war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第62部分

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As　he　spoke；　he　surreptitiously　contorted　the　fingers　of　his　left　hand；　exnotpressing　himself　in　the　silent　language　of　the　dark　elves；　a　system　of　gesnottures　as　efficient　and　prehensive　as　the　spoken　word。
〃I　think…〃　Smylla　began；　then　her　eyes　opened　wide。
She　whimpered。　Ryld　pulled　his　short　sword　out　of　her　back；　and　she　collapsed。　Pharaun　skipped　back　to　keep　her　from　toppling　against　him。
〃Despite　her　previous　experiences；〃　the　lanky　wizard　said；　〃she　couldn't　quite　leave　off　trusting　drow。　I　suppose　it　shows　you　can　take　the　human　out　of　the　sunshine；　but　not　the　sunshine　out　of　the　human。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃This　is　the　second　female　I've　slain　or　murdered　by　proxy　in　the　brief　time　since　our　adventure　began；　and　I　didn't　particularly　want　to　kill　either　one　of　them。　Do　you　suspect　an　underlying　metaphysical　significance？〃
〃How　would　I　know？　I　take　it　you　bade　me　kill　the　snitch　because　she　was　feeding　us　lies。〃
〃Oh；　no。　I'm　convinced　she　was　telling　the　truth。　The　problem　was　that　I　deceived　her。　Her　metamorphosis　didn't　really　purge　her　disease。　It　was　a　bit　tricky　just　suppressing　it　for　a　few　minutes。〃
Pharaun　stepped　back　again　to　keep　the　spreading　pool　of　blood　from　staining　his　boots；　and　Ryld　cleaned　the　short　sword　on　the　dead　human's　bedding。
〃You　didn't　want　to　leave　her　alive　and　angry　to　carry　tales　to　Grey…anna；〃　the　weapons　master　said。
〃It's　unlikely　they　would　have　found　one　another；　but　why　take　the　chance？〃
〃And　you　asked　Smylla　about　the　marks　on　the　walls。　You're　just　too　cursed　curious　to　let　the　subject　go。〃
Pharaun　grinned。　〃Don't　be　silly。　I'm　the　very　model　of　single…minded　determination；　and　I　was　asking　to　further　our　mission。〃
Ryld　glanced　at　the　door　and　the　iron　bar。　They　were　still　holding。
〃What　does　the　strange　behavior　of　goblins　have　to　do　with　the　rogue　males？〃　he　asked。
〃I　don't　know　yet；〃　Pharaun　answered；　〃but　we　have　two　oddities　ocnotcurring　at　the　same　time　and　in　the　same　precinct。　Doesn't　it　make　sense　to　infer　a　relationship？〃
〃Not　necessarily。　Menzoberranzan　has　scores　of　plots　and　conspiracies　going　on　at　any　given　time。　They　aren't　all　connected。〃
〃Granted。　However；　if　these　two　situations　are　linked；　then　by　inquirnoting　into　one；　we　likewise　probe　the　other。　You　and　I　have　experienced　a　denotpressing　lack　of　success　picking　up　the　trail　of　our　runaways。　Therefore；　we'll　investigate　the　lower　orders　and　see　where　that　path　takes　us。〃
〃How　will　we　do　that？〃
〃Follow　the　drum；　of　course。〃
The　door　banged。
〃First；〃　said　Ryld；　〃we　have　to　get　out　of　here。〃
〃Easily　managed。　I'll　remove　the　locking　talisman　from　the　door；　then　use　illusion　to　make　us　blend　with　the　walls。　In　a　minute　or　two；　the　resinotdents　will　break　the　door　down。　When　they're　busy　abusing　Smylla's　corpse　and　ransacking　her　possessions；　we'll　put　on　goblin　faces　and　slip　out　in　the　confusion。〃











C　h　a　p　t　e　r

E　L　E　V　E　N
Quenthel's　patrol　had　stalked　the　shadowy；　candlelit　passages　of　Arach…Tinilith　for　hours；　until　spaces　she　knew　intimately　began　to　seem　strange　and　subtly　unreal；　and　her　subordinates'　nerves　visibly　frayed　with　the　waiting。　She　called　a　halt　to　let　the　underlings　rest　and　collect　themselves。　They　stopped　in　a　small　chapel　with　the　images　of　skulls；　daggers；　and　spinotders　worked　in　bas…relief　on　the　walls　and　the　bones　of　long…dead　priestnotesses　interred　beneath　the　floor。　Rumor　whispered　that　a　cleric　had　cut　her　own　throat　in　this　sanctuary　and　her　ghost　sometimes　haunted　it；　but　the　Baenre　had　never　seen　the　apparition；　and　it　wasn't　in　evidence　then。
The　priestesses　and　novices　settled　on　the　pews。　For　a　while；　no　one　spoke。
Eventually　Jyslin；　a　second…year　student　with　a　heart…shaped　face　and　silver　studs　in　her　earlobes；　said；　〃Perhaps　nothing　will　happen。〃
Quenthel　stared　coldly　at　the　novice。　Like　the　rest　of　the　party；　the　younger　female　cut　a　warlike　figure　with　her　mace；　mail；　and　shield；　but　her　dread　showed　in　her　troubled　maroon　eyes　and　shiny；　sweaty　brow。　
〃We　will　face　another　demon　tonight；〃　Quenthel　said。　〃I　feel　it；　so　it's　pointless　to　hope　otherwise。　Instead　I　suggest　you　concentrate　on　staying　alert　and　remembering　what　you've　learned。〃
Jyslin　lowered　her　eyes　and　whispered；　〃Yes；　Mistress。〃
〃Wishful　thinking　is　for　cowards；〃　Quenthel　said；　〃and　if　you　fools　are　lapsing　into　it；　we've　lingered　here　too　long。　Up　with　you。〃
Reluctantly；　someone's　links　of　supple　black　mail　chiming　ever　so　faintly；　Quenthel's　minions　rose。　She　led　them　onward。
In　light　of　the　two　previous　intrusions　and　the　obvious　uselessness　of　the　wards　the　mages　of　Sorcere　had　created；　Quenthel　had　placed　Arach…Tinilith　on　alert　and　organized　her　staff　and　students　into　squads　of　eight。　Most　of　the　units　would　stand　watch　at　set　locations；　but　several　would　patrol　the　entire　building。　The　Baenre　princess　had　opted　to　lead　one　of　the　latter。
She'd　also　decided　to　throw　open　the　storerooms　and　armories　and　disnotpense　all　the　potent　enchanted　tools　and　weapons　still　deposited　there。　Even　the　first…year　students　bore　enchanted　arms　and　talismans　worthy　of　a　high　priestess。
Not　that　the　gea