Olive knelt down beside the bard’s unconscious body on the cracked stone floor of Finder’s ruined keep.奥利芙跪在芬德那座已成废墟的城堡中，开裂的石地板上躺着昏迷不醒的吟游诗人。1
She pulled a vial of healing potion from her knapsack and uncorked it.她从背包里取出一小瓶疗伤药水，拔掉了瓶塞。2
Though the draft would have no effect on the poison in Finder’s body, it would take care of his bleeding crossbow bolt wounds.虽然这剂药对芬德体内的毒素毫无作用，却能治好他被弩箭射中后不断流血的伤口。3
There was a chance it would even bring the bard to consciousness.它甚至有可能让这名吟游诗人恢复意识。4
She waved it under Finder’s nose, and he stirred slightly.她把药瓶放在芬德鼻子下晃了晃，他微微动了一下。5
She poured it past his lips and ordered him to swallow.她把药水灌进他嘴里，命令他咽下去。6
Instinctively Finder obeyed.芬德本能地照做了。7
In a few moments, he opened his eyes.过了一会儿，他睁开了眼睛。8
“I dropped my dagger,” he said.“我的匕首掉了。”他说。9
Olive laughed.奥利芙笑了起来。10
The bard was dying, and he was still fussing about a lost dagger.这名吟游诗人都快死了，居然还在为一把丢失的匕首操心。11
“I’ll buy you another for your birthday,” she said.“等你过生日，我再给你买一把。”她说。12
Finder shook his head from side to side.芬德左右摇了摇头。13
“My grandfather gave me that dagger.”“那把匕首是我祖父送给我的。”14
Olive sighed.奥利芙叹了口气。15
“Well, if you were thinking about going back to get it, forget it.“好吧，要是你还想回去拿，就别想了。16
I’ve given you a potion to slow the poison, but we’ve got to get you to a healer before the potion wears off.我已经给你喝了能延缓毒性发作的药水，但我们必须在药效消失之前带你去找治疗师。17
If we can just get you to the road, we should be able to get help from travelers.只要能到大路上，我们应该就能向过往的旅人求助。18
Do you think you can walk?”你觉得自己能走吗？”19
With Olive’s assistance, Finder rolled over and struggled to sit up.在奥利芙的帮助下，芬德翻过身，挣扎着坐了起来。20
He couldn’t use his injured hand at all.他那只受伤的手完全动不了了。21
It was the size of a small melon and streaked with red and white lines, which ran up his wrists beneath the sleeve of his shirt.那只手已经肿得像个小甜瓜，上面布满一道道红白相间的纹路，一路沿着手腕向上延伸，没入衬衫袖口之下。22
He was shaking slightly, though it was a warm afternoon.尽管午后很暖，他却仍在微微发抖。23
“I’ve got potions to neutralize poison in my workshop,” he said.“我的工作间里有能解毒的药水，”他说。24
“It would be easier to get back down there.”“回到那里会更容易些。”25
“Are you crazy?”“你疯了吗？”26
Olive shouted.奥利芙喊道。27
“The place is crawling with orcs with crossbows!“那地方到处都是拿着弩的兽人！28
You nearly died down there!”你差点死在下面！”29
“We saw only four orcs.“我们只看见了四个兽人。30
You probably blinded one with your torch, and I killed the two that grabbed you.你那支火把大概晃瞎了其中一个，我又杀了抓住你的那两个。31
If I hadn’t panicked like an idiot, I would have realized that left only one for me to handle while you took care of the other lock.要不是我像个傻瓜一样慌了神，我早该意识到，只剩一个要由我对付，而你可以去开另一把锁。32
The one that’s left will get bored soon and go back to its warren.剩下的那个很快就会觉得无聊，回它的巢穴去。33
By then, I’ll be rested, and we can try again.到那时候，我也休息好了，我们可以再试一次。34
Instead of trying to show off this time, I’ll let you take care of the locks.这次我不逞能了，锁都交给你来开。35
An expert of your caliber should be able to open them without setting off the silent alarm or catching the poison needle.”像你这种水平的高手，应该能打开它们，既不触发无声警报，也不会中毒针。”36
Olive wanted to grab the bard and give him a good shaking, but in his condition, she didn’t think he could take it.奥利芙真想揪住这个吟游诗人，好好摇晃他一顿，可看他现在这副样子，她觉得他禁不起这么折腾。37
She tried to remain calm, to reason with him.她竭力保持冷静，试着跟他讲道理。38
“First,” she argued, “orcs breed like rabbits, and where there’s four there’s forty.“首先，”她反驳道，“兽人繁殖起来跟兔子一样快，有四个的地方就会有四十个。39
And don’t forget, they still have a pal somewhere who disintegrates ceilings.而且别忘了，他们还有个能让洞顶粉碎的同伙，不知道藏在哪里。40
Suppose they set up a guard in the passage just in case we turn out to be really stupid and come back?假如他们派人在通道里守着，以防我们蠢到家了又折返回去呢？41
Secondly, I’m good with locks, but no one is perfect; there’s no guarantee I can bypass the alarm on the first lock or open the second lock fast enough in case I fail with the alarm.”其次，我是很会开锁，但没人能做到万无一失；我不敢保证自己能绕过第一把锁的警报，也不敢保证万一警报没处理好，还能及时打开第二把锁。”42
“The orcs would all rather be snug back in their warren than standing guard in a cold tunnel,” Finder argued.“那些兽人宁愿舒舒服服地待在巢穴里，也不愿站在冰冷的地道里放哨，”芬德争辩道。43
“They’ve come to rely on their alarm.“他们已经习惯依赖警报了。44
It worked this time.这次警报奏效了。45
They’ll assume it will work again.他们会认为下次照样奏效。46
They won’t set a guard.他们不会派人把守的。47
As for your talents with locks you’re too modest, Olive girl.至于你开锁的本事，你实在太谦虚了，奥利芙姑娘。48
I know you can do it.”我知道你能做到。”49
He turned his most charming grin on the halfling.他朝这个半身人露出了自己最迷人的笑容。50
Olive fought the urge to please him.奥利芙强忍住想要顺从他的冲动。51
“Finder, I don’t want to stay here,” she insisted.“芬德，我不想待在这里，”她坚持道。52
“I want to get to the road before dark.”“我想在天黑前赶到大路上。”53
Finder glared at Olive.芬德瞪着奥利芙。54
“All right.“好吧。55
Go,” the bard said coldly.走吧。”吟游诗人冷冷地说道。56
Olive looked at him with astonishment.奥利芙惊讶地望着他。57
She couldn’t believe he’d send her away.她不敢相信他竟会让她独自离开。58
“Finder, I’m not leaving you.“芬德，我不会丢下你的。59
You can’t stay here.你不能留在这里。60
You have to try to get to the road with me.”你必须和我一起设法赶到大路上。”61
Finder’s chill expression thawed, and a rueful expression crossed his face.芬德冰冷的神情缓和下来，脸上掠过一丝无奈。62
He reached out with his uninjured hand and pushed a stray strand of the halfling’s hair out of her eyes.他伸出没有受伤的那只手，将垂落在半身人眼前的一绺头发拨到一旁。63
“Olive,” he said softly, “I don’t want to die by the side of a road waiting for rescue.“奥利芙，”他轻声说，“我不想躺在路边等人来救，最后死在那里。64
This place is my home.这里是我的家。65
I’d rather be here when that potion wears off.”等那瓶药水失效时，我宁愿待在这里。”66
“You aren’t going to die waiting beside a road,” Olive snapped angrily.“你才不会在路边等死呢，”奥利芙气恼地厉声说道。67
“There are plenty of grain caravans and adventuring parties and soldiers traveling on the road this time of year.每年这个时候，路上都有许多运粮商队、冒险小队和士兵来往。68
Most of them travel with healers, or at least with potions.”他们大多带着治疗师，至少也会带些药水。”69
“It’s half a day’s walk to the road, Olive.“走到大路要半天呢，奥利芙。70
I’d never make it.我根本撑不到那里。71
I’m too weak.我太虚弱了。72
You’d better go now, in case there are any orcs searching aboveground.”你最好现在就走，免得有兽人正在地面上搜寻。”73
Olive dug her fingernails into her palms, trying to keep from screaming—or crying.奥利芙的指甲深深掐进掌心，竭力忍住不尖叫——也不哭出来。74
“Oh, sweet Selune!” she said.“哦，仁慈的塞露恩啊！”她说道。75
“You have to try, Finder!”“你必须试一试，芬德！”76
Finder chuckled dryly.芬德干巴巴地笑了几声。77
“You sound like my mother,” he said.“你说话真像我母亲，”他说。78
“She used to say that all the time—‘sweet Selune.’ ”“她从前总把这句话挂在嘴边——‘仁慈的塞露恩啊。’”79
Olive started.奥利芙吃了一惊。80
Invoking the goddess of the moon was a habit she’d picked up from her stay with Giogi and Cat Wyvernspur.向月亮女神祈告，是她与乔吉和凯特·飞龙刺相处期间养成的习惯。81
She’d never be able to face the young man or his wife if she had to tell them she’d let their ancestor die out in the middle of nowhere.要是她不得不告诉那个年轻人和他的妻子，说自己任由他们的祖先死在了荒郊野外，她就再也没脸见他们了。82
She’d never be able to face herself, either.她也再没脸面对自己。83
Olive gave a deep sigh, unable to understand how she managed to get into these predicaments.奥利芙深深叹了口气，怎么也想不明白自己为何总会陷入这种困境。84
“I guess I’ll have to go down to your workshop, then,” she said with a false cheery tone.“看来我只好下到你的工坊里去了，”她强装轻快地说道。85
“Good.“好。86
Let’s go,” the bard said, trying to rise to his feet.我们走吧，”吟游诗人说着，试图站起身来。87
“Oh, no, you don’t!”“哦，不行，你休想！”88
Olive exclaimed, holding him down with her hands on his shoulders.奥利芙惊叫道，双手按住他的肩膀，把他压了回去。89
“I’m going alone.“我一个人去。90
You’ll only slow me down.你只会拖慢我的速度。91
Give me the key to your workshop and tell me where to find the potions we need.”把你工坊的钥匙给我，再告诉我去哪里找我们需要的药水。”92
“There is no key.“没有钥匙。93
Music unlocks the door to the workshop,” Finder said.音乐能打开工坊的门，”芬德说道。94
“Like the finder’s stone,” Olive guessed.“就像芬德之石一样，”奥利芙猜道。95
“What note?” she asked.“哪个音符？”她问。96
“It’s more complicated than that.“事情比那复杂得多。97
It takes a phrase from a song.”它取自一首歌中的一句。”98
Finder sang out an allegro melody Olive had never heard before: “ ‘When Lady Luck lies with Grim Justice,/ The soaring stars will be man’s auspice.’ ”芬德唱出一段奥利芙从未听过的快板旋律：“‘当幸运女神与严酷正义同床，／高悬的群星将为人类呈现吉兆。’”99
“Now, that’s right pretty,” Olive said.“这可真好听，”奥利芙说。100
“You never sang that one before.”“你以前从没唱过这首。”101
“It’s not finished,” Finder said.“还没写完呢，”芬德说。102
“When did you start it?”“你什么时候开始写的？”103
“Before I finished building Flattery,” the bard said.“在我造好弗拉特里之前，”吟游诗人说。104
“Now sing it back,” he ordered the halfling.“现在你照着唱一遍。”他命令半身人。105
Olive obeyed.奥利芙照办了。106
“Lower it an octave,” Finder ordered.“降一个八度，”芬德命令道。107
“Finder, I’m too small.“芬德，我个子太小了。108
My voice doesn’t go down that low.”我的声音低不到那么低。”109
“Yes, it does.“可以的。110
Do it.”照做。”111
“Whose voice is it, anyway?”“这到底是谁的嗓子？”112
Olive squeaked.奥利芙尖声问道。113
“I trained it.“是我训练出来的。114
It’s mine,” the bard replied.所以归我，”吟游诗人答道。115
Olive laughed.奥利芙笑了。116
“You’ve got to get this possessive streak under control,” she said.“你得管管自己这爱占有的毛病了，”她说。117
“Olive, you have a fine voice.“奥利芙，你有一副好嗓子。118
You can’t afford to waste it by constantly saying ‘I can’t, I can’t.’ Now try, for me, please.”你不能老说‘我不行，我不行’，白白糟蹋了它。现在就当是为了我，请你试试吧。”119
Olive flushed deeply.奥利芙的脸一下子涨得通红。120
She forced her voice down to the first note.她勉强把声音压低到第一个音。121
“Good,” Finder said.“很好。”芬德说。122
“Now the words.”“现在加上歌词。”123
“ ‘When Lady Luck lies with Grim Justice—’ ”“‘当幸运女神与严酷正义同床——’”124
“Two notes in ‘Grim,’ ” the bard corrected.“‘严酷正义’这里要唱两个音。”吟游诗人纠正道。125
“G to F-sharp.”“从G到升F。”126
Olive sang the the line over.奥利芙把这一句重新唱了一遍。127
“Good.“很好。128
Now both lines.”现在把两句连起来唱。”129
“ ‘When Lady Luck lies with Grim Justice,/The soaring stars will be man’s auspice,’ ” the halfling sang.“‘当幸运女神与严酷正义同床，/翱翔的群星将是人类的吉兆。’”半身人唱道。130
“Again.”“再来一遍。”131
Olive repeated the phrase three more times before Finder seemed satisfied.奥利芙又把这段唱了三遍，芬德才似乎满意了。132
He smiled and wrapped a curl of her hair around his finger.他微笑着，把她的一绺卷发绕在手指上。133
“I might make a bard out of you yet,” he said, tugging playfully at the strand of hair.“说不定我还真能把你培养成吟游诗人。”他说着，顽皮地扯了扯那绺头发。134
“I’d settle for not ending up a corpse,” Olive cracked.“只要最后别变成一具尸体，我就知足了。”奥利芙打趣道。135
“Never settle for anything, Olive girl.“永远别满足于任何事，奥利芙丫头。136
You’re too good for that,” the bard insisted, releasing her hair.你可远不止这点出息。”吟游诗人坚持道，同时松开了她的头发。137
The compliment was lost on the halfling, who had begun to notice a forced sound to the bard’s cheery tone.半身人并没有把这句赞美听进去，因为她已经开始察觉，吟游诗人欢快的语气有些勉强。138
She could hear him wheezing, and he had to use his good hand to shift the injured one.她能听见他呼哧呼哧地喘气，而且他还得用完好的那只手挪动受伤的手。139
Olive pulled out one of her light cotton tunics from her sack, bunched it up, and poured what was left of her whiskey on it.奥利芙从袋子里取出一件薄棉布短上衣，揉成一团，把剩下的威士忌全倒在了上面。140
She reached over and wrapped the wet cloth around the bard’s swollen hand, then handed Finder her water jar.她探身过去，用湿布裹住吟游诗人肿胀的手，然后把水罐递给芬德。141
“When the bandage gets warm, pour some more water on it,” she instructed.“绷带变热了，就再往上面倒些水。”她叮嘱道。142
“Try drinking the water, too.“也试着喝点水。143
It might help.”也许会有帮助。”144
Finder nodded.芬德点了点头。145
He struggled to take a deep breath before he said, “You’ll find the potions in the mahogany wardrobe.他挣扎着深吸了一口气，才说道：“药剂都在红木衣柜里。146
They’ll be alphabetized.它们是按字母顺序排列的。147
Look for the one labeled ‘neutralize poison.’找那瓶标签上写着‘中和毒素’的。148
Also, bring the spellbook on the marble-topped desk and the sack of gems in the hidden compartment under the worktable bench.”另外，把大理石桌面的书桌上的法术书，还有工作台长凳下暗格里的那袋宝石也带来。”149
The bard drew in another wheezy breath before continuing.吟游诗人又呼哧呼哧地吸了一口气，才继续说道。150
“The door will lock behind you when you close it.“门关上后会自动锁住。151
You only need the music key from the tunnel side.从隧道这一侧开门时，你只需要那把音乐钥匙。152
You can unlock it from the workshop side by tracing your finger over the treble cleft carved into the doorframe.”从作坊那一侧，只要用手指描过门框上刻着的高音谱号，就能把门打开。”153
Olive nodded.奥利芙点了点头。154
“You’d better take this,” the bard said, twisting one of the plain gold rings on his injured hand.“你最好带上这个。”吟游诗人一边说，一边转动受伤那只手上的一枚素面金戒指。155
“It’s a ring of protection.”“这是枚防护戒指。”156
“You’ll never get that off,” Olive said, flinching instinctively.“你绝对摘不下来的。”奥利芙本能地畏缩了一下，说道。157
“Better forget it.”“还是算了吧。”158
“No,” Finder replied.“不。”芬德答道。159
He hummed a high B-flat, and the ring expanded until he could pull it off his swollen finger.他哼出一个高音降B，戒指随即变大，直到他能把它从肿胀的手指上摘下来。160
He slipped it on Olive’s tiny fifth finger, and the ring shrank magically until it fit snugly.他把戒指套在奥利芙纤细的小指上，戒指又神奇地缩小，直到严丝合缝地贴住她的手指。161
“I’ll be back soon,” Olive promised, rising to her feet and shouldering her backpack.“我很快就回来。”奥利芙保证道，一边站起身，把背包甩到肩上。162
Finder nodded, too tired to reply.芬德点了点头，累得无力回答。163
Olive drew the bolt, opened the door to the underground tunnels, and crept down the staircase.奥利芙拉开门闩，打开通往地下隧道的门，蹑手蹑脚地走下楼梯。164
When she reached the first cave-in, she pulled a flint and a fresh torch out of her sack, but she debated mentally with herself before lighting the torch.走到第一处塌方时，她从袋子里掏出一块燧石和一支新火把，却在点燃火把前暗自犹豫了一番。165
She couldn’t hide in the shadows if she carried a torch, but a torch would at least keep her from bumping into any orcs in the dark.带着火把，她就没法藏身于阴影中；但火把至少能防止她在黑暗里一头撞上什么兽人。166
If only she could see in the dark like the orcs could.要是她也能像兽人一样在黑暗中视物就好了。167
“Why did I just inherit Grandmother Rose’s singing voice?“为什么我只继承了罗斯祖母的歌喉？168
Why couldn’t I get her nightvision, too?” she muttered.为什么连她的夜视能力也没一起继承呢？”她嘟囔道。169
With several strikes of the flint, she had the torch blazing.她用燧石打了几下，火把便熊熊燃烧起来。170
She began crawling through the first cave-in tunnel.她开始爬过第一处塌方形成的隧道。171
It was more difficult crawling with a torch in one hand, and the knowledge that she was crawling toward orcs didn’t compel her to move any faster.一只手举着火把，爬起来更加困难，而一想到自己正朝兽人爬去，她就更快不起来了。172
She tried concentrating on how heroic the deed would sound when she told it later, but she couldn’t help thinking that the entire ugly situation could have been avoided.她试着去想，等以后讲起这件事时，自己的壮举听起来会多么英勇，可她还是忍不住觉得，这整个糟糕的局面原本是可以避免的。173
It was all Finder’s fault.这全是芬德的错。174
“If you’d left the tower when I asked, we wouldn’t have lost the finder’s stone to Kyre,” she muttered as she crawled.“要是我叫你离开高塔时你肯听，我们就不会把寻物石丢给凯尔了。”她一边爬一边嘟囔。175
“If you’d only accepted Giogi’s offer to stay in Immersea, we wouldn’t have had to dig and crawl through dirt for four hours like moles.“要是你肯接受乔吉的提议，留在伊默海，我们就不用像鼹鼠一样，在泥土里挖挖爬爬整整四个小时。176
And if you hadn’t been such a show-off with the locks, we wouldn’t have been discovered by the orcs, we’d have probably made it into your lab, I wouldn’t be covered with orc blood, and you wouldn’t be dying from a poison needle trap.”还有，要不是你开锁时那么爱卖弄，我们就不会被兽人发现；我们大概早就进了你的实验室，我不会浑身沾满兽人的血，你也不会因为中了毒针陷阱而奄奄一息。”177
Olive reached the other side of the first cave-in tunnel and slid down to the floor.奥利芙爬出第一处塌方隧道的另一端，滑落到地面上。178
She sighed.她叹了口气。179
She’d gotten what she had to say out of her system.该说的话都说出来后，她心里痛快多了。180
It hardly mattered that she hadn’t said it to Finder’s face.这些话没有当着芬德的面说，几乎也无关紧要。181
It wasn’t as if he would pay any attention to her anyway.反正他本来也不会把她的话听进去。182
She padded silently down the stone passageways.她悄无声息地沿着石砌通道向前走去。183
After wriggling through the second cave-in tunnel, Olive proceeded more cautiously toward the third and last cave-in.扭动着身子爬过第二处塌方隧道后，奥利芙更加小心地朝第三处、也是最后一处塌方走去。184
She considered putting her torch out before going through it.她考虑着，是否该在钻进去之前把火把熄灭。185
No, she thought, it’s better to see what I’m afraid of than to be afraid of what I don’t see.不，她心想，与其害怕看不见的东西，不如看清自己怕的是什么。186
She crawled up the mound of dirt and stone and into the tiny tunnel.她爬上土石堆，钻进那条狭窄的小隧道。187
About halfway through, where Finder had collapsed the first time they had come through, Olive found the bard’s dagger.大约爬到一半，也就是他们第一次经过这里时芬德倒下的地方，奥利芙发现了那位吟游诗人的匕首。188
As she slipped it into her pack, she imagined how she might wrap it and give it to him as a birthday present.她把匕首塞进背包时，想象着自己可以怎样把它包起来，当作生日礼物送给他。189
You’ll have to get out of here alive with a neutralize poison potion first, she chided herself, or Finder may not make it to his next birthday.她暗自责备自己：你得先带着一瓶解毒药剂活着离开这里，否则芬德恐怕活不到下一个生日。190
She emerged through the other side of the tunnel.她从隧道另一端钻了出来。191
She paused several minutes, peering into the darkness beyond the iron gate, looking for the telltale red gleam of orc eyes.她停了好几分钟，凝视着铁栅门外的黑暗，搜寻着兽人眼中那暴露行踪的红光。192
When her head began to hurt from the strain of not blinking, Olive decided it was time to get going.由于强忍着不眨眼，奥利芙的脑袋开始发疼，她便决定该动身了。193
She slid as quietly as possible down the pile of dirt and padded up to the iron gate.她尽可能悄无声息地滑下土堆，轻手轻脚地走到铁栅门前。194
Without touching the gate or the lock, the halfling examined them for several minutes before she discovered a string between the gate and a hole in the wall nearby.半身人没有碰铁门或门锁，只是仔细检查了好几分钟，终于发现铁门与附近墙上的一个洞之间连着一根细绳。195
Olive presumed that the string went all the way to the orc warren, where it triggered some sort of silent alarm.奥利芙猜想，那根绳子一路通往兽人的巢穴，会在那里触发某种无声警报。196
At any rate, the string was very well concealed.不管怎样，这根绳子藏得十分隐蔽。197
If she hadn’t been certain that it was there, she might not have looked hard enough to find it.要不是她确信它就在那里，或许根本不会仔细搜寻到足以发现它的地步。198
She checked for a second string, but didn’t find one.她又检查了一番，看有没有第二根绳子，但什么也没找到。199
Apparently the orcs weren’t as paranoid as she was.看来那些兽人并不像她这么多疑。200
Fortunately the alarm string was near the floor, so she could work on it comfortably.幸好警报绳贴近地面，她可以舒舒服服地动手处理。201
She wedged her torch in the grate, put her pack down, and pulled out the equipment she would need.她把火把卡在铁栅栏上，放下背包，取出需要的工具。202
She used a bit of putty to hold the string taut against the bottom bar of the iron grate.她用一点油灰把绳子绷紧，固定在铁栅栏最下方的横杆上。203
With a pair of scissors, she clipped the string where it was connected to the door.她拿剪刀剪断了绳子与门连接的地方。204
It took her only a few seconds to unlock the door.她只花了几秒钟就打开了门锁。205
Then she spritzed the hinges of the gate with oil and pushed the gate open a foot.接着，她往铁门的铰链上喷了点油，把门推开一英尺宽。206
“So far, so good,” she whispered, picking up her torch and pack and slipping through the gap.“到目前为止，一切顺利。”她低声说道，拿起火把和背包，从缝隙中溜了过去。207
She pushed the gate nearly, but not quite, closed.她把铁门推回去，几乎合上，却又没有完全关严。208
Then she tiptoed down the corridor.随后，她踮着脚尖沿走廊走去。209
When she reached the gap in the wall that led to the tunnel the orcs had come from, Olive dashed across the open space, then pressed herself against the wall on the other side and waited a minute.走到墙上那道通往兽人来路隧道的缺口时，奥利芙飞快地穿过空旷地带，紧贴在另一侧的墙边，等了一分钟。210
She listened carefully, but she heard neither voices nor footfalls.她仔细倾听，却既没有听见说话声，也没有听见脚步声。211
Finder must have been right about the orcs relying on their alarm, she thought as she crept down to the second iron grate.看来芬德说得没错，那些兽人的确依赖警报，她一边想着，一边蹑手蹑脚地走向第二道铁栅栏。212
The second lock was a masterful piece of workmanship, of fairly recent design.第二把锁工艺精湛，式样也相当新。213
It definitely was not the kind she’d expect to see in an orc warren.这种锁绝不是她料想会在兽人巢穴里见到的东西。214
The orcs’ friend who possessed the disintegrate spell must have installed it, Olive decided.奥利芙断定，一定是那个会施展解离术的兽人朋友安装了它。215
After setting her pack down again and disengaging the alarm, the halfling examined the other mechanisms with more care.她再次放下背包，解除警报，然后更加仔细地检查起其余的机关。216
The needle trap was especially nasty.毒针机关尤其阴狠。217
It refilled and retriggered itself automatically.它会自动补充毒液并重新触发。218
Olive pulled out an especially long pick.奥利芙取出一根特别长的开锁针。219
Holding it awkwardly from a position above the lock, with her hand safely out of the way, she twisted it in the keyhole and watched the trap spring.她从锁的上方别扭地握着开锁针，确保手不会被扎到，然后在钥匙孔里一拧，看着机关猛然弹起。220
It was a very long, very sharp needle.那是一根很长、很锋利的针。221
Olive sprang it several more times, but the reserve of poison didn’t show any signs of running low.奥利芙又触发了好几次机关，可储存的毒液丝毫没有见底的迹象。222
Judging from its effect on Finder, Olive suspected it was too potent a poison to risk receiving even a trace dose.从毒针对芬德造成的影响来看，奥利芙怀疑这种毒药效力太强，哪怕沾上一丁点也不能冒险。223
Olive turned and looked behind her, just to be sure there weren’t any orcs watching her work.奥利芙转过身去看了看背后，以防有兽人正在窥视她干活。224
Assured that she was still alone in the hallway, she wedged her torch in the iron grate and turned her attention back to the trap.确认走廊里依旧只有自己后，她把火把卡在铁栅栏上，又将注意力转回机关。225
She drew out Finder’s dagger.她拔出了芬德的匕首。226
It was heavy, just right for bending needles.匕首沉甸甸的，拿来折弯针正合适。227
It took her three tries, but she managed to bring the blade down on the needle after it sprang out and before it retracted.她试了三次，终于在针弹出后、缩回去前挥下刀刃，砸中了它。228
It bent, but the force of the spring connected to it pulled it back into the mechanism.针弯了，可与它相连的弹簧又用力把它拽回了机关里。229
Once inside the retriggering box, however, the needle was jammed tight and couldn’t spring out again.不过，针一旦回到自动复位的机关盒里，就牢牢卡住，再也弹不出来了。230
Olive sniffed once with pride, then spat on Finder’s blade a few times and wiped it off on her cloak so as not to risk leaving any poison on it.奥利芙得意地哼了一声，随后朝芬德的刀刃上啐了几口，又在自己的斗篷上把它擦干净，免得上面残留任何毒药。231
After checking over her shoulder once again for any stray orcs, she began work on the lock.她再次回头查看，确认没有游荡的兽人后，便开始对付那把锁。232
It was a heavy one, and she broke two wire picks in it.这把锁很难撬，她在里面折断了两根金属丝开锁针。233
She wondered momentarily whether it had been welded shut.她一度怀疑这把锁是不是已经被焊死了。234
She began to examine miscellaneous keys from her key collection.她开始逐一查看自己收藏的各式钥匙。235
When she thought she had a near match, she wriggled both it and another wire about in the hole.找到一把她认为差不多能匹配的钥匙后，她把钥匙和另一根金属丝一起伸进锁孔里来回扭动。236
She tried to put Finder’s poisoned hand out of her mind.她竭力不去想芬德那只中了毒的手。237
She couldn’t allow anything to distract her.她不能让任何事分散自己的注意力。238
Olive had no idea how long she’d been fiddling with the gate, but when the lock finally gave way, her torch was burnt to a nub.奥利芙不知道自己摆弄这扇门摆弄了多久，但当锁终于打开时，她的火把已经烧得只剩下一小截。239
When she pushed on the gate, the burning stick fell to the ground.她推开铁门时，那根燃烧的木棍掉到了地上。240
The flame immediately went out, leaving only glowing cinders at her feet.火焰立刻熄灭，只在她脚边留下几块发亮的余烬。241
The halfling picked up her pack and pushed the door open farther, not bothering to oil the hinges.半身人捡起背包，把门推得更开，根本没费心给铰链上油。242
They didn’t squeak, suggesting that the door was probably used often.铰链并没有吱呀作响，看来这扇门大概经常有人使用。243
Olive tried to put that idea out of her mind.奥利芙努力不去想这意味着什么。244
If the only key was Finder’s unfinished melody, there wasn’t an orc in the world who could open the door.如果唯一的钥匙就是芬德那段未完成的旋律，那么世上没有哪个兽人能打开这扇门。245
She’d heard orcs singing several times, and she had been anything but impressed.她听兽人唱过好几次歌，实在不敢恭维。246
Olive ran her hand along the polished steel door.奥利芙用手抚过光滑的钢门。247
There was no handle or lock.门上既没有把手，也没有锁。248
“Listen up, door,” she whispered.“门啊，听好了。”她低声说道。249
She sang the lyrics to the melody Finder had taught her as softly as she could.她尽可能轻柔地唱出芬德教给她的那段旋律的歌词。250
Something in the door made a clicking noise.门里有什么东西咔哒响了一声。251
Olive pushed on the door gently, and it swung open.奥利芙轻轻一推，门便打开了。252
Bright light flooded into the corridor from the workshop within.明亮的光线从里面的工坊涌入走廊。253
Olive slipped into the room and pushed the door closed behind her.奥利芙溜进房间，将身后的门推上。254
It clicked again.门又咔哒响了一声。255
She was locked safely inside.她安全地锁在了里面。256
The halfling sighed with relief and leaned back against the door.半身人如释重负地叹了口气，背靠在门上。257
“Hello, Father,” a voice said from inside the workshop.“你好啊，父亲。”工坊里传来一个声音。258
Olive stood bolt upright.奥利芙猛地站直了身子。259
A figure stood before her, dressed in black robes.一个身穿黑袍的人影站在她面前。260
He looked just like Finder, only younger, when he was in his prime.他看上去和芬德一模一样，只是更年轻，仿佛正值盛年时的芬德。261
When he said the word “Father,” his voice dripped with sarcasm.他说出“父亲”这个词时，语气里满是讥讽。262
“Flattery!”“弗拉特里！”263
Olive gasped.奥利芙倒吸了一口气。264
“But—but you’re dead!“可——可你已经死了！265
Giogi killed you!”乔吉杀了你！”266
“I’ve been hoping you would escape the Harpers’ prison someday and return here,” Flattery said.“我一直盼着有朝一日你能逃出竖琴手同盟的监牢，回到这里来，”弗拉特里说道。267
Since Flattery seemed unaware that she was not Finder, Olive realized she was seeing only a magical image of the evil mage, a message Flattery had left behind for Finder.弗拉特里似乎没有察觉她并非芬德，奥利芙因此意识到，自己看到的只是这个邪恶法师的魔法影像，是弗拉特里留给芬德的一段口信。268
Flattery had assumed his creator would be the only other person who could open the workshop door.弗拉特里认定，除了他的创造者，再没有别人能打开工坊的门。269
“After the weeks you spent trying to force me to sing your songs,” the image of Flattery said, “I hope you’ll be pleased to learn that I finally broke down and sang the key to the workshop door.“你花了好几个星期，想逼我唱你的歌，”弗拉特里的影像说道，“得知我最后终于屈服，唱出了开启工坊大门的调子，希望你会感到满意。270
Naturally I did not sing it to please you.当然，我唱它并不是为了讨你欢心。271
When you struck me that first time, only three days after I was ‘born,’ I realized there was no pleasing you.我‘出生’才三天，你第一次打我的时候，我就明白了，无论如何也不可能让你满意。272
Even if my new voice hadn’t been weak and immature, even if it had been identical to yours, you would have found something else to criticize me for.即使我的新嗓音并不虚弱稚嫩，即使它和你的嗓音一模一样，你也会找到别的由头来指责我。273
Knowing that enabled me to endure your violent threats and your pitiful apologies.”明白这一点，让我得以忍受你那些暴戾的威胁和可怜巴巴的道歉。”274
Olive clenched her fists, digging her nails into her palms, trying to deny the truth behind Flattery’s evaluation of Finder.奥利芙攥紧双拳，指甲深深掐进掌心，竭力否认弗拉特里对芬德的评判中所包含的真相。275
“It is now three years since my escape from this place, this hell hole you chose as my nursery,” Flattery’s image explained, indicating the workshop with a wave of his hand.“我逃离这里已经三年了——这里，这个被你选作我育婴室的地狱，”弗拉特里的影像解释道，同时挥手示意这间工坊。276
“The Harpers have destroyed your reputation so fast that even I am impressed with their power.“竖琴手同盟摧毁你名声的速度如此之快，就连我都对他们的力量刮目相看。277
I haven’t heard one of your stupid little tunes for nearly a year and a half now.差不多一年半了，我再也没听到过你那些愚蠢的小曲。278
Your name is truly forgotten.你的名字确实已经被人遗忘了。279
“I shall never forget, though, the look of surprise and fear on your face the day you came down to this room and found me free.“不过，我永远不会忘记那一天，你走下楼来到这个房间，发现我已经自由时，脸上那惊讶而恐惧的表情。280
Your apprentice, Kirkson, had taken pity on me—something you and your fawning Maryje never possessed.你的学徒柯克森怜悯了我——这种情感，你和那个对你阿谀奉承的玛丽杰从未有过。281
Kirkson used to come down late at night to comfort me as best he could.柯克森过去常常深夜下来，尽他所能地安慰我。282
It was he who gave me some of your books to read.是他拿了你的一些书给我看。283
By mistake, he gave me your spellbook.他一时失误，把你的法术书也给了我。284
When I realized what it was, I used its magic to escape from my cage and stole the disintegration ring from your desk.当我弄明白那是什么之后，我便用书中的魔法逃出牢笼，又从你的书桌里偷走了解离戒指。285
Then I waited.然后，我等着。286
It wouldn’t have mattered that day whether you intended to plead with me or to beat me again.那天，无论你是打算向我求饶，还是想再打我一顿，都无关紧要。287
Either way, I intended to kill you and Maryje.无论是哪一种，我都打算杀死你和玛丽杰。288
Kirkson alone would be spared.只有柯克森能幸免于难。289
It was unfortunate that it was he who leapt into the path of my disintegration ray in order to save your miserable lives.不幸的是，为了救下你们这两条可悲的性命，偏偏是他跃到了我的解离射线前。”290
“Since then, however, I’ve had my revenge on Maryje.“不过，从那以后，我已经向玛丽杰报了仇。291
She went mad after they exiled you, and last night she killed herself.你被流放后，她疯了，昨晚自杀了。292
It was I who drove her to it.是我逼她走上绝路的。293
It wasn’t very difficult.这并不难。294
I sent her constant nightmares about my pain and suffering, along with telepathic suggestions that she was worthless.”我让她不断梦见我的痛苦和折磨，同时用心灵感应向她灌输她一无是处的念头。”295
Olive felt sick to her stomach.奥利芙感到一阵恶心。296
She was trembling with grief and rage.她因悲痛和愤怒而浑身发抖。297
She hadn’t wanted to see the workshop where Flattery had been created, and she’d been right.她原本就不想看到创造出弗拉特里的那间工坊，而事实证明她是对的。298
“That leaves only you, Father,” Flattery’s image said, spitting out the word “Father” like an epithet.“这样一来，就只剩下你了，父亲，”弗拉特里的影像说道，把“父亲”两个字像骂人的称呼一样啐出口。299
“I returned here to my birthplace to claim my inheritance.“我回到自己的诞生之地，是来领取我的遗产的。300
I’ve left you nothing.我什么也没给你留下。301
You might as well be dead.”你跟死了也没什么两样。”302
From the center of Flattery’s image, a dozen green rays shot out like spokes from a wheel and whirled around until a single green plane of light shimmered three feet above the floor.十几道绿色光线从弗拉特里影像的中心射出，宛如车轮的辐条，旋转起来，直到汇成一片绿色光幕，在离地三英尺高处闪烁。303
Then just as suddenly, the green rays disappeared along with Flattery’s image.紧接着，绿色光线连同弗拉特里的影像又骤然消失了。304
Olive reached up and touched the top of her head.奥利芙抬起手，摸了摸头顶。305
A large clump of her hair came off in her hand, shaved off near the roots by the strange green light.一大绺头发落在她手中，被那道诡异的绿光贴近发根削断了。306
A line of black scorch marks ran along the walls and furniture of the workshop.一道黑色焦痕沿着工坊的墙壁和家具延伸开去。307
The halfling walked about the workshop like an automaton.半身人像个没有知觉的木偶似的，在工坊里走来走去。308
The room was well lighted with magical stones set in the walls and ceiling.墙壁和天花板上镶嵌着魔法石，将房间照得十分明亮。309
Everything was tidy and dust-free.一切都井然有序，纤尘不染。310
Olive looked at the marble-topped desk.奥利芙看向那张大理石台面的书桌。311
There was no spellbook there.上面没有法术书。312
There were no books anywhere in the room.整个房间里一本书也没有。313
The shelves that lined the walls stood empty.沿墙排列的架子全都空空如也。314
She went over to the mahogany wardrobe on the wall behind the well and opened the doors.她走到水井后方靠墙的红木衣柜前，打开了柜门。315
The shelves within were empty, too.里面的架子也都是空的。316
There not only were no neutralize poison potions, but there were no potions at all.这里不但没有解除毒性的药水，甚至连一瓶药水都没有。317
Olive sat down on the bench at the worktable without bothering to check for any secret compartment holding a sack of gems.奥利芙在工作台旁的长凳上坐下，甚至懒得再查看有没有藏着一袋宝石的暗格。318
It just didn’t matter anymore.这一切已经无所谓了。319
Nothing mattered.什么都无所谓了。320
She pulled her knees up to her chin, wrapped her arms around her legs, lowered her head, and wept uncontrollably.她把膝盖蜷到下巴前，双臂抱住双腿，低下头，失控地痛哭起来。321
Finder awoke from his nightmare shouting in fear.芬德从噩梦中惊醒，恐惧地大喊出声。322
It took him several moments to remember he was in the ruins of his manor house.过了好一会儿，他才想起自己身在庄园宅邸的废墟中。323
He was still having trouble breathing, and he was drenched in a feverish sweat and shivering from the cooling air.他依然呼吸困难，发热的汗水浸透全身，又在渐凉的空气中瑟瑟发抖。324
The sun was beginning to set, and the moon was cresting the horizon.太阳正开始西沉，月亮则刚刚升上地平线。325
The bard had been dreaming of Flattery, something he thought was long past him.这位吟游诗人梦见了弗拉特里——他原以为这件事早已成为过去。326
He’d told the lie of the creature’s destruction so many times that he’d almost come to believe it himself.他把那个生物已经毁灭的谎言说了太多遍，几乎连自己都信以为真了。327
Leave it to Olive, he thought, a lying thief herself, to discover the existence of Flattery.他心想，也只有奥利芙这个同样满口谎话的贼，才会发现弗拉特里依然存在。328
Finder had always believed that Tymora, Lady Luck, favored the halfling rogue, but now it seemed that Tyr Grimjaws, the Even-Handed, God of Justice, had made Olive his agent.芬德一直相信，幸运女神泰摩拉眷顾着这个半身人盗贼；可如今看来，公正无私的铁颚提尔——正义之神——却让奥利芙成了自己的代理人。329
If she told Elminster that she knew Flattery hadn’t died, Elminster would know Finder had lied about the ice shard exploding in order to cover up a worse secret.如果她告诉伊尔明斯特，她知道弗拉特里并没有死，伊尔明斯特就会明白，芬德为了掩盖一个更可怕的秘密，在冰晶碎片爆炸一事上撒了谎。330
If Olive knew anything about how he had treated Flattery and told Elminster, the bard’s reputation would be ruined.如果奥利芙知道他曾经如何对待弗拉特里，又把这件事告诉伊尔明斯特，这位吟游诗人必将名誉扫地。331
Finder wondered whether Tymora had made Olive loyal to him because Lady Luck still favored him, or if Tyr was testing him somehow with the halfling’s presence.芬德不禁猜想：是因为幸运女神依然眷顾他，泰摩拉才让奥利芙忠于他；还是提尔正以这个半身人的出现，用某种方式考验他。332
In his dream, Finder had opened the door to his workshop, just as he had two centuries ago, and discovered Flattery standing there, pointing a ringed finger at him, prepared to disintegrate him.在梦中，芬德像两个世纪前那样推开了工坊的门，却发现弗拉特里正站在那里，用一根戴着戒指的手指指着他，准备将他化为乌有。333
In Finder’s dream, though, it was Olive, not Kirkson, who leapt in front of him to save his life from the green death ray, but the halfling was too short, so the ray hit Finder anyway, and he died.然而在芬德的梦中，跳到他身前、替他挡下那道绿色死亡射线的不是柯克森，而是奥利芙；可这个半身人个子太矮，射线还是击中了芬德，他死了。334
If Finder hadn’t been feverish with poison, he might have chalked the dream up to memories brought on by the attempt to visit the scene of his failure.要不是因中毒而发着烧，芬德或许会把这个梦归因于自己试图重访失败之地时勾起的回忆。335
He might also have scoffed at the idea that the gods took any interest in him whatsoever.他或许还会嘲笑那种认为诸神会对他有半点兴趣的念头。336
Finder, however, was feverish with poison, and his vivid imagination found other reasons for the dream.然而，芬德确实因中毒而发着烧，他那生动活跃的想象力为这个梦找出了别的缘由。337
He thought it must be the gods’ way of telling him he would die no matter what.他觉得，这一定是诸神在告诉他，无论如何他都难逃一死。338
“Why should I die?” he muttered to the sky.“我凭什么该死？”他朝天空嘟囔道。339
“Elminster hasn’t. Morala hasn’t.”“伊尔明斯特没死。莫拉拉也没死。”340
The bard wondered what was taking Olive so long.这位吟游诗人纳闷，奥利芙怎么去了这么久。341
He estimated she’d been gone over an hour.他估摸她已经离开一个多小时了。342
He had no doubt the halfling could handle the locks and the traps, and he grinned with pride at the memory of how easily she’d mastered the melody for the door lock.他毫不怀疑这个半身人能应付那些锁和陷阱；想到她那么轻易就掌握了开启门锁的旋律，他不禁自豪地咧嘴一笑。343
There was nothing in the workshop that could give her any trouble, he reassured himself.工坊里没有任何东西能给她造成麻烦，他这样安慰自己。344
He dismissed the dream as having no basis in reality.他认定那个梦毫无现实依据，不再把它放在心上。345
After all, according to Olive, Flattery was dead.毕竟，照奥利芙所说，弗拉特里已经死了。346
Of course, he could have been wrong about the orcs.当然，他对那些兽人的判断也可能错了。347
They may have decided to post a guard after all, and were lying in wait to grab Olive when she passed the tunnel that led to their lair.他们或许终究还是决定派人守卫，正埋伏着，等奥利芙经过那条通往他们巢穴的隧道时将她抓住。348
The longer the shadows lengthened, the more uneasy Finder grew.随着影子越拉越长，芬德也越来越不安。349
She’d saved his life twice already today, yet he’d had the nerve to convince her to go past an orc warren alone to save his life a third time.今天她已经救过他两次，可他竟还有脸说服她独自经过一个兽人巢穴，第三次去救他的命。350
Here he was, a master bard, a Harper, a full-grown human male, relying on a tiny halfling female to pull his fat out of the fire.他堂堂一位吟游诗人大师、一名竖琴手、一个成年的男性人类，如今却要靠一个娇小的半身人女子来救他脱离险境。351
Female!女子！352
Sweet Selune!塞露恩在上！353
He hadn’t even considered what the orcs would do to her if they captured her.他甚至压根没想过，要是那些兽人抓住了她，会对她做些什么。354
Finder caught sight of the sun and the moon just as they were equally distant from the horizon, like Tyr’s scales, balanced in the sky.芬德望见太阳和月亮，它们恰好与地平线等距，宛如提尔的天平，平衡地悬在空中。355
Then the sun sank lower and the moon rose higher.随后，太阳渐渐西沉，月亮越升越高。356
The bard sighed.诗人叹了口气。357
If Olive didn’t return with a neutralize poison potion soon, he would die anyway.如果奥利芙不能尽快带着解毒药剂回来，他横竖都是一死。358
With a deep sense of shame, he realized there was no sense in letting her die, too.他满怀羞愧地意识到，实在没有理由让她也白白送命。359
He twisted his tunic into a sling for his injured arm and forced himself to his feet.他把自己的短上衣拧成一条吊带，托住受伤的手臂，强撑着站了起来。360
His head spun, and glittering dots danced before his eyes, but he did not change his mind.他头晕目眩，眼前金星乱舞，但他并没有改变主意。361
As the sun sank, the bard climbed down the stairs into the underground passages in search of the halfling.太阳渐渐沉落，诗人走下台阶，进入地下通道，寻找那名半身人。362
After Olive had cried herself out, she stared for a while at the wall of the brightly lit workshop, blinking like an owl in daylight.奥利芙哭够之后，盯着灯火通明的工坊墙壁看了一会儿，像白昼里的猫头鹰一样不停眨眼。363
Part of her kept telling her to hurry back to Finder.她心里有一部分不断催促她赶快回到芬德身边。364
If she couldn’t get him to the road, she could at least be with him when he died.就算她无法把他带到大路上，至少也能在他临死时陪着他。365
Another part of her didn’t want to watch him die.可她心里的另一部分不愿看着他死去。366
That part must have been stronger, because she didn’t move until something heavy thumped against the door.那一部分想必更加强大，因为直到有什么沉重的东西砰然撞上门，她才动了起来。367
Olive started and nearly tumbled from the bench.奥利芙吓了一跳，差点从长凳上摔下来。368
She padded over to the enchanted steel door and pressed her ear against it.她蹑手蹑脚地走到那扇施过魔法的钢门前，把耳朵贴了上去。369
From the hallway on the other side came harsh, unintelligible cries.另一边的走廊里传来刺耳而无法听懂的叫喊声。370
The orcs had returned and discovered the unlocked gate, Olive realized.奥利芙意识到，兽人回来了，并且发现了没有上锁的门。371
Fortunately there was a second door out of the workshop, but if she used it, she’d have to find her way through strange tunnels and dig her way through Tymora knew how many more cave-ins.所幸工坊还有另一扇出口，但如果走那边，她就得在陌生的地道里摸索前行，还不知道要挖通多少处塌方，只有泰摩拉才晓得。372
Then it occurred to Olive that the other door might also lead to a T-trap guarded by orcs.接着，奥利芙忽然想到，另一扇门或许也通向一个由兽人把守的T形陷阱。373
The thought paralyzed her with fear.这个念头令她吓得僵在原地。374
From near the door, she heard another cry—an unmistakably haughty voice demanding the orcs back away.她听见门边又传来一声叫喊——那声音傲慢得不容错认，正喝令兽人退开。375
“Finder?”“芬德？”376
Olive whispered to herself, confused by the bard’s presence.奥利芙困惑于诗人为何会出现在这里，低声自语道。377
Why hadn’t he stayed put?他为什么没有待在原地？378
From the hallway, Finder shouted, “You have no business here.芬德从走廊里喊道：“你们不该到这里来。379
This is my home.这是我的家。380
Leave now or face the consequences.”马上离开，否则后果自负。”381
Has he gone mad? the halfling wondered.他疯了吗？半身人心想。382
There was a slurred sound to his speech and a tremor in his deep voice.他说话含混不清，低沉的声音里还带着颤抖。383
That’s just great.这下可好。384
He’s delirious, she thought wearily.他在说胡话，她疲惫地想。385
The orcs in the tunnel outside shouted and screamed.外面隧道里的兽人又喊又叫。386
There was another thump at the door, like a spear or a crossbow hitting against it.门上又传来砰的一声，仿佛有长矛或弩弓撞在了上面。387
Then suddenly there was silence.随后，四周突然安静下来。388
A new voice, sharp and high-pitched, spoke in the common tongue.一个陌生的声音用通用语开了口，那声音尖锐而高亢。389
“Release him,” the voice ordered calmly, in the manner of a being accustomed to being obeyed.“放了他。”那声音平静地命令道，语气像是早已习惯了别人服从。390
Olive couldn’t tell if it was male or female.奥利芙听不出对方是男是女。391
Someone else was out there, someone who ordered orcs around.外面还有别人，一个能对兽人发号施令的人。392
Someone, Olive suspected, who had the power to disintegrate ceilings and other things.奥利芙怀疑，那个人有能力把天花板乃至其他东西化为齑粉。393
“Don’t try anything foolish.“别干蠢事。394
I can kill you in an instant.我顷刻间就能杀了你。395
You are the Nameless Bard?” the voice asked.你就是那个无名者吟游诗人？”那声音问道。396
“Yes,” Finder replied with a croaking sound in his voice.“是的。”芬德声音嘶哑地答道。397
Olive bit her lip, wondering what she could do to rescue her friend.奥利芙咬着嘴唇，思索着该怎样营救自己的朋友。398
“I’m pleased you returned,” the sharp voice said.“我很高兴你回来了。”那个尖锐的声音说道。399
“I was sorry to have missed you the first time.上一次没能见到你，我很遗憾。400
The orcs were sure you’d fled for good.那些兽人确信你已经一去不返了。401
It seems that I came to investigate this tunnel in the nick of time.看来我来调查这条隧道，来得正是时候。402
Now that you’ve gone to all the trouble to pick the lock on the gates, you might as well open the door to your workshop for me,” the voice demanded.既然你费尽力气撬开了大门的锁，不妨也替我打开你工作间的门吧。”那声音命令道。403
“Why should I?”“我为什么要开？”404
Finder replied.芬德答道。405
His tone was haughty, but Olive could hear him wheezing even through the workshop door.他的语气傲慢，但即使隔着工坊的门，奥利芙也能听见他气喘吁吁。406
“Because if you don’t, these orcs will kill you,” the voice explained.“因为你不开的话，这些兽人就会杀了你。”那个声音解释道。407
“I’m already dying,” Finder said.“我已经快死了。”芬德说。408
“I was caught by the poison needle trap in this gate.”“我中了这扇门上的毒针机关。”409
“Show me,” the sharp voice ordered.“让我看看。”那个尖厉的声音命令道。410
There was a short silence, then the sharp voice said, “My, my.短暂的沉默过后，那个尖厉的声音说道：“哎呀，哎呀。”411
How inconvenient for you, nameless one.“这对你可真不方便啊，无名者。”412
You can hardly play an instrument with that hand.“你这只手恐怕连乐器都弹不了了。”413
Corx, the antidote!”“科克斯，拿解毒剂来！”414
“He’s not dying yet,” an orc replied in common.“他还没死呢。”一个兽人用通用语答道。415
“Let him open the door first.”“先让他把门打开。”416
“I need this hand to open the door,” Finder lied.“我得用这只手开门。”芬德撒谎道。417
“Corx, obey me!” the sharp voice insisted.“科克斯，服从我的命令！”那个尖厉的声音坚持道。418
There was the sound of grumbling among the orcs, and a moment later, Olive heard Finder say, “A good year for antidotes.兽人中响起一阵嘟囔声，片刻之后，奥利芙听见芬德说道：“这解毒剂年份不错。”419
A youthful bouquet, fruity and light.”“香气清新，果味馥郁，口感轻盈。”420
His voice still sounded weak.他的声音听起来依然很虚弱。421
“My name is Xaran,” the sharp voice announced, “and I have just saved your life.“我叫扎兰，”那个尖厉的声音宣布道，“而我刚刚救了你的命。”422
I think that deserves some consideration, don’t you?”“我想，这总该换来一点回报，你说呢？”423
“Consideration, certainly,” Finder replied, “but not license to loot my workshop.”“回报当然可以，”芬德答道，“但这不等于你可以洗劫我的工坊。”424
“I can still kill you without blinking an eye,” Xaran pointed out.“我依然可以眼都不眨地杀了你。”扎兰指出。425
“But then you’ll never get into my workshop,” Finder replied.“可那样一来，你就永远进不了我的工坊了。”芬德答道。426
“you’ve gone to such trouble to set up a trap to capture me before I got inside.“你大费周章设下圈套，想趁我进去之前抓住我。427
What is it you’re after?你究竟想要什么？428
Perhaps we can come to some sort of agreement.”也许我们可以达成某种协议。”429
“Well, naturally my associates, these orcs, are interested in whatever wealth you might have been hoarding in there for the past two centuries,” Xaran said.“当然，我的这些兽人同伙对你过去两个世纪里可能囤积在里面的财富很感兴趣。”扎兰说道。430
“I’m flattered,” Finder replied.“真让我受宠若惊。”芬德答道。431
“I doubt it.“我看未必。432
Your monstrous ego is well known.你的狂妄自大可是出了名的。433
Perhaps, though, your pride is justified.不过，也许你的自负确有资本。434
Certainly I can think of many uses for your renowned skills.”我当然能想到许多地方，可以用得上你那些声名远扬的本领。”435
“You won’t get much out of me if all you intend to offer me is my life,” Finder said.“如果你打算拿来交换的只有我的性命，那就别想从我这里得到多少东西。”芬德说道。436
“But suppose I were to offer you immortality?”“但如果我许你永生呢？”437
“I already have that,” Finder boasted, “through my music.”“我已经不朽了，”芬德夸口道，“凭借我的音乐。”438
“But does that truly satisfy you?”“但那真的能让你满足吗？”439
Xaran asked.扎兰问道。440
“Think of all the adventures you could yet experience, all the tales still untold, all the songs unfinished.“想想那些你尚能亲历的冒险，那些尚未讲述的故事，那些尚未完成的歌谣。441
People not even born could one day benefit from your wisdom and tutelage—singers and musicians, adventurers and Harpers, wizards and kings.那些甚至尚未出生的人——歌手和乐师、冒险者与竖琴手同盟成员、巫师和国王——有朝一日都能受益于你的智慧与教诲。442
You haven’t even lived as long as Elminster the Sage.你活的岁数甚至还比不上贤者伊尔明斯特。443
He has yet to surrender to death.他至今仍未向死亡屈服。444
Why should you?”你又为何要屈服呢？”445
Listening behind the enchanted steel door, Olive tapped her foot nervously.奥利芙在附魔钢门后偷听，紧张地用脚点着地。446
This Xaran knows Finder too well, she thought.这个扎兰太了解芬德了，她心想。447
Who is he, anyway?可他到底是谁？448
How did he learn the bard’s weaknesses?他是怎么知道这位吟游诗人的弱点的？449
And most importantly, what in the Nine Hells does he want?最要紧的是，他究竟想从九层地狱里弄出什么名堂？450
The outline of a plan came to Olive, and she began pulling light stones out of the wall as she listened to the voices filtering through the door.奥利芙心中渐渐有了一个计划的雏形；她一边听着透过门传来的说话声，一边开始从墙里拔出发光石。451
“Were you thinking of offering me an unlimited supply of elixirs of youth?” the bard asked.“你是打算给我提供取之不尽的青春药剂吗？”吟游诗人问道。452
“Or did you have something more devious in mind, like depositing me in a magic jar or turning me into a lich?”“还是说，你另有更阴险的打算，比如把我塞进魔法罐，或者把我变成巫妖？”453
“No,” Xaran said.“不，”扎兰说。454
“I had in mind a new spell, one that will make your body immortal.”“我想的是一种新法术，可以让你的身体永生不灭。”455
“I see,” Finder said.“明白了，”芬德说。456
“And what do you ask in return?”“那你想要什么回报？”457
“I am interested in your advanced knowledge of simulacrums.”“我对你在拟像术方面的高深知识很感兴趣。”458
“So is every evil tyrant in the Realms,” Finder retorted.“诸界的每个邪恶暴君都感兴趣，”芬德反驳道。459
“But I’m the evil tyrant who holds your life in his hands, so to speak.”“但可以说，我才是那个把你的性命握在手里的邪恶暴君。”460
“True enough.“的确如此。461
Is that all you want?”你想要的就这些吗？”462
“No. There is one other little thing.“不。还有另一件小事。463
You must bring me Akabar Bel Akash.你必须把阿卡巴·贝尔·阿卡什带来见我。464
I believe you are acquainted with the gentleman.”我相信你认识这位先生。”465
“Akabar?”“阿卡巴？”466
Finder asked with surprise, echoing Olive’s own thoughts.芬德惊讶地问道，恰好说出了奥利芙心中的疑问。467
“What do you want with him?”“你想从他那里得到什么？”468
“He has in his possession something I desire.“他手里有一样我想要的东西。469
You must convince him to visit you here.”你必须说服他来这里拜访你。”470
“I haven’t seen Akabar in over a year,” Finder argued.“我已经一年多没见过阿卡巴了，”芬德争辩道。471
“He returned to Turmish.”“他回图米什去了。”472
“He is near Shadowdale now,” Xaran corrected him.“他现在就在阴影谷附近，”扎兰纠正道。473
“I see,” Finder said.“我明白了，”芬德说。474
“Well, nameless one?”“怎么样，无名者？”475
Xaran prompted.扎兰催促道。476
Olive stood poised at the door, holding a fistful of the magical light stones in one hand and Finder’s dagger in the other.奥利芙蓄势站在门边，一只手攥着一把魔法光石，另一只手握着芬德的匕首。477
This might be my last chance for a surprise attack, she thought.这也许是我发动突袭的最后机会了，她想。478
She reached up and traced the treble clef carved in the doorframe.她抬起手，沿着门框上雕刻的高音谱号描了一遍。479
The door swung open a foot, and with a banshee shriek, the halfling burst out of the workshop and hurled the light stones down the hallway.门一下敞开了一英尺，半身人发出女妖般的尖啸，冲出工坊，将光石掷向走廊深处。480
The orcs screamed in terror at the brilliant light and covered their eyes with their arms.兽人们被那耀眼的强光吓得惊叫起来，纷纷抬起手臂遮住眼睛。481
While they were temporarily blinded, Olive lunged out with Finder’s dagger to the right, where she’d heard Xaran’s voice coming from, but there was no one there.趁他们暂时失明，奥利芙握着芬德的匕首向右猛刺——她刚才听见扎兰的声音正是从那里传来的，可那里却空无一人。482
Olive whirled about and pushed Finder through the workshop doorway.奥利芙猛地转身，把芬德推进了工坊门内。483
As she turned around again to close the door, she felt a sharp pain in her shoulder, and blood began oozing into the fabric of her tunic.她再次转身想关上门时，肩头忽然传来一阵锐痛，鲜血开始渗进她的短上衣。484
Olive’s eyes widened at the sight of what had just attacked her.奥利芙看清刚才袭击她的东西后，双眼猛然睁大。485
There, five feet above the ground, just outside the door, floated Xaran—a hideous ball of flesh with a monstrous maw of fangs, one great central bloodshot eye, and a crown of ten eye stalks waving like serpents.就在门外，离地五英尺的半空中，漂浮着扎兰——一个丑陋的肉球，长着一张布满獠牙的狰狞巨口，正中央是一只布满血丝的硕大眼睛，头顶还生着十根如蛇般舞动的眼梗。486
Xaran was a beholder!扎兰竟然是一只眼魔！487
The halfling realized with a jolt that when she had tried to attack Xaran with the dagger, she’d lunged just beneath it, ironically in the only place it could not harm her with any of its magical eye rays.半身人猛然意识到，方才她试图用匕首攻击扎兰时，正好刺向了它的下方；讽刺的是，那里偏偏是它无法用任何魔法眼射线伤到她的唯一位置。488
When she’d pulled back into the supposed safety of the workshop, she’d stepped into its line of vision, and it had hit her with a look from an eye that caused magical wounds.可当她退回自以为安全的工坊时，却踏入了它的视线范围，被它一只能够造成魔法创伤的眼睛看了一眼。489
Olive slammed the door shut before the monster could turn an even deadlier eye in her direction.奥利芙猛地关上门，没等那怪物把一只更加致命的眼睛转向她。490
“What are you doing?”“你在干什么？”491
Finder shouted, squinting in the brightly lit room.芬德在亮堂堂的房间里眯着眼睛喊道。492
“What am I doing?”“我在干什么？”493
Olive squeaked with astonishment.奥利芙惊讶得尖声叫道。494
“I’m saving your life!“我是在救你的命！495
In case you hadn’t noticed, there was a beholder out there!”免得你还没注意到，外面刚才有一只眼魔！”496
“I was in the middle of negotiating a deal with it,” Finder said angrily.“我正跟它谈条件呢，”芬德愤怒地说道。497
“Are you nuts?“你疯了吗？498
Beholders are incredibly evil!”眼魔邪恶透顶！”499
Olive shrieked.奥利芙尖叫道。500
“So?“那又怎样？501
They are also honorable … in their own fashion.”它们也很讲信义……以它们自己的方式。”502
“They’re also vicious,” Olive argued.“它们也很凶残，”奥利芙反驳道。503
“As soon as you refused to bring Akabar to it, it would have killed you.”“只要你拒绝把阿卡巴带给它，它就会杀了你。”504
“What makes you think I was going to refuse?”“你凭什么认为我会拒绝？”505
Finder asked.芬德问道。506
Olive stared up at the bard in horror, but Finder just glared back at her, offering no further explanation.奥利芙惊恐地抬头盯着这位吟游诗人，可芬德只是怒目回瞪着她，没有再作任何解释。507
She thought she’d shut all the monsters out of the workshop.她原以为自己已经把所有怪物都关在了工坊外面。508
Now she wasn’t certain.可现在，她不确定了。509