amc.masterharperofpern-第38部分

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　and　then　reached　for　a　cup　to　pour　him　klah。
　　　It　was　thick　and　very　strong；　the　jolt　of　the　liquid　in　his　belly　woke　him　up　pletely。　She　set　a　bowl　of　porridge　on　the　table　and　began　to　slice　more　bread；　which　she　then　covered　with　a　worn　but　clean　napkin。
　　　〃The　beast'll　be　to　the　left　as　you　leave　the　cot；〃　she　said。
　　　He　finished　his　breakfast　quickly；　accepting　her　haste；　hospitable　though　it　remained。　With　the　bread　in　one　hand　and　his　guitar　in　the　other；　he　murmured　his　thanks　again　and　left。
　　　The　sun　was　not　yet　up；　but　there　was　light　enough　to　show　him　the　beasthold。　He'd　had　plenty　of　practice　now　in　settling　the　pack；　so　that　he　was　off　down　the　road　again　within　minutes。
　　　〃And　let　that　be　a　lesson　to　you；〃　he　murmured　to　himself。　〃Harper　lies？　Whatever　would　he　mean　by　that？〃
　　　He　passed　over　the　Benden　border　late　that　morning；　and　that　night　stayed　at　a　friendly　Runner　Station　where　harpers　were　always　wele。
　　　When　he　finally　arrived　at　the　Hold；　no　one　was　on　the　steps　waiting　to　wele　him。　Just　as　he　was　climbing　up　to　the　entryway；　a　party　of　riders　clattered　in　on　the　northern　road　and　he　recognized　Raid；　Lord　Maidir's　eldest　son。
　　　〃Ah；　Journeyman；　we've　been　expecting　you；〃　said　Raid；　swinging　down　from　his　mount　and　throwing　the　reins　of　the　tired　beast　to　the　holder　who　came　running　up　from　the　beasthold。
　　　〃Raid；　it's　good　to　see　you　again；〃　Robinton　said　genially。
　　　Raid　peered　up　at　the　harper。　〃I　know　you？〃
　　　〃Robinton。　MasterSinger　Merelan's　son；〃　Robinton　said；　taken　aback。
　　　But　Raid　responded　with　a　wide　grin　and　an　extended　hand；　then　a　clout　on　the　arm。　〃I　wouldn't　have　recognized　you　from　that　scrawny　kid！〃
　　　Robinton　had　to　laugh　…　Raid　was　in　no　way　altered　from　his　memory　of　the　young　man。
　　　〃I　have　earnestly　tried　to　improve　myself；〃　he　admitted。
　　　〃Glad　to　hear　that；〃　Raid　said；　characteristically　unable　to　spot　irony。　〃e；　there'll　be　hot　klah　or　wine；　now　that　you're　old　enough；　to　wash　away　the　travel　dust。　Been　long　on　the　way？〃
　　　〃Yes；　and　fully　appreciate　the　size　of　this　continent　now　in　a　manner　I　had　not　experienced。〃
　　　〃Yes；　well；　there's　that；　isn't　there？〃
　　　Robinton　reflected　that　Raid　had　been　born　in　a　mould　and　not　altered　the　framework　one　bit　in　his　nearly　thirty　Turns。　Well；　there　is　something　to　be　said　about　predictability　for　a　harper's　purposes；　he　thought。
　　　〃Your　father's　well？　And　Lady　Hayara？〃　he　asked　politely。
　　　〃My　father　is　much　bothered　by　joint…ail。〃　Raid　frowned　with　concern。　〃Our　healer　can　relieve　the　disfort　only　for　short　periods　of　time。〃　He　sighed　and；　also　characteristically；　did　not　mention　his　father's　second　wife。
　　　But　she　had　been　alerted　by　the　return　of　the　work　party　and　was　sailing　into　the　hall　…　a　woman　whose　proportions　seemed　to　be　a　permanent　appearance　of　late　pregnancy。　Her　smile　when　she　recognized　Robinton　…　and　she　had　no　trouble　doing　so　…　was　all　he　could　wish　for；　both　as　a　returned　guest　and　a　new　harper。
　　　Talking　away　furiously；　which　permitted　her　to　ignore　Raid　beyond　a　brief　nod；　she　called　for　a　drudge　to　take　Robinton's　carisaks　to　his　quarters；　then　urged　him　into　the　hall　where　food　and　drink　were　being　brought　in　and　set　on　a　table。　She　ordered　chairs　to　be　set　for　her　and　the　harper；　and　apologized　for　Lord　Maidir's　absence；　and　told　him　that　Maizella　was　about　to　be　espoused　to　a　fine　young　holder；　and　said　that　she　was　glad　he　had　e　so　that　he　could　plan　the　music　because　she　really　didn't　have　anything　new；　and　if　Robinton　did；　that　would　be　splendid　…　but　only　music　which　had　a　tune　that　people　could　enjoy。　Then　she　realized　what　she　had　said　and　started　apologizing　about　his　father's　sooo　impressive　music；　but　really　that　sort　of　thing　wouldn't　do　for　such　a　happy　occasion；　would　it？
　　　At　some　point　during　that　monologue；　when　she　stopped　to　draw　a　breath；　Raid　said　that　he　would　inform　Lord　Maidir　of　the　harper's　arrival　and　see　when　it　would　be　convenient　for　Robinton　to　present　himself　officially　to　the　Lord　Holder。　He　would　also　apprise　Harper　Evarel　that　his　journeyman　had　arrived。
　　　Breath　taken；　Lady　Hayara；　whose　ebullience　had　not　altered；　brought　him　up　to　date　on　how　many　students　there　were　currently；　and　told　him　that　Maizella；　in　her　spare　time；　was　conducting　lessons　with　Harper　Evarel；　who　was　nearly　as　crippled　with　joint…ail　as　her　spouse　but　carrying　on　bravely　until　Robinton　could　arrive；　and　exclaimed　how　happy　Evarel　would　be　to　have　a　trained　assistant　because　…　she　didn't　know　why　…　the　holders　seemed　to　be　breeding　enormous　families。
　　　Robinton　managed　to　stifle　a　laugh。　He　had　counted　up　the　number　of　offspring　she　had　presented　to　Lord　Maidir　in　the　Turns　since　Rob　and　his　mother　had　been　at　Benden　Hold：　she　was　a　fine　one　to　talk　about　large　families；　with　seven　more　in　the　intervening　Turns；　making　a　total　of　ten。　Small　wonder　that　Raid　said　little　to　her。　She　was　presenting　him　with　problems；　although　undoubtedly　Raid　would　delegate　the　more　responsible　males　to　assist　him；　while　espousing　the　girls　as　creditably　as　possible。　Robinton　just　hoped　there　wasn't　an　ambitious　and　scheming　nephew　in　Benden　Hold；　too。
　　　Then；　his　klah　finished；　he　said　that　he　would　go　to　the　schoolrooms　and　see　if　he　could　help　Master　Evarel。
　　　〃But　you've　just　arrived　from　a　long　and　terrible　journey。　He　won't　be　expecting　you　to　pitch　in。。。　right　away！〃
　　　〃I　shall　see　what　Evarel　wishes；　Lady　Hayara；　but　I　assure　you　that　I　have　travelled　at　a　leisurely　enough　pace　and　been　well　treated　by　everyone　on　the　way。〃
　　　So　he　thanked　her　again　for　the　wele　and　the　refreshment　and　would　have　used　the　back　stairs　when　she　called　him　sharply　back　and　pointed　to　the　main　ones　at　the　side　of　the　hall。
　　　〃Journeyman　Robinton；　kindly　remember　your　new　status；〃　she　said　with　a　hint　of　dismay。　〃You　are　not　a　child　any　more。〃　It　was　the　closest　he　had　ever　heard　her　e　to　disapproval。
　　　He　bowed　and；　muttering　something　about　old　habits　dying　hard；　strode　across　the　floor　to　the　appropriate　staircase。
　　　Master　Evarel　was　quietly　delighted　at　his　arrival　…　and　at　his　willingness　to　get　right　to　work　if　that　was　required；　for　the　older　man's　hands　were　badly　gnarled　with　the　joint…ail　and　obviously　paining　him。
　　　〃Maizella　usually　plays　for　me；　but　she's　away　this　morning；〃　Evarel　said　in　a　gruff　tone；　leading　Robinton　to　suspect　that　the　harper's　voice　was　also　going。　He　had　sung　bass：　it　was　the　tenor　range　that　was　apt　to　go　first。　〃That　is；　if　you're　not　fatigued。。。〃
　　　〃I'm　fine；　Master　Evarel。　I'd　be　happy　to　assist。　Perhaps　I　should　have　pushed　on　last　night。。。〃
　　　〃No；　no；　the　last　part　of　the　track　could　be　dangerous　at　night。〃　Evarel　put　up　a　hand　to　reassure　Robinton　even　as　he　passed　the　guitar　over。　The　youngsters　in　the　room　giggled　and　squirmed　in　their　seats　at　the　change…over；　looking　at　the　lanky　journeyman　with　eager　expressions。
　　　Just　as　he　was　singing　them　through　the　first　verse　of　the　first　Teaching　Ballad；　he　heard　the　drums　and　paused　to　listen　to　the　brief　message：　〃Harper　Safe。〃
　　　It　took　him　a　moment　to　realize　that　the　message　concerned　him。
　　　That　made　him　feel　even　more　wele　than　ever　…　to　be　the　subject　of　drum　talk。
　　　And　thus　began　Robinton's　second　stay　at　Benden　Hold。
　　　At　Evarel's　request；　Robinton's　effects　had　been　put　in　the　room　he　had　shared　with　his　mother　during　their　previous　stay　at　Benden　Hold。　It　was　Evarel's　apartment；　which　he　apologetically　offered　to　share；　if　Robinton　had　no　objections。　His　spouse　had　died　some　Turns　back　and　he　felt　odd　about　having　such　a　large　apartment　all　to　himself。　Robinton　was　more　than　pleased　because；　while　the　inner　rooms　at　High　Reaches　had　been　only　one　corridor　away　from　outside；　he　much　preferred　having　outer　wall　acmodation。
　　　It　was　silly　to　feel　the　constraint　of　rock　when　that　was　actually　all　he'd　known　in　his　life；　and　when　so　many　folk　lived　long；　healthy　lives　quite　contentedly　in　the　inner　passages　of　the　bigger　Holds　and　Halls；　but　he　did　like　to　be　able　to　look　out　whenever　he　chose。　He　also　felt　closer　to　his　mother　in　rooms　they　had　occupied　together　in　one　of　the　happiest　spells　of　his　boyhood。
　　　Being　journeyman　in　a　busy　Hold　was　a　considerable　change　from　that　earlier　time；　and　yet　Robinton　was　not　the　sort　of　personality　who　could　abide　idleness。　If　he　wasn't　instructing；　taking　his　Drum　Tower　watches　…　Hayon；　the　oldest　of　Hayara's　brood；　was　technically　in　charge　of　that　part　of　the　Hold's　routine　duties　…　or　taking　a　few　days　to　travel　to　the　corners　of　the　Hold　to　tutor　small　holder　groups；　he　busied　himself　mending　instruments；　repairing　music　sheets　and　copying　those　which　Evarel's　pain…racked　hands　had　been　unable　to　keep　in　good　shape。
　　　When　the　cold　weather　deepened；　Lady　Hayara　arrived　with　the　Hold's　healer；　Master　Yorag；　bringing　the　basin　of　warm　wax　to　ease　the　frozen　joints　of　the　old　harper's　hands　and　his　knees。　She　helped　rub　in　the　herbal　oils　which　increased　daytime　mobility。
　　　〃I　do　wish　you'd　reconsider　the　Neratian　offer；〃　she　would　invariably　say　when　she　entered。　〃It　is　freezing　here；　and　the　cold　is　simply　not　good　for　your　joints。〃
　　　〃I'll　be　fine；　Lady　Hayara；　I'll　be　fine；〃　old　Evarel　insisted；　adding　most　mornings；　〃now　that　Robinton's　here　to　assist。〃
　　　Then　he　began　to　add；　〃And　he's　halved　my　work　and　taken　over　all　the　difficult　tasks。〃
　　　By　Turn's　End；　when　a　chest　congestion　kept　him　in　bed　for　six　days　running；　and　Robinton　was　beside　himself　to　keep　the　water　bottles　warm　enough　to　give　him　some　fort；　Evarel　succumbed　to　the　inevitable　and　said　that　perhaps　he　ought　to　spend　the　rest　of　the　winter　where　it　was　a　trifle　warmer。
　　　Lady　Hayara　ordered　up　the　travel　wagon　and　had　Robinton　send　drum　messages　to　holds　on　the　southern　route　to　have　team　changes　and　fresh　drivers　ready　so　that　Evarel　would　make　the　journey　in　the　most　fort　she　could　secure　for　him。　Maizella　and　Hayon　were　sent　along　as　his　escort。
　　　As　Robinton　carried　the　gaunt　old　MasterHarper　down　to　the　conveyance；　he　wondered　why　Benden　hadn't　requested　a　dragon　and　rider。　He　had　seen　dragons