fh.godemperorofdune-第60部分

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e　parasitic　on　those　they　would　overthrow。　The　fools　merely　fail　to　assess　the　coin　in　which　they　must　inevitably　pay。　The　pattern　is　inexorable　in　its　degenerative　failures。　You　see　it　repeated　in　the　systems　of　slavery；　of　welfare　states；　of　caste…ridden　religions；　of　socializing　bureaucracies…in　any　system　which　creates　and　maintains　dependencies。　Too　long　a　parasite　and　you　cannot　exist　without　a　host。
　…The　Stolen　Journals
　LETO　AND　Siona　lay　all　day　in　the　dune…shadows；　moving　only　as　the　sun　moved。　He　taught　her　how　to　protect　herself　under　a　blanket　of　sand　in　the　noontime　heat；　it　never　grew　too　warm　at　the　rock…level　between　the　dunes。
　In　the　afternoon；　Siona　crept　close　to　Leto　for　warmth；　a　warmth　he　knew　he　had　in　excess　these　days。
　They　talked　sporadically。　He　told　her　about　the　Fremen　graces　which　once　had　dominated　this　landscape。　She　probed　for　secret　knowledge　of　him。
　Once；　he　said：　〃You　may　find　it　odd；　but　out　here　is　where　I　can　be　most　human。〃
　His　words　failed　to　make　her　fully　conscious　of　her　human　vulnerability　and　the　fact　that　she　might　die　out　here。　Even　when　she　was　not　talking；　she　did　not　restore　the　face　flap　of　her　stillsuit。
　Leto　recognized　the　unconscious　motivation　behind　this　failure；　but　knew　the　futility　of　addressing　that　directly。
　In　the　late　afternoon；　night's　chill　already　starting　to　creep　over　the　land；　he　began　regaling　her　with　songs　of　the　Long　Trek　which　had　not　been　saved　in　the　Oral　History。　He　enjoyed　the　fact　that　she　liked　one　of　his　favorites；　〃Liet's　March。〃
　〃The　tune　is　really　ancient；〃　he　said；　〃a　pre…space　thing　of　Old　Terra。〃
　〃Would　you　sing　it　again？〃
　He　chose　one　of　his　best　baritones；　a　long…dead　artist　who　had　filled　many　a　concert　hall。
　〃The　wall　of　past…beyond…recall　Hides　me　from　an　ancient　fall　Where　all　the　waters　tumble！　And　plays　of　sprays　Carve　caves　in　clays　Beneath　a　torrent's　rumble。〃
　When　he　had　finished；　she　was　silent　for　a　moment；　then：　〃That's　an　odd　song　for　marching。〃
　〃They　liked　it　because　they　could　dissect　it；〃　he　said。
　〃Dissect？〃
　〃Before　our　Fremen　ancestors　came　to　this　planet；　night　was　the　time　for　storytelling；　songs　and　poetry。　In　the　Dune　days；　though；　that　was　reserved　for　the　false　dark；　the　daytime　gloom　of　the　sietch。　The　night　was　when　they　could　emerge　and　move　about。。。just　as　we　do　now。〃
　〃But　you　said　dissect。〃
　〃What　does　that　song　mean？〃　he　asked。
　〃Oh。　It's。。。it's　just　a　song。〃
　〃Siona！〃
　She　heard　anger　in　his　voice　and　remained　silent。
　〃This　planet　is　the　child　of　the　worm；〃　he　warned　her；　〃and　I　am　that　worm。〃
　She　responded　with　a　surprising　insouciance：　〃Then　tell　me　what　it　means。〃
　〃The　insect　has　no　more　freedom　from　its　hive　than　we　have　freedom　from　our　past；〃　he　said。　〃The　caves　are　there　and　all　of　the　messages　written　in　the　sprays　of　the　torrents。〃
　〃I　prefer　dancing　songs；〃　she　said。
　It　was　a　flippant　answer；　but　Leto　chose　to　take　it　as　a　change　of　subject。　He　told　her　about　the　marriage　dance　of　Fremen　women；　tracing　the　steps　back　to　the　whirling　of　dust　devils。　Leto　prided　himself　on　telling　a　good　story。　It　was　clear　from　her　rapt　attention　that　she　could　see　the　women　whirling　before　her　inner　eye；　long　black　hair　thrown　in　the　ancient　movements；　straggling　across　long…dead　faces。
　Darkness　was　almost　upon　them　when　he　finished。
　〃e；〃　he　said。　〃Morning　and　evening　are　still　the　times　of　silhouettes。　Let　us　see　if　anyone　shares　our　desert。〃
　Siona　followed　him　up　to　a　dune…crest　and　they　stared　all　around　at　the　darkening　desert。　There　was　only　one　bird　high　overhead；　attracted　by　their　movements。　From　the　splayed…gap　tips　on　its　wings　and　the　shape；　he　knew　it　was　a　vulture。　He　pointed　this　out　to　Siona。
　〃But　what　do　they　eat？〃　she　asked。
　〃Anything　that's　dead　or　nearly　so。〃
　This　hit　her　and　she　stared　up　at　the　last　of　the　sunlight　gilding　the　lone　bird's　flight　feathers。
　Leto　pressed　it：　〃A　few　people　still　venture　into　my　Sareer。　Sometimes；　a　Museum　Fremen　wanders　off　and　gets　lost。　They're　really　only　good　at　the　rituals。　And　then　there　are　the　desert's　edges　and　the　remains　of　whatever　my　wolves　leave。〃
　At　this；　she　whirled　away　from　him；　but　not　before　he　saw　the　passion　still　consuming　her。　Siona　was　being　sorely　tested。
　〃There's　little　daytime　graciousness　about　a　desert；〃　he　said。　〃That's　another　reason　we　travel　by　night。　To　a　Fremen；　the　image　of　the　day　was　that　of　windblown　sand　filling　your　tracks。〃
　Her　eyes　glistened　with　unshed　tears　when　she　turned　back　to　him；　but　her　features　were　posed。。
　〃What　lives　here　now？〃　she　asked。
　〃The　vultures；　a　few　night　creatures；　an　occasional　remnant　of　plant　life　out　of　the　old　days；　burrowing　things。〃
　〃Is　that　all？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　。；Why？〃
　〃Because　this　is　where　they　were　born　and　I　permit　them　to　know　nothing　better。〃
　It　was　almost　dark　with　that　sudden　glowing　light　his　desert　acquired　in　these　moments。　He　studied　her　in　that　luminous　moment；　recognizing　that　she　had　not　yet　understood　his　other　message。　He　knew　that　message　would　sit　there；　though；　and　fester　in　her。〃Silhouettes；〃　she　said；　reminding　him。　〃What　did　you　expect　to　find　when　we　came　up　here？〃
　〃Perhaps　people　at　a　distance。　You're　never　certain。〃
　〃What　people？〃
　〃I've　already　told　you。〃
　〃What　would　you've　done　if　you'd　seen　anyone？〃
　〃It　was　the　Fremen　custom　to　treat　distant　people　as　hostile　until　they　threw　sand　into　the　air。〃
　As　he　spoke；　darkness　fell　over　them　like　a　curtain。
　Siona　became　ghostly　movement　in　the　sudden　starlight。　〃Sand？〃　she　asked。
　〃Thrown　sand　is　a　profound　gesture。　It　says：　‘We　share　the　same　burden。　Sand　is　our　only　enemy。　This　is　what　we　drink。　The　hand　that　holds　sand　holds　no　weapon。'　Do　you　understand　this？〃
　〃No！〃　She　taunted　him　with　a　defiant　falsehood。
　〃You　will；〃　he　said。
　Without　a　word；　she　set　out　along　the　arc　of　their　dune；　striding　away　from　him　with　an　angry　excess　of　energy。　Leto　allowed　himself　to　fall　far　behind　her；　interested　that　she　had　instinctively　chosen　the　right　direction。　Fremen　memories　could　be　felt　churning　in　her。
　Where　the　dune　dipped　to　cross　another；　she　waited　for　him。　He　saw　that　the　face　flap　of　her　stillsuit　remained　open；　hanging　loose。　It　was　not　yet　time　to　chide　her　about　this。　Some　unconscious　things　had　to　run　their　natural　course。
　As　he　came　up　to　her；　she　said：　〃Is　this　as　good　a　direction　as　any　other？〃
　〃If　you　keep　to　it；〃　he　said。
　She　glanced　up　at　the　stars　and　he　saw　her　identify　the　Pointers；　those　Fremen　Arrows　which　had　led　her　ancestors　across　this　land。　He　could　see；　though；　that　her　recognition　was　mostly　intellectual。　She　had　not　yet　e　to　accept　the　other　things　working　within　her。
　Leto　lifted　his　front　segments　to　peer　ahead　in　the　starlight。　They　were　moving　a　little　west　of　north　on　a　track　that　once　had　led　across　Habbanya　Ridge　and　Cave　of　Birds　into　the　erg　below　False　Wall　West　and　the　way　to　Wind　Pass。　None　of　those　landmarks　remained。　He　sniffed　a　cool　breeze　with　flint　smells　in　it　and　more　moisture　than　he　found　pleasant。
　Once　more；　Siona　set　off…slower　this　time；　holding　her　course　by　occasional　glances　at　the　stars。　She　had　trusted　Leto　to　confirm　the　way；　but　now　she　guided　herself。　He　sensed　the　turmoil　beneath　her　wary　thoughts；　and　he　knew　the　things　which　were　emerging。　She　had　the　beginnings　of　that　intense　loyalty　to　traveling　panions　which　desert　folk　always　trusted。
　We　know；　he　thought。　If　you　are　separated　from　your　panions；　you　are　lost　among　dunes　and　rocks。　The　lone　traveler　in　the　desert　is　dead。　Only　the　worm　lives　alone　out　here。
　He　let　her　get　well　ahead　of　him　where　the　grating　sand　of　his　passage　would　not　be　too　prominent。　She　had　to　think　of　his　human…self。　He　counted　on　loyalty　to　work　for　him。　Siona　was　brittle；　though；　filled　with　suppressed　rage…more　of　a　rebel　than　any　other　he　had　ever　tested。
　Leto　glided　along　behind　her；　reviewing　the　breeding　program；　shaping　the　necessary　decisions　for　a　replacement　should　she　fail。
　As　the　night　progressed；　Siona　moved　slower　and　slower。　First　Moon　was　high　overhead　and　Second　Moon　well　above　the　horizon　before　she　stopped　to　rest　and　eat。
　Leto　was　glad　of　the　pause。　Friction　had　set　up　a　worm　dominance；　the　air　around　him　full　of　the　chemical　exhalations　from　his　temperature　adjustments。　The　thing　he　thought　of　as　his　oxygen　supercharger　vented　steadily；　making　him　intensely　aware　of　the　protein　factories　and　amino　acid　resources　his　worm…self　had　acquired　to　acmodate　the　placental　relationship　with　his　human　cells。　Desert　quickened　the　movement　toward　his　final　metamorphosis。
　Siona　had　stopped　near　the　crest　of　a　star　dune。　〃Is　it　true　that　you　eat　the　sand？〃　she　asked　as　he　came　up　to　her。
　〃It's　true。〃
　She　stared　all　around　the　moon…frosted　horizon。　〃Why　didn't　we　bring　a　signal　device？〃
　〃I　wanted　you　to　learn　about　possessions。〃
　She　turned　toward　him。　He　sensed　her　breath　close　to　his　face。　She　was　losing　too　much　moisture　into　the　dry　air。　Still；　she　did　not　remember　Moneo's　admonition。　It　would　be　a　bitter　lesson；　no　doubt　of　that。
　〃I　don't　understand　you　at　all；〃　she　said。
　〃Yet；　you　are　mitted　to　doing　just　that。〃
　〃Am　I？〃
　〃How　else　can　you　give　me　something　of　value　in　exchange　for　what　I　give　you？〃
　〃What　do　you　give　me？〃　All　of　the　bitterness　was　there　and　a　hint　of　the　spice　from　her　dried　food。
　〃I　give　you　this　opportunity　to　be　alone　with　me；　to　share　with　me；　and　you　spend　this　time　without　concern。　You　waste　it。〃
　〃What　about　possessions？〃　she　demanded。
　He　heard　fatigue　in　her　voice；　the　water　message　beginning　to　scream　within　her。
　〃They　were　magnificently　alive　in　the　old　days；　those　Fremen；〃　he　said。　〃And　their　eye　for　beauty　was　limited　to　that　which　was　useful。　I　never　met　a　greedy　Fremen。〃
　〃What's　that　supposed　to　mean？〃
　〃In　the　old　days；　everything　you　took　into　the　desert　was　a　necessity　and　that　was　all　you　took。　Your　life　is　no　longer　free　of　possessions；　Siona；　or　you　would　not　have　asked　about　a　signal　device。〃
　〃Why　isn't　a　signal　device　necessary？〃
　〃It　would　teach　you　nothing。〃
　He　moved　out　around　her　along　the　track　indicated　by　the　Pointers。　〃e。　Let　us　use　this　night　to　our　profit。〃
　She　came