war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第5部分

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sheer　drop…off。　They　were　only　a　few　yards　from　the　head　of　the　staircase　that　connected　the　Academy　with　the　city　below；　and　at　the　top　of　those　steps；　beside　the　twin　pillars；　a　pair　of　sennottries…last…year　students　of　Melee…Magthere…stood　watch。　Ryld　thought　that　he　and　Pharaun　were　distant　enough　for　privacy　if　they　kept　their　voices　low。
Low；　but　not　silent；　curse　it。　Ever　the　sensualist；　the　mage　sat　savoring　the　panorama　below　him；　obviously　prolonging　his　contemplation　well　past　the　point　where　Ryld's　mouth　had　begun　to　tighten　with　impatience；　and　never　mind　that　on　the　walk　up；　he'd　admired　the　view　himself。
〃We　drow　don't　love　one　another；　except　in　the　carnal　sense；〃　Pharaun　remarked　at　last；　〃but　I　think　one　could　almost　love　Menzoberranzan　itself；　don't　you？　Or　at　least　take　a　profound　pride　in　it。〃
Ryld　shrugged。　〃If　you　say　so。〃
〃You　sound　less　than　rhapsodic。　Feeling　morose　again　today？〃
〃I'm　all　right。　Better；　at　least；　now　that　I　see　you　still　alive。〃
〃You　assumed　Gromph　had　executed　me？　Does　my　offense　seem　so　grievous；　then？　Have　you　never　annihilated　a　single　specimen　of　our　tender　young　cadets？〃
〃That　depends　on　how　you　look　at　it；〃　Ryld　replied。　〃bat　training　is　inherently　dangerous。　Accidents　happen；　but　no　one　has　ever　questioned　that　they　were　accidents　occurring　during　the　course　of　Melee…Magthere's　legitimate　business。　The　goddess　knows；　I　never　lost　seven　in　a　single　hour；　two　of　them　from　Houses　with　seats　on　the　Council。　How　does　such　a　thing　happen？〃
〃I　needed　seven　assistants　with　a　degree　of　magical　expertise　to　help　me　perform　the　summoning　ritual。　Had　I　called　upon　full…fledged　wizards；　they　would　have　joined　the　experiment　as　equal　partners。　They　would　have　emerged　from　the　ritual　possessed　of　the　same　newly　discovered　secrets　as　myself；　equally　able　to　conjure　and　control　the　Sarthos　demon。　Naturally　I　wished　to　avoid　such　a　sharing；　so　I　opted　to　use　apprentices　instead。〃
Pharaun　grinned　and　continued；　〃In　retrospect；　I　must　admit　that　it　may　not　have　been　a　good　idea。　The　fiend　didn't　even　require　seven　heartnotbeats　to　smash　them　all。〃
An　updraft　wafted　past　Ryld's　face；　carrying　the　constant　murmur　of　the　metropolis　below。　He　caught　its　scent　as　well；　a　plex　odor　made　of　cooking　smoke；　incense；　perfume；　the　stink　of　unwashed　thralls；　and　a　thousand　other　things。
〃Why　perform　such　a　dangerous　ritual　in　the　first　place？〃　he　asked。
Pharaun　smiled　as　if　it　was　a　silly　question。　Perhaps　it　was。
〃To　bee　more　powerful；　of　course；〃　the　wizard　answered。　〃At　presnotent；　I'm　one　of　the　thirty　most　puissant　mages　in　the　city。　If　I　controlled　the　Sarthos　demon；　I'd　be　one　of　the　five。　Perhaps　even　the　first；　mightier　than　dreary　old　Gromph　himself。〃
I　see。
Ambition　was　an　essential　part　of　the　drow　character；　and　Ryld　somenottimes　envied　Pharaun　his　still…passionate　investment　in　the　struggle　for　status。　The　warrior　supposed　that　he　himself　had　achieved　the　pinnacle　of　his　ambitions　when　he　became　one　of　the　lesser　masters　of　Melee…Magthere；　for　certainly　he；　born　a　moner；　could　never　climb　any　higher。　From　that　day　forward；　he'd　stopped　peering　hungrily　upward　and　concentrated　on　looking　down；　to　guard　against　all　those　who　wished　to　kill　him　in　hopes　of　ascending　to　his　position。
Pharaun　was　a　Master　of　Sorcere　as　Ryld　was　a　Master　of　Melee…Magthere；　but　perhaps；　being　of　noble　blood；　Pharaun　really　did　aspire　to　assassinate　the　formidable　Gromph　Baenre　and　seize　his　office。　Even　if　he　didn't；　wizards；　by　the　nature　of　their　intricate　and　clandestine　art；　maintained　a　rivalry　that　enpassed　more　than　who　was　a　master；　who　was　chief　wizard　in　a　great　House；　and　who　was　neither。　They　also　cared　about　such　things　as　who　could　know　the　most　esoteric　secrets；　could　conjure　the　deadliest　specter；　or　see　most　clearly　into　the　future。　In　fact；　they　cared　so　deeply　that　they　occasionally　sought　to　murder　each　other　and　plunder　one　another's　spell　books　even　when　such　hostilities　ran　counter　to　the　interests　of　their　Houses；　severing　an　alliance　or　disruptnoting　a　negotiation。
〃Now；〃　Pharaun　said；　reaching　inside　the　elegant　folds　of　his　piwafwi　and　producing　a　silver　flask；　〃I'll　have　to　turn　my　back　on　the　Sarthos　demon　for　a　while。　I　hope　the　poor　behemoth　won't　be　lonely　without　me。〃
He　unscrewed　the　bottle；　took　a　sip；　and　passed　the　container　to　Ryld。
Ryld　hoped　the　flask　didn't　contain　wine　or　an　exotic　liqueur。　Pharaun　was　forever　pressing　such　libations　on　him　and　insisting　that　he　try　to　recnotognize　all　the　elements　that　allegedly　blended　together　to　create　the　taste；　even　though　Ryld　had　demonstrated　time　and　again　that　his　palate　was　innotcapable　of　such　a　dissection。
He　drank　and　was　pleased　to　find　that　for　a　change；　the　flask　contained　simple　brandy；　probably　imported　at　some　expense　from　the　inhospitable　world　that　lay　like　a　rind　atop　the　Underdark；　baking　in　the　excruciating　sunlight。　The　liquor　burned　his　mouth　and　kindled　a　warm　glow　in　his　stomach。
He　handed　the　brandy　back　to　Pharaun　and　said；　〃I　assume　Gromph　told　you　to　leave　the　entity　alone。〃
〃In　effect。　He　assigned　me　another　task　to　occupy　my　time。　Sho