Дюна
Book Two: Muad‘dib
TheFremenstrokedthebat,soothingit,crooningtoit.Hebentovertheanimal’shead,allowedadropofsalivatofallfromhistongueintothebat’supturnedmouth.Thebatstretcheditswings,butremainedontheFremen’sopenedhand.Themantookatinytube,helditbesidethebat’sheadandchatteredintothetube;then,liftingthecreaturehigh,hethrewitupward.
Thebatswoopedawaybesidethecliffandwaslosttosight.
TheFremenfoldedthecage,thrustitbeneathhisrobe.Again,hebenthishead,listening.“Theyquarterthehighcountry,”hesaid.“Onewonderswhotheyseekupthere.”
“It’sknownthatweretreatedinthisdirection,”Hawatsaid.
“Oneshouldneverpresumeoneisthesoleobjectofahunt,”theFremensaid.“Watchtheothersideofthebasin.Youwillseeathing.”
Timepassed.
SomeofHawat’smenstirred,whispering.
“Remainsilentasfrightenedanimals,”theFremenhissed.
Hawatdiscernedmovementneartheoppositecliff—flittingblursoftanontan.
“Mylittlefriendcarriedhismessage,”theFremensaid.“Heisagoodmessenger—dayornight.I’llbeunhappytolosethatone.”
Themovementacrossthesinkfadedaway.Ontheentirefourtofivekilometerexpanseofsandnothingremainedbutthegrowingpressureoftheday’sheat—blurredcolumnsofrisingair.
“Bemostsilentnow,”theFremenwhispered.
Afileofploddingfiguresemergedfromabreakintheoppositecliff,headeddirectlyacrossthesink.ToHawat,theyappearedtobeFremen,butacuriouslyineptband.
