war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第62部分

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〃Not　as　such；　but　you　know　I'm　prone　to　sudden　bursts　of　inspiration。〃
The　masters　entered　a　crowded　section　of　street　outside　of　what　was　evnotidently　a　popular　tavern；　with　a　howling；　barking　gnoll　song　shaking　the　calcite　walls。　Pharaun　had　never　had　occasion　to　walk　incognito　among　the　lower　orders。　It　felt　odd　weaving；　pausing；　and　twisting　to　avoid　bumps　and　jostles。　Had　they　known　his　true　identity；　his　fellow　pedestrinotans　would　have　scurried　out　of　his　way。
As　the　two　drow　reached　the　periphery　of　the　crowd；　Ryld　pivoted　and　struck　a　short　straight　blow　with　his　fist。　A　hunchbacked；　piebald　creanotture…the　product　of　a　mating　of　goblin　and　ore　perhaps…stumbled　backnotward　and　fell　on　his　rump。
〃Cutpurse；〃　the　warrior　explained。　〃I　hate　this　place。〃
〃No　pangs　of　nostalgia？〃
Ryld　glowered。　〃That　isn't　funny。〃
〃No？　Then　I　beg　your　pardon；〃　Pharaun　said　with　a　smirk。　〃I　wonder　why　this　precinct　always　seems　so　sordid；　even　on　those　rare　occasions　when　one　finds　oneself　alone　in　a　plaza　or　boulevard。　Well；　the　smell；　of　course。　We　don't　call　them　the　Stench　streets　for　nothing；　but　the　buildnotings；　though　generally　more　modest　than　those　encountered　elsewhere　in　the　city；　still　wear　the　same　graceful　shapes　our　ancestors　cut　from　the　living　rock。〃
The　teachers　paused　to　let　a　spider　with　legs　as　long　as　broadswords　scuttle　across　the　street。　The　Braeryn　notoriously　harbored　hordes　of　the　sacred　creatures。　Sacred　or　not；　Pharaun　reviewed　his　mental　list　of　ready　spells；　but　the　arachnid　ignored　the　disguised　dark　elves
〃That's　a　foolish　question；〃　said　Ryld。　〃Why　does　the　Braeryn　seem　foul？　The　inhabitants！〃
〃Ah；　but　did　the　living　refuse　of　our　society　generate　the　atmosphere　of　the　district；　or　did　that　malignant　spirit　exist　from　the　beginning　and　lure　the　wretched　to　its　domain？〃
〃I'm　no　metaphysician；〃　said　Ryld。　〃All　I　know　is　that　somebody　should　clear　the　scavengers　out　of　here。〃
Pharaun　chuckled。　〃What　if　said　clearing　had　occurred　when　you　were　a　tyke？〃
〃I　don't　mean　exterminate　them…except　for　the　hopeless　cases…but　why　just　let　them　squat　here　in　their　dirt　like　a　festering　chancre　on　the　city？　Why　not　find　something　useful　for　them　to　do？〃
〃Ah；　but　they're　already　useful。　Status　is　all；　is　it　not？　Does　it　not　follow；　then；　that　no　Menzoberranyr　can　find　contentment　without　someone　upon　whom　she　can　look　down。〃
〃We　have　slaves。〃
〃They　won't　do。　Predicate　your　claim　to　self…respect　on　their　existence　and　you　tacitly　acknowledge　you're　only　slightly　better　than　a　thrall　yournotself。　Happily；　here　in　the　Stench　streets；　we　find　a　populace　starving；　filthy；　penniless；　riddled　with　disease；　living　twenty　or　thirty　to　a　room；　yet　nomnotinally　free。　The　humblest　moner　in　Many　folk　or　even　Eastmyr　can　turn　up　his　nose　at　them　and　feel　smug。〃
〃You　really　think　that's　the　reason　Matron　Baenre　hasn't　ordered　the　slum　scoured　clean？〃
〃Well；　if　that　conjecture　seems　implausible；　here's　another：　Rumor　has　it　that　from　time　to　time；　someone　meets　the　goddess　herself　in　the　Braeryn。　Supposedly　she　likes　to　visit　here　in　mortal　guise。　The　matrons　may　feel　that　the　neighborhood　is；　in　some　sense；　under　her　protection。〃　The　wizard　hesitated。　〃Though　if　Lolth　has　gone　away　for　good；　perhaps　they　don't　need　to　worry　about　it　anymore。〃
Ryld　shook　his　head。　〃It's　still　so　hard　to　belie…〃
Pharaun　pointed。　〃Look。〃
Ryld　turned。
On　a　curving　wall　below　a　dark　elf's　eye　level　was　a　sketch；　this　time　smeared　in　blue。　It　consisted　of　three　overlapping　ovals；　conceivably　repnotresenting　the　links　of　a　chain。
〃It's　a　different　mark；〃　said　Ryld。　〃Hobgoblin　maybe；　though　I　couldn't　tell　you　the　tribe。〃
〃Don't　be　intentionally　dim。　It's　the　same　peculiar；　reckless；　pointless　crime。〃
〃Fair　enough；　and　it's　still　irrelevant　to　our　endeavors。〃
〃It's　a　dull　mind　that　never　transcends　pragmatics。　Two　signs；　reprenotsenting　two　races；　implying　two　specimens　of　the　lesser　races　demented　in　precisely　the　same　way？　Unlikely；　yet　why　would　a　single　artist　daub　an　emblem　not　his　own？〃
〃Coincidence？〃
〃I　doubt　it；　but　as　yet　I　can't　provide　a　better　answer。〃
〃It's　a　puzzle　for　another　day；　remember？〃
〃Indeed。〃
The　masters　walked　on。
〃Still；〃　pressed　Pharaun；　〃don't　you　wonder　how　many　scrawled　signs　we　passed　without　noticing　and　exactly　what　form　they　took？〃
Ignoring　the　question；　Ryld　pointed　and　said；　〃That's　our　destination。〃





The　house's　limestone　door　stood　open；　most　likely　for　ventilation；　for　the　interior　radiated　a　perceptible　warmth；　the　product　of　a　multitude　of　tenants　crammed　in　together。　It　also　emitted　a　muddled　drone　and　a　thick　stink　considera