精灵血脉四部曲-第87部分

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back　against　the　stalagmite；　out　of　the　fight。

An　ally　was　right　behind　him；　though；　and　this　soldier　fell　upon　the　kneeling　Drizzt　with　abandon；　swords　hacking　fiercely。

Pure　instinct　kept　the　darting　blades　from　Drizzt　as　the　ranger　worked　his　scimitars　over　his　head；　feeling　more　than　seeing　his　opponent's　moves。　Understanding　his　sudden　disadvantage；　Drizzt　called　upon　his　innate　magic　and　summoned　a　globe　of　darkness　over　himself　and　his　enemy。

Ringing　steel　continued　to　sound；　weapons　meeting　and　sliding；　with　both　batants　taking　nicks。　Drizzt　growled　and　increased　his　intensity；　parrying　and　countering；　still　slashing　up　over　his　head。　Gradually；　the　skilled　ranger　shifted　his　weight　to　get　one　foot　under　him。

The　enemy　drow　came　with　a　sudden　and　fierce　double　chop梐nd　nearly　fell　over　when　his　blades　caught　nothing　but　air。　He　spun　immediately；　whipping　his　swords　across？and　nearly　lost　both　blades　as　they　slammed　the　side　of　the　stony　stalagmite　mound。

In　the　heat　of　battle；　he　had　forgotten　the　layout　of　the　immediate　area；　forgotten　the　mound　not　so　far　away。　The　drow　had　heard　the　reputation　of　Drizzt　Do'Urden　and　sud…

198

Starless　Night

denly　understood　the　magnitude　of　his　mistake。

Drizzt；　perched　high　on　a　rounded　shoulder　of　the　mound；　winced　as　he　heard　the　swords　connect　with　stone　below　him；　taking　little　satisfaction　in　this　action。　He　couldn't　see　Twinkle's　flaring　blue　light　as　the　scimitar　descended　through　the　darkness　globe。

He　ran　free　a　moment　later；　his　ankle　still　sore　but　supporting　him。　He　came　out　the　back　side　of　the　ravine　and　moved　up　on　the　ledge　opposite　the　high　hillock。　The　ledge　ran　toward　the　more　remote　eastern　end　of　the　isle。　There　lay　a　lagoon；　Drizzt　believed；　not　so　far　away；　and　if　he　could　reach　it　he　intended　to　dive　right　in。　Damn　the　legends　of　monsters　in　the　water；　the　enemies　about　him　were　all　too　real！

Catti…brie　heard　the　continuing　scuffles　from　the　isle。　The　sounds　drifted　clearly　across　the　still；　dark　waters　of　Donigarten。　From　behind　the　stalk　of　one　mushroom；　she　called　up　Guenhwyvar　and　ran　off　as　the　mist　took　its　solid　form。

By　the　lake；　the　young　woman；　still　not　confident　of　her　drow　disguise；　avoided　the　few　dark　elves　that　were　about　and　motioned　to　a　nearby　ore　instead。　Then　she　motioned　to　a　boat；　trying　to　indicate　that　the　creature　should　take　her　out　to　the　isle。　The　ore　seemed　nervous；　or　at　least　confused。　It　turned　away　and　started　to　walk　off。

Catti…brie　punched　it　in　the　back　of　the　head。

Cowering；　obviously　terrified；　it　turned　about　to　face　her。　Catti…brie　shoved　it　toward　the　small　boat；　and　this　time　the　creature　got　in　and　took　up　a　paddle。

Before　she　could　join　the　ore；　Catti…brie　was　intercepted　by　a　male　drow；　his　strong　hand　closing　tightly　over　her　elbow。

She　eyed　him　dangerously　and　growled；　trying　to　bluff　once　again；　but　this　determined　dark　elf　was　not　taking　the　bait。　In　his　free　hand　he　held　a　dagger；　poised　below　Catti…brie's　elbow；　just　inches　from　her　ribs。

〃Be　gone！〃　he　said。　〃Bregan　D'aerthe　tells　you　to　be　gone！〃

199

R。　A。　Salvatore

Catti…brie　didn't　understand　a　word　of　it；　but　her　enemy's　confusion　was　at　least　equal　to　hers　as　six　hundred　pounds　of　black　fur　flew　past；　taking　the　surprised　male　on　a　splashing　ride　many　feet　from　the　boat。

Catti…brie　turned　fiercely　on　the　ore；　who　pretended　not　to　see　a　thing　and　began　paddling　frantically。　The　young　woman　looked　back　to　the　shore　a　moment　later；　fearful　that　Guenhwyvar　would　be　left　behind　and　would　have　to　swim　the　entire　distance。

A　huge　splash　beside　the　boat　（nearly　overturning　it）　told　her　differently；　and　the　panther　was　now　the　one　leading。

It　was　simply　too　much　for　the　terrified　ore　to　take。　The　pitiful　creature　shrieked　and　leaped　for　the　water；　swimming　desperately　for　the　shore。　Catti…brie　took　up　the　paddle　and　never　looked　back。

The　ledge　was　open　to　both　sides　at　first；　and　Drizzt　heard　the　hiss　of　crossbow　quarrels　cutting　the　air　over　his　head　and　just　behind　him。　Fortunately　for　Drizzt；　the　firing　drow　were　back　across　the　ravine；　at　the　base　of　the　tall　hillock；　and　hand…crossbows　were　not　very　accurate　at　long　range。

Drizzt　wasn't　surprised　when　his　running　form　began　to　glow　in　purplish　hues；　tiny　faerie　fires　igniting　along　his　arms　and　legs；　not　burning；　but　marking　him　clearly　to　his　enemies。

He　felt　a　sting　in　his　left　shoulder　and　quickly　reached　over　and　popped　out　the　small　quarrel。　The　wound　was　only　superficial；　the　dart's　momentum　mostly　stalled　by　the　dwarf…crafted　mithril　chain　mail　that　Drizzt　wore。　He　ran　on；　and　could　only　hope　that　not　enough　poison　had　entered　his　blood　to　tire　him。

The　ledge　veered　to　the　right；　putting　Drizzf　s　back　to　his　enemies。　He　felt　even　more　vulnerable　then；　for　just　a　moment；　but　soon　realized　that　the　turn　might　be　a　good　thing；　putting　more　distance　between　him　and　the　stinging　crossbows。　Soon　after；　as　the　quarrels　bounced　harmlessly

200

Starless　Night

behind　him；　the　ledge　veered　again；　back　to　the　left；　going　around　the　base　of　another　hillock。

This　put　the　lapping　waters　of　Donigarten　at　Drizzt's　right；　a　dozen　feet　below　him。　He　thought　of　sheathing　his　blades　and　jumping　in　right　there；　but　too　many　jagged　mounds　protruded　from　the　water　for　him　to　chance　it。

The　ledge　remained　mostly　open　on　his　right　as　he　sped　along；　the　drop　sporadically　blocked　by　only　a　few　anchoring　stalagmites。　The　hillock　loomed　on　Drizzt's　left；　fully　protecting　him　from　the　distant　archers　。　。　。　but　not　from　nearer　enemies；　he　realized。　As　he　came　around　a　slight　bend；　he　discovered　at　the　last　instant　that　beyond　the　bend　lay　a　hollow；　and　in　the　hollow　waited　an　enemy。

The　soldier　leaped　out　into　Drizzf　s　path；　sword　and　dirk　waving。

A　scimitar　turned　the　sword　aside；　and　Drizzt　thrust　straight　ahead；　knowing　his　second　weapon　would　be　intercepted　by　the　dirk。　When　the　weapons　predictably　locked；　Drizzt　used　his　momentum　to　push　the　dirk　out　wide　and　lifted　one　knee　to　collide　heavily　with　the　draw's　belly。

Drizzt　clapped　his　wide…spread　hands　together；　simultaneously　snapping　his　scimitar　hilts　against　his　enemy's　face。　He　snapped　his　weapons　back　out　immediately；　fearing　that　either　the　sword　or　dagger　would　dive　at　him；　but　his　opponent　was　past　retaliation。　The　evil　drow　fell　straight　to　the　ground；　unconscious；　and　Drizzt　plowed　over　him　and　kept　on　going。

The　ranger　had　hit　his　stride；　literally。　Savage　instincts　churned　within　Drizzt；　and　he　believed　that　no　single　drow　could　stand　against　him。　He　was　fast　reverting　to　the　hunter　again；　the　embodiment　of　primal；　passionate　rage。

A　dark　elf　leaped　out　from　behind　the　next　stalagmite；　Drizzt　skidded　down　to　one　knee　and　spun；　a　similar　maneuver　to　the　one　he　had　used　against　the　drow　at　the　mushroom　house's　door。

This　time；　though；　his　enemy　had　more　time　to　react；　Had　his　sword　down　to　the　stone　to　block。

The　hunter　knew　that　he　would。

Drizzf　s　lead　foot　caught　hold；　and　he　spun　up　from　his　slide；　his　trailing　foot　flying　wide　in　a　circle　kick　that　caught

201

R。　A。　Salvatorc

the　surprised　drow　under　the　chin　and　dropped　him　over　the　side　of　the　ledge。　He　caught　a　handhold　just　a　few　feet　down；　groggy　from　the　blow　and　thinking　that　this　purple…eyed　fiend　would　surely　kill　him。

The　hunter　was　already　gone；　though；　running　on；　running　for　freedom。

Drizzt　saw　another　drow　on　the　path　in　front　of　him；　this　one's　arm　held　up　before　him；　probably　aiming　a　hand…crossbow。

The　hunter　was　quicker　than　the　quarrel。　His　instincts　told　him　that；　repeatedly；　and　they　were　proven　correct　when　a　flashing　scimitar　intercepted　the　dart。

Then　Drizzt　was　upon　the　drow；　and　the　draw's　ally；　who　came　out　from　behind　the　nearest　mound。　The　two　enemies　worked　furiously　with　their　weapons；　thinking　their　numerical　advantage　more　than　sufficient。

They　didn't　understand　the　hunter梑ut　the　red…glowing　eyes　of　Artemis　Entreri；　watching　from　a　nearby　hollow；　did。

Eartl

IN　THE　WEB

202

ne　of　the　sects　of　Faerun　names　the　sins　of　humanity　as　seven；　and　foremost　among　them　is　pride。　My　interpretation　of　this　had　always　been　to　think　of　the　arrogance　of　kings；　who　proclaimed　themselves　gods；　or　at　least　convinced　their　subjects　that　they　spoke　with　some　divine　beings；　thus　conveying　the　image　that　their　power　was　god…given。

That　is　only　one　manifestation　of　this　most　deadly　of　sins。　One　does　not　have　to　be　a　king　to　be　taken　down　by　false　pride。　Montolio　DeBrouchee；　my　ranger　mentor；　warned　me　about　this；　but　his　lessons　concerned　a　personal　aspect　of　pride。　〃A　ranger　often　walks　alone；　but　never　walks　without　friends　nearby；〃　the　wise　man　explained。　〃A　ranger　knows　his　surroundings　and　knows　where　allies　might　be　found。〃

To　Montolio's　way　of　thinking；　pride　was　blindness；　a　blurring　of　insight　and　wisdom；　and　the　defeat　of　trust。　A　too…proud　man　walked　alone　and　cared　not　where　allies　might　be　found。

When　I　discovered　the　web　of　Menzoberranzan　growing　thick　about　me；　I　understood　my　error；　my　arrogance。　Had　I　e　to　think　so　much　of　myself　and　my　abilities　that　I　forgot　those　allies　who　had；　to　this　point；　allowed　me　to　survive？　In　my　anger　over　the　death　of　Wulfgar　and　my　fears　for　Catti…brie；　Bruenor；　and　Regis；　I　never　considered　that　those　living　friends　could　help　to　take　care　of　themselves。　The　problem　that　had　befallen　us　all　was　my　own　fault；　I　had　decided；　and；　thus；　was　my　duty　to　correct；　however　impossible　that　might　be　for　a　single　person。

I　would　go　to　Menzoberranzan；　discover　the　truth；　and　end

205

R。　A。　Salvatore

the　conflict；　even　if　that　end　meant　the　sacrifice　of　my　own　life。

What　a　fool　I　had　been。

Pride　told　me　that　1　was　the　cause　of　Wulfgar's　death；　pride　told　me　that　I　could　be　the　one　to　right　the　wrong。　Sheer　arrogance　prevented　me　from　dealing　openly　with　my　friend；　the　dwarven　king；　who　could　muster　the　forces　necessary　to　bat　any　forthing　draw　attacks。

On　that　ledge　on　the　Isle　of　Rothe；　I　realized　that　I　would　pay　for　my　arrogance；　later；　I　would　learn　that　others　dear　to　me　might　pay　as　well。

It　is　a　defeat　of　the　spirit　to　learn　that　one's　arrogance　causes　such　loss　and　pain。　Pride　invites　you　to