amc.masterharperofpern-第45节

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oice　for　the　song　or　not；　they　were　lusty　in　their　singing。
　　　C'gan　took　turns　with　him　and　then　called　forth　some　of　the　solo　voices。　Maizella　sang；　as　did　R'yar；　who　had　an　excellent　light　baritone　and　hadn't　forgotten　any　of　his　repertoire　in　his　turns　as　a　rider。
　　　Robinton　never　knew　when　Lord　Maidir　and　S'loner　left　the　table；　for　night　had　fallen　and；　although　there　were　plenty　of　glow…baskets　on　the　poles　around　the　Bowl；　there　were　so　many　ing　and　going　with　wine　or　to　answer　nature's　requirements；　and　so　much　for　him　to　oversee　as　harper；　that　he　noticed　their　absence　only　when　Lady　Hayara　rose　and　left　the　table；　escaping　a　Jora　slumped　drunkenly　across　it。
　　　No　one　would　ever　know　exactly　what　did　happen　that　night；　but　suddenly　a　piercing　scream　from　Nemorth　roused　everyone。
　　　Especially　when　every　other　dragon　voice　augmented　her　heart…rending；　piteous　scream。　It　seemed　to　go　on　and　on；　as　if　none　of　the　dragons　need　pause　for　breath。　It　cut　through　the　night　air；　worse　than　any　tormented　watchwher's　cry　…　a　knife　to　the　ears　and　to　the　heart。　He　thought　his　heart　would　stop　at　the　anguish　which　reverberated　in　the　Bowl。
　　　He　was　by　no　means　the　first　person　to　clap　hands　to　his　ears　to　muffle　the　awful　screeching。　It　was　the　look　of　shock　on　drugonrider　faces　that　gave　Robinton　his　clue　to　the　tragedy　which　had　just　been　announced　in　dragon　voice。　The　entire　Weyr　was　mourning　the　death　of　a　dragon。
　　　Robinton　grabbed　C'gan　and　turned　the　stricken　rider　to　him。
　　　C'gan's　nerveless　fingers　slipped　off　the　guitar　neck　as　tears　sprang　from　his　eyes。
　　　〃What　is　it；　C'gan？　What's　happened？〃
　　　Gulping　to　clear　his　throat；　C'gan　turned　anguished　eyes　to　the　harper。　〃It's　Chendith。　He's　dead。〃
　　　〃Chendith？〃　Robinton　whirled　round；　trying　to　spot　S'loner　in　the　crowd　of　shocked　people。　He　saw　F'lon；　miraculously　sober；　running　first　to　T'rell；　the　Weyrlingmaster；　because　the　keening　had　aroused　the　dragonets　and　T'rell　needed　help　in　rounding　up　the　new　riders　to　go　and　fort　their　distressed　beasts。　Not　a　young　man　himself；　T'rell　looked　haggard　with　grief　and　staggered　as　he　moved　about　the　tables。
　　　〃Dead？　Why？　How？〃　Robinton　demanded。　〃He　didn't　look　sick　or　anything　during　the　Hatching。〃　He　lost　sight　of　F'lon；　then　saw　him　again；　hauling　the　Weyr's　healer　into　the　light。
　　　Then　Lady　Hayara　gave　a　shriek　that　pierced　through　the　keening。
　　　〃Maidir？　Maidir！　Where　are　you？〃
　　　It　was　the　watchrider；　circling　down　on　his　dragon；　who　told　them　that　he　had　seen　Chendith；　with　two　aboard　him；　going　between。　He　couldn't　see　too　well　in　the　darkness　above　the　lighted　Bowl；　but　he　thought　that　Chendith's　passenger　had　been　Lord　Maidir。　He'd　caught　the　shine　of　white　hair　and　the　green　of　the　man's　garments。　Lord　Maidir　had　been　wearing　green。
　　　〃But　why？　What　could　have　happened　to　them？　S'loner　wouldn't　take　Chendith's　life。　Nor　his　own；〃　C'gan　said；　sunken　in　despair。　〃What　could　have　happened？　He　was　in　such　high　spirits　over　the　Impression。　And　twenty　dragons。〃
　　　They　had　to　try　to　rouse　Jora　from　her　drunken　stupor；　because　Lady　Hayara　had　not　seen　the　two　men　leave　the　table。
　　　〃They　have　been　estranged　so　long；〃　Hayara　said　through　her　tears；　〃and　it　was　only　after　that　song　of　yours；　Rob；　that　they　started　speaking　to　each　other。　I　thought　it　was　such　a　good　sign；　but　I　couldn't　hear　what　they　were　saying　because。。。〃　She　cut　off　what　negative　ment　she　had　been　about　to　make；　though　her　disgust　with　the　Weyrwoman　was　plain。
　　　F'lon；　R'gul　and　S'lel　were　trying　to　sober　up　Jora　with　strong　klah；　but　she　was　boneless　and　kept　sliding　down　the　chair　and　having　to　be　propped　up　to　get　any　of　the　restorative　liquid　down　her　throat。
　　　Healer　Tinamon；　assisting；　put　forward　a　tentative　theory。
　　　〃S'loner　may　have　looked　strong　and　healthy；　but　he　was　having　chest　pains　far　too　frequently；〃　he　said。　〃I'd　given　him　the　usual　remedy；　although　I　wanted　him　to　call　in　a　MasterHealer　or　at　least　visit　the　Healer　Hall。　He　said　he　would　after　Impression。〃
　　　That　did　not　explain　why　Maidir　had　acpanied　S'loner　on　what　was　his　last　flight；　although　Lady　Hayara　said　that　her　spouse　was　very　tired　and　might　have　requested　either　a　place　to　rest　here　at　the　Weyr　or　the　courtesy　of　a　return　to　Benden　Hold。
　　　〃Oh；　please　will　someone　take　me　back　to　the　Hold　immediately？〃　Lady　Hayara　asked　piteously。　〃Maidir　may　be　there　and　have　some　explanation　for　us。〃
　　　R'gul　promptly　volunteered；　and　Manora；　the　quiet　weyr　girl　who　had　spoken　to　C'gan　earlier；　had　the　good　sense　to　bring　Lady　Hayara's　riding　jacket。　Together　they　escorted　her　into　the　darkness　of　the　Bowl　where　Nemorth；　still　keening；　waited。
　　　C'rob；　M'ridin　and　C'vrel；　the　oldest　of　the　wingleaders；　were　holding　a　conference；　which　F'lon　joined　as　if　he　had　the　right。
　　　Plainly　the　other　riders　did　not　think　so。
　　　〃The　next　mating　flight　will　decide　that；　F'lon；　so　let's　not　jump　to　any　premature　assumptions。　And　with　Jora　the　way　she　is；　that's　likely　to　take　a　few　Turns；〃　M'ridin　said　in　a　low　but　angry　voice。
　　　〃I　suggest　we　clear　the　Weyr　of　all　visitors；〃　C'rob　said。　〃This　Impression　is　over。〃
　　　〃And　marred　by　a　death；　which　is　not　good；　not　good　at　all；〃　C'vrel　added；　shaking　his　head。
　　　〃Keeping　the　dragons　busy　is　the　best　thing　for　them；〃　M'ridin　went　on。　〃Only　be　bloody　sure　to　remind　riders　to　give　the　clearest　coordinates　they　ever　had　in　their　minds。〃
　　　〃Wouldn't　it　be　better　to　let　people　stay。。。〃　C'vrel　suggested。
　　　〃No；　the　Weyr　must　mourn　its　own；〃　C'rob　said。　〃I'll　ask　only　the　older　riders　to　convey　passengers。〃　He　ignored　F'lon　and　went　to　choose　those　whom　he　considered　responsible　enough。
　　　S'lel　and　another　stalwart　weyr　man　were　now　carrying　Jora　up　the　steps　to　her　quarters；　having　failed　to　rouse　her。　On　the　ledge；　Nemorth　was　still　keening　loudly　for　her　mate；　swaying　her　head　and　neck　back　and　forth；　her　eyes　whirling　with　the　muddy　purples　shot　with　orangey　yellows　of　extreme　distress。　It　was　then　that　Robinton　realized　the　sides　of　the　Weyr　were　punctuated　by　many　pairs　of　whirling；　distressed　dragon　eyes；　like　coloured　glow…baskets　of　unusual　size。　He　remembered　that　long　after　other　details　of　the　terrible　evening　faded：　the　whirling　eyes　and　the　sad；　bone…shaking　keening　from　several　hundred　dragon　throats　echoing　back　and　forth　across　the　Bowl；　all　night　long。
　　　A　drum　message　brought　the　information　that　Lady　Hayara　had　not　found　Maidir　at　Benden　Hold。　The　fatal　accident　had　taken　all　three　in　that　brief　instant　between。　Robinton　asked　C'gan　to　convey　himself　and　Raid；　who　was　probably　now　the　Lord　Holder　of　Benden；　back　to　the　Hold。　His　stepmother　would　need　his　support　and　what　fort　could　be　given　her。　Robinton　was　packing　up　his　music　and　instrument　when　F'lon　came　up　to　him。
　　　〃You'll　want　to　go　back；〃　the　young　bronze　rider　said　in　a　weary　voice。
　　　〃I've　asked　C'gan。。。〃
　　　〃Why　him？〃　F'lon　was　angry。
　　　〃You've　just　lost　your　father；　man；〃　Robinton　said；　gripping　the　rider　tightly　on　the　arm。　〃I　could　scarcely　impose　on　you。。。〃
　　　F'lon　brushed　hair　back　from　his　forehead　in　an　irritable　gesture　and　swung　this　way　and　that。　〃It's　not　as　if　we　were　close　…　weyrbred　not　taking　that　much　store　in　relationships　…　and　shards！　But　he's　messed　things　up　dying　like　this！〃
　　　Whether　or　not　that　outburst　was　F'lon's　way　of　expressing　his　grief；　Robinton　was　never　sure；　but　the　dragonrider　was　certainly　furious。　Robinton　knew　that　the　young　bronze　rider　had　been　proud　of　being　the　Weyrleader's　son。　He'd　always　affected　an　attitude　of　disdain　for　the　relationship；　but　at　least　he　had　had　one　with　his　father。　Robinton　envied　him　that。
　　　〃The　others　are　too　nervous　as　it　is；〃　F'lon　went　on　savagely；　looking　every　way　but　at　the　harper。　He　kicked　at　the　dirt　of　the　Bowl　and　kept　shaking　his　head。　〃I　told　him　he　was　chancing　it　with　those　chest　pains。　Listen　to　his　son？　Oh；　no；　he　knew　it　all。〃
　　　In　the　glowbaskets；　Robinton　now　noticed　the　wet　streaks　on　F'lon's　cheeks　and　he　wished　he　could　find　something　to　say　that　would　ease　his　loss。　There　was　nothing。
　　　〃Oh；　go　on；　Rob。　You're　safer　with　C'gan　anyway。　At　least　right　now。　〃
　　　〃Keep　me　posted　how　things　are　here；　will　you；　F'lon？　I　know　you　can　drum。〃
　　　He　gripped　the　bronze　rider's　arm　in　what　he　hoped　expressed　his　sympathy　and　regret　and　then；　picking　up　his　carisaks；　made　his　way　out　of　the　brightly　lit　area　to　the　blackness　of　the　Bowl　…　the　silhouetted　shape　of　C'gan's　blue　Tagath；　and　the　glimmering　shine　of　sad　dragon　eyes；　dotting　the　wall　of　the　Weyr。
Chapter　ELEVEN
　　　His　first　act　on　returning　to　Benden　was　to　search　for　Maizella　and　find　out　how　Lady　Hayara　was　doing。　The　girl　looked　almost　as　haggard　as　her　stepmother　had。
　　　〃She's　had　a　healer's　draught　and　will　sleep　her　grief　out；〃　she　said。　〃And　I'm　about　to　take　one　myself。　I　still　can't　believe　what's　happened。　Couldn't　there　still　be　a　chance　they'll　emerge　from　between？〃
　　　Robinton　shook　his　head。　〃The　dragons　would　know。　And　they　know　that　Chendith　is　no　more。　I'm　so　sorry；　Maizelie。〃
　　　〃I　know　you　are；　Rob；〃　she