war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第33章

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d　six　hulking　bugbear　slaves；　drift　across　the　lane。　The　stone　box　looked　like　a　sarcophagus。　Maybe　it　was。　In　the　Bazaar；　a　shopper　could　purchase　nearly　anything；　including　cadavers　and　mummies　once　embalmed　with　strange　spices　and　laid　to　rest　with　mystic　rites。　Indeed；　such　wares　were　available　either　whole　or　by　the　desiccated　piece。
〃It　wasn't　my　fault；〃　Ryld　replied。　〃I　did　nothing　to　provoke　that　fight。〃　He　hesitated。　〃Well；　perhaps　I　was　a　bit　brusque　when　the　Godeeps　first　stalked　up　to　the　table。〃
〃You？　Never！〃
〃Spare　me　your　japes。　Why　do　we　have　to　question　people　anyway？〃　The　Master　of　Melee…Magthere　ducked　beneath　the　corner　of　a　low…hangnoting　rothe…hide　awning　and　added；　〃You　ought　to　be　able　to　look　in　a　scrynoting　pool　and　find　the　runaways。〃
Pharaun　smiled。　〃Where　would　be　the　fun　in　that？　Now　seriously；　why　did　the　Godeeps　take　exception　to　your　no　doubt　impeccably　subtle　quesnottions　in　the　first　place？　Were　they　in　league　with　the　rogues？〃
〃I　don't　think　they　knew　anything。　I　think　they　were　merely　sympanotthetic　to　the　idea　of　eloping　and　generally　in　a　foul　mood。　It　looked　as　if　one　of　the　females　in　House　Godeep　had　disciplined　them　with　her　fists　or　a　cudgel；　and　they　only　needed　an　excuse　to　try　and　take　their　resentnotment　out　on　someone。〃
〃This　hypothetical　priestess　beat　the　House　weapons　master　as　if　he　were　a　thrall；　or　at　best；　the　least　useful　of　her　male　kin？　Doesn't　that　strike　you　as　odd？〃
〃Now　that　you　mention　it；　somewhat。〃
〃The　Jewel　Box　was　unusually　crowded　today　as　well。〃
Pharaun　noticed　a　blindfolded　orc　juggling　daggers　for　the　amusement　of　the　crowd　and　paused　for　a　moment　to　watch　the　show。　Ryld　heaved　a　sigh；　signaling　his　impatience　at　the　interruption　in　their　deliberations。
The　wizard　counted　five　sharp　knives；　which　the　slave's　scarred　hands　caught　and　tossed　with　flawless　accuracy。　A　laudable　performance；　even　if　it　lacked　a　certain　elan。　Pharaun　tossed　a　coin　to　the　orc's　owner；　then　strolled　on。　Ryld　tramped　along　beside　him。
〃So；〃　said　the　weapons　master；　〃Tathlyn　gets　a　thrashing；　the　brothel　enjoys　a　glut　of　patrons；　and　you　see　a　connection。　What？〃
〃What　if　all　those　boys　endured　a　beating；　or　at　least　some　sort　of　unnotpleasantness；　at　the　hands　of　their　female　relations？　What　if　that's　the　reason　they　flocked　to　their　sad　little　sanctuary；　to　lie　low；　lick　their　wounds；　and　kick　around　one　of　Nym's　captives　in　their　turn？〃
Ryld　frowned；　pondering　the　notion。　〃You're　guessing　that　priestesses　in　a　diversity　of　Houses　have　grown　more　harsh　and　unreasonable。　Obvinotously；　that　could　provoke　a　spate　of　runaway　males；　but　what　could　make　the　dispositions　of　all　those　priestesses　curdle　in　unison？〃
〃I　have　a　hunch　that　when　we　figure　that　out；　we'll　be　getting　somenotwhere。〃
The　two　masters　circled　around　a　colossal　snail　pulling　a　dozen…wheeled　cart。　The　creature's　mouth　opened　into　an　O　and　Pharaun…who　had　once　only　narrowly　survived　an　encounter　with　such　a　giant　mollusk　in　the　wild…nearly　sacrificed　his　dignity　by　flinching；　even　though　he　knew　this　particular　specimen　had　undoubtedly　been　divested　of　its　ability　to　spew　a　caustic　sludge。　Sure　enough；　nothing　flew　from　the　draft　creature's　maw　except　a　few　clear；　harmless　droplets。　The　Wagoner　lashed　the　hostile　snail　with　his　long…handled　whip。
〃What　did　you　learn　downstairs？〃　asked　Ryld。
〃Nothing；　really；〃　said　Pharaun；　〃nothing　we　hadn't　already　inferred。　Still；　I　was　able　to　oblige　an　old　rade。　That　was　pleasant　in　its　own　way。〃
〃If　neither　of　us　discovered　anything　substantial；　our　visit　to　the　Jewel　Box　was　a　waste　of　time。〃
〃Not　a　bit　of　it。　The　bloodshed　perked　you　up；　didn't　it？　You've　pretty　much　been　smiling　ever　since。〃
〃Don't　be　ridiculous。　I　admit　it　was　an　interesting　little　scuffle　。　。　。〃
Ryld　began　to　recount　the　battle　one　action　at　a　time；　with　prehennotsive　analysis　of　the　alternative　options　and　underlying　strategy。　Pharaun　nodded　and　did　his　best　to　look　interested。




Triel；　Matron　Mother　of　House　Baenre　and　a　diminutive　ebony　doll　of　a　dark　elf；　marched　briskly　down　the　corridor；　covering　ground　rapidly　denotsp