fh.godemperorofdune-第39部分

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！


　Idaho　felt　a　physical　chill　shoot　through　his　intestines。　Leto　gave　him　a　simple　choice：　Declare　your　loyalty　to　the　God　Emperor　or　die！
　If　I　sneer；　vacillate　or　object　in　any　way；　the　women　will　kill　me　with　their　own　hands。
　A　deep　anger　suffused　Idaho。　He　swallowed；　cleared　his　throat；　then：　〃Let　no　one　question　my　loyalty。　I　am　loyal　to　the　Atreides。〃
　He　heard　his　own　voice　booming　out　over　the　room；　amplified　by　Leto's　Ixian　device。
　The　effect　startled　Idaho。
　〃We　share！〃　the　women　screamed。　〃We　share！　We　share！〃
　〃We　share；〃　Leto　said。
　Young　Fish　Speaker　trainees；　identifiable　by　their　short　green　robes；　swarmed　into　the　hall　from　all　sides；　little　knots　of　movement　which　eddied　throughout　the　pattern　of　the　adoring　faces。　Each　trainee　carried　a　tray　piled　high　with　tiny　brown　wafers。　As　the　trays　moved　through　the　throng；　hands　reached　out　in　waves　of　graceful　grasping；　an　undulant　dancing　of　the　arms。　Each　hand　took　a　wafer　and　held　it　aloft。　When　a　tray　bearer　came　to　the　ledge　and　lifted　her　burden　toward　Idaho；　Leto　said：
　〃Take　two　and　pass　one　into　my　hand。〃
　Idaho　knelt　and　took　two　wafers。　The　things　felt　crisp　and　fragile。　He　stood　and　passed　one　gently　to　Leto。
　In　a　stentorian　voice；　Leto　asked：　〃Has　the　new　Guard　been　chosen？〃
　〃Yes；　Lord！〃　the　women　shouted。
　〃Do　you　keep　my　faith？〃
　〃Yes；　Lord！〃
　〃Do　you　walk　the　Golden　Path'〃〃
　〃Yes。　Lord〃
　The　vibration　of　the　women's　‘　（；bouts　sent　shock　waves　through　Idaho；　stunning　him。
　〃Do　we　share？〃　Leto　asked。
　〃Yes；　Lord！〃
　As　the　women　responded；　Leto　popped　his　wafer　into　his　mouth。　Each　mother　below　the　ledge　took　a　bite　from　her　wafer　and　offered　the　rest　to　her　child。　The　massed　Fish　Speakers　behind　the　white…clad　women　lowered　their　arms　and　ate　their　wafers。
　〃Duncan；　eat　your　wafer；〃　Leo　said。
　Idaho　slipped　the　thing　into　his　mouth。　His　ghola　body　had　not　been　conditioned　to　the　spice　but　memory　spoke　to　his　senses。　The　wafer　tasted　faintly　bitter　with　a　soft　undertone　of　melange。　The　taste　swept　old　memories　through　Idaho's　awareness…meals　in　sietch；　banquets　at　the　Atreides　Residency。。。the　way　spice　flavors　permeated　everything　in　the　old　days。
　As　he　swallowed　the　wafer；　Idaho　grew　conscious　of　the　stillness　in　the　hall；　a　breath…held　quiet　into　which　came　a　loud　click　from　Leto's　cart。　Idaho　turned　and　sought　the　source　of　the　sound。　Leto　had　opened　a　partment　in　the　bed　of　his　cart　and　was　removing　a　crystal　box　from　it。　The　box　glowed　with　a　blue…gray　inner　light。　Leto　placed　the　box　on　the　bed　of　his　cart；　opened　the　glowing　lid　and　removed　a　crysknife。　Idaho　recognized　the　blade　immediately…the　hawk　engraved　on　the　handle's　butt；　the　green　jewels　at　the　hilt。
　The　crysknife　of　Paul　Muad'Dib！
　Idaho　found　himself　deeply　moved　at　the　sight　of　this　blade。　He　stared　at　it　as　though　the　image　in　his　eyes　might　reproduce　the　original　owner。
　Leto　lifted　the　blade　and　held　it　high；　revealing　the　elegant　curve　and　milky　iridescence。
　〃The　talisman　of　our　lives；〃　Leto　said。
　The　women　remained　silent；　raptly　attentive。
　〃The　knife　of　Muad'Dib；〃　Leto　said。　〃The　tooth　of　Shai…Hulud。　Will　Shai…Hulud　e　again？〃
　The　response　was　a　subdued　murmur　made　deeply　powerful　by　contrast　with　the　previous　shouting。
　〃Yes；　Lord。〃
　Idaho　returned　his　attention　to　the　enraptured　faces　of　the　Fish　Speakers。
　〃Who　is　Shai…Hulud？〃　Leto　asked。
　Again；　that　deep　murmur：　〃You；　Lord。〃
　Idaho　nodded　to　himself。　Here　was　undeniable　evidence　that　Leto　had　tapped　into　a　monstrous　reservoir　of　power　never　before　unleashed　in　quite　this　way。　Leto　had　said　it　but　the　words　were　a　meaningless　noise　pared　to　the　thing　seen　and　felt　in　this　great　hall。　Leto's　words　came　back　to　Idaho；　though；　as　if　they　had　waited　for　this　moment　to　cloak　themselves　in　their　true　meaning。　Idaho　recalled　that　they　had　been　in　the　crypt；　that　dank　and　shadowy　place　which　Leto　seemed　to　find　so　attractive　but　which　Idaho　found　so　repellent…the　dust　of　centuries　there　and　the　odors　of　ancient　decay。
　〃I　have　been　forming　this　human　society；　shaping　it　for　more　than　three　thousand　years；　opening　a　door　out　of　adolescence　for　the　entire　species；〃　Leto　had　said。
　〃Nothing　you　say　explains　a　female　army！〃　Idaho　had　protested。
　〃Rape　is　foreign　to　women；　Duncan。　You　ask　for　a　sexrooted　behavioral　difference？　There's　one。〃
　〃Stop　changing　the　subject！〃
　〃I　do　not　change　it。　Rape　was　always　the　pay…off　in　male　military　conquest。　Males　did　not　have　to　abandon　any　of　their　adolescent　fantasies　while　engaging　in　rape。〃
　Idaho　recalled　the　glowering　anger　which　had　e　over　him　at　this　thrust。
　〃My　houris　tame　the　males；〃　Leto　said。　〃It　is　domestication；　a　thing　that　females　know　from　eons　of　necessity。〃
　Idaho　stared　wordlessly　at　Leto's　cowled　face。
　〃To　tame；〃　Leto　said。　〃To　fit　into　some　orderly　survival　pattern。　Women　learned　it　at　the　hands　of　men；　now　men　learn　it　at　the　hands　of　women。〃
　〃But　you　said。　。　。〃
　〃My　houris　often　submit　to　a　form　of　rape　at　first　only　to　convert　this　into　a　deep　and　binding　mutual　dependence。〃
　〃Dammit！　You're。　。　。〃
　〃Binding；　Duncan！　Binding。〃
　〃I　don't　feel　bound　to。　。　。〃
　〃Education　takes　time。　You　are　the　ancient　norm　against　which　the　new　can　be　measured。〃
　Leto's　words　momentarily　flushed　Idaho　of　all　emotion　except　a　deep　sense　of　loss。
　〃My　houris　teach　maturation；〃　Leto　said。　〃They　know　that　they　must　supervise　the　maturation　of　males。　Through　this　they　find　their　own　maturation。　Eventually；　houris　merge　into　wives　and　mothers　and　we　wean　the　violent　drives　away　from　their　adolescent　fixations。〃
　〃I'll　have　to　see　it　to　believe　it！〃
　〃You　will　see　it　at　the　Great　Sharing。〃
　As　he　stood　beside　Leto　in　the　hall　of　Siaynoq；　Idaho　admitted　to　himself　that　he　had　seen　something　of　enormous　power；　something　which　might　create　the　kind　of　human　universe　Leto's　words　projected。
　Leto　was　restoring　the　crysknife　to　its　box；　returning　the　box　to　its　partment　in　the　bed　of　the　Royal　Cart。　The　women　watched　in　silence；　even　the　small　children　quiet　everyone　subdued　by　the　force　which　could　be　felt　in　this　great　hall。
　Idaho　looked　down　at　the　children；　knowing　from　Leto's　explanation　that　these　children　would　be　rewarded　with　positions　of　power…male　or　female；　each　in　a　puissant　niche。　The　male　children　would　be　female…dominated　throughout　their　lives；　making　（in　Leto's　words）　〃an　easy　transition　from　adolescence　into　breeding　males。〃
　Fish　Speakers　and　their　progeny　lived　lives　〃possessed　of　a　certain　excitement　not　available　to　most　others。〃
　What　will　happen　to　Irti's　children？　Idaho　wondered。　Did　my　predecessor　stand　here　and　watch　his　white…clad　wife　share　in　Leto's　ritual？
　What　does　Leto　offer　me　here？
　With　that　female　army；　an　ambitious　mander　could　take　over　Leto's　Empire。　Or　could　he？　No。。。not　while　Leto　lived。　Leto　said　the　women　were　not　militarily　aggressive　〃by　nature。〃
　He　said：　〃I　do　not　foster　that　in　them。　They　know　a　cyclical　pattern　with　a　Royal　Festival　every　ten　years；　a　changing　of　the　Guard；　a　blessing　for　the　new　generation；　a　silent　thought　for　fallen　sisters　and　loved　ones　gone　forever。　Siaynoq　after　Siaynoq　marches　onward　in　predictable　measure。　The　change　itself　bees　non…change。〃
　Idaho　lifted　his　gaze　from　the　women　in　white　and　their　children。　He　looked　across　the　mass　of　silent　faces；　telling　himself　that　this　was　only　a　small　core　of　that　enormous　female　force　which　spread　its　feminine　web　across　the　Empire。　He　could　believe　Leto's　words：
　〃The　power　does　not　weaken。　It　grows　stronger　every　decade。〃
　To　what　end？　Idaho　asked　himself。
　He　glanced　at　Leto　who　was　lifting　his　hands　in　benediction　over　the　hall　of　his　houris。
　〃We　will　move　among　you　now；〃　Leto　said。
　The　women　below　the　ledge　opened　a　path；　pressing　backward。　The　path　opened　deeper　into　the　throng　like　a　fissure　spreading　through　the　earth　after　some　tremendous　natural　upheaval。
　〃Duncan；　you　will　precede　me；〃　Leto　said。
　Idaho　swallowed　in　a　dry　throat。　He　put　a　palm　on　the　lip　of　the　ledge　and　dropped　down　into　the　open　space；　moving　out　into　the　fissure　because　he　knew　only　that　could　end　this　trial。
　A　quick　glance　backward　showed　him　Leto's　cart　drifting　majestically　down　on　its　suspensors。
　Idaho　turned　and　quickened　his　pace。
　The　women　narrowed　the　path　through　their　ranks。　It　was　done　in　an　odd　stillness；　with　fixity　of　attention…first　on　Idaho　and　then　on　that　gross　pre…worm　body　riding　behind　Idaho　on　the　Ixian　cart。
　As　Idaho　marched　stoically　ahead；　women　reached　from　all　sides　to　touch　him；　to　touch　Leto；　or　merely　to　touch　the　Royal　Cart。　Idaho　felt　the　restrained　passion　in　their　touch　and　knew　the　deepest　fear　in　his　experience。
　The　problem　of　leadership　is　inevitably：　Who　will　play　God？
　…Muad'Dib。
　From　the　Oral　History
　Hwi　NOREE　followed　a　young　Fish　Speaker　guide　down　a　wide　ramp　which　spiraled　into　the　depths　of　Onn。　The　summons　from　the　Lord　Leto　had　e　in　late　evening　of　the　Festival's　third　day；　interrupting　a　development　which　had　taxed　her　ability　to　maintain　emotional　balance。
　Her　first　assistant；　Othwi　Yake；　was　not　a　pleasant　mana　sandy…haired　creature　with　a　long；　narrow　face　and　eyes　which　never　looked　long　at　anything　and　never　ever　looked　directly　into　the　eyes　of　someone　he　addressed。　Yake　had　presented　her　with　a　single　sheet　of　memerase　paper　containing　what　he　described　as　〃a　summation　of　recently　reported　violence　in　the　Festival　City。〃
　Standing　close　to　the　desk　at　which　she　was　seated；　he　had　stared　down　somewhere　to　her　left　and　said：　〃Fish　Speakers　are　slaughtering　Face　Dancers　throughout　the　City。〃　He　did　not　appear　particularly　moved　by　this。
　〃Why？〃　she　demanded。
　〃It　is　said　that　the　Bene　Tleilax　made　an　attempt　on　the　God　Emperor's　life。〃
　A　thrill　of　fear　shot　through　her。　She　sat　back　and　glanced　around　the　ambassadorial　office…around　room　with　a　single　half…circle　desk　which　concealed　the　controls　for　many　Ixian　devices　beneath　its　highly　polished　surface。　The　room　was　a　darkly　important…appearing　place　with　brown　wood　panels　covering　instruments　which　shielded　it　from　spying。　There　were　no　windows。
　Trying　not　to　show　her　upset；　Hwi　looked　up　at　Yake。　〃And　the　Lord　Leto　is。　。　。〃
　〃Th