fh.godemperorofdune-第17章

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　Sister　Chenoeh　says　that　she　steeled　herself　for　death；　but　the　God　Emperor　merely　stopped　his　cart　and　looked　across　her　at　his　entourage。　She　says　the　others　stopped　and　waited　on　the　road　in　well…trained　passivity；　all　of　them　at　a　respectful　distance。The　Lord　Leto　said；　〃There　is　my　little　multitude　and　they　tell　me　everything。　Do　not　deny　my　accusation。〃
　Sister　Chenoeh　said；　〃I　do　not　deny　it。〃
　The　Lord　Leto　looked　at　her　then　and　said；　〃Have　no　fear　for　your　person。　It　is　my　wish　that　you　report　my　words　in　your　Chapter　House。〃
　Sister　Chenoeh　says　she　could　see　then　that　the　Lord　Leto　knew　all　about　her；　about　her　mission；　her　special　training　as　an　oral　recorder；　everything。　〃He　was　like　a　Reverend　Mother；〃　she　said。　〃I　could　hide　nothing　from　him。〃
　The　Lord　Leto　then　manded　her；　〃Look　toward　my　Festival　City　and　tell　me　what　you　see。〃
　Sister　Chenoeh　looked　toward　Onn　and　said；　〃I　see　the　City　in　the　distance。　It　is　beautiful　in　this　morning　light。　There　is　your　forest　on　the　right。　It　has　so　many　greens　in　it　I　could　spend　all　day　describing　them。　On　the　left　and　all　around　the　City　there　are　the　houses　and　the　gardens　of　your　servitors。　Some　of　them　look　very　rich　and　some　look　very　poor。〃
　The　Lord　Leto　said；　〃We　have　cluttered　this　landscape！　Trees　are　a　clutter。　Houses；　gardens。。。You　cannot　exult　at　new　mysteries　in　such　a　landscape。〃
　Sister　Chenoeh；　emboldened　by　Lord　Leto's　assurances；　asked；　〃Does　the　Lord　truly　want　mysteries？〃
　The　Lord　Leto　said；　〃There　is　no　outward　spiritual　freedom　in　such　a　landscape。　Do　you　not　see　it？　You　have　no　open　universe　here　with　which　to　share。　Everything　is　closures…doors；　latches；　locks！〃
　Sister　Chenoeh　asked；　〃Has　mankind　no　longer　any　need　for　privacy　and　protection？〃
　The　Lord　Leto　said；　〃When　you　return；　tell　your　Sisters　that　I　will　restore　the　outward　view。　Such　a　landscape　as　this　one　turns　you　inward　in　search　for　whatever　freedom　your　spirits　can　find　within。　Most　humans　are　not　strong　enough　to　find　freedom　within。〃
　Sister　Chenoeh　said；　〃I　will　report　your　words　accurately；　Lord。　〃
　The　Lord　Leto　said；　〃See　that　you　do。　Tell　your　Sisters　also　that　the　Bene　Gesserit　of　all　people　should　know　the　dangers　of　breeding　for　a　particular　characteristic；　of　seeking　a　defined　genetic　goal。〃
　Sister　Chenoeh　says　this　was　an　obvious　reference　to　the　Lord　Leto's　father；　Paul　Atreides。　Let　it　be　noted　that　our　breeding　program　achieved　the　Kwisatz　Haderach　one　generation　early。　In　being　Muad'Dib；　the　leader　of　the　Fremen；　Paul　Atreides　escaped　from　our　control。　There　is　no　doubt　that　he　was　a　male　with　the　powers　of　a　Reverend　Mother　and　other　powers　for　which　humankind　still　is　paying　a　heavy　price。　As　the　Lord　Leto　said：
　〃You　got　the　unexpected。　You　got　me；　the　wild　card。　And　I　have　achieved　Siona。〃
　The　Lord　Leto　refused　to　elaborate　on　this　reference　to　the　daughter　of　his　majordomo；　Moneo。　The　matter　is　being　investigated。
　In　other　matters　of　concern　to　the　Chapter　House；　our　investigators　have　supplied　information　on：
　THE　FISH　SPEAKERS
　The　Lord　Leto's　female　legions　have　elected　their　representatives　to　attend　the　Decennial　Festival　on　Arrakis。　Three　representatives　will　attend　from　each　planetary　garrison。　（See　attached　list　of　those　chosen。）　As　usual；　no　adult　males　will　attend；　not　even　consorts　of　Fish　Speaker　officers。　The　consort　list　has　changed　very　little　in　this　reporting　period。　We　have　appended　the　new　names　with　genealogical　information　where　available。　Note　that　only　two　of　the　names　can　be　starred　as　descendants　of　the　Duncan　Idaho　gholas。　We　can　add　nothing　new　to　our　speculations　about　his　use　of　the　gholas　in　his　breeding　program。
　None　of　our　efforts　to　form　an　alliance　between　Fish　Speakers　and　Bene　Gesserit　succeeded　during　this　period。　Lord　Leto　continues　to　increase　certain　garrison　sizes。　He　also　continues　to　emphasize　the　alternative　missions　of　the　Fish　Speakers；　de…emphasizing　their　military　missions。　This　has　had　the　expected　result　of　increasing　local　admiration　and　respect　and　gratitude　for　the　presence　of　the　Fish　Speaker　garrisons。　（See　attached　list　for　garrisons　which　were　increased　in　size。　Editor's　note：　The　only　pertinent　garrisons　were　those　on　the　home　planets　of　the　Bene　Gesserit；　Ixians　and　Tleilaxu。　Spacing　Guild　monitors　were　not　increased。）
　PRIESTHOOD
　Except　for　the　few　natural　deaths　and　replacements　which　are　listed　in　attachments；　there　have　been　no　significant　changes。　Those　consorts　and　officers　delegated　to　perform　the　ritual　duties　remain　few；　their　powers　abridged　by　continuing　requirement　for　consultation　with　Arrakis　before　taking　any　important　action。　It　is　the　opinion　of　the　Reverend　Mother　Syaksa　and　some　others　that　the　religious　character　of　the　Fish　Speakers　is　slowly　being　devolved。
　BREEDING　PROGRAM
　Other　than　the　unexplained　reference　to　Siona　and　to　our　failure　with　his　father；　we　have　nothing　significant　to　add　to　our　continued　monitoring　of　the　Lord　Leto's　breeding　program。　There　is　evidence　of　a　certain　randomness　in　his　plan　which　is　reinforced　by　the　Lord　Leto's　statement　about　genetic　goals；　but　we　cannot　be　certain　that　he　was　truthful　with　Sister　Chenoeh。　We　call　your　attention　to　the　many　instances　where　he　has　either　lied　or　changed　directions　dramatically　and　without　warning。
　The　Lord　Leto　continues　to　prohibit　our　participation　in　his　breeding　program。　His　monitors　from　our　Fish　Speaker　garrison　remain　adamant　in　〃weeding　out〃　our　births　to　which　they　object。　Only　by　the　most　stringent　controls　were　we　able　to　maintain　the　level　of　Reverend　Mothers　during　this　reporting　period。　Our　protests　are　not　answered。　In　response　to　a　direct　question　from　Sister　Chenoeh；　the　Lord　Leto　said：
　〃Be　thankful　for　what　you　have。〃
　This　warning　is　duly　noted　here。　We　have　transmitted　a　gracious　letter　of　thankfulness　to　the　Lord　Leto。
　ECONOMICS
　The　Chapter　House　continues　to　maintain　its　solvency。　but　the　measures　of　conservation　cannot　be　eased。　In　fact；　as　a　precaution；　certain　new　measures　will　be　instituted　in　the　next　reporting　period。　These　include　a　reduction　in　the　ritual　uses　of　melange　and　an　increase　in　the　rates　charged　for　our　usual　services。　We　expect　to　double　the　fees　for　the　schooling　of　Great　House　females　across　the　next　four　reporting　periods。　You　are　hereby　charged　to　begin　preparing　your　arguments　in　defense　of　this　action。
　The　Lord　Leto　has　denied　our　petition　for　an　increase　in　our　melange　allotment。　No　reason　was　given。
　Our　relationship　with　the　bine　Honnete　Ober　Advancer　Mercantiles　remains　on　a　sound　footing。　CHOAM　has　acplished　in　the　preceding　period　a　regional　cartel　in　Star　Jewels；　a　project　whereby　we　gained　a　substantial　return　through　our　advisory　and　bargaining　functions。　The　ongoing　profits　from　this　arrangement　should　more　than　offset　our　losses　on　Giedi　Prime。　The　Giedi　Prime　investment　has　been　written　off。
　GREAT　HOUSES
　Thirty…one　former　Great　Houses　suffered　economic　disaster　in　this　reporting　period。　Only　six　managed　to　maintain　House　Minor　status。　（See　attached　list。）　This　continues　the　general　trend　noted　over　the　past　thousand　years　where　the　once　Great　Houses　melt　gradually　into　the　background。　It　is　to　be　noted　that　the　six　who　averted　total　disaster　were　all　heavy　investors　in　CHOAM　and　that　five　of　these　six　were　deeply　involved　in　the　Star　Jewel　project。　The　lone　exception　held　a　diversified　portfolio；　including　a　substantial　investment　in　antique　whale　fur　from　Caladan。
　（Our　ponji　rice　reserves　were　increased　almost　twofold　in　this　period　at　the　expense　of　our　whale　fur　holdings。　The　reasons　for　this　decision　will　be　reviewed　in　the　next　period。）
　FAMILY　LIFE
　As　has　been　observed　by　our　investigators　over　the　preceding　two　thousand　years；　the　homogenization　of　family　life　continues　unabated。　The　exceptions　are　those　you　would　expect：　the　Guild；　the　Fish　Speakers；　the　Royal　Courtiers；　the　shape…changing　Face　Dancers　of　the　Tleilaxu　（who　are　still　mules　despite　all　efforts　to　change　that　condition）；　and　our　own　situation；　of　course。
　It　is　to　be　noted　that　familial　conditions　grow　more　and　more　similar　no　matter　the　planet　of　residence；　a　circumstance　which　cannot　be　attributed　to