bh.houseatreides-第93节

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avoid。　On　his　thin　throat；　his　Adam's　apple　bobbed　up　and　down。
　Leto　stared　at　his　mother　sitting　in　silence　beside　him；　at　the　set　of　her　jaw。　A　sharp　cold　sliced　unbidden　down　his　spine。　Through　the　carved　wood　of　their　closed　bedroom　door；　Leto　had　heard　her　words　concerning　his　father's　Vernius　policy。　You're　the　one　who's　made　a　choice　here；　Paulus。　And　you've　made　the　wrong　one。　Now　the　words　echoed　in　Leto's　head。　That　choice　will　cost　you　and　our　House　dearly。
　〃Uh；　nobody　really　watches　a　stablemaster；　Leto；〃　Rhombur　pointed　out　in　a　low　voice。
　But　Leto　continued　to　observe　his　mother。　Stablemaster　Yresk　had　e　to　Caladan　as　part　of　Helena's　wedding　entourage　from　Richese。　Could　she　have　turned　to　him？　What　sort　of　hold　did　she　have　on　the　man？
　His　throat　went　dry　as　all　the　pieces　interlocked　in　his　mind　with　a　sudden　realization　that　must　have　been　similar　to　what　a　Mentat　experienced。　She　had　done　it！　Lady　Helena　Atreides　herself　had　set　the　wheels　in　motion。　Oh；　perhaps　she'd　had　some　outside　assistance；　possibly　even　from　Harkonnens。。。and　most　certainly　Yresk　had　been　the　one　to　carry　out　the　actual　details。
　But　she　herself　had　made　the　decision　to　punish　Paulus。　He　knew　it　in　the　core　of　his　soul。　With　her　fifteen…year…old　son；　she　would　now　control　Caladan　and　make　the　decisions　she　believed　best。
　Leto；　my　son；　you　are　Duke　Atreides　now。　Those　had　been　his　mother's　words　only　moments　after　her　husband's　death。　An　odd　reaction　for　a　shocked　and　grief…stricken　woman。
　〃Please　stop　this；〃　Yresk　said；　wringing　his　hands。　〃M'Lord；　I　would　never　betray　the　House　I　serve。〃　He　pointed　at　Duncan。　〃But　you　know　this　stable…rat　must　be　a　Harkonnen。　He　came　from　Giedi　Prime　not　that　long　ago。〃
　Lady　Helena　sat　rigidly；　and　when　she　finally　spoke；　her　voice　cracked；　as　if　she　hadn't　used　it　much　in　recent　days。　She　leveled　a　challenging　look　at　her　son。　〃You've　known　Yresk　since　you　were　a　child；　Leto。　Would　you　accuse　a　member　of　my　entourage？　Don't　be　ridiculous。〃
　〃No　accusations　yet；　Mother；〃　Leto　said　very　carefully。　〃It's　just　discussion　at　this　point。〃　As　leader　of　House　Atreides；　he　had　to　work　hard　to　distance　himself　from　his　childhood；　from　when　he　had　been　an　eager　boy　asking　the　white…haired　stablemaster　if　he　could　see　the　bulls。　Yresk　had　taught　him　how　to　pet　various　animals；　ride　some　of　the　older　mounts；　tie　knots；　and　fix　harnesses。
　But　the　wide…eyed　child　Leto　was　the　new　Duke　of　House　Atreides。
　〃We　must　study　the　evidence　before　we　draw　any　conclusions。〃
　Emotions　roiled　across　Yresk's　face；　and　suddenly　Leto　was　afraid　of　what　the　stablemaster　might　say。　Pressed　into　a　corner　and　afraid　for　his　life；　would　he　implicate　Helena？　The　guards　in　the　hall　listened　attentively。　Kailea　watched；　drinking　in　every　detail。　Others　would　no　doubt　hear　and　repeat　everything　that　was　spoken　here。　The　scandal　would　rock　Caladan；　perhaps　the　Landsraad　itself。
　Even　if　his　mother　had　arranged　for　the　accident　at　the　bullfight；　even　if　Yresk　had　done　it　under　orders　　or　because　he　had　been　bribed　or　blackmailed　somehow　　Leto　did　not　dare　let　the　man　confess　it　here。　He　required　the　truth；　but　in　private。　If　word　got　out　that　Lady　Helena　had　been　behind　the　Old　Duke's　death；　it　would　tear　House　Atreides　apart。　His　own　rule　could　be　damaged　beyond　repair。。。and　he　would　have　no　choice　but　to　deal　out　the　harshest　possible　justice　to　his　own　mother。
　He　shuddered　as　he　thought　of　the　play　Agamemnon；　and　the　curse　of　Atreus　that　had　dogged　his　family　since　the　dawn　of　history。　He　drew　a　deep　breath；　knowing　he　must　be　strong。
　〃Do　what　you　must；　lad；〃　his　father　had　said。　〃No　one　can　blame　you　for　that；　as　long　as　you　make　the　right　decisions。〃
　But　what　was　the　right　decision　now？
　Helena　stood　up　from　her　chair　and　spoke　to　Leto　in　a　cool　maternal　tone。　〃The　death　of　my　husband　was　no　treachery　　it　was　a　punishment　from　God。〃　She　gestured　toward　Rhombur　and　Kailea；　who　seemed　stunned　by　the　proceedings。　〃My　beloved　Duke　was　punished　for　his　friendship　with　House　Vernius；　for　allowing　these　children　to　live　in　our　Castle。　Their　family　has　broken　the　mandments；　and　Paulus　still　embraced　them。　My　husband's　pride　killed　him　　not　a　lowly　stablemaster。　It's　as　simple　as　that。〃
　〃I've　heard　enough；　Mother；〃　Leto　said。
　Helena　gave　him　an　indignant；　withering　glare；　as　if　he　were　a　child。　〃I　am　not　finished　speaking。　There　is　much　to　being　a　Duke　that　you　couldn't　possibly　understand　yet　〃
　Leto　remained　seated；　putting　all　the　power　he　could　muster　into　his　voice　and　posure。　〃I　am　the　Duke；　Mother；　and　you　will　be　silent；　or　I　shall　have　the　guards　forcibly　evict　you　from　the　hall　and　lock　you　in　one　of　the　towers。〃
　Helena's　skin　paled；　and　her　eyes　went　wild　as　she　fought　to　contain　her　shock。　She　couldn't　believe　her　own　son　had　spoken　to　her　in　this　manner；　but　thought　better　of　pressing　him。　As　usual；　she　struggled　to　maintain　appearances。　She　had　seen　similar　expressions　on　the　Old　Duke's　face　and　didn't　dare　bring　the　storm　closer。
　Though　it　would　have　been　better　for　him　to　remain　silent；　Yresk　shouted；　〃Leto；　boy；　you　can't　believe　this　fatherless　stable…rat　over　me　〃
　Leto　looked　at　the　frantic；　scarecrowish　man　and　pared　his　demeanor　with　the　proud　young　Duncan's。　Yresk's　puffy…eyed　face　sparkled　with　perspiration。　〃I　do　find　him　more　credible；　Yresk；〃　Leto　said　slowly。　〃And　never　call　me　'boy'　again。〃
　Hawat　stepped　forward。　〃We　might　retrieve　further　information　through　deep　interrogation。　I　shall　personally　question　this　stablemaster。〃
　Leto's　gaze　fell　on　his　Mentat。　〃In　private　would　be　best；　Thufir。　No　one　but　you。〃　He　closed　his　eyes　for　the　briefest　moment　and　swallowed　hard。　Later；　he　knew；　he　would　have　to　send　a　message　to　Hawat　that　the　stablemaster　must　not　be　allowed　to　survive　the　interrogation。。。for　fear　of　what　else　he　might　reveal。　The　Mentat's　fractional　nod　told　Leto　that　he　understood　much　that　had　been　left　unsaid。　All　information　Hawat　extracted　would　remain　a　secret　between　himself　and　his　Duke。
　Yresk　howled　as　the　guards　grasped　his　thin　arms。　Before　the　stablemaster　could　shout　anything；　Hawat　clapped　a　hand　over　his　mouth。
　Then；　as　if　it　had　been　timed　to　occur　during　the　moment　of　greatest　confusion；　the　guards　opened　the　main　hall　doors　to　allow　the　entry　of　a　uniformed　man。　He　strode　in；　eyes　fixed　on　Leto　and　Leto　alone；　who　sat　on　the　chair　at　the　end　of　the　hall。　His　electronic　identity　badge　marked　him　as　an　official　Courier；　newly　disembarked　from　a　lighter　at　Cala　City　Spaceport。　Leto　stiffened；　knowing　this　man　could　not　possibly　bear　good　tidings。
　〃M'Lord　Duke；　I　bring　terrible　news。〃　The　Courier's　words　sent　an　electric　shock　through　everyone　in　the　Court。　The　hall　guards　holding　Yresk　captive　stood　still；　and　Hawat　gestured　for　them　to　leave　before　the　announcement。
　The　messenger　marched　up　to　the　chair　and　stood　straight；　then　drew　deep　breaths　to　prepare　himself。　Knowing　the　situation　here　on　Caladan　with　the　new　Duke　and　the　exiled　Ixians；　he　chose　his　words　carefully。
　〃It　is　my　sad　duty　to　inform　you　that　the　Lady　Shando　　branded　as　a　renegade　and　traitor　by　Emperor　Elrood　IX　　has　been　tracked　down　and；　in　accordance　with　Imperial　decree；　executed　by　Sardaukar　on　Bela　Tegeuse。　All　members　of　her　entourage　have　also　been　killed。〃
　Rhombur；　looking　as　if　the　wind　had　been　knocked　from　him；　slumped　in　shock　onto　the　polished　marble　step　beside　the　ducal　chair。　Kailea；　who　had　watched　the　entire　proceedings　in　silence；　now　sobbed。　Tears　spilled　unchecked　from　her　emerald　eyes。　She　leaned　against　a　wall；　pounding　a　stone　pillar　with　a　fragile　fist　until　blood　blossomed　from　her　hand。
　Helena　looked　at　her　son　with　sadness　and　nodded。　〃You　see；　Leto？　Another　punishment。　I　was　right。　The　Ixians　and　all　those　who　assist　them　are　cursed。〃
　Giving　his　mother　a　look　of　hatred；　Leto　snapped　to　the　guards；　〃Please　take　my　mother　to　her　chambers　and　instruct　her　servants　to　pack　for　a　long　journey。〃　He　fought　to　keep　his　voice　from　trembling。　〃I　believe　the　stress　of　recent　days　requires　that　she　take　a　quiet　rest；　someplace　far；　far　from　here。〃
　In　adverse　circumstances；　every　creature　bees　something　else；　evolving　or　devolving。　What　makes　us　human　is　that　we　know　what　we　once　were；　and　　let　us　hope　　we　remember　how　to　change　back。
　…AMBASSADOR　CAMMAR　PILRU；
　Dispatches　in　Defense　of　Ix
　The　hiding　chamber's　silent　alarm　system　woke　him　again。　Damp　with　sweat　from　recurring　nightmares；　C'tair　sat　bolt　upright；　ready　to　fight　and　fend　off　the　invaders　hunting　for　him。
　But　the　Bene　Tleilax　hadn't　found　this　place　yet；　though　they　had　e　close；　using　their　damnable　scanners。　His　transmission…shielded　bolt…hole　was　equipped　with　an　automatic　internal　monitor　that　should　have　operated　for　centuries　without　trouble；　but　the　fanatical　investigators　used　technology…scanning　devices　to　detect　the　operation　of　unapproved　machines。　Sooner　or　later　they　would　catch　him。
　Working　with　quiet　efficiency；　he　scrambled　to　shut　everything　down：　all　the　lights；　ventilation；　heating　elements。　Then　he　sat　in　the　stifling　utter　darkness；　sweating；　waiting。　He　heard　nothing　except　his　own　breathing。　No　one　pried　at　the　concealed　door。