fh.godemperorofdune-第12部分

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　〃The　God　Emperor　has　told　me　that　he　knows　about　an　agreement　between　Ix　and　the　Guild。　We　are　attempting　to　make　a　mechanical　amplifier　of。。。　those　Guild　navigational　talents　which　presently　rely　on　melange。〃
　〃In　this　room　we　call　him　the　Worm；〃　Siona　said。　〃What　would　your　Ixian　machine　do？〃
　〃You　are　aware　that　Guild　Navigators　require　the　spice　before　they　can　see　the　safe　path　to　traverse？〃
　〃You　would　replace　the　navigators　with　a　machine？〃
　〃It　may　be　possible。〃
　〃What　message　do　you　carry　to　your　people　concerning　this　machine？〃
　〃I　am　to　tell　my　people　that　they　may　continue　the　project　only　if　they　send　him　daily　reports　on　their　progress。〃
　She　shook　her　head。　〃He　needs　no　such　reports！　That's　a　stupid　message。〃
　Kobat　swallowed　no　longer　concealing　nervousness。
　〃The　Guild　and　the　Sisterhood　are　excited　by　our　project；〃　he　said。　〃They　are　participating。〃
　Siona　nodded　once。　〃And　they　pay　for　their　participation　by　sharing　spice　with　Ix。〃
　Kobat　glared　at　her。　〃It's　expensive　work　and　we　need　the　spice　for　parative　testing　by　Guild　Navigators。〃
　〃It　is　a　lie　and　a　cheat；〃　she　said。　〃Your　device　will　never　work　and　the　Worm　knows　it。〃
　〃How　dare　you　accuse　us　of。　。　。〃
　〃Be　still！　I　have　just　told　you　the　real　message。　The　Worm　is　telling　you　Ixians　to　continue　cheating　the　Guild　and　the　Bene　Gesserit。　It　amuses　him。〃
　〃It　could　work！〃　Kobat　insisted。
　She　merely　smiled　at　him。　〃Who　tried　to　kill　the　Worm？〃
　〃Duncan　Idaho。〃
　Nayla　gasped。　There　were　other　small　signs　of　surprise　around　the　room；　a　frown；　an　indrawn　breath。
　〃Is　Idaho　dead？〃　Siona　asked。
　〃I　presume　so；　but　the。。。ahhh；　Worm　refuses　to　confirm　it。〃
　〃Why　do　you　presume　him　dead？〃
　〃The　Tleilaxu　have　sent　another　Idaho　ghola。〃
　〃I　see。〃
　Siona　turned　and　signaled　to　Nayla。　who　went　to　the　side　of　the　room　and　returned　with　a　slim　package　wrapped　in　pink　Suk　paper；　the　kind　of　paper　shopkeepers　used　to　enclose　small　purchases。　Nayla　handed　the　package　to　Siona。
　〃This　is　the　price　of　our　silence；〃　Siona　said；　extending　the　package　to　Kobat。　〃This　is　why　Topri　was　permitted　to　bring　you　here　tonight。〃
　Kobat　took　the　package　without　removing　his　attention　from　her　face。
　〃Silence？〃　he　asked。
　〃We　undertake　not　to　inform　the　Guild　and　Sisterhood　that　you　are　cheating　them。〃
　〃We　are　not　cheat。　。　。〃
　〃Don't　be　a　fool！〃
　Kobat　tried　to　swallow　in　a　dry　throat。　Her　meaning　had　bee　plain　to　him：　true　or　not；　if　the　rebellion　spread　such　a　story　it　would　be　believed。　It　was　〃mon　sense〃　as　Topri　was　fond　of　saying。
　Siona　glanced　at　Topri　who　stood　just　behind　Kobat。　No　one　joined　this　rebellion　for　reasons　of　〃mon　sense。〃　Did　Topri　not　realize　that　his　〃mon　sense〃　might　betray　him？　She　returned　her　attention　to　Kobat。
　〃What's　in　this　package？〃　he　asked。
　Something　in　the　way　he　asked　it　told　Siona　he　already　knew。
　〃That　is　something　I　am　sending　to　Ix。　You　will　take　it　there　for　me。　That　is　copies　of　two　volumes　we　removed　from　the　Worm's　fortress。〃
　Kobat　stared　down　at　the　package　in　his　hands。　It　was　obvious　that　he　wanted　to　drop　the　thing；　that　his　venture　into　rebellion　had　loaded　him　with　a　burden　more　deadly　than　he　had　expected。　He　shot　a　scowling　glance　at　Topri　which　said　as　though　he　had　spoken　it：　〃Why　didn't　you　warn　me？〃
　〃What。　。　。〃　He　brought　his　gaze　back　to　Siona；　cleared　his　throat。　〃What's　in　these。。。volumes？〃
　〃Your　people　may　tell　us　that。　We　think　they　are　the　Worm's　own　words；　written　in　a　cipher　which　we　cannot　read。〃
　〃What　makes　you　think　we。。。〃
　〃You　Ixians　are　clever　at　such　things。〃
　〃And　if　we　fail？〃
　She　shrugged。　〃We　will　not　blame　you　for　that。　However；　should　you　use　those　volumes　for　any　other　purpose　or　fail　to　report　a　success　fully。　。　。〃
　〃How　can　anyone　be　sure　we。　。　。〃
　〃We　will　not　depend　only　on　you。　Others　will　get　copies。　I　think　the　Sisterhood　and　the　Guild　will　not　hesitate　to　try　deciphering　those　volumes。〃
　Kobat　slipped　the　package　under　his　arm　and　pressed　it　against　his　body。
　〃What　makes　you　think　the。。。the　Worm　doesn't　know　about　your　intentions。。。even　about　this　meeting？〃
　〃I　think　he　knows　many　such　things；　that　he　may　even　know　who　took　those　volumes。　My　father　believes　he　is　truly　prescient。〃
　〃Your　father　believes　the　Oral　History！〃
　〃Everyone　in　this　room　believes　it。　The　Oral　History　does　not　disagree　with　the　Formal　History　on　important　matters。〃
　〃Then　why　doesn't　the　Worm　act　against　you？〃
　She　pointed　to　the　package　under　Kobat's　arm。　〃Perhaps　the　answer　is　in　there。〃
　〃Or　you　and　these　cryptic　volumes　are　no　real　threat　to　him！〃　Kobat　was　not　concealing　his　anger。　He　did　not　like　being　forced　into　decisions。
　〃Perhaps。　Tell　me　why　you　mentioned　the　Oral　History。〃
　Once　more；　Kobat　heard　the　menace。
　〃It　says　the　Worm　is　incapable　of　human　emotions。〃
　〃That　is　not　the　reason；〃　she　said。　〃You　will　get　one　more　chance　to　tell　me　the　reason。〃
　Nayla　moved　two　steps　closer　to　Kobat。
　〃I。。。I　was　told　to　review　the　Oral　History　before　ing　here；　that　your　people。　。　。〃　He　shrugged。
　〃That　we　chant　it？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Who　told　you　this？〃
　Kobat　swallowed；　cast　a　fearful　glance　at　Topri；　then　back　to　Siona。
　〃Topri？〃　Siona　asked。
　〃I　thought　it　would　help　him　to　understand　us；〃　Topri　said。
　〃And　you　told　him　the　name　of　your　leader；〃　Siona　said。
　〃He　already　knew！〃　Topri's　voice　had　found　its　squeak。
　〃What　particular　parts　of　the　Oral　History　were　you　told　to　review？〃　Siona　asked。
　〃The。。。uhhh；　the　Atreides　line。〃
　〃And　now　you　think　you　know　why　people　join　me　in　rebellion。〃
　〃The　Oral　History　tells　exactly　how　he　treats　everyone　in　the　Atreides　line！〃　Kobat　said。
　〃He　gives　us　a　little　rope　and　then　he　hauls　us　in？〃　Siona　asked。　Her　voice　was　deceptively　flat。
　〃That's　what　he　did　with　your　own　father；〃　Kobat　said。
　〃And　now　he's　letting　me　play　at　rebellion？〃
　〃I'm　just　a　messenger；〃　Kobat　said。　〃If　you　kill　me；　who　will　carry　your　message？〃
　〃Or　the　message　of　the　Worm；〃　Siona　said。
　Kobat　remained　silent。
　〃I　do　not　think　you　understand　the　Oral　History；〃　Siona　said。　〃I　think　also　you　do　not　know　the　Worm　very　well；　nor　do　you　understand　his　messages。〃
　Kobat's　face　flushed　with　anger。　〃What's　to　prevent　you　from　being　like　all　the　rest　of　the　Atreides；　a　nice　obedient　part　of。　。　。〃　Kobat　broke　off；　aware　suddenly　of　what　anger　had　made　him　say。
　〃Just　another　recruit　for　the　Worm's　inner　circle；〃　Siona　said。　〃Just　like　the　Duncan　Idahos？〃
　She　turned　and　looked　at　Nayla。　The　two　aides；　Anouk　and　Taw；　became　suddenly　alert；　but　Nayla　remained　impassive。
　Siona　nodded　once　to　Nayla。
　As　they　were　sworn　to　do；　Anouk　and　Taw　moved　to　positions　blocking　the　door。　Nayla　went　around　to　stand　at　Topri's　shoulder。
　〃What's。。。what's　happening？〃　Topri　asked。
　〃We　wish　to　know　everything　of　importance　that　the　ex…Ambassador　can　share　with　us；〃　Siona　said。　〃We　want　the　entire　message。〃
　Topri　began　to　tremble。　Perspiration　started　from　Kobat's　forehead。　He　glanced　once　at　Topri；　then　returned　his　attention　to　Siona。　That　one　glance　was　like　a　veil　pulled　aside　for　Siona　to　peer　into　the　relationship　between　these　two。
　She　smiled。　This　merely　confirmed　what　she　had　already　learned。
　Kobat　became　very　still。
　〃You　may　begin；〃　Siona　said。
　〃I。。。what　do　you。。　。〃
　〃The　Worm　gave　you　a　private　message　for　your　masters。　I　will　hear　it。〃
　〃He。。。he　wants　an　extension　for　his　cart；〃
　〃Then　he　expects　to　grow　longer。　What　else？〃
　〃We　are　to　send　him　a　large　supply　of　ridulian　crystal　paper。〃　〃For　what　purpose？〃
　〃He　never　explains　his　demands。〃
　〃This　smacks　of　things　he　forbids　to　others；〃　she　said。
　Kobat　spoke　bitterly。　〃He　never　forbids　himself　anything！〃
　〃Have　you　made　forbidden　toys　for　him？〃
　〃I　do　not　know。〃
　He's　lying；　she　thought；　but　she　chose　not　to　pursue　this。　It　was　enough　to　know　the　existence　of　another　chink　in　the　Worm's　armor。
　〃Who　will　replace　you？〃　Siona　asked。
　〃They　are　sending　a　niece　of　Malky；〃　Korbat　said。　〃You　may　remember　that　he。　。　。〃
　〃We　remember　Malky；〃　she　said。　〃Why　does　a　niece　of　Malky　bee　the　new　Ambassador？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　But　it　was　ordered　even　before　the　Go。。。the　Worm　dismissed　me。〃
　〃Her　name？〃
　〃Hwi　Noree。〃
　〃We　will　cultivate　Hwi　Noree；〃　Siona　said。　〃You　were　not　worth　cultivating。　This　Hwi　Noree　may　be　something　else。　When　do　you　return　to　Ix？〃
　〃Immediately　after　the　Festival；　the　first　Guild　ship。〃
　〃What　will　you　tell　your　masters？〃
　〃About　what？〃
　〃My　message！〃
　〃They　will　do　as　you　ask。〃
　〃I　know。　You　may　go；　ex…Ambassador　Kobat。〃
　Kobat　almost　collided　with　the　door　guards　in　his　haste　to　leave。　Topri　made　to　follow　him；　but　Nayla　caught　Topri's　arm　and　held　him。　Topri　swept　a　fearful　glance　across　Nayla's　muscular　body；　then　looked　at　Siona；　who　waited　for　the　door　to　shut　behind　Kobat　before　speaking。
　〃The　message　was　not　merely　to　the　Ixians；　but　to　us　as　well；〃　she　said。　〃The　Worm　challenges　us　and　tells　us　the　rules　of　the　bat。〃
　Topri　tried　to　wrest　his　arm　from　Nayla's　grip。　〃What　do　you。。。〃
　〃Topri！〃　Sonia　said。　〃I；　too；　can　send　a　message。　Tell　my　father　to　inform　the　Worm　that　we　accept。〃
　Nayla　released　his　arm。　Topri　rubbed　the　place　whe