精灵血脉四部曲-第28部分

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But　not　now。　There　could　be　no　doubt　that　he　had　killed　the　guardsman　at　the　top　of　the　chute；　his　scimitars　had　cut　fine　lines；　a　perfect　X　across　the　dark　elf's　throat。

It　had　been　a　reaction；　Drizzt　reminded　himself；　a　necessary　move　if　he　meant　to　be　free　of　Vierna's　gang。　He　had　not　precipitated　the　violence；　had　not　asked　for　it　in　any　way。　He　could　not　reasonably　be　blamed　for　taking　whatever　action　necessary　to　escape　from　Vierna's　unjust　court；　and　to　aid　his　friends；　ing　in　against　powerful　adversaries。

Drizzt　could　not　reasonably　be　blamed；　but　as　he　lay　there；　the　feeling　gradually　returning　to　his　bruised　legs；　Driz7。t's　conscience　could　not　escape　the　simple　truth　of　the　matter。



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He　had　broken　his　vow。

Bruenor　led　them　blindly　through　the　twisting　maze　of　corridors；　Wulfgar　right　behind　and　carrying　the　snoring　Pwent　（and　getting　a　fair　share　of　cuts　from　the　battlerager's　sharp…ridged　armor！）。　Catti…brie　slipped　along　at　his　side；　pausing　whenever　pursuit　seemed　close　behind　to　launch　an　arrow　or　two。

Soon　the　halls　were　quiet；　save　the　group's　own　clamor　—too　quiet；　by　the　frightened　panions'　estimation。　They　knew　how　silent　Drizzt　could　move；　knew　that　stealth　was　the　dark　elves'　forte。

But　where　to　run？　They　could　hardly　figure　out　where　they　were　in　this　little　known　region；　would　have　to　stop　and　take　time　to　get　their　bearings　before　they　could　make　a　reasonable　guess　on　how　to　get　back　to　familiar　territory。

Finally；　Bruenor　came　upon　a　small　side　passage　that　branched　three　ways；　each　fork　branching　again　just　a　short　way　in。　Following　no　predetermined　course；　the　red…bearded　dwarf　led　them　in；　left　then　right；　and　soon　they　came　into　a　small　chamber；　goblin　worked　and　with　a　large　slab　of　stone　just　inside　the　low　entryway。　As　soon　as　they　at！　were　in；　Wulfgar　leaned　the　slab　against　the　portal　and　fell　back　against　it。

〃Drow！〃　Catti…brie　whispered　in　disbelief。　〃How　did　they　e　to　Mithril　Hall？〃

〃Why；　not　how；〃　Bruenor　corrected　quietly。　〃Why　are　the　elf's　kin　in　me　tunnels？

〃And　what？〃　Bruenor　continued　grimly。　He　looked　to　his　daughter；　his　beloved　Catti…brie；　and　to　Wulfgar；　the　proud　lad　he　had　helped　mold　into　so　fine　a　man；　a　sincerely　grave　expression　on　the　dwarf's　bristling　cheeks。　〃What　have　we　landed　ourself　into　this　time？〃

Catti…brie　had　no　answer　for　him。　Together　the　panions　had　battled　many　monsters；　had　overe　incredible　obstacles；　but　these　were　dark　elves；　infamous　drow；　deadly；　evil；　and　apparently　with　Drizzt　in　their　clutches；　if　indeed　he　still　drew　breath。　The　mighty　friends　had　gone　in　fast　and　strong　to　rescue　Drizzt；　had　struck　the　dark　elves　by　surprise。　They　had　been　simply　overmatched；　driven　back　without　catching　more　than　a　fleeting　glimpse　of　what　might　have　been　their　lost　friend。

Catti…brie　looked　to　Wulfgar　for　support；　saw　him　staring　her　way　with　the　same　helpless　expression　Bruenor　had　placed　over　her。

The　young　woman　looked　away；　having　neither　the　time　nor　the　inclination　to　berate　the　protective　barbarian。　She　knew　that　Wulfgar　continued　to　be　worried　more　for　her　than　for　himself—she　could　not　chastise　him　for　that—but　Catti…brie；　the　fighter；　knew；　too；　that　if　Wulfgar　was　looking　out　for　her；　his　eyes　would　not　be　focused　on　the　dangers　ahead。

In　this　situation；　she　was　a　liability　to　the　barbarian；　not　for　any　lack　of　fighting　skills　or　survival　talents；　but　because　of　Wulfgar's　own　weakness；　his　inability　to　view　Catti…brie　as　an　equal　ally。

And　with　dark　elves　all　about　them；　how　badly　they　needed　allies！



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Using　innate　powers　of　levitation；　the　pursuing　drow　soldier　eased　himself　out　of　the　chute；　his　gaze　immediately　locking　on　the　slumped　form　under　the　thick　cloak　across　the　corridor。　He　pulled　out　a　heavy　club　and　rushed　across；　crying　out　with　joy　for　the　rewards　that　certainly　would　e　his　way　for　recapturing　Drizzt。　The　club　came　down；　sounding　unexpectedly　sharp　as　it　banged　off　the　solid　stone　under　Drizzt's　cloak。　As　silent　as　death；　Drizzt　came　down　from　his　perch　above　the　chute　exit；　right　behind　his　adversary。　The　evil　drow's　eyes　widened　as　he　realized　the　deception；　remembered　then　the　stone　lying　opposite　the　chute。　Drizzt's　first　instincts　were　to　strike　with　the　hilt　of　his　scimitar；　his　heart　asked　him　to　honor　his　vow　and　take　no　more　drow　lives。　A　well…placed　blow　might　drop　this　enemy　and　render　him　helpless。　Drizzt　could　then　bind　him　and　strip　him　of　his　weapons。

If　Drizzt　were　alone　in　these　runnels；　if　it　simply　were　a　matter　of　his　desire　to　escape　Vierna　and　Entreri；　he　would　have　followed　the　cry　of　his　merciful　heart。　He　could　not　ignore　his　friends　above；　though；　no　doubt　struggling　against　those　enemies　he　had　left　behind。　He　could　not　chance　that　this　soldier；　recovered；　would　bring　harm　to　Bruenor　or　Wulfgar　or　Catti…brie。

Twinkle　came　in　point　first；　slicing　through　the　doomed　draw's　backbone　and　heart；　driving　out　the　front　of　his　chest；　the　blade's　blue　glow　showing　a　reddish　tint。

When　he　pulled　the　scimitar　back　out；　Drizzt　Do'Urden　had　more　blood　on　his　hands。

He　thought　again　of　his　imperiled　friends　and　gritted　his　teeth；　determined；　if　not　confident；　that　the　blood　would　wash　away。

Part　4

Cat　and　Mouse



What　turmoil　I　felt　when　first　I　broke　my　most　solemn；　principle…intentioned　vow：　that　I　would　never　again　I　take　the　life　of　one　of　my　people。　The　pain；　a　sense　of　failure；　a　sense　of　loss；　was　acute　when　I　realized　what　wicked　work　my　scimitars　had　done。

The　guilt　faded　quickly；　though—…not　because　I　came　to　excuse　myself　for　any　failure；　but　because　I　came　to　realize　that　my　true　failure　was　in　making　the　vow；　not　in　breaking　it。　When　I　walked　out　of　my　homeland；　I　spoke　the　words　out　of　innocence；　the　naivete　of　unworldly　youth；　and　I　meant　them　when　I　said　them；　truly。　I　came　to　know；　though；　that　such　a　vow　was　unrealistic；　that　if　I　pursued　a　course　in　life　as　defender　of　those　ideals　1　so　cherished；　I　could　not　excuse　myself　from　actions　dictated　by　that　course　if　ever　the　enemies　showed　themselves　to　be　draw　elves。　Quite　simply；　adherence　to　my　vow　depended　on　situations　pletely　beyond　my　control。　If；　after　leaving　Menzoberranzan；　I　had　never　again　met　a　dark　elf　in　battle；　I　never　would　have　broken　my　vow。　Rut　that；　in　the　end；　would　not　have　made　me　any　more　honorable。　Fortunate　circumstances　do　not　equate　la　high　principles。

When　the　situation　arose；　however；　that　dark　elves　threatened　my　dearest　friends；　precipitated　a　state　of　warfare　against　people　who　had　done　them　no　wrong；　how　could　I；　in　good　conscience；　have　kept　my　scimitars　tucked　away？　What　was　my　vow　worth　when　weighed　against　the　lives　of　Bruenor；　Wulfgar；　and　Catti…brie；　or　when　weighed　against　the　lives　of　any　innocents；　for　that　matter？　If；　in　my　travels；　I　happened　upon　a　draw　raid　against　surface　elves；　or　against　a　small　village；　1　know　beyond　any　doubts　that　I　would　have　joined　in　the　fighting；　battling　the　unlawful　aggressors　with　all　my　strength。

In　that　event；　no　doubt；　I　would　have　felt　the　acute　pangs　of　failure　and　soon　would　have　dismissed　them；　as　I　do　now。

1　do　not；　therefore；　lament　breaking　my　vow—though　it　pains　me；　as　it　always　does；　that　1　have　had　to　kill。　Nor　do　I　regret　making　the　vow；　for　the　declaration　of　my　youthful　folly　caused　no　subsequent　pain。　If　1　had　attempted　to　adhere　to　the　unconditional　words　of　that　declaration；　though；　if　I　had　held　my　blades　in　check　for　a　sense　of　false　pride；　and　if　that　inaction　had　subsequently　resulted　in　injury　to　an　innocent　person；　then　the　pain　in　Drizzt　Do'Urden　would　have　been　more　acute；　never　to　leave。

There　is　one　more　point　I　have　e　to　know　concerning　my　declaration；　one　more　truth　that　I　believe　leads　me　farther　along　my　chosen　road　in　life。！　said　I　would　never　again　kill　a　draw　elf。　I　made　the　assertion　with　little　knowledge　of　the　many　other　races　of　the　wide　world；　surface　and　Underdark；　with　little　understanding　that　many　of　these　myriad　peoples　even　existed。　I　would　never　kill　a　drow；　so　I　said；　but　what　of　the　svirfnebli；　the　deep　gnomes？　Or　the　halflings；　elves；　or　dwarves？　And　what　of　the　humans？

I　have　had　occasion　to　kill　men；　when　Wulfgar's　barbarian　kin　invaded　Ten…Towns。　To　defend　those　innocents　meant　to　battle；　perhaps　to　kill；　the　aggressor　humans。　Yet　that　act；　unpleasant　as　it　may　have　been；　did　not　in　any　way　affect　my　most　solemn　vow；　despite　the　fact　that　the　reputation　of　humankind　far　outshines　that　of　the　dark　elves。

To　say；　then；　that　I　would　never　again　slay　a　drow；　purely　because　they　and　1　are　of　the　same　physical　heritage；　strikes　me　now　as　wrong；　as　simply　racist。　To　place　the　measure　of　a　living　being's　worth　above　that　of　another　simply　because　that　being　wears　the　same　color　skin　as　I　belittles　my　principles。　The　false　values　embodied　in　that　long…ago　vow　have　no　place　in　my　world；　in　the　wide　world　of　countless　physical　and　cultural　differences。　It　is　these　very　differences　that　make　my　journeys　exciting；　these　very　differences　that　put　new　colors　and　shape*　tin　the　universal　concept　of　beauty。

I　now　make　a　new　vow；　one　weighed　in　experience　and　proclaimed　with　my　eyes　open：　I　will　not　raise　my　scimitars　except　in　defense：　in　defense　of　my　principles；　of　my　life；　or　of　others　who　cannot　defend　themselves。　1　will　not　do　battle　to　further　the　causes　of　false　prophets；　to　further　the　treasures　of　kings；　or　to　avenge　my　own　injured　pride。

And　to　the　many　gold…wealthy　mercenaries；　religious　and　secular；　who　would　look　upon　such　a　vow　as　unrealistic；　impractical；　even　ridiculous；　1　cross　my　arms　over　my　chest　and　declare　with　conviction：　1　am　the　richer　by　far！



—Drizzt　Do'Urden



Chapter　15

The　Play's　the　Thing



Silence！　Vierna's　delicate　fingers　signaled　the　mand　repeatedly　in　the　intricate　drow　hand　code。

Two　handcrossbows　clicked　as　their　bowstrings　locked　into　a　ready　position。　Their　drow　wielders　crouched　low；　staring　at　the　broken　door。

From　behind　them；　across　the　small　chamber；　there　came　a　slight　hiss　as　an　arrow　magically　dissolved；　releasing　its　dark　elf　victim；　who　slumped　to　the　floor　at　the　base　of　the　wall。　Dinin；　the　drider；　shifted　away　from　the　fallen　drow；　his　hard…s