bh.houseatreides-第6部分

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　〃Glorious　king；〃　wailed　the　chorus；　〃our　affection　is　boundless；　our　tears　unending。　The　spider　has　ensnared　you　in　its　ghostly　web　of　death。〃
　Leto's　stomach　churned。　House　Atreides　had　mitted　horrible　deeds　in　the　distant　past。　But　the　family　had　changed；　perhaps　driven　by　the　ghosts　of　history。　The　Old　Duke　was　an　honorable　man；　well　respected　by　the　Landsraad　and　beloved　by　his　people。　Leto　hoped　he　could　do　as　well　when　it　came　his　turn　to　rule　House　Atreides。
　The　final　lines　of　the　play　were　spoken；　and　the　pany　of　actors　marched　across　the　stage；　bowing　to　the　assembled　political　and　business　leaders；　all　of　whom　were　dressed　in　finery　befitting　their　stations。
　〃Well；　I'm　glad　that's　over；〃　Paulus　sighed　as　the　main　glowglobes　went　on　in　the　performance　hall。　The　Old　Duke　rose　to　his　feet　and　kissed　his　wife's　hand　as　they　filed　out　of　the　royal　box。　〃On　your　way　now；　my　dear。　I　have　something　to　say　to　Leto。　Wait　for　us　in　the　reception　room。〃
　Helena　glanced　once　at　her　son　and　went　down　the　corridor　of　the　ancient　stone…and…wood　theatre。　Her　look　said　she　knew　exactly　what　Paulus　intended　to　say；　but　she　bowed　to　his　archaic　tradition　of　having　the　men　speak　of　〃important　matters〃　while　the　women　busied　themselves　elsewhere。
　Merchants；　important　businessmen；　and　other　well…respected　locals　began　filling　the　corridor；　sipping　Caladanian　wine　and　munching　hors　d'oeuvres。　〃This　way；　lad；〃　the　Old　Duke　said；　taking　a　backstage　passage。　He　and　Leto　strode　past　two　Atreides　guards；　who　saluted。　Then　they　took　a　lift　tube　up　four　levels　to　a　gilded　dressing　room。　Balut　crystal　glowglobes　floated　in　the　air；　flickering　a　warm　orange。　Formerly　the　living　quarters　of　a　legendary　Caladanian　actor；　this　chamber　was　now　used　exclusively　by　the　Atreides　and　their　closest　advisors　for　times　requiring　privacy。
　Leto　wondered　why　his　father　had　taken　him　here。
　After　closing　the　door　behind　him；　Paulus　slipped　into　a　green…and…black　suspensor　chair　and　motioned　for　Leto　to　take　one　opposite　him。　The　young　man　did　so　and　adjusted　the　controls　to　lift　the　floating　chair　higher　in　the　air；　so　that　his　eye　level　was　equal　to　that　of　his　father。　Leto　only　did　this　in　private；　not　even　in　the　presence　of　his　mother；　who　would　consider　such　behavior　unseemly　and　disrespectful。　By　contrast；　the　Old　Duke　found　his　son's　brashness　and　high　spirits　to　be　an　amusing　reflection　of　the　way　he　himself　had　been　as　a　young　man。
　〃You　are　of　age　now；　Leto；〃　Paulus　began；　removing　an　ornate　wooden　pipe　from　a　partment　in　the　arm　of　his　chair。　He　did　not　waste　time　with　chitchat。　〃And　you　must　learn　more　than　your　own　backyard。　So　I'm　sending　you　to　Ix　to　study。〃　He　examined　the　black…haired　youth　who　looked　so　similar　to　his　mother；　but　with　lighter；　more　olive…toned　skin　than　hers。　He　had　a　narrow　face　with　sharp　angles　and　deep　gray　eyes。
　Ix！　Leto's　pulse　accelerated。　The　machine　planet。　A　strange　and　alien　place。　Everyone　in　the　Imperium　knew　of　that　mysterious　world's　incredible　technology　and　innovations；　but　few　outsiders　had　ever　been　there。　Leto　felt　disoriented；　as　if　on　the　deck　of　a　boat　in　a　storm。　His　father　loved　to　pull　surprises　like　this；　to　see　how　well　Leto　could　react　to　a　changed　situation。
　Ixians　maintained　a　strict　veil　of　secrecy　around　their　industrial　operations。　They　were　rumored　to　skirt　the　fringes　of　legality；　manufacturing　devices　that　came　close　to　violating　Jihad　prohibitions　against　thinking　machines。　Why　then　is　my　father　sending　me　to　such　a　place；　and　how　has　it　been　arranged？　Why　hasn't　anyone　asked　me？
　A　robo…table　emerged　from　the　floor　beside　Leto　and　produced　a　cold　glass　of　cidrit　juice。　The　young　man's　tastes　were　known；　just　as　it　was　known　that　the　Old　Duke　would　want　nothing　but　the　pipe。　Leto　took　a　sip　of　the　tart　drink；　puckering　his　lips。
　〃You'll　study　there　for　a　year；〃　Paulus　said；　〃according　to　the　tradition　of　the　allied　Great　Houses。　Living　on　Ix　will　be　quite　a　contrast　with　our　bucolic　planet。　Learn　from　it。〃　He　stared　at　the　pipe　in　his　hand。　Carved　from　Elaccan　jacaranda　wood；　it　was　deep　brown；　with　swirls　that　glinted　in　the　light　cast　by　the　glowglobes。
　〃You've　been　there；　sir？〃　Leto　smiled　as　he　remembered。　〃To　see　your　rade　Dominic　Vernius；　right？〃
　Paulus　touched　the　bustion　pad　on　the　side　of　his　pipe；　lighting　the　tobacco；　which　was　actually　a　golden　seaweed　rich　in　nicotine。　He　took　a　long　drag　and　exhaled　smoke。　〃On　many　occasions。　The　Ixians　are　an　insular　society　and　don't　trust　outsiders。　So　you'll　have　to　go　through　plenty　of　security　precautions；　interrogations；　and　scans。　They　know　that　dropping　their　guard　for　the　briefest　instant　can　be　fatal。　Great　and　Minor　Houses　alike　covet　what　Ix　has　and　would　like　to　take　it　for　themselves。〃
　〃Richese　for　one；〃　Leto　said。
　〃Don't　say　that　to　your　mother。　Richese　is　now　only　a　shadow　of　what　it　was　because　Ix　trounced　them　in　all…out　economic　warfare。〃　He　leaned　forward　and　took　a　puff　from　his　pipe。　〃The　Ixians　are　masters　of　industrial　sabotage　and　patent　appropriation。　Nowadays　Richesians　are　only　good　for　making　cheap　copies；　without　any　innovations。〃
　Leto　considered　these　ments；　which　were　new　to　him。　The　Old　Duke　blew　smoke；　puffing　his　cheeks　and　making　his　beard　bristle。
　〃In　deference　to　your　mother；　lad；　we've　filtered　the　information　you've　learned。　House　Richese　was　a　most　tragic　loss。　Your　grandfather；　Count　Ilban　Richese；　had　a　large　family　and　spent　more　time　with　his　offspring　than　watching　his　business　interests。　Not　surprisingly；　his　children　grew　up　pampered；　and　his　fortunes　fizzled　away。〃
　Leto　nodded；　attentive　as　always　to　his　father's　talk。　But　he　already　knew　more　than　Paulus　imagined；　he'd　listened　privately　to　holorecords　and　filmbooks　inadvertently　left　accessible　to　him　by　his　proctors。　It　occurred　to　him　now；　however；　that　perhaps　all　of　that　was　by　design；　part　of　a　plan　to　open　his　mother's　family　history　to　him　like　a　flower；　one　petal　at　a　time。
　In　conjunction　with　his　familial　interest　in　Richese；　Leto　had　always　found　Ix　to　be　equally　intriguing。　Once　an　industrial　petitor　of　Richese；　House　Vernius　of　Ix　had　survived　as　a　technological　powerhouse。　The　royal　family　of　Ix　was　one　of　the　wealthiest　in　the　Imperium　　and　he　was　going　to　study　there。
　His　father's　words　broke　through　his　thoughts。　〃Your　training　partner　will　be　Prince　Rhombur；　heir　to　the　noble　title　of　Vernius。　I　hope　you　two　get　along。　You're　about　the　same　age。〃
　The　Prince　of　Ix。　Leto's　thoughts　soured；　hoping　the　young　man　wasn't　spoiled；　like　so　many　other　children　of　powerful　Landsraad　families。　Why　couldn't　it　at　least　have　been　a　princess；　one　with　a　face　and　figure　like　the　Guild　banker's　daughter　he　had　met　last　month　at　the　Tidal　Solstice　Ball？
　〃So。。。what　is　this　Prince　Rhombur　like？〃　Leto　asked。
　Paulus　laughed；　a　blustery　offering　that　suggested　a　lifetime　of　revelry　and　bawdy　stories。　〃Why；　I　don't　think　I　know。　It's　been　a　long　time　since　I　visited　Dominic　at　home　with　his　wife　Shando。〃　He　smiled　with　an　inner　joke。　〃Ah；　Shando　　she　was　an　Imperial　concubine　once；　but　Dominic　stole　her　right　out　from　under　old　Elrood's　nose。〃　He　gave　a　loud；　impertinent　chuckle。　〃Now　they　have　a　son。。。and　a　daughter；　too。　Her　name　is　Kailea。〃
　Smiling　enigmatically；　the　Old　Duke　continued；　〃There　is　much　for　you　to　learn；　my　boy。　A　year　hence；　both　of　you　will　e　to　study　on　Caladan；　an　exchange　of　teaching　services。　You　and　Rhombur　will　be　taken　to　pundi　rice　farms　in　the　lowland　marshes　on　the　southern　continent；　to　live　in　shacks　and　work　the　paddies。　You'll　travel　beneath　the　sea　in　a　Nells　chamber；　and　you'll　dive　for　coral　gems。〃　He　smiled　and　clapped　his　son　on　the　shoulder。　〃Some　things　can't　be　taught　with　filmbooks　or　in　classrooms。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃　He　smelled　the　iodine…sweetness　of　the　seaweed　tobacco。　He　frowned；　hoping　the　smoke　covered　his　expression。　This　drastic　and　unexpected　change　in　his　life　wasn't　to　his　liking；　but　he　respected　his　father；　Leto　had　learned　through　many　hard　lessons　that　the　Old　Duke　knew　exactly　what　he　was　talking　about；　and　that　Paulus　had　only　the　greatest　desire　to　ensure　that　his　son　would　follow　in　his　footsteps。
　The　Duke　lounged　back　in　his　suspensor　chair；　bobbing　in　the　air。　〃Lad；　I　can　tell　you're　not　entirely　pleased；　but　this　will　be　a　vital　experience　for　you　and　for　Dominic's　son。　Here　on　Caladan　you'll　both　learn　our　greatest　secret　　how　we　foster　the　intense　loyalty　of　our　subjects；　why　we　trust　our　people　implicitly　in　a　way　the　Ixians　do　not　trust　theirs。〃
　Paulus　became　most　serious　now；　without　the　slightest　glint　of　humor　in　his　eyes。　〃My　son；　this　is　more　essential　than　anything　you　will　learn　on　an　industrial　world：　People　are　more　important　than　machines。〃
　It　was　an　adage　Leto　had　heard　often；　the　phrase　was　part　of　him；　almost　as　important　to　him　as　breathing。　〃That's　why　our　soldiers　fight　so　well。〃
　Paulus　leaned　forward　into　the　curling　smoke　from　his　last　puff。　〃One　day　you　will　be　Duke；　lad；　patriarch　of　House　Atreides　and　a　respected　representative　in　the　Landsraad。　Your　voice　there　will　be　equal　to　that　of　any　other　ruler　among　the　Great　Houses。　That's　a　great　responsibility。〃
　〃I'll　handle　it。〃
　〃I'm　sure　you　will；　Leto。。。but　let　yourself　relax　a　bit。　The　people　can　tell　when　you're　not　happy　　and　when　their　Duke　is　not　happy；　the　population　is　not　happy。　Let　pressure　pass　over　and　through　you；　that　way　you　can't　be　harmed　by　it。〃　He　extended　a　scolding　finger。　〃Have　more　fun。〃
　Fun。　Leto　thought　again　of　the　Guild　banker's　daughter；　envisioning　the　fullness　of　her　breasts　and　hips；　the　moist　pout　of　her　mouth；　the　way　she　had　looked　at　him　so　enticingly。
　Maybe　he　wasn't　as　serious　as　his　father　thought　he　was　。。。。
　He　took　another　drink　of　cidrit　juice；　the　tart　coolness　dissipated　in　his　throat。　〃Sir；　with　your　proven　loyalty；　with　the　known　faithfulness　of　the　Atreides　to　its　allies；　why　do　the　Ixians　still　put　us　through　their　interrogation　procedures？　Do　you　think　an　Atreides；　even　with　all　that　has　been　instilled　in　him；　could　ever　bee　a　traitor？　Could　we　ever　bee　like。。。like　the　Harkonnens？〃
　The　Old　Duke　scowled。　〃Once；　we　were　not　so　different　from　them；　but　those　are　not　stories　you're　ready　t