amc.masterharperofpern-第4部分

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t　how　thin　she　still　was　in　his　embrace。　That　reminded　him　what　he　might　not　have；　and　he　was　about　to　put　her　firmly　away　from　him　when　she　clung　tightly。
　　　〃It's　safe　enough；〃　she　murmured；　and　he　clasped　her　with　a　passion　that　he　had　been　aching　to　express　but　had　sternly　repressed。　He　didn't　even　have　to　worry　about　an　inopportune　interruption　from　the　baby　sleeping　in　the　spare　crib　in　Dalma's　wagon。　So　he　loved　Merelan　with　a　single…minded　urgency　which　had　been　denied　him　far　too　long。　Nor　was　there　any　reluctance　in　her　response　to　him。
　　　The　slow　trip　south　was　really　a　very　good　idea。
　　　At　some　point　during　that　ambling　three…week　journey　to　the　southern　tip　of　South　Boll；　Petiron　realized　that　he　had　been　nearly　as　strung　out；　emotionally　and　physically；　as　Merelan。　Being　in　the　Harper　Hall；　with　music；　musicians　and　instruments　constantly　heard；　caused　one　to　think　only　of　music　to　write　for　instruments　and　voices　to　perform。　On　the　road；　he　was　not　pelled　by　the　tacit　petition　rampant　in　the　Harper　Hall　to　produce　yet　more　plex　and　glorious　sounds。　For　the　first　time　since　he　had　started　his　apprentice　years；　he　had　an　opportunity　to　realize　the　richness　…　as　well　as　the　simplicity　…　of　life　all　around　him。　He'd　e　from　Telgar　Hold；　one　of　the　largest；　so　he　had　never　really　been　short　of　the　necessities　of　day…to…day　existence。　Living　in　the　Harper　Hall　had　been　a　continuation　of　his　childhood's　conditions。
　　　He　took　so　many　things　for　granted　that　it　was　a　lesson　to　him　to　be　denied　easy　access　to；　say；　the　well…tanned　hides　for　musical　positions　which　he　was　accustomed　to　coveting　with　quick；　large　notations。　Now　he　learned　to　write　economically；　using　small　marks　which　allowed　him　to　fit　more　than　one　work　on　a　single　hide。
　　　Eating　was　another　thing　he　had　never　given　much　thought　to。
　　　Food　arrived　in　the　Hall　with　no　indication　to　those　who　dined　of　its　acquisition　or　preparation。　Now　he　learned　to　hunt　and　fish　with　the　other　men　of　the　caravan；　even　as　the　women　gathered　firewood　and　nuts　and；　as　they　continued　to　the　warmer　areas；　early　greens；　fruits　and　berries。
　　　Petiron　could　stride　along　with　the　other　traders　all　day　long　now；　and　Merelan　too　put　on　weight　and　became　weather…tanned　and　fit。　She　walked　part　of　each　day　with　Dalma　and　the　other　young　mothers；　at　a　pace　slow　enough　for　the　youngest　toddler　to　keep　up。　Her　cough　disappeared　and　she　was　once　again　vivid　with　the　beauty　which　had　stopped　Petiron's　heart　five　turns　earlier。
　　　And　he　began　to　realize　just　how　restrictive　he　had　been　in　the　Harper　Hall；　so　immersed　had　he　bee　in　position　and　practice　that　he　had　forgotten　that　other　things　existed：　a　normal　life。
　　　The　caravan　camped　for　three　days　by　one　of　the　Runner　Stations　and；　as　usual；　the　Station　Master　sent　out　his　runners　in　all　directions　to　alert　those　who　lived　far　off　the　southern　road。
　　　〃Some　of　these　people　are　very　shy；〃　the　Station　Master　told　his　guests。　〃You　might　even　find　them　。。。　well；　a　bit　。。。　odd。〃
　　　〃You　mean；　from　living　off　in　the　hills？〃　Merelan　asked。
　　　The　man　scratched　his　head。　〃They　got　odd　notions；　you　might　say。〃
　　　Merelan　knew　there　was　something　that　he　was　not　saying；　and　she　couldn't　understand　his　sudden　reticence。
　　　〃Ah；　d'you　have　something　that　isn't　harper　blue？〃　he　blurted。
　　　〃I　do；〃　Merelan　said；　〃but　I　don't　think　Petiron　does。　Oh！　You　mean；　he　might　aggravate　someone？〃　She　smiled　to　show　that　she　understood　perfectly。
　　　〃Ah；　yes；　that's　about　the　size　of　it。〃
　　　〃I'll　see　what　I　can　do　about　keeping　him　occupied；〃　she　said；　smiling　sympathetically。
　　　Everything　went　very　well　for　the　first　two　days。　The　morning　of　the　third；　Merelan　was　entertaining　all　the　children　with　game　songs　and　teaching　them　the　gestures　that　went　with　them；　when　a　very　tattered　girl；　eyes　wide　with　delight；　moved　closer　and　closer　with　surreptitious　stealth。　When　she　was　near　enough；　Merelan　smiled　at　her。
　　　〃Do　you　want　to　join　us？〃　she　asked　in　a　carefully　soft　voice。
　　　The　girl　shook　her　head；　her　eyes　wide　now　with　a　mixture　of　longing　and　fear。
　　　〃Oh；　please；　everyone　else　is　here；〃　Merelan　said；　doing　her　best　to　reassure　the　timid　child。　〃Rob；　open　the　circle　and　let　her　in；　will　you；　dear？〃
　　　The　child　took　another　step　and　then　suddenly　squealed　when　she　saw　a　man　charging　from　the　traders'　wagon；　right　at　Merelan's　circle。
　　　〃You　there　。。。　you　stop　that；　you　harlot！　You　evil　creature；　luring　children　away　from　their　parents。。。〃
　　　Merelan　didn't　realize　at　first　that　he　meant　her。　The　child　raced　into　the　shelter　of　the　heavy　plantation　just　beyond　the　clearing；　but　that　didn't　seem　to　cool　the　man's　fury；　for　he　charged　right　up　to　Merelan　with　his　arm　raised　to　strike　her。
　　　Robinton　ran　to　clutch　his　mother's　skirts；　frightened　by　the　wild　threats　and　crazed　behaviour。　Meren；　the　StationMaster；　two　of　the　male　runners　and　three　other　traders　charged　to　her　rescue：　Meren　just　in　time　to　push　the　attacker　off　balance　and　away　from　Merelan。　The　children　were　by　then　all　weeping　and　running　away。
　　　〃Easy；　Rochers；　she's　a　mother；　singing　baby　songs；〃　Meren　said；　holding　the　man　away。
　　　〃She's　singing；　ent　she？　Singing　es　first；　don't　it？　Singing　to　lure　kids　away！　She's　evil。　Just　like　all　harperfolk。　Teachin'　things　no　one　needs　to　know　to　live　proper。〃
　　　〃Rochers；　leave　be；〃　the　Station　Master　said；　exercising　considerable　force　to　pull　the　man　away；　shooting　embarrassed　and　apologetic　glances　at　Merelan。
　　　〃e；　Rochers；　we　need　to　finish　dealing；〃　said　one　of　the　traders。　〃e　on；　we'd　nearly　shook　hands。。。〃
　　　〃Harper　harlot！〃　Rochers　shouted；　trying　to　free　a　fist　to　wave　at
　　　Merelan；　who　was　clinging　to　Robinton　as　much　as　he　was　clinging　to　her。
　　　〃She's　not　a　harper；　Rochers。　She's　a　mother；　amusing　the　kids；〃　the　Station　Master　said；　loudly　enough　to　try　to　drown　out　what　the　man　was　saying。
　　　〃She　had　'em　dancing！〃　Spittle　was　beginning　to　form　in　the　corners　of　his　mouth　as　the　men　pulled　him　back　to　the　wagons。
　　　〃Get　into　Dalma's　wagon；　Merelan；〃　Meren　said　quickly。　〃We'll　clear　him　out。〃
　　　Merelan　plied；　picking　Robie　up　in　her　arms　and　trying　to　calm　his　frightened　sobs。　She　slipped　behind　a　tree　and　through　the　wooded　verge　until　she　could　duck　into　Dalma's　wagon；　one　of　the　last　in　the　Station　clearing。　She　was　shaking　when　she　got　inside　it；　and　she　nearly　shrieked　with　fear　when　someone　pushed　open　the　little　door。　But　it　was　only　Dalma；　her　face　white　with　anxiety。　She　embraced　Merelan　and　tried　to　soothe　Robinton　all　at　the　same　time。
　　　〃Crazy；　woods　crazy；〃　she　murmured　reassuringly。　〃Who'd've　thought　he'd　even　notice　you　over　there；　playing　so　nicely。〃
　　　〃What　did　he　mean？〃　Merelan　asked；　trying　to　control　her　sobs。
　　　She'd　never　been　so　frightened　in　all　her　life。　Especially　since　she　had　joined　the　Harper　Hall；　which　was　held　with　respect　everywhere　she'd　gone　as　a　MasterSinger。　〃What　could　he　mean？　He　called　me　a　harper　harlot。　And　how　can　singing　be　bad？　Evil？〃
　　　〃Now；　now。〃　Dalma　held　Merelan　tightly　against　her；　stroking　her　hair　and　patting　her　shoulder；　or　patting　Robie；　though　he　had　recovered　within　the　safety　of　the　wagon　and　in　Dalma's　forting　presence。　〃We　run　into　some　real　odd　folk　now　and　then。　Some　of　'em　have　never　met　a　harper；　and　some　don't　hold　with　singing　or　dancing　or　drinking。　Sev　says　it's　because　they　can't　make　wine　or　beer；　so　it　has　to　be　evil。　They　don't　want　their　children　to　know　more　than　they　did　or　you'd　better　believe　it〃　…　and　Dalma　gave　a　sour　little　laugh　…　〃they　couldn't　keep　them　from　leaving　those　awful　jungles。〃
　　　〃But　it　was　the　way　he　said　'harper'。。。〃　Merelan　swallowed　at　the　tone　of　hatred　in　which　the　word　had　been　uttered。
　　　〃Now；　now；　it's　all　over　with。　Sev　and　the　others'll　see　those　woodsie　ones　leave。〃
　　　〃And　that　dear　little　girl。。。〃
　　　〃Merelan；　forget　her。　Please。〃
　　　Although　she　nodded　in　pliance；　Merelan　wondered　if　she　would　ever　forget　the　wistful　hunger　in　that　child's　face：　a　hunger　for　music；　or　maybe　just　for　other　children　playing。　But　she　stayed　in　the　wagon　until　Sev　came　to　say　that　the　woodsie　ones　had　left　and　to　apologize　for　exposing　her　to　such　a　distressing　incident。
　　　There　were　no　further　upsets；　although　she　did　learn　that　not　every　hold　where　traders　stopped　had　the　benefit　of　harper　education。
　　　It　was　true　that　there　were　really　not　enough　harpers　to　do　more　than　stop　in　once　or　twice　a　year；　but　Merelan　was　still　shocked　at　the　realization　that　there　was　a　significant　number　of　cots　and　small　holdings　where　no　one　could　read　or　count　above　twenty。
　　　She　didn't　dare　discuss　that　observation　with　Petiron；　but　she　knew　she　would　discuss　it　with　Gennell　when　she　got　back。
　　　Though　it　was　all　too　likely　he　was　well　aware　of　the　lack。
　　　Usually　the　trade　caravan　made　a　special　occasion　for　those　they　visited；　and　Petiron　was　no　longer　merely　resigned　to　performing　in　the　evenings：　he　enjoyed　it。　So　many　good　voices；　so　many　instrumentalists　…　not　as　expert　as　those　he　was　accustomed　to　playing　with；　but　good　enough　and；　more　importantly；　willing　enough　to　add　to　the　evening's　entertainment。　He　also　acquired　variants　of　ballads　and　airs　that　were　traditional　with　the　small　holders　but　unknown　to　him。　He　jotted　those　down。　Some　of　them　were　quite　sophisticated；　and　he　wondered　which　was　original：　the　Harper　Hall's　versions　or　those　which　had　been　passed　down　through　generations　in　the　holds。
　　　One　of　the　most　nostalgic　ballads　…　about　the　Crossing　…　could　indeed　be　turned　into　an　instrumental　piece；　starting　with　the　basic　melody；　haunting　enough；　and　then　embellishments　added。　To　transcribe　this；　Petiron　acquired　enough　of　the　reed…based　writing　material　which　was　a　local　product。　It　had　a　tendency　to　absorb　so　much　ink　that　his　scores　were　a　bit　blotchy；　but　he　could　amend　that　when　he　got　back　to　the　Harper　Hall。　He　had　always　prided　himself　on　his　musical　memory。
　　　They　reached　Pietie　Hold　halfway　through　the　morning　of　the　twenty…first　day　of　travel；　even　with　a　full　two…day　halt　at　Merelan's　home　hold。　She　had　a　chance　to　se