amc.masterharperofpern-第85节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


led。
　　　They　sounded　surprised；　he　thought。　As　the　dragons　wheeled　to　e　in　for　a　landing；　he　spotted　a　blue　who　had　to　be　Tagath　…　which　confirmed　his　suspicion　that　this　was　F'lar's　wing；　after　all。
　　　Searching　at　the　High　Reaches　would　take　the　nerve　of　F'lon's　son。
　　　Maybe　he　could　get　a　word　with　C'gan　somehow。　Maybe　even　get　a　chance　to　meet　F'lar　at　long　last。　He　wondered　if　R'gul　had　authorized　the　Search　in　this　area。　Somehow　he　doubted　it。　Then　he　put　his　mind　to　the　pressures　of　this　moment。
　　　A　witless　drudge　would　be　terrified　and　rush　to　find　shelter　from　such　a　frightening　sight；　he　thought；　and　he　shambled　as　fast　as　his　assumed　limp　would　allow　him　to　join　the　other　drudges　milling　about　the　courtyard。
　　　The　Warder；　his　face　ghastly；　appeared　on　the　steps　to　verify　the　message　and　then　started　yelling　conflicting　orders　at　those　near　by；　grabbing　the　nearest　drudge　and　propelling　him　towards　the　Hold。
　　　〃We　must　prepare。　We　must　do　something！　There　has　to　be　food！　There　has　to　be　order　in　this　Hold。。。　and　you　are。。。　going。。。　to。。。　work　your　nuts　off！〃　Each　pause　was　to　allow　him　to　kick　or　shove　some　ragged　body　into　the　Hold。
　　　Robinton　managed　to　evade　the　full　force　of　the　kick　aimed　at　him；　but　he　went　willingly　into　the　Hold。　There　he　paused　briefly　in　dismay　at　the　sight　of　the　once　beautiful　entrance　hall　and　the　Main　Hall　seen　past　the　broken…hinged　double　doors　which　led　to　it。　Then　someone　bumped　into　him；　and　that　restored　him　to　his　character。
　　　An　old　woman　struggled　to　hand　out　brooms　and　mops；　another　shaggy…haired　drudge　distributed　other　cleaning　equipment。　They　were　herded　up　the　steps　to　sweep　and　ready　rooms　which；　to　judge　by　the　appalling　condition　of　them；　had　not　been　used　since　the　massacre。　He　was　pushed　into　a　room　which　had　obviously　had　its　window　left　open　for　turns：　leaves；　branches　and　dirt　were　piled　like　snowdrifts　in　the　corners。　The　hearth　held　ashes　which　had　hardened　into　rock。　The　bedding　was　soiled　and　damp　and　would　have　to　be　discarded；　though　what　would　be　available　to　take　its　place；　Robinton　didn't　know。　Nor　was　a　single　cleaning　going　to　do　much　more　than　loosen　the　surface　of　dirt　thickly　caking　the　bare　floor。　The　steward　raced　from　one　room　to　another；　yelling　for　haste；　for　more　clean　water；　for　more　effort　from　each　and　every　drudge；　bestowing　kicks　where　he　felt　the　cleaners　faltered。　How　any　steward　worth　his　mark　could　have　allowed　the　once　graceful　Hold　to　fall　into　such　desuetude；　Robinton　could　not　understand。
　　　Even　a　monthly　sweeping　would　have　kept　this　room　habitable。
　　　He　did　manage　to　clean　the　floor　before　Fax　and　his　entourage　arrived。　Then　he　was　hauled　by　the　scruff　of　his　neck　out　into　the　hall　and　sent　down　to　help　stable　Fax's　runner…beasts。
　　　The　main　Hall　had　survived　the　concerted　attack　by　the　drudges；　and　looked　slightly　better。　There　were　damp　spots　here　and　there；　and　no　one　had　been　able　to　reach　the　crawlers　or　their　filmy　webs　which　hung　in　tatters　from　the　ceiling。　There　was　huge　confusion；　yells；　shrieks；　and　the　excited　barking　of　the　spit　canines　ing　from　the　kitchen；　and　Robinton　was　just　as　happy　to　be　sent　to　care　for　the　runner…beasts。　He　just　hoped　that　someone　had　cleaned　up　the　beasthold。　He　saw　Fax　scowling　fiercely；　beating　his　boot　with　a　heavy　baton…whip。　He　saw　Lady　Gemma；　great　with　child；　being　lifted　off　her　mount　by　two　of　Fax's　strongest　men。　He　could　see　her　wincing；　although　the　men　were　handling　her　with　great　care。
　　　Several　of　the　ladies　in　this　very　mixed　group　rushed　to　her　assistance　once　she　was　on　the　ground；　supporting　her　as　she　waddled　up　the　steps　and　into　the　Hold。　He　felt　immense　pity　for　her；　and　hoped　that　the　quarters　she　was　to　inhabit　had　not　been　in　such　bad　condition　as　the　one　he　had　tried　to　clean。　Was　Fax　trying　to　kill　the　woman？　Probably；　if　some　of　Nip's　earlier　reports　bore　any　truth　…　and　they　undoubtedly　did。
　　　Robinton　was　prodded　to　take　several　beasts　at　once；　which　was　awkward；　given　the　infirmities　he　was　affecting。　Two　of　Fax's　bullies　came　along　to　oversee　him　and　the　other　hastily　organized　drudges　who　were　to　tend　to　the　mounts。　Ruathan…bred；　Robinton　thought　drolly；　e　back　full　circle。　The　two　scrawny　beasts　which　had　inhabited　the　Hold　were　gone。　Probably　they　were　what　would　be　offered　the　Lord　Holder　tonight；　and　would　be　tough　as　old　boots。
　　　He　did　no　more　than　the　others；　despite　being　cuffed　and　kicked　to　'do　a　proper　job　of　it'。　He　felt　sorry　for　the　tired　runner…beasts；　though　he　was　almost　as　tired　as　they　before　he　and　the　others　were　given　sickles　and　sent　to　cut　fresh　fodder。　His　limp　and　his　groans　were　heartfelt　by　now。　With　nothing　to　eat　so　far　this　long　day。。。　and　if　what　he　suspected　were　true；　there　was　unlikely　to　be　enough　food　in　the　Hold　to　feed　the　visitors；　much　less　the　residents。　He　wondered　if　the　dragonriders　had　brought　their　own　provisions。
　　　And　how　was　he　to　reach　C'gan　if　he　spent　the　entire　livelong　day　drudging？　It　was　too　bad　that　he　had　never　established　as　much　of　a　contact　with　Tagath　as　he　had　had　with　Simanith。
　　　Although　he　knew　very　well　that　the　drudges　in　the　Harper　Hall　and　Fort　Hold　were　well　cared　for；　he　had　discovered　a　heretofore　unexpected　sympathy　for　those　whom　life　had　deprived　of　the　wit　or　energy　to　achieve　more　than　such　lowly　positions。
　　　When　the　armsmen　finally　allowed　that　the　beasts　had　been　properly　cared　for；　Robinton　followed　the　other　five　men　back　to　the　Hold。　They　were　muttering　about　their　expectations　of　food。
　　　Darkness　had　set　in　and；　as　an　additional　mark　of　the　poverty　of　the　Hold；　the　glowbaskets　gave　glum　illumination。
　　　〃Bread；　if　we're　lucky；〃　one　said；　trudging　along。
　　　〃When's　luck　got　anything'　to　do　wiv　us？〃　another　demanded。　〃I'd　be　anywheres　but　here。〃
　　　〃Yes；　always　the　gripe；　never　the　go；〃　the　first　one　said。　〃Who're　you？〃　he　suddenly　asked　Robinton；　peering　up　at　him。
　　　〃Came　wiv　dem；〃　the　MasterHarper　said；　jerking　a　thumb　at　the　soldiers　striding　along　in　front　of　them。　He　wanted　to　straighten　up；　to　relieve　the　ache　in　his　back；　but　doubted　it　would　help　and；　besides；　he　daren't　unbend。　Even　bent；　he　was　still　a　good　head　taller　than　his　erstwhile　panions。
　　　The　first　man　made　an　inarticulate　sound　in　his　throat　that　was　half　snarl。　〃Goin'　on　wiv　'em　then？〃
　　　〃Not　going'　nowhere　but　here；〃　Robinton　said　in　a　dour　voice。
　　　They　made　for　the　kitchen　entrance　and　the　first　man　recoiled；　startled　at　the　chaos　within；　the　slamming　and　clanging　of　pots　and　the　screams　as　a　drudge　was　hit。　One　male　voice　rose　above　the　others；　giving　orders；　yelling　if　the　response　wasn't　immediate。
　　　〃Shards；　it's　burned　on　the　one　side　and　raw　on　the　others。〃　That　sentence　was　bellowed　in　a　tone　of　fury　and　frustration。　A　canine　yipped　piteously。　Robinton　could　hear　slapping　and　more　screams　and　groans　as　the　cook　evidently　vented　his　feelings　on　his　helpless　drudges。
　　　〃Us'ns'd　have　it；　if　it's　meat；〃　the　first　drudge　muttered　to　himself；　wistfully　licking　lips。　He　took　a　deep　breath。
　　　〃Smell's　all　we's　likely　to　have；〃　the　other　said。
　　　Not　that　the　smell　was　at　all　appetizing。　But　Robinton　used　their　interest　in　the　kitchen　activities　to　cover　his　movements　as　he　stealthily　backed　off　into　the　shadows。　He　had　noticed　as　they　passed　the　main　Hold　door　that　there　were　no　guards　either　at　the　door　or　in　the　Hall。　He　couldn't　enter　in　his　guise　of　a　drudge；　but　surely　he　could　sneak　into　the　guard　barracks　and　change　into　something　。。。　more　appropriate。
　　　He　slipped　in　just　in　time　to　hear　one　of　the　underleaders　assigning　posts　for　the　evening；　and　he　ducked　into　an　alcove　as　they　tramped　past　him；　the　dim　glowbaskets　neatly　shadowing　him。
　　　Fortunately；　many　of　Fax's　soldiers　were　of　a　generous　size　and　they　had　brought　several　changes　of　clothes　with　them。　He　found　the　cleanest　and；　happily　shedding　his　filthy；　sweaty　rags；　put　them　on。　A　bit　loose　at　the　waist　and　a　bit　short　in　the　leg；　but　he　used　his　own　belt　and　secured　the　trousers。　He　took　the　sleeve　of　his　shirt　and　scrubbed　at　his　boots；　getting　the　worst　of　the　stable　muck　off　them。
　　　〃Where　the　shards　were　you？〃　a　harsh　voice　called。
　　　Robinton　whirled　round　to　see　a　guard　underleader　in　the　doorway。
　　　〃Relieved　me'sel；〃　he　muttered；　wondering　if　the　sudden　pounding　of　his　heart　would　give　him　away。
　　　〃Up　to　the　Hall；　then。　Want　every　one　of　you　up　there　'case　those　sharding　dragonriders　doan　know　theys　manners。〃　The　grin　suggested　that　the　man　was　aching　to　teach　dragonriders　manners。
　　　〃Yuss；〃　Robinton　said。　He　squared　his　shoulders；　which　was　not　easy　after　a　day's　crouching；　and　passed　the　underleader　cautiously；　as　if　expecting　a　kick　on　his　way。　But　no　kick　came。　A　quick　look　back　told　him　that　the　man　was　bending　over　his　saddlebags；　extracting　his　sword…belt。
　　　Reaching　the　Hall；　Robinton　slowed　to　avoid　stepping　on　the　heels　of　Fax's　two　underleaders；　who　were　escorting　their　Lord　into　the　chamber　with　one　of　his　ladies。　The　Warder　was　effusively　bowing　them　in。　Robinton　slipped　along　the　wall　as　if　he　had　been　in　the　wake　of　the　latest　arrivals　and　took　up　a