fh.godemperorofdune-第66章

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he　day；　he　lay　there　in　the　aerie；　thinking；　plotting。
　The　fluttering　wings　of　an　ornithopter　whispered　on　the　air　just　at　nightfall　to　signal　Moneo's　arrival。
　Faithful　Moneo。
　Leto　caused　a　landing…lip　to　extrude　from　his　aerie。　The　'thopter　glided　in；　its　wings　cupped。　It　settled　gently　onto　the　lip。　Leto　stared　out　through　the　gathering　darkness。　Siona　emerged　and　darted　in　toward　him；　fearful　of　the　unprotected　height。　She　wore　a　white　robe　over　a　black　uniform　without　insignia。　She　stole　one　look　backward　when　she　stopped　just　inside　the　tower；　then　she　turned　her　attention　to　Leto's　bulk　waiting　on　the　cart　almost　at　the　center　of　the　aerie。　The　'thopter　lifted　away　and　jetted　off　into　the　darkness。　Leto　left　the　lip　extruded；　the　portal　open。
　〃There　is　a　balcony　on　the　other　side　of　the　tower；〃　he　said。　〃We　will　go　there。〃
　〃Why？〃
　Siona's　voice　carried　almost　pure　suspicion。
　〃I'm　told　it's　a　cool　place；〃　Leto　said。　〃And　there　is　indeed　a　faint　sensation　of　cold　on　my　cheeks　when　I　expose　them　to　the　breeze　there。〃
　Curiosity　brought　her　closer　to　him。
　Leto　closed　the　portal　behind　her。
　〃The　night　view　from　the　balcony　is　magnificent；〃　Leto　said。
　〃Why　are　we　here？〃
　〃Because　here　we　will　not　be　overheard。〃
　Leto　turned　his　cart　and　moved　it　silently　out　to　the　balcony。
　The　faintest　of　hidden　illumination　within　the　aerie　showed　her　his　movement。　He　heard　her　follow。
　The　balcony　was　a　half…ring　on　the　southeast　arc　of　the　tower；　a　lacy　railing　at　chest…height　around　the　perimeter。　Siona　moved　to　the　rail　and　swept　her　gaze　around　the　open　land。
　Leto　sensed　the　waiting　receptivity。　Something　was　to　be　spoken　here　for　her　ears　alone。　Whatever　it　was；　she　would　listen　and　respond　from　the　well　of　her　own　motives。　Leto　looked　across　her　toward　the　edge　of　the　Sareer　where　the　manmade　boundary　wall　was　a　low　flat　line　just　barely　visible　in　the　light　of　First　Moon　lifting　above　the　horizon。　His　amplified　vision　identified　the　distant　movement　of　a　convoy　from　Onn；　a　dull　glow　of　lights　from　the　beast…drawn　vehicles　pacing　along　the　high　road　toward　Tabur　Village。
　He　could　call　up　a　memory…image　of　the　village　nestled　among　the　plants　which　grew　in　the　moist　area　along　the　inner　base　of　the　wall。　His　Museum　Fremen　tended　date　palms；　tall　grasses　and　even　truck　gardens　there。　It　was　not　like　the　old　days　when　any　inhabited　place；　even　a　tiny　basin　with　a　few　low　plants　fed　by　a　single　cistern　and　windtrap；　could　appear　lush　by　parison　with　the　open　sand。　Tabur　Village　was　a　water…rich　paradise　when　pared　with　Sietch　Tabr。　Everyone　in　today's　village　knew　that　just　beyond　the　Sareer's　boundary　wall　the　Idaho　River　slid　southward　in　a　long　straight　line　which　would　be　silver　now　in　the　moonlight。　Museum　Fremen　could　not　climb　the　wall's　sheer　inner　face；　but　they　knew　the　water　was　there。　The　earth　knew；　too。　If　a　Tabur　inhabitant　put　an　ear　against　the　ground；　the　earth　spoke　with　the　sound　of　distant　rapids。
　There　would　be　nightbirds　along　the　bankment　now；　Leto　thought；　creatures　which　would　live　in　sunlight　on　another　world。　Dune　had　worked　its　evolutionary　magic　on　them　and　they　still　lived　at　the　mercies　of　the　Sareer。　Leto　had　seen　the　birds　draw　dumb　shadows　across　the　water　and；　when　they　dipped　to　drink；　there　were　ripples　which　the　river　took　away。
　Even　at　this　distance；　Leto　sensed　a　power　in　that　faraway　water；　something　forceful　out　of　his　past　which　moved　away　from　him　like　the　current　slipping　southward　into　the　reaches　of　farm　and　forest。　The　water　searched　through　rolling　hills；　along　the　margins　of　an　abundant　plant　life　which　had　replaced　all　of　Dune's　desert　except　for　this　one　last　place；　this　Sareer；　this　sanctuary　of　the　past。
　Leto　recalled　the　growling　thrust　of　Ixian　machines　which　had　inflicted　that　watercourse　upon　the　landscape。　It　seemed　such　a　short　time　ago；　little　more　than　three　thousand　years。
　Siona　stirred　and　looked　back　at　him；　but　Leto　remained　silent；　his　attention　fixed　beyond　her。　A　pale　amber　light　shone　above　the　horizon；　reflection　of　a　town　on　faraway　clouds。　From　its　direction　and　distance；　Leto　knew　it　to　be　the　town　of　Wallport　transplanted　far　into　a　warmer　clime　of　the　south　from　its　once…austere　location　in　the　cold；　low…slanted　light　of　the　north。　The　glow　of　the　town　was　like　a　window　into　his　past。　He　felt　the　beam　of　it　striking　through　to　his　breast；　straight　through　the　thick　and　scaled　membrane　which　had　replaced　his　human　skin。
　I　am　vulnerable；　he　thought。
　Yet；　he　knew　himself　to　be　the　master　of　this　place。　And　the　planet　was　the　master　of　him。
　I　am　part　of　it。
　He　devoured　the　soil　directly；　rejecting　only　the　water。　His　human　mouth　and　lungs　had　been　relegated　to　breathing　just　enough　to　sustain　a　remnant　humanity。。。and　talking。
　Leto　spoke　to　Siona's　back：　〃I　like　to　talk　and　I　dread　the　day　when　I　no　longer　will　be　able　to　engage　in　conversations。〃
　With　a　certain　diffidence；　she　turned　and　stared　at　him　in　the　moonlight；　quite　obvious　distaste　in　her　expression。
　〃I　agree　that　I　am　a　monster　in　many　human　eyes；〃　he　said。
　〃Why　am　I　here？〃
　Directly　to　the　point！　She　would　not　deviate。　Most　of　the　Atreides　had　been　that　way；　he　thought。　It　was　a　characteristic　which　he　hoped　to　maintain　in　the　breeding　of　them。　It　spoke　of　a　strong　inner　sense　of　identity。
　〃I　need　to　find　out　what　Time　has　done　to　you；〃　he　said。
　〃Why　do　you　need　that？〃
　A　little　fear　in　her　voice　there；　he　thought。　She　thinks　I　will　probe　after　her　puny　rebellion　and　the　names　of　her　surviving　associates。
　When　he　remained　silent；　she　said：　〃Do　you　intend　to　kill　me　the　way　you　killed　my　friends？〃
　So　she　has　heard　about　the　fight　at　the　Embassy。　And　she　assumes　I　know　all　about　her　past　rebellious　activities。　Moneo　has　been　lecturing　her；　damn　him！　Well。　。　。I　might　have　done　the　same　in　his　circumstances。
　〃Are　you　really　a　god？〃　she　demanded。　〃I　don't　understand　why　my　father　believes　that。〃
　She　has　some　doubts；　he　thought。　I　still　have　room　to　maneuver。
　〃Definitions　vary；〃　he　said。　〃To　Moneo；　I　am　a　god。。。and　that　is　a　truth。〃
　〃You　were　human　once。〃
　He　began　to　enjoy　the　leaps　of　her　intellect。　She　had　that　sure；　hunting　curiosity　which　was　the；　hallmark　of　the　Atreides。
　〃You　are　curious　about　me；〃　he　said。　〃It　is　the　same　with　me。　I　am　curious　about　you。〃
　〃What　makes　you　think　I'm　curious？〃
　〃You　used　to　watch　me　very　carefully　when　you　were　a　child。　I　see　that　same　look　in　your　eyes　tonight。〃
　〃Yes；　I　have　wondered　what　it's　like　to　be　you。〃
　He　studied　her　for　a　moment。　The　moonlight　drew　shadows　under　her　eyes；　concealing　them。　He　could　let　himself　imagine　that　her　eyes　were　the　total　blue　of　his　own　eyes；　the　blue　of　spice　addiction。　With　that　imaginative　addition；　Siona　bore　a　curious　resemblance　to　his　long…dead　Ghani。　It　was　in　the　outline　of　her　face　and　the　placement　of　the　eyes。　He　almost　told　Siona　this；　then　thought　better　of　it。
　〃Do　you　eat　human　food？〃　Siona　asked。
　〃For　a　long　time　after　I　put　on　the　sandtrout　skin；　I　felt　stomach　hunger；〃　he　said。　〃Occasionally；　I　would　attempt　food。　My　stomach　mostly　rejected　it。　The　cilia　of　the　sandtrout　spread　almost　everywhere　in　my　human　flesh。　Eating　became　a　bothersome　thing。　These　days；　I　only　ingest　dry　substances　which　sometimes　contain　a　bit　of　the　spice。〃
　〃You。。。eat　melange？〃
　〃Sometimes。〃
　〃But　you　no　longer　have　human　hungers？〃
　〃I　didn't　say　that。〃
　She　stared　at　him；　waiting。
　Leto　admired　the　way　she　let　unspoken　questions　work　for　her。　She　was　bright　and　she　had　learned　much　during　her　short　life。
　〃The　stomach　hunger　was　a　black　feeling；　a　pain　I　could　not　relieve；〃　he　said。　〃I　would　run　then；　run　like　an　insane　creature　across　the　dunes。〃
　〃You。。。ran？〃
　〃My　legs　were　longer　in　proportion　to　my　body　in　those　days。　I　could　move　myself　about　quite　easily。　But　the　hungry　pain　has　never　left　me。　I　think　it's　hunger　for　my　lost　humanity。〃
　B　
　He　saw　the　beginnings　of　reluctant　sympathy　in　her；　the　questioning。
　〃You　still　have　this。。。pain？〃
　〃It's　only　a　soft　burning　now。　That's　one　of　the　signs　of　my　final　metamorphosis。　In　a　few　hundred　years；　I'll　be　back　under　the　sand。〃
　He　saw　her　cle