fh.godemperorofdune-第91部分

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ds！）　tend　eventually　to　be　enlisted　in　the　argument　for　a　return　to　〃those　better　rimes。〃　I　despair　of　teaching　you　other　ways。　You　have　square　thoughts　which　resist　circles。
　…The　Stolen　Journals
　IDAHO　FOUND　he　could　manage　the　climb　without　thinking　about　it。　This　body　grown　by　the　Tleilaxu　remembered　things　the　Tleilaxu　did　not　even　suspect。　His　original　youth　might　be　lost　in　the　eons；　but　his　muscles　were　Tleilaxu…young　and　he　could　bury　his　childhood　in　forgetfulness　while　he　climbed。　In　that　childhood；　he　had　learned　survival　by　flight　into　the　high　rocks　of　his　home　planet。　It　did　not　matter　that　these　rocks　in　front　of　him　now　had　been　brought　here　by　men；　they　also　had　been　shaped　by　ages　of　weather。
　The　morning　sun　was　hot　on　Idaho's　back。　He　could　hear　Siona's　efforts　to　reach　the　relatively　simple　support　position　of　a　narrow　ledge　far　below　him。　The　position　was　virtually　useless　to　Idaho；　but　it　had　been　the　argument　which　had　brought　Siona　finally　into　agreement　that　they　should　attempt　this　climb。
　They。
　She　had　objected　that　he　might　try　it　alone。
　Nayla；　three　of　her　Fish　Speaker　aides；　Garun　and　three　chosen　from　his　Museum　Fremen　waited　on　the　sand　at　the　foot　of　the　barrier　Wall　which　enclosed　the　Sareer。
　Idaho　did　not　think　about　the　Wall's　height。　He　thought　only　about　where　he　would　next　put　a　hand　or　a　foot。　He　thought　about　the　coil　of　light　rope　around　his　shoulders。　That　rope　was　the　tallness　of　this　Wall。　He　had　measured　it　out　on　the　ground；　triangulating　across　the　sand；　not　counting　his　steps。　When　the　rope　was　long　enough　it　was　long　enough。　The　Wall　was　as　high　as　the　rope　was　long。　Any　other　way　of　thinking　could　only　dull　his　mind。
　Feeling　for　handholds　which　he　could　not　see；　Idaho　groped　his　way　up　the　sheer　face。　。　。　well；　not　quite　sheer。　Wind　and　sand　and　even　some　rain；　the　forces　of　cold　and　heat；　had　been　at　their　erosive　work　here　for　more　than　three　thousand　years。　For　one　full　day；　Idaho　had　sat　on　the　sand　below　the　Wall　and　he　had　studied　what　had　been　acplished　by　Time。　He　had　fixed　certain　patterns　in　his　mind…a　slanting　shadow；　a　thin　line；　a　crumbling　bulge；　a　tiny　lip　of　rock　here　and　another　over　there。
　His　fingers　wriggled　upward　into　a　sharp　crack。　He　tested　his　weight　gently　on　the　support。　Yes。　Briefly；　he　rested；　pressing　his　face　against　warm　rock；　not　looking　up　or　down。　He　was　simply　here。　Everything　was　a　matter　of　the　pacing。　His　shoulders　must　not　be　allowed　to　tire　too　soon。　Weight　must　be　adjusted　between　feet　and　arms。　Fingers　took　inevitable　damage；　but　while　bone　and　tendons　held；　the　skin　could　be　ignored。
　Once　more；　he　crept　upward。　A　bit　of　rock　broke　away　from　his　hand；　dust　and　shards　fell　across　his　right　cheek；　but　he　did　not　even　feel　it。　Every　bit　of　his　awareness　concentrated　on　the　groping　hand；　the　balance　of　his　feet　on　the　tiniest　of　protrusions。　He　was　a　mote；　a　particle　which　defied　gravity。　。　。　a　finger…hold　here；　a　toehold　there；　clinging　to　the　rock　surface　at　times　by　the　sheer　power　of　his　will。
　Nine　makeshift　pitons　bulged　one　of　his　pockets；　but　he　resisted　using　them。　The　equally　makeshift　hammer　dangled　from　his　belt　on　a　short　cord　whose　knot　his　fingers　had　memorized。
　Nayla　had　been　difficult。　She　would　not　give　up　her　lasgun。　She　had；　however；　obeyed　Siona's　direct　order　to　acpany　them。　A　strange　woman。。。strangely　obedient。
　〃Have　you　not　sworn　to　obey　me？〃　Siona　had　demanded。
　Nayla's　reluctance　had　vanished。
　Later；　Siona　had　said：　〃She　always　obeys　my　direct　orders。〃
　〃Then　we　may　not　have　to　kill　her；〃　Idaho　had　said。
　〃I　would　rather　not　attempt　it。　I　don't　think　you　have　even　the　faintest　idea　of　her　strength　and　quickness。〃
　Garun；　the　Museum　Fremen　who　dreamed　of　being　a　〃true　Naib　in　the　old　fashion；〃　had　set　the　stage　for　this　climb　by　answering　Idaho's　question：　〃How　will　the　God　Emperor　e　to　Tuono？〃
　〃In　the　same　way　he　chose　for　a　visit　during　my　great…grandfather's　time。〃
　〃And　that　was？〃　Siona　had　prompted　him。
　They　had　been　sitting　in　the　dusty　shadows　outside　the　guest　house；　sheltering　from　the　afternoon　sun　on　the　day　of　the　announcement　that　the　Lord　Leto　would　be　wed　in　Tuono。　A　semicircle　of　Garun's　aides　squatted　around　the　doorstep　where　Siona　and　Idaho　sat　with　Garun。　Two　Fish　Speakers　lounged　nearby；　listening。　Nayla　was　due　to　arrive　momentarily。
　Garun　pointed　to　the　high　Wall　behind　the　village；　its　rim　glistening　distant　gold　in　the　sunlight。　〃The　Royal　Road　runs　there　and　the　God　Emperor　has　a　device　which　lowers　him　gently　from　the　heights。〃
　〃It's　built　into　his　cart；〃　Idaho　said。
　〃Suspensors；〃　Siona　agreed。　〃I've　seen　them。〃
　〃My　great…grandfather　said　they　came　along　the　Royal　Road；　a　great　troop　of　them。　The　God　Emperor　glided　down　to　our　village　square　on　his　device。　The　others　came　down　on　ropes。〃
　Idaho　spoke　thoughtfully：　〃Ropes。〃
　〃Why　did　they　e？〃　Siona　asked。
　〃To　affirm　that　the　God　Emperor　had　not　forgotten　his　Fremen；　so　my　great…grandfather　said。　It　was　a　great　honor；　but　not　as　great　as　this　wedding。〃
　Idaho　arose　while　Garun　was　still　talking。　There　was　a　clear　view　of　the　high　Wall　from　nearby…straight　down　the　central　street；　a　view　from　the　base　in　the　sand　to　the　top　in　the　sunlight。　Idaho　strode　to　the　corner　of　the　guest　house　out　into　the　central　street。　He　stopped　there；　turned　and　looked　at　the　Wall。　The　first　look　told　why　everyone　said　it　was　not　possible　to　climb　that　face。　Even　then；　he　resisted　thinking　about　a　measurement　of　the　height。　It　could　be　five　hundred　meters　or　five　thousand。　The　important　thing　lay　in　what　a　more　careful　study　revealed　tiny　transverse　cracks；　broken　places；　even　a　narrow　ledge　about　twenty　meters　above　the　drifting　sand　at　the　bottom。。。and　another　ledge　about　two…thirds　of　the　way　up　the　face。
　He　knew　that　an　unconscious　part　of　him；　an　ancient　and　dependable　part；　was　making　the　necessary　measurements；　scaling　them　to　his　own　body…so　many　Duncan…lengths　to　that　place；　a　handgrip　here；　another　there。　His　own　hands。　He　could　already　feel　himself　climbing。
　Siona's　voice　came　from　near　his　right　shoulder　as　he　stood　in　that　first　examination。　〃What're　you　doing？〃　She　had　e　up　soundlessly；　looking　now　where　he　looked。
　〃I　can　climb　that　Wall；〃　Idaho　said。　〃If　I　carried　a　light　rope；　I　could　pull　up　a　heavier　rope。　The　rest　of　you　could　climb　it　easily　then。〃
　Garun　joined　them　in　time　to　hear　this。　〃Why　would　you　climb　the　Wall；　Duncan　Idaho？〃
　Siona　answered　for　him；　smiling　at　Garun。　〃To　provide　a　suitable　greeting　for　the　God　Emperor。〃
　This　had　been　before　her　doubts；　before　her　own　eyes　and　the　ignorance　of　such　a　climb；　had　begun　to　erode　that　first　confidence。
　With　that　first　elation；　Idaho　asked：　〃How　wide　is　the　Royal　Road　up　there？〃
　〃I　have　never　seen　it；〃　Garun　said。　〃But　I　am　told　it　is　very　wide。　A　great　troop　can　march　abreast　along　it；　so　they　say。　And　there　are　bridges；　places　to　view　the　river　and。。。and。。。oh；　it　is　a　marvel。〃
　〃Why　have　you　never　gone　up　there　to　see　it　yourself？〃　Idaho　asked。
　Garun　merely　shrugged　and　pointed　at　the　Wall。
　Nayla　arrived　then　and　the　argument　about　the　climb　had　begun。　Idaho　thought　about　that　argument　as　he　climbed。　How　strange；　the　relationship　between　Nayla　and　Siona！　They　were　like　two　conspirators。。。yet　not　conspirators。　Siona　manded　and　Nayla　obeyed。　But　Nayla　was　a　Fish　Speaker；　the　Friend　who　was　trusted　by　Leto　to　make　a　first　examination　of　the　new　ghola。　She　admitted　that　she　had　been　in　the　Royal　Constabulary　since　childhood。　Such　strength　in　her！　Given　that　strength；　there　was　something　awesome　about　the　way　she　bowed　to　Siona's　will。　It　was　as　though　Nayla　listened　for　secret　voices　which　told　her　what　to　do。　Then　she　obeyed。
　Idaho　groped　upward　for　another　handhold。　His　fingers　wriggled　along　the　rock；　up　and　outward　to　the　right；　finding　at　last　an　unseen　crack　where　they　might　enter。　His　memory　provided　the　natural　line　of　ascent；　but　only　his　body　could　learn　the　way　by　following　that　line。　His　left　foot　found　a　toehold。　。　。　up。。。up。。。slowly；　testing。　Left　hand　up　now。。。no　crack　but　a　ledge。　His　eyes；　then　his　chin　lifted　over　the　high　ledge　he　had　seen　from　below。　He　elbowed　his　way　o