蛛后之战(被遗忘的国度系列英文版)-第31章

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Faeryl　prowled　the　rounded；　treacherous　surfaces　at　the　apex　of　the　ambassadorial　residence。　She　was　trying　to　monitor　all　four　sides　of　her　home；　which　entailed　clambering　about　with　a　certain　celerity。　Yet　she　was　also　trying　to　hide　from　anyone　who　might　be　peering　from　the　window　of　a　neighboring　mansion　or　up　from　one　of　the　quiet　residential　boulevards　of　prosperous　West　Wall；　and　the　faster　she　moved；　the　more　problematic　stealth　became。　She'd　sneaked　up　there　two　hours　ago；　when　everyone　else　thought　she　was　bundling　or　burning　documents；　and　she　still　wasn't　sure　she'd　struck　the　proper　balance　between　the　two　necessities。
She　wished　she　could　have　ordered　a　retainer　or　two　up　there　to　help　her　keep　her　vigil；　but　it　would　have　been　illadvised；　considering　that　any　of　her　minions　might　be　the　object　of　her　hunt。
She　also　wished　she　had　more　cover。　Except　for　a　few　token　walkways　and　crenellations　so　small　as　to　be　essentially　ornamental；　the　apex　of　the　stalagmite　keep　was　bare　of　fortifications　or　even　level　places　to　stand。　If　Faeryl　looked　closely；　she　could　see　subtle　signs　that　at　one　time；　when　the　keep　had　served　another　purpose；　such　defenses　had　existed　in　abundance；　but　subsequently；　a　wizard　had　melted　the　ramparts　back　into　the　rest　of　the　calcite。　It　made　sense。　The　Menzoberranyr　would　see　no　reason　to　gift　an　outsider　with　any　notable　capacity　to　resist　a　siege。
Faeryl　perched　on　the　northeast　side　of　the　roof。　Outlined　in　blue；　green；　or　violent　phosphorescence；　the　homes　of　her　wealthier　neighbors　glowed　all　around　her。　Had　she　looked　from　a　distance；　she　would　have　observed　her　own　residence　shining　in　the　same　way。　Fortunately；　the　luminescence　only　defined　the　silhouette　of　the　tower　and　picked　out　several　spiders　sculpted　in　basrelief。　As　long　as　she　stayed　away　from　the　images；　kept　silent；　and　enjoyed　a　measure　of　luck；　it　shouldn't　reveal　her　presence。
A　soft；　indefinable　sound　rose　from　the　northwest。　Grateful　that　she　at　least　still　had　the　brooch　that　would　make　her　weightless；　she　scuttled　quickly　along　the　sloping　pitch　of　the　roof；　fearless　in　the　knowledge　that　even　if　she　lost　her　footing；　she　needn't　fall。
In　a　few　seconds；　she　reached　the　northwest　aspect。　She　peered　over　the　drop　and　discovered　the　source　of　the　sound　in　the　plaza　below。
Bare　to　the　waist；　rapiers　in　one　hand　and　parrying　daggers　in　the　other；　two　males　circled　one　another。　They　stood　straight　and　stepped　lightly　in　the　manner　of　welltrained　fencers。　Their　discarded　piwafwi’s；　mail；　and　shirts　lay　where　they'd　tossed　them　on　the　ground　along　with　a　pair　of　empty　wineskins。　A　third　male　looked　on　from　beneath　an　overhanging　balcony　some　distance　away；　where　the　batants　quite　possibly　hadn't　noticed　him。
Faeryl　sighed。　This　little　tableau　was　mildly　intriguing；　but　it　clearly　had　nothing　to　do　with　her　own　situation。
After　her　frustrating　interview　with　Matron　Mother　Baenre；　she'd　realized　she　had　an　opponent。　Someone　who'd　traduced　her；　possibly　to　keep　her　from　departing　Menzoberranzan；　though　she　couldn't　imagine　why。　From　that　inference；　it　was　a　small　step　to　the　suspicion　that　the　enemy　had　an　agent　inside　her　household。　It　was　what　any　intelligent　foe　would　try　to　arrange；　and　it　arguably　explained　how　Faeryl's　intention　to　go　home　had　been　discerned　and　countered　with　a　word　in　Triel's　ear。
Seething　with　the　need　to　outwit　those　who　had　made　a　fool　of　her；　Faeryl　devised　a　ruse　to　unmask　the　spy。　She　surprised　her　retainers　with　the　order　to　pack。　They　were　slipping　out　of　Menzoberranzan　that　very　night。　She　thought　her　loyal　vassals　would　obey；　but　the　traitor　would　try　to　sneak　away　to　report　the　household's　imminent　flight。　Crouched　on　the　roof；　Faeryl　would　spot　her　when　she　did。
That　was　the　plan；　anyway。　The　ambassador　could　think　of　several　reasons　why　it　might　fail。　The　residence　had　means　of　egress　on　all　four　sides；　but　she　couldn't　survey　all　four　at　once；　not　unless　she　floated　well　above　the　roof；　and　that　option　presented　problems　of　its　own。　Most　dark　elf　boots　possessed　a　virtue　of　silence；　and　their　mantles；　one　of　obscuration。　The　traitor　might　even　have　some　more　potent　means　of　escaping　notice；　such　as　a　talisman　of　invisibility。　Were　she　any　higher　above　the　ground；　Faeryl　might　have　no　hope　at　all　of　detecting　the　spy's　surreptitious　exit。
Of　course；　the　traitor　might　also　have　a　means　of　municating　with　her　confederates　via　clairaudience；　or　a　charm　of　instantaneous　transit；　in　which　case　the　envoy's　scheme　was　doomed　no　matter　what。　She'd　cling　to　the　roof　until　someone　in　authority；　a　pany　of　Baenre　guards；　perhaps；　showed　up　to　take　her　and　her　entourage　into　custody；　but　she'd　had　to　try　something。
She　crawled　on。　Below　and　behind　her；　one　of　the　duelists　groaned　as　his　foe's　blade　plunged　through　his　torso。　Magic　flickered　and　sizzled；　and　the　victor　dropped　as　well。　The　wizard　who'd　been　watching　from　a　distance　strolled　forward　to　inspect　the　steaming　corpses。
Faeryl　wondered　if　the　three　had　been　siblings；　and　the　wizard　was　the　clever　one。　She'd　had　a　brother　like　that　once；　until　an　even　trickier　male　turned　him　to　dust　and　absconded　with　his　wands　and　grimoires。　A　minor　setback　for　her　House；　but　interesting　to　watch。
Overhead；　something　snapped。　She　glanced　up。　Four　or　five　riders　on　wyvernback　were　winging　their　way　east。　Above　them；　projecting　from　the　cavern　ceiling；　the　stalactite　castles　shone　with　their　own　enchantments；　a　far　lovelier　sight；　in　her　opinion；　than　the　miniscule　monochromatic　stars　that　speckled　the　night　sky　of　the　socalled　Lands　of　Light。
Then；　so　faintly　that　she　wondered　if　she'd　imagined　it；　something　brushed　against　something　else。　The　sound　had　issued　from　the　southwest。
Faeryl　scurried　over　to　that　part　of　the　roof　and　peered　down。　At　first　glance；　nothing　appeared　changed　since　the　last　time　she'd　checked　that　way。　Perhaps　her　nerves　were　playing　tricks　on　her；　but　she　kept　on　looking　anyway。
Octagonal　steel　grilles　protected　the　round　windows　cut　in　the　wall　below　her；　but　if　a　drow　knew　the　trick；　she　could　unlatch　one　and　swing　it　aside　for　an　entrance　or　exit　via　levitation。　Apparently；　someone　had；　for　after　a　few　more　moments；　Faeryl　noticed　that　one　of　the　webpattern　shields　hung　ever　so　slightly　ajar。　With　that　sign　to　guide　her；　she　spotted　the　shrouded　figure　skulking　toward　the　mouth　of　an　alleyway。
The　noble　of　Ched　Nasad　was　a　fair　hand　with　a　crossbow。　She　might　have　been　able　to　shoot　down　the　traitor　from　behind；　but　that　would　gain　her　few　answers。　She　didn't　happen　to　possess　a　scroll　with　the　spell　for　interrogating　the　dead。　She　needed　to　catch　up　with　the　spy　and　take　the　wretch　alive。
She　read　from　a　scroll　she　did　have；　then　she　stepped　away　from　the　top　of　the　tower　into　empty　space。
Except　that　it　wasn't　empty　for　her。　The　air　was　as　firm　as　stone　beneath　her　soles。　For　two　paces；　she　strode　on　a　level　surface；　and；　because　she　willed　it　so；　the　unseen　platform　dipped　into　an　equally　invisible　ramp。　She　sprinted　down　with　no　fear　of　blundering　off　the　edge。　Wherever　she　set　her　foot；　the　incline　would　be　there　to　meet　it。　That　was　how　the　magic　worked。
Her　progress　entirely　silent；　she　dashed　unnoticed　above　the　traitor's　head；　then　with　a　thought　dissolved　the　support　beneath　her　boots。　Her　crossbow　ready；　she　dropped　the　last　few　feet　to　the　ground　and　landed　in　front　of　the　spy。
Started；　the　traitor　jumped。　Faeryl　felt　her　own　pang　of　surprise；　for　though　she　liked　to　think　she　maintained　a　proper　suspicion　of　everyone；　in　truth；　she　never　could　have　guessed　the　pinched；　sour　face　she　saw　half　hidden　inside　the　closedrawn　cowl　could　be　the　spy's。
〃Umrae；〃　the　ambassador　said；　aiming　her　hand　crossbow。
〃My　lady；〃　the　secretary　answered；　bending　with　her　usual　stiffness　into　an　obeisance。
〃I　know　all　about　it；　traitor。　I'm　not　actually　planning　to　leave　tonight。　My　pretending　so　was　a　trick　to　see　who　would　slip　away　to　play　informer。〃
〃I　don't　know　what　you　mean。　I　just　wanted　to　buy　some　items　for　the　journey。　I　thought　that　if　I　hurried　over　to　the　Bazaar；　I　could　find　one　of　those　merchants　who　stays　open　late　and　be　back　before　anyone　missed　me。〃
〃Do　you　think　I　haven't　realized　I　have　an　enemy