Дюна
Book One: Dune
Headjustedoneofthelittlesuspensorsthatguardedhisfatbodyagainstthepullofgravity.Asmilecreasedhismouth,pulledatthelinesofhisjowls.
ApitytowastesuchfightingmenastheDuke’s,hethought.Hesmiledmorebroadly,laughingathimself.Pityshouldbecruel!Henodded.Failurewas,bydefinition,expendable.Thewholeuniversesatthere,opentothemanwhocouldmaketherightdecisions.Theuncertainrabbitshadtobeexposed,madetorunfortheirburrows.Elsehowcouldyoucontrolthemandbreedthem?Hepicturedhisfightingmenasbeesroutingtherabbits.Andhethought:Thedayhumssweetlywhenyouhaveenoughbeesworkingforyou.
Adooropenedbehindhim.TheBaronstudiedthereflectioninthenight-blackenedviewportbeforeturning.
PiterdeVriesadvancedintothechamberfollowedbyUmmanKudu,thecaptainoftheBaron’spersonalguard.Therewasamotionofmenjustoutsidethedoor,themuttonfacesofhisguard,theirexpressionscarefullysheeplikeinhispresence.
TheBaronturned.
Pitertouchedfingertoforelockinhismockingsalute.“Goodnews,m’Lord.
TheSardaukarhavebroughtintheDuke.”
“Ofcoursetheyhave,”theBaronrumbled.
HestudiedthesombermaskofvillainyonPiter’seffeminateface.Andtheeyes:thoseshadedslitsofbluestblue-in-blue.
SoonImustremovehim,theBaronthought.Hehasalmostoutlastedhisusefulness,almostreachedthepointofpositivedangertomyperson.First,though,hemustmakethepeopleofArrakishatehim.Then—theywillwelcomemydarlingFeyd-Rauthaasasavior.
