bh.houseatreides-第44部分

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　Rogo　would　be　scolding　me　for　my　doubts　now；　C'tair　thought。
　〃Think　about　it；　brother。　How　does　one　practice　for　the　job　of　moving　huge　ships　from　one　star　system　to　another　in　the　wink　of　an　eye？〃　To　demonstrate；　D'murr　winked。　〃You'll　pass。　We　both　will。　Get　ready　to　swim　in　spice　gas。〃
　As　they　strode　up　to　the　embassy's　inner　reception　desk；　C'tair　stared　across　the　underground　city　of　Vernii；　beyond　the　glittering　chains　of　glowglobes　that　illuminated　the　site　where　another　Heighliner　was　already　under　construction。　Perhaps　someday　he　would　fly　that　very　vessel。　Thinking　of　how　the　visiting　Navigator　had　whisked　the　immense　new　Heighliner　out　of　the　cavern　and　into　open　space；　the　young　man　felt　an　infusion　of　desire。　He　loved　Ix；　wanted　to　stay　here；　wanted　to　see　Kailea　one　last　time　　but　he　also　wanted　to　be　a　Navigator。
　The　brothers　identified　themselves　and　waited。　They　stood　together　at　the　flat　marbleplaz　counter　in　silence；　each　brooding　with　personal　thoughts；　as　if　a　trance　might　increase　their　chances　of　succeeding。　I　will　keep　my　mind　pletely　open；　ready　for　anything。
　A　shapely　female　testing　proctor　appeared　in　a　loose　gray　suit。　The　Guild's　infinity　symbol　was　stitched　on　her　lapel；　but　she　wore　no　jewelry　or　other　ornamentation。　〃Wele；〃　she　said；　without　introducing　herself。　〃The　Guild　seeks　the　finest　talent　because　our　work　is　the　most　important。　Without　us；　without　space　travel；　the　fabric　of　the　Imperium　would　unravel。　Think　on　that；　and　you　will　realize　how　selective　we　must　be。〃
　She　did　not　smile　at　all。　Her　hair　was　reddish　brown　and　close…cropped；　C'tair　would　have　found　her　attractive　at　any　other　time；　but　now　he　could　think　of　nothing　beyond　the　impending　examination。
　Checking　their　identification　yet　again；　the　proctor　escorted　the　brothers　to　isolated；　separate　testing　chambers。　〃This　is　an　individual　test；　and　each　of　you　must　face　it　alone。　There　is　no　way　you　can　cheat；　or　even　help　each　other；〃　she　said。
　Alarmed　at　being　separated；　C'tair　and　D'murr　looked　at　each　other；　then　silently　wished　the　other　luck。
　THE　CHAMBER　DOOR　closed　behind　D'murr　with　a　loud　and　frightening　slam。　His　ears　popped　from　the　difference　in　air　pressure。　He　was　alone；　intensely　alone　　but　he　knew　he　was　up　to　the　challenge。
　Confidence　is　half　the　battle。
　He　noted　the　armored　walls；　the　sealed　cracks；　the　lack　of　ventilation。　Hissing　gas　boiled　from　a　single　nozzle　in　the　ceiling。。。thickening　clouds　of　rusty　orange；　with　a　sharp　gingery　tang　that　burned　his　nostrils。　Poison？　Drugs？　Then　D'murr　realized　what　the　Guild　had　in　mind　for　him。
　Melange！
　Closing　his　eyes；　he　smelled　the　unmistakable　cinnamon　odor　of　the　rare　spice。　Rich　melange；　an　incredible　wealth　of　it　in　the　confined　air；　filling　the　chamber　and　permeating　his　every　breath。　Knowing　the　value　of　Arrakis　spice　from　his　mother's　meticulous　work　in　the　Guild　Bank；　D'murr　sucked　in　another　large　gulp。　The　sheer　cost　of　this！　No　wonder　the　Guild　didn't　test　just　anyone　　the　price　for　a　single　examination　would　be　enough　to　build　a　housing　plex　on　another　planet。
　The　wealth　controlled　by　the　Spacing　Guild　　in　banking；　transportation；　and　exploration　　awed　him。　The　Guild　went　everywhere；　touched　everyone。　He　wanted　to　be　part　of　it。　Why　did　they　need　frivolous　ornamentation　when　they　had　so　much　melange？
　He　felt　possibilities　spinning　all　around　him　like　an　elaborate　contour　map；　with　ripples　and　intersections；　a　locus　of　points；　and　paths　that　led　into　and　out　of　the　void。　He　opened　his　mind　so　that　the　spice　could　transport　him　anywhere　in　the　universe。　It　seemed　like　such　a　natural　thing　to　do。
　As　the　orange　fog　enfolded　D'murr；　he　could　no　longer　see　the　featureless　walls　of　the　testing　chamber。　He　felt　melange　pressing　into　his　every　pore　and　cell。　The　sensation　was　marvelous！　He　envisioned　himself　as　a　revered　Navigator；　expanding　his　mind　to　the　farthest　reaches　of　the　Imperium；　enpassing　everything。。。。
　D'murr　soared　along；　without　leaving　the　test　chamber　　or　so　he　thought。
　THE　TEST　WAS　far　worse　than　C'tair　could　have　imagined。
　No　one　ever　told　him　what　he　was　expected　to　do。　He　never　had　a　chance。　He　choked　on　the　spice　gas；　became　dizzy；　fought　to　keep　control　of　his　faculties。　The　melange　overdose　stupefied　him；　so　that　he　could　not　remember　who　he　was　or　why　he　was　there。　He　struggled　to　maintain　focus；　but　lost　himself。
　When　he　eventually　returned　to　consciousness；　his　clothes　clean　and　his　hair　and　skin　freshly　washed　（perhaps　so　the　Guild　could　reclaim　every　particle　of　melange？）；　the　shapely　red…haired　proctor　looked　down　at　him。　She　gave　C'tair　a　winsome；　sad　smile；　and　shook　her　head。　〃You　blocked　your　mind　to　the　spice　gas；　thereby　shackling　yourself　to　the　normal　world。〃　Her　next　words　came　like　a　death　sentence。　〃The　Guild　cannot　use　you。〃
　C'tair　sat　up；　coughing。　He　sniffed；　and　his　nostrils　still　tingled　from　the　potent　cinnamon　stench。　〃I'm　sorry。　Nobody　explained　what　I　was　supposed　to　〃
　She　helped　him　to　his　feet；　anxious　to　usher　him　out　of　the　Embassy　Building。
　His　heart　felt　like　molten　lead。　The　proctor　didn't　need　to　answer　him　as　she　led　him　out　to　the　reception　area。　C'tair　looked　around；　searching　for　his　brother；　but　the　waiting　room　was　empty。
　Then　he　learned　that　his　own　failure　wasn't　the　worst　thing　he　had　to　face。
　〃Where's　D'murr？　Did　he　succeed？〃　C'tair's　voice　filled　with　hope。
　The　proctor　nodded。　〃Admirably。〃　She　extended　her　hand　toward　the　exit；　but　he　sidestepped　her。　C'tair　looked　back　toward　the　inner　corridor　and　the　sealed　testing　chamber　where　his　brother　had　gone。　He　needed　to　congratulate　D'murr；　even　though　the　victory　was　now　bittersweet。　At　least　one　of　them　would　bee　a　Navigator。
　〃You　will　never　see　your　brother　again；〃　the　proctor　said；　coldly。　She　moved　to　block　the　way　back　in。　〃D'murr　Pilru　is　ours　now。〃
　Recovering　after　an　instant　of　shock；　C'tair　broke　past　the　proctor　and　ran　to　the　sealed　chamber　door。　He　pounded　against　it　and　shouted；　but　received　no　answer。　Within　minutes；　Guild　guards　surrounded　him　　more　businesslike　than　gentle　　and　peeled　him　away。
　Still　dizzy　from　the　unaccustomed　aftereffects　of　melange　exposure；　C'tair　didn't　realize　where　they　were　taking　him。　Blinking　and　disoriented；　he　found　himself　standing　on　the　crystal　walkway　outside　the　blocky　gray　embassy。　Below　him；　other　walkways　and　streets　bustled　with　traffic　and　pedestrians　traveling　from　one　tower　building　to　another。
　Now　he　was　more　alone　than　ever。
　The　testing　proctor　stood　on　the　embassy　steps；　barring　C'tair　from　reentering。　Even　though　his　mother　worked　somewhere　inside；　deep　in　the　banking　section；　C'tair　knew　that　the　doors　of　this　facility；　as　well　as　the　doors　to　the　future　he　had　counted　on；　were　now　locked　to　him。
　〃Rejoice　for　your　brother；〃　the　proctor　called　from　the　steps；　her　voice　finally　showing　some　life。　〃He　has　entered　another　world。　He　can　travel　to　places　you'll　never　imagine。〃
　〃I　can　never　see　him；　or　talk　to　him　again？〃　C'tair　said；　as　if　part　of　him　had　been　ripped　away。
　〃Doubtful；〃　the　proctor　said；　crossing　her　arms　over　her　chest。　She　gave　him　an　apologetic　frown。　〃Unless　he。。。suffers　a　reversal。　His　first　time；　your　brother　immersed　himself　so　pletely　in　the　spice　gas　that　he　started　the。。nversion　process　right　there　and　then。　The　Guild　cannot　deny　such　talent。　He　has　already　started　to　change。〃
　〃Bring　him　back；〃　C'tair　said；　his　eyes　tear…filled　now。　He　prayed　for　his　brother。　〃Just　for　a　little　while。〃　He　wanted　to　be　happy　for　his　twin　　and　proud。　D'murr　had　passed　the　test　that　meant　so　much　to　both　of　them。
　The　twins　had　always　been　so　close。　How　could　they　possibly　go　on　without　one　another？　Perhaps　his　mother　could　use　her　Guild　banking　connections；　so　that　they　would　at　least　be　able　to　have　their　farewells。　Or　maybe　his　father　would　use　ambassadorial　privilege　to　get　D'murr　back。
　But　C'tair　knew　that　would　never　happen。　He　could　see　that　now。　His　mother　had　already　known　it；　had　been　afraid　of　losing　both　sons。
　〃The　process　is；　in　the　majority　of　cases；　irreversible；〃　the　proctor　said　with　finality。
　Guild　security　guards　marched　out　to　stand　beside　her；　ensuring　that　C'tair　did　not　bee　irrational　and　try　to　force　his　way　inside。
　〃Trust　me；〃　said　the　proctor。　〃You　don't　want　your　brother　back。
　The　human　body　is　a　machine；　a　system　of　organic　chemicals；　fluid　conduits；　electrical　impulses；　a　government　is　likewise　a　machine　of　interacting　societies；　laws；　cultures；　rewards　and　punishments；　patterns　of　behavior。　Ultimately；　the　universe　itself　is　a　machine；　planets　around　suns；　stars　gathered　into　clusters；　clusters　and　other　suns　forming　entire　galaxies。。。。　Our　job　is　to　keep　the　machinery　functioning。
　…Suk　Inner　School；　Primary　Doctrine
　Both　frowning；　Crown　Prince　Shaddam　and　Chamberlain　Aken　Hesban　watched　the　approach　of　a　diminutive；　scrawny　man　who　nonetheless　walked　as　tall　as　a　Mutellian　giant。　After　years　of　training　and　conditioning；　all　Suk　doctors　seemed　pelled　to　take　themselves　far　too　seriously。
　〃That　Elas　Yungar　looks　more　like　a　circus　performer　than　a　respected　medical　professional；〃　Shaddam　said；　looking　at　the　arched　eyebrows；　black　eyes；　and　the　steel…gray　ponytail。　〃I　hope　he　knows　what　he's　doing。　I　want　only　the　best　care　for　my　poor　ailing　father。〃
　Beside　him；　Hesban　tugged　on　one　of　his　long　mustaches；　but　made　no　response。　He　wore　a　floor…length　blue　robe　with　golden　piping。　For　years；　Shaddam　had　disliked　this　pompous　man　who　hovered　too　close　to　his　father's　presence；　and　he　vowed　to　choose　a　new　Chamberlain　after　assuming　the　throne。　And　so　long　as　this　Suk　doctor　could　find　no　explanation　for　Elrood's　gradually　worsening　illness；　Shaddam's　ascendancy　would　be　assured。
　Hasimir　Fenring　had　emphasized　that　even　all　the　resources　of　the　exalted　Suk　Inner　School　could　not　stop　what　had　been　set　in　motion。　The　catalyst　chemical　implanted　in　the　old　man's　brain　would　register　on　no　poison…snooper；　since　it　was　not　itself　poison；　but　would　only　convert　to　a　dangerous　substance　in　the　presence　of　spice　beer。　And　as　he　felt　worse　and　worse；　old　Elrood　consumed　ever…increasing　quantities　of　the　beer。
　No　more　than　a　meter　in　height；　the　shrunken