war of the spider queen 2 insurrection-第19部分

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　　　Valas　agreed　to　rest　on　the　couch；　and　as　the　three　of　them　unpacked　a　bit；　Pharaun　stood　and　stretched；　cracking　his　back。
　　　〃I　don't　know　about　you　two；〃　the　wizard　said　after　a　bit；　〃but　I'm　too　excited　to　flop　around　here。　I　fancy　a　drink　somewhere　and　maybe　a　chance　to　hear　more　of　the　buzz　around　town。　Are　you　two　interested　in　acpanying　me？〃
　　　Valas　looked　at　Ryld；　who　gave　the　scout　a　nod。
　　　〃Sure；〃　they　both　said　in　unison；　and　the　three　of　them　set　out　together。
　　　
　　　***
　　　
　　　Three　drow　males　moving　through　the　streets　of　Ched　Nasad　proved　to　be　much　more　anonymous　than　five　drow　and　a　draegloth；　though　Pharaun　supposed　that　a　large　part　of　it　was　due　to　the　fact　that　he；　Ryld；　and　Valas　were　sauntering　along　back　web　streets　in　a　higher　section　of　the　city。　As　they　strolled；　listening　to　the　din　of　business　all　around　them；　the　mage　couldn't　help　but　be　thrilled　at　the　exploration　of　the　city。　Unlike　Menzoberranzan；　Ched　Nasad　was　a　cosmopolitan　collection　of　sights；　sounds；　and　smells　that　permeated　the　entire　city。　He　could　certainly　detect　subtle　differences　as　the　trio　moved　through　various　sections　of　town；　but　regardless　of　where　they　found　themselves；　the　wizard　absorbed　it　all；　noting　that　the　air　vibrated　with　a　kind　of　clamor；　the　feel　of　wheeling　and　dealing；　that　was　only　present　in　the　baser　areas　of　Menzoberranzan。
　　　It　was　certainly　more　lively　than　Tier　Breche；　where　Pharaun　spent　far　too　much　time　cloistered　in　the　towers　of　the　Academy；　hidden　away　in　Sorcere。　Back　home；　he　had　made　a　habit　of　only　getting　out　into　the　main　city　when　he　needed　supplies　or　the　occasional　drink　and　bit　of　fun。　It　had　been　that　way　for　many　years；　at　least　while　his　sister　Greyanna　longed　to　kill　him。　With　her　no　longer　posing　a　problem；　he　made　a　note　to　himself　to　partake　of　the　more　colorful　neighborhoods　of　home　more　often。
　　　As　they　strolled；　Valas　and　Ryld　seemed　to　be　looking　everywhere　at　once；　but　Pharaun　knew　that　their　attentiveness　to　the　cacophony　around　them　was　due　to　a　different　reason　than　his　own。　Certainly；　he　was　wary　of　a　pickpocket　or　thug；　but　for　the　weapons　master　and　the　scout；　it　was　what　they　had　trained　themselves　to　do　for　years　upon　years。　They　had　honed　their　skills　of　wariness　and　observation　to　keen　levels；　and　their　entire　beings　reverberated　with　it。　Pharaun　doubted　seriously　that　anyone　in　the　city　would　get　the　drop　on　him　while　his　two　panions　were　in　tow。　It　was　a　forting　thought；　if　only　because　it　allowed　him　to　truly　relax　and　enjoy　the　splendor　of　the　City　of　Shimmering　Webs。
　　　The　mage　certainly　understood　why　Ched　Nasad　had　been　dubbed　such。　The　tangle　of　streets　crisscrossed　in　purples；　ambers；　greens；　and　yellows　for　hundreds　of　feet　in　every　direction；　and　it　was　a　marvelous　sight。　Everywhere　the　three　of　them　walked　vendors　hawked　mushrooms；　or　jewelry；　or　potions。　Pharaun　noticed　that　the　goods　seemed　of　an　inferior　sort；　though；　and　few　people　were　buying…everyone　had　a　hint　of　something　in　his　eyes。　Fear；　he　decided。　Everyone　looked　afraid。
　　　One　filthy　looking　drow　male　had　small　cages；　each　one　holding　a　small　four…armed　humanoid　with　multifaceted　eyes；　mandibles；　and　a　spidery　abdomen。　They　were　no　more　than　a　foot　tall。　Peering　closer；　Pharaun　could　see　that　the　creatures　had　web…spinning　capabilities。　They　shrank　back　as　he　studied　them。
　　　〃You　wish　to　buy　one；　Master？〃　the　male　asked　hopefully；　jumping　up　from　where　he　had　been　sitting　cross…legged。
　　　〃Infant　chitines；〃　Valas　said。　〃The　adults　are　hunted　for　sport；　and　whenever　a　nest　is　found　the　babies　are　brought　back　here　and　sold　as　pets。〃
　　　Interesting；〃　Pharaun　replied　and　briefly　contemplated　purchasing　one；　though　from　the　look　of　things；　the　drow　male　was　having　little　luck　drawing　any　interest　in　his　wares。　〃I'd　consider　getting　one…as　a　present　for　Quenthel；　you　know…but　these　seem　over　priced。〃
　　　The　male's　hopeful　stare　faded　to　disappointment；　and　he　sat　down　on　the　edge　of　the　street　again。
　　　Ryld　snorted；　and　Valas　shook　his　head。
　　　〃They're　not　too　expensive；〃　the　scout　said　as　they　walked　on。　〃The　market's　probably　just　flooded　with　them　right　now。〃
　　　〃Why　is　that？〃　Pharaun　asked。
　　　〃Because　chitines　and　choldriths　worship　the　goddess；　too；〃　Valas　answered　quietly。
　　　〃Choldriths？〃
　　　〃Chitine　priestesses。　Same　racial　stock；　larger　and　dark…skinned。　No　hair；　human　eyes。　I　suspect　that　they　may　be　suffering　the　same　calamity　that　has　befallen　our　own　clerics。〃
　　　Pharaun's　curiosity　was　piqued。
　　　〃Really；〃　he　said；　musing。　〃It　might　prove　useful　if　we　could　track　down　some　of　these　choldriths　and　find　out　if　they　are　suffering　the　same　fate。　It's　obvious　that　Ched　Nasad　endures　the　goddess's　silence；　too；　and　once　we　get　proof；　Quenthel　may　be　at　a　loss　for　what　to　do　next。　This　would　give　us　the　means　to　explore　further；　find　out　if　Lolth's　reticence　is　universal　or　just　limited　to　our　own　race。〃
　　　〃It's　a　nice　idea　in　theory；　mage；〃　Ryld　said；　shooing　a　goblin　vendor　away　who　was　trying　to　convince　him　to　buy　a　bowl　of　slugs；　〃but　you'd　be　hard…pressed　to　track　any　down；　and　struggle　even　more　to　elicit　information　from　them。　The　drow　hunt　them　for　sport；　so　the　chitines　and　choldriths　have　learned　to　flee　or　fight　to　the　death。〃
　　　〃Hmm；〃　Pharaun　responded；　spying　a　little　shop　selling　something　he　wanted。　〃Perhaps；　but　my　particular　talents　could　e　in　handy　in　such　an　endeavor。〃
　　　The　mages　panions　followed　him　to　a　cramped　kiosk　selling　spirits；　which　was　hanging　at　the　corner　of　two　fairly　large　web　streets。　To　reach　it；　customers　had　to　slide　down　a　steep　ramp　of　webbing　to　the　front　of　the　vending　stand；　then　ascend　a　ladder　of　webbing　to　return　to　the　street。　Pharaun　studied　the　small　crowd　of　people　gathered　around；　each　in　turn　descending　the　slide　and　purchasing　a　flask　or　mushroom　cap　of　beverage。
　　　〃You'd　think　they　could　have　put　steps　in　on　both　sides；〃　the　Master　of　Sorcere　sniffed　disdainfully。
　　　〃Oh；　by　the　Dark　Mother；〃　Ryld　said；　shaking　his　head。　〃I'll　get　us　something。〃
　　　With　that；　the　warrior　moved　through　the　crowd；　very　few　of　whom　were　actually　buying；　instead　begging　coin　or　a　sip　from　the　paying　customers。　Ryld　ignored　them　and　descended　upon　the　vendor；　while　Pharaun　and　Valas　stood　out　of　the　way　of　traffic　and　took　the　opportunity　to　absorb　the　sights　again。
　　　When　Ryld　returned；　he　had　a　bit　of　a　strange　look　on　his　face。
　　　〃What　is　it？〃　Valas　asked。
　　　〃That　gray　dwarf　charged　me　ten　times　what　this　swill　is　worth　and　seemed　to　take　a　certain　delight　in　it。〃
　　　〃Well；　a　bit　of　gouging　is　to　be　expected；　when　caravan　traffic　has　dried　up；〃　Pharaun　said。
　　　〃Yes；　but　when　a　goblin　asked　for　the　same　thing　right　after　me；　I　heard　the　proprietor　sell　it　to　him　for　half　what　he　charged　me。〃
　　　〃Maybe　the　little　thrall　is　a　regular；〃　Valas　offered。
　　　〃Possibly；〃　Pharaun　said；　opening　the　flask　that　Ryld　had　procured　and　inhaling　a　waft。　He　jerked　his　head　back　and　scrunched　up　his　face　a　bit。　〃I　suspect　it　has　more　to　do　with　relishing　the　opportunity　to　earn　a　little　payback　against　the　drow。〃　He　took　a　sip　of　the　brandy　and　passed　the　flask　to　Valas。　〃After　all；　who　regulates　the　merce　in　the　city？　Who　gets　first　choice　of　all　the　best　vending　locations？　Who　runs　the　caravan　system？　Who　acquires　the　best　trade　goods？〃
　　　〃In　other　words；　who　sticks　it　to　the　other　races　with　regularity？〃　Ryld　finished。
　　　〃Exactly。　The　gray　dwarves；　the　trogs；　the　kuo…toans；　and　everyone　else　in　this　city　know　that　the　ruling　class　has　fallen　on　hard　times；　and　despite　the　fact　that　they've　been　allowed　to　trade　in　a　city　of　dark　elves；　they　won't　waste　a　chance　to　earn　a　spot　of　revenge。　And　Ryld；〃　Pharaun　added；　gesturing　to　the　flask　that　Valas　Was　handing　to　the　warrior；　〃you　would　have　been　had　at　one…tenth　the　price。〃
　　　Ryld　shrugged；　took　a　sip；　and　said；　〃You're　drinking　it；　aren't　you？〃
　　　The　three　panions　continued　on；　sharing　the　flask　and　discussing　the　prospects　of　acquiring　some　sort　of　tangible　confirma…fcon　that　Lolth　was　absent　from　Ched　Nasad。　Pharaun　continued　to　be　deeply　in