amc.masterharperofpern-第28部分

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　　　Greatly　daring；　he　asked　permission　of　the　journeyman　in　charge　of　the　tower　to　find　out。
　　　〃You　see；　I　met　a　couple　of　the　possible　candidates。　Falloner；　he's　the　weyrling　who　was　at　the　Hold　for　Mother　to　teach。〃　Robinton　was　not　above　using　what　he　needed　to　get　to　do　something　as　important　as　this；　and　he　knew　that　the　journeyman　liked　his　mother。　〃I　know　she'd　like　to　know　if　Falloner　Impressed。。。〃　He　let　his　voice　trail　off。
　　　〃Oh；　go　ahead；〃　the　journeyman　said　with　a　smile。　〃Only　keep　it　short。〃
　　　Robinton　worked　out　the　message　and　the　non…urgent　coding；　got　approval；　and　beat　it　out　himself。　He　hoped　he'd　hear　back　before　his　duty　ended。　But　he　didn't。
　　　That　evening；　however；　the　journeyman　sought　him　out　at　dinner　and　gave　him　a　slip　of　hide　and　a　wink。
　　　Robinton　could　barely　restrain　his　hurrah！　Falloner　had　Impressed　a　bronze。　So　had　Rangul　and　Sellel　…　though　that　draconic　choice　surprised　Robinton　…　and　six　others　whose　names　he　recognized　from　his　visits　to　the　Weyr。　The　WeaverCraftHall　lad　from　High　Reaches；　Lytonal；　was　now　L'tol　and　rode　brown　Larth。
　　　He　caught　his　mother　on　her　way　to　evening　rehearsal　and　told　her。
　　　〃I　suspected　that　young　rascal　would　make　bronze；〃　she　said。
　　　〃And　Rangul。　Nine　bronzes　is　a　good　clutch。　A　queen　egg　is　even　better。　It　may　well　be　that　S'loner　is　right；　after　all。〃　She　hurried　away　then　without　explaining　her　last　cryptic　remark。
　　　Robinton　wondered　if　Falloner；　now　F'lon；　would　remember　his　promise　to　him　…　that　he'd　e　to　the　Harper　Hall　on　his　bronze　so　that　Robinton　could　meet　him。　Wouldn't　his　dorm…mates　be　amazed！　It　was　a　fun　thing　to　think　about；　but　Robinton　rather　thought　that　F'lon　now　being　above　a　mere　Harper　Hall　apprentice；　might　not　consider　he　had　to　honour　that　promise。　Anyway；　it　took　a　while　for　a　dragonet　to　learn　to　fly。
　　　He　did　his　lessons　in　the　Archives　with　everyone　else；　but　mostly　he　copied　special　files　for　Master　Ogolly；　since　he　was　the　fastest　and　most　accurate　of　them　all。　He　had　already　made　some　instruments　that　had　received　the　Harper　mark；　which　allowed　his　work　to　be　sold　at　Gathers。　Now　he　learned　how　to　repair　broken　frets　and　stems；　and　drum　frames；　and　to　string　harps　and　guitars　and　do　fine　marquetry。　He　was　content　in　a　way　he　had　never　known　before；　away　from　the　tension　which　had　bee　so　stressful　in　his　parents'　rooms。　His　mother；　too；　smiled　more　frequently　at　the　head　tables　or　during　her　lessons　with　him。　So　his　departure　had　indeed　made　life　easier　for　her。
　　　His　treble　voice　lasted　until　the　growth　spurt　in　his　thirteenth　summer　when　his　body；　as　well　as　his　throat　and　speaking　equipment；　altered　dramatically。　He　and　his　mother　were　rehearsing　a　Solstice　duet　when　suddenly　his　voice　made　a　dramatic　octave　drop。
　　　〃Well　now；　that's　that；　I　guess；　dear；〃　she　said；　resting　her　arm　on　the　crook　of　her　guitar。　〃Now；　love；　it　isn't　really　the　end　of　the　world；　though　I　daresay　your　father　will　be　annoyed　to　have　to　make　changes　in　the　soloist　so　close　to　Solstice。　Your　voice　won't　last　until　then。〃
　　　〃But　who'll　…〃　and　in　his　dismay；　Robie's　voice　broke　again　〃…　sing　it　with　you？〃
　　　〃Recall　that　delicate…looking　blond　lad　from　Tillek　who　auditioned　last　week？〃　Merelan　raised　her　eyebrows　in　a　droll　fashion。
　　　〃He's　not　the　musician　you　are；　and　I'll　have　to　work　him　hard；　but　he　has　the　range；　if　not　your　skill　and　experience。〃
　　　〃What's　father　going　to　say？〃　Robinton　asked　fretfully。　He　really　didn't　want　to　be　around　to　hear。
　　　Merelan　chuckled。　〃He'll　consider　that　you　did　this　on　purpose；　of　course；　to　disarrange　his　concert。　He'll　rant　a　bit　about　you　letting　him　down　at　a　critical　time；　and　then　require　me　to　take　the　lad　on　for　special　sessions。〃　She　regarded　her　son　with　a　tilt　to　her　head　and　an　affectionate　smile。　〃You'll　probably　end　up　a　baritone；　you　know。　You've　the　right　facial　structure。　And　your　father's　a　baritone。〃
　　　〃I've　never　heard　him　sing；〃　Robie　protested。
　　　Merelan　chuckled。　〃Oh；　he　can。　He　just　doesn't　feel　he　sings　well　enough。〃　She　gave　a　little　chuckle。　〃But；　if　you　listen　closely；　you'll　hear　him　joining　the　baritone　line　in　the　choral　parts。　He　had　a　very　good　natural　voice　when　he　first　came　to　the　Hall。　He　just　didn't　think　it　was　solo　quality。〃　She　made　a　little　grimace；　followed　by　a　light　sigh。　〃He　has　to　be　perfect　in　anything　he　does。〃
　　　〃Mother；〃　Robie　began；　because　the　problem　was　being　more　and　more　pressing；　〃what　will　I　do　when　father　takes　me　for　position　as　a　journeyman？〃　His　unreliable　voice　cracked　on　the　second　syllable。
　　　〃Walk　the　tables　first；　love；　and　don't　worry。　Though　I　must　be　truthful　and　say　that　I　wonder　how　we're　going　to　keep　from　upsetting　him　over　that。　You　already　know　as　much　as　he　does　about　theory；　position；　and　even　orchestration。　Fortunately；　I　think　your　particular　forte　is　with　vocal　rather　than　instrumental　music；　so　you　won't　be　in　direct　petition　with　him。　He　may　not　see　it　in　the　same　light；　but　neither　of　us　can　help　that；　can　we？　Let's　go　and　have　some　klah；　shall　we？〃　She　put　her　guitar　carefully　back　in　the　case　and　reached　up　to　caress　his　cheek。　〃I　still　can't　get　accustomed　to　the　sudden　height　of　you。　I　wonder　how　tall　you'll　be。　All　the　men　in　my　family　are　certainly　tall。〃
　　　〃I　remember　Rantou。〃　Robie　grinned；　because　he　would　never　forget　how　upset　his　father　had　been　at　Rantou's　preference　for　working　as　a　lumberman；　when　he　had　the　voice　and　musicality　to　be　a　harper。　At　least　Robinton　was　not　the　only　one　whom　his　father　expected　to　be　perfect。
　　　When　his　voice　finally　settled　into　the　baritone　range；　he　was　nearly　the　tallest　of　the　second…Turn　apprentices。　His　father　relegated　him　to　the　back　row　of　the　chorus；　where　Robinton　was　quite　happy　to　be。　His　mother；　however；　beginning　to　instruct　him　in　his　new　voice；　was　delighted　with　its　flexibility　and　depth。
　　　〃It's　a　lovely　voice；　Robie。〃　She　flicked　her　fingers　in　an　excess　of　delight；　smiling　at　him。　〃Velvety　and　rich。　Now；　we　won't　force　it　but　I　think　it's　solo　quality。〃
　　　〃Even　if　my　father's　isn't？〃
　　　Merelan　made　a　face。　〃Yours　has　a　totally　different　timbre；　and　a　better　range。　We　can　work　it　into　something　special。〃　〃Something　appropriate　for　simple　songs？〃
　　　Her　grimace　darkened　and　she　slapped　his　arm。　〃Simple　songs　that　everyone　loves　to　hear；　play　and　sing！　Don't　you　dare　belittle　what　you　do　so　very　well。　Far　better　than　he　ever　could。　The　only　real　music　he　ever　wrote。。。〃　She　stopped；　pursing　her　lips　in　irritation。
　　　〃Was　the　music　he　wrote　while　we　were　at　Benden。〃　Robinton　finished　the　sentence　for　her。　〃And　you're　right。　Speaking　quite　objectively　as　a　harper；　my　father's　positions　are　technically　perfect　and　demanding；　brilliant　for　instrumentalists　and　vocal　dexterity；　but　scarcely　for　the　average　holder　and　craftsman。〃
　　　She　waggled　her　finger　under　his　nose。　〃And　don't　you　ever　forget　that！〃
　　　Robinton　caught　the　threatening　finger　and　kissed　it　lovingly。
　　　〃Oh；　Robie；〃　she　said　in　a　totally　different　voice。　〃How　different　it　all　could　have　been。〃　She　leaned　against　him　in　regret；　taking　consolation　in　his　tall；　strong　form　and　his　embrace。
　　　〃Well；　it　wasn't；　mother；　and　we　can't　alter　what　has　been。〃　He　patted　her　back　soothingly。
　　　Abruptly；　and　in　another　lightning　change　of　mood；　she　pushed　away　from　him；　poking　him　in　the　ribs。　〃Will　you　ever　fill　out？　I　swear；　you're　nothing　but　bones。〃
　　　〃And　there's　Lorra　plaining　I　eat　twice　as　much　as　any　other　three　apprentices！　You're　a　fine　one　to　plain；〃　he　added；　noting　a　distinctive　pallor　in　her　plexion。　She　flushed；　moving　away　pletely。
　　　〃It's　nothing。〃　She　gave　a　funny　laugh。　〃Change　of　life；　Ginia　says。〃　〃You're　not　that　old；　surely；〃　Robinton　protested；　vehemently　denying　that　his　mother　would　ever　age。　〃Why；　your　voice　is　better　than　ever。〃
　　　She　laughed　with　real　humour。　〃Proof；　son　of　mine；　that　I'm　in　my　prime；　not　my　decline。〃
　　　The　Harper　Bell　chimed　the　turn　of　the　hour　and　she　gave　him　a　little　push。　〃Your　harp　awaits　you。〃
　　　He　kissed　her　cheek　and　was　out　of　the　door　to　the　acpaniment　of　another　chuckle。　But　he　knew　she　understood　his　eagerness　to　put　the　finishing　touches　on　the　lap　harp　which　had　caused　him　so　much　anxiety。　It　was　one　of　the　four　pieces　he　had　to　finish　creditably　to　bee　a　journeyman；　and　he　wanted　it　so　that　even　his　father　could　not　find　fault　with　it。
　　　When　his　work　was　displayed　anonymously　with　the　others；　his　father　passed　it　by　without　ment　and　dismissed　someone　else's　instead。　Of　course；　Robinton　had　been　careful　not　to　repeat　patterns　of　embellishment　which　he　had　used　on　other　items。　It　amused　him　that　never　again　did　his　father　find　fault　with　anything　of　his　among　those　he　inspected。
　　　The　highlight　of　his　second　turn　as　an　apprentice　came　in　the　spring。　Robinton　was　in　the　semi…basement　workshop　at　the　front　end　of　the　Hall　rectangle　when　suddenly　a　bronze　dragon　landed　in　the　centre　of　the　courtyard　and　the　rider　cupped　his　hands　and　yelled；　〃Robinton？　Robinton！　Apprentice　Robinton！〃　That　final　call　was　almost　a　taunt；　ing　out　in　a　singsong　tone。
　　　〃By　the　First　Egg！　It's　you　the　dragonrider　wants；　Rob；〃　Master　Bosler　said。
　　　Robinton　peered　out　of　the　half…window　and　saw　nothing　but　bronze　dragon　feet　and　belly。　〃May　I　go？〃　
〃My　dear　boy；　if　a　dragonrider　calls　for　anyone；〃　the　Master　said；　grinning；　〃that　person　had　better　hop　it。。。　Off　with　you！〃
　　　Robinton　raced　up　the　steps　and　out　of　the　right…hand　door　into　the　courtyard。　〃I'm　here；　F'lon！〃　he　yelled；　racing　across　the　courtyard　to　the　bronze；　who　had　craned　his　neck　round；　eyes　bright　blue　and　whirling　with　excitement。
　　　〃I　told　you　I'd　e。。。〃　and　F'lon　modified　his　tone　as　he　dismounted　gracefully　to　meet　his　old　friend；　embracing　him　in　his　eagerness。
　　　Once　again；　Rob　was　struck　by　F'lon's　unusual　amber　eyes；　which　sparkled　with　delight。
　　　〃You　also　told　me　you'd　Impress　bronze。。。〃　Rob　looked　politely　at　the　watching　dragon。　〃What's　your　name；　if　you　don't　mind？〃
　　　The　dragon　blinked。
　　　〃Ah；　he's　shy。〃　F'lon's　wicked　smile　belied　that。　〃His　name　is　Simanith。〃　The　dragon　put　h