war of the spider queen 3 condemnation-第58部分

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sly　hungry；　and　she　devoured　the　meal　with　little　thought　to　the　possibility　of　poison　or　drugs。　Soon　after　she'd　finished；　the　door　to　her　cell　was　unlocked　with　a　rusty　scraping　of　iron；　and　Seyll　Auzkovyn　slipped　inside　again。
　　　The　priestess　had　shed　her　long；　heavy　cloak；　and　wore　an　elegant　lady's　riding　outfit；　an　embroidered　green　jacket　and　knee…length　skirt　over　a　blouse　of　cream　and　high　boots　that　matched　the　jacket。　The　sight　of　a　drow　priestess　dressed　as　a　noble　surface　elf　struck　Halisstra　as　jarringly　incongruous。
　　　〃Did　the　surface　lord　dress　you　like　that？〃　she　sneered　at　the　Eilistraee　worshiper。　〃You　seem　almost　a　perfectly　helpless　gentlelady　of　the　accursed　sun　elves　in　that　outfit。〃
　　　〃How　else　should　I　dress？〃　Seyll　replied。　〃I'm　among　friends　here；　and　need　not　wear　armor。　Besides；　I　found　that　the　skull　and　spider　motifs　of　my　previous　wardrobe　seemed　to　alarm　the　surface　folk。〃　She　made　a　small　gesture　to　the　jailers　outside；　and　the　door　was　closed　behind　her。　〃Anyway；'　she　added；　〃there　are　no　sun　elves　here。〃
　　　〃They're　all　the　same　to　me；〃　Halisstra　said。
　　　〃When　you　know　them　better；　you'll　be　able　to　tell　their　kindred　easily　enough。〃
　　　〃I　have　no　wish　to　know　them　better。〃
　　　〃Are　you　so　certain　of　that？　There　is　always　advantage　in　knowing　one's　enemies。　。　。　especially　if　they　need　not　be　your　enemies。〃
　　　Seyll　knelt　easily　on　the　floor　beside　Halisstra　and　posed　herself。　She　was　young；　not　much　more　than　a　hundred；　and　pretty　enough　in　her　own　way；　but　her　carriage　was　。　。　。　wrong。　Her　eyes　lacked　the　hungering　ambition　or　the　cold　appraisal　Halisstra　was　accustomed　to　seeing　mirrored　in　the　faces　around　her。　One　could　easily　mistake　Seyll's　patient　expression　for　a　sort　of　submissiveness；　the　lack　of　the　will　necessary　to　achieve；　and　yet　there　was　a　calm　assurance　about　her　that　hinted　at　strength　held　in　check。
　　　Halisstra's　eyes　fell　to　Seyll's　hands；　as　the　priestess　smoothed　her　garments。　They　were　strong；　and　callused　like　a　weapons　master's。
　　　〃I　had　the　opportunity　to　examine　the　heraldry　of　your　arms　today；　and　study　the　devices。　Melarn　is　a　leading　House　of　the　city　of　Ched　Nasad；　is　it　not？〃
　　　〃It　was；〃　Halisstra　said。
　　　She　instantly　regretted　the　slip。　If　the　surface　folk　didn't　know　of　Ched　Nasad's　fate；　then　she　hardly　needed　to　provide　them　with　a　gift　of　information。　She　had　to　set　a　price　on　anything　she　revealed。
　　　〃You　were　defeated　in　a　House　war？〃
　　　It　was　a　reasonable　guess　on　Seyll's　part；　as　most　drow　Houses　that　vanished；　lost　status；　or　otherwise　fell　low　usually　did　so　because　of　the　actions　of　other　Houses。
　　　〃Not　quite。〃
　　　Seyll　waited　a　long　moment　for　Halisstra　to　elaborate；　and　when　she　did　not；　the　Eilistraee　priestess　shifted　tactics。
　　　〃Ched　Nasad　is　a　long　way　from　Cormanthor。　At　least　six　or　seven　hundred　miles；　with　the　great　desert　of　Anauroch　and　the　phaerimm…haunted　Buried　Realms　between　here　and　there。　Lord　Dessaer　is　curious　about　the　circumstances　that　would　bring　a　high…ranking　daughter　of　a　powerful　House　of　Ched　Nasad　into　the　lands　of　his　people。　To　be　honest；　I　am　curious　too。〃
　　　〃So　this　is　to　be　the　method　of　interrogation；　then？〃　Halisstra　said。　〃A　sympathetic　ear　to　garner　the　answers　to　questions　asked　in　seeming　friendship？〃
　　　〃Some　account　of　your　purpose　in　Cormanthor　must　be　made　before　Lord　Dessaer　will　release　you　into　my　parole。　If　your　business　is　as　innocent　as　you　say；　you　need　not　be　imprisoned　here。〃
　　　〃Release　me？〃　Halisstra　laughed　long　and　quietly。　〃Ah；　I　see　you　have　not　lost　your　penchant　for　cruelty　despite　your　apostasy；　Auzkovyn。　Did　your　surface　friends　ask　you　to　play　on　a　prisoner's　hopes　by　offering　freedom　in　exchange　for　cooperation；　or　did　you　suggest　the　tactic？　Did　you　really　think　a　single　day　in　this　accursed　cell　would　reduce　me　to　desperately　grasping　at　phantom　hopes？〃
　　　〃The　hopes　I　offer　are　not　phantoms；〃　Seyll　said。　〃Tell　us　what　you're　doing　here；　show　us　that　you're　no　enemy　of　the　peaceful　folk　of　Cormanthor；　and　you　will　have　your　liberty。〃
　　　〃You　can't　expect　me　to　believe　that。〃
　　　〃I　am　here；　am　I　not？〃　Seyll　answered。　〃Clearly　some　of　our　kind　learn　to　live　in　peace　with　the　surface　folk。〃
　　　〃Of　course　you　have　nothing　to　fear　among　the　surface　folk；〃　Halisstra　retorted。　〃Your　vapid；　dancing　goddess　is　too　weak　to　threaten　them。〃
　　　〃As　I　told　you　before；　I　was　a　priestess　of　Lolth　when　I　was　captured；〃　Seyll　said。　She　formed　her　hands　into　a　gesture　of　supplication；　a　ceremonial　pose　Halisstra　knew　well。　In　the　tongue　of　the　abyssal　planes　where　Lolth　dwelt；　Seyll　mouthed　the　words　of　a　high　and　secret　prayer：　〃　'Great　Goddess；　Mother　of　the　Dark；　grant　me　the　blood　of　my　enemies　for　drink　and　their　living　hearts　for　meat。　Grant　me　the　screams　of　their　young　for　song；　grant　me　the　helplessness　of　their　males　for　my　satiation；　grant　me　the　wealth　of　their　houses　for　my　bed。　By　this　unworthy　sacrifice　I　honor　you；　Queen　of　Spiders；　and　beseech　of　you　the　strength　to　destroy　my　foes。'　〃
　　　The　infernal　words　seemed　to　crackle　with　dark　power；　each　harsh　syllable　charged　with　an　evil　potency　that　spread　through　the　cell　like　a　slick　of　poison。　Seyll　made　a　drawing　motion　of　her　hand；　showing　the　manner　in　which　the　knife　was　to　be　wielded；　and　settled　back　on　her　heels。
　　　Shifting　back　to　Elvish；　she　closed　her　eyes　and　said；　〃Many　hapless　souls　died　beneath　my　knife；　yet　I　found　redemption　and　peace　here。　Whether　the　same　awaits　you　is　a　question　I　cannot　answer；　but　I　offer　myself　as　proof　that　you　can　walk　these　lands　in　peace　if　you　wish。〃
　　　Halisstra　stared　at　Seyll；　almost　as　if　seeing　her　for　the　first　time。　She　had　been　about　to　condemn　the　priestess　once　more　as　a　weak　failure；　a　traitor　to　the　one　true　drow　goddess；　but　the　words　died　on　her　lips。　No　one　but　a　priestess　of　high　station　would　have　been　taught　that　rite；　yet　Seyll　had　decided　to　turn　her　back　on　Lolth。　Not　only　that；　but　she　still　lived；　and　seemed　to　have　found　some　amount　of　contentment　in　her　decision。　Halisstra　had　of　course　been　indoctrinated　over　years　of　training　to　regard　heresy；　apostasy；　as　the　vilest　sort　of　crime　imaginable。　Yet　in　her　years　of　sacrifice　and　abasement　before　the　Spider　Queen's　altar　she　had　never　before　encountered　a　true　apostate。　Oh；　she'd　slandered　some　of　her　rivals　with　false　accusations　of　turning　away　from　the　Spider　Queen；　but　actually　sitting　in　the　presence　of　someone　who　had　mitted　the　ultimate　betrayal　of　the　goddess；　and…so　far；　at　least…lived　to　tell　the　tale。　。　。　。
　　　〃I　want　to　challenge　you　to　do　something；〃　Seyll　said。　〃I　believe　you　have　the　intelligence　and　the　imagination　for　it；　but　we　shall　see。　Imagine；　for　a　moment；　that　you　could　live　in　a　place　where　you　can　walk　the　streets　without　fearing　an　assassin's　dagger　in　your　back。　Imagine　that　your　friends…real　friends…want　nothing　more　from　you　than　the　pleasure　of　your　pany；　that　your　sisters　cherish　your　acplishments　instead　of　resenting　your　successes；　and　your　children　are　not　murdered　for　an　accidental　failing。　Imagine　that　your　lovers　seek　you　out　for　who　you　are；　and　not　your　station　or　influence。　Imagine　that　your　goddess　asks　you　to　celebrate　her　with　your　joy；　not　your　terror。〃
　　　〃There　is　no　such…〃
　　　〃You　answer　too　quickly。　I　asked　you　to　imagine　it；　if　you　can；〃　Seyll　said。　She　stood　and　moved　away；　turning　her　back　on　Halisstra。　〃I　will　wait。〃
　　　〃I　can't　imagine　such　nonsense。　It's　an　empty　fantasy；　signifying　nothing。　We're　not　meant　for　such　things；　no　one　is；　not　dark　elf；　not　light…elf；　not　even　the　insipid　humans。　Only　a　fool　dwells　on　dreams。〃
　　　〃Yet；　for　the　sake　of　argument　at　least；　would　it　not　seem　a　pleasant　thing？〃　Seyll　said　over　her　shoulder。　〃You　must　entertain　impossible　dreams　all　the　time。　All　thinking　creatures　do。　Perhaps　you've　dreamed　of　having　your　enemies　in　your　power；　or　of　a　lover　you　couldn't　take；　or　of　rising　to　the　station　you　truly　merit。〃
　　　Halisstra　snorted；　truly　irritated；　and　shook　her　hands　in　her　manacles。
　　　〃If　you　can　imagine　the　destruction　of　all　your　enemies　at　once；〃　Seyll　pressed；　〃you　can　certainly