war of the spider queen 2 insurrection-第29部分

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　　　〃Yes；　Mother。〃
　　　〃And　stop　that。　It's　childish　and　petulant。〃
　　　Faeryl　frowned；　but　she　clamped　her　mouth　shut。
　　　〃That's　better；〃　Ssipriina　said。　〃Now　I　think　we　need　to　get　those　males　summoned　here　as　quickly　as　possible。　Zammzt；　I　think　that's　a　job　for　you。〃
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　　　When　a　knock　sounded　at　the　door　to　their　room；　Pharaun　expected　to　see　Quenthel　standing　there。　It　was　late；　and　the　Master　of　Sorcere　was　beginning　to　wonder　if　something　untoward　had　befallen　the　high　priestess　and　her　two　panions。　As　he　opened　the　portal；　though；　the　wizard　was　instead　surprised　to　discover　a　strange　and　rather　plain…looking　drow　in　the　livery　of　a　noble　House。
　　　〃I　beg　forgiveness　for　disturbing　you；〃　the　male　said；　〃but　I　am　seeking　the　wizard　Pharaun　Mizzrym　and　the　warriors　Ryld　Argith　and　Valas　Hune。〃
　　　Pharaun　kept　his　body　planted　firmly　between　the　visitor　and　the　interior　of　the　room；　shielding　the　other　dark　elf's　view　of　it。　Behind　him；　he　could　hear　Valas　and　Ryld　unsheathing　weapons。
　　　〃Who　are　you？〃　the　wizard　asked；　considering　which　spells　remaining　in　his　repertoire　would　suffice　to　defend　himself　against　an　attack。
　　　〃My　name　is　Zammzt。　I　e　at　the　behest　of　Matron　Mother　Ssipriina　Zauvirr　of　House　Zauvirr；　Matron　Mother　Melarn　of　House　Melarn；　and　Quenthel　Baenre　of　House　Baenre。　Are　you　one　of　the　three？〃
　　　〃Perhaps；〃　Pharaun　answered；　gauging　the　fellow's　potential　as　a　threat。　The　drow　was；　at　the　very　least；　radiating　a　number　of　magical　auras。　〃It　would　depend　on　why　you're　looking　for　them。〃
　　　〃Mistress　Quenthel　is　a　guest　of　Mistress　Drisinil　Melarn　of　House　Melarn。　I　am　here　to　extend　an　invitation　to　you　to　join　them　for　a　banquet　in　your　honor。〃
　　　〃Oh；　how　delightful；〃　Pharaun　said。　〃I　assume　that　you　can　escort　us　there；　as　well？〃
　　　〃Indeed；　Master；　uh　。　。　。”
　　　The　mage　rolled　his　eyes　and　said；　〃Pharaun。　I'm　the　wizard。〃
　　　〃Certainly；　Master　Mizzrym。　I　have　been　instructed　to　escort　you　to　House　Melarn。〃
　　　〃I　see。　Well；　then　can　you　give　me　a　moment　to　clean　up？　I'd　hate　to　attend　a　dinner　in　my　honor　looking　like　this；〃　the　wizard　said；　gesturing　at　his　piwafwi。
　　　〃Certainly；　Master　Mizzrym。　I　am　at　your　convenience。　The　dinner　will　not　start　without　you。〃
　　　〃Excellent；〃　Pharaun　replied。　〃Give　me　just　a　moment；　and　we'll　be　right　out。　You　can　wait　for　us　down　In　the　mon　room。〃
　　　With　that；　he　shut　the　door　and　turned　to　his　panions。
　　　〃Either　she　got　caught　or　she　decided　she　was　not　getting　treated　well　enough　by　the　inn　staff；〃　Valas　said；　frowning。
　　　〃Either　way；　it　is　no　good　for　us；〃　Ryld　added。　〃And　I　was　just　beginning　to　enjoy　not　being　under　any　matron　mothers'　thumbs。〃
　　　〃Well；　then　。　。　。　which　is　it；　good　masters？〃　Pharaun　asked　them　both。　〃Out　the　window　or　to　a　dinner　party？〃
　　　Ryld　and　Valas　looked　at　one　another。
　　　Finally；　Valas　sighed；　〃Dinner。〃
　　　〃Very　good；〃　Pharaun　said；　〃but　before　we　go；　I　want　to　spend　a　few　moments　in　contemplation　of　my　grimoires。　I　have　a　feeling　I　might　be　in　need　of　some　arcane　fortitude　before　the　night　is　over。〃
　　　〃Yes；　I　think　that's　wise；〃　Valas　agreed。　〃Ryld　and　I　could　stand　a　bit　of　healing　magic；　if　there's　any　to　be　had。〃
　　　〃Why　don't　you　two　go　search　the　priestesses'　room　and　see　what　you　can　turn　up？〃　Pharaun　suggested。　〃I　know　Quenthel　had　that　wand；　but　she's　likely　to　have　kept　it　with　her。　There　might　be　a　potion　or　two；　though。〃
　　　The　scout　nodded；　and　he　and　Ryld　slipped　out　of　the　room。
　　　Pharaun　opened　up　his　haversack　and　pulled　out　his　spellbooks；　which　were　conveniently　on　top。　That　was　the　thing　he　truly　loved　about　his　magical　carry…all。　Whatever　he　needed　always　seemed　to　be　on　top。　He　sat　down　to　peruse　the　pages。
　　　The　wizard　could　not　recoup　all　of　the　incantations　he　had　cast　during　the　course　of　the　day；　as　he　would　need　to　spend　several　hours　resting　before　his　body　had　recovered　sufficiently　for　that；　but　he　had　wisely　decided　to　hold　off　on　mitting　the　full　pliment　of　spells　to　memory　that　morning；　so　he　had　an　opportunity　to　choose　four　or　five　that　would　best　suit　the　occasion。
　　　Now；　Pharaun　wondered；　what　sorts　of　magical　wizardry　would　be　particularly　useful　for　a　dinner　party？
　　　He　settled　on　his　choices　and　began　to　study。
　　　Nearly　an　hour　later；　the　Master　of　Sorcere　looked　up　at　the　sound　of　the　two　other　males　reentering　the　room。
　　　〃Ah；　perfect　timing；〃　he　said。　〃I　think　I'm　ready　to　go。　Did　you　have　any　luck？〃
　　　Ryld　answered；　〃It　took　a　bit　of　rummaging；　but　we　managed　to　confiscate　two　potions　from　Quenthel's　belongings。　That's　one　more　thing　we　agreed　that　you　get　to　tell　her　when　we　see　her　next。〃
　　　Pharaun　chuckled；　〃Well；　I　must　say；　the　draughts　did　you　a　world　of　good。　You're　certainly　much　more　presentable　than　you　were　a　mere　hour　ago。　Are　we　ready；　then？〃
　　　〃I　believe　so；〃　Valas　replied。　〃We　did　a　quick　surveillance　of　the　inn；　and　it　appears　that　our　escort　is　alone。　Nothing　suspicious　about　him　so　far。〃
　　　〃Then　I　suggest　we　leave　at　once；〃　the　Master　of　Sorcere　said。　〃I'm　starved；　and　I　fancy　a　taste　of　something　better　to　drink　than　the　swill　we　purchased　last　evening。〃
　　　Ryld　and　Valas　exchanged　looks；　and　the　three　of　them　found　their　way　to　the　mon　room。　The　drow　who　called　himself　Zammzt　was　there；　waiting　patiently；　but　the　look　on　his　face　told　Pharaun　that　he　was　beginning　to　get　a　little　nervous。
　　　Probably　wondering　if　we　gave　him　the　slip；　the　wizard　thought。　Worried　about　what　he'd　tell　the　macron　mother　when　he　had　to　report　back　that　we　wouldn't　cooperate。
　　　The　stroll　to　the　House　would　have　been　pleasant；　Pharaun　decided；　if　the　streets　weren't　plagued　by　the　occasional　angry　mob。　Twice；　the　four　of　them　had　to　make　a　quick　dash　down　a　side　street　or　float　to　another　level　to　avoid　being　engulfed　in　a　tide　of　troublemakers。　Ac　one　point；　Pharaun　thought　he'd　have　to　blast　a　way　through　the　throng　with　a　bolt　of　lightning　or　a　ball　of　fire；　but　it　never　came　to　that。　In　order　to　keep　up　with　them；　Valas　was　forced　to　transport　himself　by　way　of　an　extradimensional　doorway。　This　from　an　item　Pharaun　had；　until　then；　been　unaware　the　scout　carried。
　　　〃You　know；〃　he　said　as　they　moved　into　the　highest　levels　of　the　city；　where　the　most　lavish　of　the　nobles'　manors　were　located；　〃I　quite　seriously　doubt　we　should　remain　for　the　full　evening。〃
　　　〃What；　you　think　the　city　is　growing　too　dangerous？〃　Valas　asked　wryly。　〃If　we　had　given　it　any　thought；　we　might　have　considered　packing　our　supplies　and　bringing　them　with　us。〃
　　　Pharaun　slowed　a　step；　thinking；　but　then　he　proceeded；　saying；　〃You're　right；　but　if　the　situation　warrants　it；　I　can　return　for　the　goods　myself　later。〃
　　　The　four　drow　arrived　at　last　at　House　Melarn；　an　impressive　bulge　in　the　upper　reaches　of　the　city。　The　whole　of　the　thing　was　stacked　above　the　level　of　the　street　and　also　hung　below　it；　and　it　covered　an　area　two　or　three　blocks　wide　and　just　as　deep。　To　Pharaun；　it　looked　like　a　massive　cyst　of　some　sort；　which；　he　supposed；　had　been　the　intent　of　the　architects　who'd　fashioned　it。
　　　The　food　and　spirits　had　better　be　worth　it；　the　wizard　thought；　sighing　as　he　followed　the　others　inside。　Right　now；　it　just　looks　like　a　prison。
　　　
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　　　Aliisza　loathed　the　form　she'd　chosen　for　herself；　finding　it　ugly　and　without　civility。　Oh；　certainly　any　ore　who　spotted　her　would　have　thought　her　beautiful；　but　the　alu…fiend　considered　the　race　repulsive　as　a　whole。　Still；　it　had　its　advantages。
　　　At　the　moment；　that　advantage　was　that　Pharaun　would　not　recognize　her。　Following　the　wizard　and　his　two　drow　panions　through　the　web　streets　of　Ched　Nasad；　being　led　by　a　fourth　drow…whom　she　found　to　be　rather　unattractive…Aliisza　didn't　want　her　lover　of　earlier　in　the　day　to　spot　her。　As　well；　she　found　it　easier　to　avoid　notice　as　one　of　the　baser　creatures　rather　than　as　one　of　the　dark　elves。　The　drow　citizens　might　have　outnumbered　the　rest　of　the　other　races　bined；　but　they　appeared　to　be　fearful　of　being　alone　in　public；　and　though　Aliisza　certainly　didn't　fear　for　her　own　well…being；　she　thought　it　best　to　draw　as　little　attention　to　herself　as　possible。
　　　Besides；　she　found　that　she　could　overhear　more　interesting　conversations　if　she　was　not　in　dark　elf　form。　The　other　beings　tended　to　stall　or　whisper　whenever　they　saw　any　drow　about；　but　they　were　not　so　mindful　of　their　words　when　it　was　just　an　ore；　beautiful　for　her　race　or　not。　Aliisza　could　certainly　understand　why。
　　　There　was　talk　of　rebellion　or　of　invasion　everywhere　she　went。　Half　the　inhabitants　seemed　to　think　the　crisis　in　the　City　of　Shimmering　Webs　was　an　opportunity　to　end　the　drow　reign　once　and　for　all；　while　the　other　half　believed　that　someone　else　was　already　in　the　process　of　doing　just　that　and　that　everyone　already　living　there　would　pay　the　price　for　it。　One　thing　was　constant；　whatever　other　opinions　were　revealed：　Everyone　blamed　the　dark　elves　for　their　problems。
　　　It　was　the　drow；　she　heard；　who　had　angered　Lolth。　She　had　turned　away　from　the　city；　leaving　it　to　fend　for　itself。　Others　said　that　Lolth　had　grown　weak　and　ineffectual　from　the　placency　of　her　worshipers；　and　this　had　allowed　other　deities　to　overwhelm　her　when　she　wasn't　expecting　or　prepared　for　it。　The　most　intriguing　rumor　of　all；　of　course；　was　the　tale　that　seemed　most　recent。　Spreading　like　wildfire；　it　claimed　that　the　matron　mothers　had　discovered　a　traitor　in　their　midst；　one　of　their　own　who　had　collaborated　with　a　high　priestess　from　beyond　the　city　to　bring　Ched　Nasad　low。
　　　There　were　a　dozen　variations　on　that　story。　The　traitors　consorted　with　demons；　the　traitors　were　actually　demons　in　disguise；　the　traitors　were　stealing　from　the　city；　the　traitors　were　preparing　to　attack　the　city。　。　。　。
　　　Aliisza　had　little　doubt　about　the　veracity　of　the　story；　for　she　suspected　that　the　high　priestess　must　be　Quenthel。　Somehow；　the　Menzoberranyr　had　been　apprehended　in　the　middle　of　her　little　scheme；　the　one　Pharaun　regretted　mentioning。　She　was　curious　about　Pharaun's　role　in　the　rumor；　or　the　por