amc.masterharperofpern-第56节

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rk　on　his　sonata。　He　had　done　no　more　than　the　opening　measures　so　far；　and　the　music　was　plaguing　him。
　　　〃You　won't　get　a　protest　from　me；〃　Mumolon　said。
　　　〃You'll　learn；　you'll　learn；〃　Ifor　teased　him。　〃Days　more　away　from　the　lovely　Kasia；　though。〃
　　　Robinton　controlled　the　spurt　of　rage　he　felt；　reminding　himself　that；　with　his　intentions　announced；　his　claim　to　her　affections　would　no　longer　be　challenged。　So　he　made　his　lips　smile　and　sloughed　off　the　irritation。。。　and　retired　to　his　room　to　write　a　few　more　measures　of　the　music　that　wouldn't　leave　his　head。
　　　Before　he　left；　he　had　an　ecstatic　and　very　long　letter　from　his　mother；　delighted　by　his　news；　asking　for　a　sketch　of　Kasia　and　so　many　details　that；　laughingly；　he　suggested　that　Kasia　had　better　answer。　Which　Kasia　immediately　did；　including　a　sketched　portrait　which　Marlifin　was　able　to　do　for　her。　Master　Gennell　sent　felicitations　and　thought　he　would　acpany　Merelan；　to　be　sure　she　made　it　safely　to　Tillek　Hold。　Kasia's　parents；　Bourdon　and　Brashia；　expressed　delight　in　her　uping　espousal　and　readily　accepted　the　possibility　…　though　Robinton　was　still　waiting　for　an　answer　from　F'lon　…　of　a　quick　and　safe　transfer　to　the　west　coast。
　　　At　last　F'lon　sent　a　drummed　message　that　he　would　be　there　…　with　whoever　needed　conveyance。
　　　After　a　loving　and　reluctant　farewell　to　Kasia；　he　set　his　runner　on　the　north…eastern　route；　up　to　the　Piro　River　which　separated　Tillek　from　High　Reaches　Hold。　From　there　he　headed　across　the　plateau　into　the　highlands　and　down　the　Greeney　River　to　the　sea　in　the　corner　of　Tillek　and　Fort。　There　was　a　rapidly　expanding　series　of　holds　along　the　Greeney　River；　some　so　new　that　the　hard…set　was　still　drying　…　or　so　the　longer…established　holders　said　with　grins。　That　tour　took　him　most　of　the　summer　and　into　the　cooler　nights　and　shorter　days　of　the　autumn。　Occasional　runner　notes　from　Kasia　sustained　him。　And　each　evening　he　faithfully　recorded　his　doings　to　be　returned；　often　by　the　same　runner。
　　　He　was　very　grateful　when　he　reached　the　apex　of　his　journey；　a　hill　holding　right　below　the　High　Reaches　border。　He　stayed　four　days；　teaching　the　children；　who　were　at　first　very　shy　with　him　but　warmed　as　he　taught　them　the　ballads　and　sang　them　the　humorous　songs　with　which　he　had　relaxed　many　a　nervous　student。　On　his　final　night　Chochol；　the　holder；　had　taken　him　…　and　a　skin　of　the　rough　white　Tillek　wine　…　to　see　the　two　moons　rise；　and　then　unburdened　his　mind　to　the　harper。
　　　〃Once；　twice；　maybe；　Harper；〃　Chochol　said　in　his　rough　voice；　pitched　low　so　that　not　even　the　herd…beasts　grazing　near　by　could　hear　what　he　said；　〃I　would　not　worry。　Anyone　can　e　to　a　disagreement　with　his　Holder。　But　there　have　been　eight　lots　and　they　arrive　scared　of　their　shadows。　Wounded；　and　the　pretty　ones　have　been　badly　handled。〃　He　paused；　indicating　with　a　nod　what　he　wouldn't　say　about　their　condition。　〃Badly　handled。〃　He　emphasized　the　repetition　with　a　second　sharp　nod。　Then　he　pointed　down　the　hillside；　which　was　grassland　with　a　few　stunted　trees。　〃Twice〃　…　he　held　up　two　thick；　work…callused　fingers　…　〃the　women　were　sure　that　Lord　Faroguy　must　be　dead　for　such　things　to　happen　in　High　Reaches。　Scared　my　spouse；　that　did。　But　we　see　anything　ing　up　here　and　I　tell　her　we're　in　Tillek；　holding　with　Lord　Melongel；　who's　a　fair　Holder　if　ever　there　was　one；　and　the　time　hasn't　e　when　one　Lord'll　run　over　what　another　has　owned　since　his　Blood　took　hold。〃　The　phrase　'run　over　what　another　has　owned'　sent　a　shudder　of　fear　through　Robinton　right　down　to　his　guts。
　　　〃So's　to　reassure　her；　we've　another　cot；〃　Chochol　said；　waving　his　hand　vaguely　over　his　shoulder；　〃where　we　could　go　did　we　see　someone　ing　who　ought　not。　I　don't　like　it；　Harper；　I　don't　like　it　one　bit。〃
　　　〃Nor　I；　Chochol；　and　you　may　be　sure　I　will　tell　Lord　Melongel　of　your　worries。〃
　　　Robinton　did　no　posing　that　night；　for　music　had　gone　out　of　his　head。　He　had　asked　Chochol　if　the　women　had　mentioned　names；　or　where　they　were　going　in　Tillek；　but　Chochol　replied　that　he　didn't　know　because　he　hadn't　asked。　He　had　seen　them　safely　to　the　fiver　track　to　the　sea；　and　given　them　what　they　could　spare　of　provisions。
　　　Most　nights；　though；　Robinton　would　drain　glowbaskets　of　their　last　glimmer；　penning　his　sonata。　He　also　wrote　other　music　for　his　Kasia；　posing　love　songs　on　the　long　stretches　between　holds　…　though　sometimes　the　notes　on　the　hide　showed　the　roughness　of　his　travel　and　had　to　be　corrected。　These　were　only　for　Kasia；　written　for　her　to　play　for　herself　on　her　harp。
　　　He　finished　the　sonata　before　he　got　back　to　Tillek　Hold；　before　the　Autumn　Gather　and　their　espousal。
　　　Kasia　weled　him　so　warmly　that　their　reunion　lasted　all　night　long；　which　delighted　a　travel…weary　young　man　who　had　desperately　missed　the　object　of　his　affections。
　　　They　spent　almost　as　much　time　talking　as　making　love。　They　discussed　their　future　at　length。　Now　and　then；　he　related　the　amusing　incidents　that　he　hadn't　written　to　her　…　since　most　of　his　letters　had　been　intensely　loverly；　as　she　described　them。　She　would　treasure　them　for　ever。　Of　course；　the　wall　incident　had　been　meat　for　runners　all　across　Tillek　Hold。
　　　〃I'll　probably　never　live　it　down；〃　he　told　her；　stroking　her　thick　hair；　rolling　a　tress　on　his　finger。
　　　〃Why　would　you　want　to；　Rob？〃　She　giggled。　〃I　think　it's　a　marvellous　ment　on　your　abilities。〃
　　　〃I　had　to　live　up　to　expectations；〃　he　said。
　　　〃Which；　to　judge　by　Melongel's　remarks；　you　certainly　did。〃
　　　〃I'm　not　so　sure　of　that；〃　he　said；　worried。
　　　〃I　know　you　did；〃　she　said　loyally；　poking　his　nose　gently。
　　　He　groaned。　〃I　hope　I　did。　Every　hold　seemed　to　have　some　sort　of　long…term　dispute　that　only　I〃　…　he　thumbed　his　chest　…　〃could　settle。〃　〃Which　I'm　sure　you　did。〃　〃How　can　you　be　so　sure？〃
　　　〃Because　I　know　my　Rob。　Who　sees　with　clear　eyes；〃　she　said；　touching　them　one　by　one；　which　interrupted　him　when　he　was　about　to　tell　her　about　the　sonata；　〃great　perception〃　…　and　she　touched　his　temples　…　〃and　the　clever　tongue　to　speak　truth　and　to　the　point。〃　She　kissed　him　and　that　ended　their　conversation　for　some　while。
　　　If　he　went　about　his　duties　at　the　Hold　yawning　and　only　half　there；　knowing　and　kindly　smiles　absolved　him。
　　　During　his　verbal　report　to　Melongel；　he　mentioned　what　Chochol　had　told　him。　〃Hill　holding；　well　kept。　The　holder's　named　Chochol；〃　he　said；　leading　up　to　the　distressing　news。
　　　Melongel　glanced　up　at　the　map　and　nodded　as　he　identified　the　place。
　　　〃He's　given　hospitality　to　holdless　fleeing　from　the　High　Reaches。〃
　　　〃Oh？〃
　　　Robinton　shifted　uneasily；　trying　not　to　alarm　unnecessarily　and　yet　to　state　his　fears　and　reservations　candidly。　〃I　was　three　Turns　at　High　Reaches；　you　know；　and　I　have　great　respect　for　Lord　Faroguy；　but　the　last　time　I　saw　him　…　at　Benden　Hold；　for　Lord　Raid's　confirmation　…　he　looked　very　ill。〃
　　　Melongel　nodded；　confirming　that　opinion。　〃Hmm。　I　noticed。〃
　　　〃Well；　it　seems　that　Lord　Faroguy　may　be　dead　and　we　simply　haven't　been　told。〃
　　　Melongel　regarded　him　with　shock。　〃How　could　that　be？〃
　　　〃I　don't　know；　but　Chochol　thought　it　possible　because　he　has　sheltered　several　holdless　folk　…　women　and　children　mostly；　returning　to　their　relatives'　holdings　here　in　Tillek。〃
　　　Melongel　frowned。　〃I　know　of　several　holders　who　have　asked　for　dispensation　on　their　tithes　because　of　increases　in　dependants。〃　He　shuffled　through　some　hides。　〃I　didn't　know　the　women　had　been　made　homeless。　Or　that　they'd　e　from　High　Reaches。〃
　　　Robinton　cleared　his　throat；　ing　to　the　most　dubious　part　of　what　Chochol　had　told　him。　〃The　women　said　that　they　had　been　driven　out　of　holds。　Chochol　said　that　some　of　the　younger　ones　had　been　badly　handled。　That　they　thought　Lord　Faroguy　must　be　dead　for　such　things　to　happen。〃
　　　Melongel　scowled；　fixing　Robinton　with　a　glance　which　many　would　have　been　unable　to　meet。
　　　〃You　believe　Chochol？〃
　　　〃I　do；　because　I　know　there　is　a　very　ambitious　man　in　High　Reaches　who　will　try　to　claim　succession　for　himself。。。　when　Lord　Faroguy　dies。〃
　　　〃Does　this　ambitious　man　have　a　name？〃
　　　Something　in　Melongel's　eyes　suggested　to　Robinton　that　the　Lord　Holder　knew　to　whom　he　was　referring。
　　　〃Fax。〃
　　　〃That　nephew　of　Faroguy？〃　Melongel　looked　away　from　Robinton　for　a　long　moment。　〃I　think　I　shall　ask　Faroguy　to　join　us　for　the　Gather。　As　you　have　served　him；　he　might　wish　to　e。〃
　　　That　suggestion　was　more　than　Robinton　had　hoped　for。　But　Chochol's　tale　had　revived　suspicions　he　had　once　thought　groundless。
　　　〃Ah；　here；〃　Melongel　said；　tweaking　a　hide　from　the　pile　and　glancing　down　at　the　text。　〃I'll　just　see　what　I　can　find　out。　Two　of　these　enlarged　holders　live　near　by。〃　He　folded　his　hands　across　his　chest；　looking　down　at　a　point　on　the　floor。　Then　he　looked　up　again；　giving　Robinton　a　little　smile。　〃Good　report；　Robinton。　Well　done。　I've　met　that　nephew　and；　quite　frankly；　I　tagged　him　as　ambitious；　too。　Would　you　say　that　Farevene　is　able　for　him？〃
　　　Robinton　cleared　his　throat；　struggling　wi