fh.godemperorofdune-第47部分

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　her　eyes　remained　alert。　She　stared　up　at　him；　eager　to　hear　his　words。
　〃Matters　are　once　more　tranquil　in　my　City。〃　He　made　it　not　quite　a　question；　leaving　the　interpretation　to　Nyshae。
　〃Tranquil　but　not　good；　Lord。〃
　He　glanced　at　the　gore　on　her　boots。
　〃The　street　in　front　of　the　Ixian　Embassy？〃
　〃It　is　being　cleansed；　Lord。　Repairs　already　are　under　way。〃
　〃The　plaza？〃
　〃By　morning；　it　will　appear　as　it　has　always　appeared。〃
　Her　gaze　remained　steady　on　his　face。　Both　of　them　knew　he　had　not　yet　reached　the　nubbin　of　this　interview。　But　Leto　now　identified　a　thing　lurking　within　Nyshae's　expression。
　Pride　in　her　Lord！
　For　the　first　time；　she　had　seen　the　God　Emperor　kill。　The　seeds　of　a　terrible　dependency　had　been　planted。　If　disaster　threatens；　my　Lord　will　e。　That　was　how　it　appeared　in　her　eyes。　She　would　no　longer　act　with　plete　independence；　taking　her　power　from　the　God　Emperor　and　being　personally　responsible　for　the　use　of　that　power。　There　was　something　possessive　in　her　expression。　A　terrible　death　machine　waited　in　the　wings；　available　at　her　summons。
　Leto　did　not　like　what　he　saw；　but　the　damage　had　been　done。　Any　remedies　would　require　slow　and　subtle　pressures。
　〃Where　did　the　attackers　get　lasguns？〃　he　asked。
　〃From　our　own　stores；　Lord。　The　Arsenal　Guard　has　been　replaced。〃
　Replaced。　It　was　a　euphemism　with　a　certain　nicety。　Errant　Fish　Speakers　were　isolated　and　reserved　until　Leto　found　a　problem　which　required　Death　mandos。　They　would　die　gladly；　of　course；　believing　that　thus　they　expiated　their　sin。　And　even　the　rumor　that　such　berserkers　had　been　dispatched　could　quiet　a　trouble　spot。
　〃The　arsenal　was　breached　by　explosives？〃　he　asked。
　〃Stealth　and　explosives；　Lord。　The　Arsenal　Guard　was　careless。〃
　〃The　source　of　the　explosives？〃
　Some　of　Nyshae's　fatigue　was　visible　in　her　shrug。
　Leto　could　only　agree。　He　knew　he　could　search　out　and　identify　those　sources；　but　it　would　serve　little　purpose。　Resourceful　people　could　always　find　the　ingredients　for　homemade　explosives…mon　things　such　as　sugar　and　bleaches；　quite　ordinary　oils　and　innocent　fertilizers；　plastics　and　solvents　and　extracts　from　the　dirt　beneath　a　manure　pile。　The　list　was　virtually　endless；　growing　with　each　addition　to　human　experience　and　knowledge。　Even　a　society　such　as　the　one　he　had　created；　one　which　tried　to　limit　the　admixture　of　technology　and　new　ideas；　had　no　real　hope　of　totally　eliminating　dangerously　violent　small　weapons。　The　whole　idea　of　controlling　such　things　was　chimera；　a　dangerous　and　distracting　myth。　The　key　was　to　limit　the　desire　for　violence。　In　that　respect；　this　night　had　been　a　disaster。
　So　much　new　injustice；　he　thought。
　As　though　she　read　his　thought；　Nyshae　sighed。
　Of　course。　Fish　Speakers　were　trained　from　childhood　to　avoid　injustice　wherever　possible。
　〃We　must　see　to　the　survivors　in　the　populace；〃　he　said。　〃See　to　it　that　their　needs　are　met。　They　must　be　brought　to　the　realization　that　the　Tleilaxu　were　to　blame。〃
　Nyshae　nodded。　She　had　not　reached　bashar　rank　while　remaining　ignorant　of　the　drill。　By　now；　she　believed　it。　Merely　by　hearing　Leto　say　it；　she　believed　in　the　Tleilaxu　guilt。　And　there　was　a　certain　practicality　in　her　understanding。　She　knew　why　they　did　not　slay　all　of　the　Tleilaxu。
　You　do　not　eliminate　every　scapegoat。
　〃And　we　must　provide　a　distraction；〃　Leto　said。　〃Luckily；　there　may　be　one　ready　at　hand。　I　will　send　word　to　you　after　conferring　with　the　Lady　Hwi　Noree。〃
　〃The　Ixian　Ambassador；　Lord？　Is　she　not　implicated　in　。　。　。〃
　〃She　is　entirely　guiltless；〃　he　said。
　He　saw　belief　settle　into　Nyshae's　features；　a　readymade　plastic　underlayment　which　could　lock　her　jaw　and　glaze　her　eyes。　Even　Nyshae。　He　knew　the　reasons　because　he　had　created　those　reasons；　but　sometimes　he　felt　a　bit　awed　by　his　creation。
　〃I　hear　the　Lady　Hwi　arriving　in　my　anteroom；〃　he　said。　〃Send　her　in　as　you　leave。　And；　Nyshae　。　。　。〃
　She　already　was　on　her　feet；　but　she　stood　expectantly　silent。
　〃Tonight；　I　have　elevated　Kieuemo　to　sub…bashar；〃　he　said。　〃See　that　it　is　made　official。　As　for　yourself；　I　am　pleased。　Ask　and　you　shall　receive。〃
　He　saw　the　formula　send　a　wave　of　pleasure　through　Nyshae；　but　she　tempered　it　immediately；　proving　once　more　her　worth　to　him。
　〃I　shall　test　Kieuemo；　Lord；〃　she　said。　〃If　she　suits；　I　may　take　a　holiday。　I　have　not　seen　my　family　on　Salusa　Secundus　for　many　years。〃
　〃At　a　time　of　your　own　choosing；〃　he　said。
　And　he　thought：　Salusa　Secundus。　Of　course！
　That　one　reference　to　her　origins　reminded　him　of　who　she　resembled：　Harq　at…Ada。　She　has　Corrino　blood。　We　are　closer　relatives　than　Ibad　thought。
　〃My　Lord　is　generous；〃　she　said。
　She　left　him　then；　a　new　spring　in　her　stride。　He　heard　her　voice　in　the　anteroom：　〃Lady　Hwi；　our　Lord　will　see　you　now。〃
　Hwi　entered；　back…lighted　and　framed　in　the　archway　for　a　moment；　hesitancy　in　her　step　until　her　eyes　adjusted　to　the　inner　chamber。　She　came　like　a　moth　to　the　brightness　around　Leto's　face；　looking　away　only　to　seek　along　his　shadowy　length　for　signs　of　injury。　He　knew　that　no　such　sign　was　visible；　but　there　were　still　aches　and　interior　tremblings。
　His　eyes　detected　a　slight　limp；　Hwi　favoring　her　right　leg；　but　a　long　gown　of　jade　green　concealed　the　injury。　She　stopped　at　the　edge　of　the　declivity　which　held　his　cart；　looking　directly　into　his　eyes。
　〃They　said　you　were　wounded；　Hwi。　Are　you　in　pain？〃
　〃A　cut　on　my　leg　below　the　knee；　Lord。　A　small　piece　of　masonry　from　the　explosion。　Your　Fish　Speakers　treated　it　with　a　salve　which　removed　the　pain。　Lord；　I　feared　for　you。〃
　〃And　I　feared　for　you；　gentle　Hwi。〃
　〃Except　for　that　first　explosion；　I　was　not　in　danger；　Lord。　They　rushed　me　into　a　room　deep　beneath　the　Embassy。〃
　So　she　did　not　see　my　performance；　he　thought。　I　can　be　thankful　for　that。
　〃I　sent　for　you　to　ask　your　forgiveness；〃　he　said。
　She　sank　onto　a　golden　cushion。　〃What　is　there　to　forgive；　Lord？　You　are　not　the　reason　for。　。　。〃
　〃I　am　being　tested；　Hwi。〃
　〃You？〃
　〃There　are　those　who　wish　to　know　the　depths　of　my　concern　for　the　safety　of　Hwi　Noree。〃
　She　pointed　upward。　〃That。。。was　because　of　me？〃
　〃Because　of　us。〃
　〃Oh。　But　who。　。　。〃
　〃You　have　agreed　to　wed　me；　Hwi；　and　I。　。　。〃　He　raised　a　hand　to　silence　her　as　she　started　to　speak。　〃Anteac　has　told　us　what　you　revealed　to　her；　but　this　did　not　originate　with　Anteac。〃
　〃Then　who　is　。　。〃　…
　〃The　who　is　not　important。　It　is　important　that　you　reconsider。　I　must　give　you　this　opportunity　to　change　your　mind。〃
　She　lowered　her　gaze。
　How　sweet　her　features　are；　he　thought。
　It　was　possible　for　him　to　create　only　in　his　imagination　an　entire　human　lifetime　with　Hwi。　Enough　examples　lay　in　the　welter　of　his　memories　upon　which　to　build　a　fantasy　of　wedded　life。　It　gathered　nuances　in　his　fancy…small　details　of　mutual　experience；　a　touch；　a　kiss；　all　of　the　sweet　sharings　upon　which　arose　something　of　painful　beauty。　He　ached　with　it；　a　pain　far　deeper　than　the　physical　reminders　of　his　violence　at　the　Embassy。
　Hwi　lifted　her　chin　and　looked　into　his　eyes。　He　saw　there　a　passionate　longing　to　help　him。
　〃But　how　else　may　I　serve　you；　Lord？〃
　He　reminded　himself　that　she　was　a　primate；　while　he　no　longer　was　fully　primate。　The　differences　grew　deeper　by　the　minute。
　The　ache　remained　within　him。
　Hwi　was　an　inescapable　reality；　something　so　basic　that　no　word　could　ever　fully　express　it。　The　ache　within　him　was　almost　more　than　he　could　bear。
　〃　love　you；　Hwi。　I　love　you　as　a　man　loves　a　woman。。。but　it　cannot　be。　That　will　never　be。〃
　Tears　flowed　from　her　eyes。　〃Should　I　leave？　Should　I　return　to　Ix？〃
　〃They　would　only　hurt　you；　trying　to　find　out　what　went　wrong　with　their　plan。〃
　She　has　seen　my　pain；　he　thought。　She　knows　the　futility　and　frustration。　What　will　she　do？　She　will　not　lie。　She　will　not　say　she　returns　my　love　as　a　woman　to　a　man。　She　recognizes　the　futility。　And　。she　knows　her　own　feelings　for　me　passion；　awe；　a　questioning　which　ignores　fear。
　〃Then　I　will　stay；〃　she　said。　〃We　will　take　such　pleasure　as　we　can　from　being　together。　I　think　it　is　best　that　we　do　this。　If　it　means　we　should　wed；　so　be　it。〃
　〃Then　I　must　share　knowledge　with　you　which　I　have　shared　with　no　other　person；〃　he　said。　〃It　will　give　you　a　power　over　me　which。　。　。〃
　〃Do　not　do　this；　Lord！　What　if　someone　forced　me　to。　。　。'〃
　〃You　will　never　again　leave　my　household。　My　quarters　here；　the　Citadel；　the　safe　places　of　the　Sareer…these　will　be　your　home。〃
　〃As　you　will。〃
　How　gentle　and　open　her　quiet　acceptance；　he　thought。
　The　aching　pulse　within　him　had　to　be　calmed。　In　itself；　it　was　a　danger　to　him　and　to　the　Golden　Path。
　Those　clever　Ixians！
　Malky　had　seen　how　the　all…powerful　were　forced　to　contend　with　a　constant　siren　song…the　will　to　self…delight。
　Constant　awareness　of　the　power　in　your　slightest　whim。
　Hwi　took　his　silence　to　be　uncertainty。　〃Will　we　wed；　Lord？〃
　〃Yes　。'〃
　〃Should　anything　be　done　about　the　Tleilaxu　stories　which。。。〃
　〃Nothing。〃
　She　stared　at　him；　remembering　their　earlier　conversation。
　The　seeds　of　dissolution　were　being　planted。
　〃It　is　my　fear；　Lord；　that　I　will　weaken　you；〃　she　said。
　〃Then　you　must　find　ways　to　strengthen　me。〃
　〃Can　it　strengthen　you　if　we　diminish　belief　in　the　God'　Leto？〃
　He　heard　a　hint　of　Malky　in　her　voice；　that　measured　weighing　which　had　made　him　so　revoltingly　charming。　We　never　pletely　escape　tine　teachers　of　our　childhood。
　〃Your　question　begs　the　answer；〃　he　said。　〃Many　will　continue　to　worship　according　to　my　design。　Others　will　believe　the　lies。〃
　〃Lord。。。would　you　ask　me　to　lie　for　you？〃
　〃Of　course　not。　But　I　will　ask　you　to　remain　silent　when　you　might　wish　to　speak。〃
　〃But　if　they　revile。。　。〃
　〃You　will　not　protest。〃
　Once　more；　tears　flowed　down　her　cheeks。　Leto　longed　to　touch　them；　but　they　were　water。。。painful　water。
　〃It　must　be　done　this　way；〃　he　said。
　〃Will　you　explain　it　to　me；　Lord？〃
　〃When　I　am　gone；　they　must　call　me　Shaitan；　the　Emperor　of　Gehenna。　The　wheel　must　turn　and　turn　and　turn　along　the　Golden　Path。〃
　〃Lord；　could　the　anger　not　be　directed　at　me　alone？　I　woul