精灵血脉四部曲-第117部分

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　male　drow　in　Menzoberranzan　could　hope　to　climb。

　　　No；　not　despite　that　fact；　Jarlaxle　silently　corrected　himself。　Because　of　that　fact。　Gromph　was　bitter；　and　had　been　so　for　centuries；　because；　in　his　lofty　view　of　his　own　worth；　he　saw　even　the　position　of　archmage　as　pointless；　as　a　limit　imposed　by　an　accident　of　gender。

　　　The　greatest　weakness　in　Menzoberranzan　was　not　the　rivalry　of　the　various　houses；　Jarlaxle　knew；　but　the　strict　matriarchal　system　imposed　by　Lloth's　followers。　Half　the　drow　population　was　subjugated　merely　because　they　had　been　born　male。

　　　That　was　a　weakness。

　　　And　subjugation　inevitably　bred　bitterness；　even梕specially！？in　one　who　had　gone　as　far　as　Gromph。　Because　from　his　lofty　perch；　the　archmage　could　clearly　see　how　much　farther　he　might　possibly　go　if　he　had　been　born　with　a　different　set　of　genitals。

　　　Gromph　had　indicated　he　might　wish　to　speak　with　Jarlaxle　again；　Jarlaxle　had　a　feeling　he　and　the　bitter　mage　would　indeed　meet；　perhaps　quite　often。　He　spent　the　next　twenty　steps　of　his　walk　back　across　Menzoberranzan　wondering　what　information　Gromph　might　extract　from　poor　M'tarl；　for　of　course　the　lieutenant　was　not　dead梩hough　he　might　soon　wish　he　were。

　　　Jarlaxle　laughed　at　his　own　foolishness。　He　had　spoken　truly　to　Gromph；　of　course；　and　so　M'tarl　couldn't　reveal　anything　incriminating。　The　mercenary　sighed。　He　wasn't　used　to　speaking　truthfully；　wasn't　used　to　walking　where　there　were　no　webs。

　　　That　notion　dismissed；　Jarlaxle　turned　his　attention　to　the　city。　Something　was　brewing。　Jarlaxle；　the　ultimate　survivor；　could　sense　it；　and　so　could　Gromph。　Something　important　would　occur　all　too　soon；　and　what　the　mercenary　needed　to　do　was　figure　out　how　he　might　profit　from　it；　whatever　it　might　be。



Chapter　5

CATTI…BRIE'S　CHAMPION



　　　Drizzt　called　Guenhwyvar　to　his　side　when　the　panions　came　down　to　the　lower　trails。　The　panther　sat　quietly；　expecting　what　was　to　e。

　　　〃Ye　should　bring　the　cat　in；〃　Catti…brie　suggested；　understanding　Drizzt's　intent。　The　barbarians；　though　they　had　e　far　from　their　tundra　homes　and　their　secluded　ways；　remained　somewhat　distrustful　of　magic；　and　the　sight　of　the　panther　always　unnerved　more　than　a　few　of　Berkthgar's　people；　and　didn't　sit　so　well　with　Berkthgar　himself。

　　　〃It　is　enough　for　them　that　I　will　enter　their　settlement；〃　Drizzt　replied。

　　　Catti…brie　had　to　nod　in　agreement。　The　sight　of　Drizzt；　of　a　dark　elf；　one　of　a　race　noted　for　magic　and　evil；　was　perhaps　even　more　unnerving　to　the　Northmen　than　the　panther。　〃Still；　it'd　teach　Berkthgar　good　if　ye　had　the　cat　sit　on　him　for　a　while；〃　she　remarked。

　　　Drizzt　chuckled　as　he　conjured　an　image　of　Guenhwyvar　stretching　fortably　on　the　back　of　the　large；　wriggling　man。　〃The　folk　of　Settlestone　will　grow　accustomed　to　the　panther　as　they　did　to　my　own　presence；〃　the　drow　replied。　〃Think　of　how　many　years　it　took　Bruenor　to　bee　fortable　around　Guenhwyvar。〃

　　　The　panther　gave　a　low　growl；　as　if　she　understood　their　every　word。

　　　〃It　wasn't　the　years；〃　Catti…brie　returned。　〃It　was　the　number　of　times　Guen　pulled　me　stubborn　father's　backside　out　of　a　hot　fire！〃

　　　When　Guenhwyvar　growled　again；　both　Drizzt　and　Catti…brie　had　a　good　laugh　at　surly　Bruenor's　expense。　The　mirth　subsided　as　Drizzt　took　out　the　figurine　and　bade　Guenhwyvar　farewell；　promising　to　call　the　panther　back　as　soon　as　he　and　Catti…brie　were　on　the　trails　once　more；　heading　back　to　Mithril　Hall。

　　　The　formidable　panther；　growling　low；　walked　in　circles　about　the　figurine。　Gradually　those　growls　diminished　as　Guenhwyvar　faded　into　gray　mist；　then　into　nothing　at　all。

　　　Drizzt　scooped　up　the　figurine　and　looked　to　the　plumes　of　smoke　rising　from　nearby　Settlestone。　〃Are　you　ready？〃　he　asked　his　panion。

　　　〃He'll　be　a　stubborn　one；〃　Catti…brie　admitted。

　　　〃We　just　have　to　get　Berkthgar　to　understand　the　depth　of　Bruenor's　distress；〃　Drizzt　offered；　starting　off　again　for　the　town。

　　　〃We　just　have　to　get　Berkthgar　to　imagine　Bruenor's　axe　sweeping　in　for　the　bridge　of　his　nose；〃　Catti…brie　muttered。　〃Right　between　the　eyes。〃

　　　Settlestone　was　a　rocky；　windswept　cluster　of　stone　houses　set　in　a　vale　and　protected　on　three　sides　by　the　climbing；　broken　sides　of　the　towering　mountains　known　as　the　Spine　of　the　World。　The　rock　structures；　resembling　houses　of　cards　against　the　backdrop　of　the　gigantic　mountains；　had　been　built　by　the　dwarves　of　Mithril　Hall；　by　Bruenor's　ancestors；　hundreds　of　years　before；　when　the　place　had　been　called　Dwarvendarrow。　It　had　been　used　as　a　trading　post　by　Bruenor's　people　and　was　the　only　place　for　merchants　to　peek　at　the　wonders　that　came　from　Mithril　Hall；　for　the　dwarves　did　not　wish　to　entertain　foreigners　in　their　secret　mines。

　　　Even　one　who　did　not　know　the　history　of　Dwarvendarrow　would　reason　that　this　place　had　been　constructed　by　the　bearded　folk。　Only　dwarves　could　have　imbued　the　rocks　with　such　strength；　for；　though　the　settlement　had　been　uninhabited　for　centuries；　and　though　the　wind　sweeping　down　the　channel　of　the　tall　mountain　walls　was　unrelenting；　the　structures　had　remained。　In　setting　the　place　up　for　their　own　use；　Wulfgar's　people　had　no　more　a　task　than　to　brace　an　occasional　wall；　sweep　out　the　tons　of　pebbles　that　had　half　buried　some　of　the　houses；　and　flush　out　the　animals　that　had　e　to　live　there。

　　　So　it　was　a　trading　post　again；　looking　much　as　it　had　in　the　heyday　of　Mithril　Hall；　but　now　called　Settlestone　and　now　used　by　humans　working　as　agents　for　the　busy　dwarves。　The　agreement　seemed　sound　and　profitable　to　both　parties；　but　Berkthgar　had　no　idea　of　how　tentative　things　had　suddenly　bee。　If　he　did　not　relent　on　his　demand　to　carry　Aegis…fang；　both　Drizzt　and　Catti…brie　knew；　Bruenor　would　likely　order　the　barbarian　and　his　people　off　the　land。

　　　The　proud　barbarians　would　never　follow　such　a　mand；　of　course。　The　land　had　been　granted；　not　loaned。

　　　The　prospect　of　war；　of　Bruenor's　people　ing　down　from　the　mountains　and　driving　the　barbarians　away；　was　not　so　outlandish。

　　　All　because　of　Aegis…fang。

　　　〃Wulfgar　would　not　be　so　glad　to　know　the　source　of　the　arguing；〃　Catti…brie　remarked　as　she　and　Drizzt　neared　the　settlement。　〃　'Twas　he　who　bringed　them　all　together。　Seems　a　pity　indeed　that　it's　his　memory　threatening　to　tear　them　apart。〃

　　　A　pity　and　a　terrible　irony；　Drizzt　silently　agreed。　His　steps　became　more　determined；　put　in　that　light；　this　diplomatic　mission　took　on　even　greater　significance。　Suddenly　Drizzt　was　marching　to　Settlestone　for　much　more　than　a　petty　squabble　between　two　unyielding　rulers。　The　drow　was　going　for　Wulfgar's　honor。

　　　As　they　came　down　to　the　valley　floor；　they　heard　chanting；　a　rhythmic；　solemn　recitation　of　the　deeds　of　a　legendary　warrior。　They　crossed　into　the　empty　ways；　past　the　open　house　doors　that　the　hardy　folk　never　bothered　to　secure。　Both　knew　where　the　chanting　was　ing　from；　and　both　knew　where　they　would　find　the　men　and　women　and　children　of　Settlestone。

　　　The　only　addition　the　barbarian　settlers　had　made　to　the　town　was　a　large　structure　that　could　fit　all　four　hundred　people　of　Settlestone　and　a　like　number　of　visitors。　Hengorot；　〃the　Mead　Hall；〃　it　was　called。　It　was　a　solemn　place　of　worship；　of　valor　recalled；　and　ultimately　of　sharing　food　and　drink。

　　　Hengorot　wasn't　finished。　Half　its　long；　low　walls　were　of　stone；　but　the　rest　was　enclosed　by　deerskin　canopies。　That　fact　seemed　fitting　to　Drizzt；　seemed　to　reflect　how　far　Wulfgar's　people　had　e；　and　how　far　they　had　to　go。　When　they　had　lived　on　the　tundra　of　Icewind　Dale；　they　had　been　nomadic；　following　the　reindeer　herd；　so　all　their　houses　had　been　of　skin；　which　could　be　packed　up　and　taken　with　the　wandering　tribe。

　　　No　longer　were　the　hardy　folk　nomads；　no　longer　was　their　existence　dependent　on　the　reindeer　herd。　It　was　an　unreliable　source　that　often　led　to　warring　between　the　various　tribes；　or　with　the　folk　of　Ten…Towns；　on　the　three　lakes；　the　only　non…barbarians　in　Icewind　Dale。

　　　Drizzt　was　glad　to　see　the　level　of　peace　and　harmony　that　the　northmen　had　attained；　but　still　it　pained　him　to　look　at　the　unpleted　part　of　Hengorot；　to　view　the　skins　and　remember；　too；　the　sacrifices　these　people　had　made。　Their　way　of　life；　which　had　survived　for　thousands　of　years；　was　no　more。　Looking　at　this　construction　of　Hengorot；　a　mere　shade　of　the　glories　the　mead　hall　had　known；　looking　at　the　stone　that　now　enclosed　this　proud　people；　the　drow　could　not　help　but　wonder　if　this　way　was　indeed　〃progress。〃

　　　Catti…brie；　who　had　lived　most　of　her　young　life　in　Icewind　Dale；　and　who　had　heard　countless　tales　of　the　nomadic　barbarians；　had　understood　the　loss　all　along。　In　ing　to　Settlestone；　the　barbarians　had　given　away　a　measure　of　their　freedom　and　more　than　a　bit　of　their　heritage。　They　were　richer　now；　far　richer　than　they　could　have　ever　dreamt；　and　no　longer　would　a　harsh　winter　threaten　their　very　existence。　But　there　had　been　a　price。　Like　the　stars。　The　stars　were　different　here　beside　the　mountains。　They　didn't　e　down　to　the　flat　horizon；　drawing　a　person's　soul　into　the　heavens。

　　　With　a　resigned　sigh；　a　bit　of　her　own　homesickness　for　Icewind　Dale；　Catti…brie　reminded　herself　of　the　pressing　situation。　She　knew　that　Berkthgar　was　being　stubborn；　but　knew；　too；　how　pained　the　barbarian　leader　was　over　Wulfgar's　fall；　and　how　pained　he　must　be　to　think　that　a　dwarf　held　the　key　to　the　warhammer　that　had　bee　the　most　honored　weapon　in　his　tribe's　history。

　　　Never　mind　that　the　dwarf　had　been　the　one　to　forge　that　weapon；　never　mind　that　the　man　who　had　carried　it　to　such　glory　had；　in　fact；　been　like　that　dwarf's　son。　To　Berkthgar；　Catti…brie　knew；　the　lost　hero　was　not　the　son　of　Bruenor；　but　was　Wulfgar；　son　of　Beornegar；　of　the　Tribe　of　the　Elk。　Wulfgar　of　Icewind　Dale；　not　of　Mithril　Hall。　Wulfgar；　who　epitomized　all　that　had　been　respected　and　treasured　among　the　barbarian　people。　Perhaps　most　of　all；　Catti…brie　appreciated　the　gravity　of　the　task　before　them。

　　　Two　tall；　broad…shouldered　guards　flanked　the　skin　flap　of　the　mead　hall's　opening；　their　beards　and　breath　smelling　more　than　a　littl