Дюна
Book Two: Muad‘dib
“Well,theSardaukarthinktheywereFremen.TheSardaukaralreadyhavelaunchedaprogramtowipeoutallFremen.”
“Good!”
“But—”
“It’llkeeptheSardaukaroccupied.Andwe’llsoonhaveHawat.Iknowit!Icanfeelit!Ah,thishasbeenaday!TheSardaukaroffhuntingafewuselessdesertbandswhilewegettherealprize!”
“M’Lord....”Rabbanhesitated,frowning.“I’vealwaysfeltthatweunderestimatedtheFremen,bothinnumbersandin—”
“Ignorethem,boy!They’rerabble.It’sthepopuloustowns,cities,andvillagesthatconcernus.Agreatmanypeoplethere,eh?”
“Agreatmany,m’Lord.”
“Theyworryme,Rabban.”
“Worryyou?”
“Oh...ninetypercentofthemareofnoconcern.Buttherearealwaysafew...HousesMinorandsoon,peopleofambitionwhomighttryadangerousthing.IfoneofthemshouldgetoffArrakiswithanunpleasantstoryaboutwhathappenedhere,I’dbemostdispleased.HaveyouanyideahowdispleasedI’dbe?”
Rabbanswallowed.
“YoumusttakeimmediatemeasurestoholdahostagefromeachHouseMinor,”theBaronsaid.“AsfarasanyoneoffArrakismustlearn,thiswasstraightforwardHouse-to-Housebattle.TheSardaukarhadnopartinit,youunderstand?TheDukewasofferedtheusualquarterandexile,buthediedinanunfortunateaccidentbeforehecouldaccept.Hewasabouttoaccept,though.
Thatisthestory.AndanyrumorthattherewereSardaukarhere,itmustbelaughedat.”
“AstheEmperorwishesit,”Rabbansaid.
“AstheEmperorwishesit.
