war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第21节

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is　friend's　capable　hands；　the　enchanted　weapon　could　with　a　single　swing　cleave　almost　anything　in　two。
Ryld　looked　entirely　relaxed；　but　the　wizard　knew　the　appearance　was　in　one　sense　deceptive。　The　Master　of　Melee…Magthere　was　reflexively　scrutinizing　their　surroundings　for　signs　of　danger　with　a　facility　that　even　Pharaun；　who　regarded　himself　as　considerably　more　observant　than　most；　could　never　match。
〃You　suppose；〃　Pharaun　repeated。　〃Is　that　just　your　usual　glumness　speaking；　or　do　you　find　something　lacking？〃
〃I　do；〃　said　Ryld。　He　waved　his　hand　in　a　gesture　that　took　in　the　dinotverse　throng；　the　stalls；　and　the　maze　of　paths　snaking　among　them。　〃I　think　the　Bazaar　could　use　some　order。〃
Pharaun　grinned　and　said；　〃Careful；　or　I'll　have　to　report　you　for　blasnotphemy。　It's　chaos　that　made　us；　and　made　us　what　we　are。〃
〃Right。　Chaos　is　life。　Chaos　is　creativity。　Chaos　makes　us　strong。　I　renotmember　the　creed；　but　as　a　practical　matter；　don't　you　see　that　all　this　confunotsion　could　serve　as　a　mask　for　the　city's　enemies？　They　could　use　it　to　smuggle　their　spies　and　assassins　in　and　to　smuggle　stolen　secrets　and　treasure　out。〃
〃I'm　sure　they　do。　That's　certainly　the　way　our　agents　operate　in　marnotketplaces　elsewhere　in　the　Underdark。〃
An　orc　female　came　scurrying　through　the　crowd　with　her　head　down　and　a　parchment　clutched　in　her　hand。　Perhaps　her　master　had　threatened　her　with　a　whipping　if　she　didn't　deliver　a　message　quickly。　She　tried　to　dodge　through　the　narrow　space　between　Pharaun　and　another　pedestrian；　misstepped；　and　bumped　into　the　wizard。
The　pig…faced　slave　looked　up　and　saw　that　she'd　just　jostled　an　elenotgantly　and　expensively　dressed　dark　elf。　Her　mouth　with　its　prominent　lower　canines　fell　open　in　terror。　With　a　flick　of　his　fingers；　Pharaun　bade　her　begone。　She　turned　and　ran。
〃Then　the　Council　should　control　the　Bazaar　properly；〃　said　Ryld。　〃Don't　just　send　the　occasional　patrol　marching　through　to　discourage　thievery。　License　the　merchants。　Conduct　routine　searches　of　their　pack　animals；　tents；　and　kiosks。〃
〃From　what　I　understand；〃　said　Pharaun；　〃it's　been　tried；　and　every　time　it　was；　the　Bazaar　became　less　profitable　and　wound　up　pouring　fewer　coins　into　the　coffers　of　the　matron　mothers。　I　daresay　the　same　thing　would　happen　today。　Regulation　would　also　inconvenience　all　the　Houses　who　are　themselves　running　illicit　operations　hereabouts。　I　assure　you；　a　goodly　number　of　them　do。〃
Pharaun　should　know。　Before　his　exile　from　his　own　family；　he　and　Sabal　had　played　a　substantial　role　in　House　Mizzrym's　covert　and　highly　illegal　trade　with　the　deep　gnomes；　or　svirfneblin；　arguably　the　deadliest　of　the　dark　elves'　many　foes。
〃If　you　say　so；〃　said　Ryld。　〃Not　being　a　noble；　I　wouldn't　know　about　things　like　that。〃
The　wizard　sighed。　It　was　true；　his　friend　was　about　as　humbly　born　as　a　dark　elf　could　be；　but　during　his　climb　to　his　present　eminence；　he　had　perforce　bee　fully　acquainted　with　the　ways　of　the　aristocracy。　It　was　just　that　at　odd　moments　he　took　an　obscure　satisfaction　in　pretending　to　a　peasant　like　ignorance。
〃Well；　I　rejoice　that　you　remain　so　close　to　your　roots；〃　Pharaun　said。　〃I'm　counting　on　your　familiarity　with　the　slums　to　see　me　safely　through　my　encounters　with　the　lower　orders。〃
〃I've　been　wondering　when　that's　going　to　happen。　Shouldn't　we　have　gone　to　Eastmyr　or　the　Braeryn　straightaway？〃
〃No　point　going　there　blind　if　we　can　acquire　some　intelligence　first。〃
Pharaun　supposed　that　in　fact；　they'd　better　collect　it　quickly；　but　it　was　a　pity。　He　could　have　used　some　idle　time　drifting　through　emporia　like；　for　instance；　Daelein　Shimmerdark's　Decanter　with　its　astonishing　collecnottion　of　wines；　liquors；　and；　for　those　who　knew　how　to　ask；　potions　and　poisons　from　all　over　the　world。　Perhaps　it　would　clear　his　head。
Or　maybe　it　would　only　give　him　another　enigma　to　ponder；　for　though　there　was　still　plenty　to　buy；　it　seemed　to　him　the　Bazaar　as　a　whole　was　offering　fewer　goods　than　usual。　Why　was　that？　Could　it　possibly　have　anything　to　do　with　the　runaway　males？
And　what　about　the　demon　spider　that　had　materialized　above　him　and　Ryld　on　the　plateau　and　proceeded　to　break　into　Arach…Tinilith？　Did　that　tie　in；　or　was　it　simply　a　gambit　in　one　of　Menzoberranzan's　innumerable　secret　feuds　that　had　nothing　at　all　to　do　with　his　concerns？
He　had　to　grin。　He　knew　so　little；　and　what　little　he　had　gleaned　was　scarcely　a　source　of　reassurance。
〃There　it　is；〃　said　Ryld。
〃Indeed。〃
Carved　from　a　long；　relatively　low　protrusion　of　stone；　the　Jewel　Box　sat　just　inches　beyond　what　custom　decreed　to　be　the　limit