精灵血脉四部曲-第14部分

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der　the　cowl　of　her　thick　auburn　locks；　and　that　despondence　struck　Drizzt　even　more　profoundly。

〃It　is　not　my　place　to　tell　you　how　you　should　feel；〃　Drizzt　said　evenly。　Still　the　young　woman　did　not　look　back　to　him。　〃My　burden　as　your　friend　is　equal　to　the　one　you　carried　in　the　southern　city　of　Calimport；　when　I　had　lost　my　way。　I　say　to　you　now：　The　path　before　you　turns　soon　in　many　directions；　but　that　path　is　yours　to　choose。　For　all　our　sakes；　and　mostly　yours；　I　pray　that　you　consider　your　course　carefully。〃　He　bent　low；　pushed　back　the　side　of　Catti…brie's　hair　and　kissed　her　gently　on　the　cheek。

He　did　not　look　back　as　he　left　the　chapel。



*　*　*　*　*



Half　of　Cobble's　cart　was　already　empty　by　the　time　the　drow　entered　Bruenor's　audience　hall。　Bruenor；　Cobble；　Dagna；　Wulfgar；　Regis；　and　several　other　dwarves　argued　loudly　over　which　pail　of　the　〃holy　water〃　held　the　finest；　smoothest　taste—arguments　that　inevitable　produced　further　taste　tests；　which　in　turn　created　further　arguments。

〃This　one！〃　Bruenor　bellowed　after　draining　a　pail　and　ing　back　up　with　his　red　beard　covered　in　foam。

〃That　one's　good　for　goblins！〃　Wulfgar　roared；　his　voice　dull。　His　laughter　ended　abruptly；　though；　when　Bruenor　plopped　the　pail　over　his　head　and　gave　it　a　resounding　backhand。

〃I　could　be　wrong；〃　Wulfgar；　suddenly　sitting　on　the　floor；　admitted；　his　voice　echoing　under　the　metal　bucket。

〃Tell　me　what　ye　think；　drow；〃　Bruenor　bellowed　when　he　noticed　Drizzt。　He　held　out　two　sloshing　buckets。

Drizzt　put　up　a　hand；　declining　the　invitation。　〃Mountain　springs　are　more　to　my　liking　than　thick　mead；〃　he　explained。

Bruenor　threw　the　buckets　at　him；　but　the　drow　easily　stepped　aside；　and　the　dark；　golden　liquid　oozed　slowly　across　the　stone　floor。　The　sheer　volume　of　the　ensuing　protests　from　the　other　dwarves　at　the　waste　of　good　mead　astounded　Drizzt；　but　not　as　much　as　the　fact　that　this　probably　was　the　first　time　he　had　ever　seen　Bruenor　scolded　without　finding　the　courage　to　fight　back。

〃Me　king；〃　came　a　call　from　the　door；　ending　the　argument。　A　rather　plump　dwarf；　fully　arrayed　in　battle　gear；　entered　the　audience　hall；　the　seriousness　of　his　expression　deflating　the　mirth　in　the　tasting　chamber。

〃Seven　kin　have　not　returned　from　the　newer　sections；〃　the　dwarf　explained。

〃Taking　their　time；　is　all；〃　Bruenor　replied。

〃They　missed　their　supper；〃　said　the　guard。

〃Trouble；〃　Cobble　and　Dagna　said　together；　suddenly　solemn。

〃Bah！〃　snorted　Bruenor　as　he　waved　his　thick　hand　unsteadily　in　front　of　him。　〃There　be　no　more　goblins　in　them　tunnels。　The　groups　down　there　now're　just　hunting　mithril。　They　found　a　vein　o'　the　stuff；　I　tell　ye。　That'd　keep　any　dwarf；　even　from　his　supper。〃

Cobble　and　Dagna；　even　Regis；　Drizzt　noted；　wagged　their　heads　in　agreement。　Given　the　potential　danger　whenever　traveling　the　tunnels　of　the　Underdark　（and　the　deepest　tunnels　of　Mithril　Hall　could　be　considered　nothing　less）；　the　wary　drow　was　not　so　easily　convinced。

〃What're　ye　thinking？〃　Bruenor　asked　Drizzt；　seeing　his　plain　concern。

Drizzt　considered　his　response　for　a　long　while。　〃I　am　thinking　that　you　are　probably　right。〃

〃Probably？〃　Bruenor　huffed。　〃Ah；　well；　I　never　could　convince　ye。　Go　on；　then。　It's　what　ye　want。　Take　yer　cat　and　go　find　me　overdue　dwarves。〃

Drizzt's　wry　smile　left　no　doubt　that　Bruenor's　instructions　had　been　his　intention　all　along。

〃I　am　Wulfgar；　son　of　Beornegar！　I　will　go！〃　Wulfgar　proclaimed；　but　he　sounded　somewhat　ridiculous　with　his　head　still　under　the　bucket。　Bruenor　leveled　another　backhand　to　silence　his　spouting。

〃And　elf；〃　the　king　called；　turning　Drizzt　back　to　him。　Bruenor　offered　a　wicked　smile　to　all　of　those　about　him；　then　dropped　it　fully　over　Regis。　〃Be　taking　Rumblebelly　with　ye；〃　the　dwarf　king　explained。　〃He's　not　doing　me　much　good　about　here。〃

Regis's　big；　round　eyes　got　even　bigger　and　rounder。　He　ran　plump；　soft　fingers　through　his　curly　brown　hair；　then　tugged　unfortably　at　the　one　dangling　earring　he　wore。　〃Me？〃　he　asked　meekly。　〃Go　back　down　there？〃

〃Ye　went　once；〃　Bruenor　reasoned；　making　his　argument　more　to　the　other　dwarves　than　to　Regis。　〃Got　yer…self　a　few　goblins；　if　me　memory's　right。〃

〃I　have　too　much　to—〃

〃Get　ye　going；　Rumblebelly；〃　Bruenor　growled；　leaning　forward　in　his　seat　and　nearly　overbalancing　in　the　process。　〃For　the　first　time　since　ye　e　running　back　to　us—and　know　that　we're　knowing　ye're　running！—do　what　I　ask　of　ye　without　yer　back　talk　and　excuses！〃

The　seriousness　of　Bruenor's　grim　tone　surprised　everyone　in　the　room；　apparently　even　Regis；　for　the　halfling　offered　not　another　word；　just　got　up　and　walked　obediently　to　stand　beside　Drizzt。

〃Can　we　stop　by　my　room？〃　Regis　quietly　asked　the　drow。　〃I　would　like　my　mace　and　pack；　at　least。〃

Drizzt　draped　an　arm　over　his　three…foot…tall　panion's　slumping　shoulders　and　turned　him　about。　〃Fear　not；〃　he　said　under　his　breath；　and　to　accentuate　the　point　he　dropped　the　onyx　figurine　of　Guenhwyvar　into　the　halfling's　eager　hands。

Regis　knew　he　was　in　fine　pany。



Chapter　7

Quiet　in　the　Darkness



Even　with　burning　lamps　lining　all　the　walls　and　the　paths　clear　and　well　marked；　it　took　Drizzt　I　and　Regis　the　better　part　of　three　hours　to　cross　I　the　miles　of　the　great　Mithril　Hall　plex　to　the　new　runnel　areas。　They　passed　through　the　wondrous；　tiered　Undercity；　with　its　many　levels　of　dwarven　dwellings　that　resembled　gigantic　steps　on　two　sides　of　the　huge　cavern。　The　dwellings　overlooked　a　central　work　area　on　the　cavern　floor　that　bustled　with　the　activities　of　the　industrious　race。　This　was　the　hub　of　the　entire　plex；　here　the　majority　of　Bruenor's　people　lived　and　worked。　Great　furnaces　roared　all　day；　every　day。　Dwarven　hammers　rang　out　in　a　continual　song；　and；　though　the　mines　had　been　opened　for　only　a　couple　of　months；　thousands　of　finished　products—everything　from　finely　crafted　weapons　to　beautiful　goblets—already　filled　many　pushcarts；　which　waited　along　the　walls　for　the　onset　of　the　trading　season。

Drizzt　and　Regis　entered　from　the　eastern　end　on　the　top　tier；　crossed　the　cavern　along　a　high　bridge；　and　weaved　down　the　many　stairways　to　exit　the　city's　lowest　level；　heading　west　into　Mithril　Hall's　deepest　mines。　Low…burning　lamps　lined　the　walls；　though　these　were　fewer　now　and　farther　between；　and　every　now　and　then　the　panions　came　to　a　dwarven　work　crew；　bleeding　precious　silvery　mithril　from　the　tunnel　wall。

Then　they　came　to　the　outer　tunnels；　where　there　were　no　lamps　and　no　dwarves。　Drizzt　pulled　off　his　pack；　thinking　to　light　a　torch；　but　noticed　the　half　ling's　eyes　glowing　with　the　telltale　red　of　infravision。

〃I　do　prefer　the　light　of　a　torch；〃　Regis　mented　when　the　drow　started　to　replace　the　pack　without　striking　a　light。　〃We　should　save　them；〃　Drizzt　answered。　〃We　do　not　know　how　long　we　will　have　to　remain　in　the　new　areas。〃　Regis　shrugged；　Drizzt　took　amusement　in　the　fact　that　the　halfling　was　already　holding　his　small　but　undeniably　effective　mace；　though　they　hadn't　yet　passed　beyond　the　secured　regions　of　the　plex。

They　took　a　short　break；　then　started　on　again；　putting　another　two　or　three　miles　behind　them。　Predictably；　Regis　soon　began　to　plain　about　his　sore　feet　and　quieted　only　when　they　heard　the　sound　of　dwarven　chatter　somewhere　up　ahead。

A　few　twists　and　turns　in　the　tunnel　took　them　to　a　narrow　stair　that　emptied　into　the　final　guardroom　of　this　section。　Four　dwarves　were　in　there；　playing　bones　（grumbling　with　every　throw）　and　paying　little　attention　to　the　great；　iron…barred　stone　door　that　sealed　off　the　new　areas。　〃Well　met；〃　Drizzt　said；　interrupting　the　game。　〃We　got　some　kin　down　there；〃　a　stocky；　brown…bearded　dwarf　replied　as　soon　as　he　noticed　Drizzt。　〃King　Bruenor　sending　yerselves　to　find　them？〃

〃Lucky　us；〃　Regis　remarked。

Drizzt　nodded。　〃We　are　to　remind　the　missing　dwarves　that　the　mithril　will　be　gotten　in　proper　time；〃　he　said；　trying　to　keep　this　encounter　lighthearted；　wanting　to　not　alarm　the　dwarven　guards　by　telling　them　that　he　believed　there　might　be　trouble　in　the　new　section。

Two　of　the　dwarves　took　up　their　weapons　while　the　other　two　walked　over　to　remove　the　heavy　iron　bar　that　locked　the　door。

〃Well；　when　ye're　ready　to　e　back　out；　tap　the　door　three；　then　two；〃　the　brown…bearded　dwarf　explained。　〃We're　not　for　opening　it　unless　the　signal's　right！〃

〃Three；　then　two；〃　Drizzt　agreed。

The　bar　came　off　and　the　door　fell　inward　with　a　great　sucking　sound。　Nothing　but　the　blackness　of　an　empty　tunnel　was　apparent　beyond　it。

〃Easy；　my　little　friend；〃　Drizzt　said；　seeing　the　sudden　gleam　in　the　halfling's　eye。　They　had　been　down　here　just　a　couple　of　weeks　before；　for　the　goblin　fight；　but；　though　they　had　seen　that　threat　eradicated；　the　hushed　tunnel　seemed　no　less　imposing。

〃Hurry　ye　up；〃　the　brown…bearded　dwarf　said　to　them；　obviously　not　happy　with　keeping　the　door　open。

Drizzt　lighted　a　torch；　and　led　the　way　into　the　gloom；　Regis　close　on　his　heels。　The　dwarves　shut　the　door　immediately　when　the　panions　were　clear；　and　Drizzt　and　Regis　heard　the　clanging　of　the　iron　bar　being　set　back　into　place。

Drizzt　handed　Regis　the　torch　and　drew　out　his　scimitars；　Twinkle　glowing　a　soft　blue。　〃We　should　get　done　as　quickly　as　we　can；〃　the　drow　reasoned。　〃Bring　in　Guenhwyvar　and　let　the　cat　lead　us。〃

Regis　set　down　his　mace　and　torch　and　fumbled　around　to　find　the　onyx　figurine。　He　placed　it　on　the　ground　before　him　and　took　up　his　other　items；　then　looked　to　Drizzt；　who　had　moved　a　few　steps　farther　down　the　tunnel。

〃You　may　call　the　panther；〃　Drizzt　said；　somewhat　surprised；　when　he　looked　back　to　see　the　halfling　waiting　for　him；　a　curious　sight　given　Regis's　close　relationship　with　the　great　cat。　Guenhwyvar　was　a　magical　entity；　a　denizen　of　the　Astral　Plane；　that　came　to　the　summons　of　the　figurine's　possessor。　Bruenor　always　had　been　a　bit　shy　around　the　cat　（dwarves　didn't　generally　like　magic　other　than　the　magic　of　fine　weapons）；　but　Regis　and　Guenhwyvar　had　been　close　friends。　Guenhwyvar　had　even　saved　the　halfling's　life　once　by　taking　Regis　along　on　an　astral　ride；　getting　the　halfling　out　of　a　collapsing　to