"David Eddings - The Legacy Of The Drow II - Starless Night" - читать интересную книгу автора (Eddings David)

тАЬI will learn what I may, тАЭ Jarlaxle answered, and he rose to leave. тАЬAnd will tell you what I learn.тАЭ
Triel understood the half truth in the sly mercenaryтАЩs words, but she had to accept his offer.
Jarlaxle was walking freely down the wide, curving avenues of Menzoberranzan a short while later, passing
by the watchful eyes and readied weapons of house guards posted on nearly every stalagmite mound, and
on the ringed balconies of many low hanging stalactites as well. The mercenary was not afraid, for his
wide brimmed hat identified him clearly to all in the city, and no house desired conflict with Bregan DтАЩaerthe.
It was the most secretive of bands, few in the city could even guess at the numbers in the group, and its
bases were tucked away in the many nooks and crannies of the wide cavern. The companyтАЩs reputation was
widespread, though, tolerated by the ruling houses, and most in the city would name Jarlaxle among the
most powerful of MenzoberranzanтАЩs males.
So comfortable was he that Jarlaxle hardly noticed the Lingering stares of the dangerous guards. His
thoughts were inward, trying to decipher the subtle messages of his meeting with Triel. The assumed plan to
conquer Mithril Hall seemed very promising. Jarlaxle had been to the dwarven stronghold, had witnessed its
defenses. Although formidable, they seemed meager against the strength of a drow army. When
Menzoberranzan conquered Mithril Hall, with Matron Baenre at the head of the force, Lloth would be
supremely pleased, and House Baenre would know its pinnacle of glory. As Triel had put it, Matron Baenre
would have her legacy. The pinnacle of power? The thought hung in JarlaxleтАЩs mind. He paused beside
Narbondel, the great pillar time clock of Menzoberranzan, a smile widening across his ebon skinned face.
тАЬPinnacle of power?тАЭ he whispered aloud.
Suddenly Jarlaxle understood TrielтАЩs trepidationтАЩs. She feared that her mother might overstep her bounds,
might be gambling an already impressive empire for the sake of yet another acquisition. Even as he
considered the notion, Jarlaxle understood a deeper significance to it all. Suppose that Matron Baenre was
successful, that
Mithril Hall was conquered and Blingdenstone after that? He mused. What enemies would then be left to
threaten the drow city, to hold together the tentative hierarchy in Menzoberranzan?
For that matter, why had Blingdenstone, a place of enemies so near Menzoberranzan, been allowed to
survive for all these centuries? Jarlaxle knew the answer. He knew that the gnomes unintentionally served
as the glue that kept MenzoberranzanтАЩs houses in line. With a common enemy so near, the drowтАЩs constant
infighting
had to be kept under control. But now Matron Baenre hinted at ungluing, expanding her empire to include
not only Mithril Hall, but the troublesome gnomes as well. Triel did not fear that the drow would be beaten;
neither did she fear any alliance with the small colony of illithids. She was afraid that her mother would
succeed, would gain her
legacy. Matron Baenre was old, ancient even by drow standards, and Triel was next in line for the house
seat. At present, that would be a comfortable place indeed, but it would become far more tentative and
dangerous if Mithril Hall and Blingdenstone were taken. The binding common enemy that kept the houses in
line would be no more, and Triel would have to worry about a tie to the surface world a long way from
Menzoberranzan, where reprisals by the allies of Mithril Hall would be inevitable. Jarlaxle understood what
Matron Baenre wanted, but now he
wondered what Lloth, backing the withered femaleтАЩs plans, had in mind. тАЬChaos, тАЭ he decided.
Menzoberranzan had been quiet for a long, long time. Some houses fought, that was inevitable. House
DoтАЩUrden and House DeVir, both ruling houses, had been obliterated, but the general structure of the city
had remained solid and unthreatened.
тАЬAh, but you are delightful, тАЭ Jarlaxle said, speaking his thoughts of Lloth aloud. He suddenly suspected that
Lloth desired a new order, a refreshing housecleaning of a city grown boring. No wonder that Triel, in line to
inherit her motherтАЩs legacy, was not amused. The bald mercenary, himself a lover of intrigue and chaos,
laughed heartily and looked to Narbondel. The clockтАЩs heat was greatly diminished, showing it to be late in
the Underdark night. Jarlaxle clicked his heels against the stone and set out for the QuтАЩellarzтАЩorl, the high
plateau on MenzoberranzanтАЩs eastern wall, the region housing the cityтАЩs most powerful house. He didnтАЩt
want