fh.godemperorofdune-第46部分

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　she　gestured　at　his　long；　ribbed　body…　〃prevents。〃
　〃Do　you　find　it　in　you　to　believe　that　this　may　be；　in　some　small　way；　holy？〃　he　asked。
　She　could　only　nod　her　head。
　〃If　you　share　it　all　with　me；〃　he　said；　〃I　warn　you　that　it　will　be　a　terrible　burden。〃
　〃Will　it　make　your　burden　lighter；　Lord？〃
　〃Not　lighter；　but　easier　to　accept。〃
　〃Then　I　will　share。　Tell　me；　Lord。〃
　〃Not　yet；　Hwi。　You　must　be　patient　a　while　longer。〃
　She　swallowed　her　disappointment；　sighing。
　〃It's　only　that　my　Duncan　Idaho　grows　impatient；〃　Leto　said。　〃T　must　deal　with　him。〃
　She　glanced　backward；　but　the　small　room　remained　empty。
　〃Do　you　wish　me　to　leave　now？〃
　〃I　wish　you　would　never　leave　me。〃
　She　stared　at　him；　noting　the　intensity　of　his　regard；　a　hungry　emptiness　in　his　expression　which　filled　her　with　sadness。
　〃Lord；　why　do　you　tell　me　your　secrets？〃
　〃I　would　not　ask　you　to　be　the　bride　of　a　god。〃
　Her　eyes　went　wide　with　shock。
　〃Do　not　answer；〃　he　said。
　Barely　moving　her　head；　she　sent　her　gaze　along　the　shadowy　length　of　his　body。
　〃Do　not　search　for　parts　of　me　which　no　longer　exist；〃　he　said。　〃Some　forms　of　physical　intimacy　are　no　longer　possible　for　me。〃
　She　returned　her　attention　to　his　cowled　face；　noting　the　pink　skin　of　his　cheeks；　the　intensely　human　effect　of　his　features　in　that　alien　frame。
　〃If　you　require　children；〃　he　said；　〃I　would　ask　only　that　you　let　me　choose　the　father。　But　I　have　not　yet　asked　you　anything。〃
　Her　voice　was　faint。　〃Lord；　I　do　not　know　what　to。。
　。〃
　〃I　will　return　to　the　Citadel　soon；〃　he　said。　〃You　will　e　to　me　there　and　we　will　talk。　I　will　tell　you　then　about　the　thing　which　I　prevent。〃
　〃I　am　frightened；　Lord；　more　frightened　than　I　ever　imagined　I　could　be。〃
　〃Do　not　fear　me。　I　can　be　nothing　but　gentle　with　my　gentle　Hwi。　As　for　other　dangers；　my　Fish　Speakers　will　shield　you　with　their　own　bodies。　They　dare　not　let　harm　e　to　you！〃
　Hwi　lifted　herself　to　her　feet　and　stood　trembling。
　Leto　saw　how　deeply　his　words　had　affected　her　and　he　felt　the　pain　of　it。　Hwi's　eyes　glistened　with　tears。　She　clasped　her　hands　tightly　to　still　the　trembling。　He　knew　she　would　e　to　him　willingly　at　the　Citadel。　No　matter　what　he　asked；　her　response　would　be　the　response　of　his　Fish　Speakers：
　〃Yes；　Lord。〃
　It　came　to　Leto　that　if　she　could　change　places　with　him；　take　up　his　burden；　she　would　offer　herself。　The　fact　that　she　could　not　do　this　added　to　her　pain。　She　was　intelligence　built　on　profound　sensitivity；　without　any　of　Malky's　hedonistic　weaknesses。　She　was　frightening　in　her　perfection。　Everything　about　her　reaffirmed　his　awareness　that　she　was　precisely　the　kind　of　woman　who；　if　he　had　grown　to　normal　manhood；　he　would　have　wanted　（No！　Demanded！）　as　his　mate。
　And　the　lxians　knew　it。
　〃Leave　me　now；〃　he　whispered。
　
　I　am　both　father　and　mother　to　my　people。　I　have　known　the　ecstasy　of　birth　and　the　ecstasy　of　death　and　I　know　the　patterns　that　you　must　team。　Have　I　not　wandered　intoxicated　through　the　universe　of　shapes？　Yes！　I　have　seen　you　outlined　in　light。　That　universe　which　you　say　you　see　and　feel；　that　universe　is　my　dream。　My　energies　focus　upon　it　and　I　am　in　any　realm　and　every　realm。　Thus；　you　are　born。
　…The　Stolen　Journals
　〃My　FISH　SPEAKERS　tell　me　that　you　went　to　the　Citadel　immediately　after　Siaynoq；〃　Leto　said。
　He　stared　accusingly　at　Idaho；　who　stood　near　where　Hwi　had　sat　only　an　hour　ago。　Such　a　small　passage　of　time…yet　Leto　felt　the　emptiness　as　centuries。
　〃I　needed　time　to　think；〃　Idaho　said。　He　looked　into　the　shadowy　pit　where　Leto's　cart　rested。
　〃And　to　talk　to　Siona？〃
　〃Yes。〃　Idaho　lifted　his　gaze　to　Leto's　face。
　〃But　you　asked　for　Moneo；〃　Leto　said。
　〃Do　they　report　on　every　movement　I　make？〃　Idaho　demanded。
　〃Not　every　movement。〃
　〃Sometimes　people　need　to　be　alone。〃
　〃Of　course。　But　do　not　blame　the　Fish　Speakers　for　being　concerned　about　you。〃
　〃Siona　says　she　is　to　be　tested！〃
　〃Was　that　why　you　asked　for　Moneo？〃
　〃What　is　this　test？〃
　〃Moneo　knows。　I　presumed　that　was　why　you　wanted　to　see　him。〃
　〃You　presume　nothing！　You　know。〃
　〃Siaynoq　has　upset　you；　Duncan。　I　am　sorry。〃
　〃Do　you　have　any　idea　what　it's　like　to　be　me。。。here？〃
　〃The　ghola's　lot　is　not　easy；〃　Leto　said。　〃Some　lives　are　harder　than　others。〃
　〃I　don't　need　any　juvenile　philosophy！〃
　〃What　do　you　need；　Duncan？〃
　〃I　need　to　know　some　things。〃
　〃Such　as？〃
　〃I　don't　understand　any　of　these　people　around　you！　Without　showing　any　surprise　about　it；　Moneo　tells　me　that　Siona　was　part　of　a　rebellion　against　you。　His　own　daughter！〃
　〃In　his　day；　Moneo　too　was　a　rebel。〃
　〃See　what　I　mean？　Did　you　test　him；　too？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Will　you　test　me？〃
　〃I　am　testing　you。〃
　Idaho　glared　at　him；　then：　〃I　don't　understand　your　government；　your　Empire；　anything。　The　more　I　find　out；　the　more　I　realize　that　I　don't　know　what's　going　on。〃
　〃How　fortunate　that　you　have　discovered　the　way　of　wisdom；〃　Leto　said。
　〃What？〃　Idaho's　baffled　outrage　raised　his　voice　to　a　battlefield　roar　which　filled　the　small　room。
　Leto　smiled。　〃Duncan；　have　I　not　told　you　that　when　you　think　you　know　something；　that　is　a　most　perfect　barrier　against　learning？〃
　〃Then　tell　me　what's　going　on。〃
　〃My　friend　Duncan　Idaho　is　acquiring　a　new　habit。　He　is　learning　always　to　look　beyond　what　he　thinks　he　knows。〃
　〃All　right；　all　right。〃　Idaho　nodded　his　head　slowly　in　time　to　the　words。　〃Then　what's　beyond　letting　me　take　part　in　that　Siaynoq　thing？〃
　〃I　am　binding　the　Fish　Speakers　to　the　mander　of　my　Guard。〃
　〃And　I　have　to　fight　them　off！　The　escort　that　took　me　out　to　the　Citadel　wanted　to　stop　for　an　orgy。　And　the　ones　who　brought　me　back　here　when　you。。。〃
　〃They　know　how　much　it　pleases　me　to　see　children　of　Duncan　Idaho。〃
　〃Damn　you！　I'm　not　your　stud！〃
　〃No　need　to　shout；　Duncan。〃
　Idaho　took　several　deep　breaths；　then：　〃When　I　tell　them　'no；'　they　act　hurt　at　first　and　then　they　treat　me　like　some　damned…〃　he　shook　his　head…‘holy　man　or　something。〃
　〃Don't　they　obey　you？〃
　〃They　don't　question　anything。。。unless　it's　contrary　to　your　orders。　I　didn't　want　to　e　back　here。〃
　〃Yet　they　brought　you。〃
　〃You　know　damned　well　they　won't　disobey　you！〃
　〃I'm　glad　you　came；　Duncan。〃
　〃Oh；　I　can　see　that！〃
　〃The　Fish　Speakers　know　how　special　you　are；　how　fond　I　am　of　you；　how　much　I　owe　you。　It's　never　a　question　of　obedience　and　disobedience　where　you　and　I　are　concerned。〃
　〃Then　what　is　it　a　question　of？〃
　〃Loyalty。；；
　Idaho　fell　into　pensive　silence。
　〃You　felt　the　power　of　Siaynoq？〃　Leto　asked。
　〃Mumbo　jumbo。〃
　〃Then　why　are　you　disturbed　by　it？〃
　〃Your　Fish　Speakers　aren't　an　army；　they're　a　police　force。〃　〃By　my　name；　I　assure　you　that's　not　so。　Police　are　inevitably　corrupted。〃
　〃You　tempted　me　with　power；〃　Idaho　accused。
　〃That's　the　test；　Duncan。〃
　〃You　don't　trust　me？〃
　〃I　trust　your　loyalty　to　the　Atreides　implicitly；　without　question。〃
　〃Then　what's　this　talk　of　corruption　and　testing？〃
　〃You　were　the　one　who　accused　me　of　having　a　police　force。　Police　always　observe　that　criminals　prosper。　It　takes　a　pretty　dull　policeman　to　miss　the　fact　that　the　position　of　authority　is　the　most　prosperous　criminal　position　available。〃
　Idaho　wet　his　lips　with　his　tongue　and　stared　at　Leto　with　obvious　puzzlement。　〃But　the　moral　training　of。。。　I　mean；　the　legal。。。the　prisons　to。　。　。〃
　〃What　good　are　laws　and　prisons　when　the　breaking　of　a　law　is　not　a　sin？〃
　Idaho　cocked　his　head　slightly　to　the　right。　〃Are　you　trying　to　tell　me　that　your　damned　religion　is。。　。〃
　〃Punishment　of　sins　can　be　quite　extravagant。〃
　Idaho　hooked　a　thumb　over　his　shoulder　toward　the　world　outside　the　door。　〃All　this　talk　about　death　penalties。。。that　flogging　and。。。〃
　〃I　try　to　dispense　with　casual　laws　and　prisons　wherever　possible。〃
　〃You　have　to　have　some　prisons！〃
　〃Do　I？　Prisons　are　needed　only　to　provide　the　illusion　that　courts　and　police　are　effective。　They're　a　kind　of　job　insurance。〃
　Idaho　turned　slightly　and　thrust　a　pointing　finger　toward　the　door　through　which　he　had　entered　the　small　room。　〃You've　got　whole　planets　that　are　nothing　but　prisons！〃
　〃I　guess　you　could　think　of　anywhere　as　a　prison　if　that's　the　way　your　illusions　go。''
　〃Illusions！〃　Idaho　dropped　his　hand　to　his　side　and　stood　dumbfounded。
　〃Yes。　You　talk　of　prisons　and　police　and　legalities；　the　perfect　illusions　behind　which　a　prosperous　power　structure　can　operate　while　observing；　quite　accurately；　that　it　is　above　its　own　laws。〃
　〃And　you　think　crimes　can　be　dealt　with　by。　。　。
　〃Not　crimes；　Duncan；　sins。〃
　〃So　you　think　your　religion　can。　。　。〃
　〃Have　you　noted　the　primary　sins？〃
　〃What？〃
　〃Attempting　to　corrupt　a　member　of　my　government；　and　corruption　by　a　member　of　my　government。〃
　〃And　what　is　this　corruption？〃
　〃Essentially；　it's　the　failure　to　observe　and　worship　the　holiness　of　the　God　Leto。〃
　〃You？〃
　〃Me。〃
　〃But　you　told　me　right　at　the　beginning　that。　。　。〃
　〃You　think　I　don't　believe　in　my　own　godhead？　Be　careful；　Duncan。〃
　Idaho's　voice　came　with　angry　flatness。　〃You　told　me　that　one　of　my　jobs　was　to　help　keep　your　secret；　that　you。。
　。〃
　〃You　don't