fh.godemperorofdune-第51部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
wanted the magic which would never e again。
Idaho indicated his thoughts were taking off in an odd tangent then。
〃Can they hear us out in the anteroom?〃 he asked。
〃No。〃 But my journals hear!
〃Moneo was furious。 Anyone could see it。 But he went away like a docile lamb。〃
〃Moneo is an aristocrat。 He is married to duty; to responsibilities。 When he is reminded of these things; his anger vanishes。〃
〃So that's how you control him;〃 Idaho said。
〃He controls himself;〃 Leto said; remembering how Moneo had glanced up from the note…taking; not for reassurances; but to prompt his sense of duty。
〃No;〃 Idaho said。 〃He doesn't control himself。 You do it。〃
〃Moneo has locked himself into his past。 I did not do that。〃
〃But he's an aristocrat。。。an Atreides。〃
Leto recalled Moneo's aging features; thinking how inevitable it was that the aristocrat would refuse his final duty…which was to step aside and vanish into history。 He would have to be driven aside。 And he would be。 No aristocrat had ever overe the demands of change。
Idaho was not through。 〃Are you an aristocrat; Leto?〃
Leto smiled。 〃The ultimate aristocrat dies within me。〃 And he thought: Privilege bees arrogance。 Arrogance promotes injustice。 The seeds of ruin blossom。
〃Maybe I will not attend your wedding;〃 Idaho said。 〃I never thought of myself as an aristocrat。〃
〃But you were。 You were the aristocrat of the sword。〃
〃Paul was better;〃 Idaho said。
Leto spoke in the voice of Muad'Dib: 〃Because you taught me!〃 He resumed his normal tones: 〃The aristocrat's unspoken duty…to teach; and sometimes by horrible example。〃
And he thought: Pride of birth trails out into penury and the weaknesses of interbreeding。 The way is opened for pride of wealth and acplishment。 Enter the nouveaux riches; riding to power as the Harkonnens did; on the backs of the ancient regime。
The cycle repeated itself with such persistence that Leto felt anyone should have seen how it must be built into long forgotten survival patterns which the species had outgrown; but never lost。
But no; we still carry the detritus which I must weed out。
〃Is there some frontier?〃 Idaho asked。 〃Is there some frontier where I could go and never again be a part of this?〃
〃If there is to be any frontier; you must help me create it;〃 Leto said。 〃There is now no place to go where others of us cannot follow and find you。〃
〃Then you won't let me go。〃
〃Go if you wish。 Others of you have tried it。 I tell you there is no frontier; no place to hide。 Right now; as it has been for a long; long time; humankind is like a single…celled creature; bound together by a dangerous glue。〃
〃No new planets? No strange。。 。〃
〃Oh; we grow; but we do not separate。〃
〃Because you hold us together!〃 he accused。
〃I do not know if you can understand this; Duncan; but if there is a frontier; any kind of frontier; then what lies behind you cannot be more important than what lies ahead。〃
〃You're the past!〃
〃No; Moneo is the past。 He is quick to raise the traditional aristocratic barriers against all frontiers。 You must understand the power of those barriers。 They not only enclose planets and land on those planets; they enclose ideas。 They repress change。〃
〃You repress change!〃
He will not deviate; Leto thought。 One more try。
〃The surest sign that an aristocracy exists is the discovery of barriers against change; curtains of iron or steel or stone or of any substance which excludes the new; the different。〃
〃I know there must be a frontier somewhere;〃 Idaho said。 〃You're hiding it。〃
〃I hide nothing of frontiers。 I want frontiers! I want surprises!〃
They e right up against it; Leto thought。 Then they refuse to enter。
True to this prediction; Idaho's thoughts darted off on a new tack。 〃Did you really have Face Dancers perform at your betrothal?〃
Leto felt a surge of anger; followed immediately by a wry enjoyment of the fact that he could experience the emotion in such depth。 He wanted to let it shout at Duncan。。。but that would solve nothing…
〃The Face Dancers performed;〃 he said。
。Why?〃
〃I want everyone to share in my happiness。〃
Idaho stared at him as though just discovering a repellent insect in his drink。 In a flat voice; Idaho said: 〃That is the most cynical thing I have ever heard an Atreides say。〃
〃But an Atreides said it。〃
〃You're deliberately trying to put me off! You're avoiding my question。〃
Once more into the fray; Leto thought。 He said: 〃The Face Dancers of the Bene Tleilax are a colony organism。 Individually; they are mules。 This is a choice they made for and by themselves。〃
Leto waited; thinking: I must be patient。 They have to discover it for themselves。 If I say it; they will not believe。 Think; Duncan。 Think!
After a long silence; Idaho said: 〃I have given you my oath。 That is important to me。 It is still important。 I don't know what you're doing or why。 I can only say I don't like what's happening。 There! I've said it。〃
〃Is that why you returned from the Citadel?〃
〃Yes!〃
〃Will you go back to the Citadel now?〃
〃What other frontier is there?〃
〃Very good; Duncan! Your anger knows even when your reason does not。 Hwi goes to the Citadel tonight。 I will join her there tomorrow。〃
〃I want to get to know her better;〃 Idaho said。
〃You will avoid her;〃 Leto said。 〃That is an order。 Hwi is not for you。〃
〃I've always known there were witches;〃 Idaho said。 〃Your grandmother was one。〃
He turned on his heel and; not asking leave; strode back the way he had e。
How like a little boy he is; Leto thought; watching the stiffness in Idaho's back。 The oldest man in our universe and the youngest…both in one flesh。
The prophet is not diverted by illusions of past; present and future。 The fixity of language determines such linear distinctions。 Prophets hold a key to the lock in a language。 The mechanical image remains only an image to them。 This is not a mechanical universe。 The linear progression of events is imposed by the observer。 Cause and effect? That's not it at all。 The prophet utters fateful words。 You glimpse a thing 〃destined to occur。〃 But the prophetic instant releases something of infinite portent and power。 The universe undergoes a ghostly shift。 Thus; the wise prophet conceals actuality behind shimmering labels。 The uninitiated then believe the prophetic language is ambiguous。 The listener distrusts the prophetic messenger。 Instinct tells you how the utterance blunts the power of such words。 The best prophets lead you up to the curtain and let you peer through for yourself。
…The Stolen Journals
LETO ADDRESSED Moneo in the coldest voice he had ever used: 〃The Duncan disobeys me。〃
They were in the airy room of golden stone atop the Citadel's south tower; Leto's third full day back from the Decennial Festival in Onn。 An open portal beside him looked out over the harsh noonday of the Sareer。 The wind made a deep humming sound through the opening。 It stirred up dust and sand which made Moneo squint。 Leto seemed not to notice the irritation。 He stared out across the Sareer; where the air was alive with heat movements。 The distant flow of dunes suggested a mobility in the landscape which only his eyes observed。
Moneo stood immersed in the sour odors of his own fear; knowing that the wind conveyed the message of these odors to Leto's senses。 The arrangements for the wedding; the upset among the Fish Speakers…everything was paradox。 It reminded Moneo of something the God Emperor had said in the first days of their association。
〃Paradox is a pointer telling you to look beyond it。 If paradoxes bother you; that betrays your deep desire for absolutes。 The relativist treats a paradox merely as interesting; perhaps amusing or even; dreadful thought; educational。 〃
〃You do not respond;〃 Leto said。 He turned from his examination of the Sareer and focused the weight of his attention on Moneo。
Moneo could only shrug。 How near is the Worm? he wondered。 Moneo had noticed that the return to the Citadel from Onn sometimes aroused the Worm。 No sign of that awful shift in the God Emperor's presence had yet betrayed itself; but Moneo sensed it。 Could the Worm e without warning?
〃Accelerate arrangements for the wedding;〃 Leto said。 〃Make it as soon as possible。〃
〃Before you test Siona?〃
Leto was silent for a moment; then: 〃No。 What will you do about the Duncan;〃
〃What would you have me do; Lord?〃
〃I told him not to see Noree; to avoid her。 I told him it was an order。〃
〃She has sympathy for him; Lord。 Nothing more。〃
〃Why would she have sympathy for him?〃
〃He is a ghola。 He has no connection to our times; no roots。〃
〃He has roots as deep as mine!〃
〃But he does not know this; Lord。〃
〃Are you arguing with me; Moneo?〃
Moneo backed away a half step; knowing that this did not remove him from danger。 〃Oh; no; Lord。 But I always try to tell you truly what I believe is happening。〃
〃I will tell you what is happening。 He is courting her。〃
〃But she initiates their meetings; Lord。〃
〃Then you knew about this!〃
〃I did not know you had absolutely prohibited it; Lord。〃
Leto spoke in a musing voice: 〃He is clever with women;
Moneo; exceedingly clever。 He sees into their souls and makes them do what he wants。 It has always been that way with the Duncans。〃
〃I did not know you had prohibited all meetings between them; Lord!〃 Moneo's voice was almost strident。
〃He is more dangerous than any of the others;〃 Leto said。 〃It is the fault of our times。〃
〃Lord; the Tleilaxu do not have a successor for him ready to deliver。〃
〃And we need this one?〃
〃You said it yourself; Lord。 It is a paradox which I do not understand; but you did say it。〃
〃How long until there could be a replacement?〃
〃At least a year; Lord。 Shall I inquire as to a specific date?〃
〃Do it today。〃
〃He may hear about it; Lord。 The previous one did。〃
〃I do not want it to happen this way; Moneo!〃
〃I know; Lord。〃
〃And I dare not speak of this to Noree;〃 Leto said。 〃The Duncan is not for her。 Yet; I cannot hurt her!〃 This last was almost a wail。
Moneo stood in awed silence。
〃Can't you see this?〃 Leto demanded。 〃Moneo; help me。〃
〃I see that it is different with Noree;〃 Moneo said。 〃But I d