fh.godemperorofdune-第27部分

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s　neck　rise。
　Moneo　marched　beside　the　cart；　not　looking　left　or　right。　He　had　once　asked　Leto　the　meaning　of　the　word。
　〃I　give　the　Fish　Speakers　only　one　ritual；〃　Leto　had　said。　They　had　been　in　the　God　Emperor's　audience　chamber　beneath　Onn's　central　plaza　at　the　time；　with　Moneo　fatigued　after　a　long　day　of　directing　the　flow　of　dignitaries　who　crowded　the　city　for　Decennial　festivities。
　〃What　has　the　chanting　of　that　word　to　do　with　it；　Lord？〃
　〃The　ritual　is　called　Siaynoq…the　Feast　of　Leto。　It　is　the　adoration　of　my　person　in　my　presence。〃
　〃An　ancient　ritual；　Lord？〃
　〃It　was　with　the　Fremen　before　they　were　Fremen。　But　the　keys　to　the　Festival　secrets　died　with　the　old　ones。　Only　I　remember　them　now。　I　recreate　the　Festival　in　my　own　likeness　and　for　my　own　ends。〃
　〃Then　the　Museum　Fremen　do　not　use　this　ritual？〃
　〃Never。　It　is　mine　and　mine　alone。　I　claim　eternal　right　to　it　because　I　am　that　ritual。〃
　〃It　is　a　strange　word；　Lord。　I　have　never　heard　its　like。〃
　〃It　has　many　meanings；　Moneo。　If　I　tell　them　to　you；　will　you　hold　them　secret？〃
　〃My　Lord　mands！〃
　〃Never　share　this　with　another　nor　reveal　to　the　Fish　Speakers　what　I　tell　you　now。〃
　〃I　swear　it；　Lord。〃
　〃Very　well。　Siaynoq　means　giving　honor　to　one　who　speaks　with　sincerity。　It　signifies　the　remembrance　of　things　which　are　spoken　with　sincerity。〃
　〃But；　Lord；　doesn't　sincerity　really　mean　that　the　speaker　believes。。。has　faith　in　what　is　said？〃
　〃Yes；　but　Siaynoq　also　contains　the　idea　of　light　as　that　which　reveals　reality。　You　continue　to　shine　light　on　what　you　see。〃
　〃Reality。　。　。　that　is　a　very　ambiguous　word；　Lord。〃
　〃Indeed！　But　Siaynoq　also　stands　for　fermentation　because　reality…or　the　belief　that　you　know　a　reality；　which　is　the　same　thing…always　sets　up　a　ferment　in　the　universe。〃
　〃All　of　that　in　a　single　word；　Lord？〃
　〃And　more！　Siaynoq　also　contains　the　summoning　to　prayer　and　the　name　of　the　Recording　Angel；　Sihaya；　who　interrogates　the　newly　dead。〃
　〃A　great　burden　for　one　word；　Lord。〃
　〃Words　can　carry　any　burden　we　wish。　All　that's　required　is　agreement　and　a　tradition　upon　which　to　build。〃
　〃Why　must　I　not　speak　of　this　to　the　Fish　Speakers；　Lord？〃
　〃Because　this　is　a　word　reserved　for　them。　They　resent　my　sharing　it　with　a　male。〃
　Moneo's　lips　pressed　into　a　thin　line　of　remembrance　as　he　marched　beside　the　Royal　Cart　into　the　Festival　City。　He　had　heard　the　Fish　Speakers　chant　the　God　Emperor　into　their　presence　many　times　since　that　first　explanation　and　had　even　added　his　own　meanings　to　the　strange　word。
　It　means　mystery　and　prestige。　It　means　power。　It　invokes　a　license　to　act　in　the　name　of　God。
　〃Siaynoq！　Siaynoq！　Siaynoq！〃
　The　word　had　a　sour　sound　in　Moneo's　ears。
　They　were　well　into　the　city；　almost　to　the　central　plaza。　Afternoon　sunlight　came　down　the　Royal　Road　behind　the　procession　to　illuminate　the　way。　It　gave　brilliance　to　the　citizenry's　colorful　costumes。　It　shone　on　the　upturned　faces　of　the　Fish　Speakers　lining　the　way。
　Marching　beside　the　cart　with　the　guards；　Idaho　put　down　a　first　alarm　as　the　chant　continued。　He　asked　one　of　the　Fish　Speakers　beside　him　about　it。
　〃It　is　not　a　word　for　men；〃　she　said。　〃But　sometimes　the　Lord　shares　Siaynoq　with　a　Duncan。〃
　A　Duncan！　He　had　asked　Leto　about　it　earlier　and　disliked　the　mysterious　evasions。
　〃You　will　learn　about　it　soon　enough。〃
　Idaho　relegated　the　chant　to　the　background　while　he　looked　around　him　with　a　tourist's　curiosity。　In　preparation　for　his　duties　as　Guard　mander；　Idaho　had　inquired　after　the　history　of　Onn；　finding　that　he　shared　Leto's　wry　amusement　in　the　fact　that　it　was　the　Idaho　River　flowing　nearby。
　They　had　been　in　one　of　the　large　open　rooms　of　the　Citadel　at　the　time；　an　airy　place　full　of　morning　light　and　with　wide　tables　upon　which　Fish　Speaker　archivists　had　spread　charts　of　the　Sareer　and　of　Onn。　Leto　had　wheeled　his　cart　onto　a　ramp　which　allowed　him　to　look　down　on　the　charts。　Idaho　stood　across　a　chart…littered　table　from　him　studying　the　plan　of　the　Festival　City。
　〃Peculiar　design　for　a　city；〃　Idaho　mused。
　〃It　has　one　primary　purpose…public　viewing　of　the　God　Emperor。〃
　Idaho　looked　up　at　the　segmented　body　on　the　cart；　brought　his　gaze　to　the　cowled　face。　He　wondered　if　he　would　ever　find　it　easy　to　look　on　that　bizarre　figure。
　〃But　that's　only　once　every　ten　years；〃　Idaho　said。
　〃At　the　Great　Sharing；　yes。〃
　〃And　you　just　close　it　down　between　times？〃
　〃The　embassies　are　there；　the　offices　of　the　trading　factors；　the　Fish　Speaker　schools；　the　service　and　maintenance　cadres；　the　museums　and　libraries。〃
　〃What　space　do　they　take？〃　Idaho　rapped　the　chart　with　his　knuckles；　〃A　tenth　of　the　City　at　most？〃
　〃Less　than　that。〃
　Idaho　let　his　gaze　wander　pensively　over　the　chart。
　〃Are　there　other　purposes　in　this　design；　m'Lord？〃
　〃It　is　dominated　by　the　need　for　public　viewing　of　my　person。〃
　〃There　must　be　clerks；　government　workers；　even　mon　laborers。　Where　do　they　live？〃
　〃Mostly　in　the　suburbs。〃
　Idaho　pointed　at　the　chart。　〃These　tiers　of　apartments？〃
　〃Note　the　balconies；　Duncan。〃
　〃All　around　the　plaza。〃　He　leaned　close　to　peer　down　at　the　chart。　〃That　plaza　is　two　kilometers　across！〃
　〃Note　how　the　balconies　are　set　back　in　steps　right　up　to　the　ring　of　spires。　The　elite　are　lodged　in　the　spires。〃
　〃And　they　can　all　look　down　on　you　in　the　plaza？〃
　〃You　do　not　like　that？〃
　〃There's　not　even　an　energy　barrier　to　protect　you！〃
　〃What　an　inviting　target　I　make。〃
　〃Why　do　you　do　it？〃
　〃There　is　a　delightful　myth　about　the　design　of　Onn。　I　foster　and　promote　the　myth。　It　is　said　that　once　there　lived　a　people　whose　ruler　was　required　to　walk　among　them　once　a　year　in　total　darkness；　without　weapons　or　armor。　The　mythical　ruler　wore　a　luminescent　suit　while　he　made　his　walk　through　the　night…shrouded　throng　of　his　subjects。　And　his　subjects…they　wore　black　for　the　occasion　and　were　never　searched　for　weapons。〃
　〃What's　that　have　to　do　with　Onn。。。and　you？〃
　〃Well；　obviously；　if　the　ruler　survived　his　walk；　he　was　a　good　ruler。〃
　〃You　don't　search　for　weapons？〃
　〃Not　openly。〃
　〃You　think　people　see　you　in　this　myth。〃　It　was　not　a　question。
　〃Many　do。〃
　Idaho　stared　up　at　Leto's　face　deep　in　its　gray　cowl。　The　blue…on…blue　eyes　stared　back　at　him　without　expression。
　Melange　eyes；　Idaho　thought。　But　Leto　said　he　no　longer　consumed　any　spice。　His　body　supplied　what　spice　his　addiction　demanded。
　〃You　don't　like　my　holy　obscenity；　my　enforced　tranquility；〃　Leto　said。
　〃I　don't　like　you　playing　god！〃
　〃But　a　god　can　conduct　the　Empire　as　a　musical　conductor　guides　a　symphony　through　its　movements。　My　performance　is　limited　only　by　my　restriction　to　Arrakis。　I　must　direct　the　symphony　from　here。〃
　Idaho　shook　his　head　and　looked　once　more　at　the　city　plan。　〃What're　these　apartments　behind　the　spires？〃
　〃Lesser　acmodations　for　our　visitors。〃
　〃They　can't　see　the　plaza。〃
　〃But　they　can。　Ixian　devices　project　my　image　into　those　rooms。〃
　〃And　the　inner　ring　looks　directly　down　on　you。　How　do　you　enter　the　plaza？〃
　〃A　presentation　stage　rises　from　the　center　to　display　me　to　my　people。〃
　〃Do　they　cheer？〃　Idaho　looked　directly　into　Leto's　eyes。
　〃They　are　permitted　to　cheer。〃
　〃You　Atreides　always　did　see　yourselves　as　part　of　history。〃
　〃How　astute　of　you　to　understand　a　cheer's　meaning。〃
　Idaho　returned　his　attention　to　the　city　map。　〃And　the　Fish　Speaker　schools　are　here？〃
　〃Under　your　left　hand；　yes。　That's　the　academy　where　Siona　was　sent　to　be　educated。　She　was　ten　at　the　time。〃
　〃Siona。。。I　must　learn　more　about　her；〃　Idaho　mused。
　〃I　assure　you　that　nothing　will　get　in　the　way　of　your　desire。〃
　As　he　marched　along　in　the　Royal　peregrination；　Idaho　was　lifted　from　his　reverie　by　awareness　that　the　Fish　Speaker　chant　was　diminishing。　Ahead　of　him；　the　Royal　Cart　had　begun　its　descent　into　the　chambers　beneath　the　plaza；　rolling　down　a　long　ramp。　Idaho；　still　in　sunlight；　looked　up　and　around　at　the　glistening　spires…this　reality　for　which　the　charts　had　not　prepared　him。　People　crowded　the　balconies　of　the　great　tiered　ring　around　the　plaza；　silent　people　who　stared　down　at　the　procession。
　No　cheering　from　the　privileged；　Idaho　thought。　The　silence　of　the　people　on　the　balconies　filled　Idaho　with　foreboding。
　He　entered　the　ramp…tunnel　and　its　lip　hid　the　plaza。　The　Fish　Speaker　chant　faded　away　as　he　descended　into　the　depths。　The　sound　of　marching　feet　all　around　him　was　curiously　amplified。
　Curiosity　replaced　the　sense　of　oppressive　foreboding。　Idaho　stared　around　him。　The　flat…floored　tube　was　artificially　illuminated　and　wide；　very　wide。　Idaho　estimated　that　seventy　people　could　march　abreast　into　the　bowels　of　the　plaza。　There　were　no　mobs　of　greeters　here；　only　a　widely　spaced　line　of　Fish　Speakers　who　did　not　chant；　contenting　themselves　to　stare　at　the　passage　of　their　God。
　Memory　of　the　charts　told　Idaho　the　layout　of　this　gigantic　plex　beneath　the　plaza…a　private　city　within　the　City；　a　place　where　only　the　God　Emperor；　the　courtiers　and　the　Fish　Speakers　could　go　without　escort。　But　the　charts　had　told　nothing　of　the　thick　pillars；　the　sense　of　massive；　guarded　spaces；　the　eerie　quiet　broken　by　the　tramping　of　feet　and　the　creaking　of　Leto's　cart。
　Idaho　looked　suddenly　at　the　Fish　Speakers　lining　the　way　and　realized　that　their　mouths　were　moving　in　unison；　a　silent　word　on　their　lips。　He　recognized　the　word：
　〃Siaynoq。〃
　〃Another　Festival　so　soon？〃　the　Lord　Leto　asked。
　〃It　has　been　ten　years；〃　the　majordomo　said。
　Do　you　think　by　this　exchange　that　the　Lord　Leto　betrays　an　ignorance　of　time's　passage？
　…The　Oral　History
　DURING　THE　private　audience　period　preceding　the　Festival　proper；　many　mented　that　the　God　Emperor　spent　more　than　the　allotted　time　with　the　new　Ixian　Ambassador；　a　young　woman　named　Hwi　Noree。
　She　was　brought　down　at　midmorning　by　two　Fish　Speakers　who　were　still　full　of　first…day　excitement。　The　private　audience　chamber　beneath　the　plaza　was　brilliantly　illuminated。　The　light　revealed　a　room　about　fifty　meters　long　by　thirty…five　wide。　Antique　Fremen　rugs　decorated　the　walls；　their　bright　patterns　worked　in　jewels　and　precious