amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第13节

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　　Despite　the　fact　that　the　pounding　in　his　head　was　easing；　Toric　was　still　in　a　foul　humor。　〃What's　on　Hosbon's　mind？　He's　always　at　me　for　some　concession　or　other。〃
　　〃He's　a　good　holder；〃　Besic　said；　knowing　not　only　that　his　approval　counted　for　nothing　in　Toric's　opinion　but　also　that；　by　being　scrupulously　fair；　he　could　sometimes　irritate　his　sire。
　　Toric　waved　his　hands　dramatically。　〃Is　the　man　never　satisfied？　First　it　was　a　drum　tower；　then　a　pier；　and　a　sloop　and　a　crew。〃
　　〃He　gets　results。〃
　　〃So…what　does　he　want　this　time？　A　hold　dragonrider？〃　Though　there　was　always　a　dragonrider　available　to　Lord　Toric；　the　relocation　of　Southern　Weyr　still　rankled。　It　was　irksome；　too；　that　the　Weyrleader；　K'van…the　impertinent　scut…so　punctiliously　performed　his　duties　to　the　Hold　that　Toric　never　had　grounds　to　fault　him。　He　had　managed　to　swallow　that　mortification；　since　he　really　did　prefer　not　to　have　the　constant　traffic　of　dragons　overflying　the　harbor；　but　perhaps　he　should　not　have　taken　issue　with　K'van　over　the　matter　of　Weyr　support　to　subdue　the　rebels　and　that　sharding　Denol　on　Terne　Island。
　　〃Why；　he　wants　to　celebrate　the　end　of　Turnover　with　his　Lord　Holder；〃　Besic　said；　getting　to　his　feet。　〃Dutifully　listen　to　whatever　harper　reads　the　Report。　And；　quite　likely；　to　see　what　other　craftsfolk　he　can　lure　to　his　hold。〃
　　〃Hasn't　he　got　enough？〃　Toric　demanded；　seething。
　　〃Some　can't　get　enough；〃　Besic　murmured；　reaching　the　door　as　he　delivered　that　parting　shot。
　　〃Get　out！　Get　out！〃　And　Toric　lunged；　aiming　a　kick　at　his　son。　Besic　didn't　so　much　as　look　back　over　his　shoulder。　So　Toric　kicked　again　at　the　heavy　yellow　wood　door；　which　slammed　satisfactorily；　echoing　down　the　stone　hall。　Besic　knew　his　father　too　well！
　　Limping　because　he'd　caught　his　bare　toes　on　the　wooden　edge；　Toric　wheeled　and　attacked　the　food　on　his　tray。　The　tonic　had　cleared　his　head　and　now　his　stomach　grumbled；　as　much　with　hunger　as　with　irritation。
　　Where　would　Hosbon　put　more　craftsfolk？　He'd　already　enticed　some　of　the　best…trained　people　from　Landing　once　the　Great　Bang　had　been　acplished；　supposedly　ridding　the　planet　of　Threadfall　forever。　Toric　was　not　at　all　convinced　that　Aivas　had　known　what　it　was　doing：　imagine　blowing　a　whole　planet　off　its　course　with　the　stuff　left　in　long…dead　engines！　Still；　in　sixteen　Turns…or　was　it　seventeen　in　this　Pass？…the　end　of　Thread　meant　he　could　proceed　with　his　plans　to　develop　the　small　portion　of　the　southern　continent　that　he　had　been　able　to　wrest　from　the　sharding　Benden　Weyrleaders。　That　inequity　would　always　infuriate　him。
　　He　made　an　effort　to　calm　himself。　Ramala　was　certain　his　indigestion　came　from　stress。　He　should　take　his　meals　calmly　and　eat　slowly。　He　was；　after　all；　Lord　of　an　important　Hold；　no　matter　how　much　larger　it　should　have　been。
　　His　Lady　Ramala　was　already　chatting　with　Hosbon；　seated　in　the　main　hall。　She　rose　when　Toric　entered。　〃Perhaps　you　would　both　like　more　klah。　There's　still　time　before　Harper　Sintary　makes　his　report。　Is　your　wife　here？〃
　　Hosbon　gave　an　almost　imperceptible　wince。　She　was　here；　and　if　they'd　arrived　by　dawn；　she'd　have　had　plenty　of　time　to　spread　marks　about；　Toric　thought；　his　humor　revived　by　Hosbon's　disfort。
　　〃Yes；　join　us　for　klah；　Hosbon。　e　outside。　It's　a　fine　day　for　our　first　one　of　this　Turn！〃
　　Tone　clapped　the　man　heartily　on　the　shoulder。
　　〃I'll　just　bring　fresh　klah；〃　Ramala　called　after　them。
　　Toric　indicated　the　way　to　the　smaller　of　the　two　tables　that　were　situated　on　either　side　of　the　Hold's　entrance。　A　small　awning　shaded　it　from　the　bright　sunlight。　He　took　his　usual　chair；　arranged　so　that　anyone　sitting　opposite　him　had　the　sun　glaring　into　his　face。　〃Now；　what's　on　your　mind；　Hosbon？〃
　　The　man　was　no　fool；　but　he　settled　himself；　elbows　on　the　table；　and　leaned　forward。　There　was　little　danger　of　being　overheard；　slightly　above　and　well　back　from　the　entrance　to　the　Hold。
　　〃I　am　wondering　if　you　know　what　the　subjects　of　today's　Report　will　be？〃
　　〃Of　course　I　know；　and　what's　to　be　voted　on；〃　Toric　replied　with　some　heat。　〃I　had　to　sit　in　on　the　sharding　meeting；　didn't　I？　Boring　trivia；　with　the　Council　insisting　that　the　'original　intent'　of　the　Charter　be　followed。〃
　　Toric　did　not　approve　of　the　publicity　regarding　the　Charter：　a　document　so　old　that　it　should　be　regarded　as　an　artifact；　rather　than　guidance　for　this　planet's　needs…not　twenty…five　hundred　Turns　after　it　had　been　promulgated。　And　harpers　were　holding　〃discussion　groups〃　to　be　sure　children　and　drudges　could　recite　it　by　rote。　There　were　a　few　provisions　that　he　would　like　to　see　quietly　annulled　and　the　clauses　that　named　the　perquisites　of　major　landholders　extended。　He　would　live　to　see　the　last　day　of　this　Pass；　and　he　certainly　intended　to　exert　his　not…so…small　influence　when　the　Charter　was　reviewed…After…and　suitably　altered　once　dragonriders　were　no　longer　needed。　Toric　had　endured　many　boring　hours　to　be　sure　no　one　in　the　Council　slipped　in　any　more　surprises　on　him。　He　was　developing　a　few　surprises　of　his　own。
　　〃Is　that　all？〃　Hosbon　was　plainly　disappointed。
　　〃Oh；　there'll　be　the　usual　reports　from　Landing；　premises　and　promises。〃　Toric　dismissed　them　with　a　wave　of　his　hand。　〃The　availability　of　printed　texts　for　those　wishing　to　improve　themselves。〃　He　snorted。　〃I…〃　Then　he　stopped　himself。　〃And　you　know　that　any　'improvement'　will　stay　here；　in　Southern　and　in　Largo。〃　He　inclined　his　head　tactfully　at　Hosbon　as　he　recalled　Besic's　reason　for　Hosbon's　visit。　〃You　have　such　a　growing　number　of　craftsfolk　there。　We　wouldn't　want　to　lose　any　of　them。　Did　you　find　any　new　recruits　this　Turnover？〃
　　〃None　that　I　would　dare　tempt　from　here；　Lord　Toric；〃　Hosbon　said　with　oily　deference。　〃Not；〃　he　added　quickly；　〃that　we　don't　always　need　more。〃
　　Toric　merely　nodded。　Generally　he　approved　of　Hosbon。　The　man　came　of　a　Bloodline　that　had　produced　many　sensible　holders　who　knew　how　to　get　the　most　out　of　their　workers。　Looked　like　a　much　younger　version　of　his　sire；　Bargen；　even　to　the　pale　eyes　in　a　deeply　tanned　face　and　a　body　that　had　sweated　off　excess　flesh。　Anyway；　Hosbon　had　older　brothers；　and　now　that　he'd　had　a　taste　of　holding　in　a　decent　climate；　he'd　not　want　to　return　to　frigid　High　Reaches。
　　〃So　I　will　bring　back　news　of　this　meeting　and　the　Report　for　my　holders。〃　Hosbon's　lips　twitched　slyly。
　　〃As　well　you　do；〃　Toric　replied；　allowing　his　eyelids　to　close　briefly　in　acknowledgment　of　the　tacit　understanding。　Just　then　Ramala　emerged　from　the　Hold　entrance　carrying　a　tray　of　refreshments；　so　he　added；　〃We　will　discuss　it　later。〃
　　They　had　time　to　finish　the　klah　and　most　of　the　little　spiced　rolls　before　the　big　bass　Harper　Drum　boomed　to　announce　the　imminence　of　the　public　meeting。　The　deep　sound　echoed　off　the　cliffs；　reverberating　to　the　ships　at　anchor　in　the　deep　harbor；　vibrating　along　the　stones　of　the　Hold　and；　it　felt；　into　one's　very　foot　bones。
　　As　Toric　rose　and　strode　up　the　wide　shallow　stairs　carved　out　of　the　rock　path　that　led　to　the　cleared　space　on　the　height；　he　glanced　down　to　the　other　levels　of　the　Hold　plex。　In　small　groups；　holders　were　surging　up　from　the　wharves　where　numerous　small　craft　bobbed　beside　buoys　or　were　tied　to　the　pilings。　He　moved　through　the　crowd；　toward　the　platform　on　the　southern　edge　of　the　Gather　area　where　a　single　Harper　sat；　holding　the　traditional　scroll　that　contained　the　Report　he　would　shortly　read。　Toric　looked　from　right　to　left；　occasionally　awarding　a　brief　smile　to　those　who　deserved　his　favor。　Since　he　had　taken　over　Southern　thirty…one　Turns　ago；　twenty…four　self…sufficient　holds　had　been　established　under　his　direction　and　tithed　to　him。　He　could　see　representatives　of　each　holding…significantly　fewer　from　the　more　distant　ones…and　identified　the　shoulder　knots　of　many　journeymen　of　various　crafts。　With　an　all…too…fleeting　moment　of　satisfaction；　he　took　the　six　steps　to　the　platform；　two　at　a　time；　defying　anyone…especially　Besic…to　assume　that　he　had　been　the　worse　for　wear　earlier　that　morning。　The　Harper；　Sintary；　had　been　suggested　by　Robinton　himself　as　suitable　for　the　position　of　Master　Harper　for　Southern。　Robinton　had　been　one　of　the　few　northerners　whom　Toric　had　respected；　so　he　had　not　appealed　the　appointment。　But　he　had　e　to　regret　that　decision；　for　Sintary　was　a　subtle　and　stubborn　man　who　took　his　position　as　Harper　so　seriously　that　he　had　agreed　to　no　changes　even　when　Toric　had　suggested　several　minor　alterations　to　the　traditional　teaching。　The　old　Harper　was　very　popular；　with　a　dry　sense　of　humor　and　an　ability　to　improvise　lyrics　about　local　incidents　that　made　him　a　very　difficult　man　to　discredit。　Toric　had　tried；　he　kept　hoping　that　an　opportunity　might　yet　arise　and　he　could　indisputably　be　able　to　send　Sintary　away。
　　With　a　curt　nod　at　his　intransigent　Harper；　Toric　turned　to　face　the　audience。　Holding　up　his　hands；　he　brought　conversations　and　laughter　to　a　halt。　Even　fire…lizards　stopped　their　flitting　about　and　disappeared　into　the　forest　curving　about　the　space。
　　〃Master　Sintary　needs　no　introduction；〃　Toric　s