bh.houseatreides-第102部分

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id　you'll　be　disappointed。〃
　〃We　won't　be　disappointed；〃　the　brash　soldier　growled。
　Around　them；　her　hired　workers　had　ceased　their　activities；　frozen　in　place。　The　Burseg　stepped　forward　and　stood　directly　in　front　of　the　Lady；　who　did　not　flinch。　He　studied　her　face；　frowning。　She　knew　her　holo…masked　appearance　did　not　match　what　the　man　expected　to　see。　She　stared　back　at　him；　meeting　his　flat　gaze。
　Before　she　understood　his　intention；　his　hand　snatched　her　Ixian　necklace　and　yanked　it　away。　She　felt　no　different；　but　she　knew　her　disguise　had　dissolved。
　〃That's　more　like　it；〃　said　the　Burseg。　〃You　know　nothing　of　renegades；　eh？〃　He　laughed　scornfully。
　She　glared　at　him。　Sardaukar　troops　continued　to　file　out　of　the　three　'thopters；　taking　up　positions　around　her。　Some　of　them　burst　into　her　manor　house；　while　others　searched　the　barn；　sun…silo；　and　other　outbuildings。　Did　they　expect　her　to　be　harboring　a　major　military　force？　pared　to　her　accustomed　lifestyle；　it　seemed　she　could　barely　afford　new　clothes　and　hot　food。
　Another　grim…faced　Sardaukar　grabbed　her　arm。　She　tried　to　pull　away；　but　he　pushed　up　the　sleeve　of　her　cloak　and；　in　a　flash；　scratched　her　with　a　small　curette。　She　gasped；　thinking　the　soldier　had　poisoned　her；　but　the　Sardaukar　stood　back　calmly　to　analyze　the　blood　sample　he　had　stolen。
　〃Identity　confirmed；　sir；〃　he　said；　looking　over　at　his　Burseg　mander。　〃Lady　Shando　Vernius　of　Ix。〃
　The　troops　stepped　back；　but　Shando　did　not　move。　She　knew　what　was　ing。
　For　over　a　year；　the　old　Emperor　had　grown　increasingly　irrational；　his　mind　failing；　his　body　trembling。　Elrood　suffered　under　more　delusions　than　usual；　more　hatred　than　one　body　should　have　contained。　But　he　remained　the　Emperor；　and　his　decrees　were　followed　explicitly。
　The　only　question　in　her　mind　was　whether　they　would　torture　her　first　to　acquire　information　she　didn't　have　about　Dominic's　whereabouts。　Or　whether　they　would　just　finish　the　job。
　Through　a　side　door　of　the　big　house；　Omer　came　running；　shouting。　His　black　hair　was　in　disarray。　He　waved　a　crude　hunting　weapon　he　had　found　in　a　storage　locker。　Such　a　fool；　she　thought。　Brave；　dear；　and　loyal　　but　nonetheless　a　fool。
　〃My　Lady！〃　Omer　shouted。　〃Leave　her　alone！〃
　A　few　of　the　Sardaukar　aimed　at　him　and　at　the　shaggy　workers　in　the　field；　but　most　kept　their　weapons　trained　on　her。　She　looked　up　to　the　sky　and　thought　of　her　loving　husband　and　children　and　hoped　only　that　they　wouldn't　meet　similar　ends。　Even　at　this　moment　she　had　to　admit　that；　given　the　choice；　she　would　do　it　all　again。　She　did　not　regret　the　loss　in　prestige　or　riches　that　leaving　the　royal　Court　had　cost　her。　Shando　had　known　a　love　that　few　members　of　the　nobility　had　ever　experienced。
　Poor　Roody；　she　thought　with　a　flash　of　pity。　You　never　understood　that　kind　of　love。　As　usual；　Dominic　had　been　right。　In　her　mind；　she　saw　him　again　as　he　was　when　she　had　first　met　the　Earl　of　House　Vernius：　a　handsome　young　soldier；　returned　victorious　from　battle。
　Shando　raised　one　hand　to　touch　the　vision　of　Dominic's　face　one　last　time。。。
　Then　all　the　Sardaukar　opened　fire。
　I　must　rule　with　eye　and　claw　　as　the　hawk　among　lesser　birds。
　…DUKE　PAULUS　ATREIDES；
　The　Atreides　Assertion
　Duke　Leto　Atreides。　Ruler　of　the　planet　Caladan；　member　of　the　Landsraad；　head　of　a　Great　House。。。These　titles　meant　nothing　to　him。　His　father　was　dead。
　Leto　felt　small。　Defeated　and　confused；　he　was　not　ready　for　the　burdens　that　had　been　thrust　upon　him　so　cruelly　at　the　age　of　fifteen。　As　he　sat　in　the　unfortable；　overlarge　chair　where　the　blustery　Old　Duke　had　so　often　held　formal　and　informal　court；　Leto　felt　out　of　place；　an　imposter。
　I　am　not　ready　to　be　Duke！
　He　had　declared　seven　days　of　official　mourning；　during　which　he'd　been　able　to　sidestep　most　of　the　difficult　business　as　head　of　House　Atreides。　Simply　dealing　with　the　condolences　from　other　Great　Houses　proved　almost　too　much　for　him。。。especially　the　formal　letter　from　Emperor　Elrood　IX；　written　no　doubt　by　his　Chamberlain　but　signed　with　the　old　man's　palsied　hand。　〃A　great　man　of　the　people　has　fallen；〃　the　Emperor's　note　read。　〃You　have　my　sincere　condolences　and　prayers　for　your　future。〃
　For　some　inexplicable　reason；　this　had　sounded　to　Leto　like　a　threat　　something　sinister　in　the　slant　of　the　signature；　perhaps；　or　in　the　selection　of　words。　Leto　had　burned　the　message　in　the　fireplace　of　his　private　quarters。
　Most　important　of　all　to　him；　Leto　received　heartfelt　gestures　of　grief　from　the　people　of　Caladan：　fresh　flowers；　baskets　of　fish；　embroidered　banners；　poems　and　songs　written　by　would…be　bards；　carvings；　even　drawings　and　paintings　depicting　the　Old　Duke　in　his　glory；　victorious　in　the　bullring。
　In　private；　where　no　one　could　see　his　weakness；　Leto　cried。　He　knew　how　much　the　people　had　loved　Duke　Paulus；　and　he　remembered　the　feeling　of　power　that　had　blanketed　him　the　day　he　and　his　father　had　stood　holding　their　bull's…head　trophy　in　the　Plaza　de　Toros。　At　that　time；　he　had　longed　to　bee　Duke　himself；　had　felt　the　love　and　loyalty　wrapped　around　him。　House　Atreides！
　Now　he　wished　for　any　other　fate　in　the　universe。
　Lady　Helena　had　locked　herself　in　her　chambers　and　ignored　the　servants　who　tried　to　attend　her。　Leto　had　never　observed　much　love　or　affection　between　his　parents；　and　right　now　he　couldn't　tell　if　his　mother's　grief　was　sincere　or　merely　an　act。　The　only　people　she　agreed　to　see　were　her　personal　priests　and　spiritual　advisors。　Helena　clung　to　the　subtle　meanings　she　pried　loose　from　verses　of　the　Orange　Catholic　Bible。
　Leto　knew　he　needed　to　bring　himself　out　of　this　morass　　he　had　to　reach　deep　for　strength　and　turn　to　the　business　of　running　Caladan。　Duke　Paulus　would　have　scorned　Leto's　misery　and　chastised　him　for　not　immediately　facing　the　priorities　of　his　new　life。　〃Grieve　during　your　private　time；　lad；〃　he　would　have　said；　〃but　never　reveal　any　sign　of　weakness　on　the　part　of　House　Atreides。〃
　Silently；　Leto　vowed　to　do　his　best。　This　would　be　the　first　of　many　sacrifices　he　would　no　doubt　have　to　make　in　his　new　position。
　Prince　Rhombur　came　up　beside　Leto　as　he　sat　in　the　heavy　ducal　chair　in　the　empty　meeting　hall。　Leto　brooded；　his　eyes　fixed　on　a　large　portrait　on　the　opposite　wall　that　showed　his　father　in　full　matador　regalia。　Rhombur　put　a　hand　on　his　panion's　shoulder　and　squeezed。　〃Leto；　have　you　eaten？　You've　got　to　maintain　your　strength。〃
　Taking　a　deep　breath；　Leto　turned　to　look　at　his　rade　from　Ix；　whose　broad　face　was　filled　with　concern。　〃No；　I　haven't。　Would　you　care　to　join　me　for　breakfast？〃　He　rose　stiffly　from　the　unfortable　chair。　It　was　time　to　go　about　his　duties。
　Thufir　Hawat　acpanied　them　at　a　morning　meal　that　extended　for　hours　as　they　laid　out　plans　and　strategies　for　the　new　regime。　During　a　pause　in　the　discussion；　the　warrior　Mentat　bowed　his　head　and　met　young　Leto's　gray…eyed　gaze。　〃If　I　have　not　yet　made　it　apparent；　my　Duke；　I　give　you　my　utmost　loyalty　and　renew　my　pledge　to　House　Atreides。　I　will　do　everything　I　can　to　assist　and　advise　you。〃　Then　his　expression　hardened。　〃But　you　must　understand　that　all　decisions　are　yours　and　yours　alone。　My　advice　may　contradict　Prince　Rhombur's　or　your　mother's；　or　that　of　any　other　advisors　you　choose。　You　must　decide　in　each　case。　You　are　the　Duke。　You　are　House　Atreides。〃
　Leto　trembled；　feeling　the　responsibility　hover　over　him　like　a　Guild　Heighliner　ready　to　crash。　〃I'm　aware　of　that；　Thufir；　and　I'll　need　all　the　assistance　I　can　get。〃　He　sat　up　straight　and　sipped　sweet　cream　from　a　bowl　of　warm　pundi　rice　pudding；　prepared　by　one　of　the　chefs　who　knew　it　had　been　his　favorite　as　a　boy。　Now　it　didn't　taste　the　same；　though；　his　taste　buds　seemed　dulled。
　〃How　goes　the　investigation　into　my　father's　death？　Was　it　truly　an　accident；　as　it　appears？　Or　only　made　to　look　that　way？〃
　The　Mentat　frowned；　and　a　troubled　expression　clouded　his　leathery　face。　〃I'm　hesitant　to　say　this；　my　Duke；　but　I　fear　it　was　murder。　Evidence　is　mounting　of　a　devious　plan；　indeed。〃
　〃What？〃　Rhombur　said；　pounding　his　fist　on　the　table。　His　face　flushed。　〃Who　did　this　to　the　Duke？　Ho