fh.godemperorofdune-第36部分

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　〃　I　see。　And　now　you　must　reevaluate　what　you　think　of　as　your　own　patience；　is　that　not　so？〃
　〃We　have　been　watching　the　evolution　of　your　body；　Lord；〃　Anteac　said。　〃We　thought。。。〃　She　permitted　herself　a　small　shrug；　the　level　of　gesture　warranted　for　use　with　a　Sister　and　not　given　lightly。
　Leto　pursed　his　lips　in　response。　〃I　cannot　shrug；〃　he　said。
　〃Will　you　punish　us？〃　Luyseyal　asked。
　〃For　amusing　me？〃
　Luyseyal　glanced　at　the　vial　on　the　ledge。
　〃I　swore　to　reward　you；〃　Leto　said。　〃　shall。〃
　〃We　would　prefer　to　protect　you　in　our　munity；　Lord；〃　Anteac　said。
　〃Do　not　seek　too　great　a　reward；〃　he　said。
　Anteac　nodded。　〃You　deal　with　the　lxians；　Lord。　We　have　reason　to　believe　they　may　venture　against　you。〃
　〃I　fear　them　no　more　than　I　fear　you。〃
　〃Surely　you've　heard　what　the　lxians　are　doing；〃　Luyseyal　said。
　〃Moneo　brings　me　an　occasional　copy　of　a　message　between　persons　or　groups　in　my　Empire。　I　hear　many　stories。〃
　〃We　speak　of　a　new　Abomination；　Lord〃'　Anteac　said。
　〃You　think　the　lxians　can　produce　an　artificial　intelligence？〃　he　asked。　〃Conscious　the　way　you　are　conscious？〃
　〃We　fear　it；　Lord；〃　Anteac　said。
　〃You　would　have　me　believe　that　the　Butlerian　Jihad　survives　among　the　Sisterhood？〃
　〃We　do　not　trust　the　unknown　which　can　arise　from　imaginative　technology；〃　Anteac　said。
　Luyseyal　leaned　toward　him。　〃The　lxians　boast　that　their　machine　will　transcend　Time　in　the　way　that　you　do　it；　Lord。〃
　〃And　the　Guild　says　there's　Time…chaos　around　the　lxians；'*　Leto　mocked。　〃Are　we　to　fear　all　creation；　then？〃
　Anteac　drew　herself　up　stiffly。
　〃　I　speak　truth　with　you　two；〃　Leto　said。　〃　I　recognize　your　abilities。　Will　you　not　recognize　mine？〃
　Luyseyal　gave　him　a　curt　nod。　〃Tleilax　and　Ix　make　alliance　with　the　Guild　and　seek　our　full　cooperation。〃
　〃And　you　fear　Ix　the　most？〃
　〃We　fear　anything　we　do　not　control；〃　Anteac　said。
　〃And　you　do　not　control　me。〃
　〃Without　you；　people　would　need　us！〃　Anteac　said。
　〃Truth　at　last！〃　Leto　said。　〃You　conic　to　me　as　your　Oracle　and　you　ask　me　to　put　your　fears　to　rest。〃
　Anteac's　voice　was　frigidly　controlled。　〃Will　Ix　make　a　mechanical　brain？〃
　〃A　brain‘？　Of　course　not！〃
　Luyseyal　appeared　to　relax；　but　Anteac　remained　unmoving。　She　was　not　satisfied　with　the　Oracle。
　Why　is　it　that　foolishness　repeats　itself　with　such　monotonous　precision？　Leto　wondered。　His　memories　offered　up　countless　scenes　to　match　this　one…caverns；　priests　and　priestesses　caught　up　in　holy　ecstasy；　portentous　voices　delivering　dangerous　prophecies　through　the　smoke　of　holy　narcotics。
　He　glanced　down　at　the　iridescent　vial　on　the　ledge　beside　Moneo。　What　was　the　current　value　of　that　thing‘？　Enormous。　It　was　the　essence。　Concentrated　wealth　concentrated。
　〃You　have　already　paid　the　Oracle；〃　he　said。　〃It　amuses　me　to　give　you　full　value。〃
　How　alert　the　women　became！
　〃Hear　me！〃　he　said。　〃What　you　fear　is　not　what　you　fear。〃
　Leto　liked　the　sound　of　that。　Sufficiently　portentous　for　any　Oracle。　Anteac　and　Luyseyal　stared　up　at　him；　dutiful　supplicants。　Behind　them；　an　acolyte　cleared　her　throat。
　That　one　will　be　identified　and　reprimanded　later；　Leto　thought。
　Anteac　had　now　had　sufficient　time　to　ruminate　on　Leto's　words。　She　said：　〃An　obscure　truth　is　not　the　truth。〃
　〃But　I　have　directed　your　attention　correctly；〃　Leto　said。
　〃Are　you　telling　us　not　to　fear　the　machine？〃　Luyseyal　asked。
　〃You　have　the　power　of　reason。；〃　he　said。　〃Why　e　begging　to　me？〃
　〃But　we　do　not　have　your　powers；〃　Anteac　said。
　〃You　plain　then　that　you　do　not　sense　the　gossamer　waves　of　Time。　You　do　not　sense　my　continuum。　And　you　fear　a　mere　machine！〃
　〃Then　you　will　not　answer　us；〃　Anteac　said。
　〃Do　not　make　the　mistake　of　thinking　me　ignorant　about　your　Sisterhood's　ways；〃　he　said。　〃You　are　alive。　Your　senses　are　exquisitely　tuned。　I　do　not　stop　this；　nor　should　you。〃
　〃But　the　lxians　play　with　automation！〃　Anteac　protested。
　〃Discrete　pieces；　finite　bits　linked　one　to　another；〃　he　agreed。　〃Once　set　in　motion；　what　is　to　stop　it？〃
　Luyseyal　discarded　all　pretense　of　Bene　Gesserit　self…control；　a　fine　ment　on　her　recognition　of　Leto's　powers。　Her　voice　almost　screeched：　〃Do　you　know　what　the　lxians　boast？　That　their　machine　will　predict　your　actions！〃
　〃Why　should　I　fear　that？　The　closer　they　e　to　me；　the　more　they　must　be　my　allies。　They　cannot　conquer　me；　but　I　can　conquer　them。〃
　Anteac　made　to　speak　but　stopped　when　Luyseyal　touched　her　arm。
　〃Are　you　already　allied　with　Ix？〃　Luyseyal　asked。　〃We　hear　that　you　conferred　overlong　with　their　new　Ambassador；　this　Hwi　Noree。〃
　〃I　have　no　allies；〃　he　said。　〃Only　servants；　students　and　enemies。〃
　〃And　you　do　not　fear　the　lxians'　machine？〃　Anteac　insisted。
　〃Is　automation　synonymous　with　conscious　intelligence？〃　he　asked。
　Anteac's　eyes　went　wide　and　filmy　as　she　withdrew　into　her　memories。　Leto　found　himself　caught　by　fascination　with　what　she　must　be　encountering　there　within　her　own　internal　mob。
　We　share　some　of　those　memories；　he　thought。
　Leto　felt　then　the　seductive　attraction　of　munity　with　Reverend　Mothers。　It　would　be　so　familiar；　so　supportive。　。　。　and　so　deadly。　Anteac　was　trying　to　lure　him　once　more。
　She　spoke：　〃The　machine　cannot　anticipate　every　problem　of　importance　to　humans。　It　is　the　difference　between　serial　bits　and　an　unbroken　continuum。　We　have　the　one；　machines　are　confined　to　the　other。〃
　〃You　still　have　the　power　of　reason；〃　he　said。
　〃Share！〃　Luyseyal　said。　It　was　a　mand　to　Anteac　and　it　revealed　with　sharp　abruptness　who　really　dominated　this　pair…the　younger　over　the　older。
　Exquisite；　Leto　thought。
　〃Intelligence　adapts；〃　Anteac　said。
　Parsimonious　with　her　words；　too；　Leto　thought；　hiding　his　amusement。
　〃Intelligence　creates；〃　Leto　said。　〃That　means　you　must　deal　with　responses　never　before　imagined。　You　must　confront　the　new。〃
　〃Such　as　the　possibility　of　the　Ixian　Machine；〃　Anteac　said。　It　was　not　a　question。
　〃Isn't　it　interesting；〃　Leto　asked；　〃that　being　a　superb　Reverend　Mother　is　not　enough？〃
　His　acute　senses　detected　the　sudden　fearful　tightening　in　both　of　the　women。　Truthsayers；　indeed！
　〃You　are　right　to　fear　me；〃　he　said。　Raising　his　voice；　he　demanded：　〃How　do　you　know　you're　even　alive？〃
　As　Moneo　had　done　so　many　times；　they　heard　in　his　voice　the　deadly　consequences　of　failure　to　answer　him　correctly。　It　fascinated　Leto　that　both　women　glanced　at　Moneo　before　either　responded。
　〃I　am　the　mirror　of　myself；〃　Luyseyal　said；　a　pat　Bene　Gesserit　answer　which　Leto　found　offensive。
　〃I　don't　need　pre…set　tools　to　deal　with　my　human　problems。〃　Anteac　said。　〃Your　question　is　sophomoric‘。〃
　〃Hah；　hah！〃　Leto　laughed。　〃How　would　you　like　to　quit　the　Bene　Gesserit　and　join　me'？〃
　He　could　see　her　consider　and　then　reject　the　invitation；　but　she　did　not　hide　her　amusement。
　Leto　looked　at　the　puzzled　Luyseyal。　〃If　it　falls　outside　your　yardsticks；　then　you　are　engaged　with　intelligence；　not　with　automation；〃　he　said。　And　he　thought：　That　Luyseyal　will　ill　newer　again　dominate　old　Anteac。
　Luyseyal　was　angry　now　and　not　bothering　to　conceal　it。　She　said：　〃The　lxians　are　rumored　to　have　provided　you　with　machines　that　simulate　human　thinking。　If　you　have　such　a　low　opinion　of　them；　why。　。　。〃
　〃She　should　not　be　let　out　of　the　Chapter　House　without　a　guardian；〃　Leto　said；　addressing　Anteac。　〃Is　she　afraid　to　address　her　own　memories？〃
　Luyseyal　paled；　but　remained　silent。
　Leto　studied　her　coldly。　〃Our　ancestors'　long　unconscious　relationship　with　machines　has　taught　us　something；　don't　you　think？〃
　Luyseyal　merely　glared　at　him；　not　ready　yet　to　risk　death　through　open　defiance　of　the　God　Emperor。
　〃Would　you　say　we　at　least　know　the　attraction　of　machines'？〃　Leto　asked。
　Luyseyal　nodded。
　〃A　well…maintained　machine　can　be　more　reliable　than　a　human　servant；〃　Leto　said。　〃We　can　trust　machines　not　to　indulge　in　emotional　distractions。〃
　Luyseyal　found　her　voice。　〃Does　this　mean　you　intend　to　remove　the　Butlerian　prohibition　against　abominable　machines？〃
　〃I　swear　to　you；〃　Leto　said；　speaking　in　his　icy　voice　of　disdain；　〃that　if　you　display　further　such　stupidity；　I　will　have　you　publicly　executed。　I　am　not　your　Oracle！〃
　Luyseyal　opened　her　mouth　and　closed　it　without　speaking。
　Anteac　touched　her　panion's　arm；　sending　a　quick　tremor　through　Luyseyal's　body。　Anteac　spoke　softly　in　a　exquisite　demonstration　of　Voice：　〃Our　God　Emperor　will　never　openly　defy　the　proscriptions　of　the　Butlerian　Jihad。〃
　Leto　smiled　at　her；　a　gentle　mendation。　It　was　such　a　pleasure　to　see　a　professional　performing　at　her　best。
　〃That　should　be　obvious　to　any　conscious　intelligence；〃　he　said。　〃There　are　limits　of　my　own　choosing；　places　where　I　will　not　interfere。〃
　He　could　see　both　women　absorbing　the　multi…pronged　thrust　of　his　words；　weighing　the　possible　meanings　and　intents。　Was　the　God　Emperor　distracting　them；　focusing　their　attention　on　the　lxians　while　he　maneuvered　elsewhere？　Was　he　telling　the　Bene　Gesserit　that　the　time　had　e　to　choose　sides　against　the　lxians？　Was　it　possible　his　words　had　no　more　than　their　surface　motivations？　Whatever　his　reasons；　they　could　not　be　ignored。　He　was　undo