魔兽争霸官方小说:仇恨之轮-Cycle of Hatred(英文版)-第2部分

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I　ain　t　standin　　for　this；　　the　soldier　said。　You　fought　in　the　war；　fisherman　you　know　what　the　orcs　did　for　us。　　

What　they　did　for　us　is　not　what　distresses　me；　good　sir；　　Margoz　said；　but　rather　what　they　are　doing　to　us　now。　　

They　get　the　best　of　everything。　　This　was　the　boat　captain　at　one　of　the　tables　behind　the　soldier。　Up　Ratchet
way；　them　goblins　always　favor　orcs　for　repairs　or　dock　space。　Last　month；　I　had　to　wait　half　a　day　　fore　they　d　let
me　dock　my　skiff；　but　some　orc　boat　e　by　two　hour　after　me；　and　got　a　spot　right　off。　　

Turning　to　face　the　captain；　the　soldier　said；　Then　go　somewhere　other　than　Ratchet。　　

T　　ain　t　always　an　option；　　the　captain　said　with　a　sneer。　
　
S　not　like　they　always　need　the　repairin　；　neither；　　the　man　with　the　captain　Erik　thought　it　might　have　been　his
first　mate；　since　they　dressed　similarly　said。　They　got　oaks　up　in　mountains　above　rimmar；　be　makin　　their　
ships　from　them。　What　we　got？　Weak　spruce　is　all。　They　hoard　em；　they　do；　keepin　　all　the　good　wood。　Our　
boats　ll　be　leakin　　all　over　thanks　to　the　marshy　garbage　we　gotta　work　with。　　

Several　other　voices　muttered　in　agreement　with　this　sentiment。　

So　you　d　all　like　it　better　if　the　orcs　weren　t　around？　　The　soldier　slammed　his　fist　on　the　bar。　Without　them；
we　d　be　demonfood；　and　that　s　a　fact。　　

I　don　t　think　anyone　s　denying　that。　　Margoz　sipped　from　his　whiskey　mug。　Still；　there　does　seem　to　be　an
unequal　distribution　of　resources。　　

Orcs　used　to　be　slaves；　you　know。　　This　was　someone　else　at　the　bar　whom　Erik　couldn　t　see　from　where　he　was
standing。　To　humans；　and　to　the　Burning　Legion；　if　you　think　about　it。　Can　t　blame　em　for　wanting　to　take　
everything　they　can　now。　　

I　can　if　they　re　takin　　it　away　from　us；　　the　captain　said。　

The　merchant　nodded。　You　know；　they　re　not　from　here。　They　came　from　some　other　world；　and　the　Burning　
Legion　brought　em　here。　　

The　first　mate　muttered；　Maybe　they　oughta　go　back　where　they　came。　　

Makes　you　wonder　what　Lady　Proudmoore　was　thinking；　　Margoz　said。　

Erik　frowned。　At　those　words；　the　tavern　suddenly　got　rather　quiet。　Lots　of　people　had　been　muttering　assent　or
disagreement；　either　with　the　sentiments　expressed　or　the　people　expressing　them。　

But　as　soon　as　Margoz　mentioned　Jaina　Proudmoore　worse；　mentioned　her　in　a　disparaging　manner　the　place　
got　quiet。　

Too　quiet。　In　the　three　years　Erik　had　been　a　tavern　owner；　he　learned　that　there　were　two　times　when　you　expected
a　fight　to　break　out：　when　the　place　got　too　loud；　and　when　it　got　too　quiet。　And　the　latter　times　usually　brought　on
the　really　nasty　fights。　

Another　soldier　stood　up　next　to　the　first　one　this　one　was　wider　in　the　shoulders；　and　he　didn　t　talk　much；　but
when　he　did；　it　was　in　a　booming　voice　that　made　the　demon　skull　behind　the　bar　rattle　on　its　mount。　Don　t
nobody　talk　bad　bout　Lady　Proudmoore　　less　he　wants　to　be　livin　　without　teeth。　　

Swallowing　audibly；　Margoz　quickly　said；　I　would　never　dream　of　speaking　of　our　leader　in　anything　but　reverent
tones；　good　sir；　I　promise。　　He　gulped　down　more　of　the　corn　whiskey　than　it　was　advisable　to　drink　in　one　sip；
which　caused　his　eyes　to　greatly　widen。　He　shook　his　head　a　few　times。　

Lady　Proudmoore　s　been　very　good　to　us；　　the　merchant　said。　After　we　drove　back　the　Burning　Legion；　she　made　
us　into　a　munity。　Your　plaints　are　fair；　Margoz；　but　none　of　it　can　be　laid　at　the　lady　s　feet。　I　ve　met　a　few
wizards　in　my　day；　and　most　of　em　aren　t　fit　to　be　scrapings　off　my　sandals。　But　the　lady　s　a　good　one；　and　you　ll
find　no　support　for　disparagements　of　her。　　

It　was　never　my　intent　to　disparage；　good　sir；　　Margoz　said；　still　sounding　a　bit　shaky　from　his　illadvised　gulp　of
corn　whiskey。　But　one　must　wonder　why　no　trade　agreements　have　been　made　to　obtain　this　superior　wood　that
these　fine　gentlemen　have　mentioned。　　He　looked　thoughtful　for　a　second。　Perhaps　she　has　tried；　but　the　orcs
would　not　permit　it。　　

The　captain　swallowed　a　gulp　of　his　ale；　then　said；　　Perhaps　them　orcs　told　her　to　leave　Northwatch。　　
　
We　should　leave　Northwatch；　　the　merchant　said。　The　Barrens　are　neutral　territory；　that　was　agreed　to　from　the　
beginning。　　

The　soldier　stiffened。　You　re　crazy　if　you　think　we　re　givin　　that　up。　　

Margoz　said；　That　is　where　the　orcs　fought　Admiral　Proudmoore。　　

Yes；　an　embarrassment。　As　fine　a　leader　as　Lady　Proudmoore　is；　that　s　how　much　of　an　idiot　her　father　was。　　The　
merchant　shook　his　head。　　That　entire　sordid　incident　should　be　put　out　of　our　heads。　But　it　won　t　be　as　long　as

The　captain　interrupted。　If　n　you　ask　me；　we　need　to　expand　beyond　Northwatch。　　

Sounding　annoyed　though　whether　at　the　interruption　or　the　sentiment；　Erik　neither　knew　nor　cared　the
merchant　said；　Are　you　mad？　　

Are　you？　The　orcs　re　squeezin　　us　out！　They　re　all　over　the　blessed　continent；　and　we　ve　got　Theramore。　It　s　been
three　year　since　the　Burning　Legion　was　sent　off。　Don　t　we　deserve　better　than　to　be　lower　class　in　our　own　land
to　be　confined　to　one　cesspool　of　a　citystate？　　

Theramore　is　as　fine　a　city　as　you　will　see　in　human　lands。　　The　soldier　spoke　the　words　with　a　defensive　pride；
only　to　continue　in　a　more　resigned　tone。　But　it　is　true　that　the　orcs　have　greater　territory。　That　is　why　Northwatch
is　essential　it　allows　us　to　maintain　a　defense　beyond　the　walls　of　Theramore。　　

Besides；　　the　first　mate　said　with　a　laugh　into　his　ale　mug；　the　orcs　don　t　like　us　there。　That　s　reason　enough　to
keep　it；　y　　ask　me。　　

Nobody　asked　you；　　the　merchant　said　snidely。　

The　other　man　at　the　bar　Erik　had　wandered　downbar　a　bit；　and　now　saw　that　it　was　that　bookkeeper　who　worked
the　docks　said；　Maybe　someone　should。　The　orcs　act　as　if　they　own　Kalimdor；　and　we　re　just　visiting。　But　this　is
our　home；　too；　and　it　s　time　we　acted　like　it。　Orcs　aren　t　humans；　aren　t　even　from　this　world。　What　right　do　they　
have　to　dictate　how　we　live　our　lives？　　

They　have　the　right　to　live　their　lives；　don　t　they？　　the　merchant　asked。　

Nodding；　the　soldier　said；　I　d　say　they　earned　that　when　they　fought　the　Burning　Legion。　Weren　t　for　them…　　He　
gulped　down　the　remainder　of　his　wine；　then　slid　the　mug　toward　Erik。　Get　me　an　ale。　　

Erik　hesitated。　He　had　already　started　reaching　for　the　grog　bottle。　This　soldier　had　been　ing　into　the
Demonsbane　ever　since　Erik　opened　the　place；　and　he　d　never　drunk　anything　save　grog。　

But　that　threeyearlong　patronage　had　earned　him　the　right　not　to　be　questioned。　Besides；　as　long　as　he　was　paying；
he　could　drink　soapy　water　for　all　Erik　cared。　

Fact　is；　　the　captain　said；　this　is　our　world；　by　right　of　birth。　Them　orcs　are　just　guests　in　our　home；　and　it　s　high
time　they　started　actin　　like　it！　　

The　conversation　went　on　from　there。　Erik　served　a　few　more　drinks；　tossed　a　few　mugs　into　the　basin　to　be　cleaned
later；　and　only　after　he　gave　the　merchant　another　ale　did　he　realize　that　Margoz；　who　started　the　whole
conversation；　had　left。　

He　hadn　t　even　left　a　tip。　Erik　shook　his　head　in　disgust；　the　fisherman　s　name　already　falling　out　of　his　head。　

But　he　d　remember　the　face。　And　probably　spit　in　the　bastard　s　drink　next　time　he　came　in　having　only　one　drink
and　then　starting　trouble。　Erik　hated　troublemakers　like　that　in　his　place。　Just　hated　it。　
　
More　people　started　plaining　about　the　orcs。　One　person　the　bruiser　next　to　the　soldier　slammed　his　ale　mug　
on　the　bar　so　hard　that　it　spattered　his　drink　on　the　demon　skull。　Sighing；　Erik　grabbed　a　rag　and　wiped　it　off。　



There　was　a　time　when　Margoz　would　have　been　too　scared　to　walk　the　darkened　streets　of　Theramore　alone。　

True；　crime　was　not　a　major　concern　in　so　closed　a　munity　as　Theramore　everyone　knew　most　everyone　else；
and　if　they　didn　t；　they　knew　someone　else　who　did　so　criminal　acts　were　rare　enough。　Those　that　were　
mitted　were　generally　punished　quickly　and　brutally　by　Lady　Proudmoore　s　soldiers。　

Still；　Margoz　had　always　been　small　and　weak；　and　the　big　and　strong　tended　to　prey　on　the　small　and　weak；　so
Margoz　generally　avoided　walking　around　alone　at　night。　You　never　knew　what　big　and　strong　person　was　lurking　
to　show　how　big　and