bh.houseatreides-第63节

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！


〃
　Helena　glanced　over　her　shoulder　at　her　husband；　who　ignored　her。
　Paulus　gestured　toward　the　Castle　on　the　cliffs。　〃House　Atreides　values　loyalty　and　honor　far　above　politics。〃　He　took　a　hard　and　insightful　look　at　his　exhausted　son。　Leto　drew　a　deep　breath；　receiving　the　lesson　like　a　sword　thrust。　〃Loyalty　and　honor；〃　Paulus　repeated。　〃That　is　the　way　it　must　always　be。〃
　Only　God　can　make　living；　sentient　creatures。
　…The　Orange　Catholic　Bible
　In　Birthing　Room　One　of　the　Wallach　IX　plex；　a　screaming　newborn　girl　lay　on　a　med…table。　A　daughter　with　the　genetic　line　of　Baron　Vladimir　Harkonnen。　The　smell　of　blood　and　disinfectant　hung　in　the　air；　wrapped　in　the　rustle　of　crisp；　sterilized　clothing。　Harsh　glowglobes　burned　down；　reflecting　from　the　rough　stone　walls　and　polished…metal　surfaces。　Many　daughters　had　been　born　here；　many　new　Sisters。
　With　more　excitement　than　the　Bene　Gesserit　usually　exhibited；　Reverend　Mothers　in　dark　robes　poked　at　the　scrawny　infant　with　instruments；　talking　about　her　in　worried　tones。　One　Sister　used　a　hypo…needle　to　draw　a　blood　sample；　while　another　took　a　skin　scraping　with　a　shallow　curette。　No　one　spoke　above　a　whisper。　Odd　skin　tone；　poor　biochemistry；　low　weight。。。
　Drenched　in　perspiration；　Gaius　Helen　Mohiam　lay　nearby　in　disfort；　attempting　to　reassert　control　over　the　pummeled　tissues　of　her　body。　Though　her　preservation　hid　her　actual　age；　she　looked　too　old　to　be　having　babies。　This　birth　had　been　hard　for　her；　harder　than　the　previous　eight　children　she　had　borne。　By　now　she　felt　ancient　and　used　up。
　Two　acolyte　attendants　hurried　to　her　bed　and　wheeled　her　toward　one　side　of　the　arched　doorway。　One　laid　a　cool　rag　on　her　forehead；　another　placed　a　wet　sponge　against　her　lips；　squeezing　a　few　drops　of　moisture　into　her　dry　mouth。　Mohiam　had　already　done　her　part　in　this　process；　the　Sisterhood　would　do　the　rest。　Though　she　did　not　know　their　plans　for　this　child；　she　knew　the　daughter　must　survive。
　On　the　inspection　table；　even　before　the　clinging　blood　and　mucus　could　be　wiped　from　her　skin；　the　baby　was　turned　over　and　positioned　on　all　sides　against　a　built…in　scanner　surface。　Cold　and　frightened；　the　infant　wailed；　but　only　intermittently；　her　voice　sounding　weaker　by　the　moment。
　Electronic　signals　sent　all　bioresults　into　a　central…receiving　unit；　which　displayed　the　data　in　a　column　on　a　large　wall　monitor　for　the　Bene　Gesserit　experts　to　assess。　Reverend　Mothers　studied　the　results；　paring　them　with　a　second　column　that　showed　optimal　numbers。
　〃The　disparity　is　quite　striking；〃　Anirul　said　quietly；　her　eyes　wide　on　her　doelike　face。　The　young　Kwisatz　Mother's　disappointment　hung　like　a　solid　weight　on　her　shoulders。
　〃And　most　unexpected；〃　said　Mother　Superior　Harishka。　Her　birdlike　eyes　glittered　from　the　wrinkles　on　her　face。　In　tandem　with　those　taboos　that　prevented　the　Bene　Gesserit　from　using　artificial　means　of　fertilization　in　their　breeding　programs；　other　taboos　kept　them　from　inspecting　or　manipulating　fetuses　in　utero。　Sourly；　the　ancient　woman　shook　her　head　and　flicked　a　sidelong　glance　at　sweat…soaked　Mohiam；　still　recovering　on　her　table　near　the　door。　〃The　genetics　are　correct；　but　this。。。child　is　wrong。　We　have　made　an　error。〃
　Anirul　leaned　over　the　infant　girl　for　a　closer　look。　The　child　had　a　sickly　pallor　and　misshapen　facial　bones；　as　well　as　a　disjointed　or　malformed　shoulder。　Other　deficiencies；　perhaps　chronic；　might　take　longer　to　assess。
　And　she's　supposed　to　bee　the　grandmother　of　the　Kwisatz　Haderach？　Weakness　does　not　breed　strength。
　Internally；　Anirul　reeled；　trying　to　determine　what　could　have　gone　wrong。　The　other　Sisters　would　call　her　too　young　and　impetuous　again。　The　projections　in　the　breeding　records　had　been　so　precise；　the　information　from　Other　Memory　so　certain。　Though　sired　by　Vladimir　Harkonnen；　this　girl…child　wasn't　what　she　was　supposed　to　be。　The　feeble　infant　couldn't　possibly　be　the　next　step　in　the　genetic　path　that　was　supposed　to　culminate　　in　only　two　more　generations　　with　the　Holy　Grail　of　the　Bene　Gesserit　breeding　program；　their　superbeing。
　〃Could　something　be　incorrect　in　the　mating　index？〃　Mother　Superior　said；　averting　her　eyes　from　the　baby。　〃Or　is　this　an　aberration？〃
　〃Genetics　is　never　certain；　Mother　Superior；〃　Anirul　said；　taking　a　step　away　from　the　baby。　Her　confidence　was　gone；　but　she　tried　not　to　make　excuses。　She　ran　a　nervous　hand　over　her　close…cropped　bronze　hair。　〃The　projections　are　correct。　I'm　afraid　the　bloodline　simply　didn't　cooperate。。。this　time。〃
　Mother　Superior　looked　around　the　room　at　the　doctors；　the　other　Sisters。　Every　ment；　every　move　would　be　recorded　and　stored　in　Wallach　IX　archives　　as　well　as　in　Other　Memory　　for　perusal　by　later　generations。　〃Are　you　suggesting　we　try　again　with　the　Baron　himself？　He　wasn't　exactly　the　most　cooperative　of　subjects。〃
　Anirul　smiled　faintly。　What　an　understatement。　〃Our　projections　give　us　the　highest　probability。　It　must　be　Baron　Harkonnen；　and　it　must　be　Mohiam。　Thousands　of　years　of　careful　selection　have　led　to　this　point。　We　have　other　options；　but　none　as　good　as　this　one。。。and　so　we　must　try　again。〃　She　tried　to　sound　philosophical。　〃Other　mistakes　have　occurred　along　the　way；　Mother　Superior　　we　cannot　let　one　failure　bring　about　the　end　of　the　entire　program。〃
　〃Of　course　not；〃　Harishka　snapped。　〃We　must　contact　the　Baron　again。　Send　our　best　and　most　persuasive　representative　while　Mohiam　recovers。〃
　Anirul　stared　at　the　child　on　the　table。　Exhausted　now；　the　infant　lay　silent；　tiny　hands　flexing；　legs　kicking。　The　baby　couldn't　even　maintain　sustained　periods　of　crying。　Not　hardy　breeding　stock。
　At　the　doorway　arch；　Mohiam　struggled　to　sit　up　on　her　recovery　table；　peering　with　bright　eyes　at　the　newborn。　Instantly　noting　the　deformity；　the　weakness；　she　moaned　and　fell　back　on　the　sheets。
　Trying　to　fort　her；　Mother　Superior　Harishka　came　over　to　the　table。　〃We　need　your　strength　now；　Sister；　not　your　despair。　We　will　make　certain　you　get　another　chance　with　the　Baron。〃　She　folded　her　arms　across　her　chest；　and　with　a　rustling　of　her　robe　departed　from　the　birthing　room；　followed　by　her　aides。
　IN　HIS　BALCONY　chambers　at　Harkonnen　Keep；　the　Baron　admired　himself　naked　in　the　mirror；　as　he　frequently　liked　to　do。　There　were　many　mirrors　in　his　extensive　apartment　wing；　and　plenty　of　light；　so　that　he　might　constantly　enjoy　the　perfection　of　form　that　Nature　had　bestowed　upon　him。　He　was　lean　and　muscular；　with　good　skin　tone　　especially　when　his　male　lovers　took　the　time　to　rub　perfumed　oils　into　every　pore。　He　feathered　his　fingers　over　the　washboard　ridges　on　his　abdomen。　Magnificent。
　No　wonder　the　witches　had　requested　that　he　breed　with　them　a　second　time。　He　was；　after　all；　extraordinarily　beautiful。　With　their　breeding　programs；　they　would　naturally　desire　the　best　stock。　His　first　child　by　that　warthog　Mohiam　must　have　been　so　perfect　that　they　wanted　another。　Though　he　loathed　the　prospect；　he　asked　himself　if　that　was　truly　so　horrible。
　But　he　wished　he　knew　how　his　offspring　fit　into　the　long…term　plans　of　those　devious；　secretive　women。　They　had　multiple　breeding　programs；　and　no　one　but　a　Bene　Gesserit　seemed　to　understand　any　of　them。　Could　this　be　used　to　his　advantage　somehow。。。or　did　they　intend　to　turn　the　daughter　against　him　at　a　later　date？　They　had　been　careful　not　to　provide　any　bastard　heirs；　thus　avoiding　dynastic　squabbles；　not　that　he　much　cared　anyway。　But　what　was　in　it　for　him？　Even　Piter　de　Vries　had　been　at　a　loss　to　offer　an　explanation。
　〃You　have　not　given　us　your　response；　Baron；〃　Sister　Margot　Rashino…Zea　said　from　behind　him。　She　seemed　not　to　show　any　disfort　whatsoever　at　his　nakedness。
　In　the　reflecting　glass　he　saw　the　beautiful；　golden…haired　Sister。　Did　they　think　her　beauty　could　tempt　him；　her　shapeliness；　her　fine　features？　Would　he　rather　mate　with　her　than　with　the　other　one？　Neither　prospect　appealed　to　him　at　all。
　Representing　the　scheming　Sisterhood；　Margot　had　just　spoken　of　the　〃need〃　for　him　to　copulate　a　second　time　with　the　witch　Mohiam。　It　hadn't　even　been　a　year　yet。　The　gall　of　these　creatures！　Margot；　at　least；　used　slippery　words　and　a　little　finesse；　rather　than　the　brutish　demands　Mohiam　had　made　of　him　that　night　long　ago。　At　least　the　witches　had　sent　a　better　mouthpiece　this　time。
　In　front　of　the　beautiful　woman；　he　refused　to　put　on　any　clothing；　especially　in　the　wake　of　her　request。　Nude；　he　flaunted　himself　for　her；　but　pretended　not　to　notice。　Wouldn't　that　sleek　beauty　love　to　rut　with　someone　like　me。
　〃Mohiam　was　rather　too　plain　for　my　tastes；〃　he　said；　finally　turning　to　face　the　Sisterhood's　emissary。　〃Tell　me；　witch；　was　my　first　child　a　daughter；　as　I　was　promised？〃
　〃How　could　it　possibly　make　any　difference　to　you？〃　Margot's　gray…green　eyes　remained　locked　on　his；　but　he　could　tell　she　wanted　to　let　her　gaze　roam　over　his　body；　his　muscles　and　his　golden　skin。
　〃I　didn't　say　it　made　any　difference；　foolish　woman　　but　I　am　of　noble　station　and　I　asked　you　a　question。　Answer　me　or　die。〃
　〃The　Bene　Gesserit　do　not　fear　death；　Baron；〃　Margot　said；　in　the　calmest　of　tones。　Her　sere