war of the spider queen 3 condemnation-第31章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　　Most　likely　not；　he　decided。　Duergar　were　simply　insensitive　to　that　sort　of　thing。
　　　In　his　hand；　Nimor　idly　flipped　a　small　envelope　from　finger　to　finger。　The　Lady　Aliisza　of　the　Sceptered　One's　Court　（an　inventive　title　if　Nimor　had　ever　heard　one）　had　invited　him　to　join　her　for　dinner　in　her　chambers；　observing　that　the　gray　dwarves　had　so　far　failed　to　invite　her　to　any　kind　of　banquet　or　dinner。　Nimor　didn't　expect　that　panionship　for　dinner　was　the　only　thing　on　her　agenda。
　　　Arriving　at　the　rooms　assigned　to　the　Sceptered　One's　envoy；　he　tucked　his　invitation　back　into　his　breast　pocket；　and　rapped　twice　at　the　door。
　　　〃Enter；〃　called　a　soft　voice。
　　　Nimor　let　himself　in。　Aliisza　waited　by　a　table　spread　with　quite　an　impressive　meal；　plete　with　a　bottle　of　wine　from　the　World　Above　and　a　pair　of　glasses　already　poured。　She　wore　a　flowing　skirt　of　red　silk　with　a　tight…fitting　corselet　trimmed　with　black　lace。　The　colors　suited　her；　he　noted；　and　even　went　well　with　her　soft　black　wings。
　　　〃Lady　Aliisza；〃　he　said；　offering　a　bow。　〃I　am　flattered。　I　am　certain　the　repast　before　me　did　not　e　from　the　crown　prince's　kitchens。〃
　　　〃There　is　a　limit　to　how　much　smoked　rothe　cheese　and　black　spore…flour　bread　one　can　stand；〃　she　said。　She　took　the　wine　glasses　in　hand　and　moved　close　to　extend　him　one。　〃I　admit；　I　had　my　entourage　scour　the　city　to　find　inns　and　taverns　willing　to　provide　meals　suited　to　an　elf's　palate。〃
　　　Nimor　took　the　glass　and　swirled　it；　bringing　it　to　his　nose　to　inhale　the　aroma。　Not　only　did　it　allow　him　to　appreciate　the　wine's　bouquet；　but　he　could　sniff　the　vintage　for　any　signs　of　the　various　subtle　poisons　with　which　he　was　familiar。　He　would　have　proved　difficult　to　poison　in　any　case；　but　he　did　not　detect　any　strange　scents。
　　　〃You　have　my　thanks；　dear　lady。　I　have　been　traveling　of　late；　and　have　been　forced　to　live　on　very　plain　fare　indeed。〃
　　　Aliisza　sipped　at　her　own　wine；　and　nodded　at　the　table。
　　　〃In　that　case；　why　don't　we　eat　while　we　talk？〃
　　　Nimor　took　the　seat　opposite　the　half…demon；　and　fell　to　his　meal。　One　of　the　consequences　of　his　true　nature　was　a　surprising　ability　to　eat　far　more　than　one　might　expect　for　a　dark　elf　of　his　slight　build；　and　to　go　for　quite　a　long　time　between　meals。　The　rothe　roast　with　mushroom　gravy　was　cool　and　rare　in　the　middle　and　quite　excellent；　the　small　blind　fish　were　somewhat　saltier　than　he　would　have　cared　for；　and　the　wine　was　dry　and　strong；　a　good　match　for　the　roast。
　　　〃So；　to　what　do　I　owe　the　pleasure　of　this　occasion？〃　he　asked　between　mouthfuls。
　　　〃You　intrigue　me；　Nimor　Imphraezl。　I　want　to　know　more　about　who　you　are；　and　what　interests　you　represent。〃
　　　〃Who　I　am？　I　have　given　you　my　true　name；〃　Nimor　replied。
　　　〃That　is　not　exactly　the　sort　of　answer　I　had　in　mind。〃　Aliisza　leaned　forward；　her　eyes　fixed　on　him。　〃What　I　meant　was；　whom　do　you　serve？　What　are　you　doing　here？〃
　　　Nimor　felt　a　subtle　flutter　at　the　edges　of　his　thoughts；　as　if　he　was　trying　to　remember　something　he'd　momentarily　misplaced。　He　leaned　back　in　his　chair　and　grinned　at　the　alu…fiend。
　　　〃I　hope　you'll　forgive　me；　dear　lady；　but　I　recently　found　myself　in　an　interview　in　which　the　other　party　could　read　my　thoughts；　and　so　I　have　taken　steps　to　defend　myself　against　such　things　this　evening。　You　won't　pick　your　answers　from　my　mind。〃
　　　Aliisza　frowned　and　said；　〃Now　I　wonder　what　thoughts　you　have　to　guard　so　well；　Nimor。　Are　you　afraid　that　I　wouldn't　like　what　I　found　there？〃
　　　〃We　all　have　our　secrets。〃　Nimor　teased　his　wine　and　admired　the　bouquet　again。　He　would　not　give　her　the　plete　truth；　of　course；　but　what　he　would　offer　was　truthful　enough　under　the　circumstances。　〃I　belong　to　a　minor　House　of　Menzoberranzan　with　some　unusual　practices　of　which　the　matron　mothers　would　not　approve；〃　he　began。　〃Among　other　things；　we　do　not　subject　ourselves　to　the　tyranny　of　our　Lolth…worshiping　female　relations；　and　we　possess　old　and　strong　ties　to　minor　Houses　with　similar　practices　in　several　other　cities。　We　masquerade　as　low…ranking　merchants；　but　we　keep　our　true　nature　and　capabilities　quite　secret。〃
　　　〃Capabilities？〃
　　　〃We　are　assassins；　dear　lady；　and　we　are　very　good　at　what　we　do。〃
　　　Aliisza　leaned　forward；　resting　her　delicate　chin　on　her　fingertips　as　she　studied　Nimor　with　her　dark；　mischievous　gaze。
　　　〃So　what　is　an　assassin　of　Menzoberranzan　doing　in　Gracklstugh；　advising　Horgar　Steelshadow　as　he　musters　his　army　for　war？〃　she　asked。　〃Wouldn't　that　constitute　the　worst　sort　of　treason？〃
　　　Nimor　shrugged　and　replied；　〃We　wish　to　see　the　order　of　things　upset。　We　cannot　defeat　the　great　Houses　of　our　city　without　an　army；　and　Gracklstugh's　is　the　strongest　in　this　corner　of　the　Underdark。　As　soon　as　it　became　evident　that　Lolth　had　abandoned　her　priestesses；　we　realized　that　we　had　a　golden　opportunity　to　strike　a　mortal　blow　against　the　great　Houses。　We　have　been　doing　all　that　we　can　to　help　Horgar　see　that　our　opportunity　is　his　opportunity；　too。〃
　　　〃Aren't　you　concerned　that　the　duergar　might　prove　unwilling　to　relinquish　the　drow　city　to　your　care　once　they've　conquered　it？〃
　　　〃Of　course；〃　Nimor　said；　〃but　in　all　honesty；　we　view　the　fall　of　the　Spider　Queen's　Houses　as　a　goal　desirable　enough　to　outweigh　the　risks　of　duergar　perfidy。　Even　if　Gracklstugh　turned　on　my　House　and　occupied　Menzoberranzan　for　a　hundred　years；　we　would　still　survive；　and　we　would　reclaim　the　city　in　time。〃
　　　Aliisza　stood　gracefully　and　paced　over　to　a　narrow；　slitlike　window　overlooking　the　city。
　　　〃Do　you　really　think　the　Spider　Queen　will　allow　her　city　to　fall？　What　bees　of　the　gray　dwarves'　assault　if　the　priestesses　of　Lolth　suddenly　recover　their　powers？〃
　　　〃We　are　a　long…lived　race；　dear　lady。　My　grandfather　saw　with　his　own　eyes　the　events　of　a　thousand　years　past。　We　do　not　forget　the　past　the　way　other　races　do。　In　all　our　legends；　our　lore；　we　have　never　encountered　a　silence　so　plete　and　long…lasting。　Even　if　it　proves　to　be　temporary；　well；　it　represents　a　chance　that　es　along　only　once　every　couple　of　thousand　years；　doesn't　it？　How　could　we　not　choose　this　moment　to　strike？〃
　　　〃Perhaps　you're　right。　I've　spoken　to　other　drow　who　seem　to　feel　these　are　extraordinary　and　unprecedented　times。〃　Aliisza　glanced　over　her　shoulder　at　him　and　added；　〃In　fact；　in　Ched　Nasad　I　encountered　a　mission　of　high…ranking　Menzoberranyr　who　had　e　to　the　city　in　the　hopes　of　discovering　the　causes　of　Lolth's　silence。　Quenthel　Baenre；　the　Mistress　of　Arach…Tinilith；　led　the　pany。〃
　　　〃I've　heard　of　Mistress　Quenthel's　mission。　So　they　made　it　to　Ched　Nasad？〃
　　　〃After　passing　through　Kaanyr　Vhok's　territory；　yes。　They　arrived　just　in　time　to　witness　the　city's　destruction。〃
　　　〃Did　any　of　them　survive？〃
　　　Aliisza　shrugged　and　said；　〃I　could　not　say　for　certain。　They　were　a　capable　lot。　If　anyone　could　escape　the　city's　fall；　they　would　have。〃
　　　Nimor　tapped　his　finger　on　the　table；　thinking。　Was　Quenthel's　mission　of　investigation　significant；　then？　He'd　simply　figured　that　the　matron　mothers　had　decided　to　shuffle　the　Mistress　of　Arach…Tinilith　out　of　the　city　for　a　time　in　the　event　that　she　was　entertaining　dangerous　aspirations。　Still；　it　represented　a　wild　card；　an　unknown　factor　that　the　Jaezred　Chaulssin　might　be　wise　to　take　note　of。　A　party　of　powerful　dark　elves　roaming　the　Underdark　might　find　the　opportunity　to　cause　all　sorts　of　trouble。
　　　〃Did　they　find　any　answers　to　their　questions？〃　he　asked。
　　　〃None　that　I　know　of；〃　Aliisza　said。　She　turned　back　from　the　window　and　glided　over　to　the　table　again；　then　changed　the　subject。　〃You　seemed　very　anxious　to　argue　my　case　with　the　crown　prince。　Might　I　ask　why？〃
　　　The　assassin　shifted　in　his　seat　and　leaned　back；　allowing　his　gaze　to　rest　on　her。
　　　〃You　touched　on　this　already；〃　he　said。　〃Either　Gracklstugh　is　strong　enough　to　defeat　Menzoberranzan；　or　it　isn't。　If　it　is　not；　then　Kaanyr　Vhok's　Scoured　Legion　is　likely　to　tip　the　scales　in　our　favor。　If　Gracklstugh　is　strong　enough；　then　the　Scoured　Legion　might　serve　as　a　useful　check　on　Horgar's　aspirations。　We　wouldn't　want　the　crown　prince　to　forget　the　details　of　our　arrangement。〃
　　　〃And　why　should　the　Scoured　Legion　serve　as　your　army　in　the　field？〃
　　　〃Because　Horgar　won't　have　you　for　an　ally　unless　I　persuade　him　that　he'd　be　better　served　with　Kaanyr　Vhok's　tanarukks　at　his　side　than　attacking　his　flank；〃　Nimor　answered。　〃Besides；　your　master　doesn't　want　to　sit　at　home　while　events　unfold。　He　sent　you　here　to　urge　the　duergar　to　attack　Menzoberranzan；　did　he　not？〃
　　　Aliisza　hid　her　smile　with　a　sip　of　wine。
　　　〃Well；　there　is　that；〃　she　admitted。　〃So；　will　you　ask　the　duergar　to　accept　our　help；　or　not？〃
　　　The　assassin　studied　the　alu…fiend　while　he　considered　the　question。　Agrach　Dyrr　was　a　useful　ally；　but　he　doubted　that　the　Fifth　House　of　Menzoberranzan　had　the　strength　to　counterbalance　Horgar's　army　if　push　came　to　shove。　Another　force　on　the　field　would　increase　the　chances　of　success　for　the　Jaezred　Chaulssin；　and　with　three　factions