fh.godemperorofdune-第27部分

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　〃No；　gentle　Sister；　it　is　you　who　will　die。　You　will　not　live　to　be　a　Reverend　Mother。　Do　not　be　saddened　by　this　for　by　your　presence　here　today；　by　carrying　my　message　back　to　the　Sisterhood；　by　preserving　my　secret　words　as　well；　you　will　achieve　a　far　greater　status。　You　bee　here　an　integral　part　of　my　myth。　Our　distant　cousins　will　pray　to　you　for　intercession　with　me！〃
　Again；　the　Lord　Leto　laughed；　but　it　was　gentle　laughter　and　he　smiled　upon　me　warmly。　I　find　it　difficult　to　record　here　with　that　accuracy　which　I　am　enjoined　to　employ　in　every　accounting　such　as　this　one；　yet　in　the　moment　that　the　Lord　Leto　spoke　these　terrible　words　to　me；　I　felt　a　profound　bond　of　friendship　with　him；　as　though　some　physical　thing　had　leaped　between　us；　tying　us　together　in　a　way　that　words　cannot　fully　describe。　It　was　not　until　the　instant　of　this　experience　that　I　understood　what　he　had　meant　by　the　wordless　truth。　It　happened；　yet　I　cannot　describe　it。
　Archivists'　note：
　Because　of　intervening　events；　the　discovery　of　this　private　record　is　now　little　more　than　a　footnote　to　history；　interesting　because　it　contains　one　of　the　earliest　references　to　the　God　Emperor's　secret　journals。　For　those　wishing　to　explore　further　into　this　account；　reference　may　be　made　to　Archive　Records；　subheadings：　Chenoeh；　Holy　Sister　Quintinius　Violet：　Chenoeh　Report；　The；　and　Melange　Rejection；　Medical　Aspects　of。
　（Footnote：　Sister　Quintinius　Violet　Chenoeh　died　in　the　fists　third　year　of　her　Sisterhood；　the　cause　being　ascribed　to　melange　inpatibility　during　her　attempt　to　achieve　the　。status　of　Reverend　Mother。）
　
　Our　ancestor；　Assur…nasir…apli；　who　was　known　as　the　cruelest　of　the　cruel；　seized　the　throne　by　slaying　his　own　father　and　starting　the　reign　of　the　sword。　His　conquests　included　the　Ururnia　Lake　region。　which　led　him　to　magene　and　Khabur。　His　son　received　tribute　from　the　Shuites；　from　Tyre；　Sidon；　Gebel　and　even　from　Jehu；　son　of　Omri　whose　very　name　struck　terror　into　thousands。　The　conquests　which　began　with　Assur…nasirapli　carried　arms　into　Media　and　later　into　Israel；　Damascus；　Edom。　Arpad；　Babylon　and　Umlias。　Does　anyone　remember　these　names　and　places　now？　I　have　given　you　enough　clues：　Try　to　name　the　planet。
　…The　Stolen　Journals
　THF　AIR　was　stagnant　deep　within　the　carved　cut　of　the　Royal　Road　leading　down　to　the　flat　approach　to　the　bridge　across　the　Idaho　River。　The　road　turned　to　the　right　out　of　the　manmade　immensity　of　rock　and　earth。　Moneo；　walking　beside　the　Royal　Cart；　saw　the　paved　ribbon　leading　across　a　narrow　ridgetop　to　the　lacery　of　plasteel　which　was　the　bridge　almost　a　kilometer　distant。
　The　river；　still　deep　in　a　chasm；　turned　inward　toward　him　on　the　right　and　then　ran　straight　through　multi…stage　cascades　toward　the　far　side　of　the　Forbidden　Forest　where　the　confining　walls　dropped　down　almost　to　the　level　of　the　water。　There　at　the　outskirts　of　Onn　lay　the　orchards　and　gardens　which　helped　to　feed　the　city。
　Moneo；　looking　at　the　distant　stretch　of　river　visible　from　where　he　walked；　saw　that　the　canyon　top　was　bathed　in　light；　while　the　water　still　flowed　in　shadows　broken　only　by　the　faint　silvery　shimmering　of　the　cascades。
　Straight　ahead　of　him；　the　road　to　the　bridge　was　brilliant　in　sunlight；　the　dark　shadows　of　erosion　gullies　on　both　sides　set　off　like　arrows　to　indicate　the　correct　path。　The　rising　sun　already　had　made　the　roadway　hot。　The　air　trembled　above　it；　a　warning　of　the　day　to　e。
　We'll　be　safely　into　the　City　before　the　worst　of　the　heat；
　Moneo　thought。
　He　trotted　along　in　the　weary　patience　which　always　overcame　him　at　this　point；　his　gaze　fixed　forward　in　expectation　of　the　petitioning　Museum　Fremen。　They　would　e　up　out　of　one　of　the　erosion　gullies；　he　knew。　Somewhere　on　this　side　of　the　bridge。　That　was　the　agreement　he　had　made　with　them。　No　way　to　stop　them　now。　And　the　God　Emperor　still　showed　signs　of　the　Worm。
　Leto　heard　the　Fremen　before　any　of　his　party　either　saw　or　heard　them。
　〃Listen！〃　he　called。
　Moneo　came　to　full　alert。
　Leto　rolled　his　body　on　the　cart；　arched　the　front　upward　cent　of　the　bubble　shield　and　peered　ahead。
　Moneo　knew　this　kind　of　thing　well。　The　God　Emperor's　senses；　so　much　more　acute　than　any　of　those　around　him；　had　detected　a　disturbance　ahead。　The　Fremen　were　beginning　to　move　up　to　the　road。　Moneo　let　himself　fall　back　one　pace　and　moved　out　to　the　limit　of　his　dutiful　position。　He　heard　it　himself　then。
　There　was　the　sound　of　gravel　spilling。
　The　first　Fremen　appeared；　ing　up　out　of　gullies　on　both　sides　of　the　road　no　more　than　a　hundred　meters　ahead　of　the　Royal　party。
　Duncan　Idaho　dashed　forward　and　slowed　himself　to　a　trot　beside　Moneo。
　〃Are　those　the　Fremen？〃　Idaho　asked。
　〃Yes。〃　Moneo　spoke　with　his　attention　on　the　God　Emperor；　who　had　lowered　his　bulk　back　onto　the　cart。
　The　Museum　Fremen　assembled　on　the　road；　dropped　their　outer　robes　to　reveal　inner　robes　of　red　and　purple。　Moneo　gaped。　The　Fremen　were　togged　out　as　pilgrims　with　some　kind　of　black　garment　under　the　colorful　robes。　The　ones　in　the　foreground　waved　rolls　of　paper　as　the　entire　group　began　singing　and　dancing　toward　the　royal　entourage。
　〃A　petition；　Lord；〃　the　leaders　cried。　〃Hear　our　petition！〃
　〃Duncan！〃　Leto　cried。　〃Clear　them　out！〃
　Fish　Speakers　surged　forward　through　the　courtiers　as　their　Lord　shouted。　Idaho　waved　them　forward　and　began　running　toward　the　approaching　mob。　The　guards　formed　a　phalanx；　Idaho　at　the　apex。
　Leto　slammed　closed　the　bubble　cover　of　his　cart；　increased　its　speed　and　called　out　in　an　amplified　roar：　〃Clear　away！　Clear　away！〃
　The　Museum　Fremen；　seeing　the　guards　run　forward；　the　cart　picking　up　speed　as　Leto　shouted；　made　as　though　to　open　a　path　up　the　center　of　the　road。　Moneo；　forced　to　run　to　keep　up　with　the　cart；　his　attention　momentarily　on　the　running　footsteps　of　the　courtiers　behind　him；　saw　the　first　unexpected　change　of　program　by　the　Fremen。
　As　one　person；　the　chanting　throng　threw　off　the　pilgrim　cloaks　to　reveal　black　uniforms　identical　to　those　worn　by　Idaho。
　What　are　they　doing？　Moneo　wondered。
　Even　while　he　was　asking　himself　this　question；　Moneo　saw　the　flesh　of　the　approaching　faces　melt　away　in　Face　Dancer　mockery；　every　face　resolving　into　a　likeness　of　Duncan　Idaho。
　〃Face　Dancers！〃　someone　screamed。
　Leto；　too；　had　been　distracted　by　the　confusion　of　events；　the　sounds　of　many　feet　running　on　the　road；　the　barked　orders　as　Fish　Speakers　formed　their　phalanx。　He　had　applied　more　speed　to　his　cart；　closing　the　distance　between　himself　and　the　guards；　beginning　then　to　ring　a　warning　bell　and　sound　the　cart's　distortion　klaxon。　White　noise　blared　across　the　scene；　disorienting　even　some　of　the　Fish　Speakers　who　were　conditioned　to　it。
　At　that　instant；　the　petitioners　discarded　their　pilgrim　cloaks　and　began　the　transformation　maneuver；　their　faces　flickering　into　likenesses　of　Duncan　Idaho。　Leto　heard　the　scream：　〃Face　Dancers！〃　He　identified　its　source；　a　consort　clerk　in　Royal　Accounting。
　Leto's　initial　reaction　was　amusement。
　Guards　and　Face　Dancers　collided。　Screams　and　shouts　replaced　the　petitioners'　chanting。　Leto　recognized　Tleilaxu　bat…
　the…mands。　A　thick　knot　of　Fish　Speakers　formed　around　the　black　clad　figure　of　his　Duncan。　The　guards　were　obeying　Leto's　oft　repeated　instruction　to　protect　their　ghola…mander。
　But　how　will　they　tell　him　from　the　others。
　Leto　brought　his　cart　almost　to　a　stop。　He　could　see　Fish　Speakers　on　the　left　swinging　their　stunclubs。　Sunlight　flashed　from　knives。　Then　came　the　buzzing　hum　of　lasguns；　a　sound　Leto's　grandmother　had　once　described　as　〃the　most　terrible　in　our　universe。〃　More　hoarse　shouts　and　screams　erupted　from　the　vanguard。
　Leto　reacted　with　the　first　sound　of　lasguns。　He　swerved　the　Royal　Cart　off　the　road　to　his　right；　shifted　from　wheels　to　suspensors　and　drove　the　vehicle　back　like　a　battering　ram　into　a　clot　of　Face　Dancers　trying　to　enter　the　fray　from　his　side。　Turning　in　a　tight　arc；　he　hit　more　of　them　on　the　other　side；　feeling　the　crushing　impact　of　flesh　against　plasteel；　a　red　spray　of　blood；　then　he　was　down　off　the　road　into　an　erosion　gully。　The　brown　serrated　sides　of　the　gully　flashed　past　him。　He　swept　upward　and　swooped　across　the　river　canyon　to　a　high；　rock…girt　viewpoint　beside　the　Royal　Road。　There；　he　stopped　and　turned；　well　beyond　the　range　of　hand…held　lasguns。
　What　a　surprise！
　Laughter　shook　his　great　body　with　grunting；　trembling　convulsions。　Slowly；　the　amusement　subsided。
　From　his　vantage；　Leto　could　see　the　bridge　and　the　area　of　the　attack。　Bodies　lay　in　tangled　disarray　all　across　the　scene　and　into　the　flanking　gullies。　He　recognized　courtier　finery；　Fish　Speaker　uniforms；　the　bloodied　black　of　the　Face　Dancer　disguises。　Surviving　courtiers　huddled　in　the　background　while　Fish　Speakers　sped　among　the　fallen　making　sure　the　attackers　were　dead　with　a　swift　knife　stroke　into　each　body。
　Leto　swept　his　gaze　across　the　scene　searching　for　the　black　uniform　of　his　Duncan。　There　was　not　one　such　uniform　standing。　Not　one！　Leto　put　down　a　surge　of　frustration；　then　saw　a　clutch　of　Fish　Speaker　guards　among　the　courtiers　and。。。and