amc.masterharperofpern-第57节

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too。　Would　you　say　that　Farevene　is　able　for　him？〃
　　　Robinton　cleared　his　throat；　struggling　with　being　honest　without　being　derogatory。　〃Let　me　say　that　I　wouldn't　back　Farevene　in　a　wrestling　match　with　Fax。〃
　　　〃Frankly；　nor　would　I；　but　I　know　Farevene　has　been　well　trained　to　succeed　his　father；　and　I　would　certainly　not　confirm　Fax　in　his　place。〃
　　　Robinton　let　out　a　relieved　breath　through　his　lips　and　said　nothing　more。
　　　Melongel　grinned　more　broadly　now。　〃Go　on；　lad。　I　know　you're　eager　to　spend　time　with　Kasia　after　being　so　long　away。　One　more　thing：　you'll　be　on　the　panel　of　the　Gather　Day　Court　with　Minnarden　and　myself。〃
　　　Inwardly；　Robinton　groaned　…　once　more　the　wall　incident　was　raising　its　head；　even　if　he　was　appreciative　of　the　honour　just　accorded　him。　Minnarden　had　been　very　pleased　with　his　application　to　the　study　of　the　Charter　and　his　understanding　of　the　principles　of　mediation　and　adjudication。　This　would　be　his　first　time　to　sit　on　a　Hold　Court　panel。　Kasia　would　be　pleased；　even　if　he　wasn't。
　　　〃I　doubt　it　will　be　a　long　session；　Rob；　and　certainly　won't　cut　into　your　espousal　in　the　afternoon。〃
　　　With　a　clap　on　the　shoulder；　Melongel　finally　dismissed　him。
　　　〃At　the　Gather　Court？　Oh；　Rob；　that　is　an　honour；〃　Kasia　exclaimed　when　he　told　her；　her　eyes　wide。　Then　she　giggled。　〃Melongel　really　likes　you。〃
　　　〃He's　working　my　butt…end　off；〃　Robinton　said　in　an　unrepentant　growl。　〃I'll　be　all　morning　listening　to　troublemakers'　excuses　and　deciding　fines　for　minor　infractions。〃
　　　〃Keep　you　from　being　nervous　about　the　afternoon；〃　she　said；　teasingly。
　　　〃Ha！　The　morning'll　make　me　worse。　Having　to　sit　through　Court　will　give　me　indigestion；　having　to　listen　to　all　those　half…truths　and　alibis。。。〃　He　pulled　her　into　his　arms；　stroking　her　hair；　which　had　a　soothing　effect　on　his　disturbed　digestion。　Kissing　her　provoked　other　sensations；　and　once　again　he　didn't　get　around　to　mentioning　the　Sonata　to　Sea…Green　Eyes。
　　　Of　course；　the　longer　he　delayed；　the　harder　it　was　going　to　be　to　work　in　a　playing　of　it　before　the　Gather。　And　suddenly　he　wasn't　at　all　sure　of　its　worth。　It　was　definitely　the　most　serious　music　he　had　ever　written；　and　he　was　quite　unsure　of　its　merit。　He　could　be　fooling　himself。　It　wasn't　as　if　he　could　play　for　a　critical　listener；　like　Minnarden；　who　had　seen　the　rest　of　his　travel　songs　and　liked　them。　They　were　insignificant　pared　with　the　sonata　…　if　it　was　any　good　at　all。　Yet　whenever　he　heard　the　music　in　his　head；　it　thrilled　him；　and　he　felt　a　tremendous　lift　at　the　finale　of　the　last　movement。　Like　making　love。　And　that's　what　he　wanted　people　to　hear　when　they　listened　to　it　…　the　crescendo　which　was　also　an　orgasm。
　　　Finally　it　was　the　day　before　the　Gather　and　his　mother　arrived　with　Master　Gennell。　What　with　the　necessary　hospitality　accorded　them；　he　had　trouble　finding　a　few　moments　alone　with　Merelan；　when　he　could　chide　her　for　making　such　a　long　journey　when　she　was　obviously　tired。
　　　〃Tired　of　riding；　yes；〃　she　said；　her　voice　vigorous。　〃Your　father　has　sent　a　short　piece；　which　I'm　to　sing　at　your　espousal。〃
　　　〃He　did？〃　Robinton　was　flabbergasted　as　he　took　the　score　from　his　mother's　hand。
　　　〃It's　not　in　his　usual　style；　either。　I　do　believe　your　father　is　mellowing　with　age。〃
　　　Robinton　snorted　but；　as　he　scanned　the　music；　he　realized　that　this　was　a　softer　music；　almost　gentle；　and　quite　simple；　considering　the　usual　style　in　which　his　father　wrote。
　　　〃Minnarden　said　he　would　acpany　me；　as　you'll　he　otherwise　occupied。。。〃　And　then　Merelan　hugged　him　fiercely。
　　　〃She's　lovely；　your　Kasia；　and　she　is　besotted　with　you。　You'll　be　happy；　Robie。　I　know　you'll　be　happy。〃
　　　〃I　am　already；〃　he　said　with　a　silly　grin　on　his　face。　〃And　mother；　I　have　some　music　I　need　you　to　look　over。〃
　　　〃You　do？　Just　like　old　times；〃　she　said；　waiting　as　he　rummaged　in　his　drawers　to　find　the　sonata。　〃I'm　almost　jealous　that　others　get　to　see　your　music　now　before　I　do。〃
　　　〃I　always　send。。。〃
　　　〃I　know　you　do；　lovey；　but　it　was　such　fun　to　be　the　first　to。。。〃　She　had　unrolled　the　score　and　blinked　at　the　first　measures。　She　read　on；　and　started　to　hum　the　opening　melody。　Cocking　her　head；　she　took　to　walking　as　she　read；　sometimes　half…singing；　sometimes　nodding　her　head　to　the　tempo；　her　eyes　never　leaving　the　page。
　　　While　his　stomach　churned　and　his　heart　seemed　to　be　squeezed　tight；　he　watched。　Fortunately　he　had　moved　into　their　new　quarters　on　the　uppermost　level　of　the　Hold；　well　down　the　corridors　from　the　rooms　the　old　aunties　and　uncles　occupied。　There　were　two　rooms　with　a　small　bathing　facility　in　what　Kasia　called　a　walk…into　closet。　So　there　was　space　for　Merelan　to　pace　from　the　bedroom　door　across　the　wide　living　area。
　　　Abruptly　Merelan　paused；　gave　him　a　bemused　look；　then　sat　herself　down　on　the　stool　by　his　guitar　stand　and；　propping　up　the　music　and　picking　up　the　guitar；　she　started　to　play　it。
　　　He　had　arranged　it　for　first　fiddle；　or　a　guitar；　harp　and　pipes；　with　the　occasional　emphasis　of　a　flat　drum。　It　wasn't　that　long　a　piece；　for　all　its　three　movements。　He　had　not　added　a　fourth；　as　his　father　would　have　done；　because　he　had　said；　musically；　all　that　he　needed　to　in　the　allegro；　adagio　and　rondo。　A　scherzo　would　have　fractured　the　mood。
　　　When　his　mother　played　the　final　chords；　her　hands　remained　motionless　on　the　strings　for　a　long　moment。　Then　she　gave　a　funny　little　shake　as　if　she'd　had　a　spasm　and　looked　up　at　him；　her　eyes　filled　with　tears。
　　　〃Oh；　Robie；　that　is　the　most　beautiful　thing　you've　ever　written。　Does　Kasia　like　it？　For　I　know　you　wrote　it　for　her。〃
　　　Robinton　gulped。　〃I　haven't　shown　it　to　her。　I　didn't。。。　know。。。　if　it　was　any　good　or　not。〃　The　last　phrase　came　out　fast。
　　　〃Not　good！　Not　good！〃　His　mother　returned　the　guitar　to　its　stand　and　rose　in　indignation。　〃Robinton；　you　have　never　written　a　bad　piece　of　music　yet；　and　that〃　…　she　pointed　a　stiff　forefinger　at　the　roll　…　〃is　the　best　position　to　date。　How　dare　you　not　give　it　to　her？　You　said　she　plays　the　harp。　Why；　it's　the　most　romantic　piece　of　music　I　have　ever　heard。　Even　better。。。〃　She　closed　her　lips。
　　　〃No；　there　is　no　parison。　You　have　a　far　more　romantic　soul；　my　dearest　son。〃　She　put　her　arms　around　his　waist　and　hugged　him。　〃If　you　don't　show　her　that　before　tomorrow。。。〃
　　　。〃When　will　I　have　the　time？　It　is　nearly　tomorrow　now；　mother！〃　He　hugged　her　tightly　to　him；　smelling　the　scent　she　packed　her　clothing　with　and　wondering　at　how　the　two　women　he　loved　felt　much　the　same　in　his　arms。
　　　〃You'd　better　do　it　soon；　then；〃　Merelan　said。　〃She'll　never　forgive　you　for　not　doing　it　sooner。。。　unless；　of　course；　you've　just　finished　the　piece。〃
　　　〃No；　I　wrote　it　this　summer。〃
　　　〃Oh！〃　she　exclaimed　in　explosive　dismay。　〃If　you　were　so　worried　about　it；　why　didn't　you　send　it　to　me？　I'd　have　reassured　you。〃
　　　Why　he　hadn't　sent　it　was　no　mystery　to　either　of　them；　but　he　felt　relieved　and　more　confident　than　ever；　having　her　positive　opinion。　And　he　knew　that　she　would　never　have　been　so　enthusiastic　if　she　didn't　truly　find　it　good。　That　courtesy　had　nothing　to　do　with　him　being　her　son。　〃Is　there　a　copy　of　it；　Rob？　Master　Gennell　will　want　to　use　it　for　other　espousals。　It's　so。。。　so　lyric。　So　romantic。　Oh；　Robinton；　you　are　such　a　fort　to　me。〃　Abruptly　she　changed　moods。　〃I'm　exhausted　after　that；　love。　Will　you　escort　me　to　my　room？　I　don't　think　I　could　find　my　way　back　down。〃
　　　When　he　had　returned　from　escorting　his　mother；　he　prepared　for　bed　himself；　since　it　was　late　and　tomorrow　would　be　an　exceedingly　eventful　day。　He　smiled；　and　then　broke　into　a　chuckle　as　he　shucked　off　his　clothes　and　settled　into　the　wide　bed　that　he　and　Kasia　would　be　sharing。　It　was　far　too　warm　to　require　night…wear；　and　besides；　he　seldom　bothered　and　now　probably　never　would；　it　being　so　forting　to　snuggle　Kasia　into　his　arms　and　have　her　skin　next　to　his　all　night　long。　He　exhaled　deeply；　and　then　realized　that　he　was　far　too　excited　to　sleep　yet。
　　　So　he　threw　off　the　light　fur　and　found　a　long…tailed　shirt。　His　new　clothes　for　the　espousal　…　well；　Gather　Day；　if　he　wasn't　being　self…centred　…　were　hanging　on　the　closet　door。　He　ran　a　hand　down　the　fine；　brocaded　fabric　which　Clostan　had　talked　him　into　having　made　up。　It　really　was　a　fine　set；　and　he　could　see　why　cut　and　fit　were　so　important。
　　　〃Do　harpers　really　like　wearing　bags？〃　Clostan　had　sarcastically　demanded　when　Robinton　would　have　settled　for　the　first　outfit　long　enough　to　fit　his　torso　and　legs　at　Tillek's　WeaverHall。　The　MasterHealer　was　as　tall　as　Robinton；　dark…haired　and　handsome；　with　fine；　long　hands　which　were　clever　in　sewing　up　wounds　and　gently　strong　in　setting　broken　bones。　He　had　been　at　Tillek　for　the　past　seven　turns；　ever　since　he　attained　his　Mastery；　for　the　Hold　required　an　experienced　healer　and　Clostan　had　worked　hard　to　adapt　treatment　to　the　needs　of　a　fishing　munity。　〃By　the　Egg；　man；　you　do　yourself　no　favours。　You've　broad　shoulders。。。〃　Clostan　flicked　fingers　at　them。　〃You've　a　trim　waist〃　…　he　couldn't　pinc