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family business enterprises。 This was a family of wealth； but not to excess not at the expense of its citizens。
In the play； when the returning general went to his bath； his treacherous wife tangled him in purple robes and stabbed both him and his oracular mistress to death。 〃My gods！ A deadly blow has befallen me！〃 Agamemnon wailed from offstage； out of sight。
Old Paulus smirked and bent over to his son。 〃I've killed many a man on the battlefield； and I have yet to hear one say that as he died！〃
Helena hushed him。
〃Gods protect me； another blow！ I shall die！〃 cried the voice of Agamemnon。
While the audience was engrossed in the tragedy； Leto tried to sort through his thoughts of the situation； how it related to his own life。 This was supposedly his family's heritage； after all。
Clytemnestra admitted the murder； claiming vengeance against her husband for his bloody sacrifice of their daughter； for his whoring in Troy； and for blatantly bringing his mistress Cassandra into her own home。
〃Glorious king；〃 wailed the chorus； 〃our affection is boundless； our tears unending。 The spider has ensnared you in its ghostly web of death。〃
Leto's stomach churned。 House Atreides had mitted horrible deeds in the distant past。 But the family had changed； perhaps driven by the ghosts of history。 The Old Duke was an honorable man； well respected by the Landsraad and beloved by his people。 Leto hoped he could do as well when it came his turn to rule House Atreides。
The final lines of the play were spoken； and the pany of actors marched across the stage； bowing to the assembled political and business leaders； all of whom were dressed in finery befitting their stations。
〃Well； I'm glad that's over；〃 Paulus sighed as the main glowglobes went on in the performance hall。 The Old Duke rose to his feet and kissed his wife's hand as they filed out of the royal box。 〃On your way now； my dear。 I have something to say to Leto。 Wait for us in the reception room。〃
Helena glanced once at her son and went down the corridor of the ancient stone…and…wood theatre。 Her look said she knew exactly what Paulus intended to say； but she bowed to his archaic tradition of having the men speak of 〃important matters〃 while the women busied themselves elsewhere。
Merchants； important businessmen； and other well…respected locals began filling the corridor； sipping Caladanian wine and munching hors d'oeuvres。 〃This way； lad；〃 the Old Duke said； taking a backstage passage。 He and Leto strode past two Atreides guards； who saluted。 Then they took a lift tube up four levels to a gilded dressing room。 Balut crystal glowglobes floated in the air； flickering a warm orange。 Formerly the living quarters of a legendary Caladanian actor； this chamber was now used exclusively by the Atreides and their closest advisors for times requiring privacy。
Leto wondered why his father had taken him here。
After closing the door behind him； Paulus slipped into a green…and…black suspensor chair and motioned for Leto to take one opposite him。 The young man did so and adjusted the controls to lift the floating chair higher in the air； so that his eye level was equal to that of his father。 Leto only did this in private； not even in the presence of his mother； who would consider such behavior unseemly and disrespectful。 By contrast； the Old Duke found his son's brashness and high spirits to be an amusing reflection of the way he himself had been as a young man。
〃You are of age now； Leto；〃 Paulus began； removing an ornate wooden pipe from a partment in the arm of his chair。 He did not waste time with chitchat。 〃And you must learn more than your own backyard。 So I'm sending you to Ix to study。〃 He examined the black…haired youth who looked so similar to his mother； but with lighter； more olive…toned skin than hers。 He had a narrow face with sharp angles and deep gray eyes。
Ix！ Leto's pulse accelerated。 The machine planet。 A strange and alien place。 Everyone in the Imperium knew of that mysterious world's incredible technology and innovations； but few outsiders had ever been there。 Leto felt disoriented； as if on the deck of a boat in a storm。 His father loved to pull surprises like this； to see how well Leto could react to a changed situation。
Ixians maintained a strict veil of secrecy around their industrial operations。 They were rumored to skirt the fringes of legality； manufacturing devices that came close to violating Jihad prohibitions against thinking machines。 Why then is my father sending me to such a place； and how has it been arranged？ Why hasn't anyone asked me？
A robo…table emerged from the floor beside Leto and produced a cold glass of cidrit juice。 The young man's tastes were known； just as it was known that the Old Duke would want nothing but the pipe。 Leto took a sip of the tart drink； puckering his lips。
〃You'll study there for a year；〃 Paulus said； 〃according to the tradition of the allied Great Houses。 Living on Ix will be quite a contrast with our bucolic planet。 Learn from it。〃 He stared at the pipe in his hand。 Carved from Elaccan jacaranda wood； it was deep brown； with swirls that glinted in the light cast by the glowglobes。
〃You've been there； sir？〃 Leto smiled as he remembered。 〃To see your rade Dominic Vernius； right？〃
Paulus touched the bustion pad on the side of his pipe； lighting the tobacco； which was actually a golden seaweed rich in nicotine。 He took a long drag and exhaled smoke。 〃On many occasions。 The Ixians are an insular society and don't trust outsiders。 So you'll have to go through plenty of security precautions； interrogations； and scans。 They know that dropping their guard for the briefest instant can be fatal。 Great and Minor Houses alike covet what Ix has and would like to take it for themselves。〃
〃Richese for one；〃 Leto said。
〃Don't say that to your mother。 Richese is now only a shadow of what it was because Ix trounced them in all…out economic warfare。〃 He leaned forward and took a puff from his pipe。 〃The Ixians are masters of industrial sabotage and patent appropriation。 Nowadays Richesians are only good for making cheap copies； without any innovations。〃
Leto considered these ments； which were new to him。 The Old Duke blew smoke； puffing his cheeks and making his beard bristle。
〃In deference to your mother； lad； we've filtered the information you've learned。 House Richese was a most tragic loss。 Your grandfather； Count Ilban Richese； had a large family and spent more time with his offspring than watching his business interests。 Not surprisingly； his children grew up pampered； and his fortunes fizzled away。〃
Leto nodded； attentive as always to his father's talk。 But he already knew more than Paulus imagined； he'd listened privately to holorecords and filmbooks inadvertently left accessible to him by his proctors。 It occurred to him now； however； that perhaps all of that was by design； part of a plan to open his mother's family history to him like a flower； one petal at a time。
In conjunction with his familial interest in Richese； Leto had always found Ix to be equally intriguing。 Once an industrial petitor of Richese； House Vernius of Ix had survived as a technological powerhouse。 The