fh.godemperorofdune-第38部分

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out　glistening　faces　which　swayed　gently　left　and　right。　Their　bodies　below　the　faces　presented　a　dark　wall　of　clothing。　The　perspiration　of　excitement　was　thick　here。
　As　he　neared　the　waiting　women；　Idaho　saw　a　passage　through　them　and　a　ramp　slanting　up　to　a　low　ledge　on　his　right。　A　great　arched　ceiling　curved　away　above　the　women；　a　gigantic　space　illuminated　by　glowglobes　tuned　high　into　the　red。
　〃Go　up　the　ramp　on　your　right；〃　Leto　said。　〃Stop　just　beyond　the　center　of　the　ledge　and　turn　to　face　the　women。〃
　Idaho　lifted　his　right　hand　in　acknowledgment。　He　was　emerging　into　the　open　space　now　and　the　dimensions　of　this　enclosed　place　awed　him。　He　set　his　trained　eyes　the　task　of　estimating　the　dimensions　as　he　mounted　to　the　ledge　and　guessed　the　hall　to　be　at　least　eleven　hundred　meters　on　a　side…a　square　with　rounded　corners。　It　was　packed　with　women；　and　Idaho　reminded　himself　that　these　were　only　the　chosen　representatives　of　the　far　scattered　Fish　Speaker　regiments…three　women　from　each　planet。　They　stood　now；　their　bodies　pressed　so　closely　together　that　Idaho　doubted　one　of　them　could　fall。　They　had　left　only　a　space　about　fifty　meters　wide　along　the　ledge　where　Idaho　now　stopped　and　surveyed　the　scene。　The　faces　looked　up　at　him…faces；　faces。
　Leto　stopped　his　cart　just　behind　Idaho　and　lifted　one　of　his　silver…skinned　arms。
　Immediately；　a　roaring　cry　of　〃Siaynoq！　Siaynoq！〃　filled　the　great　hall。
　Idaho　was　deafened　by　it。　Surely　that　sound　must　be　heard　throughout　the　City；　he　thought。　Unless　we　are　too　far　underground。
　〃My　brides；〃　Leto　said。　〃　I　wele　you　to　Siaynoq。〃
　Idaho　glanced　up　at　Leto；　saw　the　dark　eyes　glistening；　the　radiant　expression。　Leto　had　said：　〃This　cursed　holiness！〃　But　he　basked　in　it。
　Has　Moneo　ever　seen　this　gathering？　Idaho　wondered。　It　was　an　odd　thought；　but　Idaho　knew　its　origin。　There　had　to　be　some　other　mortal　human　with　whom　this　could　be　discussed。　The　escort　had　said　Moneo　was　dispatched　on　〃affairs　of　state〃　whose　details　they　did　not　know。　Hearing　this；　Idaho　had　felt　himself　sense　another　element　in　Leto's　government。　The　lines　of　power　extended　directly　from　Leto　out　into　the　populace；　but　the　lines　did　not　often　cross。　That　required　many　things；　including　trusted　servants　who　would　accept　responsibility　for　carrying　out　orders　without　question。
　〃Few　see　the　God　Emperor　do　hurtful　things；〃　Siona　had　said。　〃is　that　like　the　Atreides　you　knew？〃
　Idaho　looked　out　over　the　massed　Fish　Speakers　as　these　thoughts　flitted　through　his　mind。　The　adulation　in　their　eyes！　The　awe！　How　had　Leto　done　this'？　Why'？
　〃My　beloveds；〃　Leto　said。　His　voice　boomed　out　over　the　upturned　faces。　carried　to　the　farthest　corners　by　subtle　Ixian　amplifiers　concealed　in　the　Royal　Cart。
　The　steaming　images　of　the　women's　faces　filled　Idaho　with　memory　of　Leto's　warning。　Incur　their　wrath　at　Your　mortal　peril！
　It　was　easy　to　believe　that　warning　in　this　place。　One　word　from　Leto　and　these　women　would　tear　an　offender　to　pieces。
　They　would　not　question。　They　would　act。　Idaho　began　to　feel　a　new　appreciation　of　these　women　as　an　army。　Personal　peril　would　not　stop　them。　They　served　God！
　The　Royal　Cart　creaked　slightly　as　Leto　arched　his　front　segments　upward；　lifting　his　head。
　〃You　are　the　keepers　of　the　faith！〃　Leto　said。
　They　replied　as　one　voice：　〃Lord；　we　obey！〃
　〃In　me　you　live　without　end！〃　Leto　said。
　〃We　are　the　Infinite！〃　they　shouted。
　〃I　love　you　as　I　love　no　others！〃　Leto　said。
　〃Love！〃　they　screamed。
　Idaho　shuddered。
　〃　I　give　you　my　beloved　Duncan！〃　Leto　said。
　〃Love！〃　they　screamed。
　Idaho　felt　his　whole　body　trembling。　He　felt　that　he　might　collapse　from　the　weight　of　this　adulation。　He　wanted　to　run　away　and　he　wanted　to　stay　and　accept　this。　There　was　power　in　this　room。　Power！
　In　a　lower　voice；　Leto　said：　〃Change　the　Guard。〃
　The　women　bowed　their　heads；　a　single　movement；　unhesitating。　From　off　to　Idaho's　right　a　line　of　women　in　white　gowns　appeared。　They　marched　into　the　open　space　below　the　ledge　and　Idaho　noted　that　some　of　them　carried　babies　and　small　children；　none　more　than　a　year　or　two　old。
　From　the　outline　explanation　provided　him　earlier；　Idaho　recognized　these　women　as　the　ones　leaving　the　immediate　service　of　the　Fish　Speakers。　Some　would　bee　priestesses　and　some　would　spend　full　time　as　mothers。　。　。　but　none　would　truly　leave　Leto's　service。
　As　he　looked　down　on　the　children；　Idaho　thought　how　the　buried　memory　of　this　experience　must　be　impressed　on　any　of　the　male　children。　They　would　carry　the　mystery　of　it　throughout　their　lives；　a　memory　lost　to　consciousness　but　always　present；　shading　responses　from　this　moment　onward。
　The　last　of　the　newers　came　to　a　stop　below　Leto　and　looked　up　at　him。　The　other　women　in　the　hall　now　lifted　their　faces　and　focused　on　Leto。
　Idaho　glanced　left　and　right。　The　white…clad　women　filled　the　space　below　the　ledge　for　at　least　five　hundred　meters　in　both　directions。　Some　of　them　lifted　their　children　toward　Leto。　The　awe　and　submission　was　something　absolute。　If　Leto　or…
　；red　it；　Idaho　sensed；　these　women　would　smash　their　babies　death　against　the　ledge。　They　would　do　anything！
　Leto　lowered　his　front　segments　onto　the　cart；　a　gentle　rippling　motion。　He　peered　down　benignly　and　his　voice　came　as　a　soft　caress。　〃I　give　you　the　reward　which　your　faith　and　service　have　earned。　Ask　and　it　shall　be　given。〃
　The　entire　hall　reverberated　to　the　response：　〃It　shall　be　given！〃
　〃What　is　mine　is　thine；〃　Leto　said。
　〃What　is　mine　is　thine；〃　the　women　shouted。
　〃Share　with　me　now；〃　Leto　said；　〃the　silent　prayer　for　my　intercession　in　all　things…that　humankind　may　never　end。〃
　As　one；　every　head　in　the　hall　bowed。　The　white…clad　women　cradled　their　children　close；　looking　down　at　them。　Idaho　felt　the　silent　unity；　a　force　which　sought　to　enter　him　and　take　him　over。　He　opened　his　mouth　wide　and　breathed　deeply；　fighting　against　something　which　he　sensed　as　a　physical　invasion。　His　mind　searched　frantically　for　something　to　which　he　could　cling；　something　to　shield　him。
　These　women　were　an　army　whose　force　and　union　Idaho　had　not　suspected。　He　knew　he　did　not　understand　this　force。　He　could　only　observe　it；　recognize　that　it　existed。
　This　was　what　Leto　had　created。
　Leto's　words　from　a　meeting　at　the　Citadel　came　back　to　Idaho：　〃Loyalty　in　a　male　army　fastens　onto　the　army　itself　rather　than　onto　the　civilization　which　fosters　the　army。　Loyalty　in　a　female　army　fastens　onto　the　leader。〃
　Idaho　stared　out　across　the　visible　evidence　of　Leto's　creation；　seeing　the　penetrating　accuracy　of　those　words；　fearing　that　accuracy。
　He　offers　me　a　share　in　this；　Idaho　thought。
　His　own　response　to　Leto's　words　struck　Idaho　now　as　puerile。
　〃I　don't　see　the　reason；〃　Idaho　had　said。
　〃Most　people　are　not　creatures　of　reason。〃
　〃No　army；　male　or　female；　guarantees　peace！　Your　Empire　isn't　peaceful！　You　only。　。　。
　〃My　Fish　Speakers　have　provided　you　with　our　histories？〃
　〃Yes；　but　I've　also　walked　about　in　your　city　and　I've　watched　your　people。　Your　people　are　aggressive！〃
　〃You　see；　Duncan？　Peace　encourages　aggression。〃
　〃And　you　say　that　your　Golden　Path。　。　。〃
　〃Is　not　precisely　peace。　It　is　tranquility；　a　fertile　ground　for　the　growth　of　rigid　classes　and　many　other　forms　of　aggression。〃
　〃You　talk　riddles！〃
　〃　I　talk　accumulated　observations　which　tell　me　that　the　peaceful　posture　is　the　posture　of　the　defeated。　It　is　the　posture　of　the　victim。　Victims　invite　aggression。〃
　〃Your　damned　enforced　tranquility！　What　good　does　it　do？〃
　〃If　there　is　no　enemy；　one　must　be　invented。　The　military　force　which　is　denied　an　external　target　always　turns　against　its　own　people。〃
　〃What's　your　game？〃
　〃I　modify　the　human　desire　for　war。〃
　〃People　don't　want　war！〃
　〃They　want　chaos。　War　is　the　most　readily　available　form　of　chaos。〃
　〃　don't　believe　any　of　this！　You're　playing　some　dangerous　game　of　your　own。〃
　〃Very　dangerous。　I　address　ancient　wellsprings　of　human　behavior　to　redirect　them。　The　danger　is　that　I　could　suppress　the　forces　of　human　survival。　But　I　assure　you　that　my　Golden　Path　endures。〃
　〃You　haven't　suppressed　antagonism！〃
　〃I　dissipate　energies　in　one　place　and　point　them　toward　another　place。　What　you　cannot　control；　you　harness。〃
　〃What's　to　keep　your　female　army　from　taking　over？〃
　〃I　am　their　leader。〃
　As　he　looked　out　over　the　massed　women　in　the　great　hall；　Idaho　could　not　deny　the　focus　of　leadership。　He　saw　also　that　part　of　this　adulation　was　directed　at　his　own　person。　The　temptation　in　this　held　him　fixated…anything　he　wanted　from　them。。。anything！　The　latent　power　in　this　great　hall　was　explosive。　This　realization　forced　him　into　a　deeper　questioning　of　Leto's　earlier　words。
　Leto　had　said　something　about　exploding　violence。　Even　as　he　watched　the　women　at　their　silent　prayer；　Idaho　recalled　what　Leto　had　said：　〃Men　are　susceptible　to　class　fixations。　They　create　layered　societies。　The　layered　society　is　an　ultimate　invitation　to　violence。　It　does　not　fall　apart。　It　explodes。〃
　〃Women　never　do　this？〃
　〃Not　unless　they　are　almost　pletely　male　dominated　or　locked　into　a　male…role　model。〃
　〃The　sexes　can't　be　that　different！〃
　〃But　they　are。　Women　make　mon　cause　based　on　their　sex；　a　cause　which　transcends　class　and　caste。　That　is　why　I　let　my　women　hold　the　reins。〃　
　Idaho　was　forced　to　admit　that　these　praying　women　held　the　reins。
　What　part　of　that　power　would　he　pass　into　my　hands？
　The　temptation　was　monstrous！　Idaho　found　himself　trembling　with　it。　With　chilling　abruptness；　he　realized　that　this　must　be　Leto's　intention…to　tempt　me！
　On　the　floor　of　the　great　hall；　the　women　finished　their　prayer　and　lifted　their　gaze　to　Leto。　Idaho　felt　that　he　had　never　before　seen　such　rapture　in　human　faces…not　in　the　ecstasy　of　sex；　not　in　glorious　victory…at…arms…nowhere　had　he　seen　anything　to　approach　this　intense　adulation。
　〃Duncan　Idaho　stands　beside　me　today；〃　Leto　said。　〃Duncan　is　here　to　declare　his　loyalty　that　all　may　hear　it。　Duncan？〃
　Idaho　felt　a　physical　chill　shoot　through　his　intestines。　Leto　gave　him　a　simple　choice：　Declare　your　loyalty　to　the　God　Emperor　or　die！
　If　I　sneer