war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第60部分

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〃So　can　my　little　iron　trinket。〃
〃But　eventually；　if　you　simply　remain　in　here；　you'll　die　of　hunger　and　thirst。〃
〃I'm　dying　anyway。　Can't　you　tell？　I'm　not　an　old　woman…I'm　a　baby　as　you　drow　measure　time！…but　I　look　like　an　ancient　hag。　I　just　don't　want　to　perish　at　the　hands　of　those　miserable　Undercreatures。　I've　ruled　here　for　fifteen　years；　and　if　I　die　beyond　their　reach；　I　win。　Do　you　see？〃
〃Well；　then；　my　lady；〃　said　Pharaun；　〃your　wish　suggests　the　terms　of　a　bargain。　Oblige　us；　and　we'll　refrain　from　admitting　the　bugbears。〃
She　made　a　spitting　sound　and　said；　〃Admit　them　if　you　must。　I　loathe　the　brutes；　but　I　hate　you　dark　elves　more。　It　was　you　who　made　me　as　I　am。　I　bartered　information　with　you　for　as　long　as　I　had　something　to　gain；　but　now　that　the　disease　is　finally　killing　me；　you　can　all　go　to　the　Abyss　where　your　goddess　lives；　and　burn。〃
Pharaun　might　have　replied　that　as　far　as　he　could　tell；　Smylla　had　sealed　her　own　fate　on　the　day　she　decided　to　descend　into　the　Underdark；　but　he　doubted　it　would　soften　her　resolve。
〃I　don't　blame　you；〃　he　said；　making　a　show　of　sympathy。　It　wouldn't　have　deceived　any　drow；　but　even　though　she'd　trafficked　with　his　race　for　decades；　perhaps　she　still　had　human　instincts。　〃Sometimes　I　hate　other　dark　elves　myself。　I'd　certainly　despise　them　if　they　served　me　as　they've　treated　you。〃
She　eyed　him　skeptically。　〃But　you're　the　one　who's　different　from　all　the　others？〃
〃I　doubt　it。　I'm　a　child　of　the　goddess。　I　follow　her　ways。　But　I've　visnotited　the　Realms　that　See　the　Sun；　where　I　learned　that　other　races　think　and　live　differently。　I　understand　that　by　the　standards　of　your　own　people；　we've　treated　you　abominably。〃
For　a　moment；　she　looked　up　at　him　as　if　no　one　had　miserated　with　her　about　anything　since　that　long…lost　season　when　she　was　the　belle；　or　at　least　the　coveted　curiosity；　of　the　revels　and　balls。
She　said；　〃Do　you　think　a　few　gentle　words　will　make　me　want　to　help　you？〃
〃Of　course　not。　I　just　don't　want　your　bitterness　to　get　in　the　way　of　your　good　sense。　It　would　be　a　pity　if　you　turned　your　back　on　your　salvation。〃
〃What　are　you　saying？〃
〃I　can　take　away　your　sickness。〃
〃You're　lying。　How　could　you　do　what　the　priestesses　cannot？〃
〃Because　I'm　a　wizard。〃　Pharaun　snapped　his　fingers　and　dissolved　his　mask　of　illusion。　〃My　name　is　Pharaun　Mizzrym。　You　may　have　heard　of　me。　If　not；　you've　surely　heard　of　the　Masters　of　Sorcere。〃
She　was　impressed；　though　trying　not　to　show　it。
〃Who　aren't　healers；〃　she　said。
〃Who　are　transmuters。　I　can　change　you　into　a　drow；　or；　if　you　prefer；　a　member　of　another　race。　Whatever　we　choose；　the　transformation　will　purge　the　sickness　from　your　new　body。〃
〃If　that's　true；〃　she　said；　〃then　why　do　your　people　fear　illness？〃
〃Because　this　remedy　is　inappropriate　for　them。　It's　unthinkable　for　a　drow；　one　of　the　goddess's　chosen　people；　to　permanently　assume　the　form　of　a　lesser　creature　except　as　a　punishment。　Also；　most　wizards　can't　cast　the　spell　deftly　enough　to　purge　a　disease。　It　requires　a　certain　facility；　which　happily；　I　possess。〃
He　grinned。
〃And　you'll　use　it　to　help　me？〃
〃Well；　to　aid　myself；　really。〃
The　soothsayer　scowled；　pondering　the　offer。
Eventually　she　said；　〃What　do　I　have　to　lose？〃
〃Exactly。〃
〃But　you　have　to　change　me　first。〃
〃No；　first　of　all；　we　must　establish　that　you　do　indeed　possess　the　innotformation　my　colleague　and　I　require。　We're　seeking　a　number　of　runaway　males　hailing　from　noble　and　humble　residences　alike。〃
〃We　have　a　handful　of　drow　hiding　out　in　the　Braeryn。　Some　are　sick　like　me。　Some　are　outcast　for　some　other　offense。　A　couple　are　just　taking　a　long　illicit　holiday　from　their　responsibilities　and　female　relations。　I　can　tell　you　where　to　find　most　of　them。〃
〃I'm　sure；〃　said　Pharaun；　〃but　I　imagine　they've　resided　here　for　a　while；　have　they　not？　We're　seeking　rogues　of　more　recent　vintage。　Menzoberranzan　has　suffered　a　mass　migration　in　recent　tendays。〃
Smylla　frowned。　From　a　subtle　shift　of　expression；　the　mage　knew　she　was　deciding　whether　or　not　to　lie。
〃More　drow　males　than　usual　have　visited　the　Braeryn；〃　she　said。　〃Innotdulging　their　most　sordid　impulses；　I　assumed；　but　as　far　as　I　know　they　didn't　stay　here。　If　they　did；　I　don't　know　where。〃
Ryld　sighed。　Pharaun　knew　how　he　felt。　Generally　speaking；　the　wizard　relished　a　baffling；　brain…cramping　puzzle；　but　even　he　was　growing　impanottient　at　their　lack　of　progress。
Given　the　lack　of　any　sensible　leads；　he　resolved　to　follow　where　intunotition　led。　Still　caught　up　in　his　role　of　sympathizer；　he　dared　to　step　to　the　cot　and　pat　Smylla　on　her　bony　shoulder。　She　gasped。　In　all　likelihood；　no　one　had　touched　her　for　a　long　while；　either。
〃Don't　abandon　hope；〃　Pharaun　said。　〃Perhaps　we　can　still　make　a　trade。　Fortunately；　my　rade　and　I　are　interested　in　other　matters　as　well。　Has　anything　peculiar　occurred　in　the　Braeryn　of　late？〃
The　clairvoyant　rasped　out　another　painful…sounding　laugh。
〃You　mean　aside　from　the　fact　that　last　tenday；　the　animals　rose　up　against　me？〃
〃I　do　find　that　interesting。　As　you　confessed；　your　magical　talents　withe