fh.godemperorofdune-第55章

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he　rituals。　And　then　there　are　the　desert's　edges　and　the　remains　of　whatever　my　wolves　leave。〃
　At　this；　she　whirled　away　from　him；　but　not　before　he　saw　the　passion　still　consuming　her。　Siona　was　being　sorely　tested。
　〃There's　little　daytime　graciousness　about　a　desert；〃　he　said。　〃That's　another　reason　we　travel　by　night。　To　a　Fremen；　the　image　of　the　day　was　that　of　windblown　sand　filling　your　tracks。〃
　Her　eyes　glistened　with　unshed　tears　when　she　turned　back　to　him；　but　her　features　were　posed。。
　〃What　lives　here　now？〃　she　asked。
　〃The　vultures；　a　few　night　creatures；　an　occasional　remnant　of　plant　life　out　of　the　old　days；　burrowing　things。〃
　〃Is　that　all？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　。；Why？〃
　〃Because　this　is　where　they　were　born　and　I　permit　them　to　know　nothing　better。〃
　It　was　almost　dark　with　that　sudden　glowing　light　his　desert　acquired　in　these　moments。　He　studied　her　in　that　luminous　moment；　recognizing　that　she　had　not　yet　understood　his　other　message。　He　knew　that　message　would　sit　there；　though；　and　fester　in　her。〃Silhouettes；〃　she　said；　reminding　him。　〃What　did　you　expect　to　find　when　we　came　up　here？〃
　〃Perhaps　people　at　a　distance。　You're　never　certain。〃
　〃What　people？〃
　〃I've　already　told　you。〃
　〃What　would　you've　done　if　you'd　seen　anyone？〃
　〃It　was　the　Fremen　custom　to　treat　distant　people　as　hostile　until　they　threw　sand　into　the　air。〃
　As　he　spoke；　darkness　fell　over　them　like　a　curtain。
　Siona　became　ghostly　movement　in　the　sudden　starlight。　〃Sand？〃　she　asked。
　〃Thrown　sand　is　a　profound　gesture。　It　says：　‘We　share　the　same　burden。　Sand　is　our　only　enemy。　This　is　what　we　drink。　The　hand　that　holds　sand　holds　no　weapon。'　Do　you　understand　this？〃
　〃No！〃　She　taunted　him　with　a　defiant　falsehood。
　〃You　will；〃　he　said。
　Without　a　word；　she　set　out　along　the　arc　of　their　dune；　striding　away　from　him　with　an　angry　excess　of　energy。　Leto　allowed　himself　to　fall　far　behind　her；　interested　that　she　had　instinctively　chosen　the　right　direction。　Fremen　memories　could　be　felt　churning　in　her。
　Where　the　dune　dipped　to　cross　another；　she　waited　for　him。　He　saw　that　the　face　flap　of　her　stillsuit　remained　open；　hanging　loose。　It　was　not　yet　time　to　chide　her　about　this。　Some　unconscious　things　had　to　run　their　natural　course。
　As　he　came　up　to　her；　she　said：　〃Is　this　as　good　a　direction　as　any　other？〃
　〃If　you　keep　to　it；〃　he　said。
　She　glanced　up　at　the　stars　and　he　saw　her　identify　the　Pointers；　those　Fremen　Arrows　which　had　led　her　ancestors　across　this　land。　He　could　see；　though；　that　her　recognition　was　mostly　intellectual。　She　had　not　yet　e　to　accept　the　other　things　working　within　her。
　Leto　lifted　his　front　segments　to　peer　ahead　in　the　starlight。　They　were　moving　a　little　west　of　north　on　a　track　that　once　had　led　across　Habbanya　Ridge　and　Cave　of　Birds　into　the　erg　below　False　Wall　West　and　the　way　to　Wind　Pass。　None　of　those　landmarks　remained。　He　sniffed　a　cool　breeze　with　flint　smells　in　it　and　more　moisture　than　he　found　pleasant。
　Once　more；　Siona　set　off…slower　this　time；　holding　her　course　by　occasional　glances　at　the　stars。　She　had　trusted　Leto　to　confirm　the　way；　but　now　she　guided　herself。　He　sensed　the　turmoil　beneath　her　wary　thoughts；　and　he　knew　the　things　which　were　emerging。　She　had　the　beginnings　of　that　intense　loyalty　to　traveling　panions　which　desert　folk　always　trusted。
　We　know；　he　thought。　If　you　are　separated　from　your　panions；　you　are　lost　among　dunes　and　rocks。　The　lone　traveler　in　the　desert　is　dead。　Only　the　worm　lives　alone　out　here。
　He　let　her　get　well　ahead　of　him　where　the　grating　sand　of　his　passage　would　not　be　too　prominent。　She　had　to　think　of　his　human…self。　He　counted　on　loyalty　to　work　for　him。　Siona　was　brittle；　though；　filled　with　suppressed　rage…more　of　a　rebel　than　any　other　he　had　ever　tested。
　Leto　glided　along　behind　her；　reviewing　the　breeding　program；　shaping　the　necessary　decisions　for　a　replacement　should　she　fail。
　As　the　night　progressed；　Siona　moved　slower　and　slower。　First　Moon　was　high　overhead　and　Second　Moon　well　above　the　horizon　before　she　stopped　to　rest　and　eat。
　Leto　was　glad　of　the　pause。　Friction　had　set　up　a　worm　dominance；　the　air　around　him　full　of　the　chemical　exhalations　from　his　temperature　adjustments。　The　thing　he　thought　of　as　his　oxygen　supercharger　vented　steadily；　making　him　intensely　aware　of　the　protein　factories　and　amino　acid　resources　his　worm…self　had　acquired　to　acmodate　the　placental　relationship　with　his　human　cells。　Desert　quickened　the　movement　toward　his　final　metamorphosis。
　Siona　had　stopped　near　the　crest　of　a　star　dune。　〃Is　it　true　that　you　eat　the　sand？〃　she　asked　as　he　came　up　to　her。
　〃It's　true。〃
　She　stared　all　around　the　moon…frosted　horizon。　〃Why　didn't　we　bring　a　signal　device？〃
　〃I　wanted　you　to　learn　about　possessions。〃
　She　turned　toward　him。　He　sensed　her　breath　close　to　his　face。　She　was　losing　too　much　moisture　into　the　dry　air。　Still；　she　did　not　remember　Moneo's　admonition。　It　would　be　a　bitter　lesson；　no　doubt　of　that。
　〃I　don't　understand　you　at　all；〃　she　said。
　〃Yet；　you　are　mitted　to　doing　just　that。〃
　〃Am　I？〃
　〃How　else　can　you　give　me　something　of　value　in　exchange　for　what　I　give　you？〃
　〃What　do　you　give　me？〃　All　of　the　bitterness　was　there　and　a　hint　of　the　spice　from　her　dried　food。
　〃I　give　you　this　opportunity　to　be　alone　with　me；　to　share　with　me；　and　you　spend　this　time　without　concern。　You　waste　it。〃
　〃What　about　possessions？〃　she　demanded。
　He　heard　fatigue　in　her　voice；　the　water　message　beginning　to　scream　within　her。
　〃They　were　magnificently　alive　in　the　old　days；　those　Fremen；〃　he　said。　〃And　their　eye　for　beauty　was　limited　to　that　which　was　useful。　I　never　met　a　greedy　Fremen。〃
　〃What's　that　supposed　to　mean？〃
　〃In　the　old　days；　everything　you　took　into　the　desert　was　a　necessity　and　that　was　all　you　took。　Your　life　is　no　longer　free　of　possessions；　Siona；　or　you　would　not　have　asked　about　a　signal　device。〃
　〃Why　isn't　a　signal　device　necessary？〃
　〃It　would　teach　you　nothing。〃
　He　moved　out　around　her　along　the　track　indicated　by　the　Pointers。　〃e。　Let　us　use　this　night　to　our　profit。〃
　She　came　hurrying　up　to　walk　beside　his　cowled　face。　〃What　happens　if　I　don't　learn　your　damned　lesson？〃
　〃You'll　probably　die；〃　he　said。
　That　silenced　her　for　a　time。　She　trudged　along　beside　him　with　only　an　occasional　sideward　glance；　ignoring　the　worm…body；　concentrating　on　the　visible　remnants　of　his　humanity。　After　a　time；　she　said：　〃The　Fish　Speakers　told　me　that　you　ordered　the　mating　from　which　I　was　born。〃
　〃That's　true。〃
　〃They　say　you　keep　records　and　that　you　order　these　Atreides　matings　for　your　own　purposes。〃
　〃That　also　is　true。〃
　〃Then　the　Oral　History　is　correct。〃
　〃I　thought　you　believed　the　Oral　History　without　question？〃
　She　was　on　a　single　track；　though：　〃What　if　one　of　us　objects　when　you　order　a　mating？〃
　〃I　allow　a　wide　latitude　just　as　long　as　there　are　the　children　I　have　ordered。〃
　〃Ordered？〃　She　was　outraged。
　〃That's　what　I　do。〃
　〃You　can't　creep　into　every　bedroom　or　follow　every　one　of　us　every　minute　of　our　lives！　How　do　you　know　your　orders　are　obeyed？〃
　〃I　know。〃
　〃Then　you　know　I'm　not　going　to　obey　you！〃
　〃Are　you　thirsty；　Siona？〃
　She　was　startled。　〃What？〃
　〃Thirsty　people　speak　of　water；　not　of　sex。〃
　Still；　she　did　not　seal　her　mouth　flap；　and　he　thought：　Atreides　passions　always　did　run　strong；　even　at　the　expense　of　reason。
　Within　two　hours；　they　came　down　out　of　the　dunes　onto　a　wind…scoured　flat　of　pebbles。　Leto　moved　onto　it；　Siona　close　to　his　side。　She　looked　frequently　at　the　Pointers。　Both　moons　were　low　on　the　horizon　now　and　their　light　cast　long　shadows　behind　every　boulder。
　In　some　ways；　Leto　found　such　places　more　fortable　to　traverse　than　the　sand。　Solid　rock　was　a　better　heat　conductor　than　sand。　He　could　flatten　himself　against　the　rock　and　ease　the　working　of　his　chemical　factories。　Pebbles　and　even　sizable　rocks　did　not　impede　him。
　Siona　had　more　trouble　here；　though；　and　almost　turned　an　ankle　several　times。
　The　flatland　could　be　a　very　trying　place　for　humans　unaccustomed　to　it；　he　thought。　If　they　stayed　close　to　the　ground；　they　saw　only　the　great　emptiness；　an　eerie　place　especially　in　moonlight…dunes　at　a　distance；　a　distance　which　seemed　not　to　change　as　the　traveler　moved…nothing　anywhere　except　the　seemingly　eternal　wind；　a　few　rocks　and；　when　they　looked　upward；　stars　without　mercy。　This　was　the　desert　of　the　desert。
　〃Here's　where　Fremen　music　acquired　its　eternal　loneliness；〃　he　said；　〃not　up　on　the　dunes。　Here's　where　you　really　learn　to　think　that　heaven　must　be　the　sound　of　running　water　and　relief…any　relief…from　that　endless　wind。〃
　Even　this　did　not　remind　her　of　that　face　flap。　Leto　began　to　despair。
　Morning　found　them　far　out　on　the　flat。
　Leto　stopped　beside　three　large　boulders；　all　piled　against　each　other；　one　of　them　taller　even　than　his　back。　Siona　leaned　against　him　for　a　moment；　a　gesture　which　restored　Leto's　hopes　somewhat。　She　pushed　herself　away　presently　and　clambered　up　onto　the　highest　boulder。　He　watched　her　turn　up　there；　examining　the　landscape。
　Without　even　looking　at　it　Leto　knew　what　she　saw：　blowing　sand　like　fog　on　the　horizon　obscured　the　rising　sun。　For　the　rest；　there　was　only　the　flat　and　the　wind。
　The　rock　was　cold　beneath　him　with　the　chill　of　a　desert　morning。　The　cold　made　the　air　much　drier　and　he　found　it　more　pleasant。　Without　Siona；　he　would　have　moved　on；　but　she　was　visibly　exhausted。　She　leaned　against　him　once　more　when　she　came　down　from　the　rock　and　it　was　almost　a　minute　before　he　realized　that　she　was　listening。
　〃What　do　you　hear？〃　he　asked。
　She　spoke　sleepily。　〃You　rumble　inside。〃
　〃The　fire　never　goes　pletely　out。〃
　This　interested　her。　She　pushed　herself　away　from　his　side　and　came　around　to　look　into　his　face。　〃Fire？〃
　〃Every　living　thing　has　a　fire　within　it；　some　slow；　some　very　fast。　Mine　is　hotter　than　most。〃
　She　hugged　herself　against　the　chill。　〃Then　you're　not　cold　here？〃
　〃No；　but　I　can　see　that　you　are。〃　He　pulled　his　face　partly　into　its　cowl　and　created　a　depression　at　the　bottom　arc　of　his　first　segment。　〃It's　almost　like　a　hammock；〃　he　said；　looking　down。　〃If　you　curl　up　there；　you　will　be　warm。〃
　Without　hesitating；　she　accepted　his　invitation。
　Even　though　he　had　prepared　her　for　it；　he　found　the　trusting　response　touching。　He　had　to　fight　against　a　feeling　of　pity　far　stronger　than　any　he　had　experienced　before　knowing　Hwi。　There　could　be　no　room　for　pity　out　here；　though；　he　told　himself。　Siona　was　betraying　clear　signs　that　she　would　more　than　likely　die　here。　He　had　to　prepare　himself　for　disappointment。
　Siona　shielded　her　face　with　an　arm；　closed　her　eyes　and　went　to　sleep。
　Nobody　has　ever　had　as　many　yesterdays　as　I　have　had；　he　reminded　himself。
　From　the　popular　human　viewpoint；　he　knew　that　the　things　he　did　here　could　only　appear　cruel　and　callous。　He　was　forced　now　to　strengthen　himself　by　retreating　into　his　memories；　deliberately　selecting　mistakes　of　our　mon　past。　First…hand　access　to　human　mistakes　was　his　greatest　strength　now。　Knowledge　of　mistakes　taught　him　long…term　corrections。　He　h