amc.masterharperofpern-第71节

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　　　〃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　stubborn。
　　　〃His　person　cannot　be　carved　like　an　animal！〃
　　　〃Mother；　if　it's　a　question　of　his　life。。。〃　said　Groghe；　trying　to　reason　with　his　parent。　〃I　saw　it　done　at　Tillek；　didn't　I；　Rob？〃
　　　Robinton　nodded。　〃Clostan　performed　it　on　a　seaman　taken　with　terrible　belly　pain。　He　was　back　on　his　ship　the　next　week。〃
　　　Lady　Winalia　kept　shaking　her　head；　her　lips　pressed　together。
　　　〃We　will　not　permit　it；〃　she　repeated；　pressing　her　handkerchief　to　her　lips　as　she　opened　the　door　to　her　spouse's　room。　Grogellan's　moans　could　be　heard。　〃Oh；　he　must　be　in　such　pain；　Ginia。　More　fellis；　please。　How　can　you　let　him　suffer　so？〃
　　　〃He　wouldn't　if　he　would　permit　me　to。〃
　　　〃No；　no；　never。　How　can　you　even　suggest　such　a　thing？〃
　　　〃He　didn't　object　when　I　sewed　up　that　shin　wound。。。　it's　much　the　same　thing；〃　Ginia　said　urgently。
　　　〃But　that　was　a　natural　wound；〃　Lady　Winalla　protested。　〃Oh；　listen　to　him。　Surely　you　can　give　him　more　fellis？〃
　　　〃Yes；　I　can　give　him　more　fellis；〃　Ginia　said　through　gritted　teeth。　〃I　can　fellis　him　right　into　death！〃
　　　〃Oh；　no；　don't　say　that；　Ginia。　Please　don't　say　he'll　die。〃
　　　〃I　can't　say　anything　else　and　be　honest；　Winalla。　If　I　do　not　operate。。。〃
　　　Winalia　clamped　her　hands　to　her　ears　and；　with　a　little　shriek　of　protest；　half…ran　to　her　spouse；　where　he　twisted　and　writhed　in　bed。
　　　He　died　later　that　day；　in　a　terrible　agony　which　not　even　the　massive　doses　of　fellis　or　the　application　of　numbweed　on　his　abdomen　could　dull。
　　　〃No　violation；　no　mutilation；　just　death；〃　Ginia　murmured　as　she　wearily　stumbled　away　from　the　tragedy。　〃Once　we　knew　so　much　more。。。〃　She　shook　a　little　and　leaned　on　Oldive。
　　　So　the　Telgar　Gather　was　cancelled　and；　instead；　the　Lord　Holders　came　to　Fort　Hold　to　confirm　Groghe　as　the　new　Lord　Holder。　Fax　was　conspicuous　by　his　absence。
　　　〃But　then；　he　wasn't　invited；〃　Gennell　said　grimly；　〃because　he　has　not　followed　the　established　procedure　of　taking　formal　Hold。〃
　　　〃I　doubt　that　bothers　him；〃　Robinton　remarked。　〃I　wish　I　knew　what　he　had　planned　at　Telgar。〃
　　　That　question　was　answered；　in　part　or　in　whole；　when　Lady　Relna　of　Crom　and　her　two　youngest　children　begged　sanctuary　from　Lord　Ashmichel　and　Lady　Adessa　at　Ruatha　Hold。　Neither　her　spouse　nor　their　two　oldest　boys　had　survived　Fax's　forcible　entry　into　their　Hold。
　　　Groghe　began　to　drill　every　man　in　Fort　between　the　ages　of　sixteen　and　fifty。　Tarathel　and　Melongel　grimly　followed　his　example　and　doubled　their　border　patrols。
　　　The　following　winter；　another　bitterly　cold　one；　MasterHarper　Gennell　died　of　a　failing　heart。　Ogolly；　Washell；　and　Gorazde　…　frail　though　he　was　…　drummed　messages　about　the　country。　They　had　known　that　Master　Robinton　was　the　named　successor；　but　it　would　be　spring　before　the　requisite　number　of　Masters　could　return　to　the　Hall　for　a　formal　election。　No　one　wished　the　Harper　Hall　to　be　leaderless　at　such　a　time。　Robinton　could　hear　the　messages　ing　in　and　going　out。　He　found　that　their　import　was　muffled　down　in　the　kitchen　of　the　Harper　Hall　…　where　Silvina；　Lorra's　capable　daughter；　kept　him　pany　and　poured　out　the　numerous　cups　of　clah　he　drank　during　the　long　wait。
　　　Her　mother　had　retired　to　her　family　home　in　South　Boll　three　turns　before　and　Silvina；　as　dark…haired　and　energetic　as　her　mother　had　been；　was　headwoman　in　the　Hall。　Robinton　liked　her　matter…of…fact　attitude　towards　the　duties　and　the　disasters　of　the　Hall　…　and　the　fact　that　she　had　been　quite　willing　to　bed　him　whenever　he　stopped　there　long　enough　to　renew　their　friendship。　She　had　more　sense　than　to　mention　any　sadness　in　his　eyes；　though　she　knew　the　memory　of　Kasia　had　not　dimmed　in　the　ten　turns　since　her　death。　Vina　accepted　him　as　he　was　and　made　no　demands；　and　gave　him　considerable　relief　and　kindness。　He　was　grateful；　and　that　seemed　to　be　enough　for　her。　She　was　as　big…hearted　as　her　mother。
　　　〃The　drums　have　stopped；〃　she　said　suddenly；　about　to　pour　him　yet　another　cup　of　klah。　〃So　they　have；〃　he　said；　realizing　that　he　could　no　longer　feel　the　vibrations　through　the　stone　walls　of　the　Hall。　He　swallowed　and　she　grinned　at　his　disfort。
　　　〃You　could　have　stayed　above　and　kept　count。〃
　　　〃What　if。。。〃　He　stopped　at　the　sound　of　footsteps　on　the　stairs。　At　least　two　people　were　approaching。
　　　Silvina　reached　out　a　hand　and　gripped　his。
　　　A　grinning　Ogolly　and　Jerint　appeared；　a　sheaf　of　small　square　hides　in　hand。
　　　〃Master　Robinton；　would　you　be　willing　to　assume　the　responsibility　of　the　Master　of　the　Hall　and　Craft？〃　Ogolly　asked　formally；　his　tone　belied　by　his　wide　grin　and　happy　eyes。
　　　〃I　would　be　willing；〃　Robinton　said；　though　his　throat　had　gone　dry。
　　　〃It　is　the　unanimous。。。〃　Jerint　paused　to　be　sure　Robinton　appreciated　that　〃。。。　decision　of　all　the　Masters　of　this　Craft　that　you　accept　this　position　and　all　its　honours；　privileges；　prerogatives　and。。。　all　that　hard　work！〃　He　stepped　forward；　gripping　Robinton's　hand　in　his　and　shaking　it　hard。　〃I　bless　the　Egg　that　it's　you；　Rob！〃
　　　〃Who　else？〃　Ogolly　demanded；　taking　his　turn　to　pump　the　hand　of　the　newly　appointed　MasterHarper　of　the　Craft。　〃Who　else；　dear　boy？　Who　else？　Merelan　would　be　so　…〃　Ogolly's　eyes　teared　up　and　his　voice　cracked；　but　he　went　on　〃…　so　very；　very　proud　of　you　right　now。〃
　　　Robinton；　gripping　Ogolly's　hand；　felt　his　throat　close　in　response　to　the　mention　of　his　beloved　mother。　〃She　would；　she　would。〃
　　　〃She　always　said　you　would　be　Master；〃　Silvina　said。　She　threw　her　arms　about　Robinton's　neck　to　kiss　him　soundly。　〃Mother'll　be　so　happy；　Rob。　So　happy。　The　day　you　were　born；　she　said　she　knew　you　were　destined　for　great　things。〃
　　　〃Petiron　helped　take　the　count；　Rob；〃　Jerint　put　in；　and　there　was　a　wicked　sparkle　in　his　eyes。
　　　〃He's　proud　of　you；　too；　Robinton。。。〃　Ogolly　said　quite　solemnly。　〃Really；　he　is。〃
　　　Robinton　only　nodded。　Silvina；　busy　at　one　of　the　cupboards；　produced　glasses　and　a　wine…skin；　which　she　held　out　to　Robinton　so　that　he　could　see　the　label。
　　　〃Benden？〃　he　exclaimed。
　　　〃Gennell　ordered　in　a　supply　just　for　today！〃　she　said。　〃I've　kept　it　safe；〃　she　added；　casting　a　reproving　glare　at　Jerint；　〃so　open　this　skin。　There'll　be　enough　to　get　every　last　one　of　you　legless　tonight。〃
　　　Robinton　was　still　hung　over　the　next　morning　when　he　entered　the　office　of　the　MasterHarper。　He　stopped　when　he　saw　there　was　someone　waiting：　Petiron。　His　father　had　not　been　backward　in　toasting　and　drinking　the　health　of　the　new　MasterHarper　the　previous　night；　a　fact　of　which　Robinton　had　taken　wary　note。
　　　〃As　one　of　your　first　duties　as　MasterHarper；　Robinton；　I　wish　you　will　assign　me　to　a　post；〃　his　father　said　in　a　stiff　and　formal　tone。　〃I　think　you　will　do　well　in　this　office。　I　wish　you　the　best；　but　I　feel　that　my　presence　here　in　the　Hall　might　cause　you　embarrassment。。。〃
　　　〃Really。。。　Father。。。〃　Robinton　mentally　berated　himself　that　the　unused　title　ca