魔兽争霸官方小说:仇恨之轮-Cycle of Hatred(英文版)-第13部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


land　on　Kalimdor；　and　precious　little　of　it。　We　didn　t　even　take　the　Dustwallow　Marshes。　Jaina　s　people

　　Jaina　？　　Burx　sneered　the　name。　

Now　Thrall　stood。　Be　very　careful；　Burx。　Lady　Proudmoore　Jaina　has　earned　my　respect。　You；　on　the　other
hand；　are　rapidly　losing　it。　　
　
Burx　cowered　a　bit。　I　m　sorry；　Warchief　but　you　gotta　understand；　you　were　raised　with　them。　It　can
sometimes　blind　you　to　what　s　obvious　to　the　rest　of　us。　　

I　am　blind　to　nothing；　Burx。　You　may　recall　that　it　was　I　who　opened　the　eyes　of　orcs　throughout　this　world　who
had　fallen　prey　to　the　demonic　curse　and　to　human　imprisonment；　and　reminded　them　of　who　they　were。　Do　not　
presume　to　lecture　me　now　on

They　were　interrupted　by　a　breathless　young　orc　who　ran　in。　Thunder　lizards！　　

Thrall　blinked。　Thunder　Ridge；　the　home　of　the　creatures　in　question；　was　far　from　here　if　there　were　any　in
rimmar；　there　would　have　been　greater　warning。　

Where？　　Burx　asked。　

Far　from　here；　obviously；　　Kalthar　said　witheringly；　otherwise　there　would　have　been　more　than　a　young　
messenger。　　

The　boy　did　indeed　wear　the　lightningshaped　nose　ring　that　indicated　a　messenger。　No　doubt　he　had　run　from
Thunder　Ridge　to　report　to　Thrall。　Speak；　　Thrall　said　to　the　youth。　

I　m　from　Drygulch　Ravine；　Warchief。　The　thunder　lizards；　they　ve　escaped　the　ridge；　they　have。　　

How　s　that　possible？　　Burx　asked。　

Glaring　at　the　warrior；　Thrall　said；　　Let　him　speak；　and　perhaps　we　shall　learn。　　To　the　boy；　he　said；　Continue。　　

A　farmer；　name　of　Tulk；　he　heard　himself　a　stampede。　He　went　callin　　his　sons　to　him；　and　they　drove　the　lizards
off；　they　did；　afore　they　destroyed　his　crops。　But　nobody　never　heard　of　no　thunder　lizards　leavin　　the　ridge　afore；
so　he　went　gatherin　　up　his　sons　and　the　next　farmer　over　and　his　sons；　and　they　all　went　to　the　ridge；　they　did。　　

Thrall　nodded。　Thunder　Ridge　was　bordered　by　a　dense　forest　of　thicktrunked　trees　that　the　lizards　could　not　
rampage　through。　One　could　travel　gingerly　or　lithely　through　the　forests；　but　thunder　lizards　were　never　creatures
who　moved　thus。　

When　they　got　there；　they　saw　that　the　forest　had　been　razed　down　to　nothin　；　it　had。　Lizards；　they　got　themselves
a　clear　path　outta　the　ridge。　The　farmers　are　fearin　　for　their　crops；　they　are。　　

Thrall；　however；　was　still　back　on　the　first　part。　Razed？　Razed　how；　precisely？　　

The　trees；　they　was　all　cut　down。　Stumps　left　was　only　a　handswidth　or　so　above　the　ground。　　

Burx　asked；　　Where　were　they　taken？　　

The　boy　shrugged。　Dunno。　They　didn　t　see　no　branches；　nothin　；　just　the　stumps。　　

Shaking　his　head；　Thrall　asked；　　How　is　this　possible？　　

Don　t　see　how　it　is　possible；　Warchief；　　the　boy　said；　but　that　s　what　happened；　sure　as　I　m　talkin　　to　you。　　

You　ve　done　well。　　Thrall　saluted　the　boy。　Find　yourself　some　food　and　drink。　There　may　be　more　questions　for　
you　after　you　ve　had　your　fill。　　

Nodding；　the　boy　said；　Thank　you；　Warchief；　　and　ran　out。　
　
The　humans；　　Burx　said　as　soon　as　the　boy　had　left　the　throne　room。　It　s　gotta　be。　They　ve　asked　for　wood　from
the　trees　in　Thunder　Ridge　lots　of　times。　Certainly　no　orc　would　defile　the　land　like　that。　　

Although　Thrall　was　reluctant　to　believe　ill　of　the　humans；　Burx　was　right　that　no　orc　of　Durotar　would　do　such　a　
thing。　They　could　not　have　transported　so　much　lumber　from　Thunder　Ridge　to　the　coast　without　anyone　noticing。
If　they　went　by　land；　they　d　be　seen　same　if　they　went　by　airship。　　

There　is　a　third　way；　　Kalthar　said。　

Sighing；　Thrall　shook　his　head　again。　Magic。　　

Yes；　magic；　　Burx　said。　And　the　most　powerful　wizard　in　Theramore　is　your　precious　Lady　Proudmoore　Jaina
herself。　　

It　is　not　Lady　Proudmoore；　　Kalthar　said。　This　defiling　of　the　land　is　reprehensible　and　the　humans　are　both
responsible；　and　not　responsible。　　

What　s　that　supposed　to　mean？　　Burx　asked　angrily。　

You　speak　in　riddles；　　Thrall　said。　Then　he　laughed。　As　usual。　　

There　are　great　forces　at　work　here；　Thrall；　　Kalthar　said。　Powerful　sorcery。　　

Burx　stomped　his　foot　again。　Lady　Proudmoore　has　powerful　sorcery。　The　humans　got　every　reason　to　want　those
trees。　It　gives　them　stronger　wood　for　their　boats　which　makes　it　easier　for　them　to　harass　our　trading　ships。　Plus；
it　lets　the　thunder　lizards　loose；　which　messes　up　our　farms。　　Burx　walked　up　in　front　of　Thrall　s　throne；　his　face　so
close　that　his　and　Thrall　s　tusks　almost　touched。　It　fits；　Warchief。　And　you　know　it。　　

In　a　low　tone；　Thrall　said；　What　I　know；　Burx；　is　that　Lady　Proudmoore　stood　against　her　own　father　rather　than
destroy　the　alliance　between　Durotar　and　Theramore。　Do　you　truly　think　she　would　abandon　it　now　over　trees？　　

Burx　backed　off；　throwing　up　his　arms。　Who　can　say　how　humans　think？　　

I　can。　As　you　were　so　quick　to　point　out　before；　Burx；　I　was　raised　with　humans　I　have　seen　both　the　best　and　the
worst　humanity　has　to　offer。　And　I　can　tell　you　now　that；　while　there　are　most　definitely　humans　who　would　do　this；
Jaina　Proudmoore　is　not　one　of　them。　　

Folding　his　arms　defiantly　in　front　of　his　chest；　Burx　said；　There　aren　t　any　other　human　mages　on　Kalimdor　that
we　know　about。　Who　s　that　leave；　Warchief？　　

I　do　not　know。　　Thrall　smiled。　When　Lieutenant　Blackmoore　had　me　educated　like　a　human；　he　had　me　read
many　philosophical　and　scientific　treatises。　Something　that　stood　out　in　those　lessons　was　one　ment　that　the
beginning　of　wisdom　is　the　statement　I　do　not　know。　　The　person　who　cannot　make　that　statement　is　one　who　will
never　learn　anything。　And　I　have　prided　myself　on　my　ability　to　learn；　Burx。　　He　stood　again。　Send　warriors　to
Drygulch。　Try　to　corral　the　thunder　lizards。　Provide　whatever　aid　they　need　to　bring　this　problem　under　control。　　
Then　he　faced　Kaltnar。　Fetch　the　talisman。　I　would　speak　to　Lady　Proudmoore。　　

We　should　take　action！　　Burx　stomped　his　foot　again；　even　as　Kalthar　slowly　walked　out　of　the　room　to　do　as
Thrall　had　instructed。　We　should　not　be　talking。　　

Talking　is　the　second　step　to　learning　things；　Burx。　I　intend　to　learn　who　was　responsible　for　this。　Now　go　and
follow　my　instructions。　　

Burx　started　to　say　something；　but　Thrall　would　not　let　him。　
　
There　will　be　no　more　from　you；　Burx！　You　have　made　your　position　quite　clear！　However；　I　think　even　you　will　
agree　that　the　needs　of　Drygulch　are　more　immediate。　Now　go　and　do　as　I　have　said　before　our　farms　truly　are　
devastated。　　

Of　course；　Warchief；　　Burx　said。　He　saluted　as　the　boy　had；　and　then　departed。　

Thrall　hoped　that　his　defense　of　Jaina　was　earned。　In　his　heart；　he　knew　it　was。　But　if　Jaina　Proudmoore　did　not　
steal　their　trees　and　let　loose　the　thunder　lizards　who　did？　

Eight　

L　orena　was　led　into　Lady　Proudmoore　s　chambers　by　Duree；　that　lunatic　old　woman　who　managed　the　lady　s
affairs；　only　to　find　that　the　room　was　empty。　

Whirling　on　Duree；　over　whom　she　loomed　by　a　full　head；　Lorena　said；　Where　is　she？　　

She　ll　be　back　soon；　stop　your　fretting。　It　s　been　an　hour　since　she　went　off　to　meet　with　that　orc　Warchief
oughta　be　back　any　moment　now。　　

Frowning；　Lorena　asked；　　She　s　meeting　with　Thrall？　　

Putting　her　hand　to　her　mouth；　Duree　said；　Oh　dear；　I　wasn　t　supposed　to　mention　that。　Just　fet　I　said　anything；
will　you　please；　dear？　　

The　colonel　said　nothing；　instead　twisting　her　square　face　into　a　snarl　designed　with　the　express　purpose　of　getting　
the　old　woman　out　of　the　chambers。　

At　that；　it　succeeded　rather　admirably；　as　Duree　dashed　from　the　chambers；　her　spectacles　falling　off　her　nose。　

A　moment　later；　Kristoff　entered。　Colonel。　Duree　said　you　had　a　report。　　

Lorena　looked　at　the　chamberlain。　Like　the　old　woman；　Kristoff　was　a　necessary　evil　after　all；　a　nation　did　not　run
on　soldiering　alone。　One　of　the　first　lessons　her　father　and　brothers　had　taught　her　was　to　be　good　to　the　clerks　and
the　like。　They　were　the　people　who　kept　any　unit　functioning；　far　more　than　any　highranking　officers。　

She　found　Duree　so　annoying　that　she　did　not　put　that　advice　to　good　use　with　her；　but　Kristoff　was　the　lady　s　right
hand。　So　Lorena　put　aside　her　intense　dislike　for　the　man　himself　and　forced　a　smile　onto　her　face。