fh.godemperorofdune-第23章

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！


　I'm　not　the　first　Duncan　Idaho　that　Moneo　has　seen。
　Moneo　merely　smiled　and　shrugged。
　〃I　did　not　mean　to　offend　you；　mander。　Will　you　keep　these　quarters；　then？〃
　〃I　like　the　view。〃
　〃But　not　the　furnishings。〃　It　was　a　statement。
　〃Those　can　be　changed；〃　Idaho　said。
　〃I　will　see　to　it。〃
　〃I　suppose　you're　here　to　explain　my　duties。〃
　〃As　much　as　I　can。　I　know　how　strange　everything　must　appear　to　you　at　first。　This　civilization　is　profoundly　different　from　the　one　you　knew。〃
　〃I　can　see　that。　How　did　my。。。predecessor　die？〃
　Moneo　shrugged。　It　appeared　to　be　his　standard　gesture；　but　there　was　nothing　self…effacing　about　it。
　〃He　was　not　fast　enough　to　escape　the　consequences　of　a　decision　he　had　made；〃　Moneo　said。
　〃Be　specific。〃
　Moneo　sighed。　The　Duncans　were　always　like　this…so　demanding。
　〃The　rebellion　killed　him。　Do　you　wish　the　details？〃
　〃Would　they　be　useful　to　me？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃I'll　want　a　plete　briefing　on　this　rebellion　today；　but　first：　why　are　there　no　men　in　Leto's　army？〃
　〃He　has　you。〃
　〃You　know　what　I　mean。〃
　〃He　has　a　curious　theory　about　armies。　I　have　discussed　it　with　him　on　many　occasions。　But　do　you　not　want　to　breakfast　before　I　explain？〃
　〃Can't　we　have　both　at　the　same　time？〃
　Moneo　turned　toward　the　door　and　called　out　a　single　word：　〃Now！〃
　The　effect　was　immediate　and　fascinating　to　Idaho。　A　troop　of　young　Fish　Speakers　swarmed　into　the　room。　Two　of　them　took　a　folding　table　and　chairs　from　behind　a　panel　and　placed　them　on　the　balcony。　Others　set　the　table　for　two　people。　More　brought　food…fresh　fruit；　hot　rolls　and　a　steaming　drink　which　smelled　faintly　of　spice　and　caffeine。　It　was　all　done　with　a　swift　and　silent　efficiency　which　spoke　of　long　practice。　They　left　as　they　had　e；　without　a　word。
　Idaho　found　himself　seated　across　from　Moneo　at　the　table　within　a　minute　after　the　start　of　this　curious　performance。
　〃Every　morning　like　that？〃　Idaho　asked。
　〃Only　if　you　wish　it。〃
　Idaho　sampled　the　drink：　melange…coffee。　He　recognized　the　fruit；　the　soft　Caladan　melon　called　paradan。
　My　favorite。
　〃You　know　me　pretty　well；〃　Idaho　said。
　Moneo　smiled。　〃We've　had　some　practice。　Now；　about　your　question。〃
　〃And　Leto's　curious　theory。〃
　〃Yes。　He　says　that　the　all…male　army　was　too　dangerous　to　its　civilian　support　base。〃
　〃That's　crazy！　Without　the　army；　there　would've　been　no。。。
　〃I　know　the　argument。　But　he　says　that　the　male　army　was　a　survival　of　the　screening　function　delegated　to　the　nonbreeding　males　in　the　prehistoric　pack。　He　says　it　was　a　curiously　consistent　fact　that　it　was　always　the　older　males　who　sent　the　younger　males　into　battle。〃
　〃What　does　that　mean；　screening　function？〃
　〃The　ones　who　were　always　out　on　the　dangerous　perimeter　protecting　the　core　of　breeding　males；　females　and　the　young。　The　ones　who　first　encountered　the　predator。〃
　〃How　is　that　dangerous　to　the。。。civilians？〃
　Idaho　took　a　bite　of　the　melon；　found　it　ripened　perfectly。
　〃The　Lord　Leto　says　that　when　it　was　denied　an　external　enemy；　the　all…male　army　always　turned　against　its　own　population。　Always。〃
　〃Contending　for　the　females？〃
　〃Perhaps。　He　obviously　does　not　believe；　however；　that　it　was　that　simple。〃
　〃I　don't　find　this　a　curious　theory。〃
　〃You　have　not　heard　all　of　it。〃
　〃There's　more？〃
　〃Oh；　yes。　He　says　that　the　all…male　army　has　a　strong　tendency　toward　homosexual　activities。〃
　Idaho　glared　across　the　table　at　Moneo。　〃I　never。　。　。〃
　〃Of　course　not。　He　is　speaking　about　sublimation；　about　deflected　energies　and　all　the　rest　of　it。〃
　〃The　rest　of　what？〃　Idaho　was　prickly　with　anger　at　what　he　saw　as　an　attack　on　his　male　self…image。
　〃Adolescent　attitudes；　just　boys　together；　jokes　designed　purely　to　cause　pain；　loyalty　only　to　your　pack…mates。。。things　of　that　nature。〃
　Idaho　spoke　coldly。　〃What's　your　opinion？〃
　〃I　remind　myself…〃　Moneo　turned　and　spoke　while　looking　out　at　the　view…'of　something　which　he　has　said　and　which　I　am　sure　is　true。　He　is　every　soldier　in　human　history。　He　offered　to　parade　for　me　a　series　of　examples…famous　military　figures　who　were　frozen　in　adolescence。　I　declined　the　offer。　I　have　read　my　history　with　care　and　have　recognized　this　characteristic　for　myself。〃
　Moneo　turned　and　looked　directly　into　Idaho's　eyes。
　〃Think　about　it；　mander。〃
　Idaho　prided　himself　on　self…honesty　and　this　hit　him。　Cults　of　youth　and　adolescence　preserved　in　the　military？　It　had　the　ring　of　truth。　There　were　examples　in　his　own　experience　。　。　。
　Moneo　nodded。　〃The　homosexual；　latent　or　otherwise；　who　maintains　that　condition　for　reasons　which　could　be　called　purely　psychological；　tends　to　indulge　in　pain…causing　behavior…seeking　it　for　himself　and　inflicting　it　upon　others。　Lord　Leto　says　this　goes　back　to　the　testing　behavior　in　the　prehistoric　pack。〃
　〃You　believe　him'？〃
　〃I　do。〃
　Idaho　took　a　bite　of　the　melon。　It　had　lost　its　sweet　savor。　He　swallowed　and　put　down　his　spoon。
　〃I　will　have　to　think　about　this；〃　Idaho　said。
　〃Of　course。〃
　〃You're　not　eating；〃　Idaho　said。
　〃I　was　up　before　dawn　and　ate　then。〃　Moneo　gestured　at　his　plate。　〃The　women　continually　try　to　tempt　me。〃
　〃Do　they　ever　succeed？〃
　〃Occasionally。〃
　〃You're　right。　I　find　his　theory　curious。　Is　there　more　to　it？〃
　〃Ohhh；　he　says　that　when　it　breaks　out　of　the　adolescent　homosexual　restraints；　the　male　army　is　essentially　rapist。　Rape　is　often　murderous　and　that's　not　survival　behavior。〃
　Idaho　scowled。
　A　tight　smile　flitted　across　Moneo's　mouth。　〃Lord　Leto　says　that　only　Atreides　discipline　and　moral　restraints　prevented　some　of　the　worst　excesses　in　your　times。〃
　A　deep　sigh　shook　Idaho。
　Moneo　sat　back；　thinking　of　a　thing　the　God　Emperor　had　once　said：　〃No　matter　how　much　we　ask　after　the　truth；　self…awareness　is　often　unpleasant。　We　do　not　feel　kindly　toward　the　Truthsayer。〃
　〃Those　damned　Atreides！〃　Idaho　said。
　〃I　am　Atreides；〃　Moneo　said。
　〃What？〃　Idaho　was　shocked。
　〃His　breeding　program；〃　Moneo　said。　〃I'm　sure　the　Tleilaxu　mentioned　it。　I　am　directly　descended　from　the　mating　of　his　sister　and　Harq…al…Ada。〃
　Idaho　leaned　toward　him。　〃Then　tell　me；　Atreides；　how　are　women　better　soldiers　than　men？〃
　〃They　find　it　easier　to　mature。〃
　Idaho　shook　his　head　in　bewilderment。
　〃They　have　a　pelling　physical　way　of　moving　from　adolescence　into　maturity；〃　Moneo　said。　〃As　Lord　Leto　says；　‘Carry　a　baby　in　you　for　nine　months　and　that　changes　you。〃'
　Idaho　sat　back。　〃What　does　he　know　about　it？〃
　Moneo　merely　stared　at　him　until　Idaho　recalled　the　multitude　in　Leto…both　male　and　female。　The　realization　plunged　over　Idaho。　Moneo　saw　it；　recalling　a　ment　of　the　God　Emperor's：　〃Your　words　brand　him　with　the　look　you　want　him　to　have。〃
　As　the　silence　continued；　Moneo　cleared　his　throat。　Presently；　he　said：　〃The　immensity　of　the　Lord　Leto's　memories　has　been　known　to　stop　my　tongue；　too。〃
　〃Is　he　being　honest　with　us？〃　Idaho　asked。
　〃I　believe　him。〃
　〃But　he　does　so　many。。。I　mean；　take　this　breeding　program。　How　long　has　that　been　going　on？〃
　〃From　the　very　first。　From　the　day　he　took　it　away　from　the　Bene　Gesserit。〃
　〃What　does　he　want　from　it？〃
　〃I　wish　I　knew。〃
　〃But　you're。　。　。〃
　〃An　Atreides　and　his　chief　aide；　yes。〃
　〃You　haven't　convinced　me　that　a　female　army　is　best。〃
　〃They　continue　the　species。〃
　At　last；　Idaho's　frustration　and　anger　had　an　object。　〃Is　that　what　I　was　doing　with　them　that　first　night…breeding？〃
　〃Possibly。　The　Fish　Speakers　take　no　precautions　against　pregnancy。〃
　〃Damn　him！　I'm　not　some　animal　he　can　move　from　stall　to　stall　like　a。。。like　a　。　。　。〃
　〃Like　a　stud？〃
　。。Yes！〃
　〃But　the　Lord　Leto　refuses　to　follow　the　Tleilaxu　pattern　of　gene　surgery　and　artificial　insemination。〃
　〃What　have　the　Tleilaxu　got　to。　。　。〃
　〃They　are　the　object　lesson。　Even　I　can　see　that。　Their　Face　Dancers　are　mules；　closer　to　a　colony　organism　than　to　human。〃
　〃Those　others　of。。。　me。。。were　any　of　them　his　studs？〃
　〃Some。　You　have　descendants。〃
　〃Who？〃
　〃I　am　one。〃
　Idaho　stared　into　Moneo's　eyes；　lost　suddenly　in　a　tangle　of　relationships。　Idaho　found　the　relationships　impossible　to　understand。　Moneo　obviously　was　so　much　older　than