fh.godemperorofdune-第87章

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　〃Dangerous？　Nayla　is　a　Fish　Speaker。　She　will　obey　me。〃
　〃But　Siona。。。Lord；　I　fear　that　my　daughter　does　not　serve　you　with　all　of　her　heart。　And　Nayla　is。　。　。〃
　〃Nayla　must　not　deviate。〃
　〃Lord；　let　us　hold　your　wedding　in　some　other　place。〃
　〃No！〃
　〃Lord；　I　know　that　your　vision　has　revealed。　。　。〃
　〃The　Golden　Path　endures；　Moneo。　You　know　that　as　well　as　L〃
　Moneo　sighed。　〃Infinity　is　yours；　Lord。　I　do　not　question　the。　。　。〃　He　broke　off　as　a　monstrous　shuddering　roar　shook　the　tower；　louder　and　louder。
　Both　of　them　turned　toward　the　sound…　a　descending　plume　of　blue…orange　light　filled　with　swirling　shockwaves　came　down　to　the　desert　less　than　a　kilometer　away　to　the　south。
　〃Ahhh；　my　guest　arrives；〃　Leto　said。　〃I　will　send　you　down　on　my　cart；　Moneo。　Bring　only　Malky　back　with　you。　Tell　the　Guildsmen　this　has　earned　my　forgiveness；　then　send　them　away。〃
　〃Your　for。。。　yes；　Lord。　But　if　they　have　the　secret　of。　。　。〃
　〃They　serve　my　purpose；　Moneo。　You　must　do　the　same。　Bring　Malky　to　me。〃
　Obediently；　Moneo　went　to　the　cart　which　lay　in　shadows　at　the　far　side　of　the　aerie　chamber。　He　clambered　on　it；　watched　a　mouth　of　night　appear　in　the　Wall。　A　landing…lip　extruded　into　that　night。　The　cart　drifted　outward；　feather…light；　and　floated　at　an　angle　to　the　sand　beside　a　Guild　lighter　which　stood　upright　like　a　distorted　miniature　of　the　Little　Citadel's　tower。
　Leto　watched　from　the　balcony；　his　front　segments　lifted　slightly　to　provide　him　a　better　viewing　angle。　His　acute　eyesight　identified　the　white　movement　of　Moneo　standing　on　the　cart　in　the　moonlight。　Long…legged　Guild　servitors　came　out　with　a　litter　which　they　slid　onto　the　cart；　standing　there　a　moment　in　conversation　with　Moneo。　When　they　left；　Leto　closed　the　cart's　bubble　cover　and　saw　moonlight　reflected　from　it。　At　his　beckoning　thought；　the　cart　and　its　burden　returned　to　the　landing…lip。　The　Guild　lighter　lifted　in　its　noisy　rumbling　while　Leto　was　bringing　the　cart　into　the　chamber's　lights；　closing　the　entrance　behind　it。　Leto　opened　the　bubble　cover。　Sand　grated　beneath　him　as　he　rolled　to　the　litter　and　lifted　his　front　segments　to　peer　in　at　Malky　who　lay　as　though　sleeping；　lashed　into　the　litter　by　broad　gray　elastic　bindings。　The　man's　face　was　ashen　under　dark　gray　hair。
　Haw　he　has　aged；　Leto　thought。
　Moneo　stepped　down　off　the　cart　and　looked　back　at　the　litter's　occupant。　〃He　is　injured；　Lord。　They　want　to　send　a　medical。　。　。〃
　〃They　wanted　to　send　a　spy。〃
　Leto　studied　Malky　the　dark　wrinkled　skin；　the　sunken　cheeks；　that　sharp　nose　at　such　contrast　with　the　rounded　oval　of　his　face。　The　heavy　eyebrows　had　turned　almost　white。　There　but　for　a　lifetime　of　testosterone。。。yes。
　Malky's　eyes　opened。　Such　a　shock　to　find　evil　in　those　doe…like　brown　eyes！　A　smile　twitched　Malky's　mouth。
　〃Lord　Leto。〃　Malky's　voice　was　little　more　than　a　husky　whisper。　His　eyes　turned　right；　focusing　on　the　majordomo。　〃And　Moneo。　Forgive　me　for　not　rising　to　the　occasion。〃
　〃Are　you　in　pain？〃　Leto　asked。
　〃Sometimes。〃　Malky's　eyes　moved　to　study　his　surroundings。　〃Where　are　the　houris？〃
　〃I'm　afraid　I　must　deny　you　that　pleasure；　Malky。〃
　〃Just　as　well；〃　Malky　husked。　〃I　don't　really　feel　up　to　their　demands。　Those　were　not　houris　you　sent　after　me；　Leto。〃
　〃They　were　professional　in　their　obedience　to　me；〃　Leto　said。
　〃They　were　bloody　hunters！〃
　〃Anteac　was　the　hunter。　My　Fish　Speakers　were　merely　the　clean…up　crew。〃
　Moneo　shifted　his　attention　from　one　speaker　to　the　other；　back　and　forth。　There　were　disturbing　undertones　in　this　conversation。　Despite　the　huskiness；　Malky　sounded　almost　flippant。。。but　then　he　had　always　been　that　way。　A　dangerous　man！
　Leto　said：　〃Just　before　your　arrival；　Moneo　and　I　were　discussing　Infinity。〃
　〃Poor　Moneo；〃　Malky　said。
　Leto　smiled。　〃Do　you　remember；　Malky？　You　once　asked　me　to　demonstrate　Infinity。〃
　〃You　said　no　Infinity　exists　to　be　demonstrated。〃　Malky　swept　his　gaze　toward　Moneo。　〃Leto　likes　to　play　with　paradox。　He　knows　all　the　tricks　of　language　that　have　ever　been　discovered。〃
　Moneo　put　down　a　surge　of　anger。　He　felt　excluded　from　this　conversation；　an　object　of　amusement　by　two　superior　beings。　Malky　and　the　God　Emperor　were　almost　like　two　old　friends　reliving　the　pleasures　of　a　mutual　past。
　〃Moneo　accuses　me　of　being　the　sole　possessor　of　Infinity；〃　Leto　said。　〃He　refuses　to　believe　that　he　has　just　as　much　of　Infinity　as　I　have。〃
　Malky　stared　up　at　Leto。　〃You　see；　Moneo？　You　see　how　tricky　he　is　with　words？〃
　〃Tell　me　about　your　niece；　Hwi　Noree；〃　Leto　said。
　〃Is　it　true；　Leto；　what　they　say？　That　you　are　going　to　wed　the　gentle　Hwi？〃
　〃It　is　true。〃
　Malky　chuckled；　then　grimaced　with　pain。　〃They　did　terrible　damage　to　me；　Leto；〃　he　whispered；　then：　〃Tell　me；　old　worm。　。　。〃
　Moneo　gasped。
　Malky　took　a　moment　to　recover　from　pain；　then：　〃Tell　me；　old　worm；　is　there　a　monster　penis　hidden　in　that　monster　body　of　yours？　What　a　shock　for　the　gentle　Hwi！〃
　〃I　told　you　the　truth　about　that　long　ago；〃　Leto　said。
　〃Nobody　tells　the　truth；〃　Malky　husked。
　〃You　often　told　me　the　truth；〃　Leto　said。　〃Even　when　you　didn't　know　it。〃
　〃That's　because　you're　cleverer　than　the　rest　of　us。〃
　〃Will　you　tell　me　about　Hwi？〃
　〃I　think　you　already　know　it。〃
　〃I　want　to　hear　it　from　you；〃　Leto　said。　〃Did　you　get　help　from　the　Tleilaxu？〃
　〃They　gave　us　knowledge；　nothing　more。　Everything　else　we　did　for　ourselves。〃
　〃I　thought　it　was　not　the　Tleilaxus'　doing。〃
　Moneo　could　no　longer　contain　his　curiosity。　〃Lord；　what　is　this　of　Hwi　and　Tleilaxu？　Why　do　you。。。〃
　〃Here　there；　old　friend　Moneo；〃　Malky　said；　rolling　his　gaze　toward　the　majordomo。　〃Don't　you　know　what　he。　。　。〃
　〃I　was　never　your　friend！〃　Moneo　snapped。
　〃panion　among　the　houris　then；〃　Malky　said。
　〃Lord；〃　Moneo　said；　turning　toward　Leto；　〃why　do　you　speak　of。。。〃
　〃Shhh；　Moneo；〃　Leto　said。　〃We　are　tiring　your　old　panion　and　I　have　things　to　learn　from　him　yet。〃
　〃Did　you　ever　wonder；　Leto；〃　Malky　asked；　〃why　Moneo　never　tried　to　take　the　whole　shebang　away　from　you？〃
　〃The　what？〃　Moneo　demanded。
　〃Another　of　Leto's　old　words；〃　Malky　said。　〃She　and　bang…shebang。　It's　perfect。　Why　don't　you　rename　your　Empire；　Leto？　The　Grand　Shebang！〃
　Leto　raised　a　hand　to　silence　Moneo。　〃Will　you　tell　me；　Malky？　About　Hwi？〃
　〃Just　a　few　tiny　cells　from　my　body；〃　Malky　said。　〃Then　the　carefully　nurtured　growth　and　education…everything　an　exact　opposite　to　your　old　friend；　Malky。　We　did　it　all　in　the　no…room　where　you　cannot　see！〃
　〃But　I　notice　when　something　vanishes；〃　Leto　said。
　〃No…room？〃　Moneo　asked；　then　as　the　import　of　Malky's　words　sank　home。　〃You？　You　and　Hwi　。　。　。〃
　〃That　is　the　shape　I　saw　in　the　shadows；〃　Leto　said。
　Moneo　looked　full　at　Leto's　face。　〃Lord；　I　will　call　off　the　wedding。　I　will　say。。。〃
　〃You　will　do　nothing　of　the　kind！〃
　〃But　Lord；　if　she　and　Malky　are。　。　。〃
　〃Moneo；〃　Malky　husked。　〃Your　Lord　mands　and　you　must　obey！〃
　That　mocking　tone！　Moneo　glared　at　Malky。
　〃The　exact　opposite　of　Malky；〃　Leto　said。　〃Didn't　you　hear　him？〃
　〃What　could　be　better？〃　Malky　asked。
　〃But　surely；　Lord；　if　you　now　know。。。〃
　〃Moneo；〃　Leto　said；　〃you　are　beginning　to　disturb　me。〃
　Moneo　fell　into　abashed　silence。
　Leto　said：　〃That's　better。　You　know；　Moneo；　once　tens　of　thousands　of　years　ago　when　I　was　another　person；　I　made　a　mistake。〃
　〃You；　a　mistake？〃　Malky　mocked。
　Leto　merely　smiled。　〃My　mistake　was　pounded　by　the　beautiful　way　in　which　I　expressed　it。〃
　〃Tricks　with　words；〃　Malky　taunted。
　〃Indeed！　This　is　what　I　said：　‘The　present　is　distraction；　the　future　a　dream；　only　memory　can　unlock　the　meaning　of　life。'　Aren't　those　beautiful　words；　Malky？〃
　〃Exquisite；　old　worm。〃
　Moneo　put　a　hand　over　his　mouth。
　〃But　my　words　were　a　foolish　lie；〃　Leto　said。　〃I　knew　it　at　the　time；　but　I　was　infatuated　with　the　beautiful　words。　No　memory　unlocks　no　meanings。　Without　anguish　of　the　spirit；　which　is　a　wordless　experience；　there　are　no　meanings　anywhere。〃
　〃I　fail　to　see　the　meaning　of　the　anguish　caused　me　by　your　bloody　Fish　Speakers；〃　Malky　said。
　〃You're　suffering　no　anguish；〃　Leto　said。
　〃If　you　were　in　this　body；　you'd。　。