amc.masterharperofpern-第21节

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　had　been　more　than　adequately　trained　by　Washell　as　well　as　his　mother。　In　fact；　he　would　have　stepped　into　Londik's　place　as　senior　boy　soprano　when　Londik's　voice　changed；　but　he'd　also　observed　what　happened　to　apprentices　who　flaunted　their　prowess。　Besides　which；　his　mother　wouldn't　have　stood　for　such　behaviour　from　him　for　one　moment　longer　than　it　took　to　twist　his　ear　to　remind　him　to　keep　his　place。
　　　Dealing　with　Halanna　had　also　taught　Merelan　a　trick　or　two　about　overdeveloped　conceits。
　　　〃Sing　with　a　child？〃　The　girl's　tone　was　insulting。
　　　〃Singing　with　a　well…trained　treble　voice；　which　my　son　…〃　Merelan　paused　briefly　〃…　has；　will　prove　how　much　more　he　already　knows　about　singing　than　you　do。　Shall　we　begin　at　〃Now　is　the　time〃。。？〃
　　　Merelan　lowered　her　left　eyelid　just　slightly　at　Robinton　as　she　raised　her　arms　to　beat　out　the　measure；　and　he　was　ready。　He　knew　she　meant　that　he　should　sing　out　now；　something　he　had　not　done　before　since　he　knew　better　than　to　dominate　in　group　singing。
　　　Maizella　almost　missed　her　entrance；　she　was　gawking　so　hard　at　him。　Robinton　enjoyed　this　moment　of　ascendancy　and；　from　the　susurrus　of　whispering　from　the　rest　of　the　class；　so　did　the　others。
　　　Maizella　naturally　tried　to　drown　him　out；　and　his　mother　cancelled　the　beat　and　called　her　to　order。　
〃In　duet　singing；　the　voices　must　balance　for　the　best　effect。　We　know　you　can　sing　the　crawlers　out　of　their　webs；　Maizella；　but　there　are　none　in　this　room。〃　Merelan　regarded　those　who　were　tittering　with　a　stern　eye。　〃From　〃Now　is　the　time〃　…　and　sing　with　the　treble；　not　against　him。〃
　　　This　time　Maizella　modulated　the　volume；　and　even　she　could　sense　the　effective　difference　…　though　she　did　not；　from　the　scowl　on　her　face；　appreciate　it。
　　　〃That　was　much　better；　Maizella；　much　better。　Let's　see　if　we　can　blend　in　the　third　voice。〃　And　when　the　soprano　line　began；　it　was　Merelan　who　sang　it　and　showed；　by　her　example；　exactly　what　she　had　meant　by　balancing　voices。
　　　The　rest　of　the　children　in　the　class　clapped　as　the　song　ended。
　　　〃You　didn't　tell　me　you　could　sing　like　that；〃　Falloner　accused　Robinton　as　they　trotted　out　to　the　courtyard　where　they　had　a　half…hour's　respite　from　lessons。
　　　〃You　didn't　ask；〃　Robinton　said；　grinning。
　　　〃You　been　waiting　to　show　Maizella　up？〃
　　　〃Not　waiting；〃　Robinton　said；　bouncing　the　large　goal　ball。　There　was　a　hoop　set　on　a　pole；　and　the　aim　was　to　see　how　often　one　could　get　the　ball　through　the　hoop　each　go。　Rob　was　pretty　good　at　goal　ball　but；　just　as　he　was　aiming；　he　saw　the　dragons　flying　in　a　distant　formation　and　missed　the　hoop　entirely。
　　　Falloner　intercepted　the　ball　from　Hayon's　hopeful　hand　and　lobbed　it　neatly　through　the　hoop；　catching　it　deftly　and　returning　to　the　white　line　to　toss　again。
　　　Robinton　ignored　all　that；　keeping　his　eyes　on　the　rapidly　disappearing　V　of　dragons。
　　　〃Better　get　used　to　seeing　'em　in　the　sky；　or　you'll　never　get　a　turn　at　goal　ball；〃　Falloner　said　on　their　way　back　to　the　classroom　after　their　recess。
　　　〃I　suppose；　you're　used　to　it；〃　Robinton　said；　〃but　to　see　them　like　that；　the　way　the　music　says　…　well；　that　was　special　to　me。〃
　　　Falloner　gave　his　friend　an　odd　look。　〃Yes；　I　guess　it　would　be。　Just　like　you　singing　as　good　as　any　harper　I've　ever　heard　is　a　surprise　for　me。　Say；　let's　scare　the　watchwher！〃　He　grinned　from　ear　to　ear。
　　　Robinton　stared　at　him。　〃But　you're　weyrbred。〃
　　　〃So　what？　They're　not　dragons；　and　it's　good　fun　to　see　how　loud　you　can　make　it　so。。。〃　Falloner　never　finished　that　sentence；　because　Robinton　head…butted　him　to　the　dirt　and　then　flopped　down　on　his　chest；　holding　a　fist　in　readiness。
　　　〃I　don't　let　watchwhers　get　teased；　not　at　Fort；　or　the　Hall；　or　here！〃　he　said　in　a　loud　and　forceful　voice。　〃Say　you　won't？〃　And　he　cocked　his　arm　further；　ready　to　strike。
　　　〃But　it's　not　hurting　them。。。〃
　　　〃If　they　scream；　they　hurt。　Promise？〃　〃Sure；　whatever　you　say；　Rob。〃　〃You　mean　it？〃　〃On　my　hope　of　riding　a　dragon！〃　Falloner　said　fervently。　〃Now　let　me　up。　I've　a　stone　digging　in　my　ribs。〃
　　　Robinton　gave　his　friend　a　hand　up　and　then　brushed　him　off。
　　　〃Just　don't　let　me　catch　you　breaking　your　word。〃
　　　〃I　gave　it　to　you！〃　Falloner　said　in　a　surly　tone。　〃Don't　know　what's　got　into　you。〃
　　　〃I　just　don't　like　to　hear　them　scream。〃　Robinton　gave　a　convulsive　shake。　〃Goes　right　through　my　ears　and　down　to　my　heel…bones。　Like　chalk　on　a　slate。〃
　　　〃It　does？〃　Now　Falloner　gave　himself　a　shake　at　the　thought　of　that　sound。　〃Doesn't　me；　but。。。〃　He　held　up　his　hands　defensively　as　Robinton　made　a　fist　again。　〃I'll　keep　my　word。〃　He　shook　his　head；　though。　Robinton's　unexpected　behaviour　was　beyond　his　prehension。
　　　There　were；　of　course；　other　teachers　at　the　Hold　to　cope　with　the　basic　reading；　writing　and　figuring　which　all　children　were　obliged　to　learn　before　their　twelfth　year。　After　that；　they　would　take　up　apprenticeships　to　whatever　Hall　their　inclination　suited　them；　or　go　on　in　their　family　Hold's　work。　With　a　large　Hold　like　Benden；　there　were　enough　pupils　to　be　divided　by　age　and　ability。　But　all　had　their　hour　of　daily　musical　training　with　the　MasterSinger。
　　　Without　ever　calling　attention　to　the　assignment；　Merelan　had　her　son　teaching　some　of　the　younger　children　their　scales　and　how　to　read　music；　since　he　was　actually　well　ahead　of　whatever　Falloner　and　Hayon　had　learned　from　the　Hold's　previous　harper。
　　　Robinton　never　minded　such　duties。　He　liked　seeing　the　little　ones　learn　more　quickly　because　he　knew　exactly　how　to　get　them　to　do　it　…　the　way　he　had　with　Lexey。　In　the　privacy　of　their　own　quarters；　his　mother　tutored　him　at　his　own　pace　and　encouraged　him　to　use　one　of　the　instruments　when　he　was　posing。　For　he　still　wrote　music。　He　couldn't　not　write。　Tunes；　especially　when　he　saw　dragons　in　the　sky；　just　pushed　against　his　temples　until　he　had　to　put　them　down。　And；　accustomed　as　he　had　bee　to　not　mentioning　this　activity；　no　one　…　not　even　Falloner　…　knew　that　the　songs　Merelan　was　teaching　them　had　been　posed　by　Robinton。
　　　〃This　isn't　like　the　Harper　Hall；　Robie；〃　she　explained　carefully　the　day　before　she　introduced　the　first　of　his　melodies；　〃where　everyone　knows　you。　I　don't　want　to　put　you　at　a　disadvantage。　Do　you　understand　what　I　mean？〃
　　　Robinton　thought　a　moment。　〃Yeah；　Maizella　would　go　all　tissy　about　having　to　sing　something　I　wrote。〃　And　he　made　his　grin　as　understanding　as　he　could。　〃Can　we　tell　her　someday；　though；　Mother？〃　he　added　wistfully。
　　　She　ruffled　his　hair。　〃I　can　promise　you　that；　my　love。　When　it　seems　auspicious。〃
　　　〃That　means　〃favourable〃；　doesn't　it？〃　She　chuckled。　〃It　does。。。〃　〃Harpers　use　that　word　a　lot。〃
　　　〃Harpering　is　not　just　knowing　the　words　and　melody　to　a　lot　of　songs。。。〃
　　　〃And　not　just　knowing　when　to　sing　them；　either。〃　He　finished　the　saying　for　her。
　　　She　tilted　his　face　up　to　her　and　regarded　him　with　a　very　pensive　expression　on　her　face。　〃I　think；　my　darling　son；　that　you　are　going　to　make　a　splendid　harper。〃
　　　〃I　plan　to；〃　he　said；　grinning　impishly　at　her。
　　　She　gave　him　a　quick　hug　and　then　asked　to　see　the　lessons　she　had　set　him　in　contrapuntal　theory。
　　　A　few　evenings　later；　Merelan　asked　Maizella　to　sing　a　new　song　after　dinner。　At　first　the　conversations　didn't　abate；　but　gradually　a　respectful　silence　rewarded　the　noticeable　improvement　in　both　tone　and　volume。　Maizella　sat　down　flushed　with　achievement　and　didn't　notice　that　the　applause　was　more　from　relief　than　approval。
　　　Then　Merelan　had　her　and　Robinton　sing　the　duet　they　had　practiced　in　class。
　　　By　now；　Merelan　had　identified　other　good　voices　in　the　Hold；　and　gradually　the　evenings　featured　four…part　harmonies　and　the　addition　of　several　more　instruments；　as　well　as　more　new　songs　and　a　far　larger　chorus。
　　　Then；　about　six　seven…days　after　their　arrival　at　Benden；　Falloner　told　Robinton　that　the　Weyrleaders　were　ing　to　the　Hold　with　some　of　the　wingleaders　and　their　women。
　　　〃They　e　often？〃　Robinton　asked；　awed。　Would　his　mother　ask　him　to　sing　for　the　dragonriders？　There　would　surely　be　music　after　dinner。
　　　Falloner　shrugged。　〃Often　enough。　S'loner　and　Lord　Maidir　get　along　really　well　because　Benden　believes　in　the　dragonriders　and　Carola；　who's　Weyrwoman；　is　the　daughter　of　Hayara's　oldest　sister。　So　they're　kin。〃
　　　〃S'loner？〃　Robinton　couldn't　help　gawking　at　his　friend。　He　knew　how　weyrfolk　named　children　…　generally　using　some　part　of　the　father's　as　well　as　the　mother's　name。　〃Your　father's　the　Weyrleader？〃
　　　〃Yeah。〃　Falloner　gave　an　indifferent　shrug。　Then　he　grinned　at　Robinton's　startled　expression。　〃That's　one　reason　why　I'm　sure　to　Impress　a　bronze；　and　why　I'll　get　the　chance　to　stand　on　the　Hatching　Ground　as　long　as　there're　eggs　clutched。　There've　been　a　lot　of　Weyrleaders　in　my　lineage。〃　He　straightened　up　proudly。
　　　〃And　I'm　here　because　I'm　supposed　to　learn　more　than　I'd　get　taught　at　the　Weyr　since　we　don't　have　a　Hall…trained　harper。　If　I'm　going　to　lead　the　Weyr　in　the　next　Fall；　I've　got　to　know　more　than　the　average　bron