bh.houseatreides-第72部分

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wrath。〃
　The　Baron　raised　an　eyebrow　and　finally　deigned　to　snatch　a　slick　black　robe　from　his　dressing　chair。　〃I　have　it　on　certain　authority　that　several　Great　Houses　have　their　own　stockpiles　of　melange。　Some　say　even　our　own　Emperor　Elrood　is　not　above　the　practice。〃
　〃The　Emperor　is　not　in　good　humor　or　good　health　these　days。　He　seems　to　be　preoccupied　with　Ix。〃
　Baron　Harkonnen　paused　to　consider　this。　His　own　spies　at　the　royal　Court　on　Kaitain　reported　that　old　Elrood　had　been　increasingly　unstable　and　short…tempered　of　late；　with　signs　of　paranoia。　His　mind　was　going；　his　health　was　failing；　and　this　caused　him　to　be　more　vicious　than　ever；　as　evidenced　by　his　blithely　allowing　the　destruction　of　House　Vernius。
　〃What　do　you　think　I　am？〃　the　Baron　asked。　〃A　prized　Salusan　bull　to　be　put　out　to　stud？〃
　He　had　nothing　to　fear；　because　the　witches　no　longer　had　a　scintilla　of　physical　proof　against　him。　He　had　scattered　his　stockpile　of　spice　to　deep　hiding　places　in　the　isolation　of　Lankiveil；　and　ordered　the　destruction　of　every　scrap　of　evidence　from　Arrakis。　It　had　all　been　done　expertly；　by　an　ex…CHOAM　auditor　in　his　employ。　The　Baron　smiled。　Former　employ；　actually；　since　de　Vries　had　already　dealt　with　the　man。
　These　Bene　Gesserit　could　threaten　him　all　they　wanted；　but　had　no　real　hold　over　him。　This　knowledge　gave　him　a　new　power；　a　new　way　to　resist。
　The　witch　continued　staring　at　him　impertinently。　He　wanted　to　squeeze　Margot's　slender　throat　and　shut　her　up　forever。　But　that　wouldn't　solve　his　problem；　even　if　he　survived　the　confrontation。　The　Bene　Gesserit　would　just　send　another；　and　another。　He　needed　to　teach　the　witches　a　lesson　they　wouldn't　soon　forget。
　〃Send　your　breeding　mother　to　me；　if　you　insist。　I　shall　prepare　for　her。〃　He　knew　exactly　what　he　was　going　to　do。　His　Mentat　Piter　de　Vries；　and　probably　even　his　nephew　Rabban；　would　be　happy　to　help。
　〃Very　well。　The　Reverend　Mother　Gaius　Helen　Mohiam　will　be　on　her　way　within　a　fortnight；　Baron。〃　Without　another　word；　Margot　left。　Her　sparkling　blonde　hair　and　milky　skin　seemed　too　radiant　to　be　contained　within　the　drab　robes　of　the　Sisterhood。
　The　Baron　summoned　de　Vries。　They　had　to　get　to　work。
　Without　a　goal；　a　life　is　nothing。　Sometimes　the　goal　bees　a　man's　entire　life；　an　all…consuming　passion。　But　once　that　goal　is　achieved；　what　then？　Oh；　poor　man；　what　then？
　…LADY　HELENA　ATREIDES；
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　After　his　childhood　years　of　repression　on　Giedi　Prime；　young　Duncan　Idaho　found　the　lush　world　of　Caladan　a　paradise。　He'd　been　landed　without　a　map　in　a　city　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　world　from　Castle　Caladan。　Janess's　friend；　the　second　mate　Renno；　had　discharged　his　obligations　to　the　boy；　then　kicked　the　stowaway　out　onto　the　streets　of　a　lowland　spaceport。
　Paying　no　further　attention　to　him；　the　crew　off…loaded　their　cargo　of　recyclables　and　industrial　scraps　and　took　on　a　fresh　load　of　pundi　rice　wrapped　in　bags　made　from　grain　fibers。　Without　saying　goodbye；　without　offering　advice　or　even　wishing　Duncan　well；　the　second　mate　had　climbed　back　aboard　his　cargo　hauler　and　returned　to　the　Heighliner　in　orbit。
　Duncan　couldn't　plain：　At　least　he　had　escaped　from　the　Harkonnens。　Now　all　he　had　to　do　was　find　Duke　Atreides。
　The　boy　stood　there　among　strangers；　on　a　strange　world；　watching　the　ship　ascend　into　the　cloudy　sky。　Caladan　was　a　planet　of　rich　and　pelling　smells；　the　air　moist　and　laden　with　the　salt　of　the　sea；　the　sourness　of　fish；　and　the　spice　of　wildflowers。　In　all　his　life　on　Giedi　Prime；　he　had　never　encountered　anything　like　it。
　On　the　Southern　Continent；　the　hills　were　steep　and　covered　with　intensely　green　grasses　and　terraced　gardens　hacked　into　the　slopes　like　drunken　stairsteps。　Teams　of　hardworking　farmers　moved　about　under　the　misty　yellow　sun；　not　wealthy　but　still　happy。　Wearing　old　clothes；　they　transported　fresh　fruits　and　vegetables　on　suspensor…borne　pallets　to　the　marketplace。
　As　Duncan　stared　with　hungry　eyes　at　the　passing　farmers；　one　kindly　old　man　gave　him　a　small；　overripe　paradan　melon；　which　the　boy　ate　voraciously。　Sweet　moisture　dripped　between　his　fingers。　It　was　the　most　delicious　meal　he'd　ever　had。
　Seeing　the　boy's　energy　as　well　as　his　desperation；　the　farmer　asked　him　if　he　would　like　to　return　and　work　in　the　rice　paddies　for　a　few　days。　The　old　fellow　offered　no　pay；　only　a　place　to　sleep　and　some　food。　Duncan　readily　agreed。
　On　the　long　walk　back；　the　boy　told　him　the　story　of　his　battles　with　the　Harkonnens；　how　his　parents　had　been　arrested　and　killed；　how　he　had　been　chosen　for　Rabban's　hunt；　and　how　he　had　eventually　escaped。　〃Now　I　must　present　myself　to　Duke　Atreides；〃　he　said　with　plete　faith。　〃But　I　don't　know　where　he　is；　or　how　to　find　him。〃
　The　old　farmer　listened　attentively；　then　gave　a　grave　nod。　Caladanians　knew　the　legends　of　their　Duke；　had　witnessed　the　greatest　of　his　bullfights　at　the　departure　of　his　son　Leto　to　Ix。　The　people　here　honored　their　leader；　and　to　them　it　seemed　fundamentally　reasonable　that　any　citizen　could　request　an　audience　with　the　Atreides。
　〃I　can　tell　you　the　city　where　the　Duke　lives；〃　the　old　man　said。　〃My　sister's　husband　even　has　a　map　of　the　whole　world；　and　I　can　show　you。　But　I　don't　know　how　you　could　get　there。　It's　very　far　away。〃
　〃I'm　young　and　strong。　I　can　make　it。〃
　The　farmer　nodded　and　led　his　visitor　back　to　the　rice　paddies。
　Duncan　stayed　four　days　with　the　man's　family；　working　up　to　his　waist　in　flooded　fields。　He　waded　through　the　water；　clearing　channels；　inserting　small　but　hardy　seedlings　into　the　loose　mud。　He　learned　the　songs　and　chants　of　the　pundi　rice　planters。
　One　afternoon　spotters　in　the　low…hanging　trees　banged　on　pans；　sounding　an　alarm。　Moments　later；　ripples　in　the　peaty　water　signaled　the　approach　of　a　school　of　panther…fish；　bog　dwellers　that　swam　in　packs　searching　for　prey。　They　could　strip　the　flesh　off　a　farmer's　bones　in　moments。
　Duncan　scrambled　up　one　of　the　tangled　tree　trunks　to　join　the　other　panicked　rice　farmers。　He　hung　in　the　low　branches；　pushing　Spanish　moss　aside　as　he　looked　down　and　watched　the　ripples　approach。　Beneath　the　water　he　could　see　large；　many…fanged　creatures　armored　with　broad　scales。　Several　of　the　panther…fish　circled　around　the　trunk　of　the　swamp　tree　in　which　Duncan　had　taken　refuge。
　Some　of　the　creatures　rose　up　on　scaled　elbows；　rudimentary　arms　with　front　fins　that　had　developed　into　clumsy　claws。　With　most　of　their　bodies　out　of　the　water；　the　carnivorous　fish　stretched　upward；　large　and　deadly。　They　blinked　wet；　slitted　eyes　at　the　young　man　who　hung　just　out　of　reach　in　the　branches　above。　After　a　long　moment　of　staring　them　down；　Duncan　climbed　one　branch　higher。　The　panther…fish　submerged　again；　swirling　away　out　of　sight　in　the　sprawling　rice　paddies。
　The　following　day　Duncan　took　a　spare　meal　the　farmer's　family　had　packed　for　him　and　trudged　off　toward　the　coast；　where　he　eventually　found　work　as　a　net…rigger　on　a　fishing　boat　that　plied　the　waters　of　the　warm　southern　seas。　At　least　the　boat　would　take　him　to　port　on　the　continent　where　Castle　Caladan　lay。
　For　weeks　he　worked　the　nets；　gutted　the　fish；　and　ate　his　fill　in　the　galley。　The　cook　used　a　lot　of　spices　that　were　unfamiliar　to　Duncan　　hot　Caladanian　peppers　and　mustards　that　made　his　eyes　water　and　his　nose　run。　The　men　laughed　at　his　disfiture；　and　told　him　he　would　never　be　a　man　until　he　could　eat　food　like　that。　To　their　surprise　young　Duncan　took　this　as　a　challenge；　and　soon　he　began　asking　for　extra　seasoning。　Before　long　he　could　endure　meals　hotter　than　any　other　crew　member。　The　fishermen　stopped　teasing　him　and　began　to　praise　him　instead。
　Before　the　end　of　the　voyage；　a　cabin　boy　in　the　next　bunk　did　a　calculation　for　Duncan　that　showed　him　that　he　was　nine　now；　by　almost　six　weeks。　〃I　feel　a　lot　older　than　that；〃　Duncan　responded。
　He　hadn't　expected　to　take　so　long　to　reach　his　destination；　but　his　life　was　better　now；　despite　the　incredibly　hard　work　he'd　taken　on。　He　felt　safe；　freer　in　a　way　than　he　had　ever　felt　before。　The　men　on　the　crew　were　his　new　family。
　Under　cloudy　skies　the　fishing　boat