fh.godemperorofdune-第53章

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ey　Halleck。　But　I　am　the　past。〃
　Idaho　swallowed　hard。　〃The　things　you're　doing！〃
　〃They　cut　against　the　Atreides　grain？〃
　〃You're　damned　right！〃
　Leto　resumed　his　ordinary　tones。　〃Yet　I'm　still　Atreides。〃
　〃Are　you　really？〃
　〃What　else　could　I　be？〃
　〃I　wish　I　knew！〃
　〃You　think　I　play　tricks　with　words　and　voices？〃
　〃What　in　all　the　seven　hells　are　you　really　doing？〃
　〃I　preserve　life　while　setting　the　stage　for　the　next　cycle；。〃
　〃You　preserve　it　by　killing？〃
　〃Death　has　often　been　useful　to　life。〃
　〃That's　not　Atreides！〃
　〃But　it　is。　We　often　saw　the　value　of　death。　The　lxians；　however；　have　never　seen　that　value。〃
　〃What've　the　lxians　got　to　do　with。　。　。〃
　〃Everything。　They　would　make　a　machine　to　conceal　their　other　machinations。〃
　Idaho　spoke　in　a　musing　tone。　〃Is　that　why　the　Ixian　Ambassador　was　here？〃
　〃You've　seen　Hwi　Noree；〃　Leto　said。
　Idaho　pointed　upward。　〃She　was　leaving　as　I　arrived。〃
　〃You　spoke　to　her？〃
　〃I　asked　her　what　she　was　doing　here。　She　said　she　was　choosing　sides。〃
　A　burst　of　laughter　erupted　from　Leto。　〃Oh；　my；〃　he　said。　〃She　is　so　good。　Did　she　reveal　her　choice？〃
　〃She　said　she　serves　the　God　Emperor　now。　I　didn't　believe　her；　of　course。〃
　〃But　you　should　believe　her。〃
　。Why？〃
　〃Ahhh；　yes；　I　forgot　that　you　once　doubted　even　my　grandmother；　the　Lady　Jessica。〃
　〃I　had　good　reason！〃
　〃Do　you　also　doubt　Siona？〃
　〃I'm　beginning　to　doubt　everyone！〃
　〃And　you　say　you　don't　know　your　value　to　me；〃　Leto　accused。
　〃What　about　Siona？〃　Idaho　demanded。　〃She　says　you　want　us。。。I　mean；　dammit　。　。　。〃
　〃The　thing　you　must　always　trust　about　Siona　is　her　creativity。　She　can　create　the　new　and　beautiful。　One　always　trusts　the　truly　creative。〃
　〃Even　the　machinations　of　the　lxians？〃
　〃That　is　not　creative。　You　always　know　the　creative　because　it　is　revealed　openly。　Concealment　betrays　the　existence　of　another　force　entirely。〃
　〃Then　you　don't　trust　this　Hwi　Noree；　but　you。　。　。〃
　〃I　do　trust　her；　and　precisely　for　the　reasons　I　have　just　given　you。〃
　Idaho　scowled；　then　relaxed　and　sighed。　〃I　had　better　cultivate　her　acquaintance。　If　she　is　someone　you。　。　。〃
　〃No！　You　will　stay　away　from　Hwi　Noree。　I　have　something　special　in　mind　for　her。〃
　
　I　have　isolated　the　city…experience　within　me　and　have　examined　it　closely。　The　idea　of　a　city　fascinates　me。　The　formation　of　a　biological　munity　without　a　functioning；　supportive　social　munity　leads　to　havoc。　Whole　worlds　have　bee　single　biological　munities　without　an　interrelated　social　structure　and　this　has　always　led　to　ruin。　It　bees　dramatically　instructive　under　overcrowded　conditions。　The　ghetto　is　lethal。　Psychic　stresses　of　overcrowding　create　pressures　which　will　erupt。　The　city　is　an　attempt　to　manage　these　forces。　The　social　forms　by　which　cities　make　the　attempt　are　worth　study。　Remember　that　there　exists　a　certain　malevolence　about　the　formation　of　any　social　order。　It　is　the　struggle　for　existence　by　an　artificial　entity。　Despotism　and　slavery　hover　at　the　edges。　Many　injuries　occur　and；　thus；　the　need　for　laws。　The　law　develops　its　own　power　structure；　creating　more　wounds　and　new　injustices。　Such　trauma　can　be　healed　by　cooperation；　not　by　confrontation。　The　summons　to　cooperate　identifies　the　healer。
　…The　Stolen　Journals
　MONEO　ENTERED　Leto's　small　chamber　with　evident　agitation。
　He　actually　preferred　this　meeting　place　because　the　God　Emperor's　cart　lay　in　a　depression　from　which　a　deadly　attack　by　the　Worm　would　be　more　difficult；　and　there　was　the　undeniable　fact　that　Leto　allowed　his　majordomo　to　descend　in　an　Ixian　tube…lift　rather　than　via　that　interminable　ramp。　But　Moneo　felt　that　the　news　he　brought　this　morning　was　guaranteed　to　arouse　The　Worm　Who　Is　God。
　How　to　present　it？
　Dawn　lay　only　an　hour　past；　the　fourth　Festival　Day；　a　fact　Moneo　could　greet　with　equanimity　only　because　it　brought　him　that　much　nearer　the　end　of　these　tribulations：
　Leto　stirred　as　Moneo　entered　the　small　chamber。　Illumination　came　on　at　his　signal；　focusing　only　on　his　face。
　〃Good　morning；　Moneo；〃　he　said。　〃My　guard　tells　me　you　insisted　on　entering　immediately。　Why？〃
　The　danger；　Moneo　knew　from　experience；　lay　in　the　temptation　to　reveal　too　much　too　soon。
　〃I　have　spent　some　time　with　the　Reverend　Mother　Anteac；〃　he　said。　〃Although　she　keeps　it　well　hidden；　I'm　sure　she　is　a　Mentat。〃
　〃Yes。　The　Bene　Gesserit　were　bound　to　disobey　me　sometime。　This　form　of　disobedience　amuses　me。〃
　〃Then　you　will　not　punish　them？〃
　〃Moneo；　I　am　ultimately　the　only　parent　my　people　have。　A　parent　must　be　generous　as　well　as　severe。〃
　He's　in　a　good　mood；　Moneo　thought。　A　small　sigh　escaped　Moneo；　at　which　Leto　smiled。
　〃Anteac　objected　when　I　told　her　you　had　ordered　an　amnesty　for　a　selected　few　Face　Dancers　among　our　captives。〃
　〃I　have　a　Festive　use　for　them；〃　Leto　said。
　〃Lord？〃
　〃I　will　tell　you　later。　Let's　get　to　the　news　which　brings　you　bursting　in　upon　me　at　this　hour。〃
　〃I。。。ahhh。。。〃　Moneo　chewed　at　his　upper　lip。　〃The　Tleilaxu　have　been　quite　garrulous　in　the　attempt　to　ingratiate　themselves　with　me。〃
　〃Of　course　they　have。　And　what　have　they　revealed？〃
　〃They。。。　ahhh；　provided　the　lxians　with　sufficient　advice　and　equipment　to　make　a。。。uhhh；　not　exactly　a　ghola；　and　not　even　a　clone。　Perhaps　we　should　use　the　Tleilaxu　term：　a　cellular　restructuring。　The。。。ahhh；　experiment　was　conducted　within　some　sort　of　shielding　device　which　the　Guildsmen　assured　them　your　powers　could　not　penetrate。〃
　〃And　the　result？〃　Leto　felt　that　he　was　asking　the　question　in　a　cold　vacuum。
　〃They　are　not　certain。　Tleilaxu　were　not　permitted　to　witness。　However；　they　did　observe　that　Malky　entered　this。。。ahhh；　chamber　and　that　he　emerged　later　with　an　infant。〃
　〃Yes！　I　know！〃
　〃You　do？〃　Moneo　was　puzzled。
　〃By　inference。　And　all　of　this　happened　some　twenty…six　years　ago？〃
　〃That　is　correct；　Lord。〃
　〃They　identify　the　infant　as　Hwi　Noree？〃
　〃They　are　not　certain；　Lord；　but。。。〃　Moneo　shrugged。
　〃Of　course。　And　what　do　you　deduce　from　this；　Moneo？〃
　〃There　is　a　deep　purpose　built　into　the　new　Ixian　Ambassador。〃
　〃Certainly　there　is。　Moneo；　has　it　not　struck　you　as　odd　how　much　Hwi；　the　gentle　Hwi；　represents　a　mirror　of　the　redoubtable　Malky？　His　opposite　in　everything；　including　sex。〃
　〃I　had　not　thought　of　that；　Lord。〃
　〃I　have。〃
　〃I　will　have　her　sent　back　to　Ix　immediately；〃　Moneo　said。
　〃You　will　do　nothing　of　the　kind！〃
　〃But；　Lord；　if　they。。　。
　〃Moneo；　I　have　observed　that　you　seldom　turn　your　back　on　danger。　Others　often　do；　but　you…seldom。　Why　would　you　have　me　engage　in　such　an　obvious　stupidity？〃
　Moneo　swallowed。
　〃Good。　I　like　it　when　you　recognize　the　error　of　your　ways；〃　Leto　said。
　〃Thank　you；　Lord。〃
　〃I　also　like　it　when　you　express　your　gratitude　sincerely；　as　you　have　just　done。　Now；　Anteac　was　with　you　when　you　heard　these　revelations？〃
　〃As　you　ordered；　Lord。〃
　〃Excellent。　That　will　stir　things　up　a　bit。　You　will　leave　now　and　go　to　the　Lady　Hwi。　You　will　tell　her　that　I　desire　to　see　her　immediately。　This　will　disturb　her。　She　is　thinking　that　we　will　not　meet　again　until　I　summon　her　to　the　Citadel。　I　want　you　to　quiet　her　fears。〃
　〃In　what　way；　Lord？〃
　Leto　spoke　sadly：　〃Moneo；　why　do　you　ask　advice　on　something　at　which　you　are　an　expert？　Calm　her　and　bring　her　here　reassured　of　my　kindly　intentions　toward　her。〃
　〃Yes；　Lord。〃　Moneo　bowed　and　backed　away　a　step。
　〃One　moment；　Moneo！〃
　Moneo　stiffened；　his　gaze　fixed　on　Leto's　face。
　〃You　are　puzzled；　Moneo；〃　Leto　said。　〃Sometimes　you　do　not　know　what　to　think　of　me。　Am　I　all…powerful　and　all　prescient？　You　bring　me　these　little　dibs　and　dabs　and　you　wonder：　Does　he　already　know　this？　If　he　does；　why　do　I　bother？　But　I　have　ordered　you　to　report　such　things；　Moneo。　Is　your　obedience　not　instructive？〃
　Moneo　started　to　shrug　and　thought　better　of　it。　His　lips　trembled。
　〃Time　can　also　be　a　place；　Moneo；〃　Leto　said。　〃Everything　depends　upon　where　you　are　standing；　on　where　you　look　or　what　you　hear。　The　measure　of　it　is　found　in　consciousness　itself。〃
　After　a　long　silence；　Moneo　ventured：　〃Is　that　all；　Lord？〃
　〃No；　it　is　not　all。　Siona　will　receive