amc.killashandra-第66章

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　is　there　a　concert　tonight？　I　shouldn't　want　to　miss　any　but　von　Mittelstern　has　invited　me　to　dinner　tonight；　and　I've　accepted。　I　don't　want　him　to　e　charging　up　here　and　discover　I'm　more　than　the　simple　music　student　he　thinks　me；　so　I'll　settle　his　doubts。〃
　Whatever　Mirbethan　thought　was　disguised　by　her　reassurances　that　no　concert　was　scheduled。
　〃Then　please　arrange　transport　for　me　this　evening。　By　the　way；　when　is　the　next　concert？　I'm　fascinated　by　the　organ　effects。　Fabulous　concert　last　night。　The　most　unusual　one　I've　ever　attended。〃
　〃Tomorrow　evening；　Guildmember。〃　Mirbethan's　reply　was　gracious；　but　Killashandra　noticed　the　slightly　smug　turn　to　the　woman's　faint　smile。
　〃Good。〃　Killashandra　broke　the　connection。　〃Offense　is　the　best　defense；　Guildmember；〃　she　added；　turning　to　Trag。　〃You　didn't　have　to　promise　the　Elders　that　you'd　discipline　me　for　my　emotional　aberration；　did　you？　Well；　then；　it's　business　as　usual　for　me　in　a　normal　fashion　which　means　I　e　and　go；　whether　they　trail　me　or　not。　Right？　And　since　I'm　disaffected　with　you；〃　and　Killashandra　kissed　Lars's　cheek；　〃I'll　go　alone。　Unless；　Trag；　you　want　to　e　and　meet　Corish。〃
　〃I　might；　at　that；〃　Trag　said；　half…closing　his　eyes　a　moment。
　〃That　gives　me　the　chance　to　moon　after　Mirbethan；〃　Lars　said　slyly。
　Killashandra　guffawed　and　wished　him　luck。
　〃Now　let　us　attend　our　duties；〃　Trag　said；　gesturing　for　Killashandra　to　precede　them　to　the　door。
　When　they　reached　the　Festival　Auditorium；　a　large　contingent　of　security　men　was　loosely　scattered　about　the　stage；　concentrated　near　the　organ　console；　which　was　open。　Two　men　were　fussing　about　the　keyboard　but　Killashandra　couldn't　tell　whether　they　were　dusting　or　adjusting　the　keys。　Suddenly　Elder　Ampris　detached　himself　from　the　gaggle　and　took　a　few　steps　forward　to　meet　them。
　〃Don't　overdo　it；　Killa；〃　Lars　murmured　at　her；　aiming　a　slightly　fatuous　grin　at　the　Elder。
　〃After　last　night；　Elder　Ampris；　I　wonder　at　my　audacity　in　suggesting　that　I　play　on　any　Optherian　organ；〃　she　said；　and　felt　Lars's　admonitory　pinch　on　the　tender　inside　flesh　of　her　arm。　Unnecessary；　she　felt；　since　she　had　forced　herself　to　employ　a　meek　and　sincere　tone　of　voice。
　〃You　enjoyed　the　concert？〃
　〃I　have　never　heard　anything　like　it；〃　she　said；　which　was　no　more　than　the　truth。　〃Truly　an　experience。　Mirbethan　tells　me　there'll　be　another　one　tomorrow　evening。　I　do　hope　that　we'll　be　invited？〃
　〃Of　course　you　are；　my　dear　Killashandra；〃　Elder　Ampris　replied；　his　eyes　glittering　almost　benignly　at　her。
　She　limited　herself　to　a　happy　smile　and　continued　on　to　the　organ　loft　door。
　〃A　word　with　you；　Elder　Ampris；〃　Trag　began；　his　anxious　frown　attracting　the　Elder's　instant　attention。
　Killashandra　and　Lars　continued　into　the　organ　loft。
　〃You　pinched　far　too　hard！〃
　〃You　wouldn't　fool　me；　Killa！〃
　〃Well；　I　did　fool　him；〃　and　hiding　her　gesture　from　observation；　she　pointed　to　the　hairless　corner　of　the　manual　cabinet。
　〃Jammer　on？〃　she　asked。
　〃The　moment　I　finished　pinching。〃
　〃Brackets；　please！〃
　They　had　already　positioned　the　first　of　the　final　slender　crystals　when　Trag　and　Elder　Ampris　entered。
　〃Only　five　more　crystals　and　this　installation　is　plete。〃　Trag　was　saying　to　Ampris。　〃I　know　that　Killashandra　is　well　aware　that　these　upper　register　notes　require　the　finest　tuning。〃　Killashandra　nodded；　receiving　his　tacit　message。　〃I　will　check　the　brackets　on　that　sour　crystal　in　the　Conservatory　organ　and　be　back　here　in　time　for　the　tune…up。〃
　Killashandra　was　hoping　that　Elder　Ampris　would　leave　them　to　the　task　but　he　elected　to　remain；　observing　every　movement。　Killashandra　hated　to　be　overseen　under　any　circumstances；　and　to　have　Ampris's　gimlet　eyes　on　her　made　the　hairs　on　the　back　of　her　neck　rise。　She　was　annoyed；　too；　because　Ampris's　presence　put　the　damper　on　any　conversation　between　herself　and　Lars。　She　had　enjoyed　the　bantering　exchanges　which　relieved　the　tedium　and　tension　of　this　highly　precise　work。　So　she　felt　doubly　aggrieved　to　be　denied　a　morning　of　matching　wits　with　Lars　Dahl。　They　would　have　so　little　time　left　to　enjoy　each　other's　pany。
　Therefore；　it　gave　her　a　great　deal　of　vicarious　pleasure　to　spin　out　the　last　final　bracketings；　giving　Trag　ample　time　to　make　his　alterations　on　the　Conservatory　program。　And　deliberately　irritating　Elder　Ampris　with　her　persnickety　manipulations。　He　was　in　a　state　of　nervous　twitch　when　she　and　Lars　tightened　the　last　bracket。
　〃There！〃　she　said　on　a　note　of　intense　satisfaction。　〃All　right　and　tight！〃　She　picked　up　the　hammer　and；　seized　by　a　malicious　whimsy；　struck　the　first　note　of　the　Beethoven　motif。　Out　of　the　corner　of　her　eye；　she　saw　Ampris　start　forward；　one　hand　raised　in　protest；　his　face　drained　of　all　color。　She　went　up　the　scale；　and　then；　positioning　the　hammer　on　the　side　of　the　crystal　shafts；　descended　the　44　notes　in　a　glissando。　〃Clear　as　the　proverbial　bell　and　not　a　vibration　off　the　tune。　A　good　installation；　if　I　say　so　myself。〃
　Killashandra　slid　the　hammer　into　its　space　in　the　tool…box　and　brushed　her　fingertips　lightly　together。　She　released　the　damper　on　the　striking　base　of　the　crystals　and　replaced　the　top。　〃I　don't　think　we'll　fasten　it　just　yet。　Now；　Elder　Ampris；　the　moment　of　truth！〃
　〃I　would　prefer　that　Guildmember　Trag　…　〃
　〃He　can't　play！　Doesn't　even　read　music；〃　Killashandra　said；　deliberately　misinterpreting　Elder　Ampris。　Lars　pinched　her　left　flank；　his　strong　fingers　nipping　into　the　soft　flesh　of　her　waistline。　She　would　have　kicked　back　at　him　if　she　could　have　done　so　unobserved。　〃But　I　suppose　you　would　feel　more　secure　if　he　was　to　vet　the　pleted　installation；〃　she　added；　giving　Ampris　a　timorous　smile　more　consonant　to　someone　in　the　thrall　of　subliminal　conditioning　than　her　previous　declaration。
　Trag's　reappearance　was　fortuitous。
　〃Just　as　I　suspected；　Elder　Ampris；　a　loose　bracket　on　the　middle　G。　I　checked　both　manuals　thoroughly。〃
　Ampris　regarded　Trag　with　a　moment's　keen　suspicion。　〃You　don't　play；〃　he　said。
　〃No。〃
　〃Then　how　can　you　tune　crystal？〃
　Killashandra　laughed　aloud。　〃Elder　Ampris；　every　would…be　crystal　singer　has　perfect　and　absolute　pitch　or　they　can't　get　into　the　Heptite　Guild。　Guildmember　Trag　doesn't　need　to　be　a　trained　musician。　Guildmaster　Lanzecki　isn't　either。　One　of　the　reasons　I　was　chosen　for　this　assignment　is　because　I　am　…　and　trained　in　keyboard　music。　Now；　Trag；　if　you　will　inspect　the　installation？〃　She　and　Lars　lifted　off　the　cover。
　Trag　was　not　above　giving　Ampris　a　second　fright　for　he　tapped　out　three　of　the　Beethoven　notes　in　the　soprano　register　before　altering　the　sequence　to　random　notes。　Then　he　did　each　note　in　turn；　listening　until　the　exquisite　sound　pletely　died　before　hitting　the　next　crystal。
　〃Absolutely　perfect；〃　he　said；　handing　her　the　hammer。
　〃Now；　with　your　permission；　Elder　Ampris；〃　Killashandra　began；　〃I　would　like　to　use　the　organ　keyboard。〃　When　she　saw　his　brief　hesitancy；　she　added。　〃It　would　be　such　an　honor　for　me　and　it　would　only　be　the　sonics。　After　last　night's　performance；　I　would　be　brash　indeed　to　attempt　any　embellishments。〃
　Bowing　stiffly　to　the　inevitable；　Elder　Ampris　gestured　for　her　to　proceed　from　the　loft。　Not　that　she　could　have　done　anything　to　damage　the　actual　organ　keyboard；　and　live；　with　so　many　security　guards　millimeters　from　her。　As　she　took　her　seat；　pretending　to　ignore　the　battery　of　eyes　and　sour　expressions；　she　decided　against　any　of　the　Beethoven　pieces　she　remembered　from　her　Fuertan　days。　That　would　be　risking　more　than　her　personal　satisfaction　was　worth。　She　began　to　power　up　the　various　systems　of　the　organ；　allowing　the　electronic　circuits　to　warm　up　and　stabilize。　She　also　discarded　a　whimsical　notion　to　use　one　of　Lars's　themes。　She　flexed　her　fingers；　pulled　out　the　appropriate　stops；　and　did　a　rapid　dance　on　the　foot　pedals　to　test　their　reactions。
　Diplomatically　she　began　with　the　opening　chords　of　a　Fuertan　love　song；　reminiscent　of　one　of　the　folk　tunes　that　she'd　heard　that　first　magical　night　on　the　beach　with　Lars。　The　keyboard　had　an　exquisitely　light　touch　and；　knowing　herself　to　be　rather　heavy　ha