　to　support　Benden　in　any　way　we　can。　Your　going　there　as　a　child；　and　as　a　journeyman；　has　given　you　an　admirable　contact　in　F'lon。　He's　making　himself　a　shade　unpopular　with　some　of　the　Lord　Holders。　If　you　could　give　him　some　advice。。。〃
　　　〃Which　F'lon's　not　likely　to　take　from　anyone。　Including　me；〃　Robinton　said　sourly。
　　　〃I　think　you　underestimate　your　influence　on　him；　Rob；〃　Gennell　said；　he　sank　heavily　into　his　chair　again；　grimacing　at　the　pain。
　　　〃And　I　think　you've　more　influence　throughout　the　land　now　than　you　may　realize。　Are　you　still　able　to　talk　to　dragons？〃
　　　Robinton　nodded。　〃Simanith；　at　any　rate。　I　suspect　that's　only　because　of　F'lon。　Not　that　our　conversations　are　anything　to　write　ballads　about。〃
　　　Gennell　waggled　a　finger　at　him。　〃It's　more　than　most　non…weyrfolk　ever　have。〃
　　　〃That's　true　enough。〃
　　　Gennell　smiled　briefly。　〃Nip　reports　that　of　all　the　harpers；　you're　one　that　even　the　Hall's　worst　critics　will　accept。〃
　　　〃Except　in　the　High　Reaches。〃
　　　〃Fax　will　overstep　himself。　That　sort　of　man　always　does。　There've　been　others　like　him　before；　there　will　be　more　like　him　in　the　future。　When　we　live　by　the　Charter；　everyone　prospers。　When　it　is　abrogated；　the　whole　continent　suffers。〃
　　　Robinton　nodded　in　plete　agreement；　though　the　prospect　of　trying　to　ensure　that　the　Charter　was　obeyed　was　daunting。
　　　Especially　in　the　face　of　Fax's　active　aggression。
　　　〃So；　Master　Robinton；　I　have　named　you　my　choice　of　successor。〃
　　　Robinton　demurred；　muttering　about　his　youth　and　the　fact　that　there　were　plenty　of　men　who　would　be　more　logical　choices。
　　　〃None　of　them　wants　the　job；〃　Gennell　said　with　grim　humour。
　　　〃Minnarden　strongly　urged　me　to　consider　you；　as　did　Evarel；　and　certainly　I've　had　support　from　all　the　resident　Masters。〃　〃Including。。。　Petiron？〃　Robinton　asked；　grinning。
　　　〃Oddly　enough；　yes。　Oh；　I　doubt　he　would　have　suggested　you；　but　he　did　not　oppose　the　selection。〃
　　　That　did　surprise　Robinton。
　　　〃I　admit　that　I　got　the　position　more　by　default　than　ambition；〃　Gennell　said　with　a　hearty　chuckle。　〃I　have　served　the　Hall　to　the　best　of　my　ability。。。〃　Robinton　concurred：　Gennell　was　exceedingly　popular　as　MasterHarper。　The　old　Master　went　on：　〃I　shouldn't　care　to　take　on　the　responsibilities　of　dealing　with　Fax；　much　less　Thread。〃
　　　〃You're　too　kind；〃　Robinton　murmured　ironically。
　　　〃I've　had　you　marked　as　my　successor　from　the　moment　I　saw　you　talking　to　the　dragons。　Do　you　remember　that　day？〃
　　　Robinton　nodded；　that　had　been　one　of　the　high　points　of　his　childhood。　Once　F'lon　had　mentioned　that　dragons　were　whimsical　about　talking　to　non…weyrfolk。　Sometimes　they　would。　More　often　they　would　not。　F'lon　had　added　with　one　of　his　mischievous　smiles；　〃The　dragons　do　like　you；　Rob。〃　But　Robinton　had　thought　that　was　a　secret　between　himself；　the　dragons　and　their　riders。
　　　〃I　didn't　realize　that　anyone　was　watching。〃
　　　Gennell　grinned。　〃I've　watched　you　from　the　moment　your　mother　told　me　you　were　piping　variations　on　a　theme。〃
　　　〃Have　I　ever　thanked　you；　Gennell；　for　all　you've　done　for　me？〃　There　was　no　irony　in　Robinton's　voice　now。
　　　〃Pssst。〃　Gennell　dismissed　the　matter　with　a　flick　of　his　fingers。　〃I　was　your　MasterHarper　then；　as　I　am　now。　Be　a　good　Master　to　all　within　this　Hall　and　I　am　doubly　repaid。　Do　not　let　a　tyrant　like　Fax　still　the　voices　of　any　more　harpers。〃
　　　To　that　Robinton　swore　purpose　and　loyalty。
　　　〃Did　you　hear　the　drum　message　this　morning？〃　Gennell　asked　in　a　plete　change　of　subject。
　　　〃Yes。〃　Robinton　smiled。　〃A　new　baby　at　Ruatha　Hold。　A　girl；　small　but　healthy。〃
　　　Two　days　later；　both　Robinton　and　Gennell　were　called　to　Fort　Hold。　Lord　Grogellan　had　refused　the　advice　of　MasterHealer　Ginia；　her　very　capable　young　journeyman　Oldive；　and　the　Hold's　healer。　He　would　not　allow　them　to　attempt　surgery。
　　　〃Talk　some　sense　into　him；　can　you；　Gennell？〃　Ginia　said；　her　face　red　with　frustration。　〃I've　done　this　operation　…　so　has　Oldive　…　and　it　takes　but　minutes。　If　we　can't　remove　the　inflamed　appendix；　he　will　die　from　a　poisoning　of　his　system。〃
　　　〃You　can't　cut　into　him；〃　Lady　Winalia　said；　weeping。　〃You　can't。　That's　barbaric。〃
　　　Ginia　shook　her　head。　〃It　is　not。　It's　as　simple　as　removing　infected　tonsils　from　a　throat；　and　you　permitted　me　to　do　that　for　your　children。〃
　　　〃Lord　Grogellan　will　not　have　his　body　violated；　mutilated。。。〃　Lady　Winalia　shuddered　with　repugnance；　her　expression　stubbor