Дюна
Book Two: Muad‘dib
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Thesingerstopped,reachedoutabandagedarmandclosedtheeyelidsofthemanonthelitter.
Halleckdrewafinalsoftchordfromthebaliset,thinking:Nowweareseventy-three.
***
FamilylifeoftheRoyalCrecheisdifficultformanypeopletounderstand,butIshalltrytogiveyouacapsuleviewofit.Myfatherhadonlyonerealfriend,Ithink.ThatwasCountHasimirFenring,thegenetic-eunuchandoneofthedeadliestfightersintheImperium.TheCount,adapperanduglylittleman,broughtanewslave-concubinetomyfatheronedayandIwasdispatchedbymymothertospyontheproceedings.Allofusspiedonmyfatherasamatterofself-protection.Oneoftheslave-concubinespermittedmyfatherundertheBeneGesserit-Guildagreementcouldnot,ofcourse,bearaRoyalSuccessor,buttheintrigueswereconstantandoppressiveintheirsimilarity.Webecameadept,mymotherandsistersandI,atavoidingsubtleinstrumentsofdeath.Itmayseemadreadfulthingtosay,butI’mnotatallsuremyfatherwasinnocentinalltheseattempts.ARoyalFamilyisnotlikeotherfamilies.Herewasanewslaveconcubine,then,red-hairedlikemyfather,willowyandgraceful.Shehadadancer’smuscles,andhertrainingobviouslyhadincludedneuro-enticement.Myfatherlookedatherforalongtimeassheposturedunclothedbeforehim.
Finallyhesaid:“Sheistoobeautiful.Wewillsaveherasagift.”YouhavenoideahowmuchconsternationthisrestraintcreatedintheRoyalCreche.Subtletyandself-controlwere,afterall,themostdeadlythreatstousall.
