amc.masterharperofpern-第55部分

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ot　the　day　for　him　to　enquire　what　bothered　his　friend；　but　he'd　find　time　tomorrow。　Then　he　reminded　himself　that　he　and　Kasia　weren't　likely　to　encounter　F'lon　on　the　morrow。
　　　So　he　permitted　the　bronze　rider　to　dance　with　Kasia　and　while　he　watched　them　dance；　he　spoke　to　Simanith。
　　　What　is　troubling　my　friend　F'lon；　Simanith？
　　　There　was　silence　for　so　long　that　Robinton　wondered　if　the　dragon　had　heard　him　at　all。
　　　I　hear。　I　do　not　know。　Sometimes　he　doesn't　tell　me　everything。
　　　Simanith's　tone；　so　like　his　rider's；　sounded　wistful　and　anxious。
　　　He　thinks　a　lot　about　Larna　and　he's　not　happy。
　　　Larna？　The　name　sounded　vaguely　familiar；　but　it　took　Robinton　most　of　the　dance　to　remember：　Larna　had　been　an　annoying　little　child；　the　old　Weyrwoman's　daughter。　F'lon　had　got　into　trouble　with　Carola；　and　his　Weyr；　over　the　way　he　treated　the　little　girl。
　　　But　little　girls　grow　up。　Robinton　liked　to　think　that　this　Larna　had　grown　up　into　so　pretty　a　girl　that　F'lon　had　lost　his　heart　to　her。
　　　But　then；　lovers　always　wanted　others　to　be　in　love；　too。
　　　Robinton　sighed；　and　went　off　to　claim　Kasia　for　himself　for　the　rest　of　the　evening。
　　　They　managed　to　steal　away　unnoticed　during　one　of　the　popular　slow　dances；　and　made　it　unencumbered　out　of　the　glow…lit　dancing　square　and　to　the　extraordinarily　quiet　Hold。　For　a　Gather；　even　the　old　aunties　and　uncles　were　out　enjoying　themselves；　and　all　the　kitcheners　and　drudges　with　them。
　　　〃Look！〃　Kasia　pointed　to　the　heights；　where　twin　globes　of　lightly　whirling　green　showed　them　that　Simanith　was　on　watch。
　　　She　waved；　and　was　startled　when　the　bronze　dragon　blinked。
　　　〃Make　no　mistake；　the　dragon　can　see　everything　that's　going　on；〃　Robinton　said。　He　waved　too；　and　laughed　when　Simanith　blinked　again。
　　　〃Does　he　know　what's　troubling　F'lon？〃　Kasia　asked。
　　　〃He　should；　if　anyone　does；〃　he　replied。　〃But　he　doesn't。〃
　　　Then　they　were　inside　the　Hold；　most　of　the　glowbaskets　thriftily　shut；　just　enough　half…open　to　show　them　the　way　to　the　stairs。
　　　〃You　must　take　Clostan　with　you　the　next　time　you　buy　clothes；〃　she　told　him　as　they　hurried　up　the　stairs　to　their　level。
　　　〃When　I've　you　to　help　me　choose　now？〃　He　snorted　at　the　very　prospect　of　having　anyone　else。
　　　They　had　to　save　their　breath　for　the　stairs　and　arrived；　panting　and　gasping；　at　the　top；　Kasia　giggling　as　Robinton　handed　her　into　their　room；　then　firmly　closed　and　locked　the　door。　Not　even　F'lon　would　have　the　nerve　to　bother　them　here。
　　　Dawn　saw　them　sneaking　out　of　the　Hold；　carrying　their　sailing　gear　and　running；　hand　in　hand；　down　to　the　wharf　where　the　sloop　was　awaiting　them。　They　could　see　bundles　of　sleeping　folk　sprawled　across　chairs　or　tables；　and　some　under　as　well。　Banners　flapped　lightly　over　the　few　booths　still　left　in　the　Gather　square。
　　　As　they　were　stowing　their　gear；　laughing；　whispering　and　evading　any　notice；　Robinton　glanced　up　at　the　Hold　heights。　No　dragon　was　indolently　sprawled　there。
　　　Robinton　couldn't　remember　if　he'd　said　goodbye　to　his　mother。
　　　He　thought　he　must　have；　for　he　knew　he　had　remembered　to　express　his　gratitude　to　Kasia's　parents。
　　　While　Kasia　went　aft　to　take　her　place　at　the　tiller；　he　untied　the　painter　as　Captain　Gostol　had　shown　him；　jumped　lightly　to　the　bow　and　pushed　the　sloop　away　from　the　thick　piles。　Then　he　went　to　hoist　the　sail；　which　immediately　began　to　fill。　Kasia　trimmed　the　sheet　until　the　sail　was　nicely　taut　against　the　wind；　and　he　made　his　way　astern　to　sit　beside　her　in　the　cockpit。
　　　A　fishman；　ing　up　from　the　cabin　of　a　larger　ship；　waved　lazily　at　them　as　they　made　their　way　across　the　wide　harbour　and　out　into　Tillek　waters。　He　was　the　last　person　they　saw　for　eight　days　and　nights。
　　　Their　world　became　the　sloop　and　the　water　and　the　sky　which；　for　the　first　three　days；　was　brilliantly　blue　as　only　autumnal　skies　could　be　in　that　latitude。　Not　that　it　mattered　to　them　what　the　weather　was　like：　they　were　with　each　other。　Among　other　things；　they　both　loved　freshly　caught　and　instantly　fried　fish。　Sometimes　Robinton　caught　while　Kasia　cooked；　other　times　she　did　the　fishing　and　he　the　frying。
　　　Then　the　weather　deteriorated　and；　in　the　teeth　of　a　gale　which　came　up　with　ferocious　speed；　Kasia　yelled　for　him　to　lower　the　sail　and　tie　it　tightly　and　secure　the　boom。　Finishing　with　that　task　despite　the　lashing　rain　and　the　mounting　seas；　he　went　below　and　got　out　their　bad…weather　gear；　dressing　quickly　in　his　so　that　he　could　hold　the　tiller　while　she　put　hers　on。　When　he　came　on　deck　again；　he　dropped　his　load　and　rushed　to　help　her　with　the　tiller。　It　was　some　time　before　she　could　release　it　and　don　her　bad…weather　gear；　her　face　pinched　with　the　cold　of　the　rain　which　battered　at　them　as　they　dipped　and　rose　with　the　high　seas。　The　waves　broke　over　them　time　and　again　and　at　Kasia's　bawled　order；　Robinton　managed　to　reach　a　long　arm　for　the　bailing　bucket。
　　　More　water　poured　in　to　take　the　place　of　what　he　had　thrown　overboard　but　he　kept　bailing　with　one　hand　while　with　the　other　he　assisted　her　hold　on　the　tiller。　The　little　sloop　rode　to　the　frothy　height　of　immense　waves　and　then　slammed　down　into　the　troughs；　shaking　them　to　the　bones。　He　knew　his　teeth　were　chattering　with　the　cold　and　could　see　through　the　driving　rain　that　she　had　her　jaw　clamped　shut；　lips　pulled　back；　giving　the　appearance　of　snarling　into　the　storm。　She　lay　half　across　the　tiller；　fighting　to　keep　the　sloop's　bow　headed　into　the　waves。　He　knew　without　her　having　to　tell　him　that　one　broadside　would　capsize　the　ship　and　spill　them　into　the　cold；　cold　sea。　They　didn't　seem　to　have　much　chance　of　surviving　this　storm；　they'd　certainly　be　better　off　if　they　could　remain　in　the　ship　and　afloat。
　　　Somehow；　sometime；　when　the　lowering　skies　had　lightened；　the　wind　dropped　and　the　pressure　on　the　rudder　eased。　They　flopped　limply　across　each　other　and　the　tiller　bar；　gasping　in　the　air。
　　　〃Quickly；〃　she　said；　pointing　at　the　mast。　〃We're　in　the　eye　of　this　storm　and　must　take　advantage　of　that。　Hoist　the　sail　halfway　up　the　mast。　There's　the　coastline；　and　we　should　find　somewhere　to　shelter　for　the　rest　of　the　storm。　There's　got　to　be　a　cove；　an　inlet；　somewhere　to　anchor。〃
　　　Her　urgency　lent　him　the　burst　of　energy　to　do　as　she　bid。　Then　he　helped　her　hold　even　that　little　bit　of　sail　against　the　force　of　the　wind　and　keep　the　rudder　headed　towards　the　black　bulk　ahead　of　them。
　　　They　almost　missed　the　entrance　to　the　cove　even　with　the　prow　of　the　ship　pointed　at　it。　Kasia　let　out　a　whoop　of　triumph；　grinning　with　disbelief　as　the　sloop　passed　the　mouth　of　the　inlet　and　left　the　fury　of　the　sea　behind　them。　Sheltered　by　the　stony　arm；　the　sloop　rolled　less　wildly　as　the　waves　carried　it　towards　the　indistinct　mass　of　cliff。
　　　They　both　looked　about；　deafened　by　their　hours　in　the　storm　winds；　not　quite　certain　that　they　had　reached　a　safe　haven。
　　　〃The　anchor。。。　Rob。。。　drop　it。　We　can't。。。　run。。。　aground；〃　she　said；　gesturing　to　the　bow。　〃May　be　rocks　anyway。。。　no　matter。〃
　　　He　dropped　the　anchor；　saw　the　line　run　out；　then　the　forward　motion　of　the　sloop　stopped。　He　could　hear　her　timbers　creaking　as　she　answered　the　motion　of　the　sea　and　then　swung　about　on　her　tether。
　　　Kasia；　at　the　end　of　her　strength；　was　draped　across　the　tiller　bar。
　　　He　had　little　strength　left　himself；　but　the　need　to　get　his　beloved　below；　to　what　warmth　they　could　contrive；　was　foremost　in　his　mind。　And　he　did；　half　dragging　her　the　short　space　from　the　seat　to　the　cabin；　slamming　open　the　hatch；　hoping　that　the　waves　had　not　seeped　through　and　flooded　their　one　refuge。　He　almost　tumbled　her　down　the　stairs；　but　they　both　made　it。　She　pulled　herself　into　the　bunk　while　he　struggled　to　close　the　hatch。
　　　She　was　shaking　violently　when　he　reached　her。　Somehow　he　got　the　sodden　clothes　off　her　coldly　mottled　body　and　rolled　her　into　the　furs。　She　groaned　and　tried　to　say　something；　but　hadn't　the　strength。
　　　〃Hot；　must　have　hot；〃　he　mumbled；　trying　to　make　his　frozen　fingers　cope　with　striking　a　match　to　the　charcoal…filled　brazier　which　did　duty　as　cooker。　Sometime　in　the　past　he　had　filled　the　kettle　with　water　for　a　meal　which　he　had　never　had　a　chance　to　cook。　Now　he　waited　anxiously　for　the　water　to　warm　sufficiently　for　him　to　make　klah。　He'd　heat　the　last　of　the　fish　stew　they'd　made　…　how　long　ago？　He　could　hear　teeth　chattering；　and　realized　that　they　were　both　doing　it。　He　swung　around　to　the　bunk　and　rubbed　her　body　as　vigorously　as　he　could　to　stimulate　circulation。　He　nearly　burned　his　finger；　touching　the　top　of　the　kettle　to　see　if　the　water　was　hot　enough　to　be　useful。　He　had　his　answer　and　sucked　at　the　burn　while　he　poured　water　over　the　powdered　klah；　gave　it　a　swirl；　and　then　fumbled　to　open　the　sweetener　jar。　Sweetening　was　good　to　offset　shock　and　cold。
　　　He　took　the　first　sip　…　to　be　sure　it　wouldn't　burn　her　mouth。
　　　Then；　pulling　her　up　against　his　body　as　he　leaned　wearily　against　the　bulkhead；　he　held　the　cup　to　her　lips。
　　　〃Sip　it；　Kasia；　you've　got　to　get　warm。〃
　　　She　was　so　cold　she　could　barely　swallow；　but　she　did；　and　he　coaxed　sip　after　sip　into　her。　When　she　craned　her　head　round；　making　noises　in　her　throat；　her　bloodshot；　weary　eyes　pleading；　he　drank　too。　That　cup　drained；　he　made　another　and　then　put　the　soup　kettle　on　to　warm。　He　had　all　but　fallen　asleep　when　the　steam　hissing　from　under　the　lid　woke　him；　but　he　caught　the　pot　before　the　pressure　flipped　the　cover　off。
　　　It　couldn't　have　been　a　long　rest；　but　it　had　been　enough　for　his　resilient　young　body；　and　he　poured　soup　into　two　cups；　then　put　the　water　kettle　back　on。　He'd　towel　her　down　with　warm　water。
　　　That　might　help。
　　　He　took　half　of　his　cup　of　soup　between　struggling　out　of　his　wet…weather　gear　and　finding　clean；　dry；　warm　clothing　from　the　cupboard。　He　got　out　the　warmest　things　Kasia　had　brought　with　her　and　the　heavy　woollen　socks。　These　he　put　on　her　feet；　after　chafing　them　until　she　moaned　and　tried　to　draw　them　away　from　him；　they　were　pink　with　his　ministr