amc.masterharperofpern-第13部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　　Two　days　later　it　was　no　longer　in　view；　and　she　looked　for　the　drum　and　finally　found　it　hidden　in　his　clothes　chest。　He　never　played　it　again。
　　　〃Drum？　What　drum？〃　Petiron　asked；　surprised　when　she　casually　mentioned　it。
　　　〃The　one　Robie　made　for　the　percussion　group　at　TurnOver。〃　Petiron　frowned；　and　she　was　so　distressed　by　his　genuine　puzzlement　that　she　wished　she　hadn't　asked。　That　the　little　drum；　so　lovingly　constructed；　had　been　so　carefully　concealed　ought　to　have　been　warning　enough。
　　　〃Oh；　that　one；〃　Petiron　said；　turning　back　to　checking　apprentice　papers。　〃If　Robinton　really　did　have　a　hand　in　making　it；　I　wouldn't　have　passed　it　for　a　Harper　stamp。〃
　　　Merelan　abruptly　rose　and；　murmuring　that　she　must　see　Lorra；　left　the　room　before　she　either　burst　into　tears　or　threw　something　at　her　insensitive　spouse。
　　　As　she　stormed　downstairs　and　out　into　the　crisp　evening　air；　pausing　only　to　throw　a　jacket　over　her　shoulders；　she　knew　that　she　would　never；　ever；　mention　Robie's　efforts　to　Petiron　again。　He　didn't　deserve　to　have　such　a　talented　child。
　　　〃He's　far　ahead　of　the　other　youngsters；〃　Kubisa　told　Merelan　during　the　teacher's　usual　spring　evaluation。　〃He's　poring　over　any　Record　Bosler　lets　him　see。　In　fact；　Bosler's　having　him　copy　some　of　the　more　legible　documents　from　the　last　Fall。　Also；　I　don't　think　it's　wise　to　isolate　him　from　his　own　age　group。　He　needs　their　panionship。　All　children　do。　But　I'll　say　this　for　him：　he　won't　stand　for　any　teasing　or　bullying。〃
　　　〃You　don't　have　any　problems　with　that；　do　you？〃
　　　Merelan　knew　that　the　apprentices　were　often　apt　to　pick　on　a　lad　who　tried　to　push　himself　forward；　and　occasionally　they　would　taunt　a　slower　boy；　but　the　Masters　kept　a　tight　rein　on　any　physical　violence　and　chastised　culprits　for　verbal　harangue。　Some　of　the　final…year　apprentices　were　apt　to　take　grudges　against　one　another；　but　those　were　generally　settled　by　a　wrestling　match　overseen　by　a　journeyman。　To　be　a　harper　conferred　sufficient　dignity　and　privilege　so　that　few　would　jeopardize　their　chance　to　achieve　journeyman　status　by　gross　misconduct。　Inevitably；　there　were　subtle　petitions　among　the　fourth…Turn　students。
　　　〃I　have　to　be　truthful；　Merelan。　Some　of　them　are　jealous　of　his　quick　mind。〃
　　　〃Well；　I　can　scarcely　punish　him　for　that；〃　Merelan　said；　trying　to　suppress　a　spurt　of　outrage。
　　　Kubisa　held　up　both　hands　in　simulated　defence。　〃Easy；　Mother；　and　I　won't　tell　you　who；　either；〃　she　added　before　Merelan　could　open　her　mouth。　〃That's　for　me　to　know　and　handle。　And　I　have。　I　ask　Rob　to　take　one　of　the　slower　ones　off　to　hear　their　lesson。　He's　actually　very　patient　…　more　so　than　I　would　be　with　that　rascal；　Lexey。〃　〃Lexey？　Bosler's　youngest？〃
　　　〃I　realize　you　know　that　Lexey　has　learning　difficulties；　but　Rob　has　him　repeat　his　lessons　until　he　knows　them　by　heart。〃　Kubisa　sighed。　〃Sometimes　late…life　babies　are　a　little　。。。　backward。　And　Rob　made　up　another　tune；　one　that　Lexey　can　actually　remember；　to　help　him　with　place　names。〃　She　reached　into　the　folder　and　brought　out　a　scrap　of　hide；　cleaned　so　often　that　it　was　almost　transparent；　and　handed　it　to　Merelan。　〃Robie's　a　caring　child　and　a　born　teacher。〃
　　　The　MasterSinger　had　no　trouble　identifying　the　writer　of　the　tiny；　precisely　placed　notes；　and　she　hummed　the　tune。　Simple　and　very　easy；　up　the　C　scale　and　down　by　thirds。
　　　Fort　was　first；　South　Boll　then
　　　Ruatha　came　and　Tillek；　too。
　　　Benden　next　and　north　Telgar。。。
　　　Easy　enough　for　a　child　to　sing；　but　effective　with　the　tune　itself　as　an　aid　to　memory。
　　　〃That's　not　bad；〃　Merelan　said。
　　　〃Not　bad？〃　Kubisa　stared　at　her　in　disgust。　〃For　a　child　five　turns　old？　It's　incredible。　Washell　wants　me　to　use　it　in　class　as　a　Teaching　Ballad。〃
　　　〃He　does？〃
　　　〃He　does；　and　we　don't　intend　to　tell　Petiron　either。〃　Kubisa's　tone　was　almost　defensive。　〃I　never　ask　Rob　to　do　these。　He　just　does　them。　Should　I　discourage　him；　Merelan？〃　She　couldn't　quite　keep　her　expression　neutral。
　　　〃No；　don't　discourage　him　Kubisa。　And　thank　you　for　your　understanding。〃　The　interview　troubled　Merelan　for　several　days；　but　she　could　see　no　way　to　mention　Robie's　abilities　to　Petiron。　As　usual；　he　had　music　he　had　to　pose　…　this　time　for　an　espousal　at　Nerat。　He　planned　a　duet　between　Merelan　and　Halanna；　and　a　very　ambitious　quartet；　making　use　of　a　fine　young　tenor　who　would　soon　be　walking　the　tables　to　bee　a　journeyman。　Petiron　was　always　bemoaning　the　loss　of　any　good　tenor　voice；　and　Merelan　entertained　the　wry　hope　that　Robie　might　end　up　in　the　tenor　range　as　an　adult。　At　least　he　sang　on　key　in　his　childish　treble。　Even　if　his　father　never　noticed。　These　were　the　times　when　she　was　very　glad　that　she　wasn't　able　to　bear　more　children；　or　foster　them。
　　　That　spring　young　Robinton　had　a　revelation　which　made　a　tremendous　impact　on　his　mind：　he　met　dragons。
　　　He'd　always　known　they　existed；　and　once　in　a　while　a　wing　would　be　seen　flying　in　formation　high　overhead。　He　knew　that　Fort　Weyr　had　been　empty　for　several　hundred　turns；　and　that　no　one　knew　why。　He　knew；　from　Teaching　Songs　and　Ballads；　why　there　were　dragons：　that　they　kept　Thread　away　…　though　he　didn't　understand　why　Thread　was　so　dangerous。　People's　clothes　were　made　of　thread；　and　they　wouldn't　wear　something　that　was　dangerous　to　them；　would　they？　When　he　asked　Kubisa　about　it；　she　said　that　Thread　was　a　living　organism；　not　spun　and　woven　as　was　the　undangerous　thread　that　went　into　clothing。　This　bad　Thread　fell　from　the　sky　and　hungrily　ate　anything　living　that　it　touched；　from　grass　to　runner　and　herd…beasts；　and　even　people。　Her　listeners　got　very　still　at　that；　and　no　one　even　squirmed　when　she　went　on　to　explain　how　dragons　kept　Thread　away　from　Halls　and　Holds。　However；　she　ended　on　a　bright　and　pleasant　note：　that　bad　Thread　was　not　likely　to　bother　them；　and　they　might　live　their　whole　lives　without　seeing　it　fall　from　the　skies。
　　　〃Then　why〃；　the　logical　Robie　asked；　〃do　we　keep　singing　about　it？〃
　　　〃In　appreciation　of　those　times　when　the　dragons　did　keep　the　danger　away；〃　she　said；　at　her　most　reassuring。
　　　Robinton　asked　his　mother　about　Thread　and　got　much　the　same　answer；　which　really　wasn't　sufficient　to　satisfy　his　curiosity。　If　the　dragons　were　so　important；　and　they　were　still　flying　the　skies　of　Pern；　they　were　there　to　keep　Thread　away。　They　were　keeping　it　away；　but　there　weren't　as　many　as　there　used　to　be　…　not　with　five　Weyrs　empty。　Would　they　be　enough　if　Thread　came？
　　　Lexey　had　told　him　once　…　Lexey　talked　a　lot　to　Rob　because　he　would　listen　to　him　…　that　his　mother　kept　telling　him　that　if　he　didn't　behave　better；　they'd　leave　him　out　for　Thread　to　get。
　　　〃You　know　so　much；　Rob。　Would　it？〃　Lexey　asked　plaintively；　sufficiently　scared　of　the　threat　that　most　times　it　achieved　the　object　of　making　him　more　obedient　…　at　least　for　a　few　days。
　　　〃I　never　heard　of　it　being　done　to　anyone；　no　matter　how　bad　you　are。　And　'sides；　there　isn't　any　Thread　in　the　skies　right　now。〃　〃But；　if　I　was　bad　enough；　would　it　e　to　get　me？〃
　　　〃Hasn't　yet；　has　it？〃　was　Robinton's　logical　reply。　〃You　were　awful　bad　yesterday；　making　a　mess　with　the　colours　when　you　were　told　to　clear　them　up。〃
　　　〃Yes；　I　was。〃　Lexey　grinned　in　retrospect；　thoroughly　pleased　with　himself。　〃But　it　was　so　fun。〃　He'd　smeared　every　surface　in　the　classroom　while　Kubisa　was　out　on　an　errand。　She'd　made　him　clean　it　all　up　…　which　was　almost　as　much　fun　for　Lexey　as　doing　it　…　but　he'd　had　a　real　scolding　from　her　and　his　mother　for　the　state　of　his　clothes。　〃Mother　was　real　mad　at　me　last　night。〃　But　that　seemed　to　give　him　a　satisfaction　which　Robie　couldn't　understand。
　　　He　always　tried　very　hard　not　to　upset　either　his　mother　or　his　father　…　especially　his　father。
　　　Lexey's　paint…smearing　occurred　the　day　before　the　dragons　came；　so　they　were　at　the　forefront　of　Robie's　mind　when　they　came　circling　down　into　the　big　Harper　Hall　courtyard。　His　parents　were　busy　packing　for　their　trip　to　Nerat；　so　he'd　been　told　to　go　outside　and　play。　He　always　missed　his　mother；　but　it　would　be　nice　to　stay　with　Kubisa　and　her　daughter　Libby；　where　he　could　sing　and　play　his　pipe　or　his　drum　without　worrying　about　annoying　his　father。　It　was　his　turn　to　hop…it　without　smudging　the　chalk　lines　on　the　flags　and　his　attention　was　utterly　focused　on　the　movement　of　his　feet　…　until　Libby　made　him　miss　the　longest　hop　by　suddenly　pointing　skywards　in　astonishment。
　　　〃Oh；　look；　Robie！〃　she　cried。
　　　〃That's　not　fair。。。〃
　　　His　plaint　died　as　he　realized　that　the　dragons　soaring　above　were　ing　closer　to　the　Harper　Hall；　rather　than　the　Hold　where　they　usually　landed。　Half　a　wing　of　dragons　…　six　of　them。　As　they　swept　closer；　backwinging；　their　hind　legs　stretched　downwards　to　land　in　the　Harper　Hall　rectangle；　Robie；　Libby　and　Lexey　pressed　themselves　tightly　against　the　wall　to　stay　out　of　the　way。　As　it　was；　two　of　the　dragons　had　to　land　outside；　since　the　four　made　the　big　quadrangle　suddenly　appear　very　small。
　　　The　ridged　tail　of　a　bronze　was　so　close　to　Robie　that　he　could　reach　out　and　touch　it。　Which　he　did；　greatly　daring；　while　Lexey　regarded　him　with　staring　eyes；　aghast　at　his　impudence。
　　　〃You'll　get　left　out　for　Thread　for　sure；　Robie；〃　Lexey　whispered　hoarsely；　pressing　his　sturdy　body　as　close　to　the　stone　wall　as　he　could；　well　away　from　the　dragon's　tail。
　　　〃He's　soft；〃　Robie　whispered　back；　surprised。　Runner…beasts　were　soft；　and　the　spit　canines；　but　watchwhers　had　hard　hides；　sort　of　oily。　At　least　the　Harper　Hall's　o1'　Nick　did。　Were　watchwhers　another　kind　of　dragon；　the　way　runner…beasts　were　another　kind　of　herd…beast？
　　　No；　not　precisely；　a　voice　said　in　his　mind。　The　dragon　turned　his　huge　head　to　see　who　had　touched　him；　causing　Lexey　to　hiss　in　alarm　and　Libby　to　whimper　in　terror。　There　are　many　differences。
　　　〃I　do　apologize。　I　didn't　mean　to　insult　you；　bronze　dragon；〃　Robie　said；　giving　a　jerky　little　bow。　〃I've　never　seen　one　of　you　up　close　before。〃
　　　We　do　not　e　as　often　to　the　Harper　Hall　as　we　used　to。　It　had　to　be　the