Дюна
Book One: Dune
but,ah-h-h-h,theconsequencesifI’mwrong.
Jessicasawthegesturetowardhispocket,said:“Letusprayviolenceshallneverbenecessarybetweenus.”
“Aworthyprayer,”heagreed.
“Meanwhile,thesicknessspreadsamongus,”shesaid.“Imustaskyouagain:Isn’titmorereasonabletosupposetheHarkonnenshaveplantedthissuspiciontopitthetwoofusagainsteachother?”
“Weappearto’vereturnedtostalemate,”hesaid.
Shesighed,thinking:He’salmostreadyforit.
“TheDukeandIarefatherandmothersurrogatestoourpeople,”shesaid.
“Theposition—”
“Hehasn’tmarriedyou,”Hawatsaid.
Sheforcedherselftocalmness,thinking:Agoodriposte,that.
“Buthe’llnotmarryanyoneelse,”shesaid.“NotaslongasIlive.Andwearesurrogates,asI’vesaid.Tobreakupthisnaturalorderinouraffairs,todisturb,disrupt,andconfuseus—whichtargetoffersitselfmostenticinglytotheHarkonnens?”
Hesensedthedirectionshewastaking,andhisbrowsdrewdowninaloweringscowl.
“TheDuke?”sheasked.“Attractivetarget,yes,butnoonewiththepossibleexceptionofPaulisbetterguarded.Me?Itemptthem,surely,buttheymustknowtheBeneGesseritmakedifficulttargets.Andthere’sabettertarget,onewhosedutiescreate,necessarily,amonstrousblindspot.Onetowhomsuspicionisasnaturalasbreathing.Onewhobuildshisentirelifeoninnuendoandmystery.”Shedartedherrighthandtowardhim.“You!”
Hawatstartedtoleapfromhischair.
“Ihavenotdismissedyou,Thufir!”sheflared.
