fh.godemperorofdune-第50部分

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ed　decisions。〃
　〃I　see。　How　would　you　use　me；　Lord？〃
　〃Will　you　wed　me？〃
　A　faint　smile　touched　her　lips。　〃Women；　too；　can　make　decisions。　I　will　wed　you。〃
　〃Then　go　and　instruct　the　Reverend　Mother。　Make　sure　she　knows　what　she's　looking　for。〃
　〃For　my　genesis；〃　she　said。　〃You　and　I　already　know　my　purpose。〃
　〃Which　is　not　separated　from　its　source；〃　he　said。
　She　arose；　then：　〃Lord；　could　you　be　wrong　about　your　Golden　Path？　Does　the　possibility　of　failure。　。　。〃
　〃Anything　and　anyone　can　fail；〃　he　said；　〃but　brave　good　friends　help。〃
　
　Groups　tend　to　condition　their　surroundings　for　group　survival。　When　they　deviate　from　this　it　may　be　taken　as　a　sign　of　group　sickness。　There　are　many　telltale　symptoms。　I　watch　the　sharing　of　food。　This　is　a　form　of　munication；　an　inescapable　sign　of　mutual　aid　which　also　contains　a　deadly　signal　of　dependency。　It　is　interesting　that　men　are　the　ones　who　usually　tend　the　landscape　today。　They　are　husband…men。　Once；　that　was　the　sole　province　of　women。
　…The　Stolen　Journals
　〃You　MUST　forgive　the　inadequacies　of　this　report；〃　the　Reverend　Mother　Anteac　wrote。　〃Ascribe　it　to　the　necessity　for　haste。　I　leave　on　the　morrow　for　Ix；　my　purpose　being　the　same　one　I　reported　in　greater　detail　earlier。　The　God　Emperor's　intense　and　sincere　interest　in　Ix　cannot　be　denied；　but　what　I　must　recount　here　is　the　strange　visit　I　have　just　had　from　the　Ixian　Ambassador；　Hwi　Nome。〃
　Anteac　sat　back　on　the　inadequate　stool　which　was　the　best　she　could　manage　in　these　Spartan　quarters。　She　sat　alone　in　her　tiny　bedchamber；　the　space…within…a…space　which　the　Lord　Leto　had　refused　to　change　even　after　the　Bene　Gesserit　warning　of　Tleilaxu　treachery。
　On　Anteac's　lap　lay　a　small　square　of　inky　black　about　ten　millimeters　on　a　side　and　no　more　than　three　millimeters　thick。　She　wrote　upon　this　square　with　a　glittering　needle…one　word　
　upon　another；　all　of　them　absorbed　into　the　square。　The　pleted　message　would　be　impressed　upon　the　nerve　receptors　of　an　acolyte…messenger's　eyes；　latent　there　until　they　could　be　replayed　at　the　Chapter　House。
　Hwi　Noree　posed　such　a　dilemma！
　Anteac　knew　the　accounts　of　Bene　Gesserit　teachers　sent　to　instruct　Hwi　on　Ix。　But　those　accounts　left　out　more　than　they　told。　They　raised　greater　questions。
　What　adventures　have　you　experienced；　child？
　What　were　the　hardships　of　your　youth？
　Anteac　sniffed　and　glanced　down　at　the　waiting　square　of　black。　Such　thoughts　reminded　her　of　the　Fremen　belief　that　the　land　of　your　birth　made　you　what　you　were。
　〃Are　there　strange　animals　on　your　planet？〃　the　Fremen　would　ask。
　Hwi　had　e　with　an　impressive　Fish　Speaker　escort；　more　than　a　hundred　brawny　women；　all　of　them　heavily　armed。　Anteac　had　seldom　seen　such　a　display　of　weapons　…lasguns；　long　knives；　silver…blades；　stun…grenades　。　。　。
　It　had　been　at　midmorning。　Hwi　had　swept　in；　leaving　the　Fish　Speakers　to　invest　the　Bene　Gesserit　quarters；　all　except　this　Spartan　inner　room。
　Anteac　swept　her　gaze　around　her　quarters。　The　Lord　Leto　was　telling　her　something　by　keeping　her　here。
　〃This　is　how　you　measure　your　worth　to　the　God　Emperor！〃
　Except。。。now　he　sent　a　Reverend　Mother　to　Ix　and　the　avowed　purpose　of　this　journey　suggested　many　things　about　the　Lord　Leto。　Perhaps　times　were　about　to　change；　new　honors　and　more　melange　for　the　Sisterhood。
　Everything　depends　upon　how　well　I　perform。
　Hwi　had　entered　this　room　alone　and　had　sat　demurely　on　Anteac's　pallet；　her　head　lower　than　that　of　the　Reverend　Mother's。　A　nice　touch；　and　no　accident。　The　Fish　Speakers　obviously　could　have　placed　the　two　of　them　anywhere　in　any　relationship　Hwi　manded。　Hwi's　shocking　first　words　left　little　doubt　of　that。
　〃You　must　know　at　the　outset　that　I　will　wed　the　Lord　Leto。〃
　It　had　required　the　deep　control　to　keep　from　gaping。　Anteac's　truthsense　told　her　the　sincerity　of　Hwi's　words；　but　the　full　portent　could　not　be　assessed。
　〃The　Lord　Leto　mands　that　you　say　nothing　of　this　to　anyone；〃　Hwi　added。
　Such　a　dilemma！　Anteac　thought。　Can　I　even　report　this　to　my　Sisters　at　the　Chapter　House？
　〃Everyone　will　know　in　time；〃　Hwi　said。　〃This　is　not　the　time。　I　tell　you　because　it　helps　impress　upon　you　the　gravity　of　the　Lord　Leto's　trust。〃
　〃His　trust　in　you？〃
　〃In　both　of　us。〃
　This　had　sent　a　barely　concealed；　shuddering　thrill　through　Anteac。　The　power　inherent　in　such　trust！
　〃Do　you　know　why　Ix　chose　you　as　Ambassador？〃　Anteac　asked。
　〃Yes。　They　intended　me　to　beguile　him。〃
　〃You　appear　to　have　succeeded。　Does　this　mean　that　the　lxians　believe　those　Tleilaxu　stories　about　the　Lord　Leto's　gross　habits？〃
　〃Even　the　Tleilaxu　don't　believe　them。〃
　〃I　take　it　that　you　confirm　the　falsehood　of　such　stories？〃
　Hwi　had　spoken　in　an　odd　flatness　which　even　Anteac's　truthsense　and　abilities　as　a　Mentat　found　hard　to　decipher。
　〃You　have　talked　to　him　and　observed　him。　Answer　that　question　for　yourself。〃
　Anteac　put　down　a　small　surge　of　irritation。　Despite　her　youth；　this　Hwi　was　not　an　acolyte。。。and　would　never　make　a　good　Bene　Gesserit。　Such　a　pity！
　〃Have　you　reported　this　to　your　government　on　Ix？〃　Anteac　asked。
　〃No。〃
　。Why？〃
　〃They　will　learn　soon　enough。　Premature　revelation　could　harm　the　Lord　Leto。〃
　She　is　truthful；　Anteac　reminded　herself。
　〃Isn't　your　first　loyalty　to　Ix？〃　Anteac　asked。
　〃Truth　is　my　first　loyalty。〃　She　smiled　then。　〃Ix　contrived　better　than　it　thought。〃
　〃Does　Ix　think　of　you　as　a　threat　to　the　God　Emperor？〃
　〃I　think　their　primary　concern　is　knowledge。　I　discussed　this　with　Ampre　before　leaving。〃
　〃The　Director　of　Ix's　Outfederation　Affairs？　That　Ampre？〃
　〃Yes。　Ampre　is　convinced　that　the　Lord　Leto　permits　threats　to　his　person　only　up　to　certain　limits。〃
　〃Ampre　said　that？〃
　〃Ampre　does　not　believe　the　future　can　be　hidden　from　the　Lord　Leto。　〃
　〃But　my　mission　to　Ix　has　about　it　the　suggestion　that。　。　。〃　Anteac　broke　off　and　shook　her　head；　then：　〃Why　does　Ix　provide　the　Lord　with　machines　and　weapons？〃
　〃Ampre　believes　that　Ix　has　no　choice。　Overwhelming　force　destroys　people　who　pose　too　great　a　threat。〃
　〃And　if　Ix　refused；　that　would　pass　the　Lord　Leto's　limits。　No　middle　point。　Have　you　thought　about　the　consequences　of　wedding　the　Lord　Leto？〃
　〃You　mean　the　doubts　such　an　act　will　raise　about　his　godhead？〃
　〃Some　will　believe　the　Tleilaxu　stories。〃
　Hwi　only　smiled。
　Damnation！　Anteac　thought。　How　did　we　lose　this　girl？
　〃He　is　changing　the　design　of　his　religion；〃　Anteac　accused。　〃That's　it；　of　course。〃
　〃Do　not　make　the　mistake　of　judging　all　others　by　yourselves；〃　Hwi　said。　And；　as　Anteac　started　to　bridle；　Hwi　added：　〃But　I　did　not　e　here　to　argue　with　you　about　the　Lord。〃
　〃No。　Of　course　not。〃
　〃The　Lord　Leto　has　manded　me；〃　Hwi　said；　〃to　tell　you　every　detail　in　my　memory　about　the　place　where　I　was　born　and　raised。〃
　As　she　reflected　on　Hwi's　words；　Anteac　stared　down　at　the　cryptic　square　of　black　in　her　lap。　Hwi　had　proceeded　to　recount　the　details　which　her　Lord　（and　now　bridegroom！）　had　manded；　details　which　would　have　been　boring　at　times　were　it　not　for　Anteac's　Mentat　abilities　at　data　absorption。
　Anteac　shook　her　head　as　she　considered　what　must　be　reported　to　her　Sisters　at　the　Chapter　House。　They　already　would　be　studying　the　import　of　her　previous　message。　A　machine　which　could　shield　itself　and　contents　from　the　penetrating　prescience　of　even　the　God　Emperor？　Was　that　possible？　Or　was　this　a　different　kind　of　test；　a　test　of　Bene　Gesserit　candor　with　their　Lord　Leto？　But　now！　If　he　did　not　already　know　the　genesis　of　this　enigmatic　Hwi　Noree　。　。　。
　This　new　development　reinforced　Anteac's　Mentat　summation　of　why　she　had　been　chosen　for　the　mission　to　Ix。　The　God　Emperor　did　not　trust　this　knowledge　to　his　Fish　Speakers。　He　did　not　want　Fish　Speakers　suspecting　a　weakness　in　their　Lord！
　Or　was　that　as　obvious　as　it　appeared？　Wheels　within　wheels…that　was　the　way　of　the　Lord　Leto。
　Again；　Anteac　shook　her　head。　She　bent　then　and　resumed　her　account　for　the　Chapter　House；　leaving　out　the　revelation　that　the　God　Emperor　had　chosen　a　bride。
　They　would　learn　it　soon　enough。　Meanwhile；　Anteac　herself　would　consider　the　implications。
　
　If　you　know　all　of　your　ancestors；　you　were　a　personal　witness　to　the　events　which　created　the　myths　and　religions　of　our　past。　Recognizing　this；　you　must　think　of　me　as　a　myth…maker。
　…The　Stolen　Journals
　THE　FIRST　explosion　came　just　as　darkness　enfolded　the　City　of　Onn。　The　blast　caught　a　few　venturesome　revelers　outside　the　Ixian　Embassy；　passing　on　their　way　to　a　party　where　（it　was　promised）　Face　Dancers　would　perform　an　ancient　drama　about　a　king　who　slew　his　children。　After　the　violent　events　of　the　first　four　Festival　Days；　it　had　taken　some　courage　for　the　revelers　to　emerge　from　the　relative　safety　of　their　quarters。　Stories　of　death　and　injury　to　innocent　bystanders　circulated　all　through　the　City…and　here　it　was　again…more　fuel　for　the　cautious。
　None　of　the　victims　and　survivors　would　have　appreciated　Leto's　observation　that　innocent　bystanders　were　in　relatively　short　supply。
　Leto's　acute　senses　detected　the　explosion　and　located　it。　With　an　instant　fury　which　he　was　l