bh.houseatreides-第14节

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ncinerated　the　head　of　Duncan's　mother。
　Duncan　screamed。　Both　of　his　parents　tumbled　to　the　floor；　lifeless　mounds　of　blistering；　burned　flesh。
　〃Now　you　have　no　name；　11368；〃　Rabban　said。　〃e　with　me。〃
　The　guards　grabbed　him；　not　even　letting　Duncan　rush　to　his　fallen　parents。　Not　even　giving　him　time　to　cry。
　〃These　men　will　have　to　prepare　you　before　we　can　begin　the　next　round　of　fun。　I　need　a　good　hunt　for　a　change。〃
　The　guards　dragged　Duncan；　kicking　and　screaming；　out　of　the　noisome　cell。　He　felt　dead　inside　　except　for　an　icy　flame　of　hatred　that　blossomed　in　his　chest　and　burned　away　all　vestiges　of　his　childhood。
　The　populace　must　think　their　ruler　is　a　greater　man　than　they；　else　why　should　they　follow　him？　Above　all　a　leader　must　be　a　showman；　giving　his　people　the　bread　and　circuses　they　require。
　…DUKE　PAULUS　ATREIDES
　The　weeks　of　preparation　for　his　sojourn　on　Ix　passed　in　a　blur　as　Leto　tried　to　drink　up　a　year's　worth　of　memories　and　store　them；　fixing　all　the　images　of　his　ancestral　home　in　his　mind。　He　would　miss　Caladan's　moist　salty　air；　its　fog…shrouded　mornings；　and　the　musical　afternoon　rainstorms。　How　could　a　stark；　colorless　machine　planet　pare　with　this？
　Of　the　many　palaces　and　vacation　villas　on　the　water…rich　planet；　Castle　Caladan；　perched　high　on　a　cliff　over　the　sea；　was　the　true　place　where　Leto　belonged；　the　main　seat　of　government。　Someday；　when　he　finally　put　on　the　ducal　signet　ring；　he　would　be　the　twenty…sixth　Duke　Atreides　to　sit　in　the　Castle。
　His　mother　Helena　spent　much　time　fussing　over　him；　seeing　omens　in　many　things；　and　quoting　passages　she　considered　important　from　the　Orange　Catholic　Bible。　She　was　distressed　to　be　losing　her　son　for　a　year；　but　would　not　countermand　the　Old　Duke's　orders　　not　in　anyone's　hearing；　at　least。　Her　expression　was　troubled；　and　Leto　realized　it　especially　alarmed　her　that　Paulus　had　chosen　to　send　him　to　Ix；　of　all　places。　〃It's　a　festering　hotbed　of　suspect　technology；〃　she　said　to　him　when　her　husband　was　gone；　far　out　of　earshot。
　〃Are　you　sure　you　aren't　just　reacting　because　Ix　is　the　main　rival　to　House　Richese；　Mother？〃　he　asked。
　〃I　think　not！〃　Her　long；　slender　fingers　paused　as　they　laced　up　an　elegant　collar　on　his　shirt。　〃House　Richese　relies　on　old；　tried…and…true　technology　　established　devices　that　fall　safely　within　prescribed　guidelines。　No　one　questions　Richesian　adherence　to　the　strictures　of　the　Jihad。〃
　She　looked　at　him；　her　dark　eyes　hard；　then　cracking　with　tears。　She　stroked　his　shoulder。　From　a　recent　spurt　of　growth；　he　was　almost　her　height。　〃Leto；　Leto；　I　don't　want　you　to　lose　your　innocence　there；　or　your　soul；〃　she　told　him。　〃There's　too　much　at　stake。〃
　Later；　in　the　dining　hall　during　a　quiet　family　meal　of　fish　stew　and　biscuits；　Helena　had　once　again　begged　the　Old　Duke　to　send　him　somewhere　else。　Paulus　merely　laughed　at　her　concerns；　though；　until　finally　her　quiet　but　firm　refusal　to　back　down　drove　him　to　rage。　〃Dominic　is　my　friend　　and　by　God　our　son　couldn't　learn　at　the　hands　of　a　better　man！〃
　Trying　to　concentrate　on　his　own　meal；　yet　disturbed　over　his　mother's　protestations；　Leto　had　nonetheless　stood　by　his　father。　〃I　want　to　go　there；　Mother；〃　he　said；　gently　resting　his　spoon　beside　his　bowl；　then　repeated　the　line　she　always　told　him。　〃It's　for　the　best。〃
　During　Leto's　upbringing；　Paulus　had　made　many　choices　with　which　Helena　disagreed：　putting　the　young　man　to　work　with　villagers；　taking　him　out　to　meet　citizens　face…to…face；　letting　him　make　friends　with　moners；　encouraging　him　to　get　his　hands　dirty。　Leto　could　see　the　wisdom　in　this；　since　he　would　be　Duke　of　these　people　someday；　but　Helena　still　objected　on　various　grounds；　often　quoting　passages　from　the　Orange　Catholic　Bible　to　justify　her　opinions。
　His　mother　was　not　a　patient　woman　and　not　warm　to　her　only　child；　though　she　maintained　a　perfect　front　during　important　meetings　and　public　events。　She　always　fussed　about　her　own　appearance；　and　often　said　she　would　never　have　any　more　children。　Bringing　up　one　son　and　running　the　ducal　household　already　took　up　most　of　her　valuable　time；　which　could　otherwise　have　been　spent　studying　the　Orange　Catholic　Bible　and　other　religious　texts。　It　was　obvious　that　Helena　had　borne　a　son　only　out　of　duty　to　House　Atreides；　rather　than　out　of　any　desire　to　nurture　and　raise　a　child。
　No　wonder　the　Old　Duke　sought　out　the　panionship　of　other　women　who　proved　less　prickly。
　Sometimes　at　night；　behind　the　massive　doors　of　layered　Elaccan　teak；　Leto　heard　the　loud；　reverberating　arguments　of　his　father　and　mother。　Lady　Helena　could　disagree　all　she　wanted　about　sending　their　son　to　Ix；　but　Old　Duke　Paulus　was　House　Atreides。　His　word　was　law；　in　the　Castle　and　on　Caladan；　no　matter　how　much　his　distraught　wife　tried　to　sway　his　opinion。
　It's　for　the　best。
　Leto　knew　that　theirs　had　been　an　arranged　marriage；　a　bargain　struck　among　the　Houses　of　the　Landsraad　to　fulfill　the　requirements　of　the　important　families。　It　had　been　a　desperate　action　on　the　part　of　crumbling　Richese；　and　House　Atreides　could　always　hope　the　former　grandeur　of　the　innovative　technological　House　might　rise　again。　In　the　meantime；　the　Old　Duke　had　received　substantial　concessions　and　rewards　for　taking　in　one　of　the　many　daughters　of　House　Richese。
　〃A　noble　household　has　little　room　for　the　swooning　and　romanticism　lesser　peoples　feel　when　hormones　guide　their　actions；〃　his　mother　had　once　said　to　him；　explaining　the　politics　of　marriage。　He　knew　such　a　fate　undoubtedly　lay　in　store　for　him　as　well。　His　father　even　agreed　with　her　in　this　regard；　and　was　more　adamant　about　it　than　she。
　〃What's　the　first　rule　of　the　House？〃　the　Old　Duke　would　say；　ad　nauseam。　And　Leto　would　have　to　repeat　it；　word　for　word：　〃Never　marry　for　love；　or　it　will　bring　our　House　down。〃
　At　fourteen；　Leto　had　never　been　in　love　himself；　though　he　had　certainly　felt　the　fires　of　lust。　His　father　encouraged　him　to　dally　with　the　village　girls；　to　toy　with　anyone　he　found　attractive　　but　never　to　promise　anything。　Leto　doubted；　given　his　position　as　heir　apparent　to　House　Atreides；　that　he　would　ever　have　much　chance　to　fall　in　love；　especially　not　with　the　woman　he　would　eventually　take　as　his　wife　。。。。
　One　morning；　a　week　before　Leto　was　scheduled　to　leave；　his　father　clapped　a　hand　on　his　shoulder　and　took　him　along　as　he　went　about　his　rounds　to　meet　the　people；　making　a　point　to　greet　even　the　servants。　The　Duke　led　a　small　honor　guard　into　the　seaside　town　below　the　Castle；　doing　his　own　shopping；　seeing　his　subjects　and　being　seen。　Paulus　often　went　on　such　outings　with　his　son　　and　Leto　always　considered　these　to　be　wonderful　times。
　Out　under　the　pale　blue　sky；　the　Old　Duke　laughed　easily；　beaming　with　infectious　good　nature。　The　people　smiled　when　the　hearty　man　walked　among　them。　Leto　and　his　father　strolled　together　along　the　bazaar；　past　the　stalls　of　vegetables　and　fresh　fish　to　inspect　beautiful　tapestries　woven　from　beaten　ponji　fibers　and　fire…threads。　There　Paulus　Atreides　often　bought　baubles　or　keepsakes　for　his　wife；　especially　after　they　had　quarreled；　though　the　Duke　didn't　seem　to　understand　Helena's　interests　enough　to　select　anything　appropriate　for　her。
　At　an　oyster　stall　the　Old　Duke　suddenly　paused　and　gazed　up　at　the　cloud…scudded　sky；　struck　by　what　he　considered　a　brilliant　idea。　He　looked　down　at　his　son；　and　a　broad　grin　split　his　bushy　beard。　〃Ah；　we　need　to　send　you　off　with　an　appropriate　spectacle；　lad。　Make　your　leave…taking　a　memorable　event　for　all　of　Caladan。〃
　Leto　forced　himself　not　to　cringe。　He　had　heard　his　father's　crazy　ideas　before；　and　knew　the　Old　Duke　would　follow　through；　regardless　of　mon　sense。　〃What　do　you　have　in　mind；　sir？　What　do　I　need　to　do？〃
　〃Nothing；　nothing。　I　shall　announce　a　celebration　in　honor　of　my　heir　and　son。〃　He　grabbed　Leto's　hand　and　raised　it　up　in　the　air；　as　if　in　a　triumphant　wave；　then　his　voice　boomed　out；　subduing　the　crowds。　〃We　are　going　to　have　a　bullfight；　an　old…fashioned　extravaganza　for　the　populace。　It　will　be　a　day　of　celebration　for　Caladan；　with　holoprojections　transmitted　around　the　globe。〃
　〃With　Salusan　bulls？〃　Leto　asked；　picturing　in　his　mind　the　spine…backed　beasts；　their　black　heads　studded　with　multiple　horns；　their　eyes　faceted。　When　he　had　been　a　younger　boy；　Leto　had　often　gone　into　the　stables　to　look　at　the　monstrous　animals。　Stablemaster　Yresk；　one　of　his　mother's　old　retainers　from　Richese；　tended　the　bulls　for　Paulus's　occasional　spectacles。
　〃Naturally；〃　the　Old　Duke　said。　〃And　as　usual；　I'll　fight　them　myself。〃　He　swept　his　arm　out　in　a　flourish；　as　if　imagining　a　colorful　cape　there。　〃These　old　bones　are　agile　enough　to　dodge　around　a　lumbering　monster　like　that。　I'll　have　Yresk　prepare　one　　or　would　you　like　to　pick　the　beast　yourself；　lad？〃
　〃I　thought　you　weren't　going　to　do　that　anymore；〃　Leto　said。　〃It's　been　almost　a　year　since　you。。。〃
　〃Wherever　did　you　get　that　idea？〃
　〃Your　advisors；　sir。　It's　too　risky。　Isn't　that　why　others　have　been　fighting　the　bulls　in　your　place？〃
　The　old　man　laughed。　〃What　a　foolish　notion！　I've　been　out　of　the　ring　for　only　one　reason：　The　bull