amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第20部分

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d　Golanth。　〃Zaranth　will　take　me　back。〃
　　And　I　will　take　you；　F'lessan；　Golanth　said；　rising　to　all　four　feet；　to　Honshu。
　　For　a　confused　moment；　F'lessan　looked　after　Tai's　towel…draped　body　striding　across　the　white　sands　to　her　dragon　and　saw　her　begin　to　dress。
　　It　will　make　sense　when　you've　had　some　sleep；　Golanth　remarked　as　rider　and　dragon　watched　the　green　make　a　graceful　spring　into　the　air；　neatly　down…winging　to　gain　altitude　and　quickly　reaching　a　gliding　height　on　a　sea　thermal。　Zaranth's　a　good　size　for　a　green。　You're　sweating。　It'll　　be　cooler；　and　much　nicer；　in　Honshu　right　now。
　　F'lessan　rolled　down　his　sleeves；　shrugged　into　his　riding　gear；　and　jumped　to　his　dragon's　back。
　　〃Then　let's　get　there；　please；　Golly。〃
　　They　were　already　airborne　when　a　horrible　thought　crossed　F'lessan's　mind。　What　if　yet　another　gang　of　Abominators　had　broken　into　Honshu　during　one　of　his　absences　and　smashed　some　of　the　brittle　artifacts？
　　You　are　silly…tired；　Golanth　said　with　exasperation。　It　takes　days　to　walk　there。　Not　even　a　runner　trace　to　guide　a　stranger。
　　〃Runners！〃　F'lessan　exclaimed。　〃The　Runners　should　be　asked　if　they've　seen　any　suspicious　groups　out　on　their　tracks！〃
　　Someone　else　will　remember　to　do　that。　We're　going　to　Honshu。　With　that；　Golanth　took　them　between。
　　
FORT　HOLD…LATE　NIGHT…1。1。31
　　The　Benden　and　Fort　Weyrleaders；　along　with　Lord　Jaxom　and　Lady　Sharra　of　Ruatha　Hold；　joined　Lord　Groghe；　his　sons；　MasterHarper　Sebell；　and　Master　Healer　Crivellan　at　a　late　private　meeting　in　the　small　dining　room。　Not　as　lavishly　decorated　for　Turnover　as　the　Main　Hall　and　located　on　the　inside　rank　of　the　Hold's　main　reception　area；　the　warm；　fortably　sized　room　was　partly　wood…paneled；　and　hung　with　a　mixture　of　tastefully　arranged　portraits　and　landscapes　of　varying　styles　and　periods。
　　Since　the　possibility　that　the　Abominators　exiled　in　2539　had　somehow　escaped　their　remote　island　occurred　to　others　during　the　afternoon；　N'ton　had　gone　with　one　of　Sebell's　most　discreet　men　to　make　certain　that　those　men　and　women　were　all　present　and　accounted　for。　The　island　was　one　of　many　in　the　long　eastern　archipelago；　its　precise　location　known　only　to　N'ton；　even　the　most　diligent　search　by　other　dissidents　would　have　been　unlikely　to　find　the　inhabited　one。
　　〃At　the　time　I　wasn't　all　that　certain　everyone　involved　in　the　shameful　business　of　abducting　Master　Robinton　was　apprehended；〃　Groghe　said　brusquely　after　N'ton　delivered　his　report。
　　〃Those　involved　in　the　original　attacks　on　Aivas　and　the　Crafthalls　were　sentenced　to　labor　in　the　mines；〃　Jaxom　said；　his　expression　as　bleak　as　Groghe's。　〃Do　we　know　if　they　are　still　in　custody？〃
　　〃Most　are　registered　as　dead；〃　Sebell　replied。　〃Of　the　two　remaining；　one　escaped　when　that　meteorite　tore　through　the　minehold。　A　search　was　initiated；　of　course；　but　it's　believed　he　must　have　died。　The　terrain　there　is　difficult　to　traverse…little　vegetation；　not　much　of　it　edible。　He　was　deaf　and　not　considered　very　bright。　I　don't　think　we　have　to　worry　about　that　one。〃　He　dismissed　the　problem　with　a　wave　of　his　hand。
　　〃Then　let's　deal　with　today's　atrocities；〃　Lessa　said；　restlessly　trying　to　find　a　fortable　position；　her　slender　body　taut　with　indignation　at　the　scope　of　the　destruction。　Impatient　as　ever；　she　wanted　answers　before　she　could　go　back　to　Benden　with　an　easy　mind。　She　and　F'lar　had　gotten　some　rest　at　the　Healer　Hall　and　had　an　excellent　dinner　in　Fort's　smaller　dining　room。　However；　the　ability　to　sense　people's　thoughts…and　sometimes　to　cloud　their　perceptions　with　the　strength　of　her　mind…could　be　useful　in　extracting　or　confirming　truths。　Aivas　had　said　she　was　as　much　a　telepath　as　any　of　the　dragons。　F'lar　called　it　〃leaning　on　people；〃　though　she　had　never　been　able　to　cloud　his　mind。　Still；　though　it　was　an　enervating　process　and　one　she　disliked　being　required　to　use；　she　had　leaned　on　people　to　advantage　on　a　number　of　occasions。　Tonight　would　probably　be　another。　〃How　many　in　total；　Sebell？〃
　　〃Benden；　Landing；　Southern；　here；　Southern　Boll…trouble　avoided　at　Crom　because　the　healer　was　stitching　a　wound　and　the　patient's　relatives　beat　off　the　'drunken　louts。'　Then　caught　them　when　they　tried　to　sneak　back　in；〃　Sebell　said　with　wry　amusement。　〃Bitra's　healer　chased　two　off；　and　Nerat　was　locked　up　too　tight；　though　an　obvious　attempt　had　been　made　to　break　in。　Haven't　heard　anything　from　Keroon。　That　makes　twenty…three　apprehended　while　damaging　Healer　property；　and　nine　who　were　detained　for　damaging　three　separate　Glass　Halls。　Master　Fandarel　says　there　were　prowlers　at　the　SmithCraftHall　but　no　harm　done。　Benelek　was　working　late。　In　view　of　the　number　of　attempts；　he　thinks　there　may　have　been　one　on　the　puter　Hall；　too。　They're　frequent　enough。〃
　　〃I　hadn't　realized　there　were　so　many；〃　Groghe　said；　twisting　his　glass　until　the　wine　came　dangerously　close　to　the　rim。
　　〃Then　there's　less　possibility　that　these　were　all　random；　local　disgruntlements；〃　F'lar　said。
　　〃If　there　hadn't　been　so　many；　and　such　emphasis　on　healer　halls；〃　Lessa　said；　frowning　slightly；　〃I　might　attempt　to　understand　their　reasons　for　such　attacks。　Especially　at　this　time　of　a　Turn　when　petitions　are　part　of　the　celebrations；　a　clearing　away　of　grievances　to　start　a　new　Turn　in　good　heart。　Nor　would　they　give　their　hold　and　hall　affiliations。　I　know　there　are　still　many　who　survive…quite　well…as　holdless。　But　that　doesn't　give　them　the　license　to　attack　halls　and　deny　such　services　to　others。　Did　I　understand　correctly；　Groghe；　that　the　prisoners　became　thirsty　enough　to　talk？〃
　　〃In　a　manner　of　speaking；　yes。〃　The　success　of　that　tactic　briefly　cheered　Groghe。　〃Not　having　anything　but　bottled　and　abominated　water　worked　well；　though　not　quite　as　I'd　thought。　Zalla；　the　Scalp…〃　Groghe　chuckled　at　the　nickname　she　had　acquired。　〃…was　terrified　that　tunnel　snakes　would　be　drawn　by　the　smell　of　blood　and　eat　her　alive。　She　got　everyone　else　so　worked　up　they　dropped　more　information　than　we　could　have　anticipated。　Isolating　their　leader　helped。　No　real　discipline　in　the　bunch。〃　He　harrumphed　at　such　moral　weakness　before　he　went　on。
　　〃The　'B'　on　the　map　stands　for　'Batim；'　the　leader's　name。　He　es　from　Crom；　evidently　served　as　a　guard　at　Crom　Hold；　but　he's　been　elsewhere；　too；　strictly　for　pay。　Three　are　from　Bitra；　five　from　Igen；　the　others　from　Keroon；　Ista；　and　Nerat。　All　have　one　thing　in　mon。〃　He　gave　an　apologetic　nod　to　Master　Crivellan。　〃They　have　what　they　think　are　good　reasons　to　mistrust　healers。　Viscula；　the　Itch；　blames　the　Craft　for　not　ridding　her　of　her　rash。　Lechi　is　missing　fingers　due；　he　claims；　to　healer　inpetence。　Another　blamed　healers　for　not　saving　his　family　from　fevers。　They　do　not〃…he　held　up　his　hand　to　forestall　an　obvious　question…〃know　from　whom　Batim　received　his　orders。〃
　　〃How；　or　if；　he　received　any　at　all　is　almost　as　important；〃　Lessa　said；　her　tone　cross。　〃He　can't　have　been　acting　independently。　There　were　too　many　other　such　incidents　to　consider　this　a　random　event。〃
　　〃Lady　Lessa；〃　Haligon　put　in；　raising　his　hand。　〃The　Runners　have　been　asked　to　tell　us　what　messages　have　been　delivered　to　Crom；　to　whom　and　sent　by　whom。　That　will　take　time。〃
　　She　gave　a　snort。　〃There're　always　fire…lizards　to　bring　messages　and　no　record　of　where　they　came　from　or　to　whom　they　belong。〃
　　〃Even　fire…lizards　have　scruples；　my　dear；〃　F'lar　said　dryly。　〃Also；　Turnover　is　a　very　good　time　to　move　freely。〃
　　〃Was　it　just　healer　and　glass　halls　that　were　attacked？〃　Jaxom　asked。
　　〃No；　some　of　Morilton's　were；〃　Sebell　said；　tapping　the　pile　of　drum　messages　in　front　of　him。　〃Those　who　specialize　in　making　equipment　for　healer　purposes。　Anyone　else　who　had　break…ins　would　have　drummed　in　by　now。　Only　Landing　and　Toric's　Hold　were　attacked　in　the　south。〃
　　〃Cove　Hold？〃　Lessa　asked　urgently。
　　〃Not　with　D'ram's　Tiroth　on　watch；　my　dear；〃　F'lar　reminded　her。　〃Has　T'gellan　made　any　progress　questioning　the　ones　he　caught？〃
　　〃Again；　all　three　men　had　grievances　with　healers。〃
　　〃By　destroying　medicines　and　equipment；　they　achieve　nothing　but　the　enmity　of　the　people　who　must　now　wait　to　be　treated；〃　Master　Crivellan　said；　his　tone　distressed。　〃And　delay　our　discovery　of　the　cause　and　the　cure　for　acute　rashes。　Or　learn　enough　to　repair　crushed　fingers。　There　is　so　much　we　don't　know　and　then　we're　damned　because　we　can't　remedy　all　conditions。〃　He　gave　his　head　a　quick　shake。　〃I　apologize。〃
　　〃No　need　to；　Crivellan；〃　Groghe　said　gruffly　reassuring。　〃Anyone　with　an　ounce　of　mon　sense　knows　how　dedicated　and　loyal　healers　are。　We　cannot　change　minds　and　attitudes　overnight　or　spread　knowledge　planetwide。　It　all　takes　time。〃
　　〃And　then　something　as　vile　as　that；〃　the　Master　added；　pointing　to　the　pamphlet　in　the　middle　of　the　table；　〃has　no　trouble　getting　spread　around。〃　He　was　still　obviously　shaken　by　the　perverted　use　of　the　medical　diagrams。
　　〃All　the　more　reason　to　be　sure　the　truth…〃　Lessa　paused　to　stress　the　word。　〃…is　circulated。　And　countered　when　such　perversions；〃　she　added；　waving　at　the　pamphlet；　〃are　discovered。〃
　　〃Such　damage