Дюна
Book Two: Muad‘dib
“Ifyou’refugitivesfromtheHarkonnens,itmaybeyou’rewelcomeamongus.Whatisit,boy?”
ThepossibilitiesflashedthroughPaul’smind:Atrick?Afact?Immediatedecisionwasneeded.
“Whyshouldyouwelcomefugitives?”hedemanded.
“Achildwhothinksandspeakslikeaman,”thetallmansaid.“Well,now,toansweryourquestion,myyoungwali,Iamonewhodoesnotpaythefai,thewatertribute,totheHarkonnens.ThatiswhyImightwelcomeafugitive.”
Heknowswhoweare,Paulthought.There’sconcealmentinhisvoice.
“IamStilgar,theFremen,”thetallmansaid.“Doesthatspeedyourtongue,boy?”
Itisthesamevoice,Paulthought.AndherememberedtheCouncilwiththismanseekingthebodyofafriendslainbytheHarkonnens.
“Iknowyou,Stilgar,”Paulsaid.“IwaswithmyfatherinCouncilwhenyoucameforthewaterofyourfriend.Youtookawaywithyoumyfather’sman,DuncanIdaho—anexchangeoffriends.”
“AndIdahoabandonedustoreturntohisDuke,”Stilgarsaid.
Jessicaheardtheshadingofdisgustinhisvoice,heldherselfpreparedforattack.
Thevoicefromtherocksabovethemcalled:“Wewastetimehere,Stil.”
“ThisistheDuke’sson,”Stilgarbarked.“He’scertainlytheoneLiettoldustoseek.”
“But...achild,Stil.”
“TheDukewasamanandthisladusedathumper,”Stilgarsaid.“Thatwasabravecrossinghemadeinthepathofshai-hulud.”
AndJessicaheardhimexcludingherfromhisthoughts.Hadhealreadypassedsentence?
“Wehaven’ttimeforthetest,”thevoiceabovethemprotested.
