bh.houseatreides-第22部分

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　…Ikbhan's　Treatise　on　the　Mind；　Volume　I
　As　he　made　ready　to　depart　from　home　for　an　entire　year；　Leto　tried　to　hold　on　to　his　self…confidence。　He　knew　this　was　an　important　step　for　him；　and　understood　why　his　father　had　chosen　Ix　as　a　place　to　study。　But　he　would　still　miss　Caladan　terribly。

　It　was　not　the　young　ducal　heir's　first　trip　to　a　different　star　system。　Leto　and　his　father　had　explored　the　multiple　worlds　of　Gaar　and　the　fog…bound　planet　of　Pilargo；　where　Caladanian　primitives　were　thought　to　have　originated。　Those　had　been　mere　outings；　exciting　sight…seeing　trips。
　However；　the　prospect　of　going　away　for　so　long；　and　all　alone；　made　him　worry　more　than　he'd　expected。　He　didn't　dare　show　it；　though。　I　will　be　Duke　someday。
　Dressed　in　Atreides　finery；　Leto　stood　with　the　Old　Duke　at　the　Cala　Municipal　Spaceport；　awaiting　a　shuttle　that　would　carry　him　to　a　Guild　Heighliner。　Two　suspensor…borne　suitcases　hovered　near　his　feet。
　His　mother　had　suggested　he　take　retainers；　cargo　cases　full　of　garments　and　diversions；　and　supplies　of　good　Caladanian　food；　Duke　Paulus；　on　the　other　hand；　had　laughed　and　explained　how　when　he　was　Leto's　age　he'd　survived　for　months　on　the　battlefield　with　only　the　few　possessions　in　a　pack　on　his　back。　He　did；　however；　insist　that　Leto　take　one　of　Caladan's　traditional　fishing　knives　in　a　sheath　at　his　back。
　Siding　with　his　father；　as　usual；　Leto　chose　to　be　minimal　in　his　packing。　Besides；　Ix　was　a　rich　industrial　planet；　not　a　wilderness；　he　wouldn't　suffer　many　privations　during　his　schooling。
　When　anyone　could　see　her；　the　Lady　Helena　bore　the　decision　with　stoic　good　grace。　Now　she　stood　beside　the　departure　group　dressed　in　fine　robes　and　a　shimmering　cape。　Though　he　knew　his　mother　genuinely　feared　for　his　well…being；　Lady　Atreides　would　never　show　anything　but　the　most　perfect　public　face。
　Adjusting　the　oil　lenses　of　his　father's　field　glasses；　Leto　peered　away　from　the　shifting　pastels　of　the　dawn　horizon；　up　into　the　vestiges　of　night。　A　glinting　speck　moved　against　the　stars。　When　he　touched　the　zoompad；　the　speck　grew　until　Leto　recognized　a　Heighliner　in　low　orbit　surrounded　by　the　shimmering　blur　of　a　shield　defensive　system。
　〃Do　you　see　it？〃　Paulus　asked；　standing　at　his　son's　shoulder。
　〃It's　there　　with　full　shields　activated。　Are　they　worried　about　military　action？　Here？〃　With　such　severe　political　and　economic　consequences；　Leto　couldn't　imagine　anyone　attacking　a　Guild　craft。　Although　the　Spacing　Guild　had　no　military　power　of　its　own；　it　could　　through　withdrawal　of　transportation　services　　cripple　any　solar　system。　And　with　elaborate　surveillance　mechanisms；　the　Guild　could　trace　and　identify　rogue　attackers　and　send　messages　off　to　the　Emperor；　who　in　turn　would　dispatch　Imperial　Sardaukar　according　to　mutual　treaty。
　〃Never　underestimate　the　tactics　of　desperation；　lad；〃　Paulus　said；　but　did　not　elaborate　further。　From　time　to　time　he　had　told　his　son　stories　of　trumped…up　charges　against　particular　people；　situations　fabricated　in　the　past　in　order　to　wipe　out　enemies　of　the　Emperor　or　the　Guild。
　Leto　thought　that　of　all　the　things　he　was　leaving　behind；　he　would　miss　his　father's　insights　most；　the　Old　Duke's　brief　and　perceptive　lessons　tossed　off　the　cuff。　〃The　Empire　functions　beyond　mere　laws；〃　Paulus　continued。　〃An　equally　strong　foundation　is　the　network　of　alliances；　favors；　and　religious　propaganda。　Beliefs　are　more　powerful　than　facts。〃
　Leto　stared　through　the　thick　sky　at　the　magnificent；　distant　ship　and　frowned。　It　was　often　difficult　to　separate　truth　from　fiction　。。。。
　He　watched　a　speck　of　orange　appear　below　the　immense　orbiting　craft。　The　color　became　a　streak　of　descending　light　that　resolved　into　the　shape　of　a　shuttle；　which　soon　hovered　over　the　Cala　landing　field。　Four　white　gulls　whipped　around；　soaring　in　the　stirred　air　currents　from　the　shuttle's　descent；　then　flew　shrieking　out　to　the　sea　cliffs。
　Around　the　shuttle；　a　shield　shimmered　and　flickered　off。　All　along　the　spaceport　fences；　pennants　snapped　in　a　salty　morning　breeze。　The　shuttle；　a　white　bullet…shaped　craft；　floated　across　the　field　toward　the　embarkation　platform　on　which　Leto　and　his　parents　stood　separate　from　the　honor　guard。　A　crowd　of　onlookers　and　well…wishers　waved　and　shouted　from　the　outskirts　of　the　landing　field。　The　craft　and　platform　connected；　and　a　door　slid　open　in　the　fuselage。
　His　mother　came　forward　to　say　her　goodbyes；　embracing　him　without　words；　she　had　threatened　simply　to　watch　from　one　of　the　towers　in　Castle　Caladan；　but　Paulus　had　convinced　her　otherwise。　The　crowd　cheered　and　shouted　their　farewells；　Duke　Paulus　and　Lady　Helena　stood　hand　in　hand　and　waved　back　at　them。
　〃Remember　what　I　told　you；　son；〃　Paulus　said；　referring　to　intense　counseling　he　had　given　the　boy　in　recent　days。　〃Learn　from　Ix；　learn　from　everything。〃
　〃But　use　your　heart　to　know　what　is　true；〃　his　mother　added。
　〃Always；〃　he　said。　〃I'll　miss　you　both。　I'll　make　you　proud　of　me。〃
　〃We　already　are；　lad。〃　The　older　man　stepped　back　to　the　formal　guard　escort。　He　exchanged　Atreides　salutes　with　his　son　　an　open　right　hand　beside　the　temple　　and　all　the　soldiers　did　the　same。　Then　Paulus　bounded　forward　to　give　Leto　a　hearty　hug　。。。。
　Moments　later　the　robo…piloted　shuttle　rose　away　from　the　black　cliffs；　churning　seas；　and　cloud…wreathed　croplands　of　Caladan。　Inside；　Leto　sat　in　a　plush　chair　in　the　observation　lounge；　peering　out　a　windowport。　As　the　craft　reached　the　indigo　darkness　of　space；　he　saw　the　metallic　island　of　the　Guild　Heighliner　with　sunlight　glinting　off　its　surface。
　At　their　approach；　a　yawning　black　hole　opened　in　the　underside。　Leto　took　a　deep　breath；　and　the　immense　ship　swallowed　the　shuttle。　He　envisioned　what　he　had　once　seen　in　a　filmbook　about　Arrakis；　a　sandworm　inhaling　a　spice　harvester。　The　metaphor　unsettled　him。
　The　shuttle　slid　smoothly　into　the　docking　port　of　a　Wayku　passenger　ship　that　hung　in　its　designated　berth　inside　the　cavernous　hold　of　the　Heighliner。　Leto　boarded；　his　suitcases　floating　along　behind；　and　made　up　his　mind　to　do　as　his　father　had　instructed。
　Learn　from　everything。　His　determined　curiosity　pushing　his　intimidation　aside；　Leto　climbed　a　stairway　to　the　main　passenger　lounge；　where　he　found　a　seat　on　a　bench　by　another　window。　Two　soostone　merchants　sat　nearby；　their　rapid　conversation　sprinkled　with　jargon。　Old　Paulus　had　wanted　Leto　to　learn　how　to　fend　for　himself。　So；　to　enhance　the　experience；　Leto　was　traveling　as　an　ordinary　passenger；　with　no　special　amenities；　no　pomp　or　entourage；　no　indication　that　he　was　the　son　of　a　Duke。
　His　mother　had　been　horrified。
　Aboard　the　ship；　Wayku　vendors　wearing　dark　glasses　and　ear…clamp　headsets　moved　from　passenger　to　passenger；　selling　confections　and　perfumed　beverages　at　exorbitant　prices。　Leto　waved　off　a　persistent　vendor；　though　the　spicy…salty　broths　and　broiled　meat　sticks　smelled　delicious。　He　could　hear　an　overflow　of　music　from　the　man's　headset；　saw　his　head；　shoulders；　and　feet　moving　to　the　beat　of　music　piped　into　his　skull。　The　Wayku　did　their　jobs；　tended　to　the　customers；　but　managed　to　live　in　their　own　sensory　cacophony；　they　preferred　the　universe　within　to　any　spectacle　they　might　experience　outside。
　This　mass…transit　craft；　operated　by　the　Wayku　under　Guild　contract；　carried　passengers　from　system　to　system。　A　disgraced　House　Major　whose　planets　had　all　been　destroyed　in　the　Third　Coalsack　War；　the　Wayku　were　gypsies　now　and　lived　as　nomads　aboard　Guild　Heighliners。　Although　ancient　surrender　terms　prevented　members　of　their　race　from　setting　foot　on　any　planet　in　the　Imperium；　the　Guild　had；　for　undisclosed　reasons；　granted　them　sanctuary。　For　generations；　the　Wayku　had　showed　no　interest　in　petitioning　the　Emperor　for　amnesty　or　a　revocation　of　the　severe　restrictions　placed　upon　them。
　Looking　through　the　window　of　the　lounge；　Leto　saw　the　dimly　illuminated　cargo　hold　of　the　Heighliner；　a　vacuum　chamber　so　large　that　this　passenger　ship　was；　by　parison；　even　smaller　than　a　grain　of　pundi　rice　in　the　belly　of　a　fish。　He　could　see　the　ceiling　high　overhead；　but　not　the　walls　kilometers