bh.houseatreides-第62部分

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ting　an　immediate　audience　with　the　members　of　the　Landsraad　Council。〃
　〃Hm…m…m…m；　she's　going　behind　your　back；　Sire；〃　Fenring　said。
　〃Absurd；〃　the　old　Emperor　snapped；　then　searched　for　his　ever…present　mug　of　spice　beer。　〃What　does　a　messenger　know　of　Imperial　regulations？〃
　〃Though　they　have　not　qualified　for　full　Mentat　training；　Licensed　Couriers　have　perfect　memories；　Sire；〃　Fenring　pointed　out；　bending　close　to　the　Emperor　in　the　position　Chamberlain　Hesban　usually　assumed。
　〃She　can't　process　the　concepts；　but　she　may　well　have　every　regulation　and　codicil　readily　accessible　in　her　brain。　She　rattled　off　a　number　of　them　in　my　presence。〃
　〃Ah；　yes。　But　how　can　she　contest　the　Emperor's　decision；　when　he　hasn't　even　made　up　his　mind　yet？〃　Shaddam　asked。
　Hesban　tugged　on　one　of　his　drooping　mustaches；　increasing　the　frown　that　he　directed　at　the　Crown　Prince；　but　he　refrained　from　scolding　Shaddam　for　his　ignorance　of　Imperial　law。　〃By　mutual　agreement　between　the　Federated　Council　of　the　Landsraad　and　House　Corrino；　the　Emperor　is　required　either　to　render　immediate　assistance；　or　convene　an　emergency　Security　Council　meeting　to　deal　with　the　matter。　If　your　father　does　not　act　within　the　hour；　the　Ixian　Ambassador　is　within　his　rights　to　convene　the　Council　himself。〃
　〃Security　Council？〃　Elrood　grimaced　and　looked　first　to　Chamberlain　Hesban；　then　to　Fenring　for　assistance。　〃What　regulation　is　that　infernal　woman　citing？〃
　〃Volume　thirty；　section　six　point　three；　under　the　Great　Convention。〃
　〃What　does　it　say？〃
　Hesban　took　a　deep　breath。　〃It　concerns　situations　of　House…to…House　warfare；　in　which　an　appeal　to　the　Emperor　has　been　made　by　one　of　the　parties　engaged　in　hostilities。　The　regulation　was　designed　to　prohibit　Emperors　from　taking　sides；　in　such　matters　you　must　act　as　a　neutral　arbiter。　Neutral；　yes　　but　you　must　act。〃　He　shuffled　his　feet。　〃Sire；　I'm　afraid　I　don't　understand　why　you　would　wish　to　delay。　Surely；　you　don't　side　with。。。with　the　Tleilaxu？〃
　〃There　are　many　things　you　don't　understand；　Aken；〃　the　Emperor　said。　〃Just　follow　my　wishes。〃　The　Chamberlain　appeared　stung。
　〃Um…m…m…m。〃　Fenring　paced　behind　the　high…backed　chair；　then　snagged　a　crystallized　fruit　wafer　off　one　of　the　snacking　trays。　〃Technically　the　Courier　is　correct；　Sire。　You're　not　allowed　to　delay　for　a　day　or　two。　The　regulation　also　goes　on　to　say　that；　if　called；　the　Landsraad　Security　Council　meeting　cannot　be　concluded　without　a　decision。〃　Fenring　placed　a　finger　on　his　lips　as　he　considered。　〃The　hostile　parties　and　their　representatives　have　a　right　to　attend。　In　the　Ixians'　case；　their　representative　could　be　the　Spacing　Guild　as　well　as　Ambassador　Pilru　　who；　I　might　add；　has　a　son　currently　threatened　by　the　revolt　on　Ix；　and　another　son　recently　inducted　into　the　Guild。〃
　〃Remember；　too；　the　Ambassador's　wife　has　been　killed　in　the　revolt；〃　Hesban　added。　〃People　are　dying。〃
　〃Considering　our　plans　for　the　Tleilaxu　to　use　Ixian　facilities；　it　would　be　better　to　keep　the　Guild　out　of　this；　too；〃　Shaddam　spoke　up。
　〃Plans？〃　The　Chamberlain　looked　alarmed　to　learn　he　had　been　kept　out　of　such　important　discussions。　He　turned　to　Elrood。　〃What　plans；　Sire？〃
　〃Later；　Aken。〃　The　Emperor　frowned。　Shifting　unfortably　on　his　chair；　he　tugged　the　robes　around　his　sunken　chest。　〃Damn　that　woman！〃
　〃The　Guildsmen　are　waiting　with　her　down　in　the　hall；〃　Hesban　pressed。　〃Ambassador　Pilru　demands　an　audience　with　you。　In　only　a　few　moments　other　Houses　will　get　wind　of　the　news；　and　they'll　insist　on　action　as　well　　especially　the　ones　with　CHOAM　directorships。　Turmoil　on　Ix　will　have　drastic　economic　consequences；　at　least　for　the　immediate　future。〃
　〃Bring　me　the　regulations　and　two　Mentats　to　run　independent　analyses。　Find　something　to　get　us　out　of　this！〃　The　Emperor　appeared　suddenly　alert；　pumped　up　by　the　crisis。　〃House　Corrino　must　not　interfere　with　the　Tleilaxu　takeover　of　Ix。　Our　future　depends　on　it。〃
　〃As。。。you　wish；　Sire。〃　Hesban　bowed　and　left　in　a　rustle　of　his　deep　blue　finery；　still　perplexed　but　willing　to　follow　orders。
　Minutes　later　a　house　servant　entered　the　anteroom　carrying　a　projector　and　a　blackplaz　oval　screen。　Bustling　about；　the　servant　set　up　the　apparatus　on　a　table。　Fenring　moved　it　into　position　so　the　Emperor　could　see　it　better。
　Hesban　returned；　flanked　by　two　Mentats；　their　lips　stained　red　with　sapho　juice。　Outside　the　door；　the　Sardaukar　elite　guard　held　back　several　representatives　who　clamored　for　entry。　Clearly　recognizable　above　the　clamor　was　the　high…pitched；　agitated　voice　of　the　Ixian　Ambassador。
　Fenring　called　up　recorded　data　on　shigawire　reels　as　Chamberlain　Hesban　summarized　the　events　and　the　problem　for　the　two　Imperial　Mentats。　Images　danced　above　the　table　　black　words　printed　in　Galach。　Staying　close　to　his　friend；　Shaddam　peered　into　the　depths　of　the　law　as　if　he　might　spot　some　subtlety　that　had　eluded　everyone　else。
　Both　Mentats　stood　rigid；　eyes　distant；　as　they　ran　their　separate　analyses　of　the　law　and　its　subsidiary　codes。　〃To　begin；〃　one　of　the　Mentats　said；　〃take　a　look　at　six　point　three。〃
　The　words　scrolled　across　the　projector　field　in　a　blur；　then　stopped　on　a　particular　page。　One　of　the　sections　was　highlighted　in　red；　and　a　second　holo　copy　of　the　page　appeared　in　midair。　The　duplicate　floated　to　the　Emperor's　lap；　so　that　both　he　and　the　others　could　read　it。
　〃Won't　work；〃　the　second　Mentat　said。　〃Cross…reference　seventy…eight　point　three；　volume　twelve。〃
　Leaning　close；　Elrood　scanned　the　regulation。　Then　he　passed　a　hand　through　the　page；　and　it　disappeared。　〃Rotten　Guild；〃　he　said。　〃We'll　bring　them　to　their　knees　as　soon　as　〃　Fenring　cleared　his　throat　to　interrupt　the　failing　Emperor's　train　of　thought　before　he　could　reveal　too　much。
　The　holoprojector　began　searching　again　as　the　Mentats　fell　silent。　Chamberlain　Hesban　leaned　close　to　study　pages　that　slowed　in　front　of　him。
　〃Blast　these　regulations！　That's　what　I'd　like　to　do；　use　atomics　on　all　the　laws。〃　Elrood　continued　to　fume。　〃Do　I　rule　the　Imperium；　or　don't　I？　Having　to　pander　to　the　Landsraad；　having　to　avoid　stepping　on　the　Guild's　toes。。。an　Emperor　shouldn't　be　required　to　bow　to　other　powers。〃
　〃Quite　right；　Sire；〃　Hesban　acknowledged。　〃But　we're　caught　in　a　web　of　treaties　and　alliances。〃
　〃Maybe　this　is　something；〃　Fenring　said；　presently。　〃Jihad　Appendix　nineteen　point　oh…oh…four。〃　He　paused。　〃In　matters　involving　the　Butlerian　Jihad　and　the　strictures　established　thereafter；　the　Emperor　is　given　additional　latitude　to　make　decisions　regarding　punishment　for　those　who　breach　the　prohibition　against　thinking　machines。〃
　The　Emperor's　sunken　eyes　lit　up。　〃Ah；　and　since　there　is　some　question　here　about　possible　Ixian　violations；　perhaps　we　can　legally　proceed　with　'all　due　caution。'　Especially　since　we　have　recently　received　disturbing　reports　about　machine　developments。〃
　〃We　have？〃　the　Chamberlain　asked。
　〃Certainly。　Remember　the　self…learning　fighting　meks　on　the　black　market？　That　bears　closer　scrutiny。〃
　Shaddam　and　Fenring　smiled　at　each　other。　They　all　knew　such　a　stance　might　not　hold　up　to　prolonged　scrutiny；　but　for　now　Elrood　only　needed　to　delay　taking　action。　The　Tleilaxu　would　seal　their　conquest　in　another　day　or　two。　Without　outside　support；　House　Vernius　didn't　have　a　chance。
　Hesban　added；　studying　the　precise　Galach　words；　〃According　to　this　Appendix；　the　Padishah　Emperor　is　the　'Holy　Guardian　of　the　jihad；'　charged　with　protecting　it　and　all　it　represents。〃
　〃Ah；　yes。　In　that　case；　we　could　request　to　see　this　alleged　evidence　from　the　Tleilaxu　Ambassador；　and　then　give　Pilru　a　set　time　to　respond　afterward。〃　Shaddam　paused；　looked　at　Fenring　for　encouragement。　〃By　the　end　of　the　day；　the　Emperor　could　issue　a　request　for　a　temporary　cessation　of　hostilities。〃
　〃It'll　be　too　late；　then；〃　Chamberlain　Hesban　said。
　〃Exactly。　Ix　will　fall；　and　there　will　be　nothing　they　can　do　about　it。〃
　Like　many　culinary　delicacies；　revenge　is　a　dish　best　savored　slowly；　after　long　and　delicate　preparation。
　…EMPEROR　ELROOD　IX；
　Deathbed　Insights
　Half　an　hour　later；　Shaddam　watched　the　opposing　Ambassadors