bh.houseatreides-第31节

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ingly　irrational　behavior。　As　if　they　needed　more　of　that！
　That　very　morning　Brood　had　scolded　Shaddam　for　not　paying　closer　attention　to　his　studies。　〃Watch；　and　learn！〃　　one　of　his　father's　tedious　phrases　　〃Do　as　well　as　Fenring；　for　once。〃
　Since　childhood；　Hasimir　Fenring　had　attended　classes　with　the　Crown　Prince。　Ostensibly；　he　provided　panionship　for　Shaddam；　while　he　himself　gleaned　an　understanding　of　Court　intrigues　and　politics。　In　academics；　Fenring　always　did　better　than　his　royal　friend：　He　devoured　any　bit　of　data　that　could　help　him　increase　his　position。
　His　mother　Chaola；　an　introspective　lady…in…waiting；　had　settled　into　a　quiet　home　and　lived　on　her　Imperial　pension　after　the　death　of　the　Emperor's　fourth　wife　Habla。　In　raising　the　two　young　boys　together　while　she　attended　the　Empress　Habla；　Chaola　had　given　Fenring　the　chance　to　be　so　much　more　　almost　as　if　she　had　planned　it　that　way。
　These　days　Chaola　pretended　not　to　understand　what　her　son　did　at　Court；　though　she　was　Bene　Gesserit…trained。　Fenring　was　wily　enough　to　know　that　his　mother　prehended　far　more　than　her　station　suggested；　and　that　many　plans　and　breeding　schemes　had　gone　on　without　his　knowledge。
　Now　Shaddam　let　out　a　miserable　groan　and　turned　from　the　machine。　〃Why　can't　the　old　creature　just　die　and　make　it　easy　for　me？〃　He　covered　his　mouth；　suddenly　alarmed　at　what　he　had　blurted。
　Fenring　paced　the　long　floor；　glancing　up　at　the　hanging　banners　of　the　Landsraad。　The　Crown　Prince　was　expected　to　know　the　colors　and　crests　of　every　Great　and　Minor　House；　but　Shaddam　had　difficulty　simply　remembering　all　the　family　names。
　〃Be　patient；　my　friend。　All　in　its　own　time。〃　In　one　of　the　alcoves；　Fenring　struck　a　bustible　spike　of　vanilla…scented　incense　and　inhaled　a　long　breath　of　the　fumes。　〃In　the　meantime；　learn　about　subjects　that　will　be　relevant　to　your　reign。　You'll　need　such　information　in　the　near　future；　hmm…m…m…ah？〃
　〃Stop　making　that　noise；　Hasimir。　It's　annoying。〃
　〃Hmmmm？〃
　〃It　irritated　me　when　we　were　children；　and　you　know　it　still　does。　Stop　it！〃
　In　the　adjoining　room；　behind　supposed　privacy　screens；　Shaddam　could　hear　his　tutor　giggling；　the　sounds　of　clothes　rustling；　bedsheets；　skin　upon　skin。　The　tutor　spent　his　afternoons　with　a　willowy；　achingly　beautiful　woman　who　had　been　sexually　trained　to　Expert　Class。　Shaddam　had　given　the　girl　her　orders；　and　her　ministrations　kept　the　tutor　out　of　the　way　so　that　he　and　Fenring　could　have　private　conversations　　difficult　enough　in　a　palace　full　of　prying　eyes　and　attentive　ears。
　The　tutor　did　not　know；　however；　that　the　girl　was　intended　for　Elrood　as　a　gift；　a　perfect　addition　to　his　harem。　This　little　trick　gave　the　Crown　Prince　a　large　club　to　wield　as　a　threat　against　the　bothersome　teacher。　If　the　Emperor　ever　found　out。。。
　〃Learning　to　manipulate　people　is　an　important　part　of　ruling；〃　Fenring　often　told　him　upon　suggesting　an　idea。　That　much；　at　least；　Shaddam　had　understood。　As　long　as　the　Crown　Prince　listens　to　my　advice；　Fenring　thought；　he　could　bee　a　good　enough　ruler；　after　all。
　Screens　displayed　dull　statistics　of　shipping　resources；　primary　exports　of　major　planets；　holographic　images　of　every　conceivable　product　from　the　finest　dyed　whale…fur；　to　Ixian　soothe…sonic　tapestries。。。inkvines；　shigawire；　fabulous　Ecazi　art　objects；　pundi　rice；　and　donkey　dung。　Everything　spewed　from　the　teaching　machine　like　an　out…of…control　font　of　wisdom；　as　if　Shaddam　was　supposed　to　know　and　remember　all　the　details。　But　that's　what　advisors　and　experts　are　for。
　Fenring　glanced　down　at　the　display。　〃Of　all　the　things　in　the　Imperium；　Shaddam；　what　do　you　suppose　is　most　important；　hm…m…m…m？〃
　〃Are　you　my　tutor　now　too；　Hasimir？〃
　〃Always；〃　Fenring　replied。　〃If　you　turn　out　to　be　a　superb　Emperor；　it　will　benefit　all　the　populace。。。including　me。〃
　The　bed　in　the　next　room　made　rhythmic；　thought…scattering　sounds。
　〃Peace　and　quiet　is　the　most　important　thing。〃　Shaddam　grumbled　his　answer。
　Fenring　tapped　a　key　on　the　teaching　machine。　Machinery　clicked；　chimed；　hummed。　An　image　of　a　desert　planet　appeared。　Arrakis。　Fenring　slid　onto　the　bench　beside　Shaddam。　〃The　spice　melange。　That's　the　most　important　thing。　Without　it；　the　Imperium　would　crumble。〃
　He　leaned　forward；　and　his　nimble　fingers　flew　across　the　controls；　calling　up　displays　of　the　desert　planet's　spice…harvesting　activities。　Shaddam　glanced　at　footage　of　a　giant　sandworm　as　it　destroyed　a　harvesting　machine　in　the　deep　wastelands。
　〃Arrakis　is　the　only　known　source　of　melange　in　the　universe。〃　Fenring　curled　his　hand　into　a　fist　and　brought　it　down　with　a　hard　thump　on　the　milky　marbleplaz　tabletop。　〃But　why？　With　all　the　Imperial　explorers　and　prospectors；　and　the　huge　reward　House　Corrino　has　offered　for　generations；　why　has　no　one　found　spice　anywhere　else？　After　all；　with　a　billion　worlds　in　the　Imperium；　it　must　be　somewhere　else。〃
　〃A　billion？〃　Shaddam　pursed　his　lips。　〃Hasimir；　you　know　that's　just　hyperbole　for　the　masses。　The　tally　I've　seen　is　only　a　million　or　so。〃
　〃A　million；　a　billion；　what's　the　difference；　hmmmm？　My　point　is；　if　melange　is　a　substance　found　in　the　universe；　we　should　find　it　in　more　than　one　place。　You　know　about　the　Planetologist　your　father　sent　to　Arrakis？〃
　〃Of　course；　Pardot　Kynes。　We　expect　another　report　from　him　at　any　moment。　It's　been　a　few　weeks　since　the　last　one。〃　He　raised　his　head　in　pride。　〃I've　made　a　point　to　read　them　whenever　they　arrive。〃
　From　the　curtained　side　room；　they　heard　gasping　and　giggling；　heavy　furniture　sliding　aside；　something　overturning　with　a　thump。　Shaddam　allowed　himself　a　thin　smile。　The　concubine　was　well　trained；　indeed。
　Fenring　rolled　his　large　eyes；　then　turned　back　to　the　teaching　machine。　〃Pay　attention；　Shaddam。　Spice　is　vital；　and　yet　all　production　is　controlled　by　a　single　House　on　a　single　world。　The　threat　of　a　bottleneck　is　enormous；　even　with　Imperial　oversight　and　pressure　from　CHOAM。　For　the　stability　of　the　Imperium；　we　need　a　better　source　of　melange。　We　should　create　it　synthetically　if　we　have　to。　We　need　an　alternative。〃　He　turned　to　the　Crown　Prince；　his　dark　eyes　glittering。　〃One　that's　in　our　control。〃
　Shaddam　enjoyed　discussions　like　this　much　more　than　the　tutor's　programmed　learning　routines。　〃Ah；　yes！　An　alternative　to　melange　would　shift　the　entire　balance　of　power　in　the　Imperium；　wouldn't　it？〃
　〃Exactly！　As　it　is；　CHOAM；　the　Guild；　the　Bene　Gesserit；　the　Mentats；　the　Landsraad；　even　House　Corrino；　all　fight　over　the　spice　production　and　distribution　from　a　single　planet。　But　if　there　was　an　alternative；　one　solely　in　the　hands　of　the　Imperial　House；　your　family　would　bee　true　Emperors；　not　just　puppets　under　the　control　of　other　political　forces。〃
　〃We　are　not　puppets；〃　Shaddam　snapped。　〃Not　even　my　doddering　father。〃　He　flicked　a　nervous　glance　at　the　ceiling；　as　if　eyes　might　be　hidden　there；　though　Fenring　had　already　run　thorough　scans　for　observational　apparatus。　〃Uh；　long　may　he　live。〃
　〃As　you　say；　my　Prince；〃　Fenring　said　without　conceding　a　millimeter。　〃But　if　we　put　the　wheels　in　motion　now；　then　you　will　reap　those　benefits　when　the　throne　is　yours。〃　He　fiddled　with　the　teaching　machine。　〃Watch；　and　learn！〃　he　said　in　a　creaking　falsetto　imitation　of　Elrood's　ponderous　pronouncements。　Shaddam　chuckled　at　the　sarcasm。
　The　machine　displayed　scenes　of　Ixian　industrial　acplishments；　all　the　new　inventions　and　modifications　that　had　been　made　during　a　profitable　rule　by　House　Vernius。　〃Why　do　you　think　it　is　the　Ixians　can't　use　their　technology　to　find　a　spice　alternative？〃　Fenring　asked。　〃They've　been　instructed　time　and　again　to　analyze　the　spice　and　develop　another　option　for　us；　yet　they　play　with　their　navigation　machines　and　their　silly　timepieces。　Who　needs　to　tell　the　exact　hour　on　any　planet　of　the　Imperium？　How　are　those　pursuits　more　important　than　the　spice　itself？　House　Vernius　is　an　utter　failure；　as　far　as　you　are　concerned。〃
　〃This　tutoring　machine　is　Ixian。　The　annoying　new　Heighliner　design　is　Ixian。　So's　your　high…performance　groundcar　and。。。〃
　〃Off　the　point；〃　Fenring　said。　〃I　don't　believe　House　Vernius　invests　any　of　its　technological　resources　in　solving　the　alternative…spice　problem。　It　is　not　a　high　priority　for　them。〃
　〃Then　my　father　should　give　them　firmer　guidance。〃　Shaddam　clasped　his　hands　behind　his　back　and　tried　to　look　Imperial；　flushed　with　forced　indignation。　〃When　I'm　Emperor；　I'll　be　certain　people　understand　their　priorities。　Ah；　yes；　I　will　personally　direct　what　is　most　important　to　the　Imperium　and　to　House　Corrino。〃
　Fenring　circled　the　teaching　machine　like　a　prowling　Laza　tiger。　He　plucked　a　sugared　date　from　a　fruit　tray　unobtrusively　displayed　on　a　side　table。　〃Old　Elrood　made　similar　pronouncements　a　long　time　ago；　yet　so　far　he　hasn't　followed　through　on　any　of　them。〃　He　waved　his　long…fingered　hand。　〃Oh；　in　the　beginning　he　asked　the　Ixians　to　look　into　the　matter。　He　also　offered　a　large　bounty　for　any　explorer　who　found　even　melange　precursors　on　uncharted　planets。〃　He　popped　the　date　into　his　mouth；　licked　his　sticky　fingers；　and　swallowed　the　smooth；　sweet　fruit。　〃Still　nothin