按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ks of knowing yourself shrewder than everybody else。〃
〃I assure you； the ores cannot prevail。〃
〃At the very least； they'll destroy some of the lovely architecture the founders sculpted from the living rock； and they'll set a defiant example for future generations of thralls。 Your scheme will harm not merely the priestesses but Menzoberranzan itself； and I disapprove of that。 It's sloppy and inept。 Only a fool mars the very treasure he's striving to acquire。〃
A sneer in its tone； Syrzan said； 〃I wouldn't have taken you for a panottriot。〃
〃Odd； isn't it？ I'll tell you something even stranger。 In my way； I'm also a devout child of Lolth。 Oh； it's never kept me from pursuing my own ends…even past the point of murdering a priestess or two…but though I strive for personal preeminence； I would never seek to topple the entire social order she established。 I certainly wouldn't conspire to place her chosen people and city under the rule of a lesser creature。〃
〃Even gods die； drow。 Perhaps Lolth is no more。 If Menzoberranzan is indeed the mortal realm she loves best； why else would she abandon you？〃
〃A test？ A punishment？ A whim？ Who can say？ But I doubt the Spider Queen is dead。 I saw her once； and I don't just mean the manifestation who visited Menzoberranzan during the Time of Troubles。 I've gazed upon the Dark Mother in the full majesty of her divinity； and I can't imagine that anything could ever lay her low。〃
〃You have looked upon the Spider Queen？〃
〃I thought you might be interested in that；〃 said the mage。 〃It wasn't long after I graduated from Sorcere； returned home to serve my mother； and sided with my sister Sabal against her twin Greyanna。 One night； a delegation of priestesses came to our stalactite castle。 Triel Baenre herself led the expedition…she was Mistress of Arach…Tinilith in those days…and she'd brought along dignitaries from Houses Xorlarrin； Agrach Dyrr； Bar…rison Del'Armgo； and other families of note。 It was a momentous occanotsion； especially for me； because all these great ladies had e to arrest me。
〃I never did find out if Greyanna instigated the affair。 It was the kind of thing she would have done； but it needn't have been her。 You'll scarcely credit it； but in those days； I was considered an insolent； uppity scapenotgrace； a far cry from the meek and modest gentleman you see before you today。 A good many clerics may have suspected me of irreverence。〃
〃This is what happened to Tsabrak；〃 Syrzan said。 〃The priestesses arnotrested him； turned him into a drider； and drove him forth。〃
〃Sometimes they mete out punishments even fouler；〃 Pharaun said； 〃but first they examine you to determine your true sentiments。 I hoped my mother would intervene。 She was one of the great Matrons of Menzoberranzan； and I'd scored a number of coups for House Mizzrym； but she never said a word。 Perhaps she believed me a traitor in the making or was reluctant to disagree with the Baenre。 Maybe she simply found my predicament amusing。 Miz'ri's like that。
〃Be that as it may； the priestesses threw me in a dungeon and put me to the question； employing whips and other toys。 Somehow I managed to resist the urge to make a spurious confession merely to stop the pain。 A fellow wizard cast a mind…reading spell； only to slap up against the denotfenses most mages erect to protect their thoughts。 I imagine an illithid would have smashed right through； but he was unequal to the challenge。〃
〃Then you passed the test？〃 Syrzan asked。
〃Alas； no；〃 Pharaun laughed。 〃The examiners deemed the results innotconclusive and accordingly asked a higher power to make the determinanottion。 The