《蛛后之战(被遗忘的国度系列英文版)》第110章

〃You　refer　to　Quenthel　and　the　outcast　Mizzrym？〃
〃Who　else？　Do　you　imagine　them　any　less　ambitious　than　the　rest　of　us？　They　championed　the　established　order　yesterday；　but；　inspired　by　the　knowledge　that　many　would　rally　to　their　banners；　may　themselves　seek　to　topple　it　tomorrow。　Quenthel　may　try　to　seize　your　throne；　not　in　a　hundred　years　but　now。　Pharaun　may　strike　for　the　Robes　of　the　Archmage—by　the　Six　Hundred　and　Sixtysix　Layers；　he　all　but　did；　having　spent　no　effort　in　finding　me　before　scurrying　to　your　side。　What　a　disaster　that　would　be　Aside　from　any　personal　inconvenience　to　you　and　me；　the　city　in　its　weakened　state　can"t　withstand　that　sort　of　disruption。〃
〃I　suppose　they　could　be　planning　just　that；〃　Triel　said；　frowning。　〃Perhaps　we　should　have　followed　through　and　at　least　killed　Master　Pharaun。〃
〃If　we　execute　one　of　the　saviors　of　Menzoberranzan—damn　his　miserable　little　hide—it　would　have　made　House　Baenre　look　frightened　and　weak。〃　The　archmage　smiled　a　crooked　smile。　〃Which　we　are；　at　the　moment；　but　we　don"t　dare　give　the　appearance。〃
〃What；　then；　do　you　remend？〃
Below　the　balcony；　a　lizard　hissed　and　wheels　creaked　as　a　cart　rolled　by。
〃Use　them　in　a　way　that　simultaneously　benefits　us　and　neutralizes　the　threat　they　represent；〃　said　Gromph。　〃Surely　you　and　I　agree　that　the　present　situation　can"t　continue。　We　must　find　a　way　to　restote　the　priesthood"s　magic。〃
Triel　nodded；　looking　away　from　her　battered　city。
〃I　propose　that　as　a　first　step；〃　the　archmage　continued；　〃we　send　agents　to　another　city—likely　Ched　Nasad—to　find　out　if　their　divines　are　similarly　afflicted；　and　if　so；　whether　they　know　why。　You　can　assign　Quenthel　to　lead　the　expedition。　After　all；　it　concerns　ArachTinilith　perhaps　most　of　all。　I"ll　be　delighted　to　loan　you　the　services　of　Master　Pharaun。　If　the　story　I　heard　was　correct；　that　weapons　master　friend　of　his　should　go　as　well；　if　for　no　other　reason　than　it"ll　make　Pharaun　squirm。〃
〃Ched　Nasad　。。。〃　Triel　whispered。
〃The　three　of　them　ought　to　be　more　than　capable　of　surviving　a　trek　as　far　as　Ched　Nasad；〃　continued　Gromph；　〃and　they　can"t　very　well　try　to　overthrow　us　while　they"re　leagues　away　from　the　city；　can　they？　Who　knows；　perhaps　Lolth　will　return　before　they　do；　and　in　any　case；　with　time；　their　notoriety　will　fade。〃
His　suggestion　left　Triel　feeling　a　little　sheepish。　She　hid　it　as　best　she　could　by　pretending　to　consider　his　plan。
〃Faeryl　Zauvirr　proposed　an　expedition　to　Ched　Nasad。　She　claimed　to　be　concerned　because　the　caravans　have　stopped。〃
Gromph　cocked　his　head。　〃Really？　Well；　our　representatives　can　sort　that　out　as　well。　You　know；　it"s　good　that　the　ambassador　is　already　keen　to　go。　She"ll　make　a　valuable　addition　and　a　more　than　adequate　cover　for　the　whole　enterprise。〃
〃Waerva　told　me　Faeryl　was　a　spy；〃　said　Triel；　〃and　sought　to　depart　the　city　in　order　to　report　our　weakness　to　her　confederates。　So　I　forbade　her　to　leave。〃
〃What　proof　did　Waerva　offer？〃
〃She　told　me　she　learned　of　Faeryl"s　treachery　from　one　of　her　informants。〃
Gromph　waited　a　moment　as　if　expecting　something　more。
〃And　that"s　it？〃　he　asked　at　length。　〃With　respect；　Matron；　may　I　point　out　that　if　you　haven"t　spoken　with　the　informer　yourself；　if　you　haven"t　probed　the　matter　any　further；　then　you　really　only　have　Waerva"s　word　for　it　that　the　envoy　is　a　traitor。〃
〃I　can"t　handle　everything　personally；〃　Triel　scowled。　〃That"s　why　we　have　retainers　in　the　first　place。　I　have　not　entirely　lost　touch　with　my—　our　interests　in　Ched　Nasad；　though　their　explanations　and　excuses　do　wear　thin。〃
〃Of　course；　Matron；〃　Gromph　said　quickly。　〃I　quite　understand。　I　have　the　same　problem　with　my　own　retainers；　and　I　only　have　Menzoberranzan"s　wizards　to　oversee；　not　an　entire　city。〃
〃Why　would　Waerva　lie？〃
〃I　don"t　know；　but　I"ve　had　some　dealings　with　Faeryl　Zauvirr。　She　never　struck　me　as　stupid　enough　to　cross　the　Baenre。　Waerva；　on　the　other　hand；　is　reckless　and　discontented　enough　for　any　game。　Accordingly；　I　think　it　might　be　worthwhile　to　inquire　into　this　matter　ourselves。〃
Triel　hesitated　before　saying；　〃That　could　prove　difficult。　Despite　my　orders；　the　Zauvirr　tried　to　flee　Menzoberranzan。　I　hired　some　agents　of　Bregan　D"aerthe；　led　by　Valas　Hune—do　you　know　him？〃
〃I"ve　heard　the　name　mentioned；〃　Gromph　replied。
〃He　would　make　a　fair　addition　to　your　little　band　of　explorers；〃　Triel　said。　〃He"s　known　to　be　more　than　passingly　familiar　with　the　wilds　of　the　Underdark—a　guide　of　some　acplishment；　in　fact。〃
Gromph　bowed　his　agreement。
〃Be　that　as　it　may；　it　was　Valas　Hune　I　hired　to　fetch　Faeryl　back。　He　pleted　his　task　well；　and　I　gave　the　ambassador　to　Jeggred。〃
The　wizard　rounded　on　the　draegloth。
〃What"s　the　prisoner"s　condition？〃　he　asked　the　creature。　〃Is　she　alive？〃
〃Yes；〃　said　Jeggred　through　a　mouthful　of　bloody　meat。　〃I　was　taking　my　time；　to　prove　I　can。　But　you　can"t　have　her。　Mother　gave　her　to　me。　She　just　told　you。〃
Gromph　stared　up　into　the　halfdemon"s　eyes。
〃Nephew；〃　he　said；　〃I"m　sore；　frustrated；　and　in　a　foul　mood　generally。　Right　now　I　don"t　give　a　leaky　sack　of　rat　droppings　whether　you"re　a　sacred　being　or　not。　Show　some　respect；　lead　me　to　this　prisoner　forthwith；　or　I"ll　blight　you　where　you　sit。〃
Clutching　the　rothe　bone　like　a　club；　Jeggred　sprang　upward　from　his　seat。
Triel　said；　〃Do　as　the　archmage　bade　you。　I　wish　it　as　well。〃
The　draegloth　lowered　his　makeshift　weapon。
〃Yes；　Mother；〃　he　sighed。
C　h　a　p　t　e　r
T W E N T Y
F I V E
Her　pack　weighting　her　shoulders；　her　heart　pounding；　Waerva　turned　and　peered　about。　The　cave　stretched　out　before　her　and　behind；　with　stalactites　stabbing　down　from　the　ceiling　and　stalagmites　jutting　up　from　the　uneven　floor。　Nothing　moved。
What；　then；　had　she　heard？　As　if　in　response　to　her　unspoken　question；　a　drop　of　falling　water　plopped　somewhere　in　the　passages　ahead。　It　was　one　of　the　most　mon　sounds　of　the　Underdark；　and　scarcely　a　harbinger　of　peril。
Waerva　wiped　sweat　from　her　brow　and　scowled　at　her　own　jumpiness。　She　had　good　reason　to　be　edgy；　though。　Everyone　said　it　was　suicide　to　travel　the　subterranean　wilderness　alone。
Sadly；　thanks　to　the　cursed　gobli