amc.masterharperofpern-第5部分

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　　　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　see　her　family；　to　exchange　news　and　see　all　the　new　babies　and　congratulate　the　recent　pairings　…　and　to　show　off　Robinton。
　　　Petiron　was　warmly　received　by　the　aunt　and　uncle　who　had　reared　Merelan　when　her　own　parents　died　in　one　of　the　fierce　autumnal　storms　which　battered　the　western　coastline。　He　was　truly　amazed　at　the　number　of　really　fine；　if　untrained；　voices　that　her　hold　had　produced。
　　　〃Not　one　of　them　that　can't　carry　a　tune；〃　he　told　her　after　the　first　evening。　〃Which　aunt　did　you　say　gave　you　your　first　training？〃　〃Segoina；〃　she　said；　smiling　at　his　astonishment。
　　　〃That　contralto？〃
　　　She　nodded；　and　he　whistled　appreciatively。
　　　〃She　insisted　that　I　be　sent　to　the　Harper　Hall；〃　Merelan　said　with　considerable　humility。　〃She　ought　to　have　gone；　but　she'd　already　espoused　Dugall　and　wouldn't　leave　him。〃
　　　〃And　wasted　that　glorious　voice　on　a　hold。。。〃　Petiron　rather　contemptuously　indicated　the　sprawling　redstone　dwellings　which　prised　the　hold。
　　　〃Segoina　has　never　wasted　her　talent；〃　Merelan　said　somewhat　stiffly。
　　　〃I　didn't　mean　it　that　way；　Mere；　and　you　know　it；〃　Petiron　replied　hastily。　He　had　seen　the　genuine　respect　and　love　that　existed　between　the　two　women。　〃But　she'd　have　been　a　MasterSinger。。。〃
　　　〃Not　everyone　would　find　that　as　productive　as　we　do；　Petiron；〃　she　said　gently；　but　so　firmly　that　Petiron　saw　he　would　offend　her　with　further　ment。　Indeed；　she　thought　wryly；　remembering　Rochers；　the　woodsie；　not　every　Pernese　approved　of　harpers。
　　　When　they　were　settling　into　Pierie　Hold；　his　misgivings　about　this　assignment　returned。　There　were　only　three　rooms　for　their　quarters：　the　baby　would　have　to　sleep　in　with　them；　at　the　foot　of　the　bed　which　took　up　nearly　all　the　room；　though　there　were　storage　partments　cut　into　the　rear　wall　of　the　cliff。　The　larger　room　was　clearly　for　daily　affairs　including　kitchen　work；　with　an　outer　wall　hearth。　The　third　was　more　of　a　cubicle　than　a　room　and　served　the　purpose　of　toilet　and　bath；　though　Merelan　said　gaily　that　most　everyone　bathed　in　the　sea。　Petiron　gazed　askance　at　the　long　flight　of　steps　which　led　down　to　a　sandy　crescent　of　a　beach　where　some　of　the　hold's　fishing　sloops　were　moored。
　　　He　was　soon　to　learn　that　people　here　were　more　accustomed　to　doing　everything　outside；　either　in　the　wide…open　patio　where　various　work　stations　were　situated；　or　under　the　shade　of　a　vine…covered　arbour　which　was　larger　than　all　the　individual　acmodations　put　together。　There　were　even　two　sections　fenced　off　for　toddlers　and　the　slightly　older　children；　plete　with　a　little　pond　where　they　could　safely　wade；　sand　to　play　in；　and　a　rather　extensive　collection　of　toys。　Already；　Robinton　was　tottering　about　carrying　one　of　the　stuffed　toys。
　　　〃That　can't　be　a　dragon　he's　been　playing　with；　is　it？〃　Petiron　asked　Merelan。　Dragons　were　never　toys：　it　would　have　been　blasphemy　to　play　with　one。
　　　〃No；　silly。　It's　supposed〃　…　Merelan　grinned　reassuringly　up　at　her　astonished　spouse　…　〃to　be　a　fire…lizard。〃
　　　〃A　fire…lizard？　But　they　died　out　centuries　ago。〃
　　　〃No；　not　entirely。　My　father　saw　one；　and　Uncle　Patry　said　he'd　seen　one　this　past　year。〃
　　　〃He's　sure？〃　Petiron　had　a　pragmatic　streak　that　required　proof。
　　　〃Indeed　he　is。　And　we've　empty　shells　gathered　from　flotsam　to　prove　that　they　exist；　even　if　they　aren't　much　in　evidence。〃
　　　〃Well；　if　they've　shells。。。〃　And　Petiron　was　mollified。　Merelan　turned　her　head　away　so　that　he　wouldn't　see　her　smile。
　　　She　was　quite　aware　of　Petiron's　opinions　about　everything　here　in　Pierie　Hold；　but　there　was　no　sense　in　arguing　with　him　about　his　misconceptions。　In　general　he　was　a　fair　man；　and　she　was　sure　he'd　e　round。　He　might　even　get　to　like　living　here；　away　from　all　the　bustle　and　over…stimulation　of　the　Harper　Hall。　She　had　been　so　pleased　with　his　thanks　to　Sev；　Dalma　and　the　other　traders。
　　　He'd　meant　every　word　he'd　said　to　them；　about　learning　so　much　on　the　route　and　how　he　had　enjoyed　the　evenings　and　the　teaching。
　　　He'd　learned　to　feel　fortable　on　a　runner…beast；　so　she　knew　she　could　talk　him　into　taking　trips　to　the　other　nearby　holds　where　her　brothers　and　sisters　lived。　Especially　as　she　would　have　to　leave　Robinton　behind　so　as　not　to　irritate　Petiron　by　his　son's　constant　presence。　Not　only　was　he　weaned　now；　but　Segoina　was　almost　panting　to　have　a　chance　to　tend　him。　If　only　Petiron　could　learn　to　like　his　son　a　little　for　his　own　sake；　and　Robinton's；　rather　than　see　him　as　a　rival　for　her　attention。。。
　　　Teaching　came　first；　and　Petiron　divided　up　the　forty…two　prospective　students　into　five　groups。　The　beginners；　novices；　middle　and　advanced　were　of　mixed　ages；　since　some　had　had　a　little　more　training　from　a　parent　than　others；　the　final　group　was　made　up　of　the　five　who　were　much　too　old　to　be　included　in　the　regular　classes。　Those　he'd　teach　in　the　evenings　by　themselves　…　not　that　anyone　was　embarrassed。
　　　〃Living　up　in　the　mountains；　never　had　the　chance　to　learn　nothing；〃　Rantou　said；　unabashed。　The　stocky　timberman　had　glanced　over　at　his　young　spouse　who　was　visibly　pregnant。　〃That　is；　until　I　met　Carral　here。〃　Then　he　blushed。　〃Really　like　music；　even　if　I　doan　know　much。　But　I　gotta　learn　so　the　baby　won't　have　no　stupid　for　a　father。〃
　　　Despite　having　had　no　formal　training　at　all；　Rantou　could　produce　the　most　amazing　sounds　out　of　a　multiple　reed…pipe；　although　he　waved　aside　Petiron's　earnest　desire　to　teach　him　to　read　music。
　　　〃You　just　play　it　all　out　for　me　once；　and　that'll　do　me。〃
　　　When　Petiron　paced　about　that　evening　in　the　privacy　of　their　little　home；　terribly　upset　that　an　innate　musician　of　considerable　talent　was　risking　talented　fingers　with　saw；　ax　and　adze　on　a　daily　basis；　Merelan　had　to　calm　him。
　　　〃Not　everyone　sees　the　Harper　Hall　as　the　most　preferential　occupation；　love。〃
　　　〃But　he's。。。〃
　　　〃He's　doing　very　well　for　a　young　man　with　a　family　on　the　way；〃　she　said；　〃and　he'll　always　love　music；　even　if　it　is　not　his　life　the　way　it　has　always　been　yours。〃
　　　〃But　he's　a　natural。　You　know　how　hard　I　had　to　work　at　theory　and　position；　to　get　plicated　tempo　…　and　he　manages　cadenzas　after　one　hearing　that　it　would　take　you；　good　as　you　are；　days　to　mand。　And　Segoina　told　me　he　makes。。。　makes　the　guitars；　the　flutes；　the　drums；　all　the　instruments　in　use　here。。。〃　He　raised　both　hands　high　in　exasperation　and　frustration。
　　　〃When　I　think　how　hard　I　had　to　work　to　walk　the　tables　for　journeyman　for　what　he　just　picked　up　listening　to　me；　I。。。　I'm　speechless。〃
　　　〃Rantou　doesn't　want　to　be　a　musician；　love。　He　wants　to　do　what　he　does　do；　manage　forestry。　Even　the　instruments　he　makes　are　just　a　hobby　with　him。〃
　　　〃That　may　be　very　true；　Mere；　but　what　you　fail　to　realize　is　that　the　Harper　Hall　needs　more　young　folk　to　train　up　than　e　to　us。　Pierie　needs　a　full…time　journeyman；　not　a　vacationing　one。〃　Petiron　was　pacing　and　robbing　his　hands　together；　a　sure　sign　to　his　spouse　of　his　rising　agitation。　〃Everyone　has　the　right　to　learning　…　that　is　the　traditional　duty　of　the　Harper　Hall。　We　are　desperately　short　of　harpers。〃
　　　〃But　people　do　learn　the　Teaching　Ballads　and　Songs；　as　they　have　here；〃　Merelan　said。　〃As　I　did。〃
　　　〃Only　the　usual　ones；　but　not　all　the　important　ones；〃　Petiron　said　sternly　with　a　scowl。　When　he　frowned　like　that；　his　heavy　eyebrows　nearly　met　over　the　bridge　of　his　aquiline　nose。　Though　she'd　never　tell　him；　Merelan　adored　his　eyebrows。　〃They　don't　know　the　Dragon　Duty　Ballads；　for　instance。〃
　　　Merelan　suppressed　a　sigh。　Was　it　only　people　brought　up　in　strict　Harper　Hall　tradition　who　believed　that　Thread　would；　not　just　might；　return　in　the　next　fifty　or　so　turns？　Or　was　their　belief　merely　an　extension　of　the　traditions　of　the　Hall？
　　　〃You　are　teaching　those；　as　I　am。　And　I　don't　think　anyone　here；　now　that　they've　met　you　and　seen　me　again；　would　take　it　amiss　if　you　did　suggest　that　one　of　the　more　talented　youngsters　looked　towards　the　Harper　Hall　as　a　life's　work。〃
　　　Petiron　gave　her　a　strange　look。　〃You　don't？〃
　　　She　pursed　her　lips。　That　tone　was　his　driest　and　most　repressive：　the　one　he　reserved　for　apprentices　who　had　not　studied　hard　enough　to　suit　his　exacting　standard。
　　　〃There　was　plague；　you　know；　as　well　as　that　storm　which　took　many　lives　from　this　hold；〃　she　said　as　casually　as　she　could。　〃This　may　be　a　small　hold；　but　to　do　all　that　is　required　properly　also　takes　a　fair…sized　population。　Sometimes　there　are　none　to　be　spared。〃
　　　〃Yet　they　spared　two　lads　to　the　Weyr；〃　Petiron　said　begrudgingly。
　　　Merelan　tried　to　hide　her　laugh　behind　her　hand　but　failed；　the　look　of　him　was　so　jealous。
　　　〃And　I　suppose　you　wouldn't　have　accepted　being　Searched　for　the　Weyr？〃　〃I　wasn't。〃
　　　〃I　know；　but　if　you　had　been　Searched　by　Benden　Weyr；　would　you　not　have　gone？〃
　　　〃Well；〃　he　said；　hedging；　〃I　certainly　don't　dispute　the　honour　of　being　Searched。。。　but　not　everyone　Searched　Impresses　a　dragon。〃　〃They　Impressed　greens；〃　Merelan　replied。
　　　〃Then　they　were　lucky　indeed。〃
　　　〃Neither　of　them　would　have　been　good　as　harpers；〃　she　added；　with　a　twinkle　in　her　eye。
　　　〃Now　that's　not　fair；　Mere；〃　Petiron　replied　stiffly。
　　　〃Think　on　it　a　bit；　my　darling；〃　she　said；　and　continued　neatly　folding　the　clothes　which　she　had　laundered　that　afternoon。
　　　It　was　Petiron　who　was　almost　apoplectic　with　fear　when　he　heard　that　Merelan　was　teaching　Robinton　to　swim。
　　　〃But　he's　only　just　started　walking；〃　he　protested。　〃How　can　he　swim？〃
　　　〃All　our　children　learn　to　swim　in　their　first　year；〃　Segoina　told　him。　〃Preferably　before　they　learn　to　walk；　because　they　remember　swimming　from　their　womb　days。〃
　　　〃They　what？〃
　　　Merelan　put　a　warning　hand　on　Petiron's　arm；　for　his　body　was　rigid　with　shock　at　the　dangers　his　son　had　just　been　exposed　to。
　　　〃It's　true；〃　Segoina　went　on。　〃Ask　at　the　Healer　Hall　when　you　return。〃　Petiron　recoiled　sligh