Дюна
Book Two: Muad‘dib
-“InMyFather’sHouse”bythePrincessIrulan
PAULSTOODoutsidethestilltentinthelateafternoon.Thecrevassewherehehadpitchedtheircamplayindeepshadow.Hestaredoutacrosstheopensandatthedistantcliff,wonderingifheshouldwakenhismother,wholayasleepinthetent.
Foldsuponfoldsofdunesspreadbeyondtheirshelter.Awayfromthesettingsun,thedunesexposedgreasedshadowssoblacktheywerelikebitsofnight.
Andtheflatness.
Hismindsearchedforsomethingtallinthatlandscape.Buttherewasnopersuadingtallnessoutofheat-addledairandthathorizon—nobloomorgentlyshakenthingtomarkthepassageofabreeze...onlydunesandthatdistantcliffbeneathaskyofburnishedsilver-blue.
Whatifthereisn’toneoftheabandonedtestingstationsacrossthere?hewondered.WhatiftherearenoFremen,either,andtheplantsweseeareonlyanaccident?
Withinthetent,Jessicaawakened,turnedontoherbackandpeeredsidelongoutthetransparentendatPaul.Hestoodwithhisbacktoherandsomethingabouthisstanceremindedherofhisfather.Shesensedthewellofgriefrisingwithinherandturnedaway.
Presentlysheadjustedherstillsuit,refreshedherselfwithwaterfromthetent’scatchpocket,andslippedouttostandandstretchthesleepfromhermuscles.
Paulspokewithoutturning:“Ifindmyselfenjoyingthequiethere.”
Howthemindgearsitselfforitsenvironment,shethought.AndsherecalledaBeneGesseritaxiom:“Themindcangoeitherdirectionunderstress
—towardpositiveortowardnegative:onoroff.
