Дюна
Book One: Dune
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“Thereisprobablynomoreterribleinstantofenlightenmentthantheoneinwhichyoudiscoveryourfatherisaman—withhumanflesh.”
—from“CollectedSayingsofMuad’Dib”bythePrincessIrulan
THEDUKESAID:“Paul,I’mdoingahatefulthing,butImust.”Hestoodbesidetheportablepoisonsnooperthathadbeenbroughtintotheconferenceroomfortheirbreakfast.Thething’ssensorarmshunglimplyoverthetable,remindingPaulofsomeweirdinsectnewlydead.
TheDuke’sattentionwasdirectedoutthewindowsatthelandingfieldanditsroilingofdustagainstthemorningsky.
PaulhadaviewerinfrontofhimcontainingashortfilmcliponFremenreligiouspractices.ThecliphadbeencompiledbyoneofHawat’sexpertsandPaulfoundhimselfdisturbedbythereferencestohimself.
“Mahdi!”
“Lisanal-Gaib!”
Hecouldclosehiseyesandrecalltheshoutsofthecrowds.Sothatiswhattheyhope,hethought.AndherememberedwhattheoldReverendMotherhadsaid:KwisatzHaderach.Thememoriestouchedhisfeelingsofterriblepurpose,shadingthisstrangeworldwithsensationsoffamiliaritythathecouldnotunderstand.
“Ahatefulthing,”theDukesaid.
“Whatdoyoumean,sir?”
Letoturned,lookeddownathisson.“BecausetheHarkonnensthinktotrickmebymakingmedistrustyourmother.Theydon’tknowthatI’dsoonerdistrustmyself.”
“Idon’tunderstand,sir.”
Again,Letolookedoutthewindows.Thewhitesunwaswellupintoitsmorningquadrant.
