精灵血脉四部曲-第52部分

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d　years　of　an　empty　white　prison　and　terrible　memories　that　poor　Gandalug　could　not　escape。

〃When　you　left　Mithril　Hall；　you　gave　the　throne　to　your　son；〃　Baenre　stated。　She　knew　the　story；　had　forced　it　out　of　her　tormented　prisoner　many　centuries　before。　〃The　new　king　of　Mithril　Hall　is　named　Bruenor—that　was　your　son's　name；　was　it　not？〃

The　spirit　held　steady；　kept　his　gaze　firm　and　determined。

Matron　Baenre　laughed　at　him。　〃Contained　in　your　memories　are　the　ways　and　defenses　of　Mithril　Hall；〃　she　said；　〃not　so　different　now　from　what　they　were　then；　if　I　properly　understand　the　ways　of　dwarves。　It　is　ironic；　is　it　not；　that　you；　great　Gandalug；　the　founder　of　Mithril　Hall；　the　patron　of　Clan　Battlehammer；　will　aid　in　the　end　of　the　hall　and　the　clan？〃

The　dwarf　king　howled　with　rage　and　grew　in　size；　gigantic　hands　reaching　out　for　Baenre's　skinny；　withered　throat。　The　matron　mother　laughed　at　him　again。　She　held　out　the　tooth　and　the　whirlwind　came　at　her　bidding；　grabbing　at　Gandalug　and　banishing　him　back　to　his　white　prison。

〃And　so　Drizzt　Do'Urden　has　escaped；〃　Matron　Baenre　purred；　and　she　was　not　unhappy。　〃He　is　a　fortunate　excuse　and　nothing　more！〃

Baenre's　evil　smile　widened　as　she　sat　fortably　in　her　chair；　thinking　of　how　Drizzt　Do'Urden　would　allow　her　to　cement　the　alliance　she　would　need；　thinking　how　coincidence　and　fate　had　given　her　the　means　and　the　method　for　the　conquest　she　had　desired　for　nearly　two　thousand　years。



Epilogue



Drizzt　Do'Urden　sat　in　his　private　chambers；　considering　all　that　had　transpired。　Memories　of　Wulfgar　dominated　his　thoughts；　but　they　were　not　dark　images；　were　not　flashes　of　the　alcove　wherein　Wulfgar　had　been　buried。　Drizzt　remembered　the　many　adventures；　always　exciting；　often　reckless；　he　had　shared　beside　the　towering　man。　Trusting　in　his　faith；　Drizzt　placed　Wulfgar　in　that　same　corner　of　his　heart　where　he　had　tucked　the　memories　of　Zaknafein；　his　father。　He　could　not　deny　his　sadness　at　Wulfgar's　loss；　didn't　want　to　deny　it；　but　the　many　good　memories　of　the　straight…backed　young　barbarian　could　counter　that　sadness；　bring　a　bittersweet　smile　to　Drizzt　Do'Urden's　calm　face。　He　knew　that　Catti…brie；　too；　would　e　to　a　similar；　accepting　mind…set。　She　was　young　and　strong　and　filled　with　a　lust　for　adventure；　however　dangerous；　as　great　as　that　of　Drizzt　and　of　Wulfgar。　Catti…brie　would　learn　to　smile　along　with　the　tears。

Drizzt's　only　fear　was　for　Bruenor。　The　dwarf　king　was　not　so　young；　not　so　ready　to　look　ahead　to　what　was　yet　to　e　in　his　remaining　years。　But　Bruenor　had　suffered　many　tragedies　in　his　long　and　hardy　life；　and；　generally　speaking；　it　was　the　way　of　the　stoic　dwarves　to　accept　death　as　a　natural　passing。　Drizzt　had　to　trust　that　Bruenor　was　strong　enough　to　continue。

It　wasn't　until　Drizzt　focused　on　Regis　that　he　considered　the　many　other　things　that　had　occurred。　Entreri；　the　evil　man　who　had　done　grievous　wrongs　to　so　many；　was　gone。　How　many　in　the　four　corners　of　Faerun　would　rejoice　at　that　news？

And　House　Do'Urden；　Drizzt's　tie　to　the　dark　world　of　his　kin；　was　no　more。　Had　Drizzt　finally　slipped　beyond　the　grasp　of　Menzoberranzan？　Could　he；　and　Bruenor　and　Catti…brie　and　all　the　others　of　Mithril　Hall；　rest　easier　now　that　the　drow　threat　had　been　eliminated？

Drizzt　wished　he　could　be　sure。　By　all　accounts　of　the　battle　in　which　Wulfgar　was　killed；　a　yochlol；　a　handmaiden　of　Lloth；　had　appeared。　If　the　raid　to　capture　him　had　been　inspired　simply　by　Vierna's　desperation；　then　what　had　brought　so　powerful　a　minion　into　their　midst？

The　thought　did　not　sit　well　with　Drizzt；　and　as　he　sat　there　in　his　room；　he　had　to　wonder　if　the　drow　threat　was　ended；　if　he　might；　at　long　last；　finally　know　his　peace　with　that　city　he　had　left　behind。



*　*　*　*　*



〃The　emissaries　from　Settlestone　are　here；〃　Catti…brie　said　to　Bruenor；　entering　the　dwarf's　private　chambers　without　even　the　courtesy　of　a　knock。

〃I'm　not　for　caring；〃　the　dwarf　king　answered　her　gruffly。

Catti…brie　moved　over　to　him；　grabbed　him　by　his　broad　shoulder；　and　forced　him　to　turn　and　look　her　in　the　eye。　What　passed　between　them　was　silent；　a　shared　moment　of　grief　and　understanding　that　if　they　did　not　go　on　with　their　lives；　did　not　forge　ahead；　then　Wulfgar's　death　was　all　the　more　pointless。

What　loss　is　death　if　life　is　not　to　be　lived？

Bruenor　grabbed　his　daughter　around　her　slender　waist　and　pulled　her　close　in　as　crushing　a　hug　as　the　dwarf　had　ever　given。　Catti…brie　squeezed　him　back；　tears　rolling　from　her　deep　blue　eyes。　So；　too；　did　a　smile　widen　on　the　vital　young　woman's　face；　and；　though　Bruenor's　shoulders　bobbed　with　unabashed　sobs；　she　felt　sure　he　soon　would　e　to　peace　as　well。

For　all　he　had　gone　through；　Bruenor　remained　the　Eighth　King　of　Mithril　Hall；　and；　for　all　the　adventures；　joys；　and　sorrows　Catti…brie　had　known；　she　had　just　passed　her　twentieth　year。

There　still　was　much　to　be　done。



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《Legacy　of　the　Drow　02　…　Starless　Night》（第二部：无星之夜）

作者：R。A。　Salvatore





STARLESS　NIGHT

By　R　A　Salvatore

Legacy　of　the　draw　2



PROLOGUE

rizzt　ran　his　fingers　over　the　intricate　carvings　of　the　panther　statuette；　its　black　onyx　perfectly　smooth　and　unmarred　even　in　the　ridged　areas　of　the　muscled　neck。　So　much　like　Guen…hwyvar；　it　looked；　a　perfect　representation。　How　could　Drizzt　bear　to　part　with　it　now；　fully　convinced　that　he　would　never　see　the　great　panther　again？

〃Farewell；　Guenhwyvar；〃　the　drow　ranger　whispered；　his　expression　sorrowful；　almost　pitiful；　as　he　stared　at　the　figurine。　〃I　cannot　in　good　conscience　take　you　with　me　on　this　journey；　for　I　would　fear　your　fate　more　than　my　own。〃　His　sigh　was　one　of　sincere　resignation。　He　and　his　friends　had　fought　long　and　hard；　and　at　great　sacrifice；　to　get　to　this　point　of　peace；　yet　Drizzt　had　e　to　know　that　it　was　a　false　victory。　He　wanted　to　deny　it；　to　put　Guenhwyvar　back　in　his　pouch　and　go　blindly　on；　hoping　for　the　best。

Drizzt　sighed　away　the　momentary　weakness　and　handed　the　figurine　over　to　Regis；　the　halfling。

Regis　stared　up　at　Drizzt　in　disbelief　for　a　long；　silent　while；　shocked　by　what　the　drow　had　told　him　and　had

1

R。　A。　Salvatoie

demanded　of　him。

〃Five　weeks；〃　Drizzt　reminded　him。

The　halfling's　cherubic；　boyish　features　crinkled。　If　Drizzt　did　not　return　in　five　weeks；　Regjs　was　to　give　Guenhwyvar　to　Catti…brie　and　tell　both　her　and　King　Bruenor　the　truth　of　Drizzf　s　departure。　From　the　draw's　dark　and　somber　tones；　Regis　understood　that　Drizzt　did　not　expect　to　return。

On　sudden　inspiration；　the　halfling　dropped　the　fig…urine　to　his　bed　and　fumbled　with　a　chain　about　his　neck；　its　clasp　caught　in　the　long；　curly　locks　of　his　brown　hair。　He　finally　got　the　thing　undone　and　produced　a　pendant；　dangling　a　large　and　magical　ruby。

Now　Drizzt　was　shocked。　He　knew　the　value　of　Regis's　gemstone　and　the　halfling's　craven　love　of　the　thing。　To　say　that　Regis　was　acting　out　of　character　would　be　an　incredible　understatement。

〃I　cannot；〃　Drizzt　argued；　pushing　the　stone　away。　〃I　may　not　return；　and　it　would　be　lost。。　…。〃

〃Take　it！〃　Regis　demanded　sharply。　〃For　all　that　you　have　done　for　me；　for　all　of　us；　you　surely　deserve　it。　It's　one　thing　to　leave　Guenhwyvar　behind梚t　would　be　a　tragedy　indeed　if　the　panther　fell　into　the　hands　of　your　evil　kin梑ut　this　is　merely　a　magical　token；　no　living　being；　and　it　may　aid　you　on　your　journey。　Take　it　as　you　take　your　scimitars。〃　The　halfling　paused；　hi　soft　gaze　locking　with　Drizzf　s　violet　orbs。　〃My　friend。〃

Regis　snapped　his　fingers　suddenly；　stealing　the　quiet　moment。　He　rambled　across　the　floor；　his　bare　feet　slapping　on　the　cold　stone　and　his　nightshirt　swishing　about　him。　From　a　drawer　he　produced　yet　another　item；　a　rather　unremarkable　mask。

〃I　recovered　it；〃　he　said；　not　wanting　to　reveal　the　whole　story　of　how　he　had　acquired　the　familiar　item。　In　truth；　Regis　had　gone　from　Mithril　Hall　and　found　Artemis　Entreri　hanging　helplessly　from　a　jutting　stone　far　up　the　side　of　a　ravine。　Regis　promptly　had　looted　the　assassin；　then　cut　the　seam　of　Entreri's　cloak。　The　halfling　had　listened　with　some　measure　of　satisfaction　as　the　cloak；　the　only　thing　holding　the　battered；　barely　conscious　man　aloft；　began　to　rip。

Starless　Night

Drizzt　eyed　the　magical　mask　for　a　long　time。　He　had　taken　it　from　the　lair　of　a　banshee　more　than　a　year　before。　With　it；　its　user　could　change　his　entire　appearance；　could　hide　his　identity。

〃This　should　help　you　get　in　and　out；〃　Regis　said　hopefully。　Still　Drizzt　made　no　move。

〃I　want　you　to　have　it/'　Regis　insisted；　misunderstanding　the　drowns　hesitation　and　jerking　it　out　toward　Drizzt。　Regis　did　not　realize　the　significance　the　mask　held　for　Drizzt　Do'Urden。　Drizzt　had　once　worn　it　to　hide　his　identity；　because　a　dark　elf　walking　the　surface　world　was　at　a　great　disadvantage。　Drizzt　had　e　to　see　the　mask　as　a　lie；　however　useful　it　might　be；　and　he　simply　could　not　bring　himself　to　don　it　again；　whatever　the　potential　gam。

Or　could　he？　Drizzt　wondered　then　if　he　could　refuse　the　gift。　If　the　mask　could　aid　his　cause梐　cause　that　would　likely　affect　those　he　was　leaving　behind梩hen　could　he　in　good　conscience　refuse　to　wear　it？

No；　he　decided　at　length；　the　mask　was　not　that　valuable　to　his　cause。　Three　decades　out　of　the　city　was　a　long　time；　and　he　was　not　so　remarkable　in　appearance；　not　so　notorious；　certainly；　that　he　would　be　recognized。　He　held　out　his　upraised　hand；　denying　the　gift；　and　Regis；　after　one　more　unsuccessful　try；　shrugged　his　little　shoulders；　and　put　the　mask　away。

Drizzt　left　without　another　word。　Many　hours　remained　before　dawn；　torches　burned　low　in　the　upper　levels　of　Mithril　Hall；　and　few　dwarves　stirred。　It　seemed　perfectly　quiet；　perfectly　peaceful。

The　dark　elf's　slender　fingers；　lightly　touching；　making　not　a　sound；　traced　the　grain　of　a　wooden　door。　He　had　no　desire　to　disturb　the　person　within；　though　he　doubted　that　her　sleep　was　very　restful。　Every　night；　Drizzt　wanted　to　go　to　her　and　fort　her；　and　yet　he　had　not；　for　he　knew　that　his　words　would　do　little　to　soothe　Catti…brie's　grie