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ecision at all。 In the play； Leto thought the Old Duke sympathized most with the great general； a man after his own heart。
The chorus of old men droned on； Clytemnestra stepped out of the palace to deliver a speech； and the chorus continued again。 A herald； pretending to have disembarked from a ship； came onto the stage； kissed the ground； and recited a long soliloquy。
〃Agamemnon； glorious king！ How you deserve our joyous wele； for annihilating Troy and the Trojan homeland。 Our enemy's shrines lie in ruins； nevermore forting their gods； and their soils are barren。〃
Warfare and mayhem it made Leto think of his father's younger days； when he had charged out to fight battles for the Emperor； crushing a bloody rebellion on Ecaz； adventuring with his friend Dominic； who was now the Earl of House Vernius on Ix。 In private times with Leto； the Old Duke often talked about those days with great fondness。
In the shadows of their box； Paulus heaved a too…loud sigh； not concealing his boredom。 Lady Helena shot him a daggered glare； then returned her attention to the play； reconstructing her face to form a more placid smile in case anyone should look at her。 Leto gave his father a crooked and sympathetic grin； and Paulus winked back at him。 The Duke and his wife played their parts and fit their own fortable roles。
Finally； on the stage below； the victorious Agamemnon arrived in a chariot； acpanied by his spoils…of…war mistress； the half…insane prophetess Cassandra。 Meanwhile； Clytemnestra made preparations for her hated husband's appearance； feigning devotion and love。
Old Paulus started to loosen the collar of his uniform； but Helena reached over quickly to pull his hand away。 Her smile didn't waver。
Seeing this ritual his parents often went through； Leto smiled to himself。 His mother constantly struggled to maintain what she called 〃a sense of decorum；〃 while the old man behaved with far less formality。 Though his father had taught him much about statecraft and leadership； Lady Helena had taught her son protocol and religious studies。
A daughter of Richese； Lady Helena Atreides had been born into a House Major that had lost most of its power and prestige through failed economic petitions and political intrigues。 After being ousted from the planetary governorship of Arrakis； Helena's family had salvaged some of its respectability through an arranged marital alliance with the Atreides； several of her sisters had been married off to other Houses。
Despite their obvious differences； the Old Duke had once told Leto he had truly loved Helena in the first years of their union。 Over time； that had eroded； and he'd dabbled with many mistresses； possibly producing illegitimate children； though Leto was his sole official heir。 As decades passed； an enmity built up between husband and wife； causing a deep rift。 Now their marriage was strictly political。
〃I married for politics in the first place； lad；〃 he had said。 〃Never should have tried to make it otherwise。 At our station； marriage is a tool。 Don't muck everything up by trying to throw love into the mix。〃
Leto sometimes wondered if Helena herself had ever loved his father； or if it had only been his title and station that she loved。 Of late； she seemed to have assumed the role of Paulus's royal caretaker； she constantly strove to keep him groomed and presentable。 It bore as much on her own reputation as on his。
On the stage； Clytemnestra greeted her husband； strewing purple tapestries on the ground so he could walk on them rather than on the dirt。 Amidst great pomp and fanfare； Agamemnon marched into his palace； while the oracle Cassandra； speechless in terror； refused to enter。 She foretold her own death and the murder of the general； of course； no one listened to her。
Through carefully cultivated political channels； Leto's mother maintained contacts with other powerful Houses； while Duke Paulus developed strong bonds with the mon people of Caladan。 The Atreides Dukes led their subjects by serving them and by paying themselves only what was fair from 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