amc.killashandra-第59节

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　〃After　last　night；　Elder　Ampris；　I　wonder　at　my　audacity　in　suggesting　that　I　play　on　any　Optherian　organ；〃　she　said；　and　felt　Lars's　admonitory　pinch　on　the　tender　inside　flesh　of　her　arm。　Unnecessary；　she　felt；　since　she　had　forced　herself　to　employ　a　meek　and　sincere　tone　of　voice。
　〃You　enjoyed　the　concert？〃
　〃I　have　never　heard　anything　like　it；〃　she　said；　which　was　no　more　than　the　truth。　〃Truly　an　experience。　Mirbethan　tells　me　there'll　be　another　one　tomorrow　evening。　I　do　hope　that　we'll　be　invited？〃
　〃Of　course　you　are；　my　dear　Killashandra；〃　Elder　Ampris　replied；　his　eyes　glittering　almost　benignly　at　her。
　She　limited　herself　to　a　happy　smile　and　continued　on　to　the　organ　loft　door。
　〃A　word　with　you；　Elder　Ampris；〃　Trag　began；　his　anxious　frown　attracting　the　Elder's　instant　attention。
　Killashandra　and　Lars　continued　into　the　organ　loft。
　〃You　pinched　far　too　hard！〃
　〃You　wouldn't　fool　me；　Killa！〃
　〃Well；　I　did　fool　him；〃　and　hiding　her　gesture　from　observation；　she　pointed　to　the　hairless　corner　of　the　manual　cabinet。
　〃Jammer　on？〃　she　asked。
　〃The　moment　I　finished　pinching。〃
　〃Brackets；　please！〃
　They　had　already　positioned　the　first　of　the　final　slender　crystals　when　Trag　and　Elder　Ampris　entered。
　〃Only　five　more　crystals　and　this　installation　is　plete。〃　Trag　was　saying　to　Ampris。　〃I　know　that　Killashandra　is　well　aware　that　these　upper　register　notes　require　the　finest　tuning。〃　Killashandra　nodded；　receiving　his　tacit　message。　〃I　will　check　the　brackets　on　that　sour　crystal　in　the　Conservatory　organ　and　be　back　here　in　time　for　the　tune…up。〃
　Killashandra　was　hoping　that　Elder　Ampris　would　leave　them　to　the　task　but　he　elected　to　remain；　observing　every　movement。　Killashandra　hated　to　be　overseen　under　any　circumstances；　and　to　have　Ampris's　gimlet　eyes　on　her　made　the　hairs　on　the　back　of　her　neck　rise。　She　was　annoyed；　too；　because　Ampris's　presence　put　the　damper　on　any　conversation　between　herself　and　Lars。　She　had　enjoyed　the　bantering　exchanges　which　relieved　the　tedium　and　tension　of　this　highly　precise　work。　So　she　felt　doubly　aggrieved　to　be　denied　a　morning　of　matching　wits　with　Lars　Dahl。　They　would　have　so　little　time　left　to　enjoy　each　other's　pany。
　Therefore；　it　gave　her　a　great　deal　of　vicarious　pleasure　to　spin　out　the　last　final　bracketings；　giving　Trag　ample　time　to　make　his　alterations　on　the　Conservatory　program。　And　deliberately　irritating　Elder　Ampris　with　her　persnickety　manipulations。　He　was　in　a　state　of　nervous　twitch　when　she　and　Lars　tightened　the　last　bracket。
　〃There！〃　she　said　on　a　note　of　intense　satisfaction。　〃All　right　and　tight！〃　She　picked　up　the　hammer　and；　seized　by　a　malicious　whimsy；　struck　the　first　note　of　the　Beethoven　motif。　Out　of　the　corner　of　her　eye；　she　saw　Ampris　start　forward；　one　hand　raised　in　protest；　his　face　drained　of　all　color。　She　went　up　the　scale；　and　then；　positioning　the　hammer　on　the　side　of　the　crystal　shafts；　descended　the　44　notes　in　a　glissando。　〃Clear　as　the　proverbial　bell　and　not　a　vibration　off　the　tune。　A　good　installation；　if　I　say　so　myself。〃
　Killashandra　slid　the　hammer　into　its　space　in　the　tool…box　and　brushed　her　fingertips　lightly　together。　She　released　the　damper　on　the　striking　base　of　the　crystals　and　replaced　the　top。　〃I　don't　think　we'll　fasten　it　just　yet。　Now；　Elder　Ampris；　the　moment　of　truth！〃
　〃I　would　prefer　that　Guildmember　Trag　…　〃
　〃He　can't　play！　Doesn't　even　read　music；〃　Killashandra　said；　deliberately　misinterpreting　Elder　Ampris。　Lars　pinched　her　left　flank；　his　strong　fingers　nipping　into　the　soft　flesh　of　her　waistline。　She　would　have　kicked　back　at　him　if　she　could　have　done　so　unobserved。　〃But　I　suppose　you　would　feel　more　secure　if　he　was　to　vet　the　pleted　installation；〃　she　added；　giving　Ampris　a　timorous　smile　more　consonant　to　someone　in　the　thrall　of　subliminal　conditioning　than　her　previous　declaration。
　Trag's　reappearance　was　fortuitous。
　〃Just　as　I　suspected；　Elder　Ampris；　a　loose　bracket　on　the　middle　G。　I　checked　both　manuals　thoroughly。〃
　Ampris　regarded　Trag　with　a　moment's　keen　suspicion。　〃You　don't　play；〃　he　said。
　〃No。〃
　〃Then　how　can　you　tune　crystal？〃
　Killashandra　laughed　aloud。　〃Elder　Ampris；　every　would…be　crystal　singer　has　perfect　and　absolute　pitch　or　they　can't　get　into　the　Heptite　Guild。　Guildmember　Trag　doesn't　need　to　be　a　trained　musician。　Guildmaster　Lanzecki　isn't　either。　One　of　the　reasons　I　was　chosen　for　this　assignment　is　because　I　am　…　and　trained　in　keyboard　music。　Now；　Trag；　if　you　will　inspect　the　installation？〃　She　and　Lars　lifted　off　the　cover。
　Trag　was　not　above　giving　Ampris　a　second　fright　for　he　tapped　out　three　of　the　Beethoven　notes　in　the　soprano　register　before　altering　the　sequence　to　random　notes。　Then　he　did　each　note　in　turn；　listening　until　the　exquisite　sound　pletely　died　before　hitting　the　next　crystal。
　〃Absolutely　perfect；〃　he　said；　handing　her　the　hammer。
　〃Now；　with　your　permission；　Elder　Ampris；〃　Killashandra　began；　〃I　would　like　to　use　the　organ　keyboard。〃　When　she　saw　his　brief　hesitancy；　she　added。　〃It　would　be　such　an　honor　for　me　and　it　would　only　be　the　sonics。　After　last　night's　performance；　I　would　be　brash　indeed　to　attempt　any　embellishments。〃
　Bowing　stiffly　to　the　inevitable；　Elder　Ampris　gestured　for　her　to　proceed　from　the　loft。　Not　that　she　could　have　done　anything　to　damage　the　actual　organ　keyboard；　and　live；　with　so　many　security　guards　millimeters　from　her。　As　she　took　her　seat；　pretending　to　ignore　the　battery　of　eyes　and　sour　expressions；　she　decided　against　any　of　the　Beethoven　pieces　she　remembered　from　her　Fuertan　days。　That　would　be　risking　more　than　her　personal　satisfaction　was　worth。　She　began　to　power　up　the　various　systems　of　the　organ；　allowing　the　electronic　circuits　to　warm　up　and　stabilize。　She　also　discarded　a　whimsical　notion　to　use　one　of　Lars's　themes。　She　flexed　her　fingers；　pulled　out　the　appropriate　stops；　and　did　a　rapid　dance　on　the　foot　pedals　to　test　their　reactions。
　Diplomatically　she　began　with　the　opening　chords　of　a　Fuertan　love　song；　reminiscent　of　one　of　the　folk　tunes　that　she'd　heard　that　first　magical　night　on　the　beach　with　Lars。　The　keyboard　had　an　exquisitely　light　touch　and；　knowing　herself　to　be　rather　heavy　handed；　she　tried　to　find　the　right　balance；　before　she　began　the　lilting　melody。　Even　playing　softly　and　delicately；　she　felt；　rather　than　heard；　the　sound　returning　from　the　perfect　acoustics　of　the　auditorium。　The　phase　shield　around　the　organ　protected　her　from　the　full　response。
　Playing　this　Festival　organ　was　an　incredible；　purely　musical　experience　as　she　switched　to　lowest　manual　for　the　bass　line。　For　her　as　a　singer；　keyboards　had　been　essential　only　as　acpaniment；　tolerated　in　place　of　orchestra　and　choral　augmentation。　She　might　have　been　supercilious　about　the　Optherian　contention　that　an　organ　was　the　ultimate　instrument；　but　she　was　willing　to　revise　her　opinion　of　it　upward。　Even　the　simple　folk　song；　embellished　with　color；　scent　and　〃the　joy　of　spring；〃　she　thought　sardonically；　was　doubly　effective　as　a　mood　setter　when　played　on　the　Optherian　organ。　She　was　sorely　tempted　to　reach　up　and　pull　out　a　few　of　the　stops　that　ringed　the　console。
　Abruptly　she　changed　to　a　dominant　key　and　a　martial　air；　lots　of　the　bass　notes　in　a　sturdy　thumpy…thump；　but　half…way　through　she　tired　of　that　mood；　and　found　herself　involved　in　the　acpaniment　to　a　favorite　aria。　Not　wishing　to　spoil　the　rich　music　by　singing；　she　transferred　the　melodic　line　to　the　manual　she　had　just　repaired；　taking　the　orchestra　part　in　the　second　manual　and　the　pedal　bass。　The　tenor's　reprise　naturally　followed；　on　the　third　manual；　mellower　than　the　soprano　range。　From　that　final　chord；　she　found　herself　playing　a　tune；　filling　in　with　a　chorded　bass；　and　not　quite　certain　what　tune　it　was　when　she　felt　someone　pinch　her　hip。　Her　fingers　jerked　down　the　keys　just　as　she　realized　that　it　was　Lars's　melody　she　was　rehearsing。　She　made　the　slip　of　her　fingers　into　the　first　music　that　came　to　mind；　an　ancient　anthem　with　distinct　religious　overtones。　She　ended　that　in　a　flourish　of　keyboard　embellishments　and；　with　considerable　reluctance；　lifted　her　hands　and　feet　from　the　organ；　swiveling　around　on　the　seat。
　Lars；　being　nearest；　took　her　hand　to　ease　her　to　the　ground　from　the　high　organ　perch。　The　pressure　of　his　fingers　was　plimentary；　if　the　arch　of　his　eyebrows　chided　her　for　that　slip。　It　was　the　surprise　on　Elder　Ampris's　face　that　pleased　her　the　most。
　〃My　dear　Killashandra；　I　had　no　idea　you　were　so　acplished；〃　he　said　with　renewed　affability。
　〃Woefully　out　of　practice；〃　she　said　demurely；　though　she　knew　that　she　had　struck　few　wrong　notes　and　her　sense　of　tempo　had　always　been　excellent。　〃Almost　a　travesty　for　someone　like　me　to　play　on　that　superb　organ；　but　I　shall　remember　the　honor　for　the　rest　of　my　life。〃　She　meant　it。
　There　was　a　general　sort　of　highly　audible　reshuffling　as　the　security　men　permitted　a　handful　of　hesitant　new　arrivals　closer　to　the　console。　Some　nervous　clearings　of　throats　and　foot　scufflings　also　echoed　faithfully　about　the　auditorium。
　〃Balderol's　students；〃　Elder　Ampris　murmured　by　way　of　exp