Дюна
Book One: Dune
Jessicasignaledforanothercourseoffoodanddrink.Servantsappearedwithlanguesdelapinsdegarenne—redwineandasauceofmushroom-yeastontheside.
Slowly,thedinnerconversationresumed,butJessicaheardtheagitationinit,thebrittlequality,sawthatthebankerateinsullensilence.Kyneswouldhavekilledhimwithouthesitating,shethought.AndsherealizedthattherewasanoffhandattitudetowardkillinginKynes’manner.Hewasacasualkiller,andsheguessedthatthiswasaFremenquality.
Jessicaturnedtothestillsuitmanufactureronherleft,said:“IfindmyselfcontinuallyamazedbytheimportanceofwateronArrakis.”
“Veryimportant,”heagreed.“Whatisthisdish?It’sdelicious.”
“Tonguesofwildrabbitinaspecialsauce,”shesaid.“Averyoldrecipe.”
“Imusthavethatrecipe,”themansaid.
Shenodded.“I’llseethatyougetit.”
KyneslookedatJessica,said:“ThenewcomertoArrakisfrequentlyunderestimatestheimportanceofwaterhere.Youaredealing,yousee,withtheLawoftheMinimum.”
Sheheardthetestingqualityinhisvoice,said,“Growthislimitedbythatnecessitywhichispresentintheleastamount.And,naturally,theleastfavorableconditioncontrolsthegrowthrate.”
“It’sraretofindmembersofaGreatHouseawareofplanetologicalproblems,”Kynessaid.“WateristheleastfavorableconditionforlifeonArrakis.Andrememberthatgrowthitselfcanproduceunfavorableconditionsunlesstreatedwithextremecare.”
JessicasensedahiddenmessageinKynes’words,butknewshewasmissingit.
