bh.houseatreides-第118节

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　Shaddam　growled　deep　in　his　throat。　〃Because　somehow　Leto　knows　about　your　artificial…spice　activities　on　Ix。〃
　Alarm　finally　registered　on　Ajidica's　masked　features。　〃Impossible！　We　have　maintained　the　utmost　security。〃
　〃Then　why　did　he　send　me　a　message？〃　Shaddam　demanded　as　he　half　stood　from　his　seat。　〃Leto　is　using　this　knowledge　as　a　bargaining　chip；　to　blackmail　me。　If　he　is　found　guilty　at　trial；　he　will　expose　all　of　your　work；　and　our　collusion　in　it。　I'll　be　faced　with　a　rebellion　in　the　Landsraad。　Think　of　it　　my　father；　with　my　help；　allowed　a　Great　House　of　the　Landsraad　to　be　overthrown。　Unprecedented！　And　not　just　by　any　rival　House；　but　by　you。。。the　Tleilaxu。〃
　Now　the　researcher　seemed　to　take　offense；　but　still　did　not　respond。
　Shaddam　groaned；　then　remembered　appearances　and　glowered　instead。　〃If　it　bees　known　that　I　did　all　this　in　order　to　have　access　to　a　private　source　of　artificial　spice；　thereby　cutting　the　Landsraad　and　the　Bene　Gesserit　and　the　Guild　out　of　their　profits；　my　reign　won't　last　a　week。〃
　〃Then　we　are　at　an　impasse；　m'Lord。〃
　〃No；　we　are　not！〃　Shaddam　roared。　〃The　pilot　of　the　surviving　Tleilaxu　ship　is　your　key　witness。　Get　him　to　change　his　story。　Perhaps　he　didn't　see　everything　as　clearly　as　he　thought　at　first。　You　will　be　well　rewarded；　both　from　my　coffers　and　from　those　of　House　Atreides。〃
　〃Not　sufficient；　Sire；〃　Ajidica　said　with　a　maddeningly　impassive　expression。　〃The　Atreides　must　be　humiliated　for　what　they　have　done。　They　must　be　embarrassed。　Leto　must　pay。〃
　The　Emperor　looked　down　his　nose　in　disdain　at　the　Tleilaxu　researcher。　His　voice　was　cold　and　controlled。　〃Would　you　like　me　to　send　more　Sardaukar　to　Ix？　I'm　sure　another　few　legions　walking　the　streets　would　keep　a　very　close　eye　on　your　activities　there。〃
　Ajidica　still　revealed　no　emotion。
　Shaddam's　gaze　turned　stony。　〃For　month　after　month　I've　waited；　and　still　you　haven't　produced　what　I　needed。　Now　you　say　it　could　take　decades　more。　Neither　of　us　will　last　that　long　if　Leto　exposes　us。〃
　The　Crown　Prince　finished　eating　the　slig　morsels　and　pushed　the　plate　away。　Though　the　dish　had　been　prepared　perfectly；　he　had　barely　tasted　it　because　his　mind　was　elsewhere；　distracted　by　the　throbbing　within　his　skull。　Why　did　being　Emperor　have　to　be　so　difficult？
　〃Do　what　you　will；　Sire；〃　Ajidica　said；　his　voice　more　strident　than　Shaddam　had　ever　heard　it。　〃Leto　Atreides　is　not　forgiven　and　must　be　punished。〃
　Wrinkling　his　nose；　Shaddam　dismissed　the　little　man；　gesturing　for　the　Sardaukar　to　haul　him　away。　Since　he　would　soon　be　the　Emperor　of　the　Known　Universe；　he　had　many　other　things　to　do；　important　things。
　If　only　he　could　get　rid　of　this　damned　headache。
　The　worst　sort　of　protection　is　confidence。　The　best　defense　is　suspicion。
　…HASIMIR　FENRING
　Thufir　Hawat　and　Rhombur　Vernius　could　leave　the　cell　at　their　leisure；　while　Leto　was　honor…bound　to　remain；　in　part　for　his　own　safety。　The　Mentat　and　the　Ixian　Prince　often　went　out　to　discuss　testimony　with　various　crew　members　from　the　Atreides　frigate　and　anyone　else　who　might　help　their　cause　in　any　way。
　Leto；　meanwhile；　sat　at　the　desk　alone　in　his　cell。　Although　the　old　Mentat　had　always　trained　him　never　to　sit　with　his　back　to　a　door；　Leto　felt　that　he　should　be　safe　enough　inside　a　maximum…security　cell。
　For　the　moment　he　reveled　in　a　few　moments　of　silence　and　concentration　as　he　pored　over　the　copious　evidence　projections　that　had　been　prepared　for　him。　Even　with　Sardaukar　guards　as　escorts；　he　would　have　been　reluctant　to　walk　through　the　Imperial　Palace　knowing　that　the　shadow　of　accusation　still　hung　over　him。　He　would　face　his　peers　soon　enough　and　proclaim　his　innocence。
　He　heard　a　noise　at　the　cell　confinement　field　behind　him；　but　delayed　looking　back。　With　a　humming　scriber　in　his　hand；　he　finished　a　paragraph　about　the　plete　destruction　of　the　first　Tleilaxu　ship；　noting　a　technical　detail　he　hadn't　considered　before。
　〃Thufir？〃　Leto　asked。　〃Have　you　forgotten　something？〃　Casually；　he　glanced　over　his　shoulder。
　A　tall　Landsraad　guard　stood　there　in　a　colorful；　billowing　uniform。　The　man　wore　a　strange　expression　on　his　broad　face；　especially　in　the　dark　eyes。　His　skin　looked　pasty；　as　if　painted　on。　And　Leto　spotted　something　different　about　the　body；　an　odd　lumpiness　in　the　man's　peculiar；　jerky　movements。　A　disturbing；　grayish　tone　to　the　skin　on　the　hands；　but　not　the　face。。。
　Reaching　under　his　desk；　Leto　slid　his　fingers　over　the　handle　of　a　knife　that　Hawat　had　sneaked　into　the　cell　for　him。　It　hadn't　been　difficult　for　the　warrior　Mentat。　Leto　felt　the　hilt；　gripped　it　without　shifting　his　position　or　changing　the　placid　and　expectant　expression　on　his　face。
　Every　lesson　the　weapons　master　had　ever　taught　him　simmered　in　his　muscles；　alert　and　ready。　Spring…coiled；　Leto　didn't　speak；　didn't　challenge　the　intruder。　But　he　knew　something　was　wrong；　and　his　life　was　on　the　line。
　In　a　heartbeat　the　tall　man　slipped　out　of　the　voluminous　uniform；　maneuvering　the　static…seals　that　held　the　cloth　together…and　when　the　fabric　slid　away；　so　did　the　dull；　expressionless　face。　A　mask！　The　hands　and　lower　arms　went；　too；　dropping　in　a　pile　on　the　floor　of　the　cell。
　Dizzy　with　confusion；　Leto　threw　himself　to　one　side；　tumbled　off　the　chair　onto　the　floor；　and　crouched　beside　the　slim　shelter　of　the　desk。　He　held　the　knife　ready；　still　out　of　the　intruder's　view；　and　considered　his　options。
　The　tall　guard's　body　split　at　the　waist；　as　if　breaking　in　half　　and　a　pair　of　Tleilaxu　men　spun　around　to　face　him；　each　a　leathery…faced　dwarf。　One　leaped　down　from　the　shoulders　of　the　other　and　tumbled　to　the　floor。　They　were　both　dressed　in　tight　black　outfits　that　showed　every　rippling；　thick　muscle。
　The　Tleilaxu　assassins　moved　away　from　one　another；　circling　him。　Their　tiny　eyes　glittered　like　buckshot。　Something　gleamed　in　each　of　their　hands　　four　weapons；　indistinct　but　assuredly　deadly。　Leaping　wildly　at　Leto；　one　of　the　Tleilaxu　screeched；　〃Die；　powindah　devil！〃
　In　a　flash；　Leto　considered　crawling　under　the　desk　or　the　cart；　but　first　he　decided　to　even　the　odds　by　killing　one　of　the　attackers。。。to　keep　them　from　acting　in　a　coordinated　plan。　With　well…practiced　aim；　he　hurled　Hawat's　knife。　It　found　its　mark；　pierced　the　dwarf's　jugular　and　knocked　him　backward。
　A　silvery　dart　whizzed　by　Leto's　ear；　and　now　he　rolled　behind　the　holo…cart；　which　continued　to　project　images　above　the　desk。　A　second　dart　struck　the　wall　beside　his　head；　chipping　the　stone。
　Then　he　heard　the　hum　of　a　lasgun。　An　arc　of　purple　light　filled　the　room。
　The　second　Tleilaxu's　body　slammed　into　the　holo…cart；　knocking　it　over。　His　face　oozed　onto　the　floor；　liquefied　by　the　hot　beam　of　light。　His　body　collapsed　near　Leto's　hiding　place。
　Thufir　Hawat　and　a　Landsraad　guard　captain　strode　into　the　cell　and　looked　down　at　Leto。　Behind　them；　guards　inspected　the　two　black…clad　bodies。　A　burned…meat　odor　hung　in　the　air。
　〃Somehow　they　got　past　our　security；〃　the　captain　said。
　〃I　wouldn't　call　that　security；〃　Hawat　snapped　at　him。
　One　of　the　guards　said；　〃This　one's　got　a　knife　in　his　throat。〃
　〃Where'd　the　knife　e　from？〃　The　captain　helped　Leto　to　his　feet。　〃Did　you　throw　it；　sir？〃
　Leto　glanced　at　his　Mentat；　but　left　it　for　Hawat　to　answer。　〃With　all　your　security；　Captain；〃　Hawat　said　with　a　withering　sneer；　〃how　could　anyone　possibly　smuggle　a　weapon　in　here？〃
　〃I　wrested　it　from　one　of　the　attackers；〃　Leto　said；　his　expression　confident。　〃Then　I　killed　him　with　it。〃　He　blinked　his　gray　eyes。　His　body　trembled　with　the　after…rush　of　adrenaline。　〃I　guess　the　Bene　Tleilax　couldn't　wait　for　the　trial　to　be　over。〃
　〃Vermilion　hells！〃　Rhombur　said；　stepping　in　and　looking　around　at　the　mess。　〃On　the；　uh；　bright　side；　this　won't　look　good　for　the　Tleilaxu　in　the　trial。　If　they　were　so　sure　of　winning；　why　should　they　try　to　take　justice　into　their　own　hands？〃
　Flushing　in　embarrassment；　the　guard　captain　turned　to　his　men　and　directed　them　in　the　removal　of　the　bodies　and　in　the　cleanup。
　〃The　assassins　fired　two　darts；〃　Leto　said；　pointing　to　where　the　needles　had　stuck。
　〃Be　careful　handling　them；〃　Hawat　said。　〃They're　probably　poisoned。〃
　When　Leto；　Rhombur；　and　Hawat　were　alone　again；　the　Mentat　slipped　a　smuggled　maula　pistol　into　a　bottom　drawer　of　the　desk。
　〃Just　in　case；〃　he　said。　〃Next　time　a　dagger　might　not　be　sufficient。〃
　As　seen　from　orbit；　the　world　of　Ix　is　pristine　and　placid。　But　beneath　its　surface；　immense　projects　are　undertaken　and　great　works　are　achieved。　In　this　way；　our　planet　is　a　metaphor　for　the　Imperium　itself。
　…DOMINIC　VERNIUS；
　The　Secret　Workings　of　Ix
　Smug　and　very　satisfied；　Hasimir　Fenring　extended　to　Shaddam　a　sheaf　of　covert　documents　written　in　the　private　language　he　and　the　Crown　Prince　had　developed　during　their　childhood。　The　grand　audience　hall　echoed　with　every　whisper　and　sound；　but　they　could　be　confident　in　their　own　secrets。　Shaddam　sat　wearily　on　the　heavy　throne；　and　the　Hagal…crystal　dais　shone　with　inner　illumination　like　a　firelit　aquamarine。
　Fenring　twitched　with　enough　nervous　energy　for　both　of　them。　〃These　are