bh.houseatreides-第60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　Planetologist　was　not　difficult　to　find。　An　entourage　trailed　him；　their　faces　filled　with　either　awe　or　skepticism　tinged　with　wonder。　Towering　over　the　others；　Kynes　walked　an　aimless　path；　lecturing　as　he　went；　waving　his　arms。　His　flock　scuttled　after　him　at　a　wary　distance；　sometimes　asking　questions；　but　more　often　just　listening。
　〃The　human　question　is　not　how　many　can　survive　within　the　system；〃　Kynes　was　saying　as　Uliet　approached；　the　crysknife　plain　in　his　hand；　his　mission　clear　on　his　face；　〃but　what　kind　of　existence　is　possible　for　those　who　do　survive。〃
　Moving　forward；　unwavering；　Uliet　stepped　through　the　fringes　of　the　crowd。　The　Planetologist's　listeners　saw　the　assassin　and　his　knife。　They　stepped　away　and　looked　at　each　other　knowingly；　some　with　disappointment；　some　with　fear。　They　fell　silent。　This　was　the　way　of　the　Fremen　people。
　Kynes　didn't　notice　at　all。　With　one　finger　he　made　a　circle　in　the　air。　〃Open　water　is　possible　here；　with　a　slight　but　viable　change。　We　can　do　this　if　you　help　me。　Think　of　it　　walking　in　the　open　without　a　stillsuit。〃　He　pointed　at　two　of　the　children　closest　to　him。　They　backed　away　shyly。　〃Just　imagine：　so　much　moisture　in　the　air　that　you　no　longer　need　to　wear　stillsuits。〃
　〃You　mean　we　could　even　have　water　in　a　pond　that　we　might　dip　out　and　drink　anytime　we　wish？〃　one　of　the　skeptical　observers　said；　his　voice　sarcastic。
　〃Certainly。　I've　seen　it　on　many　worlds；　and　there's　no　reason　we　can't　do　it　on　Dune；　too。　With　windtraps；　you　can　grab　the　water　from　the　air　and　use　it　to　plant　grasses；　shrubs；　anything　that　will　lock　the　water　in　cells　and　root　systems　and　keep　it　there。　In　fact；　beside　those　open　ponds　one　could　even　have　orchards　with　sweet；　juicy　fruit　for　the　picking。〃
　Uliet　stepped　forward　in　a　trance　of　determination。　The　acpanying　watermen　behind　him　held　back；　they　would　not　be　needed　until　after　the　killing　was　finished。
　〃What　kind　of　fruit？〃　a　girl　asked。
　〃Oh；　any　kind　you　like；〃　Kynes　said。　〃We'd　have　to　pay　attention　to　soil　conditions　and　moisture　first。　Grapes；　perhaps；　on　the　rocky　slopes。　I　wonder　what　an　Arrakeen　vintage　wine　would　taste　like。。。。〃　He　smiled。　〃And　round　orange　fruits；　portyguls。　Ah；　I　like　those！　My　parents　used　to　have　a　tree　on　Salusa　Secundus。　Portyguls　have　a　hard　leathery　rind；　but　you　peel　it　away。　Inside；　the　fruit　is　in　sections；　sweet　and　juicy；　and　the　brightest　color　of　orange　you　could　ever　imagine。〃
　Uliet　saw　only　a　red　haze。　His　assignment　burned　in　his　brain；　obscuring　all　else　from　his　vision。　Naib　Heinar's　orders　echoed　in　his　skull。　He　walked　into　the　empty　area　where　the　people　had　drawn　back　to　listen　to　the　Planetologist's　rantings。　Uliet　tried　not　to　hear　the　dreams；　tried　not　to　think　of　the　visions　Kynes　summoned。　Clearly　this　man　was　a　demon；　sent　to　warp　the　minds　of　his　listeners。。。。
　Uliet　stared　fixedly　ahead；　while　Kynes　continued　to　wander　down　the　corridor；　taking　no　notice。　With　broad　gestures　he　described　grasslands；　canals；　and　forests。　He　painted　pictures　in　their　imaginations。　The　Planetologist　licked　his　lips　as　if　he　could　already　taste　the　wine　from　Dune。
　Uliet　stepped　in　front　of　him　and　raised　the　poisoned　crysknife。
　In　the　middle　of　a　sentence；　Kynes　suddenly　noticed　the　stranger。　As　if　annoyed　at　the　distraction；　he　blinked　once　and　simply　said；　〃Remove　yourself；〃　as　he　brushed　past　Uliet　and　continued　to　talk。
　〃Ah；　forests！　Green　and　lush　as　far　as　the　eye　can　see；　covering　hills　and　swales　and　broad　valleys。　In　ancient　times；　sand　encroached　on　plants　and　destroyed　them；　but　it　will　be　the　reverse　on　the　new　Dune：　The　wind　will　carry　seeds　across　the　planet；　and　more　trees　and　other　plants　will　grow；　like　children。〃
　The　assassin　stood　still；　astonished　at　being　so　casually　dismissed。　Remove　yourself。　The　import　of　what　he　had　been　charged　to　do　transfixed　him。　If　he　killed　this　man；　Fremen　legends　would　call　Uliet　the　Destroyer　of　Dreams。
　〃First；　though；　we　must　install　windtraps　in　the　rocks；〃　Kynes　continued；　breathless。　〃They're　simple　systems；　easy　to　construct；　and　will　grasp　moisture；　funneling　it　to　where　we　can　use　it。　Eventually；　we'll　have　vast　underground　catchbasins　for　all　the　water；　a　step　toward　bringing　water　back　to　the　surface。　Yes；　I　said　back。　Once　water　ran　freely　on　Dune。　I　have　seen　signs　of　it。〃
　In　dismay　Uliet　stared　at　the　poisoned　knife；　unable　to　believe　that　this　man　had　no　fear　of　him　whatsoever。　Remove　yourself。　Kynes　had　faced　his　death　and　walked　right　past　it。　Guided　by　God。
　Uliet　stood　there　now；　knife　in　hand；　the　unprotected　shoulders　of　the　Imperial　servant　taunting　him。　He　could　easily　drive　a　killing　blow　into　the　man's　spine。
　But　the　assassin　could　not　move。
　He　saw　the　Planetologist's　confidence；　as　if　he　were　protected　by　some　holy　guardian。　The　vision　this　great　man　brought　for　the　future　of　Dune　had　already　captivated　these　people。　And　the　Fremen；　with　their　harsh　lives　and　generations　of　enemies　who　had　forced　them　from　planet　to　planet；　needed　a　dream。
　Perhaps　someone　had　finally　been　sent　to　guide　them；　a　prophet。　Uliet's　soul　would　be　damned　forever　if　he　dared　to　kill　the　long…awaited　messenger　sent　by　God！
　But　he　had　accepted　a　mission　from　his　sietch　leader；　and　knew　that　the　crysknife　could　never　be　put　away　without　shedding　blood。　In　this　case；　the　dilemma　could　not　be　resolved　by　a　minor　cut　either；　for　the　blade　was　poisoned；　the　merest　scratch　would　kill。
　Those　facts　could　not　be　reconciled　with　each　other。　Uliet's　hands　trembled　on　the　hilt　of　the　curved　knife。
　Without　noticing　that　everyone　had　fallen　silent　around　him；　Kynes　rambled　on　about　windtrap　placement；　but　his　audience；　knowing　what　must　happen；　watched　their　esteemed　warrior。
　Then　Uliet's　mouth　watered。　He　tried　not　to　think　of　it；　but　　as　if　in　a　dream　　he　seemed　to　taste　the　sweet；　sticky　juice　of　portyguls；　fresh　fruit　that　one　could　simply　pluck　from　a　tree　and　eat。。。a　mouthful　of　lush　pulp　washed　down　with　pure　water　from　an　open　pond。　Water　for　everyone。
　Uliet　took　a　step　back；　and　another；　holding　the　knife　up　in　a　ceremonial　gesture。　He　took　a　third　step　away；　as　Kynes　spoke　of　wheat…　and　rye…covered　plains　and　gentle　rain　showers　in　the　spring。
　The　assassin　turned；　dizzy；　thinking　of　the　two　words　the　messenger　had　said　to　him；　〃Remove　yourself。〃
　He　turned　away　and　stared　down　at　the　knife　he　held　in　front　of　him。　Then；　Uliet　swayed；　stopped；　then　swayed　forward　again；　deliberately　　and　fell　on　his　knife。　His　knees　did　not　bend；　nor　did　he　flinch　or　try　to　avoid　his　fate　as　he　let　himself　fall　facefirst　onto　the　floor；　onto　the　tip　of　the　blade。　The　poisoned　crysknife　plunged　below　his　sternum　and　up　into　his　heart。　Sprawled　on　the　stone　floor；　his　body　trembled。　Within　moments　Uliet　was　dead。　There　was　very　little　blood。
　The　sietch　audience　cried　out　at　the　omen　they　had　just　witnessed　and　backed　away。　Now；　as　the　Fremen　gazed　at　Kynes　with　religious　awe；　his　words　finally　stuttered　to　a　halt。　He　turned　and　saw　the　sacrifice　this　Fremen　had　just　made　for　him；　the　bloodletting。
　〃What's　going　on　here？〃　Kynes　demanded。　〃Who　was　that　man？〃
　The　watermen　rushed　forward　to　remove　Uliet's　body。　With　a　rustle　of　robes；　a　shrouding　of　blankets　and　towels　and　cloths；　they　whisked　away　the　fallen　assassin；　taking　him　to　the　deathstills　for　processing。
　The　other　Fremen　now　stared　at　Kynes　with　reverence。　〃Look！　God　has　shown　us　what　to　do；〃　one　woman　exclaimed。　〃He　has　guided　Uliet。　He　has　spoken　to　Pardot　Kynes。〃
　〃Umma　Kynes；〃　someone　said。　Prophet　Kynes。
　One　man　stood　up　and　glared　at　the　others　gathered　around。　〃We　would　be　fools　not　to　listen　to　him　now。〃
　Runners　departed　and　dashed　through　the　sietch。　Not　understanding　the　Fremen　religion；　Kynes　couldn't　grasp　it　all。
　From　that　point　on；　however；　he　didn't　think　he　would　have　trouble　getting　anyone　to　listen　to　him。
　No　outsider　has　ever　seen　a　Tleilaxu　female　and　lived　to　tell　about　it。　Considering　the　Tleilaxu　penchant　for　genetic　manipulation　　see；　e。g。；　related　memos　on　clones　and　gholas　　this　simple　observation　raises　a　wealth　of　additional　questions。
　…Bene　Gesserit　Analysis
　A　breathless　Ixian　woman　wi