精灵血脉四部曲-第92部分

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〃The　trap　was　perfectly　set　and　perfectly　executed；〃　the　assassin　argued；　and　Jarlaxle　couldn't　really　disagree；　though　several　soldiers　were　wounded　and　four　had　died。　Such　losses　had　to　be　expected　when　dealing　with　one　as　fiery　as　Drizzt。　〃I　was　the　one　who　brought　Drizzt　down　and　captured　Catti…brie；〃　Entreri　pointedly　reminded　him。

'Therein　lies　your　error；〃　Jarlaxle　said　with　an　accusing　snicker。

Entreri　eyed　him　with　sincere　confusion。

'The　human　woman　called　Catti…brie　followed　Drizzt　down　here；　using　Guenhwyvar　and　this；〃　he　said；　holding　up　the　magical；　heart…shaped　locket。　〃She　followed　blindly；　by　all　reasoning；　through　twisting　caverns　and　terrible　mazes。　She　could　never　hope　to　retrace　her　steps。〃

〃She　will　not　likely　be　leaving；〃　Entreri　added　dryly。

〃Therein　lies　your　error；〃　Jarlaxle　repeated。　His　smile　was　wide；　and　now　Entreri　was　beginning　to　catch　on。

〃Drizzt　Do'Urden　alone　could　have　guided　you　from　the　depths　of　the　Underdark；〃　Jariaxle　told　him　plainly。　The　mercenary　tossed　the　locket　to　Entreri。　〃Feel　its　warmth；〃　he　explained；　〃the　warmth　of　the　warrior's　blood　coursing　through　the　veins　of　Drizzt　Do'Urden。　When　it　cools；　then　know　that　Drizzt　is　no　more；　and　know　that　your　sunlight　world　is　lost　to　you　forever。

〃Except　for　an　occasional　glance；　perhaps；　when　Mithril　Hall　is　taken；〃　Jarlaxle　added　with　a　sly　wink。

Entreri　resisted　the　impulse　to　leap　over　the　desk　and　murder　the　mercenary梞ostly　because　he　suspected　that　another　lever　under　that　desktop　would　open　seven　other　trap　doors　and　bring　Jarlaxle's　closest；　closest　advisors　storming　upon　him。　But　truly；　after　that　initial　moment；　the　assassin　was　more　intrigued　than　angered；　both　by　Jarlaxle's　sudden　proclamation　that　he　would　never　see　the　surface　world；　and　by　the　thought　that　Drizzt　Do'Urden　could　have　led　him　out　of　the　Underdark。　Thinking；　still　holding　the　locket；　the　assassin　started　for　the　door。

〃Did　I　mention　that　House　Horlbar　has　begun　its　inquiry　into　the　death　of　Jerlys？〃　Jarlaxle　queried　at　his　back；　stopping　the　assassin　in　midstride。　〃They　have　even

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approached　Bregan　D'aerthe；　willing　to　pay　dearly　for　information。　How　ironic；　wouldn't　you　agree？〃

Entreri　did　not　turn　about。　He　simply　walked　to　the　door　and　pushed　out　of　the　room。　It　was　more　food　for　thought。

Jarlaxle；　too；　was　thinking梩hinking　that　this　entire　episode　might　bee　more　delicious　yet。　He　thought　that　Triel　had　pointed　out　some　snares　that　Matron　Baenre；　blinded　by　her　lust　for　power；　would　never　notice。　He　thought　most　of　all　that　the　Spider　Queen；　in　her　love　of　chaos；　had　placed　him　in　a　position　to　turn　the　world　of　Menzoberranzan　upon　its　head。

Matron　Baenre　had　her　own　agenda；　and　Triel　certainly　had　hers；　and　now　Jarlaxle　was　solidifying　one　of　his　own；　for　no　better　reason　than　the　onslaught　of　furious　chaos；　from　which　the　cunning　mercenary　always　seemed　to　emerge　better　off　than　before。

The　semiconscious　Drizzt　did　not　know　how　long　the　punishment　had　gone　on。　Vendes　was　brilliant　at　her　cruel　craft；　finding　every　sensitive　area　on　the　hapless　prisoner　and　beating　it；　gouging；　it；　raking　it　with　wickedly　tipped　instruments。　She　kept　Drizzt　on　the　verge　of　unconsciousness；　never　allowing　him　to　black　out　pletely；　kept　him　feeling　the　excruciating　pain。

Then　she　left；　and　Drizzt　slumped　low　on　his　shackles；　unable　to　prehend　the　damage　the　hard…edged　rings　were　doing　to　his　wrists。　All　the　ranger　wanted　at　the　terrible　time　was　to　fall　away　from　the　world；　from　his　pained　body。　He　could　not　think　of　the　surface；　of　his　friends。　He　remembered　that　Guenhwyvar　had　been　on　the　island；　but　could　not　concentrate　enough　to　remember　the　significance　of　that。

He　was　defeated；　for　the　first　time　in　his　life；　Drizzt　wondered　if　death　would　be　preferable　to　life。

He　felt　someone　grab　roughly　at　his　hair　and　yank　his　head　back。　He　tried　to　see　through　his　blurry　and　swollen　eyes；　for　he　feared　that　wicked　Vendes　had　returned。　The

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voices　he　heard；　though；　were　male。

A　flask　came　up　against　his　lips；　and　his　head　was　yanked　hard　to　the　side；　angled　so　that　the　liquid　would　pour　down　his　throat。　Instinctively；　thinking　this　some　poison；　or　some　potion　that　would　steal　his　free　will；　Drizzt　resisted。　He　spat　out　some　of　the　liquid；　but　got　his　head　slammed　hard　against　the　wall　for　the　effort；　and　more　of　the　sour…tasting　stuff　rolled　down　his　throat。

Drizzt　felt　burning　throughout　his　body；　as　though　his　insides　were　on　fire。　In　what　he　believed　were　his　last　gasps　of　life；　he　struggled　fiercely　against　the　unyielding　chains；　then　fell　limp；　exhausted；　expecting　to　die。

The　burn　became　a　tingling；　sweet　sensation；　Drizzt　felt　stronger　suddenly；　and　his　vision　returned　as　the　swelling　began　to　subside　from　his　eyes。

The　Baenre　brothers　stood　before　him。

〃Drizzt　Do'Urden；〃　Dantrag　said　evenly。　〃I　have　waited　many　years　to　meet　you。〃

Drizzt　had　no　reply。

〃Do　you　know　me？　Of　me？〃　Dantrag　asked。

Again　Drizzt　did　not　speak；　and　this　time　his　silence　cost　him　a　slap　across　the　face。

〃Do　you　know　of　me？〃　Dantrag　asked　more　forcefully。

Drizzt　tried　hard　to　remember　the　name　Matron　Baenre　had　tagged　on　this　one。　He　knew　Berg'inyon　from　their　years　together　at　the　Academy　and　on　patrol；　but　not　this　one；　he　couldn't　remember　the　name。　He　did　understand　that　this　one's　ego　was　involved；　and　that　it　would　be　wise　to　appease　that　false　pride。　He　studied　the　male's　outfit　for　just　a　moment；　drawing　what　he　hoped　to　be　the　correct　conclusion。

〃Weapon　master　of　House　Baenre；〃　he　slurred；　blood　following　every　word　from　his　battered　mouth。　He　found　that　the　sting　of　those　wounds　was　not　so　great　now；　as　though　they　were　quickly　healing；　and　he　began　to　understand　the　nature　of　that　potion　that　had　been　forced　down　his　throat。

〃Zak'nafein　told　you；　then；　of　Dantrag；〃　the　male　reasoned；　puffing　out　his　chest　like　a　barnyard　rooster。

〃Of　course；〃　Drizzt　lied。

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〃Then　you　know　why　I　am　here。〃

〃No；〃　Drizzt　answered　honestly；　more　than　a　little　confused。

Dantrag　looked　over　his　own　shoulder；　drawing　Drizzt's　gaze　across　the　room　to　a　pile　of　equipment？Drizzf　s　equipment！梥tacked　neatly　in　a　far　corner。

〃For　many　years　I　desired　a　fight　with　Zak'nafein；〃　Dantrag　explained；　〃to　prove　that　I　was　the　better。　He　was　afraid　of　me　and　would　not　e　out　of　his　hiding　hole。〃

Drizzt　resisted　the　urge　to　scoff　openly；　Zak'nafein　had　been　afraid　of　no　one。

〃Now　I　have　you；〃　Dantrag　went　on。

'To　prove　yourself？〃　Drizzt　asked。

Dantrag　lifted　a　hand；　as　if　to　strike；　but　held　his　temper　in　check。

〃We　fight；　and　you　kill　me；　and　what　does　Matron　Baenre　say？〃　Drizzt　asked；　understanding　Dantrag's　dilemma。　He　had　been　captured　for　greater　reasons　than　to　appease　the　pride　of　an　upstart　Baenre　child。　It　all　seemed　like　such　a　game　suddenly梐　game　that　Drizzt　had　played　before。　When　his　sister　had　e　to　Mithril　Hall　and　captured　him；　part　of　her　deal　with　her　associate　was　to　let　the　man；　Artemis　Entreri；　have　his　personal　fight　with　Drizzt；　for　no　better　reason　than　to　prove　himself。

〃The　glory　of　my　victory　will　forestall　any　punishments；〃　Dantrag　replied　casually；　as　though　he　honestly　believed　the　claim。　〃And　perhaps　I　will　not　kill　you。　Perhaps　I　will　maim　you　and　drag　you　back　to　your　chains　so　that　Vendes　can　continue　her　play。　That　is　why　we　gave　you　the　potion。　You　will　be　healed；　brought　to　the　brink　of　death；　and　healed　again。　It　will　go　on　for　a　hundred　years；　if　that　is　Matron　Baenre's　will。〃

Drizzt　remembered　the　ways　of　his　dark　people　and　did　not　doubt　the　claim　for　a　minute。　He　had　heard　whispers　of　captured　nobles；　taken　in　some　of　the　many　interhouse　wars；　who　were　kept　for　centuries　as　tortured　slaves　of　the　victorious　houses。

〃Do　not　doubt　that　our　fight　will　e；　Drizzt　Do'Urden；〃　Dantrag　said。　He　put　his　face　right　up　to　Drizzf　s。　〃When　you　are　healed　and　able　to　defend　yourself。〃

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Faster　than　Drizzf　s　eyes　could　follow；　Dantrag's　hands　came　up　and　slapped　him　alternately　on　both　cheeks。　Drizzt　had　never　seen　such　speed　before　and　he　marked　it　well；　suspecting　that　he　would　one　day　witness　it　again　under　more　dangerous　circumstances。

Dantrag　spun　on　his　heels　and　walked　past　Berg'inyon；　toward　the　door。　The　younger　Baenre　merely　laughed　at　the　hanging　prisoner　and　spat　in　Drizzf　s　face　before　following　his　brother。

〃So　beautiful；〃　the　bald　mercenary　remarked；　running　his　slender　fingers　through　Catti…brie's　thick　tangle　of　auburn　hair。

Catti…brie　did　not　blink；　she　just　stared　hard　at　the　dimly　lit；　undeniably　handsome　figure。　There　was　something　different　about　this　drow；　the　perceptive　young　woman　realized。　She　did　not　think　that　he　would　force　himself　on　her。　Buried　within　Jarlaxle's　swashbuckling　facade　was　a　warped　sense　of　honor；　but　a　definite　code　noheless；　somewhat　like　that　of　Artemis　Entreri。　Entreri　had　once　held　Catti…brie　as　a　prisoner　for　many　days；　and　he　had　not　placed　a　hand　on　her　except　to　prod　her　along　the　necessary　course。

So　it　was　with　Jarlaxle；　Catti…brie　believed；　hoped。　If　the　mercenary　truly　found　her　attractive；　he　would　probably　try　to　woo　her；　court　her　attention；　at　least　for　a　while。

〃And　your　courage　cannot　be　questioned；〃　Jarlaxle　continued　in　his　unfortably　perfect　surface　dialect。　〃To　e　alone　to　Menzoberranzan！〃　The　mercenary　shook　his　head　in　disbelief　and　looked　to　Entreri；　the　only　other　person　in　the　small；　square　room。　〃Even　Artemis　Entreri　had　to　be　coaxed　here；　and　would　leave；　no　doubt；　if　he　could　find　the　way。

〃This　is　not　a　place　for　surface…dwellers；〃　Jarlaxle　remarked。　To　accentuate　his　point；　the　mercenary　jerked　his　hand　suddenly；　again　taking　the　Caf　s　Eye　circlet　from　Catti…brie's　head。　Blackness；　deeper　than　even　the　nights　in　the　lowest　of　Bruenor's　mines；　enveloped　her；　and　she　had　to　fight　hard　to　keep　a　wave　of　panic　from　overwhelming　her。

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Starless　Night

Jarlaxle　was　right　in　front　of　her。　She　could　feel　him；　feel　his　breath；　but　all　she　saw　was　his　red…glowing　eyes；　sizing　her　up　in　the　infrared　spectrum。　Across　the　room；　Entreri's　eyes　likewise　glowed；　and　Catti…brie　did　no