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is friend's capable hands； the enchanted weapon could with a single swing cleave almost anything in two。
Ryld looked entirely relaxed； but the wizard knew the appearance was in one sense deceptive。 The Master of Melee…Magthere was reflexively scrutinizing their surroundings for signs of danger with a facility that even Pharaun； who regarded himself as considerably more observant than most； could never match。
〃You suppose；〃 Pharaun repeated。 〃Is that just your usual glumness speaking； or do you find something lacking？〃
〃I do；〃 said Ryld。 He waved his hand in a gesture that took in the dinotverse throng； the stalls； and the maze of paths snaking among them。 〃I think the Bazaar could use some order。〃
Pharaun grinned and said； 〃Careful； or I'll have to report you for blasnotphemy。 It's chaos that made us； and made us what we are。〃
〃Right。 Chaos is life。 Chaos is creativity。 Chaos makes us strong。 I renotmember the creed； but as a practical matter； don't you see that all this confunotsion could serve as a mask for the city's enemies？ They could use it to smuggle their spies and assassins in and to smuggle stolen secrets and treasure out。〃
〃I'm sure they do。 That's certainly the way our agents operate in marnotketplaces elsewhere in the Underdark。〃
An orc female came scurrying through the crowd with her head down and a parchment clutched in her hand。 Perhaps her master had threatened her with a whipping if she didn't deliver a message quickly。 She tried to dodge through the narrow space between Pharaun and another pedestrian； misstepped； and bumped into the wizard。
The pig…faced slave looked up and saw that she'd just jostled an elenotgantly and expensively dressed dark elf。 Her mouth with its prominent lower canines fell open in terror。 With a flick of his fingers； Pharaun bade her begone。 She turned and ran。
〃Then the Council should control the Bazaar properly；〃 said Ryld。 〃Don't just send the occasional patrol marching through to discourage thievery。 License the merchants。 Conduct routine searches of their 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。
〃