war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第50部分

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　to　Arach…Tinilith；　the　enchantments　on　certain　doors　were　keyed　to　allow　her　to　enter；　based　on　the　unique　magical　signature　of　her　House　insignia；　rooms　the　high　priestesses　deemed　it　necessary　for　her　to　pass　into。　Only　Quenthel's　brooch　could　unlock　them　all。
She　unlocked　Drisinil's　door　and　warily　cracked　it　open。　No　magic　sparked；　nor　did　any　mechanical　trap　jab　a　blade　at　her。　As　quietly　as　she　could；　Quenthel　crept　on　into　the　suite。　Sensing　her　desire　for　quiet；　the　snakes　hung　mute　and　limp。
She　found　Drisinil　sitting　motionless　in　a　chair；　her　bandaged；　mutinotlated　hands　in　her　lap。　For　a　moment；　Quenthel；　thinking　the　other　female　must　have　a　dauntless　spirit　to　enter　the　Reverie　at　such　a　perilous　time；　rather　admired　her…then　she　caught　the　smell　of　brandy；　and　noticed　the　bottle　lying　in　a　puddle　of　liquor　on　the　floor。
Quenthel　stalked　toward　the　novice。　It　occurred　to　her　that　she　was　doing　to　Drisinil　as　the　living　darkness　had　done　to　her。　The　thought　vaguely　amused　her；　perhaps　simply　because　she　was　finally　the　predator；　not　the　prey。　Smiling；　she　gently　laid　the　vipers　across　the　other　drow's　face　and　upper　torso。　The　snakes　hissed　and　writhed。
Drisinil　roused　with　a　cry　and　a　start。　She　started　to　rear　up；　and　Quennotthel　pushed　her　back　down　in　her　chair。
〃Sit！〃　the　Baenre　snapped；　〃or　the　serpents　will　bite。〃
Her　wide　eyes　framed　by　the　cool；　scaly　loops　of　the　vipers；　Drisinil　stopped　struggling。
〃Mistress；　what's　wrong？〃
Quenthel　smiled　and　said；　〃Very　good；　child；　you　sound　sincere。　After　your　first　ploy　failed；　you　should　at　the　very　least　have　rested　elsewhere。〃
〃I　don't　know　what　you　mean。〃
Drisinil's　hand　shifted　stealthily；　no　doubt　toward　a　hidden　weapon　or　charm。　The　vipers　struck　at　the　student's　face；　their　fangs　missing　her　sharp…nosed　features　by　a　fraction　of　an　inch。　She　froze。
〃Please；〃　Quenthel　said。　〃This　will　go　easier　if　you　don't　insult　my　innottelligence。　You　have　spirit；　you　believe　I　punished　you　too　harshly；　and　you're　Barrison　De　Armgo；　eager　to　bring　down　the　one　House　standing　between　your　family　and　supremacy。　Of　course　you're　involved　in　the　plot　against　me。　You're　also　an　idiot　if　you　didn't　think　I'd　realize　it。〃
〃Plot？〃
Quenthel　sighed。　〃Halavin　tried　to　kill　me　last　night；　and　she　didn't　act　alone。　A　single　traitor　couldn't　have　drugged　all　the　food　and　drink　set　out　at　various　points　around　the　temple。　It　would　have　required　abandoning　her　station　for　long　enough　that　someone　would　have　marked　her　absence。〃
〃Halavin　could　have　tainted　the　meal　while　it　was　still　in　the　kitchen。〃
〃She　was　never　there。〃
〃Then　perhaps　the　demon　poisoned　the　viands　with　its　magic。〃
〃No。　As　I'm　sure　you　noted；　each　spirit　represents　one　of　the　facets　of　renotality　over　which　the　goddess　holds　special　dominion。　Poison　is　the　weapon　of　an　assassin；　while　with　its　continually　fluctuating　form；　last　night's　asnotsailant　was　plainly　a　manifestation　of　chaos。
〃The　conspirators；〃　Quenthel　continued；　〃had　to　contaminate　each　and　every　table　because　they　didn't　know　where　I　would　stop　and　eat。　Many　fell　unconscious；　but　you　and　the　other　plotters　knew　not　to　sample　the　repast。〃
Drisinil　said；　〃I　had　no　part　in　it。〃
〃Novice；　you're　beginning　to　irritate　me。　Admit　your　guilt；　or　I'll　give　you　to　the　vipers　and　interrogate　someone　else。〃　The　serpents　hissed　and　flicked　their　tongues。
〃All　right；〃　said　Drisinil；　〃I　was　involved。　A　little。　The　others　talked　me　into　it。　Don't　kill　me。〃
〃I　know　what　your　little　cabal　has　done；　but　I　want　to　understand　how　you　dared。〃
Drisinil　swallowed　and　said；　〃You　。　。　。　you　said　it　yourself。　Each　demon　seeks　to　kill　only　you；　and　each　in　its　own　particular　way　reflects　the　divine　majesty　of　Lolth。　We　thought　she　sent　them。　We　thought　we　were　doing　what　the　goddess　wanted。〃
〃Because　you're　imbeciles。　Has　no　one　taught　you　to　look　beyond　apnotpearances？　If　Lolth　wanted　me　dead；　I　couldn't　survive　her　displeasure　for　a　heartbeat；　let　alone　three　nights。　The　attacks　resemble　her　doing　because　some　blasphemous　mortal　arranged　it　so；　to　manipulate　you　into　doing　her　killing　for　her。　I'd　hoped　you　conspirators　knew　the　trickster's　identity；　but　1　see　it　isn't　so。〃
〃No。〃
〃Curse　you　all！〃　Quenthel　exploded。　〃The　goddess　favors　me。　How　could　you　possibly　doubt　it？　I'm　a　Baenre；　the　Mistress　of　Arach…Tinilith；　and　I　rose　to　the　rank　of　high　priestess　more　quickly　that　any　Menzoberranyr　ever　has！〃
〃I　know　。　。　。〃　The　novice　hesitated；　then　said；　〃The　Mother　of　Lusts　must　have　some　reason　for　distancing　herself　from　the　city；　and　we　。　。　。　speculated。〃
〃Some　of　you　did；　I'm　sure。　Others　simply　liked　the　idea　of　eliminating　me。　I　imagine　your　Aunt　Molvayas　would　relish　seeing　me　dead。　She'd　have　an　excellent　chance　of　being　mistress　in　her　turn。　We　Baenre　don't　have　another　princess　seasoned　enough　to　assume　the　role。〃
〃It　was　my　aunt！〃　Drisinil　exclaimed。　〃She　came　up　with　the　idea　of　helping　the　demons　kill　you。　I　didn't　even　want　to　help。　I　thought　it　was　a　stupid　idea；　but　within　our　family；　she　holds　authority　over　me。〃
Quenthel　smiled。　〃It's　too　bad　you　weren't　more　impressed　with　my　aunotthority。〃
〃I'm　sorry。〃
〃No　doubt　that。　Now；　I　need　the　names　of　all　the　conspirators。〃
Drisinil　didn't　hesitate　an　instant。　〃My　aunt；　Vlondril　Tuin'Tarl　。　。　。〃
As　ever；　Quenthel　maintained　a　calm；　knowing　expression；　but　inwardly　she　was　surprised　at　the　number　of　conspirators。　An　eighth　of　the　temple！　It　was　unprecedented；　but　then　she　was　living　in　unprecedented　times。
When　Drisinil　finished；　the　Baenre　said；　〃Thank　you。　Where　did　you　gather　to　hatch　your　schemes？〃
〃One　of　the　unused　storerooms　in　the　fifth　leg；〃　Drisinil　said。
Quenthel　shook　her　head。　〃That　won't　do。　It's　not　big　enough。　Convene　the　group　in　Lirdnolu's　old　classroom。　Nobody's　used　it　since　she　had　her　throat　slit；　so　it　will　seem　a　safe　meeting　place。〃
Drisinil　blinked。　〃Convene？〃
〃Yes。　Last　night's　plot　failed；　so　obviously　you　must　hatch　a　new　one。　You've　chosen　a　new　chamber　for　the　conference　because　you　suspect　the　storeroom　is　no　longer　safe。　Say　whatever　you　need　to　say　to　assemble　your　cabal　in　four　hours'　time。〃
〃If　I　do；　will　you　spare　me？〃
〃Why　not？　As　you've　explained；　you　only　participated　reluctantly。　But　you　know；　it　suddenly　occurs　to　me　that　we　have　a　problem。　If　I　send　you　forth　to　perform　this　task；　how　do　I　know　you　won't　simply　flee　Tier　Breche　and　take　refuge　in　your　mother's　castle？〃
〃Mistress；　you　already　explained　that　such　a　course　could　only　lead　to　my　death。〃
〃But　did　you　believe　me？　Do　you　still？　How　can　I　be　sure？〃
〃Mistress　。。。　I　。。。〃
〃If　I　had　my　magic；　I　could　pel　you　to　do　as　you're　told；　but　in　its　absence；　I　must　take　other　measures。〃
Quenthel　raised　the　whip；　sweeping　the　vipers　off　Drisinil's　face　in　the　process；　and　slammed　the　metal　butt　of　the　weapon　down　in　the　middle　of　her　forehead。
The　mistress　then　took　out　the　silver　vial。　She　pinched　the　dazed；　feebly　struggling　girl's　nostrils　closed；　poured　the　stimulant　into　her　open　mouth；　and　forced　her　to　swallow。
The　effect　was　immediate。　The　younger　female　bucked　and　thrashed　until　her　eyes　flew　open。
The　high　priestess　hopped　back　down　to　the　floor。　〃How　does　it　feel？　I　imagine　your　heart　is　hammering。〃
Drisinil　trembled　like　the　string　of　a　viol。　Sweat　seeped　from　her　pores。
〃What　did　you　do　to　me？〃
〃That　should　be　obvious　to　an　acplished　poisoner　like　yourself。〃
〃You've　poisoned　me？〃
〃It's　a　slow　toxin。　Do　as　I　ordered；　and　I'll　give　you　the　antidote。〃
〃I　can't　cozen　the　others　like　this。　They'll　see　something's　wrong　with　me。〃
〃The　external　signs　should　ease　in　a　minute　or　two；　though　you'll　still　feel　the　poison　speeding　your　heart