bh.houseatreides-第53节

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　Some　of　the　children　laughed　at　the　very　idea　of　rain　on　Dune；　but　Kynes　kept　talking；　explaining　the　steps　of　his　process　to　reap　the　faintest　breath　of　water　vapor　from　the　air。　He　would　collect　every　sparkle　of　dew　in　the　shadows　to　help　twist　Arrakis　in　the　way　he　required；　to　pave　the　way　for　a　brilliant　new　ecology。
　〃You　must　think　of　this　world　in　engineering　terms；〃　Kynes　said；　in　a　professorial　tone。　He　was　happy　to　have　such　an　attentive　audience；　though　he　wasn't　sure　how　much　they　understood。　〃This　planet；　taken　in　its　entirety；　is　merely　an　expression　of　energy；　a　machine　driven　by　its　sun。〃　He　lowered　his　voice　and　looked　down　at　a　young；　wide…eyed　girl。　〃What　it　requires　is　reshaping　to　fit　our　needs。　We　have　the　ability　to　do　that　on。。。Dune。　But　do　we　have　the　self…discipline　and　the　drive？〃
　He　lifted　his　gaze　to　someone　else。　〃That　is　up　to　us。〃
　By　now　Ommun　and　Turok　had　heard　most　of　Kynes's　lectures。　Although　they　had　scoffed　at　first；　eventually　the　words　had　sunk　in。　Now；　the　more　they　heard　of　his　unbridled　enthusiasm　and　bright　honesty；　the　more　they　actually　began　to　believe。　Why　not　dream？　Judging　from　the　expressions　on　the　faces　of　his　listeners；　they　could　see　that　other　Fremen　had　started　to　consider　the　possibilities　as　well。
　The　sietch　elders　called　these　converts　optimistic　and　overly　gullible。　Undaunted；　Kynes　continued　to　spread　his　ideas；　as　outrageous　as　they　might　seem。
　WEARING　A　GRIM　expression；　Naib　Heinar　squinted　his　one　eye　and　extended　the　holy　crysknife；　still　sheathed。　The　strong　warrior　standing　rigid　in　front　of　him　held　out　his　hands　to　receive　the　gift。
　The　Naib　intoned　ritual　words。　〃Uliet；　older　Liet；　you　have　been　chosen　for　this　task　for　the　good　of　our　sietch。　You　have　proven　yourself　many　times　in　battle　against　the　Harkonnens。　You　are　an　acplished　worm　rider　and　one　of　the　greatest　fighters　among　the　Fremen。〃
　A　man　of　middle　years　and　craggy　features；　Uliet　bowed。　His　hands　remained　outstretched。　He　waited　and　did　not　flinch。　Though　a　deeply　religious　man；　he　held　his　awe　in　check。
　〃Take　this　consecrated　crysknife；　Uliet。〃　Heinar　now　grasped　the　carved　hilt　and　yanked　the　long　milky　white　blade　from　its　sheath。　The　crysknife　was　a　sacred　relic　among　the　Fremen；　fashioned　from　the　crystal　tooth　of　a　sandworm。　This　particular　blade　was　fixed；　keyed　to　the　body　of　its　owner　so　that　the　weapon　would　dissolve　upon　his　death。
　〃Your　blade　has　been　dipped　in　the　poisonous　Water　of　Life；　and　blessed　by　Shai…Hulud；〃　Heinar　continued。　〃As　is　our　tradition；　the　sacred　blade　must　not　be　sheathed　again　until　it　has　tasted　blood。〃
　Uliet　took　the　weapon；　suddenly　overwhelmed　by　the　importance　of　the　task　for　which　he　had　been　selected。　Intensely　superstitious；　he　had　watched　the　great　worms　in　the　desert　and　had　ridden　atop　them　many　times。　But　never　had　he　allowed　himself　to　bee　familiar　with　the　magnificent　creatures。　He　could　not　forget　that　they　were　the　manifestations　of　the　great　creator　of　the　universe。
　〃I　shall　not　fail　the　will　of　Shai…Hulud。〃　Uliet　accepted　the　blade　and　held　it　up　high；　with　its　poisoned　tip　pointed　away　from　him。
　The　other　elders　stood　behind　the　one…eyed　Naib；　firm　in　their　decision。　〃Take　two　watermen　with　you；〃　Heinar　said；　〃to　collect　the　water　of　this　Planetologist　and　use　it　for　the　good　of　our　sietch。〃
　〃Perhaps　we　should　take　a　small　amount　and　plant　a　bush　in　his　honor；〃　said　Aliid；　but　no　one　seconded　the　suggestion。
　Out　of　the　stone…walled　chamber　Uliet　walked　tall　and　proud；　a　warrior　of　the　Fremen。　He　did　not　fear　this　Planetologist；　though　the　outsider　spoke　fervently　of　his　wild　and　preposterous　plans；　as　if　he　were　guided　by　a　holy　vision。　A　shudder　went　up　the　assassin's　spine。
　Uliet　narrowed　his　deep　blue　eyes　and　forced　such　thoughts　from　his　mind　as　he　strode　down　the　shadowed　passageways。　Two　watermen　followed　him；　bearing　empty　literjons　for　collecting　Kynes's　blood；　and　absorbent　cloths　to　soak　up　every　drop　that　might　spill　on　the　stone　floor。
　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！