amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第63部分

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to　be　sure　the　focus　is　accurate；　let's　dispense　with　the　rest　of　Honshu's　catalogue　and　focus　on　whatever　strikes　our　fancy。　Some　of　those　globular　clusters　I　was　just　studying　about。　Or　the　spiral　nebulas。　Or　something　that　isn't　anywhere　close　to　Pern！〃
　　She　gawped　at　him；　unaccountably　thrilled　at　such　a　suggestion。　She'd　often　wanted　to　just　〃look〃　beyond　this　dark　corner：　to　the　cloudy　canyons　with　dark　holes；　the　cartwheels　in　various　orientations；　ghostly　circular　shapes　of　planetary　nebulae；　wisps　of　gas　lit　up　by　newborn　stars。　She　did　so　want　to　see　the　eternal　and　changing　magic　of　the　universe。
　　〃And　we'll　take　some　images　of　the　ones　we　like　best；　shall　we？〃
　　She　grinned　back　at　him。　But；　before　he　did　anything　else；　he　kissed　the　dimples　in　her　cheeks。
　　　
NIGHT　AT　WIDE　BAY…2。9。31
　　Tagetarl　spent　a　terrible　day；　trying　to　conduct　himself　as　he　would　any　normal　day　in　front　of　apprentices　and　clients　alike；　all　the　while　wondering　what　〃normal〃　should　look　like。　For　instance；　on　a　normal　day；　he　wouldn't　have　made　so　many　pots　of　klah　before　dawn　nor　washed　so　many　cups。　He　did　have　a　fresh　pot　ready　at　the　usual　time　that　he　opened　the　outer　gates　for　his　apprentices　and　unlocked　the　double　doors　of　the　Hall。　He　noticed　that　there　was　a　slight　shine　to　the　wood　but；　though　he　sniffed　deeply…causing　his　oldest　apprentice；　Marley；　to　regard　his　Master　oddly…the　smell　was　posed　more　of　the　prevalent　odor　of　fish　and　toner　than　paint。　He　regained　some　of　his　usual　posure　by　assigning　the　day's　tasks。
　　He　heard　the　whistle；　had　to　think　for　a　moment；　and　then　saw　two　grimy　fellows　rolling　in　two　big　barrels。
　　〃Just　as　you　ordered　'em；　Master　Tawgurtall；〃　the　older　man　said；　chewing　his　words　as　he　deftly　shifted　his　cask　into　a　corner　by　the　right…hand　door。　How　like　Pinch　to　mangle　his　name；　so　Tagetarl　merely　nodded　at　the　shabbily　dressed　drudge。　His　equally　scruffy　associate　rolled　a　second　barrel　into　the　opposite　side。　〃As　required。〃　Then；　with　that　cryptic　statement；　they　both　left。
　　〃As　I　was　saying；　Marley；〃　Tagetarl　went　on；　tapping　the　copy　to　get　Marley's　full　attention。
　　He　tried　to　concentrate　on　the　usual　tasks　of　a　day；　making　up　a　new　order　for　different　weights　of　paper　from　Master　Bendarek…well；　he　could　delay　that　for　today。　He　checked　the　two　girls　stitching　bindings；　made　sure　Delart　was　cutting　the　leather　economically；　that　Wil　was　trimming　only　the　paper　edges　neatly　and　not　his　fingertips　with　the　extremely　sharp　edge　of　the　wide　blade。　Idly　Tagetarl　wondered　if　he　could　detach　that　broad　knife　and　use　it　against　the　Abominators　tonight；　or　whenever　they　attacked　his　Hall。
　　On　brief　trips　across　the　court；　he　did　notice　that　Ola　seemed　to　make　a　great　many　short　dashes　from　roof　to　kitchen　window；　checking　on　Rosheen　wherever　she　was。　He　hadn't　told　Rosheen　yet　because　she　seemed　happy　today；　and　had　possibly　forgotten　her　uneasy　presentiments。　She　also　had　a　plicated　SmithCraftHall　manual　to　proofread。　He　didn't　recognize　Bista's　pale　gold　hide　among　those　ing　and　going　on　the　roofs；　but　she　was　as　sly　as　Pinch。　There　seemed　to　be　no　more　than　the　usual　wild　ones；　sunning　on　the　slates。　Or　were　they　wild？　Tagetarl　couldn't　tell　and　decided　it　didn't　make　any　difference。　Fire…lizards　were　volatile　creatures。
　　He　had　no　appetite　for　lunch　and　fretted　over　how　Rosheen　would　scold　him　for　not　letting　her　know　the　danger　the　Hall　was　in。　He　usually　told　her　everything。　But　why　should　she　spend　the　day　worrying；　too？　She　had　to　keep　her　mind　on　the　manual；　that　was　one　task　he　could　not　handle　today！　He　did　not　see　any　of　Pinch's　helpers；　nor　did　he　see　Pinch　again　in　any　guise。　He　didn't　know　whether　to　transfer　paper　from　storage　to　the　Hall　as　he　usually　did　at　the　end　of　a　day。　But　then　would　anyone　be　watching　to　see　that　he　kept　to　his　usual　routine？　He　kept　running　a　hand　over　the　wood　of　doors　and　frames　but　couldn't　really　feel　any　difference；　much　less　recognize　a　substance　that　could　retard　flame。
　　He　was　anxious　because　no　one　came　to　his　office　with　new　work；　but　also　relieved。　How　did　you　tell　an　Abominator　from　any　other　ordinary　man　or　woman？　It　was　the　set　of　their　minds：　their　self…appointed　mission　to　deny　choice　to　others；　to　neutralize　all　the　useful　things　that　were　already　in　operation。　Aivas　had　made　available　a　great　deal　of　knowledge；　some　of　it　information　miscopied　over　the　Turns　that　only　needed　careful　research　in　the　Archives　and　invaluable　to　all　the　Crafts　to　rectify。　Any　thinking　person　would　examine　what　was　sensible　to　add　to　what　Pern　already　had…like　printing；　but　he　required　no　one　to　read　or　buy　his　books：　that　was　their　decision。　For　all　the　amazing　diversity　of　processes　and　products　that　the　Ancients　had　known　and　used；　just　learning　how　to　faithfully　execute　some　of　the　designs　was　enough　to　discourage　making　the　unnecessary。　As　Master　Menolly　said…and　he　knew　Sebell　basically　agreed　with　her…not　everything　and　anything　new　meant　an　improvement。　But　people　should　make　that　decision　themselves；　not　have　it　arbitrarily　denied。
　　The　five…note　whistle　that　Pinch　said　was　a　warning　startled　Tagetarl：　it　seemed　to　float　across　the　court　from　nowhere。　He　wrenched　around　to　face　the　outer　gate；　trying　to　pose　himself。　He；　Master　Tagetarl；　who　had　never　flubbed　an　entrance　or　forgot　tune　or　words；　felt　himself　unnaturally　stiff　with　fear　and　apprehension。　What　should　he　say？　What　could　he　say　to　someone　who　had　decided　to　destroy　his　livelihood？　People　were　passing　by　the　Hall　on　the　road　outside。　Then　in　walked　the　man　of　Pinch's　sketch：　there　was　the　missing　joint　of　the　left　index　finger　and　the　zigzag　scar　on　the　forehead；　all　but　hidden　under　the　black　knit　cap。　The　man　stood　for　a　moment　looking　across　the　court　with　narrowed　eyes；　his　expression　disdainful　and　his　lips　twisted　scornfully…as　if；　Tagetarl　thought；　he　was　anticipating　the　changes　that　might　shortly　be　made　to　the　order　and　serenity　of　the　Printer　Hall。
　　〃Good　evening；〃　Tagetarl　said　as　affably　as　his　wariness　permitted。　He　reached　for　the　book　he　had　placed　on　one　of　the　barrels。
　　〃e　for　the　book。　You　said　a　sevenday；〃　the　man　said　as　if　he　had　no　faith　in　that　promise。　He　spoke　tonelessly；　as　if　ing　for　a　book　was　only　an　excuse。
　　He　kept　his　lips　over　his　teeth　as　if　hiding　them。　Pinch's　drawing　had　not　included　that　detail　or　the　smell　of　the　man：　stale　sweat；　campfires；　and　beast　dung。　Nor　was　he　wearing　hill…style　clothing。　In　fact；　the　black　leather　jacket　and　trousers　looked　barely　used；　his　boots　were　definitely　new；　if　road…stained。　The　man　sauntered　deeper　into　the　yard；　Tagetarl　following　him；　trying　to　give　him　the　book　and　get　him　out　of　his　Hall。
　　〃That'll　be　three　marks；〃　Tagetarl　said；　amazed　at　how　even　his　voice　sounded　in　his　ears。　Was　this　Scar…face　the　leader？　The　man　seemed　determined　to　make　a　final　close　assessment。　Tagetarl　intercepted　his　circuit；　pushing　the　book　at　him　and　holding　out　an　open　hand。　〃Three　marks。〃
　　Digging　in　one　pocket　of　his　jacket　he　wore；　Scar…face　dropped　two　full　marks　and　two　half　marks；　all　weaver　stamped；　into　Tagetarl's　hand。
　　〃Weaver　marks　good　enough　for　you；　Master　Harper？〃　he　asked　without　the　usual　inflection　of　a　question。
　　〃MasterPrinter；〃　Tagetarl　corrected　automatically。　〃Weaver　marks　are　well　guaranteed！〃　Shards；　did　the　man　want　to　provoke　a　fight？　Or　spread　word　that　the　Print　Hall　disdained　weaver　marks？
　　Scar…face　took　the　Ballads　from　Tagetarl's　hand　much　as　one　would　cautiously　grasp　something　dirty　or　repulsive。　Tagetarl；　loving　the　books　he　published　so　that　at　times　it　was　hard　to　sell　them　on；　had　to　grip　hard　on　the　worn　marks　to　prevent　himself　from　grabbing　the　volume　back。　The　man　shoved　it　roughly　into　a　pocket　of　his　jacket。
　　〃MasterPrinter；〃　the　man　said　with　a　queer　grin。　〃You're　kept　busy？〃　He　kept　darting　glances　to　the　Hall　and　around　the　courtyard　where　the　genuine　apprentices　were　sweeping　the　cobbles　and　tidying　up　in　the　Hall。　Then　his　eyes　settled　briefly　at　the　heavy　leaves　of　the　outer　gate　and　his　lips　twitched　across　his　teeth。
　　〃Busy　enough；〃　Tagetarl　admitted；　wondering　how　he　could　get　the　man　to　go。　He　heard　the　rumbling　of　a　cart　on　the　road　outside；　and　then　saw　one　being　pushed　through　the　outer　gate；　dropping　wisps　of　the　straw　that　cushioned　the　wineskins　inside。　Tagetarl　knew　very　well　that　he　hadn't　ordered　anything　from　his　local　supplier　and　was　about　to　protest　when　he　remembered　what　Pinch　had　said　and　turned　casually　about。
　　In　the　moment　he　had　looked　away；　Scar…face　departed。
　　〃Shipment　for　Master　Harper？〃　the　wineman　announced；　lifting　his　hand　for　attention。
　　〃MasterPrinter；〃　Tagetarl　corrected　for　the　second　time　in　a　few　minutes　and　wondered　why　no　one　could　give　him　his　proper　rank　today。
　　〃Ahem；　sorry；　sir；　MasterPrinter　Tagetarl？〃
　　〃I　am　he。〃　And　Tagetarl　hoped　that　Pinch　was　listening　somewhere。
　　〃Promised　to　deliver　this　myself；〃　the　stout　man　said　with　a　hearty　air。
　　〃Indeed；　and　who　might　have　required　extra　service　from　a　busy　man　like　yourself？〃　Tagetarl　asked；　noting　the　second　set　of　new　black　leather　jacket；　pants；　and　boots　of　the　day。　The　reek　from　this　man