war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第113部分

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〃Alas；　Exalted　Mother；〃　Faeryl　said；　〃your　daughter　can　take　no　pleasnoture　in　an　honor　she　didn't　earn。〃
Still　stroking　the　prisoner's　features　with　the　claw；　Jeggred　lifted　one　of　the　smaller　hands　that；　save　for　their　dusting　of　fine　hair；　looked　no　difnotferent　than　those　of　an　ordinary　dark　elf。　He　caught　hold　of　Faeryl's　ear　and　twisted　it；　and　she　gasped　at　the　brutal　stab　of　pain。　When　he　finally　let　go；　the　organ　kept　on　throbbing　and　ringing。　She　wondered　if　the　draenotgloth　had　inflicted　permanent　damage；　though　it　really　didn't　matter。　In　the　hours　to　e；　deafness　would　be　the　least　of　her　problems。
〃I　wish　you　wouldn't　deny　your　guilt；〃　sighed　the　dainty　little　Baenre　matriarch。　〃I　always　find　that　dull。〃
〃Even　when　it's　true？〃　Faeryl　felt　a　fresh　cut　bleeding　under　her　eye。　Apnotparently；　when　Jeggred　had　abused　her　ear；　she'd　bucked　against　his　claw。
〃Don't　be　tiresome；〃　Triel　said。　〃You　were　fleeing；　and　that　confirms　your　guilt。〃
〃All　it　confirms　is　my　certainty　that　someone　has　poisoned　your　mind　against　me；〃　Faeryl　retorted。　Jeggred　caught　hold　of　a　lock　of　her　hair　and　gave　it　a　vicious　tug。　〃My　aversion　to　being　condemned　unjustly。〃
〃Did　you　think　to　escape　by　running　back　to　Ched　Nasad？〃　Triel　asked。　〃My　word　is　law　there；　too。〃
〃How　do　you　know？〃　Faeryl　asked。
Jeggred　slapped　her　with　one　of　his　enormous　fighting　hands；　bashing　her　head　sideways。　For　a　moment；　the　shock　froze　her　mind。　When　her　senses　returned；　she　tasted　blood　in　her　mouth。
The　draegloth　crouched；　placing　his　bestial　face　directly　in　front　of　her　own；　and　growled；　〃Respect　the　chosen　of　Lolth。〃
〃I　mean　no　disrespect；〃　Faeryl　said。　〃I'm　just　saying　that　for　all　we　know；　anything　could　be　happening　in　Ched　Nasad。　Cloakers　could　have　overnotrun　the　city；　or　it　may　have　drowned　in　tides　of　lava。　I　doubt　it；　I　pray　not；　but　we　don't　know。　We　need　to　find　out；　and　that's　why　I　was　sneaking　away。　Not　to　betray　the　weakness　of　Menzoberranzan's　clergy　to　some　enemy　or　other。　Mother　of　Lusts；　it's　my　weakness　too！　To　gather　intellinotgence；　to　reestablish　munication…〃
〃I　told　you　I　have　been　in　munication　with　Ched　Nasad；〃　Triel　said。
〃To　reestablish　trustworthy　munication　。。。〃　Faeryl　persisted；　〃to　make　myself　useful　and　so　demonstrate　I'm　your　loyal　vassal；　never　a　traitor。〃
Triel　made　a　spitting　sound；　then　said；　〃My　loyal　servants　obey　me。〃
Faeryl　wanted　to　weep；　not　from　fear；　though　she　was　experiencing　plenty　of　that；　but　from　sheer　frustration。　Jeggred　ran　his　claw　along　her　carotid　artery。
〃Matron；〃　the　Zauvirr　said；　〃I　beg　you。　Let　me　confront　the　person　who　traduced　me。　Give　me　that　one　chance　to　prove　my　fidelity。　Is　it　so　hard　to　imagine　someone　telling　you　a　lie？　Don't　your　courtiers　slander　one　annotother　all　the　time　as　a　means　of　vying　for　your　favor？　Is　it　impossible　that　someone　or　something　in　Ched　Nasad　is　lying　to　you　even　now…telling　you　all　is　well　while　days；　then　tendays；　then　months　go　by　without　a　single　caravan？〃
Triel　hesitated；　and　Faeryl　felt　a　thrill　of　hope。　Then　the　ruler　of　Men…zoberranzan　said；　〃You're　the　liar；　and　it　will　do　you　no　good。　If　you　want　me　to　show　any　mercy　at　all；　tell　me　whose　creature　you　are。　The　svirfneblin？　The　aboleths？　Another　drow　city？〃
〃I　serve　only　you；　Sacred　Mother。〃
Faeryl　said　the　words　without　hope；　for　she　saw　that　she　would　never　convince　the　Baenre　of　her　innocence。　It　was　too　hard　for　Triel　to　measure　up　to　her　predecessor；　too　hard　to　rule　in　these　desperate　times；　too　hard　to　make　decisions。　She　wasn't　about　to　rethink　one　of　the　few　she'd　mannotaged　to　squeeze　out；　no　matter　how　foolish　it　was。
Jeggred　slapped　Faeryl　and　kept　on　slapping　until　she　lost　count　of　the　blows。　Finally　time　seemed　to　skip　somehow；　and　he　wasn't　hitting　her　anymore。　Why　should　he　bother？　He'd　already　battered　all　the　strength　out　of　her。　She　would　have　fallen　if　not　for　the　ropes　holding　her　up。　A　broken　tooth　had　lodged　under　her　tongue；　and　it　was　all　she　could　do　just　to　spit　it　out。
〃I　told　you；〃　the　draegloth　snarled；　〃respect　
〃I　am　respectful；〃　Faeryl　wheezed。　〃That's　why　I　give　the　truth　even　when　it　might　be　easier　to　lie。〃
Triel　peered　up　at　her　son　and　said；　〃Princess　Zauvirr　will　not　distract　you　from　your　duties。〃
Jeggred　inclined　his　head。　〃No；　Mother。〃
〃But　at　such　times　as　I　do　not　require　you；〃　the　matron　continued；　〃you　may　use　the　spy　as　you　see　fit。　If　she　tells　you　anything　of　interest；　pass　it　along；　but　the　point　of　your　efforts　is　chastisement；　not　interrogation。　I　doubt　she　has　anything　all　that　important　to　confide。　We　already　know　who　our　enemies　are。〃
〃Yes；　Mother。〃　The　half…demon　crouched