Дюна
Book One: Dune
“But—”
“I’llhearnomoreofit,”theDukesaid.“Theincidentispast.Wehavemorepressingbusiness.Wherearetheothers?”
“IaskedthemtowaitoutsidewhileI—”
“Callthemin.”
HawatlookedintoLeto’seyes.“Sire,I—”
“Iknowwhomytruefriendsare,Thufir,”theDukesaid.“Callinthemen.”
Hawatswallowed.“Atonce,myLord.”Heswiveledinthechair,calledtotheopendoor:“Gurney,bringthemin.”
Halleckledthefileofmenintotheroom,thestaffofficerslookinggrimlyseriousfollowedbytheyoungeraidesandspecialists,anairofeagernessamongthem.Briefscuffingsoundsechoedaroundtheroomasthementookseats.Afaintsmellofrachagstimulantwafteddownthetable.
“There’scoffeeforthosewhowantit,”theDukesaid.
Helookedoverhismen,thinking:They’reagoodcrew.Amancoulddofarworseforthiskindofwar.Hewaitedwhilecoffeewasbroughtinfromtheadjoiningroomandserved,notingthetirednessinsomeofthefaces.
Presently,heputonhismaskofquietefficiency,stoodupandcommandedtheirattentionwithaknucklerapagainstthetable.
“Well,gentlemen,”hesaid,“ourcivilizationappearsto’vefallensodeeplyintothehabitofinvasionthatwecannotevenobeyasimpleorderoftheImperiumwithouttheoldwayscroppingup.”
Drychucklessoundedaroundthetable,andPaulrealizedthathisfatherhadsaidthepreciselycorrectthinginpreciselythecorrecttonetoliftthemoodhere.
Eventhehintoffatigueinhisvoicewasright.
