amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第59部分

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　　The　kettle　began　to　steam　so　he　measured　klah　into　the　big　pot　and　poured　in　hot　water　to　the　top。　Hadn't　Benelek　told　him　at　the　last　Gather　that　he　was　experimenting　with　an　electrically　heated　kettle？　His　stomach　grumbled　so　he　looked　in　the　bread　cupboard　and　cut　himself　several　slices　to　toast　on　the　reawakened　range。　He　was　looking　for　sweetening　to　spread　on　it　when　he　detected　just　the　barest　sound；　a　scuff。　Had　he　been　stupid　enough　to　unlock　the　outside　door　when　he　examined　it？　He　picked　up　the　full　klah　pot；　moved　toward　the　hall；　ready　to　fling　the　hot　contents　on　anyone　who　appeared。
　　〃It's　me；〃　a　familiar　voice　whispered。
　　〃It　is　I；　please；　Pinch；〃　Tagetarl　corrected　irritably；　lowering　the　klah　pot。
　　One　step　brought　Pinch　to　the　doorway；　his　gold　Bista　clinging　to　his　jacket。
　　〃How　did　you　get　in？　No；　don't　tell　me。　Over　the　roof。〃
　　Pinch　made　an　apologetic　face。
　　〃How'd　you　get　in　the　hold？〃　Tagetarl　was　really　startled　now；　having　spent　so　much　on　a　difficult　lock　for　the　hold　door。
　　Pinch　held　up　a　slender　key。　〃You　told　me　how　to　release　the　safety　catch　when　you　gave　me　this。　I　didn't　want　to　wake　you　up。〃　He　dropped　the　key　back　into　an　inner　pocket　where　it　gave　a　muffled　clink　as　it　settled　and　Tagetarl　wondered　how　many　other　keys　the　Harper　had　collected。
　　〃But　Ola's　on　the　roof　with　fairs　of　fire…lizards。〃　What　good　would　fire…lizards　do　in　his　defense？
　　〃For　one；　she　knows　me。　And　two；　Bista　vouched　for　me。　I'll　give　her　this；　she　was　ready　to　call　her　fairs　down　on　me。〃　Then　Pinch　sniffed；　noticing　the　klah　pot　still　in　Tagetarl's　hand。　〃You　knew　I　was　ing？〃　he　asked；　faintly　surprised。
　　〃Beauty　brought　me　a　message。　Are　you　and　Bista　my　'assistance'？〃
　　Pinch's　weary　face　was　wreathed　in　a　smile。　〃Part　of　it；　but　I'm　glad　to　know　that　the　warning　got　through　to　the　Harper　Hall；　too。〃　He　looked　over　his　shoulder　and　said　in　a　louder　voice；　〃It's　safe　to　e　in　now。　There's　fresh　klah。　And；〃　he　went　on　to　the　startled　Tagetarl；　〃by　the　way；　I　suspect　that　when　they　decide　to　enter　these　premises　for　their　subversive　activities；　they；　too；　will　use　the　weaver's　roof。　He's　listened　to　loom　clacking　so　long　he's　deafer　than　a　shuttle。〃
　　Pinch　moved　confidently　to　the　wall　cabinet　and　started　hooking　cup　handles　on　the　fingers　of　his　left　hand；　gathering　four　more　together　with　a　clink　in　his　right　fingers。　He　placed　all　on　the　table　as　his　panions　solemnly　entered　one　by　one。
　　〃Still；　it's　wiser　to　let　them　use　a　known　vulnerability　and　prepare。　Oh；　by　the　way；　these　are　more　of　the　promised　'assistance。'　Don't　gawk；　Tag。　Pour　the　klah　while　I　introduce　them。〃
　　Five　young　men　and　three　girls　filed　in；　packs　on　their　shoulders；　covered　buckets　in　their　hands；　giving　him　a　nod　or　a　shy　smile。
　　〃Oh；　leave　the　stuff　on　the　landing　or　there　won't　be　anywhere　to　stand；〃　Pinch　said；　gesturing　them　to　do　so　before　he　handed　out　the　cups。　Then　he　named　them　as　he　poured　klah。　Macy；　Chenoa；　Egara；　Magalia；　Fromelin；　Torjus；　Garrel；　and　Niness。
　　〃Much　obliged；　Master。〃
　　〃Thank　you；　Master　Tagetarl。〃
　　〃You're　very　kind；　Master。〃
　　〃Appreciate　this。〃
　　〃Eight；　Pinch？〃　Tagetarl　said；　automatically　steadying　cups　as　he　filled　them；　trying　to　absorb　the　presence　of　the　Harper　and　the　assistance。　Would　there　be　enough　klah　left　for　him？
　　〃Yes；　that's　the　number　we　figured　it　would　take　to　paint　all　the　wood　you've　got；〃　Pinch　said　with　a　weary　sigh。　He　snagged　a　stool　to　set　his　backside　on；　gesturing　for　his　followers　to　be　easy。　〃For　all　that　most　of　your　Hall　is　made　of　good　fieldstone；　you've　wood　in　your　doors　and　floors　and　window　frames。　They'd　burn　just　as　easily　as　paper　will。〃　Pinch　raised　his　hand　to　soothe　Tagetarl's　explosion。　〃So　we　have　thoughtfully　brought　a　fire…retardant。　A　coat　of　that's　to　go　on　all　your　wooden　surfaces　between　now　and　full　daylight。　Doesn't　smell　either。　Or　won't　with　all　the　stinks　this　close　to　the　wharves。　The　stuff　dries　quickly；　Piemur　assures　me；　and　since　our　Abominators　would　scarcely　have　delved　that　far　into　Aivas's　files　to　know　such　useful　substances　exist；　it'll　help　foil　their　plans。〃
　　〃It　is　the　Abominators？　You　know　what　they　plan？〃　Tagetarl　exclaimed；　nearly　sloshing　hot　klah　over　Macy's　hand。
　　〃We　can　make　some　pretty　good　guesses；　based　on　what　they've　done　before；〃　Pinch　said　condescendingly。　Then　his　lips　thinned　with　distaste。
　　〃But　why　should　they　attack　the　Print　Hall？　We're　supporting　the　teaching　program　after　all　and。。。〃
　　〃Well；　you　printed　a　concise　report　of　the　Fireball　and　the　true　extent　of　the　Flooding；〃　Pinch　said；　grinning　at　the　outraged　Tagetarl。　〃We've　surmised　that　the　Abominators　wanted　to　set　about　the　rumor　that　Aivas　had　meddled　with　the　very　rhythm　of　Pern　and　that　this　Fireball　was　a　direct　result。　Therefore　anything　that　Aivas　had　suggested；　remended；　dispensed　the　plans　of；　offered　solutions　to　should　be　suspect；　avoided；　discarded；　and　forgotten　so　we　can　go　back　to　the　pure　days　when　all　we　had　to　do　was　worry　about　Threadfall　every　two　hundred　and　fifty　Turns…give　or　take　a　few。〃
　　〃Is　that　what　they　were　going　to　say？　After　the　good　that's　been　done　by　the　Healers　since　they　learned　how　to　rectify　so　many　ailments　and　provide　cures　for　maladies　that　used　to　kill　people　by　the　hundreds？　Not　to　mention　being　able　to　refer　to　books　that　provide　explanations　and…and…〃
　　Tagetarl　was　stunned。　Pinch　poured　a　cup　of　klah　and　put　it　in　his　hand。
　　〃Drink。　You're　not　awake　yet。　But　that　gives　them　more　reason　to　try　and　put　a　stop　to　the　Hall。〃
　　〃More　reason？　Stop　the　Hall？〃
　　〃The　written　word　has　a　power　all　its　own；　that　rumor　can　never　replace。　So　you　publish　truth。　The　Abominators　circulate　rumor。　A　person　can　reread　words　and　reestablish　truth。　Rumor　can't　be　caught；　can't　be　traced。　It　may　be　more　fun　to　pass　along　but　a　book；　a　sheet　of　printed　paper；　that's　tangible　and　the　sense　of　it　doesn't　change　when　it's　passed　from　hand　to　hand。　Drink　the　klah；　Tagetarl；〃　Pinch　said　very　gently；　raising　Tagetarl's　hand　to　bring　his　cup　to　his　mouth。
　　The　MasterPrinter　managed　one　sip　of　the　hot　liquid。　〃What　do　I　do？　I'll　need　guards。　My　apprentices　aren't　going　to　be　enough！〃
　　Pinch　raised　hands　to　silence　him。　〃Of　course　they　aren't。　Nice　enough　lads　but　not　trained；　though　I　suspect　Marley's　a　good　man　in　a　brawl；　but　my　reinforcements　here…〃　He　gestured　broadly　at　the　young　people　who　were　quietly　sipping　klah。　〃…have　a　few　tricks　and　they　know　one　end　of　a　brush　from　another。　We've　arrived　timely；　too；　since　Beauty　was　here　and　my　suspicions　have　been　confirmed　by　the　Runners。〃　He　grinned　brightly　at　Tagetarl。　〃Dragonriders　aren't　the　only　ones　who　can　be　where　they're　needed　when　they're　needed。〃
　　Tagetarl's　jaw　dropped　at　what　was　almost　a　profane　remark　from　a　harper。
　　〃Now　you've　finished　your　klah；　boys　and　girls；　we've　a　lot　to　do　before　daylight。　Smear　the　retardant　on　anything　wooden。　The　gloves　may　be　clumsy　but　they'll　save　your　skin。　Work　quietly；　if　you　please。　I　don't　want　even　to　hear　the　slap　of　brushes　on　the　wood。　You've　all　had　practice。〃
　　While　two　of　the　group　gathered　the　cups　and　set　them　in　the　sink；　the　others　went　out；　collecting　their　supplies　and　quietly　leaving　by　the　kitchen　porch。　Tagetarl　glanced　out　the　window　and；　in　the　dim　predawn　light；　could　barely　see　the　other　side　of　the　wide　court。
　　〃Stuff's　dark　going　on；　dries　transparent。　Don't　worry；〃　Pinch　said；　rising　to　refill　the　kettle　from　the　tap　at　the　sink　and　put　it　back　on　the　stove。　As　he　swung　his　leg　over　the　stool；　he　took　a　sheet　from　a　pocket　and　smoothed　it　on　the　table　in　front　of　Tagetarl。　〃Seen　him　around　here　lately？〃
　　Tagetarl　frowned。　〃That's　the　same　man　you　drew　the　last　time　you　were　here。　I　thought　he　looked　familiar。　I　thought　it　odd　of　him　to　ask　for　a　copy　of　Teaching　Ballads。　I'd　actually　filled　an　order　for　Lord　Kashman　and　had　none　in　stock。　Told　him　to　e　back　in　a　sevenday。〃
　　Pinch　nodded　as　if　that　wasn't　news　to　him。　〃Tomorrow。〃
　　〃You　mean；　he　plans　to　just　walk　in　here。。。〃　Tagetarl　was　appalled　when　he　remembered　the　incident。　〃I　showed　him　through　the　Hall。　It　seemed　only　courteous。〃
　　Pinch's　smile　was　sardonic。　〃I　hope　you　limited　it　to　the　Hall。〃
　　〃I　did；　but　I　also　mentioned　how　many　apprentices　I'm　training。〃　Tagetarl　slammed　his　forehead　with　his　hand。　How　naive　of　him！　Had　he　lost　all　his　Harper…trained　acuity？　He　had　seven　lads；　none　of　them　fully　grown　except　Marley；　and　three　girls；　who　were　all　of　them　light…boned；　hired　for　their　quick　fingers。　Add　in　the　eight　Pinch　had　brought…
　　〃Don't　fret；〃　Pinch　said　soothingly。　〃You'd　no　cause…then…to　suspect　anything。　No　reason　not　to　be　courteous。　You　are；　after　all；　offering　a　special　service。　Even　if　the　Abominators　don't　like　it。〃
　　Tagetarl　swallowed；　the　hot　klah　cooling　too　rapidly　in　his　belly　to　give　him　the　fort　it　usually　did。　〃How　many　were　there　in　that　attack　on　the　Healer　Hall？　Ten？　No；　fifteen。〃
　　〃I'd　say　there'd　have　to　be　at　least　ten　for　the　job　here；〃　Pinch　said　casually；　as　if　that　made　no　difference。　〃Had　any　other　'curious'　visitors　lately？〃
　　Tagetarl　buried　his　face　in　his　hands；　rubbin