Дюна
Book One: Dune
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“ThenI’llposeanotherquestionforyou:Whatdoesitmeantoyouthatyoustandbeforeanotherhuman,thatyouareboundandhelplessandtheotherhumanholdsaknifeatyourthroat—yetthisotherhumanrefrainsfromkillingyou,freesyoufromyourbondsandgivesyoutheknifetouseasyouwill?”
Sheliftedherselfoutofthechair,turnedherbackonhim.“Youmaygonow,Thufir.”
TheoldMentatarose,hesitated,handcreepingtowardthedeadlyweaponbeneathhistunic.HewasremindedofthebullringandoftheDuke’sfather(who’dbeenbrave,nomatterwhathisotherfailings)andonedayofthecorridalongago:Thefierceblackbeasthadstoodthere,headbowed,immobilizedandconfused.TheOldDukehadturnedhisbackonthehorns,capethrown
flamboyantlyoveronearm,whilecheersraineddownfromthestands.
Iamthebullandshethematador,Hawatthought.Hewithdrewhishandfromtheweapon,glancedatthesweatglisteninginhisemptypalm.
Andheknewthatwhateverthefactsprovedtobeintheend,hewouldneverforgetthismomentnorlosethissenseofsupremeadmirationfortheLadyJessica.
Quietly,heturnedandlefttheroom.
Jessicaloweredhergazefromthereflectioninthewindows,turned,andstaredatthecloseddoor.
“Nowwe’llseesomeproperaction,”shewhispered.
***
Doyouwrestlewithdreams?Doyoucontendwithshadows?Doyoumoveinakindofsleep?Timehasslippedaway.Yourlifeisstolen.Youtarriedwithtrifles,Victimofyourfolly.
