bh.houseatreides-第20部分

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　even　a　Mentat　proud　　Fenring　had　three　minutes。　Four；　if　he　was　lucky。
　Enough　time　to　change　the　course　of　history。
　With　the　same　perfect　timing　he　had　demonstrated　during　the　shield…ball　game；　as　well　as　during　his　rehearsals　on　mannequins　and　two　unfortunate　serving　women　from　the　kitchen　storehouses；　Fenring　froze　in　place　and　waited；　gauging　the　breathing　of　his　victim　like　a　Laza　tiger　about　to　pounce。　In　one　hand　he　cradled　a　long　microhair　needle　between　two　slender　fingers；　while　in　the　other　hand　he　held　a　mist…tube。　Old　Elrood　lay　on　his　back；　in　the　precisely　correct　position；　looking　like　a　mummy；　his　parchment　skin　stretched　tight　over　his　skull。
　Guided　by　a　certain　hand；　the　mist…tube　moved　closer。　Fenring　counted　to　himself；　waiting　。。。。
　In　a　space　between　Elrood's　breaths；　Fenring　squeezed　a　lever　on　the　tube　and　sprayed　a　powerful　anesthetic　mist　in　the　old　man's　face。
　There　was　no　discernible　change　in　Elrood；　but　Fenring　knew　the　nerve　deadener　had　taken　effect；　instantaneously。　Now　he　made　his　thrust。　A　fiber…fine；　self…guiding　needle　snaked　up　the　old　man's　nose；　through　sinus　cavities；　and　into　the　frontal　lobe　of　his　brain。　Fenring　paused　no　more　than　an　instant　to　dispense　the　chemical　time　bomb；　then　withdrew。　A　few　seconds　and　it　was　done。　Without　any　evidence　or　even　any　pain。　Undetectable　and　multilayered；　the　internal　machinery　had　been　set　in　motion。　The　tiny　catalyst　would　grow　and　do　its　damage；　like　the　first　rotten　cell　in　an　apple。
　Each　time　the　Emperor　consumed　his　favorite　beverage　　spice　beer　　his　own　brain　would　release　tiny　doses　of　catalytic　poison　into　his　bloodstream。　Thus　an　ordinary　ponent　of　the　old　man's　diet　would　be　chemically　converted　into　chaumurky　　poison　administered　in　a　drink。　His　mind　would　gradually　rot　away。。。a　metamorphosis　that　would　be　most　enjoyable　to　watch。
　Fenring　loved　to　be　subtle。
　Kwisatz　Haderach：　〃Shortening　of　the　Way。〃　This　is　the　label　applied　by　the　Bene　Gesserit　to　the　unknown　for　which　they　sought　a　genetic　solution：　a　male　Bene　Gesserit　whose　organic　mental　powers　would　bridge　space　and　time。
　…Terminology　of　the　Imperium
　It　was　another　cold　morning。　The　small　blue…white　sun　Laoujin　peeked　over　terra…cotta…tiled　rooftops；　dissipating　the　rain。
　Reverend　Mother　Anirul　Sadow　Tonkin　held　the　collar　of　her　black　robe　shut　against　the　moisture…laden　wind　that　whipped　up　from　the　south　and　dampened　her　short　bronze…brown　hair。　Her　hurried　footsteps　carried　her　across　the　wet　cobblestones；　straight　toward　the　arched　doorway　of　the　Bene　Gesserit　administration　building。
　She　was　late　and　ran；　even　though　it　was　unseemly　for　a　woman　of　her　status　to　be　seen　rushing　about　like　a　red…faced　schoolgirl。　Mother　Superior　and　her　selected　council　would　be　waiting　in　the　chapter　chamber　　for　a　meeting　that　could　not　begin　without　Anirul。　Only　she　had　the　Sisterhood's　plete　breeding　projections　and　the　full　knowledge　from　Other　Memory　in　her　head。
　The　sprawling　Mother　School　plex　on　Wallach　IX　was　the　base　of　Bene　Gesserit　operations　throughout　the　Imperium。　The　historic　first　sanctuary　of　the　Sisterhood　had　been　erected　here；　dating　from　post…Butlerian　Jihad　days　at　the　beginnings　of　the　great　schools　of　the　human　mind。
　Some　of　the　buildings　in　the　training　enclave　were　thousands　of　years　old　and　echoed　with　ghosts　and　memories；　others　had　been　constructed　in　more　recent　centuries；　with　styles　carefully　designed　to　match　the　originals。　The　bucolic　appearance　of　the　Mother　School　plex　fostered　one　of　the　primary　precepts　of　the　Sisterhood：　minimal　appearance；　maximum　content。　Anirul's　own　features　were　long　and　narrow；　giving　her　a　doelike　face；　but　her　large　eyes　had　a　depth　of　millennia　in　them。
　The　half…timbered　stucco…and…wood　structures；　a　bination　of　classical　architectural　styles；　had　moss…streaked　sienna　roof　tiles　and　beveled　fume…enhancement　windows；　designed　to　concentrate　natural　light　and　warmth　from　the　tiny　sun。　The　simple；　narrow　streets　and　alleys；　in　tandem　with　the　quaintly　archaic　appearance　of　the　instructional　enclave；　belied　the　subtle　plexities　and　sheer　weight　of　history　taught　inside。　Haughty　visitors　would　not　be　impressed；　and　the　Sisterhood　did　not　care　a　whit。
　Throughout　the　Imperium　the　Bene　Gesserit　kept　a　low　profile；　but　they　were　always　to　be　found　in　vital　areas；　tilting　the　political　equilibrium　at　crux　points；　watching；　nudging；　achieving　their　own　aims。　It　was　best　when　others　underestimated　them；　the　Sisters　encountered　fewer　obstacles　that　way。
　With　all　of　its　superficial　deficiencies　and　difficulties；　Wallach　IX　remained　the　perfect　place　to　develop　the　psychic　muscles　required　of　Reverend　Mothers。　The　planet's　intricate　hive　of　structures　and　workers　was　too　valuable；　too　steeped　in　history　and　tradition　to　be　replaced。　Yes；　there　were　warmer　climates　on　more　hospitable　worlds；　but　any　acolyte　who　could　not　endure　these　conditions　had　no　place　among　the　agonies；　harsh　environments；　and　often　painful　decisions　a　true　Bene　Gesserit　would　face。
　Keeping　her　quick　breaths　under　control；　Reverend　Mother　Anirul　mounted　the　rain…slick　steps　of　the　administration　building；　then　paused　to　look　back　across　the　plaza。　She　stood　straight；　tall；　but　she　felt　the　weight　of　history　and　memory　bearing　down　on　her　　and　for　a　Bene　Gesserit；　there　was　little　difference　between　the　two。　The　voices　of　past　generations　echoed　in　Other　Memory；　a　cacophony　of　wisdom　and　experience　and　opinions　available　to　all　Reverend　Mothers；　and　particularly　acute　in　Anirul。
　On　this　spot　the　first　Mother　Superior；　Raquella　Berto…Anirul　　after　whom　Anirul　herself　had　taken　her　name　　had　delivered　her　legendary　orations　to　the　embryonic　Sisterhood。　Raquella　had　forged　a　new　school　from　a　group　of　desperate　and　pliable　acolytes　still　stinging　from　centuries　under　the　yoke　of　thinking　machines。
　Did　you　realize　what　you　were　beginning；　so　long　ago？　Anirul　asked　herself。　How　many　plots；　how　many　plans。。。so　much　you　pinned　upon　a　single；　secret　hope。　Sometimes；　the　buried　presence　of　Mother　Superior　Raquella　actually　answered　her　from　within。　But　not　today。
　From　her　access　to　the　multitude　of　memory…lives　buried　in　her　psyche；　Anirul　knew　the　precise　stairstep　on　which　her　illustrious　ancestor　had　stood；　and　could　hear　the　exact；　long…ago　words。　A　chill　coursed　her　spine；　making　her　pause。　Though　still　young　in　years　and　smooth…skinned；　she　contained　an　Oldness　within　her；　as　did　all　living　Reverend　Mothers　　but　in　her；　the　voices　spoke　louder。　It　was　reassuring　to　have　the　forting　crowd　of　memories　there　to　provide　advice　in　times　of　need。　It　prevented　foolish　mistakes。
　But　Anirul　would　be　accused　of　distraction　and　foolish　delay　if　she　did　not　get　to　the　meeting。　Some　said　she　was　far　too　young　to　be　the　Kwisatz　Mother；　but　Other　Memory　had　revealed　more　to　her　than　to　any　other　Sister。　She　prehended　the　precious；　millennia…old　genetic　quest　for　the　Kwisatz　Haderach　better　than　the　other　Reverend　Mothers　because　the　past　lives　had　revealed　everything　to　her；　while　keeping　the　details　hidden　from　most　Bene　Gesserit。
　The　idea　of　a　Kwisatz　Haderach　had　been　the　Sisterhood's　dream　for　thousands　upon　thousands　of　years；　conceived　in　dark　underground　meetings　even　before　the　victory　of　the　Jihad。　The　Bene　Gesserit　had　many　breeding　programs　aimed　at　selecting　and　enhancing　various　characteristics　of　humanity；　and　no　one　understood　them　all。　The　genetic　lines　of　the　messiah　project　had　been　the　most　carefully　guarded　secret　for　much　of　the　Imperium's　recorded　history；　so　secret　in　fact　that　even　the　voices　in　Other　Memory　refused　to　divulge　the　details。
　But　to　Anirul　they　had　told　the　whole　scheme；　and　she　grasped　the　full　implications。　Somehow　she　had　been　chosen　as　this　generation's　Kwisatz　Mother；　the　guardian　of　the　Bene　Gesserit's　most　important　goal。
　The　notoriety　and　the　power；　however；　did　not　excuse　her　for　being　late　to　the　council　meetings。　Many　still　saw　her　as　young　and　impetuous。
　Swinging　open　a　heavy　door　covered　with　hieroglyphics　in　a　language　only　Reverend　Mothers　remembered；　she　passed　through　into　a　foyer　where　ten　other　Sisters；　all　dressed　in　hooded　black　aba　robes　like　her　own；　stood　in