fh.godemperorofdune-第24部分

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　〃Should　we　speak　to　one　of　them'？〃
　〃I　have　thought　about　that。　We　can　always　say　we　feared　they　were　Face　Dancer　substitutes。〃
　〃Guards　at　the　door；〃　Luyseyal　muttered。　〃Is　it　possible　that　he　knows？〃
　〃Anything　is　possible。〃
　〃With　the　Lord　Leto　that's　the　only　thing　you　can　say　for　sure；〃　Luyseyal　said。
　Anteac　permitted　herself　a　small　sigh　as　she　lifted　herself　from　the　stool。　〃How　I　long　for　the　old　days　when　we　had　all　of　the　spice　we　could　ever　need。〃
　〃Ever　was　just　another　illusion；〃　Luyseyal　said。　〃I　hope　we　have　learned　our　lesson　well；　no　matter　how　the　Tleilaxu　make　out　today。〃
　〃They　will　do　it　clumsily　whatever　the　oute；〃　Anteac　grumbled。　〃Gods！　There　are　no　good　assassins　to　be　found　anymore。〃
　〃There　are　always　the　ghola　Idahos；〃　Luyseyal　said。
　〃What　did　you　say？〃　Anteac　stared　at　her　panion。
　〃There　are　always。　。　。〃
　〃Yes！〃
　〃The　gholas　are　too　slow　in　the　body；〃　Luyseyal　said。
　〃But　not　in　the　head。〃
　〃What're　you　thinking？〃
　〃Is　it　possible　that　the　Tleilaxu。。。No；　not　even　they　could　be　that。　。　。〃
　〃An　Idaho　Face　Dancer？〃　Luyseyal　whispered。
　Anteac　nodded　mutely。
　〃Put　it　out　of　your　mind；〃　Luyseyal　said。　〃They　could　not　be　that　stupid。〃
　〃That's　a　dangerous　judgment　to　make　about　Tleilaxu；〃　Anteac　said。　〃We　must　prepare　ourselves　for　the　worst。　Get　one　of　those　Fish　Speaker　guards　in　here！〃
　
　Unceasing　warfare　gives　rise　to　its　own　social　conditions　which　have　been　similar　in　all　epochs。　People　enter　a　permanent　state　of　alertness　to　ward　off　attacks。　You　seethe　absolute　rule　of　the　autocrat。　All　new　things　bee　dangerous　frontier　districts…new　planets；　new　economic　areas　to　exploit；　new　ideas　or　new　devices；　visitors…everything　suspect。　Feudalism　takes　firm　hold；　sometimes　disguised　as　a　politbureau　or　similar　structure；　but　always　present。　Hereditary　succession　follows　the　lines　of　power。　The　blood　of　the　powerful　dominates。　The　vice　regents　of　heaven　or　their　equivalent　apportion　the　wealth。　And　their　know　they　must　control　inheritance　or　slowly　let　the　power　melt　away。　Now；　do　you　understand　Leto's　Peace？
　…The　Stolen　Journals
　〃HAVE　THE　Bene　Gesserit　been　informed　of　the　new　schedule？〃　Leto　asked。
　His　entourage　had　entered　the　first　shallow　cut　which　would　wind　into　switchbacks　at　the　approach　to　the　bridge　across　the　Idaho　River。　The　sun　stood　at　the　morning's　first　quarter　and　a　few　courtiers　were　shedding　cloaks。　Idaho　walked　with　a　small　troop　of　Fish　Speakers　at　the　left　flank；　his　uniform　beginning　to　show　traces　of　dust　and　perspiration。　Walking　and　trotting　at　the　speed　of　a　Royal　peregrination　was　hard　work。
　Moneo　stumbled　and　caught　himself。　〃They　have　been　informed；　Lord。〃　The　change　of　schedule　had　not　been　easy；　but　Moneo　had　learned　to　expect　erratic　shifts　of　direction　at　Festival　time。　He　kept　contingency　plans　at　the　ready。
　〃Are　they　still　petitioning　for　a　permanent　Embassy　on　Arrakis'？〃　Leto　asked。
　〃Yes；　Lord。　I　gave　them　the　usual　answer。〃
　〃A　simple　‘no'　should　suffice；〃　Leto　said。　〃They　no　longer　need　to　be　reminded　that　I　abhor　their　religious　pretentions。〃
　〃Yes；　Lord。〃　Moneo　held　himself　to　just　within　the　prescribed　distance　beside　Leto's　cart。　The　Worm　was　very　much　present　this　morning…the　bodily　signs　quite　apparent　to　Moneo's　eyes。　No　doubt　it　was　the　moisture　in　the　air。　That　always　seemed　to　bring　out　the　Worm。
　〃Religion　always　leads　to　rhetorical　despotism；〃　Leto　said。　〃Before　the　Bene　Gesserit；　the　Jesuits　were　the　best　at　it。〃
　〃Jesuits；　Lord？〃
　〃Surely　you've　met　them　in　your　histories？〃
　〃I'm　not　certain；　Lord。　When　were　they？〃
　〃No　matter。　You　learn　enough　about　rhetorical　despotism　from　a　study　of　the　Bene　Gesserit。　Of　course；　they　do　not　begin　by　deluding　themselves　with　it。〃
　The　Reverend　Mothers　are　in　for　a　bad　time；　Moneo　told　himself。　He's　going　to　preach　at　them。　They　detest　that。　This　could　cause　serious　trouble。
　〃What　was　their　reaction？〃　Leto　asked。
　〃I'm　told　they　were　disappointed　but　did　not　press　the　matter。〃
　And　Moneo　thought：　'd　best　prepare　them　for　more　disappointment。　And　they'll　have　to　be　kept　away　from　the　delegations　of　Ix　and　Tleilaxu。
　Moneo　shook　his　head。　This　could　lead　to　some　very　nasty　plotting。　The　Duncan　had　better　be　warned。
　〃It　leads　to　self…fulfilling　prophecy　and　justifications　for　all　manner　of　obscenities；〃　Leto　said。
　〃This。。。rhetorical　despotism；　Lord？〃
　〃Yes！　It　shields　evil　behind　walls　of　self…righteousness　which　are　proof　against　all　arguments　against　the　evil。〃
　Moneo　kept　a　wary　eye　on　Leto's　body；　noting　the　way　the　hands　twisted；　almost　a　random　movement；　the　twitching　of　the　great　ribbed　segments。　What　will　I　do　if　the　Worm　es　out　of　him　here？　Perspiration　broke　out　on　Moneo's　forehead。
　〃It　feeds　on　deliberately　twisted　meanings　to　discredit　opposition；〃　Leto　said。
　〃All　of　that；　Lord？〃
　〃The　Jesuits　called　that　‘securing　your　power　base。'　It　leads　directly　to　hypocrisy　which　is　always　betrayed　by　the　gap　between　actions　and　explanations。　They　never　agree。〃
　〃I　must　study　this　more　carefully；　Lord。〃
　〃Ultimately；　it　rules　by　guilt　because　hypocrisy　brings　on　the　witch　hunt　and　the　demand　for　scapegoats。〃
　〃Shocking；　Lord。〃
　The　cortege　rounded　a　corner　where　the　rock　had　been　opened　for　a　glimpse　of　the　bridge　in　the　distance。
　〃Moneo；　are　you　paying　close　attention　to　me？〃
　〃Yes；　Lord。　Indeed。〃
　〃I'm　describing　a　tool　of　the　religious　power　base。〃
　〃I　recognize　that；　Lord。〃
　〃Then　why　are　you　so　afraid？〃
　〃Talk　of　religious　power　always　makes　me　uneasy；　Lord。〃
　〃Because　you　and　the　Fish　Speakers　wield　it　in　my　name？〃
　〃Of　course；　Lord。〃
　〃Power　bases　are　very　dangerous　because　they　attract　people　who　are　truly　insane；　people　who　seek　power　only　for　the　sake　of　power。　Do　you　understand？〃
　〃Yes；　Lord。　That　is　why　you　so　seldom　grant　petitions　for　appointments　in　your　government。〃
　〃Excellent；　Moneo！〃
　〃Thank　you；　Lord。〃
　〃In　the　shadow　of　every　religion　lurks　a　Torquemada；〃　Leto　said。　〃You　have　never　encountered　that　name。　I　know　because　I　caused　it　to　be　expunged　from　all　the　records。〃
　〃Why　was　that；　Lord？〃
　〃He　was　an　obscenity。　He　made　living　torches　out　of　people　who　disagreed　with　him。〃
　Moneo　pitched　his　voice　low。　〃Like　the　historians　who　angered　you；　Lord？〃
　〃Do　you　question　my　actions；　Moneo？〃
　〃No；　Lord！〃
　〃Good。　The　historians　died　peacefully。　Not　a　one　felt　the　flames。　Torquemada；　however；　delighted　in　mending　to　his　god　the　agonized　screams　of　his　burning　victims。〃
　〃How　horrible；　Lord。〃
　The　cortege　turned　another　corner　with　a　view　of　the　bridge。　The　span　appeared　to　be　no　closer。
　Once　more；　Moneo　studied　his　God　Emperor。　The　Worm　appeared　no　closer。　Still　too　close；　though。　Moneo　could　feel　the　menace　of　that　unpredictable　presence；　the　Holy　Presence　which　could　kill　without　warning。
　Moneo　shuddered。
　What　had　been　the　meaning　of　that　strange。。。sermon？　Moneo　knew　that　few　had　ever　heard　the　God　Emperor　speak　thus。　It　was　a　privilege　and　a　burden。　It　was　part　of　the　price　paid　for　Leto's　Peace。　Generation　after　generation　marched　in　their　ordered　way　under　the　dictates　of　that　peace。　Only　the　Citadel's　inner　circle　knew　all　of　the　infrequent　breaks　in　that　peace…the　incidents　when　Fish　Speakers　were　sent　out　in　anticipation　of　violence。
　Anticipation！
　Moneo　glanced　at　the　now…silent　Leto。　The　God　Emperor's　eyes　were　closed　and　a　look　of　brooding　had　e　over　his　face。　That　was　another　of　the　Worm　signs…　a　bad　one。　Moneo　trembled。
　Did　Leto　anticipate　even　his　own　moments　of　wild　violence？　It　was　the　anticipation　of　violence　which　sent　tremors　of　awe　and　fear　throughout　the　Empire。　Leto　knew　where　guards　must　be　posted　to　put　down　a　transitory　uprising。　He　knew　it　before　the　event。　Even　thinking　about　such　matters　dried　Moneo's　mouth。　There　were　times；　Moneo　believed；　when　the　God　Emperor　could　read　any　mind。　Oh；　Leto　employed　spies。　An　occasional　shrouded　figure　passed　by　the　Fish　Speakers　for　the　climb　to　Leto's　tower　aerie　or　descended　to　the　crypt。　Spies；　no　doubt　of　it；　but　Moneo　suspected　they　were　used　merely　to　confirm　what　Leto　already　knew。
　As　though　to　confirm　the　fears　in　Moneo's　mind；　Leto　said：　〃Do　not　try　to　force　an　understanding　of　my　ways；　Moneo。　Let　understanding　e　of　itself。〃
　〃I　will　try；　Lord。〃
　〃No；　do　not　try。　Tell　me；　instead；　if　you　have　announced　yet　that　there　will　be　no　changes　in　the　spice　allotments？〃
　〃Not　yet；　Lord。〃
　〃Delay　the　announcement。　I　am　changing　my　mind。　You　know；　of　course；　that　there　will　be　new　offers　of　bribes。〃
　Moneo　sighed。　The　amounts　offered　him　in　bribes　had　reached　ridiculous　heights。　Leto；　however；　had　appeared　amused　by　the　escalation。
　〃Draw　them　out；〃　he　had　said　earlier。　〃See　how　high　they　will　go。　Make　it　appear　that　you　can　be　bribed　at　last。〃
　Now；　as　they　turned　another　corner　with　a　view　of　the　bridge；　Leto　asked：　〃Has　House　Corrino　offered　you　a　bribe？〃
　〃Yes；　Lord。〃
　〃Do　you　know　the　myth　which　says　that　someday　House　Corrino　will　be　restored　to　its　ancient　powers？〃
　〃I　have　heard　it；　Lord。〃
　〃Have　the　Corrino　killed。　It　is　a　task　for　the　Duncan。　We　will　test　him。〃
　〃So　soon；　Lord？〃
　〃It　is　still　known　that　melange　can　extend　human　life。　Let　it　also　be