bh.houseatreides-第115节

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d　have　been　noticed　in　the　cargo　hold；　so　that　rules　out　shoulder…launched　missiles。　Besides　which；　no　one　is　allowed　outside　the　ships　during　foldspace　transit。〃
　〃I'm　no　Mentat；　Thufir。。。but　I　smell　Harkonnens　in　this；〃　Leto　mused　as　he　ran　his　finger　in　circles　on　the　slick；　cold　surface　of　the　blueplaz　table。　He　had　to　think；　had　to　be　strong。
　Hawat　gave　him　a　concise　analysis。　〃When　a　foul　deed　occurs；　three　principal　trails　invariably　lead　to　the　responsible　party：　money；　power；　or　revenge。　This　incident　was　a　setup；　designed　to　destroy　House　Atreides　　possibly　linked　to　the　scheme　that　killed　your　father。〃
　Leto　heaved　an　enormous　sigh。　〃Our　family　had　a　few　quiet　years　under　Dmitri　Harkonnen　and　his　son　Abulurd；　when　the　Harkonnens　seemed　to　let　us　live　in　peace。　Now　I'm　afraid　the　old　feud　has　resurfaced。　From　what　I　hear；　the　Baron　revels　in　it。〃
　The　Mentat　smiled　grimly。　〃Exactly　what　I　was　considering；　m'Lord。　I　am　absolutely　baffled　as　to　how　they　might　have　acplished　such　an　ambush　with　so　many　other　ships　watching。　Proving　such　a　conjecture　in　Landsraad　court　will　be　even　more　difficult。〃
　A　guard　appeared　at　the　force…barred　cell　and　entered；　carrying　a　small　parcel。　Without　uttering　a　word　or　even　looking　Leto　in　the　eyes；　he　placed　the　package　on　the　slick　table　and　departed。
　Hawat　ran　a　scanner　over　the　suspicious　parcel。　〃Message　cube；〃　he　said。　Gesturing　for　Leto　to　stand　back；　the　Mentat　removed　the　wrapping　to　reveal　a　dark　object。　He　found　no　markings；　no　indication　of　the　sender；　yet　it　seemed　to　be　important。
　Leto　held　up　the　cube；　and　it　glowed　after　recognizing　his　thumbprint。　Words　flowed　across　its　face　in　synchronization　with　his　eye　movements；　two　sentences　that　spoke　volumes　of　provocative　information。
　〃Crown　Prince　Shaddam；　like　his　father　before　him；　maintains　a　secret　and　illegal　alliance　with　the　Bene　Tleilax。　This　information　may　prove　valuable　to　your　defense　　if　you　dare　use　it。〃
　〃Thufir！　Look　at　this。〃　But　the　words　dissolved　before　he　could　shift　the　face　of　the　cube　toward　the　Mentat。　Then　the　message　cube　itself　crumbled　to　brittle　debris　in　his　palm。　He　had　no　idea　who　could　have　sent　such　a　bombshell　to　him。　Is　it　possible　that　I　have　secret　allies　on　Kaitain？
　Suddenly　uneasy；　even　paranoid；　Leto　switched　to　Atreides　hand　signals；　the　secret　language　Duke　Paulus　had　taught　close　members　of　his　household。　The　young　man's　hawklike　face　darkened　as　he　recounted　what　he　had　read　and　asked　who　could　have　sent　it。
　The　Mentat　considered　for　just　a　moment；　then　answered　with　his　own　flickering　hand　gestures：　〃The　Tleilaxu　are　not　known　for　their　military　prowess；　but　this　connection　might　explain　how　they　could　so　easily　crush　the　Ixians　and　their　defensive　technology。　Sardaukar　might　secretly　maintain　control　over　the　downtrodden　populace　underground。〃　Thufir　finished：　〃Shaddam　is　mixed　up　in　this　somehow；　and　doesn't　want　that　fact　revealed。〃
　Leto's　fingers　flashed　in　inquiry：　〃But　what　does　that　have　to　do　with　the　attack　inside　the　Heighliner？　I　don't　see　a　connection。〃
　Hawat　pursed　his　stained　lips　and　spoke　aloud　in　a　husky　whisper。　〃Maybe　there　isn't　one。　But　it　might　not　matter；　so　long　as　we　can　use　the　information　in　our　darkest　hour。　I　propose　a　bluff；　my　Duke。　A　spectacular；　desperate　bluff。〃
　In　a　Trial　by　Forfeiture；　the　normal　rules　of　evidence　do　not　apply。　There　are　no　disclosure　requirements　that　evidence　be　revealed　to　the　opposition　or　to　the　magistrates　prior　to　the　court　proceedings。　This　places　the　person　with　secret　knowledge　in　a　uniquely　powerful　position　　mensurate　with　the　extreme　risk　he　takes。
　…Rogan's　Rules　of　Evidence；　3rd　Edition
　As　Crown　Prince　Shaddam　read　the　unexpected　message　cube　from　Leto　Atreides；　a　wave　of　crimson　rage　tinted　his　face。
　〃Sire；　my　defense　documentation　includes　a　full　disclosure　of　your　relationship　with　the　Tleilaxu。〃
　〃Impossible！　How　could　he　know？〃　Shouting　an　obscenity；　Shaddam　smashed　the　cube　against　the　wall；　chipping　the　indigo…veined　marble。　Fenring　scuttled　forward　to　pick　up　the　pieces；　anxious　to　preserve　the　evidence　and　read　the　message　for　himself。　Shaddam　glared　at　his　advisor；　as　if　this　were　somehow　Fenring's　fault。
　It　was　early　evening；　and　the　two　of　them　had　left　the　Palace　to　go　to　Fenring's　private　penthouse　for　a　few　moments　of　peace。　Now　Shaddam　paced　the　perimeter　of　the　spacious　room；　with　furtive　Fenring　following　the　other　like　a　shadow。　Shaddam；　though　not　yet　formally　crowned；　settled　onto　a　massive　balcony　chair　as　if　it　were　a　throne。　With　royal　reserve；　the　Crown　Prince　eyed　his　friend。　〃So；　Hasimir；　how　do　you　suppose　my　cousin　learned　about　the　Tleilaxu？　What　evidence　does　he　have？〃
　〃Hm…m…m…m；　he　may　simply　be　bluffing。。。。〃
　〃Such　a　guess　can't　be　pure　coincidence。　We　don't　dare　call　his　bluff　　if　it　is　one。　We　can't　risk　letting　the　truth　e　out　in　Landsraad　court。〃　Shaddam　groaned。　〃I　don't　approve　of　this　Trial　by　Forfeiture　business　at　all。　Never　did。　It　shifts　responsibility　for　the　allocation　of　a　Great　House's　assets　away　from　the　Imperial　throne；　away　from　me。　I　think　it's　very　bad　form。〃
　〃But　there's　nothing　you　can　do　about　it；　Sire。　It's　an　established　law；　dating　back　to　Butlerian　times　when　House　Corrino　was　appointed　to　rule　the　civilizations　of　mankind。　Take　heart　that　in　the　thousands　of　years　since；　this　is　only　the　fourth　time　forfeiture　has　ever　been　invoked；　mm…m…m…m？　It　seems　the　all…or…nothing　gambit　is　not　very　popular。〃
　Shaddam　continued　to　scowl；　looking　across　the　evening　skies　at　the　prismatic　domes　of　the　faraway　Palace；　his　gaze　distant。　〃But　how　could　he　possibly　know？　Who　talked？　What　did　we　miss？　This　is　a　disaster！〃
　Fenring　stopped　at　the　edge　of　the　balcony；　looking　out　at　the　stars　with　his　close…set；　glittering　eyes。　He　dropped　his　voice　to　an　ominous　whisper。　〃Maybe　I　should　pay　Leto　Atreides　a　little　visit　in　his　cell；　hm…m…m…m…ah？　To　find　out　exactly　what　he　knows　and　how　he　learned　of　it。　It's　the　most　obvious　solution　to　our　little　dilemma。〃
　Shaddam　slouched　low　in　the　balcony　chair；　but　it　felt　too　hard　against　his　back。　〃The　Duke　won't　tell　you　anything。　He's　got　too　much　to　lose。　He　may　be　grasping　at　straws；　but　I've　no　doubt　he'll　carry　out　his　threat。〃
　The　huge　eyes　darkened。　〃When　I　ask　questions；　Shaddam；　I　get　answers。〃　Fenring　clenched　his　fists。　〃You　should　know　that　by　now；　after　all　I've　done　for　you。〃
　〃That　Mentat　Thufir　Hawat　won't　leave　Leto's　side；　and　he　is　a　formidable　adversary。　He's　called　the　Master　of　Assassins。〃
　〃My　talent；　too；　Shaddam。　We　can　find　a　way　to　separate　them。　You　mand　it；　and　I　shall　see　that　it　is　done。〃　He　revealed　eagerness　at　the　prospect　of　killing；　with　his　pleasure　heightened　by　the　challenge　at　hand。　Fenring's　eyes　shone；　but　Shaddam　cut　him　off。
　〃If　he's　as　smart　as　he　seems；　Hasimir；　he'll　have　established　many　guarantees　for　himself。　Ah；　yes。　The　moment　Leto　suspects　a　threat；　he　could　announce　whatever　he　knows　　and　there's　no　telling　what　sort　of　insurance　he's　set　up　for　himself；　especially　if　this　has　been　his　plan　all　along。〃
　。　。　。　full　disclosure　of　your　relationship　with　the　Tleilaxu。。。
　A　cool　breeze　drifted　across　the　balcony；　but　he　did　not　go　back　inside。　〃If　word　of　our。。。project。。es　out；　the　Great　Houses　could　block　me　from　the　throne　and　a　Landsraad　attack　force　would　be　dispatched　against　Ix。〃
　〃They've　named　it　Xuttah　now；　Sire；〃　Fenring　muttered。
　〃Whatever　they　call　it。〃
　The　Crown　Prince　ran　a　hand　through　his　pomaded　reddish　hair。　The　Atreides　prisoner's　single　line　of　text　had　shaken　him　more　than　the　overthrow　of　a　hundred　worlds。　He　wondered　how　much　this　would　have　disturbed　old　Elrood。　More　than　the　huge　revolt　in　the　Ecaz　sector　early　in　his　reign？
　Watch；　and　learn。
　Oh；　shut　up；　you　old　vulture！
　Shaddam's　brow　furrowed。　〃Think　on　it；　Hasimir　　it　seems　almost　too　obvious。　Is　there　any　chance　at　all　that　Duke　Leto　didn't　destroy　the　Tleilaxu　ships？〃
　Fenring　ran　a　finger　along　his　pointed　chin。　〃I　doubt　that　very　much；　Sire。　The　Atreides　ship　was　there；　as　confirmed　by　witnesses。　The　weapons　had　been　fired；　and　Leto　has　made　no　secret　of　his　anger　toward　the　Bene　Tleilax。　Remember　his　speech　at　the　Landsraad？　He　is　guilty。　No　one　could　believe　otherwise。〃
　〃I'd　think　even　a　sixteen…year…old　could　be　more　subtle　than　that。　Why　would　he　demand　a　Trial　by　Forfeiture；　then？〃　Shaddam　hated　it　when　he　couldn't　understand　people　and　their　actions。　〃A　ridiculous　risk。〃
　Fenring　let　a　long　pause　hang　in　the　air　before　he　dropped　his　idea　like　a　bombshell。　〃Because　Leto　knew　all　along　he　would　send　you　that　message？〃　He　gestured　toward　the　shrapnel　of　the　message　cube。　He　had　to　point　out　the　obvious；　since　Shaddam　often　let　his　rage　get　the　best　of　his　reasoning　faculties。　He　continued　quickly。
　〃Perhaps　you　are　thinking　backward；　Sire。　It　may　be　that　Leto　purposely　struck　out　at　the　Tleilaxu；　knowing　he　could　use　the　incident　as　a　pretext　to　demand　a　Trial　by　Forfeiture　　a　public　forum　in　the　Landsraad　court　during　which　he　could　expose　what　he　knew　about　us？　All　the　Imperium　will　be　listening。〃
　〃But　why；　why？〃　Shaddam　studied　the　well…manicured　nails　on　his　fingers；　flushed　with　confusion。　〃What