war of the spider queen 3 condemnation-第4部分

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Father。　We　have　freed　our　first　city　from　Lolth's　dominion。　Others　are　sure　to　follow。〃
　　　Patron　Father　Xorthaul；　the　mail…clad　priest；　snorted　in　dissent。
　　　〃What's　the　point　of　removing　the　Lolth…worshipers　from　a　city　if　you　must　level　the　city　to　do　it？〃　he　asked。　〃We　may　rule　Ched　Nasad　now；　but　all　we　rule　is　a　smoking　chasm　and　a　few　dispossessed　wretches。〃
　　　Mauzzkyl　shifted　his　weight　and　said　sharply；　〃That　does　not　matter；　Xorthaul。　We　have　spoken　before　of　the　costs　of　our　efforts。　Decades；　even　centuries　of　misery　are　nothing　if　we　achieve　our　ends。　Our　master　is　patient。〃　The　revered　grandfather　offered　a　hard；　cruel　grin。　〃We　have　in　two　short　months　acplished　something　our　fathers　among　the　Jaezred　Chaulssin　have　worked　toward　for　centuries。　I　would　gladly　repeat　a　dozen　Ched　Nasads　all　across　the　Underdark　if　it　succeeded　in　breaking　the　Spider　Queen's　stranglehold　over　our　race。　Ched　Nasad　may　be　in　ruins；　but　when　the　city　rises　again　it　will　rise　in　our　image；　its　society　molded　by　our　beliefs　and　guided　by　our　secret　hand。　We　are　not　mere　assassins　or　anarchists；　Xorthaul；　we　are　the　cold　and　deliberate　hand　that　culls　the　weak；　the　blade　that　sculpts　history。〃
　　　The　collected　dark　elves　nodded　assent。　Mauzzkyl　turned　to　face　Nimor。
　　　〃Nimor；　my　Anointed　Blade；　Menzoberranzan　cries　out　for　the　cleansing　fire　that　has　purged　Ched　Nasad。　Do　not　fail　in　this。〃
　　　〃Revered　Grandfather；　I　assure　you　that　I　will　not；〃　Nimor　said。　〃I　have　already　prepared　my　next　move。　I　have　reached　an　understanding　with　one　of　the　great　Houses。　They　will　support　us；　but　they　require　a　demonstration　of　our　resolve　and　petence。　I　am　reasonably　confident　that　I　can　oblige　them。　Within　days；　one　House　of　Menzoberranzan　will　be　lacking　a　matron　mother　and　another　will　be　ensnared　in　our　net。〃
　　　Mauzzkyl　smiled　in　cold　approval　and　said；　〃I　wish　you　good　hunting；　then；　Anointed　Blade。〃
　　　Nimor　bowed　once；　and　turned　to　leave　the　circle。　Behind　him；　he　could　hear　the　patron　fathers　dispersing；　each　to　return　to　his　own　hidden　House　in　cities　scattered　over　thousands　of　miles　through　the　Underdark。　Secret　cabals　of　the　Jaezred　Chaulssin　existed　in　at　least　one　minor　House　of　most　drow　cities。　Each　patron　father　ruled　absolutely　over　a　conspiracy　of　faith　and　gender　that　spanned　generations；　centuries；　and　the　formidable　hatred　of　one　drow　for　another。　The　glaring　exception　was　Menzoberranzan。　There；　the　old　Matron　Baenre　who　had　ruled　absolutely　for　so　long　had　never　allowed　the　assassin　House　to　gain　a　foothold。　While　eight　patron　fathers　returned　to　cities　where　there　were　dozens　of　loyal　killers　and　priests　of　Lolth…hating　gods　at　their　mand；　Nimor　Imphraezl　went　alone　to　Menzoberranzan　to　resume　the　destruction　of　a　city。
　　　
　　　Sunrise　was　splendid　and　terrible。　For　an　hour　or　more　before　dawn　it　had　been　growing　lighter；　as　the　stars　paled　in　the　rose…streaked　sky　and　the　frigid　blast　of　desert　wind　slackened　toward　a　fitful　calm。　Halisstra　waited　for　it；　watching　from　the　top　of　a　rambling；　half…buried　wall。　Long　before　the　sun　broke　over　the　horizon　she　was　astounded　by　how　far　she　could　see；　picking　out　dark　jagged　mountains　that　might　have　been　ten　miles　or　a　hundred　miles　away。　When　the　sun　finally　rose；　it　was　like　a　fountain　of　liquid　gold　exploding　across　the　barren　landscape；　in　the　space　of　a　moment　blinding　Halisstra　pletely。　She　gasped　and　pressed　the　heels　of　her　hands　to　her　eyes；　which　ached　from　that　single　brief　glimpse　as　if　someone　had　shoved　white　daggers　into　her　head。
　　　〃That　was　unwise；　my　lady；〃　murmured　Danifae　from　close　by。　〃Our　eyes　were　not　meant　to　look　on　such　a　sight。　You　might　do　yourself　an　injury　。　。　。　and　without　Lolth's　favor；　it　may　prove　difficult　to　heal　such　a　thing。〃
　　　〃I　wished　to　see　a　dawn；〃　Halisstra　said。
　　　She　turned　away　from　the　light　of　day　and　shaded　her　eyes；　then　dropped　lightly　to　the　sand　in　the　shade　of　the　great　wall。　In　shadow　she　could　tolerate　the　brilliance　of　the　sun；　but　what　would　it　be　like　in　the　middle　of　the　day？　Would　they　be　able　to　see　at　all；　or　would　they　all　be　blinded　pletely？
　　　〃Once；〃　she　said；　〃our　ancestors　gazed　on　the　daylit　world　without　fear　of　the　sun。　They　walked　unafraid　beneath　the　sky；　beneath　the　fires　of　day；　and　the　darkness　was　what　they　feared。　Can　you　imagine　such　a　thing？〃
　　　Danifae　offered　a　demure　smile　that　did　not　reach　her　eyes。　Halisstra　knew　the　look　well。　It　was　an　expression　the　maid　used　to　indulge　her　mistress；　agreeing　to　a　remark　to　which　she　had　no　response。　Danifae　indicated　the　ruined　palace　and　its　courts　with　a　tilt　of　her　head。
　　　〃Mistress　Baenre　has　called　Pharaun　and　the　others　to　attend　her；〃　the　battle　captive　said。　〃I　believe　she　means　to　decide　what　to　do　next。〃
　　　〃She　sent　you　for　me？〃　Halisstra　asked　absently。
　　　〃No；　Mistress。〃
　　　Halisstra　looked　up　sharply。　Danifae　offered　a　shy　shrug。
　　　〃I　thought　you　might　wish　to　be　present　anyway。〃
　　　〃Indeed；〃　replied　Halisstra。
　　　She　smoothed　her　cloak　and　glanced　around　once　more　at　the　crumbling　ruins　that　stretched　as　far　as　she　could　see。　In　the　long　shadows　of　sunrise；　the　wall　tops　glowed　orange；　and　pools　of　blackness　lay　behind　them。　Since　the　wind　had　died；　Halisstra　became　aware　of　a　sense　of　watchfulness；　of　old　hostility　perhaps；　waiting　somewhere　in　the　walls　and　broken　domes。
　　　The　two　women　picked　their　way　back　to　the　party's　camp　in　the　stone…flagged　courtyard　and　quietly　joined　the　discussion。　Quenthel　glanced　at　them　as　they　approached；　but　kept　her　attention　on　the　others。
　　　〃We　have　learned　that　the　priestesses　of　Ched　Nasad　have　lost　Lolth's　favor；　just　as　we　have。　We　did　not　learn　why。　We　learned　that　Houses　allied　to　us　through　trade　and　blood　had　elected　to　appropriate　our　much…needed　property　for　their　own；　turning　their　backs　on　us。　We　failed　to　restore　the　flow　of　trade　to　Menzoberranzan…〃
　　　〃A　failure　for　which　we　can　hardly　be　held　accountable；〃　Pharaun　interrupted。　〃The　city　is　pletely　destroyed。　The　status　of　Baenre　trade　interests　in　Ched　Nasad　is　now　moot。〃
　　　Quenthel　continued　as　if　the　wizard　had　not　spoken；　〃Finally；　we　find　ourselves　in　some　godsforsaken　portion　of　the　World　Above；　at　some　unknown　distance　from　our　home；　low　on　provisions　and　stranded　in　a　hostile　desert。　Have　I　accurately　summed　up　events？〃
　　　Valas　shifted　unfortably　and　said；　〃All　but　the　last；　I　think。　I　believe　that　we　are　somewhere　in　the　desert　known　as　Anauroch；　in　fact　in　its　northwestern　portions。　If　I　am　correct；　Menzoberranzan　lies　perhaps　five　hundred　miles　west　of　us；　and　somewhat　。　。　。　down；　of　course。〃
　　　〃You　have　been　here　before？〃
　　　〃No；〃　the　scout　said；　〃but　there　are　only　a　few　deserts　in　Faerun；　especially　at　so　northerly　a　latitude；　so　it　is　a　very　good　bet　that　Anauroch　is　where　we　must　be。　There　is　a　range　of　snow…capped　mountains　perhaps　forty　or　fifty　miles　to　our　west；　which　you　can　see　quite　clearly　in　the　daylight。　Those　I　believe　to　be　the　Graypeak　or　Nether　Mountains。　They　could　be　the　Ice　Mountains；　but　if　we　were　so　far　north　as　to　see　them；　I　would　think　we　would　be　in　the　High　Ice；　and　not　in　this　sandy　and　rocky　stretch　of　the　Great　Desert。〃
　　　〃I've　e　to　trust　your　sense　of　direction；　but　I　can't　say　I　relish　the　prospect　of　marching　half　a　thousand　miles　across　the　surface　lands　to　get　home；〃　Ryld　Argith　said；　rubbing　his　hand　over　his　short…cropped　hair。　He　moved　stiffly　in　his　armor；　bruised　and　battered　beneath　the　mail　from　their　desperate　fight　to　escape　Ched　Nasad。　〃Citadel　Adbar；　Sundabar；　and　Silverymoon　would　all　stand　in　our　way；　and　they　have　very　little　love　for　our　kind。〃
　　　〃Let　them　try　to　stop　us；〃　growled　Jeggred。　〃We'll　travel　by　night；　when　the　humans　and　the　light…elves　are　blind。　Even　if　someone　should　stumble　into　us；　well；　the　surface　dwellers　are　soft。　I　don't　fear　them。　Neither　should　you。〃
　　　Ryld　bridled　at　the　draegloth's　remark；　but　Quenthel　silenced　him　with　a　raised　hand。
　　　〃We　will　do　what　we　have　to　do；〃　she　said。　〃If　we　have　to　spend　the　next　two　months　creeping　across　the　surface　realms　under　cover　of　night；　we　will　do　exactly　that。〃
　　　She　tu