bh.houseatreides-第7节

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ccan　jacaranda　wood；　it　was　deep　brown；　with　swirls　that　glinted　in　the　light　cast　by　the　glowglobes。
　〃You've　been　there；　sir？〃　Leto　smiled　as　he　remembered。　〃To　see　your　rade　Dominic　Vernius；　right？〃
　Paulus　touched　the　bustion　pad　on　the　side　of　his　pipe；　lighting　the　tobacco；　which　was　actually　a　golden　seaweed　rich　in　nicotine。　He　took　a　long　drag　and　exhaled　smoke。　〃On　many　occasions。　The　Ixians　are　an　insular　society　and　don't　trust　outsiders。　So　you'll　have　to　go　through　plenty　of　security　precautions；　interrogations；　and　scans。　They　know　that　dropping　their　guard　for　the　briefest　instant　can　be　fatal。　Great　and　Minor　Houses　alike　covet　what　Ix　has　and　would　like　to　take　it　for　themselves。〃
　〃Richese　for　one；〃　Leto　said。
　〃Don't　say　that　to　your　mother。　Richese　is　now　only　a　shadow　of　what　it　was　because　Ix　trounced　them　in　all…out　economic　warfare。〃　He　leaned　forward　and　took　a　puff　from　his　pipe。　〃The　Ixians　are　masters　of　industrial　sabotage　and　patent　appropriation。　Nowadays　Richesians　are　only　good　for　making　cheap　copies；　without　any　innovations。〃
　Leto　considered　these　ments；　which　were　new　to　him。　The　Old　Duke　blew　smoke；　puffing　his　cheeks　and　making　his　beard　bristle。
　〃In　deference　to　your　mother；　lad；　we've　filtered　the　information　you've　learned。　House　Richese　was　a　most　tragic　loss。　Your　grandfather；　Count　Ilban　Richese；　had　a　large　family　and　spent　more　time　with　his　offspring　than　watching　his　business　interests。　Not　surprisingly；　his　children　grew　up　pampered；　and　his　fortunes　fizzled　away。〃
　Leto　nodded；　attentive　as　always　to　his　father's　talk。　But　he　already　knew　more　than　Paulus　imagined；　he'd　listened　privately　to　holorecords　and　filmbooks　inadvertently　left　accessible　to　him　by　his　proctors。　It　occurred　to　him　now；　however；　that　perhaps　all　of　that　was　by　design；　part　of　a　plan　to　open　his　mother's　family　history　to　him　like　a　flower；　one　petal　at　a　time。
　In　conjunction　with　his　familial　interest　in　Richese；　Leto　had　always　found　Ix　to　be　equally　intriguing。　Once　an　industrial　petitor　of　Richese；　House　Vernius　of　Ix　had　survived　as　a　technological　powerhouse。　The　royal　family　of　Ix　was　one　of　the　wealthiest　in　the　Imperium　　and　he　was　going　to　study　there。
　His　father's　words　broke　through　his　thoughts。　〃Your　training　partner　will　be　Prince　Rhombur；　heir　to　the　noble　title　of　Vernius。　I　hope　you　two　get　along。　You're　about　the　same　age。〃
　The　Prince　of　Ix。　Leto's　thoughts　soured；　hoping　the　young　man　wasn't　spoiled；　like　so　many　other　children　of　powerful　Landsraad　families。　Why　couldn't　it　at　least　have　been　a　princess；　one　with　a　face　and　figure　like　the　Guild　banker's　daughter　he　had　met　last　month　at　the　Tidal　Solstice　Ball？
　〃So。。。what　is　this　Prince　Rhombur　like？〃　Leto　asked。
　Paulus　laughed；　a　blustery　offering　that　suggested　a　lifetime　of　revelry　and　bawdy　stories。　〃Why；　I　don't　think　I　know。　It's　been　a　long　time　since　I　visited　Dominic　at　home　with　his　wife　Shando。〃　He　smiled　with　an　inner　joke。　〃Ah；　Shando　　she　was　an　Imperial　concubine　once；　but　Dominic　stole　her　right　out　from　under　old　Elrood's　nose。〃　He　gave　a　loud；　impertinent　chuckle。　〃Now　they　have　a　son。。。and　a　daughter；　too。　Her　name　is　Kailea。〃
　Smiling　enigmatically；　the　Old　Duke　continued；　〃There　is　much　for　you　to　learn；　my　boy。　A　year　hence；　both　of　you　will　e　to　study　on　Caladan；　an　exchange　of　teaching　services。　You　and　Rhombur　will　be　taken　to　pundi　rice　farms　in　the　lowland　marshes　on　the　southern　continent；　to　live　in　shacks　and　work　the　paddies。　You'll　travel　beneath　the　sea　in　a　Nells　chamber；　and　you'll　dive　for　coral　gems。〃　He　smiled　and　clapped　his　son　on　the　shoulder。　〃Some　things　can't　be　taught　with　filmbooks　or　in　classrooms。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃　He　smelled　the　iodine…sweetness　of　the　seaweed　tobacco。　He　frowned；　hoping　the　smoke　covered　his　expression。　This　drastic　and　unexpected　change　in　his　life　wasn't　to　his　liking；　but　he　respected　his　father；　Leto　had　learned　through　many　hard　lessons　that　the　Old　Duke　knew　exactly　what　he　was　talking　about；　and　that　Paulus　had　only　the　greatest　desire　to　ensure　that　his　son　would　follow　in　his　footsteps。
　The　Duke　lounged　back　in　his　suspensor　chair；　bobbing　in　the　air。　〃Lad；　I　can　tell　you're　not　entirely　pleased；　but　this　will　be　a　vital　experience　for　you　and　for　Dominic's　son。　Here　on　Caladan　you'll　both　learn　our　greatest　secret　　how　we　foster　the　intense　loyalty　of　our　subjects；　why　we　trust　our　people　implicitly　in　a　way　the　Ixians　do　not　trust　theirs。〃
　Paulus　became　most　serious　now；　without　the　slightest　glint　of　humor　in　his　eyes。　〃My　son；　this　is　more　essential　than　anything　you　will　learn　on　an　industrial　world：　People　are　more　important　than　machines。〃
　It　was　an　adage　Leto　had　heard　often；　the　phrase　was　part　of　him；　almost　as　important　to　him　as　breathing。　〃That's　why　our　soldiers　fight　so　well。〃
　Paulus　leaned　forward　into　the　curling　smoke　from　his　last　puff。　〃One　day　you　will　be　Duke；　lad；　patriarch　of　House　Atreides　and　a　respected　representative　in　the　Landsraad。　Your　voice　there　will　be　equal　to　that　of　any　other　ruler　among　the　Great　Houses。　That's　a　great　responsibility。〃
　〃I'll　handle　it。〃
　〃I'm　sure　you　will；　Leto。。。but　let　yourself　relax　a　bit。　The　people　can　tell　when　you're　not　happy　　and　when　their　Duke　is　not　happy；　the　population　is　not　happy。　Let　pressure　pass　over　and　through　you；　that　way　you　can't　be　harmed　by　it。〃　He　extended　a　scolding　finger。　〃Have　more　fun。〃
　Fun。　Leto　thought　again　of　the　Guild　banker's　daughter；　envisioning　the　fullness　of　her　breasts　and　hips；　the　moist　pout　of　her　mouth；　the　way　she　had　looked　at　him　so　enticingly。
　Maybe　he　wasn't　as　serious　as　his　father　thought　he　was　。。。。
　He　took　another　drink　of　cidrit　juice；　the　tart　coolness　dissipated　in　his　throat。　〃Sir；　with　your　proven　loyalty；　with　the　known　faithfulness　of　the　Atreides　to　its　allies；　why　do　the　Ixians　still　put　us　through　their　interrogation　procedures？　Do　you　think　an　Atreides；　even　with　all　that　has　been　instilled　in　him；　could　ever　bee　a　traitor？　Could　we　ever　bee　like。。。like　the　Harkonnens？〃
　The　Old　Duke　scowled。　〃Once；　we　were　not　so　different　from　them；　but　those　are　not　stories　you're　ready　to　hear　yet。　Remember　the　play　we　just　watched。〃　He　held　up　a　finger。　〃Things　change　in　the　Imperium。　Alliances　form　and　dissolve　on　whims。〃
　〃Not　our　alliances。〃
　Paulus　met　the　boy's　gray…eyed　stare；　then　looked　away；　into　a　corner　where　the　smoke　from　his　pipe　swirled　in　thick　curtains。
　Leto　sighed。　There　was　so　much　he　wanted　to　know；　and　quickly。　But　it　was　being　fed　to　him　in　little　morsels；　like　petit　fours　at　one　of　his　mother's　fancy　parties。
　Outside；　they　heard　people　moving　about；　clearing　the　theatre　for　the　next　performance　of　Agamemnon。　The　actors　would　be　resting；　changing　costumes；　preparing　for　another　audience。
　Sitting　in　this　private　room　with　his　father；　Leto　felt　more　like　a　man　than　ever　before。　Maybe　next　time　he　would　light　a　pipe　of　his　own。　Maybe　he　would　drink　something　stronger　than　cidrit　juice。　Paulus　looked　at　him　with　a　proud　glow　in　his　eyes。
　Leto　smiled　back　and　tried　to　imagine　what　it　would　be　like　to　be　Duke　Atreides　　then　felt　a　sudden　rush　of　guilt　as　he　realized　his　father　would　have　to　die　first　in　order　for　him　to　slip　the　ducal　signet　ring　onto　his　finger。　He　didn't　want　that；　and　was　thankful　that　it　would　be　a　long　time　yet。　Too　far　in　the　future　to　think　about。
　Spacing　Guild：　one　leg　of　the　political　tripod　maintaining　the　Great　Convention。　The　Guild　was　the　second　mental…physical　training　school　（see　Bene　Gesserit）　after　the　Butlerian　Jihad。　The　Guild　monopoly　on　space　travel　and　transport　and　upon　international　banking　is　taken　as　the　beginning　point　of　the　Imperial　Calendar。
　…Terminology　of　the　Imperium
　From　his　perch　on　the　Golden　Lion　Throne；　Emperor　Elrood　IX　scowled　down　at　the　broad…shouldered　and　too…confident　man　who　stood　at　the　base　of　the　royal　dais；　with　one　of　his　boots；　still　dirty　probably；　on　the　lowest　step。　As　polished…bald　as　a　marble　banister　knob；　Earl　Dominic　Vernius　still　carried　himself　like　a　popular　and　decorated　war　hero；　though　those　days　were　long　over。　Elrood　doubted　anyone　still　remembered　the　man's　reckless　glory　days。
　The　Imperial　Chamberlain；　Aken　Hesban；　moved　swiftly　to　the　visitor's　side；　and　in　a　brusque　tone　ordered　Dominic　to　remove　the　offending　foot。　Hesban's　face　was　sallow；　his　mouth　framed　with　long　and　drooping　mustaches。　The　last　rays　of　Kaitain's　afternoon　sunlight　cast　streaks　high　on　a　wall；　shining　golden　rivers　through　the　narrow　prismatic　windows。
　Earl　Vernius　of　Ix　removed　his　foot　as　he　was　instructed；　but　continued　to　stare　cordially　at　Elrood。　The　Ixian　crest；　a　purple…and…copper　helix；　adorned　the　collar　of　Dominic's　tunic。　Though　House　Corrino　was　vastly　more　powerful　than　the　ruling　family　of　Ix；　Dominic　had　the　maddening　habit　of　treating　the　Emperor　as　an　equal；　as　if　their　past　history　　good　and　bad　　allowed　him　to　dispense　with　formalities。　Chamberlain　Hesban　did　not　at　all　approve。
　Decades　ago　Dominic　had　led　legions　of　Imperial　troops　during　the　rough　civil　wars；　and　he　had　not　truly　respected　his　Emperor　since。　Elrood　had　gotten　himself　into　political　trouble　late　in　his　im