bh.houseatreides-第78章

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！


ith　it。
　Here　the　spice　was　everywhere：　in　the　air；　food；　garments；　wall　hangings；　and　rugs。　Melange　was　intertwined　with　sietch　life　as　much　as　water。
　That　day　Turok；　who　still　came　to　take　him　out　on　daily　explorations；　had　noticed　Kynes's　eyes；　the　new　blue　tint。　〃You　are　being　one　of　us；　Planetologist。　That　blue　we　call　the　Eyes　of　Ibad。　You　are　part　of　Dune　now。　Our　world　has　changed　you　forever。〃
　Kynes　had　offered　a　smile；　but　it　was　only　tentative；　because　he　felt　some　fear。　〃That　it　has；〃　he　said。
　And　now　he　was　about　to　be　married　　another　important　change。
　Standing　before　him；　the　mysterious　Sayyadina　uttered　a　series　of　words　in　Chakobsa；　a　language　Kynes　did　not　understand；　but　he　gave　the　appropriate　responses　he　had　memorized。　The　sietch　elders　had　taken　extreme　care　to　prepare　him。　Perhaps　one　day；　with　more　research；　he　would　understand　the　rituals　surrounding　him；　the　ancient　language；　the　mysterious　traditions。　But　for　now　he　could　only　make　reasoned　guesses。
　During　the　ceremony　he　remained　preoccupied；　devising　various　tests　he　could　run　in　sandy　and　rocky　areas　of　the　planet；　dreaming　of　new　experimental　stations　he　would　erect；　considering　which　test　gardens　to　plant。　He　had　vast　plans　to　implement　and；　at　last；　all　the　manpower　he　could　possibly　desire。　It　would　take　an　incredible　amount　of　work　to　reawaken　this　world　　but　now　that　the　Fremen　shared　his　dream；　Pardot　Kynes　knew　it　could　be　done。
　It　could　be　done！
　He　smiled；　and　Frieth　gazed　up　at　him；　smiling　in　her　own　right；　though　almost　certainly　her　thoughts　diverged　widely　from　his。　Nearly　oblivious　to　the　activities　around　him　and　paying　little　mind　to　their　import；　Kynes　found　himself　married　in　the　Fremen　way；　almost　before　he　realized　it。
　The　haughty　do　but　build　castle　walls　behind　which　they　seek　to　hide　their　doubts　and　fears。
　…Bene　Gesserit　Axiom
　The　dawn　mists　carried　an　iodine　tang　from　the　sea；　rising　from　the　wet　black　cliffs　that　supported　the　spires　of　Castle　Caladan。　Normally；　Paulus　Atreides　found　it　peaceful　and　refreshing；　but　today　it　made　him　uneasy。
　The　Old　Duke　stood　out　on　one　of　the　tower　balconies；　drawing　a　deep　breath　of　fresh　air。　He　loved　his　planet；　especially　the　early　mornings；　the　fresh；　pure　kind　of　silence　gave　him　more　energy　than　a　good　night's　sleep　ever　could。
　Even　in　troubled　times　such　as　these。
　To　ward　off　the　chill　he　wrapped　himself　in　a　thick　robe　trimmed　with　green　Canidar　wool。　His　wife　paused　behind　him　in　the　bedchamber；　hanging　on　every　breath　as　she　always　did　after　they　had　been　fighting。　It　was　a　matter　of　form。　When　Paulus　didn't　object；　she　came　closer　to　stand　next　to　him　to　gaze　out　upon　their　world。　Her　eyes　were　tired；　and　she　looked　hurt；　but　unconvinced；　he　would　hold　her；　and　she　would　warm　to　him；　and　then　she　would　try　to　press　the　issue　again。　She　still　insisted　that　House　Atreides　was　in　grave　danger　because　of　what　he　had　done。
　From　below；　shouts　and　muted　laughter　and　the　sounds　of　exercise　drifted　upward。　The　Duke　looked　down　to　the　sheltered　courtyard；　pleased　to　see　his　son　Leto　already　out　doing　his　training　routines　with　the　exiled　Prince　of　Ix。　Both　wore　body…shields　that　hummed　and　flickered　in　the　orange　early…morning　light。　The　young　men　carried　blunted　stun…daggers　in　their　left　hands　and　training　swords　in　their　right。
　In　the　weeks　they　had　lived　on　Caladan；　Rhombur　had　recovered　quickly　and　pletely　from　the　concussion　he'd　received　during　their　escape　from　Ix。　The　exercise　and　fresh　air　had　improved　his　health；　his　muscle　tone；　his　plexion。　But　the　stocky　young　man's　heart　and　his　mood　would　take　much　longer　to　heal。　He　seemed　all　at　sea　yet　from　what　had　happened　to　him。
　The　two　circled　and　parried；　slashing　down；　trying　to　judge　just　how　fast　they　could　move　their　blades　without　having　them　deflected　by　the　protective　fields。　They　challenged　and　pounced；　striking　with　a　flurry　of　attacks　that　had　no　hope　of　penetrating　the　other's　defenses。　Blades　sang　and　ricocheted　from　the　shimmering　shields。
　〃The　boys　have　so　much　energy　for　such　an　hour；〃　Helena　said；　rubbing　her　red…rimmed　eyes。　A　safe　ment；　not　likely　to　raise　any　objections。　She　took　half　a　step　closer。　〃Rhombur's　even　lost　weight。〃
　The　Old　Duke　looked　over　at　her；　noting　the　age…sharpened　porcelain　of　her　features；　a　few　strands　of　gray　in　her　dark　hair。　〃This　is　the　best　time　for　training。　Gets　the　blood　flowing　for　the　entire　day。　I　taught　Leto　that　when　he　was　just　a　boy。〃
　From　far　out　at　sea　he　heard　the　clang　of　a　reef…marking　buoy　and　the　putter　of　a　fishing　coracle；　one　of　the　local　wickerwood　boats　with　waterproofed　hulls。　He　saw　the　hazy　fog　lights　of　a　trawler　farther　out；　cutting　through　the　low…lying　banks　of　sea　mist　as　it　harvested　melon…kelp。
　〃Yes。。。the　boys　are　exercising；〃　Helena　said；　〃but　have　you　noticed　Kailea　sitting　there？　Why　do　you　think　she's　up　so　early？〃　The　lilt　at　the　end　of　her　question　made　him　think　twice。
　The　Duke　looked　down；　for　the　first　time　marking　the　lovely　daughter　of　House　Vernius。　Kailea　lounged　on　a　polished…coral　bench　in　the　sunshine；　daintily　eating　from　a　plate　of　assorted　fruits。　She　had　her　padded　copy　of　the　Orange　Catholic　Bible　beside　her　on　the　bench　　Helena's　gift　　but　she　wasn't　reading　it。
　Puzzled；　Paulus　scratched　his　beard。　〃Does　the　girl　always　get　up　this　early？　I　suspect　she's　not　adjusted　to　our　Caladan　days　yet。〃
　Helena　watched　as　Leto　pressed　with　fury　against　Rhombur's　shield　and　slipped　his　stun…dagger　in；　jolting　the　Ixian　Prince　with　an　electric　shock。　Rhombur　howled；　then　chuckled　as　he　backed　off。　Leto　raised　his　training　sword　as　if　scoring　a　point。　He　flashed　a　gray…eyed　glance　at　Kailea；　touching　the　tip　of　his　sword　to　his　forehead　in　a　salute。
　〃Have　you　never　seen　the　way　your　son　looks　at　her；　Paulus？〃　Helena's　voice　was　stern　and　disapproving。
　〃No；　I　hadn't　much　noticed。〃　The　Old　Duke　looked　from　Leto　to　the　young　woman　again。　In　his　mind　Kailea；　daughter　of　Dominic　Vernius；　was　just　a　child。　He　had　last　seen　her　in　infancy。　Perhaps　his　sluggish　old　mind　hadn't　seen　her　adulthood　ing　so　fast。　Nor　Leto's。
　Considering　this；　he　said；　〃That　boy's　hormones　are　reaching　their　peak。　Let　me　speak　to　Thufir。　We'll　find　some　appropriate　wenches　for　him。〃
　〃Mistresses　like　yours？〃　Helena　turned　away　from　her　husband；　looking　hurt。
　〃Nothing　wrong　with　it。〃　He　prayed　with　all　his　heart　she　wouldn't　pursue　that　subject　again。　〃As　long　as　it　never　bees　anything　serious。〃
　Like　any　Lord　in　the　Imperium；　Paulus　had　his　dalliances。　His　marriage　to　Helena；　one　of　the　daughters　of　House　Richese；　had　been　arranged　for　strictly　political　reasons　after　much　consideration　and　bargaining。　He'd　done　his　best；　had　even　loved　her　for　a　time　　which　had　e　as　a　genuine　surprise　to　him。　But　then　Helena　had　drifted　away；　being　absorbed　in　religion　and　lost　dreams　instead　of　current　realities。
　Discreetly；　quietly；　Paulus　had　eventually　gone　back　to　his　mistresses；　treating　them　well；　enjoying　himself；　and　careful　not　to　produce　any　bastards　from　them。　He　never　spoke　of　it；　but　Helena　knew。　She　always　knew。
　And　she　had　to　live　with　the　fact。
　〃Never　bees　serious？〃　Helena　leaned　over　the　balcony　to　see　Kailea　better。　〃I'm　afraid　Leto　feels　something　for　this　girl；　that　he's　falling　in　love　with　her。　I　told　you　not　to　send　him　to　Ix。〃
　〃It　isn't　love；〃　Paulus　said；　pretending　to　pay　attention　to　the　movements　of　the　sword…and…shield　duel　below。　The　boys　had　more　energy　than　skill；　they　needed　to　work　on　finesse。　The　clumsiest　of　Harkonnen　guards　would　be　able　to　wade　in　and　dispatch　both　of　them　in　an　eyeblink。
　〃You're　sure　about　that？〃　Helena　asked　in　a　worried　tone。　〃A　great　deal　is　at　stake　here。　Leto　is　the　heir　to　House　Atreides；　the　son　of　a　Duke。　He　has　to　take　care　and　choose　his　romantic　assignations　with　forethought。　Consult　with　us；　negotiate　for　terms；　get　the　most　he　can　〃
　〃I　know　that；〃　Paulus　muttered。
　〃You　know　it　all　too　well。〃　His　wife's　voice　became　cold　and　brittle。　〃Maybe　one　of　your　wenches　isn't　such　a　bad　idea　after　all。　At　least　it'll　keep　him　away　from　Kailea。〃
　Down　below；　the　young　woman　nibbled　on　fruit；　eyed　Leto　with　coy　admiration；　and　lau