精灵血脉四部曲-第199部分

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e　sill。　Harkle　considered　the　scene　for　just　a　moment；　then　seemed　to　collect　his　wits　and　moved　right　between　the　two。　He　motioned　Drizzt　to　take　his　feet　away；　then　hopped　up　to　sit　on　the　window　sill。

　　　〃Do　join　us；〃　Catti…brie　said　with　obvious　sarcasm梠bvious　to　Drizzt　at　least；　for　Harkle　smiled　dumbly。

　　　〃You　were　discussing　the　poem；　of　course；〃　the　wizard　reasoned。　It　was　partially　true。　Drizzt　and　Catti…brie　were　talking　as　much　about　the　news　that　Bruenor　had　left　Mithril　Hall　as　about　the　all…important　poem。

　　　〃Of　course　you　were；〃　Harkle　said。　〃That　is　why　I　have　e。〃

　　　〃Have　you　deciphered　any　more　of　the　verse？〃　Drizzt　asked；　not　too　hopeful。　The　drow　liked　Harkle；　but　had　learned　not　to　expect　too　much　from　the　wizard。　Above　all　else；　Harkle　and　his　kin　were　unpredictable　sorts；　oftentimes　of　great　help；　as　in　the　fight　for　Mithril　Hall；　and　at　other　times　more　a　detriment　than　an　advantage。

　　　Harkle　recognized　the　drow's　ambivalent　tone；　and　he　found　that　he　wanted　to　prove　himself　at　that　moment；　wanted　to　tell　the　drow　all　of　the　information　in　his　magical　journal；　to　recite　the　poem　word　by　word；　exactly　as　the　seer　had　told　it。　Harkle　bit　back　the　words；　though；　fearful　of　the　limitations　of　his　spell　and　the　potential　consequences。

　　　〃We're　thinking　it's　Baenre；〃　Catti…brie　said。　〃Whoever's　holding　the　Baenre　throne；　I　mean。　'Given　to　Lloth　and　by　Lloth　given；'　is　what　she　said；　and　who　better　than　the　one　sitting　on　Baenre's　throne　for　the　Spider　Queen　to　give　such　a　gift？〃

　　　Harkle　nodded；　letting　Drizzt　take　up　the　thought；　but　believing　that　they　were　slipping　off　track。

　　　〃Catti…brie　thinks　that　it　is　Baenre；　but　the　seer　spoke　of　the　Abyss；　and　that　makes　me　believe　that　Lloth　has　engaged　a　handmaiden；〃　said　Drizzt。

　　　Harkle　bit　hard　on　his　lip　and　nodded　unconvincingly。

　　　〃Cadderly　has　an　informant　in　the　Abyss；〃　Catti…brie　added。　〃An　imp；　or　something　akin　to　that。　He'll　summon　the　beastie　and　try　to　find　us　a　name。〃

　　　〃But　I　fear　that　my　road　。　。　。〃　Drizzt　began。

　　　〃Our　road；〃　Catti…brie　corrected；　so　firmly　that　Drizzt　had　to　concede　the　point。

　　　〃I　fear　that　our　road　will　once　again　lead　to　Menzoberranzan；〃　Drizzt　said　with　a　sigh。　He　didn't　want　to　go　back　there；　that　much　was　obvious；　but　it　was　clear　also　that　the　ranger　would　charge　headlong　into　the　accursed　city　for　the　sake　of　a　friend。

　　　〃Why　there？〃　Harkle　asked；　his　voice　almost　frantic。　The　wizard　saw　where　the　seer's　poem　had　guided　Drizzt；　and　knew　that　the　second　line；　the　one　concerning　Drizzt's　father's　ghost；　had　forced　the　ranger　to　think　of　Menzoberranzan　as　the　source　of　it　all。　There　were　references　in　the　poem　to　Menzoberranzan；　but　there　was　one　word　in　particular　that　led　Harkle　to　believe　that　the　drow　city　was　not　their　ultimate　goal。

　　　〃We　have　already　discussed　that；〃　Drizzt　replied。　〃Menzoberranzan　would　seem　to　be　the　dark　road　the　seer　spoke　of。〃

　　　〃You　think　it　is　a　handmaiden？〃　Harkle　asked　Drizzt。

　　　The　drow　half…nodded；　half…shrugged。

　　　〃And　you　agree？〃　Harkle　questioned　Catti…brie。

　　　〃Might　be　that　it　is；〃　Catti…brie　replied。　〃Or　might　be　a　matron　mother。　That'd　be　me　own　guess。〃

　　　〃Aren't　handmaidens　female？〃　Harkle's　question　seemed　irrelevant。

　　　〃All　of　Lloth's　closest　minions　are　female；〃　Catti…brie　replied。　〃That's　why　the　Spider　Queen's　one　to　be　fearin'；〃　she　added　with　a　wink；　trying　to　break　some　of　the　tension。

　　　〃As　are　all　of　the　matron　mothers；〃　Harkle　reasoned。

　　　Drizzt　looked　to　Catti…brie；　neither　of　them　quite　understanding　what　the　unpredictable　wizard　might　be　getting　at。

　　　Harkle　flapped　his　arms　suddenly；　looking　as　if　he　was　about　to　burst。　He　hopped　down　from　the　window；　nearly　overturning　Drizzt　in　his　chair。　〃She　said　he！〃　the　flustered　wizard　cried。　〃The　blind　hag　said　he！　'The　traitor　to　Lloth　is　sought　by　he　who　hates　him　most！'　〃　Harkle　stopped　and　gave　a　great；　exasperated　sigh。　Then　there　came　a　hissing　sound　and　a　line　of　gray　smoke　began　wafting　out　of　his　pocket。

　　　〃Oh；　by　the　gods；〃　the　wizard　moaned。

　　　Drizzt　and　Catti…brie　both　jumped　to　their　feet；　more　because　of　the　wizard's　surprisingly　acute　reasoning　than　because　of　the　present　smoky　spectacle。

　　　〃What　foe；　Drizzt？〃　Harkle　pressed　with　all　urgency；　the　wizard　suddenly　suspecting　that　his　time　was　short。

　　　〃He；〃　Catti…brie　echoed　over　and　over；　trying　to　jog　her　memory。　〃Jarlaxle？〃

　　　〃　'Who　is　most　unshriven；'　〃　Harkle　reminded　her。

　　　〃Not　the　mercenary；　then；〃　said　Drizzt；　for　he　had　e　to　the　conclusion　that　Jarlaxle　was　not　as　evil　as　many。　〃Berg'inyon　Baenre；　perhaps。　He　has　hated　me　since　our　days　in　the　Academy。〃

　　　〃Think！　Think！　Think！〃　Harkle　shouted　as　a　great　gout　of　smoke　rose　up　from　his　pocket。

　　　〃What　are　you　burning？〃　Catti…brie　demanded；　trying　to　pull　the　Harpell　around　so　that　she　could　better　see。　To　her　surprise　and　horror；　her　hand　went　right　through　the　wizard's　suddenly…less…than…corporeal　form。

　　　〃Never　mind　that！〃　Harkle　snapped　at　her。　〃Think；　Drizzt　Do'Urden。　What　foe；　who　is　most　unshriven；　who　festers　in　the　swirl　of　Abyss　and　hates　you　above　all？　What　beast　must　be　freed；　that　only　you　can　free？〃　Harkle's　voice　seem　to　trail　away　as　his　form　began　to　fade。

　　　〃I　have　exceeded　the　limits　of　my　spell；〃　the　wizard　tried　to　explain　to　his　horrified　panions。　〃And　so　I　am　out　of　it；　I　fear；　sent　away　。　。　。〃

　　　Harkle's　voice　came　back　strong；　unexpectedly。　〃What　beast；　Drizzt？　What　foe？〃　And　then　he　was　gone；　simply　gone；　leaving　Drizzt　and　Catti…brie　standing　and　staring　blankly　in　the　small　room。

　　　That　last　call；　as　Harkle　faded　from　view；　reminded　Drizzt　of　another　time　when　he　had　heard　such　a　distant　cry。

　　　〃Errtu；〃　the　drow　whispered　breathlessly。　He　shook　his　head　even　as　he　spoke　the　obvious　answer；　for；　though　Harkle's　reasoning　seemed　sound；　it　didn't　make　sense　to　Drizzt；　not　in　the　context　of　the　poem。

　　　〃Errtu；〃　Catti…brie　echoed。　〃Suren　that　one's　hating　ye　above　all；　and　Lloth'd　likely　know　him；　or　know　of　him。〃

　　　Drizzt　shook　his　head。　〃It　cannot　be；　for　never　did　I　meet　the　tanar'ri　in　Menzoberranzan；　as　the　blind　seer　declared。〃

　　　Catti…brie　thought　on　that　one　for　a　moment。　〃She　never　said　Menzoberranzan；〃　the　woman　replied。　〃Not　once。〃

　　　〃In　the　home　that　was　。　。　。〃　Drizzt　began　to　recite；　but　he　nearly　gagged　on　the　words；　on　the　sudden　realization　that　his　interpretation　of　their　meaning　might　not　be　correct。

　　　Catti…brie　caught　it；　too。　〃Ye　never　called　that　place　yer　home；〃　she　said。　〃And　ye　often　telled　me　that　yer　first　home　was　。　。　。〃

　　　〃Icewind　Dale；〃　Drizzt　said。

　　　〃And　it　was　there　that　ye　met　Errtu；　and　made　o'　him　an　enemy；〃　Catti…brie　reasoned；　and　Harkle　Harpell　seemed　a　wise　man　indeed　at　that　moment。

　　　Drizzt　winced；　remembering　well　the　power　and　wickedness　of　the　evil　balor。　It　pained　the　ranger　to　think　of　Zaknafein　in　Errtu's　clutches。



*****



　　　Harkle　Harpell　lifted　his　head　from　his　huge　desk　and　stretched　with　a　great　yawn。

　　　〃Oh；　yes；〃　he　said；　recognizing　the　pile　of　parchments　spread　on　the　desk　before　him。　〃I　was　working　on　my　spell。〃

　　　Harkle　sorted　them　out　and　studied　them　more　closely。

　　　〃My　new　spell！〃　he　cried　in　glee。　〃Oh；　it　is　finally　pleted；　the　fog　of　fate！　Oh；　joy；　oh　happy　day！〃　The　wizard　leaped　up　from　his　chair　and　twirled　about　the　room；　his　voluminous　robes　flying　wide。　After　so　many　months　of　exhausting　research；　his　new　spell　was　finally　plete。　The　possibilities　rolled　through　Harkle's　mind。　Perhaps　the　fog　of　fate　would　take　him　to　Calimshan；　on　an　adventure　with　a　pasha；　perhaps　to　Anauroch；　the　great　desert；　or　perhaps　even　to　the　wastelands　of　Vaasa。　Yes；　Harkle　would　like　to　go　to　Vaasa　and　the　rugged　Galena　Mountains。

　　　〃I　will　have　to　learn　more　of　the　Galenas　and　have　them　fully　in　mind　when　I　cast　the　spell；〃　he　told　himself。　〃Yes；　yes；　that's　the　trick。〃　With　a　snap　of　his　fingers；　the　wizard　rushed　to　his　desk；　carefully　sorted　and　arranged　the　many　parchments　of　the　long　and　plicated　spell　and　placed　them　in　a　drawer。　Then　he　rushed　out；　heading　for　the　library　of　the　Ivy　Mansion；　to　gather　information　on　Vaasa　and　neighboring　Damara；　the　famed　Bloodstone　Lands。　He　could　hardly　keep　his　balance；　so　excited　was　he　about　what　he　believed　to　be　the　initial　casting　of　his　new　spell；　the　culmination　of　months　of　labor。

　　　For　Harkle　had　no　recollection　of　the　true　initial　casting。　All　of　the　last　few　weeks　had　been　erased　from　his　mind　as　surely　as　the　pages　of　the　enchanted　journal　that　acpanied　the　spell　were　now　blank　once　more。　As　far　as　Harkle　knew；　Drizzt　and　Catti…brie　were　sailing　off　the　coast　of　Waterdeep；　in　a　pirate　hunting　ship　whose　name　he　did　not　know。



*****



　　　Drizzt　stood　beside　Cadderly　in　a　square　room；　gorgeously　decorated；　though　not　a　single　piece　of　furniture　was　in　it。　The　walls　were　all　of　polished　black　stone；　bare；　except　for　twisted　iron　wall　sconces；　one　set　in　the　exact　center　of　each　wall。　The　torches　in　these　were　not　burning；　not　in　the　conventional　sense。　They　were　made　of　black　metal；　not　wood；　each　with　a　crystal　ball　set　at　its　top。　The　light梚t　seemed　that　Cadderly　could　conjure　whatever　colored　light　he　chose梕manated　from　the　balls。　One　was　glowing　red　now；　another　yellow；　and　two　green；　giving　the　room　a　strange　texture　of　colors　and　depth；　with　some　hues　seeming　to　perate　more　deeply　into　the　glassy　surface　of　the　polished　walls　than　others。

　　　All　of　that　held　Drizzt's　attention　for　a　while；　an　impressive　spectacle　indeed；　but　it　was　the　floor　that　most　amazed　the　dark　elf；　who　had　seen　so　many　amazing　sights　in　his　seven　decades　of　life。　The　perimeter　of　the　floor　was　black　and　glassy；　like　the　walls；　but　the　bulk　of　the　floor　area　was　taken　up　by　a　mosaic；　a　double…lined　circle。　The　area　between　the　lines；　about　a　foot　wide；　was　filled　with　arcane　runes。　A　sign　was　etched　inside；　its　star…like　tips　touching　the　innermost　circle。　All　of　these　designs　had　been　cut　into　the　floor；　and　were　filled　with　crushed　gemstones　of　various　colors。　There　was　an　emerald　rune　beside　a　ruby　star；　both　of　which　were　between　the　twin　diamond　lines　of　the　outer　circles。

　　　Drizzt　had　see