bh.houseatreides-第15节

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　The　old　man　laughed。　〃What　a　foolish　notion！　I've　been　out　of　the　ring　for　only　one　reason：　The　bulls　went　downhill　for　a　while；　some　genetic　imbalance　that　made　them　unworthy。　That's　changed；　though；　and　new　bulls　are　being　brought　in　now；　tougher　than　ever。　Yresk　says　they're　ready　to　fight；　and　so　am　I。〃　He　put　his　arm　around　Leto's　narrow　shoulders。　〃What　better　occasion　for　a　corrida　de　toros　than　the　leave…taking　of　my　son？　You'll　attend　this　bullfight　　your　first。　Your　mother　can't　say　you're　too　young　anymore。〃
　Leto　nodded；　reluctantly。　His　father　would　never　be　swayed；　once　his　mind　was　made　up。　At　least　Paulus　had　the　training；　and　would　wear　a　personal　shield。
　Using　personal　shields；　Leto　himself　had　fought　human　opponents；　aware　of　a　shield's　advantages　and　limitations。　A　shield　could　block　projectile　fire　and　fast…moving　weapons　of　death；　but　any　blade　traveling　below　the　threshold　speed　could　pass　through　to　the　unprotected　flesh　beneath。　A　rampaging　Salusan　bull；　with　its　sharp　horns；　might　well　move　slowly　enough　to　pierce　even　the　most　finely　tuned　shield。
　He　swallowed　hard；　wondering　about　the　new；　enhanced　bulls。　The　old　ones　Stablemaster　Yresk　had　shown　him　seemed　dangerous　enough　　they'd　killed　three　matadors　that　Leto　could　remember　。。。。
　Consumed　by　his　fresh　idea；　Duke　Paulus　made　the　announcement　at　the　bazaar；　over　the　public　address　system　implanted　in　booths　and　stalls。　Upon　hearing　this；　people　in　the　marketplace　cheered　and　their　eyes　glittered。　They　laughed；　partly　in　anticipation　of　the　performance　itself　　and　also　because　of　the　declared　day　of　rest　and　celebration。
　Leto's　mother　wouldn't　like　this　at　all；　he　knew　　Paulus　in　the　fight　and　Leto　in　attendance　　but　Leto　also　understood　that　as　soon　as　Helena　began　to　object；　the　Old　Duke　would　be　more　determined　than　ever。
　THE　BOWL　OF　the　Plaza　de　Toros　sprawled　under　the　noonday　sun。　The　stands　spread　out　in　an　immense　broad　grid；　so　filled　with　people　that　in　the　farthest　reaches　they　looked　like　tiny　colored　pixels。　The　Duke　had　never　charged　any　fee　to　witness　his　performances；　he　was　too　proud　of　them；　enjoyed　showing　off　too　much。
　Enormous　green…and…black　banners　flapped　in　the　breeze；　while　fanfare　blasted　from　speakers。　Pillars　emblazoned　with　Atreides　hawk　crests　sparkled　with　emblems　that　had　been　newly　polished　and　painted　for　the　event。　Thousands　of　floral　bouquets　harvested　from　the　fields　and　lowlands　had　been　placed　about　the　bullring　　an　unsubtle　hint　that　the　Duke　liked　the　people　to　strew　the　ground　with　blossoms　each　time　he　dispatched　a　bull。
　Below；　in　the　preparation　chambers　at　ground　level；　Paulus　girded　up　before　the　fight。　Leto　stood　with　him　behind　a　barricade；　listening　to　the　impatient　crowd。　〃Father；　I'm　uneasy　about　the　risk　you're　taking。　You　shouldn't　do　this。。。especially　not　for　me。〃
　The　Old　Duke　brushed　aside　the　ment。　〃Leto；　lad；　you　must　understand　that　governing　people　and　winning　their　loyalty　consists　of　more　than　just　signing　papers；　collecting　taxes；　and　attending　Landsraad　meetings。〃　He　straightened　his　magenta　cape；　preened　in　front　of　a　mirror。
　〃I　depend　on　those　people　out　there　to　produce　the　most　that　Caladan　can　provide。　They　must　do　so　willingly；　with　hard　work　　and　not　just　for　their　own　profit；　but　for　their　honor　and　glory。　If　House　Atreides　was　ever　to　go　to　war　again；　these　people　would　shed　their　blood　for　me。　They　would　lay　down　their　lives　under　our　banner。〃　He　fiddled　with　his　armor。　〃Tighten　this　for　me？〃
　Leto　grabbed　the　string　fasteners　of　the　back　leather　plate；　tugged　them；　and　cinched　the　knots　tight。　He　kept　silent　but　nodded　to　show　he　understood。
　〃As　their　Duke；　I　need　to　give　them　something　back；　prove　that　I'm　worthy。　And　it's　not　just　for　entertainment；　but　to　instill　in　their　minds　that　I'm　a　man　of　grand　stature；　of　heroic　proportions。。。someone　blessed　by　God　to　rule　them。　I　can't　do　that　unless　I　put　myself　before　them。　Leadership　is　not　a　passive　process。〃
　Paulus　checked　his　shield　belt；　then　smiled　through　his　beard。　〃　'No　one　is　too　old　to　learn；'　〃　he　quoted。　〃That's　a　line　from　the　Agamemnon　play　　just　to　show　you　that　I'm　not　always　sleeping　when　I　appear　to　be。〃
　Thufir　Hawat；　the　stern…faced　weapons　master；　stood　beside　his　Duke。　As　a　loyal　Mentat；　Hawat　would　not　speak　out　against　his　superior's　decisions；　instead；　he　gave　the　best　advice　he　could；　whispering　to　Paulus　the　patterns　he　had　seen　in　the　movements　of　this　new　batch　of　mutated　Salusan　bulls。
　Leto　knew　his　mother　would　be　up　in　the　stands　in　the　ducal　spectator　box。　She　would　be　dressed　in　her　finery；　wearing　colorful　gauzy　veils　and　robes；　playing　her　part；　waving　to　the　people。　The　night　before；　once　again；　there　had　been　much　heated　discussion　behind　the　bedroom　doors；　finally；　Duke　Paulus　had　simply　silenced　her　with　a　barked　mand。　Afterward　he　had　gone　to　sleep；　resting　for　the　following　day's　exertions。
　The　Duke　put　on　his　green…bordered　cap；　then　took　the　equipment　he　would　need　to　conquer　the　wild　bull：　his　poniards　and　a　long；　feathered　vara　with　nerve　toxin　on　the　lance　tip。　Thufir　Hawat　had　suggested　that　the　stablemaster　slightly　tranquilize　the　bull　to　deaden　its　rampaging　impulses；　but　the　Duke　was　a　man　who　loved　to　face　a　challenge。　No　drug…dulled　opponent　for　him！
　Paulus　clipped　the　activation　pack　onto　his　shield　belt　and　powered　up　the　field。　It　was　only　a　half　shield；　used　to　guard　his　side；　the　Duke　used　a　garishly　brilliant　cape　called　a　muleta　to　cover　his　other　side。
　Paulus　bowed　first　to　his　son；　then　his　Mentat；　and　then　the　trainers　waiting　at　the　entrance　to　the　arena。　〃Time　for　the　show　to　begin。〃　Leto　watched　him　swirl　about　and；　like　a　bird　on　a　mating　display；　strut　out　into　the　open　Plaza　de　Toros。　At　his　appearance；　cheers　thundered　out　with　a　roar　far　louder　than　any　Salusan　bull's。
　Leto　stood　behind　the　barricade；　blinking　into　the　glare　of　the　open　sun。　He　smiled　as　his　father　made　a　slow　circuit　of　the　arena；　waving　his　cape；　bowing；　greeting　his　ecstatic　people。　Leto　could　sense　the　love　and　admiration　they　had　for　this　brave　man；　and　it　warmed　his　heart。
　Waiting　there　in　the　shadows；　Leto　vowed　to　do　all　he　could　to　study　his　father's　triumphs；　so　that　one　day　he　would　mand　such　respect　and　devotion　from　the　people。　Triumphs。。。this　would　be　another　in　a　long　list　of　them　for　his　father；　Leto　assured　himself。　But　he　couldn't　help　worrying。　Too　much　could　change　in　the　flicker　of　a　shield；　the　flash　of　a　sharp　horn；　the　stamp　of　a　hoof。
　Tones　sounded；　and　an　announcer's　voice　gave　introductory　details　of　the　impending　corrida　de　toros。　With　a　flourish　of　a　sequined　glove；　Duke　Paulus　gestured　toward　the　broad　reinforced　doors　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　arena。
　Moving　to　another　archway　for　a　better　view；　Leto　reminded　himself　that　this　would　be　no　sham　performance。　His　father　would　be　battling　for　his　very　life。
　Stableboys　had　been　tending　the　ferocious　beasts；　and　Stablemaster　Yresk　had　personally　selected　one　for　the　day's　corrida。　After　inspecting　the　animal；　the　Old　Duke　had　been　satisfied；　certain　the　crowd　would　be　equally　pleased　by　its　ferocity。　He　looked　forward　to　the　fight。
　Heavy　gates　opened　with　a　grinding　of　suspensor　hinges；　and　the　Salusan　bull　charged　out；　shaking　its　massive；　multiple…horned　head　in　the　dazzling　light。　Its　faceted　eyes　glittered　with　feral　rage。　The　scales　on　the　mutated　creature's　back　reflected　iridescent　colors　from　its　black　hide。
　Duke　Paulus　whistled　and　waved　his　cape。　〃Over　here；　stupid！〃　The　spectators　laughed。
　Turning　toward　him；　the　bull　lowered　its　head　with　a　loud　bubbling　snort。　Leto　noticed　that　his　father　hadn't　yet　switched　on　his　protective　shield。　Instead；　Paulus　snapped　and　fluttered　his　colorful　cape；　trying　to　draw　the　wrath　of　the　beast。　The　Salusan　bull　pawed　and　snorted　on　the　sandy　arena　floor；　then　charged。　Leto　wanted　to　cry　out；　to　warn　his　father。　Had　the　man　simply　forgotten　to　switch　on　his　protection？　How　could　he　possibly　survive　without　a　shield？
　But　the　bull　thundered　past；　and　Paulus　swept　his　cape　gracefully　to　one　side；　letting　the　creature　strike　the　diversionary　target。　Its　hooked　horns　shredded　the　bottom　of　the　fabric　into　ragged　frays。　While　it　was　ing　about；　the　Old　Duke　turned　his　back　to　the　bull；　exposed　and　overconfident。　He　bowed　mockingly　toward　the　crowd　before　he　stood　straight　　then　calmly；　patiently；　flicked　on　his　personal　shield。
　The　bull　attacked　again；　and　now　the　Duke　used　his　poniard　to　toy　with　it；　pricking　through　its　thick；　scaled　hide　before　slashing　a　stinging　yet　minor　wound　along　its　flank。　The　creature's　faceted　eyes　saw　multiple　images　of　its　colorfully　garbed　tormentor。
　It　charged　again。
　Moving　too　fast　to　penetrate　the　shield；　Leto　thought。　But　if　the　bull　tires　and　slows；　he　could　be　even　more　dangerous　。。。。
　As　the　fight　continued；　Leto　saw　how　his　father　was　playing　this　up　for　all　the　spectacle　he　could　muster；　tantalizing　the　audience　to　amuse　them。　Old　Paulus　could　have　killed　the　Salusan　bull　at　any　time；　yet　he　drew　out　the　moment；　savored　it。
　From　the　reactions　of　the　spectators；　Leto　knew　this　would　be　an　event　talked　about　for　years。　The　rice　farmers　and　fishermen　led　such