war of the spider queen 3 condemnation-第32部分

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t　do　to　his　home　city。
　　　Let's　go；　he　replied。
　　　Valas　nodded　and　set　off　at　once。　Instead　of　heading　back　to　the　lakeside　district　and　the　Cold　Foundry；　he　turned　deeper；　toward　the　heart　of　the　cavern。　They　weaved　through　the　foul…smelling　streets　and　dark　alleyways　for　a　fair　distance；　passing　through　business　districts　where　duergar　artisans　and　merchants　kept　their　shops　in　cramped　buildings　of　field…stone。　The　hour　was　growing　late；　and　traffic　along　the　dwarf　city's　streets　seemed　to　be　diminishing。　The　two　dark　elves　finally　reached　a　street　that　ran　along　the　edge　of　a　deep　cleft　or　chasm　bisecting　the　city's　higher；　more　inaccessible　districts　from　its　ramshackle　lakeside　neighborhoods。　Numerous　bridges　of　stone　spanned　the　gap；　leading　to　narrow　streets　that　continued　on　the　far　side。　A　squad　of　vigilant　duergar　soldiers　stood　watch　at　the　foot　of　each；　barring　passage　across　the　chasm。
　　　The　scout　drew　Ryld　into　the　shadow　of　an　alleyway　and　nodded　toward　the　rift　and　its　bridges。
　　　Laduguer's　Furrow；　he　signed。　Also　known　as　the　Cleft。　Everything　on　the　west　side　is　strictly　off　limits　to　foreigners。　There　are　a　couple　of　large　side　caverns　on　the　far　side　that　might　serve　as　good　marshalling　grounds；　and　they'd　be　secure　from　any　casual　observation。
　　　Ryld　studied　the　Bregan　D'aerthe　scout　thoughtfully；　wondering　how　he　knew　so　much　about　a　part　of　the　city　that　was　supposedly　off　limits。
　　　I　take　it　you've　been　there　before？　Ryld　asked。
　　　I've　passed　through　Gracklstugh　a　couple　of　times。
　　　I　wonder　if　there's　anyplace　Valas　hasn't　been；　Ryld　thought。　He　shifted　in　the　shadows　to　get　a　better　look　at　the　guarded　bridges。　He　was　a　fair　hand　at　staying　out　of　sight　when　he　needed　to；　but　he　didn't　like　the　possibilities　offered　by　the　narrow；　railless　spans。　There　was　no　cover　at　all　once　one　set　foot　on　any　of　the　bridges。
　　　How　do　we　cross？　he　asked。
　　　
　　　Valas　finished　his　knots　and　stepped　close；　setting　his　right　foot　in　one　bottom　loop　and　crooking　his　right　arm　through　the　topmost。
　　　〃Stay　close　to　this　stalagmite　as　you　ascend；〃　he　said。　〃We'll　want　the　cover。〃
　　　Ryld　nodded　and　reached　up　absently　to　touch　the　insignia　pinned　to　his　breast。　It　identified　him　as　a　Master　of　Melee…Magthere；　and　like　the　clasps　and　brooches　of　many　noble　Houses；　it　was　enchanted　with　the　power　of　levitation。　Valas　didn't　doubt　that　Ryld　had　fought　long　and　hard　to　win　the　right　to　wear　it。
　　　As　he'd　hoped；　the　enchantment　proved　strong　enough　to　support　both　Ryld's　weight　and　the　Bregan　D'aerthe's。　Effortlessly　they　glided　up　into　the　smoke　and　gloom　of　Gracklstugh's　upper　reaches；　until　the　fumes　obscured　the　streets　below。　From　the　top　of　the　great　cavern；　the　floor　seemed　shrouded　in　haze　and　smoke；　glaring　firelight　making　bright　circles　of　glowing　red　mist　in　a　hundred　spots　around　them。
　　　〃This　is　better　than　I　thought；〃　Valas　said。　〃The　smoke　and　fumes　give　us　some　concealment。〃
　　　〃And　they　make　my　eyes　water；〃　Ryld　said。　He　reached　the　ceiling　and　found　that　the　cavern　roof　was　rough　and　pitted。　〃Which　way？〃
　　　〃To　your　right。　Yes；　that's　it。〃
　　　Valas　indicated　the　northern　wall　of　the　city　with　a　jerk　of　his　chin；　keeping　his　foot　and　arm　secure　in　the　rope　stirrups　he'd　fashioned。　Carefully；　Ryld　turned　to　face　the　ceiling　more　evenly；　and　he　pulled　himself　along　hand　over　hand　as　if　he　were　climbing　a　vertical　wall　of　rock。　The　scout　shifted　to　secure　his　grip；　and　kept　his　own　eyes　down　at　the　cavern　floor　below；　directing　the　weapons　master　in　his　progress。
　　　〃One　gray　dwarf　wizard　with　a　spell　of　cancellation　would　certainly　ruin　our　day；〃　Ryld　remarked。　〃Aren't　you　a　little　nervous　in　that　arrangement？〃
　　　〃I've　always　had　a　good　head　for　heights；　but　let's　not　talk　about　it　anymore。〃
　　　Ryld　chuckled。
　　　For　days；　the　journey　had　been　simply　uneventful　and　dreary。　The　tactical　challenge　of　spying　in　the　heart　of　the　duergar　city；　though；　fully　engaged　them　both。
　　　〃Head　more　to　your　left；〃　Valas　said；　interrupting　his　own　thoughts。　〃There's　a　bit　of　a　ledge　on　the　cavern　wall　that　should　run　the　way　we　want　to　go。〃
　　　Ryld　plied；　and　the　two　of　them　carefully　leveled　off　and　descended　along　the　sloping　roof　of　the　cavern　until　they　found　the　place　where　it　dropped　more　or　less　straight　down　and　became　the　wall。　There；　an　old　weathered　seam　circled　the　cavern　like　the　eaves　of　an　old　tavern。　The　weapons　master　looked　at　it　dubiously；　but　as　they　drew　close　Valas　disentangled　himself　and　leaped　lightly　down　to　crouch　in　the　space　like　a　skinny　spider。
　　　Ryld　followed；　somewhat　more　awkwardly。　He　could　manage　it；　barely；　but　he　was　lucky　to　have　the　magic　of　his　insignia　to　fall　back　on　if　his　footing　or　grip　failed　him。
　　　Valas　moved　confidently　forward；　following　the　seam　as　it　descended　sharply　and　disappeared　around　a　sharp　bend　overlooking　a　side　cavern。
　　　Ryld　scrambled　down　after　him；　cursing　silently　as　his　foot　dislodged　some　loose　rock　and　sent　it　clattering　down　the　clifflike　wall。　The　forges　and　hammers　of　Gracklstugh　covered　the　sound　fairly　well；　though；　and　they　were　still　above　Laduguer's　Furrow。　The　rock　skittered　into　the　abyss　and　vanished。
　　　Valas　glanced　back　from　his　perch　at　the　bend。
　　　Carefully；　he　signed。　e　up　here　and　see　this。
　　　Ryld　worked　his　way　up　beside　the　scout；　finally　stretching　out　on　his　belly　to　stay　on　the　ledge。　The　seam　ran　down　to　a　side　cave　and　turned　in　sharply。　From　their　vantage　a　hundred　feet　or　more　above　the　floor；　they　could　see　a　good…sized　cavern；　perhaps　three　or　four　hundred　yards　long　and　about　half　that　wide。　The　walls　were　hewn　into　barracks　rooms；　enough　to　house　quite　a　large　number　of　soldiers；　but　the　floor　of　the　place　was　level　and　open；　a　good　drilling　ground　for　bodies　of　troops。
　　　From　end　to　end；　it　was　crowded　with　wagons　and　pack　lizards。　Hundreds　of　duergar　swarmed　over　the　scene；　securing　great　panniers　to　the　ugly　reptiles；　loading　wagons；　and　preparing　siege　engines　for　travel。　The　noxious　reek　of　the　city's　smelters　didn't　suffice　to　mask　the　heavy　smell　of　animal　dung　in　the　large　chamber；　and　the　lizards'　hisses　and　rasping　croaks　filled　the　air。
　　　Valas　began　counting　wagons　and　pack　beasts；　trying　to　estimate　the　size　of　the　force　that　might　be　on　the　march。　After　a　few　minutes；　he　finally　tore　his　eyes　away。
　　　Somewhere　between　two　and　three　thousand？　Ryld　said。
　　　The　scout　frowned　and　replied；　I　think　somewhat　more；　maybe　four　thousand　all　together；　but　there　may　be　more　trains　gathering　in　other　caverns　nearby。
　　　Is　there　any　reason　to　think　they're　not　bound　for　Menzoberranzan？　Ryld　asked。
　　　We're　not　their　only　enemies。　Still；　I　don't　like　the　timing。
　　　〃I　don't　believe　in　coincidences；　either；〃　Ryld　whispered。　He　carefully　began　to　worm　his　way　back　from　the　edge；　taking　great　pains　to　dislodge　no　more　rocks。　〃I　would　suggest　checking　the　other　caves　for　more　soldiers；　but　I　think　we've　seen　more　than　the　duergar　would　want　already；　and　I　don't　feel　like　pressing　my　luck。　We'd　best　get　back　and　report　this　to　the　others。〃
　　　
　　　〃We　should　just　leave；〃　growled　Jeggred。　His　white　fur　was　streaked　with　red　wine；　and　hot　grease　from　a　roast　of　rothe　meat　stained　his　muzzle。　The　draegloth　didn't　take　well　to　long　waits；　and　two　days　of　confining　himself　to　the　Cold　Foundry　had　been　hard　for　him。　〃We　could　be　out　of　the　city　before　they　knew　we'd　gone。〃
　　　〃I　fear　it　wouldn't　be　as　simple　as　you　make　it　sound；〃　Ryld　said。　He　knelt　by　his　pack；　stuffing　sacks　with　the　least　perishable　items　from　the　buffet。　He　dropped　the　sacks　into　a　yawning　black　circle　beside　him…a　magical　hole　that　could　be　picked　up　and　carried　as　if　it　was　nothing　but　a　piece　of　dark　cloth。　It　could　hold　hundreds　of　pounds　of　gear　and　supplies；　but　weighed　nothing　at　all。　〃You　may　not　have　noticed；　but　I'm　sure　I'm　not　the　only　one　who　marked　the　spies　watching　this　inn。　We　wouldn't　make　a　quarter　mile　before　we　were　swarmed　under　duergar　soldiers。〃
　　　〃So？〃　the　draegloth　demanded。　〃I　fear　no　dwarf！〃
　　　〃Duergar　aren't　goblins　or　gnolls；　too　stupid　to　use　their　numbers　we