amc.masterharperofpern-第40部分

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　But　that　was　not　relevant　…　no　matter　what　her　looks　or　personality　were　like；　S'loner's　bronze　had　to　fly　her　queen　to　keep　him　in　the　Weyrleader's　position。　From　the　scowl　on　S'loner's　face；　he　wasn't　too　pleased　with　his　new　Weyrwoman。　He　was；　in　fact；　leaning　away　from　her；　idly　robbing　his　left　shoulder　and　arm；　and　not　directing　much　conversation　in　Jora's　direction。　She　was　pretty　enough；　in　a　sort　of　overblown　way；　but　was　already　getting　more　plump　than　was　healthy　for　a　rider；　not　to　mention　for　a　young　woman。　She　was　flushed　with　the　success　of　her　queen；　Nemorth；　and　making　what　appeared　to　be　giddy　confessions　to　Lady　Hayara；　who　merely　listened　with　a　polite　smile　plastered　on　her　face。　Lord　Maidir　exchanged　a　few　ments　with　S'loner；　but　for　the　most　part　concentrated　on　the　excellent　food　served　and　the　fine　Benden　wines。
　　　Robinton　considered　that　wine　one　of　the　fringe　benefits　of　being　a　Benden…based　harper：　they　had　the　best　vineyards　on　the　continent；　and　the　main　Vintners'　Hall　was　in　the　next　valley　over　from　the　Hold　itself。　The　whites　were　crisp　and　light；　sometimes　with　a　citrus　tang；　sometimes　an　almost　floral　taste。　He　had　been　used　to　the　foxy　sauternes　of　Tillek；　the　other　large　wine…producing　Hold；　and　the　variety　produced　by　Benden　fascinated　him。　The　reds；　especially　the　clarets　and　the　burgundies；　were　full　and　wonderful　to　hold　in　the　nose　and　savour　through　the　mouth。
　　　Robinton　had　discovered　that　he　could　drink　the　whites　all　night　long　and　generally　rise　up　from　his　bed　the　next　morning　without　a　heavy　head　or　sick　stomach；　but　he　had　to　be　careful　with　the　reds。
　　　And　he　dreamed　of　tasting　the　sparkling　wine　that　once　had　been　produced　at　Benden。　MasterVintner　Wonegal　was　still　trying　to　reproduce　it；　but　the　vine　blight　of　two　hundred　turns　before　had　wiped　out　that　varietal；　and　cross…pollinating　of　the　better　white　grapes　had　not　yet　produced　an　adequate　replacement。
　　　The　feast　was　superb。　There　was　roast　herd…beast；　flavourful　with　herbs　and　done　to　pink；　though　there　were　crusty　top　slices　available　for　those　who　liked　it　well　done。　Wild　wherry　in　quantity；　and　so　tenderized　as　to　slide　down　the　throat　with　its　acpanying　stickle…berry　gravy。　There　were　also　a　variety　of　fish；　grilled　and　baked；　with　enormous　bowls　of　tubers　and　vine　beans；　breads；　both　flat　and　raised；　and　fresh　greens　which　had　been　grown　in　tropical　Nerat。　Fruits；　too；　and　nuts　from　Lemos。　Though　most　of　the　candidates　had　been　weyrbred；　some　had　e　from　nearby　Holds；　and　their　families　had　probably　brought　offerings。　Only　two　lads　had　been　injured　…　slightly　…　when　the　dragonets　lurched　out　of　their　shells　and　looked　around；　keening；　for　their　mind　mates。
　　　And　a　bronze　had　hatched　first。
　　　〃The　best　omen　we　could　have；〃　F'lon　remarked。
　　　〃Why　is　that？〃　Robinton　asked。
　　　〃Bronze　is　the　best；　of　course；〃　F'lon　said　with　a　slightly　drunken　grin　on　his　face。　〃A　bronze　first　means　the　clutch　is　strong；　even　if　not　as　large　as　some　would　have　made　it。　Jora's　useless　as　a　Weyrwoman。〃　His　tone　turned　disdainful。　〃Not　only　is　she　afraid　of　heights　but　she's　nervous　with　Nemorth；　and　if　S'loner　hadn't　been　helping；　she'd've　let　the　queen　eat　before　her　mating　flight。〃　He　snorted　in　contempt。
　　　〃That　wouldn't　have　kept　you　from　edging　S'loner　out；　though；〃　R'gul　said；　a　disapproving　frown　on　his　round　face。
　　　〃Tchaaa！〃　F'lon　waved　aside　the　rebuke。　〃So　he　sired　me；　but　bronze　riders　are　all　equal　in　the　air　at　mating　time。　The　queen　should　have　the　best　available　…　more　to　make　up　for　her　shortings　than　anything　else。〃　And　he　made　another　contemptuous　noise　and　unslung　the　wine…skin　from　the　chair　back。　〃So；　Harper　Robinton；　with　what　songs　will　you　regale　us　tonight？〃　He　waved　towards　the　top　table。　〃Everyone's　eaten；　and　let's　not　have　another　brawl　between　our　Weyrleader　and　our　Lord　Holder。〃
　　　Robinton　got　to　his　feet；　his　height　making　him　visible　to　the　head　table；　and　he　waited　until　he　could　catch　S'loner's　attention。
　　　The　Weyrleader　had　bent　his　head　to　listen　to　something　one　of　the　weyr　girls　was　saying：　a　girl　Robinton　had　noticed　himself　because　of　her　quiet　dignity　and　gracefulness。　S'loner　shook　his　head；　and　then　the　girl　pointed　towards　Robinton。　Spotting　the　harper；　S'loner　raised　his　right　hand　to　give　him　the　signal　to　begin　the　entertainment。
　　　C'gan　had　been　watching　too；　and　he　stood；　which　told　the　players　to　gather　on　the　dais。
　　　〃I've　a　few　new　ones　for　your　ears；〃　Robinton　told　F'lon；　〃and　a　fine　march。　Enter…the…new…riders　sort　of　thing。〃
　　　〃Great！〃　F'lon　waved　a　loose　arm　in　mand　for　the　music　to　begin。　He　was　fairly　well　gone　in　wine；　so　Robinton　did　not　take　offence。
　　　Looking　closely　at　the　head　table　as　he　made　his　way　to　the　players'　raised　dais；　Robinton　did　not　see　any　signs　of　an　imminent　dispute　between　Leader　and　Holder。　But　the　two　were　looking　away　from　each　other　and　neither　was　talking。　It　was　indeed　time　for　diversion　before　the　silence　became　unbearable。　Jora　was　still　talking　to　Lady　Hayara；　who　was　all　but　slumped　down　in　her　chair　with　boredom。　Now；　seeing　the　harper　gathering　his　instrumentalists；　Hayara　sat　up　straighter　and　waggled　her　fingers　at　him　…　doubtless　from　gratitude；　unless　Jora　would　talk　through　music　too。
　　　But　then　Lady　Hayara　would　have　a　legitimate　excuse　to　request　her　silence。
　　　Robinton　started　off　with　Petiron's　march；　it　had　a　few　feet　stamping　and　some　clapping　in　rhythm；　so　he　was　subtly　amused　that　his　opinion　was　now　verified。　Then　he　called　for　the　Duty　Song；　followed　closely　by　the　Question　Song　which　he　played　whenever　he　could。　But　this　time　it　was　not　as　well　received　by　either　Weyrleader　or　Lord　Holder；　and　he　was　almost　sorry　he　had　included　it。　So　he　did　a　solo　rendition　of　one　of　his　newer　songs；　with　C'gan　on　guitar；　and　two　pipers　and　the　hand　drum。　The　song　was　appreciated　enough　to　require　him　to　repeat　it　immediately；　and　there　were　many　voices　lifted　in　the　chorus　with　him。　Riders　were　not　as　inhibited　as　most　holders　and；　whether　they　had　the　voice　for　the　song　or　not；　they　were　lusty　in　their　singing。
　　　C'gan　took　turns　with　him　and　then　called　forth　some　of　the　solo　voices。　Maizella　sang；　as　did　R'yar；　who　had　an　excellent　light　baritone　and　hadn't　forgotten　any　of　his　repertoire　in　his　turns　as　a　rider。
　　　Robinton　never　knew　when　Lord　Maidir　and　S'loner　left　the　table；　for　night　had　fallen　and；　although　there　were　plenty　of　glow…baskets　on　the　poles　around　the　Bowl；　there　were　so　many　ing　and　going　with　wine　or　to　answer　nature's　requirements；　and　so　much　for　him　to　oversee　as　harper；　that　he　noticed　their　absence　only　when　Lady　Hayara　rose　and　left　the　table；　escaping　a　Jora　slumped　drunkenly　across　it。
　　　No　one　would　ever　know　exactly　what　did　happen　that　night；　but　suddenly　a　piercing　scream　from　Nemorth　roused　everyone。
　　　Especially　when　every　other　dragon　voice　augmented　her　heart…rending；　piteous　scream。　It　seemed　to　go　on　and　on；　as　if　none　of　the　dragons　need　pause　for　breath。　It　cut　through　the　night　air；　worse　than　any　tormented　watchwher's　cry　…　a　knife　to　the　ears　and　to　the　heart。　He　thought　his　heart　would　stop　at　the　anguish　which　reverberated　in　the　Bowl。
　　　He　was　by　no　means　the　first　person　to　clap　hands　to　his　ears　to　muffle　the　awful　screeching。　It　was　the　look　of　shock　on　drugonrider　faces　that　gave　Robinton　his　clue　to　the　tragedy　which　had　just　been　announced　in　dragon　voice。　The　entire　Weyr　was　mourning　the　death　of　a　dragon。
　　　Robinton　grabbed　C'gan　and　turned　the　stricken　rider　to　him。
　　　C'gan's　nerveless　fingers　slipped　off　the　guitar　neck　as　tears　sprang　from　his　eyes。
　　　〃What　is　it；　C'gan？　What's　happened？〃
　　　Gulping　to　clear　his　throat；　C'gan　turned　anguished　eyes　to　the　harper。　〃It's　Chendith。　He's　dead。〃
　　　〃Chendith？〃　Robinton　whirled　round；　trying　to　spot　S'loner　in　the　crowd　of　shocked　people。　He　saw　F'lon；　miraculously　sober；　running　first　to　T'rell；　the　Weyrlingmaster；　because　the　keening　had　aroused　the　dragonets　and　T'rell　needed　help　in　rounding　up　the　new　riders　to　go　and　fort　their　distressed　beasts。　Not　a　young　man　himself；　T'rell　looked　haggard　with　grief　and　staggered　as　he　moved　about　the　tables。
　　　〃Dead？　Why？　How？〃　Robinton　demanded。　〃He　didn't　look　sick　or　anything　during　the　Hatching。〃　He　lost　sight　of　F'lon；　then　saw　him　again；　hauling　the　Weyr's　healer　into　the　light。
　　　Then　Lady　Hayara　gave　a　shriek　that　pierced　through　the　keening。
　　　〃Maidir？　Maidir！　Where　are　you？〃
　　　It　was　the　watchrider；　circling　down　on　his　dragon；　who　told　them　that　he　had　seen　Chendith；　with　two　aboard　him；　going　between。　He　couldn't　see　too　well　in　the　darkness　above　the　lighted　Bowl；　but　he　thought　that　Chendith's　passenger　had　been　Lord　Maidir。　He'd　caught　the　shine　of　white　hair　and　the　green　of　the　man's　garments。　Lord　Maidir　had　been　wearing　green。
　　　〃But　why？　What　could　have　happened　to　them？　S'loner　wouldn't　take　Chendith's　life。　Nor　his　own；〃　C'gan　said；　sunken　in　despair。　〃What　could　have　happened？　He　was　in　such　high　spirits　over　the　Impression。　And　twenty　dragons。〃
　　　They　had　to　try　to　rouse　Jora　from　her　drunken　stupor；　because　Lady　Hayara　had　not　seen　the　two　men　leave　the　table。
　　　〃They　have　been　estranged　so　long；〃　Hayara　said　through　her　tears；　〃and　it　was　only　after　that　song　of　yours；　Rob；　that　they　started　speaking　to　each　other。　I　thought　it　was　such　a　good　sign；　but　I　couldn't　hear　what　they　were　saying　because。。。〃　She　cut　off　what　negative　ment　she　had　been　about　to　make；　though　her　disgust　with　the　Weyrwoman　was　plain。
　　　F'lon；　R'gul　and　S'lel　were　trying　to　sober　up　Jora　with　strong　klah；　but　she　was　boneless　and　kept　sliding　down　the　chair　and　having　to　be　propped　up　to　get　any　of　the　restorative　liquid　down　her　throat。
　　　Healer　Tinamon；　assisting；　put　forward　a　tentative　theory。
　　　〃S'loner　may　have　looked　strong　and　healthy；　but　he　was　having　chest　pains　far　too　frequently；〃　he　said。　〃I'd　given　him　the　usual　remedy；　although　I　wanted　him　to　call　in　a　MasterHealer　or　at　least　visit　the　Healer　Hall。　He　said　he　would　after　Impression。〃
　　　That　did　not　explain　why　Maidir　had　acpanied　S'loner　on　what　was　his