amc.masterharperofpern-第14节

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longed　though　she　had　kept　her　encores　to　three。　As　MasterSinger　she　knew　when　enough　was　enough。　There　were　plenty　of　other　performers　to　take　the　TurnOver　stage。
　　　Halanna　had　given　young　Donkin　quite　a　few　dances　each　evening；　but　she　also　partnered　other　lads；　and　Merelan　was　glad　to　see　the　girl　relaxing　and　enjoying　herself。　Maybe　that　would　restore　the　vibrancy　which　had　initially　characterized　her　rich　voice。
　　　But　Merelan　had　overheard　Halanna　saying　something　to　her　brother　which　puzzled　and　alarmed　her。
　　　〃Petiron's　very　strict　and　makes　you　measure　up　to　his　standard；〃　the　girl　told　Landon　with　a　little　grimace。　Then　she　added　in　an　entirely　different；　almost　spiteful　tone；　〃I　can't　wait　until　he　realizes　that　that　kid　of　his　has　far　more　talent　in　his　little　finger　than　he's　got　in　all　his　fancy　notes　and　difficult　tempo。〃
　　　How　had　Halanna　known　of　Robie's　innate　musicality？　She'd　never　paid　any　attention　to　him：　in　fact；　she　had　steadfastly　ignored　his　existence　when　she　knew　the　child　was　in　the　next　room　during　her　lessons　with　Merelan。　And　what　satisfaction　would　Halanna　take　when　the　father　discovered　his　son's　talent？
　　　That　problem　caused　Merelan　not　a　few　anxious　hours；　though　she　kept　telling　herself　that　surely　Petiron　would　be　delighted　to　realize　his　son　was　musically　inclined。　'Inclined'　was　an　understatement：　Robinton　seemed　to　absorb　music　as　some　children　absorbed　food。　She　was　also　aware　that　the　child　kept　a　cache　of　meticulously　written　tunes　and　airs：　Washell　and　Bosler　had　told　her　so；　saying　that　the　music　was　'delightful'。　Then　there　were　the　glances　they　had　exchanged。　She　had　been　so　pleased　to　hear　their　good　opinion　of　Robie's　progress　that　perhaps　she　had　failed　to　realize　the　significance　of　their　exchange。　That　was　when　she　first　saw　the　drum　he　had　made　and　used　in　the　percussion　orchestra　at　TurnOver。
　　　〃Master　Gorazde　helped；〃　he　had　informed　her　when　he　brought　the　drum　home；　〃but　I　painted。。。〃　He　ran　a　rather　dirty　finger　along　the　blue　and　red　lines　which　not　too　raggedly　decorated　the　rim。
　　　〃An'　I　cutted　the　skin　oh　so　careful。〃　His　eyes　had　rounded　as　he　used　a　pretend　knife　in　his　hand　to　demonstrate　how　hard　it　had　been　to　cut　the　hide。　〃An'　I　nailed　it。〃　His　mother　did　note　that　the　brass　nails　were　well　aligned。　〃Master　Gorazde　had　me　make　dots　where　the　nails　go　so　they'd　look　even。〃　He　ran　a　finger　along　the　shiny　line。　〃Hard　work。〃　And　he　grinned　up　at　her。
　　　〃Lovey；　I　don't　know　when　I've　seen　a　better　one。　I'll　bet　you　could　sell　it　at　the　Harper　Gather　stall！〃
　　　He　clutched　the　drum　to　him；　which　took　some　doing　because　it　overlapped　his　chest。　〃No；　not　this　one；　my　first　'stument；　and　I　gotta　improve　a　lot　before　Master　Gorazde'll　put　a　Harper　stamp　on　it　for　sale。〃
　　　With　a　pang　to　her　heart；　Merelan　said　nothing　as　he　put　it　carefully　on　the　shelf　near　his　father's　worktop。　Maybe　Petiron　would　notice　and　ment　on　it。
　　　Two　days　later　it　was　no　longer　in　view；　and　she　looked　for　the　drum　and　finally　found　it　hidden　in　his　clothes　chest。　He　never　played　it　again。
　　　〃Drum？　What　drum？〃　Petiron　asked；　surprised　when　she　casually　mentioned　it。
　　　〃The　one　Robie　made　for　the　percussion　group　at　TurnOver。〃　Petiron　frowned；　and　she　was　so　distressed　by　his　genuine　puzzlement　that　she　wished　she　hadn't　asked。　That　the　little　drum；　so　lovingly　constructed；　had　been　so　carefully　concealed　ought　to　have　been　warning　enough。
　　　〃Oh；　that　one；〃　Petiron　said；　turning　back　to　checking　apprentice　papers。　〃If　Robinton　really　did　have　a　hand　in　making　it；　I　wouldn't　have　passed　it　for　a　Harper　stamp。〃
　　　Merelan　abruptly　rose　and；　murmuring　that　she　must　see　Lorra；　left　the　room　before　she　either　burst　into　tears　or　threw　something　at　her　insensitive　spouse。
　　　As　she　stormed　downstairs　and　out　into　the　crisp　evening　air；　pausing　only　to　throw　a　jacket　over　her　shoulders；　she　knew　that　she　would　never；　ever；　mention　Robie's　efforts　to　Petiron　again。　He　didn't　deserve　to　have　such　a　talented　child。
　　　〃He's　far　ahead　of　the　other　youngsters；〃　Kubisa　told　Merelan　during　the　teacher's　usual　spring　evaluation。　〃He's　poring　over　any　Record　Bosler　lets　him　see。　In　fact；　Bosler's　having　him　copy　some　of　the　more　legible　documents　from　the　last　Fall。　Also；　I　don't　think　it's　wise　to　isolate　him　from　his　own　age　group。　He　needs　their　panionship。　All　children　do。　But　I'll　say　this　for　him：　he　won't　stand　for　any　teasing　or　bullying。〃
　　　〃You　don't　have　any　problems　with　that；　do　you？〃
　　　Merelan　knew　that　the　apprentices　were　often　apt　to　pick　on　a　lad　who　tried　to　push　himself　forward；　and　occasionally　they　would　taunt　a　slower　boy；　but　the　Masters　kept　a　tight　rein　on　any　physical　violence　and　chastised　culprits　for　verbal　harangue。　Some　of　the　final…year　apprentices　were　apt　to　take　grudges　against　one　another；　but　those　were　generally　settled　by　a　wrestling　match　overseen　by　a　journeyman。　To　be　a　harper　conferred　sufficient　dignity　and　privilege　so　that　few　would　jeopardize　their　chance　to　achieve　journeyman　status　by　gross　misconduct。　Inevitably；　there　were　subtle　petitions　among　the　fourth…Turn　students。
　　　〃I　have　to　be　truthful；　Merelan。　Some　of　them　are　jealous　of　his　quick　mind。〃
　　　〃Well；　I　can　scarcely　punish　him　for　that；〃　Merelan　said；　trying　to　suppress　a　spurt　of　outrage。
　　　Kubisa　held　up　both　hands　in　simulated　defence。　〃Easy；　Mother；　and　I　won't　tell　you　who；　either；〃　she　added　before　Merelan　could　open　her　mouth。　〃That's　for　me　to　know　and　handle。　And　I　have。　I　ask　Rob　to　take　one　of　the　slower　ones　off　to　hear　their　lesson。　He's　actually　very　patient　…　more　so　than　I　would　be　with　that　rascal；　Lexey。〃　〃Lexey？　Bosler's　youngest？〃
　　　〃I　realize　you　know　that　Lexey　has　learning　difficulties；　but　Rob　has　him　repeat　his　lessons　until　he　knows　them　by　heart。〃　Kubisa　sighed。　〃Sometimes　late…life　babies　are　a　little　。。。　backward。　And　Rob　made　up　another　tune；　one　that　Lexey　can　actually　remember；　to　help　him　with　place　names。〃　She　reached　into　the　folder　and　brought　out　a　scrap　of　hide；　cleaned　so　often　that　it　was　almost　transparent；　and　handed　it　to　Merelan。　〃Robie's　a　caring　child　and　a　born　teacher。〃
　　　The　MasterSinger　had　no　trouble　identifying　the　writer　of　the　tiny；　precisely　placed　notes；　and　she　hummed　the　tune。　Simple　and　very　easy；　up　the　C　scale　and　down　by　thirds。
　　　Fort　was　first；　South　Boll　then
　　　Ruatha　came　and　Tillek；　too。
　　　Benden　next　and　north　Telgar。。。
　　　Easy　enough　for　a　child　to　sing；　but　effective　with　the　tune　itself　as　an　aid　to　memory。
　　　〃That's　not　bad；〃　Merelan　said。
　　　〃Not　bad？〃　Kubisa　stared　at　her　in　disgust。　〃For　a　child　five　turns　old？　It's　incredible。　Washell　wants　me　to　use　it　in　class　as　a　Teaching　Ballad。〃
　　　〃He　does？〃
　　　〃He　does；　and　we　don't　intend　to　tell　Petiron　either。〃　Kubisa's　tone　was　almost　defensive。　〃I　never　ask　Rob　to　do　these。　He　just　does　them。　Should　I　discourage　him；　Merelan？〃　She　couldn't　quite　keep　her　expression　neutral。
　　　〃No；　don't　discourage　him　Kubisa。　And　thank　you　for　your　understanding。〃　The　interview　troubled　Merelan　for　several　days；　but　she　could　see　no　way　to　mention　Robie's　abilities　to　Petiron。　As　usual；　he　had　music　he　had　to　pose　…　this　time　for　an　espousal　at　Nerat。　He　planned　a　duet　between　Merelan　and　Halanna；　and　a　very　ambitious　quartet；　making　use　of　a　fine　young　tenor　who　would　soon　be　walking　the　tables　to　bee　a　journeyman。　Petiron　was　always　bemoaning　the　loss　of　any　good　tenor　voice；　and　Merelan　entertained　the　wry　hope　that　Robie　might　end　up　in　the　tenor　range　as　an　adult。　At　least　he　sang　on　key　in　his　childish　treble。　Even　if　his　father　never　noticed。　These　were　the　times　when　she　was　very　glad　that　she　wasn't　able　to　bear　more　children；　or　foster　them。
　　　That　spring　young　Robinton　had　a　revelation　which　made　a　tremendous　impact　on　his　mind：　he　met　dragons。
　　　He'd　always　known　they　existed；　and　once　in　a　while　a　wing　would　be　seen　flying　in　formation　high　overhead。　He　knew　that　Fort　Weyr　had　been　empty　for　several　hundred　turns；　and　that　no　one　knew　why。　He　knew；　from　Teaching　Songs　and　Ballads；　why　there　were　dragons：　that　they　kept　Thread　away　…　though　he　didn't　understand　why　Thread　was　so　dangerous。　People's　clothes　were　made　of　thread；　and　they　wouldn't　wear　something　that　was　dangerous　to　them；　would　they？　When　he　asked　Kubisa　about　it；　she　said　that　Thread　was　a　living　organism；　not　spun　and　woven　as　was　the　undangerous　thread　that　went　into　clothing。　This　bad　Thread　fell　from　the　sky　and　hungrily　ate　anything　living　that　it　touched；　from　grass　to　runner　and　herd…beasts；　and　even　people。　Her　listeners　got　very　still　at　that；　and　no　one　even　squirmed　when　she　went　on　to　explain　how　dragons　kept　Thread　away　from　Halls　and　Holds。　However；　she　ended　on　a　bright　and　pleasant　note：　that　bad　Thread　was　not　likely　to　bother　them；　and　they　might　live　their　whole　lives　without　seeing　it　fall　from　the　skies。
　　　〃Then　why〃；　the　logical　Robie　asked；　〃do　we　keep　singing　about　it？〃
　　　〃In　appreciation　of　those　times　when　the　dragons　did　keep　the　danger　away；〃　she　said；　at　her　most　reassuring。
　　　Robinton　asked　his　mother　about　Thread　and　got