bh.houseatreides-第107节

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　〃I've　already　taken　care　of　the　workers；〃　the　Mentat　said；　nodding　in　agreement。　〃No　chance　for　leaks　there。〃
　Rabban　smiled　greedily。　〃Did　you　save　me　any　of　them？〃
　De　Vries　gave　a　jittering　shrug。　〃Well；　I've　had　my　fun；　but　I'm　not　a　pig。　I　did　leave　a　few　for　you。〃　He　nodded　toward　a　bank　of　solid　doors。　〃Second　room　on　the　right。　Five　of　them　are　in　there　on　gurneys；　drugged。　Enjoy　yourself。〃　The　Mentat　patted　the　beefy　Harkonnen　on　the　shoulder。
　Rabban　took　a　couple　of　steps　toward　the　door；　then　hesitated　and　looked　back　at　his　uncle；　who　had　not　yet　given　permission　for　him　to　leave。　The　Baron　was　studying　de　Vries。
　The　twisted　Mentat　furrowed　his　brow。　〃We　are　the　first　with　a　no…ship；　my　Baron。　With　the　advantage　of　surprise；　no　one　will　ever　suspect　what　it　is　we　intend　to　do。〃
　〃What　I'm　going　to　do；〃　Rabban　said　gruffly。
　De　Vries　used　a　handheld　…unit　to　speak　to　several　sluggish　workers　in　the　lab。　〃Clean　up　this　mess　and　get　the　attack　ship　moved　to　the　family　frigate　before　departure　time　tomorrow。〃
　〃I　want　all　technical　notes　and　records　confiscated　and　sealed；〃　the　Baron　ordered　as　the　Mentat　switched　off　the　municator。
　〃Yes；　my　Baron；〃　de　Vries　said。　〃I'll　see　to　it　personally。〃
　〃You　may　go　now；〃　the　Baron　said　to　his　anxious　nephew。　〃An　hour　or　two　of　relaxation　will　do　you　good。。。it'll　get　your　mind　in　order　for　the　important　work　ahead。〃
　They　demonstrate　subtle；　highly　effective　skills　in　the　aligned　arts　of　observation　and　data　collection。　Information　is　their　stock…in…trade。
　…Imperial　Report　on　the　Bene　Gesserit；　used　for　tutoring　purposes
　This　is　most　impressive；〃　Sister　Margot　Rashino…Zea　said；　as　she　gazed　at　the　imposing　buildings　on　each　side　of　the　enormous　oval　of　the　Imperial…Landsraad　mons。　〃A　spectacle　for　all　the　senses。〃　After　long　years　on　the　cloudy；　bucolic　world　of　Wallach　IX；　her　eyes　now　ached　from　so　many　sights。
　A　refreshing；　fine　mist　rose　from　the　fountain　at　the　center　of　the　mons；　an　extraordinary　artistic　position　that　towered　a　hundred　meters　overhead。　In　the　design　of　a　glittering　nebula　swirl；　the　fountain　was　replete　with　oversize　planets　and　other　celestial　bodies　that　spurted　perfumed　streams　in　myriad　colors。　Tightbeam　spotlights　refracted　from　the　water；　creating　loops　of　rainbows　that　danced　silently　in　the　air。
　〃Ah；　yes；　you　have　never　been　to　Kaitain；　I　see；〃　Crown　Prince　Shaddam　said；　strolling　casually　beside　the　lovely　blonde　Bene　Gesserit。　Sardaukar　guards　hovered　in　the　background；　assuming　they　were　near　enough　to　prevent　any　harm　from　ing　to　the　Imperial　heir。　Margot　suppressed　a　smile；　always　pleased　to　see　how　much　other　people　underestimated　the　Sisterhood。
　〃Oh；　I've　seen　it　before；　Sire。　But　familiarity　does　not　lessen　my　admiration　for　the　magnificent　capital　of　the　Imperium。〃
　Dressed　in　a　new　black　robe　that　rustled　stiffly　as　she　moved；　Margot　was　flanked　by　Shaddam　on　one　side　and　Hasimir　Fenring　on　the　other。　She　did　not　hide　her　long　golden　hair；　her　fresh　face；　or　her　pristine　beauty。　Most　of　the　time；　people　expected　the　Bene　Gesserit　to　be　old　hags　shrouded　in　layers　of　dark　garments。　But　many；　like　Margot　Rashino…Zea；　could　be　stunningly　attractive。　With　a　precise　release　of　her　body's　pheromones　and　carefully　selected　flirtations；　she　could　use　her　sexuality　as　a　weapon。
　But　not　here；　not　yet。　The　Sisterhood　had　other　plans　for　the　Emperor…to…be。
　Margot　was　nearly　Shaddam's　height；　and　much　taller　than　Fenring。　Behind　them；　out　of　hearing　range；　an　entourage　of　three　Reverend　Mothers　followed；　women　who　had　been　investigated　and　cleared　by　Fenring　himself。　The　Crown　Prince　did　not　know　what　these　others　had　to　do　with　this　meeting；　but　Margot　would　convey　the　reason　presently。
　〃You　should　see　these　gardens　at　night；〃　Shaddam　said。　〃The　water　looks　like　a　meteor　shower。〃
　〃Oh；　yes；〃　Margot　said　with　a　faint　smile。　Her　gray…green　eyes　glittered。　〃This　is　my　favorite　place　to　be　in　the　evenings。　I　have　e　twice　since　my　arrival　here。。。in　anticipation　of　this　private　meeting　with　you；　Sire。〃
　Though　he　tried　to　make　casual　conversation　with　this　representative　of　the　powerful　Bene　Gesserit；　Shaddam　felt　ill　at　ease。　Everyone　wanted　something；　everyone　had　a　private　agenda　　and　every　group　thought　it　was　owed　favors　or　held　sufficient　blackmail　material　to　sway　his　opinion。　Fenring　had　already　taken　care　of　several　of　those　parasites；　but　more　would　e。
　His　current　uneasiness　had　less　to　do　with　Sister　Margot　than　with　his　concerns　over　mounting　mistrust　and　turmoil　among　the　Great　Houses。　Even　without　an　autopsy　by　the　Suks；　several　important　members　of　the　Landsraad　had　raised　unfortable　questions　over　the　Emperor's　mysterious；　lingering　death。　Alliances　were　shifting　and　re…forming；　important　taxes　and　tithes　from　several　wealthy　worlds　had　been　delayed；　without　adequate　explanation。
　And　the　Tleilaxu　claimed　to　be　years　away　from　producing　their　promised　synthetic　spice。
　Shaddam　and　his　inner　council　would　discuss　the　brewing　crisis　again　this　morning；　a　continuation　of　meetings　that　had　gone　on　for　a　week。　The　length　of　Elrood's　reign　had　forced　a　stability　（if　not　stagnation）　across　the　Imperium。　No　one　remembered　how　to　implement　an　orderly　transition　of　power。
　All　across　the　worlds；　military　forces　were　being　increased　in　strength　and　placed　on　alert。　Shaddam's　Sardaukar　were　no　exception。　Spies　were　busier　than　ever；　in　all　quarters。　At　times　he　wondered　if　his　reassignment　of　Elrood's　trusted　Chamberlain　Aken　Hesban　might　have　been　a　mistake。　Hesban　now　sat　in　a　tiny；　rock…walled　office　deep　in　the　gullet　of　an　asteroid　mine；　ready　to　be　recalled　if　things　ever　got　too　bad。
　But　it'll　be　a　cold　day　on　Arrakis　before　that　happens。
　Shaddam's　unease　made　him　jumpy；　perhaps　a　little　superstitious。　His　old　vulture　of　a　father　was　dead　　sent　to　the　deepest　hell　described　in　the　Orange　Catholic　Bible　　yet　still　he　felt　the　invisible　blood　on　his　hands。
　Before　departing　the　Palace　to　meet　with　Sister　Margot；　Shaddam　had；　without　much　thought；　grabbed　a　cloak　to　warm　his　shoulders　against　an　imagined　chill　in　the　morning　air。　The　gold　mantle　had　hung　in　the　wardrobe　with　many　other　garments　he　had　never　worn。　Only　now　did　he　remember　that　this　particular　article　had　been　a　favorite　of　his　father's。
　Realizing　this；　Shaddam's　skin　crawled。　He　felt　the　fine　material　prickle　him　suddenly；　making　him　shiver。　The　fine　gold　chain　seemed　to　tighten　at　his　throat　like　a　noose。
　Ridiculous；　he　told　himself。　Inanimate　objects　did　not　carry　spirits　of　the　dead；　couldn't　possibly　harm　him。　He　tried　to　put　such　concerns　out　of　his　mind。　A　Bene　Gesserit　would　certainly　be　able　to　read　his　disfort；　and　he　couldn't　allow　this　woman　so　much　power　over　him。
　〃I　love　the　artwork　here；〃　Margot　said。　She　pointed　toward　a　scaffold　fixed　to　the　face　of　the　Landsraad　Hall　of　Oratory；　where　fresco　painters　worked　on　a　mural　depicting　scenes　of　natural　beauty　and　technological　achievement　from　around　the　Imperium。　〃I　believe　your　great…grandfather　Vutier　Corrino　II　was　responsible　for　much　of　this？〃
　〃Ah；　yes　　Vutier　was　a　great　patron　of　the　arts；〃　Shaddam　said　with　some　difficulty。　Resisting　an　urge　to　remove　the　haunted　cloak　and　throw　it　to　the　ground；　he　vowed　to　wear　only　his　own　clothes　henceforth。　〃He　said　that　spectacle　without　warmth　or　creativity　meant　nothing。〃
　〃I　think　you　should　make　your　point；　please；　Sister；〃　Fenring　suggested；　noting　his　friend's　disfort；　but　guessing　incorrectly　as　to　its　cause。　〃The　Crown　Prince's　time　is　valuable。　There　is　much　turmoil　after　the　Emperor's　death。〃
　Shaddam　and　Fenring　had　murdered　Elrood　IX。　That　fact　could　never　be　erased；　and　they　hadn't　escaped　suspicion　entirely；　not　according　to　rumors。　War　between　the　Landsraad　and　House　Corrino　might　result　unless　the　Crown　Prince　consolidated　his　position；　and　soon。
　Margot　had　been　so　persistent　about　the　importance　of　a　certain　matter；　using　all　the　quiet　clout　of　the　Bene　Gesserit；　that　an　audience　had　been　granted　to　her　on　short　notice。　The　only　time　open　was　during　one　of　Shaddam's　morning　walks；　an　hour　he　normally　reserved　for　quiet　personal　reflection　（〃grief　for　his　dead　father；〃　according　to　the　Court　gossip　Fenring　had　fostered）。
　Margot　favored　the　weasel…faced　man　beside　her　with　a　pretty　smile　and　a　casual　toss　of　her　honey…blonde　hair。　Her　gray…green　eyes　studied　him。　〃You　know　very　well　what　I　wish　to　discuss　with　your　friend；　Hasimir；〃　she　said；　employing　a　familiar　tone　that　astonished　the　Imperial　heir。　〃Didn't　you　prepare　him？〃
　Fenring　shook　his　head　jerkily；　and　Shaddam　saw　him　weaken　in　her　presence。　The　deadly　man　wasn't　his　usual　forceful　self。　The　Bene　Gesserit　delegation　had　been　here　for　some　days；　waiting；　and　Margot　Rashino…Zea　had　spent　a　great　deal　of　time　with　Fenring　in　close　discussions。　Shaddam　cocked　his　head；　sensing　some　affection　　or　at　least　mutual　respect　　between　the　two。　Impossible！
　〃Hmm…m…m…ah；　I　thought　you　might　phrase　it　better　than　I　could；　Sister；〃　Fenring　said。　〃Sire；　the　lovely　Margot　has　an　interesting　proposal　for　you。　I　think　you　should　listen　to　her。〃
　The　Bene　Gesserit　looked　at　Shaddam　strangely。　Has　she　noticed　my　distress？　he　wondere