amc.masterharperofpern-第3部分

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　　　〃That　may　well　be　a　good　part　of　her　importance　to　our　resident　poser；〃　Gennell　said。　〃No　one　else　could　manage　either　the　range　or　the　difficulty　of　the　vocal　scores　he　creates；　but　that　isn't　all　he　sees　in　her。〃　He　cleared　his　throat。　〃He　was　besotted　with　her　beauty　from　the　moment　she　came　to　us　from　South　Boll　for　training。　In　fact；　well　before　we　realized　what　a　superb　natural　voice　she　had。〃　He　looked　off　into　the　darkness　beyond　the　glowbasket　by　the　bed；　remembering　the　first　time　he　had　heard　her　effortless　scales。
　　　The　entire　Hall　had　stopped　all　work　just　to　listen。
　　　Betrice　chuckled　as　she　slid　under　the　new　furs；　a　gift　from　all　the　journeymen　of　the　Hall　this　TurnOver。　The　pelts　had　been　sewn　together　in　the　most　beautiful　pattern。　She　let　her　hand　linger　on　the　soft　fur　of　the　edging。　〃Never　seen　a　man　more　smitten　in　my　life。　He　just　stared。　And　she　couldn't　take　her　eyes　off　him。　Mind　you；　he's　attractive　enough　even　if　he　isn't　often　a　merry　person。　Just　as　well　Agust　was　her　vocal　teacher；　or　she'd　never　have　progressed　past　vocalizes。〃
　　　〃So　remember　how　Petiron　would　hang　about　in　the　courtyard　just　listening　to　them　as　if　he'd　nothing　better　to　do　with　his　time；〃　Gennell　said；　reaching　out　to　close　over　the　glowbasket。　Absently　he　patted　Betrice's　shoulder　and　then　punched　the　pillow　for　a　spot　to　lay　his　head。
　　　Just　when　Gennell　thought　he'd　settled　the　question　of　which　journeyman　should　take　which　assignment；　more　holders　applied　for　trained　personnel　he　did　not　have。　With　a　hard　winter；　it　was　impossible　to　ask　journeymen　to　tour　from　one　hold　to　another；　spreading　their　services　by　spending　four　seven…days　in　one　place　and　then　moving　on。　Every　family　had　the　right　to　learning；　to　be　instructed　in　the　Teaching　Ballads；　so　there　was　no　misunderstanding　about　what　was　due　to　whom　and　when。
　　　He　thought　longingly　of　the　times；　now　several　hundred　Turns　back；　when　the　six　Weyrs　of　Pern　had　assisted　the　major　Halls　with　dragon　transport。　Those　on　the　East　coast　still　had　Benden　Weyr；　so　Lord　Maidir　could　boast　of　dragon　rides　to　distant　Holds　and　Gathers　whenever　he　needed　them。　But　Fort　Weyr　had　been　empty　over　four　centuries；　and　no　one　really　knew　why。
　　　Gennell　had　once　looked　at　the　Records　kept　in　the　archives　of　both　the　Harper　Hall　and　Fort　Hold；　and　there　was　only　the　one　entry：　shortly　after　the　end　of　the　last　Pass。
　　　〃The　MasterHarper　was　asked　to　Fort　Weyr　this　fifth　day　of　the　ninth　month；　first　Turn　after　Pass　End。〃　That　was　it：　short　and　cryptic。　In　other　similar　instances　when　the　MasterHarper　was　called　to　the　Weyr；　a　more　fulsome　explanation　was　given。
　　　The　next　entry　was　by　the　then　MasterHarper；　Creline；　with　a　date　a　full　two　months　later　when　Fort　Hold's　tithe　train　duly　arrived　with　supplies　and　found　the　Weyr　abandoned；　and　nothing　but　broken　pottery　on　the　top　of　the　midden　heap。　Other　Holders　had　noticed　that　their　flags　requesting　dragon　assistance　had　gone　unanswered　and；　while　annoyed　by　the　discourtesy；　people　were　far　too　involved　in　relaxing　after　fifty　turns　of　ground…crew　duty　to　wonder　much　about　the　absence　of　dragons　from　the　skies。　It　was　enough　that　Thread　was　gone。
　　　A　Conclave　had　been　convened　when　it　became　all　too　apparent　that　five　of　the　six　Weyrs　were　empty。　Benden's　two　Weyrleaders　were　as　mystified；　and　even　the　bronze　or　green　riders　questioned　seemed　to　be　truly　surprised　by　the　abandonment；　and　by　Benden　being　the　only　remaining　Weyr。
　　　Many　theories　had　been　put　forth。　A　favourite　claimed　that　a　mysterious　disease　had　spread　through　the　five　Weyrs；　killing　both　dragons　and　riders。　But　that　didn't　account　for　the　missing　weyr…folk　or　the　absence　of　every　stick　and　stitch　belonging　to　them。
　　　Benden　Weyr　had　even　sent　a　wing；　with　reliable　Hold　and　Hall　passengers；　to　scan　the　Southern　Continent　in　case　all　five　Weyrs　had　…　for　some　unknown　reason　…　decided　to　resettle　south；　despite　the　hazards　of　that　country。
　　　The　matter　was　under　discussion　…　often　heated　…　for　Turns　afterwards；　and　no　one　the　wiser　for　all　the　talk。
　　　Then　Creline　performed　a　new　work；　which　he　called　the　Question　Song；　and　which　was　to　be　included　in　the　pulsory　Teaching　Ballads。　Gennell　had　made　a　mental　note　to　return　the　song　to　that　category　since　someone　…　he　wouldn't　like　to　point　a　finger　…　had　let　it　drop　out　some　time　before　he　became　MasterHarper。　Such　things　happened：　but　they　shouldn't；　considering　the　importance　with　which　Creline　had　treated　the　work。
　　　Odd　song。　Haunting　melody。　Yes；　worth　reviving。
　　　Another　fifty…five　Turns　remained　before　Threadfall　was　due　again。　That　is；　Gennell　amended　to　himself；　if　it　was　going　to　Fall　again。　Many　believed　Thread　was　gone　for　ever。　A　mon　theory　claimed　that　the　Weyrs　had　been　bound　by　some　bizarre　suicide　pact；　leaving　only　Benden　to　carry　on　the　draconic　traditions。　That　made　no　sense　whatever　to　a　thinking　man。　But　at　least　he　was　unlikely　to　have　to　contend　with　that　in　his　term　as　MasterHarper。
　　　With　a　sigh　of　relief；　he　firmly　turned　his　mind　towards　sleep。
　　　Merelan's　cough　developed　into　a　chest　cold　shortly　after　TurnOver。　Sniffles　and　coughs　were　prevalent　during　the　beginning　of　any　new　Turn　when　the　weather　remained　cold　and　snowy；　and　young　Robinton　and　Petiron　both　suffered　from　colds；　but　they　threw　off　the　worst　of　the　infection　quickly。　But　Merelan's　cough　seemed　determined　to　linger；　and　she　could　rarely　get　through　a　vocal　exercise　without　having　to　break　off　in　a　spasm。　For　the　first　time；　Petiron　became　seriously　worried　about　her　health。
　　　So　did　Betrice　and　Ginia；　for　the　singer　had　quickly　lost　what　weight　she　had　gained　after　the　baby's　birth　…　and　more。
　　　〃You've　really　nothing　big　ing　up　in　the　way　of　rehearsals；　have　you？〃　Ginia　asked　Petiron　privately　after　delivering　another　bottle　of　cough　mixture　for　Merelan。　With　a　certain　degree　of　reluctance；　he　shook　his　head　…　had　he　not　been　sick；　he　most　assuredly　would　have　started　posing　something　extravagant　for　the　Spring　Gathers。
　　　〃Well；　then；〃　Ginia　continued；　〃I　happen　to　know　MasterHarper　is　looking　for　someone　to　provide　basic　instruction　at　a　hold　in　South　Boll　…　not　far　from　where　Merelan　was　born。　So　why　don't　you　ask　him　to　allow　you　to　take　the　post？　I　believe　the　acmodation　would　be　adequate　for　a　small　family　like　yours。　The　Ritecamp　traders　just　arrived　here；　and　their　route　takes　you　close　by　Pierie　Hold。〃
　　　Before　Petiron　could　produce　a　good　reason　why　he　couldn't　leave　the　Harper　Hall　at　that　time；　he　and　his　small　family　were　on　their　way　south；　their　baggage　packed　on　pack　animals　which　Master　Gennell　ordered。　He　sent　along　two　good　Ruathan…bred　mounts；　as　well。　MasterTrader　Sev　Ritecamp　was　only　too　happy　to　oblige　the　Harper　Hall　and　had　agreed　to　take　them　to　the　very　door　of　Pierie　Hold。
　　　〃If　Master　Petiron　wouldn't　mind　taking　some　time　of　an　evening　to　learn　some　of　our　youngsters　their　Teaching　Ballads？　They're　in　dire　need　of　some　educating；〃　Sev　had　suggested　very　politely。　〃And　maybe　give　us　a　new　song　or　two　in　the　evening　around　our　fire。〃
　　　〃That　would　be　only　fair；〃　Merelan　said　when　Petiron　was　not　as　prompt　as　he　could　have　been　in　agreeing。　Then　she　winked　at　her　spouse；　knowing　very　well　that　he　hated　doing　〃basics'　with　beginners　while　she　enjoyed　teaching　the　very　young。　So　long　as　the　children　were　taught；　it　really　didn't　matter　who　did　the　teaching。
　　　As　MasterSinger；　she　knew　her　Teaching　Ballads　and　Songs　as　well　as　Petiron　did。
　　　The　young　daughter　of　the　Ritecamps'　leader　had　a　toddler　the　same　age　as　Robie　…　though　not；　Merelan　privately　thought；　as　sturdy　as　her　lad　…　but　she　doubted　that　Dalma　would　mind　watching　two　who　could　amuse　each　other　while　Merelan　taught。
　　　MasterHarper　Gennell　was　delighted　to　have　a　Master　to　assign　for　however　short　a　term。　Betrice　had　a　word　with　the　Ritecamp　healer　about　Merelan's　condition　and　waved　farewell　with　the　rest　of　the　Hall。
　　　Although　the　Ruathan　runner…beasts　provided　were　well　trained　and　easy　riding；　Merelan　at　first　rode　in　Dalma's　efficient　housewagon；　since　she　knew　herself　incapable　of　managing　the　antics　of　a　mount　right　then。　Petiron；　less　familiar　with　riding　beasts；　was　more　often　on　the　lead…wagon　seat；　talking　to　Sev　Ritecamp　or　his　father　or　his　uncle　or　whoever　was　the　day's　guide。
　　　Despite　his　forebodings　and　initial　dismay；　Petiron　soon　began　to　relax　and　enjoy　the　trip。　Having　overheard　the　favourable　ments　about　the　Ruathan　breed；　he　offered　Sev's　eldest　son　the　chance　to　ride　his　mount；　and　consequently　he　found　all　the　Ritecamp　men　more　genial　towards　him。　He　even　enjoyed　the　nightly　music　sessions；　for　almost　everyone　in　the　thirty　wagons　of　the　train　played　some　instrument　and　could　carry　intricate　parts。
　　　Many　had　good　voices；　and　he　found　himself　conducting　four…　and　five…part　harmonies　to　some　of　their　favourite　ballads　and　airs；　as　well　as　teaching　them　the　newer　songs。
　　　〃They're　nearly　as　good　as　fourth…year　apprentices；〃　he　said　with　some　surprise　to　Merelan　at　the　end　of　the　third　evening's　session。
　　　〃They　do　it　for　fun；〃　she　said；　gently。
　　　〃There's　no　reason　they　cannot　do　it　better　and　have　fun　too；〃　he　said；　not　at　all　pleased　at　her　subtle　rebuke　over　his　attempt　to　improve　the　harmonies。
　　　〃Now；　hold　still　while　I　put　the　salve　on　your　face；〃　she　went　on；　holding　his　chin　firmly　while　she　pasted　his　cheeks　and　nose　with　the　remedy　for　the　windburn　he'd　acquired。
　　　With　Merelan　that　close　to　him；　he　could　see　she　had　more　colour　in　her　pale　cheeks；　though　she　still　coughed　so　hard　it　made　him　wince　to　think　what　damage　she　might　be　doing　her　vocal　cords。　But　she　didn't　seem　quite　as　strained　about　the　eyes　and　mouth　as　she　had　been。
　　　〃Are　you　all　right；　Mere？〃　he　asked；　holding　her　by　the　arms。
　　　〃Of　course　I'm　all　right。　Why；　it's　an　answer　to　one　of　my　childhood　dreams：　going　adventuring　in　a　trader's　van。〃
　　　When　she　favoured　him　with　the　wide　smile　that　put　dimples　in　both　cheeks；　she　was　more　his　Merelan　than　she　had　been　since　before　her　pregnancy。　He　folded　her　into　his　arms；　hugging　her　…　remembering　to　be　gentle；　as　he　felt　how　th