bh.houseatreides-第34部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


confirm　or　deny　the　speculations。
　〃Can't　see　a　thing　inside；〃　C'tair　said。
　〃Yes；　but　that's　a　Navigator　in　there。　I　can　sense　him。〃　D'murr　leaned　forward　so　intently　it　seemed　as　if　he　wanted　to　fly　through　the　metaglass　observation　window。　When　the　twins　both　ignored　her；　intent　on　the　ship　below；　Kailea　turned　instead　to　Leto　and　met　his　gaze　with　sparkling　emerald　eyes。
　Rhombur　gestured　down　at　the　ship　and　continued　his　rapid　mentary。　〃My　father　is　excited　about　his　new　enhanced…payload　Heighliner　models。　I　don't　know　if　you've　studied　your　history；　but　Heighliners　were　originally　of；　uh；　Richesian　manufacture。　Ix　and　Richese　peted　with　one　another　for　Guild　contracts；　but　gradually　we　won　by　bringing　all　aspects　of　our　society　into　the　process：　uh；　subsidies；　conscriptions；　tax　levies；　whatever　it　took。　We　don't　do　things　halfway　on　Ix。〃
　〃I've　heard　you're　also　masters　of　industrial　sabotage　and　patent　law；〃　Leto　said；　remembering　what　his　mother　had　claimed。
　Rhombur　shook　his　head。　〃Lies　told　by　jealous　Houses。　Vermilion　hells；　we　don't　steal　ideas　or　patents　　we　waged　only　a　technological　war　against　Richese；　and　won　without　firing　a　single　shot。　But　as　sure　as　if　we'd　used　atomics；　we　struck　mortal　blows　against　them。　It　was　either　them　or　us。　A　generation　ago　they　lost　their　stewardship　of　Arrakis　at　about　the　same　time　they　lost　their　lead　in　technology。　Bad　family　leadership；　I　guess。〃
　〃My　mother　is　Richesian；〃　Leto　said　crisply。
　Rhombur　flushed　with　deep　embarrassment。　〃Oh；　I'm　sorry。　I　forgot。〃　He　scratched　his　tousled　blond　hair　just　to　give　his　hands　something　to　do。
　〃That's　okay。　We　don't　wear　blinders；〃　Leto　said。　〃I　know　what　you're　talking　about。　Richese　still　exists；　but　on　a　vastly　smaller　scale。　Too　much　bureaucracy　and　too　little　innovation。　My　mother's　never　wanted　to　take　me　there；　not　even　to　visit　her　family。　Too　many　painful　memories；　I　suppose；　though　I　think　she　hoped　marrying　my　father　might　help　restore　Richese　fortunes。〃
　Below；　the　tank　bearing　the　mysterious　Navigator　entered　an　orifice　at　the　front　end　of　the　Heighliner。　The　polished　black　chamber　vanished　into　the　vessel's　immensity　like　a　gnat　inhaled　into　the　mouth　of　a　large　fish。
　Though　she　was　younger　than　her　brother；　when　Kailea　spoke；　her　voice　sounded　more　businesslike。　〃The　new　Heighliner　program　is　going　to　be　the　most　profitable　of　all　time　for　us。　Large　sums　will　be　pouring　into　our　accounts　from　this　contract。　House　Vernius　will　get　twenty…five　percent　of　all　the　solaris　we　save　the　Spacing　Guild　during　the　first　decade。〃
　Overwhelmed；　Leto　thought　back　to　the　small…scale　activities　on　Caladan：　the　pundi　rice　harvest；　the　boats　unloading　cargoes　from　ships。。。and　the　dedicated　cheers　the　population　had　hurled　at　the　Old　Duke　after　the　bullfight。
　Grating　sirens　sounded　from　speakers　mounted　throughout　the　huge　chamber。　Below；　like　iron　filings　flowing　within　magnetic…field　lines；　the　suboid　workers　evacuated　from　all　sides　of　the　newly　constructed　Heighliner。　Up　and　down　the　ceiling　city；　lights　twinkled　from　other　large　observation　windows　in　the　stalactite　towers。　Leto　could　make　out　tiny　forms　pressed　close　to　distant　panes。
　Rhombur　stood　near　Leto　as　the　spectators　around　them　fell　into　a　hush。
　〃What　is　it？〃　Leto　asked。　〃What's　happening　now？〃
　〃The　Navigator　is　going　to　fly　the　ship　out；〃　the　twin　C'tair　said。
　〃He'll　take　it　away　from　Ix　so　it　can　begin　its　rounds；〃　D'murr　added。
　Leto　stared　at　the　rock　ceiling；　the　impenetrable　barrier　of　a　planetary　crust；　and　knew　this　was　impossible。　He　heard　a　faint；　barely　discernible　humming。
　〃Piloting　such　a　vessel　out　isn't　difficult　　uh；　at　least；　not　for　one　of　them。〃　Rhombur　crossed　his　arms　over　his　chest。　〃Much　easier　than　guiding　a　Heighliner　back　into　a　confined　space　like　this。　Only　a　top…level　Steersman　could　do　that。〃
　As　Leto　watched；　holding　his　breath　just　like　all　the　other　spectators；　the　Heighliner　shimmered；　became　indistinct　　then　vanished　entirely。
　The　air　inside　the　huge　grotto　reverberated　with　a　loud　boom　from　the　sudden　volume　displacement。　A　tremor　ran　through　the　observation　building；　and　Leto's　ears　popped。
　The　grotto　now　stood　empty；　a　vast　enclosed　space　with　no　trace　of　the　Heighliner；　just　leftover　equipment　and　a　pattern　of　discolorations　on　the　floor　and　walls　and　ceiling。
　〃Remember　how　a　Navigator　operates　a　ship；〃　D'murr　said；　seeing　Leto's　confusion。
　〃He　folds　space；〃　C'tair　said。　〃That　Heighliner　never　passed　through　the　crustal　rock　of　Ix　at　all。　The　Navigator　simply　went　from　here。。。to　his　destination。〃
　A　few　members　of　the　audience　applauded。　Rhombur　seemed　immensely　pleased　as　he　gestured　to　the　new　emptiness　below　that　extended　as　far　as　they　could　see。　〃Now　we　have　room　to　start　building　another　one！〃
　〃Simple　economics。〃　Kailea　glanced　at　Leto；　then　demurely　flicked　her　eyes　away。　〃We　don't　waste　any　time。〃
　The　slave　concubines　permitted　my　father　under　the　Bene　Gesserit…Guild　agreement　could　not；　of　course；　bear　a　Royal　Successor；　but　the　intrigues　were　constant　and　oppressive　in　their　similarity。　We　became　adept；　my　mother　and　sisters　and　I；　at　avoiding　subtle　instruments　of　death。
　…From　〃In　My　Father's　House〃
　by　the　Princess　Irulan
　Crown　Prince　Shaddam's　tutoring　chambers　in　the　Imperial　Palace　would　have　been　large　enough　to　house　a　village　on　some　worlds。　With　total　disinterest；　the　Corrino　heir　brooded　in　front　of　his　teaching　machine　while　Fenring　watched　him。
　〃My　father　still　wants　me　to　sit　in　training　classes　like　a　child。〃　Shaddam　scowled　down　at　the　lights　and　spinning　mechanisms　of　the　machine。　〃I　should　be　married　by　now。　I　should　have　an　Imperial　heir　of　my　own。〃
　〃Why？〃　Fenring　laughed。　〃So　the　throne　can　skip　a　generation　and　go　directly　to　your　son　when　he　reaches　his　prime；　hmmmm？〃
　Shaddam　was　thirty…four　years　old　and　seemingly　a　lifetime　away　from　being　Emperor。　Each　time　the　old　man　took　a　drink　of　spice　beer；　he　activated　more　of　the　secret　poison　　but　the　n'kee　had　been　working　for　months；　and　the　only　result　seemed　to　be　increasingly　irrational　behavior。　As　if　they　needed　more　of　that！
　That　very　morning　Brood　had　scolded　Shaddam　for　not　paying　closer　attention　to　his　studies。　〃Watch；　and　learn！〃　　one　of　his　father's　tedious　phrases　　〃Do　as　well　as　Fenring；　for　once。〃
　Since　childhood；　Hasimir　Fenring　had　attended　classes　with　the　Crown　Prince。　Ostensibly；　he　provided　panionship　for　Shaddam；　while　he　himself　gleaned　an　understanding　of　Court　intrigues　and　politics。　In　academics；　Fenring　always　did　better　than　his　royal　friend：　He　devoured　any　bit　of　data　that　could　help　him　increase　his　position。
　His　mother　Chaola；　an　introspective　lady…in…waiting；　had　settled　into　a　quiet　home　and　lived　on　her　Imperial　pension　after　the　death　of　the　Emperor's　fourth　wife　Habla。　In　raising　the　two　young　boys　together　while　she　attended　the　Empress　Habla；　Chaola　had　given　Fenring　the　chance　to　be　so　much　more　　almost　as　if　she　had　planned　it　that　way。
　These　days　Chaola　pretended　not　to　understand　what　her　son　did　at　Court；　though　she　was　Bene　Gesserit…trained。　Fenring　was　wily　enough　to　know　that　his　mother　prehended　far　more　than　her　station　suggested；　and　that　many　plans　and　breeding　schemes　had　gone　on　without　his　knowledge。
　Now　Shaddam　let　out　a　miserable　groan　and　turned　from　the　machine。　〃Why　can't　the　old　creature　just　die　and　make　it　easy　for　me？〃　He　covered　his　mouth；　suddenly　alarmed　at　what　he　had　blurted。
　Fenring　paced　the　long　floor；　glancing　up　at　the　hanging　banners　of　the　Landsraad。　The　Crown　Prince　was　expected　to　know　the　colors　and　crests　of　every　Great　and　Minor　House；　but　Shaddam　had　difficulty　simply　remembering　all　the　family　names。
　〃Be　patient；　my　friend。　All　in　its　own　time。〃　In　one　of　the　alcoves；　Fenring　struck　a　bustible　spike　of　vanilla…scented　incense　and　inhaled　a　long　breath　of　the　fumes。　〃In　the　meantime；　learn　about　subjects　that　will　be　relevant　to　your　reign。　You'll　need　such　information　in　the　near　future；　hmm…m…m…ah？〃
　〃Stop　making　that　noise；　Hasimir。　It's　annoying。〃
　〃Hmmmm？〃
　〃It　irritated　me　when　we　were　children；　and　you　know　it　still　does。　Stop　it！〃
　In　the　adjoining　room；　behind　su