bh.houseatreides-第5节

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　Kynes　suddenly　realized　he　might　have　overstepped　his　bounds；　and　he　balked　a　little。　Here　he　was　in　the　grandest　throne　room　on　a　million　worlds；　having　an　actual　conversation　with　Emperor　Elrood　IX。　The　other　members　of　the　Court　stared　at　him；　some　with　displeasure；　some　with　horror；　some　with　wicked　glee　as　if　they　anticipated　a　severe　punishment　momentarily。
　But　soon　Kynes　found　himself　thinking　of　the　sweeping　landscape　of　scoured　sands；　majestic　dunes；　and　monstrous　sandworms　　visions　he'd　only　seen　in　filmbooks。　Forgetting　his　minor　lapse　in　tact；　he　caught　his　breath　and　waited　for　the　details　of　his　assignment。
　〃It　is　vitally　important　to　the　future　of　the　Imperium　that　we　understand　the　secret　of　melange。　To　date；　no　one　has　spent　the　time　or　effort　to　unravel　its　mysteries。　People　think　of　Arrakis　as　an　unending　source　of　riches；　and　they　don't　care　about　the　mechanics　or　the　details。　Shallow　thinking。〃　He　paused。　〃This　is　the　challenge　you　will　face；　Pardot　Kynes。　We　install　you　as　our　official　Imperial　Planetologist　to　Arrakis。〃
　As　Elrood　made　this　pronouncement；　he　looked　down　at　the　weathered；　middle…aged　man　and　assessed　him　privately。　He　saw　immediately　that　Kynes　was　not　a　plex　man：　His　emotions　and　alliances　lay　wide…open　on　his　face。　Court　advisors　had　indicated　that　Pardot　Kynes　was　a　man　utterly　without　political　ambitions　or　obligations。　His　only　true　interest　lay　in　his　work　and　in　understanding　the　natural　order　of　the　universe。　He　had　a　childlike　fascination　for　alien　places　and　harsh　environments。　He　would　do　the　job　with　boundless　enthusiasm；　and　would　provide　honest　answers。
　Elrood　had　spent　too　much　of　his　political　life　surrounded　by　simpering　sycophants；　brainless　yes…men　who　said　what　they　thought　he　wanted　to　hear。　But　this　rugged　man　filled　with　social　awkwardness　was　not　like　that。
　Now　it　was　even　more　important　that　they　understand　the　facts　behind　the　spice；　in　order　to　improve　the　efficiency　of　operations；　vital　operations。　After　seven　years　of　inept　governorship　by　Abulurd　Harkonnen；　and　the　recent　accidents　and　mistakes　made　by　the　overambitious　Baron　Vladimir　Harkonnen；　the　Emperor　was　concerned　about　a　bottleneck　in　spice　production　and　distribution。　The　spice　must　flow。
　The　Spacing　Guild　needed　vast　amounts　of　melange　to　fill　the　enclosed　chambers　of　their　mutated　Navigators。　He　himself；　and　all　the　upper　classes　in　the　Empire；　needed　daily　（and　increasing）　doses　of　melange　to　maintain　their　vitality　and　to　extend　their　lives。　The　Bene　Gesserit　Sisterhood　needed　it　in　their　training　to　create　more　Reverend　Mothers。　Mentats　needed　it　for　mental　focus。
　But　though　he　disagreed　with　many　of　Baron　Harkonnen's　recent　harsh　management　activities；　Elrood　could　not　simply　take　Arrakis　for　himself。　After　decades　of　political　manipulations；　House　Harkonnen　had　been　placed　in　charge　after　the　ouster　of　House　Richese。
　For　a　thousand　years　now；　the　governorship　of　Arrakis　had　been　an　Imperial　boon；　granted　to　a　chosen　family　that　would　wring　the　riches　out　of　the　sands　for　a　term　not　to　exceed　a　century。　Each　time　the　fief　changed　hands；　a　firestorm　of　pleas　and　requests　for　favors　bombarded　the　Palace。　Landsraad　support　came　with　many　strings　attached；　and　some　of　those　strings　felt　like　nooses　to　Elrood。
　Though　he　was　Emperor；　his　position　of　power　rested　in　a　careful　and　uneasy　balance　of　alliances　with　numerous　forces；　including　the　Great　and　Minor　Houses　of　the　Landsraad；　the　Spacing　Guild；　and　the　all…enpassing　mercial　bines　such　as　CHOAM。　Other　forces　were　even　more　difficult　to　deal　with；　forces　that　preferred　to　remain　behind　the　scenes。
　I　need　to　disrupt　the　balance；　Elrood　thought。　This　business　of　Arrakis　has　gone　on　too　long。
　The　Emperor　leaned　forward；　seeing　that　Kynes　was　fairly　bursting　with　joy　and　enthusiasm。　He　actually　wanted　to　go　to　the　desert　world　　all　the　better！　〃Find　out　everything　you　can　about　Arrakis　and　send　me　regular　reports；　Planetologist。　House　Harkonnen　will　be　instructed　to　give　you　all　the　support　and　cooperation　you　need。〃　Though　they　certainly　won't　like　an　Imperial　Observer　snooping　around。
　Newly　installed　in　the　planetary　governorship；　Baron　Harkonnen　was　wrapped　around　the　Emperor's　fingertip；　for　now。　〃We　will　provide　the　items　necessary　for　your　journey。　pile　your　lists　and　give　them　to　my　Chamberlain。　Once　you　reach　Arrakis；　the　Harkonnens　will　be　instructed　to　give　you　whatever　else　you　require。〃
　〃My　needs　are　few；〃　Kynes　said。　〃All　I　require　are　my　eyes　and　my　mind。〃
　〃Yes；　but　see　if　you　can　make　the　Baron　offer　a　few　more　amenities　than　that。〃　Elrood　smiled　again；　then　dismissed　the　Planetologist。　The　Emperor　noticed　a　pronounced　spring　in　Kynes's　step　as　he　was　led　out　of　the　Imperial　audience　chamber。
　Thou　shalt　not　make　a　machine　in　the　likeness　of　a　human　mind。
　…Chief　mandment　resulting　from　the　Butlerian　Jihad；　found　in　the　Orange　Catholic　Bible
　Suffering　is　the　great　teacher　of　men；〃　the　chorus　of　old　actors　said　as　they　stood　on　the　stage；　their　voices　in　perfect　unison。　Though　the　performers　were　simple　villagers　from　the　town　below　Castle　Caladan；　they　had　rehearsed　well　for　the　annual　performance　of　the　official　House　Play。　Their　costumes　were　colorful；　if　not　entirely　authentic。　The　props　　the　facade　of　Agamemnon's　palace；　the　flagstoned　courtyard　　showed　a　realism　based　only　on　enthusiasm　and　a　few　filmbook　snapshots　of　ancient　Greece。
　The　long　play　by　Aeschylus　had　already　gone　on　for　some　time；　and　the　gathered　audience　in　the　theatre　was　warm　and　the　air　was　close。　Glowglobes　lit　the　stage　and　rows　of　seating；　but　the　torches　and　braziers　around　the　performers　added　aromatic　smoke　to　the　building。
　Though　the　background　noises　were　loud　enough；　the　Old　Duke's　snores　threatened　to　carry　all　the　way　forward　to　the　performers。
　〃Father；　wake　up！〃　Leto　Atreides　whispered；　nudging　Duke　Paulus　in　the　ribs。　〃The　play　isn't　even　half…over。〃
　In　the　chair　of　his　private　box；　Paulus　stirred　and　straightened；　brushing　imaginary　crumbs　from　his　broad　chest。　Shadows　played　across　the　creased；　narrow　face　and　the　voluminous　salt…and…pepper　beard。　He　wore　a　black　Atreides　uniform　with　a　red　hawk　crest　on　the　left　breast。　〃It's　all　just　talking　and　standing　anyway；　lad。〃　He　blinked　toward　the　stage；　where　the　old　men　still　hadn't　moved　much。　〃And　we've　seen　it　every　year。〃
　〃That　is　not　the　point；　Paulus；　dear。　People　are　watching。〃　It　was　Leto's　mother；　sitting　on　the　other　side　of　the　Duke。　The　dark…skinned　Lady　Helena；　dressed　in　her　fine　gown；　took　seriously　the　ponderous　words　of　the　Greek　chorus。　〃Pay　attention　to　the　context。　It's　your　family　history；　after　all。　Not　mine。〃　Leto　looked　from　one　parent　to　the　other；　knowing　that　the　family　history　of　his　mother's　House　Richese　carried　just　as　much　grandeur　and　loss　as　that　of　Atreides。　Richese　had　sunk　from　a　highly　profitable　〃golden　age〃　to　its　current　economic　weakness。
　House　Atreides　claimed　to　trace　its　roots　more　than　twelve　thousand　years；　back　to　the　ancient　sons　of　Atreus　on　Old　Terra。　Now　the　family　embraced　its　long　history；　despite　the　numerous　tragic　and　dishonorable　incidents　it　contained。　The　Dukes　had　made　an　annual　tradition　of　performing　the　classic　tragedy　of　Agamemnon；　the　most　famous　son　of　Atreus　and　one　of　the　generals　who　had　conquered　Troy。
　With　black…black　hair　and　a　narrow　face；　Leto　Atreides　strongly　resembled　his　mother；　though　he　had　his　father's　aquiline　nose　and　hawkish　profile。　The　young　man　watched；　dressed　in　unfortable　finery；　vaguely　aware　of　the　off…world　background　of　the　story。　The　author　of　the　ancient　play　had　counted　on　his　audience　understanding　the　esoteric　references。　General　Agamemnon　had　been　a　great　military　mander　in　one　of　human　history's　legendary　wars；　long　before　the　creation　of　thinking　machines　that　had　enslaved　mankind；　long　before　the　Butlerian　Jihad　had　freed　humanity。
　For　the　first　time　in　his　fourteen　years；　Leto　felt　the　weight　of　legends　on　his　shoulders；　he　sensed　a　connection　with　the　faces　and　personalities　of　his　star…crossed　family's　past。　One　day　he　would　succeed　his　father；　and　would　bee　a　part　of　Atreides　history　as　well。　Events　were　chipping　away　at　his　childhood；　transforming　him　into　a　man。　He　saw　it　clearly。
　〃The　unenvied　fortune　is　best；〃　the　old　men　chimed　together　to　say　their　lines。　〃Preferable　to　sacking　cities；　better　than　following　the　mands　of　others。〃
　Before　sailing　to　Troy；　Agamemnon　had　sacrificed　his　own　daughter　to　guarantee　favorable　winds　from　the　gods。　His　distraught　wife；　Clytemnestra；　had　spent　the　ten　years　of　her　husband's　absence　plotting　revenge。　Now；　after　the　final　battle　of　the　Trojan　War；　a　chain　of　signal　fires　had　been　lit　along　the　coast；　sending　back　home　word　of　the　victory。
　〃All　of　the　action　occurs　offstage；〃　Paulus　muttered；　though　he　had　never　been　much　of　a　reader　or　literary　critic。　He　lived　life　for　the　moment；　squeezing　every　drop　of　experience　and　acplishment。　He　preferred　spending　time　with　his　son；　or　his　soldiers。　〃Everybody　just　stands　in　front　of　the　sets；　waiting　for　Agamemnon　to　arrive。〃
　Paulus　abhorred　inaction；　always　telling　his　son　that　even　the　wrong　decision　was　better　than　no　decision　at　all。　In