amc.masterharperofpern-第14部分

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　　　We　do　not　e　as　often　to　the　Harper　Hall　as　we　used　to。　It　had　to　be　the　dragon　speaking；　Robie　decided；　because　the　deep　voice　couldn't　have　e　from　anyone　else　near　by。　The　rider　had　dismounted　and　was　standing　on　the　steps　talking　to　his　mother　and　father。
　　　〃Are　my　mother　and　father　going　to　ride　on　you　to　Nerat？〃　Robie　knew　that　was　why　the　dragons　had　e；　to　take　all　the　harpers　to　Nerat　for　the　espousal。　His　mother　had　told　him　that。　Nerat　Hold　had　asked　the　Weyrleader　to　provide　dragon　transport。　Going　a…dragonback　meant　they　didn't　have　a　long　land　journey　to　make；　so　they　wouldn't　be　away　long。　And　besides　it　was　a　great　honour　to　go　a…dragonback。
　　　They　are　harpers？　the　dragon　asked。
　　　〃Yes；　my　mother's　MasterSinger　Merelan　and　my　father　is　Master　Petiron。　He　writes　the　music　they're　going　to　sing。〃
　　　We　look　forward　to　hearing　it。
　　　〃I　didn't　know　dragons　liked　music；〃　Robie　said；　greatly　surprised。
　　　That　had　never　been　mentioned　with　all　the　other　things　he'd　learned　about　dragonkind。
　　　Well；　we　do。　So　does　my　rider；　M'ridin。　Robie　could　not　miss　the　affection　with　which　the　dragon　named　his　rider。　He　asked　especially　to　convey　your　mother　and　father。　It　will　be　an　honour　for　us　to　take　a　MasterSinger　to　Nerat。
　　　〃Who　are　you　talking　to？〃　Libby　asked；　her　eyes　still　wide　with　fright　for　Robie's　presumptuous　behaviour　towards　the　huge　and　powerful　creature。
　　　〃The　dragon；　o'　course；〃　Robie　said；　having　no　real　sense　of　doing　something　unusual。　〃You'll　be　careful　with　them；　won't　you；　dragon？〃
　　　Of　course！
　　　Robie　was　certain　the　dragon　was　laughing　inside。　〃What's　so　funny？〃
　　　I　have　a　name；　you　know。
　　　〃Oh；　I　know　that　all　dragons　have　names；　but　I've　only　just　met　you　so　I　don't　know　your　name。〃　Robie　turned　his　head　ever　so　slightly　to　be　sure　his　friends　were　observing　how　brave　he　was。
　　　And　courteous。
　　　Cortath　is　my　name。　What　is　yours；　little　one？
　　　〃Robie　。。。　that　is；　Robinton；　and　you　will　fly　my　parents　very　carefully；　won't　you？〃
　　　Of　course　I　will；　young　Robinton。
　　　Greatly　reassured　by　that；　Robie　took　advantage　of　this　unparalleled　opportunity　and　asked；　〃Will　you　be　fighting　Thread　when　it　es　back？〃
　　　The　tail　gave　such　a　convulsive　twitch　that　it　nearly　swept　both　Lexey　and　Robinton；　who　were　nearest；　off　their　feet。　The　dragon　swerved　his　body　around　so　that　his　great　head；　with　its　many…faceted　eyes　swirling　with　a　variety　of　colours　rapidly　turning　into　orange　and　red；　came　closer　to　Robie。
　　　Dragons　always　fly　when　Thread　is　in　the　sky；　was　the　unequivocal　answer。
　　　〃You　know　the　song　then？〃　Robie　asked；　delighted。
　　　But；　before　Cortath　could　answer；　his　rider　was　at　his　head；　turning　it　back　so　that　he　could　introduce　the　bronze　to　Merelan　and　Petiron　who　were　standing　beside　him。　A　nervous　apprentice　hovered　discreetly　behind　them；　carrying　their　various　sacks。
　　　〃Robinton；　what　are　you　doing　back　there？〃　his　father　demanded；　noticing　him　at　last　and　gesturing　for　him　to　get　out　of　the　way。
　　　〃We　were　just　playing　hop…it；　only　Cortath　landed　in　the　middle。。。〃　At　the　boy's　words；　the　great　dragon　Cortath　courteously　moved　his　feet。　〃It's　all　right；　Cortath。　You　smudged　the　lines　a　bit　with　your　tail；　but　we　can　fix　it　when　you　leave。〃
　　　〃Robinton。。。〃　His　father　roared；　scowling　his　amazement。
　　　Robinton　risked　a　nervous　glance　at　his　mother　and　saw　her　slight　smile。　Why　was　his　father　angry　with　him？　He　hadn't　really　been　doing　anything　wrong；　had　he？
　　　〃Cortath　says　he's　enjoyed　conversing　with　your　son；　Master　Petiron；〃　M'ridin　said　with　a　reassuring　chuckle。　〃There　aren't　that　many　children　these　days　who　will；　you　know。〃
　　　Robinton's　sensitive　ears　caught　the　plaintive　note　in　the　tall　bronze　rider's　voice。　He　opened　his　mouth　to　say　that　he'd　be　happy　to　talk　to　Cortath　any　time；　when　he　saw　his　mother　raise　her　finger　in　her　signal　for　him　to　be　silent　and　noticed　the　deepening　scowl　on　his　father's　face。　So　he　looked　anywhere　but　at　the　adults。
　　　〃Out　of　the　way　now；　boy；〃　his　father　said；　gesturing　urgently。
　　　Robinton　scooted　off　towards　the　Hall；　Libby　and　Lexey　well　in　front　of　him；　all　too　relieved　to　be　allowed　to　leave。
　　　〃Goodbye；　Cortath；〃　Robinton　said。　Seeing　the　dragon　turn　his　head　to　follow　him；　he　waved　his　fingers　in　farewell。
　　　We　will　meet　again；　young　Robinton；　Cortath　said　clearly。
　　　〃Shards；　Rob；　you　were　lucky；〃　said　Lexey　enviously。
　　　〃And　brave；〃　Libby　put　in；　her　blue　eyes　still　as　wide　as　saucers　in　her　freckled　face。
　　　Robie　shrugged。　He　was　probably　lucky　he　hadn't　been　close　enough　to　his　father　to　get　a　smack　for　bothering　a　dragon；　but　he　didn't　think　he'd　been　particularly　brave。　Though　he　should　not；　perhaps；　have　pared　a　dragon　with　a　watchwher！
　　　He'd　caught　the　surprised　note　in　the　dragon's　voice；　and　he　guessed　he　was　lucky　Cortath　had　deigned　to　speak　with　him；　instead　of　just　lashing　out　with　his　tail　at　the　presumptuous　boy。
　　　〃Did　you　hear　what　Cortath　told　me？〃　he　asked　his　friends。
　　　〃They're　leaving；〃　Lexey　said；　pointing　as　the　dragons　suddenly　leaped　skywards。　As　the　great　wings　swirled　up　dust　and　grit　from　the　courtyard；　the　children　hastily　turned　away　to　protect　their　faces。　When　they　turned　back；　rubbing　dirt　from　their　eyes；　the　dragons　had　already　risen　above　the　high；　pitched　roof　of　the　quadrangle。
　　　Robinton　waved　frantically；　recognizing　Cortath's　bright　bronze　coat　and　his　passengers；　but　he　didn't　think　even　his　mother　was　looking　down　just　then。　The　next　moment；　all　had　disappeared　and　the　courtyard　looked　emptier　than　ever。　He　felt　oddly　sad　that　the　dragon　had　gone　…　as　if　he　had　missed　something　very　important；　but　didn't　know　what　it　was。　He　realized　that　he　didn't　really　want　to　know　if　his　friends　had　heard　the　dragon；　too。　After　all；　he　had　been　the　one　who　had　done　the　talking；　so　it　was　his　special　encounter。　He　was　not　covetous　by　nature；　but　some　things　you　kept　to　yourself；　because　they　were　yours；　your　doing　and　should　be　savoured　quietly。
　　　If；　later；　Lorra　noticed　that　Robinton　wasn't　as　talkative　as　he　usually　was　with　her；　she　chalked　it　up　to　his　parents'　absence。　At　least；　his　mother's　absence。　Though　that　didn't　explain　the　odd　little　happy　smile　on　his　face；　as　if　he　were　enjoying　some　secret　thought。　She　liked　taking　care　of　young　Rob。　He　was　no　trouble　at　all；　especially　when　he　would；　as　he　did　now；　take　himself　to　a　corner　in　the　kitchen　and　play　on　the　pipe　that　was　always　tucked　into　his　waistband。　The　tune　he　played　wasn't　familiar　to　her；　but　then　he　was　always　making　up　tunes。　She　didn't　have　the　time；　just　then；　to　find　out　if　he'd　made　up　a　new　one。　But　later；　as　she　put　him　to　bed；　she　asked　about　it。
　　　〃Yes；　about　dragons；〃　he　said　sleepily。
　　　〃You　were　in　the　courtyard　when　they　came？　Of　course　you　were；　saying　goodbye　to　your　parents；〃　Lorra　said。　She　snuggled　his　bed　fur　up　against　his　chin。　〃You　must　play　it　for　me　sometime。〃
　　　〃No；　it's　all　mine；〃　he　mumbled；　and　Lorra　wasn't　sure　if　she　had　heard　him　right。　He　usually　couldn't　wait　to　play　her　a　new　tune。。。　because；　as　she　thought　with　some　acidity；　she　listened　even　if　his　father　did　not。　But　he　was　asleep　before　she　could　ask　him　what　he　meant。
　　　Late　in　the　autumn；　when　everyone　knew　that　there　was　a　clutch　of　eggs　on　the　Hatching　Sands　at　Benden　Weyr；　Robinton　met　dragons　for　the　second　time。　They　came　on　Search。　He　already　knew　about　Search；　since　it　was　the　subject　of　a　Teaching　Ballad　about　the　duty　of　Hall　and　Hold　to　allow　any　person　the　dragons　chose　to　go　to　the　Weyr。　Most　of　those　who　went　to　a　Weyr　became　dragonriders：　a　high　honour。　If　dragons　liked　music；　as　Cortath　had　told　him　they　did；　maybe　they'd　like　Robinton's　tunes；　and　no　one　would　object　to　having　a　dragonrider　who　had　musical　training。　By　the　time　he　was　old　enough　to　be　Searched；　he'd　be　at　least　a　second…year　apprentice。
　　　When　the　wing　landed　in　Fort　Hold's　courtyard；　he　was　playing　…　hop…it　again；　actually　…　with　Lexey；　Libby；　Curtos　and　Barba。
　　　Barba　was　not　his　favourite　playmate　…　she　was　awful　bossy　…　but　the　moment　the　dragons　landed；　she　started　shrieking　and　ran　into　the　Hall。　Robinton　ran；　too：　right　for　the　dragons。
　　　〃Cortath？〃　he　called　out；　racing　across　the　vast　courtyard　as　fast　as　he　could　towards　the　three　bronzes　who　had　landed　to　one　side。
　　　He　ducked　in　among　the　greens　and　blues；　pletely　unaware　that　it　was　actually　the　greens　and　blues　who　were　sensitive　to　those　who　might　make　good　Impressions。
　　　Cortath　is　not　here　today。
　　　Robie　stopped　short；　breathing　hard　as　he　realized　that；　indeed；　his　good　friend　was　not　there。　〃But　I　wanted　to　talk　to　him；〃　he　said；　almost　in　tears　with　disappointment。
　　　I　will　tell　him　a　harper　boy　regretted　his　absence。
　　　〃I'm　not　a　harper　。。。　yet；〃　Robinton　admitted；　identifying　the　not…so…bright　bronze　as　the　one　who　had　spoken　to　him。　〃Would　you　mind　my　talking　to　you？　If　you've　nothing　better　to　do　for　a　moment？　May　I　ask　your　name？〃　And　he　executed　a　half…bow　to　show　he　was　being　respectful。
　　　You　may。　I　call　myself　Kilminth　and　my　rider　is　S'bran。　What　is　your　name？
　　　As　if　you'll　remember；　said　another　dragon　voice。　It　was　the　very　dark　bronze　one。　It　is　only　a　child。
　　　Who　hears　dragons　when　they　speak；　so　I　will　talk　to　him　while　our　riders　are　busy。　It　is　nice　to　talk　to　a　child　who　hears。
　　　He　not　old　enough　to　be　Searched。
　　　Don't　mind　Calanuth；　Kilminth　told　Robie　in　a　somewhat　supercilious　tone。　He　too　young　to　have　much　sense。
　　　Who's　talking　about　having　some　sense？
　　　Oh；　curl　up　in　the　sun；　and　then　Kilminth　lowered　his　head　down　to　Robinton。
　　　Robie　was　a　touch　nervous　at　the　size　of　that　head；　but　the　eye　nearest　him　…　almost　bigger　than　his　sturdy　little…boy　body　…　was　green　and　circling　idly。　He　could　see　himself　reflected　over　and　over　again　in　the　facets　closest　to　him；　making　him　slightly　dizzy。
　　　The　upper　facets；　however；　reflected　the　sun　and　the　sky。　Did　seeing　all　those　different　things　make　a　dragon　dizzy；　too？
　　　No；　but　it　helps　us　to　see　Thread　ing　from　above　us　when　it　falls。