蛛后之战(被遗忘的国度系列英文版)-第14章

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wise？　Sentiment　certainly　wasn't　strong　enough　to　make　me　spend　a　fortune　buying　you　free　of　Nym；　or；　if　he　and　I　couldn't　strike　a　deal；　break　you　out　of　here。　Not　when　you　hadn't　fulfilled　the　terms　of　our　covenant。　As　you　no　doubt　recall；　you　were　supposed　to　provide　me　useful　information　over　the　full　course　of　twenty　years。　I　admit　it　wasn't　your　fault　that　you　couldn't；　but　still；　that's　just　the　way　things　fell　out。〃
〃Fine；〃　she　gritted。　〃You're　right；　I'm　being　ridiculous。　In　forsaking　me；　you　simply　behaved　as　any　sensible　drow　would。　Now　what　in　the　name　of　the　Demonweb　do　you　want？〃
He　nodded　at　the　other　end　of　the　room　and　said；　〃May　we　。。。　？〃
She　gave　a　curt　nod；　and　they　seated　themselves；　she　on　the　mattress　of　her　wide　octagonal　bed　and　he　on　a　cushioned　granite　chair。
〃This　is　much　nicer；〃　he　said。　〃Would　you　like　me　to　send　for　some　wine？〃
〃Just　get　on　with　it。〃
〃Very　well。　I　imagine　my　plight　will　amuse　you。　After　the　goddess　knows　how　many　years　breathing　the　rarefied　and　dispassionate　air　of　scholarship；　imparting　knowledge　to　eager　young　minds；　advancing　the　frontiers　of　the　mystic　arts—〃
〃Murdering　other　wizards　for　their　talismans　and　grimoires。〃
He　grinned。　〃Well；　that　was　implied；　of　course。　Anyway；　after　all　that；　I　find　myself　again　embroiled　in　the　more　mundane　aspects　of　life　in　our　noble　metropolis。　There's　a　puzzle　I　must　solve　on　pain　of　the　Archmage's　severe　displeasure；　and　I　will　be　grateful　unto　death　and　beyond　if　you　help　me　unravel　it。〃
〃How　would　I　do　that？〃
〃Don't　be　disingenuous。　It　doesn't　suit　you。　The　same　way　as　always。　I　assume　foolish　boys　still　sometimes　gossip　and　boast　to　their　hired　females；　even　though　if　they　stopped　to　think　about　it；　they'd　remember　you　loathe　them　and　wish　them　only　ill。　I　likewise　imagine　that　you　still　sometimes　find　yourself　obliged　to　entertain　at　gatherings　where　such　idiots；　unmindful　of　your　presence；　discuss　their　most　secret　affairs　with　one　another。〃
〃In　other　words；　you　wish　to　resume　our　old　arrangement。　Which　still　had　four　years　to　run。　If　I　assist　you　with　your　current　problem；　will　you　continue　to　concern　yourself　with　'mundane'　affairs；　or　will　you　lock　yourself　away　in　your　tower　once　more？〃
He　considered　lying；　but　his　instincts　told　him　she'd　see　through　it。
〃I'm　not　entirely　sure　what　will　bee　of　me；〃　he　said。　〃As　far　as　I　know；　if　I'm　successful；　I　ought　to　wind　up　reestablished　in　Sorcere　with　all　my　transgressions　fiven；　but　for　some　murky　reason；　I　wonder。　I'm　caught　up　in　something　I　don't　yet　understand；　and　only　the　dark　powers　know　where　it　will　lead。〃
〃Then　if　you　want　my　help；　you'll　have　to　set　me　free　。　。　。　today。〃
〃Impossible；　I　don't　have　the　requisite　funds　on　my　person；　nor　the　leisure　to　dicker　with　Nym；　for　that　matter。　You　know　he'd　stretch　any　negotiation　out　for　days；　just　to　be　annoying。　Nor　do　I　have　time　to　arrange　an　escape。〃
She　only　stared　at　him；　and　he　understood。
〃Ah；〃　he　said。
〃Is　it　a　bargain？〃
〃It　is　if　you　actually　give　me　some　help。　My　problem　is　this：　An　unusual　number　of　males　have　run　away　from　home　of　late。〃
〃That's　your　errand？　To　find　some　rogues？　What　makes　it　important　enough　to　send　a　Master　of　Sorcere？〃
He　smiled。　〃I　have　no　idea。　Do　you　know　anything　about　it？〃
She　shook　her　head。　〃Not　much。〃
〃Frankly；　any　crumb　of　genuine　information　will　put　me　ahead　of　where　I　am　now。〃
〃Well；　I've　heard　only　the　vaguest　hints；　but　they　suggest　this　isn't　just　a　case　of　an　unusual　number　of　males　deciding　independently　to　elope。　They　all　ran　to　the　same　place　for　the　same　reason；　whatever　that　reason　may　be。〃
〃I　thought　as　much；〃　said　Pharaun。　〃Otherwise；　why　would　Gromph　be　interested？　But　it's　reassuring　to　hear　that　your　own　agile　mind　has　arrived　at　the　same　conclusion。〃
She　sneered。
Pharaun　absently　ran　his　fingertip　along　one　of　the　swirling　lines　woven　into　his　robe。
〃I　doubt　a　threat　would　suffice　to　draw　so　many　boys　away　from　home；〃　he　said。　〃Some　would　have　the　courage　to　defy　the　threatener　or　the　sense　to　appeal　to　their　kin　for　protection。　Nor　would　a　hypnotic　charm　do　the　trick。　Aside　from　the　natural　resistance　to　such　effects　that　all　we　dark　elves　possess；　some　of　the　males　would　have　carried　wards　in　the　form　of　amulets　and　such。　No；　I　think　we　have　to　assume　the　rogues　sneaked　away　of　their　own　volition　to　acplish　some　positive　end。　But　what？〃
〃They're　anizing　a　new　merchant　clan？〃
〃I　thought　of　that；　but　Gromph　says　no；　and　I'm　sure　he's　correct。　For　if　that　were　the　case；　then　why　the　secrecy？　Since　trade　is　important　to　all　Menzoberranzan；　people　don't　generally　object　when　a　male　bees　a　merchant。　It's　one　of　the　two　or　three　legitimate　ways　to　distance　oneself　from　Mother's　harsh　and　arbitrary　hand。〃　He　grinned。　〃No　offense。　I'm　sure　that　in　happier　times；　the　males　under　your　authority　had　no　reason　to　plain　of　you。〃
〃You　can　bet　I　would　give　them　reason　now。〃
〃Given　your　more　recent　experiences；　that's　understandable。　So；　if　the　rogues　aren't　putting　together　a　caravan；　what　are　they　doing？　Preparing　to　flee　Menzoberranzan　for　good　and　all？　Or；　goddess　forbid；　have　they　slipped　away　already？〃
〃I　don't　think　so。　I　can't　tell　you　precisely　where　they　are；　but　I　believe　they're　still　somewhere　in　the　city　proper；　the　Mantle；　or　conceivably　out　in　the　Bauthwaf。〃
〃Now　that　truly　is　good　news。　I　wasn't　keen　on　a　hunt　through　the　wilds　of　the　Underdark。　Not　only　is　there　a　general　lack　of　amenities；　the　winemakers　are　uncorking　the　new　vintages　the　tenday　after　next。〃
Pellanistra　shook　her　head。　〃You　haven't　changed。〃
〃Thank　you；　I'll　take　that　as　a　pliment。　Now；　let's　get　down　to　the　crux　of　the　matter；　shall　we？　I　require　names。　Which　of　your　visitors　dropped　these　Vaguest　hints'　which　you　have　so　sagaciously　interpreted？〃
She　gave　him　a　smile　radiant　with　spite。　〃Alton　Vandree　and　Vuzlyn　Freth。〃
〃Who　themselves　subsequently　disappeared　and　are　thus　unavailable　for　questioning。　It　makes　sense；　I　suppose；　but　it's　unfortunate　all　the　same。〃
〃I've　given　you　everything　I　have；〃　she　said。　〃Now　fulfill　your　end　of　the　deal。〃
The　wizard　frowned　and　said；　〃My　dear　collaborator；　it　would　devastate　me　to　disappoint　you。　Yet　I　stipulated　that　you'd　have　to　offer　me　information　of　some　significance；　and　frankly；　I'm　not　sure　you've　delivered。　I　really　know　little　more　than　I　did　before。〃
〃Do　it；　or　I'll　tell　every　soul　who　es　into　this　cell　that　you're　looking　for　the　runaways。　Perhaps　that　will　have　some　'significance'　for　your　mission。　I　assume　it　is　supposed　to　be　a　secret。　Things　usually　are　where　you're　involved；　and　you　haven't　mentioned　a　legion　of　assistants　following　you　about。〃
Pharaun　laughed。　〃Well　played。　I　surrender。　How　shall　we　do　this？〃
〃I　don't　care。　Burn　me　with　your　magic。　Stick　a　dagger　in　me。　Break　my　neck　with　those　long；　clever　fingers。〃
〃Interesting　suggestions　all；　but　I'd　just　as　soon　that　Nym　didn't　bill　me　for　your　demise。　If　we　can　make　it　look　as　if　your　heart　just　stopped　of　its　own　accord　sometime　after　I　look　my　leave；　I'll　have　a　chance。〃
He　cast　about；　noticed　the　thick；　fluffy　pillow　on　the　bed；　picked　it　up；　and　experimentally　gripped　it　at　both　ends。　It　felt　good　in　his　hands。
〃This　ought　to　work；〃　he　said。　〃Perhaps　you　could　oblige　me　by　lying　down？〃

C　　　h　　　a　　　p　　　t　　　e　　　r　
　
F　　I　　V　　E
Ryld　sipped　his　chilled；　tart　wine　with　a　sense　of　satisfaction；　secure　in　the　knowledge　that　the　game；　though　technically　still　in　progress；　was　already　won。　In　three　more　moves；　his　onyx　wizard　and　orc　would　trap　and　mate　his　opponent's　carnelian　mother。
As　usual；　he　had　acplished　his　victory　without　recourse　to　the　dice。　Truth　to　tell；　those　clattering　ivory　cubes　with　the　magically　warmed　images　incised　on　the　faces　were　the　one　aspect　of　SUVA　he　didn't　like。　They　interjected　blind　luck　into　what　should　be　a　contest　of　pure　cunning。
Ryld's　adversary；　a　scrawny　young　merchant　clansman　with　an　uncouth　habit　of　letting　drops　of　liquor　slide　from　the　corners　of　his　mouth　as　he　guzzled；　had　thrown　the　dice　early　on　and　gloated　when　chance　allowed　him　to　eliminate　one　of　the　older　male's　priestesses。
Shoulders　hunched；　brow　sweaty；　he　stared　at　the　board　as　if　the　fate　of　his　soul　were　being　decided　thereupon。　A　truly　pet