fh.godemperorofdune-第96章

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　His　great　ridged　body　flexed　as　it　fell；　twisting　him　about　until　his　amplified　vision　revealed　Siona　standing　at　the　broken　brink　of　the　bridge。
　Now；　you　will　learn！　he　thought。
　The　body　continued　to　turn。　He　watched　the　river　approach。　The　water　was　a　dream　inhabited　by　glimpses　of　fish　which　ignited　an　ancient　memory　of　a　banquet　beside　a　granite　pool…　pink　flesh　dazzling　his　hungers。
　I　join　you；　Hwi；　in　the　banquet　of　the　gods！
　A　bursting　flash　of　bubbles　enclosed　him　in　agony。　Water；　vicious　currents　of　it；　buffeted　him　all　around。　He　felt　the　gnashing　of　rocks　as　he　struggled　upward　to　broach　in　a　torrential　cascade；　his　body　flexing　in　a　paroxysm　of　involuntary；　writhing　splashes。　The　canyon　Wall；　wet　and　black；　sped　past　his　frantic　gaze。　Shattered　spangles　of　what　had　been　his　skin　exploded　away　from　him；　a　rain　of　silver　all　around　him　darting　away　into　the　river；　a　ring　of　dazzling　movement；　brittle　sequins…the　scale…glitter　of　sandtrout　leaving　him　to　begin　their　own　colony　lives。
　The　agony　continued。　Leto　marveled　that　he　could　remain　conscious；　that　he　had　a　body　to　feel。
　Instinct　drove　him。　He　clutched　at　a　rock　around　which　the　torrent　spilled　him；　felt　a　clutching　finger　torn　from　his　hand　before　he　could　release　his　grip。　The　sensation　of　it　was　only　a　minor　accent　in　the　symphony　of　pain。
　The　river's　course　swept　to　the　left　around　a　chasm　buttress　and；　as　though　saying　it　had　enough　of　him；　it　sent　him　rolling　onto　the　sloping　edge　of　a　sandbar。　He　lay　there　a　moment；　the　blue　dye　of　spice…essence　drifting　away　from　him　in　the　current。　The　agony　moved　him；　the　worm　body　moving　of　itself；　retreating　from　the　water。　All　the　covering　sandtrout　were　gone　and　he　felt　every　touch　more　immediate；　a　lost　sense　restored　when　all　it　could　bring　him　was　pain。　He　could　not　see　his　body；　but　he　felt　the　thing　that　would　have　been　a　worm　as　it　made　its　writhing；　crawling　progress　out　of　the　water。　He　peered　upward　through　eyes　that　saw　everything　in　sheets　of　flame　from　which　shapes　coalesced　of　their　own　accord。　At　last；　he　recognized　this　place。　The　river　had　swept　him　to　the　turn　where　it　left　the　Sareer　forever。　Behind　him　lay　Tuono　and；　just　a　ways　down　the　barrier　Wall；　was　all　that　remained　of　Sietch　Tabr…Stilgar's　realm；　the　place　where　all　of　Leto's　spice　had　been　concealed。
　Exhuding　blue　fumes；　his　agonized　body　writhed　its　way　noisily　along　a　shingle　of　beach；　dragged　its　blue…dyed　way　across　broken　boulders　and　into　a　damp　hole　which　might　have　been　part　of　the　original　sietch。　It　was　only　a　shallow　cave　now；　blocked　at　its　inner　end　by　a　rock　fall。　His　nostrils　reported　the　wet　dirt　smell　and　clean　spice　essence。
　Sounds　intruded　on　his　agony。　He　turned　in　the　confinement　of　the　cave　and　saw　a　rope　dangling　at　the　entrance。　A　figure　slid　down　the　rope。　He　recognized　Nayla。　She　dropped　to　the　rocks　and　crouched　there；　staring　into　the　shadows　at　him。　The　flame　which　was　Leto's　vision　parted　to　reveal　another　figure　dropping　from　the　rope：　Siona。　She　and　Nayla　scrambled　toward　him　in　a　rattle　of　rocks　and　stopped；　peering　in　at　him。　A　third　figure　dropped　off　the　rope：　Idaho。　He　moved　with　frantic　rage；　hurling　himself　at　Nayla；　screaming：
　〃Why　did　you　kill　her！　You　weren't　supposed　to　kill　Hwi！〃
　Nayla　sent　him　sprawling　with　a　casual；　almost　indifferent　sweep　of　her　left　arm。　She　scrambled　closer　up　the　rocks　and　stopped　on　all　fours　to　peer　in　at　Leto。
　〃Lord？　You　live？〃
　Idaho　was　right　behind　her；　snatching　the　lasgun　from　her　holster。　Nayla　turned；　astonished；　as　he　leveled　the　weapon　and　pulled　its　trigger。　The　burning　started　at　the　top　of　Nayla's　head。　It　split　her；　the　pieces　slumping　apart。　A　shining　crysknife　spilled　from　her　burning　uniform　and　shattered　on　the　rocks。　Idaho　did　not　see　it。　A　grimace　of　rage　on　his　face；　he　kept　burning　and　burning　the　pieces　of　Nayla　until　the　weapon's　charge　was　gone。　The　blazing　arc　vanished。　Only　wet　and　smoking　bits　of　meat　and　cloth　lay　scattered　among　the　glowing　rocks。
　It　was　the　moment　for　which　Siona　had　waited。　She　scrambled　up　to　him　and　pulled　the　useless　lasgun　from　Idaho's　hands。　He　whirled　toward　her　and　she　poised　herself…to　subdue　him；　but　all　the　rage　was　gone。
　〃Why？〃　he　whispered。
　〃It's　done；〃　she　said。
　They　turned　and　looked　into　the　cave　shadows　at　Leto。
　Leto　could　not　even　imagine　what　they　saw。　The　sandtrout　skin　was　gone；　he　knew。　There　would　be　some　kind　of　surface　pocked　with　cilia　holes　from　the　departed　skin。　As　for　the　rest；　he　could　only　look　back　at　the　two　figures　from　a　universe　furrowed　by　sorrow。　Through　the　vision　flames　he　saw　Siona　as　a　female　demon。　The　demon　name　came　unbidden　to　his　minds　and　he　spoke　it　aloud；　amplified　by　the　cave　and　much　louder　than　he　had　expected：
　〃Hanmya！〃
　〃What？〃　She　moved　a　step　closer　to　him。
　Idaho　put　both　harass　over　his　face。
　〃Look　at　what　you've　done　to　poor　Duncan；〃　Leto　said。
　〃He'll　find　other　loves。〃　How　callous　she　sounded；　an　echo　of　his　own　angry　youth。
　〃You　don't　know　what　it　is　to　love；〃　he　said。　〃What　have　you　ever　given？〃　He　could　only　wring　his　hands　then　those　travesties　which　once　had　been　his　hands。　〃Gods　below！　What　I've　given！〃
　She　sled　closer　and　reached　toward　him；　then　drew　back。
　〃I　am　reality；　Siona。　Look　upon　me。　I　exist。　You　can　touch　me　if　you　dare。　Reach　out　your　hand。　Do　it！〃
　Slowly；　she　reached　toward　what　had　been　his　front　segment；　the　place　where　she　had　slept　in　the　Sareer。　Her　hand　was　touched　with　blue　when　she　withdrew　it。
　〃You　have　touched　me　and　felt　my　body；〃　he　said。　〃Is　that　not　strange　beyond　any　other　thing　in　this　universe？〃
　She　started　to　turn　away。
　〃No！　Don't　turn　away　from　me！　Look　at　what　you　have　wrought；　Siona。　How　is　it　that　you　can　touch　me　but　you　cannot　touch　yourself？〃
　She　whirled　away　from　him。
　〃There　is　the　difference　between　us；〃　he　said。　〃You　are　God　embodied。　You　walk　around　within　the　greatest　miracle　of　this　universe；　yet　you　refuse　to　touch　or　see　or　feel　or　believe　in　it。〃
　Leto's　awareness　went　wandering　then　into　a　night…encircled　place；　a　place　where　he　thought　he　could　hear　the　metal　insect　song　of　his　hidden　printers　clacking　away　in　their　lightless　room。　There　was　a　plete　absence　of　radiation　in　this　place；　an　Ixian　no…thing　which　made　it　a　place　of　anxiety　and　spiritual　alienation　because　it　had　no　connection　with　the　rest　of　the　universe。
　But　it　will　have　a　connection。
　He　sensed　then　that　his　Ixian　printers　had　been　set　in　motion；　that　they　were　recording　his　thoughts　without　any　special　mand。
　Remember　what　I　did！　Remember　me！　I　will　be　innocent　again！
　The　flame　of　his　vision　parted　to　reveal　Idaho　standing　where　Siona　had　stood。　There　was　gesturing　motion　somewhere　out　of　focus　behind　Idaho。。。ah；　yes：　Siona　waving　instructions　to　someone　atop　the　barrier　Wall。
　〃Are　you　still　alive？〃　Idaho　asked。
　Leto's　voice　came　in　wheezing　gasps：　〃Let　them　scatter；　Duncan。　Let　them　run　and　hide　anywhere　they　want　in　any　universe　they　choose。〃
　〃Damn　you！　What're　you　saying？　I'd　have　sooner　let　her　live　with　you！〃
　〃Let？　I　did　not　let　anything。〃
　〃Why　did　you　let　Hwi　die？〃　Idaho　moaned。　〃We　didn't　know　she　was　in　there　with　you。〃
　Idaho's　head　sagged　forward。
　〃You　will　be　repensed；〃　Leto　husked。　〃My　Fish　Speakers　will　choose　you　over　Siona。　Be　kind　to　her；　Duncan。　She　is　more　than　Atreides　and　she　carries　the　seed　of　your　survival。〃
　Leto　sank　back　into　his　memories。　They　were　delicate　myths　now；　held　fleetingly　in　his　awareness。　He　sensed　that　he　might　have　fallen　into　a　time　which；　by　its　very　being；　had　changed　the　past。　There　were　sounds；　though；　and　he　struggled　to　interpret　them。　Someone　scrambling　on　rocks？　The　flames　parted　to　reveal　Siona　standing　beside　Idaho。　They　stood　hand…in…hand　like　two　children　reassuring　each　other　before　venturing　into　an　unknown　place。
　〃How　can　he　live　like　that？〃　Siona　whispered。
　Leto　waited　for　the　strength　to　respond。　〃Hwi　helps　me；〃　he　said。　〃We　had　something　few　experience。　We　were　joined　in　our　strengths　rather　than　in　our　weaknesses。〃
　〃And　look　what　it　got　you！〃　Siona　sneered。
　〃Yes；　and　pray　that　you　get　the　same；〃　he　husked。　〃Perhaps　the　spice　will　give　you　time。〃