amc.masterharperofpern-第74部分

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　　　〃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；〃　Robinton　said；　shaking　his　head。　〃By　the　time　you　can　get　there；　he'll　have　pleted　his　looting　and　be　on　his　way　back　to　Nabol。〃
　　　〃Well；　then；　the　guards　he'll　have　left　at　Ruatha　shall　see　me　and　my　men　lining　the　border；　MasterHarper；　and　know　that　they　may　not　encroach　on　my　lands。〃
　　　〃I'll　rouse　the　Hall。　You'll　need　as　many　men　as　you　can　muster；〃　Robinton　said。
　　　〃Not　you；　though；〃　Groghe　told　him。
　　　Down　the　hall　came　Grodon；　the　current　Ford　Hold　harper；　already　armed。
　　　〃Good　lad；〃　Robinton　said；　catching　him　by　the　arm。　〃Go　to　the　Hall。　I　want　every　journeyman　and　apprentice；　anyone　who　can　ride　and　carry　a　sword；　to　mount　and　go　with　Groghe。　If　anyone　challenges　this　order。。。〃　He　could　not　continue。
　　　Grodon　gripped　his　shoulder。　〃No　one　will　unless　they're　too　deaf　to　have　heard　the　drums。〃
　　　〃Good　man。〃　And　Robinton　watched　him　clattering　down　the　hallway。
　　　Groghe　was　banging　on　doors　to　speed　up　the　mustering；　and　the　place　was　alive　with　armed　men　and　anxious　women。　Robinton　laid　his　head　against　the　back　of　the　chair；　his　eyes　drooping。
　　　〃Here。〃　Lady　Benoria　held　up　the　limp　hand　in　which　he　still　held　the　cup。　She　filled　it　again；　tears　of　distress　marking　her　face。
　　　〃Are　you　sure。。。　about　the。。。　children？〃
　　　He　nodded。　He　would　never　forget　those　lifeless　little　bodies。
　　　How　could　Fax　possibly　claim　Ruatha　too？　Ah；　and　his　heart　sank：　Lady　Gemma。
　　　〃Are　you　hurt？〃　Lady　Benoria　exclaimed；　touching　his　arm　in　anxiety。
　　　He　laid　one　hand　on　his　heart；　a　dramatic　gesture　perhaps；　but　it　certainly　expressed　the　coldness　which　had　seized　him　at　the　core　of　his　being。
　　　〃You　should　rest；〃　she　said。　〃I　am；〃　he　had　the　strength　to　say；　and　she　went　away　and　let　him　close　his　eyes。
　　　Silvina　shook　him　awake。　She　and　Oldive　saw　him　down　the　stairs　of　Fort　Hold　and　across　what　seemed　an　awfully　wide　court　to　the　Harper　Hall　and　his　bed。　Sebell　appeared；　holding　up　a　glow…basket　to　light　their　way　up　the　stairs。
　　　〃Nip？〃　he　asked　as　Silvina　and　the　lad　pulled　off　his　boots。
　　　〃Took　another　mount　and　was　gone。　Looked　like　death　warmed　over；〃　Oldive　told　him。
　　　〃I　made　up　some　food　for　him；〃　Sebell　said。
　　　〃Good　lad！〃　said　Robinton；　grateful　once　more　for　Sebell's　adroit　assistance。　He　wondered　where　Nip　would　have　gone　and　why；　but　it　was　too　much　to　think　about　and；　as　he　laid　his　head　down；　he　realized　that　his　cheeks　were　wet。　The　last　thing　he　knew；　Silvina　was　covering　him　with　the　fur。　As　if　anything　would　ever　cover　over　the　memory　of　that　early　morning　scene　in　Ruatha　Hold！
　　　Fax　had　the　country　thoroughly　stirred　up。　The　major　western　Lord　Holders；　resolute　Oterel；　Tarathel；　Groghe　and　Lord　Sangel　of　South　Boll；　made　an　orderly　march　to　Nabol　to　meet　the　grinning　and　unrepentant　Fax　and　protest　his　usurpation　of　Ruatha　Hold　and　the　murder　of　the　entire　Bloodline。　Robinton　joined　them　with　his　senior　Masters；　who　were　now　all　too　aware　of　the　full　tragedy　at　Ruatha。　Nip's　report　stated　that　not　only　the　Lord；　his　Lady　and　the　children　had　been　killed；　but　anyone　in　the　Hold　who　was　known　to　have　claimed　any　Ruathan　Blood。
　　　In　the　cramped　main　Hall　of　Nabol；　Fax；　surrounded　by　contemptuous　soldiery；　listened　to　what　they　said　and　then　told　them　that　if　they　were　not　out　of　his　Hold　by　nightfall；　he　would　order　them　all　slaughtered　for　trespass。
　　　No　one　doubted　that　he　would　implement　that　threat。
　　　〃You　are　not　Lord　Holder　of　Nabol　or　Crom　or　Ruatha　by　any　right；　other　than　that　of　conquest；〃　Tarathel　said；　stiff　with　outrage　but　impressive　with　dignity。　〃You　will　usurp　no　more　lands　without　full　contest　at　arms。〃
　　　Fax　smirked；　glancing　at　the　grinning　faces　of　his　guards。　〃Any　time　you　like；〃　he　said；　obviously　delighted　at　the　prospect。　〃Is　that　all　you　came　to　say？　Well；　out　with　you　then！〃
　　　At　a　signal；　his　men　began　to　advance　on　the　group　of　Lord　Holders　and　Harpers。
　　　〃Careful；　you　at　the　door；〃　Fax　said；　raising　his　voice。　〃Don't　want　you　trampled　in　the　rush！〃
　　　Tarathel　looked　about　to　burst；　Groghe　was　livid　with　rage；　Oterel　dead　white。　With　stately　dignity　they　turned　smartly　about　and　walked　in　a　measured　tread　out　of　the　Hall；　down　the　steps　and　across　the　narrow　courtyard　to　their　waiting　mounts。　If　the　runner…beasts　tossed　their　heads；　sidled　and　shied；　it　was　because　their　riders　municated　their　fury　and　humiliation　to　them。　Big　Black　twice　tried　to　rear；　and　kicked　out　when　another　animal　came　close　enough。　Robinton　was　sure　he　would　burst　a　blood　vessel　before　they　got　halfway　to　the　Nabol　border。
　　　Once　there；　the　Lord　Holders　made　their　way　back　to　Fort　Hold。
　　　Aware　that　they　were　being　followed　…　and　that　they　were　meant　to　know　they　were　being　followed　…　they　stopped　only　to　rest　and　water　their　mounts　and　eat　travel　rations　from　their　saddles；　both　grateful　and　furious　that　they　had　no　opportunity　to　vent　their　bottled…up　emotions　until　they　were　back　on　safe　lands。
　　　What　Robinton　noticed；　to　keep　his　sanity；　was　the　difference　in　the　very　atmosphere　as　soon　as　they　had　forded　the　Red　River。
　　　Even　the　runner…beasts；　weary　though　they　were；　seemed　to　pick　up。　Just　at　the　last；　as　a　final　insult；　their　followers　made　a　charge　which　startled　the　last　few　runners　crossing　the　river。　Fax's　men　lined　the　bank；　laughing　and　calling　insults　across　the　water。　With　those　final　reminders　of　their　opprobrious　rout　ringing　in　their　ears；　the　Lord　Holders　continued　down　the　Fort　road　to　the　nearest　border　post。
　　　There；　at　last；　they　could　give　vent　to　their　repressed　feelings　and　argue　that　they　should　have　e　in　force；　with　enough　men　to　show　Fax　that　they　meant　business　about　meeting　any　further　aggression　with　equal　force　and　its　defeat。
　　　Robinton；　food　and　drink　in　his　hands；　could　no　longer　listen　to　such　useless　ranting　and　wandered　off　far　enough　to　avoid　hearing　a　recapitulation　of　what　ought　to　have　been　said；　or　done；　or　implied；　or　threatened。　He　felt　that；　considering　the　large　contingent　of　armed　men　which　Fax　had　around　him；　they　had　been　lucky　indeed　not　to　be　harmed　…　except　in　pride　and　dignity。　Such　a　delegation　had　been　futile　from　the　outset　and　only　let　them　in　for　ridicule；　but　some　show　of　protest　had　to　be　made！　That　much　he　knew。　If　only　R'gul　had　been　willing　to　let　them　ride　dragons　to　Nabol；　their　retreat　would　not　have　proved　such　a　mortification　of　their　intent。　But　R'gul　had　denied　them　the　convenience　of　dragons；　saying　he　knew　only　too　well　what　Fax's　opinion　of　dragonriders　was　and　had　no　intention　of　jeopardizing　another　dragon　and　rider。　Robinton　had　argued　against　confronting　Fax　at　all。　Not　from　a　lack　of　courage；　but　from　a　desire　to　avoid　what　had　happened：　Fax's　contemptuous　disregard　of　their　condemnation。
　　　As　if　Fax　cared　a　straw　in　the　wind！
　　　〃Bad　idea　all　told；〃　a　voice　said　at　his　elbow；　almost　causing　him　to　drop　the　klah　and　his　food。　They　were　taken　out　of　his　hand　by　filthy　fingers。　〃You　can　get　more；　and　I'm　starving　of　the　hunger。　Haven't　had　a　drink　in　three　days。　Should　have　tried　to　persuade　them　out　of　such　a　meeting；　Rob。　Fax　is　still　laughing。〃
　　　〃Where　were　you；　Nip？〃　asked　Robinton；　regaining　his　posure。
　　　He　should　have　known　Nip　would　have　witnessed　the　whole　sorry　episode。
　　　〃Where　I　could　see。〃　The　spy　shook　his　head　as　he　gobbled　food　almost　without　chewing。　He　took　a　sip　of　the　wine　and　swallowed　his　mouthful。
　　　〃I'll　filch　some　more　for　your　trip　back；〃　Robinton　told　him。
　　　〃That　is；　if　you're　going　back？〃
　　　〃Oh；　I'm　needed　where　I　will　be　by　morning　more　than　ever；　I　assure　you。〃　Nip　crammed　the　rest　of　the　roll　into　his　mouth；　rolling　his　eyes　at　his　own　greedy　hunger　and　chewing　vigorously。
　　　He　took　the　last　sip　and　handed　the　cup　back　to　Robinton；　almost　regretfully。　〃There's　more　where　you　got　that；　isn't　there？〃
　　　〃I'll　get　you　…　and　me　…　more；〃　Robinton　said。　He　slipped　back　into　the　camp　and　helped　himself　to　a　skin；　as　well　as　a　saddlebag　full　of　travel　meat　roll。　Everyone　was　so　busy　trying　to　air　their　own　hindsight　wisdom　that　no　one　noticed　him　sneaking　in　and　out。
　　　〃Here。。。〃　And　he　stopped；　seeing　Nip　propped　against　a　tree　fast　asleep。
　　　He　sat　down；　hoping　the　courageous　little　man　would　rouse　to　tell　him　what　he　had　in　mind。　The　gleam　in　Nip's　eyes　had　suggested　that　his　devious　mind　had　already　thought　of　several　interesting　ways　to　harass　Fax。
　　　Robinton　was　almost　half…asleep　himself　when　he　heard　his　name　called。　So　he　left　the　wine…skin　and　the　full　bag　of　food　and　retraced　his　steps。
Chapter　NINETEEN
　　　Some　good　did　e　of　that　disagreeable　confrontation　with　Fax。
　　　MasterSmith　Fandarel　withdrew　all　Masters　from　the　'seven　holds'。　Other　CraftMasters　followed　that　example。　Fax　had　been　too　busy　congratulating　himself　over　the　acquisition　of　Ruatha　Hold　to　realize　what　was　happening。　Now　he　plained　bitterly；　offering　inducements　to　the　Masters　to　return。　Nor　did　he　dare　retaliate　against　those　journeymen　who　remained：　as　many　as　could　do　so　had　slipped　away　before　he　knew　they　had　left。　Even　the　MasterMiner　at　Crom　had　removed　himself　and　set　up　a　new　headquarters　for　his　Craft　in　one　of　the　SmithHalls　at　Telgar。　Despite　substantial　rewards；　Master　Idarolan；　who　had　succeeded　Gostol　as　MasterFishman；　refused　to　lay　any　keels　for　Fax　to　replace　the　ships　which　had　so　mysteriously　disappeared　from　the　High　Reaches　fishing　villages。　All　that　were　left　were　small　sloops　or　ketches；　which　were　restricted　in　cargo　space　or　range。
　　　The　only　Hall　that　did　not　withdraw　skilled　assistance　was　the　Healer　Hall。　MasterHealer　Oldive　quietly　stated　that　such　a　measure　went　against　the　very　purpose　and　grain　of　his　Craft。　He　was　respected　for　it；　as　were　those　of　his　Hall　who　remained　to　succour　the　ill　and　injured。　And　there　were　many　of　them。
　　　〃Fax　hadn't　counted　on　the　loss　of　Masters；〃　Robinton　said；　thoroughly　pleased。　Of　course；　harpers　had　long　since　been　driven　away　or　hunted　down　by　F