Дюна
Book One: Dune
“Tuekwillsowdoubtandsuspicionjustbyhispresence.He’llalsoservenoticethatyou’repreparedtobackupyourordersagainstgraft—byenforcementfromthesmugglers’endaswell.ThiswasthepointHawatappearedtolike.”
“I’mnotsureIlikeit.”Henoddedtoapassingcouple,sawonlyafewoftheirguestsremainedtoprecedethem.“Whydidn’tyouinvitesomeFremen?”
“There’sKynes,”shesaid.
“Yes,there’sKynes,”hesaid.“Haveyouarrangedanyotherlittlesurprisesforme?”Heledherintostepbehindtheprocession.
“Allelseismostconventional,”shesaid.
Andshethought:Mydarling,can’tyouseethatthissmugglercontrolsfastships,thathecanbebribed?Wemusthaveawayout,adoorofescapefromArrakisifallelsefailsushere.
Astheyemergedintothedininghall,shedisengagedherarm,allowedLetotoseather.Hestrodetohisendofthetable.Afootmanheldhischairforhim.
Theotherssettledwithaswishingoffabrics,ascrapingofchairs,buttheDukeremainedstanding.Hegaveahandsignal,andthehousetroopersinfootmanuniformaroundthetablesteppedback,standingatattention.
Uneasysilencesettledovertheroom.
Jessica,lookingdownthelengthofthetable,sawafainttremblingatthecornersofLeto’smouth,notedthedarkflushofangeronhischeeks.Whathasangeredhim?sheaskedherself.Surelynotmyinvitationtothesmuggler.
“Somequestionmychangingofthelavingbasincustom,”Letosaid.“Thisismywayoftellingyouthatmanythingswillchange.”
Embarrassedsilencesettledoverthetable.
