amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第80部分

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　　〃Well？〃　and　Toric　swung　round　toward　Lessa　and　F'lar。
　　Lessa　gave　him　a　bland　look。　Toric　must　have　enjoyed　hearing　that　F'lessan　had　been　injured　but　it　was　in　his　usual　bad　taste　to　try　to　make　it　appear　an　omission　on　K'van's　part。
　　〃It's　scarcely　a　Council　matter；〃　F'lar　said。　〃Kind　of　you　to　be　concerned。〃
　　〃I'd　like　to　know　the　details。　It's　seldom　dragons　are　attacked；　much　less　injured；　by　lesser　beasts。〃
　　〃As　I'm　sure　the　rest　of　the　Council　is　already　aware；　Lord　Toric；　the　injured　are　recovering。　Now；　do　take　your　seat；〃　Larad　said　with　firm　courtesy。　〃There　is　much　official　business　to　discuss。〃
　　Toric　looked　irritated　but　as　no　one　would　meet　his　eyes；　he　did　take　his　chair。　Immediately　Sebell　rose。
　　〃We　will　deal　first　with　the　matter　of　Southern　Boll's　Holdership。〃
　　〃Let　us　discuss　the　anarchic　behavior；〃　Lord　Kashman　said；　speaking　rapidly　and　angrily；　rising　from　his　chair　so　fast　it　crashed　backward　to　the　flagstones；　〃of　Lord　Jaxom；　Weyrleader　N'ton；　and　Masterprinter　Tagetarl　who　arbitrarily　exiled　twelve　people；　alleged　to　be　Abominators。〃
　　Larad　looked　up　with　surprise；　and　not　a　little　annoyance；　at　Kashman's　plete　disregard　for　protocol。　Newly　appointed　Lord　Holders　should　not　be　so　presumptuous。
　　〃Yes；〃　drawled　Toric；　smiling　with　considerable　relish；　〃let's　hear　about　this　latest　of　the　exiles　so　enthusiastically　perpetrated　by　Lord　Jaxom　and　Weyrleader　N'ton。〃
　　〃The　Abominators　did　the　perpetrating；　Toric。　Jaxom；　N'ton；　and　Tagetarl　followed　precedent；〃　Groghe　said；　slapping　one　hand　down　hard　on　the　table。　〃I　was　present　for　two　of　those　judgments。　I　was　the　one　who　passed　sentence　at　Turnover。　Furthermore；　this　Council　decreed…you　were　actually　present　for　that　meeting；〃　he　pointed　a　thick；　unwavering　finger　down　the　table　at　Toric；　〃don't　deny　it…when　we　all　decided　that　exile　was　an　appropriate　deterrent　for　any　more　wasteful　acts　of　vandalism。〃
　　〃This　issue　will　be　discussed　later；〃　Sebell　said；　raising　his　trained　voice　that　overwhelmed　the　beginning　of　a　three…sided　shouting　match　by　Toric；　Groghe；　and　Kashman。　Old　Lord　Corman　seemed　to　have　passed　his　contentiousness　on　to　this　sixth　son　of　his；　who　was　not　much　past　his　thirtieth　birthday。
　　〃I　came　to　discuss　that；〃　Toric　cried。
　　〃The　first　matter　is；　and　will　be；　the　confirmation　of　a　new　Holder　for　Southern　Boll！〃　Sebell　said　in　clarion　tones。
　　〃Why　don't　you　just　agree　to　the　girl　and　let　us　get　to　the　real　issues？〃　Toric　demanded。
　　〃But　she's　a　woman！〃　Kashman　protested。　〃There　hasn't　been　a　Lady　Holder；　except　in　a　temporary　capacity　for。。。〃
　　〃Not　since　Lady　Sicca　ran　Ista；〃　Groghe　said。　〃My　grandfather　had　great　respect　for　her。　For　that　matter；　all　of　us　here；　bar　you　who　are　new　e　to　the　Council　honors；〃　and　Groghe　emphasized　that；　〃know　that　Lady　Marella's　been　running　Boll　for　the　past　five　Turns　since　Sangel　began　to　deteriorate。　Lady　Janissian　has　been　her　steward　and　she　certainly　proved　her　worth　to　me　during　the　Fireball　Flood。　Those　cousins　of　hers　removed　themselves　and　their　belongings　to　high　ground　and　stayed　there　without　lifting　a　finger。　Neither　of　them　should　hold。〃
　　〃For　that　matter；〃　Lessa　said；　〃Emily　Boll　held　those　lands　in　her　own　right。　As　I　see　it；　that　Holdership　has　e　full　circle　and　about　time。〃
　　Lady　Dulsay；　Adrea；　Master　Ballora；　and　Palla　were　bold　enough　to　second　her。
　　〃Shall　we　confirm　Lady　Janissian　then？〃　Asgenar　asked；　looking　around；　a　sly　smile　on　his　face；　〃And　save　time　for　the　really　important　matters？〃　He　glared　at　Toric。
　　〃Like　what　the　Weyrleaders　are　going　to　do　to　prevent　more　fireballs？〃　Toric　demanded；　glaring　across　the　floor　at　Lessa　and　F'lar。
　　〃Now；　just　a　minute；〃　Bargen　said；　annoyed；　〃that　isn't　as　critical　a　problem…〃
　　〃I　should　hope　it　is；〃　Toric　interrupted　at　his　most　obnoxious。
　　Bargen　gave　him　a　furious　glare　and；　raising　his　harsh　baritone　voice；　continued；　〃as　choosing　a　Bloodline　successor；　Lord；〃　and　he　closed　his　lips　for　a　moment；　catching　Lady　Sharra's　reaction；　〃or　Lady。〃
　　〃There　are　two　males　in　the　Bloodline；　aren't　there？〃　Lytol　asked；　supporting　Bargen　in　order　to　keep　to　the　agenda。
　　〃Vormital；　a　great　nephew　of　Sangel；〃　Sebell　said；　eyeing　Toric；　〃and　Warlow；　a　first　cousin。　Sangel's　sons　died　in　the　plague　and　there　is　no　other　male　issue　in　the　direct　Bloodline。〃
　　〃Never　heard　of　Vormital　or　Warlow；〃　Bargen　said。　〃There　has　to　be　more。〃
　　〃Not　surviving；〃　Sebell　said。　It　was　the　Harper　Hall's　duty　to　check。
　　〃There　was；　there　was。　I　knew　him　when　I　was　in　High　Reaches　Weyr。　Hillegel。　Big　man。　Half　brother　to　Sangel；〃　Bargen　insisted。
　　〃He　thought　he'd　go　south；〃　Toric　said；　grinning　smugly。　〃I　heard　he　went　down　one　of　the　rivers　and　never　a　word　since。〃
　　N'ton　got　to　his　feet。　〃When　approached　by　the　Weyr　to　help　evacuate　the　vulnerable　coast　from　the　Flood；　Vormital　informed　me　that　this　was　Sangel's　problem；　not　his。〃
　　〃Dismiss　him　from　consideration；〃　Groghe　said；　bringing　his　fist　down　on　the　table。　〃In　my　hearing；　on　five　separate　occasions；　Sangel　said　the　man　was　a　fool　and　couldn't　hold　a　cup　without　help。〃
　　〃Does　anyone　know　any　good　of　this　Vormital？〃　Sebell　asked。
　　〃If　anyone　does；　it　will　be　the　first　time；〃　Groghe　said　in　a　voice　meant　to　be　heard。
　　〃Who's　the　other　one？〃　Bargen　of　High　Reaches　said。　He　had　fought　hard　to　return　High　Reaches　to　his　Bloodline　after　Fax's　presumptive　holding　and　he　saw　nothing　wrong　with　fighting　to　claim　Bloodright…for　males；　of　course。
　　〃Warlow　is　the　child　of　Sangel's　youngest　sister。　He　has　a　small　farm　and　five　sons；　three　of　whom　have　served　Lady　Marella　in　minor　capacities。〃
　　〃If　his　sons　served；　and　he　hasn't　pushed　for　himself；　he'd　be　useless；〃　was　Bargen's　immediate　answer。　〃Are　we　left　with　the　girl？〃
　　〃Lady　Janissian　has　served　as　steward　to　her　grandfather　and　grandmother…〃　Sebell　began。
　　〃More　the　grandmother's　doing；　I'm　certain；〃　Langrell　of　Igen　remarked。
　　〃It's　more　important　that　she　was　doing；〃　Groghe　said；　scowling　at　Langrell。　〃And　she　is　of　the　Blood。〃
　　〃Oh；　confirm　her　and　let's　get　on　with　this　meeting；〃　Toric　demanded　impatiently。
　　〃In　that　case；　I　will　collect　your　votes；〃　Sebell　said。
　　〃Isn't　it　a　good　thing；〃　Lessa　murmured　to　F'lar　after　they　had　both　written　their　decisions；　〃that　Janissian　happens　to　be　well　qualified。〃
　　〃Hold　Blood's　getting　thin　after　twenty…five　hundred　Turns。　And；　with　the　end　of　Threadfall。。。〃　F'lar　murmured。
　　〃Holding　began　with　Fort；　with　Paul　Benden。　There's　nothing　wrong　with　Fort's　Bloodline。　But　that　form　of　inheritance　is　not　in　the　Charter；　you　know。〃
　　F'lar　regarded　her　in　mild　surprise。　〃No；　actually；　it　isn't。　Holders　and　all　those　traditions　came　later。〃　He　looked　at　Toric　who　was　impatiently　tapping　the　table　while　Sebell　was　sorting　through　the　slips。
　　Sebell　held　up　two　piles…one　thin；　one　fat。　Three　slips　remained　on　his　lectern。
　　〃Three　abstentions；　five　nays；　and　thirty…seven　yeas；〃　Sebell　said。　〃Harper　Hall　votes　yea。〃
　　Nothing　more　than　murmured　sounds　of　relief　were　expressed　but　Sebell　strode　quickly　to　the　big　doors；　opened　one　leaf　and　gestured。
　　〃Lady　Janissian　of　Southern　Boll；　the　Council　would　be　pleased　if　you　would　take　your　seat　as　Boll's　Lady　Holder！〃
　　There　was　cheering　from　outside　as　Janissian；　a　smiling　Menolly　giving　her　a　little　push；　stepped　in　and　the　door　was　closed　behind　her。　She　stood　there；　her　head　no　higher　than　Sebell's　shoulder；　and　her　dark　hair　fetchingly　arranged　around　her　pale；　handsome　face；　the　hem　of　her　red　gown　matched　the　white　shields　and　bright　chevrons　that　were　Boll's　insignia。　She　wore　the　heirloom　diamond　and　ruby　chevron　pendant　that　was　supposed　to　have　been　handed　down　from　Emily　Boll　and　she　gave　the　impression　of　great　dignity。　Sebell　took　her　hand；　and　while　everyone　stood…even　Toric；　though　he　took　his　time　getting　to　his　feet…he　walked　her　to　the　empty　chair　beside　Lord　Groghe。　The　old　Lord　Holder　was　red…faced　with　pleasure　and　kissed　her　on　both　cheeks　as　soon　as　she　was　seated。
　　Lessa　approved　of　her　calm　in　accepting　such　an　accolade　and　her　posed　nod　to　the　rest　of　the　Council。
　　〃Well；　then；　let's　to　real　business；〃　Toric　said；　remaining　on　his　feet　while　the　rest　of　the　Council　resumed　their　chairs。
　　〃It's　my　autonomy　that　has　been　abrogated；　Lord　Toric；〃　Kashman　cried；　standing　up；　his　thin　features　reddened　by　agitation。　〃Those　intruders　should　have　been　brought　to　my　Hold　for　my　judgment。　I　want　to　know　why　my　authority　was　ignored。〃
　　Before　the　Masterprinter　could　get　to　his　feet；　Lord　Lytol　leaned　toward　Kashman；　his　gaunt　face　serene。
　　〃Let　me　point　out；　Lord　Kashman；　a　fact　that　you　may　not　be　acquainted　with　yet；〃　he　said；　〃but　MasterCraftHalls　enjoy　autonomy　within　their　halls　and　may　set　punishment　or　fines；　depending　on　the　nature　of　any　offense　mitted　within　their　confines。〃
　　〃But…but　the　Printer　Hall's　new。。。〃　Kashman　began。
　　〃That　does　not；〃　Sebell　said；　〃interfere　with　its　autonomy　or　internal　discipline。〃
　　Tagetarl　spoke　up。　〃Let　me　remind　Lord　Kashman　that　the　intruders　refused…in　front　of　witnesses…to　name　either　hold　or　hall　to　which　they　coul