war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第77章

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of　the　occupants　of　this　house　clear　out。　With　what　little　remains　of　my　clairvoyance；　I've　sensed　many　others　skulking　through　the　streets；　all　converging　on　a　mon　destination。〃　
〃Nonsense；〃　said　Ryld。　〃Why　has　no　drow　patrol　heard　the　signal　and　e　to　investigate？〃
〃Because；〃　said　Pharaun；　〃the　city　possesses　enchantments　to　mute　sound。〃
〃Well；　maybe。〃　Ryld　turned　back　to　Smylla。　〃Where　do　the　creatures　go；　and　why？〃
〃I　don't　know；〃　she　said；　〃but　perhaps；　with　my　health　and　occult　talnotents　restored；　I　could　find　out。〃　She　beamed　at　Pharaun。　〃I'd　be　happy　to　try。　I　fulfilled　the　letter　of　our　bargain；　but　I　do　realize　I　haven't　provided　you　with　all　that　much　in　exchange　for　the　priceless　gift　you　gave　me。〃
〃That　remark　touches　on　the　question　of　your　future；〃　the　wizard　said。　〃You'd　have　no　difficulty　reestablishing　your　dominion　here　in　the　Stench…streets；　but　why　live　so　meanly？　I　could　use　an　aide　of　your　caliber。　Or；　if　you　prefer；　I　can　arrange　your　safe　repatriation　to　the　World　Above。〃
As　he　spoke；　he　surreptitiously　contorted　the　fingers　of　his　left　hand；　exnotpressing　himself　in　the　silent　language　of　the　dark　elves；　a　system　of　gesnottures　as　efficient　and　prehensive　as　the　spoken　word。
〃I　think…〃　Smylla　began；　then　her　eyes　opened　wide。
She　whimpered。　Ryld　pulled　his　short　sword　out　of　her　back；　and　she　collapsed。　Pharaun　skipped　back　to　keep　her　from　toppling　against　him。
〃Despite　her　previous　experiences；〃　the　lanky　wizard　said；　〃she　couldn't　quite　leave　off　trusting　drow。　I　suppose　it　shows　you　can　take　the　human　out　of　the　sunshine；　but　not　the　sunshine　out　of　the　human。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃This　is　the　second　female　I've　slain　or　murdered　by　proxy　in　the　brief　time　since　our　adventure　began；　and　I　didn't　particularly　want　to　kill　either　one　of　them。　Do　you　suspect　an　underlying　metaphysical　significance？〃
〃How　would　I　know？　I　take　it　you　bade　me　kill　the　snitch　because　she　was　feeding　us　lies。〃
〃Oh；　no。　I'm　convinced　she　was　telling　the　truth。　The　problem　was　that　I　deceived　her。　Her　metamorphosis　didn't　really　purge　her　disease。　It　was　a　bit　tricky　just　suppressing　it　for　a　few　minutes。〃
Pharaun　stepped　back　again　to　keep　the　spreading　pool　of　blood　from　staining　his　boots；　and　Ryld　cleaned　the　short　sword　on　the　dead　human's　bedding。
〃You　didn't　want　to　leave　her　alive　and　angry　to　carry　tales　to　Grey…anna；〃　the　weapons　master　said。
〃It's　unlikely　they　would　have　found　one　another；　but　why　take　the　chance？〃
〃And　you　asked　Smylla　about　the　marks　on　the　walls。　You're　just　too　cursed　curious　to　let　the　subject　go。〃
Pharaun　grinned。　〃Don't　be　silly。　I'm　the　very　model　of　single…minded　determination；　and　I　was　asking　to　further　our　mission。〃
Ryld　glanced　at　the　door　and　the　iron　bar。　They　were　still　holding。
〃What　does　the　strange　behavior　of　goblins　have　to　do　with　the　rogue　males？〃　he　asked。
〃I　don't　know　yet；〃　Pharaun　answered；　〃but　we　have　two　oddities　ocnotcurring　at　the　same　time　and　in　the　same　precinct。　Doesn't　it　make　sense　to　infer　a　relationship？〃
〃Not　necessarily。　Menzoberranzan　has　scores　of　plots　and　conspiracies　going　on　at　any　given　time。　They　aren't　all　connected。〃
〃Granted。　However；　if　these　two　situations　are　linked；　then　by　inquirnoting　into　one；　we　likewise　probe　the　other。　You　and　I　have　experienced　a　denotpressing　lack　of　success　picking　up　the　trail　of　our　runaways。　Therefore；　we'll　investigate　the　lower　orders　and　see　where　that　path　takes　us。〃
〃How　will　we　do　that？〃
〃Follow　the　drum；　of　course。〃
The　door　banged。
〃First；〃　said　Ryld；　〃we　have　to　get　out　of　here。〃
〃Easily　managed。　I'll　remove　the　locking　talisman　from　the　door；　then　use　illusion　to　make　us　blend　with　the　walls。　In　a　minute　or　two；　the　resinotdents　will　break　the　door　down。　When　they're　busy　abusing　Smylla's　corpse　and　ransacking　her　possessions；　we'll　put　on　goblin　faces　and　slip　out　in　the　confusion。〃











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Quenthel's　patrol　had　stalked　the　shadowy；　candlelit　passages　of　Arach…Tinilith　for　hours；　until　spaces　she　knew　intimately　began　to　seem　strange　and　subtly　unreal；　and　her　subordinates'