war of the spider queen 3 condemnation-第3部分

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　　　〃How　stand　matters　there？〃　asked　Patron　Father　Tomphael。　He　was　slender　and　rakish；　much　like　Nimor　in　appearance；　but　he　preferred　the　robes　of　a　wizard　to　the　mail　of　a　fighter；　and　he　possessed　a　streak　of　caution　that　sometimes　verged　on　cowardice。　〃How　does　our　revolt　fare？〃
　　　〃Not　as　well　as　I　might　like；　but　about　as　well　as　I　expected；〃　admitted　Nimor。　Tomphael's　divinations　had　no　doubt　revealed　that　much。　Did　the　Patron　Father　hope　to　catch　the　Anointed　Blade　concealing　a　failure？　Nimor　almost　smiled　at　the　simplicity　of　it。　〃The　slaves　were　crushed　easily　enough。　Gromph　Baenre　took　an　interest　in　things；　and　his　agents　seem　to　have　destroyed　or　driven　off　our　illithilich　friend。　On　the　positive　side；　we　did　expose　something　of　the　spider…kissers'　weakness　to　the　mon　Menzoberranyr；　which　is　promising；　and　the　priestesses　obliged　us　by　using　a　significant　amount　of　their　hoarded　magic　to　destroy　their　own　rebellious　slaves。　The　city　is　weakened　thereby。〃
　　　〃You　might　have　taken　a　more　direct　hand　in　the　affair；〃　said　Patron　Xorthaul；　who　wore　the　black　mail　of　a　priest。　〃If　you　had　slain　the　archmage's　lackeys…〃
　　　〃The　revolt　we　sponsored　still　would　have　been　crushed；　and　I　would　have　put　them　on　their　guard　too　soon；〃　Nimor　interrupted。　〃Remember；　Patron　Xorthaul；　this　was　never　intended　to　be　anything　other　than　a　simple　feint；　easily　deflected；　by　which　we　might　assay　the　real　strength　of　the　matron　mothers　of　Menzoberranzan。　The　next　blow　will　be　the　one　that　beats　down　their　guard　and　slices　deep　into　flesh。〃　He　decided　to　turn　the　topic　and　set　someone　else　on　the　defensive。　〃As　I　am　the　last　to　arrive；　I　have　no　news　of　how　affairs　proceed　in　the　other　cities。　What　of　Eryndlyn？　Or　Ched　Nasad？〃
　　　Cold　smiles　twisted　cruel　faces。　Nimor　blinked。　It　wasn't　often　that　the　patron　fathers　encountered　an　event　in　which　they　could　collectively　take　pleasure。　Grandfather　Mauzzkyl　himself　broke　the　news。
　　　〃Eryndlyn　proceeds　much　as　we　expected…Patron　Father　Tomphael　brought　tidings　not　dissimilar　to　your　own…but　Ched　Nasad。　。　。　。　From　Ched　Nasad；　Patron　Father　Zammzt　returns　in　triumph。〃
　　　〃Really？〃　drawled　Nimor；　impressed　despite　himself。
　　　He　restrained　a　hot　flash　of　jealousy　and　turned　to　face　Zammzt；　a　dark　elf　of　such　unremarkable　appearance　he　might　have　been　a　lowly　armorer　or　swordsmith；　a　mon　artisan　barely　a　step　above　a　slave。　Zammzt　merely　folded　his　arms　across　his　chest　and　inclined　his　head　in　recognition　of　Grandfather　Mauzzkyl's　remark。
　　　〃What　happened？〃　asked　Nimor。　〃Ched　Nasad　should　not　have　fallen　so　easily。〃
　　　〃As　it　happened；　Anointed　Blade；　the　stonefire　bombs　your　duergar　allies　provided　us　had　a　devastating　effect　on　the　calcified　webs　upon　which　Ched　Nasad　was　built；〃　Zammzt　said；　doubtless　feigning　his　humility。　〃Just　as　flame　consumes　a　cobweb；　the　stonefire　devoured　the　very　structure　of　the　city。　With　their　castles　and　their　palaces　plummeting　to　the　bottom　of　the　cavern　like　burning　sparks　of　paper；　the　Ched　Nasadans　could　organize　no　real　defense　at　all。　No　strong　point　of　any　significance　survived　the　fires；　and　few　of　the　House　armies　escaped　from　the　conflagrations　to　contest　the　cavern。〃
　　　〃What　is　left　of　the　city？〃
　　　〃Very　little；　I'm　afraid。　A　few　isolated　districts　and　outlying　structures　relegated　to　side　caverns　survived　the　fire。　Of　the　city's　people；　I　would　guess　that　half　perished　in　the　fall　and　roughly　one…third　fled　into　the　outer　tunnels；　where　they　will　doubtless　e　to　a　variety　of　bad　ends。　Most　of　the　survivors　belong　to　those　minor　Houses　allied　with　us；　or　minor　Houses　who　were　quick　to　appreciate　the　new　order　of　things　in　the　city。〃
　　　Nimor　stroked　his　chin　and　said；　〃So；　from　a　city　of　twenty　thousand；　only　three　thousand　remain？〃
　　　〃A　little　less；　after　the　slaves　fled　the　city；〃　Zammzt　replied；　allowing　himself　a　fierce　grin。　〃Of　the　spider…kissing　females；　nothing　remains。〃
　　　〃Likely　some　number　of　Lolth　priestesses　escaped　with　those　who　fled　into　the　Underdark；〃　Nimor　mused。　〃They　won't　all　die　in　the　tunnels。　Still；　that　is　great　news；　Patron　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