精灵血脉四部曲-第7部分

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　enemies　got　in　close。

Four　dwarves　in　a　line　near　the　middle　of　the　contingent　supported　a　great　wooden　beam　across　their　stocky　shoulders。　Others　near　them　carried　huge；　circular　slabs　of　stone　with　the　centers　cut　out。　Heavy　rope；　long　notched　poles；　chains；　and　sheets　of　pliable　metal　all　were　evident　among　this　section　of　the　brigade　as　the　tools　for　a　〃goblin　toy；〃　as　Bruenor　had　explained　to　his　nondwarven　panions'　curious　expressions。　In　looking　at　the　heavy　pieces；　Drizzt　could　well　imagine　how　much　fun　the　goblins　would　get　from　this　particular　contraption。

At　an　intersection　where　a　wide　passage　ran　to　their　right　they　found　a　pile　of　giant　bones；　with　two　great　skulls　sitting　atop　it；　each　of　them　large　enough　for　the　halfling　to　crawl　pletely　into。

〃Ettin；〃　Bruenor　explained；　for　it　was　he；　as　a　beardless　lad；　who　had　felled　the　monsters。

At　the　next　intersection　they　met　up　with　General　Dagna　and　the　lead　force；　another　three　hundred　battle…hardened　dwarves。

〃Parley's　set；〃　Dagna　explained。　〃Goblins're　down　a　thousand　feet　in　a　wide　chamber。〃

〃Ye'll　be　flanking？〃　Bruenor　asked　him。

〃Aye；　but　so're　the　goblins；〃　the　mander　explained。　〃Four　hundred　of　the　things　if　there's　a　one。　I　sent　Cobble　and　his　three　hundred　on　a　wide　course；　around　the　backside　o'　the　room　to　cut　off　any　escape。〃

Bruenor　nodded。　The　worst　that　they　could　expect　was　roughly　even　odds；　and　Bruenor　would　put　any　one　of　his　dwarves　against　five　of　the　goblin　scum。

〃I'm　going　straight　in　with　a　hundred；〃　the　dwarf　king　explained。　〃Another　hundred're　going　to　the　right；　with　the　toy；　and　the　left's　for　yerself。　Don't　ye　let　me　down　if　I'm　needin'　ye！〃

Dagna's　chuckle　reflected　supreme　confidence；　but　then　his　expression　turned　abruptly　grave。　〃Should　it　be　yerself　doing　the　talking？〃　he　asked　Bruenor。　〃I'm　not　for　trusting　goblins。〃

〃Oh；　they've　got　a　trick　for　me；　or　I'm　a　bearded　gnome；〃　Bruenor　replied；　〃but　this　goblin　crew　ain't　seen　the　likes　o'　dwarves　in　hunnerds　o'　years；　unless　I　miss　me　guess；　and　they're　sure　to　think　less　of　us　than　they　should。〃

They　exchanged　a　heavy　handshake；　and　Dagna　stormed　off；　the　hard　boots　of　his　three　hundred　soldiers　echoing　through　the　corridors　like　the　rumbling　of　a　gathering　thunderstorm。

〃Stealth　was　never　a　dwarven　strong　point；〃　Drizzt　remarked　dryly。

Regis　let　his　stare　linger　for　many　moments　on　the　departing　host's　crack　formations；　then　turned　the　other　way　to　regard　the　other　group；　bearing　the　beam；　stone　disks；　and　other　items。

〃If　ye've　not　got　the　belly　for　it。　。　。〃　Bruenor　began；　interpreting　the　halfling's　interest　as　fear。

〃I　am　here；　aren't　I？〃　Regis　came　back　sharply；　rudely　actually；　and　the　uncustomary　edge　to　his　voice　made　his　friends　regard　him　curiously。　But　then；　in　a　peculiarly　Regis…like　movement；　the　halfling　straightened　his　belt　under　his　prominent　paunch；　squared　his　shoulders；　and　looked　away。

The　others　managed　a　laugh　at　Regis's　expense；　but　Drizzt　continued　to　stare　at　him　curiously。　Regis　was　indeed　〃here；〃　but　why　he　had　e；　the　drow　did　not　know。　To　say　that　Regis　was　not　fond　of　battle　was　as　much　an　understatement　as　to　say　that　the　halfling　was　not　fond　of　missing　meals。

A　few　minutes　later　the　hundred　soldiers　remaining　behind　their　king　entered　the　appointed　chamber；　ing　in　through　a　large　archway　onto　a　raised　section　of　stone；　several　feet　up　from　the　wide　floor　of　the　huge　main　area；　wherein　stood　the　goblin　host。　Drizzt　noted　with　more　than　passing　curiosity　that　this　particular　raised　section　held　no　stalagmite　mounds；　which　seemed　to　be　mon　throughout　the　rest　of　the　chamber。　Many　stalactites　leered　down　from　the　not…too…high　ceiling　above　Drizzt's　head；　why　hadn't　their　drippings　left　the　monplace　stone　mounds？

Drizzt　and　Guenhwyvar　moved　to　one　side；　out　of　the　range　of　the　torches；　which　the　drow；　with　his　exceptional　vision；　did　not　need。　Slipping　into　the　shadows　of　a　grouping　of　low…hanging　stalactites；　the　two　seemed　to　disappear。

So　did　Regis；　not　far　behind　Drizzt。＇奇＋书＋网＇

〃Gave　up　the　high　ground　afore　we　ever　started；〃　Bruenor　whispered　to　Wulfgar　and　Catti…brie。　〃Ye'd　think　even　goblins'd　be　smarter　than　that！〃　That　notion　gave　the　dwarf　pause；　and　he　glanced　around　to　the　edges　of　the　raised　section；　taking　note　that　this　slab　of　stone　had　been　worked—worked　with　tools—to　fit　into　this　section　of　the　cavern。　His　dark　eyes　narrowed　with　suspicion　as　Bruenor　looked　to　the　area　where　Drizzt　had　disappeared。

〃I'm　thinking　that　it's　a　good　thing　we're　up　high　for　the　parley；〃　Bruenor　said；　too　loudly。

Drizzt　understood。

〃The　whole　section　is　trapped；〃　Regis；　right　behind　the　drow；　remarked。

Drizzt　nearly　jumped；　amazed　that　the　halfling　had　gotten　so　close　to　him　and　wondering　what　magical　item　Regis　carried　to　make　his　movements　so　silent。　Following　the　halfling's　leading　gaze；　Drizzt　regarded　the　nearest　edge　of　the　platform　and　a　pillar　half　out　from　under　the　stone；　a　slender　stalagmite　that　had　been　recently　decapitated。

〃A　good　hit　would　bring　it　down；〃　Regis　reasoned。

〃Stay　here；〃　Drizzt　instructed；　agreeing　with　the　crafty　halfling's　estimate。　Perhaps　the　goblins　had　spent　some　time　in　preparing　this　battlefield。　Drizzt　moved　out　into　view　of　the　dwarves；　gave　Bruenor　some　signals　to　indicate　that　he　would　check　it　out；　then　slipped　away；　Guenhwyvar　moving　parallel　to　him；　not　far　to　the　side。

All　the　dwarves　had　entered　the　chamber　by　then；　with　Bruenor　cautiously　keeping　them　back；　lined　end　to　end　against　the　back　edge　of　the　semicircular　platform。

Bruenor；　with　Wulfgar　and　Catti…brie　flanking　him；　came　out　a　few　steps　to　regard　the　goblin　host。　There　were　well　over　a　hundred—maybe　two　hundred—of　the　smelly　things　in　the　darker　area　of　the　chamber；　judging　from　the　many　sets　of　red…shining　eyes　staring　back　at　the　dwarf。

〃We　came　to　talk；〃　Bruenor　called　out　in　the　guttural　goblin　tongue；　〃as　agreed。〃

〃Talk；〃　came　a　goblin　reply；　surprisingly　in　the　mon　tongue。　〃Whats　will　dwarfses　offer　to　Gar…yak　and　his　thousands？〃

〃Thousands？〃　Wulfgar　remarked。

〃Goblins　cannot　count　beyond　their　own　fingers；〃　Catti…brie　reminded　him。

〃Get　on　yer　toes；〃　Bruenor　whispered　to　them　both。

〃This　group's　looking　for　a　fight。　I　can　smell　it。〃

Wulfgar　gave　Catti…brie　a　positively　superior　look；　but　his　juvenile　bluster　was　lost；　for　the　young　woman　was　paying　him　no　heed。



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Drizzt　slipped　from　shadow　to　shadow；　around　boulders；　and；　finally；　over　the　lip　of　the　raised　platform。　As　he　and　Regis　had　expected；　this　section；　supported　along　its　front　end　by　several　shortened　stalagmite　pillars；　was　not　a　solid　piece；　but　a　worked　slab　propped　in　place。　And；　as　expected；　the　goblins　planned　to　drop　the　front　end　of　the　platform　and　spill　the　dwarves。　Great　iron　wedges　had　been　driven　partway　through　the　front　supporting　line　of　pillars；　waiting　for　a　hammer　to　drive　them　through。

It　was　no　goblin　poised　underneath　the　stone　to　spring　the　trap；　however；　but　another　two…headed　giant；　an　ettin。　Even　lying　flat；　it　was　nearly　as　tall　as　Drizzt；　he　guessed　it　would　tower　at　least　twelve　feet　high　if　it　ever　got　upright。　Its　arms；　as　thick　as　the　drow's　chest；　were　bare；　it　held　a　great　spiked　club　in　either　hand；　and　its　two　huge　heads　stared　at　each　other；　apparently　holding　a　conversation。

Drizzt　didn't　know　whether　the　goblins　intended　to　honestly　parley；　dropping　the　stone　slab　only　if　the　dwarves　made　move　to　attack；　but　with　the　appearance　of　the　dangerous　giant；　he　wasn't　willing　to　take　any　chances。　Using　the　cover　of　the　farthest　pillar；　he　rolled　under　the　lip　and　disappeared　into　the　blackness　behind　and　to　the　side　of　the　waiting　giant。

When　a　cat's　green　eyes　stared　back　at　Drizzt　from　across　the　breadth　of　the　prone　giant；　he　knew　that　Guenhwyvar；　too；　had　moved　silently　into　position。



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A　torch　went　up　among　the　goblin　ranks；　and　three　of　the　four…foot…tall；　yellow…skinned　creatures　ambled　forward。

〃Well；〃　Bruenor　grumbled；　already　tired　of　this　meeting。　〃Which　one　of　ye　dogs　is　Gar…yak？〃

〃Gar…yak　back　with　others；〃　the　tallest　of　the　group　answered；　looking　over　his　sloping　shoulder　to　the　main　host。

〃A　sure　sign　there's　to　be　trouble；〃　Catti…brie　muttered；　unobtrusively　slipping　her　great　bow　from　her　shoulder。　〃When　the　leader's　safely　back；　the　goblins　mean　to　fight。〃

〃Go　tell　yer　Gar…yak　that　we　don't　have　to　kill　ye；〃　Bruenor　said　firmly。　〃Me　name's　Bruenor　Battlehammer—〃

〃Battlehammer？〃　The　goblin　spat；　apparently　recognizing　the　name。　〃Yous　is　king　dwarf？〃

Bruenor's　lips　did　not　move　as　he　mumbled　to　his　panions；　〃Be　ready。〃　Catti…brie's　hand　came　to　rest　on　the　quiver　at　her　side。

Bruenor　nodded。

〃King！〃　the　goblin　hooted；　looking　back　to　the　monster　host　and　pointing　excitedly　Bruenor's　way。　The　ready　dwarves　understood　the　cue　for　the　onslaught　faster　than　the　stupid　goblins；　and　the　next　calls　from　the　chamber　were　dwarven　battle　cries。



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Drizzt　took　the　call　to　action　faster　than　the　dim…witted　ettin。　The　creature　swung　its　clubs　back；　then　yelped　in　pain　and　surprise　as　the　six…hundred…pound　panther　clamped　onto　one　wrist　and　a　wickedly　edged　scimitar　dove　into　its　armpit　on　the　other　side。

The　monster's　huge　heads　turned　outward　in　a　weird；　synchronous　movement；　one　to　regard　Drizzt；　one　toward　Guenhwyvar。

Before　the　ettin　ever　knew　what　was　happening；　Drizzt's　second　scimitar　slashed　across　its　bulging　eyes。　The　giant　tried　to　squirm　about　to　get　to　the　stinging　elf；　but　the　agile　Drizzt　slipped　under　its　arm　and　came　in　hard　and　fast　at　the　monster's　vulnerable　heads。

Across　the　way；　Guenhwyvar　dug　teeth　into　flesh　and　set　claws　into　stone；　holding　fast　the　monster's　arm。



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〃Drizzt　got　him！〃　Bruenor　reasoned　when　the　floor　bucked　beneath　him。　With　the　failure　of　the　simple；　if　not　clever；　trap；　the　goblins　had　indeed　surrendered　the　favorable　high　ground。　The　stupid　creatures　hooted　and　whooped　and　came　on　anyway；　launching　crude　spears；　most　of　which　never　reached　their　targets。

More　effective　was　the　dwarven　response。　Catti…brie　led　it；　putting　the　Heartseeker　up　in　an　instant　and　loosing　a　magical；　silver