精灵血脉四部曲-第79部分

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e　from　one　of　the　higher…ranking　houses；　a　fine　prize　indeed。

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Starless　Night

Jarlaxle's　ruby　eyes　gleamed　at　the　thought　of　the　profits　such　a　noble　might　bring　to　Bregan　D'aerthe。

〃Has　he　a　name？〃　the　mercenary　asked。

〃A　name　that　is　known　to　you；　and　to　us；〃　Firble　replied；　feeling　positively　superior　（a　rare　occurrence　in　his　dealings　with　the　crafty　mercenary）。

His　cryptic　answer；　though；　had　given　more　information　than　intended　to　Jarlaxle。　Few　drow　were　known　by　name　to　the　gnomes　of　Blingdenstone；　and　Jarlaxle　could　check　on　the　whereabouts　of　most　of　those　few　quite　easily。　The　mercenary's　eyes　widened　suddenly；　but　he　quickly　regained　his　posure；　his　mind　reeling　down　the　path　of　a　new　possibility。

〃Tell　me　of　the　events；〃　Firble　demanded。　〃Why　are　Menzoberranzan　drow　near　Blingdenstone？　Tell　me；　and　to　you　I　shall　give　the　name！〃

〃Give　the　name　if　you　choose；〃　Jarlaxle　scoffed。　〃The　events？　I　have　already　told　you　to　look　to　Ched　Nasad；　or　to　playful　young　males；　students；　perhaps；　out　of　the　Academy。〃

Firble　hopped　up　and　down；　fists　clenched　in　front　of　him　as　though　he　meant　to　jump　over　and　punch　the　unpredictable　mercenary。　All　feelings　that　he　had　gained　the　upper　hand　washed　away　in　the　blink　of　a　drow　eye。

〃Dear　Firble；〃　Jarlaxle　cooed。　〃Really；　we　should　not　be　meeting　unless　we　have　more　important　matters　to　discuss。　And；　really；　you　and　your　escort　should　not　be　so　far　from　home；　not　in　these　dark　times。〃

The　little　svirfneblin　let　out　an　unintentional　groan　of　frustration　at　the　mercenary's　continued　hints　that　something　dire　was　going　on；　that　the　increased　drow　activity　was　linked　to　some　greater　design。

But　Jarlaxle；　standing　with　one　arm　across　his　belly；　his　elbow　in　his　hand　and　his　other　hand　propping　his　chin；　remained　impassive；　seeming　positively　amused　by　it　all。　Firble　would　get　no　pertinent　information　this　day；　he　realized；　so　he　gave　a　curt　bow　and　spun　about；　kicking　stones　every　step　of　the　way　out　of　the　chamber。

The　mercenary　held　his　relaxed　posture　for　some　time　after　the　gnome　had　left；　then　casually　lifted　one　hand　and

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signaled　to　the　tunnel　behind　him。　Out　walked　a　human；　though　his　eyes　glowed　red　with　the　infravision　mon　to　Underdark　races；　a　gift　from　a　high　priestess。

〃Did　you　find　that　amusing？〃　Jarlaxle　asked　in　the　surface　tongue。

〃And　informative；〃　Entreri　replied。　〃When　we　get　back　to　the　city；　it　should　be　a　minor　thing　for　you　to　discern　the　identity　of　the　captured　drow。〃

Jarlaxle　regarded　the　assassin　curiously。　〃Do　you　not　already　know　it？〃　he　asked。

〃I　know　of　no　missing　nobles；〃　Entreri　replied；　taking　time　as　he　spoke　to　carefully　study　the　mercenary。　Had　he　missed　something？　〃Certainly；　their　prisoner　must　be　a　noble；　since　his　name　was　known　not　only　to　you；　but　to　the　gnomes。　A　noble　or　an　adventurous　drow　merchant。〃

〃Suppose　I　told　you　that　the　drow　in　Blingdenstone　was　no　prisoner；〃　Jarlaxle　hinted；　a　wry　smile　on　his　ebon…skinned　face。

Entreri　stared　at　him　blankly；　apparently　having　no　clue　as　to　what　the　mercenary　was　talking　about。

〃Of　course；〃　Jarlaxle　said　a　moment　later。　〃You　do　not　know　of　the　past　events；　so　you　would　have　no　way　of　putting　the　information　together。　There　was　once　a　drow　who　left　Menzoberranzan　and　stopped；　for　a　time；　to　live　with　the　gnomes；　though　I　hardly　expected　that　he　would　return。〃

〃You　cannot　be　hinting　that。。。〃　Entreri　said；　verily　losing　his　breath。

〃Precisely；〃　Jarlaxle　replied；　turning　his　gaze　to　the　tunnel　through　which　Firble　had　disappeared。　〃It　seems　that　the　fly　has　e　to　the　spiders。〃

Entreri　did　not　know　what　to　think。　Drizzt　Do'Urden；　back　in　the　Underdark！　What　did　that　mean　for　the　planned　raid　on　Mithril　Hall？　Would　the　plans　be　dropped？　Would　Entreri's　last　chance　to　see　the　surface　world　be　taken　from　him？

〃What　are　we　to　do？〃　he　asked　the　mercenary；　his　tone　hinting　at　desperation。

〃Do？〃　Jarlaxle　echoed。　He　leaned　back　and　gave　a　hearty　laugh。

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Starless　Night

〃Do？〃　the　drow　asked　again；　as　though　the　thought　was　absurd。　〃Why；　we　sit　back　and　enjoy　it；　of　course！〃

His　response　was　not　totally　unexpected　to　Entreri；　not　when　the　assassin　took　a　moment　to　consider　it。　Jarlaxle　was　a　lover　of　ironies梩hat　was　why　he　thrived　in　the　world　of　the　chaotic　drow梐nd　this　unexpected　turn　certainly　qualified。　To　Jarlaxle；　life　was　a　game；　to　be　played　and　enjoyed　without　consideration　for　consequences　or　morality。

In　other　times；　Entreri　could　empathize　with　that　attitude；　had　even　adopted　it　on　occasion；　but　not　now。　Too　much　hung　in　the　balance　for　Artemis　Entreri；　for　the　poor；　miserable　assassin。　Drizzt's　presence　so　near　Menzoberranzan　raised　important　questions　for　the　assassin's　future；　a　future　that　looked　bleak　indeed。

Jarlaxle　laughed　again；　long　and　hard。　Entreri　stood　solemnly；　staring　at　the　tunnel　that　led　generally　toward　the　gnome　city；　his　mind　staring　into　the　face；　the　violet　eyes；　of　his　most　hated　enemy。

Drizzt　took　great　fort　in　the　familiar　surroundings　about　him。　He　almost　felt　that　he　must　be　dreaming；　for　the　small　stone　dwelling　was　exactly　as　he　remembered　it；　right　down　to　the　hammock　in　which　he　now　found　himself。

But　Drizzt　knew　that　this　was　no　dream；　knew　it　from　the　fact　that　he　could　feel　nothing　from　his　waist　down；　neither　the　hammock's　cords　nor　even　a　tingle　in　his　bare　feet。

〃Awake？〃　came　a　question　from　the　dwelling's　second；　smaller；　chamber。　The　word　struck　Drizzt　profoundly；　for　it　was　spoken　in　the　Svirfneblin　tongue；　that　curious　blend　of　elven　melodies　and　crackling　dwarven　consonants。　Svirfneblin　words　rushed　back　to　Drizzt's　thoughts；　though　he　had　neither　heard　nor　spoken　the　language　in　more　than　twenty　years。　It　took　some　effort　for　Drizzt　to　turn　his　head　and　see　the　approaching　burrow　warden。

The　drow's　heart　skipped　a　few　beats　at　the　sight。

Belwar　had　aged　a　bit　but　still　seemed　sturdy。　He　banged　his　〃hands〃　together　when　he　realized　that　Drizzt；　his　long…ago　friend；　was　indeed　awake。

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Drizzt　was　pleased　to　see　those　hands；　works　of　metallic　art；　capping　the　gnome's　arms。　Drizzf　s　own　brother　had　cut　off　Belwar's　hands　when　Drizzt　and　Belwar　had　first　met。　There　had　been　a　battle　between　the　deep　gnomes　and　a　party　of　drow；　and；　at　first；　Drizzt　had　been　Belwar's　prisoner。　Dirtin　came　fast　to　Drizzt's　aid；　though；　and　the　positions　were　quickly　reversed。

Dinin　would　have　killed　Belwar　had　it　not　been　for　Drizzt。　But　Drizzt　wasn't　sure　how　much　his　attempt　to　save　the　svirfneblin's　life　had　been　worth；　for　Dinin　had　ordered　Belwar　crippled。　In　the　brutal　Underdark；　crippled　creatures　usually　did　not　survive　long。

When　Drizzt　had　met　Belwar　again；　when　he　had　e　into　Blingdenstone　as　a　refugee　from　Menzoberranzan；　he　had　found　that　the　svirfnebli；　so　unlike　the　drow；　had　e　to　their　wounded　friend's　aid；　Grafting　him　apropos　caps　for　his　stubby　arms。　On　the　right　arm；　the　Most　Honored　Burrow　Warden　（as　the　deep　gnomes　called　Belwar）　wore　a　mithril　hammerhead　etched　with　marvelous　runes　and　sketchings　of　powerful　creatures；　including　an　earth　elemental。　The　double…headed　pickaxe　Belwar　wore　on　his　left　arm　was　no　less　spectacular。　These　were　formidable　tools　for　digging　and　fighting；　and　more　formidable　still；　for　the　svirfneblin　shamans　had　enchanted　the　〃hands。〃　Drizzt　had　seen　Belwar　burrow　through　solid　stone　as　fast　as　a　mole　through　soft　dirt。

It　was　so　good　to　see　that　Belwar　had　continued　to　thrive；　that　Drizzt's　first　non…drow　friend；　Drizzf　s　first　true　friend；　other　than　Zak'nafein；　was　well。

〃Magga　cammara；　elf；〃　the　svirfneblin　remarked　with　a　chuckle　as　he　walked　past　the　hammock。　〃I　thought　you　would　never　wake　up！〃

Magga　cammara；　Drizzf　s　mind　echoed；　〃by　the　stones。〃　The　curious　phrase；　one　that　Drizzt　had　not　heard　in　twenty　years；　put　the　drow　at　ease；　brought　his　thoughts　cascading　back　to　the　peaceful　time　he　had　spent　as　Belwar's　guest　in　Blingdenstone。

He　came　out　of　his　personal　thoughts　and　noticed　that　the　svirfneblin　was　at　his　feet；　studying　his　posture。

〃How　do　they　feel？〃　Belwar　asked。

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Starless　Night

〃They　do　not；〃　Drizzt　replied。

The　gnome　nodded　his　hairless　head　and　brought　his　pickaxe　up　to　scratch　at　his　huge　nose。　〃You　got　nookered；〃　he　remarked。

Drizzt　did　not　reply；　obviously　not　understanding。

〃Nookered；〃　Belwar　said　again；　moving　to　a　cabi　bolted　to　the　wall。　He　hooked　the　door　with　his　pickaxe　and　swung　it　open；　then　used　both　hands　to　tentatively　grasp　some　item　inside　and　take　it　out　for　Drizzt　to　see。　〃A　newly　designed　weapon；〃　Belwar　explained。　〃Been　around　for　only　a　few　years。〃

Drizzt　thought　that　the　item　resembled　a　beaver's　tail；　with　a　short　handle　for　grasping　on　the　narrow　end　and　with　the　wide　end　curled　over　at　a　sharp　angle。　It　was　smooth　all　about；　with　the　notable　exception　of　one　serrated　edge。

〃A　nooker；〃　Belwar　said；　holding　it　up　high。　It　slipped　from　his　tentative　grasp　and　dropped　to　the　floor。

Belwar　shrugged　and　clapped　his　mithril　hands　together。　〃A　good　thing　it　is　that　I　have　my　own　weapons！〃　Belwar　banged　the　hammer　and　pickaxe　together　a　second　time。

〃Lucky　you　are；　Drizzt　Do'Urden；〃　he　went　on；　〃that　the　svirfnebli　in　battle　recognized　you　for　a　friend。〃

Drizzt　snorted；　he　didn't；　at　that　moment；　feel　very　lucky。

〃He　could　have　hit　you　with　the　sharp　edge；〃　Belwar　went　on。　〃Cut　your　backbone　in　half；　it　would　have！〃

〃My　backbone　feels　as　if　it　lias　been　cut　in　half；〃　Drizzt　remarked。

〃No；　no；〃　Belwar　said；　walking　back　to　the　bottom　of　the　hammock；　〃just　nookered。〃　The　gnome　poked　his　pickaxe　hard　against　the　bottom　of　Drizzfs　foot；　and　the　drow　winced　and　shifted。　〃See；　ing　back　already　is　the　feei…ing；〃　Belwar　declared；　and；　smiling　mischievously；　he　prodded　Drizzt　again。

〃I　will　walk　again；　Burrow　Warden；〃　the　relieved　drow　promised；　his　tone　threatening　so　that　he　could　play　along　with　the　game。

Belwar　poked　him　again。　〃A　while　will　that　be！〃　he　laughed。　〃And　soon　you　will　feel　a　tickle　as　well！〃

It　seemed　like　old　times　to　Drizzt；　it　seemed　like　the

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very　pressing　problems　that　had　burdened　his　shoulders　had　been　temporarily　lifted。　How