war of the spider queen 3 condemnation-第74部分

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　　　Halisstra　studied　the　faces　of　her　former　panions　as　she　appeared。　Most　showed　some　degree　or　another　of　surprise…a　raised　eyebrow；　an　exchange　of　glances。　Ryld　offered　her　a　warm　smile　before　dropping　his　gaze　and　shifting　his　feet　nervously；　while　Danifae　actually　came　forward　to　clasp　her　hand。
　　　〃Mistress　Melarn；〃　she　said。　〃We　thought　you　lost。〃
　　　〃I　was；〃　Halisstra　replied。
　　　She　was　surprised　to　find　how　relieved　she　was　to　be　back　among　her　former　panions…though　they　were　interlopers　from　a　rival　city…and　her　scheming　battle　captive。　Danifae　might　not　have　been　Halisstra's　ornament　anymore；　but　the　binding　spell　was　still　there；　making　her　the　only　ally　Halisstra　had　left　in　the　world。
　　　〃Where　have　you　been？〃　Quenthel　asked。
　　　〃I　was　subjected　to　several　days　worth　of　effort　to　convert　me　to　the　worship　of　Eilistraee；　if　you　can　believe　such　a　thing；〃　Halisstra　answered。　〃Lolth　granted　me　an　opportunity　to　slay　two　of　the　Eilistraeen　clerics　and　escape。〃
　　　Though　her　heart　glowed　with　dark　pride　at　her　acplishment；　Halisstra　found　herself　feeling　a　bit　disappointed　by　the　results　of　her　treachery。　She　was　no　stranger　to　the　traitor's　dark　art；　but　it　seemed　as　if　she　had　only　managed　to　do　what　was　expected　of　her。
　　　〃Undoubtedly　the　surface　folk　set　you　free　to　see　what　you　were　up　to；〃　Quenthel　said。　〃It's　an　old　trick。〃
　　　〃So　we　thought；　too；〃　Tzirik　said。　〃However；　we　investigated　Mistress　Melarn's　story　and　found　it　to　be　true。　It's　almost　ical；　the　naivete　of　our　sisters　in　Eilistraee's　worship。〃　He　paused　and　rubbed　his　hands　together。　〃Be　that　as　it　may；　Jezz　informs　me　that　you　helped　him　recover　the　tome　we　needed。〃
　　　〃We　helped　him？〃　Jeggred　growled。
　　　〃His　task　was　to　bring　back　the　book；〃　Tzirik　replied；　〃not　to　battle　the　denizens　of　Myth　Drannor。〃
　　　〃You　have　your　book；〃　Quenthel　said。　Ignoring　Jeggred's　snarl；　she　folded　her　arms　and　fixed　her　eyes　on　Tzirik。　〃Are　you　ready　to　fulfill　your　end　of　the　bargain？〃
　　　〃I　have　already　done　so；〃　the　priest　replied。　He　glanced　up　at　the　bronze　image　high　on　the　wall；　and　made　a　small　genuflection。　〃Whether　or　not　you　returned　alive；　I　intended　to　consult　with　the　Masked　Lord　and　find　out　for　myself　what　takes　Lolth　from　you。　Your　story　made　me　quite　curious。〃
　　　Quenthel　virtually　ground　her　teeth　in　frustration。
　　　〃What　did　you　learn；　then？〃　she　managed。
　　　Tzirik　savored　his　knowledge；　responding　with　a　deliberate　smirk　as　he　paced　away　from　the　pany　and　took　a　seat　on　a　small　dais　that　stood　to　one　side　of　the　chapel。
　　　He　steepled　his　fingers　together　and　said；　〃In　all　essentials　your　story　is　true。　Lolth　does　not　grant　her　priestesses　spells；　nor　does　she　reply　to　any　entreaties。〃
　　　〃We　already　knew　as　much；〃　Pharaun　observed。
　　　〃But　I　did　not；〃　the　priest　answered。　〃In　any　event；　it　seems　that　Lolth　has；　in　some　manner；　barricaded　herself　within　her　infernal　domain。　She　denies　contact　not　only　to　her　priestesses；　but　all　other　beings　both　mortal　and　divine；　which　would　explain　why　the　demons　you　conjured　up　to　question　about　the　Spider　Queen's　doings　were　unable　to　assist　you。〃
　　　The　Menzoberranyr　stood　silent；　considering　Tzirik's　answer。　Halisstra　was　puzzled；　as　well。
　　　〃Why　would　the　goddess　do　this？〃　she　wondered　aloud。
　　　〃In　the　spirit　of　candor；　I　will　admit　that　Vhaeraun　either　does　not　know　or　does　not　wish　for　me　to　know；〃　Tzirik　said。　He　fixed　his　cold　gaze　on　Halisstra。　〃For　the　moment；　divine　capriciousness　seems　as　good　an　explanation　as　any。〃
　　　〃Is　she　。　。　。　alive？〃　Ryld　asked　quietly。　Quenthel　and　the　other　priestesses　turned　angry　glares　on　the　weapons　master；　but　he　ignored　them　and　went　on。　〃What　I　mean　to　say　is；　would　we　know　if　she　had　been　slain　by　another　god；　or　sickened；　or　imprisoned　against　her　will？〃
　　　〃If　only　we　were　so　lucky；〃　Tzirik　said；　laughing。　〃No；　Lolth　still　lives；　however　you　might　define　that　for　a　goddess。　As　to　whether　she　has　sealed　herself　into　the　Demonweb　Pits；　or　been　sealed　in　by　another　power；　Vhaeraun　did　not　say。〃
　　　〃When　will　this　condition　end？〃　Halisstra　asked。
　　　〃Again；　Vhaeraun　either　does　not　know　or　does　not　wish　for　me　to　know；〃　Tzirik　said。　〃The　better　question　might　be；　will　it　end？　The　answer　to　that　is　yes；　it　will　end　in　time；　but　before　you　take　too　much　fort　in　that　I　must　remind　you　that　a　goddess　may　have　a　very　different　sense　of　what　we　would　consider　to　be　a　reasonable　wait。　The　Masked　Lord　might　have　been　referring　to　something　that　would　happen　tomorrow；　next　month；　next　year；　or　perhaps　a　hundred　years　from　now。〃
　　　〃We　can't　wait　that　long；〃　Quenthel　murmured。　Her　expression　was　distant；　fixed　on　events　in　faraway　Menzoberranzan。　〃A　resolution　must　be　reached　soon。〃
　　　〃Take　up　the　worship　of　a　more　caring　deity；　then；〃　Tzirik　replied。　〃If　you're　interested；　I　would　be　happy　to　discourse　at　length　on　the　virtues　of　the　Masked　Lord。〃
　　　Quenthel　bristled；　but　held　her　tongue…a　feat　of　remarkable　self…control　for　the　Baenre　priestess。
　　　〃I　decline；〃　she　said。　〃Does　the　Masked　Lord　have　any　other　advice　for　us；　priest？〃
　　　〃In　fact；　he　does；〃　Tzirik　replied。　He　shifted　in　his　seat；　leaning　forward　to　convey　his　point　to　Quenthel。　〃These　were　the　exact　words　he　spoke　to　me；　so　take　note　of　them。　'The　children　of　the　Spider　Queen　should　seek　her　for　answers。'　〃
　　　〃But　we　have；〃　Halisstra　cried。　〃All　of　us；　but　she　does　not　hear　us。〃
　　　〃I　don't　think　that's　what　he　meant；〃　Danifae　said。　〃I　think　Vhaeraun　is　suggesting　that　we　won't　learn　anything　more　unless　we　go　to　the　Demonweb　Pits　ourselves；　and　beseech　the　goddess　in　person。〃
　　　Tzirik　remained　silent　and　watched　the　Menzoberranyr。　Quenthel　paced　in　a　small　circle；　considering　the　idea。
　　　〃The　Spider　Queen　requires　a　certain　amount　of　initiative　and　self…reliance　in　her　priestesses；〃　the　Mistress　of　Arach…Tinilith　said；　〃but　she　also　demands　obedience。　To　go　before　her　in　her　divine　abode　in　the　expectation　of　answers　。　。　。　Lolth　does　not　smile　on　such　effrontery。〃
　　　Halisstra　fell　silent；　thinking　furiously　over　what　Tzirik　suggested。　Ventures　into　other　planes　of　existence　were　not　unknown；　of　course。　Pharaun's　spell　had　carried　the　pany　across　the　Plane　of　Shadow；　after　all；　and　there　were　many　more　universes　that　mortals　armed　with　the　right　magic　could　reach；　a　multitude　of　heavens　and　hells；　wonders　and　terrors　beyond　the　confines　of　the　physical　world；　but　the　notion　of　attempting　such　a　journey　without　Lolth's　explicit　invitation　terrified　Halisstra。
　　　〃The　penalties　for　failing　to　understand　the　goddess's　will　in　this　matter　would　be　severe　indeed；〃　Halisstra　said。
　　　〃Have　we　not　just　heard　the　goddess's　will？〃　Danifae　asked。　〃She　led　us　to　this　place　and　this　question　through　her　silence；　just　as　surely　as　if　she　had　placed　the　mands　directly　in　our　hearts。　She　might　be　angered　if　we　fail　to　do　this。〃
　　　Halisstra　was　accustomed　to　a　feeling　of　certainty　when　it　came　to　interpreting　the　Spider　Queen's　wishes。　Before　the　divine　silence　had　fallen　over　the　priestesses　of　Lolth；　she'd　known　the　rare　touch　of　the　goddess's　whispers　in　her　mind。　It　didn't　happen　often；　of　course…she　was　only　one　priestess；　and　Lolth　was　served　by　uncounted　thousands…but　she　knew　what　it　felt　like　to　understand　to　the　depths　of　her　soul　what　the　Spider　Queen　wished；　and　how　she　could　acplish　it。　Halisstra　felt　nothing。　Lolth's　will；　evidently；　was　that　she　should　figure　it　out　for　herself。
　　　Halisstra　glanced　up；　where　the　bronze　mask　of　Vhaeraun　hung　over　a　black　altar。　The　foreignness　of　the　place　seemed　palpable；　a　tangible　expression　of　everything　she　had　lost。　Instead　of　standing　before　the　ancient　altar　in　the　proud　temple　of　House　Melarn；　Lolth's　divine　certitude　thrumming　in　her　very　soul　as　she　performed　the　rites　of　sacrifice　and　abasement　the　Spider　Queen　demanded；　she　stood　alone；　lost；　an　interloper　in　the　temple　of　a　pretender　god；　groping　blindly　for　a　hint　of　Lolth's　intentions　for　her。
　　　She　imagined　standing　before　Lolth；　her　soul　naked　to　her　goddess；　her　eyes　blasted　by　the　sight　of　Lolth's　dark　glory；　her　ears　scoured　by　the　sound　of　th