bh.houseatreides-第103部分

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　〃What？〃　Rhombur　said；　pounding　his　fist　on　the　table。　His　face　flushed。　〃Who　did　this　to　the　Duke？　How？〃　He　felt　affection　not　only　for　Leto；　but　for　the　Atreides　patriarch　who　had　granted　sanctuary　to　him　and　his　sister。　A　visceral；　sinking　feeling　told　Rhombur　the　motivation　might　have　been　to　punish　Paulus　for　showing　kindness　to　the　Ixian　exiles。
　〃I　am　the　Duke；　Rhombur；〃　Leto　said；　resting　a　hand　on　his　friend's　forearm。　〃I　will　have　to　handle　this。〃
　Leto　could　almost　hear　the　wheels　humming　inside　the　Mentat's　plex　mind。　Hawat　said；　〃Chemical　analysis　of　muscle　tissue　in　the　Salusan　bull　revealed　faint　traces　of　two　drugs。〃
　〃I　thought　the　beasts　were　checked　before　every　fight。〃　Leto　narrowed　his　eyes；　but　for　a　moment　he　could　not　drive　away　the　memory　flashes　of　his　younger　days；　when　he　had　gone　to　look　at　the　massive　bulls　in　the　stables　and　puffy…eyed　Stablemaster　Yresk　had　let　him　feed　the　beasts　　to　the　horror　of　the　stableboys。　〃Was　our　veterinarian　in　on　a　plot？〃
　〃The　usual　tests　were　performed　as　required；　before　the　paseo。〃　A　frown　on　his　red…stained　lips；　Thufir　tapped　his　fingers　on　the　table　as　he　marshaled　his　thoughts　and　assessed　his　answer。　〃Unfortunately；　the　prescribed　analyses　tested　for　the　wrong　things。　The　bull　had　been　enraged　by　a　harsh　stimulant　that　gradually　built　up　in　its　body　over　days；　delivered　in　time…released　amounts。〃
　〃That　wouldn't　have　been　enough；〃　Leto　said；　flaring　his　nostrils。　〃My　father　was　a　good　fighter。　The　best。〃
　The　Mentat　shook　his　shaggy　head。　〃The　bull　was　also　given　a　neutralizing　agent；　a　chemical　that　counteracted　the　neurotoxin　in　the　Duke's　banderillas　and　simultaneously　triggered　a　release　of　the　stimulant。　When　the　bull　should　have　been　paralyzed；　the　stimulant　was　increased　instead。　The　beast　became　an　even　more　dangerous　killing　machine；　just　as　the　Old　Duke　was　growing　tired。〃
　Leto　glowered。　With　an　angry　lurch　he　rose　from　the　breakfast　table　and　glanced　up　at　the　omnipresent　poison…snooper。　He　paced；　letting　his　rice　pudding　grow　cold。　Then　he　turned　and　spoke　sharply；　summoning　all　the　techniques　of　leadership　he　had　been　taught。　〃Mentat；　give　me　a　prime　projection。　Who　would　do　this？〃
　Thufir　sat　motionless　as　he　entered　deep　Mentat　mode。　Data　streamed　through　the　puter　inside　his　skull；　a　human　brain　that　simulated　the　capabilities　of　the　ancient；　hated　enemies　of　mankind。
　〃Most　likely　possibility：　a　personal　attack　from　a　major　political　enemy　of　House　Atreides。　Because　of　the　timing；　I　suspect　it　may　be　a　punishment　of　the　Old　Duke　for　his　support　of　House　Vernius。〃
　〃My　suspicion　exactly；〃　Rhombur　muttered。　The　son　of　Dominic　Vernius　seemed　very　much　an　adult　now；　hardened　and　tempered；　no　longer　just　a　good…natured　study　panion　who　had　lived　a　pampered　life。　Since　ing　to　Caladan　he　had　trimmed　down；　tightened　his　muscles。　His　eyes　had　taken　on　a　flinty　gleam。
　〃But　no　House　has　declared　kanly　on　us；〃　Leto　said。　〃In　the　ancient　rite　of　vendetta　there　are　requirements；　forms　to　be　followed；　are　there　not；　Thufir？〃
　〃But　we　can't　trust　all　of　the　Old　Duke's　enemies　to　adhere　to　such　niceties；〃　Hawat　said。　〃We　must　be　very　cautious。〃
　Rhombur　reddened；　thinking　of　his　own　family's　ouster　from　Ix。　〃And　there　are　those　who　twist　the　forms　to　match　their　needs。〃
　〃Secondary　possibility；〃　the　Mentat　continued。　〃The　target　could　have　been　Duke　Paulus　himself；　and　not　House　Atreides　　the　result　of　a　small　vendetta　or　personal　grudge。　The　culprit　could　perhaps　be　a　local　petitioner　who　didn't　like　a　decision　the　Duke　had　made。　Though　this　murder　has　galactic　consequences；　its　cause　could；　ironically；　be　a　trivial　thing。〃
　Leto　shook　his　head。　〃I　can't　believe　that。　I　saw　how　much　the　people　loved　my　father。　None　of　his　subjects　would　turn　on　him；　not　a　single　one。〃
　Hawat　did　not　flinch。　〃My　Duke；　do　not　overestimate　the　strength　of　love　and　loyalty；　and　do　not　underestimate　the　power　of　personal　hatred。〃
　〃Uh；　what's　a　better　possibility？〃　Rhombur　inquired。
　Hawat　looked　his　Duke　in　the　eye。　〃An　attack　to　weaken　House　Atreides。　The　death　of　the　patriarch　leaves　you；　m　'Lord；　in　a　vulnerable　position。　You　are　young　and　untrained。〃
　Leto　drew　in　a　deep　breath；　but　restrained　his　temper　as　he　listened。
　〃Your　enemies　will　now　see　House　Atreides　as　unstable；　and　could　make　a　move　against　us。　Your　allies　may　also　see　you　as　a　liability　and　support　you　with　somewhat。。。limited　enthusiasm。　This　is　a　very　dangerous　time　for　you。〃
　〃The　Harkonnens？〃　Leto　asked。
　Hawat　shrugged。　〃Possibly。　Or　some　ally　of　theirs。〃
　Leto　pressed　his　hands　against　his　temples　and　drew　another　deep　breath。　He　saw　Rhombur　looking　uneasily　at　him。
　〃Continue　your　investigation；　Thufir；〃　Leto　said。　〃Since　we　know　that　drugs　were　introduced　to　the　Salusan　bull；　I　suggest　you　target　your　interrogations　around　the　stables。〃
　THE　STABLEBOY　DUNCAN　Idaho　stood　in　front　of　his　new　Duke；　bowing　proudly；　ready　to　swear　his　fealty　again。　The　household　staff　had　cleaned　him　up；　though　he　still　wore　stable　clothes。　The　ruined　garments　he'd　been　given　for　the　ill…fated　final　bullfight　had　been　discarded。　His　curly　black　hair　was　disheveled。
　A　rage　burned　inside　him。　He　was　certain　that　Duke　Paulus's　death　could　have　been　avoided　if　someone　had　only　listened　to　him。　The　grief　struck　him　sharply；　and　he　agonized　over　whether　he　might　have　done　more：　Should　he　have　insisted　harder　or　spoken　to　someone　other　than　Stablemaster　Yresk？　He　wondered　if　he　should　reveal　what　he　had　tried　to　do；　but　for　the　moment　held　his　tongue。
　Looking　too　small　in　the　ducal　chair；　Leto　Atreides　narrowed　his　gray　eyes　and　skewered　Duncan　with　a　gaze。　〃Boy；　I　remember　when　you　joined　our　household。〃　His　face　looked　thinner；　and　much　older　than　it　had　been　when　Duncan　had　first　stood　inside　the　Castle　hall。　〃It　was　just　after　I　escaped　from　Ix　with　Rhombur　and　Kailea。〃
　Both　of　the　Vernius　refugees　also　sat　in　the　main　hall；　as　did　Thufir　Hawat　and　a　contingent　of　guards。　Duncan　glanced　over　at　them；　then　returned　his　attention　to　the　young　Duke。
　〃I　heard　stories　of　your　escape　from　the　Harkonnens；　Duncan　Idaho；〃　Leto　continued；　〃of　how　you　were　tortured　and　imprisoned。　My　father　trusted　you　when　he　gave　you　a　position　here　at　Castle　Caladan。　You　know　how　unusual　it　was　for　him　to　do　that？〃　He　leaned　forward　on　the　dark；　wooden　chair。
　Duncan　nodded。　〃Yes；　m'Lord。〃　He　felt　a　hot　flush　of　guilt　on　his　face　at　having　failed　the　benefactor　who　had　been　so　kind　to　him。　〃Yes；　I　know。〃
　〃But　someone　drugged　the　Salusan　bulls　before　my　father's　last　fight　　and　you　were　one　of　those　tending　the　beasts。　You　had　ample　opportunity。　Why　didn't　I　see　you　at　the　paseo　when　all　the　others　marched　around　the　arena？　I　remember　looking　for　you。〃　His　voice　became　much　sharper。　〃Duncan　Idaho；　were　you　sent　here；　all　innocent　looking　and　indignant；　as　a　secret　assassin　in　the　employ　of　the　Harkonnens？〃
　Duncan　stepped　back；　appalled。　〃Indeed　not；　m'Lord　Duke！〃　he　cried。　〃I　tried　to　warn　everyone。　For　days　I　knew　something　was　wrong　with　the　bulls。　I　told　Stablemaster　Yresk　again　and　again；　but　he　wouldn't　do　anything。　He　just　laughed　at　me。　I　even　argued　with　him。　That's　why　I　wasn't　at　the　paseo。　I　was　going　to　go　warn　the　Old　Duke　myself；　but　instead　the　stablemaster　locked　me　in　one　of　the　dirty　stalls　during　the　fight。〃　Tears　welled　up　in　his　eyes。　〃All　the　fine　clothes　your　father　gave　me　were　ruined。　I　didn't　even　see　him　fall　in　the　arena。〃
　Surprised　at　this；　Leto　sat　up　in　his　father's　large　chair。　He　looked　over　at　Hawat。
　I　will　find　out；　m'Lord；〃　the　Mentat　said。
　Leto　scrutinized　the　boy。　Duncan　Idaho　stood　before　him　showing　no　fear；　only　deep　sadness。　As　he　studied　him；　Leto　thought　he　recognized　an　openness　and　a　heartfelt　devotion　on　the　young　face。　By　appearances；　this　nine…year…old　refugee　seemed　truly　glad　to　be　part　of　Castle　Caladan；　despite　his　demeaning；　thankless　chores　as　a　stableboy。
　Leto　Atreides　did　not　have　many　years　of　experience　in　judging　devious　people　and　weighing　the　hearts　of　men；　but　he　had　an　intuition　that　he　could　trust　this　earnest　boy。　Duncan　was　tough　and　intelligent　and　fierce　　but　not　treacherous。
　Be　cautious；　Duke　Leto；　he　tol