amc.masterharperofpern-第38节

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　he　was　three！　Get　it　now？〃　He　was　agitated　further　by　his　spouse's　failure　to　see　the　humour；　and　his　neck　reddened　again；　his　face　puffing　out。　〃The　joke's　on　Petiron！　That　conceited；　condescending；　consummate　poser　hasn't　half　the　talent　of　his　own　son！〃　He　rose　then；　chuckling　and　chortling；　he　managed　to　slap　Robinton　on　the　back　and；　taking　charge　of　the　music　he　had　brought　with　him；　he　started　out　through　the　door。　Then　he　saw　he　had　taken　the　unfinished　sheet　and；　chuckling；　he　handed　it　back　to　Robinton。　〃Let　me　see　it　when　you've　finished；　will　you；　Rob　lad？〃
　　　He　was　still　laughing　when　he　closed　the　door　on　his　own　quarters。
　　　〃What　was　all　that　about？〃　one　of　the　journeymen　Woodsmiths　asked　Robinton；　still　mystified。
　　　〃A　Hall　joke；〃　Robinton　said；　smiling　inanely　and　trying　to　close　the　door。
　　　〃Oh？〃
　　　After　that　incident；　his　relationship　with　Master　Lobira　altered　dramatically　to　an　equal　footing　…　or　at　least　Lobira　treated　his　journeyman　with　the　respect　he　would　give　a　peer。　Robinton　was　delighted；　astounded；　and　quite　humbled　by　the　pliment。　His　Masters　at　the　Hall　had　been　benign　taskmasters；　encouraging　and　supportive；　but　they　had　treated　him　as　a　student。　Now　Lobira　treated　him　as　an　equal；　despite　the　difference　in　age　and　experience。
　　　It　was　heady　stuff　for　Robinton　and　he　schooled　himself　never　to　abuse　this　status；　working　even　harder　at　all　the　tasks　Lobira　assigned　him。　However；　this　respect　generated　an　unexpected　side　effect：　it　made　him　realize　all　the　more　keenly　the　relationship　which　Petiron　had　been　unable　to　give　him。　In　order　to　abate　his　bitterness；　Robinton　began　mentally　to　refer　to　him　as　Petiron　rather　than　'father'。　Maybe　one　day　he　could　forgive　the　slights　and　the　terrible　hurt　Petiron　had　inflicted　on　him　…　but　not　yet。　Meanwhile；　in　his　growing　pleasure　in　Lobira's　continued　good　favour；　painful　memories　of　striving　for　an　acceptance　which　had　never　e　began　to　fade。
　　　There　was　one　last　blast　of　winter　in　High　Reaches；　and　then　the　spring　melt　occurred；　turning　the　hills　and　tracks　into　rivers　of　mud。
　　　Trees　budded　out；　and　in　the　Valley　farmers　began　seeding　their　fields。　And　Master　Lobira　set　up　the　schedules　for　his　journeymen。
　　　That　was　when　Robinton　noticed　that　there　were　no　pegs　on　a　wide　area　at　the　south…western　end　of　High　Reaches。
　　　〃Surely　that's　where　Fax　has　his　hold；〃　he　said。
　　　〃It　is；〃　Lobira　said　in　a　flat　voice。
　　　Mallan　gave　a　droll　grin。
　　　〃He　has　not　requested　a　harper；〃　Lobira　added　in　an　acerbic　tone。
　　　Robinton　sat　up　straight　in　surprise。　〃But　。。。　why　not？〃
　　　〃He　doesn't　like　us　muddling　the　minds　of　his　holders　with　unnecessary　information；〃　Lobira　explained。
　　　〃Unnec。。。　But　everyone　has　the　right　to　read　and　reckon。〃
　　　〃Fax　does　not　wish　his　holders　to　be　educated；　Rob；〃　Mallan　said；　crossing　his　hands　behind　his　head　and　tipping　his　chair　back。
　　　〃Simple　as　that！　What　they　don't　know　won't　hurt　them　…　because　they　also　won't　learn　their　rights。〃
　　　〃That's。。。　that's。。。〃　Robinton　struggled　to　find　the　appropriate　word。　〃Can't　Lord　Faroguy　insist？〃
　　　Lobira　grunted。　〃He　has　suggested　that　reading　and　figuring　are　considered　assets。。。〃
　　　〃Suggested？〃　Robinton　shot　out　of　his　chair　in　protest。
　　　〃Now；　lad；　calm　down。　It　isn't　that　we　don't　have　more　than　enough　students。。。〃
　　　〃But　he's　denying　them　their　rights　under　the　Charter！〃
　　　〃He　denies　there　is　a　Charter；　you　mean；〃　Mallan　put　in。
　　　〃The　Charter　also　guarantees　that　a　holder　has　autonomy　within　his　holding；〃　Lobira　pointed　out。
　　　〃But　his　holders　have　rights。〃
　　　〃Don't　be　so　naive；　Rob。　That's　exactly　what　he's　denying　them　access　to；〃　Mallan　said；　dropping　his　chair　to　all　four　legs　for　emphasis。　〃And　don't　go　putting　your　head　in　that　snake's　pit。
　　　You'd　never　match　him　in　a　right；　and　you　e　on　strong　to　him　on　that　point　and　he's　every　right　to　challenge　you。　And　be　sorry　that　he　just　happened　to　break　your　neck！〃
　　　Robinton　turned　to　Lobira　for　support；　but　the　MasterHarper　shook　his　head。
　　　〃I've　warned　Faroguy　often　about　allowing　Fax　to　have　so　much　control。　I've　also　warned　both　young　Farevene　and　Bargen；　Faroguy's　eldest　sons；　to　be　on　their　guard。　I'll　say　this　for　Farevene：　he's　a　good　wrestler　and　keeps　himself　fit。　Bargen　relies　on　the　fact　that　the　Council　is　unlikely　to　approve　a　nephew　as　long　as　there　are　acceptable　sons。　Both　of　them　are；　in　my　estimation。　But　I　don't　think　they　realize　just　how　ambitious　…　and　greedy　…　Fax　is。〃
　　　Lobira　gave　another　curt　nod　of　his　head。　〃At　that；　we　harpers　have　the　respect　our　Hall　deserves　here　in　High　Reaches；　though　I've　heard〃　…　his　expression　turned　gloomy　〃…　there're　getting　to　be　more　and　more　places　where　harpers　are　barely　tolerated。〃　Mallan　and　Robinton　both　stared　at　him。
　　　〃One　of　the　northern　traders　mentioned　something。。。〃　Mallan　began。
　　　〃Let's　not　borrow　trouble　until　it　es　our　way；〃　Lobira　said　firmly　and　he　went　back　to　scheduling　Robinton's　assignments。
　　　That　discussion　weighed　heavily　on　Robinton's　mind。　He　had　been　taught　his　Charter；　and　had　even　seen　the　original；　carefully　preserved　between　glass　panes；　its　ink　and　precise　lettering　a　marvel　even　after　all　the　turns　since　it　had　been　written。　The　Charter　was　taught；　first　as　a　Teaching　Ballad　to　the　youngest　children；　and　then　with　more　detail　as　the　students　grew　old　enough　to　memorize　its　provisions　and　to　understand　the　meaning　of　each　clause。　A　holder　was　not　doing　his　duty　by　his　people　to　deny　them　this　information。
　　　On　the　other　hand；　there　was　no　provision　made　to　punish　holders　who　did　not　disseminate　the　information　contained　in　the　Charter。　This　was　one　of　the　shortings　of　the　document。　When　Robinton　had　queried　that　in　class；　Master　Washell　had　responded　with　a　snort　and　then　the　notion　that　it　must　never　have　occurred　to　the　writers　of　the　Charter　that　anyone　would　be　denied　such　basic　human　rights。
　　　Robinton　hoped　that　those　who　had　learned　their　figures　and　letters　under　the　previous　holder　would　pass　them　on　…　however　illicitly　…　to　their　children。　Knowledge　had　a　way　of　permeating　any　barriers　set　to　exclude　it。　He　could　only　hope　that　held　true　in　Fax's　hold。
Chapter　TEN
　　　The　three　turns　that　Robinton　spent　at　High　Reaches　seemed　to　go　by　very　quickly；　punctuated　by　the　rigours　of　the　seasons。　But　he　learned　a　great　deal　more　than　harpering；　and　considerably　more　about　how　a　Hold　controlling　a　population　of　many　thousands　was　managed。　At　the　head　table　in　the　evenings；　Lord　Faroguy　seemed　mild；　gracious　and　inoffensive。　But　in　his　office；　directing　his　sons　and　stewards　in　Hold　management；　he　was　incisive　and　efficient。　There　wasn't　much　the　man　didn't　know　about　what　went　on　in　his　Hold　…　except　for　the　'blind　spot'；　as　Lobira　put　it；　about　his　nephew　Fax。
　　　〃Oh；　Fax　is　clever；〃　Lobira　had　told　Robinton。　〃He　did　his　time　with　Faroguy；　same　as　the　sons　are　doing；　but　you'd　almost　think　Fax　was　a　pure　Blood　relative。〃
　　　〃Maybe　he　is；〃　Mallan　put　in；　raising　a　critical　eyebrow。　〃They　do　resemble　each　other。〃
　　　Lobira　dismissed　that　notion。　〃Faroguy　has　always　adored　Evelene。　It's　only　a　family　resemblance。〃
　　　Mallan　lifted　one　shoulder。　〃Fax's　mother　died　at　birth；　so　we'll　never　know；　will　we？　There's　always　the　possibility　that；　with　Evelene　pregnant　so　often；　he　might　well　have　taken　his　ease　elsewhere。〃
　　　〃Strike　that；〃　Lobira　said　roughly。　〃And　keep　such　notions　to　yourself。〃
　　　〃I　have；　but　Faroguy's　preference　for　Fax　makes　me　wonder。　He　was　born　when　Evelene　had　all　those　miscarriages：　before　Farevene　was　finally　born。〃　But　Mallan　had　let　the　subject　drop。
　　　The　disturbing　conduct　of　Fax　ended　up　being　the　only　unpleasantness　Robinton　experienced　during　his　Turns　at　the　big　Hold。　He　even　enjoyed　a　woman　for　the　first　time；　thanks　to　Mallan's　conniving。　Robinton　had　never　thought　much　about　his　appearance；　looking　into　a　mirror　only　to　be　sure　his　hair　was　neat；　he　wore　his　dark　brown　hair　long　and　braided；　as　many　young　men　were　currently　doing。　But　he　was　putting　flesh　on　his　long　bones；　filling　out；　thanks　to　Lotricia's　generosity　with　her　'treats'　and　striding　up　and　down　the　hills　had　added　muscle　to　his　lean　shanks　and　chest。
　　　As　harper；　he　usually　played　for　the　dances　rather　than　taking　part　in　them。　Then　one　day　when　Mallan　noticed　him　chatting　with　three　of　the　young　holder　girls　between　dances；　he　nudged　Robinton。
　　　〃I'll　take　the　next　set　for　you。　Time　you　picked　out　a　partner。〃　Another　nudge　to　Robinton's　ribs　was　acpanied　by　a　wink。
　　　Then　he　stopped　Robinton's　protest　by　turning　to　the　first　girl。
　　　〃Sitta；　he's　shy。　Spent　so　much　time　playing　for　dancers；　he　doesn't　know　the　steps。〃
　　　〃Don't　know　。。。　of　course　I　know　how　to　dance；〃　Robinton　protested；　and　he　made　haste　to　invite　Sitta　to　partner　him。　It　wasn't　that　he　hadn't　noticed　her；　with　her　delicately　slanting　eyes　in　a　charming　face；　and　tiny　figure　set　off　by　the　bright　dark　blue　of　her　Gather　dress。　It　was　more　that　he　didn't　quite　know　how　to　strike　the　right　note　with　those　he　fancied。
　　　〃I　thought　you'd　never　ask；〃　Sitta　said