amc.masterharperofpern-第6节

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as　embarrassed。
　　　〃Living　up　in　the　mountains；　never　had　the　chance　to　learn　nothing；〃　Rantou　said；　unabashed。　The　stocky　timberman　had　glanced　over　at　his　young　spouse　who　was　visibly　pregnant。　〃That　is；　until　I　met　Carral　here。〃　Then　he　blushed。　〃Really　like　music；　even　if　I　doan　know　much。　But　I　gotta　learn　so　the　baby　won't　have　no　stupid　for　a　father。〃
　　　Despite　having　had　no　formal　training　at　all；　Rantou　could　produce　the　most　amazing　sounds　out　of　a　multiple　reed…pipe；　although　he　waved　aside　Petiron's　earnest　desire　to　teach　him　to　read　music。
　　　〃You　just　play　it　all　out　for　me　once；　and　that'll　do　me。〃
　　　When　Petiron　paced　about　that　evening　in　the　privacy　of　their　little　home；　terribly　upset　that　an　innate　musician　of　considerable　talent　was　risking　talented　fingers　with　saw；　ax　and　adze　on　a　daily　basis；　Merelan　had　to　calm　him。
　　　〃Not　everyone　sees　the　Harper　Hall　as　the　most　preferential　occupation；　love。〃
　　　〃But　he's。。。〃
　　　〃He's　doing　very　well　for　a　young　man　with　a　family　on　the　way；〃　she　said；　〃and　he'll　always　love　music；　even　if　it　is　not　his　life　the　way　it　has　always　been　yours。〃
　　　〃But　he's　a　natural。　You　know　how　hard　I　had　to　work　at　theory　and　position；　to　get　plicated　tempo　…　and　he　manages　cadenzas　after　one　hearing　that　it　would　take　you；　good　as　you　are；　days　to　mand。　And　Segoina　told　me　he　makes。。。　makes　the　guitars；　the　flutes；　the　drums；　all　the　instruments　in　use　here。。。〃　He　raised　both　hands　high　in　exasperation　and　frustration。
　　　〃When　I　think　how　hard　I　had　to　work　to　walk　the　tables　for　journeyman　for　what　he　just　picked　up　listening　to　me；　I。。。　I'm　speechless。〃
　　　〃Rantou　doesn't　want　to　be　a　musician；　love。　He　wants　to　do　what　he　does　do；　manage　forestry。　Even　the　instruments　he　makes　are　just　a　hobby　with　him。〃
　　　〃That　may　be　very　true；　Mere；　but　what　you　fail　to　realize　is　that　the　Harper　Hall　needs　more　young　folk　to　train　up　than　e　to　us。　Pierie　needs　a　full…time　journeyman；　not　a　vacationing　one。〃　Petiron　was　pacing　and　robbing　his　hands　together；　a　sure　sign　to　his　spouse　of　his　rising　agitation。　〃Everyone　has　the　right　to　learning　…　that　is　the　traditional　duty　of　the　Harper　Hall。　We　are　desperately　short　of　harpers。〃
　　　〃But　people　do　learn　the　Teaching　Ballads　and　Songs；　as　they　have　here；〃　Merelan　said。　〃As　I　did。〃
　　　〃Only　the　usual　ones；　but　not　all　the　important　ones；〃　Petiron　said　sternly　with　a　scowl。　When　he　frowned　like　that；　his　heavy　eyebrows　nearly　met　over　the　bridge　of　his　aquiline　nose。　Though　she'd　never　tell　him；　Merelan　adored　his　eyebrows。　〃They　don't　know　the　Dragon　Duty　Ballads；　for　instance。〃
　　　Merelan　suppressed　a　sigh。　Was　it　only　people　brought　up　in　strict　Harper　Hall　tradition　who　believed　that　Thread　would；　not　just　might；　return　in　the　next　fifty　or　so　turns？　Or　was　their　belief　merely　an　extension　of　the　traditions　of　the　Hall？
　　　〃You　are　teaching　those；　as　I　am。　And　I　don't　think　anyone　here；　now　that　they've　met　you　and　seen　me　again；　would　take　it　amiss　if　you　did　suggest　that　one　of　the　more　talented　youngsters　looked　towards　the　Harper　Hall　as　a　life's　work。〃
　　　Petiron　gave　her　a　strange　look。　〃You　don't？〃
　　　She　pursed　her　lips。　That　tone　was　his　driest　and　most　repressive：　the　one　he　reserved　for　apprentices　who　had　not　studied　hard　enough　to　suit　his　exacting　standard。
　　　〃There　was　plague；　you　know；　as　well　as　that　storm　which　took　many　lives　from　this　hold；〃　she　said　as　casually　as　she　could。　〃This　may　be　a　small　hold；　but　to　do　all　that　is　required　properly　also　takes　a　fair…sized　population。　Sometimes　there　are　none　to　be　spared。〃
　　　〃Yet　they　spared　two　lads　to　the　Weyr；〃　Petiron　said　begrudgingly。
　　　Merelan　tried　to　hide　her　laugh　behind　her　hand　but　failed；　the　look　of　him　was　so　jealous。
　　　〃And　I　suppose　you　wouldn't　have　accepted　being　Searched　for　the　Weyr？〃　〃I　wasn't。〃
　　　〃I　know；　but　if　you　had　been　Searched　by　Benden　Weyr；　would　you　not　have　gone？〃
　　　〃Well；〃　he　said；　hedging；　〃I　certainly　don't　dispute　the　honour　of　being　Searched。。。　but　not　everyone　Searched　Impresses　a　dragon。〃　〃They　Impressed　greens；〃　Merelan　replied。
　　　〃Then　they　were　lucky　indeed。〃
　　　〃Neither　of　them　would　have　been　good　as　harpers；〃　she　added；　with　a　twinkle　in　her　eye。
　　　〃Now　that's　not　fair；　Mere；〃　Petiron　replied　stiffly。
　　　〃Think　on　it　a　bit；　my　darling；〃　she　said；　and　continued　neatly　folding　the　clothes　which　she　had　laundered　that　afternoon。
　　　It　was　Petiron　who　was　almost　apoplectic　with　fear　when　he　heard　that　Merelan　was　teaching　Robinton　to　swim。
　　　〃But　he's　only　just　started　walking；〃　he　protested。　〃How　can　he　swim？〃
　　　〃All　our　children　learn　to　swim　in　their　first　year；〃　Segoina　told　him。　〃Preferably　before　they　learn　to　walk；　because　they　remember　swimming　from　their　womb　days。〃
　　　〃They　what？〃
　　　Merelan　put　a　warning　hand　on　Petiron's　arm；　for　his　body　was　rigid　with　shock　at　the　dangers　his　son　had　just　been　exposed　to。
　　　〃It's　true；〃　Segoina　went　on。　〃Ask　at　the　Healer　Hall　when　you　return。〃　Petiron　recoiled　slightly；　but　Segoina　continued　affably；　〃It　is　the　best　time　to　remind　a　child　of　what　it　knew　in　the　womb。　And　then　we　don't　have　to　worry　so　constantly；　with　us　so　near　the　sea　as　we　are。〃　She　pointed　down　the　steps　to　where　a　gentle　surf　made　white　scallops　on　the　equally　white　sand。　〃There　is　a　rite　of　passage　which　requires　a　lad　to　dive　from　that　height；〃　and　she　pointed　to　the　headland　that　jutted　out　a　fair　distance　into　the　sea；　〃to　prove　he　is　a　man。〃
　　　Petiron　visibly　swallowed　and　blinked　furiously。
　　　〃Do　you　swim？〃　Segoina　asked　blandly。
　　　〃Yes；　actually　I　do。　We　had　the　Telgar　River　to　learn　in。〃
　　　〃It's　much　easier　to　swim　in　the　sea　than　a　river。　More　buoyancy。〃　Segoina　turned　away　before　she　could　catch　the　apprehensive　expression　on　Petiron's　face。
　　　Merelan　controlled　her　amusement。　If　he　hadn't　been　able　to　answer　positively；　it　was　obvious　he　feared　that　she　would　have　immediately　appointed　herself　his　instructor。　He　swam　well　enough；　and　the　mid…summer　races　were　months　away。　By　then　they　would　be　safely　back　at　Harper　Hall。　She　sighed；　for　she　would　have　liked　to　stay　for　the　Full　Summer　Gather　when　the　entire　peninsula　gathered　for　races；　both　in　the　water　and　on　the　water　as　everyone　tested　his　or　her　skills　at　swimming　and　sailing。
　　　It　was　as　well；　Merelan　thought　as　they　continued　on　to　their　quarters；　that　he　was　over　the　age　when　he　would　have　been　required　to　make　the　high　dive。　That　was　also　a　feature　of　the　High　Summer　Gather。　Maybe　she　could　talk　him　into　it。。。
　　　He'd　learned　so　much　about　himself；　as　well　as　about　how　the　ordinary　people　lived。　As　a　lad　at　Telgar；　he　had　been　more　inclined　to　scholarship；　which　was　why　he　had　been　sponsored　to　go　to　the　Harper　Hall　in　the　first　place。　So　he　had　had　little　chance；　as　an　adult；　to　expand　his　horizons　…　until　now。　And　he'd　never　looked　fitter；　or　more　handsome。　Hair　down　to　his　shoulders；　skin　tanned；　he　was　more　secure　on　the　back　of　a　runner；　could　walk　a　good　day's　journey；　and　had　done　more　harpering　than　his　duties　at　the　Hall　had　ever　required　of　him。　If　only　he　could　be　more　in　harmony　with　his　own　child。。。
　　　When　Robinton　began　to　talk；　she　told　herself；　when　he　needed　to　learn　things　a　father　should　teach　his　son；　then　the　affection　and　pride　would　develop。　At　least　Petiron　had　shown　himself　nervous　about　his　child's　safety　with　the　swimming　business。
　　　That　much　was　obvious　when　Petiron　acpanied　spouse　and　son　to　the　cove　beach　the　next　First　Day。　By　then　Robinton　was　paddling　happily；　not　the　least　bit　concerned　if　he　fell　under　the　water；　though　a　white…faced　Petiron　snatched　the　sun…browned　little　body　up　into　his　arms；　startling　Robinton。　Wide…eyed　with　surprise；　the　boy　struggled　to　be　released　back　into　the　water　which　was　such　fun；　the　waves　lapping　bubblingly　around　his　ankles　and　pushing　treasures　of　flotsam　for　him　to　examine。　He　even　gave　the　next　smooth　pebble；　a　very　pretty　red　one　with　white　intrusions　making　a　pattern；　to　his　father　to　be　admired。　And　Petiron　did　so；　without　any　prompting　from　Merelan。
　　　When　it　was　handed　back　to　him；　Robinton　toddled　off　to　place　it　with　the　growing　pile　of　unusual　objects　he　had　retrieved。　Then　he　was　off　in　another　direction；　running　as　fast　as　his　legs　would　take　him　to　see　what　his　cousins　had　discovered　among　the　seaweed　they　had　just　hauled　up　on　to　the　beach。
　　　〃Sit；　love；〃　Merelan　said　softly；　patting　the　woven　reed　mat　beside　her　where　the　sunshade　cast　a　shadow。　〃He　isn't　far　from　help；　should　it　be　needed。〃
　　　〃Isn't　he　younger　than　the　lad　of　Naylor's？〃　he　asked；　with　the　first　sign　of　paternal　parison　he　had　ever　exhibited。
　　　〃By　two　months；〃　Merelan　said　nonchalantly。
　　　〃He's　a　full　hand　taller；〃　said　Petiron；　his　tone　almost　smug。
　　　〃He'll　be　a　tall　man　when　he　gets　his　growth；〃　she　said。　〃You're　not　short；　nor　were　my　parents。　How　were　you　in　height　against　those　brothers　of　yours？〃
　　　〃I　suspect　Forist　will　be　taller　but　the　other　three　won't　make　his　height；〃　said　Petiron；　who　had　never　liked　his　brothers　at　all。
　　　〃Nor　yours。〃　Idly　she　brushed　sand　out