amc.masterharperofpern-第29节

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nism；　he　was　consumed　with　relief　when　'protocol'　required　him　to　join　the　other　apprentices　in　their　dormitory　the　day　after　his　twelfth　birthday。
　　　Instead　of　being　on　better　terms　with　his　father　after　two　turns　of　solo　work；　he　seemed　to　annoy　Petiron　even　more；　no　matter　how　hard　he　tried。　In　fact；　it　got　so　that　everyone　noticed；　and　the　other　singers　made　a　point　of　telling　him　how　well　he　did；　loudly　enough　for　his　father　…　who　gave　him　only　a　nod　now　and　then　…　to　hear。
　　　He　knew　his　transfer　upset　his　mother；　and　yet　he　was　positive　it　would　make　things　a　lot　easier　for　her。　It　was　only　too　obvious　that　his　father　couldn't　wait　to　see　the　back　of　him。　And　his　case　wasn't　the　same　as　that　of　other　apprentice　lads：　he'd　lived　in　the　Hall　all　his　life；　so　he　wouldn't　be　homesick　in　the　dormitory。　Although　he　would　miss　his　mother's　loving　care；　he　was　earnestly　looking　forward　to　leaving　the　family　apartment。
　　　〃The　boy　is　not　going　more　than　two　hundred　feet　away；〃　Petiron　said　as　he　watched　Merelan　taking　great　care　in　packing　Robinton's　belongings。　Then　he　saw　the　thick　roll　of　music　she　was　stowing　away。　〃What's　that？〃　he　demanded　suspiciously。
　　　〃Rob's　done　some　exercises；〃　she　replied　indifferently；　and　tried　to　place　them　out　of　sight　in　the　carton。
　　　〃Exercises？〃
　　　〃Classwork；　I　think；〃　she　added　to　stress　the　insignificance。　She　had　it　almost　packed　away　when　Petiron　extracted　the　roll　and　pulled　it　open。
　　　In　the　exasperating　fashion　thin　hide　can　have；　it　resisted；　and　he　was　muttering　under　his　breath　with　frustration。　Merelan　steeled　herself　and　motioned　surreptitiously　for　Robie　to　continue　folding　his　clothing　into　the　carisak。
　　　Rob　had　so　hoped　that　he　could　leave　the　apartment　without　any　unpleasantness。　Why　did　his　father　have　to　hang　around　this　afternoon　when　he　could　have　been　anywhere　else　in　the　Hall　just　then？
　　　〃Exercises？　Exercises！〃　Petiron　glared　first　at　his　spouse　and　then　through　the　doorway　at　his　son。　His　tendency　to　use　scowls　as　facial　expressions　had　already　carved　deep　lines　in　his　long　face。
　　　〃These　are　copies　of　those　ridiculous　tunes　the　apprentices　keep　asking　to　sing。〃
　　　Robinton　couldn't　see　his　mother's　face　because　she　had　risen；　hoping　to　retrieve　the　roll。　Petiron　looked　from　one　to　the　other　and；　for　the　first　time　in　his　dealings　with　his　son；　had　a　sudden　perception。
　　　〃You〃　…　he　waved　the　offending　roll　in　his　son's　direction　…　〃wrote　these。〃
　　　〃Yes。。。〃　Robinton　had　to　tell　the　truth　now；　if　never　again。　〃As　exercises；〃　he　heard　himself　adding　when　he　saw　the　deepening　of　the　scowl　on　his　father's　face。　〃Sort　of　variations。。。〃
　　　〃Variations　which　all　the　Masters　use　in　their　classes。　Variations　which　the　instrumentalists　constantly　use。　And　twaddle　at　that；　silly　tunes　that　anyone　can　sing　or　play。　Useless　nonsense！　Just　what　has　been　going　on　behind　my　back？〃
　　　〃Since　you　have　heard　the　Masters　using　Robie's　songs　in　their　classes；　and　the　instrumentalists　using　them；　then　nothing　has　been　going　on　behind　your　back；　has　it？〃　Merelan　asked　calmly　and　retrieved　the　roll　from　her　spouse's　hand。
　　　〃He's　been　posing？〃
　　　〃Yes；　he's　been　posing。　Songs。〃　She　did　not　add　that　Petiron　was　looking　at　some　of　their　son's　very　early　work。　She　hoped　he　did　not　remember　how　long　he　had　been　hearing　his　son's　charming；　happy　tunes。　〃Wouldn't　it　be　odd　for　him　to　be　tone…deaf　as　well　as　note…blind　in　this　Hall；　saturated　by　music　all　the　days　of　his　life；　and　two　MasterHarpers　daily　drumming　sound　into　his　head？　I'd　say　it　is　only　logical　that　he　would　write　music　and　sing　well。　Don't　you？〃
　　　Petiron　stood；　looking　from　one　to　the　other。　He　watched　as　Merelan　rolled　the　songs　tight　and　pushed　them　back　into　the　box。
　　　〃You　hide　from　me　the　fact　that　he　has　perfect　pitch；　has　a　good　treble　voice；　and　has　been　writing　music？〃
　　　〃No　…　one　…　has　…　been　…　hiding　…　a　sharding　thing　from　you；　Petiron；〃　Merelan　said　tensely；　enunciating　every　syllable　and　using　a　swear　word　that　shocked　Robinton　as　much　as　it　did　his　father；　who　recoiled　from　Merelan's　controlled　anger。　〃You　…　simply　…　did　not　hear；　and　did　not　see。　Now；　act　the　father　for　once　in　your　life；　and　carry　this　carton　to　the　dormitory。　It's　much　too　heavy　for　Rob。〃　She　pointed　at　the　burden　and　then　at　the　windows　to　the　dormitory　that　Robinton　would　be　using。
　　　Without　a　word；　Petiron　picked　it　up　and　made　his　way　out　of　the　room。
　　　Robinton　looped　two　more　carisaks　over　one　shoulder　and　took　one　step　forward；　but　his　mother；　her　head　turned　towards　the　hallway；　held　up　her　hand。
　　　〃Wait　a　minute；　dear。〃　She　turned　back　to　him；　her　face　drawn　with　sadness　and　despair。　〃I　shouldn't　have　said　that。　I　shouldn't　have　lost　my　patience　with　the　man。　But　I　can't　keep　on　saving　his　self…esteem；　catering　to　his　enormous　ego；　and　always　at　your　expense；　Rob。〃
　　　〃It's　all　right；　mother。　I　understand。〃
　　　His　mother　reached　out　to　caress　his　cheek　…　he　was　nearly　her　height　now　…　shaking　her　head　sadly；　her　eyes　full　of　tears。　〃I'd　be　surprised　if　you　really　did；　love；　but　it　shows　your　good　heart　and　generous　spirit。　Always　keep　that；　Robie。　It's　a　saving　grace。〃
　　　She　let　him　go　then　and；　though　he　didn't　see　his　father　on　the　stairs　or　in　the　dormitory；　the　box　was　on　the　bed　assigned　him。　He　started　unpacking；　hoping　that　both　the　lump　in　his　throat　and　the　sense　of　having　lost　something　important　would　go　away　before　any　of　the　other　apprentices　appeared。
　　　There　were　twenty…six　in　his　class；　quartered　in　three　long　rooms：　he　was　lucky　enough　to　be　in　the　six…man　one；　so　there　was　a　trifle　more　space。　By　evening；　he'd　met　them　all；　and　they　had　been　vetted　by　the　older　apprentices。　He　kept　a　suitable　expression　on　his　face　when　the　head　apprentice；　a　tall　well…built　lad　from　Keroon　named　Shonagar；　rattled　off　what　was　expected　of　first…Turn　apprentices；　how　they　were　the　〃lowest'　of　the　〃lowly'　in　the　Hall；　and　the　traditions　of　their　new　status。　He　also　told　them　about　the　necessity　of　spending　a　night　alone　in　the　Weyr　to　prove　their　bravery。
　　　〃Harpers　run　into　all　kinds　of　problems　and　difficulties。　This　isn't　just　singing　songs　to　folks　in　a　hold　in　the　evenings。　It　can　be　a　dangerous　life；〃　he　said；　thoroughly　solemn；　〃and　you　have　to　prove；　now；　that　you　can　take　it。〃
　　　〃But　the　Weyr's　been　empty　for　hundreds　of　Turns；〃　exclaimed　the　skinniest　of　the　new　boys；　Grodon；　his　eyes　wide　with　anxiety。
　　　He　gulped　hard。
　　　〃We've　all　done　it；　lad。　You　will；　too；〃　Shonagar　said　firmly。　He　glanced　over　at　Robinton；　raising　his　eyebrows　as　he　recognized　the　new　apprentice。　〃All　of　you。〃
　　　Robinton　had　rehearsed　with　Shonagar　many　times　…　Shonagar　was　a　good　second　tenor。　More　important；　he　was　fair…minded　and　really　did　keep　good　order　in　the　apprentice　dormitories。　Though　his　position　as　head　apprentice　was　not　an　official　rank；　Master　Gennell　encouraged　his　leadership。　Shonagar　would　allow　no　bullying　or　improper　behaviour　in　the　dorms。
　　　Robinton　hadn't　mentioned　his　Hall　background　when　the　others　were　jabbering　away　about　their　homes；　but　it　would　soon　bee　obvious。　He　hoped　he　could　make　friends　in　spite　of　having　Masters　as　parents。　He　knew　how　apprentices　could　behave。
　　　Fortunately；　his　innate　modesty　and　amiability　stood　him　in　good　stead　as　he　settled　in　with　the　others。　Grodon　was　terribly　homesick　the　first　seven…day；　and　Rob　wheedled　bedtime　snacks　from　Lorra　to　ease　his　pain。　Falawny；　with　sun…bleached　hair　and　tanned　skin；　came　from　Igen；　Shelline　was　a　Neratian；　also　tanned；　Lear　was　from　Tillek；　and　delighted　not　to　have　to　bee　a　fisher　like　the　rest　of　his　kin。　Jerint　was　a　dark…plexioned　lad　from　southern　Keroon　who　spent　a　lot　of　his　time　softly　playing　his　pipes。　He　was　good　at　it；　too；　Robinton　quickly　realized。
　　　Robie　put　himself　forward　ten　days　later　when　Shonagar　entered　their　quarters　after　lights　out。
　　　〃Right；　now；　who'll　be　first　to　spend　the　night　at　the　Weyr？〃　the　head　apprentice　demanded；　eyeing　his　victims　sternly　as　they　lay　in　their　beds。
　　　All　save　Robinton　scrunched　down　further　under　their　sleeping　furs；　trying　to　disappear。
　　　〃I　guess　I　wouldn't　mind　getting　it　all　over　with；〃　Robinton　said；　throwing　back　his　covers。
　　　〃Good　for　you；　Robie；〃　Shonagar　said；　nodding　encouragingly。
　　　Robinton　dressed　in　the　warmest　of　his　clothes　and；　grabbing　his　jacket；　prepared　to　go。
　　　Shonagar　and　his　two　deputies　waiting　out　in　the　corridor　led　him　down　the　back　stairs　and　out　of　the　side　door　on　the　Hold　side　of　the　Hall。　There　were　five　runner　beasts　waiting　there；　held　by　a　fourth　apprentice。　Robinton　had　always　wondered　how　the　round　trip　to　the　Weyr　was　managed　in　the　one　night　without　all　the　Masters　knowing　of　the　unscheduled　excursion。　He　was　glad　he　didn't　have　to　hike　up　the　long　hill　road　that　led　to　the　Weyr。　That　would　be　scarier　than　being　in　it　alone　all　night。　Too　many　tunnel　snakes　across　mountain　roads　at　night。。。　and　other　things。
　　　They　walked　quietly　across　the　huge　Fort　Hold　square；　up　past　the　beastholds　and　cots；　and　then　Shonagar　led　them　through　the　tunnel　which　had　been　bored　in　the　Fort　Cliff