fh.godemperorofdune-第58章

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　He　made　his　prescient　scan　then　and　dispatched　messengers　to　his　rampaging　Fish　Speakers。　By　then　the　damage　had　been　done…corpses　all　over　Onn；　some　Face　Dancers　and　some　only…suspected　Face　Dancers。
　And　many　have　seen　me　kill；　he　thought。
　While　he　waited　for　Hwi's　arrival；　he　reviewed　what　had　just　happened。　This　had　not　been　a　typical　Tleilaxu　attack；　but　the　previous　attack　on　the　road　to　Onn　fitted　into　a　new　pattern；　all　of　it　pointing　at　a　single　mind　with　lethal　purpose。
　I　could　have　died　out　there；　he　thought。
　That　began　to　explain　why　he　had　not　anticipated　this　attack；　but　there　was　a　deeper　reason。　Leto　could　see　that　reason　rising　into　his　awareness；　a　summation　of　all　the　clues。　What　human　knew　the　God　Emperor　best？　What　human　possessed　a　secret　place　from　which　to　conspire？
　Malky！
　Leto　summoned　a　guard　and　told　her　to　ask　if　the　Reverend　Mother　Anteac　had　yet　left　Arrakis。　The　guard　returned　in　a　moment　to　report。
　〃Anteac　is　still　in　her　quarters。　The　mander　of　the　Fish　Speaker　Guard　there　says　they　have　not　e　under　attack。〃
　〃Send　word　to　Anteac；〃　Leto　said。　〃Ask　if　she　now　understands　why　I　put　her　delegation　in　quarters　at　a　distance　from　me？　Then　tell　her　that　while　she　is　on　Ix　she　must　locate　Malky。　She　is　to　report　that　location　to　our　local　garrison　on　Ix。〃
　〃Malky；　the　former　Ixian　Ambassador？〃
　〃The　same。　He　is　not　to　remain　alive　and　free。　You　will　inform　our　garrison　mander　on　Ix　that　she　is　to　make　close　liaison　with　Anteac；　providing　every　necessary　assistance。
　Malky　is　to　be　brought　here　to　me　or　executed；　whichever　our　mander　finds　necessary。〃
　The　guard…messenger　nodded；　shadows　lurching　across　her　features　where　she　stood　in　the　ring　of　light　around　Leto's　face。　She　did　not　ask　for　a　repetition　of　the　orders。　Each　of　his　close　guards　had　been　trained　as　a　human…recorder。　They　could　repeat　Leto's　words　exactly；　even　the　intonations；　and　would　never　forget　what　they　had　heard　him　say。
　When　the　messenger　had　gone；　Leto　sent　a　private　signal　of　inquiry　and；　within　seconds；　had　a　response　from　Nayla。　The　Ixian　device　within　his　cart　reproduced　a　non…identifiable　version　of　her　voice；　a　flatly　metallic　recital　for　his　ears　alone。
　Yes；　Siona　was　at　the　Citadel。　No；　Siona　had　not　contacted　her　rebel　panions。　〃No；　she　does　not　yet　know　that　I　am　here　observing　her。〃　The　attack　on　the　Embassy？　That　had　been　by　a　splinter　group　called　〃The　Tleilaxu…Contact　Element。〃
　Leto　allowed　himself　a　mental　sigh。　Rebels　always　gave　their　groups　such　pretentious　labels。
　〃Any　survivors？〃　he　asked。
　〃No　known　survivors。〃
　Leto　found　it　amusing　that；　while　the　metallic　voice　provided　no　emotional　tones；　his　memory　supplied　them。
　〃You　will　make　contact　with　Siona；〃　he　said。　〃Reveal　that　you　are　a　Fish　Speaker。　Tell　her　you　did　not　reveal　this　earlier　because　you　knew　she　would　not　trust　you　and　because　you　feared　exposure　since　you　are　quite　alone　among　Fish　Speakers　in　your　allegiance　to　Siona。　Reaffirm　your　oath　to　her。　Tell　her　that　you　swear　by　all　that　you　hold　holy　to　obey　Siona　in　anything。　If　she　mands　it；　you　will　do　it。　All　of　this　is　truth；　as　you　well　know。〃
　〃Yes；　Lord。〃
　Memory　supplied　the　fanatic　emphasis　in　Nayla's　response。　She　would　obey。
　〃If　possible；　provide　opportunities　for　Siona　and　。Duncan　Idaho　to　be　alone　together；〃　he　said。
　〃Yes；　Lord。〃
　Let　propinquity　take　its　usual　course；　he　thought。
　He　broke　contact　with　Nayla；　thought　for　a　moment；　then　sent　for　the　mander　of　his　plaza　forces。　The　bashar　arrived　presently；　her　dark　uniform　stained　and　dusty；　evidence　of　gore　still　on　her　boots。　She　was　a　tall；　bone…thin　woman　with　age　lines　which　gave　her　aquiline　features　an　air　of　powerful　dignity。　Leto　recalled　her　troop…name；　Iylyo；　which　meant　〃Dependable〃　in　Old　Fremen。　He　called　her；　however；　by　her　matronymic；　Nyshae；　〃Daughter　of　Shae；〃　which　set　a　tone　of　subtle　intimacy　for　this　meeting。
　〃Rest　yourself　on　a　cushion；　Nyshae；〃　he　said。　〃You　have　been　working　hard。〃
　〃Thank　you；　Lord。〃
　She　sank　onto　the　red　cushion　which　Hwi　had　used。　Leto　noted　the　fatigue　lines　around　Nyshae's　mouth；　but　her　eyes　remained　alert。　She　stared　up　at　him；　eager　to　hear　his　words。
　〃Matters　are　once　more　tranquil　in　my　City。〃　He　made　it　not　quite　a　question；　leaving　the　interpretation　to　Nyshae。
　〃Tranquil　but　not　good；　Lord。〃
　He　glanced　at　the　gore　on　her　boots。
　〃The　street　in　front　of　the　Ixian　Embassy？〃
　〃It　is　being　cleansed；　Lord。　Repairs　already　are　under　way。〃
　〃The　plaza？〃
　〃By　morning；　it　will　appear　as　it　has　always　appeared。〃
　Her　gaze　remained　steady　on　his　face。　Both　of　them　knew　he　had　not　yet　reached　the　nubbin　of　this　interview。　But　Leto　now　identified　a　thing　lurking　within　Nyshae's　expression。
　Pride　in　her　Lord！
　For　the　first　time；　she　had　seen　the　God　Emperor　kill。　The　seeds　of　a　terrible　dependency　had　been　planted。　If　disaster　threatens；　my　Lord　will　e。　That　was　how　it　appeared　in　her　eyes。　She　would　no　longer　act　with　plete　independence；　taking　her　power　from　the　God　Emperor　and　being　personally　responsible　for　the　use　of　that　power。　There　was　something　possessive　in　her　expression。　A　terrible　death　machine　waited　in　the　wings；　available　at　her　summons。
　Leto　did　not　like　what　he　saw；　but　the　damage　had　been　done。　Any　remedies　would　require　slow　and　subtle　pressures。
　〃Where　did　the　attackers　get　lasguns？〃　he　asked。
　〃From　our　own　stores；　Lord。　The　Arsenal　Guard　has　been　replaced。〃
　Replaced。　It　was　a　euphemism　with　a　certain　nicety。　Errant　Fish　Speakers　were　isolated　and　reserved　until　Leto　found　a　problem　which　required　Death　mandos。　They　would　die　gladly；　of　course；　believing　that　thus　they　expiated　their　sin。　And　even　the　rumor　that　such　berserkers　had　been　dispatched　could　quiet　a　trouble　spot。
　〃The　arsenal　was　breached　by　explosives？〃　he　asked。
　〃Stealth　and　explosives；　Lord。　The　Arsenal　Guard　was　careless。〃
　〃The　source　of　the　explosives？〃
　Some　of　Nyshae's　fatigue　was　visible　in　her　shrug。
　Leto　could　only　agree。　He　knew　he　could　search　out　and　identify　those　sources；　but　it　would　serve　little　purpose。　Resourceful　people　could　always　find　the　ingredients　for　homemade　explosives…mon　things　such　as　sugar　and　bleaches；　quite　ordinary　oils　and　innocent　fertilizers；　plastics　and　solvents　and　extracts　from　the　dirt　beneath　a　manure　pile。　The　list　was　virtually　endless；　growing　with　each　addition　to　human　experience　and　knowledge。　Even　a　society　such　as　the　one　he　had　created；　one　which　tried　to　limit　the　admixture　of　technology　and　new　ideas；　had　no　real　hope　of　totally　eliminating　dangerously　violent　small　weapons。　The　whole　idea　of　controlling　such　things　was　chimera；　a　dangerous　and　distracting　myth。　The　key　was　to　limit　the　desire　for　violence。　In　that　respect；　this　night　had　been　a　disaster。
　So　much　new　injustice；　he　thought。
　As　though　she　read　his　thought；　Nyshae　sighed。
　Of　course。　Fish　Speakers　were　trained　from　childhood　to　avoid　injustice　wherever　possible。
　〃We　must　see　to　the　survivors　in　the　populace；〃　he　said。　〃See　to　it　that　their　needs　are　met。　They　must　be　brought　to　the　realization　that　the　Tleilaxu　were　to　blame。〃
　Nyshae　nodded。　She　had　not　reached　bashar　rank　while　remaining　ignorant　of　the　drill。　By　now；　she　believed　it。　Merely　by　hearing　Leto　say　it；　she　believed　in　the　Tleilaxu　guilt。　And　there　was　a　certain　practicality　in　her　understanding。　She　knew　why　they　did　not　slay　all　of　the　Tleilaxu。
　You　do　not　eliminate　every　scapegoat。
　〃And　we　must　provide　a　distraction；〃　Leto　said。　〃Luckily；　there　may　be　one　ready　at　hand。　I　will　send　word　to　you　after　conferring　with　the　Lady　Hwi　Noree。〃
　〃The　Ixian　Ambassador；　Lord？　Is　she　not　implicated　in　。　。　。〃
　〃She　is　entirely　guiltless；〃　he　said。
　He　saw　belief　settle　into　Nyshae's　features；　a　readymade　plastic　underlayment　which　could　lock　her　jaw　and　glaze　her　eyes。　Even　Nyshae。　He　knew　the　reasons　because　he　had　created　those　reasons；　but　sometimes　he　felt　a　bit　awed　by　his　creation。
　〃I　hear　the　Lady　Hwi　arriving　in　my　anteroom；〃　he　said。　〃Send　her　in　as　you　leave。　And；　Nyshae　。　。　。〃
　She　already　was　on　her　feet；　but　she　stood　expectantly　silent。
　〃Tonight；　I　have　elevated　Kieuemo　to　sub…bas