fh.godemperorofdune-第31章

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　What　are　they　doing？　Moneo　wondered。
　Even　while　he　was　asking　himself　this　question；　Moneo　saw　the　flesh　of　the　approaching　faces　melt　away　in　Face　Dancer　mockery；　every　face　resolving　into　a　likeness　of　Duncan　Idaho。
　〃Face　Dancers！〃　someone　screamed。
　Leto；　too；　had　been　distracted　by　the　confusion　of　events；　the　sounds　of　many　feet　running　on　the　road；　the　barked　orders　as　Fish　Speakers　formed　their　phalanx。　He　had　applied　more　speed　to　his　cart；　closing　the　distance　between　himself　and　the　guards；　beginning　then　to　ring　a　warning　bell　and　sound　the　cart's　distortion　klaxon。　White　noise　blared　across　the　scene；　disorienting　even　some　of　the　Fish　Speakers　who　were　conditioned　to　it。
　At　that　instant；　the　petitioners　discarded　their　pilgrim　cloaks　and　began　the　transformation　maneuver；　their　faces　flickering　into　likenesses　of　Duncan　Idaho。　Leto　heard　the　scream：　〃Face　Dancers！〃　He　identified　its　source；　a　consort　clerk　in　Royal　Accounting。
　Leto's　initial　reaction　was　amusement。
　Guards　and　Face　Dancers　collided。　Screams　and　shouts　replaced　the　petitioners'　chanting。　Leto　recognized　Tleilaxu　bat…
　the…mands。　A　thick　knot　of　Fish　Speakers　formed　around　the　black　clad　figure　of　his　Duncan。　The　guards　were　obeying　Leto's　oft　repeated　instruction　to　protect　their　ghola…mander。
　But　how　will　they　tell　him　from　the　others。
　Leto　brought　his　cart　almost　to　a　stop。　He　could　see　Fish　Speakers　on　the　left　swinging　their　stunclubs。　Sunlight　flashed　from　knives。　Then　came　the　buzzing　hum　of　lasguns；　a　sound　Leto's　grandmother　had　once　described　as　〃the　most　terrible　in　our　universe。〃　More　hoarse　shouts　and　screams　erupted　from　the　vanguard。
　Leto　reacted　with　the　first　sound　of　lasguns。　He　swerved　the　Royal　Cart　off　the　road　to　his　right；　shifted　from　wheels　to　suspensors　and　drove　the　vehicle　back　like　a　battering　ram　into　a　clot　of　Face　Dancers　trying　to　enter　the　fray　from　his　side。　Turning　in　a　tight　arc；　he　hit　more　of　them　on　the　other　side；　feeling　the　crushing　impact　of　flesh　against　plasteel；　a　red　spray　of　blood；　then　he　was　down　off　the　road　into　an　erosion　gully。　The　brown　serrated　sides　of　the　gully　flashed　past　him。　He　swept　upward　and　swooped　across　the　river　canyon　to　a　high；　rock…girt　viewpoint　beside　the　Royal　Road。　There；　he　stopped　and　turned；　well　beyond　the　range　of　hand…held　lasguns。
　What　a　surprise！
　Laughter　shook　his　great　body　with　grunting；　trembling　convulsions。　Slowly；　the　amusement　subsided。
　From　his　vantage；　Leto　could　see　the　bridge　and　the　area　of　the　attack。　Bodies　lay　in　tangled　disarray　all　across　the　scene　and　into　the　flanking　gullies。　He　recognized　courtier　finery；　Fish　Speaker　uniforms；　the　bloodied　black　of　the　Face　Dancer　disguises。　Surviving　courtiers　huddled　in　the　background　while　Fish　Speakers　sped　among　the　fallen　making　sure　the　attackers　were　dead　with　a　swift　knife　stroke　into　each　body。
　Leto　swept　his　gaze　across　the　scene　searching　for　the　black　uniform　of　his　Duncan。　There　was　not　one　such　uniform　standing。　Not　one！　Leto　put　down　a　surge　of　frustration；　then　saw　a　clutch　of　Fish　Speaker　guards　among　the　courtiers　and。。。and　a　naked　figure　there。
　Naked！
　It　was　Duncan！　Naked！　Of　course！　The　Duncan　Idaho　without　a　uniform　was　not　a　Face　Dancer。
　Again；　laughter　shook　him。　Surprises　on　both　sides。　What　a　shock　that　must　have　been　to　the　attackers。　Obviously；　they　had　not　prepared　themselves　for　such　a　response。
　Leto　eased　his　cart　out　onto　the　roadway；　dropped　the　wheels　into　position　and　rolled　down　to　the　bridge。　He　crossed　the　bridge　with　a　sense　of　deja　vu；　aware　of　the　countless　bridges　in　his　memories；　the　crossings　to　view　the　aftermaths　of　battles。　As　he　cleared　the　bridge。　Idaho　broke　from　the　knot　of　guards　and　ran　toward　him；　skipping　and　dodging　the　bodies。　Leto　stopped　his　cart　and　stared　at　the　naked　runner。　The　Duncan　was　like　a　Greek　warrior…messenger　dashing　toward　his　mander　to　report　the　oute　of　battle。　The　condensation　of　history　stunned　Leto's　memories。
　Idaho　skidded　to　a　stop　beside　the　cart。　Leto　opened　the　bubble　cover。
　〃Face　Dancers；　every　damned　one'〃　Idaho　panted。
　Not　trying　to　conceal　his　amusement；　Leto　asked：　〃Whose　idea　was　it　to　strip　off　your　uniform？〃
　〃Mine！　But　they　wouldn't　let　me　fight！〃
　Moneo　came　running　up　then　with　a　group　of　guards。　One　of　the　Fish　Speakers　tossed　a　guard's　blue　cloak　to　Idaho；　calling　out：　〃We're　trying　to　salvage　a　plete　uniform　from　the　bodies。〃
　〃I　ripped　mine　off；〃　Idaho　explained。
　〃Did　any　of　the　Face　Dancers　escape？〃　Moneo　asked。
　〃Not　a　one；〃　Idaho　said。　〃I　admit　your　women　are　good　fighters；　but　why　wouldn't　they　let　me　get　into。　。　。〃
　〃Because　they　have　instructions　to　protect　you；〃　Leto　said。　〃They　always　protect　the　most　valuable。　。　。〃
　〃Four　of　them　died　getting　me　out　of　there！〃　Idaho　said。
　〃We　lost　more　than　thirty　people　altogether；　Lord；〃　Moneo　said。　〃We're　still　counting。〃
　〃How　many　Face　Dancers？〃　Leto　asked。
　〃It　looks　like　there　were　an　even　fifty　of　them；　Lord；〃　Moneo　said。　He　spoke　softly；　a　stricken　look　on　his　face。
　Leto　began　to　chuckle。
　〃Why　are　you　laughing？〃　Idaho　demanded。　〃More　than　thirty　of　our　people。　。　。〃
　〃But　the　Tleilaxu　were　so　inept；〃　Leto　said。　〃Do　you　not　realize　that　only　about　five　hundred　years　ago　they　would've　been　far　more　efficient；　far　more　dangerous。　Imagine　them　daring　that　foolish　masquerade！　And　not　anticipating　your　brilliant　response！〃
　〃They　had　lasguns；〃　Idaho　said。
　Leto　twisted　his　bulky　forward　segments　around　and　pointed　at　a　hole　burned　in　his　canopy　almost　at　the　cart'；　midpoint　A　melted　and　fused　starburst　surrounded　the　hole。
　〃They　hit　several　other　places　underneath；〃　Leto　said　〃Fortunately；　they　did　not　damage　any　suspensors　or　wheels。〃
　Idaho　stared　at　the　hole　in　the　canopy。　noted　that　it　lined　up　with　Leto's　body。
　〃Didn't　it　hit　you？〃　he　asked。
　〃Oh；　yes；〃　Leto　said。
　〃Are　you　injured？〃　〃I　am　immune　to　lasguns；〃　Leto　lied。　〃When　we　get　time；　I　will　demonstrate。〃
　〃Well；　I'm　not　immune。〃　Idaho　said。　〃And　neither　are　your　guards。　Every　one　of　us　should　have　a　shield　belt。〃
　〃Shields　are　banned　throughout　the　Empire。〃　Leto　said。　〃It　is　a　capital　offense　to　have　a　shield。〃
　〃The　question　of　shields；〃　Moneo　ventured。
　Idaho　thought　Moneo　was　asking　for　an　explanation　of　shields　and　said：　〃The　belts　develop　a　force　field　which　will　repel　any　object　trying　to　enter　at　a　dangerous　speed。　They　have　one　major　drawback。　If　you　intersect　the　force　field　with　a　lasgun　beam；　the　resultant　explosion　rivals　that　of　a　very　large　fusion　bomb。　Attacker　and　attacked　go　together。〃
　Moneo　only　stared　at　Idaho；　who　nodded。
　〃I　see　why　they　were　banned；〃　Idaho　said。　〃I　presume　the　Great　Convention　against　atomics　is　still　in　force　and　working　well？〃
　〃Working　even　better　since　we　searched　out　all　of　the　Family　atomics　and　removed　them　to　a　safe　place；〃　Leto　said。　〃But　we　do　not　have　time　to　discuss　such　matters　here。〃
　〃We　can　discuss　one　thing；〃　Idaho　said。　〃Walking　out　here　in　the　open　is　too　dangerous。　We　should。　。　。〃'
　〃It　is　the　tradition　and　we　will　continue　it；〃　Leto　said。
　Moneo　leaned　close　to　Idaho's　ear。　〃You　are　disturbing　the　Lord　Leto；〃　he　said。
　〃But。　。　。〃
　〃Have　you　not　considered　how　much　easier　it　is　to　control　a　walking　population？〃　Moneo　asked。
　Idaho　jerked　around　to　stare　into　Moneo's　eyes　with　sudden　prehension。
　Leto　took　the　opportunity　to　begin　issuing　orders。　〃Moneo；　see　that　there　is　no　sign　of　the　attack　left　here；　not　one　spot　of　blood　or　a　torn　rag　of　clothing…nothing。〃
　〃Yes；　Lord。〃
　Idaho　turned　at　the　sound　of　people　pressing　close　around　them；　saw　that　all　of　the　survivors；　even　the　wounded　wearing　emergency　bandages；　had　e　up　to　listen。
　〃All　of　you；〃　Leto　said；　addressing　the　throng　around　the　cart。　〃Not　a　word　of　this。　Let　the　Tleilaxu　worry。〃　He　looked　at　Idaho。
　〃Duncan；　how　did　those　Face　Dancers　get　into　a　region　where　only　my　Museum　Fremen　should　roam　free？〃
　Idaho　glanced　involuntarily　at　Moneo。
　〃Lord；　it　is　my　fault；〃　Moneo　said。　〃I　was　the　one　who　arranged　for　the　Fremen　to　present　their　petition　here。　I　even　reassured　Duncan　Idaho　about　them。〃
　〃I　recall　your　mentioning　the　petition；〃　Leto　said。
　〃I　th