amc.masterharperofpern-第80节

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　　　〃He　must　bounce；〃　the　Master　said　with　a　sly　grin　after　he　had　pleted　his　examination。　The　spinal　deformation　which　marred　the　Healer's　back　and　had　brought　him　to　the　Hall　in　the　first　place　seemed　to　fascinate　Nip；　who　kept　trying　not　to　look　at　it。　Long　since；　Oldive　had　bee　impervious　to　such　observations。
　　　〃Sound；　if　contused；　but　no　lasting　harm　that　a　good　hot　bath；　a　double　portion　of　whatever　Silvina　has　in　the　hearth　pot　and　several　days　in　bed　will　not　cure。〃
　　　〃Several　days？〃　Nip　would　have　jumped　from　the　examining　table　but　for　the　restraining　hands　of　both　healer　and　harper。　〃I　wouldn't　mind　a　bath；　I　can　tell　you；〃　he　said　more　meekly；　rubbing　dirt…encrusted　fingers　together。　〃And　some　decent　food。〃
　　　So　he　was　given　both；　and　he　probably　did　not　notice　that　Oldive；　who　joined　him　and　Robinton　in　Silvina's　little　office；　slipped　something　in　his　klah。　He　had　finished　his　meal　before　the　drug　took　effect；　he　was　just　pushing　back　the　final　dish　of　sweet　pudding　when　he　abruptly　sagged　down　to　the　table　top；　his　face　just　missing　a　splash　of　the　pudding　sauce　that　had　spilled　there。
　　　〃Good　timing　there；　Oldive；〃　Robinton　mented。
　　　〃Yes；　rather　good；　if　I　say　so　myself。〃
　　　Silvina　gave　them　each　a　jaundiced　glance。　〃The　pair　of　you！　You're　wretches；　dyed…in…the…bone　wretches。〃
　　　〃Ever　at　your　service；　my　pet；〃　Robinton　said；　giving　her　a　flourish　which　ended　as　he　took　one　side　of　the　unconscious　Nip　while　Oldive　took　the　other；　lifting　the　limp　form　off　his　bench。　With　Silvina　opening　doors　ahead　of　them；　they　carried　the　runner　up　to　the　Harper's　quarters　where　he　was　carefully　laid　down　on　the　bed　in　the　spare　room　and　covered；　to　sleep　himself　out。
　　　〃That　was　a　rotten　trick；　Robinton；〃　Nip　plained　when　he　woke　a　day　and　a　half　later。　Then　his　face　dissolved　into　a　grin　which　was　singular　enough　to　give　him　a　totally　different　appearance。
　　　〃I　needed　that。〃　He　stretched　and　took　the　cup　of　klah　which　the　Harper　had　readied　as　soon　as　he　heard　noises　from　that　room。　Robinton　was　privately　amused　that　Nip's　timing　was　good。　He　had　begun　to　wonder　about　the　man's　whereabouts。
　　　〃So　I'm　ready　to　listen；〃　Robinton　said；　as　he　started　to　pull　the　chair　forward；　〃unless　you　wish　to　eat　first。〃
　　　〃No；　I'd　rather　not　turn　my　stomach　while　I'm　eating。〃　And　with　that　dour　statement　Nip　warned　Robinton　that　his　report　was　bad。
　　　〃It's　as　well　Tarathel　sent　so　many。　Vendross；　who　captained　them；　is　a　good　man　and　a　canny　leader。　He　took　no　chances。　There　were　more　of　Fax's　louts　camped　at　the　Crom　border　Vendross　spread　his　men　out　across　the　border　and　turned　back　those　who　tried　to　sneak　right　back　into　Telgar　lands。　There　were　a　good　number　of　Tarathel's　regular　guards；　and　those　Vendross　set　to　watch　at　the　fiver　holds　and　report　any　sightings。　The　others　he　sent　back　home。〃
　　　Robinton　nodded。　At　least　Tarathel　would　take　no　chances　that　Fax　might　be　coveting　the　broad　Telgar　Valley；　not　to　mention　the　SmithCraftHall　at　the　junction　of　the　Great　Dunto　River。
　　　〃I　sort　of　went　forward　three　steps　and　back　a　few；　trying　to　keep　track　of　how　many　were　splitting　off。　But　the　main　group　of　fourteen　continued　on　back　to　Crom。　When　I　was　sure　that　Vendross。。。〃
　　　〃Does　he　know　you？〃
　　　Nip　made　a　face；　tilted　one　hand　back　and　forth；　and　then　grinned　again。　〃Kind　of。　He　never　asks。　I　never　tell。　But　he　trusts　my　reports。〃
　　　〃As　well　he　should。〃
　　　〃Thank　'ee　kindly；　MasterHarper；　sor；〃　Nip　retorted　cheekily。　〃So　I　kept　on；　ahead　a　bit；　to　see　which　way　they　might　go。〃　He　shook　his　head；　his　expression　sad。　〃I　wouldn't　want　to　be　under　that　man's　Hold　for　any　reason。　What　he　does　to　those　unfortunates　there。。。〃　He　shook　his　head；　sighed；　and　then　seemed　to　shake　himself　out　of　such　reflections。　〃I'll　tell　you　this　now；　Harper；　in　case　you　ever　need　to　know。〃　The　tone　made　Robinton　regard　Nip　fearfully。
　　　〃Oh；　I'm　not　saying　you　ever　do　need　to　know；　but　times　being　as　they　are；　a　little　precaution　is　not　untoward。　Lytol　who　was　L'tol〃　…　and　Robinton　nodded　to　show　that　he　knew　who　was　meant　…　〃is　trying　to　keep　his　family's　CraftHall　going。　Managing　in　spite　of　Fax；　but　I　have　a　safe　haven　in　the　storage　loft。　It　could　well　be　that　a　dragonrider　and　a　harper　will　bring　that　man　down　when　the　time's　ripe。〃　He　paused。　〃On　the　good　side；　I've　found　Bargen！〃
　　　〃Have　you　now？〃　Robinton　sat　up　straight　with　real　pleasure　at　such　tidings。　〃Where？〃
　　　Nip　gave　one　of　his　little　chuckles。　〃Not　dumb；　our　young　Lord　Holder。　He's　up　at　High　Reaches　Weyr；　with　one　or　two　others　who　made　it　safely　out　of　Fax's　clutches。　Last　place　that　one'd　go。〃　〃What's　Bargen　doing？　Is　he　well？〃
　　　〃Well；　and　doing　a　few　exercises　which　may　annoy　Fax。〃
　　　〃Nothing　that　would　endanger　any　of　the　innocent。。。〃　Robinton　raised　an　anxious　hand。
　　　Nip　cocked　his　head；　grinning。　〃Little　that　can　be　traced　back　to　anyone　in　particular。　I　think　Bargen's　grown　up　…　a　bit　roughly；　but　it'll　work　to　his　advantage。〃
　　　〃Do　remind　him　that　the　Harper　Hall　will　assist　him　any　way　it　can。〃
　　　Nip　smiled　ruefully。　〃When　and　if　the　Harper　Hall　is　able；　my　friend；　considering　harpers　are　in　nearly　as　bad　odour　as　dragonriders　these　days。　At　that；　he　could　do　little　with　the　few　men　he　has　except　wait。〃　And　that　ruined　Robintons　fleeting　dream　of　seeing　Bargen　Holding　High　Reaches　in　the　near　future。　〃Any　luck　with　Lord　Kale？〃
　　　Robinton　shook　his　head。　〃The　man's　too　good；　too　roasting。　He's　already　had　Fax　as　a　guest；　selling　him　runner…beasts；　so　why　would　I　suggest　that　Lord　unconfirmed　Holder　Fax　would　not　continue　such　blameless　behaviour？〃
　　　〃Spare　us！〃　Nip　waved　a　hand　over　his　head　in　despair　at　such　innocence。
　　　〃He　has　agreed　to　mount　a　border　patrol　and　build　beacons。〃　〃That's　quite　a　concession；〃　said　Nip　with　a　degree　of　sarcasm　and　a　grim　smile。　Then　he　rolled　his　eyes　thoughtfully。　〃You　know；　as　a　proper　harper；　I　could　drop　a　word　in　his　ear　now　and　then；　keep　him　on　his　toes？〃
　　　〃Have　you。。。　ever。。。　been　a　proper　harper；　Nip？〃　Robinton　asked；　grinning。
　　　〃Oh；　now　and　then；〃　Nip　said；　wiggling　the　fingers　of　his　right　hand。　〃Not　that　I'd　dare　flaunt　the　blue　in　Fax's　vicinity。〃　he　finished　the　last　of　the　klah　and　stood。　〃I　need　another　bath。　That　one　only　got　off　five　layers　of　dirt　and　two　of　ache。　Then　I'm　for　another　of　Silvina's　meals。　She's　quite　a　woman；　isn't　she？〃　Robinton　felt　his　face　colour。　Nip　missed　nothing。
　　　〃One　of　a　kind；　as　her　mother　was；〃　the　MasterHarper　said　blandly。
　　　Nip　chuckled　and；　whipping　the　towel　off　its　peg　on　the　door；　whistled　as　he　made　his　way　to　the　bathing　room。　The　MasterHarper's　quarters　had　its　own　facility。
Chapter　EIGHTEEN
　　　Nip　departed　several　mornings　later；　riding　the　most　nondescript　runner　in　the　Hall's　beasthold。
　　　〃Out　of　deference　to　my　toes；〃　he　explained。　He　also　had　a　fresh　set　of　clothing　…　which　Silvina　had　got　out　of　storage；　no　doubt　outgrown　by　some　apprentice。　〃Not　too　good；　but　at　least　in　one　piece；〃　had　been　his　request。
　　　Between　them；　Silvina　and　Robinton　forced　him　to　take　a　fine　fur　rug　for　use　until　such　time　as　circumstances　made　him　abandon　it。
　　　〃There　are　more　holdless　than　holded　up　north；〃　Nip　said；　fingering　the　rug。　〃Ah；　a　few　nights　on　the　ground　and　it'll　look　no　better　than　the　old　one　I。。。　lost。〃　And　he　grinned。
　　　Although　Nip　reported　at　intervals；　in　messages　forwarded　with　others　to　the　Fort　Runner　Station；　the　urgency　to　defend　against　Fax　gradually　dissipated　as　nothing　much　happened　which　was　reported　outside　those　four　holds。
　　　Nothing　much；　Robinton　thought；　that　Fax　would　wish　bruited　about　the　continent。
　　　How　Nip　managed　to　get　his　information；　Robinton　never　knew；　but　the　self…styled　'Lord　of　Five　Holds'　had　internal　problems　of　mysterious　natures。　A　mine　collapsed；　a　very　productive　one。
　　　Several　of　the　larger　ships　of　the　High　Reaches　fishing　fleet　disappeared　in　stormy　weather。　Timber；　stacked　to　season；　either　burned　dramatically　or　ended　up　in　splinters　on　its　way　down　the　rivers。　A　blight　was　discovered　infecting　grain　fields　and　reducing　the　yield。　Fax's　men　were　forced　to　attend　to　all　these　minor　disasters；　for　which　no　one　could　be　seen　to　be　at　fault　by　omission　or　mission。　There　were　rumours　of　minor　rebellions　among　the　overworked　holders；　but　the　revolts　were　viciously　suppressed　by　Fax's　brutal　guards；　the　'culprits'　sent　to　the　mines　and　their　families　turfed　out　to　fend　for　themselves　as　best　they　might。　There　were　fights　among　his　guards；　fights　which　usually　produced　several　corpses；　often　those　of　his　more　brutal　captains　and　stewards。
　　　So；　gradually；　over　the　following　turns；　even　Groghe　slackened　his　vigilance；　though　he　kept　on　his　border　guards。　Tarathel　died　…　of　natural　causes；　Robinton　discovered　by　asking　the　Telgar　Hold　healer　outright。
　　　〃Oh；　quite　natural　causes；　my　dear　MasterHarper；〃　the　man　said。
　　　〃I　attended　him　myself。　Bad　heart；　you　know。　Never　quite　forgave　himself　that　the　Weyrleader　was　killed　in　Telgar　Hold　while　guesting。　Didn't　get　on　at　all　with　R'gul。　In　fact；　disliked　him　thoroughly。　Not　a　proper　replacement　for