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！
redients for homemade explosives…mon things such as sugar and bleaches； quite ordinary oils and innocent fertilizers； plastics and solvents and extracts from the dirt beneath a manure pile。 The list was virtually endless； growing with each addition to human experience and knowledge。 Even a society such as the one he had created； one which tried to limit the admixture of technology and new ideas； had no real hope of totally eliminating dangerously violent small weapons。 The whole idea of controlling such things was chimera； a dangerous and distracting myth。 The key was to limit the desire for violence。 In that respect； this night had been a disaster。
So much new injustice； he thought。
As though she read his thought； Nyshae sighed。
Of course。 Fish Speakers were trained from childhood to avoid injustice wherever possible。
〃We must see to the survivors in the populace；〃 he said。 〃See to it that their needs are met。 They must be brought to the realization that the Tleilaxu were to blame。〃
Nyshae nodded。 She had not reached bashar rank while remaining ignorant of the drill。 By now； she believed it。 Merely by hearing Leto say it； she believed in the Tleilaxu guilt。 And there was a certain practicality in her understanding。 She knew why they did not slay all of the Tleilaxu。
You do not eliminate every scapegoat。
〃And we must provide a distraction；〃 Leto said。 〃Luckily； there may be one ready at hand。 I will send word to you after conferring with the Lady Hwi Noree。〃
〃The Ixian Ambassador； Lord？ Is she not implicated in 。 。 。〃
〃She is entirely guiltless；〃 he said。
He saw belief settle into Nyshae's features； a readymade plastic underlayment which could lock her jaw and glaze her eyes。 Even Nyshae。 He knew the reasons because he had created those reasons； but sometimes he felt a bit awed by his creation。
〃I hear the Lady Hwi arriving in my anteroom；〃 he said。 〃Send her in as you leave。 And； Nyshae 。 。 。〃
She already was on her feet； but she stood expectantly silent。
〃Tonight； I have elevated Kieuemo to sub…bashar；〃 he said。 〃See that it is made official。 As for yourself； I am pleased。 Ask and you shall receive。〃
He saw the formula send a wave of pleasure through Nyshae； but she tempered it immediately； proving once more her worth to him。
〃I shall test Kieuemo； Lord；〃 she said。 〃If she suits； I may take a holiday。 I have not seen my family on Salusa Secundus for many years。〃
〃At a time of your own choosing；〃 he said。
And he thought： Salusa Secundus。 Of course！
That one reference to her origins reminded him of who she resembled： Harq at…Ada。 She has Corrino blood。 We are closer relatives than Ibad thought。
〃My Lord is generous；〃 she said。
She left him then； a new spring in her stride。 He heard her voice in the anteroom： 〃Lady Hwi； our Lord will see you now。〃
Hwi entered； back…lighted and framed in the archway for a moment； hesitancy in her step until her eyes adjusted to the inner chamber。 She came like a moth to the brightness around Leto's face； looking away only to seek along his shadowy length for signs of injury。 He knew that no such sign was visible； but there were still aches and interior tremblings。
His eyes detected a slight limp； Hwi favoring her right leg； but a long gown of jade green concealed the injury。 She stopped at the edge of the declivity which held his cart； looking directly into his eyes。
〃They said you were wounded； Hwi。 Are you in pain？〃
〃A cut on my leg below the knee； Lord。 A small piece of masonry from the explosion。 Your Fish Speakers treated it with a salve which removed the pain。 Lord； I feared for you。〃
〃And I feared for you； gentle Hwi。〃
〃Except for that first explosion； I was not in danger； Lord。 They rushed me into a room deep beneath the Embassy。〃
So she did not see my performance； he thought。 I can be thankful for that。
〃I sent for you to ask your forgiveness；〃 he said。
She sank onto a golden cushion。 〃What is there to forgive； Lord？ You are not the reason for。 。 。〃
〃I am being tested； Hwi。〃
〃You？〃
〃There are those who wish to know the depths of my concern for the safety of Hwi Noree。〃
She pointed upward。 〃That。。。was because of me？〃
〃Because of us。〃
〃Oh。 But who。 。 。〃
〃You have agreed to wed me； Hwi； and I。 。 。〃 He raised a hand to silence her as she started to speak。 〃Anteac has told us what you revealed to her； but this did not originate with Anteac。〃
〃Then who is 。 。〃 …
〃The who is not important。 It is important that you reconsider。 I must give you this opportunity to change your mind。〃
She lowered her gaze。
How sweet her features are； he thought。
It was possible for him to create only in his imagination an entire human lifetime with Hwi。 Enough examples lay in the welter of his memories upon which to build a fantasy of wedded life。 It gathered nuances in his fancy…small details of mutual experience； a touch； a kiss； all of the sweet sharings upon which arose something of painful beauty。 He ached with it； a pain far deeper than the physical reminders of his violence at the Embassy。
Hwi lifted her chin and looked into his eyes。 He saw there a passionate longing to help him。
〃But how else may I serve you； Lord？〃
He reminded himself that she was a primate； while he no longer was fully primate。 The differences grew deeper by the minute。
The ache remained within him。
Hwi was an inescapable reality； something so basic that no word could ever fully express it。 The ache within him was almost more than he could bear。
〃 love you； Hwi。 I love you as a man loves a woman。。。but it cannot be。 That will never be。〃
Tears flowed from her eyes。 〃Should I leave？ Should I return to Ix？〃
〃They would only hurt you； trying to find out what went wrong with their plan。〃
She has seen my pain； he thought。 She knows the futility and frustration。 What will she do？ She will not lie。 She will not say she returns my love as a woman to a man。 She recognizes the futility。 And 。she knows her own feelings for me passion； awe； a questioning which ignores fear。
〃Then I will stay；〃 she said。 〃We will take such pleasure as we can from being together。 I think it is best that we do this。 If it means we should wed； so be it。〃
〃Then I must share knowledge with you which I have shared with no other person；〃 he said。 〃It will give you a power over me which。 。 。〃
〃Do not do this； Lord！ What if someone forced me to。 。 。'〃
〃You will never again leave my household。 My quarters here； the Citadel； the safe places of the Sareer…these will be your home。〃
〃As you will。〃
How gentle and open her quiet acceptance； he thought。
The aching pulse within him had to be calmed。 In itself； it was a danger to him and to the Golden Path。
Those clever Ixians！
Malky had seen how the all…powerful were forced to contend with a constant siren song…the will to self…delight。
Constant awareness of the power in your slightest whim。
Hwi took his silence to be uncertainty。 〃Will we wed； Lord？〃
〃Yes 。'〃
〃Should anything be done about the Tleilaxu stories which。。。〃
〃Nothing。〃
She stared at him； remembering their earlier conversation。
The seeds of dissolution were being planted。
〃It is my