bh.houseatreides-第39部分

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in　seconds。
　Kynes's　eyes　glittered　with　excitement；　reflecting　the　light　cast　by　the　clusters　of　glowglobes　that　floated　in　the　large　meeting　chamber。
　〃Very　well；　Planetologist。　You　may　talk　until　the　breath　flows　out　of　your　lungs。　With　your　fate　undecided；　you　will　remain　here　in　the　sietch　until　the　Council　of　Elders　deliberates　over　what　must　be　done　with　you。〃
　〃But　you'll　listen　to　me　first。〃　Kynes　nodded　with　utter　confidence。
　Heinar　turned；　took　a　step　away　from　the　high　balcony；　and　spoke　again　over　his　shoulder。　〃You　are　a　strange　man；　Pardot　Kynes。　An　Imperial　servant　and　a　guest　of　Harkonnens　　by　definition；　you　are　our　enemy。　But　you　have　killed　Harkonnens　as　well。　What　a　quandary　you　present　for　us。〃
　The　sietch　leader　made　quick　gestures　and　barked　mands；　ordering　a　small　but　fortable　room　to　be　prepared　for　the　tall　and　curious　Planetologist；　who　would　be　their　prisoner　as　well　as　their　guest。
　And　Heinar　thought　as　he　strode　away；　Any　man　who　would　speak　words　of　hope　to　the　Fremen　after　our　many　generations　of　suffering　and　wandering。。。is　either　confused；　or　a　very　brave　man　indeed。
　My　Father　had　only　one　real　friend；　I　think。　That　was　Count　Hasimir　Fenring；　the　genetic…eunuch　and　one　of　the　deadliest　fighters　in　the　Imperium。
　…From　〃In　My　Father's　House〃　by　the　Princess　Irulan
　Even　from　the　highest；　darkened　chamber　of　the　Imperial　observatory；　the　pastel　glow　of　the　opulence…choked　capital　drowned　out　the　stars　over　Kaitain。　Built　centuries　earlier　by　the　enlightened　Padishah　Emperor　Hassik　Corrino　III；　the　observatory　had　been　used　little　by　his　recent　heirs。。。at　least　not　for　its　intended　purpose　of　studying　the　mysteries　of　the　universe。
　Crown　Prince　Shaddam　paced　across　the　cold；　burnished…metal　floor　as　Fenring　fiddled　with　the　controls　of　a　high…powered　starscope。　The　genetic…eunuch　hummed　to　himself；　making　unpleasant；　insipid　sounds。
　〃Would　you　please　stop　those　noises？〃　Shaddam　said。　〃Just　focus　the　damned　lenses。〃
　Fenring　continued　to　hum；　only　fractionally　quieter　now。　〃The　oils　must　be　in　precise　balance；　hm…m…m…m…ah？　You　would　rather　have　the　starscope　perfect；　than　fast。〃
　Shaddam　huffed。　〃You　didn't　ask　my　preference。〃
　〃I　decided　for　you。〃　He　stood　back　from　the　starscope's　calibrated　phased　optics　and　bowed　with　an　annoyingly　formal　gesture。　〃My　Lord　Prince；　I　present　to　you　an　image　from　orbit。　See　it　with　your　own　eyes。〃
　Shaddam　squinted　into　the　eyepiece　pickups　until　a　shape　became　startlingly　clear；　soaring　silently　in　the　distance。　The　image　shifted　between　brittle　resolution　and　murky　ripples　caused　by　atmospheric　distortion。
　The　mammoth　Heighliner　was　the　size　of　an　asteroid；　hanging　over　Kaitain　and　waiting　to　be　met　by　a　flotilla　of　small　ships　from　the　surface。　A　tiny　movement　caught　his　eye；　and　Shaddam　spotted　the　yellow…white　flickers　of　engines　as　frigates　rose　from　Kaitain　bearing　diplomats　and　emissaries；　followed　by　transports　carrying　artifacts　and　cargo　from　the　Imperial　capital　world。　The　frigates　themselves　were　immense；　flanked　by　cadres　of　smaller　ships　　but　the　curve　of　the　Heighliner's　hull　dwarfed　everything。
　At　the　same　time；　other　ships　departed　from　the　Heighliner　hold　and　descended　toward　the　capital　city。　〃Delegation　parties；〃　Shaddam　said。　〃They've　brought　tributes　to　my　father。〃
　〃Taxes；　actually　　not　tributes；〃　Fenring　pointed　out。　〃Same　thing；　in　an　old…fashioned　sense；　of　course。　Elrood　is　still　their　Emperor；　um…m…m…ah？〃
　The　Crown　Prince　scowled　at　him。　〃But　for　how　much　longer？　Is　your　damned　chaumurky　going　to　take　decades？〃　Shaddam　fought　to　keep　his　voice　low；　although　subsonic　white…noise　generators　supposedly　distorted　their　speech　to　foil　any　listening　devices。　〃Couldn't　you　find　a　different　poison？　A　faster　one？　This　waiting　is　maddening！　How　much　time　has　passed　anyway？　It　seems　like　a　year　since　I've　slept　well。〃
　〃You　mean　we　should　have　been　more　overt　about　the　murder？　Not　advisable。〃　Fenring　took　his　station　back　at　the　starscope；　adjusting　the　automated　trackers　to　follow　the　Heighliner　along　its　orbit。　〃Be　patient；　my　Lord　Prince。　Until　I　suggested　this　plan；　you　were　content　to　wait　for　decades。　What　does　a　year　or　two　matter　pared　with　the　length　of　your　eventual　reign；　hm…m…m…m？〃
　Shaddam　nudged　Fenring　away　from　the　eyepieces　so　he　wouldn't　have　to　look　at　his　fellow　conspirator。　〃Now　that　we've　finally　set　the　wheels　in　motion；　I'm　impatient　for　my　father　to　die。　Don't　give　me　time　to　brood　about　it　and　regret　my　decision。　I'll　suffocate　until　I　can　ascend　the　Golden　Lion　Throne。　I　was　destined　to　lead；　Hasimir；　but　some　have　been　whispering　that　I'll　never　get　the　opportunity。　It　makes　me　afraid　to　marry　and　father　any　children。〃
　If　he　expected　Fenring　to　attempt　to　convince　him　otherwise；　the　other　man　disappointed　him　with　his　silence。
　Fenring　spoke　again　after　a　few　moments。　〃N'kee　is　slow　poison　by　design。　We　have　worked　long　and　hard　to　establish　our　plan；　and　your　impatience　can　only　cause　damage　and　increase　risk。　A　more　sudden　act　would　certainly　create　suspicion　in　the　Landsraad；　hmmm？　They　would　seize　upon　any　wedge；　any　scandal；　to　weaken　your　position。〃
　〃But　I　am　the　heir　to　House　Corrino！〃　Shaddam　said；　lowering　his　voice　to　a　throaty　whisper。　〃How　can　they　question　my　right？〃
　〃And　you　e　to　the　Imperial　throne　bearing　all　the　associated　baggage；　all　the　obligations；　past　antagonisms；　and　prejudices。　Don't　fool　yourself；　my　friend　　the　Emperor　is　merely　one　sizable　force　among　many　that　make　up　the　delicate　fabric　of　our　Imperium。　If　all　the　Houses　banded　together　against　us；　even　your　father's　mighty　Sardaukar　legions　might　not　be　able　to　hold　out。　No　one　dares　risk　it。〃
　〃When　I'm　on　the　throne；　I　intend　to　strengthen　the　emperorship；　add　some　real　teeth　to　the　title。〃　Shaddam　stood　away　from　the　starscope。
　Fenring　shook　his　head　with　exaggerated　sadness。　〃I'd　be　willing　to　wager　a　cargo　hold　full　of　the　highest…quality　whale…fur　that　most　of　your　predecessors　have　vowed　the　same　thing　to　their　advisors　ever　since　the　Great　Revolt。〃　He　drew　a　deep　breath；　narrowing　his　large　dark　eyes。　〃Even　if　the　n'kee　works　as　planned；　you　have　at　least　another　year　to　wait。。。so　calm　yourself。　Take　fort　in　the　increased　symptoms　of　aging　we've　seen　in　your　father。　Encourage　him　to　drink　more　spice　beer。〃
　Miffed；　Shaddam　turned　back　to　the　phased　optics　and　studied　the　hull　patterns　along　the　belly　of　the　Heighliner；　the　mark　of　Ixian　construction　yards；　the　cartouche　of　the　Spacing　Guild。　The　hold　was　crowded　with　fleets　of　frigates　from　various　Houses；　shipments　assigned　to　CHOAM；　and　precious　records　earmarked　for　library　archives　on　Wallach　IX。
　〃By　the　way；　someone　of　interest　is　aboard　that　Heighliner；〃　Fenring　said。
　〃Oh？〃
　Fenring　crossed　his　arms　over　his　narrow　chest。　〃A　person　who　appears　to　be　a　simple　seller　of　pundi　rice　and　chikarba　root　on　his　way　to　a　Tleilaxu　way　station。　He's　bearing　your　message　for　the　Tleilaxu　Masters；　your　proposal　to　meet　with　them　and　discuss　covert　Imperial　funding　of　a　large…scale　project　that　will　produce　a　substitute　for　the　spice　melange。〃
　〃My　proposal？　I　made　no　such　proposal！〃　Revulsion　flickered　across　Shaddam's　face。
　〃Um…m…m；　you　did；　my　Lord　Prince。　Ah；　the　possibility　of　using　unorthodox　Tleilaxu　means　to　develop　a　synthetic　spice？　What　a　good　idea　you　had！　Show　your　father　how　smart　you　are。〃
　〃Don't　place　the　blame　on　me；　Hasimir。　It　was　your　idea。〃
　〃You　don't　want　the　credit？〃
　〃Not　in　the　least。〃
　Fenring　raised　his　eyebrows。　〃You　are　serious　about　breaking　the　Arrakis　bottleneck　and　setting　up　the　Imperial　House　with　a　private；　unlimited　source　of　melange？　Aren't　you？〃
　Shaddam　glowered。　〃Of　course　I'm　serious。〃
　〃Then　we　will　bring　a　Tleilaxu　Master　here　in　secret　to　present　his　proposal　to　the　Emperor。　We'll　soon　see　how　far　old　Elrood　is　willing　to　go。〃
　Blindness　can　take　many　forms　other　than　the　inability　to　see。　Fanatics　are　often　blinded　in　their　thoughts。　Leaders　are　often　blinded　in　their　hearts。
　…The　Orange　Catholic　Bible
　For　months；　Leto　had　stayed　in　the　underground　city　of　Vernii　as　the　honored　guest　of　Ix。　By　now；　he　had　bee　fortable　with　the　strangeness　of　his　new　surroundings；　with　the　routine；　and　with　self…confident　Ixian　security　　fortable　enough　to　grow　careless。
　Prince　Rhombur　was　a　chronic　late　sleeper；　while　Leto　was　the　opposite；　an　early　riser　like　the　fishermen　on　Caladan。　The　Atreides　heir　wandered　the　upper　stalactite　buildings　alone；　going　to　observation　windows　and　peeking　in　on　manufacturing…design　procedures　or　fabrication　lines。　He　learned　how　to　use　the　transit　systems　and　discovered　that　his　bioscram　card　from　Earl　Vernius　opened　many　doors　for　him。
　Leto　gleaned　more　from　his　wanderings　and　his　voracious　curiosity　than　he　did　from　instructional　meetings　hosted　by　various　tutors。　Remembering　his　father's　admonishment　to　learn　from　everything；　he　took　the　self…guiding　lift　tubes；　when　none　were　available；　he　grew　accustomed　to　using　walkways；　cargo　lifts；　or　even　ladders　to　go　from　one　level　to　another。
　One　morning；　after　awakening　refreshed　and　restless；　Leto　went　to　one　of　the　upper　atriums　and　stepped　out〃　onto　an　observation　balcony。　E