war of the spider queen 3 condemnation-第21章

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than　a　spearcast　above　them；　leaving　many　hundreds；　or　even　thousands　of　feet　of　black　mystery　below　their　feet。　It　was　an　unsettling　sensation。
　　　Coalhewer's　boat　was　less　than　forting　itself。　It　was　an　asymmetrical　vessel　made　mostly　of　planks　sawn　from　the　woody　stems　of　a　particular　type　of　gigantic　Underdark　mushroom；　and　treated　with　lacquers　for　strength　and　rigidity。　The　zurkhwood　formed　a　broad　platform；　which　floated　on　a　cluster　of　soft　air　bladders　taken　from　some　aquatic　species　of　giant　fungus。　The　whole　thing　was　riveted　together　with　the　excellent　metalwork　of　the　gray　dwarves。
　　　Four　hulking　skeletons…ogres　in　life；　perhaps；　or　maybe　trolls…crouched　in　a　well…like　area　in　the　boat's　center；　endlessly　turning　two　large　cranks　that　drove　a　pair　of　zurkhwood　waterwheels。　The　mindless　undead　never　tired；　never　plained；　never　even　slowed　their　pace　unless　Coalhewer　ordered　them　to；　driving　the　boat　onward　with　no　sound　but　the　soft　rush　of　water　over　the　wheels　and　the　faint　clicking　and　scraping　of　their　bones　in　motion。　The　gray　dwarf　stood　near　the　stern　on　a　small；　elevated　bridge；　high　enough　to　see　over　the　waterwheels。　He　peered　ahead　into　the　darkness；　arms　folded　across　his　thick　chest；　keeping　his　thoughts　to　himself。
　　　The　passengers　crouched　on　the　cold；　unfortable　deck　or　paced　back　and　forth；　staying　a　little　ways　back　from　the　railless　edge　of　the　platform。　The　journey　from　Mantol…Derith　was　not　extremely　swift；　as　the　vessel　was　not　quick；　and　Coalhewer　had　to　carefully　thread　his　way　around　places　where　the　cavern　roof　dropped　so　low　there　wasn't　enough　room　for　the　boat。
　　　Valas　spent　most　of　his　time　standing　on　the　bridge　beside　the　dwarf；　keeping　a　careful　eye　on　the　course　he　steered。　Pharaun　sat　cross…legged　at　the　base　of　the　structure；　deep　in　Reverie；　while　Ryld　and　Jeggred　kept　a　sharp　watch　on　the　port　and　starboard　sides　respectively；　making　sure　that　none　of　the　lake's　denizens　approached　undetected。　The　priestesses　kept　to　themselves；　wrapped　in　Reveries　of　their　own　or　staring　out　over　the　lightless　waters；　lost　in　thought。
　　　They　passed　almost　two　full　days　in　that　manner；　pausing　only　briefly　for　austere　meals　or　to　let　the　duergar　captain　rest。　Coalhewer　was　extraordinarily　cautious　about　showing　any　kind　of　light　and　made　them　build　their　cookfires　in　a　small；　secluded　fire…box　that　shielded　the　flames　from　view。
　　　〃There's　too　many　things　as　are　drawn　by　the　light；〃　he　muttered。　〃Even　this　much　may　be　dangerous。〃
　　　After　their　third　such　meal；　late　on　their　second　day　of　travel；　Halisstra　retired　to　the　bow　of　the　boat　so　that　she　could　look　out　over　the　waters　and　not　find　herself　staring　at　one　or　another　of　her　panions。　In　the　furious　battle　to　escape　Hlaungadath；　and　the　walk　through　the　Plane　of　Shadow；　she　had　had　little　time　to　embrace　and　understand　her　new　circumstances。　Empty　hours　of　listening　to　the　soft　murmur　of　water　and　the　insectlike　clicking　and　scraping　of　the　boat's　skeletal　engine　had　unfortunately　failed　to　immerse　her　in　activity；　leaving　her　with　the　opportunity　to　replay　the　fall　of　Ched　Nasad　over　and　over　again　in　her　head。
　　　What　became　of　my　House？　she　wondered。　Did　any　of　our　servants　and　soldiers　survive　by　escaping　Ched　Nasad？　Are　they　together；　and　who　leads　them？　Or　did　they　all　die　amid　the　flame　and　ruin？
　　　Matron　Mother　Melarn's　death　left　Halisstra　as　the　head　of　the　House…presuming　that　none　of　her　younger　cousins　had　managed　to　claim　leadership。　If　one　of　them　had；　Halisstra　was　certain　she　could　wrest　it　away　from　her　kinswoman。　She　had　always　been　the　most　favored　of　the　Melarn　daughters；　the　oldest；　the　strongest；　and　she　knew　her　cousins　could　not　deny　her　her　birthright。
　　　But　it　seemed　very　likely　indeed　that　her　birthright　was　nothing　more　than　ash　and　rubble　at　the　floor　of　Ched　Nasad's　great　chasm。　Even　if　some　part　of　her　household　had　escaped；　would　she　want　to　seek　them　out　and　join　them　in　a　miserable；　squalid；　and　dangerous　exile　in　the　Underdark？
　　　This　was　not　how　it　was　supposed　to　be；　she　thought。　I　was　to　ascend　to　my　mother's　place　in　time；　and　wield　the　power　that　had　been　hers　and　her　mother's　before　her。　The　thousand　strands　of　Ched　Nasad　would　have　met　at　my　feet。　My　least　desire　I　might　have　fulfilled　with　a　word；　a　look；　a　simple　frown。　Instead；　I　am　a　rootless　wanderer。
　　　Why；　Lolth？　she　cried　out　in　her　mind。　Why？　What　offense　did　we　give　you？　What　weakness　did　we　show？
　　　Once　Halisstra　had　heard　the　dark　whispers　of　the　Spider　Queen　in　her　heart；　but　that　place　was　empty。　Lolth　chose　not　to　answer。　She　did　not　even　choose　to　punish　Halisstra　for　the　temerity　of　demanding　an　answer。
　　　If　Lolth　had　truly　abandoned　her；　what　would　bee　of　her　if　she　followed　her　House　down　into　death？　All　of　her　life；　Halisstra　had　believed　that　her　faithful　service　as　a　priestess　and　a　bae'qeshel　to　the　Queen　of　the　Demonweb　Pits　would　earn　her　a　high　place　in　Lolth's　domain　after　her　death；　but　what　would　bee　of　her　now？　Would　her　rootless　spirit　be　interred　with　the　other　unfortunate　souls　no　god　claimed　in　the　afterlife；　fated　to　dissipate　and　die　the　real　and　eternal　death　in　the　gray　voids　reserved　for　the　faithless？　Halisstra　shivered　in　horror。　Lolth's　faith　was　hard；　and　weaklings　had　no　place　in　it；　but　a　priestess　could　expect　that　she　would　be　rewarded　in　death　for　her　service　in　life。　If　that　was　no　longer　true　。　。　。
　　　Danifae　approached　with　sinuous　grace　and　knelt　beside　her。　She　looked　into　Halisstra's　face　boldly；　and　did　not　lower　her　eyes。
　　　〃Grief　is　a　sweet　wine；　Mistress　Melarn。　If　you　drink　but　a　little；　you　are　tempted　to　drink　more；　and　things　are　never　improved　by　overindulging　in　either。〃
　　　Halisstra　looked　away　to　pose　herself。　She　did　not　care　to　share　her　secret　horror　with　Danifae。
　　　〃Grief　is　not　enough　of　a　word　for　what　is　in　my　heart；〃　she　said。　〃I　have　thought　of　little　else　since　we　began　this　interminable　voyage。　Ched　Nasad　was　more　than　a　city；　Danifae。　It　was　a　dream；　a　dark　and　glorious　dream　of　the　Spider　Queen。　Graceful　castles；　soaring　webs；　Houses　full　of　wealth　and　pride　and　ambition；　all　burned　to　ashes　in　a　few　short　hours。　The　city；　its　matrons　and　daughters；　the　beautiful　web…spun　palaces；　all　lost　now；　and　for　what　reason？〃　She　closed　her　eyes　and　battled　the　hot　ache　in　the　hollow　of　her　breast。　〃The　dwarves　did　not　destroy　us。　We　destroyed　ourselves。〃
　　　〃I　will　not　mourn　the　passing　of　Ched　Nasad；〃　Danifae　said。　Halisstra　looked　up　sharply；　cut　more　by　the　girl's　dispassionate　tone　than　her　words。　〃It　was　a　city　full　of　enemies；　most　of　whom　are　dead；　while　others　flee　as　paupers　into　the　wilds　of　the　Underdark。　No；　I　will　not　mourn　Ched　Nasad。　Who；　besides　the　few　Ched　Nasadans　who　survive；　will？〃
　　　Halisstra　did　not　choose　to　answer。　No　one　would　grieve　for　a　city　of　drow；　not　even　other　dark　elves。　That　was　the　way　of　the　drow。　The　strong　endured；　and　the　weak　fell　by　the　wayside；　as　the　Spider　Queen　demanded。　Danifae　waited　for　a　long　time　before　she　spoke　again。
　　　〃Have　you　given　thought　to　what　we　will　do　next？〃
　　　Halisstra　glanced　at　her　and　said；　〃Our　lot　is　already　cast　with　the　Menzoberranyr；　is　it　not？〃
　　　〃For　today；　yes；　but　tomorrow　will　your　purposes　and　theirs　coincide？　What　will　you　do　if　Lolth's　favor　returns　tomorrow？　Where　would　you　go？〃
　　　〃Does　it　matter？〃　Halisstra　said。　〃Return　to　Ched　Nasad；　I　suppose；　and　gather　together　what　survivors　I　can。　It　will　be　a　hard　task；　more　than　I　likely　could　hope　to　acplish　even　in　a　lifetime；　but　with　the　Spider　Queen's　blessing　House　Melarn　may　yet　rise　again。〃
　　　〃Do　you　think　Quenthel　would　permit　such　a　thing？〃
　　　〃Why　should　she　care　what　I　do　with　the　rest　of　my　life？　Especially　if　I　spend　it　raising　a　wretched　fragment　of　a　House　over　the　smoking　ruins　of　my　city？〃　Halisstra　said　bitterly。
　　　Danifae　merely　spread　her　hands。　Halisstra　understood。　What　reason　would　a　Baenre　need　to　do　anything　at　all；　really？　The　Menzoberranyr　might　have　been　their　saviors　from　the　wreck　of　Ched　Nasad；　but　at　a　word　from　Quenthel　they　might　bee　their　captors；　or　their　killers。　The　girl　glanced　back　to　where　the　others　meditated　or　stood　their　watches；　and　changed　to　signs；　carefully　hidden　from　the　rest　of　the　pany。
　　　Perhaps　it　might　be　wise　to　consider　exactly　how　we　can　make　ourselves　indispensable　to　the　Menzoberranyr；　she　motioned。　The　hour　will　e　when　we　will　no　longer　wish　to　rely　on　Quenthel　Baenre's　benevolence；　such　as　it　is。
　　　〃Careful；〃　Halisstra　cautioned。
　　　She　sat　up　straight　and　deliberately　controlled　her　own　impulse　to　look　over　her　shoulder。　Danifae　had　an　uncanny　instinct　for　manipulation；　but　if　Quenthel　suspected　that　Halisstra　and　Danifae　planned　to　undermine　her　authority…or　even　impose　limits　on　her　freedom　of　action…Halisstra　didn't　doubt　that　the　Baenre　would　take　quick　and　drastic　steps　to　remove　a　perceived　challenge。
　　　It　is　a　dangerous　thing　you　suggest；　Danifae。　Quenthel　would　not　hesitate　to　kill　a　challenger；　and　if　I　were　killed…
　　　I　would　not　survive；　Danifae　finished　for　her。　I　understand　the　conditions　of　my　captivity　quite　well；　Mistress　Melarn。　Still；