war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第20部分

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；　Faeryl　caught　a　whiff　of　the　creature's　putrid　breath。　〃Is　that　not　so？〃
〃Exactly！〃　Triel　reached　back　around　the　edge　of　her　golden　chair　and　gave　the　half…fiend　an　approving　pat　on　the　leg。　〃Your　theory　doesn't　stand　up；　Ambassador。〃
Not　for　the　first　time；　Faeryl　wished　that　Triel's　mother　was　still　leading　House　Baenre。　The　greedy；　vicious　old　autocrat　could　be　hard　to　contend　with；　but　though　she　would　have　cherished　a　draegloth　as　a　mark　of　Lolth's　
approval　and　delighted　in　the　demidemon's　gift　for　slaughter；　she　wouldn't　have　tolerated　it　speaking　unbidden　at　a　formal　conference；　any　more　than　she　would　have　borne　such　disrespect　from　anyone　else。
〃If　the　threat　consists　of　more　than　one　beast；〃　the　emissary　said；　〃or　more　than　one　manifestation　of　a　phenomenon；　it　could　cut　more　than　one　passage。〃
Triel　shrugged。　〃If　you　say　so。〃
〃I　hesitate　to　mention　it；〃　said　Faeryl；　〃lest　I　be　thought　an　alarmist；　but　it's　even　possible　that　some　misfortune　has　befallen　Ched　Nasad　itself。〃
〃A　misfortune　so　abrupt　and　all…enpassing　that　your　folk　never　even　had　a　chance　to　dispatch　a　messenger　to　Menzoberranzan？〃　Triel　replied。　〃Nonsense。　Even　Golothaer；　home　of　our　ancestors；　didn't　perish　in　an　hour。　Besides；　I　am　personally　aware　of　several　muniqu閟　having　reached　here　from　Ched　Nasad　in　only　the　past　few　days。〃
〃I　have　received　some　of　those　sendings　myself；　Matron　Mother；　and　find　their　excuses　suspicious　at　best。　In　any　case；　the　dearth　of　traffic　from　Ched　Nasad　warrants　investigation；　and　as　my　city's　representative　in　Menzoberranzan；　the　task　is　my　responsibility。〃
〃No　one　has　charged　you　with　it。〃
〃Then　I　take　it　upon　myself。　Yet　I'm　reluctant　to　venture　across　the　Underdark　with　merely　my　own　little　entourage　for　protection。　Traders　guard　their　caravans　very　well。　Anything　that　could　destroy　all　those　mernotchant　trains　would　likely　put　a　quick　end　to　me；　too；　in　which　case；　Matron　Mother；　the　priestesses　of　Menzoberranzan　would　know　no　more　about　the　new　menace　beyond　their　borders　than　they　do　now。　Accordnotingly；　I　ask　you　to　provide　me　with　a　sizable　escort。　I'll　march　it　to　Ched　Nasad　and　back　again　and　see　what　befalls　me　along　the　way。〃
〃You　have　an　enterprising　nature；〃　said　Triel　〃It　does　you　credit。　Alas；　Menzoberranzan　can't　spare　any　troops。　Not　at　this　time。　Our　forces　are　engaged　in　training　exercises。〃
Faeryl　fancied　she　knew　the　real　reason　the　Baenre　was　at　present　relucnottant　to　divest　herself　of　any　portion　of　her　military　strength。　Her　caution　made　perfect　sense　on　its　own　terms；　but　surely　it　must　yield　to　the　gravnotity　of　the　envoy's　concerns！
〃Matron　Mother；　if　trade　with　Ched　Nasad　does　not　resume；　the　people　of　Menzoberranzan　will　find　themselves　bereft　of　countless　amenities。　Some　of　your　craftsmen　will　lack　the　raw　materials　they　need　for　their　work。　Your　own　merchant　clans　will　endeavor　to　send　caravans　to　my　city；　and　those　expeditions　will　probably　not　return。〃
〃I　imagine　some　clever　male　will　import　the　same　goods　via　a　different　route　if　he　can　reap　a　profit　thereby。〃
Faeryl　was　beginning　to　feel　as　if　she　were　mired　in　some　lunatic　dream。
〃Matron；　you　can't　be　serious。　Ched　Nasad　is　the　single　greatest　source　of　wealth　your　people　possess。〃
Demons　of　the　Web；　it　was　in　fact　half　again　as　populous　as　Menzoberranzan　itself。　The　two　realms　had　long　been　equals；　and　it　was　only　a　notparatively　recent　happenstance　that　had　reduced　the　once　independent　City　of　Shimmering　Webs　to　vassalage。
Triel　spread　her　dainty；　obsidian　hands　in　a　gesture　of　helpless　resignanottion　and　said；　〃Wealth　that　is　as　much　ours　when　stored　in　our　trading　costers　in　Ched　Nasad　as　in　our　own　vaults　here。〃
Faeryl　didn't　know　what　else　to　say。　No　argument；　however　cogent；　seemed　capable　of　piercing　Triel's　shield　of　bland；　almost　mocking　placency。
〃Very　well；〃　the　ambassador　said　through　gritted　teeth；　struggling　to　keep　a　grip　on　her　temper。　〃If　I　must；　I'll　manage　without　your　help。　It　will　exhaust　my　purse；　but　perhaps　I　can　hire　some　of　the　sell　swords　of　Bregan　D'aerthe。〃
Triel　smiled。　〃No；　my　dear；　that　won't　be　necessary。〃
〃I　don't　understand。〃
〃I　cannot　give　you　leave　to　depart　so　precipitously。　Who　then　would　speak　on　behalf　of　your　people？　Even　more　importantly；　I　believe　you　may　be　right。　Some　new　peril　may　be　lurking　in　the　Underdark　and　massacring　drow　left　and　right。　I　don't　want　it　to　kill　you　as　well。　I　hold　you　in　too　high　an　esteem；　and　I　certainly　wouldn't　want　the　other　nobles　of　Ched　Nasad　to　think　that　I　blithely　sent　you　to　your　doom。　They　might　infer　that　I　have　little　regard　for　even　the　most　exalted　officers　of　your　splendid　city；　when　of　course；　nothing　could　be　farther　from　the　truth。〃
〃You　honor　me。　Yet　considering　what's　at　stake…〃
〃Nothing　is　more　important　than　your　safety。　Anything　could　happen　if　you　attempt　to　traverse　the　tunnels　at　this　unsettled　time。　You　might　not　even　make　it　out　of　Bauthwaf。　Why；　one　of　Menzoberranzan's　own　patrols；　weary　from　too　much　duty；　imagining　a　dwarf　crouched　behind　every　stalagmite；　might　mistake　your　band　for　a　hostile　force　and　loose　a　volley　of　poison　darts　at　you。　You　might　die　an　agonizing　death　at　the　hands　of　your　own　friends；　in　which　case　I　would　never　forgive　myself。〃
A　chill　crept　up　Faeryl's　spine；　because　she　understood　what　Triel　had　really　said。　The　matron　mother　had　just　forbidden　her　to　leave　the　city；　on　pain　of　death。
But　why？　What　accounted　for　Matron　Baenre's　sudden　hostility？　Faeryl　had　no　idea　until　she　happened　to　glance　up　at　the　draegloth's　face。　Somenothow　the　half…fiend's　leer　suggested　an　explanation。
Triel　had　decided　Faeryl　was　less　diplomat　than　spy；　an　agent　for　some　power　inimical　to　Menzoberranzan；　who'd　concocted　this　business　of　missnoting　traders　to　provide　herself　with　a　good　excuse　to　leave　the　city　and　report　to　her　superiors。
Matron　Baenre　couldn't　allow　it；　couldn't　permit　a　spy　to　pass　along　the　tale　of　Menzoberranzan's　newfound　weakness。　She　didn't　dare；　because　it　was　entirely　possible　that　not　all　dark　elf　enclaves　had　suffered　the　same　calamity；　and　even　if　they　had；　perhaps　the　dwarves；　duergar；　deep　gnomes；　and　illithids　had　not。
What　remained　unclear　was　why　Triel　believed　as　she　did。　Who　had　put　the　idea　in　her　head；　and　what　did　that　person　have　to　gain　by　holding　Faeryl　in　the　city？
Jaw　tight；　the　emissary　stifled　the　impulse　to　confront　Triel　about　the　latter's　true　concerns。　She　knew　she　wouldn't　be　able　to　draw　the　Baenre　into　an　genuine　consideration　of　the　allegations　against　her。　Taking　a　manotlicious　pleasure　in　the　play…acting；　Triel　would　simply　feign　shock　that　Faeryl　doubted　her　trust　and　good　will。
Indeed；　if　Faeryl　wanted　to　avoid　further　humiliation；　all　she　could　do　was　go　along　with　the　pretense。
She　smiled　and　said；　〃As　I　said　before；　Matron　Mother；　your　concern　honors　me；　and　I　will　of　course　obey　you。　I'll　remain　in　the　City　of　Spinotders　and　savor　its　many　delights。〃
〃Good；〃　said　Triel；　and　Faeryl　imagined　the　words　that　remained　unnotspoken：　We'll　know　where　to　find　you　when　it's　time　for　your　arrest。
〃May　I　have　your　permission　to　withdraw？　I　see　there　are　many　others　seeking　the　benefit　of　your　wisdom。〃
〃Go；　with　my　blessing。〃
Faeryl　offered　her　obeisance；　exited　the　hall；　and　walked　through　the　great　mound　that　was　the　Baenre　citadel　until　she　found　herself　alone　and　unobserved　in　a　short　connecting　passageway。　She　took　the　rolled　maps　of　the　Underdark；　the　charts　she　had　imagined　that　she　and　Triel　might　connotsult　together；　from　beneath　her　arm。　Teeth　bared　in　a　snarl；　she　smashed　them　repeatedly　against　the　wall　until　the　stiff　parchment　cylinder　flopped　limp　and　battered　in　her　hands。