war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第24章

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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　limits　of　the　Bazaar；　where　all　traders　were　required　to　shift　their　stalls　to　a　different　spot　every　sixty…six　days。　Despite　its　lack　of　a　signboard　or　other　external　advertisenotment；　the　establishment　had　always　attracted　a　steady　trickle　of　shoppers　and　merchants；　and　when　the　two　masters　descended　the　stair　that　ran　from　street　level　to　the　limestone　door；　Pharaun　could　hear　considerably　more　sounds　of　revelry　that　usual。　There　was　laughter；　animated　conversation；　and　a　longhorn；　yarting；　and　hand…drum　trio　playing　a　lively　tune。　The　third　string　of　the　yarting　was　a　little　flat。
Ryld　knocked　with　the　brass　knocker；　whereupon　a　little　panel　slid　open　in　the　center　of　the　door。　A　pair　of　eyes　peered　out；　then　disappeared。　The　portal　swung　open。
Pharaun　grinned。　In　all　his　visits　there；　he　had　never　seen　anyone　turned　away；　and　he　suspected　the　business　with　the　peephole　was　just　an　agreenotable　bit　of　nonsense　intended　to　make　a　visit　to　the　Jewel　Box　seem　even　more　piquantly　criminal。　Perhaps　the　doorman　actually　would　attempt　to　dissuade　a　female　if　one　had　sought　admittance。
The　low…ceilinged　room　beyond　the　threshold　smelled　of　a　sweet　and　mildly　intoxicating　incense。　The　three　musicians　had　crowded　themselves　onto　a　tiny　platform　against　the　west　wall。　A　few　of　the　patrons　were　atnottending　to　the　performance；　but　most　had　elected　to　focus　on　other　pleasnotures。　At　one　table；　half　a　dozen　disheveled　fellows　tossed　back　their　liquor　simultaneously　in　what　appeared　to　be　a　drinking　contest。　Other　males　thr