bh.houseatreides-第97节

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　〃Something　odd　about　this　case；　though；〃　Yungar　said。　〃For　days　now　I've　had　a　feeling　of　unease。。。something　more　here　than　an　old　man　dying　of　natural　causes。　We　must　be　exceedingly　cautious　with　our　analysis；　since　it　is　the　Emperor　〃
　〃Was　the　Emperor；〃　Shaddam　said；　too　quickly。　Fenring　made　a　subtle　warning　gesture　to　get　his　attention。
　〃My　point　exactly。〃　The　Suk　doctor　brushed　a　hand　across　the　black…diamond　tattoo　on　his　forehead。　Shaddam　wondered　if　he　was　just　distressed　that　he　would　no　longer　receive　extravagant　fees　for　continuing　treatment。
　〃My　good　Doctor；　Emperor　Elrood　was　ancient　and　under　a　great　deal　of　stress。〃　In　an　odd　benediction；　Fenring　bent　down　and　placed　his　fingertips　on　the　old　man's　cold　brow；　which　reminded　Shaddam　of　a　parchment…covered　rock。　〃We　who　were　closest　to　him　saw　visible　changes　in　his　health　and　mental　capacity　in；　say；　the　past　two　years。　It　would　be　best　if　you　do　not　voice　innuendos　and　unfounded　suspicions　that　could　only　damage　the　stability　of　the　Imperium；　especially　in　this　difficult　time；　hm…m…m…m？　Padishah　Emperor　Elrood　IX　was　more　than　a　hundred　and　fifty　years　old；　with　one　of　the　longest　reigns　in　the　history　of　the　Corrinos。　Let　us　leave　it　at　that。〃
　Shaddam　cleared　his　throat。　〃What　else　could　it　be；　Doctor？　The　security　around　my　father　is　impenetrable；　guards　and　poison…snoopers　everywhere。　No　one　could　possibly　have　harmed　him。〃
　Yungar　looked　uneasily　past　the　Crown　Prince　to　the　ferretlike　man　behind　him。　〃Identity；　motive；　and　opportunity。　Those　are　the　questions；　and　though　I'm　not　a　police　investigator；　I'm　certain　a　Mentat　could　provide　answers　to　all　three。　I　will　pile　my　data　and　provide　it　to　a　review　board。　It　is　strictly　a　formality；　but　it　must　be　done。〃
　〃Who　would　do　such　a　thing　to　my　father？〃　Shaddam　demanded；　stepping　closer。　The　doctor's　abruptness　made　him　stiffen；　but　this　Suk　had　already　demonstrated　his　pompous　nature。　The　dead　man　on　the　bed　seemed　to　be　watching　them；　his　clawed　fingers　pointing　in　accusation。
　〃More　evidence　needs　to　be　gathered　first；　Sire。〃
　〃Evidence？　Of　what　sort？〃　He　calmed　himself。　Sweat　broke　out　on　his　brow；　and　he　ran　a　hand　across　his　carefully　styled　reddish　hair。　Perhaps　he　was　carrying　the　act　too　far。
　Fenring　seemed　entirely　calm　and　moved　to　the　other　side　of　the　bed；　near　where　the　remains　of　the　Emperor's　last　glass　of　spice　beer　sat。
　In　a　whisper　that　only　Shaddam　could　hear；　the　doctor　said；　〃It　is　my　duty　as　a　loyal　Suk　to　warn　you；　Prince　Shaddam；　that　you；　too；　may　be　in　extreme　danger。　Certain　forces。。。according　to　reports　I've　seen。。。do　not　want　House　Corrino　to　remain　in　power。〃
　〃Since　when　does　the　Suk　School　obtain　reports　about　Imperial　alliances　and　intrigues？〃　Fenring　asked；　slithering　closer。　He　had　not　heard　the　specific　words；　but　years　ago　he　had　taught　himself　the　valuable　skill　of　reading　lips。　It　helped　greatly　with　his　spying　activities。　He　had　tried　to　teach　Shaddam　the　trick；　but　the　Crown　Prince　had　not　caught　the　knack　of　it　yet。
　〃We　have　our　sources；〃　the　Suk　doctor　said。　〃Regrettably；　such　connections　are　necessary　even　for　a　school　such　as　ours　dedicated　to　healing。〃　Recalling　the　doctor's　insistence　on　full　payment　before　even　looking　at　a　patient；　Shaddam　frowned　at　this　irony。　〃We　live　in　perilous　times。〃
　〃Do　you　suspect　anyone　in　particular？〃　Shaddam　husked；　following　the　direction　of　the　doctor's　gaze。　Perhaps　they　could　set　up　Chamberlain　Hesban　to　take　the　fall　　plant　evidence；　start　rumors。
　〃In　your　position　it　would　be　safest　to　suspect　everyone；　Sire。　I　would　like　to　conduct　an　autopsy　on　Emperor　Elrood。　Working　with　a　partner　from　the　Inner　School；　we　can　scanalyze　every　organ；　every　tissue；　every　cell。。。just　to　be　safe。〃
　Shaddam　frowned。　〃It　seems　a　terrible　disrespect　to　my　father；　slicing　him　up　into　little　pieces。　He　had　quite　a。。。a　horror　of　surgery。　Ah；　yes。　Better　to　let　him　lie　in　peace。　We　must　prepare　immediately　for　the　funeral　of　state。　And　my　coronation　ceremony。〃
　〃On　the　contrary；〃　Yungar　persisted；　〃we　show　respect　for　Elrood's　memory　by　trying　to　determine　what　happened　to　him。　Perhaps　something　was　implanted　in　his　body　some　time　ago；　when　his　behavior　began　to　change　　something　that　caused　his　slow　death。　A　Suk　doctor　could　find　the　subtlest　traces；　even　after　two　years。〃
　〃The　very　thought　of　an　autopsy　sickens　me；〃　Shaddam　said。　〃I　am　the　heir　to　the　Imperium；　and　I　forbid　it。〃　He　looked　down　at　the　dead　old　man；　and　his　arms　broke　out　in　gooseflesh；　as　if　the　ancient　creature's　ghost　hovered　over　his　head。　He　glanced　warily　at　shadows　in　the　corners　and　in　the　cold　fireplace。
　He　had　expected　to　experience　elation　when　his　father　finally　passed　the　Golden　Lion　Throne　to　him　　but　now；　knowing　that　his　own　chaumurky　had　been　the　cause　of　the　Emperor's　death；　Shaddam's　skin　crawled。
　〃According　to　Imperial　Law；　I　could　formally　insist　upon　it；　Sire；〃　the　Suk　doctor　explained；　his　voice　still　low　and　calm。　〃And　for　your　own　good　I　must　do　exactly　that。　I　see　that　you　are　inexperienced　in　the　ways　of　intrigue；　since　you　have　grown　up　protected　in　the　Court。　You　undoubtedly　think　I'm　being　foolish；　but　I　assure　you　I　am　not　wrong　about　this。　I　feel　it　in　the　pit　of　my　stomach。〃
　〃Perhaps　the　good　doctor　is　right；〃　Fenring　said。
　〃How　can　you。。。〃　Seeing　a　peculiar　gleam　in　Fenring's　eyes；　Shaddam　cut　himself　short；　then　glanced　at　the　doctor　and　said　to　him；　〃I　must　confer　with　my　advisor。〃
　〃Of　course。〃　Yungar　watched　them　move　off　to　one　side；　by　the　door。
　〃Are　you　mad？〃　Shaddam　whispered；　when　he　and　Fenring　were　a　distance　away。
　〃Go　along　with　him　for　the　moment。　Then　through　a。。。〃　Fenring　smiled；　selected　just　the　right　word。　〃。。。misunderstanding。。。old　Elrood　will　be　cremated　before　they　can　cut　him　open。〃
　〃I　see；〃　Shaddam　said；　with　sudden　understanding。　Then；　to　Yungar；　he　said；　〃Send　for　your　associate　and　plete　your　autopsy。　My　father　will　be　moved　to　the　infirmary；　where　you　may　plete　the　procedure。〃
　〃A　day　will　be　needed　to　bring　in　the　other　doctor；〃　the　Suk　said。　〃You　can　arrange　to　keep　the　body　chilled？〃
　Shaddam　smiled　politely。　〃It　shall　be　done。〃
　〃By　your　leave　then；　Sire；〃　the　Suk　said；　bowing　and　retreating　hastily。　The　doctor　hurried　away　with　a　rustling　of　medical　robes。　His　long　steel…gray　hair　dangled　in　its　ponytail；　clasped　by　a　silver　ring。
　When　they　were　alone；　Fenring　said　with　a　crafty　smile；　〃It　was　either　that　or　kill　the　bastard；　and　we　didn't　dare　risk　that。〃
　An　hour　later；　through　an　unfortunate　series　of　events；　Emperor　Elrood　IX　was　reduced　to　ashes　in　the　Imperial　crematorium；　and　his　remains　were　misplaced。　A　Court　orderly　and　two　medical　attendants　paid　for　the　mistake　with　their　lives。
　Memory　and　History　are　two　sides　of　the　same　coin。　In　time；　however；　History　tends　to　slant　itself　toward　a　favorable　impression　of　events；　while　Memory　is　doomed　to　preserve　the　worst　aspects。
　…LADY　HELENA　ATREIDES；
　her　personal　journals
　Father；　I　was　not　ready。
　The　nighttime　seas　on　Caladan　were　rough；　and　wind…driven　rain　pelted　the　windows　of　the　Castle's　east　tower。　Another　sort　of　storm　raged　within　Duke　Leto；　though：　concern　for　the　future　of　his　troubled　House。
　He　had　avoided　this　duty　for　too　long。。。for　months；　in　fact。　On　this　isolated　evening；　he　wanted　nothing　more　than　to　sit　in　a　fire…warmed　room　in　the　pany　of　Rhombur　and　Kailea。　Instead；　he　had　decided　at　last　to　go　through　some　of　the　Old　Duke's　personal　items。
　Storage　chests　containing　his　father's　things　were　brought　in　and　lined　up　along　one　wall。　Servants　had　stoked　up　the　flaming　logs　in　the　fireplace　to　a　fine　blaze；　and　a　crock　of　mulled　wine　filled　the　room　with　the　spicy　scents　of　terrameg　and　a　bit　of　expensive　melange。　Four　small　glowglobes　provided　enough　light　to　see　by。
　Kailea　had　found　a　fur　cloak　in　storage；　taken　it　as　her　own；　and　wrapped　herself　just　to　keep　warm　　but　it　also　made　her　look　stunning。　Despite　the　radical　changes　in　her　life；　how　far　she　had　fallen　from　her　dreams　of　sparkling　at　the　Imperial　Court；　the　Vernius　daughter　was　a　survivor。　Through　sheer　force　of　will　Kailea　seemed　to　bend　the　environment　around　herself；　making　the　best　of　things。
　Despite　the　political　drawbacks　of　any　romance　with　the　renegade　family；　Duke　Leto　　now　ruler　of　his　Great　House　　found　himself　even　more　attracted　to　her。　But　he　remembered　his　father's　primary　admonition：　Never　marry　for　love；　or　it　will　bring　our　House　down。　Paulus　Atreides　had　hammered　that　into　his　son　as　much　as　any　other　leadership　training。　Leto　knew　he　could　never　shrug　off　the　Old　Duke's　mand；　it　was　too　much　a　part　of　him。
　Still；　he　was　drawn　to　Kailea；　though　thus　far　he　hadn't　found　the　courage　to　express　his　feelings　to　her。　He　thought　she　knew；　even　so；　Kailea　had　a　strong；　logical　mind。　He　saw　it　in　her　emerald　eyes；　in　the　curve　of　her　catlike　mouth；　in　the　contemplative　looks　she　gave　him　when　she　thought　he　wouldn't　notice。
　With　Leto's　permission；　Rhombur　searched　curiously　through　some　of　the　massive　storage　chests；　looking　for　old　wartime　mementos　of　the　friendship　between　Duke　Paulus　and　Dominic　Vernius。　Reaching　deep　into　one　chest；　he　brought　out　an　embroidered　cape　and　u