bh.houseatreides-第116节

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　〃But　why；　why？〃　Shaddam　studied　the　well…manicured　nails　on　his　fingers；　flushed　with　confusion。　〃What　does　he　have　against　me？　I　am　his　cousin！〃
　Fenring　sighed。　〃Leto　Atreides　is　in　thick　with　the　ousted　Prince　of　Ix。　If　he　learned　about　our　hand　in　the　overthrow　there　and　the　Tleilaxu　synthetic…spice　work；　wouldn't　that　be　motive　enough？　He　inherited　a　deep；　misplaced　sense　of　honor　from　his　father。　Consider　this；　then：　Leto　took　it　upon　himself　to　punish　the　Bene　Tleilax。　But　if　we　let　him　stand　trial　now　before　the　Landsraad；　he　plans　to　tell　of　our　involvement　and　take　us　down　with　him。　It's　as　simple　as　that；　hm…m…m…m？　He　mitted　the　crime；　all　the　while　knowing　we　would　have　to　protect　him。。。to　protect　ourselves。　Either　way；　he'll　have　punished　us。　At　least　he　left　a　way　out。〃
　〃Ah；　yes。　But　that's　〃
　〃Blackmail；　Sire？〃
　Shaddam　drew　an　icy　breath。　〃Damn　him！〃　Now　he　stood　up；　looking　Imperial　at　last。　〃Damn　him！　If　you're　right；　Hasimir；　we　have　no　choice　but　to　help　him。〃
　The　written　Law　of　the　Imperium　cannot　be　changed；　no　matter　which　Great　House　holds　dominion　or　which　Emperor　sits　on　the　Golden　Lion　Throne。　The　documents　of　the　Imperial　Constitution　have　been　established　for　thousands　of　years。　This　is　not　to　say　that　each　regime　is　legally　identical；　the　variations　stem　from　subtleties　of　interpretation　and　from　microscopic　loopholes　that　bee　large　enough　to　drive　a　Heighliner　through。
　…Law　of　the　Imperium：　mentaries　and　Rebuttals
　Leto　lay　supine　on　the　sling　bed　in　his　cell；　feeling　the　warm　throb　of　a　massage　mechanism　beneath　him　as　it　worked　the　stress…tightened　muscles　of　his　neck　and　back。　He　still　didn't　know　what　he　was　going　to　do。
　So　far　he　had　received　no　response　from　the　Crown　Prince；　and　Leto　was　now　convinced　that　his　wild　bluff　would　not　work。　Relying　on　the　secret　message　had　been　a　long　shot　anyway；　and　Leto　himself　had　no　idea　what　it　meant。　Instead；　for　hour　after　hour；　he　and　the　Mentat　had　continued　to　discuss　the　merits　of　their　case　and　the　necessity　of　relying　on　their　own　skills。
　Personal　articles　and　forts　surrounded　him　for　his　use　during　the　long　hours　of　anticipation；　contemplation；　and　boredom：　filmbooks；　fine　clothing；　writing　instruments；　even　Couriers　waiting　outside　his　cell　to　carry　personal　message　cubes　to　any　recipients　he　chose。　Everyone　knew　how　much　was　at　stake　in　this　trial；　and　not　everyone　on　Kaitain　wanted　Leto　to　win。
　Technically；　because　of　the　legal　procedures　in　which　he　was　embroiled；　he　no　longer　owned　any　personal　items；　still；　he　appreciated　the　use　of　them。　The　filmbooks　and　clothing　provided　a　sense　of　stability；　a　link　with　what　he　thought　of　as　his　〃former　life。〃　Since　the　mysterious　attack　inside　the　Heighliner；　he　had　been　thrown　into　a　state　of　chaos。
　Leto's　whole　future；　the　fate　of　his　House；　and　his　holdings　on　Caladan　hung　precariously　on　the　Trial　by　Forfeiture；　all　or　nothing。　If　he　failed　here；　his　Great　House　would　be　even　worse　off　than　the　renegade　family　Vernius。　House　Atreides　would　no　longer　exist　　at　all。
　At　least　then；　he　thought　with　forced　wryness；　I　won't　have　to　worry　about　negotiating　an　appropriate　marriage　to　make　the　best　Landsraad　connections。　He　released　a　deep　sigh；　thinking　of　copper…haired　Kailea　and　her　dreams　for　a　future　that　would　never　e　to　pass。　If　he　was　stripped　of　his　titles　and　possessions；　Leto　Atreides　could　choose　to　marry　her　without　considering　dynasties　and　politics。。。but　would　she；　with　her　dreams　of　Kaitain　and　the　Imperial　Court；　want　him　if　he　wasn't　a　Duke？
　Somehow；　I　always　manage　to　find　advantages；　Rhombur　had　said。　He　could　use　a　little　more　of　his　friend's　optimism　now。
　At　the　crowded　blueplaz　desk；　deep　in　silent　concentration；　Thufir　Hawat　flipped　through　holo…pages　projected　in　front　of　his　eyes　　a　pilation　of　the　probable　evidence　that　would　be　used　against　Leto；　as　well　as　analyses　of　Landsraad　law。　This　information　included　the　input　of　Atreides　attorneys　and　the　Mentat　projections　Hawat　himself　had　made。
　The　case　rested　entirely　on　circumstantial　evidence；　but　it　was　highly　pelling；　beginning　with　Leto's　own　angry　statement　in　front　of　the　Landsraad　Council。　He　had　an　obvious　motive；　having　already　declared　a　verbal　war　on　the　Tleilaxu。
　〃It　all　points　to　my　guilt；　doesn't　it？〃　Leto　said。　He　sat　up　in　the　swaying　bed；　and　the　massage　unit　automatically　paused。
　Hawat　nodded。　〃Too　perfectly；　my　Lord。　And　the　evidence　continues　to　grow　worse。　The　multiphase　projectile　launchers　on　our　bat　pods　were　checked　during　the　investigation；　and　found　to　have　been　fired。　Quite　a　damning　result；　and　it　adds　to　the　body　of　evidence。〃
　〃Thufir；　we　know　the　projectiles　were　fired。　We've　reported　that　from　the　beginning。　Rhombur　and　I　went　out　on　skeet…drone　practice　before　the　Heighliner　folded　space。　Every　member　of　our　crew　can　testify　to　that。〃
　〃The　magistrates　may　not　believe　us。　The　explanation　sounds　too　convenient；　as　if　it　were　a　concocted　alibi。　They'll　think　we　practiced　in　order　to　establish　a　reason　for　the　weapons　results；　because　we　knew　we　would　fire　upon　the　Tleilaxu。　A　simple　enough　trick。〃
　〃You　were　always　good　at　the　intricate　details；〃　Leto　said　with　a　gentle　smile。　〃It's　your　security…corps　training。　You　pore　over　everything　repeatedly；　searching　each　layer；　making　calculations　and　projections。〃
　〃That　is　exactly　what　we　need　right　now；　my　Duke。〃
　〃Don't　forget　that　we　have　truth　on　our　side；　Thufir；　and　that's　a　powerful　ally。　Holding　our　heads　high；　we　will　stand　before　the　tribunal　of　our　peers　and　tell　them　everything　that　happened；　and　most　of　all　what　didn't　happen。　They　must　believe　us；　or　else　centuries　of　Atreides　honor　and　honesty　will　mean　nothing。〃
　〃I　wish　I　had　your　strength。。。your　optimism；〃　Hawat　responded。　〃You　show　remarkable　steadiness　and　posure。〃　A　bittersweet　expression　crossed　his　weathered　face。　〃Your　father　taught　you　well。　He　would　be　proud　of　you。〃　He　flicked　off　the　holoprojector；　and　the　dancing　pages　of　evidence　disappeared　in　the　heavy　prison　air。　〃So　far；　among　the　magistrates　and　voting　members　of　the　Landsraad　jury；　we　do　have　a　few　who　are　likely　to　find　you　innocent；　thanks　to　past　allegiances。〃
　Leto　smiled；　but　noted　how　uneasy　his　Mentat　was。　He　swung　out　of　bed　onto　the　floor。　Wearing　a　blue　robe；　Leto　left　his　feet　bare　as　he　paced。　A　chill　ran　up　his　arms；　and　he　adjusted　the　temperature　in　the　cell。　〃There'll　be　more　believers　after　they　listen　to　my　statement　and　see　the　evidence。〃
　Hawat　looked　at　Leto　as　if　he　were　a　mere　child　again。　〃One　advantage　we　have　is　that　most　of　your　allies　will　vote　to　acquit　you　solely　because　they　despise　the　Tleilaxu。　Regardless　of　what　they　think　you　may　have　done；　you　are　of　noble　blood　from　a　respected　Landsraad　family。　You　are　one　of　them；　and　they　would　not　destroy　you　to　reward　the　Bene　Tleilax。　Several　Houses　have　given　us　their　support　because　of　prior　respect　for　your　father。　At　least　one　magistrate　was　impressed　by　the　boldness　of　your　initial　presentation　at　the　Landsraad　Council　months　ago。〃
　〃But　everybody　still　believes　I　did　such　a　terrible　thing？〃　He　frowned　dejectedly。　〃Those　other　reasons　are　incidental。〃
　〃You　are　unknown　to　them；　little　more　than　a　boy；　reputed　to　be　brash　and　impulsive。　For　now；　my　Duke；　we　must　be　more　concerned　with　the　verdict　itself；　and　less　with　the　reasons。　If　you　succeed；　you　will　have　many　years　to　rebuild　your　reputation。〃
　〃And　if　I　lose；　it　won't　matter　a　bit。〃
　Nodding　solemnly；　Hawat　stood　like　a　monolith。　〃There　are　no　set　rules　for　conducting　a　Trial　by　Forfeiture。　It　is　a　freestyle　forum　without　rules　of　evidence　or　procedures；　a　container　without　contents。　Without　a　disclosure　process；　we　don't　have　to　reveal　to　the　court　what　evidence　we'll　present　　but　neither　does　anyone　else。　We　can't　know　the　lies　our　enemies　may　tell；　or　what　exhibits　they　may　have　doctored。　We　won't　see　ahead　of　time　what　alleged　proof　the　Tleilaxu　possess；　how　their　main　witnesses　will　testify。　Many　ugly　things　will　be　said　about　House　Atreides。　Prepare　yourself　for　it。〃
　Looking　up　at　a　noise；　Leto　saw　a　guard　shut　down　the　humming　confinement　field　to　let　Rhombur　enter。　The　Ixian　Prince　wore　a　white　shirt　with　a　Vernius　helix　on　the　collar。　His　face　was　flushed　from　a　session　in　the　gym；　his　hair　wet　from　a　shower。　On　his　right　hand；　the　fire…jewel　ring　glinted。
　Leto　thought　of　the　similarities　between　his　situation　and　his　friend's；　with　their　Houses　in　disarray　and　near　annihilation。　Rhombur；　who　had　received　the　temporary　protection　of　the　court；　came　at　the　same　time　each　day。
　〃Finish　your　exercises？〃　Leto　inquired；　forcing　a　hearty　tone　despite　Hawat's　grim　pessimism。
　〃Today　I　broke　the　physical…training　machine；〃　Rhombur　responded　with　an　impish　smile。　〃The　device　must　have　been　built　by　one　of　those　disreputable　Houses　Minor。　No　quality　control。　Certainly　not　good　Ixian　stuff。〃　Leto　laughed　as　he　and　Rhombur　interlocked　fingertips　in　the　half　handshake　of　the　Imperium。
　Rhombur　scratched　his　damp；　tousled　blond　hair。　〃The　hard　exercise　helps　me　to　think。　These　days　it's　difficult　enough　to　concentrate　on　anything。　Uh；　my　sister　sends　her　support；　by　the　way；　via　a　fresh　Courier　from　Caladan。　I　thoug