war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第8部分

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〃You　all　knew　what　was　expected　of　you；'　she　said　to　the　rest　of　the　novices；　〃but　you　tried　to　sneak　home　anyway。　In　so　doing；　you　have　ofnotfered　an　affront　to　the　Academy；　to　your　own　families；　to　Menzoberranzan；　and　to　Lolth　herself！〃
〃We　just　wanted　to　go　for　a　little　while；〃　said　Halavin　Symrywin；　who　seemed　to　carry　half　of　her　insignificant　House's　paltry　wealth　in　the　form　of　the　gaudy；　gold　ornaments　hanging　about　her　person。　〃We　would　have　e　back。〃
〃Liar！〃　shouted　Quenthel；　eliciting　a　flinch。
Rearing；　the　whip　vipers　echoed　the　cry。
〃Liar！〃
〃Liar！〃
〃Liar！〃
In　other　circumstances；　Quenthel　might　have　smiled；　for　she　was　proud　of　her　weapon。　Many　priestesses　possessed　a　whip　of　fangs；　but　hers　was　something　special。　The　snakes　were　venomous　and　likewise　possessed　a　denotmonic　intelligence　and　the　power　of　speech。　It　was　the　last　magical　tool　she'd　crafted　before　everything　turned　to　dung。
〃Oh；　you　would　have　returned；〃　she　continued；　〃but　only　because　your　mothers　would　have　sent　you　back　or　else　killed　you　for　shaming　them。　They　have　sense　enough　to　cleave　to　the　sacred　traditions　of　Menzoberranzan　even　if　their　degenerate　offspring　do　not。
〃Your　mothers　wouldn't　mind　if　I　slaughtered　you；　either。　They'd　thank　me　for　wiping　clean　the　honor　of　their　Houses。　But　Lolth　desires　new　priestesses；　and；　despite　all　appearances　to　the　contrary；　it　is　remotely　posnotsible　that　one　or　two　of　you　are　worthy　to　serve。　Therefore　I　will　give　you　one　more　chance。　You　won't　die　today。　Instead　you　will　sever　a　finger　from　each　of　your　hands　and　burn　them　before　the　altar　of　the　goddess　to　beg　her　forgiveness。　I'll　ring　for　a　cleaver　and　a　chopping　block。〃
Quenthel　surveyed　their　stricken　faces；　enjoying　the　sickly；　shrinking　fear。　She　would　enjoy　watching　the　actual　mutilations　as　well。　The　most　amusing　part　might　be　when　a　novice　had　already　cut　one　hand；　and　had　to　employ　it；　throbbing　and　streaming　blood；　to　maim　the　other　。　。　。。
〃No！〃
Surprised　by　the　outburst；　Quenthel　peered　to　see　who　had　spoken。　The　mass　of　would…be　truants　obliged　her　by　dividing　in　the　center；　opening　a　lane　to　the　willowy　female　standing　in　the　back。　It　was　Drisinil　Barrison　Del'Armgo；　she　of　the　sharp　nose　and　green　eyes；　whom　Quenthel　had　from　the　first　suspected　of　instigating　the　mass　elopement。　Somehow　the　long…legged　novice　had　smuggled　a　sizable　dagger；　more　of　a　short　sword　really；　into　the　disciplinary　session。　She　held　it　ready　in　a　low　guard。
Quenthel　reacted　as　would　any　dark　elf　in　the　same　situation。　She　yearned　to　accept　the　challenge　and　kill　the　other　female；　felt　the　need　like　a　sensual　tension　pressing　for　an　explosive　release。　Either　responding　to　her　surge　of　emotion　or　else　themselves　vexed　by　Drisinil's　temerity；　the　whip　vipers　reared　and　hissed。
The　problem　was　that；　despite　Quenthel's　assertions　to　the　contrary；　the　students　were　not　altogether　devoid　of　importance。　They　were　the　raw　but　valuable　ore　sent　to　the　Academy　to　be　refined　and　hammered　into　useful　implements。　No　one　would　fret　over　a　few　amputated　pinkies；　but　the　matron　mothers　did　expect　that；　for　the　most　part；　their　children　would　survive　their　education；　an　assumption　the　idiot　Mizzrym　renegade　had　alnotready　called　into　question。　True；　Pharaun　had　only　lost　males；　but　still；　by　any　sensible　reckoning；　he　had　used　up　the　school's　quota　of　allowable　deaths　for　several　years　to　e。
At　this　juncture　it　would　be　a　poor　idea　for　Quenthel　to　kill　any　stunotdent；　certainly　a　scion　of　the　powerful　Barrison　Del'Armgo。　Quenthel　didn't　want　to　stir　up　discord　between　the　Academy　and　the　noble　Houses　when　Menzoberranzan　already　perched　on　the　brink　of　dissolution。
Besides；　she　was　a　bit　concerned　that　the　other　failed　runaways　might　take　it　into　their　heads　to　jump　into　the　fight　on　their　ringleader's　side。
Quenthel　quieted　the　vipers　with　a　thought；　fixed　Drisinil　with　her　steeliest　stare；　and　said；　〃Think。〃
〃I　have　thought；〃　Drisinil　retorted。　〃I've　thought；　why　should　we　spend　ten　years　of　our　lives　cooped　up　on　Tier　Breche　when　there's　nothing　for　us　here？〃
〃There　is　everything　for　you　here；〃　said　Quenthel；　maintaining　the　pressure　of　her　gaze。　〃This　is　where　you　learn　to　be　all　that　a　lady　of　Mennotzoberranzan　must　be。〃
〃What？　What　am　I　learning？〃
〃At　the　moment；　patience　and　submission。〃
〃That's　not　what　I　came　for。〃
〃Evidently　not。　Consider　this；　then。　All　the　priestesses　of　Menzoberrannotzan　are　currently　playing　a　game；　and　the　object　of　the　game　is　to　convince　others　that　nothing　is　amiss。　If　a　student　leaves　Arach…Tinilith　premanotturely；　as　none　has　ever　done　since　the　founding　of　the　cit