Alias shivered in the damp darkness of the cavern and silently wished the vengeance of Tyr and Tempus down on the heads of Akabar and Dimswart and even Winefiddle for getting her into this predicament.阿莉亚丝在洞穴阴冷潮湿的黑暗中打了个寒战，默默祈愿提尔与坦帕斯把复仇的怒火降到阿卡巴、迪姆斯沃特，甚至酒琴头上，谁叫他们害她陷入了这般困境。1
And while they were at it, thrice-damn that mysterious lizard and damn thrice more the demon-spawn who branded her!既然两位神都出手了，就把那条神秘的蜥蜴诅咒上三遍，再把给她烙下印记的魔裔多诅咒三遍！2
The mystical sigils glowed like stained glass on a murky day, illuminating Alias so that she stood out like a beacon in the pitch dark of the cold, dripping cave.那些神秘符印闪耀着光芒，宛如阴霾天色下的彩绘玻璃，将阿莉亚丝映照得通体明亮，使她在这座寒冷滴水、漆黑一片的洞穴中如灯塔般醒目。3
When she exhaled, the streams of her breath danced like small azure elementals before her eyes.她呼气时，缕缕白雾如小小的蔚蓝元素精灵，在她眼前翩然起舞。4
At the beginning of her vigil, Alias had kept the treacherous arm with its glowing brands beneath her cloak.刚开始守候时，阿莉亚丝一直把那条烙印发光、居心叵测的手臂藏在斗篷下面。5
She was waiting for the merchant-mage, Akabar, to return from scouting out the passages leading to the dragon’s lair.她正等着商人法师阿卡巴从通往龙穴的那些通道中侦察归来。6
After spending a half-hour huddled in the dark, though, it occurred to her that most dwellers of this cold, wet, limbo would be able to see the heat from her body and smell her above-world scent while she remained blind.然而，她在黑暗中蜷缩了半个小时后，忽然想到：这片阴冷潮湿的幽冥之地里，大多数生物都能看见她身上散发的热量，闻到她来自地表世界的气味，而她自己却什么也看不见。7
Dumb, dumb, dumb, she chided herself and cast aside the cloak.蠢，蠢，蠢，她暗骂自己，随即甩掉了斗篷。8
At least now she could see anything that attacked her.至少现在，无论什么东西来袭，她都能看见了。9
Where is that damned mage? she wondered for the half a hundredth time.那个该死的法师究竟在哪儿？她已经第五十次这样想了。10
Tymora!泰摩拉在上！11
He could have scouted from here to Sembia by now.这么久，他都够一路侦察到塞姆比亚了。12
How far can this cavern go?这洞穴到底能有多深？13
She knew her impatience had little to do with how long the mage was taking.她知道，自己的焦躁其实与那个法师去了多久没多大关系。14
Mostly it had to do with not liking to have to rely on anyone—especially not some greengrocer.主要还是因为她不喜欢依赖任何人——尤其不喜欢依赖一个菜贩子。15
Alias chuckled every time she remembered how, before they’d left Dimswart Manor, Akabar Bel Akash had informed her in that stiff, formal, southern way that House Akash did not sell vegetables.每当阿莉亚丝想起离开迪姆斯沃特庄园之前，阿卡巴·贝尔·阿卡什曾以南方人那种生硬刻板的正式口吻告诉她，阿卡什家族并不贩卖蔬菜，她就忍不住发笑。16
Tymora!泰摩拉在上！17
He was so naive.他可真天真。18
He didn’t even know he was a greengrocer.他甚至都不知道自己就是个菜贩子。19
“Riding a wagon along protected trading routes in a guarded merchant caravan doesn’t make you an adventurer,” she had informed him.“坐着马车，跟随有护卫的商队，沿着受保护的商路行进，可不会让你变成冒险者。”她曾这样告诉他。20
“Until you’ve hiked more than twenty miles a day, slept in a ditch, and eaten something that tried to kill you first, you’re not an adventurer.“除非你一天徒步二十多英里，睡过阴沟，还吃过某种本想先杀掉你的东西，否则你就算不上冒险者。21
Anyone who isn’t an adventurer is a greengrocer.”不是冒险者的人，统统都是菜贩子。”22
But the merchant-mage had insisted that he come along and render what assistance was in his power, and Dimswart had insisted she take him with her.但这位商人法师坚持要跟来，尽己所能提供帮助，而迪姆斯沃特也坚持要她带上他。23
What reasons the Turmishman could possibly have for helping to rescue the kidnapped bard, Alias could not imagine.阿莉亚丝怎么也想不明白，这个图米什人究竟有什么理由要帮忙营救被绑架的吟游诗人。24
She had deliberately not asked, and Akabar had not volunteered his reasons.她故意没有问，阿卡巴也没有主动说出自己的理由。25
He had them, and that was enough.他自有理由，这就够了。26
There was something about Akabar Bel Akash that annoyed her—something that wasn’t really his fault, but which she blamed him for nonetheless.阿卡巴·贝尔·阿卡什身上有某种东西令她恼火——那其实并不是他的错，可她还是怪在了他头上。27
As the three of them, Akabar, Alias, and Dragonbait, began their three-day journey into the mountains—walking because Alias still felt uncomfortable advertising her presence with horses—Akabar had insisted on telling her all about himself—about the fertile land of Turmish, about customs in the south, and about his wives.阿卡巴、阿莉亚丝和龙饵三人开始了前往山中的三日行程——他们徒步赶路，因为阿莉亚丝仍不愿骑马招摇，暴露自己的行踪——而阿卡巴则坚持把自己的一切都讲给她听：图米什的沃土、南方的风俗，还有他的妻子们。28
He had two, and they were shopping for a third co-wife, which was why he was in this savage land in the first place—to earn money for the new partner.他有两个妻子，而她们正在物色第三位共妻；他之所以来到这片蛮荒之地，原本就是为了给这位新伴侣挣钱。29
He told of his voyage across the pirate-infested Sea of Fallen Stars, the outrageous import taxes he’d had to pay on landing at Saerloon in Sembia, and his profitable detour from Hilp up to Arabel and around the Great Wood of Cormyr.他讲起自己如何横渡海盗横行的坠星海，如何在塞姆比亚的萨尔伦登陆时被迫缴纳高得离谱的进口税，又如何从希尔普绕道北上阿拉贝尔，再绕过科米尔大森林，并从中获利。30
He ended with the disastrous caravan attack by the dragon on the road from Waymoot.最后，他讲到了从路口镇出发的路上，商队遭到巨龙袭击的那场灾难。31
Alias had ground her teeth impatiently.阿莉亚丝不耐烦地咬紧了牙关。32
There had been nothing for her to say.她无话可说。33
She could not remember what she’d been doing or how she got to Cormyr.她不记得自己此前在做什么，也不记得自己是如何来到科米尔的。34
She had not even been able to answer questions about Dragonbait.就连有关龙饵的问题，她也一个都答不上来。35
The whole trip out she had remained as silent as a stone, angry that anyone had the ability to remember when she could not.出发后的整段旅途中，她始终沉默得像块石头，因为别人拥有她所没有的记忆而满心愤怒。36
The thing that Akabar described the most was the thing that distressed Alias the most—his sea voyage.阿卡巴讲得最多的，恰恰也是最令阿莉亚丝痛苦的——他的海上航程。37
He had begun by discussing Earthspur, the center of the pirate activity dreaded by sailors, its lawless organization of cutthroats, and the well-known bombards that protected it.他先从厄斯珀讲起；那里是令水手闻风丧胆的海盗活动中心，有无法无天的匪徒组织，还有保护此地、远近闻名的巨炮。38
Then, he had given her a humorous description of the fear-ridden Sembian ship captain continually scanning the horizon for the pirates who, he assured Akabar, were lying in wait for a prize such as his ship.接着，他绘声绘色地描述了那位吓破了胆的塞姆比亚船长：那人不停扫视着地平线，还信誓旦旦地告诉阿卡巴，海盗们正埋伏在那里，等着他的船这样一份大礼。39
The mage then described all the interesting creatures that made their home in the Inner Sea, followed by an essay on ship life.随后，这位法师又描述了栖息在内海的种种奇异生物，接下来还长篇大论地讲了一番船上的生活。40
Yet, despite all this talk, the period around Alias’s own sea trip remained as fog-ridden as the port of Ilipur.然而，尽管他说了这么多，阿莉亚丝自己那次海上旅程前后的时光，依旧如伊利普尔港一般笼罩在浓雾之中。41
Finally, it had occurred to the mage that the swordswoman might have adventures of her own which, though unshared, would make his tales sound dull.最后，这位法师终于想到，这名女剑士或许也有自己的冒险经历；她虽未曾说出口，却足以让他的故事显得乏味。42
Embarrassed and crushed by the weight of her silence, he had slid into an equally solemn mood.他既尴尬，又被她沉默的分量压得泄了气，也渐渐变得同样严肃起来。43
It had never occurred to him the frustration he had put her through.他从未想到，自己竟让她经受了这样的挫败与煎熬。44
As Alias stood alone in the water-carved cavern, she realized she could not pin down exactly where the borders of her memory loss were.阿莉亚丝独自站在这座由水流侵蚀而成的洞窟里，意识到自己无法确切划定记忆缺失的边界。45
Pieces of her past seemed to have dropped out.她的过去仿佛缺失了一块又一块。46
Her mind was like a swamp connecting dry land and open water.她的心智就像一片连接着陆地与开阔水面的沼泽。47
There was no exact point where murky waters swallowed her memories; islands of certain recollection spotted every time period.浑浊的水域并非从某个明确的界线开始吞没她的记忆；在每一段时期里，都散布着一些记忆清晰的小岛。48
Even worse—without the days, rides, or months of connecting space, the past seemed to belong to someone else, another Alias who stopped, gained the mystic runes, then moved on as another person entirely, bearing the same name.更糟的是，由于中间缺少了那些日子、旅程乃至数月时光的串联，过去仿佛属于另一个人——另一个阿莉亚丝；她停下脚步，得到了那些神秘符文，随后又以一个截然不同之人的身份继续前行，只是仍然用着同一个名字。49
Since she’d awakened in The Hidden Lady, she’d used the battle-skills of the old Alias, skills as finely honed as they were automatic.自从在“隐秘女士”醒来后，她一直在运用从前那个阿莉亚丝的战斗技巧，那些技巧不仅磨炼得炉火纯青，而且早已成了本能。50
Although there was some comfort in the fact that she hadn’t forgotten her craft, there was something disturbing about the way she felt when she assumed a fighting stance.她没有忘记自己的本事，这一点多少令人宽慰；然而，每当她摆出战斗架势时，自己的感受却又令她隐隐不安。51
Instincts took over.本能会接管一切。52
She didn’t have time to think and plan.她根本没有时间思考和谋划。53
Only react.只能反应。54
Like a guardian golem.就像一尊守卫魔像。55
She remembered Dimswart saying the sigils were alive the way a golem was.她记得迪姆斯沃特说过，那些符印像魔像一样是活的。56
Are the brands making me fight, like they made me try to kill Winefiddle?是这些烙印在驱使我战斗吗，就像它们驱使我企图杀死酒琴那样？57
Should I be giving them credit for my ability?我的本领难道也该归功于它们？58
She shook off this notion instantly and angrily I was a good swordswoman before I got these things, she thought, and I’ll be a good one long after I’ve gotten rid of them.她立刻恼怒地甩开了这个念头。她心想：在得到这些东西之前，我就是个出色的女剑士；等我摆脱它们很久以后，我也依然会是。59
Then the most disturbing idea of all occurred to her.随后，最令她不安的念头浮现了出来。60
Perhaps I died and was resurrected by someone who decided to take his price out of my hide.也许我死过，又被某个人复活，而他决定从我的皮肉上收取代价。61
Literally.完完全全是字面意义上的。62
Don’t those newly raised from Death’s Dominions feel uneasy and disquieted?那些刚从死亡之境被唤回的人，不都会感到忐忑不安、心神不宁吗？63
More than a few of her companions, after their first visit to the afterlife, chose to retire—to live as farmers, smiths, greengrocers.她有不少同伴在第一次造访来世之后，都选择了退隐——去当农夫、铁匠或蔬菜商。64
Speaking of which, she thought with annoyance, where is that damned mage, anyway?说到这个，她烦躁地想，那个该死的法师到底去哪儿了？65
Alias was beginning to consider retreating through the passage back to the outside.阿莉亚丝开始考虑是否该沿着通道退回外面。66
Something must have gone wrong for Akabar to take so long to return.阿卡巴这么久还没回来，一定是出了什么岔子。67
Before she’d made up her mind, the downward passageway brightened and a glowing orb floated up into her cavern.还没等她拿定主意，向下延伸的通道便亮了起来，一颗发光的球体飘进了她所在的洞窟。68
The size of a melon and radiating an orange light, the orb held the image of the merchant-mage’s head.那球体有甜瓜大小，散发着橙色光芒，里面显现出商人法师的头部影像。69
“What kept you, Turmite?” she asked with a sniff.“什么事耽搁了你，蛀虫？”她嗤了一声，问道。70
“I had to wait until the dragon bedded down,” replied the mage.“我得等到那条龙睡下，”法师回答。71
His voice was muffled by the effects of his spell, a meld of wizard eye—so he could spy out the territory from the entrance to the tunnel in relative safety—and a special phantasmal force—so he could report his findings back to Alias.他的声音受到法术影响，听起来含混不清；这道法术融合了“巫师之眼”——让他能相对安全地从隧道入口侦察周围——和一种特殊的“幻影之力”——让他能把探查结果传回给阿莉亚丝。72
“It wouldn’t do to have Her Evilness awake when you tried to sneak in.“要是你偷偷潜入时，那位邪恶陛下还醒着，可就不妙了。73
It would spoil our surprise.那会破坏我们的惊喜。74
“My spell is almost exhausted, and I must leave our mission’s completion to you, swordslady.“我的法术快耗尽了，完成任务只能靠你了，女剑士。75
Ahead of you lie a few gentle curves, no serious drops.前面有几个平缓的弯道，没有什么陡降。76
The ceiling is low about fifty yards ahead, then the passage narrows to shoulder width.大约五十码外的洞顶很低，再往前，通道会收窄到只有肩膀宽。77
It lets out on a ledge above the main cavern floor.通道尽头通往主洞窟地面上方的一处岩架。78
Our bard is in a small cage atop a dais on the far side of the cavern.”我们的吟游诗人被关在一个小笼子里，笼子放在洞窟另一头的高台上。”79
The mage’s image began blurring, as if a snowstorm had erupted within the orange sphere.法师的影像开始变得模糊，仿佛橙色球体内突然刮起了暴风雪。80
“Spell’s wearing off.“法术快失效了。81
Anything I should do with your pet?”你的宠物要我怎么处置？”82
“He’s not my pe—” Alias began, but Akabar’s spell was breaking up too quickly to waste time arguing.“他不是我的宠——”阿莉亚丝刚开口，但阿卡巴的法术消散得太快，已经没有时间浪费在争辩上了。83
“Just keep him from entering the cavern,” she ordered.“只要别让他进入洞窟就行，”她命令道。84
“And don’t get him mad at you.“还有，别惹他生你的气。85
The last spell-caster who did didn’t live long enough to regret it.”上一个这么干的施法者，连后悔都来不及就死了。”86
“Gods’ luck to you.”“愿诸神赐你好运。”87
Akabar’s voice sounded a long way off.阿卡巴的声音听起来已十分遥远。88
His image was gone, and the orange sphere was shrinking.他的影像消失了，橙色球体也在不断缩小。89
“I hope you know what you’re doing.“但愿你知道自己在做什么。90
You have fought dragons before?”你以前和龙交过手吗？”91
“This will be my first,” she answered quietly, but the sphere was gone and there was no reply from Akabar.“这会是第一次，”她轻声回答，但球体已经消失，阿卡巴也没有回应。92
I wonder if he heard me, she thought.不知道他听见没有，她心想。93
Better if he didn’t.最好没有。94
* * * * ** * * * *95
Five hundred yards behind and somewhat above her, at the cavern entrance overlooking the road from Waymoot to Suzail, Akabar the Turmishman came out of his trance.在她身后五百码、地势略高的地方，俯瞰着路口镇至苏萨尔道路的洞穴入口处，图米什人阿卡巴从出神状态中醒了过来。96
Dragonbait was still crouched at the mage’s feet, watching the cavern entrance intently.龙饵仍蹲伏在法师脚边，目不转睛地盯着洞穴入口。97
The air about them was warm, humming with large bumblebees dotting, diving, and dodging about the mountain daisies.他们周围空气温暖，大群熊蜂嗡嗡作响，在山雏菊间忽上忽下，穿梭闪避。98
Akabar sat down and leaned against a rock.阿卡巴坐下来，靠在一块岩石上。99
He made quick thanks to his southern gods that he was not the one about to face a dragon in its lair.他赶紧感谢南方的诸神，庆幸即将深入巢穴面对巨龙的人不是自己。100
He pulled an apple from his backpack and bit into it.他从背包里掏出一只苹果，咬了一口。101
Dragonbait twitched at the sound of the crunch, but the creature did not takes his eyes off the cavern mouth that had swallowed Alias.听到清脆的咔嚓声，龙饵抽动了一下，但它的目光始终没有离开那吞没了阿莉亚丝的洞口。102
* * * * ** * * * *103
Alias continued cautiously along the tunnel Akabar had scouted out for her.阿莉亚丝沿着阿卡巴为她探查过的隧道，小心翼翼地继续前行。104
The Turmish mage’s report had been reasonably accurate in so far as there were no hairpin curves and none of the drops were impassable, but the passage was not so smooth that she looked forward to a possible hasty retreat.图米什法师的描述还算准确：这里确实没有发夹般的急转弯，几处落差也没有大到无法通行；但通道绝非平坦顺畅，以至于一想到可能需要仓促撤退，她便丝毫高兴不起来。105
The low ceiling didn’t bother her, but she was a trifle alarmed at the sound her armor made scraping against the walls when the corridor narrowed.低矮的洞顶并不令她困扰，可每当通道变窄，铠甲刮擦墙壁发出的声音却让她有些心惊。106
Less frightening, but quite annoying, was having to slosh through the small, icy stream that had carved out the tunnel—something Akabar had failed to note.没那么吓人、但着实恼人的，是她不得不蹚过那条冲蚀出这条隧道的冰冷小溪——这一点阿卡巴压根儿没提。107
Too bad I can’t shrink into an orange melon and float effortlessly along this passageway, she grumbled to herself.真可惜，我不能缩成一个橙色的甜瓜，毫不费力地顺着这条通道漂过去，她在心里抱怨道。108
Still, she was grateful that they had learned of this back door.不过，她还是很庆幸他们发现了这道后门。109
With any luck, the dragon wasn’t aware of it, or at least ignored it as too small to worry about.要是运气好，巨龙并不知道它的存在，或者至少觉得它太小，不值得在意。110
A splattering noise warned her that the stream was nearing a considerable drop, and she slowed accordingly.一阵水花飞溅声提醒她，小溪正接近一处相当高的落差，于是她放慢了脚步。111
She wrapped her glowing arm back in her cloak to hide her presence from the dragon.她把发光的手臂重新裹进斗篷里，以免巨龙发现她的存在。112
She reached the end of the tunnel and stepped out onto the ledge Akabar had mentioned.她来到隧道尽头，迈上了阿卡巴提到过的那道岩架。113
The stream fell twenty feet or so into a small pool on the cavern floor.溪水从约二十英尺高处落下，注入洞穴地面上的一方小水潭。114
Excellent!太好了！115
The waterfall will cover any noise I make climbing down.我往下爬时发出的任何声响，都会被瀑布掩盖。116
Light filtered in from another, larger passage in the side of the cavern.光线从洞窟侧面另一条更宽阔的通道透了进来。117
This passage provided the dragon egress from its lair.那条通道是巨龙进出巢穴的门户。118
Holes in the domed ceiling let in more rays of light.穹顶上的孔洞又洒下了更多光束。119
At first Alias was glad of the light because it drowned out the dim glow of her sigils, and she unwrapped her arm.起初，阿莉亚丝还庆幸有这些光，因为它们盖过了她身上魔纹的微光，于是她解开了裹住手臂的斗篷。120
Then she noticed the black, cawing birds fluttering in and out of the holes in the ceiling.随后，她注意到那些呱呱叫着的黑鸟，正从穹顶的孔洞中飞进飞出。121
Crows!乌鸦！122
Nine hells!九层地狱啊！123
Alias cursed under her breath.阿莉亚丝低声咒骂道。124
Crows were bad luck—not just a sign for the superstitious, but a danger for anyone relying on stealth.乌鸦会带来厄运——这不仅是迷信之人的征兆，对任何仰仗隐匿行动的人来说，它们更是实实在在的危险。125
One of their raucous cries raised in challenge of her intrusion into their territory would be enough to wake the dead.只消其中一只发出刺耳的叫声，向闯入它们地盘的她示威，就足以把死人都吵醒。126
For the most part, the birds roosted in crannies near the ceiling, though a few circled in the thermals rising from the dragon’s body.大多数鸟都栖息在穹顶附近的缝隙里，不过也有几只乘着巨龙身体上方升腾的热气盘旋。127
Since I have no intention of approaching the dragon, there’s no reason for them to get excited, she reassured herself.我又没打算接近那条龙，它们没理由大惊小怪，她安慰自己。128
The great beast itself lay curled catlike.那头巨兽像猫一样蜷卧着。129
Alias had no doubt that the monster was a light sleeper.阿莉亚丝确信这怪物睡得很浅。130
She wouldn’t be surprised to discover brittle twigs or bells scattered across the main entrance.就算发现正门入口处散落着易折断的枯枝或铃铛，她也不会觉得意外。131
It was even possible that the dragon was capable of casting magical spell guards to wake her if anyone crossed the threshold into her treasure hold.甚至还有一种可能：这条龙能够施放魔法警戒，只要有人跨过门槛、进入她的藏宝库，就会将她唤醒。132
And what a hoard that hold held!而那座藏宝库里，竟藏着何等惊人的宝藏！133
Even by a dragon’s standards the loot was immense.即使以巨龙的标准衡量，这批战利品也多得惊人。134
It included not only chests of gold lions and other precious coins, but split bags filled with trade bars, tapestries, and bolts of satin and velvet, marble statues, and bound books.其中不仅有装满金狮币和其他珍贵钱币的箱子，还有裂开后露出贸易锭的袋子、挂毯、成匹的缎子和天鹅绒、大理石雕像，以及装订成册的书籍。135
Many of these items were still packed in the wagons that had been picked up and flown here by the monster.其中许多东西仍装在货车上，那些货车是被这怪物整个抓起、飞运到此的。136
The dragon lay between the front entrance and the mounds of shimmering wealth, but nothing blocked Alias’s access to the beast’s hoard.巨龙卧在正门入口与一堆堆闪闪发光的财富之间，但阿莉亚丝通往巨兽宝藏的路上却没有任何阻碍。137
If the treasure was enough to start the adventuress sweating with gold fever, the bones were enough to quench that fire.如果说那些财宝足以让这位女冒险者因黄金热而汗流浃背，那么那些骸骨便足以浇灭这股狂热。138
Alias could spot piles of white as large as the treasure itself.阿莉亚丝看见一堆堆白骨，其规模不亚于那些财宝。139
Most were the remains of cattle and other large beasts the dragon used for food, but more than a few human skulls gleamed among all that ivory—the remains of adventurers Alias did not intend to join.其中大多是牛和其他大型牲畜的遗骸，都是巨龙的食物；但在那一片象牙般的白色之中，也闪现着为数不少的人类头骨——那是冒险者的遗骸，而阿莉亚丝可不打算加入他们。140
Alias leaned against the rock and watched the dragon’s massive chest scales rise and fall with the deep breathing of slumber.阿莉亚丝倚着岩石，注视着巨龙硕大的胸部鳞片随着沉睡中的深沉呼吸一起一伏。141
Akabar’s description of the monster had been accurate.阿卡巴对这头怪物的描述十分准确。142
The drab rust scales that darkened to a purplish hue toward the belly confirmed that the creature was a female, and her huge size could only come with great age.那身暗淡的铁锈色鳞片越接近腹部便越呈紫色，证明这头巨龙是雌性，而她如此庞大的体形也只可能源于漫长的岁月。143
The crows danced over the beast’s hide, picking at the bugs beneath her scales.乌鸦在巨兽的皮背上蹦跳，啄食着她鳞片下面的虫子。144
Alias realized the crows were actually ravens with wingspans as wide as she was tall.阿莉亚丝意识到，那些其实是渡鸦，展开双翼后，翼幅几乎与她的身高相等。145
They only looked small, dwarfed by the size of the dragon.它们只是被巨龙庞大的身躯衬得显小。146
Alias tore her eyes away from her unwitting hostess.阿莉亚丝强迫自己把目光从这位毫不知情的女主人身上移开。147
No sense in hypnotizing myself with awe, she thought as she peered across the cavern for the bard’s cage.没必要让敬畏迷了自己的心神，她一边想，一边朝洞穴对面望去，寻找关着吟游诗人的笼子。148
She spotted it perched solidly atop an altar carved into the rock.她发现笼子稳稳地坐落在一座从岩石中雕出的祭坛顶上。149
This must have once been a temple, she decided.这里从前一定是座神庙，她断定。150
To what god?供奉的是哪位神明？151
The body in the cage lay slumped against the bars.笼中人的身体瘫靠在栏杆上。152
Tymora, Alias prayed silently, don’t let me be too late.泰摩拉，阿莉亚丝默默祈祷，千万别让我来得太迟。153
The figure rolled over, apparently in its sleep, and Alias sighed with relief.那人翻了个身，显然只是在睡觉，阿莉亚丝如释重负地舒了口气。154
She prepared to enter the lair.她做好了进入巢穴的准备。155
As quietly as possible, she secured a rope to a stalagmite on the ledge where she stood.她尽可能不发出声音，把一根绳子牢牢系在自己所站岩台上的一根石笋上。156
She kept herself facing the dragon as much as possible as she climbed down, using only her arm muscles, not daring to push against the wall to break her descent for fear of setting loose rock clattering down.她向下攀爬时尽量始终面对着巨龙，只靠双臂的力量，丝毫不敢蹬墙减缓下降的速度，唯恐踩松石块，让它们哗啦啦地滚落下去。157
A few ravens spied her and retreated to the roof, but others continued scavenging on the dragon’s hide.几只渡鸦发现了她，退到了洞顶，但其余的仍继续在巨龙身上觅食。158
Slipping warily between the piles of treasure, Alias checked the ground carefully so she didn’t accidentally crunch her foot down on a dry bone and tested her footing lightly so she didn’t slip on any loose stacks of coins.阿莉亚丝警惕地穿行于一堆堆财宝之间，仔细查看地面，以免一脚踩碎干枯的骨头；每一步也都轻轻试探，免得在松散堆叠的金币上滑倒。159
She threw off the temptation creeping over her to grab something valuable and flee.她压下了悄然袭来的诱惑，不让自己抓起什么值钱的东西就逃。160
She was here for one thing only.她来这里只为一件事。161
Once that had been secured, well … maybe on the way out she might manage a few sacks of gold.等那件事办妥以后，嗯……也许出去时，她还能设法带走几袋金币。162
She tiptoed up the stairs leading to the altar.她踮着脚走上通往祭坛的台阶。163
The cavern air was filled with the wheeze of the dragon’s breathing, the splash of the waterfall, and the occasional croak of a raven.洞窟里的空气中充斥着巨龙呼吸时的嘶嘶声、瀑布的飞溅声，以及偶尔响起的乌鸦啼叫。164
Not until she’d reached the top did Alias take her eyes from the floor and study the cage.直到登上台阶顶端，阿莉亚丝才把目光从地面移开，仔细打量起笼子。165
It was sloppily lashed but quite sturdy.笼子捆扎得很潦草，却相当结实。166
A small form lay in its center, balled up tightly in a cloak of expensive, gaudy brocade.一个小小的身影蜷缩在笼子中央，身上紧紧裹着一件昂贵而艳俗的锦缎斗篷。167
Alias spied a plait of fire-red hair fastened with a green bow.阿莉亚丝瞥见一条火红的发辫，上面系着绿色蝴蝶结。168
Damned mage.该死的法师。169
He should have checked more closely.他本该看得更仔细些。170
This is a little girl, not a bard.这是个小女孩，不是什么吟游诗人。171
I’ve risked all this for nothing.我冒了这么大的险，结果全是白费。172
Ruskettle is no doubt already residing in the dragon’s belly, to make room for this new toy.拉斯凯特尔肯定早已进了巨龙的肚子，好给这个新玩物腾地方。173
The swordswoman was so angry that she spun about, intent on leaving that very instant, but she turned back to face the cage.女剑士气得猛然转身，打算立刻离开，可她又转回来，面向笼子。174
She would rescue the prisoner anyway, not from any sentiment or human kindness, but just for the pleasure of shaking the child in Akabar’s face and proving to him what a fool he was.不管怎样，她还是要救出这个囚徒——不是出于什么同情或人性的善意，只是为了把这孩子带到阿卡巴面前，让他亲眼看看，好证明他有多蠢。175
Sliding her sword between the bars, she gently poked the cloaked bundle.她把剑伸进栅栏之间，轻轻戳了戳那团裹在斗篷里的东西。176
The brocade-wrapped form turned over rapidly, causing the cage to groan slightly where the ropes held its timbers in place.那团裹着锦缎的身影迅速翻过身来，令固定笼架的绳索处微微发出呻吟。177
The package opened to reveal not a child, but a small creature dressed in garb that made Akabar’s crimson and white robes seem conservative.那团东西舒展开来，露出的并非小孩，而是一个身材矮小的生物；她身上的服饰艳丽得让阿卡巴那身绯红与纯白的长袍都显得保守。178
A creature without footgear, but long, curly red hair on her hands and feet that matched the mop on her head.这生物脚上没穿鞋，手脚上却长着长长的红色卷毛，与她头顶那蓬乱的红发一模一样。179
A halfling!一个半身人！180
Alias whined silently.阿莉亚丝在心里哀号。181
And a female halfling at that.而且偏偏还是个女半身人。182
“Rescue at last!” cheered the halfling in a happy whisper.“终于有人来救我啦！”半身人压低声音，欢欣地说道。183
“Shh!” warned Alias.“嘘！”阿莉亚丝警告道。184
Why did it have to be a halfling?为什么偏偏是个半身人？185
How come no one mentioned Ruskettle was a halfling?怎么从来没人提过拉斯凯特尔是个半身人？186
Or even that Ruskettle was a she?甚至连拉斯凯特尔是个女的都没人说过？187
Suddenly, Alias sensed the deadly quiet.突然，阿莉亚丝察觉到四周一片死寂。188
The stream spattered on, but the dragon’s regular breathing and the crows’ occasional caws had stopped.溪水仍在哗啦流淌，但巨龙规律的呼吸声和乌鸦偶尔的啼叫声都停了。189
The halfling’s eyes widened, transfixed by something behind and above Alias.半身人瞪大了眼睛，呆呆盯着阿莉亚丝身后上方的某样东西。190
Something horrible cleared its throat with a cough like a bag of lead coins dropped off a tower.某个可怕的东西清了清嗓子，那咳声就像一袋铅币从高塔上坠落。191
With a sigh of resignation, Alias turned around slowly.阿莉亚丝无奈地叹了口气，缓缓转过身。192
“Looking for something in particular?” asked the dragon.“在找什么特别的东西吗？”巨龙问道。193
“Or are we just browsing?”“还是只是随便看看？”194
点句末的编号，从那一句开始听