bh.houseatreides-第83部分

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　Hawat　looked　his　Duke　in　the　eye。　〃An　attack　to　weaken　House　Atreides。　The　death　of　the　patriarch　leaves　you；　m　'Lord；　in　a　vulnerable　position。　You　are　young　and　untrained。〃
　Leto　drew　in　a　deep　breath；　but　restrained　his　temper　as　he　listened。
　〃Your　enemies　will　now　see　House　Atreides　as　unstable；　and　could　make　a　move　against　us。　Your　allies　may　also　see　you　as　a　liability　and　support　you　with　somewhat。。。limited　enthusiasm。　This　is　a　very　dangerous　time　for　you。〃
　〃The　Harkonnens？〃　Leto　asked。
　Hawat　shrugged。　〃Possibly。　Or　some　ally　of　theirs。〃
　Leto　pressed　his　hands　against　his　temples　and　drew　another　deep　breath。　He　saw　Rhombur　looking　uneasily　at　him。
　〃Continue　your　investigation；　Thufir；〃　Leto　said。　〃Since　we　know　that　drugs　were　introduced　to　the　Salusan　bull；　I　suggest　you　target　your　interrogations　around　the　stables。〃
　THE　STABLEBOY　DUNCAN　Idaho　stood　in　front　of　his　new　Duke；　bowing　proudly；　ready　to　swear　his　fealty　again。　The　household　staff　had　cleaned　him　up；　though　he　still　wore　stable　clothes。　The　ruined　garments　he'd　been　given　for　the　ill…fated　final　bullfight　had　been　discarded。　His　curly　black　hair　was　disheveled。
　A　rage　burned　inside　him。　He　was　certain　that　Duke　Paulus's　death　could　have　been　avoided　if　someone　had　only　listened　to　him。　The　grief　struck　him　sharply；　and　he　agonized　over　whether　he　might　have　done　more：　Should　he　have　insisted　harder　or　spoken　to　someone　other　than　Stablemaster　Yresk？　He　wondered　if　he　should　reveal　what　he　had　tried　to　do；　but　for　the　moment　held　his　tongue。
　Looking　too　small　in　the　ducal　chair；　Leto　Atreides　narrowed　his　gray　eyes　and　skewered　Duncan　with　a　gaze。　〃Boy；　I　remember　when　you　joined　our　household。〃　His　face　looked　thinner；　and　much　older　than　it　had　been　when　Duncan　had　first　stood　inside　the　Castle　hall。　〃It　was　just　after　I　escaped　from　Ix　with　Rhombur　and　Kailea。〃
　Both　of　the　Vernius　refugees　also　sat　in　the　main　hall；　as　did　Thufir　Hawat　and　a　contingent　of　guards。　Duncan　glanced　over　at　them；　then　returned　his　attention　to　the　young　Duke。
　〃I　heard　stories　of　your　escape　from　the　Harkonnens；　Duncan　Idaho；〃　Leto　continued；　〃of　how　you　were　tortured　and　imprisoned。　My　father　trusted　you　when　he　gave　you　a　position　here　at　Castle　Caladan。　You　know　how　unusual　it　was　for　him　to　do　that？〃　He　leaned　forward　on　the　dark；　wooden　chair。
　Duncan　nodded。　〃Yes；　m'Lord。〃　He　felt　a　hot　flush　of　guilt　on　his　face　at　having　failed　the　benefactor　who　had　been　so　kind　to　him。　〃Yes；　I　know。〃
　〃But　someone　drugged　the　Salusan　bulls　before　my　father's　last　fight　　and　you　were　one　of　those　tending　the　beasts。　You　had　ample　opportunity。　Why　didn't　I　see　you　at　the　paseo　when　all　the　others　marched　around　the　arena？　I　remember　looking　for　you。〃　His　voice　became　much　sharper。　〃Duncan　Idaho；　were　you　sent　here；　all　innocent　looking　and　indignant；　as　a　secret　assassin　in　the　employ　of　the　Harkonnens？〃
　Duncan　stepped　back；　appalled。　〃Indeed　not；　m'Lord　Duke！〃　he　cried。　〃I　tried　to　warn　everyone。　For　days　I　knew　something　was　wrong　with　the　bulls。　I　told　Stablemaster　Yresk　again　and　again；　but　he　wouldn't　do　anything。　He　just　laughed　at　me。　I　even　argued　with　him。　That's　why　I　wasn't　at　the　paseo。　I　was　going　to　go　warn　the　Old　Duke　myself；　but　instead　the　stablemaster　locked　me　in　one　of　the　dirty　stalls　during　the　fight。〃　Tears　welled　up　in　his　eyes。　〃All　the　fine　clothes　your　father　gave　me　were　ruined。　I　didn't　even　see　him　fall　in　the　arena。〃
　Surprised　at　this；　Leto　sat　up　in　his　father's　large　chair。　He　looked　over　at　Hawat。
　I　will　find　out；　m'Lord；〃　the　Mentat　said。
　Leto　scrutinized　the　boy。　Duncan　Idaho　stood　before　him　showing　no　fear；　only　deep　sadness。　As　he　studied　him；　Leto　thought　he　recognized　an　openness　and　a　heartfelt　devotion　on　the　young　face。　By　appearances；　this　nine…year…old　refugee　seemed　truly　glad　to　be　part　of　Castle　Caladan；　despite　his　demeaning；　thankless　chores　as　a　stableboy。
　Leto　Atreides　did　not　have　many　years　of　experience　in　judging　devious　people　and　weighing　the　hearts　of　men；　but　he　had　an　intuition　that　he　could　trust　this　earnest　boy。　Duncan　was　tough　and　intelligent　and　fierce　　but　not　treacherous。
　Be　cautious；　Duke　Leto；　he　told　himself。　There　are　many　tricks　in　the　Imperium；　and　this　could　be　one　of　them。　Then　he　thought　of　the　old　stablemaster；　Yresk　had　been　with　Castle　Caladan　ever　since　the　arranged　marriage　of　Leto's　parents。。。。　Could　such　a　plan　have　been　so　many　years　in　germination？　Yes；　he　supposed　it　could。　Though　he　trembled　at　the　implications。
　Unacpanied；　the　Lady　Helena　glided　into　the　reception　hall；　taking　furtive　steps。　Deep　shadows　hovered　around　her　eyes。　Leto　watched　his　mother　slip　into　the　empty　chair　beside　his；　the　one　reserved　for　times　when　she　had　sat　beside　her　husband。　Straight…backed　and　without　words；　she　examined　the　young　boy　before　them。
　Moments　later；　Stablemaster　Yresk　was　unceremoniously　brought　into　the　hall　by　Atreides　guards。　His　shock　of　white　hair　was　mussed；　and　his　baggy　eyes　seemed　wide　and　uncertain。　When　Thufir　Hawat　finished　summarizing　the　story　Duncan　had　told；　the　stablemaster　laughed　and　his　bony　shoulders　sagged　with　exaggerated　relief。　〃After　all　the　years　I　served　you；　would　you　believe　this　stable…rat；　this　Harkonnen？〃　He　rolled　his　puffy　eyes　in　indignation。　〃Please；　m'Lord！〃
　Overly　dramatic；　Leto　thought；　Hawat　saw　it；　too。
　Yresk　placed　a　finger　to　his　lips；　as　if　considering　a　possibility。　〃Now　that　you　mention　it；　m'Lord；　it　could　well　be　that　the　boy　himself　was　poisoning　the　bull。　I　couldn't　watch　him　every　moment。〃
　〃That's　a　lie！〃　Duncan　shouted。　〃I　wanted　to　tell　the　Duke；　but　you　locked　me　in　a　stall。　Why　didn't　you　try　to　stop　the　bullfight？　I　warned　you　and　warned　you　　and　now　the　Duke　is　dead。〃
　Hawat　listened；　his　eyes　distant；　his　lips　moist　and　cranberry…stained　from　a　fresh　swallow　of　sapho　juice。　Leto　saw　he　had　entered　Mentat　mode　again；　racing　through　all　the　data　he　recalled　of　the　events　involving　young　Duncan　and　Yresk　as　well。
　〃Well？〃　Leto　asked　the　stablemaster。　He　forced　himself　not　to　think　of　old　times　with　the　lanky　man　who　had　always　smelled　of　sweat　and　manure。
　〃The　stable…rat　may　have　prattled　some　at　me；　m'Lord；　but　he　was　afraid　of　the　bulls。　I　can't　simply　cancel　a　bullfight　because　a　child　thinks　the　beasts　are　terrifying。〃　He　snorted。　〃I　took　care　of　this　pup；　gave　him　every　chance…〃
　〃Yet　you　didn't　listen　to　him　when　he　warned　you　about　the　bulls；　and　now　my　father　is　dead；〃　Leto　said；　noting　that　Yresk　suddenly　seemed　afraid。　〃Why　would　you　do　that？〃
　〃Possible　projection；〃　Hawat　said。　〃Through　the　Lady　Helena；　Yresk　has　worked　for　House　Richese　all　his　life。　Richese　has　had　ties　to　the　Harkonnens　in　the　past；　as　well　as　an　adversarial　relationship　with　Ix。　He　may　not　even　be　aware　of　his　part　in　the　overall　scheme　or　〃
　〃What？　This　is　absurd！〃　Yresk　insisted。　He　scratched　his　white　hair。　〃I　have　nothing　to　do　with　the　Harkonnens。〃　He　flashed　a　glance　at　the　Lady　Helena；　but　she　refused　to　meet　his　gaze。
　〃Don't　interrupt　my　Mentat；〃　Leto　warned。
　Thufir　Hawat　studied　Lady　Helena；　whose　icy　stare　was　leveled　at　him。　Then　his　gaze　slid　to　her　son；　where　it　remained　as　he　continued　to　lay　out　his　projection：　〃Summary：　The　marriage　of　Paulus　Atreides　to　Helena　of　House　Richese　was　dangerous；　even　at　the　time。　The　Landsraad　saw　it　as　a　way　to　weaken　Richese/Harkonnen　ties；　while　Count　Ilban　Richese　accepted　the　marriage　as　a　last…ditch　effort　to　salvage　some　of　his　family　fortune　at　the　time　they　were　losing　Arrakis。　As　for　House　Atreides；　Duke　Paulus　received　a　formal　CHOAM　directorship　and　became　a　voting　member　of　the　Council　　something　this　family　might　never　otherwise　have　achieved。
　〃When　the　wedding　party　came　here　with　Lady　Helena；　however；　perhaps　not　all　of　her　retainers　granted　their　full　loyalty　to　Atreides。　Contact　could　have　been　made　between　Harkonnen　agents　and　Stablemaster　Yresk。。。without　Lady　Helena's　knowledge；　of　course。〃
　〃That's　wild　conjecture；　especially　for　a　Mentat；〃　Yresk　said。　He　looked　for　support　from　anyone　in　the　room；　Leto　noticed　　with　the　exception　of　Helena；　whose　eyes　he　now　seemed　to　avoid。　On　his　thin　throat；　his　Adam's　apple　bobbed　up　and　down。
　Leto　stared　at　his　mother　sitting　in　silence　beside　him；　at　the　set　of　her　jaw。　A　sharp　cold　sliced　unbidden　down　his　spine。　Through　the　carved　wood　of　their　closed　bedroom　door；　Leto　had　heard　her　words　concerning　his　father's　Vernius　policy。　You're　the　one　who's　made　a　choice　here；　Paulus。　And　you've　made　the　wrong　one。　Now　the　words　echoed　in　Leto's　head。　That　choice　will　cost　you　and　our　House　dearly。
　〃Uh；　nobody　really　watches　a　stablemaster；　Leto；〃　Rhombur　pointed　out　in　a　low　voice。
　But　Leto　continued　to　observe　his　mother。　Stablemaster　Yresk　had　e　to　Caladan　as　part　of　Helena's　wedding　entourage　from　Richese。　Could　she　have　turned　to　him？　What　sort　of　hold　did　she　have　on　the　man？
　His　throat　went　dry　as　all　the　pieces　interlocked　in　his　mind　with　a　sudden　realization　that　must　have　been　similar　to　what　a　Mentat　experienced。　She　had　done　it！　Lady　Helena　Atreides　herself　had　set　the　wheels　in　motion。　Oh；　perhaps　she'd　had　some　outside　assistance；　possibly　even　from　Harkonnens。。。and　most　certainly　Yresk　had　been　the　one　to　carry　out　the　actual　details。
　But　she　herself　had　made　the　decision　to　punish　Paulus。　He　knew　it　in　the　core　of　his　soul。　With　her　fifteen…year…old　son；　she　would　now　control　Caladan　and　make　the　decisions　she　believed　best。
　Leto；　my　son；　you　are　Duke　Atreides　now。　Those　had　been　his　mother's　words　only　moments　after　her　husband's　death。　An　odd　reaction　for　a　shocked　and　grief…stricken　woman。
　〃Please　stop　this；〃　Yresk　said；　wringing　his　hands。　〃M'Lord；　I　would　never　betray　the　House　I　serve。〃　He　pointed　at　Duncan。　〃But　you　know　this　stable…rat　must　be　a　Harkonnen。　He　came　from　Giedi　Prime　not　that　long　ago。〃
　Lady　Helena　sat　rigidly；　and　when　she　finally　spoke；　her　voice　cracked；　as　if　she　hadn't　used　it　much　in　recent　days。　She　leveled　a　challenging　look　at　her　son。　〃You've　known　Yresk　since　you　were　a　child；　Leto。　Would　you　accuse　a　member　of　my　entourage？　Don't　be　ridiculous。〃
　〃No　accusations　yet；　Mother；〃　Leto　said　very　carefully。　〃It's　jus