war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第4节

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greed　on　every　matter　of　policy　from　trade　to　war　to　mining　and　had　vexed　one　another　no　end。
Gromph's　animus　intensified　still　further　when　Quenthel　became　Misnottress　of　Arach…Tinilith；　the　school　for　priestesses。　The　mistress　governed　the　entire　Academy；　Sorcere　included；　and　thus　Gromph　had　found　himnotself　obliged　to　contend　with　her…indeed；　to　suffer　her　oversight…in　this　one…time　haven　as　well。
Still；　he　might　have　endured　Quenthel's　arrogance　and　meddling　indefnotinitely；　if　not　for　their　mother's　sudden　and　unexpected　death。
Counseling　the　former　matron　mother　had　been　more　an　honor　than　a　treat。　She　generally　ignored　advice；　and　her　deputies　were　lucky　if　she　let　it　go　at　that。　Often　enough；　she　responded　to　their　suggestions　with　a　tornotrent　of　abuse。
But　Triel；　Gromph's　other　sister　and　the　new　head　of　House　Baenre；　had；　over　time；　proved　to　be　a　different　sort　of　sovereign。　Indecisive；　overnotwhelmed　by　the　responsibilities　of　her　new　office；　she　relied　heavily　on　the　opinions　of　her　siblings。
That　meant　the　Archmage；　though　a　〃mere　male；〃　could　theoretically　rule　Menzoberranzan　from　behind　the　throne；　and　at　long　last　order　all　things　to　please　himself。　But　only　if　he　disposed　of　the　matron's　other　counselor；　the　damnably　persuasive　Quenthel；　who　continued　to　oppose　him　on　virtually　every　matter。　He'd　been　contemplating　her　assassination　for　a　long　time；　until　the　present　situation　afforded　him　an　irresistible　opnotportunity。
〃You　send　me　to　my　death！〃　Beradax　protested。
〃Your　life　or　death　are　of　no　importance；〃　Gromph　replied；　〃only　my　will　matters。　Still；　you　may　survive。　Arach…Tinilith　has　changed；　as　you　know　very　well。〃
〃Even　now；　the　Academy　is　warded　by　all　the　old　enchantments。〃
〃I'll　dissolve　the　barriers　for　you。
1　won　t　go！
〃Nonsense。　You've　submitted　and　must　obey。　Stop　blathering　before　I　lose　my　patience。〃
He　hefted　the　athame；　and　Beradax　seemed　to　slump。
〃Very　well；　wizard；　send　me　and　be　damned。　I'll　kill　her　as　I　will　one　day　butcher　you。〃
〃You　can't　go　quite　yet。　For　all　your　bluster；　you're　the　lowliest　kind　of　nether　spirit；　a　grub　crawling　on　the　floor　of　Hell；　but　tonight　you'll　wear　the　form　of　a　genuine　demon；　to　make　the　proper　impression　on　the　resinotdents　of　the　temple。〃
〃No？　
Gromph　lifted　his　staff　in　both　hands　and　shouted　words　of　power。　Benotradax　howled　in　agony　as　her　mass　of　eyeballs　flowed　and　humped　into　something　quite　different。
Afterward；　Gromph　descended　to　his　office。　He　had　an　appointment　with　a　different　kind　of　agent。　





As　Pharaun　Mizzrym　and　Ryld　Argith　strolled　through　the　cool　air；　fresher　than　that　pent　up　in　Melee…Magthere；　the　latter　looked　about　Tier　Breche；　realized　he　hadn't　bothered　to　set　foot　outside　in　days；　and　rather　wondered　why；　for　the　view　was　as　spectacular　as　ever。
Tier　Breche；　home　to　the　Academy　since　that　institution's　founding；　was　a　large　cavern　where　the　labor　of　countless　spell　casters；　artisans；　and　slaves　had　turned　enormous　stalagmites　and　other　masses　of　rocks　into　three　exnottraordinary　citadels。　To　the　east　rose　pyramidal　Melee…Magthere；　where　Ryld　and　others　like　him　turned　callow　young　drow　into　warriors。　By　the　western　wall　stood　the　many…spired　tower　of　Sorcere；　where　Pharaun　and　his　colleagues　taught　wizardry；　while　to　the　north　crouched　the　largest　and　most　imposing　school　of　all；　Arach…Tinilith；　a　temple　built　in　the　eight…limbed　shape　of　a　spider。　Inside；　the　priestesses　of　Lolth；　goddess　of　arachnotnids；　chaos；　assassins；　and　the　drow　race；　trained　dark　elf　maidens　to　serve　the　deity　in　their　turn。
And　yet；　magnificent　as　was　Tier　Breche；　considered　in　the　proper　connottext；　it　was　only　a　detail　in　a　scene　of　far　greater　splendor。　The　Academy　sat　in　a　side　cavern；　a　mere　nook　opening　partway　up　the　wall　of　a　truly　prodigious　vault。　The　primary　chamber　was　two　miles　wide　and　a　thounotsand　feet　high；　and　filling　all　that　space　was　Menzoberranzan。
On　the　cavern　floor；　castles；　hewn　like　the　Academy　from　natural　pronottrusions　of　calcite；　shone　blue；　green；　and　violet　amid　the　darkness。　The　phosphorescent　mansions　served　to　delineate　the　plateau　of　Qu'ellarz'orl；　where　the　Baenre　and　those　Houses　nearly　as　powerful　made　their　homes；　the　West　Wall　district；　where　lesser　but　still　well…established　noble　families　schemed　how　to　supplant　the　dwellers　on　Qu'ellarz'orl；　and　Narbondellyn；　where　parvenus　plotted　to　replace　the　inhabitants　of　West　Wall。　Still　other　palaces；　cut　from　stalactites；　hung　from　the　lofty　ceiling。
The　nobles　of　Menzoberranzan　had　set　their　homes　glowing　to　display　their　immensity；　their　graceful　lines；　and　the　ornamentation