fh.godemperorofdune-第78部分

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　up　if　my　life　were　not　enough。　He　shouted　at　me：　‘What　is　your　life　when　you　hold　back　the　greater　gift？〃'
　Hwi　nodded；　but　Idaho　felt　only　confusion。
　〃I　could　hear　the　truth　in　his　voice；〃　Moneo　said。
　〃Are　you　a　Truthsayer？〃　Hwi　asked。
　〃In　the　power　of　desperation；　yes；〃　Moneo　said。　〃But　only　then。　I　swear　to　you　he　spoke　truth　to　me。〃
　〃Some　of　the　Atreides　had　the　power　of　Voice；〃　Idaho　muttered。
　Moneo　shook　his　head。　〃No；　it　was　truth。　He　said　to　me：　‘I　look　at　you　now　and　if　I　could　shed　tears；　I　would。　Consider　the　wish　to　be　the　act！〃'
　Hwi　rocked　forward；　almost　touching　the　table。　〃He　cannot　cry？〃
　〃Sandworms；〃　Idaho　whispered。
　〃What？〃　Hwi　turned　toward　him。
　〃Fremen　killed　sandworms　with　water；〃　Idaho　said。　〃From　the　drowning　they　produced　the　spice…essence　for　their　religious　orgies。〃
　〃But　the　Lord　Leto　is　not　yet　a　sandworm　entire；〃　Moneo　said。
　Hwi　rocked　back　onto　her　cushion　and　looked　at　Moneo。
　Idaho　pursed　his　lips　in　thought。　Did　Leto　have　the　Fremen　prohibition　against　tears；　then？　How　awed　the　Fremen　had　always　been　about　such　a　waste　of　moisture！　Giving　water　to　the　dead。
　Moneo　addressed　himself　to　Idaho：　〃I　had　hoped　you　could　be　brought　to　an　understanding。　The　Lord　Leto　has　spoken。　You　and　Hwi　must　separate　and　never　see　each　other　again。〃
　Hwi　removed　her　hand　from　Idaho's。　〃We　know。〃
　Idaho　spoke　with　resigned　bitterness：　〃We　know　his　power。〃　〃But　you　do　not　understand　him；〃　Moneo　said。
　〃I　want　nothing　more　than　that；〃　Hwi　said。　She　put　a　hand　on　Idaho's　arm　to　silence　him。　〃No；　Duncan。　Our　private　desires　have　no　place　here。〃
　〃Maybe　you　should　pray　to　him；〃　Idaho　said。
　She　whirled　and　looked　at　him；　staring　and　staring　until　Idaho　lowered　his　gaze。　When　she　spoke；　her　voice　carried　a　lilting　quality　that　Idaho　had　never　heard　there　before。　〃My　Uncle　Malky　always　said　the　Lord　Leto　never　responded　to　prayer。　He　said　the　Lord　Leto　looked　on　prayer　as　attempted　coercion；　a　form　of　violence　against　the　chosen　god；　telling　the　immortal　what　to　do：　Give　me　a　miracle；　God；　or　I　won't　believe　in　you！〃
　〃Prayer　as　hubris；〃　Moneo　said。　〃Intercession　on　demand。〃
　〃How　can　he　be　a　god？〃　Idaho　demanded。　〃By　his　own　admission；　he's　not　immortal。〃
　〃I　will　quote　the　Lord　Leto　on　that；〃　Moneo　said。　〃‘I　am　all　of　God　that　need　be　seen。　I　am　the　word　bee　a　miracle。　I　am　all　of　my　ancestors。　Is　that　not　miracle　enough？　What　more　could　you　possibly　want？　Ask　yourself：　Where　is　there　a　greater　miracle？〃'
　〃Empty　words；〃　Idaho　sneered。
　〃I　sneered　at　him；　too；〃　Moneo　said。　〃I　threw　his　own　words　from　the　Oral　History　back　at　him：　‘Give　to　the　greater　glory　of　God！〃'
　Hwi　gasped。
　〃He　laughed　at　me；〃　Moneo　said。　〃He　laughed　and　asked　how　I　could　give　what　already　belonged　to　God？〃
　〃You　were　angry？〃　Hwi　asked。
　〃Oh；　yes。　He　saw　this　and　said　he　would　tell　me　how　to　give　to　that　glory。　He　said：　‘You　may　observe　that　you　are　every　bit　as　great　a　miracle　as　I　am。　〃'　Moneo　turned　and　looked　out　the　window　on　his　left。　〃I'm　afraid　my　anger　made　me　deaf　and　I　was　totally　unprepared。〃
　〃Ohhh；　he　is　clever；〃　Idaho　said。
　〃Clever？〃　Moneo　looked　at　him。　〃I　don't　think　so；　not　in　the　way　you　mean。　I　think　the　Lord　Leto　may　be　no　more　clever　than　I　am　in　that　way。〃
　〃Unprepared　for　what？〃　Hwi　asked。
　〃The　risk；〃　Moneo　said。
　〃But　you　risked　much　in　your　anger；〃　she　said。
　〃Not　as　much　as　he。　I　see　in　your　eyes；　Hwi；　that　you　understand　this。　Does　his　body　revolt　you？〃
　〃No　more；〃　she　said。
　Idaho　ground　his　teeth　in　frustration。　〃He　disgusts　me！〃
　〃Love；　you　must　not　say　such　things；〃　Hwi　said。
　〃And　you　must　not　call　him　love；〃　Moneo　said。
　〃You'd　rather　she　learned　to　love　someone　more　gross　and　evil　than　any　Baron　Harkonnen　ever　dreamed　of　being；〃　Idaho　said。
　Moneo　worked　his　lips　in　and　out；　then：　〃The　Lord　Leto　has　told　me　about　that　evil　old　man　of　your　time；　Duncan。　I　don't　think　you　understood　your　enemy。〃
　〃He　was　a　fat；　monstrous。。　。〃
　〃He　was　a　seeker　after　sensations；〃　Moneo　said。　〃The　fat　was　a　side…effect；　then　perhaps　something　to　experience　for　itself　because　it　offended　people　and　he　enjoyed　offending。〃
　〃The　Baron　only　consumed　a　few　planets；〃　Idaho　said。　〃Leto　consumes　the　universe。〃
　〃Love；　please！〃　Hwi　protested。
　〃Let　him　rant；〃　Moneo　said。　〃When　I　was　young　and　ignorant；　even　as　my　Siona　and　this　poor　fool；　I　said　similar　things。〃
　‘　Is　that　why　you　let　your　daughter　go　out　to　die？〃　Idaho　demanded。
　〃Love；　that's　cruel；〃　Hwi　said。
　〃Duncan；　it　has　always　been　one　of　your　flaws　to　seek　hysteria；〃　Moneo　said。　〃I　warn　you　that　ignorance　thrives　on　hysteria。　Your　genes　provide　vigor　and　you　may　inspire　some　among　the　Fish　Speakers；　but　you　are　a　poor　leader。〃
　〃Don't　try　to　anger　me；〃　Idaho　said。　〃I　know　better　than　to　attack　you；　but　don't　push　me　too　far。〃
　Hwi　tried　to　take　Idaho's　hand；　but　he　pulled　away。
　〃I　know　my　place；〃　Idaho　said。　〃I'm　a　useful　follower。　I　can　carry　the　Atreides　banner。　The　green　and　black　is　on　my　back！〃
　〃The　undeserving　maintain　power　by　promoting　hysteria；〃　Moneo　said。　〃The　Atreides　art　is　the　art　of　ruling　without　hysteria；　the　art　of　being　responsible　for　the　uses　of　power。〃
　Idaho　pushed　back　and　heaved　himself　to　his　feet。　〃When　has　your　damned　God　Emperor　ever　been　responsible　for　anything？〃
　Moneo　looked　down　at　his　cluttered　table　and　spoke　without　looking　up。　〃He　is　responsible　for　what　he　has　done　to　himself。〃　Moneo　looked　up　then；　his　eyes　frosty。　〃You　haven't　the　guts；
　Duncan；　to　learn　why　he　did　that　to　himself！〃
　〃And　you　have？〃　Idaho　asked。
　〃When　I　was　most　angry；〃　Moneo　said；　〃and　he　saw　himself　through　my　eyes；　he　said：　'How　dare　you　be　offended　by　me？'　It　was　then…'　Moneo　swallowed…　‘that　he　made　me　look　into　the　horror。。。　that　he　had　seen。〃　Tears　welled　from　Moneo's　eyes　and　ran　down　his　cheeks。　〃And　I　was　only　glad　that　I　did　not　have　to　make　his　decision。。。that　I　could　content　myself　with　being　a　follower。〃
　〃I　have　touched　him；〃　Hwi　whispered。
　〃Then　you　know？〃　Moneo　asked　her。
　〃Without　seeing　it；　I　know；〃　she　said。
　In　a　low　voice；　Moneo　said：　〃I　almost　died　of　it。　I　。　。　。〃　He　shuddered；　then　looked　up　at　Idaho。　〃You　must　not。　。　。〃
　〃Damn　you　all！〃　Idaho　snarled。　He　turned　and　dashed　from　the　room。
　Hwi　stared　after　him；　her　face　a　mask　of　anguish。　〃Ohhh；　Duncan；〃　she　whispered。
　〃You　see？〃　Moneo　asked。　〃You　were　wrong。　Neither　you　nor　the　Fish　Speakers　have　gentled　him。　But　you；　Hwi；　you　have　only　contributed　to　his　destruction。〃
　Hwi　turned　her　anguish　toward　Moneo。　〃I　will　not　see　him　again；〃　she　said。
　For　Idaho；　the　passage　down　to　his　quarters　became　one　of　the　most　difficult　times　in　his　memory。　He　tried　to　imagine　that　his　face　was　a　plasteel　mask　held　immobile　to　hide　the　turmoil　within。　None　of　the　guards　he　passed　could　be　permitted　to　see　his　pain。　He　did　not　know　that　most　of　them　made　accurate　guesses　about　his　emotion　and　shared　a　passion　for　him。　All　of　them　had　sat　through　briefings　on　the　Duncans　and　had　learned　to　read　them　well。
　In　the　corridor　near　his　quarters；　Idaho　encountered　Nayla　walking　slowly　toward　him。　Something　in　her　face；　a　look　of　indecision　and　loss；　stopped　him　briefly　and　almost　brought　him　out　of　his　internal　concentration。
　〃Friend？〃　he　said；　speaking　when　he　was　only　a　few　paces　from　her。
　She　looked　at　him；　abrupt　recognition　obvious　on　her　square　face。
　What　an　odd…looking　woman；　he　thought。
　〃I　am　no　longer　Friend；〃　she　said　and　passed　by　him　down　the　corridor。
　Idaho　turned　on　one　heel　and　stared　at　her　retreating　back…
　those　heavy　shoulders；　that　plodding　sense　of　terrible　muscles。
　What　was　she　bred　for？　he　wondered。
　It　was　only　a　passing　thought。　His　own　concerns　returned　more　strongly　than　before。　He　strode　the　few　paces　to　his　door　and　into　his　quarters。
　Once　inside；　Idaho　stood　a　moment　with　clenched　fists　at　his　sides。
　　have　no　more　ties　to　any　time；　he　thought。　And　how　odd　that　this　was　not　a　liberating　thought。　He　knew；　though；　that　he　had　done　the　thing　which　would　begin　freeing　Hwi　from　her　love　for　him。　He　was　diminished。　She　would　think　of　him　soon　as　a　small；　petulant　fool；　a　subject　only　of　his　own　emotions。　He　could　feel　himself　fading　fro