bh.houseatreides-第46节

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　Old　Elrood　suspected　nothing。
　At　the　appointed　hour　of　the　Tleilaxu　delegate's　arrival；　Fenring　made　certain　he　and　Shaddam　were　present　in　the　audience　chamber　　ostensibly　as　eager　students　of　the　bureaucracy；　intent　on　being　viable　leaders　of　the　Imperium。　Elrood；　who　liked　to　think　he　was　instructing　these　proteges　in　important　matters　of　state；　had　no　idea　the　two　young　men　laughed　at　him　behind　his　back。
　Fenring　leaned　close　to　the　Crown　Prince　and　whispered　in　his　ear；　〃This　is　going　to　be　most　entertaining；　hm…m…m…m…ah？〃
　〃Watch；　and　learn；〃　Shaddam　said　ponderously；　then　raised　his　chin　in　the　air　and　snickered。
　The　huge　embossed　doors　swung　open；　sparkling　with　soostones　and　rain　crystals；　etched　with　ghlavan　metal。　Sardaukar　guards；　standing　stiff　and　formal　in　their　gray…and…black　uniforms；　snapped　to　attention　for　the　new　arrival。
　〃Now　the　show　begins；〃　Fenring　said。　He　and　Shaddam　kept　further　chuckles　to　themselves。
　Liveried　house　pages　stepped　forward　to　introduce　the　off…world　visitor　in　a　rippling　overtone　of　processed；　electronically　translated　pomp。　〃My　Lord　Emperor；　Highness　of　a　Million　Worlds　　the　Master　Hidar　Fen　Ajidica；　representative　of　the　Bene　Tleilax；　is　here　at　your　request　for　a　private　meeting。〃
　A　gnomelike　man　with　grayish　skin　walked　proudly　into　the　hall　flanked　by　pasty…faced　guards　and　his　own　retainers。　His　slippered　feet　scuttled　like　whispered　gossip　across　the　polished　stones　of　the　floor。
　A　ripple　of　surprise　and　distaste　passed　through　the　attendees　at　court。　Chamberlain　Aken　Hesban；　his　mustaches　drooping；　stood　indignantly　behind　the　throne　and　glared　at　the　Emperor's　scheduling　advisors　as　if　this　were　some　sort　of　trick。
　Elrood　IX　lurched　forward　in　his　massive　throne　and　demanded　to　see　his　calendar。
　Thus　caught　off　guard；　the　old　reprobate　might　just　be　surprised　enough　to　listen；　Fenring　thought。　With　surprising　astuteness；　Chamberlain　Hesban's　eagle　gaze　fell　on　him；　but　Fenring　returned　the　look　with　only　a　bland；　curious　expression。
　Ajidica；　the　Tleilaxu　representative；　waited　patiently；　letting　the　chatter　and　whispers　flow　around　him。　He　had　a　narrow　face；　long　nose；　and　a　pointed　black　beard　that　protruded　like　a　trowel　from　his　cleft　chin。　Maroon　robes　gave　Ajidica　an　air　of　some　importance。　His　skin　was　weathered…looking；　and　pale　and　discolored　blotches　marked　his　hands；　especially　on　the　fingers　and　palms；　as　if　frequent　exposure　to　harsh　chemicals　had　neutralized　the　melanin。　Despite　his　diminutive　stature；　the　Tleilaxu　Master　came　forward　as　if　he　had　a　perfect　right　to　be　in　the　Imperial　audience　chamber　of　Kaitain。
　From　the　side　of　the　room　Shaddam　studied　Ajidica；　and　his　nose　wrinkled；　from　the　lingering　food　odors　that　were　so　characteristic　of　the　Tleilaxu。
　〃May　the　one　true　God　shine　his　light　upon　you　from　all　the　stars　in　the　Imperium；　my　Lord　Emperor；〃　said　Hidar　Fen　Ajidica；　placing　his　palms　together　and　bowing　as　he　quoted　from　the　Orange　Catholic　Bible。　He　stopped　in　front　of　the　massive　Hagal…quartz　throne。
　The　Tleilaxu　were　notorious　for　handling　the　dead　and　harvesting　corpses　for　cellular　resources；　yet　they　were　unquestionably　brilliant　geneticists。　One　of　their　first　creations　had　been　a　remarkable　new　food　source；　the　slig　（〃sweetest　meat　this　side　of　heaven〃）；　a　cross　between　a　giant　slug　and　a　Terran　pig。　The　overall　populace　still　thought　of　sligs　as　tank…bred　mutations；　however　　ugly　creatures　who　excreted　slimy；　foul…smelling　residue；　and　whose　multiple　mouths　ground　incessantly　on　garbage。　This　was　the　context　in　which　people　thought　of　the　Bene　Tleilax；　even　as　they　savored　marinated　slig　medallions　in　sauces　prepared　from　rich　Caladan　wines。
　Elrood　drew　back　his　bony　shoulders　into　a　firm　line。　He　frowned　down　at　the　visitor。　〃What　is。。。this　doing　here？　Who　let　this　man　in？〃　The　old　Emperor　looked　around　the　echoing　room；　his　eyes　flashing　bright。　〃No　Tleilaxu　Master　has　ever　entered　my　Court　for　a　private　audience。　How　do　I　know　he's　not　a　Face　Dancer　mimic？〃　Elrood　glared　down　at　his　personal　secretary；　then　over　at　his　Chamberlain。　〃And　since　he　got　on　my　schedule　at　all；　how　do　I　know　you're　not　a　Face　Dancer　yourself？　This　is　outrageous。〃
　The　personal　secretary　stepped　back；　appalled　at　the　suggestion。　Diminutive　Ajidica　looked　up　at　the　Emperor；　calmly　letting　the　resentment　and　prejudice　wash　past　without　being　affected　by　it。　〃My　Lord　Elrood；　tests　can　be　performed　to　prove　that　none　of　our　shapeshifters　has　subsumed　the　identity　of　anyone　in　your　Court。　I　assure　you；　I　am　no　Face　Dancer。　Neither　am　I　an　assassin；　nor　a　Mentat。〃
　〃And　why　are　you　here？〃　Elrood　demanded。
　〃As　one　of　the　premier　scientists　of　the　Bene　Tleilax；　my　presence　here　was　requested。〃　The　gnomish　man　hadn't　moved　a　centimeter；　and　remained　at　the　foot　of　the　Golden　Lion　Throne；　unflappable　in　his　maroon　robes。　〃I　have　developed　an　ambitious　plan　that　can　benefit　the　Imperial　family；　as　well　as　my　own　people。〃
　〃Not　interested；〃　the　Padishah　Emperor　said。　He　flicked　a　glance　at　his　Sardaukar；　began　to　raise　his　gnarled　hand　to　issue　a　mand　of　forceful　dismissal。　The　Court　attendees　watched；　amused　and　eager。
　Hasimir　Fenring　rapidly　stepped　forward；　knowing　he　had　only　an　instant　to　intercede。　〃Emperor　Elrood；　may　I　speak？〃　He　didn't　wait　for　permission；　but　tried　to　appear　innocent　and　interested。　〃The　sheer　audacity　of　this　Tleilaxu's　arrival　has　me　curious。　I　find　myself　wondering　what　he　has　to　say。〃　He　glanced　over　at　the　emotion…masked　face　of　Hidar　Fen　Ajidica；　the　gray…skinned　Master　seemed　impervious　to　any　harsh　treatment　foisted　upon　him。　Nothing　in　his　demeanor　betrayed　his　connection　with　Fenring；　who　had　suggested　the　synthetic　spice　idea　to　him　　an　idea　that　had　quickly　found　support　among　Tleilaxu　scientists。
　Crown　Prince　Shaddam　took　the　lead　and　looked　up　at　his　father　with　a　guileless；　anticipatory　expression。　〃Father；　you　have　instructed　me　to　learn　everything　I　can　from　the　example　of　your　leadership。　It　would　be　most　educational　for　me　to　observe　how　you　handle　this　situation　with　an　open　mind　and　a　firm　hand。〃
　Elrood　raised　a　ring…adorned　hand　that　trembled　with　faint；　uncontrollable　spasms。　〃Very　well；　we　will　hear　briefly　what　this　Tleilaxu　his　to　say。　Briefly；　under　pain　of　severe　punishment　if　we　determine　he　has　wasted　our　precious　time。　Watch；　and　learn。〃　The　Emperor　slid　a　sidelong　glance　at　Shaddam；　then　took　a　sip　of　the　spice　beer　at　his　side。　〃This　shouldn't　take　much　time。〃
　How　true；　Father。　You　don't　have　much　time　left；　Shaddam　thought；　still　smiling　attentively　and　innocently。
　〃My　words　require　privacy；　my　Lord　Emperor；〃　Ajidica　said；　〃and　the　utmost　discretion。〃
　〃I　will　determine　that；〃　Elrood　snapped。　〃Speak　of　your　plan。〃
　The　Tleilaxu　Master　folded　his　hands　in　the　voluminous　sleeves　of　his　maroon　robes。　〃Rumors　are　like　a　disease　epidemic；　Sire。　Once　they　escape；　they　spread　from　person　to　person；　often　with　deadly　effect。　Better　to　take　simple　initial　precautions　than　be　forced　into　eradication　measures　at　a　later　date。〃　Ajidica　fell　silent；　standing　rigid；　and　refused　to　speak　further　until　the　audience　chamber　had　been　emptied。
　Impatiently；　the　Emperor　gestured　to　dismiss　all　the　functionaries；　pages；　ambassadors；　jesters；　and　guards。　Sardaukar　security　men　stationed　themselves　at　the　doorways；　where　they　could　protect　the　throne；　but　everyone　else　departed；　muttering　and　shuffling。　Humming　privacy　screens　were　erected　to　prevent　any　potential　eavesdroppers　from　listening　in。
　Fenring　and　Shaddam　sat　at　the　foot　of　the　throne；　pretending　to　be　intent　students；　though　they　were　both　in　their　thirties。　Looking　frail　and　battling　illness；　the　old　Emperor　indicated　for　them　to　remain　as　observers；　and　the　Tleilaxu　man　did　not　object。
　In　all　this　time；　Ajidica's　hard　gaze　never　strayed　from　Elrood。　The　Emperor　looked　back　at　the　little　man；　feigning　boredom。　Finally　satisfied　with　the　privacy　precautions；　and　ignoring　the　Emperor's　distaste　for　him　and　his　race；　Hidar　Fen　Ajidica　spoke。
　〃We　Bene　Tleilax　have　continued　experiments　in　all　areas　of　genetics；　organic　chemistry；　and　mutations。　In　our　factories　we　have　recently　developed　highly　unorthodox　techniques　to　synthesize；　shall　we　say；　unusual　substances。〃　His　words　were　clipped　and　efficient；　providing　no　more　detail　than　necessary。　〃Our　initial　results　indicate　that　a　synthetic　could　be　fashioned　that；　in　all　important　chemical　properties；　is　identical　to　melange。〃
　〃Spice？〃　Elrood　now　gave　the　Tleilaxu　his　full　attention。　Shaddam　noticed　a　twitching　tic　in　his　father's　right　cheek　below　his　eye。　〃Created　in　a　laboratory？　Impossible！〃
　〃Not　impossible；　my　Lord。　Given　the　proper　time　and　conditions　for　development；　this　artificially　created　spice　could　bee　an　inexhaustible　supply；　mass…produced　and　inexpensive　　and　it　could　be　earmarked　exclusively　for　House　Corrino；　if　you　wish。〃
　Elrood　leaned　forward　like　a　mummified　carrion　bird。　〃Such　a　thing　has　never　been　possible　before。〃
　〃Our　analysis　shows　that　the　spice　is　an　organically　based　substance。　Through　careful　experimentation　and　development；　we　believe　our　axlotl　tanks　can　be　modified　to　produce　melange。〃
　〃The　same　way　you　gr