fh.godemperorofdune-第17部分
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NAYLA MOVED In a steady； plodding ；pace as she climbed the circular stairs to the God Emperor's audience chamber atop the Citadel's south tower。 Each time she traversed the southwest arc of the tower； the narrow slitted windows drew dust…defined golden lines across her path。 She knew that the central wall beside her confined a lift of Ixian make large enough to carry her Lord's bulk to the upper chamber； certainly large enough to hold her relatively smaller body； but she did not resent the fact that she was required to use the stairs。
The breeze through the open slits brought her the burnt…flint smell of blown sand。 The low…lying sun ignited the light of red mineral flakes in the inner wall； ruby matches glowing there。 Now and then she cast a glance through a slitted window at the dunes。 Never once did she pause to admire the things to be seen around her。
〃You have heroic patience； Nayla；〃 the Lord had once told her。
Remembrance of those words warmed Nayla now。
Within the tower； Leto followed Nayla's progress up the long circular stairs that spiraled around the Ixian tube。 Her progress was transmitted to him by an Ixian device which projected her approaching image quarter…size onto a region of three…dimensional focus directly in front of his eyes。
How precisely she moves； he thought。
The precision； he knew； came from a passionate simplicity。
She wore her Fish Speaker blues and a cape…robe without the hawk at the breast。 Once past the guard station at the foot of the tower； she had thrown back the cibus mask he required her to wear on these personal visits。 Her blocky； muscular body was like that of many others among his guardians； but her face was like no other in all of his memory…almost square with a mouth so wide it seemed to extend around the cheeks； an illusion caused by deep creases at the corners。 Her eyes were pale green； the closely cropped hair like old ivory。 Her forehead added to the square effect； almost flat with pale eyebrows which often went unnoticed because of the pelling eyes。 The nose was a straight； shallow line which terminated close to the thin…lipped mouth。
When Nayla spoke； her great jaws opened and closed like those of some primordial animal。 Her strength； known to few outside the corps of Fish Speakers； was legendary there。 Leto had seen her lift a one…hundred…kilo man with one hand。 Her presence on Arrakis had been arranged originally without Moneo's intervention； although the majordomo knew Leto employed his Fish Speakers as secret agents。
Leto turned his head away from the plodding image and looked out the wide opening beside him at the desert to the south。 The colors of the distant rocks danced in his awareness…brown； gold； a deep amber。 There was a line of pink on a faraway cliff the exact hue of an egret's feathers。 Egrets did not exist anymore except in Leto's memory； but he could place that pale pastel ribbon of stone against an inner eye and it was as though the extinct bird flew past him。
The climb； he knew； should be starting to tire even Nayla。 She paused at last to rest； stopping at a point two steps past the three…quarter mark； precisely the place where she rested every time。 It was part of her precision； one of the reasons he had brought her back from the distant garrison on Seprek。
A Dune hawk floated past the opening beside Leto only a few wing lengths from the tower wall。 Its attention was held on the shadows at the base of the Citadel。 Small animals sometimes emerged there； Leto knew。 Dimly on the horizon beyond the hawk's path he could see a line of clouds。
What a strange thing those were to the Old Fremen in him： clouds on Arrakis and rain and open water。
Leto reminded the inner voices： Except for this last desert； my Sareer； the remodeling of Dune into verdant Arrakis has gone on remorselessly since the first days of my rule。
The influence of geography on history went mostly unrecognized； Leto thought。 Humans tended to look more at the influence of history on geography。
Who owns this river passage？ This verdant valley？ This peninsula？ This planet？
None of us。
Nayla was climbing once more； her gaze fixed upward on the stairs she must traverse。 Leto's thoughts locked on her。
In many ways； she is the most useful assistant I have ever had。 I am her God。 She worships me quite unquestioningly。 Even when l playfully attack her faith； she takes this merely as testing。 She knows herself superior to any test。
When he had sent her to the rebellion and had told her to obey Siona in all things； she did not question。 When Nayla doubted； even when she framed her doubts in words； her own thoughts were enough to restore faith。。。or had been enough。 Recent messages； however； made it clear that Nayla required the Holy Presence to rebuild her inner strength。
Leto recalled the first conversation with Nayla； the woman trembling in her eagerness to please。
〃Even if Siona sends you to kill me； you must obey。 She must never learn that you serve me。〃
〃No one can kill you； Lord。〃
〃But you must obey Siona。〃
〃Of course； Lord。 That is your mand。〃
〃You must obey her in all things。〃
〃I will do it； Lord。〃
Another test。 Nayla does not question my tests。 She treats them as flea bites。 Her Lord mands？ Nayla obeys。 I must not let anything change that relationship。
She would have made a superb Shadout in the old days； Leto thought。 It was one of the reasons he had given Nayla a crysknife； a real one preserved from Sietch Tabr。 It had belonged to one of Stilgar's wives。 Nayla wore it in a concealed sheath beneath her robes； more a talisman than a weapon。 He had given it to her in the original ritual； a ceremony which had surprised him by evoking emotions he had thought forever buried。
〃This is the tooth of Shai…Hulud。〃
He had extended the blade to her on his silvery…skinned hands。
〃Take it and you bee part of both past and future。 Soil it and the past will give you no future。〃
Nayla had accepted the blade； then the sheath。
〃Draw the blood of a finger；〃 Leto had manded。
Nayla had obeyed。
〃Sheath the blade。 Never remove it without drawing blood。〃
Again； Nayla had obeyed。
As Leto watched the three…dimensional image of Nayla's approach； his reflections on that old ceremony were touched by sadness。 Unless fixed in the Old Fremen way； the blade would grow increasingly brittle and useless。 It would keep its crysknife shape throughout Nayla's life； but little longer。
I have thrown away a bit of the past。
How sad it was that the Shadout of old had bee today's Fish Speaker。 And a true crysknife had been used to bind a servant more strongly to her master。 He knew that some thought his Fish Speakers were really priestesses
…Leto's answer to the Bene Gesserit。
〃He creates another religion；〃 the Bene Gesserit said。
Nonsense！ I have not created a religion。 I am the religion！
Nayla entered the tower sanctuary and stood three paces from Leto's cart； her gaze lowered in proper subservience。
Still in his memories； Leto said： 〃Look at me； woman！〃
She obeyed。
〃I have created a holy obscenity！〃 he said。 〃This religion built around my person disgusts me！〃
〃Yes； Lord。〃
Nayla's green eyes on the gilded cushions of her checks stared out at him without questioning； without prehension；
without the need of either response。
If I sent her out to collect the stars； she would go and she would attempt it。 She thinks I am testing her again。 I do believe she could anger me。
〃This damnable religion should end with me！〃 Leto shouted。 〃Why should I want to loose a religion upon my people？ Religions wreck from within…Empires and individuals alike！ It's all the same。〃
〃Yes； Lord。〃
〃Religions create radicals and fanatics like you！〃
〃Thank You； Lord。〃
The short…lived pseudo…rage sank back out of sight into the depths of his memories。 Nothing dented the hard surface of Nayla's faith。
〃Topri has reported to me through Moneo；〃 Leto said。 〃Tell me about this Topri。〃
〃Topri is a worm。〃
〃Isn't that what you call me when you're among the rebels？〃
〃I obey my Lord in everything。〃
Touchй！
〃Topri is not worth cultivating then？〃 Leto asked。
〃Siona assessed him correctly。 He is clumsy。 He says things which others will repeat； thus exposing his hand in the matter。 Within seconds after Kobat began to speak； she had confirmation that Topri was a spy。〃
Everyone agrees； even Moneo； Leto thought。 Topri is not a good spy。
The agreement amused Leto。 The petty machinations muddied water which remained pletely transparent to him。 The performers； however； still suited his designs。
〃Siona does not suspect you？〃 Leto asked。
〃I am not clumsy。〃
〃Do you know why I summoned you？〃
〃To test my faith。〃
Ahhh； Nayla。 How little you know of testing。
〃I want your assessment of Siona。 I want to see it on your face and see it in your movements and hear it in your voice。〃 Leto said。 〃Is she ready？〃
〃The Fish Speakers need that one； Lord。 Why do You risk losing her？〃
〃Forcing the issue is the surest way of losing what I treasure most in her；〃 Leto said。 〃She must e to me with all of her strengths intact。〃
Nayla lowered her gaze。 〃As my Lord mands。〃
Leto recognized the response。 It was a Nay
