bh.houseatreides-第25节

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　Followed　by　the　suspensor…borne　luggage；　the　young　men　walked　side　by　side　up　three　wide；　elegant　stairs　into　the　Grand　Palais。
　Looking　around　the　central　lobby；　Leto　identified　Ixian　crystal　chandeliers；　the　finest　in　all　the　Imperium。　Crystal　goblets　and　vases　adorned　marbleplaz　tables；　and　on　each　side　of　a　blackite　reception　desk　were　full…size　lapisjade　statuaries　of　Earl　Dominic　Vernius　and　his　Lady　Shando　Vernius。　Leto　recognized　the　royal　couple　from　triphotos　he　had　seen。
　The　uniformed　household　staff　filtered　back　into　the　building　and　took　up　positions　where　they　would　be　available　for　instructions　from　superiors。　Across　the　lobby；　double　doors　opened　and　big…shouldered；　bald　Dominic　Vernius　himself　approached；　looking　like　some　djinn　out　of　a　bottle。　He　wore　a　silver…and…gold　sleeveless　tunic　trimmed　in　white　at　the　collar。　A　purple…and…copper　Ixian　helix　adorned　his　breast。
　〃Ah；　so　this　is　our　young　visitor！〃　Dominic　effused　with　blustery　good　humor。　Crow's…feet　became　laugh　lines　around　his　bright　brown　eyes。　His　facial　construction　looked　very　much　like　that　of　his　son　Rhombur；　except　the　fat　he　carried　had　set　into　ruddy　folds　and　creases；　and　his　dark　bushy　mustache　made　for　a　striking　frame　around　white　teeth。　Earl　Dominic　was　several　centimeters　taller　than　his　son。　The　Earl's　features　were　not　narrow　and　hard　like　the　Atreides　and　Corrino　bloodlines；　but　came　instead　from　a　lineage　that　had　been　ancient　at　the　time　of　the　Battle　of　Corrin。
　Behind　him　came　his　wife　Shando；　former　concubine　of　the　Emperor；　dressed　in　a　formal　gown。　Her　finely　chiseled　features；　delicately　pointed　nose；　and　creamy　skin　suffused　her　appearance　with　a　regal　beauty　that　would　have　shone　through　even　the　most　drab　of　garments。　She　looked　slight　and　delicate　at　first　glance；　but　carried　a　toughness　and　resilience　about　her。
　Beside　her；　their　daughter　Kailea　seemed　to　be　trying　to　outshine　even　her　mother　in　a　brocaded　lavender　dress　that　set　off　copper…dark　hair。　Kailea　looked　a　little　younger　than　Leto；　but　she　walked　with　a　studied　grace　and　concentration；　as　if　she　dared　not　let　formality　or　appearances　slip。　She　had　thin　arched　eyebrows；　striking　emerald　eyes；　and　a　generous；　catlike　mouth　above　a　narrow　chin。　With　the　faintest　of　smiles；　Kailea　executed　an　extravagant　and　perfect　curtsy。
　Leto　nodded　and　responded　to　each　introduction；　trying　to　keep　his　eyes　from　the　Vernius　daughter。　Hurriedly　going　through　the　motions　his　mother　had　drilled　into　him；　Leto　snapped　open　the　seal　on　one　of　his　suitcases　and　removed　a　heavy　jeweled　box；　one　of　the　Atreides　family　treasures。　Holding　it；　he　stood　erect。　〃For　you；　Lord　Vernius。　This　contains　unique　items　from　our　planet。　I　also　have　a　gift　for　Lady　Vernius。〃
　〃Excellent；　excellent！〃　Then；　as　if　impatient　with　overblown　ceremony；　Dominic　accepted　the　gift　and　motioned　for　a　servant　to　e　and　take　it。　〃I'll　enjoy　its　contents　this　evening；　when　there　is　more　time。〃　He　rubbed　his　broad　hands　together。　This　man　seemed　to　belong　more　in　a　smoky　blacksmith's　shop　or　on　a　battlefield　than　in　a　fancy　palace。　〃So；　did　you　have　a　good　trip　to　Ix；　Leto？〃
　〃Uneventful；　sir。〃
　〃Ah；　the　best　kind　of　trip。〃　Dominic　laughed　easily。
　Leto　smiled；　not　certain　how　best　to　make　a　good　impression　on　this　man。　He　cleared　his　throat；　embarrassed　to　confess　his　concerns　and　worries。　〃Yes；　sir；　except　I　thought　I　was　abandoned　when　the　Guild　left　me　on　your　planet　and　I　saw　only　wilderness。〃
　〃Ah！　I　asked　your　father　not　to　mention　that　to　you　　our　little　prank。　I　did　the　same　to　him　on　his　first　visit　here。　You　must　have　imagined　yourself　good　and　lost。〃　Dominic　beamed　with　pleasure。　〃You　look　rested　enough；　young　man。　At　your　age；　space　lag　isn't　much　of　a　factor。　You　left　Caladan；　what；　two　days　ago？〃
　〃Less　than　that；　sir。〃
　〃Amazing　how　quickly　Heighliners　can　span　great　distances。　Positively　incredible。　And　we're　making　improvements　in　Heighliner　design；　enabling　each　ship　to　carry　a　larger　payload。〃　His　booming　voice　made　the　acplishments　seem　even　more　grandiose。　〃Our　second　construction　is　to　be　pleted　later　today；　another　triumph　for　us。　We'll　take　you　through　all　the　modifications　we've　made；　so　you　can　learn　them　as　part　of　your　apprenticeship　here。〃
　Leto　smiled；　but　already　his　head　felt　as　if　it　might　explode。　He　didn't　know　how　much　more　new　input　he　could　absorb。　By　the　time　the　year　was　up；　he　would　be　a　different　person　entirely。
　There　are　weapons　you　cannot　hold　in　your　hand。　You　can　only　hold　them　in　your　mind。
　…Bene　Gesserit　Teaching
　The　Bene　Gesserit　shuttle　descended　to　the　dark　side　of　Giedi　Prime；　landing　in　the　well…guarded　Harko　City　spaceport　just　before　midnight；　local　time。
　Concerned　about　what　the　damned　witches　wanted　from　him　now　that　he　had　e　home　from　the　desert　hellhole　of　Arrakis；　the　Baron　went　to　a　shielded　upper　balcony　of　Harkonnen　Keep　to　watch　the　lights　of　the　arriving　craft。
　Around　him；　the　monolithic　blackplaz…and…steel　towers　shone　garish　lights　into　the　smoke…smeared　darkness。　Walkways　and　roads　were　covered　by　corrugated　awnings　and　filtered　enclosures　to　protect　pedestrians　from　industrial　waste　and　acid　rain。　Given　a　little　more　imagination　and　attention　to　detail　during　its　construction；　Harko　City　could　have　been　striking。　Instead；　the　place　looked　stricken。
　〃I　have　the　data　for　you；　my　Baron；〃　said　a　nasal　but　sharp　voice　behind　him；　as　close　as　an　assassin。
　Startled；　the　Baron　turned；　flexing　his　well…muscled　arms。　He　scowled。　The　gaunt…robed　form　of　his　personal　Mentat；　Piter　de　Vries；　stood　at　the　doorway　to　the　balcony。
　〃Don't　ever　sneak　up　on　me；　Piter。　You　slither　like　a　worm。〃　The　parison　brought　to　mind　his　nephew　Rabban's　desert　hunting　expedition　and　its　embarrassing　results。　〃Harkonnens　kill　worms；　you　know。〃
　〃So　I've　heard；〃　de　Vries　answered　dryly。　〃But　sometimes　moving　silently　is　the　best　way　to　acquire　information。〃　A　wry　smile　formed　on　his　lips；　which　were　stained　red　from　the　cranberry…colored　sapho　juice　Mentats　drank　in　order　to　increase　their　abilities。　Always　seeking　physical　pleasures；　curious　to　experiment　with　additional　addictions；　the　Baron　had　tried　sapho　himself；　but　found　it　to　be　bitter；　vile　stuff。
　〃It's　a　Reverend　Mother　and　her　entourage；〃　de　Vries　said；　nodding　toward　the　lights　of　the　shuttle。　〃Fifteen　Sisters　and　acolytes；　along　with　four　male　guards。　No　weapons　that　we　could　detect。〃
　De　Vries　had　been　trained　as　a　Mentat　by　the　Bene　Tleilax；　genetic　wizards　who　produced　some　of　the　Imperium's　best　human　puters。　But　the　Baron　hadn't　wanted　a　mere　data…processing　machine　with　a　human　brain…he'd　wanted　a　calculating　and　clever　man；　someone　who　could　not　only　prehend　and　pute　the　consequences　of　Harkonnen　schemes；　but　who　could　also　use　his　corrupt　imagination　to　assist　the　Baron　in　achieving　his　aims。　Piter　de　Vries　was　a　special　creation；　one　of　the　infamous　Tleilaxu　〃twisted　Mentats。〃
　〃But　what　do　they　want？〃　the　Baron　muttered；　gazing　at　the　landed　shuttle。　〃Those　witches　seem　damned　confident　ing　here。〃　His　own　blue…uniformed　troops　marched　out　like　a　wolf　pack　before　any　of　the　passengers　emerged　from　the　ship。　〃We　could　erase　them　in　an　instant　with　our　most　trivial　House　defenses。〃
　〃The　Bene　Gesserit　are　not　without　weapons；　my　Baron。　Some　say　they　themselves　are　weapons。〃　De　Vries　raised　a　thin　finger。　〃It's　never　wise　to　incur　the　wrath　of　the　Sisterhood。〃
　〃I　know　that；　idiot！　So；　what's　the　Reverend　Mother's　name　and　what　does　she　want？〃
　〃Gaius　Helen　Mohiam。　As　to　what　she　wants。。。her　Sisterhood　has　refused　to　say。〃
　〃Damn　them　and　their　secrets；〃　the　Baron　grumbled；　as　he　spun　about　on　the　plaz…enclosed　balcony。　He　strode　toward　the　corridor　to　go　meet　the　shuttlecraft。
　Piter　de　Vries　smiled　after　him。　〃When　a　Bene　Gesserit　speaks；　she　often　does　so　in　riddles　and　innuendos；　but　her　words　also　hold　a　great　deal　of　truth。　One　simply　needs　to　excavate　it。〃
　The　Baron　responded　with　a　deep　grunt；　kept　going。　Intensely　curious　himself；　Piter　followed。
　On　the　way；　the　Mentat　reviewed　his　knowledge　of　these　black…robed　witches。　The　Bene　Gesserit　occupied　themselves　with　numerous　breeding　schemes；　as　if　farming　humanity　for　their　own　obscure　purposes。　They　also　manded　one　of　the　greatest　storehouses　of　information　in　the　Imperium；　using　their　intricate　libraries　to　look　at　the　broad　movements　of　peoples；　to　study　the　effects　of　one　person's　actions　amidst　interplanetary　politics。
　As　a　Mentat；　de　Vries　would　have　loved　to　get　his　hands　on　that　storehouse　of　knowledge。　With　such　a　treasure　trove　of　data　he　could　make　putations　and　prime　projections　　perhaps　enough　to　bring　down　the　Sisterhood　itself。
　But　the　Bene　Gesserit　allowed　no　outsiders　into　their　archives；　not　even　the　Emperor　himself。　Hence　there　wasn't　much　on　which　even　a　Mentat　could　base　his　calculations。　De　Vries　could　only　guess　at　the　arriving　witch's　intentions。
　THE　BENE　GESSERIT　liked　to　manipulate　politics　and　societies　in　secret；　so　that　few　people　could　trace　the　exact　patterns　of　influence。　Nevertheless；　the　Reverend　Mother　Gaius　Helen　Mohiam　knew　how　to　plan　and　execute　a　spectacular　entrance。　With　black　robes　swishing；　flanked　by　two　immaculately　dressed　ma