bh.houseatreides-第138部分

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　Landsraad　wanted　to　stay　on　his　good　side。
　Does　he　feel　threatened　by　me？
　The　head　magistrate　bowed　deeply　and　made　an　expansive　gesture。　〃Sire；　we　are　honored　by　your　presence　and　your　interest　in　this　case。　Of　course　the　Landsraad　tribunal　will　hear　you。〃　Leto　knew　only　the　most　basic　facts　about　this　magistrate；　the　Baron　Lar　Olin　from　the　titanium…rich　planet　of　Risp　VII。　〃Please　speak。〃
　Shaddam　pointed　over　his　shoulder；　in　Leto's　direction。　〃With　the　permission　of　the　court；　I'd　like　my　cousin　Leto　Atreides　to　stand　with　me。　I　wish　to　address　the　matter　of　these　malicious　accusations　and；　I　hope；　prevent　the　court　from　wasting　the　valuable　time　of　all　its　members。〃
　Leto's　mind　raced；　and　he　looked　over　at　Hawat。　What　is　he　doing？　〃Cousin〃？　The　way　he　says　it；　the　word　sounds　like　a　term　of　endearment。。。but　he　and　I　have　never　been　close。　Leto　was　merely　the　grandson　of　one　of　Elrood's　daughters；　by　the　ancient　Emperor's　second　wife；　not　even　Shaddam's　mother。　The　Corrino　family　tree　sprawled　among　the　Houses　of　the　Landsraad；　any　blood　connection　should　have　meant　little　to　Shaddam。
　The　head　magistrate　nodded。　At　the　table　beside　Leto；　his　lawyers　sat　in　astonishment；　not　knowing　how　to　respond。　Warily；　Leto　levered　himself　to　his　feet。　With　shaking　knees；　he　marched　forward　to　join　the　Crown　Prince；　standing　a　pace　away　from　his　side；　on　his　left。　While　of　similar　height　and　facial　appearance；　the　men　were　dressed　in　radically　different　fashion；　representing　two　social　extremes。　Leto　stood　in　his　rough　fisherman　clothes；　feeling　like　a　dust　mote　in　the　middle　of　a　whirlwind。
　He　made　a　formal　bow　before　Shaddam　closed　the　gap　between　them；　placing　a　hand　on　Leto's　shoulder。　The　fine；　loosely　fitted　satin　of　the　Crown　Prince's　tunic　cascaded　over　the　arm　of　the　young　Atreides。
　〃I　speak　from　the　heart　of　House　Corrino；　the　blood　of　the　Padishah　Emperors；〃　Shaddam　began；　〃with　the　supportive　voices　of　all　my　ancestors　who　have　ever　associated　with　House　Atreides。　This　man's　father；　Duke　Paulus　Atreides；　fought　bravely　for　the　Imperial　cause　against　the　rebels　on　Ecaz。　Through　battle　and　high　peril；　the　Atreides　family　has　never　to　my　knowledge　mitted　any　treasonous　or　dishonorable　act　　all　the　way　back　to　their　heroism　and　sacrifice　at　the　Bridge　of　Hrethgir　during　the　Butlerian　Jihad。　Never！　Never　have　they　been　cowardly　murderers。　I　challenge　any　of　you　to　disprove　this。〃　He　narrowed　his　eyes；　and　the　magistrates　looked　away　unfortably。
　Shaddam　stared　from　magistrate　to　magistrate。　〃Who　among　you；　knowing　the　histories　of　your　Houses；　can　make　the　same　claim？　Who　has　displayed　the　same　loyalty；　the　same　unblemished　honor？　Few　of　us；　if　the　truth　be　told；　can　pare　with　noble　House　Atreides。〃　He　let　the　silence　hang；　disturbed　only　by　a　sharp　static　discharge　from　the　ominous　Tleilaxu　vivisection　machine。　〃Ah；　yes。　And　that　is　why　we　are　here　today；　is　it　not；　gentlemen？　Truth　and　honor。〃
　Leto　saw　some　of　the　magistrates　nod　in　agreement；　because　they　were　expected　to。　But　they　looked　perplexed。　Imperial　leaders　never　voluntarily　addressed　Landsraad　courts。　Why　was　Shaddam　involving　himself　in　such　a　relatively　minor　matter？
　He　read　my　message！　Leto　thought。　And　this　is　his　response。
　Still；　he　waited　for　the　trap　to　appear。　He　didn't　understand　what　he　had　gotten　himself　into；　but　Shaddam　couldn't　intend　just　to　march　in　and　rescue　him。　Of　all　the　Great　Houses　in　the　Landsraad；　the　Corrinos　were　among　the　most　devious。
　〃House　Atreides　has　always　taken　the　high　road；〃　Shaddam　continued；　his　regal　voice　growing　more　powerful。　〃Always！　And　young　Leto　here　has　been　indoctrinated　into　this　family　code　of　ethics；　forced　into　his　royal　station　early　because　of　the　senseless　death　of　his　great　father。〃
　Shaddam　removed　his　arm　from　Leto's　shoulder　and　took　a　step　forward；　closer　to　the　magistrates。　〃In　my　opinion；　it　would　be　impossible　for　this　man；　from　this　House；　to　intentionally　fire　upon　Tleilaxu　ships；　as　he　has　been　accused　of　doing。　Such　an　act　would　be　abhorrent　to　everything　House　Atreides　believes。　Any　evidence　to　the　contrary　must　be　false。　My　Truthsayers　have　confirmed　this　after　speaking　to　Leto　and　his　fellow　witnesses。〃
　A　lie；　Leto　thought。　I　spoke　to　no　Truthsayers！
　〃But　Royal　Highness；〃　Magistrate　Prad　Vidal　said；　with　a　dark　scowl　that　lowered　his　black　eyebrows；　〃the　guns　on　his　frigate　showed　evidence　of　having　been　fired。　Are　you　suggesting　the　Tleilaxu　ships　were　damaged　by　a　convenient　accident？　A　mad　coincidence？〃
　Shaddam　shrugged。　〃As　far　as　I　am　concerned；　Duke　Leto　has　explained　this　satisfactorily。　I；　myself；　have　taken　a　bat　pod　into　orbit　for　skeet…drone　practice。　The　remainder　of　the　investigation　is　inconclusive。　Perhaps　an　accident；　yes；　but　not　caused　by　the　Atreides。　It　must　have　been　a　mechanical　malfunction。〃
　〃But　on　two　Tleilaxu　ships？〃　Vidal　said；　in　an　incredulous　tone。
　Leto　looked　around；　speechless；　watching　the　events　play　themselves　out。　Shaddam　was　about　to　begin　his　reign。　If　the　Emperor　himself　threw　his　weight　indisputably　in　support　of　Leto；　would　any　of　the　representatives　declare　themselves　enemies　of　the　crown？　The　repercussions　could　be　severe　and　long…lasting。
　This　is　all　politics；　Landsraad　power　plays；　favors　exchanged；　Leto　thought；　struggling　to　keep　his　expression　calm。　None　of　this　has　anything　to　do　with　the　truth。　Now　that　the　Crown　Prince　had　made　his　stance　clear；　any　magistrate　who　voted　to　convict　Leto　would　be　openly　defying　the　next　Emperor。　Even　the　enemies　of　House　Atreides　would　be　loath　to　risk　that。
　〃Who　can　say？〃　Shaddam　responded；　with　a　toss　of　his　head　that　labeled　the　question　irrelevant。　〃Perhaps　debris　from　the　first　accidental　explosion　hit　the　panion　craft；　damaging　it　less　severely。〃　No　one　believed　the　explanation　for　a　moment；　but　the　Crown　Prince　had　given　them　a　way　out；　a　paper　platform　on　which　to　stand。
　In　low　tones　the　magistrates　conferred　among　themselves。　Some　of　them　agreed　that　Shaddam's　line　of　reasoning　was　plausible　　they　wanted　to　find　some　way　to　agree　with　the　new　Emperor　　but　Vidal　was　not　one　of　them。　Sweat　ran　down　his　brow。
　Looking　over　his　shoulder；　Leto　saw　the　Tleilaxu　spokesman　shaking　his　head　in　silent　disapproval。　In　the　tall　chair　that　had　been　rigged　for　him　at　the　prosecution　table；　he　looked　like　a　displeased　child。
　The　Crown　Prince　continued。　〃I　am　here；　as　is　my　right　and　duty　as　your　Supreme　mander；　to　personally　vouch　for　my　eminent　cousin；　Duke　Leto　Atreides。　I　urgently　request　an　end　to　this　trial　and　the　restoration　of　his　title　and　properties。　If　you　grant　this。。。request；　I　promise　to　send　a　contingent　of　Imperial　diplomats　to　the　Tleilaxu　to　convince　them　to　drop　the　matter　and　not　to　retaliate　against　the　Atreides　in　any　way。〃
　Shaddam　fixed　a　long　glance　at　the　Tleilaxu；　and　Leto　had　the　distinct　impression　that　the　Emperor　also　had　the　gnomish　men　over　a　barrel。　Somehow。　Seeing　that　Shaddam　stood　by　House　Atreides；　their　hauteur　crumbled。
　〃And　if　the　plainants　won't　agree？〃　Vidal　inquired。
　Shaddam　smiled。　〃Oh；　they'll　agree。　I　am　even　willing　to　open　the　Imperial　coffers　to　pay　generous；　ah；　disaster　relief　for　what　was；　undoubtedly；　an　unfortunate　accident。　It　is　my　duty　as　your　new　ruler　to　maintain　peace　and　stability　throughout　the　Imperium。　I　cannot　allow　such　a　feud　to　destroy　what　my　dear　father　built　during　his　long　reign。〃
　Leto　caught　Shaddam's　gaze；　and　detected　a　glimmer　of　fear　beneath　the　statesmanship　and　bravado。　Without　words　Shaddam　told　Leto　to　keep　his　mouth　shut；　making　Leto　even　more　curious　about　what　alarms　his　mysterious　bluff　had　triggered。
　So　he　held　his　tongue。　But　could　Shaddam　afford　to　let　him　live　afterward；　not　knowing　what　proof　Leto　might　have　against　him？
　Following　a　short　conference　among　themselves；　Baron　Lar　Olin　cleared　his　throat　and　announced；　〃It　is　the　finding　of　this　duly　sworn　Landsraad　Council　that　all　evidence　against　Leto　Atreides　is　circumstantial　and　unprovable。　Given　such　extreme　doubts；　there　are　insufficient　grounds　to　proceed　with　a　trial　of　such　devastating　consequences；　especially　in　light　of　the　extraordinary　testimony　of　Crown　Prince　Shaddam　Corrino。　We　therefore　declar