fh.godemperorofdune-第19章

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　NAYLA　MOVED　In　a　steady；　plodding　；pace　as　she　climbed　the　circular　stairs　to　the　God　Emperor's　audience　chamber　atop　the　Citadel's　south　tower。　Each　time　she　traversed　the　southwest　arc　of　the　tower；　the　narrow　slitted　windows　drew　dust…defined　golden　lines　across　her　path。　She　knew　that　the　central　wall　beside　her　confined　a　lift　of　Ixian　make　large　enough　to　carry　her　Lord's　bulk　to　the　upper　chamber；　certainly　large　enough　to　hold　her　relatively　smaller　body；　but　she　did　not　resent　the　fact　that　she　was　required　to　use　the　stairs。
　The　breeze　through　the　open　slits　brought　her　the　burnt…flint　smell　of　blown　sand。　The　low…lying　sun　ignited　the　light　of　red　mineral　flakes　in　the　inner　wall；　ruby　matches　glowing　there。　Now　and　then　she　cast　a　glance　through　a　slitted　window　at　the　dunes。　Never　once　did　she　pause　to　admire　the　things　to　be　seen　around　her。
　〃You　have　heroic　patience；　Nayla；〃　the　Lord　had　once　told　her。
　Remembrance　of　those　words　warmed　Nayla　now。
　Within　the　tower；　Leto　followed　Nayla's　progress　up　the　long　circular　stairs　that　spiraled　around　the　Ixian　tube。　Her　progress　was　transmitted　to　him　by　an　Ixian　device　which　projected　her　approaching　image　quarter…size　onto　a　region　of　three…dimensional　focus　directly　in　front　of　his　eyes。
　How　precisely　she　moves；　he　thought。
　The　precision；　he　knew；　came　from　a　passionate　simplicity。
　She　wore　her　Fish　Speaker　blues　and　a　cape…robe　without　the　hawk　at　the　breast。　Once　past　the　guard　station　at　the　foot　of　the　tower；　she　had　thrown　back　the　cibus　mask　he　required　her　to　wear　on　these　personal　visits。　Her　blocky；　muscular　body　was　like　that　of　many　others　among　his　guardians；　but　her　face　was　like　no　other　in　all　of　his　memory…almost　square　with　a　mouth　so　wide　it　seemed　to　extend　around　the　cheeks；　an　illusion　caused　by　deep　creases　at　the　corners。　Her　eyes　were　pale　green；　the　closely　cropped　hair　like　old　ivory。　Her　forehead　added　to　the　square　effect；　almost　flat　with　pale　eyebrows　which　often　went　unnoticed　because　of　the　pelling　eyes。　The　nose　was　a　straight；　shallow　line　which　terminated　close　to　the　thin…lipped　mouth。
　When　Nayla　spoke；　her　great　jaws　opened　and　closed　like　those　of　some　primordial　animal。　Her　strength；　known　to　few　outside　the　corps　of　Fish　Speakers；　was　legendary　there。　Leto　had　seen　her　lift　a　one…hundred…kilo　man　with　one　hand。　Her　presence　on　Arrakis　had　been　arranged　originally　without　Moneo's　intervention；　although　the　majordomo　knew　Leto　employed　his　Fish　Speakers　as　secret　agents。
　Leto　turned　his　head　away　from　the　plodding　image　and　looked　out　the　wide　opening　beside　him　at　the　desert　to　the　south。　The　colors　of　the　distant　rocks　danced　in　his　awareness…brown；　gold；　a　deep　amber。　There　was　a　line　of　pink　on　a　faraway　cliff　the　exact　hue　of　an　egret's　feathers。　Egrets　did　not　exist　anymore　except　in　Leto's　memory；　but　he　could　place　that　pale　pastel　ribbon　of　stone　against　an　inner　eye　and　it　was　as　though　the　extinct　bird　flew　past　him。
　The　climb；　he　knew；　should　be　starting　to　tire　even　Nayla。　She　paused　at　last　to　rest；　stopping　at　a　point　two　steps　past　the　three…quarter　mark；　precisely　the　place　where　she　rested　every　time。　It　was　part　of　her　precision；　one　of　the　reasons　he　had　brought　her　back　from　the　distant　garrison　on　Seprek。
　A　Dune　hawk　floated　past　the　opening　beside　Leto　only　a　few　wing　lengths　from　the　tower　wall。　Its　attention　was　held　on　the　shadows　at　the　base　of　the　Citadel。　Small　animals　sometimes　emerged　there；　Leto　knew。　Dimly　on　the　horizon　beyond　the　hawk's　path　he　could　see　a　line　of　clouds。
　What　a　strange　thing　those　were　to　the　Old　Fremen　in　him：　clouds　on　Arrakis　and　rain　and　open　water。
　Leto　reminded　the　inner　voices：　Except　for　this　last　desert；　my　Sareer；　the　remodeling　of　Dune　into　verdant　Arrakis　has　gone　on　remorselessly　since　the　first　days　of　my　rule。
　The　influence　of　geography　on　history　went　mostly　unrecognized；　Leto　thought。　Humans　tended　to　look　more　at　the　influence　of　history　on　geography。
　Who　owns　this　river　passage？　This　verdant　valley？　This　peninsula？　This　planet？
　None　of　us。
　Nayla　was　climbing　once　more；　her　gaze　fixed　upward　on　the　stairs　she　must　traverse。　Leto's　thoughts　locked　on　her。
　In　many　ways；　she　is　the　most　useful　assistant　I　have　ever　had。　I　am　her　God。　She　worships　me　quite　unquestioningly。　Even　when　l　playfully　attack　her　faith；　she　takes　this　merely　as　testing。　She　knows　herself　superior　to　any　test。
　When　he　had　sent　her　to　the　rebellion　and　had　told　her　to　obey　Siona　in　all　things；　she　did　not　question。　When　Nayla　doubted；　even　when　she　framed　her　doubts　in　words；　her　own　thoughts　were　enough　to　restore　faith。。。or　had　been　enough。　Recent　messages；　however；　made　it　clear　that　Nayla　required　the　Holy　Presence　to　rebuild　her　inner　strength。
　Leto　recalled　the　first　conversation　with　Nayla；　the　woman　trembling　in　her　eagerness　to　please。
　〃Even　if　Siona　sends　you　to　kill　me；　you　must　obey。　She　must　never　learn　that　you　serve　me。〃
　〃No　one　can　kill　you；　Lord。〃
　〃But　you　must　obey　Siona。〃
　〃Of　course；　Lord。　That　is　your　mand。〃
　〃You　must　obey　her　in　all　things。〃
　〃I　will　do　it；　Lord。〃
　Another　test。　Nayla　does　not　question　my　tests。　She　treats　them　as　flea　bites。　Her　Lord　mands？　Nayla　obeys。　I　must　not　let　anything　change　that　relationship。
　She　would　have　made　a　superb　Shadout　in　the　old　days；　Leto　thought。　It　was　one　of　the　reasons　he　had　given　Nayla　a　crysknife；　a　real　one　preserved　from　Sietch　Tabr。　It　had　belonged　to　one　of　Stilgar's　wives。　Nayla　wore　it　in　a　concealed　sheath　beneath　her　robes；　more　a　talisman　than　a　weapon。　He　had　given　it　to　her　in　the　original　ritual；　a　ceremony　which　had　surprised　him　by　evoking　emotions　he　had　thought　forever　buried。
　〃This　is　the　tooth　of　Shai…Hulud。〃
　He　had　extended　the　blade　to　her　on　his　silvery…skinned　hands。
　〃Take　it　and　you　bee　part　of　both　past　and　future。　Soil　it　and　the　past　will　give　you　no　future。〃
　Nayla　had　accepted　the　blade；　then　the　sheath。
　〃Draw　the　blood　of　a　finger；〃　Leto　had　manded。
　Nayla　had　obeyed。
　〃Sheath　the　blade。　Never　remove　it　without　drawing　blood。〃
　Again；　Nayla　had　obeyed。
　As　Leto　watched　the　three…dimensional　image　of　Nayla's　approach；　his　reflections　on　that　old　ceremony　were　touched　by　sadness。　Unless　fixed　in　the　Old　Fremen　way；　the　blade　would　grow　increasingly　brittle　and　useless。　It　would　keep　its　crysknife　shape　throughout　Nayla's　life；　but　little　longer。
　I　have　thrown　away　a　bit　of　the　past。
　How　sad　it　was　that　the　Shadout　of　old　had　bee　today's　Fish　Speaker。　And　a　true　crysknife　had　been　used　to　bind　a　servant　more　strongly　to　her　master。　He　knew　that　some　thought　his　Fish　Speakers　were　really　priestesses　
　…Leto's　answer　to　the　Bene　Gesserit。
　〃He　creates　another　religion；〃　the　Bene　Gesserit　said。
　Nonsense！　I　have　not　created　a　religion。　I　am　the　religion！
　Nayla　entered　the　tower　sanctuary　and　stood　three　paces　from　Leto's　cart；　her　gaze　lowered　in　proper　subservience。
　Still　in　his　memories；　Leto　said：　〃Look　at　me；　woman！〃
　She　obeyed。
　〃I　have　created　a　holy　obscenity！〃　he　said。　〃This　religion　built　around　my　person　disgusts　me！〃
　〃Yes；　Lord。〃
　Nayla's　green　eyes　on　the　gilded　cushions　of　her　checks　stared　out　at　him　without　questioning；　without　prehension；
　without　the　need　of　either　response。
　If　I　sent　her　out　to　collect　the　stars；　she　would　go　and　she　would　attempt　it。　She　thinks　I　am　testing　her　again。　I　do　believe　she　could　anger　me。
　〃This　damnable　religion　should　end　with　me！〃　Leto　shouted。　〃Why　should　I　want　to　loose　a　religion　upon　my　people？　Religions　wreck　from　within…Empires　and　individuals　alike！　It's　all　the　same。〃
　〃Yes；　Lord。〃
　〃Religions　create　radicals　and　fanatics　like　you！〃
　〃Thank　You；　Lord。〃
　The　short…lived　pseudo…rage　sank　back　out　of　sight　into　the　depths　of　his　memories。　Nothing　dented　the　hard　surface　of　Nayla's　faith。
　〃Topri　has　reported　to　me　through　Moneo；〃　Leto　said。　〃Tell　me　about　this　Topri。〃
　〃Topri　is　a　worm。〃
　〃Isn't　that　what　you　call　me　when　you're　among　the　rebels？〃
　〃I　obey　my　Lord　in　everything。〃
　Touchй！
　〃Topri　is　not　worth　cultivating　then？〃　Leto　asked。
　〃Siona　assessed　him　correctly。　He　is　clumsy。　He　says