bh.houseatreides-第121节

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！


laxed　and　prepared　for　the　following　day。
　Tomorrow；　he　would　have　nothing　to　do　but　observe　and　enjoy　the　event　as　young　Leto　Atreides　found　himself　caught　in　more　traps　than　he　could　begin　to　understand。
　Soon　there　would　be　no　more　House　Atreides　at　all。
　What　matters　more；　the　form　of　justice　or　the　actual　oute？　No　matter　how　a　court　may　dissect　the　evidence；　the　foundation　of　genuine　truth　remains　unblemished。　Unfortunately　for　many　of　the　accused；　such　genuine　truth　is　often　known　only　to　the　victim　and　the　perpetrator。　All　others　must　make　up　their　own　minds。
　…Landsraad　Law；　codicils　and　analyses
　On　the　morning　of　the　trial　in　Landsraad　court；　Leto　Atreides　chose　his　wardrobe　carefully。　Others　in　the　same　situation　might　have　worn　their　most　expensive　finery；　the　grandeur　of　merh…silk　shirts；　pendants　and　earrings；　along　with　whale…fur…lined　capes；　and　stylish　caps　adorned　with　feathers　and　baubles。
　Instead；　Leto　dressed　in　plain　dungarees　and　a　blue…and…white…striped　shirt　with　a　navy　blue　fisherman's　cap　　the　simple　garb　he　would　have　to　wear　if　he　could　no　longer　be　a　Duke。　In　a　sash　at　his　waist　he　carried　a　pouch　of　fishing　lures　and　an　empty　sheath　for　a　knife。　He　wore　no　Atreides　insignia　and　no　ducal　signet　ring。　An　ordinary　moner　　which　was　all　he　would　be　if　found　guilty　　Leto　showed　the　Landsraad　by　his　humble　demeanor　that　he　would　survive；　somehow。　Even　simple　things　would　be　enough　for　him。
　Following　his　father's　example；　he　had　always　tried　to　treat　his　loyal　men　well；　to　such　an　extreme　that　many　of　the　servants　and　soldiers　considered　Leto　one　of　their　number；　a　rade…in…arms。　Now；　as　he　groomed　himself　for　trial；　he　began　to　think　of　himself　as　a　plain　man。。。and　discovered　that　the　feeling　wasn't　so　bad。　It　made　him　realize　the　tremendous　burden　of　responsibility　he　had　shouldered　since　the　death　of　the　Old　Duke。
　Being　a　poor　fisherman　might　actually　be　a　relief；　in　certain　ways。　He　wouldn't　have　to　worry　about　plots；　shifting　alliances；　and　betrayals　in　the　Imperium。　Unfortunately；　though；　Kailea　would　never　want　to　be　a　fisherman's　wife。
　And　I　cannot　let　my　people　down。
　In　a　curt　letter　from　Caladan；　his　mother　had　expressed　her　plete　disagreement　with　his　demand　for　a　Trial　by　Forfeiture。　To　her；　the　loss　of　stature　associated　with　the　destruction　of　House　Atreides　would　be　a　huge　blow；　even　though　she　now　（temporarily；　in　her　mind）　lived　an　austere　life　among　the　Sisters　in　Isolation。
　With　the　decline　of　House　Richese；　Helena　had　married　into　House　Atreides　as　a　way　to　stabilize　her　family's　waning　fortunes；　after　Emperor　Elrood　had　withdrawn　their　quasi…fief　of　Arrakis　and　turned　it　over　to　the　Harkonnens。
　As　for　Helena's　dowry；　House　Atreides　had　received　political　power；　a　CHOAM　directorship；　Landsraad　voting　privileges。　But　Duke　Paulus　had　never　brought　his　wife　the　fabulous　riches　she　had　wanted；　and　Leto　knew　she　must　harbor　hopes　of　returning　to　the　former　glories　of　her　family。　All　of　that　would　be　forever　impossible　if　he　lost　this　gambit。
　After　receiving　the　early…morning　summons；　Leto　met　his　legal　team　in　the　corridor　outside　his　cell：　two　brilliant　Elaccan　lawyers；　Clere　Ruitt　and　Bruda　Viol　　women　renowned　for　their　criminal…defense　work。　They　had　been　offered　by　the　Ixian　Ambassador…in…exile；　Cammar　Pilru；　and　thoroughly　interviewed　by　Thufir　Hawat。
　The　attorneys　wore　dark　business　suits　and　would　follow　the　legal　forms；　though　in　this　unusual　trial　Leto　knew　it　would　be　primarily　up　to　him　and　his　own　personality。　He　certainly　had　no　hard　evidence　in　his　favor。
　Clere　Ruitt　handed　him　a　thin　sheet　of　ridulian　crystal　that　contained　a　brief　legal　pronouncement。　〃I　am　sorry；　Lord　Leto。　This　came　to　us　only　moments　ago。〃
　Already　feeling　dread；　Leto　scanned　the　words。　Beside　him；　Hawat's　shoulders　sagged；　as　if　he　had　guessed　the　document's　contents。　Rhombur　pressed　close；　trying　to　read　the　etchings　on　the　crystal。　〃What　is　it；　Leto？　Let　me　see。〃
　〃The　tribunal　of　magistrates　has　ruled　that　no　Bene　Gesserit　Truthsayers　may　speak　on　my　behalf。　Such　testimony　will　not　even　be　introduced。〃
　Rhombur　sputtered　in　indignation。　〃Vermilion　hells！　But　everything　is　admissible　in　a　Trial　by　Forfeiture！　They　can't　make　such　a　ruling。〃
　The　other　Elaccan　attorney　shook　her　head；　and　her　expression　remained　bland。　〃They　have　taken　the　position　that　the　weight　of　all　other　Imperial　Law　argues　against　it。　Numerous　rules　and　statutes　explicitly　forbid　Truthsayer　testimony。　The　requirements　of　evidence　may　be　loosened　in　a　forfeiture　proceeding　such　as　this；　but　the　magistrates　have　determined　that　even　loose　rules　must　not　go　too　far。〃
　〃So。。。no　Truthsayers。〃　Rhombur　scowled；　fully　sullen　now。　〃That　was　the　best　thing　we　had　going　for　us。〃
　Leto　held　his　head　high。　〃Then　we'll　just　have　to　do　this　on　our　own。〃　He　looked　at　his　friend。　〃e　now；　I'm　not　usually　the　one　to　shore　up　your　optimism。〃
　〃On　a　brighter　note；〃　Bruda　Viol　said；　〃the　Tleilaxu　have　removed　the　pilot　of　their　attacked　frigate　from　the　witness　list。　They　provided　no　explanation。〃
　Leto　heaved　a　long　sigh　of　relief；　but　Hawat　cautioned　him；　〃We　will　still　hear　plenty　of　damning　testimony；　my　Duke。〃
　Silently；　he　acpanied　his　advisors　into　the　crowded　Landsraad　courtroom。　At　the　head　of　a　long　aisle　he　took　a　seat　between　them　at　the　defense　table　below　a　towering　bench　for　the　magistrates　who　would　hear　the　case。　Ruitt　whispered　in　his　ear；　but　he　didn't　focus　on　her　words。　Instead　he　closely　studied　the　names　of　the　assigned　magistrates：　seven　Dukes；　Barons；　Earls；　Counts；　and　Lords　randomly　chosen　from　among　the　Great　and　Minor　Houses　of　the　Landsraad。
　These　men　would　decide　his　fate。
　Since　the　Tleilaxu　belonged　to　no　royal　House　and　had　been　spurned　for　membership　even　after　their　takeover　of　Ix；　they　were　not　represented　in　the　Landsraad。　In　the　days　preceding　the　trial；　outraged　Bene　Tleilax　dignitaries　had　shouted　in　the　Palace　courtyards；　demanding　justice　　but　after　the　Tleilaxu　attempt　on　Leto's　life；　Sardaukar　guards　had　kept　them　silent。
　Now；　with　a　rustle　of　robes　and　formal　uniforms；　the　chosen　magistrates　filed　solemnly　into　the　courtroom。　They　took　seats　at　the　curved　stonewood　bench　that　loomed　over　the　defense　table。　The　colorful　banners　and　crests　of　their　Houses　hung　behind　each　chair。
　Having　been　coached　by　his　attorneys　and　Thufir　Hawat；　Leto　recognized　all　of　them。　Two　of　the　magistrates；　Baron　Terkillian　Sor　of　IV　Anbus　and　Lord　Bain　O'Garee　of　Hagal；　had　been　strong　economic　trading　partners　with　House　Atreides。　One；　the　black…haired　Duke　Prad　Vidal　of　Ecaz；　was　an　avowed　enemy　of　the　Old　Duke；　an　ally　of　the　Harkonnens。　Another；　Count　Anton　Miche；　was　reputed　to　be　susceptible　to　bribery；　making　him　easily　adaptable　to　the　needs　of　the　Harkonnens；　since　neither　Rhombur　nor　the　loyal　Mentat　had　gotten　to　him　first。
　Two　to　two；　he　thought。　The　other　three　magistrates　could　go　either　way。　But　he　detected　the　rank　odor　of　betrayal　in　the　air；　he　saw　it　in　the　cold　expressions　of　the　judging　panel；　the　way　they　avoided　making　eye　contact　with　him。　Have　they　already　decided　my　guilt？
　〃We　have　more　bad　news。。。Duke　Leto。〃　Bruda　Viol　hesitated　before　using　his　former　title。　Her　face　was　squarish　and　stern；　but　oddly　passionless；　as　if　she'd　seen　so　much　injustice　and　manipulation　that　nothing　bothered　her　anymore。　〃We've　only　just　discovered　that　one　of　the　three　undecided　magistrates；　Rincon　of　House　Fazeel；　lost　an　immense　fortune　to　Ix　in　a　secret　trade　war。　It　had　to　do　with　ring…asteroid　mining　in　the　Klytemn　system。　Five　years　ago；　Rincon's　advisors　barely　kept　him　from　declaring　a　blood　feud　against　Dominic　Vernius。〃
　The　other　attorney　nodded　and　lowered　her　voice。　〃We　have　heard　a　rumor；　Monsieur　Atreides；　that　Rincon　sees　your　personal　downfall　as　his　only　chance　to　get　even　with　Ix；　now　that　House　Vernius　has　gone　renegade。〃
　Leto　broke　out　in　a　cold　sweat　and　made　a　disgusted　sound。　〃Does　any　part　of　this　trial　concern　what　actually　happened　in　the　Heighliner？〃
　Both　Bruda　Viol　and　Clere　Ruitt　looked　at　him　as　if　he　had　uttered　the　most　ridiculous　ment　imaginable。
　〃Three　to　two；　my　Duke；〃　Hawat　said。　〃We　must　therefore　win　over　both　of　the　undecided　judges　and　lose　none　of　the　tentative　support　we've　counted　on。〃
　〃It'll　turn　out　all　right；〃　Rhombur　said。
　The　windowless；　armored　courtroom　had　once　been　a　ducal　chancery　during　the　construction　work　on　Kaitain。　Its　vaulted　Gothic　ceiling　was　inset　with　military　paintings　and　the　designs　and　shields　of　the　Great　Houses。　Leto　focused　on　the　red　hawk　crest　of　the　Atreides　among　the　other　shields　and　coats　of　arms。　Though　he　tried　to　remain　stoic；　a　terrible　feeling　of　loss　swept　over　him；　a　longing　for　what　might　never　be　again。　In　a　short　time　he　had　brought　down　everything　his　father　had　left　him；　and　House　Atreides　was　crashing　toward　ruin。
　When　he　felt　tears　welling　in　his　eyes；　he　cursed　himself　for　the　momentary　weakness。　All　was　not　lost。　He　could　still　win。　He　would　win！　Iciness　infused　him；　and　he　stemmed　the　threatening　flow　of　despair。　The　Landsraad　was　watching；　and　he　had　to　be　strong　enough　to　face　whatever　needed　to　be　done　here。　He　could　ill　afford　despair；　or　any　o