amc.masterharperofpern-第73部分

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　proper　replacement　for　F'lon。〃
　　　〃He　didn't　agree　with　F'lon。。。〃
　　　〃No；　but　he　respected　him。　Anyway；　Tarathel's　fatal　mistake　was　trying　to　keep　pace　with　younger　men；　like　Vendross　and　young　Larad。。。　I　should　say；　Lord　Larad；　now；　shouldn't　I？　Well；　old　bones　can't　do　what　young　ones　can。〃
　　　Larad　was　confirmed　by　the　Conclave　after　an　hour's　deliberation。
　　　Larad　was　young；　at　fifteen；　though　a　well…grown　lad；　so　most　of　the　time　was　spent　picking　his　mentors；　Vendross　and　Harper　Falawny；　a　former　dorm…mate　of　Robinton　and　an　excellent　teacher。
　　　There　was　a　brief　flurry　when　Larad's　elder　half…sister；　Thella；　insisted　that　the　Conclave　had　to　hear　her　right　to　the　Holding。　Lord　Tesner　of　Igen；　the　most　senior　of　the　Holders；　was　outraged　at　her　impudence　and　refused　her　admittance。　The　other　Lord　Holders　and　Masters　were　only　too　happy　to　second　his　motion。　Robinton　looked　for　her　during　the　following　reception；　wanting　to　see　a　woman　who　was　brave　enough　to　speak　up　as　eldest　in　the　Bloodline；　but　there　was　no　sign　of　her。　He　often　wondered　what　happened　to　her　because　she　disappeared　from　Telgar　Hold　shortly　afterwards。
　　　The　turns　were　punctuated　by　the　usual　Solstice　and　Equinox　celebrations；　Gathers；　the　round　of　duties　that　was　the　MasterHarper's　lot。　C'gan　was　a　frequent　visitor；　always　weled　by　Robinton。　The　Weyrsinger　usually　brought　something　for　Camo　…　a　toy　or　a　confection　from　the　Weyr's　kitchens。　He　even　tried　to　get　Camo　to　put　his　fingers　right　on　a　pipe　and　breathe　properly　through　it。
　　　〃It's　such　a　relief　to　talk　to　you；〃　C'gan　would　say。　〃You're　the　only　one　else　who　cares　a　tunnel　snake's　droppings　about　the　Weyr；〃　he　often　said　during　his　frequent　reminiscences　about　the　'better'　days　when　F'lon　had　been　Weyrleader　and　the　Weyr　had　still　been　popular　and　active。　R'gul　followed　a　policy　of　keeping　the　Weyr　to　itself；　rarely　permitting　dragonriders　to　attend　any　but　Benden's　or　Nerat's　Gathers。
　　　〃He's　afraid。。。〃　C'gan　paused　to　be　sure　that　Robinton　was　aware　of　his　total　disgust；　〃to　annoy　the　Lord　Holders。　Especially　Nerat　and　Benden；　who　tithe　as　they　should　…　and　so　does　Bitra；　when　Lord　Sifer　happens　to　remember　to　send　any。　Raid　is　charmed　by　his　attitude。〃　He　rolled　his　eyes。
　　　〃How　are　the　sons　progressing？〃　Robinton　wished　he　had　more　contact　with　F'lar　and　F'nor；　and　not　only　because　they　were　F'lon's　lads。　He　could　have　wished　for　one　of　them　as　his。　He　had　once　wished　that　Camo　wouldn't　survive　his　first　Turn；　as　so　often　happened　to　babies。　But　the　child　prospered；　as　much　because　his　mother　was　so　devoted　to　him；　carrying　him　about　with　her　long　after　Camo　should　have　been　walking　independently。　It　was　hard　sometimes；　Robinton　knew　…　he　forced　himself　to　the　task　…　to　ask　others　about　the　welfare　of　their　children：　like　prodding　a　sore　spot　to　be　sure　it　was　still　tender。　So；　resolutely；　he　promised　himself　that　he　would　go　to　the　next　Nerat　Gather。　He　would　hope　to　entice　his　father　to　leave　Half　Circle　and　meet　him　there。　If　C'gan　were　to　drop　a　hint　to　the　two　lads；　he　could　meet　them　too。
　　　〃Grand　boys；　and　F'lar's　got　his　head　screwed　on　better　than　F'lon　ever　did；〃　C'gan　said　proudly。　〃And　they　believe！　They　believe！　I　see　that　they　do。　Not　that　they'd　dishonour　their　father's　memory　by　forgetting；〃　he　added。　Then　he　sighed。　〃We'　ve　had　more　losses。　I've　never　seen　so　many　empty　weyrs　and　that　lazy。。。〃　He　closed　his　lips　over　whatever　he　might　have　called　Weyrwoman　Jora。　〃I　cannot　understand　why　S'loner　thought　she'd　do。　Do　nothing；　of　course。　Thread's　ing　and　even　the　Weyr　is　unprepared。〃　He　shook　his　head　sadly。
　　　Robinton　wondered　too。　Over　three　thousand　strong　the　six　Weyrs　had　been　at　the　end　of　the　last　Pass。　Now；　unless　he　mis…counted；　there　were　barely　three　hundred。　And　not　all　of　them　able　to　fly　Thread。　Even　C'gan　was　fast　approaching　an　age　when　he　and　his　Tagath　would　be　considered　liabilities　to　a　fighting　wing。
　　　The　refrain　of　the　Question　Song　briefly　hovered　in　his　mind。
　　　〃Gone；　gone　ahead。。。〃　How？
　　　Robinton　had　more　urgent　worries　than　puzzling　answers　to　an　old　song。　His　greatest　pleasure　was　in　watching　Sebell's　development　as　an　apprentice。　In　another　Turn；　he'd　probably　walk　the　tables。
　　　With　distressing　regularity；　he　heard　tales　of　Fax's　mistreatment　of　his　folk；　and　how　few　now　made　their　escape。　He　kept　up　pressure　with　the　Lord　Holders　as　often　and　as　adroitly　as　he　could。　But　one　could　pipe　a　tune　only　so　long　before　no　one　heard　it　as　more　than　noise。
　　　Nip　made　reports。　Robinton　even　received　a　brief　note　smuggled　in　from　Bargen；　repeating　the　promise　to　reclaim　High　Reaches　as　the　legal　Bloodline　heir。
　　　Then　Nip　appeared　late　one　night；　exhausted　from　having　run　most　of　the　last　day　from　Nabol。
　　　〃He's　doing。。。　something。。。〃　he　gasped　as　he　hung　on　the　door　into　Robinton's　quarters。
　　　The　harper　got　the　man　into　the　nearest　chair　and　poured　him　some　wine。
　　　〃Clever　as　sin；　he　is；〃　Nip　said；　after　a　long　pull　of　the　wine。　〃I　didn't　notice　they'd　disappeared；　and　then　I　didn't　know　where　they　could　have　gone。　But　half　the　barracks　at　Nabol　are　empty。　He　didn't　even　let　the　other　half　know　where　their　mates　had　gone。〃　〃Which　way？〃
　　　Nip　shook　his　head。　〃I　must　have　been　watching　the　wrong　places；　that's　for　certain；　and　I'm　sorry。　I'm　truly　sorry。　I　thought　I　was　on　to　his　little　ways。〃
　　　〃What　ways？〃
　　　〃Strike　and　grab。〃　Then　he　sat　bolt　upright；　his　face　stricken。
　　　〃Ruatha！　I　should　have　gone　there！　Warned　them。〃
　　　〃Ruatha！〃　Robinton　cried　in　the　same　moment。
　　　〃Get　me　a　runner…beast；　the　fastest　you've　got；〃　Nip　said。
　　　〃I'll　go　with　you。〃
　　　〃No；　Rob。　I　can　hide　in　the　shadows；　but　there's　too　much　of　you。。。〃
　　　〃I'm　going！〃　The　Harper　was　changing　into　old　clothes；　dark　ones；　warm　ones；　and　he　tossed　a　spare　fur　vest　towards　Nip；　who　was　shivering　with　the　midnight　chill　now　that　he　was　no　longer　moving。
　　　Robinton　paused　long　enough　in　the　kitchen　to　dump　travel　rations　into　a　saddlepack　and　leave　a　brief　note　for　Silvina；　and　then　they　were　out　of　the　door；　startling　the　watchwher　who　whined　at　their　appearance　and　followed　them　the　length　of　his　chain。
　　　They　roused　the　beastman　and　had　him　saddle　Big　Black　for　Robinton；　and　a　fast　Ruathan　runner　for　Nip。　They　walked　their　mounts　circumspectly　so　as　not　to　rouse　Hall　and　Hold；　and　then　Nip　pointed　to　the　runner　track　which　branched　off　from　the　main　road。　It　was　straight　and　fast　rather　than　curved。　Robinton　would　apologize　to　the　Station　Master　and　hoped　they'd　encounter　no　runners　on　their　way。　Once　on　the　straight　track；　they　put　heels　to　their　mounts。　They　ran　at　a　pace　that　Robinton　would　have　considered　dangerous　at　any　other　time；　but　both　Black　and　Nip's　mount　were　sure…footed　and　the　track　was　a　pale；　thin　ribbon　they　could　follow　through　the　night。
　　　Riding　and　periodically　walking　their　mounts　to　rest　them；　they　made　the　Red　River　by　early　morning。　Urging　the　tired　animals；　they　kept　them　moving　at　whatever　pace　they　could　manage　until　they　turned　a　bend　in　the　road　and　saw　Ruatha　Hold　ahead　of　them。
　　　Despairing；　Robinton　surveyed　the　hideous　dawn…lit　scene。
　　　Ropes　still　dangled　from　the　fire　heights　of　Ruatha　Hold　…　ropes　which　had　allowed　Fax's　men　to　approach　without　arousing　the　watchwhere　Where　had　the　watchman　been？　Robinton　wondered。
　　　Or　had　he　been　bribed　not　to　hear？　Why　had　the　watchwher　not　given　an　alarm？　A　row　of　bodies　lay　crumpled　on　the　stone　of　the　courtyard；　long　bloody　lines　showed　that　the　dead　had　been　dragged　out　of　the　Hold；　down　the　steps；　and　to　this　resting　place。　Men　were　ing　out　of　the　Hold　laden　with　clothing　and　the　fine　furniture　which　Lady　Adessa　had　brought　with　her。　He　saw　a　knot　of　frightened　people　being　driven　from　their　cots　into　the　beast…hold；　saw　men　riding　off　in　other　directions　on　runners　which　had　been　taken　out　of　the　beasthold。　Ruatha　runners！　The　animals　which　Fax　had　coveted。。。　and　now　had　possession　of。　Worse　still；　as　Robinton's　eyes　returned　constantly　to　the　bodies　in　the　courtyard；　he　noticed　smaller　ones　among　the　adults　and　thought　of　the　bright；　pert　Lessa。　She'd've　been　no　more　than　…　what？　Nine；　ten　turns　at　the　most。　He　reeled　in　the　saddle　with　nausea　and　fatigue；　and　allowed　Nip　to　urge　him　and　Black　further　into　the　shadows　of　their　shelter。
　　　Distant　shouts　and　a　thundering　sound　made　Robinton　look　back　at　the　dreadful　carnage。　The　fields　were　being　emptied　of　their　runners　and　these　were　being　herded　back　to　Fax's　beastholds。　Groghe　must　be　warned。　So　must　Tarathel　and　Oterel。　There　was　nothing　Robinton　and　Nip　could　do　here。
　　　They　got　the　best　speed　possible　out　of　their　exhausted　mounts　on　their　way　to　the　nearest　of　Groghe's　border　checks；　where　they　roused　the　startled　guards　and　told　them　to　light　the　beacons　to　spread　the　alarm。　Then　they　changed　to　fresh　mounts　and　sped　back　towards　Fort　Hold。　There；　while　Nip　charged　up　the　stairs　to　the　Drum　Tower；　Robinton　banged　on　Groghe's　door；　rousing　not　only　the　Lord　Holder　but　the　entire　corridor。
　　　〃Fax　has　invaded　Ruatha　Hold；〃　Robinton　said；　leaning　against　the　door　post　to　get　breath　enough　to　speak。　The　drums　began　to　roll　out　their　dreadful　message。　Nip　hadn't　lost　his　touch　with　a　drumstick。
　　　〃What？〃　Groghe　stared　unbelieving　at　the　MasterHarper。　〃He　can't　have。〃
　　　〃He　has　…　and　killed　them　all；　even　the　children。　I　saw　their　bodies。　I've　warned　your　border　men。　The　beacons　are　lit。〃
　　　〃Oh；　Master　Robinton；　you　look　awful；〃　Groghe's　wife　said；　guiding　the　Harper　to　the　nearest　chair　and　sensibly　getting　him　a　cup　of　wine。　〃You　don't　mean　to　tell　me　dear　Lady　Adessa's　dead；　as　well。　Surely。。。〃　She　broke　off；　seeing　the　answer　in　the　bleakness　of　his　expression。　〃Oh；　how　terrible！　How　simply　terrible！　You're　right　to　fear　that　man；　Groghe。〃
　　　〃I　don't　fear　him；　Benoria；　I　despise　him！〃　Groghe　unbuckled　his　belt　and　threaded　a　hefty　dagger　on　to　it　before　he　girded　himself　again。
　　　〃Oh；　don't；　don't；　Groghe！〃　she　cried。
　　　〃I've　got　my　eyes　well　and　truly　open　about　Fax；　m'dear；　and　hiding　from　him　is　not　an　option！〃
　　　〃There's　nothing　you　can　do；　Groghe