精灵血脉四部曲-第116部分

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ockets　and　was　emblazoned　with　sigils　and　runes　of　power。　As　with　the　house　structures；　faerie　fire　highlighted　these　runes；　though　the　archmage　could　darken　the　runes　with　a　thought；　and　then　his　robe　would　be　more　concealing　than　the　finest　of　piwafwis。　Two　brooches；　one　a　black…legged；　red…bodied　spider；　the　other　a　shining　green　emerald；　adorned　the　magnificent　robe；　though　Jarlaxle　could　hardly　see　them；　for　the　old　wizard's　long　white　hair　hung　down　the　side　of　his　head　and　in　front　of　his　shoulders　and　chest。

　　　With　his　interest　in　things　magical；　Jarlaxle　had　seen　the　brooches　on　the　city's　previous　archmage；　though　Gromph　had　held　the　position　longer　than　most　of　Menzoberranzan's　drow　had　been　alive。　The　spider　brooch　allowed　the　archmage　to　cast　the　lingering　heat　enchantment　into　Narbondel；　the　pillar　clock　of　Menzoberranzan。　The　heat　would　rise　to　the　tip　of　the　clock　over　a　twelve…hour　period；　then　diminish　back　toward　the　base　in　a　like　amount　of　time；　until　the　stone　was　again　cool；　a　very　obvious　and　effective　clock　for　heat…sensing　drow　eyes。

　　　The　other　brooch　gave　Gromph　perpetual　youth。　By　Jarlaxle's　estimation；　this　one　had　seen　the　birth　and　death　of　seven　centuries；　yet　so　young　did　he　appear　that　it　seemed　he　might　be　ready　to　begin　his　training　at　the　drow　Academy！

　　　Not　so；　Jarlaxle　silently　recanted　in　studying　the　wizard。　There　was　an　aura　of　power　and　dignity　about　Gromph；　reflected　clearly　in　his　eyes；　which　showed　the　wisdom　of　long　and　often　bitter　experience。　This　one　was　cunning　and　devious；　able　to　scrutinize　any　situation　immediately；　and　in　truth；　Jarlaxle　felt　more　unfortable　and　more　vulnerable　standing　before　Gromph　than　before　Matron　Baenre　herself。

　　　〃A　conspiracy？〃　Gromph　asked　again；　this　time　aloud。　〃Have　the　other　houses　finally　bee　fed　up　with　my　mother　and　banded　together　against　House　Baenre？〃

　　　〃I　have　already　given　a　full　accounting　to　Matron？

　　　〃I　heard　every　word；〃　Gromph　interrupted；　snarling　impatiently。　〃Now　I　wish　to　know　the　truth。〃

　　　〃An　interesting　concept；〃　Jarlaxle　said；　smiling　wryly　at　the　realization　that　Gromph　was　truly　nervous。　〃Truth。〃

　　　〃A　rare　thing；〃　Gromph　agreed；　regaining　his　posure　and　resting　back　in　his　chair；　his　slender　fingers　tapping　together　before　him。　〃But　a　thing　that　sometimes　keeps　meddling　fools　alive。〃

　　　Jarlaxle's　smile　vanished。　He　studied　Gromph　intently；　surprised　at　so　bold　a　threat。　Gromph　was　powerful梑y　all　measures　of　Menzoberranzan；　the　old　wretch　was　as　powerful　as　any　male　could　bee。　But　Jarlaxle　did　not　operate　by　any　of　Menzoberranzan's　measures；　and　for　the　wizard　to　take　such　a　risk　as　to　threaten　Jarlaxle。。。

　　　Jarlaxle　was　even　more　surprised　when　he　realized　that　Gromph；　mighty　Gromph　Baenre；　was　beyond　nervous。　He　was　truly　scared。

　　　〃I　will　not　even　bother　to　remind　you　of　the　value　of　this　'meddling　fool；　'〃　Jarlaxle　said。

　　　〃Do　spare　me。〃

　　　Jarlaxle　laughed　in　his　face。

　　　Gromph　brought　his　hands　to　his　hips；　his　outer　robes　opening　in　front　with　the　movement　and　revealing　a　pair　of　wands　set　under　his　belt；　one　on　each　hip。

　　　〃No　conspiracy；〃　Jarlaxle　said　suddenly；　firmly。

　　　〃The　truth；〃　Gromph　remarked　in　dangerous；　low　tones。

　　　〃The　truth；〃　Jarlaxle　replied　as　straightforwardly　as　he　had　ever　spoken。　〃I　have　as　much　invested　in　House　Baenre　as　do　you；　Archmage。　If　the　lesser　houses　were　banding　against　Baenre；　or　if　Baenre's　daughters　plotted　her　demise；　Bregan　D'aerthe　would　stand　beside　her；　at　least　to　the　point　of　giving　her　fair　notice　of　the　ing　coup。〃

　　　Gromph's　expression　became　very　serious。　What　Jarlaxle　noted　most　was　that　the　elderboy　of　House　Baenre　had　taken　no　apparent　notice　of　his　obvious　（and　intentional）　slip　in　referring　to　Matron　Baenre　as　merely　〃Baenre。〃　Errors　such　as　that　often　cost　drow；　particularly　male　drow；　their　lives。

　　　〃What　is　it　then？〃　Gromph　asked；　and　the　very　tone　of　the　question；　almost　an　outright　plea；　caught　Jarlaxle　off　his　guard。　Never　before　had　he　seen　the　archmage；　or　heard　of　the　archmage；　in　so　desperate　a　state。

　　　〃You　sense　it！〃　Gromph　snapped。　〃There　is　something　wrong　about　the　very　air　we　breathe！〃

　　　For　centuries　untold；　Jarlaxle　silently　added；　a　notion　he　knew　he　would　be　wise　to　keep　to　himself。　To　Gromph　he　offered　only；　〃The　chapel　was　damaged。〃

　　　The　archmage　nodded；　his　expression　turning　sour。　The　great　domed　chapel　of　House　Baenre　was　the　holiest　place　in　the　entire　city；　the　ultimate　shrine　to　Lloth。　In　perhaps　the　most　terrible　slap　in　the　face　the　Spider　Queen　had　ever　experienced；　the　renegade　Do'Urden　and　his　friends　had；　upon　their　escape；　dropped　a　stalactite　from　the　cavern's　roof　that　punctured　the　treasured　dome　like　a　gigantic　spear。

　　　〃The　Spider　Queen　is　angered；〃　Gromph　remarked。

　　　〃I　would　be；〃　Jarlaxle　agreed。

　　　Gromph　snapped　an　angry　glare　over　the　smug　mercenary。　Not　for　any　insult　he　had　given　Lloth；　Jarlaxle　understood；　but　simply　because　of　his　flippant　attitude。

　　　When　that　glare　had　no　more　effect　than　to　bring　a　smile　to　Jarlaxle's　lips；　Gromph　sprang　from　his　chair　and　paced　like　a　caged　displacer　beast。　The　zombie　host；　unthinking　and　purely　programmed；　rushed　over；　drinks　in　hand。

　　　Gromph　growled　and　held　his　palm　upraised；　a　ball　of　flame　suddenly　appearing　atop　it。　With　his　other　hand　Gromph　placed　something　small　and　red梚t　looked　like　a　scale梚nto　the　flame　and　began　an　ominous　chant。

　　　Jarlaxle　watched　patiently　as　Gromph　played　out　his　frustration；　the　mercenary　preferring　that　the　wizard　aim　that　retort　at　the　zombie　and　not　at　him。

　　　A　lick　of　flame　shot　out　from　Gromph's　hand。　Lazily；　determinedly；　like　a　snake　that　had　already　immobilized　its　prey　with　poison；　the　flame　wound　about　the　zombie；　which；　of　course；　neither　moved　nor　plained。　In　mere　seconds；　the　zombie　was　engulfed　by　this　serpent　of　fire。　When　Gromph　casually　sat　again；　the　burning　thing　followed　its　predetermined　course　back　to　stand　impassively。　It　made　it　back　to　its　station；　but　soon　crumbled；　one　of　its　legs　consumed。

　　　〃The　smell。。。〃　Jarlaxle　began；　putting　a　hand　over　his　nose。

　　　〃Is　of　power！〃　Gromph　finished；　his　red　eyes　narrowing；　the　nostrils　of　his　thin　nose　flaring。　The　wizard　took　a　deep　breath　and　basked　in　the　stench。

　　　〃It　is　not　Lloth　who　fosters　the　wrongness　of　the　air；〃　Jarlaxle　said　suddenly；　wanting　to　steal　the　obviously　frustrated　wizard's　bluster　and　be　done　with　Gromph　and　out　of　this　reeking　place。

　　　〃What　do　you　know？〃　Gromph　demanded；　suddenly　very　anxious　once　more。

　　　〃No　more　than　you；〃　Jarlaxle　replied。　〃Lloth　is　likely　angry　at　Drizzt's　escape；　and　at　the　damage　to　the　chapel。　You　above　all　can　appreciate　the　importance　of　that　chapel。〃　Jarlaxle's　sly　tone　sent　Gromph's　nostrils　flaring　once　more。　The　mercenary　knew　he　had　hit　a　sore　spot；　a　weakness　in　the　archmage's　armored　robes。　Gromph　had　created　the　pinnacle　of　the　Baenre　chapel；　a　gigantic；　shimmering　illusion　hovering　over　the　central　altar。　It　continually　shifted　form；　going　from　a　beautiful　drow　female　to　a　huge　spider　and　back　again。　It　was　no　secret　in　Menzoberranzan　that　Gromph　was　not　the　most　devout　of　Lloth's　followers；　no　secret　that　the　creation　of　the　magnificent　illusion　had　spared　him　his　mother's　unmerciful　wrath。

　　　〃But　there　are　too　many　things　happening　for　Lloth　to　be　the　sole　cause；〃　Jarlaxle　went　on　after　savoring　the　minor　victory　for　a　moment。　〃And　too　many　of　them　adversely　affect　Lloth's　own　base　of　power。〃

　　　〃A　rival　deity？〃　Gromph　asked；　revealing　more　intrigue　than　he　intended。　〃Or　an　underground　revolt？〃　The　wizard　sat　back　suddenly；　thinking　he　had　hit　upon　something；　thinking　that　any　underground　revolt　would　certainly　fall　into　the　domain　of　a　certain　rogue　mercenary　leader。

　　　But　Jarlaxle　was　in　no　way　cornered；　for　if　either　of　Gromph's　suspicions　had　any　basis；　Jarlaxle　did　not　know　of　it。

　　　〃Something；〃　was　all　the　mercenary　replied。　〃Something　perhaps　very　dangerous　to　us　all。　For　more　than　a　score　of　years；　one　house　or　another　has；　for　some　reason；　overestimated　the　worth　of　capturing　the　renegade　Do'Urden；　and　their　very　zeal　has　elevated　his　stature　and　multiplied　the　troubles　he　has　caused。〃

　　　〃So　you　believe　all　of　this　is　tied　to　Drizzt's　escape；〃　Gromph　reasoned。

　　　〃I　believe　many　matron　mothers　will　believe　that；〃　Jarlaxle　was　quick　to　reply。　〃And；　thus；　Drizzt's　escape　will　indeed　play　a　role　in　what　is　to　e。　But　I　have　not　said；　and　do　not　believe；　that　what　you　sense　is　amiss　is　the　result　of　the　renegade's　flight　from　House　Baenre。〃

　　　Gromph　closed　his　eyes　and　let　the　logic　settle。　Jarlaxle　was　right；　of　course。　Menzoberranzan　was　a　place　so　wound　up　in　its　own　intrigue　that　truth　mattered　less　than　suspicion；　that　suspicion　often　became　a　self…fulfilling　prophecy；　and　thus；　often　created　truth。

　　　〃I　may　wish　to　speak　with　you　again；　mercenary；〃　the　archmage　said　quietly；　and　Jarlaxle　noticed　a　door　near　where　he　had　entered　the　extradimensional　pocket。　Beside　it　the　zombie　still　burned；　now　just　a　crumpled；　blackened　ball　of　almost　bare　bone。

　　　Jarlaxle　started　for　the　door。

　　　〃Alas；〃　Gromph　said　dramatically；　and　Jarlaxle　paused。　〃M'tarl　did　not　survive。〃

　　　〃A　pity　for　M'tarl；〃　Jarlaxle　added；　not　wanting　Gromph　to　think　that　the　loss　would　in　any　way　wound　Bregan　D'aerthe。

　　　Jarlaxle　went　out　the　door；　down　the　cord；　and　slipped　away　silently　into　the　shadows　of　the　city；　trying　to　digest　all　that　had　occurred。　Rarely　had　he　spoken　to　Gromph；　and　even　more　rarely　had　Gromph　requested；　in　his　own　convoluted　way；　the　audience。　That　fact　was　significant；　Jarlaxle　realized。　Something　very　strange　was　happening　here；　a　slight　tingle　in　the　air。　Jarlaxle；　a　lover　of　chaos　（mostly　because；　within　the　swirl　of　chaos；　he　always　seemed　to　e　out　ahead）；　was　intrigued。　What　was　even　more　intriguing　was　that　Gromph；　despite　his　fears　and　all　that　he　had　to　lose；　was　also　intrigued！

　　　The　archmage's　mention　of　a　possible　second　deity　proved　that；　showed　his　entire　hand。　For　Gromph　was　an　old　wretch；　despite　the　fact　that　he　had　e　as　far　in　life　as　any　male　drow　in　Menzoberranzan　could　hope　to　climb。

　　　No；　not　despite　that　fact；　Jarlaxle　silently