amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第48部分

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　and　Wansor　has　seen　through　Cove　Hold　that　it　hasn't…we'd　have　rocks　falling　down　all　over　the　planet。　And　we　don't。〃
　　〃That　Fireball　made　enough　trouble　for　us；〃　one　of　the　Runners　said。
　　〃It　was　wrong　to　move　the　Red　Star；〃　the　older　man　said；　his　face　somber　and　his　voice　forbidding。　〃It　has　circled　Pern　for　centuries　and　to　alter　its　course　is　a　bad　deed。〃
　　〃Oh；　it's　still　to　circle　Pern；〃　Chesmic　agreed。　〃Just　not　close　enough　to　drop　Thread　on　us　again。〃
　　〃Thread；　and　the　dragonriders　flaming　it　out　of　our　skies；　is　tradition。　So　many　have　been　broken。　So　much　has　Aivas　corrupted　our　way　of　life；　our　traditions。〃
　　There　was　something　about　the　man's　toneless　voice　that　caught　you　up　in　his　words　but　Chesmic　knew　about　traditions。　Runners　followed　ones　that　belonged　to　the　first　CraftHall　to　be　formed　at　Fort　Hold。
　　〃There　isn't　a　Runner　on　any　trace　on　Pern；　north　or　south；　that　does　not　follow　tradition。　And　since　you've　both　finished　eating；　you'd　best　make　use　of　the　beds　that　tradition…〃　Chesmic　paused　to　be　sure　these　strangers　understood　what　he　meant。〃…requires　us　to　offer　travelers　during　winter。〃　He　rose　and　gestured　toward　the　loft　steps。
　　The　older　one　rose　and　bowed。　So　did　the　younger　man；　but　his　expression　was　sullen　as　they　both　made　their　way　to　the　sleeping　loft。
　　Mulling　over　the　unease　he　had　felt　about　that　pair；　Chesmic　recalled　the　description　that　Prilla　had　given　of　the　man　who'd　stopped　her　on　the　trace　to　carry　a　message　onward。　Definitely　it　had　been　the　older　fellow；　for　Prilla　had　mentioned　his　odd　deep　voice。　He'd've　been　wearing　a　hat；　possibly；　so　the　scar　wouldn't've　been　so　noticeable。　Of　course　he'd　paid　his　mark　piece　for　the　service　or　Prilla　wouldn't　have　carried　it　a　stride　farther。　But　why'd　a　fellow　waylay　a　Runner　when　he　could　have　easily　brought　it　to　the　Station　and　had　it　logged　on　and　all　in　the　proper　manner？
　　
HARPER　HALL
　　Well　into　the　next　month；　as　the　flooded　coasts　drained　and；　in　most　cases；　resumed　their　previous　contours；　food　and　materials　were　sent　by　almost　every　inland　hold；　minor　or　major　on　both　continents；　to　sustain　and　rebuild　drowned　holds。　Messages　bulged　Runner　pouches　and　fire…lizards　carried　more；　finding　out　who　needed　what　and　where。　Shipmasters　volunteered　free　cargo　space　and；　on　the　days　between　Threadfalls；　riders　offered　the　services　of　their　dragons　and　themselves。　In　the　atmosphere　of　renewed　friendships　and　mutual　assistance；　the　unfortunate　occurrences　at　Turn's　End　faded　in　the　press　of　other　priorities。　The　general　movement　of　materiel　and　people　included　some　of　those　in　whom　Pinch　had　an　interest。　He　did　know　that　messages　were　sent；　but　not　to　whom　or　their　content。　None　of　the　people　he　watched　so　assiduously　had　fire…lizards；　which　proved　that　fire…lizards　wouldn't　e　to　just　anyone　who　fed　them。　He　could　never　quite　get　close　enough　to　hear　their　discreet　conferences。　He'd　e　back　to　Harper　Hall　to　report；　get　some　new　clothes　and　marks。
　　He　found　Sebell　in　his　office；　piles　of　odd…sized　papers　on　his　desk；　held　down　by　rocks。
　　〃Well；　e　to　do　your　share　of　petitions？〃　Sebell　asked；　gesturing　to　the　mess。
　　Pinch　groaned　and　looked　away。　〃Bad　timing　on　my　part。〃
　　Traditionally　all　petitions　presented　at　Turnover　were　forwarded　to　the　Harper　Hall　and　read　by　a　special　group　of　journeymen　and　masters　who　determined　which　were　urgent　enough　to　be　submitted　to　the　Council　at　Telgar　on　the　first　of　the　Third　month。　Some　of　the　petitions　should　have　been　handled　at　Hold　level。　However；　if　there　were　sufficient　plaints　brought　against　major　or　minor　Holders；　the　Council　was　the　best　place　to　decide　if　the　matter　should　be　investigated　further。　Pinch　was　often　assigned　to　get　specific　information。
　　〃I'll　do　my　share。　I　always　do。　I'll　look　at　any　in　Keroon；　Igen；　or　Bitra…I　know　most　of　the　troublemakers　there　anyhow。〃
　　Sebell　gave　a　little　smile。　〃Not　much　from　Bitra　so　far。　Sousmal　seems　to　be　taking　such　good　hold　that　everyone's　happy　with　him。〃
　　Pinch　widened　his　eyes；　moved　one　pile　of　papers　to　hitch　his　hip　up　onto　the　desk。　〃For　now！　How　about　those　sketches　I　sent　you？　Any　of　that　trio　known？〃
　　〃Woman's　from　Tillek；　rather　a　sour　contentious　sort；　apprenticed　to　local　healer　hall　but　released　prior　to　her　third　term　as　unsuitable　to　the　Craft。　Petitioned　Lord　Ranrel　to　be　given　her　father's　hold　in　preference　to　the　younger　brother　who　had　been　named　by　their　father；　evidently　with　a　specific　instruction　that　she　was　not　to　be　considered。　She　and　the　brother　had　a　huge　dispute　and　she　left。　Hasn't　been　seen　since　Tillek's　autumn　Gather　last　Turn。〃
　　〃So　she's　holdless？〃
　　Sebell　shrugged；　searching　briefly　in　the　wide　drawer　under　his　desk　and　finding　the　three　sketches。　〃One　of　the　Traders　through　here…a　Lilcamp…recognized　this　fellow。〃　He　tapped　the　one　with　the　missing　index　finger。　〃Travels　a　lot。　Does　his　share　when　asked；　can　put　his　hand　to　a　lot　of　jobs；　has　a　habit　of　asking　questions。　Funny　sort　of　voice；　too。〃　He　paused。　〃Young　Sev　mentioned　the　questions　were…how　do　I　put　it…provocative。〃
　　〃Provocative？　And　he　asked　Traders？〃　Pinch　was　mildly　surprised　by　such　gall。
　　〃They　see　a　lot　of　people　and　are　smart　enough　to　know　what's　going　on　where　and　how　folks　are　reacting。　Better　than　Runners　who　can't　stay　long　anywhere。〃
　　〃They're　helping　though；〃　Pinch　said。　〃Chesmic　up　at　Circle　Hold　says　he's　had　strangers　in；　sending　messages；　and　others　leaving　them　at　a　Runner　Halt；　a　half　mark　left　to　pay　carriage。〃
　　Sebell　raised　his　eyebrows。　〃Overpaying？　Bribing？〃
　　〃Not　when　Chesmic　tells　me。〃
　　〃Does　he　know　you're　Harper？〃
　　〃Doesn't　ask。〃　Pinch's　eyes　danced　with　amusement。　〃By　the　bye；〃　he　added；　his　grin　turning　malicious；　〃did　you　know　that　the　window　glass　that　broke　during　the　shock　wave　was　all　made　by　Master　Norist？　None　of　Master　Morilton's　shattered！　Another　point　for　our　new　technology。〃　Then　he　cocked　his　head。　〃Do　we　know；　officially　or　unofficially；　if　the…ah…exiles　survived　the　Flood？〃
　　Sebell　pursed　his　lips　and　regarded　his　panion。　〃Has　there　been　a　question　about　that？〃
　　〃Not　in　so　many　words　but　it　might　be　handy　to　know。〃
　　〃And　you're　curious？〃
　　〃Part　of　it。〃　Pinch's　shrug　was　nonmittal。
　　〃As　I　understand　it；　one　of　the　natural　attributes　of　a　proper　exile　is　that　no　one；　searching　in　a　ship　for　dissidents；　would　find　a　beach　to　land　on。　Many　of　such　islands　are　sheer…faced　cliffs。　The　relevant　ones　were　drenched　but　not　drowned。　What's　the　other　part　of　it？〃
　　〃A　snippet　of　conversation　I　overheard…misinformation；　actually…that　I'd　like　to　honestly…〃　He　put　his　hand　over　his　heart。　〃…genuinely；　sincerely；　trustworthily　repudiate。　As　I　was　saying；　I　suspect　our　plotters；　and　perhaps　the　ingenious　scum　who　assembled　the　pamphlets；　that　so　distressed　Master　Crivellan；　lurk　in　the　foothills　of　Keroon　where　dwell　many　with　insufficient　teachering　to　argue；　and　no　interest　in　what　happens　to　the　rest　of　the　planet。　Did　you　identify　that　third　chap？〃
　　〃He　looks　slightly　familiar　but　I　can't　place　him。〃
　　〃Nor　can　I。　He　resembles　half　a　dozen　men　I　know；　same　age；　same　height；　same　general　features；　but　he　seems　to　have　no　morals　or　ethics。　He　does　have　some　responsibilities　that　he　has　to　attend　to　from　time　to　time　or　a　person　he　makes　reports　to。　He　may　be　a　younger　Holder　son；　not　likely　to　succeed；　he　holds　his　nose　a　lot。　You've　seen　the　type；　though　he　adapts　to　his　surroundings　better　than　Third　and　Fifth　do。〃
　　〃Third　and　Fifth？〃
　　Pinch　made　a　face。　〃They　go　by　the　numbers。　The　one　woman's　referred　to　as　Fourth。　I　think　the　original　second　is　dead。　I　got　the　distinct　impression　that　they're　glad　he　is　since　he　objected　to　some　of　their　plans。　Third's　the　big　one；　Fourth　the　female。　Seven　in　all　or　at　least　seven　who　e　to　the　hill　retreat　from　time　to　time。　I'd　suspected　Sixth　was　from　Tillek；　with　that　flat　nasal　twang。　Third's　traveled…as　we　know…and　Fourth's　been　in　so　many　places　I　can't　tell　where　she　came　from。　Definitely　Third　is　in　it　for　money　and　sport。　I　think　Third　is　genuinely　concerned　about　too　much　technology。　Fourth　uses　Tradition　as　a　reason　to　exist。　Her　thinking's　skewed。　She　wants　to　lead　and　she　hasn't　got　the　personality　for　it。　She's　too　concerned　about　doing　things　the　old　way；　the　right　way；　the　way　she　was　taught　that　ought　to　be　the　way　everyone　does　it。〃　Pinch　paused。　〃Too　hidebound　to　know　the　color　of　her　pelt。〃
　　〃Are　they　planning　something？〃　Sebell　asked。
　　〃They　act　like　it；　all　this　leaving　of　messages　at　Runner　Halts　so　the　sender　can't　be　identified。〃
　　〃How　do　they　collect　messages；　then？〃
　　〃I　suspect　one　of　their　docile　hill　folk　do。　I　asked　at　Wide　Bay…Stationmaster　Arminet　knows　me…and　he　remarked；　casual　like；　that　a　lot　of　hill　folk　were　getting　messages。〃
　　Sebell　rubbed　his　chin　thoughtfully。　〃They　must　know　that　now　most　healer　halls　lock　away　their　stores…and　use　Master　Morilton's　glass。〃　He　gave　Pinch　a　telling　look。　〃The　Glass　Halls　have　shifted　healer　hall　work　to　more　secure　places；　the　SmithCraftHalls　have　started　using　digital　lock　systems。。。〃
　　〃And　Aivas　scores　another　posthumous　victory　over　vandalism；〃