fh.godemperorofdune-第74部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　〃You　always　have　a　choice；〃　Moneo　said。
　〃Don't　listen　to　him；〃　Siona　said。　〃He's　full　of　tricks。　They　expect　us　to　fall　into　each　other's　arms　and　breed　more　like　my　father。　Your　descendant；　my　father！〃
　Moneo's　face　went　pale。　He　gripped　the　edge　of　his　worktable　with　both　hands　and　leaned　forward。　〃You　are　both　fools！　But　I　will　try　to　save　you。　In　spite　of　yourselves；　I　will　try　to　save　you。〃
　Idaho　saw　Moneo's　cheeks　tremble；　the　intensity　of　the　man's　stare；　and　felt　oddly　moved　by　this。　〃I'm　not　his　stud；　but　I'll　listen　to　you。〃
　〃Always　a　mistake；〃　Siona　said。
　〃Be　still；　woman；〃　Idaho　said。
　She　glared　at　the　top　of　Idaho's　head。　〃Don't　address　me　that　way　or　I'll　wrap　your　neck　around　your　ankles！〃
　Idaho　stiffened　and　started　to　turn。
　Moneo　grimaced　and　waved　a　hand　for　Idaho　to　remain　seated。　〃I　caution　you；　Duncan；　that　she　could　probably　do　it。　I　am　no　match　for　her　and　you　do　recall　your　attempt　at　violence　against　me？〃
　Idaho　inhaled　a　deep；　quick　breath；　let　it　out　slowly；　then：　〃Say　what　you　have　to　say。〃
　Siona　moved　to　perch　at　the　end　of　Moneo's　table　and　looked　down　at　both　of　them。　〃Much　better；〃　she　said。　〃Let　him　have　his　say；　but　don't　listen。〃
　Idaho　pressed　his　lips　tightly　together。
　Moneo　released　his　grip　on　the　edge　of　his　desk。　He　sat　back　and　looked　from　Idaho　to　Siona。　〃I　have　almost　pleted　the　arrangements　for　the　God　Emperor's　wedding　to　Hwi　Noree。　During　those　festivities；　I　want　you　both　out　of　the　way。〃
　Siona　turned　a　questioning　look　on　Moneo。　〃Your　idea　or　his？〃
　〃Mine！〃　Moneo　returned　his　daughter's　glare。　〃Have　you　no　sense　of　honor　and　duty？　Have　you　learned　nothing　from　being　with　him？〃
　〃Oh；　I　learned　what　you　learned；　father。　And　I　gave　my　word；　which　I　will　keep。〃
　〃Then　you'll　mand　the　Fish　Speakers？〃
　〃Whenever　he　trusts　me　with　mand。　You　know；　father；　he's　ever　so　much　more　devious　than　you　are。〃
　〃Where　are　you　sending　us？〃　Idaho　asked。
　〃Provided　we　agree　to　go；〃　Siona　said。
　〃There　is　a　small　village　of　Museum　Fremen　at　the　edge　of　the　Sareer；〃　Moneo　said。　〃It　is　called　Tuono。　The　village　is　relatively　pleasant。　It's　in　the　shadow　of　the　Wall　with　the　river　just　beyond　the　Wall。　There　is　a　well　and　the　food　is　good。〃
　Tuono？　Idaho　wondered。　The　name　sounded　familiar。　〃There　was　a　Tuono　Basin　on　the　way　to　Sietch　Tabr；〃　he　said。
　〃And　the　nights　are　long　and　there's　no　entertainment；〃　Siona　said。
　Idaho　shot　a　sharp　glance　at　her。　She　returned　it。　〃He　wants　us　breeding　and　the　Worm　satisfied；〃　she　said。　〃He　wants　babies　in　my　belly；　new　lives　to　warp　and　twist。　I'll　see　him　dead　before　I'll　give　him　that！〃
　Idaho　looked　back　at　Moneo　with　a　bemused　expression。　〃And　if　we　refuse　to　go？〃
　〃I　think　you'll　go；〃　Moneo　said。
　Siona's　lips　twitched。　〃Duncan；　have　you　even　seen　one　of　these　little　desert　villages？　No　forts；　no。　。　。〃
　〃I　have　seen　Tabur　Village；〃　Idaho　said。
　〃I'm　sure　that　is　a　metropolis　beside　Tuono。　Our　God　Emperor　would　not　celebrate　his　nuptials　in　any　cluster　of　mud　hovels！　Oh；　no。　Tuono　will　be　mud　hovels　and　no　amenities；　as　close　to　the　original　Fremen　as　possible。〃
　Idaho　kept　his　attention　on　Moneo　while　speaking：　〃Fremen　did　not　live　in　mud　huts。〃
　〃Who　cares　where　they　conducted　their　cultish　games？〃　she　sneered。
　Still　looking　at　Moneo；　Idaho　said：　〃Real　Fremen　had　only　one　cult；　the　cult　of　personal　honesty。　I　worry　more　about　honesty　than　about　fort。〃
　〃Don't　expect　fort　from　me！〃　Siona　snapped。
　〃I　don't　expect　anything　from　you；〃　Idaho　said。　〃When　would　we　leave　for　this　Tuono；　Moneo？〃
　〃You're　going？〃　she　asked。
　〃I　am　considering　an　acceptance　of　your　father's　kindness；〃　Idaho　said。
　〃Kindness！〃　She　looked　from　Idaho　to　Moneo。
　〃You　would　leave　immediately；〃　Moneo　said。　〃I　have　detailed　a　detachment　of　Fish　Speakers　under　Nayla　to　escort　you　and　provide　for　you　at　Tuono。〃
　〃Nayla？〃　Siona　asked。　〃Really？　Will　she　stay　with　us　there？〃
　〃Until　the　day　of　the　wedding。〃
　Siona　nodded　slowly。　〃Then　we　accept。〃
　〃Accept　for　yourself！〃　Idaho　snapped。
　Siona　smiled。　〃Sorry。　May　I　formally　request　that　the　great　Duncan　Idaho　join　me　at　this　primitive　garrison　where　he　will　keep　his　hands　off　my　person？〃
　Idaho　peered　up　at　her　from　under　his　brows。　〃Have　no　fears　about　where　I　will　put　my　hands。〃　He　looked　at　Moneo。　〃Are　you　being　kind；　Moneo？　Is　that　why　you're　sending　me　away？〃
　〃It's　a　question　of　trust；〃　Siona　said。　〃Who　does　he　trust？〃
　〃Will　I　be　forced　to　go　with　your　daughter？〃　Idaho　insisted。
　Siona　stood。　〃We　either　accept　or　the　troopers　will　bind　us　and　carry　us　out　in　a　most　unfortable　fashion。　You　can　see　it　in　his　face。〃
　〃So　I　really　have　no　choice；〃　Idaho　said。
　〃You　have　the　choice　anyone　has；〃　Siona　said。　〃Die　now　or　later。〃
　Still；　Idaho　stared　at　Moneo。　〃Your　real　intentions；　Moneo？　Won't　you　satisfy　my　curiosity？〃
　〃Curiosity　has　kept　many　people　alive　when　all　else　failed；〃　Moneo　said。　〃I　am　trying　to　keep　you　alive；　Duncan。　I　have　never　done　that　before。〃
　
　It　required　almost　a　thousand　years　before　the　dust　of　Dune's　old　planet…wide　desert　left　the　atmosphere　to　be　bound　up　in　soil　and　water。　The　wind　called　sandblaster　has　not　been　seen　on　Arrakis　for　some　twenty…five　hundred　years。　Twenty　billion　tons　of　dust　could　be　carried　suspended　in　the　wind　of　just　one　of　those　storms。　The　sky　often　had　a　silvery　look　to　it　then。　Fremen　said：　〃The　desert　is　a　surgeon　cutting　away　the　skin　to　expose　what's　underneath。〃　The　planet　and　the　people　had　layers。　You　could　see　them。　My　Sareer　is　but　a　weak　echo　of　what　was。　I　must　be　the　sandblaster　today。
　…The　Stolen　Journals
　〃You　sent　them　to　Tuono　without　consulting　me？　How　surprising　of　you；　Moneo！　You've　not　done　such　an　independent　thing　in　a　long　while。〃
　Moneo　stood　about　ten　paces　from　Leto　in　the　gloomy　center　of　the　crypt；　head　bowed；　using　every　artifice　he　knew　to　keep　from　trembling；　aware　that　even　this　could　be　seen　and　interpreted　by　the　God　Emperor。　It　was　almost　midnight。　Leto　had　kept　his　majordomo　waiting　and　waiting。
　〃I　pray　I　have　not　offended　my　Lord；〃　Moneo　said。
　〃You　have　amused　me；　but　take　no　heart　from　that。　Lately；　I　cannot　separate　the　ic　from　the　sad。〃
　〃Forgive　me；　Lord；〃　Moneo　whispered。
　〃What　is　this　forgiveness　you　ask？　Must　you　always　require　judgment？　Can't　your　universe　merely　be？〃
　Moneo　lifted　his　gaze　to　that　awful　cowled　face。　He　is　both　ship　and　storm。　The　sunset　exists　in　itself。　Moneo　felt　that　he　stood　on　the　brink　of　terrifying　revelations。　The　God　Emperor's　eyes　bored　into　him；　burning；　probing。　〃Lord；　what　would　you　have　of　me？〃
　〃That　you　have　faith　in　yourself。〃
　Feeling　that　something　might　explode　in　him；　Moneo　said：　〃Then　the　fact　that　I　did　not　consult　you　before。　。　。〃
　〃How　enlightened　of　you；　Moneo！　Small　souls　who　seek　power　over　others　first　destroy　the　faith　those　others　might　have　in　themselves。〃
　The　words　were　shattering　to　Moneo。　He　sensed　accusation　in　them；　confession。　He　felt　his　hold　on　a　fearsome　but　infinitely　desirable　thing　weakening。　He　tried　to　find　words　to　call　it　back；　but　his　mind　remained　blank。　Perhaps　if　he　asked　the　God　Emperor　。　。　。
　〃Lord；　if　you　would　but　tell　me　your　thoughts　on。。
　。〃
　〃My　thoughts　vanish　on　contact！〃
　Leto　stared　down　at　Moneo。　How　strange　were　the　majordomo's　eyes　perched　there　above　that　hawkish　Atreides　nose…free…verse　eyes　in　a　metronome　face。　Did　Moneo　hear　that　rhythmic　pulse…beat：　Malky　is　ing！　Malky　is　ing！　Malky　is　ing！？
　Moneo　wanted　to　cry　out　in　anguish。　The　thing　he　had　felt…　all　gone！　He　put　both　his　hands　over　his　mouth。
　〃Your　universe　is　a　two…dimensional　hourglass；〃　Leto　accused。　〃Why　do　you　try　to　hold　back　the　sand？〃
　Moneo　lowered　his　hands　and　sighed。　〃Do　you　wish　to　hear　about　the　wedding　arrangements；　Lord？〃
　〃Don't　be　tiresome！　Where　is　Hwi？〃
　〃The　Fish　Speakers　are　preparing　her　for。　。　。〃
　〃Have　you　consulted　her　about　the　arrangements？〃
　〃Yes；　Lord。〃
　〃She　approved？〃
　〃Yes；　Lord；　but　she　accused　me　of　living　for　the　quantity　of　activity　and　not　for　the　quality。〃
　〃Isn't　she　marvelous；　Moneo？　Does　she　see　the　unrest　among　the　Fish　Speakers？〃
　〃I　think　so；　Lord。〃
　〃The　idea　of　my　marriage　disturbs　them。〃
　〃It's　why　I　sent　the　Duncan　away；　Lord。〃
　〃Of　course　it　is；　and　Siona　with　him　to。　。　。〃
　〃Lord；　I　know　you　have　tested　her　and　she。　。　。〃
　〃She　senses　the　Golden　Path　as　deeply　as　you　do；　Moneo。〃　〃Then　why　do　I　fear　her；　Lord？〃
　〃Because　you　raise　reason　above　all　else。〃
　〃But　I　do　not　know　the　reason　for　my　fear！〃
　Leto　smiled。　This　was　like　playing　bubble　dice　in　an　infinite　bowl。　Moneo's　emotions　were　a　marvelous　play　performed　only　on　this　stage。　How　near　the　edge　he　walked　without　ever　seeing　it！
　〃Moneo；　why　do　you　insist　on　taking　pieces　out　of　the　continuum？〃　Leto　asked。　〃When　you　see　a　spectrum；　do　you　desire　one　color　there　above　all　the　others？〃
　〃Lord；　I　don't　understand　you！〃
　Leto　closed　his　eyes；　remembering　the　countless　times　he　had　heard　this　cry。　The　faces　were　an　unseparated　blend。　He　opened　his　eyes　to　erase　them。
　〃As　long　as　one　human　remains　alive　to　see　them；　the　colors　will　not　suffer　a　linear　mortis　even　if　you　die；　Moneo。〃
　〃What　is　this　thing　of　colors；　Lord？〃