war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第37部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


Light…headed　and　sour…mouthed　from　her　exertions；　Faeryl　dragged　herself　to　her　feet；　trudged　in　search　of　Mother's　Kiss；　and　wondered　just　how　she　would　acplish　that　little　miracle。
















C　h　a　p　t　e　r


T　E　N
Cloaked　in　the　semblance　of　a　squat；　leathery…skinned　ore；　whose　twisted　leg　manifestly　made　him　unfit　for　service　in　a　noble　or　even　merchant　House；　Pharaun　took　an　experimental　bite　of　his　sausage　and　roll。　The　unidentifiable　ground　meat　inside　the　casing　tasted　rank　and　was　gristly；　as　well　as　cold　at　the　core。
〃By　the　Demonweb！〃　he　exclaimed。
〃What？〃　Ryld　replied。
The　weapons　master　too　appeared　to　be　a　scurvy；　broken…down　ore　in　grubby　rags。　Unbelievably；　he　was　devouring　his　vile　repast　without　any　overt　show　of　repugnance。
〃What？〃　The　Master　of　Sorcere　brandished　his　sausage。　〃This　travesty。　This　abomination。〃
He　headed　for　the　culprit's　kiosk；　a　sad　little　construction　of　bone　poles　and　sheets　of　hide；　taking　care　not　to　walk　too　quickly。　His　veil　of　illusion　would　make　it　look　as　if　he　were　limping；　but　it　wouldn't　conceal　the　anomnotaly　of　a　lame　ore　covering　ground　as　quickly　as　one　with　two　good　legs。　
The　long…armed；　flat…faced　goblin　proprietor　produced　a　cudgel　from　beneath　the　counter。　Perhaps　he　was　used　to　plaints。
Pharaun　raised　a　hand　and　said；　〃I　mean　no　harm。　In　fact；　I　want　to　help。〃
The　goblin's　eyes　narrowed。　〃Help？〃
〃Yes。　I'll　even　pay　another　penny　for　the　privilege。〃　he　said　as　he　exnottracted　a　copper　coin　from　his　purse。　〃I　just　want　to　show　you　something。〃
The　cook　hesitated；　then　held　out　a　dirty…nailed　hand　and　said；　〃Give。　No　tricks。〃
〃No　tricks。〃
Pharaun　surrendered　the　coins　and　to　the　goblin's　surprise；　squirmed　around　the　end　of　the　counter　and　crowded　into　the　miniature　kitchen。　He　wrapped　his　hand　in　a　fold　of　his　cloak；　slid　the　hot　iron　grill　with　its　load　of　meat　from　its　brackets；　and　set　it　aside。
〃First；〃　Pharaun　said；　〃you　spread　the　coals　evenly　at　the　bottom　of　the　brazier。〃　He　picked　up　a　poker　and　demonstrated。　〃Next；　though　we　don't　have　time　to　start　from　scratch　right　now；　you　let　them　burn　to　gray。　Only　then　do　you　start　cooking；　with　the　grill　positioned　here。〃
He　replaced　the　utensil　in　a　higher　set　of　brackets。
〃Sausage　take　longer　to　fry；〃　the　goblin　said。
〃Do　you　have　somewhere　to　go？　Now；　I'm　going　to　assume　you　buy　these　questionable　delicacies　elsewhere　and　thus　can　do　nothing　about　the　quality；　but　you　can　at　least　tenderize　them　with　a　few　whacks　from　that　mallet；　poke　a　few　holes　with　the　fork　to　help　them　cook　on　the　inside；　and　sprinkle　some　of　these　spices　on　them。〃　Pharaun　grinned。　〃You've　never　so　much　as　touched　a　lot　of　this　stuff；　have　you？　What　did　you　do；　murder　the　real　chef　and　take　possession　of　his　enterprise？〃
The　smaller　creature　smirked　and　said；　〃Don't　matter　now；　do　it？〃
〃I　suppose　not。　One　last　thing：　Roast　the　sausage　when　the　customer　orders　it；　not　hours　beforehand。　It　isn't　nearly　as　appetizing　if　it's　cooked；　allowed　to　cool；　then　warmed　again。　Good　fortune　to　you。〃
He　clapped　the　goblin　on　the　shoulder；　then　exited　the　stand。
At　some　point；　Ryld　had　wandered　up　to　observe　the　lesson。
〃What　was　the　point　of　that？〃　the　warrior　asked。
〃I　was　performing　a　public　service；〃　answered　the　wizard；　〃preserving　the　Braeryn　from　a　plague　of　dyspepsia。〃
Pharaun　fell　in　beside　his　friend；　and　the　two　dark　elves　walked　on。
〃You　were　amusing　yourself；　and　it　was　idiotic。　You　take　the　trouble　to　disguise　us；　then　risk　revealing　your　true　identity　by　playing　the　gourmet。〃
〃I　doubt　one　small　lapse　will　prove　our　undoing。　It's　unlikely　that　any　of　our　ill…wishers　will　interview　that　particular　street　vendor　any　time　soon　or　ask　the　right　questions　if　they　do。　Remember；　we're　well　disguised。　Who　would　imagine　this　lurching；　misshapen　creature　could　possibly　be　my　handsome；　elegant　self？　Though　I　must　admit；　your　metamorphosis　wasn't　quite　so　much　of　a　stretch。〃
Ryld　scowled；　then　wolfed　down　his　last　bite　of　sausage　and　bread。
〃Why　didn't　you　disguise　us　from　the　moment　we　left　Tier　Breche？〃　he　asked。　〃Never　mind；　I　think　I　know。　A　fencer　doesn't　reveal　all　his　capanotbilities　in　the　initial　moments　of　the　bout。〃
〃Something　like　that。　Greyanna　and　her　minions　have　seen　us　looking　like　ourselves；　so　if　we're　lucky　they　won't　expect　to　find　us　appearing　radnotically　different。　The　trick　won't　befuddle　them　forever；　but　perhaps　long　enough　for　us　to　plete　our　business　and　return　to　our　sedate；　cloisnottered　lives。〃
〃Does　that　mean　you've　figured　out　something　else？〃
〃Not　as　such；　but　you　know　I'm　prone　to　sudden　bursts　of　inspiration。〃
The　masters　entered　a　crowded　section　of　street　outside　of　what　was　evnotidently　a　popular　tavern；　with　a　howling；　barking　gnoll　song　shaking　the　calcite　walls。　Pharaun　had　never　had　occasion　to　walk　incognito　among　the　lower　orders。　It　felt　odd　weaving；　pausing；　and　twisting　to　avoid　bumps　and　jostles。　Had　they　known　his　true　identity；　his　fellow　pedestrinotans　would　have　scurried　out　of　his　way。
As　the　two　drow　reached　the　periphery　of　the　crowd；　Ryld　pivoted　and　struck　a　short　straight　blow　with　his　fist。　A　hunchbacked；　piebald　creanotture…the　product　of　a　mating　of　goblin　and　ore　perhaps…stumbled　backnotward　and　fell　on　his　rump。
〃Cutpurse；〃　the　warrior　explained。　〃I　hate　this　place。〃
〃No　pangs　of　nostalgia？〃
Ryld　glowered。　〃That　isn't　funny。〃
〃No？　Then　I　beg　your　pardon；〃　Pharaun　said　with　a　smirk。　〃I　wonder　why　this　precinct　always　seems　so　sordid；　even　on　those　rare　occasions　when　one　finds　oneself　alone　in　a　plaza　or　boulevard。　Well；　the　smell；　of　course。　We　don't　call　them　the　Stench　streets　for　nothing；　but　the　buildnotings；　though　generally　more　modest　than　those　encountered　elsewhere　in　the　city；　still　wear　the　same　graceful　shapes　our　ancestors　cut　from　the　living　rock。〃
The　teachers　paused　to　let　a　spider　with　legs　as　long　as　broadswords　scuttle　across　the　street。　The　Braeryn　notoriously　harbored　hordes　of　the　sacred　creatures。　Sacred　or　not；　Pharaun　reviewed　his　mental　list　of　ready　spells；　but　the　arachnid　ignored　the　disguised　dark　elves
〃That's　a　foolish　question；〃　said　Ryld。　〃Why　does　the　Braeryn　seem　foul？　The　inhabitants！〃
〃Ah；　but　did　the　living　refuse　of　our　society　generate　the　atmosphere　of　the　district；　or　did　that　malignant　spirit　exist　from　the　beginning　and　lure　the　wretched　to　its　domain？〃
〃I'm　no　metaphysician；〃　said　Ryld。　〃All　I　know　is　that　somebody　should　clear　the　scavengers　out　of　here。〃
Pharaun　chuckled。　〃What　if　said　clearing　had　occurred　when　you　were　a　tyke？〃
〃I　don't　mean　exterminate　them…except　for　the　hopeless　cases…but　why　just　let　them　squat　here　in　their　dirt　like　a　festering　chancre　on　the　city？　Why　not　find　something　useful　for　them　to　do？〃
〃Ah；　but　they're　already　useful。　Status　is　all；　is　it　not？　Does　it　not　follow；　then；　that　no　Menzoberranyr　can　find　contentment　without　someone　upon　whom　she　can　look　down。〃
〃We　have　slaves。〃
〃They　won't　do。　Predicate　your　claim　to　self…respect　on　their　existence　and　you　tacitly　acknowledge　you're　only　slightly　better　than　a　thrall　yournotself。　Happily；　here　in　the　Stench　streets；　we　find　a　populace　starving；　filthy；　penniless；　riddled　with　disease；　living　twenty　or　thirty　to　a　room；　yet　nomnotinally　free。　The　humblest　moner　in　Many　folk　or　even　Eastmyr　can　turn　up　his　nose　at　them　and　feel　smug。〃
〃You　really　think　that's　the　reason　Matron　Baenre　hasn't　ordered　the　slum　scoured　clean？〃
〃Well；　if　that　conjecture　seems　implausible；　here's　another：　Rumor　has　it　that　from　time　to　time；　someone　meets　the　goddess　herself　in　the　Braeryn。　Supposedly　she　likes　to　visit　here　in　mortal　guise。　The　matrons　may　feel　that　the　neighbo