Дюна
Book Two: Muad‘dib
AndIsawthesparrowsswiftlyapproach,Bolderthantheonrushingwolf.Theyspreadinthetreeofmyyouth.IheardtheflockinmybranchesAndwascaughtontheirbeaksandclaws!—from“ArrakisAwakening”bythePrincessIrulan
THEMANcrawledacrossadunetop.Hewasamotecaughtintheglareofthenoonsun.Hewasdressedonlyintornremnantsofajubbacloak,hisskinbaretotheheatthroughthetatters.Thehoodhadbeenrippedfromthecloak,butthemanhadfashionedaturbanfromatornstripofcloth.Wispsofsandyhairprotrudedfromit,matchedbyasparsebeardandthickbrows.Beneaththeblue-within-blueeyes,remainsofadarkstainspreaddowntohischeeks.Amatteddepressionacrossmustacheandbeardshowedwhereastillsuittubehadmarkedoutitspathfromnosetocatchpockets.
Themanstoppedhalfacrossthedunecrest,armsstretcheddowntheslipface.
Bloodhadclottedonhisbackandonhisarmsandlegs.Patchesofyellow-graysandclungtothewounds.Slowly,hebroughthishandsunderhim,pushedhimselftohisfeet,stoodthereswaying.Andeveninthisalmost-randomactionthereremainedatraceofonce-precisemovement.
“IamLiet-Kynes,”hesaid,addressinghimselftotheemptyhorizon,andhisvoicewasahoarsecaricatureofthestrengthithadknown.“IamHisImperial
Majesty’sPlanetologist,”hewhispered,“planetaryecologistforArrakis.Iamstewardofthisland.”
Hestumbled,fellsidewaysalongthecrustysurfaceofthewindwardface.
Hishandsdugfeeblyintothesand.
Iamstewardofthissand,hethought.
