bh.houseatreides-第17部分

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h　into　a　foyer　where　ten　other　Sisters；　all　dressed　in　hooded　black　aba　robes　like　her　own；　stood　in　a　cluster。　A　low　murmur　of　conversation　filled　the　air　inside　the　nondescript　building。　Treasures　can　be　hidden　within　a　drab　and　unpretentious　shell；　said　one　popular　Bene　Gesserit　dictum。
　The　other　Sisters　moved　aside　for　Anirul　as　she　glided　through　their　midst　like　a　swimmer　parting　water。　Though　her　body　was　tall　and　large…boned；　Anirul　succeeded　in　projecting　a　grace　in　her　movements。。。but　it　did　not　e　easily　to　her。　Whispering；　they　fell　in　behind　her　as　she　entered　the　octagonal　chapter　chamber；　the　meeting　place　of　the　ancient　order's　leadership。　Her　footsteps　creaked　across　the　worn　planks　of　the　floor；　and　the　door　groaned　shut；　locking　behind　them。
　White　Elacca…wood　benches　rimmed　the　timeworn　room；　Mother　Superior　Harishka　sat　on　one；　like　a　mon　acolyte。　Of　mixed　parentage；　showing　bloodlines　from　distinctive　branches　of　humanity；　the　Mother　Superior　was　old　and　bent；　with　dark　almond　eyes　peering　out　from　beneath　her　black　hood。
　The　Sisters　moved　to　the　sides　of　the　chamber　and　seated　themselves　on　empty　white　benches；　as　Mother　Superior　had。　Presently　the　rustling　of　robes　ceased；　and　no　one　spoke。　From　somewhere；　the　old　building　creaked。　Outside；　drizzle　fell　in　silent　curtains；　muffling　the　struggling　blue…white　sunlight。
　〃Anirul；　I　await　your　report；〃　Mother　Superior　finally　said　with　just　a　glimmer　of　annoyance　at　her　tardiness。　Harishka　manded　the　entire　Sisterhood；　but　Anirul　was　vested　with　full　authority　to　make　mand　decisions　on　the　project。　〃You　have　promised　us　your　genetic　summary　and　projections。〃
　Anirul　took　her　position　in　the　center　of　the　chamber。　Overhead；　a　vaulted　ceiling　spread　like　a　flower　to　the　tops　of　Gothic　stained…glasplaz　windows；　within　each　window　section；　panes　contained　the　family　crests　of　great　historical　leaders　of　the　order。
　Fighting　back　nervousness；　Anirul　took　a　deep　breath　and　suppressed　the　multitude　of　voices　within　her。　Many　of　the　Bene　Gesserit　Order　would　not　like　what　she　had　to　say。　Though　the　voices　of　past　lives　might　offer　her　fort　and　support；　she　was　about　to　give　her　own　assessment；　and　had　to　stand　by　it。　She　also　had　to　be　pletely　honest；　Mother　Superior　was　adept　at　sensing　the　slightest　deceit。　Mother　Superior　noticed　everything；　and　now　her　almond　eyes　flashed　with　expectation；　as　well　as　impatience。
　Anirul　cleared　her　throat　and　covered　her　mouth　as　she　began　her　report　in　a　directed…whisper　that　carried　to　the　ears　of　everyone　in　the　sealed　room；　but　nowhere　else。　Nothing　escaped　into　the　ambient　air　for　any　concealed　listening　device。　They　all　knew　of　her　work；　but　she　gave　them　the　details　anyway；　adding　to　the　import　of　her　announcement。
　〃Thousands　of　years　of　careful　breeding　have　brought　us　closer　than　ever　before　to　our　goal。　For　ninety　generations；　a　plan　begun　even　before　the　Butlerian　warriors　led　us　to　freedom　from　the　thinking　machines；　we　of　the　Sisterhood　have　planned　to　create　our　own　weapon。　Our　own　superbeing　who　will　bridge　space　and　time　with　his　mind。〃
　Her　words　droned　on。　The　other　Bene　Gesserit　did　not　stir；　though　they　appeared　bored　with　her　standard　summary　of　the　project。　Very　well；　I　will　give　them　something　to　awaken　their　hopes。
　〃With　the　dance　of　DNA；　I　have　determined　we　are；　at　most；　only　three　generations　removed　from　success。〃　Her　pulse　accelerated。　〃Soon；　we　will　have　our　Kwisatz　Haderach。〃
　〃Take　care　when　you　speak　of　this　secret　of　all　secrets；〃　Mother　Superior　warned；　but　her　delight　could　not　be　covered　by　her　sternness。
　〃I　take　care　with　every　aspect　of　our　program；　Mother　Superior；〃　Anirul　countered；　in　too　haughty　a　tone。　She　caught　herself；　kept　her　narrow　face　expressionless；　but　others　had　already　seen　the　slip。　There　would　be　more　murmurings　about　her　brashness；　her　youth　and　unsuitability　for　such　an　important　role。　〃That　is　why　I　am　so　certain　of　what　we　must　do。　The　gene　samples　have　been　analyzed；　all　possibilities　projected。　The　path　is　plainer　now　than　ever　before。〃
　So　many　Sisters　before　her　had　worked　toward　this　incredible　goal；　and　now　it　was　her　duty　to　administer　the　final　breeding　decisions　and　supervise　the　birth　and　upbringing　of　a　new　girl…child；　who　would　in　all　probability　be　the　grandmother　of　the　Kwisatz　Haderach　himself。
　〃I　have　the　names　of　the　final　genetic　pairings；〃　Anirul　announced。　〃Our　mating　index　indicates　that　these　will　produce　the　highest　likelihood　of　success。〃　She　paused；　savoring　the　absolute　attention　the　others　paid　to　her。
　To　any　outsider；　Anirul　appeared　to　be　no　more　than　another　Reverend　Mother；　indistinguishable　from　the　rest　of　her　Sisters　and　not　terribly　talented　or　gifted　in　any　way。　The　Bene　Gesserit　were　good　at　keeping　secrets；　and　the　Kwisatz　Mother　was　one　of　the　greatest　of　these。
　〃We　need　a　particular　bloodline　from　an　ancient　House。　This　will　produce　a　daughter　　our　equivalent　to　the　mother　of　the　Virgin　Mary　　who　must　then　take　the　mate　we　choose。　These　two　will　be　the　grandparents；　and　their　offspring；　also　a　daughter；　will　be　trained　here　on　Wallach　IX。　This　Bene　Gesserit　woman　will　bee　the　mother　of　our　Kwisatz　Haderach；　a　boy…child　to　be　raised　by　us；　under　our　plete　control。〃　Anirul　let　out　her　last　words　with　a　slow　sigh；　and　considered　the　immensity　of　what　she　had　said。
　Only　a　few　decades　more；　and　the　astounding　birth　would　occur　potentially　within　Anirul's　lifetime。　Thinking　back　through　the　tunnels　of　Other　Memory；　grasping　the　canvas　of　time　that　had　spread　out　in　preparation　for　this　event；　Anirul　realized　how　lucky　she　was　to　be　alive　now；　in　this　period　of　time。　Her　predecessors　stood　in　a　spectral　line　inside　her　mind；　eagerly　watching　and　waiting。
　When　the　unparalleled　breeding　program　finally　came　to　fruition；　the　Bene　Gesserit　would　no　longer　need　to　remain　a　subtle；　manipulative　presence　in　the　politics　of　the　Imperium。　Everything　would　belong　to　them；　and　the　archaic　galactic　feudal　system　would　fall。
　Though　no　one　spoke；　Anirul　detected　concern　in　the　hawkish　eyes　of　her　Sisters；　bordering　on　a　doubt　that　none　of　them　dared　express。　〃And　what　is　this　bloodline？〃　Mother　Superior　asked。
　Anirul　did　not　hesitate；　drew　herself　taller。　〃We　must　have　a　daughter　by。。。the　Baron　Vladimir　Harkonnen。〃
　She　read　the　surprise　on　their　faces。　Harkonnens？　They　had　been　part　of　the　overall　breeding　programs；　of　course　　all　Landsraad　Houses　were　　but　no　one　would　have　imagined　the　Bene　Gesserit　savior　springing　from　the　seed　of　such　a　man。　What　did　such　a　lineage　bode　for　the　Kwisatz　Haderach？　Given　a　Harkonnen…bred　superman；　could　the　Bene　Gesserit　hope　to　control　him？
　All　of　these　questions…and　many　more…passed　between　the　Sisters；　without　the　utterance　of　a　sound　or　even　a　directed…whisper。　Anirul　saw　it　plainly。
　〃As　all　of　you　know；〃　she　said　at　last；　〃the　Baron　Harkonnen　is　a　dangerously　cunning　and　manipulative　man。　Though　we　can　be　certain　he　is　generally　aware　of　the　numerous　Bene　Gesserit　breeding　programs；　our　plan　cannot　be　revealed。　Still；　we　must　find　a　way　for　him　to　impregnate　a　chosen　Sister　without　telling　him　why。〃
　Mother　Superior　pursed　her　wrinkled　lips。　〃The　Baron's　sexual　appetites　run　exclusively　to　men　and　boys。　He　will　have　no　interest　in　accepting　a　female　lover　　especially　not　one　thrust　upon　him　by　us。〃
　Anirul　nodded　soberly。　〃Our　seductive　abilities　will　be　taxed　as　never　before。〃　She　gave　a　challenging　look　to　the　powerful　Reverend　Mothers　in　attendance。　〃But　I　have　no　doubt　that　with　all　the　resources　of　the　Bene　Gesserit；　we　will　find　a　way　to　coerce　him。
　In　response　to　the　strict　Butlerian　taboo　against　machines　that　perform　mental　functions；　a　number　of　schools　developed　enhanced　human　beings　to　subsume　most　of　the　functions　formerly　performed　by　puters。　Some　of　the　key　schools　arising　out　of　the　Jihad　include　the　Bene　Gesserit；　with　their　intense　mental　and　physical　training；　the　Spacing　Guild；　with　the　prescient　ability　to　find　a　safe　path　through　foldspace；　and　the　Mentats；　whose　puterlike　minds　are　capable　of　extraordinary　acts　of　reasoning。
　…Ikbhan's　Treatise　on　the　Mind；　Volume　I
　As　he　made　ready　to　depart　from　home　for　an　entire　year；　Leto　tried　to　hold　on　to　his　self…confidence。　He　knew　this　was　an　important　step　for　him；　and　understood　why　his　father　had　chosen　Ix　as　a　place　to　study。　But　he　would　still　miss　Caladan　terribly。

　It　was　not　the　young　ducal　heir's　first　trip　to　a　different　star　system。　Leto　and　his　father　had　explored　the　multiple　worlds　of　Gaar　and　the　fog…bound　planet　of　Pilargo；　where　Caladanian　primitives　were　thought　to　have　originated。　Those　had　been　mere　outings；　exciting　sight…seeing　trips。
　However；　the　prospect　of　going　away　for　so　long；　and　all　alone；　made　him　worry　more　than　he'd　expected。　He　didn't　dare　show　it；　though。　I　will　be　Duke　someday。
　Dressed　in　Atreides　finery；　Leto　stood　with　the　Old　Duke　at　the　Cala　Municipal　Spaceport；　awaiting　a　shuttle　that　would　carry　him　to　a　Guild　Heighliner。　Two　suspensor…borne　suitcases　hovered　near　his　feet。
　His　mother　had　suggested　he　take　retainers；　cargo　cases　full　of　garments　and　diversions；　and　supplies　of　good　Caladanian　food；　Duke　Paulus；　on　the　other　hand；　had　laughed　and　explained　how　when　he　was　Leto's　age　he'd　survived　for　months　on　the　battlefield　with　only　the　few　possessions　in　a　pack　on　his　back。　He　did；　however；　insist　that　Leto　take　one　of　Caladan's　traditional　fishing　knives　in　a　sheath　at　his　back。
　Siding　with　his　father；　as　usual；　Leto　chose　to　be　minimal　in　his　packing。　Besides；　Ix　was　a　rich　industrial　planet；　not　a　wilderness；　he　wouldn't　suffer　many　privations　during　his　schooling。
　When　anyone　could　see　her；　the　Lady　Helena　bore　the　decision　with　stoic　good　grace。　Now　she　stood　beside　the　departure　group　dressed　in　fine　robes　and　a　shimmering　cape。　Though　he　knew　his　mother　genuinely　feared　for　his　well…being；　Lady　Atreides　would　never　show　anything　but　the　most　perfect　public　face。
　Adjusting　the　oil　lenses　of　his　father's　field　glasses；　Leto　peered　away　from　the　shifting　pastels　of　the　dawn　horizon；　up　into　the　vestiges　of　night。　A　glinting　speck　moved　against　the　stars。　When　he　touched　the　zoompad；　the　speck　grew　until　Leto　recogniz