bh.houseatreides-第86节

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of　youth　had　been　drained　from　her。
　Harishka　placed　a　sinewy　hand　on　Anirul's　forearm　in　a　sudden　and　surprising　display　of　closeness。　〃We　all　have　our　primal　superstitions；　but　we　must　master　them。　For　now；　worry　about　nothing　except　this　child。　The　Sisterhood　needs　a　healthy　daughter；　with　a　powerful　future。〃
　Medical　personnel　checked　equipment　and　took　up　their　positions　around　Mohiam；　who　reclined　on　a　bed；　inhaling　deeply；　her　cheeks　flushed　red　with　exertion。　Two　of　the　midwives　propped　her　up　in　the　ages…old　delivery　position。　The　pregnant　woman　began　to　hum　to　herself；　allowing　only　a　flicker　of　disfort　to　cross　her　face　as　she　experienced　increasingly　severe　contractions。
　Standing　aloof；　yet　sharply　observant；　Anirul　considered　what　Mother　Superior　had　just　told　her。　Secretly；　Anirul　had　consulted　a　Feng　Shui　master　about　the　old　birthing　facility。　A　withered　old　man　with　Terrasian　features；　he　was　a　practitioner　of　an　ancient　Zensunni　philosophy　which　held　that　architecture；　furniture　placement；　and　maximum　utilization　of　color　and　light　all　worked　to　promote　the　well…being　of　a　facility's　inhabitants。　With　a　sage　nod；　he　declared　that　the　old　facility　had　been　set　up　incorrectly；　and　showed　Anirul　what　needed　to　be　done。　They'd　had　only　a　month　before　the　expected　delivery　date；　and　the　Kwisatz　Mother　had　had　not　a　moment　to　lose。
　Now　as　she　observed　the　abundance　of　light　flowing　down　upon　Mohiam's　bed　from　actual　windows　and　skylights；　rather　than　from　clusters　of　artificial　glowglobes；　Anirul　assured　herself　she　hadn't　been　〃superstitious。〃　Feng　Shui　was　about　aligning　oneself　properly　with　Nature　and　being　intensely　aware　of　one's　surroundings　　a　philosophy　that　was；　ultimately；　very　much　in　the　Bene　Gesserit　way　of　thinking。
　Too　much　rode　on　this　single　birth。　If　there　was　a　chance；　even　a　small　one；　Anirul　wanted　no　part　in　denying　it。　Using　the　power　of　her　position；　she　had　demanded　a　new　birthing　facility；　built　according　to　the　Feng　Shui　master's　remendations。　Then　she'd　sent　the　old　man　away；　letting　the　other　Sisters　believe　he　had　merely　been　a　visiting　gardener。
　Now　she　glided　closer　to　Mohiam's　bed；　looking　down　at　her　patient　as　the　time　neared。　Anirul　hoped　the　old　man　was　right。　This　daughter　was　their　last；　best　chance。
　IT　HAPPENED　QUICKLY；　the　moment　Mohiam　set　her　mind　to　it。　A　baby's　insistent　crying　filled　the　chamber；　and　Anirul　lifted　a　perfect　girl…child　in　the　air　for　Mother　Superior　to　see。　Even　the　voices　in　Other　Memory　cheered　at　the　victory。　Everyone　beamed　triumphantly；　delighted　with　the　long…anticipated　birth。　Agitated；　the　child　kicked　and　flailed。
　Sisters　toweled　off　infant　and　mother；　giving　Mohiam　a　long　drink　of　juice　to　restore　her　body　fluids。　Anirul　handed　the　baby　to　her。　Still　breathing　hard　from　the　exertion　of　the　delivery；　Mohiam　took　the　girl　and　looked　at　her；　allowing　an　uncharacteristically　proud　smile　to　cross　her　face。
　〃This　child　shall　be　named　Jessica；　meaning　'wealth；'　〃　Mohiam　announced　proudly；　still　panting。　When　other　Sisters　moved　away；　Mohiam　stared　at　Anirul　and　Harishka；　who　stood　close　to　her。　In　a　directed　whisper　that　only　they　could　hear；　she　said；　〃I　know　this　child　is　part　of　the　Kwisatz　Haderach　program。　The　voices　in　Other　Memory　have　told　me。　I　have　seen　a　vision；　and　I　know　the　terrible　future　if　we　fail　with　her。〃
　Anirul　and　Mother　Superior　exchanged　uneasy　glances。　In　a　whisper　Harishka　responded；　looking　sidelong　as　if　hoping　the　spontaneous　revelation　might　weaken　the　Kwisatz　Mother's　hold　over　the　program。　〃You　are　manded　to　secrecy。　Your　child　is　to　be　the　grandmother　of　the　Kwisatz　Haderach。〃
　〃I　suspected　as　much。〃　Mohiam　sank　back　on　her　pillow　to　consider　the　immensity　of　this　revelation。　〃So　soon。　。　。〃
　Outside　the　building；　clapping　and　cheering　rang　out　as　news　of　the　birth　passed　quickly　around　the　training　areas。　Balconies　above　the　library　enclaves　and　discussion　chambers　overflowed　with　acolytes　and　teachers　celebrating　the　felicitous　event；　though　only　a　handful　knew　the　full　significance　of　this　child　in　the　breeding　program。
　Gaius　Helen　Mohiam　gave　the　child　to　the　midwives；　refusing　to　form　any　sort　of　parental　bond　that　was　forbidden　by　the　Bene　Gesserit。　Though　she　maintained　her　posure；　she　felt　drawn；　bone…weary；　and　old。　This　Jessica　was　her　tenth　daughter　for　the　Sisterhood；　and　she　hoped　her　childbearing　duties　were　now　at　an　end。　She　looked　at　young　Reverend　Mother　Anirul　Sadow　Tonkin。　How　could　she　do　better　than　she　had　already　done？　Jessica。。。their　future。
　I　am　indeed　fortunate　to　participate　in　this　moment；　Anirul　thought　as　she　looked　down　at　the　exhausted　new　mother。　It　struck　her　as　odd　that　of　all　the　Sisters　who　had　worked　toward　this　goal　for　thousands　of　years；　of　all　those　who　now　watched　eagerly　in　Other　Memory；　she　was　the　one　to　supervise　the　birth　of　Jessica。　Anirul　herself　would　guide　this　child　through　years　of　training　toward　the　critically　important　sexual　union　she　must　have；　to　carry　the　breeding　program　to　its　penultimate　step。
　Wrapped　in　a　blanket；　the　baby　girl　had　finally　stopped　crying　and　lay　peacefully　in　the　sheltering　warmth　of　its　enclosed　bed。
　Squinting　down　through　the　protective　plaz；　Anirul　tried　to　imagine　what　this　Jessica　would　look　like　as　a　grown　woman。　She　envisioned　the　baby's　face　elongating　and　thinning；　and　could　visualize　a　tall　lady　of　great　beauty；　with　the　regal　features　of　her　father　Baron　Harkonnen；　generous　lips；　and　smooth　skin。　The　Baron　would　never　meet　his　daughter　or　know　her　name；　for　this　would　be　one　of　the　most　closely　guarded　secrets　of　the　Bene　Gesserit。
　One　day；　when　Jessica　was　of　age；　she　would　be　manded　to　bear　a　daughter；　and　that　child　must　be　introduced　to　the　son　of　Abulurd　Harkonnen；　the　Baron's　youngest　demibrother。　At　the　moment　Abulurd　and　his　wife　had　only　one　son；　Rabban…but　Anirul　had　set　in　motion　a　means　of　suggesting　that　they　have　more。　This　would　improve　the　odds　of　one　male　surviving　to　maturity；　it　would　also　improve　the　gene　selection；　and　improve　the　odds　of　good　sexual　timing。
　A　vast　jigsaw　puzzle　remained　apparent　to　Anirul；　each　of　its　pieces　a　separate　event　in　the　incredible　Bene　Gesserit　breeding　program。　Only　a　few　more　ponents　needed　to　slip　into　place　now；　and　the　Kwisatz　Haderach　would　bee　a　reality　in　flesh　and　blood　　the　all…powerful　male　who　could　bridge　space　and　time；　the　ultimate　tool　to　be　wielded　by　the　Bene　Gesserit。
　Anirul　wondered　now；　as　she　often　had　without　daring　to　speak　of　it；　if　such　a　man　could　cause　the　Bene　Gesserit　to　once　again　find　genuine　religious　fervor；　like　the　fanaticism　of　the　crusading　Butler　family。　What　if　he　made　others　revere　him　as　a　god？
　Imagine　that；　she　thought。　The　Bene　Gesserit　　who　used　religion　only　to　manipulate　others　　ensnared　by　their　own　messianic　leader。　She　doubted　that　could　ever　happen。
　Reverend　Mother　Anirul　went　out　to　celebrate　with　her　Sisters。
　The　surest　way　to　keep　a　secret　is　to　make　people　believe　they　already　know　the　answer。
　…Ancient　Fremen　Wisdom
　Umma　Kynes；　you　have　acplished　much；〃　said　one…eyed　Heinar　as　the　two　men　sat　on　a　rocky　promontory　above　their　sietch。　The　Naib　treated　him　as　an　equal　now；　even　with　overblown　respect。　Kynes　had　stopped　bothering　to　argue　with　the　desert　people　every　time　they　called　him　〃Umma；〃　their　word　for　〃prophet。〃
　He　and　Heinar　watched　the　coppery　sunset　spill　across　the　sweeping　dunefield　of　the　Great　Erg。　Far　in　the　distance；　a　fuzzy　haze　hung　on　the　horizon；　the　last　remnants　of　a　sandstorm　that　had　passed　the　previous　day。
　Powerful　winds　had　washed　the　dunes　clean；　scrubbed　their　surfaces；　recontoured　the　landscape。　Kynes　relaxed　against　the　rough　rock；　sipping　from　a　pungent　cup　of　spice　coffee。
　Seeing　her　husband　about　to　go　above　ground；　outside　the　sietch；　a　pregnant　Frieth　had　hurried　after　the　two　men　as　they　waited　to　bid　the　sun　farewell　for　another　day。　An　elaborate　brass　coffee　service　sat　between　them　on　a　flat　stone。　Frieth　had　brought　it；　along　with　a　selection　of　the　crunchy　sesame　cakes　Kynes　loved　so　well。　By　the　time　he　remembered　to　thank　her　for　her　kind　attentiveness；　Frieth　had　already　vanished　like　a　shadow　back　into　the　caves。
　After　a　long　moment；　Kynes　nodded　distractedly　at　the　Naib's　ment。　〃Yes；　I've　acplished　much；　but　I　still　have　plenty　to　do。〃　He　thought　of　the　remarkably　plex　plans　required　to　plete　his　dream　of　a　reborn　Dune；　a　planetary　name　little　known　in　the　Imperium。
　Imperium。　He　rarely　thought　of　the　old　Emperor　now　　his　own　priorities；　the　emphasis　of　his　life；　had　changed　so　greatly。　Kynes　could　never　go　back　to　being　a　mere　Imperial　Planetologist；　not　after　all　he'd　been　through　with　these　desert　people。
　Heinar　clasped　his　friend's　wrist。　〃It　is　said　that　sunset　is　a　time　for　reflection　and　assessment；　my　friend。　Let　us　look　to　what　we　have　done；　rather　than　permit　the　empty　gulf　of　the　future　to　overwhelm　us。　You　have　been　on　this　planet　for　only　a　little　more　than　a　year；　yet　already　you　have　found　a　new　tribe；　a　new　wife。〃　Heinar　smiled。　〃And　soon　you　will　have　a　new　child；　a　son　perhaps。〃
　Kynes　returned　the　smile　wistfully。　Frieth　was　nearly　through　her　gestation　period。　He　was　somewhat　surprise