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Book Two: Muad‘dib
ButPaulmustknowaboutthemevenifIdieforhisknowledge.
Inthewaitingsilence,Paulinchedforwardtogetabetterviewofwherehismotherstood.Ashemoved,heheardheavybreathing,suddenlystilled,abovehimintheverticalcrackoftherock,andsensedafaintshadowthereoutlinedagainstthestars.
Stilgar’svoicecameupfromthebasin:“You,upthere!Stophuntingtheboy.He’llcomedownpresently.”
ThevoiceofayoungboyoragirlsoundedfromthedarknessabovePaul:
“But,Stil,hecan’tbefarfrom—”
“Isaidleavehimbe,Chani!Youspawnofalizard!”
TherecameawhisperedimprecationfromabovePaulandalowvoice:“Callmespawnofalizard!”Buttheshadowpulledbackoutofview.
Paulreturnedhisattentiontothebasin,pickingoutthegray-shadowedmovementofStilgarbesidehismother.
“Comein,allofyou,”Stilgarcalled.HeturnedtoJessica.“AndnowI’llaskyouhowwemaybecertainyou’llfulfillyourhalfofourbargain?You’retheone’slivedwithpapersandemptycontractsandsuchas—”
“WeoftheBeneGesseritdon’tbreakourvowsanymorethanyoudo,”
Jessicasaid.
Therewasaprotractedsilence,thenamultiplehissingofvoices:“ABeneGesseritwitch!”
Paulbroughthiscapturedweaponfromhissash,traineditonthedarkfigureofStilgar,butthemanandhiscompanionsremainedimmobile,staringatJessica.
“Itisthelegend,”someonesaid.
“ItwassaidthattheShadoutMapesgavethisreportonyou,”Stilgarsaid.
“Butathingsoimportantmustbetested.
