fh.godemperorofdune-第74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！
〃The way we all die。 They ran out of time。〃
〃You lie。〃 Idaho spoke past gritted teeth； his knuckles white on the knife handle。
Still speaking mildly； Moneo said： 〃Have a care。 There are limits even to what I will take； especially just now。〃
〃This place is rotten！〃 Idaho said。 He gestured with his free hand at the corridor behind him。 〃There are some things I'll never accept！〃
Moneo stared down the empty corridor without seeing。 〃You must mature； Duncan。 You must。〃
Idaho's hand tensed on the knife。 〃What does that mean？〃
〃These are sensitive times。 Anything unsettling to him； anything。。。must be prevented。〃
Idaho held himself on the edge of violence； his anger restrained only by something puzzling in Moneo's manner。 Words had been spoken； though； which could not be ignored。
〃I'm not some damned immature child you can。。。〃
〃Duncan！〃 It was the loudest sound Idaho had ever heard from the mild…mannered Moneo。 Surprise stayed Idaho's hand while Moneo continued： 〃If the demands of your flesh are for maturity； but something holds you in adolescence； quite nasty behavior develops。 Let go。〃
〃Are。。。you。。。accusing 。。。 me 。。。 of。；
〃No！〃 Moneo gestured at the corridor。 〃Oh； I know。 what you must've seen back there； but it。 。 。〃
〃Two women in a passionate kiss！ You think that's not。 。 。〃
〃It's not important。 Youth explores its potential in many ways。〃
Idaho balanced himself on the edge of an explosion； rocking forward on his toes。 〃I'm glad to learn about you； Moneo。〃
〃Yes； well； I've learned about you； several times。〃
Moneo watched the effect of these words as they twisted through Idaho； tangling him。 The gholas could never avoid a fascination with the others who had preceded them。
Idaho spoke in a hoarse whisper： 〃What have you learned？〃
〃You have taught me valuable things；〃 Moneo said。 〃All of us try to evolve； but if something blocks us； we can transfer our potential into pain…seeking it or giving it。 Adolescents are particularly vulnerable。〃
Idaho leaned close to Moneo。 〃I'm talking about sex！〃
〃Of course you are。〃
〃Are you accusing me of adolescent。 。 。〃
〃That's right。〃
〃I should cut your。。
。〃
〃Oh； shut up！〃
Moneo's response did not have the training nuances of Bene Gesserit Voice control； but it had a lifetime of mand behind it。 Something in Idaho could only obey。
〃I'm sorry；〃 Moneo said。 〃But I'm distracted by the fact that my only daughter。 。 。〃 He broke off and shrugged。
Idaho inhaled two deep breaths。 〃You're crazy； all of you！ You say your daughter may be dying and yet you。。 。〃
〃You fool！〃 Moneo snapped。 〃Have you any idea how your petty concerns appear to me！ Your stupid questions and your selfish。 。 。〃 He broke off； shaking his head。
〃I make allowances because you have personal problems；〃 Idaho said。 〃But if you。 。 。〃
〃Allowances？ You make allowances？〃 Moneo took a trembling breath。 It was too much！
Idaho spoke stiffly： 〃I can forgive you for。 。 。〃
〃You！ You prattle about sex and forgiving and pain and。。。you think you and Hwi Noree 。 。 。〃
〃Leave her out of this！〃
〃Oh； yes。 Leave her out。 Leave out that pain！ You share sex with her and you never think about parting。 Tell me； fool； how do you give of yourself in the face of that？〃
Abashed； Idaho inhaled deeply。 He had not suspected such passion smoldering in the quiet Moneo； but this attack； this could not be 。 。 。
〃You think I'm cruel？〃 Moneo demanded。 〃I make you think about things you'd rather avoid。 Hah！ Crueler things have been done to the Lord Leto for no better reason than the cruelty！〃
〃You defend him？ You。。。〃
〃I know him best！〃
〃He uses you！〃
〃To what ends？〃
〃You tell me！〃
〃He's our best hope to perpetuate。 。 。〃
〃Perverts don't perpetuate！〃
Moneo spoke in a soothing tone； but his words shook Idaho。 〃I will tell you this only once。 Homosexuals have been among the best warriors in our history； the berserkers of last resort。 They were among our best priests and priestesses。 Celibacy was no accident in religions。 It is also no accident that adolescents make the best soldiers。〃
〃That's perversion！〃
〃Quite right。 Military manders have known about the perverted displacement of sex into pain for thousands upon thousands of centuries。〃
〃Is that what the Great Lord Leto's doing？〃
Still mild； Moneo said： 〃Violence requires that you inflict pain and suffer it。 How much more manageable a military force driven to this by its deepest urgings。〃
〃He's made a monster out of you； too！〃
〃You suggested that he uses me；〃 Moneo said。 〃I permit this because I know that the price he pays is much greater than what he demands of me。〃
〃Even your daughter？〃
〃He holds back nothing。 Why should I？ Ohhh； I think you understand this about the Atreides。 The Duncans are always good at that。〃
〃The Duncans！ Damn you； I won't be。。。〃
〃You just haven't the guts to pay the price he's asking；〃 Moneo said。
In one blurred motion； Idaho whipped his knife from its sheath and lunged at Moneo。 As fast as he moved； Moneo moved faster…sidestepping； tripping Idaho and propelling him face…down onto the floor。 Idaho scrambled forward； rolled and started to leap to his feet； then hesitated； realizing that he had actually tried to attack an Atreides。 Moneo was Atreides。 Shock held Idaho immobile。
Moneo stood unmoving； looking down at him。 There was an odd look of sadness on the majordomo's face。
〃If you're going to kill me； Duncan； you'd best do it in the back by stealth；〃 Moneo said。 〃You might succeed that way。〃
Idaho levered himself to one knee； put a foot flat on the floor； but remained there still clutching his knife。 Moneo had moved so quickly and with such grace…so。。。so casually！ Idaho cleared his throat。 〃How did you。 。 。〃
〃He has been breeding us for a long time； Duncan； strengthening many things in us。 He has bred us for speed； for intelligence； for self…restraint； for sensitivity。 You're。 。 。 you're just an older model。〃
Do you know what guerrillas often say？ They claim that their rebellions are invulnerable to economic warfare because they have no economy； that they are parasitic on those they would overthrow。 The fools merely fail to assess the coin in which they must inevitably pay。 The pattern is inexorable in its degenerative failures。 You see it repeated in the systems of slavery； of welfare states； of caste…ridden religions； of socializing bureaucracies…in any system which creates and maintains dependencies。 Too long a parasite and you cannot exist without a host。
…The Stolen Journals
LETO AND Siona lay all day in the dune…shadows； moving only as the sun moved。 He taught her how to protect herself under a blanket of sand in the noontime heat； it never grew too warm at the rock…level between the dunes。
In the afternoon； Siona crept close to Leto for warmth； a warmth he knew he had in excess these days。
They talked sporadically。 He told her about the Fremen graces which once had dominated this landscape。 She probed for secret knowledge of him。
Once； he said： 〃You may find it odd； but out here is where I can be most human。〃
His words failed to make her fully conscious of her human vulnerability and the fact that she might die out here。 Even when she was not talking； she did not restore the face flap of her stillsuit。
Leto recognized the unconscious motivation behind this failure； but knew the futility of addressing that directly。
In the late afternoon； night's chill already starting to creep over the land； he began regaling her with songs of the Long Trek which had not been saved in the Oral History。 He enjoyed the fact that she liked one of his favorites； 〃Liet's March。〃
〃The tune is really ancient；〃 he said； 〃a pre…space thing of Old Terra。〃
〃Would you sing it again？〃
He chose one of his best baritones； a long…dead artist who had filled many a concert hall。
〃The wall of past…beyond…recall Hides me from an ancient fall Where all the waters tumble！ And plays of sprays Carve caves in clays Beneath a torrent's rumble。〃
When he had finished； she was silent for a moment； then： 〃That's an odd song for marching。〃
〃They liked it because they could dissect it；〃 he said。
〃Dissect？〃
〃Before our Fr
