fh.godemperorofdune-第45章

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to　his　human　niche　that　Leto　wanted　to　hug　him。
　He　has　the　full　spectrum：　doubt…to…trust；　love…to…hate。。。everything！　All　of　those　dear　qualities　which　e　to　fruition　in　the　warmth　of　emotion；　in　the　willingness　to　spend　yourself　on　Life。
　〃Why　is　Hwi　accepting　this？〃　Moneo　asked。
　Leto　smiled。　Moneo　cannot　doubt　me；　he　must　doubt　others。
　〃I　admit　it　is　not　a　conventional　union。　She　is　a　primate　and　I　no　longer　am　fully　primate。〃
　Again；　Moneo　wrestled　with　things　he　could　only　feel　and　not　express。
　Watching　Moneo；　Leto　felt　the　flow　of　an　observational　awareness；　a　thought　process　which　occurred　so　rarely　but　with　such　vivid　amplication　when　it　did　occur；　that　Leto　did　not　stir　lest　he　cause　a　ripple　in　the　flow。
　The　primate　thinks　and；　by　thinking；　survives。　Beneath　his　thinking　is　a　thing　which　came　with　his　cells。　It　is　the　current　of　human　concerns　for　the　species。　Sometimes；　they　cover　it　up；　wall　it　off　and　hide　it　behind　thick　barriers；　but　I　have　deliberately　sensitized　Moneo　to　these　workings　of　his　innermost　self。　He　follows　me　because　he　believes　I　hold　the　best　course　for　human　survival。　He　knows　there　is　a　cellular　awareness。　It　is　what　I　find　when　I　scan　the　Golden　Path。　This　is　humanity　and　both　of　us　agree：　it　must　endure！
　〃Where；　when　and　how　will　the　wedding　ceremony　be　conducted？〃　Moneo　asked。
　Not　why？　Leto　noted。　Moneo　no　longer　sought　to　understand　the　why。　He　had　returned　to　safe　ground。　He　was　the　majordomo；　the　director　of　the　God　Emperor's　household；　the　First　Minister。
　He　has　names　and　verbs　and　modifiers　with　which　he　can　perform。　The　words　will　work　for　him　in　their　usual　ways。　Moneo　may　never　glimpse　the　transcendental　potential　of　his　words；　but　he　well　understands　their　everyday；　mundane　uses。
　〃What　of　my　question？〃　Moneo　pressed。
　Leto　blinked　at　him；　thinking：　；　on　the　other　hand；　feel　that　words　are　mostly　useful　if　they　open　for　me　a　glimpse　of　attractive　and　undiscovered　places。　But　the　use　of　words　is　so　little　understood　by　a　civilization　which　still　believes　unquestioningly　in　a　mechanical　universe　of　absolute　cause　and　effect…obviously　reducible　to　one　single　root…cause　and　one　primary　seminal…effect。
　〃How　like　a　limpet　the　Ixian…Tleilaxu　fallacy　clings　to　human　affairs；〃　Leto　said。
　〃Lord；　it　disturbs　me　deeply　when　you　don't　pay　attention。〃
　〃But　I　do　pay　attention；　Moneo。〃
　〃Not　to　me。〃
　〃Even　to　you。〃
　〃Your　attention　wanders；　Lord。　You　do　not　have　to　conceal　that　from　me。　I　would　betray　myself　before　I　would　betray　you。〃
　〃You　think　I'm　woolgathering？〃
　〃What　gathering；　Lord？〃　Moneo　had　never　questioned　this　word　earlier；　but　now　。　。　。
　Leto　explained　the　allusion；　thinking：　How　ancient！　The　looms　and　shuttles　clicked　in　Leto's　memory。　Animal　fur　to　human　garments。。。huntsman　to　herdsman。。。the　long　steps　up　the　ladder　of　awareness。。。and　now　they　must　make　another　long　step；　longer　even　than　the　ancient　ones。
　〃You　indulge　in　idle　thoughts；〃　Moneo　accused。
　〃I　have　time　for　idle　thoughts。　That's　one　of　the　most　interesting　things　about　my　existence　as　a　singular　multitude。〃
　〃But；　Lord；　there　are　matters　which　demand　our。　。　。〃
　〃You'd　be　surprised　what　es　of　idle　thinking；　Moneo。　I've　never　minded　spending　an　entire　day　on　things　a　human　would　not　bother　with　for　one　minute。　Why　not？　With　my　life　expectancy　of　some　four　thousand　years；　what's　one　day　more　or　less？　How　much　time　does　one　human　life　count？　A　million　minutes？　I've　already　experienced　almost　that　many　days。〃
　Moneo　stood　frozen　in　silence；　diminished　by　this　parison。　He　felt　his　own　lifetime　reduced　to　a　mote　in　Leto's　eye。　The　source　of　the　allusion　did　not　escape　him。
　Words。。。words。。。words；　Moneo　thought。
　〃Words　are　often　almost　useless　in　sentient　affairs；〃　Leto　said。
　Moneo　held　his　breathing　to　a　shallow　minimum。　The　Lord　can　read　thoughts！
　〃Throughout　our　history；〃　Leto　said；　〃the　most　potent　use　of　words　has　been　to　round　out　some　transcendental　event；　giving　that　event　a　place　in　the　accepted　chronicles；　explaining　the　event　in　such　a　way　that　ever　afterward　we　can　use　those　words　and　say：　〃This　is　what　it　meant。〃
　Moneo　felt　beaten　down　by　these　words；　terrified　by　unspoken　things　they　might　make　him　think。
　〃That's　how　events　get　lost　in　history；〃　Leto　said。
　After　a　long　silence；　Moneo　ventured：　〃You　have　not　answered　my　question；　Lord。　The　wedding？〃
　How　tired　he　sounds；　Leto　thought。　How　utterly　defeated。
　Leto　spoke　briskly：　〃I　have　never　needed　your　good　offices　more。　The　wedding　must　be　managed　with　utmost　care。　It　must　have　the　precision　of　which　only　you　are　capable。〃
　〃Where；　Lord？〃
　A　bit　more　life　in　his　voice。
　〃At　Tabur　Village　in　the　Sareer。〃
　〃When？〃
　〃I　leave　the　date　to　you。　Announce　it　when　all　things　are　arranged。〃
　〃And　the　ceremony　itself　？〃
　〃I　will　conduct　it。〃
　〃Will　you　need　assistants；　Lord？　Artifacts　of　any　kind？〃
　〃The　trappings　of　ritual？〃
　〃Any　particular　thing　which　I　may　not。　。　。〃
　〃We　will　not　need　much　for　our　little　charade。〃
　〃Lord！　I　beg　of　you！　Please。　。　。〃
　〃You　will　stand　beside　the　bride　and　give　her　in　marriage；〃　Leto　said。　〃We　will　use　the　Old　Fremen　ritual。〃
　〃We　will　need　water　rings　then；〃　Moneo　said。
　〃Yes！　I　will　use　Ghani's　water　rings。〃
　〃And　who　will　attend；　Lord？〃
　〃Only　a　Fish　Speaker　guard　and　the　aristocracy。〃
　Moneo　stared　at　Leto's　face。　〃What。。。what　does　my　Lord　mean　by　‘aristocracy'？〃
　〃You；　your　family；　the　household　entourage；　the　courtiers　of　the　Citadel。〃
　〃My　fam　。　。　。〃　Moneo　swallowed。　〃Do　you　include　Siona？〃
　〃If　she　survives　the　test。〃
　〃But。　。　。
　〃Is　she　not　family？〃
　〃Of　course；　Lord。　She　is　Atreides　and。　。　。〃
　〃Then　by　all　means　include　Siona！〃
　Moneo　brought　a　tiny　memocorder　from　his　pocket；　a　dull　black　Ixian　artifact　whose　existence　crowded　the　proscriptions　of　the　Butlerian　Jihad。　A　soft　smile　touched　Leto's　lips。　Moneo　knew　his　duties　and　would　now　perform　them。
　The　clamor　of　Duncan　Idaho　outside　the　portal　grew　more　strident；　but　Moneo　ignored　the　sound。
　Moneo　knows　the　price　of　his　privileges；　Leto　thought。　It　is　another　kind　of　marriage…the　marriage　of　privilege　and　duty。　It　is　the　aristocrat's　explanation　and　his　excuse。
　Moneo　finished　his　note　taking。
　〃A　few　details；　Lord；〃　Moneo　said。　〃Will　there　be　some　special　garb　for　Hwi？〃
　〃The　stillsuit　and　robe　of　a　Fremen　bride；　real　ones。〃
　〃Jewelry　or　other　baubles？〃
　Leto's　gaze　locked　on　Moneo's　fingers　scrabbling　over　the　tiny　recorder；　seeing　there　a　dissolution。
　Leadership；　courage；　a　。sense　of　knowledge　and　order　Moneo　has　these　in　abundance。　They　surround　him　like　a　holy　aura；　but　they　conceal　from　all　eyes　except　mine　the　rot　which　eats　from　within。　It　is　inevitable。　Were　I　gone；　it　would　be　visible　to　everyone。
　〃Lord？〃　Moneo　pressed。　〃Are　you　woolgathering？〃
　Ahhh！　He　likes　that　word！
　〃That　is　all；〃　Leto　said。　〃Only　the　robe；　the　stillsuit　and　the　water　rings。〃
　Moneo　bowed　and　turned　away。
　He　is　looking　ahead　now；　Leto　thought；　but　even　this　new　thing　will　pass。　He　will　turn　toward　the　past　once　more。　And　I　had　such　high　hopes　for　him　once。　Well。。。perhaps　Siona　。　。　。
　
　〃Make　no　heroes；〃　my　father　said。
　…The　voice　of　Ghanima；
　From　the　Oral　History
　JUST　BY　the　way　Idaho　strode　across　the　small　chamber；　his　loud　demands　for　audience　now　gratified；　Leto　could　see　an　important　transformation　in　the　ghola。　It　was　a　thing　repeated　so　many　times　that　it　had　bee　deeply　familiar　to　Leto。　The　Duncan　had　not　even　exchanged　words　of　greeting　with　the　departing　Moneo。　It　all　fitted　into　the　pattern。　How　boring　that　pattern　had　bee！
　Leto　had　a　name　for　this　transformation　of　the　Duncans。　He　called　it　〃The　Since　Syndrome。〃
　The　gholas　often　nurtured　suspicions　about　the　secret　things　which　might　have　been　developed　across　the　centuries　of　oblivion　since　they　last　knew　awareness。　What　had　people　been　doing　all　that　time？　Why　could　they　possibly　want　me；　this　relic　from　their　past？　No　ego　could　overe　such　doubts　forever…especially　in　a　doubting　man。
　One　of　the　gholas　had　accused　Leto：　〃You've　put　things　in　my　body；　things　I　know　nothing　about！　These　things　in　my　body　tell　you　everything　I'm　doing！　You　spy　on　me　everywhere！〃
　Another　had　charged　him　with　possessing　a　〃manipulative　machine　which　makes　us　want　to　do　whatever　you　want。〃
　Once　it　started；　the　Since　Syndrome　could　never　be　entirely　eliminated。　It　could　be　checked；　even　diverted；　but　the　dormant　seed　might　sprout　at　the　slightest　provocation。
　Idaho　stopped　where　Moneo　had　stood　and　there　was　a　veiled　look　of　nonspecific　suspicions　in　his　eyes；　in　the　set　of　his　shoulders。　Leto　allowed　the　situation　to　simmer；　bringing　the　condition　to　a　head。　Idaho　locked　gazes　with　him；　then　
　broke　away　to　dart　his　glances　around　the　room。　Leto　recognized　the　manner　behind　the　gaze。
　The　Duncans　never　forget！
　As　he　studied　the　room；　using　the　sightful　ways　he　had　been　taught　centuries　before　by　the　Lady　Jessica　and　the　Mentat　Thufir　Hawat；　Idaho　began　to　feel　a　giddy　sense　of　dislocation。　He　thought　the　room　rejected　him；　each　thing…the　soft　cushions：　big　bulbous　things　in　gold；　green　and　a　red　that　was　almost　purple；　the　Fremen　rugs；　each　a　museum　piece；　lapping　over　each　other　in　thick　piles　around　Leto's　pit；　the　false　sunlight　of　Ixian　glowglobes；　light　which　enveloped　the　Emperor's　face　in　dry　warmth；　making　the　shadows　around　it　deeper　and　more　mysterious；　the　smell　of　spice…tea　somewhere　nearby；　and　that　rich　melange　odor　which　radiated　from　the　worm…body。
　Idaho　felt　that　too　much　had　happened　to　him　too　fast　since　the　Tleilaxu　had　abandoned　him　to　the　mercies　of　Luli　and　Friend　in　that　featureless　prison…cell　room。
　Too　much。。。too　much　。　。　。
　Am　I　really　here？　he　wondered。　Is　this　me？　What　are　these　thoughts　that　I　think？
　He　stared　at　Leto's　quiescent　body；　the　shadowy　and　enormous　mass　which　lay　so　silently　there　on　its　cart　within　the　pit。　The　very　quietness　of　that　fleshly　mass　only　suggested　mysterious　energies；　terrible　energies　which　might　be　unleashed　in　ways　nobody　could　anticipate。
　Idaho　had　heard　the　stories　about　the　fight　at　the　Ixian　Embassy；　but　the　Fish　Speaker　accounts　had　an　aura　of　miraculous　visitation　about　them　which　obscured　the　physical　data。
　〃He　flew　down　from　above　them　and　executed　a　terrible　slaughter　among　the　sinners。〃
　〃How　did　he　do　that？〃　Idaho　had　asked。
　〃He　was　an　angry　God；〃　his　informant　had　said。
　Angry；　Idaho　thought。　Was　it　because　of　the　threat　to　Hwi？　The　stories　he　had　heard！　None　were　believable。　Hwi　wedded　to　this　gross。。。It　was　not　possible！　Not　the　lovely　Hwi；　the　Hwi　of　gentle　delicacy。　He　is　playing　some　terrible　game；　testing　us。。。testing　us。。。There　was　no　honest　reality　in　these　times；　no　peace　except　in　the　presence　of　Hwi。　All　else　was　insanity。
　As　he　returned　his　attention　to　Leto's　face…that　silently　waiting　Atreides　face…the　sense　of　dislocation　grew　stronger　in　Idaho。　He　began　to　wonder　if；　by　a　slight　increase　in　mental　effort　along　some　strange　new　pathway；　he　might　break　through　ghostly　barriers　to　remember　all　of　the　experiences　of　the　other　Ghola　Idahos。
　What　did　they　think　when　they　entered　this　room？　Did　they　feel　this　dislocation；　this　rejection？
　Just　a　little　extra　eff