war of the spider queen 3 condemnation-第56部分

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s　will　want　to　know　that；　and　it　will　be　helpful　for　us　all　to　have　an　idea　of　who's　marching　next　to　whom。〃
　　　He　could　think　of　other　uses　for　the　information；　of　course；　but　there　was　no　need　to　mention　that；　was　there？
　　　〃Of　course；〃　Andzrel　replied。　He　pointed　at　a　table　in　the　outer　portion　of　the　tent；　where　several　Baenre　officers　studied　maps　and　reports。　〃I'll　need　you　to　give　those　fellows　the　strength　of　your　plement；　the　number　of　infantry　and　cavalry；　and　some　information　on　your　supply　train；　as　well。　After　which　I　would　like　to　ask　you　some　questions　about　the　route　of　our　march　and　the　place　we　expect　to　meet　the　duergar　army。　I　understand　you're　familiar　with　the　region；　as　well　as　the　position　and　tactics　of　the　duergar　force。〃
　　　Nimor　straightened　his　cuirass　and　nodded　earnestly。
　　　〃Certainly；〃　he　said。　〃I　know　them　well。〃
　　　
　　　Halisstra　was　roused　from　her　dreams　by　the　sound　of　her　cell　door　opening。　She　glanced　up；　wondering　if　perhaps　the　time　had　e　when　the　surface　folk　would　simply　put　her　to　the　blade。
　　　〃I　have　no　more　to　say　to　your　lord；〃　she　said；　though　the　thought　crossed　her　mind　that　selling　out　her　rades　was　preferable　to　death　by　torture；　especially　if　she　could　gain　her　freedom　in　the　exchange。
　　　〃Fine；〃　a　woman's　voice　replied。　〃I　hope　then　that　you　will　consent　to　speak　with　me。〃
　　　A　slender　figure　slipped　through　the　open　door；　which　was　closed　and　locked　behind　her。　Veiled　in　a　long；　dark　cloak；　the　visitor　paused　to　study　Halisstra　then　she　reached　up　with　hands　as　black　as　coal　and　slipped　back　her　hood　to　reveal　a　face　of　gleaming　ebony；　and　eyes　as　red　as　blood。
　　　〃I　am　Seyll　Auzkovyn；〃　the　drow　said；　〃and　I　have　e　to　give　you　my　lady's　message：　'A　rightful　place　awaits　you　in　the　Realms　Above；　in　the　Land　of　the　Great　Light。　e　in　peace　and　live　beneath　the　sun　again；　where　trees　and　flowers　grow。'　〃
　　　〃A　priestess　of　Eilistraee；〃　Halisstra　murmured。　She　had　heard　of　the　cult　before；　of　course。　The　Spider　Queen　held　nothing　but　scorn　for　the　weak；　idealistic　faith　of　the　Dark　Maiden；　whose　worshipers　dreamed　of　redemption　and　acceptance　in　the　World　Above。　〃Well；　I　did　e　in　peace；　and　I　do　seem　to　have　found　my　rightful　place　in　this　tidy　little　cell。　I　expect　wonderful　flowers　bloom　just　beyond　the　bars　of　my　window；　and　I　am　more　than　a　little　thankful　that　the　thrice…cursed　sun　shines　no　deeper　into　my　prison。〃　She　laughed　bitterly。　〃Somehow　the　holy　message　of　your　silly　little　dancing　goddess　rings　a　little　false　today。　Now　go　away；　and　let　me　get　back　to　the　important　business　of　preparing　myself　for　the　inevitable　tortures　that　await　me　when　the　so…called　lord　of　this　fetid　dungheap　of　a　village　loses　his　patience　with　my　intransigent　ways。〃
　　　〃You　sound　like　me；　when　I　first　heard　Eilistraee's　message；〃　Seyll　replied。　She　moved　closer　and　sat　on　the　floor　beside　Halisstra。　〃Like　yourself；　I　was　a　priestess　of　the　Spider　Queen　who　found　herself　a　captive　of　the　surface　folk。　Though　I've　lived　here　for　several　years　now；　I　still　find　the　light　of　the　sun　overly　harsh。〃
　　　〃Don't　flatter　yourself；　apostate；〃　snarled　Halisstra。　〃I'm　nothing　like　you。〃
　　　〃You　might　be　surprised；〃　Seyll　continued　calmly；　her　placid　demeanor　unchanged。　〃Have　the　Spider　Queen's　punishments　ever　struck　you　as　needless　or　wasteful？　Have　you　ever　failed　to　nurture　a　friendship　because　you　feared　betrayal？　Have　you　ever；　perhaps；　watched　a　child　of　your　own　body；　your　own　heart；　destroyed　because　she　failed　at　a　senseless　test；　only　to　tell　yourself　that　she　was　too　weak　to　live？　Did　you　ever　wonder　if　there　was　a　point　to　the　deliberate　and　calculated　cruelty　that　poisons　our　entire　race？〃
　　　〃Of　course　there's　a　point；〃　Halisstra　replied。　〃We're　surrounded　on　all　sides　by　vicious　enemies。　If　we　didn't　take　steps　to　hone　our　people　to　their　finest　edge；　we　would　bee　slaves…no；　worse　yet；　we　would　bee　rothe。〃
　　　〃And　have　Lolth's　judgments　in　fact　made　you　stronger？〃
　　　〃Of　course。〃
　　　〃Prove　it；　then。　Offer　an　example。〃　Seyll　watched　her；　then　leaned　forward　and　said；　〃You　remember　countless　tests　and　battles；　naturally；　but　you　can't　prove　that　you　were　made　stronger　by　them。　You　don't　know　what　might　have　happened　if　you　hadn't　been　subjected　to　those　tortures。〃
　　　〃Simple　semantics。　Naturally　I　can't　prove　that　things　are　other　than　they　are。〃
　　　Halisstra　glared　at　the　heretic；　profoundly　annoyed。　She　would　have　found　the　conversation　irritating　and　irrelevant　under　the　best　of　circumstances；　but　with　her　hands　and　feet　chained　together；　slumped　against　the　cold；　hard　wall　of　a　stone　cell　with　a　painful　shaft　of　sunlight　slanting　in；　it　was　positively　infuriating。　Still；　she　had　very　little　to　occupy　her　mind　otherwise；　and　there　was　a　small　chance　that　a　display　of　enthusiasm　for　Seyll's　faith　might　win　her　a　parole　of　sorts。　Lolth　was　pletely　intolerant　of　apostates；　but　to　feign　acceptance　of　another　faith　in　order　to　win　the　freedom　to　betray　the　trust　of　one's　captors　。　。　。　that　was　the　sort　of　cleverness　the　Spider　Queen　admired。　The　trick；　of　course；　was　not　to　appear　too　eager；　yet　just　uncertain　enough　that　Seyll　and　her　friends　might　e　to　hope　for　a　true　change　in　Halisstra's　heart。
　　　〃You　are　annoying　me；〃　she　said　to　Seyll。　〃Leave　me　alone。〃
　　　〃As　you　wish；〃　Seyll　said。　She　stood　gracefully；　and　offered　Halisstra　a　smile。　〃Consider　what　I've　said；　and　ask　yourself　if　there　might　be　some　truth　to　it。　If　your　faith　in　Lolth　is　as　strong　as　you　think；　surely　it　can　withstand　a　little　examination。　May　Eilistraee　bless　you　and　warm　your　heart。〃
　　　She　pulled　her　hood　back　over　her　head；　and　silently　withdrew。　Halisstra　turned　her　own　face　away　so　Seyll　couldn't　see　the　cruel　smile　that　twisted　her　features。
　　　
　　　Rear　guard；　mused　Ryld；　seems　to　be　the　spot　Quenthel　saves　for　the　person　she　deems　least　useful　at　the　moment。
　　　He　paused　to　listen　to　the　forest　around　him；　seeking　for　any　sound　that　might　indicate　an　approaching　enemy。　He　heard　nothing　but　the　steady　patter　of　cold　rain。　Pharaun's　fire…spiders　had　managed　to　set　a　smoky　blaze　in　the　woods　behind　them；　but　the　rain　had　likely　prevented　the　fires　from　burning　too　much　of　the　forest。　The　weapons　master　glanced　up　into　the　sky；　allowing　the　cold　drops　to　splash　on　his　face　and　noting　the　sullen　silver　glow　behind　the　clouds。
　　　At　least　the　rain　is　washing　out　our　trail；　he　thought。
　　　After　a　hard　march　the　previous　night　and　lying　low　in　a　thick　tangle　of　brush　through　a　long；　sunny　day；　they　had　resumed　their　hike　in　the　evening　only　to　meet　a　deluge　soon　after　setting　out。　The　forest　floor　was　nothing　but　mud　and　slush。
　　　Taking　a　moment　to　adjust　his　hood；　Ryld　set　out　again；　trying　hard　not　to　hurry　his　steps　too　much。　He　would　not　be　much　of　a　rear　guard　if　he　closed　up　right　behind　the　others；　but　on　the　other　hand；　the　last　thing　he　wanted　to　do　was　fall　so　far　behind　that　he　missed　an　innocent　turn　of　the　trail　and　wandered　off　alone　into　the　endless　woods。　If　Halisstra　wasn't　worth　going　back　for；　he　was　under　no　delusions　as　to　what　would　happen　if　he　managed　to　bee　separated　from　the　rest　of　the　pany。　He　tramped　on　for　quite　some　time；　pausing　every　few　dozen　yards　to　listen　and　scan　the　forest。
　　　Soon　he　became　aware　of　the　louder；　more　insistent　sound　of　water　in　motion…a　swift　forest　stream；　dark　and　wide；　that　sluiced　through　muddy　banks　covered　in　thorns　and　bracken。　A　large　log　had　been　felled　to　cross　the　stream；　its　upper　surface　sawn　flat　to　form　a　reasonably　secure　bridge。　Quenthel　and　the　others　waited　there；　silently　watching　their　surroundings。　Ryld　noted　the　crossbows　pointed　in　his　direction；　and　the　acute　attentiveness　of　his　panions。　Clearly　the　running　battle　with　the　surface　folk　had　taught　his　rades　to　be　wary　of　the　woods。
　　　〃Hold　your　fire；〃　he　called　softly。　〃It's　Ryld。〃
　　　〃Master　Argith；〃　Quenthel　said。　〃I　was　beginning　to　wonder　if　you'd　lost　the　trail。〃
　　　Ryld　bowed　to　Quenthel　and　joined　the　others。　He　took　a　moment　to　sit　on　the　stump　of　the　log；　fishing　in　the　pockets　of　his　cloak　for　a　small　flask　of　duergar　brandy。　Normally　he　wouldn't　risk　di