war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第39部分

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hould　suffice；　but　I　don't　want　our　friends　to　observe　me　casting　it。　That　really　would　notpromise　my　disguise。　Stand　where　you　obstruct　their　view　and　do　somenotthing　distracting。〃
〃Right。〃　Ryld　positioned　himself　in　the　appropriate　spot　and　glowered　up　at　the　two　bugbears。　〃We　can　open　it。　What　loot　is　inside？〃
The　larger　bugbear　scowled　and；　the　odious　object　in　his　mouth　garnotbling　his　speech　a　little；　said；　〃We　made　a　deal。　It　didn't　say　nothing　about　no　loot。〃
〃Smylla　took　Sis's　treasure；〃　Ryld　replied。　〃We　want　it　back；　and　extra　too；　for　wergild。〃
〃Hell　with　that。〃
The　bugbear　with　the　missing　teeth　reached　for　the　knife　tucked　through　his　belt。　Ryld　could　see　it　was　a　butcher's　tool；　not　a　proper　fightnoting　blade；　but　no　doubt　it　served　in　the　latter　capacity　well　enough。
Ryld　rested　his　hand　on　the　hilt　of　his　short　sword；　the　weapon　of　choice　for　these　tight　quarters；　and　said；　〃You　want　to　fight；　we'll　fight。　I'll　slice　your　face　off　your　skull　and　wear　it　like　a　breechcloth；　but　my　brother　and　I　came　to　kill　Smylla；　not　you。　Let's　talk。　If　you　never　get　the　door…〃
〃Open；〃　Pharaun　said。
White　light　shone　at　Ryld's　back；　making　the　bugbears　wince。　Squintnoting；　the　warrior　whirled　and　scrambled　for　the　opening。
〃Hey！〃　yelped　the　smaller　bugbear。
Ryld　felt　a　big　hand　fumble　at　his　shoulder；　trying　to　grab　him；　but　it　was　an　instant　too　slow。　He　followed　Pharaun　over　the　threshold　and　slammed　the　door。
〃You　need　to　hold　it　shut；〃　the　wizard　said。
〃I　can't　do　it　for　long。〃
Leaning　forward；　Ryld　planted　his　hands　on　the　limestone　slab　and　braced　himself。
The　door　bucked　inward。　For　a　split　second；　the　dark　elf's　feet　slid　on　the　calcite　floor；　then　they　caught；　and　he　held　the　barrier　in　place。　Barely。
Meanwhile；　Pharaun　was　peering　about。　He　gave　a　little　cry　of　satisfacnottion；　picked　up　a　small　iron　bar；　and　set　it　so　it　overlapped　the　edge　of　the　door　and　the　jamb　about　halfway　up。　When　he　took　his　hand　away；　the　charm　remained　in　place。
〃This　is　quite　a　clever　little　device；〃　the　wizard　said。　〃Oh；　and　you　can　let　go　now。〃　Pharaun　turned　the　mechanical　locks　his　spell　of　opening　had　disennotgaged；　snapping　each　shut　in　its　turn。　It　was　actually　the　enchanted　length　of　iron　that　had　up　to　then　kept　the　goblinoids　out；　but　he　thought　he　and　Ryld　might　as　well　be　as　secure　as　possible。　It　also　seemed　the　courteous　thing　to　do。
His　hostess；　however；　didn't　seem　to　appreciate　the　gesture。
〃Get　out！〃　she　croaked。　〃Get　out；　or　I'll　slay　you　with　my　sorcery！〃
The　masters　turned。　Smylla　Nathos　had　lit　her　sparsely　furnished　room　with　a　pair　of　slender　brass　rods；　the　tips　of　which　emitted　a　steady　maginotcal　glow。　They　protruded　from　the　necks　of　wax…encrusted　wine　bottles　like　tapers　sitting　in　candelabra；　which　they　perhaps　were　meant　to　renotsemble。　Maybe　Smylla　missed　the　spell　caster's　traditional　mode　of　illuminotnation　but　couldn't　obtain　it　anymore。
She　herself　lay　at　the　limit　of　the　light；　on　a　cot　in　the　shadows　at　the　far　end　of　the　room。　Pharaun　could　just　barely　make　her　out。
〃Good　afternoon；　my　lady；〃　the　wizard　said；　bowing。　〃It　shames　me　beyond　measure　to　ignore　your　request。　Yet　should　this　gentleman　and　I　pass　through　your　door　a　second　time；　the　bugbears　and　their　ilk　will　rush　in；　and　that；　I　think；　is　the　very　eventuality　you　sought　to　forestall。〃
〃Who　are　you？　You　don't　talk　like　an　ore。〃
〃My　lady　is　a　marvel　of　perspicacity。　We　are　in　fact　drow　lords　e　to　consult　you　on　a　matter　of　some　importance。〃
〃Why　are　you　disguised？〃
〃The　usual　reason：　To　confound　our　enemies。　May　we　approach？　It's　tenotdious　trying　to　converse　across　the　length　of　the　room。〃
Smylla　hesitated；　then　said；　〃e。〃
Pharaun　and　Ryld　started　forward。　Behind　them；　the　bugbears　were　cursing；　shouting　threats　and　questions；　and　pounding　on　the　far　side　of　the　door。
After　four　paces；　the　wizard's　stomach　turned　at　yet　another　stench；　this　one　humid　and　gangrenous。　He'd　half　expected　something　of　the　sort；　but　that　didn't　make　it　any　easier　to　bear。　Even　the　phlegmatic　Ryld　looked　disnotfited　for　an　instant。
〃Close　enough；〃　Smylla　said；　and　Pharaun　supposed　it　was。
He　had　no　desire　to　e　any　nearer　to　that　wasted　form　with　its　boils　and　pustules；　even　though　the　enchantments　bound　into　his　mantle　and　Ryld's　cloak　and　dwarven　armor　would　probably　protect　them　from　infection。
〃Can　you　help　us？〃　asked　Ryld。
The　sick　woman　leered。　〃Will　you　pay　me　with　the　magnificent　great…sword　you　wear　across　your　back？〃
Pharaun　was　somewhat　impressed。　The　illusion　of　pig…faced　orcishness　shrouding　his　friend　made　Splitter　look　like　a　battle…axe；　but　Smylla's　rheumy；　sunken　eyes　had　pierced　that　aspect　of　the　deception。
When　he　recovered　from　his　surprise；　Ryld　shook　his　head。　〃No；　I　won't　give　you　the　sword。　I　worked　too　hard　to　get　it；　and　I　need　it　to　stay　alive；　but　if　you　want　I　can　use　it　to　clear　away　the　goblinoids　outside。　My　notrade　and　I　are　also　carrying　a　fair　amount　of　gold。〃
Her　dry　white　hair　spread　about　her　head；　Smylla　lay　propped　against　a　mound　of　stained；　musty　pillows。　She　struggled　to　hitch　herself　up　straighter；　then　abandoned　the　effort。　Apparently　it　was　beyond　her　strength。
〃Gold？〃　she　said。　〃Do　you　know　who　I　am；　swordsman？　Do　you　know　my　history？〃
〃I　do；〃　Pharaun　said。　〃The　gist　of　it；　anyway。　It　happened　after　I　more　or　less　withdrew　from　participation　in　the　affairs　of　the　great　Houses。〃
〃What　do　you　know？〃　she　asked。
〃An　expedition　from　House　Faen　Tlabbar；〃　the　wizard　replied；　〃vennottured　up　into　the　Lands　of　Light　to　hunt　and　plunder。　When　they　renotturned；　a　lovely　human　sorceress　and　clairvoyant　acpanied　them；　not　as　a　newly　captured　slave　but　as　their　guest。
〃Why　did　you　want　to　e？　Perhaps　you　were　fleeing　some　implacable　enemy；　or　were　fascinated　by　the　grace　and　sophistication　of　my　people　and　the　idea　of　living　in　the　exotic　Underdark。　My　hunch　is　that　you　wanted　to　learn　drow　magic；　but　it's　pure　speculation。　No　outsider　ever　knew。
〃For　that　matter；　why　did　the　Faen　Tlabbar　oblige　you？　That's　an　even　greater　mystery。　Conceivably　someone　harbored　amorous　feelings　for　you；　or　you；　too；　had　secrets　to　teach。〃
〃I　had　a　way　of　persuading　them；〃　Smylla　said。
〃Obviously。　Once　you　reached　Menzoberranzan；　you　made　yourself　useful　to　House　Faen　Tlabbar　as　countless　minions　from　the　lesser　races　had　done　before　you。　The　difference　being　that　you　were　accorded　a　cernottain　status；　even　a　degree　of　familiarity。　Matron　Ghenni　let　you　dine　with　the　family　and　attend　social　functions；　where　you　reportedly　acquitted　yourself　with　a　drowlike　poise　and　charm。〃
〃I　was　their　pet；〃　said　Smylla；　sneering　at　the　memory；　〃a　dog　dressed　in　a　gown　and　trained　to　dance　on　its　hind　legs。　I　just　didn't　know　it　at　the　time。〃
〃I'm　sure　many　saw　you　that　way。　Perhaps　some　saw　something　else。　From　all　accounts；　Matron　Ghenni　behaved　as　if　she　regarded　you　as　a　ward；　just　one　notch　down　from　a　daughter；　and　with　the　mistress　of　the　Fourth　House　indulging　you；　few　would　dare　challenge　your　right　to　notport　yourself　like　a　Menzoberranyr　noble。　Indeed；　no　one　did；　until　she　turned　against　you。〃
〃Until　I　fell　ill；〃　said　the　sorceress。
〃Quite。　Was　it　a　natural　disease；　bred；　perhaps；　by　the　lack　of　the　searnoting　sunlight　that　is　a　natural　condition　for　your　kind？　Or　did　an　enemy　infect　you　with　poison　or　magic？　If　so；　was　the　culprit　someone　inside　House　Faen　Tlabbar；　who　saw　you　as　a　rival　for　Ghenni's　favor；　or　the　agent　of　an　enemy　family；　depriving　their　foes　of　a　resource？〃
〃I　was　never　able　to　find　out。　That's　funny　ing　from　me；　isn't　it？〃
〃Ironic；　perhaps。　At　any　rate；　several　priestesses　tried　to　cure　you；　but　for　some　reason；　the　magic　failed；　whereupon