fh.godemperorofdune-第12部分

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　〃A　warm　bath　and　change　of　clothing　would　be　pleasant；〃　Idaho　said。
　Luli　continued　to　look　at　her　Friend。　〃You　are　certain？〃
　〃The　wisdom　of　the　Lord　cannot　be　questioned；〃　the　masked　woman　said。
　Idaho　did　not　like　the　sound　of　fanaticism　in　this　Friend's　voice；　but　he　felt　secure　in　the　integrity　of　the　Atreides。　They　could　appear　cynical　and　cruel　to　outsiders　and　enemies；　but　to　their　own　people　they　were　just　and　they　were　loyal。　Above　all　else；　the　Atreides　were　loyal　to　their　own。
　And　I　am　one　of　theirs；　Idaho　thought。　But　what　happened　to　the　me　that　I　am　replacing？　He　felt　strongly　that　these　two　would　not　answer　this　question。
　But　Leto　will。
　〃Shall　we　go？〃　he　asked。　〃I'm　anxious　to　wash　the　stink　of　the　dirty　Tleilaxu　off　me。〃
　Luli　grinned　at　him。
　〃e。　I　shall　bathe　you　myself。〃
　
　Enemies　strengthen　you。
　Allies　weaken。
　I　tell　you　this　in　the　hope　that　it　will　help　you　understand　why　I　ad　as　I　do　in　the　full　knowledge　that　great　forces　accumulate　in　my　Empire　with　but　one　wish…the　wish　to　destroy　me。　You　who　read　these　words　may　know　full　well　what　actually　happened；　but　I　doubt　that　you　understand　it。
　…The　Stolen　Journals
　THE　CEREMONY　of　〃Showing〃　by　which　the　rebels　began　their　meetings　dragged　on　interminably　for　Siona。　She　sat　in　the　front　row　and　looked　everywhere　but　at　Topri；　who　was　conducting　the　ceremony　only　a　few　paces　away。　This　room　in　the　service　burrows　beneath　Onn　was　one　they　had　never　used　before　but　it　was　so　like　all　of　their　other　meeting　places　that　it　could　have　been　used　as　a　standard　model。
　Rebel　Meeting　Room…class　B；　she　thought。
　It　was　officially　designated　as　a　storage　chamber　and　the　fixed　glowglobes　could　not　be　tuned　away　from　their　blank　white　glaring。　The　room　was　about　thirty　paces　long　and　slightly　less　in　width。　It　could　be　reached　only　through　a　labyrinthine　series　of　similar　chambers；　one　of　which　was　conveniently　stocked　with　a　supply　of　stiff　folding　chairs　intended　for　the　small　sleeping　chambers　of　the　service　personnel。　Nineteen　of　Siona's　fellow　rebels　now　occupied　these　chairs　around　her；　with　a　few　empty　for　any　lateers　who　might　still　make　the　meeting。
　The　time　had　been　set　between　the　midnight　and　morning　shifts　to　mask　the　flow　of　extra　people　in　the　service　warrens。　Most　of　the　rebels　wore　energy…worker　disguises…thin　gray　disposable　trousers　and　jackets。　Some　few；　including　Siona；　were　garbed　in　the　green　of　machinery　inspectors。
　Topri's　voice　was　an　insistent　monotone　in　the　room。　He　did　not　squeak　at　all　while　conducting　the　ceremony。　In　fact；　Siona　had　to　admit　he　was　rather　good　at　it；　especially　with　new　recruits。　Since　Nayla's　flat　statement　that　she　did　not　trust　the　man；　though；　Siona　had　looked　at　Topri　in　a　different　way。　Nayla　could　speak　with　a　cutting　naivetй　which　pulled　away　masks。　And　there　were　things　that　Siona　had　learned　about　Topri　since　that　confrontation。
　Siona　turned　at　last　and　looked　at　the　man。　The　cold　silvery　light　did　not　help　Topri's　pale　skin。　He　used　a　copy　of　a　crysknife　in　the　ceremony；　a　contraband　copy　bought　from　the　Museum　Fremen。　Siona　recalled　the　transaction　as　she　looked　at　the　blade　in　Topri's　hands。　It　had　been　Topri's　idea；　and　she　had　thought　it　a　good　one　at　the　time。　He　had　led　her　to　the　rendezvous　in　a　hovel　on　the　city's　outskirts；　leaving　Onn　just　at　dusk。　They　had　waited　well　into　the　night　until　darkness　could　mask　the　Museum　Freemen's　ing。　Fremen　were　not　supposed　to　leave　their　sietch　quarters　without　a　special　dispensation　from　the　God　Emperor。
　She　had　almost　given　up　on　him　when　the　Fremen　arrived；　slipping　in　out　of　the　night；　his　escort　left　behind　to　guard　the　door。　Topri　and　Siona　had　been　waiting　on　a　crude　bench　against　a　dank　wall　of　the　absolutely　plain　room。　The　only　light　had　e　from　a　dim　yellow　torch　supported　on　a　stick　driven　into　the　crumbling　mud　wall。
　The　Fremen's　first　words　had　filled　Siona　with　misgivings。
　〃Have　you　brought　the　money？〃
　Both　Topri　and　Siona　had　risen　at　his　entry。　Topri　did　not　appear　bothered　by　the　question。　He　tapped　the　pouch　beneath　his　robe；　making　it　jingle。
　〃I　have　the　money　right　here。〃
　The　Fremen　was　a　wizened　figure；　crabbed　and　bent；　wearing　a　copy　of　the　old　Fremen　robes　and　some　glistening　garment　underneath；　probably　their　version　of　a　stillsuit。　His　hood　was　drawn　forward；　shading　his　features。　The　torchlight　sent　shadows　dancing　across　his　face。
　He　peered　first　at　Topri　then　at　Siona　before　removing　an　object　wrapped　in　cloth　from　beneath　his　robe。
　〃It　is　a　true　copy；　but　it　is　made　of　plastic；〃　he　said。　〃It　will　not　cut　cold　grease。〃
　He　pulled　the　blade　from　its　wrappings　then　and　held　it　up。
　Siona；　who　had　seen　crysknives　only　in　museums　and　in　the　rare　old　visual　recordings　of　her　family's　archives；　had　found　herself　oddly　gripped　by　the　sight　of　the　blade　in　this　setting。　She　felt　something　atavistic　working　on　her　and　imagined　this　poor　Museum　Fremen　with　his　plastic　crysknife　as　a　real　Fremen　of　the　old　days。　The　thing　he　held　was　suddenly　a　silver…bladed　crysknife　shimmering　in　the　yellow　shadows。
　〃I　guarantee　the　authenticity　of　the　blade　from　which　we　copied　it；〃　the　Fremen　said。　He　spoke　in　a　low　voice；　somehow　made　menacing　by　its　lack　of　emphasis。
　Siona　heard　it　then；　the　way　he　carried　his　venom　in　a　sleeve　of　soft　vowels　and　she　was　suddenly　alerted。
　〃Try　treachery　and　we　will　hunt　you　down　like　vermin；〃　she　said。
　Topri　shot　a　startled　glance　at　her。
　The　Museum　Fremen　appeared　to　shrivel；　drawing　in　upon　himself。　The　blade　trembled　in　his　hand；　but　his　gnome　fingers　still　curled　inward　around　it　as　though　clasping　a　throat。
　〃Treachery；　Lady？　Oh；　no。　But　it　occurred　to　us　that　we　asked　too　little　for　this　copy。　Poor　as　it　is；　making　it　and　selling　it　this　way　puts　us　in　dreadful　peril。〃
　Siona　glared　at　him；　thinking　of　the　old　Fremen　words　from　the　Oral　History：　〃Once　you　acquire　a　marketplace　soul；　the　suk　is　the　totality　of　existence。〃
　〃How　much　do　you　want？〃　she　demanded。
　He　named　a　sum　twice　his　original　figure。
　Topri　gasped。
　Siona　looked　at　Topri。　〃Do　you　have　that　much？〃
　〃Not　quite；　but　we　agreed　on。　。　。〃
　〃Give　him　what　you　have；　all　of　it；〃　Siona　said。
　〃All　of　it？〃
　〃Isn't　that　what　I　said？　Every　coin　in　that　bag。〃　She　faced　the　Museum　Fremen。　〃You　will　accept　this　payment。〃　It　was　not　a　question　and　the　old　man　heard　her　correctly。　He　wrapped　the　blade　in　its　cloth　and　passed　it　to　her。
　Topri　handed　over　the　pouch　of　coins；　muttering　under　his　breath。
　Siona　addressed　herself　to　the　Museum　Fremen。　〃We　know　your　name。　You　are　Teishar；　aide　to　Garun　of　Tuono。　You　have　a　suk　mentality　and　you　make　me　shudder　at　what　Fremen　have　bee。〃
　〃Lady；　we　all　have　to　live；〃　he　protested。
　〃You　are　not　alive；〃　she　said。　〃Be　gone！〃
　Teishar　had　turned　and　scurried　away；　clutching　the　money　pouch　close　to　his　chest。
　Memory　of　that　night　did　not　sit　well　in　Siona's　mind　as　she　watched　Topri　wave　the　crysknife　copy　in　their　rebel　ceremony。　We're　no　better　than　Teishar；　she　thought。　A　copy　is　worse　than　nothing。　Topri　brandished　the　stupid　blade　over　his　head　as　he　neared　the　ceremony's　conclusion。
　Siona　looked　away　from　him　and　stared　at　Nayla　seated　off　to　her　left。　Nayla　was　looking　first　one　direction　and　now　another。　She　paid　special　attention　to　the　new　cadre　of　recruits　at　the　back　of　the　room。　Nayla　did　not　give　her　trust　easily。　Siona　wrinkled　her　nose　as　a　stirring　of　the　air　brought　the　smell　of　lubricants。　The　depths　of　Onn　always　smelled　dangerously　mechanical！　She　sniffed。　And　this　room！　She　did　not　like　their　meeting　place。　It　could　easily　be　a　trap。　Guards　could　seal　off　the　outer　corridors　and　send　in　armed　searchers。　This　could　be　too　easily　the　place　where　their　rebellion　ended。　Siona　was　made　doubly　uneasy　by　the　fact　that　this　room　had　been　Topri's　choice。
　One　of　Ulot's　few　mistakes；　she　thought。　Poor　dead　Ulot　had　approved　Topri's　admission　to　the　rebellion。
　〃He　is　a　minor　functionary　in　city　services；〃　Ulot　had　explained。　〃Topri　can　find　us　many　useful　places　to　meet　and　arm　ourselves。〃
　Topri　had　reached　almost　the　end　of　his　ceremony。　He　placed　the　knife　in　an　ornate　case　and　put　the　case